# Author Support Thread



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, all -

I don't know if somebody started something like this yet (if so, my perfunctory search didn't find it), but I'd like to start a thread - hey, I just did here! LOL! - where authors can help motivate each other by posting their goals, things they're having trouble with (writer's block, plot resolution, whatever), etc. _for works currently underway_.

Here are what I'd consider a few ground rules to keep things relatively focused:

- While it's aimed at helping authors get their writing done, readers are certainly invited to join in! 

- The topics of discussion should generally be confined to current works in progress, not things that have already been published, or (in general) things that are way ahead on the timeline.

- The nature of this thread is inherently promotional, because we're talking about our work. So anyone expecting to pop into this thread will be exposed to writers (and hopefully some interested readers!) talking about their stuff. But keep in mind that the _main focus is on helping each other accomplish our writing goals_, not on beating the drum for things we've already published (we've got our book-specific threads in the Bazaar for that).

Okay, enough of that! I'll start with mine: I'd like to get at least 1,500 words written tonight on _In Her Name: First Contact_, and I'm hoping to write at least 5,000 more this weekend (I'm up to 130 pages of text - almost exactly 500 words/page - with a very rough target of 170 remaining).


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## Carolyn Kephart

'Author Chat,' started recently by vwkitten, is serving a general purpose, it seems to me. Too many Author threads take up space and scatter our forces.

We're very fortunate that self-promotion is encouraged here, but we have our own threads for that, as you noted (some of us more than one).

Just my view.

Writerly regards,

CK


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## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> 'Author Chat,' started recently by vwkitten, is serving a general purpose, it seems to me. Too many Author threads take up space and scatter our forces.
> 
> We're very fortunate that self-promotion is encouraged here, but we have our own threads for that, as you noted (some of us more than one).
> 
> Just my view.
> 
> Writerly regards,
> 
> CK


Carolyn, Mike stated a very specific purpose for this thread.

I think the focus tends to scatter with too many topics in one thread.


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## Thumper

My goal this weekend: knock off about 10 (single spaced) pages, and get some research done. I hate research; I hate even more than if the Spouse Thingy happens to see my search history he'll wonder why I'm looking up men with low testosterone and spongy erections.

That would lead to explaining, which would lead to him wanting to see what I've already written...I really don't like anyone seeing my work before the 5th or 6th draft.


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## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Carolyn, Mike stated a very specific purpose for this thread.
> 
> I think the focus tends to scatter with too many topics in one thread.


I see threads as conversations that dwell on one topic, and then segue into the next, as in the life called real; my comment was merely a suggestion that no one is required to follow.

Cordially,

CK


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## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> My goal this weekend: knock off about 10 (single spaced) pages, and get some research done. I hate research; I hate even more than if the Spouse Thingy happens to see my search history he'll wonder why I'm looking up men with low testosterone and spongy erections.
> 
> That would lead to explaining, which would lead to him wanting to see what I've already written...I really don't like anyone seeing my work before the 5th or 6th draft.


LOL! I enjoy the research part, although with the sort of stuff I'm writing at the moment it's fairly limited (one of the benefits, I suppose, of spinning a plot several centuries in the future). But I have a couple of historical novels planned in future, and that's going to be a lot more research work. On the good side, it's a lot easier now with the web - I can't imagine how much time people used to spend in the library (and still do) researching things!!

As for my effort today, I only hit 1K tonight, two-thirds of my 1500 word mark. I think I could've reached that, but some other important side discussions came up. However, I think I can make it up *and* hit my weekend goal as long as my wrists hold out...


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## RJ Keller

> I hate even more than if the Spouse Thingy happens to see my search history he'll wonder why I'm looking up men with low testosterone and spongy erections.
> 
> That would lead to explaining, which would lead to him wanting to see what I've already written...I really don't like anyone seeing my work before the 5th or 6th draft.


LMAO!!!

I sympathize. My hubby "caught" me doing research on impotence for my novel a few years ago. It took him quite awhile to get over it.


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## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> My goal this weekend: knock off about 10 (single spaced) pages, and get some research done. I hate research; I hate even more than if the Spouse Thingy happens to see my search history he'll wonder why I'm looking up men with low testosterone and spongy erections.
> 
> That would lead to explaining, which would lead to him wanting to see what I've already written...I really don't like anyone seeing my work before the 5th or 6th draft.


I can see where spouse thingy might have a problem with that.



kreelanwarrior said:


> LOL! I enjoy the research part, although with the sort of stuff I'm writing at the moment it's fairly limited (one of the benefits, I suppose, of spinning a plot several centuries in the future). But I have a couple of historical novels planned in future, and that's going to be a lot more research work. On the good side, it's a lot easier now with the web - I can't imagine how much time people used to spend in the library (and still do) researching things!!


Since I like to write historicals, I have to do a lot of research. My current project spans about three years, so I have to keep a strict time-line.



> As for my effort today, I only hit 1K tonight, two-thirds of my 1500 word mark. I think I could've reached that, but some other important side discussions came up. However, I think I can make it up *and* hit my weekend goal as long as my wrists hold out...


I wear a soft brace on my right hand. (Walgreen's $10).

I have some things to finish up tomorrow, and then I have to get past the point I've been having a problem with. My plan is to read the whole thing from the beginning and see if my H&H leads me anywhere. I think I may need to shake them up ... a lot. They don't know yet that they are mfeo.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I wear a soft brace on my right hand. (Walgreen's $10).


Nah, I have to be very careful and not even get to the point where I need a brace of any kind (and all the ones I've tried have been very uncomfortable, anyway). I have to do a lot of typing at work, plus I have to take into account the stress that some exercises I do put on my wrists. So when they start feeling like they've had enough typing, I gotta stop.



> I have some things to finish up tomorrow, and then I have to get past the point I've been having a problem with. My plan is to read the whole thing from the beginning and see if my H&H leads me anywhere. I think I may need to shake them up ... a lot. They don't know yet that they are mfeo.


Okay, I have to ask: what the heck is "mfeo"? And if you *really* need to shake them up, I know an empire full of blue-skinned sword-wielding amazon types who would be happy to help...


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Nah, I have to be very careful and not even get to the point where I need a brace of any kind (and all the ones I've tried have been very uncomfortable, anyway). I have to do a lot of typing at work, plus I have to take into account the stress that some exercises I do put on my wrists. So when they start feeling like they've had enough typing, I gotta stop.


The brace I use is all elastic; no metal inserts. It's very comfortable. I used to do nothing but type on computers all day, and that little item saved my hand.



> Okay, I have to ask: what the heck is "mfeo"? And if you *really* need to shake them up, I know an empire full of blue-skinned sword-wielding amazon types who would be happy to help...


Made for each other.

Blue skins in England go back a few hundred years before the 15th century. I'll bet Boudicea painted her face blue when she was weilding her sword.  I may need to borrow Tesh Dar, but she's got to promise not to slaughter the horses.

I think I'll get a good night's sleep and tackle this problem in the morning. I'll let y'all know how I'm doing.


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## Debra Purdy Kong

kreelanwarrior said:


> Hey, all -
> 
> I'll start with mine: I'd like to get at least 1,500 words written tonight on _In Her Name: First Contact_, and I'm hoping to write at least 5,000 more this weekend (I'm up to 130 pages of text - almost exactly 500 words/page - with a very rough target of 170 remaining).


I don't really focus on word count at all when writing. This week, I finished the 3rd draft of my current work in progress and am putting it away for a month while I work on other things. The process took a long time, partly because I didn't force myself to edit a chapter at a time, and maybe I should have. I'll try this approach next time around. Honestly, this draft took months to complete and I'm struggling to find faster ways to edit a 340 page book.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> I don't really focus on word count at all when writing. This week, I finished the 3rd draft of my current work in progress and am putting it away for a month while I work on other things. The process took a long time, partly because I didn't force myself to edit a chapter at a time, and maybe I should have. I'll try this approach next time around. Honestly, this draft took months to complete and I'm struggling to find faster ways to edit a 340 page book.


I had the same problem when I wrote the original version of In Her Name (now the omnibus edition) (680 pages - which I'm now breaking down into a trilogy!): it took months to go through and edit.

For the book I'm working on now, First Contact, I've got some help from a couple of very nice (and sharp-eyed!) folks to read over the draft chapters as I finish them. That's made the basic proofreading a lot easier, and I've also gotten some great suggestions on more significant editing changes, so I'm hoping not to have to make many major changes by the time I get through the first full draft. <fingers crossed!>


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## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> I don't really focus on word count at all when writing.


For the type of books I write, 100,000 words is just about right. Tracking the word count gives me a goal and let's me know where I'm at.



> This week, I finished the 3rd draft of my current work in progress and am putting it away for a month while I work on other things. The process took a long time, partly because I didn't force myself to edit a chapter at a time, and maybe I should have. I'll try this approach next time around. Honestly, this draft took months to complete and I'm struggling to find faster ways to edit a 340 page book.


I don't think I could put something away for a month and come back to it without completely losing the thread. That's just the way my brain works.

I write straight through. Go through for a second draft. But if I start to read it a third or fourth time, I want to throw it in the garbage and start over. I'm still new at this and don't have a lot of confidence in my work.


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## Leslie

I finished my novella a few weeks ago and sent it off to two beta readers. They gave me good feedback and I did a line-by-line edit x2. Then I put it aside for a few weeks. Jeff read it this week (thank you Jeff) and gave me some more good feedback so I am back to editing mode. Maybe this weekend.

I can't set targets of so many words per day. I need to write when the words are there. Some days I won't write a thing. Other days, I am on a tear. On this novella, I pounded out 6000 words in a 13 hour stretch (6 am to 7 pm). That was rather amazing, even to me!

At the same time I am finishing up this project, I am trying to work my next story out in my mind. I think I have settled on the names of the main characters: Dana Barlow and Sven Hansen. For the record, I love doing research! I have been busy reading up on the history of Maine lighthouses (Dana and Sven are assistant lighthouse keepers at Barnacle Ledge Light, somewhere out in Penobscot Bay). I found out there were "stag" lighthouses...lighthouses staffed only by men, not men and their families. Who knew?

I also need to find out how people traveled around the great state of Maine in the 1930s, if they didn't have a car. Was there anything like Greyhound buses? Anyone know? I need to get people from Aroostook County to Bangor, Rockland, and Portland at various points in the story.

L


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## Jeff

Leslie said:


> I also need to find out how people traveled around the great state of Maine in the 1930s, if they didn't have a car. Was there anything like Greyhound buses? Anyone know? I need to get people from Aroostook County to Bangor, Rockland, and Portland at various points in the story.


The Transportation Museum is located on Route 73 in Owls Head, Maine, just two miles from U.S. Route 1. We are two miles south of Rockland , eight miles south of Camden and apx. 85 miles north of Portland.


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## Leslie

Jeff said:


> The Transportation Museum is located on Route 73 in Owls Head, Maine, just two miles from U.S. Route 1. We are two miles south of Rockland , eight miles south of Camden and apx. 85 miles north of Portland.


Actually, I've been there. It's all about cars and planes.

The trolley museum in Kennebunk is helpful (I've been there too). I know they had light rail connecting places like Biddeford and Saco, Saco and Portland, and so on. But I don't believe that was covering longer distances of 100+ miles.

L


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## Jeff

I should have mentioned in my previous post that Leslie's novella is beautifully written.


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## Leslie

Jeff said:


> I should have mentioned in my previous post that Leslie's novella is beautifully written.


Thank you, Jeff.


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## RJ Keller

Leslie,

My grandmother lived in Maine during that time. I'll send her an email and see what she has to say about transportation.


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## Leslie

rjkeller said:


> Leslie,
> 
> My grandmother lived in Maine during that time. I'll send her an email and see what she has to say about transportation.


Thanks, RJ!

L


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## Leslie

rjkeller said:


> Leslie,
> 
> My grandmother lived in Maine during that time. I'll send her an email and see what she has to say about transportation.


Thanks, RJ!

L


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> For the type of books I write, 100,000 words is just about right. Tracking the word count gives me a goal and let's me know where I'm at.
> 
> I don't think I could put something away for a month and come back to it without completely losing the thread. That's just the way my brain works.
> 
> I write straight through. Go through for a second draft. But if I start to read it a third or fourth time, I want to throw it in the garbage and start over. I'm still new at this and don't have a lot of confidence in my work.


Yeah, it would be tough for me to put something away like that for a while, although I guess coming back to it would give you a bit of a fresh look. After all, I put In Her Name under my desk for 12 years! LOL!

Okay, I got the pre-pub files of the second novel (Confederation) to CreateSpace today, so that's done. Now I have to get the Kindle version up, which I'm going to work on a bit right now...


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## Michael R. Hicks

Even though I was short on my goal for yesterday (I made it to about 1,000 rather than 1,500 words) on In Her Name: First Contact, I made up for it a bit today: I hammered out 4,000 words tonight and finished the draft for chapter 11 (my entire weekend goal was 5,000). Yay! Of course, I have no idea what comes next in the story. D'oh!

I was going to try and work on getting the Kindle version of Confederation set up on DTP, but didn't feel like monkeying around with HTML today after the five mile run/walk Jan and I did this morning, and all the running around we did this afternoon. So will try to get to that tomorrow or Monday...


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## Gertie Kindle

You know, the weird thing about retirement is not being able to shake off the work schedule thing.  I always refused to do the whole Saturday errand/cleaning thing.  That was my day of rest.  I saved errands for after work and cleaning for Sundays.  I still can't seem to bring myself to work on Saturday.  

So, congratulations.  The most I did was transfer the work in progress from one computer to a flash drive so I could put it on the other computer.  I didn't even complete the transfer.  (sigh)  Be proud of yourself.


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## geoffthomas

Good thread folks.
clearly serves a useful purpose.
I am only sticking my nose in here to give general statement of support.
You folks are creative artists (in words) and WE thank you for you efforts.
Some of you are becoming personal friends.
So be encouraged!


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## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie said:


> I finished my novella a few weeks ago and sent it off to two beta readers. They gave me good feedback and I did a line-by-line edit x2. Then I put it aside for a few weeks. Jeff read it this week (thank you Jeff) and gave me some more good feedback so I am back to editing mode. Maybe this weekend.


Leslie -

Cool! I still have to download that and Jeff's books. I'm planning to check those out after I finish Boyd's last novel (about 1/4 done). 



> I can't set targets of so many words per day. I need to write when the words are there. Some days I won't write a thing. Other days, I am on a tear. On this novella, I pounded out 6000 words in a 13 hour stretch (6 am to 7 pm). That was rather amazing, even to me!


I didn't used to, but since I started First Contact, I've found that - barring interruptions - I can hammer out around 1,000 words an hour, which in the page format I'm using now for the books works out to almost exactly 2 pages (500 words/page). I don't have time to write every night, and I'm trying to be realistic, but I've found it helps me focus a bit better to at least have a general target for the days when I write. If my muse isn't cooperative, I'm not going to beat myself up about it, but it's something to shoot for. 



> At the same time I am finishing up this project, I am trying to work my next story out in my mind. I think I have settled on the names of the main characters: Dana Barlow and Sven Hansen.


That's interesting! I never know who the characters are until they appear in the story! LOL!


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> You know, the weird thing about retirement is not being able to shake off the work schedule thing. I always refused to do the whole Saturday errand/cleaning thing. That was my day of rest. I saved errands for after work and cleaning for Sundays. I still can't seem to bring myself to work on Saturday.


Believe me, I will have NO PROBLEM ridding myself of the work schedule concept!! I have a good job that, for the most part, I do actually enjoy, but I can't wait to retire so I can manage my time the way I want and focus on non-work priorities. And take naps when I feel like snoozing! 



> So, congratulations. The most I did was transfer the work in progress from one computer to a flash drive so I could put it on the other computer. I didn't even complete the transfer. (sigh) Be proud of yourself.


Why not just get a network connection? Then you wouldn't have to expend as much energy on your rest day?


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## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Good thread folks.
> clearly serves a useful purpose.
> I am only sticking my nose in here to give general statement of support.
> You folks are creative artists (in words) and WE thank you for you efforts.
> Some of you are becoming personal friends.
> So be encouraged!


Thanks, Geoff! We appreciate the support! It's always nice when readers get involved in things we're doing on the writing angle; I know I've gotten a lot of great insights from folks and, as you noted, have certainly made some friends over the course of author-reader discussions about books and what goes into making them. That doesn't seem to be happening nearly as much nowadays as it used to, unfortunately (or maybe it's just me), but we're definitely glad to have ya!


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> And take naps when I feel like snoozing!


Naps are a given.



> Why not just get a network connection? Then you wouldn't have to expend as much energy on your rest day?


That's on my list of things not to do on a Saturday.


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## RJ Keller

Leslie, RE: Maine travel in what my grandmother calls "The Good Days."

She remembers traveling by train for long distances. She didn't make it to The Country during that time, but she said she imagines that's how they did most of their long-distance traveling, too. Also, she lived in Sanford during WW2, and although there _were _ cars, most people she knew walked in town.

Hope that helps.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, that reminds me about the research topic: it's probably not much help for most historical research, but I've found some very useful things on YouTube, of all places. There are a few scenes in my current project that involve close combat, and some YT videos were extremely helpful in scripting those scenes. Again, not a panacea, but an interesting place to look for things...


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## Leslie

rjkeller said:


> Leslie, RE: Maine travel in what my grandmother calls "The Good Days."
> 
> She remembers traveling by train for long distances. She didn't make it to The Country during that time, but she said she imagines that's how they did most of their long-distance traveling, too. Also, she lived in Sanford during WW2, and although there _were _ cars, most people she knew walked in town.
> 
> Hope that helps.


Thanks, RJ! I also sent a message to the Maine Historical Society. We'll see if I hear anything from them.

L


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Oh, that reminds me about the research topic: it's probably not much help for most historical research, but I've found some very useful things on YouTube, of all places. There are a few scenes in my current project that involve close combat, and some YT videos were extremely helpful in scripting those scenes. Again, not a panacea, but an interesting place to look for things...


What a unique resource. I think that might be helpful to me, too. Thanks, Mike.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> What a unique resource. I think that might be helpful to me, too. Thanks, Mike.


Welcome! 

And one of the nicest things, aside from the convenience, is for scenes that involve action (like martial arts, in my example), it's nice to be able to freeze-frame the motion and run through it as many times as you want to really get a feel for what's going on.

But there are tons of on-location videos for scenery and that sort of thing, too.

One other high-tech research tool that I thought of while reading Boyd's Adamas Blueprint, when he's describing some of the scenic aspects of the area the action takes place in: GoogleMaps and GoogleEarth now allow you to zoom right down to street level where you can actually look around. I used that the other day when I was looking for the office building I needed to go to: I punched in the address, then zoomed down until it was like I was standing in the middle of the street, looking right at the image of the building! You can turn and look all around you, and move along the streets and so on. They don't have that level of imagery everywhere (it's taken by special cameras that Google drives around now), but there's more and more available. So you may not actually have to physically go somewhere to give really good detail in your story about the locale...


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## Dave Dykema

Googlemaps sounds like a great idea for scouting locations in a bigger city like New York or San Francisco. Want to describe Times Square in detail? You can do it all the way down to the different shops and the people that populate them.

Getting back to the wrist supports, I find I need to wear one now. Could be because I was transferred to a different department at work and now type all day long. It doesn't help that the area I work in started out as a TV set (i.e. backdrop) that they later added computers and desks to. The counter is much higher than it needs to be, causing all of us to reach up like hands twisting out of the grave to type. I haven't done any damage yet, but do feel the right wrist flare up now and then.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> Getting back to the wrist supports, I find I need to wear one now. Could be because I was transferred to a different department at work and now type all day long. It doesn't help that the area I work in started out as a TV set (i.e. backdrop) that they later added computers and desks to. The counter is much higher than it needs to be, causing all of us to reach up like hands twisting out of the grave to type. I haven't done any damage yet, but do feel the right wrist flare up now and then.


Can you get them to install one of those keyboard support things that swings out from under your desk? They just screw onto the bottom, and some of them have a mouse pad area, too.

And that's actually one thing for my right wrist, depending on the kind of work I'm doing: the frigging mouse. I prefer a trackball or a tablet for anything that requires much mousing around...


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Can you get them to install one of those keyboard support things that swings out from under your desk? They just screw onto the bottom, and some of them have a mouse pad area, too.


I did that for all the secretaries where I used to work. Just had the shop guys come over and take care of it.

my new desk at home is so neat. I have my laptop where the keyboard would be, so it's just the right height. Of course, mine doesn't look this organized.












> And that's actually one thing for my right wrist, depending on the kind of work I'm doing: the frigging mouse. I prefer a trackball or a tablet for anything that requires much mousing around...


Yeah, too much mousing around will do it. That's why I like my laptop. I don't use my desktop for typing at all.


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## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> Oh, that reminds me about the research topic: it's probably not much help for most historical research, but I've found some very useful things on YouTube, of all places.


Hmmm.
No, I don't think I'll go searching for info on spongy erections on You Tube, but it does conjure up some interesting images...

Then again, so does Google and I'm thinking I'm not old enough to be looking at some of the stuff it's coughing up.


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## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Hmmm.
> No, I don't think I'll go searching for info on spongy erections on You Tube, but it does conjure up some interesting images...


You haven't accidentally called spouse thingy "Sponge Bob," have you? 



> Then again, so does Google and I'm thinking I'm not old enough to be looking at some of the stuff it's coughing up.


It's too bad that they allow the people that post to put in any key words they want, so when you search, all this garbage comes up. My grandson was doing a report on George Washington. I googled GW images and this absolutely disgusting photo came up. I don't let him do searches anymore because that's not the first time it's happened.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> You haven't accidentally called spouse thingy "Sponge Bob," have you?


Ha! Good one! 



> It's too bad that they allow the people that post to put in any key words they want, so when you search, all this garbage comes up. My grandson was doing a report on George Washington. I googled GW images and this absolutely disgusting photo came up. I don't let him do searches anymore because that's not the first time it's happened.


Yeah, we don't let our boys surf YouTube without supervision. Unfortunately, any time they go over to various friends' houses, the other parents don't monitor what they do online at all. Oy...

Anyway, I topped out at 2,100 words last night before I finally got pooped. Not sure how much I'll write today, since I already exceeded my weekend goal. But I'll still be writing *some*!


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yeah, we don't let our boys surf YouTube without supervision. Unfortunately, any time they go over to various friends' houses, the other parents don't monitor what they do online at all. Oy...


It isn't just youtube. I googled a smiley the other day and got another disgusting image. I bought him a mini netbooks for Christmas, which has a wi-fi connection. Fortunately, there's no wi-fi coverage in his area. He has to come to my house to use the Internet and I sit right beside him.



> Anyway, I topped out at 2,100 words last night before I finally got pooped. Not sure how much I'll write today, since I already exceeded my weekend goal. But I'll still be writing *some*!


Good going. So if the mood (muse) strikes ... 

I did convert my ms yesterday and put it on Little Gertie. I think I'll sit on the patio and read it. My goal for today is to do that and get back to writing.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> It isn't just youtube. I googled a smiley the other day and got another disgusting image. I bought him a mini netbooks for Christmas, which has a wi-fi connection. Fortunately, there's no wi-fi coverage in his area. He has to come to my house to use the Internet and I sit right beside him.


Well, we don't let them surf unattended, either, although I don't feel compelled to sit right there and watch them: the laptop they're allowed to use has some good "your parents are WATCHING YOU!" type software: every URL they visit, every program they run, and every keystroke they make is logged (I could even set it to take periodic screen shots, but haven't). That's how I found out that the younger one was doing something that wasn't bad, necessarily, but potentially dangerous on a kids' site. He lost his privileges until he decided it was worth explaining what he was doing, after which he got another "Internet safety briefing" and his access back. It's when they go over to visit friends whose parents either have no clue or don't care what their kids are being exposed to that bothers me, but there's not much I can do about that... :-(



> Good going. So if the mood (muse) strikes ...
> 
> I did convert my ms yesterday and put it on Little Gertie. I think I'll sit on the patio and read it. My goal for today is to do that and get back to writing.


Sounds like a plan! Yeah, I think I'm going to tap away for a bit here shortly...


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, we don't let them surf unattended, either, although I don't feel compelled to sit right there and watch them: the laptop they're allowed to use has some good "your parents are WATCHING YOU!" type software: every URL they visit, every program they run, and every keystroke they make is logged (I could even set it to take periodic screen shots, but haven't). That's how I found out that the younger one was doing something that wasn't bad, necessarily, but potentially dangerous on a kids' site. He lost his privileges until he decided it was worth explaining what he was doing, after which he got another "Internet safety briefing" and his access back. It's when they go over to visit friends whose parents either have no clue or don't care what their kids are being exposed to that bothers me, but there's not much I can do about that... :-(


I'll have to look into that software. What do you use?

When I say I sit right beside him, that's because I use my desktop when he's on the laptop, so I'm right there, and he doesn't even know I'm watching.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I'll have to look into that software. What do you use?


Here's what we've been using: http://www.refog.com/download-keylogger-for-free.html



> When I say I sit right beside him, that's because I use my desktop when he's on the laptop, so I'm right there, and he doesn't even know I'm watching.


We'll have to start calling you "Big Sister..."


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Here's what we've been using: http://www.refog.com/download-keylogger-for-free.html


Thanks. I'll check that out.



> We'll have to start calling you "Big Sister..."


I'm definitely not a "cookie" grandma.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

It is a real shame that searches take us places we don't mean to go, but what's worse is when they keep popping up in your history even after you think you've cleared them.  I thank God that my kids are grown and gone and I don't have to monitor them any longer... well, within reason.

I do use Google Earth and other searches to find scenery, buildings, addresses, etceteras.  It's a lot less expensive than traveling there though I wish I could go everywhere I write about because it adds to the realism, but that's where imagination and what I like to think of as indulging "Artistic license".  So what if our description is not exactly right on the money?  Most of our readers haven't been to those places either and if we get the general idea across with some acuracy and don't try to intentionally mislead, that is wonderful.  I wouldn't want to just make things up for real places because I do know that my readers have actually been to some of them.  I want to 'look good' in writing so I try hard to get it right, but the web has been invaluable to me.  Sometimes you have to just keep looking and ignore all that ignoramus stuff that people put out there to trick you.  Just keep on plugging til you find what you're looking for.  That's what I love about fantasy and fiction... you really can make it up as you go along!


----------



## Leslie

> So what if our description is not exactly right on the money? Most of our readers haven't been to those places either and if we get the general idea across with some acuracy and don't try to intentionally mislead, that is wonderful.


I read a lot of historical fiction and hang out with a bunch of historical fiction authors and let me tell you, they work hard to get things right...and get really annoyed when authors flub up the details. This is from a review I read just the other day:

_I nearly stopped on page one because right from the first paragraph the facts were wrong:

During the final year of Queen Anne's reign of England, Antonio Vivaldi astonished audiences with his miraculous Four Seasons&#8230;"

I don't remember any time when Vivaldi came to England and surely the most cursory search on The Four Seasons should havs shown that it was not composed until 1723.

One fact, I thought anyone can make mistakes - It's all right, so I moved on. Only to find on the next page "brownstone houses" in London. Then there's mention of polo ponies, pooftahs, gaslight in 1713(!) performances of operas that couldn't have happened, streets in the wrong locations, places mentioned-like Mayfair-that didn't even exist&#8230; the list goes on and on._

She ended up giving the book one star. So I do think it is important to do your homework. As I said earlier in this thread, I enjoy the research the precedes the writing. I find it very interesting and I learn a lot.

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yes, there's no substitute for good research if you're writing is set in a given period. That's one reason why I've put off a historical novel that I'd like to write, because I know doing the research is going to take a lot of time. I generally enjoy research, but I decided that for the moment I'll stick with futuristic fantasy/sci-fi... 



Leslie said:


> I read a lot of historical fiction and hang out with a bunch of historical fiction authors and let me tell you, they work hard to get things right...and get really annoyed when authors flub up the details. This is from a review I read just the other day:
> 
> _I nearly stopped on page one because right from the first paragraph the facts were wrong:
> 
> During the final year of Queen Anne's reign of England, Antonio Vivaldi astonished audiences with his miraculous Four Seasons&#8230;"
> 
> I don't remember any time when Vivaldi came to England and surely the most cursory search on The Four Seasons should havs shown that it was not composed until 1723.
> 
> One fact, I thought anyone can make mistakes - It's all right, so I moved on. Only to find on the next page "brownstone houses" in London. Then there's mention of polo ponies, pooftahs, gaslight in 1713(!) performances of operas that couldn't have happened, streets in the wrong locations, places mentioned-like Mayfair-that didn't even exist&#8230; the list goes on and on._
> 
> She ended up giving the book one star. So I do think it is important to do your homework. As I said earlier in this thread, I enjoy the research the precedes the writing. I find it very interesting and I learn a lot.
> 
> L


----------



## geoffthomas

But Mike you don't need to worry.
You DID get all the details of the Kreelan Empire right.
Even the sequence of events was correct (wink, nod).


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> But Mike you don't need to worry.
> You DID get all the details of the Kreelan Empire right.
> Even the sequence of events was correct (wink, nod).


HA! Good one! But just ask some of the other folks how good my addition skills are...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> She ended up giving the book one star. So I do think it is important to do your homework. As I said earlier in this thread, I enjoy the research the precedes the writing. I find it very interesting and I learn a lot.
> 
> L


I found I really had to watch myself. I described "cobalt blue eyes" when cobalt wasn't known in the 15th century. Similarly, I used the word quixotic and then realized Don Quixote wasn't written until the 17th century. So, yes, we do have to be careful.

Still a mistake or two might just sneak through. "Chalk it up," right, Leslie? 



geoffthomas said:


> But Mike you don't need to worry.
> You DID get all the details of the Kreelan Empire right.
> Even the sequence of events was correct (wink, nod).


   



kreelanwarrior said:


> HA! Good one! But just ask some of the other folks how good my addition skills are...


Ahem ... nuff said.

So, I've been reading what I've written so far and editing as I'm going along. I'm pretty happy with it so far (barring punctuation and grammar errors). I had gotten further than I thought. Back to reading. I'm watching Larry Lawnmower do all the work while sipping iced tea and enjoying a good book.


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I found I really had to watch myself. I described "cobalt blue eyes" when cobalt wasn't known in the 15th century. Similarly, I used the word quixotic and then realized Don Quixote wasn't written until the 17th century. So, yes, we do have to be careful.
> 
> Still a mistake or two might just sneak through. "Chalk it up," right, Leslie?


Hahahah, yes.

My rule of thumb is that I can use modern words and phrases in the expository parts, but not the dialog (internal and external). But even using modern words, I don't want to be too modern and take the reader out of the time. But, as an example (this came up in the grammar pet peeves thread): the phrase "making love," meaning intercourse, is from the 1950s. The older usage, "making love to," would be more like flirting. I wouldn't object to, "Ariana and Jeremy made love tenderly, under the star filled sky and cushioned on the mossy grass." On the other hand, neither character could call what they are doing making love, since that phrase didn't exist.

L


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> Here's what we've been using: http://www.refog.com/download-keylogger-for-free.html
> 
> We'll have to start calling you "Big Sister..."


From what I've seen in chatrooms, kids are exposed to the most ghastly things. Google image searches can always be filtered, though, using the Safe Search option.

Searching 'disabling keylogger' yielded this on the first try: http://www.sharewareconnection.com/keylogger-stopper.htm.

This seems like the Author thread that promises to stick, so I hope no one minds if I hang around. 

CK


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Leslie said:


> I read a lot of historical fiction and hang out with a bunch of historical fiction authors and let me tell you, they work hard to get things right...and get really annoyed when authors flub up the details.


Then they'd have loved the novel I heard mentioned someplace, where Mary and Joseph go to the inn, sit down at a table and ask for menus...honestly.

I bless the Internet on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. It makes good research effortless, and bad research excuseless.

CK


----------



## Leslie

Carolyn Kephart said:


> This seems like the Author thread that promises to stick, so I hope no one minds if I hang around.
> 
> CK


Please do!

L


----------



## Leslie

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Then they'd have loved the novel I heard mentioned someplace, where Mary and Joseph go to the inn, sit down at a table and ask for menus...honestly.


Hahahah, I would love to see that!

Unfortunately, my friends all admit that they sometimes use "research" as an excuse to procrastinate. One author talked about how she spent the whole day researching the width of buttons on British naval uniforms in 1802. This information didn't even make it into the story but she just had to know...

L


----------



## Brenda Carroll

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yes, there's no substitute for good research if you're writing is set in a given period. That's one reason why I've put off a historical novel that I'd like to write, because I know doing the research is going to take a lot of time. I generally enjoy research, but I decided that for the moment I'll stick with futuristic fantasy/sci-fi...


That's right about the historical novels, I was talking mainly about describing scenery. I try not to get my facts switched up so I try to avoid making too many long historical references unless I really do some homework first, like studying the particular period for details that are fun to mention and make people think or even want to go and look something up afterwards. I just hoping I did good and don't get fried too much when mistakes are found. It puts me in mind of when the church slammed Dan Brown's novel. I kept thinking, hey, its just a novel... for entertainment? I'm sure Dan Brown doesn't care too much now since he's made such a fine name for himself and think fo the financial benefits (just saying). Sometimes people get off on the wrong tangents and it is our duty as writers to keep them on track, but expect strange things to happen. I hope that my books might even become a glimmer of the shining star that Dan's books have become.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> My rule of thumb is that I can use modern words and phrases in the expository parts, but not the dialog (internal and external). But even using modern words, I don't want to be too modern and take the reader out of the time.


I agree with you, and I forgot to make those changes. Will do sometime today, which means I'll have to change the paperback, which means another proof copy. (headache) But it's worth it to get it right. I think the way you suggests keeps the reader more involved.

Leslie very kindly critiqued (helpfully) AP when she read it.



> But, as an example (this came up in the grammar pet peeves thread): the phrase "making love," meaning intercourse, is from the 1950s. The older usage, "making love to," would be more like flirting. I wouldn't object to, "Ariana and Jeremy made love tenderly, under the star filled sky and cushioned on the mossy grass." On the other hand, neither character could call what they are doing making love, since that phrase didn't exist.
> 
> L


I don't think Ariana objected, either. 

How about "makin' whoopee" or "makin' bacon."


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> How about "makin' whoopee" or "makin' bacon."


I'm going to have to start saying "Thank Google." This site looks a right keeper:

http://www.sex-lexis.com/Sex-Dictionary/having%20sex

I've always liked the word 'swiving.'

CK


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I'm going to have to start saying "Thank Google." This site looks a right keeper:
> 
> http://www.sex-lexis.com/Sex-Dictionary/having%20sex
> 
> I've always liked the word 'swiving.'
> 
> CK


It reminds me of a line in _Outlander_.

"It was like swiving a bowl of warm milk." It just puts this awful image in my head. 

I have this absolutely wonderful book with all kinds of obscure words and terms.

Here's one of my favorites, but it's Victorian. Croodle which combines crouch and cuddle.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I like that 'croodle'.  I love putting old words and making up new ones. Some of my readers yell at me and say "You made that up!", but I just laugh and say "Nope, look it up!"  It's fun to make people think.


----------



## Thumper

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> You haven't accidentally called spouse thingy "Sponge Bob," have you?


Not yet...maybe in a few years when middle age starts to creep into old age 



> It's too bad that they allow the people that post to put in any key words they want, so when you search, all this garbage comes up.


You can weed out a lot of the 'oh HECK no!' stuff by changing your safety settings; I was getting the same info over and over until I turned off the moderately safe search function and that's when I started seeing things.

I'm not a prude but dang...even the cat was looking at the monitor like _WTH are they doing_


----------



## Thumper

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Then they'd have loved the novel I heard mentioned someplace, where Mary and Joseph go to the inn, sit down at a table and ask for menus...honestly.


Well, clearly, they were at a HoJo's...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Well, clearly, they were at a HoJo's...


Goodness. I don't think there's a HoJo's within a 100 miles of here. I can't remember the last time I ate there.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Gertie,
What's the name of the book with all the old interesting words in it?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Gertie,
> What's the name of the book with all the old interesting words in it?


Here you go. Not available for Kindle.

Dickson's Word Treasury: A Connoisseur's Collection of Old and New, Weird and Wonderful, Useful and Outlandish Words


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Here you go. Not available for Kindle.
> 
> Dickson's Word Treasury: A Connoisseur's Collection of Old and New, Weird and Wonderful, Useful and Outlandish Words


Ha! That's excellent! Not sure if I'd ever get a chance to use it, but if nothing else it would make for some great "easter eggs" in a story - LOL!

Okay, word count so far today: 1600 - not too much longer before the first major battle scene comes up. But before that, it's time to go toss some chicken on the grill and make some dinner! Jan and I are starving: went for a 2+ mile run, then worked out for another hour (her on ChaLEAN Extreme, me on P90X). Talk about burning some calories! Then back to writing!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Ha! That's excellent! Not sure if I'd ever get a chance to use it, but if nothing else it would make for some great "easter eggs" in a story - LOL!


shoyhoy - a boy hired to scare birds.



> Okay, word count so far today: 1600 - not too much longer before the first major battle scene comes up. But before that, it's time to go toss some chicken on the grill and make some dinner! Jan and I are starving: went for a 2+ mile run, then worked out for another hour (her on ChaLEAN Extreme, me on P90X). Talk about burning some calories! Then back to writing!


You're putting me to shame.

Two loads of laundry to put away, dinner, and then I'm back to work.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> You're putting me to shame.
> 
> Two loads of laundry to put away, dinner, and then I'm back to work.


Better get crackin', lady!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Gertie, 
Thanks for the link.  I ordered a used copy!  This should be a very fun book!  Thanks!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Gertie,
> Thanks for the link. I ordered a used copy! This should be a very fun book! Thanks!


I've never read the whole thing through, but there is definitely some weird stuff in there. Enjoy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I finished the final edits on AP this morning. Just have to re-convert for Create Space.

Now back to the work-in-progress.

*Carolyn, Mike* ... you both posted some good links to help in our research. Do you think a thread dedicated to just those kind of links would be helpful?

Leslie, Betsy, Ann? What do you think?


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> *Carolyn, Mike* ... you both posted some good links to help in our research. Do you think a thread dedicated to just those kind of links would be helpful?
> 
> Leslie, Betsy, Ann? What do you think?


It's possible, but to be honest, I'm anti-thread-proliferation. The powers that be have kindly allowed us to advertise here for free, and I've done what I can not to take undue advantage of that generosity by keeping my two books to a single thread, etc.

We can surely post links of interest here, no? Just my view. Regarding links, I've got a million of 'em. 

CK


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> We can surely post links of interest here, no? Just my view. Regarding links, I've got a million of 'em.
> 
> CK


One stop shopping. So I know who the go-to-gal is when I can't find a resource on my own?


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> *Carolyn, Mike* ... you both posted some good links to help in our research. Do you think a thread dedicated to just those kind of links would be helpful?
> 
> Leslie, Betsy, Ann? What do you think?


Betsy and I will confab: perhaps in the Book Lovers links post (which is actually in the Book Corner) there could be a section for author resources. . . . or perhaps as a part of the Authors at KB thread above here.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> One stop shopping. So I know who the go-to-gal is when I can't find a resource on my own?


Absolutely! And if I'm not around these parts, feel free to email me. Address is on my website.

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I finished the final edits on AP this morning. Just have to re-convert for Create Space.
> 
> Now back to the work-in-progress.
> 
> *Carolyn, Mike* ... you both posted some good links to help in our research. Do you think a thread dedicated to just those kind of links would be helpful?
> 
> Leslie, Betsy, Ann? What do you think?


I think it's a good idea, but I'd make the thread sticky and limit it *only* to resource links (as opposed to a "discussion" thread). that way it'll stay clean and things will be easier to find...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, tonight's goal is 1,000 words/2 pages, although I'm going to try to do a bit more: hitting another "action part," and it's going to be hard to stop once it gets going...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ann in Arlington said:


> Betsy and I will confab: perhaps in the Book Lovers links post (which is actually in the Book Corner) there could be a section for author resources. . . . or perhaps as a part of the Authors at KB thread above here.


If you decide to do it, I think it will fit best in the BB. That's where us authors go and maybe we can have a sticky?


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, tonight's goal is 1,000 words/2 pages, although I'm going to try to do a bit more: hitting another "action part," and it's going to be hard to stop once it gets going...


Good luck...I say here and stared at my computer monitor for 2 hours trying to write. When I was talking to the screen, practically begging the characters to tell me what they heck they were doing and talking about, I realized it was time to step away from the story. Maybe they'll talk to me later...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Good luck...I say here and stared at my computer monitor for 2 hours trying to write. When I was talking to the screen, practically begging the characters to tell me what they heck they were doing and talking about, I realized it was time to step away from the story. Maybe they'll talk to me later...


D'oh! Sounds like it was chocolate time to me! I think my muse craves chocolate, and my fingers are always happy after eating cookies.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> D'oh! Sounds like it was chocolate time to me! I think my muse craves chocolate, and my fingers are always happy after eating cookies.


That's what we were waiting for. The ultimate secret ... chocolate. Of course, chocolate is usually the solution for everything. Chocolate ice cream is great for sore throats, e.g.

I am now home and in for the night. I've finished everything I can do for the moment for AP. Now I'm determined to finish the edit and reread of WIP (work in progress).

I'll probably drop by to say goodnight, but I'm working ... as soon as I have some chocolate fudge brownie ice cream with RediWhip for inspiration. 

Bye


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thumper said:


> Good luck...I say here and stared at my computer monitor for 2 hours trying to write. When I was talking to the screen, practically begging the characters to tell me what they heck they were doing and talking about, I realized it was time to step away from the story. Maybe they'll talk to me later...


Hey Thumper, I wish I could share some of my characters' enthusiasm with you. Mine never shut up and are always pushing me to stay up past my bedtime, writing and writing, all about them. It's all about them! Never about what I need!  If I could stay home and write and not have to eat or live or drink, I could write forever, but one must pay the rent.  By the by, saw your tat. Nice. Love Thumper from when I was just a wee child. I, too, have a tat-too, also, too. But I'm too shy to post a pic of it, though my BFF is threatening to do it. Like everything in my life, it is the same tat my main charater has on his back. Ha! No wonderful story like yours. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> That's what we were waiting for. The ultimate secret ... chocolate. Of course, chocolate is usually the solution for everything. Chocolate ice cream is great for sore throats...


No ice cream of any flavor anywhere near me. Argh. I'll have to finish up my latest short story with the aid of my usual stimulant, green tea (or chal as it's known in wysard country).

Heavens, this thread's gotten a lot of hits. Our public! 

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No tattoos for me, only magic markers!  

Okay, the draft for chapter 12 of In Her Name: First Contact has been hammered out; some edits back on chapter 11 (thanks, Steph!), but I'll add those in tomorrow. Now it's time to hit chapter 13 (Gertie - the invasion's about to begin!), because I just had a dark chocolate kiss. I feel like Roger Ramjet after he takes his proton energy pills...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, last post for the night: total of 1600 words hammered out today. I exceeded my quota (or my fingers runneth over, whichever works)...


----------



## sigrosenblum

kreelanwarrior said:


> LOL! I enjoy the research part, although with the sort of stuff I'm writing at the moment it's fairly limited (one of the benefits, I suppose, of spinning a plot several centuries in the future). But I have a couple of historical novels planned in future, and that's going to be a lot more research work. On the good side, it's a lot easier now with the web - I can't imagine how much time people used to spend in the library (and still do) researching things!!
> 
> As for my effort today, I only hit 1K tonight, two-thirds of my 1500 word mark. I think I could've reached that, but some other important side discussions came up. However, I think I can make it up *and* hit my weekend goal as long as my wrists hold out...


You know this already. But be careful of the Web for research. There's a mountain of misinfromation out there (good new word from a typo!). But maybe for a novel that's not too serious. However, for non-fiction, I stick mostly--not exclusively--to books. I take it that most of us remember those?

By the way, this thread looks like a good idea!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> No ice cream of any flavor anywhere near me. Argh. I'll have to finish up my latest short story with the aid of my usual stimulant, green tea (or chal as it's known in wysard country).
> 
> Heavens, this thread's gotten a lot of hits. Our public!
> 
> CK


Yes, the public wants to get an insight into the creative mind, and what do we give them? Chocolate ice cream and tattoos. 



kreelanwarrior said:


> No tattoos for me, only magic markers!


A lot less painful.



> Okay, the draft for chapter 12 of In Her Name: First Contact has been hammered out; some edits back on chapter 11 (thanks, Steph!), but I'll add those in tomorrow. Now it's time to hit chapter 13 (Gertie - the invasion's about to begin!), because I just had a dark chocolate kiss. I feel like Roger Ramjet after he takes his proton energy pills...


Dark chocolate kisses presage major mayhem. Got it.



kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, last post for the night: total of 1600 words hammered out today. I exceeded my quota (or my fingers runneth over, whichever works)...


Yay!!! I don't really want to know anything, but I can't wait to see how you


Spoiler



present the Kreela. In First Contact, they must (I think) be the bad guys. But in IHN, we came to feel an affinity for them through Reza.


 Patience, patience.

Got all my edits done through Chapter 11, which is where I had stopped writing. Now I'm like *Thumper*, waiting for my characters to tell me what they want to do. They did give me a bit of a hint. I have many places to go, people to see and things to do tomorrow, so I'll just let it all simmer in my head. By tomorrow night, something should boil over. 

Goodnight, all.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I am doing something a little different for me - I'm bringing two books to term simultaneously. Now, I have 10 projects in flight, mostly manuscripts that have been in progress since 2000-2 (that's CE not BCE). Generally, I've been bringing one book at a time to a final revision (I usually do 3 to 8 revisions, according to the work and size). While I may work on a few projects (research, additional ideas etc), I have never worked on 2 final revisions simultaneously. There's a reason for this madness.

First, Look Away Silence is a work close to my heart and very hard for me to write (not the writing, but the subject matter). It is a romance in the time of AIDS and bakes in all my experiences during the pandemic and incorporates the collective stories of my fallen. It also carries the weight of my own service as an AIDS volunteer ( a buddy). To make this work less traumatic for a reading audience, I've cast it in 1st person POV, something I generally do not do, and have pumped tons of humor into it. Without that humorous buffer, the work would just be one big sob number. Like most of my works, I grab a counter theme and smash it into it - in this case the GALA Choruses (The Gay & lesbian Choral Association). So the work is a hoot, a holler and a full blown heart breaker. 

THUS the other work being brought to full term. The Nan Tu is the second book of the Southern Swallow series, set in 12th Century China and a rip roaring history adventure, about as close to Look Away Silence as Tuna is to Parakeet. Look Away Silence, when finished will be about 120,000 words, relatively light, while The Nan Tu will be about 280,000 words, one of the big fellers. So going from the Jersey shore and Colorado and the Gay Ghetto to the Sung Imperial Court and mutinies and sea battles will keep me in balance until these two are ready (July for Look Away and September for The Nan Tu). The only one going crazy is Peg, my editor who gets gay banter one day and journeys down the Grand Canal the next. I just told her not to get the two mixed up in her mind, because I can do just so much theme-smashing.

I'll keep y'all posted, and trawl here to add my suggestions on your current works in progress. Stuck on something, just ask.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

sigrosenblum said:


> You know this already. But be careful of the Web for research. There's a mountain of misinfromation out there (good new word from a typo!). But maybe for a novel that's not too serious. However, for non-fiction, I stick mostly--not exclusively--to books. I take it that most of us remember those?
> 
> By the way, this thread looks like a good idea!


Sig - while it's absolutely true that there's a lot of junk out there on the web, I'd gently argue that just because something is in print certainly doesn't mean it's accurate. 

I think the key to any good research is cross-checking and multiple references. A bit more tedious, but worth the effort! Of course, I haven't been able to find too much about blue-skinned sword-wielding female aliens...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

kreelanwarrior said:


> Of course, I haven't been able to find too much about blue-skinned sword-wielding female aliens...


Really? I read a whole book about 'em. Now what was that called. . . . . .?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Yes, the public wants to get an insight into the creative mind, and what do we give them? Chocolate ice cream and tattoos.


Sometimes the truth is an ugly thing! 



> Dark chocolate kisses presage major mayhem. Got it.
> 
> Yay!!! I don't really want to know anything, but I can't wait to see how you
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> present the Kreela. In First Contact, they must (I think) be the bad guys. But in IHN, we came to feel an affinity for them through Reza.
> 
> 
> Patience, patience.


The battle is about to be joined - I'll need to eat a lot of chocolate today! As for the Kreela,


Spoiler



there are more direct insights in this book, mostly from Tesh-Dar's perspective so far. I could've written it from the perspective of keeping them as sort of generic nasty aliens, but if I did that I couldn't infuse any of the cultural aspects that seem to be popping out. Some of it's familiar from what's in IHN, but a fair bit of it's completely new. So we'll see where it goes.


 



> Got all my edits done through Chapter 11, which is where I had stopped writing. Now I'm like *Thumper*, waiting for my characters to tell me what they want to do. They did give me a bit of a hint. I have many places to go, people to see and things to do tomorrow, so I'll just let it all simmer in my head. By tomorrow night, something should boil over.


Just eat some chocolate and draw on yourself with magic markers - it works every time!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Sig - while it's absolutely true that there's a lot of junk out there on the web, I'd gently argue that just because something is in print certainly doesn't mean it's accurate.
> 
> I think the key to any good research is cross-checking and multiple references. A bit more tedious, but worth the effort! Of course, I haven't been able to find too much about blue-skinned sword-wielding female aliens...


I have to agree with both of you. Revisionist historians abound, and they don't always base their assertions on new evidence; just their own interpretation of the existing evidence. That being said, should we go with the majority opinion or, if we like the new interpretation, go with that?

How do you handle that, *Sig*?



kreelanwarrior said:


> The battle is about to be joined - I'll need to eat a lot of chocolate today! As for the Kreela,
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> there are more direct insights in this book, mostly from Tesh-Dar's perspective so far. I could've written it from the perspective of keeping them as sort of generic nasty aliens, but if I did that I couldn't infuse any of the cultural aspects that seem to be popping out. Some of it's familiar from what's in IHN, but a fair bit of it's completely new. So we'll see where it goes.


Now I'm salivating and chocolate isn't going to help (but I'll try it anyway). Great approach.



> Just eat some chocolate and draw on yourself with magic markers - it works every time!


Dave Barry uses toenail clippers. Go figure.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Now I'm salivating and chocolate isn't going to help (but I'll try it anyway). Great approach.


BUWAHAHAHAHAA!



> Dave Barry uses toenail clippers. Go figure.


All I can say is...ow!

Okay, we're leaving for the KB meetup shortly. Will try to get some writing in later tonight at the boys' baseball game (should be good for about 1500 words!).


----------



## Thumper

Brendan Carroll said:


> Hey Thumper, I wish I could share some of my characters' enthusiasm with you.


Mine just aren't enthusiastic right now; they're scared. I think a problem I'm having is that when I'm scared, I shut down...but I really don't want _them_ shutting down right now, because that's just not good reading.

"I'm scared."
"Well, so am I."
"I'm more scared than you, because it's my problem."
"Hm, yes, well, fine. But I'm still scared."

Yeah....LOL just doesn't work...


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> Just eat some chocolate and draw on yourself with magic markers - it works every time!


Heck, I might just go out and get another tattoo... pain has a way of clearing mental blockages 

:::checks desk for chocolate:::
I'm not sure a Snicker's bar will help...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> "I'm scared."
> "Well, so am I."
> "I'm more scared than you, because it's my problem."
> "Hm, yes, well, fine. But I'm still scared."


Scintillating. Positively scintillating. Reminds me of a conversation I had with my mother this morning. 

My characters just shared a good laugh, but the conversation has now dropped dead. You'd think that wouldn't happen with seven people in the room, but it did.

I think a little butt-kicking is in order ... at least that's what they told me last night. Someone is about to burst through the door. Just a little minor mayhem to shake things up


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Hub just sent me this. Anyone else think that Mr. Bezos looks like Captain Picard in civvies? And is he sitting on_ our _books

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/storysupplement/kindle/

CK

Scribble, scribble, scribble.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Hub just sent me this. Anyone else think that Mr. Bezos looks like Captain Picard in civvies? And is he sitting on_ our _books
> 
> http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/storysupplement/kindle/
> 
> CK
> 
> Scribble, scribble, scribble.


Oh, my goodness. Yes, he does.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thumper said:


> Mine just aren't enthusiastic right now; they're scared. I think a problem I'm having is that when I'm scared, I shut down...but I really don't want _them_ shutting down right now, because that's just not good reading.
> 
> "I'm scared."
> "Well, so am I."
> "I'm more scared than you, because it's my problem."
> "Hm, yes, well, fine. But I'm still scared."
> 
> Yeah....LOL just doesn't work...


"I'm scared."
"Big deal. D'ya think you're the only one who's scared?"
It grew so quiet - only the ticking of the clock.
"It's my problem," she said, seething. "You just don't get it, do you?"
"I get it. That's why I'm scared too."
The sympathy of the devil. Who needed it, but she wanted it. _Tick tock. Tick tock. _

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Oh, my goodness. Yes, he does.


I'm now checking to see if any of our stuff is in the pile. 

CK


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I'm now checking to see if any of our stuff is in the pile.
> 
> CK


The only name I could read was Stuart Woods.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Ok. 1.  I admire Jeff Bezos but Patrick Stewart is way better looking. 

2.  There are also a number of issues of TIME and at least one Jack Higgins book.

3.  AND MOST IMPORTANT:  if you read to the end of the article there's a time line that indicates the Kindle DX is to be released May of 2009.  I make that not more than 5 days from now. . . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm on the fence with the DX purchase, Ann. I'm a kindle 1 owne with no desire to upgrade to 2, but the DX has some perks that are mighty seductive. Maybe I should wait and see. Would you know a forum or board anywhere where the DX will be discussed?     Damned funny, ain't I? (Oh how I wish I had neversleepsawinks rocking Donald Duck).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Not to hijack your all's support thread. . .which I am finding fascinating, by the way. . .but I'm on the fence as well. . . . Still, they originally said "summer" but the article mentioned May so. . . .maybe "summer" is very soon.

Discuss what, now?


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Scintillating. Positively scintillating. Reminds me of a conversation I had with my mother this morning.
> 
> My characters just shared a good laugh, but the conversation has now dropped dead. You'd think that wouldn't happen with seven people in the room, but it did.
> 
> I think a little butt-kicking is in order ... at least that's what they told me last night. Someone is about to burst through the door. Just a little minor mayhem to shake things up


I love that word "scintillating". I like words *some people have noticed*. Anyhow, I know what you mean about having seven people in the room and conversation just dropped dead. That happens to me in real life.  My editor just found a glitch in one of my novels that had a character away in London at the top of the page and near the bottom, he was actively engaged in the conversation. In defense, I explained that this particular character had super powers, so what?  She didn't buy it, but yeah, sometimes the conversation goes on between two characters for several paragraphs and then I suddenly remember, hey! what are the other six people in ther room doing? Sleeping?


----------



## Susan in VA

Ann in Arlington said:


> Ok. 1. I admire Jeff Bezos but Patrick Stewart is way better looking.


Oh, _much_. Another one to add to the Hugh thread!


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

Brendan Carroll said:


> My editor just found a glitch in one of my novels that had a character away in London at the top of the page and near the bottom, he was actively engaged in the conversation. In defense, I explained that this particular character had super powers, so what?  She didn't buy it, but yeah, sometimes the conversation goes on between two characters for several paragraphs and then I suddenly remember, hey! what are the other six people in ther room doing? Sleeping?


If you think that's bad, what are you supposed to do when when you write a multi-generational story where one of your characters who has been dead for 200 years shows up to have a conversation with the living. Talk about not obeying time lines. Good thing that book isn't published yet or I might have to hang up my pen!!!!


----------



## Susan in VA

Brendan Carroll said:


> but yeah, sometimes the conversation goes on between two characters for several paragraphs and then I suddenly remember, hey! what are the other six people in ther room doing?


Why not? Happens in real life... They're all listening in fascination. Or shock. Or boredom.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

edwpat said:


> I'm on the fence with the DX purchase, Ann. I'm a kindle 1 owne with no desire to upgrade to 2, but the DX has some perks that are mighty seductive. Maybe I should wait and see. Would you know a forum or board anywhere where the DX will be discussed?    Damned funny, ain't I? (Oh how I wish I had neversleepsawinks rocking Donald Duck).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I want it for a lot of reasons.... none of them which my husband feels justifies me spending soooo much of HIS money .


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Kevis Hendrickson said:


> If you think that's bad, what are you supposed to do when when you write a multi-generational story where one of the characters who has been dead for 200 years shows up to have a conversation with the living. Talk about not obeying time lines. Good thing that book isn't published yet or I might have to hang up my pen!!!!


That's certainly a problem in my series because I have a time span of about 80 years covered and since some of the characters are immortal (in a sense), some of them have been living for a long, long time while others come and go. I have achart of sorts that I go by to make sure that I don't get characters with similar names mixed up. It makes for fun reading for myself and my editors, but not good for my prospective paying audience.  But at $1.59? Well, I am certainly hoping to have all the errors corrected *more than less* by the time the price goes up and I get on the Best Sellers list and accept my Nobel Prize for literature!  LOL


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Susan in VA said:


> Why not? Happens in real life... They're all listening in fascination. Or shock. Or boredom.


OMG, Susan! You mean that some people might actually be listening to me out of boredom?  And I thought that they were mesmerized! I may have to look up those two words and compare them to what I have in my memory banks. Boredom and mesmerized, that is. Maybe mesmerbored might be a better word?  Usually I can tell right away when people are bored with me. They just walk away and leave me standing there, wondering where they are going. Just like when you read this and click off of it before you..................... see?


----------



## Susan in VA

Brendan Carroll said:


> OMG, Susan! You mean that some people might actually be listening to me out of boredom?  And I thought that they were mesmerized! I may have to look up those two words and compare them to what I have in my memory banks. Boredom and mesmerized, that is. Maybe mesmerbored might be a better word?  Usually I can tell right away when people are bored with me. They just walk away and leave me standing there, wondering where they are going. Just like when you read this and click off of it before you..................... see?


Well of course I meant your_ characters_. Who knows, some of your scintillating characters may find other ones of your characters insufferably boring.... that would explain why they just tune out and let the others go on and on, right? (You could always ask them.) 

eta: (I should add that I haven't read any of your books.... so any remarks here about your characters' captivating conversational skills, or lack thereof, are purely hypothetical. For all I know, you could write about manatees or Pluto.)


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> OMG, Susan! You mean that some people might actually be listening to me out of boredom?  And I thought that they were mesmerized! I may have to look up those two words and compare them to what I have in my memory banks. Boredom and mesmerized, that is. Maybe mesmerbored might be a better word?  Usually I can tell right away when people are bored with me. They just walk away and leave me standing there, wondering where they are going. Just like when you read this and click off of it before you..................... see?


Weeeeelllll.... this is getting more and more interesting.....and funny.... keep it coming... my DD is at dance, and these other women here with me are boring.... in fact I just walked off when one of them was talking to me!


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

Brendan Carroll said:


> That's certainly a problem in my series because I have a time span of about 80 years covered and since some of the characters are immortal (in a sense), some of them have been living for a long, long time while others come and go. I have achart of sorts that I go by to make sure that I don't get characters with similar names mixed up. It makes for fun reading for myself and my editors, but not good for my prospective paying audience.  But at $1.59? Well, I am certainly hoping to have all the errors corrected *more than less* by the time the price goes up and I get on the Best Sellers list and accept my Nobel Prize for literature!  LOL


Brendan,

Only 80 years? Try writing a fantasy book that has at least 10,000,000 years of history. The number may sound ridiculous. Truth is I could never write a true cosmology or history for my mythology if I had not gone for the jugular. I do understand that authors of every genre has crosses to bear, but sometimes methinks that writers of extrapolative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror) have bitten off far more than they can chew.

Tolkien died without ever completing his mythology. Sadly, I have this strange suspicion that my fate will be no different.

Ouch.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Susan in VA said:


> Well of course I meant your_ characters_. Who knows, some of your scintillating characters may find other ones of your characters insufferably boring.... that would explain why they just tune out and let the others go on and on, right? (You could always ask them.)
> 
> eta: (I should add that I haven't read any of your books.... so any remarks here about your characters' captivating conversational skills, or lack thereof, are purely hypothetical. For all I know, you could write about manatees or Pluto.)


Oh, so now my characters are boring?  Just kidding. Hey, yeah, my leading fellow is a manatee and his gal lives on Pluto. The premise is that if all manatees in Florida move to Pluto and start a colony there they will be safe. You gave it all away!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Kevis Hendrickson said:


> Brendan,
> 
> Only 80 years? Try writing a fantasy book that has at least 10,000,000 years of history. The number may sound ridiculous. Truth is I could never write a true cosmology or history for my mythology if I had not gone for the jugular. I do understand that authors of every genre has crosses to bear, but sometimes I think that writers of extrapolative fiction have bitten off more than they can chew.
> 
> Tolkien died without ever completing his mythology. Sadly, I have this strange suspicionn that my fate will be no different.
> 
> Ouch.


I keep saying (pitifully) "Give all the proceeds of my Nobel Prize to my descendents and take care of my frog collection. Donate my old sneakers to the Smithsonian." Because I know I'll be dead ere my last book goes on Kindle at this rate!


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

Hahahahahaha! Well said, well said!!!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Kevis Hendrickson said:


> Brendan,
> 
> Only 80 years? Try writing a fantasy book that has at least 10,000,000 years of history. The number may sound ridiculous. Truth is I could never write a true cosmology or history for my mythology if I had not gone for the jugular. I do understand that authors of every genre has crosses to bear, but sometimes methinks that writers of extrapolative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror) have bitten off far more than they can chew.
> 
> Tolkien died without ever completing his mythology. Sadly, I have this strange suspicion that my fate will be no different.
> 
> Ouch.


By the by, Kevis, please don't give me number with more than .00 numbers in them because I can't even tell the difference between 6 and 9 as evidenced by my lastest Kindle fiasco. Arghhhhhhhhh!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Kevis Hendrickson said:


> If you think that's bad, what are you supposed to do when when you write a multi-generational story where one of your characters who has been dead for 200 years shows up to have a conversation with the living. Talk about not obeying time lines. Good thing that book isn't published yet or I might have to hang up my pen!!!!


Ooh, ooh, is this going to be a multi-generational saga of Lust and Power? I'm a sucker for those.



Brendan Carroll said:


> I love that word "scintillating". I like words *some people have noticed*. Anyhow, I know what you mean about having seven people in the room and conversation just dropped dead. That happens to me in real life.  My editor just found a glitch in one of my novels that had a character away in London at the top of the page and near the bottom, he was actively engaged in the conversation. In defense, I explained that this particular character had super powers, so what?  She didn't buy it, but yeah, sometimes the conversation goes on between two characters for several paragraphs and then I suddenly remember, hey! what are the other six people in ther room doing? Sleeping?


Now that you mention it, two people seem to have been excluded from the conversation. Not only that, but I just realized I've got seven people in a very small space, with another adult and two children about to enter. Gack. Back to the chocolate.



Meredith Sinclair said:


> Weeeeelllll.... this is getting more and more interesting.....and funny.... keep it coming... my DD is at dance, and these other women here with me are boring.... in fact I just walked off when one of them was talking to me!


See, we do write about real life.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Now that you mention it, two people seem to have been excluded from the conversation. Not only that, but I just realized I've got seven people in a very small space, with another adult and two children about to enter.


Gotta get a bigger boat. . .er. . .room.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ann in Arlington said:


> Gotta get a bigger boat. . .er. . .room.


Time to move them to the Pentagon Mall food court. I hear that's a great place for a meet-up.


----------



## geoffthomas

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Time to move them to the Pentagon Mall food court. I hear that's a great place for a meet-up.


Gertie,
You are absolutely right. The Pentagon City Mall food court was a great place for a first KB fest.

(quickly planning the next one).


----------



## Brenda Carroll

_"Now that you mention it, two people seem to have been excluded from the conversation. Not only that, but I just realized I've got seven people in a very small space, with another adult and two children about to enter. Gack. Back to the chocolate."_

Maybe you can a few of those people out for chocolate and clear the room, or the children? You know, give them a quarter and send them to the store?  Just saying.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Brendan Carroll said:


> _"Now that you mention it, two people seem to have been excluded from the conversation. Not only that, but I just realized I've got seven people in a very small space, with another adult and two children about to enter. Gack. Back to the chocolate."_
> 
> Maybe you can a few of those people out for chocolate and clear the room, or the children? You know, give them a quarter and send them to the store?  Just saying.


Gotta have the kids. I'm going to go back and change the setting.


----------



## Thumper

edwpat said:


> "I'm scared."
> "Big deal. D'ya think you're the only one who's scared?"
> It grew so quiet - only the ticking of the clock.
> "It's my problem," she said, seething. "You just don't get it, do you?"
> "I get it. That's why I'm scared too."
> The sympathy of the devil. Who needed it, but she wanted it. _Tick tock. Tick tock. _
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Now I need to put a clock by the pool...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, peeps, just a very quick post here before we turn in for the night: 600 words today. Not bad, considering the KB DC meetup (which I'll have to post more on tomorrow and find whatever thread(s) are running on that!), baseball, and all the other stuff going on today! Ha!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A big ass Grandfather's clock on a raft.  

Ed P


----------



## Dave Dykema

I find the discussion about scenes with a lot of characters to be fascinating.

In a book I was working on (it's taking a breather right now) I had a scene with 5 or 6 people. It's hard to keep track of everyone and have them all contribute. On film it's so much easier, because even if they're not speaking we can see them in the background or in cutaways. On the page, they constantly have to be identified, and that makes for a lot of annoying exposition.

I think these kinds of scenes read best when it is mostly two people talking--3 at best. To include the others, you can just put in things like this:

Mike regraded her coldly. Pete looked down at his hands. Ignoring them, Susan went on with her plan.

a few times between long dialog stretches.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Multi-character scenes are a challenge and it took me quite some time to learn how to handle them. In the Jade Owl I actually denuded the character population fro six to two in the last scenes in order to effect a better, more focused denouement. BUT by the time I wrote The Dragon's Pool I was able to handle a scene with 16 characters (with their dialog) in a crowd scene with a myriad of actions, and IMHO, successfully.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, the draft for chapter 12 of In Her Name: First Contact has been hammered out; some edits back on chapter 11 (thanks, Steph!),


Funny, you wrote that on Tuesday but I still don't see a Chapter 12 in my email...










And you're welcome as always on the nitpicks.


----------



## RJ Keller

I love my husband dearly. More than life itself. But he's been off from work almost all week long and I can't get a thing written when he's home.

I think I'm getting a glimpse into what life is going to be like after he retires...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

rjkeller said:


> I love my husband dearly. More than life itself. But he's been off from work almost all week long and I can't get a thing written when he's home.
> 
> I think I'm getting a glimpse into what life is going to be like after he retires...


Get him a book on baking bread. It worked with my father-in-law.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

rjkeller said:


> I love my husband dearly. More than life itself. But he's been off from work almost all week long and I can't get a thing written when he's home.
> 
> I think I'm getting a glimpse into what life is going to be like after he retires...


/sighs

Ditto on your first two sentences, and as for the rest, I know where you're coming from. School's out, which means Hub's home, which means those long calm writing stretches are history until September. The up side is that he drags me out into the fresh air at frequent intervals. 

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Funny, you wrote that on Tuesday but I still don't see a Chapter 12 in my email...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And you're welcome as always on the nitpicks.


What I know I sent it. Crap. Will resend it tonight. You should enjoy the ending of this chapter...


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Get him a book on baking bread. It worked with my father-in-law.


I wish that could work for Hub, but I've been baking the daily bread here since I was 19, back in the Pleistocene Age.

Ages have fun names, btw: http://www.dinosauria.com/dml/history.htm. Many could be used for fictional purposes ("He was a proud Callovian, with a sword of Rupelian steel").

CK


----------



## RJ Keller

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Get him a book on baking bread. It worked with my father-in-law.


    I like that! Two birds with one stone. Time and space to write AND delicious homemade bread.



Carolyn Kephart said:


> The up side is that he drags me out into the fresh air at frequent intervals.
> 
> CK


What is this "fresh air" of which you speak?


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I wish that could work for Hub, but I've been baking the daily bread here since I was 19, back in the Pleistocene Age.
> 
> Ages have fun names, btw: http://www.dinosauria.com/dml/history.htm. Many could be used for fictional purposes ("He was a proud Callovian, with a sword of Rupelian steel").
> 
> CK


I need a dictionary to keep up here!  You folks love to throw those words out there don't you? That's why I have Kindle, I can get the defitions easier... I can't count how many times I could not figure out the meaning by the context, because there are so many multi-syllable words in one sentence   It's all good though, brings this girl out of the sticks! I just have never used some of _these_ words in everyday conversation.  Ya'll are keeping me on my toes!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I wish that could work for Hub, but I've been baking the daily bread here since I was 19, back in the Pleistocene Age.


I'm a champion pre-historic hide scraper, myself.

Ages have fun names, btw: http://www.dinosauria.com/dml/history.htm. Many could be used for fictional purposes ("He was a proud Callovian, with a sword of Rupelian steel").

CK[/quote]

Such a way with words. 



rjkeller said:


> What is this "fresh air" of which you speak?


I know ... I know. I see people outside my window breathing it, so I know it's there.

Reworking Chp. 11, and then I've got the start of Chp. 12 ready. A little bird spoke to me in the night.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Meredith Sinclair said:


> That's why I have Kindle, I can get the defitions easier...


That's why I love, love, LOVE the Kindle. My fantasy doesn't need footnotes since I made everything up, but my contemporary fiction makes references to things (paintings, music, people) that Kindlers can simply click to Wiki.

The Internet makes it so fun to be a brain in a jar. 

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

But when you have 4,000 title on your Kindle, don't try to do a look up or you will have to wait from 20 to 30 minutes.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Carolyn Kephart said:


> That's why I love, love, LOVE the Kindle. My fantasy doesn't need footnotes since I made everything up, but my contemporary fiction makes references to things (paintings, music, people) that Kindlers can simply click to Wiki.
> 
> The Internet makes it so fun to be a brain in a jar.
> 
> CK


Heeeeeyy.....I thought I had the copyright on love, LoVe, LOVE! I always say that, except I do it this way *points to the far left*... Seriously though, I HAVE learned a lot from books that I read for entertainment purposes, just from the authors LOVE of words!  I feel honored to be on here actually chitty-chatting with real published author's.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

edwpat said:


> But when you have 4,000 title on your Kindle, don't try to do a look up or you will have to wait from 20 to 30 minutes.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Poor girl here, I can't afford 4,000 books! I am a teacher so I am certainly a fan of the $.99 book!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good news for a poor girl. Most of the titles were FREE. See the free download site links in the Book Corner. All the major classics have been downloaded and ported to my Kindle for free- free- free. The rest, well they ran money.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Heeeeeyy.....I thought I had the copyright on love, LoVe, LOVE! I always say that, except I do it this way *points to the far left*... Seriously though, I HAVE learned a lot from books that I read for entertainment purposes, just from the authors LOVE of words!  I feel honored to be on here actually chitty-chatting with real published author's.


There are some authors that use words that the rest of us poor mortals do, but they use them in such a way, that you get a whole different meaning and feeling from them. Ludlum, Conroy, Howatch, McMurtry. Those are a few that do that for me.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Such a way with words.


My blushing thanks, but now I think 'proud Rupelian' sounds even better... 

CK


----------



## Thumper

rjkeller said:


> I love my husband dearly. More than life itself. But he's been off from work almost all week long and I can't get a thing written when he's home.
> 
> I think I'm getting a glimpse into what life is going to be like after he retires...


Oh man, do I know what this is like... my office is in what for most houses would be the family room, right next to the kitchen (no real separation from it.) He's always wandering in just to see what I'm doing or to ask a Very Important Question ("Any plans for dinner?"), and it drives me nuts.

Last week, after threatening to slather his gonads with Ben Gay if he interrupted me one more time, he set me up with this:










He bolted a 37" TV to the bedroom wall and hooked my laptop to it; now if I'm working when he's home I can plop down on the bed (disturbed only by the cats, who don't seem to respect my creative processes) and he knows that his hair better be on fire before he walks through that door.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

rjkeller said:


> I love my husband dearly. More than life itself. But he's been off from work almost all week long and I can't get a thing written when he's home.
> 
> I think I'm getting a glimpse into what life is going to be like after he retires...


My husband and I are about five years away from retirement and he's already saying "I'm gonna hover around you, Deb" knowing full well that I'll be spending as much time as I can writing. He says it jokingly, but other friends with retired husbands tell me that they do indeed hover. I'm going to have to find him some hobbies or major house projects.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Bengay on the Gonads. I need to remember that . . . not that I have a husband to interupts (sometimes I wish I had . . .a rich doctor would be nice), but if I get lazy and decide to watch Television instead of writing, I could threaten myself with the Bengay - oh,the smell of Wintergreen in the morning.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

Thumper said:


> Last week, after threatening to slather his gonads with Ben Gay if he interrupted me one more time, he set me up with this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He bolted a 37" TV to the bedroom wall and hooked my laptop to it; now if I'm working when he's home I can plop down on the bed (disturbed only by the cats, who don't seem to respect my creative processes) and he knows that his hair better be on fire before he walks through that door.


But Max wasn't very happy about it, according to his blog...


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> What I know I sent it. Crap. Will resend it tonight. You should enjoy the ending of this chapter...


More creative idea borrowing? *whistles innocently*

Dang email gremlins!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Thumper said:


> He's always wandering in just to see what I'm doing or to ask a Very Important Question ("Any plans for dinner?"), and it drives me nuts.


When Hubbish helicoptering becomes too much, I simply tell him "I really need my Island now," meaning total isolation until I emerge from my downstairs lair, save in the case of a nuclear attack, tornado, etc. He's understanding, bless him.

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> More creative idea borrowing? *whistles innocently*
> 
> Dang email gremlins!


Okay, I just fired it off again - let me know if you get it!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Last week, after threatening to slather his gonads with Ben Gay if he interrupted me one more time, he set me up with this:


Sounds like spouse thingy was close to earning the "sponge bob" sobriquet. 



> He bolted a 37" TV to the bedroom wall and hooked my laptop to it; now if I'm working when he's home I can plop down on the bed (disturbed only by the cats, who don't seem to respect my creative processes) and he knows that his hair better be on fire before he walks through that door.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


>


Now THAT rocks!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, goals for tonight:

1. Running (at least 30 minutes). Not exactly on-topic, but neither is Ben Gay! 

2. Dinner. Indian food.

3. Writing. Shooting for 1500 words/6 pages tonight. The Kreelan fleet is just jumping in for the first major round of whoop-a$$ against the humans (they know they're coming, but aren't quite sure they believe it's really gonna happen).

4. Probably some other stuff.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> 4. Probably some other stuff.


Hey ... I wrote that yesterday. No stealing!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Hey ... I wrote that yesterday. No stealing!


Dang! Ya caught me! 

Okay, time to get my gear on and go run...


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, I just fired it off again - let me know if you get it!


Hmmmm....don't see it on the Blackberry and it's been almost 20 minutes since you posted that you sent it...odd....maybe the pipeline is just full!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Hmmmm....don't see it on the Blackberry and it's been almost 20 minutes since you posted that you sent it...odd....maybe the pipeline is just full!


Dang!! Okay, I just sent another one, this time from my KW address. Check and see...


----------



## Steph H

Ah hah...today's hasn't shown up yet (in either regular mail or the spam filter), but I found Tuesday's got caught way up at the server level spam filter. You're spam now!







I hadn't looked at the email reports I get on those in a couple of days so hadn't seen it yet. Dunno why it suddenly tagged you this time, when you'd sent email from the KW address before!


----------



## Thumper

Steph H said:


> But Max wasn't very happy about it, according to his blog...


Other than food, Max isn't happy about much of anything... 



kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, goals for tonight:
> 
> 1. Running (at least 30 minutes). Not exactly on-topic, but neither is Ben Gay!


Oh, I dunno...the post-slathering reaction would be something to write about... I bet with that I could hit 3000 words in an evening, easy!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Tonight, all that busies me writer-wise is bloggage and short-story-sending-outs. _Faustine_ can wait until tomorrow, as usual.

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gack! It's already past 8:30 and I haven't started writing! Where has the evening gone?? Must...type...


----------



## Steph H

Get to work!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Blog done. Drinky time. 

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I was productive tonight finishing a 3,000 word Chapter (Chapter ten - Look Away Silence). Here's the opening scene setter.

"New Birch, Pennsylvania was an old artist’s village stretching for two miles on the banks of the Delaware River. It had all the tourist stuff, which I didn’t mind, because I’m into touristy stuff. I mean, who can't live without a paper parasol with hand painted cranes on its hood. The shops were right up my alley, but I needed to exercise some control or next summer I’d be sitting in Long Branch while the tribe was off in the Rockies. There was a theater in New Birch that played Summer stock, although how many times can you see Catz? Crafts, homemade ice cream, glassware, tarot cards (left over from the hippie days) and restaurants by the mile. Best of all, most of the shops were gay-owned and operated. That always titillated me, because the surrounding township, Sipsboro and the rest of the county were as conservative as Mormons. They regarded New Birch as the underbelly of their suburban Xanadu. Still, it drew the bridge and tunnel crowd, so the farmers-in-the-dell sold their corn and tomatoes and berries in season. The real estate agents had a heyday snaring the well heeled by the heel and selling a prime piece of Pennsylvania for an inflated price."

To Bed!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, I didn't get any writing done tonight. I had to "counsel" my parents because they didn't call me after dragging mom off to the emergency room TWICE in the last ten days. Fortunately all is well - or I really would have been mad! - so as it is I gave them both Atomic Wedgies and let it go at that. Oy!!

Anyway, I'll just have to catch up this weekend...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

I'll keep your Mom in my prayers.

Ed


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, I didn't get any writing done tonight. I had to "counsel" my parents because they didn't call me after dragging mom off to the emergency room TWICE in the last ten days. Fortunately all is well -


Oh my...yes, I can see where that might derail your plans. Glad to hear it was apparently nothing too horribly serious and hope it stays that way!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, I didn't get any writing done tonight. I had to "counsel" my parents because they didn't call me after dragging mom off to the emergency room TWICE in the last ten days. Fortunately all is well - or I really would have been mad! - so as it is I gave them both Atomic Wedgies and let it go at that. Oy!!


Sometimes parents need to know that we're all grown up and we don't need to be shielded from the realities of life. I promised my kids a long time ago, I wouldn't keep any serious health issues from them.

I'm glad everything is okay. Hope it continues that way.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I need to call my Dad four times a day and spend every other weekend with him (he's in NJ, I'm PA), because sometimes he doesn't eat, gets light headed (diabetic) and will get disoriented. He's 84. We lost Mom nearly 2 years ago. My parents are my precious treasures (Mom's still with me every day), and one of my great happiness' is that she got to read The Jade Owl. You see, Mom was my companion in China, and many of the things in there were our shared joys. When she was a little girl she read Pearl S. Buck and always wanted to walk on the great Wall. Well, she got to do that - in the snow when she was 62, the same age that I am now. Yes, precious, and now as I writer, I can immortalize them.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

edwpat said:


> When she was a little girl she read Pearl S. Buck and always wanted to walk on the great Wall.


Funny how people take away different impressions from books. When I was a little girl, PSB almost turned me _against_ all things Chinese with the short story about the girl and the bell being cast and re-cast that wouldn't ring true until


Spoiler



she threw herself into the molten metal


. I haven't read anything of hers since; that one gave me nightmares for years.

But I'm glad your mom got to experience her dream!!


----------



## Jeff

I just deleted everything I've written this week and the world is better for it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thanks, all! Yeah, parents seem to go completely brain dead. I hope I never do that to our kids (although I'm sorta brain dead half the time, anyway)... 



Jeff said:


> I just deleted everything I've written this week and the world is better for it.


What?? That reminds me of when I was writing the first draft of In Her Name ages ago. I got to the end, reread this huge pile of paper, and was totally disgusted at the entire last half of the book. I threw it away, all 400 pages of it. It absolutely stunk. I think my muse was dropping acid or something, but must have been in rehab when I started the second draft... 

Okay, have to get ready for work...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, I didn't get any writing done tonight. I had to "counsel" my parents because they didn't call me after dragging mom off to the emergency room TWICE in the last ten days. Fortunately all is well - or I really would have been mad! - so as it is I gave them both Atomic Wedgies and let it go at that. Oy!!
> 
> Anyway, I'll just have to catch up this weekend...


Glad to hear all is well, Mike. . . . .just think of it as practice for when you have to counsel your teenagers about not having called when they were supposed to be home by midnight and weren't!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I just deleted everything I've written this week and the world is better for it.


Noooooo. Hopefully you kept a backup copy in case you change your mind?



kreelanwarrior said:


> What?? That reminds me of when I was writing the first draft of In Her Name ages ago. I got to the end, reread this huge pile of paper, and was totally disgusted at the entire last half of the book. I threw it away, all 400 pages of it. It absolutely stunk. I think my muse was dropping acid or something, but must have been in rehab when I started the second draft...


That's why I can't read what I wrote too many times. I just have to get to a point where I trust myself. JKR wants to rewrite all seven books. Imagine that?



Ann in Arlington said:


> Glad to hear all is well, Mike. . . . .just think of it as practice for when you have to counsel your teenagers about not having called when they were supposed to be home by midnight and weren't!


You let your teenagers out of the house?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I keep a file of all my major cuts, tosses and false starts, because you never know. I cut a scene from The Jade Owl that took place in the SF Japanese Tea Garden (I liked the scene, my editor thought it was crap and misplaced - she won in the last revision when it went). I used most of the descriptive passages in The Dragon's Pool where I used the Tea Gardens as a setting for an entirely different scene. Also in The Jade Owl I had an Alcatraz scene for one of the principle villains. By the 5th draft, that villain had come to life, renounced his villainy to me, and I exonerated him and cut the Alcatraz scene and another one at the Temple of Heaven in Bei-jing. The Temple of Heaven has never returned, but the Alcatraz scene was reset for a different villain in The Dragon's Pool and it fits better. I also cut at least 80,000 words of descriptive of Hong Kong, Shanghai and Bei-jing in the last revision of The Jade Owl, all lovely material that slowed the action down. I had vast scenes set on Mount Victoria, in the Forbidden City and the Zoo and a complete tour of Xi-an, including the Terracotta Warriors, dangerously close to the end of the book. I cut (but saved them all). The entire last section of The Jade Owl was cut and tossed, but I held an assembly of characters and together we crafted a single threaded beeline last section that built the climax and simplified all the Xi-an and tomb scenes. The terracotta warriors? The material appears in part in The Dragon's Pool, which being in a 5 act structure instead of 3 like The Jade Owl, could better sustain the extra material toward the end of the book. I find that the kernel and spirit of what was written, no matter how horrible the draft may seem, the kernel is there and only requires an application of "craft," to bring it off. Otherwise, it mellows in the Mason Jars. I also like to know why one version is better than another when I write. I will look back at versions that are seven years old and look at the transformation and learn between the cracks.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Thanks, all! Yeah, parents seem to go completely brain dead. I hope I never do that to our kids...


In defense of old parents: We see how hard you young people have to work, and all the pressure you're under, so we simply don't want to add to it.



Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Noooooo. Hopefully you kept a backup copy in case you change your mind?


I won't change my mind. It was junk.

This is a really hard book to write because it's based upon very recent history that many readers will remember clearly. Consequently, there are a million events and little details that have to be 100% accurate. It makes the outline so restrictive that there's very little room for creativity. It's like writing non-fiction.

Thanks for starting this thread, Mike; I needed a place to whine.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

I know what you mean, but I have a luxury when writing a novel set in 12th Century China. I will be correct in all the details, but . . . since most readers are unfamiliar with ALL the details, I change things for art and the readers. For example, if the history has twenty different steps for an event, I'll consolidate it to three or four. And I'll change Chinese historical names and consolidate two or three historical characters into one, because Chinese names are sometimes daunting to a reader. In some cases I can't get away with that, like in the well known general Yueh Fei (but that one's easy to remember). If I was dealing with current events (which I do in other books), any little change would reek havoc on credibility. But in my case, trying to decide (like I was last night in a planning session for the Nan Tu), whether to retain the name of the Sung city Chen-chiang, or change it to the new name Ch'ien-chiang or, for reader clarity, call it by it's semi-modern name (at least since the Ming), Nan-ching (Nanking) is less a matter of fact fidelity than reader comfort (I'll opt for reader comfort). Now things like the 12th Century course of the Yellow River (which flowed south in the 12th Century instead of North) IS important, otherwise the battle cry shout "Cross the River" wouldn't make sense from a geographical or directional point of view.

Of well, the devil's in the details and hell is only a chapter away.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Jeff said:


> I just deleted everything I've written this week and the world is better for it.


Jettisoning junk is a Good Thing, but since rest of the world might think it's gold, backups are a Better Thing. Regarding snipped scenes, I've got lots of 'em, stored away like jars of fat after liposuction.

You can always go into your Temp files and exhume your deletions, so regret is optional.

Your changing book-cover avatar is really sweet. How'd you do that?

CK


----------



## Jeff

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Your changing book-cover avatar is really sweet. How'd you do that?


Download the free MS Gif animator from my web site:

http://www.jhepple.com/gif_animator.htm

Resize your book covers and add them to the animation; set the time delay between the images; set the animation to loop perpetually before saving.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Jeff said:


> Download the free MS Gif animator from my web site:
> 
> http://www.jhepple.com/gif_animator.htm
> 
> Resize your book covers and add them to the animation; set the time delay between the images; set the animation to loop perpetually before saving.


*Thank you!!! *

In return, I offer you my latest blog, "Terry And The Bumrolls," accessible at the link below. 

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Glad to hear all is well, Mike. . . . .just think of it as practice for when you have to counsel your teenagers about not having called when they were supposed to be home by midnight and weren't!


Well, we've already warned the kids that they'll get wedgies if they don't do what they're supposed to! LOL!!


----------



## Steph H

Man, you're tough...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Man, you're tough...


Ya just gotta be firm sometimes... <snicker>

Okay, time to go exercise (P90X Core Synergistics tonight), then dinner, then I'm gonna WRITE. Have to make up wordage from my goofy parents last night!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I think you should put them in the book. . . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> I think you should put them in the book. . . . .


Hmmm, that could be entertaining: wedgies in the middle of a space battle! LOL!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Well, you know, comic relief:  little old couple on a space cruise, attack by Kreelans, short discussion about whether or not they should worry their kids back home by letting them know. . . . .


----------



## Steph H

LOL  That would be amusing...


----------



## Susan in VA

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, you know, comic relief: little old couple on a space cruise, attack by Kreelans, short discussion about whether or not they should worry their kids back home by letting them know. . . . .


So, Ann, when are _you_ writing a book?? I'd buy one for a vignette like that...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, you know, comic relief: little old couple on a space cruise, attack by Kreelans, short discussion about whether or not they should worry their kids back home by letting them know. . . . .


Oh, Lord, I think I might do that! LOL!!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Susan in VA said:


> So, Ann, when are _you_ writing a book?? I'd buy one for a vignette like that...


yeah. . . no. . . . . .I don't write books. . . . .I read them. . . . . .



kreelanwarrior said:


> Oh, Lord, I think I might do that! LOL!!


Just name me in the acknowledgments. . . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Just name me in the acknowledgments. . . . .


That can be arranged! 

Okay, pretty meager showing tonight: only 500 words. We went to see Night at the Museum (very good!), and I didn't have much time left after the boys got to bed and then my energy meter went "plunk" to zero. Only thirty seconds left before the aliens jump in-system and the battle begins. Dang! I was hoping to find out what happens tonight! LOL!!


----------



## Steph H

It's Friday....you can stay up and keep typing...caffeine man, you need caffeine!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> It's Friday....you can stay up and keep typing...caffeine man, you need caffeine!!


Nah, can't do caffeine anymore - aside from all the bad things it normally does, I get hit with heart arrhythmia if I have very much. VERY uncomfortable feeling! Bleah!

But it's now Saturday, the boy's baseball game was put off until this afternoon, so I'm hoping to get in at least a little writing (if our 13 year old doesn't drive me nuts sitting in front of me and fidgeting)...


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

kreelanwarrior said:


> Nah, can't do caffeine anymore - aside from all the bad things it normally does, I get hit with heart arrhythmia if I have very much. VERY uncomfortable feeling! Bleah!
> 
> But it's now Saturday, the boy's baseball game was put off until this afternoon, so I'm hoping to get in at least a little writing (if our 13 year old doesn't drive me nuts sitting in front of me and fidgeting)...


NOW I know what is going on .... I have been reading on here a little bit here and there for a while, and have made a comment or two. But see, my nine-year-old daughter "writes" and if I get near her when she is in her "creative realm" as she calls it , I get these LOOKS  ... yeesh! Now after reading here about Bengay and all this other stuff ya'll want to do to your respective spouses/family... I feel lucky (cause it's only a look I get) and SCARED for the future.... is there *any* hope  .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Meredith Sinclair said:


> NOW I know what is going on .... I have been reading on here a little bit here and there for a while, and have made a comment or two. But see, my nine-year-old daughter "writes" and if I get near her when she is in her "creative realm" as she calls it , I get these LOOKS  ... yeesh! Now after reading here about Bengay and all this other stuff ya'll want to do to your respective spouses/family... I feel lucky (cause it's only a look I get) and SCARED for the future.... is there *any* hope  .


Yeah, ya gotta be careful: interrupting a writer who's "in the zone" is sort of like sticking your hand into an aquarium filled with piranhas...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yeah, ya gotta be careful: interrupting a writer who's "in the zone" is sort of like sticking your hand into an aquarium filled with piranhas...


The other day my wife barged into my office to update me with a piece of unimportant news. When I complained that she had brought me back from Tora-Bora, where I'd been chasing Usama Bin Laden, she looked at me as if I was crazy. Go figure.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Funny, an author watching this thread and seeing my comments on the ZONE has invited me to guest blog on the subject this Tuesday. I'll give you more info post fact, unless that auhor wishes to decloak.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

edwpat said:


> the ZONE.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I, too, suffer from 'the Zone' syndrome.  Even the dog snoring can become a major issue when I'm infected, but when I'm really suffering from it, I don't even know the dog is in the room, nor do I notice that the house is on fire or that a tornado has just torn off the front porch and then my dear darlings get a little irritated when I say "Whaaaaat?" with the particular emphasis that we all use when we are caught and don't know what we were doing wrong.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yeah, ya gotta be careful: interrupting a writer who's "in the zone" is sort of like sticking your hand into an aquarium filled with piranhas...


_Just_ the hand? I admire your restraint... 

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1400 words so far today, piranhas notwithstanding!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Meredith Sinclair said:


> But see, my nine-year-old daughter "writes" and if I get near her when she is in her "creative realm" as she calls it , I get these LOOKS  ... yeesh!


Writers tend to start very young, and nothing makes a young writer (or a young person in general) more happy than being taken seriously. I remember how thrilled my niece was at eight when, learning she was writing, I gave her a very fancy (meaning magnificent-looking, not expensive!) pen for her birthday.

Your daughter's so fortunate to have that realm of hers. Too many kids now let video games run their imaginations.

CK


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> 1400 words so far today, piranhas notwithstanding!


1000 for the week here, which is prodigious, I tell ya.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

0 words written today as I have taken a day off - the first one in 18 months to celebrate the sales of 1,000 books, which any Indie author must embrace as a lndmark. I'm heading out for a steak dinner and will recommence tomorrow on my daily 4,000 word routine nd hoepfully another sprint at anoher 1,000 books.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> 0 words written today as I have taken a day off - the first one in 18 months to celebrate the sales of 1,000 books, which any Indie author must embrace as a lndmark. I'm heading out for a steak dinner and will recommence tomorrow on my daily 4,000 word routine nd hoepfully another sprint at anoher 1,000 books.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Congrats! 

I have no idea if or when I've hit 1K, as I don't keep track of my total sales. I'm lucky if I remember what day it is...


----------



## Jeff

edwpat said:


> ...to celebrate the sales of 1,000 books...


Congratulations, Ed. We're all celebrating with you, sans-steak.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Jeff and Mike:

I must thank my readers for that number, because they're the ones that propell me forwrd.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

edwpat said:


> 0 words written today as I have taken a day off - the first one in 18 months to celebrate the sales of 1,000 books, which any Indie author must embrace as a lndmark. I'm heading out for a steak dinner and will recommence tomorrow on my daily 4,000 word routine


Congratulations on the first 1,000.

Regarding word quotas, my feelings about prose are similar to Keats' famous quote about poetry. Still, it'd be nice to be disciplined. 

CK


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Congrats Ed.  You deserve to celebrate.  Someday, I'd like to hit that mark!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Regarding word quotas, my feelings about prose are similar to Keats' famous quote about poetry. Still, it'd be nice to be disciplined.


LOL! Well, I don't consider them quotas (at least for me), it's just a small motivational tool to help me be consistent about writing. After not doing any writing for about a dozen years, I've got a lot to make up for...


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> LOL! Well, I don't consider them quotas (at least for me), it's just a small motivational tool to help me be consistent about writing. After not doing any writing for about a dozen years, I've got a lot to make up for...


Hiatuses happen. I quit writing for about 5 years, owing to circumstances that'll of course put on masks and get worked into a novel. 

I don't word-count my blog posts, journal entries, short stories, etc., but they do add up on a daily basis.

CK


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Writers tend to start very young, and nothing makes a young writer (or a young person in general) more happy than being taken seriously. I remember how thrilled my niece was at eight when, learning she was writing, I gave her a very fancy (meaning magnificent-looking, not expensive!) pen for her birthday.
> 
> Your daughter's so fortunate to have that realm of hers. Too many kids now let video games run their imaginations.
> 
> CK


Oh, yes, thanks for that acknowledgement. I am a teacher so I knew she should not even watch tv until she turned three. Still really watches about 1-2hrs a day at MOST. And NO video games. She loves to read and write. She has tons of journals and lots of neat pens like you mentioned you gave your niece. She is an only child and has a lot of alone time. During hurricane Ike we went w/o electricity for 15 days! We had two extra families living with us (7 extra people) and three of those were children... those kids could not be entertained with ANYTHING, yet my girl read 36 books in her room...some in a little tent (her "island") with a flashlight. So I feel fortunate to have her... she is wonderfully patient with me "bugging" her with mundane things such as putting her books/journal away to eat dinner with the family.  She recently got a 100% on our TAKS test... really a big deal in Texas. So to all those parents wagging their fingers at me for depriving her of tv... I say TAKE THAT!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I am a teacher so I knew she should not even watch tv until she turned three. Still really watches about 1-2hrs a day at MOST. And NO video games. She loves to read and write. We had two extra families living with us (7 extra people) and three of those were children... I say TAKE THAT!


Hey, Miss Merry, I used to be teacher myself and I practically raised my two daughters in front of the telly watching such educational programs as "Unsolved Mysteries" and "X-Files" and they both turned out... well, they did turn out, occasionally for a few things, at least... well, they both _gradiated_ from High School and then figured out how to register for college all by themselves!  They are one of the reasons I had to give up my teaching career. I loved teaching. Lectures, labs, films, overhead projectors, all that stuff, extracurricular and curricular. It was just the students I couldn't abide. LOL. They had better clothes, better cars, more to spend on lunch and knew far more than I did.  I hope I didn't scar too many for life.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Hey, Miss Merry, I used to be teacher myself and I practically raised my two daughters in front of the telly watching such educational programs as "Unsolved Mysteries" and "X-Files" and they both turned out... well, they did turn out, occasionally for a few things, at least... well, they both _gradiated_ from High School and then figured out how to register for college all by themselves!  They are one of the reasons I had to give up my teaching career. I loved teaching. Lectures, labs, films, overhead projectors, all that stuff, extracurricular and curricular. It was just the students I couldn't abide. LOL. They had better clothes, better cars, more to spend on lunch and knew far more than I did.  I hope I didn't scar too many for life.


See... that's exactly what I'm talking about! I never said/say anything about them plopping their kiddos dow in in front of the set so they could/can have time to themselves.... but... they all seem to tell me about me depriving my girl of all that RUBBISH!!!!   Buuuuut, Brendan I still like your books and your imagination.... you're a little warped, and you do mean things to the characters I LOVE in your books.. (I guess that is why you feel compelled to SLAM me now... afraid of a little nine-year-old competition!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> See... that's exactly what I'm talking about! I never said/say anything about them plopping their kiddos dowwn in front of the set so they could/can have time to themselves.... but... they all seem to tell me about me depriving my girl of all that RUBBISH!!!!


LOL!!! I love rubbish and would not dream of depriving my girlies of it. Love you!


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> LOL!!! I love rubbish and would not dream of depriving my girlies of it. Love you!


You know I am still your #1 fan... as I was your first guinea pig on Knight of Death back in 2000! I do like the revised edition better, you have definitely become a richer writer (I know.... NOT RICHER that way... but you know what I mean!)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank s Carolyn - I'm full of steak and good wishes from many people. ow I need to remember that I'm passed the 1,000 point, and now stand at 1,005 - so the work is still ahead of me. Always ahead until "the clearing at the end of the path." But oh what cobblestones I want to leave in my wake and in my "trace."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Oh, yes, thanks for that acknowledgement. I am a teacher so I knew she should not even watch tv until she turned three...So to all those parents wagging their fingers at me for depriving her of tv... I say TAKE THAT!


You did her a huge favor, and you sound like a great mom. 

Most TV melts the mind like a popsicle. I only use the house televison for movies, and I try to watch good ones. (Edited to note that Hub will watch just about anything, and I do admit to now and again sitting next to him if Anthony Bourdain is on, and there's usually decent stuff on PBS, hence my change of post  ).

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Listening to the fox calling outside (they have the *wierdest* "barks"), I can now happily report - <bark!> - that the draft of chapter 13 of _In Her Name: First Contact_ is done! 3,400 words today (chugga-chugga)... 

BTW - I agree about the whole bit about TV. Jan and I have pretty much stopped watching ourselves, and we've cut way down on the time the boys are allowed to watch. Actually, our 13 year-old isn't much interested anymore: he's become a bookworm to the point that I have to yell at him to put the book down to do things (well, I don't yell at him hard; it's hard to fault a kid for loving to read that much, especially after he had no interest for so long). He'll be getting a hand-me-down K1 for his birthday next month...


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Carolyn Kephart said:


> You did her a huge favor, and you sound like a great mom.
> 
> Most TV melts the mind like a popsicle. I only use the house televison for movies, and I try to watch good ones. (Edited to note that Hub will watch just about anything, and I do admit to now and again sitting next to him if Anthony Bourdain is on, and there's usually decent stuff on PBS, hence my change of post  ).
> 
> CK


Thanks Carolyn, I certainly try really hard to make sure she gets all that she needs.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Man, some of you guys have the highest word counts!

How many of them survive your final edits?

I'm lucky to get 1,000 a week!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> Man, some of you guys have the highest word counts!
> 
> How many of them survive your final edits?
> 
> I'm lucky to get 1,000 a week!


Jan (ScrappingForever) and I were talking about this yesterday, and were wondering if it isn't largely because of differing ways of approaching story creation (after removing available time as a comparative factor - obviously you can't get much writing done if you've only got an hour or two per week free). For example, I don't structure the story in advance. My writing is very "organic," and I just let the first draft flow and let my fingers do the work at the keyboard with very little control up front.

On the other end of the spectrum, I know some authors are very tied to structure and trying to make sure that the story fits a certain progression, which maybe can take more time up front (but probably leads to fewer major edits later on).

Based on my experience with writing _In Her Name_, I actually wound up completely rewriting the second half of the book after I finished the first draft. But of the second draft, despite doing a bazillion edits, virtually all of the text survived (although not without a lot of tweaking here and there). But I learned from that first experience to keep a closer eye on what my fingers were doing to keep them from going too far out in left field!

Even at that, I myself am sort of surprised at how fast this latest novel is going: I only started writing it the second week of April, and it's now up to 68,000 words, averaging about 8,500 words or 17 formatted pages per week. I expect the final length to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 150,000 words (300 pages), so that puts the end of the first draft around the end of July. I don't know if I'll actually make that, but that's one reason I started this thread: to help me (and y'all) stay on the horse!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

My novels are created organically. I eshew outlines and although I am conscious of good novel structure (the big-ass structure, which must be obeyed or the reader vomits), when I enter the ZONE, I have worked things out in my mind and ready to belch it up on paper (or screen). So I'm not sure if that's the differentiating factor in 1,000 or 4,000 word daily quotas. Perhaps it's the something else. The quota you set for yourself (I take mine from Stephen King) and the point where the ZONE dissipates - mine is around 3,700 words. I generally begin each session by rewriting the last 300-500 words, and I never start on a blank page.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Mike:
> 
> My novels are created organically. I eshew outlines and although I am conscious of good novel structure (the big-ass structure, which must be obeyed or the reader vomits), when I enter the ZONE, I have worked things out in my mind and ready to belch it up on paper (or screen). So I'm not sure if that's the differentiating factor in 1,000 or 4,000 word daily quotas. Perhaps it's the something else. The quota you set for yourself (I take mine from Stephen King) and the point where the ZONE dissipates - mine is around 3,700 words. I generally begin each session by rewriting the last 300-500 words, and I never start on a blank page.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


My limitation is almost always the time that's available and/or my wrists - I usually only have an hour, maybe two, on the week nights, and usually a bit more (although not always!) on the weekends. But if I could write full time, I'm pretty confident I could hammer at the keyboard for 6-8 hours in a day or until my wrists got tired (that's always my "hard stop").

And I do the same thing: I almost always go back over the last few pages and do a few tweaks to warm up the fingers...


----------



## Thumper

Dave Dykema said:


> Man, some of you guys have the highest word counts!
> 
> How many of them survive your final edits?
> 
> I'm lucky to get 1,000 a week!


Some of us don't have other jobs to get in the way... For me, this is it. I write and sell or paying the bills gets tricky. I typically cough up 5-6,000 words a day (usually spread out over 2 or 3 different things.) Articles typically survive mostly intact; I tend to add in as much as is edited out.

Fiction, though...if I write 5,000 words for a book, in the end about half makes it. I'll add another 1,000 to those sections after the first editing pass. By the time I surrender a manuscript to the editor I'll have pared down a very bloated 180,000 words to 120,000, and then I cry when I have to cut another 10-20,000.

I did learn a major lesson with my 2nd book: learn to fight for your book. I cut--at the editor's "suggestion" (the implication being if I didn't do it, the book wouldn't go to print)--over 100 pages from what should have been the final draft. I cringe now, because some of what was in those 100 pages was information that would have made a few odd points in the rest of the book make more sense.

And that edit is a strong reason for NEVER throwing anything you've written out. After I got my rights back for the book I could have put it back in...but I lost the disk it was on. And I never printed a hard copy.

Keep it ALL, even if you think it's crap, because someday you might have that Moment when you know how to make it work. If you've deleted it...it's gone.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Books over 100,000 words don't seem to be in vogue anymore.

"Stalker" was 109,000, but "Wrong Number" is only 51,000. "WR" is a horrible length to try and sell to a publisher or agent.

75,000-100,000 is what publishers seem to be looking for.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

But readers don;t mind, therefore us Indie Authors can fill a gap. My books run the gamut n length. The shortest one is a vlockbuster, but the 80,00 word one, the 225,000 word one and the 250,000 word one attracts reades readily. I think that Tradipubs fear the cost of a big book that fails compared to the cost of a little book that fails. They have used the wrong business model for years, and its showing as their ship sinks.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> Books over 100,000 words don't seem to be in vogue anymore.
> 
> "Stalker" was 109,000, but "Wrong Number" is only 51,000. "WR" is a horrible length to try and sell to a publisher or agent.
> 
> 75,000-100,000 is what publishers seem to be looking for.


Definitely an advantage of being indie, as Ed noted. I don't expect to ever make a fortune, but it's nice to not be shoehorned into a particular model. The story should be as long or short as it needs to be to tell what needs to be told...


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

kreelanwarrior said:


> The story should be as long or short as it needs to be to tell what needs to be told...


Music to my ears!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I'm not sure what I'm going to be able to get done tonight (since it's already 9:30), but I'm going to try and tap out a few words for _First Contact_ and see how far I get...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I never stopped working all day, but did I get even one word written?  No.  

The morning was spent reformatting the PB version of AP for a second proof.  Mandatory afternoon nap was next, followed by clean-up of the WIP.  I've just spent the last two hours working on the Outlander Klub.  

I feel so frustrated.  I think I'll get myself a cat.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I never stopped working all day, but did I get even one word written? No.
> 
> The morning was spent reformatting the PB version of AP for a second proof. Mandatory afternoon nap was next, followed by clean-up of the WIP. I've just spent the last two hours working on the Outlander Klub.
> 
> I feel so frustrated. I think I'll get myself a cat.


Ack! More tomorrow, but for now: if you get a cat, at least get two. That way you can put yourself out of your misery quicker... 

Time to hit the sack! Will talk to ya tomorrow!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I feel so frustrated. I think I'll get myself a cat.


Okay, Gertie, you need some inspiration! I don't have any new kool hats for you, but since you're so frustrated you're considering getting yourself a cat, I'll give you two:

Nina...









and Sasha...









How can you _not_ be inspired now?? 

Which reminds me, there aren't any kool animals in First Contact like there were in In Her Name. I may have to rectify that, but am not sure how. I'm still grappling with the old geezers not wanting to call their kids and tell them they're about to be zapped by alien invaders "because we didn't want to upset you..." 

Okay, enough frivolity! On to writing. Came home early with a dang cold. Don't know if my muse has it or not, so we'll see...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I never stopped working all day, but did I get even one word written? No.
> 
> The morning was spent reformatting the PB version of AP for a second proof. Mandatory afternoon nap was next, followed by clean-up of the WIP. I've just spent the last two hours working on the Outlander Klub.
> 
> I feel so frustrated. I think I'll get myself a cat.


Gertie, you need to get into the Zone. (I'm guess blogging on The Zone tomorow on RJKeller's Publishing Renaissance, as a reuslt of my posting on Kindleboards). I can tell you that you need some classical music, isolation and a bag of Milanos. Might I suggest Vaughan Williams and a "no-fly-zone" around your work area.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, Gertie, you need some inspiration! I don't have any new kool hats for you, but since you're so frustrated you're considering getting yourself a cat, I'll give you two:
> 
> Nina...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and Sasha...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How can you _not_ be inspired now??


Now I'm so much more relaxed from your kitty-kat pictures that I've stopped worrying about what's going to happen, and I'm back to letting my characters tell their story.



> Okay, enough frivolity! On to writing. Came home early with a dang cold. Don't know if my muse has it or not, so we'll see...


Feel better.



edwpat said:


> Gertie, you need to get into the Zone. (I'm guess blogging on The Zone tomorow on RJKeller's Publishing Renaissance, as a reuslt of my posting on Kindleboards). I can tell you that you need some classical music, isolation and a bag of Milanos. Might I suggest Vaughan Williams and a "no-fly-zone" around your work area.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Just don't suggest poetry. Everything else is appreciated. 

How about a link to your blog?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Don't have the guest blog link yet as it doesn't come out until tomorrow. I'll get it out when RJ Keller gets it to me.  

Edward C. Patterson

PS: Just came back from the doctor, and I won;t be donating my body to science afte all.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> Don't have the guest blog link yet as it doesn't come out until tomorrow. I'll get it out when RJ Keller gets it to me.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I'll look for it. BTW, I prefer Victor Herbert to Vaughn Williams since my grandfather played in his orchestra for many years.



> PS: Just came back from the doctor, and I won;t be donating my body to science after all.


After a certain age, they won't even let you donate your organs. *Age Discrimination!!!*

Back to The Zone.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You do know that Victor Herbert (who I like also) was the founder of ASCAP.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, with the emotional dustup on the "ponder this" thread I haven't been able to capitalize much on the extra time I had available today for writing - only about 1100 words (not counting posts and whatnot). But the night is yet (fairly) young... <sigh>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Being at the doctor today, I had to keep track of these things on a Blackberry - ah woe is me. But Mike, you beat me today. I wrote 700 words, but I always have trouble writing at my Dad's place. I guess I won;t have that 13th thread until late July.  

Edward C. Patterson
aka some anagram of the above


----------



## Jeff

I wrote about a thousand then deleted eight hundred. Now I'm watching the cursor blink and checking KB for new posts.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Being at the doctor today, I had to keep track of these things on a Blackberry - ah woe is me. But Mike, you beat me today. I wrote 700 words, but I always have trouble writing at my Dad's place. I guess I won;t have that 13th thread until late July.


Ha! Yeah, why is it that if you're on someone else's machine or at your parents' place (in particular) the muse seems to have a bit of a hairball? Good heavens...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I wrote about a thousand then deleted eight hundred. Now I'm watching the cursor blink and checking KB for new posts.


Oy! Talk about two steps forward, three steps back!


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Oy! Talk about two steps forward, three steps back!


That's the story of my life lately.

The high point of my day was pulling my great-grandson in his new Radio-Flier to the mailbox and back. The high point of my great-grandson's day was when the garbage truck blew its air-horn.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> The high point of my day was pulling my great-grandson in his new Radio-Flier to the mailbox and back. The high point of my great-grandson's day was when the garbage truck blew its air-horn.


Now *that's* a good day!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

The bad part of my day is that I lost the phone number of the rescue cat lady.  The worst part of tomorrow is that I'm going to have to ask my daughter, for the third time, to give me the lady's phone number.  She'll be sure to check that off on the Alzheimer's list she has going.

Now for the good news.  1073 words.  Mike, you just beat me.  

Ed, I think I read that about Victor Herbert when I was researching him trying to find my grandfather's name somewhere on a list.  Didn't find it.  All we've got so far is his arrival at Ellis Island.  

Jeff, around these parts, if the kids make the "pulling the air horn" motion, the truck drivers will do it.  I didn't know this, and when my grandson got the truck next to us to blow his horn, I nearly went through the red light.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> The bad part of my day is that I lost the phone number of the rescue cat lady. The worst part of tomorrow is that I'm going to have to ask my daughter, for the third time, to give me the lady's phone number. She'll be sure to check that off on the Alzheimer's list she has going.


Hey, I've been doing that sort of thing for a long time! 



> Now for the good news. 1073 words. Mike, you just beat me.


Have you stopped? I'm still going - don't give it up yet! Of course, I'm not expecting to get much sleep tonight; never do when I have a cold, and can't take antihistamines because they make my heart race (that happens all the time when I'm around Jan, but that's different!). 



> Jeff, around these parts, if the kids make the "pulling the air horn" motion, the truck drivers will do it. I didn't know this, and when my grandson got the truck next to us to blow his horn, I nearly went through the red light.


Another candidate for America's Funniest Home videos...


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

kreelanwarrior said:


> Have you stopped? I'm still going - don't give it up yet! Of course, I'm not expecting to get much sleep tonight; never do when I have a cold, and can't take antihistamines because they make my heart race (that happens all the time when I'm around Jan, but that's different!). :


Neti-Pot! That is what you need! All it is saline so no heart palpitations.  I'm just saying....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Neti-Pot! That is what you need! All it is saline so no heart palpitations.  I'm just saying....


"Neti-Pot"? That sounds like a "home network appliance" that has an internet connection built into the toilet seat. LOL! 

So what is it? I've never heard of such a thing...?

Hmmm: the hoot owl and the fox just started going at it outside, hollering at each other...

Oh, and I'm up to 1,400, but Something Bad is about to happen in the story...


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Jeff, around these parts, if the kids make the "pulling the air horn" motion, the truck drivers will do it. I didn't know this, and when my grandson got the truck next to us to blow his horn, I nearly went through the red light.


I think they do that everywhere, Gertie.

My great-grandson is 14 months old and enamored with trucks, buses and motorcycles. When he waved at the garbage truck and the driver blew that REALLY LOUD air horn, I cringed, expecting a terrified child to climb my leg - but he loved it and wanted to follow the truck down the street.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

kreelanwarrior said:


> "Neti-Pot"? That sounds like a "home network appliance" that has an internet connection built into the toilet seat. LOL!
> 
> So what is it? I've never heard of such a thing...?
> 
> Hmmm: the hoot owl and the fox just started going at it outside, hollering at each other...
> 
> Oh, and I'm up to 1,400, but Something Bad is about to happen in the story...


Well, someone decided that the thing I have been doing for years could make THEM some money and.... I got nothing! It is a little plastic tea pot looking thing that you put warm water and these little salt packages in and pour it thru your nostril....


Spoiler



it pours out the other one


 and cleans out your sinuses, no more allergies for me! My daughter is nine and I have used a saline dropper ( I think the recipe is 1 tbsp of salt and 8oz. of warm water) anyway, she was born extremely premature (13 1/2 weeks) so she was on tons of meds.... and to me this was my way of putting one less drug in her little body! So, it is a natural remedy of sorts (my brother does the whole herb remedy thing he is a nutrionists) and I believe she has had a lot less problems because of this. You can buy the pot at Walgreens and it does relieve stopped up noses!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Oh, and I'm up to 1,400, but Something Bad is about to happen in the story...


Heck, and I just got up to 1311, but now I have to stop and go to bed.



Jeff said:


> My great-grandson is 14 months old and enamored with trucks, buses and motorcycles. When he waved at the garbage truck and the driver blew that REALLY LOUD air horn, I cringed, expecting a terrified child to climb my leg - but he loved it and wanted to follow the truck down the street.


Good for him. Brave little guy. 



Meredith Sinclair said:


> Well, someone decided that the thing I have been doing for years could make THEM some money and.... I got nothing! It is a little plastic tea pot looking thing that you put warm water and these little salt packages in and pour it thru your nostril....
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> it pours out the other one
> 
> 
> and cleans out your sinuses, no more allergies for me! My daughter is nine and I have used a saline dropper ( I think the recipe is 1 tbsp of salt and 8oz. of warm water) anyway, she was born extremely premature (13 1/2 weeks) so she was on tons of meds.... and to me this was my way of putting one less drug in her little body! So, it is a natural remedy of sorts (my brother does the whole herb remedy thing he is a nutrionists) and I believe she has had a lot less problems because of this. You can buy the pot at Walgreens and it does relieve stopped up noses!


When my kids were little, they had this wonderful pediatrician. He told me one measured teaspoon salt in a pint of warm water. Eye dropper it into their nose and use the nose squeegee to pull out the goop. Kept their little noses from running so badly.

Of course, the best thing to prevent colds is cod liver oil. When they had the orange flavored drops, my kids were absolutely cold and ear-infection free. Then they discontinued it.

Good night, all.


----------



## Thumper

I hit 9,000 words yesterday and 2,500 today...and I'm afraid to go back a read it, because I'm willing to bet 40% of it is


Spoiler



CRAP


. Surely, what was hysterically funny at 2 a.m. will be mostly stupid when read after a good night's sleep...


----------



## Jeff

Thumper said:


> I hit 9,000 words yesterday and 2,500 today...and I'm afraid to go back a read it, because I'm willing to bet 40% of it is
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> CRAP
> 
> 
> .


Yikes. Whatever I've got must be contagious. Sorry, Thumper.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> I hit 9,000 words yesterday and 2,500 today...and I'm afraid to go back a read it, because I'm willing to bet 40% of it is
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> CRAP
> 
> 
> . Surely, what was hysterically funny at 2 a.m. will be mostly stupid when read after a good night's sleep...
> [/quote
> 
> WOW! Well, I hope the percentages work out better for you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> I hit 9,000 words yesterday and 2,500 today...and I'm afraid to go back a read it, because I'm willing to bet 40% of it is
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> CRAP
> 
> 
> . Surely, what was hysterically funny at 2 a.m. will be mostly stupid when read after a good night's sleep...


Now, that's just a guess on your part. You won't know until you reread it. Even if you do have to recycle part of it, that's still one heck of a lot of words.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Has anyone noticed that the May sales report has completely disappeared from Amazon?  Other people on the DTP community have noticed it, too.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Has anyone noticed that the May sales report has completely disappeared from Amazon? Other people on the DTP community have noticed it, too.


That's happened before when the month changes. Give it a day or two and you should see May in the archive of previous months.

Edit: How were your Mobipocket sales for your first month? I see that _In Her Name_ was ranked number 4 in the science fiction genre. Congratulations, Mike.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff:

Mobipocket sales still elude me. I had 14, and 12 were for my own Blackberry (and I can't see how anyone can use the Blackberry for reading a book). So I had 2, and one of those was Sondi Miller, who only buys my books that way. 

As for the Amazon Sales report - Everything is stuck - I'm trying to change the price of No Irish Need Apply and its hung up. I may or may not have had sales in the last 2 days, because I get "nothing matches." Are you getting June sales reporting? As for May, it will not be ready until June 4th.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> That's happened before when the month changes. Give it a day or two and you should see May in the archive of previous months.


Okay, I'll wait and see.



> Edit: How were your Mobipocket sales for your first month? I see that _In Her Name_ was ranked number 4 in the science fiction genre. Congratulations, Mike.


Two, and I know one of those was RJKeller. I'm pulling it from Mobipocket. If I can't make money on my book, they can't either. 

The second (and I hope final) paperpack proof should arrive by the end of this week. I've got it priced as low as I can go and probably Amazon will discount it below that. There is very little competition in my subgenre (paperback edition), so I'm looking forward to doing pretty well.

Good going, Mike.


----------



## Jeff

edwpat said:


> As for the Amazon Sales report - Everything is stuck - I'm trying to change the price of No Irish Need Apply and its hung up. I may or may not have had sales in the last 2 days, because I get "nothing matches." Are you getting June sales reporting? As for May, it will not be ready until June 4th.


My May sales report is up on DTP.



Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Two, and I know one of those was RJKeller. I'm pulling it from Mobipocket. If I can't make money on my book, they can't either.


The other Mobipocket sale was Sondi Miller. She posted it on another forum.

Don't be so hasty pulling it. Your web site isn't even indexed by the search engines yet.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Edit: How were your Mobipocket sales for your first month? I see that _In Her Name_ was ranked number 4 in the science fiction genre. Congratulations, Mike.


Jeff -

Thanks! The Mobipocket thing has actually been rather bizarre. For several months the sales were absolutely terrible - 10 books sold in the entire first quarter! - and then I happened to find out why: the book wouldn't appear when you typed in the title in the search bar! It was still in the catalog if you hunted it down or had a direct link, but a reader couldn't go and just search on it - it wasn't appearing in the Mobi search engine. So I nagged the support people about that, and after a month or so it reappeared - then sales started going again. And it's steadily worked its way back from #bazillion to between #3 and #6 in the sci-fi category, and that's where it's stayed for the last couple weeks or so. At this rate I should be getting another payout toward the end of this month.

So, both you and Ed should check and make sure your titles are in the search index. I don't know if that was just an issue for In Her Name, but it's worth checking.

And from the sound of it, DTP is just hosed for the moment. They're probably doing a system "upgrade" <run for the hills>...

And Ed - thanks! And a question: In Her Name: Empire (which is printed through CS) has been out for a month or so but hasn't been discounted. How long does that take, do you think?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Interesting: looks like DTP changed the sales report format again to consolidate previous months' reporting into a single sheet. Not bad...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> My May sales report is up on DTP.
> The other Mobipocket sale was Sondi Miller. She posted it on another forum.


I'll have to thank Sondi for that.



> Don't be so hasty pulling it. Your web site isn't even indexed by the search engines yet.


You know the other reason for my pulling it from Mobipocket.



kreelanwarrior said:


> So, both you and Ed should check and make sure your titles are in the search index. I don't know if that was just an issue for In Her Name, but it's worth checking.


You can find my book by author's name, but not by title. Every time I type it in, the apostrophe changes to a quote.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Every time I type it in, the apostrophe changes to a quote.


Oh drat! I should have thought of that before you published.

The Mobipocket search works for my titles.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Fertie, I have the same problem with Bobby's trace on mobipocket.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> Fertie, I have the same problem with Bobby's trace on mobipocket.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Look, guys, I have another name!!! Soon, my kids won't be able to find me at all.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Look, guys, I have another name!!! Soon, my kids won't be able to find me at all.


Good thing Ed's fingers hit the first "e" correctly, and didn't type "a"...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, Gertie - I'm workin' here with one eye only. You'd be surprised at the things I type. 

Ed (half-blind) Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> Well, Gertie - I'm workin' here with one eye only. You'd be surprised at the things I type.
> 
> Ed (half-blind) Patterson


Excuses, excuses.


----------



## jonfmerz

Is anyone else having a problem tracking their most recent sales over on DTP?  I've obviously had several since I changed the price to $1.99 and my sales rank has come down because of it, but so far, I can't see current sales for the month the way I've been able to for previous months.  Weird.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hold on. Let me open my good eye and see if they appear.  . . .  Nope. I have sales coming in, but they are not appearing in DTP. Surviving an American Gula is holding down a 2,000 rank and is #1 in the GLBT Kindle catagory and doing well in two others. Yet, according to DTP, there are NO sales this month. I hope they clear it up soon, so I'll know how much royalty to donate back to Kindleboards.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I just checked again - DTP still isn't reflecting June sales (at least on my account), and I know there have been some. Presumably the admins are still working under the hood.

Writing-wise, today is a bit odd. I haven't slept more than 15 minute straight since 0530 yesterday morning (coughing, hacking, snuffling), wrote through all of last night (albeit on something not book-related that turned out to be a total waste of time - I could've finished the chapter I've been working on instead!), and then this evening finally tapped out 500 words so far. So, we'll see if I get any sleep tonight. I feel like I'm one of Boyd Morrison's novels in some sort of sleep deprivation experiment...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Instructions to self:

1.  Sign off KB
2.  Turn on some thundering music like the 1812 Overture or some really bass driven R&R.  So far the mayhem has been in a minor key and needs to be ramped up.  
3.  Open WIP
4.  Place fingers on keys
5.  Let it flow

See you guys later


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

<plays 1812 Overture on kazoo> 



Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Instructions to self:
> 
> 1. Sign off KB
> 2. Turn on some thundering music like the 1812 Overture or some really bass driven R&R. So far the mayhem has been in a minor key and needs to be ramped up.
> 3. Open WIP
> 4. Place fingers on keys
> 5. Let it flow
> 
> See you guys later


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie:

You forgot the Milanos.

BTW, I didn't forget to post the link to the guest blog. It didn't show up today, because it go lost in the mail (email?) Anyhow, they have it now and it will appear tomorrow. It's funny how that one came about. We were all frolicking about in one of the threads about structuring - plot vs. no-plot, and I was rather vituberous (what me?) coming down on plotting. I also mentioned the Zone and how readers are denied access to it. I then received an invitation from Publishing Renaissance, a staff member of which is an author member here (RJ Keller) to guest blog on those subjects. So the world IS watching us.

Anyway, when it comes out tomorrow I'll link it here, because I really don't know where else to put it. (Now, now . . . nothing more can fit up there).  

Edward C. Oh, whatever


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> <plays 1812 Overture on kazoo>


I've been looking for a kazoo for the past two years. Can't find one anywhere.



edwpat said:


> Gertie:
> 
> You forgot the Milanos.


Too soothing. My guy is in turmoil, and I need to stir him up a bit more. He needs a big blast to knock him out of the rut he dug himself into a long time ago.

I didn't get a lot done tonight, but my main man is heading in the right direction. Tomorrow should be productive.



> BTW, I didn't forget to post the link to the guest blog. It didn't show up today, because it go lost in the mail (email?) Anyhow, they have it now and it will appear tomorrow. It's funny how that one came about. We were all frolicking about in one of the threads about structuring - plot vs. no-plot, and I was rather vituberous (what me?) coming down on plotting. I also mentioned the Zone and how readers are denied access to it. I then received an invitation from Publishing Renaissance, a staff member of which is an author member here (RJ Keller) to guest blog on those subjects. So the world IS watching us.
> 
> Anyway, when it comes out tomorrow I'll link it here, because I really don't know where else to put it. (Now, now . . . nothing more can fit up there).
> 
> Edward C. Oh, whatever


Here is fine, Ed. Anywhere else would be too dark to read.

Night, night, folks. Sweet dreams and all that stuff.

Gertie


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I managed 2,000 words. When I'm in my Dad's place, I seem not to be able to write. Mostly because I can't see my laptop screen in the place desinated for it there and the chair is too high, so I'm looking down on it. Glaucoma is a bummer. I managed some writing, but neer got into the Zone until tonight (back in my own place). My lovers are in a tender are now and I am about to launch into the met of the tale in the next section. I only have 40,000 words done on it, and tonight cut out a whole section that I felt was reundant and holding up the crisis, which needs to come up faster. 

Gertie:

If Milanos don;t work, try 2 day old cold pizza.  

Edward C. Blatherson


----------



## Susan in VA

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I've been looking for a kazoo for the past two years. Can't find one anywhere.


Are you serious? Somehow the sadistic moms that put together those birthday treat bags for kids' birthday parties always seem to find them. Try the party supply store, or Toys R Us....


----------



## MonaSW

http://www.kazoos.com/

Plastic Kazoos
Metal Kazoos
Wooden Kazoos
Chocolate Kazoos


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

MonaSW said:


> http://www.kazoos.com/
> 
> Plastic Kazoos
> Metal Kazoos
> Wooden Kazoos
> Chocolate Kazoos


Amazon has 'em too, even a few 'used and new'... 
http://www.amazon.com/Trophy-701-Metal-Kazoo/dp/B00067G66Y/ 
That's the brand I own, and it's orchestra quality. The reviews are well worth reading.

CK

PS: _Chocolate_ kazoos?


----------



## MonaSW

Carolyn Kephart said:


> PS: _Chocolate_ kazoos?


They don't work, they are just for eating.  That was a fun website. (Now where is my nose flute and my penny whistle... )


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Chocolate kazoos? Bring 'em on! 

Okay, decided I'm staying home again today (at least I finally conked out last night and got some sleep). So am planning on trying to get a lot of writing done. I hope...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie and all other interested parties:

Here is the blog at Publishing Rennaisance:

Driving out Plots and Getting into the Zone

http://publishren.wordpress.com/

Edward C. Patterson
Enjoy and leave comments there


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Driving out Plots and Getting into the Zone
> 
> http://publishren.wordpress.com/


Ed - Great post!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Mike

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

> A good sign that an author is in the Zone is that we speak in the voices of our characters.


Very true. If you're not in the character's heads, how are you going to know what is happening?

Nicely done, Ed.



Susan in VA said:


> Are you serious? Somehow the sadistic moms that put together those birthday treat bags for kids' birthday parties always seem to find them. Try the party supply store, or Toys R Us....


Serious. I have looked in all the different dollar stores, WalMart in both the party section and the toy section, and the same with Target. There aren't any party stores or TRU within my driving range. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and pay for shipping.

Into The Zone


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Very true. If you're not in the character's heads, how are you going to know what is happening?


Of course, this always poses a conundrum for me when characters suddenly appear out of nowhere to hijack the plot! "Hey, who the devil are you, and what are you doing in my story??"


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gertie and as for those characters that hijack the "plot", Mike, I often (and have somewhere else in some thread here, quote (paraphrase) a letter Tolkien sent to his son Christopher that went something like this. "Last night I was in Ithilien and I met the most fascinating character. His name was Faramir, and somehow I think he will be important." So even the great Niggler didn't enter the Zone with an outline (although I suspect with his diligence not to waste paper, each revision being written over the last in a different color, an outline might have been a serious waste).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

It's an awesome post, Ed. Thanks so much for sharing it with Publishing Renaissance. 
When I told the other members that you'd be doing a guest blog, they were all _very _ excited.


----------



## Susan in VA

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> There aren't any party stores or TRU within my driving range. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and pay for shipping.


I really wish you were in MY driving range, because there are multiple kazoos in this house that I would LOVE to make disappear...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you RJ. It's my pleasure, bag o' wind that I am  , but when it comes to writing advice, I depense it like PEZ. As you see, I ommited the IMHO in the blog posting. 

Thanks again for the opportunity

Ed P


----------



## RJ Keller

I did notice that.  
I'm known for leaving IMHO out of my blog posts too.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, IMHO actually allows for other opinions. But I figure, if you're writing a blog, it's just gotte be gospel.  

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, mid-day progress report: despite sneezing fits, coughing, and other typhoid-Mary-like activities, have churned out 1500 words so far. Fairly slow going, but had to figure out some technical problems to be faced a few centuries down the line...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'm at work and supposed to be . . . working.  But my editor (who happens to work here), just handed me back my last 2 Chapters of Look Away Silence with proof marks. So since my lock-boxes are clear and my customers are happy, I think I might just apply these edits, and perhaps whip up an opening dialog for K'u Ko-ling, the snappy servant in The Nan Tu (and The Academician). This morning I had a new mental image to open the chapter, with the young scamp (he's 18 now) running through the wintry courtyard at Ying-t'ien Palace and being confronted by a figure in the shadows.
"Pearly Cap," the figure says. And K'u Ko-ling explores, and finds the newly enthroned Prince Kang (now Emperor Kao) lurking.
"Your Majesty." (bows) "Why are you hiding?"
"Quiet Pearly Cap." (That's his nickname for him). "Where is your master?"
"In study, my lord."
"You mean he's playing with that damned green idol of his."
"I dare not interrupt him," or something like that.
"Give me your cap."
"But why is your Majesty hiding?"
"Why is a


Spoiler



piss


 ant like you asking me?"
Well that's what came to me. We'll see where it goes. It stands on top of a few hundred pages of Sung Dynasty history which the reader must only suspect is there.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Very true. If you're not in the character's heads, how are you going to know what is happening?


Lots of times I know things that mine don't. 



> Nicely done, Ed.


Yes, an enjoyable read.

On the subject, the judges of this year's ABNA contest were very clear on what's needful for beating out thousands of other entries and winning a nice big publishing contract. Their remarks are well worth reading.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carolyn:

Gracias, grazie, danke, xie xie and Thankee sai  

Ed P
Sung Yi-di


----------



## vwkitten

Carolyn Kephart said:


> 'Author Chat,' started recently by vwkitten, is serving a general purpose, it seems to me. Too many Author threads take up space and scatter our forces.


Since we have our own forum now... perhaps we could have a few sub-forums like the Book Corner?

Trish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vwkitten said:


> Since we have our own forum now... perhaps we could have a few sub-forums like the Book Corner?
> 
> Trish


Trish -

Absolutely no offense to you or anybody who wants to make suggestions about ideas for the forum, but I personally would rather not have those discussions in this particular thread. Similar things were thrashed around in another thread (http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,9247.0.html), so don't hesitate to add your ideas in there or start a completely new one. But that discussion got a bit..."hot," shall we say, and I'd prefer to keep those sorts of things out of here. 

Anyway, onward for the afternoon: zippo yet today in terms of anything useful done writing-wise. Hoping to get some done tonight. This stupid cold plus the rainy weather is depressing. Grrr...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Back up to speed tonight aith 2,700 words ready for the editor tomorrow. Mike I hope you feel better. I hate to say it, but sometime a socko cold and a headache gives a sure entry into the Zone and great writing. Although . . . keep it to yourself. I'll stick with the Milanos.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Back up to speed tonight aith 2,700 words ready for the editor tomorrow. Mike I hope you feel better. I hate to say it, but sometime a socko cold and a headache gives a sure entry into the Zone and great writing. Although . . . keep it to yourself. I'll stick with the Milanos.
> 
> Ed P


Ed -

Thanks! I'd rather have the Milanos, too! 

Didn't exactly get into the zone tonight, but managed 1100 words regardless (but it's time to quit, anyway, as wrists are now aching a bit). Now have action going that changes among four different perspectives in the same chapter (and this is one that I pulled from a paragraph or two from the *next* chapter that was some originally described action), and I have no idea how much is left to go on this one. I hope my fingers know what they're doing - not quite sure how we're going to get from where we are now to where the next chapter picks up. D'oh!

Okay, time to hit the sack. 'Night all!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

I will say I am out of my comfort zone in Look Away Silene as it's in 1st person POV, a giant corset for the likes of me. But it's a good discipline. Sometimes I actually shake wanting brek out in a 3rd person limited POV dash, but then beat myself up, have a Milano and turn up The Sea Symphony a bit louder and grunt. It's good training to always do something different from bok to book to book.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Pass the Milanos, Ed (but Mike, you can keep your cold).  

Finally made it past a transitional section (ick) and will be heading out to the bonfire in a couple more paragraphs.  

Also made the discovery that I absolutely can not write romance while an overloaded crab boat on the Bering Sea gets buffeted by 50 knot winds and a 30 foot wave crashes onto the deck swamping the crew precariously perched on the frozen stack.  Something about that just doesn't put me in the mood.  

So I turned on the Sirius love songs channel.


----------



## Thumper

Hmmm...I have never had a Milano. Is this a required part of a writer's diet? Because if it is, really, I'll make the caloric sacrifice and buy some...

I have a 4000 word goal today. However, the weather is nice and I hear the motorcycle calling my name.
What to do, what to do...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Write 2000 words on the motorcycle (where the helmet in case your characters call you into the Zone while in traffic), and 2000 over the Milanos. Veronas work also, as long as the cookie is named after an Italian town, although I might be full of Bologna.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

edwpat said:


> Write 2000 words on the motorcycle (where the helmet in case your characters call you into the Zone while in traffic), and 2000 over the Milanos. Veronas work also, as long as the cookie is named after an Italian town, although I might be full of Bologna.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I'm making it a point to visit all the places Pepperidge's cookies are named for. Or at least visiting all the cookies.

I do hope they don't make one called Bologna.

CK


----------



## Thumper

Well, there we go! I'll hop on the bike and write in my head. Ostensibly, I wear a helmet for protection, but truthfully, it's because I talk to myself and don't want anyone to see. 

It's a little breezy out, so much of what I write in my head will be not so nice words...I'll sooth that over with cookies.

This could be a very good day, indeed!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Pass the Milanos, Ed (but Mike, you can keep your cold).


Well, the cold is about over. The major annoyance is that I feel like I just lost a month's worth of progress in working out. Grr. Eating all these bloody Milanos isn't helping, either! 



> Also made the discovery that I absolutely can not write romance while an overloaded crab boat on the Bering Sea gets buffeted by 50 knot winds and a 30 foot wave crashes onto the deck swamping the crew precariously perched on the frozen stack. Something about that just doesn't put me in the mood.


I just don't understand how you can feel that way. It sounds like it would be a situation very conducive to romance...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just checked Mobipocket - I'll be getting another payout this month. Yay! That'll pay for our trip to the Berkshires this weekend (can't beat $150 for a condo for a week).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I think my first pay out from Mobipocket will be in 2012, the day before the Maya calendar runs out.

Edward C. Patterson

PS: I bought a Kindle DX today. Comes on the 11th.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> I think my irst pay out from Mobipocket will be in 2012, the day before the Maya calendar runs out.


Yeah, that's so bizarre: my sales have certainly had their ups and downs on Mobi (with the last "down" phase because the book wouldn't show up in the search index, I think), but - at least at this rate - they're doing well. But it seems like a lot of other folks sell almost nothing there. I don't have any explanation - it's certainly not like I'm doing any particular marketing directed at Mobi customers...



> PS: I bought a Kindle DX today. Comes on the 11th.


Cool! I may be getting a K2 later this month (ordering, at least) when we give our 12 year-old my K1. I've got a couple strings of pearls for Jan (she doesn't know yet) as a consolation prize (since she doesn't visit this thread, she won't know - ha!)...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I'm gonna PM her and tell. . . ..


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm gonna PM her and tell. . . ..


Hey! No cheating!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I found out today that Amazon has lifted it's one kindle = one account rule. You can now have up to 6 kindle devices to one account. So all my Kindle One Amazon purchases will show up on my Kindle DX, and all my freebies, which are around 2800 titles of the 4000, can stay on Kindle ones SD card. It also means that your daughter and you can share the same titles across your Kindles.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Thumper said:


> Hmmm...I have never had a Milano. Is this a required part of a writer's diet? Because if it is, really, I'll make the caloric sacrifice and buy some...


May I suggest Orange Milanos. Absolutely the best.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

edwpat said:


> I found out today that Amazon has lifted it's one kindle = one account rule. You can now have up to 6 kindle devices to one account.


Ed. . . I'm pretty sure that's always been the case. . . . .


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Ann in Arlington said:


> Ed. . . I'm pretty sure that's always been the case. . . . .


Yes, I read on one of the reader's threads about a lady who bought her sister one and they share books... I wondered how fair that is to you authors. I did not know this and both of us have purchased the same book at least four times, oh well, to me it is cheating you guys, so, I will continue to buy two of the same book if and when my hubby catches up with me. He has very limited time, as he is out in the field a lot.


----------



## CeliaHayes

Ugh - the New Amazon Author Page for me doesn't list the Kindle version of the book which has been available the longest. Who can interpret  or question the reasonings and judgment of the All-powerful Amazon?

OTH, I managed to carve out some time in this week past to write another couple of thousand words to my follow-up to the Adelsverein Trilogy. I can do about 3,000 in a day, when I am really cooking, and all the research has been done. Woe is me - I wish I could quit my hellhole of a part-time job. Alas, aside from a military pension (reliable! - but mostly eaten up by the house mortgage) and book royalties (not so reliable!) it is my source of income. I'd be able to chug right along on the writing, otherwise...


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

CeliaHayes said:


> Ugh - the New Amazon Author Page for me doesn't list the Kindle version of the book which has been available the longest. Who can interpret or question the reasonings and judgment of the All-powerful Amazon?
> 
> OTH, I managed to carve out some time in this week past to write another couple of thousand words to my follow-up to the Adelsverein Trilogy. I can do about 3,000 in a day, when I am really cooking, and all the research has been done. Woe is me - I wish I could quit my hellhole of a part-time job. Alas, aside from a military pension (reliable! - but mostly eaten up by the house mortgage) and book royalties (not so reliable!) it is my source of income. I'd be able to chug right along on the writing, otherwise...


Well, sad to say, at least you are not alone, lots of others have complained about such issues and they eventually get resolved. Hopefully it will not be long. Congrats on your 3000 words, I hear lots of others happy about 1500 to 2000, which to me....    yea, not a clue what that actually looks like to us. Anyway, you got your mortgage covered and I am sure with you getting your name out more your sells will pick up, especially if this problem gets taken care of soon.


----------



## CeliaHayes

Thanks - to me, that is about half a chapter. I kept up a cracking pace on my first novel, and finished it in about three months flat. Then, I did the first draft, and much of the revising on the Trilogy in two years, which was about as many words as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy... why, yes, I can do a good bit of work, when I get going. My dream is to do nothing but writing full-time.  
Sigh. Maybe when I hit the age when I can apply for Social Security - assuming that social security is still there, of course!


----------



## Thumper

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Yes, I read on one of the reader's threads about a lady who bought her sister one and they share books... I wondered how fair that is to you authors.


It's no different than if she bought a print copy and loaned it out. Plus, since there's a limit to how many Kindles a single title purchase can be shared with, I don't have a problem with it. If it was possible to share the file with thousands of people, that would hurt. BTDT. But swapping across 6 Kindles, no big deal to me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

In between thunderstorms, laundry, nap, and Grandson's karate, I managed over 1200 words today.  

Not sure I'm back in the zone, but I've definitely put a toe across.

Orange Milanos?


----------



## Susan in VA

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Orange Milanos?


Addictive.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> It's no different than if she bought a print copy and loaned it out. Plus, since there's a limit to how many Kindles a single title purchase can be shared with, I don't have a problem with it. If it was possible to share the file with thousands of people, that would hurt. BTDT. But swapping across 6 Kindles, no big deal to me.


Yeah, I have no problem with a book being shared across a handful of Kindles, either. It seems to pass the "rule of reasonableness."


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> In between thunderstorms, laundry, nap, and Grandson's karate, I managed over 1200 words today.


No nap or karate today, although we sort of had thunderstorms (at least it rained all day); I would have napped at work, but they're still back in the stone age and haven't adopted the siesta concept. <sigh>



> Not sure I'm back in the zone, but I've definitely put a toe across.


Well, hopefully you're past being tossed about in the Bering Sea! 



> Orange Milanos?


Mmmmm...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> No nap or karate today, although we sort of had thunderstorms (at least it rained all day); I would have napped at work, but they're still back in the stone age and haven't adopted the siesta concept. <sigh>


Florida is the lightning strike capital of the world. First sign of thunder, and I shut down. I had lightning hit a phone line seconds after I put down the receiver. Fried the circuits solid and broke the window next to me. Another time, I was standing in an open doorway, and it hit in front of me and I got thrown back. Fortunately, someone caught me. We don't mess around with thunderstorms in the Sunshine State. 



> Well, hopefully you're past being tossed about in the Bering Sea!


Not until next Tuesday.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Florida is the lightning strike capital of the world. First sign of thunder, and I shut down. I had lightning hit a phone line seconds after I put down the receiver. Fried the circuits solid and broke the window next to me. Another time, I was standing in an open doorway, and it hit in front of me and I got thrown back. Fortunately, someone caught me. We don't mess around with thunderstorms in the Sunshine State.


Holy poop, Batman! It must be your electric personality!  I think I'll go hang out with the grounding rod, if you don't mind... 



> Not until next Tuesday.


Ha!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I  know about that Florida lightning. I have a friend in Pasco County, just north of Tampa and I've terrified during several memorable lightning storms. Yikes.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Holy poop, Batman! It must be your electric personality!


Now that's the truth. 



> I think I'll go hang out with the grounding rod, if you don't mind...


I AM the ground rod. 



edwpat said:


> I know about that Florida lightning. I have a friend in Pasco County, just north of Tampa and I've terrified during several memorable lightning storms. Yikes.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Yesterday, my grandson and I were unloading the car. The torrential downpour was over and the sun was shining. All of a sudden, there was this gigantic thunderclap. One of those huge quintuple boomers with sizzling snap, crackle, pop in between. I just slammed down the trunk lid and we ran into the house. I don't even want to know where that one hit.

I actually like thunderstorms and torrential downpours (unless I'm out in them). Once I get a decent WP program on my 6 cell netbook, I'll be able to work on that during a storm.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

edwpat said:


> I know about that Florida lightning. I have a friend in Pasco County, just north of Tampa and I've terrified during several memorable lightning storms. Yikes.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I lived in Pensacola for seven years. They have great storms there. Of course, I'm fond of storms, lightning and such and have incorporated many of them into my stories. The only time I get a'skeered of them is when they actually start picking up debris... like locomotives and oil tankers.  In general, I think that people are both afraid and intrigued by storms, hence all the interest in hurricanes by people who do not suffer them and the interest in volcanoes by those (like myself), who do not live on the slopes of one. I also have a volcano that figures prominently in my series, hulking there in the background, just waiting to cause trouble. I find that having a number of scary, uncontrollable forces of nature lurking just out of sight always lend believability and suspense to a storyline. It's like they didn't have enough trouble already with the murders and the dragons and evil sorcerers, now the blasted volcano is erupting!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, survived the drive to the Berkshire mountains. I've never been north of Pittsburgh in the northeast states, so it was a nice if a bit of a long (7 hrs or so) drive. Saw the New York City skyline for the first time from a distance - that was cool. We're planning a weekend trek to check out the Big Apple sometime later. Now we're at the resort, which is just opposite this Jiminy Peak ski resort place (obviously no skiing going on right now). Weather was great, but I'm toast. So no writing tonight. 

Speaking of storms, one of my favorite photos of all the ones I've taken was a long exposure shot of a thunderstorm over the Phoenix area when I was in college (and was young and stupid). I set up my tripod on top of one of the rocky hills surrounding the Arizona State University stadium and took a bunch of extended-exposure pics. Darwin, I tell you, was absolutely wrong...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

And speaking of thunderstorms, they didn't stop until after 7pm.  So, not much time for writing, but I'm going to try to get in a couple of hours.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

You've never been to New York? I am a New Yorker. And are you from Pittsburgh? I'm living here in Allentown (where they took all the coke from the ground). Perhaps you're due a New York tour.

As or the Berkshires, my family vacationed there annually - Greenfield, North Barrington, Florida (MA), Deerfield. It's lovely. We would camp on the New York side at Taconic State park and Bishbash Falls and then would drive up to Charlesmont on the Vermont border. What memories.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> You've never been to New York? I am a New Yorker. And are you from Pittsburgh? I'm living here in Allentown (where they took all the coke from the ground). Perhaps you're due a New York tour.


Ed -

Nope! Never been to NYC. Not for any particularly good reason - have always "been meaning" to get there, but just haven't done it. But since I've at least seen it from afar, that made it a little more real in a way, so I'm more eager to see it up close!

I've been to PA a number of times to visit Jan's family (outside of Pittsburgh, and a cousin who lives near York). I myself am actually from Phoenix, AZ. I grew up in a neighborhood that's now in easy walking distance of a bazillion stores and houses around Paradise Valley Mall, but my memories of "home" are of a small neighborhood oasis in the middle of desert that stretched for dozens of miles around us. That was one of the hardest things for me to adjust to when we moved to MD: I'd been used to the horizon being the valley mountains thirty or forty miles away (before there was so much smog). Then my view was cut down to the nearest trees when we moved back east. Claustrophobia! 



> As or the Berkshires, my family vacationed there annually - Greenfield, North Barrington, Florida (MA), Deerfield. It's lovely. We would camp on the New York side at Taconic State park and Bishbash Falls and then would drive up to Charlesmont on the Vermont border. What memories.


Definitely some beautiful country! We're just across the state line from NY on the MA side. We're probably going to do a little map scouting today, possibly get in a little run or something, but I hope to spend most of today chilling from the drive yesterday and getting in some writing. Then perhaps some more in-depth exploring!

Okay, going to go back over some of my last scribbles, then see if I can pick up a writing thread and hammer some wordage!


----------



## geoffthomas

While I have never lived in the state of NY, I have traveled around in it a lot in recent years.

From the grandeur of Niagara Falls to the Andirondaks, it is beautiful.

The Hudson River Valley is full of history (see Jeff Hepple's Gone for a Soldier) and breathtaking vistas.

The finger lakes are neat and fun.

There are many state parks, like Letchworth, that rival national parks.

And all of that without even thinking about NYC or Long Island.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, I had heard that from a number of folks in the past. We were actually thinking of at least making an overnight stop in NYC on the way up here, but then decided to just not worry about that this time around.

But yeah, it's amazing the stuff that's in the state, just looking at the map (which for me means GoogleEarth - LOL!). We're probably not going to be doing too much exploring beyond the local area - as this is our opportunity to "get away from it all" and do some writing! - but definitely some... 

Okay, a couple hundred words out so far - onward! Yaaa!



geoffthomas said:


> While I have never lived in the state of NY, I have traveled around in it a lot in recent years.
> 
> From the grandeur of Niagara Falls to the Andirondaks, it is beautiful.
> 
> The Hudson River Valley is full of history (see Jeff Hepple's Gone for a Soldier) and breathtaking vistas.
> 
> The finger lakes are neat and fun.
> 
> There are many state parks, like Letchworth, that rival national parks.
> 
> And all of that without even thinking about NYC or Long Island.
> 
> Just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike

In my old job I clocked in thousands of hours on the road and descended from the Slyport in Phoenix many times. I have an Aunt in Scottsdale, and one of my most wonderful experiences was walking from the Butte in Tempe, near the hotel I was in and walking to the University of Arizona on a hot Palm Sunday back in 1995. Those were the days I could do more than six blocks without getting winded.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Okay, did a load of laundry.  My grandson and his friend came over and helped me with some work in the garage (which will probably never get done).  Sent Larry out to mow the lawn, but the thunderstorms rolled in in mid-mow.  Now I have these interesting furrows in my back yard.  

Pulled out my netbook (Ginny) since I can use that unplugged and got to work.  Just under 1500 words.  In the zone, baby.  When I start crying, I know I've done good work.  Gypsy bonfires always get to me.  Now we're headed for some conflict and misunderstandings.  Keeps things interesting.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Productive day - laundry, cleaned a closet (I didn't find myself in there), promoted one of my two new reviews (the other one tomorrow), started a sale for Turning Idolater, updated my website, sent out a few free books (no sales today . . . it happens, and weekends are always slow) and . . . wrote 2,600 words on _*Look Away Silence*_. It was a crucial chapter getting me to the next one, which is emotionally charged. I may also do some work on the _*Nan Tu * _ tonight now that the characters are visiting me after hours and nagging me to get my


Spoiler



ass


 in gear.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Day three of painting the deck. Messy, hot, awful job.

Playing with MobiPocket, designing the cover for a short story I'm going to publish there, along with some others. Getting my Facebook entry more presentable because a fan kindly emailed and friended me, and he should have at least _something_ to look at. 

Not wanting to sound braggy, but my books are my kids, and most parents would be proud if theirs got into Darmouth and Yale (Wysard's Library of Congress call number: PS3561.E665, American Literature); it's been quite a while since I last checked WorldCat.

Encouraged,

CK


----------



## Thumper

I think I've coughed up all of 500 words today. Anything more will have to wait for teh Spouse Thingy to head off to work.

On the productive side, though, it smells like I've burned dinner...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carolyn - my books are also my kids, so I guess I've beat the octoMom. 

BTW, I never thouht about publishing a short story on mobipocket (my mobipocket sales for the novels


Spoiler



suck


). Is it done exactly the same way or is there are different area?

Edward C. Pattersonwhatever


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

edwpat said:


> Carolyn - my books are also my kids, so I guess I've beat the octoMom.


I'm just glad my two turned out well. They were terrors growing up. 


> BTW, I never thouht about publishing a short story on mobipocket (my mobipocket sales for the novels
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> suck
> 
> 
> ). Is it done exactly the same way or is there are different area?


There's a Short Story category at Mobi. The only difference from books is that no sample is offered, just a brief description. I figured it was a good way to get started.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I might offer my _*Dime a Dip * _ there. It's already a bonus work with _*Surviving an American Gulag*_, but it's gotten a gajillion readers on Author's Den.

Ed P


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

edwpat said:


> I might offer my _*Dime a Dip * _ there. It's already a bonus work with _*Surviving an American Gulag*_, but it's gotten a gajillion readers on Author's Den.
> 
> Ed P


'Regenerated' has gotten so many reads at AD that I figured why not go Mobi and make a quarter or two...

CK


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> On the productive side, though, it smells like I've burned dinner...


My kids learned very early that when the smoke alarm went off, dinner was done.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, today's summary so far!

Hammered out 2,000 words this morning, I'm hoping to wrap up this rogue chapter tonight. It's 12 pages so far, most of the chapters have been averaging around 10 or so. Remind me never to get involved in close combat with hostile boarders while on a spacecraft (or on *any* craft, for that matter). Very unpleasant business. The fleet of the _Alliance Française_ is currently getting its Tricolore'd butt kicked...

After taking a nap that was interrupted by the cleaning crew in the condo above us (Jan: "If I had a shotgun, I would've started blasting holes in the ceiling..." - maybe now I know where the Kreelan warrior archetype came from?), we went out and had some late lunch, then took our bikes and rode the Ashuwillticook (say THAT five times fast!) Rail Trail bike path 11 miles each way. Gorgeous! Didn't take pictures today, as we're planning on hitting the trail again and working our way through some of the local towns. Lots of cool small-town stuff to take pics of. Probably won't get much writing done that day! 

Oh, and this was funny: as we were riding along, this guy who was doing the speed-skating thing on rollerblades just blew right by us. We were going a good 14 mph, and in about 10 minutes or so he was completely out of sight down the trail. He didn't even seem to be breathing. Not just hard - just not at all. He made us feel like we were standing still!

I'm currently feasting on some of Jan's awesome homemade cookies (they don't have an Italian name, but they're sure good!) and guzzling some kahlua and cream...and getting back the war! Ha!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Mike, sounds like you and Jan are having a wonderful trip ... except for the kondo kommando kleaning krew.  Please do post some pictures when you get back.  Love to Jan.  I haven't seen her around here lately.  Tell her I wouldn't mind some of those homemade cookies for inspiration.   

I just finished another 1000 words which brings my total for the day close to 2600.  Not bad.  My guy and gal are now tearing each other to shreds.  They sure know how to argue.  They want to keep going, but my eyelids are telling me otherwise.  And the eyes have it.  

Night, all.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sure, we'll post some pics tomorrow. She's been playing mostly on Facebook (the FarmTown game, if you believe that - I keep telling her that it's good training to brush up on her gardening and animal husbandry skills so we can live totally off the grid!).

My eyeballs have had enough for the day: 5,000 words! Finished off the chapter 14 draft, at long last. Hopefully chapter 15 won't take so long, since it was already partially written when I went back to write 14. 

Okay, that's it! Zzzzzz...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> 'Regenerated' has gotten so many reads at AD that I figured why not go Mobi and make a quarter or two...
> 
> CK


No reason not to. Setting it up is free, after all! 

Hey, and if I sell $4 more on Mobi this month, I'll make the payout threshold again! Yay!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Day three of painting the deck. Messy, hot, awful job.


Eww! I hate that sort of stuff. It was a fair bit more expensive, but that's why we went with the no-maintenance decking (well, except for blasting it with a power washer when it starts getting covered with dirt). Oy!



> Not wanting to sound braggy, but my books are my kids, and most parents would be proud if theirs got into Darmouth and Yale (Wysard's Library of Congress call number: PS3561.E665, American Literature); it's been quite a while since I last checked WorldCat.


Awesomely cool!!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> My kids learned very early that when the smoke alarm went off, dinner was done.


Hmmm. Sounds like my mom. I have very vivid memories of her opening the door to the oven while broiling steak and seeing flames as the smoke billowed out. Fortunately that was before there were any smoke detectors in the house!

Okay, caught up a bit on a few things now. Jan's still snoozing (I can *never* sleep in even until freakin' 7 am!), so it's time to jump ahead a few centuries and quite a few light years away to see what's going on...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Hmmm. Sounds like my mom. I have very vivid memories of her opening the door to the oven while broiling steak and seeing flames as the smoke billowed out. Fortunately that was before there were any smoke detectors in the house!


My kids also learned that there were such things as "properly burned" and "good grease." I was a great Mom.



> Okay, caught up a bit on a few things now. Jan's still snoozing (I can *never* sleep in even until freakin' 7 am!), so it's time to jump ahead a few centuries and quite a few light years away to see what's going on...


I'm retired, and I can't sleep much past 7am myself. I haven't worked in five years and I'm still on my work schedule. Up early (have to take the grandkids to school and soon to summer camp) breakfast at 7:30, lunch at 12:30 and dinner at 6pm. <sigh>

*Carolyn*, how did I miss your post about the LoC? Wonderful. Absolutely fantastic. Major kudos.

Taking Mom to the eye doctor this morning. They are notoriously slow, so I will be taking Ginny along with me so I can get some writing done. Otherwise, my whole morning would be shot.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Successful morning at the ophthalmologists.  I knocked out 1300 words while waiting for Mom.  Now it is nap time.  See you later.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm at work, but finished my check postings early and was able to write 1,000 words, and thanks to the Milanos and the Walkman, got into the Zone (although I couldn't voice my characters with my colleagues around me).   I've also had a good assault of network stuff - 2 5-star reviews in a row for The Dragon's Pool and then The Academician. The Academician's review was picked up by The Deepening: The World of Fiction, and The Dragon's Pool being featured this morning on the Gay & lesbian Excerpt site. Plus a 5-star review burst for Turning Idolater, many of threads had News bumps this morning. Advice to y'all when you get to above 6 books (and I wonder if my friends Victor Banis and Rick Reed have this problem, I'll need to ask), the promotion responsibility eats away at the writing time. Even if you sit still and do nothing, you're emails increase. I got the Blackberry to keep up with the over 200 emails I get daily. And I have the McLean Virginia gig coming up, which will place me on the road. I'll need to retreat to the Berkshires.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thumper

All my good intentions to write after the Spouse Thingy went to work vanished once the Tony Awards came on last night. In that three hour block I wrote one paragraph...I mean, who can sit there and NOT watch Doogie Howser host?

I did manage to do a rough word count for what the first draft has so far; I'm about 80-85% done and it's already at 126,000 words. There's going to be _a lot_ of cutting and editing in drafts 204, methinks...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I forgot that the Emmy's were on and didn't watch. I had a telegram this morning revoking my Gay card. "Cut that thing up, honey," it said. (It was a Hogwarts style missive and finished with a Z-snap and a Liza pose).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Definitely cut it up Ed. . . .it was the TONY's


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Whew! If it were the Golden Globes, I'd be banned on Planet Hairspray.

Ed P


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> Eww! I hate that sort of stuff. It was a fair bit more expensive, but that's why we went with the no-maintenance decking (well, except for blasting it with a power washer when it starts getting covered with dirt). Oy!


We have wood decking, alas. Hub is Master Blaster when it comes to cleaning it. 



> Awesomely cool!!!


Thanks!  It's a huge honor to be on such august shelves, not to mention being called Literature, American. But I cherish every listing.

CK


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

> author=Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' link=topic=8329.msg182524#msg182524 date=1244466922
> 
> Carolyn, how did I miss your post about the LoC? Wonderful. Absolutely fantastic. Major kudos.


/blushes
Thank you, Margaret.  Since I don't have kids, this is my legacy.

CK


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Fingers are itching to work, but I just spent the last two hours dealing with a/c problems at my mother's rental property.  

Just checking in with a few forums, and then I'm off to work.  Things are heating up in the 15th century.


----------



## Jeff

3,376 words so far today and I think they're keepers.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> 3,376 words so far today and I think they're keepers.


Impressive! That's a lot of work.

I've just spent the last hour fixing up what I wrote in an hour and 15 minutes this morning. The words are fine, but transferring from my netbook to my laptop messes up the formatting. Then I wanted to tweak a few things. Just finished and now maybe I can get a few hundred more words down on screen.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I don't have the strength tonight to comment on some of the other posts, so will catch up on that tomorrow! 

I didn't write much today (I'll say maybe 500 words, if that) - this morning my muse wasn't cooperating until just before it was time to go (naturally!). So I hurriedly hammered out a few things, but at least I have a clue where it's going for tomorrow.

Then we went out to hike up to the summit of Greylock Mt., the highest peak in MA, apparently. The trail we took was a good seven miles (maybe a bit more) round trip, climbing up about 2000 feet. Definitely got our workout today on that puppy! I'll post a couple pics tomorrow after I snag them off the iPhone.

Then we had pizza and dessert at the Arizona Pizza Kitchen (how could I possibly pass that up??) which was really good, but Jan and I started off with some unexpectedly high-octane drinks that practically had us under the table before the pizza came! Sorry, minimal standards of forum decorum prohibit posting of any photos of *that*! 

Okay, more tomorrow. It's time to drift off to la-la land...


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I've just spent the last hour fixing up what I wrote in an hour and 15 minutes this morning. The words are fine, but transferring from my netbook to my laptop messes up the formatting.


Why? Are you using two different word processing programs?


----------



## Leslie

kreelanwarrior said:


> Then we went out to hike up to the summit of Greylock Mt., the highest peak in MA, apparently. The trail we took was a good seven miles (maybe a bit more) round trip, climbing up about 2000 feet. Definitely got our workout today on that puppy! I'll post a couple pics tomorrow after I snag them off the iPhone.


I went to the top of Mt. Greylock in my wild and wicked youth. I remember listening to lots of Mountain music on the way up (anyone remember the group Mountain?) and partying hearty at the top. This event produced one of the more memorable lines of my life....the guy who was persuading me to go was a senior (in college) and I was a freshman. I said I needed to study, I had a sociology exam the next day. He said, "Sociology is nothing but common sense."

From the opening of the paragraph above, you can imagine what I chose, and guess what? I got an A on the sociology exam. I'll let everyone draw their own conclusions.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Why? Are you using two different word processing programs?


Got it in one. The problem is the quotes. My netbook program puts in straight quotes, even though I uncheck the box. Funny thing is, I didn't have the problem on Sunday when I did the same thing. Just today. So, I left out all the quotes and had to go through and put them in.

I was happy with the way things were going, but some of the writing needed smoothing out. As long as I was putting in the quotes, I thought I might as well do the editing, too.

I'll be able to finish Chapter 13 tomorrow. Maybe only another page to go. Then I get to some good history and personal conflicts.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie:

If you are using MS Word, when you bring the non-printer quotes over, all you need to do is set your standard to printer quotes and then do a search and replace find " replace with " (and also the '). I do it all the time and it takes a minute or under.

I reached my 3,000 words tonight in a chapter in _*Look Away Silence * _ that has me prostrate. It's a scene at an AIDS memorial concert (which I attended at GALA Festival in Colorado), and at the end of the memorial piece, which was sung by the Seattle Gay Men's Chorus, a spokeman stepped forward and:

""Now comes the tolling of the bells," he said.
Tolling, chanted the Chorus.
"There are many among the missing," a voice came from within the Chorus. 
Three men stepped forward.
"We are the remnants of the Seattle Gay Men's Chorus," said another.
"We have lost one hundred and thirteen members to AIDS."
There was a shudder through the audience, a murmuring that was soon replaced with bawling.
"Join us as we call the ghosts to witness our love and devotion," said the third chorister. "We miss you."
My heart hitched. The chimes tolled - slow and regular while the names of the fallen one hundred and thirteen were called out. The names overlapped. Soon audience members stood, shouting out their lost lover's names - friends, family, faces young and wizen - gone, only their names remaining and the memory of their lives - traces of those who may have dreamed of Colorado and GALA festivals, but arrived here in the hearts of others. 
One by one, the names were called between the tolling of the bells. The wailing and weeping inundated me. I held onto Matt, cursing myself for having brought him here.
---------------------

Ed P
Ah, the texture of our lives that returns to us in the midnight soul of the Zone.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, here's a link to my facebook album of our little trek up the hill yesterday:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026217&id=1258342617&l=a119d63832

Leslie - yeah, I remember Mountain! "Mississippi Queen" from Woodstock! LOL!

And great job on the writing yesterday, everybody - keep it up!

Since it's raining and our legs are rubberized, Jan and I are going to hunker down indoors - she'll be catching up on FarmTown in Facebook and I'll be doing some writing! Yay!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Rode to work this morning in teeming rain and lightning strikes every 5 seconds. Thoughts of King Lear cropped into my head. Yikes!

Edward C. Patterson

PS: I can't view the photots Mike because they block facebook at work. Catch them later.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Rode to work this morning in teeming rain and lightning strikes every 5 seconds. Thoughts of King Lear cropped into my head. Yikes!


Jeeze! That's always an uplifting experience! We usually don't have bad thunderstorms where we are, but driving in one is definitely not fun. Especially since I have a ragtop!

[quot]
PS: I can't view the photots Mike because they block facebook at work. Catch them later.
[/quote]

D'oh! Sorry about that. I just did it that way 'cause it seemed easier than uploading everything to Photobucket. But if anybody has trouble viewing the pho-toads, just lemme know and I'll put them in PB.

And the draft chapter 15 of First Contact is DONE! I had most of it already written when I went back to do chapter 14 (which turned out to be longer than the other chapters, of course). So was able to polish 15 off in fairly short order this morning. Now up to a total of 80,000 words. The thing that gets me is that I only started it the second week of April. Holy cow, Batman! 

But now it's time for breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes with banana slices, veggie sausages, and Kahlua and cream! Well, okay, maybe just coffee...


----------



## geoffthomas

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, here's a link to my facebook album of our little trek up the hill yesterday:
> 
> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026217&id=1258342617&l=a119d63832
> 
> Leslie - yeah, I remember Mountain! "Mississippi Queen" from Woodstock! LOL!
> 
> And great job on the writing yesterday, everybody - keep it up!
> 
> Since it's raining and our legs are rubberized, Jan and I are going to hunker down indoors - she'll be catching up on FarmTown in Facebook and I'll be doing some writing! Yay!


Mike,
Thanks for sharing the photo journey. It was a nice touch. This way we got to go with you. I will have to remember to do this with some of our "little" trips. Godspeed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Mike,
> Thanks for sharing the photo journey. It was a nice touch. This way we got to go with you. I will have to remember to do this with some of our "little" trips. Godspeed.


Geoff -

You're welcome! 

Probably am not going to reach my goal of 5K words today: hammered out 2200 earlier today, but I had a long nap (that's what happens when you get up at 6am after hiking up a mountain the day before!), then we went out and stuffed ourselves for dinner and helped out the local economy with some shopping (although I have to say that our customer service experience here hasn't exactly been phenomenal!).

So, while eating cookies and kahlua and cream drinks, I'm now pondering the next bit of chapter 16...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

What a terrible day.  I had to spend the whole morning working on my mother's rental property.  Homeowner's Insurance, service warranty.  Between running back and forth between her house (paperwork), my house (fax) and the rental (twice), I managed 250 words.  

Good thing the boy had karate today.  I took Ginny into the parents room and zipped out another 1300.  It's lucky I can just type away with my mind on the story and my eyes on the grandson.  

There are at least two, maybe three paragraphs I have to rework.  I'll save that for tomorrow cuz right now, I'm on the Bering Sea hunting for opies.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nice Photo journey Mike.

I managed 3,000 words today - 2,100 on Look Away Silence (LAS) and 900 on The Nan Tu. LAS is the priority as I'd like to have it published by the end of July or the beginning of August. The revision will accelerate as the sections I'm writing now represent a change of setting (from Provincetown to Denver) and includes new material on GALA Festival, but once I clear that I'm back into revising older material. I also jettisoned an entire unwritten section that slowed the pace down, so I think I'll make my deadlines. The Nan Tu on the other hand (Book II of Southern Swallow) is massive and although large portions of it is drafted and other portions are refined, I plan to restore a jettisoned part which includes a sea battle, which I'm frantically researching. I am Mr. Know-it-all when it comes to China - a Master's and part of a doctorate in Sinlogy, right? Well, when it comes to Chinese siegecraft, I'm okay, but as for ships and rigging, "I'm at sea ). Thank God for Needham's massive work _*Science and Civilization of China*_. My deadline for the Nan Tu hadn't been set yet, but I'm aiming for November. It will be a tad longer than The Academician (which is 402 pages), probably in the 700 page range (in The Dragon's Pool weight class - taking down redwoods and sequoia by the tons).

One good thing about being an Indie author, as you know, is that the deadlines are self imposed. I drive myself harder than any editor or publisher would. Don't we owe it to our readers, especially when I get a review on The Academician that complains that the next book isn't ready.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> What a terrible day. I had to spend the whole morning working on my mother's rental property. Homeowner's Insurance, service warranty. Between running back and forth between her house (paperwork), my house (fax) and the rental (twice), I managed 250 words.
> 
> Good thing the boy had karate today. I took Ginny into the parents room and zipped out another 1300. It's lucky I can just type away with my mind on the story and my eyes on the grandson.
> 
> There are at least two, maybe three paragraphs I have to rework. I'll save that for tomorrow cuz right now, I'm on the Bering Sea hunting for opies.


Gertie - Ahh! That sucks! But at least nobody got zapped by lightning and you *did* get some writing done! 

Speaking of lightning, one of Jan's friends was saying that her house got zapped: they lost just about everything that was plugged in except for the laptop (which apparently wasn't plugged in) and the coffee maker. Everything else: poof! And all of them apparently had surge protectors. Ouch.

Ed - I know what you mean about ships and rigging! LOL! It's a lot more difficult for what you're trying to do, as accuracy is definitely key. But it's an interesting challenge trying to write about things that haven't happened yet about ships and whatnot, and yet still have it be reasonably believable. And I'm not too sure about a few of the paragraphs I just wrote; not sure if they slow things down, but it seemed important to develop the two characters that cropped up and the situation they're in (sort of a future version of the Little Big Horn). And I'm definitely looking forward to checking out the Nan Tu - that sounds interesting. 

Total count for the day is somewhere around 3500, so that's good. I think I may even have chapter 16 finished off here tonight or tomorrow a.m. (at whatever ungodly hour my body forces me to get up!). Okay, let me see if I can zap out a few more before it's lights-out time...


----------



## Steph H

Guess I should get my rear in gear and read 14 & 15 if you're almost done with 16 already! LOL


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

For The Dragon's Pool, which has one section set in Fiesole (Tuscany), I needed an Italian family feast set on a verandah overlooking the vineyard and olive groves. Now I've been to Tuscany a few times, so I know the colori, BUT what were they going to eat -  Spaghetti?? I don't think so. So I bought a Tuscan cookbook and worked for a month preparing dishes - smelling aromas, tasting textures and observing contours. All this to write two paragraphs that were nothing more than background. But you can't write a concerto without the orchestra. All my details must become organic to the characters and the action, so when, as I do in the Academician, have an execution of a traitor, a special kind of slicing and dicing, I am graphic and accurate to 12th Century Chinese jurisprudance - still, the buckets of blood are there for the main character to observe, as he ordered the execution and forces himself to watch, even though his gorges rise at it. The reader needs to witness the act through the eyes and soul of a man of letters who must also, by the very commission of his duty, inflict heaven's will to its gory conclusion. Details, details, the devil is in them, or so they say, whoever they are . . . and I suspect it was a writer.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Guess I should get my rear in gear and read 14 & 15 if you're almost done with 16 already! LOL


Well, I wasn't gonna say anything, but now that you mention it... 

And I just finished 16! Just shy of 4000 words and a tad shorter than some of the other chapters. But this one was more of a scene-setter for whatever comes next (my fingers are keeping it a secret)...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed -

No fair - I can't find any handy faster-than-light ships to go check stuff out on! 

But that's extremely cool, and also why I'm not planning to start a historical novel (I've got a story in mind, set in WWII) for a while yet - it's going to take a lot of research to do. But I agree: the details definitely are critical to the story. I think, as a reader (and this is just my own personal preference), I probably prefer a bit less detail to more, as I usually enjoy more action-oriented stories. That's one reason why I didn't like a lot of the classics we had to read in school. But failing to have enough of the right type of detail in the right place can short-circuit a story as quickly as poorly formed characters or a bad plot...

Okay, I think that's it for me tonight - time to hit the sack!



edwpat said:


> Mike:
> 
> For The Dragon's Pool, which has one section set in Fiesole (Tuscany), I needed an Italian family feast set on a verandah overlooking the vineyard and olive groves. Now I've been to Tuscany a few times, so I know the colori, BUT what were they going to eat - Spaghetti?? I don't think so. So I bought a Tuscan cookbook and worked for a month preparing dishes - smelling aromas, tasting textures and observing contours. All this to write two paragraphs that were nothing more than background. But you can't write a concerto without the orchestra. All my details must become organic to the characters and the action, so when, as I do in the Academician, have an execution of a traitor, a special kind of slicing and dicing, I am graphic and accurate to 12th Century Chinese jurisprudance - still, the buckets of blood are there for the main character to observe, as he ordered the execution and forces himself to watch, even though his gorges rise at it. The reader needs to witness the act through the eyes and soul of a man of letters who must also, by the very commission of his duty, inflict heaven's will to its gory conclusion. Details, details, the devil is in them, or so they say, whoever they are . . . and I suspect it was a writer.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Ok, guys enough of this socializing and lollygagging!!!!!  

Jeff, Mike, Carolyn, Gertie and yes you Thumper - get busy grinding out the words.  

This is an author support board - so I am you part-time muze (he he) and am PUSHING you.
(I know you want inspiration but I short of it today)  

We need more completed works.  I NEED to get to know the blue girl better, and learn what happens to the Van Buskirk clan and wander with Gertie's gypsies and drink sinbrian brandy and feel for the Davis's.  And I can't do it if you don't write.........so get back to it.  5,000 works indeed.  That is not going to cut it Mike!  

Seriously folks, thank you for your works and thank you for allowing us to listen in to the creative process.  You are all appreciated here as is your work.  And for those of you who I didn't mention, I think it is just because I have not yet read your work.  I too have time management problems - there are some people that want me to work not read.  Hmmmmm.

Just sayin.......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

geoffthomas said:


> We need more completed works.


'Tis often said that all I need to do is bend over and the books fly our of my


Spoiler



ass.


  Will noon be soon enough? he he

BTW, Mike - I've decided that my next snippet (I can't post it yet by my own rule on the snippet challenge thread) will be those two paragraphs from _*The Dragon's Pool * _ with the Tuscan feast. I gained enough weight writing it, so I might as well flaunt it. What else is a girl to do?

Edward C. Patter_*ZONE*_


----------



## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> Mike:
> 
> For The Dragon's Pool, which has one section set in Fiesole (Tuscany), I needed an Italian family feast set on a verandah overlooking the vineyard and olive groves. Now I've been to Tuscany a few times, so I know the colori, BUT what were they going to eat - Spaghetti?? I don't think so. So I bought a Tuscan cookbook and worked for a month preparing dishes - smelling aromas, tasting textures and observing contours.


The launch party is at your house, Ed.



> All this to write two paragraphs that were nothing more than background. But you can't write a concerto without the orchestra.


I researched those types of details myself, and included them in AP. These kinds of textures and flavors are important.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Uh-oh! We've got a slave-driver on our hands! 

Okay, a brief update for me: 1100 words so far on chapter 17. And Tesh-Dar is just about to open a can of whoop-a$$ on the poor humans who are trying to defend the first planet on the hit list. Well, actually, the only "poor humans" are the indigs, who don't believe they're about to get creamed and are totally disorganized. But a bunch of combat regiments of the Foreign Legion (taken forward however many years into the future) and some armored cavalry that got dropped in to help defend the place should make for some interesting mayhem. But for some reason I don't think they're going to like Tesh-Dar very much when she appears on the battlefield... 



geoffthomas said:


> Ok, guys enough of this socializing and lollygagging!!!!!
> 
> Jeff, Mike, Carolyn, Gertie and yes you Thumper - get busy grinding out the words.
> 
> This is an author support board - so I am you part-time muze (he he) and am PUSHING you.
> (I know you want inspiration but I short of it today)
> 
> We need more completed works. I NEED to get to know the blue girl better, and learn what happens to the Van Buskirk clan and wander with Gertie's gypsies and drink sinbrian brandy and feel for the Davis's. And I can't do it if you don't write.........so get back to it. 5,000 works indeed. That is not going to cut it Mike!
> 
> Seriously folks, thank you for your works and thank you for allowing us to listen in to the creative process. You are all appreciated here as is your work. And for those of you who I didn't mention, I think it is just because I have not yet read your work. I too have time management problems - there are some people that want me to work not read. Hmmmmm.
> 
> Just sayin.......


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> BTW, Mike - I've decided that my next snippet (I can't post it yet by my own rule on the snippet challenge thread) will be those two paragraphs from _*The Dragon's Pool * _ with the Tuscan feast. I gained enough weight writing it, so I might as well flaunt it. What else is a girl to do?


Crap! Too bad there's no way to send the smell of the food through the 'net!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Uh-oh! We've got a slave-driver on our hands!
> 
> Okay, a brief update for me: 1100 words so far on chapter 17. And Tesh-Dar is just about to open a can of whoop-a$$ on the poor humans who are trying to defend the first planet on the hit list. Well, actually, the only "poor humans" are the indigs, who don't believe they're about to get creamed and are totally disorganized. But a bunch of combat regiments of the Foreign Legion (taken forward however many years into the future) and some armored cavalry that got dropped in to help defend the place should make for some interesting mayhem. But for some reason I don't think they're going to like Tesh-Dar very much when she appears on the battlefield...


I'm going to have to remember how much I liked Tesh Dar at the end of IHN. I still can't believe how you turned around our feelings for the Kreelans. I judge a book first by character development and then by story-line. You get an A+ in both.

I think my favorite action sequence in IHN was Reza facing the 50 Kreelans when he first arrived on Erlang, followed by his face-off with Esah Zurah


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ah, and it was _*agnello al forno * _ - lamb in garlic sauce. Yum, cooked in a blanket of bay leaves. sniff. sniff.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I'm going to have to remember how much I liked Tesh Dar at the end of IHN. I still can't believe how you turned around our feelings for the Kreelans. I judge a book first by character development and then by story-line. You get an A+ in both.


An A+ in both? Coolness! Does that mean I get a homework pass?? 

Oh, and be forewarned: expect to see lots of characters!



> I think my favorite action sequence in IHN was Reza facing the 50 Kreelans when he first arrived on Erlang, followed by his face-off with Esah Zurah


Yeah, that one was a tear-jerker. Ouch! It'll be interesting to see what people think of Tesh-Dar as they read this one. This chapter (17) is a bit odd: it actually starts out with a look at a very compassionate side of her.

But shortly I think we're going to get a full view of what she's truly like as a warrior priestess (shades of Reza on the bridge facing off against a bunch of warriors at the start of book 2 in IHN). We've gotten a few looks at that part of her in IHN, but most of what we saw was her as a teacher and mentor (and surrogate mother). I think what's coming up now is a no-holds-barred brawl where she's going to just really let go. I have a feeling she's probably going to scare the crap out of her own warriors as much as the humans...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Ah, and it was _*agnello al forno * _ - lamb in garlic sauce. Yum, cooked in a blanket of bay leaves. sniff. sniff.


Jeez, that sounds really good. As Gertie's always telling me: Ed, you're killing me!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> Ah, and it was _*agnello al forno * _ - lamb in garlic sauce. Yum, cooked in a blanket of bay leaves. sniff. sniff.
> 
> Ed P


Lamb? <deep gustatorial sigh>



kreelanwarrior said:


> An A+ in both? Coolness! Does that mean I get a homework pass??


No.



> Yeah, that one was a tear-jerker. Ouch! It'll be interesting to see what people think of Tesh-Dar as they read this one. This chapter (17) is a bit odd: it actually starts out with a look at a very compassionate side of her.


That would be odd if I hadn't read IHN. Tesh-Dar is a woman of many faces.



> But shortly I think we're going to get a full view of what she's truly like as a warrior priestess (shades of Reza on the bridge facing off against a bunch of warriors at the start of book 2 in IHN). We've gotten a few looks at that part of her in IHN, but most of what we saw was her as a teacher and mentor (and surrogate mother). I think what's coming up now is a no-holds-barred brawl where she's going to just really let go. I have a feeling she's probably going to scare the crap out of her own warriors as much as the humans...


She can be one scary dudess. I imagine the guys in the ESPN room don't mind dying so much as they fear what manner of death Tesh-Dar may have in store for them. Teeth and Talons ... <shudder>


----------



## Thumper

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, guys enough of this socializing and lollygagging!!!!!
> 
> Jeff, Mike, Carolyn, Gertie and yes you Thumper - get busy grinding out the words.
> 
> This is an author support board - so I am you part-time muze (he he) and am PUSHING you.


Grinding.
Heh.
I am _so_ twelve years old...

I did cough up 1900 words tonight after dinner, and I'm getting back to it after my brain rests for a bit. I may be good for another 12-1500...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I slacked tonight with only 1,800 words, but I've spent much time today answering Kindleboard requests. It was a brisk "new reader" day here, and I also got picked up on yet another website that will showcase my books. I'll tell you, I don;t seek these things out. Just continually post and snippet and express yourself, and they swoop down and pick you up. Yesterday, a review that ellen george gave me on he Academician was picked up by The Deepening, and all I did was repost it on the IAG (Independant Author's Guild), one of two dozen memberships I maintain. So I was a slacker today, but those 1,800 words were primo and I've turned a corner on Look Away Silence. Now it'll become intense as I dip into my experiences as an AIDS services volunteer.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

I've been absent from these parts, but for good reason. I've finally finished the first (very crappy) draft of my second novel. I'm going to put the thing away for a month, then read it all the way through so I can begin the arduous editing process. (I expect July to be a month of tears and head-banging frustration.)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not sure what I'm going to manage today. Yesterday was awesome until the very end, then sort of went downhill for me. Wound up with a headache that kept me up half the night and I feel like I've been run over by a truck.

However, since it's supposed to rain most of the day, maybe I'll manage to hammer a few things out regardless... <urk>


----------



## Jeff

I'm *so* jealous of you folks who can create most of your characters, timelines and scenes from your imaginations.

If those readers who are waiting for the work-in-progress will permit it, I'd like to shelve the two historical pieces and start a sequel for _The Treasure of La Malinche_ set in the future.

I haven't written a pure fictional novel in twenty years so it may be


Spoiler



crap


, but it seems like it would be more fun than relating historical data through the eyes of fictional characters.

Comments?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I'm *so* jealous of you folks who can create most of your characters, timelines and scenes from your imaginations.
> 
> If those readers who are waiting for the work-in-progress will permit it, I'd like to shelve the two historical pieces and start a sequel for _The Treasure of La Malinche_ set in the future.
> 
> I haven't written a pure fictional novel in twenty years so it may be
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> crap
> 
> 
> , but it seems like it would be more fun than relating historical data through the eyes of fictional characters.
> 
> Comments?


Jeff - I think the most important thing (from my perspective, anyway) is to do what brings you the most enjoyment/fulfillment. Writing a historical novel and paying close attention to detail has got to be incredibly hard; it no doubt has its own rewards, but if you feel like you need to do something different for a while, do it! The historical pieces will still be there, and you don't have to worry so much about your muse packing it in, since the underlying thread of the story has already been written by history. So write your sequel, or even try something totally different if the mood strikes you. Just write and enjoy the process!


----------



## sigrosenblum

Jeff said:


> I'm *so* jealous of you folks who can create most of your characters, timelines and scenes from your imaginations.
> 
> If those readers who are waiting for the work-in-progress will permit it, I'd like to shelve the two historical pieces and start a sequel for _The Treasure of La Malinche_ set in the future.
> 
> I haven't written a pure fictional novel in twenty years so it may be
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> crap
> 
> 
> , but it seems like it would be more fun than relating historical data through the eyes of fictional characters.
> 
> Comments?


I agree with Mike, Jeff. You never know until you try. And you get surprises.

I fell in love with the detective work involved in writing pure narrative history. And in biography, it turned out to be a delicious challenge to try to penetrate the heart of another human being. Each form has its own limitations and opportunities.

Originally, I felt very much at home with fiction--until I tried something else. Besides, whatever you do seems to improve your writerly skills. So--even though it seems like an ice-cold pool--plunge in, pal!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'm *so* jealous of you folks who can create most of your characters, timelines and scenes from your imaginations.
> 
> If those readers who are waiting for the work-in-progress will permit it, I'd like to shelve the two historical pieces and start a sequel for _The Treasure of La Malinche_ set in the future.
> 
> I haven't written a pure fictional novel in twenty years so it may be
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> crap
> 
> 
> , but it seems like it would be more fun than relating historical data through the eyes of fictional characters.
> 
> Comments?


Tory and Lance, Gertie asks hopefully? I absolutely adore Lance and the way he handles Tory. Fantastic!!!

I haven't been able to read anything but Drums of Autumn for my book klub. I've just been so busy. Whatever spare time I have goes to writing (Okay, Geoff?  )

Suffering from gastric distress yesterday, so I spent a fair bit of time in the throne room. Appropriate since I'm writing about kings.  I did manage 1000 words, but I should have done more. The historical events are battering my characters around and the writing is going quickly and smoothly. I'm like you, Jeff. I have to have that background for the characters to play off. It works for me, so I'll stick with it for now.

But I'm working on a non-historical story. Just jotting notes for now. I'll probably start it after the first of the year since I have one more historical after the WIP.


----------



## Jeff

Mike and Sig,

Thank you for the advice. If none of my loyal readers object, I think I will take the plunge.

Sig,

Why don't you have your books in your signature? If you would like, I'd be happy to create an animated GIF for you that rotates your book cover images.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Tory and Lance, Gertie asks hopefully? I absolutely adore Lance and the way he handles Tory. Fantastic!!!


Yes, Lance and Tory. But don't forget Maggie who rules a big chunk of North America as the borders blur, governments fail and anarchy sets in around the world. No blue chicks with long, black fingernails, but scary anyway.

If you need a beta reader, I'm always available.


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff - Would now read anything with your name on it.  And by the way, you mentioned not having written any pure fiction for twenty years.  Is there something available that we don't know about? You could share it.......

And if putting characters from La Malinche on paper with no historical facts to anchor them pleases you then I am sure it will please your loyal readers.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Mike and Sig,
> 
> Thank you for the advice. If none of my loyal readers object, I think I will take the plunge.


Yay!


----------



## geoffthomas

Gertie,
You are excepted from my harsh words, my lady.  
You can do no wrong and do anything you wish.....if my vote counts for anything.
Just don't get too excited watching those young dancers on SYTYCD again tonight. ROTFL.

Just sayin......


----------



## geoffthomas

Sig,
As a reader (no talent showing yet) on these boards, I would like to add my voice to the suggestion of adding your books to your signature and/or take Jeff up on the rotating avatar thingy.  You have been a gentlemen in your approach to marketing and have added a lot of fun to the threads that you participate in.
The non-author members of KB would appreciate having links to your work readily "at-hand".

Just sayin.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Yes, Lance and Tory. But don't forget Maggie who rules a big chunk of North America as the borders blur, governments fail and anarchy sets in around the world. No blue chicks with long, black fingernails, but scary anyway.


And Miguel, too? I'm definitely excited about this. You know I didn't get Tory at first, but after Jake was killed, she really grew on me.



> If you need a beta reader, I'm always available.


Now you're in for it. I warn you, there may be clothing involved. 



geoffthomas said:


> Gertie,
> You are excepted from my harsh words, my lady.
> You can do no wrong and do anything you wish.....if my vote counts for anything.


Your vote definitely counts. Ramina and Davi send their love.



> Just don't get too excited watching those young dancers on SYTYCD again tonight. ROTFL.
> Just sayin......


Ah, come on. This old girl needs some inspiration for writing romance. As a matter of fact, most of what I wrote yesterday was during the SYTYCD commercials. From Hot Samba to 15th century beheadings. What a wild ride.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff, I might have said this in days of yore. I know Mike must have heard this before too, but I use a method called "smash-up," which includes reality, historic and fictional elements to create engaging characters and stories. For example, *Bobby's Trace* was a romantic comedy in its first draft - almost a farce, with a mourner trying to snap out of it, going on a blind date with a priest, who is playing both sides of the confessional. It was light stuff and called *An Outing in the Wilderness*, a real *The Importance of Being Earnest*-type title. Then I created a new character - Bobby - the ghost, and it could have become *Blythe Spirit*, but . . . He was there all the time, but when I allowed the ghost to arc his way through the work, suddenly I had my smash up. The genre shifted from romantic farce to a ghost story to a paranormal horror tale. It changed the entire nature of the two main characters and the ancillary ones also. The third smash-up (I always crack open a 3rd engaging element) are the Operas of Gilbert & Sullivan. The third element always need to be like


Spoiler



tits on a bull


 - so bizarre that it makes me work as an author to whip it in. It adds a real, powerful emulsion to the weave. Stephen King does such things - in The Dark Tower he blends history with dystopian views of NYC (Lud) with the Wizard of Oz and a demonic schizoid talking choo choo train, not to mention a thirty foot mechanical bear. That's a "smash-up." Anyway, even my historic novels become fantasy tales, and my little gay romps are never really M/M gay, but wind up things like murder mysteries smashed into Moby Dick (*Turning Idolater*). Anyway, it's not a unique approach, but it's one that gets all my imaginative juices flowing, and if my juices are flowing, guess whose juices flow too. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> And Miguel, too? I'm definitely excited about this. You know I didn't get Tory at first, but after Jake was killed, she really grew on me.


Miguel? Oh no. I forgot about Miguel. Did I kill off Quail? Padilla's daughter might be an interesting character. Who else? I guess I'll have to read the book again.



Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Now you're in for it. I warn you, there may be clothing involved.


I trust you not to altogether distract your male readers from the plot with too many buttons and bows.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff, I have tried the rotating avatar as per your specifications and I could never get it to work. Perhaps spinning 12 books about reached the limit.  It might have been the wrong sizes too. You have helped me so many times over the year (remember the *Turning Idolater* - Manluv.com fun?) that I have come to trust your IT judgment. However, I finally opted to use the Jade Owl icon that my nephew drew from the real Jade Owl (in my curio cabinet). I used it when the book was in beta-testing and when it was running serially at anotherchapter.com. Now that I don't have any other use for the icon, I think I'll stick with it as my avatar. Besides, it scares neversleepawinks licking pussy cat avatar (which is the best avatar at Kindleboards - sorry, IMHO). 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> And if putting characters from La Malinche on paper with no historical facts to anchor them pleases you then I am sure it will please your loyal readers.


I was thinking more on the order of La Malinche meets Mad Max. The characters would remain solidly rooted in history facing a plausible but (hopefully) unlikely, dark future.


----------



## sigrosenblum

[/quote]


geoffthomas said:


> Sig,
> As a reader (no talent showing yet) on these boards, I would like to add my voice to the suggestion of adding your books to your signature and/or take Jeff up on the rotating avatar thingy. You have been a gentlemen in your approach to marketing and have added a lot of fun to the threads that you participate in.
> The non-author members of KB would appreciate having links to your work readily "at-hand".
> 
> Just sayin.....


And gracious and generous Jeff, too:

I continue to feel diffident about promoting my three books. The root of this may go back to my advertising days when--as many of you know--there was a well-respected wall between advertising and editorial. Just because a firm was a big advertiser didn't mean that they could muscle the editorial department into favorable mentions. I was brought up on that strict and honorable dictum.

That is why--without implying any criticism of those who do otherwise--I have dropped my link to my own site and restricted my overt promotion to my threads--now in Book Bazaar.

I am very mindful of the fact that our welcoming mods are wrestling with the proper balance of readers and writers. If I were convinced that links and other devices were a real service to the reader-members, I would certainly provide them. But until I am convinced, I do feel more comfortable and courteous taking off my promotional hat when I enter the KB chat room. To quote Jeff: Comments?


----------



## Jeff

sigrosenblum said:


> If I were convinced that links and other devices were a real service to the reader-members, I would certainly provide them. But until I am convinced, I do feel more comfortable and courteous taking off my promotional hat when I enter the KB chat room. To quote Jeff: Comments?


Sig,

When the brouhaha about authors over-promoting reached its peak, I removed any references to my books or web site from my signature. After one member chastised me and several other members urged me to add them back, I did.

In my opinion, for the benefit of new members, you should at least identify yourself as a writer and show your books in your signature. Your posts are always gentlemanly and informed which might logically draw readers to your work.

Another good reason to reference your books is Amazon's current change of authors' profiles. I recently bought your book _Spymaster_ and had a very hard time finding it.

I urge you to rethink your position.


----------



## sigrosenblum

Jeff said:


> Sig,
> 
> When the brouhaha about authors over-promoting reached its peak, I removed any references to my books or web site from my signature. After one member chastised me and several other members urged me to add them back, I did.
> 
> In my opinion, for the benefit of new members, you should at least identify yourself as a writer and show your books in your signature. Your posts are always gentlemanly and informed which might logically draw readers to your work.
> 
> Another good reason to reference your books is Amazon's current change of authors' profiles. I recently bought your book _Spymaster_ and had a very hard time finding it.
> 
> I urge you to rethink your position.


Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Jeff--and for the click! I am surprised to hear that "Spymaster" was hard to find. But, of course, it is not hard for me! That, alone, certainly gives me pause. Now, I will do what all writers do: mull it over. Thanks again.


----------



## Jeff

sigrosenblum said:


> I am surprised to hear that "Spymaster" was hard to find.


Go look at your Amazon profile and you'll see what I mean.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, guys enough of this socializing and lollygagging!!!!!
> 
> Jeff, Mike, Carolyn, Gertie and yes you Thumper - get busy grinding out the words.
> Seriously folks, thank you for your works and thank you for allowing us to listen in to the creative process. You are all appreciated here as is your work.


It's comments like yours, Geoff, that make writing rewarding. My sincerest thanks.

Regarding the process of writing, I'm not able to crank out page after page. I want every word to fit together like the tiny stone squares that make up the wondrous mosaics I've seen in Ravenna and Rome, so I take my time about it. As for the results of this method, f I had a nickel for everyone who said I should be famous, I'd have...well, a lot of nickels. 

A rapid succession of bad things happened in my life after Lord Brother came out, including the death of my main inspiration. Now that I'm in recovery, I've been dusting off the five half-completed novels I set aside (which include the prequel and sequel to the Ryel Saga). I'm also working on some short fiction, and on choosing the most interesting bits from my hundreds of pages of travel journals. So yes, I've got my eye very much on the ball these days...finally! It's a great feeling.

Thanks again for reading me, and for the encouraging words to all of us here.

CK

PS: My blog (linked below) touches on all sorts of topics. The latest partly concerns an encounter with Terry Pratchett.


----------



## sigrosenblum

Jeff said:


> Go look at your Amazon profile and you'll see what I mean.


I just did, Jeff. And all seems in order. "Spymaster" was there. I clicked on it and was taken to the actual listing. Perhaps you had difficulty because Amazon is in the middle of a strange shift to something called Author Central, I think. But that's another problem!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And Sig, I have learned that in posts in Author discussions, it is acceptable to mention your current books and give examples using your published titles. However, if the thread isn't specific to your book, I will not provide a link - and if the thread is not an author's discussion, I will skirt the title or at least black out anuthing that might smell of promotion with the SP (Spoiler) tool. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Miguel? Oh no. I forgot about Miguel. Did I kill off Quail? Padilla's daughter might be an interesting character. Who else? I guess I'll have to read the book again.


No, I don't think you killed off Quail. Padilla should have been dead a dozen times, but he made it (whew). Senior brain freeze ... the woman who cut off La Gata's head ... can't think of her name.



> I trust you not to altogether distract your male readers from the plot with too many buttons and bows.


Just setting a mood.


----------



## sigrosenblum

edwpat said:


> And Sig, I have learned that in posts in Author discussions, it is acceptable to mention your current books and give examples using your published titles. However, if the thread isn't specific to your book, I will not provide a link - and if the thread is not an author's discussion, I will skirt the title or at least black out anuthing that might smell of promotion with the SP (Spoiler) tool.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Hi, Ed:

I'm confused. What forum or thread are you referring to? And are you now a mod? Any mention of blacking out, etc, gets me nervous--for exactly the reasons that I gave above. Thanks.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Here's the deal folks: Authors, we welcome links to your books/blogs/websites in your signatures (you can set them up through your profile) and are happy to see your book covers in your avatar. You may promote your books specifically via threads here on the Bazaar, but ask that you do not start threads about your books in the Corner. You may, of course, respond to legitimate questions from other members about your books anywhere on the Board. (Please don't ask each other questions about your respective books outside the Bazaar. )

If you are quoting a part of your work that might not be suitable for kids, we ask that you use the 'spoiler block' function so it won't jump off the screen if a little one happens to be reading over mom or dad's shoulder. You may also use the 'spoiler block' to hid plot points that prospective readers might not want to see 'cause it'll give something away -- also a good idea to note in your post heading if there are likely to be spoiler information in the thread or post.

You are welcome, of course, to set your own 'rules' for yourself as long as they are not in conflict with forum guidelines, found here: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,36.msg75.html#msg75 See especially the part that begins "-Authors:" down the page a bit.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm sorry I confused you Sig. I'm self-sensitive to my own promotional activities here and I police myself so the mods don't need to do it. In fact, if I think I'm overstepping the boundaries, I will send Betsy or Harvey a note and ask first. As an author, I can easily hijack a thread (sometimes unwittingly) which is not a good thing IMHO to do, so if the mention of my book even has the appearance of hijacking or promotion, I will either not mention the book to stay on topic or if the example serving the topic needs to have a book-mention, I will


Spoiler



spoiler blackout


 the title or the reference. I will never link my book in the body of any thread that's not my own. Again, these are self imposed rules which perhaps goes beyond Kindleboard's regs, but they adhere to the spirit of my membership here, which is precious to me. "Gollum, Gollum."  I'm not a mod here. Not enough hours in the day for that.


Spoiler



Made you peek 



Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Ann in Arlington said:


> Please don't ask each other questions about your respective books outside the Bazaar.


If I buy a book why can't I discuss it like any other member?


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Jeff said:


> If I buy a book why can't I discuss it like any other member?


Jeff, what I said was:



Ann in Arlington said:


> (Please don't ask each other questions about your respective books outside the Bazaar. )


You failed to note the smiley. I was trying to be lighthearted. The point is to not bring up each others' books on other boards expressly for the purpose of circumventing the rules.


----------



## sigrosenblum

edwpat said:


> I'm sorry I confused you Sig. I'm self-sensitive to my own promotional activities here and I police myself so the mods don't need to do it. In fact, if I think I'm overstepping the boundaries, I will send Betsy or Harvey a note and ask first. As an author, I can easily hijack a thread (sometimes unwittingly) which is not a good thing IMHO to do, so if the mention of my book even has the appearance of hijacking or promotion, I will either not mention the book to stay on topic or if the example serving the topic needs to have a book-mention, I will
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> spoiler blackout
> 
> 
> the title or the reference. I will never link my book in the body of any thread that's not my own. Again, these are self imposed rules which perhaps goes beyond Kindleboard's regs, but they adhere to the spirit of my membership here, which is precious to me. "Gollum, Gollum."  I'm not a mod here. Not enough hours in the day for that.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Made you peek
> 
> 
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Thanks Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> ...The point is to not bring up each others' books on other boards expressly for the purpose of circumventing the rules.


Uh-oh! The sock puppet rule! 

This is my sock puppet after his second marguerita:










Anyway, just to clarify, in *this* particular thread, as mentioned in the original post, it is inherently promotional in nature because it's a place where we should be able to talk about our current and planned work openly. Not necessarily with the specific intent of trying to hang bright and shiny objects in front of potential readers (since I have no idea of how many readers may actually visit this thread outside of those who have joined the discussion), but just because...it's our work. Other threads, particularly in the book corner, carry more potential strings, but this particular one I had intended to be sort of a "back room" where we can encourage each other and help each other over any hurdles we may hit.

So, there's my marguerita talking. No, the sock puppet. Dang, now I'm lost... 

For today: a measly 600 words so far today, but am plowing forward. Hope to get in at least 2K...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> It's comments like yours, Geoff, that make writing rewarding. My sincerest thanks.


Ditto!



> Regarding the process of writing, I'm not able to crank out page after page. I want every word to fit together like the tiny stone squares that make up the wondrous mosaics I've seen in Ravenna and Rome, so I take my time about it. As for the results of this method, f I had a nickel for everyone who said I should be famous, I'd have...well, a lot of nickels.


That's one of the interesting things about this, to see how other people approach the writing process. See, if I tried to write this way, I'd completely lose the thread of the story and wind up endlessly revising the same passage! As it is, I try to go where the story takes me - usually pretty darn quick - and then go back over it once I'm done to start finessing the details. For example, with a few exceptions most of the characters in the draft of *In Her Name: First Contact* (bolding - I'm picking up a bad habit of Ed's!) don't have much physical description. But the ones that are notable have a lot of characterization, more of who they are, rather than their physical appearance. Those are things I'll go back and backfill a bit once the first draft is done. Not saying it's better or worse a way to do things, it's just fun to note the differences!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

600 wonrds!!!! You and your sock puppet, go stand in the corner.

Ed P
(PS: 3,800 words - and I'm still at work, and if I didn;t work here for 44 years, would probabaly be fired)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> 600 wonrds!!!! You and your sock puppet, go stand in the corner.


I know, I know! But today was a late start after a nasty night. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! Am writing more now, though...



> (PS: 3,800 words - and I'm still at work, and if I didn;t work here for 44 years, would probabaly be fired)


No fair! I wish I had a job like that. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has no sense of humor: if I wrote at work (other than the "fiction" I write as part of my job!), I'd get my butt fired. D'oh!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Uh-oh! The sock puppet rule!
> 
> This is my sock puppet after his second marguerita:


My sock puppet is bigger than your sock puppet.












> Anyway, just to clarify, in *this* particular thread, as mentioned in the original post, it is inherently promotional in nature because it's a place where we should be able to talk about our current and planned work openly. Not necessarily with the specific intent of trying to hang bright and shiny objects in front of potential readers (since I have no idea of how many readers may actually visit this thread outside of those who have joined the discussion), but just because...it's our work. Other threads, particularly in the book corner, carry more potential strings, but this particular one I had intended to be sort of a "back room" where we can encourage each other and help each other over any hurdles we may hit.


If there were any problems with this thread, I'm sure someone would have stuck a sock puppet in it before now. 



edwpat said:


> 600 wonrds!!!! You and your sock puppet, go stand in the corner.
> 
> Ed P
> (PS: 3,800 words - and I'm still at work, and if I didn;t work here for 44 years, would probabaly be fired)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> My sock puppet is bigger than your sock puppet.


Yeah, but *mine* has a much cooler hairdo!



> If there were any problems with this thread, I'm sure someone would have stuck a sock puppet in it before now.


I think we just did. We're self-sock-puppeting on this thread. How many margeritas have I had today?



>


Oh, man, Ed's boss is scary!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> See, if I tried to write this way, I'd completely lose the thread of the story and wind up endlessly revising the same passage! As it is, I try to go where the story takes me - usually pretty darn quick - and then go back over it once I'm done to start finessing the details.


I think many writers work in the way you describe, and that's okay!  
What I eventually set down is seldom revised, and l don't lose the thread of the plot because, like this artist, I always keep the big picture in mind:










The Ravenna mosaics greatly influenced my novels' portrayal of the royal court of Destimar. I'd known the mosaics from art books in childhood, and to see them in the real, many years later, was staggering.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, the secret of keeping your job and getting to do some writing is that for 38 years I was the boss - and now that I'm a peon and the longest continuosly employed associate in the company, they treat me with the . . . well, let me quote W.S. Gilbert's character Pooh-bah from The Mikado. "The deference due a man of pedigree."
    Donald Trump has the bettr hairdo.

Edward C. Patterson
any other Savoyards out there (I ought to start that as a new thread some time).


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> My sock puppet is bigger than your sock puppet.
> 
> If there were any problems with this thread, I'm sure someone would have stuck a sock puppet in it before now.


I'm finding all this sock puppet discussion kinda fishy...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm finding all this sock puppet discussion kinda fishy...


Perhaps, but at least we're not in sock puppet veterinary school! BAAAAA!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Well, the secret of keeping your job and getting to do some writing is that for 38 years I was the boss - and now that I'm a peon and the longest continuosly employed associate in the company, they treat me with the . . . well, let me quote W.S. Gilbert's character Pooh-bah from The Mikado. "The deference due a man of pedigree."
> Donald Trump has the bettr hairdo.


Oy. That's far too many years to contemplate. July 16, 2019 is my first eligible date - 30 years of service and 56 years old - and I'm outta there! After I retire, I want to go work at the sock puppet rescue center...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

kreelanwarrior said:


>


Lambchop!!!

Then there's Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. . . . . .this stamp is due to be released on August 11. . . .










Now, you authors get back to supporting each other and writing before we run out of things to read!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

kreelanwarrior said:


> Perhaps, but at least we're not in sock puppet veterinary school! BAAAAA!!


That reminds me of a scene from Outlander....Gertie?

Betsy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm finding all this sock puppet discussion kinda fishy...


Enough "fishing" for compliments. 

We haven't discussed kilts lately.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Betsy the Quilter said:


> That reminds me of a scene from Outlander....Gertie?
> 
> Betsy


Why do you think the sheep's eyes are crossed?? After the exam, the poor sheep probably did what this sock puppet is doing:










And I am actually writing in between puppeteering...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> We haven't discussed kilts lately.


SOCK PUPPET KILT WEDGIES!!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Hugh!  Hibbing!

Sorry. . . .but it seemed appropriate.


----------



## geoffthomas

People.

People.

Buehler.

Come on now I want books.
Enough with this hijacked thread.

I was sitting here trying to get my head around integration of Oracle ASM in a RAC environment and switched to this window......and what do I find?  Sock Puppets!!!!
With Kilt Wedgies!!!!

People.

Hugh and Hibbing indeed.

Do you know what will happen to my poor brain if I run out of books to read??
Do you??







Just sayin..... (baaaaahhhhhhh)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Last sock puppet comment (and retirement comment).

I remember Kukla, Fran and Ollie in its original run . . . which means I'm working to 70 (I'm 62 now). Got a DX to play with. C U all later.

Ed P


----------



## Ann in Arlington

edwpat said:


> Got a DX to play with. C U all later.
> 
> Ed P


Good thing Ed can write at work because it's a sure thing he won't be writing at home tonight!

As for the rest of you: what's your excuse. . .get writing, er. . .typing. . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Good thing Ed can write at work because it's a sure thing he won't be writing at home tonight!
> 
> As for the rest of you: what's your excuse. . .get writing, er. . .typing. . . .


Nag, nag! 

1400 words so far...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You got that right Ann. But I did need to get some stuff down. I found some formtting errors in 2 of my book (tabs - tabs are killers). I didn;t notice them beore because the Kindle 1 allows you to unjustify lines, but the DX forces you to flush right. So I had to quickly get rid of errant tabs in 2 of the books and quickly upload them to the site (done). Whew.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 2700 words so far, and I think I'm running outta steam. Partly because I'm sooooo full from eating a bunch of Indian food and some ice cream and I feel like a bloated cow. So I think I may take a break and watch some Battlestar Galactica from the DVDs we brought...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> Last sock puppet comment (and retirement comment).
> 
> I remember Kukla, Fran and Ollie in its original run . . . which means I'm working to 70 (I'm 62 now). Got a DX to play with. C U all later.
> 
> Ed P


Welcome to the chronologically gifted side of the board.

Thank goodness for karate lessons. I just sit in the corner with Ginny and type away. 1400 words. Tomorrow he goes for two hours, so I know I'll be able to get a lot done. The rest of the day is devoted to a pre-k graduation and after-party.

Right now, I'd better get busy wrapping presents.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Thank goodness for karate lessons. I just sit in the corner with Ginny and type away. 1400 words. Tomorrow he goes for two hours, so I know I'll be able to get a lot done. The rest of the day is devoted to a pre-k graduation and after-party.


Yeah, that is one nice thing about sports practice for the kids! I just take my laptop and stay there and type. Usually can make pretty good progress.

I'm not even going to set a goal today: Jan wants to get out and see some sights, so probably won't be able to get any writing done until this evening. That's okay, though - this is our last day before we have to head home tomorrow morning. Pooh! But I should be able to finish the current chapter tonight, methinks...


----------



## Jeff

I could use a little help from anyone who lives and works in the DC area please: Under pressure from his wife, one of my characters (FBI Special Agent Padilla) reluctantly accepts an assignment to DC. How might he commute to work and what in particular would he hate about it? Thanks.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I could use a little help from anyone who lives and works in the DC area please: Under pressure from his wife, one of my characters (FBI Special Agent Padilla) reluctantly accepts an assignment to DC. How might he commute to work and what in particular would he hate about it? Thanks.


Jeff - you can choose your poison! Depending on where your character lives, you've got several options. Metro and a short walk to the J. Edgar Hoover building (or wherever he's assigned) if he lives close to a metro stop; a drive + metro if he lives further out; or by car (but I have no idea what sort of parking they might have at the Hoover building), or even ride a bike, I suppose. Driving normally isn't terrible - nothing like NYC, for example - if you have parking waiting for you. Metro's not bad, but takes longer and you're packed in with a fair number of other folks (but as metros go, it's pretty nice). You might just need a character quirk, maybe some experience from the past that made him really hate traveling a certain way?


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Jeff - you can choose your poison! Depending on where your character lives, you've got several options. Metro and a short walk to the J. Edgar Hoover building (or wherever he's assigned) if he lives close to a metro stop; a drive + metro if he lives further out; or by car (but I have no idea what sort of parking they might have at the Hoover building), or even ride a bike, I suppose. Driving normally isn't terrible - nothing like NYC, for example - if you have parking waiting for you. Metro's not bad, but takes longer and you're packed in with a fair number of other folks (but as metros go, it's pretty nice). You might just need a character quirk, maybe some experience from the past that made him really hate traveling a certain way?


Thanks Mike. I was stationed there back in the dark ages but can't remember enough to write a reasonable description. The back story on the character has him refusing transfers to DC in order to stay in the Southwest. Can you tell me the name of a suburb where an Assistant Director might live and briefly how he would get to the J. Edgar Hoover Building?


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Jeff, the quintessential way to get to work in the DC area is to slug. Most slugging is from the Springfield, Virginia area but I believe you can do so from the Vienna, Virginia area as well. Not sure if it's as popular on the other side of the river.

What the "h - e - double toothpicks" is she talking about? 

Just this: http://www.slug-lines.com/

In short, the main freeways into the city from the southern and western suburbs have HOV lanes: High Occupancy Vehicles only during certain times. I-395 which goes from the Beltway in Springfield into the City has two lanes that switch directions depending on the time of day. Now, there are still a lot of folks who want or need to drive in. Because they can travel faster on the HOV lanes -- but which require 3 people, at least, in the vehicle or you risk a ticket -- there have sprung up "slug lines". The link above might explain the etymology but basically there are semi-official areas designated for riders to wait for drivers who pick 'em up and take where they need to be. And in the 20 or 30 years this system has been in place there has NEVER been an incident of any sort where someone got scammed or robbed or anything. It's a totally grass roots system and folks who use it LOVE it -- both riders and drivers.

Anyway, as I say. . .it is a 'unique to DC' commuting method. . . . .also check wwww.wmata.com for info about metro bus and rail.

good luck!


----------



## Jeff

Ann in Arlington said:


> Jeff, the quintessential way to get to work in the DC area is to slug.


Thank you, Ann. That's perfect and exactly what I needed.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Check out that site. . . it looks like there are anecdotes and even a book about it. . . .depends how deep you want to go.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> I could use a little help from anyone who lives and works in the DC area please: Under pressure from his wife, one of my characters (FBI Special Agent Padilla) reluctantly accepts an assignment to DC. How might he commute to work and what in particular would he hate about it? Thanks.


If he's a government agent, he would live in Arlington where all the G-men reside. Arlington is a neat town, with a street that has a row of ethnic restaurants in a line right next to each other. I once dated a CIA agent (gay as Elton John) and he lived in Arlington. He's need to commute by car, but DC has several nice transportation systems - The subway, that shuts down at night is neat and clean, nothing like the NYC subway and Central is a veritable Moscow Stateion. Also the taxis are in circuits, so riding them was farely inexpensive.

Edward C. Patterson
love DC, the Gay Capital of the East


----------



## Jeff

Thanks, Ed. I'm looking at Arlington on Google. Hi Ann.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I live in Arlington. . . .none of my neighbors are G-men though.    Ed is correct, however, in that there are a lot of good residential neighborhoods fairly close in and convenient to metro.  But if he has a family he's likely going to be in one of the slightly farther out neighborhoods which are more conducive to children.  So Crystal City, Pentagon City, Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston. . . .all good neighborhoods for singles/couples.  Most of the housing is condo/apartment style.  Slightly farther out neighborhoods have single family homes with yards.  If you are going to use Arlington, feel free to ask questions.

If you want to use the commute travel time for explication and internal reflection, farther out is better.  Springfield is the end of the line metro-wise toward the south, so it won't even matter if he falls asleep as they'll wake him up and kick him off when they get there.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sunday and Monday, I'll be in McLean and Vienna for the Booz Hamilton Allen reading. And Ann, I love that eatery street in Arlington, especially the Italian Restaurant with all the musical instruments.

Now, as promised, this week's snippet over in the Snippet Challenge is the one about the Tuscan meal that was discussed as part of our Research topic. Here's the link: (waarning, its high caloric and diabetic hazardous).

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,8268.msg186174.html#new

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

What street are you talking about, Ed?  And when's the last time you were there. . ..because there's been a lot of development in recent years.  Restaurants have come and gone. . . . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1995. The New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus and the Washington Gay Chorus were performing together when the quilt was displayed. The host was an Arlingtonian.

Ed P


----------



## Jeff

Ann in Arlington said:


> I live in Arlington. . . .none of my neighbors are G-men though.  Ed is correct, however, in that there are a lot of good residential neighborhoods fairly close in and convenient to metro. But if he has a family he's likely going to be in one of the slightly farther out neighborhoods which are more conducive to children. So Crystal City, Pentagon City, Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston. . . .all good neighborhoods for singles/couples. Most of the housing is condo/apartment style. Slightly farther out neighborhoods have single family homes with yards. If you are going to use Arlington, feel free to ask questions.
> 
> If you want to use the commute travel time for explication and internal reflection, farther out is better. Springfield is the end of the line metro-wise toward the south, so it won't even matter if he falls asleep as they'll wake him up and kick him off when they get there.


In the previous book this guy is an outstanding agent but he has been terribly henpecked. His wife wants the glamor of the Assistant Director's position in DC to prove to her wealthy family that she married well.

He needs to be so miserable in DC that he makes some life altering decisions.

Where would his social-climber wife want to live that might be a bit beyond their means?

By the way, for anyone that hasn't used Google's Street View, it's a terrific tool to get some rough imagery of a particular neighborhood for scene setting without the expense of a trip.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Thanks Mike. I was stationed there back in the dark ages but can't remember enough to write a reasonable description. The back story on the character has him refusing transfers to DC in order to stay in the Southwest. Can you tell me the name of a suburb where an Assistant Director might live and briefly how he would get to the J. Edgar Hoover Building?


Hmm. Not sure that I'd envision an AD slugging into work (I assume we're talking about two different characters: the AD and the Padilla?). The reason I say that is because agency seniors (I suspect across the government, and certainly for intel and law enforcement agencies) normally work ridiculously long hours (and get called in a lot, to boot). So I wouldn't rule out slugging, but it seems to me the most likely method is that they'll be commuting on their own. Also, someone at the AD level is going to have a reserved parking spot! 

But hey, if he's henpecked, maybe his wife wouldn't let him slug even if he wanted to: she wouldn't want him to look like just a common joe, now would she? Have to make the drive in the Beamer, bub...

I'd agree that Arlington would certainly be a good locale (not that I'm all that familiar with it myself), but that's the nice thing about the D.C. area - there are lots of potentially interesting (and outrageously priced/upscale) places to choose from, inside and outside the city.


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## Edward C. Patterson

I use Google Earth street all the time, especially on places where I have been to check for changes. I know San Francisco very well, for example, but it constantly changes, and since my TJO series takes place in an SF in the 21st Century and my last trip to SF was in 1997, I always GoogleEasrth before I leap. (Same with Chinese cities, which change by the month - only some places are blocked by the Chinese government).

Ed P


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## Ann in Arlington

Oh. . . .beyond their means.  Well, then maybe you want to keep him in DC. . . .Northwest, Georgetown, etc.  In Virginia I'd say McClean or Ashburn. . . which is kinda way far out and your only commute option is really driving yourself.  In general, the farther out you go, the more house/land your money buys.  Check the Washington Post real estate section and look at house prices.  Anything is going to be sticker shock compared to the southwest, and prices are somewhat down just now.  I think Bethesda is a pretty high rent district in MD, as well as Germantown and Rockville. . . Geoff from Derwood, MD will have a better feel for that.


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## Ann in Arlington

Ed, 1995 is like a lifetime ago. . .you wouldn't recognize the place now, I'm sure!    We've lived here since '96 and a lot has changed 'downtown'.


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## Ann in Arlington

Mike is right about a director level person likely having a parking space and would more likely drive themselves in.  Or have a driver. . . .not sure how far up you have to be to rate that. . . . .


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## Jeff

Thanks everyone.

Now that you mention it, I suppose an AD wouldn't be commuting. I'll just have to think of some other one paragraph method of demonstrating how miserable Padilla is away from his beloved Southwestern desert.


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## Ann in Arlington

Well, if it's summer. . .say July/August. . . .the humidity is likely to be pretty high. .. .if he's used to the dry desert heat that's going to be pretty oppressive.  Not to mention the air quality that can get bad if there's no rain for a few days.

And he would likely freak out at the price of a house. . . . .


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## Carolyn Kephart

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, if it's summer. . .say July/August. . . .the humidity is likely to be pretty high. .. .if he's used to the dry desert heat that's going to be pretty oppressive. Not to mention the air quality that can get bad if there's no rain for a few days.
> 
> And he would likely freak out at the price of a house. . . . .


Gah. DC's sticky, smoggy, breathless summer heat is something I've never forgotten.

After years of exploring the stark noble beauty of the southwest, I can only say that moving from there to DC would be more of a sentence than an assignment. Poor Padilla. 

CK


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## Susan in VA

Adding my two cents' worth....  If she wants to be in an upscale area, close in you'd have Arlington (though that can be patchy; parts are fabulous and parts are pretty run-down) and Georgetown (serious sticker shock on houses there).  Further out it would be McLean (lots of development now, close to Tyson's where there's a lot of commercial growth) or Potomac (lots of "old money" families).  

If you want her to complain about things:  the closer to town you are, the less space you get for your money, but the farther out you are, the longer you have to drive for any cultural pursuits beyond standard suburban fare.  

"Slugging" is indeed a great thing, by all accounts, though it's not practical for everyone.  Metro is clean and usually reliable.  They have a tightly enforced rule that there is NO food or drink allowed anywhere on Metro.  Out-of-towners frequently find this unbelievable, especially because it has also been enforced (with fines) for things like teething crackers and juice bottles for babies.  Oh, and the escalators frequently break down (or get shut down for maintenance).

I'm sure once you decide on a location, a bunch of us will be happy to provide more local details...


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## geoffthomas

Jeff, I just have to comment.
First no SA (special agent) will slug. All SAs have to have their badge and weapon on them at all times. That is why they wear a suit jacket one size larger than needed. No bulge shown at the back.
Not going to display said gear to strangers.  And the watchers are sometimes watched. Not going to slug.

Drive - parking is available (after being made available for a Director). 

High ranker - lives in Georgetown or Chevy Chase.
Mid ranker - Arlington or Alexandria.
Low ranker - Fairfax or Md, Prince Georges County.

But close in - if trendy - south capital street.

Take metro to Archives/Navy Memorial.  From Virginial take blue/yellow line direct.  From Fairfax/Vienna take Orange line to Le Enfant Plaza - change to green/yellow. Walk across the Navy Memorial site and enter depending which entrance is currently under construction (seems like one always is).

Or take Red line to Gallery Place and walk from there - the two stops are about equidistant from the JEH. 

And of course, Padilla might not actually go to this location.  If he is on TDY in DC he might work somewhere else.

Just sayin.....


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## Ann in Arlington

I knew Geoff would have good thoughts!  I forgot about your character having to have a gun. . .yeah, Not going to slug, probably wouldn't use Metro either if he could avoid it.


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## geoffthomas

As I recall, Mrs. Padilla didn't like to acknowledge her Latino roots.
Was Spanish (my friends always said Castillian).

So she would be real unhappy in Arlington or Fairfax - too many South Americans.

Also true of trendy Adams Morgan in DC.

So she probably would want to be in Alexandra or Vienna or even Falls Church in VA. Great Falls is far too expensive for an AD and so is Potomac MD. In MD, Chevy Chase or  would be great for "close in".  While I mentioned Georgetown, Mrs. Padilla would probably not like how little she would get for the money and also not like to be so close to a "gay community".  And capital hill is also too expensive and when you get to the borders of it, too dangerous.
Yeah in MD, I think Mrs. Padilla would love Bethesda.  Upscale, somewhat trendy and just about afordable.  And mostly old money, so not too many Latinos for her.
You got to remember we are talking about "blue badger" (government employee) here.  GS wages.


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## geoffthomas

Ann in Arlington said:


> I knew Geoff would have good thoughts! I forgot about your character having to have a gun. . .yeah, Not going to slug, probably wouldn't use Metro either if he could avoid it.


SAs ride the Metro all the time.
as well as SACs and Unit chiefs.
It is the best way to get from one "location" to another.
After all just because they are engaged in Law Enforcement doesn't mean that they have money to throw around. And daily parking rates are cripplingly high. Most locations are $16 per day or reasonable fraction AND UP.


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## Jeff

Thanks again, everyone. To make it clear where we're going, here's a snippet of the first draft (TTOLM Volume 3 for lack of a better name):

Mancha, Mexico​...
"Miguel Guiro is as tough as nails, Maggie," Lance said soothingly into the telephone, "and we've dealt with FARC successfully in the past. You take care of Mexico and we'll bring Miguel back to you safe and sound. I promise."
"Mexico may be beyond help," she replied sadly. "I'm reading a memo saying that Pemex needs another billion dollars."
"Where did the ten billion that the US just gave them go?" Lance asked.
"Some greedy politician, I suppose," Maggie answered.
"Can't you put somebody you trust in there?"
"Other than Miguel, I don't trust anybody in the Mexican government."
"Well hire somebody that you do trust," he grumbled.
"I don't have that right under the Constitution."
"You're the Empress, for God's sake. Take it to the people and demand the right."
She sighed audibly. "And if I could, who would I hire?"
"Jerry Padilla," Lance said, without any hesitation. "Olivia says he hates it in Washington."
"We know who makes the decisions in the Padilla family," Maggie replied in a sarcastic tone. "The only thing Frederica hates more than Mexicans is Mexico."
"You should ask Jerry anyway," Lance urged.
"Come on," Tory shouted. "While you're lollygagging on the telephone with my mother, FARC is taking Miguel deeper and deeper into the Columbian jungle."
"Gotta go, Maggie," Lance said. "We'll send you reports when we can."
"I love you guys," Maggie said. "Be careful."

Alexandria, Georgetown or some other upscale place in Virginia​
"Daddy, your car is here," eighteen year old Isabel Padilla shouted.
"Thank you," Jerry Padilla answered, scooping up his briefcase and starting toward the door.
"What time will you be home?" his wife, Frederica asked.
He stopped. "I don't know, Freddie. It's been&#8230;"
"I have a bridge club meeting at seven," she admonished.
"I'll try to be home before them but&#8230;"
"If you'd let me hire a live-in housekeeper&#8230;"
"You know we can't afford&#8230;"
"I thought things would be different now that you're an Assistant Director but&#8230;"

Now we have a car ride into D.C. to describe during which we must make Padilla's acceptance of Maggie's offer understandable.

EDIT: For clarity the fictional oil company name has been changed to the real name. Mexico's huge state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos is called Pemex.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Now that you mention it, I suppose an AD wouldn't be commuting.


Well, he would still likely be commuting. A lot of seniors I know seem like regular folks when they walk out in the parking lot: you name a kind of car, and one of them probably has it. One of our generals even used to drive a beaten-up Subaru wagon (although, granted, he lived on post). It depends on how you want to portray Padilla. I wouldn't think he'd get a car & driver, though. I hate to generalize, but I think only directors and deputy directors normally rate personal drivers.



> I'll just have to think of some other one paragraph method of demonstrating how miserable Padilla is away from his beloved Southwestern desert.


Now that you phrased it like this, I can totally relate: I was raised in Arizona, then came back east to the DC metro area for work after I graduated from college (20+ years ago now. Ack!). I don't know the background of your character, but if that's analogous to his situation, here were my own impressions:

- Trees, trees, and more trees. When I first moved to the DC area, I was almost claustrophobic except at the beach. When you grow up in an area where you're used to being able to see for miles, and desert mountain vistas are a common sight unless you happen to be downtown in a big city like Phoenix, the "closeness" of the foliage can drive you nuts.

- Humidity. The hottest I've ever been was the Inner Harbor in Baltimore in August; I felt like I was being broiled alive. Summer temperatures of 115 and even 120 in Phoenix (it's a dry heat! LOL!) were nothing compared to that. I hate summers here. And snow is a bit of an alien substance, although if Padilla was stationed in NM he would probably have seen plenty of that.

- Missing the desert in bloom. Doesn't happen except when it rains (which is infrequent, obviously), but that's something that I still miss. As fleeting and beautiful in its own way as the cherry blossoms in DC in April.

So those are a few things that immediately come to mind from my own experience. Another thing I'd toss out for contemplation is bureaucracy and politics. This isn't location specific, but if Padilla was an SA in the southwest and is now moving up the ladder to be a bigger cheese at FBI HQ, he's not gonna like this part of his job (what say you, Geoff?  ). People who have done a lot of work in the field tend to hate working at headquarters because of all the political and administrative BS that goes on.

Anyway, for what it's worth...


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## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff:

You should have a scene on P Street and perhaps one in my friend Deacon McDuggins bookstore on Connecticut called Lambda Rising - oh yes, and you need a bit of the Trocadero.

Edward C. "P" Street Patterson


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## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Anyway, for what it's worth...


Very helpful, Mike. Thank you. I'll wait for Geoff to chime in before re-writing what I've got.


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## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> Now that you phrased it like this, I can totally relate: I was raised in Arizona, then came back east to the DC metro area for work after I graduated from college (20+ years ago now. Ack!). I don't know the background of your character, but if that's analogous to his situation, here were my own impressions:
> [Impressions follow}


Can't resist adding some more impressions.

I've traveled out west every year now for...well, decades, all over the Four Corners. I could write a book (and probably will someday) about the things I love there. The sweet, clean air tinged with pinon and sage. Driving for miles and miles through amazing vistas without seeing another car, now and again passing a stray petroglyph. The Native American people, who fight to keep their culture alive. Canyon Road in Santa Fe on a gallery crawl night. Mexican combo platters with red, green, or Christmas chili on the side--they'll ask you which you prefer. The latent, palpable energy of history that's seen the footprints of everything from brontosauri to cowboy boots to Blahnik stilettos.

There are downsides, naturally, and I could write another book about those, but for now I'm just remembering the best...and missing it.

As for DC, I was born there. My dad was in the Air Force and worked at the Pentagon. DC has always struck me as very stratified, with each layer almost hermetically separate.

CK


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## geoffthomas

Well I am not sure what time of year it is supposed to be, but......

in the summer (late July and early August) it is often 95 degrees and 90% humidity and it is not raining.  Muuuuggggggyyyyy.  
And the traffic is terrible.  Seems as if the roads are re-surfaced only during the hottest days and that of course means less road surface for the cars that are there.  However during these terribly hot days the tourist come to town and add to the clogs on the roads.

On the days like today in early June, the heat is not yet that bad, but we have the Spring rains to make things humid and road work has started and every morning along with the commuters and the early bird tourists are the crowds of high school graduates and all their family members (a lot from out of town) going downtown (mostly) to the DAR hall.  Each High School with at least 800 graduates and 4-10 family members going along.  Regardless of the number that can go inside, the rest will hang around on the streets for the ceremony to be over with and then giggle and stuff - but it adds to the overall crowdedness.

So at the worst time of year climate wise we have the worst time of year for commuting.  And the roads are guaranteed to be worked on.  And the JEH is guaranteed to have at least one pedestrian entrance under some form of construction too.  And Metrorail is guaranteed to have problems caused by heat.  Sometimes the rails overheat and they have to run the trains slowly.  Sometimes there is too much strain on the electrical grid and the trains have to run slow to keep down electric use and oh yes, they turn down ( or off ) the trains' airconditioning to save power.  And don't you know that that means that the escalators will either malfunction or be turned off to conserve.

Now you have to prepare yourself mentally in order to see this in a positive light.

If you are from out of town and don't understand what is going on and are also in a hurry....it can be very frustrating trying to get around.  There is NO parking after 9am - for any price.  The traffic is unbearable - often faster to walk.  When there is a demonstration in town or a special visit - they close blocks of streets to through traffic.  And then there is the rolling-street closure that occurs when the president moves - his motorcade has a police escort that closes roads all around it as it moves through the city.  

Hope any of that helps.


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## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Hope any of that helps.


Yes, it helps a lot, as do the other suggestions. Thanks to all.

For starters, I'll move the Padilla family to Bethesda and do away with the car and driver. Being a New Yorker that grew up in New Mexico and served in the Army for a time at Fort Meade the contrast is easy enough. Now I have enough details to flesh it all out. This is fun. I hope no one minds if I drop in again from time to time for color and background.


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## Ann in Arlington

We don't mind at all, Jeff. . . .just make sure you mention us in your acknowledgments


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## Jeff

Ann in Arlington said:


> We don't mind at all, Jeff. . . .just make sure you mention us in your acknowledgments


Absolutely.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff, make a list of us in the forword. I want to thank . . . I thanked beta-readers individually, but of course I asked permission (Except for Elijah Wood, who didn't read it, just gave me his good wishes), and get the correct spelling. A few wanted anyway, my name is spelt P - A - T -......  

Edward C. Youknowhowtospellit


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## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I hope no one minds if I drop in again from time to time for color and background.


That's why it's called the author support thread.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, btw, a few more pics of our Berkshires trip: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026470&id=1258342617&l=228fa9225a

I took some video snippets, too - when I get those tied together I'll put it up on YouTube for anybody who'd like to take a gander.

And 2200 words so far today (finally getting to the ground battle - oy)! Not too bad for taking an extended drive around Lenox and some of the other local towns. Pretty nifty places. Lunch was great, but dinner was pretty disappointing. Oh, well. Then we came back to the condo and had kahlua and creams and cookies!


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## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, final word count for the day: 3100.


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## geoffthomas

Mike.....
Yay we are closer to the prequel being ready.


Just waitin........


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## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Mike.....
> Yay we are closer to the prequel being ready.
> 
> Just waitin........


Well, as of page 223 in the draft, Tesh-Dar is about to get her ship shot out from under her. Something tells me she's going to be less than happy when she hits the ground...


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## Gertie Kindle

Great photos, Mike.  What is that little building across the lake?  

Excellent day's work for you, lousy for me.  Karate lessons didn't come off, so no quiet time for me.  The grandkids were here all afternoon, then I had dinner with them.  Late by the time I got home, and at 9pm, I couldn't keep my eyes open.  Asleep by 9:20, and I slept for 10 hours.  

Feeling jazzed and my fingers are raring to go.  

See ya' later.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Pushing myself today as I need to run around getting ready to drive to Virginia tomorrow morning, plus my Kindle DX is singing to me Read me. Read me. Listen to the audio voice.

I spun my wheel last night with a logical gap on The Nan Tu (fixed) and the ever present pruning of History and Chinese names for readers so that the Southern Swallow series stayed firmly married to The Jade Owl Legacy series and remains an action/adventure novel and not a History book. The History book on this era is written and it costs $180.00.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Gertie Kindle

It's all working.  About 1300 words so far this morning.  Hopefully, they are good words.  

Ed, I certainly understand.  It's hard not to turn an historical into a history lesson.  Heck, I can turn a dinner menu into a history lesson.  That's part of what I'm struggling with now.  So much is happening in a short time, that my H&H haven't had time for any private moments.  I've decided to stop struggling and just put it all down.  The H&H will get together when they need to.


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## Edward C. Patterson

I love History - that's why I have a degree in Sinology, but I always need to remember that when I stood at the cross roads between a career as a professor and a whirlwind adventure as a Marketing Director, I chose business. Now, when I turn to my real calling as an author, I can be neither. The Jade Owl came about because I asked myself the question, "What if, instead of over 30 years as a business executive I followed the path not taken - as a history geek?" And that began the thought process for Rowden Gray and his quest for The Jade Owl. Of course, I didn't know then that once I entered the Zone, cute little Nicky and suave Simone would show up and take me and my readers in an entirely different direction. One of the challenges with The Jade Owl was to jettison over 60,000 words devoted to Chinese history and sights. I threw out an entire tour of Hong Kong, twenty pages set in the Forbidden City (hell, every American school kid could give you that tour now), and a romp through the Terracotta Warriors (which I reserved for the 3d book, and more organic to the action . . . then). So, it's a struggle. With Southern Swallow there's another thing at stake. Most of the history stuff I need to know. but need not share - things like - the Yellow River had a different course in 1124 than it does today (It swooped south in 1191, after the series conclusion in 1182). Heaven would quake if I had a river crossing based on incorrect hydraulics. The history part includes many important elements that impact the story and characters, however in History these events are disperse and carried out by many characters. For novel sake, I needed to reduce the character load and have one character do the tasks of ten, and I needed to smash events into each other. The fact that K'ai-feng took three seiges and seven months to fall is much too long for the reader. One siege (and a burp) and a week will do. (The reviews I have recieved have all praised the scenes of K'ai-feng's fall as effective and kleenix worthy. I don't think my professors at Columbia University would have given me high marks for accuracy). In some cases, History was too strange to be believable. For example, the hostage Prince Kang was rejected in reality because the barbarian Jurchen chief mistook him for an Imperial cook (that's true). Too bizarre for the novel. I changed it entirely - made my own history, true to the spirit of the events and the character development. In addition, this is a four book series and characters in upcoming books just can't pop up there. I introduce them in Book One and Two, where historically it was impossible. Also there's the issue with Chinese cities, which had different names from their modern counterparts. Chinese cities notoriously change from year reign period to year reign period. Whether to call Nan-ch'ing (Nanking) by its 12th Century name Ch'ien-liang, is important, because the reader will be dislocated anyway with where Ch'ien-liang is located and I don't want to provide a geography lesson a well. But Nan-ch'ing is at least a known modern equivalent. Same is true with Ming-chou (Ning-po) and Lin-an (Hang-chou). I've had to make choices. And then there is my bastardization of Chinese names for the sake of the novel. Sometimes I have changed the names to protect . . . the reader. Wang Po-yen is somewhat memorable, but Huang Ch'ien-shan is a mouthful, to which he became Huang Shan. And it's nice to have characters names Prince Kang, K'ang Yu-wei, Li K'ai-men and Li Kang, until you need to have them all in a common dialog session. The tags become a nightmare. My editor cried in surrender in one severely reworked section in The Academician - "Too many Kangs).  When it gets beyond me, I just turn away to *Look Away Silence*, where all we have is a fairy who dreams of getting an ironing board for Christmas.

Edward C. Patterson
No I just don't bend over and have the novels flying out of my


Spoiler



ass


, as one colleague asked.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Great photos, Mike. What is that little building across the lake?


Thanks! Actually, we couldn't figure out what that building was. Maybe a small pump house?

Only a short post for now - on the road and typing on my iPhone isn't as fast as the laptop! LOL

More later...


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## Edward C. Patterson

Hey, I just noticed I went over 900 posts. What number changes me from the Father of the Modern Novel (Jane usten) to the Sexually-Ambigiously Bard on the Aven (William Shakespeare)?   Probably 1,000. Well, next week then.

Edward C. Patterson


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## geoffthomas

edwpat said:


> Hey, I just noticed I went over 900 posts. What number changes me from the Father of the Modern Novel (Jane usten) to the Sexually-Ambigiously Bard on the Aven (William Shakespeare)?  Probably 1,000. Well, next week then.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


1000 Ed.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Geoffthomas. 

ECP


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## Gertie Kindle

Nothing wrong with bending history a bit for the sake of a good story.  My objection is when it gets smashed to bits.  

I fully intend to change one timeline and make an assumption about another event where the true story is unknown.  

Another 900+ words.  Now I'm ready for my nap.


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## Edward C. Patterson

I've done nothing today, except practice my half-hour reading for Monday on the Kindle DX, got gas, broke my strict diabetic diet with Manna from heaven (a big Mac, fries and a Vanilla shake), packing, bought a new expensive pen for the Book signing (one that can be auctioned off when I'm dead and buried) and will be off to the movies to see StarTrek for the 5th time. A completely decadent day and well earned and deserved (it's been a 7 new reader day, and the day's only half over). The only thing missing is sex .  . a who knows.   One can be lucky once a quarter.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> I've done nothing today, except practice my half-hour reading for Monday on the Kindle DX, got gas, broke my strict diabetic diet with Manna from heaven (a big Mac, fries and a Vanilla shake), packing, bought a new expensive pen for the Book signing (one that can be auctioned off when I'm dead and buried) and will be off to the movies to see StarTrek for the 5th time. A completely decadent day and well earned and deserved (it's been a 7 new reader day, and the day's only half over). The only thing missing is sex . . a who knows.  One can be lucky once a quarter.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


When I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic, my doctor put me on a strict 1200 calorie a day diet. I sat in the corner of the couch every day all curled up just waiting for my next meal. After a week of this, my best friend brought me over a Big Mac and a Pepsi (pre Dr. Pepper days). Saved my life.

Haven't seen Star Trek, yet. Waiting for the DVD. I only go to the movies for Disney and Harry Potter. 

No more writing for today until after dinner. The grandkids will be here at 4pm.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> When I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic, my doctor put me on a strict 1200 calorie a day diet. I sat in the corner of the couch every day all curled up just waiting for my next meal. After a week of this, my best friend brought me over a Big Mac and a Pepsi (pre Dr. Pepper days). Saved my life.


Oy! You probably needed to eat more smaller meals. That'd put you right into starvation mode. Ugh.



> Haven't seen Star Trek, yet. Waiting for the DVD. I only go to the movies for Disney and Harry Potter.


Ohhh, you should see this one on the big screen! It's worth it! Do like Ed's doing and treat yourself.  I'd like to go see it again. Definitely going to get the Blu-Ray!

Okay, finally home. Rained half the way, but traffic wasn't too bad (except for a little detour through the Bronx - d'oh!). Pizza ordered. Have enough strength left to mix margueritas (got one of those crazy Magic Bullet things - they really work for all kinds of stuff!). Then might write a bit tonight.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, and just an observation: if you're ever traveling along the Taconic Parkway in NY and are near the junction with Route 199, do yourself a favor and head west on 199 for a couple miles toward FDR's home. There's a little nuthin'-looking restaurant called Another Fork in the Road that was awesome! They use only fresh local products (without hormones, antibiotics, insecticides, etc.) and it was *really* good. They don't have a ton of things on the menu, but what they do have was certainly yummy that we ate and caught a glimpse of (and service was good, too). 

Here's where it is: http://maps.google.com/?q=41.9567%2C-73.7814


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## Edward C. Patterson

I'm not borderline. I'm trying to bring it under control after 8 years of having it under control and the next step in insulin. I've actually been able to get a handle on it (the sugar - down in the 140's, which is better than 250). I lost 10 pounds and doing the 55-15-55-15-55 carbohydrate counting pus I needed to banish Milanos from the Zone. When I was first diagnosed, I had been walking around for at least 5 years with my blood sugar in the 450's. That's why I'm blind in one eye, no feeling in my legs, and cancelled my dental insurance because why pay a dentist to extract what falls out on their own. 

Now I had to buy ink for the printer to pint out MapQues directions becuase my GPS will take me to Vienna/MClean down I-95 and I want to go the MayQuest way through harrisburg and down the backway. At least, if I get lost, I'll just pop on my Blackberry and wait for that sweet Japanese voice say "Kalculating Woute"

Edward C. Patterson
A Sweet Guy


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## Gertie Kindle

edwpat said:


> I'm not borderline. I'm trying to bring it under control after 8 years of having it under control and the next step in insulin. I've actually been able to get a handle on it (the sugar - down in the 140's, which is better than 250). I lost 10 pounds and doing the 55-15-55-15-55 carbohydrate counting pus I needed to banish Milanos from the Zone. When I was first diagnosed, I had been walking around for at least 5 years with my blood sugar in the 450's. That's why I'm blind in one eye, no feeling in my legs, and cancelled my dental insurance because why pay a dentist to extract what falls out on their own.


Ed, Ed, Ed, where the heck was your doctor in all this? Did you never go for simple blood work? My family is heavily diabetic. We can trace it back to my great-grandfather. It's something we are all conscious of. I've lost three uncles to complications of diabetes, and most of my cousins are diabetic. I can't believe you didn't feel rotten enough to go to a doctor.



kreelanwarrior said:


> Oh, and just an observation: if you're ever traveling along the Taconic Parkway in NY and are near the junction with Route 199, do yourself a favor and head west on 199 for a couple miles toward FDR's home. There's a little nuthin'-looking restaurant called Another Fork in the Road that was awesome! They use only fresh local products (without hormones, antibiotics, insecticides, etc.) and it was *really* good. They don't have a ton of things on the menu, but what they do have was certainly yummy that we ate and caught a glimpse of (and service was good, too).
> 
> Here's where it is: http://maps.google.com/?q=41.9567%2C-73.7814


The Taconic Parkway always makes me think of Nero Wolfe. Archie Goodwin drove the Taconic often. i wish the Nero Wolfe books would make their way to Kindle.

Close to 3000 words today ... a personal record.

I forgot to keep track of my chapters, so I went back and counted the pages/chapter. Boy am I way off. But that's for the first edit.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I refused to go to a doctor.  I was stubborn nd an ass. The reason I wound up with a doctor was I finally had to (and I dodge it yearly) go to an Executive Health Exam as a requirement for my employer. They stopped the examination immediately and told me to seek out a doctore. And then the doctors wouldn;t see me. it took me 2 years to finally get a specialist with a free calender down in Princeton NJ, where I go now. The stupidest thing I've done my life was ignore the frequent urination, the feet tingling and the dry mouth. I knew it was diabetes, but kept denying. I was like those fools who smoke. I have a permenant reminder of my foohness and I "can;t) see it every day. Firtunately, I still have ten toes and ten digits. 

Ed P(ee)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> I refused to go to a doctor. I was stubborn nd an ass. The reason I wound up with a doctor was I finally had to (and I dodge it yearly) go to an Executive Health Exam as a requirement for my employer. They stopped the examination immediately and told me to seek out a doctore. And then the doctors wouldn;t see me. it took me 2 years to finally get a specialist with a free calender down in Princeton NJ, where I go now. The stupidest thing I've done my life was ignore the frequent urination, the feet tingling and the dry mouth. I knew it was diabetes, but kept denying. I was like those fools who smoke. I have a permenant reminder of my foohness and I "can;t) see it every day. Firtunately, I still have ten toes and ten digits.
> 
> Ed P(ee)


Good grief, Ed!!  I hate going to the doctor, but not quite that much...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, for the last eight years, the doctor has been my friend. Well, friends. Folding down my computer and hitting the road. McLean/Vienna VA, here I come. The first American author to do a public reading on a Kindle DX. Amazon tech support stayed on with me yesterday answer dozens of technical questions just to assure success with this venture. They were quite supportive of the event. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Ed be sure someone takes pictures for you to share with us when you get back. . . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yep. I'll ask. They're suppose to be recording it and getting me a DVD. Those were their arrangements back in January when they first contacted me. If so, I'll try also to tap one of my fellow author-IT gurus, like Greg Banks or Jeff Hepple to se how I can get a portion of tat up on YouTube.

I just arrived at the Embassy Suites in Vienna, VA and it's nicely appointed for the $250.00 a night (I'm getting $50.00 buck off on the Booz llen Hamilton disount. It's a good thing they're paying me the equivalent of 2 months salary at my day job).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> I just arrived at the Embassy Suites in Vienna, VA and it's nicely appointed for the $250.00 a night (I'm getting $50.00 buck off on the Booz llen Hamilton disount. It's a good thing they're paying me the equivalent of 2 months salary at my day job).


Hey, I used to work for them - for 11 months. Then I went back to the government! 

Good luck & have fun, Ed!


----------



## Jeff

edwpat said:


> If so, I'll try also to tap one of my fellow author-IT gurus, like Greg Banks or Jeff Hepple to se how I can get a portion of tat up on YouTube.


Not a problem. Break a leg.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff:



Ed


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, as Ed heads out to make some DX history, my pathetic word count as of today is 900! We got a bit of a late start, then went on a 2-hr walk. Plus I had to order a Kindle 2! LOL! But I'm now trying to make up for it a bit...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, as Ed heads out to make some DX history, my pathetic word count as of today is 900! We got a bit of a late start, then went on a 2-hr walk. Plus I had to order a Kindle 2! LOL! But I'm now trying to make up for it a bit...


My pathetic word count for today is 0. So my pathetic word count is more pathetic than your pathetic word count. 

*Ed,* good luck today. We'll look forward to the vid.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My pathetic word count is only 250, and it shouldn;t be that. I didn my "primer trick" to assure that I write today, eventhough siezed by a great laziness. The primer is the writing of just one or two lines and then leave it. It helps when you get back to it. elll, it spralled to 250 words. It's a big primer for this evening after a naps (4 hour drive) and din-din.

Ed P(rimer)


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Mike. . . .you DID order through KindleBoards didn't you? . . . . . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Mike. . . .you DID order through KindleBoards didn't you? . . . . . . .


Aye!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You know, I've woalked about in public with my Kindle 1 for 18 months now, and have never been asked once "what the hell is that?" Tonight I went to dinner in the hotel wih the Kindle DX, and you'd think I was an Amazon sales rep. I sat in the attrium and was accosted by no less than 3 people, one saying "I sthat one of those new things from Amazon." Damn, I couldn;t read. Just ave deminstrations. Amazon, I want a commission.   I also think, when it comes to certain things, size matters and Amazon has a winner on their hands.

Ed Patterson

PS: I just got confirmation that tomorrow's thing-madoo, will be recorded.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> You know, I've woalked about in public with my Kindle 1 for 18 months now, and have never been asked once "what the hell is that?" Tonight I went to dinner in the hotel wih the Kindle DX, and you'd think I was an Amazon sales rep. I sat in the attrium and was accosted by no less than 3 people...


LOL! We've been accosted almost everywhere we've been: restaurants, the airport, on the plane. It's gotten to the point where we're surprised when we're out somewhere and nobody asks! 

And yeah, I agree we ought to get commissions!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 3,000 words today. Not too bad. On chapter 19, page 232...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I just went to breakfast and felt like a modern Oliver Welndell Holmes - got my Omelet and a hot piping cup of black coffee and then wipped out my Kindle DX, downloaded the New York Times and st reading about Ahmound LookIHaveRabbitEars and istened to the ooohs and ahhs and the Mommy, what does that man have. I didn't give one demonstration and took no bows.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

You know, the DX is so much bigger, I think it IS going to get more notice when used in public.  You'll have to let us know what your audience thinks of it at your reading. . . . break a leg.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Ann:

I'm practicing now and will head ove at 12:30. I'm going to make a big deal about using the DX. I'm going to leave it in the bag (I have a nice coverbag from a different electronic toy), lift the book up for the reading and then say something like: "No, wait. why use  book when I have my brand new, just released Kindle DX." Ooohh ahh fireworks, cue the music, play some Elgar, throw some rice (and not Ann Rice) and then, the blane thing will pobabaly conk out and I'll need to tell that joke about the Ludite and the farmer's daughter.


Ed P


----------



## Ann in Arlington

O.K.  Don't get too carried away!  LOL. . . . . might be better to act like reading from a Kindle is just THE most natural thing in the world!    (But you're smart to have a back up plan in case technology fails you!)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> You know, the DX is so much bigger, I think it IS going to get more notice when used in public. You'll have to let us know what your audience thinks of it at your reading. . . . break a leg.


So size *does* matter?!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, 23rds through the read, the Kindle DX broght up a different book, all on its own. I had waned my authience before hand o I stopped. Said: "I did it." Then, I managed to get back to the portion of the reading I was doing. I may have said, in my bsst Brbra Streisand voice, "Well, welcome back, gorgeous." I see whne I see the recording. In any event , it went over well. They loved my impression of Sarah Borden. I pretty much acted out the denouement of the book. What was strange was that I couldn;t see most of my audience becuase thy were on computers in 30 offices around the country. Anyway, it all went well. They were happy. Heading home tom orrow morning.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> So size *does* matter?!


Definitely.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

edwpat said:


> Well, 23rds through the read, the Kindle DX broght up a different book, all on its own...


Sounds like the ghost in the machine! Congrats, though - that was cool!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, the bad news is I have written 0 words today and unlikely to as I'm ooh sooooo tired. The good news is I'm a semi-finalist in The Boogles' Page One contest for Cutting the Cheese. (Now saw that three times, and I'll say no I haven't won a


Spoiler



farting


 contest).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Deliberately not writing a thing today.  I have some points to clarify and the last bit that I wrote was clogged with details.  

Cleansing the brain with some mindless computer games.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Deliberately not writing a thing today. I have some points to clarify and the last bit that I wrote was clogged with details.
> 
> Cleansing the brain with some mindless computer games.


Okay, you play while Ed cuts the cheese (figuratively speaking! LOL!). In the meantime, Tesh-Dar's got the seven-barbed whip out and is giving some folks a thrashin'...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, you play while Ed cuts the cheese (figuratively speaking! LOL!). In the meantime, Tesh-Dar's got the seven-barbed whip out and is giving some folks a thrashin'...


<shudder>


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, you play while Ed cuts the cheese (figuratively speaking! LOL!). In the meantime, Tesh-Dar's got the seven-barbed whip out and is giving some folks a thrashin'...


Spoiler! Tesh-Dar's supposed to be dead.

EDIT: Or was she? I'm so confused.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Spoiler! Tesh-Dar's supposed to be dead.
> 
> EDIT: Or was she? I'm so confused.


Two Words: Pre Quel


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Two Words: Pre Quel


Ah-ha. I thought they were Se Quel. Anyway, who knows what evil lurks in the mind of Michael Hicks?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Ah-ha. I thought they were Se Quel. Anyway, who knows what evil lurks in the mind of Michael Hicks?


Hey, my mind can't be too evil: it only has a single brain cell!

But yes, pre-quel action going on here, at the start of the Human-Kreelan War (about 100 years before the events of IHN). So Tesh-Dar is her sprightly Herculean self, and her sister, the Empress, is on the throne. As of chapter 19, human forces sent to defend the Kreelans' first target planet are taking a real beating. The Kreelans are getting zapped by the boatload, as well, but they seem to enjoy that sort of thing...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hmm, bad news: our eldest started hurling this morning. Good news: I had to leave work to come home and watch him (nothing serious, just think he had an upset stomach) while Jan went to lead her fit club this morning. Bummer, having to stay home again... 

BTW - 1300 words yesterday...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> BTW - 1300 words yesterday...


_The Treasure of La Malinche Volume 3_ now has nearly 5,000 words. The hard part has been providing enough information to someone who has not read the previous volumes without boring those who have. I think it will go faster now.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

kreelanwarrior said:


> Hmm, bad news: our eldest started hurling this morning.


Just so long as he's not hurling his new pre-owned Kindle. . . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> _The Treasure of La Malinche Volume 3_ now has nearly 5,000 words. The hard part has been providing enough information to someone who has not read the previous volumes without boring those who have. I think it will go faster now.


Yay, Jeff!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Just so long as he's not hurling his new pre-owned Kindle. . . . .


Fortunately he made it to the great porcelain telephone in time. Of course, I think his preferred alternate target would most likely be his younger brother...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> _The Treasure of La Malinche Volume 3_ now has nearly 5,000 words. The hard part has been providing enough information to someone who has not read the previous volumes without boring those who have. I think it will go faster now.


Can't do a 200 page prologue, huh?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Can't do a 200 page prologue, huh?


Hey, if they want that, they should read the first books!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Too pooped to pop, but I will say:

Sequel is a misnomer used currently for the next installment of a novel or movie - but there's no such thing. Sequel or more properly, sequelling is an author's technique whereby the character or characters react to an event, usually at the beginning of a subsequent chapter. The pattern being - Setup + Buildup + Event = Chapter. Sequel + segue and then new buildup. Anyway, I'm fading. I must sequel the events of the last two days and they will definitely be a snooooooore. BTW, I never refer to my series books as sequels. Series should be considered integrally as a "whole - the sum of its parts," not a chain of recycled characters and topics. Faaaading! Yawnnnn. Oh, I see you're yawing too. 

Edward C. Pat . . ter . . so . . . . . ---- zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Hey, if they want that, they should read the first books!


You got that right!!!!



edwpat said:


> Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Too pooped to pop, but I will say:
> 
> Sequel is a misnomer used currently for the next installment of a novel or movie - but there's no such thing. Sequel or more properly, sequelling is an author's technique whereby the character or characters react to an event, usually at the beginning of a subsequent chapter. The pattern being - Setup + Buildup + Event = Chapter. Sequel + segue and then new buildup. Anyway, I'm fading. I must sequel the events of the last two days and they will definitely be a snooooooore. BTW, I never refer to my series books as sequels. Series should be considered integrally as a "whole - the sum of its parts," not a chain of recycled characters and topics. Faaaading! Yawnnnn. Oh, I see you're yawing too.
> 
> Edward C. Pat . . ter . . so . . . . . ---- zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, peeps, while Ed is recovering, my word count today is 4200. Chapter 19 is done. Much mayhem. More is coming (along with my Kindle 2!)...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I woke up, went out for a lousy senior citizen special of meat loaf, came home and wrote 2,452 words (those last 2 words were a pip). Not a landslide, but at least the day wasn't a waste. I mean to have this book (Look Away Silence) in reader's hands by the last week of July, the first week of August. Tomorrow I'll pick up from Peg, about 10,000 words of her editing he had while I was away in VA. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

kreelanwarrior said:


> my word count today is 4200.


Gak! Oh how I wish...


----------



## Susan in VA

edwpat said:


> Sequel is a misnomer used currently for the next installment of a novel or movie - but there's no such thing. Sequel or more properly, sequelling is an author's technique whereby the character or characters react to an event, usually at the beginning of a subsequent chapter. The pattern being - Setup + Buildup + Event = Chapter. Sequel + segue and then new buildup.


Interesting! Thank you for clarifying that. Since it's used in the "next installment" sense so often, I looked it up to see whether that was perhaps an additional accepted usage, and it was in fact listed, but only in third place, after what you described. Learn something new on KB every day....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,000 word today so far. Back on my stride, and also applied edits from Peg's review of 10,000 words I left her when I went to Virginia. Don't know whether I can write anymore of Look Away Silence today. The work shakes me to my mothercore and brings back memories that have already crept into my sleeping world. Might switch to The Nan Tu tonight.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff found some continuity problems in the chapters I sent him, so I've been busy working on that.  Figured I might as well go through everything I've done and do some fixing up.  So, nothing added at the end, but additions have been made to the first four chapters.  I feel like it's coming together.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I feel like it's coming together.


It's going to be great.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> It's going to be great.


Yeah, it is, isn't it.


----------



## Dave Dykema

That feeling of things coming together is great, isn't it?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> That feeling of things coming together is great, isn't it?


When it's good, it's very very good, and when it is bad, it is horrid.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Folks, I just posted a snippet in the snippet thread, and I decided to go with the opening paragraph to the new book - Look Away Silence, if any one is interested. Besides my strange use of 1st person in The Academician, this is the first book I've written in a long time in 1st person, and will be the first one I have ever published in 1st person. For what it's worth - - - it's in the snippet challege zone.

Edward C. Patterson

BTW, when I was introduced in Virginia, the host referenced my biography (very acessible thing that), but then started going into some details I don't include in the bio . . . including that "Mr. Patterson gets into his writing zone by eating apricot veronas and chocolate Milanos." To think that discussion began here on Kindleboards and stalked me to Virginia.   No wonder I'm a diabetic. It's my Pepperidge Farm habit.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Hey gang, I've just posted on the Snippet thread too.  It's from a work in progress called "The Price Of Everything," which made it to the semifinals in the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Award contest. I set it aside, and thanks to kind people like Geoff, I've gotten back into it.

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> That feeling of things coming together is great, isn't it?


Ack! I feel like I've descended into unbridled chaos in IHN: First Contact. Oh, wait, it's supposed to be about the start of a war. Nevermind...


----------



## Thumper

I did not write yesterday.
I did not write today.
Well, unless a meaningless Facebook update counts.

OTOH, I did break 41 million in Bookworm...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Ack! I feel like I've descended into unbridled chaos in IHN: First Contact. Oh, wait, it's supposed to be about the start of a war. Nevermind...


You thrive on unbridled chaos and major mayhem. 



Thumper said:


> I did not write yesterday.
> I did not write today.
> Well, unless a meaningless Facebook update counts.
> 
> OTOH, I did break 41 million in Bookworm...


And I won three straight games of Monopoly. We're on a roll!!!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> And I won three straight games of Monopoly. We're on a roll!!!


My question is: How did you manage to play 3 games of Monopoly all in one day? In our house they always went on for hours.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey, hey, hey - I just made it to Shakespeare, thus:

"If music be the food of life, play on't." (Which one, folks? Which one?)

Edwardeth C. Patterspeare


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Hey, hey, hey - I just made it to Shakespeare, thus:
> 
> "If music be the food of life, play on't." (Which one, folks? Which one?)
> 
> Edwardeth C. Patterspeare


CONGRATS!!!! Hey this isn't off-topic... 'cause I AM supporting you... RIIIIGHT?


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Ann in Arlington said:


> My question is: How did you manage to play 3 games of Monopoly all in one day? In our house they always went on for hours.


Ours too.... I NEVER win... I H*TE Monopoly!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ann in Arlington said:


> My question is: How did you manage to play 3 games of Monopoly all in one day? In our house they always went on for hours.


I never play monopoly at home because my daughter cheats. 

I picked up the computer game a couple of weeks ago, and I play against it. I've learned it's strategy and I can usually get around it. So, three games in two days, and I usually end up playing for a bit and then saving the game until later.

Big Congrates, Ed. Fireworks later. Gotta run.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Hey, hey, hey - I just made it to Shakespeare, thus:
> 
> "If music be the food of life, play on't." (Which one, folks? Which one?)
> 
> Edwardeth C. Patterspeare


"Give me an excess of it"

(Twelfth Night, Act 1 Scene 1)

(except it's 'love' not 'life' . . . . at least in most translations I've seen)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Correctimundo, Orsini.   Now I've just come back from the tailors having ordered my balloon troussers, my feathered cap and had my quill renibbed. 

Ed P


----------



## Thumper

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> And I won three straight games of Monopoly. We're on a roll!!!


I bow to your awesomeness...I never win at Monopoly.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> ...and had my quill renibbed.


Ow! That sounds painful! 

I think I did somewhere around 2400 words last night. Was up late and am paying for it now! Pooh...


----------



## Susan in VA

Ann in Arlington said:


> (except it's 'love' not 'life' . . . . at least in most translations I've seen)


Ann, surely you don't want a "Misquoting Shakespeare" thread? There are at least three incidences on KB so far...


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> and had my quill renibbed.


Not only painful, Mike, but it also sounds like it ought to be in a spoiler block.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I live for love and love to live, but I think since the "i" and the "o" are next to each other and that I have only one eye (or eno eye), I think it was typo.  

Ed P


----------



## Susan in VA

Just don't go correcting this one.  

And congratulations on getting your new star!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

My assumption was that Ed had been quoting a non-standard translation. I gather the man (Willie S, not Ed) didn't write very neatly, many of the plays were transcribed by other folks from performances and passed down and down, and even when they got printed up in 1623 into a 'Folio', well, that was done from cast scripts and what with v sometimes meaning w and f and s getting confused in the printing -- not to mention the 'spell as you feel' culture, well, who knows if what we have now IS exactly what the man wrote.  (And we are NOT getting into the "but did he really write them" discussion!)

But, so what?

"that which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet."

(Full disclosure: I had an excellent Shakespeare course in college with a most excellent professor, and, though I did know exactly where Ed's quote was from (I actually have it on a fruit bowl, go figure) I did look it up to be sure _I_ wasn't the one remembering wrong. )


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Ann in Arlington said:


> My assumption was that Ed had been quoting a non-standard translation.


The word 'translation' struck me funny. 

For an interesting exercise, one should try 'translating' Hamlet's famous suicide speech in modern English. ("Oh man, should I off myself or not?" etc.)

Music as the food of life, not love, wouldn't work in the the context of the play to which the line belongs. Not getting shirty, just saying.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Translation is a legitimate term here considering Bowdlerization:

"If you will be advised,
You should read them Bowdlerized."
                  -- W. S. Gilbert
                      "rincess Ida or Castel damant


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Carolyn Kephart said:


> The word 'translation' struck me funny.
> 
> For an interesting exercise, one should try 'translating' Hamlet's famous suicide speech in modern English. ("Oh man, should I off myself or not?" etc.)
> 
> Music as the food of life, not love, wouldn't work in the the context of the play to which the line belongs. Not getting shirty, just saying.
> 
> CK


Well, yeah, it's not 'technically' translation, is it? Maybe transcription would be a better word?

And I agree the word 'life' makes no sense, but a sloppy person might not care.

NOT saying Ed is sloppy! 

Saying I wouldn't be surprised to see an edition where that's what it says. But Ed already said it was a typo, which connection I didn't make because it _was_ an actual word. . . . .hmmm, after the 'bum' vs 'bump' incident I'm beginning to wonder if he really does this on purpose just to keep us on our toes!!!!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Translation is a legitimate term here considering Bowdlerization:
> 
> "If you will be advised,
> You should read them Bowdlerized."
> -- W. S. Gilbert
> "rincess Ida or Castel damant


Bowdler snipped what he found offensive (he even removed references to corns on ladies' feet), but didn't alter the text.

I once watched Zeffirelli's version of 'Romeo and Juliet' dubbed in Italian, which reduced that great play to a soap opera. No wonder Tolstoy, who couldn't read English, thought Shakespeare banal and paltry. The Bard's language was magical, and without it the plot collapses like a house of cards.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ed, shloppy. I won't hear abaout itt. Nehver hahppinedt.

Ed appertsno


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I once watched Zeffirelli's version of 'Romeo and Juliet' dubbed in Italian, which reduced that great play to a soap opera...


I can't remember if it was Zeffirelli's version or not, but my most vivid memory of Romeo and Juliet "on screen" was when I was in 8th grade. They bussed the whole lot of us from the school district to a theater to see the movie in a completely vain effort to instill a bit of culture in us. There was a scene at one point where the two are in bed, and then she rolls over toward the camera, momentarily exposing her bared chest: the entire theater erupted in pandemonium, with a bazillion paper wads shooting up into the projected light with rubber bands. It was like fireworks (with enough noise from screaming to match).

Talk about casting pearls before swine. But it was a grand old time...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

That was the Zefferelli Romeo & Juliet. I remember because the naked man in bed with Juliet was Michael York & the Juliet was played by Kathrine Hepburn's niece, forget her first name, but last name was Houghton (Kate Hepburn was related to the publishing empire).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Buwahahahaaaa! I'll get a payout from Mobipocket this month! And IHN is still ranking between 4 and 6 in the Sci-Fi category, and *18* on the Mobi bestsellers list! We'll be able to afford another trip to Maggie Moos pretty soon...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That was the Zefferelli Romeo & Juliet. I remember because the naked man in bed with Juliet was Michael York & the Juliet was played by Kathrine Hepburn's niece, forget her first name, but last name was Houghton (Kate Hepburn was related to the publishing empire).


OMG, that was Michael York? Wow. I always remember him from Logan's Run...

Oh, and congrats on your Shakespeare-dom. In my semi-incoherent state this evening, I couldn't figure out what the heck you guys were talking about! LOL!


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That was the Zefferelli Romeo & Juliet. I remember because the naked man in bed with Juliet was Michael York & the Juliet was played by Kathrine Hepburn's niece, forget her first name, but last name was Houghton (Kate Hepburn was related to the publishing empire).


Olivia Hussey was Juliette. Michael York played Tybalt. Leonard Whiting was Romeo.

Katharine Houghton (Hepburn's Niece) played the daughter (Joey?) in _Guess Who's Coming to Dinner_.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Olivia Hussey was Juliette. Michael York played Tybalt. Leonard Whiting was Romeo.


Ah! Yes. I remember Olivia Hussey's name. That's definitely the one!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> OMG, that was Michael York? Wow. I always remember him from Logan's Run...


Um...Michael York played Tybalt in Zeff's R&J, and was simply amazing. I watched the movie mainly for his performance, and for John McEnery as Mercutio, who was equally outstanding. Oh, and Juliet's nurse, who was devastatingly funny.

Olivia Hussey (no relation to Kate Hepburn, although she did marry Dean Martin's son) played Juliet; Leonard Whiting was Romeo. Neither of them did anything significant after that film, compared to York and McEnery. Olivia was only 15 when she played Juliet, and Whiting only 16, so their momentary in-the-buff scenes would cause conniptions nowadays.

Edited: Jeff beat me to the punch with some of this info...I'll never win at 'Jeopardy'...

CK
Who was almost a Shakespeare scholar, then decided to go for Baroque


----------



## geoffthomas

As I recall the teenage nudity DID cause canniptions at the time.

didn't they?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> As I recall the teenage nudity DID cause canniptions at the time.


It certainly did for our class! LOL!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

geoffthomas said:


> As I recall the teenage nudity DID cause canniptions at the time.
> 
> didn't they?


Come to think of it... 

As I recall, Romeo shocked me a _lot_ more than Juliet in that scene.

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, peeps: 1800 words today. Would've made more, but we were on sort of an extended conference call on a totally unrelated subject. Up to nine pages already for chapter 20 of IHN: First Contact!


----------



## Susan in VA

Ann in Arlington said:


> I gather the man (Willie S, not Ed) didn't write very neatly, many of the plays were transcribed by other folks from performances and passed down and down, and even when they got printed up in 1623 into a 'Folio', well, that was done from cast scripts and what with v sometimes meaning w and f and s getting confused in the printing -- not to mention the 'spell as you feel' culture, well, who knows if what we have now IS exactly what the man wrote.


Somehow it never occurred to me that there would have been many transcriptions over the years, and errors were bound to creep in (as with other oft-copied older writings), and so there could in fact be several versions in existence without any proof which was the correct one. Of course that does explain (in part) why he's supposedly the most misquoted writer ever. People may simply be quoting different versions.... interesting... thank you for pointing that out!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yes, yes - Houghton was in _Guess Who Coming to Dinner?_ And that' right,York was Tybalt. I was so taken by the nudity that I quite forgot stuff. Of course, later Shakespearean films were also butt naked, like the open full frontal group splash in the moat in Much Ado About Nothing - and the Christian bales romping naked in Midsummer Nights Dream. And then, there's Judy Dench's completely topless Midsummer Night's Dream, and that was an oldie. Of course, he recording of Ian McKellan's naked Kind Lear was shot tastefully - but that would be like looking in the mirror for me.

Anyway, I cleared 3,100 words this evening, bring the second of four part of Look way Silence to a close. 66,000 words done, another 60,000 or so to go. This is a short one (I knock out short ones between the megaliths). But I'm in NJ this weekend and so it'll be tough. It's hard for me to write in my official residence.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> It's hard for me to write in my official residence.


What with the amount of writing you do, you must not spend a lot of time at home.

I see that reaching Shakespeare caused you to be more formally named. Can we still call you Ed?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan, yep. I decided to use my brand. You can call me Miss Chatty. I spend evey other weekend at home in New jersey with my Dad. Eventhough I'm in Pennsylvania, I maintain my residence in NJ becuase I have more rights in NJ as a gay man than I do in PA, so I'll always pay taxes, vote, licenses and get all my bills and banking in NJ. I loobied long for NJ rights and I don't think I'll live to see gay civil rights advance in PA further than they are in China. I've paid my dues and don;t have the enery to start over again here in the jeystone state. Besides, the supreme right (marraige) will be granted in NJ within 2 years and on that day I will get over 1,500 hundred rights that I am denied because I cannot marry the peson of my choice ---- including the right . . . to divorce.  

Edward C. Chatty


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> You can call me Miss Chatty.


Ah, that must be what the C stands for... 

1500 legal rights convey with marriage, really? Wow. I had no idea there were that many.

Now, if (when?) NJ passes that law, and if you then choose to wed in the state of NJ, what happens when you return to your de facto residence in PA? Is it recognized, or would PA treat it as a nonexistent marriage? (Treading carefully here -- I don't want to turn this into a political discussion, I know there are strong opinions on all sides of this, but I'm just curious because I'm sometimes puzzled how the different U.S. states can have such different laws and how that works in practice.)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The C is for Cliffe. No recognition in PA, but the chances of me exercise my rights at 62 + is slim, and if I do, it will be a rich docotr and I'll be exercising them back in NJ.

Edward Cliffe Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The C is for Cliffe. No recognition in PA, but the chances of me exercise my rights at 62 + is slim, and if I do, it will be a rich docotr and I'll be exercising them back in NJ.
> 
> Edward Cliffe Patterson


Hmmm... now where did I put the phone number of that nice 61-year-old rich antiques dealer in Maryland who just broke up with his boyfriend last year.... where oh where....

<channeling Yenta>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Has eveyrone seen Amazon's new Discussion group produc link feature?

Ed P


----------



## Leslie

I posted an announcement about the anthology that my novella will be included in at my LiveJournal. You can read it here:

http://lazylfarm.livejournal.com/53530.html?view=289050#t289050

I did some final editing, made changes suggested by Jeff (thanks Jeff!) and my friend Paul and I think...I really think....Our One and Only is done. I can't wait to see it in print. We are working hard on a cover. Hopefully I'll have something to share very soon.

BTW, if anyone wants to friend my LJ, I am LazyLFarm.

L


----------



## Jeff

Leslie said:


> really think....Our One and Only is done.


Ho rah for Leslie. Please keep us updated.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> I posted an announcement about the anthology that my novella will be included in at my LiveJournal. You can read it here:
> 
> http://lazylfarm.livejournal.com/53530.html?view=289050#t289050
> 
> I did some final editing, made changes suggested by Jeff (thanks Jeff!) and my friend Paul and I think...I really think....Our One and Only is done. I can't wait to see it in print. We are working hard on a cover. Hopefully I'll have something to share very soon.
> 
> BTW, if anyone wants to friend me LJ, I am LazyLFarm.
> 
> L


Wow, Leslie. Congratulations. Lots of military history, too?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've been working on some suggestions made by Jeff, and some minor but significant changes have made a big difference.  (Thanks again, Jeff)  Still a bit of tweaking to do, but I'm up to 52K+.  Only another 48K to go.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie - that's awesome!  

Gertie - great going! Keep the wordage flowing!

Ed - I owe you a PM: will get back to you on that tomorrow. Too much running around this evening, haven't had much of a chance to do much but eat and exercise (tonight was an absolute killer workout - ow!), and now have to get cleaned up to go out and see a 10pm showing of Wolverine. 

I'm hoping to maybe get in at least a few words late tonight - hate to go a day without any writing at all. And I'm close to the end of chapter 20. Ack!


----------



## Leslie

Jeff said:


> Ho rah for Leslie. Please keep us updated.


Thanks Jeff, I will keep everyone updated...

L


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Wow, Leslie. Congratulations. Lots of military history, too?


I did tons of researching but only 10% of what I learned ended up in the story. But some of the other stories have more history. They are all good, though...

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Mike. Looking forward.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Has eveyrone seen Amazon's new Discussion group produc link feature?
> 
> Ed P


No.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

When promoting your books on the Amazon genre promotion and shameless plug threads (there are some 30 of them - which you can use with care), yo can use a NEW feature added by Amazon yesterday which allows for a hyperlink to your product page. Before now, you had to include an unlinked url. Now, LINK and direct passage to the goods.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Edward C. Patterson said:


> When promoting your books on the Amazon genre promotion and shameless plug threads (there are some 30 of them - which you can use with care), yo can use a NEW feature added by Amazon yesterday which allows for a hyperlink to your product page. Before now, you had to include an unlinked url. Now, LINK and direct passage to the goods.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Good to know, Ed. Thanks!
Debra


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No wordage today - but we did see Wolverine! Most excellent - have to add that to our Blu-Ray collection! BTW, is that "the" Hugh?  

Tomorrow, however, I plan to hammer out the rest of chapter 20: I'm 10 pages into it and need to find out what happens. Darn fingers, anyway! 

Okay, beddy-bye time...Zzzz...


----------



## Leslie

Yes, that is "the" Hugh.

Okay, I need an opinion.

Hiccupping vs. hiccuping

According to Word, hiccupping is correct. According to the spell check here, hiccuping is correct. According to the dictionary, either one is correct. 

Which version do people think looks best?


----------



## Susan in VA

My vote is for two p's. It would follow the standard rules.

And you wouldn't write "she was _cuping_ her hands around the mug of coffee to keep warm".


----------



## Jeff

How about hiccough?


----------



## Leslie

Okay, thanks, Susan. I thought hiccupping looked better, too. 

Another one: sizeable vs. sizable

According to the dictionary, sizable is correct and sizeable is a variant.

Thoughts?


----------



## Leslie

Jeff said:


> How about hiccough?


I thought of that but I think hiccup has become more common ...sort of like donut vs. doughnut

L


----------



## Leslie

And another:

And Spinoza was a Sergeant.

Should Sergeant be capitalized or lower case? Someone said that ranks are only capitalized when used with a person's name, ie, Sergeant Spinoza, but otherwise, lower case.

L


----------



## Ann in Arlington

a bout of hiccups 

But here's what Miriam Webster on line says:

Main Entry:
2hiccup 
Variant(s):
also hiccough 
Function:
intransitive verb 
Inflected Form(s):
hic·cuped also hic·cupped; hic·cup·ing also hic·cup·ping
Date:
circa 1580

: to make a hiccup ; also : to be affected with hiccups

Here's the website since the formatting didn't come over.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hiccuping


----------



## Jeff

Leslie said:


> I thought of that but I think hiccup has become more common ...sort of like donut vs. doughnut


You're right. Hiccup is first in my wife's medical dictionary. Hiccough does, however, eliminate any issue with adding _ING_.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

The sizeable/sizable question has to do with ordinary usage.  Keeping the e in is more common in British English, leaving it out is more common in American English.  Neither is incorrect.


----------



## Jeff

Leslie said:


> And another:
> 
> And Spinoza was a Sergeant.
> 
> Should Sergeant be capitalized or lower case? Someone said that ranks are only capitalized when used with a person's name, ie, Sergeant Spinoza, but otherwise, lower case.


Sergeant Spinoza was a sergeant.


----------



## Leslie

Jeff said:


> Sergeant Spinoza was a sergeant.


Great, thanks!


----------



## Susan in VA

Ann in Arlington said:


> The sizeable/sizable question has to do with ordinary usage. Keeping the e in is more common in British English, leaving it out is more common in American English. Neither is incorrect.


Is that the same for judgemental/judgmental? The former is what I automatically write, every time, and Word complains about it. Is that just a UK/US thing too?


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I expect so. . . .


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> Is that the same for judgemental/judgmental? The former is what I automatically write, every time, and Word complains about it. Is that just a UK/US thing too?


I don't know if it US/UK but I can tell you, it took me years to train myself to write judgmental. Even now, I want to put the e in there and I always have to delete it.

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I never thought about it, but that's an interesting line of discussion - I keep coming up on those same things (leave in the "e" or not). I naturally want to type it *with* the "e", but then the spell-checker whines about it and I go back and take the "e" out. And yeah, "judgmental" just looks wrong, doesn't it??

Here's another one (where's Sailor?): marine vs. Marine. It would seem to be the same sort of thing as "sergeant" vs. "Sergeant," but from what I could find (although I make no claim that I've done any great in-depth research!) "marine" is typically used for sea-related terminology, whereas "Marine" is, well, a Marine (as in USMC). Regardless, even if I wasn't supposed to capitalize Marine, I would anyway - the Corps rocks!  

Okay, 1900 words so far today - hopefully closing in on the end of chapter 20...


----------



## Leslie

I still think hiccuping looks wrong so I am going to use two p's.

And yes, marine refers to the sea or the color (marine blue) while a Marine would be the military guy. That's the way I am writing it, at least.

L


----------



## Jeff

Which brings me to a point of confusion regarding the capitalization of military organizations. Is it correct to capitalize Army (Navy, Air Force, etc.) when speaking of US forces only?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's the Army, when referring to the organization. It is the army or an army, when referring to a mass of fatigue clad personnel march or charging at an enemy. 

I still have a judgement and judgment hang up from my singing days, when the director would insist we sing "jud-ja-ment" day.

Now why I insist that those electrical bolts thrown by Thor or Zeus is lightening instead of lightning, I don't know, but I have a few of those still out there in print that neither I or Peg caught. (Spellcheck won't catch that one).

Edward C. Patterson
PS: If I'm brave enough to have the past/passed conversation, I might have that next time)
PSS: I'm Joisey and haven;t written a word. I might take a vacation this weekend because between 3 interviews, 4 guest blog opportunities, 4 promo web deals, 2 contest sponsorships, my own website update, a blurb and a partridge in a peartree (pairtree he he), I have the cyclical thing call "Indie Authors Atrophocation" where the publishing functions o'ertake the creative functions as surely as the lightening (lightning) o'ertakes the storm. It's a good thing, but for an aging, half-blind Poet/Scribbler, it sometimes feels like judgment/judgement passed/past.


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie said:


> it took me years to train myself to write judgmental.


You're ahead of me...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Since we sort of touched on a military theme, I thought I'd bring this up. I was doing a bit of on-line research into tactical hand signals and found an interesting YouTube video that turned out to be more (in a humorous way) than I'd expected...


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> PS: If I'm brave enough to have the past/passed conversation, I might have that next time)


<shaking head sadly> Ed, I'm sorry but that's going to be a LONG discussion. 

<sorry, couldn't resist...>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Frankly, I leave the passed/past question up t my editor Peg. She's mad about it, becuase I took advice from some readers and other authors on this issue and went back and made changes, and thus I changed some of her correct usage to other people's incorrect usage. Thus I have come to the conclusion that there a many opinions on the passed/past issue. From the Third Peregrination onward, I haven't changed a passed/past that Peg corrected, and I have called it PEG'S law. Although how peaople pass each other without


Spoiler



anal lubricants


, I can't tell. And I'm not going to have the


Spoiler



gerbil


 discussion.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thus I have come to the conclusion that there a many opinions on the passed/past issue.


Yes, there are two. The right one and the wrong one.


----------



## Leslie

kreelanwarrior said:


> Since we sort of touched on a military theme, I thought I'd bring this up. I was doing a bit of on-line research into tactical hand signals and found an interesting YouTube video that turned out to be more (in a humorous way) than I'd expected...


Hahahahaha, I actually use shut up alot!

Thanks, Mike!

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 3700 words so far today...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan in VA said:


> Yes, there are two. The right one and the wrong one.


Peg uses the right one, I use whatever one. But I'm getting better at chosing (chooooooosing) the right one more and more. When in doyubt, say: He walked beyond the gate. That would be a tough thing to pass - a gate, especially if it were a pickett one.

My other famous (infamous) confustables are pail/pale - peak/peek/ and pique (yes, Virginia there are three peeaiques like the mountains in San Marino) and the ever popular loose/lose/shoes (well no, I haver misspelled shoes, but I have misspelled - mispell).

My mentot W.S. Gilbert misspelled shoes.

He who draws the lowest
Becomes a legal gho-est,
For he who looses
Fills the winner's shoeses.

- The Grand Duke

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My other famous (infamous) confustables


In all honesty, unlike some books which merely have run-of-the-mill formatting problems or boringly common grammar issues, your quirks are often entertaining, like when you use past/passed five times on one page and chooooose the "other" one each time... I swear you do it on purpose, just to make your readers tear their hair out!  Infamous indeed.

My favorite was when you had one of your characters correct another's grammar, when in fact it was already correct.  I spent a long time wondering whether that was intentional or not. I never could quite decide.

There's some short story in which the bad guy gets found out because he consistently misspells a particular word in the same odd way. So just be aware that your writing will always be identifiable.... if you ever write a ransom note, don't ask for the money to be "past" to you in small bills.  Your readers will know.


Spoiler



But if you keep writing captivating books, we might not turn you in.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Remeber the Jade Owl Seres also went through extensive beta-reader testing. And the best one caught (and of course corrected) is when Little Cricket


Spoiler



pissed


 his pants. In the beta copy he


Spoiler



pissed


 his paints. The ever vigilent Blue Goddess asked me if it was in rainbow colors. And yes, you'll never know whether I'm being tricky or stupid. I'm just so good at it. he he BTW, such problems have virtually disappeared in later books, because I have installed a sticter system, esepcially when it comes to commas.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Although how peaople pass each other without
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> anal lubricants
> 
> 
> , I can't tell. And I'm not going to have the
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> gerbil
> 
> 
> discussion.
> Edward C. Patterson


Amen to that, Edward, if you're an Amen kind of guy. Looks like you have the same trouble as almost every English-speaking man, woman and child alive today. Certain words just pass... errr, past... uhhh... passed by me when I was doing them there spelling bees in grade school and I larnt them wrong. Hard to get them out of my head. My problem (OK, _one_ of my problems) is the difference between the words 'quite' and 'quiet'. I know very well the difference and yet my fingers seem to have their own ideas. My Editor: Miss Mayellen Merriweather the third (ha! that monicker will get her goat ) loves to rub that one in quiet often. And quiet frankly I can't get her to be quite about it.


----------



## Leslie

So I thought my novella was done...DONE!...and I sent it off to some Omega readers (I figure I am past the beta stage) and one of them had some very insightful and substantive comments, which got me editing again. So now my question is: did she make her comments because the book is really close to being done and thus, these issues stuck out like sore thumbs or... she's just really smart and insightful? I'm not sure and I don't know that I'll ever know. It is just something I am pondering. Meanwhile (in separate posts, wait for them, they are coming), I'll post one section in the original and one in the revised, and you guys can tell me which is better.

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, all - for those of you who use Twitter, there's a hash group called #writegoal that's a bunch of authors supporting each other sort of like we've been doing here, although Twitter-style. Anna DeStefano set that up. 

BTW, my Twitter ID - surprise! - is KreelanWarrior if you want to hook up on there. 

So far a full 5000 words today! And stupid chapter 20 still isn't done! The end is in sight, though. I may split it in two, or not...


----------



## Leslie

Here's the original:
_
Baltimore, Maryland, October 1944_

The knock on the door sounded surprisingly loud.

Startled, Audrey Fiske glanced up at the kitchen clock. Ten-ten, Wednesday morning. She wasn't expecting anyone and her neighbors were not in the habit of dropping by unannounced. She finished rinsing her coffee cup and put it in the strainer, drying her hands on her apron.
She walked towards the front door, reflexively smoothing her hair as she glanced in the hall mirror. There was a second knock, as loud as the first.

At the door, she paused, then pushed back the curtain on the window and glanced out, hoping to see who was on the step. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the black and yellow Western Union bicycle parked at the curb.

"George," she called up the stairs. "Can you come down?"

Her oldest son appeared at the top of the stairs. "Of course, Mother. Who's at the door?"

"Please&#8230;" Her voice was strangled, stuck in her throat.

She glanced at the flag hanging in the window. Two blue stars. Was this the moment she had been dreading&#8230;one of the blue stars would turn to gold?

George came down the stairs and stood at the door, his hand resting on the knob. "Mother?" he asked, puzzled, not at all sure what was going on.

"Yes, please, answer it," she said, her voice a whisper.

He opened the door and saw a Western Union delivery man waiting patiently on the stoop. "Telegram, sir. Is this the Fiske residence? It's addressed to Mrs. Harold Fiske." He offered a pale yellow envelope.

"Yes, we're the Fiskes." George signed the receipt and dropped a few coins into the man's hand. "Thank you."

The man tipped his cap and nodded, then turned and headed to the curb where his bicycle stood waiting, a silent sentry.


----------



## Leslie

The revision. Feedback is welcome. (This is the opening page of the story, btw).

_ Baltimore, Maryland, October 1944_

The knock on the door sounded surprisingly loud.

Audrey Fiske plunged her hands into the soapy water. "Who can that be?" she said to herself.

There was a second knock, as loud as the first.

Audrey turned to her son, sitting at the kitchen table, absorbed in the morning paper. "George, dear&#8230;can you please answer the door?"

Startled, he looked up. "Mother?"

She nodded towards the front door. "Someone is pounding on the front door, and I am up to my elbows in soapsuds. Can you answer it, please?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Are we expecting anyone?" he asked. Audrey shook her head no.

He rose quickly from his seat moved through the kitchen. At the door, he paused, then pushed back the curtain on the window and glanced out, hoping to see who was on the step. His heart skipped a beat when she saw the black and yellow Western Union bicycle parked at the curb.

"Mother," he called into the kitchen. "I think we're receiving a telegram."

Audrey froze, then quickly rinsed her hands under the faucet, drying them on her apron. "I'll be right there," she said. She walked towards the door, reflexively smoothing her hair as she passed the hall mirror.

"Do you want to answer it?" he asked.

"No, you go ahead."

George opened the door and saw a Western Union delivery man waiting patiently on the stoop. "Telegram, sir. Is this the Fiske residence? It's addressed to Mrs. Harold Fiske." He offered a pale yellow envelope.

"Yes, we're the Fiskes." George signed the receipt and dropped a few coins into the man's hand. "Thank you."

The man tipped his cap and nodded, then turned and headed to the curb where his bicycle stood waiting, a silent sentry.


----------



## Jeff

Leslie, I like the original better. Why did you change it?

EDIT: Instead of flag in the window, flags might be more accurate. I remember that we had one flag for each family member:


----------



## Dori

I thought the original was more interesting.  However, I do not claim to be a literary critic.    OOPS  sorry. I am not supposed to be on this thread.


----------



## Leslie

Dori said:


> I thought the original was more interesting. However, I do not claim to be a literary critic. OOPS sorry. I am not supposed to be on this thread.


You are always welcome to be in this thread, Dori! LOL.

L


----------



## Leslie

Jeff said:


> Leslie, I like the original better. Why did you change it?


This was the comment that I received from my Omega reader:

The only part of the story that I had a hard time getting into was the beginning. When Audrey realizes WU is at the door, she thinks, someone is dead. Then, sure enough, someone is dead.

For me, it would be more interesting, and pull me into the story, if she was not predicting disaster. If she was annoyed by the doorbell
and it pulled her away from her laundry or getting ready for a party or something. Or if she really was expecting a visitor and opened the
door thinking it was them, then found the WU guy.

I think something like that, starting out with her in a day-to-day mindset and then ripping the rug out from under her feet (and the
reader's) would help draw people in.

Go back and re-read based on this, and tell me what you think.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I like parts of the original, better, because I can feel her emotion and her unwillingness to answer the door.  What I don't like is her asking her son to get the bad news.  Would you do that to your son?  

Okay, she's washing the dishes, there's a knock on the door and she's annoyed, second knock.  "Coming.  I'm coming already."  She's hurrying to the door while drying her hands, and getting more annoyed because she's trailing soapsuds all over the floor.  

She opens the door and there stands the WU guy.  The towel drops from nerveless fingers.  She forces herself to take the telegram and backs into the foyer, closing the door.  

"Mom," yells George.  "Who was at the door?"  

"Mom?"  George walks into the room and sees his mother's stricken expression, the yellow envelope crushed in her hand.

But that's my dramatic way of doing things.  Just my two cents.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Women deferred to men, even their sons, prior to the end of the war.


Not my mother, or even my grandmother.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You win.


Thank you, Linc.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> That's Link, as in the missing.


I always knew you were special.


----------



## Leslie

Okay. Interesting comments. But...without getting into male/female dynamics, what really happened in everyone's life and so on...

Which version is the bigger draw? This is the first page of the book. Which one is going to pull someone into the story and make them keep reading? My Omega reader likes the revised version, as well as my co-publisher. You guys have a different opinion. Thus, feedback welcome.

Writing is an organic process. That's why I enjoy it.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> Okay. Interesting comments. But...without getting into male/female dynamics, what really happened in everyone's life and so on...
> 
> Which version is the bigger draw? This is the first page of the book. Which one is going to pull someone into the story and make them keep reading? My Omega reader likes the revised version, as well as my co-publisher. You guys have a different opinion. Thus, feedback welcome.
> 
> Writing is an organic process. That's why I enjoy it.
> 
> L


My gut still likes the first one better.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie - I also like the first one better. I'm too sleepy right now to really offer a good reason why, but rereading these again the first one his more appeal than the revision. 

Okay, last post for the day: it was a 6,000 word day for me. Finished chapter 20, which - like 19 - was a lot of bloody ground fighting. Think chapter 21 is going to hop back up into the orbital battle...

Until then, it's time to SLEEP!


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Remeber the Jade Owl Seres also went through extensive beta-reader testing. And the best one caught (and of course corrected) is when Little Cricket
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> p*ssed
> 
> 
> his pants. In the beta copy he
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> p*ssed
> 
> 
> his paints. The ever vigilent Blue Goddess asked me if it was in rainbow colors. And yes, you'll never know whether I'm being tricky or stupid. I'm just so good at it. he he BTW, such problems have virtually disappeared in later books, because I have installed a sticter system, esepcially when it comes to commas.


Now I'll have to go check whether my copy says pants or paints. I'm pretty sure I have a very early version.  And yes, it is noticeable that book two has far fewer, um, quirks. Congratulations on the new system, whatever it is.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan, your's says pants. There has been only one version of The Jade Owl published. The beta-copies I did in Lulu with stock covers back in 2007, pre-Kindle and in paper, th 1st three books.

Ed P


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie, another vote here for the original version. (I know I don't belong here either, but nobody's pushed me out the door yet. Although I suspect Ed is close.)

I thought maybe everyone here just liked the original better because they read it _first_.... so I did other stuff for twenty minutes, then read them again in reverse order, and I still like the original better. And I can't explain why either. I think it _may_ have something to do with the fact that the revised version sounds more present-day modern, which seems less suited to the story. But that's just a theory.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

My vote is for the the first version.  So let it be written, so let it be done.


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> There has been only one version of The Jade Owl published.


Good, then it'll be time for a second one soon....  ... please?



Spoiler



If only I had it as a Word document.... <sigh>.... my proofreader's pen is vibrating with a green glow, eager to help....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I like it having readers here watching he process. Especially in this thread where we discuss the nut and bolts that many readers don;t realize happen. BTW Susan, I just started reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman and there are already in the firs hapter more typos than in my entire output. 

Ed P


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The Jade Owl has been through 8 revisions and Peg owns the editing task, and she's 300 pounds and will mud wrestle anyone who comes near to editing. TJO is at the magic 95% and will need to stand for a while as I and Peg have many projects to go (10 books in progress).



Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The Jade Owl has been through 8 revisions and Peg owns the editing task, and she's 300 pounds and will mud wrestle anyone who comes near to editing. TJO is at the magic 95% and will need to stand for a while as I and Peg have many projects to go (10 books in progress).


Oh dear. I'm afraid I don't do mud wrestling, whatever the weight class of the opponent. 

The 95% figure strikes me as odd in the same way that news items that quote the precise number of illegal immigrants strike me as odd. As in, if you know the exact number, why are they still there.... 

But since in the later books apparently you decided to let Peg do her thing without changing stuff later behind her back, I guess I should just shut up now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The number is a traditional publishing submission goal "95%" being "clean" to an acquisition editor. That is a relative number, of course. Also some people count differently. For example, Peg will never futz around with my style quirks, like italics and em dashes, and especially fragments. Authors thrive on fragmentation. Grammarians commit suicide over them. Part of the writing skills for magazine is a phrase like:

"She ate bananas, strawberries and apples."

But for a novelist, a craft point would smash that to hell and on purpose and opt for:

She ate bananas and strawberries and apples and loved to press them between her teeth, savoring the sweet mush as went stomachward.

We create grammatical fingerflips sometimes. As a style point, I follow Stephen King's rule and try not to use adverbs at any cost, and yet have a ball creating an on-purpose Swifty in The Dragon's Pool by adding a dialog tag "Nick said autobiographically." Peg mentioned that one and I said - LET IT STAND. It's a homage to Stephen King.

So when I say 95%, that's a measure of things I have found (and the close-in crowd have found and reported) just after publication in relationship to the number of words (The Jade Owl is 183,543 words long). I keep a running list (and it's relatively short) In fact, the biggest problem I have when getting a novel ready for publication are "commas." So, things like passed/past I miss or contest with my editor (I lose), while things like "a history book" and "an history book", I contest with my editor, and I win.

BTW, Fragmentation, especially one word deals was carefully taught to me by a wonderful agent that I had 2 years ago, who (lousy agent that she was) was a consummate stylist. She worked on my "style," and the first thing to go were complete sentences. The second thing was maintaining style at different paces. I learned so much from her and from a previous editor (


Spoiler



the editor bitch from hell - who is one of my best friends now


) regarding revision work, I published a book on the topic. 

So "clean," in the words of Mundania Press, is music to my ears, and I just wonder if Niel Gaimen will muster 80%. But he's rich and famous.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I like it having readers here watching he process. Especially in this thread where we discuss the nut and bolts that many readers don;t realize happen. BTW Susan, I just started reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman and there are already in the firs hapter more typos than in my entire output.
> 
> Ed P


Thank the Divine Creator and all those other things that people of all beliefs believe in (that's PC) that someone other than myself has editing problems. I think that is the best thing I have learned from this forum. I was so paranoid about my mistakes, my typos and little inconsistencies casting me into the deepest pits of the Wannabe Writer's Abyss, maybe there is still a chance for me.  And yes, I do like having input from the readers because they are my _raison de etre_... that's all wrong... but hey! I don't speak French!


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> style quirks, like italics and em dashes, and especially fragments. Authors thrive on fragmentation. Grammarians commit suicide over them.


There's almost always a clear line between "style quirks" and "wrong". Style quirks are part of what makes one look for more works by the same author. Complete sentences are for nonfiction and term papers. 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> I just wonder if Niel Gaimen will muster 80%. But he's rich and famous.


But unreadable, apparently. At some point (some percentage?), a book is just not worth the frustration of being jarred out of the reading flow too many times. If TJO is 95%, then Gaimen's book at 80% would be well beyond that point for me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm reading Gaimen, because he's a good writer and an excellent author. I just noted his publisher's lack of attention to stuff. There are also , IMHO, no clear lines when it comes to editing an author's style. My style is my brand, after all. I rarely worry about titles, as readers acquire _me_, warts and all. A novel is never finished or at least until I die, so when the public violently turns on my 95% and throws the books down and burns them in piles, I'll apply the short list and get to the holy grail of 98%  I had one book so castigated, and I did rectify the issue, but in that case the majority of readers were irked. I think I've stated that after 1,200 books sold and 100 reviews received, I shall know the moment when I've lauched an editing turkey. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, last post for the day: it was a 6,000 word day for me. Finished chapter 20, which - like 19 - was a lot of bloody ground fighting. Think chapter 21 is going to hop back up into the orbital battle...
> 
> Until then, it's time to SLEEP!


6,000 words. Astounding. I rarely try to push past/passed 4,000, because that's my creative threshold. Wow. I wrote 0 words today (not counting 245,000 words on Kindleboards - just kidding). I had a record 185 emails today and am exhausted. Almost ready to get a secretary, but they would need to work for FREE like Peg, my editor does (a labor of love). My one solace was that my new reader acquisition streak is still running. I have had at least one new reader a day since March 5th for 113 days, and the last few days the new reader came in late in the evening (squeak). Today was good with 12 new readers - but alas, not a word written and I'm going to curl up on the floor - in NJ - no bed, and hope sleep comes.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> There are also , IMHO, no clear lines when it comes to editing an author's style.


Seems to me an author's _style_ shouldn't be edited at all, unless it's confusing to the reader. For example, you like to use italics for key phrases (at least in what I've read so far) -- that's part of your personal style, and not a grammarian's business to mess around with.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> A novel is never finished or at least until I die,


That's one of the great things about e-books. Perhaps eventually they'll do away with this complication of returning a book you buy for a refund in order to then buy the revised version. 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 1,200 books sold and 100 reviews received


Nice numbers!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And 0 refund or returns. Sweet. I like to use italics for key phrases, echoes passages, sounds (onomanopaea [to late to spell it right]), and inflection. It's the inflection use that sometimes gets me a negative comment. I also use it for a change of voice when a change in tense occurs. That's an Uncle Stevie thing, and I follow it.

Peg knows my style so well, she knows where the rocks are to cross the river. She also knows where not to tread. She gave me marketing advice the other day, and all I did was stand there in silence. she handed me the edits for the day and laughed.

ECP
Floor . . . Floor . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 6,000 words. Astounding. I rarely try to push past/passed 4,000, because that's my creative threshold. Wow. I wrote 0 words today (not counting 245,000 words on Kindleboards - just kidding). I had a record 185 emails today and am exhausted...


I don't think I have a creative threshold, it's just a question of how much time I have available and when I physically run outta steam. Time is the biggest factor, of course - while I'm writing lots of new stuff, I'm spending almost no time at all on any promotional activities aside from what I post on here (which isn't all that much, really) and a few tweets and Facebook updates. I have a list of folks I want to query for reviews of the original trilogy; I've got to get _IHN: Confederation_ formatted for ebook publication; I need to get _IHN: Final Battle_ set up for print and ebook; update my web site; *and* update our FitClub web site. Aaaack!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Well, from this day forward I'm putting all my inkslinging effort into revising _Faustine_, a contemporary magic-realism novel I'd written years ago and set aside. Much has changed since I wrote it, including me, so it's being 'tore up from the floor up.' As the title hints, it's the Faust legend from a female perspective, with references to the wife of the Roman emperor Hadrian (the story begins with an archaeological dig at Hadrian's Wall) and by extension the cult of Mithras. A lot of people have told me they'd read this yarn in a heartbeat if I ever published it, so I'm hard at work. Estimated length when completed, 300 pages.

Hadrian left a charming poem famous for its compression, very hard to translate although many have tried (with small success, as the example below indicates; I might try to work up a version of my own for the story):

_Animula vagula blandula 
hospes comesque corporis 
quae nunc abibis 
in loca pallidula rigida nudula 
nec ut soles dabis iocos_

"Little soul, wandering and pale, guest 
and companion of my body, 
you who will now go off to places 
pale, stiff, and barren, nor will you 
make jokes as has been your wont."

Life is good. So far.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carolyn, and when are we going to being our opera thread.   You know, a full blown discussion of the merits of Simon Boccanegra.

Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Carolyn, and when are we going to being our opera thread.  You know, a full blown discussion of the merits of Simon Boccanegra.
> 
> Edwrd C. Patterson


Can't we start with _L'incoronazione di Poppea_?

More Monteverdi than Verdi,

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

We could start with that (although in truth _Orfeo_ would be earlier). My _L'incoranazione di Poppea _ recording is in storage, but I have an abidged DVD (the infamous Gyndeborne performance), which is the only version I've seen. I DO have a complete _Ritorno d'Ulisse a Patria_, but I find that opera a looooong tiring deal. I love Montiverdi and have sung the Vespers and (also in storage) have tutti _I Madrigali_. So we could start there, or we could discuss early Rossini (_L'Ocassione fa il Ladro_ or _La Scala di Seta_ or how about _Sigismondo_). I have an extensive collection of operas on DVD (last count 316 complete - some pretty shoddy, but when you score a Zandonai _The Knights of Ekkebu_, you take what you get). 

Edward C. OperaQueen


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> So we could start there...


Love to, but _Faustine's_ being very demanding. Until she's done, feel free to regale. 

CK

Keeping the thread pertinent by noting that she's going great guns on her revision!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Now where to start it up. Let me think.

Ed P


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Now where to start it up. Let me think.
> 
> Ed P


Perhaps a blog?

CK

Who enjoys blogging, when time permits


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Question, Carolyn. Does Opera effect the structure of your writing like it does mine?

Ed P


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> We could start with that (although in truth _Orfeo_ would be earlier). My _L'incoranazione di Poppea _ recording is in storage, but I have an abidged DVD (the infamous Gyndeborne performance), which is the only version I've seen. I DO have a complete _Ritorno d'Ulisse a Patria_, but I find that opera a looooong tiring deal. I love Montiverdi and have sung the Vespers and (also in storage) have tutti _I Madrigali_. So we could start there, or we could discuss early Rossini (_L'Ocassione fa il Ladro_ or _La Scala di Seta_ or how about _Sigismondo_). I have an extensive collection of operas on DVD (last count 316 complete - some pretty shoddy, but when you score a Zandonai _The Knights of Ekkebu_, you take what you get).
> 
> Edward C. OperaQueen


So, Edward, when you start discussing Mozart's operas, let me know. There's something about Mozart that makes angels cry.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Question, Carolyn. Does Opera effect the structure of your writing like it does mine?
> Ed P


Certainly not consciously, if at all. I can't even listen to music when I write; it interferes with inner harmonies.

CK


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Brendan Carroll said:


> There's something about Mozart that makes angels cry.


Badly done Mozart, for sure. 

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hmmmm. Because Opera (especially the interplay of intimacy during a grand scene) has taught me a great deal. Perhaps I'll write a blog article somewhere and trumpet it ove the networks and see who will bite.

Ed P (Listening to Janacek's_ From the House of the Dead _ currently)


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Hmmmm. Because Opera (especially the interplay of intimacy during a grand scene) has taught me a great deal. Perhaps I'll write a blog article somewhere and trumpet it ove the networks and see who will bite.
> 
> Ed P (Listening to Janacek's_ From the House of the Dead _ currently)


My blog is where I go to talk about the arts, among other things; I scarcely ever mention writing there. Give it a try.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You mean post something on your blog

Ed P


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> You mean post something on your blog
> 
> Ed P


I was encouraging you to create your own blog. *Wysardessence* has comments disabled.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Oh. I could, but I only have five blogsites he he he. Perhaps I'll sing in the shower. _Che gelida manina, se la lasci riscaldar_. 

Eduardo C. Pattersonia


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No new wordage yesterday. Going to TRY and get in some tonight - I feel like I'm going to start losing the thread if I don't get cracking again! Ack!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> No new wordage yesterday. Going to TRY and get in some tonight - I feel like I'm going to start losing the thread if I don't get cracking again! Ack!


Don't lose the thread!!!










I've been editing. Sheesh, you'd think I would know basic punctuation and grammar, but I guess when the creative muse takes hold, the practical side goes to sleep.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Get cracking, man. I need to also. I have a todo list a mile long that's interfering with forward motion. I'm gonna burn the fracking todo list soon.

Ed P

PS: I sent Betsy a PM re: the Read with the Author (for next steps - waiting her reply), but if you could chime in with your thoughts in a PM, I'd appreciate it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Get cracking, man. I need to also. I have a todo list a mile long that's interfering with forward motion. I'm gonna burn the fracking todo list soon.
> 
> Ed P
> 
> PS: I sent Betsy a PM re: the Read with the Author (for next steps - waiting her reply), but if you could chime in with your thoughts in a PM, I'd appreciate it.


I think Linda handles the "read with the author" threads.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Get cracking, man. I need to also. I have a todo list a mile long that's interfering with forward motion. I'm gonna burn the fracking todo list soon.


Yeah, for me it hasn't been to-dos so much as just work and then all the family goings-on afterward. The stuff of life, as it were, but it definitely cuts into my writing time! 



> PS: I sent Betsy a PM re: the Read with the Author (for next steps - waiting her reply), but if you could chime in with your thoughts in a PM, I'd appreciate it.


Just sent ya a PM as you posted this!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Don't lose the thread!!!


Ow...ow...ow... 



> I've been editing. Sheesh, you'd think I would know basic punctuation and grammar, but I guess when the creative muse takes hold, the practical side goes to sleep.


Yeah, Steph sends me the bloopers she finds in the draft chapters - you'd think my mind was centuries and light years away when I write some of this stuff... LOL!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Ow...ow...ow...


That reminds me of the one where a guy walks into a bar and says OW!!

My GS told me that one this morning, but he didn't get it. 



> Yeah, Steph sends me the bloopers she finds in the draft chapters - you'd think my mind was centuries and light years away when I write some of this stuff... LOL!!


Yeah, and I'm obsessing over the past.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> That reminds me of the one where a guy walks into a bar and says OW!!


HA!

And now that I just sat down to try and write a bit while everybody else is watching Harry Potter and the...well, whichever one is the second (I'm so tired now after a miserable night's sleep and lousy day at work, doubt I'm actually going to produce anything useful), and the dog next door and a fox down in the woods start barking at each other. I wanna through a rubber brick at both of them...


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> I think Linda handles the "read with the author" threads.


Not Linda anymore. She retired as a mod. It's Betsy and Ann now.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> HA!
> 
> And now that I just sat down to try and write a bit while everybody else is watching Harry Potter and the...well, whichever one is the second (I'm so tired now after a miserable night's sleep and lousy day at work, doubt I'm actually going to produce anything useful), and the dog next door and a fox down in the woods start barking at each other. I wanna through a rubber brick at both of them...


Chamber of Secrets. Which reminds me that I will be incommunicado on 7/15 while I bask in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I can't stand Michael Gambon, but I'll probably cry anyway. I told my HP book club kids I would be there for the first showing. It would be nice if a couple of them could make it.

Just don't include rubber bricks in the current chapter.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I to will be incommunicado that day.

I managed 1,700 words this evening. Tough chapter about diarrhea, vomit, AZT and all sorts of caregiver things, as a caregiver learns them.   . Too many ghosts tonight. Too many . . .  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yeah, Steph sends me the bloopers she finds in the draft chapters - you'd think my mind was centuries and light years away when I write some of this stuff... LOL!!


You've gotten much better as the book goes along.  I've gotten the latest read and marked up, just need to get the comments to you (not many). Spent time instead last night snuggling with a kitty that's at the vet for surgery today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Better day (I was having the blues yesterday, but when you're penning an AIDS novel, it's bound to happen). finished 3,700 words today and delivered them to Peg, who said - "it's about time." She then got out her keenix and dived in. I told her that that wasn;t the problem. The issue was the challenge of writing a 100% "sequeling" chapter - something that's is difficult and not always successful. I'll let her be the judge.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Ok this is your conscience talking......
More words
More books
I NEED another book from Mike and from Thumper and from Carolyn and from Gertie and from Jeff
Ed I am working on yours.
Come on guys no more slacking.

I mean come on, Mike takes a vacation and goes to work. 
Now what kind of excuse for not writing is that?
Hmmmmmmm.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ohhh Geoffthomas, may I be so bold to ask which one?

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Chamber of Secrets. Which reminds me that I will be incommunicado on 7/15 while I bask in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I can't stand Michael Gambon, but I'll probably cry anyway. I told my HP book club kids I would be there for the first showing. It would be nice if a couple of them could make it.


Yeah, our day is the 17th, which is my birthday. So I'm takin' the day off and we're going to the first showing that day. W00t!



> Just don't include rubber bricks in the current chapter.


No rubber bricks: lots of hand-to-claw combat and some armored cavalry action. Viewpoint now shifting back to the space battle if I can get cranking again tonight a bit. Have to redo a few things I wrote last night, I think, but am not yet sure.

Also, my new Kindle 2 arrived! So I may have to spend some time getting acquainted...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> You've gotten much better as the book goes along.  I've gotten the latest read and marked up, just need to get the comments to you (not many). Spent time instead last night snuggling with a kitty that's at the vet for surgery today.


Aww! Hope the kitty feels better! 

And I've gotten much better? That sounds ominous! 

Now 273 pages (formatted) into the book, chipping away at chapter 21. Shouldn't be too far away now from the end of the rough draft, somewhere around 30-50 pages maybe?


----------



## Dave Dykema

Way to go. I'm glad yo see the end in sight.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Ok this is your conscience talking......
> More words
> More books
> I NEED another book from Mike and from Thumper and from Carolyn and from Gertie and from Jeff
> Ed I am working on yours.
> Come on guys no more slacking.
> 
> I mean come on, Mike takes a vacation and goes to work.
> Now what kind of excuse for not writing is that?
> Hmmmmmmm.
> 
> Just sayin.....


Slave driver 

You'll be happy to know that I'm expanding what I've done so far (crucial section that needed a bit of pumping up). Got in just under 900 words today, but I still need to add a page or two to that. I need to let it stew in my brain a bit to see where it goes. Or maybe I'll just ask KF how he thinks he's going to accomplish his goal. I'm sure he's got a plan even if I don't.


----------



## geoffthomas

Thank you Gertie.

See Mike, Gertie listens to me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Thank you Gertie.
> 
> See Mike, Gertie listens to me.


Does that mean I get to cruise the Bering Sea tonight fishing for opies?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

kreelanwarrior said:


> Also, my new Kindle 2 arrived! So I may have to spend some time getting acquainted...


In the words of Mae West: "Hello, sailor!"

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Thank you Gertie.
> 
> See Mike, Gertie listens to me.


Oh, some people are just never happy!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Does that mean I get to cruise the Bering Sea tonight fishing for opies?


Fishing for Opies? What would Andy Griffith say??


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> In the words of Mae West: "Hello, sailor!"


So far it's QUITE nice! 

A mere 472 words so far tonight, but am hoping to get in a total of at least 1K after the boys get to bed...


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Ohhh Geoffthomas, may I be so bold to ask which one?
> 
> Ed P


Yeah, Geoff, that's what I was wondering too when I read your post. Nosy Inquiring minds....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan (the Brave). Did you get out of the cellar in The Third Peregrination? he he  

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just did the interview a bit ago with Stacey Cochran using the webcam schtick - pretty slick! I'm totally exhausted, though: my poor little introverted self was already wiped out by being in a class where we had to do all those group/team activities, then the interview tonight. I think I should take tomorrow off and curl up in the closet with my K2 and MacBook Pro. And Jan, of course...


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Susan (the Brave). Did you get out of the cellar in The Third Peregrination? he he
> 
> Ed P


Ha! I've been called many things, but "brave" has never been one of them... 

Long since out of the cellar. But your books are actually inspiring me to read more of everyone else's too. OK, that doesn't sound good.  See, what happens is that I decide to go to bed early to settle in for a couple of hours' reading time, and I read about hooty birds until I get to the next creepy part, but then I still want to keep _reading_... so I have to find something else! (Which, considering the now 11 pages of books and samples, isn't all that difficult.)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ah, but Susan, you need to see what I have in store for Nick and Rowdy (you'll never guess), and most TTP readers that have contacted me are blown away by it. (TTP is probabaly my best book after Turning Idolater, which is the child of my heart - my ever living. loving beating heart, which is filled with brine and sea air and the sweep to the horizon! Ah. How Turning Idolater is that )

BTW, the Third Section of *Look Away Silence * (in progress) is called *The Unbrave*. The first time I've unsed a non-word to head up a section.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Ah, but Susan, you need to see what I have in store for Nick and Rowdy (you'll never guess), and most TTP readers that have contacted me are blown away by it.


It's a real disadvantage of the Kindle that you can't easily sneak a peek at the chapters ahead! 

-- Susan the Unbrave


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You peeked!! Bad girl!  

ECP


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> So far it's QUITE nice!
> 
> A mere 472 words so far tonight, but am hoping to get in a total of at least 1K after the boys get to bed...


Got 1K+ done today. Still more to do, but not tonight.


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> You peeked!! Bad girl!
> 
> ECP


Did NOT! Just saying that it would be too difficult, 'cause you can't just browse back and forth. 

(... but I would if I could... )


----------



## geoffthomas

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Ohhh Geoffthomas, may I be so bold to ask which one?
> 
> Ed P


I picked up The Jade Owl because it was a mystery (?)
And The Academician because it sounds like a lot of interesting Chinese background.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Got 1K+ done today. Still more to do, but not tonight.


Only got 825 done today. More tomorrow - I'm pooped!


----------



## Susan in VA

geoffthomas said:


> I picked up The Jade Owl because it was a mystery (?)


<snicker> That's what I thought it was, too. A nice normal archeological mystery.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

geoffthomas said:


> I picked up The Jade Owl because it was a mystery (?)
> And The Academician because it sounds like a lot of interesting Chinese background.


 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Thumper

I sat and worked so long yesterday that when I finally decided to stop my butt was numb and my fingers were a bit swollen. But I pounded out 12,000+ words and I think I'm roughly 3,500 from finishing this first draft.

When it's done, it'll weigh in at a hefty 160-170,000 words, but by the final draft it should be pared down to about 120,000.

I started it in late March, but I imagine it will take a whole lot longer to edit, tighten up, edit more, smooth out, and then send it off to the editor. This is the quickest a story has poured out of me...man, I really hope in re-reading I don't find that it's so bad it'll suck the moon right out of orbit.


----------



## geoffthomas

Way to go Thumper.

See .... 
I
Am
Your
Cheering
Section

Yay!!

I am here for all of you ...... if you keep writing.

Just kidding.  I am here for you whatever you choose to do.

Just cheerin......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thumper, that's incredible progress. I usually put my drafts away for a few months and then resuscitate them. I haven't worked on a draft in over a year, but I have two coming up later in the year (the last 2 Jade Owl installments for release in 2010 and 2011). My current work (Look Away Silence) I started in 1999, so its been about 10 years. And the Nan Tu is part of a work that's taken 37 years. It's funny, in the last 18 months and for the next 18 months, these books have been or will be published as they all reach(ed) the end of the writing cycle at the same time. And it's funny, the 3 Jade Owl books are the youngest - the first drafts being completed in 2002 - 2004 and 2005 respectively. All the others started before them.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Thumper

I'll work on the next couple of drafts over the summer, and if I have time before I have to get it to the editor, I'll put it away for a while so my brain can rest, but not too long. And that works well for me; I function better (in rewrites) when I have a deadline pushing me along. 

After the editor has ripped it to shreds, enough time will have passed that I can look at it from a new perspective. I hope. Just the length of it tells me I may have tried to put too much into one story, and I'll be butting heads with her over what needs to to be cut.


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Aww! Hope the kitty feels better!
> 
> And I've gotten much better? That sounds ominous!


Thanks dearie, he got through his surgery yesterday just fine, and will be coming home later this afternoon. 

You know what I mean about being better, silly boy....the bloopers have been less, so you've either been paying more attention so as not to make them, or your fingers have just been automatically behaving as they rip through the story. 

And I sent you comments last night on Chapter 20.

It's a good story, folks...y'all are gonna like it!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I once had an agent who told me that revising a novel is like shearing a sheep - a thinning here, a snip there, a word here and there. I've followed this and rarely cut out structural material (I had one exception to that, but . . .). I've been able to shed 35,000 - 40,000 words in this manner. I DO follow Stephen King's "adverbs are pernicious weeds" rule. The first thing that goes is every adverb (except time-sets). Some get added back in the fourth revision as needed and at my editors suggestion. In any given paragraph, one can cut 1/3 just with fill words (and filters). Tightening is fun. More fun (More flags -More Fun  ), is restoring rhythm back into trimmed sentences. I call this word-sculpting. When you work this way, your revision leaves "ghosts" where the cuts were. This sometimes leaves happy and accidental subtextural material. Much like the mopped up spills in a fine watercolor, where some of the most creative strokes are . . . accidental. You can't have "accidentals" without revisional ghosting. Draft=the spirit and essence. Revision=the writing craft applied. Two different brains for two very different parts of the novelization process. Accidentals, however, are the glory of art.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> I sat and worked so long yesterday that when I finally decided to stop my butt was numb and my fingers were a bit swollen. But I pounded out 12,000+ words and I think I'm roughly 3,500 from finishing this first draft.


Wow, that's some streak. Hope your fingers and butt have recovered.



> When it's done, it'll weigh in at a hefty 160-170,000 words, but by the final draft it should be pared down to about 120,000.


My first draft is going to be too short, just like the last one. I want to race to the finish to find out what happened in the end, and then I have to go back and tell how the H&H got there. Less painful that way.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Less painful that way.


Really? I hate trying to add to my stories. I find it much easier to prune.

When "Wrong Number" came up on the short side, I went back through and tried to pad it out. I only succeeded in getting about another 3,000 words. Anything more felt way too forced.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Really? I hate trying to add to my stories. I find it much easier to prune.


You probably have more patience than I do. I'm the same way with reading. I want to get to the end.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> I sat and worked so long yesterday that when I finally decided to stop my butt was numb and my fingers were a bit swollen. But I pounded out 12,000+ words and I think I'm roughly 3,500 from finishing this first draft.


12K? Holy cow!! That's amazing!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Thanks dearie, he got through his surgery yesterday just fine, and will be coming home later this afternoon.


Yay! Good kitty! 



> You know what I mean about being better, silly boy....the bloopers have been less, so you've either been paying more attention so as not to make them, or your fingers have just been automatically behaving as they rip through the story.


Must be my fingers, as my brain has been total mush the last week or so in the evenings, I think... 



> It's a good story, folks...y'all are gonna like it!


<<and I didn't even pay her to say that!>>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, here's the scary video of Stacey Cochran interviewing me. At least I got a haircut (but I only shave when I remember to)... LOL!!


----------



## RJ Keller

I really enjoyed watching your interview, Mike. I am SO with you about indie writers' responsiblity to produce good quality work. We're under a microscope. We can't forget it.

And, for the record, I dig the whiskers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

rjkeller said:


> I really enjoyed watching your interview, Mike. I am SO with you about indie writers' responsiblity to produce good quality work. We're under a microscope. We can't forget it.


Thanks! Yeah, good quality is the biggest hurdle to really opening some of the big doors, like to major reviewers (who can reach more than a few hundred or even a few thousand people) and other venues. Even just taking the time to have someone proofread your work is so important, yet so many authors don't do it (or even take the time to carefully review - several times - their own work if they don't have a proofreader/editor handy). Arghh.



> And, for the record, I dig the whiskers.


So does my wife! LOL!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Great interview, Mike. Quality, quality, quality - I agree. If you don't hve, don;t publish.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Great interview, Mike. Quality, quality, quality - I agree. If you don't hve, don;t publish.


Exactly - that should be the mantra! If we could just get everybody who wants to publish something to follow suit. Unfortunately it takes a lot of work and diligence... <sigh>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

That's one of the reason I published my little book Are You Still Submitting . . .  which I give away for free to anyone who asks for it. I hammer away at the fact that just because we Indie publish, doesn't mean the publishing tasks and steps disappear. It means we assume them - and they be hard.   I feel this way. No author can write another author's book, but we do collectively impact the entire Indie author community, especially in the reader's eyes. Slop breeds slop. Yet, if we take a "quality control" stance, we become no better than the Traditional Publishers and the Star-Chambers that rule the industry. So I decided that the best we can do, is to look to our own strengths and faults, and grow and change and be better and better . . . and share the knowledge, the tricks, the tips, the inner workings, the solutions for specific situations (try this . . . look here . . . have you read? . . .etc.) And even (like you have and Leslie has and the great goddess, April has) publish a little book to help answer FAQs and perhaps strum home the quality issue. More we cannot do, but to lead by example and support our fellow authors. The reader deserves no less.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I need to go back and listen to the other interviews and some other things, but am going to try and crank out 2000 words first!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4600 words today and moing faster now - now that I'm in an area of the material that have been around for several years. The main revision is converting 3rd person POV to 1st person POV, which of course ceates enirely new writing, but but running on more established tracks. It's a new experience for me. In one of my published novels, Sutviving an merican Gulag, the draft and the first two revisions were in the 2st person (and a bit too preachy for publication). The final two revisions were a conversion from 1st person to 3rd person, and an exorcism of preachiness. Since that work was authobiographical, it was sureal to me to switch from "myself" as a charcter to a 3rd person charcter. Look Away Silence is a complete reversal of this experience. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ack! 4600 words! That's double what I managed, but I only had about two hours or so to play with today, so I consider 2100 a tactical victory! 

Besides, I unexpectedly finished chapter 21. I sort of just wound up at where the chapter seemed to end, then went back and counted: 12 pages. Next chapter!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hey, guys, we're playing Tag over here

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,10515.msg197779.html#msg197779

Come join us.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Todd pges are wonderful. Been tagging for over a year now. He is also a great reviewer, having review every one of my books except The Academician (which he just finished and I'm waiting for the review). He posts them on his TMBOA website, on Goodreads and Amazon. If you havn't hooked up with the Fonseca site, I recommend it highy.

Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

<sigh> I *should* write tonight, but feel more inclined to emulate a blob of jelly instead...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wrote a small but crucial chapter, only 2400 words. It was  bridge chanpter, and very important as it is meant to give the reader a little relief from the sniffles, and it advances the protagonist's arc, curcially (pardon the adverb - which as we know are all "pernicious weeds."   I then went to see Transformers.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> <sigh> I *should* write tonight, but feel more inclined to emulate a blob of jelly instead...


What flavor? 

I'm up to 53,422. I arrived at a difficult bit a couple of hours ago, and I need to let it stew for awhile. Remember when I had half a dozen people in a room built for two? It looks like I'll be in the same situation if I'm not careful.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> I wrote a small but crucial chapter, only 2400 words. It was bridge chanpter, and very important as it is meant to give the reader a little relief from the sniffles, and it advances the protagonist's arc, curcially (pardon the adverb - which as we know are all "pernicious weeds."  I then went to see Transformers.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Excessive use of adverbs can turn one into optimus prime.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie:

The use of any adverb points to lazy writing, except time-adverbs (frequently, suddenly, etc). I drive Peg crazy because I strip them all out as per Stephen King's tirade on "pernicious weeds." Then, I add some back in like fine wine and also my one Swifty that I allow myself per novel. It's funny, because that Switfy usually stands out like a sore thumb. I also adhere to active and invisible dialog tags (said being the tag of choice because it becomes invisible). I will use asked and any sounded tag like whispered, stammered etc, but when I do I'm careful, because those words uncloak the tag and draw focus from nouns and verbs, weakening the sentence, and since they come after the dialog, sometimes they force an echo with the reader, who has to reimagine my stage direction on already sounded dialog. Sometimes I'll move the uncloaked tag before the word, or indicate an action - like -  He came close to her ear. "The world is broken," he whispered. I rarely use a pretag unless it is a final cadence. He whispered: "The world is broken." That is a heavy candence, and the reader is signaled to put the book down for the evening., because cadences give them permission to do so, so the sentence can resonate beyond the page.

Oh well, there I go talking about our craft. I could write a book about it.   (Actually I have, he he).

I'm having a late supper and then to bed for me. The writing was smooth today and I got 18 new readers in the last 2 days, which always makes me sleep well. My streak still continues. Since March 5th (113 days) I have managed to acquire 625 new readers. That's double the new readers for all of 2008. It really encourages me to continue blasting out the words.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dawsburg

Hey everyone 

Currently I'm working on the second draft to Terminal Velocity (the sequel to Double Life). I've currently expanded the second book to be 11,000 words longer, hopefully in the end 16,000 words longer (Double Life is a puny 39,000 words). I want to finish the second draft soon--this is the one where I add the subplots and finalize the story.

I've been putting it off for a while though--just haven't been feeling the story. Some days I'll get really into it, others I'll be too into marketing Double Life. I can't seem to choose which one is more important because I want to get TV out in time but also sell Double Life.

Dawson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, Dawson! Sounds great! 

Today wasn't good for writing: I actually had a fair amount of time, but we're having a birthday sleepover for one of the boys and between them hooting and hollering and the headache I had I couldn't concentrate much! But managed to hammer out 400 words, although I don't know how many are going to survive when I go over them tomorrow...


----------



## Thumper

Just a reminder to everyone to BACK UP your manuscripts. I habitually save to a thumb drive and then to my hard drive...for which I was extremely grateful today when my laptop crashed in a major, major way. If I'd saved to the HD first...Ow. It crashed and the only way to get it running at all was to send it back to factory settings, and everything on the drive was gone.

Luckily I still have every one of the 150,000+ words I've puked out onto the virtual paper.

Save to more than one format, and do it often...


----------



## SpinyNorman

Thumper said:


> Just a reminder to everyone to BACK UP your manuscripts. I habitually save to a thumb drive and then to my hard drive...for which I was extremely grateful today when my laptop crashed in a major, major way. If I'd saved to the HD first...Ow. It crashed and the only way to get it running at all was to send it back to factory settings, and everything on the drive was gone.
> 
> Luckily I still have every one of the 150,000+ words I've puked out onto the virtual paper.
> 
> Save to more than one format, and do it often...


Zoiks...makes me think of the end of The Wonder Boys...


----------



## Leslie

Now that I am feeling like Our One and Only is almost done, I've been casting about for what to do. Rather than start something new, I decided to go back to a project I've been procrastinating about for a year (bad me, I know). I thought it was done a year ago and gave it to someone to read. I had written the whole thing in dialect which that beta-reader told me was a huge mistake. People don't like to read it and it is insulting to the characters. So...I am faced with the monumental task of re-editing the whole thing, line by line, all 111,000 words. Sigh...Still, it is good to do this since I have learned a lot about writing in the past year and I am finding other areas that need some editing and work. 

I started working on this on Thursday. So far, I am about 100 pages in (of 253 pages). 

Can people give me their opinions on the word "ain't"? I personally don't use ain't in conversations. My characters said it a lot but I've already gotten rid of many instances. I am wondering if I should get rid of it altogether. Thoughts?

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Just a reminder to everyone to BACK UP your manuscripts...Save to more than one format, and do it often...


Yikes! We've sure been there and done that. I lost the entire original manuscript for In Her Name (325,000 words) a long while back to a similar disaster, coupled with having lost the backup floppies in a house move. Fortunately I still had a paper manuscript, and I had to scan and OCR the entire thing, which was tedious work, let me tell you! But a lot better than losing it entirely.

I'm setting up a new storage system for our network at home largely with this in mind. Our MacBook Pros are backed up hourly to a dedicated backup device (Time Machine). Because Jan has so much digital content, she has an external hard drive for her Mac that works, but is a real pain to drag around. So I'm putting a network storage device on our wireless network to act as a file server (a full terabyte), and that will have a full backup to a 1 TB USB drive that's plugged into the storage device. I know that probably sounds like overkill, and for many it would be. But with the bazillion hours that Jan spends working on Photoshop files (many of which are huge), plus the time I spend on the book and the files I've got for the other books of the *In Her Name* series, it's worth the money. Besides, since it's all for business purposes, we can write it off on our taxes...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie said:


> Can people give me their opinions on the word "ain't"? I personally don't use ain't in conversations. My characters said it a lot but I've already gotten rid of many instances. I am wondering if I should get rid of it altogether. Thoughts?


IMHO, if it's a minor character who has a quirk of speech, seeing "ain't" wouldn't bother me, as long as he/she isn't put into a position as long as it doesn't appear frequently. I think the more important factor is that the pattern of speech is consistent and authentic for the character. So if you use it at all, the character is probably going to use it all the time.

For a major character that has a lot of dialog in anything more than a short story, that could be a problem. Again, though, I'd put authenticity of the character first: depending on how you portrayed the person, "ain't" could also be quite natural, and it would be odd for them to not use it!

I only use it myself when I'm hamming things up for some reason (which is very rare, of course)....


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Also depends on the time setting. . . ."ain't" was more widely used in other eras and, as I understand it, wasn't even considered 'wrong' until the last hundred years, give or take. . . . .


----------



## Leslie

Ann in Arlington said:


> Also depends on the time setting. . . ."ain't" was more widely used in other eras and, as I understand it, wasn't even considered 'wrong' until the last hundred years, give or take. . . . .


It's 1976. The characters are rural guys, grew up in Idaho and are now living in west Texas (Quanah, to be exact, 150 miles from Lubbock).

L


----------



## SpinyNorman

Ain't ain't a problem (  ) as long as it is used sparingly. I think overuse would be mighty distracting. If it flows with the way these dudes talk then I would leave it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Just a reminder to everyone to BACK UP your manuscripts. I habitually save to a thumb drive and then to my hard drive...for which I was extremely grateful today when my laptop crashed in a major, major way. If I'd saved to the HD first...Ow. It crashed and the only way to get it running at all was to send it back to factory settings, and everything on the drive was gone.
> 
> Luckily I still have every one of the 150,000+ words I've puked out onto the virtual paper.
> 
> Save to more than one format, and do it often...


Thanks for the reminder, Thumper. I was thinking about this just yesterday when I left my netbook in the car to pick up a couple of things at the grocery store. Yikes, what if somebody happened to break into my car. I haven't backed up my WIP in a week.



Leslie said:


> It's 1976. The characters are rural guys, grew up in Idaho and are now living in west Texas (Quanah, to be exact, 150 miles from Lubbock).
> 
> L


Leslie, if these are the main characters, I would leave "ain't" out entirely. Naturally speaking, they wouldn't be going back and forth.

If these are secondary characters, and the use of idiomatic speech helps define them, then I would leave it in.


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Leslie, if these are the main characters, I would leave "ain't" out entirely. Naturally speaking, they wouldn't be going back and forth.
> 
> If these are secondary characters, and the use of idiomatic speech helps define them, then I would leave it in.


Oh, that's a good way to think about it. Thanks, Gertie!

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> Oh, that's a good way to think about it. Thanks, Gertie!
> 
> L


Glad to help.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

I never totally transform dialog into dialect. If someone has a an Italian accent, for example, I stick Italian words in their English as a bumble, and when they are speaking to another Italian, I maintain perfect English (Same goes with Cherokee and Chinese, the two other accents I traipse through in The Jade Owl Series). As for "ain't" - I rarely use that except for effect. "That ain't gonna happen." The two questions you need to ask yourself when doing the 1st revision on dialect. As for


Spoiler



f*ck


, liberally, both naturally and for effect, but never for the lack of a better word. Sometimes it's the best word in the dictionary.

1 - Does it make the work less legible - does it throw the reader off the path, which is a consideration with lots of stuff - like flowery language, which will do it just as fast as "ain't."
2 - Is it consistently used. That bothers a reader more than anything else. I set up dialog rules and apply them to each character. For example, in Turning Idolater, the middle aged writer Thomas Dye never contracts his words. never, never, never. BUT, at the end of the book when he does, it's a three hanky moment, and has the opposite effect of throwing the reader out of the work. It sucks them in. If a character curses, or is a Queen and uses a lot of "hons," and "I love you like my best set of luggage" (gay community lingo), it must be consistent.

As for back up, I have saved every revision of every work I've written. Here's some back up suggestions:

1 - Save on all computers you work on. I work on a laptop and a computer at work (Don't tell my boss - actually you can, because she let's me).
2 - I email copies back and forth between the computers, and I have a copy sent automatically to a gmail account used solely for archiving all my gajjilion emails.
3 - On my current works, I upload the latest work to Author's Den storage area.
4 - And finally, all my work is stored on a server in Delaware that hosts my website.

I used to print stuff out and still have boxes and boxes of "throw me out" pages. Now that its cheaper to go to Lulu and make a private copy for beta, I only print pages for Peg because she works from paper, while I work from computer and final proof on the Kindle. Also copies of finals are on Lulu projects (private) and on CreateSpace.

Hope this helps

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

As for using "ain't", one thing you can do is to actually read the text out loud, or have someone read it aloud to you.  Your ear will hear if it's right or not, then you can decide.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Or have the Kindle computer voice read it back. I might say: "Ain apostrophe T." Every time it hits, Shhh, it says. S-H-H-H, said Nick.   All kidding aside - reading your book outloud is a given. You need to be able to voice every character in a little stage reenaction. It will sound different to the readers as the voiced reading and the read reading use different parts of the brain, but it will help when you need to do a reading. 

Ed Patterson
"I hear voices in my waking hours and they haunt both me and ye."


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carol Hanrahan said:


> As for using "ain't", one thing you can do is to actually read the text out loud, or have someone read it aloud to you. Your ear will hear if it's right or not, then you can decide.


That's a good technique regardless of what you're working on. My tentative plan is to do that for the draft of First Contact. It takes a lot more time, in a way, but the ear knows, as it were...


----------



## Steph H

I kind of do that when reading your drafts, Mike. I read it through at "normal" speed once, just to get the story and see if anything trips me up that way. Then I read it through more slowly, essentially reading each word "out loud" in my head to catch the blips I missed the first time because I read so fast.  So it's not *really* out loud, but the voices in my head think so...


----------



## Leslie

Steph H said:


> I kind of do that when reading your drafts, Mike. I read it through at "normal" speed once, just to get the story and see if anything trips me up that way. Then I read it through more slowly, essentially reading each word "out loud" in my head to catch the blips I missed the first time because I read so fast. So it's not *really* out loud, but the voices in my head think so...


That's what I do. Meanwhile...this editing is so freaking tedious, I am about to scream. I will never ever make this mistake again! LOL. And the thing is, it took a lot of time to write it this way in the first place, as I had to come up with all sorts of rules for myself to make the dialog consistent. Sigh...

I keep thinking back to reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It was written from the perspective of three characters and two of them were written in dialect. It worked for that book but it is an interesting issue.

L


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yikes! We've sure been there and done that. I lost the entire original manuscript for In Her Name (325,000 words) a long while back to a similar disaster, coupled with having lost the backup floppies in a house move. Fortunately I still had a paper manuscript, and I had to scan and OCR the entire thing, which was tedious work, let me tell you! But a lot better than losing it entirely.


When I'm done with whatever I've written, I just gmail it to myself.--instant storage that I can edit on the spot if I want to, via Google Documents. Then I stick a copy on a passworded Verbatim thumbdrive, when I get around to it. 

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

Also, don't let one reader's comment drive you crazy. I've let that get to me too, especially in my use of em dashes. I had a reader email me saying: "I loved your book, but too many dashes." Well, I freaked out, then I thought. This is my style. Why do I use the em dash? I use it because I hate using semicolons. and em-dashed . . . work. So, I blessed that reader in my prayers and chalked it up to personal preference.

Now, Leslie I'll share this tidbit. In *Cutting the Cheese*, which has been received very well by the reading public after an initial problem with formatting and editing errors (it was my first published book, and I had to learn - you know, get me an outside editor, who took it in hand, to everyones joy). The book contains every wretched gay stereotype imaginable - but not as a stereotype, but as a mirror to the gay community to let them laugh at themselves. Well, most laughed - but not the lesbian reviewers at a prominent gay reviewing site, a site that consistently gives me 4 and 5 stars. The book went through 3 Lesbian reviewers and I was politely asked to withdraw it from consideration. The ladies just couldn't stand looking at themselves in the mirror. I mean, I wasn't a stright commentator taking pot shots at womyn who smoked cigars, spoke hellion on gay activism and opted more for food than politics. No, I was a gay man commenting on the foibles of the gay community and how it appears to a young man coming out of the closet. I also pitched it as comedy and satire. Therefore, I was a turncoat, making fun of people's manners. Well, I was castigated, and finally, when this book, which received 4 and 5 star reviews everywhere, came out on this review site, it got 2 and the reviewer condescendingly called it a swipe at stereotype instead of a good writing effort.

I mention this because you're reacting to perceptions, while you started from a position of art. You're being 'BULLIED" I am reader-centric. I do everything in my power to provide a reader with an enjoyable read. But I will NOT be BULLIED. I am still stalked by some of those ladies who monitor my promotional activities (they are on all the networks) and pop out and castigate me whenever they can. However, the work was been vindicated. I responded by NOT changing a single characterization and wrote and distributed on many a blog an article on stereotypes and perceptions called "The Case of Bambi Stern," which is posted here on the *Cutting the Cheese * thread. So, if you've gone wild over some comments that you're some kind of ubermonster making fun of people, listen, adjust if you must, but sometimes there's a finger reserved for such comments, and it *ain't* the ring finger.

Edward C. Patterson
Resident muckraker and SOB


----------



## Leslie

Ed, thanks for your comment, but I am not being bullied. It was a very good comment from a beta-reader and as I thought about it, I realized she was right. I also went and read some other stuff about the whole issue of dialect and I have come to realize it wasn't the best thing to do and now I need to take the time to fix it. Yes, it is tedious and time consuming but worth it, because I am fixing other things. So it is all good. 

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> When I'm done with whatever I've written, I just gmail it to myself.--instant storage that I can edit on the spot if I want to, via Google Documents. Then I stick a copy on a passworded Verbatim thumbdrive, when I get around to it.


Yeah, if it was just my manuscripts (or that and a more manageable amount of other stuff), I'd definitely do something like that and not jump through all the network backup hoops that we're doing now. Our situation is a bit more extreme because we've got a ton of digital stuff to manage, not only to keep backed up, but because there's more data that we (Jan, in particular) need to be able to access than will fit on her laptop's hard drive. Right now I'm transferring about 200 GB from her external hard drive to the network device. Oy!

Ah, the joys of technology...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks cool, Leslie . . . but if yuo ever want a bully, I can find you some. And they are scary. (And I think you know a few of my bullies he he he . . . )      

Ed P
"A sissy hiding from Brunhild der Politicus Correcticus meistress."


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> I kind of do that when reading your drafts, Mike. I read it through at "normal" speed once, just to get the story and see if anything trips me up that way. Then I read it through more slowly, essentially reading each word "out loud" in my head to catch the blips I missed the first time because I read so fast. So it's not *really* out loud, but the voices in my head think so...


D'oh! I didn't know you were going through that much work! I'll have to make sure that "Steph" survives...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, 2,000 word day and closer to the end of difficult part III, which is in the 3rd Act arc, so chapters are shortened, and the pace hastens. Today was a heated Thangsgiving discussion of denied Insurnce claims and the hate crowd at Rev. Felp's hate church in Kansas. Next up, a PCP attack. job loss and home care giving leading up to an AIDS walk as things begin to fall more and more aprt for my protagonist and his lover. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> D'oh! I didn't know you were going through that much work! I'll have to make sure that "Steph" survives...


Hey, no worries, if I...er, she...dies for the betterment of the story, that's what happens.  Just make it good! LOL I wouldn't be doing you much good as a beta/proof reader if I wasn't being careful.


----------



## Dawsburg

I had a pretty good day today--edited about five pages. On edit page 128 of 199 (so far--it'll get bigger). I think I'll go for another session tonight (if my friends don't invite me over).

Dawson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, goal for today is 3,000 words...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I also have a goal today, but I need to gt some of my crap out of my apartment into my Public Storage unit, so I might be tuckered out later on. (Go ahead, Ed . . . make your excuses now. he he). 

Edward C. PublicStorageGuy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, goal for today is 3,000 words...


My goal is to choreograph a fight scene. I started it, but once again, I have too many people in a small space. So, no swords, maybe just daggers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> My goal is to choreograph a fight scene. I started it, but once again, I have too many people in a small space. So, no swords, maybe just daggers.


Just order half of them to sit down and wait their turn...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I also have a goal today, but I need to gt some of my crap out of my apartment into my Public Storage unit, so I might be tuckered out later on. (Go ahead, Ed . . . make your excuses now. he he).


Ha! You're not gonna get out of it that easy...


----------



## Dawsburg

Goal today: make it to Page 170 or 175. I know I can do it by midnight.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Just order half of them to sit down and wait their turn...


Can I send some of them to the ESPN room with the Kreelan guys?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Can I send some of them to the ESPN room with the Kreelan guys?


Hmm, don't think that's where the guys would be hanging out. Or maybe they would. Nevermind...


----------



## Leslie

I am done with this first pass through of the exorcise the dialect edit. Now I need to go back and clean up all the loose ends.

If anyone on this list wants to volunteer to be a beta/omega reader, please send me a PM. I'd like the feedback. The story is currently 109,000+ words. Here's a synopsis.

*Synopsis*: Jim Crane and Allen Prescott became lovers when they met as teenagers; in the years since they have carried on a furtive and secret affair, getting together only when time and their circumstances allowed. Jim has long wished to create a life with Allen but Allen has always refused. His ingrained belief that "people kill queers" has prevented him from recognizing and accepting his love for Jim._ I'm Saying Yes _opens when Jim, depressed and suicidal, gives Allen an ultimatum: choose me or else. After an agonizing night, Allen makes the decision to accept Jim's offer, finally realizing that a life without his lover is a life not worth living.

_I'm Saying Yes_ chronicles their first four months together as they begin their life as an openly gay couple, in a time-1976-and place-rural west Texas-where this was not the norm. They face challenges that range from simple: figuring out how to live together on a day-to-day basis, to sad: dealing with the death of an older man who is a special friend and trusted confidante. It is a transformational time for both men but particularly Allen, who, over the course of the novel comes to accept his sexuality and ultimately, himself.

Jim and Allen have a few rocky moments but the story ends on a happy note because, as Allen says, when you believe in yourself and are guided by a strong and powerful love, anything is possible. Their deeply shared love and commitment to each is other is proof that that is true.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie, I wish I had time to help you.  It sounds like a very powerful story.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I whacked out 2,400 words today, and did manage to get my Public Storage tasks done as well.   Thanks Mike for pushing me.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I whacked out 2,400 words today, and did manage to get my Public Storage tasks done as well.  Thanks Mike for pushing me.


LOL! We got quite a bit of stuff done today, too. I've hammered out 2000 words on top of all the other stuff, but I'm sorta hoping to clear 3000 before I hit the sack. Not sure if I'm gonna make it, but we'll see...


----------



## Thumper

Got the first draft of the WIP done. I stopped counting at 170,000 words. Obviously, I have a heck of a lot of editing to do, but all that extraneous information will help the final draft, I think.

I should set it aside for a couple of weeks, but I've got a nice lull in other work right now, so I'll probably jump right in later tonight. I can shove it aside if a freelance projects drops into my lap this week or if we get hefty print job.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Got the first draft of the WIP done. I stopped counting at 170,000 words. Obviously, I have a heck of a lot of editing to do, but all that extraneous information will help the final draft, I think.
> 
> I should set it aside for a couple of weeks, but I've got a nice lull in other work right now, so I'll probably jump right in later tonight. I can shove it aside if a freelance projects drops into my lap this week or if we get hefty print job.


Yay! 

I don't think I could set a first draft aside for a while - I feel compelled to start going right back through it. Obsessive-compulsive behavior... LOL!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I think I managed to hit the same mark as Ed today - 2400. The muse is yet willing, but the eyeballs are weak and burning like crazy. Doesn't help that I think I have a pinched nerve in my upper back that's causing the fingers of my left hand to go partially numb (feels kinda funny trying to type that way!). Woke up yesterday afternoon from a nap with my entire freakin' left arm as numb as a stump - felt like it was shot through with novacaine. It's always something. Grrr...


----------



## geoffthomas

Congratulations Thumper.

Doing my dance of joy.....ok shuffle of joy.

So happy to hear that we are near completion of another work.

Hear that Mike? Carolyn?

Just sayin.......


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Congratulations Thumper.
> 
> Doing my dance of joy.....ok shuffle of joy.
> 
> So happy to hear that we are near completion of another work.
> 
> Hear that Mike? Carolyn?
> 
> Just sayin.......


Well, I think I'm somewhere within 30 pages of finishing up the first draft. So that's about about 15000 words, or maybe a week if I average 2000/day. With this being a long weekend coming up, I have some hopes of finishing the draft!


----------



## geoffthomas

Way to go Mike.
I am sure that Jan is keeping you inspired.
You guys make a swell couple.

I am looking forward to reading more about the adventures of the blue girls.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Way to go Mike.
> I am sure that Jan is keeping you inspired.
> You guys make a swell couple.
> 
> I am looking forward to reading more about the adventures of the blue girls.
> 
> Just sayin.....


Well, as I'm sure Steph can tell you from her proofreading, the blue girls are NOT behaving!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, as I'm sure Steph can tell you from her proofreading, the blue girls are NOT behaving!


Thanks goodness. It's no fun if the blue chicks go all Mary Sue on us.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Thanks goodness. It's no fun if the blue chicks go all Mary Sue on us.


I think their favorite drink must be the Bloody Mary...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mary? Did someone say they needed a Mary? I'm heeerree.

Edward C. Marythefairyson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mary? Did someone say they needed a Mary? I'm heeerree.


Just as long as you're not "bloody," Ed, or being chased by sword-wielding, blue-skinned female warriors with serious anger management problems!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Oh, I've had blue-skinned ladies attack me after I wrote about some things in Cutting the Cheese.   I even got even with one, byt naming a Chorus after her in my new book.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Oh, I've had blue-skinned ladies attack me after I wrote about some things in Cutting the Cheese.  I even got even with one, byt naming a Chorus after her in my new book.


Just beware the fangs and claws...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm staying off the streets tonight.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> I think their favorite drink must be the Bloody Mary...


Without the celery stick.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Without the celery stick.


Celery stick, Sign of Authority - whatever...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 2000 words before I succumbed to bleary eyeball syndrome. Hate that. Got the story spinning in my fingers, but am too tired to keep writing. Foo.

Well, tomorrow's another day!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, 2000 words before I succumbed to bleary eyeball syndrome. Hate that. Got the story spinning in my fingers, but am too tired to keep writing. Foo.
> 
> Well, tomorrow's another day!


Are your fingers going to know when to stop?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,400 words and just as bleary eyed (well, bleary eye - just got the one, you know). Reached 80,000 word mark tonight in *Look Away Silence*. I am not fond of writing about hospitals and AIDS wards or sequeling about suicide (Roman style in a pink bubble bath), but hey, the story is getting grimmer and grimmer as the truth, she do march onward. I'll have visits tonight from my fallen angels. But they're rooting me on. They stand at the end of my bed when I raise the flag of surrender. They plead that I stay the course and tell their story. How can I let them down? They were such beautiful people . . . young, loving and gone. Gone gone. I shall resurrect them.

I think I'll go check to see if my sales streak has ended. If there's no DTP additions, my 1 sale a day since march 5th will have ended. I'm a jerk for a .35 royalty. Well Kindleboards gets the money, I only get the reader (and I am by far the richer in that).

Night folks.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got my one sale just before midnight, so the 1-a-day streak is sae at first base. (Is that a baseball term? Too butch for me).

Edward C. Savedbythebell


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Got my one sale just before midnight, so the 1-a-day streak is sae at first base. (Is that a baseball term? Too butch for me).


Instead of buying the other books of yours that I want all at once, I'll have to get them one a day, so that it helps maintain the streak.

Congratulations on one-a-day for almost four months straight! (if you'll pardon the expression)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you Susan. Readers are my publicists and God is my agent.

Edward C. Lucky


Spoiler



bastard


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, as I'm sure Steph can tell you from her proofreading, the blue girls are NOT behaving!


No....no they're not.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Are your fingers going to know when to stop?


They have received very specific instructions to find a good place to stop somewhere between 300 and 400 pages (I'm thinking closer to 300-350 from where we are in the story now). Or else!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, and we're at page 296, so we're getting close...


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> They have received very specific instructions to find a good place to stop somewhere between 300 and 400 pages (I'm thinking closer to 300-350 from where we are in the story now). Or else!


Uh oh...will Tesh-Dar sic the whip or the throwing thingies on them?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Uh oh...will Tesh-Dar sic the whip or the throwing thingies on them?


Um. Ow!

Okay, time to go running. Am going to try and finish chapter 23 tonight...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Shooting for only 1000 words tonight. Didn't have much time this afternoon or evening, so trying to catch up a bit...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Shooting for 0 words tonight.  The last three chapters have left me so emotionally drained (and also wiped out Peg - at least I know the novel will be most lethal) that I'm taking a night off to cleanse the pallate, something I generally do not do. The next three chapters are already drafted (about four years ago) and the revision has been written in my head already, so I'll get up fresh steam tomorrow afternoon (probably starting at work if the workflow permits), Meanwhile I'm basking in a batch of new reviews, yesterday one for *The Academician * from Todd Fonseca (and he crafted a beautiful review) and this evening from Lila Pinord for *Turning Idolater*. Both were 4-star and were validators. I may head over to the Weird sandwich thread and get me some recipes (If you haven't been there, you're missing out on some of the strangest, but compelling combinations of foods ever devised).

Later my friends.

Edward C. Patterson

PS: Mike - I'll be starting a Reader with the Author Book Klub for *The Jade Owl*. Betsy just got back from her travels and is still unpacking her quilts.  But once she's set, I mean to go forward with it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A little public service for my friendly family of Authors. I was solicited by a company called Bookwhirl.com to offer me book promotion services. (I got a call out of the blue). Of course, I do not pay for such promotional services and so declined the offer, however the representative persisted and was persuasive. Of course, I saw through it and had a hunch that it was perhaps not the choice for me. Then I went on line and searched and found the following article where this company is tagged as a money pit (the word used in the article is rip off).

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/352/RipOff0352416.htm

Thought I'd pass this along, because if they found me, they certainly can find you.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dawsburg

Man! Terminal Velocity is speeding toward its climax! This is exciting . . . I need to take a breather . . . .

No, Dawson. Keep editing.

Dawson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oy! Finished chapter 23 of IHN: First Contact. Now at 125,000 words, 300 pages formatted for print. 

Ed, I have a slight sense of your emotional trauma: this last chapter was pretty brutal. I say slight because you have actually lived through the things you write about in some of your books, whereas I am simply trying to imagine the horrors of what some of my characters are enduring. Never having seen combat myself (for which I give thanks every day, and also thanks for those who have), it's a challenge to try and make it seem real. Very draining.

Anyway, I'm hoping to finish off the first draft of this sucker this weekend. If I can get in several hours a day, I might be able to wrap up the initial draft. And hell, if I have a bit left over to finish, I'll take Monday off to do it! Ha!

Overall, I'm quite pleased with it so far (although only Steph's opinion really carries weight at this point, being the only unbiased person to have read it all so far! LOL!). There's still a lot of editing to do, but I think there's a good chance I might have it ready to go by early September...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dawsburg said:


> Man! Terminal Velocity is speeding toward its climax! This is exciting . . . I need to take a breather . . . .
> 
> No, Dawson. Keep editing.
> 
> Dawson


When you're on a roll, unless something comes along to stop you, KEEP ROLLING!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> PS: Mike - I'll be starting a Reader with the Author Book Klub for *The Jade Owl*. Betsy just got back from her travels and is still unpacking her quilts.  But once she's set, I mean to go forward with it.


Cool! I'll have to check out the sample. As usual, I haven't done much reading (still reading Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik) while I'm hammering out First Contact. Oy! I need to become independently wealthy so I don't have to go to work!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

This current work is visceral, because I lost 14 of my friends during the height of the AIDS epidemic and the story I tell is based on one of them. Unlike my Army tale, where I switched into 3rd personal to "Survive" the writing of the "American Gulag," in Look Away Silence I've switched to 1st personl to climb into the caregiver's skin. It's a rough place to be, especially since the work must scintillate and capture my reader's hearts. As tragic as it is, t's my responsibility to lighten it up and delive a an engaging (albeit powerful) work. 

That said, I am getting back in the saddle tonight and see how far I get. Let y'all know later.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> (although only Steph's opinion really carries weight at this point, being the only unbiased person to have read it all so far! LOL!).












(Seriously...you guys are gonna love it...







)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> (Seriously...you guys are gonna love it...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


And I'm not even paying her. Is that a deal, or what?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I made it to just short of 3,000 words and I'm pooped. The bed is looking good right about now. 

Ed P

PS: Mike, Betsey is launching me on a Klub next Monday.


----------



## geoffthomas

Steph H said:


> (Seriously...you guys are gonna love it...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


I'm ready to love it.

Just sayin......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A 2,500 word day and now for a 4 day weekend, so I hope to slay 10,000 words over the next few days. Today I made my first contact with Hyacinth Foundation, the orgnization that is receiving the dedication of Look Away Silence. I'm seeking permission to include their contact information at the end of the book for donations (if my ten handy book might stir). We'll see where it goes. One of the pleasures I have in a completed novel is dedicating the work to someoe or some organization. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Taking a break today. Worked a half day and came home, which was nice, but didn't seem to get much accomplished! A few little things, but that's about it.

But tomorrow: up early to start writing. Gonna hammer through the end of the first draft of IHN: First Contact by Sunday night!


----------



## Guest

Haven't done a thing on my new novel for at least three days. The last bit I wrote got me all steamed up. It's gonna be one of THOSE novels again!!!!!!! They must skip one generation - or one book!!!!!! Or maybe it's odd numbers that are erotic horror - one, three, five ... 

I do like what I've done so far though. It's going to be wild!!!!!!!!


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Since I'm 'scruciatingly idle, I'll just remember that Leonardo da Vinci once said "Men of lofty genius when they are doing the least work are most active."



CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Carolyn Kephart said:


> Since I'm 'scruciatingly idle, I'll just remember that Leonardo da Vinci once said "Men of lofty genius when they are doing the least work are most active."


Ha! That's a good one!


----------



## GuinS

kreelanwarrior said:


> When you're on a roll, unless something comes along to stop you, KEEP ROLLING!


Amen! Don't leave the table when it's hot! The right combination of internal/external factors comes together too infrequently to not play it out.


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I hope to slay 10,000 words


Oh dear.  Please don't do that. Words are your _friends_.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Susan in VA said:


> Oh dear.  Please don't do that. Words are your _friends_.


Besides, just think of all the dangling participles that would be left running around...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Not to worry, I slay the dangling participles first, and then the "pernicious weeds" - ADVERBS. Down with adverbs. Up with Stephen King, who wrote - *Plums diefy*.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Guest

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Not to worry, I slay the dangling participles first, and then the "pernicious weeds" - ADVERBS. Down with adverbs. Up with Stephen King, who wrote - *Plums diefy*.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


But participles are meant to dangle - and plums are meant to eat!!!!!!!!!

Just started a little rewriting today!!!

[genuflects to statue of Stephen King on alter in corner]
[whispers in hushed tones]

"Sorry, if I offended you, Mah-ster!!!!"


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I've been having a heck of a time getting starting on another large project (i.e. novel, play or screenplay). I've managed to eke out a few satirical articles (mainly for www.dailyfortnight.com - an Onion-like website), and short stories, but for some reason the spark to dive into a more involved effort hasn't been there. Anybody got a good kick-in-the-pants motivator?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Elmore Hammes said:


> I've been having a heck of a time getting starting on another large project (i.e. novel, play or screenplay). I've managed to eke out a few satirical articles (mainly for www.dailyfortnight.com - an Onion-like website), and short stories, but for some reason the spark to dive into a more involved effort hasn't been there. Anybody got a good kick-in-the-pants motivator?


For me it was just making some time to sit down and write a continuation of my first novel (well, technically, a prequel). When I got to work on my current project (after a writing hiatus of about a dozen years, except for a few small odds and ends that never went anywhere), I just started working on it to see where it went.

I think for many of us it may be as simple as going for it. Although, on the other hand, some folks may simply not have an inner motivation to do longer projects, and that's okay, too.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Stephen King's bible on writing called . . . duh *On Writing * is the best technical book I've read on the subject. Maybe because whatever Uncle Stevie preaches (I should call him cousin Stevie, because I'm 2 months his senior), he breaks. However, since I've read every one of his 60 + books, and some twice, and *The Dark Tower Series * (thrice and 2 listens on audio books), you can fully see the workings of his genius. He solves almost any writing problem through observation. In *On Writing * he speaks on the construction of sentences, and in that section, he addresses the problem of difficult sentences - the one's that won't _k'ou-t'ou _ to the author. At that point he says that the author should select one noun and one verb and put them together - thus a sentence. He also intones that strange subtext will fill in the blank space. The example he uses is *Plums diefy*. It's a touchstone in writing, IMHO and IMNSHO.



Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Elmore Hammes said:


> I've been having a heck of a time getting starting on another large project (i.e. novel, play or screenplay). I've managed to eke out a few satirical articles (mainly for www.dailyfortnight.com - an Onion-like website), and short stories, but for some reason the spark to dive into a more involved effort hasn't been there. Anybody got a good kick-in-the-pants motivator?


Elmore,
I wish I had, then I could use it myself. I guess we close our eyes, hold our nose, and jump in............


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Elmore:

Take two totally different experiences in your life. Lay them out in your head with a story shell (lots of what ifs), then blend them together with a third concept. Then shake the three up and see what you get. Then sit down and craft the opening, then go. go go. For example (and this is extempor, out of the blue), a prize fighter is getting old and on the ropes + an explosion in a nearby macaroni factory leaves many dead, but surviving is a 12 year old who needs a good home. Blend that togethe with animal husbandry and vetrinarian skills and in that lies a major project. 

My novel Turning idolater takes for its premise a May to December gay romance between an internet stripper and a middle ages novelist + a seriel killer picking off a certain profile in victims - this smashed into incunabula, and the art of preserving priceless books, in particular a first edition of Moby Dick. Mix it together and . . . it spells Turning Idolater.

Hope that helps, and if not, entertains. If not, pick up The dark Tower Series and you'll get lots of ideas for a major project. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BTW, 1000 words tonght. Quite behind but I had some trauma tonight - my Dad almost set his apartment on fire and I'm in PA this weekend. I called just as the alarms went of. He was asleep and groggy and I walked him throuh finding the fire. It was a burning pot of corn that he forgot to turn off. If I hadn;t called, who know . . . .

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, 1000 words tonght. Quite behind but I had some trauma tonight - my Dad almost set his apartment on fire and I'm in PA this weekend. I called just as the alarms went of. He was asleep and groggy and I walked him throuh finding the fire. It was a burning pot of corn that he forgot to turn off. If I hadn;t called, who know . . . .
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Whoa, that was close.


----------



## Leslie

Elmore Hammes said:


> I've been having a heck of a time getting starting on another large project (i.e. novel, play or screenplay). I've managed to eke out a few satirical articles (mainly for www.dailyfortnight.com - an Onion-like website), and short stories, but for some reason the spark to dive into a more involved effort hasn't been there. Anybody got a good kick-in-the-pants motivator?


I need to sit and let things percolate. I can't write until I am ready to write. The idea needs to be complete in my head and that takes time.

In the meantime, I work on other things, which it sounds like you are doing.

L


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, 1000 words tonght. Quite behind but I had some trauma tonight - my Dad almost set his apartment on fire and I'm in PA this weekend. I called just as the alarms went of. He was asleep and groggy and I walked him throuh finding the fire. It was a burning pot of corn that he forgot to turn off. If I hadn;t called, who know . . . .


Yikes! That's scary!! Glad you got to him, though. Jeez...

Okay, happy 4th, everyone! The weather here is incredibly gorgeous - usually it's hot and muggy, but it's in the low 70s right now and not humid at all. Amazing.

1200 words between 7 and 9 am so far (includes time out for some eating!). Chapter 24 is done. Getting breakfast, then hammering at it some more...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I slept late and getting a late, lae start, but start I shall. I have a character to kill today and that's always a challenge and a boo hoo moment. (Many of them).

Ed P


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Thanks for the comments about motivation - I have read King's _On Writing,_ I agree it has a lot of wonderful advice in it. I think I mostly need to multi-task better - it seems whatever current "project" is taking up the main focus of my creative energy detracts from my ability to use my remaining time on other items successfully. I recently got involved in Anderson's Mainstage Community Theatre, and it has been an enjoyable experience, however it has been difficult channeling my writing muse while rehearsals or performances are on the agenda. She seems to be up in the balcony laughing at my attempts to follow the choreographed routines.

Anyway, thanks again for the encouragement and I think I will simply try to get the short articles and stories out and let the larger efforts sneak up on me.
Elmore


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Elmore, that's perfect. The key to writing lies in the ass. Affixing the ass to the seat, even if the ass has more to say (beans and all that) than the mind. Once the ass is secured and then the fingers need to apply anything to the keyboard . . . and I mean anything. BUT, you're in a theatrical company. Your muse is awake and restless. You need to get her to speak through your fingers. After rehearsal when you're tied (it is a known fact that the best writing occurs when you're debilitated - drunk, high, exhausted, depressed), so the stars are aligned. We just need to get the ASS aligned, and Pippa passes and "all's WRITE with the world."  

Edward C. BigFatAsserson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

All's right with the world. Kindle now has my short story 'Regenerated' on sale (cool cover, btw), I found that I can shape my Author Central page to my desires, and the only reason the Muse is staying away is because I've shooed her for the weekend.

Just now I'm reading Balzac, my favorite author of all time. _Quel style_!

Wishing all a glorious Fourth,

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carolyn - How do you shape your Author's Central page? Are there templates now or something?

Great news on _Regenerated_. I'll need go peek.

I haven't read Balzac in years and never in the original, although I have the complete Human Comedy in a single volume on he Kindle. I loved _Pere Goriot _ and _Cousin Bette_.

I made it to 4,000 words today and going to take a rest. I'll do some more later as I need to stay up late. I'm taking my brother and his family out to a Japanese Hibachi grill tonight after 9 PM.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Carolyn - How do you shape your Author's Central page? Are there templates now or something?


No, but there are buttons one can push to post blogs, books, etc. More will be added, I hope.


> Great news on _Regenerated_. I'll need go peek.


Thanks! The Great CK Bibliopage can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=carolyn+kephart&x=0&y=0 (LinkMaker didn't help there, alas.)


> I haven't read Balzac in years and never in the original, although I have the complete Human Comedy in a single volume on he Kindle. I loved _Pere Goriot _ and _Cousin Bette_.


_La Comédie humaine_ is a beast. I've yet to read all of it; it's nice to save something for one's old age.  _Pere Goriot_ in the original is one of the most perfect things I've yet encountered; I like to just open it at random and drink it in. French literature has had far more influence on my writing than has American or English, although I admit to being mystified when a French reader compared my style to Stendahl's. 


> I made it to 4,000 words today and going to take a rest. I'll do some more later as I need to stay up late. I'm taking my brother and his family out to a Japanese Hibachi grill tonight after 9 PM.


Party time looms here. As for word count...well, other things count for me, I guess. 

Happy Fourth!

CK


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Ed,
I like all your last names......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I admit to being mystified when a French reader compared my style to Stendahl's.


Stendhal! I must be the opera things. Have you reviewed Rossini.  Never did start an Opea blog. I guess all that stuff will just rumble through my head.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carolyn, I bought Regenerated before the price jumps to a buck.  

Ed P


----------



## kevindorsey

I'm going to take some time and go through this thread in detail.  Seems like there are quite a few good authors recommended.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, peeps, not quite as much progress as I'd hoped to make today, but between a nap, grocery shopping, occasionally stuffing my face, and taking the kayak out on the river to watch the fireworks (talk about a great view!), a little bit of time was subtracted from my writing efforts! Still, I managed to crank out 4000 words today, but unlike Ed I think I'm about done for the night! 

I plan to hit it early tomorrow and avoid as many interruptions as possible. I'm halfway through chapter 25, and figure there's at least two chapters left plus the epilog. So, we'll see - maybe I'll have to take Monday off from work to finish it. Darn, what a shame...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I'm about finished. I have Monday off, because I want to work on The Nan Tu also and I want to spilled out the first two draft Chapters of The People's Treasure (Book Four of The jade Owl Legacy series). I had dinner at a Hibachi steak house (with all the knife and fire entertainment - spent some of that Virginia Book reading money on my Brother, sister-in-law and their kids). But I'm so stuffed with lobster, steak and shrimp that I feel too drowsy to write about a starving AIDS patient. I just wouldn't be fair to my characters. Anyway, happy 4th of July buddies. I'm hittin' the hay hay hay.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I was over-optimistic: no way I was gonna finish the draft this weekend like I thought! But made good progress today: 6200 words, about 13 pages in print format. Well into (9 pages) chapter 26 now. Total word count = 137,000. Oy!


----------



## Dawsburg

Terminal Velocity's second draft is done! Woo!

Now I focus on writing. Good break from the computer screen to do a writing edit. And I looove tightening prose. It feels like making it smell good or something. I don't know why, but it's absolutely awesome.

Dawson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dawsburg said:


> Terminal Velocity's second draft is done! Woo!
> 
> Now I focus on writing. Good break from the computer screen to do a writing edit. And I looove tightening prose. It feels like making it smell good or something. I don't know why, but it's absolutely awesome.
> 
> Dawson


Big congrats. It's a great feeling and a major accomplishment.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I did nearly 3,000 words today and have tomorrow off to finish Part three of Look Away Silence. I'm just under 90,000, which is hefty for a non-fantasy work. Then there's only 6 more, short chapters and I'll be ready for the final proof and publications. I think I'll set a date of August 1st in the Press Release. I also crafted the questions for the Read with The Author on the Jade Owl and sent them to Betsy for review. I hope to have the Book Klub open tomorrow.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Just found this thread while scanning a few others. So many threads and so little time online.   I think it's a good one and will certainly go through it all instead of the first few and last few pages. It's late here and my poor brain cells get affected by lack of sleep, especially if I'm digging into research. Which is this weeks goal. 

Research for Celtic Evil's second book because I've recently discovered Fodor's and Frommer's Travel Guides aren't equipped to find a dark, densely wooded area to have a my main character in this one possibly ate by demon dogs. This may require actually figuring out Wikipedia or something.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have a novel set in a dark, dense wood called *The Road to Grafenwoehr * (its a horror piece and is scheduled for completion for January 2010). My deep dark woods is in Franconia, Germany. There are many spook forests in Germany which can be transplanted almost anywhere. You might try reading Grimm's.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Hmm, I read that many years ago. May have to go find that book again. My problem is, with the expansion of cities and towns it's hard to find the proper setting in Britain(which is where I preferred it to be) so I may need to go look in Scotland.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sierra09

Here's a link to the 12 community forests in the UK. http://www.communityforest.org.uk/yourlocalforest.htm  Hope this helps.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,275 words so far and maybe that's it for the day. Today I wrote (or revised) a death scene - and the death of a charcter is always rough for me. I need so fresh air and will probably take a walk. I'll need to buy a pack of Keenix for Peg (she'll get the last 3 chapters tomorrow). The last 5 Chapters of the book is more upligting as the protagonist's charcter makes it final arc, although the last cadence of the book is mean to be one of the biggest, lingering boo hoos I've written, and I hope boo hoo enough to get the reader to make a donation to Hyacinth or AmFar.

Ed the Terminator


----------



## Guest

I think finding the time to continue my series is the hardest thing. I spend so much time promoting the first book in the series, that I rarely find the time to keep writing. Any suggestions on time management?


----------



## Thumper

Set up a schedule and stick to it: Write from 9am-noon, lunch, promote from 1-3, etc. If you have a day job that makes it more difficult, but in the end it's a matter of creating blocks of time and sticking to them. 

Getting it all done is much easier when the writing IS the job and there's no employer to create a massive time-suck...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You need to do what I've done (and I have 12 books out there and 10 in the works). You need to trust your readers to promote your books. Once the initial push is made and a buzz occurs, you can spend just some time positioning your thread here so they are read, especially by new guests (which are many at Kindleboards), and select one book every other day for a small blurb out on the Amazon threads, and no more than three of them. Do a guest blog, promote a new review and post materials in new spots. But cut back there and increase your time devoted to writing projects. I was a Director of marketing for nearly 40 years. I am no longer that although I have a full time 8 hour job. I'm pursuing my dream now (the one that will not dry up as a raisin in the sun), the one with no profit but unto the soul. I don't want it converted into another version of my former career. Trust to your readers. I say, my dream is my work. My readers are my publicists. Peg's my editor and God is my agent.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Guest

My day job only consists of Publishing 100's of other titles on Amazon's Kindle, So I have plenty of time. Thanks for the suggestion! I'll give it a try.


----------



## Guest

Thank you Edward


----------



## sierra09

Thank you, Edward. That link is very helpful. Now I can see which would be best for some demon doggies to pop out in.  

I understand the finding time to write, promote and do actual real life things. I'm basically homebound so I don't have the employer problem but I have the real life crashing in while trying to write a scene issue since once I start writing and the flow hits I have a hard time walking away from it.  I've found I can work on promoting in the early day, take care of the day-to-day living stuff in the afternoon and then start writing in the evening. Drawback is I'm often still up at three in the morning writing.  

Sierra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Uncle Stevie tells us that writing a novel is loneliest activity in life. It's good to have this support thread to confirm the fact.

Ed P


----------



## sierra09

I've edited this. I finally found it.

Sierra


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Uncle Stevie tells us that writing a novel is loneliest activity in life. It's good to have this support thread to confirm the fact.
> 
> Ed P


I have to disagree. I have my characters to keep me company.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Me too, but that's lonely most of the time, especially, like today, you have to bury one.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Uncle Stevie tells us that writing a novel is loneliest activity in life. It's good to have this support thread to confirm the fact.


I have to disagree on that one (and I'm not entirely sure I accept the "adverbs are pernicious weeds" admonition - I like adverbs! LOL!). I'm sure it depends on each individual, but I'm never lonely when I write. In fact, part of the reason I wrote *In Her Name* was because I was intensely lonely in that period of my life, and it was an escape from a rather bleak reality. It was a harsh universe to escape into, in many ways, but I was never at a loss for interesting company or people who cared about one another.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Getting it all done is much easier when the writing IS the job and there's no employer to create a massive time-suck...


Amen! I've pretty much given up on any serious promotional activities until the draft of First Contact is done. I can only really concentrate on one thing at a time; then when I've squeezed all the juice out of it that I can, I move on to the next thing. I have so little time (relatively speaking - on average 2 hrs a night, although more on the weekends) and I need those big blocks for writing - I can't seem to get anything useful out of shorter periods of time (takes my brain about 15-30 minutes to spool into the story again).

But the day job gig, while necessary, is indeed a pain. Thus the perils of having a big mortgage... 

Okay, time to dig in! At least 1000 words tonight...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike, are you a Swifty Warrior?

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike, are you a Swifty Warrior?


What on (or off?) Earth is that??


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A Swifty is a comical adverbial dialog tag, like "he said xenophobically." It comes from the Tom Swift  novels, where adverbs are abused "to-the-third-powerly." I cut all adverbs except time ones (frequently, suddenly, evidently etc) and then add them back like candy (like the diabetic I am - he said diabetically  ). I even exclude the ly from tightly etc. In my current novel, I use adverbs more freely, because I'm writing in 1st person POV and the narrator is also the protagonist. So the text is looser. However, I love to include at least one, on purpose Swifty in every novel. My favorite is in The Dragon's Pool - "Nick said autobiographically."   King thinks Swifties make a great game and the best use for adverbs. He uses adverbs in all his works, but when I see them I always ask "why" and discover the tight rules he uses, including the "I don't follow the rules" rule. I love the example he provides from the original manuscript of Room 1408, where he tightens what would be perfect for most of us and the first thing that goes is every adverb. His reasoning is this. When authors use adverbs they are substituting a word for their own inability to provide the reader with the creative moment that it replaces. Meaning: adverbs are a lazy writer's crutch. Now, I love it when I hit a natural point in my writing when an adverbs could be used, then stop and think where I missed the boat. Sometimes I'll rewrite a few sentences to avoid the adverb. Sometimes I'll ignore the need for the moment and cut the adverb. But in some cases, where the rejigger causes more problems for the reader and I still want that extra sense, I get lazy and use the adverb. It's a matter of style - not quite Hemmingway, and certainly not Dickens, but never Tom Swift (I'll need to look up the author, I have them all somewhere). It's gotten to the point that it nearly a trademark in my style. It drives Peg mad and when we argue over adverbial use, I usually cut the adverb altogether rather than burden the reader with the "pernicious weed."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Carolyn, I bought Regenerated before the price jumps to a buck.
> 
> Ed P


Ed, I bow as I learned to bow last summer in Japan, demurely and with thanks. 

The price for 'Regenerated' will, I hope, stay just where it is...at eight tenths of a dollar. I notice there are two entries for it, because when I put the story on Mobi, I entered it under both Short Stories and Fantasy. One should probably be removed; I'll ask Ammy.

As for the cover, I did it myself, finding and photoshopping just the right tail for the tale. Huge image alert! 

CK

​


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

kreelanwarrior said:


> What on (or off?) Earth is that??


Tom Swifties are embedded puns, as in "'I think I'll have another hot dog,' Tom said frankly." There's a lot of 'em online.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifty
The quotes from the actual books are pretty bad.

CK


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

LOL! Thanks for the "swifty" education! Alas, I studied far more Russian literature than I did English/American, but even that was sort of minimal: I was much more interested in phonetics than Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky when I wasn't over in the ROTC building getting into trouble. 

I must say, though, that I was rather captivated by a study one of my professors did on the rather esoteric topic of "spontaneous human combustion as depicted in Russian literature..."  

Okay, almost 1100 words for the night and I'm going to call it quits. Finished chapter 27. Will try to get a bit more done tomorrow! 

Oh, and now the fox is howling/screeching outside. Lovely...


----------



## sierra09

Well, I never thought I'd see Tom Swift's name in any form, in a post online.   Ed, granted I'm new here but you never cease to amaze me. I used to have the later editions but was never that into him.

O-kay, back to examine forests for my opening.


----------



## cheerio

Thumper said:


> Set up a schedule and stick to it: Write from 9am-noon, lunch, promote from 1-3, etc. If you have a day job that makes it more difficult, but in the end it's a matter of creating blocks of time and sticking to them.
> 
> Getting it all done is much easier when the writing IS the job and there's no employer to create a massive time-suck...


and dont get writter block


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

kreelanwarrior said:


> I must say, though, that I was rather captivated by a study one of my professors did on the rather esoteric topic of "spontaneous human combustion as depicted in Russian literature..."


Here's a trivia question. In what classic English novel does spontaneous combustion play a significant part?

(BTW, this gives me the idea for a Book corner thread).

Sierra, thank you. I'm just full of it. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You get rid of writer's block with Milano cookies, warm milk (or beer, you choice) and then sit down and write the first thing that comes to mind or eye or mind's eye. Then go, go go, go until something gels. If you're already on a project, block can be fought by always beginning the next chanpter while you're on a role, so you have a diving board to spring off the next time to you sit down. 

Ed P


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Here's a trivia question. In what classic English novel does spontaneous combustion play a significant part?


That was easy. _Bleak House_, one of my favorite books of all time! And how graphic and horrific the scene was, all the more so for being completely implied, not stated.

CK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Right on Carolyn. _Bleak House _ is wonderful, and also daring. I love that Dickens switches 2/3rd through from 3rd person POV to 1st person POV. That was brave in those days. I'm thinking of starting perhaps a literary trivia challenge, but in the Book Corner. Maybe in a week or so. I'm in a waitng pattern for the Book Klub to start, whcih when launched should keep me hopping. I got all the stuff for the 1st 9 Chapters of The Jade Owl and it's with betsy, who is in the process of setting it up.

Ed P


----------



## geoffthomas

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Right on Carolyn. _Bleak House _ is wonderful, and also daring. I love that Dickens switches 2/3rd through from 3rd person POV to 1st person POV. That was brave in those days. I'm thinking of starting perhaps a literary trivia challenge, but in the Book Corner. Maybe in a week or so. I'm in a waitng pattern for the Book Klub to start, whcih when launched should keep me hopping. I got all the stuff for the 1st 9 Chapters of The Jade Owl and it's with betsy, who is in the process of setting it up.
> 
> Ed P


Ed,
What a cool idea.
A literary trivia thread should be more interesting even than the "pet peeves" thread. More readers would enjoy it, even if they don't post. Would be a lot of fun to just read.
So go start it. I would but I have the worst luck starting threads.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I will, but I'm holding off because I just started the Jade Owl Book Klub today and just got permission to announce it in the Book Klub from Harvey. Authors tread lightly in the Book Corner and two new threads from an authors there in one day might be too evocative.

Thanks
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Ok, I'll start it....but only if you promise to jump in and kick it off.
OK?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay I will do a kick off post seconding your opening. Should it be on the Book Corner or somewhere else I think it would be great if when the name of the novel or novelist is revealed or guessed, a link be given to encourage readers to pick it up. This way readers willpost their favorite classics.

Ed P


----------



## geoffthomas

I did it in the book corner. If the mods think it is in the wrong place, they will move it.
Please take a look and start a new trivia.  I used your bleak house one as an example.
Woo Hoo.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I put a trivia question inthere and its had 20 views, but no one has taken a bite yet. Geofthomas, Carolyn anyone, go there and answer it, so the new thread doesn;t sink to the bottom so soon.

Edward C. Pecksniip


----------



## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> You get rid of writer's block with Milano cookies, warm milk (or beer, you choice)


I find a long ride on the scooter works for me. Sixty to seventy miles of long open road peppered by gentle curves usually does it for me. Oddly, I think that works not because I can spend the time thinking about the story, but because I have to stay hyper focused on not dying, and when I clear everything else out of my head, thusly does the block fall.

I still haven't bought any Milano cookies, because I'm afraid I'll like them too much...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Thumper said:


> I still haven't bought any Milano cookies, because I'm afraid I'll like them too much...


If it makes you feel better, I really don't like them that well. . . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Actually I use Veronas, Ann. When I did my stint at Booz Allen Hamilton in Virginia, the MC introduced me from my bio, and some research they did on line and announced to the world that "Mr. Patterson is inspired to write by, among other things, Verona cookies." I hold that this is a homage to Kindleboards, because that's where that conversation began, which led to an invitation from RJ to guest blog, where I mentioned that tidbit in Getting in the Zone.

Thumper, using your "driving brain" which is scientifically proved to be different and more creative than other "brains," you actually are writing and thus the block is gone.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I just go straight to the margaritas for inspiration! 

Okay, I've gotta get with it here tonight. Feel like the evening's already zipped by and I haven't wrote a word!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,400 words tonight. I have only 6,000 words or so to go to the end. I already started the proofing on the Kindle of the final. Cover art is completed. Blurb will be done by Friday. Press release due out on the 18th or 19th. Pre-release Blogs will go a few days after. I believe this one will be in the Kindle boiler by July 25th and layout for CreateSpace the next day or so. If all goes well, I'm Targeting an August 3rd release date (in memory of my mother's birthday - Dad will like that). And then . . . it's on to The Nan Tu and the first draft of The People's Treasure. My friends here - isn't it nice to have a dream and not defer it. How dies it go: "What happens to a dream deferred. It dries up like a raisin in the sun." 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I did a short humorous article for The Daily Fortnight about Sarah Palin absconding with Alaskan Oil Reserves - about 400 words; it was nice to shake the dust off with some new creative work. Article is here for anyone interested in a quick read: http://www.dailyfortnight.com/usa/785-alaska-oil-reserves-missing-sarah-palin-prime-suspect.

Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Elmore Hammes said:


> I did a short humorous article for The Daily Fortnight about Sarah Palin absconding with Alaskan Oil Reserves - about 400 words; it was nice to shake the dust off with some new creative work. Article is here for anyone interested in a quick read: http://www.dailyfortnight.com/usa/785-alaska-oil-reserves-missing-sarah-palin-prime-suspect.
> 
> Elmore


Got a chuckle out of that. Thanks, Elmore. As long as Palin doesn't abscond with my Deadliest Catch guys, I'm okay.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Got a chuckle out of that. Thanks, Elmore. As long as Palin doesn't abscond with my Deadliest Catch guys, I'm okay.


Glad you liked it - I'll have those guys make a cameo in a future article, that could be fun.


----------



## RJ Keller

> We've seen Saturday Night Live. We're willing to make it good television if that's what it takes.


LMAO! 

That was hilarious!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I gave OnLineBookReview.com's Stacey Cochrane an author interview today. Come visit and comment. I discuss The Jade Owl Legacy series, Indie Publishing, the Kindle and the future of book distribution as I see it.

http://tinyurl.com/l8b9qm

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 1,000 words today (splutter, splutter). It's been a wild day. I probably wrote 3,000 word on the internet, but alas only 1,000 to book. Tomorrow will be better. 

Edward C. Slutterson


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Elmore Hammes said:


> I did a short humorous article for The Daily Fortnight about Sarah Palin absconding with Alaskan Oil Reserves - about 400 words; it was nice to shake the dust off with some new creative work. Article is here for anyone interested in a quick read: http://www.dailyfortnight.com/usa/785-alaska-oil-reserves-missing-sarah-palin-prime-suspect.
> 
> Elmore


Loved it! I especially liked Tubbs' remarks.

Tanner


----------



## Thumper

Cutting, cutting, cutting words... I've excised roughly 25,000 words from this manuscript; however, I keep adding to it, so it may never shrink to a manageable size.

I typically don't let anyone read my works in progress until I'm 90% done, but this one I'm handing over to a friend as soon as I get through the first pass. She was just in a *major* accident and her husband has let me know that she _really_ wants to read it to pass some time during recovery. No subtle hinting there  And really, how can I say no?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Cutting, cutting, cutting words... I've excised roughly 25,000 words from this manuscript; however, I keep adding to it, so it may never shrink to a manageable size.
> 
> I typically don't let anyone read my works in progress until I'm 90% done, but this one I'm handing over to a friend as soon as I get through the first pass. She was just in a *major* accident and her husband has let me know that she _really_ wants to read it to pass some time during recovery. No subtle hinting there  And really, how can I say no?


What's your goal for a final word count?

Hope your friend recovers quickly and fully. I'm sure reading your ms will help keep her mind off what she's going through.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Good day,

I've been lurking around here for a couple of days and decided to join in. I've recently gone through a cesspool of creativeness most likely sparked by my frustration at getting the DTB version of Legacy in print. It finally ended and both stories that I'm working on progressed a bit yesterday. I managed a feeble 500 words, but that is better than nothing and I'm hoping that will increase as the next few days go by.

I'm working on a story that is different from anything I've attempted before and would like some feedback if anyone cares to look. It would be greatly appreciated.

http://chaotic-elf.blogspot.com/2009/03/knaben-nine-preview-chapter.html

There is no sex or cursing, but there is violence.

Tanner


----------



## sierra09

I've been noticing that a lot of authors gauge a days progress by word count. I never considered that. I always gauged mine by page count and if I hit ten pages every night(since I hardly ever started really working on until after six in the evening) then I was happy. Anything above ten pages and I was thrilled.  I'll have to remember to check word count one time when I'm done for the night, just to see.

I learn new things all the time on here.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

sierra09 said:


> I've been noticing that a lot of authors gauge a days progress by word count. I never considered that. I always gauged mine by page count and if I hit ten pages every night(since I hardly ever started really working on until after six in the evening) then I was happy. Anything above ten pages and I was thrilled. I'll have to remember to check word count one time when I'm done for the night, just to see.
> 
> I learn new things all the time on here.


Ten pages, using Garamond 11 font, at 8 1/2 x 11 is just over 5000 words. I can honestly say that I've accomplished that feat maybe once or twice. I usually, when things are flowing for me, get about 3-4 pages a day.

Tanner


----------



## sierra09

I never knew that. I usually type in New Times Roman. I know, bad habit. I think the least pages I ever did on my main novel was 3 and that night was just too distracting. I cannot write a decent scene when the outside world keeps screaming for attention..... or the TV's on.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

sierra09 said:


> I never knew that. I usually type in New Times Roman. I know, bad habit. I think the least pages I ever did on my main novel was 3 and that night was just too distracting. I cannot write a decent scene when the outside world keeps screaming for attention..... or the TV's on.


The only reason I use Garamond is that it's one less step when I get to the formatting stage. I guess any font is good while in the writing stage. I usually write to a background of Mozart or Strauss, sometimes Tchaikovsky. I stick to instrumentals as the words in the music get distracting. I think writing with the TV on would be impossible for me.


----------



## sierra09

Oh, it is but if Mom's in the room then she's got.....Sprout Cartoons on. I write with headphones on. The music depends on what I'm writing since it seems for certain characters or the type of book then I have certain music that goes best. For this series, it's mostly Celtic music or that has the feel of that.  

That is true. To write in the actual font you'll format in would be one less step. Never considered that.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Tanner Artesz said:


> Ten pages, using Garamond 11 font, at 8 1/2 x 11 is just over 5000 words. I can honestly say that I've accomplished that feat maybe once or twice. I usually, when things are flowing for me, get about 3-4 pages a day.
> 
> Tanner


Why do you publish in Garamond 11?


----------



## Thumper

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> What's your goal for a final word count?


Ideally, under 120,000, but I think I'll have to settle for 140,000. If this was a first book, it would never fly at that length, but being the 4th in a series, I might be able to get away with the length.

And my editor will slice it to shreds, I'm sure.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Why do you publish in Garamond 11?


Garamond is one of the Adobe fonts so there isn't any problems when exporting to pdf format. I use size 11 to cut down on the page count which effects the price.

What do you use?

Tanner


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Tanner Artesz said:


> Garamond is one of the Adobe fonts so there isn't any problems when exporting to pdf format. I use size 11 to cut down on the page count which effects the price.
> 
> What do you use?
> 
> Tanner


I've been using Times New Roman 12 for the body and Park Avenue 16 for the chapter headings. I didn't have any font problem converting to PDF.

Park Avenue is a true type font which is why I used it for the headings, but it doesn't convert for the Kindle.

I used a few little tricks for cutting down on the page count since, as you said, it affects the price. I managed to cut down 6 pages.

I'll have to see how Garamond looks.


----------



## Leslie

I like Garamond. I think it is a very attractive font. I am working on a book project right now and formatted it in Garamond 11.

L


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Leslie said:


> I like Garamond. I think it is a very attractive font. I am working on a book project right now and formatted it in Garamond 11.
> 
> L


It is an attractive font and it is easy to read. As far as I know, it works well with kindle too.

Tanner


----------



## sierra09

I may have to try Garmond on this new book. I usually stay away from it since I swear it eats the bottom of my letter 'g' but it never hurts to try. I think I spent an hour one night while reformatting for a different size edition trying to decide on a font that worked with the size pitch I used, could be seen and also kept page count down.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I stick to Times-Roman as it ws designed for the most efficient measure. However, the legnth of a book while writing or marketing it is always given in number of words. There are formulas to estimate how many pages for the final given trade or paperback, but its a variable since when formatting you need to sart each chapter on a right hand page and add a blank and the final must always be an even number page. Also the category of fiction prose is expressed in number of words (short story, novelette, novella, novel, epic etc). 

I do love Garamond Italics at 18 points or titles, especially the "G"

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

sierra09 said:


> I've been noticing that a lot of authors gauge a days progress by word count. I never considered that. I always gauged mine by page count and if I hit ten pages every night(since I hardly ever started really working on until after six in the evening) then I was happy. Anything above ten pages and I was thrilled. I'll have to remember to check word count one time when I'm done for the night, just to see.
> 
> I learn new things all the time on here.


Word count is just a convenient yardstick that is layout-independent. My current book format averages 500 words per page, but that's still rough. I also sort of think in Kindle terms, where pages are meaningless.

But it doesn't matter, really: whatever works for you as a motivational tool or target to shoot for is great. I never used to consider word count at all when I had almost limitless time to write, but now that time is very precious - I'm lucky if I have two hours a day - setting a goal helps. I usually write at a rate of about 500 words/hour, so that's a convenient multiple...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> But it doesn't matter, really: whatever works for you as a motivational tool or target to shoot for is great. I never used to consider word count at all when I had almost limitless time to write, but now that time is very precious - I'm lucky if I have two hours a day - setting a goal helps. I usually write at a rate of about 500 words/hour, so that's a convenient multiple...


That's about what works for me. Just under two hours tonight and just over 1K words. First I've done in a couple of weeks because GS hasn't been going to karate. I seem to get my best work done there. I've got to break that habit. After a while, my fingers will begin to think they don't work unless I'm watching kids kicking each other.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> After a while, my fingers will begin to think they don't work unless I'm watching kids kicking each other.


Hey, that sounds like great inspiration for me! LOL!

Shooting for 1K tonight. Trying a last-ditch effort to save the hero...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Shooting for 1K tonight. Trying a last-ditch effort to save the hero...


Oh, no! Don't kill off the hero at the end. I couldn't stand it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Oh, no! Don't kill off the hero at the end. I couldn't stand it.


No spoilers.


Spoiler



But you know I wouldn't write a book that had a crappy ending.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> No spoilers.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> But you know I wouldn't write a book that had a crappy ending.


No, you wouldn't. I just had a moment of panic.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> No, you wouldn't. I just had a moment of panic.


It won't be a walk in the park, and not everybody makes it (war is indeed hell), but I hate endings like Cold Mountain (as one example)...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I buried one of mine on Monday and now am writing for closure. I had 2,300 words by 3 pm today and am now sitting down for the rest. I'll let y'all know. I also called the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation today to let them know that I was dedicating the book to them. They were thrilled. However, I want to put their contact info on the last page of the book, so when the hankies are set aside, if *Look Away Silence* has made a difference in my reader's life, they have an opportunity to reach out and make a difference also. Hyacinth will have their attorney contact me for permissions (if granted) and format. This evening I am writing about the NAMES Project and the quilt as it was spread out in Washington, DC in 1996, all 10,000 panels of it. In this chapter our protagonist reaches some closure. As the names are read, which were usually done alphabetically, I have altered this to include the actual names of the 14 friends I buried. The hero of the work, if we can call him that, then meets the six main characters from the three other connected books - *No Irish Need Apply, Bobby's Trace* and *Cutting the Cheese*. They meet over Bobby's quilt panel. Then we go on to the real "Brokeback Mountain" moment. It should go fast, because this final section has been more or less complete since 2003. However, since I recast the book into 1st person POV, there is a refocus and phrase shifting. I have put off finishing this novel for years, but when it's done I can be at rest and tonight my angels will sleep.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Oh, I hate killing off a character. I have an action series that's buried in a file cabinet in which through about 5 books I've killed.....at least three semi-regular characters. The last one came as a surprise since he wasn't supposed to die. It hasn't been decided if anyone's dying in my Celtic series yet but those things just happen as I type.

I prefer New Times Roman but that just may be because it's what I've always used.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Character deaths are a pain. I lost three steady ones in Shadow as well a supporting character or two. I made it through Legacy with everyone intact, for the most part. Vengeance is going to be another that I lose some people.

Tanner


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I've lost a number of them in the draft of IHN: First Contact. But the story is largely a number of inter-related vignettes, with only a few characters that thread their way through the whole thing. Can't spoil the surprise of who makes it and who doesn't or Gertie will try to take my Kool Hat away (whichever one I'm currently on, I can't remember now!)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> I've lost a number of them in the draft of IHN: First Contact. But the story is largely a number of inter-related vignettes, with only a few characters that thread their way through the whole thing. Can't spoil the surprise of who makes it and who doesn't or Gertie will try to take my Kool Hat away (whichever one I'm currently on, I can't remember now!)...


Or I'll make you wear the potty hat.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I type in Times New Roman 12. It looks the best to me. I can't type in Courier--it just looks so boring.

One of the hardest things I did was stop typing using "smart quotes"--you know, the ones that curl like little bananas. Trouble was, whenever I sent a submission through email, a lot of time the quotes got replaced with random figures.

Fortunately editors will look at Times New Roman, but quite a few won't look beyond that or Courier (at least last time I checked).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I type in Times New Roman 12. It looks the best to me. I can't type in Courier--it just looks so boring.
> 
> One of the hardest things I did was stop typing using "smart quotes"--you know, the ones that curl like little bananas. Trouble was, whenever I sent a submission through email, a lot of time the quotes got replaced with random figures.
> 
> Fortunately editors will look at Times New Roman, but quite a few won't look beyond that or Courier (at least last time I checked).


Used to be courier was mandatory, but I agree, it is boring.

I use smart quotes. If I don't, I'll get straight open quotes and curly end quotes. Drives me crazy. So now I use smart quotes and I'm happy with the consistent curlies.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I love smart quotes too--_love_ them!--but seriously, my emails looked something like this:

"What#8^^(s up?#8^^( said Pete.
"Nothing,#8^^( said Stan.

(That piece of


Spoiler



crap


 is not in any book. It's just used for example. No real quotes were harmed in this reproduction)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Killing off a character when its based on someone you knew is the toughest, I'll tell you BUT

*I FINISHED*

Came to 89,800 words (I did nearly 6,000 words today) probably 396 pages. The last bit goes to Peg tomorrow. The final proofing will be going apace. Need to write the Acknowledgments and the BLURB (a hard one this time). And a special for my support friends here, I share with you (the first time in public)

The Cover Art for _*Look Away Silence*_










I going to bed. I have a NJ weekend ahead.

Ed P.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Killing off a character when its based on someone you knew is the toughest, I'll tell you BUT
> 
> *I FINISHED*
> 
> Came to 89,800 words (I did nearly 6,000 words today) probably 396 pages. The last bit goes to Peg tomorrow. The final proofing will be going apace. Need to write the Acknowledgments and the BLURB (a hard one this time). And a special for my support friends here, I share with you (the first time in public)
> 
> Ed P.


I imagine that is the toughest type of character death. I've not attempted to do that yet and don't think I will. Anyway, just wanted to congratulate you on completing. Rest well!

Tanner

Late-night edit: Things are doing better. I manage 1600 words today. That would be a 1100 word improvement over yesterday. It also completes a chapter.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished the Blurb and the Acknowledgements.* I included this thread in the book's acknowledgements. *

Here it is:

"Acknowledgements

The challenges of authoring this novel were many, because it encapsulates a period of my life and a subset of my experience that might be best tucked away and forgotten as all traumas should be. However, when I volunteered as a middle-aged gay man to lend a hand in my community with AIDS patients, I thought it was the noble thing to do. As I learned, it was not, unless debilitating disease and emotional upheaval can be considered noble. The history told here belongs to others, however. It may be cobbled from the many partners who lived with AIDS and those who helped ease the suffering, but it is a shared experience, and thus needs to be shared with you. Every American knows about AIDS now, and might even recall the period when it ravaged the gay community, stirring up new phobias and hysteria that might have been settled. However, the lessons should not be forgotten. With a new upsurge in cases within the gay community as a new wave of young men feel invincible as they dance with life, perhaps it's best to recall what can happen when the back is turned on the obvious

I want to thank all those over the years who mentored me in community service, in the GALA Chorus organization, including the New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus, the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, AmFAR, the NAMES Project and many local churches, food banks, financial sources throughout the State of New Jersey and especially the volunteers who consistently participate in AIDS Walks throughout the country. A special thank you is given to my editor Margaret Stevens for the yeomen effort in getting this work into its sterling, publication condition. Also a thanks to Kindleboard.com and Michael R. Hick's author support group for being there nightly to encourage me to complete this work - a difficult oar to pull over mostly emotional waters. As for my angels, I leave that thank you to Louise Kieler on the steps of the Washington Monument.

Edward C. Patterson"

and while we're at it, the book blurb.

"Martin Powers wanted an ironing board for Christmas. Instead he got . . . Matthew Kieler, a non-returnable gift, but a gift that kept on giving. Chance encounters are sometimes the ones that most change our lives. He sold Matt a tie, but got more in the bargain - more than most people would want and more than anyone deserved. Although these lovers may not have had the pink American dream, they had it better than most, even as they faced a crisis that would change us all.

Look Away Silence is a romance set the time of AIDS, when ignorance could spell trouble and often did. It encompasses the author's experiences in volunteer community service and personal friendships during a tragic period in American history. The novel is dedicated to the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, the NAMES Project and to the author's own fallen angels. "Mothers do not shun your children, because you never know how long you have to revel in them."

Ed P
To NJ


----------



## geoffthomas

Thank you for sharing that with us, Ed.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

In spite of spending a great deal of my day trying to rid my back yard of a fallen poplar tree, I managed 2100 words tonight. How is everyone else faring this fine Friday?

Tanner


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Tanner Artesz said:


> In spite of spending a great deal of my day trying to rid my back yard of a fallen poplar tree, I managed 2100 words tonight. How is everyone else faring this fine Friday?


Tanner - awesome! Good on'ya!

I didn't write a single word yesterday. After dealing with an uncooperative generator (the power went out for a few hours and - of course! - I couldn't get the thing started, but think I found the problem after I ripped it apart), I spent the evening dorking around on Facebook.

But I think this weekend is it: I'm going to try and get this sucker finished! Speaking of which, I'm gonna get to work on it right now...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Proofing on the Kindle DX today. In New Jersey, so I rarely get any riting done. Of course, I need to get crackig on The Nan Tu.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 400 words written this morning, more hopefully to come. Want to try and get the draft done this weekend...!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> About 400 words written this morning, more hopefully to come. Want to try and get the draft done this weekend...!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, didn't get past the 400 words I wrote yesterday morning! LOL! Talk about a whirlwind day. Ran around shopping, then had to do a bunch of other junk. Then it was P90X workout time, after which we went to a neighborhood pick-up soccer game where the parents and the kids had their own separate games. That was a lot of fun - used to play soccer in grade school (the only sport I was semi-decent at), but back then we didn't have all the leagues and stuff like they do now, so that was it. 

But I am soooo sore! Totally immobilized. Guess I'll have to write...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, didn't get past the 400 words I wrote yesterday morning! LOL! Talk about a whirlwind day. Ran around shopping, then had to do a bunch of other junk. Then it was P90X workout time, after which we went to a neighborhood pick-up soccer game where the parents and the kids had their own separate games. That was a lot of fun - used to play soccer in grade school (the only sport I was semi-decent at), but back then we didn't have all the leagues and stuff like they do now, so that was it.
> 
> But I am soooo sore! Totally immobilized. Guess I'll have to write...


Good thing you play soccer with your feet and not your fingers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Good thing you play soccer with your feet and not your fingers.


Well, oddly enough, while we were playing I got the wierdest cramp I've ever had: it was like I got a charlie horse in the knuckles and back of my hand for my middle and ring fingers of my left hand! Hurt like the devil, and just came outta nowhere.

Maybe my fingers were protesting the rest of my body parts playing soccer when they wanted to write...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Exactly. Soccer is played on ice, isn;t it? or did I mix that up with anoher sport.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Exactly. Soccer is played on ice, isn;t it? or did I mix that up with anoher sport.


Iron League Soccer! Yeah, that's us! <honk!>

I actually didn't do too bad for a first time out on the field in 30 years: I managed to snag the ball away from a couple other players who actually knew what they were doing, including a young gal who's here as part of the "UK Elite" soccer training program.

Of course, that was a lot easier after I got done digging and camouflaging the tiger pits on the field...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I think I could do well on a soccer field if all the other team were blind, 10 years olds in high chairs. And the last time I was on a soccer field was . . . wait, I've beve been on any sports field unless it was running across it in the army or the forced boasketball games they forced me to play. And as for didge wabll - well I was always the target,

Miss Chatty


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I think I could do well on a soccer field if all the other team were blind, 10 years olds in high chairs. And the last time I was on a soccer field was . . . wait, I've beve been on any sports field unless it was running across it in the army or the forced boasketball games they forced me to play. And as for didge wabll - well I was always the target,
> 
> Miss Chatty


The only sport I've ever been really good at was WATCHING hockey. I did manage to get very close to a black belt test in karate, but my back ended that career in one fell swoop.

I managed another 2000 words yesterday spread over 2 stories. I tried, very hard, to concentrate on Vengeance, but the other story kept creeping into my mind and distracting me. How are you other word-throwers doing?

Tanner


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Proofing now and won;t be witing in the true sense until tomorrow and Tuesday. Wednesday is Harry Potter day and I already have an evening ticket, so no writing that day.

Ed P


----------



## Dave Dykema

Well I was doing great, went on vacation, managed a few words (very few) while there, and then practically nothing since I've been back.

What the heck happened?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> Well I was doing great, went on vacation, managed a few words (very few) while there, and then practically nothing since I've been back.
> 
> What the heck happened?


You obviously need a chocolate infusion!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Milanos.

E P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Milanos.
> 
> E P


Personally, I prefer Pecan Sandies and tea


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Actual, Veronas are magical, but I was trying to keep with the chocolate theme.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm type 1 diabetic, so the chocolate theme isn't really an option.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm type 1 diabetic, so the chocolate theme isn't really an option.


How 'bout grain-sweetened chocolate chips? Would those work (not by the handful, obviously)?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, a I'm type-2 Diabetic, so Veronas work.  

Ed P


----------



## Thumper

I'm just fat, I should avoid it all...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> I'm just fat, I should avoid it all...


I've been eating the Hollywood Diet Cookies. Two substitute for a meal. The oatmeal is a little dry, but the chocolate chip is good and I really like the lemon.

Which reminds me. I'm out of the lemon.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wrote about 1,000 words last night, only to have my word processor eat them! So, that was about an hour and a half of work down the tubes, so I wound up staying up late to re-do it while I still had the thread in mind. Grrr...

Gonna try to make more progress tonight, if I can. But I am SO thrashed - slept like poo-doo last night, and my P90X workout this afternoon just about did me in. Oy!

Zzzz...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

I hate that when you lose work. That happened toward the end of The Dragon's Pool. I had an extempro moemnt and wrote some wonderful stuff, and when I lost it, I never recaptured the original spontaneity of it. I am continually pressng Ctrl-S.

Ed P

PS: Still proofing L.A.S. so nothing coming out my fingers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I hate that when you lose work. That happened toward the end of The Dragon's Pool. I had an extempro moemnt and wrote some wonderful stuff, and when I lost it, I never recaptured the original spontaneity of it. I am continually pressng Ctrl-S.


Yeah, that's what's most irritating: even though we have to go back through what we write and revise/edit, it always seems like the bits that we wrote down the *first* time were the best ones to start working with...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Karate night, so I got my usual 500 words done and a bit of editing on that section, as well.  Some very noisy moms in the visitors room, so I ended up shutting down about 10 minutes early.  Aggravating, since the scene was coming along nicely.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Karate night, so I got my usual 500 words done and a bit of editing on that section, as well. Some very noisy moms in the visitors room, so I ended up shutting down about 10 minutes early. Aggravating, since the scene was coming along nicely.


You need a portable cone of silence!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> You need a portable cone of silence!


Sorry about that, Chief.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Sorry about that, Chief.


Missed it by that much...

Did you see the remake they did of Get Smart? I'm not normally one for comedies, but that movie was hilarious - I think it's the only comedy we actually bought on Blu-Ray...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Missed it by that much...
> 
> Did you see the remake they did of Get Smart? I'm not normally one for comedies, but that movie was hilarious - I think it's the only comedy we actually bought on Blu-Ray...


No, I didn't see it. I'll see if I can rent it. See you later. My shoe is ringing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, Look Away Silence has been set for publication on or about July 24th (a little ahead of schedule). Press release is here: http://tinyurl.com/mc54wu

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## AnnaM

I've published a western romance ("Unbroken Hearts") on Kindle, and I'm preparing to publish the sequel.

I put a low price on "Unbroken Hearts" (99 cents), and I'm now selling around 100 books a month. I'd like suggestions from other authors on pricing . . . I'm thinking the second book should be set at a higher price (readers of the first book have been asking for the sequel). As I gain a reputation/following I think it's possible to sustain higher pricing.

Anyone here with marketing experience? Please comment.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'd start at $ 3.99. With one book out with 100 books a month, your have readers who now would be willing to pay the sweet-spot Kindle price of $ 3.99. If it doesn't move at first, be patient. Your readers of the first book need to move it through their TBR pile, which has an undefinable rate. I sell most of my books for $ .99, but not my Fantasy series nor any new book out. The Fantasy series does as well at $3.99 as the others do at $ .99. I sell around 200 books a month across all titles, but I strive for name branding and not title pushing. My readers buy me, so my titles are blended into one big insolubale author's name.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## AnnaM

Edward, thanks for the advice.  I'm also working to establish a strong name brand. I'll check out your books.

Anna


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I finally got the first draft of a short story I have been wanting to get done in time for an August 1st submission deadline. Once I got my head around the theme, it was a quick process. The first draft ended up at about 750 words, but those were hard-fought words and it felt like I had done a whole chapter of a novel!
I will let it simmer over the weekend before polishing it up early next week.
Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Elmore Hammes said:


> I finally got the first draft of a short story I have been wanting to get done in time for an August 1st submission deadline. Once I got my head around the theme, it was a quick process. The first draft ended up at about 750 words, but those were hard-fought words and it felt like I had done a whole chapter of a novel!
> I will let it simmer over the weekend before polishing it up early next week.
> Elmore


Congratulations. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

I'm up to about 57K, but I can't work at the karate school anymore. The new mom's are just too chatty. When I put my house back together after all the remodeling (minor stuff, but a lot of it), I'm fixing myself a nice quiet corner to work in. I need some new work habits.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I was able to launch the Kindle version of Look Away Silence in an hour. It's already up there, without description (I listed the description on the Book Bazaar), but I didn't even finish the CreateSpace version in DTB. Amazon is getting better.

Look Away Silence http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HRER5S

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Congrats Elmore and Edward. It does feel nice to finish something up!

Tanner


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Where is everyone? I know I haven;t written too much in the last two days, but is it contagious?

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Where is everyone? I know I haven;t written too much in the last two days, but is it contagious?
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


You don't suppose they could be off somewhere... <gasp> _ writing_??


----------



## geoffthomas

Hmmmmm......could be.

Just sayin......


----------



## Dave Dykema

My temporary stoppage seems to be over.

My guess is that Ed and Kreelanwarrior both finished their books, so they don't need the hourly prodding (until they start their next ones)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susan in VA said:


> You don't suppose they could be off somewhere... <gasp> _ writing_??





geoffthomas said:


> Hmmmmm......could be.
> 
> Just sayin......












authoratwork


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'll need a prod to get busy on the Nan Tu and as I estimate that this one will be 200,000 words, that will be a cattle prod. BTW, good on my word, I had printed in the new book Mike'and this thread and Kindleboards as an importnt support to get me through that 10 hankie write I just finished. I hope that this one takes off because Hyacinth AIDS Foundation will benefit from the exposure, donations etc. But in any case, my ghosts are finally at peace.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

PROD  ----------> Ed


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*OUCH!*

Edward C. Proded-been


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oy! That was eye-searing...  

I haven't posted anything lately because I haven't written in the last couple days while lazing around and snorking up cheesecake for my birthday. 

My folks are visiting, so I'm not able to get much quiet time to concentrate, which in a way is fine. My dad brought up a point about the plot and one of the characters my fingers killed off that is causing me to rethink whether she should perhaps be resurrected or not. Not sure. It's close to the end of the book, so if I changed things it wouldn't have too many downstream impacts, but I haven't consulted with my fingers yet.

Have also been taking a closer look at the bizarre pricing going on in the Kindle store. Very annoying and disconcerting. As many other folks have already pointed out in various places, the discounts have been removed from many, if not most, indie titles, while a number of titles from larger publishers have received even bigger discounts (some of them to $0.00). We - those of us publishing through Amazon's DTP service - currently have no real input to the pricing at all: we can change the MSRP - which Amazon previously used as their base sale price, and to which they applied the normally accepted discounts - but Amazon is applying premium pricing. So there's no point right now in the author trying to lower the price, because all that will happen is that the author will get a smaller royalty, while Amazon will get a bigger profit. 

Oddly enough, one of my book sneaked across from Mobipocket sometime in the last few days - and it has a discount applied! Very, very strange...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well the prod worked and I wrote 2,700 words of *The Nan Tu*. It's a bit refreshing to be swimming in the Chinese world again and with one of my favorite characters, K'u Ko-ling. In fact, I'm going to give you all a scatological snippet of this evening's writing. This is Ko-ling as the narrator telling about the horrible quarters that his master occupied in the Southern Capital at Ying-t'ien, a pavilion called Magnolia House, right next to the stables.

"I am a connoisseur of


Spoiler



horseshit


 - the aromas of the stable. So the breezes that wafted the perfume across the courtyard from the equine barns to Magnolia House were not strangers to me. In fact, there has always been wonderment in the power of the stuff, especially when used to grow cabbages and leeks. Now as for cowcumbers, like the ones back on my father's tenancy, we had no horse, and the ox was prone more to farting than dung, so the family would need to contribute to the health and well being of the crops in the growing season. Since my father's cowcumbers were the largest on the Li Xien estate, there's something to be said for human poop. However, when it comes to aromas, I much prefer that of horse."

Oh I'm in for a lot of fun and war and politics and rape and battles and sea scenes and mutinies. Whoopee!


----------



## RJ Keller

I've been busy doing round #1 of edits with one book while starting the first draft of another. I LOVE writing, and I even enjoy the editing process, but this whole simultaneous right brain / left brain activity thing is starting to make my brain feel like puddin'.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

rjkeller said:


> I've been busy doing round #1 of edits with one book while starting the first draft of another. I LOVE writing, and I even enjoy the editing process, but this whole simultaneous right brain / left brain activity thing is starting to make my brain feel like puddin'.


Kel, can I call ya Kel? I heard you call yourself that on your You Tube Video... which I LOVED!!! Anyway... I LOVE puddin'! So I like your brain!   You may not know it but Brendan Carroll's "Bump" for the day (yesterday, I think) was your VIDEO! Go look at the Not Quite Kindle Thread, and you will see it!


----------



## RJ Keller

Oh cool! I didn't see that thread, but I'll go look at it now. (I usually pop in & out, and when I click on "show unread posts since last visit" there's about 1,000,000,000,000 threads staring at me. Sometimes it's overwhelming, so I miss a bunch of good stuff.)

And yep, I go by Kel. Thanks for watching the video!


----------



## Thumper

My brain is melting...


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Thumper said:


> My brain is melting...


Oh, no....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> My brain is melting...


My brain could melt and I'd still be fine as far as writing goes - there's obviously no attachment between my cranium and my fingers...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

The draft of *In Her Name: First Contact* is ALMOST DONE! Just finished the last chapter, now working on the epilog. Then the flippin' editing begins, but I'm hoping it won't be too bad - the first draft came out pretty clean, I think...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> The draft of *In Her Name: First Contact* is ALMOST DONE! Just finished the last chapter, now working on the epilog. Then the flippin' editing begins, but I'm hoping it won't be too bad - the first draft came out pretty clean, I think...


I'm not giving you another checkered flag until you are really, really done with the first draft. But for now, here's a blue chick to keep you going.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

D'oh! She's pressing The Button! 

Okay, onward with the epilog...


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I finished another short story. I am still hoping to begin a larger effort soon, but as long as I get some productive writing out each week I won't complain!
Elmore


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, 2,400 words today and another chapter for Peg tomorrow (actually she's getting 3 chapters). That's it for the night. 

Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Elmore Hammes said:


> I finished another short story. I am still hoping to begin a larger effort soon, but as long as I get some productive writing out each week I won't complain!
> Elmore


Elmore - Great! Keep it up! 

I turned in just a bit shy of 6,000 words today, including 8 pages of the epilog. I'm hoping I'll be able to finish the draft of IHN: First Contact tomorrow - FINALLY! Well, I guess I shouldn't say "finally" - I only started the bloody thing the second week of April...

Okay, time to hit the sack!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

6,000 words. Phenonmenal. great going Mike.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

6,000 words is wonderful - great job! (and 2,400 is too, Ed)


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> I turned in just a bit shy of 6,000 words today,












Sweet!
Fingers hurt after that much typing?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Sweet!
> Fingers hurt after that much typing?


No, the pain wears off at around 3,000 - after that, everything's numb!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Put me down for 1600 words tonight. Allllmost done. One last little section (maybe 1000 words or so) to do, and this sucker (the draft, at least), is done...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Put me down for 1600 words tonight. Allllmost done. One last little section (maybe 1000 words or so) to do, and this sucker (the draft, at least), is done...


Promises, promises.


----------



## Dave Dykema

And the that last little section goes on for 8-10 pages! That's happened to me before...

Don't worry, though. You'll get through it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nothing tonight as my interview with the San Fancisco GLBT Examiner Literary section (Alan Chin) came out lae this afternoon and I've been promoting it: http://tinyurl.com/mp793n . My back went out on Saturday night, so I am also drugged up and in considerbale pain.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

kreelanwarrior said:


> Put me down for 1600 words tonight. Allllmost done. One last little section (maybe 1000 words or so) to do, and this sucker (the draft, at least), is done...


Does that mean that we can have the "dance of joy" (always loved Balkie doing it).
And have sparklers, confetti, margaritas and chocolate cake (yeah I am hung up on this list).

Just sayin......


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Does that mean that we can have the "dance of joy" (always loved Balkie doing it).
> And have sparklers, confetti, margaritas and chocolate cake (yeah I am hung up on this list).
> 
> Just sayin......


Only after I type "The End" at the bottom...and then the editing begins!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Not too much tonight. My back is out and I have a bad summer cold and I can't concerntrate on words because of the snot. Not pretty, but true.

Edward C. Patterson
I need an oxygen tent


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Not too much tonight. My back is out and I have a bad summer cold and I can't concerntrate on words because of the snot. Not pretty, but true.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> I need an oxygen tent


Sorry to hear you're ailing, Edward. Hope you get better soon.  Brendan


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you, achoo, sniff, sniff, drip.

Ed P


----------



## Ann in Arlington

GAaah!  Ed. . . .please. . . . .don't infect the rest of us!!  

Seriously. . . .I hope you feel better soon. . . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm headed out for cold medicine and just called my boss and told her I'd be taking tomorrow off. If I feel better, I probably get the book launch going full bull pull as the DTB page came up with everything except the description. Now I can add it my website, use my mailing lists, post it on the book sites etc. It usually take a few days, but . . . I'm it.    

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Thumper said:


> Sweet!
> Fingers hurt after that much typing?


I was thinking the same thing... my fingers curl into clubs at that word count, but



kreelanwarrior said:


> No, the pain wears off at around 3,000 - after that, everything's numb!


That numbness is a Godsend for getting through the long writes.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Man, words have been flowing again after a long drought. I'm writing this novel differently than my others, in that I only had the first kernel of an idea and just started running/typing with it. I was down for a while, but now ideas are popping up all over the place and I can't wait to write!

Thanks to Kindleboards for all the inspiration you've given me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Man, words have been flowing again after a long drought. I'm writing this novel differently than my others, in that I only had the first kernel of an idea and just started running/typing with it. I was down for a while, but now ideas are popping up all over the place and I can't wait to write!
> 
> Thanks to Kindleboards for all the inspiration you've given me.


Good for you. We can give you the support, but you're the one that is overflowing with ideas. Major kudos.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, peeps: the first draft of *In Her Name: First Contact* is DONE! Weighing in at 157,000 words (about 370 pages in the print version). Not bad for having started working on it the second week of April. 

Lots of revision/editing work ahead, but the big chunk is finished. I think I should have another margarita...!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Kongratulation, Mike!

Ed P.


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, peeps: the first draft of *In Her Name: First Contact* is DONE! Weighing in at 157,000 words (about 370 pages in the print version). Not bad for having started working on it the second week of April.


Awesome!

What trim size will print out to just 370 pages at that word count? 150K @ 5x8 12p TNR winds up being over 600 pages. Hence, I'm going a little nuts trying to trim mine down before I hand it over to the editor.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Thumper said:


> Awesome!
> 
> What trim size will print out to just 370 pages at that word count? 150K @ 5x8 12p TNR winds up being over 600 pages. Hence, I'm going a little nuts trying to trim mine down before I hand it over to the editor.


The paperback version of my novel The Cloud is 97k @ 6x9 11p Garamond, and is 238 pages. When I changed the doc to 8.5 x 11, 12 p NR, double spacing to simulate a first draft, it increased to 312 pages.


----------



## geoffthomas

Ok my friends.
Keep up the good work.
And Gertie, that goes for you too.

I am so proud of the authors who choose to spend some time  here at KB.

Even those who choose to be "quiet".

consider this a virtual neck rub - now get back into the game.

Just sayin......


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, peeps: the first draft of *In Her Name: First Contact* is DONE! Weighing in at 157,000 words (about 370 pages in the print version). Not bad for having started working on it the second week of April.
> 
> Lots of revision/editing work ahead, but the big chunk is finished. I think I should have another margarita...!












Well done.



















Sorry, had to have a taste.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Ok my friends.
> Keep up the good work.
> And Gertie, that goes for you too.
> 
> I am so proud of the authors who choose to spend some time here at KB.
> 
> Even those who choose to be "quiet".
> 
> consider this a virtual neck rub - now get back into the game.
> 
> Just sayin......


Workin' on it. Good stuff is showing up on the screen. Sometimes I wonder how it got there.


----------



## sierra09

I'm just glad I write on a computer now instead of paper like before. It's much easier to wipe stuff out and go. I've had to go back to redo the first chapter for the third time since it just didn't have the feel I wanted much less go smoothly into the second.   Which also meant other things had to get changed. Is it a good thing when you feel like throttling a character?   For the easiest going of my cast this one is going to drive me nuts before I'm halfway done.


----------



## Carolyn Kephart

geoffthomas said:


> Ok my friends.
> Keep up the good work.
> And Gertie, that goes for you too.
> 
> I am so proud of the authors who choose to spend some time here at KB.
> 
> Even those who choose to be "quiet".


To quote the computer of the Enterprise: "Working...working!"



CK


----------



## vwkitten

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Workin' on it. Good stuff is showing up on the screen. Sometimes I wonder how it got there.


Me too. =)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> Man, words have been flowing again after a long drought. I'm writing this novel differently than my others, in that I only had the first kernel of an idea and just started running/typing with it. I was down for a while, but now ideas are popping up all over the place and I can't wait to write!
> 
> Thanks to Kindleboards for all the inspiration you've given me.


Dave - Awesome! Keep at it! If you're on twitter, you might also want to post using the hashtag #writegoal. Lots of authors on there egging one another on.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Awesome!


Thanks! 



> What trim size will print out to just 370 pages at that word count? 150K @ 5x8 12p TNR winds up being over 600 pages. Hence, I'm going a little nuts trying to trim mine down before I hand it over to the editor.


It's 5.5 x 8.5, a compromise between the larger 6x9 format and 5x8. The page count at 5x8 really pumps up the print cost (another peril of self-publishing), and it seemed a bit too low at 6x9. Besides, I wanted a different trim size for the standalone novels of the series than the omnibus version. So maybe when this second trilogy is done, I'll make another 6x9 omnibus of them...


----------



## RJ Keller

kreelanwarrior said:


> Dave - Awesome! Keep at it! If you're on twitter, you might also want to post using the hashtag #writegoal. Lots of authors on there egging one another on.


That's great! Thanks for letting us know about that.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just a few hundred words to anchor me in. I'm out of bed - went to work today, but faded fast. Feeling a little better now, so I wrote the opening 2 paragraphs to the next chapter of The Nan Tu to anchor me in for omorrow. I'm staying in PA this weekend, so I should get stuff done. I managed to upload the Look Away Silence to mobipocket and smashwords tonight, and author den is set up. Tomorrow I'll list at Shelfari, LibraryThing, GoodReads, Facebook and Publetariat. Also the Deepening should have a promo up tomorrow, and Rainbow Reviews requested the book to reiew it. So things are emerging, but when being sick, this launch has been hazy. But I can;t complain. Te official release of Look Away Silence is tomorrow and already I have 17 readers. When I first launched Cutting the Cheese back in December 2007 I had 17 readers by May 2008. As I say, God is my Agent and I can rest my head tonight and cough the night away.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - Hope you feel better soon! I've got to do a bunch of promotional-type stuff, but probably not until next week.

In the meantime, I had an idea I'm going to try for revisions: load _First Contact[i/] up on my Kindle 2 and use the text to speech feature to read it back to me. My ears are a lot more attuned to grammar mistakes and "does it sound right" things than my eyeballs, but I really don't want to read aloud to myself 370-odd pages. I figure I can make changes on the fly when I'm at my laptop, but even on the road, I can listen to the Kindle yakking, and if I need to make notes I can make quick voice notes on my iPhone, then follow-up with changes to the text when I get home... _


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Ed - Hope you feel better soon! I've got to do a bunch of promotional-type stuff, but probably not until next week.
> 
> In the meantime, I had an idea I'm going to try for revisions: load _First Contact[i/] up on my Kindle 2 and use the text to speech feature to read it back to me. My ears are a lot more attuned to grammar mistakes and "does it sound right" things than my eyeballs, but I really don't want to read aloud to myself 370-odd pages. I figure I can make changes on the fly when I'm at my laptop, but even on the road, I can listen to the Kindle yakking, and if I need to make notes I can make quick voice notes on my iPhone, then follow-up with changes to the text when I get home... _


_

Technology at it's finest. Or ... boys and their toys. 










Humming right along with my WIP._


----------



## Thumper

_Ssshhhh...I'm hunting adverbs..._


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thumper. I'm emeged thi morning fro bed just to check KB, and your graphic shall be blown up and put some where on a wall. Wonderful.

Edward C. Patterson (or at least someone that WAS him)


----------



## sierra09

kreelanwarrior said:


> Ed - Hope you feel better soon! I've got to do a bunch of promotional-type stuff, but probably not until next week.
> 
> In the meantime, I had an idea I'm going to try for revisions: load _First Contact[i/] up on my Kindle 2 and use the text to speech feature to read it back to me. My ears are a lot more attuned to grammar mistakes and "does it sound right" things than my eyeballs, but I really don't want to read aloud to myself 370-odd pages. I figure I can make changes on the fly when I'm at my laptop, but even on the road, I can listen to the Kindle yakking, and if I need to make notes I can make quick voice notes on my iPhone, then follow-up with changes to the text when I get home...
> _


_

Ed, I echo all the sentiments and certainly hope you feel better soon. No fun trying to write while sick.

Hmmm, the idea of listening to a book for grammar and those little phrases that may look fine but sound weird isn't a bad one. Never considered it for a book though. I used to and still will occassionally read comic books into tape to have for the future in case all the doctors are right about my eyes but may have to try reading my book into tape to check for those._


----------



## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thumper. I'm emeged thi morning fro bed just to check KB, and your graphic shall be blown up and put some where on a wall. Wonderful.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson (or at least someone that WAS him)


Glad you liked it 

I woke up this morning with _Kill the adverb, kill the adverb, kill the adverb, kill the adverb_ running through my head. It always did annoy me that Fudd wanted to kill da Wabbit...


----------



## vwkitten

Thumper said:


> Glad you liked it
> 
> I woke up this morning with _Kill the adverb, kill the adverb, kill the adverb, kill the adverb_ running through my head. It always did annoy me that Fudd wanted to kill da Wabbit...


Rofl -- =)


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thumper said:


> Glad you liked it
> 
> I woke up this morning with _Kill the adverb, kill the adverb, kill the adverb, kill the adverb_ running through my head. It always did annoy me that Fudd wanted to kill da Wabbit...


It's such a small world, Miss Thumper, sometimes it knocks me out. I was singing "Lolly, lolly, lolly, get your adverbs here!" at work this morning (people thought I was creepy) and this afternoon I was thinking of Elmer Fudd in that very same cartoon where they are acting out the opera thing ( _I _ thought I was creepy) and I get on here and bam... uncanny.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Let's try this:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That cheered me up. "Kill the Adverb! Kill the Adverb!" Wagner never sounded better.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Hey, Edward, speaking of


Spoiler



Bugs


, is the DTP stuck again or what? Brendan


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I haven't chek this morning, just getting up and so very late.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

DTP is workin. Got my sale of the day (that streak since march 5th is still holding). Check it against TitleZ and it appears right.

Ed P


----------



## Leslie

I'm thinking, thinking, thinking that I may start another project. I've been doing a lot of editing and I'm itching to get writing again. A long short story (or short novella), somewhere between 10K and 20K words. It's for a competition and the deadline for entries is October 29th....of course, I feel like I have so much other stuff on my plate, I wonder if I am crazy to be thinking about this.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> I'm thinking, thinking, thinking that I may start another project. I've been doing a lot of editing and I'm itching to get writing again. A long short story (or short novella), somewhere between 10K and 20K words. It's for a competition and the deadline for entries is October 29th....of course, I feel like I have so much other stuff on my plate, I wonder if I am crazy to be thinking about this.
> 
> L


Of course you're crazy for thinking about it, but ...

GO FOR IT!!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Scratch the itch. Plant the ass on the chair, the fingers on the keyboard, your eye on the prize and call the muse to your side. Armed for bear, whatever you write will be worthy.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> Let's try this:


:::holds up sign:::

_Kill adverbs, not Wabbits_

:::hides under desk, just in case:::


----------



## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That cheered me up. "Kill the Adverb! Kill the Adverb!" Wagner never sounded better.
> 
> Ed Patterson


It's been pounding in my head for two days. Was cute at first, but now I want to stab myself in the ear with a sharp Q-tip.


----------



## Leslie

2979 words.

I don't believe it. Now I am going to go read for a little while.

L


----------



## AnnaM

I have a question about Amazon's "bestsellers" lists in each category. One list is "updated hourly", and on that list my book is #7 in the western fiction genre (right now, but it's updated hourly). This is the link that shows from my book's page, and I had perceived it to be the list most customers see, but this is not the case.

The other, more easily accessed list, does not have my book on it at all. How often is that list updated?

Here is the general "bestsellers" list, without my book:

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1248552586/

Here's the "updated hourly" bestsellers list (same category), with my book at #7 (or so, it changes hourly -- "Unbroken Hearts")

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/157073011

I think it's confusing for the customer to see two different bestseller lists. 
Both are labelled as:

The Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns

Does anyone know the criteria for the more general "bestsellers" list?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie, that's great. Keep moving. I'm finally emeging from bed - the cough is killing me, and I am so medicated, I dae not write. I'm just checking emails, updating promo posts and sleeping. I hope to shake this by onday. I've missed some days at work (and that's not like me). It's funny to be doing a book launch like a Zombie. I'm bound to make a mistake somewhere. I hope tomorrow to get going on some writing, as sure as God is my agent.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed -

Hope ya feel better!

Anna -

I have no idea about the rankings. Amazon's methods for such things are probably among the most closely guarded secrets on Earth. 

I've done a double-gainer into the empty swimming pool of the editing process for _In Her Name: First Contact_, and have managed to make it a bit further than 10% so far on the first pass through...


----------



## AnnaM

Thanks Kreelan,

I edit as I write, often going back several chapters before I move forward. The downside is that it seems to take longer to finish the book, but the advantage is I have fewer consistency errors.

I just uploaded my second book (sequel) to Amazon, and I've given it a higher price than the first . . . I'm still learning about marketing!

http://www.amazon.com/Untamed-Hearts-Easton/dp/B002IT5SIA

I added an excerpt to the description, but it always takes a few days to show up. On to the third (final) book of the series.

Anna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, thanks Mike - and I managed to eek out 2,700 words today on Book #14 - The nan Tu, and its a tricky chapter filled with Dynastic shenanigans. What IS fun is making mystery out of history beause most of my readers are not versed in 12th cenury Chinese history, especially at the court level. So when you have an opportunity to drive up tensions and mystery, it's fun. I'm feeling a bit better today, although staying inside and actually heading off for a nap now as I mean to get into work tomorrow.

Edward C. Patterson

BTW, this thread and Mike's name looks keen in the acknowledgments in Look Away Silence.


----------



## Leslie

4378 words and I am in the middle of a sentence. 

Does anyone want to volunteer to be a secret private reader? The friend who used to do this for me has retired from the job and I am feeling sort of rudderless....LOL.

L


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm 4 chapters in and am considering changing from 1st person to 3rd.

With first I'm stuck with the same character all the time. If something important happens to someone else, he's always got to overhear it or pass the story along. I don't like doing that. I'd rather just relate it as it happens.

Trouble is, I've got lots of insight into the main character's vibe since he shared a lot. Most I can probably still incorporate with a switch to 3rd person narrative, but I'm afraid it will weaken it or make it seemed forced.

Anyone else fight this problem before?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm 4 chapters in and am considering changing from 1st person to 3rd.
> 
> With first I'm stuck with the same character all the time. If something important happens to someone else, he's always got to overhear it or pass the story along. I don't like doing that. I'd rather just relate it as it happens.
> 
> Trouble is, I've got lots of insight into the main character's vibe since he shared a lot. Most I can probably still incorporate with a switch to 3rd person narrative, but I'm afraid it will weaken it or make it seemed forced.
> 
> Anyone else fight this problem before?


Diana Gabaldon switches back and forth between first person and third. It works well for her. Claire is the only first person character. When she switches to third person, the others are free to interact away from her.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've only doe 1st person once (my last novel) and it is constricting, but I needed a steady narrative filled with 1st person humor, becuase the work was so tragic. I did the switch off (and doing it now) in Southern Swallow series, but only for the narrator, and only because it mirrors a traditional 14th Century Chinese  novel convention. 3rd person is my comfort zone, and it works in most cases.

Ed Patterson
(out of bed hip hip hooray)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, this thread and Mike's name looks keen in the acknowledgments in Look Away Silence.


Uh-oh! I'm in trouble now! Thanks, Ed...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, in all honesty, *Look Away Silence * was the most traumatic write in my career and frankly, I have put it aside more times than anyone can count. But by sticking here in this Support thread, letting my nightly wordage be reckoned and spewing out my heart, kept me going to the end. There is a scene, dear friends at the end of this book, where I walk the AIDS Quilt, which I have, and I wanted so much for my readers to actually sense it, feel it, understand it, without it being some mawkish, empty boo-hoo experience. It's a scene I've been writing for a decade and have never gotten it right - always too political or too anti-climactic or too sensational. But by cleaving to it while reporting into this thread, even having PM's with our resident Quilter, Betsy, I believe I have managed to write the most important, impactful chapter in all my works. I relied on Peg, my editor's, reaction (she hadn't read any of the prior versions). She was stunned, and stunned is what I was going for . . . So my acknowledgment in the book to the Kindleboard Author Support Thread is not an empty gesture. It's a thank you from me on behalf of my readers.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I guess I'll just to the sensible thing and redo the first chapter in 3rd person and see if I like it. If it works, I'll continue, and so on.

I know this is a fairly common conundrum, but thanks for the assist.

I thought about doing the 1st person for some chapters/3rd for others approach. Maybe I'll investigate that route if I don't like the conversion to 3rd.


----------



## Leslie

I finally finished the sentence, and the chapter. 4895 words.

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The shifting from 1st person to 3rd person is very tricky. It sometimes throws the reader out of your work, when change POV's in 3rd person keeps they locked in. In addition, in 3rd person (like in writing a symphony and chosing a home key signature), you have one POV as home base, and return there to assure that the reader stays on the path. Always chose the voice that best suits your reader otherwise you might be Avant/Garde. It's just like when we're taught to review our work and "kill our darlings," those passages that are so rarified they could be in Roget's. Those tend to point to the author and always manage to defocus the reader. Such passage must act a glue, not as leaps for a pulitzer prize.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## MoriahJovan

I'm writing a mixed 1st and 3rd person. My first person is an unreliable narrator, and I wanted to use the third person to expose her to the reader.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> I finally finished the sentence, and the chapter. 4895 words.
> 
> L


Sometimes just that can be an accomplishment. 

I'm up over 60K, but I find I have to skip around, so I can see rewrites on the horizon.


----------



## geoffthomas

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, in all honesty, *Look Away Silence * was the most traumatic write in my career and frankly, I have put it aside more times than anyone can count. But by sticking here in this Support thread, letting my nightly wordage be reckoned and spewing out my heart, kept me going to the end. There is a scene, dear friends at the end of this book, where I walk the AIDS Quilt, which I have, and I wanted so much for my readers to actually sense it, feel it, understand it, without it being some mawkish, empty boo-hoo experience. It's a scene I've been writing for a decade and have never gotten it right - always too political or too anti-climactic or too sensational. But by cleaving to it while reporting into this thread, even having PM's with our resident Quilter, Betsy, I believe I have managed to write the most important, impactful chapter in all my works. I relied on Peg, my editor's, reaction (she hadn't read any of the prior versions). She was stunned, and stunned is what I was going for . . . So my acknowledgment in the book to the Kindleboard Author Support Thread is not an empty gesture. It's a thank you from me on behalf of my readers.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Ed,
As a plain old ordinary member here at KB let me say that I consider one of the most important thing that this forum can do is to encourage authors like you to continue to write and to provide honesty in their work. I can say that I have been enjoying reading authors new to me - non-name brand folks who are "resident" here and have developed a feeling of kinship with them. Even though I don't share in the creative process, I want you all to know how special it is to be allowed to participate with you here.
I am missing our friend Jeff Hepple who has gone silent, but whose work I strongly encourage. Mike has dazzled me with his blue girls and thier universe. Carolyn and Gertie and Ms Marks and of course our own Leslie. And Ed, I am not quite through with the Jade Owl but will be sorry when it ends - luckily I realize that there is more in other books. 
Anyway we are blessed to have you and the others here.
So Thank YOU.

Just sayin....


----------



## sierra09

MoriahJovan said:


> I'm writing a mixed 1st and 3rd person. My first person is an unreliable narrator, and I wanted to use the third person to expose her to the reader.


I find it fascinating when an author writes in first person as I would think it would take a lot of concentration. I, myself, couldn't write in first person. It just doesn't sound right to me. I'm at least 98% certain I write in 3rd person. 
Of course, I also couldn't trust my characters to do first person.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie said:


> I finally finished the sentence, and the chapter. 4895 words.


*w00t!*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm at around 15% through the first-round of revisions. I'm sure I'm overlooking things (it's only the first pass, after all), but it seems pretty darn clean for a rough draft...


----------



## Elmore Hammes

sierra09 said:


> I find it fascinating when an author writes in first person as I would think it would take a lot of concentration. I, myself, couldn't write in first person. It just doesn't sound right to me. I'm at least 98% certain I write in 3rd person.
> Of course, I also couldn't trust my characters to do first person.


LOL, my characters don't always trust _me _to tell the story from my viewpoint.

While the majority of my writing is done in third person, sometimes a character just grabs hold of the narrative and refuses to let go, insisting on first person. That's a good thing, as when it happens the story really flows for me. Of course, once the first draft is done I smack them on the wrist and polish it up nice and pretty!


----------



## Leslie

kreelanwarrior said:


> *w00t!*


Thanks, Mike! I think I might have actually figured out the ending...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie said:


> Thanks, Mike! I think I might have actually figured out the ending...


Yay! That's always a good thing!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed -

Have you had much luck with Smashwords? I'm just curious - I suppose I'll put my books up there regardless, but was wondering how that compares to what you see from the Kindle store...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I get very few sales there unless they have a sale (like they have in July) and then the free stuff sells first (go figure).   However, some people use it exclusively and also I download copies for free in whatever format (prc, pdf, sony reader etc) for personal use - like sending a free Kindle copy to a reader as a gift or bonus. This month I've sold 20 books thee, mostly FREE. Last month I beleive it was 2. The royalty is higher (whe you sell something that has a price), but hey - I'm not in this for the money.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Elmore Hammes said:


> LOL, my characters don't always trust _me _to tell the story from my viewpoint.
> 
> While the majority of my writing is done in third person, sometimes a character just grabs hold of the narrative and refuses to let go, insisting on first person. That's a good thing, as when it happens the story really flows for me. Of course, once the first draft is done I smack them on the wrist and polish it up nice and pretty!


Lol,  If I ever let any of the Fitzgerald boys get control of narrative I'd be terrified of what I'd end up with. They get enough control while plotting.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words today. BUT I am happy with them. Peg will be given a quiz tomorrow to see if she can remember all the action in the Chapter. That will be a good test in a complicated Chapter - I do LOVE crowd scenes.

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Checking in: Just finished the cover for Never Smile at a Crocodile. Only halfway through the edits though. I think I can get the Kindle version out by mid-August. Wish me luck on these stupid edits. Commas and semi-colons... ack.

Trish

ps... a link to the pics of the cover art -- http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021763&id=1264730853&l=5ef5a23c3e


----------



## sierra09

Trish, that is a wonderful cover. Good luck with your edits. I firmly believe semi-colons are a demon-bane for writers.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Congrats Trish and I love the cover. C U let, alligator. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## MoriahJovan

vwkitten said:


> Checking in: Just finished the cover for Never Smile at a Crocodile.


That's a very cute cover and the blurb snagged me.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Very nice cover - I especially like the way you do the title and author name on the spine. Well done.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

geoffthomas said:


> Ed,
> And Ed, I am not quite through with the Jade Owl but will be sorry when it ends - luckily I realize that there is more in other books.
> Anyway we are blessed to have you and the others here.
> So Thank YOU.
> 
> Just sayin....


Thank you. Just sayin . . . 
I believe Jeff might be tied up writing and also working on the other eBoard. He is certainly missed here.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 20% through the first-round edits of IHN: First Contact. So far no major bloopers/changes (although that's not saying much, since I'm my own worst editor!). 

Going in for lasik tomorrow, so figure I'll definitely be using the text-to-speech feature on my K2 for the next day or so...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, 20% through the first-round edits of IHN: First Contact. So far no major bloopers/changes (although that's not saying much, since I'm my own worst editor!).
> 
> Going in for lasik tomorrow, so figure I'll definitely be using the text-to-speech feature on my K2 for the next day or so...


Good luck, Mike.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm plugging away changing the POV from 1st to 3rd on my new book. It's going better than expected, but certain parts don't read quite as well or urgent anymore.

I guess that's to be expected. My hope is that this will free me up to do some more character exploring--of everyone--that I think in the end it will be the right choice.

It will certainly give me more options.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good luck, Mike. I wish there was something that could restore my right eye's sight - glaucoma slain, but I guess, like my character in The Jade Owl, Griffen Jone, I'm a one-eyed Cherokee artist.

3,800 words tonight and most of it on horseback (or at least my characters are on horseback in a city mob scene - quite compelling). I need a bath now, as I smell of


Spoiler



horseshit.


  Unlike The Academician, this entire book take place during a fight-for-survival war and in many ways is as unrelenting as Look away Silence. My job is to assure that it is character driven and not history driven. The history of the times, which any Chinese school child can recite (and maybe one in every 200,000 Americans might know), is exciting, interesting and the stuff of War and peace; however, the heart and soul of it must be carried by the characters. I mean, the protagonist has been separated from his homosexual lover and his loving wife - and the strain of that separation fraught by the event of the time is the stuff to mold mountains. And I only have 700 pages to do it in and then . . . Part 3. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## AnnaM

I just started using metricjunkie.com to track and graph my book rankings on Amazon. 

Has anyone else here tried it?  I'd like your opinion on effectiveness of the tool . . . so far it isn't recording my book sales (but then again, my ranking is going down on Amazon while I'm selling books today).  

I like the fact that metricjunkie records hourly changes in sales rank and presents it on a graph.

It's a free service, so I figure there's nothing to lose in piloting it.

Anna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I tried it, but because of the 10 book limit (I need to track 27 titles in Paperback and Kindle), it didn;t serve my purposes. I have been using since last summer to great satisfaction titleZ.com

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I've dropped today too, though I've had 2 sales since I woke up.


----------



## Thumper

Now in the editor's hands, 3 months ahead of deadline... but dang, I now have nothing to work on and my brain is too fried to think up something new just yet.

I hate to think that I might actually have to do housework now...

:::shudder:::


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Now in the editor's hands, 3 months ahead of deadline... but dang, I now have nothing to work on and my brain is too fried to think up something new just yet.


Yay ... Congratulations. Here's a chocolate margarita for you.












> I hate to think that I might actually have to do housework now...
> 
> :::shudder:::


Heavens, you can't be that desperate. Go ride your motorcycle or something.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Nice stack! Congrats!


----------



## Steph H

Thumper said:


> Now in the editor's hands, 3 months ahead of deadline... but dang, I now have nothing to work on and my brain is too fried to think up something new just yet.
> 
> I hate to think that I might actually have to do housework now...
> 
> :::shudder:::


Congrats! (wish I could see the picture to know what it is...a book, of course, but what?) Edit: Ah, now I see it, had to fix a work setting... (shh, don't tell anyone!)

Go pamper Max and Buddah and feed them stinky goodness, I'm sure they'll appreciate it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Now in the editor's hands, 3 months ahead of deadline... but dang, I now have nothing to work on and my brain is too fried to think up something new just yet.
> 
> I hate to think that I might actually have to do housework now...
> 
> :::shudder:::


AWESOME! And hey, I can see this without my glasses now (although my eyes still itch)! 

And screw the housework - go out to dinner somewhere nice and celebrate!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not authorly-related, but my lasik went off without a hitch this morning! Yay! Eyes are still hurting a bit (but not much) - talk about red orbs when I came outta the laser room! But now mostly the red is gone. It's supposed to take a while for everything to settle down and get sorted out, but even now I can see as well as with my glasses (it's just that everything looks a bit "steamy," which is normal at this stage). Freakin' amazing...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"Steamy"? Sounds provacative.  Congrats!

*&*

Congrats Thumper. Now get busy writing another!!!

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

sierra09 said:



> Trish, that is a wonderful cover. Good luck with your edits. I firmly believe semi-colons are a demon-bane for writers.


The semi-colons are stealing my MIND!!!!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Congrats Trish and I love the cover. C U let, alligator.


=) Thanks Ed.



MoriahJovan said:


> That's a very cute cover and the blurb snagged me.


Yeah! Thanks... that helps.



Elmore Hammes said:


> Very nice cover - I especially like the way you do the title and author name on the spine. Well done.


I precisely measured the spine of the last book to fit that in there.... this one is a few pages longer so I hope it fits alright. Otherwise I might have to do a second proof and I'm trying really hard to avoid that.



Thumper said:


> Now in the editor's hands, 3 months ahead of deadline... but dang, I now have nothing to work on and my brain is too fried to think up something new just yet.


Grats Thumper!!! 3 months early! That's Fantastic!



kreelanwarrior said:


> Not authorly-related, but my lasik went off without a hitch this morning! Yay! Eyes are still hurting a bit (but not much) - talk about red orbs when I came outta the laser room! But now mostly the red is gone. It's supposed to take a while for everything to settle down and get sorted out, but even now I can see as well as with my glasses (it's just that everything looks a bit "steamy," which is normal at this stage). Freakin' amazing...


Good to hear! Congrats!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Not authorly-related, but my lasik went off without a hitch this morning! Yay! Eyes are still hurting a bit (but not much) - talk about red orbs when I came outta the laser room! But now mostly the red is gone. It's supposed to take a while for everything to settle down and get sorted out, but even now I can see as well as with my glasses (it's just that everything looks a bit "steamy," which is normal at this stage). Freakin' amazing...


Fantastic!! Can't wait until I can get mine done.


----------



## Thumper

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Heavens, you can't be that desperate. Go ride your motorcycle or something.


Did that for a little while, but it's getting awfully hot out there...


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> Not authorly-related, but my lasik went off without a hitch this morning!


Awesomeness! The Spouse Thingy had Lasix about 5-6 years ago, and even though he's back to needing glasses for distance stuff, he's glad he had it done. He used to be 20/400 and now he's 20/40.

I'm too chicken to try it


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> Did that for a little while, but it's getting awfully hot out there...


Okay, but I don't want you to get heat stroke. Better just lie down in a dim room for a while with a tall cool drink.  Maybe for two or three weeks.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Awesomeness! The Spouse Thingy had Lasix about 5-6 years ago, and even though he's back to needing glasses for distance stuff, he's glad he had it done. He used to be 20/400 and now he's 20/40.
> 
> I'm too chicken to try it


Yeah, I've been putting it off for years. But I lost my glasses on two trips over the last several years, and not only are they ridiculously expensive to replace, but I was totally helpless without them. With the new bladeless techniques and wavefront analysis/customization, I figured it was time...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I had mine done 10 years ago and couldn't be happier.  Now being 50, reading glasses are a way of life but, I would have been in bifocals if I hadn't had it done.  And I can by lots of reading glasses for what one pair of prescription glasses used to cost.  Sooooo worth it to me.  I found that it was about 2 weeks before I really felt like I was seeing 'normally' but it did get a little better each day.  REST THEM. . .don't try to proofread 10 chapters!  The key is keep your eyes relaxed and moist.  

It will begin to sink in when you go to bed tonight and go to take your glasses off and they aren't there  (it might be years before the reflex to take them off is completely gone). . . and then when you wake up in the morning and realize you can see what time it is.

Of course, you will now notice if the shower needs cleaning. . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I was always worried about being blind - as I eventually might be (one eye gone already), but the Kindle is a wonder. I am able to read even without my glasses (I can't walk across the room without them) because of the way the text is presented. And if my eyes get tired, the text to speech (female voice) is not so bad after all. Better that than nothing. nd hear I was looking for braille.

3,000 words tonight my fellow authors. Lots of courtly conversation as the lady Wu came to life tonight. She was a Sung Dynasty consort, who after the death of the Empress became the childess Empress (a rarity) of the Emperor Kao-tsung. He was twenty-two when he ascended the throne and she was three years his elder. He managed to keep the Empire together on a shoe string for nearly forty years, and then did something few Emperors did - retire, appoint an adopted son and co-rule for another 20. At his side was the Empress Wu (not the mighty Empress Wu of the T'ang Dynasty who declared herself Emperor, but this wonderfully wise lady, who manage to aid in her husbands every decision). At his death, she secured the reigns of the next 2 Sung Empeors, in fact a power behind 4 separate reigns. She died at ninety-five, the mother of the nation (1106-1200 CE). Therefore, tonight was a special writing session, where Li K'ai-men (the protagonist of the Southern Swallow Series) interviews her for the Imperial harem. I got the portray this twenty-five year old lady as she steps onto history's stage for the first time. It was a wonderful moment for me. (chill).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> With the new bladeless techniques and wavefront analysis/customization, I figured it was time...


Bladeless? I had not heard of this. It might be totally worth it if it's bladeless.
Maybe Santa will research it and fund it for me, if I get over my squeamishness...


----------



## sierra09

That would be me. Too squeamish to imagine it though I have heard such good results. Of course, I'm also overly-hyper manic paranoid that if I would manage to have it done it wouldn't work or something. The constant changing eyeglass prescriptions gets annoying or the switching between the regular glasses and my reading ones (I can't have bifocals because my eyes won't focus through that tiny a spot) is also frustrating.


----------



## vwkitten

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I got the portray this twenty-five year old lady as she steps onto history's stage for the first time. It was a wonderful moment for me. (chill).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I love those moments Ed. Grats on the word count tonight.

75 pages of editing done today... I've resolved that 90% of the time, if the sentence needs a semi-colon, it needs to be made into two sentences instead. My mom, retired English teacher that she is, is fantastic as an editor. I've also resolved that if a sentence has more than two conjunctions, it probably needs to be two sentences. I hate the editing part, but I love the result afterward. Night night.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper said:


> Bladeless? I had not heard of this. It might be totally worth it if it's bladeless.
> Maybe Santa will research it and fund it for me, if I get over my squeamishness...


Thumper, Sierra (& all) - Yeah, in the new procedure they use two lasers. I'm with you in that I was VERY nervous about the whole thing. They gave me this little rubber ball to squeeze (focus on that instead of blinking - not that you can do that, anyway!), and I pretty much squashed the little sucker while they were working on my first eye, but just held it for the second. They give you a bit of valium beforehand, just to take the edge off.

But yeah, they turn the lights down and put a bunch of drops in your eye, put these gizmos on your eye to keep you from blinking (although you still have to hold still) - you can just feel pressure because of the numbing drops - then they put you under the first laser to cut the flap. That's 20 seconds, and you basically just have to sit there and not do the can-can or anything while it's doing its thing. You can't see anything but a ring of dim lights from the laser head that they put on your eye (can't see the laser).

Then they move you under the main laser, brush back the corneal flap, and zap you with that one. It makes kind of an electrical zapping noise and you see flashes of purple light (in my case, at least), and again you have to hold still. My right eye took about 35 seconds, left eye about 25. Then they brush the corneal flap back down and make sure it's seated properly. No stitches or anything like that - I think it's just held in place by capillary attraction.

And...that's it! I figure I was in the laser room for not more than 10 minutes, and most of that was the surgeon checking my eyes as she went. Lots of different drops to put it, though! Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, lubricants, etc. It's like going to eyeball Jiffy Lube every two hours.

But, as Ann said, I can see the damned clock when I wake up! w00t! And it's funny - I didn't even think about my glasses.

Have to go back this morning at 0900 for a checkup, but so far so good...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I thought the things they put to keep your eyelids open so you can't blink to be the worst part. . . . . .anyway, I had no squeamishness about having it done. . . .but I don't think I'd want to watch the procedure. . . .when my son had his done I just sat in the waiting room, though I could have gone into the 'observation' area.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I detest semi-colons and rarely use them replacing them with full stops and fragments OR, my favorite, and hallmark, em dash. I'm been picked on for my em dashes, but once the reader gets beyond the first few times, they become as natural and invisible as "said" tags.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

I won't tell you about my lasik horror story from January. I was an unusual case, however, because of prior procedures. Someday I'll be an interesting case report in the Annals of Ophthalmology. And, bottom line, my eyes are getting better and I am able to manage with the cheap readers from the drugstore. I may be able to get rid of those in December. We'll see.

Meanwhile, up to 7404 words. Anyone else here write out of order? I just finished a chapter which will probably show up at about the three-quarters point of the story. For my novella, I was also writing stuff near the end way before I worked on the middle. 

L


----------



## geoffthomas

This is the author's support thread so I can post this here also.

I just finished the Jade Owl.

Ed........





This is an incredible read.
I think it was full of suspense, humor, humanity, and was a travelogue.
I have not been to Mainland China. Just Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.  But I was spellbound.

And yes, I know there was a gay love theme. Well presented. "in good taste".  After all it is what it is.  I will certainly be recommending this work.
Ed, are the rest of the Jade Owl in the same "style"?  And are your other works, er, similar?
You guys know that if I don't like a book, I will say so.

But I liked this one.
Just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Geoffthomas:

Thank you. I am thrilled that you enjoyed it. Yes, the other two Jade Owl books are in the same style, but are more action packed, has a superannuated paranormalism, introduces some new characters that other readers have been enthralled with and, even though they are longer, they are faster paced (with some surprising detours). Yes, my works are all in much the same style. They all are either gay-themed or have gay characters, but they are NOT gay works. I try to transcend "genre" and my audience is a reader, not a gay reader. In fact, I have less gay readers than straight, if I'm to believe my reviews and emails. Although some of the works deal more deeply with gay issues and gay love, none are explicit. As I said to another Kindleboarder who yesterday purchased all 13 of my books (wow - even the poetry), when it comes to what people do in bed, I feel the most important thing to report as an author is their conversation, next comes their dreams and finally, the explicit naughty bits, well I leave that to internet voyeurism or everyones own experience. It's not that my works shun eroticism, it's just that I consciously respect my readers and never cross that comfort line.

Anyhow, Thank you again for the praise and I am glad that you enjoyed The Jade Owl

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BTW, for those interested, I posted in the Jade Owl Book Klub for the 4th week as part of an on-going discussion on women's roles in China, a short Flash story I wrote a few years back called Ch'i Lin and the Cup:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,11955.msg229958.html#new

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Leslie said:


> Anyone else here write out of order? I just finished a chapter which will probably show up at about the three-quarters point of the story. For my novella, I was also writing stuff near the end way before I worked on the middle.
> 
> L


I have before, but I can only do this with something that's plotted out, at least a few chapters in advance. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write the violent scene, or I feel sexy, or I'm in the mood to mess with someone's head--then I'll jump and skip around and write what appeals to me. Trouble with doing it that way is transitions often have to be inserted that if I was writing in order would've come naturally as I wrote.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I have before, but I can only do this with something that's plotted out, at least a few chapters in advance. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write the violent scene, or I feel sexy, or I'm in the mood to mess with someone's head--then I'll jumo and skip around and wriote what appeals to me. Trouble with doing it that way is transitions often have to be inserted that if I was writing in order would've come naturally as I wrote.


I'm doing that this time. I figure it's a lack of maturity on my part. I just can't wait to get to the fun stuff. My heroine is just learning how to have fun and she's pretty anxious to stretch her wings. 

I know it's going to be a problem later on.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I need to write in order and in sequence (but never with an outline), although most of the iconic parts and major dialog is written in my head, often performed during a car drive, long before I reach the point of writing it down. I find that when I write sections out of sequence they tend to unfairly influence the characters and sometimes forces the story into something called "a plot," and as you all know from my articles on plots, I would rather cut my toenails with a rotary saw than add a plot into one of my novels. So I stay in sequence and I often find that some of my best head shows never make the cut because my characters have had a committee meeting and overuled me. Out of sequence to me is like adding the ingredients to a stew in the wrong order. We must follow the recipe, but using the copy previously owned by the Half-Blood prince. Liquid luck often guides the craft.

4,000 words tonight and all brand new material that wasn't in my noggin yesterday - out of the blue stuff, but has now chased any hint of a plot far far away.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I've thought about writing out of sequence sometimes - like when a particularly juicy-sounding idea pops into my head (which isn't often) - but what I do is write a quick note and stick it in my manuscript file (using the comments feature). Even if it's a completely blank chapter, when I get there I either use it or not. But actually writing out the chapter...knowing my fingers, they'd probably intentionally change the story to avoid using it! Drat them, anyway... 

About 1/3 of the way through first-round edits. I'm actually expecting to finish this weekend! Then not sure what I'm going to do after that...


----------



## Leslie

As I thought about it, after I posted yesterday, I realized that everything I've written (fiction, that is), I've written out of order and it all works out in the end, so I guess that's just my style. It works for me.

L


----------



## Steven Rage

Hello everyone! I'm Steven Rage, author of several novels and novellas. I have "PILATE: A Brutal Bible Tale" out now and "You Morbid Westphal" coming out later this year. I am one of the authors of "Shameless Shorts". I am shopping around "The Dope Fiend's Holy War" and am currently working on "Bad Notion Travelin' Potion". Hello to all!!

Steven Rage
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLNAEO
http://www.myspace.com/steven_rage
http://www.authorsden.com/stevenrage


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi Steven. I know you through Pilate and of course from Amazon threads. Welcome.

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Up to page 172 of 286 pages edited as of 2am last night.  Back to work this morning...


----------



## sierra09

I never considered writing out of sequence before. Since, up until this one, the majority of the novel writes itself out in my head either when I'm asleep (I'd hate if I ever had to have a sleep test or anything) or when I'm riding in a car and tuning things out so I have a good portion of the book wrote in my head before I turn on the laptop.  

Though I will admit that it would be easier at times if I did write certain scenes when they popped in, like in a particular vital action scene that just pops in or if I find the mood to write a romance (alright I'll say it, sex) scene comes in more strongly that I probably should write it out before I lose it.

I'll have to keep this tip close. Boy, I learn new things everyday here.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I sometimes plot out of sequence but the actual writing is generally done from start to finish. Occasionally I do a "placeholder" scene and come back to finish it up, but usually don't write the core text out of sequence.


----------



## Dave Dykema

When I do do the out of sequence thing, I usually do something like this (and this isn't verbatim--I'm making this up as I type):

I kissed her cheek.
"Will I see you later?" she asked.

[He agrees to come back. They do the crazy]

When I woke she was still sleeping.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> When I do do the out of sequence thing, I usually do something like this (and this isn't verbatim--I'm making this up as I type):
> 
> I kissed her cheek.
> "Will I see you later?" she asked.
> 
> [He agrees to come back. They do the crazy]
> 
> When I woke she was still sleeping.


Is that like ... "Then the curtain falls and tiiimmme passes." (Andy Griffith on Carmen)


----------



## vwkitten

That's it!!!  I finished the first major edit.  It's in the hands of proof-readers now, with only formatting left to do.  There should only be some tiny repairs left (but I'm hoping I caught them all on the first pass).

I've never done the out of sequence thing.  I write to a rhythm.  I always have trouble when I insert scenes because all mine seem to flow into each other.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vwkitten said:


> That's it!!! I finished the first major edit. It's in the hands of proof-readers now, with only formatting left to do. There should only be some tiny repairs left (but I'm hoping I caught them all on the first pass).


Yay!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Going to try and get back in the saddle editing here this morning. I'd like to get the first round done this weekend. Ack! Must...avoid...Facebook!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vwkitten said:


> That's it!!! I finished the first major edit. It's in the hands of proof-readers now, with only formatting left to do. There should only be some tiny repairs left (but I'm hoping I caught them all on the first pass).
> 
> I've never done the out of sequence thing. I write to a rhythm. I always have trouble when I insert scenes because all mine seem to flow into each other.


Congrats, Miss VW. I hope you got them all, too. Nothing like reading through a chapter or two without finding a typo or a missing comma! Good luck with the proofing.


----------



## Leslie

I need a word....

You know when you are driving down the interstate in a torrential downpour and you pass a truck and those giant sheets of water spray up from the truck's tires and completely cover your windshield, making it totally impossible to see and you think you are going to drive off the road....

Do those giant sheets of water have a name?

Also, has anyone here ever driven a mini-Cooper? How does it handle in a torrential downpour on the interstate?

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> I need a word....
> 
> You know when you are driving down the interstate in a torrential downpour and you pass a truck and those giant sheets of water spray up from the truck's tires and completely cover your windshield, making it totally impossible to see and you think you are going to drive off the road....
> 
> Do those giant sheets of water have a name?
> L


Yes


Spoiler



Holy Shit


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Yes
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Holy sh**


Hahahaha....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've always called them "road wake."

Ed P


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I was thinking 'truck wash' but 'road wake' is better. . . . .


----------



## Leslie

Lots of writing today. I am up to 10,285 words and yes, I am still writing out of order. Hey, it works for me!

L


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Leslie said:


> I need a word....
> 
> You know when you are driving down the interstate in a torrential downpour and you pass a truck and those giant sheets of water spray up from the truck's tires and completely cover your windshield, making it totally impossible to see and you think you are going to drive off the road....
> 
> Do those giant sheets of water have a name?
> 
> Also, has anyone here ever driven a mini-Cooper? How does it handle in a torrential downpour on the interstate?
> 
> L


I think they are called water wings. I haven't driven a mini-Cooper, but I used to drive an MGB, which is comparable in size and shape and it did well in torrential downpours whenever it was safely parked in the garage.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Brendan Carroll said:


> I think they are called water wings. I haven't driven a mini-Cooper, but I used to drive an MGB, which is comparable in size and shape and it did well in torrential downpours whenever it was safely parked in the garage.


Hey, I thought water wings were those little inflatable ring thingies you put around your upper arms when you want to play in the pool!


----------



## Leslie

11,052 words.

The beginning and end are finished. Now I have to write the middle. I have about 8000 words to play with. This will go fast!

L


----------



## vwkitten

Leslie said:


> Lots of writing today. I am up to 10,285 words and yes, I am still writing out of order. Hey, it works for me!
> 
> L


Go Leslie go!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well. I'm at barebones with _*The Nan-tu*_. Excluding the draft, which is being entirely refitted, I have just started and have 30,000 words done. I estimate this one at 250-280,000 words, although I have one side step that could shorten it. I'll be writing it and have a deadline to publish it in October. In between, I am starting the 4th book of *The Jade Owl*, *The People's Treasure*, and also prepping an older manuscript, *The Road to Grafenwoehr*, which would be nice to publish around Christmas time. But since I already have 4 books published this year and *The Nan Tu * would be he fifth (my 14th), I'm in no rush. I'm in NJ this weekend, which always dents my productivity.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> 11,052 words.
> 
> The beginning and end are finished. Now I have to write the middle. I have about 8000 words to play with. This will go fast!
> 
> L


Wow, you're just moving right along.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie said:


> 11,052 words.
> 
> The beginning and end are finished. Now I have to write the middle. I have about 8000 words to play with. This will go fast!


*w00t!!*


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie said:


> Also, has anyone here ever driven a mini-Cooper? How does it handle in a torrential downpour on the interstate?


Doesn't Betsy (or her husband) drive one of those?


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> Doesn't Betsy (or her husband) drive one of those?


Oh, good thought...but she's in Finland and I doubt checking this thread. LOL.

L


----------



## Ann in Arlington

you could send her an e-mail. . . . .


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My favorite guy, Elijah Wood, drives a mini-coper (well, his is mini - ain't he). Although with LOTR money, he could drive Jay Leno's fleet, he prefers to drive one of his Mom's mini-Coopers, although he bought a BMW fr Pam Racine when she's in from NYC. However, they don't get much rain in Venice, CA, and today he's still in San Diego promoting his new film "9." And he went there as a passenger in Do Monaghan's car. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Ann in Arlington said:


> you could send her an e-mail. . . . .


Well yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Or a PM. She's signing on almost every day, just may not be following this thread.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi All:

I just joined a group of authors on Operation Desert Swap, who are adopting American combat soldiers serving in Iraq, sending them a copy of a book for them to read and swap with their comrades. Each author adopts one soldier. If any author is interested in supporting this effort, here's the websie - all the information and sign up sheets are there.

http://operationdesertswap.webs.com

Thanks
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Instead of writing today, we took a roadtrip to do research!

Part of my story takes place in Newburyport, MA. I've been to Newburyport several times so I was actually able to write about it from memory, but my husband was intrigued and it seemed like a fun way to spend a Sunday. The three of us (my daughter came too) piled into the car and off we went. We found the City Hall and the Rear Range Light House and figured out how a person would walk from one place to the other. I am not going to tell you what goes on at these two places -- you'll have to read the story for that.

We took some pictures, then had lunch at nice restaurant on the Merrimack River. Then we drove over to Plum Island to look around and headed home after that. A fun day.

Back to writing tomorrow.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> Instead of writing today, we took a roadtrip to do research!
> 
> Part of my story takes place in Newburyport, MA. I've been to Newburyport several times so I was actually able to write about it from memory, but my husband was intrigued and it seemed like a fun way to spend a Sunday. The three of us (my daughter came too) piled into the car and off we went. We found the City Hall and the Rear Range Light House and figured out how a person would walk from one place to the other. I am not going to tell you what goes on at these two places -- you'll have to read the story for that.
> 
> We took some pictures, then had lunch at nice restaurant on the Merrimack River. Then we drove over to Plum Island to look around and headed home after that. A fun day.
> 
> Back to writing tomorrow.
> 
> L


Gee, too bad you had to work today, Leslie. Research can be soooo boring.


----------



## sierra09

It must be interesting to write about a location that you've been to or can easily research. I always wondered about that.  Most of my research needs to be online or from the library due to being in rural Ohio and anything I write is usually overseas or something, researching usually ends up being from Fodor guides from the library.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Leslie -

That sounds like it was a lot of fun! Definitely a cool thing to do. And hey, you can write off your trip expenses on your taxes! 

Okay, at about the 220 out of 380 page mark in first round edits for IHN: First Contact. Was hoping to finish it this weekend, but had to take it easy on the refurbished eyeballs. So hopefully will finish up early this week!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wll folks, I got my first Pro Review from Rainbow Reviews on Look Away Silence. They gave me 4 1/2 stars, which on their scale is between Great an Awsome. They found a few typos and stuff and the hated my cove  But the review is the longest and most detailed one I've ever had from Rainbow Reviews. I've posted it on my thread in its entirety (as it will not be on Amazon). but here's a link if you're interested:

http://rainbow-reviews.com/?p=1664

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

Great review, Ed!
I just started it today.


----------



## Libby Cone

Greetings from dead-tree land! My hardcover is out in the UK, and I have received a nice review from The Jewish Chronicle:http://thejc.com/articles/rich-cream-jersey
Hopefully it'll go paperback, then get published in the US, so I can FINALLY be back on the Kindle. Meanwhile, I'm reading lots of stuff on my own Kindle 2.


----------



## Leslie

Libby Cone said:


> Greetings from dead-tree land! My hardcover is out in the UK, and I have received a nice review from The Jewish Chronicle:http://thejc.com/articles/rich-cream-jersey
> Hopefully it'll go paperback, then get published in the US, so I can FINALLY be back on the Kindle. Meanwhile, I'm reading lots of stuff on my own Kindle 2.


Oh, you finally got your own Kindle! Congratulations, Libby!

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dear Libby:

Congrats on the UK publication of WOTM. (I got it on the kindle, Nya-nyani-nya-nya - because we go WAY BACK, don't we). I'm glad you got your Kindle (I'd sell you books, but I think you've read everything I've written - but may be I could interest you in a . . . oh well). Waiting for that Spice Trade book. But all kidding aside, you are a testiment  on what an Independent author can do when they set their mind to it. You said exactly what you wanted - you set the goal - you worked hard at it - and BINGO. Congrats. You are an inspiration.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

After taking a little bit of a break, I am back to writing. 12,042 words this morning.

Okay, I need some help. Who were the two guys who detested each other (back in the 60s). They would show up on talk shows together? Especially the talk show with David Frost. They argued politics like cats and dogs. One of the guys died in the past year. 

For some reason I keep thinking Roger Plimpton but I know it's not him. Help!

L


----------



## Ann in Arlington

George Plimpton?


----------



## Leslie

Ann in Arlington said:


> George Plimpton?


Yeah, you know, the faux football player with the faux British accent.

The two guys I am thinking of were in the same time period, but they didn't do the sports thing. They argued politics. One was wildly conservative and the other much more liberal. I think the conservative guy is the one who died last year....

Their names are on the tip of my tongue...argh!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wrote 3,300 words last night, and then dropped into bed. Up to 45,000 words on The Nan-Tu.

Also I am featured at the Rainbow Review: Author Extravaganza. Get a chance to win a free eBook. http://tinyurl.com/mz4tzz

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Leslie. . . . .

Roger Rosenblatt & David Horowitz?

I just googled "1960-s political commentators" and one of the links was to a Youtube segment. . . the description mentions those two guys but I can't see the link as it requires a log in.  But maybe it jogs your memory?  Or provides an idea for more googling?


----------



## Leslie

Hey authors!

If you want a bit of a writing exercise and a bit of fun, come join us CoffeeTime Romance and More. A group of us are working on a month-long "CoffeeWrite" experience. Three of us have been actively participating, with a fourth person who drops in every now and then. We really could use some more writers to keep the story moving at a snappy pace. Come join us!

You don't have to be a "real" author or "real" writer. Just bring some imagination. A contribution can be as short as a five sentence paragraph. The only requirement is that you have to be consistent with the existing storyline.

It's a "historical fiction romp" taking place in England sometime the early 1800s. There is a cast of characters, a body in the bedroom, and a dead man who might have just been brought back to life.

Come join us! It's fun. I'm logged on there as MaineWriter.

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1082

L


----------



## Leslie

Ann in Arlington said:


> Leslie. . . . .
> 
> Roger Rosenblatt & David Horowitz?
> 
> I just googled "1960-s political commentators" and one of the links was to a Youtube segment. . . the description mentions those two guys but I can't see the link as it requires a log in. But maybe it jogs your memory? Or provides an idea for more googling?


At last. I'm not driving myself crazy anymore: William F. Buckley, Jr. and Gore Vidal. Buckley died in February 2008.

L


----------



## Leslie

Ann in Arlington said:


> George Plimpton?


Oh, duh, sorry, not sure why I wrote Roger! LOL


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> At last. I'm not driving myself crazy anymore: William F. Buckley, Jr. and Gore Vidal. Buckley died in February 2008.
> 
> L


Oh, yes. Now I remember those two. Fun to watch.


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Oh, yes. Now I remember those two. Fun to watch.


Gertie, you should come join us at CoffeeTime. You would fit write in. You could write about what Lady Evangeline is wearing, or whatever. We seem to be ignoring her!

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished that chapter this afternoon - a long one 4,500 words. Usually my chapters run between 2,000 - 2,500 words, but sometimes I can justify a longer one. My longest Chapter is in *The Third Peregrination * clled "A ose by Any Other name," and is well justified at nearly 6,000 words. I could have justified 7,000 words for that chapter. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> They found a few typos and stuff


That's rich, coming from a reviewer who has at least six such errors in his own review.

Congratulations on the good review! This one will be on my reading list.


----------



## Leslie

13,710 today...

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan:

I have noticed that most reviewers that mention an author's typos and stuff, will exhibit how much a part of the real world they are. The key is to be gracious and accept all opinions equally. Of course, THAT review gave me goose bumps with its praise and its 4 1/2 stars. And it cam from a reviewer who is mighty stingy with stars at a review site. Even Peg didn't bat an eye with that comment. Look Away Silence was written with my heart and the heart knows less grammar and spelling than the mind.  

Thanks Susan. I appreciate your sentiments, and you and I have spoken about my mental proclivities to mash up grammar as a matter of form and decorous design.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Woot - published for Kindle today (b-day present to myself) and ordered proof for paperback!  Finally on the downslide for Never Smile at a Crocodile... thanks for being there through it...


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Look Away Silence was written with my heart and the heart knows less grammar and spelling than the mind.


That's where Peg comes in. 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> my mental proclivities to mash up grammar


As long as you always make sure to add butter and salt, and mix well...


----------



## J.E.Johnson

Not sure if this is the right thread for my question, but here goes:  I'm a brand new author here an Kindle and I currently have my book priced at $10.  I've had a few replies telling me this is too pricey for Kindle, especially for a new author.  I would like to lower my price to maybe $5 or less (but not as low as $.99), but I don't want to have my book stuck at that price forever (especially if, the fates willing, it becomes successful).  My question is, has any other new author (or more seasoned author for that matter), offered their book at a discount price for the first week or so on Kindle (and can this really be done)?  If so, have you found this to be helpful to your book?  Please let me know if you can.  Thanks so much!
Jenna


----------



## vwkitten

J.E.Johnson said:


> Not sure if this is the right thread for my question, but here goes: I'm a brand new author here an Kindle and I currently have my book priced at $10. I've had a few replies telling me this is too pricey for Kindle, especially for a new author. I would like to lower my price to maybe $5 or less (but not as low as $.99), but I don't want to have my book stuck at that price forever (especially if, the fates willing, it becomes successful). My question is, has any other new author (or more seasoned author for that matter), offered their book at a discount price for the first week or so on Kindle (and can this really be done)? If so, have you found this to be helpful to your book? Please let me know if you can. Thanks so much!
> Jenna


Ed will get on and tell you LOTS about this (*wink and Smile*) but the magic number for Kindle sales (at least for me and a few others) is $2.99. Ed cycles through his books for discounts. He offers a discount by marking on down to $0.99 for a week. Then the next week, he puts that book back up to $2.99 or so and then marks another book down to $0.99. He's very good at the sales on this. Right Ed? Did I learn my lessons, oh great mentor? (just teasing because I like you so much Ed)

Hugs all,
Trish


----------



## Thumper

J.E.Johnson said:


> Not sure if this is the right thread for my question, but here goes: I'm a brand new author here an Kindle and I currently have my book priced at $10. I've had a few replies telling me this is too pricey for Kindle, especially for a new author. I would like to lower my price to maybe $5 or less (but not as low as $.99), but I don't want to have my book stuck at that price forever (especially if, the fates willing, it becomes successful).


Far better to sell 1000 copies at $2.99 than 100 copies at $5... Your sales will be much higher if you sell low.



> My question is, has any other new author (or more seasoned author for that matter), offered their book at a discount price for the first week or so on Kindle (and can this really be done)? If so, have you found this to be helpful to your book? Please let me know if you can. Thanks so much!
> Jenna


I think I count as a seasoned writer (though not especially well known)...the print versions of my books sell for between $12.95-15.95 and have done well enough to keep me in Diet Coke, Twinkies, and a succession of motorcycles, but I still fought to drop the price of my Kindle books from $5 to less than $2. And it paid off. Once the prices dropped, the sales jumped.

I know the initial gut reaction to selling your hard work for a couple bucks is OUCH...but the pain is soothed over with the first payment you get


----------



## vwkitten

Thumper said:


> Far better to sell 1000 copies at $2.99 than 100 copies at $5... Your sales will be much higher if you sell low.
> 
> I think I count as a seasoned writer


Well, I consider you a seasoned writer.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, yes and no. Price should never be a barrier and there was a time when $3.99 was the golden sweet spot price for me on eBooks. I no longer discount. When I lower the price of an eBook to $ .99, it's likely to stay there now. My new eBooks come out at $ 3.99 regardless of length or amount of time. Eventually I'll drop the price, but maybe not. My The Jade Owl Legacy series has never been discounted and is a strong seller.

I'm not out to make money. I have a job that pays the bills. I'm out to acquire readers, and when readers will not take a chance on the book because they know me not, then we both lose out. Now, my Faithful Readers will buy my books new, old or retreads at whatever price I set. However, new readership depends on a leap of faith, and that leap of faith must come with the lowest possible cost to the investor. Paperbacks are a different story and I won't discuss that here. As a result of keeping to a minimum price for eBooks, reasonable prices for paperbacks, freebies in some cases, and the maintenance of "brand" - people do not buy my titles, they buy ME. Now if making money at this is your main driver, I will include you in my morning prayers, because you are missing out on the rare and wonderful experience of swimming with your readers, sharing yourelf with those who will come to love or hate you, and perhaps (I say perhaps) touching civilization with a bit of yourself that will go beyond yourself - that is you can become a time traveler, as can those yet unborn who might come across your words in the year 2399.

Too many authors value there work like piece goods - it took me _such and such _ to make this, and I need to sell it for _this _ to break-even etc. Take it from an old Marketing Director - publishing and marketing are strange bedfellows and the best pursuit of it is to become a counter-marketer. When I first started as an Indie author, and decided to become an Indie publisher, I invested hours and hours per day promoting my work and selling perhaps 15 books a month. Now I spend about 1/4 of that, depend on the "buzz" and invest more in inventory (that is writing future works) and with less effort, more love and a strict regard to the needs of my readers (they need price, they need good reading and they need for me to write new stuff), I push out about 200 books a month. There was a time when I was thankful for a single sale in a day, because it didn't happen every day. Now I have what I call "the streak." I have had at least 1 sale a day every day since March 5th. I thank my publicists (the readers) for this, and my agent. God is my agent and my pen is posterity.

Edward Cliffe Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I've had my books on sale since entering the world of Kindleboards a month or so ago and my sales have improved greatly.  I intend to keep the first and probably the second book low in order to attract readers.  I will probably raise the prices incrementally on the others and try to keep the price affordable and well under what the market might bear.  I'm still hoping for that movie deal from Ron Howard or Peter Jackson or Steven Spielberg.  Of course, offers from others will always be considered.    Where there is hope.... And yes, you can change your prices whenever you like on the DTP.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Do you mean your books aren't out for film treatment considration?  Mine are, and I didn't send them out. A few readers have taken the initiative and one Faithful Reader has placed The Jade Owl squarely in front of Elijah Wood (I'll post a picture if requested), where he gave me his best wishes. I am not being cute when I say that your readers are your best publicists. Ask Paolini - he'll tell you how he shot to fame and quite seredipitously (*out! Out! Damned adverb*).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Do you mean your books aren't out for film treatment considration?  Mine are, and I didn't send them out. A few readers have taken the initiative and one Faithful Reader has placed The Jade Owl squarely in front of Elijah Wood (I'll post a picture if requested), where he gave me his best wishes. I am not being cute when I say that your readers are your best publicists. Ask Paolini - he'll tell you how he shot to fame and quite seredipitously (*out! Out! Damned adverb*).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I understand serendiptigjlsoiully, Mr. Edward, but what do you mean by 'out for film consideration'? Is there someplace to send them in particular? As you know, I'm quite inept at promotion. Brendan


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

What I meant is that three of my readers have friends in the film industry and have taken it upon them selves to send one of my books out with "you gotta read this thing" sort of thing. I'm not a screenwriter (which is a discipline that most of us spirited authors would find horribly confining. I know the rules and they are strict). There may be a place you can send your work out for consideration and for treatment, but since I'm an Indie author, I am not about to subject myself to yet another kangaroo court of literary judges and middle-people. However, if a friend of a reader says "Eureka, this'd make a dandy blockbuster," they can call me. I'll listen.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> What I meant is that three of my readers have friends in the film industry and have taken it upon them selves to send one of my books out with "you gotta read this thing" sort of thing. I'm not a screenwriter (which is a discipline that most of us spirited authors would find horribly confining. I know the rules and they are strict). There may be a place you can send your work out for consideration and for treatment, but since I'm an Indie author, I am not about to subject myself to yet another kangaroo court of literary judges and middle-people. However, if a friend of a reader says "Eureka, this'd make a dandy blockbuster," they can call me. I'll listen.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


OK, yeah, that's what I thought. Well, yes, I do believe that readers can do us the most good if by nothing other than simply posting that they enjoyed the book, reviews, etc. I'm just saying that I hope one of my readers will be a famous movie producer looking for some new material. I wouldn't put near the price tag on mine that say Anne Rice or John Grisham (sp?) might charge... I'd be much cheaper.  Are you producers listening? How about you screen writers? Anyone? Aliens? ET, are you home yet?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You'd be surprised who's listened and watching. I have had contacts with publishers, who have given me a silent, albeit important hand up. These things come out of the blue. The secret is not to expect it or look for it. Those who look for it rarely find it . . . sort of like Aragorn. After all, did he expect to become a king when he started out as a queer hobbit who wore wooden shoes and had the unlikely name of Trotter. Little did he knew that his Oxford father would make him a man, name him Strider and allow him to return as THE King. 

Edward C. Patterson
ah, the joy of Tolkien scholarship


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> After all, did he expect to become a king when he [....................] had the unlikely name of Trotter.


Excuuuuuse me, but that is a_ fine_ name in my own family! 

(From the north of England, descendants of horse thieves and some other more noble professions in the time of the Border Wars )

Hmph.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Any relation to _Tilly Trotter _ of Cookson fame? 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Any relation to _Tilly Trotter _ of Cookson fame?
> 
> Ed Patterson


 
(But hey, there_ was_ a great-great-aunt Matilda.... )


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,600 words this evening on _*The Nan Tu*_. Not much, but Skins was on.  So I have my little band of 12 fugitives meeting up with the fictional Chinese characters of the 13th Century novel, _*Outlaws of the Marsh*_, who help them slip across the Huai River and circumvent some pirates. These last 4 chapters have been fun - the famous Novel hero Sung Jiang (Timely Rain), a scene in a bawdy house, some recalcitrant oxen and mules, and now a river battle. Just one more chapter to go covering an encounter with the important historical general Lu Yi-hao and then its back up to the Northlands and a little barbarian invasion. I'm breathless, even at only 1,600 words. _*The Nan Tu * _ is the big 700 pages plus follow up to _*The Academician*_, so there's plenty of excitement, passion, intrigue and battles. I have a few more big battle scenes before a challenging River Battle where the Sung Navy sails up the Chang River (known today as the Yang-tze) and there's one big helluva battle at Chang-ning (known today as Nan-king (or ching)). And all of this is just background material to the character driven story about Li K'ai-men and his male lover, Fu Lin-t'o and their management of the Jade Owl relics. I'll be pretty busy until October when this one will get blasted out of the canon.

Edward Cliffe Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 3,300 words today (slow day at work), and therefore tonight I can go see Julia & Me. WooHoo. Bon Appetit.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

Awesome!!
(I'd love to hear your thoughts on the movie when you get back.)


----------



## harfner

Finished the final (pre-writer group) draft on a novella for an anthology last week and finished a new synopsis for a steampunk novel this week.  Now I need to get the sample chapters up and running!


----------



## Leslie

harfner said:


> Finished the final (pre-writer group) draft on a novella for an anthology last week and finished a new synopsis for a steampunk novel this week. Now I need to get the sample chapters up and running!


I wrote a little bit today. 14,716 word right now.

I realized I named one of my characters Joel David Harfner....

Harfner, is that okay? It must have been subliminal.

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> I wrote a little bit today. 14,716 word right now.
> 
> I realized I named one of my characters Joel David Harfner....
> 
> Harfner, is that okay? It must have been subliminal.
> 
> L


It's a good name.

I only did a few hundred words today while I was watching the TKD class. I think the hero was supposed to be caressing the heroine, but I might have typed in the board breaking technique for green belts.


----------



## sierra09

That would be an...interesting scene to read.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

As requested - reporting back. Run, don't walk to see Julia & Julia. Streep is a knock out, and Amy Admas matches her, balancing this film across two time periods. I laughed so hard during this film, the tears were rolling down my cheeks. This one's a wnner - take it from me.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

Thanks Ed!
I've always loved Meryl Streep, and Amy Adams is one of my favorite 'new' actresses. She was amazing in "Junebug."


----------



## Leslie

I just looked at my word counter: 16,000 words, on the button! Time to start wrapping this baby up...I have a limit of 20K.

I think I am far enough along that I can share what I am up to. I wrote this description today. Feedback is welcome.

_Taming Groomzilla_, by E.N. Holland

Joel Harfner and Luke Townsend, lovers for two years, have just bought their first home together. In a moment of domestic impetuosity, Joel proposes to Luke, who says yes. Then, to Joel's surprise, Luke says he wants a wedding with "all the bells and whistles." Joel, who never expected to be married, suddenly finds himself in the midst of planning a full-scale destination event. _Taming Groomzilla_ tells the story of how Joel and Luke navigate the tribulations of the six months from "Will you marry me?" to "I do." And while they do seal their union, complete with a kiss, there is more than one twist and turn in store to complicate their journey and keep the reader hilariously entertained.

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

This one I want to read.

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Okay, if I had this with the first book, I don't remember, so help me out....  is there this nail-biting lull between publishing the book and getting a response?  And how do you folks get through it?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Are you talking about getting the first sale or the first review If its the first sale, it is nail bitting, but I don't worry about that anymore. If its the fist review, jus be sure that you have it out to a few review sites. Look Away Silence is still waiting for a reader's review and its been out since July 27th. But the first review site delivered me a big one, which I plopped into the Description space on the Kindle page. I'm not sure if you're waiting for it to "take-off" or for some feedback?

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Now maybe it'll be different with the second book in my series but with the first book I didn't have any nerves or anything in either waiting for the first sale or first review. Of course that could make me either naive or stupid. I haven't decided. Now that I know a little more it may be different when I put the second book out.


----------



## vwkitten

Thanks Ed and Sierra,

It's the feedback thing.  I know I'm just being impatient and I keep telling myself to shut up and wait.  Sales are good (12 sales) and people who read the first one jumped in and bought the second enthusiastically, but I know they're busy.... I don't know what I'm "looking for," I'm just nervous...  I'm happy!  Very Happy!  Just nerves are kicking around my belly big time.... it's like opening night but it lasts for days...


----------



## Leslie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Leslie:
> 
> This one I want to read.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thank you, Ed. I will count you among my beta-readers.

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've taken the response thing for granted. There was a time I relied on friends and family. (BAD! Friends lie and family don't read the book, and if they do, they want it for FREE, go figure, and they are rarely honest. I give my family free copies and never ask their opinion, except my author Aunt in Massachusetts). Then I did betatestng (GOOD - mostly to validate my talent). Now, I have a coterie of perhaps 50 Faithful Readers (they are fiends also, but of a different sort - the kind that DONT LIE to spare your feelings. I had one, in fact, who loves all my work, that simply hated my best liked work - The Jade Owl, and said so. The best feedback ever - and I insisted he publish a bad review, which he did - but it's really a good review . . . if you know what I mean, and no hard feelings. In fact, we are collaborating on a secret writing/graphic/kindle project with another author, here on Kindleboards). This circle (ever growing, knock on wood) of Faithful readers don't read the book right away - so the feedback comes dripping in, except a group of readers at work, who gobble the books up the minute they get them. These folks have given me the immediate feedback I need for Look Away Silence. There were several people boo-hooing around my desk in the last week.

Let me share some feedback I received this morning from one of my readers out there in the dark. (I'm ready for my closeup Mr. DeMille). Rainbow Reviews ran a contest (still going) called Author Extravaganza, where readers could go read a small blog piece by each author about their writing, and then visit their website and answer a question. From the correct answers, one person a day would be chosen to receive a free eBook of their choice. Well, my winner (I was the author for the 5th) was notified and asked to make the request. This morning I woke up to the following email:

"Hello, 

I'm so excited I won. I never win anything! I feel like it's Christmas in August  

As luck would have it, I've been a fan of your work for quite some time.  I even managed to turn my staunchly conservative father into a devotee (I think it helps that he's an archeologist with a keen interest in Chinese history.  Still, I never thought I'd see the day when he would read an intersexual book with relish!). 

In any case, between my father and I, it looks like we're only missing two of your books:

1) Look Away Silence
2) Are You Still Submitting Your Work to A Traditional Publisher?

My father claims he'll ban me from the family vacation if I don't request "Look Away Silence" so that's the book I'd like to select in pdf format. 

Thank you for sharing one of your books via this contest.  I look forward to reading it! 

Yours, 
xxxxxxxx"

It made my day . . . my week. In fact, it vindicates my entire Indie effort. Of course, I sent her both books and told her that such feedback is rare for Indie authors to receive and that today was Christmas in August for me as well.

So, hang in there. Feedback comes up and bites you in the ass or kisses you on the cheek. In both cases it is sweet and well worth the wait.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Beta-Readers -- that's a neat concept.  Where do I get some of those? *hint hint*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'll be one, if you like, although I've three beta-reads ahead of you.   Ask for them on Authors Den or on your website, or here. On Amazon. You just need a few. And we like to see our names in your acknowledgment page he he he A thing I learned from the queen of Indie publishing, my friend April Hamilton. But also you'll see beta readers mentioned in Naomi Novik's Temeraire series also.

Ed P


----------



## sierra09

Trish, I'd beta-read (I love learning new words) for you...as soon as it comes out in paperback. Dang, not having a Kindle   and don't ruin my weekend by telling me it won't be in paperback eventually.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Trish,

You'e talking about Never Smile at a Crocadile, right? If so, I alsready have it on my Kindle, being in the vanguard.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Whoops, I didn;t have it. I have it now.

Ed P


----------



## Susan in VA

Foolish question...  What exactly does a beta-reader do?  Final proofreading with minor editing?  Or comments on how the story itself flows? Or something else?


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> Foolish question... What exactly does a beta-reader do? Final proofreading with minor editing? Or comments on how the story itself flows? Or something else?


For me, the ideal beta-reader gives feedback on the story and how it flows; picks up on continuity errors, mischaracterizations, etc. Editing and proofing is also helpful, as well as picking up on overused words and phrases, cliches, and so on.

Different readers have different strengths, too, which why more than one is helpful. The folks I ask to read stuff: some are real good on point of view, for example. Others on verb tense. If I have a story in a particular location, I might ask someone from that place (or who knows about that place) to read it to make sure I got the details right. And so on...

L


----------



## brianm

Hmmm....beta reader?  Well, I would be delighted if I could help any author along the way by being a beta reader..... maybe we need a new
thread for folks to sign up?

I am interested in fantasy (first) and sci-fi (second)............... an old guy (60) but loves reading. Have read at least a few hundred books
and hope for a few hundred more  

So, if you want......contact me and i'll be glad to help anyway I can.

                Brian


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan:

Beta-Readers generally tell you whether the book is a dog or not. If 20 people say - YEAH, then it's not a dog. They pick up things like my famous (discussed elsewhere)


Spoiler



pissing the paints


. They also might inspire you to continue the story. If it weren't for The Jade Owl beta-readers, there would have not been a second book, which was the idea of the group. Which of course forced me to revised The Jade Owl 8 times to accommodate five other books, 2 not written yet. In fact, there was a time when The Jade Owl was a trilogy, but there was enough of an outcry at The Dragon's Pool's ending (no spoiler here, but Susan you have read the series, so it will have meaning), similar to the outcry that Dickens got about Little Nell, that forced me to change the ending and plan the last 2 books. One beta-reader sent me an article on Velociraptors which made a deep impression, as you well know. Beta-readers are important, but as the Jade Owl books emerged as published, I had instant reviewers. In fact, when Mundania Press rejected The Jade Owl with a note saying that it was great book but they hadn't the market for it, I turned to the beta-group who, to the person said "Let this bird fly." This is why I thank Mundania (and Elijah Wood) in my acknowledgment section. I must admit, however, I haven't used the beta-group again for a work. That original group formed the core of my Faithful Readers and they're a tough tribe. When I write, if I don't satisfy them, I can be promised a flop. BTW, funny this, of the group, half are in the U.K., Australia, South Africa, and the best one is in Belgium and devotes a webpage to my work. Another one writes poetry and I am mentoring her on her first novel. And finally, Peg, my editor - yes she of the Red Pencil, started as a beta-reader, but unlike other beta-readers, she assaulted my grammar, typos and spelling, so much so - four years later and 13 books behind us, she is my editor of choice. She is a mighty, mighty asset.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

17,909 words and I am done!

And I think it sounds pretty good, too. So, here's a call for beta-readers. Just to remind you, here's the description again.
*
Taming Groomzilla* by E.N. Holland

Joel Harfner and Luke Townsend, lovers for two years, have just bought their first home together. In a moment of domestic impetuosity, Joel proposes to Luke, who says yes. Then, to Joel's surprise, Luke says he wants a wedding with "all the bells and whistles." Joel, who never expected to be married, suddenly finds himself in the midst of planning a full-scale destination event. _Taming Groomzilla_ tells the story of how Joel and Luke navigate the tribulations of the six months from "Will you marry me?" to "I do." And while they do seal their union, complete with a kiss, there is more than one twist and turn in store to complicate their journey and keep the reader hilariously entertained.

Just so you know, it does have a little bit of sex--not too much but there are a few titillating parts. And some dirty words. Probably I'd say this is rated a mild R.

If you are interested in reading and giving me feedback, send me a PM with your email address. I am going to convert it to a .prc file so you can read it on your Kindle. I can also email it to your Kindle, if you want -- you will be charged 15c for that but it is convenient.

Let me know. I'd like to get about 6 or 8 readers.

L


----------



## Susan in VA

Thanks, Leslie and Ed.  

OK then...  for any authors here who still need another pair of eyes, please feel free to PM me about beta-reading your work.  

I'm not a creative writer, but I worked as a translator, proofreader, editor, and English teacher for over twenty years.

I'll read your work on my Kindle, but would be happy to take an old-fashioned paper version and mark it up, or anything in between (.doc or .pdf).

Topic or genre doesn't matter.  No problems with cursing or with erotica or with barroom brawls and gunfights  --  but I don't want to read anything that includes graphic sadistic violence.

As Geoff would say, "Just offerin'...."


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> Thanks, Leslie and Ed.
> 
> OK then... for any authors here who still need another pair of eyes, please feel free to PM me about beta-reading your work.
> 
> I'm not a creative writer, but I worked as a translator, proofreader, editor, and English teacher for over twenty years.
> 
> I'll read your work on my Kindle, but would be happy to take an old-fashioned paper version and mark it up, or anything in between (.doc or .pdf).
> 
> Topic or genre doesn't matter. No problems with cursing or with erotica or with barroom brawls and gunfights -- but I don't want to read anything that includes graphic sadistic violence.
> 
> As Geoff would say, "Just offerin'...."


Thanks, Susan! I sent you the file. No sadistic violence in this, just a sweet love story.

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600 words tonight. Introduction of a major character and proving tricky. Need a little more tomorrow before Peg of the Red Pencil get it. Leslie I did already et your little offering (I'm 20% in and hated to put it down to do my own writing . . . but now to make my lunch, finish up some other little business, and its coming to bed with me tonight).  

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Um got a question for anyone with computer or floppy knowledge.   Is there, by any chance, a way to recover a file that was....we'll call it accidently (even though I know it wasn't  ) deleted from a floppy? I know most people these days probably save to CDs but I still use floppy discs. I have a sinking bad feeling there isn't but I'm holding out hope before I ask Brendan to loan me a dragon or something really nasty that eats small, grubby children.


----------



## Susan in VA

sierra09 said:


> Um got a question for anyone with computer or floppy knowledge.  Is there, by any chance, a way to recover a file that was....we'll call it accidently (even though I know it wasn't ) deleted from a floppy? I know most people these days probably save to CDs but I still use floppy discs. I have a sinking bad feeling there isn't but I'm holding out hope before I ask Brendan to loan me a dragon or something really nasty that eats small, grubby children.


Back when people actually used DOS command lines, Word saved a backup of every document, so a floppy would have your .doc files but also a bunch of .bak files which you would have had to delete separately. So if you simply deleted your .doc, there was still a .bak on there, which you could then rename and thus recover a mistakenly deleted file. If, on the other hand, you had deleted _everything_ on the floppy with "del *.*", or by reformatting it, then it was all gone.

So I guess it depends on a) whether the disk was reformatted or whether just that file was erased, and b) whether the newer versions of Word still save an automatic backup copy. If they do, it's just a question of getting to the file. If you know how to get to the DOS prompt, you could do a directory listing and see what's there. (Last time I checked (and that was at least five years ago), the directory listing in Windows did NOT show these backup files, for some reason.)


----------



## sierra09

I'll have to shangai my nephew. He's supposed to know about that stuff...though of course his system doesn't even have a poor floppy drive   . I hope the modern version has a backup or my 11 year old grandniece will be fed to a dragon.

I save everything on floppy which is then placed in my floppy holder. I didn't bother checking this visit to see what damage she did since supposedly all she did was play on these girlgame websites or whatever 11 year old girls do since I have most things she could get in trouble with blocked. I put the disc in tonight to continue to work on Chapter Eight of my second Celtic Evil book only to discover she'd wiped the disc clean of everything. Research, story, notes, the hold bloody thing.  

To say I'm not happy is understating it and I'm going back to my 'No Children Under 30' rule for my room.


----------



## Susan in VA

How awful for you! All that work!

Why would she have inserted the disk in the first place? Does she remember what exactly she did? Is there a chance that maybe she_ moved_ the contents to the hard drive?

And by the way... even without kiddo interference, floppies do sometimes "go bad".... backup copies are a Good Thing!


----------



## sierra09

She gets bored and when she gets bored then she gets into things. She's also very nosy. My mistake was saying, 'Liv, don't touch the discs.' I should have known after going through nieces and nephews that if you tell a bored tween(that what she calls herself) not to do something and she's feeling nasty that she'll do it.

She's not good enough to transfer, just click and probably saw delete and knew that's what I've been obsessing about and decided to click. It's a horrid thing to say since she's related but that side of the family has been slightly jealous since I put the first book out. Not sure why since they don't even buy it or read it but when people mention the book to my sister she gets so mad and jealous because she always said because I was schooled at home and mostly away from people I wouldn't be able to do anything.

If my nephew can't find it I guess I'll be pulling several long nights if I want to get it back to where it was.   The disc is fine because I checked it by saving a little something so it works...it's just blank as far as my meager computer skills can see.


----------



## Susan in VA

Oh man...  I would be absolutely furious!  And I'd make a big family fuss about it, too.  What a mean-spirited thing to do  --  and she can't claim it was accidental, since she wasn't supposed to be inserting the disk in the first place.

I do hope the files are there somewhere, although it doesn't sound promising.  If not, I wish you good luck in your efforts to recreate what you had!!


----------



## sierra09

Thanks. My nephew is supposed to come out tomorrow but after I explained it to him he also said it doesn't look too good and I should just start rewriting now.    My entire neighborhood probably knows how I feel since the window was open after I got off the phone with my sister. I didn't take the excuse the girl probably didn't mean it, she was just bored and playing. That it's nothing to be upset about.   Eight chapters and all the research and the first time I did notes on a computer rather than paper.  

Lessons learned. Now I'm buying a lockbox, and going back to locking my room and no access to it for anyone.


----------



## Susan in VA

sierra09 said:


> Lessons learned. Now I'm buying a lockbox, and going back to locking my room and no access to it for anyone.


Or you could just put a password on your computer.


----------



## sierra09

I just learned how to put a password on a PDF, lol.   I might ask him about that while he's here checking on this.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I had a computer crash once when my nephews removed a CD from the drive with a pancake spatula.

Ed P


----------



## Ann in Arlington

You ought to take the disk to someone who _really_ knows what they're doing. . .if it's worth that much to you, spend a little money. My understanding is, unless a magnet has been run over the thing, or you've re-written to the disk completely, the files are still there. All that's missing is the information that tells the computer where, exactly, to find them. Now, this may not be the case, and if you're talking 5 1/4" disks you might have trouble finding anyone who can read them. . .but I think you would be wise to find a professional and at least ask the question.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

For all on backing up your work. I'm a little redundant about this but here it goes.

All my work (since 1995) is on the computer, my website server password protected and on a flash drive.

Daily I send copies of my work to my work place computer or vice versa and up laod the results to my web server. I also send a copy to a Gmail account to be archived. I also store my most current work on starage space at Authors Den. So, although I have lost work through slip ups, for the most part all and my most current work is backed up in 6 places and accessible from any computer that I am on. I've had computer crashes, but have lost nly applications (which can be -installed). My work is too valuable to lose. I will also burn a CD backup on ocassion.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

I usually back up all of my work, but was so busy during July that I got a little careless (aka lazy). Wouldn't you know it? Last week I got a Blue Screen Of Death error, and lost a week's worth of rewrites. Needless to say, my careless/lazy days are over!


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I had a computer crash once when my nephews removed a CD from the drive with a pancake spatula.
> 
> Ed P


Now THAT needs to make it into one of your stories, Ed!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sierra, that's an awful thing to have happen. Good luck.



Ann in Arlington said:


> You ought to take the disk to someone who _really_ knows what they're doing. . .if it's worth that much to you, spend a little money. My understanding is, unless a magnet has been run over the thing, or you've re-written to the disk completely, the files are still there. All that's missing is the information that tells the computer where, exactly, to find them. Now, this may not be the case, and if you're talking 5 1/4" disks you might have trouble finding anyone who can read them. . .but I think you would be wise to find a professional and at least ask the question.


Good suggestion, Ann. I know a lot of computer techies keep old computers around so they can get into old files for people. One of the guys at work converted all my 5.25 floppies to 3.5 floppies.

Good luck.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I wish you well too. You sound like an author who needs some support right now.

You might not want to do it now, but I hope you find it within yourself to forgive the girl who did this. Life's too short to hold grudges.

Say, it's been awhile since I've backed things up...perhaps I should do that...?


----------



## Dave Dykema

Next question:

awhile or a while or both?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's like wail/whale or both.  

Ed P


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Dave Dykema said:


> Next question:
> 
> awhile or a while or both?


Both forms are increasingly becoming interchangeable.

Technically, 'awhile' is the adverb form, while 'a while' is used for noun, conjunction, preposition, & verb parts of speech.

However, as I said, you will generally not be corrected regardless of which one you use.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That's like wail/whale or both.
> 
> Ed P


   

I found this in a book I read where the protagonist stated that they 'wouldn't go around whaling over the loss of life.' I didn't know how hunting a large animal would fix anything, but oh, well, to each his own.


----------



## geoffthomas

sierra09 said:


> If my nephew can't find it I guess I'll be pulling several long nights if I want to get it back to where it was.  The disc is fine because I checked it by saving a little something so it works...it's just blank as far as my meager computer skills can see.


To All:
Any time you think you have accidentally (or otherwise) deleted a file from any kind of recording medai - do NOT perform any furhter operations on the media. Hard Drive, Floppy Disk, Writeable CD, mag tape - I don't care what it is. Most media had a directory file that contains the names of the other files and their "location". When you delete a file, the system "removes" the entry from the directory file. But the real file is still there and usually the "image" of the removed entry in the directory file is also still there. When you perform any operation on the media, you risk the system actually writing over the real file because that space is now understood to be "available".

***** So don't touch it. *****

Run, don't walk to the nearest geek person and let them analyze the media. Usually (if you have done nothing) it can be recovered.

Just sayin......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's a good one to know. Now what's your opinion of spy/espy. I went through mot of my works and changed spy to espy (or espied) because a beta-reader told me that spy was strictly a noun.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## sierra09

geoffthomas said:


> To All:
> Any time you think you have accidentally (or otherwise) deleted a file from any kind of recording medai - do NOT perform any furhter operations on the media. Hard Drive, Floppy Disk, Writeable CD, mag tape - I don't care what it is. Most media had a directory file that contains the names of the other files and their "location". When you delete a file, the system "removes" the entry from the directory file. But the real file is still there and usually the "image" of the removed entry in the directory file is also still there. When you perform any operation on the media, you risk the system actually writing over the real file because that space is now understood to be "available".
> 
> ***** So don't touch it. *****
> 
> Run, don't walk to the nearest geek person and let them analyze the media. Usually (if you have done nothing) it can be recovered.
> 
> Just sayin......


Where were you last night after panic mode set-in?  My geek won't be here until later so I'll know then. Until then I still say I'm going to Rent a Dragon.


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That's a good one to know. Now what's your opinion of spy/espy. I went through mot of my works and changed spy to espy (or espied) because a beta-reader told me that spy was strictly a noun.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


"I spy with my little eye..."

To SPY
(verb used without object)
to observe secretively or furtively with hostile intent (often fol. by on or upon).
to act as a spy; engage in espionage.
to be on the lookout; keep watch.
to search for or examine something closely or carefully.
(verb used with object)
to catch sight of suddenly; espy; descry: to spy a rare bird overhead.
to discover or find out by observation or scrutiny (often fol. by out).
to observe (a person, place, enemy, etc.) secretively or furtively with hostile intent.
to inspect or examine or to search or look for closely or carefully.

to ESPY
(verb used with object), -pied, -py⋅ing.
to see at a distance; catch sight of.

And just for completeness, while SPY can certainly be a noun, ESPY cannot.

eta: this is from dictionary.com


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Then I guess I followed good advice, because most of my spy use was verb with objects. Rowdy spied a fruitcake (who was probably Nick or maybe me). Which I had changed to Rowdy espied a fruitcake. I hate using Rowdy saw a fruitcake or, heaven's forbid/forbade/forbiddy, Rowdy was accosted by a fruitcake." 

Thanks Susan. Peg actually never liked the espied thing and thought spied was more natural (as did I), but in this case, considering the touch of archaic language that I employ for Rowdy (and later for Rose - and her dingy-bangy-my daddy's a dentist-lingo) "espied" was a befitting (befidden, befudden) choice.

Ed Patterson

Today we had a discussion of the difference between the use of the word vorago and virago. I had a luscious dialogue line that used the word vorago, meaning an abyss - deep and unfathomable, and went to check the spelling and found it was too close to the word virago, an Amazon woman of the Xena clan. After some discussion, vorago won out - except since Peg needed both definitions, it was replaced with "as deep as a bucket of wine." That we all understood, and just might imbibe, if it wasn't for the diabetes. Besides, I ultimately found it hypocritical for a a Chinese General to use this word, when I go out of my way to replace the word "parasol - which is Portuguese" with the correct Chinese _san-tze_.

4,200 words today.


----------



## AnnaM

I just discovered the images catalogs on the Kindle communities, and I uploaded my book cover images. You can add a caption and rollover text (along with link to your product page). There are only 5 images so far in the Western romance community . . . but you can see what I'm talking about here:

http://www.amazon.com/tag/western%20romance/images/

I figure any exposure I can get is a good thing. If you haven't used this feature I suggest you take a look. It gives the reader a way to "browse" book covers, the same as you can do at the library or bookstore . . .


----------



## AnnaM

PS:  If you all vote "yes" to "do you like the image?" I'll give a click to yours too.

Mine are "Unbroken Hearts" and "Untamed Hearts"


----------



## Gertie Kindle

AnnaM said:


> PS: If you all vote "yes" to "do you like the image?" I'll give a click to yours too.
> 
> Mine are "Unbroken Hearts" and "Untamed Hearts"


Sounds like a deal. Just have to figure out how to get into my own category.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

Finished Taming _*Groomzilla*_. Wonderful. I sent you an email with my observations.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Leslie:
> 
> Finished _*Taming Groomzilla*_. Wonderful. I sent you an email with my observations.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Thank you, Ed. Your comments are great and very helpful.

L


----------



## Dave Dykema

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Now what's your opinion of spy/espy. I went through mot of my works and changed spy to espy (or espied) because a beta-reader told me that spy was strictly a noun.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I have to honestly say I don't believe I've ever seen the word "espy" before. That would throw me out of the book for a second, thinking it was a typo. (I tried very hard not to write "I've ever spied the word").


----------



## Dave Dykema

RedAdept said:


> Both forms are increasingly becoming interchangeable.
> 
> Technically, 'awhile' is the adverb form, while 'a while' is used for noun, conjunction, preposition, & verb parts of speech.
> 
> However, as I said, you will generally not be corrected regardless of which one you use.


Thank you, Red. I bow to your vast grammatical skills. 

I've seen them interchanged more and more often and was getting annoyed. I've always been an "a while" guy, and that's just the way I like it. I'm glad to know my use isn't "wrong."


----------



## Leslie

Ed has inspired me.

I originally wrote _Taming Groomzilla_ to enter into a contest from All Romance eBooks. The money raised from the contest (if I got selected) would go to the American Heart Association.

Ed suggested thinking a little bit more locally and perhaps not bothering with the contest. In his words, the book was SOOOOO good that it deserved to be out sooner than next February. (Thanks, Ed.)

I mulled that for a little while and then had one of those Duh! (dope slap!) moments. While I have nothing against the American Heart Association, we have a much bigger fight here in Maine: protecting our law for same-sex marriage. The law was passed on May 6 and signed immediately by the Governor; however, the opposition has been busy gathering signatures for a referendum on the ballot to repeal the law. I have no doubt that the issue will be on the ballot but I hope a well informed and intelligent electorate will vote the repeal down.

Which is where I come in with my story. I have decided to publish this through my imprint, Bristlecone Pine Press, and get it out ASAP. I will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Maine Freedom to Marry and EqualityMaine in order to help the fight to keep same-sex marriage legal in Maine. I'm really excited about this!

Thanks everyone, for your support. I'll keep you posted!

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well with espy, it was one of the rare times I bowed to the grammatically correct. Usually I don;t give a anteasters snout for such things, because true readers are engendered by story and not grammar. However, anything that throws a reader out of the story is to be avoided, so my charcters never spy things, they espy them. However, my style is a cross between Dickens-Austen-Kin-Gilbert-Tokien-Woolf and the toilet bowl, so I always try to presetn a consistency throughout all my titles that shout "Patterson, Edward C." 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

I have a cover! What do you think?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Love it, but I'd llike Joel and Luke to be naked.   And what, no Mad Hatter Cake

It's great,fits the work and now the new purpose.

Edwaed C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Love it, but I'd llike Joel and Luke to be naked.  And what, no Mad Hatter Cake
> 
> It's great,fits the work and now the new purpose.
> 
> Edwaed C. Patterson


I actually have a picture of the Mad Hatter cake but I wasn't sure I could use it on the cover since I believe it is copyrighted to the owner.










Besides, I like those two little guys giving each other a helping hand. And if you want Joel and Luke naked, you'll just have to read the book!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well since I read the book   and can always peak back on my Kindle  , I know that Joel has a cute . . . whoops, no spoilers here.  

Really, folks, when this one comes out, it's a must read for everyone, and it the kind you give as a gift, and hopefully put on a wedding registry.    

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

^^^
what Ed said!

A great gift item, not only for gay spouses/lovers or their friends/family/supporters, but for anyone who is standing up publicly for what they believe in.


----------



## Leslie

Thanks, Susan and Ed! I really appreciate your support.

I hope to have this up and ready to go live in the next 24 to 48 hours. I'll keep everyone posted.

L


----------



## Steph H

Oh that's a cool idea, Leslie, to skip the contest and just put it out as a book (would that be a novella? short story? not sure of the terminology)!  I like the pic of the Mad Hatter cake, much better than I was picturing it in my head.  And as I told you in my email today, I *really* liked the story.  Really. Very sweet and funny.


----------



## Leslie

Steph H said:


> Oh that's a cool idea, Leslie, to skip the contest and just put it out as a book (would that be a novella? short story? not sure of the terminology)! I like the pic of the Mad Hatter cake, much better than I was picturing it in my head. And as I told you in my email today, I *really* liked the story. Really. Very sweet and funny.


Thank you Steph!

I think it is either a long short story or novella. Personally, I am taking the novella tack.

No one has commented on the "plaid as a theme" on the cover. LOL! I really pushed for that...

L


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie said:


> No one has commented on the "plaid as a theme" on the cover. LOL! I really pushed for that...


ohhhh.... it's so subtle, I totally missed that! <slaps forehead>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Great cover, Leslie.  I love the colors, the cake and the theme.


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> ohhhh.... it's so subtle, I totally missed that! <slaps forehead>


Plaid is not theme. _Springtime in Paris_ is a theme, or _Moon Over Maui._...

LOL


----------



## Leslie

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Great cover, Leslie. I love the colors, the cake and the theme.


Thank you, Gertie. I am very excited about this offering!

L


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie said:


> Plaid is not theme. _Springtime in Paris_ is a theme, or _Moon Over Maui._...
> 
> LOL


It's scary that somewhere there are probably people planning their weddings with _themes_ like that. It's a ceremony and a celebration... not a theatre production...


----------



## Steph H

LOL  I missed the plaid too, I was busy looking at the image...

Leslie, I just sent you an email with comments.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

Now I see it. I was thinking of a red tartan plaid when I was reading. Now, according to Gregory Banks, master writer and precise in his approach to the industry, a work of your length would be a novelette. A novella is generally 30,000-50,000 words. (I have three of those). In your case, the length IMHO is immaterial, the work just scintillates, is so accessible and a perfect length.

If you're turning it around fast (YEAH), I should start spell checking my review.  

Oh and, I turned in 3,575 words tonight, a meeting between a usuring Duke and a barbarian Prince, on a dusty stretch before the city of Ch'i-chou. It was mostly dialog of a an intriguing kind, almost screen play stuff - and I can;t wait until Peg of the Red Pencil gets it tomorrow.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## harfner

My writers group (beta-readers) does those and comments on anything else, story-wise. Some of them are good at stylistic stuff, some are good at structure or characterization, and some are good at copyediting.



Susan in VA said:


> Foolish question... What exactly does a beta-reader do? Final proofreading with minor editing? Or comments on how the story itself flows? Or something else?


----------



## Leslie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Leslie:
> 
> Now I see it. I was thinking of a red tartan plaid when I was reading.


Well, their cummerbunds were a red tartan, because Luke had said he liked red and Joel was happy with that, too.

When I was looking up pictures of cummerbunds, I found one that in camouflage complete with a camouflage tie and I just said   



> Now, according to Gregory Banks, master writer and precise in his approach to the industry, a work of your length would be a novelette. A novella is generally 30,000-50,000 words. (I have three of those). In your case, the length IMHO is immaterial, the work just scintillates, is so accessible and a perfect length.


A novellette? Okay, that's good to know.

L


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> It's scary that somewhere there are probably people planning their weddings with _themes_ like that. It's a ceremony and a celebration... not a theatre production...


Hahahaha, true, that.

L


----------



## Leslie

It's live!



The description hasn't come through yet but the book is there. Yippee!

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Great, Leslie - and it's purchased, and . . . it has a five-star review up there already . . . I wonder from whom?

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Great, Leslie - and it's purchased, and . . . it has a five-star review up there already . . . I wonder from whom?
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Thank you, Ed, for that wonderful review! I am thrilled!

L


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Some days are good, some are bad, some are a bit of both...

I got a form rejection e-mail on a short story I had sent out which I had held high hopes for an acceptance, and was a bit disheartened. Not morbidly so, by any means, as I am not a stranger to rejection letters.

The day took a decidedly brighter turn when I received a personal letter in the mail in appreciation of a short story I wrote which appeared in this month's issue of _St. Anthony Messenger_.

Now it will be that much easier to do a bit of revising and send the other story out again.

Elmore


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's also refreshing to be a READER today on Kindleboards, instead of just a plain run of the mill AUTHOR, so I can recommend the book around, and on Amazon too.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

I amended my review to reflect your pseudonym, however on Amazon and other places (where you are known), I referred to you as Leslie Nicholl.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Leslie:

I like that 11,000 ranking you have on the first day. You must be getting some sales, mayhap.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Leslie:
> 
> I like that 11,000 ranking you have on the first day. You must be getting some sales, mayhap.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Four (4) so far (thank you to those four people!) which makes me wonder how those sales rankings really work...LOL

L


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Elmore Hammes said:


> Some days are good, some are bad, some are a bit of both...


I know what you mean, Ellmore. Got my first 1-star review. Whew! Glad it's over with! I know what Dawson went through now!
On the other hand, the review took me completely by surprise, I had not even considered readers might take umbrage with that scene in the book. But, yes, I can see that some would. Still, I tell myself the scene is true to the story and not out of place. And after the reader got to that point in the book, I think they stopped reading it altogether. Too bad.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I got a two star on No Irish by a reviewer who was offended that the book had nothing to do with the Irish in the 19th century and also stated that the writing was subpar. I wear that 2 star review like a badge. Ocassionally its good to hear from a reader that I can't two words together and spell "pablum." (well that's one word).  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

My reader got upset that I had no respect for wildlife, because the aunt shoots and kills a raccoon.  That scene is pretty early in the book, so they barely even got into it.  Of course, then they also would have probably been upset when the baby skunks don't survive the storm scene.  Probably just as well they stopped when they did!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Carol Hanrahan said:


> My reader got upset that I had no respect for wildlife, because the aunt shoots and kills a raccoon. That scene is pretty early in the book, so they barely even got into it. Of course, then they also would have probably been upset when the baby skunks don't survive the storm scene. Probably just as well they stopped when they did!


Geez! 

Wonder what that reviewer thought of Old Yeller or The Lion King or Bambi or Little Red Riding Hood or Grimm Fairy Tales or the multitudes of other movies and books for children?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Carol Hanrahan said:


> My reader got upset that I had no respect for wildlife, because the aunt shoots and kills a raccoon. That scene is pretty early in the book, so they barely even got into it. Of course, then they also would have probably been upset when the baby skunks don't survive the storm scene. Probably just as well they stopped when they did!


Wow, and I'm disappointed you didn;t have a **** skin hat made of the tail. 

Ed P


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wow, and I'm disappointed you didn;t have a **** skin hat made of the tail.
> 
> Ed P


Um, Edward, I take it you haven't read the book?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Its in my TBR. I was just clowning around, as is my nature. As tall as your TBR is Lynn, my is three times as high.   I have some 180 books in my TBR. I need to pull out a few of the older ones there - and Baling is one of them.

Ed P


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Its in my TBR. I was just clowning around, as is my nature. As tall as your TBR is Lynn, my is three times as high.  I have some 180 books in my TBR. I need to pull out a few of the older ones there - and Baling is one of them.
> 
> Ed P


Ah, I understand completely. Well, I didn't mean to imply that there was a hat made, and I don't want to give spoilers, so I will just say that I am surprised the reviewer did not mention what came next.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

OK, you two have made me laugh with your clowning around!   Thanks!


----------



## Susan in VA

I was about to send Ed a PM about this, but then it struck me that maybe it applies to other authors here as well, so consider this a Public Service Announcement.    

Ed, I'm in the middle of doing some Amazon shopping, and even though the actual purchases are going to be made by clicking through KB, I wanted to see the full Amazon list of all your books.  So I went to "Kindle Store" and typed in "Ed Patterson"  and I got a list of two books by someone named Ed Lacy.  That's it.  When I typed in "Edward Patterson", it finds you and all of your books, of course, but many people know you as Ed and might do exactly what I did, and then not try it again with your full name.  

I thought that you might not be aware of this, and that perhaps there's some way you can have a keyword added to the Amazon search engine.  

And maybe other authors also have different versions of their names, and aren't findable under all of them.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan:

Yes, this is the bane for all authors. Therefore, I always use my full name of Edward C. Patterson. Amazon has given me an Author's Central Page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BMI6X8 which lists all my works and includes my Amazon Author's Blog; however, the links are to the DTB editions. Fortunately, the DTB versions all have a prominent "You can begin reading this work on the Kindle for dirt cheap or nearly free  or words to that effect. I mean, The Dragon's Pool goes for $17.49 in print and $3.99 on the Kindle, while the Academician is priced at $ 11.27 (the year of the action in 12th Century China - cute), but on the Kindle it's $ .99. All my Kindle books have a discount over the DTB version between $5 and $13 dollars as I never want price to be a deterrant to a reader. Funny - an entire set of my books in DTB costs $115.00 before s/h - on the Kindle its $24.87, a $90 discount.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Susan in VA said:


> Ed, I'm in the middle of doing some Amazon shopping, and even though the actual purchases are going to be made by clicking through KB, I wanted to see the full Amazon list of all your books. So I went to "Kindle Store" and typed in "Ed Patterson" and I got a list of two books by someone named Ed Lacy. That's it. When I typed in "Edward Patterson", it finds you and all of your books, of course, but many people know you as Ed and might do exactly what I did, and then not try it again with your full name.
> 
> I thought that you might not be aware of this, and that perhaps there's some way you can have a keyword added to the Amazon search engine.
> 
> And maybe other authors also have different versions of their names, and aren't findable under all of them.


I added the tag "ed patterson" to three or four of Ed's Kindle editions, if that improves the search results in the next 24 hours then that should work for other authors in similar situations (and can then be repeated for the rest of his numerous offerings).

I don't seem to run into a lot of issues with my name 

Elmore Hammes


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well Elmore, thank you, but you don't have an evil brother named James  who somehow has gotten the major spotlight.

Ed Patterson

Tonight I ran through 3,500 words - a chapter about a scroll, a


Spoiler



piss


 bucket, a twenty-three year old Emperor worried about his virlity and a couple of heads stuck on the city walls. Just give me that to play with and a Chinese setting and I can manage 3,500 words in no time. Tomorrow I'm on horseback through the Honanese countryside. Oh what fun, especially for my two horses - _Water Dragon _ (for those who have read The Academician, you'll know _Water Dragon_) and _Sun Bearer_. Now all I need is a pomegranate that I can't call a pomegranate and a little levitation scene and I'll be happy. 
ECP


----------



## Leslie

If you've read _Taming Groomzilla_ you know it is written from Joel's point of view. Well, Luke kept bugging me and telling me he wanted the chance to tell his side of the story, so I am indulging him.

_Groomzilla's Story _is started and I am 1444 words in.

Time to go take a shower and get ready for work!

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leslie said:


> If you've read _Taming Groomzilla_ you know it is written from Joel's point of view. Well, Luke kept bugging me and telling me he wanted the chance to tell his side of the story, so I am indulging him.
> 
> _Groomzilla's Story _is started and I am 1444 words in.
> 
> Time to go take a shower and get ready for work!
> 
> L


I'm going to have to add this to my mounting TBR pile.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie, I bet it'll move to the top, like it did in mine. 

I had a limp writing day yesterday and am heading to NJ (which means a weak weekend of writing - a weakend), but I'm on the (hor)crux of a deadly hollow - no, I'm getting carried away now. I mean I have a innovative challenge. Hear me out. The HERO is on a fast horse riding south and because he has the benefit of a little green avian relic, which shall go unnamed (see my avatar), his horse (and his servants) is suddenly on jet-fuel (long before such notions were about in 12th Century China). In this state and at this speed he is suddenly in a vision world and he sees bits and pieces of *The Third Peregrination*, *The Dragon's Pool * and *The People's Treasure* (which is not only not published (I'm from Brooklyn and can use double-negatives and nested parathesis) but hasn't even been drafted). In fact, more of the Jade Owl legacy is revealed in this little horsey ride than in any other place to date. It comes to a crashing halt, and then he shares a pomegranate with his servant and a horse named _Water Dragon _ (I mean, who wouldn't), before mounting again and continuing his frantic journey to reunite with his homosexual lover. Your typical Sung Dynasty fare (NOT). The challenge is the vision itself and the final transformation of his horse into a sweet little velociraptor (oh didn't I mention that?). It's electric stuff, at least in my humble (not so humble) opinion, but alas I've only cracked 1,400 words of what needs 6,000 for this chapter. A challenge, but unlike *Look Away Silence*, I'll survive it. I have never really survived writing that last book.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie said:


> _Groomzilla's Story _is started and I am 1444 words in.


Woohoo! Can't wait to read this one.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished the chapter (came to 4,000 words), whew. Now I'm off on my dragon to New Jersey. Later all.

d P

I want Groomzill'a story. I want Groomzilla's story!


----------



## Susan in VA

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I want Groomzill'a story. I want Groomzilla's story!


I want the grandmother's story. In full novel form.


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> I want the grandmother's story. In full novel form.


That's another good one. I hadn't really thought about that.

It would get me doing some research on the history of the Jewish community here in Portland, which I know has an interesting history from the bits and pieces I have picked up over the years.

L


----------



## Leslie

Okay, 3922 words. That means 2500 words this morning. Wow!

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yesterday, as predicted, 0 words, but the day before's words were Oh sooo goood (self praise sticks, don't it), that a day off in the wilds of NJ is okay. I just arrived home in exile PA and will be going to see PJ's District Nine. Then hopefully I can get crackin' again. It's Gay Price out here in llentown and I have friends that are stalking for me. But it's hot and humid and I'd raher watch aliens in South Africa than the Doggie Drag contest. We need to get some variety into the Pride in the Park things.   And due to my eyes, my days of clubbing are over. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Thumper

I got my manuscript back from the editor with suggested changes, additions, cuts, big red letters that said


Spoiler



YOU SUCK


... well, find she didn't say that, but still. I've been plugging away at it and am t h i s close to being done with this draft...I've even got cover choices sitting in front of me and I cannot pick between the two finalists...I'm sure to screw that part of it up.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Once upon a time, I had the editor from Hell (well, she's not from hell, but from Olympia, WA), and she nearly gave me a nervous breakdown. BUT, she is probably the one person on earth that my readers can thank for a good read, because although she hated everything I wrote, I followed her way and she was the professional magic touch that I needed and still have. (She's not my editor anymore - I can't afford her - she charges by the word and gets it), but she's my friend, gets a copy of all my books as they come out as gifts, is acknowledged in The Jade Owl legacy series, and she occasionally barks at me, but now she tells me that I "produce something like good writing," high praise indeed from her. I think that Dickens would have thanked her, if he could get such a compliment from her. Funny thing, 'though - like all great editor, she cannot write a novel. She knows what the real think smells like, but she cannot get one out of her veins into print. When you shop around for an editor, that's one of the criteria. Peg of the Red Pencil also has never has nor has the desire to write a novel. Her price is better than the Editor from Hell, Washington, however - and besides, if I depended on the big gun, I'd never get a book out of the door.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Thumper said:


> I got my manuscript back from the editor with suggested changes, additions, cuts, big red letters that said
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> YOU SUCK
> 
> 
> ... well, find she didn't say that, but still. I've been plugging away at it and am t h i s close to being done with this draft...I've even got cover choices sitting in front of me and I cannot pick between the two finalists...I'm sure to screw that part of it up.


I just came off of the editing session from


Spoiler



hell


too... I sympathize. Just because my editor is my mother, doesn't make her any less an English teacher when it comes to editing my books. She's been goaded into even more detailed grammar editing because a teacher friend of hers made a comment of two about a few things Mom let slip through on the first book.... 3 days of the comma police.... You can do it Thumper. If you really


Spoiler



sucked


, she'd have just tossed your book out. Go Thumper Go!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 3700 words so far today on the next novel, _In Her Name: Legend of the Sword_. Going to tap away a bit longer, maybe I can finish up the first chapter, but not gonna push it too hard. My wrists are on the edge...

Thumper - I know you know this, but just let it roll off your back and keep on movin'! And the eenie-meenie-minie-moe method often works well for choosing which book cover is better...


----------



## Thumper

She was not unkind in her editing; the cuts she suggested were ones I suspected I'd need to make, and the changes were few but necessary. I had a friend read it and the feedback she gave me was nearly identical...but just once I'd like to get a draft back with "Hey! Perfect! Don't change a thing!" Surely my brain is THAT GOOD.

I may slap thumbnails of the covers up and solicit opinions. The Spouse Thingy and the Boy are drawn to the one I think is "huh?" They're all the same image, just color variations. I have time to decide, however...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> I got my manuscript back from the editor with suggested changes, additions, cuts, big red letters that said
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> YOU SUCK
> 
> 
> ... well, find she didn't say that, but still. I've been plugging away at it and am t h i s close to being done with this draft...I've even got cover choices sitting in front of me and I cannot pick between the two finalists...I'm sure to screw that part of it up.


Red Pencil ... visions of Sister Mary Arthur. 

It's like they're cutting up your baby, isn't it.



Thumper said:


> I may slap thumbnails of the covers up and solicit opinions. The Spouse Thingy and the Boy are drawn to the one I think is "huh?" They're all the same image, just color variations. I have time to decide, however...


I was going to suggest that.


----------



## Thumper

Okay...soliciting opinions on my cover choices here.


----------



## Leslie

4896 so just a hair shy of 1000 words this morning.

And now...time for work!

L


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Anyone having a problem getting into Amazon's sales reports?  I can't even get to the sign in screen.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

DTP's reports seem to be working okay for me...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> DTP's reports seem to be working okay for me...


Must be me. It's not the first time I've been locked out. I'll have to shoot off an e-mail.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I just tried. No problem.

3,600 words tonight. Murdered an Innkeeper and had fun with the great Chinese novel fictional character Sun Jiang, known as Timely Rain - and got goose bumps knowing that I had my protagonist, Li K'ai-men - Nan Ya (The Southern Swallow) having a dialog with a slice of Yuan Dynasty literature, from Outlaws of the Marsh. Did I ever tell you all how much I love to write.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Been meaning to ask my fellow authors. How many of you use fragments as part of your style. And how many use the "run-on" a la Virginia Woolf also as a style point. I find them both effective, including the use of the anapestian conjunctive sentence which is grammatically incorrect, but a great tool in sculpting sentencing especially with pace. I mention this because I have seen the use of fragments and run-ons viewed in a recent review (not mine) as a negative point, whereby I rely on such anri-grammarian style points as a matter of course. Even the Word grammar check allows for these gramatical points to be shut off (and I shut them off), and editors will actually red pencil grammatically-correct sentences to create fragments and also indicate a scanning improvement to "run-on." I love to remove the series commas and replace them with "and" to form an anapestic rhythm, and then crash the whole thing into a one-word fragment. Fortunately, I have never been catigated for such a non-issue in fiction in a review.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

It depends on the story. When I am writing first person POV, I tend to use more run-ons and fragments, particularly when showing their thoughts, as that is how I tend to think myself. I think both methods, when used in deliberate fashion, can be very effective. When I am writing third person, I find those to be less natural, other than in dialogue.

The audience is also a determining factor; when writing for younger readers, I would rather show proper grammatical form, whereas older readers should be able to see the proper context/reasoning for not doing so.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Elmore. I agree. I use fragments and run-ons in 3rd person more readily, as I usually find a symbiotic link between myself as narrator and the main POV character. It's something I've developed as part of my mature style. If the charcter is of an older generation, the language even becomes archaic. I sculpt sentences, so fragments are essential to pacing and the cropping of passivity. I'm not defending any given style (My readers find my works legible, but some have noted a difference - and they seem admire it, if I'm to believe feedback and reviews). I just mention this to see if any other author runs the risk of being brought up by the short ones for fragments, run-ons and other wonderfully ungrammatical devices. Most reviewers know better. It really doesn't matter, as it only reflects a single reviewer's opinion and maturity level. After all, there's a difference between writers and authors, and I think English teachers deserve the same fate as Lawyers and doctors (you know, the chaining under the sea business).   The worst evidence in our writing as authors seems to be a slavish grounding to the Chicago Style Manual or a proclivity to emulate writing telephone directores.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Elmore Hammes said:


> The audience is also a determining factor; when writing for younger readers, I would rather show proper grammatical form, whereas older readers should be able to see the proper context/reasoning for not doing so.


Slightly off topic, but on behalf of parents, thank you for caring about that. As an adult I appreciate creative uses of the language, but I do think it's important for kids to see things written "by the book" so that they get a feel for what's correct. I'm sure Ed would agree that you have to master the rules before you can creatively break them, and I'm appalled how many people write for children and include frequent spelling and grammar mistakes.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I use fragments a lot. I don't turn that function off when using spellchecker, and often see a lot of green lines. They don't bother me. When I check through the document, I just hit "ignore." It's very much my style. Run-ons? Hardly ever. (<<<<<see?)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan:

Yes, I do agree with you. I am a walking grammar text book. I also have a life long romance with words, and although I misuse them homophonically at times, not


Spoiler



homophobically


,  past/pass - peak/peek/pique etc., the editing process is suppose to pick those up. But I will use words that others would not and some purests believe that they are malapropisms, when I have used them by design. Like porcine instead of porcelain, just to extend an image or a pun, or to jolt a reader out of the passage. We speak a great deal about NOT throwing a reader off the path, but sometimes I do it intentionally, especially when I'm planting a red-herring OR if I'm hanging a lantern on an illogical passage or event. I love to write illogically and convince the reader that it is logical, my favorite rule to break and a sign of good authorship. When things are too damn pat, the story is too damn flat. I'm not speaking about a lack of research, but a sly choreography in perception. I also love to create new words, like grayment. I have, however, cutback on -age words, because my beta-readers found them annoying - you know, brickage etc. They were a laziness tantamount to pernicious adverbs and as obnoxious as swifties.

As for writing correctly for youth, I agree. However, as you will attest, as one of my Faithful Readers, I do not write Young Adult material - eventhough I use all the good curse words that Young Adults love. I mean, even Rowling uses an F word reference (twice) and the B word (once) in Harry Potter. So I do not hold myself up as an example to out of the box grammar. For example, my English teachers taught me that we should never contract words in a sentence, and I religiously held to that until the turn of the millennium, when I found that contracting words had an intrinsic scanning value as well as adding gravitas and veritas. I also learned that playing with contractions and non-contractions can have some significant effect on characterization. For example, Susan - I know you have read Turning Idolater - did you notice that throughout the book, Thomas Dye never contracts his words, except twice and when he does, it's jolting (and in the end, endearing). Also In TJO and TTP, Audrey Ch'en, Minister Ch'en, Mrs. K'ao and others Chinese characters do not contract their words, but Ch'u Chen-wang (Charlie) does and curses like a trooper. I also sometimes change English syntax to foreign syntax for characters and narrative. Stretches of The Academician uses Chinese word order with English words. And there's another character that contracts and curses (K'u Ko-ling) and who is not above using Victorian references like "cowcumber" instead of "cucumber." He could have used the Chinese word _kua-tze_, but what fun would that be?

Now I don't mean to suggest that we take an axe to grammar (we must be legible, using that word in its Latin sense as oppose to the old English penmenship sense), but we should never be judged by it unless we become so obscure that we become irrelevant, like a good James Joyce read (well, he's not irrelevant) or most of Virginia Woolf (who is one of my mentors, but not for characterization or story, but for long, languorous run-on sentences that go on forever into a sea of sweet dreams and ecstatic . . . blah, blah blah).  I should write a book about this. In fact, I have.  

Now Peg of the Red Pencil and I argue all the time when I break a rule she feels must be adhere to (I usually walk a mile to avoid a dangling participle, but not in a post - but I feel no remorse with beginning a sentence with BUT or AND, especially if it scans well). She usually win 3/4rds of the battles, but there are some she will always lose, including the proper use of "an" and "a" before a vowel when the vowel is verbally transient in sound. She wants "an one", while I refuse it as it's pronounced "Won", and I insist on "an herbal" tea as the "h" is silent in some quarters (in my quarter at least). And when I have a character be "upstanding" as an intransitive verb, she goes nuts, but loses all the time. 

Today Peg and I are having a discusion on Chinese horseshoes in the 12th century, because with all my knowledge of Chinese culture and with the vast world of google at my fingertips, we cannot discover how the Chinese or the Mongols/Jurchen/Manchu/ or Khitani shoed their horses. You see, I wanted the horse to throw a shoe, but I'm not sure whether it could in 12th Century China. However, will my readers know the difference? Will they know that the Yellow River flowed North of the city of K'ai-feng in 1127 instead of south of it as it does today (having shifted its course in 106? Will they know where K'ai-feng is? Yet I will fret if someone takes issue with my use of a fragment or a run-on sentence.  Of course, it will certainly not be one of my readers - my Faithful Readers.  Did I mention that I love to write and will continue to do it until I drop or dementia sets in, unless dementia has already set in and some one else is writing this. Pen in hand. Heartfelt. World . . . fragmented. Alas, glorious diefied plums (to quote King).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Dave Dykema said:


> I use fragments a lot. I don't turn that function off when using spellchecker, and often see a lot of green lines. They don't bother me. When I check through the document, I just hit "ignore." It's very much my style. Run-ons? Hardly ever. (<<<<<see?)


Lol, and here I spent an entire weekend whacking fragments out even though it meant changing things to the point that I didn't like at times. 

As for using curse words, even though I write for adults and many of my stories could be PG-13 if they were rated I still have a serious issue with that 'F' word. I'll throw in others if the need arises but I avoid that one. Maybe because it's the one word I won't say myself. I guess I still have some major hangups from childhood.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I love to take the F word and set it like a diamond in a platimun setting of pearcherine words. The main protagonist of The Jade Owl is a Professor from Brooklyn, who uses $50,00 words surrounded by his Brooklyn vernacular. It was a touch that an editors spotted and I went through and rwrote the character to have a distinctive mix of archaic words punctuated with cuss words. In fact, sometimes curse words become no more that expressive punctuation. I love it when Ron Wiesley comes out with "


Spoiler



Hell Harry, it an efing horcrux!"


 And Molly Wiesley's


Spoiler



"That's my daughter, You Bitch!"


 in her duel with Belatrix LeStrange (nee Black). Uncle Vernon uses the word in Book 6.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Leslie

My characters swear pretty routinely, although Joel did get embarrassed when he dropped an F-bomb in front of his mother, by accident, and Luke gets chastised by his dad for "not keeping a civil tongue" in his head.

L


----------



## RJ Keller

I use fragments, run-ons quite freely, especially in first person POV. It helps me to pull the reader immediately into the narrator's brain so they see the world through his or her eyes. As for swearing...well, let's just say I'm certainly not opposed to it.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Been meaning to ask my fellow authors.... including the use of the *anapestian conjunctive sentence *Fortunately, I have never been catigated for such a non-issue in fiction in a review.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Hey, Edward... could you please tell me what the fizzizzle an antipesto conjunction junction sentence is so I can answer your


Spoiler



consarned


question,


Spoiler



dagnabbit


!! 
I do, indeed, use many frag... ments. I also use run on sentences when the timing is right and when elf chieftains are speaking. I also like to use the F-word when the reader least expects it. It's always a shock when a pious monk or a priest or a faery king uses it. So I guess I'm guilty of all those things... except the antipesto and I don't know for sure about that one.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Brendan. An anapestic rhythm is like a gallup - dum-diddy-dun-diddy-dum, which scans to a fast pace. An anapestic conjunctive is when you remove the commas in a series and replace them with an "and" thus getting a faster pace and gallup.

example.
grammatically correct - He ate strudel, coffee cake and donuts.
anapestic conjunctive (an English teacher's nightmare): He ate strudel and coffee cake and donuts.

Now here's a snippet from my Book "Are You Still Submitting Your Work to a Traditional Publisher?" (FREE on Smashwords.com) which uses anapestic conjunctive in a technique I call "Rush and Full Stop." It's from the fifty pages or so in the book that I devote to revising novels.

*"Rush and full stop
This is a rhythmic device born by breaking a grammar rule - that series need to be separated by a comma, the last of which needs the conjunctive "and" and then a full stop. For the most part, you should follow this rule, BUT if you want to pick up the pace and create a frenetic or enthralled sense, forget the commas and use the "and" incessantly.

Boring:
She saw the feast spread before her, roast beef, potatoes, gravy and cream. Each place was set with silver plates, cutlery and cups. Every imaginable flower wreathed the candelabras. Her stomach rumbled.

Exciting:
She sucked in the aromas of the feast - roast beef and gravy and new potatoes in parsley sauce and almonds winking in cream and set on silver plates that shimmered in the candlelight; and around those candles were roses and ivy and sprays of lilac, all conspiring to draw her away from the wonders of the bounty and the rumbles of her tummy. Heaven.

First, the enthralled sense is created by the implosion of the "rule." Your computer's spell and grammar check will be barking at your "long sentence - consider revising," to which you might consider telling your word processor to go #$%@ . . . oh well. Too poetic. The first "boring" example lacks exciting description and lacks aroma. It's "food" after all. It also begins with a passive sentence, which fights any sense of enthrallment. The flowers are relegated to "every imaginable flower." Good luck there.

Now we kick it up. Because the reader expects the sentence to end, we don't end it, which creates mental breathlessness. We don't even stop when the clause calls for it, something my fifth grade teacher would call "a run on sentence." Call the fire brigade, Miss Gibbs. Then, here's the trick - full stop. A one-word sentence, which could be any word. I choose "heaven," but we could have said "Yum," or "Amazing." The word doesn't matter. It's punctuation, that's all.

An important use for rush and full stop is in sequeling, when the protagonist is reviewing crisis and issues in rapid succession, summarily raising the reader's blood pressure."*

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

Ah! In that case, I make frequent use of anapestian conjunctive sentences. I like the rhythm.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *"Rush and full stop
> This is a rhythmic device born by breaking a grammar rule - that series need to be separated by a comma, the last of which needs the conjunctive "and" and then a full stop. For the most part, you should follow this rule, BUT if you want to pick up the pace and create a frenetic or enthralled sense, forget the commas and use the "and" incessantly.
> 
> Boring:
> She saw the feast spread before her, roast beef, potatoes, gravy and cream. Each place was set with silver plates, cutlery and cups. Every imaginable flower wreathed the candelabras. Her stomach rumbled.
> 
> Exciting:
> She sucked in the aromas of the feast - roast beef and gravy and new potatoes in parsley sauce and almonds winking in cream and set on silver plates that shimmered in the candlelight; and around those candles were roses and ivy and sprays of lilac, all conspiring to draw her away from the wonders of the bounty and the rumbles of her tummy. Heaven.
> 
> First, the enthralled sense is created by the implosion of the "rule." Your computer's spell and grammar check will be barking at your "long sentence - consider revising," to which you might consider telling your word processor to go #$%@ . . . oh well. Too poetic. The first "boring" example lacks exciting description and lacks aroma. It's "food" after all. It also begins with a passive sentence, which fights any sense of enthrallment. The flowers are relegated to "every imaginable flower." Good luck there.
> 
> Now we kick it up. Because the reader expects the sentence to end, we don't end it, which creates mental breathlessness. We don't even stop when the clause calls for it, something my fifth grade teacher would call "a run on sentence." Call the fire brigade, Miss Gibbs. Then, here's the trick - full stop. A one-word sentence, which could be any word. I choose "heaven," but we could have said "Yum," or "Amazing." The word doesn't matter. It's punctuation, that's all.
> 
> An important use for rush and full stop is in sequeling, when the protagonist is reviewing crisis and issues in rapid succession, summarily raising the reader's blood pressure."*
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


See. . . now that makes me interested in your "Traditional Publisher?" book because that doesn't seem to be at all about how to market or the technical aspects of making a book work on paper or e-wise. It seems more like "cool grammar usage to make your writing sing!". . .and useful even if your only writing is the fairly boring "here's why you owe the government more tax money" sort . . . and a yearly Christmas letter, of course.  Hmmmm. . . . .maybe I should get one o' them freebies you're offerin'. . . . . .


----------



## vwkitten

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Been meaning to ask my fellow authors. How many of you use fragments as part of your style. And how many use the "run-on" a la Virginia Woolf also as a style point. I find them both effective, including the use of the anapestian conjunctive sentence which is grammatically incorrect, but a great tool in sculpting sentencing especially with pace. I mention this because I have seen the use of fragments and run-ons viewed in a recent review (not mine) as a negative point, whereby I rely on such anri-grammarian style points as a matter of course. Even the Word grammar check allows for these gramatical points to be shut off (and I shut them off), and editors will actually red pencil grammatically-correct sentences to create fragments and also indicate a scanning improvement to "run-on." I love to remove the series commas and replace them with "and" to form an anapestic rhythm, and then crash the whole thing into a one-word fragment. Fortunately, I have never been catigated for such a non-issue in fiction in a review.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Fragments slow down the reading and speed up the action whereas long sentences speed people along the line of text and signify a sliding of action. If you use fragments and long sentences this way, I don't see anything wrong with it, but you have to use them sparingly (IMHO). Understanding how and why you use the tools this way is like a painter understanding which brush to use to make a tree or a cloud. We paint in words.

Example: You use a fragment to make a point. A valid point. A point that needs emphasis. That set of fragments could easily have been tossed into a semi-colon and comma sentence, but the fragments say something different.

You use long sentences to continue a thought process, such as this one, but you don't need to make it a run-on sentence if you can manage your commas and semi-colons appropriately.

But and And as sentence starters are the brush we can use to break a thought process. You might have one idea that is a full thought. But when you think about it, something else comes up. And it just wasn't enough to put it all in one sentence, so while you could have used commas, you've portrayed a different a full and different thought this way.

I find that most authors do these things automatically as they brush their canvases with words, sentences and the occasional fragment. I do mine on purpose; fully aware of my brushes. But this is just my take on it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ann:

The FREEBIE book is realy not about marketing. It begins with the riot act to those who would Indie Publish and then continues with technical steps. That's 1/2 the book. The rest of the book dels with writing techniques that I have learned while writing and how to apply them to an unrevised manuscript. Eventhough it is about revising a novel, I guarentee that anyone reading the book will go "Aha!" I wondered how that worked. Little things like "how toe end a novel." There's all sorts of pacing ticks, and adding the five senses to writing. I discuss the do's and don'ts of writing an action scene, a sequeling scene and all sorts of beore and afters. It's a fun read too. It has garnered fourteen  5 -star reviews and flies off the shelf for the price (I still actually have sales of it in DTB - but since day one, I offered to anyone who needed it for free). Like my character in Look Away Silence, one learns that Christmas is more about giving than getting. Of course, no one author has ever hit the nail on the head with a book about writing, except Steven King's wonderful book On Writing. That one is superb, honest and helpful (practical).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

You've sold me Ed. . . .I'd be happy to have a copy. . . .what do you need?  (You have my e-mail address, I think.)


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Brendan. An anapestic rhythm is like a gallup - dum-diddy-dun-diddy-dum, which scans to a fast pace. An anapestic conjunctive is when you remove the commas in a series and replace them with an "and" thus getting a faster pace and gallup.


Thank God in Heavan!!! You have made my day, Mr. Patterson. I don't know how many times my editor/fan/critic, Miss Guadalupe Chimichanga, has tried to make me undo those Anphalatic Diadems from my writing. That is exactly what I wanted to tell her and didn't know that someone had made up a name for it. I can't wait til it happens again... if only I could remember that name and actually say it. I'll have to write it down and insert into my work like so:

And now for an anapestic conjunctive sentence, Ladies and Gentlemen!!!
The birds were winging and flapping and screaming around the bluff where the dragon was singing and rapping and steaming on the ledge.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sorry to say this, y'all, but "anapestic conjunctives" sound like something you get health insurance to guard against! 

So: final revisions for _First Contact_ are almost halfway done. Polished off the suggested changes from one of the beta readers this morning, and after a quick nap (I'm playing hooky from work today, obviously!) I'm going to see if the muse is ready to finish off chapter 1 of _Legend Of The Sword_ and forge onward...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Actually Mike, I take suppositories for it.  

Ed P


----------



## Susan in VA

What I want to know is whether there's a formal writing term for the kind of fun inventive-word silliness that is Brendan's trademark, such as


Brendan Carroll said:


> Anphalatic Diadems


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Actually Mike, I take suppositories for it.
> 
> Ed P


TMI, Ed!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Pink and Yellow striped suppositories, although I'm not sure of their colar after they are . . . oh, perhaps that would be TMI.  

Ed P


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Susan in VA said:


> What I want to know is whether there's a formal writing term for the kind of fun inventive-word silliness that is Brendan's trademark, such as


Thank you, *sniffle, sniff*, Miss Susan, for noticing me in the midst of all this suppositorial edification. Sometimes I feel vocabularily indispensed.


----------



## Susan in VA

But I was serious!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Lots of revisions this morning, then managed to squeak out 850 words this evening. Would have gotten more, I think, but I was just totally whipped. But that's fine - I got something done!


----------



## Steph H

Brendan Carroll said:


> Thank you, *sniffle, sniff*, Miss Susan, for noticing me in the midst of all this suppositorial edification. Sometimes I feel vocabularily indispensed.


I hear they have medication for that...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, 3,500 words tonight. Took my protagonist, his two horses, his servnt and the old groom into the halls of a county squire, and spent some time on charcter relationships. Solid chapter and not the one I wanted to write - which is in the garbage now. That's why it's important NOT to make an outline. My characters are alive and negotiating with me and this evening they threw away the original scene that was already manuscripted and there for the taking. Gone, and replaced with their scene - I like it. They did a nice job.   And you should have heard the read-back in the various voices. I can even whicker like the horses. BTW, horses in 12th century China wore "steel sanndals," thus there were and thus they are.

Busy day tomorrow. Gots to run with two reviews (thanks to Leslie). Also, I made a positive discovery. My FREEBIE Book that I offer on Kindleboards hadn't had one taker, so I opened it up to the Amazon world also. When I checked Smashwords (they send you an email notification), I discovered that when I drew the price down to zero earlier this month, Smashwords no longer sends notifications on any "sale" To my gret joy I found that I did have takers - 45 takers, which swelled my Book Circulations to over 1,600 now. I might have another 200 month, which I haven't had since April. To think that my highest month before March was January at 35. 

Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Congrats, Ed, sounds like things are moving well for you. Have you noticed a difference in the last week? I was on a record pace (for me, which is much less than you are doing!) up until this past weekend, with nary a sale since Friday.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yes. August is generally a slow month. People have already done their summer reading purchases and are deep in them. I continued along okay because of three good reviews on the new book and my little No Irish Need Apply, which seems to sell on the North Pole. But yes. Last August was a relative doldrum. Whenever things slow down, I take solace in the fact that I never expected to sell even one book and that I should light a candle instead of cursing the darkness. My Marketing roots however gets me boiling over sometimes, and I need to remember that the publishig industry is not like the credit and collections industry. Books are a factor of entertainment and leisure time, while credit and collections is an economic necessity. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Susan in VA said:


> But I was serious!


There are no names for it that I'm aware of. It's like a disease that people ignore until it's too late and the silly words are everywhere, taking over your spleen, your brain, your gizzard. It's awful. But if anyone would have known it would have been Mr. Edward and he didn't answer so I guess he doesn't know what it is either.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nothing tonight - but that's because I needed to put on my Photshop hat and design the advertisement for the Kindleboards Holiday Catalog (I took out a full page add for The Jade Owl Legacy Series books). I left some time to crack open the next chapter of The Nan Tu (which I have written 2 paragraphs, when a friend called, who I haven't seen in ages - so, yak yak yak, blah blah balh, and now I'm physically too tired. I general can stay up until midnight (I get up at 5 for work), and have a cat nap between 4 and 6, but this evening I think it will be an early night. Yawn.

Ed Patterson ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.............. - - - - - ' ' ' ' ' '


----------



## vwkitten

Wasted day for the most part... I was trying to update my website and I completely blanked on how to design a web page (now take into consideration that I was a webmaster for a strip casino in vegas for 3 years, so it's not that I don't know how - I just totally blanked on what to do).  So, I posted a lot, watched my darling little girl a little, and played Facebook games.  

Oh and I did a touch of editorial work...  as an FYI, if anyone is having that stupid weird indent problem (where your indents suddenly go from hanging indents to full paragraph indents in the middle of your manuscript when you upload it to Kindle), I've got a quick fix for it.  I need one more author to send me a sample of it before I think I'll understand why it does it well enough to just email someone the fix.

Ed - have you figured this glitch out already?  Am I just spinning my wheels?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That happens when you use the tab key in your document. Kindle converts them funny. I kep "show tabs" on when I write, and when one of those damned little arrows appear, I delete it. Of course, I also use mobipocket to convert my book to .prc first, so I can catch things there also before I upload.

Back to sleep .zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ed P


----------



## Dave Dykema

When I'm about to turn my Word documents into html, I make sure I go through the whole thing, paragraph by paragraph, and make sure I have no tabs anywhere.

As far as I know, my books have formatted properly.


----------



## vwkitten

I looked for those arrows but I didn't see them in the texts I went through.  I have seen some hard returns and hard spaces (those happen when you accidentally hold down the shift key while you are hitting space or return), but those weren't anywhere near the anomaly in formatting.  It's more than just the tab key.  I double-checked and it's happening for another reason than that in the ones I've re-formatted.  I can strip out all the hard returns and hard spaces with find and replace, but basic formatting won't hold.

I need one more guinea pig who will send me a manuscript with the odd paragraph indent.  It only showed up in my fables (not my full manuscripts) so mine won't work.  In the two I've seen, my style change worked, but I can't know why it works until I fix a third one... I've got one style that is "fixing" it when I apply it (a one-click fix for a whole document), but I'm not quite sure what I've buried in that style that makes it work so I can reproduce it AND when you change the font to Times New Roman, 12pt... the style fix undoes itself.  So weird.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Question for you vwkitten: are you writing your book on more than one computer? That can really mess with formatting, especially if you're going back and forth between different versions of Word.

When I'm finally done cobbling everything together from different computers, I highlight the WHOLE document and make sure it's Normal Times New Roman 12. You'd be surprised how many different format tags end up in there going back and forth. If it's not already normal, it's usually Body Text or blank.

One of my work computers (using Word through MS Office) put spaces when I indent. They don't show up as spaces there, but when I get home they're always about 5-8 spaces instead of one big tab. So that's something I have to manually fix (and why I hardly use that computer for writing anymore).

Once that's done, I go in and center my chapter headings and make them bold.

I then get rid of all the tabs. I don't use Find and Replace, because if I have one of those tabs that's made up of many spaces, it won't fix it. So I go through and do each one, just hitting next, replace, next, replace, next, replace, next... I replace the "tab" with nothing, a blank space, so it's completely left justified. The Kindle html coding will indent it.

This sounds tedious, but it only takes about 45 minutes for a novel.

There's a quick easy fix to get rid of those "Arrow" tabs things too, but I'll type it up only if someone asks.

Not sure if this will help you, vwkitten, but hopefully it might help someone else. In any case, I hope you find someone to send you a sample so you can apply your theory to it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,900 words today (so far) in a rather passionate chapter when the family that has been separated since *The Academician * finally reunites. The protagonist get to meet an infant son that was born in his absence (it's his) and he gets to reunite with his homosexual lover, of course - don't we all. One of the nicest elements in this four book 12th century epic is that not only do I dish out tons of footnoted Chinese History and also build the back story to *The Jade Owl * legacy (I mean the 12th Century characters and the 20th Century characters have already come face to face in *the Third Peregrination*, they see each other in iconic moments that bridge both series), BUT I get to chronicle the place and role of homosexuality in 12th Century China, which was very different than it was in 4th Century, 9th Century, 14th Century, 17th Century (Manchu) and 20-21st Century China (Homosecuality was decriminalized finally in 1998 on the Mainland, and ironically not until 2004 in Hong Kong - Oh those old British Colonies). So I had a nice day of it.

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

That brings up another weird point... when highlighting the whole document, the indent markers on the ruler gray out.  I can change the format for the whole document and it doesn't remove the odd indenting.  I've searched for any tab characters and they're not in there.  I'm not sure about the switching computers thing since the manuscripts with the glitches aren't mine.  I'm helping others with it.

See, I'm certified as a specialist in Word.  I feel like that means I should be able to figure this out.  I've taught Word since the first version came out, and I taught Wordperfect before then.  I used to tell my students I could fix whatever they messed up.  I may not teach any more but I still want that.

You should be able to select all, clear formatting, and set a new format to clear anything out, but there's some bug when it writes it into HTML code that stubbornly changes random paragraphs from having the paragraph tag to having the div tag.  Until I find what's doing it, it'll give me fits... no worries though, I'll figure it out soon.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

More revisions tonight. No new writing, but have sorted out the general structure for the plot for _Legend Of The Sword_...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm a Word maven too and one thig I do is adhere to styles. BUT, if hate when you're in one style and change an entire paragraph to, let's say italics, the entire changes. Then when you alt-Z, everything revets, except . . . when I get to the Kindle (and even the print version), my though bubble italics have disappeared. I use italics a great deal (some say too much, but some don;t know nuttin'  ). So I always have to fish at the last moment for all thiose emphasis italics that have disappeared. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Yeah, that's a glitch with the character vs. paragraph formatting in the styles.  I like styles too but they do seem to glitch a bit when converted to html.  Have you tried going into the style editor and changing the style type from paragraph to character format?  Oh, I see what you mean.


----------



## Dris

I support this thread also and have enjoyed reading it very much.  My daughter wants to write and I am going to recommend she read this.  Thank you authors; every one of you.  I love reading and you make it all possible.  If anyone deserves their own thread the authors do.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Trish:

I use mobipocket converter to a .prc file instead of html, which is tricky for the Kindle (html that it). Except for a few minor things (and a few things that are my mistake that I can blame on conversion   (in the words of Julia Child "Who's to know!")) the conversion and use of the .prc  (mobi) is near fool-poof. Wow, that last sentence was more a math equation than a syntactically acceptable English utterance. It was downright Virginia Woolf.

Ed Patterson


----------



## RJ Keller

Ed, I know how much you like Stephen King, so I thought you might enjoy this blog post:

http://craiglancaster.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/stephen-king-is-john-mcenroe/


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

RJ - That is hysterical. Made my morning, and it's been a hecic morning, because I recieved a bunch of reviews and that meant promoting time in the old backwoods of the Inernet. It's one thirty already and I haven;t made a bed - in fact, the bed's looking mighty good now.

Ed P


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,000 word day - big chapter. Exhausted. Diner (later) and bed. Nitety nite.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, with one PC being reformatted to Linux and my trusty Mac in my lap (plus a beer in one hand), it's onward to hammering out more revisions for _In Her Name: First Contact_! Up to chapter 18, I think there are a total of 29. I hope to finish this weekend... <gasp!>


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, with one PC being reformatted to Linux and my trusty Mac in my lap (plus a beer in one hand), it's onward to hammering out more revisions for _In Her Name: First Contact_! Up to chapter 18, I think there are a total of 29. I hope to finish this weekend... <gasp!>


Yes dear, there are 29 chapters (counting the epilogue). Fortunately, I don't think there are a lot of my "suggestions" for a few of them, so we may actually get through this soon!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Yes dear, there are 29 chapters (counting the epilogue). Fortunately, I don't think there are a lot of my "suggestions" for a few of them, so we may actually get through this soon!


Hey, I freely admit to being unable to count!  And I'm now on to the next chapter with my hammer and chisel...


----------



## telracs

Put down the beer and type with BOTH hands please!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Put down the beer and type with BOTH hands please!


Well, I solved that problem by *spilling* the beer on the chair. Hmph!!


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, I solved that problem by *spilling* the beer on the chair. Hmph!!


I was going to tell you to put down the beer before you spilled it on the computer. Glad it hit the chair, nto the Mac!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I was going to tell you to put down the beer before you spilled it on the computer. Glad it hit the chair, nto the Mac!


Yeah, that would have massively sucked!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,100 words tonight with only 2 chapters to go before finished the looooong Part I of The Nan Yu (there are 5 Parts - the others considerably shorter than the Expo section). This was a fun chapter, with some sex (nothing graphic, but heterosexual - so I'll probably need to consult the handbook to see if I got it correct) ad a bit of murder and nmayhem. I got to resort to some King techniques (fragments, metaphor shearing and some blood and cartilege).

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Finished the third fable yesterday and my editor CRIED.  She had to go back for more tissues.  Only 10 edits for this 20 pager.  Not bad.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well this morning I lugged in a few dozen donuts and pastries today for my colleagues at work to celebrate the sale of of my 1,700th book (which happened yesterday).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Damian Santiago

I don't know how you guys can write as much as you do on a daily basis.  I am new to writing and I feel like I have to wait for the inspiration, and sometimes it takes weeks   I wish I could plan on writing a chapter per week, and actually do it.  Does this come with time and discipline or something?  I'm gonna have to lock my door and write and see what happens.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I have a question:

How many words constitute a short story and how many a novella?

At what word count do you actually have what could be termed a novel?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Damian:

Here's the formula. It begins by planting thine ass upon the seat and thine hands upon the keyboard. Inspiration is the last thing you need - if it shows up, it shows up. In fact, you might write 3,000 words and erase them at the end of it all. The fact is, a set number of hours per day must be devoted to writing and the same number to reading. 4 hours writing then 4 hours reading. It's the King formula, and its the reading that actually gets the juices flowing, but if your ass isn't planted on the seat and your fingers on the keyboard, then its just a daydream. Hey, daydreams are good - and in fact a damn good contributory factor. Does it always work - NO. Does it work most of the time. Most of the time, it does (along with some music, solitude - banish everyone from the room like Jane Austen did, and eat some of your favorite cookies, or if cookies don't work, Hemmingway was partial to Jack Daniels - but not so much as to unplant thine ass from the seat).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Damian Santiago

I've written paragraph after paragraph and when done, just deleted it.  Here I thought I was crazy for doing that, but it seems that may be normal   Good to know.  I spend most of my day with my ass planted in my seat...so I guess I'll get off this thread and start writing!!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Classification Typical word count[citation needed] Locus Magazine[2]
Novel over 50,000 over 40,000
Novella 20,000 to 50,000 17,500-39,999
Novelette 7,500 to 20,000 7,500-17,499
Short story 1,000 to 7,500 1,000-7,499
Flash fiction or vignette under 1,000 under 1,000

This is, of course, from wikipedia, so mileage may vary. National Novel Writing Month's (November) group (NaNoWriMo) defines a novel as 50,000--as in try to crank out 50,000 words during the month of November...

I'm assuming this isn't going to line up right. Sorry about that.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Here you go Lynn:

500-1000 words - FLASH
1000 - 7,500 words - Short story
7,500 - 17,000 words - Novelette
17,000 - 50,000 words - Novella
50,000 and up words - Novel
Then of course there are Big Books and Little Books.  

At 100,000 - 150,000 words you have your moderate length read
Epic novels begin around 180,000 up to 300,000 words

Books that go above 740 pages are binding busters (POD shops find their limit at 850 pages and some at 740 pages) as a result epics usually run in series. My own The Jade Owl currently stands at 668,000 words about 600,000 more words to go. My Southern Swallow stands at 390,000 words with about 500,000 words more to go. Mike has binder busters also. By the same token, Bobby;s Trace, which you read is a novella at 41,000 words. Novellas beg to be gathered together and reissued as omnibuses - and my three novellas will at some point, with revisions and additions and perhaps a fourth member to be written (perhaps Green Folly).

Hope that helps
Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

We simulposted.  

Ed P


----------



## Dave Dykema

Yours looks better though...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Continuing to hammer through the revisions for _In Her Name: First Contact_. Up to chapter 25 now out of 29 (including epilogue)...


----------



## vwkitten

Damian Santiago said:


> I don't know how you guys can write as much as you do on a daily basis. I am new to writing and I feel like I have to wait for the inspiration, and sometimes it takes weeks  I wish I could plan on writing a chapter per week, and actually do it. Does this come with time and discipline or something? I'm gonna have to lock my door and write and see what happens.


Whoa! Another perspective on this! Your muse works your way... I write my best stuff after pretending I'm not a writer for a day or two, and I'm still prolific. Sure, I can write a 9,500 word day but only once the writing process gets going. I'm not one for writing for the sake of writing. That may work for other people and that's fine, but I don't work that way.

Nora Roberts is prolific and she is a "sit down and write for 8 hours a day" kind of writer. Richard Bach was prolific but he spent months barnstorming with buddies before he planted that butt in a chair and hammered out the text. He wasn't goofing off, he was thinking and plotting and organizing his ideas. I don't think I ever stop thinking about what I'm writing but I only write those 12 hour writing jags when I'm finally ready to burst the dam of ideas in my head for something others can see.

The important thing is to write your way. Before Nora Roberts came along and proved that a novel _could _be written in a month, it was unheard of to write one in less than 3, and usual to write one in 6-12 months.

And no disrespect intended to Ed or the others, but the only reason I know of to sit down and force yourself to write is when you're afraid of the page. Fear shouldn't hold you back from writing, but if you're still thinking the thoughts, let them simmer and stop hearing that pressuring voice in the back of your head saying you're a slacker if you can't keep up with the pack. There's no pack in writing. There's just you and the page.

Now, that said, I mean no disrespect for anyone who writes any other way; I'm just trying to share a totally different perspective for those who might need it. I'm not mad, or annoyed... I'm just sayin... =)

Hugs all...
Trish


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well this morning I lugged in a few dozen donuts and pastries today for my colleagues at work to celebrate the sale of of my 1,700th book (which happened yesterday).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Congratulations, Ed. I fully expect you to sell 10,000 copies before long.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I never force myself to sit down and write. It's not work to me, but the greatest joy in life. Eventhough the last novel was an emotional pitbull (because I kept visiting all my departed friends), generally when I am writing the world closes in around me and I am in the Zone where no one else can come - even when I share the results, I will never share those moments in the Zone. They are mine. Is writing work? Yes, when you apply your craft to it (revision), but not when you're in the Zone. That place is other worldly. That being said, you still must keep to a discipline (any discipline), because unlike the author in you - the rest of you is but a frail human. You don't climb Mt. Olympus by stepping back and admiring it. If you want to charm the underworld, you must pick up Orpheus' lyre and play your best. However, you must be better disciplined than Orpheus and not turn around too fast or you'll mourn Eurydice for eternity and dance with the undisciplined furies.

Edward C. Patterson
(feel a little Greek tonight)

"Singing in the Mountain air,
In metal plated underwear."


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Damian Santiago said:


> I don't know how you guys can write as much as you do on a daily basis. I am new to writing and I feel like I have to wait for the inspiration, and sometimes it takes weeks  I wish I could plan on writing a chapter per week, and actually do it. Does this come with time and discipline or something? I'm gonna have to lock my door and write and see what happens.


Ah, this is a great question. For me, the more I write the more inspired I become, but yes, discipline is a huge part of it. These days, my challenge is not inspiration, but finding time to develop that inspiration. I just wrote an installment on my group blog last Sunday called "Why I'm Not Prolific". If you or anyone else is interested check it out at http://tinyurl.com/cvwpoj and see if you can relate to it.

Debra


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

With me, the main limitation is time: if I didn't need a day job, I could easily write all day (assuming I had enough dark chocolate kisses on hand; strawberry margaritas help, too!)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

vwkitten said:


> The important thing is to write your way. Before Nora Roberts came along and proved that a novel _could _be written in a month, it was unheard of to write one in less than 3, and usual to write one in 6-12 months.


Long before Nora Roberts came along, Barbara Cartland (Diana Spencer's step-grandmother) wrote a novel a month. Of course, there's a huge difference in quality between the two.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Debra. Tomorrow I take Peg of the Red Pencil to lunch. She has been with me (and for free) as an editor for 13 books now (she's wading through The Nan Tu #14) and although I get the occasional "there was a typo on page 340" in a review, she does a yeomen job. Out of 120 reviews across all works, I have scored only 2 2-stars and only 3 3-stars. The other 115 have been 4 and 5 stars, which I take as much as a testament to Peg's hard work as it is to mine. Now watch, tomorrow I'll get a 1-star   . 

Debra, we've been talking for over a year now, but you know I remember those days when 20 sales in a month set me off with the now infamous naked conga dance. Now less than ten sales a day has and I put on wholly underwear and pout in the corner. (only kidding - it's about readers, not sales). Still, the one thing that buzz does. It means less promoting and more writing. Although, yesterday a sniper on Amazon (I still get them) had my promotional post for Turning Idolater removed by Amazon as Spam from the under 2 Bucks and the Kindle threads (and also on the Mystery thread). I had to laugh, but I also thought back on the days before there 34 promotional genre threads. Those started because Indie authors were being beat up (except in Dennis' Shameless Plug thread). So a wonderful reader (and my friend now) Esmerelda Luv took it upon herself to open the 34 genre threads. I was the first poster in most of those threads. Now I still get the emails from those threads and I see so many new Indie authors. But what I love most (and I'm bragging), many are posting their books using the template that I provided in my Are Your Still . . . book. Sigh. Nostalgia. Ain't it great.

Well, pardon me. I have a lot more work to get to 10,000.

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I never force myself to sit down and write. It's not work to me, but the greatest joy in life. Eventhough the last novel was an emotional pitbull (because I kept visiting all my departed friends), generally when I am writing the world closes in around me and I am in the Zone where no one else can come - even when I share the results, I will never share those moments in the Zone. They are mine. Is writing work? Yes, when you apply your craft to it (revision), but not when you're in the Zone. That place is other worldly. That being said, you still must keep to a discipline (any discipline), because unlike the author in you - the rest of you is but a frail human. You don't climb Mt. Olympus by stepping back and admiring it. If you want to charm the underworld, you must pick up Orpheus' lyre and play your best. However, you must be better disciplined than Orpheus and not turn around too fast or you'll mourn Eurydice for eternity and dance with the undisciplined furies.


It's not work to me either. It's a joy to finally pull through those thoughts and make them work using an artist's brush to the printer's page. Still, the moment it stops flowing I have to stop.

It's not a matter of discipline. It takes more discipline for me to ignore the people who insist I'm goofing off when I'm thinking stuff through than it ever would to sit down in a chair every day and type.

It's just a different way of thinking and writing. Not better, not worse, just different.

Thanks for the blog link - I read it and like it. It made me think of cooking. You spend hours in the kitchen preparing a meal that will be eaten in less than an hour. You have to really love cooking to do that. =)

I didn't know about Barbara Cartland, thanks. Until Nora Roberts came along, I thought I was a freak, or didn't write well because the literal writing of the book takes me less than two weeks. So *I ask, tongue in cheek* which is better writing for you Barbara Cartland or Nora Roberts?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

vwkitten said:


> I didn't know about Barbara Cartland, thanks. Until Nora Roberts came along, I thought I was a freak, or didn't write well because the literal writing of the book takes me less than two weeks. So *I ask, tongue in cheek* which is better writing for you Barbara Cartland or Nora Roberts?


Cartland's writing isn't bad. She was as sophisticated an author as anyone was at that time. Cartland was probably the first queen of romance. She wrote nearly 700 books and died at the age of 99. Not a bad legacy. I wonder if any of her books are available for Kindle? It would be fun to read one or two of them again.

And I'll take Nora Roberts any day. She's kind of hit or miss for me, but when she's a hit, she's a grand slam.


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Continuing to hammer through the revisions for _In Her Name: First Contact_. Up to chapter 25 now out of 29 (including epilogue)...


That means I better send you the edits for 28 and the epilogue since there wasn't too much to be changed in 26 and 27...


----------



## harfner

Finished the final rewrites on a 14,000 word novelette for a steampunk anthology.  Much fun to write!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

harfner said:


> Finished the final rewrites on a 14,000 word novelette for a steampunk anthology. Much fun to write!


Yay! Congrats!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Has a solid 2,500 word night. One chapter away from the completion of Part I (of 5) of this big sucker. Tonight I had an old man's hair turn white over night (shades of Sydney Firestone) and some coin levitation, plus some of the best dang dialog that I have written in some time. Tomorrow I'll be writing about snakes (or as my Chinese guide in Guilin called them, _slakes_). Lovely.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 2,100 words and the first Part is finished. The second will begon tomorrow night.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*In Her Name: First Contact* is DONE!! 

I uploaded it to Mobipocket and it's live there, and hopefully it should port over to the Kindle store in a day or two (that's how long it took for _Confederation_ to migrate over).

I think it's time for some chocolate! Then I gotta get back to work on _Legend of the Sword_...


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> *In Her Name: First Contact* is DONE!!
> 
> I uploaded it to Mobipocket and it's live there, and hopefully it should port over to the Kindle store in a day or two (that's how long it took for _Confederation_ to migrate over).
> 
> I think it's time for some chocolate! Then I gotta get back to work on _Legend of the Sword_...


Couple of things...
1) People have been posting that it's taking amazon longer to post new things.
2) Where's my chocolate?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Couple of things...
> 1) People have been posting that it's taking amazon longer to post new things.
> 2) Where's my chocolate?


The longer posting has generally been for things published through Amazon's own DTP service. So this'll be sort of an experiment to see if they're doing the same sort of thing for titles being distributed by other publishers (Mobi, in this case).

And you can treat yourself to some virtual chocolate for now! But I'll put together a little care package for you and Steph for all your hard work...


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> The longer posting has generally been for things published through Amazon's own DTP service. So this'll be sort of an experiment to see if they're doing the same sort of thing for titles being distributed by other publishers (Mobi, in this case).
> 
> And you can treat yourself to some virtual chocolate for now! But I'll put together a little care package for you and Steph for all your hard work...


1. okay. and 2. I'm at work and actually have some Godive biscuits, so I guess that'll hold me. Oh, and 3) Get back to the next book!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, I can confirm that the 5-day hold being imposed on DTP titles is NOT being done for those distributed through Mobipocket. I published *In Her Name: First Contact* to Mobipocket yesterday, and it showed up in the Amazon catalog today. The description hasn't posted yet, but that's normal and should catch up in a day or so.

And it's discounted, as well, unlike the DTP titles. Honestly, what is Amazon thinking when they don't discount their *own* titles??


----------



## Susan in VA

I just one-clicked it...

... even though I haven't read the first one yet.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Susan in VA said:


> I just one-clicked it...
> 
> ... even though I haven't read the first one yet.


D'oh! You've got a lot of reading to do!


----------



## Susan in VA

Apparently it's a requirement to stay up until two reading it.  I have to plan the calendar around that and not start it until I know I can sleep in.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Susan in VA said:


> Apparently it's a requirement to stay up until two reading it. I have to plan the calendar around that and not start it until I know I can sleep in.


LOL! Good idea!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike, I bought the In Her Name: First Contact tonight, despite the lack of a description    

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike, I bought the In Her Name: First Contact tonight, despite the lack of a description
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


LOL! Ed, you still have to read the first one! But thanks in any case!


----------



## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike, I bought the In Her Name: First Contact tonight, despite the lack of a description
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I didn't need a description...what I need is for someone to feed the cats for me in the morning so I can stay up late reading...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You know, Mike. I'm so sick of the BIG seller series lately (Hobbs, Brooks, Hearn), I'm closing them down and starting In Her Name tonight. NOW, I have the Omnibus - do I start with the prequel or the first three?

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> You know, Mike. I'm so sick of the BIG seller series lately (Hobbs, Brooks, Hearn), I'm closing them down and starting In Her Name tonight. NOW, I have the Omnibus - do I start with the prequel or the first three?
> 
> Ed Patterson


Well, my personal opinion is to read the omnibus first, then First Contact and the next two books once they're done. It's sort of like Star Wars was, with the first trilogy telling the end of the story, then the second trilogy (which I'm working on now) telling the beginning. But reading the omnibus first really tells you why everything else that happens earlier was important. Does that make any sense?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yes yes, Mike. Shall do. Setting Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice and hearn's Otori Series aside to start reading In Her Name. I soooo need a good read. (I did have Groomzilla and Waiting for Spring). Cranking the DX now and I shall start after the Sunday Times. 

Ed P


----------



## vwkitten

3764 words tonight.  I should have been asleep.  I've been wrangling this part of the fables for a week in my head, and the moment my head hit the pillow tonight I straggled my (insert body part) out of bed and wrote 3764 words.  Sigh... I love my creativity, but sometimes I'd like to just be able to sleep... but that isn't true either because those 3764 words were a work of art that I'd have given a dozen good night's of sleep for...


----------



## mlewis78

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Long before Nora Roberts came along, Barbara Cartland (Diana Spencer's step-grandmother) wrote a novel a month. Of course, there's a huge difference in quality between the two.


I think that Barbara Cartland dictated rather than wrote.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I think you are right.  I remember seeing a documentary on Barbara Cartland way back in the 80's and you are right.  She was lying on a very elaborate couch in a really fantasy inspiring setting, dressed to the nine's, dictating her book to a young woman who was pacing the floor behind the couch, if memory serves correctly.  I'm sure she did very little editing herself.  I don't think I've ever read one of her books though.  Not my cup of tea.


----------



## mlewis78

I saw her dictating to a secretary in a profile that 60 Minutes did about her.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I've written 1,200 words beginning the next section (part 2) of The Nan-tu and it's like starting a new novel, because it begins a whole new set of events and characters. I feel almost like George R R Martin, only I promise to finish what I start.   Only worked during my lunch hour and a little downtime and will continue tonight. However, since Elijah Wood is on Conan tonight, I can't work passed/past (take your choice and Peg isn't around) 11:35.  

Edward C. Whatever


----------



## Thumper

Brendan Carroll said:


> I think you are right. I remember seeing a documentary on Barbara Cartland way back in the 80's and you are right. She was lying on a very elaborate couch in a really fantasy inspiring setting, dressed to the nine's, dictating her book to a young woman who was pacing the floor behind the couch, if memory serves correctly.


I kind of remember 60 Minutes doing a story about her, but in my head she's dictating to a studly young guy... ::onders:::


----------



## elleninatlanta

Ed Patterson is one of my favorite authors and thanks for continuing to write me favorite series!! 
I am writing THIRST - a different kind of vampire novel - in its baby stages, only 5 chapters written - I have readers whom I get feedback from - don't know if that's what everyone does like that, but it works for me.
Thanks Ed for your kindness and talent.
ellen


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you elleninatlanta.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

I don't know if people remember but earlier on this thread (earlier in August) I invited people to join us at Coffee Time Romance for a group writing effort. The story is finished and I, believe it or not, won a $10 Amazon gift certificate for my efforts. I wasn't expecting that! The story was fun -- it got a little silly in places but really, for a group effort, it was surprisingly good. If anyone wants to read about The Scandalous Smuggler, here's a link:

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/showthread.php?t=9782


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hmmm. Not sure what I feel like doing tonight. Might try writing a little bit 9on Legend of the Sword with my new netbook...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike - YOU get an official DAY OFF!!!! he he

Edward C. Youknowwho


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike - YOU get an official DAY OFF!!!! he he


I think that's the problem - I don't know what to do with myself! LOL!


----------



## vwkitten

9438 words today... the lull lapsed... the flood oozed an overflow of oration... now I know why it needed some more time in the oven ... night night all...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vwkitten said:


> 9438 words today... the lull lapsed... the flood oozed an overflow of oration... now I know why it needed some more time in the oven ... night night all...


WOW! That's awesome!


----------



## JimC1946

Howdy, elleninatlanta. Welcome to the forum!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I topped out at 3,100 last night, but hope to do better today.

Ed Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Mike,
You know that this "hoard"(?) of people that downloaded First Contact are gonna be back soon.
We are busily reading it.
And then we will be demanding again.
And you know that we will stay up all night to read it.
So the nagging is just around the corner.

By the way, great read.
Not that I am surprised.

just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have sad news today. Peg of the Red Pencil had a stroke last night. She's recovering in the ICU, but if everyone could keep her in your prayers. (Her real name is Peg Stevens).

Thanks
Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Mike,
> You know that this "hoard"(?) of people that downloaded First Contact are gonna be back soon.
> We are busily reading it.
> And then we will be demanding again.
> And you know that we will stay up all night to read it.
> So the nagging is just around the corner.
> 
> By the way, great read.
> Not that I am surprised.
> 
> just sayin.....


Oh, the nagging has already begun from other quarters - I'll take that sort of nagging any day, though! It helps, keep it up! And glad you're enjoying the read. I hope it meets expectations... 

Betsy's working on setting up the board thingies for the book club (she has to corner Harvey, who apparently was under the mistaken impression that he's allowed to think he has a life outside of KB - can you imagine? LOL!), and I'm trying to get the rest of the stuff written up for that.

The first chapter of Legend of the Sword is done (a week or so ago, actually), but haven't gotten any further while I tie up a few other loose ends (print version of First Contact, and getting Final Battle formatted and out the door to wrap up the original trilogy bit)... Oy!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have sad news today. Peg of the Red Pencil had a stroke last night. She's recovering in the ICU, but if everyone could keep her in your prayers. (Her real name is Peg Stevens).
> 
> Thanks
> Ed P


Ed - So sorry to hear that! I hope she'll be okay!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have sad news today. Peg of the Red Pencil had a stroke last night. She's recovering in the ICU, but if everyone could keep her in your prayers. (Her real name is Peg Stevens).
> 
> Thanks
> Ed P


Ed, I am so sorry to hear that. She, and you, will be in my thoughts.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you, Lynn

Ed P


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have sad news today. Peg of the Red Pencil had a stroke last night. She's recovering in the ICU, but if everyone could keep her in your prayers. (Her real name is Peg Stevens).
> 
> Thanks
> Ed P


So sorry to hear that. . . .my dad had a stroke about 4 years ago. . . .Even at 77 (at the time) he recovered pretty well, so there is definitely hope! With luck she'll be wielding the red pencil again in no time.


----------



## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have sad news today. Peg of the Red Pencil had a stroke last night. She's recovering in the ICU, but if everyone could keep her in your prayers. (Her real name is Peg Stevens).
> 
> Thanks
> Ed P


Oh no.

Definitely thinking good thoughts and sending Mojo her way.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks all:

Peg will certainly be moved by all the good wishes and prayers from everyone.

Ed P


----------



## vwkitten

kreelanwarrior said:


> WOW! That's awesome!


Thanks I needed that... =)

Ed, I'm sorry and I'm thinking good thoughts for her...



kreelanwarrior said:


> I'll take that sort of nagging any day, though! It helps, keep it up! And glad you're enjoying the read. I hope it meets expectations...


I'll second that... love that kind of nagging. =) Grats.


----------



## vwkitten

Update on pricing -- Okay, I get it now.  There is a second listing that pops up automatically when you list with Mobi-pocket and Amazon.com discounts that price.  You have two listings for your book.  The Amazon listing and the Mobi-pocket listing with separate ASINs.  All sales to either one show up in your Amazon dtp reports and none of them show up on the Mobi reports.

Once my mobi-pocket listing for Never Smile at a Crocodile populated to Amazon.com, I got the same discounted second listing that I got with Painting the Roses Red (discounted from $2.99 to $2.39).  Interesting Amazon/Mobi-pocket quirk.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vwkitten said:


> Update on pricing -- Okay, I get it now. There is a second listing that pops up automatically when you list with Mobi-pocket and Amazon.com discounts that price. You have two listings for your book. The Amazon listing and the Mobi-pocket listing with separate ASINs. All sales to either one show up in your Amazon dtp reports and none of them show up on the Mobi reports.


Trish - not exactly. Only sales of your DTP titles show up in the DTP dashboard; sales of the Mobi->Kindle store titles don't show up there, nor do they show up in the Mobi publisher interface. Instead, they show up - about a week after the end of each month (no daily stats!) - on Amazon's Vendor Central.

The titles that are discounted are the ones from Mobi; those that aren't are the ones you published through DTP...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Peg is out of the ICU and they got the clot. She's on the mend. Thanks for all the prayers. I spoke with her tonight and told her that everyone was pulling for Peg of the Red Pencil. She wept, so full was her heart - and so is mine, dear friends. So is mine. Her husband brought her some reading - I needn't tell you which author, but needless to say, I told her if she needed her red pencil, she would be marking up an already published work.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Steph H

I didn't get into this thread yesterday, Ed, so missed the news about Peg of the Red Pencil. I'm so glad to hear that she's already out of ICU and on the mend. I'm sending good thoughts her way that things will continue to go well with her recovery.


----------



## Steph H

kreelanwarrior said:


> Oh, the nagging has already begun from other quarters -


Who? Who would dare??

*whistles innocently*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yay! Good news on Peg...


----------



## Lynn McNamee

@ Edward

I just read the post. I am so very happy that she is on the mend.

Tell her that Lynn sends her 'air kisses'. You know the kind, where you kiss the air next to someone's face.


----------



## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Peg is out of the ICU and they got the clot. She's on the mend.


Sweeeeet 
This makes my day!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks guys! I will be talking to her tomorrow. We almost lost her . . . I don't know what I'd do. You see, Peg started as a reader, who works in my office. We met while I was struggling with my job loss in 2002 and one day, she passed my workstation (I wound up controlling a collection center's dialing system), she saw that I was writing in between collection events. I told her I have been writing for years, but the old job precluded enough time to publish anything, but I had been picked up by an on-line publisher, who bellied up. I was rewriting the manuscript to submit to an agent. She asked to read it, and it came back to me with "I love this story," but covered in RED PENCIL marks. That was revision 3 of The Jade Owl - and she went through 8 revisions of that work with me, through two publishers, 2 proffessional editors, an agent and many long submission waits. And as I began to rewrite my 22 manuscripts and publish them on the Kindle and then in POD, that RED PENCIL became a requirement. As she tells me (especially when I get a review that comments on typos or misspellings) - "I'm not perfect, but I'm free." I don't know what I'd do without her. She is my "ideal reader." If it doesn't fly with Peg, it doesn't fly. Many a chapter has been tossed because Peg didn't "get it." If Peg don;t get it, my readers won;t get it literally). Many an argument with her has ensued about my insistence on using words for sound rather than proper meaning. I always win the argument, but geneally find another word to replace it and, with luck, a word with the same sonorities. She calls my style - "Legible art," that is "intelligible anachronisms."

A funny Peg story - I always worry about when she starts editing the latest piece, and with one piece, she almost balked. She's very conservative, and homosexual content pushes her envelope sometimes. When she began the edit of Turning Idolater, which begins with an 18 year old mle stripper in a bubble bath cleaning the "tool of his trade," imbibing wine and reading a vintage copy of Moby Dick, she said that the book just might be a little too much for her sensitivities. However, she stuck to her last, hounded me for more chapters and, when she finished it, she hugged me and declared it was her favorite. (It's my favorite too). I surprised her and dedicated the book to her and had a hard copy made up for her shelf. (I have made her hard covers of all my books since). 

Oh yes, I don't know what I would do without Peg of the Red Pencil (her name is Margaret Stevens, although she is called Margaret DeRonde in the dedication as she just got married at the ripe young age of 67 to a man who is old enough to be my son). No wonder Turning Idolater is her favorite book.  

Thanks again all.

Edward C. Patterson

BTW: 3,100 words today.


----------



## Thumper

Book is at the printer, and now I wait for a proof copy... and get the Kindle version ready


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And I hope your Smshwords version also for the B&N and Fictionwise crowd.

Ed Patterson

BTW: 2,900 word day.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

This weekend's project is to get IHN: First Contact set up at Lightning Source. Bowker, here I come...Would like to tap away at Legend of the Sword a bit, too - ideas keep floating around and I need to get them written down before they disappear! Ack!


----------



## Kevin Gerard

I've been thinking about exactly that - ideas appearing and disappearing - like the fantastic idea I had about a week ago for the next five books in a series I wrote. Of course I CAN'T REMEMBER now. It really doesn't bother me, though, those inspirations seem to come back around.

I just uploaded my first book at Lightning Source. Of course I was freaking out and I had to have my book designer hold my hand the whole way. But it got done and now I'll pull the other books from their current homes and put them under my imprint.

I think if you don't get steamrolled by everything you learn along the way, you might come out stronger in the end.


----------



## Thumper

You know, when formatting a book for the Kindle, it really does help to not invert letters in the pagebreak code...saves a whole lot of time if you do it right the first time.

Now I wait for Kindle to "approve" it, and wait for Lightning Source to cough up the proof.

Was not thrilled to find out after I uploaded everything to LS that they've changed from preferring .TIFF images for covers to wanting .PDF. I sent a .TIF and do not have the capability to convert it to a useable .PDF. So we'll see... Hopefully they won't throw it back at me.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Thumper said:


> Was not thrilled to find out after I uploaded everything to LS that they've changed from preferring .TIFF images for covers to wanting .PDF. I sent a .TIF and do not have the capability to convert it to a useable .PDF. So we'll see... Hopefully they won't throw it back at me.


I sent you a private message about this, Thumper.
Elmore


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I actually tapped out a few things for _In Her Name: Legend of the Sword_, but can't claim to have made much progress. Most of today was spent first doing an absolute killer of a workout routine first thing this morning, followed by a full day of yard work (blech!). After that I wasn't in any condition to do anything but respirate...although I did manage to recover enough this evening to have a family outing to the local ice cream place!


----------



## BlakeMP

I'm currently editing an anthology of Christmas stories in the hopes of putting it online by November. It's weird to be working on Christmas stuff so early...


----------



## Thumper

I have had a major case of Teh Dumb this weekend. Bought a CD I've owned for years, didn't buy what I went out for, and discovered that =DUH= I can create a PDF of my cover using =DOUBLE DUH= Adobe Acrobat.

I should just go to bed now...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only light writing today (Operation Kindle Book Drop's advent and it's alarming interest took a chunk of time, but I'm glad of it). so only 1700 words today (how anemic is that). And it's off to the 10.30 PM showing of Inglourious Basterds (and yes for once I can misspell words and be correct). I've seen it already, but my baby brother wants to see it and I haven't seen him in 2 months. (Baby brother, whose diapers I've changed, is 51 years old.)  

Ed Patterson


----------



## vwkitten

I'm almost finished with the fables and wham... I realize that the section I'm writing doesn't fit and needs a new book... sigh... I finally figured out what to do instead, but sheesh... took me three days of thinking, talking, and kibitzing with myself and family....

So Fables -35 pages, new book +35 pages and a mess of directional change later... I'm going to BED. =)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vwkitten said:


> I'm almost finished with the fables and wham... I realize that the section I'm writing doesn't fit and needs a new book... sigh... I finally figured out what to do instead, but sheesh... took me three days of thinking, talking, and kibitzing with myself and family....
> 
> So Fables -35 pages, new book +35 pages and a mess of directional change later... I'm going to BED. =)


Hey, no worries! Look at it this way: you just put yourself 35 pages ahead on your next book (and didn't have to throw out all that work)...


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Spent last evening and this morning getting set up on Smashwords - been meaning to do it and Ed's Operation Kindle Drop for Troops provided the necessary kick in the seat of the pants to get it done. I am almost caught up on my consulting projects which means I should get some new writing done this week.
Elmore


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I managed 1850 words tonight - yay! I think my muse is ready to get back to it again...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,100 words and I didn't think I'd get that much done. I had over 150 emails today and I'm zonked. Well, at least tomorrow it's back to work (the old 7 to 3:30 thing). 

Nite all.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I don't remember where I was discussing past/passed with you guys, but this is as good a place as any.

I recently got a new review on "Stalker" where the reviewer pointed out that I used past and passed wrong. Doing research, I found that he was right. I spent the evening fixing those, and even found some new ones (ugh...embarrassing!). Why don't we see these things as we type and proof?

Anyway, I'm going to put a fixed "Stalker" up soon.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I get those passed/past comments all the time. If I get time, I'll change them, but I making a declaration that passed is the new past, and past is the new passed, and if Peg doesn't catch and correct them --- "It's now a style point."   

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I think we all have our own personal foibles when it comes to grammar and word usage. Even though I know the difference, my first drafts often have "than" and "then" used in place of each other. Most of the time I can't type any faster than I can think (ooh, look, I used it properly there!), however ever now and then (ha!), my fingers move too fast and type whatever letters they think go next.

I believe I catch those during subsequent revisions or when my writer's group reviews my work, but it wouldn't surprise me if one or two slip by.

Elmore, who had a little too much fun using "than" and "then" in this post...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, passed/past annoys me, because "when Susan passes William," does she wipe and flush.
 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Personally, I can't spell the word "seperate" or "separate".....I get it wrong every single time. Thank goodness for spell checkers.

I don't know why I have so much trouble remembering that one freaking letter. Someone told me to remember "a rat" is in it. So, I do know which is correct, but my fingers just type it wrong anyway.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I usually catch those. Mine are passed/past - loose/lose - choose/chose - and the dreaded revision miscatch (changing something and leaving a remnant - an extra word - a verb at the old tense or a missing article). Some words I never knew were different, but Peg catches them and I learn pail/pale - seem/seam  peak/peek/pique - loop/loupe. And then there are my b=native Brooklyn things, but fortunately Peg catches most of them - wholescale for wholesale --- and barrow for barrell - In Brooklung we have wheelbarrells and rainbarrows.   Fortunately, although readers do notice them and tell me and sometimes in public), most enjoy my slightly archaic style (Peg calls intellible anachronism - I might bottle that term and flaunt it). But actually, I was reading Dickens when I was nine and Shakespeare when I was ten and grew up singing WS Gilbert lyrics. It is nothing for me to use a word that, in a recent 1 star review, I get tagged as $10 dollar words. Those words are in my top drawer toolbox (to use Stephen King's expression), and if I'm to be faulted for using them - well, so be it. 

Ed Patterson

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

RedAdept said:


> Personally, I can't spell the word "seperate" or "separate".....I get it wrong every single time. Thank goodness for spell checkers.
> 
> I don't know why I have so much trouble remembering that one freaking letter. Someone told me to remember "a rat" is in it. So, I do know which is correct, but my fingers just type it wrong anyway.


The trouble with spellchecker, at least in my case, is that the other word is spelled correctly--it's just used wrong.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Dave Dykema said:


> The trouble with spellchecker, at least in my case, is that the other word is spelled correctly--it's just used wrong.


Yes, I understand.

My son has dysgraphia, which is a form of dyslexia that only affects writing. From the time he was in 5th grade, his reading and comprehension tested at the college level. However, back then, his spelling and writing were stuck on the first grade level. Dysgraphia mainly affects spelling, punctuation and capitalization. His grammar is impeccable, oddly enough.

He is now 20 and in college. He has managed to overcome quite a bit through compensating. However, when using a spell checker, he will inevitably choose the wrong word. I have to proof all of his papers. LOL

Once proofed for spelling, puncuation and caps, he does get A's. He's a good writer, just has to be edited.


----------



## Thumper

RedAdept said:


> He's a good writer, just has to be edited.


Sounds like the rest of us


----------



## BlakeMP

For me it's "recieve." I always know I'm gonna spell it wrong, but -- dammit, I just did it again, didn't I?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

BlakeMP said:


> For me it's "recieve." I always know I'm gonna spell it wrong, but -- dammit, I just did it again, didn't I?


i before e
except after c
or when sounded as 'a'
as in 'neighbor' and 'weigh'


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I think I managed about 500 words last night - not a lot, but not bad considering I didn't have much time to focus on anything! Starting to get on a roll, though - I'm hoping to blast through 5-6K words this weekend, maybe more, on _Legend of the Sword_...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's funny, I'm about to get a review that takes me to task for passed/past - and for not being as conscientious about editing as I should be. (The review is on The Jade Owl). Oh well. Except the overall review is a "go out and read this one" kind of review - don;t know about stars yet, but any review from this person is a honor. The review is coming from Victor Banis, author of 120 plus books and a pioneer in the gay & lesbian genre, and the first time I will be getting a review of any kind from an icon in the genre. I'm still dazed by it (He mailed me an advanced copy last night). I might announce it when it breaks out on Amazon and other sites. D'ya think?  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Yes, I think.

Congratulations, Ed!

L


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It might take some time for the review to get up there, because I finally found an author who's older than me.   (and living).

Ed Patterson


----------



## AnnaM

"My son has dysgraphia, which is a form of dyslexia that only affects writing. From the time he was in 5th grade, his reading and comprehension tested at the college level. However, back then, his spelling and writing were stuck on the first grade level.  Dysgraphia mainly affects spelling, punctuation and capitalization.  His grammar is impeccable, oddly enough.  "

I have a good friend with dysgraphia. She's brilliant, but has the issue you describe with writing. Fortunately the disability was caught early, and she received therapy throughout school years, which helped A LOT. 

She's extremely creative and articulate, and has been very successful (is high achieving, A student in school, but had very supportive parents -- like you, they did a lot of proofreading).

My question for all you all:

Have you used authorlink.com to post a pitch or profile?  Was it effective? They are a subscription service, and I don't want to shell out the money if it isn't useful. 

Thanks for any comments.

Anna


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Last night was sad. My son just started a Tech School. He has only one class this semester: World Religion.

They had their first test last week which had some matching and an essay.

He got a "D" on the essay portion. The instructor wrote that he had 'atrocious spelling' and recommended that my son take an extra writing course.

My son in a writing course would be like sending a crippled person to gym class to teach them to walk.  It's not going to help. His writing is not bad, it's just the spelling.

But, my son doesn't want to tell the teacher about his disability. Fortunately, the essay only counted for a tenth of the test score, so he still received an A.

My son had to also turn in 2 essays he had written at home, which, of course, I proofed for him. I just told him that if the teacher accuses him of cheating because of the quality of essays done at home, he may have to explain. Or...If the essays turn out to be worth more on later exams.

I'm not certain if the teacher will go easy on the spelling or not, even if he is told about the disability.


----------



## MariaESchneider

Red, that is a tough situation.  My brother is very badly dyslexic with spelling and words (d and b, g and p and so on.)  He is now a lit teacher.  Yes, of all things he graduated in ENGLISH and LIT and teaches!!!!!!!  Even when typing on a computer he has problems with his letters, but he is very determined.  Lots of practice, lots of spell-checking, proof-reading.  I kid you not, I used to get some emails from him that required a decoder ring!!!  But I've really seen improvement over the years.  LOTS of improvement.  You're doing the right thing.  Encouraging him, working with him and keeping at it.  As they learn about their disability and tendencies they do compensate--and get much, much better!!!!


----------



## Thumper

Bah...sitting here waiting for the UPS guy to show up with the proof print copy of my book. Why is it when I really want something, I wind up last on his route? If I didn't care about what I was getting, he'd be ringing my freaking doorbell at 8 am...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yesterday, despite the hopscotching with Smashwords with Operation ePub Drop, I wote 4,100 words. Tonight - less so as I'm on Stacy Cochranes BookChatter radio spectacular (15 authors all on at once - like roller derby).

What is Operation ePub Drop:
http://blog.smashwords.com/

Come support the troops. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## kellyabell

This is a great thread. Thanks for starting it. I'd like to share my Blog with the group. I started a blog called Writing Tips for Writers. I'd love to have you stop by and add your thoughts or comments. You will need to register as a member to comment, but there are no strings attached to the membership and there will be no emails sent from that site. I know there are a lot of experienced author's on this thread and people can learn from what you have to say, so please feel free to stop by. www.kellyabellbooks.com. Look forward to seeing you there.


----------



## MariaESchneider

> Have you used authorlink.com to post a pitch or profile? Was it effective? They are a subscription service, and I don't want to shell out the money if it isn't useful.


To answer...nope, haven't tried anything like this. Truthfully, I've found there are enough freebie online ops; forums like this one, other forums where I can babble about books (which I love to do). Eventually someone asks me and I get to mention mine. That seems to work the best for me. There are some services I would consider paying for, but...I'd want to know more about readership to do something like that. But that's just me. I call myself "frugal." Some of my relatives have another word for me.


----------



## Thumper

Finally...

 

Proof looks good, just need to officially approve it, and then in a week or two the DTB should be available. See, this is when a Kindle is beneficial...that one came through pretty freaking fast.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

CreateSpace is also pretty fast - 2-3 days turn aound for a proof.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> CreateSpace is also pretty fast - 2-3 days turn aound for a proof.


CreateSpace can be fast, but also potentially...interesting. When I got the proof for Confederation, it looked good and I approved it, then ordered 10 copies to have handy. When the copies got here, *all* of the text was italicized! Totally different than the proof! So, I went and complained about that, they fiddled with it, then sent me another proof. Except for the very first capital A and I that appeared, every other A and I in the book was italicized. Hmmm. Complained about that, more fiddling, and with the next proof they finally got it right. I had to wonder what they did with the digital file after I approved the initial proof, which was fine. D'oh!

Okay, going to try and get some writing done today! I was going to yesterday, but had a serious case of "the Fridays" - spent the afternoon after work playing Call of Duty, then watched "Rambo" (the new one) last night. Good grief...

So, goal for today is at least 3,000!


----------



## Dave Dykema

AnnaM said:


> My question for all you all:
> 
> Have you used authorlink.com to post a pitch or profile? Was it effective? They are a subscription service, and I don't want to shell out the money if it isn't useful.


Back in the mid to late '90s I signed up for Authorlink.com. At the time, it was something like pay $75 and have the first 3 pages of your book posted for 6 mos. When I was sending out 3-4 samples a week, at 50 pages, the postage about equaled it.

I got a bite during the first few days, and then another bite when I only had a few days left. Nothing in the middle. My last bite was serious about signing me on, but then the agent came down with cancer and closed down. (That sounds somewhat suspicious, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. There was never any mention of exchanging money or anything like that)

Now I don't think i would do that. Just on Kindleboards alone I'm sure there's an agent or two cruising around. And with the Internet, Facebook, MySpace, and who knows what else, there're lots of ways to gain exposure compared to when I signed on.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I got 1,500 words done (short), but I did managed 3 hours with Operation EBook Drop and now I'm off the a party. Oh how I wish I could drink alcohol.  

Funny this - today's chapter involves a rather pedestrian horse ride from Nimg-po to the encampment of General Chang Chun. During the ride, our protagonist, who like his 21st Century counterparts in The Jade Owl, can glimmer (that is see things happen hundreds of miles away), does so. As interesting as I tried to make it, the scene was flat until . . .

. . . this morning I woke up with a cramp (one helluva Charlie horse) in my left leg. I screamed, pitched over on my belly and raised my leg until it past/passed. It was then so sore, I limped around making the coffee . . . 

  . . . all of a sudden my character on horse back (no pun intended) has MY CRAMP and falls from the horse. His servant and the groomsman rub horse linament on it (and the ensuring stink and fuss is very interesting comical and the pain is very real) . . . 

Gots me a wonderful opening scene now. Now the second scene . . . must go to my Chinese library shelves (I have a DTB library of over four hundred books on China - well, I'm a degree carrying Sinologist after all. What would I have - cookbooks?). I need to crack open a tome on Chinese archery in the 12th Century. I'm pretty good at Jurchen and Mongol archery, but Sung bows and techniques are not in my repertoire and the next scene opens with General Chang Chun practicing his archery. It's only three sentences, but I may not spell past/passed correctly, I sure damn well will get the bow and arrow accurate so I can make my readers quiver (pun intended).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## BlakeMP

I just discovered that one of the main characters of my current work-in-progress has the same name as the TITLE character of a lesser-known book by L. Frank Baum. Which wouldn't be quite as problematic, except that book in question is supposed to be a gentle homage to the Oz mythos without actually being part _of_ it. So I'm going to go bash my face into a tree.


----------



## Dave Dykema

The book I'm currently working on had a "Dale Cooper" as a character. I knew the name had a connection, but couldn't place it, until it dawned on me...

"Twin Peaks" FBI agent.

I changed the first name to John, basically as a placeholder. I knew the name had a connection, but couldn't place it, until it dawned on me...

Head Coach for Ohio State football.

Now he's Steve Cooper. Anyone know any Steve Coopers?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gee, and I thought I had problems deciding whether to change the historic name for the character K'ang Lu to Ying Lu because, in Peg of the Red Pencil's words: "Too many K'ang's."  

Ed Patterson


----------



## harfner

Why doesn't he want to tell his teacher? That's harmful! As a teacher myself, I =want= to know if a student has a learning disability so I know how to better target my teaching. Additionally, it's a waste of the teacher's time to mark up the spelling--or even comment on it--for a student who is simply unable to spell better. And your son may run into the problem of being accused of cheating when his spelling miraculously "improves" on an assignment he can have proofed. This can all be avoided if the teacher knows what's up.

You should definitely urge your son to tell the teacher what's going on. It will let the teacher do his job more effectively and allow your son to operate more effectively in class.



RedAdept said:


> Last night was sad. My son just started a Tech School. He has only one class this semester: World Religion.
> 
> They had their first test last week which had some matching and an essay.
> 
> He got a "D" on the essay portion. The instructor wrote that he had 'atrocious spelling' and recommended that my son take an extra writing course.
> 
> My son in a writing course would be like sending a crippled person to gym class to teach them to walk. It's not going to help. His writing is not bad, it's just the spelling.
> 
> But, my son doesn't want to tell the teacher about his disability. Fortunately, the essay only counted for a tenth of the test score, so he still received an A.
> 
> My son had to also turn in 2 essays he had written at home, which, of course, I proofed for him. I just told him that if the teacher accuses him of cheating because of the quality of essays done at home, he may have to explain. Or...If the essays turn out to be worth more on later exams.
> 
> I'm not certain if the teacher will go easy on the spelling or not, even if he is told about the disability.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

harfner said:


> You should definitely urge your son to tell the teacher what's going on. It will let the teacher do his job more effectively and allow your son to operate more effectively in class.


Oh, believe me....I tried very hard. But, my son is twenty years old.

I guess I should add that he is twenty and knows everything, while Mom (me) is 40 and, therefore, old, and just doesn't 'get it'.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4 hours working on the EBook drop Project, wrote a guet blog for Books on the Knob and  manged 4,100 words (whoot) on the nan Tu and feel almost like a 50 year old (not a 62 year old). But the bed is looking awfully good to me now. So to bed I go to curl up with the Kreelan Warrior.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Sounds like Operation Ebook Drop has energized you, Ed. With Smashwords on board, and the viral potential of the internet, I expect - and hope - it will expand. I'm glad you are still finding time to write. 
Elmore


----------



## Dave Dykema

OK: new one in the never-ending "past/passed" debate.

Anyone know when to use "a hold" and when to use "ahold"?


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Dave Dykema said:


> OK: new one in the never-ending "past/passed" debate.
> 
> Anyone know when to use "a hold" and when to use "ahold"?


I believe "ahold" is more of a colloquialism, and would typically be used in dialogue (or first person narration, if it fits the narrator's background).

I would be surprised as a reader to see it if the character had a higher level of education, although I suppose that would still be dependent on their local culture.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I last used a hold when I tackled a sumo wrestler. (   )

As for passed/past - in my treasured Victor Banis review where he did digress into my misuse of it, the author contacted me this morning to point out that the review made it into the Examiner.com I thanked him again and asked if he would consider reposting it on Amazon.com. I did this with trepidation. Normally I wouldn't think twice asking areviewer to do it, but this ain't just any review. (I was reading Victor Banis under the sheets 30 years ago). I also thanked him for his passed/past comments and told him that another author (Lloyd Lofthouse) recommended a fantastic editoing software rpogram called Serenity (I know - but don;t go there folks). And that I purchased it and, if it was cracked up to be what it is supposed to be I'd add it to the Pef of the Red Pencil mix, and run all my novels systematically through it. (It's great to be an Indie as revisions are free in both eBook and POD). I received a return email from Mr. Banis saying that he would repost the review on Amazon and he decided to delete the grammar lesson when it appears there, in his own words (because thats a selling thing). I am doubly grateful.

Yes, Elmore - I have been a bit energized by the Ebook Drop - although I've put a great deal of time into it. But I beliee in fate and God and if that one gut decision to send my books out to that one soldier was meant to spark the best part of many souls, then let the light shine forth.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Elmore Hammes said:


> I believe "ahold" is more of a colloquialism, and would typically be used in dialogue (or first person narration, if it fits the narrator's background).
> 
> I would be surprised as a reader to see it if the character had a higher level of education, although I suppose that would still be dependent on their local culture.


So if someone said, "I've been trying to get a hold of you," it should be "I've been trying to get ahold of you"?

Is that what you're saying?

(maybe I should just change it to "I've been trying to get in touch with you."  )


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Dave Dykema said:


> So if someone said, "I've been trying to get a hold of you," it should be "I've been trying to get ahold of you"?
> 
> Is that what you're saying?
> 
> (maybe I should just change it to "I've been trying to get in touch with you."  )


I've seen it both ways, and from my quick web checks on some various grammar sites it is written either way, though they indicated it can vary based on region. I think someone who speaks more formally would be inclined to use the "in touch" versus "ahold".


----------



## Thumper

Dave Dykema said:


> So if someone said, "I've been trying to get a hold of you," it should be "I've been trying to get ahold of you"?


In my head (which is terribly convoluted these days) it would be the latter... a hold sounds more to me like "I've been trying to get a hold *on* you," where ahold sounds more like "I've been trying to get ahold *of* you."

But I'm 45% brain dead this week... and now that I see it written out, none of it looks correct.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I've always use "a hold." But then I also always use "a while" and not "awhile."

When I read, I always see them both used both ways, and I'm totally perplexed now as to how to proceed.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Other options are:

"I've been trying to reach you."
"I've been trying to call you."
"Why the heck haven't you answered your phone?"
"Are you avoiding me?"


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"Where the hell have you been?"
"I'm sick of talking to your machine."
"I can't believe I have finally reached you."
"Is the lady of the house at home . . " No. Scratch that one
"I thought you put me on the no call list."
"So, did you enjoy your stay in Rikers Island?"
"I put a hit out on ya, and they still coundn't find ya."

Ed Patterson


----------



## kellyabell

I would avoid using either unless it fits the culture of the character.  I agree with the alternative suggested options.  Whenever I'm in doubt I just pick someting else.  I'm currently editing a book that is written in a deep south dialect and I'm having a heck of a time editing it because I want to correct all the incorrect grammar but the author wants it written in that dialect.  It's tough.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

kellyabell said:


> I would avoid using either unless it fits the culture of the character. I agree with the alternative suggested options. Whenever I'm in doubt I just pick someting else. I'm currently editing a book that is written in a deep south dialect and I'm having a heck of a time editing it because I want to correct all the incorrect grammar but the author wants it written in that dialect. It's tough.


Quite right, Miss Bell. That would be a dialectic thing most likely. My peeps would say "tryin' t' git a' holt o' ya'll" if you really want to write it out phonetically. But most people would say 'whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?' I'd just go with something like "I've been trying to reach you all afternoon." That would be a neutral way of saying it, but if you want to go for the color... well, you have to decide. That's the neat thing about writing fiction and novels, we aren't turning them in to Miss Penelope Martin for a composition grade... thank Gawd almighty!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey, I got that editoing software tonight and it's deep level, but you need to manuever text about (two documents open at a time), but I took my earlier published novels (just 2 chapters) and worked it - and it worked wonders, finding things I never knew were there. I think I go through the work (it's short - 110 pages) and relanch it at my leisure and thereby incorporating the Serenity Editor into my regular editing and proofing process (long with Peg and the Kindle review process). The problem with this is my style has matured since my earliest novel published, so I'm changing things that I wouldn;t have two years ago. But hey - long live eBook and POD, where it doesn;t cost a dime to reissue a new version.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Managed to squeeze out about a thousand words last night. Not much, but was about a thousand more than I *thought* I was going to do. Talk about a madhouse day. Not sure what I'll manage today. Am staying home with sneezes and snuffles, so might manage a bit...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike, I suggest you take a ride on your Magthep.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike, I suggest you take a ride on your Magthep.


I'd love to, but somebody chained me to a post...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey snuffleluphicus. I hope you're feeling better today.

Ed P.

BTW: 2,800 words, but no polish applied to them yet. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed -

Thanks! Feeling much better. 

Have the KB meetup today. w00t! Wrote a bit yesterday, I think around 1000 words or so (have to get bigger blocks of time to concentrate on this!), but at least got some in. Not sure about today, yet - am aiming for at least 1000, but we'll see... 

Okay, off to work. Poop.


----------



## Susan in VA

Dave Dykema said:


> So if someone said, "I've been trying to get a hold of you," it should be "I've been trying to get ahold of you"?
> 
> Is that what you're saying?
> 
> (maybe I should just change it to "I've been trying to get in touch with you."  )


I think it's just "I've been trying to get hold of you." No "a" at all.

"A hold" is something from judo.... or something you have a store employee put on an item you want.... and "ahold" isn't a word. (Except <trivia alert> in the case of "Royal Ahold" which is the Dutch company that now owns our local supermarket.)

But you're right, "in touch" sounds better anyway, certainly in writing.

eta: http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000174.htm


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Susan:

I didn;t know that the


Spoiler



Royal Ahole


 was Dutch. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm Dutch and I resemble that remark.

Anyway, time for one of my annoying style questions...

I have a character, Sergeant Cameron, in my book. Should I continue spelling out Sergeant, or only do it once and use Sgt. the rest of the way? He's on the police force, and not the military, if that matters.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm Dutch and I resemble that remark.
> 
> Anyway, time for one of my annoying style questions...
> 
> I have a character, Sergeant Cameron, in my book. Should I continue spelling out Sergeant, or only do it once and use Sgt. the rest of the way? He's on the police force, and not the military, if that matters.


When people refer to him in dialogue, spell it out, if they call him that. When you are just saying that he went somewhere or did something, just call him by his last name and don't use it much at all after the first time.

For example, if the chapter is about him, you might start the chapter referring to him as Sergeant Cameron, just to remind the reader who he is, after that, he can be just Cameron.

Never use the abbreviation. And don't overuse the "Sargeant" as it gets annoying after awhile.

Just my opinion.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I'm a


Spoiler



Royal Ahole


 and I'm not Dutch.

Folks, today I went over the 2,000 sales mark across all titles. It's not Mount Everest, but I feel like I've climb to the base camp at least and am going to lie down and take a nap. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. I guess it's not Dan Brown's 1 million sales yesterday, but at least his royalty unit and mine are the same ($ .35). Somehow, I don't see #250,000 in my bank account.  Still, I guess the next notch is 2,500.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## D.A.Cameron

Dave Dykema said:


> I have a character, Sergeant Cameron, in my book. Should I continue spelling out Sergeant, or only do it once and use Sgt. the rest of the way? He's on the police force, and not the military, if that matters.


_*The Chicago Manual of Style*_, 15th edition, gives the full form in section 8.27 but then recommends the abbreviation "Sgt." in section 15.15. I agree with RedAdept, though, that the full form looks better in direct speech.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

In _Surviving an American Gulag _ I use the Sgt. abbreviation exclusively, although the characters do refer to the cadre by other titles, some of which I could divulge here, but not without the spoiler black-out.


Spoiler



made you look lol


 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Only a tiny amount of writing done today, but between work, the DC KB meetup, dinner, and a movie, there wasn't much time! I think I eeked out a couple of paragraphs, though...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, and please permit me some mild horn-tooting in my (probably) last post for the evening (my eyes are burning like crazy tonight): the omnibus of _In Her Name_ and _In Her Name: First Contact_ are *both* currently in the top 10 for sci-fi on Mobipocket.com (wish I could say they were way up there all the time in the Kindle store, too, but I'll take what I can get - LOL!). At least for the moment...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Congrats Mie. I still haven't cracked mobipocket yet (haven't had a sales there in 3 months). I lie - I sold  Look Away Silence and a I bought it myself for my Blackberry.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Congrats Mie. I still haven't cracked mobipocket yet (haven't had a sales there in 3 months). I lie - I sold Look Away Silence and a I bought it myself for my Blackberry.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Yeah, I don't know what the story is with Mobi. Most people seem to have rotten luck there, but I can't complain - I've been getting a payout ($150 is the minimum threshold) at least once a quarter. More from Kindle, to be sure, but still, Mobi has been berry, berry good to me!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 words tonight on the Nan Tu, plus Serenity (that deep editing software) editing and revision to 2,000 words of Cutting the Cheese (new version). I also included a poem in tonight's Nan Tu chapter - a war song sung by General Chang Chun on the road to battle. Lots of black outs.:

"Ts'ao Ts'ao sat on the Gao-xien walls,
He played his _p'i-pa _ and scratched his


Spoiler



balls


.
He spit at the troops of old Sun Ch'ang,
Thumbed his nose and again he sang -
Alone I am you


Spoiler



son-of-a-bitch


,
It's best to scratch when you have an itch;
So throw your troops against my walls
And find out why I scratch my


Spoiler



balls


."

Refrain:

"Wu Wu be my blade and thrust,
Keep these sons of whores in view,
As my lance, their helmets bust.
They were many, but now they're few."​Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, back to business: 1000 words yesterday, 1200 tonight on _Legend of the Sword_. Not huge amounts, but it's been hectic lately and it was a bit harder to get started on this book than _First Contact_. Think I've got the thread, though, and it's been going well. Now working on chapter 5...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,500 words today and not on my novel, but on a project I'm working with two oher authors, an illustraor and a team of indie promoters and editors for the iPhone. I'm happy with the 2,500 words, because I've been sitting on my hands with the project and finally was able to get my head around it and write my first contribution. Yesterday I finished the second section of The Nan Tu - 2 more sections to go. t was a tough section to write because I had to kill a 3-yer old child - but History is History and Lincoln didn't survive because some novelist was shy of killing old men.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Heather Parker

Hi Edward. Congratulations on passing the 2000 sales mark - that sounds fantastic!  Just a question on this from a newbie with my first book on Kindle.  How soon do you find out how many sales you have - or is there a way to check via Amazon?  Middlewitch was published by Drollerie Press and they send their royalties once a quarter - but I just wondered how soon I would discover the truth!
Any info from more experienced Kindle authors gratefully received.
Heather


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hether:

Go nto your Digital Text Platform (DTP) account and press the Reports table and then sales to month and it gives a real time view of sales. If you had a publisher set you up and do not have a DTP account, get that stuff from them as you have a right to monitor your sles.

You can tell if you've had sales by looking at your rankings.

Hope that helps
Ed Patterson


----------



## Heather Parker

Thanks, Ed.  It does!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wrote 1100 words tonight for Legend of the Sword. Now it's time to go watch some more episodes of Lost!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

0 day. Might try tonight, but my mind is in a tail spin this evening for some damn reason and for the first time in a decade, I'm blocked.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sometimes it's good to take a little break and let the gray cells recharge...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, rack up another 750 words for tonight. I'm not keeping the same sort of pace as I was with First Contact, but there's just a lot more going on during the weeks now (soccer, baseball, etc.). Regardless, the draft for chapter 5 of Legend of the Sword  is done. Yay!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,100 word tonight. BTW, I got a review today on Look Away Silence that ended:

"up there with books by Nicholas Sparks such as The Notebook."

Now not only did my 400 book sale month make my month, that review did. My fallen are remembered tonight.

Ed Patterson 

BTW: Mike - Peg asked me when I handed her your book, "Why is she Blue?" I said, "It's a beautiful color."


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW: Mike - Peg asked me when I handed her your book, "Why is she Blue?" I said, "It's a beautiful color."


LOL! And I didn't know why they were blue either... ;-)

No writing tonight - was pretty wiped all day from a bad night (stupid allergies!), so spent the evening watching more Lost episodes. Starting tomorrow, I hope to get lots of writing done - I'm off work for the next week. w00t!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

0 tonight also. Not even work on the maintenance version of Cutting the Cheese. Was just plain tired. Also, I made some structural alterations in the Nan Tu to pick up the pace, which required some cuts and short-cuts. I don't think this one will hit the streets until late November. Still have 26 chapters to go. But it's the cat's-pyjamas, so I plodding onward. I did have a good opening sales day with 16 and will not do any protion other than a few Amazon thread until next Monday. I've let my books settled back to page 5 in the Bazaar. On Monday, they'll be like little Vesuvius'   I redid some of the first pages with full graphic covers and I want to clean up the clutter a bit. The Kindle Shopping guide is exciting. (I took a full page ad there) and look forward to seeing it.

Ed Patterson


----------



## kellyabell

Hi Folks,
I'm so enjoying all the conversation on this thread.  I just wanted to say I need a virtual kick in the pants.  I've not written anything on my sequel in a month and its killing me.  I've been busy promoting and getting ready for a book signing which I'm excited about but between family obligations and day job I can't seem to settle in and write some fiction words.  I know, I'm whining but just thought I'd share my woes and get some virtual encouragement.  Half the family is out of town this weekend so I'm really going to focus and try to get 5000 words written.  Cheer me on!!!  I'll stop back in on Sunday and let you know how I did!

Kelly


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

kellyabell said:


> Hi Folks,
> I'm so enjoying all the conversation on this thread. I just wanted to say I need a virtual kick in the pants. I've not written anything on my sequel in a month and its killing me. I've been busy promoting and getting ready for a book signing which I'm excited about but between family obligations and day job I can't seem to settle in and write some fiction words. I know, I'm whining but just thought I'd share my woes and get some virtual encouragement. Half the family is out of town this weekend so I'm really going to focus and try to get 5000 words written. Cheer me on!!! I'll stop back in on Sunday and let you know how I did!


Kelly -

Well, get writing! Tell you what: I'll make you a challenge, because my wife and I are going away this weekend and I'm hoping to get quite a bit of writing done myself. So: 5000 words by midnight Sunday - I triple-dog dare ya!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That is a challenge since I'll be with Dad in New Jersey for the weekend and I have a hard time getting anything done. But I'll get my fat


Spoiler



ass


 in gear and turn the Vaughan-Willaims up high. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Good luck with that Kelly! And everyone else taking up the 5000 word challenge!

(eyes pants, lines up foot, and kicks...)


----------



## kellyabell

kreelanwarrior said:


> Kelly -
> 
> Well, get writing! Tell you what: I'll make you a challenge, because my wife and I are going away this weekend and I'm hoping to get quite a bit of writing done myself. So: 5000 words by midnight Sunday - I triple-dog dare ya!


You're On! I"ve got 1000 under my belt already! Thanks for the challenge. I'll check in with you again tomorrow!


----------



## kellyabell

Dave Dykema said:


> Good luck with that Kelly! And everyone else taking up the 5000 word challenge!
> 
> (eyes pants, lines up foot, and kicks...)


LOL, Thanks Dave, I needed that!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Speaking about support:

For the first time ever, one of my books have been nominated for an Award - The Rainbow Awards. It is none other than The Jade Owl. If you would like to cast a vote, the site is at:

http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com

I'm in three catagories

Contemporary
Mystery/Thriller
Paranomal

You'll need to scroll through the list to find me. I might have a chance of getting into the finals.

Thanks
Ed Patterson


----------



## harfner

Finished chapter two of the WIP.  Hope to finish chapter three this week and get it to my agent.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - congrats! 

Am in the airport now on my iPhone. Hope to get some wordage in on the plane for my weekend 5k goal. Right now I'm at zero - d'oh!


----------



## Steph H

Where's a Tesh-Dar whip when you need one....


----------



## kellyabell

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Speaking about support:
> 
> For the first time ever, one of my books have been nominated for an Award - The Rainbow Awards. It is none other than The Jade Owl. If you would like to cast a vote, the site is at:
> 
> http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com
> 
> I'm in three catagories
> 
> Contemporary
> Mystery/Thriller
> Paranomal
> 
> You'll need to scroll through the list to find me. I might have a chance of getting into the finals.
> 
> Thanks
> Ed Patterson


How do you vote? I found your book but couldn't find a way to vote.


----------



## kellyabell

kreelanwarrior said:


> Ed - congrats!
> 
> Am in the airport now on my iPhone. Hope to get some wordage in on the plane for my weekend 5k goal. Right now I'm at zero - d'oh!


Oh Burn! I'm at 2612! Better catch up!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm at 3,500, so catch up all.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Where's a Tesh-Dar whip when you need one....


Ow! Okay, I've slightly redeemed myself: 1600 words on the plane yesterday and 1100 this morning in about 90 minutes... 

I really need a nap now, though - and it's only 7:30 am!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, up to 1800 words for the day, total of 3400 so far for the weekend 5K goal, and finished chapter 6 of Legend of the Sword...


----------



## kellyabell

I did it!  5477, Hoo Yah!  I'm not done yet but just wanted to check in and thank you all for the virtual kick in the pants.  I've also gotten my plot worked out so I'm golden.  I've had a very productive weekend.  Catch up boys!


----------



## Steph H

Great job, Kelly!!  Woohoo!

So, Mikey, when are you sending 3-6 to me, hmmmmm??


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

kellyabell said:


> I did it! 5477, Hoo Yah! I'm not done yet but just wanted to check in and thank you all for the virtual kick in the pants. I've also gotten my plot worked out so I'm golden. I've had a very productive weekend. Catch up boys!


D'oh! Good for you!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Great job, Kelly!! Woohoo!
> 
> So, Mikey, when are you sending 3-6 to me, hmmmmm??


They'll be to you shortly. Have to go get my netbook and send 'em to ya!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*Well I fell a little short of the challenge with 4,629 words, but that's all she wrote. * 








*Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## kellyabell

A valiant effort Ed!!  Thanks again for the support All.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I don't think I'll make the 5K for the weekend, but considering that I've been traveling and visiting, I thought my count of 3400 or whatever it turned out to be wasn't half bad. Of course, for some stupid reason I kept thinking this was Saturday, which didn't help! LOL!


----------



## kellyabell

kreelanwarrior said:


> I don't think I'll make the 5K for the weekend, but considering that I've been traveling and visiting, I thought my count of 3400 or whatever it turned out to be wasn't half bad. Of course, for some stupid reason I kept thinking this was Saturday, which didn't help! LOL!


You're amazing!!! I couldn't travel and get that done! By the way, today's Monday!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Monday? I thought it was Tuesday?  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Monday? I thought it was Tuesday?
> 
> Ed Patterson


Oh, crap, now I'm *really* confused! My Mac says it's Monday, however, so that must be true! LOL!

Not sure how much, if any, writing I'll get done today - lots more running around. Ack!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 2,000 words tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

A paltry 750 words tonight, but I'll claim moral victory: wasn't sure where/how to get started on the current chapter, but got past that logjam and got in some wordage.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I spent the night revising my short story "A Dime a Dip" (2,300 words) for the Kindleboarder Short Fiction Anthology to raise money for Susan E. Komen for the Cure. Nothing new tonight except a little paragaph as a jump off for tomorrow. I have also moved this novel's publiction date from Mid November to mid-December. The editing will take some time. And I still need to do further research on Sung Dynasty Naval rigging. I hope to find excerpts fom Needham's Science on-line or in my own collection. I can't afford to buy a single volume of his 15 volume work (at $185 per volume). It's bad enough I recently invested $1,800 in a few (8 volumes) of the Cambridge Hisory of China Library, which was a bargain compared to wading through and translating yards of the _Sung-chiao de li-shr _ (which I have - 8 volumes phographically reduced from 27 volumes of the Sung Dynastic History all in Classical Chinese. It's massive and only one of 300 volumes of the complete official Dynastic histories). Peg of the Red Pencil laughs. I'll spend an hour telling her about political intrigues related to the novel, with dozens of Chinese officials, a few battles, great sweeping social changes, jurisprudance, triple cropping rice methods, and a myriad of other nitty-gritty 12th Century attributes. She gets flooded and overwhelmed. Then she'll read and edit the chapter and say: "Where's all that stuff you told me about." And I'll say: "In my head, where it needs to stay so I can write about people and characters and engaging events. I only told you all that stuff so you can share in the torture."  I mean, as authors we need to know everything about the scene, the props, the processes - we need to live them. Then the reader just sits back and enjoys. I mean, I'm reading about Kreelans now, and I don't need to look far to know that Mike was in the military, because all that comes through - and not as a lecture, but as the abidding glue of an enjoyable read.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

What's up with Thumper?  

Somewhere on here, someone said she had to have emergency surgery?

Anyone know anything?


----------



## Steph H

She had emergency gall bladder removal surgery last week. I saw it on her kitty Max's blog, but it's also on her blog at http://kathompson.blogspot.com/ .


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Steph H said:


> She had emergency gall bladder removal surgery last week. I saw it on her kitty Max's blog, but it's also on her blog at http://kathompson.blogspot.com/ .


Thanks for the response.

I will go check out her blog.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thumper is recovering, as she has posted on the Author Short Story Anthology thread as the point person.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Check out the "Well Boogers" thread in Not Quite Kindle. . . .she announced it there. . . . .


----------



## Thumper

I am going to live...I think. The enchiladas I just had were probably a bad idea...


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Betsy


----------



## kellyabell

Thumper, do hope you are feeling better.  Sorry you had to have surgery.  Get well

Well, nothing written since the weekend.  It's been a busy week...I know, I know excuses again.


----------



## Dave Dykema

So yesterday I'm thinking: "Ya know, I should probably back my novels and partials onto a different medium (i.e. CD) because I haven't done it in a while."

Today I went to do it. When I walked in, the computer room stunk like burning dust. It came from the computer. I inserted a disc and tried to make a copy before something bad happened. They wouldn't copy; the computer kept saying they were "in use" somewhere, though they weren't.

Tonight, my wife--the computer expert--called me and told me not to turn on the computer when I got home. She said our fan died and things were heating up "pretty bad in there." She's got a replacement fan coming, but doesn't want the computer on until she installs it.

Wish my books good health, please!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ahh, the joys of technoogy! D'oh!! Hopefully the books remain okay - I back mine up three different ways now, so I'm likely not going to lose more than a day's work at any given time (and hopefully it'll be a 500 word day instead of a 6,000 word day!).

Thumper - hope ya feel better! 

I managed to squeeze out a bit over 500 words today. I'm not making tons of progress, but it's coming together. I'm hoping there'll be fewer distractions tomorrow and Friday (all the bazillion "scrapgirls" will be over at the O-club doing their convention thing, rather than tearing around the hotel like crazed teenagers), so we'll see.

In the meantime, I'm going to try and get a couple long-overdue blog posts done and drink a beer or two!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave, hope your computer and books are safe.

Thumper, get better.

Tonight only 2,000 words, but it was a transition chapter, as I am in the second half of the novel (storywise) so the chapters need to shorten. I follow the 3 act structural rules religiously and in act three we "speed it up." Well, I'm also at 95% read in the Omnibus, and think I might need to write . . . a . . . review. The only thing giving me pause is that Amazon only has five stars. Where shall I get a sixth one for this review. Guess I'll need to rely on elegant writing.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## pidgeon92

I hope your hard drive didn't cook. My burned out Sunday. I replaced it today, and right now I am restoring the drive from the backup. If your data doesn't exist in at least three places, it doesn't exist. Backup *every* day. I use an external backup drive, and I use Carbonite as a remote backup.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

My fiction has taken a back seat the past two weeks as I have been working on a compilation photobook of the Mission Trips I have been on - hoping to let the group that organizes them use it as a fundraiser. This morning, after combing through literally thousands of images and laying them out (multiple times, as I learned much in the process and had to redo earlier pages), I have finally ordered a proof copy for review. Whew! Now to get cracking on some short stories and prepare for NaNoWriMo.


----------



## J Dean

Been a bit difficult for me to write for the past week. Today was nice, I put in almost two pages during my prep hour, which is pretty good for me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I'm also at 95% read in the Omnibus, and think I might need to write . . . a . . . review. The only thing giving me pause is that Amazon only has five stars. Where shall I get a sixth one for this review. Guess I'll need to rely on elegant writing.


Thanks, Ed! But I know you're only saying that because the book's so bloody long...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Got in 500 words yesterday, which was an accomplishment - got past (sort of) a block I was facing. Won't get any time to write until this evening, as I'll be driving around the mountains around Salt Lake taking pictures for Jan (who's doing her ScrapGirls convention thing) and checking out the local copper mine...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

0 yesterday, but by design. Thursday's Fast Foward Day and Skins. I watch so little TV, but I like those shows. Then I finished In Her Name (Ominbus).

    

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 0 yesterday, but by design. Thursday's Fast Foward Day and Skins. I watch so little TV, but I like those shows. Then I finished In Her Name (Ominbus).
> 
> 
> 
> Ed Patterson


*w00t!* Hope ya enjoyed the book and the shows! 

Waiting for my ride to head off to the mountains around Salt Lake. Looks like it should be a beautiful day!


----------



## kellyabell

Dave Dykema said:


> So yesterday I'm thinking: "Ya know, I should probably back my novels and partials onto a different medium (i.e. CD) because I haven't done it in a while."
> 
> Today I went to do it. When I walked in, the computer room stunk like burning dust. It came from the computer. I inserted a disc and tried to make a copy before something bad happened. They wouldn't copy; the computer kept saying they were "in use" somewhere, though they weren't.
> 
> Tonight, my wife--the computer expert--called me and told me not to turn on the computer when I got home. She said our fan died and things were heating up "pretty bad in there." She's got a replacement fan coming, but doesn't want the computer on until she installs it.
> 
> Wish my books good health, please!


Major Bummer! I am sending positive computer thoughts your way, Dave. Hope all is well.


----------



## kellyabell

In my lates thriller my antagonist wants to use riddles to lead the hero to the victim.  Any idea where I might research some good ideas for this?  I'm not that great a composing riddles but I think it will make the book more interesting if the antagonist plays with my hero for a while.  I'm open to thoughts.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wrote 1500+ words on the plane from Salt Lake yesterday, and am going to try and get in at least 2000 today. Vrooom!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,500 word for the weekend.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Had a good weekend - almost finished applying edits to the hopefully final draft of a farcical comedy, just one more chapter to go. It should be ready to go for Kindle within a week or two.
Elmore


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Elmore Hammes said:


> Had a good weekend - almost finished applying edits to the hopefully final draft of a farcical comedy, just one more chapter to go. It should be ready to go for Kindle within a week or two.
> Elmore


Yay!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Elmore Hammes said:


> Had a good weekend - almost finished applying edits to the hopefully final draft of a farcical comedy, just one more chapter to go. It should be ready to go for Kindle within a week or two.
> Elmore


Man, and I still haven't read "The Cloud"! I am so far behind. 

Too many books & never enough time!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And some of them pretty big too.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## KLBrady

I'm jealous of you guys making so much progress on your work. Since I just released my novel I am really focusing on marketing. I'm allowing myself to procrastinate on writing until NaNoWriMo, then I'll get number 2 done. Just a few weeks left.


----------



## kellyabell

Nothing this weekend.  I did get some research done though.  I need to set another goal for myself.  That worked really well last time!


----------



## harfner

Just mailed a treatment, a synopsis, and sample chapters for a steampunk novel to my agent.  Cross your fingers, everyone!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600words today. And no promotion (except Operation EBook Drop) commemorating my 288 day sales streak of at least one book a day sold since March 6, 2009 & a banner day yester with 28 books sold. The first day I haven;t promoted in almost two years. Tomorrow is another day.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Congrats, Ed. October has had a drop off in my own sales compared to the last couple months - hopefully that is due to my own lack of activity on the forums and marketing rather than a ceiling in the potential readership for my books. I had a productive Friday, though - I got the first draft of a 2,000 word short story done. I'll let it sit over the weekend and work on revisions Monday.


----------



## sierra09

I've been trying to figure out how to multi-task without overloading.

1-Market the book a little more strongly.

2-Do deeper research for the second book in the Celtic Evil series since I want some of the magical elements to feel more real.

3-Get back to work on that second novel.

4-And keep what actually feels like a nice flow to the piece I've come up with for the NaNoWriMo entry.

That doesn't include real life intruding.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

One thing, and this came up today with a reader of The Jade Owl today (a face-to-face conversation with a reader, rarely happens). They finished it, loved it and said it felt so "real." I said that it's a Tolkienesque fantasy. The person said that she hadn;t seen a hobbit anywhere. But I said, "Aha, the reason you believe in Hobbits is because they are so real - those south shireland farmers and villagers that Tolkien knew so well." If your write your fantasy from a "realistic" point of view, it becomes even more fantastic. Much I do not need to research because China is my degree field and discipline - it's second hand to me. However, other things I research to the Nth degree. Two days ago I had to take a crash course in Tungusic Manchu to produce a few paragraphs where a Jurchen warrior is captured and interrogated. I decided he would speak his native language - research time. It's a good thing I didn't need to employ the Manchu syllabary - it is as imposing as the Cherokee syllabary.

Ed Patterson


----------



## kevindorsey

Elmore Hammes said:


> Congrats, Ed. October has had a drop off in my own sales compared to the last couple months - hopefully that is due to my own lack of activity on the forums and marketing rather than a ceiling in the potential readership for my books. I had a productive Friday, though - I got the first draft of a 2,000 word short story done. I'll let it sit over the weekend and work on revisions Monday.


Good luck bud, I'm going to write my own short story soon


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, back to it! I've been slacking off, both in posting and writing, and need to kick myself in the booty to get going again (thanks for the "hint", Ed!). It's been more difficult lately because of the training we've been doing for the half-marathon in San Antonio next month. I've never done this sort of thing before, and the training takes up a lot of time and a huge amount of energy (at least for former couch potatoes like me!).

However, no more excuses! Today is a writing day, and I hope to get at least 3000 words pumped out. First up, a few revisions to _Legend of the Sword_, then on to writing new stuff.

Oh, BTW: _First Contact_ is in prepub with Lightning Source, and I hope to have the proof copy soon. Once that's done and approved, it'll be out on Amazon and the other retailers, finally!

Okay - on your mark, get set, WRITE!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A maeger 1,800 words yesterda. I'll do better today. Promise.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

I've managed about 2,000 words yesterday on the entry for NaNoWriMo which considering I keep getting interrupted isn't too bad.  However, today I messed up and was going great...until I realized I'd stuck my main characters for my Celtic Evil series in this action tale I'm doing for Nano and had to delete.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And 2,000 words this afternoon and I'm doing revision work on Cutting the Cheese tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

No, No, No..  . . . . .you're supposed to get to work on the 4th and 5th Jade Owl books!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I know, but I need also to revise my three novella using the super-duper Serenity software (make some changes, especially in Cutting the Cheese), relaunch them in time to win the Pulitzer Pirze (just kidding) and then create the omnibus edition which is going to be released under the title "Dainty Rriolet" (a quote from Gilbert & Sillvan's, _Princess Ida_). Besides, those 2,000 words were on _The Nan Tu,_ the second book of the Southen Swallow series. Whew.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 2000 words on Legend of the Sword yesterday. Not as much as I'd hoped, but not too shabby, considering what a wacky schedule I seem to be on lately. Gonna try to get more done tonight, and quite a bit tomorrow - am taking the day off for our 12-mile training run, then hope to get in some writing the rest of the day while I'm trying to recover! LOL!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Only 1000 words tonight, plus some revisions. It really took me a looong time to get going tonight, which is unusual. I put it down to the fact that I'm pooped. Have to get to bed at a decent hour: the 12-mile training run is tomorrow morning!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Lots of revision, edits from Peg and from my Kindle review. Evening spend adding 16 new authors to Opertion EBook Drop. Must do better tomorrow.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gonna catch up on a couple of posts on my site, make breakfast, and then get in a little writing: today's our long (12 mile) training run, but it's been raining cats and dogs, so we've gotta wait to get out on the trail. Hmph!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good luck on the run. The last time I ran anywhere (about 6 feet) it took me an hour to recover. It's funny, I used to walk the full length of the New York Gay Pride Parade, now I have a three block limit before we need to stop and check the Blackberry.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Good luck on the run. The last time I ran anywhere (about 6 feet) it took me an hour to recover. It's funny, I used to walk the full length of the New York Gay Pride Parade, now I have a three block limit before we need to stop and check the Blackberry.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Well, I managed a bit over 7 miles before my left knee submitted a letter of protest, then hobbled the last five miles. Jan, however, managed to run the whole way! I don't know who was in worse shape at the end, though. This running thing is highly overrated! So we made up for it with big mushroom and cheese burgers and a hot apple crisp thingy with vanilla ice cream. Considering we hadn't eaten anything since 8:30 this morning, we had a lot of calories to catch up on. We were *starving*!

But on the good news side, the proof copy for IHN: First Contact arrived today from Lightning Source! I have to check it out carefully, but the cursory look I gave it so far has it lookin' good...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Did about 1600 words last night. Again, not tons, but progress is progress! Tonight I'm gonna try to do at least 1000, so we'll see...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words last night. I'm at the 128,000 word mark in the Nan Tu. I would say I'm about 40,000 words from the end. (I cut out a section, or I should say, my characters held a conference and voted me down, to which the reader's shall cheer. My character's made some wise choices). Tonight I have a sea battle, but I made it through a chase scene that took the wild out of Peg of the Pencil. When she gives me a thriple WOW, I know that I'm gonna deliver the goods to my readers. My problem now is spending days talking to myself about the details of ships and firesticks and hao-tze's (the world first grenades), Chinese husbandry, and typhoons, and then incorporating them into a characters driven story without the reader feeling they are attending my old Professor's lecture series at Columbia University. (You haven't lived until you've sat through Hans Bielestein's lecture on th formation of Shang scapula instriptions from the An-yang dig. All delivered in a heavy, nearly inscruntible Swedish accent). That is to be avoided in my novels at all costs. Yet, I want my readers to feel how it was to live and breath in 12th Century China and to be on horseback in a typhoon with a big-ass sea going Junk bobbing in the harbor.

Oh well. Thursday's I don't write, so let's see what Firday brings

Ed Patterson


----------



## kellyabell

kreelanwarrior said:


> Did about 1600 words last night. Again, not tons, but progress is progress! Tonight I'm gonna try to do at least 1000, so we'll see...


Sounds like you are getting a lot done. That's great. I have almost ten chapters done in my sequel and then I got bitten by this story that I just had to write. Its a holiday theme so I am trying to get it finished before the end of the weekend. Never written one that fast before but my publisher says she'll get it out for the Holidays if I can get it done. It's a novella so it shouldn't be too hard.

Okay here's a question for all you smart people out there. I want to title my story "A Facebook Miracle" Do you think I'll get in trouble from Facebook on that? I tried to find someone there to email and ask but its like going through a maze with no cheese at the end. Any suggestions?

Oh and good luck on the marathon! I'm like Ed, the last time I ran anywhere it was to the kitchen for ice cream!


----------



## Jeff

At about 3:00 AM this morning, I finished the rough draft of the sequel to _Gone For a Soldier_. The working title is _Land of the Free_ but may be changed to _Home of the Brave_ or even something else. It's about 300 pages and 100,000 words long and if completed, will probably be quite a bit longer.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

kellyabell said:


> Sounds like you are getting a lot done. That's great. I have almost ten chapters done in my sequel and then I got bitten by this story that I just had to write. Its a holiday theme so I am trying to get it finished before the end of the weekend. Never written one that fast before but my publisher says she'll get it out for the Holidays if I can get it done. It's a novella so it shouldn't be too hard.


Yeah, there are a couple other projects I definitely want to start, but I must NOT or I'll never get any of them done! D'oh!



> Okay here's a question for all you smart people out there. I want to title my story "A Facebook Miracle" Do you think I'll get in trouble from Facebook on that? I tried to find someone there to email and ask but its like going through a maze with no cheese at the end. Any suggestions?


Hmmm, I would definitely check with a legal beagle on that...



> Oh and good luck on the marathon! I'm like Ed, the last time I ran anywhere it was to the kitchen for ice cream!


Well, it may be a walkathon for me after I tweaked my knee running on Tuesday (12 miles: 7 running, 5 limping). I was pretty upset about it at first, but then I realized that if I have to walk, I'll probably enjoy it a lot more! LOL!


----------



## kellyabell

Good luck on the walkathon!  

I think I'll change the title then I don't have to worry about it!  

Have a productive weekend everyone.  I'll keep you posted on the story.  I'm still going to work on the sequel too.  That way I don't have to feel guilty!


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff said:


> At about 3:00 AM this morning, I finished the rough draft of the sequel to _Gone For a Soldier_. The working title is _Land of the Free_ but may be changed to _Home of the Brave_ or even something else. It's about 300 pages and 100,000 words long and if completed, will probably be quite a bit longer.


Jeff,
Looking forward to this sequel a lot.
Hope you also bring the prequel and followon to Treasure out also.
From your friend who is

Just sayin......


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Hope you also bring the prequel and followon to Treasure out also.


Thanks, Geoff.

The draft for the prequel to _Treasure_ is almost finished too but I think I'll abandon the sequel.


----------



## Jeff

The rough draft of _Land Of The Free_ is available for collaborative editing using Microsoft's Office Live Workspace. This book is the sequel to _Gone For a Soldier_. If you are interesting in contributing ideas, please contact me via PM or email.

This is something of an experiment in online collaboration that may be useful to other authors. Currently there are two editors for _Land Of The Free_ who have the ability to change the files using Word's Track Changes option. Exactly how that will work remains to be seen but hopefully it will enable several proofreaders to make changes that are visible to everyone in the group.

The technical requirements for viewing the online documents in a Office Live Workspace are a Windows Live ID and either MS Word For Windows 2003 or higher or Office 2008 for Mac Service Pack 2. I've only tested it in Internet Explorer but Mozilla Firefox and Safari are listed as supported.

_Lonely Is The Soldier_, the prequel to _The Treasure of La Malinche_, is also on the server but it is probably two or three months away from being ready to be viewed.

Thank you,

Jeff


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words yesterday and complted Part 3. One part to go (a shorty of about 50,000 words) and maybe The Nan Tu will be ready to publish mid-December. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff - What an awesome idea! Hope it works!! 

Have written a little so far today, need to hunker down and get to it, though. Had some distractions this morning - it's too tempting to play Call of Duty with the boys and their friends. Ack! So I'm gonna try to stay out of the basement and get some "work" done...Ha!



Jeff said:


> The rough draft of _Land Of The Free_ is available for collaborative editing using Microsoft's Office Live Workspace. This book is the sequel to _Gone For a Soldier_. If you are interesting in contributing ideas, please contact me via PM or email.
> 
> This is something of an experiment in online collaboration that may be useful to other authors. Currently there are two editors for _Land Of The Free_ who have the ability to change the files using Word's Track Changes option. Exactly how that will work remains to be seen but hopefully it will enable several proofreaders to make changes that are visible to everyone in the group.
> 
> The technical requirements for viewing the online documents in a Office Live Workspace are a Windows Live ID and either MS Word For Windows 2003 or higher or Office 2008 for Mac Service Pack 2. I've only tested it in Internet Explorer but Mozilla Firefox and Safari are listed as supported.
> 
> _Lonely Is The Soldier_, the prequel to _The Treasure of La Malinche_, is also on the server but it is probably two or three months away from being ready to be viewed.
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Jeff


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Jeff - What an awesome idea! Hope it works!!


It seems fairly stable even though it's still in beta. I don't trust it completely yet so I'm my saving changes to both the server and my local network.

Two pluses for writers is that it also provides an easy method of storing your manuscripts off premises and gives you access from any computer if you log on using your Live ID.

One negative that I've yet to solve is that documents created in Office 2003 don't open in Office 2007. That seems odd so I must be missing something.

Edit to add: I was indeed missing something: There's an add-in for Windows Live that allows Office 2007 to access the Workspace directly as if it's a local drive. Very cool.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's a good way to do it, Jeff. I beta'd in .pdf files for The Jade Owl versions 2 thru 6, and then printed Lulu Galley (nice way, but expensive) for all three fist books of The Jade Owl. I haven't used beta readers since. However, in many ways, my early published books have enough feedback (positive/negative) to warrant final revision publications. Fortunately, those three are novellas and only one is a Bad Boy. So I'm revising all three to reader's taste (No Irish needs very little, Bobby's Trace needs a little more length) and republishing them in 2010 as stand alones and also in an Omnibus called, Dainty Triolet. Cutting the Cheese's revision should be out by January (it has had a total revision and is the most changed of the works - but it is the oldest and the one that had the least publishing experience - and now will have the most). The reason I don;t beta anymore is, because I have 13 books out there, I have 2,500 plus readers in circulation, so I need to trust my instincts now. When I had zero out there, I needed to validate my talents more. At this stage of the game, if I fudge it up, it's on my head. BTW, I think Microsoft has a conspiracy against earlier versions since Open office became available. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That's a good way to do it, Jeff. I beta'd in .pdf files for The Jade Owl versions 2 thru 6, and then printed Lulu Galley (nice way, but expensive) for all three fist books of The Jade Owl. I haven't used beta readers since. However, in many ways, my early published books have enough feedback (positive/negative) to warrant final revision publications. Fortunately, those three are novellas and only one is a Bad Boy. So I'm revising all three to reader's taste (No Irish needs very little, Bobby's Trace needs a little more length) and republishing them in 2010 as stand alones and also in an Omnibus called, Dainty Triolet. Cutting the Cheese's revision should be out by January (it has had a total revision and is the most changed of the works - but it is the oldest and the one that had the least publishing experience - and now will have the most). The reason I don;t beta anymore is, because I have 13 books out there, I have 2,500 plus readers in circulation, so I need to trust my instincts now. When I had zero out there, I needed to validate my talents more. At this stage of the game, if I fudge it up, it's on my head. BTW, I think Microsoft has a conspiracy against earlier versions since Open office became available.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I'm not trying to sell the idea to anyone, Ed. I'd just like to have some reader opinions and input before publishing anything new and this seems like a good way to do it.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I'm not trying to sell the idea to anyone, Ed. I'd just like to have some reader opinions and input before publishing anything new and this seems like a good way to do it.


BTW, Jeff, good to see ya back on here again...


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## sierra09

This subject has finally reminded me of something I've been meaning to ask and always forgot. How does an author get beta readers and what do they do? I figured I'd find out now so I know how to go about it since I think that would be something I'd be interested in doing for my Book Two for Celtic Evil and an action novel that's just about done (still needs final tweaking). I've heard of beta readers before but have never been quite certain of what they do or how one finds them. Thanks.


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## Edward C. Patterson

I got beta-readers from my lijah Wood fan club, mostly (strangers on line - the stranger part is important), and also from people who read my blog. I also posted a "Beta-Reader" wanted sign on my website. Late beta-readers were gleened from Amazon's kindle threads, after I had published my first three novels. Feedback from authors and other readers begn negotations or beta-reads of The Jade Owl series. By the time I decieded to indie publish that series, I had a jury of readers to poll and my first reviews came from that crowd. I suppose Twitter now could be used to some effect to get beta-readers. 

Ed Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington

If you're on KindleBoards, when you finish your almost ready draft, you say "I finished my almost ready to publish draft. . .anyone want to be a beta reader?"  You will promptly get many volunteers.


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## sierra09

Thanks, Ann. Since I'm actually more active on this board than probably anywhere else online that may be what I'll do. I know for the sequel to Celtic Evil I will definitely do that...though the action one will be ready before Ian's story is I'm afraid.

I don't Twitter much since I hate being confined to a word count like over there but may try it. 

Ed, you're an Elijah Wood fan? I learn new things about you nearly everyday.


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## Ann in Arlington

sierra09 said:


> Ed, you're an Elijah Wood fan?


I think that's actually putting it rather mildly.


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## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> BTW, Jeff, good to see ya back on here again...


Thank you, Mike. I went away for a while to concentrate on finishing at least one of the books that I'd started. Now that I've partially accomplished that, I'll try to spend a little time here with all my friends.


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## sierra09

Ann in Arlington said:


> I think that's actually putting it rather mildly.


Okay, got it.  I've been there and still am in one case.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Yep, I run an Elijah Wood review site called Elijah Wood: Performer for Our Times and monitor (police) his Wikipedia pages (all 38 of them and Pam Racine's too). Elijah wished me good luck on The Jade Owl, signing a copy of the broadsheet on the set of The Oxford Murders. Here's a picture of his Good Wishes.








and here's the verification photo of him signing it - the broadsheet's in the lady's hands. The lady in the picture is my earliest beta-reader, Mireille Reynes, from Belgium, who traveled to the UK to work as an extra in the film. One of the protagonists in the book, has some Elijah Wood characteristics. In fact, Mireille has all my titles on her website, and has an Elijah photo with "Nick Battle" as the caption. She really talked up my book to the star (although he doesn't consider himself a star. When told he was a star, Elijah said - "A star is a big ball of gas.")








BTW, Ann's suggestion about offering beta-reads to Kindleboarders is excellent. I have beta'd a great work that's been published for a well known Kindleboarder and have another one on my Kindle right now (although that's been published also, I mean to do a review).

Ed Patterson

PS: I lied. My earliest beta-reader was Peg of the Red Pencil. She read The Jade Owl, loved it, ripped it apart and has been my editor ever since.


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## sierra09

That's awesome, Ed.  Yes, I agree about Ann's suggestion. The members on here are so fantastic and I've yet to meet anyone who didn't offer some tip or suggestion that wasn't fantastic.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Thank you, Mike. I went away for a while to concentrate on finishing at least one of the books that I'd started. Now that I've partially accomplished that, I'll try to spend a little time here with all my friends.


*w00t!*


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## Elmore Hammes

Had a decent start to NaNoWriMo with 4,000 words. Even better, I have discovered the genre (science fiction/superhero) and stumbled on what could be the beginnings of a plot. I need to get ahead of the target goal of 1,667 words a day to make up for an upcoming mission trip - if I can stay focused that should be very doable.


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## sierra09

Great start, Elmore. That sounds like an interesting genre. You would think with as many comics as I collect I'd have ideas for superheroes popping out all over but alas I don't think I'm ready to try that. 

I'm sticking with adventure myself for NaNoWriMo and despite having the intrusion of my sister yesterday did manage to do 4,750 or so words. I'm going to try to stay ahead of the daily goal too mainly because I never know when something will come up that may put me behind. Hopefully nothing since I actually have the whole thing in my head which tends to lose track very easily.


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## kellyabell

Okay I get to give myself PROPS! I finished a book in 4 days! Hah top that! Okay, it's a novella really, but still it is in my publisher's capable hands. It is a Holiday Romance and if you want to see what it's about you can peek on my website. It's called Online Angel and I am really excited about it. Have you ever had a story just GRAB you and you couldn't turn it loose until it was written? Well that is the way it was for this one. I should have entered it in NANO! LOL I proved to myself that it can be done though. Good luck to all of you participating. Stop by www.kellyabellbooks.com on the Coming Soon page and check it out if you would.

Back to the sequel. I might actually be able to get that done by end of the year! Yay!


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## sierra09

Congrats! Hey, even a novella counts in my book.   It was like that with my first novel. I just started and went until it was done. I'm hoping doing this with Nano gives me the push to get back into the sequel for it since Ian's tale is planned and started but the kid is proving a bit more difficult to pin down.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Wrote somewhere around 3500 words last night and finished off chapter ten of IHN: Legend of the Sword. Yay! Probably not going to get much done tonight, though: did a 9-miler (half running, half walking - fast) after work and am a bit beat. But, we'll see...


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## Edward C. Patterson

That's great Mike. I only did 1,800 words today, but since I'm the last part of The Nan Tu, the chapters are shorter, betwen 3-2,000 words - you now it's a 3rd Act structural pacing thing. I'm excited tonight, because I did some writig (not counted in this total) on The People's Treasure (The Jade Owl Legacy Series Book IV).

Ed Patterson


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## Dave Dykema

After about a week away I got back to my current manuscript and saw it through fresh eyes. A few new ideas sparked and possibly some rearranging of chapters (or at least sections of chapters). If all this works (I plan to play around with it in detail tomorrow) I think I have a much better book.


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## Edward C. Patterson

2,200 words tonight. Tough sequence (I had to have women raped - history can be tough, but the infamous mutiny of the troops escorting the Emperor's consorts and queens was a new writing experience for me. We'll see how it effect Peg of the red Pencil in the morning).

Ed patterson


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## Elmore Hammes

Yesterday wasn't as productive as I hoped, but I added a couple thousand words to my NaNoWriMo novel. Less writing today as I have a formatting project to do, and then this evening I am giving a short presentation on self-publishing to a writer's group. Should be fun.


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## NAmbrose

There are obviously a LOT of pages in this thread, and I can't say that I've read through every one of them.  But, I'm having a very troubling writing issue that is perhaps unique (perhaps not), and I would really like some kind of input if anyone feels so inclined.  I wish that this problem related to writer's block, or lack of time to write, or an issue with motivation, or whatever, but this is a bit more...personal.

My problem is this:  It seems that every time I attempt to set up or participate in a public event geared toward marketing my books, be it a book signing, an art fair, a church activity, or whatever, my spouse seems to want to discourage me.  She does this in subtle ways, with little, off-the-cuff comments that make it sound as if I'm somehow wasting my time.  I'm fairly certain she is not doing this maliciously, and at times probably doesn't even realize it, although we've spoken about it more than once.  This also applies to pricing, be it my paperbacks or e-books.  My wife feels that every price I set is too low, without considering or researching what similar works sell for.

It is very confusing and fairly disheartening to me, since it was she who originally told me that she believed writing was my calling, and also encouraged me to leave a mind-numbing but well-paying conventional job to do so.  She recently finished reading my latest novel, and told me in all honesty that she enjoyed it a great deal, so she knows that I have at least a little skill.

I personally believe that one's spouse should at least make an attempt to be supportive and offer encouragement when they're able, which is what I've always tried to do.  I am not a seasoned public speaker, and to say that it is difficult for me to stand in front of friends and peers and discuss the merits of my work would be an understatement.  But, to heap on top of that natural trepidation the fact that my spouse seems to think that failure is inevitable, makes the task doubly difficult.

I truly apologize to those who think I'm whining.  But, this is affecting me to the point that I am contemplating abandoning the craft, and going back to being a drone.  Writing has been the most enjoyable activity I've ever experienced, bar none, and the thought of giving it up grieves me.

So, I guess my question is--have you had a spouse or close family member attempt to discourage you or hold you back, even though you believed you could be successful, by whatever measure you use to define success?  If so, how did you overcome it?  How does one develop a thick skin toward a person you care about and respect more than any other?

I'm really sorry for treating this like a 'Dear Abbey' column, but over the last few months I've come to respect and admire the great many authors on this board, and feel a profound kinship toward those who practice the craft.  Any input, including, "Stop whining and get back to work!" would not offend me.  Thanks, oh sage Kindlefolk!

Nicolas


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## sierra09

Unmarried single person here so while I can't say if this is normal for most spouses I do understand where you're coming from in the discouraging arena.

I'd love to say that my family is fully 100% behind my writing efforts and supports my efforts in all areas of it, be it the writing, selling, pricing, marketing, etc. I'd love to say that, but I can't. My mother is widely supportive(though what Mother isn't? My Father, if he were still with us, probably wouldn't be) however, my oldest sibling thinks this is all one big waste of time, effort and is totally humiliating to her.

Sure, it was cute when little sister would kill time just doodling in notebooks but to have a book on Amazon, that's an embarrassment to her. So much so, that when after a local newspaper ran a little piece on the book, she had a fit because people she worked with found out that her sister had written a book and wanted to know how to buy it. She wouldn't tell them. She told them not to waste their money.  

So I fully understand what you mean about feeling as if people were discouraging you. It is hard to deal with that, especially when it comes from within your own family and from someone who you would expect to support you. In my case, I just came to the point where I ignore her snide comments about the royalty I make when a paperback does sell(I have them set low for a reason) and just keep on working because it's what I love to do. It's not easy and some days I wonder if I should give it up because I'm not an extroverted personality so it is hard to market in person but I just decided to do everything I could to prove those people who say I can't, wrong.

That's all you can do. It's a shame that people we love feel like this but if writing is what we love to do and until it becomes a chore to do so, I feel like it's them who don't understand things. I'm sure your wife doesn't do this intentionally, unlike my sister. It just may be she's afraid you'll be hurt by something.


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## NAmbrose

Sierra09,

Thank you for the response--I truly appreciate it.  There is a ring of truth in what you say.  I think my wife does, at times, believe that I will somehow be crushed if things don't go the way I'd hoped, although I don't think I've ever given her reason to believe that I'm that thin-skinned.  Perhaps she thinks she's protecting me.  But, I full well know that I need to plant seeds, wherever and whenever I can.  I may not be able to make them grow, as that's up to the Source, and the ground might not be fertile at that moment, but I have to plant--to take some action--nonetheless.  To do less would be to guarantee failure.

As for writing... Even at its most tedious, during the slowest, most brain-numbing times, I still love it utterly.  I can't imagine going back to that other life.


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## Thumper

There's no easy way to work around the issues of subtle--or overt--nonsupport from family members. My own mother made fun of my writing for years. when I started writing stories as a kid she was amused; when I wrote a novel length piece of fan fiction at 12 she snickered and laughed at his, snorting, "Well, SOMEONE has been daydreaming." When I started selling my work at 18 or so, it was just a nifty little hobby I had going. It wasn't until I sold my first book that I think the light bulb clicked on over her head and she realized my little hobby wasn't so little and wasn't a hobby.

After that, you'd think she'd been my champion all along.

I think in some ways what we do embarrasses other people; they keep their fantasies in their head, where respectable people do. They certainly don't parade them out in public for mass inspection. They also don't get that it's not about the money; it's about the creative process, and the drive to get from a _Hmmmm_ to a finished story/article/poem/book.

The Spouse Thingy has always supported me, but I don't think he completely got it until he saw the contract on my first book. In his head it kept me occupied while the USAF bumped us around the country and enabled me to stay home and raise the Boy. The checks were nice, but they weren't huge... without that monetary reinforcement, it just didn't sink in.

Even now, when I've been at this longer that we've been together (and we've been together since we were teenagers), he'll question some aspects of the business. When I fought the marketing guy over the price of my Kindle editions, he didn't get it. The first book was initially priced at $5. Why not leave it there, why drop it below $2? I tried to explain volume sales, and he understands that in other sales types, but it was like talking to a brick wall...until the first Amazon payment hit the bank account. Then it was like "Oh, wow! You were right. Buy me a new toy?"

I honestly think the questioning, the digs, the uncertainties expressed by the people who really care about us and think we have talent worth sharing is well intended. The want the best for us--the money to roll in from sales, and not because of greed but because they think we deserve it; they want to spare us the bad reviews, the suckitude of a book signing where no one comes...

On the flip side, I really do get tired of him telling total strangers that I'm a writer. No one cares, sweetheart... Your friends might care, but only because it's slightly out of the ordinary. The guy writing up the paperwork for your new motorcycle could care less... 

One of these times I'm going to meet someone he's already talked to who will squeal "You're the writer!" and I totally want to shoot back "You're the town whore!"

It's funny in my head, anyway...


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## Betsy the Quilter

I've had similar experiences in my quilting business.  My husband, while he loved what I was doing, couldn't really believe people would pay the prices I was asking and that quilting was much of a business at all, and till (1) I took him to the Houston Quilt Show which filled the convention center and (2) sold a couple quilts at my going rate.  It's difficult when you're not getting full support.  Hang in there!

Betsy


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## Edward C. Patterson

This is a common authorial problem, non-support of those closest to you, but only if you are passionate about your writing. Your writing competes with the attentions that a loved-one feels belongs to them. They are supportive to a point, but when it diverts you into events that make them take a second seat, there's often reprocussions. It's one of the prices an author pays - all authors pay. In my case, close friends "acted up" whenever I had a chance to talk about my books. I would mention a book to a new acquainances and boyfriends would be at hand to say - "oh, his hobby," "he's self-published, you know," and even use the dreaded "vanity," word. Solution.? None really, but let it infect your work - it'll come out. Characters benefit from such author angst, and a steady course needs to be walk. Outwardly ignore it. It has its ups and downs, and could level off in time. Your passion to write just might outrun a loved-ones need to be the center of the universe. In my world, there can't be two drag queens in the same room, but somehow they manage. 

Melville, Hardy, Hemingway, Woolf, Twain and even Dickens suffered through this and Jane Austen ran into corners to write and, although a single lady, had difficulty forming any lasting relationship because of "her hobby." Of course, she gained a deep insight into human nature and crafted characters that have outlived her. Now Steven King was fortunate in having a spouse who encouraged him to the point that she is his biggest fan - at one point, his only fan. But Tabitha is also an author. It's the price of pasage, I fear and wish I could say differently

Ed Patterson


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## Ty Johnston

Funny how some of our spouses, even those who support our writing, are sometimes our worst enemies when it comes to our writing. For the most part, I think it's a matter of "they just don't get it, even if they say they do."

That said, the biggest problem I usually have with my spouse are interruptions. She works at home, too, but her work situation is much different than my own. She's always on the phone talking with one client or other, faxing reports, etc. But her work comes in spurts. She'll be busy for an hour or so dealing with paperwork or a client, and then she's free for fifteen minutes or longer.

It's those fiftee minutes of hers that kill me.

Because I work at home, she always, ALWAYS, suddenly has something for me to do during her breaks. Take out the garbage. Help her with a printer problem. Walk the dog. Go to the store. Etc., etc.


Just can't seem to get her to understand that when I'm working, I'm working. It's not contructive to have to stop in the middle of my flow all he time to help her with whatever. No amount of talking has helped. And if I get angry about it, she just gets defensive.


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## Jeff

NAmbrose said:


> ...So, I guess my question is--have you had a spouse or close family member attempt to discourage you or hold you back, even though you believed you could be successful, by whatever measure you use to define success? If so, how did you overcome it? How does one develop a thick skin toward a person you care about and respect more than any other?


Sometimes your spouse, a family member or close friend may seem to be discouraging when their motive is really to protect you. It takes a great deal of courage to pour one's soul out in print and then let the world see it. Most people don't possess that kind of courage; my wife being one of those.

Thirty-something years ago, my wife read the first novel I wrote and loved it. When it was rejected by dozens of publishers and eventually flopped, she took it harder than I did and has never again been enthusiastic about anything I've written. It isn't for lack of caring; it's simply that she cannot handle the rejection and/or failure.

My solution has been to let my wife off the hook. I don't ask her to read anything I've written or to help me make decisions. I should add that doing that may have been easier for me than for someone who exclusively writes fiction, so it may be of no value to you.


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## NAmbrose

Thumper, Betsy, Ed, Darkbow, and Jeff,

You have no idea how much I appreciate your insight and sage advice.  It's something I've been struggling with for many months, and really have been in a quandry over this.  I have no close friends who are writers--in fact most people I knew or associated with when I started writing were perhaps a little jealous when I began to pursue this path in earnest, as they seemed to feel they were trapped in whatever job they were in and indignant that someone would actually try to break out of the mold.  I no longer have contact with any of them.

As for the interuptions during my writing time, I also experienced that for quite a while, until I got through to my spouse that my time writing should not be treated any differently than if I were on the phone selling insurance or whatever--it's a job for me, not a hobby.  My wife is also home full-time, as she left her job as a successful mortgage officer to become, of all things, a writer!  She did this a full year before I did.  Only afterwards did she discover that she doesn't have the patience for the craft, and I discovered that I loved it.

She did, however, write a children's book that I think is wonderful.  It is complete, edited, and yet is sitting in a drawer and has been for more than a year.  Those who've read it, including other successful writers, felt it was very good and worthy of publication.  But when I gently remind her of the fact, she speaks of having a 'fear of success.'  Is it possible to have a fear, not only of her own success, but of mine as well?  That makes no sense to me, if true...

I guess, unlike some of you, I am fairly new to the process in many ways.  I do believe in myself--that I have an ability to use words to move others emotionally or allow them to form vivid mental pictures of some alien landscape.  I've been able to familiarize myself with the mechanics of writing, of ebook creation and publishing, and of hardcopy book creation.  Success through conventional publishing channels still eludes me, but I can only hope that that is temporary.  What has given me the most challenge so far is the ways in which my life, and my interactions with others, have changed--in ways both subtle and gross.  I am not yet sure how to define myself as a writer.  Perhaps it is that internal struggle that's coming across to those close to me as indecision or some percieved inability to cope with rejection.  I don't know.

I do know that I appreciate the comments and support you've shown me.  It helps me believe that the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train!  I hope I can return the favor someday.

Nicolas


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## Edward C. Patterson

This thread is about support and support we give. I added your work to my TBR pile, Nicolas. I'm a full month behind in my own activities (thanks in part to my passion for Operation eBook Drop, a spouse of a different kind), but I shall get to it, I promise. The reason I write is to be read, but beyond that - to be read and to linger in my reader's mind. It's like touching someone and saying - "you're it!" Take me with you and speak of me - hopefully with kindness - better still, recruit another heart for me to reap. As for my closest firneds and relatives, I'm just another schmoe with a hobby. If they don't see fame and fortune, it's a hobby. I wish they could see into my reader's souls, but alas, we need to live our own lives. I do have one relative who understands me - an eighty five year old poetess aunt in Massachusetts, who has gobbled up everything I have written (even bought a Kindle), and because she is the exception to the "family and friends don't understand," rule - this next book, The Nan Tu, is dedicated to her. 

Ed Patterson
PS: Sometimes a reader's soul is so touched that they . . . become your editor. Thus, Peg of the Red Pencil


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## NAmbrose

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I added your work to my TBR pile, Nicolas.


Oh, Jeez--something else I have to stress out about! I sent Red a copy a few weeks ago; I'm still waiting for THAT shoe to drop... 

Seriously, I appreciate it a great deal. You are a gentleman AND a scholar.


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## Thumper

darkbow said:


> That said, the biggest problem I usually have with my spouse are interruptions.


That is the single biggest annoyance of my life. When we moved into this house my office was what should have been he family room, because there's a gas fireplace in it and I'm always cold. The Spouse Thingy would wander in to tell me something (usually pertaining to something he was watching on TV, which I didn't care about to begin with) or he'd go into the kitchen, which is right there (great room concept.) He knew he was annoying me, but always answered the inevitable death stares with, "Well, I thought you were just playing around online. I didn't know you were working."

That is not an unfair assumption on his part, BTW. I frequently take breaks with a few minutes here and there surfing fark.com and Facebook. He wanted me to wear a hat while I was working (seriously!) so he would know to not say anything, but the fact that he was _there_ or makng noise in the kitchen was enough to derail my brain train.

I finally made him help me move my office into the spare bedroom. He can interrupt if the door is open all the way, but if it's mostly closed (can't close it all the way because of one of my psychotic cats) and he interrupts, I am fully within my rights to grab a tube of Ben Gay, squirt some into my hands, and then grab his favorite toy.


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## NAmbrose

Oh, God, that last line had me laughing for several minutes!  Thank you Thumper--I needed that!  (Not that I would have ANY familiarity with what you are talking about...) 

I have a similar issue, in that my office is next to our media room, and my wife really enjoys certain shows, as in about everything that gets broadcast between 3 pm and midnight.  Although the door is shut, it doesn't help.  Sometimes I'd really like to see whether a TIVO makes a decent boat anchor...


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## Edward C. Patterson

Wow, I don;t have an office - I write in the living room. I don;t have a cat, ut soounds like I should get me one of those husband thingies - preferably a rich doctor who can keep me in fancy "carpeting."  

Ed Patterson


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## sierra09

Ed, if you ever find one of those husband thingeys(I type that in Word and you wouldn't believe the colored squiggly lines I get) see if he has a twin.  


Editing this for a question:

Ed, got a question that I hope you can answer. Chinese dialects, how many are there? I have a character who is fluent in Mandarin Chinese but I'm not sure if that's correct. Thanks.


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## Thumper

NAmbrose said:


> I have a similar issue, in that my office is next to our media room, and my wife really enjoys certain shows, as in about everything that gets broadcast between 3 pm and midnight.


Wireless headphones. Seriously. TV noise was an issue until we got him him a pair of wireless headphones he could wear while watching TV. We popped for the almost spendy ones, Sony @ about $100, but they're comfortable and he can watch TV in the middle of the night and not bother me while I'm working or sleeping.

I do consider it support on his part that he's more than willing to slap those things on his head to give me some peace...


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## Thumper

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wow, I don;t have an office - I write in the living room. I don;t have a cat, ut soounds like I should get me one of those husband thingies - preferably a rich doctor who can keep me in fancy "carpeting."
> 
> Ed Patterson


Husband thingies are quite useful when they're not interrupting. Mine will cook if I'm too busy, or he'll offer to take me out, and he keeps me supplied in fun toys and unmentionable things. He also reads my work and tells me it's wonderful, even if he's circled 3000 typos.

They do require some training; we're coming up on 28 years next month and he's about 98% there


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## Debra Purdy Kong

Wow, so many of the comments about support from spouses, family and friends really hit home. I've lost a couple of friends because they didn't like the fact that I preferred writing to shopping. My mom likes that I'm a writer and buys books from me to give to friends, but she doesn't really consider it a real job. My long-suffering husband is supportive in that he goes to signings with me and helps hand out bookmarks and sell books and keeps a box of my books at work in case a colleague's interested. He also does my taxes for me, but he's discouraged that I haven't made a lot of money from it. I think sometimes he wishes he'd married a lawyer or a doctor or someone with a higher income. My daughter is very cool about it and brought my first published book to show-and-tell when she was 7 years old. Her whole class also thought it was cool. When I published my second book and my son's teacher found out about it, he was mortified by all the attention it generated. He was 13 at the time. He doesn't mind me writing as long as it doesn't put him in the spotlight.

Debra


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## Edward C. Patterson

Sierra:

There are 12 Chinese languages (not dialects), each held linguistically together by a common writing system. It's hard for us to imagine that, but the writing system (Classical Chinese) was never meant to be spoken, just read. In that way, the written language was comprehended from one end of the Empire to the other. Only officials (the literati) read and wrote and they were trained and schooled uniformly and gained office via a national examination that required specific writing and written forms. That being said, have you ever wondered when watching a Chinese film that thre are Chinese character subtitles. That's so all 12 languages can understand what's being said.

Now, Mandarin, which is based on the language spoken in and around Bei-jing is now the lingua franca of China. The characters in modern Chinese follow Mandarin syntax (no Chinese language has a grammar - just syntax - no declensions or tense changes). Kuang-chou-hua (Cantonese), the language of the deep south is as difference from Mandarin as Persian is from English. If it were not for the mandate of the People's Republic for all literate Chinese to learn Mandarin (Chung-wen) and write the simplified writing system, the two broad areas of the nation wouldn't understand one another. Most overseas Chinese speak Cantonese as they do in Hong Kong and Singapore. The other major languages are Wu (Shanghai), Min (Fukien), Wei (Shan-xi), Ch'i (Shantung), Ch'u (Szechuan) and many lesser languages in Southwestern China, including Miao, Yao, Yu and various Turkic languages (Uighur), not to mention Tibetan.

If your character is a modern educated citizen of the People's Republic, then they know mandarin. You can let them speak mandarin dialog. In the Jade Owl et al, I have all my Chinese characters and the China Hands launch into Mandarin at one point or another. I also make it clear that the China hands need translators when they are in Shang-hai and in Xi-an. I also make a point of the differences between the sonorous beauty of Mandarin compared to the 12-tone "cat-song" cackle of Cantonese. The only rule I have is that when the scene has dialog between two Chinese and no Westerner is in the scene, they cannot speak Chinese, as we must assume that they are speaking Chinese and the author is translating. However, the minute a westerner comes on the scene, the language barrier can emerge with phrases to highlight the duality of the conversation.

In my 12th century novels, Chinese is never spoken - however there I take care never to use western terms such as mile (I use li), or umbrella or parasol (I use san-tze), or any Latin words or pop terms. The accuracy of writing those novels depend on a knowledge of the way things were (the changed course of major rivers and the different names of towns in the 12th Century, ie. Nanking = Chinag-ning). The challenge for me there is to develop characters that live beyond the names, because Chinese names are as defiant in novels as Russian names. 

Hope that answers your question, and I would be delighted to keep your character honest as you develop him/her

Ed Patterson, MA


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## sierra09

Thanks, Ed. That was a much better explanation than I got when I googled and ended up on the CIA webpage (now Mom thinks they're going to come knocking  ) This character is actually a Navy Seal who is fluent in several Chinese languages. I knew of Mandarin but I also knew there were more so I will certainly take my notes off your post. Thanks!


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## Edward C. Patterson

Your welcome. What does the CIA know? I've lived and breathed Chinese History ad Culture since I was a young lad of 28.  The most important languages for your Seal to know is Wu, Kuang (Cantonese), Ch'u and Mandarin. (I had for a scene in The nan Tu do a quick learn of some Manchu, but in the 12th century, Manchu was not fully developed, although I purloined it for a Jurchen warrior to use when captured and interrogated. I cheated. Shhhh!).

Very important for you to know (or at least cool) that the simplified characters are a son of gun to read for those of us who read the full-bull characters (Hong Kong has old style and Tai-wan and all overseas Chinese use 'em). Also, if you need transliteration help, let me know. The official transliteration is now pin-yin, a wacky romanization of the language. I grew up using Wade-Giles, which is just as wacky at times, but more accessible to Westerners. In my novels I use a combination of both, I guess you can call it Wade-Pin-Patterson. If I didn't, my readers would go crazy. For example, the Sung Dynasty is in pin-yin the Song Dynasty. Ch'in is Qin - but in Wade-Giles the pin-yin Xi (as in Xi'an) is Hsi-an, and the word shr is shih). So I mix and match. Purests would have my hide, _ke-shr wo-men shr man-man-de._ (but they are too slow).



Ed Patterson


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## NAmbrose

Remind me never to even consider writing a book set east of, say, India!  I would be so lost.

And Thumper, I did buy a set of really good Sony wireless headphones, but my other half refuses to wear them unless it's after 8 or 9 pm.  This is why I'm usually up writing (or posting) at 1 or 2 in the morning.  Peace and quiet...


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## Elmore Hammes

Great discussion on accuracy and making a character seem real through appropriate speech.

I've had several ideas for historical based fiction that I have kept on the back burner due to some of the daunting research that would be required to do these particular stories justice.

Sometime I want to delve into a science fiction novel that it is completely alien-based so I don't have to worry about anything being 'accurate', just consistent with the world I come up with!


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## sierra09

I understand that. My problem half the time is I delve too much into research then get lost in what I wanted. I haven't decided if this character will ever actually speak in Chinese but since he's the group translator, you never know. I need to get a book on Chinese language since I don't always trust online translators. I had a heck of a time this weekend with a Spanish phrase and out of all the language books I have, Spanish is not one of them.   Two years of Spanish in school and I still can't put together a proper sentence either...well, at least not good ones.


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## Edward C. Patterson

If you need a phrase of Chinese for the character, just shoot me over an email as the spirit moves you. [email protected] I would be happy to provide.

Ed Patterson


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## sierra09

Thanks, Ed. I just may do that.


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## J Dean

Elmore Hammes said:


> Sometime I want to delve into a science fiction novel that it is completely alien-based so I don't have to worry about anything being 'accurate', just consistent with the world I come up with!


You can get away with that as long as you're not too dependent on tech being believable. Also, the more fleshed out and alive your characters are, the better off you'll be.

Scifi is challenging because it's very tempting to try to hide a weak story or bad character development behind layers of technobabble and gadgetry. The thing to remember is that the techno-gadgetry needs to enhance a story, not to dominate it. It's another color on your palate; a beautiful one that needs to be used in proper accenting here and there. If you haphazardly slather that color all over your canvas, you have a colorful mess!


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## sierra09

Here's a question for anyone before I throw my keyboard out the window. Let us say you have a character who lives in a condo. Do you type condo or do you actually type the whole word condominium? I normally just type condo but really don't want called on that if it's wrong.   Better to ask now.


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## Ann in Arlington

If it's dialog, I'd probably use Condo. . . .because you don't very often here people saying things like "I just got a new condominium." or "The condominium board doesn't like the decorations on my door."

If it's description. . . . .hard to say. . . .probably depends on the feel you want -- how formal you want or need to be.  More formality would argue for using the whole word.


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## sierra09

Got it. That's what I was thinking too but sometimes my brain thinks too simply and it turns out wrong. I think I'll leave it as it is and just put it in my little post it note for possible changing.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Well, if it's before the dinner and movie . . . oh, you said Condo -- sorry.

Ed P


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## sierra09

Ed, you just made me go back to double-check what I typed since I have the bad habit of typing what may be in my head at that moment and since I'm editing a scene that actually had that in it I decided to check.


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## Ann in Arlington

We had a priest once called Condon.  Had to spell that very carefully.

He was also an artist and when we left that duty station he gave us a very nice water color of the ocean at moonrise.  

Sorry. . .that was apropos of absolutely nothing. . . .carry on. . . . . .


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## Edward C. Patterson

Sierra:

No I'm the one-eyed bad typist, but I never miss a chance to sprinkle my fairy dust.
(whoops - we're literary here and must use the Tolkien version - faerie dust)
Ed Patterson


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## Dave Dykema

I love to spell theater as theatre.

Don't know why, it just feels cooler.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Wrote 3,800 words last night (new) and revised 8,000 words (always an easier feat).

Ed Patterson


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## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wrote 3,800 words last night (new) and revised 8,000 words (always an easier feat).
> 
> Ed Patterson


D'oh! You're putting me to shame! Gonna try to write some tonight, and definitely a lot (I hope) tomorrow. However, right now it's time to take a little siesta before dinner...


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## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I've started my final revisions of The Nan u (because the book is so big ass), before the last chapter drafts are finished. (Driving peg crazy) and revision work will double my count.   The book is actually shorter than projected at 155,000 words. Still, I'm so determined to get this one out with 99.8% defect free that I've pushed the released now to mid-January 2010 (sorry Academician fans), but this book is the most complex thing I've written.

Ed Patterson


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## sierra09

155,000 words   Boy and I think editing something with 80,000 is bad. Though after all day I have firmly decided the creator of page numbers should be shot because I hate trying to finally figure the things out for this action novel. I was determined the title page would not have numbers. Will I suceed or will the computer go flying is still in question. I did write about 6,700 on the NaNo story in between snarling and editing. I'm getting better at multi-tasking.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Sierra, it's not my all time biggy. The 3rd Jade owl book, The Dragon's Pool is 250,000 words (The Third Peregrination is 220,000, while The Jde Owl is an anemic 183,000). BTW, Sierra - thanks for The Jade Owl review on Smashwords. I just got the notification.

Ed Patterson


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## sierra09

No problem, Ed. I'm sorry I couldn't do it more justice. I'm basically horrid with reviews...which is why I don't do them often.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, let the keyboard-hammering begin: digging into First Contact this morning, shooting for 3000 words today! 

Happy Veterans Day, too, BTW!


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, let the keyboard-hammering begin: digging into First Contact this morning, shooting for 3000 words today!
> 
> Happy Veterans Day, too, BTW!


I hope you mean Legend of the Sword, because I'm really looking forward to it.

Did you see the ads for _Avatar _with all the blue chicks flying around?


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## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

Peg is furious that Avatar stole your blue lady warriors, but I told her that they're not blue, but a purplishing, greenish hue. She wanted to know what novel it was based on, however, Avatar evidently is straight from Cameron's noggin.

Ed Patterson


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I hope you mean Legend of the Sword, because I'm really looking forward to it.


HA! Well, you can tell I was up early. Aye (said with kilt in mind), Legend of the Sword it is! 



> Did you see the ads for _Avatar _with all the blue chicks flying around?


Yes, actually I'm really looking forward to that one (along with 2012)!


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## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike:
> 
> Peg is furious that Avatar stole your blue lady warriors, but I told her that they're not blue, but a purplishing, greenish hue. She wanted to know what novel it was based on, however, Avatar evidently is straight from Cameron's noggin.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed - LOL! Well, they actually do look more bluish to me, I think, but I'll let Cameron (the director) slide this time! Ha! Besides, they're taller and skinnier, have big noses, and I think (I'd have to watch the trailer again) they even had tails. And no black armor or swords. Hmph! Besides, I'm holding out for Peter Jackson or Mel Gibson to do the directing. I like Cameron's films a lot, but not quite the touch that I'm looking for... 

I am looking forward to this one, though. It looks like it should be good, and if I recall, Sigourney Weaver is in it, along with the gal who starred in both Lost (as Ana Lucia) and in Battlestar Galactica (as Cat, I believe). So I'd go just to see them, anyway, tall skinny blue chicks and all!


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## Edward C. Patterson

So am I. It cost $500 million to produce according to a NY Time article two days ago.

Ed Patterson


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## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> So am I. It cost $500 million to produce according to a NY Time article two days ago.
> 
> Ed Patterson


HOLY COW! That's incredible! Talk about some big bucks... 

Well, reached my goal of 3000 words tonight. w00t! Will try to keep hammering some out each day, except probably for Sunday when we run!


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## Edward C. Patterson

Great. I only did 2,800 in revision work. This final is real hard work because I'm going or zero defects. Not only is the book getting 2 doses of Peg of the Red Pencil (she tells me she can teach a course on Southern Sung History), a run through Serenity Editor and two reads on the Kindle, but the final chapters are now played back on my DX's test-to-speech. The first chapter to come through had been touch no less than 6 times with editors, me and tools, and text-to-speech still found 2 things (choses/choose and a double-pronoun revision remnant - fancy name for when I revise and leave a left over word, in this case 2 pronouns - a her and a she, which is a Hershey).   I recommend this as a last step, like a giant computerize vacuum cleaner. It does tack an extra 2 weeks on the release date, but who's my boss? The reader.

Ed Patterson


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## Elmore Hammes

Cracked the 30k milestone on my NaNoWriMo novel yesterday. Hoping to advance that another couple thousand words today. Other than that, relatively quiet on the author side of things.

Ed, the _reader_ is your boss? Those darn characters seem to be in charge when I write!


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## Edward C. Patterson

The characters are always in charge, but the reader is the boss. I could release this book mid-December, but the editing would be such that some readers might give me a pink slip. The extra three week will let me keep my job.  

Ed Patterson


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## sierra09

I figured out the other day it's best to edit while it's in standard size. Moron that I am decided to finish editing Flames of Betrayal in the size it will be.   Needless to say I was glad to recall that I could increase the page view size to 150%.  Editng 76+K words in 5.5x8.5 size with bad eyes on a screen wasn't fun until then.

Today's plan is to hopefully get past 50,000 on the NaNo novel. When I started that thing I was hoping the novel would end around there...looks like it'll be over assuming I can get the end the way I want it by the deadline of the end of the month. I also want to do at least a thousand on my sequel to Roarke's novel. I fear Ian's yelling that he's being ignored. We'll see what the day brings.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, time to resurrect this thread (at least to keep myself in line)! I've topped 60,000+ words for *In Her Name: Legend of the Sword* and am driving onward. Would like to try and get at least another 1,000 words added tonight, and hopefully a LOT tomorrow and over the weekend...


----------



## Jeff

Thanks for the resurrection, Mike. Just in time for me to ask a question:

I've just completed what could be one fairly big book of about 200,000 words or two smaller books of 100,000 words each. What do readers prefer?


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## Edward C. Patterson

I'm glad your back in the saddle, 'cause I'm in the last revisions of The Nan-tu and need my touchstones here.

0 tonight

Ed Patterson


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## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Thanks for the resurrection, Mike. Just in time for me to ask a question:
> 
> I've just completed what could be one fairly big book of about 200,000 words or two smaller books of 100,000 words each. What do readers prefer?


Jeff -

I think it's one of those "it depends" questions. But based on my experience with In Her Name, the omnibus version (325,000 words) has sold MUCH better than the versions published as a trilogy. Some reviewers were intimidated by the size of the book and strongly recommended I split it up (which I did). But the sales show that people like the full story. And on a Kindle, size really doesn't matter!


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## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'm glad your back in the saddle, 'cause I'm in the last revisions of The Nan-tu and need my touchstones here.
> 
> 0 tonight
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed - Yay! That should be really cool when it's done! 

I managed to squeeze out 1800 words tonight. My muse is ready to keep going, but my body's whipped: been up since 0400 this morning and have about had it. Time to watch the tube (gonna watch Transformers 2)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Thanks for the resurrection, Mike. Just in time for me to ask a question:
> 
> I've just completed what could be one fairly big book of about 200,000 words or two smaller books of 100,000 words each. What do readers prefer?


Question; You've shown us two covers for two separate books. Is this 200,000 word book the first one, Land of the Free? If it is, I would keep it one book. People seem to like 4-500 page books. A really good book can't be too long, and your books are really good. You don't achieve 200K words with useless filler like some authors (and I'm talking about some big-time best-selling authors).


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Question; You've shown us two covers for two separate books. Is this 200,000 word book the first one, Land of the Free?


_Land of the Free_ is 107,00 words, 466 pages in 12 point type in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 trade paperback format.
_Home of the Brave_ is 95,879 words, 409 pages in 12 point type in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 trade paperback format.

To create a single volume from both books, I can cut the page count down to conform to the maximum printers' standard by using a 10 point font. The margins are already tight so there's no room there. Obviously that's not an issue with the e-books.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> _Land of the Free_ is 107,00 words, 466 pages in 12 point type in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 trade paperback format.
> _Home of the Brave_ is 95,879 words, 409 pages in 12 point type in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 trade paperback format.
> 
> To create a single volume from both books, I can cut the page count down to conform to the maximum printers' standard by using a 10 point font. The margins are already tight so there's no room there. Obviously that's not an issue with the e-books.


Jeff

Hmmm. Rather than try to combine those, based on the page length I'd say you should probably leave it as-is. I might consider reducing the font size by one point to 11, but otherwise the print cost of the book is gonna be pretty steep...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Rather than try to combine those, based on the page length I'd say you should probably leave it as-is. I might consider reducing the font size by one point to 11, but otherwise the print cost of the book is gonna be pretty steep...


Thanks, Mike. That's what I'll do.


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## Edward C. Patterson

Being a Big Book author (and little book too), I'd leave them as two seperate volumes and at a later date inssue an omibus edition. Mike's scheme for In Her Name worked well. My Jade Owl series (183,000, 225,000 and 255,000 words each), are jumbo enough and I considered splitting them if it were not that there are 2 more in the seires. or Southern Swallow, The Acedmician was kept to 110,0 words, and the Nan Tu was a whooping 190,000 words, but I've revised it down to 140,000. If you sell BIG books, then you already have readers of BIG books. The BIG only becomes a challenge when it's your first book. Still, I had a recent review of The Jade Owl that it was too long, yet I edited it down from 230,000 to 183,000 at my agent's request before submitting it to traditional publishers, because she felt thee was too much. So I sliced away a ton of stuff (some useable later), but ost by the wayside. There is sensitivity to size. (I have more than one review of Bobby's Trace saying its too short - although I took that a compliment).  

Ed Patterson


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## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Jeff
> 
> Hmmm. Rather than try to combine those, based on the page length I'd say you should probably leave it as-is. I might consider reducing the font size by one point to 11, but otherwise the print cost of the book is gonna be pretty steep...


I agree with Mike. And if you are still using .5 as your indent, you can change it to .3. It makes a difference in the page length, but is sufficient for indicating the next paragraph.


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## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I agree with Mike. And if you are still using .5 as your indent, you can change it to .3. It makes a difference in the page length, but is sufficient for indicating the next paragraph.


That's a good idea too. Thanks.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I agree with Mike. And if you are still using .5 as your indent, you can change it to .3. It makes a difference in the page length, but is sufficient for indicating the next paragraph.


Yeah, I'd have to check, but I use something around .3". A larger indent isn't necessary. Also just double-check the leading between lines: standard single-spacing is often too wide a gap, and changing it even a hair can save a lot of pages (just have to be careful not to get the lines too close)...


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## kellyabell

Hi All,
I'm at 25K words for my sequel and have hit a block.  I know I was the one writing about writers block and now I've hit one.  Actually this is more of a tactical problem.  If any of you out there are familiar with Washington DC metro system is there anywhere I can hide a character whose been captured by a terrorist and is strapped to a bomb?  I would like her to be placed near a hospital but I just can't find anywhere secluded enough. I guess I'll keep working at it.


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## Edward C. Patterson

The DC tubes are built spaciously. You can;t even get grafiti on the walls. HOWEVER, they shut down at 10PM at night. So perhaps the angle you can use. 


I got 3,000 words of revision done and 1,00 wods fresh. Moving along, singing a song - "bye, bye Blackbird."

Ed Patterson


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## Michael R. Hicks

Finished chapter 14 of "Legend of the Sword". Still have quite a ways to go, but it's getting there...


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## Betsy the Quilter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The DC tubes are built spaciously. You can;t even get grafiti on the walls. HOWEVER, they shut down at 10PM at night. So perhaps the angle you can use.


Actually, that's not quite true. From their website:

Hours of service
Open: 5 a.m. Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. Sat.-Sun.
Close: midnight Sun.-Thurs. 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. nights

The last train in each station varies, one going from one end of a line to another might leave at 11-ish in order to get to the other end before midnight and appropriately later on weekends.

Alas, I don't know of any suburban hospitals near the Metro.... Alexandria is probably a couple miles from the King Street Metro and is not what you'd call secluded.

Betsy


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## Edward C. Patterson

Stand corrected. It's been a while since I've been on the Metro in DC - The last Gay March which was about 12 years ago and for the Quilt. Things were quite hazy, especially if you get lost on O Street outside La Cage.   Because I'm New York born and raised, I found a subway without graffiti and had operating hours highly unusual.

Ed Patterson


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## kellyabell

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Actually, that's not quite true. From their website:
> 
> Hours of service
> Open: 5 a.m. Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. Sat.-Sun.
> Close: midnight Sun.-Thurs. 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. nights
> 
> The last train in each station varies, one going from one end of a line to another might leave at 11-ish in order to get to the other end before midnight and appropriately later on weekends.
> 
> Alas, I don't know of any suburban hospitals near the Metro.... Alexandria is probably a couple miles from the King Street Metro and is not what you'd call secluded.
> 
> Betsy


Thank you both. That was sort of what I discovered with my research. Walter Reed was within about .7 miles of the Tacoma station but that was a little too far. I had not thought about the after hours idea though. I suspect I will need to do something different or change my city. I have something going on in New York as well so I will just have to see how it develops. Thanks for all the help


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## Susan in VA

GW hospital is probably closest to a Metro station, though I don't know which one.

As for secluded, I can assure you that the Metro _elevators_ within DC are secluded, deserted, and infrequently used. (People use the escalators, which are immediately visible and conveniently accessible.) The elevators are intended for the handicapped, and I used them on multiple occasions when I went into DC when DD was a baby because of the large stroller which I couldn't take on the escalator. Not only are the elevators generally at the farthest corner of a platform, but all the ones I saw were dimly lit, filthy (as in, moldy trash on the floor and pee stains on the walls), slow, creaky, and out of order about a quarter of the time.

This does not apply to the elevators at stations farther out in the suburbs; they're newer.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Hmmm. On the metro business, an enterprising bad guy could likely find some dark nook or cranny somewhere, although Susan's right about the elevators: I don't frequent the metro that often, but I've never seen anyone use an elevator.

However, if your bad guy knows how to pick locks and that sort of thing, there are always utility closets, accessways, and other sorts of places that could be used. Also, you can likely get away with a bit of sleight-of-hand in a situation like this: as long as you get the general details right about the metro, you can fictionalize some of the details of what you need to a great extent by using information from metro designs in general (or other systems you may be familiar with).  

For example, your bad guy could hustle the hostage into the metro at (hidden) gunpoint during the peak of rush hour (you wouldn't want to go when it was quiet, because they'd be a lot more visible to security). People are rushing around to/from trains, with passengers not paying attention to anything but making their connections, and security more or less overwhelmed in terms of watching what everybody's doing. They could easily slip into a fictionalized doorway toward one end of the platform that leads to an access corridor (that he's already explored and prepared earlier, presumably, maybe dressed up as a Metro employee) that's only used for periodic maintenance. If you keep the location of the doorway more or less generic, most people won't know the difference, since they normally don't go scoping out the infrastructure of the metro when the ride. 

As for the hospital location, that you obviously can't fake, but you might be able to come up with other mechanics to make it work for you...


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## Edward C. Patterson

As for the Hospital, use a real one and move it. I did it in Turning Idolater. But you must "hang a lantern on it," so the reader doesn;t question the illogic. 

Ed Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington

There was an incident back in the spring or summer, where the metro guy thought the last train had come in and had left and locked up the station.  Well, it hadn't and a handful of folks got stuck there.  A couple of skinny people, however, were able to squeeze out between the gates.  The rest called 911.

So, I offer that for what it's worth.


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## kellyabell

Good ideas!  Thank you all.  Here is what I think I'm going to do.  Im going to use the DC metro but take a liberty as suggested by Kreelanwarrior and make up my own nook and cranny.  It is working out well!  Thanks for all the ideas.  I may use the one about the people getting locked in!  That would be interesting


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## Ann in Arlington

Here's one story about it from the local NBC station. . . .it was just the first real news link that came up when I googled: locked inside metro station. You can find other reports. . . . .

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Metro-Riders-Stranded-At-Station-61441337.html


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## Elmore Hammes

I finished my National Novel Writing Month novel yesterday. 51,000 words in 28 days, not bad considering I took 8 days off for a mission trip. I've got a few short stories to work on and hopefully at the start of the new year I will get into my next full length effort.


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## Dave Dykema

So in other words, 51,000 words in 20 days! WOW!

I'm more like 51,000 words in 3 years...


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## Edward C. Patterson

As it should be, Elmore. As it should be.  

Ed Patterson


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## kellyabell

Nice job Elmore.  Congrats.

I've written over 5000 this weekend which was my goal.  Now that I'm beyond my little block things are flowing nicely.  Thanks again for all the help.  You all are great!


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## Edward C. Patterson

I just got back from New Jersey and am unpacking. I'll write tonight. Only 4 more chapters to The Nan Tu, and the rest of the revision work. I ight make it before the end of the year. I love you authors tips on your blog, btw. You deserve the awards for that blog.

Ed Patterson


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## sierra09

Congrats on finishing, Elmore!   I haven't been to the site to check word counts in a couple days. I have to admit I'm glad I went ahead and did the NaNo event. It was an interesting experiance and helped keep me going on Flames of Betrayal while I worked on the Nano story which actually went faster than I thought it would. 

Now, if I could write Ian's story in a month I'll be happy.


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## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats on the NaNo goals - that's a real achievement!! 

I might take a shot at it next year, but only if November's not as ridiculously hectic as this year's was. Good heavens! Anyway, Jan and the kids are outta the house, so I need to buckle down and get writing on the next chapter of Legend of the Sword...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 2600 words for the day- w00t! Now I'm going to go sort through some slides of my trip to the Soviet Union ages ago. Scarlet motivated me with the pics from her trip to get my old slides scanned and made into a coffee table book, so that'll be my winter project (in addition to finishing this book, of course!)...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,881 words in revision. Goin' keep Peg of the Red Pencil hopping tomorrow. The holiday out put was 9,000 words (or so). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Susan in VA said:


> GW hospital is probably closest to a Metro station, though I don't know which one.
> 
> As for secluded, I can assure you that the Metro _elevators_ within DC are secluded, deserted, and infrequently used. (People use the escalators, which are immediately visible and conveniently accessible.) The elevators are intended for the handicapped, and I used them on multiple occasions when I went into DC when DD was a baby because of the large stroller which I couldn't take on the escalator. Not only are the elevators generally at the farthest corner of a platform, but all the ones I saw were dimly lit, filthy (as in, moldy trash on the floor and pee stains on the walls), slow, creaky, and out of order about a quarter of the time.
> 
> This does not apply to the elevators at stations farther out in the suburbs; they're newer.


The elevators in the stations I've been in seem to be used a lot; usually by a bunch of young people who would have no problem at all using the steps or the escalator or or by mothers with strollers; when I had my knee surgery, I could hardly get on the elevator. 

Betsy


----------



## Susan in VA

Betsy the Quilter said:


> The elevators in the stations I've been in seem to be used a lot; usually by a bunch of young people who would have no problem at all using the steps or the escalator or or by mothers with strollers; when I had my knee surgery, I could hardly get on the elevator.
> 
> Betsy


How weird. Your knee surgery was last fall, right? My experiences were about five years ago; maybe they've cleaned up their act a bit in the meantime? Or maybe you're just using different stations. I was talking about L'Enfant and a couple of other stations near the Dept. of Transportation -- used to have a friend who worked there (in its old location) and went in to have lunch about once a week with DD and the stroller along.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm always happy when I see that a new post by Susan in VA is up because I love looking at that cat.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Susan in VA said:


> How weird. Your knee surgery was last fall, right? My experiences were about five years ago; maybe they've cleaned up their act a bit in the meantime? Or maybe you're just using different stations. I was talking about L'Enfant and a couple of other stations near the Dept. of Transportation -- used to have a friend who worked there (in its old location) and went in to have lunch about once a week with DD and the stroller along.


That could be...I know the elevators in some of the downtown stations which were among the first ARE way out of the way. The ones at say King St and Huntington in Alexandria are more centrally located.

Betsy


----------



## geoffthomas

Dave,
So glad to hear someone else compliment Susan on her cat avatar.
I like it a lot also.

Betsy, the Rosslyn Metro station elevator is also located in a well lit and convenient place.  However the street level is outside and across the street from the station.  The Rosslyn escalator is one of the longest in the system.

Just sayin......


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Didn't rack up a huge word count tonight (700 words), but finished off the draft of chapter 15 of Legend of the Sword. Yay!


----------



## Susan in VA

Dave and Geoff, thanks for complimenting Pixie; she's sitting next to the computer as I type and purring loudly, probably at the thought of having over 4000 pictures of herself on Kindleboards...


----------



## sierra09

I swear if this server eats one more post tonight... 

Anyway, I always know when Susan posts before looking for the name. I think that cat has got to have the most hypnotic eyes ever and I'm partial to fluffy kitties.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 4,800 words tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Tanner Artesz

It has been too long since I've posted here. It took me over three hours to catch up with the discussion, but I wouldn't trade those three hours for anything else.

I only managed about 300 words today, but I'm working on killing a substantial character and I want it to go well. Things should pick up quite nicely once the victim is a crispy-fried smoking charcoal.

Thanks for the read. I gained a great deal of support by osmosis.

Tanner


----------



## Dave Dykema

Tanner Artesz said:


> I'm working on killing a substantial character and I want it to go well.
> Tanner


Good morning, Dr. Lecter.  That just made me laugh, because I understand. I'm currently killing someone too (I hope my freezer's big enough...).

No, no! Not in real life. In my story.

May all our murders, mayhem, and mischief go so well...


----------



## sierra09

I don't know if I could kill a character in December.   I'm very emotional with my characters and especially when the time comes to kill a main one. I have to do it and walk away for a couple days.  This is the reason people say my brain is too close to what I read or write. Once when I was younger in a book I had bought, the author threw in a surprise semi-main character plot death and it ruined the whole Thanksgiving that year for me.  

So I try not to kill a character during the holidays.


----------



## Thumper

:::sobs:::

My laptop hath croaked. Deader than dead, so dead that the computer guy recommended I get a new one rather than fix it. It fried with all 3,000 words of my newest work on it, unsaved to alternate media. It was 3,000 really crappy words, but still...

On the plus side, I get to buy a new laptop...


----------



## Jeff

Thumper said:


> It fried with all 3,000 words of my newest work on it, unsaved to alternate media.


You may be able to get the data off the hard drive. The adapters to use a laptop hard drive on a desktop computer are pretty cheap.


Click to view...


----------



## Thumper

Awesome, thanks...at that price I'd be stupid to not get it and try it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wow, Sierra can't kill a character in December, but Thumper can kill a computer.    I get to kill an old lady (a Dowager Empress) in the next few days, but not so bad as killing a 6 year old a month ago. The old lady was killed about fourteen years ago, when I first drfted the scene, but the setting has dramatically set, so it will need to be re-thunk.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Hush, no one even give my desktop or laptop a hint of dying on me. I have got to get all my recent stuff off just in case. I've one two crash in December before, usually the desktop but since my Kindle file for Flames is one here, the finished product for the sequel to Flames as well as my NaNo story and all the work for Ian's project....I shudder to think...


----------



## Jeff

My current work in progress is on Microsoft's Office Live Workspace. You can store 5 GB on their server free. I save periodically to the server then twice a day I save a copy to my hard drive and a thumb drive.


----------



## Jeff

Thumper said:


> ...at that price I'd be stupid to not get it and try it.


HINT: When you install the laptop drive, don't show the partition as active and you should be able to access the drive with no difficulty. Otherwise you might have trouble with Microsoft's Genuine


Spoiler



Dis-


Advantage. Good luck.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, that definitely sucks! I back up my manuscript after every major revision. We have MobileMe, so I just stick it on there so I can get to it from anywhere if I need to...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Big night tonight, between fresh and evision, 8,300 words.   

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> :::sobs:::
> 
> My laptop hath croaked. Deader than dead, so dead that the computer guy recommended I get a new one rather than fix it. It fried with all 3,000 words of my newest work on it, unsaved to alternate media. It was 3,000 really crappy words, but still...
> 
> On the plus side, I get to buy a new laptop...


Oooh, painful.

I've got everything backed up on Carbonite. Even so, I tried to cut and paste about a page into a better place and the wp program pooped out on me. I lost the page. Oh, well, I rewrote it better than it was, and at least it was only a page.

Have fun picking out your new laptop.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oooh, painful.
> 
> I've got everything backed up on Carbonite. Even so, I tried to cut and paste about a page into a better place and the wp program pooped out on me. I lost the page. Oh, well, I rewrote it better than it was, and at least it was only a page.
> 
> Have fun picking out your new laptop.


I've lost cuts on several occasions. Now, I just copy and paste then go back and delete what I copied if it works. Did I mention I save every time I do something like that? I also back up in the private space I have on my website.

Thumper, sorry about the dead laptop. I hope you enjoy finding a suitable replacement!

Tanner


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## Edward C. Patterson

I keep all my manuscripts, POD galleys, cover art and works in progress with my ISP on a server in Delaware and a complete backup on CD and on my work computer and a flash card. For my current works in progress, I keep daily copies in those places, plus on my storae den at Author's Den. That should keep things safe until 2012.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Ed, be good. I'm managing not to be a total hypochondriac (Yes, that's spelled wrong but you get the idea) about this whole 2012 thing so long as I don't think too much.

Hmm, I need to but some CDs to back stuff up on. My floppies just don't want to save sometimes.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Please, for the love of God, get off floppies. When you finally get something new, you'll be stuck with no where to put them.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

While I have an external hard drive for major backups, all my in-progress work I back up by emailing the Word doc each day to myself. Gmail allows for over 7 gig of free online storage.

No fiction today, but I did about 1400 words on a feature article for the local paper.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Light day - only 2,500 words (revision), but I had an important end-of-novl structural session that's gonna make a big, powerful difference in how the novel ends. When you have a 4 book series that originates from a single manuscript, where and how to end the books can be problematic. The Academician ends abruptly (but those who have reviewed it were pleased with it). The Nan Tu has so much action, battles and whild stuff that it needed to end quietly (or quieter). Now I decided to keep to that course, but give it a signature Patterson ending, one that will linger for a few weks or more with the reader. Thus I'm turning to The Third Peregrination for cap this one off.

The third book, Swan Cloud, is, of all things, a mystery (a 12th Century China mystery) and I need to recast my 37 year old manuscript into a totally different. But I needn't worry about that now. I have the 4th Jade Owl book to write before I even start Swan Cloud or Book IV, The House of Green Waters.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

And I had a *really* light day - only 500 words! LOL! But that's infinitely better than zero. Just hard to get cranking on evenings when I only have an hour or so. Ah, well, there's always tomorrow and the weekend coming up!


----------



## Tanner Artesz

The elf I have to fry received a stay of execution because I'm working on reformatting Shadow for Smashwords. I've put that as a priority so that it can get into the ebooks for the troops thingie quicker. As a result, I'm rereading Shadow, both to find where the italicized parts are and to give it another edit.

After reading the Smashwords Style Guide, I realize that my 'Delmaria's Journals' which were italicized and further indented are probably not coming across that way on e-readers. To keep things simple, I'm dropping the indent. I'm not sure whether to keep the italics or set them off in some other way. Are large blocks of italicized text hard to read on e-readers?

I'll wait to format those parts until I get some feedback from here.

Tanner


----------



## sierra09

Hmm, I'm not sure. I don't use that much italics so I couldn't say for sure. I normally only use it for different languages....wait, did you just say the 'elf you had to fry got a stay of execution'? 

Maybe I've been formatting for Smashwords too much today myself or it's too late but that just made me think of Haldair in LOTR and an electric chair and...okay, going to be now. Not much help to Tanner since I now have bad images in my head.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have a book where the 1st person mode is in italics, while the 3rd person narrative is non-itlaics, and there are large blocks at begining and end of each chapter (we speak of the Southern Swallow Series - The Academician, and the upcoming Nan Tu). The italics is actually easier to read on the Kindle than on either the computer screen or in print. However, that being siad - editing those sections are a beast.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Thumper

I have no issue reading large blocks of italics on my Kindle...but I also read in a larger font because my eyes are about 20 years older than the rest of me...


----------



## Thumper

...oh, and, w00t! I am apparently smarter than I thinked; I had saved my work in progress to a thumb drive, so nothing was lost in the Great Thumper Laptop Crash of '09. I must have been half asleep because I don't remember doing so, but I popped the drive into my desktop system last night, and there it was.

Picked up a shiny new laptop last night (ouch $$ this close to Christmas) and discovered I need to re-purchase MS Office, as I used all the licenses on the last one I bought, but hey, it's tax deductible, so no real complaint there


----------



## sierra09

Thumper, I'm so happy that you didn't lose your work. I still haven't recovered fully from my great-niece losing nearly all of mine so it's wonderful that you still have yours.

I won't ask what a thumbdrive is so I don't look impossibly silly.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thumper - great news! 

Sierra - a thumbdrive is just a little memory stick sort of thing you stick in a USB slot that acts as a portable hard disk/storage device.


----------



## sierra09

Ah, that's cool. I learn new things on here everyday even if it does at times show my complete computer stupidity.


----------



## Tanner Artesz

sierra09 said:


> Ah, that's cool. I learn new things on here everyday even if it does at times show my complete computer stupidity.


If it were stupidity, Sierra, you wouldn't be able to learn stuff. I believe you suffer from inexperience more than stupidity. 

Thanks to all for the reply on the italics issue. I'm going to keep the journals italicized to set them off.

Thumper: Awesome that you didn't lose anything! Congrats 

Tanner


----------



## sierra09

Inexperiance and a basic fear of blowing up my computer. I still treat my digital camera like it will bite if it's held wrong.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ah, the joys of technology: making our lives easier!  

Well, 1100 words today. Not bad considering I got home fairly late from work, ran 4+ miles, and sorted out some minor computer problems on the boyz' laptops. 

Now I think I'll vegetate, maybe do a little research on my next project...


----------



## Thumper

I used to refer to a thumbdrive (or memory stick) as "that stick thingy...the one that works like a floppy..." so nothing about it seems silly to me


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good day! Good day! 10,028 words in the revision run. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Not going to give my word count, because it's shamefully low, but I finished the section I was working on. That felt good.


----------



## emutabazi

I'm staying up late in hopes of arousing some kind of insomniac muse...no luck so far.


----------



## sierra09

My muse is only ever an insomniac if I'm already writing, then I can stay up late. If I don't have anything, it don't matter what time it is. My muse is out today all together since I have no water and the water company can't decide where the break is.   I'm sort of manic right now so the muse doesn't work.


----------



## emutabazi

I think it's only fair to put an APB on muses everywhere...Mine showed her face briefly this morning, unloaded a heap of goodies then took off while I was sorting it out.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 2,300 words so far today, but it's new stuff, not revision work, so I'm pleased.I also finished 3 chapters read back on the DX text-to-speech bringing the publish readiness of the book to 18 chapters, about 1/3rd.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1500 words today on Legend of the Sword. Not a big heap-o-verbiage, but I'll take whatever progress I can make! LOL! Hoping to do quite a bit more over the weekend...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 more for a total today of 5,000 words.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

Two projects. 

One, I'm trying get the word count up from 76k.  (Goal - 90k).

The other, I'm trying to get the word count down from 179k. (Goal - 120k)


----------



## Elmore Hammes

ASparrow said:


> Two projects.
> 
> One, I'm trying get the word count up from 76k. (Goal - 90k).
> 
> The other, I'm trying to get the word count down from 179k. (Goal - 120k)


Hmmm. Perhaps shift a few chapters from one to another, make them both 125,000 words and call it a crossover?


----------



## ASparrow

Elmore Hammes said:


> Hmmm. Perhaps shift a few chapters from one to another, make them both 125,000 words and call it a crossover?


Maybe the the 179k can be a prologue?


----------



## Dave Dykema

Ugh. I find it way easier to cut than to add words.


----------



## sierra09

I'm the opposite. I can add words far easier than cut 'em.


----------



## Dave Dykema

My feeling is one of basically: "If they needed to be there before, they would've been." After that, it just becomes pad.


----------



## sierra09

Yes, that's occassionally the case. I find that sometimes though after reading it through, there should be an extra sentence or even a scene added to that helps the story. That's how it used to be for me. Now, not so much.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My former agent (a master at revisions and cutting) yold me that you cut like you sculpt - You have a hulking blob of stone that you want to look like a graceful sheep upon the meadow. So you go, line by line, by word by word and snip and add and change - - - clip, clip here and clip, clip there, until you hae your sheep. The jade Owl was 255,000 words and I clipped it down to 183,000 words (and still I had one reviewer cry out that it was too long and needed a editor. I suggest Golden Books for her).   For more, se my FREE book. Y'all know where it's at on Smashwords. It's the one with the typewritter approaching the iceberg on the cover.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My former agent (a master at revisions and cutting) yold me that you cut like you sculpt - You have a hulking blob of stone that you want to look like a graceful sheep upon the meadow. So you go, line by line, by word by word and snip and add and change - - - clip, clip here and clip, clip there, until you hae your sheep. The jade Owl was 255,000 words and I clipped it down to 183,000 words (and still I had one reviewer cry out that it was too long and needed a editor. I suggest Golden Books for her).  For more, se my FREE book. Y'all know where it's at on Smashwords. It's the one with the typewritter approaching the iceberg on the cover.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I love to cut. I find it exhilarating. It's sad to lose chunks of story, but to have written it implies depth and creates mystery around what remains (I hope).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You don't lose them. You save them, you just don't publoish them. They sometimes show up again. But if you revise correctly, what you cut is fat and not meat. And also, if what is saved shows how wonderfully you write - cut that. Anything that draws the reader's attention to the writer's talent throws the reader out of the story. "Kill YOUR Darlings," as they say. Save them for your blurb or a blog, where scrivners excel without the need to author.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

Sometimes I cut meat, too, if it's the wrong kind of meat. (or is that cheese?)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not even sure how many words I wrote today, but I finished chapter 16 of Legend of the Sword, so that works for me!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Not even sure how many words I wrote today, but I finished chapter 16 of Legend of the Sword, so that works for me!


Works for us, too. 

I've done more than 10 pages in the last couple of days. Still haven't gotten my outside lights up, but I'm on a roll with the WiP. Up to Page 340.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay. 8,734 words and I am tired and wanna go to bed, because its snowing and I had a tough time coming home from the movies (saw Brothers with Gillenhal and MacGuire - nice   ).

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Ed, if you're in PA keep the snow up there. I don't need it much in Ohio yet.


----------



## ASparrow

Everything's white here in Boston.

Just wrote 1,000, slashed 2,000 = 178k

Just had 12 sample downloads in one hour on Smashwords. Weird. How does that happen? A football team starts a reading club?


----------



## sierra09

Always a possibility.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

My goal for today was to reach 90K words, but I'm at 90,666 (344 pages).  Not a good number to stop at, so I'm back to work.  I think the chocolate chip/walnut cookies are working.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My goal for today was to reach 90K words, but I'm at 90,666 (344 pages). Not a good number to stop at, so I'm back to work. I think the chocolate chip/walnut cookies are working.


W00t! I have yet to get started writing today - been updating one of the laptops. Hoping to get some writing in after lunch!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> W00t! I have yet to get started writing today - been updating one of the laptops. Hoping to get some writing in after lunch!


I'm at page 350, and up over 93K words. I really must take my nap, but I resent having to take the time away. I can't type if I'm falling off my chair. <sigh>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,700 words so far and I'm beginning another session right about now. Be back to post my totals. However, thought I'd share the cover to the new work - The Nan Tu








Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Very elegant, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you Gertie. 

Well, I got a little more done - with a total of 9,700 words (revision work). No new (however, just 4 chapters left).

Nite all.
Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1700 words for me today. Not as many as I was hoping, but not too bad, about half a chapter. But I am so POOPED today! Oy!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Got the tree partially decorated, finalized the third task for my HP club, and reached 94K+ for 357 pages.  Getting tired, but I'm at a really fun part, so I might go on a little longer.


----------



## sierra09

Nice, Ed. Very nice.

Hmm, our tree has been up, screwed to the dining room floor(yes, I did say screwed to the floor for reasons of cat protection) and up since the weekend before Turkey day.   It's normally up early November but I wasn't feeling it this year.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I put my tree up (10 minutes - a fiber optic and a plug), but this is the first time I've done so since Mom's passing two years ago. I live alone, so there were some moments I nearly packed it all in - but I'm glad I did it. All her little ice skaters are set up on the foil pond and to keep them company, I set the Jade Owl to watch over them. The original owl that inspired the Jade one was actually in the box of Christmas things that Mom gave me when I first moved to PA. It wasn't a Christmas ornament at all, but a small blue glass owl that always set in my Grandmother's philodendron jardiniere. It was put in the Christmas things by mistake, and I wound up with it. When Christmas was over, I left it out in the kitchen, and after I had lost my job and was brainstorming for an idea for a serial novel for anotherchapter.com, I decided that the story would be about an out of work professor in search of a relic. (I had the scene when he lost his job - it's a paraphrase of my own downsizing and still stands in Chapter One of the book). As I thrashed around for a relic, I was brainstorming in the kitchen and my eye came to rest on the little glass blue owl. Well, the rest is history . . . at least my history. The blue owl is in the curio cabinet along with a collection of glass owls sent to me by readers. One reader from Belgium (the one that got me Elijah Wood's signature on the broadsheet), she sent me the most gorgeous owl with big Elijah blue-eyes from Rhodes - Minerva being Rhodes' guardian spirit. The real Jade Owl I acquired from China and my nephew created the Jade Owl icon from it (it's my avatar). However, that chunk of Jade is now under the Christmas tree. When I reach the end of the path, that owl will accompany me - just as it does in the Third Peregrination in the Campo Culadura.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Ed, that was a wonderful thing to share with us.  The holidays are never easy after someone has passed that you loved or were close to. It seemed for awhile like I was losing someone in the close family one a year starting with my sister five years ago this coming January until finally my Dad three years ago. Christmas was always weird, though for me the hardest holiday was the first Thanksgiving after my sister passed as she would always call for Mom's pumpkin pie recipe and that call didn't come...oh, dang...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

That's quite a story, Ed.  Glad you put up your tree.  Just because you live alone, doesn't mean you are alone.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gertie:

I rarely feel lonely, except at moments when I think too much. I will tell you, the most lonely I ever felt in my life were times in the Army. There were times when a service person is engulfed in utter separation and total isolation. That's probably why I related to our troops there now and the need for eBooks. It's one of the reason I sparked Operation eBook Drop, because I've been there and I know.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks Gertie:
> 
> I rarely feel lonely, except at moments when I think too much. I will tell you, the most lonely I ever felt in my life were times in the Army. There were times when a service person is engulfed in utter separation and total isolation. That's probably why I related to our troops there now and the need for eBooks. It's one of the reason I sparked Operation eBook Drop, because I've been there and I know.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Coincidentally, there was a Christmas movie on last night (okay, so I'm a sucker for Christmas stories) about a soldier deployed in a war zone. He has no family, but receives a Christmas card from a church group. When his best friend (who gave his name to the church) is killed, he goes on leave and visits the church. He makes a point of letting them know how much that simple card meant to him.


----------



## Nathan

I'm a bit slower than everyone else here it seems.  1K is a good day for me.  Just started my second novel after scribbling notes and thoughts for about 2 months.  So we'll see where it goes...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I know, Gertie. That's one of the reasons why I've resisted all attempts to convert Operation eBook Drop to eliminate the barage of emails to the troops. Their feedback is that they love it. To get so many emails from people who care is a wonderful thing, but to get just one email from an organization to come on down is nice, but . . . The troops love it and the authors are telling me about their thank you letters, so the appreciation is shared, almost as if with each eBook something else is imbued - the intangible one-on-one experience of mail call.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Nathan said:


> I'm a bit slower than everyone else here it seems. 1K is a good day for me. Just started my second novel after scribbling notes and thoughts for about 2 months. So we'll see where it goes...


Hey, you're farther today than you were the day before, so congrats! I hope it goes well.


----------



## Nathan

Dave Dykema said:


> Hey, you're farther today than you were the day before, so congrats! I hope it goes well.


Thanks Dave...slow and steady ain't a bad way to go


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

6,300 words today in revision, nothing new and two chapters of text-to-speech editing. Probably that's it for the day as I have the Bobby Ozuna show and Operation eBook Drop tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## kellyabell

Ed, that is a beautiful cover and I loved your Christmas story.  I'm glad you decided to go ahead and decorate.  I think it adds to the season.  I always put of two trees, one of which is up and the other is patiently waiting it's day in the spotlight!  

I wrote over 5000 this weekend.  I was very pleased with that.  I'm still not very far along but Captured In Lies is beginning to shape up.  I'm going to write more tonight.  Keep your eyes open as I will post an excerpt soon.

You all are doing so well you make me feel like a slacker!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - Ditto what the others said: great Christmas story! We haven't gotten our lights up yet or anything - hoping to get that done this weekend. Not sure if I'm going to get any writing done tonight. Just feeling really tired, and tomorrow's going to be a 10+ hour work day (which means I probably won't get any writing done tomorrow, either - ugh!).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

A little bit here and a little bit there and I'm up to 94.3K and 361 pages.  Hopefully, I'll get a little more done tonight in between tree decorating.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> ...I'm up to 94.3K and 361 pages.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


>


Thanks, Jeff. It's going pretty well.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> A little bit here and a little bit there and I'm up to 94.3K and 361 pages. Hopefully, I'll get a little more done tonight in between tree decorating.


Yay!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nothing more for me tonight. Just finished Bobby Ozuna's show and am completely zonked. 

Nite all

Ed Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Nothing more for me tonight. Just finished Bobby Ozuna's show and am completely zonked.
> 
> Nite all
> 
> Ed Patterson


I tried to find the show while it was live, but drew a blank. Very frustrating. But I'll catch the archive so I can hear the whole thing. Hope it went well!

Debra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Debra:

Bobby read you blog on the air as an introduction to the show.

Ed Pat-


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The Ozuna Show archive is up already at

http://www.ozunapub.com/

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

6,120 words so far today in revision work.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - I'm jealous! My work seems to be crawling along this time, not sure why. Poo. Well, I'm gonna try to get in at least 1000 words tonight on Legend of the Sword...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mke - this is revision work, so it ain't FRESH stuff. BTW, Peg is deep into your new offering and is enthralled. I told her to stop it and crunch on my deadlines.    You have a fan (besides me, thta it)

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Nothing doing today. Flu, virus, don't know what it is. Too sick to care.  Back to bed where I will huddle under the covers and feel sorry for myself.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mke - this is revision work, so it ain't FRESH stuff. BTW, Peg is deep into your new offering and is enthralled. I told her to stop it and crunch on my deadlines.   You have a fan (besides me, thta it)
> 
> Ed Patterson


LOL! Well, she better not take too long with the Nan Tu - I'm looking forward to that one...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Nothing doing today. Flu, virus, don't know what it is. Too sick to care. Back to bed where I will huddle under the covers and feel sorry for myself.


Gertie - D'oh! Hope you feel better soon! Our elder boyo had some sort of stomach virus last week - didn't last too long but was pretty bad. If I had some Kreelan healing goo, I'd Fedex it to ya...


----------



## ASparrow

Lethe is down to 171k (from 180k on Sunday). I've come a long way as a writer since I wrote this frass. There are some jewels that I'm keeping but much of it is ugly filler. 

My vocabulary has evolved, and not always for the better. I used words then, that would never come to me now. 

The biggest problem is pacing. I described every step of every journey back then. Now, I'm letting the reader fill the in between sections, which improves the flow vastly. 

Maybe, there's a sleek little powerhouse of a novel screaming to be freed in this bloated carcass. I'm not sure if that will happen under my hand, but things look promising so far.

FYI: this was a book that I had completed but haven't touched in five years.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, hammered out another 1000 words and finished off most of another chapter (17). Should be able to finish the rest tomorrow pretty, and get started on the next chapter...


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Nothing doing today. Flu, virus, don't know what it is. Too sick to care. Back to bed where I will huddle under the covers and feel sorry for myself.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ASparrow said:


> The biggest problem is pacing. I described every step of every journey back then. Now, I'm letting the reader fill the in between sections, which improves the flow vastly.


I understand what you are saying. I'm doing that, too, because it helps me visualize, but those scenes don't have to stay in the book.

Spent most of last night on the bathroom floor, but I did manage to get back into bed this morning and sleep for three hours. No writing for me today. Maybe I'll talk to y'all later.


----------



## ASparrow

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I understand what you are saying. I'm doing that, too, because it helps me visualize, but those scenes don't have to stay in the book.
> 
> Spent most of last night on the bathroom floor, but I did manage to get back into bed this morning and sleep for three hours. No writing for me today. Maybe I'll talk to y'all later.


Hope you're better. Rest is the best thing you can do right now.

Lethe is down to 170k. I write about two new paragraphs for every ten I burn, while retaining one in ten. Man, am I glad I never let anyone lay eyes on this draft. Some of the dialogue is almost hilarious in it's unhip, tedious awfulness.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I use a similar device for POV, by using the POV character filter to keep the reader glued into the POV chraacter. However, those filters slow the pacing - so I call them "the gantry" and remove them in revision. If, however, I didn't have them in, the reader would not be as engaged as they are. There is also something called "perceptual pacing." Pacing increases during action scenes, if you eleminate all metaphors and similes, use fragments, and use the more visceral senses - touch especially (particularly when pain is invlved). Laughter hastens the pace. Tears slows it down. These are also perceived pacing tools, as the pacing is in the hands of the reader and not the writer. But this is part of my motto for novel requirements. First, make the reader laugh, then make them cry and the rest takes care of itself. (And also provide enough typos and grammar errors for grammar mavens to commit suicide.   )

Ed Patterson


----------



## angelad

I'm starting my first mini novel, in fiction mixed with some real life storieso of mine  Support welcomed


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Spent most of last night on the bathroom floor, but I did manage to get back into bed this morning and sleep for three hours. No writing for me today. Maybe I'll talk to y'all later.


Poor Gertie!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gerite. I hope you're better.

4,800 words so far today.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Looks like it's gonna be a zippo wordage night for me. So that's the bad news. The good news was that we went to dinner at PF Chang's tonight (first time), and it was excellent! Plus we got 15% off of the already reasonable prices because of our Rock & Roll Marathon discount cards! LOL! 

So, hoping to get in a little bit tomorrow during the boyo's basketball practice, so we'll see...


----------



## ASparrow

Lethe is first person, present tense. I love writing in this style for a change, but I wonder what it will be like to read. 

I don't care though, I'm going to keep doing it, because I love how pure and immediate it looks. The verbs are so curt and concise without the past tense.

All my other books are conventional. Having this one be different makes it more refreshing to alternate between them while doing revisions.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I love PF Chang's. I went to one in Tucson AZ a few years back (ah the days of heavy travel).

I got another 2,100 (new stuff), for a daily total of nearly 7,000 words. I have 2 more chapters to finish this sucker. And they're both humdinger chapters (something to rip the heart out - a la Patterson, although nothing like Look Away Silence. Remember supporting me through Look Away Silence).

Here's a little snippet from tonight's writing on the Nan Tu, from the old servant narrator, K'u Ko-ling (which to those who reviewed The Academician, their favorite character).

We were young then, but had seen more than many who were older. Such were the times that those who passed away might be considered blessed, because the world had become an unsure place. I mean, it never was a guaranteed haven. Just a stopping place between birth and death. But if you were born in a town and worked in a town, you'd do it from sunrise to sunset and die in that town and be happy. You'd cherish the thoughts that you had left children behind to carry on your work. You never knew what was over the next hill. You didn't care, nor did it matter. That which was beyond you, belonged to others and wasn't your concern. Now a cavalcade of events pressed us all, and we were young still. We knew this and this alone. We wouldn't die in the towns of our birth, but if we were lucky like the old woman, we'd have an ironwood coffin and a tender heart to weep upon our stones. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

8,400 words in revision this afternoon (while working the day job).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And another 2,600, bringing the day's total to 11,000 words (revisions). This weeken will be a crunch week, as Peg of the Red Pencil goes on vacation between Christmas and Nw Years, and I go the week before Christmas. So she needs to finih her stuff so I can start to work on the galleys, the press release and the long check list I have to release a book. I took off the 1st week of January to accomodate it, but my Dad will be out here in PA for a few days, so we'll be doing a cha cha. While Look Away Silence was an emotional poll vault, this one, and it's extreme intricacies, and my desire to have zero defect in the grammar and spelling department, is like juggling lit torches naked and dowsed with gasoline. One slip and . . .   I really hope my readers love this one. It will engage them every reading moment.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ridiculously hectic day (that started at 4 am), but still managed to squeeze in 1700 words...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yeah! See, you're doing original writing. Mine is revision work (all them damn commas).

Ed P


----------



## Nathan

I could have used some of those commas, quite hording the all!!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mines a problem of not enough (she's always adding them).  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Nathan

I really don't ever know, where to place, a comma


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I really don't ever know, where to place,   a comma(*. *)   

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, better commas than semicolons!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've had a semicolonechtomy.  

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, despite all the mayhem of birthday party madness for our "new" 11 year-old yesterday, I managed to squeeze out 300 words. LOL!  I'm hoping to get more in tonight, but it's going to be another hectic day...!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

New writing has been slow lately - trying to get through a set of four connected short stories at the moment. I have a book signing at the local library today; hopefully that will re-energize the muse.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Hey, better commas than semicolons!


"You use the semi-colon to connect two independent clauses together into one sentence," she stated primly.

I almost wrote a line today, but I'm still horribly ill. I'm just checking in and now I'm going back to bed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A mere 1,800 words, but new stuff. Last new chapter tomorrow.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Gertie, I'm so sorry that you're still sick. I hope you feel better soon.

This weekend so far has had no writing or editing.   Between a broken front doorknob to stolen house keys(which resulted in new locks and keys) to some post release marketing for Flames of Betrayal, I'm hoping to once the baking is over this week to be able to settle down to Ian's story.

Speaking of signings, I got a question for those authors who do inscribe books. How does one inscribe an action novel for the holiday? With Celtic Evil, I've never had a problem coming up with something Celtic sounding but with this new action book I'm at a loss.


----------



## Jeff

Get well, Gertie.

I haven't written a word of fiction (not intentionally anyway) in a week.

I'm hoping that tomorrow will give me some free time.

All I need is about ten or twelve hours to polish _Home of the Brave_.

_Land of the Free_ should be released in paperback and eBook by New Year's Day. I'll hold off the hardcover so both books can be released as a boxed set.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Looking forward to Home of the Brve.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished 4,100 words (NEW) this afternoon and

at 3:10 today 12/13/09 The Nan Tu - Southern Swallow Book II -  was finished at 148,000 words. Peg of the Red Pencil has edited 75% of the entire work and I have text-o-speech edited 43% of that, so it should be available in paper and eBook by January 15th. 

It's my most complex work yet (for me, trying to keep it unomplicated for the reader). Peg says that she's learned more about Chinese History than perhaps she cared to know, but not from the book, but rom our sessions prior to each chapter on how to shelter the reader rom the confusing wold of Chinese History. Chinese History is exciting, but can become mired down in the details. So, I would lay out the details with peg and she'd help me weed out that which is esoteric and that which should only be on a GMAT test. I must say, I surprised myself in some instances, keeping this work more feeling like a novel, and in particular one of my novels, than a disserttion (or the dissertation that stands behind it 37 years ago). The Third Book, Swan Cloud, will be caste as a 12th century Chinese whodunit. I neve believe that a reader wants more of the same thing ovr and over again.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just a quick post in between dinner and a round of Call of Duty/Nazi Zombies with the boys - have gotten some writing done today amidst various home fixit projects (Sierra - I feel your pain! LOL!), but haven't done a word count yet as I hope to get some more done a bit later.

Ed - great going on the Nan Tu! And Jeff, need to get your schedule sorted out so you can squeeze in those twelve needed editing hours.

And Gertie, GET BETTER! I think I must have some sort of sympathetic vibration going on - my head just decided to fill up with goo and I can hardly breathe. Or maybe I'm just allergic to taking furniture apart...


----------



## Jeff

Well, Mike. I've written a lot of PHP code today that didn't work and no prose. Keep up the good work. 

Congratulations to Ed.

Get better soon, Gertie.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Get better soon, Gertie.


I'm almost sure I want to live right now. I think that's a good sign.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm almost sure I want to live right now. I think that's a good sign.


I'm encouraged.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Jeff and Mike. Get better gertie.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I must've caught something from Gertie - massive snuffleupugus issues last night, could hardly breathe (or sleep). A bit better this morning, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor and stayed home from work (especially with as much as I complain about other people bringing their little viral and bacteriological buddies into the office).

Soooo, gee, I guess I'll have to spend most of the day writing...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> I must've caught something from Gertie...


There are so many things I could say...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> There are so many things I could say...


HA!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wrote 1500 words today, finishing chapter 18 and starting chapter 19 of Legend of the Sword amidst wrestling with various network problems and trying to catch up on all the sleep I *didn't* get last night! Was hoping to get more done, but what the heck. It's now officially time to vegetate...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I finished the revision work this evening and clocked in 8,480 words. I also have most of Peg of the Red Pencil's edits (by Thursday they will close in). That means I only have Katy the Kindelspreche (text-to-speech) to clear (I'm at 49% - it's wonderful - she catches at least 4 things in each chapter, sometimes more - I highly recommend it, at slow speed and female voice). Finished the blurb also and can gt cracking on press releases and begin peppering the thread with the upcoming advent. If I can get the galleys and the kindle version done by new Year's Eve, I'll be a week ahead of schedule (although operation eBook Drop put me happily 2month behind - it was worth it).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That means I only have Katy the Kindelspreche (text-to-speech) to clear (I'm at 49% - it's wonderful - she catches at least 4 things in each chapter, sometimes more - I hihly recommend it, at slow speed and female voice).


That's a good tip, Ed. I use Microsoft's text to speech in Word and it helps me to see what I've written, rather than what I think I wrote.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The voice is great. At first Peg was a little insulted, but I told her that if she proofed ten times she might miss something still, and I would always miss it. That the engrossed reader will miss it, ignore it or chuckle at it. BUT, the tiger-piss reviewer, who is combing the beach for incendiary bombs to do a hatchet job review and scream - EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR. They'll find it. To help bring her around, I gave her a page she edited three times and me twice. She did it a fourth time and said "clean" even knowing that I told her that Katy the K found something. She was won over when I showed her that I misspelled however as hawever, and because it's a bridge word, we didn't catch it. However, when Katy read it back I got whore-ever, and I said "what." Then pressed the stop button and jotted down the edit. I also said that there are mine fields out there on my books that Katy didn't _speche immer_.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I might read over/revise a little bit tonight, but other than that, I'm toast for the day. Spent the last hour or so locking out our 13 year-old from net access (including his facebook account) for a week for some dumb things he did. Nothing major, but that's the way we want to keep it! Gack...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Peg finished ll her work (even editing the dreaded BLURB), so I'm with atythe Kindlespreche for the net few days. As for as writing, I'm half finished reising Cutting the Cheese (big deal 33,000 words - novella), and then I'll feed it to katy. I started Book 4 of The Jade Owl legacy - The People's Treasure. These are usually 200,000 words plus, so my work's cut out for me. It will start slow as I get The Nan Tu out the door.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I wrote a couple short humor pieces for The Daily Fortnight (a UK-based satiric news site similar to the Onion). Still working on some short stories for a February deadline. My longer works are in semi-hiatus until after the holidays. Glad to see others are making more progress than I am.
Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Well, after a long day in the ER yesterday (it's never a short day, is it), they diagnosed  C-Dif Colitis caused by taking too many anti-biotics (root canal, gum infection) and especially the wrong kind of anti-biotics.  Starting new meds today and should begin to feel better by Saturday.  

Haven't been able to sit up for very long, but I've been writing in my head, so Sunday, I'll try to dredge it all back up and get it into the computer.  Back to bed for now.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I had an anti-biotic reaction once. Turned out I was allergic to whatever they gave me (I can't remember--doesn't that suck?). Mine was after a root canal too.

Hope you feel well soon.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Well, after a long day in the ER yesterday (it's never a short day, is it), they diagnosed C-Dif Colitis caused by taking too many anti-biotics (root canal, gum infection) and especially the wrong kind of anti-biotics. Starting new meds today and should begin to feel better by Saturday.
> 
> Haven't been able to sit up for very long, but I've been writing in my head, so Sunday, I'll try to dredge it all back up and get it into the computer. Back to bed for now.


Holy cow, Gertie! That's awful! Well, at least you know what's going on now and hopefully they'll have you on the right track. Yikes...


----------



## Jeff

Okay, Gertie, no more excuses, back to work.

I saw on FB that you wrote another thousand words today, Mike. Way to go. You must be getting close.

I finished the fleshed-out-re-write of _Home of the Brave_ and posted it for Beth to read. It seemed like a I wrote a lot, but it didn't add many pages, so I may still need more.

Susan in VA has the proof paperback of _Land of the Free_. The cover's good-to-go so all that's left is to enter Susan's changes.

I'm getting close to completing the first draft of _Lonely is the Soldier_. It's turned out to be the hardest emotionally since it's set in modern time. I'll be glad when it's finished.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Still workin' with Katy der Kindleschpreche.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm probably going to take a break from writing tonight: it was a long day, especially the almost 2 hr drive through ridiculous traffic to get home. So, it's beer and maybe some spiked eggnog for me, along with Call of Duty/Nazi Zombies on the PS3!

This weekend, however, I plan on shoving aside all distractions and writing my booty off. I'm not sure how close to being finished I am, but I'm around 84,000 words, so I figure roughly 2/3 to 3/4 done, give or take. I think I need to flesh out some things that I sort of glossed over in the first run-through, but hope to have the final copy ready by February...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I went to see Avatar. Mike. I saw Reza and your marine villain in the film. Great film.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I went to see Avatar. Mike. I saw Reza and your marine villain in the film. Great film.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Coolio! I'd like to see it this weekend, but we're gonna be buried in snow!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Okay, Gertie, no more excuses, back to work.


Bad reaction to meds ... new meds, but feeling okay. Sunday is my goal to sit down. I've had plenty of time to write it in my head and I just need to fill in the blanks.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I've had plenty of time to write it in my head and I just need to fill in the blanks.


Good on you, as our friends from down under say.


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> Susan in VA has the proof paperback of _Land of the Free_. The cover's good-to-go so all that's left is to enter Susan's changes.


Just FYI -- was in bed with the flu for the past two days, so I'm only half done with it, but I'm up now, and we'll be snowed in for the weekend so it will definitely be finished by Sunday!


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> Just FYI -- was in bed with the flu for the past two days, so I'm only half done with it, but I'm up now, and we'll be snowed in for the weekend so it will definitely be finished by Sunday!


I told you that there's no hurry. Get well. Stay warm.


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> I told you that there's no hurry. Get well. Stay warm.


Thanks. I have a week's supply of cocoa and a month's supply of tea; that should keep me warm through the snowstorm. That and the three cats.


----------



## daveconifer

Susan, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better 

I'm inside, taking a break from shoveling snow.  Since I'm going to re-release my wrestling books in hardcopy form I've been re-editing the first one.  Man, I know I'm no Shakespeare now but I cringe at some of what I wrote in there.  I had a real gift for beating the reader over the head with something and then saying it two more times just to be sure.  Ugh.

There's the old lesson about the first thing a writer writes being horrible.  Point taken...


----------



## ReeseReed

This is a teensy bit off topic, so forgive me 

I've just started work on a new novel, with a Christmas theme, and I'm wondering what kind of timeline I should put myself on to finish it.  I work so much more productively with a deadline, and I've got two full weeks of time on my hands now that school is out for the holidays.  So my question is, what would be the best time of year to have this thing completely done/edited/polished and ready to submit to publishers?  Once I know that I can figure out what kind of word count I should be working toward hammering out daily (or weekly I guess, since I rarely get the pleasure of writing every day after teaching and then caring for my family...most of my writing happens on the weekends when I can put them and the hubby to bed and stay up all night working.)  If I don't give myself some kind of goal to work toward I won't be nearly as productive.


----------



## Susan in VA

daveconifer said:


> Susan, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better


Thanks. 



daveconifer said:


> I had a real gift for beating the reader over the head with something and then saying it two more times just to be sure.


Would you like to write all future research papers for me?  I_ loathe_ having to write something AND then say the same thing in an abstract AND the same thing again in a summary. APA formatting was invented by evil trolls.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Susan - glad you're feeling better, and Gertie, you too!

Chapter 19 of Legend of the Sword is done!! 1700 words so far today, writing onward while under the snow bank...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Made a total of around 2600 words yesterday. Gonna try for 3000 today in between rounds of shoveling snow!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Have shovel, won;t us it. They'll find me in the spring. (So Kel - I'm Waiting for Drping)  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I was feeling pretty good last night, so I wrote a few pages.  Not much, but at least I'm back at the keyboard.  Not doing good so far today, but I seem to be better at night.  Maybe I'll be able to write some more later on.


----------



## Jeff

Glad you're feeling a bit better.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good to hear you're on the mend,Gertie.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

Still revising two novels at once. It's been drudgery, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph. It's going to be weeks and months before either are suitable for public viewing. I'm finding some utterly execrable passages in my draft. It feels good to excise them and replace them with something less embarrassing.

Hit 1,000 downloads for Xenolith on Smashwords today and need only 12 more to make 500 'sales' (most full downloads were free). That was my goal when I uploaded. The rest is gravy, as far as I'm concerned so I'll be backing off the promo after Christmas. I just wanted a decent opportunity to be read, and I feel I've achieved that. My ambition now is just to write some better books.


----------



## ReeseReed

I'm being gripped by a story that's completely telling itself.  3100 words in an hour and a half last night.  It's like that *every* single time I sit down at the keyboard.  I'm beginning to feel more like a medium, providing a way for this story to escape than an author.  It's really wild.  Now if I could only find more time to actually sit and write, there's no telling what I could do.  I can only write after the kids are in bed and I can truly zone in and focus.


----------



## sierra09

That's how I was last month, bouncing between two stories. Now, ask me to do that with the story that I have got to get done and it probably won't happen.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Only 600 words today, but we spent three hours shoveling the snow out of the driveway, took a massive (and much-needed!) nap, then did a bunch of photo organizing. 

Not sure if we'll have work tomorrow; I'm sorta figuring on just taking leave anyway - the roads around here are still pretty much of a mess...

Gertie, glad you're feeling better, even if you've got a ways to go yet!!


----------



## daveconifer

ReeseReed said:


> I'm being gripped by a story that's completely telling itself. 3100 words in an hour and a half last night. It's like that *every* single time I sit down at the keyboard. I'm beginning to feel more like a medium, providing a way for this story to escape than an author. It's really wild. Now if I could only find more time to actually sit and write, there's no telling what I could do. I can only write after the kids are in bed and I can truly zone in and focus.


Good work, Reese. It's always cool when it happens that way. Are you writing something new?

Don't feel bad about having to put the writing off until late. For most of us the writing is low man on the totem pole of priorities and we don't get to do it until everything else gets done...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Working steadily with Katy the Kindleschpreche.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

daveconifer said:


> Good work, Reese. It's always cool when it happens that way. Are you writing something new?
> 
> Don't feel bad about having to put the writing off until late. For most of us the writing is low man on the totem pole of priorities and we don't get to do it until everything else gets done...


I had the idea for the novel I'm working on now about a week ago...it just struck me suddenly and has been working to get out ever since. In one week I've written over 12,000 words, and that's with only being able to write an hour or two a few days last week. This is huge for me, as my last work had only 18,000 words and took me months to complete.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I managed to crank out another 2500 words, finished chapter 20 (which was a tad shorter than most of them), and am almost halfway through chapter 21. How'd that happen? 

The muse is still cranking, but I'm suddenly pooped. I have to get up at oh-dark-thirty tomorrow, so can't keep going much longer, anyway. Hmph...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Great going Mike (Peg will be happy), and great going all. I just reached the 80% mark with Katy the Kindleschpreche.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

I have an early morning appointment today, so I knew I wouldn't be able to stay up late last night as I usually do to work on my writing.  I decided to give it a shot while the kids were still up, since this story of mine refuses to leave me alone for even a day.  I plugged in my ipod, told the kids to go to their daddy with their requests, and promptly hammered out another 2000 words in an hour.  No small feat with three little ones under foot.  I'm now up to Chapter Eight and at over 12,000 words.  Huge for me since my last work was only 18,000 words and took me months to achieve.  Also gives me hope for more writing during the daylight hours.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Spent half the day yesterday at the library going through microfiche for my weekly column on historic news for the local paper. I keep hoping to uncover some gem from a hundred years ago that will inspire a novel.

A couple of my humorous articles made The Daily Fortnight's Christmas edition ( a UK-based satiric website):

http://www.dailyfortnight.com/world/900-rudolph-in-drunk-tank and http://www.dailyfortnight.com/usa/901-childen-encouraged-to-be-bad-this-christmas

Still working on a short story that is irritating me as the main character is brooding rather than acting.


----------



## Thumper

My brain is dead...I've decided to take some time off from actual writing until after the holidays. 

I did get a submission for publication the other day that ReEDz liKe ThiS, and is loaded with "yo, u no wut i mean? TTYL, POS."

How can I possibly turn this gem down?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wow! Great going, everybody (and 2000 words an *hour*?? Holy cow!)!

Just got up from my post-work nap (need a catnap when I get up at 4 am - and today I napped with a kitty on my lap), and after dinner here I'm gonna dive into the writing pool with ya. u no wut i meen?

CANNONBALLLLLLLL!!


----------



## Jeff

In waiting mode while others edit/proof-read and am having writer's withdrawal symptoms. U no wut i meen?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thumper said:


> My brain is dead...I've decided to take some time off from actual writing until after the holidays.
> 
> I did get a submission for publication the other day that ReEDz liKe ThiS, and is loaded with "yo, u no wut i mean? TTYL, POS."
> 
> How can I possibly turn this gem down?


I feel so much better now, Thumper. I only managed a paragraph last night, which I have rewritten twice today. At least it was grammatically correct.  Maybe I should just spend my time diagramming sentences until I'm over this Creeping Crud thingie.


----------



## ReeseReed

kreelanwarrior said:


> Wow! Great going, everybody (and 2000 words an *hour*?? Holy cow!)!
> 
> Just got up from my post-work nap (need a catnap when I get up at 4 am - and today I napped with a kitty on my lap), and after dinner here I'm gonna dive into the writing pool with ya. u no wut i meen?
> 
> CANNONBALLLLLLLL!!


I know, it's insane! Every night when I sit down I get butterflies!! Last night my fingers hurt from typing so much so fast! Can't wait to see what happens tonight!


----------



## Thumper

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I feel so much better now, Thumper. I only managed a paragraph last night, which I have rewritten twice today. At least it was grammatically correct.  Maybe I should just spend my time diagramming sentences until I'm over this Creeping Crud thingie.


I can't write when I'm sick...it just comes out all wrong. If I'm hacking and coughing or the room is spinning around me, my motto becomes "I cannot brain today, I has teh Dumb..."


----------



## Jeff

Anybody have a free or inexpensive tool for creating no-DRM epubs? I've tried Stanza and Caliber but the results are less than professional.


----------



## Thumper

Have you tried MobiCreator? Easy to use, and Michael Hick's Kindle publishing book turns it into a no-brainer...


----------



## Jeff

Thumper said:


> Have you tried MobiCreator? Easy to use, and Michael Hick's Kindle publishing book turns it into a no-brainer...


I use it all the time to create PRC files. Does it have a switch to compile ePubs?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I use Smashwords or epub creation, but I still and will continue to use monicreator for my Kindle books that I send to my Kindle for proofing and the final up the Mother Amazon. Just went over the 3,200 mark in books a few minutes ago, across all my titles. It's hard work folks.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I use Smashwords for epub creation.


Thanks Ed, but the Smashwords files belong to Smashwords.

I'm looking for a way to create ePUB files that I can redistribute, but I don't want to pay $700 to Adobe.

I currently use Mobipocket Creator to produce *.PRC files for Mobipocket and Kindle; if there's a switch to send the output to ePub, I can't find it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff -

I have no idea if this is good or not, just happened to stumble across it, but they claim to be able to convert from PRC to ePub formats: http://www.lib2go.com/

Chalk up another 1500 words today on IHN: Legend of the Sword. Looking forward to this weekend and next week and some extra days off: I'm hoping to crank it up and get this sucker done (although I don't think I can top 2000 words an hour! LOL!!)... 

Of course, it would help if I'd stop my dream-shopping for a kitplane. Jan's gonna kill me...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> I have no idea if this is good or not, just happened to stumble across it, but they claim to be able to convert from PRC to ePub formats.


Thanks, Mike. Both Stanza and Caliber are better but neither is good enough.

What kind of plane? A model or one that you can fly?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff:

Have you checked with Leslie Nichol, at bristleconepress, to see what she uses?

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> What kind of plane? A model or one that you can fly?


One I can fly! I'm kinda/sorta hoping to get my sport pilot license either this year or next, and hope to get a plane to go along with it!


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Have you checked with Leslie Nichol, at bristleconepress, to see what she uses?


No, Ed I haven't. Leslie?


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> One I can fly! I'm kinda/sorta hoping to get my sport pilot license either this year or next, and hope to get a plane to go along with it!


Oh well then, no worries about Jan killing you; you'll do that yourself.


----------



## ReeseReed

Worked off and on for several hours tonight and cranked out a whopping 5000 words.  I guess I'm feeling the pressure of not being able to write for the next few days with Christmas coming up, and it's all coming out now.  I sure feel a lot better now that it's out of my head though!


----------



## Dave Dykema

I've been going through a brief spurt myself lately. Wonder what it is about this time of year that's getting us all writing? You'd think we wouldn't be able to...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Oh well then, no worries about Jan killing you; you'll do that yourself.


Oh, ye of little faith! I'll probably just wind up with one of those little things that I can pedal around the parking lot... <sigh>

Okay, keep writing, you fools! I'll be joining you here in not too long...


----------



## sierra09

Thumper said:


> Have you tried MobiCreator? Easy to use, and Michael Hick's Kindle publishing book turns it into a no-brainer...


I used MobiCreator for Flames of Betrayal. I was shocked at how easy it was but for Sins I tried someone else advice and saved as a webpage or something. It looks alright on Kindle for PC though if someone happens to download the sample on a real Kindle from Kindle(not Smashwords) could you let me know?

I've never tried making an epub format on my own. For that I usually just let Smashwords handle it since I don't think I plan on making other epub versions anywhere else...maybe... 

Speaking of Smashwords, can someone tell me if the Kindle download is working for everyone? It's not for me so I don't know if it suddenly decided not to like Kindle for PC or what's going on. It worked a few days ago but started doing this unknown file thing last night.


----------



## ASparrow

Wrote 3,000 words today. Deleted 4,000. At this rate I'll have a short story by March.

Weird, but it feels like I accomplished quite a bit.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ASparrow said:


> Wrote 3,000 words today. Deleted 4,000. At this rate I'll have a short story by March.
> 
> Weird, but it feels like I accomplished quite a bit.


Three steps forward, four steps back?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1300 words so far this evening, and finished up chapter 21 of "In Her Name: Legend of the Sword". Continuing to chug onward!


----------



## ASparrow

kreelanwarrior said:


> 1300 words so far this evening, and finished up chapter 21 of "In Her Name: Legend of the Sword". Continuing to chug onward!


Yes, well to keep up with me you're now going to have to delete 2,000.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ASparrow said:


> Yes, well to keep up with me you're now going to have to delete 2,000.


LOL! You know, that's something I haven't had to do, except with the first book I wrote (I hated the entire second half and rewrote it entirely - about 350 pages!).

But count me in for 2000 for the day. My muse seems to drop off to sleep at 9 pm, almost like clockwork! But that's not bad: things are coming along well and I've got a good start on the next chapter. Hope to knock out lots of wordage in the coming days! 

Now it's time to chill out and watch Star Trek VI...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 15% more with Katy der Kindleschpreche and the manuscript, much shorter than it was - at 148,000 words will be done, and then the press begins to get it out the door.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> In waiting mode while others edit/proof-read and am having writer's withdrawal symptoms. U no wut i meen?


Hmmm, are you _sure_ you don't want overnight shipping? 

(I finally hacked away the imprisoning pile of ice by the end of the day today... off to UPS tomorrow morning!)


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> Hmmm, are you _sure_ you don't want overnight shipping?
> 
> (I finally hacked away the imprisoning pile of ice by the end of the day today... off to UPS tomorrow morning!)


Haha. I'm sure. I was actually talking about the next two books after the book you just proofed. The one you have is out of my hands now. My wife will make the changes to the original manuscript from your notes. Stay home tomorrow and have a Merry Christmas Eve.


----------



## Susan in VA

Have to go out for other things anyway, so unless we get more snow or something, it will be on its merry way tomorrow.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm into the stretch, so it's that time we all hate - the dreaded *BLURB*

"We all lived in the shadow of K'ai-feng's ashes now. No denying it. However safe we felt, the world hung by a silken thread." So begins the second book of the Southen Swallow series - The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration) and, like the first book, The Academician, it is told by K'u Ko-ling, servant to the Grand Tutor, Li K'ai-men. The Emperor Kao has proclaimed that his court and government will migrate to the south, a progress filled with adventure, intrigue, war and tragedy, thus setting a series of events in play that shaped the Middle Kingdom.

Set on the broad canvas of Sung Dynasty China, The Nan Tu is a tale of love, separation and sacrifice. Yet heroes emerge from the ashes and restoration is within their grasp. From the mountain lairs of bandits to the sweep of the fleet at sea, The Nan Tu will transport you to a world that should have never been forgotten. Still, there are more important things than empires and history. There's love and destiny - the destiny of Li K'ai-men's relics and the enlistment of his helpmates to guard over the membrane of time."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1800 words so far today, and chapter 22 of "In Her Name: Legend of the Sword" is done! Time for a nap...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I felt well enough to write a few pages last night.  Hopefully, I can carry that through today, but I'm not going to push myself.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Glad to hear that you're getting back in the saddle, gertie.

As for The Nan Tu. DONE! On last quick go-through, Press release and now layout and formatting. I might wait until I get back to PA fo that stuff.

Whew!

Ed Patterson


----------



## JennaAnderson

Hi folks - I am new to all of this (self publishing, online promos, etc.) and I have a question about pricing.

I hope it is ok to post this question here. If not please let me know where it should be directed.

Maria S. pointed out to me that word count can help determine price. I felt the price I set for my sweet romance - $1.75 - was fair and I’ve made some sales both on Amazon and Smashwords. But now I’m wondering if I should drop it to $0.99. Yes I should have done more research before posting it at $1.75. I created this issue. 

The word count is just over 23,000.

If I change the price on Amazon I will also change it on Smashwords. Barnes & Noble will also need to be updated.

Questions - 
1. Based on this word count, should I drop the price?
2. Is this a bad idea - will I anger those that have already bought it? 
3. How much of hassle will it be to change the price on all sites?

I hope to have another story done, edited, and ready for release in a couple months. Should I just wait and have both titles at $0.99 at that time? Thoughts?

I am heading out to the in-laws for the day so if I don’t respond you’ll know why.
Thanks so much for your help with all this!

Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have books with 135,000 words at $ .99. My longest works, 180,000 plus I kep at $3.99, not that that price will always stand. Price by length is more a factor in print publishing. Whn you change the pricing on Smashwords, you price will be changed in the Premium Catalog and change on Barnes & Noble . . . in time.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Welcome, Jenna.  This is a good place to ask.  

My novel is 111K words (262 print pages), and I initially priced it at .99.  My next one is about half done at 96K and I expect to hit around 180K.  I'll probably price it at .99 for the first month.  

Any price change on Amazon will take several days.  I think they pull it off the list while it's updating, but I'm not sure about that.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie - Glad you're feeling better! You must have gotten yourself a new hat! 

Ed - congrats on finishing the Nan Tu! It sounds cool - I plan to check it out!

Jenna - Pricing is a very fickle beast, and everybody has a different approach to handling it, and a lot also depends on your intended audience and your marketing skills. I've played with pricing on my books, and found that the pricing alone doesn't seem to have that great an effect on sales. In fact, they tend to sell better when priced higher. I'm not saying that's going to be true for everyone or any given book, but... *shrugs*

So, set what you think is a fair and reasonable price, putting yourself in your readers's shoes, and go from there...


----------



## JennaAnderson

Thanks everyone for the pricing feedback. I guess I need to think about it for a while. I still like the idea of dropping it once I have more titles up on the sites.

I do a little better with short stories and novellas. I seem to be able to write them much easier than a full novel. So far I've attempted only one novel and needed to set it aside for various reasons.

The other story ideas I have will fall into the novella length as well.

It's been so much fun posting my books on Smashwords, Amazon and B & N that I haven't written ONE WORD in weeks!! eek.

Time to get back to it - tomorrow.  

Thanks again!

Jenna


----------



## ReeseReed

Struggling now.  Been at it for an hour and only 206 words.  I need my 2000 words/hour inspiration back!!  I'm to the meat of my story now, and my character is struggling with tough decisions...so I guess it's only fair that I struggle with getting her there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Struggling now. Been at it for an hour and only 206 words. I need my 2000 words/hour inspiration back!! I'm to the meat of my story now, and my character is struggling with tough decisions...so I guess it's only fair that I struggle with getting her there.


I'm at the same place you are. I did about 1500 words between yesterday and today. I could have gone further, but I'm at a really critical point in the story and I need to let it stew a bit. Hope to wake up inspired tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Go at your muse's pace! Also, if you get stumped, try just writing and see where it takes you. If you go down a blind alley, back up and turn around. But that way at least you keep moving, and you never know where it might take you... 

I've done somewhere between 2000-2500 today, getting toward the peak of the story (I think!). Some of the characters are about to be very sad...

BTW - we saw Avatar this evening. WOW! What an incredible movie, and some absolutely stunning visuals. That one's going in our Blu-Ray collection for sure!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Minor update: put me down for 3200 words today...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wrote 1200 words so far this morning and finished chapter 24 of Legend of the Sword! Tapping onward...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Wrote 1200 words so far this morning and finished chapter 24 of Legend of the Sword! Tapping onward...


At the rate you're going, we'll probably be reading Legend of the Sword in a couple of months.

Any cover ideas, yet?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> At the rate you're going, we'll probably be reading Legend of the Sword in a couple of months.
> 
> Any cover ideas, yet?


I'm hoping to wrap up the first draft in another week or so. But by the time I'm done revising and it gets through alpha and beta phases, it should be ready around early February (I'm hoping).

I've had a couple ideas for the cover, but I usually don't spend much time on that until I get the draft done. Otherwise I'd just sit and play with Photoshop all day! LOL!

I'm going to post the first couple chapters here in a bit - consider it a slightly belated Christmas present.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> I'm hoping to wrap up the first draft in another week or so. But by the time I'm done revising and it gets through alpha and beta phases, it should be ready around early February (I'm hoping).


Yay!!!



> I've had a couple ideas for the cover, but I usually don't spend much time on that until I get the draft done. Otherwise I'd just sit and play with Photoshop all day! LOL!


That's always fun.



> I'm going to post the first couple chapters here in a bit - consider it a slightly belated Christmas present.


Looking forward to it. 

Right now, I have a cat sitting in front of my timeline and swishing his tail like a windshield wiper across my screen. I think I'm going to have to close him out of the den when I sit down to write tonight.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Right now, I have a cat sitting in front of my timeline and swishing his tail like a windshield wiper across my screen. I think I'm going to have to close him out of the den when I sit down to write tonight.


I think our cats must be on the same wavelength: one of ours was prowling around, mewling, until I picked him up and put him in my lap. Insta-purrrrr...

Anyway, here's the link for the PDF sample of _In Her Name: Legend of the Sword_. Enjoy!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Launched *The Nan Tu * Kindle version last night (now in the 5 day countdown), and will work on formatting the DTB today.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> I think our cats must be on the same wavelength: one of ours was prowling around, mewling, until I picked him up and put him in my lap. Insta-purrrrr...


Stewie is just getting used to me. Too bad he's going home tomorrow.



> Anyway, here's the link for the PDF sample of _In Her Name: Legend of the Sword_. Enjoy!


Thanks, Mike. Just started reading it and here comes Tesh Dar. Felt like I was revisiting an old friend.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Launched *The Nan Tu * Kindle version last night (now in the 5 day countdown), and will work on formatting the DTB today.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Congratulations, Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Stewie is just getting used to me. Too bad he's going home tomorrow.


Aww! That stinks. You need a kitty! 



> Thanks, Mike. Just started reading it and here comes Tesh Dar. Felt like I was revisiting an old friend.


Well, Tesh-Dar's a bit torqued in the part of the story where I am now. She is NOT a happy camper, and the sparks are a-flyin'!! D'oh!

Speaking of which, gonna get back to it...!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Press Release is out:

http://www.prlog.org/10466559.html

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 3000+ words today, about halfway through ch 24 now. I'm POOPED, but have some hopes of getting the first draft for this sucker finished by New Years...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, 3000+ words today, about halfway through ch 24 now. I'm POOPED, but have some hopes of getting the first draft for this sucker finished by New Years...


Goodness, you're really, really fast. I thought I was doing well when I was writing AP to get in 500 words a night and 2500 words on the weekend. 

Well, I did a couple of pages tonight, and I think I'll add in a paragraph or two because I have to start moving time along.

Night, folks.


----------



## ReeseReed

I hate writer's block.  16,000 words in two weeks, and now...nothing.  Killing me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ReeseReed said:


> I hate writer's block. 16,000 words in two weeks, and now...nothing. Killing me.


Try rewinding, if you haven't already. Go back over the last chapter or so and just read it - don't edit or tweak. Just relax into it and read to enjoy it. Then once you get to where you left off, see if your fingers pick up the trail...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Only about 1000 words tonight. Got started a bit late. Will try to get more in tomorrow. REALLY want to finish the rough draft this week! w00t!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Everything I wrote today, I threw out.  Oh, well.  Them's the breaks.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Everything I wrote today, I threw out. Oh, well. Them's the breaks.


Set it aside and save it! You never know when some extra words might come in handy!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Set it aside and save it! You never know when some extra words might come in handy!


Too late. I deleted it all. I did save the two pages I had to edit out for continuity problems a while ago. I know I'll be able to fit them in somewhere.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Everything I wrote today, I threw out. Oh, well. Them's the breaks.


I've had days like that too, Gertie, but it's definitely not wasted time. Your brain is busily rewriting, thinking how to improve, making connections, learning. Can't wait to hear how it goes tomorrow.

Debra


----------



## ReeseReed

kreelanwarrior said:


> Try rewinding, if you haven't already. Go back over the last chapter or so and just read it - don't edit or tweak. Just relax into it and read to enjoy it. Then once you get to where you left off, see if your fingers pick up the trail...


went back, reread, then chatted with a fellow author and did some brainstorming...it worked! 1600 words done tonight, back on track. hooray!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, The Nan Tu is up and ready for sale on the Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00322P1N4

I haven't really started the marketing yet (waiting for the DTB), but will probably open a Kindleboard thread in the next day or so. Check it out. I've had a few sales already. Tag me.

Thanks
Ed Patterson


----------



## Joseph Rhea

I could use some feedback on a science fiction story I am currently outlining. 

My original blurb was as follows:

One hundred years after "The Event" forced humanity to evacuate Earth's dry 
land and move to the relative safety of the deep oceans, the young captain of 
a transport sub is offered a small fortune to carry a large, nondescript black box 
to a remote location. Along the way he is attacked by pirates and government 
agents bent on stealing the box, and learns that its contents may hold the key 
to humanity's future survival in the sea. But is it a future he is willing to die for? 

An alternate version is the same basic plot, but would take place on a distance 
"ocean planet" (a planet covered entirely by water), and reads like this:

One hundred years ago, our ancestors came to this ocean planet hoping to make 
a new start. When they arrived, they found only the remnants of a war fought 
between the machines that built the underwater cities and the first colonists. 
While what’s left of humanity struggles to survive in this underwater world, the 
young captain of a transport sub is offered a small fortune...(rest is identical)

So, while the basics of the story remain nearly identical, the background is what
is different. Version 1 takes place on a distant Earth and might be more plausable 
in 200 years, while version 2 might be more "adventurous."

What I am looking for is a "gut reaction" to the two versions above.
Thanks in advance for any input!
JR


----------



## JennaAnderson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, The Nan Tu is up and ready for sale on the Kindle.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00322P1N4
> 
> I haven't really started the marketing yet (waiting for the DTB), but will probably open a Kindleboard thread in the next day or so. Check it out. I've had a few sales already. Tag me.
> 
> Thanks
> Ed Patterson


I tagged ya. Nice cover!


----------



## daveconifer

JosephRhea said:


> I could use some feedback on a science fiction story I am currently outlining.
> 
> My original blurb was as follows:
> 
> One hundred years after "The Event" forced humanity to evacuate Earth's dry
> land and move to the relative safety of the deep oceans, the young captain of
> a transport sub is offered a small fortune to carry a large, nondescript black box
> to a remote location. Along the way he is attacked by pirates and government
> agents bent on stealing the box, and learns that its contents may hold the key
> to humanity's future survival in the sea. But is it a future he is willing to die for?
> 
> An alternate version is the same basic plot, but would take place on a distance
> "ocean planet" (a planet covered entirely by water), and reads like this:
> 
> One hundred years ago, our ancestors came to this ocean planet hoping to make
> a new start. When they arrived, they found only the remnants of a war fought
> between the machines that built the underwater cities and the first colonists.
> While what's left of humanity struggles to survive in this underwater world, the
> young captain of a transport sub is offered a small fortune...(rest is identical)
> 
> So, while the basics of the story remain nearly identical, the background is what
> is different. Version 1 takes place on a distant Earth and might be more plausable
> in 200 years, while version 2 might be more "adventurous."
> 
> What I am looking for is a "gut reaction" to the two versions above.
> Thanks in advance for any input!
> JR


I like the second version better, personally. I'm sure the stories wouldn't be as different as they seem going by the blurb but I like the element of mystery in figuring out what the heck happened on the new planet. I think there is less danger of falling into the derivative post-apocalypse traps if it's not on earth.

I like it either way. If it's as good as Cyberdrome you needn't worry...


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Everything I wrote today, I threw out. Oh, well. Them's the breaks.


That's not all bad if you can remember what you deleted. I got myself into an enormous continuity mess by deleting a whole thread about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Orphaned events and characters kept cropping up in other parts of the book.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Jenna for tag and compliment.



Joseph:

To me both are significantly different in approach. The first is a survival story (a Robinsonade) with dytopian qualities and allows for Earth references and echoes to the past. The second is a world that needs to be defined and a more difficult row to hoe as an author unless . . . you time warp and the Ocean planet is (unknown to its protagonists) Earth. In either event, the second is a novel of Discovery (a Servadacade and more Verne than the former).

That's my take. My preference is always for something one-off the famliar to the reader - more Tolkien.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Joseph--

My "gut" reaction is that I prefer version 1. While I don't know what "The Event" is, it seems unlikely mankind could get to another planet after something so catastrophic.

I may be completely wrong, but that's my "gut" reaction after reading your "back of book" blurb.


----------



## Joseph Rhea

@ daveconifer - Thanks and I'm glad you liked Cyberdrome.

@ Edward C. Patterson - potentially less differences than you might think based on my short synopsis - see below

@ Dave Dykema - The "Event" mentioned in version 1 did not take place in v2. Additional clarification follows:

One hundred years before the story in v1 was "The Event" - possibly a war, nanaotech plaque (or gamma-ray burst-like event - haven't settled on it yet) that wiped out land-dwelling humans, or at least made it impossible to live above water. Hope is that the land will become livable some day soon, but it has been 100 years and both human society and technology are beginning to fall apart (city-state wars, fights over limited resources, etc). 

One hundred years before the story in v2 was the arrival of the second wave of human settlers to the ocean planet, who discovered the remnants of a war fought between the machines (sent first to build the underwater cities) and the first wave of human settlers. Hope is that more humans will arrive from Earth some day soon, but it has been 100 years since last contact with Earth and both human society and technology are beginning to fall apart (city-state wars, fights over limited resources, etc).

In both versions, this first story centers on one man's discovery of what he is being asked to carry - the contents of which could affect humanity's survival in the "new world" in which they have been forced to live. Also, the background in both versions centers on the crumbling of society as resourced dwindle, and people loose interest in building a "better tomorrow" for their children. Finally, a lack of any form of centralized government (or even cooperation) between the many self-contained "city-spheres" could be leading the populace to civil war.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> I've had days like that too, Gertie, but it's definitely not wasted time. Your brain is busily rewriting, thinking how to improve, making connections, learning. Can't wait to hear how it goes tomorrow.
> 
> Debra


The minute my head hit the pillow last night, I knew what was wrong. I wasn't listening to my heroine who said she was done for the moment. Time to change PoV.



Jeff said:


> That's not all bad if you can remember what you deleted. I got myself into an enormous continuity mess by deleting a whole thread about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Orphaned events and characters kept cropping up in other parts of the book.


I was stuck in a repetitive rut, and I have to let another character take center stage for a while. He's been trying to tell me what he's been up to, and I wasn't listening. Bad mommy. 

Oh my goodness, you were in a mess. That's a lot to delete.


----------



## ReeseReed

JosephRhea said:


> I could use some feedback on a science fiction story I am currently outlining.
> 
> My original blurb was as follows:
> 
> One hundred years after "The Event" forced humanity to evacuate Earth's dry
> land and move to the relative safety of the deep oceans, the young captain of
> a transport sub is offered a small fortune to carry a large, nondescript black box
> to a remote location. Along the way he is attacked by pirates and government
> agents bent on stealing the box, and learns that its contents may hold the key
> to humanity's future survival in the sea. But is it a future he is willing to die for?
> 
> An alternate version is the same basic plot, but would take place on a distance
> "ocean planet" (a planet covered entirely by water), and reads like this:
> 
> One hundred years ago, our ancestors came to this ocean planet hoping to make
> a new start. When they arrived, they found only the remnants of a war fought
> between the machines that built the underwater cities and the first colonists.
> While what's left of humanity struggles to survive in this underwater world, the
> young captain of a transport sub is offered a small fortune...(rest is identical)
> 
> So, while the basics of the story remain nearly identical, the background is what
> is different. Version 1 takes place on a distant Earth and might be more plausable
> in 200 years, while version 2 might be more "adventurous."
> 
> What I am looking for is a "gut reaction" to the two versions above.
> Thanks in advance for any input!
> JR


My gut reaction is the second one. I'm not sure why it appeals more to me, I only know that it does.


----------



## ReeseReed

Wound up getting about 2000 words done last night.  I'm about three chapters away from being done.  Looks like I'm going to have another novella on my hands.  I was hoping this would pan out to be a complete novel, but I have to do what the story tells me.  Right now I've got just over 20,000 words.  I expect my next two chapters to be significantly longer than the others, since there's so much going on in the story now, but I still don't see it becoming 60,000 words by the end.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, so much for rest and relaxation. Got 5,100 words done (revision) on the new Cutting the Cheese. This is a short project as the novella is only 33,000 words.

Ed Patterson


----------



## JennaAnderson

Hi all - well, I think I am going to lower the price of my story to $0.99 since it is so short (just over 23,000 words)

When I update this price on Amazon will it take my title down completely? Will people still be able to see or tag it - review it if they want to?

And - how long should I anticipate the update to take?

Thanks everyone!!

My next release will probably be two novellas combined for $0.99 versus my original thought of $0.99 each.

Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jenna:

Your book will still be available. It should take between 48-72 hours, and up to 5 days sometimes, although I just got a process done in 36 hours. Be sure, after changing your price, to press the publish button (a common mistake) "My book is ready, but the changes aren't there." Famous delaying words. Also, review your blurb - add a Professional Review, if you have one. You have 4,000 words in the description. If needed, adjust key words and change categories. I say this, because it saves time to make all these changes and reviews at the same time, and later you might want to make a change, but find it a nuisance.

Hope this helps

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

JosephRhea said:


> I could use some feedback on a science fiction story I am currently outlining.
> 
> My original blurb was as follows:
> 
> One hundred years after "The Event" forced humanity to evacuate Earth's dry
> land and move to the relative safety of the deep oceans, the young captain of
> a transport sub is offered a small fortune to carry a large, nondescript black box
> to a remote location. Along the way he is attacked by pirates and government
> agents bent on stealing the box, and learns that its contents may hold the key
> to humanity's future survival in the sea. But is it a future he is willing to die for?
> 
> An alternate version is the same basic plot, but would take place on a distance
> "ocean planet" (a planet covered entirely by water), and reads like this:
> 
> One hundred years ago, our ancestors came to this ocean planet hoping to make
> a new start. When they arrived, they found only the remnants of a war fought
> between the machines that built the underwater cities and the first colonists.
> While what's left of humanity struggles to survive in this underwater world, the
> young captain of a transport sub is offered a small fortune...(rest is identical)
> 
> So, while the basics of the story remain nearly identical, the background is what
> is different. Version 1 takes place on a distant Earth and might be more plausable
> in 200 years, while version 2 might be more "adventurous."
> 
> What I am looking for is a "gut reaction" to the two versions above.
> Thanks in advance for any input!
> JR


I definitely like the second one better. Lots of room for adventure, solving the mystery of the previous colonists, and the mystery of the black box.


----------



## JennaAnderson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Jenna:
> 
> Your book will still be available. It should take between 48-72 hours, and up to 5 days sometimes, although I just got a process done in 36 hours. Be sure, after changing your price, to press the publish button (a common mistake) "My book is ready, but the changes aren't there." Famous delaying words. Also, review your blurb - add a Professional Review, if you have one. You have 4,000 words in the description. If needed, adjust key words and change categories. I say this, because it saves time to make all these changes and reviews at the same time, and later you might want to make a change, but find it a nuisance.
> 
> Hope this helps
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks Ed - good advice. I will get it all ready and then update.
Smashwords and B&N will need to be done too.

Jenna


----------



## Dave Dykema

With the clarification version 2 sounds more interesting too. Arriving on the planet would/could be spooky with all the dead machines laying about.

I liked 1 (but caved to peer pressure)...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

> One hundred years ago, our ancestors came to this ocean planet hoping to make
> a new start. When they arrived, they found only the remnants of a war fought
> between the machines that built the underwater cities and the first colonists.


I think you have two completely different stories here. The above snippet (to me) begs for a story of conflict, like the resurgence of the machines. It's a bit unclear to me if "our ancestors" are the same people as the "first colonists". I'd consider modifying it a tad: "our ancestors (Earth-descended colonists) came to this world and found only the remnants of a war fought between machines that built the underwater cities and the planet's indigenous inhabitants..." They wiped each other out in the war, or so the colonists thought...

The "event" story (#1) would probably work well as a sci-fi/adventure tale... 

For myself, 1800 words today and chapter 24 of Legend of the Sword is a wrap. Gonna try to get in just a little more tonight, but probably not much. Kinda pooped!


----------



## Susan in VA

Joseph, as a non-author (but SF-reader) my two cents' worth  --  if I were to read those descriptions on the back covers in a bookstore, I'd buy # 2 and not # 1.  

#2 sounds like an enjoyable escapist SF tale, with a little mystery thrown in.  And you have much more freedom regarding where you want the story to go.  

#1 is more likely to have credibility problems, and if I'm looking for enjoyable SF I don't want to read about how human society is falling apart.  (We have CNN for that.  )


----------



## JennaAnderson

JennaAnderson said:


> Thanks Ed - good advice. I will get it all ready and then update.
> Smashwords and B&N will need to be done too.
> 
> Jenna


Well Amazon must have added a few more staff people. The price of my story was updated in about 5 hours.

Wow.


----------



## Dave Dykema

That's quite a jump on the usual 5 days!


----------



## JennaAnderson

I know. I was so surprised.

I really like the way Mark C. from Smashwords set up his website. It's great to see the number of page views, get an email when someone buys a copy or gives a review. I'm not bashing Amazon but they could add a few features to make it great for authors.

Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's ok, I have all my titles available on B&N (Like you) and haven' a clue if I've sold any there. In fact, I don;t send anyone there . . .yet., until I can figure out a strategy.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Joseph Rhea

Thanks for the feedback, everyone - it really helped!
I will be offline until next week, so have a great new year!
JR


----------



## geoffthomas

kreelanwarrior said:


> I think you have two completely different stories here. The above snippet (to me) begs for a story of conflict, like the resurgence of the machines. It's a bit unclear to me if "our ancestors" are the same people as the "first colonists". I'd consider modifying it a tad: "our ancestors (Earth-descended colonists) came to this world and found only the remnants of a war fought between machines that built the underwater cities and the planet's indigenous inhabitants..." They wiped each other out in the war, or so the colonists thought...
> 
> The "event" story (#1) would probably work well as a sci-fi/adventure tale...
> 
> For myself, 1800 words today and chapter 24 of Legend of the Sword is a wrap. Gonna try to get in just a little more tonight, but probably not much. Kinda pooped!


I agree with Mike - two stories.
So might I suggest that you write both.
Yes, it is clear that I am a reader not a writer.
I LOVE good stories (Mike is a fav).

Just sayin.....


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Got a question for fellow authors who have published paperbacks on Createspace.  I have several books in paperback form there.  When I go to my Amazon page for my first two books in Kindle, there is a box on the page that lists other formats for the book.  But this box is missing from my other Kindle book pages, so people looking at the Kindle book site for my work will not know that it is in paperback form from Createspace which is also owned by Amazon.  How do we get our paperback book listed on the Kindle page for our book or can we?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Brendan:

You must be sure that the title of the book on the Kindle and the title of the book on CreateSpace match exactly, so the build engine can find them and cross reference them. Ttles with hyphens or ) and Part numbers tend to have subtle differences that through the Amazon machinery off.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Brendan Carroll said:


> Got a question for fellow authors who have published paperbacks on Createspace. I have several books in paperback form there. When I go to my Amazon page for my first two books in Kindle, there is a box on the page that lists other formats for the book. But this box is missing from my other Kindle book pages, so people looking at the Kindle book site for my work will not know that it is in paperback form from Createspace which is also owned by Amazon. How do we get our paperback book listed on the Kindle page for our book or can we?


There's a button on your author's page that permits you to add missing titles. It takes the technical staff a few days.


----------



## Joseph Rhea

geoffthomas said:


> I agree with Mike - two stories.
> So might I suggest that you write both.
> Yes, it is clear that I am a reader not a writer.
> I LOVE good stories (Mike is a fav).
> 
> Just sayin.....


Actually, a version of both stories ARE in the works. 
A while back I outlined a huge, far-future, 3-book story arc involving the war that takes place on the ocean planet between the machines (sent ahead to build the cities) and the first human colonists (sort of an underwater version of "Dune"). Then I came up with the idea for the nearer-future, earth-based underwater short story. Later, I realized that if I moved my short story to the ocean planet, I could tell about the descendants of a 2nd wave of human settlers. Maybe I'm just being lazy, but it seemed like a plausible idea...


----------



## JennaAnderson

I've heard that tags and tag votes will help Amazon customers find our books. Is there a tag for $0.99 books? I've tried diferent variations but can't pull anything up.

Do we want to decide on a tag for books under $1 and get the word out about this new tag? 

Perhaps I am just not finding it.

Thanks!


----------



## JennaAnderson

JennaAnderson said:


> I've heard that tags and tag votes will help Amazon customers find our books. Is there a tag for $0.99 books? I've tried diferent variations but can't pull anything up.
> 
> Do we want to decide on a tag for books under $1 and get the word out about this new tag?
> 
> Perhaps I am just not finding it.
> 
> Thanks!


Me again - how about if we come up with a tag for books that are $0.99 AND create a thread in the Kindle community titled as such?

Then we can encourage authors to tag their books with the correct wording and route more readers to us....

Thoughts?

I need to step away from the computer for a while so if anyone else want to do this - feel free. Unfortunately Amazon does not accept the $ or . in a tag.

later!!

Jenna


----------



## kellyabell

Okay my author friends.  You all are so diligent with your word goals every day.  I've been hiding in my research and need to get back to writing.  This sequel feel like an interminable pregnancy.  I don't think it will ever be born!    As you can see I'm spending more time posting stuff than actually writing.  I need the virtual kick in the pants again.  I want to do another 5000 words by Sunday.  With company coming it's going to be tough but I gotta try.  Send virtual energy my way!  

BTW that was a good tip about keeping everything you delete.  I don't do that but I may start a file.  Great suggestion.


----------



## JennaAnderson

I've made a thread on the Amazon discussion boards regarding titles for 99 cents.

http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=cm_cd_tfp_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx1O7T1G20BLJ6T&displayType=tagsDetail

Feel free to visit and add your titles. I also encourage you to create a tag - 99 cents. Hopefully we can come up with a nice library of options for all the Kindle readers out there looking for great titles under $1.

I hope it was ok to start this thread on Amazon. We'll see if it gets deleted - hopefully not.

** Must get some writing done. I hope I can post word count progress in the future. **



Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Jenna - I listed.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

A bit over 1700 words tonight, about halfway through ch 25 of Legend of the Sword. Would've made a bit more progress, but had to help Jan with some really buggy software on her laptop. Technology, making our lives easier!

Time now to vegetate. Have to go to work tomorrow, but get off 2 hrs early, then off on Friday. Gonna try for a marathon writing session this weekend!!


----------



## JennaAnderson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks Jenna - I listed.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Cool - I will go vote on all your tags when I get a chance. You have a nice library of titles.

Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks. There's more, but the rest re $ 3.99.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Can anyone tell me how I can use my own ISBN number on Lulu while keeping them from releasing the book to the bookstores? Their 100% markup makes the title too expensive even if I set my royalties at a penny.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Can anyone tell me how I can use my own ISBN number on Lulu while keeping them from releasing the book to the bookstores? Their 100% markup makes the title too expensive even if I set my royalties at a penny.


Jeff - I don't know the answer to that question, but is there any particular reason you're going through Lulu rather than CreateSpace? They have a relatively decent pricing arrangement, far better than Lulu's, and the cost of entry for the pro plan (which is the only way to go) is - if I remember right - $39 plus the cost of a proof copy. They include an ISBN, or you can use your own if you have one already...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> ...is there any particular reason you're going through Lulu rather than CreateSpace?


Thanks, Mike but unless I'm mistaken, which is entirely possible, CreateSpace doesn't print hardcovers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Thanks, Mike but unless I'm mistaken, which is entirely possible, CreateSpace doesn't print hardcovers.


Ah! I believe that's true. In that case, for a bit more cash up front (about $100 altogether to set up and proof if you have an ISBN already), you might want to consider going with Lighting Source. They offer just about every size and binding imagineable. For a hardback novel in, say 6x9 or 5.5x8.5 format, I think the print cost is $.90 + $0.013/page + $6 (or maybe $7?) for hardcover, maybe $8 for hardcover + dust jacket. You can set the retailer discount as low as 25%, so you have a bit more control over the cost. Copies you buy for yourself are a bit more, at $0.015/page. The only downside (aside from the higher setup costs) is that they're pretty particular about the format and so on of the electronic files, and changing anything is expensive ($40 a pop).

So, I don't know if that helps, but for what it may be worth...


----------



## Jeff

Thanks, Mike. I'll take a look.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

108,000 words in Legend of the Sword - almost to the end of the rough draft! <gasp, pant!>


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> 108,000 words in Legend of the Sword - almost to the end of the rough draft! <gasp, pant!>


stop typing here and FINISH!


----------



## ReeseReed

Got about 500 or so words done last night.  Feels like i'm at another block though.  I'm so close to finishing, too.  It's tough!  I'm going to try rereading again and see if I can figure out what needs to happen next.


----------



## daveconifer

Great idea about the 99 cent thread over at Amazon and it looks like it's not going to be deleted!  I added a post.  I still haven't figured out how and what those tags are but for what it's worth I tagged my own stuff as "99 cents"  (is that unethical?  LOL, like I said, I don't understand tags...)


----------



## ReeseReed

daveconifer said:


> Great idea about the 99 cent thread over at Amazon and it looks like it's not going to be deleted! I added a post. I still haven't figured out how and what those tags are but for what it's worth I tagged my own stuff as "99 cents" (is that unethical? LOL, like I said, I don't understand tags...)


Okay, here's my understanding on the tags...a buyer can go to the discussion forum of his/her choice, and in the search box it will say "products tagged with...". Then he/she can put in "99 cents" for example, and it will pull up all books that are tagged as such.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/tagging/items-tagged-with?ie=UTF8&flatten=1&tag=99%20cents&search=1

From my understanding it's another way to help readers find your books more easily.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

daveconifer said:


> Great idea about the 99 cent thread over at Amazon and it looks like it's not going to be deleted! I added a post. I still haven't figured out how and what those tags are but for what it's worth I tagged my own stuff as "99 cents" (is that unethical? LOL, like I said, I don't understand tags...)


You can tag your books however you want. What I find unethical is tagging your book with a bestselling author's name. I've seen that several times.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

5400 words today. I've got two threads to wrap up and a bit of a third, and the draft for Legend of the Sword will be DONE (pending revision)!!


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> 5400 words today. I've got two threads to wrap up and a bit of a third, and the draft for Legend of the Sword will be DONE (pending revision)!!


Great news Mike.


----------



## daveconifer

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You can tag your books however you want. What I find unethical is tagging your book with a bestselling author's name. I've seen that several times.


Oh, now I'm starting to get it. So if I tagged my book with "Dan Brown" it might come up in the same searches as his books? You're right, that does seem rather sleazy but I'm surprised it isn't more common.

So what does the number next to each tag mean? The number of people who agreed with the original tag?


----------



## ReeseReed

daveconifer said:


> Oh, now I'm starting to get it. So if I tagged my book with "Dan Brown" it might come up in the same searches as his books? You're right, that does seem rather sleazy but I'm surprised it isn't more common.
> 
> So what does the number next to each tag mean? The number of people who agreed with the original tag?


You got it. I've asked people who've read my book but haven't got an amazon account to tag for me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*113,000 words and four months later, the first draft of In Her Name: Legend of the Sword is DONE!!!*










Gonna take a short break and then start the rough revisions before turning it over to Steph and Scarlet...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> *113,000 words and four months later, the first draft of In Her Name: Legend of the Sword is DONE!!!*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> *113,000 words and four months later, the first draft of In Her Name: Legend of the Sword is DONE!!!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gonna take a short break and then start the rough revisions before turning it over to Steph and Scarlet...


I see you're taking a well deserved collapse. 

Congratulations. Pretty soon we'll see some cover art to vote on?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I see you're taking a well deserved collapse.


Going to see Avatar in IMAX for a reward! 



> Congratulations. Pretty soon we'll see some cover art to vote on?


Yes, I'm scoping out some visual tidbits. Hard to find quite what I want, though. Hmph!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

daveconifer said:


> Oh, now I'm starting to get it. So if I tagged my book with "Dan Brown" it might come up in the same searches as his books? You're right, that does seem rather sleazy but I'm surprised it isn't more common.


Yes, it is sleazy. When I see it, I usually "disagree" with the tag. Also things like "$9.99 boycott" or other spamming tags.



> So what does the number next to each tag mean? The number of people who agreed with the original tag?


Right. And if you click on the tag name, you'll go to a page that show recent tags. Click on "show all products" and you'll see how many books are ahead of you with that same tag. I'm at 91 in historical romance which puts me on the second page. I need to get to 108 to get on the first page.

I don't know if this really helps, but might as well take advantage of all the tools we have. You'll see in my siggy I ask people to tag my book and provide links to do it. We tag each other, too, as part of author support, so if your book links are in your siggy, I'll tag you. Be sure to add the tags you want so we can check them off for you.



ReeseReed said:


> You got it. I've asked people who've read my book but haven't got an amazon account to tag for me.


Yes, I do that, too. I moved up pretty rapidly doing that, especially with the help of my fellow KB authors.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

For anyone who might be interested, I posted a blurb and some cover art for Legend of the Sword in its own thread since it's only about a month or so away from publication now... 

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,17663.0.html


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike: I went . . I saw . . . I let a comment 

My writing has been nil for the last few days as I have Dad with me out in PA and am entertaining. Monday I go to NJ. But I am whittling down the Todo list of 46 items to get *The Nan Tu * on sure footing.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike: I went . . I saw . . . I let a comment


And so begins the tamatli-throwing! LOL!



> My writing has been nil for the last few days as I have Dad with me out in PA and am entertaining. Monday I go to NJ. But I am whittling down the Todo list of 46 items to get *The Nan Tu * on sure footing.


You're far too organized - I'd just lose the list...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's funny, but I don't use an outline to write, but can't launch a book without a list.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> It's funny, but I don't use an outline to write, but can't launch a book without a list.


Well, for me it's also a question of time: writing doesn't leave much room for book-launching and promotion, etc. But, what the heck, the writing is the fun part for me...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Mike, I looked at your cover art and left my two cents.


----------



## geoffthomas

Mike I also posted in that thread.
You know how much we love your work.


----------



## ReeseReed

Knocked out another 1000 or so words last night.  I only have two or three chapters left before my Christmas novel is finished.  My goal was to finish it before my Christmas break was over...so that leaves me today to get it done.  We'll see, lol.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Finished the rough revisions for chapters 1 and 2 of Legend of the Sword. Gonna take a break, then try to get through 3 later tonight...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Been busy with Dad - first with New Years Eve, then took him to see Avatar (which he loved), then to the casino in Lehigh Valley and to Emeril's, and finally to a Hibachi dinners (you know, with knife juggling and pricey food - although not as pricey as Emerils). Now I've got him back in New Jersey (shopped and ran errands and tomorrow I'm going to get my hair cut and bleached - I'm 6 months overdue and I'm nearly back to my original color and the hair is . . . well call me Cousin IT). Then it's back to PA on Wednesday. SO, although I've gotten some book launch stuff done, the only writing has been about 800 words on The People's Treasure (Jade Owl Book 4), which will be taking center stage in the next few weeks. Still have Cutting the Cheese to revise and relaunch, plus the omnibus of novellas, Oh, Dainty Triolet. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Ed, that's a lot to have done and it's sometimes good to get out rather than write...though you will never get me to admit that outside of this board.   I considered taking Mom, well she drives but you get the idea, to see Sherlock Holmes since she's a huge fan but I'm not certain if she's ready for Robert Downey as Holmes. Iron Man, sure...Holmes, not so much.

I actually made progress on the second novel for Celtic Evil...finally. 6,000 words last night even though my laptop and I decided to not agree.
For the first time since my Dad bought it...okay, ten years or so ago, I just figured out why it's Word program is different than my desktop and I really don't like Word 2000 but I'll cope since I just use it to type, I suppose.


----------



## geoffthomas

Sierra - it is good to know that you are progressing on the Celtic Evil book.
You might want to consider OpenOffice (which can be had for free) and put the same version on both computers.
then you might eliminate the Word problem.

Just sayin.......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Getting a lot of exercise pushing that whelchair.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

geoffthomas said:


> Sierra - it is good to know that you are progressing on the Celtic Evil book.
> You might want to consider OpenOffice (which can be had for free) and put the same version on both computers.
> then you might eliminate the Word problem.
> 
> Just sayin.......


I have OpenOffice on the desktop for making PDFs but my laptop isn't hooked to the internet. I can move the file from the laptop version of Word to the desktop without an issue...I just can't do it in reverse since the laptop doesn't have half of what Word 03 seems to.  I died when I couldn't find a suitable font and decided if I couldn't locate word count that I was smacking the box but it had that at least so I didn't smack it. 

I've gotten another two chapters done so far this afternoon but burned out slightly due to freezing weather, can't think when cold so I'm taking a brief break to surf online a little while.
Though Geoff, you will be happy to know that Ian has yet to be eaten by ugly demon doggies...almost, slightly, _cough_


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

First round revisions for Legend of the Sword through chapter 3 are done...


----------



## geoffthomas

sierra09 said:


> I have OpenOffice on the desktop for making PDFs but my laptop isn't hooked to the internet. I can move the file from the laptop version of Word to the desktop without an issue...I just can't do it in reverse since the laptop doesn't have half of what Word 03 seems to.  I died when I couldn't find a suitable font and decided if I couldn't locate word count that I was smacking the box but it had that at least so I didn't smack it.
> 
> I've gotten another two chapters done so far this afternoon but burned out slightly due to freezing weather, can't think when cold so I'm taking a brief break to surf online a little while.
> Though Geoff, you will be happy to know that Ian has yet to be eaten by ugly demon doggies...almost, slightly, _cough_


I am quite glad that Ian has not (yet?) been eaten by ugly demon doggies (I assume all demon doggies would be ugly).
But the "almost, slightly, " has me worried.
Kinda liked Ian, I did..........

Maybe he will survive?

I will have to wait and see, won't I?

Just sayin......


----------



## sierra09

Well, maybe not all demon dogs are ugly...not certain. All of mine have been.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No wordage tonight - waaaaayyyy too wiped tonight for some reason (hmmm, could be this waking up at 3 am thing - ugh!). So, will aim for getting at least two chapters revised tomorrow on Legend of the Sword...


----------



## ReeseReed

I've gone back to work this week, so I, too, am way too wiped for wordage this week   I'm looking at it as a positive thing though, as I think my work needed some time to rest before I finish it up.  I'm hoping to do that this weekend.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I completed 4,500 words tonight in revision for *Cutting the Cheese*, and in fact finished the revision. I am now turning it over to Katy the Kindlespreche and Peg (when I see her on Monday) and will then reupload to DTP and Createspace. The work shrunk by 2,000 words (it's only 33,000) and the significant changes (other than some grammar guffaws and typos) is a down toning. The work is a wild and woolly gay comedy with some pretty racy dialog and a bunch of randy characters. The problem with the original was that my narrative competed with the characters, so the motivations and development was coming from my narrative more than from the characters. My narrative was precious and ornate (nippy and snarky), so I toned it down and let my characters shine more.

The strategy I'm using for releasing this one is different. Because it's been out since Dec. 2007 and has nearly 300 sold, I will be offering it on Smashwords for 2 weeks for FREE for those readers who wish to replace their eBook copies, and of course to any new readers. I will do the same thing for the other 2 novellas (both of which will be revised, but not a massively, although *Bobby's Trace * will get some expansion in its closing chapters, *No Irish Need Apply * just needs a time setting adjustment to match the other two works, and *Look Away Silence*). Then, when all three are up in their final form - I will release them as an Omnibus (a 3 novella triptych) as they were originally conceived years and years ago -under the Title *Oh, Dainty Triolet * (which is a quote from Gilbert & Sullivan's *Princess Ida * - if anyone cares).

In the meanwhile, I have started *The People's Treasure * - Book 4 of *The Jade Owl * legacy, and I'm so excited, because when it comes to writing, this suite of characters are my family of family, and to spend several months with them is like going on vacation to a sacred mountain. It's for these characters (children) that I find my muse.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

sierra09 said:


> Well, maybe not all demon dogs are ugly...not certain. All of mine have been.


Well I kinda assume that if I see a demon dog that it is not a "friendly".
And any demon dog looking to latch on to my throat is ugly (to me).
So therefore.......


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The strategy I'm using for releasing this one is different. Because it's been out since Dec. 2007 and has nearly 300 sold, I will be offering it on Smashwords for 2 weeks for FREE for those readers who wish to replace their eBook copies, and of course to any new readers. I will do the same thing for the other 2 novellas (both of which will be revised, but not a massively, although *Bobby's Trace * will get some expansion in its closing chapters, *No Irish Need Apply * just needs a time setting adjustment to match the other two works, and *Look Away Silence*). Then, when all three are up in their final form - I will release them as an Omnibus (a 3 novella triptych) as they were originally conceived years and years ago -under the Title *Oh, Dainty Triolet * (which is a quote from Gilbert & Sullivan's *Princess Ida * - if anyone cares).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Ed, you've written a book on self-publishing, right? How about one on promoting our books. Your expertise would be very helpful to us shrinking violets.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, you've written a book on self-publishing, right? How about one on promoting our books. Your expertise would be very helpful to us shrinking violets.


I second the motion...


----------



## sierra09

geoffthomas said:


> Well I kinda assume that if I see a demon dog that it is not a "friendly".
> And any demon dog looking to latch on to my throat is ugly (to me).
> So therefore.......


Hmm, Geoff are we peeking into my harddrive again?  Though you did give me future inspiration _inserts evil laugh_ for either Ian or later down the road.

Got a little behind yesterday since I had to go to the store in case we get slapped with that stupid snowstorm (I really hate snow by this point...2 weeks straight  ) but I am up to about 14,000 words. Now if the scenes would just come up in the order they're supposed to and new ones quit popping in I'll be happy.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

At this point in time, I'll promote by example.   

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> At this point in time, I'll promote by example.


You said the same thing a year and a half ago when I suggested that you write a book about self-publishing.


----------



## ReeseReed

Ed, can you link me to your self publishing book?  I'd like to mark it to read when I get my kindle 

Reese


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff:

he he he he  True, but with the backlog the way it is, although I am only 45 books of that that work from have 1,000 in circulation, twice that of *No Irish Need Apply * (which is nearing 500) and *The Jade Owl * (which is at 412). Speaking of which,

ReeceReed : The free copy in various version is at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/316

Enjoy

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, first-round revisions through chapter 6 for *Legend of the Sword* are done - time for me to give it up for the day!


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, first-round revisions through chapter 6 for *Legend of the Sword* are done - time for me to give it up for the day!


Wow, you're really making progress. Good on you.


----------



## kellyabell

I have a question for all my author friends.  I recently had someone review my book and he brought up a point that I would like to get other opinions on.  He is a good editor so I respect his opinion but I thought I'd get other writers opinions as well.  In my sequel I use dialogue to tell some of the back story.  I felt like it was a more active way to describe to the reader what happened in the past without boring them with a great deal of narrative.

His suggestion was that dialogue should only be used to develop the character and narrative should be used to cover things like back story.

What do you all think?  Thanks for weighing in.

Kelly


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"Never" is a strong term. I retread material in narrative in the sequels to remind the reader of previous material and take that opporunity to skew it in the correct direction. However, what I prefer to do is to break the chapter (or start a new one) and flashback- I call is slip back as it sometimes isn't a true flashback, but a location or slight time shift. Stephen King uses it with master craftsmanship in *The Gunslinger*. I use it and sometimes slip back to three levels (a letter that slips to action which slips to narrative, which slips to action, and then back up to the letter). It's fun, tricky (you can't lose the reader in the nesting), and very effective, because it vignettes narrative and dialog. But "never" is a challenge to me to do it as I like to stick knitting needles in the "naysayers" for no other reason than to do it (which is so wrong on many levels - three levels maybe  ).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kellyabell said:


> I have a question for all my author friends. I recently had someone review my book and he brought up a point that I would like to get other opinions on. He is a good editor so I respect his opinion but I thought I'd get other writers opinions as well. In my sequel I use dialogue to tell some of the back story. I felt like it was a more active way to describe to the reader what happened in the past without boring them with a great deal of narrative.
> 
> His suggestion was that dialogue should only be used to develop the character and narrative should be used to cover things like back story.
> 
> What do you all think? Thanks for weighing in.
> 
> Kelly


If that's your style and it works for you, stick with it. If you try to force yourself into a mold, or give in to every critique, you will lose yourself and your writing will come across as stiff and uncomfortable.

Just my opinion.


----------



## Jeff

What Gertie said.


----------



## kellyabell

Thanks for the encouraging words.  Watch out for Ed and his knitting needles!


----------



## JennaAnderson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If that's your style and it works for you, stick with it. If you try to force yourself into a mold, or give in to every critique, you will lose yourself and your writing will come across as stiff and uncomfortable.
> 
> Just my opinion.


I agree - don't force it.

** edit ** I removed all the gibberish that followed this first statement. I sounded drunk.

Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Completed 1,700 words (new stuff) on The People's Tresure (Jade Owl Book 4) - kinda of a small start on what  estimate to be be 260,000 words pre-revision. But I'm excited as the beginning is extremely gothic (woooooooooo) and uses characters from the previous part in bold new ways (weeeeeeeeeeeee). Jade Owl fans will be glued to their chairs. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Ed, everytime I read a final word count that you're shooting for it makes me happy to just reach my minimum word count.  

Tonight I was thinking if I can make 80K for Ian's story I'll be happy. Tonight I completed...I have no clue. I just know that on a whole I'm up to 20K on it so far which makes me happy and I'm thrilled that I haven't hit any serious stumbling blocks...knocks on wood.
Though anyone who knows any French Creole curse words or endearments can feel free to PM me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sierra

A good novel depends on a few great revisions, and these revisions depend on a meaty draft. The draft is really more important than the revisions, because it mst capture the animal - skelaton and all. But the revisions, using a diferent set of tools in our craft, becomes the refiner's fire, the last revision having nothing to do with authoring, but more to do with publishing, two very different disciplines. But as Indies, we are like the Colossus of Rhodes - a foot on each shore, so our readers can pass through with safety.

Ed Patterson


----------



## kellyabell

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Completed 1,700 words (new stuff) on The People's Tresure (Jade Owl Book 4) - kinda of a small start on what estimate to be be 260,000 words pre-revision. But I'm excited as the beginning is extremely gothic (woooooooooo) and uses characters from the previous part in bold new ways (weeeeeeeeeeeee). Jade Owl fans will be glued to their chairs.
> 
> Ed Patterson


260,000 words?? Wow That's an Epic Saga. I'm impressed. I like Sierra am happy to make it to 100K. Im up to 38K on Captured In Lies and I fleshed out an outline to Book 2 in the Haunted Destiny series. I wasn't going to make a series of this book, but I some fans asked for it so I shall give it a whirl.

Hope to get 5 K written this weekend. It's so cold here in Florida that the iguanas are falling out of the trees frozen in hibernation. It's quite comical to see. I just hope they come around when things warm up. I sat in the sleet watching my daughter play soccer this morning for two hours. NOT FUN! At least they won and she scored a goal. Still trying to thaw out so my fingers will work on the keyboard. LOL

Kelly


----------



## ReeseReed

kellyabell said:


> 260,000 words?? Wow That's an Epic Saga. I'm impressed. I like Sierra am happy to make it to 100K. Im up to 38K on Captured In Lies and I fleshed out an outline to Book 2 in the Haunted Destiny series. I wasn't going to make a series of this book, but I some fans asked for it so I shall give it a whirl.
> 
> Hope to get 5 K written this weekend. It's so cold here in Florida that the iguanas are falling out of the trees frozen in hibernation. It's quite comical to see. I just hope they come around when things warm up. I sat in the sleet watching my daughter play soccer this morning for two hours. NOT FUN! At least they won and she scored a goal. Still trying to thaw out so my fingers will work on the keyboard. LOL
> 
> Kelly


Kelly, my friend in Canada said it was warmer there than in Florida this morning! Crazy!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Kelly, my friend in Canada said it was warmer there than in Florida this morning! Crazy!


That's because they sent their arctic air down here.  We have two cold fronts coming in today and tonight.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

kellyabell said:


> 260,000 words?? Wow That's an Epic Saga. I'm impressed. I like Sierra am happy to make it to 100K. Im up to 38K on Captured In Lies and I fleshed out an outline to Book 2 in the Haunted Destiny series. I wasn't going to make a series of this book, but I some fans asked for it so I shall give it a whirl.
> 
> Hope to get 5 K written this weekend. It's so cold here in Florida that the iguanas are falling out of the trees frozen in hibernation. It's quite comical to see. I just hope they come around when things warm up. I sat in the sleet watching my daughter play soccer this morning for two hours. NOT FUN! At least they won and she scored a goal. Still trying to thaw out so my fingers will work on the keyboard. LOL
> 
> Kelly


Kelly:

Three of my novels are over 200,000 words and four others are over 100,000 - but I have a couple of 30 - 45,000 novellas also. I try to stay below 280,000 words, which comes dangerously close to the CreateSpace POD limit of 740 pages.

Ed Patterson

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's because they sent their arctic air down here.  We have two cold fronts coming in today and tonight.


I'm in South Alabama and about to DIE.

In relations to the topic, lol, ... I was really hoping to get my newest work wrapped up tonight, but my middle son had other ideas. He had his heart set on my helping him build his new lego set, so that's what I did. Now that all the kids are in bed, I'm feeling too mentally tired to delve back into my world. Oh well, there's always tomorrow, right?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Went to see Avatar again (4th time) - amazing film, and I love the tie in with Native Americans. Here's an interesting speculation from my own tribe's heritage. One of the catch phrases from the film is "I see you," which takes on various and more potent meanings throughout the film - a method I refer to (and use) as an "echo." Well, although this is an English phrase, but used in a native content, I wonder if Cameron took it from the Cherokee greeting - _O si-yo_, as the na'vi also use it as a greeting. It's delivered with the same emphasis as the Cherokee phrase is - I SEE you (O SEE-yo). Anyway, that's why I haven't done any writing today. 

_Dv-nv-du-gv-hu-i_(DonadugaHOY-ee = Until we meet again, in the plural)

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

We went to see Avatar again today, too - this time in IMAX 3D. I'm not so sure what makes the Imax part special (as this was a normal-size theater; I was expecting it would be some kind of bigger screen or something), but the 3D was sure cool. I love this movie!

Speaking of blue aliens, done with first-round revisions through chapter 8 of _Legend of the Sword_, and gonna work on some more right now...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> We went to see Avatar again today, too - this time in IMAX 3D. I'm not so sure what makes the Imax part special (as this was a normal-size theater; I was expecting it would be some kind of bigger screen or something), but the 3D was sure cool. I love this movie!
> 
> Speaking of blue aliens, done with first-round revisions through chapter 8 of _Legend of the Sword_, and gonna work on some more right now...


The screen should be 72 feet wide x 53 feet high and the resolution is incredible. My one and only IMAX experience was with HP-4 and the detail was astounding. It came out in IMAX the day after the regular theaters and of course I couldn't wait, so I had the regular showing in mind when I saw the IMAX version.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> The screen should be 72 feet wide x 53 feet high and the resolution is incredible. My one and only IMAX experience was with HP-4 and the detail was astounding. It came out in IMAX the day after the regular theaters and of course I couldn't wait, so I had the regular showing in mind when I saw the IMAX version.


I can't comment on the screen dimensions, but now that you mention it, the image resolution was amazing - much better than in the regular theater. Sort of like DVD vs. Blu-Ray!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

First round revisions of _Legend of the Sword_ are now done through chapter 11. Is it time to go to sleep yet??


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> First round revisions of _Legend of the Sword_ are now done through chapter 11. Is it time to go to sleep yet??


I don't know. How many chapters are there?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I don't know. How many chapters are there?


25 or 26, somewhere around there...


----------



## Jeff

kreelanwarrior said:


> 25 or 26, somewhere around there...


Then you better go to bed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Then, you better get crackin'  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Congratulatons Mike on being an Honorary mention for the 2009 Podram Awards.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

What exactly is this thread for? Just wondering as I see a lot of people on this one all the time.


----------



## ReeseReed

Finally had a chance to get back to it tonight...logged 2500 words, and now I'm just one chapter away from finishing "Claus"trophobic!  Well, the first draft anyway...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sharlow:

This threads main design is for authors to support each oth with advice and to keep us motivted to our writing scheules, and of course, open to all who want to peek and comment on the process. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Congratulatons Mike on being an Honorary mention for the 2009 Podram Awards.
> 
> Ed Patterson


WTG, Mike!!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Congratulatons Mike on being an Honorary mention for the 2009 Podram Awards.
> 
> Ed Patterson


What?? I think I must've missed something! Shows you how in tune I am with things... Will have to scope that out when I get home (just popped outta work real quick to check FB and KB)...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Fred the reviewer at Podbram published his list and links on the IAG group yesterday. I checked the link and it begins with the honorable mentions, and your book tops the list, with a link.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey gang:

You all know we love  to write blurbs (and I think I'm good at it, but always getting better). Since Peg of the Red Pencil jumped right in on the *Cutting the Cheese * revision. it looks like that will come out next week. So I tackled my oldest blurb. Here's the original blurb (the one currenlly on the product page and the book jacket):

"Luke Oliver has just come out of the closet and confronts a brave new world - a meeting of the Gay and Lesbian Activist Association of New Birch and Sipsboro (GLAABS) - your run of the mill, gay political caucus. Run of the Mill? . . . my @$$. Stepping across the threshold of the Otterson estate exposes Luke to horny and hilarious shenanigans that give the Boys in the Band a run for its money. Who wants whom? Who has whom? Who will win Luke's . . . let's say, attentions?

A self-effacing, comic romp through the Gay hierarchy, Cutting the Cheese is a reality check from the author's provocative coming out experience in a drizzled-pink world; an outrageous ride down the funny bone. Repeat riding is encouraged. It's every one for themself in New Birch's Gay Ghetto. To Hell with Robert's Rules of Order."

Now (after crafting 13 others), here's my revision:

"As anyone with political insight can tell you, in order to convene an activist meeting, one needs to . . . bring on the cheese - cube it well, stack it high and let the aroma overcome the gavel. Thus begins the riotous preparations for a meeting of the Gay & Lesbian Activist Association of New Birch and Sipsboro (GLAABS). Of course, like all well meant efforts for the community good, this meeting goes awry. In its midst, Luke Oliver tries to learn the ways of the politically astute while the gulls circle him like new meat upon the scene.

Cutting the Cheese is a behind-the-scenes look at the true inspiration for activism - gossiping, partying, social maneuvering and an assortment of sorties to improve ones chances of climbing the community ladder. If your funny bone needs tickling and you don't mind seeing yourself in the mirror, pick up your knife and join the Cheddar Brigade - only, watch how you slice and dice it. This gang is fussy about size."
 

I thought funny book should have a funny blurb. It also won't attract the squeamish, although the book has only managed to enrage sensitive members of my own community.    If you can't laugh at yourself, then you don;t deserve to laugh, I say.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

Here's the link to the award announcement

http://podbram.blogspot.com/

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Ed, FWIW -- the science of blurb-writing is a total mystery to me, but as a potential reader I have to say that the_ first_ blurb would make it much more likely that I'd buy and read the book.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike:
> 
> Here's the link to the award announcement
> 
> http://podbram.blogspot.com/
> 
> Ed Patterson


W0000t! Thanks, Ed!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susan in VA said:


> Ed, FWIW -- the science of blurb-writing is a total mystery to me, but as a potential reader I have to say that the_ first_ blurb would make it much more likely that I'd buy and read the book.


I have to agree. I think the first one tells me that it's a look at the ridiculous and funny side of any group (political, activist, corporate) and what happens when they get together. In this instance, it is set in a gay activist group, but it could be any group, anywhere, anytime.

If the book is meant to be about gay activism specifically with some humor thrown in, then the second one would be better.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, maybe I shouldn't change it. The first one hs sold 200 copies of the old book so far. I'll rethink. Other people, chime in.   

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, maybe I shouldn't change it. The first one hs sold 200 copies of the old book so far. I'll rethink. Other people, chime in.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed -

I just read through both of the blurbs: I like the first one better. It sounds more "fun", while the second one sounds more "political"...


----------



## kyrin

Maybe this isn't the right place for this kind of post.

I'm second guessing myself about two excerpts I posted in my blog.

You post something that you think will help you attract more readers then worry that you've done just the opposite. Does anyone else ever get that feelings or am I being silly / insecure?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Kyrin:

I try to be honest with my readers. I don;t want to trick them by presenting a blurb or promotion tht misrepresents my writing. Sometimes a blurb need to warn away people who will not be happy. That current revision of Cutting the Cheese - why the title warns some people away, but it's about a bunch of people sitting around literally cutting cheese. In this case, I'm glad I ran the blurb by the people here. They will give me an honest view, and that view now may have saved me some time. Perhaps the old blurb should be kept and not replaced. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

kyrin said:


> Maybe this isn't the right place for this kind of post.
> 
> I'm second guessing myself about two excerpts I posted in my blog.
> 
> You post something that you think will help you attract more readers then worry that you've done just the opposite. Does anyone else ever get that feelings or am I being silly / insecure?


This is the PERFECT place for this kind of post! 

Personally, I would suggest you experiment: try it for a month or two, and if you feel like it's not doing much for you, try a little variation. But also keep in mind that there are a lot of variables that will affect sales, and low sales may have nothing at all to do with your blurb or the book.

And Ed is certainly right: you want the blurb to give an accurate taste of the story, rather than try to reel in anyone and everyone you possibly could...


----------



## kyrin

Well a blurb is a different than an excerpt which is what I was talking about.

The blurb for my book is pretty accurate and honest. It's just a short description of my book so the reader has an idea what they are getting. I came up with a couple of different ones before finally settling on the one I like. It doesn't make sense to try and mislead someone about the contents of a book. Something like that might work in the very short term but it will always come back to haunt you.

An excerpt is like a preview or the look inside feature Amazon and B&N gives perspective buyers. I was second guessing myself about the section of my book that I chose to post. The first two chapters can be previewed on Amazon so I didn't want to duplicate them on my blog. I wanted to give people another peek inside my book to help them make up their minds.

Anyway, thanks for the reply.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Try www.bookbuzzr.com. I'm using that for samples now on 5 of my 14 books and I'm liking it, both on Twitter, Facebook, Author's Den, Blogit and my website (did I say both, I meant on all five -  ).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Sharlow:
> 
> This threads main design is for authors to support each oth with advice and to keep us motivted to our writing scheules, and of course, open to all who want to peek and comment on the process.
> 
> Ed Patterson


 Thanks for clearing that up for me. I see that a lot of people are talking about how far they've gotten in their next book. I've been trying for five days to start the next book, but something keeps coming up to prevent me from starting. Today I decided to go to MacDonald's and write for a few hours...just like to get away for different atmosphere. Anyways, got my drink, and sat down and opened my manuscript to start writing, and lo and behold it's one of my full ones from the last book.

So no writing today, tho it's late right now, i may still try to get a little in if my 19 year old son will quit bothering me about utube videos he's watching.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm sure most of you have experienced this, but I just had to share anyway...

Ever have that moment when your story just gels together and plot threads become clear? My first novel was about 2/3s outlined, my second book a little less. With my new one, I just had a kernel and have been writing "scenes" as they came to me, without really knowing how they would fit and flow together. I didn't even know who my villain was--I just knew someone would be. Yesterday, as I'm showering (I almost always think about my books while I'm showering--I must be like Lady Macbeth trying to wash the filth off) almost the whole thing came to me: characters, motivations, revelations... pretty much everything but the end. I don't know, I'd guess 80% of the story.

Now I have to go back and string some stuff together, add some stuff here, delete scenes there (sniff) and make it more cohesive. Hopefully, by the time I do all that, I'll have my ending.

It's times like this when I love writing.


----------



## sierra09

Yes, those are the magical moments of writing. I've had that happen a few times. The horror of writing, aside from blurbs, is when you have one of those magical moments and you know practically everything that you'd like to happen but before you can outline it all or even write it all down, something else snaps and it poofs! right out of your head.

Those moments...I want to pound something.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I never work from an outline. I start with an inkling, and then a thread. I will have a target ending, and a list of "stuff" that might be engaging for the reader and the characters. I establish some ICONic moments (most of which I never use), then I weave it togather into a rolling synopsis in my mms. I don't believe in plots. (fairies yes. Plots, no). My characters must be awakened, so they can share the writing workload. When the opening is set in my head, I then write the first paragraph and then let it set. I jot down some notes in the manuscript about the next 8 chapters (possibilities). A story is organic, while plots are not - they are tied to planning. Research is essential - some Prep work, some innate (my China stuff has been living in my brain and in my vast personal library, so I call that innate - also the gay stuff . . . well, no research needed there), but then there's other stuff like what does the dashboard of a Ferrari look like, or what plants grow in the springtime in San Francisco etc. You all know the schtick. Lots of that stuff is research as you go. You never want to be the unfortunate author who has a hummingbird show up in a German garden (Hummingbirds are indigenous to the Americas only).  

I write my chapters in my head, about 2 chapters ahead (no pun intended), and when I sit down to get into the zone, generally its a marriage of my thoughts, a few notes (handwritten, the rolling synopsis in the mms and the committee meeting with the characters). The resulting chapter should NOT be like the one in my head - elements should be there, some dialog, an Icon or two, a story development perhaps, but the damn thing needs to surprise ME . . . and then engage ME, before I move on to the next thought bubble. I do a little on the spot revision work on each chapter before I forward it to my editor. This is the draft process. For revisions, see my FREE book (1/2 of which deals with revisions).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just a post...to post! Didn't do any revisions tonight - things were a bit too hectic. Up to chapter 15 in Legend in the Sword for my own revisions, and will be starting through with alpha/beta revisions on chapter 1 tomorrow. Hope to get a lot - maybe all of the first round? - this weekend, as we have three days off...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words yesterday. Today - - - well, today I launched Cutting the Cheese in all the various formats and now that one is waiting for the processes to kick in. BTW, I retained the old blurb, minus one sentence about "funny bones," replacing it with a sentence from the new blurb about "size counts."   Thanls all for your input. Sometimes things shouldn;t be changed for changes sake. (I wish I could have said as much for the novel It's my cleanest work to date as I strived for zero errors, and I just might have gotten it - it only took 3 tries).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Alright, i finally started book two, and surprisingly chapter one just flew out of me. I think it's my best work so far.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sharlow said:


> Alright, i finally started book two, and surprisingly chapter one just flew out of me. I think it's my best work so far.


Good onya! 

Ed - congrats on the launch! I hope it goes well... !


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Mike Kindle version may be up or ot (hard to tel). CreateSpace rejeted the interior becuase I mentioned Amon.com 9I guess it's something about the expanded distribution) in the frontespiece. I just reuploaded for their approval. Mobi's live and so's Smashwords. I think I'm going to announce it here at Kindleboards . . . now. Catch the evening crowd.

Ed Patterson


----------



## JennaAnderson

Sharlow said:


> Alright, i finally started book two, and surprisingly chapter one just flew out of me. I think it's my best work so far.


Yay!

I think it is a good day for writing. Today I finished an outline for my next story. I've been stalking my slaes rankings for the last month and haven't written a word. I normally don't do outlines but thought it would help me wrap my brain around this story. It's another contemporary romance - chick lit kind of thing with a couple cute pets thrown in. It'll probably end up as a novella again. I can't seem to write anything longer. YET.

Jenna
off to write - really - I am


----------



## ReeseReed

JennaAnderson said:


> Yay!
> 
> I think it is a good day for writing. Today I finished an outline for my next story. I've been stalking my slaes rankings for the last month and haven't written a word. I normally don't do outlines but thought it would help me wrap my brain around this story. It's another contemporary romance - chick lit kind of thing with a couple cute pets thrown in. It'll probably end up as a novella again. I can't seem to write anything longer. YET.
> 
> Jenna
> off to write - really - I am


I agree! I also finished the first draft of my Christmas novella tonight!! MAN, what a feeling!!

Jenna, I, too, also seem to have a gift for writing novellas. I've stopped fighting it and just writing what the story tells me.


----------



## JennaAnderson

Reese - I agree. No more fighting the shorter stories.


----------



## JennaAnderson

Yipee! I wrote 1100 words tonight. Whew - it's been a while so I was a bit rusty.

The story is tentatively titled _7C and 7D _ - but will probably change since it doesn't roll off the tongue.

And guess what I named my lead female character?

REESE!

Love the name - hope you don't mind Reese.


----------



## ReeseReed

JennaAnderson said:


> Yipee! I wrote 1100 words tonight. Whew - it's been a while so I was a bit rusty.
> 
> The story is tentatively titled _7C and 7D _ - but will probably change since it doesn't roll off the tongue.
> 
> And guess what I named my lead female character?
> 
> REESE!
> 
> Love the name - hope you don't mind Reese.


LOVE IT!!! Now I MUST read this!! What's it about?? (Sorry if you've said before and I don't remember...there's a lot of chatter on this thread!) I love picking titles for books...I've come up with all my titles before I've even begun writing them...I even have titles for books that I hope to work on later that I have no idea what will happen in them...I just know what the title will be, lol.

My kids are in bed and my husband just left to hang with his buddy down the street..so I'm hoping to get started on my 1st round revisions tonight


----------



## JennaAnderson

I think we are two peas in a pod. I have a few titles for stories that I haven't started either! ha ha

7C is the apartment of a woman with a sneaky, escape artist cat.
7D is the apartment of a man with a goofy slobbery bulldog that loves to chase the cat.
Through a bunch of silly incidents the man and woman are brought together and fall in love. 

It's a chick lit type romance again like Healing Touch.

Picture the cover - the C will be made up of the cat's tail and the D will be the dog's eye or something.

7C
    &
        7D


----------



## Susan in VA

I realize this is the thread for being _supportive_ of authors, but I just couldn't resist this one... 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34855425/

" 'Meet Mikey Hicks,' said Najlah Feanny Hicks, introducing her 8-year-old son, a New Jersey Cub Scout and frequent traveler who has seldom boarded a plane without a hassle because he shares the name of* a suspicious person*."


----------



## ReeseReed

JennaAnderson said:


> I think we are two peas in a pod. I have a few titles for stories that I haven't started either! ha ha
> 
> 7C is the apartment of a woman with a sneaky, escape artist cat.
> 7D is the apartment of a man with a goofy slobbery bulldog that loves to chase the cat.
> Through a bunch of silly incidents the man and woman are brought together and fall in love.
> 
> It's a chick lit type romance again like Healing Touch.
> 
> Picture the cover - the C will be made up of the cat's tail and the D will be the dog's eye or something.
> 
> 7C
> &
> 7D


OMG I love it!! Do you see your covers along with the titles?? I even made the cover for the one I've just finished up before I started writing it! I saw the cover for Childproofed in my mind immediately too! I'm so thankful I have a great photographer friend who totally understood my "vision"!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Susan in VA said:


> I realize this is the thread for being _supportive_ of authors, but I just couldn't resist this one...
> 
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34855425/
> 
> " 'Meet Mikey Hicks,' said Najlah Feanny Hicks, introducing her 8-year-old son, a New Jersey Cub Scout and frequent traveler who has seldom boarded a plane without a hassle because he shares the name of* a suspicious person*."


Yes! Somebody at work told me about that, too - the supreme irony is that I was on the watch list for two or three years, and had a heck of a time getting DHS to take me off! Couldn't get on-line boarding passes, had to go to the counter to see an agent. Oy!

And it's all that kid's fault, I'm sure!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yes! Somebody at work told me about that, too - the supreme irony is that I was on the watch list for two or three years, and had a heck of a time getting DHS to take me off! Couldn't get on-line boarding passes, had to go to the counter to see an agent. Oy!
> 
> And it's all that kid's fault, I'm sure!!


Boy that could put a crimp in your book signing travel.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well it's going nice now with *The People's Treasure*. Rolled through 4,800 words of new stuff, and got so far into the zone, I almost didn't come back (I may still be there).   

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Good grief, Ed, slow down! You're making me motion-sick! 

I got NO writing or revisions accomplished today. Succumbing to my inner geek, I played with my web site most of the day (and still am!), after running 3 miles this morning (I was sucking wind today for some reason). Tomorrow and Monday are writing days: I have ten chapters left to revise for Legend of the Sword, while Mindy and Steph are already chopping and hacking away at the earlier chapters. So I think we'll still be on track for an early February release...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Can't slow down if I want this one out by the end of the Summer. But I', also working on 1 revision (expansion) and a new one, plus th new Aazon Kindle blog with Greg Banks (The Indie Spotlight) and a project with Greg, a west coast writer (who is wonderful) and some illustrators - I'm ancillary to the project writing the so-called "realistic" chapters. It's a wild and original project and isaimed at the Apple iPhone. We'll see.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Worked all day, off and on, and got revisions done on six chapters of my current work.  I'm ready to get this one behind me and get back to the one I left behind when the idea for this one hit.  I miss my old characters!


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

I haven't been able to join this thread nearly as much as I'd like because I've been struggling to find time to write and promote between the day job and other responsibilities, which I'm guessing many of you can relate to. 

I spent 5 months, on and off, paring down the first book in my new mystery series, from 85,000 down to 72,000 words at the request of a potential publisher. No contract offer yet, but she just asked me to send the entire, newly revised book to her by email because she has a reader lined up for February and will let me know by the end of that month.

So, this has given me a big boost and I'm madly editing the second book, which is going much faster than the first book did. I've gone through the whole thing in a month, but need to read it again slowly, and print out a hard copy, a habit I always do when finishing a new version.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed these next few weeks, and I also just signed a contract with a distributor for the print version of my mystery _Fatal Encryption_. The year's starting out with a lot of hope.

Debra


----------



## Jeff

Yay, Debra!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Great News Debra.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

We'll keep our fingers crossed for you too, Debra.  That's a lot of fingers.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Debra - that's AWESOME! Hope it pans out!! 

Speaking of revisions, since my internal alarm clock went off at 5 a.m. this morning, I guess it's time to get back to work on Legend of the Sword. D'oh!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, chapter 16 of Legend of the Sword is done (pending red inking by the alpha/beta readers!). I've got 10 more chapters to go...!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> I haven't been able to join this thread nearly as much as I'd like because I've been struggling to find time to write and promote between the day job and other responsibilities, which I'm guessing many of you can relate to.
> 
> I spent 5 months, on and off, paring down the first book in my new mystery series, from 85,000 down to 72,000 words at the request of a potential publisher. No contract offer yet, but she just asked me to send the entire, newly revised book to her by email because she has a reader lined up for February and will let me know by the end of that month.
> 
> So, this has given me a big boost and I'm madly editing the second book, which is going much faster than the first book did. I've gone through the whole thing in a month, but need to read it again slowly, and print out a hard copy, a habit I always do when finishing a new version.
> 
> I'm keeping my fingers crossed these next few weeks, and I also just signed a contract with a distributor for the print version of my mystery _Fatal Encryption_. The year's starting out with a lot of hope.
> 
> Debra


Great news!! What a way to start the new year.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My alarm clock went off at 5 am also. I hit the snooze button and flipped it the bird and slept 'til 9>30. Now I'm one zoombie boy.   

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Myalarm clock went off at 5 am also. I ht the snooze button and flipped it the hird and slept 'til 9>30. Now I'm one zoombie boy.
> 
> Ed Patterson


My "alarm" (aka my three year old) went off way too early this morning too. Unfortunately, I couldn't flip him the bird, although I really would have like to at that time...


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'd like to add my support to Debra. Sounds promising.

I went to bed at 2 a.m. last night. I'm still tired.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Debra:

I didn't see you tell the Shameless about this, or did I miss it?

Ed P


----------



## Sharlow

Well I've got two chapters done, but I just couldn't write yesterday. I just hate it when I write sometimes and it all just looks and sounds like crap. I know what I want to write but every things not flowing. Sad as I thought the first two were some of my best. Hopefully that will change to day, as sometimes writing is my only escape, and the only thing that makes me feel better.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

I'm overwhelmed at all the kind words of encouragement and support. Thank you, my friends!

As I mentioned, I've been frantically editing the second book in this new series, and just finished it today. The book was over 92,000 words, and I've pared it down to 89,000, which is not as much as I'd hoped. I'll have to take a more critical look, I think. Good thing I like editing because I spend more of my time doing this than creating brand new stories. But I do get to where I'm going ... slowly. 

Debra


----------



## ReeseReed

Finished first round revisions of my novella, "Claus"trophobic tonight.  Hoping to hand it over to fresh set of eyes this week.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ReeseReed said:


> Finished first round revisions of my novella, "Claus"trophobic tonight. Hoping to hand it over to fresh set of eyes this week.


w00t!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*First-round edits for In Her Name: Legend of the Sword are DONE! Yay!*

Where are the margaritas??


----------



## Jeff




----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


>


Yummmm!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And here I thought Marguerita was a character in Faust.

Ed Patterson


----------



## kevindorsey

kreelanwarrior said:


> *First-round edits for In Her Name: Legend of the Sword are DONE! Yay!*
> 
> Where are the margaritas??


Margarita mix with the book release


----------



## Dave Dykema

Dang that looks tasty!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mush! Mush! Got some new work done on *The People's Treasure*, about 800 words and some planning. Clocked 2,500 words in the revision of *Bobby's Trace*. The revision of *Bobby's Trace * will correct some typos and awkwardness, apply some of my maturing style to one of my most popular works, and expand it a bit. So many people love this novel but told me it was a bit rushed in the end. (Its my shortest work). So I am adding 4 or 5 spanking brand new chapters. Thre's also a stetch of writing that I want to rework, because at the time I didn't know how to handle it well. I know now (piece of cake), so we'll tackle it. IMHO this novel is solid story stuff, but it could be a rocketship with this revision.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Dave Dykema said:


> Dang that looks tasty!


It sure does. Must be why I suddenly feel thirsty and wishing I was in a hot tropical climate...or is it just because it's January?

Debra


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Today is my day off from work and I had great plans: a long list of editing and promoting stuff between the laundry and grocery shopping. Woke up with a bit of a headache and lethargy, but managed to work on a couple of chapters. Took a nap and now it's after 7 p.m. and I still have a lot to do. I'll keep plugging away, but I wish I'd gotten more done by now. I did start tackling that novel that I'm trying to pare down and made some headway with the first 7 pages. It's amazing what you can take out--without changing the purpose or tone of the chapter--when you look at a novel with a critical, editorial eye.

Debra


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No writing today  - spent most of my time wrestling with uncooperative computers. D'oh!


----------



## ReeseReed

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who looks at my finished work and tries to find places to add MORE!  Must be my gift of writing novellas, I guess, lol!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike, was that Graeco-Roman style with the oil etc.  BTW, I loved your Gladiator scene in First Contact. (I had to put it aside a few weeks ago for a mentoring project and for the great need I have to read Percy Jackson), but I'm back in the loop, Tesh-Dar and all.


Spoiler



I was hoping you kept Yao Ming alive, but I guess he lives in spirit.



Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike, was that Graeco-Roman style with the oil etc.


Ed, you know perfectly well that one of the things that makes reading a book enjoyable is that you can let your imagination fill in the blanks... 



> BTW, I loved your Gladiator scene in First Contact. (I had to put it aside a few weeks ago for a mentoring project and for the great need I have to read Percy Jackson), but I'm back in the loop, Tesh-Dar and all.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I was hoping you kept Yao Ming alive, but I guess he lives in spirit.


Thanks! But yes, lots of carnage coming up in this one. Lots of carnage in _Legend of the Sword_, too, but in quite different ways...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I had some down time at work and got 2,100 words done and to Peg on The People's Treasure. Takig tonight off to finish setting up some more books on Bookbuzzr.

Ed Patterson

PS: Greg got The Indie Spotlight up as an Amazon Kindle Blog (subscription). It would be grat to see some of the authors in the support thread visit the new promoting enterprise and fill out a questionaire to get some promo free promo time.

www.theindiespotlight.com


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I finally finished the first draft of a short story I have been messing with the past month. It is part one of a four part story that I intended to have done by the end of January, so I have to get the wheels turning a little faster to achieve that goal. Once these stories are done, I intend to decide on my next lengthier work to tackle - not sure if that will be a fourth draft of a novel-in-progress or something brand new.


----------



## sierra09

Urg, timeframes...bad. I figured out as soon as I set one my writing jams on the breaks. I'm still plugging away on Ian's book but not as quickly as I want it seems. Only a couple thousand words a night it seems and even though I'm up to about 40K in total, not certain if this one will meet the original word count I planned. Though I'm about halfway through so who knows...this thing seems to write itself at times.

I think it's slowing down because I'm self-destructing due to an up-coming scene that I'm not too sure about.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,900 words of revision on Bobby's Trace. It's finny - after publishing 1.5 million words, when you return to the earliest words, they seem to be written by a different author.   Well, the early works only stand to benefit.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, sort of running parallel revisions to Legend of the Sword from what Steph and Scarlet have sent me. I feel like I'm typing in stereo...


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, sort of running parallel revisions to Legend of the Sword from what Steph and Scarlet have sent me. I feel like I'm typing in stereo...


Yeah, she's probably ahead of me....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Yeah, she's probably ahead of me....


Well, if you'd spend more time editing and less time dancing around (witness your avatar)!!


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, if you'd spend more time editing and less time dancing around (witness your avatar)!!


I have GOT to get rid of the avatar...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, Scarlet, I noticed that we're only about a dozen posts apart! LOL!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Nothing wrong with Orion slave girls.


----------



## telracs

Dave Dykema said:


> Nothing wrong with Orion slave girls.


not on their own, but my avatar has been the subject of WAY too many jokes.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> not on their own, but my avatar has been the subject of WAY too many jokes.


Where's Gertie? I think you need a hat!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Tell you how bad my eyesight is. I read the post above and said, what the hell is an Onion Slave - Is that a field hand from Vidalia?

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

That's Vina from classic _Star Trek_'s only two-part episode "The Menagerie." In the episode, footage from the first (rejected) pilot "The Cage", featuring Capt. Christopher Pike, was framed by new material featuring Kirk and the others. A brilliant story and good story device.


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Tell you how bad my eyesight is. I read the post above and said, what the hell is an Onion Slave - Is that a field hand from Vidalia?
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks Ed, I needed that. 
Oh, and the original version of The Cage is available from amazon.com for video download, so you can see the stuff that was cut when they used in The Menagerie. Off to harass kreelanwarrior now... got to get 2 chapters of scarlet opinions done...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Where's Gertie? I think you need a hat!


My favorite Scarlett hat for Scarlet


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Off to harass kreelanwarrior now... got to get 2 chapters of scarlet opinions done...


Scarlet opinions or onions??


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Scarlet opinions or onions??


We posted within seconds of each other.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

HA! I like the curtain rod motif...


----------



## telracs

And the funniest thing is that that the Carol Burnett curtain dress would match the Orion Slave girl's skin.

Finished my onions , sorry, opinions, on chapter one!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> And the funniest thing is that that the Carol Burnett curtain dress would match the Orion Slave girl's skin.


"I saw it in a window and I just couldn't resist."



> Finished my onions , sorry, opinions, on chapter one!


I have never been able to type the word _opinions _without typing _onions _first.


----------



## telracs

And chapter 2 is done!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> And chapter 2 is done!


After a half day at work and then a nice five mile run, I'll hit the revision bandwagon again. After we eat lunch - Jan's making omelets with opinions. Oh, wait, that's onions...


----------



## Jeff

TC Beacham asked some questions in another thread. Perhaps some of you could provide answer here that I could not.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,18778.msg356196.html#msg356196


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My favorite Scarlett hat for Scarlet


Oh, this was one of my favorite sketches of all time! A classic. Thanks for bring back that memory!

Debra


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Today, I editing two chapters of one book and another chapter of the second book. Though they're in the same series, it's a bit tricky, but at least I'll be on top of consistency between characters.

Do any of you work on more than one book at a time? Sorry if this has already been discussed, but reading 88 pages of postings is too daunting.

Debra


----------



## G. Henkel

I usually "write" one book at a time, however I do research others along the way and make early notes.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No onions (vidalia or otherwise!) this morning, but lots of revisions - 5800 words so far on [i[Legend of the Sword[/i]...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm back. It's terrible when you can't get on the web - although I managed a couple of times to take care of Operation eBook Drop bumps and to bump my regularly scheduled book up. (I need to kep a spreadsheet and a time schedule - with 14 books). But I was shocked - because I haven't promoted my books in over 2 days, and when I signed on for sales, I had sold 71 books in that time period (Friday-Sat and Sunday morning). I have no explanation for it except that previous promotional efforts are lingering. I even sold copies of a book I offer for free. Go figure. Time to strip down for a conga dance.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Well, if you have a rock you need to get rolling, you do have to push it up a hill, but once it's there and you get it going, you just need to gently nudge it now and again to keep it moving.  And if the grade begins to steepen, it'll just go on by itself. . . . .


----------



## sierra09

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> Do any of you work on more than one book at a time? Sorry if this has already been discussed, but reading 88 pages of postings is too daunting.
> 
> Debra


Sometimes. If I'm feeling creative and things are going good then I can multi-write on more than one story. I did that in November while working on my Nano story. I'd write on it and then switch over to what became Flames of Betrayal.

Right now though if I tried to multi-write nothing would get done. Ian's book is keeping me centered on it and doesn't like to share.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ann:

I believe you're right. More time for writing. Yay!

Ed P


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Guido Henkel said:


> I usually "write" one book at a time, however I do research others along the way and make early notes.


Yes, usually this is how I work as well. Writing or editing one, while researching or outlining another. Of course, the busier my working/family life gets, the more difficult it is, so I've learned to cut back when I need to and not worry about it too much.

Debra


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

sierra09 said:


> Sometimes. If I'm feeling creative and things are going good then I can multi-write on more than one story. I did that in November while working on my Nano story. I'd write on it and then switch over to what became Flames of Betrayal.
> 
> Right now though if I tried to multi-write nothing would get done. Ian's book is keeping me centered on it and doesn't like to share.


But it's good that you know when to put other projects aside and run with the one that's demanding your time. That's the best way to go!

Debra


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Going to try and do some catching up on revisions tonight! Otherwise I'm going to get beaten for falling behind...


----------



## GwenNoles

Hi everyone. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm a new author with a memoir just up on Amazon for Kindle this week. I have been working on finding ways of promoting the book, and I found an interesting site today that you might want to check out if you want to market your book. It's a site called freepressrelease.com and your press release is uploaded to Google and other search engines pretty quickly. It's a nice way to get your work out there and it's free.

Product link to my book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035LDN9Q


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Going to try and do some catching up on revisions tonight! Otherwise I'm going to get beaten for falling behind...


yeah, I gave you 6 chapters!


----------



## vwkitten

Ok nail-biting time... the fables I've been working on now have a title... they've been formatted and edited (not in that order)... even the cover got done... and all of a sudden I was submitting them...

Chasing Illusions is in the approval process on both Kindle and Print...


----------



## sierra09

Congratulations, Trish!   That's wonderful news.

I'm on the way to hopefully catch up on the writing that I didn't get done yesterday or today since my twin terror tabbies decided to pull a shelf down from the wall while climbing. Books, tapes, action figures all over the place so that involved the cleaning that I've been putting off.  

Do have a question for you authors with series books. Do you put each new book in the series in its own thread or keep the series in one thread? I've been debating that since Ian's book will be out soon (crosses fingers and toes that nothing blocks it) and the sequel to Flames is ready technically for a Spring release but if I want to do beta-readers for that one since I have more time until its release I was wondering if I should start it's pre-release thread or keep the series together. I just hate to confuse things. Opinions?


----------



## ReeseReed

I got started on second round revisions on my newest  novella last night, but only got a few chapters done.  I found a BIGGIE mistake during my first round though that I will have to address soon...I have Santa visiting the South Pacific first on his trek in my book...but at the first house he comes to he goes down a chimney...I doubt there are many chimneys in the South Pacific, lol!  Back to the drawing board!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> yeah, I gave you 6 chapters!


I'm working, I'm working! BTW - I haven't sent you (or Steph) any direct feedback, 'cause with very few exceptions the suggestions are all lookin' great...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,200 words today (2,400 new on The people's treasure and 1,800 revision on Bobby's Trace). Had a tought chapter to write on The People's treasure, one of those "got to reveals 1,000 things, but can only tell you 5 and hint at the rest, plus lay out a few dozen red herrings. Fishy. PU. But it cme out okay, and I'll knock a few things out when its up for revision in the Spring. (This ones another long one folks and fresh meat - no previous manuscript - so its draft and 1st revision as we go).

Ed Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

I'm giving Xenolith a subtle but thorough overhaul.  I went through my proof copy and plastered it with Post-it notes (>100), flagging passages that are awkward, unclear, too generic, emotionally cryptic or void, or just plain inartful and I'm fixing them one by one. I'll be doing no promo until I get this done. It still won't be perfect when I get through this process, but at least I'll feel better about having it out there.


----------



## vwkitten

sierra09 said:


> Congratulations, Trish!  That's wonderful news.
> 
> I'm on the way to hopefully catch up on the writing that I didn't get done yesterday or today since my twin terror tabbies decided to pull a shelf down from the wall while climbing. Books, tapes, action figures all over the place so that involved the cleaning that I've been putting off.
> 
> Do have a question for you authors with series books. Do you put each new book in the series in its own thread or keep the series in one thread? I've been debating that since Ian's book will be out soon (crosses fingers and toes that nothing blocks it) and the sequel to Flames is ready technically for a Spring release but if I want to do beta-readers for that one since I have more time until its release I was wondering if I should start it's pre-release thread or keep the series together. I just hate to confuse things. Opinions?


Thanks Sierra =)


----------



## Dave Dykema

Always feels good to get a book done. Way to go, Trish!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Done with revisions for Legend of the Sword up to Chapter 5. I think it's time to take a break and do some reading on my Kindle!!


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Well, I started the day with the best of intentions, but managed only two hours of editing today, which worked out to be a chapter in one novel, and 2 pages in the other. I'm hoping to do better tomorrow, but I have to take my car into the tire shop and who knows how long it'll be. Think I'll bring a chapter and a book with me. And maybe a thermos of coffee...

Debra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A little work on *The People's Treasure * (mosty planning and a few hundred seed words to Chaater 7), but mostly revision work on *Bobby's Trace*, 5,200 words. The revised version of this work (which IMHO and the opinion of mnay is a strong story) will have 4 new chapters. The biggest criticism to the work (beside some editing issues) has been it's too short. I'm not lengthening it for length's sake, but found a few places were the action jumps ahead too fast, plus as scary as the work is, I want it to be scarrier . There are also two chapters that I wrote _okay_, but have since learned how to handle the scene subject better having written *Turning Idolater * and *Look Away Silence*. The end game is for a knock 'em dead book, which when put togeher with *Cutting the Cheese * and *No Irish Need Apply* will serve my art to the zenith.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

I'd like to work on more then one at a time. I have several running around my head at the moment. But I'm afraid if i did that, I'd never finish any of them. But i swear sometimes my heads going to burst if i don't  get them out!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only did 2,400 words yesterday. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yesterday was a bust for me - but am going to try and get the revisions for chapters 5-7 of Legend of the Sword done today. Scarlet, where are you? Need some more!


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yesterday was a bust for me - but am going to try and get the revisions for chapters 5-7 of Legend of the Sword done today. Scarlet, where are you? Need some more!


Wasn't gonna send you more until I had confirmation that you'd read the early ones!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Wasn't gonna send you more until I had confirmation that you'd read the early ones!


Yeah, I'm churning forward. The first couple chapters took longer because, as you know, they were a bit rougher than the others so far. It doesn't look like there are many changes for 5-7 from what you and Steph sent me, so that should go pretty quick. Did you two want me to send you copies of what I've changed, or just keep moving ahead? I feel like I should be sending you more feedback, but for some reason this book feels a bit more rushed than the last one (of course, with February looming close ahead)...


----------



## Steph H

At least you're not waiting on me for a change... 

Up to you whether you send it back again or not, I'm happy to take another look-see if you want me to.


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Yeah, I'm churning forward. The first couple chapters took longer because, as you know, they were a bit rougher than the others so far. It doesn't look like there are many changes for 5-7 from what you and Steph sent me, so that should go pretty quick. Did you two want me to send you copies of what I've changed, or just keep moving ahead? I feel like I should be sending you more feedback, but for some reason this book feels a bit more rushed than the last one (of course, with February looming close ahead)...


I'd like to see the rewrites on the early chapters if you don't mind...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,100 words on The People's Treasure (progress -progress.)  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I'd like to see the rewrites on the early chapters if you don't mind...


Okee-dokee! I'll send them along shortly...


----------



## daveconifer

I've got a kinda' sorta' sad feeling because for the first time in a long while I don't know what I want to be working on.  I haven't written since I finished SV in September and I miss it!  What happened, I think, is that I came here and got edumucated about how to publicize.  Then I got into that so much that it took up most of my disposable time.

I've got something that goes in and out of the trunk as I work on it but I just don't feel motivated to tackle it right now.  It might win by default, though, because I need to get busy writing something.  Anything...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave:

Take one day off from promoting. In that day, find a quiet place and think about the past - interesting events in your life. Then read your local newspaper, a National Geographic Magazine and the New York Times (or their available equivolents). Finally, take a drive - about one hour and tell yourself a story that involves some of the elements that you encountered that morning. You will have a eureka moment and will want to get to a computer ASAP. It will be the spark. This is a process I have used when I am in the Valley of WhattheHellamIdoin' (also spelled Wathehelliumamiduiam). IMPORTANT: Report your results and progress here. We may not row your boat, but we can root from the river bank.

Ed Patterson


----------



## daveconifer

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Dave:
> 
> Take one day off from promoting. In that day, find a quiet place and think about the past - interesting events in your life. Then read your local newspaper, a National Geographic Magazine and the New York Times (or their available equivolents). Finally, take a drive - about one hour and tell yourself a story that involves some of the elements that you encountered that morning. You will have a eureka moment and will want to get to a computer ASAP. It will be the spark. *This is a process I have used when I am in the Valley of WhattheHellamIdoin' (also spelled Wathehelliumamiduiam).* IMPORTANT: Report your results and progress here. We may not row your boat, but we can root from the river bank.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Wise words from the man who made instructions on how to self-publish sound like Gone With the Wind. Thanks Ed! I feel better already!


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

daveconifer said:


> I've got a kinda' sorta' sad feeling because for the first time in a long while I don't know what I want to be working on. I haven't written since I finished SV in September and I miss it! What happened, I think, is that I came here and got edumucated about how to publicize. Then I got into that so much that it took up most of my disposable time.
> 
> I've got something that goes in and out of the trunk as I work on it but I just don't feel motivated to tackle it right now. It might win by default, though, because I need to get busy writing something. Anything...


Ah, I can relate to this. I let myself become so involved with promoting my first book that I wasn't very productive for about 18 months. This time around, I'm learning to harness promotion time, but it's been tough. So many forums to explore, things to join. I missed writing so much that I made a decision to spend two-thirds of my time writing and one third promoting. I probably won't sell as many books, but I'd rather sell fewer books and explore the creative part of my life than the other way around.

Debra


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Final revisions for _Legend of the Sword_ through chapter 10 are DONE! Scarletttt, where are youuuu? I have the rest of Steph's edits, but am holding back. <tap, tap, tap> ;-)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Scarletttt, wher are you? I'm half-way through First Contact and will need a read here.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Scarletttt, wher are you? I'm half-way through First Contact and will need a read here.
> 
> Ed Patterson


LOL!!


----------



## Sharlow

Well i decided to start work on multiple books and see how that goes. For some reason I get burned out after writing 2,500- 3,000 words in a book, and find it hard to go on that day. Like my works finished. But then I find i can write another 2,500 - 3,000 words in a different story. Mostly because it seems new and different. So I guess I'll give that a try for awhile and see how it goes. I wrote the synopsis for two more books that I'm going to start, plus I'm working on two others at the moment. 

I don't expect to work on each of them each day, mostly the ones I feel like that day. So it's kind of a cool experiment. Who knows maybe this will work for me, because frankly i was afraid to change up as I wanted to finish writing a book as soon as possible, but i find that seems to mentally hang me up. How many others are writing more then one book at a time?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'd love to let myself write on more than one thing at a time, but if I did I'd never get anything actually finished! LOL!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I finished up a short story and submitted it over the weekend. It was a struggle but I think I finally got the middle worked out. Ended up about 2,500 words. My writing will be on hiatus for the next couple weeks as I will be off on another mission trip. Hopefully I will come back re-charged and ready to sink my teeth into a new novel.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 words last night on Bobby's Trace (a new chapter added).

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

My writing/revising has come to a screeching halt as I've just gotten my new Ipod touch and am busy reading on my kindle app.  HOW did I ever live without it??  I'm hoping to get back to my revisions by this weekend, though.  Enjoying some really wonderful reading on the Ipod in the meantime!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words so far today (new stuff) on The People's Treasure.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,300 words so far today (new stuff) on The People's Treasure.
> 
> Ed Patterson


 So what are you averaging you think? A little over 2000 words a day?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It depends on how much time I can free up at work. If I write for my required 4 hours a day, I can generally clear 4,000 words. However, with new manuscripts (like The People's Treasure) there's some scoping and research which cuts into the production time. Revisions I can general clear 3,400 or so, and when I'm revising and finalizing a work for publication I can whip out 8,000 words. I also subscribe to the Stephen King rule that an author must read the same number of hours that he/she writes. So I view my reading time as mental grazing. I am fortunate to have an accounting job that allows me to listen to music while I work, but with the Kindle I now listen to books with text-to-speech. Michael's book is the read while you work book right now. I also rely on other stimuli - music; and I go to the movies a lot or watch DVDs. (I've seen Avatar 8 times). I go, not for ideas, but for creative stimulus. I'm an opera queen and have 400 plus operas on DVD in my collection, so its common for me to prepare for a writing session by tapping into an hour of Verdi or Rossini. Another warm up is to read some Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams - or even my own work aloud, which reinforces lessons learned and challenges to overcome. Of course, my characters sometimes possess me and I "speak in tongues," both in the living room, the shower and while driving. Ah, the sweet madness that authoring is — a universe that creates itself afresh with each morn's dawning.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Well, my day's about half way through. Nine pages of fairly heavy editing accomplished on chap. 6 of my third Casey Brisseden mystery, and 3-1/2 loads of laundry. Was hoping to accomplish a lot more, but hubby wants to see Avatar tonight, so there goes the evening. Hope it's worthwhile!

Debra


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Avatar's definitely worthwhile!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words on Bobby's Trace today. American Idol tonight and a big bowl of popcorn. I had a few break throughs on The People's treasure (which is to say, I planted a few Red Herrings to kep things interesting). I stepped back and regarded the three finished books of The Jade Owl legacy series and realized that they represent 670,000 words. With The People's Treasure's estimate and In the Shandow of Hem added to it, it will bring that series to a whopping 1,170,000 words. I'm surprised readers touch it at that length. But a portion of the rading public like to luxuriate in a story that never sems to end.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

kreelanwarrior said:


> Avatar's definitely worthwhile!


It was worthwhile. Such incredibly beautiful visuals, but the plot, well it was simply Dances with Wolves for the 22nd century (story takes place in 2154). Can't see Cameron winning any screenwriting award, but cinematography, special effects? It's a no-brainer.

Meanwhile, I spent a couple of hours editing today; not nearly enough, but I'll do more again after dinner tonight.


----------



## JennaAnderson

I haven't been writing at all recently. I feel a little - dull or foggy. It's almost as if my creativity is turned off. This doesn't really freak me out and I'm not trying to sink into a thought of doom and gloom. My motto is - I just couldn't get any writing done _today_. Take things one day at a time.

Perhaps you've all talked about this already but what do you do to spark your creative juices?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Not much fresh writing today. Only 1,700 words (on *The People's Treasure*). But Katie Kindleschpreche'd some *Bobby's Trace * and *the People's Treasure*, and also worked on audio version of *The Academician*. Drafted a review for Alan Chin's* A Lonely War.* and deep edited a few pages for my mentoree. Also reviewed some scenarios for Figment, a joint venture with 2 other authors, and jotted some Indie Spotlight notes for a possible article on "Pacing."

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

I have a question. When some one buys a book with their Kindle, can they download the book multiple times after purchase? The reason I ask, is I've really not liked my several of my first chapters. There OK , but I'm really feeling like rewriting them, and I was just wondering if people that bought it before would be able to get the newer version? I just feel like I've matured more as an author over the years, and the beginning was written years ago. It almost dosnt feel like me when i read it any more. Hope that confession doesn't drop my sales.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sharlow said:


> I have a question. When some one buys a book with their Kindle, can they download the book multiple times after purchase? The reason I ask, is I've really not liked my several of my first chapters. There OK , but I'm really feeling like rewriting them, and I was just wondering if people that bought it before would be able to get the newer version? I just feel like I've matured more as an author over the years, and the beginning was written years ago. It almost dosnt feel like me when i read it any more. Hope that confession doesn't drop my sales.


Sharlow - unfortunately, no. The version that's maintained on Amazon's server is whichever one they bought. To get a new/updated version, they'd have to call Amazon and cancel the first order, then re-buy the book (a process that Amazon doesn't let folks do very many times).


----------



## Ann in Arlington

And they pretty much only do let them do it if there is a documented problem with the book. . . .formatting and such.


----------



## Sharlow

kreelanwarrior said:


> Sharl ow - unfortunately, no. The version that's maintained on Amazon's server is whichever one they bought. To get a new/updated version, they'd have to call Amazon and cancel the first order, then Ruby the book (a process that Amazon doesn't let folks do very many times).


OK thanks. Sorry to hear that. I unfortunately do not own a kindle yet, but I intend to with the proceeds I make from my books sale. Yes books, as I'm currently in the process of writing others.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sharlow:

I have rewritten one of my books and just released it (_Cutting the Cheese_) and will be relaunching anoher in a few weeks (_Bobby's Trace_). These plus _No Irish Need Apply _ will also be coming in April as an Omnibus edition of all three called _Oh, Dainty Triolet_. The way I handled the availability of the first 2 books (and they are my oldest published), was to announce that they are revisied (and in those 2 cases the revisions aren't addressing typos etc.( Maintenance releases do not need a bruhaha announcement), noted the revision it in my description, made subtle cover changes to the POD and offer(ed) the book(s) on the Kindle for FREE for the first 2 weeks to accomodate readers who wanted to update their Kindle versions. Of course, many other readers took advantage of the FREE offer, but there's nothing wrong with that. They're buying your latest effort, clean and sparkly and they just might want to read something else you wrote. Expunging typos in books that are not being revised is more subtle, and only new readers of the work get the advantage of the revision.

Hope that inspires you to go ahead and tackle anything already published not to your liking. In POD and eBook, it doesn't cost you anything to do it - and as for your branding, it's an honest approach. Remember, it was costly for Stephen King to relaunch one of his most popular books with a revision (adding some 350 pages to it). I speak of _The Stand_.

Ed Patterson

BTW, 3,700 words today, all on _Bobby's Trace_.


----------



## kevindorsey

Sharlow said:


> OK thanks. Sorry to hear that. I unfortunately do not own a kindle yet, but I intend to with the proceeds I make from my books sale. Yes books, as I'm currently in the process of writing others.


Good luck. I'm working on an outline for my first short story myself.


----------



## ReeseReed

Finally finished second round revisions on "Claus"trophobic tonight.  Now to get it printed out again to pass along to my editor


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

JennaAnderson said:


> I haven't been writing at all recently. I feel a little - dull or foggy. It's almost as if my creativity is turned off. This doesn't really freak me out and I'm not trying to sink into a thought of doom and gloom. My motto is - I just couldn't get any writing done _today_. Take things one day at a time.
> 
> Perhaps you've all talked about this already but what do you do to spark your creative juices?


Your attitude is really good and that's half the battle. For me, the quickest and cheapest means to spark creativity is to read an inspirational how-to book about writing. Usually, the juices start flowing before I even finish the book. My writers' group also helps quite a bit. Sometimes I'll ask them a question and the answers bouncing back and forth get me going. Peaceful walks near a favorite place also help. On the more elaborate side, I'll sign up for a good writer's conference and take in as many panel discussions and meet as many people as I can. It never fails! Hope this helps.

Debra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The juices flow when you're exposed to great reaading or, believe it or not, a good film. Stimuli, even if you passively sit and watch it come at you, always help. I'm an opera lover and when I run really creatively low, I pop in an Opera and let it rechare my batteries. Many of my novels reflect opera structures and scenic devices. And authoring  novel in many ways has its corralaries in composing a stag piece. hen you fly with the masters, you get to preen their feathers. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You all might be interested in the article I have out today on The Indie Spotlight called The Novelization Process:

http://bit.ly/djOPML

Ed Patterson


----------



## Guest

Ed - good article on novelisation, paritculalry the gestation period. I, on the other hand, am a notebook person. I carry a chaotic notebook with me everywhere, frequently stop to make illegible scribbles (for I can't rest until it's written down somewhere), and then barely use the notes at all in my writing. It's security for my appalling memory (which is never so appalling when writing).

I agree with you about stimulus. I've been flooding myself with everything from an art exhibition about Modernism and magic to Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, World War 2 documentaries, Gibbon, and even (a rare thing these days) a smattering of fantasy novels. As I result I'm continuosly writing, and when I'm not writing I'm talking about plot and characters (which must be very annoying for my 8 year old). As a result I'm about 20,000 words into The Archon's Assassin.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Derekprior:

Thank you. I used to carry a notebooks too, and actually used an outline. Never finished a work worthy of foisting on anyone else with that method. But that's just me. I have friends who swer by outlines and have been taking notes since 8th grade (and have ten mms. that they'll never finish). I also have friends who run for th hills because a discussion on the sins of adverbs is not like a chat about the latest trend in the buttonhole industry.  

Thanks again

Ed Patterson


----------



## LCEvans

I used to use notebooks all the time to write ideas, general plot lines, character snippets. But when I switched from writing in longhand to writing directly into the computer, I quite using the notebooks and made myself a computer folder for ideas and such. I, too, am inspired by good reading and good music. I read Ed's article on the Novelization Process and I absolutely agree about outlines. When I start my books, I have a general idea of where I'm going, but not an outline. Sometimes I get a little stuck by not planning something in advance, though I've always been able to backtrack and work loose.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Don't know what's wrong, but all of a sudden, I lost all my formatting.  I keep reformatting, and then I lose it again.  And my page count has gone down from 383 to 318.  I don't think I lost anything because the word count is still the same, but it's pretty scary.  

I'll make at least 102K tonight, and then tomorrow, when I reopen the file, I'll probably have to reformat it again.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I keep reformatting, and then I lose it again.


What word processor are you using?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> What word processor are you using?


Open Office. I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and invest in Word since the rest of the world uses it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,500 words today on Bobby's trace.

Ed Patterson


----------



## JimC1946

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Open Office. I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and invest in Word since the rest of the world uses it.


I think you'll be happiest if you do. Word is pretty much the standard word processor now, and saving your Word files as filtered HTML usually gives you a very good Kindle file.


----------



## loca

LCEvans said:


> I used to use notebooks all the time to write ideas, general plot lines, character snippets. But when I switched from writing in longhand to writing directly into the computer, I quite using the notebooks and made myself a computer folder for ideas and such. I, too, am inspired by good reading and good music. I read Ed's article on the Novelization Process and I absolutely agree about outlines. When I start my books, I have a general idea of where I'm going, but not an outline. Sometimes I get a little stuck by not planning something in advance, though I've always been able to backtrack and work loose.


When I get to write anything over 10 pages, I still find a notebook more useful, personally.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

loca said:


> When I get to write anything over 10 pages, I still find a notebook more useful, personally.


Notebook by the bed and one in my purse works best for me. But I find myself using the computer more often too, sort of a combination of both depending on where I am.

Debra


----------



## G. Henkel

I'm not using a word processor per se. I am using Scrivener, which is more of an authoring tool - the best I have found, in fact, and I've tried a few. I would never dare to attempt writing a book in Word or so. It is simply too unorganized. An authoring tool like Scrivener on the Mac or Liquid Story Binder on the PC are much better because they allow you to include notes, ideas, timelines, dossiers, images, audio bites and all other sorts of research or brainstorming content into the writing process, separating and structuring it properly for a workflow rather than just a single blob file that contains everything in no coherent manner.

For all those unfamilair with these tools, here are links

Scrivener
Liquid Story Binder


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I find that the _wunderbar_ writing software and organizers are probably best for writing term papers, master's thesis or articles where you need to be logically organized like _How to coddle eggs for profit and pleasure_. However, for novel authoring, they're like carrying around a big creativity boulder, squashing the life out of charcters and, in some cases, adding tons of extra labor to something that should flow out of the Zone and not a digital iron maiden. Of course, I am being kind here. How I really feel about software of this ilk, would need the spoiler marker. I'm generally not this contentious, but I struggled with these whiz bang toys (not the ones specified, although I peeked and they're updated versions of the same stuff) - I can't even remember the names of them (they're in some pile somewhere). Not saying they aren't the perfect thing for some writers, but my mentors used quills and manual typewriters and tall bottles of scotch, and their characters came flopping over the messy thresholds of midnight drama rather than the organized maze of note tickers, scene heat measurers and character arc meters, color coded like quails tagged for science. I like my tapioca from soak pearls, not the My-T-Fine pudding box. Now, I'll go crawl away back to my corner and will say no more about it. This is a statement of experience and not something that I will debate.

Edward C. Patterson
aka Miss Chatty


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Open Office. I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and invest in Word since the rest of the world uses it.


Bite the bullet. You've got a big following here at KindleBoards. Your first royalty check will cover the cost.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've used everything from InDesign to PageMaker (I love PageMaker - had the first PC version back in 1985 under a very cluncking Windows OS), but when it comes right down to it, Word is the way to go. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I agree with Ed, although not quite as strongly. 

I think it's a case of finding what works best for your own style of writing. I can't use software, either: the one time I tried, I came out with nice-looking outlines, but the flow of my writing was very mechanical.

One thing that I might take a look at, however, is just the parts of some of these apps that keep track of characters, places and timelines. I can generally keep track of the first two (mostly), but am hopeless with time. So I was thinking of checking out Storybook for that, since it's free/GNU license.

Other than that, though, I now use my netbook for everything related to my writing except for final formatting, which I do on my Mac. It's sort of like carrying around a notebook, and with Linux it boots up and is ready to go in a snap (about the same amount of time that it would take to open a planner or notebook and flip to a particular page). Still wish it was Mac OS, but what the heck... LOL!

As for Word, that's certainly the standard, but when you're in a situation like me, where I've got multiple OS's to deal with (Mac, Linux, and Windoze), OpenOffice is really my best/only option. HOWEVER, having said that, I've decided that from now on I'm going to write the rough draft in a document template that doesn't have all the formatting the final book would have (think I'm going to do it more in a traditional manuscript format). Then once the text is finalized, transfer it into a Mac Pages document for final formatting.

And Ed, PageMaker? Good grief! I was using that back in '86-88 and cursing every minute... 

Okay, mucho editing to get done today! Four chapters to wade through, at least, on Legend of the Sword...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

I have a lifelong romance with typesetting. (That's one of the reasons I now publish all my books ragged right, because as a typesetting mogul, I know that there's no reason to have justification in a published work except for traditional slavery. It makes the measures harder to read, and legibility is important). I first encountered PageMaker and began to collect fonts. (I'm a calligrapher also, and letterform is a passion). So to see beautiful type on a computer screen, amazed me, plus the ability to kern and lead (led) and to use picas and ciceros. I progressed through all the PageMaker version from Aldus to Adobe and would cast my panuscripts into loveingly set layouts, mostly notprinted because of the cost. Now I go into Pagemaker as a hobbyist, because if I want anything in print I turn to my POD distributor or for private runs to Lulu. (I have two copies of my books produced in hardcover, one for me and one for Peg of the red Pencil, and I do that simply and expensively through Lulu).

It's funny how I now live in a simple word processor arena with set styles that authomatically format the book, a simple 6x9 template for POD and Photoschop templates for my cover artwork. It's all Times Roman now at 12 point type, and I try to keep each book using an ubiquitous layout that falls into the background and blends into my "brand."

Ed Patterson


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Open Office. I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and invest in Word since the rest of the world uses it.


I don't know if it's still available, but Word was having a free Beta of the latest version that's good through October. Give you time to save up! I needed Word for my netbook and downloaded it after someone posted here about it.

Edit: looks like it's still available here: http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/word/default.aspx

Betsy


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

So, if I've started writing a quilting book, can I post on the Author support thread?  

Betsy


----------



## Jeff

Betsy the Quilter said:


> So, if I've started writing a quilting book, can I post on the Author support thread?


We'd all be very happy to support that effort.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Betsy the Quilter said:


> So, if I've started writing a quilting book, can I post on the Author support thread?
> 
> Betsy


If you're writing a book, that makes you an author! 

Okay, done with Legend of the Sword through chapter 14...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Betsy:

Absolutely. I had friends in from New York Sunday and part of my apartment tour was to show them the Cormorant. "It's an original True," I said. They were impressed.



Ed Patterson


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Thanks, y'all!  I've made a few false starts on it over the last couple years, but truly, reading posts here on KB got me inspired to start again and I've actually been making progress.  I'm trying to spend at least 15-30 minutes on it first thing in the morning, which of course often turns out to be more.  Got an outline and working through the chapters.  Plus, gotta make some quilts for it!

Betsy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Bite the bullet. You've got a big following here at KindleBoards. Your first royalty check will cover the cost.


Then I'd better do it. I'll need the tax deduction. 



kreelanwarrior said:


> I agree with Ed, although not quite as strongly.
> 
> And Ed, PageMaker? Good grief! I was using that back in '86-88 and cursing every minute...


My first word processing program was WordStar.



Betsy the Quilter said:


> I don't know if it's still available, but Word was having a free Beta of the latest version that's good through October. Give you time to save up! I needed Word for my netbook and downloaded it after someone posted here about it.
> 
> Edit: looks like it's still available here: http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/word/default.aspx
> 
> Betsy


Thanks. My netbook has the link.



Betsy the Quilter said:


> So, if I've started writing a quilting book, can I post on the Author support thread?
> 
> Betsy


Will it have pictures of your quilts? Look forward to your progress.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Betsy:
> 
> Absolutely. I had friends in from New York Sunday and part of my apartment tour was to show them the Cormorant. "It's an original True," I said. They were impressed.
> 
> 
> 
> Ed Patterson


I may have more cormorant quilts after this trip....will let you know!

Betsy


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Thanks. My netbook has the link.


My netbook came with a free 60 day trial of Word which I used last Feb while in SD; the Beta trial lasts till October 2010, apparently. I'm going to bite the bullet myself and buy it, Open Office hasn't been easy for me to use for more than basic word processing. My first WP was Brown Bag, I think it was called, on my Commodore 64. 



> Will it have pictures of your quilts? Look forward to your progress.


Definitely....plus I'll have to make some just for the book. This is a big leap for me to actually TELL someone I'm writing it.  OK, I'm nervous now.....

Betsy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Betsy the Quilter said:


> My netbook came with a free 60 day trial of Word which I used last Feb while in SD; the Beta trial lasts till October 2010, apparently. I'm going to bite the bullet myself and buy it, Open Office hasn't been easy for me to use for more than basic word processing. My first WP was Brown Bag, I think it was called, on my Commodore 64.
> 
> Definitely....plus I'll have to make some just for the book. This is a big leap for me to actually TELL someone I'm writing it.  OK, I'm nervous now.....
> 
> Betsy


Hey, you're doing better than me. I didn't even tell anyone I HAD written a book.


----------



## Jeff

Betsy the Quilter said:


> This is a big leap for me to actually TELL someone I'm writing it.


Big mistake if you don't follow through - unless you like to be tormented and nagged.



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hey, you're doing better than me. I didn't even tell anyone I HAD written a book.


Except me and I nagged you until you published it. Fair warning, Betsy.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

So, Betsy, where can I buy this book.     

Miss Chatty
(glancing over to my beautiful bird with the green eyes)


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Ed, she's got to write it first!  

Hey, Betsy, if you need to make another quilt. . . .I'd love something with a music theme. . . .or maybe music and books. . . . .we must talk when you get back here to the right coast.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Big mistake if you don't follow through - unless you like to be tormented and nagged.
> Except me and I nagged you until you published it. Fair warning, Betsy.


And you're _very _good at it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


Hey! That's me in the cartoon!!


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Hey! That's me in the cartoon!!


bald head and an earring? not how i pictured you.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> bald head and an earring? not how i pictured you.


Yeah, that'll be when I lose the last of my hair and enter my middle-aged biker phase...

"not how i pictured you" - sounds like some kind of photo contest! LOL!!

BTW - I like your new avatar!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> bald head and an earring? not how i pictured you.


No, you have to picture Mike with ... um ... _unusual _headgear.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No, you have to picture Mike with ... um ... _unusual _headgear.


<says primly> That was to cover up my bald head...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> <says primly> That was to cover up my bald head...


I thought the earring was a nice distraction.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good day for me. 4,100 words between both Bobby's Trace and The People's Treasure (TPT). I love writing children's dialog (something new to me), and Peg of the red pencil says, I've nailed it. Well, we'll see. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## LCEvans

4100 words! Good for you, Ed. The only time I wrote that many in a day was when I was rushing through my NaNoWriMo novel and I have yet to work up the courage to peek at it and see if that little gem has anything worth salvaging.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Linda:

All 4,100 words got through Peg of the Red Pencil without too much travail.

Ed Patterson


----------



## J Dean

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Good day for me. 4,100 words between both Bobby's Trace and The People's Treasure (TPT). I love writing children's dialog (something new to me), and Peg of the red pencil says, I've nailed it. Well, we'll see.
> 
> Ed Patterson


That's more of a challenge that I had previously thought. I've had to "dumb down" my vocabulary to write for children, and that's not as easy as it sounds.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I knew when I wrote about the children that I'd be misunderstood. I'm not writing for children, but Ihave children characters in this portion of the legacy. (All them babies from Sally Hawkins day in the other novels are now growing up) For those who have read or are reading The Jade Owl Legacy series, I I'm speaking about Sydney Firestone's little son Nicky, and Rowden Gray's children, Amy and John (Jack). So far, the only children I've protrayed in my novels was in the Southern Swallow (and they spoke Mandarin) and in The Dragon's Pool (one child, and he also wasa non-English speaker). However, the children of these principle characters aren't fillers. They need to come alive and to do this, I had to get into their three and four year old minds and craft dialog and actions for them (and it wasn't easy. I'm sixty-two going on sixty-three and I'm a long way from the cradle). But that's what I love about authoring. Every new novel has new challenges, otherwise I might as well write pot-boilers and bodice rippers and make some real money.  But I figure, like Jacque does in _As You Like It _ - eventually I'll revert to three-year od thnking, so why not get a leg up on it.

Ed Patetrson


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> But that's what I love about authoring. Every new novel has new challenges, otherwise I might as well write pot-boilers and bodice rippers and make some real money.


That's the same thing I like about art quilts. Well, except for the bodice ripping part. 

Got some words done today on my quilting book. I need to start the technique diagrams...I don't want to leave them till the end, I need to chip away at them, too....

Betsy


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Betsey:

Well, I don;t know about the bodice-rippers either. What do they have under that bodice? I guess I'd need to go in an entirely diferent direction, but I guess we shouldn't go there now. Although, it would be on topic to say "supporter ripper."  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Betsy the Quilter said:


> That's the same thing I like about art quilts. Well, except for the bodice ripping part.


I use sackcloth and ashes myself. I don't like to rip the bodices out of my good clothes when I'm breastbeating. On the other hand, ashes get all over my keyboard when I'm beating my head against it.



> Got some words done today on my quilting book. I need to start the technique diagrams...I don't want to leave them till the end, I need to chip away at them, too....
> 
> Betsy


Thumbs up.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, as I always sat, there's nothing like a good ash-beating. Yikes! Here comes Brendan the pun master.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, as I always sat, there's nothing like a good ash-beating. Yikes! Here comes Brendan the pun master.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Aaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm keeping well away from the ash-beating business! 

Revisions for chapter 15 of Legend of the Sword is done. Moving on to 16 as we wait for the next Snowmageddon to start... <sigh>


----------



## angelad

J Dean said:


> That's more of a challenge that I had previously thought. I've had to "dumb down" my vocabulary to write for children, and that's not as easy as it sounds.


Yea, I agree. Writing childrens' books is not as easy as it sounds.


----------



## G. Henkel

No, it is very hard, in fact. I wrote a children's chapter book some time ago that I never published, but the experience was a very interesting one. The challenge is always to express things in a way that uses their limited vocabulary but at the same time doesn't treat them as dummies. You want to stay on the point and not come across as lecturing and, you always have to keep things going in order not to lose their attention. It is very challenging but also A LOT of fun.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

kreelanwarrior said:


> Revisions for chapter 15 of Legend of the Sword is done. Moving on to 16 as we wait for the next Snowmageddon to start... <sigh>


Can't wait to read it...gonna have to re-read First Contact.

I read it's being called "Snowverkill" 

Betsy


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Can't wait to read it...gonna have to re-read First Contact.
> 
> I read it's being called "Snowverkill"
> 
> Betsy


I'll be happy to turn the book loose - I wanna get started on the next one! LOL!!

Yeah, Snowverkill, Snowmageddon, and a couple more. No snowflake sightings yet for Round 2...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, chapter 16 of Legend is done! Might tinker around with writing some new material, or not. Maybe I'll just go play Nazi Zombies!


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, chapter 16 of Legend is done! Might tinker around with writing some new material, or not. Maybe I'll just go play Nazi Zombies!


go start the romance!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> Okay, chapter 16 of Legend is done! Might tinker around with writing some new material, or not. Maybe I'll just go play Nazi Zombies!


You do that. I know how inspirational that is for you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Are we supposed to get a 1099 from Amazon?  Has anybody gotten one?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Are we supposed to get a 1099 from Amazon? Has anybody gotten one?


I think you'll get a 1099-MISC if your royalties are over $600 for the year, but am not sure...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> go start the romance!


World War 2 era. Eastern or Western Front (have two different story ideas)??


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> World War 2 era. Eastern or Western Front (have two different story ideas)??


Please, not eastern front. I get cold so easily. Or maybe Snowmageddon is inspiring you more than Nazi Zombies.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Please, not eastern front. I get cold so easily. Or maybe Snowmageddon is inspiring you more than Nazi Zombies.


The idea is NOT set during the winter months, thank you very much! LOL!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kreelanwarrior said:


> The idea is NOT set during the winter months, thank you very much! LOL!


Thank goodness. There's a reason I only read Dr. Zhivago once.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I've done an unscientific poll and find that Tuesday is my lowest selling day. Anyone else notice a trend like that?


----------



## daveconifer

Dave Dykema said:


> I've done an unscientific poll and find that Tuesday is my lowest selling day. Anyone else notice a trend like that?


I have a short memory but today was horrible for me. Maybe you're onto something...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I've done an unscientific poll and find that Tuesday is my lowest selling day. Anyone else notice a trend like that?


Tuesday is the slowest day in almost any business. My family owns a restaurant and for probably 80 years, it's been closed on Tuesdays. Weddings had to be held on Tuesdays, anniversary parties, birthday parties, even funerals were held on Tuesdays. Most of the family worked in the restaurant. It's still running and still closed on Tuesdays.


----------



## Thumper

kreelanwarrior said:


> I think you'll get a 1099-MISC if your royalties are over $600 for the year, but am not sure...


I haven't gotten one...so maybe not?
It would make things a whole lot easier if I got one...


----------



## Jeff

Thumper said:


> I haven't gotten one...so maybe not?
> It would make things a whole lot easier if I got one...


The due date was February 1st but I haven't received a 1099 from anyone yet.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

The instructions for using 1099-MISC say at least $10 in royalties.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got me on W2s. I got them last year, but this year they're gonna be big. My mail goes to my legal residence in NJ and I don't think (with the storm) that I'm making it to NJ this weekend either. So can't check yet.

Yesterday was a good writing day. 2 sessions of 2,100 words each (4,200 - duh). Since I'm snowed in today and probabaly tomorrow too, I should get a lot done, perhaps even finish the revisions for _Bobby's Trace _ and get them on Katie the Kindlespreche, since Peg has cleared most of it. I added a new chapter, tampering with pacing at the end (many readers loved the work, but complained that the pace was too fast toward the end). I also rewrote an entire dialog scene (what I call the confessional scene), which, as good as I thought it was, hadn't had the benefit of me writing _Turning Idolater _ and _Look Away Silence_. It now (according to Peg) sizzles. But no, I haven't changed the ending, which  is my biggest surprise ending of all my novels (although I deliver it with a bigger punch now).

I am also within range of finishing Part I of _The People's Treasure _ (which has eight Parts - maybe Nine). It's entitled *The Three Women * and, for Jade Owl Legacy readers will represent a major departure. I believe that a series must not get in a rut. It must maintain the elements, particularly the characters that attracted the readers in the first place. However, it shouldn't be just more of the same, blah, blah, blah. It must turn corners and be _karma chemelion_. I mean, Stephen King surprises us all in _Wizard and Glass _ by plummeting us into a gritty romance. In my _Southern Swallow's _ third Book (_Swan Cloud_), the reader will find that they've fallen into a 12th Century Chinese murder mystery.

"Follow-up's" (I don't call them sequels, because "sequel" is a misnomer, being a ruminating summary scene for previously presented material) should maintain a high challenge level for an author and always be better than the book it follows. Too many times, follow-ups fall flat on their face. I was seriously disappointed with _The Dark Material's _ series (Pullman), which started on a great note with _Northern Lights_ (aka _The Golden Compass_), and went from there to the trashcan to the toilet. I felt like throwing the last book against the wall, except I have it on the Kindle and we wouldn't want to do that. Same thing with George RR Martin's _Fire ad Ice _ series. Those actually get better and better and then PLOP, and now we're waiting for the last book for . . . how many years? I don't think we'll ever see it.

Rant over

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Finished a good scene last night.  Better one coming up tonight.  Gotta keep the momentum.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Got me on W2s. I got them last year, but this year they're gonna be big. My mail goes to my legal residence in NJ and I don't think (with the storm) that I'm making it to NJ this weekend either. So can't check yet.


My cousin is supposed to fly back to NJ tomorrow. He might not make it. Big grin on his face when he heard about the blizzard. Gee, a couple more days in the sunshine (chilly, but still sunny) on the golf course. Poor guy.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Revisions on Legend done through ch 19, and some preliminary research notes made on my next project. 

Keep up the momentum, Gertie! And I definitely wish I was somewhere warm and sunny... D'oh!


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> Revisions on Legend done through ch 19, and some preliminary research notes made on my next project.
> 
> Keep up the momentum, Gertie! And I definitely wish I was somewhere warm and sunny... D'oh!


I've finished reading LOS and hopefully will be sending you the edits over the weekend.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The revisions on Bobby's Trace are finished and it only grew by 10,000 words, but there was an extensive rewrite on all the major confrontation scenes and a new chapter added (a sequeling chapter). Proofing now, and zero error tolerance is being applied. Today's numbers so far is 3,800 words. I'll not write anymore today, because the touch ups on Bobby Trace's ending has left me gutted (I sat for twenty minutes in tears). This tale will linger.

Going over to my readers in the Dragon's Pool Read with the uthor Klub. c u all l8tr

Ed Patterson


----------



## harfner

Finally!  Got the contracts back, signed, and delivered, so I can announce:

I'm working on WRITING THE SUPERNATURAL NOVEL for Writer's Digest Books under the name Steven Harper.  Deadline is April 15, with publication set for spring 2011.  I'm about 1/3 of the way through the manuscript so far and writing like mad...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I've finished reading LOS and hopefully will be sending you the edits over the weekend.


Yay!! Something to keep me occupied while we wait for the next round of snow!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

harfner said:


> Finally! Got the contracts back, signed, and delivered, so I can announce:
> 
> I'm working on WRITING THE SUPERNATURAL NOVEL for Writer's Digest Books under the name Steven Harper. Deadline is April 15, with publication set for spring 2011. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the manuscript so far and writing like mad...


Faaaantastic!

I spent last night zinging up everything I wrote the two previous days, and I still have some revising to do. Shouldn't take long. Then back to the story. I know my heroine is going to vigorously resist what comes next, but she's just going to have to give in to the inevitable.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

harfner said:


> Finally! Got the contracts back, signed, and delivered, so I can announce:
> 
> I'm working on WRITING THE SUPERNATURAL NOVEL for Writer's Digest Books under the name Steven Harper. Deadline is April 15, with publication set for spring 2011. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the manuscript so far and writing like mad...


Coolness! Congrats!!


----------



## ReeseReed

I feel like I'm stuck in a rut at the moment.  My newest work has been handed over to fresh eyes, and I'm itching to get started on something else...but it's not happening.  I feel like I'm right on the brink of an idea, but I can't quite bring it into focus.  So frustrating.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ReeseReed said:


> I feel like I'm stuck in a rut at the moment. My newest work has been handed over to fresh eyes, and I'm itching to get started on something else...but it's not happening. I feel like I'm right on the brink of an idea, but I can't quite bring it into focus. So frustrating.


I think you need a chocolate infusion!


----------



## sierra09

Don't feel bad, Reese. You aren't alone. It feels like I've been in a ditch for the past week with Ian's story. Between two snow storms (I cannot say I how much I detest weather forcasters right now), spotty electricity(knocks on wood still) and the funeral for my niece, writing has not been easy. I think I might have managed 5K words this week, which I suppose isn't bad.


----------



## ReeseReed

kreelanwarrior said:


> I think you need a chocolate infusion!


I'm always up for that 

As for the writing, I think I've had a few ideas begin to start to take shape, so we'll see. There's just so many "projects" that I want to do...I'm wondering if maybe I'm overloading myself trying to think through so many of them.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Tomorrow it's BOBBY'S TRACE's time for Kindle file, POD formtting and sending up files. Yippee. Hopefully next wek I'll be relaucnhing this lttle book, with all warts removed, tw new chapters, a dialog rwirtten and something that can stand next to its big sister, Turning Idolater. I'm very pleeeeeeezed.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> I'm always up for that
> 
> As for the writing, I think I've had a few ideas begin to start to take shape, so we'll see. There's just so many "projects" that I want to do...I'm wondering if maybe I'm overloading myself trying to think through so many of them.


It's hard to stay focused on one thing. I'm finishing my second book, the third in the trilogy is taking shape in my mind, and I'm making notes on a more modern novel. I should live so long.

Back to the WiP. I just need to do another 300 words to reach my goal for tonight.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Went 500 words over my goal.  The last of the Olympians are finally completing their march into the stadium and the actual show is about to begin.  I think I'll take a break and get a fresh cup of tea.


----------



## ReeseReed

Got a partial of the first chapter of a new work started tonight.  Still not the kids' book I'm feeling pushed to write, but at least I'm writing something.  I write longhand before I start my first round of revisions where I type it into word, so I'm not sure of word count.  I'm sure it's not much, but it's a start.


----------



## LCEvans

I've had an awful time trying to stick to my writing schedule for the last two weeks. I had let a lot of other things pile up and finally reached a point where I had to drop the writing and tend to business. Then on the one day I actually got into the writing, people kept calling me. Yes, I know I didn't have to answer the phone, but my niece was having a crisis with her family. This niece lost her mother (my sister) in a car crash when she was only nine, so my other sister, my mom, and I are sort of substitute moms for her. She's very close with all of us. I have promised myself to do better next week, though on Friday I have to spend the day volunteering for my grandson's school.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Got a partial of the first chapter of a new work started tonight. Still not the kids' book I'm feeling pushed to write, but at least I'm writing something. I write longhand before I start my first round of revisions where I type it into word, so I'm not sure of word count. I'm sure it's not much, but it's a start.


If I wrote longhand, I would never be able to read a word of what I wrote. 



LCEvans said:


> I've had an awful time trying to stick to my writing schedule for the last two weeks. I had let a lot of other things pile up and finally reached a point where I had to drop the writing and tend to business. Then on the one day I actually got into the writing, people kept calling me. Yes, I know I didn't have to answer the phone, but my niece was having a crisis with her family. This niece lost her mother (my sister) in a car crash when she was only nine, so my other sister, my mom, and I are sort of substitute moms for her. She's very close with all of us.


I know. Life does keep interfering. I thought when I retired, I would have a lot of 'me' time. Not so. I spend my evenings recuperating then stay up late to write when I can.



> I have promised myself to do better next week, though on Friday I have to spend the day volunteering for my grandson's school.


I volunteer at my GS's school, too. It's exhausting but fun.

I got my full nap yesterday, did not have to pick up anyone from school, finished all the morning stuff by noon, and was actually able to write over a thousand words more than my goal.

It's 9am. Some Saturday things to do, sick GS to visit, and then I'm going to see how far I can get.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have an article of interest Featured at today's The Indie Spotlight:

Article - "How to End a Novel" - by Edward C. Patterson

http://www.theindiespotlight.com/?p=375

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No writing today, except for a bit of planning, because I went to see The Lightning Thief (a book which I just recentily read and enjoyed). I did work on one of those other authorly-Indie-things called a cover. This one for *The People's Treasure* (Jade Owl Book 4), which won't be out until the end of the Summer. Here's a peek at the cover concept.








It has all the scenic elements - Yosemite, Lung-hua Temple, the Hu-tungs, Columbia University, the Putong skyine of Shanghai, the Hall of Harmonious Peace, the Temple of Dendor, an atomic explosion, a couple of raptors, a celestial emperor and a big coin. What else does a cover need? 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> ...What else does a cover need?


A blue chick with a sword? LOL!

Seriously, Ed - love the cover! The only nit I'd pick is that (to me) the title text and the text for your name gets lost in the background - I'd consider maybe punching those up a bit (drop shadow, contrasting edge, etc.)...?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No writing today, except for a bit of planning, because I went to see The Lightning Thief (a book which I just recentily read and enjoyed).


I just finished The Lightning Thief last night and did enjoy it. How was the movie? I'm taking my GS next week. He's gone through the first three book like a hot knife through butter.



> I did work on one of those other authorly-Indie-things called a cover. This one for *The People's Treasure* (Jade Owl Book 4), which won't be out until the end of the Summer. Here's a peek at the cover concept.
> 
> It has all the scenic elements - Yosemite, Lung-hua Temple, the Hu-tungs, Columbia University, the Putong skyine of Shanghai, the Hall of Harmonious Peace, the Temple of Dendor, an atomic explosion, a couple of raptors, a celestial emperor and a big coin. What else does a cover need?
> 
> Ed Patterson


I agree. What else does a cover need. Beautifully done as always.

I only got 75% of my goal done yesterday, but I'm happy with what I did.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Going to try and hammer through the rest of the revisions I've got for Legend of the Sword, and hopefully get the sucker out the door in the next week for the Kindle...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks guy. I was thinking that also and if I could put a blue girl on the cover, I would. I'm sure it would give me a sales spike 9he he). I probably redo the text before the book's released, but since it's only 40000 words in (out of 200,000) I still have time. I have this thing when I write. If I don't have a cover, the book can't com to life. I got sick of opening my manuscript and just seeing a text title b=page. But now "it's alive."

Gung-xi fa-tsai in this Year of the Tiger
Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks guy. I was thinking that also and if I could put a blue girl on the cover, I would. I'm sure it would give me a sales spike 9he he). I probably redo the text before the book's released, but since it's only 40000 words in (out of 200,000) I still have time. I have this thing when I write. If I don't have a cover, the book can't com to life. I got sick of opening my manuscript and just seeing a text title b=page. But now "it's alive."


I'm just the other way around: the cover design is sort of my "relaxation" period after the first draft is done!



> Gung-xi fa-tsai in this Year of the Tiger


Hmmm, I can't help but come up with all sorts of interesting translations in my head for "gung-xi fa-tsai"! LOL!!


----------



## LCEvans

Ed, that's a beautiful cover. Maybe your best yet. I've never thought of getting writing inspiration from a cover since I get my cover when the book is finished. That's an interesting idea, though.


----------



## kellyabell

Just wanted to stop in and say hello.  Hope you all are having productive weekends.  I've been keeping my nose to the grindstone and I've finished the sequel to my first romantic thriller.  The title will be Captured In Lies and it will out sometime this spring!  I am really excited about it.  It is in the editing stages now which is always the worst part for me!  Look for an excerpt on my website soon.  I wanted to say thanks for all the encouragement I've received from this thread. You all are so supportive and probably have no idea how much it helps.  Thanks again and stay tuned.  I'll let you know when it comes out!  www.kellyabellbooks.com


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

kellyabell said:


> Just wanted to stop in and say hello. Hope you all are having productive weekends. I've been keeping my nose to the grindstone and I've finished the sequel to my first romantic thriller. The title will be Captured In Lies and it will out sometime this spring! I am really excited about it. It is in the editing stages now which is always the worst part for me! Look for an excerpt on my website soon. I wanted to say thanks for all the encouragement I've received from this thread. You all are so supportive and probably have no idea how much it helps. Thanks again and stay tuned. I'll let you know when it comes out! www.kellyabellbooks.com


Awesome, Kelly! 

I haven't actually done any writing/revisions yet today - have been spending some time trying to get my Facebook page organized. Oy!


----------



## harfner

I reviewed _The Lightning Thief_ movie at my blog: http://spiziks.livejournal.com/218943.html .


----------



## kellyabell

kreelanwarrior said:


> Awesome, Kelly!
> 
> I haven't actually done any writing/revisions yet today - have been spending some time trying to get my Facebook page organized. Oy!


That can be a job in and of itself!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

harfner said:


> I reviewed _The Lightning Thief_ movie at my blog: http://spiziks.livejournal.com/218943.html .


Thanks for that. Now I won't be disappointed when I take GS to see the movie. I'll know what to expect. Usually he and I enjoy the same movies, like The Squeakquel and Dawn of the Dinosaurs. I hope I can show some enthusiasm for this one.

The book was an enjoyable read, but doesn't reach the level of the Potter series. It relies more on monsters lurking at every corner. The spy was too easy to figure out as was the identity of Percy's father. But I can see the appeal for middle school kids and I will read the rest of the series with my GS.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I enjoyed _The Lightning Thief _ movie. Many changes from the book (not to mention the aging of Percy Jackson and the African-Americanization of Grover, but if Morgan Freeman can portray a freckled Irishman named RED in Shawshank, I guess this shift is no biggy, not to mention the color change of Annabeth's hair - oh deary). However, the smart-ass mood of the book (which I enjoyed) was captured and transfered over to Grover's dialog. St. Louis switched to Nashville. Ares is gone and no Kronos or Mr. D. Plus the "pearls" are strung out as a quest instead of a dip in the ocean at Santa Monica. Charon reverts to his Greek original. And Cerbeus is out for an Alpo break (moe than one multiheaded thing in a film is enough, plus Cerberus suggests Harry Potter's "fluffy", which Chris Columbus also directed). But all in all, it wasn't bad, although I'm spoiled after 9 viewings of Avatar now, so the special effects were rather muted. It'll make lots of money and hopefully will knock Sparks out of the No. 1 spot, and thus is born a new franchise. I mean, it can't be any worse than Twighlight (although that has Taylor Leitner and his rack of lamb and his brilliant orthodontery, worth my trip into the theater, although the films have been consistantly a D-). Sorry I didn't post this earlier.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

LCEvans said:


> Ed, that's a beautiful cover. Maybe your best yet. I've never thought of getting writing inspiration from a cover since I get my cover when the book is finished. That's an interesting idea, though.


Thanks Linda


----------



## Dave Dykema

Ed, I have to honestly say I've never been a big fan of your previous covers. They seem a little crowded to me. But I think yours for _The People's Treasure_ is really good!

I agree with Michael Hicks about getting your name and title to stand out more.

Good luck with the writing (I know you'll have no problems). 200,000 words--are you sure you don't outline??  How do you know it will be that long?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Dave and I agree on the text also. Many people have criticized my covers, but they are part of my brand. The genesis was when I was about 10, and wrote awful librettos to never composed operettas (I'm an avid Gilbert & Sullivan fan, and singer). I wrote about 40 of these, and although they were a literal mess, my imagination ran wild. I owe many thanks to my imagination during those wild days that didn't calm down until I was in my mid-20's. Well, when I walked to school (alone as most gay kids are isolated from the pack), I would day dream about my unproduced operas and I could see the album covers. They were all like those early Gilbert & Sullivan album covers - a frantic swarm of elements from the pieces. I also grew up on Dickens and on Phiz (George Cruikshank) who's covers for the Dickens weeklies were a dizzying crowd of characters and scenes. It was a Victorian thing. So when it came to me designing my covers (and I've designed advertisement pieces as a Marketing Director that were concept piece to sell services), I decided to shun the run of the mill book cover design and go for the Victorian - a collage of things that, like the books themselves, pour from my imagination. I mean, my branding motto is:

. . . from my mind to your imagination . . .

So, except for a few works where things didn't gel, all my covers have my stamp on them. The Jade Owl covers, for the most part, are dark (this one's a little brighter), and have at it's center a relic - The Jade Owl for The Jade Owl, Shiva or Po-huai for The Third Peregrination, the Velociraptor Cantodragonensis for The Dragon's Pool, and K'u Ko-ling's coin for The People's Treasure. A similar course has been followed for the books of The Southern Swallow series. So there's rhyme and reason for my covers (and they're photoshoped because I can't draw worth a fig). I did have a professional illustrator for The Jade Owl when it first appeared as a serialized novel at anotherchapter.com, but she went undercover because her Arian-nation husband was looking for her and her baby and I haven't heard from her since. (That's another tale). My nephew tried his hand at some artwork (wasn't bad, but a bit comic book), but the only survivor to that effort is my Jade Owl avatar (to wit, see <----).

I hope to keep The People's Treasure down to 200,000 word, although it promises to be 225-250,000. I never use an outline. My works are tucked in the clutter of my head, along with the crowded covers.   And after writing three of these books (and a fifth one to go), I just know how long it will take me to dribble out my gray matter onto the page. Now, I was wrong with The Nan Tu, which I thought would be 200,000 word, but ultimately came down to 155,000. But it would have gotten there, if I hadn't cut out two sequences that, when they emerged from my head, sunk the ship. Not everything in my noggin or my imagination should be committed to paper. In fact, only about 40% ever is. I'll go to "the clearing at the end of the path" (as Stephen King says) with lots of libretti roiling in my brain. But at least I'll have a few million words shared with a few thousand people. That's what it's all about, that dream of a 10 year old who can't keep his thoughts to himself.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I agree with you in maintaining the look of your covers. I almost said that in the last thread, but didn't for whatever reason. Because now you _have_ created a brand, and an Ed Patterson book without that type of cover somehow wouldn't be right.

It's part of the reason I got rid of my color _Wrong Number_ cover and made it more B&W. It jibes with _Stalker_ better that way. Both of them are stark, simple images with just a hint of color. Sometimes I wished I used the same font on them, almost like a logo. I'm thinking of bands like Chicago and Boston and even earlier Stephen King books that always used the same fonts (or styles of letters) for their titles.

I find I always get annoyed when the title logo art "changes" mid-way through something. The Janet Evanovich Stephnie Plum books are using, like, their third "look" now, and it's still not finished.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I finally got off my kiester and did the last edits that Steph sent me - thanks, Steph! - and am starting to work on the ones for the last chapters that Scarlet's working on (thanks, Scarlet!).


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Went 500 words over my goal. The last of the Olympians are finally completing their march into the stadium and the actual show is about to begin. I think I'll take a break and get a fresh cup of tea.


Well, I don't know about you all, but I've been a fan of the Olympics since I was a kid, but as a writer, I find that they're a bit distracting tonight! Other than a nice Valentine's dinner with my family, I've kept one eye on the TV (well not literally) while I've caught up on paperwork and writing-related tasks because I can't concentrate when all this good stuff is happening. Ironically, I also wrote a blog tonight on why the Olympics are great for writers ...go figure.

Debra


----------



## telracs

kreelanwarrior said:


> I finally got off my kiester and did the last edits that Steph sent me - thanks, Steph! - and am starting to work on the ones for the last chapters that Scarlet's working on (thanks, Scarlet!).


You've been sent all my edits/comments through the epilogue. Now I want to see the re-write!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> ...Now I want to see the re-write!


You will, you will! I promise! Will fire it off to you and Steph as soon as I'm done. Just finished ch 21...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> Well, I don't know about you all, but I've been a fan of the Olympics since I was a kid, but as a writer, I find that they're a bit distracting tonight! Other than a nice Valentine's dinner with my family, I've kept one eye on the TV (well not literally) while I've caught up on paperwork and writing-related tasks because I can't concentrate when all this good stuff is happening. Ironically, I also wrote a blog tonight on why the Olympics are great for writers ...go figure.
> 
> Debra


I don't watch it all. I find luge extremely boring. Mogul skiing has gotten interesting (Yay Canada). But the pairs skating has always been my favorite. My fingers froze on the keyboard when Shen/Zhao(?) started their routine. Incredible. Most of the rest was okay to pitiful. Where are the dominant Russian pairs? They were falling all over the ice.

I not only met my goal yesterday, but caught up on what I didn't do on Saturday and went a bit over. But the HORROR continued. I had to go back in the ms to verify something and found that one character's name had been deleted from several pages. I'm sure I know what happened. Entirely my fault. I think I found them all and put him back in the story, but I'll have to read very carefully when I get in to revisions.

As I was falling asleep last night, two other mistakes flashed into my mind. Unfortunately, I couldn't write them down because I'm usually off to la-la land 30 seconds after my head hits the pillow. I remember one clearly, but the other one is a bit hazy. Oh, well, that's why this is a first draft.


----------



## G. Henkel

All right, I just finished the first draft of volume 7 in my "Jason Dark" series.   Took a bit longer than I had first anticipated but I still made good time on this one, I feel. Now to let it sit and simmer for a week or two before going back for a first revision. In the meanwhile I am revising volume 6 and start fleshing out ideas for volume 8. Life is good!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

My posts keep disappearing because I'm timing out before they are saved.  Oh, well.

Need help.  Which is correct.

He laughed joyously

or

He laughed joyfully


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My posts keep disappearing because I'm timing out before they are saved. Oh, well.
> 
> Need help. Which is correct.
> 
> He laughed joyously
> 
> or
> 
> He laughed joyfully


1 - They are both correct, but they are different in context. Joyfully is a tag adverb for dialogs (IMHO) and refers back to HE, the person, while "joyously" looks forward "He laughed joyously upon hearing the joke."

2 - They're both incorrect, as they are adverbs, and the verb to laugh, although having many variations is generally a joyful action. So the correct usage is. "He laughed." Beynd that is redundant.

3 - Adverbs are pernicious weeds. It is bettr to portray the "joyousness" by describing the HE - ie. The wine made Sam jovial, so he laughed.

When in doubt, leave it out, when it comes to adverbs.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 1 - They are both correct, but they are different in context. Joyfully is a tag adverb for dialogs (IMHO) and refers back to HE, the person, while "joyously" looks forward "He laughed joyously upon hearing the joke."
> 
> 2 - They're both incorrect, as they are adverbs, and the verb to laugh, although having many variations is generally a joyful action. So the correct usage is. "He laughed." Beynd that is redundant.
> 
> 3 - Adverbs are pernicious weeds. It is bettr to portray the "joyousness" by describing the HE - ie. The wine made Sam jovial, so he laughed.
> 
> When in doubt, leave it out, when it comes to adverbs.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Since I know how you feel about adverbs, I should have added a disclaimer to my question.

Adverb haters need not reply ...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I hate 'em, but I use 'em. And with that, I got 2,180 words (fresh new ones) finished tonight on _The People's Treasure_, and it was one of those chapters where I had put down 2 lines of scenario and woke up some charactes, and they just wrote it for me. One good thing about writing the 4th book in a series, besides the joy of bringing new characters to life, I get to stir already developed characters and remind them to get their hineys in gear to get back on the arcing trail. It was enjoyable tonight, because I literally woke up two 17 year old lovers (male) on a Sunday morning and tried to write some pillow talk (but lo and behold, these two little devils took over and the pillow talk was more a pillow fight). I'll sleep tonight knowing that in my wake I created something this evening that didn't exist this morning, and that's what it's all about.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'll sleep tonight knowing that in my wake I created something this evening that didn't exist this morning, and that's what it's all about.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Very poetic, Ed ... even though I hate poetry.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, but you do know (I've preached it enough) that beneath every well-turned prose phrase lies a poetic basecoat. While the prose appeals to the reader's mind, the poetic base coat beckons to their souls. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks, but you do know (I've preached it enough) that beneath every well-turned prose phrase lies a poetic basecoat. While the prose appeals to the reader's mind, the poetic base coat beckons to their souls.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I must have missed that lesson, but I have to agree with you. Maybe it's just rhyming that I don't like.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'll sleep tonight knowing that in my wake I created something this evening that didn't exist this morning, and that's what it's all about.


Love that, Ed. That applies to creating quilts, too!

Y'all keep inspiring me to chip away at my quilting book. Although the absolutely perfect weather we've been having here is quite a distraction. 

Betsy


----------



## J Dean

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks, but you do know (I've preached it enough) that beneath every well-turned prose phrase lies a poetic basecoat. While the prose appeals to the reader's mind, the poetic base coat beckons to their souls.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I recommend lots of alliteration.

Or, if you're in New Orleans today "a-'litter'-ation"

(Yeah, that one was pretty bad)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,200 words today so far. On a roll.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Not sure about the word count since I'm starting out writing longhand, 
but I logged 11 hand written pages last night.  Hoping to continue tonight,
if my kids will allow me!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BTW Reece, I enjoyed your Pepper Pecker story. Hot stuff.  

Ed atterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW Reece, I enjoyed your Pepper Pecker story. Hot stuff.
> 
> Ed atterson


Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

I'm really excited about this new work...I think I may finally have a story I can get to "novel length" with, instead of another novella...not there's ANYTHING wrong with producing a novella, of course, but it will be exciting to see if I can finally make a longer one!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Not sure about the word count since I'm starting out writing longhand,
> but I logged 11 hand written pages last night. Hoping to continue tonight,
> if my kids will allow me!


Just thinking about writing in longhand brings on flashbacks of writing _I will not talk in class_ 100 times.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just thinking about writing in longhand brings on flashbacks of writing _I will not talk in class_ 100 times.


LOL! So far I've only written one work directly onto the laptop...all the others have been written longhand first. That one came so fast and furiously that my hand couldn't keep up with my thought. Except for that one time, I always do best writing longhand first, then doing my first revision round as I type into Word.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> LOL! So far I've only written one work directly onto the laptop...all the others have been written longhand first. That one came so fast and furiously that my hand couldn't keep up with my thought. Except for that one time, I always do best writing longhand first, then doing my first revision round as I type into Word.


I did a lot on my old PDA. I carried it with me everywhere and when I had a break, I could pull it out and write. I got to be pretty fast with those symbols.

Now I have a netbook. Much heavier to carry around, but it eliminates a step. I took it with me this morning when I had to take my GS to the doctor and I got a lot done. Somehow, the battery popped half out. I couldn't get it in and I couldn't pull it out. Took about 20 minutes of careful maneuvering to get it out, and then too many more minutes to get it back in correctly. Now I'm looking at a blank screen and I don't know what's wrong.

Maybe I should take a page from your book and go back to handwritten.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I did a lot on my old PDA. I carried it with me everywhere and when I had a break, I could pull it out and write. I got to be pretty fast with those symbols.
> 
> Now I have a netbook. Much heavier to carry around, but it eliminates a step. I took it with me this morning when I had to take my GS to the doctor and I got a lot done. Somehow, the battery popped half out. I couldn't get it in and I couldn't pull it out. Took about 20 minutes of careful maneuvering to get it out, and then too many more minutes to get it back in correctly. Now I'm looking at a blank screen and I don't know what's wrong.
> 
> Maybe I should take a page from your book and go back to handwritten.


OH horrors!! I hope you get it fixed soon!! SCARY!!

I got another six pages of longhand done tonight. I think I may go ahead and type the twenty-ish pages up tomorrow and see what my word count is looking like so far. I've just scratched the surface of my story, and already I have a really good feeling about it. I love that.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I still have a box of longhand manuscripts. I'm a calligrapher and love to sit with a pen, only I become distracted with the letter forms and it takes me out of the ZONE. One of those manuscripts, a thing called _The Nioche _ was written in 1972 and even pre-dates my first work on _Southern Swallow_. It's not well written, but the subject matter, a Native American pre-Columbian conflab, is quite imaginative. I scoped out a new version (on the computer) in 2002, only the Native American Nioche now reflected my own tribal history (Cherokee) and the setting is moved to a fantasy world that kidnaps young actors (a world of succubuses - succubi?, I guess, and wizard kings). The world is ruled by an elite group and served by these natives. The protagonist, kidnaps from the red carpet, acs from reluctant brat to rebl leader. I had a small group of beta-readers (who loved it) munching on this manuscript when I put it on the back burner. It's called _Belmondus_ and, besides being rooted in history and in a fantasy world, it has dystopian and even post apocalyptic elements, since the tribe has fallen into a grim, ghetto existence - and is Blade Runner bleak. I only mention this because the work started nearly 38 years ago from a handwritten manuscript that I still use for reference. I have this one slated for Spring 2012. Gotta beat that December date when there will be no one to read anything. At least, according to the Maya.


Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> OH horrors!! I hope you get it fixed soon!! SCARY!!


It's okay now. I turned it off and then back on again and the screen came up to recover my document.

So this morning, I had to wait for a friend to get back from a colonoscopy. They wouldn't let her go home unless an adult was waiting for her. I couldn't sit outside with my netbook (typing in gloves is useless), so I brought a pad of paper. I always keep a pen in my purse, but it's clipped to the outside. Bad idea. The pen was gone. Paper, no pen. I think I'll take a nap.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Naps are always good!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Naps are always good!!


So true. Everything seems better after a nap. I think I'll jot down a few things I was thinking about while waiting for my friend, and then I'm off for a good, long snooze.


----------



## J Dean

Don't you actually need time to take a nap?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,180 words, and running start to Part II of The People's Treasure.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Another three pages of longhand done today while my students were at their bi-monthly meeting with the guidance counselor...not bad for just shy of thirty minutes I thought.  I can't wait to get back home and get back to it again!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Talk about longhand, Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings (and its many revisions) long-hand AND some of the revisions were written over previous version because of the paper shortage in Britain during the war. He also began the Hobbit the same way. He jotted the famous first line: "In a hole in the ground lived a Hobbit," while grading papers during a summer course at Oxford. He often told the story that after he wrote the line he asked: "Hobbit? What's a Hobbit?" Although the tale is apocryphal on Tolkien's part, because he told the Hobbit story verbally to his children before he jotted that opening sentence and Priscilla and John recall that it was a Hobbit from the first. Christopher was too young to remember.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

J Dean said:


> Don't you actually need time to take a nap?


Yeah, and I don't really have the time, but I do have the sleepies. I say it's my meds. The docs say it's sleep apnea. So I guess I'll let my insurance pay for an overnight in a nice hotel-like room (with electrodes on my head).

It's my night to cook, so I won't get much done until after 7pm.


----------



## ReeseReed

Home from school now, and itching to get back to it...gotta spend some time with the family first, but looking forward to tonight!


----------



## ReeseReed

Thirteen longhand pages logged today.  MAN I love when it flows like this...hope it keeps up throughout the rest of the novel process.  So much FUN!  I really want to type it into word and check my word count, but I can't stop writing long enough to start typing.  Can't wait for the weekend when I can stay up all night and hammer away at it...right now I know I'm going to be hating life at work tomorrow after two nights in a row of 1 a.m. bedtimes.


----------



## shadow2683

I like this thread Michael.

Heres my issue I am writing the sequel to my first book Dawn of the shadow. I was on a roll but I had to go away for a business trip. Im back but I find mny train of thought gone. How do I get back on track? Im a little stuck.

As far as the first book heres a little information.
http://dawnoftheshadow.webs.com/
http://dreambooksllc.com/index.html 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036TH352


----------



## Elmore Hammes

For authors who want a hard copy of their book - it's okay to want that, even if you are also a Kindle fan  -
you might want to check out Lulu's free copy offer: http://lulublog.com/2010/02/16/freedom-of-expression/?cid=eng_hp6_free_book_blog

Basically you can publish a project in the next month and they will cover printing costs, you pay shipping.

There are a few limitations on the types of projects - no photobooks or calendars - but it DOES include hardcovers. 
I think I will be making a special edition hardcover just to put on my shelf (the pricing for selling to others is a bit dear for hardcovers by an independent author).

Elmore


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've created a hardcover copy of every one of my books through and keep them on the shelf. I print 2 copies, one for me and one for my editor, Peg of the Red Pencil (that's the only payment she requires for her work).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

shadow2683 said:


> I like this thread Michael.
> 
> Heres my issue I am writing the sequel to my first book Dawn of the shadow. I was on a roll but I had to go away for a business trip. Im back but I find mny train of thought gone. How do I get back on track? Im a little stuck.
> 
> As far as the first book heres a little information.
> http://dawnoftheshadow.webs.com/
> http://dreambooksllc.com/index.html
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036TH352


Sometimes going back and reading what I've already written helps me to get back into the story. If that doesn't work, I revise previous pages. When I get bored with doing that, I'm usually ready to write again.

Sometimes nothing helps, but pulling a pillow over my head and crying makes me feel better.


----------



## J Dean

I was doing really good until today.  My prep time got tied up, so I'm not going to be able to do any writing until lunch


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I've created a hardcover copy of every one of my books through and keep them on the shelf. I print 2 copies, one for me and one for my editor, Peg of the Red Pencil (that's the only payment she requires for her work).
> Ed Patterson


Not sure you should broadcast that information, she will be flooded with editing requests if that is all she charges!

It is nice to have a printed copy on your shelf, regardless of whether you wish to have that format available (or even if you don't plan on selling it at all).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

*Shadow*, try watching this video created by two of our KB authors. It's even better than pulling a pillow over your head and crying.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,20275.msg380014.html#msg380014


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Quick flyby. 2,100 words again today.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Quick flyby. 2,100 words again today.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Good job, Ed!

Was grappling last night with some HTML problems with Legend of the Sword. Dang the whole Mac/Windows thing, anyway. But hope to have that sorted out tonight...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

I just convert my file using mobicreator and use the .prc as my upload file. I never look at the Html file. Always comes out puuurfekt.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike:
> 
> I just convert my file using mobicreator and use the .prc as my upload file. I never look at the Html file. Always comes out puuurfekt.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I normally do, too, but for some reason this one is being a bit of a bugger. But no matter, I'll hammer the sucker flat one way or the other!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I also noticed you're using your name on your sign on. 



Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I also noticed you're using your name on your sign on.
> 
> 
> 
> Ed Patterson


Yeah, I wanted to see if anybody would have a clue who that was...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I thought it was someone else stealing your ame.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I thought it was someone else stealing your ame.
> 
> Ed Patterson


HA!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*I just hit the publish button to send In Her Name: Legend Of The Sword to the Kindle Store!! W00t!*


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> *I just hit the publish button to send In Her Name: Legend Of The Sword to the Kindle Store!! W00t!*


Woot squared!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

What a feeling that is.  I'll check for it tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> What a feeling that is. I'll check for it tomorrow.


Yay! I wonder how long it's been taking for things to go live in the store? They've changed things a bit since I published First Contact...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yay! I wonder how long it's been taking for things to go live in the store? They've changed things a bit since I published First Contact...


It took less than a day with the last one I published.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> It took less than a day with the last one I published.


Cool! We'll see if it appears tomorrow...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Me too. Less than a day for the last two. And the CreateSpace launch was quick also. I'm still reading First Contact, but I'll one of the first on line for Legend of the Sword, and in paper too for Peg.

Ed Patterson


----------



## G. Henkel

Yeah, current turn-around is less than 24 hours for the title to show up and about 48 hours for all the details to fill in.


----------



## ReeseReed

Another chapter logged tonight.  Can't wait until tomorrow night when I can sit up all night and write without worrying about having to get up for work the next morning!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Michael R. Hicks said:


> *I just hit the publish button to send In Her Name: Legend Of The Sword to the Kindle Store!! W00t!*


Woohoo, can't wait!!!

Betsy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just checked.  Not there yet.


----------



## G. Henkel

It's up now, I just saw it. 

In Her Name - http://www.amazon.com/Her-Name-Omnibus-ebook/dp/B0018C6Y1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1266593017&sr=8-1


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Guido Henkel said:


> It's up now, I just saw it.
> 
> In Her Name - http://www.amazon.com/Her-Name-Omnibus-ebook/dp/B0018C6Y1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1266593017&sr=8-1


That's the Omnibus Edition of the original trilogy, not the new one.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

But Guido, if you haven't read the Omnibus . . . run, don't walk to press the buy button. You won't regret it.

Ed Patterson

Haven't written anything today. Lot's of work at work, but I did get my first review on The Nan Tu and wooT.

http://www.amazon.com/Nan-Tu-Southern-Swallow-ebook/product-reviews/B00322P1N4/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Ed Pattterson
(of I already signed off up there. Oh well. hiccup)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> But Guido, if you haven't read the Omnibus . . . run, don't walk to press the buy button. You won't regret it.
> 
> Ed Patterson
> 
> Haven't written anything today. Lot's of work at work, but I did get my first review on The Nan Tu and wooT.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Nan-Tu-Southern-Swallow-ebook/product-reviews/B00322P1N4/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
> 
> Ed Pattterson
> (of I already signed off up there. Oh well. hiccup)


Excellent, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks
It's hard to get reviews on second etc. books ina series. I have 2 more that I know of coming in.

Ed Patterson


----------



## G. Henkel

Thanks for the heads-up, Ed. I shall do that and get the Omnibus Edition. I can't believe how many books suddenly begin to rear their heads that I want to take a look at. 

Congrats on your review. If only I were so lucky. 

Which reminds me, let me point out here real quick that I am giving away free eBook copies of the first volume of my *Jason Dark: Ghost Hunter* series. Simply go to the website at http://www.jasondarkseries.com, select the version of *Demon's Night* that you want and enter the coupon code MEETJASON during the check-out process and you'll get your own free copy!

Incidentally, Ed, on another note, this final version of "Demon's Night" is different than the one I sent you a quite some time ago. I was able to find a great editor and boy, did that make a difference! so, if you haven't read it yet and are still interested, or if you want to take a quick look to compare the versions, make sure to grab a new copy.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Out on the Indie Spotlight I published an article today which might be of interest to authors:

"Logic va. Illogic - Hanging the Lnaterns"

http://www.theindiespotlight.com/?p=436

enjoy

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I didn't do any writing, per se, last night, but I did scribble down some ideas for the next book, so I guess that counts as progress! LOL!!


----------



## ReeseReed

Stayed up until 2 writing Friday night, then got another chapter done Saturday afternoon.  The week of sleep deprivation caught up with me though.  Crashed at 9:30 last night and feeling overall cruddy today.  Hoping I will feel well enough to get some writing done this afternoon, but it's not looking promising right now.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ReeseReed said:


> Stayed up until 2 writing Friday night, then got another chapter done Saturday afternoon. The week of sleep deprivation caught up with me though. Crashed at 9:30 last night and feeling overall cruddy today. Hoping I will feel well enough to get some writing done this afternoon, but it's not looking promising right now.


Know exactly what you mean! I feel pretty decent now, but was a disaster this morning. Gonna try to get some actual writing done tonight, though...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, 3,900 words on the revision of _No Irish Need Apply_, but truth to tell, this work has little reision work (a tweak here and a new pararaph break there). It's more a maintenance release, but necessary because when it is joined to _Cutting the Cheese _ and _Bobby's Trace_ in the Omnibus release _Oh, Dainty Triolet_, some logical slips need to be correct between the novellas. You see, each one of these books reference the other's charactrs, and the way it stands, No Irish is chronologically the first sotry (although its the last one in the group), an it has some pop references that need to be changed or expurge to bring it into the proper timeline. These charactrs are also mentioned in Look Away Silence. So the work is needed but it's about a week's worth.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

All I can manage right now are revisions.  Too many projects going on at once.  I've written the same scene several times and it still doesn't look right to me.  So, revisions it is.  They have to be done anyway.


----------



## ReeseReed

Home from work today...still feeling cruddy.  At least I can keep my eyes open today so I'm hoping to be able to get some writing/revising done.  My laptop crashed over the weekend...so right now I'm super thankful that I start out in longhand!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A productive day. 7,200 words of hich 4,7oo word were on No irish need Apply and 2,500 word were new-meat on The People's Treasure. I am a bit bleary eyed, but I very little on Saturday so I thought I'd do a make-up push tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

I stayed home from work today to try to kick whatever this funk is I was trying to cme down with.  Got two chapters done and a start on a third.  I'm about a third of the way through the novel now and really excited about how the story is coming along.  Hoping that tomorrow is as productive.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I received an exciting review overnight from Alan Chin at The Examinir.com on The Nan Tu

http://tinyurl.com/ydqw9v5

Ed Patterson


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Finished an article for our paper about a local man who is giving away all his gross income for forty days to charity. Real nice guy with an interesting 'experiment' as he calls it. 1500 words for the article, no new fiction done.

For those interested, you can read about his efforts at: http://40daysofgiving.blogspot.com/

Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Elmore Hammes said:


> Finished an article for our paper about a local man who is giving away all his gross income for forty days to charity. Real nice guy with an interesting 'experiment' as he calls it. 1500 words for the article, no new fiction done.
> 
> For those interested, you can read about his efforts at: http://40daysofgiving.blogspot.com/
> 
> Elmore


Would love to have read it, Elmore, but every time I put my cursor on the link, it jumped around. The link, not the cursor.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Would love to have read it, Elmore, but every time I put my cursor on the link, it jumped around. The link, not the cursor.


Gertie,
Not sure what is happening with that, I just entered it normally, and while the link "bolds" when I hover over it, it still lets me click on it. If you google "40 days of giving" it comes up in the top couple spots. 
Oh, and the link is for his blog, my article hasn't been printed yet - if it makes it to the paper's online edition, I will post a link to that (which will also probably jump around  )
Elmore


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Would love to have read it, Elmore, but every time I put my cursor on the link, it jumped around. The link, not the cursor.


Try this or this:

http://40daysofgiving.blogspot.com/


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

10,739 words today for No Irish Need Aply (to which very little revision has been applied). No woner the damn thing's selling.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Doing happy dance today!   At 2:36AM this morning, I can finally say that the second book to Celtic Evil is done. Whew! It's also the largest piece I've ever written if Word's word count is right. Most of my novels stay around the 80-85K range. Ian's book turned out to be a little under 115K. I normally don't cut when I edit since if I didn't feel the book needed a scene or phrase I didn't put it in so baring huge errors that's close to what the final count will be.

I have no clue how it happened since when I started on New's Year Day full time I was worried if he'd even reach 80K.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Congrats Sieera. I'm at 2,800 words so far today and with the blizzard coming, that might be it.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Thanks, Ed. Shhh, do not mention blizzard. I am so tired of snow that I'm almost willing to accept the flood that will hit when this stuff melts since I have two creeks by me...almost willing to accept.


----------



## ReeseReed

I didn't get any writing done yesterday because I was so wiped from work.  It bugged me all day, so I'm hoping to be able to knock some out tonight.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yes, no mentions of "blizzard," unless you're talking about one from Diary Queen! 

Nothing written yet tonight, but I'm going to sit down here shortly and give it a go. Will try to get _Legend Of The Sword_ formatted for print this weekend, although I'm still waiting on Bowker to send the ISBN...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

On days I'm wiped out and decide not to write, I open my manuscript and writer the opening sentence, close my eyes and then write the second. Wait. The ZONE is reaached faster when you're debilitated (FACT), best time to write. I guarentee, when you're finished you'll have 2,000 words and they might be your best.

Ed Patterson


----------



## tbrookside

Argh, just to vent for a second:

So I decided to experiment with Facebook ads.  I've tried different ad wording and formats.  I only ever get a couple of clicks a day - pretty disappointing, but at least not expensive.

Today I revised the ad again, and BOOM!  All of a sudden, 15 clicks in an hour.  "Woo Hoo!" - right?

No sales.

Darn you, Facebook browsers!  Darn you all to heck!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

LOL! The perils of pay-per-click!


----------



## ReeseReed

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Ed.  I didn't really "feel" it tonight, but I was determined, and I got a chapter hammered out.  I'm anxious to get to the "meat" of my novel, and it's approaching, so that's keeping me motivated.


----------



## writersprite

~Greetings and Salutations~

My goals... what a long list... and yet at times they seem so short, the list, and unrealistic.  Why is that?
~ahem~

A goal of mine is to finally finish the draft of _Silver and Iron_, the sequel to my suspense fantasy series _To Save a Soul_. Both novels were winners of a NaNoWriMo and while I was able to finish TSS before the 30-day time constraint (as per my personal goal), I wasn't able to do the same with S&I. 

To make matters worse, I suffered a form of burn-out due to the stresses and expectations I was putting upon myself for this novel (trying to learn from past mistakes and add more suspense, more mystery, more depth...) without remembering that, first and foremost, I needed to have fun with writing the 1st draft. Now I'm paying the price and experiencing dread each time I look at the filename in my Novels folder.

For shame! 

So, yes, my long-term goal is to finish the 1st draft so that I can finally release that cleansing deep breath of relief and move on. I only have until June to finish a revision, lest I lose out on my free proof copy from my printer. ~le sigh. I suppose a shorter goal would be to write 500 new words on this (or any) WIP each day.

~Nona King~


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hi, Nona! Welcome to the writer's back room, as it were... 

Okay, I managed to hammer out around 1500 words so far tonight, so I think I'm back in the saddle for the next IHN book. One of the characters threatened to kick my butt unless I wrote more about her (guess who that was?), so...

Still waiting for the ISBNs to arrive so I can get _Legend Of The Sword_ into print.


----------



## Steph H

Gee, I know of two characters that could be...









But Scarlet's tougher than Steph.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Still wrestling with revisions.    Better to keep up with it now.  (That's my story and I'm sticking to it)


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I just finished a 2,000 word article. I'm in the middle of an editing project - paid work, so my fiction is on the back burner.  I don't mind - I know non-fiction writing and editing/critiquing other author's work will improve my fiction writing.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

ReeseReed said:


> I didn't get any writing done yesterday because I was so wiped from work. It bugged me all day, so I'm hoping to be able to knock some out tonight.


I have that same problem far too often, and I do try to make up for it on days off.

Debra


----------



## Dave Dykema

I finished a chapter that was giving me trouble last night, so that felt good. Of course, events in the chapter now lead me to have to revise both chapters bookending it. Oh well, and so it goes.


----------



## J Dean

Almost there....


----------



## ReeseReed

I'm home with a sick little one today...strep throat, yuck!  So, we'll see how much writing I'm able to get done.  I got part of a chapter done yesterday, but not too much.  Still, it's progress.  The part to fix my laptop arrived yesterday, thank goodness, so hopefully I can start typing what I've gotten done so far and get an idea on my word count.  I've also received my other m/s back from my editor, so I have that to revise as well.  Going to be a busy weekend, just the way I like it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

inished 1,729 words today on The people's Treasure (nothing on No Irish Need Apply revision - toorrow maybe). Reached 40,000 words on The People's Treasure. Only 180,000 to go. Already it's longer than No Irish.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Been working tonight on getting my second work formatted for createspace and kindle.  Maybe tomorrow I'll tackle smashwords?  Still waiting to hear word on the stock photo I want to use for my cover...the photographer has been hard to track down.  Hoping to get all that done by tomorrow, but we'll see.  Right now I'm tired of dealing with all of it and ready to get back to my writing!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Completed 2,250 words for _No Irish Need Apply _ revision and mounted the portion that Peg of the red Pencil finished editing onto my Kindle for Katie der Kindlespreche. I also designed and finished the cover for the Omnibus. As I had mentioned here, once the three Novellas have been revised and relaunched (the first two already out _Cutting the Cheese _ and _Bobby's Trace_, just No Irish left), I'm continuing to sell them as seperate works, but also together in an Omnibus edition called _Oh, Dainty Triolet_. (They were originally conceived as a triptych). Here's the cover:








I hope to have that published by mid-March. I just need to finish No irish (next week, and a queit maintenance release), write a new blurb-pitch for the work, a Press release, and get permission from a few of my reviewers for pull-quotes for the description and the back cover.

Thanks
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Count me in for around 5000 words over the last couple days: the first chapter of the next _In Her Name_ novel is DONE. Not sure what I'm gonna call it, though...


----------



## Jeff

A little help, please.

It turns out that a non-fiction book which I had read before starting to write _Lonely Is The Soldier_ may have numerous inaccuracies. Unfortunately I didn't discover the issue until _Lonely Is The Soldier_ was complete. Now I find myself in quite a dilemma: Rewriting only the chapters that might have been influenced by the afore mentioned book hasn't worked. The characters in the rewritten chapters don't seem to ring true to their previous and later personalities. The more I hammer at it the worse it gets.

I know that many other writers, including Margaret Lake, Mike Hicks and Ed Patterson, have picked up older projects and completed or rewritten them later. My question to all is how did you do it? Is there some method you've used to recall the faces and voices of your characters and recapture the flow?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> A little help, please.
> 
> It turns out that a non-fiction book which I had read before starting to write _Lonely Is The Soldier_ may have numerous inaccuracies. Unfortunately I didn't discover the issue until _Lonely Is The Soldier_ was complete. Now I find myself in quite a dilemma: Rewriting only the chapters that might have been influenced by the afore mentioned book hasn't worked. The characters in the rewritten chapters don't seem to ring true to their previous and later personalities. The more I hammer at it the worse it gets.
> 
> I know that many other writers, including Margaret Lake, Mike Hicks and Ed Patterson, have picked up older projects and completed or rewritten them later. My question to all is how did you do it? Is there some method you've used to recall the faces and voices of your characters and recapture the flow?


Just going back and reading from the beginning worked for me. I find I'm writing things now that two or three days later, something pops into my head that needs to be included. I do the same thing. Go back to beginning of that section, read it through until I see if the new idea will work or not. Sometimes it doesn't. Forcing my characters doesn't seem to work for me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff:

The first question is how important are these "historical inaccuracies" to your art. As an Historical fiction author, I have in many cass kept to the spirit of History as opposed to the letter of it, because the letter would be tedious to a reader and stunt character growth, even if the characters are historic figures. I have combined more than one historical figure into "one," with attributes of both or three sometimes. Of course, most Americans aren't familiar with Chinese history, so as long as the essentials are correct, I have a bit more leeway, but I am always conscious of my Columbia University dons looking over my shoulder and saying, you can't do that and you shouldn't do this. If you have created a satisfying work that would become a bumpy road if you are trying to pin it down to absolute events, it's much like writing a novel from an outline. It ceases to breathe. Of course, this is my opinion only (and open to dispute), but if it worked before, I'd leave it be. However, if you're going to retrofit the events or facts, I would step back and assess the entire work - and then nip and tuck it so as not to wreck the integrity that you have already achieved. Revision makes a work better, not more factual, unless it involves a lawsuit.

Example: The last revision of No Irish Need Apply, which is not an historical work. However, the work takes place mid-90's and I updated it to include iPods and text-messaging and other items to make it more contemporary. I got a comment about this at a book signing. "The work feels older and at odds with some of the pop culture stuff." I stammered some reply, but it pointed to my failure in that revision to update the work chronologically. Now, in this current revision, I'm reverting to the older look and feel, which worked well. Sometimes leaving things alone is for the best. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, it wouldn't be a "Hepple" with historical inaccuracies.  

I guess it depends on how glaring the errors are. E.G., in The Tudors on Showtime, they completely eliminated Margaret Tudor who married James IV of Scotland, paving the way for the Stuarts to become kings of England.  They messed with the timeline so badly that her sister, Mary Tudor, had to marry the King of Portugal instead of the King of France.  That was way too glaring for me.  

On the other side of the coin, in my WiP, I'm moving one occurrence back by about 10 months because it works better (disclaimer will be in the afterward for those purists who know exactly when this happened).  The occurrence itself isn't minor, but when it happened is, so I feel justified in doing it because it works, dramatically speaking.  For a person who is nearly obsessed with historical accuracy, this is a big leap.  

Jeff, you're the only one who can decide what is minor and what isn't.  If the inaccuracies affected the outcome of a battle, e.g., then that's major and you need to address that.  If you put the opposing forces in a different position on the battlefield than they really were, this (imho) is minor.  Just a couple of examples.


----------



## Jeff

Thank you, Gertie and Ed.

The purpose of this particular book is to honor men who may still be in uniform. As such it really must be as accurate as I, who was not an eye witness to the events, can make it. I think the only way I can do that is to delete any suspect chapters and then rewrite the book top to bottom, fact checking as I go. 

I sincerely appreciate the feedback.


----------



## ReeseReed

Finished up a scene that's been giving me trouble.  Still not sure I'm happy with it, but at least I've got a first draft of it now.  Also finished final revisions on my second work this weekend.  Still has some work to go with the formatting before it's ready for kindle, but hopefully soon.  I'm also considering pausing my current works-in-progress to try my hand at writing a screenplay.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Thank you, Gertie and Ed.
> 
> The purpose of this particular book is to honor men who may still be in uniform. As such it really must be as accurate as I, who was not an eye witness to the events, can make it. I think the only way I can do that is to delete any suspect chapters and then rewrite the book top to bottom, fact checking as I go.
> 
> I sincerely appreciate the feedback.


Jeff -

That's essentially what I did when I revised the original IHN: Omnibus, although on a larger scale. When I went back over it after finishing the first draft, I absolutely hated the entire second half - my fingers must have been on crack when they typed up that poo-poo. So I deleted the last 350 or so pages worth and started from scratch.

There have been some minor character oddities that Scarlet and Steph caught in these last two books, but most of those were taken care of with a revised line or paragraph here and there.

So use a scalpel when you can, but don't hesitate to bring out the chainsaw if you need to...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> So use a scalpel when you can, but don't hesitate to bring out the chainsaw if you need to...












<shudder>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ooo, that's great! I should get a poster like that and put on the wall at work!!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> So use a scalpel when you can, but don't hesitate to bring out the chainsaw if you need to...


I tried the scalpel and produced a monster. It's time for the chainsaw. I'll have to print Gertie's poster and pin it to the wall first to give me the courage.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I tried the scalpel and produced a monster. It's time for the chainsaw. I'll have to print Gertie's poster and pin it to the wall first to give me the courage.


Remember what the poster said.

_Every performance a work of art._


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, the Tudors were an Historical mess, I must admit that. (I've followed those damned Tudors my whole life and they even got the relationships wrong between old Welch Margaret (Henry VII sister) and the rest of the family. and didn;t Henry Fizroy make it to near adulthood)

Anyway, No Irish's revision is done and tomorrow the proofers get their mitts on it. I fnished 14,700 words today.

Plus, if anyone is interested, at 4 PM Greg launched Sound and Sense by Edward C. Patterson ; Shelley vs. Dickens http://bit.ly/ah7aAy Article at The Indie Spotlight


----------



## tbrookside

One solution to the historical fiction accuracy problem is just to write about periods that are in substantial dispute.

That requires you to take sides, or to employ a lot of invention - but that's part of the fun, right?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 5000 words for the weekend on _In Her Name: ?_. Finished chapter one and have a good start on chapter two...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> About 5000 words for the weekend on _In Her Name: ?_. Finished chapter one and have a good start on chapter two...


Mike, you are a writing demon.

I thought I stopped for the night, but my H/H are in the middle of something and they aren't ready to stop. Doncha just hate when that happens?


----------



## Sharlow

I just barely hammered out 1,500 words today and the same the day before. Usually I can at least get 2,500, I'm not sure whats wrong with me lately. It's like pulling teeth.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I keep all my titles (both published and manuscripts) on Google Alert to assure that my titles are unique. Yesterday, however, I got an alert for my novel Green Folly for the first time showing that there is a Harlequin romance by that name published back in 1951. Drat! Now I have a year or so to come up with a new name.

Ed Patterson


----------



## J Dean

Almost a thousand words this am for me!  Not bad, considering I've got an hour to write!

I'll try to get a bit more done on my short story come lunchtime.  I'm furious at myself because I lost two pages of work because I didnt' pay attention while shutting down


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I went to bed last night thinking I was done with a scene, but ... 

On the theory that a couple should never go to bed mad, my H/H dragged me out of my warm and comfy cocoon of quilts until I fired up my netbook (Ginny) and resolved their conflict.  

At 2:10am, I finally got myself tucked back in bed and slept the sleep up the just for a whole five hours. 

Now I have to get ready for my HP book club this afternoon and I'm three hours short on snooze time.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm giving a talk to a writers group tonight about publishing on Kindle. Public speaking like that will be a first. Wish me luck!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm giving a talk to a writers group tonight about publishing on Kindle. Public speaking like that will be a first. Wish me luck!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Thanks Gertie! (Or Margaret!) (Or Ms. Lake!)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Thanks Gertie! (Or Margaret!) (Or Ms. Lake!)


My pleasure.

Gertie
a/k/a

The Seed Lady
shrimp boat
monkey face
MOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM
GRAAAMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYY

But always "Gertie" to my friends.


----------



## patinagle

Ah, yes.  Psych up for the talk time. 

As they say in theatre circles, break a leg!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm giving a talk to a writers group tonight about publishing on Kindle. Public speaking like that will be a first. Wish me luck!


Good luck, Dave. Carry the torch!!!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey! We turned page 100 on this thread! W00t!  

And crap, I had an idea for another story, totally different. Think I may have to set aside IHN book 6 and do this one first...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey! We turned page 100 on this thread! W00t!
> 
> And crap, I had an idea for another story, totally different. Think I may have to set aside IHN book 6 and do this one first...


You mean another one beside the historical you were thinking about? You may need to grow another set of hands or type a heckuva lot faster.


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Think I may have to set aside IHN book 6 and do this one first...


  

Okay, but I leave for Hawaii at the end of next week and by the time I get back 10 days later, you'd better be ready to work on In Her Name: Nameless again...


----------



## sierra09

I think I have writer's burnout.   Since finishing Ian's book last week and doing the first edit I can't write a single thing on anything else...which since I'm bored out of my mind isn't a good thing.   I decided against seeing how many pages it will end up at the chosen size until Geoff sees how many tense issues I messed up on.  I figured out the less formatting I have to do the better I like it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Okay, but I leave for Hawaii at the end of next week and by the time I get back 10 days later, you'd better be ready to work on In Her Name: Nameless again...


You're leaving for Hawaii and not taking me?? Sheesh!! 

Actually, I think I may try writing these in parallel. I dunno. And yes, Gertie, this is something totally new. So many stories, so little time...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I don't care how many unresolved issues my H/H have tonight, I'm going to bed AND to sleep.  I hope they're happy with the way I left them.  I have to be up early tomorrow to take GS to the ortho/dentist/ortho (yes, three appointments) and I need some rest.

Up to 361 pages and still going (but not tonight).


----------



## ReeseReed

I did nothing tonight, I'm exhausted.  Long day at school and PTO tonight.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.  I did get a LOT of work done this weekend, writing, revising, and researching for a new project.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,012 words on The People's Treasure and some formatting work on Oh, Dainty Triolet (worked out table of content jumps and tested them on the Kindle). Peg is almost finished with the No Irish Need Apply proofing and then its to Katie der Kindlespreche.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hammered out the first 1200 words of the (non-IHN) new story. This could be interesting...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I can't possibly NOT join in on the 100th page. Mayhap a surprise gift lurks hidden in here somewhere.

Edited 40 pages. It's like Where's Waldo, except if you can't find Waldo, you'll have friends, coworkers, and beta readers pointing out how dumb you were to miss it.

Or maybe I just have mean friends, coworkers, and beta readers....

David Dalglish


----------



## sierra09

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hammered out the first 1200 words of the (non-IHN) new story. This could be interesting...


Unless Steph hits you with a hammer when she gets back. 

Guys, what's the name of the thingey that you stick in a USB port to hopefully save stuff from the harddrive in case of potentially fatal incidents? Never mind the fact that someone will also have to explain how to get said documents from the HD onto the thingey. Yes, I know all those technical terms.


----------



## Dave Dykema

My "program" was an interesting affair.

Of course, the library's internet kept going down. My whole speech was basically bullet-point visits to different web pages, with a few video clips through in for good measure. I couldn't play any of a Boyd Morrison interview.

The other thing I couldn't do was walk them through the DTP process and uploading a book and uploading a cover and choosing tags and categories. Argh! That was the whole meat of the deal.

Fortunately, I had laid out all my web sites in order on the Firefox bar beforehand, and had "screen grabs" of everything. Most of the stuff I wanted to show was on the home page of each site, so I could still show all that. I think for the attendants it went well, because I was able to speak to most of their questions. Formatting was the big thing, and I was able to do that with an old version of "Stalker" as I went through the steps to clean it up for submission to the Kindle (adding page breaks at ends of chapters, getting rid of my tabs, etc.).

Basically, they got mashed potatoes. No gravy.

Thanks for the well wishes...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Wait wait wait. So, Dave, I bought this book to make sure you had a sale to show off, and then you have no internet to show off said sale?

Sheesh, now what am I supposed to do? Read it? That's crazy talk!

Glad to know you survived, though. Public speaking was my absolute terror in high school and in college. If I had had a mechanical breakdown like that, I'd have probably found the fire exit. Whatever your vice is, you deserve double of it tonight.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

sierra09 said:


> Unless Steph hits you with a hammer when she gets back.
> 
> Guys, what's the name of the thingey that you stick in a USB port to hopefully save stuff from the harddrive in case of potentially fatal incidents? Never mind the fact that someone will also have to explain how to get said documents from the HD onto the thingey. Yes, I know all those technical terms.


You're thinking about a thumb drive or a flash drive (same thing). Plug it in first. Wait until the window comes up. If it has U3, I usually disable that. It will tell you how to do that on-screen. Then open your doc and do a save as, designating the "removable storage" as the drive.

Alternatively, I got Carbonite backup. That's the safest thing as far as I'm concerned. $55 a year and they backup your docs, photos, videos, etc. If you use a thumb drive, you have to keep remembering to save your doc to both every time you revise.

There's a thread somewhere about using on-line backup.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Met my goal tonight, including making up what I missed last night.  365 pages.


----------



## sierra09

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You're thinking about a thumb drive or a flash drive (same thing). Plug it in first. Wait until the window comes up. If it has U3, I usually disable that. It will tell you how to do that on-screen. Then open your doc and do a save as, designating the "removable storage" as the drive.
> 
> Alternatively, I got Carbonite backup. That's the safest thing as far as I'm concerned. $55 a year and they backup your docs, photos, videos, etc. If you use a thumb drive, you have to keep remembering to save your doc to both every time you revise.
> 
> There's a thread somewhere about using on-line backup.


I've heard of Carbonite. Not a bad deal. I may try both. I'm trying to get my stories off the floppies since I had two die on me this week and with them all the data . Luckily I still have paper copies so I can retype but I hate retyping so much so now it's put them on the main HD, then onto a CD but I need to find a way to back that up in case it goes poof. The only problem is, my laptop does not have a way to save onto a CD. It reads them but won't save onto them...yes, it's so old it has Windows ME or whatever came before XP.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

sierra09 said:


> Unless Steph hits you with a hammer when she gets back.


OW!!


----------



## Steph H

Not me, that would be Scarlet. She's the tough one. I'm just a sweetheart...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Not me, that would be Scarlet. She's the tough one. I'm just a sweetheart...


<Mike nods appreciatively while edging closer to the door...>

I'm gonna send y'all my latest scribblings from last night to see whatcha think...


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Not me, that would be Scarlet. She's the tough one. I'm just a sweetheart...


Well, I can't argue with that.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> <Mike nods appreciatively while edging closer to the door...>
> 
> I'm gonna send y'all my latest scribblings from last night to see whatcha think...


Um, I'm using the one blocking the door so you don't escape your writing chore, so bad idea hun....

Oh, and Steph, have a GREAT time in Hawaii, I want to hear all about it!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

How about Hocomapocamite. (One of the ingredients for the Jade Owl).   Have 2,400 words under my belt so far today, and might do some more. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Well, I can't argue with that.


Especially when holding a sniper rifle...



> Um, I'm using the one blocking the door so you don't escape your writing chore, so bad idea hun....


<now eyeing the window...>



> Oh, and Steph, have a GREAT time in Hawaii, I want to hear all about it!


Yeah! Even if you're not taking any of us with you! I love Hawaii, but it's been several years since we've been there. Dang...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> How about Hocopomocamite. (One of the ingredients for the Jade Owl).  Have 2,400 words under my belt so far today, and might do some more.
> 
> Ed Patterson


"Hocopomocamite"?? Is that a hocus-pocus mineral??


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's sort of a Jade Owl joke. The relic is not jade, but an alloy of 2 elements - in the third book, we learn that on of the elements is Iridian, but the protagonist does know what the other element is, so he clls it hocomopocamite. We learn the other element in the 4th book, the one I'm currently working on.   

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Hmm, is there such a thing as a hocus pocus mineral? Sounds like an interesting thing to include in the 3rd book for CE...drat, now I need to make up a word or something.  

Maybe a type of mineral or stone made up in a fairy realm or something....   Now this will drive me nuts.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

All throughout the Jade Owl legacy there's discussion about the strange glowing relic(s) and their power. Speculation calls it Paragon (paragone - as i touchstone), dragon stone, which is in Chinese _lu-tze-mo-shr_, even a notion that it's petrified dragon turd. However, the logic behind it all is that its a blend of Iridian and another "space" element that arrived on earth 65 million years ago. Since the protagonist knows the power of the material. but only half of the science behid it, it calls it kryptonite at one point and then settles into the more whimsical hocomapocamite. Of course, the other element (a real element) actually explains many of the epic's funny business in scientific terms - but I don't write scifi, I write historical fantasy, so . . .

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

This week has been hell at work.  Sadly I've not gotten much work done at home.  I have, however, started working on an idea for a kids' book.  Not really sure where it's going yet, but it's been a fun change.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

ReeseReed said:


> This week has been hell at work. Sadly I've not gotten much work done at home. I have, however, started working on an idea for a kids' book. Not really sure where it's going yet, but it's been a fun change.


Sometimes, just playing with ideas is the best part! Have fun with it.

Debra


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did pretty well today.  I'm up to 371 pages and 119K words.  

I'm at a part that I had done the research for and now I can find it.  Now I have to do it over again, so I don't think I'll get anything more done tonight.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Did pretty well today. I'm up to 371 pages and 119K words.


Good.


Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm at a part that I had done the research for and now I can['t] find it.


Bad.


Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Now I have to do it over again, so I don't think I'll get anything more done tonight.


Tomorrow will be better.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Good.Bad.Tomorrow will be better.


Cryptic.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Cryptic.


It was intended to be encouraging.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> It was intended to be encouraging.


It was. I found what I needed pretty quickly. I'll be ready to continue tomorrow after I write the play for the reader's theater.


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Raised the price of Baling to 1.99.  It's been out almost 2 years.  Hope I'm not slitting my own throat. 
Well, I can always lower it again.
Any thoughts?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Raised the price of Baling to 1.99. It's been out almost 2 years. Hope I'm not slitting my own throat.
> Well, I can always lower it again.
> Any thoughts?


It doesn't hurt to try and $1.99 is still a very low price.

I spent the morning working on my HP play. I'm about 1/3 done. I hope to get to the halfway point tonight and still have enough time to knock out a couple of pages on the WiP.


----------



## MegHarris

Hi, all *sidles in shyly and looks around*.  I spent the afternoon creating a cover.  If there's one thing I don't like about being an indie, it's doing covers.  I am not an artistic person, and trying to create eye-catching covers makes my head hurt.  Then again, I suppose it's better than having a publisher create covers I hate, or that have drastically wrong details, which has happened to me more than once.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 words today on The People's trasure. I finish No Irish Need Apply revisions tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I did finish half the play, but I'm going to need another four pages. And when I find out how many readers I'm actually going to have, there will probably be some major rewriting. At least I'll have something to work with.

Time to get my head out of the world of Harry Potter and move back into the 15th century world of the Plantagenets.

It's late and I know I won't get much done, but I want to at least make _some _progress.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 1200 words on the new ?techno-thriller? (not exactly sure what it is yet) novel. And now I'm verrryyyy sleeepyyyyy...


----------



## sierra09

EllenFisher said:


> Hi, all *sidles in shyly and looks around*. I spent the afternoon creating a cover. If there's one thing I don't like about being an indie, it's doing covers. I am not an artistic person, and trying to create eye-catching covers makes my head hurt. Then again, I suppose it's better than having a publisher create covers I hate, or that have drastically wrong details, which has happened to me more than once.


Tell me about it. I have font issues so while the odds are strong that i'll probably end up sticking with what I have now since Microsoft Picture It and I aren't agreeing on things too well and that's the limit to my artistic talent in the way of covers.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I ended up going back a couple of pages to add in a much-needed scene.  The scene is not finished, but I am.  

Good night.

PS:  Mike ... techno-thriller? Are you going to make me try another genre?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Excellent progress all. A new techo-thriller from the Mikemeisters. That sound exciing.

I sent the new version of No Irish up to the Kindle tonight, created the print version POD and submitted it to CreateSpace it grew by 8 pages, but not because I added anything new, I have just been luxurious with my point sized, leading and stingy on top and bottom margins for my last bunch of books - so readers get easy on the eye reads and the price can till be held at $7.50 for this little books. 

I also changed the point size on the cover of Oh, Dainty Violet, which of course, can now be publshed next week. It should be an interesting experiment, because I sell tons of the three novella under their separate covers. Now together I might not get too much action, but it doesn;t cost me  anything to do it and I can tap into a new stream of readers who like their novellas grouped. Picing will be $2.99, pat - no reduction to $ .99, which is only $ .02 below the three works purchased separately. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I also changed the point size on the cover of Oh, Dainty Violet, which of course, can now be publshed next week.


Ed, is that the cover you posted last week? I don't think I told you how much I liked it. Your covers are really beautiful.



> It should be an interesting experiment, because I sell tons of the three novella under their separate covers. Now together I might not get too much action, but it doesn;t cost me anything to do it and I can tap into a new stream of readers who like their novellas grouped. Picing will be $2.99, pat - no reduction to $ .99, which is only $ .02 below the three works purchased separately.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I guess $2.99 is now our bottom line. I'm really glad that Amazon set that limit. Makes it easier for inexperienced people like me to decide how to price something.

Good luck.


----------



## loca

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> Sometimes, just playing with ideas is the best part! Have fun with it.
> 
> Debra


That's true for many things, not just writing


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gertie:

I ran it by an artist friend and she liked it except for the font size, which she thought was too extreme.

My bottom line is still $ .99, except for the Jade Owl. With Oh, Dainty Triolet, however, since the 2 novellas are offered separately at $ .99, I need to keep the omnibus at least as the sum price. The real savings will be on the paperback, which will be considerably less that the $7.50 each price (=$22.50, but will probabaly be $15.00 for the Omnibus). 

Thanks again

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> PS: Mike ... techno-thriller? Are you going to make me try another genre?


Well, I don't know exactly what it is. I'll send you the intro on FB and you can see if you can help me figure it out...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

OOOHHHH. . . I could have an intro on Facebook. . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> OOOHHHH. . . I could have an intro on Facebook. . . .


Was that a subtle hint?? 

Okay, what the heck - you have to PROMISE not to laugh when you read this or I'll go off and...I dunno what. Sulk or something. Hmph! And remember this is totally rough around the edges and just enough to give you a glimpse (since I haven't gotten too far into it yet): here it is...


----------



## Sky Warrior

Last year I had writer's block, then I had some symptoms that pointed to liver cancer.
I literally thought I was going to die, and I wrote my second novel in only three months.
I felt terrible but I wrote like mad until I had a CAT scan and found out I was okay.
My blood pressure and other symptoms returned to normal and thanks to legal drugs,
Xanax and Mirtriptalene, I got over my depression and anxiety.
It was quite a motivator, but I don't recommend it.
Steve Ward
Test Pilot's Daughter


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, I don't know exactly what it is. I'll send you the intro on FB and you can see if you can help me figure it out...


I see you posted it for Ann, so I'll take a look. I like to say "futuristic action/adventure" rather than "techno-thriller." But then you know I'm hopelessly trapped in the 15th Century and way behind the times. 

I got in a good two hours during GS's TKD and I'm hoping to put in another hour tonight. I'll work on my HP project tomorrow on the ride to Ft. Lauderdale. It will keep my mind off my SiL's driving.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I see you posted it for Ann, so I'll take a look. I like to say "futuristic action/adventure" rather than "techno-thriller." But then you know I'm hopelessly trapped in the 15th Century and way behind the times.


Well, I posted it for both of ya, just happened to grab the quote from her post. And don't know what I was thinking about FB. My brain is pretty dead tonight... <sigh>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm in Joisey today, so I wrote nuttin'  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

At 377 pages and nearly 121K words, I'm done for the day.

Heading to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow for family festivities so won't see you until tomorrow night and I won't get anything done until then, either.  With my SiL driving, it's impossible to keep Ginny the netbook balanced on my lap. Won't be able to read, either.  Little Gertie doesn't like his driving any more than I do.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Mike:  it's a premise that could go either way.  Well written, it could be very exciting and interesting. . . . .or it could get campy and dumb. . . . .I trust you to keep it exciting and interesting.   I do enjoy a good 'technothriller' though I usually relate more to computer/engineering/physics type tech than medical/biological science gone awry.

Oh, and don't make it too preachy. . . .that's a total turn off.  I read one of Michael Crichton's that was like that.  Could have been a good story if every other paragraph hadn't been preaching doom  . . . . . I prefer the view point of: there are bad people but the good ones will win in the end, rather than the other way around.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Mike: it's a premise that could go either way. Well written, it could be very exciting and interesting. . . . .or it could get campy and dumb. . . . .I trust you to keep it exciting and interesting.  I do enjoy a good 'technothriller' though I usually relate more to computer/engineering/physics type tech than medical/biological science gone awry.


Well, that's why I made the "don't laugh" caveat - you could easily read that and think, "Oh, jeez, how ridiculous!" Definitely not aiming for campy and dumb, and hope to avoid it being unintentionally so. 



> Oh, and don't make it too preachy. . . .that's a total turn off. I read one of Michael Crichton's that was like that. Could have been a good story if every other paragraph hadn't been preaching doom . . . . . I prefer the view point of: there are bad people but the good ones will win in the end, rather than the other way around.


I know exactly what you mean! In fact, I must have read that same book - can't remember which one it was - and I had the same reaction. No, while I have very strong views about the whole GMO issue, this isn't going to be a lecture (or, if it comes across that way to the test readers, it'll be modified or canned). It just struck me as an interesting vehicle to tell a story that I bumped to the front of the queue. Just wish I had more time to write - the whole day job thing is very inconvenient!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just wish I had more time to write - the whole day job thing is very inconvenient!


Well, but food is good.


----------



## Steph H

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, but food is good.


As long as it doesn't, you know, go awry.... (yeah, I've read the first chapter too ).


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> As long as it doesn't, you know, go awry.... (yeah, I've read the first chapter too ).


Just make sure you read the ingredients carefully!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

O.K. that might be a little big.  Try inserting "width=xxx" where xxx is 100 or 200 or whatever works, following the word "image" at the beginning of the line of code. That should resize it downward so that it's not quite so large. . . . . it should read like this:

[image width=100] <book link code> [image]


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Read your prologue, Mike. Good premise.  Makes me want to read more.  Very Ludlum-esque.  But the writing is not your style, or at least the style I've become used to.  

Just got home from the festivities about 6:30.  I ate myself into a stupor and enjoyed visiting with my cousins. Went to the hospital to visit my uncle afterwards.  Glad I got to see him.  

I think I can get a couple of hours writing in tonight.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Read your prologue, Mike. Good premise. Makes me want to read more. Very Ludlum-esque. But the writing is not your style, or at least the style I've become used to.


Yes, definitely a different style - I think my fingers must have been talking to somebody else's fingers or something! Or maybe they just don't want to be "typecast"... 

Managed 2500 words yesterday. It's strange: it feels as I'm writing this new stuff like I'm writing tons of stuff, although the wordcount is probably about half of what I'd been doing on the other books. Strange. Anyway, we'll see how things go...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, chapter 1 of the new novel is done. On to chapter 2!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, chapter 1 of the new novel is done. On to chapter 2!


What a great idea! Following Chapter 1 with Chapter 2! Why didn't I think of that?   

I didn't get enough done last night to even mention, but I was determined to get something down. I was literally falling asleep over Ginny's keyboard.

Finishing up my HP play this morning, then on to the adult stuff.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> What a great idea! Following Chapter 1 with Chapter 2! Why didn't I think of that?


It's a fantastic concept, isn't it?? 



> I didn't get enough done last night to even mention, but I was determined to get something down. I was literally falling asleep over Ginny's keyboard.


It could be interesting to see what you type as you actually fall asleep. Sort of like the cats coming and sitting on our keyboards!



> Finishing up my HP play this morning, then on to the adult stuff.


"adult stuff" -- raawwwrrrr!! LOL!!

Okay, enough of my being silly. Have to try and pick out a skin for my netbook, then get back to writing... W00t!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It could be interesting to see what you type as you actually fall asleep. Sort of like the cats coming and sitting on our keyboards!


You'd be surprised at what I come up with either falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night. 



> Okay, enough of my being silly. Have to try and pick out a skin for my netbook, then get back to writing... W00t!


Picking out a skin is very serious business. Ginny loves her black and white jacket. It goes with the black/white/red decor of her room (otherwise known as my den).

HP play finished. I'm sending it off for approval now. Can't do the final draft until I know how many readers I'm going to have.

I think I'll recharge with a little nap and then on to C&C. There's an important event coming up, but I'm not sure where it should go, exactly. My current plan is to start typing and let it drop in where it may. If that doesn't work, I'll fall asleep over the keyboard and see what my forehead types or maybe go borrow the neighbors cat and let his paws do the walking.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I launched Oh, Dainty Triolet for the kindle and in Paperback. Waiting game now. I'll keep all posted. Did very little writing over the weekend being in NJ and then weighted down by "the art and crafts" of it all.

For those interested, I published an article out on The Indie Spotlight on Imagery. http://bit.ly/aA9VEX

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Congratulations, Ed, and good luck.

Over 122K words and 381 pages.  The event I hoped to reach tonight didn't happen.  I guess the timing isn't right, yet.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gertie:

This one is different kind of marketing since the novellas represent some of my best selling work ( No Irish sells like hotcakes). However, I think some readers will want the three together and those that don't, can still get them apart. And if they want them in paperback, this represents a considerable savings over the individual books ($6.51 off, or almost a buy 2 and get one free deal).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,400 words today on _The People's Treasure_. (Today we became a novel - 51,000 words). Would have been more, but big Operation eBook Drop push this evening (6 new authors and a new troop set up) and I need to get _The Dragon's Pool _ Book Klub entry up before I go to bed. Plus, I need to start a maintennce revision of _Surviving an American Gulag_. A girl's work is never done. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

But. . . .no Dragon's Pool questions?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

They're coming. I had some edits to apply on The People's Treasure from Peg of the Red Pencil.  

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Moving right along ... 123K words, 384 pages.  I'd like to do more tonight, but I missed my nap today and I'm pooped.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished Part II of _The People's Treasure _ tonight (so far 24 chapters done in the novel). Today wrote 4,300 words. Part III will begin tomorrow with a Chapter with an unlikely title of _On Being a Bastard_. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Since I posted last, I'm up to 126,600 words and 395 pages.  I'm hoping for another five pages today. 

It still amazes me when I worry about getting something to happen and all of a sudden one of my characters says the right thing and it happens.  It's a good thing they know what they're doing, because I sure don't.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie:

That's why we write, for the magic. Getting into the zone and bringing our characters some ideas and watch them take it to its proper level. I never go in unarmed (never with an outline - but always with a clear idea of what I want and what the reader needs). The resident staff never fails to take up the challenge and entertain me. We are lucky as writers. Our readers are engaged, but we get to skinny dip in the pristine waters in the first rays of morning. Oh how I envy Jane Austen when she first chastised Mary Bennett for not allowing the other ladies to exhibit, or Dickens, when he listened to the magical grumblings of Sarah Gamp as she took her medicinal tipple and quarreled with Betsy, the Day nurse while balancing herself on her duck handled brolly, or Twain when he first encountered the Duke on the river, and Melville when he first plodded down the Nantucket wharf declaring that it was "high time to get to sea." Ah, the envy of those first encounters, those first dips in the pristine waters to be forever after sullied by a bevy of proper English professors, reviewers, commentators and other hoity-toitys, who manage to pour quick-lime in the drink. Envy me and I'll envy you.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I love it when you go all poetic, Ed.  As long as you don't rhyme.  

I've got five pages done already, but I want to spend another hour at it before dinner.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

9,700 words so far today on the 2010 revison of _Surviving an American Gulag._

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1100 words tonight, which is 1100 more than I've written in the last couple days! LOL! Hope to get more done this weekend...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did some research I needed to finish up a scene, which I finished.  Only added a page, but a page is still one page closer. 

Needed a break, so I decided to look into some background for the next novel.  Bad move. I'm in big trouble. The best thing now is to forget it, concentrate on the WiP.  I'll worry about the next one when the time comes.  Back to work.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

I'm in awe of the amount of writing Gertie and Ed and others do. These past two days (my days off from my salaried job) I've edited about 7 chapters from two WIPs, which is somewhere between 60 to 70 pages. It's not much, but it's four times the amount I can accomplish on work days, which is dismal. I've been fantasizing lately about all the writing projects I'm going to tackle when I retire, though retirement's still a ways off.

Debra


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> I'm in awe of the amount of writing Gertie and Ed and others do. These past two days (my days off from my salaried job) I've edited about 7 chapters from two WIPs, which is somewhere between 60 to 70 pages. It's not much, but it's four times the amount I can accomplish on work days, which is dismal. I've been fantasizing lately about all the writing projects I'm going to tackle when I retire, though retirement's still a ways off.
> 
> Debra


Debra, my Mom and I were just having a good laugh the other day about "the golden years." We are constantly on the go, and not with fun stuff (although I'm taking her to the orchid show tomorrow). Then there are the grandkids to be taken care of and chauffered around. I used to dream, too, about all the projects I would have time for when I retired. So did my Mom. It just didn't happen. 

To make time to write, I told the dust bunnies to go forth and multiply so my hero and heroine could at least "go forth" if not "multiply." It's the only way I can find the time. Not to mention it's a good excuse not to do housework. 

I added in another two pages tonight and I'm up to 129K+ words. Still a ways to go. 450 pages is looming on the horizon, but I don't want to go over that.

Good night all.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I just finished my second edit of The Cost of Betrayal. Such a long, lengthy task. Over a 120,000 words reading on the Kindle and then copying changes into a pad of paper next to me, followed by inputting them into the word file. Now all that's left is getting edits back from the few people I've got helping me.

I think I need some ice cream.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc:

Do you use txt-to-speech when you edit on the Kindle, what I call Katie the Kindlescpreche? I find it a wonderful last refinement pass over the work, after I've ehauted things and my editor has proofed add nauseum. Katie catches stuff that everyone misses, including missing periods.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I've seen you mention that before, and I've pondered over whether or not it'd be worth it. I had a couple questions, so maybe you can answer them for me.

When catching an error, is it difficult to keep stopping the speech so you can write it down, or are errors little enough that this isn't too much of a hassle?

How much time would it take for the speech to read an entire book (say 120k words)? And do you use the slowest setting, the medium, or the fastest?

I've also found that the speech thing treats "..." strangely, and wondered about other punctuations as well. Do you watch it as it reads, or just keep your eyes on something else while you listen?

Thanks,

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

David:

I follow along while the work plays. The space bar pauses the speech and starts it again, so when it finds something, I just pause and wrtie the error and a "sb" for its replacement, so when I get to the computer, it's easy to find and replace using that function. I keep it at slow speed, and since most of my books are over 100,000 words, I usually start the process in tandem with other proofing and early on, so by the time Peg of the Red Pencil is finished, Katie the Kindlespeche is 3/4rds done. I'm surprised at the quality of what Katie pronounces correctly, however, after a while, you learn that the back quote is pronounce "back quote" and Ms. Smith is Mississippi Smith. I have a Chinese character names Min, so when the name come at the end of the sentence its "minimum." These a cute and give me a chuckle. But it's no big deal.

When spaces before and after em-dashes are missing, you can tell by the inflection, plus when you omit a period, Katie will rush on without stop. Caught. Following along also catches other stuff, because when Katie is speaking, it frees up your mind from the usually proofing tasks, gives you a fdiffrnet view of the manuscript, and your eye will catch things you missed before. (Drops ?, for example).

I also run the entire manuscript through words spell and grammar after Katie's finished and will pick up a dozen more things - so she's not fool proof, but now, by the time the thing is ready to publish it's as professionally as it can be. For grammar editing I use Serenity Editor which does a great job on usage and it's like having a proffesional grammarian in your pocket. As for the other kind of editor - the one from hell (the good hell), the that beats you up and cuts off your fingers (you know - the $1 a page kind). I had one that set me on the right course to do most of that stuff myself, and once you settle into your maturer style, you instinctively can control most of it. I use beta readers sometimes for the big books and I've revised and relauched older books that have lagged in an older editorial and style world, because as we grow, we mature and change (hopefully), but also become more steady with the toolbox. The beauty of POD and eBook is that you can revise your older books without cost, except for some marketing consideration for prior readership.

Anyway, hope that answers some questions

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Ah, didn't know spacebar paused the reading. I always hit menu, scrolled up, and clicked it off. Clearly I need to read directions more often.

The editor program looks interesting. Debating whether or not to spend the fifty bucks on it. Also, I have to ask: who is Peg of the Red Pen?

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ah, Peg of the Red Pencil is my editor (Proofing editor), a good eye and grammarian who gets my manuscript pages daily, hot off the printer. She works for a lunch every so often, a hardcover signed copy of my books and I keep her in reading (she doesn't have a Kindle). Right now I'm feeding her Percy Jackson, followed by The Dark Tower and then on to Mike's next book when its out in paper). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Since I'm waiting for proofreaders to send me their edits of book 2, I'm going back over the first book. It is, I shamefully admit, not near as clean as it should be. I plugged some headphones into the Kindle and turned txt-to-speech on. It helped a lot. Kept me focused, caught a few missing commas. I thank you for suggesting it.

David Dalglish


----------



## J Dean

Got a short story done.  Hoping that Mrs. J.Dean will be willing to do a proofread of it this weekend, so that I can post it on smashwords next week.

As for the second novel.... allllllmoooosst theeeeeeereee.......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My first published works, although embraced by readers and given excellent reviews, we riddled with typos etc. Now that my writing continues to mature, I have adopted a ZERO error policy on published books, and have reissued the three oldest and will do maintenance clean-ups on a few more. Although most of my readers haven't complained about it, it don;t make it right.   Besides, I will never given a troll-reviewer the oppotunity to trounce me algain. Either love my books, hate my books or sigh, but when a reviewer decides to climb the minaret and make "religion" I can't help thinking how I could have hidden the ladder for their ascent. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Another 1200 words written this evening! Now time to go zonk out and watch Battlestar Galactica (season 4.5)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Another 1200 words written this evening! Now time to go zonk out and watch Battlestar Galactica (season 4.5)...


What happened to Nazi Zombies?



Half-Orc said:


> I just finished my second edit of The Cost of Betrayal. Such a long, lengthy task. Over a 120,000 words reading on the Kindle and then copying changes into a pad of paper next to me, followed by inputting them into the word file. Now all that's left is getting edits back from the few people I've got helping me.
> 
> I think I need some ice cream.
> 
> David Dalglish


I keep my netbook right beside me when I edit and input changes straight to the file. If I tried to write down the changes, I absolutely wouldn't be able to read them. Sad but true.

Another alternative is highlighting the lines that need fixing and then going back to your file to make the changes when you're ready.

I had a very strange day today starting out with my daughter telling me my front tires were almost completely bald, she was dropping off her credit card and I was to proceed cautiously but immediately to the tire store to get two new tires. Nice daughter. So I brought Ginny the Netbook with me and got to work while I waited.

Did I mention that I couldn't sleep last night and put in an hour's work on the WiP? Sorry, Mike, I know it's traditional to read IHN until 2am, but my fingers were itching to hit the keyboard.

Anyway, I took Mom to the Orchid Show in a torrential downpour, which killed my idea of having lunch there, too, because the food vendors were outside. Under an overhang, but no place to sit. So I took her to Olive Garden for soup/salad/breadsticks. By the time we finished, it was only an hour or so until I had to pick up the GK's, and we were right down the street, conveniently placed near a shopping center. Old Navy, Pier One and Michaels. Pick up GK's and on to TKD where Ginny and I put in a solid two hours.

Long and short of it is that so far today, I'm up to nearly 133K filling 413 pages.

All in all a good day and the really good news is that my feet are finally dry.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I have no netbook or laptop, and reading in front of the comp with the Kindle is rather uncomfortable. My writing is legible enough, and I write enough words so that I can ctrl+f and find where each change is, so putting them in isn't too difficult.

I found one of the most bizarre typos in my first book, and I am beyond embarrassed that people are paying money for it.

The line is supposed to be, "...an object wrapped in cloth."

The line currently reads, "...an objected wrap in cloth."

wtf?

I read/listened/edited 35,000 words today using the txt-to-speech method. I'm pondering switching to the male voice for tomorrow in a last ditch effort to keep my sanity.

David Dalglish


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Debra, my Mom and I were just having a good laugh the other day about "the golden years." We are constantly on the go, and not with fun stuff (although I'm taking her to the orchid show tomorrow). Then there are the grandkids to be taken care of and chauffered around. I used to dream, too, about all the projects I would have time for when I retired. So did my Mom. It just didn't happen.
> 
> To make time to write, I told the dust bunnies to go forth and multiply so my hero and heroine could at least "go forth" if not "multiply." It's the only way I can find the time. Not to mention it's a good excuse not to do housework.


Oh no, you mean I'm doomed either way? My kids are 15 and 21 - I don't dare think about grandkids yet and I've already put off enough dusting and vacuuming to embarrass myself. Finally broke down this week and cleaned enough to fill the vacuum bag. Tonight, though I managed about 90 minutes of writing time after the day job. Somehow I caught my second wind!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half Ord:

I like Katie better than Tony. Tony the Textospreche isn't a nice to lisen to (pardon the dangler). Id' listen to the mal voice, if they developed a sexier one.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Give me the Christopher Lee text-o-talker. I'd never read manually again.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> What happened to Nazi Zombies?


I think we killed all of 'em finally!  Plus, BSG is just so darned good, it's like a book that's impossible to put down. I'm just going to be sad when we get to the end. But later we'll just have to watch it all over again!



> I keep my netbook right beside me when I edit and input changes straight to the file. If I tried to write down the changes, I absolutely wouldn't be able to read them. Sad but true.


I do the same thing, although when I make revisions I usually put the "track changes" feature on, then review and accept/change the edits when I'm done with each chapter.



> Did I mention that I couldn't sleep last night and put in an hour's work on the WiP? Sorry, Mike, I know it's traditional to read IHN until 2am, but my fingers were itching to hit the keyboard.


It's good to break with tradition now and again! I do it so often that I don't even have any!  How are you liking the book so far, BTW?



> Long and short of it is that so far today, I'm up to nearly 133K filling 413 pages.


W00t! Awesome!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It's good to break with tradition now and again! I do it so often that I don't even have any!  How are you liking the book so far, BTW?


Finished this morning at breakfast. No spoilers here, but I have a question. Some very, very unexpected stuff (I so hate predictable) made it a great read as usual. Review to follow. I'll let you know when I post it.



> W00t! Awesome!!


I would love to do that again today, but I have the GK's. I'm lucky to be here right now.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> Oh no, you mean I'm doomed either way? My kids are 15 and 21 - I don't dare think about grandkids yet and I've already put off enough dusting and vacuuming to embarrass myself. Finally broke down this week and cleaned enough to fill the vacuum bag. Tonight, though I managed about 90 minutes of writing time after the day job. Somehow I caught my second wind!


I have two words for you ... robotic vacuum.

Good for you. I'm afraid I won't match my 3500 words done yesterday. My GS is sitting beside me right now quoting commercials at me and he wants me to tape the Pokemon marathon. I think I'll be banging my head against Ginny the Netbook. That might just keep me sane.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Finished this morning at breakfast. No spoilers here, but I have a question. Some very, very unexpected stuff (I so hate predictable) made it a great read as usual. Review to follow. I'll let you know when I post it.


Uh-oh! A question!  Glad you enjoyed it!!


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Finished this morning at breakfast. No spoilers here, but I have a question. Some very, very unexpected stuff (I so hate predictable) made it a great read as usual. Review to follow. I'll let you know when I post it.


"A question.... Since before you sun burned hot in space, I have awaited... a question."


----------



## Carol Hanrahan

Hitting a dry spell - fewer sales than normal this month. 
Wondering if I'm not doing something that I did last few months.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1700 words written today and draft chapter 2 of the new book finished! 

Seems like I wrote a lot more, but I think I'm just slower on this one. Happy with it so far, methinks...


----------



## ReeseReed

Got my new laptop just in time to come down with a raging stomach flu.  Sickest I've been in years.  Needless to say, the writing has come to a screeching halt.  Not much hope for tomorrow, since I'll be spending the day at Chuck E Cheese celebrating my baby's birthday.  Hopefully next week will be more productive.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Spending the day at Chuck E Cheese's for a kid's birthday while still enduring a raging stomach flu?

You, my dear, are a gold medal deserving mom.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey, I jumped on the bandwagon at Smashwords with their FREE book special - eBook Week, which ends tonight. I jumped on Thursday night (so only for the last 3 days) and didn't do any promoting and picked up 170 new readers and I'm still counting. I'm stunned.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Today was mostly taken up with GK's so I didn't get much done. I'm not quite ready to pack it in but I think I'll shut down this laptop. I usually work on my netbook anyway.

Talk to you tomorrow.  

Reese, take care of that stomach flu. I don't like eating Chuck E Cheese even with a healthy stomach.


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Spending the day at Chuck E Cheese's for a kid's birthday while still enduring a raging stomach flu?
> 
> You, my dear, are a gold medal deserving mom.
> 
> David Dalglish


LOL! Actually, I'm over the stomach bug, thankfully. It only ravaged me for 24 hours before moving on. I'm not giving the medal back, though.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Today was mostly taken up with GK's so I didn't get much done. I'm not quite ready to pack it in but I think I'll shut down this laptop. I usually work on my netbook anyway.
> 
> Talk to you tomorrow.
> 
> Reese, take care of that stomach flu. I don't like eating Chuck E Cheese even with a healthy stomach.


Thank you. I'm only up to crackers so far. I'm with you, the cardboard pizza is tough, even on a good day.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ended up doing 1K last night.  Even though I have a packed schedule over the next couple of days, I'm going to make the time to do at least 2 or 3 pages a day.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ended up doing 1K last night. Even though I have a packed schedule over the next couple of days, I'm going to make the time to do at least 2 or 3 pages a day.


Yay! Have to make some time, or it just won't get done...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words today so far. (more later) all The People's Treasure.

Also Approaching Revisions http://bit.ly/aTFkZr Featured Article on The Indie Spotlight by little ole' me

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Around 800 words this evening on chapter 3 of GMO (semi-working title; I have no idea what to call it yet). Had planned to do a lot more, but between staying up until 3 a.m. watching the end of Battlestar Galactica, taking care of some business around the house, and a massive nap around noon, the day sort of evaporated! Most of this week should be interesting, since I'll be working a weird schedule.  

BTW, for those who may be interested, I cut the prices of the IHN books for the rest of the month. The new prices should (in theory!) go into effect tomorrow...


----------



## loca

You guys are motivation for me.  My little small story is coming along.


----------



## Jeff

Instead of using a chainsaw on _Lonely Is The Soldier_ as Mike suggested, I used napalm and started over from scratch with corrected notes. The word count is currently 78,098, which is a little more than half of the original manuscript. My self imposed publication deadline is April; that means I have to average 5,000 words a day for the balance of March in order to get a proof to Susan in early April. It could happen.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Instead of using a chainsaw on _Lonely Is The Soldier_ as Mike suggested, I used napalm and started over from scratch with corrected notes. The word count is currently 78,098, which is a little more than half of the original manuscript. My self imposed publication deadline is April; that means I have to average 5,000 words a day for the balance of March in order to get a proof to Susan in early April. It could happen.


Well, there's nothing like setting a challenging goal!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Instead of using a chainsaw on _Lonely Is The Soldier_ as Mike suggested, I used napalm and started over from scratch with corrected notes. The word count is currently 78,098, which is a little more than half of the original manuscript. My self imposed publication deadline is April; that means I have to average 5,000 words a day for the balance of March in order to get a proof to Susan in early April. It could happen.


Is your wife slipping flounder and pancakes under the door for you?  Come up for air every once in a while and let us you how you're progressing.

I managed a little over two pages today. GS got sent over to me today. I love spending time with him, but nothing gets done when he's here. I just didn't want a day to slide by with nothing done.


----------



## ReeseReed

I think I've realized that I have way too many projects going on at once, and it's starting to really hinder me creatively.  I have one work that's completely done, except for the kindle formatting and cover image.  I'm going to try just focusing on finishing that one up for the remainder of this month --going to be a busy rest of the month for me anyway, personally, with stuff at home.  Then, once that one is done, I'll give myself two weeks to work on the newest draft I've started before deciding whether to continue on with finishing it or letting it rest while I begin transcribing my first work into a screenplay.  *Then* I'll get back to my sequel for Childproofed, which has been sitting collecting dust since December.

Okay...feels good to have a plan.


----------



## ReeseReed

ReeseReed said:


> I think I've realized that I have way too many projects going on at once, and it's starting to really hinder me creatively. I have one work that's completely done, except for the kindle formatting and cover image. I'm going to try just focusing on finishing that one up for the remainder of this month --going to be a busy rest of the month for me anyway, personally, with stuff at home. Then, once that one is done, I'll give myself two weeks to work on the newest draft I've started before deciding whether to continue on with finishing it or letting it rest while I begin transcribing my first work into a screenplay. *Then* I'll get back to my sequel for Childproofed, which has been sitting collecting dust since December.
> 
> Okay...feels good to have a plan.


*ACK...forgot about the kids' book I started working on, and the research I wanted to do for a series of kids' novels. Dang it. Okay, gotta figure out where to fit them in...

New plan:

Finish kindle formatting and cover image....then decide the rest later. Works for me


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, there's nothing like setting a challenging goal!!


Hahaha. I know, I know - but I was hoping that posting the goal here would force me to meet it. I'll post tomorrow and see how big a fool I've made of myself.

Before I discovered the bad research data in _Lonely Is The Soldier_ I'd already started on the sequel to _Home of the Brave_ and I'm anxious to get back to that before I forget all the sub-plots that I left open. Pressure.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, finihed 9,600 words in the revision of _Surviving an American Gulag_, which when added to 2,300 for _The People's Treasure_, brings me or a Sunday to 11,900 words. I'm quite toasted.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Only about 300 words tonight. Should have gotten more in earlier, but working crazy hours right now and am POOPED!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Come up for air every once in a while and let us you how you're progressing.


Okay. Confession time.

Only 3,169 words today which is 1,831 under my goal. I don't have any excuses either. I spent most of the afternoon re-writing and re-writing a couple of unimportant paragraphs that describe the 1991 bombing of Bagdad - and I still don't like what I've done.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Only 3,169 words today


"Only" 3,169? Gee, that's *only* ten times more than I managed today - you're obviously a total slacker!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've gotta get crackin'  

Patterson, Edward C.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I've gotta get crackin'
> 
> Patterson, Edward C.


Yeah, you've been slacking off, too, with - what? - only a total of 11000 words revised + new?  LOL!!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> "Only" 3,169? Gee, that's *only* ten times more than I managed today - you're obviously a total slacker!


The comparison isn't fair to you. My software business almost runs itself so I essentially write full time while you're at a real job every day. Three or three hundred words is a significant achievement.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, you've been slacking off, too, with - what? - only a total of 11000 words revised + new?  LOL!!


Ignore Ed. He's a book producing machine.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Like to hear from a _non-slacker_? 

Another sleepless night (2am EST; 3am DST) gave me three more pages. It's HP book club day, so daytime was a total loss, and my HP play is too long. Revised 11 pages down to 10, but I have to whittle away at least another page. I'll work on that tomorrow.

Now I'm back to work and up to 423 pages, 136K words. About another hour to work, so hopefully another page or two.

Just dropped by to let you guys know that I'm going to be spending as little time as possible on the Internet. Family is demanding more and more of my time and I really want to concentrate on finishing C&C.

See you when I can.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just dropped by to let you guys know that I'm going to be spending as little time as possible on the Internet. Family is demanding more and more of my time and I really want to concentrate on finishing C&C.
> 
> See you when I can.


We'll miss you but we're looking forward to your new book too so we'll just suffer along.

I wrote another 2,000 words since I last posted so I made my goal after all.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay. Ignore my 2,300 words for this evening's haul. (The People's Treasure)  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Okay. Ignore my 2,300 words for this evening's haul. (The People's Treasure)


Nah. Good on you, Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Good on everybody! 

I'm going to try and squeak some in today in between trying to catch up on sleep. Or, rather, in between trying to get some sleep at all...


----------



## ReeseReed

Well, the monster virus has attacked again...got my husband and oldest son this time.  *sigh* Only two more kids to go through before we're hopefully rid of this nasty bug.  Still crossing my fingers that they miss it, but not feeling too hopeful anymore.  My husband says it's the sickest he's ever been.

I'll get back to writing some day.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ReeseReed said:


> Well, the monster virus has attacked again...got my husband and oldest son this time. *sigh* Only two more kids to go through before we're hopefully rid of this nasty bug. Still crossing my fingers that they miss it, but not feeling too hopeful anymore. My husband says it's the sickest he's ever been.
> 
> I'll get back to writing some day.


I can relate - I feel like I'm catching another cold again, right after I finally managed to shake the last one! I think I need to go around in a giant hermetically sealed hamster ball...


----------



## sierra09

Reese, sorry to hear about the flu bug hitting your house. I wince every time Mom's around someone with a cold because every cold she gets just makes the COPD worse and the last thing I want to her back in the hospital.

I'm multi-tasking today while trying to stay awake. Was up until 3AM trying to format Ian's book and could not get the page count to what it should have been. Turned out my tab setting wasn't working right so it required a clear formatting, which wiped out my italics and some moron of an author ( ) used Irish words that needs italics so then I had to back and fix them. I suppose it could be worse and I could have used Elvish...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Reese, sorry about the flu bug. I never know whether it's worse to have everyone sick all at once and get it over, or one at a time so you're not taking care of everyone at the same time.

Sierra, I just don't know about authors who use _Irish_ words in a _Celtic_ novel. 

I bashed my head pretty good the other day on a table corner (coming up, not going down) and I seemed to have pulled a muscle in my neck. I've had a monster headache for three days, so I'm keeping heat on the neck and popping Ibuprofen. Before I go to bed tonight, I'll take a muscle relaxant.

That's my excuse for taking a break. I don't want to make myself worse. I'll have a cup of tea and some girl scout cookies, and then I will get back to it.

Up to 138K+ and 430 pages.

I'll be in a sleep study tomorrow night, so except for electrodes sticking all over me, I should be able to write undisturbed for the entire evening.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Reese, sorry about the flu bug. I never know whether it's worse to have everyone sick all at once and get it over, or one at a time so you're not taking care of everyone at the same time.
> 
> Sierra, I just don't know about authors who use _Irish_ words in a _Celtic_ novel.
> 
> I bashed my head pretty good the other day on a table corner (coming up, not going down) and I seemed to have pulled a muscle in my neck. I've had a monster headache for three days, so I'm keeping heat on the neck and popping Ibuprofen. Before I go to bed tonight, I'll take a muscle relaxant.
> 
> That's my excuse for taking a break. I don't want to make myself worse. I'll have a cup of tea and some girl scout cookies, and then I will get back to it.
> 
> Up to 138K+ and 430 pages.
> 
> I'll be in a sleep study tomorrow night, so except for electrodes sticking all over me, I should be able to write undisturbed for the entire evening.


Hope you'll feel better soon, Gertie. I'm so impressed with all the writing you've managed to do.

Debra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hope youre better soon gerite.

Only 3,000 tonight on The People's Treasure.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

That's true, Gertie.   Though if I wipe out italics one more time I may be rethinking the use of it period. I forgot that I had to wipe everything out and start fresh when playing with Smashwords. I banged my head against my keyboard when I realized that would mean finding the pesky little words again.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I've joined the ranks of the flu victims, sorry to say! I enjoy staying home from work, but not like this. Not sure if I'll get much/any writing done today. I want to, but the majority vote of my three neurons is pointing toward crawling into bed and staying there for the next couple days...  

And Gertie, watch the table corners, will ya??

Everybody else, keep up the good work!


----------



## J Dean

....alllllmooooossssst  theeeeeeerreeeeeeee.....


----------



## Jeff

Word count is 87,585 for 398 pages. Baby sitting day. Can't get much written. Get well soon, Gertie, Reese, Mike and anyone else ailing.


----------



## sierra09

If I get the flu, I'm blaming you guys.    

I need some help or advice. I've been trying to keep up with the threads on Amazon's changes in July or whatever, including the prices. It's all basically Greek to me but the time has come to price Ian's Kindle book...now I priced the Smashwords version at $2.99 since that was what I was planning on pricing the Kindle at. Is this the right thing to do? 

Probably, until I revise my already published Kindle editions I won't change those prices...unless I have to but since Ian's book is larger than the the first book in the series and I figured to get a jump on any changes that would need to be made in July, I'd price it at $2.99 for now to see what happens. 

I'm so confused.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm keeping all my books and pricing at the same place, because 1) an extra $ .35 doesn't really matter to me, and 2) I'll get a boost when many author's raise their prices. Of course, I have books in the $3.99 range also, which will automatically get the dvantage of the increased royalty to $ 2.80. As for Smashwords, we can't under price Amazon by contract, so I will continue to keep most of my books at $1.00. Smashwords for me is a place to run sales, FREEBIES, deliver Operation eBook Drop and to get distributed on Barnes & Nobles and Koboooks (and others in the future). If th price change leaves me in the dust, I'll raie the rices then and only then. The 35% royalty was always the best deal in town - a Dan brown deal, even -  although he sells thousd a day, while I only push out 20.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

Thanks, Ed. I'm more at ease at $1.99 since this is a bigger book if that matters but the $2.99 idea while good for others just didn't make me feel good. Like you, if it doesn't work I can change the price. I'm waiting for final approval via Smashwords which seems to take longer these days when it says pending approval.   The agenda for tonight: Send OEBD coupon out and upload Kindle file. One will take much longer than the other.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sierra - thanks for your support of Operation eBook Drop, my little serendipitous event that has mushroomed beyond my belief. Like my novels, my life doesn't operte with an outline.

2,400 words tonight on The People's Treasure which is up to 63,000 words and growing. Tonights chapte came out of the blue. I sat down to write one chapte and never got there, becuase a character decided to take cene stage, and . . . I allowe him, because with what he needs to do, the reader needed to arc along with him a bit. Plus this chanpte is one of those wih children also. I love to write children's dialogue. Its akin to the dialog that I write interspersing Chinese, Italian or Cherokee.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Whew, okay, I think everyone here is, for the moment anyway, well.  Husband and son both went back to school today, and so far no rumblings going on with the other two boys.  Really hoping I can get back to my writing tomorrow night (tonight is reserved for disinfecting yet again).  Then I'll have until Tuesday before I take my youngest son to see a specialist at the Children's Hospital.  It will require an overnight stay, so I likely won't get too much done then, but I'm looking forward to reading some of the books I've been turned onto here 

Thank you to everyone for your kind words during our illness.  My youngest son is going to the Children's Hospital to have tests done ... he had irregular bloodwork at his last doctor's appointment, so we're all kind of holding our breath right now.  I'd really appreciate any thoughts/prayers you could spin my way.

Here's hoping for a productive writing weekend ahead


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Glad y'all are recovering! 

I'm starting to get over this flu crap, I think, but after a frantic midnight call from work (someone was seriously injured when a heavy piece of equipment fell on them) and dealing with the fallout from that this morning just about did me in. So, I'm taking a health/sanity day tomorrow, and hope to get some writing in early...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Whew, okay, I think everyone here is, for the moment anyway, well. Husband and son both went back to school today, and so far no rumblings going on with the other two boys. Really hoping I can get back to my writing tomorrow night (tonight is reserved for disinfecting yet again). Then I'll have until Tuesday before I take my youngest son to see a specialist at the Children's Hospital. It will require an overnight stay, so I likely won't get too much done then, but I'm looking forward to reading some of the books I've been turned onto here
> 
> Thank you to everyone for your kind words during our illness. My youngest son is going to the Children's Hospital to have tests done ... he had irregular bloodwork at his last doctor's appointment, so we're all kind of holding our breath right now. I'd really appreciate any thoughts/prayers you could spin my way.
> 
> Here's hoping for a productive writing weekend ahead


Prayers are on their way for your son and your whole family.

Nothing done so far today. I was very groggy after the sleep study and still don't feel fully alert.

I fell about 100 words short of my goal yesterday, because the tech took up too much of my time wiring me up. Then they insisted on lights out at 11:30. Story was still going on in my head and I was afraid that would keep me awake. The last think I wanted to do was flunk my sleep test.

I think I got an A-, meaning I only showed slight signs of apnea when I rolled on to my back. Since I sleep on my side in my own bed, it's not a problem.

So, catching up a little bit here and then I'm going to jump back in. I can't let a day go by without doing something.

Yesterday's totals: 139,905 words, 436 pages


----------



## Jeff

'Hope all goes well at Children's Hospital, Reese.

Glad you're feeling better, Mike.

Get some rest, Gertie.

95,066 words; 426 pages.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,300 words last night on Surviving an American Gulag revisions. Very tired this morning sitting here in front of a pile of left-side of the brain work.  

Ed Patterson

PS: Just pre-ordered AVATAR DVD (out on the 22nd)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ah! Have to hit Amazon and pre-order the Avatar Blu-Ray! 

Finally back in the saddle with a little writing today. Still under the weather, but at least the muse has reemerged. Will see how much I manage to get done today...


----------



## ReeseReed

Finally got back to it tonight.  Nothing new so far, but I have edited close to 3K words this evening, and hoping for more after a short break.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I have no idea how many words I wrote today (maybe 2000?), but I wrote some. Yay! Should have chapter 3 of the WIP done tomorrow. Currently up to a total of 13,676 words...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

143,497 words and 447 pages. First I was worried about reaching 400 pages, then 450 pages and now I'm almost there. At this point I'm afraid C&C is going to reach 500 pages or more, which is seriously way too long.  I don't know how I'm going to edit it down to 400 pages. Well, it does span a period of more than two years, so I guess the length is not unreasonable. 

I'll just have to wait until I finish and then see where the edits lead me.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 143,497 words and 447 pages. First I was worried about reaching 400 pages, then 450 pages and now I'm almost there. At this point I'm afraid C&C is going to reach 500 pages or more, which is seriously way too long. I don't know how I'm going to edit it down to 400 pages. Well, it does span a period of more than two years, so I guess the length is not unreasonable.
> 
> I'll just have to wait until I finish and then see where the edits lead me.


Holy cow. I can't even imagine writing something of that length. Wow! I'm just hoping I make it to 60K with my new one, since so far all I've been able to turn out are novellas!


----------



## Jeff

97,652 words. 434 pages. Another baby sitting day and I had to fix my grandson's laptop. Hoping to catch up over the weekend.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Finished chapter 3 of GMO (until I can figure out what to call it), up to 14174 words. I think it's time for a nap!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Zippo yesterday. Reason - sheer and utter laziness. So I cranked up the DVD player and swam in a red sea of _Sweeney Todd_, avoiding the kitchen for fear of mrs. Lovet's pies.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

ReeseReed said:


> Holy cow. I can't even imagine writing something of that length. Wow! I'm just hoping I make it to 60K with my new one, since so far all I've been able to turn out are novellas!


I know what you mean. Usually all my novels tend to be around 80K or so (though for some reason this second action novel is around 60K unless I add more to it which I didn't want to do) but the novel I just finished ended up being close to 115K. When I first started it, I was worried if it would even reach 80K since Ian just didn't seem like it would take much to write.

I haven't wrote anything since I finished Ian's novel at the beginning of the month. It seems like it's just been a struggle to get it ready to come out. Maybe after I get the confusion settled with Kindle (they swear it'll be live in 48 hours ) then I can get back to writing. I mean, I have the second SEAL book due out in May/June and I need to start on Ryan's book so maybe the third book for Celtic Evil won't take a full year. Though I think he's going to be a huge pain in the neck to write.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Managed to get a bunch of edits done on both book 2 and 3 (only 60 pages left before I can finally submit the 2nd to Amazon). Had one horrible day yesterday. Found out I didn't get the math teaching position that had originally appeared to be a shoe-in for me. I had replaced a pregnant teacher for 3 months, I actually -taught- classes when I subbed instead of just babysitting, I was set up to run their summer school math class, my interview went well, lasting almost two hours....and then a phone call saying they went with a different candidate.

Yeah. I'm effectively jobless now. Gonna crawl back to Pizza Hut and be a manager there while I return to school and get myself a much better degree. It was so hard to sit down at the computer and plug in more edits when I had a hundred voices nagging in the back of my mind about how hopeless, delusional, and self-indulgent I was being.



> Holy cow. I can't even imagine writing something of that length. Wow! I'm just hoping I make it to 60K with my new one, since so far all I've been able to turn out are novellas!


My very first story hit 210,000 words at the end of my first draft...and I was only halfway through what I had originally planned to cover. I managed to trim 30,000 words from the story (that was bloody painful), but still, a 180,000 word first novel by an unknown was pushing length. So I chopped off the first 60k, added a bit more to it, and made it a separate story. So those two links below me, Weight of Blood and the forthcoming Cost of Betrayal, were for almost three years a single story.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I only write short works.   (I lie with The Jade Owl legacy books at over 660K and growing).

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Managed to get a bunch of edits done on both book 2 and 3 (only 60 pages left before I can finally submit the 2nd to Amazon). Had one horrible day yesterday. Found out I didn't get the math teaching position that had originally appeared to be a shoe-in for me. I had replaced a pregnant teacher for 3 months, I actually -taught- classes when I subbed instead of just babysitting, I was set up to run their summer school math class, my interview went well, lasting almost two hours....and then a phone call saying they went with a different candidate.
> 
> Yeah. I'm effectively jobless now. Gonna crawl back to Pizza Hut and be a manager there while I return to school and get myself a much better degree. It was so hard to sit down at the computer and plug in more edits when I had a hundred voices nagging in the back of my mind about how hopeless, delusional, and self-indulgent I was being.
> 
> My very first story hit 210,000 words at the end of my first draft...and I was only halfway through what I had originally planned to cover. I managed to trim 30,000 words from the story (that was bloody painful), but still, a 180,000 word first novel by an unknown was pushing length. So I chopped off the first 60k, added a bit more to it, and made it a separate story. So those two links below me, Weight of Blood and the forthcoming Cost of Betrayal, were for almost three years a single story.
> 
> David Dalglish


I'm so sorry to hear that the job didn't work out. I can just imagine how rough that must be. I know it's cliched, but when He shuts a door He always leaves a window open. Just be on the lookout for it...sometimes it's not what you expect.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ReeseReed said:


> I know it's cliched, but when He shuts a door He always leaves a window open. Just be on the lookout for it...sometimes it's not what you expect.


That's the problem, the whole teaching thing I thought -was- the window. Now I don't have a flippin' clue.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The air-conditioner vents! The air conditioner vents!

Ed Patterson
(He who has survived a major layoff)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> That's the problem, the whole teaching thing I thought -was- the window. Now I don't have a flippin' clue.
> 
> David Dalglish


At least at Pizza Hut you'll never starve to death. I won't tell you what Pizza Hut does to my digestive system. But it does sound like you've got a plan. Forget windows and doors. I always say ... I plan, He laughs.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> The air-conditioner vents! The air conditioner vents!
> 
> Ed Patterson
> (He who has survived a major layoff)


Too funny, Ed.

I decided not to worry about the length of C&C. It is what it is, and there's a reason for it. Catherine is a very complex heroine and she needs time to grow and develop. I think the journey will be worth it.

Nothing done yet today. Family stuff until about 1/2 an hour ago (which included a totally decadent chocolate ganache cake). A cup of tea and I'll be ready to dig in.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> That's the problem, the whole teaching thing I thought -was- the window. Now I don't have a flippin' clue.
> 
> David Dalglish


David -

Well, that majorly sucks! On the other hand, as I've found in my own experiences, things are often meant to happen a certain way for a reason. I know it must be incredibly tough right now, but stick with your writing and keep looking for opportunities. Granted, your situation is different, but I'm sure you can appreciate this: after graduating from college and being commissioned in the Army Reserve, the best job I could find at the time was working at a local gas station. I worked there until the *last* place that I applied to, my least preferred choice, decided to hire me. Turns out it was the best thing that could've happened to me, for a lot of reasons. So you just never know...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm hoping you guys are right. I worked there for 6 years. During that time I had 2 interviews for jobs that payed 4x the previous pay, I tried to start a business with my brother, and then worked on the teaching thing. Eeeevery one was rejected. I feel like I'm being chained to Pizza Hut by some cosmic joke. Full ride through college, 4 year degree in mathematics....arguing with customers over whether or not they said "bacon" or "canadian bacon."

Anyhoo, there's always the air conditioning vents. I'm going back monday to ask for my old job at Pizza Hut. Considering my replacement got fired a week ago for calling in while pretending to be his doctor...I think they'll take me back.

Bah. Enough depressing life story. I got another 40 pages edited on Book 3. Up to 100/400, so making good progress.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Trying to do my first round revisions by typing my work into a document, but Word is doing something funky...which has completely stopped my progress.  I'm off to see if any of my friends are more versed on the workings of Word than I am.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Half-Orc said:


> I'm hoping you guys are right. I worked there for 6 years. During that time I had 2 interviews for jobs that payed 4x the previous pay, I tried to start a business with my brother, and then worked on the teaching thing. Eeeevery one was rejected. I feel like I'm being chained to Pizza Hut by some cosmic joke. Full ride through college, 4 year degree in mathematics....arguing with customers over whether or not they said "bacon" or "canadian bacon."
> 
> Anyhoo, there's always the air conditioning vents. I'm going back monday to ask for my old job at Pizza Hut. Considering my replacement got fired a week ago for calling in while pretending to be his doctor...I think they'll take me back.
> 
> Bah. Enough depressing life story. I got another 40 pages edited on Book 3. Up to 100/400, so making good progress.
> 
> David Dalglish


I'm sorry to hear about the job loss, too, David. I and my hubby have had major career disappointments over the past 20 years, like lots of people, but we both have other interests in passions that keep us going and as long as we're moving forward in those and making a little progress every week, it's okay. Honestly, I hate to think what my state of mind would be if I hadn't had my love of writing to help me through the rought spots. Hang in there!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Today's accomplishments:

My GS beat me at chess ... again.
Had a piece of chocolate ganache cake at my step-grandaughter's birthday (yummy).
Made Impossible Lasagna Pie

and, oh yes, 

I'm up to 452 pages, 145,226 words. 

Hang in there, David.  It's our writing that keeps us sane ... or maybe insane, but it's worth the insanity.


----------



## ReeseReed

Finally figured out my Word issue, and I was able to log about 5K words worth of revisions.    I'm almost ready to get back to writing...and with three days off work next week hopefully it will be a good time.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm curious. What is Impossible Lasagne Pie?

David


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Laziness has been banned and I managed 7.200 words today (3/20). Only 1,300 on The People's Trasure (but a tricky chapter weighted toward narrative) and the balance on Surviving an American Gulag's revision. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Thumper

Half-Orc said:


> Gonna crawl back to Pizza Hut and be a manager there while I return to school and get myself a much better degree. It was so hard to sit down at the computer and plug in more edits when I had a hundred voices nagging in the back of my mind about how hopeless, delusional, and self-indulgent I was being.


Dude. There's no crawling to Pizza Hut; there's walking in and making the job yours. And there's nothing self indulgent about writing. Being a manager, that's what you can do for now to pay the bills. Being a writer, that's what you _are._

No real choice in the matter.

It's the same thing I tell my kid when he moans about "just" being a waiter. It's what he does to pay the bills; what he is is an actor, and a damned good one. He's just hasn't caught the break he needs.

Doesn't take the sting out of not getting the teaching job, but if you can get the manager's job, grab it and then WRITE.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> I'm curious. What is Impossible Lasagne Pie?
> 
> David


Here's a link to the recipe.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/impossibly-easy-lasagna-pie/63877762-d0cb-4e42-ba7e-c64616f96dab?WT.mc_id=paid_search_200100_636117&WT.srch=1&esrc=11151

This one is a little more complicated than some of the others. I've got about a dozen different recipes and you should be able to find them all on the Bisquik site. My GS's favorites are cheeseburger pie and ham and cheese pie.

My day is jammed up already. I swear, I get more writing done during the week than on the weekend.

Gotta run. See you later tonight.


----------



## ReeseReed

Thumper said:


> Dude. There's no crawling to Pizza Hut; there's walking in and making the job yours. And there's nothing self indulgent about writing. Being a manager, that's what you can do for now to pay the bills. Being a writer, that's what you _are._
> 
> No real choice in the matter.
> 
> It's the same thing I tell my kid when he moans about "just" being a waiter. It's what he does to pay the bills; what he is is an actor, and a damned good one. He's just hasn't caught the break he needs.
> 
> Doesn't take the sting out of not getting the teaching job, but if you can get the manager's job, grab it and then WRITE.


This is awesome. I might print this out poster-sized to put on my wall.


----------



## sierra09

That's like what my Mom tells my older brother since he works at a racetrack as a dishwasher. It's a job that pays...of course that's also all he's been except for a cook.

Hang in there and keep thinking positive.

Now, I'm kicking myself right now. I approved the paperback proof for Ian the other day. I scanned that book for errors, flaws, etc that should have been fixed before approval...except I didn't check the copyright page.   One word, instead of paperback I had Kindle (no, I don't know why since I have two seperate files and a totally different copyright page for the Kindle edition) so I have to redo the PDF and resubmit which will mean a new proof and probably another week before the paperback hits Amazon. Someone smack me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey all - just launched at The Indie Spotlight

'Revising the Horror of Stage Directions' http://bit.ly/aM9RIM by Edward C. Patterson - Today's Featured Article, if any one's interested.

Ed Patterson


----------



## DL_Snell

I'm sure this has been answered, but... on the Kindle, how do I offer free content, such as an advanced preview of an upcoming book? The pricing only goes so low as 99 cents, or 80 cents if you know the right trick--but is there really no way to offer free content? 

Also, if anyone has experience offering this kind of content through Amazon Shorts or something similar, I'd love to hear the results.


----------



## Jeff

103,213 words. 457 pages.


----------



## sierra09

DL_Snell said:


> I'm sure this has been answered, but... on the Kindle, how do I offer free content, such as an advanced preview of an upcoming book? The pricing only goes so low as 99 cents, or 80 cents if you know the right trick--but is there really no way to offer free content?
> 
> Also, if anyone has experience offering this kind of content through Amazon Shorts or something similar, I'd love to hear the results.


I don't think normal indie publishers can offer free stuff on Kindle, just those with like big named publishers or at least it seems that way from what I've seen. Usually for free content people often use Smashwords.


----------



## ReeseReed

Finished first round revisions on the first eight chapters I've written...now back to writing some more


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I was out all day looking at houses with my cousin.  I think he found something. Just waiting to see how the offer goes. 

That didn't leave me much time or energy to write, but I did 1K words and I'm up to 455 pages. 

And I did the 4th revision of the HP Play. I'll know tomorrow afternoon if it's short enough and how many readers I'll have.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

sierra09 said:


> Now, I'm kicking myself right now. I approved the paperback proof for Ian the other day. I scanned that book for errors, flaws, etc that should have been fixed before approval...except I didn't check the copyright page.  One word, instead of paperback I had Kindle (no, I don't know why since I have two seperate files and a totally different copyright page for the Kindle edition) so I have to redo the PDF and resubmit which will mean a new proof and probably another week before the paperback hits Amazon. Someone smack me.


*smack* (btw, you can approve the proof before you get it, if you feel daring, and the change was that minor)

Also, I can do you one better. I submitted my revised version of The Weight of Blood, adding in 500 revisions and overall improving the story immensely. I approved the copy and then ordered 4 more. After ordering the 4, I realized that when I copied and pasted the newer version into the file formatted for createspace, I hadn't previously deleted the title page.

In short, I have 4 books in the mail that have two title pages. Sigh.

David Dalglish


----------



## sierra09

I was this tempted to hit approve since the file was approved by CS and I ordered the proof but this little voice keeps saying....wait to make sure, wait to make sure. I hate that little voice.

Ah, now on my last book, the Seal one, I ordered 2 proofs (still not sure when CS started allowing multiple proofs to be ordered) before I realized that I had two of the same chapter numbers on the last two chapters. That was sickening since on that book I had gone several proofs between cover changes, etc to find out I had two Chapter 30 I think it was.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 5,600 words today - 3,000 on The People's Treasure (a little Taoist chapter) and 2,600 on Surviving an American Gulag's nip and tuck revision. I also worked on The People's Treasure's subplot (some mid-book dialog from a counter-revolutionary character that gets some of our favorite characters in a heap o' trouble). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

sierra09 said:


> I was this tempted to hit approve since the file was approved by CS and I ordered the proof but this little voice keeps saying....wait to make sure, wait to make sure. I hate that little voice.
> 
> Ah, now on my last book, the Seal one, I ordered 2 proofs (still not sure when CS started allowing multiple proofs to be ordered) before I realized that I had two of the same chapter numbers on the last two chapters. That was sickening since on that book I had gone several proofs between cover changes, etc to find out I had two Chapter 30 I think it was.


I've lost track of my chapter numbers on C&C, too. I decided to leave them out for the moment and put them in when I'm completely finished with revisions.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I order proofs and approve them with one minute of each other.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I order proofs and approve them with one minute of each other.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Talk about confidence!


----------



## sierra09

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I've lost track of my chapter numbers on C&C, too. I decided to leave them out for the moment and put them in when I'm completely finished with revisions.


Now there's an idea. I'll have to try that because for some reason even if I have numbers wrote on paper to cross off when used I manage to mess up. 

Ed, that does not help the little voice saying approve, approve. 

Well, except for waiting on the paperback I think Ian's book is pretty much set to fully promote (like I have a clue as to how). He's even got new music on the trailer (which sounds so much better than the jazz). Now I need to finish up on the second action novel so I can begin researching Ryan's book....I have no clue where he's going to start.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I figure at that point, a POD is no more than my manuscript, proofed a million times and I'm not going to read it again. Plus the cover is my design and after 15 books, I know the specs. Also, if something is horribly wrong, when the proof arrives (has never happened), I will just send up another file. Papebacks sell at the rat of 1 book in 60 (ebooks), so there's no real rush. The paperback is prouced almost as a legitimizer, and a price point for the eBook discount. I am a big advocate of having a rinted book, but in today's world, why no longer a liability (that is a debit), they stand behind the eBook like legal tender.   As far as most of my readers are concerned, my paprback could be pretty covers with blank pages. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

One thing to keep in mind with POD is that the book file that you upload isn't fetched by the printers until they're ready to run it. To explain: A reader pointed out a typo to me several days after I had ordered some books. I made the change, uploaded the new file and the following day my order was filled. The books arrived with the latest change.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I churned out 2000 words yesterday on the new WIP. Will try to crank out some more tonight, hope to finish chapter 4 by Wednesday...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael's cranking. Wohoo!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Michael's cranking. Wohoo!
> 
> Ed Patterson


It's just weird, though. I know I've already mentioned it, but I felt yesterday like I was just rolling along on the story, but then the word count is so much lower than in the previous books. I know it's mostly because I have to stop pretty frequently and research stuff (and I cannot tell you how much I LOVE Google Earth's street view feature!), but still. Hmph...

Speaking of which, I need to get my butt outta here and get back to it!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

148K and 461 pages. Haven't figured out yet how Jeff has less words and about the same pages.  Must be the margins.  

I know I'm stopping early, but I just finished a very teary scene. As Joan Wilder says ... Read it and weep. I always do.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Haven't figured out yet how Jeff has less words and about the same pages.


107,581 words and 474 pages of heavy dialog. Some paragraphs are only a few words long.

"Did you unplug the coffee pot?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Not really."
"Crud."
"Turn around."
"Okay."

Seven paragraphs, sixteen words.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> 107,581 words and 474 pages of heavy dialog. Some paragraphs are only a few words long.
> 
> "Did you unplug the coffee pot?"
> "Yes."
> "Are you sure?"
> "Not really."
> "Crud."
> "Turn around."
> "Okay."
> 
> Seven paragraphs, sixteen words.


I can do that.

Oh, John.
Oh, Marsha.
Oh, John.
Oh, Marsha.


----------



## farrellclaire

I am feeling very pleased with myself because I just finished a re-write - a couple of days _before _ my self imposed deadline. Amazing what a bet with my OH will do. He now owes me a new printer, yay!

Now I have to go all the way back to the beginning and start again...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

farrellclaire said:


> I am feeling very pleased with myself because I just finished a re-write - a couple of days _before _ my self imposed deadline. Amazing what a bet with my OH will do. He now owes me a new printer, yay!
> 
> Now I have to go all the way back to the beginning and start again...


Oooh, shopping for electronics. And someone else is paying? Love it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,100 words today on The People's Treasure -  70,000 words down - 155,000 to go - about 2 months more.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

It's raining and cold so I decided to try researching for the next book or so and hit a snag so here's a question that I'm posing that some of you (I'm hoping not Jeff, Mike, or Ed ) will understand and know.

I have a character(not saying who for those who haven't read the books) who by the time Ryan's book is wrote should be about 2-3 months pregnant. This is so beyond my scope of knowledge. 
#1-How long does morning sickness usually last as a basic idea? 
#2-Do most have those weird cravings or is that just rumor?
#3-?
I'm sure there's more but I'm so lost and just need a general clue as to what a pregnant character does? How I wrote myself into this is beyond me since this was another one of those things that came out of thin air.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Most women have varying degrees of sickness, cravings, etc (but the weird cravings are no rumor, my wife had a sudden massive intake of jalepenos during month 4, and was miserable the whole time).

http://mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy/PR00004

The above is just one of many, many websites that detail symptoms and stages of pregnancy. The above deals with the first trimester, and has at the very least a brief, solid outline of symptoms that you should be able to work with.

Other than that...do you have a mom/sister/aunt around that's been recently pregnant? You might risk opening a pandora's box of pregnancy and birth stories, but you could easily get all you need from them.

Anyhoo! For some reason that I cannot figure out, The Weight of Blood has skyrocketed in sales the past 24 hours. I've scanned google and whatnot to figure out why, but nothing seems to be out there. I've normally been selling 1-3 a day, and since 6 o'clock last night I've sold 13. Not sure what the heck is going on, but I'm having a ball 

David Dalglish


----------



## sierra09

Thanks, David. I'll have a look. The site would be better than even broaching this with my sister. Somehow I don't think asking her about her symptoms all those years ago would be wise since my niece passed away last month and she still breaks into tears.   Mom's of the old school, don't talk about it.
Leave it to me to write myself into a situation that I know nothing about...though for that matter I don't know anything about the stuff I write...well mostly.

Congrats on the sales. I'm happy that Ian's book is #8 in Ghosts in the Kindle list or however that plays even though I know the rankings aren't supposed to mean anything. It makes Mom think that the nearly two months I wrote straight wasn't a waste.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

sierra09 said:


> It's raining and cold so I decided to try researching for the next book or so and hit a snag so here's a question that I'm posing that some of you (I'm hoping not Jeff, Mike, or Ed ) will understand and know.
> 
> I have a character(not saying who for those who haven't read the books) who by the time Ryan's book is wrote should be about 2-3 months pregnant. This is so beyond my scope of knowledge.
> #1-How long does morning sickness usually last as a basic idea?
> #2-Do most have those weird cravings or is that just rumor?
> #3-?
> I'm sure there's more but I'm so lost and just need a general clue as to what a pregnant character does? How I wrote myself into this is beyond me since this was another one of those things that came out of thin air.


Morning sickness can vary greatly from pregnancy to pregnancy. My first pregnancy, I was nauseous 24/7 for the first trimester. With the second, I had very little morning sickness. Some women never get sick at all. Some women can be nauseous their entire pregnancy. Some women can't hold down their breakfasts, but I never got beyond nausea.

First pregnancy, I ate half a pound of bacon and two fried eggs for dinner every night. Second, I switched over to sausage and eggs.

My Mom ate a lot of melon.

And don't forget to add in the crying thing and the aches and pains, the swollen legs and hands, the backaches, constant bathroom runs. Then there's the third trimester waddle when you feel fat and disgusting and everyone tells you how beautiful you look with that wonderful glow of impending motherhood that makes you want to smack them all upside the head.

Let me know when you want to get into labor.


----------



## farrellclaire

sierra09 said:


> It's raining and cold so I decided to try researching for the next book or so and hit a snag so here's a question that I'm posing that some of you (I'm hoping not Jeff, Mike, or Ed ) will understand and know.
> 
> I have a character(not saying who for those who haven't read the books) who by the time Ryan's book is wrote should be about 2-3 months pregnant. This is so beyond my scope of knowledge.
> #1-How long does morning sickness usually last as a basic idea?
> #2-Do most have those weird cravings or is that just rumor?
> #3-?
> I'm sure there's more but I'm so lost and just need a general clue as to what a pregnant character does? How I wrote myself into this is beyond me since this was another one of those things that came out of thin air.


I'm pregnant with my fifth so I can help a bit lol

Morning sickness is supposed to ease off after the first trimester but it goes past that for me and some women have it all the way. Some women avoid it altogether, lucky gits! Usually it goes on between week four and twelve though. It can be the general feeling of nausea or full blown vomiting and isn't restricted to mornings only.

Lots of women have cravings but usually later on in the pregnancy. Sometimes cravings can be for smells or certain textures. They are usually caused because something is lacking in the woman's diet (if iron is lacking you might crave steak a lot) but some (like coal or sand) are unexplainable.

All women are different so there are no guarantees about what can happen to a pregnant lady.

You can pm me if you think of anything else I might be able to answer.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

sierra09 said:


> #1-How long does morning sickness usually last as a basic idea?
> #2-Do most have those weird cravings or is that just rumor?
> #3-?


1. The normal length of morning sickness is 0-18 months to twenty-two years.
2. All have cravings for all things that are impossible to retrieve after midnight unless one lives in Las Vegas or New York City.
3. I'm getting in trouble posting here because I'm not pregnant and never have been, but I know these things, none-the-less and I have experience with some of my own characters, not to mention family...


----------



## sierra09

Gertie I may take you up on the labor explanation closer to the fifth book.   Thanks everyone. I'll have to write this stuff down. I haven't decided how things will play since we are dealing with a woman who can use magic so her symptoms may not be too bad...then again who knows. I'm sure it'll be interesting to write.


----------



## ReeseReed

Ice...I craved ice like mad in my three pregnancies.  Turns out it was b/c I was anemic, although I didn't put the two together until my last pregnancy.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, somewhere in the mass of KindleBoarders there must be a pediatric specialist! 

My moral victory for tonight was 1000 words and bringing chapter 4 to a close on the thriller novel. Now it's time for my eyes to close and get some sleep!


----------



## farrellclaire

ReeseReed said:


> Ice...I craved ice like mad in my three pregnancies. Turns out it was b/c I was anemic, although I didn't put the two together until my last pregnancy.


Is that really true? Because I'm always a lunatic for ice...and my blood count went crazy low last time so it would explain a lot!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Ice...I craved ice like mad in my three pregnancies. Turns out it was b/c I was anemic, although I didn't put the two together until my last pregnancy.


With my second pregnancy, I couldn't drink milk without a lot of ice in it. My MiL told me to try it and I still add ice to my milk.



farrellclaire said:


> Is that really true? Because I'm always a lunatic for ice...and my blood count went crazy low last time so it would explain a lot!


Me, too. I have to have lots of ice in my tea.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, somewhere in the mass of KindleBoarders there must be a pediatric specialist!


Mike ... that's obstetrics. 

Let's see. I stopped at page 466 tonight for a total of 149,804. I left my heroine in a real pickle. Fortunately, she has a very clever side-kick. Let's hope her plan works.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sooooo close to finishing the second book's final edit. My last proofreader has 13 pages left to get done. The wait is killing me. I punched in the 50 he'd done, then fought off the temptation to say screw it and post the story to Amazon anyway.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 2,100 words last night. On Surviving an Americn Gulag.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Sooooo close to finishing the second book's final edit. My last proofreader has 13 pages left to get done. The wait is killing me. I punched in the 50 he'd done, then fought off the temptation to say screw it and post the story to Amazon anyway.
> 
> David Dalglish


Good impulse control. 

Well, my plan to leave things alone until my designated writing time tonight didn't work. Couldn't sleep. I had to find out what happened next. As usual, my characters had a better plan than I did. Can't wait to see what they have in store for me tonight.


----------



## sierra09

I've found that characters are often like that. Though I think I'll need to keep a tighter hold on this my lead character in the next book or he'll run roughshod over the whole book.

I'm thrilled in a wary way right now. Either Amazon is really fast for a change or the live paperback version is still running from the original approval from last week. I didn't think to check it since I wasn't expecting anything until tomorrow anyway but then when I had to put it right back on hold I figured that would delay it more. On a lark, I decided to type in the ISBN and up popped Ian's book. It's got a little cart, it doesn't have my linkable author page(I contacted via e-mail support about that) and search inside is always slow to show but the book appears to be there in paperback. I just approved the second proof late this morning. It's not a huge thing if they're still running on the original file for right now since it was only a word on the copyright page so the story is fine but it's still weird. 

I know, I know. I'm in paranoid mood today.


----------



## ReeseReed

farrellclaire said:


> Is that really true? Because I'm always a lunatic for ice...and my blood count went crazy low last time so it would explain a lot!


That's what my doctor told me after my last one was born...he asked if I'd been eating a lot of ice when he came in to check on me my 2nd day postpartum (I was chowing on some when he came in). I said yes and he told me it was due to the anemia. I had been anemic after all 3 pregnancies but hadn't put it together with the ice until he told me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> That's what my doctor told me after my last one was born...he asked if I'd been eating a lot of ice when he came in to check on me my 2nd day postpartum (I was chowing on some when he came in). I said yes and he told me it was due to the anemia. I had been anemic after all 3 pregnancies but hadn't put it together with the ice until he told me.


That's really interesting. I'm going to have to look into that.

I'm quitting early tonight. I'm hoping I gave myself enough time to relax before trying to sleep. I have a horrendously busy day tomorrow and I can't be tossing and turning and then staying up until 5am writing.

472 pages, 151,310 words. I had some unexpected research to do, so I didn't get as much done as I would have liked. I only have five more months to cover in my timeline. I think it's going well.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words tonight on _The People's Treasure_. Havng fun as the story line has turned back to China and having a ball with Sydney Firestone's little son, Nicky, who speaks Mandarin fluently, but has trouble pronouncibg Ameican names like Moorehouse. They're about to sit down to a meal of scorpion ka-babs (a Beijing speciality). yum yum, crunch-chrunch. (Well, it's better than that Hong Kong favorite, stir-fried labrador retriever). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Handed my newest completed work to my 2nd beta-reader tonight...now biting my nails in anticipation of his thoughts.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

To celebrate the sale of my 5,000th book, I decided not to write tonight. Popcorn and an opera - I'm thinking Rossini - something merry like _L'Italiana in Algieri_. Yep, that's the one.

Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> To celebrate the sale of my 5,000th book, I decided not to write tonight. Popcorn and an opera - I'm thinking Rossini - something merry like _L'Italiana in Algieri_. Yep, that's the one.
> 
> Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie always finds the cool pics! Congrats, Ed!

I'll celebrate my 1000 words tonight by going to bed. Pooped.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had a full day today and then went to a neighbor's birthday party.  There wasn't time to do much but I didn't want to skip a night.  Only 600 words, but they were good words.

Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak.


----------



## ReeseReed

I think all my kids are asleep finally, so maybe I can get something accomplished


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> I think all my kids are asleep finally, so maybe I can get something accomplished


Pretty late. Hope you don't have to be up too early tomorrow.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Pretty late. Hope you don't have to be up too early tomorrow.


Gotta get up and take my oldest to school, but I took the day off  And now that I've finally pried myself away from facebook, I'm ready to get started!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks all and for the popcorn. I wound up watch Massenet's Thas. Hardly a merry Rossini piece, but it has that gorgeous Meditation scene in it and some topless dancers (femate - which of course didn't distract me - mamary-proofed that I am).  

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Finished about 650 words tonight...not a whole lot, but I got a pivotal scene done that's been bugging me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Gotta get up and take my oldest to school, but I took the day off  And now that I've finally pried myself away from facebook, I'm ready to get started!


I had to give up Facebook entirely. Too much to keep up with. I've even cut way back on my participation in this board and three others. Now I'm actually getting some work done.



ReeseReed said:


> Finished about 650 words tonight...not a whole lot, but I got a pivotal scene done that's been bugging me.


It's not the quantity, it's the quality. Congratulations.


----------



## ReeseReed

Thank you!  I've been worried about this scene and how to handle it, and it was really hindering me, so I'm happy to have it behind me (for now).


----------



## Ami Braverman

Hello authors,

I have opened a thread discussing the possibility of us authors helping each other in a proof read exchange program. This would be just for grammar and such and not actual reviews. As Edward says in his book on self-publishing, writers are terrible at proofreading their own work. I for one cannot afford a professional proof reader and have seen that many authors are like me. I think that we can help each other. Therefore I had the idea for this proof-mart. If you are interested please go and see the link:
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,21853.0.html
and show your interested so that I can get the ball rolling. Any input is welcome.

Oh, and if we are on the subject. I finally started my second book 2 nights ago. 1,600 words done.  It took me 3 months of practicing on short stories and walking my dogs to get a good idea.

Ami Braverman


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ami Braverman said:


> Oh, and if we are on the subject. I finally started my second book 2 nights ago. 1,600 words done.  It took me 3 months of practicing on short stories and walking my dogs to get a good idea.
> 
> Ami Braverman


Walking dogs. I'll have to add that to my list of ways to get inspired. Note to self: Get dog. 

Good luck on the WiP.


----------



## Ami Braverman

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Walking dogs. I'll have to add that to my list of ways to get inspired. Note to self: Get dog.


Life is too short to not have a dog. They grow on you like umm feet.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ami Braverman said:


> Life is too short to not have a dog. They grow on you like umm feet.


So I hear. Unfortunately, I can't give a dog the care it needs. I'm still waiting for the rescue cat lady to call me back.


----------



## Ami Braverman

Cat is good too. They are a bit more complex but I like that. I think mine has a borderline personality disorder.


----------



## ReeseReed

Please tell me dogs go through a "terrible twos"...the puppy we got at Christmas is four months old now and a total terror.  I'm biding my time hoping she gets better!

And, back on topic, my youngest two just left for a visit with grandparents.  That just leaves me with the oldest, who can pretty much care for himself.  Looking forward to cranking out some work today and tonight (If I can put down J.L. Penn's REUNION long enough...fantastic book if you haven't tried it!)


----------



## sierra09

Ami Braverman said:


> Cat is good too. They are a bit more complex but I like that. I think mine has a borderline personality disorder.


Two of my cats think they're human so I have two four year old twin toddlers if that's the case and they get into as much trouble as two toddlers would I think.

I probably won't be around as much this weekend. Mom's in the hospital again(911 at 2AM wasn't a good way to wake up) and since it's Friday I can't get no one to tell me what small amount of fluid in the lungs mean. It could be one of three things from what I've read online and one of those would be reallllllly bad.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ami Braverman said:


> Cat is good too. They are a bit more complex but I like that. I think mine has a borderline personality disorder.


I think that's true of all cats. 



sierra09 said:


> I probably won't be around as much this weekend. Mom's in the hospital again(911 at 2AM wasn't a good way to wake up) and since it's Friday I can't get no one to tell me what small amount of fluid in the lungs mean. It could be one of three things from what I've read online and one of those would be reallllllly bad.


I hate those middle of the night calls. It got to the point where I kept an emergency bag packed with books (pre-kindle), change for the machines, toiletries and clean undies.

Hope it's not the really bad thing.

TKD testing tonight. I brought Ginny with me and made a lot of progress. 476 pages and 152,936 words. Didn't get home until late and I'm in no mood to continue on. It's going really fast, now, but I won't jinx myself by saying more.


----------



## ReeseReed

Don't know why it's so tough right now...it's been like pulling teeth to get it started tonight.  Maybe it's just not late enough yet.  I tend to do best far into the evening hours.


----------



## ReeseReed

Okay, managed to get 760 words done.  Going to break for a bit and see if I can get back to it.  I want to do so much more, but not quite sure how my characters are feeling right now...need some time to reflect on their recent actions.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Okay, managed to get 760 words done. Going to break for a bit and see if I can get back to it. I want to do so much more, but not quite sure how my characters are feeling right now...need some time to reflect on their recent actions.


Mine usually tell me about an hour after I've fallen asleep. Then I'm up until the wee hours writing. Reminds me of those 2am feedings.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mine usually tell me about an hour after I've fallen asleep. Then I'm up until the wee hours writing. Reminds me of those 2am feedings.


Right now I'd be happy with even that!


----------



## ReeseReed

Slowly but surely...it's coming along 

*ETA* Just as I suspected, it was just too early...once one a.m. hit, I cranked out 3K words


----------



## Ami Braverman

ReeseReed said:


> Slowly but surely...it's coming along
> 
> *ETA* Just as I suspected, it was just too early...once one a.m. hit, I cranked out 3K words


I love late night writing. Everything is quiet and the mind seems to fill in the noise with stories, sometimes in a mad frenzy such that my fingers just can't keep up.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Slowly but surely...it's coming along
> 
> *ETA* Just as I suspected, it was just too early...once one a.m. hit, I cranked out 3K words


Yay!!



Ami Braverman said:


> I love late night writing. Everything is quiet and the mind seems to fill in the noise with stories, sometimes in a mad frenzy such that my fingers just can't keep up.


I need noise. I have to have the TV on or at least music. I bring Ginny with me to GS's TKD classes, and amid all the Keeyah's and Hups, my fingers fly. When he's sparring, I can watch him and keep typing. It's a gift.


----------



## harfner

It can joyfully be announced:

Ace Books has acquired a new steampunk trilogy from Steven Harper (me).  Series title: THE BRAIN PLAGUE.

In Book One, THE DOOMSDAY VAULT, Alice Webb and Gavin Michael join an underground police force in Victorian London, where they fight zombies, mad scientists, and air pirates in an attempt to save the British Empire from a terrible plague, only to discover that the cure may be worse than the disease.

Books two and three are tentatively titled THE IMPOSSIBLE CUBE and THE DRAGON MEN.

THE DOOMSDAY VAULT is due on December 1, 2010.  THE IMPOSSIBLE CUBE is due on July 1, 2011, and THE DRAGON MEN is due on February 1, 2012.  (In other words, I have about seven months to write each book.  Whoo!  My fingers will be a-flyin'!)

Anne Sowards at Ace will be editing.  They'll come out in print.  I don't know about ebook, but I'm assuming . . . 

We're very happy over here.


----------



## ReeseReed

harfner said:


> It can joyfully be announced:
> 
> Ace Books has acquired a new steampunk trilogy from Steven Harper (me). Series title: THE BRAIN PLAGUE.
> 
> In Book One, THE DOOMSDAY VAULT, Alice Webb and Gavin Michael join an underground police force in Victorian London, where they fight zombies, mad scientists, and air pirates in an attempt to save the British Empire from a terrible plague, only to discover that the cure may be worse than the disease.
> 
> Books two and three are tentatively titled THE IMPOSSIBLE CUBE and THE DRAGON MEN.
> 
> THE DOOMSDAY VAULT is due on December 1, 2010. THE IMPOSSIBLE CUBE is due on July 1, 2011, and THE DRAGON MEN is due on February 1, 2012. (In other words, I have about seven months to write each book. Whoo! My fingers will be a-flyin'!)
> 
> Anne Sowards at Ace will be editing. They'll come out in print. I don't know about ebook, but I'm assuming . . .
> 
> We're very happy over here.


AWESOME! So exciting! Congrats to you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Fantastic, Harfner.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm glad I got a little (very little) writing in this morning before I took the GKs to see _How to Train Your Dragon_. Everything I've written tonight is stiff and awkward and I'm throwing it out.

Having some birthday cake now. Maybe it will unclog something (but not my arteries).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,200 words today - 2,000 new on The People's Treasure and 3,300 on revisions to Surviving an American Gulag. Still need to brush up some of those 2,000 words. Rarely do I get to write about . . . scorpions.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 5,200 words today - 2,000 new on The People's Treasure and 3,300 on revisions to Surviving an American Gulag. Still need to brush up some of those 2,000 words. Rarely do I get to write about . . . scorpions.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Good day's work, Ed.

I didn't know you were writing about me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 3300 words today. I'm actually surprised it's that many! Finished off chapter 5 of the whatever-it's-called book I'm working on now...Time to zonk out!


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm glad I got a little (very little) writing in this morning before I took the GKs to see _How to Train Your Dragon_. Everything I've written tonight is stiff and awkward and I'm throwing it out.
> 
> Having some birthday cake now. Maybe it will unclog something (but not my arteries).


Off-topic, but how did you like the movie? My boys are wanting to go see it next week.


----------



## ReeseReed

I'm not even attempting to start until after 10 tonight.  Maybe even after 11 since my kids still seem pretty wound up right now at 9:30.  I agonized over a chapter all last night, when I should have just waited until it was later...I'm always most productive then.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Off-topic, but how did you like the movie? My boys are wanting to go see it next week.


The five year old (almost six) spent a lot of the movie with her hands over her ears and either clinging to me or with her head in the popcorn bag. She hates loud noises, and it's very loud. It starts out with lots of explosions and fire-breathing dragons. She still loved it. The 11 year old was a little more sophisticated about it. When there was a part he couldn't watch, he told me he had to go to the bathroom. Obviously, there are some tough scenes.

The adult Vikings in the movie spoke with a Scots accent. The kids spoke in American accents. It was a little weird getting used to it. Hiccup the Hero was quite a character. Not a typical Viking which is really the premise of the movie.

I'm not sure how I felt about the movie. I enjoyed it, but unlike The Squeakwel and Dawn of the Dinosaurs, I'm not anxiously waiting for the DVD to come out.

Back on-topic. I ditched the last page I wrote and now I'm back on track. It's almost 11:30 and I should be winding down to go to bed, but I think I'm going back to writing.


----------



## Imogen Rose

Hi!  I see that some of you are like me, up late at night, writing. I love it, the kids are in bed and I can let my imagination run wild. I am in the middle of writing EQUILIBRIUM at the moment, my sequel to PORTAL.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Love the picture, Gertie, but these are the scorpions you eat. Very popular dish in Bei-jing. Crispy stingers.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Love the picture, Gertie, but these are the scorpions you eat. Very popular dish in Bei-jing. Crispy stingers.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Eeeuuuuwww. Maybe dipped in chocolate? 

I ended up last night with 479 pages and 153,845 words. I was hoping for no more than 500 pages, but it looks like I'll go a little bit over. I have the feeling the revisions will be murder on this one.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Love the picture, Gertie, but these are the scorpions you eat. Very popular dish in Bei-jing. Crispy stingers.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I'll take a pass on that one! Hate scorpions. Bleah!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll take a pass on that one! Hate scorpions. Bleah!


When you live in the tropics like I do, you learn to shake out your shoes before putting them on. You never know what might have taken up residence overnight.


----------



## Lisa Hinsley

Gertie, great picture! Be sure to shake well.  

On writing news, I've just discovered my new Kindle is great for editing! I'm using the test to speech and adding notes. Brilliant! I am now halfway through the edit of my soon to come book - Sulham Close.

Lisa


----------



## Gertie Kindle

lhinsley said:


> Gertie, great picture! Be sure to shake well.
> 
> On writing news, I've just discovered my new Kindle is great for editing! I'm using the test to speech and adding notes. Brilliant! I am now halfway through the edit of my soon to come book - Sulham Close.
> 
> Lisa


I don't have TTS, but I do use my K for proofing. It's so wonderful not to have to read back the whole thing on the computer, or worse ... gasp, horror ... print out 500 pages.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The grilled scorpions look nasty, so I also passed when I was in night market. I did love the stir fried labrador retriever in Hon Kong. Taste like chicken.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

_Maintaining and Violating POV in a Novel_ by Edward C. Patterson http://bit.ly/cJeBUh via @AddToAny Featured Article at The Indie Spotlight

Edward C. well, you know the rest


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm rapidly approaching the end of C&C and I find myself reluctant to finish. I know how my characters are feeling right now. I know what happens historically and how those events affect C&C. I'm just feeling sad. I think I need a new hat.

Which one do you think looks better on me?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Both would go good with a chiffon dress I have picked out or the Easter parade. Have you asked Betsy, the Hat Lady.

Ed Patterson

Smashwords to get us eBookers up on iPAD, Yippee


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm rapidly approaching the end of C&C and I find myself reluctant to finish. I know how my characters are feeling right now. I know what happens historically and how those events affect C&C. I'm just feeling sad. I think I need a new hat.
> 
> Which one do you think looks better on me?


I personally like the one on the left with the fruit bowl. The one on the right looks rather...painful.

Ed, we want pics of you in the dress! 

And good news about the iPad thing! I've got to get my other books on Smashwords. Ugh. Too many things to do...!


----------



## ReeseReed

Finished around 1K new words last night, loving where this new work is going.

Took the day off today to read.  It was a gorgeous day today here.  Spent the afternoon in the yard with the kids, reading as they played.  I love days like this.

Back to the grind tomorrow.  Not looking forward to my day job after a five day break.  Oh well, just 3 more weeks until Spring Break.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Not until I get those hats. Fork 'em over.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Not until I get those hats. Fork 'em over.
> 
> Ed Patterson


My hats ... find your own.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'll have to wear my Prussian Officer's helmet woth the blue taffeta.  

8.350 words tonight on Surviving an American Gulag. Lot's of ip and tucks on this oe. (Mike: I'm catching all those nasty little typos that I'm sure you saw when you read the book, back when). But on the whole, I'm pleased and only knocked out one paragraph so far and I'm 3/4rds done.
Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'll have to wear my Prussian Officer's helmet woth the blue taffeta.


I wanna picture! 



> 8.350 words tonight on Surviving an American Gulag. Lot's of ip and tucks on this oe. (Mike: I'm catching all those nasty little typos that I'm sure you saw when you read the book, back when). But on the whole, I'm pleased and only knocked out one paragraph so far and I'm 3/4rds done.
> Ed Patterson


Hey, I still really enjoyed the book!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Mike. I still peddle your review to get more readers.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ami Braverman

Happy passover people.
Well at least happy passover to me. Don't know who else is jewish here.  

With the holidays comes the excitement of my new project. I am trying my hand at fantasy. 4000 words already and a whole world is opening itself up to me. Life is so much better when I am in the middle of writing a new book. It's a real rush.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm not Jewish, but I'm from Brooklyn and have been to enough seda dinners to leave the door open. So, happy pesach.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lisa Hinsley

91% through the edit I'm doing on my Kindle. Got another chapter I need to write some time some, then I'm going to beg my editor to line edit this book for me (she did a fab job on Coombe's Wood).

Lisa


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had a monster thunderstorm last night, so I had to shut down the computers.  Couldn't get back here because the storms lasted until well into the wee hours.  

So, yesterday's report.  Up to 483 pages and 155K words.  Closing in on the end.


----------



## Ami Braverman

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'm not Jewish, but I'm from Brooklyn and have been to enough seda dinners to leave the door open. So, happy pesach.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

156K words for 486 pages.  I hoped to do a little more today, but my phone kept ringing. It doesn't matter. I'm sure I'll be finished before the end of the week.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 words toniht on The People's Treasure. A fun chapter discussing Chinese government corruption, starring a character name Gou P'i (and Peg of the red pencil loves the name, that I should have a character called GO PEE). Of course, the name doesn;t mean that in Chinese. It's a Chinese curse word and means


Spoiler



bullshit


, and translates literlly to pig


Spoiler



farts


.  I d hae fun ith this stuff. I really do.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lisa Hinsley

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,700 words toniht on The People's Treasure. A fun chapter discussing Chinese government corruption, starring a character name Gou P'i (and Peg of the red pencil loves the name, that I should have a character called GO PEE). Of course, the name doesn;t mean that in Chinese. It's a Chinese curse word and means
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> bullshit
> 
> 
> , and translates literlly to pig
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> farts
> 
> 
> .  I d hae fun ith this stuff. I really do.
> 
> Ed Patterson


You named a character pig


Spoiler



farts


. That really is very silly.


----------



## Ami Braverman

I sometimes find it hard to concentrate on the scene at hand because I am too focused on the overall plot. How do you deal with this problem? What are your personal tricks at focusing?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, the character is the epitome of the Chinese party fat-cat and bears a resemblance to a certain hisoric chaiman . . .

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ami Braverman said:


> I sometimes find it hard to concentrate on the scene at hand because I am too focused on the overall plot. How do you deal with this problem? What are your personal tricks at focusing?


I also get anxious to move on.

There was one particular scene that was screaming at me to get to it. I gave in, wrote it, and then went back to fill in with a clear conscience. Ended up having to change what I wrote because when I got back there, all the elements didn't work. That was okay. I just had to take the pressure off myself so I didn't rush the writing to get there.

Maybe you should look into the Snowflake method. It wouldn't work for me, but it might be more satisfying for you.


----------



## Ami Braverman

Thanks Gertie
Could you elaborate on the snowflake method?


----------



## J Dean

alllllllllmmmmmoooooooooossssst theeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrreeeee........


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ami Braverman said:


> Thanks Gertie
> Could you elaborate on the snowflake method?


Basically it's a method of working on the whole story at once and then going back and building layer by layer. Here's a link. It's an interesting concept.

http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I think I prefer the snowball method! 

Actually managed to get a little writing in late last night. Not a lot, but some - considering it was a long drive and we were pretty wiped yesterday evening. Hopefully more tonight - the hero's in pretty desperate trouble at the moment, just doesn't realize how much yet...


----------



## Jeff

I prefer the oddball method.

The rough draft of _Lonely is the Soldier_, with the corrected references to the war in Afghanistan, is complete. Looks like about 600 pages. I'm hoping to have it polished and ready to ship to Susan in Virginia by next week. To those of you waiting, not so patiently, an April publication is still remotely possible.

Speaking of hoping: While Susan's proofing I hope to be beta reading the new book from Margaret Lake.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think I prefer the snowball method!














> Actually managed to get a little writing in late last night. Not a lot, but some - considering it was a long drive and we were pretty wiped yesterday evening. Hopefully more tonight - the hero's in pretty desperate trouble at the moment, just doesn't realize how much yet...


I had to wait at H&RB for my Mom to get her taxes done today, so I got in a page and a half. Love my netbook.

My heroine is in deep tapioca, too, and about to sink further into mortal peril.

She's just going to have to wait until Ginny is charged up again. I forgot to put her on the charger when I got home. Probably do have enough battery left, but I don't want to take the chance.


----------



## ReeseReed

Ami Braverman said:


> I sometimes find it hard to concentrate on the scene at hand because I am too focused on the overall plot. How do you deal with this problem? What are your personal tricks at focusing?


The only thing I've found to help is keeping a notepad nearby and jotting down notes...otherwise I get caught up and worry I'm going to forget something.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> The rough draft of _Lonely is the Soldier_, with the corrected references to the war in Afghanistan, is complete. Looks like about 600 pages. I'm hoping to have it polished and ready to ship to Susan in Virginia by next week. To those of you waiting, not so patiently, an April publication is still remotely possible.


I'm really looking forward to this one. I should be finished with Land of the Free by then, and I'll put off Home of the Brave unless doing that will throw off the continuity (?).



> Speaking of hoping: While Susan's proofing I hope to be beta reading the new book from Margaret Lake.


I think that's a distinct possibility.  I'm hoping to be finished by Friday and I'll go right into revisions/proofing on Saturday. Get ready for a long one.

Back to work.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm really looking forward to this one. I should be finished with Land of the Free by then, and I'll put off Home of the Brave unless doing that will throw off the continuity (?).


I really should have published _Land of the Free_ and _Home of the Brave_ as one big 800 page book. I think you'll enjoy them more if you read them back-to-back.



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm hoping to be finished by Friday and I'll go right into revisions/proofing on Saturday. Get ready for a long one.


Unless I discover another big problem I should be ready whenever you are. What fun. With the exception of Mike's latest book, I haven't read anything except research for months.

EDIT: Oops. I read one of Magnolia Belle's books too and pretended that it was research.


----------



## ReeseReed

Working a full-time job, then coming home to work a second shift (a.k.a. caring for my family) is doing a number on me this week.  My husband has been helping a neighbor out with tiling his kitchen floor, so he's been away during the afternoon and a good part of the night this week.  I haven't even been able to think about my writing.  It makes me sad, but I know my turn will be coming up soon.  Get ready, Hubbie.  

Major props to all you single mothers out there.  Don't know how you do it!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I really should have published _Land of the Free_ and _Home of the Brave_ as one big 800 page book. I think you'll enjoy them more if you read them back-to-back.


800 pages? I'm going to need a bigger reading room.  Bring it on. I love the long ones.



> Unless I discover another big problem I should be ready whenever you are. What fun. With the exception of Mike's latest book, I haven't read anything except research for months.
> 
> EDIT: Oops. I read one of Magnolia Belle's books too and pretended that it was research.


And I'm sure you learned a lot. 

I'm taking a break because I just finished a semi-hair raising scene. Nobody is really safe yet, and my heroine may be going down for the third time. I need to breathe (and crack open a Dr. Pepper) before I dive back in.

I'm up to 491 pages and 157,500 words.

See you later.


----------



## ReeseReed

Y'all are ASTOUNDING me with these word counts!  Seriously...I'm so excited that my new work is at 20K words and I'm just getting started...I'm really hoping I make it to 60K with this one.  150K words?  Wow.  I can't even fathom that!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

10,069 words tonight all on Surviving an American Gulag - coming into the stretch on this revision (this work is 70,000 words long, a relative shorty). Probably going to redesign the paperback cover to match the Kindle cover. (Got some work to do there). Peg of the Red Pencil has kept up with me, and all I need to do is Katie the Kindlespreche work. I'm thinking that, in honor of spring, April, my birthday and my 5,000th book, I might run Oh Dainy Triolet for 1 week at $.99 (which is really a 3 for one sale) through Smashwords, and only here at Kindleboards. It's risky (and I might get cold feet) because the three novellas are my best selling works as a group. Although Turning Idolater has been moving for three months solid since a buzz started on the Romance genre Amazon thread, and now this morning some favorable yak on it on the Kindle 2 forum. 

The People's Treasure is about 1/3rd done and stands so far at 77,000 words.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Y'all are ASTOUNDING me with these word counts! Seriously...I'm so excited that my new work is at 20K words and I'm just getting started...I'm really hoping I make it to 60K with this one. 150K words? Wow. I can't even fathom that!


I don't know about anyone else, but I just can't seem to shut myself up. 

Packing it in for the night. 493 pages, 158K words. A good day's fun work.


----------



## farrellclaire

Got a _lot _ of editing done, was pleasantly surprised to discover that the middle section is stronger than I thought. Although the beginning looks weaker everytime I read it. It's like picking at a scab, I mess at it so much.

Someone made an encouraging comment about a novel I'm working on, they also made an offhand remark but it completely clicked with me and I slightly changed four chapters based on it. So, thanks relative stranger


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did a solid 2 hours editing The Death of Promises. I'm nearing the end of the book, and by this point I think my writing was maturing. Still, I was using less and less red ink on each page as I went along. As much as I'd like to think I am improving, methinks I just got too tired to think of any improvements to the sentences. Absolutely exhausting. Nearly 1/3 of this book is the siege of a giant city, with blood elementals smashing walls, wolf-men chasing those who fled, magic and fire exploding everywhere, orcs assaulting one gate, bird-men clawing at another, paladins and dark paladins clashing while evil clerics cast spells over the city...I remember being exhausted after finishing this book, and as I edit I remember why. I think I shot a little too high on this one.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Did a solid 2 hours editing The Death of Promises. I'm nearing the end of the book, and by this point I think my writing was maturing. Still, I was using less and less red ink on each page as I went along. As much as I'd like to think I am improving, methinks I just got too tired to think of any improvements to the sentences. Absolutely exhausting. Nearly 1/3 of this book is the siege of a giant city, with blood elementals smashing walls, wolf-men chasing those who fled, magic and fire exploding everywhere, orcs assaulting one gate, bird-men clawing at another, paladins and dark paladins clashing while evil clerics cast spells over the city...I remember being exhausted after finishing this book, and as I edit I remember why. I think I shot a little too high on this one.
> 
> David Dalglish


So, you're saying this is not a book I should read to help me sleep?


----------



## Ami Braverman

Half-Orc said:


> Did a solid 2 hours editing The Death of Promises. I'm nearing the end of the book, and by this point I think my writing was maturing. Still, I was using less and less red ink on each page as I went along. As much as I'd like to think I am improving, methinks I just got too tired to think of any improvements to the sentences. Absolutely exhausting. Nearly 1/3 of this book is the siege of a giant city, with blood elementals smashing walls, wolf-men chasing those who fled, magic and fire exploding everywhere, orcs assaulting one gate, bird-men clawing at another, paladins and dark paladins clashing while evil clerics cast spells over the city...I remember being exhausted after finishing this book, and as I edit I remember why. I think I shot a little too high on this one.
> 
> David Dalglish


Is it a romantic comedy?
That sort of sounds like a spicy Latin love scene. Maybe Penelope Cruz can play the heroine in the movie...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sounds like lots of progress being made on all fronts out there - good onya! 

Heading home from the resort today. Managed 2600 words while we've been here in Massanutten, which sorta shocked me: didn't realize I'd written that much! With a little luck, I'll probably be finishing chapter 6 of GMO tonight...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Ami Braverman said:


> Is it a romantic comedy?
> That sort of sounds like a spicy Latin love scene. Maybe Penelope Cruz can play the heroine in the movie...


Penelope Cruz with tiny elf ears and a dress...

That could work.


----------



## sierra09

Jeff said:


> EDIT: Oops. I read one of Magnolia Belle's books too and pretended that it was research.


Now see I can't use that excuse when I read one of Belle's books because I get too lost in them...though I'm reading her Black Wolf series and I'm a sucker for books on brothers so that's my excuse for losing myself in them. 

I was hoping to get back to writing or editing something since Mom came home yesterday but then other stuff happened and today I just can't get into it.


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff and Gertie,
It looks like April/May will be a two-fer.
I couldn't be more pleased.
Finally the second book from our fair Margaret.
And the new "modern" book from Jeff.

I'm ready for it.

You guys have given me a break (having devoured Jeff's two new books, and Mike's latest and Ian's story from Sierra recently) I now have had time to read a DTB from C.J. Cherryh and the latest from Raymond Feist.
It is time for another of Ed's books and hopefully then Jeff and Gertie will have their work ready.

Yes and I do find time to work every day (the feds need me, or something).
Just sayin.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Yes and I do find time to work every day (the feds need me, or something).
> Just sayin.....


Silly of them, isn't it.










Can't do much today. GS's belt ceremony (he just went to brown) and I won't get home until late. I hope to go full bore on the last chapter tomorrow and finish up on Friday. That's the plan.

So many wonderful books by our own authors. I'll never get to all of them. <sigh>


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Started work on a new novel, since even though I'm editing I should still be writing, right? Its a stand-alone introducing one of my character's origins called _A Dance of Cloaks._ About 2500 words, booyah.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Started work on a new novel, since even though I'm editing I should still be writing, right? Its a stand-alone introducing one of my character's origins called _A Dance of Cloaks._ About 2500 words, booyah.
> 
> David Dalglish


You little multi-tasker, you. 

Up to 159K and 496 pages. I'm at a good stopping point. Tomorrow is the big push to finish.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And here's the cover for Surviving an American Gulag (nearly the same as the curent Kindle version, but significantly different from the paperback)








Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Another great cover, Ed.


----------



## J Dean

DONE!!!!!!!!


----------



## farrellclaire

Finished a round of editing today.  Still needs a lot of work so I'm leaving it until next month to get a fresh look at it.  Started work on a novella that has to be finished too soon but I've a headache so probably won't get much else done until later.  Hoping I'll get my second wind tonight because I've lots to do but I'm too distracted by a fun little contest I took part in to concentrate on hard work.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

J Dean said:


> DONE!!!!!!!!


Ah, you beat me. Congratulations.


----------



## J Dean

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ah, you beat me. Congratulations.


Thank you, ma'am.

I don't know what it was about this second novel, but it seemed as if every possible interruption that could have happened to me (short of death) did happen. Now, Mrs. J. Dean just needs to help out with the editing (  ) and the third novel starts rolling on Monday!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats, J!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

farrellclaire said:


> Finished a round of editing today. Still needs a lot of work so I'm leaving it until next month to get a fresh look at it. Started work on a novella that has to be finished too soon but I've a headache so probably won't get much else done until later. Hoping I'll get my second wind tonight because I've lots to do but I'm too distracted by a fun little contest I took part in to concentrate on hard work.


Busy man!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Final stats (first draft) Just over 502 pages. Word count, 161,142.

I've always known, even before I started writing this book, what the last line would be. Getting there and having that line work perfectly, kind of got to me. I think I'll go have some chocolate.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Final stats (first draft) Just over 502 pages. Word count, 161,142.
> 
> I've always known, even before I started writing this book, what the last line would be. Getting there and having that line work perfectly, kind of got to me. I think I'll go have some chocolate.


W00t!! Congrats!! 

I just finished chapter 6 of _Genetically Modified Organism_. 30,442 words so far. Now I think it's time for a nap!


----------



## Ami Braverman

Michael R. Hicks said:


> W00t!! Congrats!!
> 
> I just finished chapter 6 of _Genetically Modified Organism_. 30,442 words so far. Now I think it's time for a nap!


A nap does sound good. Although technically for me it's sleeping since it's ten o'clock at night here but I like to call it napping in any case. Naps are more fun!


----------



## kellyabell

Just popped in to say hi to everyone.  I've been missing in action since I have been in the process of switching publishers.  Looks like everyone is being productive.  I'm starting the second book in the Haunted Destiny series and just can't seem to get my carcass in gear.  I'll try to drop in more often.  I enjoy your friendship and encouragement.

Kelly


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Final stats (first draft) Just over 502 pages. Word count, 161,142.
> 
> I've always known, even before I started writing this book, what the last line would be. Getting there and having that line work perfectly, kind of got to me. I think I'll go have some chocolate.


Congratulations, Gertie. That's amazing. How long did it take you to write that many words?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> Congratulations, Gertie. That's amazing. How long did it take you to write that many words?


Forever. On 2/27, I was at 113K. That's when I really started pushing. So that's close to 50K words in about five weeks. Some days I only wrote a few hundred words, but I promised myself that I would write every day, even if it was only a sentence.

Now the real fun begins ... right?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

50k in five weeks? If I wore a hat, I'd take it off for you. So I'll just say very impressive.

Pulled only 1500 words on A Dance of Cloaks. I'm too preoccupied. I should be getting a 2 month stint as a para professional for a severely disabled 18 year-old at a high school. Had a phone talk with the process coordinator. Should find out if I got the job tomorrow.

*crosses fingers*

David


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> 50k in five weeks? If I wore a hat, I'd take it off for you. So I'll just say very impressive.


Since I'm one of our resident hat ladies ...












> Pulled only 1500 words on A Dance of Cloaks. I'm too preoccupied. I should be getting a 2 month stint as a para professional for a severely disabled 18 year-old at a high school. Had a phone talk with the process coordinator. Should find out if I got the job tomorrow.
> 
> *crosses fingers*
> 
> David


Good luck. What happened with Pizza Hut?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'm in NJ with Dad, so I got nuttin' done. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Well, I didn't want to go back to Pizza Hut until after my birthday (April 2nd), because I'd end up working on it and not able to go see Clash of the Titans. So during that brief extra week off, I ended up hearing about the emergency meeting for a para professional. I'd be two months of experience in the field I plan on entering, plus earn me twice the pay at Pizza Hut.

I think it is one of those "God closed the door, opened a window, shut the window, opened up Ed's ceiling vents, and is now daring me to jump" type things.

David


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Well, I didn't want to go back to Pizza Hut until after my birthday (April 2nd), because I'd end up working on it and not able to go see Clash of the Titans. So during that brief extra week off, I ended up hearing about the emergency meeting for a para professional. I'd be two months of experience in the field I plan on entering, plus earn me twice the pay at Pizza Hut.
> 
> I think it is one of those "God closed the door, opened a window, shut the window, opened up Ed's ceiling vents, and is now daring me to jump" type things.
> 
> David


God's the Man with the Plan for sure. When I try to plan, He laughs.


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Well, I didn't want to go back to Pizza Hut until after my birthday (April 2nd), because I'd end up working on it and not able to go see Clash of the Titans. So during that brief extra week off, I ended up hearing about the emergency meeting for a para professional. I'd be two months of experience in the field I plan on entering, plus earn me twice the pay at Pizza Hut.
> 
> I think it is one of those "God closed the door, opened a window, shut the window, opened up Ed's ceiling vents, and is now daring me to jump" type things.
> 
> David


I love the way you're looking at this.  Best of luck to you! Keep us updated.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I'm in NJ with Dad, so I got nuttin' done.


Not true! You're hangin' out with ur dad!


----------



## ReeseReed

Going to be a busy weekend here...lots of Easter stuff to do with the kids.  Planning to maybe try to stay up late tonight and get some writing done since my weekend will be packed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yep. We're going on Sunday to a tradtional Easter/Birthday dinner at a Japanese Restaurant. Doesn't everyone do Japanese for Easter.

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Yep. We're going on Sunday to a tradtional Easter/Birthday dinner at a Japanese Restaurant. Doesn't everyone do Japanese for Easter.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Oddly enough, I'm planning Japanese for Sunday. I guess it's like us Jews doing Chinese for Christmas.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Proofed/edited 74 pages tonight.  Fell short of my goal, but I didn't realize until I got into it that there were a lot of formatting problems.  I'll have to start earlier tomorrow.


----------



## ReeseReed

Got everyone in bed and managed to churn out about 2500 new words.  So, the weekend's not a total wash


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Got everyone in bed and managed to churn out about 2500 new words. So, the weekend's not a total wash


That's a lot of churning. You look exhausted.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I love the opening of Oklahoma.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's a lot of churning. You look exhausted.


LOL! Thank goodness it wasn't that difficult last night...some nights it seems like that, though!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Spent the morning doing a bit of research for GMO on Titan-I missile bases...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Working with Katie the Kindlespreche on Surviving an American Gulag.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

1650 words on A Dance of Cloaks, plus the final thirty pages proofread in The Death of Promises. Hopefully tonight I can pull another 1500 or so.

David Dalglish


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Spent the morning doing a bit of research for GMO on Titan-I missile bases...


Okay, that sounds like an interesting stretch from what I read of it....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Okay, that sounds like an interesting stretch from what I read of it....


What, from the prologue blurb?


----------



## Steph H

Yeah, if you're like 6 chapters in, how come I haven't seen any alpha-beta material in my email?









(Not that I don't have a million things to do that I'm already not doing, seeing as how I'm currently in the office on Saturday of a 3-day holiday weekend, but that's not the point...







)


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> What, from the prologue blurb?


Yup



Steph H said:


> Yeah, if you're like 6 chapters in, how come I haven't seen any alpha-beta material in my email?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Not that I don't have a million things to do that I'm already not doing, seeing as how I'm currently in the office on Saturday of a 3-day holiday weekend, but that's not the point...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


And what she said.... where's our draft.

BTW, Steph, love the emoticons!


----------



## Steph H

Thanks!  I find 'em all over the place and throw 'em on my website so I can use them where I want.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Yeah, if you're like 6 chapters in, how come I haven't seen any alpha-beta material in my email?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Not that I don't have a million things to do that I'm already not doing, seeing as how I'm currently in the office on Saturday of a 3-day holiday weekend, but that's not the point...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Umm...well, I may have to do GMO a bit differently than the others. Since it's not a totally fantasy-based thingy, I'm sorta obligated to run the draft through an approval process at work to make sure there's no proprietary junkaroni in it (there isn't, but I don't wanna get yelled at for not checking the boxes, as it were) before releasing it to anyone else. Not my preferred way to do things, but... <sigh>

Anyway, I'll try to write it as fast as I can, although I keep getting bogged down in research. Ack!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

34 pages today. Less formatting problems, but I had to do some rewriting.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Somehow this thread fell beyond the first page. Clearly this needed remedied, and I'm the man to do it!

Punched a ton of edits I had written on paper into the actual word file on my computer. Nice tedious work, but I got a ton of them put in (like 1/8th of the novel). Also, its been a phenomenal start of the month for me in sales, anyone else hopefully having similar success? My gut's guessing a lot of people with free time for Easter. Right now I'm on pace to double my sales of the previous month. Fingers crossed that such stupidly happy times continue, and are being shared by all!  

David


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Somehow this thread fell beyond the first page. Clearly this needed remedied, and I'm the man to do it!


Thanks. I just decided to call it quits for the night, and I didn't feel like searching for the thread.



> Punched a ton of edits I had written on paper into the actual word file on my computer. Nice tedious work, but I got a ton of them put in (like 1/8th of the novel).


I'm nearly halfway through (Pg 227), but I plan on going through it again.



> Also, its been a phenomenal start of the month for me in sales, anyone else hopefully having similar success? My gut's guessing a lot of people with free time for Easter. Right now I'm on pace to double my sales of the previous month. Fingers crossed that such stupidly happy times continue, and are being shared by all!
> 
> David


I don't know why, but so far this month, I've doubled my average for the past two months. Glad to hear you're doing so well. Hope the sales hold up for the rest of the month.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Question for you author types, since I can't seem to find a definitive answer through the almighty google:

Is the correct term "David arced his back" or "David arched his back"?

I found myself using both throughout my story, and clearly I need to use just one, and preferably the correct one.

David


----------



## Susan in VA

Online reference sources are surprisingly ambiguous on this one. But I _arch_ my back, I don't arc it.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Arc = geometric shape

Arch = a curved structure

Arcing and arching basically would form the same shape, but which is appropriate for a human to do? And of course YOU arch your back. Your avatar picture is a cat.  

David


----------



## Susan in VA

My cats arch theirs too.


----------



## Jeff

Arch is the correct verb.

Anyone out there interested in beta reading _Lonely is the Soldier_ before I send it to Susan for a final edit? It needs to be checked for continuity and to make sure that I didn't leave any unexplained gaps in the story-line when I re-wrote and shortened it.

The MS is about 150,000 words and 600 pages. The content is violent and the language is vulgar and profane.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I'm on pace for Script Frenzy (month-long script writing competition, sister site to National Novel Writing Month, goal is to write 100 script pages in 30 days: www.scriptfrenzy.org). I hit 14 pages of my musical stage play yesterday, hoping to get to 20 before the Butler - Duke game starts tonight.

And on an inspirational note, my novel The Twenty Dollar bill garnered its 11th 5-star review on Amazon today. 

Have a great writing day, everyone.
Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Arch is the correct verb.
> 
> Anyone out there interested in beta reading _Lonely is the Soldier_ before I send it to Susan for a final edit? It needs to be checked for continuity and to make sure that I didn't leave any unexplained gaps in the story-line when I re-wrote and shortened it.
> 
> The MS is about 150,000 words and 600 pages. The content is violent and the language is vulgar and profane.


You know I'm dying to read the book, but I'm only about halfway through _Land of the Free_ and then you suggested I read _Home of the Brave_ before _Lonely is the Soldier_.

Wish I could help.


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff said:


> Arch is the correct verb.
> 
> Anyone out there interested in beta reading _Lonely is the Soldier_ before I send it to Susan for a final edit? It needs to be checked for continuity and to make sure that I didn't leave any unexplained gaps in the story-line when I re-wrote and shortened it.
> 
> The MS is about 150,000 words and 600 pages. The content is violent and the language is vulgar and profane.


Jeff,
I actually am between books and have the time to do this quickly for you, if you want.
And unlike Gertie, I HAVE finished everything else you have written.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Jeff,
> I actually am between books and have the time to do this quickly for you, if you want.
> And unlike Gertie, I HAVE finished everything else you have written.


It's reading or writing.


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Jeff,
> I actually am between books and have the time to do this quickly for you, if you want.
> And unlike Gertie, I HAVE finished everything else you have written.


You are a prince, my friend. Let me upload a Kindle version to my web server and I'll shoot you a PM.

Thanks,

Jeff


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Managed to scrape together 2300 words last night. I'm not sure how that happened - I only thought I wrote about 1000! Time to get in some more. Glad everybody is cranking along, and happy birthday to Ed!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's reading or writing.


Write!

Keep it up, Mike.

Happy birthday, Ed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Write!


Good suggestion.

I edited through Page 330 last night and now I'm up to page 377. Off to an appt for now, but I'll be back at it tonight. This is just the first run-through. I intend to give it another going over before I send it to you.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I intend to give it another going over before I send it to you.


Hurry up. I'm bored.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Whew.

Spent about three hours going over all my pages of edits and punching them into the computer file. Still going at it, but I'm running out of steam. Thankfully I switched from a black pen to a red about halfway through, made it a heck of a lot easier to see what it was I had changed.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Hurry up. I'm bored.


No pressure ...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

520 pages including the Afterword.  Should that be afterwArd or afterwOrd?  I have to add that because new archeological discoveries changed the final scenes.  

I just have to go back and make a few changes, plus rewrite two or three scenes.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Should that be afterwArd or afterwOrd?


Well, if your prologue is spelled forward instead of foreword it should absolutely be "afterward". The only problem with afterword is that it's rarely used. How about epilogue?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 520 pages including the Afterword. Should that be afterwArd or afterwOrd? I have to add that because new archeological discoveries changed the final scenes.
> 
> I just have to go back and make a few changes, plus rewrite two or three scenes.


YAAAAYYY!


----------



## Jeff

^^^ Yes, I forgot to say that.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Well, if your prologue is spelled forward instead of foreword it should absolutely be "afterward". The only problem with afterword is that it's rarely used. How about epilogue?


It's not an epilogue. It's a page explaining the changes I made to the historical facts. One was just for the story. The other was for new archaeological discoveries announced on 2/10/10 which changed how I handled the final scenes.

It's not really a disclaimer. Any suggestions what I should call it? Phillipa Gregory uses "Author's Note." How does that sound?



Michael R. Hicks said:


> YAAAAYYY!





Jeff said:


> ^^^ Yes, I forgot to say that.


Thank you, thank you.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

If it is so directly tied to real world changes and history, I would go with "Author's Note."

Wrote 2951 words on A Dance of Cloaks. My mom watched my daughter for the whole day, so I had plenty of time to be productive. Was nice.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,870 words last night on The People's Treasure.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> If it is so directly tied to real world changes and history, I would go with "Author's Note."


Yes it is. I also checked Susan Howatch and she uses Author's Note. That's what I'm going to do.



> Wrote 2951 words on A Dance of Cloaks. My mom watched my daughter for the whole day, so I had plenty of time to be productive. Was nice.
> 
> David Dalglish


Thank goodness for Grandma's (I can say that since I am one).


----------



## ReeseReed

I was reading a book to my second grade class today, and I finally had the flash of inspiration for the JF I've been wanting to write.  I went straight to the library after picking up my kids and started research.  I'm so excited about this idea, but see a serious derailment about to happen with the adult novel I'm about a quarter of the way through.  That seems to be how I'm operating lately.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

"Grandma" is the only reason me and my wife survived baby Morgan during that first year. Well, survived partially sane anyway.

David


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> I was reading a book to my second grade class today, and I finally had the flash of inspiration for the JF I've been wanting to write. I went straight to the library after picking up my kids and started research. I'm so excited about this idea, but see a serious derailment about to happen with the adult novel I'm about a quarter of the way through. That seems to be how I'm operating lately.


Amazing how many different ways inspiration can come at you.



Half-Orc said:


> "Grandma" is the only reason me and my wife survived baby Morgan during that first year. Well, survived partially sane anyway.
> 
> David


My theory is that the only important thing is the survival of the parents. Let the kids grow up and get their own psychiatrists.


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> Hurry up. I'm bored.


Aren't you forgetting something?? What happened to _Johnny Comes Marching Home_?  Do I need to go borrow Steph's whip?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Time to stop.  My eyeballs are going wonky.


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> Aren't you forgetting something?? What happened to _Johnny Comes Marching Home_?  Do I need to go borrow Steph's whip?


Hahaha. No whips required. I'm working on the time line but I don't want to get too deep into the plot until Geoff has offered his feedback and you've blessed _Lonely is the Soldier_.


----------



## Susan in VA

So you think that means you get a couple of weeks off??  

Hmph.


----------



## Jeff

If Gertie would ignore her wonky eyeballs I could be beta reading.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> If Gertie would ignore her wonky eyeballs I could be beta reading.


Get your reading glasses shined up. You'll have it tomorrow morning.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Get your reading glasses shined up. You'll have it tomorrow morning.


Terrific. Now if I can get Susan to put her whip away for a few days...


----------



## kdawnbyrd

Have any of you guys ever taken the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge? I'd highly recommend it. I completed the challenge in November and it changed the way I write forever. The NaNoWriMo challenge is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I work a full-time job, so writing time is limited. NaNoWriMo taught me to set goals and it taught me not to look back. With such tight time constraints, there's no time to back up and edit. You must move forward. I loved it and will taking the challenge again this year. If you've taken the NaNoWriMo challenge, what was your experience?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Terrific. Now if I can get Susan to put her whip away for a few days...


Susan ... Heel!!!


----------



## kdawnbyrd

I'm a member of a group of writers that 2,000 strong. I recently discovered how to add up to 10 pages to a blog. I was surprise at how many authors didn't realize this was even possible. If you've not done this and would like to learn how,  you can check it out on my blog under the "blogger tips for the technically challenged page."
www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> Terrific. Now if I can get Susan to put her whip away for a few days...


Not mine... and Steph probably needs it anyway, since Mike's working on something....


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> Not mine... and Steph probably needs it anyway, since Mike's working on something....


and I heard that Mike's into whips.


----------



## Susan in VA

This is the way rumors start.


----------



## telracs

Steph and Susan whipping Mike and Jeff?  How'd I miss this?


----------



## Jeff

Hey, it's no rumor, it's a fact. Ask Tesh-Dar.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Hey, it's no rumor, it's a fact. Ask Tesh-Dar.


Ah, but don't confuse the author with the character.


----------



## Susan in VA

Geez scarlet, don't shout, everyone will be wanting to watch.


----------



## telracs

Susan in VA said:


> Geez scarlet, don't shout, everyone will be wanting to watch.


Shout? Where did I shout? I didn't SHOUT!


----------



## Susan in VA

Good.

On a TOTALLY unrelated topic (and maybe I should start a separate thread for this, but all you author types are already _here_, so it makes sense to ask here) --

A friend of mine has a daughter who's 14 and heavily into writing. Short stories, stuff for her school paper, journals, etc. I've not read much of it but the kid's teachers think it's promising, and the girl is hoping for a writing-related career. My friend is considering sending her daughter to a two-week summer camp which focuses on creative writing. The daughter is worried that she'll _have_ to write for two weeks straight even if she doesn't feel like it.

So the question to y'all (see, Jeff, I'm adjusting!) is, do you think creative writing classes are worth it? Have you taken any that were a waste of time? Have you_ not_ taken them and wished you had? I told my friend I'd ask here and try to get some feedback from Real Authors.


----------



## Steph H

Susan in VA said:


> Not mine... and Steph probably needs it anyway, since Mike's working on something....


I'm happy to share so you can keep Jeff in line...


----------



## Susan in VA

Steph H said:


> I'm happy to share so you can keep Jeff in line...


Thank you. But for the next few days I think that will be Gertie's job. That's ok, it gives me a chance to polish my stilettoes dig out the red pen.


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> So the question to y'all (see, Jeff, I'm adjusting!) is, do you think creative writing classes are worth it? Have you taken any that were a waste of time? Have you_ not_ taken them and wished you had? I told my friend I'd ask here and try to get some feedback from Real Authors.


I took a creative writing course in college but I found my own style of writing by writing. I don't follow any of established rules of structure, voice, or point of view. In fact, I often break the rules intentionally, just to shake up the reader. Hmm. Maybe I'm not a even Real Author.


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> That's ok, it gives me a chance to polish my stilettoes dig out the red pen.


Speaking of stilettos... No. Better send you a PM.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Creative Writing classes are generally a toss-up, with much of the experience depending on the teacher and the classmates. The best thing to do would be to research this camp, and see if you can talk to kids who have been there before, or parents who have already sent their kids once or twice.

Bear in mind, this could also be a wake-up call for her. When she says she wants to write "professionally" what exactly does she think that means? It means writing when you don't want to, even when you're tired, your head hurts, the kids are screaming, and you've got the seventh episode in a row of Spongebob Squarepants blaring in the background.

Besides, she might write something while there that she will be insanely proud of. She also would get experience reading her work aloud to others, something incredibly valuable. It takes guts to start sending out your work to editors and readers to be read and judged. If you can start building up a bit of that protective layer early, I say go for it.

David Dalglish


----------



## sierra09

What entails a real author? Doth a real author not have author eyes, hands? If you prick one do they not bleed?  Don't anyone ask about that. My brain's fried tonight after 5 hours in the ER with Mom again.

Anyway, to the topic...I can't say I took any creative writing classes but that was because I couldn't. I did try one of those mail away writing things(my grandfather's idea) but don't recommend that to anyone. I'm not sure how good they are. I suppose it would depend on the person. I mean, right now she enjoys writing but if she has to write even when she doesn't feel like it that could change her feelings which would be a shame.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

It's only two weeks, it's not a lifetime.  And they'll probably have a lot of fun things to do besides writing.  Since it's a camp for teens, they'll most likely give them fun writing exercises.

One of my boards is loaded with kids that love to write and they are constantly looking for advice on even small things like whether or not they should carry around a notebook.  It's a chance for her to ask questions and maybe get a better idea of what works for her as an aspiring writer.

It sounds like a good experience. I agree with David.  Look into it some more and talk to other parents. Find out how much free-time the kids have and what other activities are involved.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

So job interview today for the para position! I leave in 30 minutes, gyah!

To top it all off, I got an email from Red Adept this morning. She'll be posting a review for The Weight of Blood tomorrow or soon after. I've read her reviews. She'll give out 1 stars, I've seen her give out 1 stars. I don't want 1 star  

Needless to say, I'm a nervous wreck.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> So job interview today for the para position! I leave in 30 minutes, gyah!


Good luck!!



> To top it all off, I got an email from Red Adept this morning. She'll be posting a review for The Weight of Blood tomorrow or soon after. I've read her reviews. She'll give out 1 stars, I've seen her give out 1 stars. I don't want 1 star
> 
> Needless to say, I'm a nervous wreck.


My goodness. You're in for a day. Forget Red Adept's review for now and concentrate on that job you want.


----------



## kdawnbyrd

T.L.:
When I run into a slump like that, I do a plotting or go more indepth in a character worksheet. It seems to get the creative juices flowing for me.


----------



## sierra09

T.L., I have those issues at times....like now. I know there are at least 2 books that should be started but like you I'm not feeling it. Normally, I walk away from that and work on something else. That sometimes starts the drive and I can go back to what I should be doing.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Got the job! Woohoo! Also, when I thanked Red for doing a review of my book, she said I should be pleased with the review. More woohoo!

Good day, good day. Can't wait until I can read the review.

David


----------



## sierra09

Congratulations on getting the job, David! I'm sure the review Red gives your book will be wonderful.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Steph and Susan whipping Mike and Jeff? How'd I miss this?


You snooze, you looze! 

Jeez, I turn my back for one day and you guys run amok. Coolio...

Progress report: finished chapter 7 of GMO (shorter than the others, but a lot harder in some ways), on to chapter 8 tonight at the kidlet's soccer practice...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You snooze, you looze!
> 
> Jeez, I turn my back for one day and you guys run amok. Coolio...
> 
> Progress report: finished chapter 7 of GMO (shorter than the others, but a lot harder in some ways), on to chapter 8 tonight at the kidlet's soccer practice...


Um, you snooze, you get attacked by Steph with whips and Susan with stilettos. Wow, I'm the nice one here?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Um, you snooze, you get attacked by Steph with whips and Susan with stilettos. Wow, I'm the nice one here?


Rawwrrr! I'm not seeing the downside...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Rawwrrr! I'm not seeing the downside...


*shakes head* sigh....


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Rawwrrr! I'm not seeing the downside...


Told you so, Susan.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Great, David.I was rootin' for you. God's my agent, you know.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Got the job! Woohoo! Also, when I thanked Red for doing a review of my book, she said I should be pleased with the review. More woohoo!
> 
> Good day, good day. Can't wait until I can read the review.
> 
> David


Congrats on both counts. I turned on whispernet to get the latest RA Blog and your review wasn't up yet. I'll check it out tomorrow.


----------



## Susan in VA

David, congrats on the job!

Thanks, everyone, for your input on the teen writers' camp, I'll pass that along!



scarlet said:


> Wow, I'm the nice one here?


Yeah, that does seem wrong somehow  .... <ducks and runs>


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> Told you so, Susan.


So you did.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Great, David.I was rootin' for you. God's my agent, you know.
> 
> Ed Patterson


See if you can convince him to buy my book from Amazon. I'll gladly take some extra representation. And thanks for the happy words and fireworks, all!

Now just the horrible wait until the review is up.

David


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm a subscriber, so I'll see it in the morning.

2,850 words tonight (prime stuff - _The People's Treasure _ - brand new stuff). Difficult scene where several things happen in a single setting between 9 characters that shuffle in and out. It could have easily been handled in 2 separate chapters, but the structure would have sagged, so the challenge was to present it swiftly, in one chapter, energized with riveting dialog so what could be expositional stuff (it remains that), becomes an action/adventure sequence without action. I roped in a technique I rarely use, because its difficult. Its called (my name for it - POV dancing). You start in one character's POV, then shuffle back in time by a minute or so and then switch into another character's POV, and finally end in a near neutral POV, where the only remaining characters are those two POV's. The reader gets a bit shaken at the end (by design) before we cadence into a POV coda in the second character's POV. It has taken me two days to prepare for it and iy still will need a polish. (with nine characters in the dialog, handling the tags are key and vey tricky). So, needless to say, I earned my salt tonight.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'm a subscriber, so I'll see it in the morning.
> 
> 2,850 words tonight (prime stuff - _The People's Treasure _ - brand new stuff). Difficult scene where several things happen in a single setting between 9 characters that shuffle in and out. It could have easily been handled in 2 separate chapters, but the structure would have sagged, so the challenge was to present it swiftly, in one chapter, energized with riveting dialog so what could be expositional stuff (it remains that), becomes an action/adventure sequence without action. I roped in a technique I rarely use, because its difficult. Its called (my name for it - POV dancing). You start in one character's POV, then shuffle back in time by a minute or so and then switch into another character's POV, and finally end in a near neutral POV, where the only remaining characters are those two POV's. The reader gets a bit shaken at the end (by design) before we cadence into a POV coda in the second character's POV. It has taken me two days to prepare for it and iy still will need a polish. (with nine characters in the dialog, handling the tags are key and vey tricky). So, needless to say, I earned my salt tonight.
> 
> Ed Patterson


But it feels so good when it all comes together like that, doesn't it?


----------



## Lisa Hinsley

I'm 70% through the edit of my next book. I keep getting distracted by the family. Decided I need extra hours in the day. Preferably not during the time I'm at my day job.


----------



## Thumper

Half-Orc said:


> Got the job! Woohoo! Also, when I thanked Red for doing a review of my book, she said I should be pleased with the review. More woohoo!
> 
> Good day, good day. Can't wait until I can read the review.
> 
> David


w00t!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yep. Gertie. It was nioce today when Peg of the Red Pencil reviewed it and thought it was solid and then, when I revealed the structure to her, she said she didn;t even notice it. VICTORY! Some chapters an author can let the chracters co-write, but other you need to bridled them, almost hamstring so they can only move in one direction for the greater good.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Joseph Rhea

I didn't want to waste a new thread with this topic, so I hope you don't mind if I put it here:

Did any other authors else get a weird email from [email protected] recently?

Yesterday I lowered the price of my book to $1.99 (from $2.99) and today while I was waiting for the change to go through, I received an email asking for proof that I am the legal owner of the book. Here is the beginning:

Dear Publisher,

We are contacting you regarding the following title(s) you have uploaded for sale through the Kindle store:

[my book listed here]

We are interested in making the title(s) available for sale through the Kindle store, but we would like to confirm that you are authorized to sell the title(s). Please reply with confirmation of your rights to publish the title(s) and provide any documentation or other evidence of your rights. Specifically:

• Authors: please confirm that you have retained eBook rights to the title(s). If there is a third-party publisher of any print or electronic editions of the title(s), please provide documentation or other evidence you may have of your eBook rights (such as a rights reversion letter from, or a contract with, such third party publisher).

...

Let me add that I have had my paperback published through Amazon-owned CreateSpace for over two years, and my Kindle version for over 18 months and suddenly they are asking for proof that I own the rights to my book? This doesn't make sense. I also wonder if they are holding up my price change until this matter is resolved. I emailed them back and told them what I just described, but an automated reply said it could take as long at 2 days to get back to me.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them?


----------



## Jeff

That happened to somebody else here but I can't remember who. It seems that he/she was able to resolve by phone.


----------



## farrellclaire

Half-Orc said:


> Now just the horrible wait until the review is up.
> 
> David


It's a great review, congrats.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

There's an ownership button now when you uplaod. perhaps something wasn't checked off, but tht usually prevents submission, OR maybe now that Smashwors is involved and the iPAD, Amazon is trying to get authors to second guess their rights.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

David:

What a splendid review. I bought both books.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Thanks Ed, Farrell, Gertie, Thumper! Always great to get fireworks and a dancing snoopy.

I had wondered how much of a following Red Adept had. So far I've had 30 total sales since this morning. I couldn't possibly be happier, of both the review and the sales. I've got fingers crossed she does a review of the second book, since I always thought it was the stronger of the two currently out. Also had my first day of work with Logan! He's a sweet kid, but is for the most part a 4 year old in an 18 year old's body. He doesn't throw tantrums, but he fakes a lot of illnesses. On one walk he had a headache, stomachache, cut finger, torn knee, hurting back, and eventually toes hurting so bad he was sobbing at the top of his lungs. Of course, the second I said he could go inside, all pains magically vanished.  

Time to go punch some edits in.

Still walking on clouds,

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Thanks Ed, Farrell, Gertie, Thumper! Always great to get fireworks and a dancing snoopy.
> 
> I had wondered how much of a following Red Adept had. So far I've had 30 total sales since this morning. I couldn't possibly be happier, of both the review and the sales. I've got fingers crossed she does a review of the second book, since I always thought it was the stronger of the two currently out.


Even when she posts my comments in her Q&A, I pick up a few new readers. I'll be sure to read the review tonight.



> Also had my first day of work with Logan! He's a sweet kid, but is for the most part a 4 year old in an 18 year old's body. He doesn't throw tantrums, but he fakes a lot of illnesses. On one walk he had a headache, stomachache, cut finger, torn knee, hurting back, and eventually toes hurting so bad he was sobbing at the top of his lungs. Of course, the second I said he could go inside, all pains magically vanished.


Sounds like a challenge.


----------



## Jeff

David, you have some good material for the _What gave you a bump today_ thread. Congratulations.


----------



## Joseph Rhea

In the "good new / bad news" category, I have some of both:

Smashwords finally accepted my tweaks and I now have actual shipment dates for B&N, Sony, Kobo, and Apple versions of Cyberdrome--all within the next week. That's the good news.

The bad news is that Amazon still thinks I don't own the rights my Kindle version of Cyberdrome and are refusing to allow me to change the price.
The "good news hidden in the bad news" is that my book suddenly started better in the last two days, even though I warned everyone NOT to purchase it until the price reduction. I guess $2.99 is not that much different from $1.99 after all, and I certainly appreciate the sales--at any price!
I will, however, make a post when the price reduction finally goes through (especially for all you "nothing over $2" readers)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I suspect, Joseph, that your problem might stem from the dual authorship.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

*David*, I read Red's review. You should be really, really proud. That was awesome.

Congrats on the good news part, *Joseph*.

Finished plugging in the edits I got from Jeff while GS was at TKD. So while I was sitting there, I started the next one. Just some rough ideas. Oh, and the first paragraph.


----------



## ReeseReed

Got the kids off to grandparents...got a good head start on cleaning and laundry, and now I'm ready to (hopefully) get down to work tomorrow


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> Got the kids off to grandparents...got a good head start on cleaning and laundry, and now I'm ready to (hopefully) get down to work tomorrow


It's got to be tough working around a family.

My GS has been staying with me the past three days, and I couldn't even work on the edits until he was in class. Forget about when he goes to bed. He's up a dozen times to tell me something about a video game he's thinking about or a cartoon he saw earlier. As soon as his "young author" project is finished, he's going home.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's got to be tough working around a family.
> 
> My GS has been staying with me the past three days, and I couldn't even work on the edits until he was in class. Forget about when he goes to bed. He's up a dozen times to tell me something about a video game he's thinking about or a cartoon he saw earlier. As soon as his "young author" project is finished, he's going home.


Yep, you nailed it. Which is why my writing only happens on the weekends when I'm able to stay up late after they're asleep. Right now I'm living for spring break, when I'll have a whole week full of long nights where I can stay up and write.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sorry I haven't been posting much recently - just seems like the time in the evenings after work has been evaporating faster than usual! Anyway, great to see that everybody's been chugging along!

I'm going to try and get chapter 8 of GMO done this weekend - it's now up to 36,000 words, but I have no idea how long it'll wind up being. Jan was very irritated with me over chapter 7. It ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, if you can believe that... 

Okay, mush! Crack the whip, all of you! Write!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, chapter 8 of "Genetically Modified Organism" is hereby done! Will get to work on chapter 9 after lunch and a nap!


----------



## ReeseReed

All geared up to start until a computer glitch brought me to a screeching halt.  *sigh*  Luckily I have a good friend who repairs pc's for a living and can hook me up this afternoon.  Thank heavens for friends!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ReeseReed said:


> All geared up to start until a computer glitch brought me to a screeching halt. *sigh* Luckily I have a good friend who repairs pc's for a living and can hook me up this afternoon. Thank heavens for friends!


Gack! Been there, done that many times. The joys of technology - when it works right!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm usually the friend that ends up fixing the computer. Most errors are pretty dang simple, and your comp'll be fine in no time.

Finished my first main edit of The Death of Promises! Time to print out a copy and start distributing it to peeps for additional edits.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

While waiting for my friend to come through for me I decided to pick up pen and paper and give it a go.  Whipped out 2 1/2 longhand pages in about five minutes.  Hope it continues to come this easily.  This is my first attempt at writing for kids (other than stuff I regularly spit out on the fly during writing lessons at school), so it's pretty new, and pretty exciting, too.


----------



## daveconifer

Half-Orc said:


> I'm usually the friend that ends up fixing the computer. Most errors are pretty dang simple, and your comp'll be fine in no time.
> 
> Finished my first main edit of The Death of Promises! Time to print out a copy and start distributing it to peeps for additional edits.
> 
> David Dalglish


David, I don't usually read books in your genre but I enjoy your posts so much that I'm going to give your stories a try...


----------



## ReeseReed

Dave, I started ebully this afternoon.  I had sampled it, and immediately one clicked after reading the sample.  I'm working on a couple of projects of my own right now, but I'm looking forward to getting back to it soon.


----------



## daveconifer

ReeseReed said:


> Dave, I started ebully this afternoon. I had sampled it, and immediately one clicked after reading the sample. I'm working on a couple of projects of my own right now, but I'm looking forward to getting back to it soon.


Cool, I hope you like it. I'm actually re-editing it right now so I can get a CreateSpace version out. I found a few embarrassing 'than vs. then' type mistakes. Oh well.

I was sneaking around on Facebook a few days ago (after we had our Facebook thread here) and found your Claustrophobic page. That's a neat story. I like that you placed it in a modern setting (i think you mentioned somewhere in comment trail over there that you had reservations about that.) That ought to be a hot seller next winter...


----------



## ReeseReed

daveconifer said:


> Cool, I hope you like it. I'm actually re-editing it right now so I can get a CreateSpace version out. I found a few embarrassing 'than vs. then' type mistakes. Oh well.
> 
> I was sneaking around on Facebook a few days ago (after we had our Facebook thread here) and found your Claustrophobic page. That's a neat story. I like that you placed it in a modern setting (i think you mentioned somewhere in comment trail over there that you had reservations about that.) That ought to be a hot seller next winter...


Hey, thanks so much! I'm glad you mentioned that....I did have a lot of reservations about it. But writing "historically" just isn't my thing, so I didn't fight it. It's with my second beta-reader right now, and I'm hoping to have it ready by the end of the summer.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Katue the Kindlespreche finished the eidting on Surviving an American Gulag. Now I need to apply them, do the refining run on it, as A Dime a Dips latest iteration to it, launch it on Kindle and Smashwords and new paperback edition with new cover. (And a planned 2 week replacement $ 0.00 run). Whew! Tomorrow I hope to finish the 3rd Part of The People's Treasure and begin Part IV. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Y'all are so busy and I'm still stuck with this young author's project.  Booorrrring.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

daveconifer said:


> David, I don't usually read books in your genre but I enjoy your posts so much that I'm going to give your stories a try...


I gotta tell you, fellow Dave, its seeing posts like this that just make my day. You're taking a gamble, and on an unknown like me of all people. I really hope you enjoy it!

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Finished two chapters tonight...oy, writing for kids is tough!  Feels like I may have a good beginning, though.  I'll look it over again tomorrow and see if I still feel the same way about it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm on my last run-through (got to bite the bullet and stop sometime) and I'm still finding a few errors and changing a few sentences here and there.  

My goal is to finish tomorrow and publish by Tuesday.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm on my last run-through (got to bite the bullet and stop sometime) and I'm still finding a few errors and changing a few sentences here and there.
> 
> My goal is to finish tomorrow and publish by Tuesday.


Oooh, exciting. Nothing gets the butterflies going like realizing that you're finally going to pull the trigger and release the story out to the wild. Hope you meet your goal by Tuesday!

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm on my last run-through (got to bite the bullet and stop sometime) and I'm still finding a few errors and changing a few sentences here and there.


Do the best you can, just keep in mind that there are always a couple/few that evade the best efforts at editing. I think they move around in the text when we're not looking!



> My goal is to finish tomorrow and publish by Tuesday.


*W000000000t!!*


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm still finding a few errors and changing a few sentences here and there.


What? You mean I missed something?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> What? You mean I missed something?


A couple of words I left out (bad Gertie), but mostly spaces where there shouldn't be any. That's why I like a WP program that shows the codes. Easier to spot that kind of thing.

Then I'm changing a few sentences and carefully reading them again to make sure I didn't add in any new errors. And I have to change those sections we talked about and one more thing I need to clarify.

I'm trying to do this while typing in GS's project. While he's thinking, I turn around to Ginny the Netbook and get through a few paragraphs of my own.  Four more pages to go on that. Then the illustrations are up to him.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's why I like a WP program that shows the codes. Easier to spot that kind of thing.


You can toggle "reveal code" on and off in Word.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You can toggle "reveal code" on and off in Word.


If Word now has reveal codes, I'm sold. Word will be my next purchase. I think I have Word 2000. That's on my desktop which isn't connected to anything else and I want to keep it that way.

GS is on lunch break so I can get a little more done.


----------



## Susan in VA

Gertie, Word 2000 should have that feature too.  I know that my old pre-Windows version of Word  (Word 4? 5?) had it, and I don't see why they would have skipped it on one version.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

It's just the little button at the top that looks like this: *¶*

David Dalglish


----------



## maryannaevans

It's interesting to read how other writers set goals.  I can relate to the "words per day" or "pages per day" approach.  I've used both, but lean toward "words per day," because keeping an eye on pages gets me thinking of things like, "Hey!  I could end the chapter here at the top of page 298.  Then I can leap to the top of page 299 when I start the new chapter, thereby gaining a page without actually writing anything."

Counting words is more honest.

But you know, a writer can tell, deep down, when things are going well.  The pages and words just pile up.

I'm launching a new project, my seventh Faye Longchamp mystery for Poisoned Pen Press.  (They're (slowly) converting all my books to e-books, but right now, they're all made of dead trees.  In the meantime, I e-published a thriller and some mystery short stories to which I held the rights, into e-books, because I just thought that it was time.)  When I'm starting a new project, I tend to just read everything I can get my hands on about my setting and plot.  After about a month, I wake up and think, "It's time."  So I get started.  At the moment, I'm in that "reading for a living" stage.  Since the book will be set in Key West--my editor has already signed off on that--I'm trying to convince myself that a field trip is in order.


----------



## ReeseReed

Oohhhhh, Key West!  One of my favorite places on earth!  Maybe I should set a book there, and use that excuse to visit again!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susan in VA said:


> Gertie, Word 2000 should have that feature too. I know that my old pre-Windows version of Word (Word 4? 5?) had it, and I don't see why they would have skipped it on one version.


Word's version of Word Perfect's reveal codes is very clumsy and doesn't do what I need it to do. I was hoping the new version was comparable to Word Perfect.



Half-Orc said:


> It's just the little button at the top that looks like this: *¶*
> 
> David Dalglish


That one I know. I'm looking for the reveal codes that show all of the changes, bookmarks, etc., at the bottom of the screen like Word Perfect does.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay - coming into the stretch on Part III of The People's Treasure with today's chapter readied for Peg of the Red Pencil (tomorrow). clocked in at 1,800 words, and quite an exciting write for me (I hope for the readers), because a few minor characters reached their arc, came alive and tried to steal the show (which I let them, within reason). So far we're at 87,000 words, a little over a third done and on target for my late summer completion and an early fall publish (depending on how the revision runs go). Still in a waiting mode with Surviving an American Gulag. Notified Karen Koland re: sale mode for the first 2 weeks as I did for 2 others this year. I am now turning to a Katie the Kindlespeche run at The jade Owl (no revision - that sucker has been revised 8 times before it was released and was in beta for over a year), however there are a few typos they tell me (he he he), and a quiet maintenance release is in order. Plus, the paperback is the only one of my books still in my "old" style interior mode (11 pt, wide upper margins, and limited leading. I now use less up and bottom space, 12 point type for easier reading and a page number line boundary at the botton of each page. So that bird needs retuning.

Edward C. Patterson

PS: Plus new cover for Cutting the Cheese paper, maybe tonight


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Word's version of Word Perfect's reveal codes is very clumsy and doesn't do what I need it to do. I was hoping the new version was comparable to Word Perfect.
> 
> That one I know. I'm looking for the reveal codes that show all of the changes, bookmarks, etc., at the bottom of the screen like Word Perfect does.


Ah, forgive me for assuming much simpler needs. You mentioned showing too many spaces, and that's immediately what I thought of. If you really wanted access to all the coding, you could technically save the word doc as a .htm and then re-open the file using Notepad. Every single scrap of coding will be there for you to tweak and change as necessary. I doubt, however, that is easier than the integrated setup Word Perfect sounds like it has.

David Dalglish

p.s. You might try hitting shift + F1. That might also have something of what you're looking for in Word.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Ah, forgive me for assuming much simpler needs. You mentioned showing too many spaces, and that's immediately what I thought of. If you really wanted access to all the coding, you could technically save the word doc as a .htm and then re-open the file using Notepad. Every single scrap of coding will be there for you to tweak and change as necessary. I doubt, however, that is easier than the integrated setup Word Perfect sounds like it has.
> 
> David Dalglish
> 
> p.s. You might try hitting shift + F1. That might also have something of what you're looking for in Word.


Thanks, David. I'm going to end up getting Word anyway since most of the world uses it. In the meantime, I'm using OpenOffice on my netbook.

There are just so many things I _have _to get right now and all of them are over $100. Just need a few more checks from Amazon. 

Back to work.

Oh, finished the young author's project. The body of the book came to 23 pages plus Cover, title page, ToC, dedication, about the author and six illustrations. I think I deserve an A+. Not really. He did 99% of it. I just typed and supplied Pringles and Capri Sun. 

Now, back to work.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie:

Word has never failed me. I set up styles to handle all formatting for all my manuscripts and the conversion through mobipocket converter has been near perfect every time. I only had to intervene once with the html headaches (and that was for hyperlinks in Oh, Dainty Triolet, and with word it was still simple). I have also had a high rate of success directly from word through Smashword's matgrinder. Of course, word fits perfectly into Lulu's 6x9 template for creating inner pdf's files for uploading through to CrateSpace.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Gertie:
> 
> Word has never failed me. I set up styles to handle all formatting for all my manuscripts and the conversion through mobipocket converter has been near perfect every time. I only had to intervene once with the html headaches (and that was for hyperlinks in Oh, Dainty Triolet, and with word it was still simple). I have also had a high rate of success directly from word through Smashword's matgrinder. Of course, word fits perfectly into Lulu's 6x9 template for creating inner pdf's files for uploading through to CrateSpace.
> 
> Ed Patterson


There's no doubt Word is a good WP program. I'm just partial to Word Perfect. I used to write a lot of macros, set up forms with navigation to the blanks, all kinds of things.

I'll get the whole package because I do prefer Excel to Lotus and I like Powerpoint as well. I know I'll get used to it. Word Perfect has been my preference for so long, it's hard to switch.


----------



## maryannaevans

ReeseReed said:


> Oohhhhh, Key West! One of my favorite places on earth! Maybe I should set a book there, and use that excuse to visit again!


After my fifth visit to the rural Mississippi setting of my third book, _Effigies_, I got smart. (Not that there's anything wrong with Mississippi. I was born there. But if the Neshoba County Fair's not in session and you don't gamble, there are a limited number of reasons to go to Neshoba County.) So I set my next book, _Floodgates_, in New Orleans. Now _that's_ a book research trip. Oysters on the half-shell. Streetcar rides. Jazz. Oyster po-boys. Gypsy fortune tellers on Jackson Square. Beignets and coffee. My, how I suffered from my art...

The upcoming book, _Strangers_, is set in St. Augustine, which is actually a lot like the French Quarter without the crime or the adjacent big city. It's small, but it has its own charms. And it's two hours from my house, so I could go soak up atmosphere at the drop of a hat. Setting the next one in the Keys only makes sense. It's an 8-hour drive to paradise, and I can get the IRS to help me pay for it!


----------



## Susan in VA

maryannaevans said:


> So I set my next book, _Floodgates_, in New Orleans. [...] My, how I suffered from my art... [...] and I can get the IRS to help me pay for it!


This is a fascinating insight into the world of authoring... No wonder there are so many books set in exotic locales.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susan in VA said:


> This is a fascinating insight into the world of authoring... No wonder there are so many books set in exotic locales.


I just might have to give up the 15th century and set my next one in present day London.  Or Barbados.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Or Yang-shuo.

Ed P


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No writing tonight. I completed the launch of _Surviving an American Gulag_ and also finished designing the new covers for Cutting the Cheese (Paperback) and Come, Wewoka (Paperback) and will also proceed to get those in the POD works.(actually done - came back here for an edit)

Here they are:















Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Up to page 323 of my final edit. I should be right on target to hit the publish button tomorrow.  Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.  

Back to work.


----------



## ReeseReed

I read the first two chapters of the kids' book I worked on this weekend to my class on Monday...they LOVED it and are begging me to finish the first draft over spring break next week so I can read the rest to them when school resumes.  No pressure.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Getting ready to upload. Holding my breath that there are no technical difficulties.

Fingers crossed


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got my fingers cross for you also.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Getting ready to upload. Holding my breath that there are no technical difficulties.
> 
> Fingers crossed


W0000t!!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

First glitch. DTP won't accept my cover.

<sigh>


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> First glitch. DTP won't accept my cover.
> 
> <sigh>


ARGH!! So frustrating, I know! Wish I could offer some help, but I very technologically challenged.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> First glitch. DTP won't accept my cover.


Check your email.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Bummer about the cover. Most likely format is wrong, or it isn't long enough on either the width or length. All of those should be easy enough to fix. Now if it is because your cover is overloaded with sexiness and awesomeness, then you might have some problems.

2300 words on A Dance of Cloaks. I'm really rather glad, because I was worried with the new job I'd have less time to write, but in fact what's happened is I've just shed some more time-consuming habits (world of warcraft, TV) and instead devoted 8-10 o'clock to writing. Considering how much fun this book is (and how much of a departure it is from The Half-Orcs) also surely helps. No orcs. No elves. Just a bunch of factions swirling about each other in a desperate bid to control the city.

Now if I can only grow a giant white beard, I can pretend I'm G. R. R. Martin  

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Now if it is because your cover is overloaded with sexiness and awesomeness, then you might have some problems.


That's just me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Tonight was a workaholic night. 2,800 words on The People's Treasure. Only one more chapter for Part III to be complete, and then on to Part IV. 

Sorry to her about you cover woes, but if you're in Jeff's hands, you're in good hands. I had both of my new covers rejected by CreateSpace. Cutting he Cheese because my name was within the trim area and would get sliced. (moved it). And I didn;t leave enough room for the bar code (fixed). That's been resubmitted, accepted and is already on the author's page.

Come, Wewoka was worse. I added the word "the" on the cover for and The Diary of medicine Flower (which violates the ISBN and their project rules). Also not enough bar code room. This one was harder as it's older artwork and the  photoshop file was already layer-flattened, which meant I couldn;t just go in and edit the title text. SO, I had to perform surgery to remove the offending "THE" and move the remainder over. Then painstakingly clean=up the graphic using the clone tool. But I succeeded. It's resubmitted and I'm waiting.

Ed Patterson


----------



## J Dean

Third novel in the Vein series is started.  Three pages last night in an hour-boy did that feel good to do!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

J Dean said:


> Third novel in the Vein series is started. Three pages last night in an hour-boy did that feel good to do!


If I could do three pages in an hour, since I set aside three hours a day to write, I'd probably be able to write a book a month like Nora Roberts or Barbara Cartland.

Still having cover woes. Can't understand it since Jeff did a test with the cover and it uploaded just fine for him.

Decided to go ahead and publish the book without the cover until dtp can solve the problem for me (hopefully).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Late night and productive, but I had to stay up late to finish (Tomorrow I won't be able to do my evening writing because I'm giving an interview on Operation eBook Drop to journalist Christina Rodriguez). Anyway - good day. 2,364 words and finished part III of The People's Treasure, now standing just short of 90,000 words. The Come, Wewoka cover or he paperback was approved and is now available. Also had a good run of reviews (which is encouraging - one for The Nan Tu, one for Surviving an American Gulag, and tonight a 5 star for The Jade Owl). This is helped a rather sluggish month (due to iPad week) to perk up. 

Edward C. Patterson
to bed - for 4 hours sleep and then its up and to the office. Yawn.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Lots of things still to do.  I'll start getting C&C ready for the paperback edition tonight.


----------



## sierra09

I was wondering if there would be a paperback. I was scanning the thread for the book last night and came across your....visual aids (cough and drool) and decided this would be something I'd need a physical book for. Since I read ebooks on my PC, drooling tends to short circuit the keyboard.  

I'm trying to figure out a prologue for the second book in my SEAL series since I don't like all of a sudden how the book starts so while the first book is undergoing a chopping process...I won't call it editing, I figured I'd try a new beginning for the sequel.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

sierra09 said:


> I was wondering if there would be a paperback. I was scanning the thread for the book last night and came across your....visual aids (cough and drool) and decided this would be something I'd need a physical book for. Since I read ebooks on my PC, drooling tends to short circuit the keyboard.


I keep the photo in front of my computer ... just for inspiration, you understand. 

C&C is still not live. Soon, I hope.

In the meantime, I did some research for the next one.


----------



## sierra09

Since I use a similiar technique for my Celtic Evil series I understand all too well. Of course, I have to keep flipping between bios. One picture is so much easier.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

T.L. Haddix said:


> Up to almost 21,000 words (48 pages) on book number two. So far it is flowing - after getting the tips from you all in an earlier post! I sat down and reviewed my character profiles, notes, etc., and it just clicked. Shew. Thanks, everyone.


That's what we're here for. Glad it worked for you.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

TL:

Wonderful. Keep it going, keep it flowing and remember that the inspriation is in the draft and the real writing is in the revision and you get all tht needs to be done, done.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Been a long week, still getting used to waking up so early for my new Para job. However, got another five star review for The Weight of Blood! I may be half-awake, my eyes feel like weights are attached the their lids, and I'm thoroughly sick of Walker Texas Ranger (my spec ed's students absolute favorite show...I watch 2 hours a day of it now), BUT I can still smile and look at that review and know yet another person had fun.



> I've never heard of this author before, but I do hope he continues to write. The setting is typical high-fantasy, but that's where the comparisons end. The main characters are not your standard "save the princess" types. They have good and bad motivations, make big mistakes and suffer real consequences, and you never know what they're going to do next.


Pulled about 1500 words on Dance of Cloaks. Slow and steady, this turtle's plodding out another novel.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

My fingers are trembling in anticipation of Spring Break starting tomorrow.  I have a wedding to attend Saturday.  After that, I'm hoping for a very productive week, writing wise.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> My fingers are trembling in anticipation of Spring Break starting tomorrow. I have a wedding to attend Saturday. After that, I'm hoping for a very productive week, writing wise.


Good luck.

We had spring break last week. No kids to pick up or drop off or take anywhere. Thought I would have a very productive week, too. Hah!!! GS hadn't done his young author's project, so he stayed with me for four days until he got it done. He doesn't like to type, so he dictated and I typed. While he was thinking of the next line, I turned to my netbook and did some editing. Fun times.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just got my copy of_ Catherine and the Captain_. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Just got my copy of_ Catherine and the Captain_.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed.


----------



## ReeseReed

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Good luck.
> 
> We had spring break last week. No kids to pick up or drop off or take anywhere. Thought I would have a very productive week, too. Hah!!! GS hadn't done his young author's project, so he stayed with me for four days until he got it done. He doesn't like to type, so he dictated and I typed. While he was thinking of the next line, I turned to my netbook and did some editing. Fun times.


I have my inlaws to thank...they wanted the kids this week "for as long as they want to stay"...otherwise it'd just be another week of work around here with precious little time to write. With this scenario, though, I'm looking forward to really getting some work done.

Thank heavens for GRANDPARENTS!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ReeseReed said:


> I have my inlaws to thank...they wanted the kids this week "for as long as they want to stay"...otherwise it'd just be another week of work around here with precious little time to write. With this scenario, though, I'm looking forward to really getting some work done.
> 
> Thank heavens for GRANDPARENTS!!


Yeah, we're pretty great. 

GS had TKD tonight, so after I rewrote the HP Play for the 7th time (by actual count) I did a little more work on the WiP. Wrote a couple of pages. Just messing around seeing where the story would lead me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Has anybody done the advanced (or is it enhanced) distribution on Create Space?  When I tried to enable it, it calculated my new royalty at $0.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Has anybody done the advanced (or is it enhanced) distribution on Create Space? When I tried to enable it, it calculated my new royalty at $0.


You have to raise the price to accommodate the additional level of profit.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You have to raise the price to accommodate the additional level of profit.


Is that price increase for U.S. books, too?


----------



## sierra09

When you do EDC with CS most people need to adjust their price in order to have a royalty for the extra channels. I only had to raise mine a little since I don't try to make as much on the EDC channels as Amazon but I try to get as close to a $1 for those.


----------



## sierra09

It would probably work better if I knew how to market or promote. EDC gets my books into several online bookstores like B&N, Booksamillion, Powells and other places. International Amazon listings too I think the last time I checked a ISBN search.

I've had some sales come but again, I don't promote like others do because I don't know how really and time hasn't been on my side. I've talked to a couple local stores who can order the books now that they are in that program but have to go talk to the manager to go farther with it.

I'm still pleased with it because I am in places I wouldn't be otherwise and since I use CS supplied ISBNs, I'm in the library channel which I like.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I like the expanded listings. Paperbacks don't move, but it's nice to have them more widely available (B&N, eBay, Amazon Intenational and everywhere that Ingrams distributes). It also gets you in catalogs for Libraries. $ and cents. Well, that doesn't really make a difference. Your paperback is a virtual entity anyway, lending additional credance to the eBook, and demonstrable discount to buy electronically and, of course, incentives when facin the public physically (books signngs, prizes, review copies, friends and family and at Pow-Wows - believe it or not). Behind eery great eBook stands a shadowy paperback, and the further that paperback is publicized and available, the better your brand (that is you name and image) is served. I'm going to do an article for the Indie Spotlight on Virtual Paperbacks - The Essential Existance of the Paperback, whether you sell it or not.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

I got the final chapter back from chopping for Flames of Betrayal which was my first SEAL novel and now comes the fun part.
I...hate...formatting. I honestly think it's one of the biggest things I could pound my head in over, especially when I have to do it 3 times. One for paperback, one for Kindle(which is the biggest chanllenge for me) and then Smashwords.

Of course first I have to retype my roster because for some reason it just won't copy/paste the right way so that means retyping. Which since I may add a roster of the other supporting characters needed to be done anyway but I just hate when Word won't do what I want it to.  

Anyone have a clue as to how one gets the news of an updated edition out to people who may have already purchased it in case they want to refund and get the new edition? I'm at a loss for that one.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I like the expanded listings. Paperbacks don't move, but it's nice to have them more widely available (B&N, eBay, Amazon Intenational and everywhere that Ingrams distributes). It also gets you in catalogs for Libraries. $ and cents. Well, that doesn't really make a difference. Your paperback is a virtual entity anyway, lending additional credance to the eBook, and demonstrable discount to buy electronically and, of course, incentives when facin the public physically (books signngs, prizes, review copies, friends and family and at Pow-Wows - believe it or not). Behind eery great eBook stands a shadowy paperback, and the further that paperback is publicized and available, the better your brand (that is you name and image) is served. I'm going to do an article for the Indie Spotlight on Virtual Paperbacks - The Essential Existance of the Paperback, whether you sell it or not.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed. Well said. You cut a clear path through my muddled brain. (or is that muddy. I'm working on a scene that involves mud.)

I think my messing around is leading me in the right direction with the WiP. I can go ahead and take the prologue from a C&C scene and then add in flashbacks (not too many) for the historical parts.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mud. I'm working on a scene that involves wind.   Writing will be fun this weekend as I have a full dance card at the local cinema. I saw Kick Ass last night. (Loved it). Taking my baby brother (52 year old) to dinner and to see Clash of the Titans 3D (which I saw - fair - no bubo the Owl, boo. I have this thing for owls). And tomorrow a 3 hour stint to see Verdi's Il Trovatore. (I can sing every note of that one, sigh). So, I'm writing and promoting between the cracks.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm going to see Kick-Ass tomorrow most likely. Good to hear it should be enjoyable. Banged out 1500 words, hope to do more tonight. My daughter is so dang determined not to nap, and like Poe I keep hearing a rapping at my door, but its just a two-year-old instead of a possessed raven embodying my dead love.

Helped out at the Special Olympics held in Joplin, a big combination of at least 15 schools nearby. I was a little special myself, and didn't think to get sunscreen. As you can see in my pic, I'm a pasty white guy, but now I'm a pasty white guy who temporarily looks like a lobster. Had a lot of fun, otherwise.

My sales for The Weight of Blood are currently sitting at 99 sales for the month, and its just absolutely killing me. My previous best was 91, so surpassing it already with a good two weeks left in the month is incredibly exciting, but come on, I want to screenshot my first 100 sale month!

*obsessively checks his DTP page*

David Dalglish


----------



## sierra09

David, I've been planning to get it when I'd caught up on things so this is a good reason to 1-click.   I can read between formatting.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

sierra09 said:


> David, I've been planning to get it when I'd caught up on things so this is a good reason to 1-click.  I can read between formatting.


Hoo-hah! Screenshot the spiffy 100. You should feel special!

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Hoo-hah! Screenshot the spiffy 100. You should feel special!
> 
> David Dalglish


Congrats, David. Well done.

I'm trying to push myself into formatting C&C for paperback. I know it's not that difficult, but I'm in a whiny mood. It's been raining off and on all day.


----------



## sierra09

Gertie, I'm waiting for the paperback! Lol. I like formatting for paperbacks. I dread Kindle. I don't know why since I don't have a TOC or anything linkable but I have the hardest time with that format.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

sierra09 said:


> Gertie, I'm waiting for the paperback! Lol. I like formatting for paperbacks. I dread Kindle. I don't know why since I don't have a TOC or anything linkable but I have the hardest time with that format.


Create Space makes it very easy. I'm just not in the mood to do anything today, but I want to get it done and off my mind.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got a shipment today of the revised Surviving an American Gulag from Create Space, and the Cutting the Cheese (new cover) shipment also. I use these on hand copies for a few close friends and family, who I never allow to buy my books (they generally wouldn't anyway) or to review my books if they should happen to open the covers. When it comes to reviews, I'm pedigree).

A little planning done today and writing was scant (I cut and paste and retailored 2 paragraphs from The Jade Owl into The People's Treasure, so they don;t really count). The opening of this chapter is a dream sequence, which flashes back to the first book. It's a technique I rarely use, but its effective when you are trying to guide the reader back into the core of a protagonist character that has developed over 3,000 pages. Grounding is key to a book's universe.

Ed Patterson


----------



## sierra09

If a file looks good on Kindle for PC, does that mean it'll look okay on an actual Kindle? I've finally gotten Flames to the point where all the chapters start on a page...even though it still drives me nuts when I have blank space at the end of a chapter but that's me and then that little doubtlet pops up.


----------



## Jeff

sierra09 said:


> If a file looks good on Kindle for PC, does that mean it'll look okay on an actual Kindle?


Yes, as far as text goes, but graphics look much better on the PC.


----------



## sierra09

Jeff, I'm lucky to figure out text. I don't put my covers inside my file since they normally come out in B&W and I normally use the Mobipocket creator thing so I get a PRC to upload. Of course, now comes the fun of seeing if the DTP thing decides it wants me to prove I'm the author.   It's already been uploaded since December but who knows...

I think what I need to find is someone who can look at either the PRC file(can one attach that to an e-mail) or the Word doc to see how it looks...that or I really need to talk my way into a Kindle next month for my birthday.


----------



## Jeff

sierra09 said:


> Jeff, I'm lucky to figure out text. I don't put my covers inside my file since they normally come out in B&W and I normally use the Mobipocket creator thing so I get a PRC to upload.


If you've got no pictures or maps in your book and the PRC file looks good in the Kindle for PC application it should be fine on the Kindle.

Yes, you can attach a PRC file to email. If you're really worried about it send it to me and I'll load it on my Kindle.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Out of curiosity, what format do you write the original in? If you use MS Word, I'd strongly suggest NOT uploading it as a PRC file. I've had some formatting problems when switching to PRC (although for simple checks of things on a Kindle, its still useful). What I've found best is to save the file as a filtered .htm, and then upload that to Amazon.

I've very rarely had problems with formatting on Amazon. If you'd like, you can add my name to your little list of people that will give it a once-over, but if you do, please send me a .doc or .docx file if at all possible.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've never had a problems with MS word and the .prc file, if you maintain consistant styles. Of course, I have a kindle and can see what my readers see. Perhaps its the version of MS Word. It's the processor I recommend in my book.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I formatted C&C for Create Space and converted to PDF last night.  One problem.  For the mirrored margins to work, the first page has to be on the right and it's on the left.  I don't remember having this problem with AP. Do I have to put in a blank page at the beginning of the document or does CS automatically start the first page on the right?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The first page of the book is always on the right regardless of its position in adobe. It is determined by the odd number page number, which is always on the right. I always start every chapter, part, section and new materials on a right hand page. I use lulus template and create the pdf in Lulu's publishig wizard and use that to submit to CS. As for the last page, you can put a blank page, but all books end onan even page number and CS will authormatically add the blank last page. I usually as the page myself so I don;t receive the message from CS that they've added it and I remember to put the correct number of pages in the set up form.

Hope that helps
Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The first page of the book is always on the right regardless of its position in adobe. It is determined by the odd number page number, which is always on the right. I always start every chapter, part, section and new materials on a right hand page. I use lulus template and create the pdf in Lulu's publishig wizard and use that to submit to CS. As for the last page, you can put a blank page, but all books end onan even page number and CS will authormatically add the blank last page. I usually as the page myself so I don;t receive the message from CS that they've added it and I remember to put the correct number of pages in the set up form.
> 
> Hope that helps
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed. I sort of thought that was the case, but I wanted to be sure. I'll get it done today.

Up to five pages on the WiP. 1432 words ... gotta start somewhere.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay. 2,546 words today and cracked open Part IV of The People's Treasure. The second chapter is a rough one coming up as it deals with the mechanics o he fantasy (you know the rules that make the magic work), which can always be a booooore if it insn't done engagingly, and right now I know what needs to be conveyed, but have no interersting way to convey it. So, I'll do what I always do in such cases, chnage the setting to somewhere interesting - I'm thinking moving the scene from the metropolitan Museums conservancy onto a park bench in Central Park, perhaps to Cleapatra's needle or maybe at the foot of that Alice in Wonderland statue - I can draw inferences from that. Plus I can have all the park aromas, clover, pretzels, horse


Spoiler



shit


, and sounds (hear the pigeon's cooing and the bike whistles). I'll sleep on it and flesh it out on the drive to work.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Good thing I got stuck on the FINAL revision of the HP playlet and didn't send in the pb pdf. An alert reader found some errors and is sending them to me.  Thank goodness for alert readers.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Good thing I got stuck on the FINAL revision of the HP playlet and didn't send in the pb pdf. An alert reader found some errors and is sending them to me. Thank goodness for alert readers.


Thank goodness for _readers_, whether they are alert or not. Without them, we're nothing. 

Banged out 1500 more words on A Dance of Cloaks. Up to 25,000 words, which is just awesome. I haven't written this consistently in at least a year. I think being able to hop in here and brag about how much I've done is a pretty big part of it. That, and knowing that when I finally get it done, beat it into form, rewrite it, get a cover, write a description, smack the story around some more, and then upload it, then people can actually READ the dang thing.

Its all about motivation *nod*

David Dalglish


----------



## sierra09

Motivation is always a good thing. I'm often too motivated which usually causes me to try to work on too many things at once. Tonight is formatting...between interruptions. Thanks to David again not to mention extreme gratitude for his help getting my Kindle chapters to be where they should have been. I'm stalling on uploading to Smashwords but I suppose I need to get remotivated.


----------



## Nathan

I've always moved at a slower pace than some of you folk, but I got 700 words in today.  Its taken forever to plot this idea out, but now I think its kinda rolling...

I've had the title forever...I'm calling the project "The Guilt Cell".


----------



## ReeseReed

Child-free and hubby is wrapped up in an HBO special...so I'm giving it a go tonight.  I don't usually work well this early, but we'll see what happens.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Light night - 1,700 words of a tough chapter in The People's Treasure. (BTW, didn;t wind up in Central Park, but we're going there in the next chapter. I enjoy writing in my home town's setting - NYC. I rarely do).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Got Word today. It definitely doesn't do what Word Perfect does and I had to do a lot of reformatting manually that WP would have done in one step. But, everyone wants Word docs, so I'll just have to take longer to do things. Add to that my super slow computer and I've wasted several hours today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Word has a WP mode, where when selected, it makes word operate like WP . . . or a tleast it did have such a mode. I'm not a WP user, but I remember seeing such a mode in older versions.

I found this PDF online with the shortcut key equivolents between the two processors, if that is any help.

http://www.corel.com/futuretense_cs/ccurl/WordPerfect_Office_11_Transition_Guide.pdf

Ed Patterson


----------



## ReeseReed

Ugh, I'm so stuck.  I've tried all day in vain to get something decent written.  Nothing yet.  Back to the drawing board.


----------



## Sharlow

sierra09 said:


> I got the final chapter back from chopping for Flames of Betrayal which was my first SEAL novel and now comes the fun part.
> I...hate...formatting. I honestly think it's one of the biggest things I could pound my head in over, especially when I have to do it 3 times. One for paperback, one for Kindle(which is the biggest chanllenge for me) and then Smashwords.
> 
> Of course first I have to retype my roster because for some reason it just won't copy/paste the right way so that means retyping. Which since I may add a roster of the other supporting characters needed to be done anyway but I just hate when Word won't do what I want it to.
> 
> Anyone have a clue as to how one gets the news of an updated edition out to people who may have already purchased it in case they want to refund and get the new edition? I'm at a loss for that one.


 LOL. Smashwords is the killer for me. I gave up on it and , my daughter actually had to do it. As it was, it took several hours for her to make it work as well. Kinda hated that ordeal.


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> I'm going to see Kick-Ass tomorrow most likely. Good to hear it should be enjoyable. Banged out 1500 words, hope to do more tonight. My daughter is so dang determined not to nap, and like Poe I keep hearing a rapping at my door, but its just a two-year-old instead of a possessed raven embodying my dead love.
> 
> Helped out at the Special Olympics held in Joplin, a big combination of at least 15 schools nearby. I was a little special myself, and didn't think to get sunscreen. As you can see in my pic, I'm a pasty white guy, but now I'm a pasty white guy who temporarily looks like a lobster. Had a lot of fun, otherwise.
> 
> My sales for The Weight of Blood are currently sitting at 99 sales for the month, and its just absolutely killing me. My previous best was 91, so surpassing it already with a good two weeks left in the month is incredibly exciting, but come on, I want to screenshot my first 100 sale month!
> 
> *obsessively checks his DTP page*
> 
> David Dalglish


 Wow thats so awesome, I'm happy for you. I can't imagine selling that many at this time. I'm lucky to break 10 in a month, but I have done it a couple of times. You must be feeling some what of a success, and I'm sure with that much time left, 100 will be easily broken by you.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Actually if you'll scroll up, you'll see that Sierra bought me my 100th sale for this month. A true trooper, she is  

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Word has a WP mode, where when selected, it makes word operate like WP . . . or a tleast it did have such a mode. I'm not a WP user, but I remember seeing such a mode in older versions.
> 
> I found this PDF online with the shortcut key equivolents between the two processors, if that is any help.
> 
> http://www.corel.com/futuretense_cs/ccurl/WordPerfect_Office_11_Transition_Guide.pdf
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed. I'll check that out. Hopefully, I'll be less frustrated today and I'll get more done.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wow, a fellow author - Jim Chambers just sent mea snapshot of my author page on the iPad - the first time I've seen it:








Now what? he he he  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Now what? he he he
> 
> Ed Patterson


Obviously you must write more so that your 'page' is more than one page.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Almost makes me want to check out iBooks which I haven't yet done--but Ann has on my iPad!

Betsy


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Actually. . . . I didn't check out iBooks. . . except to look at Winnie the Pooh. . . .I was checking out the Kindle App and the Kindle Store via the App. . . .


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

That's right, sorry!

Betsy


----------



## DonnaFaz

Wow, Ed, that looks amazing!  You need to write another book so that final rectangle is filled in.  

All, I've been curious about this thread for some time, but the 3,000+ posts seemed overwhelming to me.  I'd like to participate, so I'll do what I can to read up on what's happening in here.

~Donna~


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Well. .  .  if I'd realized Ed's books were there, I might have gone to look just so I could say "I know that guy."    

Hey. . . .you should check other folks pages too, Betsy!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I listed m next 7 books on the WIP thread. Does this mean they need to upgrade the iPad after they're released?

Ed Patterson


----------



## altworld

Is this the right place?

I've been sending out Agent Query letters in batches of ten for the last month for The Tether None Good, and just got around to sending out my next ten batch. Already got two form rejection letters (expected) and a letter back from Ethan from The Ethan Ellenberg Agency asking to see my first 50 pages!!!

So yeah... I'm a little nervous...


----------



## daveconifer

altworld said:


> Is this the right place?
> 
> I've been sending out Agent Query letters in batches of ten for the last month for The Tether None Good, and just got around to sending out my next ten batch. Already got two form rejection letters (expected) and a letter back from Ethan from The Ethan Ellenberg Agency asking to see my first 50 pages!!!
> 
> So yeah... I'm a little nervous...


That's the good kind of nervous. I'll bet he asks for the rest of it by the end of next week!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

DonnaFaz said:


> Wow, Ed, that looks amazing! You need to write another book so that final rectangle is filled in.
> 
> All, I've been curious about this thread for some time, but the 3,000+ posts seemed overwhelming to me. I'd like to participate, so I'll do what I can to read up on what's happening in here.
> 
> ~Donna~


We talk about about how many pages/words we've written or how long we sat staring at the screen. We ask each other for advice about anything to do with writing including technical problems.

Hey, anybody seen Mike lately?

Back to formatting for me and maybe I'll do a little work on the WiP.


----------



## geoffthomas

He has been on only a little recently (Mike that is).
I expect to see him tomorrow at the DC KB meet.
He made the excellent banner for my signature below for the ElfHunter book klub.
He had previously made the banner for the Ark and of course, the In Her Name that is also below.
Very talented is our Michael Hicks.

I will tell him that he has been missed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> He has been on only a little recently (Mike that is).
> I expect to see him tomorrow at the DC KB meet.
> He made the excellent banner for my signature below for the ElfHunter book klub.
> He had previously made the banner for the Ark and of course, the In Her Name that is also below.
> Very talented is our Michael Hicks.
> 
> I will tell him that he has been missed.


Please do. And we haven't seen Jan in forever.


----------



## altworld

daveconifer said:


> That's the good kind of nervous. I'll bet he asks for the rest of it by the end of next week!


Either that or I need to use the bathroom... The sample 50 pages have gone out now...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> He has been on only a little recently (Mike that is).
> I expect to see him tomorrow at the DC KB meet.
> He made the excellent banner for my signature below for the ElfHunter book klub.
> He had previously made the banner for the Ark and of course, the In Her Name that is also below.
> Very talented is our Michael Hicks.
> 
> I will tell him that he has been missed.


Awwww! 

Hey, peeps - sorry I haven't posted much, but I've been pretty whipped lately. I've been checking the thread, but have been too much of a lazy butt to say much. 

Anyway, I *will* be there at the DC meet tomorrow, although Jan unfortunately can't make it (have child care issues, unfortunately). We'll just have to take lots of pics!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Awwww!
> 
> Hey, peeps - sorry I haven't posted much, but I've been pretty whipped lately. I've been checking the thread, but have been too much of a lazy butt to say much.
> 
> Anyway, I *will* be there at the DC meet tomorrow, although Jan unfortunately can't make it (have child care issues, unfortunately). We'll just have to take lots of pics!


I pass through DC in the Summer (usually August) on my way to NJ. I get to Union Station about 7:30am. Anybody up for a breakfast meetup at the crack of dawn?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

Yeah! You're here!  Mike give my love to everyone at the DC meet up. I wish I could have rearranged my schedule to make it. Give Betsy and Ann a kiss for me, but you need to make it a big girlfriend schmmoch.  

Ed Pat -----------------


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike:
> 
> Yeah! You're here! Mike give my love to everyone at the DC meet up. I wish I could have rearranged my schedule to make it. Give Betsy and Ann a kiss for me, but you need to make it a big girlfriend schmmoch.
> 
> Ed Pat -----------------


We'll have to have simulated smooches, or Jan'll beat the tar outta me!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike:
> 
> Yeah! You're here! Mike give my love to everyone at the DC meet up. I wish I could have rearranged my schedule to make it. Give Betsy and Ann a kiss for me, but you need to make it a big girlfriend schmmoch.
> 
> Ed Pat -----------------


Unfortunately, I won't be there. Virtual air kisses for everyone!

Betsy


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got off my duff and did 1,780 words tonight on The People's Treasure. Not much, but it was semanal material, so it was worth the work.

Ed Patterson

PS And I finally got that scene in Central Park. Not the first one I wrote there (In _Turning Idolater _ we're in the shadows of Cleopatra's needle in one scene).


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Actually if you'll scroll up, you'll see that Sierra bought me my 100th sale for this month. A true trooper, she is
> 
> David Dalglish


oops, your right.  Thats what happens when your reading to catch up for several days.


----------



## Sharlow

I did 2,000 words last night. For some reason I haven't been in the mood to write for a couple of weeks. Still didn't but I decided to read the chapter and see how it was going, and next thing i knew i had added another 2k. Funny how that works. Trying to get motivated to write tonight, may have to try that trick again.


----------



## Victorine

Oh what a great thread!  I know how it goes when you want to write but you're just sitting there and nothing is coming.  My WIP was going along fine until... wham... I feel like this scene is sucking the life out of me... and am now stuck on what to write next.  Nothing's inspiring me.  

Plus "real life" is busy and it's hard to find time to write.  Especially when you feel like you're wasting your time tapping your fingers on the keyboard making noise but not typing anything!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Victorine said:


> Especially when you feel like you're wasting your time tapping your fingers on the keyboard making noise but not typing anything!


Actually, that's how I started my WiP. Knew my characters, knew the setting and the time period, just didn't know what the heck they were going to do with themselves. I did have an opening sentence, so I typed that and then the story started to unfold. I'm not sure how good it is, and I may rewrite what I've already done since I was just messing around, but at least I have a direction.

Taking GS to TKD tonight, so I expect to get a lot done while he's getting beaten up.


----------



## Victorine

> Knew my characters, knew the setting and the time period, just didn't know what the heck they were going to do with themselves.


Yes! This is how I write too. I get to know my characters, then throw them into a situation and see what they do!

I think I read somewhere... if you get stuck, then just blow something up and see what happens. Maybe that's what my scene needs!! (They're on a date, that might liven things up a bit!) 

Vicki


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Victorine said:


> I think I read somewhere... if you get stuck, then just blow something up and see what happens. Maybe that's what my scene needs!! (They're on a date, that might liven things up a bit!)
> 
> Vicki


Sounds like a lot of my dates.


----------



## Jeff

I really envy you folks that can write without an outline.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I really envy you folks that can write without an outline.


For C&C I had a timeline. So much going on in that time period, I couldn't have done it without one.

A suggestion you made some time ago about noting new characters and events is going to work well with the WiP. I won't have a timeline to work from since everything interesting will have already taken place before the start of the book. There are only a few historical events that I'll be flashing back to. The rest I'll just have to make up as I go along.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I spent years writing WITH an outline and also using writer's software. I can't finish a novel when boxed in by an outline. My general approach is not a vacuum. I visualize the main scenes and sketch in my head the principle characters. The beginning of the novel is structured in my head and with a few paragraphs - directional statements. Then as I move along, I solve problems, visualize new scenes and talk all the dialogue out in the car, in bed, in the shower. Each chapter, if written as I've envisioned it would be about 8,000 words each. When I sit down to write the draft, I just role into it, as if I'm watching a film, the ideas and then the characters moving from the macro and into the micro (that is the moment). I watched every characters movement, every aroma, every cloud and change in the dialog contour - watch it and then write what I and the moment feels engaging. "Engage the reader." And the most engaged reader at the end of the draft chapter is . . .me. I have never written a chapter as planned, yet I'm conscious of every road sign and solution. Then I do a quick edit, give it to Peg and then nail it into the tapestry. The real writing comes with the revision, where I remove excess, and apply the craft. If I had an outline, I would write static stories with plots (yikes - plots are banished from my novels). In this way, I should enjoy the process more than my readers, then they have a shot at liking it.

Ed Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I pass through DC in the Summer (usually August) on my way to NJ. I get to Union Station about 7:30am. Anybody up for a breakfast meetup at the crack of dawn?


We *CAN* arrange it.
Just sayin.....


----------



## sierra09

Victorine said:


> I think I read somewhere... if you get stuck, then just blow something up and see what happens. Maybe that's what my scene needs!! (They're on a date, that might liven things up a bit!)
> 
> Vicki


As an someone who writes action stuff, I can honestly say that blowing things will help when you're stuck quite a bit....unless you accidently blow up a main character then that requires a bit of fixing.


----------



## Sharlow

Jeff said:


> I really envy you folks that can write without an outline.


 Outline? Whats that?  I've tried making a few outlines for my books, and it always makes me more relaxed that everything is under control. You know, how many chapters theres going to be. what characters are going to be there, the general events, etc. But no matter how hard I try, my characters have there own minds, and almost never do what i expect. I cant tell you how many minor characters didn't die off and have become majors, and lets not forget about the magically self creating chapters that were never meant to be in the book, that just force there way into it. So in a nutshell, I just gave up and when I'm up to it, I come see what my characters are doing today. They surprise me all the time.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I love those magical ersatz chapters that crop up and take me by storm. I also like the chapters I cut that wind up in a different book.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I love those magical ersatz chapters that crop up and take me by storm. I also like the chapters I cut that wind up in a different book.
> 
> Ed Patterson


i havent had that happen yet, but then I'm only working on my 2nd and 3rd book.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I don't outline. Instead, I yammer to my wife about what has happened, what I want to have happen, things I'm not sure about, etc. So by the time I get to a scene, I generally have an idea where its going to go, but at the same time, everything is far more fluid than sitting down and writing out an outline.

I've actually had outlines kill stories for me. Once I plot it all out, and know where it will go, I lose interest. The surprise is gone.

David Dalglish


----------



## Victorine

Sharlow said:


> Outline? Whats that?  I've tried making a few outlines for my books, and it always makes me more relaxed that everything is under control. You know, how many chapters theres going to be. what characters are going to be there, the general events, etc. But no matter how hard I try, my characters have there own minds, and almost never do what i expect. I cant tell you how many minor characters didn't die off and have become majors, and lets not forget about the magically self creating chapters that were never meant to be in the book, that just force there way into it. So in a nutshell, I just gave up and when I'm up to it, I come see what my characters are doing today. They surprise me all the time.


Yes! I'm the same way. My characters end up doing what they want. I love that about this biz. It's great to see what is going to happen next in a story you're writing!!



> As an someone who writes action stuff, I can honestly say that blowing things will help when you're stuck quite a bit....unless you accidently blow up a main character then that requires a bit of fixing.


Ha ha ha ha! Thanks for the laugh today! 

Vicki


----------



## sierra09

Always glad to help. It is amusing now to think about it but I was very happy when I did it but it was one of those things that just happened. 

I have characters that I can write and keep in perfect control while the current array of unruly Irish characters tend to do what they want with my story and the heck with what I want. Though it normally turns out well when that happens.   I don't outline as a general rule since I agree that once you have it planned out it loses something. I may have a rough grasp on what should happen but half the time other things will enter the story that I didn't plan.
There was only once did I plan a story from start to finish and carried it out. Though luckily I don't have many sleepless nights and that was how that story came to be. I couldn't sleep and the full story popped into my head. It's sitting in a cabinet waiting to be retyped onto the computer since that was back in the day of manual writing with a pencil and typewriter....don't anyone ask what a typewriter is or I will feel really old.


----------



## Victorine

Oooh, yes.  The first "big" purchase I ever made was a typewriter.  I do feel old remembering that.  LOL!

Vicki


----------



## Susan in VA

But you can sit outdoors in the bright sunshine and use a typewriter.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susan in VA said:


> But you can sit outdoors in the bright sunshine and use a typewriter.


But I can sit outside in the bright sunshine and use my netbook.


----------



## Jeff

Back in the days of the typewriter, most publishers refused to accept carbon copies so one spent more time typing manuscripts than writing. If you included a self-addressed-stamped-envelope and your work was rejected, you got back a dirty, coffee stained, dog eared original that was unfit for submission to the next publisher. I'm not sure why I just wrote this. Is it on topic?


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> you got back a dirty, coffee stained, dog eared original


At least then you knew they had _read_ it.


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> At least then you knew they had _read_ it.


That's true. Times have changed.


----------



## sierra09

I still have the electric typewriter my grandparents bought me. I don't know why since you can't buy ribbons for it. I know why Mom's keeping the 75 year old manual one that weighs 50 pounds but it doesn't mean  I like moving it.

I normally keep my laptop indoors when I use it since the battery doesn't hold a charge now and the laptop is too old to buy a new one...


----------



## Susan in VA

sierra09 said:


> I still have the electric typewriter my grandparents bought me. I don't know why since you can't buy ribbons for it.


Not online or anywhere? That seems odd... I can still get ribbons for my 35-year-old manual Olivetti... (and yes, I sometimes still use it)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susan in VA said:


> At least then you knew they had _read_ it.


Or used it for a placemat.


----------



## sierra09

Susan in VA said:


> Not online or anywhere? That seems odd... I can still get ribbons for my 35-year-old manual Olivetti... (and yes, I sometimes still use it)


I was always leery about buying ribbons and stuff online but for some reason that model was hard to find stuff for even after he bought it. Of course, it was obsolete when he bought it too. My granddad was a great guy but cheap. I don't look for ribbons much anymore since I don't know if I could use a typewriter anymore. Too used to backspace as delete.


----------



## Jeff

I still have a typewriter (use it occasionally for filling out tax forms and the like). I buy ribbons for it at Office Depot.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wrote my first novel on the typewriter my grandmother gave me, an old upright manual Underwood. I was 12 years old, the novel was crap (I didn't even change the character names) and the typewriter, alas, has long since disappeared. I had a portable typewriter that I typed my Master's thesis/Doctoral dissertation on in 1972 and, because the erasures were too brisk (pre-white out days), the microfiche machines that register works for degrees, rejected it and it was returned for retyping (and I was sick, in bed with tonsilitis, and retyped the who thing, over my knees under the covers. My first laptop).  My first completed novel also was typed, _The Nioche_, 1975 (an Native American novel), and the typed manuscript is lost (I have a few pages), but I have a handwritten copy. The writing was rough, rough - but the spark was good enough to incorporate into _Blemundus,_ a SciFi work due for completion and publication in 2011. And I also started _The Southern Swallow _ on a manual typewriter 37 years ago as_ Li K'ai-men_, and under several other names before it became _The Academician - a Vagrant Hollow _ and then _Nan Ya _ (Chinese for Southern Swallow). That work will not be complete until 2012-13, now that the last book (only 2 are published), has become so intensely complicated that I have divided it into 2 books. Yes, folks, you heard it here first. _The Southern Swallow _ is now a 5 book series and the title of the last book will be _Vagrants Hollow_. I miss the old typewriters. NOT. But I do wish I had the one my Nana gave me 51 years ago.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Keeping track of historical events over a long period of time is pretty difficult without an outline. I suppose I'm never going to have the freedom to just _wing it_ unless I change genres. The outline for my American Civil War WIP is currently 43 pages with an associated spread sheet keeping track of where historical figures were on given days.


----------



## Victorine

As I write, I keep a document open called "Characters and Timelines", and as I write and little details come out I jot them down in the word document.  So each main character has some details about them jotted down, but I do it as the story unfolds so I don't consider it an outline.  I think of it as 'keeping track of what I already established'.  So, if I forget the someone's eye color, I can go look quickly without searching through pages of text.  Usually it's just a one or two page document.

I also jot down dates and small reminders as to what happened, so I don't mention that it's a Monday and then after two days it's the weekend.  

But that's all that is organized about my writing.  Otherwise, it's a free for all fight between the characters!

Vicki


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

In my 2 historical novels I DO keep one piece of paper with a bunch of little reminders, mostly with Chinese names and places, and a few notes, but with a 7 volume Chinese historical work on the shelf, I'm constantly in it and translating. However, when the Nan Tu came out, I loved that moment when I handed Peg of the Red Pencil her hardbound copy and then flashed the one piece of paper at her. She laughed. I did draw a map of China for the last novel, but only for Peg and at her request. She'd receive a Chapter and then look at the map and point. "We're here, right?" or "Now which river is the _Huai _ and which the _Ch'ang_?" She got a kick out of the _Ch'ang _ River, which Westerners call the _Yang-tze_. _Ch'ang _ means "long" and that's what the Chinese call it - the Long River - BUT river iin Chinese is _chiang_, so I would say to Peg, that's the _Ch'ang-chiang_, and she'd giggle. And then we'd say together, in a real southern drawl - The Yaank-see KEE-yaang. I will say, writing Historical novels are difficult, but most of the timeline and stuff I need is absorb into my noggin, and only the overspill goes on that one damn piece of paper. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I will say, writing Historical novels are difficult, but most of the timeline and stuff I need is absorb into my noggin, and only the overspill goes on that one d*mn piece of paper.


My noggin isn't big enough to remember the dates and participants of all the Civil War battles.


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> My noggin isn't big enough to remember the dates and participants of all the Civil War battles.


You could have picked a different genre...

... you could always try writing new age fantasy... or romance novels...

... er, maybe not.


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> You could have picked a different genre...


How about inaccurate historical fiction? Or even better, revisionist historical fiction where the South won?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Inglourious Basterds comes to mind.   And BTW, as to my noggin, I'm a fat head.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> How about inaccurate historical fiction?


  No.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> How about inaccurate historical fiction? Or even better, revisionist historical fiction where the South won?


Isn't revisionist history actually inaccurate history? Would be funny to see what happened if the south won. Living in Florida, a lot of people think they did.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Now, now Floridian lady. My sister tribe is still at war with the US over that state.   And speaking of revisionist history, history was revised when they made Andrew Jackson into a hero. We Cherokee still X out his picture on the twenty dollar bill.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> And speaking of revisionist history, history was revised when they made Andrew Jackson into a hero.


How about that. Guess I'm already writing revisionist history and didn't even know it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Now, now Floridian lady. My sister tribe is still at war with the US over that state.  And speaking of revisionist history, history was revised when they made Andrew Jackson into a hero. We Cherokee still X out his picture on the twenty dollar bill.
> 
> Ed Patterson


They used to sell me cheap ciggies and they make a small fortune out of their casinos.



Jeff said:


> How about that. Guess I'm already writing revisionist history and didn't even know it.


At least you make history interesting, but then you know what a history buff I am.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And speaking about revisionist History and currency - Alexander Hamilton should have been on the $3.00 bill.  As for Andy Jackson, he had Creek in his lineage, and the Cherokee and Creek fought beside him in the Red Stick war. His good friend, Sam Houston, was half-Cherokee. Jackson's a mystery to many native Americans, but ask any Taino about Columbus and you'll get the same answer. (None - because he killed them all).

However, as a historian, the one thing I never want my historical novels to be are history books. I spend quite a bit of time changing things to better serve art than fact. If I was writing American history, I couldn't get away with it. As a Sinologist, I can rearrange Chinese history to better serve the art and also the spirit of the times. My characters, for example, behave and dress and conform strictly to the culture not of 20th Century or 17th Century or 3rd Century China - but precisely 12th Century China. However, if I have three generals leading three battles, I will consolidate it to one battle and create a new general to lead it, comprising the three generals. I will change Chinese historic names to better conform with my reader's comprehension level. Chinese names can be confusing. If I followed the letter of history, my readers would need to deal with a dozen characters named with the equivolent of "Smith." The important factor, however, is not the revisions for art, it is that the I know the facts precisely and the ones I have changed. I have included points to convey that to Chinese readers and fellow Sinologists. Winks, so to speak.

Now for a big historical fact. Chinese historians and the histories they wrote were voluminous and "revisionist." They wrote to flatter or condemn individuals. Most modern historians spend our time unlocking the truth from sources other than Chinese historians. When you depend on empiracal data to lay out a true timeline and an a clear revelation of an event, Sinologists are more apt to be novelists than interpreters. As a result, if I handed any of my readers the several thousand pages required to view the period between 1127-1179 (the base coverage for the 5 Southern Swallow books), they would fall asleep on page three. My job in this instance is to distill it to something memorable, factual, and a background spirit for the story that wends its way between the events. It often bogs me down when I need to research things like what the 12th Century Chinese called a "horse-shoe" (took a week to find out - a "sandal,") and how to describe a pomegranate without using either the Chinese or English word for it and still have the reader know that it is a pomegranate. (Had fun with the Chinese word for umbrella - _san-tze _ - and used that word, because umbrella is Italian and parasol is Portuguese, and China had little knowledge of either place or their language in the 12th Century. Marco Polo didn't show up in Sung China until his Yuan (Mongol) employer sent him to spy in 1250). So, facts and timelines are one thing, but history is about people and cultures, so revisionism is an important lens. Already we should see A. Jackson and A. Hamilton through a slightly different lens. 

Ed Patterson, the Rambling Rose


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> And speaking about revisionist History and currency - Alexander Hamilton should have been on the $3.00 bill.  As for Andy Jackson, he had Creek in his lineage, and the Cherokee and Creek fought beside him in the Red Stick war. His good friend, Sam Houston, was half-Cherokee. Jackson's a mystery to many native Americans, but ask any Taino about Columbus and you'll get the same answer. (None - because he killed them all).


You're good. It took me three books and almost a million words to say that.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I pass through DC in the Summer (usually August) on my way to NJ. I get to Union Station about 7:30am. Anybody up for a breakfast meetup at the crack of dawn?


If I'm in town, I'll be there!

Betsy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Betsy the Quilter said:


> If I'm in town, I'll be there!
> 
> Betsy


Thanks, Betsy and Geoff. Every time I pass through, I think about you guys. If my GS is with me, I might stay an extra day so I can take him around to see some of the sights.

Well, I'm off to run a major clean-up on my computer (George) so I won't see you guys for several hours.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

My problem is internet distraction. Right now, I spend a lot of time putting up free stories on Smashwords or promoting here and there, or else just plain zoning out somewhere because my focus has vanished, and not enough time editing or writing. I tried the Snowflake method to prep for last year's NaNoWriMo, and really enjoyed it for the most part, but I had a serious interruption at the end of November and didn't finish the manuscript. It sits at 65K, and I'm editing from the start because I haven't touched the thing in months and all those details that were at the tip of my brain have fled. I love the plot and the characters, but I'm really struggling to find the groove I carved during the first couple weeks of November.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> My problem is internet distraction. Right now, I spend a lot of time putting up free stories on Smashwords or promoting here and there, or else just plain zoning out somewhere because my focus has vanished, and not enough time editing or writing. I tried the Snowflake method to prep for last year's NaNoWriMo, and really enjoyed it for the most part, but I had a serious interruption at the end of November and didn't finish the manuscript. It sits at 65K, and I'm editing from the start because I haven't touched the thing in months and all those details that were at the tip of my brain have fled. I love the plot and the characters, but I'm really struggling to find the groove I carved during the first couple weeks of November.


I usually find if I start reading again from the beginning, I can find my momentum again.

The WiP is going well (9 pages). At least the story is coming along, but I haven't found my focus yet. Or my voice, or my groove, or my zone, or the "I know what the heck I'm doing" vibe. It'll come. Just keep plugging away.


----------



## altworld

Ugh...

Not been a good writing day... I think in the last two hours I've rewritten the same 50 words, my inner editor wont shut up, I feel like I am spinning my wheels and I cannot get my head into the right space.

Done all the tricks, walked away, did something else, went for a work, did the mood music, consulted all my notes and I'm running in circles around the same piece of text.

Not being a good writer today...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

altworld said:


> Ugh...
> 
> Not been a good writing day... I think in the last two hours I've rewritten the same 50 words, my inner editor wont shut up, I feel like I am spinning my wheels and I cannot get my head into the right space.
> 
> Done all the tricks, walked away, did something else, went for a work, did the mood music, consulted all my notes and I'm running in circles around the same piece of text.
> 
> Not being a good writer today...


I've had those days, man. I usually get up, take a walk, listen to some music, etc. Then come back (THAT SAME DAY) and hammer through. Think to yourself, "it's crap, I don't care, gotta move on, gotta move on, I can edit it later". Usually I can power through doing that, and then of course when I look back later, it isn't near as horrible as my inner editor was trying to tell me.

Hopefully you'll make it through soon. We all get 'em, so don't despair!

David Dalglish


----------



## daveconifer

Yeah, just get it out of your head and down on paper, and fix it later. You've got to get that lump of clay onto the potter's wheel before you can make anything with it.

Sorry for the horrible metaphor but it works for me [shrug]


----------



## altworld

Half-Orc said:


> I've had those days, man. I usually get up, take a walk, listen to some music, etc. Then come back (THAT SAME DAY) and hammer through. Think to yourself, "it's crap, I don't care, gotta move on, gotta move on, I can edit it later". Usually I can power through doing that, and then of course when I look back later, it isn't near as horrible as my inner editor was trying to tell me.
> 
> Hopefully you'll make it through soon. We all get 'em, so don't despair!
> 
> David Dalglish


Done all those tricks, I'm just having a real bad writing day and cannot get the inner editor to shut up like I normally do. Got to power through it or it will paralysis me, and I will head into a tail spin. At the moment this section of text is mocking me... Mocking me!!!

Ugh... At least its giving my wife a good laugh as a I walk through the house muttering to myself about words attacking me. At least I know it isn't just me...

http://www.nanowrimo.org/node/1065561

I putting this down to word bottleneck...


----------



## altworld

Just been ordered by the wife to clean my stepson's Guinea Pig cage... And then sit down and write something...


----------



## Victorine

I have days where I have horrible "isuckitis".  I think that every sentence stinks.  I type a paragraph or two, then delete them.  Arg.  On those days I just try my best to get something down that I don't hate to get past it and move on.  

And like you said, later on I usually can look at it with fresher eyes and it's not as bad as I was thinking.

Vicki


----------



## Gertie Kindle

altworld said:


> Just been ordered by the wife to clean my stepson's Guinea Pig cage... And then sit down and write something...


Well, I won't go so far as to clean the guinea pig cage, but I will just sit down and write something. That's what I've been doing for nine pages now. Somewhere along the line, my characters will start talking to me. Wish they would get off their butts already. I'm tired of doing all the thinking.


----------



## altworld

Well cleaning the Guinea Pig helped... Only had three hours for writing time today and only managed 500 words. Not my best ever exchange for time to word ratio, but at least its something for now. Going to write this off as one of those days, and get back to my 1000 words a night rhythm now that I've hopefully broken the word bottle neck I just went through..


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Formatting for Create Space and I found four more errors.  I may just read the whole thing through again.


----------



## sierra09

I don't think I could or even would attempt to clean a guinea pig cage. I used to hate cleaning up 5 parakeet cages before I had to give 'em away.

I haven't been able to write a darn thing for days. I was hoping Ryan would get into the mood to start yapping about his scenes but it's cold. Hopefully it's just stress and after Tuesday when Mom gets the first cataract surgery done I'll be able to write between doing who knows what.


----------



## altworld

sierra09 said:


> I don't think I could or even would attempt to clean a guinea pig cage. I used to hate cleaning up 5 parakeet cages before I had to give 'em away.
> 
> I haven't been able to write a darn thing for days. I was hoping Ryan would get into the mood to start yapping about his scenes but it's cold. Hopefully it's just stress and after Tuesday when Mom gets the first cataract surgery done I'll be able to write between doing who knows what.


Its stress related, sometimes no matter what it can cause a word block at this point with the surgery I would see little point fighting it. I wish your mother well. Once the surgery is done I think you will feel the words start flowing again... For me its back to the grind tomorrow to clear my word bottle neck, and then it should start following easier.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, after cleaning up after a dozen Weimaraner dogs, I'll take a guinea pig cage any day! 

Having staggered in briefly from my mental wilderness, I am able to report that I managed to hammer out 3,100 words in about four hours today and have passed the 50,000 word mark on my next book (working title = Genetically Modified Organism; some people seem to like it, some - like Ann - don't; I'm always open to suggestions!).

Not sure how much writing I'll get done this week, as Jan and I will be heading off to LA on Tuesday for the week to attend the Beachbody fitness summit, which is near the intersection of Santa Monica and Avenue of the Stars. So, lots of sweat lies ahead, although I'm looking forward to jogging around the area. It's been ages and ages since I've been to LA...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, after cleaning up after a dozen Weimaraner dogs, I'll take a guinea pig cage any day!
> 
> Having staggered in briefly from my mental wilderness, I am able to report that I managed to hammer out 3,100 words in about four hours today and have passed the 50,000 word mark on my next book (working title = Genetically Modified Organism; some people seem to like it, some - like Ann - don't; I'm always open to suggestions!).
> 
> Not sure how much writing I'll get done this week, as Jan and I will be heading off to LA on Tuesday for the week to attend the Beachbody fitness summit, which is near the intersection of Santa Monica and Avenue of the Stars. So, lots of sweat lies ahead, although I'm looking forward to jogging around the area. It's been ages and ages since I've been to LA...


Glad to see you back, Mike. That's a lot of words to knock out. I still like GMO and whatever you choose should be similar. Maybe GenMod or GenOrg or The Organism.

Have fun in LA. Stop by and see us once in a while.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,500 words tonight (writing has been slow as I was in NJ for the weekend). Just passed the 96,000 word point. 

Mike - If you're in Venice Beach drop in on Elijah Wood for me, but alas, I think he's still in Chile saving pets from the earthquake.

Ed Patterson


----------



## JimC1946

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Formatting for Create Space and I found four more errors. I may just read the whole thing through again.


I have my own theory that the moment you get rid of the last error, another one pops up at a random location in your manuscript. I think that this is a part of the Quantum Theory and will be proven to be correct one day. ;-)

JimC


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

JimC1946 said:


> I have my own theory that the moment you get rid of the last error, another one pops up at a random location in your manuscript. I think that this is a part of the Quantum Theory and will be proven to be correct one day.


Its the Law of Conservation of Errors. Any time you remove an error, it sends it to some other document in the world, sometimes your own but not always. So that misspelling of 'the' as 'teh' you find somehow surviving 3 edits? That's because I deleted 3 extraneous commas.

That's right. Your errors are my fault. You may send hatemail if it makes you feel better.

David Dalglish


----------



## JimC1946

Half-Orc said:


> That's right. Your errors are my fault. You may send hatemail if it makes you feel better.


At least I have someone to blame now, that's something.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I like your error theories, Jim and David.  I found seven more.  Just how many commas did you delete, David, so I know how many more I have to find.  

And I'm also going to have to resend to DTP.  

Night, folks.


----------



## JimC1946

I'm not writing anything at this time, so you can hang those on David, at least until the theory is refined a bit more.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

David, can I post that any errors found in my novels are your fault - that for every comma you delete, I misuse the word passed/past.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I am the King of screwing up past/passed. In fact, someone called me out on it in their review of _Stalker_ (I have since fixed them--at least I think I have).

The eyes blur over so much when rereading the work for the fourth, fifth, tenth time...


----------



## Victorine

My bad one used to be then/than.  After some mental beating myself over the head a few times I think I've gotten it.  

The ones I always have to look up are effect/affect.  Grrr, those are the worst.  Who did that anyway?  Let's create a word and when it's used as a verb it's spelled one way, and the noun is spelled the other way... unless you have THESE conditions.  



Vicki


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Naturally, as soon as I whine in public, I have a good writing day!  That'll larn me good. I cleaned up a couple glaring plot holes and did some much-needed fleshing out of background details with a couple important concepts today. Ten chapters down, seven more to go, until I'm up to where I stopped writing. By then, I should be good to go on feelin' that groove again.

*grooves*


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Edward C. Patterson said:


> David, can I post that any errors found in my novels are your fault - that for every comma you delete, I misuse the word passed/past.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Sure thing. You can even print it on the back of your book.

"All errors are fault of David Dalglish."

Uh oh, looks like I found some extra "that"s I can delete. Ooh, and a misspelling of seperate/separate. Muhahahhaha.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

peek/peak/pique



Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> Naturally, as soon as I whine in public, I have a good writing day!  That'll larn me good. I cleaned up a couple glaring plot holes and did some much-needed fleshing out of background details with a couple important concepts today. Ten chapters down, seven more to go, until I'm up to where I stopped writing. By then, I should be good to go on feelin' that groove again.
> 
> *grooves*


That's why we're here. Whining and cleaning out guinea pig cages seem to work.

Some people stoop to cookies, but that's for the faint of heart.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I once mentioned that I liked Veronas and Milanos and wouldn;t you know it, at a book signing in Virginia, that was included in the intro by the MC, who found the statement by googling.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I once mentioned that I liked Veronas and Milanos and wouldn;t you know it, at a book signing in Virginia, that was included in the intro by the MC, who found the statement by googling.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I remembered the Milanos but I forgot about the Veronas. You're just a two cookie kind of guy.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I remembered the Milanos too, but not the Veronas. I wonder if there's a story there?  

Had another "breakthrough" moment last night when I figured out the next few sequences in my next novel. Now I just need to get them down.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Speaking of the past/passed thing: Which is correct?

He pushed the carriage down the driveway and turned right onto the sidewalk, following it for several yards, the cracks rumbling as he past/passed over them.

Thanks.


----------



## Dave Dykema

OK, another one for you. I just saw it and it flashedback to Ed's response a few back:

Maybe the killer saw the monitor and it peaked/piqued his interest.

Thanks again.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

In this case it's passed.

How I remember it, if an object or person goed beyond a thing, it's _past_. If you pass something, like a kidney stone, it's _passed_.

So in your example, you can't subjstitute the word "beyond" for passed/past, so it's _passed_. If he rumbled _beyond _ the cracks, it's _past_.

Peg of the Red Pencil has taught me well, and I wish I had that formula when I wrote my first 6 novels. (but since 4 of them have been relaunched and re-editrd, they have _passed _ muster (muster being a kydney stone).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave Dykema said:


> OK, another one for you. I just saw it and it flashedback to Ed's response a few back:
> 
> Maybe the killer saw the monitor and it peaked/piqued his interest.
> 
> Thanks again.


That one's piqued, no doubt about it.

Ed P


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Dave Dykema said:


> Speaking of the past/passed thing: Which is correct?
> 
> He pushed the carriage down the driveway and turned right onto the sidewalk, following it for several yards, the cracks rumbling as he past/passed over them.
> 
> Thanks.


"Pass": present tense verb, meaning to move by, move ahead, proceed. Gandalf does not approve of the Balrog's desire to pass across the Bridge of Khazad-dum.

The past tense of "pass" is "passed". This is the correct word for your example. He [verbed] over them.

"Past": an adjective or an adverb. In your example, you might use it thus: "...the cracks rumbling after he'd moved past them." "Past" being the where, thus an adverb, while "move" is the verb.

[/grammar geek]


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I still like my "beyond" and "kidney stone," analogies to keep them grammatically honest. Every time I read the sentence, _John passed Susan on the street_, I think - and I hope he flushed and wiped.  (another way to remember it).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Wow. Thanks. I knew the piqued was correct, even though I typed it as peaked originally.

But I thought I had the past/passed nailed. I HATE that one!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, a good night. 2,500 words, and a tough sequence dealing lmost exclusively with dialog.

Ed Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Dave Dykema said:


> Wow. Thanks. I knew the piqued was correct, even though I typed it as peaked originally.
> 
> But I thought I had the past/passed nailed. I HATE that one!!


Do you struggle with rapt/wrapped? I find that if I can associate a problematic word (or word pair) with one I always know, I can generally get it right every time.

(I know none of these tricks work for everyone)


----------



## Dave Dykema

No problems with rapt/wrapped.

Further/farther used to give me trouble, but not so much anymore. A friend gave me an association type game with that one (although right now I can't think of it!! I'M DOOMED!!).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> No problems with rapt/wrapped.
> 
> Further/farther used to give me trouble, but not so much anymore. A friend gave me an association type game with that one (although right now I can't think of it!! I'M DOOMED!!).


I try to avoid further/farther.

I used to struggle with it's/its, but if I remember that an inanimate object can't own anything, I've got it licked.

Rhythm ... I have to keep that one in front of me because I can't spell it at all.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I'm at 81 pages of the target 100 pages for my script for this month's Script Frenzy challenge. I am hoping to get at least 10 pages done today, as the last couple days of the month are very busy.

I haven't posted much to this lately, as other than this month's script my new writing has been at a stand still lately. But I do gather encouragement when seeing the dedication of those who have been reaching daily or weekly goals with their writing.

Keep it going!

Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Elmore Hammes said:


> But I do gather encouragement when seeing the dedication of those who have been reaching daily or weekly goals with their writing.
> 
> Keep it going!
> 
> Elmore


Wish I were one of them. Still getting C&C ready for print and fixing more errors I have found. It's never ending.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,540 words tonight and am nearing a big important sequence thta will require will my might. Also nearing the 100,000 word mark for The People's Treasure.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Victorine

Whoo hoo, go Ed!

Vicki


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Still working on formatting and a few last (I hope) corrections.  

The good news is that I did manage some writing time today.  3600 words and 12 pages total.  I don't know how many I did today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, peeps! Just checking in real quick before I lose my connection (I'm clinging to an open wi-fi hotspot in a nearby building - refuse to pay the hotel a SECOND $10/day fee for access to their network, which is pretty sucky anyway).

Glad to see everyone making progress! Haven't done any writing since Tuesday, so haven't moved on into chapter 12 of GMO. Probably won't get to do any until Monday except for the plane ride home on Sunday. The Beachbody summit has been great so far, but after the group workout this evening (about 90 minutes of INTENSE routines), we're quivering blobs of protoplasm that need to go to sleep! LOL!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, peeps! Just checking in real quick before I lose my connection (I'm clinging to an open wi-fi hotspot in a nearby building - refuse to pay the hotel a SECOND $10/day fee for access to their network, which is pretty sucky anyway).
> 
> Glad to see everyone making progress! Haven't done any writing since Tuesday, so haven't moved on into chapter 12 of GMO. Probably won't get to do any until Monday except for the plane ride home on Sunday. The Beachbody summit has been great so far, but after the group workout this evening (about 90 minutes of INTENSE routines), we're quivering blobs of protoplasm that need to go to sleep! LOL!


Good to see you back here, if only for a few minutes.

When I want wi-fi, I go to McD's and order a grilled chicken snack wrap. I can sit as long as I want and I usually need to stay for a while. Downloads are soooooo slooooow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, but the problem is we're tied to the hotel for most of the day for the summit. I found that my netbook actually sees the wi-fi transmitters better than my Mac, so I've been using that to try and reach open hotspots nearby, but they're on the very edge of reception range. But, what the hey, at least you got my last post! We'll see if this one gets through...

BTW, the Beachbody Summit has been lots of fun! Wish we had more time to explore the Beverly Hills area, but we'll do that next year... 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Good to see you back here, if only for a few minutes.
> 
> When I want wi-fi, I go to McD's and order a grilled chicken snack wrap. I can sit as long as I want and I usually need to stay for a while. Downloads are soooooo slooooow.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, but the problem is we're tied to the hotel for most of the day for the summit. I found that my netbook actually sees the wi-fi transmitters better than my Mac, so I've been using that to try and reach open hotspots nearby, but they're on the very edge of reception range. But, what the hey, at least you got my last post! We'll see if this one gets through...
> 
> BTW, the Beachbody Summit has been lots of fun! Wish we had more time to explore the Beverly Hills area, but we'll do that next year...


You made it through. Glad you and Jan are having fun. We'll see you when you get back home.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I will probably write today. I've been sick, and have been coming home from work and heading for bed, emerging only to promote for an hour and then raising the white flag. But I feel better today, will get rid of the grunge, take out the garbage, change the liens, take a ride in the springtime air and then write a chapter (or two). 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I will probably write today. I've been sick, and have been coming home from work and heading for bed, emerging only to promote for an hour and then raising the white flag. But I feel better today, will get rid of the grunge, take out the garbage, change the liens, take a ride in the springtime air and then write a chapter (or two).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Wondered where you were. Glad you're feeling better. Nothing like a little keyboarding to get you going.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Writing as we speak.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Writing as we speak.


Yeah, in this post. Nice try, Fitch.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Finished Ch. 21. Working on Ch. 22 for the next half an hour before headed to my game.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yeah, in this post. Nice try, Fitch.


Haha! Good one, Gertie! 

Glad you're feeling better, Ed! Okay, back to the summit...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just had a moment of panic. Obsessively checking sales and I only saw one sale for C&C and AP wasn't even listed. Arrrghhhh. Wait. It's May 1 and a new month. Starting over at ground zero. An hour later, AP showed up.


----------



## VictorGischler

Hello,

Not sure if I'm doing this right, but I'm looking for a place to announce a new book on Kindle.

My name is Victor Gischler, and I've published books (both print an e-books) witth Bantam Dell, Touchstone and elsewhere, but THREE ON A LIGHT is the first book I've published myself on Kindle.

A fun, pulpy mash-up of the Private Eye and Dark Fantasy genres. Shamus Dean Murphy runs afoul of vampires, werewolves witches and other scary things as the result of a curse Zippo lighter. A bargain for 1.99.

Learn more about it: http://victorgischler.blogspot.com/2010/05/worst-sales-pitch-ever.html

Give it a try!


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Okay, guys, I don't know if this is the right place, but I'm having a problem making a link again. I had a devil of a time doing it on my first thread in Book Bazaar until several nice people helped me. And for awhile I was making links. But now I can't. There used to be a box I'd uncheck down below the reply space that said something about parsing links. Now it's not there and I can't link. Can someone advise. Thanks.

Joyce


----------



## Gertie Kindle

VictorGischler said:


> Hello,
> 
> Not sure if I'm doing this right, but I'm looking for a place to announce a new book on Kindle.
> 
> My name is Victor Gischler, and I've published books (both print an e-books) witth Bantam Dell, Touchstone and elsewhere, but THREE ON A LIGHT is the first book I've published myself on Kindle.
> 
> A fun, pulpy mash-up of the Private Eye and Dark Fantasy genres. Shamus Dean Murphy runs afoul of vampires, werewolves witches and other scary things as the result of a curse Zippo lighter. A bargain for 1.99.
> 
> Learn more about it: http://victorgischler.blogspot.com/2010/05/worst-sales-pitch-ever.html
> 
> Give it a try!


Welcome, Victor. You can start your own thread in The Book Bazaar to promote your work.

This thread is where we beat ourselves up when we're stuck, help each other with any kind of issues connected with our love/hate of this thing that we do. We also like to post our accomplishments such as how many words or pages we wrote and what chapter we're on.

Be sure to go to the Welcome board and start a thread to introduce yourself. Some very nice people with show you around the forum.

Have fun and congrats on publishing your book.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Okay, guys, I don't know if this is the right place, but I'm having a problem making a link again. I had a devil of a time doing it on my first thread in Book Bazaar until several nice people helped me. And for awhile I was making links. But now I can't. There used to be a box I'd uncheck down below the reply space that said something about parsing links. Now it's not there and I can't link. Can someone advise. Thanks.
> 
> Joyce


Are you trying to link to a kindle book? I use the old linkmaker to do that. Not as easy, but it gets the job done. You can change the size of the link so it fits in your siggy. I just use a text link so I can fit in more stuff.


----------



## cherylktardif

Goal setting tips for writing:

Determine a reachable word count goal, something you've done before, and use that as a guideline every time you sit down to write, making sure you commit to it and reward yourself when you achieve it. 

The word count number will depend on how much time you generally spend writing at one sitting and whether you edit when you write.

For me, I aim for 1500 words. I will sometimes adjust that number, allowing for life. 

I commit to it by making a note on my computer or tweeting about it. Check my tweets (cherylktardif) and you'll see what I mean. Some of my followers wish me luck; some congratulate me when I report later that I made my #writegoal.

My reward is being able to tweet that I succeeded with my goal.  Sometimes I'll get myself a small treat if I've gone over my word count.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

I think I have my forums mixed up. Another site has the parse links box. But I was able to do this yesterday. Let me try it and see.

Joyce
Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)








[/url]


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Nope. I was told to copy the url and paste it in without the quotes. But the whole thing shows and the link doesn't work anyway. Will try again.

url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)][url]url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> I think I have my forums mixed up. Another site has the parse links box. But I was able to do this yesterday. Let me try it and see.
> 
> Joyce
> Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/url]


Didn't work. Go to linkmaker. You'll see old linkmaker. Open a new tab and go to Amazon to find your book. Right click on the image and click "copy image location" Go back to linkmaker and paste to image url. Go back to Amazon and copy the ASIN # and paste that into the ASIN box in linkmaker. Click the box to make the link. Scroll down and click select for the image. Copy and paste that into your post or siggy.

Let me know how you do.

Gertie


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Oh, I'm hopeless. Sorry for taking up your time.

Joyce


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Trying image link.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Okay, that worked. Now I will try the text link again. Please forgive me for my incomptetence.

Joyce

Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)







[/url]


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Okay, I think I have it now. I just have to remember to highlight the url before I click on the hyperlink icon. Is that right?

Joyce
Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)







[/url]


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Well, maybe I've got it. Sorry for taking up so much space. I'll try again tomorrow. But thanks for trying to help.

Joyce
Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)







[/url]


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay. Now that I have sickness behind me, I'm back into my daily stride. 2,300 words tonight on The Pele's treasure (hit the 106,00- word mark a little undr half-done, but on target for my early fall publication dates).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Well, maybe I've got it. Sorry for taking up so much space. I'll try again tomorrow. But thanks for trying to help.
> 
> Joyce
> Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/url]


Don't worry, you almost had it. The text link worked. After you have copied and pasted everything into linkmaker, click on "create kindleboards link." Then scroll down and click on select for the image. Copy that and paste it into your sig or post.

You'll get it. Took me about 17 tries before I finally got it right. I got as far as selecting then forgot to click "copy" before trying to paste.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I barely got any writing done today, but I was able to finish Ch. 21 and start Ch. 22. And right now, my allergies are driving me batty.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> I barely got any writing done today, but I was able to finish Ch. 21 and start Ch. 22. And right now, my allergies are driving me batty.


Was that a baseball pun? 

You've done better than me. I spent the afternoon and most of tonight so far trying to find a karaoke song for my GS to sing in the talent show. Finally found one and now I'm trying to get my incredibly slow computer to save it to a CD. I'm such a good Grammy.


----------



## smartguy38

I just received an email from a reader telling me they had posted a 5 star review. I am pumped. She also said, in the review, how much she liked having Kindle read the book to her while she gardened.

My book is "Garden Magic In Your Backyard!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

smartguy38 said:


> I just received an email from a reader telling me they had posted a 5 star review. I am pumped. She also said, in the review, how much she liked having Kindle read the book to her while she gardened.
> 
> My book is "Garden Magic In Your Backyard!


Cool!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Excellent, SmartGuy.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

A good 2,023 words written today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No writing done again today, which lets John F. feel like he can pull ahead of me again for a while! I was planning on writing on the plane, but I got the worst headache I've had in years that was finally battered down by a handful of advil, just in time for bed. Poo.

The Beachbody Summit was great! Shame we had to leave early - they didn't have anything on the schedule for Sunday when we made our airline reservations a month ago, then they added a whole day's worth of activities two weeks ago (and by then the only available frequent flier seats on Monday were redeyes - gack!). Ah, well, we'll plan better for next year. And it'll be in June, so the weather will be warmer: we didn't get to drop the top on the Mustang convertible a single time. I was in withdrawal!!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No writing done again today, which lets John F. feel like he can pull ahead of me again for a while!


Feel? Feel, Mr. Hicks?? I never feel -- I just go out and do it!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Feel? Feel, Mr. Hicks?? I never feel -- I just go out and do it!


Hey, if I tweaked your nose, you'd "feel" it! And I bet I can outrun ya!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

You probably could... I haven't sprinted since high school, and I have tendinitis in my knees. And you'd go all P90X on my hiney.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

No writing today. Played the Game of Thrones board game with 5 of my friends. Fun times. I won both too, as the Greyjoys and the Baratheons. Hoohah!

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> You probably could... I haven't sprinted since high school, and I have tendinitis in my knees. And you'd go all P90X on my hiney.


Don't feel bad - I don't do much sprinting anymore (unless I make Jan mad - I think I can still beat her in the 100 yd dash), and all my running these days uses the ChiRunning style: slow, but no pain (I have tendonitis in my left knee, plus some sort of other mechanical issues in there). But yeah, I'd definitely P90X you!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

The spec ed kid I was brought in to help tried to both bite and strangle me (18 years old). He has been given a time out, and I've been reassigned for a single day. That's it.

I reeeeally could use some support right now.

David Dalglish


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> I reeeeally could use some support right now.


I think we have some writers here who practice martial arts, many who practice Martian arts and a few that practice magic.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> The spec ed kid I was brought in to help tried to both bite and strangle me (18 years old). He has been given a time out, and I've been reassigned for a single day. That's it.
> 
> I reeeeally could use some support right now.
> 
> David Dalglish


A time out? For trying to strangle you? Ooookaaaaayy.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Gertie, I'm glad you stopped back here. I want to thank you for trying to help me put in my link the other day. I think I've found how to do it without too much trouble. The test will be if I can do it again--right now. Serendipity House(kindle)









Joyce


----------



## Jeff

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Gertie, I'm glad you stopped back here. I want to thank you for trying to help me put in my link the other day. I think I've found how to do it without too much trouble. The test will be if I can do it again--right now.





Code:


[url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8][IMG]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tyA6jjB4L._SL500_AA266_PIkin2,BottomRight,-16,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg[/IMG][/url]

Serendipity House(kindle)



Code:


[url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)[/url]


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Gertie, I'm glad you stopped back here. I want to thank you for trying to help me put in my link the other day. I think I've found how to do it without too much trouble. The test will be if I can do it again--right now. Serendipity House(kindle)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Joyce


Yay, you did it. Now just copy it into your siggy.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Thanks, but I think I'll just leave it as is. I had to go back in and do it over anyway. Darn.

Joyce
Serendipity House(kindle)][url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8]Serendipity House(kindle)







[/url]


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Back to the drawing board. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Joyce

Okay, I'm pasting in the one that worked. Here. 

Didn't work this time. Okay, forget it. I'll just go back in and delete the link when it doesn't work. Thanks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Back to the drawing board. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
> 
> Joyce
> 
> Okay, I'm pasting in the one that worked. Here.
> 
> Didn't work this time. Okay, forget it. I'll just go back in and delete the link when it doesn't work. Thanks.


Just put it in your siggy. Go to profile, your public profile, and you'll find a spot for it at the bottom. You can just copy and paste the code Jeff set up for you. That way you won't have to keep banging your head against the wall with every post.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's late, but I clocked in 2,400 words on a chapter of The People's Treasure. Now I'm gearing up for an 8,000 word chapter ove this balance of this week as we reach the novels centerpiece and half-way mark (crest).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Starting the writing day. Starting at 64,510... we'll see how far we get before having to go cover a ballgame.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Tried to do it Jeff's way, Gertie, but I couldn't copy the link without moving the bar on the bottom. Then I'd lose half the link. I'm going to try something I read in Forum Tips. Bear with me.

Joyce
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Okay, that worked, but it's not quite what I want. I think I missed a step. I'll be back.

Joyce


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Okay, that worked, but it's not quite what I want. I think I missed a step. I'll be back.
> 
> Joyce


Keep at it, you'll get it. Took me a long time, too.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8SERENDIPITYHOUSE

Okay, have to think on it some more.

Joyce

Rather than start another post, I've added to my profile as Gertie said. Let's see if this works. It didn't, so I'm going to be satisfied for now with my earlier solution.

Okay, so maybe it did. It's not quite what I wanted but it will do for now until I can do it properly. Thanks.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I haven't written as much as I should lately. Besides running for my life from my spec ed kid, I'm also getting far less sleep (1 hour commute + 7:30 first bell = a very tired David). Just banged out a little interview for David H. Burton's blog, so at least I'm hitting they keys in a sorta related way to my story.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Joyce DeBacco said:


> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZJSTJ8?ie=UTF8&tag=kbpst-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZJSTJ8SERENDIPITYHOUSE
> 
> Okay, have to think on it some more.
> 
> Joyce
> 
> Rather than start another post, I've added to my profile as Gertie said. Let's see if this works. It didn't, so I'm going to be satisfied for now with my earlier solution.
> 
> Okay, so maybe it did. It's not quite what I wanted but it will do for now until I can do it properly. Thanks.


Okay, one last step. When you make the link, copy the name of your book and put it in the text link box. Then when you make the link, select the text link, copy and paste it.

Better yet, here's the link

Serendipity House (Kindle Edition)









If you reply to my post, the actual link will show up. You can copy and paste that into your siggy.


----------



## Jeff

Joyce DeBacco said:


> ...I couldn't copy the link without moving the bar on the bottom.


Click on the left of the text in the code box, hold the mouse button down, slowly drag your mouse to the right until the entire line of text is highlighted. Release the mouse button, hold down Ctrl and press C to copy the text to your clipboard. Position your mouse where you want to insert the link, hold down Ctrl and press V to paste it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did a lot of serious research over the last couple of days and now I'm ready to get back to writing.  Did a couple of pages at TKD today, but I know I can get more done tonight.


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> I haven't written as much as I should lately. Besides running for my life from my spec ed kid, I'm also getting far less sleep (1 hour commute + 7:30 first bell = a very tired David). Just banged out a little interview for David H. Burton's blog, so at least I'm hitting they keys in a sorta related way to my story.
> 
> David Dalglish


As a general ed. teacher, you have no idea how much respect you have from me. I witnessed our special ed. teacher wrestle one of her kids out of the lunchroom today wailing and flailing and said a little thank you prayer for people like you. You are with far more than your weight in gold!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wow. No words clocked tonight, but I'm writing a Grand Operatic scene of 8,000 words minmum on _The People's Treasure_, so tonight was the scenario night. I spent some crazed moments acting out character dialog in my living room (the scene engages 16 characters, 12 relics, seven paintings of the come to life kind, the Temple of Dendur and several trees filled with thousands of night birds). You haven't lived until you hear my little playlet when I'm devising a scene like this, especially since one of the characters is based on Katherine Hepburn (The loons, Norman, the loons).  But I'm mighty satisfied that when I finally slip into the zone with this one, the reader will come out the other end with something they shall never forget.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wow. No words clocked tonight, but I'm writing a Grand Operatic scene of 8,000 words minmum on _The People's Treasure_, so tonight was the scenario night. I spent some crazed moments acting out character dialog in my living room (the scene engages 16 characters, 12 relics, seven paintings of the come to life kind, the Temple of Dendur and several trees filled with thousands of night birds). You haven't lived until you hear my little playlet when I'm devising a scene like this, especially since one of the characters is based on Katherine Hepburn (The loons, Norman, the loons).  But I'm mighty satisfied that when I finally slip into the zone with this one, the reader will come out the other end with something they shall never forget.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I think I can't forget it already. The visual is mind-boggling.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I finished that colossal chapter from The People's Treasure tonight. It came to 6,100 words (from 8,000 projected). My characters were less loquacious, but since this is one of those iconic scene that the reader needs to remember and tell other potential readers about  (wait until you get to the scene when all hell breaks loose at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at the Temple of Dendur, you won;t believe it). But I hope they will. I spent enough time on it, orchestrating it like a symphony. Peg of the red Pencil (who has been bugging me for it) gets it tomorrow and I hope it blows her off her chair. Only one more chapter in Part IV and then I can make another little LULU POD for my beta-readers. At the halfway point at 112,000 words. Next section brings me back to China and some pretty dirty political dealings, something which will get my Visa revoked, to be sure. (The government doesn't like it when you replay their Headlines or talk about the "black prisons.")


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, I just love the lyrical descriptions of your work. Makes me feel like I've already read it. 

I've been spending too much time on research and very little time on writing. I love it when I spend hours trying to find out something until I finally get to a site that tells me there is no record. So, I made an educated guess based on what is known.

Then there is the ... one person says this and another person says that and yet a third ... You know how that goes. Again, I either have to make an educated guess or decide which _truth_ works best for the story.

I'll be back to writing again tomorrow.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I find, especially with historcal scenes, we still need o be authors and let the characters arc - then they chose what the dialog should be and also which way the story progresses. Sometimes you need to let history re-write iteself, nd of course, as long as you're a novelist, you're a liar. We are all liars, but unlike those who don;t write, we entertain with our lies.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I find, especially with historcal scenes, we still need o be authors and let the characters arc - then they chose what the dialog should be and also which way the story progresses. Sometimes you need to let history re-write iteself, nd of course, as long as you're a novelist, you're a liar. We are all liars, but unlike those who don;t write, we entertain with our lies.
> 
> Ed Patterson


And here I thought I was a day-dreamer.


----------



## nomesque

*weep*

I thought, a month ago, that I was almost finished my novella. But I keep finding gaping holes in the storyline... things that NEED to be filled in. GAH!!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> *weep*
> 
> I thought, a month ago, that I was almost finished my novella. But I keep finding gaping holes in the storyline... things that NEED to be filled in. GAH!!!


It's never ending.


----------



## nomesque

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's never ending.


... and it's about to become a novel rather than a novella


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

nomesque said:


> ... and it's about to become a novel rather than a novella


Sometimes that's necessary. It sounds like you need to have a union meeting with your characters. Mine do a better job and covering gaps and show me where to "hang the lanterns."

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> No writing today. Played the Game of Thrones board game with 5 of my friends. Fun times. I won both too, as the Greyjoys and the Baratheons. Hoohah!
> 
> David Dalglish


 Never played that, I take it, it's fun?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sharlow said:


> Never played that, I take it, it's fun?


Good times. Turns out I shouldn't have won the first game, but we misunderstood a rule. I still think that fits the spirit of the books, though, winning through misinformation 

Punched in about 70 pages of edits into Death of Promises. Now just waiting on more...

David Dalglish


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


----------



## Jeff

RedAdept said:


> Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


That sucks.


----------



## daveconifer

RedAdept said:


> Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


Yeah, what Jeff said.

Things are getting better and you're way too cool to be out of work for long. Everybody wants bright people. So enjoy the vacation, I'm sure it won't last long!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

RedAdept said:


> Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


That's terrible 

Do you have any ideas for jobs lined up?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

RedAdept said:


> Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


Sorry, Lynn. I hope you find something soon. You know you need to apply for unemployment right away, don't you? They hold back a week from whenever you apply.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry, Lynn. I hope you find something soon. You know you need to apply for unemployment right away, don't you? They hold back a week from whenever you apply.


Yeah, but I got 4 weeks severance pay. Unemployment won't kick in until after that.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

RedAdept said:


> Yeah, but I got 4 weeks severance pay. Unemployment won't kick in until after that.


Severance is better than unemployment. Was any of that vacation or sick leave they owed you? It might make a difference if it is. I don't really know. Probably a lot has changed in the past few years. They keep extending the benefits.


----------



## Steph H

And you will qualify for cheaper COBRA health insurance, too, when your insurance runs out (assuming you had insurance through your employer), as Congress extended that benefit again last month for certain layoffs and other job losses occurring through May 31. So you'll only pay 35% of premiums for 15 of 18 months of maximum COBRA coverage. If that helps any...

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fscobrapremiumreduction.html

Sorry to hear the news, Lynn.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's terrible news, Lynn. But although things might not seem cheery, another door will open and it will be better. (I know - been there). I'll keep you in my morning prayers.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

I've realized that the publisher who's done the print version of my novel isn't offering what I'm looking for anymore (I changed, not them). I've switched the next major project I'm working on, from editing a book in a new series to editing the second book in the same series, accordingly. I've had an epiphany about what sort of writer I want to be. And I still need to eat some breakfast. It's an odd day, but in that clear-eyed sort of way where you can see the future horizon through all the former confusion that previously fogged your mind. 

At least I think that's a horizon. It might be a cliff. Agh. I may be wrong, but at least I'm sure of what I'm doing now.


----------



## Amyshojai

Lyn, so sorry for the bad news. But...door closes, window opens, and all that (trite, but true). 

best,
amy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I've realized that the publisher who's done the print version of my novel isn't offering what I'm looking for anymore (I changed, not them). I've switched the next major project I'm working on, from editing a book in a new series to editing the second book in the same series, accordingly. I've had an epiphany about what sort of writer I want to be. And I still need to eat some breakfast. It's an odd day, but in that clear-eyed sort of way where you can see the future horizon through all the former confusion that previously fogged your mind.
> 
> At least I think that's a horizon. It might be a cliff. Agh. I may be wrong, but at least I'm sure of what I'm doing now.


So what did you have for breakfast?


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Kiddie cereal with marshmallows.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Sorry to hear that too, Lynn. I have a feeling that if I wasn't sucked into the union two years ago when all our jobs changed that I might be outta work too (you know, too old, making too much).

On the other hand, more time to read between interviews!


----------



## Guest

RedAdept said:
 

> Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


Sorry that happened to you!

I always tell people to try not to get too down about job losses, just keep looking for something else. In life sometimes you don't realize till later that you've actually dodged a "bullet," and maybe you'll eventually wind up with something better than you had. It's possible.

Good luck if you're looking for more work.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> Kiddie cereal with marshmallows.


Ahhh, inspirational food.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I watched and was enthralled by the special on Whaling on PBS tonight. When Melville was read, I was literally apoplectic, mushed as if in church hearing prayers for the first time. I was insired by Melville's particular proesy when writing my own _Turning idolater_, and whenever I immerse myself in Melville's most perfect words, I come to realize just how powerful language can be - as mighty as the waves and as vast as Leviathan.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

RedAdept said:


> Sad news for me: I got laid off on Thursday.


 Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. A friend of mine just got laid off recently as well, but he's going back to school to learn a new trade, and he's 47, so who knows. You have anything your interested in and want to change your life? Hopefully your blog is growing enough to help with a little cash, or do you not make anything off that?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Nah...My blog pays for itself and a few books each month, but that's it.

I have thought of getting into a different field, but just can't really come up with anything.  

Either way, I am certain things will be fine. 

Thank you for all the support here. Sometimes, it helps just knowing people care.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Another review for The Weight of Blood. Two-star! Wooo! It sounds like I need to start warning people that these are dark fiction. The guy was unhappy with characters getting killed. Oh, and my writing was pedestrian.

*runs to ice cream bin*

I'll be okay though.

David Dalglish


----------



## Susan in VA

Half-Orc said:


> Another review for* The Weight of Blood*. Two-star! Wooo! It sounds like I need to start warning people that these are dark fiction.* The guy was unhappy with characters getting killed.* Oh, and my writing was pedestrian.


Gee, if I didn't like to read books with characters getting killed, I think maybe I'd stay away from that title...


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> Another review for The Weight of Blood. Two-star! Wooo! It sounds like I need to start warning people that these are dark fiction. The guy was unhappy with characters getting killed. Oh, and my writing was pedestrian.


You sure do! I mean, titles like 'The Weight of Blood' lead ME to expect a romantic comedy kinda thing, nice and light and fluffy and happy. What the heck is wrong with you, naming dark fiction like that 

If it makes you feel better, I get those sort of reviews with grinding regularity - something about huge amounts of swearing and mild gay sex scenes (sort of) in a free ebook really gets some people upset. Go figure.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Half-Orc said:


> Another review for The Weight of Blood. Two-star! Wooo! It sounds like I need to start warning people that these are dark fiction. The guy was unhappy with characters getting killed. Oh, and my writing was pedestrian.
> 
> *runs to ice cream bin*
> 
> I'll be okay though.
> 
> David Dalglish


Yeah, with a title like "Weight of Blood", I would have expected it to be a medical novel with kind heroes donating blood for research. The nerve of you to actually have people dying!

Pedestrian writing? Does that mean your writing "walks" across the page? That would make it hard to read for a slow reader.


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> Another review for The Weight of Blood.


And the reviewer's only book review. How lucky can you be?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

RedAdept said:


> Yeah, with a title like "Weight of Blood", I would have expected it to be a medical novel with kind heroes donating blood for research. The nerve of you to actually have people dying!
> 
> Pedestrian writing? Does that mean your writing "walks" across the page? That would make it hard to read for a slow reader.


I've got google set up to email me updates involving my books. I get sooooo much medical crap in my email 

I'm not taking this one too seriously. I have a feeling he got halfway through the first book (to the Cornrows scene, to those with understanding) and then stopped. I am glad however that he didn't review book 2. A second 2-star review on it would have its rating in the toilet.

Thanks for the smiles all!

David Dalglish


----------



## daveconifer

David, I don't think that's a bad review except for the "pedestrian" comment, which I don't agree with. I can't see any correlation between his rating and his comments, which seemed more like a three-banger than a two.

I'll be honest, I didn't empathize with the brothers either.


Spoiler



I didn't really respect them that much because they rolled over for the necromancer so easily and did what they did.


 But I liked the story and the book anyway. I guess what I'm saying is "who says you have to empathize with the main characters to like a book?"

I stand by my five-star review. Edit: I'm mentioning my review because that reviewer seemed to be challenging mine!

edit: I liked and empathized with the elves. To me they were the "good guys."


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

At risk of spoiling what will happen over the course of many books, the series evolved into what is now a somewhat lengthy tale of redemption. For redemption to have meaning, however, you can't have come from some wimpy, easy, or angelic background. I'm pulling the brothers out of the dark, and even far into book four, the dark is refusing to let go. In The Cost of Betrayal, Harruq is much, much, much more sympathetic.


Spoiler



He marries and has a daughter, so you can imagine the conflict and guilt when he realizes how pathetic his and his brother's rationalizations were.



David Dalglish, a.k.a. he who writes on sidewalks.


----------



## Amyshojai

FWIW, there are reviewers who I've come to realize have taste in direct opposition to mine. If they hate something, I'll surely love it. The thing is, our books are so personal to us, a review that's even slightly critical feels like an attack. 

I've heard that term "pedestrian" before, and never quite understood what it means. If "pedestrian" means it's written for common folk...then that's what I want! I write for the people, as many as possible. 

Drive 'em nuts...THANK folks for bad reviews and interpret them as glowing.    Could start a conversation and draw more readers in to see what all the fuss is about.

amy-the-troublemaker


----------



## Gertie Kindle

David, as long as you have enough strength to get to the ice cream, you're okay.  

Now, don't be offended, but the titles of your books are enough to give me the horrors.  I guess that reviewer was too "pedestrian" to get that and I'm obviously much smarter than he is.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> David, as long as you have enough strength to get to the ice cream, you're okay.
> 
> Now, don't be offended, but the titles of your books are enough to give me the horrors. I guess that reviewer was too "pedestrian" to get that and I'm obviously much smarter than he is.


No offense taken. I'm thinking people are expecting stuff like R. A. Salvatore or the old Dragonlance novels. I love 'em, but it took Salvatore almost 8 books or so to kill his first main character...


Spoiler



and then bring him back to life in the next book.


 I really hope no one thinks I'm a sadist, or cruel, or sympathetic to murderers or something. There's a quote I'm favorable to: "Hate the sin, lover the sinner." I feel that way toward almost all of my characters.

But there are some people (heck my brother's one) who see the act and the man as one and the same, forever inseparable. A good man can't do an evil act; only a bad man can. A bad man can't do a good act, only a good man can. The second a man performs a bad act, he's now a bad man. I find all of that nonsense, as well as a surefire path to 2d characters who can never surprise people.

However! This is the author support thread, and I feel like I've hijacked it. I just wanted a few laughs and to kind of poke at it from here so I didn't do anything stupid like respond to the comment on Amazon. You guys are great, though. Love these boards.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

This is the support thread, Half-Orc and we are here for each other. There's no such thing as hi-jacking here.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> This is the support thread, Half-Orc and we are here for each other. There's no such thing as hi-jacking here.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Double ditto.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> This is the support thread, Half-Orc and we are here for each other. There's no such thing as hi-jacking here.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ditto!

Hey, if I can cry on here about being unemployed, you can certainly gripe about a review.


----------



## Victorine

Half-Orc said:


> Another review for The Weight of Blood. Two-star! Wooo! It sounds like I need to start warning people that these are dark fiction. The guy was unhappy with characters getting killed. Oh, and my writing was pedestrian.


So sorry about the two star review. How silly for anyone to write a bad review just because the story doesn't go how they wanted it to. I wonder if they would give Romeo and Juliet a bad review...

Vicki


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,700 words finished Part IV of VIII Parts on The Peopl'es Treasure, which now stands at the half way mark of 113,000 words. Here's what closed the book's mid-point. We're in the Metropolitan Museum after hours and after a scene of tremendous paranormal activity. The key players are resting and waiting for the guards to open the gates - and thus, we end (pre-edited):

Tadzio broke through the pack, taking Rose's arm and escorting her toward the gate. Simone had a double escort. He appeared wobbly on his heels, despite his claim to the accomplishment. Rowden extended his hand to Carter Vein.
"I shall be leaving in the morning. Take care of Rose's little venture here."
"She's leaving also?"
"Eventually."
Vein nodded, a greedy smile blossoming, but not some luminous as to reveal his true thoughts. 
_Ding-ringy Ding-ring-ding_
"Is that mine?" Vein asked.
"No, it's mine."
_Ding-ringy Ding-ring-ding_
Rowden snapped the contraption open.
"Hello. Yes. Yes, Sydney." He sauntered behind Meers. "Yes, I saw you here. I saw you."
He walked and talked passing beyond the gates. Carter Vein glanced back at _The Traditional China House _ and grinned his luminous smile. The guard nodded a _good evening _ to his boss, and then secured the bolts that kept the relics beyond larceny's harm. However, when he left to make his rounds, a breeze fluttered through the fake wisteria and over the potted figs. It sang its spectral song to the slumbering exhibit - sang it sweetly and softly.
_Dear Nick. Your friends have gone to mend you, to put Humpty together again or die in the doing._

Good night dear friends
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

All I managed today was some notes.  I'm just not ready to delve into the meat of it yet.  I know my characters, but they've just begun to talk to me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, Part V is all a giant blob in my noggin, so it will be a day for me to sort it out as I DON'T USE OUTLINES. But the true writing starts in the head and the joy is in the sorting. Which means, I get to red it firt (eat your hearts out, readers).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

So sorry I haven't participated for the past month. I started the editing process with my editor and it's been more work than I thought. Mind you, she's given me some fantastic suggestions and the book is now three characters lighter and little logic glitches are being solved, but wow, it's been something. The first chapter took only a half hour to edit. I just finished chapter 6 tonight and I've averaged about five hours on it. I have 26 chapters to go.

Debra


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

So, yet another fun surprise waking up this morning: two more reviews. ZOMG, I think. Then I see the star average has gone down again. Oh noes, I think. So one is a 4 star, plenty of good things to say and clearly liked the series so far (and was also a Red Adept recruit, thank you Red!). Then comes to the 2-star review. This should be no surprise to anyone that has read my -prior- 2-star review.



> However, when you're trying to show a good character you want the reader to sympathize with, doing some evil things, you show them being conflicted BEFORE they commit the deed. Also, the evil acts are not so horrible, that the character is not redeemable. In this book, I think both brothers are evil, with one being more evil than the other. I can't see how you can even feel sorry for one of them after all of the evil things he has done. I find the main character someone you cannot sympathize with. It's like sympathizing with a mass murderer who felt no remorse while killing, and then after the fact asks for forgiveness.


Now I'm starting to doubt. Are my characters really that horrible? Even peeps here on the forums like Dave have said they were a little put off by the Tun brothers. But to say that they can't sympathize someone who doesn't feel guilty before but instead after seems ludicrous to me. Do people really act that way? It seems like some want me to drown the main character in so much self-loathing guilt just so they can justify following along with them.

I won't go into the complete lack of grace in a person who would deny a man forgiveness because of his prior deeds...what the hell is Grace _for_, except that?

Part of me is now thinking it was a mistake to split The Weight of Blood and Cost of Betrayal into two books. Together, Harruq, the main char, clearly comes across as sympathetic. But with peeps reading just the first and then stopping....grrr.

I hate Doubt. Not the movie, that was good. Just starting to wonder if I went a teeny bit too far in trying to make the characters start off in at a low point in their lives. Bah! Grr! I ate all my ice cream last night. Needs to be myself some more...

Anyhoo, thanks for letting me vent/ponder/grumble incoherently.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Seems to me that if you feel guilt or remorse BEFORE you commit the horrible act, and then do it anyway, you're much worse.  Do they know what they are doing is a horrible thing or are they just going around doing terrible things for the fun of it?

And I agree with you about redemption and grace.  In my first book, I just had to redeem the bad guy at the end before he died.  That's what it's all about, isn't it.  The 11th hour and all that.


----------



## Guest

People are far more complex than these reviewers seem to believe. I have about 20 years background working in psychiatry and have seen plenty of decent people do atrocious things and vice versa. I suppose we make judgements on character due to our perception of accumulated actions. 

I think there is a place for POV thoughts re your characters' attitudes to their actions but only if they are reflective characters with pangs of conscience. Yours are half-orcs, who if I remember from my D&D days don't tend to be pleasant or reflective.

It is perfectly legitimate to have anti-heroes as protagonists, as long as the reader has some way into their world view, otherwise you end up telling the story from the outside and there is little if any engagement. Stephen Donaldson succeeded in this with the thoroughly loathesome Thomas Covenant, and Joe Abercrombie has a name for murderous main characters that we still find ways to identify with. I guess most of us know ourselves well enough to realise that we have thoroughly unpleasant traits, and that it is often a matter of nurture and chance that gives us the tools to temper these elements.

I've only read 20 pages of The Weight of Blood and, if anything, your orc boys are mild compared to any of Abercrombie's characters. I guess you just can't meet everyone's expectations.

It's a good thing, though, not to respond to negative reviews on Amazon. There seems to be an assumption that good reviews of one's books are legitimate and bad ones are written by morons. Regrettably, the bad reviews can have a detrimental affect on sales, but other than that they help to form an over-all judgement by a disparate group of people. 

There is always something that can be improved with our writing and it may take negative reviews to prompt us to look for ways to get better.

I'm generally of the opinion though that a 2 is a damning indictment and would not post a review that damaged an independant's name. The reviews in question sound more like 3s to me, in which case I'd certainly take their views seriously, even if I ultimately end up disagreeing with them.

I recently had some very damning comments on my work. I  initially agreed with all of them, but with some distance I now only agree with a few of the major points (things I'd already worked out for myself and started to action in the new books). Some of the things reviewers write reflects their own personal tastes and the filters through which they view the world. That's all ok but I'd certainly think long and hard before making any radical changes to your characters and series on the strength of two reviews -- particularly when the majority of your reviews are 4 or 5 star.


----------



## daveconifer

Half-Orc said:


> So, yet another fun surprise waking up this morning: two more reviews. ZOMG, I think. Then I see the star average has gone down again. Oh noes, I think. So one is a 4 star, plenty of good things to say and clearly liked the series so far (and was also a Red Adept recruit, thank you Red!). Then comes to the 2-star review. This should be no surprise to anyone that has read my -prior- 2-star review.
> 
> Now I'm starting to doubt. Are my characters really that horrible? Even peeps here on the forums like Dave have said they were a little put off by the Tun brothers. But to say that they can't sympathize someone who doesn't feel guilty before but instead after seems ludicrous to me. Do people really act that way? It seems like some want me to drown the main character in so much self-loathing guilt just so they can justify following along with them.
> 
> I won't go into the complete lack of grace in a person who would deny a man forgiveness because of his prior deeds...what the hell is Grace _for_, except that?
> 
> Part of me is now thinking it was a mistake to split The Weight of Blood and Cost of Betrayal into two books. Together, Harruq, the main char, clearly comes across as sympathetic. But with peeps reading just the first and then stopping....grrr.
> 
> I hate Doubt. Not the movie, that was good. Just starting to wonder if I went a teeny bit too far in trying to make the characters start off in at a low point in their lives. Bah! Grr! I ate all my ice cream last night. Needs to be myself some more...
> 
> Anyhoo, thanks for letting me vent/ponder/grumble incoherently.
> 
> David Dalglish


No way, David. You wrote a GREAT book. Like I said before -- I don't agree with the arbitrary rule that a reader must be in love with the main characters to like a book. You're right that I said I didn't admire the Tun brothers, and at may points in the story I was


Spoiler



p*ssed off


 at them. But there's nothing wrong with characters that aren't perfect people (or Orcs). Besides that -- you are a great storyteller and that's why you're book is such a great read. I hated what was happening in the Corn Rows but I couldn't put it down.

I put Throwback out about five years ago. The premise was basically that a kid didn't like how high school turned out the first time so he cheated and got another chance. No matter what this kid did, no matter how decently he acted, there was an undercurrent about the fact that he was a cheater in the reader's mind (which is appropriate because he was one). After getting tired of getting grief over this I actually modified the story. In some ways I regret that because I can't help feeling that it's not quite as strong a plot now. I learned not to have regrets about the last book and to work any regrets into the next one...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Been pondering over what you guys said, as well as what I've read from many reviews. I'm thinking I will try to kill two birds with one stone. People have been wanting more of Aurelia,


Spoiler



as well as wondering why she would be willing to forgive and stay with Harruq near the end.


 For many people, I've realized Aurelia's decision is actually put into a similar light as the readers: do I forgive and forget, do I choose to see the good however damaged and buried, or do I condemn and deny grace and hope? Perhaps by increasing Aurelia's role (we're talking a little scene or two, both of which I've already written and was pondering inserting anyway) I can send a direct message to readers that there is indeed hope within these characters.

As for forever condemning these characters for their actions, that is a large issue in both Cost of Betrayal, as well as truly coming to a head in the fourth book, Shadows of Grace. (Not pulling these titles out of nowhere, you know ) So wish I could talk about it. All you peeps here with book clubs and dedicated readerships have my most sincere and fierce envy.

So glad I have these forums. Instead of banging my head against a desk, I can instead slam my head into the forums and have all you intelligent writers here decipher for me the stars swirling around my head.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Dave, I know where you're coming from. I recently received a three-star review (the guy said it was well written), but the reader couldn't suspend disbelief enough to get the gist of the story. Two-star reviews are going to happen.

Don't let it get to you. You're a fantastic author.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Oh, and for the record, I passed 75,000 words in my current WIP yesterday.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

David, as long as the reviewer says why they didn't like the book, it can be a good thing.  What one reader hates is what another reader will love.  The bottom line is (for me) that you write the story you want to write and the readers who appreciate you will find you.  

If you keep changing things based on reviews or criticism, then you've lost yourself as an author and turned into a commercial hack.  Isn't that one of the reasons we are indies? We don't want a publisher to say, this is the flavor of the month so this is what you have to write.  

Keep on doing what you're doing and you can't go wrong.  Too many people like your work ... now if you would only change the titles, I might just get into them myself.


----------



## Guest

Hi again, everyone. I have questions about book descriptions: have any of you had problems getting Amazon to post yours? This is day five now, and still no description's been posted for the last book I uploaded. (My other book--that description took only two days.)

Any suggestions on what to do next? Should I hit the publish button again in the DTP window, or email Amazon--where? What email? Or should I wait a week maybe? Has description posting taken that long for anyone else?

Thanks in advance for any help!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

FP said:


> Hi again, everyone. I have questions about book descriptions: have any of you had problems getting Amazon to post yours? This is day five now, and still no description's been posted for the last book I uploaded. (My other book--that description took only two days.)
> 
> Any suggestions on what to do next? Should I hit the publish button again in the DTP window, or email Amazon--where? What email? Or should I wait a week maybe? Has description posting taken that long for anyone else?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help!


I think my last one took at least three days. I don't think I'd hit the publish button again. Might start the process over again from the beginning.

If you e-mail them, it could take a day or two before they answer. I've misplaced the e-mail address, but there should be contact info on the dtp page.


----------



## Guest

Thanks, Gertie! Okay, I see the DTP email now [email protected]; you've got to hit Help at the top, and then go to the DTP knowledge base or whatever it's called, and find the link there. For some reason I thought I'd read in the DTP forums that you shouldn't email Amazon (?).

I think you're right about hitting publish again--that's why I'd rather not. Think I'd lose all the tags then?

I'll wait another two days then email Amazon.

I'm a bit bummed about this, but, oh well, I guess nothing ever goes completely smoothly....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

FP said:


> Thanks, Gertie! Okay, I see the DTP email now [email protected]; you've got to hit Help at the top, and then go to the DTP knowledge base or whatever it's called, and find the link there. For some reason I thought I'd read in the DTP forums that you shouldn't email Amazon (?).
> 
> I think you're right about hitting publish again--that's why I'd rather not. Think I'd lose all the tags then?
> 
> I'll wait another two days then email Amazon.
> 
> I'm a bit bummed about this, but, oh well, I guess nothing ever goes completely smoothly....


I've e-mailed them with good results. At least nothing bad happened, but I haven't always been satisfied with the answer. 

No, you def won't lose your tags.


----------



## Guest

My timing--aye-aye-_yaye!_ I checked it five times before posting here, and the description still wasn't up--it just went up now! Good, because I didn't really want to email about it.

At least others have the DTP email if they need it.

Thanks again, Gertie!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

emailing usually works, but bear in mind that the Product page is built in modules over a 2 week period, and some things show up right away, while others drift in. The worst thing to show up last is the "BUY BUTTON" That only happened to me once - all dressed up and no where to go. Usually the last thing that comes on line are cross references to your Paperback and the application of the discounted price, although the ABOUT THE AUTHOR bit sometimes takes a bit of time. On the Paperback product page, the last thing to show up (usually 6 weeks) is Inside the Book search, if you're using CreateSpace. If not, you need to sign up as a vendor and can make the request yourself.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Amyshojai

I think it took four days or so for my descriptions to go up, and I was resigned to not having any...and then "poof" they appeared!  Good to know I wasn't just crazy. 

Also, re: the criticisms/reviews...in my fiction WIP, I've portions of it entered in contests the last four years and got nothing or scathing comments. But this last time, I got raves. 

So--I choose to "believe" the ones that liked it. *s* If one in four people like it, I'll take those odds.

best,
amy


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Soooooo...it looks like I won't be working at Pizza Hut over the summer anymore. A tornado came in and knocked the entire building about 5 feet in one direction and then it collapsed in on itself. There's some neat pics up showing a ceiling fan still hanging from the roof, its blades about 1 foot off the ground. Thankfully the storm hit at 7:30 in the morning, before anyone was there.

The tornado skipped a couple other buildings and then yanked off the roof of another fast food company. I think god is trying to tell my hometown that we're all fat.

David Dalglish


----------



## Amyshojai

Sheesh, David, glad you weren't IN the pizza place when the tornado hit! You happen to be in Oklahoma? I'm in N Texas and we had some helatious storms this week. Be safe!  

amy


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Nope, southwest Missouri, but still in that same stretch hit by the storms. Monday's major storm thankfully split right over us - we didn't even get a drop of rain while parts of OK and Texas were having houses demolished. I think I should be telling YOU to stay safe  

David Dalglish


----------



## Amyshojai

We were lucky and it missed us. But just 15 miles away, they had softball (?!!!) size hail. And that's just the first storm system of the season, starting with a bang. Literally! 

Keeps us on our toes...so to speak. 

amy


----------



## JennaAnderson

Hi everyone - silly question. Someone mentioned a website that will record your sales rank hourly. Does anyone have that information? 

Thanks

Jenna


----------



## daveconifer

Try picking through this thread.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,19433.msg379547.html#msg379547

Otherwise you could send a PM to Joe Rhea, the Cyberdrome guy. He seems to know a lot about these tools.


----------



## JennaAnderson

daveconifer said:


> Try picking through this thread.
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,19433.msg379547.html#msg379547
> 
> Otherwise you could send a PM to Joe Rhea, the Cyberdrome guy. He seems to know a lot about these tools.


Thanks - I tried searching the forum but couldn't find it.

Hey - what does everyone think of my Alien Kindle skin?? My 11 year old bought it for me.


----------



## daveconifer

JennaAnderson said:


> Hey - what does everyone think of my Alien Kindle skin?? My 11 year old bought it for me.


At first I was thinking "That doesn't look like a cover for a Jenna Anderson book!"

I like it.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I was struggling to reconcile it with the cute teddy bear in your signature. It looks like your kindle is ready to eat your own book.

David Dalglish


----------



## JennaAnderson

Half-Orc said:


> I was struggling to reconcile it with the cute teddy bear in your signature. It looks like your kindle is ready to eat your own book.
> 
> David Dalglish


*Teddy doesn't stand a chance! * 

I found Novelrank.com


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I published the beta-copy of Parts 3 & 4 to my beta-readers tonight (they get a nice little paperback from Lulu). There was a time they needed to tote reams of paper and print from files I sent them. My friend in Belgium is very happy now that I beta with a trade copy. It took me 20 minutes to create and ship. I think I'll throw out my printer. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, peeps -

Sorry for being MIA so much. The last couple weeks have just been really, *really* busy with some new things Jan and I have going, and I haven't had time to pop by the boards too much, or to write! 

However, I'm happy to report that I finally finished chapter 12 of "Genetically Modified Organism". Seemed to take forever, although I guess it was a couple weeks (which for my previous writing pace *is* forever - LOL!).

Anyway, I'll try to pop in more regularly - and glad to see everybody's doing lots of great stuff!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Nice to see you back, Mr. Hicks. This is your thread, after all  

Just spent..*checks clock* 3 hours re-editing The Weight of Blood. Yanked out all those annoying commas, added in an extra Aurelia scene for the people wishing she was more developed, and then tweaked the brothers a bit to see if people will see them as a teeny bit more sympathetic. (I didn't change what they did, just gave more insight to their thoughts). Uploaded it to Amazon, and am about to do the smashwords version.

Also got to add a little note from the author at the end. I so like writing those.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike, welcome back and I thought it was "Genetically Modified Orgasm?"

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike, welcome back and I thought it was "Genetically Modified Orgasm?"
> 
> Ed Patterson


You know, a lot of people think that when they first read the title - I'm hoping it'll draw in extra sales! LOL!!


----------



## William Meikle

I've just started a new short story -- The Beast of Glamys.  A Scottish historical fantasy -- the union of the crowns is coming up fast, and there is a beast imprisoned in Glamys castle that might sway the future of both Scotland and England. It cannot be allowed to live. Sword for hire Augustus Seton is sent on a mission... but a meeting with three witches along the way changes things forever.

Just telling you all I've started might actually make me go and do it


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Welcome, Willie.

Mike, good to see you back.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

williemeikle said:


> I've just started a new short story -- The Beast of Glamys. A Scottish historical fantasy -- the union of the crowns is coming up fast, and there is a beast imprisoned in Glamys castle that might sway the future of both Scotland and England. It cannot be allowed to live. Sword for hire Augustus Seton is sent on a mission... but a meeting with three witches along the way changes things forever.
> 
> Just telling you all I've started might actually make me go and do it


Willie, you might also want to join us in the "tagging" thread. We'll tag your books, you tag ours.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,22473.msg419427.html#msg419427


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You know, a lot of people think that when they first read the title - I'm hoping it'll draw in extra sales! LOL!!


I already put in my pre-order.


----------



## jonfmerz

Good to see you out here, Willie!  Welcome to the fray!


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Well, I've been working with an editor for about a month now on my latest mystery which will be released in March 2011. My deadline for the edits is July 1st and so far it's been a terrific experience. I never realized how helpful charting a timeline for events and characters' relationships to my protagonist is until I actually plotted it out on a spreadsheet. Once I did that I had to go back and rework the time of the murder and the discovery of the body, and the time my protagonist finds out that her father is dead. Anyway, I've finished editing 11 chapters which is a third of the book, so I think I'm making pretty good time.

Debra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, thi was my weekend in NJ and then I wne to seee Robin Hood when I got back to PA. I did no writing. Howevr, I had over three hours (round trip) driving, so I did complete three dialog scenes in my head and also a whole tribunal at the People's Central Committee. There's a street revolution in this Part (a la Les Miserables only ripped fom th Xin Hua Headlines from a few weeks ago when the Artists protested the demise of their hu-tungs). I staged the entire protest in the front seat of my Mazda. I'm lucky I wasn;t ulled over and sent for observation.   

Edward C. Patterson
(shhhh! I'm hiding here to bushwack the invasion of the Davids. Don't give my position away).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> (shhhh! I'm hiding here to bushwack the invasion of the Davids. Don't give my position away).


Tell the truth. You're hiding from Stupefying Jones. 

Spent most of the day wrestling with my computer. Took over an hour to convert from Word to pdf only to find I had to change a chapter heading. Took 20 minutes to make the font change and then another 70 minutes to reconvert.

Gotta do something about FRED (friendly reliable electronic device).


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Wrote about 1000 words on Dance of Cloaks, which sadly is more than I've done the past several days. Been too busy invading the forums with the rest of the Davidian army.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie:

Did you see that pair of bones. Yikes!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Gertie:
> 
> Did you see that pair of bones. Yikes!
> 
> Ed Patterson


Wimp  I gave you Richard Simmons to deal with. Don't wimp out on me again.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, Part V of _The People's Treasure _ has commenced with an investment of 2,000 words. Came out better than I thought because my characters refuse tod speak the words I had for them. That's so like characters, but their take on it was far better than anything I devised for them. (What gets me is the spontaneity of the 3 year old charcter. He holds the entire chapter in this tiny hands, God bless him. He's so cute).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just finished the first draft to my 12th novel.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Just finished the first draft to my 12th novel.


Excellent.

Working on my third. Up to 19 pages. I would be further along, but I've been busy setting up the paperback for #2. Also making notes for a new project I have in mind.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Working on my 16th (well actually my 27th, but we're talking published here - eh?)   Light night - a difficult chapter with ancillary characters, but crucial. Only crunched 1,700 of the chapter and stopped at the change of POV. Up to 120,000 words. Good sales day yesterday. Today's not over.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

The 19th was a good sales day for me. Sold triple what I've been selling as a daily average for the last several weeks.


----------



## bambooleafs

...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Ed, don't you have your unpublished stuff up on Kindle?


----------



## bvlarson

Bambooleafs: (the one with the problem with DOC files on amazon)
You should try saving your file as a filtered webpage, then uploading.
To add in blank lines, edit the htm file with notepad and put in 
for a new line.
if that works, go to my website and buy one of my books  
www.bvlarson.com
seriously, I have tutorials up there on getting books on Amazon.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No, John. I've been writing for fifty years and some of it isn't up to snuff, and 10 works are WIP and will be 2010-2013.

Ed Patterson


----------



## bambooleafs

...


----------



## Sharlow

I'm working on chapter 8 at the moment. Got my other chapters flying between my two proofreaders/editors. I took the day off yesterday, just had a blah day. The entire idea of writing just turned me off. Thankfully that passed. Some kind of virus maybe that hated book writing?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 words last night in a difficult chapter that tuned out . . . superb.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## traceya

Hi all,

I'm working on what will, hopefully, be the final draft for Book Two of the Witchcraft Wars, Ursula's Quest and have a few different proof readers looking at the work and herein lies the problem.  The hero of the series, Slade, is generally liked by the people who've read 'Erich's Plea' and are proofing 'Ursula's Quest' but it seems that almost universally everyone seems to like Wulfstan, a secondary character, much more.  This didn't bother me much at first but now as I'm getting closer to finishing the series - which does not bode well for the character of Wulfstan - I'm starting to worry a little.
I'm actually starting to wonder if I shouldn't change things around a little and bring Wulfstan more to the fore but is that a good idea when I'm so far into the project?
Has this ever happened to anyone else?  

I guess I'm asking if 'public opinion' would ever cause you to change the overall story arc?
Be grateful for any advice.
Cheers,
Trace


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I changed things (and still do) for beta-readers. However, it's more a refinement than an overhaul. I almost deleted a character from the Jade Owl, but retained her for a beta-reader (and needed some rewrite to keep her. And the reason I have 5 books instead of one was from beta-reader feedback. The Jade Owl was originally a single book, published as a serial novel at anotherchapter.com. Revision 5 changed that and solidified it as a stand-alone, then Revisions 6 through 8 reworked it for, at first a second book, and then a third and now the full five in the series. When you're constructing chapels, you need a hammer and saw - When you're building a cathedral, you need parishioner input all along the way or you might wind up with just a ruin and a graveyard.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## traceya

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I changed things (and still do) for beta-readers. However, it's more a refinement than an overhaul. I almost deleted a character from the Jade Owl, but retained her for a beta-reader (and needed some rewrite to keep her. And the reason I have 5 books instead of one was from beta-reader feedback. The Jade Owl was originally a single book, published as a serial novel at anotherchapter.com. Revision 5 changed that and solidified it as a stand-alone, then Revisions 6 through 8 reworked it for, at first a second book, and then a third and now the full five in the series. When you're constructing chapels, you need a hammer and saw - When you're building a cathedral, you need parishioner input all along the way or you might wind up with just a ruin and a graveyard.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Thanks Ed,
I really appreciate the advice 

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## Sharlow

Got a little over 3,000 words done tonight.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Way to go Sharlow.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

bambooleafs said:


> bvlarson, I found this tutorial on saving a filtered web page.
> As a trial, I tried to save the web page, and it gave me the options to save it as "Web Page, complete", and "Web Page, HTML only", then as "text files", or "all files'. There was no mention of 'filtered webpage', so should I choose "Web Page, HTML only"?
> 
> Thank you very much, and I'll also check out your tutorial you mentioned.


You didn't ask the question of me, and I hope bvlarson comes on and gives you a more accurate answer, but I'm leaning toward "Web Page, HTML only." That seems like it would "filter" out other gobbledygook that might get encoded into a document. ??


----------



## Jeff

Dave Dykema said:


> You didn't ask the question of me, and I hope bvlarson comes on and gives you a more accurate answer, but I'm leaning toward "Web Page, HTML only." That seems like it would "filter" out other gobbledygook that might get encoded into a document. ??


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Wrote about 600 words on a shorty story titled "Locked and Locked Again" while at work when I was rudely interrupted by the need to wrestle my spec ed kid to the floor because he was trying to bite another aide in the chest. Fun day overall, but sure did kill my writing time.

David Dalglish


----------



## William Meikle

I've collated my writing articles from over the years into one document. Writers Write is available to download as a freebie here. Feel free to pass it on.

http://www.williammeikle.com/WritersWrite.pdf


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

williemeikle:

I like your work. You should publish it on Kindle, Smashwords and CreateSace. I did that, and mine just went over 2,000 copies in circulation.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Had an epiphany recently: if I don't shut up and write, then I'll have no finished books to talk about.  I've cut back on all my promotional activities because they were so new to me that they took all my focus, and I had none left for creativity. I didn't write a single word for about 5 weeks, and I felt...not myself. So, back to basics it is.

I've also decided to hold off on releasing the ebook version of my first novel (which, when released, will kill the contract I have with its print publisher) until I have edited and prepped the concluding sequel as well. It seems many people I talk to are more into finished series than "oh, you've just got one book written in an unfinished series? hmm." This means that I'm sort of here with no book to promote for a few more weeks until I get that puppy polished, but then I'm not really promoting in a serious fashion right now anyway. It totally killed my muse, and she was lying in a pool of blood on the floor. It got really awkward, stepping over her corpse all the time. So I wrote a scene in which I resurrected her and we went onward to work on the sequel: life imitates art. 

I'm also considering releasing an omnibus version of the two books. Because, why not? 

Do I sound at least somewhat coherent? I'm trying to cobble together a plan from what seems to work for others here.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> Had an epiphany recently: if I don't shut up and write, then I'll have no finished books to talk about.  I've cut back on all my promotional activities because they were so new to me that they took all my focus, and I had none left for creativity. I didn't write a single word for about 5 weeks, and I felt...not myself. So, back to basics it is.
> 
> I've also decided to hold off on releasing the ebook version of my first novel (which, when released, will kill the contract I have with its print publisher) until I have edited and prepped the concluding sequel as well. It seems many people I talk to are more into finished series than "oh, you've just got one book written in an unfinished series? hmm." This means that I'm sort of here with no book to promote for a few more weeks until I get that puppy polished, but then I'm not really promoting in a serious fashion right now anyway. It totally killed my muse, and she was lying in a pool of blood on the floor. It got really awkward, stepping over her corpse all the time. So I wrote a scene in which I resurrected her and we went onward to work on the sequel: life imitates art.
> 
> I'm also considering releasing an omnibus version of the two books. Because, why not?
> 
> Do I sound at least somewhat coherent? I'm trying to cobble together a plan from what seems to work for others here.


Sounds like a plan, Jasmine. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that our primary purpose is to write. When I finally woke up to that fact, I stayed off the Internet and worked like mad to finish my last novel.

Glad to hear your muse is alive and well.

Things are flowing more smoothly with the WiP. Got in some good writing time tonight. Up to 22 pages.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

More second page nonsense for the support thread. Only 50 pages left of edits for Death of Promises, woooo! I should still meet my goal for having the book out by the end of the month.

As an aside, here is an amusing incident that happened to me at Hardees. Trust me, its funny.
**

So we're at Hardees, and my daughter Morgan (two years old) hands me a pencil and paper and shouts "kitty!"
So I draw a kitty.
She looks at it, hands it back, and goes "puppy!"
So I draw a puppy.
She looks at it, hands it back, and shouts "f***!"
I don't draw that one. We try to figure it out while she cusses out all of Hardees until finally I ask "Flag?"
Morgan gets all happy, laughs, and says "Flag? Haha, I thought it was f***."

True story.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> More second page nonsense for the support thread. Only 50 pages left of edits for Death of Promises, woooo! I should still meet my goal for having the book out by the end of the month.
> 
> As an aside, here is an amusing incident that happened to me at Hardees. Trust me, its funny.
> **
> 
> So we're at Hardees, and my daughter Morgan (two years old) hands me a pencil and paper and shouts "kitty!"
> So I draw a kitty.
> She looks at it, hands it back, and goes "puppy!"
> So I draw a puppy.
> She looks at it, hands it back, and shouts "f***!"
> I don't draw that one. We try to figure it out while she cusses out all of Hardees until finally I ask "Flag?"
> Morgan gets all happy, laughs, and says "Flag? Haha, I thought it was f***."
> 
> True story.
> 
> David Dalglish


Oh, my. As an experienced parent, I can tell you that the terrible twos are a preview of the teen years. The way they are at two is pretty much how they'll act at 16. Good luck.

My GS has been with me all day working on a project and watching HP movies. Got nothing done. Hopefully, he's going to bed now (not to sleep, of course. He's reading HP6). Maybe I can make myself a nice glass of iced tea and work a little bit.


----------



## traceya

Half-Orc said:


> More second page nonsense for the support thread. Only 50 pages left of edits for Death of Promises, woooo! I should still meet my goal for having the book out by the end of the month.
> 
> As an aside, here is an amusing incident that happened to me at Hardees. Trust me, its funny.
> **
> 
> So we're at Hardees, and my daughter Morgan (two years old) hands me a pencil and paper and shouts "kitty!"
> So I draw a kitty.
> She looks at it, hands it back, and goes "puppy!"
> So I draw a puppy.
> She looks at it, hands it back, and shouts "f***!"
> I don't draw that one. We try to figure it out while she cusses out all of Hardees until finally I ask "Flag?"
> Morgan gets all happy, laughs, and says "Flag? Haha, I thought it was f***."
> 
> True story.
> 
> David Dalglish


When one of my nieces was about 2ish she couldn't pronounce 'sm' so 'smarties' became 'farties' etc,
While misbehaving in a shopping centre her dad threated her with a 'smack up the bum' if she didn't cut it out - she goes running to her mum shouting 'daddy's going to fack me up the bum mummy, don't let daddy fack me up the bum' - red faces abounded.
Cheers,
Trace


----------



## nomesque

ROTFL - ya gotta love little kids, they keep you from caring TOO much what others think... 

I put my latest book out to beta readers last week - so far everyone who's reported back is enjoying it! W00t! Considering how much trepidation I had in sending it out... well, just w00t! LOL.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

traceya said:


> When one of my nieces was about 2ish she couldn't pronounce 'sm' so 'smarties' became 'farties' etc,
> While misbehaving in a shopping centre her dad threated her with a 'smack up the bum' if she didn't cut it out - she goes running to her mum shouting 'daddy's going to fack me up the bum mummy, don't let daddy fack me up the bum' - red faces abounded.
> Cheers,
> Trace


That's horrible and hysterical at the same time.

David Dalglish


----------



## William Meikle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> williemeikle:
> 
> I like your work. You should publish it on Kindle, Smashwords and CreateSace. I did that, and mine just went over 2,000 copies in circulation.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I took your advice Ed... it's up at Smashwords now for free download

Writers Write by William Meikle. 
http://smashwords.com/b/15247


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ed P


----------



## R. M. Reed

So, anyone here with any advice about the traditional publishing world? Just as I thought indie publishing was my only option, I was signed by an agent. With traditional publishing in turmoil, it may or may not be a very satisfactory experience, but if I can go in bookstores and see my book there, I will feel that all my years of struggle were worth something. After that the whole industry may collapse and every author will be an indie publisher, as many bands are now their own record company. For now I am going to give traditional publishing a whirl. If anyone has experience I would like to hear about it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm still a TradiPub virgin (at age 63 - so they need to start knocking). I had an agent, who was a better editor that agent. I sent out querries for a number of years, with no bites - but I have come through he experience quite comfortably, with no wall of rejection, but with readership. I'm not sitting by the phone.

williemeikle: Downloaded the book.

Ed Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I do plan to read your stuff, Ed. You have so many titles, though, I don't know where to start. Probably Jade Owl, and if I like that I will try others. I do think that publishing will look very different in a few years, but I grew up with bookstores and paper books and it would be neat to see my book in that form at least once, then I can move into the future.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

R. Reed said:


> If anyone has experience I would like to hear about it.


Great question, R. Reed. I haven't had much experience with a traditional publisher yet as I just signed a contract in March and am involved in the editing process right now. I had signed with a small traditional publisher back in 2004, but the publisher folded before the book was published, which saved me a lot of legal hassle but it was three years of wasted time. Having said that, the publisher I'm with now is more more established, they plan to bring the book out in March 2011, and in ebook format a few months later. So far the main benefit is that I'm not paying for production costs or anything, other than what I'll do for promotion. The other benefit is that their distribution is far more elaborate and established than anything I can do as an indie author without investing a lot of time and money. For example, they have a sales rep in Europe who approaches foreign publishers at the Frankfurt Book Fair etc. They also have yearly meetings with local movie producers to pitch our books. Again, I don't have the contacts to do that. Whether my book will sell more than the two indies I currently have out there remains to be seen. But ask me in a couple of years. 

All the best,
Debra


----------



## Barbara Morgenroth

Being published in paper is a good experience to have.  Still for all the problems and drawbacks, it remains a stamp of approval, an accomplishment that not everyone can achieve.  I was told years ago by a prominent agent to concentrate on one thing.  I didn't listen to him with the result that I've published in a range of genres, fiction and nonfiction and satisfied my creative wanderlust.  So, R. Reed,  if you want to do both, ebooks and paper, you should.  You can do both at the same time.
The old rules don't hold anymore.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Reed said:


> So, anyone here with any advice about the traditional publishing world? Just as I thought indie publishing was my only option, I was signed by an agent. With traditional publishing in turmoil, it may or may not be a very satisfactory experience, but if I can go in bookstores and see my book there, I will feel that all my years of struggle were worth something. After that the whole industry may collapse and every author will be an indie publisher, as many bands are now their own record company. For now I am going to give traditional publishing a whirl. If anyone has experience I would like to hear about it.


Signing with an agent doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a contract with a trad pub. That's just the first step. Not trying to be a downer, here. Actually getting an agent is an accomplishment that not too many of us can boast about.

Good for you. Let us know how it works out.

One of our indie authors, Boyd Morrison, had an agent and eventually got a deal with Simon and Shuster to publish all three of his titles.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Having a paper book is important - that's what POD is for.  

3,600 words this afternoon on The People's Treasure. Somthing dawned on me today - so far for The Jade Owl series, including the new installment, I have written - 226 Chapters. Whew!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I don't know if anyone has seen this yet, but here's one of the ways Amazon will be tracking our prices on other sites.

* Would you like to give feedback on images or tell us about a lower price?*


----------



## sierra09

I haven't seen that yet but then I haven't checked a lot of things well lately.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Light night. 1,600 words on a chapter of The people's treasure. Real rough hewn, so I stopped and will finish it tomorrow. A wd o dialog, but it needs more before Peg gets it. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Glad to see somebody's working, Ed.  I got bogged down in a 6th grade math project and a last minute run to WalMart for printer ink.


----------



## traceya

It's funny how much this forum has actually inspired me to write more - initially I thought it would just take up time but I find if I spend a little time here I usually get in and get some serious work done  
In fact I'm almost finished my second short story - hoping to go live in about a week or two and the final revisions on Ursula's Quest are going really well.  I think it's interacting with all the fabulous people here on the Board.

Thanks for the inspiration  

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Tracya:

This thread is a God send. If you find my thread on my novel *Look Away Silence*, you'll see a reprint of the Acknowledgement section, which mentions this thread. If it weren't for this thread, that book emotionally would have imploded and would have never seen the light of day.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Tracya:
> 
> This thread is a God send. If you find my thread on my novel *Look Away Silence*, you'll see a reprint of the Acknowledgement section, which mentions this thread. If it weren't for this thread, that book emotionally would have imploded and would have never seen the light of day.
> 
> Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

ecp


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Has anyone ventured into the Amazon forums today?  I was going to post my books in the Kindle forum and the box to insert a product link is gone.  I checked a couple of other communities and found the same thing.  Anybody else?


----------



## Jeff

They changed it. Just post the URL and it will shorten when you save.


----------



## Dave Dykema

What do you mean by this? Will the book name still be there?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> They changed it. Just post the URL and it will shorten when you save.


Thanks, Jeff. It seems like every time I try to post in the Kindle community, I have a problem of some kind. I post in a different community every couple of weeks, but haven't been able to get into the Kindle community.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gee I didn't notice it. But maybe because I use the codes for my books (up to 7, and then up to 10 product page url's, which automatically convert. 

2,600 words toniht and a difficult Chapter for The People's Treasure heading for Peg tomorrow. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*Because the Don't Tell, Don't Ask Policy is about to be repealed, I was moved to poetry tonight:*

*Who Gets the Flag?*
- for the tens of thousands of gay men and women who have shared in protecting our freedoms, but did so by sacrificing theirs.

Who gets the flag when my soldier boy falls
In the desert where he broke my heart?
They came to the door, but not mine
To say he was gone and fallen.
Phone call in the night told me that he died
But I knew before the signal rang,
Before the gentle nod from his mother
And the solace from his dad.
Because we were joined at the heart
Even when oceans apart.
But when I come to his bier
I am just a pal - a friend
Because even in death he would lose if known
That I am his hand and heart.
So as I sing hymns and listen to prayers,
I turn to his sister and whisper in wonder -
Who gets my soldier boy's flag now - 
Now that all mourn aloud - 
Now that I stand at the back of the church
And weep my silent prayer?
Who will fold it and give it to me
And thank me for my sacrifice
So I might rest my head upon his sacrifice
And dream the hero's dream?
But I know no one will see me,
A ghost more ghostly than my love.
There is no greater violence
Than a life that's mourned in silence.

Edward C. Patterson
I thought I'd never live to see the day


----------



## Susanne O

I wonder if anyone else has had a problem with royalties recently? I haven't yet received my check for February (or any other month) and got an e-mail from Amazon, saying they had printed my name wrong and would send me another check. This was weeks ago and I have asked several times and they keep sending me messages saying they are 'looking into it'. I published my first books in February and was expecting the first payments to arrive early May. But still nothing, except messages saying it will be looked into. I have four books up on Kindle now, all selling well and the amounts due to me are mounting up. But nothing in the mail.... In the meantime, Amazon is making money from my work.

Are they ever going to pay me?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susanne OLeary said:


> I wonder if anyone else has had a problem with royalties recently? I haven't yet received my check for February (or any other month) and got an e-mail from Amazon, saying they had printed my name wrong and would send me another check. This was weeks ago and I have asked several times and they keep sending me messages saying they are 'looking into it'. I published my first books in February and was expecting the first payments to arrive early May. But still nothing, except messages saying it will be looked into. I have four books up on Kindle now, all selling well and the amounts due to me are mounting up. But nothing in the mail.... In the meantime, Amazon is making money from my work.
> 
> Are they ever going to pay me?


I get my royalties via direct deposit. Have you checked your bank account? I hadn't even noticed that they paid me until someone mentioned it and I looked at my statements. I don't touch that account (out of sight, out of mind).


----------



## Susanne O

I live in Ireland and Amazon only pays international authors by check they send by post (pony express by the sounds of it).


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

I like your poem, Ed. I usually don't read poetry.

Ann.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Susanne:  Are you sending emails to Amazon or have you called? I would try calling.

Ann.


----------



## Susanne O

Ann, I would call if I had a number. Where do I find it?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

PA Woodburn:

Thanks.

On royalties.

Send emails to [email protected] and state your case clearly. The finance department is in India, so they need to forward your message to an accountant there. My broblems of last year had to do with my Tax ID slipping out of my profile when they did an upgrade. No ID, no payment. That was straightened out and I haven't had a problem since. I did it via that email address. Don't call - they won;t know what to do with you.

Royalties remittance advice for May (that is March) came in today at 3 pm. And createSpace paid me already (they do it around the 25thof the month). Bth are direct payment for me. Smashwords pays via PayPal or paper. B&N etc, pays through Smashwords, and I reeived my royalties (meager) for 2009 through Jan 24th from B&N via payPal.

Hope this helps

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susanne O

Thank you so much, Ed! very grateful for that.


----------



## Susanne O

I got an e-mail from Amazon telling me they sent a check on May 27. So all my e-mailing worked. But I won't believe it until I see the check!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susanne OLeary said:


> I got an e-mail from Amazon telling me they sent a check on May 27. So all my e-mailing worked. But I won't believe it until I see the check!


Congratulations! Hopefully, the checks will come more regularly now.

I'm working on two completely different projects now. Just had an urge to get out of the 15th century for a while and tackle something out of my comfort zone. It's going well. Hope to get five pages done on the new project today and then I'll be all refreshed to go back to the historical again.


----------



## traceya

Hi all,
Well the second short story was uploaded tonight, Book Two of the Witchcraft Wars is right on target - guess I'm feeling pretty good about things right now.

Just want to thank everyone again - these threads, this board has truly been amazing.  Helpful advice, friendly tips - as I'm still relatively new here I'm just thrilled to be a part of it all.

Cheers & Thanks,
Trace


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, peeps -

Just checking in after an exhausting day of painting. And I thought P90X was hard! Bah! 

Anyway, *Genetically Modified Organism* is up to about 67000 words now, and I've slowly been getting back into a more consistent routine of writing since we came home from the Beachbody summit. I'm not cranking things out as quickly because I don't have as much time as before, but am trying to manage what I do have more effectively.

So, time to dive in and write before my head slams down on the keyboard and starts producing nothing but Zzzzz's...LOL!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi Mike. I just hit 126,000 words on The People's Treasure. I'm still on target to finish the manuscript by the end of August and am shooting for a end of September release. I'm starting revisions of the earlier parts Mid-July and working simultneously front and back. Poor Peg. Bta-readers so far are enthralled by the first 4 parts. I'm happy with it, but in cursory reading have already identified some changes. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

6K into my short story. Might even finish it this weekend, then back to the historical.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - Cool! I want to check out the Nan Tu, but hardly have any time for reading right now. More time management - ack! But glad you (and Gertie and the rest of the gang!) are making such good progress. I still have no idea where GMO is going, and don't have any feedback from Steph or Scarlet yet on it, as I'm sort of obligated to run it by work before releasing it to anybody (except Jan! LOL!). That's a real pain, but not much choice. So I'm just trying to get the rough draft done as quickly as I can! Ha!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Hi Mike. I just hit 126,000 words on The People's Treasure. I'm still on target to finish the manuscript by the end of August and am shooting for a end of September release. I'm starting revisions of the earlier parts Mid-July and working simultneously front and back. Poor Peg. Bta-readers so far are enthralled by the first 4 parts. I'm happy with it, but in cursory reading have already identified some changes.
> 
> Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike, have you read Th Academician? That's the first book in that series. The nan Tu is book 2.   

Ed P - - - -


----------



## Brian Drake

Just discovered this thread and I'd like to contribute. It's always fun to talk about works-in-progress even though some authors don't like it. For me, when my friends and I talk about plot problems or characters or whatever, we end up solving more problems than such conversations cause, and often have terrific brainstorms that lead to new stories or improvements on what we're already doing.

Having just posted my first book, "Reaper's Dozen", a collection of short stories, I'm not moving on to the next project, which is a sort-of rewrite of another manuscript that's been sitting in a drawer. It's called Justified Sins and my goal is to make a minor character into the main character, which means a whole lot of chopping, cutting, editing, and bridging, to make it all make sense. One would think starting fresh with a new project would be less labor intensive, but I really like how my notes on this have gone, so I'm going to dig in and get it done. Hopefully in time for a late winter release.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Brian Drake said:


> Just discovered this thread and I'd like to contribute. It's always fun to talk about works-in-progress even though some authors don't like it. For me, when my friends and I talk about plot problems or characters or whatever, we end up solving more problems than such conversations cause, and often have terrific brainstorms that lead to new stories or improvements on what we're already doing.
> 
> Having just posted my first book, "Reaper's Dozen", a collection of short stories, I'm not moving on to the next project, which is a sort-of rewrite of another manuscript that's been sitting in a drawer. It's called Justified Sins and my goal is to make a minor character into the main character, which means a whole lot of chopping, cutting, editing, and bridging, to make it all make sense. One would think starting fresh with a new project would be less labor intensive, but I really like how my notes on this have gone, so I'm going to dig in and get it done. Hopefully in time for a late winter release.


Welcome, Brian (n.b., I usually type 'Brain' when I try to type 'Brian') You sure have set yourself a task. Good luck with it.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I type brain all the time too!

Brains....brains...

I sound like a drooling zombie.

Anyway, good luck with the rewrite Brian.


----------



## David McAfee

I would like to get the remaining 60 pages of SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SUN edited this weekend for a Tuesday release. I also have to do the cover. I've been slacking a little...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,600 words tonight. I think I'll close my one eye and call it a night.

Ed a d P t er on


----------



## Ali Cooper

I'm having a lot of problems with links. this is a test. I'll delete it after if I can.

The Girl on the Swing


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ali Cooper said:


> I'm having a lot of problems with links. this is a test. I'll delete it after if I can.
> 
> The Girl on the Swing


Worked for me.

Massive thunderstorms. Shutting down. Thank goodness for Ginny the netbook.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,690 words (and I'm still in my pajamas - or my equivalent of pajamas, which I won't say  ) on The People's Treasure. I got an early start, because I wanted to jump-start the next scenes, which are racing about in my head waiting or this last one to be written. Now that that's done, let it pour out tonight and tomorrow. Bu for now, I think I'll get dressed, take the garbage out, have a roast beef sandwich with Pepper Jack cheese and . . . take a walk . . .I don;t know. That's too much exercise for me.

Edward C. Patterson

PS: Pajama is a subcontinental word from the old days of the Raj and in 19th century English lit, it's spelled pyjama - never pluralized. Now that's a jeopardy piece of info for ya.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, study guide question for ya'

*Why is the Han dynasty considered to be an important part of Chinese history?*

No more than three sentences, please.

Thanks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, in my opinion, it's not. The Sung Dynasty is. However, the Han managed to incorporate the legalistic elements of the Ch'in Dynasty (short-lived but perhaps more defining) and ameliorate it with a developing Confucian system of governing principles. It lasted from 209 BCE to 221 CE, with one 15 year lapse in 9 CE. It managed to established most of the Imperial aspects of China, which, by dint of their strength, managed to keep hold even during the nearly 400 year period of disunity that followed its collapse. The T'ang Dynasty was by far the more brilliant period of Imperial History, while the Sung Dynasty's 300 years saw the emergence of Chinese culture at its height. The Han principles (modified, although extolled) stood central to the Imperial Infrastructure, but when you dig down to ground level, no society remains unchanged for 3,000 years. In fact, the two dynasties that follow the Sung (Yuan and Ming) were distinct retrogrades, while the foreign dynasty The Ch'ing (Qing - Manchu) was the heyday of power, but also contained the seeds of downfall.

Just off the top of my head, and . . . you said three sentences. I thought you said paragraphs.  

Edward C. Patterson, M.A. (  )


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, in my opinion, it's not. The Sung Dynasty is. However, the Han managed to incorporate the legalistic elements of the Ch'in Dynasty (short-lived but perhaps more defining) and ameliorate it with a developing Confucian system of governing principles. It lasted from 209 BCE to 221 CE, with one 15 year lapse in 9 CE. It managed to established most of the Imperial aspects of China, which, by dint of their strength, managed to keep hold even during the nearly 400 year period of disunity that followed its collapse. The T'ang Dynasty was by far the more brilliant period of Imperial History, while the Sung Dynasty's 300 years saw the emergence of Chinese culture at its height. The Han principles (modified, although extolled) stood central to the Imperial Infrastructure, but when you dig down to ground level, no society remains unchanged for 3,000 years. In fact, the two dynasties that follow the Sung (Yuan and Ming) were distinct retrogrades, while the foreign dynasty The Ch'ing (Qing - Manchu) was the heyday of power, but also contained the seeds of downfall.
> 
> Just off the top of my head, and . . . you said three sentences. I thought you said paragraphs.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson, M.A. (  )


Unfortunately, it's the teacher's opinion that matters when taking a final (6th grade). 

Okay, that's about what I got from the text as well. Legalistic form of government softened by Confucian principals which kept China together even after the collapse of the Han dynasty.

Thanks, Ed. Didn't want to steer the GS wrong.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, send that 6th Grade teacher into my classroom on Chinese Hisoty and I'll them right.   I did forgt to mention one thing. We call China "China" afer the Ch'in dynasty, but the Chinese people refer to heir country as Chung-guo (the Middle Kindle = the center of the world) but to themselves as the people of Han. So there is still a longlasting effect from the Han even today. 

Ed Patterson

The Marco Polo designation "Cathay" is from the Liao Dynasty, which were formed by the Khitani peoples or the Khitai. In Eglish we pronounce Chathay like it appears, but it is actually pronounced Ca tai. Marco Polo also referred to the Sung Dynasty (the Southerh Sung) as Kinzhai, which is actually a bastardization of Ch'ing-tsai, or Temporary Capital - refering to Lin-an, modern day Hang-chou, which was dubbed that after the fall of K'ai-feng, the Sung Capital in the north. Yep, send that teacher to me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, send that 6th Grade teacher into my classroom on Chinese Hisoty and I'll them right.  I did forgt to mention one thing. We call China "China" afer the Ch'in dynasty, but the Chinese people refer to heir country as Chung-guo (the Middle Kindle = the center of the world) but to themselves as the people of Han. So there is still a longlasting effect from the Han even today.
> 
> Ed Patterson
> 
> The Marco Polo designation "Cathay" is from the Liao Dynasty, which were formed by the Khitani peoples or the Khitai. In Eglish we pronounce Chathay like it appears, but it is actually pronounced Ca tai. Marco Polo also referred to the Sung Dynasty (the Southerh Sung) as Kinzhai, which is actually a bastardization of Ch'ing-tsai, or Temporary Capital - refering to Lin-an, modern day Hang-chou, which was dubbed that after the fall of K'ai-feng, the Sung Capital in the north. Yep, send that teacher to me.


The Middle KINDLE. Amazing.

I knew about the Middle KINGDOM and the people of Han. The rest I didn't know. I love to learn new things.

I had to set the teachers straight on some things about Egypt, too, especially Hatshepsut. They get too stuck in their textbooks and don't look into new research.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Now there's a fraudian slip. The Middle Kingdom. And here's a dangeruous thought. I minored in Egyptology when studying for my Master's.  Hatsepshut is a friend of mine, she resembles . . . oh, well you get the picture (or the cartouche t least).

Ed Patterson

PS: In _The People's Treasure_, part of it takes place in the Tmeple of Dendur at the NYC Met. I leveraged my Egyptian knowledge to best effect, _ka,_ _ba _ and _tet_. And there's a scene in Turning Idolater set beside Cleopatra's Needle (with full detiled desription, of course).


----------



## Sharlow

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Welcome, Brian (n.b., I usually type 'Brain' when I try to type 'Brian') You sure have set yourself a task. Good luck with it.


Thank God I'm not the only on that does this. Worse for me as my main characters name is Brian in the novel I'm working on.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sharlow said:


> Thank God I'm not the only on that does this. Worse for me as my main characters name is Brian in the novel I'm working on.


Change it to Bryan. Or better yet, give in to it. Have everyone call him The Brain.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just finished putting in the LAST edits of The Death of Promises. Now I just need to crank out a product description and write my little note from the author at the end. Wooooohooooooooo!

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Just finished putting in the LAST edits of The Death of Promises. Now I just need to crank out a product description and write my little note from the author at the end. Wooooohooooooooo!
> 
> David Dalglish


Fantastic!!!

Got in some good work on the new project. I'm about ready to get back to the historical.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Holy crap. I did it. Silly me, I did it without resting or looking it over or double-checking or giving it one last, last, last run-through.

I hit the publish button. Death of Promises is going live, baby!

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Holy crap. I did it. Silly me, I did it without resting or looking it over or double-checking or giving it one last, last, last run-through.
> 
> I hit the publish button. Death of Promises is going live, baby!
> 
> David Dalglish


Three gold stars for three completed books.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yo. Great going, even though you're one of the Davids.  

Edward C. Patterson 
(Eating his Jalapeno Jelly bellies - dn't stand behind me)


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Three gold stars for three completed books.


Thanks Gertie, Ed. Now hopefully those 3-stars don't represent all the reviews that I end up getting for it  

Just realize I forgot to do a little note from the author at the end. Bah. I can always add it later.

David Dalglish


----------



## traceya

Congratulations David  

Can't wait to read it.

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Going to try and get the other books up on Smashwords today. Much better than doing more painting! Bah!!


----------



## J.M Pierce

Congrats David!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,826 words tonight and I'm happy with the progress on _The People's Treasure_, which just hit 130,000. I have some challenges ahead, including a _Les Miserables _ style protest in Bei-jing (crowds and police etc), and one fast paced mass escape scene, both will prove challenging. But if its smooth sailing, it ain't worth writin (or reading). If I wanted smooth sailing, I'd be writing The Three Little Piggies. But I am enjoying making one of the children (a 3 1/2 year old) a major character. I've never done that before. But with the absence of one of my reader's most beloved figures from the series, I need to compensate and give them something they can adore equally - and even give him the same name.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brian Drake

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Welcome, Brian (n.b., I usually type 'Brain' when I try to type 'Brian') You sure have set yourself a task. Good luck with it.


Well after some work on this tome over the weekend, it turns out my rewrite idea is not the best one, so I'm going to leave it as-is and still shoot for a release later this year. Like as soon as the cover is done.


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Just finished putting in the LAST edits of The Death of Promises. Now I just need to crank out a product description and write my little note from the author at the end. Wooooohooooooooo!
> 
> David Dalglish


That's great David! I'm sure it will do just as good as your other two. Are you planning more in the series?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sharlow said:


> That's great David! I'm sure it will do just as good as your other two. Are you planning more in the series?


For the Half-Orc Series revolving around Harruq and Qurrah, I've got five books planned. Four of them are done, and I'm (still) halfway through the fifth. It'll take me a lot longer to get this fourth one out compared to the other three. Need to add a bunch of stuff, plus the whole massive edits. That, and I want to get A Dance of Cloaks out before that, a nice stand-alone to see if I can hook people.

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Maisy May is at the 'being published' stage on DTP! *bounce*

Waiting... waiting...

Oh yeah, gotta write the sequel now


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

nomesque said:


> Maisy May is at the 'being published' stage on DTP! *bounce*
> 
> Waiting... waiting...
> 
> Oh yeah, gotta write the sequel now


Gratz!


----------



## Mark Cotton

After spending all my spare time on Amazon's Digital Text Platform, Createspace, Smashwords and Lulu over the past few weeks to get Two Bits Four Bits out there, I'm ready to settle down into the daily rhythm of working on the next book.
  
While the act of making a book you've worked on for a long time available to the public is rewarding, the writing is really the fun part--sitting down each day to see what the characters will do and say next.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,400 words tonight on The People's Treasure. A rewading night, because I was able to take the elements in a scene I wrote for The Jade Owl in 2002 and had cut from revision 4 in 2005 (a scene set in Tien-an Men Square) and reworked it as a coda for tonight's chapter. And I am particularly in love with the  3 and 1/2 year old character who has taken on a life of his own, and in this chapter flies his kite with his great grandfather in a touching scene, that wrecked me emotionally. (Which is a good thing for my readers).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## traceya

nomesque said:


> Maisy May is at the 'being published' stage on DTP! *bounce*
> 
> Waiting... waiting...
> 
> Oh yeah, gotta write the sequel now


Congratulations - hope you sell heaps 
Trace


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> Maisy May is at the 'being published' stage on DTP! *bounce*
> 
> Waiting... waiting...
> 
> Oh yeah, gotta write the sequel now


Writing the sequel keeps you from biting your nails while waiting for the book to show up.

Congratulations!!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Boy, it seems like pretty much everybody on here writes series books. Does anyone do stand-alone stuff anymore?

Not trying to make a statement, just asking the question.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Boy, it seems like pretty much everybody on here writes series books. Does anyone do stand-alone stuff anymore?
> 
> Not trying to make a statement, just asking the question.


I'm writing a series because I can't let go of my characters. #3 is in the works with all the main people from the first two. The H/h are part of that, but were never featured before.

However, I'm also working on a stand-alone. I know I can let go of those people (I think).


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Aaaand just lost my para job because of budget cuts. Sigh.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Aaaand just lost my para job because of budget cuts. Sigh.


Heavens, David, you've just had the worst luck with jobs this year. Have they rebuilt the Pizza Hut, yet?


----------



## Dave Dykema

That sucks, namesake.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

They still haven't even cleared away the debris, so they're a good 4-6 months away from finishing.


This is kind of par for me. Every time I try for an honest-to-goodness JOB things shut down or happen. Teacher job? Hire someone else. Jack Henry, well-respected banking software programmer: had interview, recommendation from a supervisor, and taken classes. Hiring freeze hit 1 week after my interview. Para job? Budget cuts. Pizza Hut, my backup? Tornado knocked it down.

My friend has started his own company (Pixelscopic studios) and he wants to hire me on to write the dialog and story for an RPG. I'm pretty sure by telling me he wants to hire me in two months, he has just officially doomed his entire company.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm glad to see you're keeping a positive attitude, David. You're _positive _it's only going to get worse.

It's a bad time to be unemployed. Okay, there's never a good time, but jobs aren't usually as scarce as they are now. Have you looked into doing volunteer work in your field? Sometimes that can lead to a job. At the least, it might lead to some useful contacts.


----------



## Archer

Methinks there are bigger plans for you, kiddo. This other stuff is just clearing the way for them!  
Write if you need to vent, okay?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I don't want to jinx it, I really don't...

My good friend, Ron, is starting as a Spec Ed teacher at a school nearby. He's _the_ reason I am getting into special education. We just found out _today_ that his school is hiring a para for the high school. So in short, I'd be my best friend's helper. Not only that, I'd shorten my commute to/from work by 25 minutes each way.

But I don't want to jinx it. So I'm going to pretend that this is all funny and stupid and hopeless. And I'm turning my resume in tomorrow.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> I don't want to jinx it, I really don't...
> 
> My good friend, Ron, is starting as a Spec Ed teacher at a school nearby. He's _the_ reason I am getting into special education. We just found out _today_ that his school is hiring a para for the high school. So in short, I'd be my best friend's helper. Not only that, I'd shorten my commute to/from work by 25 minutes each way.
> 
> But I don't want to jinx it. So I'm going to pretend that this is all funny and stupid and hopeless. And I'm turning my resume in tomorrow.
> 
> David Dalglish


Break a leg, David!!

Wrote three pages today. I'm still not sure how this story is going to end.


----------



## nomesque

Thanks David and Trace 

Some lovely person bought a copy before the description even made it onto the listing! W00t! I haz a sale! *happy dance*


----------



## traceya

Half-Orc said:


> I don't want to jinx it, I really don't...
> 
> My good friend, Ron, is starting as a Spec Ed teacher at a school nearby. He's _the_ reason I am getting into special education. We just found out _today_ that his school is hiring a para for the high school. So in short, I'd be my best friend's helper. Not only that, I'd shorten my commute to/from work by 25 minutes each way.
> 
> But I don't want to jinx it. So I'm going to pretend that this is all funny and stupid and hopeless. And I'm turning my resume in tomorrow.
> 
> David Dalglish


Got my fingers, toes, legs, hell even my eyes crossed for you David. 
I, too am currently unemployed and my beloved husband is starting to make hints about me going back to work 

I hate office work  but I guess we all gotta pay the bills.
Anyway good luck
Trace


----------



## nomesque

DD, good luck on the job!  Sounds ideal.

Trace - the things we've gotta do to support our writing habits, eh?  I hope you find something that suits.


----------



## nomesque

Well, haven't I just written myself into a corner? 

I'm really not sure how to promote Maisy May. There's a strong Christian theme running through it - but possibly too liberal for most christian fiction fans. There's a gay theme running through it as well, but the main character isn't gay. It's also YA and very - Aussie - in parts.

*bangs head on desk*

I think I need a holiday from it for a while. I can't see the book for the words.


----------



## traceya

nomesque said:


> Well, haven't I just written myself into a corner?
> 
> I'm really not sure how to promote Maisy May. There's a strong Christian theme running through it - but possibly too liberal for most christian fiction fans. There's a gay theme running through it as well, but the main character isn't gay. It's also YA and very - Aussie - in parts.
> 
> *bangs head on desk*
> 
> I think I need a holiday from it for a while. I can't see the book for the words.


I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you - it's a great cover and I really love the hook line


----------



## nomesque

traceya said:


> I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you - it's a great cover and I really love the hook line


 Thanks. That's cheered me up. I think I'm just going through a 'slump' - everything's upsetting me today. Blah. Oh well, blue skies tomorrow...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Two ack to back plannig evenings, because I dismantled something in my story that I had planned, but felt it would create anti-climaxes. So I was "killing a giant darling" and replacing it with something altogether smaller, calmer and atmospheric. And I have a NJ weekened with Dad coming up, so it will be slow going, but rivers are meant to erode the terrain around them. 

On a nice note, my book _Are You Still Submitting Your ork to a Traditional Publisher? _ is currently in the top 25 (I think it's 19) in editing-->writing skills. I still offer it for free and for sale, and the table has turned more in avor of for sale, which is nice, although never planned that way.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Ed - I think you need a new keyboard  (or _do_ you have a book about submitting orks? Sounds right up David's alley...)

AND - AYSSYWTATP is on Smashwords Top 100 list too!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No, it's the being blind in one eye.   Der Cyclops.

Ed Pitiful


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No, it's the being blind in one eye.  Der Cyclops.


My bad. Sorry. I thought you were a run-of-the-mill starving artist or klutz, like me. My cheapy netbook laptop is always skipping letters on me. And now I feel like a klutzy doofus! I'll shut up for a few seconds while I try to get this foot out of my... keyboard?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

The bad: the para job I was hoping for was already filled. They hadn't taken it off the website yet.

The good: wrote 4500 words on A Dance of Cloaks. I have plenty of time now, for obvious reasons...

David Dalglish


----------



## J Dean

I should have gone to writing late-night a long time ago.  Getting a LOT more done, and it's just easier to write... that is, as long as Mrs. J. Dean doesn't want to watch LOST...


----------



## Dave Dykema

Ever since my job changed and I write all day long at work I find it very difficult to write my books. Burned out.

Any advice from someone in a similar situation? Or just any advice from anyone?


----------



## nomesque

Dave Dykema said:


> Ever since my job changed and I write all day long at work I find it very difficult to write my books. Burned out.
> 
> Any advice from someone in a similar situation? Or just any advice from anyone?


Could be that you're learning too much just now, and that the burnout factor will ease. I know the writing bug waned for me for a while after starting tech writing. After a while, though, my brain seemed to crave the creativity again.


----------



## traceya

Half-Orc said:


> *The bad: the para job I was hoping for was already filled. They hadn't taken it off the website yet.*
> 
> The good: wrote 4500 words on A Dance of Cloaks. I have plenty of time now, for obvious reasons...
> 
> David Dalglish


That's a bummer  Keep at it and good work on the books 
You'll probably be rich and famous soon anyway 

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

traceya said:


> You'll probably be rich and famous soon anyway


Haha, that's what my family keeps insisting, too.

David Dalglish


----------



## DonnaFaz

I have a question (okay...I have several) that I'm hoping someone here can answer. I had a very nice book reviewer send me a list of 5 typos with the locations in my book (and I've found another 2). So I would like to fix these and upload a new file of my book. What is the best way to do this? Do I make the changes in the html coverted file? Or make the changes in the original file and then make a whole new html-converted file? (Please forgive me if this is really simple and I'm making it harder than it seems.)  I've never done this and I'm scared I'm going to ruin things. Would you please give me some feedback on the best way to do this?

Also, I see that there are some formatting problems that I don't have a clue how to fix. There are a few places where the indents are off. Sentences look like this:

  "How you doing, Lew?" Greg asked her
  father.
  "Got carbunculosis. My hair is damn
  sore."

Instead of:
  "How you doing, Lew?" Greg asked her
father.
  "Got carbunculosis. My hair is damn
sore."

Can anyone tell me how to fix that? It looks correct in the original file.

Thanks for any help you might offer!!!

~Donna~


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

DonnaFaz said:


> Also, I see that there are some formatting problems that I don't have a clue how to fix. There are a few places where the indents are off. Sentences look like this:
> 
> "How you doing, Lew?" Greg asked her
> father.
> "Got carbunculosis. My hair is d*mn
> sore."
> 
> Instead of:
> "How you doing, Lew?" Greg asked her
> father.
> "Got carbunculosis. My hair is d*mn
> sore."
> 
> Can anyone tell me how to fix that? It looks correct in the original file.
> 
> ~Donna~


Okay, I know exactly how to fix that. You need to go to your original file and turn on your hidden formatting symbols (the little paragraph symbol button). Now find where the formatting is off. For most of your file, you'll probably see your returns as a paragraph symbol. However, where its off, instead of the little P thing, you'll see a crooked line, like the symbol usually underneath the enter key on keyboards. You need to delete that, then just hit enter again.

I've had to find several of those; they're freaking annoying, and usually arrive through certain auto-formatting options, or from converting from one form of file to another, especially older word documents to newer .docx.

David Dalglish

*edit*










Like that.


----------



## DonnaFaz

David, I looked at my original file and could find only paragraph markings. No enter-arrow-thingies. I tried to cut and paste from my ms so you could see, but the markings didn't come through. Same thing on the .htm file...paragraph markings only. 

What else should I try or look for or change?

Also, if I make changes in the .htm file using Word, will it save as an .htm file or a .doc?

Thanks for helping me, David. You really are a super nice writer guy...just like your tag says.  

~Donna~


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

If you make changes in the .htm file, they'll only save in the .htm file. I'd recommend fixing whatever the problem is in word first, that way there's no chance you go back to do some revisions and forget the formatting problem and then upload it again.

The next thing I'd try is highlighting the section and applying the "normal" template. That can sometimes get rid of any hidden formatting that might be going on. You can also check that section in the htm and see if there's any formatting tags directly before that section. That might give a hint to what's going on.

Sorry it wasn't as simple as I hoped. I'd encountered that problem many times, and a simple delete/enter always fixed it. It seemed so similar that I figured that'd be the case.

And that tag is a lie  

David Dalglish

*another edit*

What are you using to see if the fixes or tweaks you're doing are working?


----------



## DonnaFaz

<<What are you using to see if the fixes or tweaks you're doing are working?>>

I haven't used anything yet. I haven't done any tweaking. LOL I'm still in the looking-for-the-problem mode.

To check for html codes I have to look at the source, yes? Okay, so...how do I do that?

~Donna~


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Save your word document as "filtered html document". Right click on the file itself, select "open with" and then choose wordpad or notepad. You'll be looking at all the html code that way. Then find the section that isn't working properly and look for some sort of formatting that might appear to be causing the problem.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

nomesque said:


> My bad. Sorry. I thought you were a run-of-the-mill starving artist or klutz, like me. My cheapy netbook laptop is always skipping letters on me. And now I feel like a klutzy doofus! I'll shut up for a few seconds while I try to get this foot out of my... keyboard?


Actually, the missed letter is less the eyesught and more the periphera; neuropathy in my fingers. I'm falling apart. I need to finish my 12 WIPs fast. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Actually, the missed letter is less the eyesught and more the periphera; neuropathy in my fingers. I'm falling apart. I need to finish my 12 WIPs fast.


EEEEK!!! People, we need to get this man some new fingers! Quick, who's got some spares? Can't have you going to pieces, Ed!!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's a good thing I don't need to type with my feet.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> It's a good thing I don't need to type with my feet.


Damn, that was going to be my next suggestion! Better get started on the thought-directed dictation helmet, then...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Why do that. I'm getting a seeing eye boyfriend named Bruce and I'll sit on his lap and dictate. He comes wiuth spellcheck already loaded.

Ed Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Why do that. I'm getting a seeing eye boyfriend named Bruce and I'll sit on his lap and dictate. He comes wiuth spellcheck already loaded.


 

I'm green with envy.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hammered out 5,000 words on A Dance of Cloaks. Man it feels so good to write so much each day. My previous best for...well, the past six months has been 3,000, with a daily average of only 2,000. I feel alive again, my mind completely, hopelessly lost in the story. I should get laid off more often.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I get nothing done when I'm in NJ with Dad, except promoting. When I get back to PA tomorrow, perhaps I'll eke[sp] out a few thousand words.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I did four pages last night.  I seem to get my best work done when I take the GS to TKD. He won't go back again until Monday, but I'm going to try to get some time in tonight.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Cranked out a few this morning on Genetically Modified Organism and managed to finish chapter 15. I can't claim it was a huge number of words, as the chapters for this book seem to be averaging a bit shorter than for the IHN books (which seemed to hit 10 pretty closely; for this book it's closer to 7 pages). Then again, this story is moving along faster, and when I write that way the chapters tend to be shorter. 

So my new goal for this weekend: write chapter 16! LOL!

And David Dalglish - sorry that your work situation is such a pain, but glad to see that you're using it to good advantage! That's some serious wordage!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've been enlisted to cook dinner for everyone tonight and GS is staying over. There goes writing time. Bummer. 

The WiP has taken a very unexpected turn, hopefully for the better, and I'm dying to see how it turns out.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Call me ignorant: GS?


----------



## Jeff

*G*rand*S*on.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2 minutes ago. Went over the 6,000 book sales mark. Doing a NAKED CONGA DANCE.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Um. . ..Ed?  How many threads are you gonna post that in. . . .so far I've counted 3. . . . . .

(seriously. . . .good on ya!)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2 minutes ago. Went over the 6,000 book sales mark. Doing a NAKED CONGA DANCE.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Not a pretty sight, but a very nice total. Congrats. Can you stop dancing, now?


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2 minutes ago. Went over the 6,000 book sales mark. Doing a NAKED CONGA DANCE.


WOOHOO!!!

(at the sales AND the naked dancing)

I'll join in happily...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2 minutes ago. Went over the 6,000 book sales mark. Doing a NAKED CONGA DANCE.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I'm just glad I happened to have my sunglasses on... 

I have no idea how many books I've sold - that takes an organized mind, which Jan can tell you I clearly do NOT have! LOL!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm approaching a milestone of my own in sales, but I'm gonna keep it under wraps until I hit it.

Gratz on hitting 6k! Just keep your clothes on when ya dance, sheesh.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's great, and thanks all. Must let you know that dancing the naked conga is something that the Indies at the Shemeless has been doing for the last 2 and a half years. We do it in boas and stilettos and raise the tenuta wine. I did my forst one when I sold my first 500 books and have been dancing there with every milestone since. Of course, that was nearly 30,000 posts ago (the Shameless at Amazon is on it's 3rd iteration).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## nomesque

la ta da ta da - KICK!
la ta da ta da - KICK!
la ta da t- oh. Are we finished dancing now? 

I just managed 1000 words on my new vampire story. I think it'll be novella-length. I've had this one bucketing around in my head demanding attention for months, so I'm ignoring the fans' screams for Maisy May 2 for a bit to try to get it down in words. It's... TADA! - a vampire book with a difference. No, really! You won't see THIS one coming!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Only 3,000 words today. For shame. I'm also thinking of splitting A Dance of Cloaks into two books, since I'm still not to the halfway point of the novel and I'm up to 55k words. I originally expected it to be 100k. Now it appears to be approaching 120-140k, and its steadily growing. I haven't even brought the vast bulk of the characters from my other books like I originally planned.

So, might need to pay for two covers and make a little two-book series. A Dance of Cloaks followed by A Dance of Daggers.

Care for a dance, people?

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Care for a dance, people?


I think Ed already did that! LOL! 

Okay, gonna try to get some writing in this a.m. and see what happens...


----------



## traceya

Glad to see everyone's dancing - equally glad I can't actually see it 

I've hit a little roadblock as I got sidetracked fixing up Erich's Plea - now it's out with a new cover [the one I wanted originally and was talked out of  ] and it's now illustrated. Crossing my fingers I've made the right decision as I was getting steady sales before - not great but steady so I'll have to see how it pans out. 

Back to some serious work now....

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yes, Mike, but my dance won't kill you, unlike Ed's dance  

Too long watching Ed will have your eyes fall out like at the end of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

That's why I always wear sunglasses when I check the boards! LOL! 



Half-Orc said:


> Yes, Mike, but my dance won't kill you, unlike Ed's dance
> 
> Too long watching Ed will have your eyes fall out like at the end of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
> 
> David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, and since we can legitimately conduct shameless self-promotion on this thread (ha!), FYI I made a new thread for the *In Her Name Omnibus Edition*. The old one was a tad long in the tooth and I need to try and keep up with it more. This one also includes the info for the books in the omnibus: Empire, Confederation, and Final Battle.

Okay, off to get some writing done on *Genetically Modified Organism*!! Happy Sunday!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

GS is going home. Time to get dressed and head for the park to do some serious writing.  

Fingers crossed, candles lit that I finish the first short story today. It was a big risk for me to try this, but I think it's working.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

I just submitted my files to CreateSpace for the print version of my novel. I need to spill or I'll explode.       Will they take it the first time? Will I be stuck adjusting my files for the next two months? All this while I wait to hear from Amazon that my Kindle version is ready to go...tick, tock, tick, tock.

My POD publisher and I have separated as of last weekend, so this is all I've been doing this week: prepping TWH inside and out to go out as an indie book. The split came just days after I'd finished my 2nd full edit of the sequel, so luckily I was taking a break already. This week will definitely cleanse my mental palate of the sequel, and right now, I'm really looking forward to working on it again (read: NOT endlessly using GIMP, reading up on PDF creation, bouncing between Lulu, CreateSpace and PDF freeware sites, etc).

It's been quite a week. I really, really hope CreateSpace and Kindle are kind to me...


----------



## William Meikle

Waiting....


on a reply from a publisher about a novel submission
on seven anthology editors to make decisions on my short story submissions
on thirteen other short story submissions to magazines/ezines etc
on a publisher to publish the third book in an ongoing series
on the same publisher to bring out 7 of my older print books as Kindle books
on a different publisher to bring out 9 short stories, a short story collection and 4 novels in print and ebook
on yet another publisher to bring out a major hardback anthology that I have a story in
on a film company who have promised to make a feature length movie from one of my novels 
on another film company who are currently making a movie I co-wrote
on yet another film company who have been sitting on a script for three years now.

That's a lot of waiting...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I wish I was that productive...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I just submitted my files to CreateSpace for the print version of my novel. I need to spill or I'll explode.      Will they take it the first time? Will I be stuck adjusting my files for the next two months? All this while I wait to hear from Amazon that my Kindle version is ready to go...tick, tock, tick, tock.


If you followed the instructions, there shouldn't be a problem. Both my books were accepted right away.

When I got the proof copy of my first book, there were a couple of issues that I missed when I reviewed the pdf prior to submission. I corrected, resubmitted, had to wait for another proof copy before I could tell them to put it up on Amazon. Those were my mistakes. No problems at all with the second book.

Good luck.

*Willie*, that's a lot of waiting. Maybe you should take a cruise?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got in from New Jersey and went out to a movie (Killers - very funny). Have to replace a microwave oven when I got home, and tuckered myself out. Now the Tutors are coming on soon, so I have deferred my writing until tomorrow - although I wrote most of the next chapter of _*The People's Treasure * _ (and a few scenes of _*The Road to Grafenwoehr*_) on the drive home. Driving and writing are so conducive.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If you followed the instructions, there shouldn't be a problem. Both my books were accepted right away.


Awesome, thanks for the reaffirmation. I tend to get a little


Spoiler



Freudian


 when it comes to trying stuff for the first time, so hopefully all my (probably overblown) caution will pay off.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had this wonderful plan to get in some writing this morning.  I snuck Ginny the netbook into my car, showed up for breakfast with my GS and planned to dash off to the park after dropping him at the bus stop.  Then I hear from my Mom. Eye doctor appt today. Then I hear from my cousin. Has the pool lady shown up?  What about the concrete guy? Then I hear from my daughter. Where are you? Did you find out anything about summer camps?

Now for the good news. I brought Ginny with me to the eye doctor, they gave Mom a complete physical (took 1.5 hours) and I finished my short story. Also did two pages on the historical.  Yippee!!!

I think tomorrow I'll hide at my cousin's house for a couple of hours.  Nobody knows his phone number but me and I can "forget" my cell phone at home. Does that sound like a plan or what.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Sounds like a great plan to me. I fondly remember the days when it was hard to get a hold of people.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A good night - 3,000 words on The People's treaure. One more chapter for Section V. Getting into the acceleration mode, where the chapters are shortened and . . . well, you all know the routine for Act Three (or FIVE, depending on the structure).

Edward C. Patterson
"The only thing that exhausts me in writing is a discussion on pricing. It's like a union meeting at the bordello, but


Spoiler



whores


 don't charge, do they?"


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Ugh, only 1500 words tonight. Had a buncha friends come over to play poker, so didn't have the time. So tired now. Wish I could write, but my brain feels like molded cheese tossed into a blender.

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> "The only thing that exhausts me in writing is a discussion on pricing. It's like a union meeting at the bordello, but
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> whores
> 
> 
> don't charge, do they?"


ROTFL

Ed, I love you.


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> Ugh, only 1500 words tonight. Had a buncha friends come over to play poker, so didn't have the time. So tired now. Wish I could write, but my brain feels like molded cheese tossed into a blender.


I love the imagery. You've gotta work that into a book.

Like I want to work in a sandwich I saw someone order yesterday - vegemite, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese, toasted.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Heh. If I can somehow send a blender back through a time machine to my fantasy stories, I'll make sure a bit of moldy cheese gets tossed into it. And maybe that sandwich of yours, too!

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> Heh. If I can somehow send a blender back through a time machine to my fantasy stories, I'll make sure a bit of moldy cheese gets tossed into it. And maybe that sandwich of yours, too!


If you use a time machine on your fantasy books, they'll implode. Fantasy and sci fi shouldn't mix... apparently.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

nomesque said:


> If you use a time machine on your fantasy books, they'll implode. Fantasy and sci fi shouldn't mix... apparently.


Stephen King's Dark Tower Series disagrees.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

I got two encouraging emails today: Kindle is beginning to build my novel's page today, and CreateSpace accepted my files, allowing me to order a proof today! Yay! Now I can begin to think about editing again.


----------



## daveconifer

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Driving and writing are so conducive.
> 
> Ed Patterson


 

Awesome! How do you do that?


----------



## traceya

Today has been a very good day for me - spent time with my sister, whom I adore, got my cover issues sorted - thanks David McAfee - and the final edit's of Ursula's Quest are almost finished.  I might even take the rest of the night off.  

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## J Dean

Half-Orc said:


> Stephen King's Dark Tower Series disagrees.


That's why I like that series. It breaks the rules of conventional fantasy. And it's one of the reasons why I say that my Vein series most resembles the Dark Tower series.

Speaking of which-I'm putting in good work on my novels, but my short stories are suffering a bit.


----------



## Dave Dykema

nomesque said:


> Like I want to work in a sandwich I saw someone order yesterday - vegemite, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese, toasted.


Didn't Men at Work already to that in "Down Under"?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

J Dean said:


> That's why I like that series. It breaks the rules of conventional fantasy. And it's one of the reasons why I say that my Vein series most resembles the Dark Tower series.
> 
> Speaking of which-I'm putting in good work on my novels, but my short stories are suffering a bit.


So far, completing one short story then going back to my historical is working. I got a fresh perspective on the historical which I desperately needed.

My plan to hide-a-way today isn't working, however. I didn't sleep much last night so I had to take a nap this morning. Feel like I need another nap.


----------



## altworld

Been quiet... But busy... Quick status...

On my next set of 10 Query letters out to Agents, now got inbox folder stuffed with 25 (out of 40 sent)rejection letters of which 3 were not form letter rejections. Since I am not writing about Vampires I suspect I will be getting a lot more yet.

Still no word from Agent who asked for manuscript sample 6 weeks ago. I am now persuming its been rejected and in normal Agent fashion I've not been sent the courtesy of a rejection letter.

Stalled on writing due to heavy freelance web workload, which on top of my real work load and life general happenings has bogged me down. Been 2 weeks since I last fought with the second part of The Tether to get a word out and getting antsy. I now have character sentences, and events popping into my head from the not even written third book in the The Tether series... Sort of getting mushed up in there.

Had no time due to having to earning real money to live on, too promote the first part of The Tether and sales have all but stopped.

Apart from that I'm good and get to have my kids for June


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

daveconifer said:


> Awesome! How do you do that?


I drive in a sort of autopilot and as I drive, I work our scenes, structures and dialog. Like all good writing, it shouldn't be committed to paper. If it's lost, it wasn't worth it. I can work a scene over two or three drives, so when its time is up, I'm ready to write it - and it never comes out that way I imagined it, which is also key. If it did, it would be almost like working from an outline - you know, plan, scribble, regurgitate and shovel it out. That was great for my dissertation, but this is a novel. I also write (mentally) in the shower, but I'll not give you that image for fear of permanently damaging.

Ed Patterson
Long live synapses and down with synopsis.


----------



## Kristen Painter

Got some good news yesterday and today -

1. Got confirmation that my small press/digital publisher, Samhain, has offered a contract on my steampunk romace novella, _Miss Bramble and the Leviathan_. It'll be out next January or there about.
2. Got confirmation that Orbit UK, the UK (duh) branch of my NY publisher, Orbit, has picked up the rights to my gothic urban fantasy series, Blood Rights, and will be simultaneously releasing the book to match the US release. Woot! That branch handles Australia too, so I'm guessing it will be out there as well.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Kristen Painter said:


> Got some good news yesterday and today -
> 
> 1. Got confirmation that my small press/digital publisher, Samhain, has offered a contract on my steampunk romace novella, _Miss Bramble and the Leviathan_. It'll be out next January or there about.
> 2. Got confirmation that Orbit UK, the UK (duh) branch of my NY publisher, Orbit, has picked up the rights to my gothic urban fantasy series, Blood Rights, and will be simultaneously releasing the book to match the US release. Woot! That branch handles Australia too, so I'm guessing it will be out there as well.


Fantastic! Congratulations.


----------



## altworld

Kristen Painter said:


> Got some good news yesterday and today -
> 
> 1. Got confirmation that my small press/digital publisher, Samhain, has offered a contract on my steampunk romace novella, _Miss Bramble and the Leviathan_. It'll be out next January or there about.
> 2. Got confirmation that Orbit UK, the UK (duh) branch of my NY publisher, Orbit, has picked up the rights to my gothic urban fantasy series, Blood Rights, and will be simultaneously releasing the book to match the US release. Woot! That branch handles Australia too, so I'm guessing it will be out there as well.


Now that is really good news, congratulations.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

That's awesome, Kristen!


----------



## Kristen Painter

Thanks, guys! I'm really psyched about it. It's that kind of stuff that makes the crappy days more bearable.


----------



## Dave Dykema

That sounds wonderful. Hey look, bare chests. Or is she the one we've already mocked about the bare chests??


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Woohoo! Just did the math. Between my three books, counting paperback, Amazon, and Smashwords, I've officially hit 1,000 paid purchases of my books. Hit that milestone *way* faster than I ever thought possible. If sales can just keep steady where they are, I'll have a shot at making honest to goodness money after I get 2-3 more books out.

And, might I add, that's all without having a bare-chested man on the cover.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Woohoo! Just did the math. Between my three books, counting paperback, Amazon, and Smashwords, I've officially hit 1,000 paid purchases of my books. Hit that milestone *way* faster than I ever thought possible. If sales can just keep steady where they are, I'll have a shot at making honest to goodness money after I get 2-3 more books out.


See, there's a reason why you can't keep a job. You were meant to write. Heavens, God even sent a tornado to destroy Pizza Hut. It's a sign. So, get those 2-3 more books out toot sweet!!!!



> And, might I add, that's all without having a bare-chested man on the cover.
> 
> David Dalglish


Rumor is that you write bare-chested.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> See, there's a reason why you can't keep a job. You were meant to write. Heavens, God even sent a tornado to destroy Pizza Hut. It's a sign. So, get those 2-3 more books out toot sweet!!!!


In my daydreams, I like to pretend that's true. Actually being able to live on my writing still seems so...crazily out there.



> Rumor is that you write bare-chested.


Who told?

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I did manage to sneak over to my cousin's house this afternoon and write a couple of pages on the historical. 

In the meantime, the next short story is burning a hole in my brain.  Not doing it until I get at least another chapter done on the historical.


----------



## Kristen Painter

Half-Orc said:


> Woohoo! Just did the math. Between my three books, counting paperback, Amazon, and Smashwords, I've officially hit 1,000 paid purchases of my books. Hit that milestone *way* faster than I ever thought possible. If sales can just keep steady where they are, I'll have a shot at making honest to goodness money after I get 2-3 more books out.
> 
> And, might I add, that's all without having a bare-chested man on the cover.


Way to go! Just imagine what you could have sold if you'd had that bare-chested man...lol I kid! Mostly. But not about the awesome sales. Hmm. I think it's about time to get that next bare-chested man book out there...I really need more hours in the day.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Kristen Painter said:


> Way to go! Just imagine what you could have sold if you'd had that bare-chested man...lol I kid! Mostly. But not about the awesome sales. Hmm. I think it's about time to get that next bare-chested man book out there...I really need more hours in the day.


Hey, you nabbed a publisher. I've never even sent my work to an agent. You're a ways ahead of me in terms of hitting big time, Kirsten 

David Dalglish


----------



## traceya

Kristen Painter said:


> Got some good news yesterday and today -
> 
> 1. Got confirmation that my small press/digital publisher, Samhain, has offered a contract on my steampunk romace novella, _Miss Bramble and the Leviathan_. It'll be out next January or there about.
> 2. Got confirmation that Orbit UK, the UK (duh) branch of my NY publisher, Orbit, has picked up the rights to my gothic urban fantasy series, Blood Rights, and will be simultaneously releasing the book to match the US release. Woot! That branch handles Australia too, so I'm guessing it will be out there as well.


Way to go Kristen - congratulations   


Half-Orc said:


> Woohoo! Just did the math. Between my three books, counting paperback, Amazon, and Smashwords, I've officially hit 1,000 paid purchases of my books. Hit that milestone *way* faster than I ever thought possible. If sales can just keep steady where they are, I'll have a shot at making honest to goodness money after I get 2-3 more books out.
> 
> And, might I add, that's all without having a bare-chested man on the cover.
> 
> David Dalglish


Congratulations David - may your book sales expand exponentially   

Nearly finished work on Ursula's Quest - I'll be glad to get out of editing/proofing mode and back into some serious creative stuff.... I might try Gertie's trick and do a quick short story. 

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I always like writing short stories. They make me feel clean and productive somehow.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished Part V of The People's Treasure (3 more parts to go) with a short blast of 2,000 words tonight reaching the 140,000 word mark. Next section is shorter, but we're accelerating in Act III, so we're speed racing to the end. I hope to have Part VI done by the end of June and the last two parts done by the end of July. That leaves me August and September to rewrite, polish and have Peg and Katie the Kindlespreche do their final edits. I shall also turn to the next book during this period. (I've already head drafted a scene between two dead Roman soldier on the Valhalla portico at Regensburg. (The Road to Grafenwoehr is completely set in Germany 1968 - reflects my military experiences, but is quite a Gothic departure for me - gonna write me a monster book).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did a solid 4,000 words today. Much, much better than yesterday. The story's coming toward its climactic final night, too. I can't wait.

David Dalglish


----------



## Dave Dykema

Half-Orc said:


> Woohoo! Just did the math. Between my three books, counting paperback, Amazon, and Smashwords, I've officially hit 1,000 paid purchases of my books. Hit that milestone *way* faster than I ever thought possible.
> And, might I add, that's all without having a bare-chested man on the cover.
> 
> David Dalglish


That was a fun milestone. I hit it and didn't even realize it, because I wasn't tabulating so closely then. I was 150 or so over it before I knew.



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Rumor is that you write bare-chested.





Half-Orc said:


> Who told?
> 
> David Dalglish


You too? My writin' room's hot!


----------



## Kristen Painter

Working on edits. Wondering why I ever thought being a writer was a smart career move. Le sigh.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I decided not to work tonight.  I usually get my best work done while GS is in TKD, but I was just too hot and sticky to feel like doing anything. Too much running around today.


----------



## Vyrl

Half-Orc said:


> Woohoo! Just did the math. Between my three books, counting paperback, Amazon, and Smashwords, I've officially hit 1,000 paid purchases of my books. Hit that milestone *way* faster than I ever thought possible. If sales can just keep steady where they are, I'll have a shot at making honest to goodness money after I get 2-3 more books out.
> 
> And, might I add, that's all without having a bare-chested man on the cover.
> 
> David Dalglish


1000 since February? That's very well done!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Vyrl said:


> 1000 since February? That's very well done!


Thanks 

Had my first sale on February 2nd. It feels like forever ago. I remember being horrified that at any day my sales would completely halt, and I'd go months with no sales at all. I had my sales memorized, and if I had a 5 sale day, my head was in the freaking clouds. I almost feel spoiled now.

David Dalglish


----------



## Vyrl

Half-Orc said:


> Thanks
> 
> Had my first sale on February 2nd. It feels like forever ago. I remember being horrified that at any day my sales would completely halt, and I'd go months with no sales at all. I had my sales memorized, and if I had a 5 sale day, my head was in the freaking clouds. I almost feel spoiled now.
> 
> David Dalglish


Mine are either very hot or very cold. Plus events save me, I believe. But 250 a month online is excellent. Any particular tools you're using to promote?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Kindleboards. That's it. No twitter, small facebook account of only friends, no website. I've had a few reviews scattered among the interwebs (Red Adept, Contemporary Fantasy Review, etc). I still think its the cover combined with the 99 cent intro price point. I average a message/email a week telling me how good they are. I wish I got even half that may comments about my own writing talent 

David Dalglish

p.s.

Sharing this because I'm sharing it everywhere. It is me and me daughter Morgan


----------



## Susan in VA

Awwwwww!


----------



## nomesque

LOL - that's cute, David 

I'm absolutely stuffed  Which is especially annoying because I was managing great speeds on Vampire Suicide Agency. Well, great speeds for me - 3500 words in 4 days. I think it's going to be a novel - far more wordy than my last 2 books.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I only did 1200 words today, so that video is my explanation/excuse as to why. More important things to do!

She climbed onto my lap while I was reading, tapped my knees, and then said "If happy hap, know it, hooray!"

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> I only did 1200 words today, so that video is my explanation/excuse as to why. More important things to do!
> 
> She climbed onto my lap while I was reading, tapped my knees, and then said "If happy hap, know it, hooray!"


Too cute 

That song's invaluable for toilet training, I found


----------



## nomesque

*I'm a bestseller!!!* 

No, seriously, Smashwords has Maisy May listed 16th when I sort solely by 'Best Sellers' in their main catalogue!

Yet... Maisy May is NOT in the 'Top 25 Best Sellers' list... either 'last 90 days' or 'all time' 

Now I'm wondering what criteria they use for the Best Sellers sorting option - in the last month? Week? Darn, my curiousity has been awakened!!


----------



## traceya

nomesque said:


> *I'm a bestseller!!!*
> 
> No, seriously, Smashwords has Maisy May listed 16th when I sort solely by 'Best Sellers' in their main catalogue!
> 
> Yet... Maisy May is NOT in the 'Top 25 Best Sellers' list... either 'last 90 days' or 'all time'
> 
> Now I'm wondering what criteria they use for the Best Sellers sorting option - in the last month? Week? Darn, my curiousity has been awakened!!


Congratulations  Naomi, it's a really great book 
Trace


----------



## nomesque

traceya said:


> Congratulations  Naomi, it's a really great book
> Trace


Did you get around to reading it, then?

Thanks for the encouragement


----------



## Sharlow

I love this thread, even if all I do is mainly lurk. A lot of times I come to this thread when I don't feel like writing, and you guys give me the inspiration to write. It's been a bit difficult recently as I've started writing a new book, only done two chapters so far, using a POV, I'm not very familiar with.

Holy crap I can't believe how much harder it is to change writing styles. I'm writing way slower then I normally do, and even tho I love the challenge and the change, I'm nervous as all hell for some reason. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get use to it.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Punch through, Sharlow. There's no trick or gimmick other than forcing the words out and slowly getting accustomed to whatever new story you're writing.

David Dalglish


----------



## Susanne O

I just got a one star review from someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Susanne OLeary said:


> I just got a one star review form someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


*hug*


----------



## Susanne O

Thanks... I hope this won't damage my sales. I find this very scary.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

If it is the one I saw on Swedish for Beginners, it was maybe two sentences long and sorely lacking in any information or explanation. You have more than enough reviews to cancel that out.

David Dalglish


----------



## Debra L Martin

Susanne OLeary said:


> I just got a one star review from someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


Susanne, that's horrible. So sorry to hear that. Hugs from me too!

Deb


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Sharing this because I'm sharing it everywhere. It is me and me daughter Morgan


Too adorable, David. Ten years from now, watch this a lot. It'll keep you from killing her.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> *I'm a bestseller!!!*
> 
> No, seriously, Smashwords has Maisy May listed 16th when I sort solely by 'Best Sellers' in their main catalogue!
> 
> Yet... Maisy May is NOT in the 'Top 25 Best Sellers' list... either 'last 90 days' or 'all time'
> 
> Now I'm wondering what criteria they use for the Best Sellers sorting option - in the last month? Week? Darn, my curiousity has been awakened!!


Weird!!  Ranking 16th _is_ a bestseller in our book. YAY!!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Woohoo! Got my first review for The Death of Promises, and from someone that was recommended the series by Amazon. It's a good one too, and thank goodness. I'm always terrified when my books don't have a review. Always worried someone will come in and throw it a 2-star and make it look all terrible. But nope, happy days!

Oh, and I voted down that review, Susanne, so maybe that'll help in some tiny way. Just please don't overreact. Try not to argue with the person, don't go to Amazon trying to get it removed. Let it roll off you. You can grumble here, though, god knows I've done that plenty when one of my 2-star reviews came rolling in  

David Dalglish

*edit*

Hahahahha. I'll keep that in mind, Gertie. She's already acting like a teenager. I'm horrified to think what she'll be like when she hits the teens.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Susanne OLeary said:


> I just got a one star review from someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


That's why I like that Amazon is putting a check for people who buy the book. They know this happens all too frequently.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Woohoo! Got my first review for The Death of Promises, and from someone that was recommended the series by Amazon. It's a good one too, and thank goodness. I'm always terrified when my books don't have a review. Always worried someone will come in and throw it a 2-star and make it look all terrible. But nope, happy days!


Congratulations! I wish I wasn't such a wimp. Then I could read your books.



> Oh, and I voted down that review, Susanne, so maybe that'll help in some tiny way. Just please don't overreact. Try not to argue with the person, don't go to Amazon trying to get it removed. Let it roll off you. You can grumble here, though, god knows I've done that plenty when one of my 2-star reviews came rolling in


Good thinking. I'll do that, too.



> David Dalglish
> 
> *edit*
> 
> Hahahahha. I'll keep that in mind, Gertie. She's already acting like a teenager. I'm horrified to think what she'll be like when she hits the teens.


Sorry to tell you this David, but how they are through the Terrible Twos (I think the ones are much worse) is how they'll be as teenagers. Just a tiny preview of what's to come.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'd like to redirect people here: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,26423.0.html in response to Gertie's constant fears of my series.

Enjoy 

David Dalglish


----------



## Dave Dykema

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry to tell you this David, but how they are through the Terrible Twos (I think the ones are much worse) is how they'll be as teenagers. Just a tiny preview of what's to come.


You mean they pee and poop in their pants AGAIN? God have mercy, I can't do that over...


----------



## Susan in VA

nomesque said:


> *I'm a bestseller!!!*
> 
> No, seriously, Smashwords has Maisy May listed 16th when I sort solely by 'Best Sellers' in their main catalogue!
> 
> Yet... Maisy May is NOT in the 'Top 25 Best Sellers' list... either 'last 90 days' or 'all time'
> 
> Now I'm wondering what criteria they use for the Best Sellers sorting option - in the last month? Week? Darn, my curiousity has been awakened!!


I bought it last weekend... what's this about two sequels, hmmm? 

Fun book! I bought it because I was intrigued by your statement that it was impossible to categorize, or something to that effect. (Umm... I'd have to agree with you on that. )


----------



## Susan in VA

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> how they are through the Terrible Twos (I think the ones are much worse) is how they'll be as teenagers. Just a tiny preview of what's to come.


OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO! <goes into hiding for the next 12 years>


----------



## JumpingShip

Susanne OLeary said:


> I just got a one star review from someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


  That is so not right.


----------



## Susanne O

thanks for letting me...   Feeling better now.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> You mean they pee and poop in their pants AGAIN? God have mercy, I can't do that over...


My DD's are five years apart. I took three each of their friends ice skating. The youngest were around 7 and the older girl's friends were around 12. I was a little worried about the younger ones and figured I'd spend my time with them teaching them how to skate and keeping their little butts off the ice.

The little ones were fine. We had a blast, when we weren't being interrupted by the older girls whining that they were cold, they were thirsty, spilling hot chocolate all down them, and, yes, wetting their pants. Did I mention that one of them threw up in the back of my pickup on the way home?

Just a typical little story of the life of a pre-teen mom.


----------



## Vyrl

Half-Orc said:


> Kindleboards. That's it. No twitter, small facebook account of only friends, no website. I've had a few reviews scattered among the interwebs (Red Adept, Contemporary Fantasy Review, etc). I still think its the cover combined with the 99 cent intro price point. I average a message/email a week telling me how good they are. I wish I got even half that may comments about my own writing talent
> 
> David Dalglish
> 
> p.s.
> 
> Sharing this because I'm sharing it everywhere. It is me and me daughter Morgan


Well, you should be proud. It says a lot for both you and kindleboards. I wish my first 1000 were so gracefully earned. Took me a year. Half the time I felt as if I was being hunted by tigers.

Huge congrats and keep it up!


----------



## Vyrl

nomesque said:


> *I'm a bestseller!!!*
> 
> No, seriously, Smashwords has Maisy May listed 16th when I sort solely by 'Best Sellers' in their main catalogue!
> 
> Yet... Maisy May is NOT in the 'Top 25 Best Sellers' list... either 'last 90 days' or 'all time'
> 
> Now I'm wondering what criteria they use for the Best Sellers sorting option - in the last month? Week? Darn, my curiousity has been awakened!!


Very well done, Naomi and well earned!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Vyrl said:


> Well, you should be proud. It says a lot for both you and kindleboards. I wish my first 1000 were gracefully earned. Took me a year. Half the time I felt as if I were being hunted by tigers.
> 
> Huge congrats and keep it up!


I think I just lucked out on a couple things, as well as starting at a very good time. So far, no tigers have been hunting me. I stay safe here in the Kindleboards Metropolis. No trees for them to hide in.

Thanks for the kind words. 

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Thanks for the congrats, folks 



Susan in VA said:


> I bought it last weekend... what's this about two sequels, hmmm?
> 
> Fun book! I bought it because I was intrigued by your statement that it was impossible to categorize, or something to that effect. (Umm... I'd have to agree with you on that. )


Thanks for buying it!  And thanks for reading, too. I'm glad you had fun. First sequel coming right after I get Vampire Suicide Agency out of my blood (hehe). Yeah, me and odd categorisations. Just wait - if it doesn't fit clearly into a genre, it must be LITERARY, right? And I can look down my nose at the genre-folks...


----------



## Kristen Painter

Did I mention I was editing? Because I still am. *insert long exhale here*


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Punch through, Sharlow. There's no trick or gimmick other than forcing the words out and slowly getting accustomed to whatever new story you're writing.
> 
> David Dalglish


Thanks Dave, and I will.


----------



## Sharlow

Susanne OLeary said:


> I just got a one star review from someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


Thats just not right. What a jerk, as if your book has anything to do with your guys fight. People can be such jerks. I'll go vote it down.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

4100 words on A Dance of Cloaks. Up to 67k total. Thinking I'll have the story wrapped up around the 90k mark...which was originally the halfway point. This sucker will have ballooned to a 180k monster if didn't split it. Crazy characters, always taking control of the story, never doing things the easy way like they're supposed to...

David Dalglish


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> 4100 words on A Dance of Cloaks. Up to 67k total. Thinking I'll have the story wrapped up around the 90k mark...which was originally the halfway point. This sucker will have ballooned to a 180k monster if didn't split it. Crazy characters, always taking control of the story, never doing things the easy way like they're supposed to...
> 
> David Dalglish


Well you are writing about orc's, and I've never heard of them being helpful at all.


----------



## Guest

Sharlow said:


> Thats just not right. What a jerk, as if your book has anything to do with your guys fight. People can be such jerks. I'll go vote it down.


I agree! That sounds like the slimiest behavior I've ever heard of. That person deserves a flat tire.


----------



## Susanne O

Many thanks for your help and support! I will stay away from nasty forums in the future. But now I feel the reviews look great, with a mixture of three star (one only) four and five stars with that nasty one sinking to the bottom.

Susanne x


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sharlow said:


> Well you are writing about orc's, and I've never heard of them being helpful at all.


Haha, actually Dance is very much a low-fantasy type affair. No orcs or elves. So far extremely low magic. I'm modeling it after A Game of Thrones, wanting to see if I can do something more subtle than fling around giant anime spells blowing up buildings and exploding blood out of people's capillaries.

David Dalglish


----------



## Kristen Painter

Half-Orc said:


> giant anime spells blowing up buildings and exploding blood out of people's capillaries.


You say that like it's a bad thing.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Kristen Painter said:


> You say that like it's a bad thing.


Well, I just don't one to be viewed as one-dimensional then, how about that? 

David Dalglish


----------



## Vyrl

Susanne OLeary said:


> I just got a one star review from someone who was picking a fight with me on a forum. She didn't buy the book, so how could she know that she hated it?


Unfortunately, this has happened to me before. Well, a two star, but snide and certainly not favorable. Hadn't even read the book. Nuts.

I'll put your book on my reading list. Will try to get to it and review by end of month. So sorry to see this happen.


----------



## Susanne O

Vyrl said:


> Unfortunately, this has happened to me before. Well, a two star, but snide and certainly not favorable. Hadn't even read the book. Nuts.
> 
> I'll put your book on my reading list. Will try to get to it and review by end of month. So sorry to see this happen.


Thank you that's very kind of you. I hope you'll enjoy the story.


----------



## Vyrl

Susanne OLeary said:


> Thank you that's very kind of you. I hope you'll enjoy the story.


I'm certain I will 

P.S. Is your book available on Kindle US? I couldn't find it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Susanne OLeary said:


> Many thanks for your help and support! I will stay away from nasty forums in the future. But now I feel the reviews look great, with a mixture of three star (one only) four and five stars with that nasty one sinking to the bottom.
> 
> Susanne x


Susanne - sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, there are people out there who do that sort of thing, and it doesn't pay to get involved in any tussles in forums (even if they're not your fault), particularly on Amazon: as an author, you just leave yourself open to petty-minded people.

My one-star story is a guy on GoodReads who didn't like _In Her Name: Empire_, I think it was, and tracked down every version of it he could find to give them all their single stars, and he also tagged the omnibus edition. You sort of have to wonder if people who do that sort of thing just don't have anything better to do? I can understand if you didn't like a book (and he at least had read the book and just didn't like it - no gripe from me there) and telling other readers what you thought, but sheesh!

Anyway, look at it like this: you're over the "one star hurdle"! I think everybody dreads the first one, but even the best books written get one and two star reviews (legit or otherwise), so you've got lots of good company!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I've gotten four different 2-star reviews. So far no one star. I'm not sure which I'd prefer, the multiple 2s or a single 1...

Ugh, the 2 stars were bad enough. I don't want to imagine a 1 star.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

It was a day tailor made for Murphy. Only got about 500 words done today. Maybe later.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> I've gotten four different 2-star reviews. So far no one star. I'm not sure which I'd prefer, the multiple 2s or a single 1...
> 
> Ugh, the 2 stars were bad enough. I don't want to imagine a 1 star.
> 
> David Dalglish


Yeah, it happens. I look at it this way: if the reviews contain points about my writing that I can use to improve ("constructive criticism"), I try to use those as a learning experience and take advantage of the situation that way, even if it may not help that particular book. If the reviews are just ridiculous, like ones complaining about the price or whatever (I love seeing those: "Yeah, I enjoyed the book but thought it cost too much. One star."), just ignore 'em. There's nothing you can really do about them most of the time, unfortunately. D'oh!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's okay, I got a one-star that was ignorable and on the same day got a 3-three (which is good, eh) which I hated.  But the reviews keep rolling in unabated, and although I still comments on editing flaws, they are consistently 4 and 5 stars, so I have stop asking the nagging question: "Mommy, can I really write?" 

I wrote just a little bit today on Section VI of _*The People's Treasure*_, but I also began the rewrite. (I always start my final rewrite run while I'm still writing the last sections. This helps with consistency, working at both ends of a book at the same time helps the overall weave and texture. I know . . . I'm nuts. But my readers might comment on a dangling participle or a misspelled word that gets by ten edits, but they can't complain about my intention to give them the read of their life). 

I just posted a snippet up in that thread giving Jade Owl readers a peak at the opening of *The People's Treasure* - the 4th Book. I'll repost it here as evidence of progress.

The night birds perched in the shadow of the eaves, their stalking brought to rest. Their chicks peeped for succor - for night crawlers and fireflies, brought to the nest by attentive parents. Swallows knew how to hunt for night crawlers and the best places to dig them out. However, when it came to the fireflies, swallows took care, because when flying over the place called _Campo Culadura_, fireflies stalked the night birds as prey. So swallows learned new strategies that diverted the bugs far from the eaves. Tonight, however, the fireflies were calm, their luminescence easily dowsed by cutting bites - food for the wee chirpers.

The quiet eaves of _Villa Tostacaroni _ settled over family slumbers - light and heavy snoring blending through the corridors in a single nocturnal song. From the upper rooms came breezy sounds from the three girls, who dreamed of parties and _ragazzi _ - of days airy with childhood pursuits. Papa and Mama were away in America, their rooms vacant, as was the eldest brother's room, he also being away on business. The younger brother and his wife had settled in for a comfortable sleep, with an amorous prelude, but now settled into a duet of snores that alternated over the counterpane. Other night rattles and coughs and sleep talking, from the servant's quarter, joined the night choir. However, the loudest snores came from the old woman's room - from Berenice Tostacaroni, sister to the _padrone_, and, before her illness, the estate's resident dragon.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Susanne O

Vyrl said:


> I'm certain I will
> 
> P.S. Is your book available on Kindle US? I couldn't find it.


Yes, here's the link: Swedish for Beginners- a novel


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did about 3,000 words on A Dance of Cloaks. Not very productive, really, considering how much time I spent on the computer. Far too much Facebook, KB, email, google, and Dragon Age. Sometimes I wonder if when I sit down to write I should just yank the internet cord out of the computer to remove any possible temptations.

Oh, but in an awesome aside, I heard word from Peter: he's going to start on the cover for A Dance of Cloaks! WOoooo! Can't wait to share it with you all.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> They still haven't even cleared away the debris, so they're a good 4-6 months away from finishing.
> 
> This is kind of par for me. Every time I try for an honest-to-goodness JOB things shut down or happen. Teacher job? Hire someone else. Jack Henry, well-respected banking software programmer: had interview, recommendation from a supervisor, and taken classes. Hiring freeze hit 1 week after my interview. Para job? Budget cuts. Pizza Hut, my backup? Tornado knocked it down.
> 
> My friend has started his own company (Pixelscopic studios) and he wants to hire me on to write the dialog and story for an RPG. I'm pretty sure by telling me he wants to hire me in two months, he has just officially doomed his entire company.
> 
> David Dalglish


David, call me crazy...but that sounds like a damn good story in and of itself. Maybe you're missing the forest for the trees? Like I said, call me crazy...(you wouldn't be the first, lol)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not sure how many words I got in last night - not enough, but more than none. It was another major home improvement project day getting the frame for the greenhouse up - didn't need to do my P90X workout or any running after hauling about 400 lbs of bricks around (putting 'em on the flatbed at Home Depot, taking 'em out and putting 'em in the van, unloading them, then placing them - oy!).

I also found it entertaining how my research sometimes goes. I didn't have to look up much when writing the IHN stories, mostly names and so on. But _Genetically Modified Organism_ has been something else: in one night I bounced around between genebanks, fuel-air explosives, Colorado State University, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), long-range charter jets, and the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Good heavens...

Speaking of which, GMO is calling - need to get in some wordage before the rest of the household comes alive!


----------



## ReeseReed

I attempted a couple of outlines to see if I could spurr my newest work along.  It helped a bit, as I discovered a new way of looking at things, so maybe it will prove fruitful.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

The historical isn't gelling like it should. I think I'll put it on ice again and work on the next short story. I have a broad outline for that in my head.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 words last night and rock n' rollin'. Also identified a few areas for rewrite in the earlir chapters.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And 2,340 words this evenng as part of the front-end rewrites of The People's Treasure.    

Edward C. Patterson
Killing those pernicious weeds - adverbs.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Edward C. Patterson
> Killing those pernicious weeds - adverbs.


Send those adverbs over to me. I'll give them a good home.


----------



## 16205

"Did about 3,000 words on A Dance of Cloaks. Not very productive, really, considering how much time I spent on the computer. Far too much Facebook, KB, email, google, and Dragon Age. Sometimes I wonder if when I sit down to write I should just yank the internet cord out of the computer to remove any possible temptations."

LOL  This happens to me on a daily basis now. I thought I was the only one!  At least I got some words in today-- 5600+.  I feel a little better.  Might even tackle another scene before bedtime.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm not sure how I should feel about you referring to 5600 words as "some". So far I've done 2500, hope to get another 2k after Morgan goes to bed.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wold have done more, but The Tutors are one, and I have this thing for Catherine Paar. I'd love to borrow her whimpole.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I wold have done more, but The Tutors are one, and I have this thing for Catherine Paar. I'd love to borrow her whimpole.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Catherine Paar got lucky. She outlived the SoB. Unfortunately, she then married Thomas Seymour who was another SoB, although not as fat.

Out of the six, Anne of Cleves was the best. Got Richmond Palace and Hever and the title of Great Royal Sister as well as a nice little pension.


----------



## 16205

'Some' for me yesterday and the day before was a big fat zero because I couldn't stay off FB and Twitter and Goodreads etc etc ad nauseum. 

Zero is not good progress!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Checking email about every 2 minutes hoping Peter's sent me a rough of the bookcover for A Dance of Cloaks. I think I need help.

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> Checking email about every 2 minutes hoping Peter's sent me a rough of the bookcover for A Dance of Cloaks. I think I need help.


Need help checking your email?? That's a bit pathetic, don't you think?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

nomesque said:


> Need help checking your email?? That's a bit pathetic, don't you think?


You're right! I should just find someone to check it for me every two minutes. Any volunteers?

*edit* Okay unplugging internet cord. I can't stop checking the triad of evil (facebook/email/kindleboards)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> You're right! I should just find someone to check it for me every two minutes. Any volunteers?
> 
> *edit* Okay unplugging internet cord. I can't stop checking the triad of evil (facebook/email/kindleboards)


Sorry, can't help. Too busy obsessively checking my sales in between writing and obsessively checking my word count.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Not a lot of words, but they were good words that got me to the point where I think I might possibly be on the right track, but I don't want to get too excited about it and jinx myself.

<takeabreathandshutup,Gertie>

Night all. Baseball camp with the GS tomorrow, so I won't see you until late.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Okay I'm back, and up to 4800 words for the day. Much better progress. I even caught myself about three times moving the mouse toward the google chrome button, then stopping because I didn't want to look like THAT big of an idiot.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Excellent, David



Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I don't normally do my book covers until after the first draft is done, but for some reason got a wild hair to play around with cover ideas for *Genetically Modified Organism* last night and this morning. So, for what it's worth, here's my first crack at it for any comments from the peanut gallery! LOL!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I like it and it's very different from your others.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I'm still not in love with the title, Mike. . . .but as it's by you I'll probably read it anyway. . .

Legend of the Sword, incidentally, kept me up rather too late last night. . . . .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'm still not in love with the title, Mike. . . .but as it's by you I'll probably read it anyway. . .


Well, I'm open to suggestions! It's still a working title until it actually hits the presses... 



> Legend of the Sword, incidentally, kept me up rather too late last night. . . . .


Oh, no, anything but that! LOL!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I like it and it's very different from your others.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed! Yes, this book is TOTALLY different from everything else I've written so far. So, a little scary in a way, but fun, too. So far I'm getting the thumbs up from Jan when she poaches the draft chapters to read... 

Oh, and I think I just came up with another option for the title...will post it shortly...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, and I think I just came up with another option for the title...will post it shortly...


Okay, how 'bout this for the title:


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Not a terrible title, but not really horror-inspiring either. I see one major problem with that cover: With the eyes over the wheat, it makes it look like something is peering out over it. But if you look at the eyes to try and get a better idea of what the "thing" is, you see the white spiral. So overall, I see a goofy looking white-spiral alien with wide-spread eyes, like some sort of snail.

Over all, things seem a bit too random. It looks like we're inside someone's veins. So there's eyes, a black tunnel, a white spiral, and a long strand of wheat...inside a vein?

Just my own little thoughts from an outsider perspective. Feel free to ignore as necessary  

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

LOL! Well, this is another conundrum I have: this story is probably another one that doesn't fit easily into a single genre. Also, I forgot to mention that the images are really "draft only" at this point - the spiral is a watermark. These are all comp images that I use to play around with, then I buy the ones that I actually use for the cover. So the spiral thingy isn't really there. The wide-set eyes is definitely bothersome (and you wouldn't believe how close I've moved them together since I started - from a black panther that must have a head fifteen feet wide!). So, good points - I'll play around and see... 



Half-Orc said:


> Not a terrible title, but not really horror-inspiring either. I see one major problem with that cover: With the eyes over the wheat, it makes it look like something is peering out over it. But if you look at the eyes to try and get a better idea of what the "thing" is, you see the white spiral. So overall, I see a goofy looking white-spiral alien with wide-spread eyes, like some sort of snail.
> 
> Over all, things seem a bit too random. It looks like we're inside someone's veins. So there's eyes, a black tunnel, a white spiral, and a long strand of wheat...inside a vein?
> 
> Just my own little thoughts from an outsider perspective. Feel free to ignore as necessary
> 
> David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Okay, feel a little silly about the spiral now, knowing its a watermark.

Thing about the eyes is that you've cut out every bit of skin/fury above them, making them seem particularly round, losing a little bit of their natural slanted feel. That might also be why they remind me of snail eyes (Gary from Spongebob Squarepants, if you can believe that randomness in my head). I do very much like the red vein background, and feel pretty confident you can get something working with it.

Still not sure about the wheat though. It's a nice, sharp image, but don't know if you'll ever get it to mesh with the red...

David Dalglish


----------



## Kristen Painter

As for the title, what about just The Harvest?

I need to edit 50 pages minimum today.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, how 'bout this for the title:


I like that title much better. . . .my recollection from your prologue is that it's a sort of biological techno thriller, right? Or is it a technical bio thriller?  The image doesn't really say either thing to me. . .but, then, I've only read the prologue.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> I like that title much better. . . .my recollection from your prologue is that it's a sort of biological techno thriller, right? Or is it a technical bio thriller?  The image doesn't really say either thing to me. . .but, then, I've only read the prologue.


Yeah, sort of a bio-techo-thriller thingy. The cover...well, the cover's main job is just to generate enough interest to read the blurb. So whether it "says" anything to a prospective buyer is sort of up in the air (as long as it's not misleading, obviously).

Anyway, I'm still tinkering. I just have to not give in to the temptation to keep playing around with this when I should be moving on in the darn story (and there's a big sequence coming up - ack!)...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Better title.


Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Good luck! Sometimes I find writing with a deadline helpful. Sometimes it can be crushing. Don't let it get to you.


----------



## 16205

Good luck Kristen and T.L.    I'm on another push today myself to get 5k words done. Managed 7600 yesterday and it drained me.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Genetically Modified Organism is too big of a mouthfull and gives too much away. Season of the harvest is slick and the cover made me think mystery, horror, thriller right away. Like it.

Ann


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

P.A. Woodburn said:


> Genetically Modified Organism is too big of a mouthfull and gives too much away. Season of the harvest is slick and the cover made me think mystery, horror, thriller right away. Like it.
> 
> Ann


Kewl! I think we'll run with that one...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Can I take credit for urging you to consider a change?    Just put a character named after me in it. . .doesn't even need to be anybody important. . .just don't make me a dork.


----------



## A_J_Lath

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry, can't help. Too busy obsessively checking my sales in between writing and obsessively checking my word count.


Oh, I can relate to that - my book is currently just outside the top ten on Smashwords' top 25 bestsellers list, and I just can't stop checking!

It's bad, because I really need to get some xbox graphics done with regard my 'proper' job...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Can I take credit for urging you to consider a change?  Just put a character named after me in it. . .doesn't even need to be anybody important. . .just don't make me a dork.


Hmmmm...I'll check with the muse and see what she says!


----------



## Jeff

Ann in Arlington said:


> Just put a character named after me in it.


That reminds me - I owe you one. How about Ann von Hagel, a close friend of Countess Vera von Fugger, in Austria just before Hitler's Anschluss annexation?


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Gee, Jeff, thanks! . . . . .just don't make me a Nazi!  

(Was only thinking about my first name. . . . . . .  )


----------



## Jeff

Ann in Arlington said:


> Gee, Jeff, thanks! . . . . .just don't make me a Nazi!
> 
> (Was only thinking about my first name. . . . . . .  )


Better be nice...

I changed the V to lower case.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Gee, Jeff, thanks! . . . . .just don't make me a Nazi!
> 
> (Was only thinking about my first name. . . . . . .  )


Okay, I think I have somebody in mind, but you'll have to read the book and see who it is!


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Jeff said:


> I changed the V to lower case.


I think that's how it was originally. . . according to my husband anyway. . . .they came here to escape some war on the border of German and Austria. . .that was in the mid-1850's and they got here just in time to fight in the American Civil war. . .some on either side. At some point when there was a lot of anti-German sentiment, they took the von away altogether, but then put it back with a capital later. . . . .but, see. . .I was _born_ an O'Connor. 

But back to support: Go! Write! Win! Rah, Rah Rah


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I think I have somebody in mind, but you'll have to read the book and see who it is!


Yeah, that's more or less a given. 

(that I'll read it, I mean. . . .)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ann in Arlington said:


> Yeah, that's more or less a given.
> 
> (that I'll read it, I mean. . . .)


Yeah, but I'll bet you're still afraid that I'll lecture you in the book! ;-)


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I think I have somebody in mind, but you'll have to read the book and see who it is!


Must be intimidating.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Must be intimidating.


No comment!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'd say make me a character, but I'm a character already.  

Edvard van Pattenzen


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, but I'll bet you're still afraid that I'll lecture you in the book! ;-)


You'll lecture _me_? Why, whatever for?  But, hey, it better be good. . .Steph got the hot guy and Scarlet is a badass spy. . . . . . 

GoooooooooOOOOOOO Writers!

(still trying to be supportive.  )


----------



## telracs

Ann in Arlington said:


> You'll lecture _me_? Why, whatever for?  But, hey, it better be good. . .Steph got the hot guy and Scarlet is a badass spy. . . . . .
> 
> GoooooooooOOOOOOO Writers!
> 
> (still trying to be supportive.  )


Hey, maybe he can work us all into GMO! You, me and Steph as some badass trio!


----------



## Steph H

Yeah, we'd have some fun, kicking some butt!









Definitely a better title, Mike, though still not sure if it's the best title in the world. But GMO was just....blah. 

I like the green eyes on the proposed cover though.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wanna be a bad-ass trio. I'm big enough.   I'll even paint myelf blue and wear a bassiere.

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I wanna be a bad-ass trio. I'm big enough.  I'll even paint myelf blue and wear a bassiere.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed, gotta love you! You're all kinds of characters. And neither my character nor Steph's is blue in the books. We're both a kind of apricot...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"Who put the ape in apricot,
What do they got that I ain't got!"

- Arlan, _The Wizard of Ox _ (Film)

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'd say make me a character, but I'm a character already.
> 
> Edvard van Pattenzen


Oddly enough, Sir Edvard, there's a character I think you'll sympathize with, although I may actually have to go back and write another book about him and the hero of this novel. He's probably the smartest and I think the most courageous person in the book, and probably the most colorful, as well. He also (so my muse dictated) happened to be gay, which only came to light a fair number of chapters after he was first introduced to the reader (and this came as a complete shock to me!). Unfortunately, my muse also dictated that he die in the opening sequence of the book, although the things he did that brought him to that untimely end unfold a bit later, and have a huge impact on the plot. I swear, I have no idea where she (my muse) comes up with these things. She just tells me to keep the dark chocolate and strawberry margaritas coming...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I wanna be a bad-ass trio. I'm big enough.  I'll even paint myelf blue and wear a bassiere.
> 
> Ed Patterson


<hands over eyes, shaking head>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Hey, maybe he can work us all into GMO! You, me and Steph as some badass trio!


Umm...well, actually...no, nevermind. You'll have to wait until the next IHN book sometime this fall/winter...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Yeah, we'd have some fun, kicking some butt!


Good grief! Y'all are just getting outta control with your alter-egos! 



> Definitely a better title, Mike, though still not sure if it's the best title in the world. But GMO was just....blah.
> 
> I like the green eyes on the proposed cover though.


Well, not sure there *is* a best title in the world, but this is better for now...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Umm...well, actually...no, nevermind. You'll have to wait until the next IHN book sometime this fall/winter...


Oooh, I want to be The Muffin Lady, undercover courier. I carry secret messages baked into my muffins. See? I'm wearing a blue sweater. I'll blend in, slide through the shadows, I _am_ the wind.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, the Muffin Lady clearly needs a dose or two of P90X before she gets her sword!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, the Muffin Lady clearly needs a dose or two of P90X before she gets her sword!


Hey, I tuck microfilm in there. Do you think anyone will get near enough to that muffin top to search it? Not without a very strong stomach. It's the perfect cover!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oddly enough, Sir Edvard, there's a character I think you'll sympathize with, although I may actually have to go back and write another book about him and the hero of this novel. He's probably the smartest and I think the most courageous person in the book, and probably the most colorful, as well. He also (so my muse dictated) happened to be gay, which only came to light a fair number of chapters after he was first introduced to the reader (and this came as a complete shock to me!). Unfortunately, my muse also dictated that he die in the opening sequence of the book, although the things he did that brought him to that untimely end unfold a bit later, and have a huge impact on the plot. I swear, I have no idea where she (my muse) comes up with these things. She just tells me to keep the dark chocolate and strawberry margaritas coming...


Ah, dead hero gay guy, and not painted blue. Shades of Dumbledore!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oooh, I want to be The Muffin Lady, undercover courier. I carry secret messages baked into my muffins. See? I'm wearing a blue sweater. I'll blend in, slide through the shadows, I _am_ the wind.


Where did you get my picture from? 

Tonight only 1,800 words and a wonderful chapter between my resident homeless indigent - Whiskey Han and a trio of bad-ass . . . not that's a different book - a trio of sinologists being brow beat on Grant Avenue, SF. Nearing the 140,000 word mark. (Ann, I got a lot of reading for you in the fall). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

I don't know how many words today. _Under the Apple Tree_ is currently 36,000 words. The other two are about the same.


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Umm...well, actually...no, nevermind. You'll have to wait until the next IHN book sometime this fall/winter...


Ohhhhh, now you just tease us, since you had to go off on this silly GMO tangent. How rood.







(Although I was thinking on the way home last night, me and Scarlet definitely have to meet in the next IHN, even though she can kick my butt six ways from Sunday I think we'd be good pals... )


----------



## Steph H

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oooh, I want to be The Muffin Lady, undercover courier. I carry secret messages baked into my muffins. See? I'm wearing a blue sweater. I'll blend in, slide through the shadows, I _am_ the wind.


Oh, Gertie....that is just all kinds of wrong....


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

The proof copy of The Wicked Heroine's print version has arrived, and is safely ensconced in my husband's car until lunchtime. Ten days earlier than promised: thank you, CreateSpace. My hands are itching to hold it! 

On the other side of the success coin, I can't focus on editing its sequel to save my life! And the next thing I'm doing is adding a fight scene. I LOVE fight scenes! What is wrong with me??


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Ohhhhh, now you just tease us, since you had to go off on this silly GMO tangent. How rood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Although I was thinking on the way home last night, me and Scarlet definitely have to meet in the next IHN, even though she can kick my butt six ways from Sunday I think we'd be good pals... )


Ohhh, just wait...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> The proof copy of The Wicked Heroine's print version has arrived, and is safely ensconced in my husband's car until lunchtime. Ten days earlier than promised: thank you, CreateSpace. My hands are itching to hold it!


And you were worried.



> On the other side of the success coin, I can't focus on editing its sequel to save my life! And the next thing I'm doing is adding a fight scene. I LOVE fight scenes! What is wrong with me??


Once you hold the proof copy in your hands, you'll settle down.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Ohhhhh, now you just tease us, since you had to go off on this silly GMO tangent. How rood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Although I was thinking on the way home last night, me and Scarlet definitely have to meet in the next IHN, even though she can kick my butt six ways from Sunday I think we'd be good pals... )


Don't worry Steph, I won't be going after your man, I'm hoping Mike gives me one of my own!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Got 1K+ written today while at GS's baseball camp. I just love my netbook and I'm so glad I got the six cell battery.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

So, it turns out that while Amazon won't let you re-buy books you already own, you CAN download samples. So both book 1 and 2 have the spiffy new additions to them, most importantly my covers are now embedded. I'll get book 3 done soon, but I needed to wait for my current little project to finish. It may not seem like a big deal, but I redid all three covers, getting the author name all the same font, same height, and same color. Got tired of seeing my name bouncing up and down below me in my signature. Should look much more uniform. I also added a border to all of 'em, but I doubt anyone can see that at how small they are as a thumbnail.

No writing done yesterday: had bunch of friends of playing Game of Thrones (stupid brother and stupid Highgarden won...). Hope to make up for that today with a solid 4k+ effort.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> So, it turns out that while Amazon won't let you re-buy books you already own, you CAN download samples. So both book 1 and 2 have the spiffy new additions to them, most importantly my covers are now embedded. I'll get book 3 done soon, but I needed to wait for my current little project to finish. It may not seem like a big deal, but I redid all three covers, getting the author name all the same font, same height, and same color. Got tired of seeing my name bouncing up and down below me in my signature. Should look much more uniform. I also added a border to all of 'em, but I doubt anyone can see that at how small they are as a thumbnail.
> 
> No writing done yesterday: had bunch of friends of playing Game of Thrones (stupid brother and stupid Highgarden won...). Hope to make up for that today with a solid 4k+ effort.
> 
> David Dalglish


And that's how I'll get to look at them. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Don't worry Steph, I won't be going after your man, I'm hoping Mike gives me one of my own!


In this case I believe that your hopes will be granted, so sayeth the muse (she occasionally gives me sneak peeks)...


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Today can't be a writing day. My veterinarian is paying a house visit tomorrow so I have to clean all day. Will think of characters while cleaning, and always try to think of veterinary situations to ask vet when she is here, for research.

Ann


----------



## Steph H

I remember the sneak peek had Scarlet potentially hooking up with someone... 


Michael R. Hicks said:


> In this case I believe that your hopes will be granted, so sayeth the muse (she occasionally gives me sneak peeks)...


I remember the sneak peek a few months had Scarlet potentially hooking up with someone...


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Once you hold the proof copy in your hands, you'll settle down.


I've held it, but I'll probably need to wait a few hours to let my excitement expire; it looks good, inside and out. I'm probably a little too proud of the fact that I can format better in one try than the last person could in two. DIY FTW!


----------



## Kristen Painter

I got my box of author copies of the print edition of All Fired Up yesterday, then an hour or so later, the mail carrier brought me the proof copy of Heart Of Fire from Createspace. Very cool to have them both arrive on the same day!

Okay, back to edits. I need another 20 pages before I can call it a day.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I've held it, but I'll probably need to wait a few hours to let my excitement expire; it looks good, inside and out. I'm probably a little too proud of the fact that I can format better in one try than the last person could in two. DIY FTW!


Or if you compare to me, you did better in one try than I did in ten. 

David Dalglish


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Half-Orc said:


> Or if you compare to me, you did better in one try than I did in ten.
> 
> David Dalglish


I don't think that's a fair comparison; your cover looked awesome to me. How exactly did you get around their border/bleed persnicketiness?

I was more interested to see how my pages lined up: everything on the left that's supposed to be there, and vice versa, etc. I'm pretty happy with my new maps, too. I'm a map freak.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Map freak I need a map for my books!

*latches on tight*

And spiffy cover or not, it still took me FOREVER to get Createspace to accept my book setup for my third. What I eventually did was extend the image all the way to the top and bottom on the front, but left the border I had created on the far right side. That way nothing important was cut, but at the same time, they couldn't claim to me that I had a border and therefore deny it.

Any chance you could post one of the maps?

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

I have one book almost fully translated into Greek, and the other partway through translation into Dutch. Should be interesting to see if there's a market for them...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,780 words on front-end revisions to The People's Treasure + 500 words of fresh stuff. I'm getting excited about the 4th book. I heard from beta-readers over the weekend and,they were ecstatic. Woohoo! BTW, since we're taking covers (and although I posted this before) here's the Cover to _*The People's Treasure*_ - Book IV of The Jade Owl Legacy (done my yours truly):








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yup, that's a Patterson cover. You can probably do these in your sleep now, can't ya?

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I did that one in my sleep.    Actually, like my stad on raising  (not praising prices, which is anti-maketing, because i was a marketing and have a conscience I also try piss of reviewers with my covers by making them anti-cover). It's a brand thing, but despite that they all follo the classic rules of painting and clash with the rule of marketing. This is art not commerce.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## traceya

Ed,
I absolutely love, love, love your covers - they are so unique.  

I'm waiting, biting fingernails to the quick, for my proof copy of Erich's Plea.  Waiting, biting fingernails to the quick, to hear back from my beta readers on Ursula's Quest.  Waiting, no I mean working hard on the third book, Slade's Destiny - I feel like a real writer  

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Half-Orc said:


> Any chance you could post one of the maps?
> 
> David Dalglish


Here is the eastern half of my two-page map. My characters begin their journey on various points of Cyrmant, then head westward on their quest. The central action of the second book, _Oathen_, takes place on the western map.

I drew this map and bordered it, but I didn't do the cleanup, mountains or names. Cleanup and names are pretty straight-forward, but I don't have the mountain images, alas. Anyone know where I can get some for my next series? My hand-drawn mountains stink.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I actually rather like your mountains. They look ancient, like a map drawn in the days of yore kind of thing. The hills do look a little like earthworms, though. But I think it's fine.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> I have one book almost fully translated into Greek, and the other partway through translation into Dutch. Should be interesting to see if there's a market for them...


If Kindle is available in those areas, there should be a market.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Love your map, Jasmine. How does it show up on the K?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Last day of baseball camp and I was in the mood to start another short story. Did the timeline and three pages.  

Need help. Anyone play darts? I need the brand name of an expensive set. Thanks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have a map in the Jade Owl series that looks like it was drawn by the Geico Gekko on drugs.

Ed Patterson


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Ed, did you do the actual art work for the cover? Cool!
Ann


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Me and Photoshop. That cover depicts some of the novel's settings (Yosemite, Lung Hua Temple), Temple of Dendur at the NYC Met, Shang-ahi, Bei-jing Forbidden City and the hu-tungs, Colobia University etc, plos the central coin is a Sung Hui-tsing large cash (I wear one around my neck. Mine was minted in 907 AD and I tell people, it's a thousand years old, but I always want to have something on my person older than me  ). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Folks, if anyone's looking for a writing exercise, I think this spam email title makes a great one:

*Are staggering homeward a gibbering idiot*



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If Kindle is available in those areas, there should be a market.


Probably available, but I'm not sure that it's really taken off - especially in Greece, which isn't doing too well economically at the moment. But as I said to the lovely person translating for me - there's bound to be at least one native Greek speaker (or person learning Greek) out there thinking, "man, I WISH there were ebooks available in Greek!"


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Love your map, Jasmine. How does it show up on the K?


I don't own a Kindle reader, so I'm not 100% certain. I checked the preview when I uploaded it, though, and it looked great, if small. Doesn't Kindle have a zoom function? Okay, now I'm nervous. *busies self*

I went and d/l'd the sample, and the map is readable to me on my K4PC.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I don't own a Kindle reader, so I'm not 100% certain. I checked the preview when I uploaded it, though, and it looked great, if small. Doesn't Kindle have a zoom function? Okay, now I'm nervous. *busies self*
> 
> I went and d/l'd the sample, and the map is readable to me on my K4PC.


You can enlarge fonts but not graphics.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Crossed 80k words on Dance of Cloaks. I'm approaching the finale..probably 20k more to go, which puts this book at twice the length I originally expected it to be, or in better terms, twice the number of books this story was to be. Ah well. More books for sale, more moolah, right? I'll probably start casting a net for beta readers soon...

*glances around at the big wide sea*

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,500 words (fresh meat) for *The People's Treasure*. Good stuff, I hope.

A bit tired tonight from day-job and also from reading too many self-doubting authors that need to talk about quality (just read one in Amazon by an author leading readers on a discussion about quality. _Quality is important - I'm perfect, but all the other authors on earth need vetting. What do you think? _

I guess because there are 400,000 of us, 50,000 of us want to talk about the same thing incessantly. It just wearies me sometimes. There are so many other constructive discussions beside discussing why we're so flawed. It's like attending a revival meeting and setting the tent on fire with your colleagues inside. Repent! Repent!


Spoiler



Piss


 on the tent!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You can enlarge fonts but not graphics.


Good to know. As I said, the map came up readable to me. Alternately, the DTB version will be up in a week or so on Amazon.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I just checked DTP and had 2 sales go away, but nothing's listed as refunded. Has this ever happen to anyone else?


----------



## Dave Dykema

OK, I just saw another thread about this, so apparently it's happening to everyone. It'll all come out in the wash.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thanks for the heads up, Dave. It hasn't happened to me yet, but at least I'll know what's happening when it does.

I did two new pages on short story #2 yesterday. It's going well. When I finish it, I'll go back to the historical.


----------



## Kristen Painter

This will probably come as a surprise to no one, but I'm editing today. Again. And probably will be for another 4 or 5 days. Egads, I am really starting to detest my own work. You know that feeling? When you've read your own stuff so much it makes you want to set fire to the manuscript? Yep, that's me.


----------



## JumpingShip

I just need a little pick me up. My book has been live for a couple of weeks now. The  first week, I sold nine books. Not great, but not too bad either. This week...nothing. Not a single book. I don't have any reviews, so I don't know what the problem is. It's like sending queries all over again.  

Also, I don't have an actual Kindle, just the Kindle app for PC, so I don't know if it looks bad on Kindle? Maybe people are downloading the sample and decide it sucks? I'm trying to upload a reformatted version in hopes that it would help if formatting is the issue, but when I try to download the html in the preview, I get the zip file and it won't open. I've tried PKWare and 7Zip programs to unzip it, but it says I don't have an archive or I don't have permissions. So, not sure how I can tweak the html if I can't see it.

I finally sold one on Smashwords, my first over there. Yay.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Kristen Painter said:


> I am really starting to detest my own work. You know that feeling? When you've read your own stuff so much it makes you want to set fire to the manuscript? Yep, that's me.


I am fast becoming familiar with this feeling as well.  *resists urge to reach for flamethrower*



MaryMcDonald said:


> The first week, I sold nine books. Not great, but not too bad either. This week...nothing. Not a single book. I don't have any reviews, so I don't know what the problem is.


You're nine ahead of me. Zero bites. I've got no reviews either though; waiting for the print copies to arrive so I can find reviewers to mail them to.

To top off my morning, I posted the prologue of my sequel over at AW (Absolute Write), and ran across a person who accused me of improper paragraph clarity: according to them, you're not to put dialogue and non-dialogue sentences in the same paragraph. I've never heard of such a rule. Literally never, in all my life, and I've seen it ignored in dozens of books! Haven't you? My gut instinct was that such a rule was


Spoiler



nonsense


. Nonetheless, I took some time to look it up just in case, and after half an hour online, I'd found three sources regarding proper dialogue/paragraph issues which either ignored or contradicted that statement. Has anyone ever heard of this rule? Is it from an older time? Or only for certain genres? I'm reasonably certain the person was in earnest, but using such a rule would seem to make extra paragraphs all over the place and result in a stilted product.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I am fast becoming familiar with this feeling as well.  *resists urge to reach for flamethrower*
> 
> You're nine ahead of me. Zero bites. I've got no reviews either though; waiting for the print copies to arrive so I can find reviewers to mail them to.


Good luck with that.



> To top off my morning, I posted the prologue of my sequel over at AW (Absolute Write), and ran across a person who accused me of improper paragraph clarity: according to them, you're not to put dialogue and non-dialogue sentences in the same paragraph. I've never heard of such a rule. Literally never, in all my life, and I've seen it ignored in dozens of books! Haven't you? My gut instinct was that such a rule was
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> nonsense
> 
> 
> . Nonetheless, I took some time to look it up just in case, and after half an hour online, I'd found three sources regarding proper dialogue/paragraph issues which either ignored or contradicted that statement. Has anyone ever heard of this rule? Is it from an older time? Or only for certain genres? I'm reasonably certain the person was in earnest, but using such a rule would seem to make extra paragraphs all over the place and result in a stilted product.


Never heard of that rule. If there was such a rule, I've been ignoring it for quite some time and will continue to ignore it. Combining the two gives action to the paragraph and eliminates a string of one sentence paragraphs.


----------



## Steph H

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I've got no reviews either though; waiting for the print copies to arrive so I can find reviewers to mail them to.


Ummm....but you do have a review, on Amazon. 

And can you tell me what that is (or what it's supposed to be) being held in her(?) hand on the cover? I zoomed in as far as I could and it just looks like a brown sphere to me. The book description is no help, it talks about a book but nothing about a sphere. It confuses me, on an otherwise pretty cover.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

You guys need to remember the DTP is acting all wonky. You might actually have some sales and not know it.

David Dalglish


----------



## Kristen Painter

Half-Orc said:


> You guys need to remember the DTP is acting all wonky. You might actually have some sales and not know it.


I'm going with that. I've had none since last night, which is unusual.


----------



## JumpingShip

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> I am fast becoming familiar with this feeling as well.  *resists urge to reach for flamethrower*
> 
> You're nine ahead of me. Zero bites. I've got no reviews either though; waiting for the print copies to arrive so I can find reviewers to mail them to.
> 
> To top off my morning, I posted the prologue of my sequel over at AW (Absolute Write), and ran across a person who accused me of improper paragraph clarity: according to them, you're not to put dialogue and non-dialogue sentences in the same paragraph. I've never heard of such a rule. Literally never, in all my life, and I've seen it ignored in dozens of books! Haven't you? My gut instinct was that such a rule was
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> nonsense
> 
> 
> . Nonetheless, I took some time to look it up just in case, and after half an hour online, I'd found three sources regarding proper dialogue/paragraph issues which either ignored or contradicted that statement. Has anyone ever heard of this rule? Is it from an older time? Or only for certain genres? I'm reasonably certain the person was in earnest, but using such a rule would seem to make extra paragraphs all over the place and result in a stilted product.


I think that same person said something to me a few months back when I posted an excerpt there as well. Like you, I looked at published books, and saw dialogue interspersed with narrative in the same paragraph.


----------



## nomesque

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> To top off my morning, I posted the prologue of my sequel over at AW (Absolute Write), and ran across a person who accused me of improper paragraph clarity: according to them, you're not to put dialogue and non-dialogue sentences in the same paragraph. I've never heard of such a rule. Literally never, in all my life, and I've seen it ignored in dozens of books! Haven't you? My gut instinct was that such a rule was
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> nonsense
> 
> 
> . Nonetheless, I took some time to look it up just in case, and after half an hour online, I'd found three sources regarding proper dialogue/paragraph issues which either ignored or contradicted that statement. Has anyone ever heard of this rule? Is it from an older time? Or only for certain genres? I'm reasonably certain the person was in earnest, but using such a rule would seem to make extra paragraphs all over the place and result in a stilted product.


I have a theory - that this is a developing structural style coming from preferences of younger readers. I definitely prefer that style, and use it myself. TBH, I didn't realise enough writers were using it for it to have reached 'rule' status! I find run-on paragraphs a little irritating - but one thing I hate is non-dialogue followed by dialogue in the *same paragraph*. If you're aiming at the youth market, consider following this 'rule', I reckon.

PS. Y'all know by now that I'm kinda weird in my reading preferences, right? So take what I say with a grain of salt.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Steph H said:


> Ummm....but you do have a review, on Amazon.
> 
> And can you tell me what that is (or what it's supposed to be) being held in her(?) hand on the cover? I zoomed in as far as I could and it just looks like a brown sphere to me. The book description is no help, it talks about a book but nothing about a sphere. It confuses me, on an otherwise pretty cover.


Oh yes, on the print book that's no longer available. I'm not expecting it to be useful, since the new print book is due on Amazon in a week or so. I meant specifically on the Kindle version with the updated cover. I just learned that Amazon's never going to take down that old page, just in case anyone ever sells a used copy of my old book. I think I sold 6 and gave away 5. Yeah, huuuge market there. 

That little orb is a black and very-dark-red sphere, actually, and since I decided not to go for gore and cover her hand in blood, it just looks like some vaguely fantasy orb at best, doesn't it? 

The sphere is a magical key to the otherworldly prison (read: pocket-dimension-but-this-isn't-a-sci-fi) which--for now--has locked the _Dire Tome_ away from the cult who wants it. It contains enough blood to fill my ancient heroine's body...which is where it came from, long ago, at the moment of its creation. As a gateway between the real world and the prison, it can occupy the same space as she does, since her blood is within it. She usually carries it inside her chest, behind her breastbone.

The cover for the sequel will have a hand holding something else, so the hand-sphere thing is my theme.



Half-Orc said:


> You guys need to remember the DTP is acting all wonky. You might actually have some sales and not know it.
> 
> David Dalglish


How long has it been acting wonky? I don't check the DTP but once a week, and my book's only been up for 2 weeks or so.



MaryMcDonald said:


> I think that same person said something to me a few months back when I posted an excerpt there as well. Like you, I looked at published books, and saw dialogue interspersed with narrative in the same paragraph.


Tsk. 

Thanks for sharing this; it only confirms what I'd suspected.



nomesque said:


> I have a theory - that this is a developing structural style coming from preferences of younger readers. I definitely prefer that style, and use it myself. TBH, I didn't realise enough writers were using it for it to have reached 'rule' status! I find run-on paragraphs a little irritating - but one thing I hate is non-dialogue followed by dialogue in the *same paragraph*. If you're aiming at the youth market, consider following this 'rule', I reckon.
> 
> PS. Y'all know by now that I'm kinda weird in my reading preferences, right? So take what I say with a grain of salt.


Interesting. I've never heard anyone complain about this until today, and you're the third person. Where have you readers been?  Since I'm not exclusively targeting the YA market with these books, I think I'll keep my style as it is.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

It's been messed up for two weeks, and more importantly, people have even lost sales. So wait until it gets up (there's three different threads now about this subject, so when it fixes, you'll know). If your sales still suck after it fixes, well...

Come back here and you'll get a half-orc hug.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> It's been messed up for two weeks, and more importantly, people have even lost sales. So wait until it gets up (there's three different threads now about this subject, so when it fixes, you'll know). If your sales still suck after it fixes, well...
> 
> Come back here and you'll get a half-orc hug.
> 
> David Dalglish


I didn't realize it had been two weeks. When my rankings went up but my sales didn't, I figured the sales would catch up eventually. Hard to know if they have or not, but I'll trust Amazon to put it right.

I'm up to 2800 words on the second short story.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Ack, did I say two weeks? I meant two days. Sorry. Was thinking if she'd only been checking week by week, they easily could have gotten sales and then lost them without ever knowing...

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,435 words of front end revision for *The People's Treasure*. It's funny, each book I publish gets tighter and tighter. We need to resist going back and making earlier books tighter, because I'm sure the world looks on us to become better and better. I did rewrite the novellas earlier in the year (well, No Irish, not so much) and a complete detox of Surviving an American Gulag - but I think that all the books following that reached a writing maturity that would pass most musters, and more important, mine. If someone finds a misspelled word and makes it a headline for a review (I've had that happen twice), then let them go on Jeopardy and put their superior intellect to better use. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Finished up the day with 9 pgs and 29K words on the second short story.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Finished up the day with 9 pgs and 29K words on the second short story.


That's editing, right? Otherwise I might be horrified.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Finished up the day with 9 pgs and 29K words on the second short story.


Is that a 29,000 word short story 

E P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> That's editing, right? Otherwise I might be horrified.
> 
> David Dalglish


My bad. 2,900 words. Sorry guys.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Whew. That's a good number, still, just not the ungodly one you had. If I could write 29k words a day, I'd have like 10 different series out and finished.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, Gertie - holy cow anyway! 2900 words is pretty dang impressive! 

I think I managed around 1500, although for some reason it felt like 3000. I'm so confused. But that's chapter 17 (draft) wrapped up for _Season Of The Harvest_. Yay!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Spent too much time messing around, but got 1500 done on Dance of Cloaks. Starting to wonder how long this book is going to be. What was originally to be a 100k word novel has now grown into (if I didn't split it in half) something close to 240k. I'm sitting at 85k now, and still am a solid ways away. Was hoping to have this book out by August, doubt's starting to eat at my fingers. So much for a simple side project...

David Dalglish


----------



## Vyrl

2.9 K is pretty darn snappy. 

I'm in editing for my main project right now. But I licked 1 K on spin-off in about an hour.


----------



## JumpingShip

Vyrl said:


> 2.9 K is pretty darn snappy.
> 
> I'm in editing for my main project right now. But I licked 1 K on spin-off in about an hour.


I would love to write that much in a day. I have a few times, but the moon and stars all have to align *just* right for that to happen.

Work is kicking my butt and I had to work overtime this week, which is bad enough, but the hours came on nightshift. I'm used to waking up at 5am to be to work at 6am, so I'm about dead after going in at 10pm to work until 0630 the next morning the day after working a regular 6a-6p day. I'm not even sure what day it is now. lol.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Friday is usually my best writing day cuz the boy does two hours of TKD. Unfortunately, there was a man and a woman in the parents room talking VERY LOUDLY. The only reason I got so much done is I did a little here and there during the day as well and then continued after dinner. Just don't expect that much today.


----------



## Kristen Painter

Managed 70 pages of edits yesterday (typing in my hardcopy notes/changes) and am hoping for about 25 today. I really need some pool time. I deserve it. I worked hard this week.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

MaryMcDonald said:


> I would love to write that much in a day. I have a few times, but the moon and stars all have to align *just* right for that to happen.
> 
> Work is kicking my butt and I had to work overtime this week, which is bad enough, but the hours came on nightshift. I'm used to waking up at 5am to be to work at 6am, so I'm about dead after going in at 10pm to work until 0630 the next morning the day after working a regular 6a-6p day. I'm not even sure what day it is now. lol.


Know whatcha mean! You just what you can, when you can, and try to fit in at least half an hour a day for writing or research. Even 100 words in a day is 100 more than you would have had otherwise.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Know whatcha mean! You just what you can, when you can, and try to fit in at least half an hour a day for writing or research. Even 100 words in a day is 100 more than you would have had otherwise.


Exactly. Even if I'm brain dead (bad choice of words) I fire up the netbook and read what I've already written. Sometimes it'll propel me into writing a few paragraphs, other times, I can barely understand what I've written. The idea is to just keep going.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Know whatcha mean! You just what you can, when you can, and try to fit in at least half an hour a day for writing or research. Even 100 words in a day is 100 more than you would have had otherwise.


A hundred words? Where are they?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Talk about cattle prods.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Steph H

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> Oh yes, [a review] on the print book that's no longer available. I'm not expecting it to be useful, since the new print book is due on Amazon in a week or so. I meant specifically on the Kindle version with the updated cover.


Well, you also have a review on the Kindle page, from April 30, 2010. It shows as being a 'paperback' version review, but it still shows on the Kindle page and is relatively current (not like it's a 4 year old review or anything), and it's a 5-star review, so those are good things.  That review may have really *been* an old one (although if it was, usually it would really show the old date, I've seen 2004, 2005 dated reviews on a new Kindle release before, from an old paperback version), but it *looks* current, and sometimes perception is everything.... 

And thanks for the explanation on the orb, I knew it had to mean something, I just didn't know what! LOL


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Talk about cattle prods.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Are you calling me "Cattle" Ed?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No, a wrangler - Wrangler Jane. YeeHa!!

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No, a wrangler - Wrangler Jane. YeeHa!!
> 
> Ed Patterson


So, Mike is the cattle. Got it.

oh, and back on thread--

go authors!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,700 words (fresh meat) on _*The People's Treasure*_. Proud of the effort, because I figured this chpater would eat 4,000 words (it has some martial arts moves in it), but I've learned a rgeat deal from writing the battle and navel scenes in _*The Nan Tu*_, so the martial arts bit flew like a flash using few words, but lots of punch and the chapter wound up 1/2 the length - good thing, because I'm nearing Act III, where chapters need to average 1,000 words not 2,400, and the pacing move like the Cyclone's first drop.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Only got two pages done on the SS in between searching desperately for my 2008 tax return. It's the only one I'm missing going back more than ten years and that's the year they are tagging me for big bucks owed.  

Hope to get more written tonight. I want to get to the half-way mark this weekend.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

Steph H said:


> Well, you also have a review on the Kindle page, from April 30, 2010. It shows as being a 'paperback' version review, but it still shows on the Kindle page and is relatively current (not like it's a 4 year old review or anything), and it's a 5-star review, so those are good things.  That review may have really *been* an old one (although if it was, usually it would really show the old date, I've seen 2004, 2005 dated reviews on a new Kindle release before, from an old paperback version), but it *looks* current, and sometimes perception is everything....


Oh, my. I didn't even consider that the review would transfer over. I wonder what will happen when the current print book gets uploaded, and I pair the Kindle version with it...I'd love for that one review to wander over as well. (And they'd better match the Kindle with the right DTB!) Thanks for pointing that out to me. 

Also, HUZZAH! I have my first Kindle sale! *collapses in a faint* Whether that was done by one of you here on the Kindleboards, or by someone else, I'm just over the moon. As soon as I get up off the floor. I wonder if that review helped. 

The thunderstorms and rain outside have made it soooo easy to stay inside and write today. I added several new scenes and edited several more, and I feel great about the progress I've made today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Congratulations, Jasmine, on the writing progress and the sale.

I added about 1100 words today for an even 4000 words and 12 pages. I should be able to reach my goal of 15 pages this weekend.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> So, Mike is the cattle. Got it.


All I have to say about that is...MooooOOOOOoooooo!!

No blurbage today. Spent the entire day running around (literally this morning, then figuratively for most of the rest of the day), topping things off with Robin Hood at the theater. Excellent flick!

However, more writing tomorrow!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Wrote 1500 words on Dance of Cloaks. Also cranked out 2000 words on a video game doc for a friend of mine. He's starting up a project, and I'm basically pitching an idea to him. If he likes, I might get myself hired on by him. It'd be for peanuts since they're just starting out, but hey, it'd still be awesome.

David Dalglish


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Still editing and still finding errors. I can't believe it!
Ann


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

It is 2.00 am and I am still editing. Maybe I can do two more chapters tonight.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

P.A. Woodburn said:


> Still editing and still finding errors. I can't believe it!


Ha! Believe it. Even after a 5th go through the novel I finally put up on Kindle, I sent it to a friend to look over. Another 20-30 errors. As I made the corrections, I found two more. Then it went up and I bought a copy to see how it looked and I re-read it and found one more. I now believe that gremlins are involved . . . and possibly karma from some previous life . . . and maybe jealous people from this forum are hacking in and trying to destroy my scintillating masterpiece . . . and the gods, the gods are fearing I'll elevate to a point where I'll challenge them . . . and, no, I'm not paranoid. You are not paranoid if everyone IS out to get you.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Ha! Funny, too tired now must go to sleep. You are so right about those never ending mistakes.
Ann


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

D.A. Boulter said:


> Ha! Believe it. Even after a 5th go through the novel I finally put up on Kindle, I sent it to a friend to look over. Another 20-30 errors. As I made the corrections, I found two more. Then it went up and I bought a copy to see how it looked and I re-read it and found one more. I now believe that gremlins are involved . . . and possibly karma from some previous life . . . and maybe jealous people from this forum are hacking in and trying to destroy my scintillating masterpiece . . . and the gods, the gods are fearing I'll elevate to a point where I'll challenge them . . . and, no, I'm not paranoid. You are not paranoid if everyone IS out to get you.


You need to make every effort to catch the little buggers, but you'll never get all of them. I went through _In Her Name_ literally a dozen times, and then updated it a couple times from reader feedback. But if you look hard enough, there's still a blooper or two. At least now I feel like there aren't any more than one might find in a commercially-proofed book, but still. I think the things breed when we're not looking!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> At least now I feel like there aren't any more than one might find in a commercially-proofed book, but still. I think the things breed when we're not looking!


So true, even in print books. I've found many errors over the years. Right now, I'm reading all the Nero Wolfe ebooks and finding tons of errors in those. Looks like they were scanned from the kind of errors I'm seeing.

Yes, they breed, karma, gremlins, trad pub spies. Thank goodness for alert readers, beta readers and fellow authors.


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

I checked my word count this morning and realized that I added 3000 words, _net_, to my novel yesterday. That's after I deleted about three pages (@400w/p) of horrible writing. I hate to say it, but the Excedrin buzz does get me cranking out the goods.

Also came up with an awesome new scene to write today, which serves three separate purposes in the plot. Can not wait to get going...as soon as I do the laundry and make the bed so I can sit on it and write.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

What is a beta reader? Is this some new species that has just been discovered? Yesterday I spent way too much time on the boards. Today I'm going to edit my brains out.
Ann


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A beta-reader is a volunteer who agrees to read your book (generally not the draft, bu a 2nd or 3rd revision, but before polish) and give you their feedback. They should be blind to typos and grammar stuff, because the book is not in its final polish. They look for story interests, credibility lapses, structural flaws and suggest things. Beta-readers are not always easy to find, because sometimes they can't concentrate on the book be use they are thrown by editing errors (not the job of a because). Also, they sometimes (when a fan of the reader) because too unduly biased in the author's favor and loose their beta-punch, so to speak. They are gold. In my books, I acknowledge my beta-readers name by name, a touch I picked up from Naomi Novik.

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> A beta-reader is a volunteer who agrees to read your book (generally not the draft, bu a 2nd or 3rd revision, but before polish) and give you their feedback. They should be blind to typos and grammar stuff, because the book is not in its final polish. They look for story interests, credibility lapses, structural flaws and suggest things. Beta-readers are not always easy to find, because sometimes they can't concentrate on the book be use they are thrown by editing errors (not the job of a because). Also, they sometimes (when a fan of the reader) because too unduly biased in the author's favor and loose their beta-punch, so to speak. They are gold. In my books, I acknowledge my beta-readers name by name, a touch I picked up from Naomi Novik.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Well, this beta-reader also points out typos and grammar stuff, because if I don't there's no guarantee my author will catch 'em. I tend to be a continuity fanatic, so if you change the name of a character from Robert to Richard, I'm going to point it out to you. Also, if you're losing my interest, it's possible you're going to lose other people's, so the gloves are totally off when I read. It's my opinion of stuff, and of course, the author doesn't have to take my advice, but I think I'm pretty good when I do it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> It's my opinion of stuff, and of course, the author doesn't have to take my advice, but I think I'm pretty good when I do it.


That's quite the understatement, dear lady!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm not telling how much I did today because if I do, I won't write anymore tonight.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That's quite the understatement, dear lady!


Thank you kind sir. I'm trying to be modest and still drum up some more business while I wait for you....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Thank you kind sir. I'm trying to be modest and still drum up some more business while I wait for you....


Well, the next IHN book should go a lot faster than Harvest - I don't have to do nearly as much research! LOL!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, the next IHN book should go a lot faster than Harvest - I don't have to do nearly as much research! LOL!


Or get approval....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Or get approval....


True...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

For _*The Jade Owl * _ I had 36 beta-readers, 4 editors, an agent and 8 revisions, and still have a published book with passed/past errors.  Too mny eyes. Now I go with 4 beta-readers tops, one editor, 3 revisions, Serenity software and Katie the Kindlespreche (ears), and the results are better, although a few errors in a 230,000 word book are expected, but I have no one to blame (or take the bow for it) except me.

The funniest beta-reader catch was in _*The Jade Owl * _ when the line "little Cricket


Spoiler



pissed


 his pants," came out "little Cricket


Spoiler



pissed


 his paints." Of course, if I was a devil (which I am), I should have changed it to "little Cricket


Spoiler



pist


 his pants, to be congruent with passed/past. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sigh. Just got a two-star review by yet ANOTHER person who has decided my first book is too dark.



> Yes, he is conflicted. Yes, he feels bad about what he's done. BUT, that doesn't stop him from continuing to do horrible things that I would have no qualms seeing him get the death penalty for. I'd almost be inclined to administer it myself!


Not exactly a ringing endorsement when the person wants to execute your main character. To be fair, he also gave one of my favorite books of all time, A Game of Thrones, 1-star for the same exact reason as not having good enough characters.

Starting to think I should retitle my book "Story of Bad Men: Book 1".

David Dalglish

*edit*

Haha, the guy tagged my book as "evil."

Also, did some checking. It looks like my books, for whatever reason, are tied to a young adult Christian Fantasy series. Methinks the crossover recommendations from Amazon aren't going over so well with some people. Which is sad. By book four, the christian themes of redemption are in full swing.


----------



## Vyrl

I loved Martin. But I have a few friends who also didn't care much for his more violent parts. Most of the same friends loved Twilight and seemed to overlook some of the more bloody scenes in that novel. So think what you like of that 

I don't think you'll ever please all people on all counts, not matter what you write. Keep writing stories _*you*_ enjoy and you'll have something much more worthwhile than the ephemeral after-glow of positive criticism.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I knows. It's just this is the third 2-star review I've gotten saying the same thing: characters are too evil. Starting to think I shouldn't have split _Weight of Blood_ and _Cost of Betrayal_ into two books. The ending would still be a bit dark, but the whole "don't find character likable" would probably go away, since Harruq comes across as rather sympathetic in the second book.

David Dalglish


----------



## Vyrl

Bahh! I just had a great inspiration and have to run off to write. But before I do, I'm compelled to say a few things.

"Yes, he is conflicted. Yes, he feels bad about what he's done. BUT, that doesn't stop him from continuing to do horrible things that I would have no qualms seeing him get the death penalty for. I'd almost be inclined to administer it myself!" -- from your review....

I haven't read your story. So I don't know how dark it is. But in my experience some people just have trouble with forgiveness. And it CAN be hard to identify with a character doing terrible things -- especially if a reader has a strong conscience combined with a taste for retributive justice.



Spoiler



I occasionally receive email from readers regarding the Vyrl in my own story. They are generally terrible monsters, afflicted by a hunger for blood and violence akin to addiction. For hundreds of years they've done awful things. But they were once angels and when Luthiel recalls their better nature through her own blood sacrifice, they are changed. So are they to be forgiven? Some readers can't swallow the idea that the compassionate Luthiel tries to do just that -- to redeem them in the eyes of the elves and to restore them to their once exalted status as angels. Pretty tough sell, right?



In my view, part of the chief conflict in your story is that your POV characters start out evil. And this can be a very compelling story-line so long as the pay-off at the end is visceral and cathartic. It's a more than worthy goal for a writer and I wouldn't beat myself up over these reviews. They're judgmental and a little short-sighted.

If you believe combining books will help with these readers, then, perhaps, it's worth a shot. I'm just not certain major surgery is justified.

For one, the feedback is passionate. For two, they did read the whole book -- so they must have been compelled in some way despite their expression of negative sentiment. For three, they might be drawn in by a more redemptive theme in your later work and give you more positive reviews as a result.

Am off to write now . I'll check back with this thread tomorrow. Best to you, David!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> Not exactly a ringing endorsement when the person wants to execute your main character. To be fair, he also gave one of my favorite books of all time, A Game of Thrones, 1-star for the same exact reason as not having good enough characters.
> 
> David Dalglish


There you go. A reiew says as much about the reviewer as it does their opinion expressed. Game of Thrones has wonderful characterizations, IMNSHO - my problem with Martin is he never finished the dang thing and has left us in series-suspension for years. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Aaah, when it rains it pours. But at least this one has a silver lining. Got a 2-star review on Smashwords now, and not by the same person.

Anyone want to take a guess at what their chief complaint was? Anyone?



> This book was a difficult read, it is very dark. I almost quit it three times, but decided that there was some hope of redemption and hung in there. I am glad that I did, I am in the second book and enjoying it. The book is well written and the characters are well developed. I gave this a 2 Star rating simply because it was just too dark.


That comment about liking the second book yet again makes me wonder if I should have kept them bundled, regardless of length. Between Goodreads, Amazon, and Smashwords, this puts me at 5 total reviews complaining about how dark my series is. Methinks I don't need to necessarily gut the first book, but I might need to find a way to inject a little bit of light and hope into it somewhere...

Anyhoo, you're freaking right about Martin, Ed. My wife convinced me to read the series. Blew my mind. I swear, my whole attitude toward world building changed afterward. I swore early to my wife I couldn't stand Jaime Lannister, and wanted him dead. Now he's one of my favorite characters. And my favorite character is a dwarf! How the heck does he do that?

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> Aaah, when it rains it pours. But at least this one has a silver lining. Got a 2-star review on Smashwords now, and not by the same person.
> 
> Anyone want to take a guess at what their chief complaint was? Anyone?
> 
> That comment about liking the second book yet again makes me wonder if I should have kept them bundled, regardless of length. Between Goodreads, Amazon, and Smashwords, this puts me at 5 total reviews complaining about how dark my series is. Methinks I don't need to necessarily gut the first book, but I might need to find a way to inject a little bit of light and hope into it somewhere...
> 
> Anyhoo, you're freaking right about Martin, Ed. My wife convinced me to read the series. Blew my mind. I swear, my whole attitude toward world building changed afterward. I swore early to my wife I couldn't stand Jaime Lannister, and wanted him dead. Now he's one of my favorite characters. And my favorite character is a dwarf! How the heck does he do that?
> 
> David Dalglish


The only flaw Martin has with his characters is killing them off. I've lost a couple of my favorites. But I don't think we'll ever see the last books.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The only flaw Martin has with his characters is killing them off. I've lost a couple of my favorites. But I don't think we'll ever see the last books.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I'd say THAT would be the real flaw: never finishing them. There's so much I'm looking forward to. I want to see Dragons come storming into Westeros. I want to find out what's going on with Ryleh. I want to know who finally ends up King. And I want to know what the heck happens up at the Wall. Too much left unknown!

He better at least jot down some notes if he ever abandons the project.....otherwise I'd be a very grumpy, unhappy man.

As for killing characters...well, as my 2-star reviews attest, I have no problem with that. I start to tire of series that have obvious 'safe' characters (like the Drizzt series, thoroughly enjoyed but can only endure another chapter end with a potential danger to Drizzt so many times). Martin's probably a bit more willing than I am to kill off 'main' characters, but with a world the size of his, with a cast of characters so numerous, he can get away with even that.

The Red Wedding ticked me off, though. Stupid Martin.

Oh, and on topic, didn't write anything today. Did another 2k on the game doc design. The co-owner friend of Pixelscopic called me and told me he really liked it, and plans on showing it to the other business owner tomorrow. My fingers are crossed. It's a long shot, but they're hoping Big Fish games funds them to create another game, which if they do, I might get hired on to finish out the writing for what I've given them.

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> That comment about liking the second book yet again makes me wonder if I should have kept them bundled, regardless of length. Between Goodreads, Amazon, and Smashwords, this puts me at 5 total reviews complaining about how dark my series is. Methinks I don't need to necessarily gut the first book, but I might need to find a way to inject a little bit of light and hope into it somewhere...


I think you probably have a point, there. If the rest of your series was as dark, I'd say leave it alone... but if it lightens then you need to get people to read far enough. You need a light at the end of the tunnel!


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

1500 words today, plus a lot of reworking as well. Still generally happy with progress.

I keep seeing updates on Martin's progress, and I'm sure I'll read his next book eventually, but after, what, 3 years since I got a copy of his latest book at the library, I've lost my passion for the series. One of the things that irritates me is how he waited for 3 books before giving any sympathetic edges to Jaime and Cersei, and then allasudden we're supposed to be, oh, how human and likeable they are! This isn't exactly revisionist history, but it's close and it's one of my pet peeves when I read a series.

Tyrion's always been one of my faves. I always root for the underdog. And yes, the Red Wedding was IMHO unnecessary and a waste of interesting characters. Did he inspire Joss Whedon to kill off Wash and Book with his "Because I Can" attitude in that scene? We may never know, but I'm irritated at both of them for it. 

He's also got a bad case of Series Creep. I believe the series was intended to be a 5-booker. He's writing book 6 and expects a book 7.



In other news, I've lost 14 lbs since January, reaching my target weight goal this morning. I feel so great! My Awesome Jeans finally fit.


----------



## nomesque

Jasmine Giacomo said:


> 1500 words today, plus a lot of reworking as well. Still generally happy with progress.
> ...
> In other news, I've lost 14 lbs since January, reaching my target weight goal this morning. I feel so great! My Awesome Jeans finally fit.


WOOHOO! Target words AND weight... that's an impressive effort 

Me? I put another free short story (this one's a true short, though, not a 'novelette') up on Smashwords. Why was it SOOOO easy to write THIS description?



> Recipe for disaster: Two pothead uni students, a princess and a mad fairy godmother. Add a kick-arse kitchen, and cook until half-baked.


(I'm still struggling with Maisy May's blurb)


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

I think killing off main characters can be a very good thing. All your readers go into shock, and they are nervously reading to see what will happen next. In most books you can guess which secondary character will get killed off.
Ann


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Happy Monday everyone. I'm going to make my quota tonight. Just two more chapters before bed. I'm drinking some wine so that I'll sleep well tonight.

Ann


----------



## amanda_hocking

Half-Orc said:


> Aaah, when it rains it pours. But at least this one has a silver lining. Got a 2-star review on Smashwords now, and not by the same person.
> 
> Anyone want to take a guess at what their chief complaint was? Anyone?
> 
> That comment about liking the second book yet again makes me wonder if I should have kept them bundled, regardless of length. Between Goodreads, Amazon, and Smashwords, this puts me at 5 total reviews complaining about how dark my series is. Methinks I don't need to necessarily gut the first book, but I might need to find a way to inject a little bit of light and hope into it somewhere...
> 
> David Dalglish


David-

I've been meaning to read your book for weeks now. It's not might type of book usually, not that I'm entirely sure I have a "type" of book. But you're witty comments on the boards have led me to believe I'd enjoy your writing.

But I haven't read them yet. However, based on the reviews you've been getting - I _want _to read them more now. They've gotten bumped up on my TBR list. As soon as I finish _Portal _by Imogen Rose (which is taking much longer to read than it should), then I'm all up on reading your book.

So don't look at it as a downfall. Villains are always the best part of any book, and anti-heroes are even better. I love, love, love _American Psycho_ by Bret Easton Ellis, and I can't imagine any protagonist can be darker than that. But I'm really intrigued to see how bad your characters are now.

The fact that it's been described as so dark has piqued my interest. There's no such thing as bed press, after all.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 words last night  (fresh meat) on The People's Treasure. Rushing out to work now.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## D.A. Boulter

Finally started writing on my current novel again.  250 words, but after 6 weeks of nothing, hey, it's a start, I thought.  At work I had ideas coming one after the other.  Came home from work (midnight) ready to really get down to it.

The gods are not kind.  

As I came up to my street I saw a cat on the side of the road--dead.  My cat.  I almost wish I did believe in some gods.  Then I could make myself feel better by cursing them.  But I don't, so I'll have to make do with feeling really, really torn up.  I don't think I'll be writing anything anytime soon.


----------



## amanda_hocking

D.A. Boulter said:


> Finally started writing on my current novel again. 250 words, but after 6 weeks of nothing, hey, it's a start, I thought. At work I had ideas coming one after the other. Came home from work (midnight) ready to really get down to it.
> 
> The gods are not kind.
> 
> As I came up to my street I saw a cat on the side of the road--dead. My cat. I almost wish I did believe in some gods. Then I could make myself feel better by cursing them. But I don't, so I'll have to make do with feeling really, really torn up. I don't think I'll be writing anything anytime soon.


Oh my gosh! I am so sorry to hear that! That's so horrible. 

Maybe you can try burying yourself in your writing. That helps me sometimes.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

D.A. Boulter said:


> As I came up to my street I saw a cat on the side of the road--dead. My cat. I almost wish I did believe in some gods. Then I could make myself feel better by cursing them. But I don't, so I'll have to make do with feeling really, really torn up. I don't think I'll be writing anything anytime soon.


Aww, I'm so sorry. Hope you'll feel better over time.

Amanda, thrilled to hear you'll get around to them faster. I do hope the comments don't scare away too many people, and it's a little frustrating since while I wanted the series dark, I never intended for the two half-orc brothers to be 'anti-heroes' or 'villains' but in the first book, it appears I _might_ have overshot the mark a little. I'd absolutely love some comments on this subject once you finish.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

P.A. Woodburn said:


> I think killing off main characters can be a very good thing. All your readers go into shock, and they are nervously reading to see what will happen next. In most books you can guess which secondary character will get killed off.
> Ann


That's one of the reasons I'm stopping my series (not really a series but more saying hi to old characters) at three. I don't want to kill anyone off. The other reason is that I'm up to the Tudors and I hate the Tudors.

When I get back to historicals, I'll pick another time period. In the meantime, still one book yet to finish, more short stories to write, and I've got a totally different series in mind.

Okay, Gertie, put fingers on keys (not here) and get tapping.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

David, At least they're saying what they don't like in the reviews. One man's trash is another man's treasure. It's like losing weight. Doesn't matter what the scales say, only how the jeans fit. (Congratulations, *Jasimine*.) Doesn't matter what the reviews say as long as your sales aren't drastically falling off.

Go read Red Adept's review again. It'll help.

D.A., I'm so sorry about your cat. Immersing yourself in your writing might help. Try not to let this loss be an excuse not to write.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

D.A. so sorry to hear about your cat.

Ann


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

DA: Sorry about the cat. They become so much apart of us. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

More than halfway through SS #2. I'm up to 17 pages and 5500 words. The first one was 30 pages and just under 10K words. Hope to reach the same with this one.


----------



## Vyrl

D.A. Boulter said:


> Finally started writing on my current novel again. 250 words, but after 6 weeks of nothing, hey, it's a start, I thought. At work I had ideas coming one after the other. Came home from work (midnight) ready to really get down to it.
> 
> The gods are not kind.
> 
> As I came up to my street I saw a cat on the side of the road--dead. My cat. I almost wish I did believe in some gods. Then I could make myself feel better by cursing them. But I don't, so I'll have to make do with feeling really, really torn up. I don't think I'll be writing anything anytime soon.


My sincere condolences. The 19th of June was the anniversary of, my cat, Merlin's death. He was like family to me. Ever a constant comfort while I sat at my writing desk. Ever since he's been gone it's like a burned out lamp I can't replace. The house just seems darker, more lonely, without him.

So I can understand how deep your grief might be.

That said, I hope you do continue to write. I don't think your cat, whom I'm certain loved you very much, would have wanted you to stop.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words tonight all fresh meat for The People's Treasure. I also acquired a wireless keyboard for my laptop (acquired in that I'm a Vine Reviewer and Amazon sent it to me for free to review + a mouse, which I can't use, because I have a special mouse for my impeded eyesight that magnifies the screen). It's wonderful. I can see it better and it has a great touch to it (with my peripheral neuropathy in feet and hands, not that I type with my feet, although Scarlet must swear that I do, I made less one time errors typing tonight, a noticeable difference preparing stuff for Peg of the Red Pencil). Now all I need is Amazon to send me a new right eye and I'm set. All kidding aside, despite the various infirmities, nothing shall impede me, even though on one thread on KB, we are "forgiven" our oversights (ten hail Websters and an Apostrophetic oath. I call it the confessional thread). Only Alzheimer's scares me.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

D.A., I'm so sorry about your cat.   I've lost cats too, so I empathize. Your writing will always be waiting for you when you're ready to pick it up.

And thanks guys for the congrats. Another 2K words today, but I'll be trimming a few scenes as soon as I finish adding them all in. In, out, in out. 

Does anyone else ever visualize scenes like color-coded blocks, to be arranged in a four dimensional Rubik's cube on crack? Rhona POV scenes are hot pink; Sanych's are pale blue, and Geret's are dark green. Meena is maroon. Salvor is silver-black. And they've got, like, stripes or edging in other colors to convey their purpose(s). Exposition, character development, plot points, scenery change, etc. Am I the only one who does this? I think it might be related to my time-space synaesthesia. I bet I could use that in some form of spreadsheet for color coding my entire scene list. Hours of fun!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Hey Ed, an artificial cornea has been invented and is expected to be in wide use soon. That may not solve your problem, but it shows progress is being made.

I came here to ask the assembled wise ones here a stupid question. When people talk about their rankings on Amazon, where are they looking? I can't find anything on the page for my book.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

Robin:

The ranking is at the bottom of the Product Details section. In your case, at this minute it shows:

Product Details

* Format: Kindle Edition
* File Size: 429 KB
* Print Length: 244 pages
* Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
* Publisher: Barstow Productions; 1 edition (February 15, 2006)
* Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
* Language: English
* ASIN: B0010JAR3U
* Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
* *Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #45,947 Paid in Kindle Store* (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

At this moment, also, my book is #23,848 -- which sounds good in comparison. However, you have about as many reviews as I have total sales. Which means, I believe, that my last sale came after your last sale. As time goes by my ranking will plummet once again--until I make another sale, at which point it will leap upwards for a bit. I don't think the ranking means much until you get way up there with multiple sales per day.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I swear that wasn't there the umpteen hundred times I tried to find it before you told me where to look.

My paperback is over 3 million down, but the Kindle edition at 45,000 ish. So I am doing something right with the Kindle version.

I still don't know how authors know their book is "15,642 in alien romance" or whatever the category is.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

R. Reed said:


> I swear that wasn't there the umpteen hundred times I tried to find it before you told me where to look.
> 
> I still don't know how authors know their book is "15,642 in alien romance" or whatever the category is.


When you pick a categories for your book, it should list the sales rank within that category.

Here's an example:

# Format: Kindle Edition
# File Size: 149 KB
# Publisher: Tor Books (June 8, 2010)
# Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
# Language: English
# ASIN: B003OYIA6K
# Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
# Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #32 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
#15 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Genre Fiction
#4 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Science Fiction


----------



## nomesque

Quick rant:



Spoiler



A one-star review because a free ebook is SHORT? What the hell? Get a life, you pain in the backside with a sense of entitlement!!!



OK - over it now


----------



## LCEvans

D.A., I'm really sorry about your cat. I lost my cat in January. He was 18 and quite a character.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

nomesque said:


> Quick rant:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> A one-star review because a free ebook is SHORT? What the hell? Get a life, you pain in the backside with a sense of entitlement!!!
> 
> 
> 
> OK - over it now


Was this your ebook that got the 1-star? If so: *hug*

Fun news! I finally got my first rough from Peter!!!










I only had like one minor tweak to request of him. Absolutely love it.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> Quick rant:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> A one-star review because a free ebook is SHORT? What the hell? Get a life, you pain in the backside with a sense of entitlement!!!
> 
> 
> 
> OK - over it now


Oh, that is too funny. Anybody that reads that has to know the guy's a jerk. If I complain a book is too short it's because I loved it and wanted it to go on and on. If I say that, it's a ***** review.

That's a memory maker if I ever saw one. Something you'll look back on years from now that you can laugh at when you're a bestseller.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

That's some cover, David. Real departure from your others. It's great and should get a lot of attention.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Thanks Gertie. I'm going for something similar to the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks, since the feel of both books is the same. Should be fun working with the cover.

David Dalglish


----------



## JumpingShip

D.A--I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. Pets truly become part of the family and their loss is hard.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

I really have a hard time getting going in the am. I read Jack Kilburn until after 3.00 am got up at 6.00 am and I've just been putting around on the forums. Only 5 more chapters to edit. Hope to get my novel up tomorrow.
Ann


----------



## D.A. Boulter

My thanks to all who either posted or thought condolences upon the death of my cat, Paddy.  That's 2 in 8 months (cancer got Duke) and it's pretty hard just now, but I've gone through it before and, as Joe E Katt still lives with me, I'll go through it again.  I'll be somewhat better soon.  Thanks again and good writing, publishing and sales to all.

Doug.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Nice cover, David. Is she a mummy ninja?

D.A., you say "when you pick categories"...how do I do that?

On another board, a writer wrote a long piece about his dog who is very sick. We know pets will make us sad at the end, but there are many good years before that.


----------



## nomesque

That's a great image, David, I'm looking forward to seeing it as a cover 

David and Gertie - yup, one of my ebooks - DEAD(ish) is on the first page of B&N's free ebooks section, gets some interesting reviews!! I can deal with every other negative review - sometimes I nod and think, 'fair enough point!', sometimes I laugh my head off at the badness... but only occasionally do I get irritated  Stoopid whiny people! I don't care if they think B&N owes them free stuff, *I* don't! *snort* Wanna have a look at my incredible collection of reviews? It'll cheer you up next time you're feeling down about a single one...  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/DEAD/Naomi-Kramer/e/2940000693940/?cds2Pid=29905

DA - belated condolences  It's always a nasty shock, especially accidents.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Haven't gotten a thing done today, but I'm going to get some iced tea and crank it up. Have to finish by 9pm. This is the night when Deadliest Catch is all about Captain Phil Harris. Can't believe what happened last week. It's going to make this week all the more heartbreaking. 

So, now that I'm in a crying mood, it's time to get all sentimental in SS #2.  But in a good way.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Holy cow, 359 reviews for Deadish on B and N? I mean, short or not, some bad reviews or not, you at least know that you've had a heck of a lot of readers. Surely you can take some comfort in that, eh?

Oh, and that chick is wrapped like a mummy, yes. She's in a splintered sect of a dark god, and was placed within as punishment for supposed sexual promiscuity. Hence the wrappings to hide her beauty. She's like one of many characters within the book: sympathetic, but still not a good person.

David Dalglish


----------



## R. M. Reed

Cool. I have to get to your books, David, but I bought two recently from other KBers, then the Konrath one to participate in his offer. When I have finished some of those I will buy yours.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Thanks, Robin. If you ever get around to reading it, I'd love to hear what you think. But if I'm going to be waiting behind people, having it be Konrath and other KB authors is certainly nothing to grumble about  

David Dalglish


----------



## R. M. Reed

Just a matter of an uncertain financial future, now that my Census job is over and I have no idea when more money will come in.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I hear you on that. Hrm, let me think here. I could send you all three PRC files through email, a nice 6 dollar value. Of course I'd have to have something in return. First-born? Nah, kids are a pain. Pound of flesh? Wait, can't take any blood with it, and I'm not sure the resale value is very high. Undying devotion? Getting closer. How about you just do your best to write me up a review on a book or two if you actually get around to reading them. How's that sound?  

David Dalglish


----------



## Vyrl

Love the new cover art, David . Great stuff!


----------



## D.A. Boulter

Half-Orc said:


> I hear you on that. Hrm, let me think here. I could send you all three PRC files through email, a nice 6 dollar value. Of course I'd have to have something in return. First-born? Nah, kids are a pain. Pound of flesh? Wait, can't take any blood with it, and I'm not sure the resale value is very high. Undying devotion? Getting closer. How about you just do your best to write me up a review on a book or two if you actually get around to reading them. How's that sound?
> 
> David Dalglish


So, what you're saying is: you may be cheap, but you're also easy? That's my line and I want a cut for using it.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Thanks, Vyrl (bought book 1, btw, plan on reading it next after Red Church and Two Towers). And Boulter, for some reason, I don't think plastering "I'm both cheap and easy" in my siggy is going to net me any sales. You can keep the line. I'm sure you can find a good use for it.  

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,200 words this evening in revision work on _*The People's Treasure*_. I'm at the 150,000 word level and on the last last chapter of Part VI. Only three more parts to go (shorter ones) as we enter the stretch - an unrelenting, hard pounding, heart-stopping stretch even by Jade Owl standards. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## traceya

Hi all,
I've come to the conclusion that I am *NOT* a good editor, not even a halfway decent editor  so I've bitten the bullet and ..... paid someone to do it for me. I did all the edits for Erich's Plea myself, thought I had done an excellent work so when I recently got some well-deserved criticisms of the job I had done I was a bit shocked  Then I looked at it again, realised they were right, found a proper editor and figured while I was getting Ursula's Quest edited I'd give Erich's Plea a brush up as well - I've since been told that Erich's Plea is a fabulous storyline, has great characters, plot and pacing but definitely needed a *REAL* editors hand to polish it - which goes with the feedback I'd received that it was a 'diamond in the rough'. So some semi-good news there 

Ahh well, we can't be everything and I'm grateful that my errors were caught early while I can still do something about them but it was a bit of a dent to my ego to learn that I'm so lousy at editing 

Cheers,
Trace

BTW David, I've finally read the Half-Orc series and yes it's dark, yes they're not sympathetic but for me that only made the storyline more interesting. I'd say if someone felt so strongly about your characters they wanted to execute them then you've done your job..... obviously they became emotionally involved with the character and that's a *good* thing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Traceya:

Suck dry everything you can from your REAL editor until you can do it yourself. An author who can do that job is ahead of the game. (I'm not talking about proofing and grammar tweaks - you can't dispense with that. I have Peg of the Red Pencil and Katie the Kindlespreche for that). I'm talking about the editor who rejects your chapters as crap, even when they are great). I had four professional editors teach me the basics, and one (who is still friendly - we still have never met) was my savior teaching me more in her nervous break down mode than you can imagine. I called her the editor bitch from hell (I acknowledge her in the Jade Owl) and she was assigned to me when the book was picked up by anotherchapter.com. She's from Olympia and I couldn't afford her now (although I got her for free). The other toughy was my agent of a year and a half, who was not a very good agent, but a master editor, who taught me hundreds (no, thousands of writing techniques not found in books), Between those two and two others, I emerged with a chance to face the world and grow as an author. I try my best to share all the things I learned and apply as an editor in my FREE book and here at Kindleboards with the hope that something I impart will be the spark of someones improved chapter for a reader. Readers are _my _ thing. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## traceya

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Traceya:
> 
> Suck dry everything you can from your REAL editor until you can do it yourself. An author who can do that job is ahead of the game. (I'm not talking about proofing and grammar tweaks - you can't dispense with that. I have Peg of the Red Pencil and Katie the Kindlespreche for that). I'm talking about the editor who rejects your chapters as crap, even when they are great). I had four professional editors teach me the basics, and one (who is still friendly - we still have never met) was my savior teaching me more in her nervous break down mode than you can imagine. I called her the editor bitch from hell (I acknowledge her in the Jade Owl) and she was assigned to me when the book was picked up by anotherchapter.com. She's from Olympia and I couldn't afford her now (although I got her for free). The other toughy was my agent of a year and a half, who was not a very good agent, but a master editor, who taught me hundreds (no, thousands of writing techniques not found in books), Between those two and two others, I emerged with a chance to face the world and grow as an author. I try my best to share all the things I learned and apply as an editor in my FREE book and here at Kindleboards with the hope that something I impart will be the spark of someones improved chapter for a reader. Readers are _my _ thing.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I definitely want to learn the art of editing - I guess I just hadn't realised it *was an art/skill *whatever. I truly thought that my edits were fine  But I will definitely be on a very steep learning curve and maybe by the time Slade's Destiny is ready to come out I'll have learned enough - keep your fingers crossed for me and I'm reading your book as well... I'm like you Ed, it's all about the readers. If I can tell a good story and entertain someone then I've done my job.
Cheers,
Trace


----------



## ReeseReed

Climbed back up on that horse tonight and managed around 700 words.  I've been avoiding my story b/c I can't really figure out where it's going next.  I know where it'll wind up, but getting it there is killing me.  Feels good to be back at it though (I may retract that statement when my kids wake me at the crack of dawn tomorrow..err, today.)


----------



## nomesque

Half-Orc said:


> Holy cow, 359 reviews for Deadish on B and N? I mean, short or not, some bad reviews or not, you at least know that you've had a heck of a lot of readers. Surely you can take some comfort in that, eh?


Oh, heck yeah. Although those are ratings, there are only 40-something actual reviews. I theorise at least a 10:1 reader:rater ratio, which would mean somewhere around 3500 readers so far.  I'm not generally perturbed by negative OR bad reviews, but especially not on B&N where DEAD(ish) really is attracting a lot of readers who just won't like it no matter what. I just figured you'd find it comforting... *chuckle*

Wanna know how I managed the B&N coverage? Sheer dumb luck and recognising an opportunity when I saw it. A fellow author posted a link to a new forum called 'nookboards', I had a look and told a couple hundred nookies - champing at the bit to get started with their new toys - about my free ebook on B&N. And I realised a few weeks ago that there's probably another factor - people associating the title with Charlaine Harris and other creature-of-the-night romances.

Trace - Know the feeling re: editing, my feelings received many a bruise when I started tech writing for a living 

Reese - I find that doing some extra character exercises at that sort of sticking point can help. Like, having the main character and a couple of other characters close to the action at that point talking about their viewpoint of the situation. Helps me work out what should logically happen.


----------



## Kristen Painter

DA - So sad to hear about your cat. 

David - Great new cover! Very visual.

I did 64 pages of edits yesterday and probably wrote 5 new ones. Only 41 more pages of edits before I'm at the end and can sit down and start typing in the changes. I cannot wait to be done with these so I can move on to something else. I hope to have them wrapped up by Friday. Saturday at the latest.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Trace: good luck with the editor. I hope he's a good one. How'd you find 'em?

Also: You read me book? Or all three? You know I can't let you escape with just a simple comment like that! And do you mean they're not sympathetic through the first book, or heaven forbid, all three??

And Reese, may I offer a suggestion: stop trying to force the story. If you're killing yourself trying to 'reach' a certain specific ending, perhaps that ending isn't where the story is trying to naturally go. Perhaps what you've written and the way you've shaped things has changed what you might have once imagined when starting the story. If you're suffering trying to force a square peg through a round hole, the reader may end up just as frustrated.

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Haha. Out of curiosity, what font size did you keep your book at?

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ShadowCatz said:


> Just now for a little fun I thought I would format my book from a normal word doc to the size that it will be when it is in book and I nearly fainted at how pages there were, now this is a complete rough draft without any of the edits that will be in the polished & shiny version.
> 
> *Drum roll*
> 
> 470 pages... I don't know whether to laugh or cry. *lol*
> 
> Luckily, I haven't finished editing yet so I am not stressed I just thought it was amazing and another it actually looks like a book which makes it all seem more real, normally I just stare at a word doc. Anyway, that is all...


I start right out with the finished size to avoid the kind of heart attack you're having. I still had a heart attack when I ended up over 400 pages.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Care to share the word count, Gertie? I'm a sucker for stuff like that. Page numbers mean nothing to me, really.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Care to share the word count, Gertie? I'm a sucker for stuff like that. Page numbers mean nothing to me, really.
> 
> David Dalglish


About 161K give or take.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yup, that's a nice lengthy novel there. Longest I've ever written was 210k, whittled down to 180k, and then split it into two full books. I can't imagine how many pages it'd have been if I had left it at the 210k  

Mine are pretty much 120k. I think anything longer than that and readers might get a little sick of me.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Yup, that's a nice lengthy novel there. Longest I've ever written was 210k, whittled down to 180k, and then split it into two full books. I can't imagine how many pages it'd have been if I had left it at the 210k
> 
> Mine are pretty much 120k. I think anything longer than that and readers might get a little sick of me.
> 
> David Dalglish


I don't think they'd get sick of you at all. The difference is that you're writing an ongoing series so you can keep the books shorter.

My books are interrelated but not a series, so I can go on longer if I need to. Ariana's Pride was only 111K. It's just however many words it takes me to tell the story.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Heh, the greedy part of me actually thought about splitting up book 2 as well, releasing a whole bunch of 60k novels. Hey, more books means more money right? Heh heh...I didn't though. The tiny sliver of artistic integrity in me decided that would be a jerk thing to do.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Trace: good luck with the editor. I hope he's a good one. How'd you find 'em?
> 
> Also: You read me book? Or all three? You know I can't let you escape with just a simple comment like that! And do you mean they're not sympathetic through the first book, or heaven forbid, all three??
> 
> And Reese, may I offer a suggestion: stop trying to force the story. If you're killing yourself trying to 'reach' a certain specific ending, perhaps that ending isn't where the story is trying to naturally go. Perhaps what you've written and the way you've shaped things has changed what you might have once imagined when starting the story. If you're suffering trying to force a square peg through a round hole, the reader may end up just as frustrated.
> 
> David Dalglish


Well, I think the story is moving along okay, it's really a problem with my male MC that's hanging me up. I have a habit of idolizing the men in my writing...pretty much making my male MC's do and say what I wish men would do/say to me. In this story, I need to have a big conflict between my male and female MC's, and I'm just fretting over where to start introducing the tension. Right now, things are rocking along swimmingly, but a bubble's going to be burst pretty soon. I've just got to get there.

Last night I tried skipping ahead and writing closer to the big conflict, and that seemed to help. So, maybe I just needed to skip over the rut and attend to it later.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Heh, the greedy part of me actually thought about splitting up book 2 as well, releasing a whole bunch of 60k novels. Hey, more books means more money right? Heh heh...I didn't though. The tiny sliver of artistic integrity in me decided that would be a jerk thing to do.
> 
> David Dalglish


Hah! Jerks have to eat, too.  60K is still novel length. I read this somewhere and keep it by my computer.

short story 1K to 7.5K
novelette 7.5K - 20K
novella 20K - 50K
novel over 50K

Now that I look at that, it makes my "short story" at nearly 10K a novellette. I think I'll still call it a short story.


----------



## ReeseReed

Just over 1K words this afternoon, so feeling pretty good.  I may try for more tonight.  It feels like things are moving along now, so I'd like to keep up the momentum.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ReeseReed said:


> Just over 1K words this afternoon, so feeling pretty good. I may try for more tonight. It feels like things are moving along now, so I'd like to keep up the momentum.


Yay! As for idolizing men...just remember no one's perfect, especially guys . Also remember that most fights between couples can be over the dumbest thing, especially if there's something bigger they're both worried about. Make them squabble over spilled yogurt or something, then have someone, probably the guy, spout out something hurtful. That's usually how it goes in my household. Well, once the guy comes crawling back apologizing and admitting how big an idiot he is.

Oh, and on a happy note, had someone email me desperate to find out where he could get book 3, since he read the first two on the iPad but the third one wasn't yet live. He even went to his local bookstore trying to find a copy! He told me he hasn't been this captivated by a book since Lord of the Rings, which is about as high a compliment I can imagine. 

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Yay! As for idolizing men...just remember no one's perfect, especially guys . Also remember that most fights between couples can be over the dumbest thing, especially if there's something bigger they're both worried about. Make them squabble over spilled yogurt or something, then have someone, probably the guy, spout out something hurtful. That's usually how it goes in my household. Well, once the guy comes crawling back apologizing and admitting how big an idiot he is.
> 
> Oh, and on a happy note, had someone email me desperate to find out where he could get book 3, since he read the first two on the iPad but the third one wasn't yet live. He even went to his local bookstore trying to find a copy! He told me he hasn't been this captivated by a book since Lord of the Rings, which is about as high a compliment I can imagine.
> 
> David Dalglish


Perfect, David! That's exactly how it always goes down over here too...except it's nearly always me guilty of not biting my tongue. Thanks for bringing that to light for me...I think I may know just how to incorporate that. 

And, wow! Awesome about the email! I'd be over the moon!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hah! Jerks have to eat, too.  60K is still novel length. I read this somewhere and keep it by my computer.
> 
> short story 1K to 7.5K
> novelette 7.5K - 20K
> novella 20K - 50K
> novel over 50K
> 
> Now that I look at that, it makes my "short story" at nearly 10K a novellette. I think I'll still call it a short story.


That makes my The Dragon's Pool, 12.5 novelettes.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Oh, and on a happy note, had someone email me desperate to find out where he could get book 3, since he read the first two on the iPad but the third one wasn't yet live. He even went to his local bookstore trying to find a copy! He told me he hasn't been this captivated by a book since Lord of the Rings, which is about as high a compliment I can imagine.
> 
> David Dalglish


See, you shouldn't let those ** get you down. You get way more of the good ones.

Did 900 words while the boy sparred and I'm about 2/3 done with the story. Going for 30 pages again. I hope to get another 500 done tonight, but it's sytycd night.


----------



## ReeseReed

Thinking I'll give it a go again tonight, even though I'm feeling kind of ehh right now.  Might as well give it a shot, I guess.  Kids are fed, bathed, and busy in their rooms for a bit, and hubby is heading over to the neighbor's for a few minutes, so I might as well make the most of the time I have.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Nailed 2500 words on Dance, crossing the 90k mark (how many novelettes is that?  ). Hoping to do another 2k tonight once Morgan goes to bed.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That makes my The Dragon's Pool, 12.5 novelettes.
> 
> Ed Patterson


More bang for your buck. Maybe we should advertise that way.

Buy _Catherine and the Captain_. 16 novelette's in one for only 99 cents. What a bargain!!!


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Nailed 2500 words on Dance, crossing the 90k mark (how many novelettes is that? ). Hoping to do another 2k tonight once Morgan goes to bed.
> 
> David Dalglish


2500 + going back for more You're my hero.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ReeseReed said:


> 2500 + going back for more You're my hero.


Haha, thanks. I set my personal goal for 4.5k every day while I'm still looking for a job. I've sadly not hit it too often, though because of my good early portion (Morgan was napping) I'm hoping to hit it. I've gotta get this book finished, dangit! I want more books on sale *grin*

David Dalglish


----------



## Vyrl

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hah! Jerks have to eat, too.  60K is still novel length. I read this somewhere and keep it by my computer.
> 
> short story 1K to 7.5K
> novelette 7.5K - 20K
> novella 20K - 50K
> novel over 50K
> 
> Now that I look at that, it makes my "short story" at nearly 10K a novellette. I think I'll still call it a short story.


LOL. My first book is 1031 KB. But it's due to artwork/maps etc. The word count is about 100K for both books.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

That list is for word count, not download size, Vyrl. Try not to get a swelled head, eh?  

100k is a nice length for a novel.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words tonight, but the Chapter went unfinished. Tomorrow. 

And, every once in a while an author gets blind-sided with a review that literal send them to the moon. This happened to me tonight for Turning Idolater, with a 5-star review on Amazon that has a headline: *A MASTERPIECE OF LITERATURE * (the caps and bold are included). The review is by Michael Phelps - come take a look.

http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Idolater-ebook/product-reviews/B001FWZ92Q/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RVKQDXGTRETKJ

Ed Patterson


----------



## traceya

Half-Orc said:


> Trace: good luck with the editor. I hope he's a good one. How'd you find 'em?
> 
> Also: You read me book? Or all three? You know I can't let you escape with just a simple comment like that! And do you mean they're not sympathetic through the first book, or heaven forbid, all three??
> 
> David Dalglish


David - I was *extremely* lucky with the editor not to mention *extremely* stupid not to have used his services from the beginning  The guy is actually my best friend's cousin and worked as an editor for Harper Collins Australia for nearly 15 years before he moved from NSW to QLD. Now he's semi-retired and writes freelance articles for the QLD writers guild and the Australian Author's Society as well as doing editing services for their clients..... Why I didn't just ask him the first time round I'll never know, shy I guess 

As for the Half-Orc's I finished Weight of Blood and Cost of Betrayal and am 3/4 finished Death of Promises and I was really talking more about Weight of Blood as being a bit dark and unsympathetic, although I'll confess I like Qurrah more than Harruq, even though Harruq develops into more of the hero and becomes much more of a 'good guy' but I like Qurrah's true to form nature. Just my opinion, but so far it seems that Harruq grows and changes more as the series progresses but I'm finding I still prefer Qurrah's darker side. From a writer's point of view I think you've created incredible and believable characters - not everybody's perfect and where would we be without tension  I should really write you a review when I'm finished but I'm just so lousy at them I usually don't - and most writers probably prefer that I don't 

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'd say you just did write me a review, and a dang good one, Trace  . Most writers may not, but this writer would love one from you. And Qurrah probably interests me most out of all my characters, even though Harruq is my self-insert, in a sense.

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Yeah, don't listen to Trace when she says her reviews are crap  They're great, I love 'em. Or the one she wrote for MM, anyhow


----------



## traceya

Half-Orc said:


> I'd say you just did write me a review, and a dang good one, Trace . Most writers may not, but this writer would love one from you. And Qurrah probably interests me most out of all my characters, even though Harruq is my self-insert, in a sense.
> 
> David Dalglish


Well if you're willing to risk it  as soon as I've finished Death of Promises I'll write you a review, the 5* kind because I truly think it's worth it


----------



## ReeseReed

Stuck with it and managed close to 4K words this afternoon and tonight.  Feeling pretty darn good about myself right now, although it's after midnight so I know I'll be hating myself again come morning 

*ETA*
And I just realized I'm just over 30K words so far, which is just over halfway to my 60K goal!  Okay, now I'm feeling great 

I just don't know how you writers do it with your huge word counts!  My two finished works have been 18K and 40K, so I'm pretty darn excited that this one is already past 30K and it's just getting started


----------



## nomesque

ReeseReed said:


> Stuck with it and managed close to 4K words this afternoon and tonight. Feeling pretty darn good about myself right now, although it's after midnight so I know I'll be hating myself again come morning


WOOHOO! Glad to hear you've gotten through the problem... how're you feeling about what you've written?


----------



## amanda_hocking

Do any of you guys write full time (with no day job to support the bills)? 

If not, do any of you planning on quitting your jobs to write full time soon? How will you decide when you're writing is stable enough to quit?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ReeseReed said:


> Stuck with it and managed close to 4K words this afternoon and tonight. Feeling pretty darn good about myself right now, although it's after midnight so I know I'll be hating myself again come morning


Outdid me, so now you're my hero . I ended up watching MST3K with my wife instead of writing.

David Dalglish


----------



## amanda_hocking

Half-Orc said:


> I ended up watching MST3K with my wife instead of writing.
> 
> David Dalglish


Well an evening spent with MST3K is never wasted.


----------



## Sharlow

I wrote 2,900 tonight. suns come up and i'm going to try and get a little sleep. For some reason I haven't been able to write for the last 5 days. I guess theres just been to much going on in my life..all of it bad. =( But I feel better after getting some writing in.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hope you get things worked out. And yeah, it always feels good after getting some writing done.


----------



## Kristen Painter

Amanda, I write full time, but my husband's job is what mostly pays the bills at the moment. My writing basically pays for my writing - going to conferences, doing promo, that kind of thing. Eventually I hope that changes (that's the plan anyway), but I won't really know how much it will change until my Orbit books come out next year and I start to see some numbers.

The Kindle sales are great, but I'm definitely not at a point where I could live off them by any stretch of the imagination. (And my imagination can stretch pretty far.)


----------



## ReeseReed

nomesque said:


> WOOHOO! Glad to hear you've gotten through the problem... how're you feeling about what you've written?


Well, I skipped over the portion that was really hanging me up...just gotta pass some time in there and not exactly sure how to do it yet. I haven't reread yet today, but I did reread last night before calling it a night, and I really liked what I'd written. So, I'm still feeling pretty good  Thanks for asking!


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Outdid me, so now you're my hero . I ended up watching MST3K with my wife instead of writing.
> 
> David Dalglish


Ahhh, I will revel in my short-lived glory!


----------



## ReeseReed

I'm a teacher full-time, so I usually only have the time and energy to write on breaks and during the occasional weekend that the planets line up and my kids and husband go to sleep before me.  What I've found is that my kids are, actually, far less distracting to my writing than he is!  I'd love to be able to write full-time, but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future.  I'm still considering writing my hobby, one that I make a little bit of fun money with.


----------



## JumpingShip

ReeseReed said:


> I'm a teacher full-time, so I usually only have the time and energy to write on breaks and during the occasional weekend that the planets line up and my kids and husband go to sleep before me. What I've found is that my kids are, actually, far less distracting to my writing than he is! I'd love to be able to write full-time, but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future. I'm still considering writing my hobby, one that I make a little bit of fun money with.


Oh gosh, I can so relate! My kids are usually fine when I'm writing. My daughter has her own computer and will sit beside me playing Habbo or something, but my husband will start talking to me even though I've announced I'm going to be writing for the next hour, and have my earbuds in. Grrr...so aggravating to have to pull the buds out, and focus on what he's saying. I totally lose my train of thought. I told him he wasn't getting an acknowledgement in my book like many authors do of their spouses. lol.


----------



## ReeseReed

MaryMcDonald said:


> Oh gosh, I can so relate! My kids are usually fine when I'm writing. My daughter has her own computer and will sit beside me playing Habbo or something, but my husband will start talking to me even though I've announced I'm going to be writing for the next hour, and have my earbuds in. Grrr...so aggravating to have to pull the buds out, and focus on what he's saying. I totally lose my train of thought. I told him he wasn't getting an acknowledgement in my book like many authors do of their spouses. lol.


Ha! That's so my husband! He will sit in his recliner and wave his hand at me to get my attention. When I pull out my earbuds and sigh he'll say, "Are you writing?" DUH! That's why I have the earbuds!! Then, all of a sudden he'll remember at least seventeen things he's forgotten to tell me about during the week.


----------



## vidhya.t

I am hoping to write my first romantic short story this week... as i have been hoping for 2 weeks now.  

Vidhya


----------



## Gertie Kindle

vidhya.t said:


> I am hoping to write my first romantic short story this week... as i have been hoping for 2 weeks now.
> 
> Vidhya


Hope is a wonderful thing, but it doesn't get the job done. I know. I hope all the time. 

I ended up with 1150 words yesterday. Wanted to do more, but I can't resist the lure of sytycd. Tonight is Glee and sytycd. I'm doomed unless I get busy this afternoon.


----------



## ReeseReed

Hubby is about to head out for the afternoon, so I'm thinking I may get back to it.  If I can pull off another 4K day I'll be jumping for joy.


----------



## vidhya.t

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hope is a wonderful thing, but it doesn't get the job done. I know. I hope all the time.
> 
> I ended up with 1150 words yesterday. Wanted to do more, but I can't resist the lure of sytycd. Tonight is Glee and sytycd. I'm doomed unless I get busy this afternoon.


Good luck Margaret!

Vidhya


----------



## Gertie Kindle

vidhya.t said:


> Good luck Margaret!
> 
> Vidhya


Your good wishes helped. I rewrote a sentence.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Whew. Just cranked out 4.1k words in one sitting. My eyes feel ready to fall out at any moment, and my butt's sore, but the part I was at just desperately needed finished. Pretty much the first of two climactic moments. Story's still growing, dangit. Up to 95k. Looks like my little side project is going to hit 120k. Stupid characters, always gotta run around and do their own thing.

David Dalglish


----------



## Kristen Painter

David - 4100 words? Way to go!!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just wait, I'm going to get greedy and try to write more tonight  

David Dalglish


----------



## R. M. Reed

So who sits down to write and ends up here on KB instead?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

*raises hand*

I posted here like 10 times while I wrote that 4k  

David Dalglish


----------



## telracs

R. Reed said:


> So who sits down to write and ends up here on KB instead?


everybody at some point or another.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Whew. Just cranked out 4.1k words in one sitting. My eyes feel ready to fall out at any moment, and my butt's sore, but the part I was at just desperately needed finished. Pretty much the first of two climactic moments. Story's still growing, dangit. Up to 95k. Looks like my little side project is going to hit 120k. Stupid characters, always gotta run around and do their own thing.
> 
> David Dalglish


Congrats on the verbiage!!

I know. Those stupid characters just don't understand. The guy in my first short story threw me a curve ... no, a boomerang, that came back and smacked me in the head.


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Hope you get things worked out. And yeah, it always feels good after getting some writing done.


Thanks David. I'm going to try and get some more done today...or maybe tonight...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, David, thanks for writing for me - I'll just collect a couple thousand words, if you don't mind...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, David, thanks for writing for me - I'll just collect a couple thousand words, if you don't mind...


First off, love the new cover.

Second, you better come armed when you show up for my words. Or pay for them later once it is on Kindle *grin*

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, David, thanks for writing for me - I'll just collect a couple thousand words, if you don't mind...


Did you change the cover? I wanna see!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> First off, love the new cover.


Thanks, David! Gertie, here's the latest rendition:












> Second, you better come armed when you show up for my words. Or pay for them later once it is on Kindle *grin*


How about a word-beer exchange?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hrm. What is the going rate for word-to-beer conversions? I might have to consult google.

And I love the dark blood cells looking like stormclouds. Very nifty.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, David! Gertie, here's the latest rendition:


I'm feelin' the love!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, David! Gertie, here's the latest rendition:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How about a word-beer exchange?


Splendid.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thanks! Yeah, I think that's a wrap (ha!) for the cover...now I just need to finish writing the book! Got some in tonight, but had a severe energy fade this evening that I'll attribute to incredibly potent wine. Well, technically I've just become such a lightweight it's ridiculous, but nevermind! Might get to bed early and zonk out!


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Just wait, I'm going to get greedy and try to write more tonight
> 
> David Dalglish


You just gotta keep one-upping me, man. I do 4K, you do more...good thing I enjoy a challenge 

Congrats...and dude, going back for more My fingers hurt for you.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words (fresh meat) on The People's Treasure and now over the 150,000 word mark and Part VI is finished. I'll start Part VII over the weekend. I think I'll be finished the mms. by the end of July, which will give me 2 months to rewrite, revise and polish. This will be my longest book to date, but I am getting faster. Only taking 9 months - quite a nice gestation period.

Ed Patterson


----------



## amanda_hocking

I just got a review so bad it made my stomach hurt. It's not like I think I wrote a really amazing book. I wrote a fun book about vampires. I'm not pretending to be Hemingway. Or even Anne Rice.

But I got a review that basically described my book as the _Plan 9 of Outerspace _ of books. Again, not thinking my book is the best book ever, I considered it to be more of a Sandra Bullock rom-com. Not great usually, but entertaining and enjoyable enough that I'll watch it when they play it again on _Oxygen_.

And, not to toot my own horn, I've gotten lots of 4 & 5 star reviews, and even positive 3 star reviews. So how come, despite this, I find more merit in the review that says my book is terrible than in the ones that say it's good?

Why is it easier to believe criticism than praise? And what if I really have written _Plan 9 of Outerspace_?

Saying I wrote a bad book is one thing. Maybe I did actually write a bad book. I think I could even live with that. But I don't want to be a joke.


----------



## Sharlow

amanda_hocking said:


> I just got a review so bad it made my stomach hurt. It's not like I think I wrote a really amazing book. I wrote a fun book about vampires. I'm not pretending to be Hemingway. Or even Anne Rice.
> 
> But I got a review that basically described my book as the _Plan 9 of Outerspace _ of books. Again, not thinking my book is the best book ever, I considered it to be more of a Sandra Bullock rom-com. Not great usually, but entertaining and enjoyable enough that I'll watch it when they play it again on _Oxygen_.
> 
> And, not to toot my own horn, I've gotten lots of 4 & 5 star reviews, and even positive 3 star reviews. So how come, despite this, I find more merit in the review that says my book is terrible than in the ones that say it's good?
> 
> Why is it easier to believe criticism than praise? And what if I really have written _Plan 9 of Outerspace_?
> 
> Saying I wrote a bad book is one thing. Maybe I did actually write a bad book. I think I could even live with that. But I don't want to be a joke.


I know the feeling. I'm not sure why no matter how many people say our books are great, we all take the bad reviews as the only true gospel. The best you can do is look at your good reviews and just accept that you did what the good ones said. The fact that your selling so many books is a testimony to your work to begin with. That in itself should say who's closer to the truth about your books.


----------



## amanda_hocking

Sharlow said:


> I know the feeling. I'm not sure why no matter how many people say our books are great, we all take the bad reviews as the only true gospel. The best you can do is look at your good reviews and just accept that you did what the good ones said. The fact that your selling so many books is a testimony to your work to begin with. That in itself should say who's closer to the truth about your books.


If I wanna do this professionally, I need to grow a thicker skin.

I can't wait til I get a one-star review where somebody says that hate me. That'll be fun.


----------



## Sharlow

amanda_hocking said:


> If I wanna do this professionally, I need to grow a thicker skin.
> 
> I can't wait til I get a one-star review where somebody says that hate me. That'll be fun.


By the way which book did they not like?


----------



## amanda_hocking

_My Blood Approves_. It's a two-star review on Goodreads, if you want to check it out. [URL=http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/104992341]http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/104992341?page=1[/url]


----------



## traceya

amanda_hocking said:


> If I wanna do this professionally, I need to grow a thicker skin.
> 
> I can't wait til I get a one-star review where somebody says that hate me. That'll be fun.


Amanda, unfortunately we do have to have pretty thick skins in this business.  Simply put no matter how *good* your book is there will *always* be someone who doesn't like it  It's sad but true.
Have faith in your work, and in yourself and keep looking at those 4 & 5* reviews.
Don't forget that Stephanie Myer wrote a series that some people considered to be so good it made bestseller lists and was picked up for film yet I think her writing's mehh and a lot of other people don't like her as well.
Ditto with J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter - some love 'em and some hate 'em yet she's been so successful with them that she's practically as rich as the Queen

Don't let the bad one's drag you down 

Cheers,
Trace


----------



## amanda_hocking

Trace-

Thanks.   I know how subjective this business can be, and I gotta remind myself that while always striving to improve my writings and my books.

Stephanie Meyer and J. K. Rowling do have the advantage of having bags and bags of money to comfort when they get 1 star reviews, haha.


----------



## Sharlow

amanda_hocking said:


> Trace-
> 
> Thanks.  I know how subjective this business can be, and I gotta remind myself that while always striving to improve my writings and my books.
> 
> Stephanie Meyer and J. K. Rowling do have the advantage of having bags and bags of money to comfort when they get 1 star reviews, haha.


Well at least it wasn't a 1 star review. I was looking at her comments, etc on other books, she apparently has a few fan boys who really like her style of reviews, which seem a bit ridiculous in my opinion, even if she does have a bit of humor mixed in. I don't know, she seems to be a bit full of herself to me.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

amanda_hocking said:


> I just got a review so bad it made my stomach hurt. It's not like I think I wrote a really amazing book. I wrote a fun book about vampires. I'm not pretending to be Hemingway. Or even Anne Rice.
> 
> But I got a review that basically described my book as the _Plan 9 of Outerspace _ of books. Again, not thinking my book is the best book ever, I considered it to be more of a Sandra Bullock rom-com. Not great usually, but entertaining and enjoyable enough that I'll watch it when they play it again on _Oxygen_.
> 
> And, not to toot my own horn, I've gotten lots of 4 & 5 star reviews, and even positive 3 star reviews. So how come, despite this, I find more merit in the review that says my book is terrible than in the ones that say it's good?
> 
> Why is it easier to believe criticism than praise? And what if I really have written _Plan 9 of Outerspace_?
> 
> Saying I wrote a bad book is one thing. Maybe I did actually write a bad book. I think I could even live with that. But I don't want to be a joke.


Hi Amanda:

Seeing you posted this in the Author Support Thread, allow me to give you some support. First, let me say that I haven't read your book. Having read a couple of reviews (including the one from Good Words) I can say that I'm not your target audience.

I accepted your invitation and read the review in question and the comments that followed. From what I saw, I can say the following with a reasonable amount of assurance: Kim (the reviewer), or at least her on-line personality, likes to build herself up by tearing others down. She does this through mockery and sarcasm, an unlovely trait. She has, it appears, a group of sycophants and she plays to them. And, finally, she doesn't really do a good job of it--either writing a review or making a mockery of a book. Actually, she doesn't do a good job of writing, period.

It is never fun to have someone mock you like this. A similar thing happened to me once (about 15 years ago)--a self-styled reviewer tore apart three stories (unfairly), one of them being mine. I retaliated and reviewed his review. I'm a kinder and gentler person now; I wouldn't do that again. Let it roll off you.

It hurts because you feel like Kim isn't attacking your book, but attacking you personally. Many of us get wrapped up into thinking what we do, what we think is us. In this case, however, I'm not so sure she isn't--at least on some level--attacking the author as well as the book.


----------



## nomesque

Rule 1 for getting a thick skin - weather a crapload of shots that HURT.

Rule 2 for getting a thick skin - learn to judge your work with a (relatively) unbiased eye. 

Both of those take a LOT of time and practice. You'll get there. Just remember - some people have useful criticism that you can learn from. Learn from them! But some people are forever stuck in the school playground of life, offering nothing but a few cheap laughs and deep down, miserable as hell. Those are the people that will offer the 'bad' reviews - the ones that don't help anyone.

That said... this chick managed something I didn't think possible. I read that review and got interested in reading your book *rotfl*

Oh - and another bright side? She's buying more because they - *snicker* - suck so much she wants more! Well, booyah and roll off to the bank! THAT never happened in high school. People are paying to pick on you?


----------



## D.A. Boulter

amanda_hocking said:


> And what if I really have written _Plan 9 of Outerspace_?


I just read your sample. You *did not* write _Plan 9 from Outerspace_. I've seen Plan 9 and, trust me, you write better than that. One of your 3-star reviewers from Amazon was correct, you need to do a better editing job, but for YA fare, it rolled along quite well.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

traceya said:


> Ditto with J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter - some love 'em and some hate 'em yet she's been so successful with them that she's practically as rich as the Queen
> 
> Don't let the bad one's drag you down
> 
> Cheers,
> Trace


Rowling is richer and that now is a fact.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Kristen Painter

It's a commonly held belief amongst most of the romance writers I know that a bad review - a really bad one - increases sales because people want to see what the fuss is about for themselves. Take heart. There's an upside to everything. Including the fact that as time passes many people will only remember that they heard your name somewhere, not that it was connected to the bad review.


----------



## Sharlow

Well crap. I didn't get any writing done today. I actually spent most of the night setting up my paper back version of Fallen Blood through create space. Can't believe the insanity i ran into, all the way up to having my computer lock up and losing all my work at one point. But I finally made it, and now I await approval!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

The profile pic of the person who wrote that review is of the girl flipping the camera off. I think that alone says how trustworthy that review is.

David Dalglish


----------



## daveconifer

D.A. Boulter said:


> Hi Amanda:
> 
> Seeing you posted this in the Author Support Thread, allow me to give you some support. First, let me say that I haven't read your book. Having read a couple of reviews (including the one from Good Words) I can say that I'm not your target audience.
> 
> I accepted your invitation and read the review in question and the comments that followed. From what I saw, I can say the following with a reasonable amount of assurance: Kim (the reviewer), or at least her on-line personality, likes to build herself up by tearing others down. She does this through mockery and sarcasm, an unlovely trait. She has, it appears, a group of sycophants and she plays to them. And, finally, she doesn't really do a good job of it--either writing a review or making a mockery of a book. Actually, she doesn't do a good job of writing, period.
> 
> It is never fun to have someone mock you like this. A similar thing happened to me once (about 15 years ago)--a self-styled reviewer tore apart three stories (unfairly), one of them being mine. I retaliated and reviewed his review. I'm a kinder and gentler person now; I wouldn't do that again. Let it roll off you.
> 
> It hurts because you feel like Kim isn't attacking your book, but attacking you personally. Many of us get wrapped up into thinking what we do, what we think is us. In this case, however, I'm not so sure she isn't--at least on some level--attacking the author as well as the book.


Nice commentary, D.A. I think you nailed it.

Amanda, there's not any among us that hasn't been told how bad they suck at some point. In fact, I don't think there's ever been a writer anywhere, anytime that hasn't experienced that. If it was so horrible she would have stopped reading. She knows an awful lot about about the plot and characters of a book she 'hates.'

I think something rubbed her the wrong way about it and then she started doing her schtick, whatever it is that made that bunch of sycophants stand up and salute (the way they probably always do).

Let it roll off your back, which is the same advice you'd be giving me if I was the one who just got blasted...

edit: I can't stop thinking about the party these people were having, each trying to outdo themselves in nastiness -- with big smiles on their faces. It's bizzarre to me. I'm no angel but I usually try to use my time as constructively as possible. So much energy used to tear something down. I can't relate at all to what I saw there.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Here comes Brendan's quote:

"Don't wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it."

 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> Rule 1 for getting a thick skin - weather a crapload of shots that HURT.
> 
> Rule 2 for getting a thick skin - learn to judge your work with a (relatively) unbiased eye.


Rule 3 for getting a thick skin - get too old to give a d*mn. 

Yes, we do have to have a thick skin. It's like someone looking at your baby and asking where you got the pet monkey.

Go back and read all your good reviews and whatever you do, stay true to yourself and what you write.

Nothing done yesterday, but it's TKD night with the GS. Two hours of writing as long as no one tries to talk to me. I usually hide behind a post. I have to find another place to take him to so I can write. I'm so glad I have Ginny the netbook to haul around.


----------



## ReeseReed

Made the mistake of starting a new read yesterday, so I only got 500 words done before I had to get back to it!  Stayed up and finished it last night, though, so maybe now I can get back to my own!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I think my point still stands  .

David Dalglish


----------



## J.M Pierce

Half-Orc said:


> I think my point still stands .
> 
> David Dalglish


I second your point David. That review was rediculously malicious. Nothing constructive what-so-ever. Reading the comments after that review made me think of gradeschool when the rich kids would corner the loner. Makes me growl to this day. I don't understand people sometimes.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Something completely different department:

I am trying something very new for me. So many people here have multi-book series(es?). I read Archer's long trilogy and I am embarking on those of some other KB authors. I have read long trilogies and series books before, but those authors were remote, I bought the books in book stores. They weren't ordinary mortals I could talk to on a forum or send a PM to.

So, I started what could be a trilogy and I hope each volume of it will be quite long. But it's a scary prospect, starting on years and years of work. Any thoughts from people who have done it? I have been putting all new characters and words into an Excel file so I can look them up later. I am not an outliner, but for something like this I suppose I should have more than a vague idea where I am going. I keep going back and changing things when I have a new idea or realize that something I said before doesn't fit with what I just typed. For that reason, I am still on the first chapter.

I worry that I will get into the third book and realize I have to re-edit the first two to make the ending work. Or I will wander off into incoherence somewhere along the way. So any ideas or advice would be appreciated.

It is science fiction but with a fantasy structure. Sort of combining the two. That's probably a bad decision from the start.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

It sounds like you're psyching yourself out. You think because you'll be writing "A Trilogy!" (said in a booming voice) that it'll be overwhelming. You're thinking of the end product, of 700 page books, of millions of characters, and intertwining story arcs.

You've written a book before right? You know those characters you left alive at the end? You know that world you created? You know what you do? Keep going. That's it. Writing your trilogy should be no different than writing your previous book. As the length increases, you'll naturally introduce more characters, more locations, new villains and heroes, etc. It sounds like you want to create this massive encyclopedia of your world, its beings, where the story will go, and pretty much have an entire tour planned out.

I want you to remember something. Do you know what Tolkien started with? A hobbit. A boring hobbit, by himself, in his house. One character. Try that. Make one character in one tiny place. Then let it grow. Introduce a second. Then a third. Perhaps cut to a different place. You don't need to panic. You don't need to be intimidated. Treat each book as its own creation, but with the benefit of already having characters introduced so you can start right in to where the major story arcs start.

By no means am I the best world builder or wordsmith. I just have a story I want to tell. It didn't fit in one book. Then it didn't fit in two. Then three. I'm on to five, and I still have characters I want to tell about, or histories to add, and my paladins have lately been demanding their own book. That's how a world develops. Organically. Worry about editing when it is time for editing. You'll grow more comfortable with your world with each chapter, so long as you escape the first. Don't force anything. Your story might finish after one book. It might finish after ten.

I'd love to hear more about this scifi/fantasy cross, btw. I don't think under any circumstances is that a bad decision. "Scifi with a fantasy structure" = "Star Wars." I heard that movie was moderately successful.

David Dalglish


----------



## geoffthomas

R. Reed said:


> I am trying something very new for me. So many people here have multi-book series(es?). I read Archer's long trilogy and I am embarking on those of some other KB authors.


My opinions - to start off with I love Archer and her work. So you have a basis of comparison there. And there are indeed so many talented writers resident here in the KB.



R. Reed said:


> I have read long trilogies and series books before, but those authors were remote, I bought the books in book stores. They weren't ordinary mortals I could talk to on a forum or send a PM to.


This is one of the things that I love about KB - the ability to do what I am now doing, communicating with an author about their work- and sometimes providing encouragement.



R. Reed said:


> So, I started what could be a trilogy and I hope each volume of it will be quite long. But it's a scary prospect, starting on years and years of work. Any thoughts from people who have done it? I have been putting all new characters and words into an Excel file so I can look them up later. I am not an outliner, but for something like this I suppose I should have more than a vague idea where I am going. I keep going back and changing things when I have a new idea or realize that something I said before doesn't fit with what I just typed. For that reason, I am still on the first chapter.
> 
> I worry that I will get into the third book and realize I have to re-edit the first two to make the ending work. Or I will wander off into incoherence somewhere along the way. So any ideas or advice would be appreciated.


I sure wish I could provide any insights here at all - it sounds like you have a great start (look forward to the first of the trilogy). I would love to know the answer to the last question - how does one make the ending work without re-writing (or does one re-write)?



R. Reed said:


> It is science fiction but with a fantasy structure. Sort of combining the two. That's probably a bad decision from the start.


As a reader, let me say that I don't think this is a bad decision at all. I think some of the better work I have read seemed to me to combine the two. Certainly a writer like C.J. Cherryh who has written both Fantasy and SciFi (won two Hugos) has a lot of cross-over in her work.
Well I hope I didn't intrude to much. Just wanted you to hear from a reader. I am looking forward to the answers you get from other writers.
Just sayin......


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I am not an outliner either. The key is to NOT have the entire work planned out (that is all three, four or five or seven books). You can think about the whole thing, the end-game, but ultimately the most successful series are not built on clever plots or even stories, but on characters. Develop characters that the reader comes to love and hate and you can go anywhere with the work. The Dark Tower is that way. King even tells the reader mid-way through that he has no idea where Rowland and company will take him (and yes, he had to revise the Gunslinger, but nearly 40 years separate book one from book seven). Even Harry Potter - do we care about the convoluted wand rules at the end or even give a horcrux for a deadly hollow. NO. We love Harry and crew, and learn to hate some characters also. Series are built on characterization and imagination, and you might need to hang a lantern or two as you go when you change your other mind about a story point. Themes are grafted on as an afterthought or a baked in the weave of the pudding. The weave is crucial to keep it all together, but the guts are your protagonist(s) and reader's love.  

Ed Patterson
Hanging lanterns daily.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Reed said:


> So, I started what could be a trilogy and I hope each volume of it will be quite long. But it's a scary prospect, starting on years and years of work. Any thoughts from people who have done it?


Not necessarily years and years. And if it takes that long, it takes that long. Every journey starts with a single step and all that.



> I have been putting all new characters and words into an Excel file so I can look them up later. I am not an outliner, but for something like this I suppose I should have more than a vague idea where I am going. I keep going back and changing things when I have a new idea or realize that something I said before doesn't fit with what I just typed. For that reason, I am still on the first chapter.


As a character pops up, it doesn't hurt to make a few notes on appearance, age, factual things like that. If you try to lock yourself into anything more than that, your characters can't grow on their own.



> I worry that I will get into the third book and realize I have to re-edit the first two to make the ending work. Or I will wander off into incoherence somewhere along the way. So any ideas or advice would be appreciated.


Don't force the ending. You can have a general idea of where the story is going to go, but ultimately, you have to be prepared to accept change and let it go where it needs to.



> It is science fiction but with a fantasy structure. Sort of combining the two. That's probably a bad decision from the start.


_In Her Name_ by our own Mike Hicks is SciFi/Fantasy with a dash of romance. Love his work and he's been successful with it.

Like David said, sounds like you're psyching yourself out of doing it. You'll never know until you try. I thought I could never do anything but historical romances and now I've written one short story and almost finished with another. Way out of my comfort zone, but I'm having a heck of a time writing them. 

Go for it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Wrote 1300 words while GS was at TKD. I'm very pleased with the way the story is coming along. I wasn't sure how it was going to come together, but it's working. 

I'm at 8K words, so no more than 2K to go and I'll have another novelette!


----------



## terryr

amanda_hocking said:


> _My Blood Approves_. It's a two-star review on Goodreads, if you want to check it out. [URL=http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/104992341]http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/104992341?page=1[/url]


I read the entire thing, man... I was shaking in empathy. {{{{hug}}}} I liked your answer, offering a book. That was brave. Hell, it's brave to offer work for public consumption, period, because that gives them the right to take potshots at us.

But, remember, no publicity is bad publicity. And while I don't do vampires, I think your covers are way cool, and like your blog posts... I get a sense you're a good writer from them. There is only one way to go from a bad review--- UP! 

Terry


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just remember:

"Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it."

Sorry, Brendan, but it's the best damn quote to handle bad reviews that I've ever heard.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jasmine Giacomo Author

nomesque said:


> She's buying more because they - *snicker* - suck so much she wants more!


It's a vampire novel; sucking is win-win!  I think this secretly is why she's buying more. The pun, it calls to her. 

As for my own writing, I'm coming up on a pivotal plot point that exceeds my book's PG-13 rating, and I need to find a believable way to handle its emergence while avoiding explicitness (it's not that kind of book). I've played with various characters' POVs, and I think I'm getting close, but the aha! moment is still eluding me. Key to said aha! moment is that the reader is meant to believe one thing happened, when in fact another happened. Tricky tricky.


----------



## amanda_hocking

Thanks everyone for your support.  

I'm feeling much better today, thanks to what you guys have been saying. I'm going to try not to take the snark personally, glean what I can from it, and move on. 

It's great having a place like this where I feel like I have people on my side and have gone through the same things I have.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

R. Reed said:


> So, I started what could be a trilogy and I hope each volume of it will be quite long. But it's a scary prospect, starting on years and years of work. Any thoughts from people who have done it?


A few observations, for what they may be worth! 

First, the length of each book should only be as long as it needs to be to tell the story. Don't get wrapped around the axle about writing a bunch of mega-books. If they turn out that way, fine. But if they don't, or - perish the thought - they're not all about the same length, that's fine, too. You don't need to inject a bunch of cereal filler in the pages: just tell the story.

And it's not work, at least for me: there are very few things that I can do on my own (no comments, Ed! LOL!) that are as personally entertaining as writing. You're creating worlds, after all. Sorta hard to beat that kinda high!



> I have been putting all new characters and words into an Excel file so I can look them up later. I am not an outliner, but for something like this I suppose I should have more than a vague idea where I am going. I keep going back and changing things when I have a new idea or realize that something I said before doesn't fit with what I just typed. For that reason, I am still on the first chapter.
> 
> I worry that I will get into the third book and realize I have to re-edit the first two to make the ending work. Or I will wander off into incoherence somewhere along the way. So any ideas or advice would be appreciated.


The Excel file idea is a good one. I don't happen to use anything like that - the main thing I have to do is look up names of minor characters sometimes, but I just usually search through the text until I find what I want. Most of the character's traits I keep stored in my head.

And I also have a recommendation about your workflow: just WRITE first, then go back and edit later. You're editing. Get the rough story down on paper first. Run it by a beta reader or two to sanity check what you've written on a chapter by chapter basis to make sure you haven't strayed off into the desert. But don't worry about everything matching up in the first draft, or you'll never finish it.



> It is science fiction but with a fantasy structure. Sort of combining the two. That's probably a bad decision from the start.


Bah. The only bad decision is to not write a story that your muse is telling you to put to paper. As Gertie mentioned, _In Her Name_ mixes a bunch of things together - sci-fi, high fantasy, romance, etc. It doesn't fit into any particular genre. But it works because most readers enjoy the story.

And that's what it's all about: just tell a good story. The genre or genre mix is immaterial unless you're a marketer for a major publisher who wants the next cookie-cutter story for the masses, who would all probably enjoy your story more, anyway!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Thanks for all the comments. I have sent the first chapter to my usual critique group, they will tell me if I am going somewhere with this or have gone off the rails. I must say, when I am not working on this book I keep thinking about it, and working out details in my head. That usually means that I have to write it just to clear it out of the story pipeline.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm so close with short story/novelette #2 that I got up this morning and went right to work. I'm allowing myself another 20 mins on the Internet, 10 mins to fold towels (they don't fold themselves, you know), and then back to work.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

No need to apologize, didn't see it as that at all.

And bummer on the page break things. At least you caught it and can fix it. That's one of the biggest ways to mess up your document file and annoy a reader.

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

By any chance do you have a Kindle? Or know someone that does? Because you can use mobipocket creator to see what it'd look like before publishing. I find it to be tremendously helpful.

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hrm, gimme one second...

http://kindleformatting.com/formatting.php

There's a website with a nice detailed description at the bottom of how to get your file converted and onto the Kindle.

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Awesome night. I drank some Starbucks, unplugged the internet cord, and then wrote for a solid two hours (Morgan's at a friend's house staying the night. They're sooo excited). Cranked out 4k words. A Dance of Cloaks is officially over 100k. I remember starting this not so long ago, thinking it'd be a nice quick diversion from my Half-Orc Series. Silly, naive me.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Alright, I think I'm going to start my World Cup short story tonight!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Alright, I think I'm going to start my World Cup short story tonight!


Now that the U.S. got knocked out?

I was getting so close to finishing novelette #2 then I chickened out. Don't know why. I wrote 1K and maybe another 1K to go. Tomorrow's another day.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*grumbles*


----------



## ReeseReed

I punked out yesterday and did nothing but read.  Then I spent today helping my husband get veggies put up.  So, maybe tonight I'll get back to it.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

_I will not get one_, Peter Savile thought to himself as the Emirates Airlines Airbus A380 from Heathrow touched down at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. _I would rather support Arsenal than buy a vuvuzela._


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

What's the title of the short story?

_How Peter Savile sold his soul and bought a vuvuzela_?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

_Vuvuzombies_


----------



## Sean Sweeney

“I have said it before, I will say it again: I will not buy the vuvuzela. I will not pass Go, I will not collect $200. I will not eat the green eggs and ham, I will not eat them Sam I am.”


----------



## daringnovelist

Aaaarrrrrhhhhhhggggggg!

I was all set to do a final rewrite to the sequel of _Wife of Freedom_. The existing draft is a bit patchy and thin here and there (and actually was written as part of a longer story, but I realized it needed to be split in two). It's only 47k words, which is about 10k short of the already short first book.

So I thought "you know what? I'll flesh it out. There are lots of opportunities to build up the weak spots and turn this into a short but full novel." I had great notes and everything. I even had a plan to turn off my internal editor by doing a bunch of exploratory writing first - just play with it so I have material to pick and choose from.

And I sat down to write it and I just can't get motivated. It's just awful. I can write nearly anything else, but not that.

And tonight I finally realized that the problem is that I was violating the whole gist of the series. I wrote the dang thing in the first place to feel like a drama playing out in front of a simplified theatrical backdrop. Let it focus on the real drama and conflict of the characters - all the energy goes into the characters, instead of the setting. And fleshing it out means I have to add just enough setting for it to feel like it needs MORE setting....

I will end up with a better story if I cut rather than flesh out (except in small specific scenes that already exist). Which means I've got a long novella after all. Maybe 45,000 words. I do not feel right putting 2.99 on something that short, but on the other hand, it will be better AND less work if I let the story do what it wants.

Oh, well.

Camille


----------



## Sean Sweeney

You'll decide what's best for your work.


----------



## ReeseReed

Finally got a groove going and managed 1K words.  Not my best effort, but I got past a scene that's been hanging me up for months.  I've got a good idea of where I'm heading next, so hopefully my next effort will be more fruitful.  David is leaving me in the dust


----------



## Yusagi

Hey all, I'm looking for proofreaders for my older novel. I wrote it several years ago in my teenage years and I'm really having difficulty looking over it myself to judge its actual quality. I think I've done a fair job on the technical side of things, fixing typos keeping scene breaks consistent, and general grammatical issues, but...from an actual story point of view, it seems like I'm a bit biased and predisposed to dislike it. I was wondering what you guys think might be the best way to get a good look at the actual story quality? Currently, I was thinking of giving away a PDF version of the book out to a few people willing to look over it, but do you think there might be a better way?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ReeseReed said:


> Finally got a groove going and managed 1K words. Not my best effort, but I got past a scene that's been hanging me up for months. I've got a good idea of where I'm heading next, so hopefully my next effort will be more fruitful. David is leaving me in the dust


It's not the quantity, it's the quality, right? 

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> It's not the quantity, it's the quality, right?


So size *doesn't* matter? 

Mad 3700 words and hammered through most of chapter 20 of _Season Of The Harvest_. Going to try and finish off that chapter today...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Lot of stuff to do today. Two stories for the paper AND England-Germany AND a little short story action. Hopefully I'll manage my time nicely.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Finished chapter 20 of Harvest: 5200 words total. Now it's time to collapse...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Good job, Mike!

"Mbubu’s lip curled, and if he could spit venom, he would have done so without thinking. The fire raged near his feet, and the flames responded to his anger with gusto. The tendrils of orange flame began to lap with a swirling turbulence as heavy slate-gray clouds hovered overhead, the backdrop of a darkened sky."


----------



## Sharlow

Yusagi said:


> Hey all, I'm looking for proofreaders for my older novel. I wrote it several years ago in my teenage years and I'm really having difficulty looking over it myself to judge its actual quality. I think I've done a fair job on the technical side of things, fixing typos keeping scene breaks consistent, and general grammatical issues, but...from an actual story point of view, it seems like I'm a bit biased and predisposed to dislike it. I was wondering what you guys think might be the best way to get a good look at the actual story quality? Currently, I was thinking of giving away a PDF version of the book out to a few people willing to look over it, but do you think there might be a better way?


Sounds kinda interesting... What genre is it? How many books are you giving away? You also might have luck posting this in another section where there are more readers, I'm not sure if you can tho so you might want to ask the moderators about that.

Anyways, still having troubles writing, I only got 900 + words last night. Heat always seems to suck out my will to write. Last year I camped out in Mcdonald's and got a lot of writing done. Problem is I don't think there are any plug in's for my lap top there.


----------



## nomesque

Yusagi said:


> Hey all, I'm looking for proofreaders for my older novel. I wrote it several years ago in my teenage years and I'm really having difficulty looking over it myself to judge its actual quality. I think I've done a fair job on the technical side of things, fixing typos keeping scene breaks consistent, and general grammatical issues, but...from an actual story point of view, it seems like I'm a bit biased and predisposed to dislike it. I was wondering what you guys think might be the best way to get a good look at the actual story quality? Currently, I was thinking of giving away a PDF version of the book out to a few people willing to look over it, but do you think there might be a better way?


Depends on the people, but if they have ebook readers, maybe download Calibre and convert your source doc to whatever format they want?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Slow weekend as I was in NJ keeping Dad company. Tonight I did 4,800 words in revisions and rewrites (front-end) for The People's Treasure, plus the ground breaking for Part VII.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Vyrl

Nocked out another 2,000 words worth of fresh copy for 'Nightmares...' Whew! Pretty hectic day, though. Doesn't feel like a weekend!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Couldn't sleep last night, so I wrote a little bit. Now I'm awake and writing more. Does this ever end? (Please say no, please say no, please say no....)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Couldn't sleep last night, so I wrote a little bit. Now I'm awake and writing more. Does this ever end? (Please say no, please say no, please say no....)


Since you asked so nicely ... no, it never ends. It might pause sometimes, it might take a little rest sometimes, but no, it never ends. Thank goodness.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just put the capper on the short story's first draft. 5,762 words. Eating now, then going to print it out and have fun with it.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

And now it's a second draft. It's in my editor's inbox now, and she'll work her magic on it. Now to relax for the rest of the night, and maybe have some yummy ice cream.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Today I was going to finish or at least work on a time travel short story that I think is a new idea. I have never seen it elsewhere, anyway. With one thing or another, mainly consisting of coming up with excuses, I haven't done a thing. I think I have a mental block because it's set in a historical period and I have never done that before.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

What's the time period?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 more words (fresh meat) for *The People's Treasure*. Tried something different - a female People's constable, who quotes Mao, trying to seduce a hot gay Chinese agricultural student. The steamy scene is coming up and I must admit, I've done no research on the matter, and don't intend to. Watching the videos amd flying by the seat of someone's pants. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Technical difficulties continue to plague the publication of my novelette. Portions of it have fully indented paragraphs instead of just a first line indent.  They don't show up in the document, but show up in the preview in DTP.  I think I'm going to have to clear all formats and go paragraph by paragraph.


----------



## Jeff

They're all correct in the PRC file that I have.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> They're all correct in the PRC file that I have.


The good news is that while I was previewing it, I found another fireworks reference and was able to make the correction.

Maybe I should take what I've got and run it through mobicreator. Maybe it won't crash on me again. Maybe four hours of wrestling with this thing is more than enough for tonight. I didn't have this much trouble writing it.


----------



## daveconifer

Finally had a great night of writing on my WIP.  Words out the wazzoo.  I needed that.  It's been a long time since I thought "Can't wait to get back at it!"  Feeling it.

Do your best and forget the rest!


----------



## ReeseReed

daveconifer said:


> Finally had a great night of writing on my WIP. Words out the wazzoo. I needed that. It's been a long time since I thought "Can't wait to get back at it!" Feeling it.
> 
> Do your best and forget the rest!


Awesome, Dave! Glad to hear it! Still waiting on my moment...maybe soon...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

daveconifer said:


> Finally had a great night of writing on my WIP. Words out the wazzoo. I needed that. It's been a long time since I thought "Can't wait to get back at it!" Feeling it.
> 
> Do your best and forget the rest!


I know how you feel. I actually enjoyed writing this short story. I didn't really enjoy writing my last novel. Maybe when I look at it in August for the first time, it might actually be good?


----------



## daveconifer

ReeseReed said:


> Awesome, Dave! Glad to hear it! Still waiting on my moment...maybe soon...


I owe you a copy of Snodgrass, Reese. I didn't forget. After all, you finished in the top 3 (of 3 contestants).


----------



## daveconifer

John Fitch V said:


> I know how you feel. I actually enjoyed writing this short story. I didn't really enjoy writing my last novel. Maybe when I look at it in August for the first time, it might actually be good?


It's really exciting to have the feeling again. It's been a while. I think I got too caught up in pushing the books I already did, and life's given me a few surprises lately. It was adding up to less writing. Tonight was the first time in a while I felt it, although I was pretty excited after chatting with the half-orc about what I'm working on a few weeks ago.

Is it the World Cup vuvezela (I know I have to be saying that wrong) story you were talking about? I loved the line you posted before about the guy vowing not to buy one as he was landing in Johannesburg...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

daveconifer said:


> Tonight was the first time in a while I felt it, although I was pretty excited after chatting with the half-orc about what I'm working on a few weeks ago.


Darn right you should be excited. I likes what I was hearing. And are you still keeping the title? That'd be freaking sweet.

Only wrote like 1k today. Movie night again. Played poker (finished 2nd) and then watched an episode of MST3K: Werewolves. Great stuff.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

daveconifer said:


> I owe you a copy of Snodgrass, Reese. I didn't forget. After all, you finished in the top 3 (of 3 contestants).


YAY! I'm so excited!!

Have you thought of doing a giveaway on goodreads? I did that last month, and a couple of days ago one of the people who won gave me a GLOWING review! I don't know that the review is the reason why, but after it was posted a had a big increase in sales


----------



## ReeseReed

Couldn't sleep, and all is quiet around here, so I decided I'd give it a try.  Got another 1K words done.  It's coming along, slowly but surely.


----------



## R. M. Reed

John Fitch V said:


> What's the time period?


1934. I have seen a lot of movies made in that period, and others made later but set in it. But when I am trying to write about it myself, suddenly I question every little thing.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Take a shot gun and blow the doubt away!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Does anybody remember that character in Lil Abner, Joe @%#&*@*, the little guy with the black cloud over his head?

That's me.  I finally got my novelette to load properly and now Amazon is down. Not only that, but I uploaded a new version of C&C correcting some typos so that's probably lost in the black hole, too.

At least I figured out the problem with the formatting. Word messed it up, and since it's impossible to see where the formats change, it can't be fixed. 

Put everything back into Open Office, converted to html, and except for the timconwaylittleoldman speed of my computer, was able to upload.  

I think I'll stick with OpenOffice.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did 2300 words on Dance of Cloaks. I am _finally_ on the last day of the story, where pretty much 5 major plotlines and 6 competing factions are all converging together for this entire day/event. Heads are sooo gonna roll (actually one did already). I should probably post a bodycount along with my words. These next few days are going to be so much fun. So, 2300 words, 3 characters dead.

David


----------



## Steph H

LOL -- you're so gleeful about killing off characters, David.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Steph H said:


> LOL -- you're so gleeful about killing off characters, David.


Well....sort of . I'm gleeful that I have *fiiinally* arrived at the big, big moment in my story. The end is in sight. The fact that stupid amounts of main characters are gonna die (and to be fair, a lot of them aren't the nicest people around) is just sort of secondary fun. But still fun.

David Dalglish


----------



## daveconifer

Half-Orc said:


> Darn right you should be excited. I likes what I was hearing. And are you still keeping the title? That'd be freaking sweet.
> 
> David Dalglish


I'm not 100 percent sure I want to keep that title but I want one like it.

Since I ran this by you the intruder has become more sinister and unstable. I'm glad we had that rap session. He was getting too cute and cuddly in my mind. Who wants to read that?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Cute and cuddly? Pffft. Spill some blood man! Bombs! Explosions! Wooooo!

And yes, I did take my medication today.

David Dalglish


----------



## Guest

David- I'm a third of the way through my re-write and I'm reversing character deaths! Odd really as I'm removing "Resurrection" from the title...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The next couple of days will be spent in heavy edit/revisions of my short story series for the fantasy world that I wrote back in September. Just printed out the first one. 28 pages. See you all in a few hours.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

derekprior said:


> David- I'm a third of the way through my re-write and I'm reversing character deaths! Odd really as I'm removing "Resurrection" from the title...


_Reversing_ character deaths? What's the fun in that? I won't ask who, obviously, but what is the new title going to be? Just Archon's Assassin?

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

WOooo! Another update from Peter. Larger and more detailed.










While that white cloth over her face is more truthful to the story, I think I'm going to have Peter yank it off so we can see her face again.

I love my artist.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I agree, David. She'll look better without the white cloth and that's not much artistic license to take with the cover.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Yeah, I liked seeing her eyes. Now she just looks blank, or dead.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Well, her sect is known as the Faceless, hence the thin cloth. But I can yank it out for a cover.

David Dalglish


----------



## Dave Dykema

What about a tear in the cloth that shows one eye? That keeps intact what the sect is about, but allows the sexy pupil to be seen.

Just thinking to myself here...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yeah, I think only you would think "sexy pupil" to yourself  

I think it'll be just simpler and easier to remove the cloth, mainly because that tear idea wouldn't show too well when the image gets shrunken down to a thumbnail.

David Dalglish


----------



## swolf

My latest story (The Touch of Isis) was written to be a submission in a writing contest, which starts tomorrow.  It had to be under 5,000 words, and had to include one of three items featured on their website.  Two restrictions I've never faced before.

Went very smooth, taking a day to write, and another day to clean up, including a look-over by my live-in editor, otherwise known as my wife.

The first draft ended up being about 5,400 words, so part of my cleanup included removing extranneous stuff, which was a good exercise.

I don't think the mods would appreciate it if I posted a link to the website, but if anyone is interested in submitting to the contest, PM me and I'll send you the link.  They're accepting submissions until August 25th.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Half way through editing the Obloeron short stories. I only wrote six of them, but they are long. Need to buy more ink in order to finish the edits/revisions.

My editor has also gone through a little bit of the World Cup short story I wrote over the weekend.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Half way through editing the Obloeron short stories. I only wrote six of them, but they are long. Need to buy more ink in order to finish the edits/revisions.
> 
> My editor has also gone through a little bit of the World Cup short story I wrote over the weekend.


Busy, busy.










Short story still not available. Revised C&C is still publishing so I can't opt in. AP has been opted in, but is still under review. Oh woe is me.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The bee looks like me.


----------



## Kristen Painter

Anyone invented instant cloning yet? Because I really need to be two people. Or one much more active person.   Seriously, I have got to get moving. At least I finished edits on my 2nd Orbit book, Flesh And Blood. Now to finish writing book 3 and do edits on my steampunk novella and finish all the writing for my ghostwriting thingy. 

I wish I didn't feel like I was forgetting something...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I have short stories to edit, waiting on my editor to start editing my next novel.... and I have to brainstorm a few novels.


----------



## Bridget S

I have homework, homework, homework (and more homework).  I'm hoping to get all my assignments turned in tonight   I'm finishing up my last class to get my Reading Specialist Certification.  This class is great... Advanced Children's Literature.  

Pretty much the only writing I get in occurs while my daughter is at tennis lessons.  She takes lessons at a high school, and I run for thirty minutes on the track, and then for the next hour I get out my laptop and sit in the shade watching tennis and writing.  That's about all I can get in!  I swear I'm busier in the summer than during the school year.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Bridget S said:


> I have homework, homework, homework (and more homework). I'm hoping to get all my assignments turned in tonight  I'm finishing up my last class to get my Reading Specialist Certification. This class is great... Advanced Children's Literature.
> 
> Pretty much the only writing I get in occurs while my daughter is at tennis lessons. She takes lessons at a high school, and I run for thirty minutes on the track, and then for the next hour I get out my laptop and sit in the shade watching tennis and writing. That's about all I can get in! I swear I'm busier in the summer than during the school year.


I get my best writing done while GS is in TKD and baseball camp. I haul Ginny the Netbook around everywhere with me.

C&C went live, then I had to kill it again to opt in. Still waiting on the novelette to publish.  t


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Wrote only 1800 words. Just not hitting on all cylinders lately for some reason. So, 1800 words, 1 main char dead.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Wrote only 1800 words. Just not hitting on all cylinders lately for some reason. So, 1800 words, 1 main char dead.
> 
> David Dalglish


Any day you can kill off a character is a good day.

I'm not even trying to write. _Of Love and War_ is finally live and I'm sort of in that letdown period when you reach a goal.

I need to finish the second novelette and edit it, but I'm not releasing it for two months. I need to get back to the historical, but not until I finish the novelette. I need a push.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

*winds up*

*PUSH*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thanks, David.  I needed that.  Getting off the Internet now. Ginny the Netbook is already booted up. Fingers are flexed. Now I just need to get my brain in gear.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'm working on my time travel story set in the 1930's. I must say, research is so easy these days. I wanted to know how to start and drive a Model T, and I found a video of a man explaining it, without moving from my chair.

The story is almost 4,000 words and has a ways to go, so this is going to be a longish short story. I think it's a great new idea, so I'm going to try magazines like F&SF and Asimov's. I haven't had any luck with them before, but I can always hope.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

R. Reed said:


> The story is almost 4,000 words and has a ways to go, so this is going to be a longish short story. I think it's a great new idea, so I'm going to try magazines like F&SF and Asimov's. I haven't had any luck with them before, but I can always hope.


When you get to 17,000 words, it's a Novelette. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> When you get to 17,000 words, it's a Novelette.
> 
> Ed Patterson


My source says 7.5K to 20K.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Edward C. Patterson said:


> When you get to 17,000 words, it's a Novelette.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I'm thinking 6-ish. That's still a story. Though there is definite novel potential in this idea.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm not a short story writier. I did write many 30 years ago or so, very few graduating to publications (2 have). However, 3 works derived from Plays in the mid-90's, were re-written as short stories and then explanded to novella, published seperately and together, one of which is my little engine that could. _No Irish Need Apply _ 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Found another great place to write. Took GS to the Pokemon tournament at our McD's. Apparently it's every Thursday. I'm now down to the final paragraph or two of novelette #2. Probably would've finished it, but I kept hearing him laugh and I had to watch him having a good time.

Finished or not, this one's going to need a major edit.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I received my editor's first round of edits on my World Cup short story and sent the revisions back to her today. May be able to get a couple of shorts edited tomorrow before I go cover the cycling.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Spent all freaking day applying new formatting to my three novels, compiling them together, getting the coding correct, making a cover, and pumping out a product description. Now if I can just keep massaging all these books I've already written into different collections each day, I'll be set! I could have twenty books out within weeks!!

Going to try a bit of writing now, but I don't see much happening.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Spent all freaking day applying new formatting to my three novels, compiling them together, getting the coding correct, making a cover, and pumping out a product description. Now if I can just keep massaging all these books I've already written into different collections each day, I'll be set! I could have twenty books out within weeks!!
> 
> Going to try a bit of writing now, but I don't see much happening.
> 
> David Dalglish


Are you doing an omnibus edition? Good luck.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

*Gently points Gertie toward: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,28258.0.html*

It's okay, Gertie. It's only been on the front page the whole day. 

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> *Gently points Gertie toward: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,28258.0.html*
> 
> It's okay, Gertie. It's only been on the front page the whole day.
> 
> David Dalglish


Sorry, I've had other things on my mind today. Really excited about how well the short story/novelette is doing.

So, okay, I really like the cover unless you changed it further down in the thread. And I think the omnibus is a great idea.

Am I forgiven?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry, I've had other things on my mind today. Really excited about how well the short story/novelette is doing.
> 
> So, okay, I really like the cover unless you changed it further down in the thread. And I think the omnibus is a great idea.
> 
> Am I forgiven?


Aww, how could I resist a  from you, Gertie?

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did 2000 words on Dance of Cloaks. Sadly, no characters killed in the process. I must be getting soft.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I finished short story #2 and did the editing. As I expected, there was quite a bit to fix up. Just over 10K words and 32 pages. I'm not releasing it for two months. 

Back to the historical for now.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sheesh, Gertie, looks like it is just you and me writing.

Cranked out 4400 words so far, and still hope to write more. Again no characters dead. I must be losing my touch.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Sheesh, Gertie, looks like it is just you and me writing.
> 
> Cranked out 4400 words so far, and still hope to write more. Again no characters dead. I must be losing my touch.
> 
> David Dalglish


Good writing day for you. I guess everyone else has gone off for the holiday weekend.

You know, when you're not working at a regular job, a three day weekend doesn't mean much. 

Last night, just as I was falling asleep, I thought of a better way to write the last paragraph of SS #2. Then today, I was just about to take a nap when I realized I need to change the whole setting as well. The story will stay the same, but the setting has to go.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I guess everyone else has gone off for the holiday weekend.


Nah. I'm still here churning out words for _Revenge of La Malinche_ but I'm not keeping track of progress.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nah, I'm getting down to brass tacks now. I have a backlog on Operation eBook Drop and three chapters to tackle this weekend - action pack obstacle courses.   I was delayed starting only because of my lack of knowledge of Chinese Riot Control vehicles. (I'm not a car and truck person). But now I know, so man the water canons.

Ed Patterson


----------



## JoeMitchell

I wrote the first paragraph of my second book today, then fled from my writing room to have a smoke.  Trying to quit smoking and get back to writing is pulling me strongly in opposite directions.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Ootwah said:


> I wrote the first paragraph of my second book today, then fled from my writing room to have a smoke. Trying to quit smoking and get back to writing is pulling me strongly in opposite directions.


I feel so bad for you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ootwah said:


> I wrote the first paragraph of my second book today, then fled from my writing room to have a smoke. Trying to quit smoking and get back to writing is pulling me strongly in opposite directions.


Have you joined our stop smoking thread? I don't remember seeing you there. Lots of positive help over there and we don't judge. Let us help you become a smoker who doesn't smoke anymore. Once a smoker, always a smoker. You just have to learn not to take that next ciggy or the one after that or the one after that.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Rewrote SS #2 and fixed up the ending. I'm very happy with it now.  That last paragraph just wasn't quite right, but now it is.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Greetings, Earthlings! Put me in for about 4000 words so far for the weekend, and a wrap on the draft of chapter 21 for Season of the Harvest. Chaos. Destruction. Desperate heroics. Yeah, baby...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Greetings, Earthlings! Put me in for about 4000 words so far for the weekend, and a wrap on the draft of chapter 21 for Season of the Harvest. Chaos. Destruction. Desperate heroics. Yeah, baby...


Who you calling an Earthling? How long is that book gonna be?

BTW, wore my First Contact tee today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> Who you calling an Earthling? How long is that book gonna be?
> 
> BTW, wore my First Contact tee today.


Hope it's going to be waaaay long.

Working on notes for a series I'd like to do. It's another branch in my path, so I want to make sure I'm ready when the time comes.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hope it's going to be waaaay long.


Since I have to wait until he finishes it to beta read it, I don't want it waaaaay long. I'll take waaay long.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Who you calling an Earthling? How long is that book gonna be?


Ummm, as long as it needs to be? Blame my muse - it's her fault! I just passed the 200 page mark (89,000 words), so I'm guesstimating that I'm about 2/3 through it now. Hoping to have the sucker done by the end of August, if not sooner...



> BTW, wore my First Contact tee today.


Yahh! Still have to get you and Steph some goodies for Legend. Haven't forgotten ya, but now the chocolate'll melt in shipping...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ummm, as long as it needs to be? Blame my muse - it's her fault! I just passed the 200 page mark (89,000 words), so I'm guesstimating that I'm about 2/3 through it now. Hoping to have the sucker done by the end of August, if not sooner...
> 
> Yahh! Still have to get you and Steph some goodies for Legend. Haven't forgotten ya, but now the chocolate'll melt in shipping...


Blame the woman, of course....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words on The People's Treasure (the protest scene in Bei-jing). Now I have a 5 chapter chase scene, which ill be hard to sustain, but one of the most exciting stretches of the book.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Blame the woman, of course....


Well, I have to tell it like it is...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Made a good start on the notes for my upcoming (probably next year) series. I'll update as things occur to me.

Did a little cleanup on some other things and now it's back to the historical.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I finished my time travel story. It's about 5400 words. I'm going to try Fantasy and Science Fiction. I submit something there once every few years. Someday I will break in. They still do it old school, asking for a printed manuscript in the mail, with a SASE. Seems kind of quaint here, where many of our novels never touch paper.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Reed said:


> I finished my time travel story. It's about 5400 words. I'm going to try Fantasy and Science Fiction. I submit something there once every few years. Someday I will break in. They still do it old school, asking for a printed manuscript in the mail, with a SASE. Seems kind of quaint here, where many of our novels never touch paper.


Good luck!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 2,000 words and I might be up for another round tonight. (I love 3 day weekends).

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Went shooting with my brother and friends, for the first time ever too. Blasted clay pigeons with a 12 gauge, 20, shot a .354 magnum, some smaller rifles. My body is freaking sore, but man that was fun.

So obviously, no writing done yet.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Went shooting with my brother and friends, for the first time ever too. Blasted clay pigeons with a 12 gauge, 20, shot a .354 magnum, some smaller rifles. My body is freaking sore, but man that was fun.
> 
> So obviously, no writing done yet.
> 
> David Dalglish


My Dad taught me to shoot when I was a kid. Scared the heck out of my late DH when he took me to a carnival and I wiped out all the little ducks and bears at the shooting gallery. It is definitely a lot of fun. Glad you had that experience.

No writing today. I've been sick in bed most of the day. No 4th of July party, either.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My Dad taught me to shoot when I was a kid. Scared the heck out of my late DH when he took me to a carnival and I wiped out all the little ducks and bears at the shooting gallery. It is definitely a lot of fun. Glad you had that experience.
> 
> No writing today. I've been sick in bed most of the day. No 4th of July party, either.


Been a while since I was at the range, but shooting's fun (as long as nothing is shooting back at you)! Sorry you don't feel good - hope you get better soon!!

Did a little bit of writing on ch 22 this morning - still ongoing chaos. Managed a bit over 700 words before I was overtaken by the need to nap, but have managed about 4K altogether this weekend. I know I'm slacking compared to David and Ed, but hey, it's summertiiiime, and the livin' is eeeaaasyyyyyyy...!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I only shot a rifle in the Army and. although a Marksmen,  I hope to God that I never come near another one of those suckers again in my life.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Time to cue the nerves again! Got sent a Red Adept email asking me the standard author questions and whatnot, so I assume I'll get a review for book 2 at some point. Been wondering if/when she would, kinda kept it in the back of my mind, but can't do that now!

Okay. Deep breaths. Whew.

Spent my writing time going over my original answers and crafting new ones, plus about 1k on Dance.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Time to cue the nerves again! Got sent a Red Adept email asking me the standard author questions and whatnot, so I assume I'll get a review for book 2 at some point. Been wondering if/when she would, kinda kept it in the back of my mind, but can't do that now!
> 
> Okay. Deep breaths. Whew.
> 
> Spent my writing time going over my original answers and crafting new ones, plus about 1k on Dance.
> 
> David Dalglish


Fantastic news. I'm sure she's going to like the second book even more than the first.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Fantastic news. I'm sure she's going to like the second book even more than the first.


Going by both reviews, people here on KB, and people I've talked to in RL, the second book is universally considered much better than the first. But at the same time, I had that one guy on Amazon who loved book one but -hated- the ending to book two. I reeeeally hope you're right, Gertie. I feel pretty confident she will as well. But there's always that psychotically-nervous part of me that is like "you are so gonna get hosed".

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

Wow, you guys are just powering along! *boggle* I'm impressed 

I just took a week off work at doctor's orders. While I don't think my deteriorating health was completely stress-related, I figured it wasn't helping. I realised just how much stress I usually put on myself - EEK! I'm Overachiever Girl (how's that for a superpower?).

I did bend the strict no-work rules on Thursday and wrote about 700 words on Vampire Suicide Agency. Boy, this thing is completely different from my other books, writing-wise. Everything else I've written mostly linear, then gone back and filled in the holes. This, I'm writing bits and pieces all over the place. I have 7k-odd words spread over the first half or 3/4 of what's shaping up to be at least 50k words... I feel like I'm writing a jigsaw puzzle!


----------



## J.M Pierce

Half-Orc said:


> Went shooting with my brother and friends, for the first time ever too. Blasted clay pigeons with a 12 gauge, 20, shot a .354 magnum, some smaller rifles. My body is freaking sore, but man that was fun.
> 
> So obviously, no writing done yet.
> 
> David Dalglish


Excellent! I collect old military rifles and haven't been out in months until yesterday. Shot my 1943 Turkish K-kale Mauser (8mm), 1917 British Enfield Mark 1 (.303), 1955 Swiss K-31 (7.5 x 55mm), and last but not least, my 1948 Mossberg 151-mb (.22lr). I shot over 40 rounds of high power rifle and my shoulder is shot! (no pun...well yeah it was intended) Had a great time.

I haven't gotten any writing done this weekend either. Been out of town and with extended family. Tomorrow morning is a date for me and my easy chair to get back in the groove.

Happy 4th to everyone. Be safe!

J.M.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Speaking about machine guns, I cranked out 5,600 words today. Cracked 155,000 words.

Ed Patterson


----------



## J.M Pierce

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Speaking about machine guns, I cranked out 5,600 words today. Cracked 155,000 words.
> 
> Ed Patterson


You are a beast Edward!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Speaking about machine guns, I cranked out 5,600 words today. Cracked 155,000 words.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Jeez, Ed, yer fingers are gonna fall off!


----------



## D.A. Boulter

I'm busy proofing a book.  I'd heard that a good way to do it is to read it aloud, so I'm getting a little hoarse, but, by gum, I'm ferreting out the mistakes!  Been reading for 2-3 hrs straight.  Time for a break from that!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Speaking about machine guns, I cranked out 5,600 words today. Cracked 155,000 words.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Hrmm....sounds like a challenge!!

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

D.A. Boulter said:


> I'm busy proofing a book. I'd heard that a good way to do it is to read it aloud, so I'm getting a little hoarse, but, by gum, I'm ferreting out the mistakes! Been reading for 2-3 hrs straight. Time for a break from that!


The best way to proof is to read it backwards. "Magda threw herself off the tower." Read it as ... tower the off herself threw Magda.

Then after you've read a whole book like that, you'll probably want to throw yourself off the tower.  But it does work.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

If you have a Kindle, use the text to speech option. It'll save your voice.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> If you have a Kindle, use the text to speech option. It'll save your voice.
> 
> David Dalglish


Katie der Kindelspreche is an editing God-send.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I plan on using her (or him) on my next manuscript. Too many words get by like hat instead of that when I just reread it.


----------



## Jeff

If you're using Windows you can also use Text to Speech. I wrote a free utility several years ago that will monitor the clipboard, read what you paste in or read from a text file.

http://www.jhepple.com/fxtxttalker.htm










When I use it, I select the "text on clipboard" option then highlight the text I want read from my manuscript and press Control+C and move through the document, editing as I go. It will read a whole document if you save it as a text file first, but I find that harder to follow.


----------



## Sharlow

I got 3,000+ words out last night with fireworks going off all around my home. Some pretty big explosions, not sure what they were firing. Shook the whole place a few times. Felt good about it as I was still suffering from writers burn out and hadn't wrote anything in days.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 1,500 words late last night.

Ed Patterson


----------



## D.A. Boulter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Another 1,500 wards late last night.
> 
> Ed Patterson


You take your protection very seriously. Trust me, I'll not come within miles of your retreat.

Congrats on the word count. Wish I could say likewise.


----------



## J.M Pierce

Jeff said:


> If you're using Windows you can also use Text to Speech. I wrote a free utility several years ago that will monitor the clipboard, read what you paste in or read from a text file.
> 
> http://www.jhepple.com/fxtxttalker.htm
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I use it, I select the "text on clipboard" option then highlight the text I want read from my manuscript and press Control+C and move through the document, editing as I go. It will read a whole document if you save it as a text file first, but I find that harder to follow.


This is great! Thank you so much Jeff.

J.M.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

D.A. Boulter said:


> You take your protection very seriously. Trust me, I'll not come within miles of your retreat.
> 
> Congrats on the word count. Wish I could say likewise.


Those were EdWARDS


----------



## blackpaca

I have thoroughly enjoyed the half-orc series and now find myself looking desperately online for the 4th book! I must say that cried with the characters from their loss of loved ones. I have grown angry with Harruq over the way his world is being thrown into chaos. I rejoice when a victory is won. The story is very engaging and I lose myself in it.
I will admit that if there wasn't magic in the stories, I would never had started the series to begin with. I'm more of a magic-and-dragons sort of person. I have been reading fantasy for over 20 years, and this series brings out more emotion than most over those years. Thank you for that.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Um, wow. Thanks a ton for the amazing compliment Blackpaca!

I have a thread in the Book Bazaar here, where this post would probably be a bit more appropriate, though 

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,27102.0.html

As for the fourth book, hoping to have it out in about October. And I'll have Dance of Cloaks out sometime around August.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*Waving to everyone*

It's been a long weekend covering cycling, but I'm baaaaack. It's also excruciatingly hot outside. 

My editor is making her second pass on my World Cup short story before she dives into the edits on my next novel. Hope to have it ready to go by late August. Then looking into a cover artist.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I came home from work and the air conditioner was on the fritz. It's being fixed as we speak. But on a good note, _*The Jade Owl * _ (a big ass China fantasy at 600 pages and has been out for over 2 years was at _Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #8,473 Paid in Kindle Store _ and _The Academician _ climbed to 9,000. AND a book that I only sell a few of per month, I've sold 18 so far in 6 days (_*Cutting the Cheese*_). Now add the Smashwords promotion into the fray, this is the first time I've broke the 200 book mark before the middle of the month. Even excluding Smashwords, readers are going ga-ga for the books (and the Jade Owl is not your $ .99 - $ .79 bargain, but $ 3.99, as I stayed pat with my prices). I'm excited (plus a wonderful 5-star review for _*Look Away Silence * _ which I plastered from here to kingdom come). Now I mustn't get used to it, because these things come in waves, but we must ride the wave when we can, because when we're dead, we'll never see it. (Alas, poor Melville, I knew him well).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## nomesque

WHY am I now picturing thousands of ECP-clones over-running the boards? 

Wrote about 400 words of Vampire Suicide Agency on the train this morning, either side of a quick conversation with a train buddy. Got through the 'murder'. I'm a bit sad, because they were my fave character so far. Oh well, it's not the first time I've killed a favourite character - although last time it was at the very, very start of the book, and we never actually saw her die.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Most of the time I get a sick glee killing off a character, though one or two has made me shed an embarrassing amount of tears while doing so.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

nomesque said:


> WHY am I now picturing thousands of ECP-clones over-running the boards?


No one clones the Queen, hon. One of kind and keep her tiara brasso bright. 

Miss Chatty


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No one clones the Queen, hon. One of kind and keep her tiara brasso bright.
> 
> Miss Chatty


Apologies, Chatty m'love... it's just that the mere idea of thousands of you left me breathless!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

nomesque said:


> Apologies, Chatty m'love... it's just that the mere idea of thousands of you left me breathless!


Wel,l I include my head shot in my ebooks, and since I'm over the 6,500 mark, that is a lot of me, isn't it?

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Okay. You guys ready for your head to explode? You ready? Really? Here goes.

7400 words. Four main characters dead. And most importantly:

A DANCE OF CLOAKS IS FINISHED!!!!

Man that feels good. I might go over it tomorrow to make sure I didn't rush it, but oh does it feel soooo good. Now to relax, buy some ink cartridges, and print out a rough to edit. Unbelievable, though. The moment's finally here, and if I so say myself, I wrote a damn good story.

David Dalglish


----------



## Guest

You're on an awesome roll, David!

As for me, it's so d*amn hot. Milk was a bad choice.


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wel,l I include my head shot in my ebooks, and since I'm over the 6,500 mark, that is a lot of me, isn't it?


*faints*


----------



## Sharlow

Well I've written over 7,000 words over the last couple of days. My air conditioner is not up to the task of keeping me cool, so I ended up at a friends house and wrote on my lap top. Then disaster struck. My power cord has a short. Figures, the first time I want to use it for myself in three years and the power coed goes out. so I ordered one online. Hopefully it will be here before the weekend.

Might have to go to hand writing at McDonald's the next couple of days, as there predicting near 100 degrees. I hate that as I bever know how many words I've written then till after I'm finished.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

you know, some of us can't belt out that kind of wordage. You're making us feel bad.


----------



## Dave Dykema

That's a ridiculous amount of words in one day (it wasn't all one sitting, was it?). But the feeling of finishing the book is awesome. I've only done it twice, but have a pile of half-finished and mis-steps laying around.

Nice job!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Congratulations, David. Those cloaks are dancing with joy.
I got an email from my agent (I still have trouble believing I have one) saying that she finished my book and she thinks it's a "tour de force" and that she couldn't put it down. Maybe agents are contractually obligated to love their clients' books, but I still felt pretty good.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I did 2,000 around 11-12 and then did the remaining 5,400 from about 8-11. Was a good day.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Okay. You guys ready for your head to explode? You ready? Really? Here goes.
> 
> 7400 words. Four main characters dead. And most importantly:
> 
> A DANCE OF CLOAKS IS FINISHED!!!!
> 
> Man that feels good. I might go over it tomorrow to make sure I didn't rush it, but oh does it feel soooo good. Now to relax, buy some ink cartridges, and print out a rough to edit. Unbelievable, though. The moment's finally here, and if I so say myself, I wrote a d*mn good story.
> 
> David Dalglish


Oligart does it again!! Congrats, David.

Been doing a lot of research for the historical. I want to get back to it this week. No wordage at all since I finished the second novelette.

Tae Kwon Do tonight for the GS, so I know some work will get done.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oligart does it again!! Congrats, David.


I actually snuck in a character named Oligart. He died. I think about that point I was starting to slip a little in the mental capacity department.

David Dalglish


----------



## J.M Pierce

Half-Orc said:


> Okay. You guys ready for your head to explode? You ready? Really? Here goes.
> 
> 7400 words. Four main characters dead. And most importantly:
> 
> A DANCE OF CLOAKS IS FINISHED!!!!
> 
> Man that feels good. I might go over it tomorrow to make sure I didn't rush it, but oh does it feel soooo good. Now to relax, buy some ink cartridges, and print out a rough to edit. Unbelievable, though. The moment's finally here, and if I so say myself, I wrote a d*mn good story.
> 
> David Dalglish


Congratulations David! Well done.

J.M.


----------



## Fixer

Just a word, if I may, about the tremendous support this group (and every Kindle group, for that matter) provides for authors and publishing-services providers. I've received a lot of great feedback on my book, and am working with several authors to edit and/or publish upcoming books. None of that would ever have happened had I relied solely on more traditional marketing venues.

I live in a big and rapidly growing community (Aurora, CO / suburban Denver), but watching this online community gives me almost as much pride as, well, watching the Colorado Rockies forge a 9-run ninth inning comeback against the Cards last night (so sorry to all of you _GREAT_ fans - best in the world - in St. Louis; but _*Smith happens*_).

ED


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

CONGRATS, David! That's awesome - both the word count (do you have fingers left?) and on getting the book, or at least the draft, finished!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Fixer said:


> Just a word, if I may, about the tremendous support this group (and every Kindle group, for that matter) provides for authors and publishing-services providers. I've received a lot of great feedback on my book, and am working with several authors to edit and/or publish upcoming books. None of that would ever have happened had I relied solely on more traditional marketing venues.
> 
> I live in a big and rapidly growing community (Aurora, CO / suburban Denver), but watching this online community gives me almost as much pride as, well, watching the Colorado Rockies forge a 9-run ninth inning comeback against the Cards last night (so sorry to all of you _GREAT_ fans - best in the world - in St. Louis; but _*Smith happens*_).
> 
> ED


In a weird case of six-degrees of separation, the message and phone number on my "Wrong Number" cover is written by Rockies bench coach Tom Runnels's wife.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

And the World Cup zombie short story is done!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm used to writing a lot. It also helps that I can go upwards of 170 wpm when typing. By the time I finished, though, I was a liiiittle tired. Evidently at one point I wrote 'hole' where I wanted 'wall'. Edited about 12k words today. Hope to do more.

Gratz on the zombie story, John. Where might one read this story?

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> And the World Cup zombie short story is done!


Zombies and vampires are everywhere.

David, can't believe you type that fast. I used to be the fastest typist around at 95 wpm until we got someone in at 120 wpm. 170 wpm is unreal. I'm probably down to about 80 now.

Worked on the historical timeline tonight. When I finished, I felt like starting another novelette. Didn't know what it was going to be about until I started typing. All of these novelettes are set around the beach/boardwalk. So that part was easy. Got 300 words done, so it's a start.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 2600 words on _Season Of The Harvest_ done, completing chapter 23 and a major action sequence. Lots of shooting, explosions, and general mayhem. Who knew that writing about GMOs could be so exciting?!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> About 2600 words on _Season Of The Harvest_ done, completing chapter 23 and a major action sequence. Lots of shooting, explosions, and general mayhem. Who knew that writing about GMOs could be so exciting?!


All you guys just love blowing things up. I'm going to have to do a time travel where a tiger tank travels back to medieval England and blows up a few castles.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> About 2600 words on _Season Of The Harvest_ done, completing chapter 23 and a major action sequence. Lots of shooting, explosions, and general mayhem. Who knew that writing about GMOs could be so exciting?!


I don't know how exciting it is, I'm still waiting....



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> All you guys just love blowing things up. I'm going to have to do a time travel where a tiger tank travels back to medieval England and blows up a few castles.


I think it's already been done, Gertie....


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

To be fair, Gertie, I don't type that fast while 'writing'. That's just on a timed test if I go to any random website. It was rather funny in high school. By the fourth week, we had a typing test and I hit 168 with five errors. That clocked me in faster than the teacher by a good 40 wpm. Was greeeeat.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> All you guys just love blowing things up. I'm going to have to do a time travel where a tiger tank travels back to medieval England and blows up a few castles.


Can I be the gunner? Please??


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> I think it's already been done, Gertie....


Yeah, but I can do it better.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I don't know how exciting it is, I'm still waiting....


I know, I know! If more people would buy my books so I could afford to quit my day job, we wouldn't have this problem!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Half-Orc said:


> Gratz on the zombie story, John. Where might one read this story?


I'm hoping it's picked up as part of a horror/sci-fi anthology.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> I'm hoping it's picked up as part of a horror/sci-fi anthology.


Now if I can just figure out what sport it is...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now if I can just figure out what sport it is...


LOL, real football.


----------



## nomesque

John Fitch V said:


> LOL, real football.


AFL ZOMBIES!!!! YAY!!!!

*snicker*


----------



## Sean Sweeney

nomesque said:


> AFL ZOMBIES!!!! YAY!!!!
> 
> *snicker*


HAHA! Love it. Met some Aussie cyclists over the weekend at the race I covered. Asked them who they followed in AFL, one said Collinwood. They were sorta impressed that I followed it a little.


----------



## nomesque

John Fitch V said:


> HAHA! Love it. Met some Aussie cyclists over the weekend at the race I covered. Asked them who they followed in AFL, one said Collinwood. They were sorta impressed that I followed it a little.


Wow! I'm impressed too  I love the sheer chaos of AFL, but I don't watch it on TV often.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I knew those vuvuzelas were summoning the dead.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

R. Reed said:


> I knew those vuvuzelas were summoning the dead.


From what John's told me, I think you're scarily close to the mark.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I am going to de-passive-fy my first Obloeron prequel novel for the next few days. If anyone has any booze, please send it to my office. Thanks.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

John Fitch V said:


> I am going to de-passive-fy my first Obloeron prequel novel for the next few days. If anyone has any booze, please send it to my office. Thanks.


Oh, I feel for you. That's a pain -- and I still have 1/2 of one novel to do the same to. Been putting that off for the last year.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did five pages and 1700 words today. A decent day's work. Feel's good.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I swear on my father's grave that I shall find the person who decided that passive voice was inappropriate and beat them to a pulp. I never learned this in school.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

*The person who decided passive voice was inappropriate was beaten to a pulp by John Fitch.*


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The Fifth. Don't forget The Fifth.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> I swear on my father's grave that I shall find the person who decided that passive voice was inappropriate and beat them to a pulp. I never learned this in school.


If you didn't learn it in school, then probably most of your readers didn't either. But don't let me keep you from the fun.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*Grumbles* Thanks. Really. Thanks.


----------



## nomesque

I think anyone who declares absolute rules for writing needs at least a gentle smack over the head with the full Oxford English Dictionary...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

nomesque said:


> I think anyone who declares absolute rules for writing needs at least a gentle smack over the head with the full Oxford English Dictionary...


If you can lift it.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

So many writing rules......... *drinks*


----------



## nomesque

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If you can lift it.


What's so hard to lift about these?


----------



## R. M. Reed

I have read tons of books and never noticed whether the voice was active or passive. When I was submitting my horror novel to my critique group, one member, a published author, kept harping on passive voice so I gave in and started looking for it. I don't know if this is exactly what she meant, but I ended up taking out the word "had" unless there was no possible way to make sense without it. I did feel that the book was slicker and easier to read when I was finished.


----------



## R. M. Reed

nomesque said:


> What's so hard to lift about these?


My mother has the whole thing in two huge volumes, with a magnifying glass included. You have to seriously need to look something up to deal with all that.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Reed said:


> My mother has the whole thing in two huge volumes, with a magnifying glass included. You have to seriously need to look something up to deal with all that.


I used to have one. Had to keep it on a pedestal.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

R. Reed said:


> I have read tons of books and never noticed whether the voice was active or passive. When I was submitting my horror novel to my critique group, one member, a published author, kept harping on passive voice so I gave in and started looking for it. I don't know if this is exactly what she meant, but I ended up taking out the word "had" unless there was no possible way to make sense without it. I did feel that the book was slicker and easier to read when I was finished.


Stephen King gave many good examples about passive voice in his book On Writing, which I would strongly suggest reading. Fantastic book. Anyway, the gist is pretty simple:

Instead of saying "The sandwich was eaten by Bob" you say "Bob ate the sandwich." This may seem so obvious when they're right next to each other, and the sentence is simple. However, when people start trying to get fancy they can go a little overboard.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I used to have one. Had to keep it on a pedestal.


Those books remind me of my copy of the Sung Dynastic History, only its photographically reduced to its fit 4 up on a page, and you read it front to back and top to botton and right to left. 

Blasted out 3,000 words on _*The People's Treasure*_, and one of the more cinematic chapters of the book. This chapter has been literally in my head for a year and a half, but could never be put on paper until the preceding 160,000 words were laid down for it. I hope it knocks Peg of the Red Pencil off her seat tomorrow. She's been waiting for it for a long time and I've shuffled in the last 2 days wanting the first coat to be perfect, so the revision would be . . . well, one of those moments that transcends language.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

About 1/3 of the way through editing Dance of Cloaks. Haven't put the revisions into the computer yet, so that'll take a bit more time as well.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> Stephen King gave many good examples about passive voice in his book On Writing, which I would strongly suggest reading. Fantastic book. Anyway, the gist is pretty simple:
> 
> Instead of saying "The sandwich was eaten by Bob" you say "Bob ate the sandwich." This may seem so obvious when they're right next to each other, and the sentence is simple. However, when people start trying to get fancy they can go a little overboard.
> 
> David Dalglish


On Writing is my Bible. However, there's nothing wrong with passive mode. You just need to know when it suits best. I just wrote an action sequence and banished most of the passive sentences (and even sentences - that is went with many fragments). However, there's a surprise in the action, and the only way to deliver it is to go passive (that is hiding the subject). So, it's not a hard and fast rule, unless we're editing the Oxford Dictionary. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

But again, you do your best to follow the rules until you know when to break it. I use passive voice myself, most often to describe locations.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> But again, you do your best to follow the rules until you know when to break it. I use passive voice myself, most often to describe locations.
> 
> David Dalglish


Oh, I learned how to break the rules 40 years ago.  It reminds me of a story about Giuseppi Verdi. He was bound by his teacher Lavigna to eternally compose fugues. He hated the form, because it was rule ladden and restrictive. He vowed to never write another fugue in his life when Lavigna kicked the bucket . . . Yet, at 85 years of age, in his last opera _Fastaff_, he needed to end his life's work. The closing ensemble of the work is _Tutto il mondo e pazzo_," All the world is crazy and life is nothing but a joke - and he set it as . . . a fugue. So sometimes there's a time to follow the rules and thereby flip your teachers the bird. 

_Viva la Verdi_
Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Can't sleep. Had to write. Did about 500 words. i could use a little writer's block so I can sleep.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> i could use a little writer's block so I can sleep.


On the way...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> On the way...


Thanks, Jeff. It worked. I was back to bed and asleep at 4am.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*Sighs*


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I've spent hours proofreading today (best estimate, about 60,000 words). Should hopefully finish by tonight, only have about 40 pages left.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had to take Mom to the ER today. She's fine. Just needs bed rest, muscle relaxants and pain killers, all mild. 

So I brought Ginny the netbook with me and in between running back and forth, I got 1100 words done. The story is really beginning to gel.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just got a lengthy email from someone who finished book 1 and 2. It's like 4 paragraphs long, and I just have to share the end (and of course, I don't really know a better place to share than my favorite little thread).

Be very much forewarned, huge spoilers.



> But the reason I am e-mailing you isn't just about the connections I felt to Harruq and Qurrah (or all of your characters really) it is the way you tell each persons story so well, so vividly, that I cried for a long time last night
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> when I read of Aullienna's death
> 
> 
> . The way you described Harruq's pain, the pain of all of the Eschaton really, was so real I felt like my own daughter had died. These days we constantly read of child abductions and murders in the news, it is a parents worst nightmare. I've learned since becoming a parent what a true nightmare is. The few dreams I have of losing Cadence wake me with tears and a heart that feels like its broken in a million pieces. Reading past the funeral pyre part of your book, I put down my iPhone (must have been just after midnight) and I went and laid down next to Cadence in her room, just watching her sleep, thinking of Harruq and Aurelia. My fiance had to come in and get me, wondering why I was so upset about a book of all things!
> 
> I just wanted to thank you for writing such an amazing series. Of all the books I've read, yours are by far the best and I tell everyone I know to get them. I will be purchasing The Death of Promises this weekend. And even though I have them on my iPhone, I plan to get actual copies of them so I can put them on my bookshelf, cover art facing my room.


Just...wow.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

That's awesome, Dave.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Makes two of us on editing, too.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

That's the kind of thing that keeps us going. Well done, David. Hang it over your computer in case you get another two star review. You can read it and rejoice that there are people who love your writing.  The intelligent ones, of course.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

OK, that novel is edited. Now to rest and gear up for the next editing project.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

David -

That's awesome!! It's always a good day when you get something like that...!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Whew. All 123,000 words edited in pass number one. Now to actually get all this put into the file itself. Sigh. Editing is so much work. I need to sell more books so I can pay someone else to do this for me  

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Half-Orc said:


> Whew. All 123,000 words edited in pass number one. Now to actually get all this put into the file itself. Sigh. Editing is so much work. I need to sell more books so I can pay someone else to do this for me
> 
> David Dalglish


You have my sympathies.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I just printed out my baseball thriller manuscript. It's an inch thick, 195 pages. 

Wish me luck.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Good luck, have fun.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I may have to return to alcoholic status after this.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Meanwhile, Kindleboards has started giving me a bunch of Haagen Dazs advertisements when I'm here. I wonder if I have some bad reviews about to hit...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I just had an ad for chronic back pain. They know way too much.


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Just got a lengthy email from someone who finished book 1 and 2. It's like 4 paragraphs long, and I just have to share the end (and of course, I don't really know a better place to share than my favorite little thread).
> 
> Be very much forewarned, huge spoilers.
> 
> Just...wow.
> 
> David Dalglish


That was awesome! That should make you feel great, and Gertie's right, that next 2 star review that comes in, assuming you ever get one again, just look at that letter. Should fix you right up.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> I just had an ad for chronic back pain. They know way too much.


If you'd stop sitting and *watching* sports and get out and *play* some, you might not have so much of a problem!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> If you'd stop sitting and *watching* sports and get out and *play* some, you might not have so much of a problem!


I exercise my fingers every day and I still can't open a jar.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I exercise my fingers every day and I still can't open a jar.


that's 'cause you're supposed to use your teeth! arrrrrr!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Have a heart condition, can't play sports.

Just gave the Obloeron shorts another read and edit. Thinking about starting in on the baseball thriller edits tonight.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,700 words of revision work up front on _*The People's Treasure*_. Will work on fresh meat today. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Ed, your little smiley face shows that you want us to "go down that path." And we always do.

Someday you're going to actually mean that, and we'll all just think you're working on a book.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Smiling today, a lot. Finished 3,700 fresh meat pages for _*The People's Treasure*_, which is now at the 162,000 word mark. Also did some preliminary restructuring on the old *Road to Grafenwoehr * manuscript as I will start work on that during the final revisions of _*The People's Treasure*_ (September). Plus ordered a monograph from the Cambridge University Press on the Sung Dynasty Justice system, legal tracts, court cases in the 12th Century and some punitive statutes, because _*Swan Cloud * _ (the 3rd Book of the _*Southern Swallow*_ Series) is being cast as a 12th Century Chinese murder mystery (in a way) and although I am very well schooled on Sung Dynasty governmental processes, since I'm dipping deeply into the legal system and investigative boundaries, I want to be on sure footing for my readers. The book should be here on Wednesday (a cheap one at $ 87.00 on sale).  I hope I make $ 87.00 on _*Swan Cloud*_, which after the initial run will be priced at $ .99 like the first 2. Well, at least I didn't need to cook a complete Tuscan feast to like I did to write 2 paragraphs in _*The Dragon's Pool * _ (I did recoup that cost in spades and put on three pounds). Yum.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Have a heart condition, can't play sports.


That sucks, dude! Okay, I'll stop giving you a hard time, except to entertain you with my endless ignorance about sports! 



> Thinking about starting in on the baseball thriller edits tonight.


As long as it features some beer and hot dogs (organic only, though)!! 

Haven't done any writing yet today, but am going to head over to the table and pop open LilBlue and see if the muse is awake. Not sure where she's going to take me on this next chapter...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Seventy pages of edits left to punch into the comp...sooooo tedious.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did some housekeeping chores on novelette #3 and a little research. I have to spend time at my Mom's since she's pretty much bed-ridden right now. Nothing serious. She's on muscle relaxants so she's woozy most of the time and I have to watch her.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The heat took a lot out of me today, mainly in the perspiration category. May just relax, may watch a ballgame, may just read. But no editing. No no no edit, no edit.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> The heat took a lot out of me today, mainly in the perspiration category. May just relax, may watch a ballgame, may just read. But no editing. No no no edit, no edit.


Yeah, sometimes it's just good to chill. I was planning on writing some more tonight, but I think I need to let my muse spin through the story a bit. I'm at one of those places where the path you choose to head down may or may not lead to a dead end a long ways further into the story. That happened to me with the original draft of In Her Name, and I wound up throwing away about 350 pages of text and completely rewriting it.

Sooo, I'm thinking I may just finish watching the second two Resident Evil movies, enjoy my strawberry margarita, and munch on some chocolate to give the muse her fix for the evening!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, sometimes it's just good to chill. I was planning on writing some more tonight, but I think I need to let my muse spin through the story a bit. I'm at one of those places where the path you choose to head down may or may not lead to a dead end a long ways further into the story. That happened to me with the original draft of In Her Name, and I wound up throwing away about 350 pages of text and completely rewriting it.
> 
> Sooo, I'm thinking I may just finish watching the second two Resident Evil movies, enjoy my strawberry margarita, and munch on some chocolate to give the muse her fix for the evening!


The muse wants a diet coke to go with her chocolate. No alcohol, then she starts giving you very weird ideas.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

The Resident Evil movies are such guilty pleasures, especially for my wife.

And edits done! Time to start firing off copies to various outside sources to tell me if I produced a diamond or a bleak, dull piece of coal. Oh, and find out some of my more stupid errors.

David Dalglish


----------



## nomesque

John - I hope the heat lets up soon!

DavidDangles - Yay! 

I wrote about 800 words of Vamp Suicide Agency on the train on the way to work. W00t! So far this book's been a dream to write. Occasional feelings of being stumped, but they've quickly resolved into plotlines that I like. Only 40k or so words to go - meep!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, took a nap and up for another round of writing. Yahoo!!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

nomesque said:


> John - I hope the heat lets up soon!


Oh, it will. In October.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Blowing cool weather to John 

ECP


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Ed is a master of all trades: writer, philosopher, and air conditioner.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Ed is a master of all trades: writer, philosopher, and air conditioner.


And just wait until winter when he starts blowing the hot air! Sorry, Ed, couldn't resist that one!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You stole me line.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just wrote 3100 words on a little side project titled "A Land of Ash." I'm taking the concept of my short story in McAfee's "The Lake" and expanding it. Figure it'll be a collection of short stories detailing normal characters dealing with the awesome destruction of the Yellowstone Caldera's eruption. "One Last Dinner Party" will be the opening, following by this second short story titled "Shelter." Given the responses I've had for OLDP (friend read it aloud to his classroom after I finished, and it even made the other teacher cry) I'm pretty dang proud of what I have so far. It'll be a big stretch away from my normal fantasy, however, so I'm a bit nervous.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Leaving to take the GS to TKD. That means some wordage on novelette #3 unless I feel like working on the historical.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Leaving to take the GS to TKD. That means some wordage on novelette #3 unless I feel like working on the historical.


w00t! for everybody! 

i didn't do any wordage yesterday, and probably won't today, except maybe to go back over a bit of the last chapter and get any sense of where the heck i'm supposed to take it next (and i forgot to capitalize everything in this post - oh, well)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! for everybody!
> 
> i didn't do any wordage yesterday, and probably won't today, except maybe to go back over a bit of the last chapter and get any sense of where the heck i'm supposed to take it next (and i forgot to capitalize everything in this post - oh, well)...


Now he thinks he's e.e.cummings. 

Reached 1K so far today, but I'm still working.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 words today in revisions.  

Ed "the airconditioner/heater" Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, are you blowing hot and cold again?

1200 words total today and time to stop.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just finished the first round of edits to my baseball thriller. I've also retitled it from LOADED UP to ROYAL SWITCHEROO. It'll work.

I have a headache.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I like Royal Switcheroo.


----------



## JumpingShip

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, are you blowing hot and cold again?
> 
> 1200 words total today and time to stop.


Darn, you guys are all guilting me into writing today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

MaryMcDonald said:


> Darn, you guys are all guilting me into writing today.


Just wait until Wed, Thu, & Fri. GS has baseball camp and that's 3.5 hours. Of course some of that time I'll be putting away my netbook, folding up my camp chair and following him from field to field, but mostly I can get a lot of writing done.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Just finished the first round of edits to my baseball thriller. I've also retitled it from LOADED UP to ROYAL SWITCHEROO. It'll work.
> 
> I have a headache.


Does "royal switcheroo" have some special meaning in baseball? Otherwise, it doesn't strike me as a thriller title, dude, and "loaded up" (I think I know what that's supposed to mean) sounds like somebody's getting ready to move...? Just an observation... 

And Ed, I think we'll call you "HVAC" from now on... 

Have to finish dinner (which is outstanding tonight - sauteed shrimp!), wait a little bit, run my three miles, then hit the plot: the muse is ready to get back into action tonight!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And Ed, I think we'll call you "HVAC" from now on...


I prefer, High-blown fairy. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I prefer, High-blown fairy.
> 
> Ed Patterson


NO COMMENT!


----------



## Gone 9/21/18

I'm feeling sorry for myself and need to whine right now. Everyone can skip this post, but making it will probably make me feel better. Yesterday was a very bad day.  I was happily going through posts on all the Kindle forums when my computer just died. The electricity was gone for the whole house. In fact after a call to the power company, I learned it was gone for a large area all around me.

Instead of hanging impatiently around the house, I took my trusty netbook to the library and used their wi fi connection for a couple of hours, returned home to electricity, yet my PC wouldn't boot. Nobody's fault but my own. I knew the power supply was on its way out and instead of replacing it had been just leaving the machine on. Found a place that fixes computers that told me over the phone they had the right part and raced there before they closed. They offered to put the thing in on the spot for $15 so I had them do it - and then have worried ever since about what they may have taken off or put on the machine. I changed passwords to important accounts the minute I got home, but....

Today the machine worked fine, but when I tried to access email the second time of the day, the program wanted to reinstall, acted as if nothing was there or ever had been. AND I couldn't find the email boxes anywhere on the hard drive! Yes, I back up, but I couldn't find the email boxes on the backup either. Finally got myself calmed down and did some Googling around. I've always used Eudora for email and sometime ago Qualcom abandoned the program. I kind of remembered that I'd gone to Thunderbird, which is supposed to be a kind of successor program. When I researched T-bird the solution finally came - it puts mailboxes in a totally different place and they have different file extensions than Eudora. So I found them, installed the newest version of T-bird and it picked up the mailboxes fine and I've lost nothing except hours to frantic panic. I have email saved that the loss of would be a major setback, both for my little indie author venture and for my dog club and other stuff.

And of course now the worry is more intense - it was a reputable computer shop and they only had the machine half an hour. Just putting the new power supply in as neatly as they did and cleaning all the dust out of the machine's insides probably took that much time, but still.... How I wish I'd just bought the blasted power supply and installed it myself.


----------



## nomesque

Ellen - *hugs* You might have some hard drive damage there too, if data's disappeared. Do you have another - or a USB stick - you can copy important data over to?


----------



## Gone 9/21/18

nomesque said:


> Ellen - *hugs* You might have some hard drive damage there too, if data's disappeared. Do you have another - or a USB stick - you can copy important data over to?


Thanks for the sympathy. There wasn't any data lost - it was just that the program blew up and I couldn't find the data for quite a while. When I figured out where to look, it was all there. But to answer your question, yes, I have thumb drives, but I protect the books by keeping them on both the desktop computer and the netbook, and an external hard drive. My worry is that the email program blew up because some nasty tech put something evil on my PC - or copied something off that could be used for identity theft or something else ugly.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

What a bad day, Ellen. Hope all your fears come to nothing. We have to trust the techs that work on our computers. Not much of a choice. I have to take the GS's netbook in because he ... well, it's too painful to go into. One doesn't like to think that one's GS is an idiot, but there it is.

I'm watching Deadliest Catch right now. Very sad episode. We all know what's going to happen, but it's still tough to watch.


----------



## nomesque

ellenoc said:


> Thanks for the sympathy. There wasn't any data lost - it was just that the program blew up and I couldn't find the data for quite a while. When I figured out where to look, it was all there. But to answer your question, yes, I have thumb drives, but I protect the books by keeping them on both the desktop computer and the netbook, and an external hard drive. My worry is that the email program blew up because some nasty tech put something evil on my PC - or copied something off that could be used for identity theft or something else ugly.


*nod* 'It's unlikely' doesn't help much, eh? What sort of info did you have stored?

If you DO routinely store critical, unencrypted information on your computer, you might want to consider switching over to Ubuntu (Linux) - it gives users the option to encrypt all data in their home directory (similar to 'My Documents' in Windows). The directory is automatically decrypted each time you log in, re-encrypted when you log out. Otherwise - set up your browser to delete all personal information on a daily or weekly basis, and don't store personal information that can be used to verify your identity online or over the phone - birth date, address, full name, account numbers, social security number.


----------



## Gone 9/21/18

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I have to take the GS's netbook in because he ... well, it's too painful to go into.


I know I'm being dense, but what is a GS? Great Spouse? Good Spouse? Great Satan?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ellenoc said:


> I know I'm being dense, but what is a GS? Great Spouse? Good Spouse? Great Satan?


I asked already awhile back. Grandson.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

And GD is granddaughter. GKs is grandkids. Sorry to confuse everyone. 

While we're at it, Ellen, TKD is Tae Kwon Do. I do most of my writing while watching GS at TKD class.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Mike, Royal has to do with the Kansas City Royals baseball team... the Switcheroo has to do with the plot. It fits.

And it's a mild thriller. 

Over halfway done inputting the changes. I got 107 1/2 pages done before I went to my game, so I'll finish it tomorrow. I'll put it on the shelf for a week or two, then return to it to see how I feel about it.


----------



## Gone 9/21/18

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> And GD is granddaughter.


Ah, I'm one of those people who use GD as an adjective, e.g., gd computer.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ellenoc said:


> Ah, I'm one of those people who use GD as an adjective, e.g., gd computer.


That's why I thought I'd explain. Sometimes I use it to describe the little darling, too. She can be an awfully rotten. Then she gives me a hug and says "Grammy, you are the light."

Off to baseball camp this morning. I shudder to think of the heat.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I just finished inputting all my changes into ROYAL SWITCHEROO. Edit in a day, input in a day. Call me efficient.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> I just finished inputting all my changes into ROYAL SWITCHEROO. Edit in a day, input in a day. Call me efficient.


Hi, Efficient!

Didn't get as much done at baseball camp as I had hoped. We were rained out. Did get 1K done and the story is taking a new and unexpected direction. That's always interesting.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hi, Efficient!
> 
> Didn't get as much done at baseball camp as I had hoped. We were rained out. Did get 1K done and the story is taking a new and unexpected direction. That's always interesting.


*Waves*

Just printed out my YA novel. 138 pages in 22 minutes. I'm a glutton for punishment.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Mike, Royal has to do with the Kansas City Royals baseball team... the Switcheroo has to do with the plot. It fits.


I'll take your word for it! 



> And it's a mild thriller.


No exploding trucks?? Hmph!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed -

Meant to ask you: what's that software you've been using to help edit/tweak? Someone was asking about something like that, and I couldn't remember the name of the program you've been using...

Thanks!
Mike


----------



## Groovy Writer

I've heard that we have some cover experts in this thread, and I hope that you will give me your opinions of the covers I pasted at the bottom.

The text of both covers is very plain. Problem is, in GIMP I can't do s**t with it. I tried using text effects like bevel or drop shadow, but the black background absorbs shadowing. Now, after saving the cover file, preserving the layers, the text layers don't allow for any manipulation. I'm stuck with what I have unless I import the background images into Illustrator and start over.

To explain why the cover is relevant to the story, the main setting is Mt. Nemrut, a monument site in Turkey crowned by a massive pyramid. The rays of light are from a scene in the first chapter. The rectangular hole is supposed to be a doorway through the mountain showing the burst of light on the other side. I used Adobe Garamond Pro for the title page inside the print edition, so that's why it is also used on the cover. I use Orator for chapter headings and Georgia for text.

Recently a reader told me she expected the book to be Sci-Fi, judging by the cover, when really it's a modern-day thriller with elements of paranormal, New Age, and occult. The symbol on the Kindle edition cover - the circle and triangle "triquetra" - is used prominently in the novel. The second Kindle cover is actually the back cover of the print edition, which is separated into two books for Kindle.

The old adage is true even in the digital age: People judge (and buy) books based on the cover. I'm in real need of refinement. Help!

Thank you!

First the print cover: 

Next, Kindle cover for the first book: 

And Kindle cover for the second book, which is the back cover of the print edition:


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll take your word for it!
> 
> No exploding trucks?? Hmph!


Exploding car, exploding house, gun fight in front of Fenway Park...


----------



## kae

GW,
I like the Kindle Book Two cover (bottom right) the best.



Groovy Writer said:


> I tried using text effects like bevel or drop shadow, but the black background absorbs shadowing.


If you decide to go back into AI and try shadowing again, change the shadow color to something bright--aqua or pale yellow. Unless GIMP works differently from other graphics programs, text shadowing doesn't have to be black.


----------



## Groovy Writer

kae said:


> GW,
> I like the Kindle Book Two cover (bottom right) the best.
> 
> If you decide to go back into AI and try shadowing again, change the shadow color to something bright--aqua or pale yellow. Unless GIMP works differently from other graphics programs, text shadowing doesn't have to be black.


I just smacked my forehead: I'd forgotten that shadow color can be changed. Thanks!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Groovy, I like the 1st and 2nd Kindle covers, especially the 1st one. The print cover doesn't tell me anything.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Exploding car, exploding house, gun fight in front of Fenway Park...


Just another day on Mythbusters.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Exploding car, exploding house, gun fight in front of Fenway Park...


Cool! And hopefully there's hot dogs and beer, which for me are the only two reasons I'd ever consider going to a baseball game! Oh, well, scratch that: don't eat hot dogs anymore, so that leaves the beer!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Finished story #2 for A Land of Ash, titled Shelter. Gearing up for story #3. Still debating title for that one, but thinking something like Toward the Clouds.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 words tonight and finished Part VI of _*The People's Treasure*_. Coming into the last Section, which is choreography of chapters that accelerates to a fever pitch.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Groovy Writer

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Groovy, I like the 1st and 2nd Kindle covers, especially the 1st one. The print cover doesn't tell me anything.


Thank you, Gertie. Yes, the print cover doesn't say anything about what's inside. I'm going to change the print edition cover.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Baseball camp again today. Didn't get as much done as yesterday, but I'm 700 words further along. Tonight is Pokemon tournament. That's nearly two hours when I can work. Good thing I can tune out 30 kids in the heat of battle.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Taking a day or two off to do a little recreational reading before I do something somewhat productive, bookwise. I have two novels -- my second YA and another baseball novel -- I want to outline before I take most of August off. And I may outline my NaNo 2010 novel, too.


----------



## David McAfee

My next project is to do print versions of _Saying Goodbye to the Sun_, _The Lake and 17 Other Stories_, and _GRUBS_.

That's gonna be fun.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I usually combine both eBook and POD together in one effort (as I specific in my How To book). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Between baseball camp and Pokemon, I wrote a little over 1500 words. Baseball camp again tomorrow and the two hours of TKD should get me another 1500, I hope.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Two days in a row of just relaxing and reading. I could get used to this.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Two days in a row of just relaxing and reading. I could get used to this.


Ha! Slacker!


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Today I wrote 1000 words in "Requiem Fire", my novel-in-progress about Mozart's Requiem.

I've also been working on a new website, which I plan to launch this fall with "Flaming Dove", my second novel.  Lots of CSS, HTML, and Photoshopping.

Been selling Firefly Island's slowly but surely... 19 copies away from hitting the big 1k.

So overall a productive day.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just found out Turning Back The Clock is on sale.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

DArenson said:


> Been selling Firefly Island's slowly but surely... 19 copies away from hitting the big 1k.
> 
> So overall a productive day.


Wow, that's great.

Only did about 600 words at the camp today. They played actual games and then there was the award ceremony. GS wants to go to the game tonight, but I'm wiped out. Took a 2.5 hour nap and I'm still sleepy. Too much sun, I think.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Come on, Gertie: Sunscreen!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Come on, Gertie: Sunscreen!


Never had to use it in my life. But I guess now that I'm <hemhem> years old, things have changed. I was wearing a hat, at least, and had plenty of water.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm in NJ this weekend, so probably very little writing until Sunday. However, I had a run of luck - went over 400 sales this month (1st time midMonth), and I had 7 5-star reviews in the last three days (3 yesterday) across several books. (And these were all in depth and egosville for me).As a result, I cut back on promotion for a day. It's like having a day off.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did a good forty pages of edits on Shadows of Grace, then wrote 2,000 words on the next part for A Land of Ash. Following a char based on a goofy old lady that shared a duplex with me and my wife when we first got married. It's rather enjoyable. Not often I get to pretend I'm a 60-year-old, gray-haired busybody.

David Dalglish


----------



## David McAfee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I usually combine both eBook and POD together in one effort (as I specific in my How To book).
> 
> Ed Patterson


I format them differently and the print versions take A WHILE do do right.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

It would be smart to put the announcement in the right Amazon forum to get proper hits, huh.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

David McAfee said:


> I format them differently and the print versions take A WHILE do do right.


I find it the opposite. I use the same manuscript, which be a mirror copy of the kindle version, and create both versions together. Cover art is usually done a year before I finish and so that's ready. Material for descriptions and back cover have already been published in my Press Release. The only thing that needs reformatting is page breaks to begin chapters on odd numbered pages (recto), and assure that there are no widows and orphans or stranded sub-chapter numbers. I have a template, I upload to Lulu's superior on-line .pdf creator and use the results for CreateSpace. The green light comes overnight, the proof button immediately, and I never wait for proof copy before approving, because I keep all versions in parallel. Both Kindle and POD show up on or about the same day. The extra proofing step is vestigial from the old days, prior to POD when major proofing errors or even color shift on a cover meant an expense. Now there is no expense, and I don;t know about you - where I sell hundreds of eBooks, the paperback is a prestigious background to the main reader show. If there's something wrong with the book, you probably have the only copy and can correct it with ease. And if you find an error in the POD, you need to change it in the kindle version anyway.

Edward C. Patterson
My first job was in printing and publishing, so I look at these things practically


----------



## Sean Sweeney

So I woke up about 20 minutes ago and I had a sale. And then I refreshed, and had another sale! And then by then time I read this thread, I had two more!!

I love sale prices.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

And another.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gratz, John. Which one is on sale?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Turning Back The Clock.

And there goes another!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Turning Back The Clock.
> 
> And there goes another!


Instant updates are a wonderful thing. And they say a watched pot never boils.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

It be boiling!


----------



## Luna Lindsey

My goal this weekend is to finish the second-to-last draft of my untitled horror novella and come up with a title for it.  This may be difficult as I didn't get any sleep last night and have scheduled events taking up any naptimes I might get.   However, it is still my goal.

Maybe my sleep-deprived loopiness will help with the title creativity.  Most likely it will NOT help my prose.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Hope it works out for you. Give us an idea of what it's about, and we can help with the title. We're good at that.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I struck out with my time travel story at F&SF. What next, do you think? Asimov's? Does Analog still exist? Or is it called Digital now?   It's not really hard SF, so maybe not.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only light promotion today as I have 22 sales by 10 am. I think the 2 reviews for *Turning Idolater * is doing more for sales than my promoting it. That one is flying off the shelf and is moving steadily up in rank.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

OK friends. Question.

Goodreads. Worth signing up? Positives? Negatives?

I'd like to read about your experiences with it before I dip my toe in over there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> OK friends. Question.
> 
> Goodreads. Worth signing up? Positives? Negatives?
> 
> I'd like to read about your experiences with it before I dip my toe in over there.


Honestly, I signed up over there but haven't figured it out yet. I posted a review on a book and then couldn't find it again. I have problems signing in and can't find a forum where authors can promote.

Other people do well there and can give you more insight than I can.


----------



## rcordiner

I too have got lost on Goodreads.

Have been getting up 4am every morning to try and edit and get back into new book - Bug Island.  Then teaching 7 year olds all day.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Goodreads confused me too.  I signed up, added some books, and joined a few groups, but I felt a bit lost in the interface, and wasn't sure what to do and how to promote.  I'd love to hear some tips.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

So glad I'm not the only one getting lost on Goodreads. Isn't there a thread about it somewhere?


----------



## Daniel Arenson

rcordiner said:


> Have been getting up 4am every morning to try and edit and get back into new book - Bug Island. Then teaching 7 year olds all day.


Bug Island!


----------



## rcordiner

The similarities end at the title I can assure you!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> So glad I'm not the only one getting lost on Goodreads. Isn't there a thread about it somewhere?


It's a great place for readers who want to talk about books.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I joined a while back and have all my books posted there, although I raely go there and discuss things. However, I get many readers there and have picked up several 5-star reviews, which readers will sometimes re-post up on Amazon. Also some reviewers post there a part of their suite of posts.I find it better than LibraryThing or Shelfari.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,100 words tonight as we roll into the stretch (the last 50,000 words or so). This whole last part is like Tom Sawyer (in the cave) and I got to pay homage to L. Frank Baum tonight.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, got 2,700 words done this evening added to last night 4,000 (revisions last night). Making real progress. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hammered out 2k words on Shadows of Grace. Going is a bit slow, still trying to readjust to the flow of my old buddy half-orcs instead of Dance of Cloaks. Punched in a third of the revisions last night, still waiting for the rest.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

I've been slacking with this lately, but a really helpful tool that has helped me in the past was creating a character journal.  With this I would write what would sound like typical journal entries... except they were told or written by different characters.  I would only write the name of the person on top and nothing else.  Any additional info had to come from the entry itself.  It's a fun way to get some of those creative juices flowing and no matter what... you're writing in the end!  You never know what entry may end up giving you that story or book idea.

Anything that leaves you writing in the end is a win.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Hello all, newbie here, just discovered this thread for authors.

I'm writing the third book in my thriller series featuring New Orleans police detective Frank Renzi. I've written the first 50pp, the setup, and am happy with it. I already had a pretty good idea about how the ending was going to go and then, today, whammo! I was reading an article about "making your villain likable." [Well, not TOO likable.] And thanks to the article I got a completely new idea about how the ending should go. This has more to do with the villain, a woman, than the series protag. Needless to say, I am one happy camper!

Anyone else have their creative spark inspired by reading articles about writing characters?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600 words tonight as I'm coming into the stretch on The People's Treasure. Pacing is always hard at the end of a novel, expecially when I've alotted myself 50,000 words to finish it and I could easily our out 80,000 words. If I do the job correct, I'll keep it to 40,000 words and keep the whole thing to 200,000 words. I save the big blast for Book V.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## nomesque

Running out of inspiration on Vampire Suicide Agency.  I have the basic storyline down, but only 20% of the text. *sigh* I think I'll move on to Maisy May 2 for a while, give VSA some time to percolate. Or maybe ferment... *wanders off pondering metaphors*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A big new chapter of *The People's Treasure * completed tonight (4,100 words) which actually was complete over two nights. Moving at a fast pace with the end in sight, this chapter holds the record for the number of characters in a single chapter of all my books with . . . ready for this . . . 19 (excluding _the Black Killer_ and _the Dark Warrior_, who for those of you who read _The Dragon's Pool _ will recall are the 2 _Velociraptor Cantodragonensis_, now matured to full toothiness). The hard part is, unlike many group chapters, the nineteen contain all developed characters, and they are in three different groups located in different places in this massive tomb complex. Well, we'll see if Peg of the Red Pencil gets lost or not, but it's passed my muster.  I am taken aback at the number of characters, but also if I list them by attribute, they make for an eclectic list:

Group One
A curator-general (Rowden Gray)
A lady conservator (Rose Tostacaroni)
A professional researcher (Jason Meers)
A Drag Queen (Simone DeFleurry)
A gay teenage hustler (Silky aka Master Eliot Marsh)
His Chinese squeeze (Warren Ch'u Kan-ma)
An Italian olive grower (Tadzio Tostacaroni)
A one-eyed Cherokee landscape painter (Griffen Jones)
A Buddhist monk (Meng K'a-bao)

Group 2
An expert conservator with magic fingers (Sydny Firestone)
His 4 year old son (Nicky Firestone aka Ch'en Ch'i-shou)
A Chinese agricultural student (Charlie Ch'u Chen-wang)

Group 3
The subcurator of the Ming Tombs (Po Hai)
The under secretary for the People's Heritage Bureau (Lin Kar)
The Magistrate of Old Sheep Detention Center (Lu Xing)
An actor at the Bei-jing Municipal theater (Fang Shr-pang)
The chief fat-cat of the Shang-hai Po-tong (Gou P'i)
An ex-CTS tour guide (Huang Li-fa aka Little Cricket)
A double agent and resident baddie (Fa Po-an)

I think this is the only chapter I've used four languages - English, Mandarin, Italian and Cherokee

I'm heading for bed.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I'm enjoying my hiatus... enjoying my numbers click up, too.


----------



## ReeseReed

Raise the flag and sound the trumpets!  After spending what felt like an eternity feeling nothing inspirational coming from my writing I finally hit on an idea and got seven pages (longhand) done tonight.  No idea what that equates to word count wise, but I'm just happy I have an IDEA again.  Of course, it's for a completely new book, instead of the one I've been working on for months now, but hey, I'm not complaining.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yeesh, long hand? I salute you, oh woman of out-dated technology!



David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> Yeesh, long hand? I salute you, oh woman of out-dated technology!
> 
> 
> 
> David Dalglish


Ha! I don't always do long-hand, but when I'm stuck, it's often what I turn to. I think it's mainly a distraction thing...it's harder to check facebook, email, and KB when you have a pen and paper in hand instead of an open laptop.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

ReeseReed said:


> Ha! I don't always do long-hand, but when I'm stuck, it's often what I turn to. I think it's mainly a distraction thing...it's harder to check facebook, email, and KB when you have a pen and paper in hand instead of an open laptop.


...

Fiiine. Sound all intelligent and reasonable. No fun at all.

David Dalglish


----------



## ReeseReed

Half-Orc said:


> ...
> 
> Fiiine. Sound all intelligent and reasonable. No fun at all.
> 
> David Dalglish


Intelligent? Reasonable? Me?



I'm sorry, for a second I thought you were talking about me, I didn't notice the perfectly reasonable looking gal behind me.

But, seriously, I've really found the longhand thing helpful. For some reason, when I type the first draft into Word, I do a lot of pausing and waiting for the "right word"...whereas on my notebook I just write with abandon. Don't know why I do that, only that I do, and it holds me back at times.


----------



## Dave Dykema

ReeseReed said:


> Ha! I don't always do long-hand, but when I'm stuck, it's often what I turn to. I think it's mainly a distraction thing...it's harder to check facebook, email, and KB when you have a pen and paper in hand instead of an open laptop.


Boy, you have no idea how much this resonated with me. Facebook, KB, email, web sudoku, etc., etc. Paper might not be such a bad idea. Now, if only I could read my writing. I'm like a doctor writing prescriptions sometimes.


----------



## Michael Crane

Did 500 words on a new short story (first draft) before work.  Off to a nice start so far.  Plan to do some more during my break.  Nothing makes me happier than starting a new story that seems to show promise.


----------



## Michael Crane

ReeseReed said:


> Raise the flag and sound the trumpets! After spending what felt like an eternity feeling nothing inspirational coming from my writing I finally hit on an idea and got seven pages (longhand) done tonight. No idea what that equates to word count wise, but I'm just happy I have an IDEA again. Of course, it's for a completely new book, instead of the one I've been working on for months now, but hey, I'm not complaining.


That's great to hear! Congrats! 

It stinks when you don't feel like you're coming across any good ideas, but it's a hell of a feeling to find one after a slump.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words last night.

Ed Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

A story of mine is now on a website called House of Horror. I wrote the story when I was working for the US census recently. Interestingly, the site is in the UK. I use the name Robin Morris for horror.

http://www.houseofhorror.org.uk/#/love-the-building/4542484103


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Last night, I started to format a paperback version of "Firefly Island" for CreateSpace.  After three years as a hardcover, and a few months as an ebook, I think I'm ready for trade paperback.  Will be my first time using CreateSpace.


----------



## Michael Crane

Did 1000 words yesterday and 800 this morning on the new story.  For a first draft, it's coming together nicely.


----------



## R. M. Reed

How do y'all (I lived in North Carolina for six years, I can use that word) put more than one book in your signatures? I will soon need to.


----------



## Dave Dykema

This is how David Dalglish told me how to do it when I asked him a few weeks ago:

Easiest way is this. Go to tinypic.com and upload the bookcover. Just before you do, set the resize option to "thumbnail." Once that is done it'll have several options of code for linking to it. Keep that page open.

Now, in a separate window, go to the linkmaker at the top of the KB ( http://www.kboards.com/link/link-maker-1-0.php )

Punch in the ASIN from your Amazon page. For the image category, punch in what tinypic gives you for "direct link for layouts" in the first window you kept open. Now just hit create, and boom, you should have a bunch of text ready to cut and paste into your signature.


----------



## terryr

See? I almost did it again. For two days, almost every time I went to respond to a post (here or anywhere), make an entry to blogs, an update to Facebook or Twitter, write an email, I end up saying "Oh, to hell with it, no one gives a flying banana" and deleting whatever might have wrote.

Ever have times like that?

I suppose I should be happy the 18 different chapter header graphics I'm working on for another person's book are coming out great. 

Other than that, I'm just severely lacking ambition.

sigh.


----------



## R. M. Reed

David D. is a wonder, he's helping me with my upload files too. I will follow these directions when the Amazon pages go live. Thanks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,200 words since last night.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## nomesque

T.M. Roy said:


> See? I almost did it again. For two days, almost every time I went to respond to a post (here or anywhere), make an entry to blogs, an update to Facebook or Twitter, write an email, I end up saying "Oh, to hell with it, no one gives a flying banana" and deleting whatever might have wrote.
> 
> Ever have times like that?
> 
> I suppose I should be happy the 18 different chapter header graphics I'm working on for another person's book are coming out great.
> 
> Other than that, I'm just severely lacking ambition.
> 
> sigh.


Uh huh. I'm in a similar funk atm. Not sure *I* give a damn about anything I do either.

This too shall pass... maybe with the help of a giant mug of coffee and hash-browns.


----------



## terryr

nomesque said:


> Uh huh. I'm in a similar funk atm. Not sure *I* give a d*mn about anything I do either.
> 
> This too shall pass... maybe with the help of a giant mug of coffee and hash-browns.


Mmm... coffee and hash browns. maybe for dinner. I just had sticky rice rolled up in nori for lunch. (My usual "happy pill" is lots of very cold raw salmon with some soy and wasabi, but my budget doesn't allow for it right now.)


----------



## Sharlow

T.M. Roy said:


> Mmm... coffee and hash browns. maybe for dinner. I just had sticky rice rolled up in nori for lunch. (My usual "happy pill" is lots of very cold raw salmon with some soy and wasabi, but my budget doesn't allow for it right now.)


Hmm. My "Happy Pill", is either a Whooper Jr. with extra ketchup and mustard, or the Mcdouble 0.99 burger with Big Mac sauce on it. My mini big mack. 

I'm working on the last two chapters of my new book. The rest of the chapters are being proofread and edited for me. Wrote 2700 words last night as the sun was coming up.


----------



## Jeff

Does anyone know how to change the ISBN for Google Books/Goggle Editions?

When I started out with them, a couple of years ago, I used the paperback ISBN and uploaded a PDF. Now they want an ePub version which has a different ISBN. I tried uploading an ePub file but the software rejected it because I used an eBook ISBN for the title.


----------



## julieannfelicity

I'd really like to get chapter 6 and chapter 7 of my 2nd book done, and have them posted on my FB fan site this weekend.  But I'm so tired from working, I have a wedding to go to on Saturday, and having a BBQ with my babies on Sunday, that I don't know if I'll be able to.

I'd also really like to come up with the chapter breakdown for my 3rd book so that I can start writing it.  That one is more 'mainstream' and has a better chance of  selling ... sigh!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Let's see, where to start...

Wrote about 1500 words. Then bumped a cord, causing my computer to lock up. Now I can't get it to fully load. It's my second computer, so nothing drastic in the loss if it is gone, but I have 12,000 words for book 4 on there I need... 

However, and I'm going to whisper this so I don't jinx myself...

I might have found myself a job at an optometrist office.

Friend's wife is there and gave me the inside scoop. Turning in resume tomorrow.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600 words last night. whew. Taking a night off to reset because I'm in the final stretch, and ending a novel is as precarious as beginning one. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

Good luck with the job, David.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Me: She followed its movements with her eyes, turning her head and watching it land on a tall stalk of grass, the spiky head catching the leaf and preventing it from falling to the ground.

Her:  She followed its movements with her eyes, turning her head and watching it land on a tall stalk of grass, the spiky head caught the leaf and prevented it from falling to the ground.
________
I vote for you on this one. "Caught" is the only difference, and it doesn't fit into the sentence. If I was revising this I would make it two sentences, but that's another argument.
___
Me: Grabbing her travel mug, Beth took a quick sip of the coffee Randy had made after Robbie left, smiling as she thought of how deftly the woman had handled the young deputy, betting Robbie Bailey would be

Her:  Beth grabbed her travel mug and took a quick sip of the coffee Randy had made after Robbie left. She smiled as she thought of how deftly the woman had handled the young deputy, and she bet Robbie Bailey would be
___
Now I vote for her. Your sentence is too long and complicated.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

T.L. Haddix said:


> Who is right, and why? Please, I'll share a brownie recipe for help...


Just my humble .02 which ain't worth a gosh-darn, but I would probably go one step more on the first sample:

She followed its movements with her eyes, turning her head and watching it land on a tall stalk of grass. The spiky head caught the leaf and prevented it from falling to the ground.

In your first sample, you use an "ing" four times - turning watching catching preventing. It's a lot. She's merely tried to mix it up a bit and add variety to the sentence. For me, I believe there are two separate thoughts/actions there and would break the sentence into two.

In the second example, I would have to go with her. I believe her version is more active and present. It keeps me drawn into the story.

Again, just my .02 and feel free to disregard. (Don't want to step on anyone's toes here.)


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

T.L. Haddix said:


> Me: Grabbing her travel mug, Beth took a quick sip of the coffee Randy had made after Robbie left, smiling as she thought of how deftly the woman had handled the young deputy, betting Robbie Bailey would be


This one is definitely problematic because of the two participial phrases. The way it's written implies that these three things are happening simultaneously:

Grabbing the mug
Taking a sip of the coffee
Smiling

You could grab a mug and smile at the same time, but the other combinations wouldn't normally make sense. Her revision is much better.

I agree with Valmore on the first one.


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

T.L., you're using a lot of -ing verbs (progressive tense).

Here's a great explanation from Cec Murphy's blog about why progressive tense lends itself towards weak, imprecise writing:

Part 1 Part 2

It has its place of course, but I'd say most of the time it's not the best choice.


----------



## ReeseReed

Just over 1K words accomplished today.  I'm pretty happy with where my story is going...if I can just KEEP it going!!

And David D....crossing my fingers for you!!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Half-Orc said:


> Let's see, where to start...
> 
> Wrote about 1500 words. Then bumped a cord, causing my computer to lock up. Now I can't get it to fully load. It's my second computer, so nothing drastic in the loss if it is gone, but I have 12,000 words for book 4 on there I need...
> 
> However, and I'm going to whisper this so I don't jinx myself...
> 
> I might have found myself a job at an optometrist office.
> 
> Friend's wife is there and gave me the inside scoop. Turning in resume tomorrow.
> 
> David Dalglish


I hope you get the job, bud. You deserve it!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

John Fitch V said:


> I hope you get the job, bud. You deserve it!


Thanks Reese, John. Should hopefully find out more around Tuesday.

David Dalglish


----------



## D.A. Boulter

T.L. Haddix said:


> Here goes.
> 
> Me: She followed its movements with her eyes, turning her head and watching it land on a tall stalk of grass, the spiky head catching the leaf and preventing it from falling to the ground.
> 
> Her: She followed its movements with her eyes, turning her head and watching it land on a tall stalk of grass, the spiky head caught the leaf and prevented it from falling to the ground.
> 
> Me: Grabbing her travel mug, Beth took a quick sip of the coffee Randy had made after Robbie left, smiling as she thought of how deftly the woman had handled the young deputy, betting Robbie Bailey would be
> 
> Her: Beth grabbed her travel mug and took a quick sip of the coffee Randy had made after Robbie left. She smiled as she thought of how deftly the woman had handled the young deputy, and she bet Robbie Bailey would be
> 
> Who is right, and why? Please, I'll share a brownie recipe for help...


First one I vote for you. You're using the progressive tense and should keep using it within the same sentence. Switching tenses back and forth within one sentence ain't particularly good. If she'd put period after grass and started a new sentence, I'd vote for her:

She followed its movements with her eyes, turning her head and watching it land on a tall stalk of grass. The spiky head caught the leaf and prevented it from falling to the ground.

Second example I'd go with her. More straight-forward. Not quite so convoluted.

Point on the first selection. If she's following it with her eyes--and you're definite enough on that to state so--why is she turning her head? To me, if you are following something with your eyes, your eyes are moving, but your head isn't. Somehow it just seems wrong to me--wrong enough to stop jerk me out of the sentence. But then, I'm a nit-picker.  Others may not even notice it at all.

She followed its movements, turning her head to watch it land on a tall stalk of grass.
She followed its movements with her eyes, [watching/and watched] it land on a tall stalk of grass.

I don't like brownies, so maybe I should keep my opinions to myself.


----------



## Michael Crane

Just finished putting a short story together for the Kindle (actually two, added a bonus one) and is undergoing the publishing process.  My hope is that if I have two stories out there for a very cheap price it may find new readers who haven't read anything by me.  It's worth a shot!   

My other short story that I started last week is still going strong on it's first draft.  I plan to get more done during my lunch break tomorrow.  With that and the rewrite coming up as soon as I'm done, I'm at least guaranteed to not have to deal with writer's block for a little longer!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words tonight and coming into the last three chapters. Remember when I started this draft for _*The People's Treasure*_, folks. It was in February. Whew!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Back from my vacation. Tonight is unpacking, laundry and all the post-vacation catch up. Early to bed. Errands tomorrow. Hopefully back to writing tomorrow night.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wrote 2,300 words last night and chucked it - - - the entire thing (every period, comma, and em-dash of it). No regrets. This is the most important chapter in the book (the penultimate one)and perhaps the series. I need to lift the reader out of their hides and have them soar with the angels. What I wrote last night didn't do it. Not even close. However, this morning I was listening to Vaughan-Williams' _*Sea Symphony*_, and four measures absolutely lifted me to another plane. That's what I need to do. I must encapsulate those four measures into this chapter as the culmination of this 700 page work. If I don't do it, I'll be writing until I do. My readers deserve the very best - not only for reading through 700 pages, but this is Book 4 - so they've read 2,600 pages to find out what the secret of the legacy is, so they must be rewarded for their purchases and their time spent. We'll try again tonight.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words and a redo of the material from last noght and I nailed IT! The train entered the station. The eagle has landed. The rollercoaster is in the last tunnel stretch. The ship is docked and the natives are happy!    

If it gives me goosebumps (a state which is officially called horripilation), it should be worth the $ 3.99 I'm charging for the whole book.

To bed! and only 2 chapters to go.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Frank Zubek

I did the same thing a few days ago, Edward.

I'm getting a horror anthology ready to release in a week or so and was getting bogged down with the last story.
Not that I was having bad problems with it but just the opposite. 

I kept getting more and more ideas and the thing kept growing. But while that's a good thing, I want to make this deadline and finish the book so everyone can read it. (There's 5 original works that were previously published and three new pieces that are brand new (But of course, if you've never read any of them, this means 8 new short horror stories))

So, I scrapped it. Maybe down the road I can go back and turn it into a novella or something but for now, it was in the way.

So out it went.

This of course means I'll have to drop the price of the anthology to .99 cents but thats okay. At this stage of the game I'm trying to gain readers, not money.

Once I have a fan base, the money should follow. 

To anyone who might be waiting, (the few of you have bought my adult lit anthology The Man In The Background) the horror anthology should be up on Kindle by the 15th
If you like atypical horror/ghost stories, I think it will be worth the wait!


----------



## Cliff Ball

I've started working on my 4th novel, but, all my time seems to be taken up by promoting my third novel, which went live two weeks ago. Doing all of this marketing/promoting myself is a challenge, but, I enjoy it. 

Then, this morning I had a guy who wanted me to edit an already published non-fiction book he had written. I conducted a Google search to make sure it was his book, found a bunch of negative reviews on Amazon about how his book lacked any kind of editing. I had done a preliminary edit for him a week ago, but it didn't seem that bad. Now, that I'm actually doing it, boy, were those reviewers right. I'm practically re-writing the whole thing! Too bad I can't make the book more interesting though....


----------



## Sean Sweeney

For the past couple of hours, I've been thinking of a new thriller concept. So much so I had to vault out of bed and start taking notes. 

It's nearly 4 a.m., y'all.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Absolutely exhausted, but 2,100 words on The People's Treasure tonight. A chase sequence which gave me whip lash, but brings the novel to a crashing and satisfactory conclusion. One more chapter (an apotheosis) and a short epilog (to set up the fifth and last book in the series) and this puppy will be ready for the revision, proofing and the all the good stuff needed to get it before my readership. Book number 16 is coming home to roost. Yeah. (a little shorter than expected. 195,000 words - a little longer than _*The Jade Owl * _ and a little Shorter than _*The Third Peregrination*_).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## JoeMitchell

I wrote some good stuff on the sequel to Shard Mountain yesterday, then took a break and realized I'd probably re-write the entire scene to play out differently.  It's the third time I've done that.  I hate putting down the words only to delete them later, as it seems like such a waste of time, but my story gets better from doing it.  I'm wondering if I can have the sequel done by the end of November.  That would be great.


----------



## Michael Crane

Getting closer to finishing the first draft of a story that I've been working on for the past week or so.  It's coming together nicely.  Also have an idea for another story once I finish the draft and rewrite.  Keeping busy!


----------



## Michael Crane

Just finished the first draft of my story!    At over 5,800 words it's one of my longer stories (my short stories tend to be on the shorter side).  Now, the re-writing process begins after I let it sit for a bit.

I love the feeling of finishing a story.  Even if it's in its first draft.  Re-writing it will be fun, and as I said before, it'll keep me writing for the next few days without worrying about starting something new.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

_*The People's Treasure - Book IV of The Jade Owl Legacy * _ is finished - and I'm going to celbrate before beginning the revision and proffing work. It came to a mere 190,000 words and I'm over the moon.

Edward C. Patterson
a bit exhausted, but looking forward to starting _*The Road to Grafenwoehr*_


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> a bit exhausted, but looking forward to starting _*The Road to Grafenwoehr*_


Phonetic pronunciation, please.

Thursday was Pokemon League, Friday was TKD, and this morning was the prelims for the annual Pokemon tournament. GS had a blast and I wrote over 3K words. I want to keep it under 20K, but I'm already at 12K. Going to have to do some editing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

_*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_.

I usually get lazy and translate the umlaut to "oe" instead of the alt-246, but I've tested it on the kindle already and it works.

Pronounced - Grafenveer. It's the town where I was stationed in the Army in 1967-68, and it's partially an army tale (during the time when Russia invaded Czechoslovakia and the US troops were at high alert on the border). Graf is a border town. However, that's not what the novel is about. It's about a US soldier who is born a Grimmert (he doesn't know it), a person whose imagination is so vivid it projects itself on its surroundings. He lands in a legend filled area of Germany (Franken - Franconia) and all sorts of strange things begin to happen, especially on the stretch of road between Vilsek and Grafenwöhr - a dark forest (where I have personally experienced some strange things). I think it will be a great pallate cleanser between The People's Treasure and Swan Cloud - Book III of The Southern Swallow Series. I tell people it's Stephen King meets Jane Austen in Grimm's woods in the body of a GI who finds his real roots . You'll all love it and it will be filled with my authentic German experience. I'm psyched. (A chance to use my German too, although Peg of the Red Pencil might head for the hills). 

Edward C. Patterson
(spell checking to avoid being critiqued on a thread)


----------



## Jeff

Ah, memories of Graf. If you need a beta reader, let me know.


----------



## R. M. Reed

a Grimmert (he doesn't know it), a person whose imagination is so vivid it projects itself on its surroundings.
__
Is this from German folklore? I have a US soldier in my superhero books who dreams of his days in Iraq and draws everyone around him into his dream.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Grimmert is Patterson folklore. It was gimmhold until Disney used it.

Jeff, your on.

Ecp


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'd be a beta reader than Jeff!

No, no, just couldn't resist the pun.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Actually, the protagonist has always projected his imagination, but never to this extent and not until he meets some people like himself. There's quite a yarn I'm going to spin. My protagonist, who in the manuscript is like many of my protagonists, gay - is being _*straightened out * _ (how's that for a pun) - however one of the mysteries is a gay and homophobic one. Not to give away too much, my favorite characters are also gay - two Roman soldier ghosts from the Porta Regina at Ratisbona (Regensberg) who latch on to the hero at the Valhalla and provide much needed comic relief (much like the couple in Topper).  I actually was going to start the final run at my SciFi work _*Belmondus*_, but decided (since that one had blossomed into a trilogy) that I would like some fresh stand-alone meat on the market. 

Ed Patterson
Now reviewing this post before the angry villagers with pitchforks come and find grammatical errors and misspelled words.  One needs to be careful now on Kindleboards


----------



## Jeff

R. Reed said:


> I'd be a beta reader than Jeff!


Perhaps, but I was on the Czech border and traveled the road to Grafenwöhr many times in a tank. I'll bet you can't top that.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jeff said:


> Perhaps, but I was on the Czech border and traveled the road to Grafenwöhr many times in a tank. I'll bet you can't top that.


That's just awesome.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I was there too - at a HAWK missile site when it happened. Jeff, we were neighbors. It was mud and stuff, but oh what a beautiful setting for a Gothic novel, dontcha think. When I was there, on guard duty, in a bivouac periphery walk about in the dead of night, a wild boar ran through. Needless to say, me and four guards walked the periphery together instead of in sectors.    There's a scene in the novel when the protagonist meets the boarhunters in the fields at night (ghostly boarhunters projected by his imagination). Oooooh! Horripilation!  

Ed Patterson

I gonna need to dig through my old photos of Graf and post a few, but it's a real dig. BTW, on Operation eBook Drop, the old unit, which now at Vilsek, contacted me and updated me on conditions. On change was that the troop that contacted me was a woman.


----------



## Jeff

I've been looking forward to this book, Ed.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

In the midst of re-working my outline for this next novel project... before I decided to re-do it and change the protagonist to an existing character in the JFV world, I had 6 1/2 chapters outlined... now I'm at 3 1/2. More tomorrow.


----------



## daveconifer

Good progress, V.  

You know what's funny? I was looking for this thread by paging through the threads, only to find that while I was doing that somebody moved it to page 1.

I'm having a great time with my WIP now that I'm not doing any promo and have gotten back to writing.  I think I'll have the first draft done in the fall but I doubt if it will be ready for the world to see until early 2011.  In a way that's a bummer because I've finished at least one thing every year for a few years now.  I feel like I need the extra time to make sure it's right.  I really feel good about it though...

And I love Jeff's remark about being on the Czech border in a tank.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

This one could be a late summer 2011 release. A 12-month turnaround? Bring. It. On.


----------



## BillieMosiman

I'm working on getting some of my published anthology stories scanned into files.  I want do a second collection.  I have one of my backlist suspense novelsl out on Kindle, and several coming out from Crossroads Press for the Kindle and various other e-book formats.  Next for Kindle will be my vampire nation trilogy that originally came out from Daw Books.

I tell you what, scanning printed pages from a book is a bear!  I have no idea how long it will take me, but I'm not going to type them all again.


----------



## Jeff

daveconifer said:


> And I love Jeff's remark about being on the Czech border in a tank.


In honor of your birthday, here's a picture:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,700 words in revision and rewrites for_* The People's Treasure*_. Now the revision work and proofing begins and I'm 3 weeks ahead of schedule, but with such a big book with my deadline for publication set for the end of September, the extra time can get me close to that zero defect goal. Peg gets the last chapters tomorrow and when she sounds off, I have 100 pages of 8.5x11 single space for her with revisions I already made to the opening Part. Woohoo!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## daveconifer

Wow, Jeff (and Ed, another veteran).

I understand that being in uniform with people shooting real bullets at you is a heavy experience -- but like a naive civilian I must say this: cool tank!

edit: does that rectangle on the tree have some significance?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

What year was that, Jeff? I see snow, so it wasn;t during the invasion.

I haven't found my pictures yet, but here's one in my portfolio for cover art. Of course, it's a picture of *the Wasserturm*.








And here's another from the centenary celebration this year, a patch.








The unit contacts told me that they built the largest PX in Europe at Graf. Won;t have that in the novel, but I might go into the big PX in Nurnburg.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> What year was that, Jeff?


That was taken in 1964. I'm the blob behind the .50 cal in the cupola.

Here's one of the border camp. That's me, lurking in the shadows of that gate shack.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

great photos, Jeff.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Cranked out 2400 words in revisions for Shadows of Grace. Almost have my gapped filled up, and then I can continue on editing the later parts of the story.

David Dalglish

p.s.

Love the photos.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> That was taken in 1964. I'm the blob behind the .50 cal in the cupola.
> 
> Here's one of the border camp. That's me, lurking in the shadows of that gate shack.


We were so young (You saw my army mug - posted a few times). It's hard to believe it's over forty years ago. Yet a day doesn;t go by when I don;t think about those times. Good, bad or indifferent (well, never indiferrent), it changed my very fiber.

Ed Patterson


----------



## D.A. Boulter

This is the "Author Support Thread".  I'm an author.  I'm in need of support.  Well, ideas and suggestions, mainly.

See, my girlfriend has arrived in town for a visit and this is bound to impact negatively on my obsessively checking my sales every few minutes.  I know, I know, the obvious thing to do is dump her, but life is never that simple.  See (again), she also proofs my works for me and does a very good job of it, finding dozens of errors that have escaped my eagle eye.  (Perhaps if I used my human eye, I would find more errors but, you know, I've often heard of the advantages of having a eagle eye, so it stays.)

At this moment, I'm at a loss as to what to do . . .  Well, that's not exactly true.  She's asleep, so I know what to do: check my sales.  Who knows, someone may have bought in the last 7 minutes.  However, tomorrow dawns another day and I'm not sure how I can get her to accept that she's second in importance to my sales report.  I mean, it's obvious to us, but she can get a little snippy over things like this.

So, ideas, anyone?  Please!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

D.A. Boulter said:


> This is the "Author Support Thread". I'm an author. I'm in need of support. Well, ideas and suggestions, mainly.
> 
> See, my girlfriend has arrived in town for a visit and this is bound to impact negatively on my obsessively checking my sales every few minutes. I know, I know, the obvious thing to do is dump her, but life is never that simple. See (again), she also proofs my works for me and does a very good job of it, finding dozens of errors that have escaped my eagle eye. (Perhaps if I used my human eye, I would find more errors but, you know, I've often heard of the advantages of having a eagle eye, so it stays.)
> 
> At this moment, I'm at a loss as to what to do . . . Well, that's not exactly true. She's asleep, so I know what to do: check my sales. Who knows, someone may have bought in the last 7 minutes. However, tomorrow dawns another day and I'm not sure how I can get her to accept that she's second in importance to my sales report. I mean, it's obvious to us, but she can get a little snippy over things like this.
> 
> So, ideas, anyone? Please!


Tell her she will have a financial gain by you checking sales like a hawk.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

Sounds good . . . unfortunately, she's smart and it's unlikely she'll buy it.  Please excuse any typqs, it's been three hours since I checked my sales.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

D.A. Boulter said:


> Sounds good . . . unfortunately, she's smart and it's unlikely she'll buy it. Please excuse any typqs, it's been three hours since I checked my sales.


Tell her how much you appreciate the wonderful job she's done proofing your work. Makes you feel like _the book is as much hers as yours_. You couldn't have done it without her, etc., etc., etc. Then humbly ask her if she will take her rightful place at your side when obsessively checking sales so that she can share in the triumphs and commiserate with you when there are no sales.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie speaks wisdom.


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Gertie speaks wisdom.


Agreed. 

Worked more on the second draft of a story I started last week, _Today, I Told a Lie_. It's told from the POV of a grade school kid who's asked to play softball at recess by a friend of his, only to end up being made fun of by the other kids when he does because he's terrible at it. Sort of based on something that really happened, but I'm writing fiction so I'm changing things around to tell a better story.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Never had a girlfriend, so I'd have a problem giving advice, but if it were my boyfriend, I'd just get out the whip and bake him cookies.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Have to agree with Gert.


----------



## Michael Crane

There's a book that I started writing when I was at Columbia College Chicago, but I never got around to finishing it.  I'm wondering if enough time has gone by that I can re-visit it, and start all over.  It's a possible idea... it would be nice to finally write a novel (I don't count the two AWFUL ones that I wrote when I was in high school, those books that shall not be named).

It's an interesting thought, at least.  Will have to see.


----------



## Bane766

Interesting thread.

I've decided to put the modern/apocolyptic novel on hold at least until I get back to the states.  It's requiring alot of research half of which I can't do being limited by my gov't computer only.

So I started a new fantasy novel (ugh another one )...and this one I hope to have only as a small series and not a huge one.  Hell maybe it can be a standalone novel (a standalone FANTASY novel?!!!  BLASPHEMY!  They'd say ).

Either way....finished around 1500 words the past two days.  Just basically the prologue down.  I was working on it in my room, but my hand was cramping up...and typing is always better anyway.  Which is why I'm at work now and it's 10pm, lol.  Of course I decided to check out the forum and see what's up with everyone.


----------



## kae

Just sent 40K words of historical fiction to an editor-colleague for his close scrutiny. It's about 1/3 of the whole project. I have another third finished (draft, that is) and am struggling with the last. I'm hoping editor comments and suggestions will keep me going to get this completed.


----------



## R. M. Reed

michael_crane said:


> There's a book that I started writing when I was at Columbia College Chicago, but I never got around to finishing it.


The important thing is that you went to my Alma Mater. Though I graduated before or just after you were born.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words on _*The People's Treasure * _ (revisions). Moving along at a good clip.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I deliberately took the day off today even though I had plenty of opportunity to write. Just needed some head clearing time.  I'll get back to business tomorrow.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Up to 10-plus chapters outlined for this new thriller novel, as well as some research into poisons. When I found the poison I wanted, I was bouncing up and down in my chair.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

John Fitch V said:


> U When I found the poison I wanted, I was bouncing up and down in my chair.


Really, John, you should just look up the symptoms in a reference. Don't try these things out on yourself. That path never ends well.

Congrats on the eureka moment.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

D.A. Boulter said:


> Really, John, you should just look up the symptoms in a reference. Don't try these things out on yourself. That path never ends well.
> 
> Congrats on the eureka moment.


LOL, Thanks D.A., I appreciate your concern.

In Chapter 12 of the outline now.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Up to 10-plus chapters outlined for this new thriller novel, as well as some research into poisons. When I found the poison I wanted, I was bouncing up and down in my chair.


Whatever floats your boat!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Heh, and now I've found the car the protagonist is going to rock out in.

I may have talked myself into a 2011 Audi A5.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Peg of the Red Pencil was knocked off her seat by the last and final chapter of *The People's Treasure*. So I guess it's a go. I didn't give the last sections to my beta-readers (something I sometimes do when the end is a surprise - I supply them with a free copy of the final and acknowledgement in the book).  I jettisoned the Epilog, because it would have been anticlimatic. Instead I opted for a surprise twist in the last paragraph which forshadows the last installment *In the Shadow of Her Hem*. That book, unlike the other four begins immediately after book IV, however, I have two novels to write before I start work on that one. (*The Road to Grafenwöhr * and *Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow - Book III*). The thing that has caught the beta-readers is a new character, who has stolen my heart. Everytime I get into the zone and he appears, I'm in heaven. He's a precocious minx of a 4-year old, the son of Sydney Firestone, named Little Nicky or as Peg calls him golden Nicky, my treasure. It gave me a new horizon to breach, the creation of a fully arced child's character, one not incidental to the series, but prime and to be carried into the next book full force.  (and no, I don't have him curse, but he can manage some nice Chinese phrases and interacts with the other characters, especially his Daddy, who is growing younger by design, and little Cricket's boyfriend, Charlie).

"Hello, Mr. Moosehouse."
"It's Moorehouse, Nicky."
"But I like Moosehouse. Can I call you Moosehouse?"

Edward C. Patterson
"Daddy, will they bite me?"


----------



## Michael Crane

Beginning work on the book I started while at Columbia but never finished.  At the time, I think it didn't work because it was over-the-top goofy and I was trying too hard to sound like Vonnegut.  It's been a few years, so now I'm starting from the beginning and seeing if I can turn it into something with a new approach.  I usually love writing tragic and sad stories about unhappy/damaged people, so it's kind of nice to write something that's a little more silly and not as heavy.

It may end up going nowhere like years before, but the most important thing is that I'm writing.  It's worth a shot.  What the heck.


----------



## Cliff Ball

I'm thinking of going for an MA in Creative Writing, but, I'm not sure it's a good idea. I figure though, that it couldn't hurt.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

cliffball said:


> I'm thinking of going for an MA in Creative Writing, but, I'm not sure it's a good idea. I figure though, that it couldn't hurt.


Well, your average MA goes for about $40K. I would think paying that back would hurt.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Well, your average MA goes for about $40K. I would think paying that back would hurt.


Yeah, and I just finished getting a BA, so I'm going to be in deep for a long time. I'm just trying to get beyond working customer service oriented jobs(like Target, etc) and do something I will enjoy doing for the next 30 to 35 years.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

cliffball said:


> Yeah, and I just finished getting a BA, so I'm going to be in deep for a long time. I'm just trying to get beyond working customer service oriented jobs(like Target, etc) and do something I will enjoy doing for the next 30 to 35 years.


Getting an MA is no guarantee that you'll turn into a best selling author. Getting a master's degree in anything is no guarantee that you'll end up working in your chosen field, whatever that might be.

We'd all love to have a job that we enjoy, but for most people, that's not realistic. Stick with your writing because that's what you love. Your day job is just something to pay the bills.

Thumper said that some time ago and I thought it was very good advice.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I was in another thread and I made something up just for fun. Everybody said I should turn it into a book, so I started fleshing it out tonight. Another novelette. Not enough material for a full-length.  

Also did a few hundred words on the current novelette.

Got to get these novelettes out of my system so i can get back to the historical.  It's too much like eating peanuts.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The only thing I've done is look at maps of Boston relative to where I want my protagonist to be in the last chapter I've outlined, and I've got a couple of scenes related to it in my head.

That is all.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Getting an MA is no guarantee that you'll turn into a best selling author. Getting a master's degree in anything is no guarantee that you'll end up working in your chosen field, whatever that might be.
> 
> We'd all love to have a job that we enjoy, but for most people, that's not realistic. Stick with your writing because that's what you love. Your day job is just something to pay the bills.
> 
> Thumper said that some time ago and I thought it was very good advice.


Actually, I wanted a Creative Writing degree way before I decided to become a published author. I actually want to work as a copy-editor or proofreader, so I thought that having a MA in Creative Writing would help, maybe I'm being naive. I certainly don't think readers care about what kind of alphabet degree I have, they'd probably think I'm over-educated.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

cliffball said:


> Actually, I wanted a Creative Writing degree way before I decided to become a published author. I actually want to work as a copy-editor or proofreader, so I thought that having a MA in Creative Writing would help, maybe I'm being naive. I certainly don't think readers care about what kind of alphabet degree I have, they'd probably think I'm over-educated.


Have you actually searched for a job in that field to see what kind of background and education they're looking for? Have you checked to see how open a field that is? I think you need that kind of information to help you decide.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Have you actually searched for a job in that field to see what kind of background and education they're looking for? Have you checked to see how open a field that is? I think you need that kind of information to help you decide.


I have and have applied for a few(in Texas anyway), but, haven't had any luck so far with just a BA in English.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

cliffball said:


> I have and have applied for a few(in Texas anyway), but, haven't had any luck so far with just a BA in English.


If they told you that you need an MA in creative writing to even be considered, then there's your answer. In the meantime, keep applying. You never know when you'll wear someone down.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Speaking as a person with an MA in Chinese History (Sinology) and doctoral credits from Columbia University, I never found work in the field and wound up pursuing a 4 decade stint in business. Of course, the money was better (I mean to the tune of 6 figures by the time I was finally downsized), but it was souless. Now, my life's passion is writing - and I write about my other life's passion, China, which I guess is the first time I get to use my degrees, although my travel and extensive reading beyond the halls academia (we refer to Columbia U. as Old Pew) is more a testiment to my knowledge than the degrees that hid the holes in the walls of my stufy. But I guess, it wasn't for nothing. I also write gay-themed works, and I'd say that's a passion, but it's not a choice. That's my life. Some people say _Lifestyle_, but nothing offends a gay person more (except the traditional bashing in the schoolyard) than having his or her life relegated to the word "lifestyle." Makes us feel like wer'e an organic gardening hobby.  However, education is a mighty thing. I've had a few careers, including attending the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music to pursue an opera career. But the realities must prevail and when they do, you'll excel as an author. because you'll have a fist full of life and a pocket full of dust.

4,570 words tonight on _*The People's Treasure * _ revisions.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Finished Chapter 1 this morning.  Falling in love with the story all over again, and I think I've finally found a way to tell it properly.  I'm hoping I can see it through this time, but no matter what I'm writing, which is all I really care about in the end.  I'd rather write and try than to not write at all.  It's worth a shot!


----------



## Bane766

michael_crane said:


> Finished Chapter 1 this morning. Falling in love with the story all over again, and I think I've finally found a way to tell it propperly. I'm hoping I can see it through this time, but no matter what I'm writing, which is all I really care about in the end. I'd rather write and try than to not write at all. It's worth a shot!


Yep, that's what it's all about.


----------



## Cliff Ball

I have a question as an author.... Has anyone tried to get a celebrity endorsement of their novels? I keep reading that's what you should try to do, but I'm not really sure that's the way to go. My current novel should appeal to people who are into conspiracy theories, so I thought about e-mailing that one guy who is currently spouting a bunch of conspiracy theories on his TV show. He talks about a book, and sales on Amazon shoot up. So, I wonder if I should go there?


----------



## Bane766

cliffball said:


> I have a question as an author.... Has anyone tried to get a celebrity endorsement of their novels? I keep reading that's what you should try to do, but I'm not really sure that's the way to go. My current novel should appeal to people who are into conspiracy theories, so I thought about e-mailing that one guy who is currently spouting a bunch of conspiracy theories on his TV show. He talks about a book, and sales on Amazon shoot up. So, I wonder if I should go there?


I wouldn't be surprised if you had to pay him...but that's another conspiracy theory.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Bane766 said:


> I wouldn't be surprised if you had to pay him...but that's another conspiracy theory.


Wouldn't surprise me either, but, that's just me being cynical


----------



## Michael Crane

I also finished the second draft of my short story, "Today, I Told a Lie."  It's been a productive morning on the writing front!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"I have a question as an author.... Has anyone tried to get a celebrity endorsement of their novels?"

I received a five star review for _*The Jade Owl * _ from Victor Banis, who has authors over 250 books. It's one of my prized possessions.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Cliff Ball

Edward C. Patterson said:


> "I have a question as an author.... Has anyone tried to get a celebrity endorsement of their novels?"
> 
> I received a five star review for _*The Jade Owl * _ from Victor Banis, who has authors over 250 books. It's one of my prized possessions.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


How do you do that and how would you broach the subject?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

michael_crane said:


> Finished Chapter 1 this morning. Falling in love with the story all over again, and I think I've finally found a way to tell it properly. I'm hoping I can see it through this time, but no matter what I'm writing, which is all I really care about in the end. I'd rather write and try than to not write at all. It's worth a shot!


Good job, Mike!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

cliffball said:


> How do you do that and how would you broach the subject?


Networking is important. It just so happens that I'm on the GLWR group (the Gay Lesbian Writers Readers group), where Victor Banis is a God. I was talking about my book and, since he's such an icon and pioneer in the GBLT world, he was curious about my work, I guess. Out of the blue I received an email with the review and also a critique and some stern advice on editing. I took it all to heart. He dropped out the one on one advice from the review when he published it on Amazon. He had the other two books in the series, but I could only hope that he would review those also.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

John Fitch V said:


> Good job, Mike!


Thanks! It's been a very good writing day. Always thankful for those!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

michael_crane said:


> Thanks! It's been a very good writing day. Always thankful for those!


Yes, those are the precious days to hold on to. Keep it going.

When it's not going well, I pretend I'm working with Mike Rowe on Dirty Jobs. It seems like a good alternative to banging my head on the desk.


----------



## Michael Crane

Thanks!  Glad you have something to get you by when it's rough.  At least those rough and unproductive days make you appreciate the good days more, or at least that's what I try to tell myself.


----------



## julieannfelicity

Well I've hit a snag with writing my second book, The Last Curl; darn writer's cramp!  I've decided to start writing my third book, which is the more 'mainstream' story and I'm finding it surprisingly easy (it's like pouring out, compared to me struggling to write what's next in the second book).

Does anyone else go through this?  Where they just hit a point where they don't want to write a story/book they're writing anymore and move on to their next project/idea?  (I WILL eventually go back to the second book ... I'm just tired of it I think.  No motivation )


----------



## Michael Crane

julieannfelicity said:


> Well I've hit a snag with writing my second book, The Last Curl; darn writer's cramp! I've decided to start writing my third book, which is the more 'mainstream' story and I'm finding it surprisingly easy (it's like pouring out, compared to me struggling to write what's next in the second book).
> 
> Does anyone else go through this? Where they just hit a point where they don't want to write a story/book they're writing anymore and move on to their next project/idea? (I WILL eventually go back to the second book ... I'm just tired of it I think. No motivation )


That happens to me quite often. In fact, that's what happened with this book. I started it a few years ago while I was at Columbia, and never got around to finishing it. Good thing. It sounded like I was trying way too hard to be Vonnegut. Now I have a new interest in the story and am writing it differently. Sometimes it just takes some time to be away from what you're stuck on and start on a new project. You can always go back to it later.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just mailed out a signed contract to a small publishing company for the World Cup Zombie short story I wrote... it's going into a Halloween anthology.


----------



## Michael Crane

John Fitch V said:


> Just mailed out a signed contract to a small publishing company for the World Cup Zombie short story I wrote... it's going into a Halloween anthology.


Excellent! Congrats!!


----------



## julieannfelicity

John Fitch V said:


> Just mailed out a signed contract to a small publishing company for the World Cup Zombie short story I wrote... it's going into a Halloween anthology.


That's awesome! Congratulations 

*I look forward to seeing it, Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Just mailed out a signed contract to a small publishing company for the World Cup Zombie short story I wrote... it's going into a Halloween anthology.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

John Fitch V said:


> Just mailed out a signed contract to a small publishing company for the World Cup Zombie short story I wrote... it's going into a Halloween anthology.


Excellent!

Ed the P Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Good job, John. That V on your name...a letter or the Roman numeral five?


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

Today's my first day with my novella on Amazon and Smashwords. It's exciting and a bit nerve-wracking 

I'm still anxiously awaiting my first Amazon review, but I DID get a review on GoodReads from a cool guy that I met on Shelfari.

And that will keep me going for at least another day 

If anyone has any suggestions for what I should be doing now, I'm all ears. I posted it to the Book Bazaar this morning, but I haven't started tagging yet. I guess I need to do some research on which words I want to tag. I guess looking for popular categories is a good start?


----------



## Bane766

Congrats guys    

I've never read a zombie story, John, (although I love zombie movies)...sounds pretty cool, though.

Sometimes that happens to me,  julieannfelicity.  I think it's best not to force things and just move on to something else.  It will want to come out eventually and when it does you will be ready. 


I got about 2000 words out last night so the new one is flowing pretty good.  I'm doing my best to just let it flow right now.  I'll go back and edit it once I've finished the story.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

MosesSiregarIII said:


> Today's my first day with my novella on Amazon and Smashwords. It's exciting and a bit nerve-wracking
> 
> I'm still anxiously awaiting my first Amazon review, but I DID get a review on GoodReads from a cool guy that I met on Shelfari.
> 
> And that will keep me going for at least another day
> 
> If anyone has any suggestions for what I should be doing now, I'm all ears. I posted it to the Book Bazaar this morning, but I haven't started tagging yet. I guess I need to do some research on which words I want to tag. I guess looking for popular categories is a good start?


It's a little too early to start obsessively checking your sales, but you might as well start practicing now. Besides, it might keep you from chewing your fingernails down to the bone.  Good luck.


----------



## Michael Crane

Over 1,000 words on the new book today.  Not bad for a morning.  

Let's hope I can see it all the way through this time!  So far, I'm pretty psyched about it.  It's nice to try something different from what I normally write.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Dave Dykema said:


> Good job, John. That V on your name...a letter or the Roman numeral five?


Roman numeral... John Fitch The Fifth


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thanks everyone.

Bane, you may enjoy this one.


----------



## Dave Dykema

MosesSiregarIII said:


> I guess I need to do some research on which words I want to tag. I guess looking for popular categories is a good start?


Actually, getting a high tag rating in a popular category like "Thrillers" is hard to do because SO MANY PEOPLE have Thriller as a tag for their book. If your book takes place in San Francisco, for example, San Francisco might be a good tag. Or think of something a little more offbeat.

John--I love Fitch the Fifth.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Actually, getting a high tag rating in a popular category like "Thrillers" is hard to do because SO MANY PEOPLE have Thriller as a tag for their book. If your book takes place in San Francisco, for example, San Francisco might be a good tag. Or think of something a little more offbeat.
> 
> John--I love Fitch the Fifth.


You're right, Dave. Be sure to add Kindle and kindle book because that's a subcategory that will eliminate a whole bunch of the competition. Competition can include dvd's, vhs, paperbacks, hardcovers.

When you're thinking about additional tags, be creative, but check those forums first to see if anyone is actually hanging out there. No sense being first in Richard III as I am if nobody is discussing anything there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Added some wordage to the WiP when I took GS to the ortho this morning. More tonight when I take him to Pokemon League.


----------



## Guest

Awesome Gertie, keep it up!

After writing this post, I solemnly vow to start revising Book 3 of my series. It was by far the messiest to write, and so I've been delaying opening it back up. I've got an index card filled with things left out, things that need to change, people who need to die, and scenes that need to be added. Not everything in that list has to do with the story.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sometimes I wonder if I'm too harsh when I look at other people's books. I see reviews and think "oh friend, or neighbor, or daughter, or mother." Maybe I'm too cynical. But after reading fanmails and seeing some of my own reviews, I'm starting to think I should be far more trusting. This is a review I just got for book 2. If I saw this on anyone else's book, I'd have rolled my eyes. On mine, I find it so...charming. As much fun as the mini-novel reviews I have from, say, Rob Duperre or Derek Prior, I think I'd be just fine with a hundred of these as well.



> having stumbled upon both these books after reading almost every fantasy book ever written to the concternation of my wife i can say the the new voice of fantasy has emerged


David Dalglish


----------



## julieannfelicity

Half-Orc said:


> Sometimes I wonder if I'm too harsh when I look at other people's books. I see reviews and think "oh friend, or neighbor, or daughter, or mother." Maybe I'm too cynical. But after reading fanmails and seeing some of my own reviews, I'm starting to think I should be far more trusting. This is a review I just got for book 2. If I saw this on anyone else's book, I'd have rolled my eyes. On mine, I find it so...charming. As much fun as the mini-novel reviews I have from, say, Rob Duperre or Derek Prior, I think I'd be just fine with a hundred of these as well.
> 
> David Dalglish


I think that's a lovely quote!  Congrats!


----------



## Cliff Ball

I'm finding it amazing that I have nearly 300 people wanting two free copies of my novel on Goodreads. I wonder if can e-mail the people who don't get a free copy and offer a coupon for the book half-off at Smashwords?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

That's something to put on the bookmark you hand out at book signings, David. Well-done.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

cliffball said:


> I'm finding it amazing that I have nearly 300 people wanting two free copies of my novel on Goodreads. I wonder if can e-mail the people who don't get a free copy and offer a coupon for the book half-off at Smashwords?


I don't know goodreads very well - is there a way you can just post a coupon as a consolation prize for anyone who didn't get the free one?


----------



## Guest

Valmore Daniels said:


> I don't know goodreads very well - is there a way you can just post a coupon as a consolation prize for anyone who didn't get the free one?


I don't believe you can. I also don't think you'll get the people's emails. You could go around messaging everyone who added your book, but that might be seen as pushy. Giveaways are listed on a special page, so a lot of people see them.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Well, finally filled the gap in the story for book 4, so now I can go back to just editing it instead of writing it. Very happy about that. It's up to a nice 106k words, little shy of book 2 and 3's 120k, but much better than the original 80k it was. Don't want people thinking I'm starting to cheat them out of words or anything the further into the series I go  .

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Well, finally filled the gap in the story for book 4, so now I can go back to just editing it instead of writing it. Very happy about that. It's up to a nice 106k words, little shy of book 2 and 3's 120k, but much better than the original 80k it was. Don't want people thinking I'm starting to cheat them out of words or anything the further into the series I go .
> 
> David Dalglish


Excellent! I'm a little over 40% done with Book 1 according to my Kindle, and am loving it. Keep it up!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Well, finally filled the gap in the story for book 4, so now I can go back to just editing it instead of writing it. Very happy about that. It's up to a nice 106k words, little shy of book 2 and 3's 120k, but much better than the original 80k it was. Don't want people thinking I'm starting to cheat them out of words or anything the further into the series I go .
> 
> David Dalglish


I know I personally count very word in what I'm reading. 

Made it to 13K words, 40 pgs tonight. I think I can keep it to 20K words.


----------



## Barry Eysman

Hi support group,
Basically, how do you do it? I could use some help. I've read lots of your comments and they make sense. I don't know how to work with others, though would like to. The persons here are so nice. Though I have a habit of alienation and don't know how to sell my work. I've done well on web sites.Never know how I am coming across. My stories are my stories and i have worked and re-worked them for Kindle. So if anybody could give me some pointers. Nothing I try seems right. As a person, I am kind and loyal. And humorous. And deferential through the floor deferential.
take care,
barry


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi Barry:

The first thing I would do is lower the prices of your books, or at least one or two. The one you have sales on you know can draw — perhaps that one. You have the luxury of 6 books, so you can try the $ 2.99 route, or perhaps have a one month promotional at $ .99. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Hi Barry:
> 
> The first thing I would do is lower the prices of your books, or at least one or two. The one you have sales on you know can draw - perhaps that one. You have the luxury of 6 books, so you can try the $ 2.99 route, or perhaps have a one month promotional at $ .99.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Agreed and welcome, Barry!

I published my book of short stories for the Kindle before I joined here, so the original price was $4.99, thinking that would be reasonable. Truth is if people aren't familiar with your writing, they may not want to shell out the big bucks yet, even if your books are still cheaper than a lot of others that are available for the Kindle. I've changed mine a few times, and now I've finally settled on $1.99 for now to see if that'll do better. It's a suggestion, but it might help! Keep up the writing!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Seventeen chapters outlined in the new thriller novel. Something tells me I should thwart my protagonists in getting what they want... but I seriously can't have my protagonist sneaking into a hospital. No way to do it.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The outline for Ch. 20: Big gunfight. Big explosion. It's a total mess. JJ survives. Chillings escapes untouched. ... and maybe a chase through the (entry deleted)!! Heh.


----------



## Michael Crane

I now have an Amazon Author page... I feel special. 

And on the writing front, still going strong with the new novel. Hopefully I can keep it up! I have to admit I'm in love with the first line of chapter 1:

*


Code:


This is how the story begins, should you choose to believe a word of it.

*


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Nice start, Mike. Nice start.


----------



## Michael Crane

John Fitch V said:


> Nice start, Mike. Nice start.


Thanks! This is very different from what I usually write. A little more on the silly side, but it's always good to try something different.

Glad to hear you're also being very productive with your writing as well!  Keep it up!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

But what happens if I choose not to believe a word of it? Should I stop reading? I find this a terrible beginning!!!

Nah, I likes it. Sets a good tone.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wish I could outline, but outlines assure that my novel will fall flat. The most I used is the back of an envelope - one for every 400 pages.

Ed Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I have an author page too, but the cover of one book and the other two books in their entirety don't appear on it. Nor is my bio there. I did some stuff to try to fix all that today, I hope it will look better soon.


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> But what happens if I choose not to believe a word of it? Should I stop reading? I find this a terrible beginning!!!
> 
> Nah, I likes it. Sets a good tone.
> 
> David Dalglish


 

Thanks! I think it does, too.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Bad writing day. After I wrote the same paragraph five different times from five different directions, I deleted it and stowed away Ginny the netbook. 0 words for today.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Awww, I'm sorry. Just doing edits on my end. Got about 60 pages done.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sigh. Just got my first, well, not hatemail...how about negative-mail? I will say immediately that the writer came across as very kind and sincere, so no hating. Here's some highlights:



> I just finished reading the first book and thought you might like some feedback from a fellow reader and writer (though not professionally, although my degree is in English literature).
> 
> I thoroughly enjoyed the story you created but I won't lie and tell you it was amazing in its telling. You are a good storyteller, but not a great writer. I highly recommend you look to authors like Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen series) or perhaps Frank Herbert (Dune series) to improve both the depth of your world and characters and your writing. At times I found your writing stating the obvious; at others the wording and vocabulary were unclear or juvenile. Expanding your vocabulary alone would improve your writing greatly. Don't be afraid to go into depth and detail concerning character's thoughts or describing settings either. Give your characters a philosophy. Give your races a culture and customs, even if they seem bizarre or amusing. This adds untold depth to your world and its people.


Thankfully she softened the blow a little at the end.



> Please know I don't say these things out of anger or of a mean spirit. I know you have it in you to fashion impressive worlds and characters, but writing is always about constantly improving. Study up, work hard, and I'll be waiting for your next story.


More sigh. Feel like I'm back in Creative Writing, listening to the teacher explain why I'm only getting a B...I know I'm a good storyteller, but I'd like to think I'm, ya know, at least competent on the writing end. Stupid self-doubts. Seventeen fanmails tell me I'm awesome, but all it takes is one to make me feel like I'm appearing the fool before thousands.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

David,

I'm reading the same book and I think your writing is fantastic. No BS. Your style just didn't reach her. It happens.

EVERYBODY loves The Road... except for me. I could NOT get into the way it was told. I felt detached and didn't care about any of the characters or what was going on. Does that mean the writing was bad? Not at all. It just didn't work for me.

We all have our unique style. Just because she didn't like yours doesn't mean you're a bad writer, so keep your head up. I can see how that would bum you out, but I honestly enjoy your writing, and I am not saying that just to make you feel better.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Thanks Mike  .

I love this forum. I'm not sure I could have survived as long as I had without some sort of outlet.


----------



## Michael Crane

That's what we're here for!  Seriously, I am digging the book, and you already know I'm not a big fantasy fan.  That alone should tell you how talented you are to keep my attention this long reading a kind of book I normally wouldn't.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Half-Orc, half the people I know think "Lord of the Rings" is a boring book of nonsense.  You can't please everybody.  And hey -- 17 to 1 is an awesome fan-to-critical mail ratio!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

DArenson said:


> Half-Orc, half the people I know think "Lord of the Rings" is a boring book of nonsense. You can't please everybody. And hey -- 17 to 1 is an awesome fan-to-critical mail ratio!


Haha, there's a good way to look at it. I'll probably be heading to Braum's soon. Ice cream heals all wounds.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Haha, there's a good way to look at it. I'll probably be heading to Braum's soon. Ice cream heals all wounds.


Any particular flavor? I'm feeling pretty wounded myself. I tried frozen yogurt (peach) with redi-whip but it didn't help.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm partial to peanut butter and chocolate fudge sundaes.


----------



## daveconifer

Half-Orc said:


> Sigh. Just got my first, well, not hatemail...how about negative-mail? I will say immediately that the writer came across as very kind and sincere, so no hating. Here's some highlights:
> 
> Thankfully she softened the blow a little at the end.
> 
> More sigh. Feel like I'm back in Creative Writing, listening to the teacher explain why I'm only getting a B...I know I'm a good storyteller, but I'd like to think I'm, ya know, at least competent on the writing end. Stupid self-doubts. Seventeen fanmails tell me I'm awesome, but all it takes is one to make me feel like I'm appearing the fool before thousands.
> 
> David Dalglish


I don't like this kind of criticism. To me it's "you should have written it the way I would have written it." Weight of Blood is captivating. It's just right. If you talked about customs and traditions of certain races that would please some -- and turn off others. It wouldn't have made it a better book.

The comments about vocabulary and juvenile writing? I have no idea what that's all about...

Your sales and popularity speak for themselves.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

David, I feel wounded by your letter too.  I also need ice cream now.

Well, no.  I just want ice cream and need an excuse.  Thanks buddy!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Oh jeez man, if you ever need excuse for ice cream, I am soooo there for you.

"Daniel....Firefly Island is a terrible title. It should be Super-Amazing Firefly Island. You have failed as a book-namer."

There. Go to town on that ice cream. And again, thanks guys. I just find it silly how much it stung. I can try to think rationally over and over, but that irrational part of me...

Well, that's what the ice cream is for, to kill the irrational. Chocolate overload, wooooo!

David Dalglish


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Half-Orc said:


> "Daniel....Firefly Island is a terrible title. It should be Super-Amazing Firefly Island. You have failed as a book-namer."


Ah, but see--Firefly Island is but the first book. The second book will be Amazing Firefly Island. And the THIRD book in the trilogy is indeed planned to be titled Super-Amazing Firefly Island.

I think the series as a whole will be called: The Super Fantastic Party Island Books... with Fireflies


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hrm. You're defeating my purpose...wait. I got it.

Daniel, you are an amazing book-namer to have composed a trilogy with a book called Super-Amazing Firefly Island. You deserve ice cream.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only your editor has the right to make comments like those. I had the editor bitch from Hell with The Jade Owl and I stayed awake half the night after emails from her. However, she was paid to be cruel. Readers shouldn't lecture authors on their craft. It's - "I loved it. I hated it. You misspelled a word on page 18 line 5," things like that. I would shake it off. You rdepth of language is fine, IMHO - and you didn't ask for it. I haven't read your books yet - I have them all in my TBR pile, but after that email you had, I opened them and did some spot scans. She doesn't know what she's talking about. Just don't respond to it. She's looking to engage you.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I passed an Edward C. Patterson spot test? Really? Awesome.

I responded (I've promised myself to always respond to every email I might ever get from someone who has read my work) but I was very polite, didn't argue in the slightest, and discussed my thoughts on some of the books she mentioned, my growth in world building, my new book coming out, etc.

I think I would have preferred a simple "I hated your book". Would have given me less to think about  .

Okay, leaving for ice cream (seriously). No more posting for like, 20 minutes. You guys all rock.

David Dalglish


----------



## J.M Pierce

Half-Orc said:


> More sigh. Feel like I'm back in Creative Writing, listening to the teacher explain why I'm only getting a B...I know I'm a good storyteller, but I'd like to think I'm, ya know, at least competent on the writing end. Stupid self-doubts. Seventeen fanmails tell me I'm awesome, but all it takes is one to make me feel like I'm appearing the fool before thousands.
> 
> David Dalglish


Hey David, shake it off my friend. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel. It's difficult to understand how your writing can be so fantastic to some and not up to par for others. I have been right there. I don't know why it is that it is so easy for us to forget all of the positives that come our way when a spec of bad drops from the sky. Worse yet, is that we are made to feel by some that we should discredit many of our good reviews because they aren't this or they aren't that, and God forbid we'd have an opinion about a critical review. It is absolutely, 100%, unequivocally true that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and the fact is that is all it is; one person's opinion vs. another. Don't you dare let yourself feel like "just" a student (though I know you will continue and learn throughout your career), because to at least the 17 fanmailers, you ARE the teacher. Keep on keepin' on David.

J.M.


----------



## Dawn McCullough White

*Study up, work hard, and I'll be waiting for your next story.*

Who in the world would write this to the author of a book they're reading?  Fan-mail (or hate-mail) generally doesn't look like this, it's generally honest, straight-forward "I loved (or hated) what you wrote".  This is just... emotionally abusive.  "Study up, work hard"...  whatever, I don't find this constructive criticism at all.  Just condescending drivel.  

Don't listen to it David.


Dawn


----------



## daveconifer

Dawn McCullough White said:


> *Study up, work hard, and I'll be waiting for your next story.*
> 
> Who in the world would write this to the author of a book they're reading? Fan-mail (or hate-mail) generally doesn't look like this, it's generally honest, straight-forward "I loved (or hated) what you wrote". This is just... emotionally abusive. "Study up, work hard"... whatever, I don't find this constructive criticism at all. Just condescending drivel.
> 
> Don't listen to it David.
> 
> Dawn


I'm not one who brushes off criticism as useless or "trolling." Last week somebody gave me a tough critique on a short story and even before I tried to understand her points and improve my writing I made sure to thank her for her efforts to help me get better.

But this doesn't seem very constructive. It almost seems intended more to put somebody in their place, although I have no idea if anything like that was really going on.


----------



## Guest

David -- the reason I enjoyed your book so much is because it's nothing like the titles she mentioned. Please (!!!) don't go in the direction of The Malazan (yawn) Book of the Fallen. My editor tried to get me to go down that path - he even had the audacity to suggest I imitated Robert Jordan (actually I think he might have even mentioned Terry Brooks!!!!).

Your pacing is excellent and your narrative style direct. This is undoubtedly part of your success.

Your vocbulary is fine - not at all juvenile (except for Harruq, who's presumably meant to be juvenile). As writers, this is something we should be building upon continuously, whilst being wary of overdoing it (which I've been guilty of in the past).

With regards to world building, you've already focused more on that in the new books (without overdoing it, praise the Maker!). It was never an issue for me in "The Weight of Blood" as I was totally drawn into the relationship between the central characters. Whilst it won't hurt to flesh out the geography and politics a little I would be wary of shifting the focus away from relationships. Worldbuilding should stay very much in the background.

It is an odd email to receive from a reader. It sounds like she's trying to be genuinely helpful but unfortunately she's forgetting her place. These are the sorts of comments you might expect from your editor but I don't like the idea of a reader presuming to lecture you on writing, unless you specifically ask for it.

People were always telling Stephen King and David Gemmell they couldn't write! So what! They told great stories and readers love their work. Who cares about the rest?



Half-Orc said:


> Sigh. Just got my first, well, not hatemail...how about negative-mail? I will say immediately that the writer came across as very kind and sincere, so no hating. Here's some highlights:
> 
> Thankfully she softened the blow a little at the end.
> 
> More sigh. Feel like I'm back in Creative Writing, listening to the teacher explain why I'm only getting a B...I know I'm a good storyteller, but I'd like to think I'm, ya know, at least competent on the writing end. Stupid self-doubts. Seventeen fanmails tell me I'm awesome, but all it takes is one to make me feel like I'm appearing the fool before thousands.
> 
> David Dalglish


----------



## R. M. Reed

There's no law that fantasy has to have flowery prose and take a hundred pages to describe the history, politics, and languages of your world. Besides, your world is kind of raw, without the long history of many fantasy worlds. You are forging your own path.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Since I haven't read your work, Oligart, I can only go by the comments of those that have, so I'll just say.

Keep up the good work!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Aaah, what a great way to start a morning. Well, my ego feels properly inflated again, and I'm ready to edit book 4 (and hopefully Dance of Cloaks if it shows up in the mail!). Thanks again, guys.

David Dalglish


----------



## J.M Pierce

That's what friends are for, David. Good luck with your edits!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Writing is the best cure for all ills. As it is the lonely art, the outside world disappears and leaves you in better company.

Edward C. Patterson

(I like that. I think it will be the Extempore thought of the day)


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Writing is the best cure for all ills. As it is the lonely art, the outside world disappears and leaves you in better company.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> 
> (I like that. I think it will be the Extempore thought of the day)


I like that one, Ed.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I'm a few chapters away from finishing the outline for this project, but I think I'm going to add a few chapters to the middle. I need to go over it before I decide what needs to happen.

And I think I've decided I need to go through the Trilogy and do a complete three-book re-write... as well as with TBTC.  I may need to start drinking again.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yeesh? A three-book rewrite? I'm not sure I could ever do something like that.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I think that's what needs to be done. And like I said... I better start drinking.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Me thinks I've got my climax... or is it a false climax?? Hmmmm...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Me thinks I've got my climax... or is it a false climax?? Hmmmm...


No comment.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

For the novel, Gert!!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

For me, the end of my novels (a target) comes first. I can picture the end and it has to move me to tears or else the whole shindig gets tossed. The ending usually stays in my head replaying many different ways for a few years, so when I get to it, and it's different (and suprises even me), it is guaranteed to knock a reader off the couch. In the People's Treasure, the ending was set in 2006 and has drifted a bit here and there as I wrote the novel in my head and then as I began the draft, it changed slightly, but ever playing, over and over until it becomes a spirit - a soul unto itself. THEN, when I reached the climax of The People's Treasure last week, it was totally different (as it should be), but guess what - that soul is there in spades, because it germinated in 2006 and was encapsulated in an ever shifting possibility. I mean, I even shared the ending the week before with Peg of the Red Pencil, but changed it on the spot as I wrote. When she read it, she shook her head. "You changed it," she said. "Did it work?" "Perfect," she said. "I mean, did it knock you off the couch." She smiled and handed it back to me. I never got an answer, so I'll need to wait for the first reviews. I am so glad I never, never, never use an outline, because I'd never, ever, ever stop embracing my work as if it would slip away when I turn my back. If I commit it to paper, it doesn't breath inside me. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> For the novel, Gert!!!


Ooohhhhhhh!! Gotcha.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I'm having a lot of fun with this. Taking a dinner break, then may get back to it before the soccer game.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A real serious day - 13,400 word on *The People's Treasure* - also applied edits from Peg (she's finished 106 or 442 pages of the print 8.5 x 11 print out), and I put the first five chapters through Katie der Kindleschpreche (surprisingly clean). Tomorrow's another day. I'm pushing becuase I'll be on vacation in Massachusetts from the 19th to the 26th and although I'll still have my computer, I'll also be with Dad and the New England side of the family.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Where will you be, Ed?


----------



## Dave Dykema

Basic POV question, but I feel a bit daft tonight.

If a character (who's POV we're following) is talking to a character that we know who it is (Dave), but she doesn't, do I have to keep using "the stranger said," "the man said," or can I write "Dave said."?


----------



## Jeff

Dave Dykema said:


> Basic POV question, but I feel a bit daft tonight.
> 
> If a character (who's POV we're following) is talking to a character that we know who it is (Dave), but she doesn't, do I have to keep using "the stranger said," "the man said," or can I write "Dave said."?


It's more fun for the reader if they know and the character doesn't - so my advice is to avoid using the stranger's name until the main character identifies him as Dave.


----------



## Dave Dykema

That's basically what I thought. I had Dave said, Dave did this, Dave looked at her, etc. until I realized she doesn't know who Dave is. We've been hanging with Dave for 50 pages by now, so it just naturally came out. As I was looking it over, the discrepancy caught my attention.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'll be in Danvers and Beverly, MA - basically Salem. My Dad hadn't seen his sister in some 30 years. After Mom's passing three years ago, he had a yen to visit, so I took him home to tour the town he grew up in and visit with his sister (she's a writer and poet). She has since read all my books and I dedicated the *Nan Tu * to her. She's 85 and a brilliant mind. Last year, my brother (James Patterson ), took him up. This year, I'm returning. There are dozens of cousins, all my age. My family (on my grandmother's side) were among Salem's founders coming over on the Arabella. My grandmother was Hilda Herrick, a descendant of Robert Herrick, the poet. In fact, in The Jade Owl, I pay homage to my illustrious ancestor, whose most famous poem is "Advice to Virgins," by quoting "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may." I use it as a metaphor throughout the entire series for the gathering of notes for research - "Another _rosebud _ on the _garland_." The Patterson name comes from my grandfather, but not through blood. He was a full blooded Cherokee, born in Sawyers' Bar Mill Siskiyu County CA and was extra-tribal. He took the name Patterson from the captain of a steamboat he worked on on the Sacramento river, because he needed a last name to enlist in the Army. That's how he gained his citizenship, Cherokee not being citizens until 1926. He got his upon discharge in 1918. We should actually have the last name Deverieux, because his mother was Lillian Deverieux and is on the Dawes Roll, but he was orphaned and adopted by Helen Three-trees, a coastal Indian, so his papers are for that tribe, although blood Cherokee. Because of that, the Dawes rolls are useless for our official tribal membership. When he married my grandmother, she was disinherited - but no matter, the stock market crash brought the entire family down. Until the day he died, my Grandfather could neither read nor write, but he could paint and sold his paintings on the roadside in North Conway, NH. Although he was a loon in life, I'm proud of my Cherokee heritage, being a full quarter blood and have learned the language and have published a book on the Trail of Tears - _*Come, Wewoka and Diary of Medicine Flower * _ (I have taken the Cherokee name, Medicine Flower - _Nv-wo-di A-gi-lv s-gi_). One of the principle characters in _*The Jade Owl*_, Griffen Jones, is a one-eyed Cherokee (no coincidence that I'm blind in one eye), and he's a landscape artist (which might be ironic, but is actually a homage to my grandfather). His mother is Wewoka Jones and is based on a woman I met in San Francisco who sold jewelry in a Native shop on Jefferson Street (an important setting in the novel). Wewoka is actually a name one of the Cherokee priciple towns in North Carolina/Tennessee before the removel, the other two being Enitachopco and Chattanooga). In a WIP novel, _*Belmundus,*_ a SciFi-Succubus work depicts an under-society of slave laborers, which is a thinly veiled and in depth characterization of Cherokee history and culture. Can't wait to get that one out in 2012 (before the end of days). 

Sorry for the rattle-on, but I was in the mood.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I got an email rejection today from Asimov's science fiction. The editor said the story wasn't quite right for her but she would pay special attention to my next submission. So now I need to think of something great and new to send her. I also want to place the story she rejected, so I will start looking up more SF markets.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Better than the form letter I got from Asimov's last I submitted. Semi-gratz to that!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Random person: "So yeah, what did you do Sunday night?"
Me: "I created a fictional scandal surrounding a fake president, as well as printed out the MBTA budget for FY 2011."
Random person: "Yeah, you have no life."


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

6,800 words tonight in revisions on *The People's Treasure*. Bed beckons me.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

My really gross zombie story was rejected by a place called Darkside Digital. Someday I will find a place for it.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Outline/treatment at 15 handwritten legal pad pages, plus three pages (two 8.5x11, one legal) of character sketches/subplot. Loads of printed material. Now just have a day trip to Boston to plan.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Visit Fenueil Square.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Been there!

But you never know; she may stop in, since it's on the Freedom Trail.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I did the freedom trail at night with two sailors I


Spoiler



picked-up


 . . . ahem , met in a bar. The Old North Church never looked better. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

My zombie story is now in the inbox at a place called TalesofWorldWarZ.com. It's non-paying, but this story has been rejected several times and I would just like it to be seen and read. Besides, maybe readers who see my horror pen name will remember it when my novel comes out.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Reed said:


> My zombie story is now in the inbox at a place called TalesofWorldWarZ.com. It's non-paying, but this story has been rejected several times and I would just like it to be seen and read. Besides, maybe readers who see my horror pen name will remember it when my novel comes out.


Good luck.

I'm just typing in words to see what works.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

As I was showering, I decided I need to go back and examine the relationship between the protagonists. 

This outline will never, ever be fully completed, I don't think.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> As I was showering, I decided I need to go back and examine the relationship between the protagonists.
> 
> This outline will never, ever be fully completed, I don't think.


Doesn't the outline get soggy when you're working on it in the shower?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Doesn't the outline get soggy when you're working on it in the shower?


I really wonder about John sometimes...almost as bad as what David Dalglish does to my Runmeter in the morning! 

Sorry for not being around much, peeps - and even this is a quick check in as I'm totally beat after running 12 miles in hills in PA yesterday, driving home today, an hour of plyometrics (jumping cardio, as if my legs weren't already screaming about yesterday), cleaning out the RV, etc.

But, the good news is that I managed to actually get some writing done this morning after a 2-3 week hiatus and finished off chapter 25 of Season Of The Harvest. Going to try and manage at least a few words every night from now on, with more on the weekends. Hoping to have this sucker done by mid-September (don't think my end of August goal is close to realistic now)...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Doesn't the outline get soggy when you're working on it in the shower?


*Sighs* Just a thought that came to me while the outline is dry in my office.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> *Sighs* Just a thought that came to me while the outline is dry in my office.


A likely story...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

My head is killing me. The final edits for Dance of Cloak arrived from merry ol' England. I've put in 208 pages of edits so far, with a good 140 left to go. I wanted to get this done tonight. Doesn't look like it'll happen. Book will have to go live tomorrow *sigh*

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

8,310 words this evening on revisions of The People's Treasure. Nearing the half-way point. Another evening's work and then vacation.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Now I have to learn about campaign finance reform and its laws..... I hate myself.


----------



## Susan in VA

John Fitch V said:


> Now I have to learn about campaign finance reform and its laws..... I hate myself.


Or you could scrap the whole project and write about... kittens.


----------



## Michael Crane

I'm in the process of getting a short story together to publish on Smashwords.  Going to have it be free.  Already have a cover for it and now I just have to make sure it's formatted correctly.  Took me a bit since I've never published on that site, but I think I've got the basics down.

Thanks for the suggestion, David Dalglish!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Susan in VA said:


> Or you could scrap the whole project and write about... kittens.


I'll pass on that, Susan.


----------



## Cliff Ball

I'm wondering how come one of my novels, Don't Mess With Earth, that 3 of the 5 reviewers say that it basically sucks, sells on Kindle quite a bit, and I don't promote it all that much since I've moved on to promoting the next novel. What's up with that?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Because people like the title? I mean, come on. You don't mess with earth. This is basic stuff here.

Good luck on formatting the short story, Mike!

Up to page 240/324. Eyeballs melting.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Half-Orc said:


> Because people like the title? I mean, come on. You don't mess with earth. This is basic stuff here.
> 
> Good luck on formatting the short story, Mike!
> 
> Up to page 240/324. Eyeballs melting.


You know, I hadn't thought of that. (slaps self upside the head) D'oh!  (I'm not being sarcastic, by the way)


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Hit page 257. Calling it quits. Book will have to go live tomorrow *cry*


----------



## Guest

I joined Kindleboards and everybody here hates me.  LMAO


----------



## Guest

Edward C. Patterson said:


> For me, the end of my novels (a target) comes first. I can picture the end and it has to move me to tears or else the whole shindig gets tossed. The ending usually stays in my head replaying many different ways for a few years, so when I get to it, and it's different (and suprises even me), it is guaranteed to knock a reader off the couch. In the People's Treasure, the ending was set in 2006 and has drifted a bit here and there as I wrote the novel in my head and then as I began the draft, it changed slightly, but ever playing, over and over until it becomes a spirit - a soul unto itself. THEN, when I reached the climax of The People's Treasure last week, it was totally different (as it should be), but guess what - that soul is there in spades, because it germinated in 2006 and was encapsulated in an ever shifting possibility. I mean, I even shared the ending the week before with Peg of the Red Pencil, but changed it on the spot as I wrote. When she read it, she shook her head. "You changed it," she said. "Did it work?" "Perfect," she said. "I mean, did it knock you off the couch." She smiled and handed it back to me. I never got an answer, so I'll need to wait for the first reviews. I am so glad I never, never, never use an outline, because I'd never, ever, ever stop embracing my work as if it would slip away when I turn my back. If I commit it to paper, it doesn't breath inside me.
> 
> Ed Patterson


You've just described the difference between a writer and an artist. I firmly believe that every good story tells itself. Artists know this. What better way to suprise your readers than to suprise yourself.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

M.R. Mathias said:


> You've just described the difference between a writer and an artist. I firmly believe that every good story tells itself. Artists know this. What better way to suprise your readers than to suprise yourself.


Thank you



Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

M.R. Mathias said:


> I joined Kindleboards and everybody here hates me. LMAO


Not true. I took you off ignore.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Struggling to get the right fonts for my new book's cover -- placing the title and author name on the cover art, and making them look professional, is NOT easy!


----------



## michaelbalkind

I'm terribly confused.
I have too many projects in the works and I'm not sure what to work on.
My agent has been saying that she is sending me her edits on my manuscript of The Fix for the past month plus. I have been waiting and waiting. My problem is that I am about 80% done with my manuscript for Stealing Gold (the third book in my series.) I already had to put writing Stealing Gold off once before to write a manuscript that Disney Publishing requested and are evaluating now. Getting back into the writing of Stealing Gold takes a lot of reading and re-figuring where my plot and subplots are going. (I actually had to create a chart for it.) My agent has stirred up interest from a couple of publishers for The Fix, so when I get her edits they have to take precedence over my other projects. I hate waiting but I don't want to start writing Stealing Gold only to have to stop and start again. This business is so difficult sometimes, but then if it was easy everyone would be writing a book - oh wait - everyone is writing a book lately, right? Sorry to air my frustrations, but I do feel a little better now. Thanks for listening.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I'm trying to keep this a secret, but I gotta say this somewhere before I do my big 'push'.

I might have hit publish on Dance of Cloaks.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Half-Orc said:


> I'm trying to keep this a secret, but I gotta say this somewhere before I do my big 'push'.
> 
> I might have hit publish on Dance of Cloaks.
> 
> David Dalglish


I have heard of this Dance of Cloaks....


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

John Fitch V said:


> I have heard of this Dance of Cloaks....


Ssshshhhhhhh


----------



## Daniel Arenson

WHAT?  DANCE OF CLOAKS?  YOU MIGHT HIT PUBLISH ON DANCE OF CLOA--

(ouch... you didn't have to KICK me!)


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

DArenson said:


> (ouch... you didn't have to KICK me!)


Have to? No. Enjoy doing so? Yes.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Half-Orc said:


> Have to? No. Enjoy doing so? Yes.


So long as it's not the ninja-mummy kicking me; looks like her kicks would be DEADLY.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

DArenson said:


> So long as it's not the ninja-mummy kicking me; looks like her kicks would be DEADLY.


She does have those freakishly long legs for kicking, after all.

Now if Smashwords would start progressing forward past #10...


----------



## R. M. Reed

I did see the phrase "dance of cloaks" when you were describing Haern in action at some point. But I gather this book is set in a different time and/or place in your world.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I've already spoken with someone about what the USS Constitution looks like at night, and awaiting a call on campaign finance reform laws. Might as well determine the relationship between my antagonists while I'm awaiting that call.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

R. Reed said:


> I did see the phrase "dance of cloaks" when you were describing Haern in action at some point. But I gather this book is set in a different time and/or place in your world.


Haern's one of the main characters


----------



## Michael Crane

Looking forward to the new book! I'm still on The Weight of Blood, which is excellent. More than half-way through it.

And the cover of the new book is AWESOME looking.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

michael_crane said:


> Looking forward to the new book! I'm still on The Weight of Blood, which is excellent. More than half-way through it.
> 
> And the cover of the new book is AWESOME looking.


Thanks! Make sure you grab it for free!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Do I have to read the others in order to read Dance of Cloaks? Love dancing, love cloaks, love dancing in cloaks, love dancing with men wearing cloaks (Ed, don't say "me too"). I may have to buy this one. I may even have to read it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

My royalties for July aren't showing up. Anyone else having that problem?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My royalties for July aren't showing up. Anyone else having that problem?


Slight delay, Amazon said it'll be up by the 18th (they're having problems).

And no, I wrote Dance to specifically be a standalone, without any need of reading my prior works, and without needing to read more to get a fulfilling ending. Reading the rest of my series will just make certain character appearances that much neater, since you'll immediately know who they are.

David Dalglish


----------



## R. M. Reed

I just got $14.52 in royalties! Not from Amazon, but from the publisher of a book called "Dead But Dreaming." It's a Lovecraft themed book, and I have one story in it. This is the second time in ten years they have sent out royalties.
Hey, it's a big deal since I only had $8.00 in the bank before that.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

So, everyone remember that 'negative-mail' I got? Got a response from her!



> Great! I'm glad to hear it. I was saving a little so I could buy some more books, and I believe I will be purchasing the next 2 in the series. Is your newest already out?
> 
> ...Aw, I didn't mean to be 'negative'!  I actually figured I was being constructive - I hope I was - and not accusatory. I'm happy that so many have enjoyed your book! I told you you're a good storyteller. :3
> 
> Let me know if you ever want someone to run ideas or stories by. I would be more than happy to swap stories or give feedback or anything else. I have been toying with some ideas of my own that - if I have time this fall - I want to type out. It would be amazing to have feedback from someone who's been through it! Let me know, I'll be in touch.


I'd say I feel better now, but I already feel better, so I'll say I feel 'more' better. Hoohah. I told her to come to the Kindleboards.

David Dalglish


----------



## Guest

Jeff said:


> Not true. I took you off ignore.


LOL Thanks!


----------



## Guest

R. Reed said:


> I just got $14.52 in royalties! Not from Amazon, but from the publisher of a book called "Dead But Dreaming." It's a Lovecraft themed book, and I have one story in it. This is the second time in ten years they have sent out royalties.
> Hey, it's a big deal since I only had $8.00 in the bank before that.


Thas cool....


----------



## Sean Sweeney

With the weather over the next few days supposed to be unbearable, I decided to go to Boston today to do some research on small details for my thriller novel. In the two hours I was there, I scribbled two and a third legal pad-sized pages of notes and walked a few miles, took some pictures to help me visualize the settings. 

I even opened a door at a Marriott: told them I was an author, that my protagonist would be staying there... they let me check out a room with a view that the protag would have in the novel. Was great.

And on the train ride in, I wrote two 8.5x11 pages of notes for my next YA novel. Using my time to the fullest! I also saw a Kindle in the wild; recommended my book (of course), as well as several others here.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> With the weather over the next few days supposed to be unbearable, I decided to go to Boston today to do some research on small details for my thriller novel. In the two hours I was there, I scribbled two and a third legal pad-sized pages of notes and walked a few miles, took some pictures to help me visualize the settings.
> 
> I even opened a door at a Marriott: told them I was an author, that my protagonist would be staying there... they let me check out a room with a view that the protag would have in the novel. Was great.
> 
> And on the train ride in, I wrote two 8.5x11 pages of notes for my next YA novel. Using my time to the fullest! I also saw a Kindle in the wild; recommended my book (of course), as well as several others here.


That is so cool the Marriott let you do that. Of course, they'll be getting the publicity from your next bestseller but still, it's kind of neat.

Very productive day.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's exciting, John. In my upcoming book (The People's Treasure), I had to insert the old places andpeople disclaimer (I rarely need to), because I have scenes set in the Waldorf-Astoria (as well as the Metropolitan Museuem of Art and Columbia University). Sounds like you had an intoxicatingly exciting day.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thanks gang. How does this sound for imagery (rough):

"The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat, fashioned after a passenger liner's prow complete with captain's bridge, looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor, triple screws churning water into foam. If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. Jaclyn knew it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago, the restaurant so close to the landscaped embankment at the foot of the hotel."


----------



## Guest

The Adventurion just went live.........    Wish me luck!


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

John Fitch V said:


> Thanks gang. How does this sound for imagery (rough):
> 
> "The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat, fashioned after a passenger liner's prow complete with captain's bridge, looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor, triple screws churning water into foam. If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. Jaclyn knew it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago, the restaurant so close to the landscaped embankment at the foot of the hotel."


Cool. Maybe a "being" after restaurant?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

M.R. Mathias said:


> The Adventurion just went live......... Wish me luck!


Luck!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Thanks gang. How does this sound for imagery (rough):
> 
> "The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat, fashioned after a passenger liner's prow complete with captain's bridge, looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor, triple screws churning water into foam. If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. Jaclyn knew it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago, the restaurant so close to the landscaped embankment at the foot of the hotel."


Confusing. I lost track of what you were describing. I think you need to break up the sentences a bit more.


----------



## Guest

"The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat was fashioned after a passenger liner's prow.  Complete with a captain's bridge, and triple screws churning water into foam, it looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor.  If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. The restaurant sat so close to the landscaped embankment, at the foot of the hotel, Jaclyn knew that it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago."


----------



## Michael Crane

I just got my first review for TODAY, I TOLD A LIE on Smashwords, and it's a positive one!!  Sweeeeeeeeeeet!

Sorry, it made me very happy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

M.R. Mathias said:


> "The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat was fashioned after a passenger liner's prow. Complete with a captain's bridge, and triple screws churning water into foam, it looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor. If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. The restaurant sat so close to the landscaped embankment, at the foot of the hotel, Jaclyn knew that it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago."


Good rewrite.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael Crane said:


> I just got my first review for TODAY, I TOLD A LIE on Smashwords, and it's a positive one!! Sweeeeeeeeeeet!
> 
> Sorry, it made me very happy.


Well, you gonna share?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Well, you gonna share?


Yeah!


----------



## Michael Crane

Sorry! Didn't know if we could post reviews on here or not. It's short:



> This piece is short but to the point. It paints a picture I can believe really happened.
> 
> The dialogue and characters are believable. I had quite a bit of sympathy for the main character.
> 
> It's certainly worth a read


----------



## Guest

Michael Crane said:


> Sorry! Didn't know if we could post reviews on here or not. It's short:


Post it.... I just got Recovery's preview. Reading (possibly buying) it tonight


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael Crane said:


> Sorry! Didn't know if we could post reviews on here or not. It's short:


In your own book thread you can only post a link. In here, we're not going to complain.

Well done!!


----------



## Michael Crane

M.R. Mathias said:


> Post it.... I just got Recovery's preview. Reading (possibly buying) it tonight


Thanks! I appreciate you checking it out. 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> In your own book thread you can only post a link. In here, we're not going to complain.
> 
> Well done!!


Thank you.  Made me very happy. It's been a good week so far, and it's only Tuesday!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

This author support thread is kinda like our little safety zone. Post whatever you want, talk about whatever you want, all in the name of keeping on being what we are: authors.


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> This author support thread is kinda like our little safety zone. Post whatever you want, talk about whatever you want, all in the name of keeping on being what we are: authors.


But remember that Scarlet reads this thread.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jeff said:


> But remember that Scarlet reads this thread.


Discussing Scarlet in a negative way would be considered doing something that would NOT help keep on being an author, so that's just assumed Jeff.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> But remember that Scarlet reads this thread.


That's scary.


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> This author support thread is kinda like our little safety zone. Post whatever you want, talk about whatever you want, all in the name of keeping on being what we are: authors.


Well said! And will remember that. 

And thanks again for recommending that I publish a free story on there. I think that's really going to help in the long run. Anything that gets the word out.


----------



## Guest

Scarlet sounds a lot like Shaella, the half evil sorceress in my epic, who comes in about half way through and dominates until the end of book two.  Strong willed, determined, and to the point, easily able to instill fear in all of you guys....  lol  I hope she reads THIS!    LMAO.  Flattery will get you everywhere!


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> But remember that Scarlet reads this thread.


Oddly enough, I haven't been checking in here too much lately. Guess I should start again..



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's scary.


Gee Gertie, I thought we were friends....



Half-Orc said:


> Discussing Scarlet in a negative way would be considered doing something that would NOT help keep on being an author, so that's just assumed Jeff.


I don't know Dave, the destruction I wreak on your existence might make an interesting story. If you can figure out how to type it with no hands...



M.R. Mathias said:


> Scarlet sounds a lot like Shaella, the half evil sorceress in my epic, who comes in about half way through and dominates until the end of book two. Strong willed, determined, and to the point, easily able to instill fear in all of you guys.... lol I hope she reads THIS! LMAO. Flattery will get you everywhere!


Equating me with an evil sorceress, even only a half evil one, is NOT considered flattery. Try again.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 4,000 words tonight. Packing up for a eeks vacation (after work) tomorrow to aforementioned Salem. Will bring the computer with me, but I am 4 weeks ahead of schedule, so I might just relax, although I have that next one (Grafenwöhr) percolating.  For me, the worst thing is the valley between 2 novels, so when The People's Treasure is launched, I intend to be pedal to the floor with my little German ditty. It's a light one, probably to the tune of 125,000 words, I project. But, you know me. I detest outlines, so its a guess. However, I suspect it will be more a church than a cathedral.

Ed Patterson 
heading first to _Katie der Kindlespreche_ for a edit-chapter or two, then to bed.


----------



## Guest

@Scarlet, Oh but she steals the show! She collars a dragon, she conquers a kingdom, and she rules with an iron fist and a fair heart!  Did I mention she is beautiful?  Wow, and she is only a minor story thread.


----------



## Guest

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Only 4,000 words tonight. Packing up for a eeks vacation (after work) tomorrow to aforementioned Salem. Will bring the computer with me, but I am 4 weeks ahead of schedule, so I might just relax, although I have that next one (Grafenwöhr) percolating.  For me, the worst thing is the valley between 2 novels, so when The People's Treasure is launched, I intend to be pedal to the floor with my little German ditty. It's a light one, probably to the tune of 125,000 words, I project. But, you know me. I detest outlines, so its a guess. However, I suspect it will be more a church than a cathedral.
> 
> Ed Patterson
> heading first to _Katie der Kindlespreche_ for a edit-chapter or two, then to bed.


I used to write like that. 4-6k words a day or more. Thats why I have 6 or 7 unedited manuscripts laying around. Now I write 1500-2k words a day that I hope only need a good proofing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That is revision pace. My daily goal is 2,000 words fresh when authoring a novel or 4,000 if the chapter requires it. When revising I can get up to 15,000 words a day - but revision work uses our _craft _ and not our _art _ - a different portion of the brain, and not the most creative one. Creativity has a shorter trajectory than what a Village Smithy can attain, and that's what revision work is all about - smithing.


----------



## Guest

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That is revision pace. My daily goal is 2,000 words fresh when authoring a novel or 4,000 if the chapter requires it. When revising I can get up to 15,000 words a day - but revision work uses our _craft _ and not our _art _ - a different portion of the brain, and not the most creative one. Creativity has a shorter trajectory than what a Village Smithy can attain, and that's what revision work is all about - smithing.


Appearantly that portion of my brain has stopped working. I love to write. I despise the rest of it. The only reasn I get into post it fights on here, and at amazon is for the frantic typing practice.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's impossible to get into fights here. Kindleboards is civilized.   Now on Amazon . . . that's a different beast.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> Gee Gertie, I thought we were friends....


Now, Scarlet, you know we love you. I'm just jealous of how you look in that red dress.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

M.R. Mathias said:


> "The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat was fashioned after a passenger liner's prow. Complete with a captain's bridge, and triple screws churning water into foam, it looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor. If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. The restaurant sat so close to the landscaped embankment, at the foot of the hotel, Jaclyn knew that it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago."


Thanks, M.R.


----------



## Michael Crane

Joel Arnold wrote a really nice review of my short story, TODAY, I TOLD A LIE on Smashwords:



> I really enjoyed this heartbreaking story, told from the point of view of a third-grader who prefers playing by himself. I feel the author nailed the voice of this child - very believable, and I remember having some of those feelings when I was a youngster.
> 
> Recommended!


Thanks so much, Joel! I'm glad you enjoyed it and that I did a good job with the voice of the narrator.


----------



## Holland

John Fitch V said:


> Thanks gang. How does this sound for imagery (rough):
> 
> "The rear side of the lengthy red-bricked ziggurat, fashioned after a passenger liner's prow complete with captain's bridge, looked ready to slip into Boston Harbor, triple screws churning water into foam. If it did that, it may have dragged a nearby restaurant in with it. Jaclyn knew it would have resembled the Titanic pulling the New York from its mooring in Southampton 99 years ago, the restaurant so close to the landscaped embankment at the foot of the hotel."


Imagery is good (but I do have a note below); concept order is good; sentence construction feels like falling down on cobblestone, but rough drafts are for getting out ideas, not prose 

The image pops to mind but the transition from "ziggurat" and "ship" seem ill-fitting, ziggurat being large and unmovable and a ship being designed to move. It took a bit to transition to what you were saying. I'm not sure the ziggurat is necessarily bad only that one of the three items isn't working without a bit of stumble: 'ziggurat'; 'ship'; 'looked like' transition.

(hate posting on the run and not being able to back up what I'm saying with another suggestion; maybe I'll get lucky and pop back in later)


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Now, Scarlet, you know we love you. I'm just jealous of how you look in that red dress.


Borrowed it from Steph. Well, Valentina borrowed it from Steph. Valentina's creator did not give her any nice clothes, Steph got all the pretty stuff.

And go check out the pictures worth 10,000 words thread. There are a couple of shots of the real me, you'll see I'm nothing to be jealous of.

Oh, and I gotta move you back to the top of my TBR list. Lost you in the reorganizing of collections.


----------



## Guest

I got a fantastic review today on "The First Dragoneer"  It was 4 * and full of criticism, but I think that that works toward the promotion of the full length work that this story is the prequel for.  Just sayin'....    M.R.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> Borrowed it from Steph. Well, Valentina borrowed it from Steph. Valentina's creator did not give her any nice clothes, Steph got all the pretty stuff.
> 
> And go check out the pictures worth 10,000 words thread. There are a couple of shots of the real me, you'll see I'm nothing to be jealous of.


You mean you're not green? All my illusions have been shattered.



> Oh, and I gotta move you back to the top of my TBR list. Lost you in the reorganizing of collections.


Okay, nervously awaiting your opinion.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You mean you're not green? All my illusions have been shattered.
> 
> Okay, nervously awaiting your opinion.


It's not easy being green. Actually, that avatar was originally pink, but Nogdog was able to green her for me.

And don't be nervous. I'll PM you.


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> And don't be nervous. I'll PM you.


Unless she discovers a major blunder - then she'll take out a full page ad in the _Times_.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Unless she discovers a major blunder - then she'll take out a full page ad in the _Times_.


Man, I SAID I was sorry for pointing that out in public. I thought you would have a reason for it, not that it was a boo-boo.

And believe, I would not pay full page rates.


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> And believe, I would not pay full page rates.


Okay. That I'll believe.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Had a nice comment on my Amazon thread for Turning Back The Clock today....

"I finished your book this morning and loved it, hope you write a sequel. If you do please let us know because I so enjoyed the first one, it would make for a good movie. Look forward to the further adventures of Greg and Brandon if you decide to do a sequel. Since I enjoyed Turning Back The Clock I bought two of your other books and hope to enjoy them too."


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Excellent.

Ed Patterson.
On the Road


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Nice going, John.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thanks! Made my day... a return reader!


----------



## Daniel Arenson

That's great John!  I actually saw this on Amazon earlier (I subscribe to your thread) and it made me happy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dalglish, have you seen the review by Robert DuPerre?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

DArenson said:


> That's great John! I actually saw this on Amazon earlier (I subscribe to your thread) and it made me happy.


I'm glad someone friendly is tracking it!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Dalglish, have you seen the review by Robert DuPerre?


Just got home and read it. Also had a message from him in my mailbox assuring me he meant every word. I'm trying to decide which rooftop to start yelling from.

Unbelievable.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

*sigh*

I was going over IN DECLINE, making another version in case I ever want to add it to Smashwords, and I found some typos that I missed.  Not a lot, mind you, but you're still never happy to find them.  Thankfully, with an eBook it's much easier to add edits and fix those mistakes.  My only hope is that those who bought a copy already weren't put off by them.

The revised version should be up within the next day or two.  Happy that I was able to fix them.  Still somewhat bummed, though.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Don't beat yourself up, Mike. I've uploaded a new version of Weight of Blood at least 9 times, and I'm 99% there's still plenty of idiotic errors still within.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Don't beat yourself up, Mike. I've uploaded a new version of Weight of Blood at least 9 times, and I'm 99% there's still plenty of idiotic errors still within.
> 
> David Dalglish


Thanks, that actually makes me feel a little better.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Whenever I release a new version correcting typos, I offer a FREE discount coupon at Smashwords for replacement copies, and if he changes are substantial, I will promote it for everyone.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Just got home and read it. Also had a message from him in my mailbox assuring me he meant every word. I'm trying to decide which rooftop to start yelling from.
> 
> Unbelievable.
> 
> David Dalglish


That was some review. Congratulations.


----------



## Michael Crane

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Whenever I release a new version correcting typos, I offer a FREE discount coupon at Smashwords for replacement copies, and if he changes are substantial, I will promote it for everyone.
> 
> Ed Patterson


That's a good idea. Good news is this wasn't on Smashwords. I found these errors because I was thinking of making a version for Smashwords, and that's how I found them. Funny how it happens like that.

But at least I haven't sold a ton of copies yet, and the people who have bought one haven't really complained about it. So that's a plus.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That was some review. Congratulations.


Two threads in Cafe, one in the Bazaar, and two mentions on Facebook. Rooftop shouting is done now. Some review, my god. I want to print it and stick it to my wall as a giant poster.

Oh, and thanks Gertie 

Mike, -most- readers won't be upset by a single spelling error or two, not unless it's really bad or really funny. Now if we're talking like twenty or so, then yeah they'll notice.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Mike, -most- readers won't be upset by a single spelling error or two, not unless it's really bad or really funny. Now if we're talking like twenty or so, then yeah they'll notice.
> 
> David Dalglish


Good to know, and nope, not that bad at all. Just a few, and they were simple errors. Still, I'm glad I could do something about it, so no worries. Thanks again!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I used that method for books revised after 2 years.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Susan in VA

Jeff said:


> Unless she discovers a major blunder - then she'll take out a full page ad in the _Times_.


----------



## Michael Crane

In happier news, TODAY, I TOLD A LIE has 46 downloads.  And the story has only been up since yesterday on Smashwords.  So far, got two good reviews.  My girlfriend hated the main character, which is funny because I told her it's actually based on something that happened to me   lol.  But, it's still fiction.  I changed and created things to tell a better story.  But I thought that was pretty funny.

Also considering putting IN DECLINE on Smashwords.  I like how they have it available for different formats.  Might be a good idea to put it up on there, especially if I decide to publish future stories on there.


----------



## Guest

@Michael Crane  You saying that you put your story on Smashwords yesterday motivated me.  Thanks.  Two titles on Smash today.  Easy Peasy and aren't the coupons soooo cool.    Starting your story when I hit the pillow!


----------



## Michael Crane

M.R. Mathias said:


> @Michael Crane You saying that you put your story on Smashwords yesterday motivated me. Thanks. Two titles on Smash today. Easy Peasy and aren't the coupons soooo cool. Starting your story when I hit the pillow!


Thanks, and glad I could help! I actually didn't know about the coupons until yesterday. THAT is a nice feature. I was always wondering if there was a way you could give discounts without having to edit your price all of the time.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

So yeah, I'm awake with Restless Leg Syndrome. Am I working on the two projects I have open on my desk? Nope.

What am I thinking about?

A thriller I would release in 2013. I need to be shot.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

My dad has restless leg syndrome as well. He doesn't take any medicine for it because my mom won't let him. It freaks her out that the side-affects include sleepwalking and compulsive gambling.


----------



## Michael Crane

Still going strong on the novel I'm working on, GOODMAN'S BAD DAY (think that's what I'll call it for the time being).  It's downright silly and absurd, and it should be!  It's a nice change from what I usually write.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> So yeah, I'm awake with Restless Leg Syndrome. Am I working on the two projects I have open on my desk? Nope.
> 
> What am I thinking about?
> 
> A thriller I would release in 2013. I need to be shot.


Your word for the day: FOCUS



Half-Orc said:


> My dad has restless leg syndrome as well. He doesn't take any medicine for it because my mom won't let him. It freaks her out that the side-affects include sleepwalking and compulsive gambling.


Yeah, some guy ran down to OTB in the middle of the night and blew the mortgage payment. He blamed it on the meds so his wife wouldn't kill him. That's how they got listed as a side effect. 



Michael Crane said:


> Still going strong on the novel I'm working on, GOODMAN'S BAD DAY (think that's what I'll call it for the time being). It's downright silly and absurd, and it should be! It's a nice change from what I usually write.


You're not supposed to be having fun. We must SUFFER for our art. 

I suffered through my art last night. I always take my netbook to GS's Pokemon League and usually get a lot done. The last two weeks this woman with a very loud laugh has been there. I can't get mad at someone having a good time, but it's very distracting. Sometimes she laughs so loud, I jump. I usually get at least 1K words done on league night, but not since she's been there. Only 600 last night.

GS does TKD on Fridays, so I'm hoping for another 500 words at least.


----------



## Michael Crane

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You're not supposed to be having fun. We must SUFFER for our art.


Well... my character kinda suffers for the art. Does that count? 

It's just fun to write. Usually my stories are very serious and rather depressing, so it's nice to try something different.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Your word for the day: FOCUS


Yeah, that's my problem. I'm worse than a guy with ADHD and the remote control.


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> Yeah, that's my problem. I'm worse than a guy with ADHD and the remote control.


Takes remote and hides it. You don't get it back until you've written 3 chapters.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

LOL, since I'm not "writing," per se... I get it back. 

Cross grocery shopping off my To Do list for the day. Now... outlining, outlining, or outlining?


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> LOL, since I'm not "writing," per se... I get it back.
> 
> Cross grocery shopping off my To Do list for the day. Now... outlining, outlining, or outlining?


No, then you don't get it back until the outlining is done!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*Sighs* I'll do the second outlining, since I have to go over the first outline with my girlfriend and see what holes I have to fill (I know of one).

I could also do the third outline.... but since the second one is in my mind, I might as well work on that one.


----------



## Michael Crane

I think I've found my next story to put on Smashwords for free.  TODAY, I TOLD A LIE is really getting a lot of hits, and I'm amazed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> *Sighs* I'll do the second outlining, since I have to go over the first outline with my girlfriend and see what holes I have to fill (I know of one).


That's way too easy.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Wow. Not going there!


----------



## Guest

The last three or four posts here were great!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's way too easy.


Giggity.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*banging head on the closet wall*


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Giggity.


You almost made me spit water onto the computer screen with that one!!! 

Back on topic, glad to see you're getting a lot accomplished, John! Keep it up!


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> *banging head on the closet wall*


John, if you come out of the closet, I'll give you back the remote....


----------



## Sean Sweeney

*jumps out of the window*


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> *jumps out of the window*


fine, then I keep the remote. what channel is the Yankees Network here?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Finished the initial outline of the YA novel/novella (don't know what it's going to be just yet). May need tweaking. Not worried about it yet. 

And I wrote a note to myself for the next thriller. Now the short story....


----------



## julieannfelicity

Half-Orc said:


> Giggity.


I know this has nothing to add to the conversation, but I would die (heart would literally stop) if I ever met Seth MacFarlane! (swoon)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1,400 words today on *Season Of The Harvest*. That was my stress relief after a really annoying, frustrating day at work. I didn't blow anything up in the story, though - I figure John F. has been doing enough of that!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Applied for three jobs - today got word from the third. No's on all. Didn't even make it to an interview stage in any. Sigh.

Oh, and did like 20 pages of edits.


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Applied for three jobs - today got word from the third. No's on all. Didn't even make it to an interview stage in any. Sigh.
> 
> Oh, and did like 20 pages of edits.


Sorry to hear that, buddy.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Applied for three jobs - today got word from the third. No's on all. Didn't even make it to an interview stage in any. Sigh.
> 
> Oh, and did like 20 pages of edits.


Dang, dude! That sucks!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Dang, dude! That sucks!


Yeah. I should mention I'm in the process of buying a house that was originally repossessed...I started the process about 3 months ago when I still had my para job. So I'm buying a house while I have no job. Going to get a week or two subbing under my belt, then return to the lady who got me the loan and go "well...here's the deal. I now have income from books, subbing, my paper route, and my wife's babysitting. Will this work, or are you going to hang me and have these past 3 months been for nothing?"

Sigh. Oh, and just to top off the day, someone went through and downvoted the top 3 reviews on Weight of Blood. Thanks, whoever.

David Dalglish


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> Yeah. I should mention I'm in the process of buying a house that was originally repossessed.


Look at the bright side. You could be in the process of buying a house that was possessed.

Things will work out. Trust me.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jeff said:


> Look at the bright side. You could be in the process of buying a house that was possessed.


Heck, for all I know that could be the case as well. If a miracle happens and we still buy it, I'll make sure to let you all know of any creepy ethereal doings.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Half-Orc said:


> Heck, for all I know that could be the case as well. If a miracle happens and we still buy it, I'll make sure to let you all know of any creepy ethereal doings.


And then write a book about it. I keep telling you, you're not getting jobs because it means you should keep on writing. BTW, i sampled Dance of Cloaks. Haven't finished it yet, but you are definitely a storyteller.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> And then write a book about it. I keep telling you, you're not getting jobs because it means you should keep on writing. BTW, i sampled Dance of Cloaks. Haven't finished it yet, but you are definitely a storyteller.


I hear that "you're a storyteller" a lot. One of these days I'll know exactly what it means. For now, I'll take it as a huge compliment .

And man, I really hope you're right about the writing thing. It'd be sweeeeet to do this for a living.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Still vacationing. Perhaps tody I'll crack open some revisions.   Perfect weather here in MA.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Finished editing a story that I plan to put on Smashwords for free sometime this weekend.  I'm excited about it.  Already have the cover done and everything.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'm looking for work too, and it's hard. Unemployment insurance is (barely) keeping me going. Some politician said that people make more on unemployment than they do working, and that's total B.S.

If you are making enough on books that you can seriously mention it to a mortgage person, you are moving towards being a full time pro. I am hoping for the big deal through my agent, but I know these days advances are usually pretty small.

We will all meet at a con someday, where our fans will line up for signings, and laugh about these hard days. Right?

(Oh, and I do have an idea how to do signings for ebooks - make printed cards with the cover and a space for the signature. People would still want to get a glimpse of and a couple of words from their favorite authors, wouldn't they?)


----------



## Michael Crane

Just received my first so-so review, and lived to tell about it! 



> Well written but a little weak on motivation.


Actually, I'm quite happy that he said it was well written at least! I have no problems with somebody not liking the general idea or theme of a story, or perhaps some of the characters. I think I'd be more bummed if the actual writing was attacked.

They all can't be winners. I'd rather try and fail, than not try at all for fear of failure.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Now this is what you do. Go to facebook and post:

"A new review!


> Well written...


Couldn't be happier!"

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

It's still quoting the review, at least!

But I'm still going to pretend I'm bummed, so I can eat some Birthday Cake ice cream I just bought at the store... shhhhhhhhhhh


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael Crane said:


> But I'm still going to pretend I'm bummed, so I can eat some Birthday Cake ice cream I just bought at the store... shhhhhhhhhhh


Don't worry, I won't tell on you.


----------



## J.M Pierce

Half-Orc said:


> I hear that "you're a storyteller" a lot. One of these days I'll know exactly what it means. For now, I'll take it as a huge compliment .
> David Dalglish


For whatever my opinion is worth, David, I would much rather read a book by a good "storyteller" who might not be the best writer (and this is in no way implying that you are not a great writer!) than I would a book with a not so great story but fantastic technical writing.

If you are hearing the "storyteller" comment a lot, take it as a great compliment and reflection on your work!

Take care and good luck on the house as well.

J.M.


----------



## Michael Crane

CANARY is actually getting quite a few reviews today... and mostly positive!  Nothing lower than 3 stars, and they're from people I don't know.  Excellent...  my plan for world domination is right on schedule.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael Crane said:


> CANARY is actually getting quite a few reviews today... and mostly positive! Nothing lower than 3 stars, and they're from people I don't know. Excellent... my plan for world domination is right on schedule.


These smashwords reviews or Amazon? If Smashwords, I gotta figure out how you're doing that....


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> These smashwords reviews or Amazon? If Smashwords, I gotta figure out how you're doing that....


Smashwords, and I have no idea what I'm doing. I published it early this morning, and so far it's at 32 views. I'm just as shocked as you are!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I wonder if since they're short stories, people are breezing through 'em quick and reviewing. Seriously, I have 1000 smashwords freebie downloads on Weight of Blood, 3 reviews. That's, what, 1:333 ratio? You're blowing the snot out of me there, and it's been free for 6 months, so not like people haven't had the time to write a review  

David


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> I wonder if since they're short stories, people are breezing through 'em quick and reviewing. Seriously, I have 1000 smashwords freebie downloads on Weight of Blood, 3 reviews. That's, what, 1:333 ratio? You're blowing the snot out of me there, and it's been free for 6 months, so not like people haven't had the time to write a review
> 
> David


I bet you that's exactly what it is. Especially these two stories, they're not very long. I can see how people would be attracted to them if they're looking for quick reads.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just finished sketching out a short story partially inspired by the classic Twilight Zone episode TIME ENOUGH AT LAST. The ending, though, will have you laughing.


----------



## Michael Crane

John Fitch V said:


> Just finished sketching out a short story partially inspired by the classic Twilight Zone episode TIME ENOUGH AT LAST. The ending, though, will have you laughing.


Sweet!  Love TWILIGHT ZONE. You'll have to keep us posted!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I will. I'm going to write it tomorrow.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just got a nice review on my Facebook page:

"Hey John! Just got done with Turning Back The Clock on my Kindle! I collect Red Sox books and this is one of the best ones I have ever read!! An absolute great read!! Please do a sequel going back to 1908!!!!"


----------



## J.M Pierce

I managed to get in 1500 words today on my latest W.I.P.!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

What is the Answer?

42.

But the question, what is the question? No, it isn't the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

It's the number of fan e-mails I now have in my fanmail folder at Yahoo.  

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael Crane

Very happy with the activity that CANARY is getting.  It's only been up for one day, and already it has 45 views/downloads.  Even have a few reviews, mostly positive--nothing below 3 stars.  What's even better is they're from people who don't know me or my writing, so it really reinforces the idea that I'm doing something right and that this isn't a fluke or anything.


----------



## Sharlow

Wow just realized I got a 5 star review for Storytellers. I feel stupid as I got it over a month ago and didn't even notice.    Take a look!

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy at its best!, July 13, 2010
By R. M. Putnam "Fantasy Writer" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)  
This review is from: Storytellers (Storytellers Saga) (Kindle Edition)
I was pleasantly surprised as I turned each page, a world of fantasy that has you hooked from the get-go. Intriguing, spellbinding and exciting book filled with wonder and excitment. I don't like to give away plot or surprises all I can say is that this book is a must read and I look forward to future works by Martin Sharlow.

I almost feel like I should write them or something. Is that appropriate? After all I missed the review for a month...God I feel stupid. lol.


----------



## Bane766

Sharlow said:


> Wow just realized I got a 5 star review for Storytellers. I feel stupid as I got it over a month ago and didn't even notice.  Take a look!
> 
> 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy at its best!, July 13, 2010
> By R. M. Putnam "Fantasy Writer" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
> (REAL NAME)
> This review is from: Storytellers (Storytellers Saga) (Kindle Edition)
> I was pleasantly surprised as I turned each page, a world of fantasy that has you hooked from the get-go. Intriguing, spellbinding and exciting book filled with wonder and excitment. I don't like to give away plot or surprises all I can say is that this book is a must read and I look forward to future works by Martin Sharlow.
> 
> I almost feel like I should write them or something. Is that appropriate? After all I missed the review for a month...God I feel stupid. lol.


Grats, Sharlow!

I got 2500 words down on my WIP last night...the thing is something new is knocking to get out, so I may start that today. It's most likely going to be a Short Story and it's in First Person, so it should be interesting to write (I mostly do 3rd person).


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Started the new short story this morning, and already at 1,800 words. Taking a break.


----------



## Michael Crane

Done with the first 3 chapters of the novel, GOODMAN'S BAD DAY.  6,839 words so far.  Not too shabby.  Makes it easier that I had a few chapters done a few years ago, so I'm basically rewriting or re-structuring those until I get to the point where I left off.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I woke to notices from Smashwords that someone reviewed my superhero books. Turns out it was my cover artist, but I didn't ask him to do it. He gave me four stars.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just got an email titled "I Love You" from someone who says I've helped re-ignite his love of books. Great start to the day.


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> Just got an email titled "I Love You" from someone who says I've helped re-ignite his love of books. Great start to the day.


That's excellent! Congrats!  It's one thing to have somebody admire your work, but to re-ingite somebody's love for books and reading is just fantastic.


----------



## J.M Pierce

Half-Orc said:


> Just got an email titled "I Love You" from someone who says I've helped re-ignite his love of books. Great start to the day.


That is a MAJOR deal, David. Nieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeece!


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Just got an email titled "I Love You" from someone who says I've helped re-ignite his love of books. Great start to the day.


How do they get your eMail David? Oh and congrats on that. Now you have 43 in your folder.

@Bane766 Thanks Bane. I appreciate it.


----------



## Michael Crane

Sharlow said:


> How do they get your eMail David? Oh and congrats on that. Now you have 43 in your folder.


For me, I started to include them on my books/stories, along with my Facebook page. If you don't want to give your personal e-mail, you can always set up one that's specific for you and your works on yahoo or gmail.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

In the very back of every book I write I have a little letter to the reader. I basically yammer about the book, some key aspect of it perhaps, and discuss a couple decisions I made, etc. Then I'll end by giving my email address and a promise to respond to every one I receive.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sharlow

Thanks guys. I guess I should do that then. I do get stuff through facebook at times, but that's it. Should of thought of that before.


----------



## Michael Crane

Surprised to find a new review up on Amazon for my short story, RECOVERY:

_Just finished a long book and needed a short story as a break. A little hopeless and sad. _

Short and to the point. Gave me 4 stars. 

And that doesn't surprise me... my stories tend to be that most of the time. Have no idea why I like to write about such sad individuals... I just find them interesting.

Which is another good reason to hopefully finish this novel. It's more on the goofy side, just to show that not everything I do has to be doom and gloom.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Said "I Love You" guy has now added me on facebook and is buying a signed copy of book 1 from me. Muhahah. Great day.

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Getting set to launch another novelette. I'm having an awful time deciding on a cover. One of my daughters is an artist (not professionally) and I'd love to have her do something, but I know she'd charge me for it. I may have to settle for one of the photos I took at the beach.


----------



## Michael Crane

3 Chapters done in the potential novel so far, and now on Chapter 4.  It's going strong, so far!  Hope I can keep it up!  Hopefully others will find it funny--it's making me laugh, at least.


----------



## JoeMitchell

1500 words today, some of them actually good.  I'm going to try to keep this up all week.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Half-Orc said:


> Said "I Love You" guy has now added me on facebook and is buying a signed copy of book 1 from me. Muhahah. Great day.
> 
> David Dalglish


That's super! After all, you are a lovable guy.


----------



## Guest

Finished Chapter 17 of  +/-30 in my Haunted house murder mystery, but was trashed in review over using "Knocked" instead of "nocked" as refering to arrows.  Just search "Knocking" an dang arrow people.  Archery was around in 35,000 b.c. before there was even speach. There are cave drawings of stick men shooting arrows, and I bet you a 12 pack none of them said "nocked!" or "Knocked!"  

A question.  Could he have "woofed" down his food?  or do you have to "wolf" down food?  These (and other terminology) were the only real negative points of the review so that is good, but jeese, what do you do when the reviewer is calling you out on words with dual meaningings? or meanings that have dual words with multiple spellings?

Ok thats off my chest.  I finished Ch 17 today.....  back on topic!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Well, the arrow people are right, but they don't have to trash your work, they could just politely mention it. Spelling and grammar are important but getting pedantic about it isn't necessary.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

I'm doing the last readthrough of a short story I'll be submitting to a horror anthology.  That last look is always hardest for me because I tend to read what I remember writing and not what's actually on the page.  I'm sure many of you can relate.


----------



## Guest

R. Reed said:


> Well, the arrow people are right, but they don't have to trash your work, they could just politely mention it. Spelling and grammar are important but getting pedantic about it isn't necessary.


Thanks for the support:

Bow setup from pabucks.com
Remember: These measurements are all starting points. You may have to make some minor changes to gain optimum arrow flight. Setting Up Arrow Rest And Knocking Point.
www.pabucks.com/bowsetup.html - Cached

Whats the past tence of nocking (or is it knocking?) an arrow ...
"Whats the past tence of nocking (or is it knocking?) an arrow?" - Find the answer to this question and millions more on Yahoo!7 Answers.
au.answers.yahoo.com/question/ index?qid=20080115180131AAgRKBo - Cached

How To Load a Bow with an Arrow | How To Do Things.com
Place the knock of the arrow to the knocking point. If you are not familiar yet with the knock, it is the small groove in the arrow, usually v-shaped.
www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/how-to- load-a-bow-with-an-arrow - Cached.Also tryroperly k*nocking* an arrow.

But again in 35,000 B.C. neither term is correct, both are slang.

It is a derivative of notched, for that is what it is. It is a *notch* or nacht(Gaelic and/or Celtic inflection?) in the end of the arrow.


----------



## pidgeon92

Personally, I don't think misused words are a minor detail in a book. I think it shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter.


----------



## Guest

pidgeon92 said:


> Personally, I don't think misused words are a minor detail in a book. I think it shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter.


I agree..... One word I misused badly and only once was Quarrel in place of the correct term Quiver. (It wasn't from lack of knowledg it was from plain ole oversight) But "Knocked" and "nocked" are both correct as the usage of arrows was arround far before written or even spoken language. It is a notch in the end of an arrow. With or without the "k" it should be exceptable because it is slang.

As for "Woofed" I think that it works too. It is also a 'slang' word as no one can really 'Wolf' down anything unless thay are in fact a wolf. Just sayin....

And thanks for the advice.


----------



## luvmy4brats

> *woof*
> n.
> The threads that run crosswise in a woven fabric, at right angles to the warp threads.
> The texture of a fabric.
> [Alteration (influenced by WARP) of Middle English oof, from Old English ōwef : ō-, on, on; see on + wefan, to weave.]
> 
> *woof2 (wʊf) *
> n.
> The characteristically deep, gruff bark of a dog.
> A sound similar to a woof.
> intr.v., *woofed, woof·ing, woofs.*
> To make this sound.





> *wolfed*
> 
> tr.v., wolfed, wolf·ing, wolfs.
> To eat greedily or voraciously: "The town's big shots were ... wolfing down the buffet" (Ralph Ellison).





> *nock*
> n.
> The groove at either end of a bow for holding the bowstring.
> The notch in the end of an arrow that fits on the bowstring.
> tr.v., nocked, nock·ing, nocks.
> To put a nock in (a bow or arrow).
> To fit (an arrow) to a bowstring.
> [Middle English nokke.]





> *knock*
> v., knocked, knock·ing, knocks.
> v.tr.
> To strike with a hard blow.
> To affect in a specified way by striking hard: knocked the mugger senseless.
> To cause to collide: I knocked my head on a low beam.
> To produce by hitting or striking: knocked a hole in the wall.
> To instill with or as if with blows: We tried to knock some sense into his head.
> Slang. To find fault with; criticize: Don't knock the food; it's free.
> v.intr.
> To strike a sharp audible blow or series of blows, as on a door.
> To collide with something: knocked into the table.
> To make a pounding or clanking noise: The car engine is knocking.
> n.
> An instance of striking or colliding; a blow.
> The sound of a sharp tap on a hard surface; a rap.
> A pounding or clanking noise made by an engine, often as a result of faulty fuel combustion. Also called ping.
> Slang. A cutting, often petty criticism.
> phrasal verbs:


----------



## Guest

The *notch* in the end of an arrow that fits on the bowstring.

Well this is where being indie and having the freedom to drink a "pop" while watching the "Tube" in the backseat of my "Ride" after a hard day at the "grind" comes in.  Maybe the pizza guy will "nock" on my door so I can "woof" down some "grub."

Seriously thanks guys.


----------



## Guest

Search ResultsAmazon.com: Woofing it Down: The quick & easy guide to making&#8230;
(18 Reviews) - $12.99 $11.69 as of Aug 18, 2010 
The complete Quick & Easy Guide to Making Healthy Dog Food At Home. Learn how dogs with chronic illness improved after being fed a healthy homemade diet of fresh foods. This ...

www.amazon.com/Woofing-Down-quick- making-healthy/dp/1434310728 - Cached.Amazon.com: Woofing it Down - Guide to Making Healthy Dog Food At ...
(9 Reviews) - $7.00 as of Aug 11, 2010 
Format: Kindle Edition File Size: 131 KB *Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited Publisher: AuthorHouse*; 1 edition (June 6, 2007) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services Language ...

www.amazon.com/Woofing-Down-Making- Healthy-ebook/dp/B002C74J92 - Cached.Whats the best way to keep my cat from woofing down his cat food ...
Best Answer: IMO you need to change your feeding schedule. Its not a good thing to leave food out all the time and if you have a problem cat, then its more important to change to ...
answers.yahoo.com/question/ index?qid=20100203103052AA6Aurc - Cached

Baby Food Maker | Woofing it Down: The quick & easy guide to ...
The complete Quick & Easy Guide to Making Healthy Dog Food At HomeLearn how dogs with chronic illness improved after being fed a healthy
babyfoodgrinder.net/baby-food-maker/ woofing-it-down-the... - Cached


----------



## Guest

They should change this thread to the "Author beat down thread."  

Everyone knows that woofing something down is doggish. Whereas Wolfing something down is what? Predatory? or also Doggish? Neither term is incorrect.  Ask Dickens.

And that the "K" is irrelevant unless you are trying to badger some one....lol    I came to this thread for support.  For affirmation of the fact that in all but one instance my story was correct.          And you people wonder why I am suck an ask!  Yes that "K" was on purpose.

Thanks for the support of those of you who actually put forth an effort in supporting me.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Well. . . . I would say it _is_ support if people are trying to help you not make mistakes that cause reviewers to pan you. . . . . . . .


----------



## Guest

Im just mad and venting Ann.  You guys should know that by now.  lol  

But hey, when a great story comes along allways beat it down as hard as you can because you are all perfect! 

I'll give you guys wolfing, and I know I donked it on Quiver vs  Quarrel.  But Knocked and nocked are both correct and not one person even tried to agree with me.  Not because of weather its true or not, but because its fun to beat down the new guy (or me) or something I dont know.  Anyway Im over it.  Im changing Quarrel to Quiver and woofed to wolfed, but I'll not change Knocked to nocked, because both are correct.

Again thanks for the support.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Where was the review at? If it is, say, Amazon, post a comment simply thanking them for reading your book, spending the time to write a review, and then say you'll be fixing the word errors (for the love of god, don't argue about the nocked/knocked or let them know you won't change it) and re-uploading.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just finished my one-day sci-fi short story: 4,422 words. Felt good to get the fingers going again.


----------



## Michael Crane

John Fitch V said:


> Just finished my one-day sci-fi short story: 4,422 words. Felt good to get the fingers going again.


Congrats! Glad to hear it! Hope we get to see it soon.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

It may come out just as a digital special.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi all. Blackberry access only today, but I'm following all the great stuff here.

Ed Patterson


----------



## LB Gschwandtner

Hi y'all, I have a question (actually 2).

There are now 4 five star reviews on my book (Kindle edition). But sales have dipped.

Any ideas on why? Any suggestions?

Also do any of you know a way to transfer your Kindle reviews over to print on amazon?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

LB Gschwandtner said:


> Hi y'all, I have a question (actually 2).
> 
> There are now 4 five star reviews on my book (Kindle edition). But sales have dipped.
> 
> Any ideas on why? Any suggestions?
> 
> Also do any of you know a way to transfer your Kindle reviews over to print on amazon?


It's Back to School season... don't worry about it.


----------



## LB Gschwandtner

John Fitch V said:


> It's Back to School season... don't worry about it.


Awww thanks John


----------



## daveconifer

I finally admitted to myself that I made my protagonist do something in the last chapter that she just wouldn't have done, only to move the plot along.  Time to get out the big eraser.  At least I came clean now instead of later -- fewer layers of story will need adjusting.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just remember, LB: You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant.


----------



## LB Gschwandtner

John Fitch V said:


> Just remember, LB: You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant.


But I lost the address.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's why I don't believe in plots, because stories re dragged down by them and characters suffocate. The excosism of plot is the best exercise that an author can perform. When I'm asked "What's the plot?" I always respond, "The only plot I know I have is the one that I'll be buried in. My books are never buried in one."  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

LB Gschwandtner said:


> But I lost the address.


Walk right in, it's around the back, just a half a mile from the railroad track....


----------



## Guest

Half-Orc said:


> Where was the review at? If it is, say, Amazon, post a comment simply thanking them for reading your book, spending the time to write a review, and then say you'll be fixing the word errors (for the love of god, don't argue about the nocked/knocked or let them know you won't change it) and re-uploading.
> 
> David Dalglish


Actually I changed all of the noted errors, save for the Knocked/Loosed delima. I disclaimed it by stating that the story does not take place in Webster's world it takes place in mine and that I have taken liberties with the spelling of certain terms pertaining to archery.

Here is why, The following Novel's in the dragoneer series are allready written and waiting for either a proof-reader/editor or for me to tracscribe them from longhand into MSWord. "The Royal Dragoneers", "Moonlit Dragon Skit", "Cold Hearted Son of a Witch", and one other that might be "The Last Dragoneer", but maybe wont. Anyway, if people can't deal with that then they can go read GRRM's next book.... I'm not changing an arguable variatin of the word "Notch" in x4 -100k+ word novels for anyone. If i did I would have to change it the three Wardstone Monsterpieces too.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

M.R. Mathias said:


> I disclaimed it by stating that the story does not take place in Webster's world it takes place in mine and that I have taken liberties with the spelling of certain terms pertaining to archery.


But....that's arguing with them. You're engaging with the reader. I mean, go ahead and argue with _us_ about whether it is right or not. But you don't want to publicly argue with a reader. It just isn't wise to do.

As an aside, if you've got the story in Word, changing it would be cake. Just use the find/replace feature. Even _if_ you are correct, why risk having more readers be upset about it? You've said that the terms are interchangeable, right? If they are, why not just switch over to the other term everyone is familiar over and save yourself the hassle?

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Never respond to a negative review. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> But....that's arguing with them.


"This isn't an argument."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it isn't!"

Sorry... I could NOT resist. Well, I could've, but where would the fun be in that? 

This is definitely the advantage of having an eBook out... you can always make revisions easily. I found some mistakes in mine and poor David had to talk me off the ledge.

Then, I just simply made the necessary corrections and uploaded it. No harm, no foul.


----------



## Guest

Half-Orc said:


> But....that's arguing with them. You're engaging with the reader. I mean, go ahead and argue with _us_ about whether it is right or not. But you don't want to publicly argue with a reader. It just isn't wise to do.
> 
> As an aside, if you've got the story in Word, changing it would be cake. Just use the find/replace feature. Even _if_ you are correct, why risk having more readers be upset about it? You've said that the terms are interchangeable, right? If they are, why not just switch over to the other term everyone is familiar over and save yourself the hassle?
> 
> David Dalglish


I think I'm going to replace "bow" with "tension string", and "arrow" with "aquilliar" then when I say "Knocked" it wont sound as bad.  lol JK 
I'm not changing it at all. 
If it means I never sell a book then that's cool. I'll probably sell more. Really, I'm not doing this for the reader I'm doing it for me. Writing all of those books helped me survive. And that is the bottom line. When I uploaded 'The Sword and the Dragon' into DTP I figured that in its current, poorly edited state that it would sell a dozen copies between now and Christmas. I wont tell you how many it has sold, but people have a lot of respect for the effort of writing such a long book. A lot of readers don't mind the bad comma's and the other messups. Nor do they mind paying $8.88 No one that takes that whole journey would want to rip it up in a review. Its like a bootleg recording of Zeppelin. You don't mind the dude coughing in the middle of "Dire Maker" because you get caught up in the magic. Getting to far into the technical makes it like a robot playing the piano. The song is played perfectly, but the emotion and power of it gets lost. I think the same can happen with writing. That's just MHO


----------



## Susan in VA

M.R. Mathias said:


> If it means I never sell a book then that's cool. I'll probably sell more. Really, I'm not doing this for the reader I'm doing it for me. Writing all of those books helped me survive. And that is the bottom line. When I uploaded 'The Sword and the Dragon' into DTP I figured that in its current, poorly edited state that it would sell a dozen copies between now and Christmas. I wont tell you how many it has sold, but people have a lot of respect for the effort of writing such a long book. A lot of readers don't mind the bad comma's and the other messups. Nor do they mind paying $8.88 No one that takes that whole journey would want to rip it up in a review. Its like a bootleg recording of Zeppelin. You don't mind the dude coughing in the middle of "Dire Maker" because you get caught up in the magic. Getting to far into the technical makes it like a robot playing the piano. The song is played perfectly, but the emotion and power of it gets lost. I think the same can happen with writing. That's just MHO


MR, in the spirit of this author-supportive thread, I'd like to point out that there are indeed readers who really aren't bothered by poor grammar and spelling, but there are also _many_ who _are_, and who will judge from a sample (or sometimes even from an author's posts) whether the errors in a book are going to spoil the reading experience for them. For these people, each typo and each error has the effect of distracting them from the story with a brief moment of irritation. If there are enough of those moments, it makes a book unreadable. Of course no book is going to be perfect, but eight errors in one paragraph would be enough to stop reading right there.

People can be great _storytellers_ without being good _writers_. But when someone is in the business of selling the written word, not making an effort to do it right is insulting to the potential readers.


----------



## R. Doug

JoeMitchell said:


> 1500 words today, some of them actually good. I'm going to try to keep this up all week.


_All_ my words are good. It's the order I put them in that sucks.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.


----------



## Guest

Susan in VA said:


> MR, in the spirit of this author-supportive thread, I'd like to point out that there are indeed readers who really aren't bothered by poor grammar and spelling, but there are also _many_ who _are_, and who will judge from a sample (or sometimes even from an author's posts) whether the errors in a book are going to spoil the reading experience for them. For these people, each typo and each error has the effect of distracting them from the story with a brief moment of irritation. If there are enough of those moments, it makes a book unreadable. Of course no book is going to be perfect, but eight errors in one paragraph would be enough to stop reading right there.
> 
> People can be great _storytellers_ without being good _writers_. But when someone is in the business of selling the written word, not making an effort to do it right is insulting to the potential readers.


Well I am not trying to make my living doing this. And I don't think there are 8 mistakes in the whole story that got trashed today. You pay editors and proofreaders. When I have the money I will do that. I care about what people think, but I had no control over what seems to be a momentary formatting issue. As for the terminology that got ripped in the review today. Check this out. It's fantasy. I can call a bull a gargantuan and make it seventeen feet tall, and I can have my archers say Knocked instead of nocked. The sun can be Maroon and the skin of the main character can be blue. That is what fantasy is. The "k" in front of nocked cannot trip up the reader. That is how you spell knocked. It was a jealous author posting at Amazon and a reviewer who was knit picking. I care, but I write for me. I'm not trying to get published. My 8.88 title has been in the top 100 of the Mythology category for three weeks. People are just picky jerks sometime, myself included.

Thanks for your input though. I do want my work as good as it can be within reason. But that isn't always grammatically correct. If it was then the crack heads dialogue would sound like an aristocrat. Concessions have to be made.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I have to chime in here, on a few points.

First of all, Ed said it best: Don't respond to negative reviews. Ever. There is no need for you to do that; by trying to defend your position, you're only validating what the reviewer wrote. Plain and simple.

Second. Mr. Mathias, I write fantasy as well. That's how I got my start, as a fantasy author. True, you can call a mountain a hill, a bull a donkey, a shoe a boot, or anything else that tickles your fancy. However, when you take something from a real life profession/activity, such as archery, or sailing, or something involving a crematorium -- it happened with R. Patrick Gates in his Grimm Memorials novel; he luckily had an uncle who worked as a mortician and was able to pick his brain for FACTS -- an author has to either a. be an expert in that topic, or b. be a pretty darn good BS artist to convince his/her reader that he/she knows what he/she is writing. Authors must give off the appearance as an expert, or else you lose credibility with your reader. If it is supposed to be nocked, you should write nocked. Who cares what your spell checker says in that case? And that is a blanket comment for anything that you have allegedly twisted to fit your story. Facts are facts are facts. You can't escape facts. You escape the facts, the criticism will follow.

Third. If you write for yourself, as you claim, why bother posting your books on Kindle/Smashwords? Your first book, your baby, should be for you. You went through the gauntlet of emotions in getting your character just right, and your settings perfect, and your plot -- Ed, can he have a plot? Just asking -- moving in such a way. Yes, that one is for you. You proved to not only yourself, but those around you, that you were able to write a book. Mazel tov! Your subsequent books should be for your reader. Your reader fell in love with your voice, your characters, your plot. If you're going to continue writing about these characters, they are not just yours -- they are your readers', as well. Sure, you don't have to take their advice when they feel a character should do this or a setting should look something eerily similar to something else; you drive the plot and the characters drive the story. If you're writing for just you, who cares what other people think? Write your stories, edit them, then stick them in a box somewhere. If you're planning on putting them out for public consumption, then no sir, you're not just writing for yourself.

Finally, you've come across as a very argumentative person who seems like you have to have your way all the time. Let's put on our big boy britches here. You've turned quite a few people -- including me -- off your books due to your fiery personality. I'm not saying that you have to kiss hiney while you're here. A little more tact is needed, and I can assure you that it is recommended by quite a few people. We are not only authors, but we are also readers, first and foremost. I've made quite a few friends here, I've read their books and I also recommend their books to not only my friends and readers, but also to people I meet in a Starbucks, in a bookstore, or at meet and greets for my own books. I recommend David, Daniel and Shawn Cormier's books to fantasy fans, and Steven Savile and David McAfee's to those who like a little something different. I recommend Ed's books to other friends. Mary McDonald, Beth Orsoff, Vicki Lieske, Heather Mathews, Imogen Rose, Amanda Hocking, etc... I hand sell more of my friends' books than I do my own, and I hope they are doing the same for me. You can sell yourself better with sugar and honey rather than with vinegar. Right now, you're giving yourself a bad reputation. Dial the venom back a few notches, lose the "It's my way or I'm taking my ball and going home" attitude, and maybe -- just maybe -- one of us will recommend your books to our readers. You may think we're dumping on you, or beating down on you, but the trollish persona... it has to go.

If that isn't author support, I don't know what is.


----------



## Guest

John Fitch V said:


> I have to chime in here, on a few points.
> 
> First of all, Ed said it best: Don't respond to negative reviews. Ever. There is no need for you to do that; by trying to defend your position, you're only validating what the reviewer wrote. Plain and simple.
> 
> Second. Mr. Mathias, I write fantasy as well. That's how I got my start, as a fantasy author. True, you can call a mountain a hill, a bull a donkey, a shoe a boot, or anything else that tickles your fancy. However, when you take something from a real life profession/activity, such as archery, or sailing, or something involving a crematorium -- it happened with R. Patrick Gates in his Grimm Memorials novel; he luckily had an uncle who worked as a mortician and was able to pick his brain for FACTS -- an author has to either a. be an expert in that topic, or b. be a pretty darn good BS artist to convince his/her reader that he/she knows what he/she is writing. Authors must give off the appearance as an expert, or else you lose credibility with your reader. If it is supposed to be nocked, you should write nocked. Who cares what your spell checker says in that case? And that is a blanket comment for anything that you have allegedly twisted to fit your story. Facts are facts are facts. You can't escape facts. You escape the facts, the criticism will follow.
> 
> Third. If you write for yourself, as you claim, why bother posting your books on Kindle/Smashwords? Your first book, your baby, should be for you. You went through the gauntlet of emotions in getting your character just right, and your settings perfect, and your plot -- Ed, can he have a plot? Just asking -- moving in such a way. Yes, that one is for you. You proved to not only yourself, but those around you, that you were able to write a book. Mazel tov! Your subsequent books should be for your reader. Your reader fell in love with your voice, your characters, your plot. If you're going to continue writing about these characters, they are not just yours -- they are your readers', as well. Sure, you don't have to take their advice when they feel a character should do this or a setting should look something eerily similar to something else; you drive the plot and the characters drive the story. If you're writing for just you, who cares what other people think? Write your stories, edit them, then stick them in a box somewhere. If you're planning on putting them out for public consumption, then no sir, you're not just writing for yourself.
> 
> Finally, you've come across as a very argumentative person who seems like you have to have your way all the time. Let's put on our big boy britches here. You've turned quite a few people -- including me -- off your books due to your fiery personality. I'm not saying that you have to kiss hiney while you're here. A little more tact is needed, and I can assure you that it is recommended by quite a few people. We are not only authors, but we are also readers, first and foremost. I've made quite a few friends here, I've read their books and I also recommend their books to not only my friends and readers, but also to people I meet in a Starbucks, in a bookstore, or at meet and greets for my own books. I recommend David, Daniel and Shawn Cormier's books to fantasy fans, and Steven Savile and David McAfee's to those who like a little something different. I recommend Ed's books to other friends. Mary McDonald, Beth Orsoff, Vicki Lieske, Heather Mathews, Imogen Rose, Amanda Hocking, etc... I hand sell more of my friends' books than I do my own, and I hope they are doing the same for me. You can sell yourself better with sugar and honey rather than with vinegar. Right now, you're giving yourself a bad reputation. Dial the venom back a few notches, lose the "It's my way or I'm taking my ball and going home" attitude, and maybe -- just maybe -- one of us will recommend your books to our readers. You may think we're dumping on you, or beating down on you, but the trollish persona... it has to go.
> 
> If that isn't author support, I don't know what is.


----------



## Guest

If you folks are not gonna give me "knocked' even for the sake of argument then quit calling yourselves writers. I wrote seven manuscripts 3 of them over 200k words and the other 4 over a 100k words and I WROTE them. LONGHAND I did not *type* them. You are typers. ask Webster.  You dont write you type. Writers put pen to paper an muscle out a 700,000 words straight through, no outline, no word processor, just pen, after pen, after pen, after pen.

If I cant "Knock" my arrows, then to me you can't "WRITE" a book. (unless of course you wrote your book by hand) but Oh thats different? nope. Knocked and nocked is the most retarded argumet I have ever heard in my life. Writers have to change with the times, and with the language they write in. The internet cites about 200,000 validations on "Knocked" (just as many on Nocked). Webster might say "Nocked" but he's English, not American. He goes to the loo....

If you think this argument I'm making sounds silly then now you now how you look to me. I do not care what a 100 year old dictionary says. I care if the reader enjoys his read. The internet prevails now in both definitions, and information gathering not a book. If you want fantasy grounded so far in reality that I cant have a silent "K" in an questinable archery term, then you my friends are not writers, but "*typers*."


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## Guest

Adjustable arrow rest assembly - Patent 5386814
The arrow rest assembly (1 comprises arrow rest ... jerks the bow handle in the direction of the arrow knocking ... bows may need a knock high setting to shoot properly.
www.freepatentsonline.com/5386814.html - Cached

HowStuffWorks "Arrowhead"
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite ... or Arrow Point, the striking end of an arrow, usually ... scrapers, drills, and hoesâ€"were made by knocking ...
science.howstuffworks.com/arrowhead- info.htm - Cached

Archery Bow Hunters
If your bow, arrows, sights, arrow rests and other equipment are not tuned or adjusted properly, all the ... Locate proper knocking point, arrow rest position and ...
www.archerhunter.com/bow-hunters.asp - Cached

qad arrow rest - ArcheryTalk Forum: Target & Bowhunting Chat
Be sure with this rest to time it properly , if you do ... until we cut all the containment crap off. not knocking ... what your arrows stay in a ready position, no arrow ...
www.archerytalk.com/vb/ showthread.php?t=847099 - Cached

Cactiusers » Mikrotik - Port Knocking
Mikrotik - Port Knocking. Following up on my last post, I ... list they will be added to show that they have properly ... in the interface by clicking the little down arrow ...
blog.cactiusers.org/2009/04/17/mikrotik- port-knocking - Cached

Bow and Arrow Target Shooting
[Mar 24, 2008] If you aim up and weak from farther away, the arrow will land on the apple, knocking it off and then ... Learn to properly rick roll before returning to the intrawebs; MovieBlog ... ~ by inactive ( 114 comments )
digg.com/playable_web_games/Bow_and_ Arrow_Target_Shooting - Cached


----------



## Michael Crane

Looking forward to getting some more writing done this morning... especially since I won't be able to tomorrow due to jury duty. That will be used for reading, most likely.

Still working on the novel and have also started the re-write of a story I finished a few weeks ago.

"Busy, busy, busy!" - from Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Waking up on vacation (last day in MA). 6 hour trip back to NJ. Should get out of bed now and see if the wifi is available to promote today's featured author at the Indie Spotlight.


----------



## Michael Crane

After being on Smashwords for only 2 days, CANARY has 66 downloads/views.  5 reviews, too!  So far, this seems to be the one that's getting the best reaction/feedback--and nothing lower than 3 stars.  I'm quite happy about that.


----------



## David McAfee

Michael Crane said:


> After being on Smashwords for only 2 days, CANARY has 66 downloads/views. 5 reviews, too! So far, this seems to be the one that's getting the best reaction/feedback--and nothing lower than 3 stars. I'm quite happy about that.


Are they all short stories, Michael? Just wondering. I've been meaning to pick up In Decline, but I haven't yet.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

M.R. Mathias said:


> If you folks are not gonna give me "knocked' even for the sake of argument then quit calling yourselves writers. I wrote seven manuscripts 3 of them over 200k words and the other 4 over a 100k words and I WROTE them. LONGHAND I did not *type* them. You are typers. ask Webster.  You dont write you type. Writers put pen to paper an muscle out a 700,000 words straight through, no outline, no word processor, just pen, after pen, after pen, after pen.


I wrote my novel "Flaming Dove" in longhand. I don't use the word "nock" in it, but I DO use that word SEVERAL times in my current work-in-progress, also written longhand. Just pen, after pen, after pen. 

I've learned that it doesn't always matter what's RIGHT. What matters is if it SEEMS right. Your average reader won't extensively google "knock" vs. "nock" or come to Kindleboards and view this discussion. He or she will just think, "Knock? Doesn't he mean Nock?", and keep reading. To avoid that, I'd just use the more common spelling most readers are used to -- which seems to be "nock".

For what it's worth, even "nock" is a fairly rare word; my word processor's spellcheck doesn't even recognize it!

And I agree with John -- bad idea to argue with a negative review. Best to just suck it up and keep writing.


----------



## Michael Crane

David McAfee said:


> Are they all short stories, Michael? Just wondering. I've been meaning to pick up In Decline, but I haven't yet.


Yep! David Dalglish recommended that I should try to put something up for free on Smashwords to see if that might get some attention, so I first put up the short story TODAY, I TOLD A LIE. I was really surprised and happy with the view count, so I decided to put another story up there. It's a great place for single short stories, it seems!

And thanks, David! No rush or worries. I appreciate it!  I'm glad that you haven't, yet. I had to re-upload it after spotting some mistakes. Nothing major, but I'd rather have them fixed, and they should be now for the most part. But thanks! Just saying that makes my day.


----------



## Sharlow

Well I think it's about time for me to start writing again. I've been on break for a little bit over a week.  Guess it's time to join the writers club again.


----------



## Sharlow

John Fitch V said:


> I have to chime in here, on a few points.
> 
> First of all, Ed said it best: Don't respond to negative reviews. Ever. There is no need for you to do that; by trying to defend your position, you're only validating what the reviewer wrote. Plain and simple.
> 
> Second. Mr. Mathias, I write fantasy as well. That's how I got my start, as a fantasy author. True, you can call a mountain a hill, a bull a donkey, a shoe a boot, or anything else that tickles your fancy. However, when you take something from a real life profession/activity, such as archery, or sailing, or something involving a crematorium -- it happened with R. Patrick Gates in his Grimm Memorials novel; he luckily had an uncle who worked as a mortician and was able to pick his brain for FACTS -- an author has to either a. be an expert in that topic, or b. be a pretty darn good BS artist to convince his/her reader that he/she knows what he/she is writing. Authors must give off the appearance as an expert, or else you lose credibility with your reader. If it is supposed to be nocked, you should write nocked. Who cares what your spell checker says in that case? And that is a blanket comment for anything that you have allegedly twisted to fit your story. Facts are facts are facts. You can't escape facts. You escape the facts, the criticism will follow.
> 
> Third. If you write for yourself, as you claim, why bother posting your books on Kindle/Smashwords? Your first book, your baby, should be for you. You went through the gauntlet of emotions in getting your character just right, and your settings perfect, and your plot -- Ed, can he have a plot? Just asking -- moving in such a way. Yes, that one is for you. You proved to not only yourself, but those around you, that you were able to write a book. Mazel tov! Your subsequent books should be for your reader. Your reader fell in love with your voice, your characters, your plot. If you're going to continue writing about these characters, they are not just yours -- they are your readers', as well. Sure, you don't have to take their advice when they feel a character should do this or a setting should look something eerily similar to something else; you drive the plot and the characters drive the story. If you're writing for just you, who cares what other people think? Write your stories, edit them, then stick them in a box somewhere. If you're planning on putting them out for public consumption, then no sir, you're not just writing for yourself.
> 
> Finally, you've come across as a very argumentative person who seems like you have to have your way all the time. Let's put on our big boy britches here. You've turned quite a few people -- including me -- off your books due to your fiery personality. I'm not saying that you have to kiss hiney while you're here. A little more tact is needed, and I can assure you that it is recommended by quite a few people. We are not only authors, but we are also readers, first and foremost. I've made quite a few friends here, I've read their books and I also recommend their books to not only my friends and readers, but also to people I meet in a Starbucks, in a bookstore, or at meet and greets for my own books. I recommend David, Daniel and Shawn Cormier's books to fantasy fans, and Steven Savile and David McAfee's to those who like a little something different. I recommend Ed's books to other friends. Mary McDonald, Beth Orsoff, Vicki Lieske, Heather Mathews, Imogen Rose, Amanda Hocking, etc... I hand sell more of my friends' books than I do my own, and I hope they are doing the same for me. You can sell yourself better with sugar and honey rather than with vinegar. Right now, you're giving yourself a bad reputation. Dial the venom back a few notches, lose the "It's my way or I'm taking my ball and going home" attitude, and maybe -- just maybe -- one of us will recommend your books to our readers. You may think we're dumping on you, or beating down on you, but the trollish persona... it has to go.
> 
> If that isn't author support, I don't know what is.


   Maybe naming names isn't such a good thing. Especially for those of us that don't make the list.


----------



## Michael Crane

Chapter 4 is coming along nicely.  I think I'm going to see this one through this time.  Wish me luck!


----------



## Michael Crane

I also think the second draft of my short story is coming off strong, as well.  Gotta love rewrites.  I used to hate them when I was younger, but you get to appreciate them and understand how essential they really are.  You know you've done right if you have a hard time even READING the first draft after you're done with the re-write.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I get a strange satisfaction in slathering my manuscript with red ink. The more, the better. I feel like I'm trimming away fat and rot every time.


----------



## Michael Crane

Half-Orc said:


> I get a strange satisfaction in slathering my manuscript with red ink. The more, the better. I feel like I'm trimming away fat and rot every time.


I hear ya. It also gives me another chance to expand on moments that I might've rushed through in the first draft in order to get the story told.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Sharlow said:


> Maybe naming names isn't such a good thing. Especially for those of us that don't make the list.


LOL, hence the three little letters "etc"


----------



## David McAfee

John Fitch V said:


> Third. If you write for yourself, as you claim, why bother posting your books on Kindle/Smashwords? Your first book, your baby, should be for you. You went through the gauntlet of emotions in getting your character just right, and your settings perfect, and your plot -- Ed, can he have a plot? Just asking -- moving in such a way. Yes, that one is for you. You proved to not only yourself, but those around you, that you were able to write a book. Mazel tov! Your subsequent books should be for your reader. Your reader fell in love with your voice, your characters, your plot. If you're going to continue writing about these characters, they are not just yours -- they are your readers', as well. Sure, you don't have to take their advice when they feel a character should do this or a setting should look something eerily similar to something else; you drive the plot and the characters drive the story. If you're writing for just you, who cares what other people think? Write your stories, edit them, then stick them in a box somewhere. If you're planning on putting them out for public consumption, then no sir, you're not just writing for yourself.


Can I expand on this? Not to keep an argument going, but John is right on the money here. If an author is writing for himself/herself and doesn't care if no one buys or likes their work, then why would that author be concerned about things like whether or not their book promo thread stays on the front page of the Book Bazaar? Not to single you out, Mathias, but you put up quite a stink about finding ways to keep your books on Page One for as long as possible, even starting a long thread about separating the Bazaar into genres so that your books would have more Page One presence. Why would you care about that if you are only writing for yourself?

Obviously, we all care about whether people like or buy our books, or they wouldn't be for sale. Period. It'd be free on Smashwords. Me? I hope to make a living at this someday, so I care very much about how my work is received by readers.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Half-Orc said:


> I get a strange satisfaction in slathering my manuscript with red ink. The more, the better. I feel like I'm trimming away fat and rot every time.


The whole editing process is fascinating. I love it now, but I know a lot of people of who hate it.

When I took creative writing courses in high school or college I never rewrote anything, mainly because it was all done on typewriters, and who wanted to go back and remove or add something? You'd have to retype everything from that point forward! Since I was a big procrastinator, that would be a problem. Luckily, I got As and Bs, so my first drafts were "good enough."

That certainly doesn't work anymore now that we're putting ourselves out there.


----------



## Michael Crane

healeyb said:


> Thanks for introducing me to Smashwords! I had never heard of it, and it seems like a very cool service!


Smashwords is really nice, especially for putting out short stories. I think that's why I've got a lot of views and feedback on mine, since they're quick reads for the most part. These are stories I may use for a later collection, but for the time being I'm happy with putting them up there for free. Great to way to get some exposure and get your work/name out there!


----------



## Guest

David McAfee said:


> Can I expand on this? Not to keep an argument going, but John is right on the money here. If an author is writing for himself/herself and doesn't care if no one buys or likes their work, then why would that author be concerned about things like whether or not their book promo thread stays on the front page of the Book Bazaar? Not to single you out, Mathias, but you put up quite a stink about finding ways to keep your books on Page One for as long as possible, even starting a long thread about separating the Bazaar into genres so that your books would have more Page One presence. Why would you care about that if you are only writing for yourself?
> 
> Obviously, we all care about whether people like or buy our books, or they wouldn't be for sale. Period. It'd be free on Smashwords. Me? I hope to make a living at this someday, so I care very much about how my work is received by readers.


Ok this one deserves a response.
Maybe I miss spoke...oops mistyped. I was in the dungeon (Tx. Prison for possession) when I wrote my books. I did not write them for sale. I wrote them for sanity while I was sitting in a solitary cell for 4 years (for aggressive behavior ). Now, I do want people to read them. I'm not trying to sell a million copies, but I want the copies I do sell to be enjoyed. I have so far exceeded what I expected with "The Sword and the Dragon" through here and at Amazon, that I am amazed. And yeah I got caught up in it. Aug. Is my first full month of being "live" and at $8.88 I didn't expect much, but boy have I been surprised. They say Aug. Is the hardest month to sell books?

See I'm not writing for myself Dave I *wrote* for myself. "The Wardstone Trilogy" is written, "The Dragoneers Saga" (a few installments) are written. I wrote them to survive solitary confinement. While I was writing them, I was reading 400 pages a day, and in 4 years a man can read a lot of books, a lot. I have read just about every major fantasy series there is, and never, not one single time did I wonder about "Knocked" or "nocked". Dillusional writers and "k"nit picking reviewers might worry about that, but the words read the same and are both 'currently' used to describe the Notch in the back of an arrow. I have too many books that use 'Knocked" to try to change it now. I just have to stay consistent.

I must say this, and I won't name names because I don't want anyone with a "D" in their name's head to swell up too big. But some of the stuff I am reading and perusing now is right up there with the "big wigs" but as we all know times are changing. Reading is a form of entertainment. Nothing more. Don't overvalue what you do and what you are.(I'm talking to everybody now) don't be the conformist in the ebook revolution. That is the robot playing the piano, perfection, perfect notes, perfect timing...... but all mechanical with no feel.

So yes now I want to sell books, but not so much for the money at this point (thus all the freebies) I want to reach readers and start a small fan base of READERS you writers ...Oops Typers...lol will always be critical. We are each others crutch. And as much as I moan and complain about the criticism, I do absorb it and apply a lot of it. (But only after I argue over it)


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Mathias, if you would remain as calm and honest in your other posts as in this last one, you would probably have had a lot easier time here at the Kindleboards.

Now something to remember is that the _story_ can be for yourself, and then see if others will enjoy it as much as you have. That's great. That's fine. I think very few readers and authors here have lobbed any complaints toward your _story_, which is something to protect and defend. However, I think you need to give up any defense of having there being simple typos and errors in your work.

Think of a typo, or even something stupid like nocked/knocked, as a pothole in the road. We're driving along fine, enjoying the scenery, and then something pulls me away. I'm yanked out of my head and onto the technical aspects. Will your books ever be free of them? Of course not. Mine sure as heck aren't. But when they're found, I'll yank them out. I've spent hours going over my work, and had others do so as well. You want your book to be a smooth ride, not some rocky, jostling experience that detracts from what the book is supposed to be about.

It's fine if you want to view your work as 'raw indie'. You can have head-hopping, and odd sentence structures, and plenty of other things that 'traditional publishing' might frown upon but regular readers won't give a crap about. But you _need to have respect for your readers._ They care about typos that distract. They care about formatting that is wonky and makes it hard to read. They care about misused words. It's fine to say "I'm my own man!" when you hold out your story to sell it. Awesome. But respect your readers. They don't want spammed on message boards. They don't want argued with, or yelled at when they give their opinion about, say, an archery term. They want to be entertained. EVERY aspect of our writing should be given our all to meet that goal.

So don't say "I don't have money for a copyeditor so I don't care about the typos in my book". Say instead "I've looked over it again and again, and done my best getting rid of them. Any you find, I'll remove, and thank you for the time." It's all about attitude. It's all about ethic.

And please, for the love of god, stop acting like we're all conformists or robots or slaves to some hivemind. We're all very different, very egotistical, and willing to share our opinions. If you want to view yourself as different and a rebel, well guess what, the rebel just joined a whole bunch of other rebels here at the Kindleboards saloon. 

David Dalglish


----------



## David McAfee

James Stanson said:


> Wait . . . now I'm confused. What if I write half my book longhand and I type the other half? Does that make me a hybrid?


No, it makes you half-crazy. (In case yer wonderin' it's the half that wrote longhand.)


----------



## Guest

David McAfee said:


> No, it makes you half-crazy. (In case yer wonderin' it's the half that wrote longhand.)


You guys are all crazy!  lol thanks Dalglish and McAfee for the odd welcome, but the first paragraph in The Sword and the Dragon states what you just said, and there has been a discussion posted about The Sword and the Dragon asking for people to point out the editing flaws since it went live. Scroll down and you will see it. No one noticed them. No one has posted a bad edit yet and I know there are plenty. B.V Larson's 4* review even points out the fact that there are some. As for Knocked and Nocked? if it bothers people I guess I have to live with it. If I use word replacment then everybody will be nocking on doors too. Thats my great rebellion against the conformist's. lol Now I have to get to work so I'll have another title to hog the bazzar with!


----------



## kae

@ Daniel who wrote


> " That last look is always hardest for me because I tend to read what I remember writing and not what's actually on the page. I'm sure many of you can relate."


I can definitely relate! A trick I've found helpful is to start at the end of the MS, study/read each page from the bottom up and work backwards to the beginning. My mind doesn't anticipate as much that way, and I see the glitches.

Good luck! 
And congrats on the anthology.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

David McAfee said:


> No, it makes you half-crazy. (In case yer wonderin' it's the half that wrote longhand.)


I wrote _Flaming Dove_ longhand -- I'm crazy and proud of it!


----------



## Michael Crane

Just made a second eBook trailer for IN DECLINE tonight.  The first one was serious... this one I had a lot more fun with.  

Now, I just need to add music to it, but I know a friend who said he'd be interested in doing that.  I posted a test-version without the music on Youtube and it looks pretty sweet!  Very proud of myself.


----------



## Guest

kae said:


> @ Daniel who wroteI can definitely relate! A trick I've found helpful is to start at the end of the MS, study/read each page from the bottom up and work backwards to the beginning. My mind doesn't anticipate as much that way, and I see the glitches.
> 
> Good luck!
> And congrats on the anthology.


History Proffessor, Dr. Bill Crockett at the University of Oklahoma said that the only way to edit your self is to review the manuscript backwards.


----------



## R. Doug

.eveileb ot drah taht dnif I


----------



## Jeff

M.R. Mathias said:


> History Proffessor, Dr. Bill Crockett at the University of Oklahoma said that the only way to edit your self is to review the manuscript backwards.


Doesn't work for me. I need somebody else's eyes on it.


----------



## Guest

Jeff said:


> Doesn't work for me. I need somebody else's eyes on it.


Dito It was just an FYI update. lol He writes *academic* history which is an animal I dont want to tangle with.


----------



## Susan in VA

This may be a side issue to you authors, but it's an aspect of _my_ profession and so I can't let these misperceptions stand:



M.R. Mathias said:


> Webster might say "Nocked" but he's English, not American.


No, he wasn't. Webster was born in America, of American parents.



M.R. Mathias said:


> I do not care what a 100 year old dictionary says.


Most reputable dictionaries are revised and updated every 5-10 years. (And this might also be the place to point out that with the English language, as with many other things, just because you find it somewhere on the Internet doesn't mean it's true... _reliable_ online sources are few and far between.)

Sorry to nitpick. It's my job.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

kae said:


> @ Daniel who wroteI can definitely relate! A trick I've found helpful is to start at the end of the MS, study/read each page from the bottom up and work backwards to the beginning. My mind doesn't anticipate as much that way, and I see the glitches.
> 
> Good luck!
> And congrats on the anthology.





M.R. Mathias said:


> History Proffessor, Dr. Bill Crockett at the University of Oklahoma said that the only way to edit your self is to review the manuscript backwards.


That's definitely one of the tricks I use. It can be very helpful.



Jeff said:


> Doesn't work for me. I need somebody else's eyes on it.


Oh yeah, you've got to have other eyes. I have a great group of first readers. But I still like to look it over one last time on my own.


----------



## JoeMitchell

There's a bit of controversy over a couple words that appear in Shard Mountain,  

Eyeing or Eying?

Whoreish or Whorish?

Lets discuss!


----------



## JoeMitchell

I'm just kidding, actually.

Even though both words follow or break the same rule, depending, I ending us using one of each.  Eyeing, because it looked better to me, was the americanized version, and the dictionary said both forms were correct.  Whorish because...I forget.  I researched it though.  Three times.


----------



## Michael Crane

My buddy just got back to me this morning with a first cut of my new trailer with his music in it... and it is AWESOME!  Perfectly got the spirit of the trailer.  I'm excited.


----------



## Guest

JoeMitchell said:


> There's a bit of controversy over a couple words that appear in Shard Mountain,
> 
> Eyeing or Eying?
> 
> Whoreish or Whorish?
> 
> Lets discuss!


Ayeing lol... Hoarish


----------



## Guest

Susan in VA said:


> This may be a side issue to you authors, but it's an aspect of _my_ profession and so I can't let these misperceptions stand:
> No, he wasn't. Webster was born in America, of American parents.
> Most reputable dictionaries are revised and updated every 5-10 years. (And this might also be the place to point out that with the English language, as with many other things, just because you find it somewhere on the Internet doesn't mean it's true... _reliable_ online sources are few and far between.)
> 
> Sorry to nitpick. It's my job.


Thanks for the FYI.....  I took both words out of the story. But just to be clear My story is a FANTASY. It doesn't take place in Websters world. There are no dragons in Websters world. Just stories about them. I mean is there a definitin of "Hobbit" in Webster? So I replaced the term nocked/knocked with plumbarred. like:"Johny plumbarred an arrow the the string, drew back on his bow and looooosed it at someone." JK


----------



## Daniel Arenson

What always gets me is "leaped" vs. "leapt". I use "leap" a lot in my books. My characters tend to fight, fly, dive, and leap a lot. I find that "leapt" sounds more... formal to me, and Old Worldy. So I use "leapt" in _Flaming Dove_, which is a dark, Gothic fantasy. One of my current works-in-progress is a lighthearted, comedic fantasy; I'm thinking of using the more casual-sounding "leaped" there (BTW, I use "nocked" a couple times in that book!).


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I hate leapt/leaped. I always want to use leapt, but the red squiggly line keeps reminding me "hey..hey..don't do that."

David Dalglish


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Half-Orc said:


> I hate leapt/leaped. I always want to use leapt, but the red squiggly line keeps reminding me "hey..hey..don't do that."
> 
> David Dalglish


For me, it depends on the tone. "Leapt" sounds formal. "Leaped" sounds more modern and fun. I just make sure to stay consistent throughout the novel.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Eventually I reach a point where I say "screw it. I want people to read this." Since I can always upload errors as I find them, it's a little less worrisome for me. Of course, an embarrassing typo will get bye, but you know, when I'm at book 4 in a series, I really doubt I'll be losing a reader by then because I accidentally had a 'form' instead of 'from.' Not saying I slack off in any measure, I've still done my best, but I just stop beating my head against the story hoping to have one or two more typos fall out.

David Dalglish


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

healeyb said:


> Your eBook for "The Weight of Blood" is only $0.89?!? My word, I absolutely have to buy that! I don't even own a Kindle and I don't care, I'll read it on my iPhone...


Haha, that's awesome Healey. And I've had a -lot- of iPhone readers. It's the cover art, man, cheap price and the cover art


----------



## daveconifer

I know I'm a geezer around here, but do people really read books on those little tiny phone screens?


----------



## Daniel Pyle

daveconifer said:


> I know I'm a geezer around here, but do people really read books on those little tiny phone screens?


I've read at least a dozen novels on my iPhone.


----------



## David McAfee

daveconifer said:


> I know I'm a geezer around here, but do people really read books on those little tiny phone screens?


I tried. Didn't like it. Bought a Kindle, instead.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

David McAfee said:


> I tried. Didn't like it. Bought a Kindle, instead.


I read one book on an iPhone -- Alice in Wonderland, which is a quick (and lovely) read. I wouldn't be able to read a full-length novel on a tiny, backlit monitor.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Half-Orc said:


> Haha, that's awesome Healey. And I've had a -lot- of iPhone readers. It's the cover art, man, cheap price and the cover art


I can't say this often enough -- I LOVE your cover art. Love it. And I'm sure I'll love the book too; it's loaded onto my Kobo and working its way up the TBR list (about four books away).


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

DArenson said:


> I can't say this often enough -- I LOVE your cover art. Love it. And I'm sure I'll love the book too; it's loaded onto my Kobo and working its way up the TBR list (about four books away).


Every time you say its on your TBR pile (or anyone says this actually), and getting closer, a tiny voice in the back of my head goes "four more books until he sees through your mirage and realizes you're not that great". I don't think it'll ever die. So I'll say what I always say, Daniel: I really hope I don't disappoint 

David Dalglish


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Half-Orc said:


> Every time you say its on your TBR pile (or anyone says this actually), and getting closer, a tiny voice in the back of my head goes "four more books until he sees through your mirage and realizes you're not that great". I don't think it'll ever die. So I'll say what I always say, Daniel: I really hope I don't disappoint


I think I'll love the book. It received great reviews. But I know how you feel. I always feel the same way. Whenever somebody buys Firefly Island or Flaming Dove, a voice in my head says, "Gosh, I really hope they'll like it... and not think it sucks... do my books suck?"

But then I tell myself, "Look, maybe they'll hate it. Sometimes people won't like your books. But overall most people seem to love them, and you can't please everybody." That seems to help.


----------



## Steph H

Half-Orc said:


> Since I can always upload errors as I find them,


You actually upload new errors on purpose?


----------



## Dave Dykema

I kind of wish I had a phone I could read on, but only for one day next week. I'm going to Cedar Point by myself (never done that before) but want to go one more time with my season pass. With school going, crowds should be small, but the wait in line will still be boring. I toyed with bringing my Kindle, but worry it would get crushed in their storage bins as someone throws their purse on top of it before jamming themselves into the roller coaster. My phone is old school, meaning it rings and I talk. No games, no apps. So it would be nice to be able to read while being herded through the zig zags.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Steph H said:


> You actually upload new errors on purpose?


Hahahah. Actually, I have done that. I'll rewrite a sentence, but not fully delete something, resulting in a bizarre combo-sentence that makes no sense. But, *ahem* I meant to say in the original post that I'll upload error _corrections_.

Now stop poking me with that stick!


----------



## JoeMitchell

DArenson said:


> Whenever somebody buys Firefly Island or Flaming Dove, a voice in my head says, "Gosh, I really hope they'll like it... and not think it sucks... do my books suck?"
> 
> But then I tell myself, "Look, maybe they'll hate it. Sometimes people won't like your books. But overall most people seem to love them, and you can't please everybody." That seems to help.


I think the same thing, and what David Half-Orc said, "I really hope I don't disappoint". But judging by the two lonely 5-star reviews my book has received, I did a great job. Then I think about all the adverbs I could have trimmed, and some others things I might have done better. But it's done. I edited four times and had to let it go. I just hope people like it.


----------



## Guest

I just hope the reader enjoys the ride.  Its very hard to please competing authors, getting good (good as in accuarate) feedback from readers isnt as easy as getting criticism from reviewers and ther writers.

Hey Dalglish...sigh


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

First thing, authors do not compete with eat other. We are not comptants. . The only competition an author has is him or herself and reruns of American Idol. 

Secondly, at the risk of repeating myself, proofing, especially for malapropisms, is extremely important, because anything that _knocks _ your reader out of the story sucks. We don't always catch those things, that's why we have editors and proof readers, but the best last proofing device is the text-to-speech reader on the Kindle. The read back, listen and follow will catch 99% of the rest of the pitfalls that trip up a good read. Don't have a Kindle? The text-to-speech is worth the cost, not to mention the ability to proof your format in real-time.

And last, an author is not an island. A novel is betwixt its creator and one other person (a reader), and if we throw curves at our better-halves, we belittle their experience. We're not Gods and Goddesses. We are artists and, although we have licences to do our thing, our thing will only succeed if the reader is engaged, and the work lingers favorably in their souls.

Of course, there are always exceptions and differences and, dare I say it, iconoclasts. Still, art serves the _crescendo _ of civilization, not the _diminuendo_.

Edward C. Patterson
Happy at last to have a keyboard in front of me. I tried to compose this with a pen on the screen, but it didn't work.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> ...but the best last proofing device is the text-to-speech reader on the Kindle. The read back, listen and follow will catch 99% of the rest of the pitfalls that trip up a good read. Don't have a Kindle? The text-to-speech is worth the cost, not to mention the ability to proof your format in real-time.


I've mentioned this before but perhaps it bears repeating. You can download a free Windows text to speech application from my web site that will (optionally) monitor the clipboard. That means that in Word, or your word processor of choice, you can highlight a page or paragraph, hit Ctrl+C and the highlighted text will be read through your speakers.

http://www.jhepple.com/fxtxttalker.htm


----------



## daveconifer

Text-to-speech review always exposes a jaw-dropping number of left out words when I use it to proofread, even if I've combed through a manuscript a bunch of times.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

daveconifer said:


> Text-to-speech review always exposes a jaw-dropping number of left out words when I use it to proofread, even if I've combed through a manuscript a bunch of times.


I love it when it catches a missed (.) period. It just runs on and on and on.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

healeyb said:


> I think every author is either secretly or not-so-secretly terrified of releasing their stories. When you are writing, it's your own words, your thoughts, dreams and passions that make it to the paper. A story is usually deeply personal, and when you set it free there is always that fear that maybe it's not good enough or you're not good enough. Like watching a child go off to college, you no longer have any control and it's up to the world to decide what happens to it. And it's scary.


Stephen King says that an author needs to "outrun fear." He still needs to do it, but it's part of the beast and the loneliness of the writing, which is a solitary act that is judged by the universe.

Ed Patterson


----------



## JoeMitchell

I like to listen to Stephen King's "On Writing", read by the man himself, at night while playing Dwarf Fortress on my computer.  I've probably heard it six times already.  I kinda wish I'd have read it before writing my first novel, but on the other hand, it might have actually discouraged me from trying.  Now whenever I have doubts, I just remind myself that I've already written a novel that's had good reviews, and I just need to keep working on making the next one better using all that I've learned since then.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Third draft time for ROYAL SWITCH. Bouncing.....


----------



## Guest

Edward C. Patterson said:


> First thing, authors do not compete with eat other. We are not comptants. . The only competition an author has is him or herself and reruns of American Idol.
> 
> Secondly, at the risk of repeating myself, proofing, especially for malapropisms, is extremely important, because anything that _knocks _ your reader out of the story sucks. We don't always catch those things, that's why we have editors and proof readers, but the best last proofing device is the text-to-speech reader on the Kindle. The read back, listen and follow will catch 99% of the rest of the pitfalls that trip up a good read. Don't have a Kindle? The text-to-speech is worth the cost, not to mention the ability to proof your format in real-time.
> 
> And last, an author is not an island. A novel is betwixt its creator and one other person (a reader), and if we throw curves at our better-halves, we belittle their experience. We're not Gods and Goddesses. We are artists and, although we have licences to do our thing, our thing will only succeed if the reader is engaged, and the work lingers favorably in their souls.
> 
> Of course, there are always exceptions and differences and, dare I say it, iconoclasts. Still, art serves the _crescendo _ of civilization, not the _diminuendo_.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> Happy at last to have a keyboard in front of me. I tried to compose this with a pen on the screen, but it didn't work.


lol


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I tweaked the start to RS.

Old opening: The Royals were coming to Oklahoma City.

New opening: 

The news broke at the top of the noon hour on Sunday, November 2, just as football games kicked off on the east coast: The new owner of the Kansas City Royals announced the club was headed to Oklahoma City.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Stronger opening?

The news broke at the top of the noon hour on Sunday, November 2, just before ESPN signed off its NFL pregame show: The new owner of the Kansas City Royals just announced the club was headed to Oklahoma City. Within seconds, the day’s slate of gridiron games turned into below the fold stories for the nation’s newspapers, especially for The Kansas City Star and The Oklahoman. For the first time since the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, D.C., a baseball team changed cities.


----------



## Steph H

Maybe change "headed to" to "moving to"?  It's not until that last bit when you say 'changed cities' that it's clear what you mean.

Noon hour for pregame going off is only applicable for Central time (which of course, is what KC and OKC are), but not the entire country -- so maybe not say noon hour or otherwise tweak it....and does it have to say ESPN? CBS and Fox generally have NFL pregame going on then too, and maybe other 'cable' channels as well (I'm usually watching Fox before a Cowboys or other NFC game myself ).  Unless ESPN plays a significant part in the story.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I would think ESPN because it does every sport... I switched it to "the networks... their..." etc.

Thanks for your input.


----------



## Steph H

True, but I betcha the other networks would mention it too, at least shortly after the games begin, or quickly in that pre-kickoff blah blah blah phase and then slightly more in-depth in a quick commercial or station break after.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Steph H said:


> Maybe change "headed to" to "moving to"? It's not until that last bit when you say 'changed cities' that it's clear what you mean.


I thought you meant Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles when you said The Royals.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Baseball Royals.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Firefly Island







sales have been fantastic this week. Best week of sales I've had; triple-digit sales rank all week. But Flaming Dove







is selling slowly in comparison, and feeling rather neglected in the shadow of Firefly Island's success. I suppose not many people know about the novel yet, since it's so new. I hope Flaming Dove catches up soon with its older sibling!


----------



## R. Doug

"ESPN Eight.  The OCHOoooo."


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thank you, Bill Simmons.


----------



## Guest

M.R. Mathias said:


> I just hope the reader enjoys the ride. Its very hard to please competing authors, getting good (good as in accuarate) feedback from readers isnt as easy as getting criticism from reviewers and ther writers.
> 
> Hey Dalglish...sigh


I should have clarified better David D. Sorry..... The first part of this post has nothing to with the second. The second part is an inside.....


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I figured as much Mathias. I just wasn't entirely sure a correct way to respond to that, other than yet another....sigh.

David Dalglish


----------



## Guest

Well in a pond full of sharks, I'm Orca!  lol      It can help everyone.  Are there no Theives Guilds in your books? no secret societies....lol    just askin.  But I'm shutting up.  Thanks for just sighing and not going there.  That was class.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

M.R. Mathias said:


> Well in a pond full of sharks, I'm Orca! lol  It can help everyone. Are there no Theives Guilds in your books? no secret societies....lol just askin. But I'm shutting up. Thanks for just sighing and not going there. That was class.


Dance of Cloaks has theives' guilds out the whazooo...and they're portrayed as bad, too . I don't approve, Mathias, but I'm just going to let you be.


----------



## Sharlow

DArenson said:


> I think I'll love the book. It received great reviews. But I know how you feel. I always feel the same way. Whenever somebody buys Firefly Island or Flaming Dove, a voice in my head says, "Gosh, I really hope they'll like it... and not think it sucks... do my books suck?"
> 
> But then I tell myself, "Look, maybe they'll hate it. Sometimes people won't like your books. But overall most people seem to love them, and you can't please everybody." That seems to help.


Here I thought I was the only one who felt that way. I have a hard time not almost warning the person who buys it not to be too disappointed. No matter how many people say they like it. A part of me just wants to believe there being nice to me is all. It's really stupid, but I can't seem to shake it. I'm glad other authors suffer from similar things.


----------



## JoeMitchell

Sharlow said:


> I'm glad other authors suffer from similar things.


Ouch!

j/k


----------



## William L.K.

Well, I'm just gonna throw this out there.  I'm working on a sequel to the novella I currently have published and I've been stuck for a while now.  I am considering giving up and just moving on to something new.  The thought has crossed my mind that I am having trouble with the sequel because maybe the original story is best left alone.  Just wondering if anyone else ever ran into this problem.


----------



## Sharlow

JoeMitchell said:


> Ouch!
> 
> j/k


You know when I said that, I thought it sounded bad too. Hmmm. Not sure how I could of said it better.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

If you think of your series as a journey of characters rather than a progression of storyline or plot (yuke, I said the word), then you can write an infinite number of novels either in sequence or within the same universe.  

I'm back in the saddle, with 12,300 words of revision for  . I'll have a hefty print out for Peg of the Red Pencil tomorrow. I'm still ahead of my end of September release. I think the work will be ready by mid-September and the Press Release and pre-promotion will start in a couple of weeks.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## William L.K.

Thank you Edward, that is a better way to look at it.


----------



## Michael Crane

Just uploaded a new trailer for IN DECLINE.  My buddy did an amazing job creating the music and scoring it.  Couldn't be happier.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I now have a third draft of ROYAL SWITCH.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Spent like 3 hours editing today. Feel like I'm making far slower progress on this book than others. Hopefully that means I'm being thorough.

David Dalglish


----------



## Sharlow

Half-Orc said:


> Spent like 3 hours editing today. Feel like I'm making far slower progress on this book than others. Hopefully that means I'm being thorough.
> 
> David Dalglish


I read your preview for book one. I like it very much. The brothers really got my attention. I like them. I'd like to see the king jacked up a bit after just the little I read. I'm sure he will, how could he not since he makes himself such a nice little target to everyone in the book. I guess I'm going to have to get the book. Bad little half orc. I was just curious about your writing style, and you hooked me. Just for the record I've been avoiding reading anything but first person to brush up on writing that style of POV, and now look what you've done. Going to mess me up for sure.


----------



## Guest

I hope everyone had a good day!  My brain is frying from scouring text!


----------



## Chimere McKether

Thumper said:


> My goal this weekend: knock off about 10 (single spaced) pages, and get some research done. I hate research; I hate even more than if the Spouse Thingy happens to see my search history he'll wonder why I'm looking up men with low testosterone and spongy erections.
> 
> That would lead to explaining, which would lead to him wanting to see what I've already written...I really don't like anyone seeing my work before the 5th or 6th draft.


Thumper, what you said is hilarious but has a lot of truth to it! I can't stand RESEARCH!!! LOL, but I understand it is very important to make your writing interesting! However, I am currently working on a "How To" ebook. My goal is to complete the rough draft within two weeks (I wish it was this weekend, but that's not being realstic *sighs*), correct any mistakes like mispellings and grammar (gotta love the Kaplan Grammar book). Then take a break for not looking at my work for about two more weeks; add more or eliminate information if I have overlooked anything the first time when writing my draft. My other goal for this book is to encourage people who will read it and help them to overcome discouragement.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sharlow said:


> I read your preview for book one. I like it very much. The brothers really got my attention. I like them. I'd like to see the king jacked up a bit after just the little I read. I'm sure he will, how could he not since he makes himself such a nice little target to everyone in the book. I guess I'm going to have to get the book. Bad little half orc. I was just curious about your writing style, and you hooked me. Just for the record I've been avoiding reading anything but first person to brush up on writing that style of POV, and now look what you've done. Going to mess me up for sure.


Hahaha. We half-orcs mess up everything. Thanks, Sharlow


----------



## Daniel Pyle

*Drives by David and Daniel. Doesn't have the heart to stop and tell them the line they're waiting in isn't the one for movie deals, it's the one for the next _Twilight_ movie.*


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> If you think of your series as a journey of characters rather than a progression of storyline or plot (yuke, I said the word), then you can write an infinite number of novels either in sequence or within the same universe.


Agreed. Make your novels about the characters and their journeys. Don't force them along some rigid, pre-determined plot. That's something I repeat several times in the Writing Tips section on my website. http://danielarenson.com/fantasywritingtips.aspx


----------



## Michael Crane

Sharlow said:


> Just for the record I've been avoiding reading anything but first person to brush up on writing that style of POV, and now look what you've done.


That tends to be my favorite POV to write from, too. It really lets your absorb and embrace the character. Writing from that point of view is the most fun for me. I love playing with voice.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael Crane said:


> That tends to be my favorite POV to write from, too. It really lets your absorb and embrace the character. Writing from that point of view is the most fun for me. I love playing with voice.


I usually write in 3rd person limited, but in my novel _*Look Away Silence*_, because it is such a tearjerker and I needed to counteract with humor, I turned the manuscript topsy-turvey and re-wrote it in 1st person. It seemed to work, judging from the sales and reviews. I also use 1st person at the beginning and end of every chapter in The _*Southern Swallow Series*_, the narrator creating a story-sandwich, if you will. This is a common Chinese method and since these works have adapted to Chinese forms, I found it interesting (and effective) to pursue. The neatest thing is when the narrator, an old man - a servant (and a wise-ass) introduces a chapter when he is also the 3rd person POV character (a young lad then of 15 - and up a tree spying on whores in the local entertainment house).  Every reviewer of _*The Academician * _ and _*The Nan Tu * _ have commented that the narrator character, K'u Ko-ling, was there favorite character and that the POV shift worked well.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I usually write in 3rd person limited, but in my novel _*Look Away Silence*_, because it is such a tearjerker and I needed to counteract with humor, I turned the manuscript topsy-turvey and re-wrote it in 1st person. It seemed to work, judging from the sales and reviews. I also use 1st person at the beginning and end of every chapter in The _*Southern Swallow Series*_, the narrator creating a story-sandwich, if you will. This is a common Chinese method and since these works have adapted to Chinese forms, I found it interesting (and effective) to pursue. The neatest thing is when the narrator, an old man - a servant (and a wise-ass) introduces a chapter when he is also the 3rd person POV character (a young lad then of 15 - and up a tree spying on whores in the local entertainment house).  Every reviewer of _*The Academician * _ and _*The Nan Tu * _ have commented that the narrator character, K'u Ko-ling, was there favorite character and that the POV shift worked well.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


That's pretty effective and creative! And what's great is that you established a patter so people wouldn't be thrown when they would see the POV shift. Kudos to you! I'm impressed.


----------



## julieannfelicity

healeyb said:


> Sometimes I hate writing at lunch while at work... I was on a solid roll, a good 3K words and going strong; but I had a meeting to go to! Argh!


I hear ya there  I have the same problem and when an idea or story piece is nagging my subconscious to get it down, I end up going into my meeting and pretend like I'm taking notes, then write whatever it is I feel I _need_ to write down. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten myself in trouble doing that; people think because I'm feverishly writing that I'm taking these exquisite notes and when the meeting is over, they ask me to type it all up for everyone attending that meeting.  Eek!


----------



## Daniel Arenson

I'm suffering from KND withdrawal.


----------



## J.M Pierce

healeyb said:


> Sometimes I hate writing at lunch while at work... I was on a solid roll, a good 3K words and going strong; but I had a meeting to go to! Argh!


Now that I have my office and a door to close, I LOVE IT! I got about 2000 words down today and only got interupted twice! Anymore, lunch time is where I get the most done.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just finished the second major round of edits on Shadows of Grace. Damn good book, if I say so myself. I haven't implemented the edits from either round into the computer yet, so this is going to be a rather lengthy, draining process. Every page is just drenched with red. Will probably do one more major round to make sure I didn't miss something dumb or screw something up putting in the changes, then send it off to proofreaders.

So tired...

David Dalglish


----------



## julieannfelicity

Just scrapped my whole 3rd book (what I've written so far) in favor of changing it up. Got some excellent feedback on what I _had_ written and based on that, decided I need to start the book from a different angle (glad I only wrote the first chapter, ). I will still incorporate a lot of what I had in the original first chapter into the story, but just won't go into detail all at once like I had originally planned.


----------



## Dawn McCullough White

DArenson said:


> I'm suffering from KND withdrawal.


Oh yeah, me too.
Dawn


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Morning everyone... drinking coffee and getting ready to start the day: going to do a read/edit of the zombie novel, and I may even re-write the start... I feel it's a little too lengthy... may have to shrink it.

Hope everyone's projects are going as well as they can be.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

About to take a shower and then get started on punching edits into the file. Gonna be a blast.....


----------



## Harry Shannon

6:15, coffee and about to see if I can squeeze in a page on the fourth Mick Callahan my my daughter is still asleep.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

DArenson said:


> I'm suffering from KND withdrawal.


I've spent hours trying to find another way to make lightning strike again ....


----------



## Daniel Arenson

I ordered a second proof copy from CreateSpace; my first proof copy had some problems.  This second proof copy seems to have gotten lost in the mail... and Amazon refuses to hand out tracking details as per policy, so I cannot go searching for it in the post office.

I have the worst luck with snail mail; I've had at least two other packages get lost in the mail this year.


----------



## Jeff

DArenson said:


> I ordered a second proof copy from CreateSpace; my first proof copy had some problems. This second proof copy seems to have gotten lost in the mail... and Amazon refuses to hand out tracking details as per policy, so I cannot go searching for it in the post office.
> 
> I have the worst luck with snail mail; I've had at least two other packages get lost in the mail this year.


A few months ago the US Mail delivered a box of books that I'd bought eight months earlier. If you can avoid using the Post Office, you should.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Posting other peoples money to someone else's account.   Work is a nice break from the real joy of living.

Ed Patterson
Frodo lives


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Jeff said:


> A few months ago the US Mail delivered a box of books that I'd bought eight months earlier. If you can avoid using the Post Office, you should.


IT JUST ARRIVED! Not an hour after I posted this. God, I love KB; it's a magical magical place.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

DArenson said:


> IT JUST ARRIVED! Not an hour after I posted this. God, I love KB; it's a magical magical place.


Does the second copy look better than the first?


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Daniel Pyle said:


> Does the second copy look better than the first?


No idea. I'm


Spoiler



at work, shhhh


. I'll check during lunch.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

DArenson said:


> No idea. I'm
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> at work, shhhh
> 
> 
> . I'll check during lunch.


Ummmm, you said the "W" word. I'm telling.


----------



## Jeff

DArenson said:


> IT JUST ARRIVED! Not an hour after I posted this. God, I love KB; it's a magical magical place.


Kindleboards has its mojo working.


----------



## Michael Crane

Just started a blog for myself on blogspot:

http://authormichaelcrane.blogspot.com/

It's titled, MICHAEL'S BABBLE. Appropriately titled, I think.


----------



## julieannfelicity

Well, I did it---and I don't feel any shame about it either. It was their time and they _had_ to go. I'm officially a murderer, well sort of <thinking>, more like one of those bystanders who gets the blame for something someone else does because I didn't report it, thus being at fault as well.

In my 3rd story, I have officially killed two of my characters. It's sad, but it just had to happen. Now, don't get me wrong, I'll be sure to add some lovely memories and definitely some back story, but ... they're dead. For good. No zombies or vampires (vampyres - however you want to spell it these days) or ghosts (sort of) ... they're dead.

Sigh ... I can't wait to have some real DEDICATED time to write. Sunny's character is just BURSTING to come out!

Don't you love that? When you have many ideas and you know exactly how you want them all to play out. Sigh (chin propped up by fist, thinker position)... I can really feel this one - it's going to be a keeper!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Sheesh, took you three stories to finally kill someone? It's going to take you years to catch up to my body count.  

And yes, actually killing a character you've grown to love is..it's tough. I kill one main character a book, basically. Each time, it sucks. Bawled my eyes out like a little girl at the end of book 2.

David Dalglish


----------



## julieannfelicity

Half-Orc said:


> Sheesh, took you three stories to finally kill someone? It's going to take you years to catch up to my body count.


Well, kind of ... in The Kindness I did kill someone, but he deserved it (he committed suicide actually, so technically it was really his fault, not mine). This is the first time I had to kill characters I liked. I felt sad, but in order to make the story work they had to go . Plus, initially they were taking the whole story over and it's not even really about them. It's about their daughter.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Killing a character can be tramatic, but having another character mourn is even moreso. Just ask this grouop here, when I wrote _*Look Away Silence*_.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I have a lengthy funeral in book two. And I think you're right, Ed. It's one thing to know a character is gone, but I think it's far more painful when you see the sadness and trauma you've inflicted on the other characters that remain.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just finished my edits, now I have to type them in... maybe not tonight, though. Tomorrow after my cousin's birthday party.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Punched in 25,000 words worth of edits so far, so about a fourth of the way. My head is killing me....but I must stay strong!!

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just hit the publish button on my new novelette. This is good. For a few days I can stop obsessively checking my sales and obsessively check to see if it's gone live.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just hit the publish button on my new novelette. This is good. For a few days I can stop obsessively checking my sales and obsessively check to see if it's gone live.


You could post a title and cover image before it goes live.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You could post a title and cover image before it goes live.


Sorry. The cover won't link or embed. But, here's the blurb.

Only In My Dreams - A Novelette

Delia Cummings wasn't dissatisfied with her life. She didn't think she had a life to be dissatisfied with. She worked in a bakery, decorating cakes and bagging up rolls and pastries. Her husband, Charlie, as often as not fell asleep in front of the TV. Her children are grown and married, with not even a hint of a grandchild to give her purpose. After nearly thirty years of marriage and little to show for it, Delia is tired; just plain tired. And it is only in her dreams that she begins to find a reason to go on living.

Very different from my last one, but that's a good thing, right?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry. The cover won't link or embed.


Just needs a little magic.


Click for full size image.


----------



## Ricky Sides

If it's as good as your last, it's going to be a fantastic read.

Congratulations on the new release,
Ricky


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A little light work tonight - 7,800 words of revision on _*The People's Treasure*_. Tomorrow I shall see _Avatar _ for the 14th time with the 9 extra minutes.  I have a collection of 3D glasses.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Mug of coffee: check. Light bulb in the office changed: check. Manuscript binder edited: check. Manuscript binder looming like a great purple wall: *shudders*

I may need mental help after this task is done, y'all. Inputting the edits for the zombie novel.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Edward C. Patterson said:


> A little light work tonight - 7,800 words of revision on _*The People's Treasure*_. Tomorrow I shall see _Avatar _ for the 14th time with the 9 extra minutes.  I have a collection of 3D glasses.
> 
> Ed Patterson


At the theaters where I have seen 3D movies recently, they take the glasses back afterwards. I saw Avatar twice, once in 3D and once in 2D and I thought the image was more clear in 2D.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

The image is always, always clearer in 2D. 3D washes out the colors and dulls them quite a bit. That, and 3D costs like 2 dollars more a ticket. I'll take 2D any time I can. The movie is just better that way.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

The last 3D movie I saw cost $4 extra a ticket. 

I've been trying and trying to change my Avatar to the new book cover, but it just won't save.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I've been trying and trying to change my Avatar to the new book cover, but it just won't save.


Looks like you figured it out.


----------



## terryr

I'm having one of those weekends where everything I touch gets screwed up or broken and I'm ready to kill and maim things, in that order.

(From one of my favorite movies, _To Be or Not to Be_: Arrest zem! Zen shoot zem and interrogate zem!)

I kicked my computer chair across the room. Broke my toe, I think. See what I mean? Gahhhhhh. Got duct tape, no worries.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have 14 pairs now of Avatar 3D glasses.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Looks like you figured it out.


I'm still seeing the old one. Are you seeing the new blue cover?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

T.M. Roy said:


> I'm having one of those weekends where everything I touch gets screwed up or broken and I'm ready to kill and maim things, in that order.
> 
> (From one of my favorite movies, _To Be or Not to Be_: Arrest zem! Zen shoot zem and interrogate zem!)
> 
> I kicked my computer chair across the room. Broke my toe, I think. See what I mean? Gahhhhhh. Got duct tape, no worries.


How's the chair?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Gertie, hit refresh on your browser. I wasn't seeing your new one until I did that myself.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm still seeing the old one. Are you seeing the new blue cover?


Yes. What David said.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm still seeing the old one. Are you seeing the new blue cover?


It's blue here.


----------



## terryr

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> How's the chair?


%^&*^%$ chair is fine.  It was kick the chair or throw the computer across the room. First easy decision of the day.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thanks, guys. What a refresh-ing idea. Now I'm just waiting for it to go live.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

9,500 words today on The People's Treasure. PLUS as nice surprise. I got a GoogleAlert on my name and when I followed it, it went to an author's interview of Steven L. Hawk that said:

"DAVID WISEHART: Why publish on Kindle?

STEVEN L. HAWK: For me, it was a no-brainer. I got my Kindle in February of this year and was hooked on the ebook format right away. Through the course of my reading, I stumbled across some very good books written by self-proclaimed indie authors and thought, "Hey, I can do this!" I already had two books completed and a few more in development, so content wasn't an issue. For me it was a question of "how" do I do this? I did some research and found a 99-cent ebook on Amazon by Edward C Patterson titled, _Are You Still Submitting Your Work to a Traditional Publisher?_ I credit Edward and his book with providing me with a roadmap for publishing on Kindle. It also helped me publish on Smashwords and Createspace.

DAVID WISEHART: What advice would you give to a first-time author thinking of self-publishing on Kindle?

STEVEN L. HAWK: That's easy. I'd tell them to buy, read, and follow the advice in Edward's book."

http://abooksblog.com/2010/08/28/kindle-author-interview-steven-l-hawk/comment-page-1/#comment-2028

Now if even if I didn't have an ego, I'd develop one. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Only in My Dreams is live in the UK Store, priced at 72p, discounted to 63p. What's 35% of 63p in USD and will I be able to buy a dime's worth of jelly beans?  

It's still not showing live in my dashboard, but is it showing on the US product page. No pricing and no buy button.

Progress.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

13,500 words on The People's Treausre.

Got my 33rd review (23 on Amazon) for my little Hot-to book - Are You Still Submitting to a Traditional Publisher. It was 5 stars and the headline was PATTERSON IS A GENIUS with a bunch of exclamation marks. I'm blushing and of course will not be using that line in my promotion. However, for a few moments, I need to bask in the radiances of a Miss Chatty runway strut and send out a few ring kissing invitations.   It reminds me of what my dearly departed mother used to say. "Did you say Genius or a Genii's ass."  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Daniel Pyle

healeyb said:


> At 35K words, and getting a bit nervous that the plot might not have the distance of a novel. I think I've got, at most, about 25K words left to tell the whole story, and I'm not usually one to add stuff just to puff up a word count...
> 
> ...Maybe I'll release it as a novella...


60K words is pretty clearly novel length. Most organizations consider anything over 40K a novel. It'd be a shorter novel, but that's the beauty of ebooks: you no longer have to fall into publishers' sometimes ridiculously narrow word count ranges. My advice is just to let the story end naturally.


----------



## Michael Crane

Daniel Pyle said:


> 60K words is pretty clearly novel length. Most organizations consider anything over 40K a novel. It'd be a shorter novel, but that's the beauty of ebooks: you no longer have to fall into publishers' sometimes ridiculously narrow word count ranges. My advice is just to let the story end naturally.


Agreed. A story/book only needs to be as long as it needs to be in order to tell the story.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

healeyb said:


> At 35K words, and getting a bit nervous that the plot might not have the distance of a novel. I think I've got, at most, about 25K words left to tell the whole story, and I'm not usually one to add stuff just to puff up a word count...
> 
> ...Maybe I'll release it as a novella...


When that happens, I set it aside, step back and think of different element to smash into it. Some of my best work is the result of smash ups - IE. _*Turning Idolater * _ is a Smashup of Internet Strippers and Moby Dick. The result is neither, but it gave my characters enough material to chew on to take the story where it needed to go and paced it precisely the way the readers have enjoyed it. Prior to that, the tale was much shorter, more a May-December romance and lacked the soul and tone that it acquired when I charged through (like a Great White Whale) the final draft. The only person more surprised at the results than the reader is . . . ME. Still am. That's why it's my favorite child. But I had the same feelings about it as you have about your work before I set it aside and found the smashup - the stimulus that raised it above the common fray into something unique. (I'm not big into formulas, however smashup is a creative technique which yields artistic results . . . or complete abandonment. If I had a dime for every novel I abandoned, I'd be rich. However, despite that, nothing is ever truly abandoned. I still have elements from novels I abandoned 40 years ago swimming around in the final products).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

30K to 69KL is novella. 70K and above is novel.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Bryan. I just noticed that A Line Blurred has no rankings on the Kindle. I just fixed that and started the ball rolling.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Since a tropical storm becomes a hurricane at 75mph, I think I would consider 75K a full length novel. 39-74K mph is a tropical storm so 39K-74K would be a novella. Anything under that would be a short story or a novelette. And that's my very own scientific method for determining the category of my work.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Since a tropical storm becomes a hurricane at 75mph, I think I would consider 75K a full length novel. 39-74K mph is a tropical storm so 39K-74K would be a novella. Anything under that would be a short story or a novelette. And that's my very own scientific method for determining the category of my work.


"It is a truth universally acknowledge . . ."
- Jane Austen


----------



## JoeMitchell

From all that I've read, 50k words is novel length.  Anything more than that is still a novel, just longer.  Less than that is novella, down to around 15k where it'd be called a short story.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 30K to 69KL is novella. 70K and above is novel.
> 
> Ed Patterson


I'm not saying 70K is wrong-obviously, there's no hard-and-fast rule-but everything I've ever seen has used 40K as the minimum length for a novel:

http://www.sfwa.org/awards/faq.htm#6

http://www.rwanational.org/cs/contests_and_awards/rita_awards/contest_rules

http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183&Itemid=69

I can't link to the Horror Writers Association page because it's in a private section of the site, but they use these categories:
Novel (at least 40,000 words in length)
Long Fiction (7,500 to 39,999 words in length)
Short Fiction (no more than 7,499 words in length)

But, like I said, I don't think these categories matter as much as they used to.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

My personal categorization goes as follows:

Flash - under 1000
Short Story - 1000 to 7000
Novellette - 7000 to 30000
Novella - 30000 to 60000
Novel - 60000+


----------



## julieannfelicity

Valmore Daniels said:


> My personal categorization goes as follows:
> 
> Flash - under 1000
> Short Story - 1000 to 7000
> Novellette - 7000 to 30000
> Novella - 30000 to 60000
> Novel - 60000+


Whew, I was beginning to panic thinking I was wrongfully advertising my 'novel'.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm just going from the traditional industry point of view and for the last 50 years 70K a novel makes. I sometimes refer to my three novellas as novels, but it don't make them novels.   However, most of my works are over 150K (many over 250 k) so what do I know.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Daniel Pyle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'm just going from the traditional industry point of view and for the last 50 years 70K a novel makes. I sometimes refer to my three novellas as novels, but it don't make them novels.  However, most of my works are over 150K (many over 250 k) so what do I know.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


But that's just the publishing industry's preference, not an actual category guideline. Maybe 70K a _publishable_ novel makes (or used to make), but just because NY doesn't like short novels doesn't redefine them, does it?

Maybe the safest bet is to tell readers how many words long something is and let them categorize it for themselves.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

healeyb said:


> Couple of sales in all my sales channels today, and I have no idea by who! What a sensation... Is my heart beating?


Congratulations! Let me know if you need a defibrillator.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

I think I did a word count on Cormac McCarthy's The Road at 59k ... Dennis Lehane called it a novel ... go figure


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Daniel Pyle said:


> But that's just the publishing industry's preference, not an actual category guideline. Maybe 70K a _publishable_ novel makes (or used to make), but just because NY doesn't like short novels doesn't redefine them, does it?
> 
> Maybe the safest bet is to tell readers how many words long something is and let them categorize it for themselves.


Not that ever participated in it, I believe 70K is the NationNovel Writing Month stantard, or did they lower the standard to 50K.

Actual, reader's don't give a rat's


Spoiler



ass


 on wordage as it's a industry measure and an author's benchmark. They know pages, but King has given us the formula for a novel and word count translate at 336 words per page (6x9 Trade). I use that when a potential reader asks me how long a WIP is. If it's 185,000 words, I say "535 pages." My novellas are about 100-110 pages. Again, it is a craft matter and not one of art. It's also a matter of puffing the goods to call mid-compact, a four door sedan.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm thinking my tropical depression WiP may turn into a tropical storm.


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Not that ever participated in it, I believe 70K is the NationNovel Writing Month stantard, or did they lower the standard to 50K.
> 
> Actual, reader's don't give a rat's
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ass
> 
> 
> on wordage as it's a industry measure and an author's benchmark. They know pages, but King has given us the formula for a novel and word count translate at 336 words per page (6x9 Trade). I use that when a potential reader asks me how long a WIP is. If it's 185,000 words, I say "535 pages." My novellas are about 100-110 pages. Again, it is a craft matter and not one of art. It's also a matter of puffing the goods to call mid-compact, a four door sedan.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Thank you. I don't care about word count, it means nothing to me. These days, I want amazon location counts!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

healeyb said:


> Length only means so much...


Giggity.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

Half-Orc said:


> Giggity.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

healeyb said:


> One of the most powerful, wrenching, emotional stories I've ever read was 10 pages long.
> 
> Length only means so much...


Yes, so my boy friends tell me.  Still, I persist.

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

healeyb said:


> One of the most powerful, wrenching, emotional stories I've ever read was 10 pages long.
> 
> Length only means so much...


But when planning what to read, knowing the length matters. As it does when deciding what to buy.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

healeyb said:


> Length only means so much...


 

That's right. It's not the size of the wand; it's the magic in it.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

This thread is not heading in a good direction.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I renamed the thriller I wrote in February/March. It is no longer Olympic Flames.

It is now Rogue Agent.


----------



## Sharlow

DArenson said:


> I ordered a second proof copy from CreateSpace; my first proof copy had some problems. This second proof copy seems to have gotten lost in the mail... and Amazon refuses to hand out tracking details as per policy, so I cannot go searching for it in the post office.
> 
> I have the worst luck with snail mail; I've had at least two other packages get lost in the mail this year.


Are you sure your not having someone snag them off your porch or out of your mail box? Just a thought. An unpleasant one I know, but that is a lot of packages to me. Seems a bit suspicious.


----------



## Sharlow

Well I finally got one. A 2 star review. I know everyone gets them and I did expect them for so long...lol. Just I was thinking my newest book is my best work so far, and for it to get a two star. Oh well it had to happen, eventually, so I figured I'd come and cry on your guys shoulders. 

Here's the review if your interested:

I really did want to like this book. I liked the sample which is why I purchased it but the story just didn't do it for me. I'd like to think a girl like Melissa who lives on her own at such a young age would be a stronger female character. She cries way too much. And I didn't really think the love story worked at all. I didn't really feel Mike and Melissa connecting in any real way and then all of a sudden she loves him? I didn't like the ending at all. I realize the word Twilight is in the title but I didnt like all the references to Twilight. Them going to the movies to see one of the twilight films was just a weird scene all together and I didn't get it at all.

It's well written and I'd like to point that out. So do not NOT give this a try because of my review. The book is also only 2.99 and I think it's easier to give a book a try at a low price point. But I wanted to be honest with my review and what it left me with. 
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8860978-shades-of-twilight

Ah well. It wasn't that bad. Well I'll talk to you guys later...need some fudge.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Still had some nice things to say, and thought it was well-written. The story was just a miss for her. Try not to get too down, but I understand. What looks like "eh, not so bad" to me, is "zomg world-is-doomed!!" to the writer receiving the review  .

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

That's a strange review, Sharlow. If the reviewer didn't like the book but doesn't want the review to influence potential readers, why write a review at all?


----------



## Sharlow

@David/halforc Yeah it's not as bad as it could be. It's just weird to get one finally. She does point out it is well written, so yeah that's a good thing. Might be enough to keep me away from the fudge, as I haven't found it yet.

@Gertie  That is a bit strange. I actually thought it was a three star review when I first read it. Then I came back to look at it some more, and realized it was only a two. Not quite sure why I thought that. Maybe sh just writes reviews out of habit when she reads a book. Not sure. I'm glad she commented. I do like to hear what readers think. Just I thought I was going to stay dent free. Ah well, I need to write something else, just can't decided hat project to work on.


----------



## Cliff Ball

I had a person who won one of my novels in a giveaway, actually e-mail me a couple days ago and proceed to tell me everything wrong with the novel. She even gave me a line from one of Anne McCaffery's books showing how to describe a character. I had e-mailed her first to tell her the copy she was getting was an early version of the novel, but she ignored that and said the novel looked unfinished (well, DUH!). She had only read 20 pages, said there was no tension in the novel, said I started the novel wrong, but asked if she could review it before she could return the novel to me. Apparently, she also didn't read the synopsis, because she thought it was something totally different. All I did, was tell her thanks for the opinion and gave her my address. Everyone's a critic  

Is it me or is that really kind of rude? I have no problem with a random review that shows up on Amazon saying a novel sucks, but, to track me down, tell me what you think, and then give me some pointers, I do have a problem with that. How long does it take to develop a thick skin anyway?


----------



## Guest

cliffball said:


> I had a person who won one of my novels in a giveaway, actually e-mail me a couple days ago and proceed to tell me everything wrong with the novel. She even gave me a line from one of Anne McCaffery's books showing how to describe a character. I had e-mailed her first to tell her the copy she was getting was an early version of the novel, but she ignored that and said the novel looked unfinished (well, DUH!). She had only read 20 pages, said there was no tension in the novel, said I started the novel wrong, but asked if she could review it before she could return the novel to me. Apparently, she also didn't read the synopsis, because she thought it was something totally different. All I did, was tell her thanks for the opinion and gave her my address. Everyone's a critic
> 
> Is it me or is that really kind of rude? I have no problem with a random review that shows up on Amazon saying a novel sucks, but, to track me down, tell me what you think, and then give me some pointers, I do have a problem with that. How long does it take to develop a thick skin anyway?


You should have told her to quit Bit&%*( that she got whar she paid for! lol The books solid, you know its solid. It'll be ok.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I had an author contact me over a year ago and said she admired my writing style (I assumed she read my books). She asked me to take a peak at her book and provide her feedback. I agreed, and asked if she wanted to see one of mine. She would be delighted, so I sent her No Irish Need Apply. She wrote me an email back telling me that it made her puke and the images were disturning. (It's about 2 teenager coming out, with a soft R for language and no graphic sex). She baraged me with emails about how the premise made her sick. I finally sent her a polite "Go to Hell Lady in the Handbasket your unsolicitously arrived i," and she finally petered off.   I am very careful now when someone asks me to read and provide feedback on their book.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,800 words this evening on The People's Treasure final cut. To bed now.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's the ticket. oooh-rah!

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

healeyb said:


> I take it all back; this is a novel for sure. A 4K word lunch has taken the novel in a slightly different direction (it's fun to let the characters lead you around) and I have a new idea for where this story will go; and I am in love with the new direction!


From tropical storm to hurricane in one hour. Well done.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Someone mentioned NaNoWriMo above (National Novel Writing Month). There the length for a novel is 50,000 words. That's the standard I usually run across too.

"The Old Man and the Sea" and "Of Mice and Men" are certainly shorter than that. As a reader, I guess I prefer somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Someone mentioned NaNoWriMo above (National Novel Writing Month). There the length for a novel is 50,000 words. That's the standard I usually run across too.
> 
> "The Old Man and the Sea" and "Of Mice and Men" are certainly shorter than that. As a reader, I guess I prefer somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000.


200 pages was the norm many years ago. Then 300 pages, then 400 pages. Now we look at blockbusters of 800 to 1,000 pages. It's hard now to think of 200 pages as a full length novel.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I've got to start posting writing goals on here again to get my buttocks back in gear. Too many competing priorities, but I've got to start holding myself accountable to get at least SOME wordage in.

So, for tonight, I'm shooting for a minimum of 500 words in the next hour. I just stuffed a bunch of dark chocolate in my face for the sake of the muse, so she'd better be happy and start telling the fingers what to type...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I've got to start posting writing goals on here again to get my buttocks back in gear. Too many competing priorities, but I've got to start holding myself accountable to get at least SOME wordage in.
> 
> So, for tonight, I'm shooting for a minimum of 500 words in the next hour. I just stuffed a bunch of dark chocolate in my face for the sake of the muse, so she'd better be happy and start telling the fingers what to type...


If you do 500 words tonight, Mike, you'll be doing better than me. I spent 40 minutes rewriting the same paragraph over and over. Finally got it right.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If you do 500 words tonight, Mike, you'll be doing better than me. I spent 40 minutes rewriting the same paragraph over and over. Finally got it right.


Yeah, I do some revising of the most recent stuff to get back in the mindset for new wordage, but I don't hassle much over things - I know Scarlet and Steph are going to beat up on me! 

Oh, wait! No more dawdling here - write!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

It's alive, it's alive. Finally.











Another novelette for 99c. Check it out.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Wrote a horror short story today. Really brief, about 1,300 words, three pages long. Not intended to be overly long. 

Something out of Pet Cemetery, though.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Wrote a horror short story today. Really brief, about 1,300 words, three pages long. Not intended to be overly long.
> 
> Something out of Pet Cemetery, though.


You're just having a great time, aren't you, John?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Kinda sorta. Wish I didn't have a broadband connection that's about as fast as dial up.... wish my UK sales were better...

But writing wise, yeah, having a blast. Just waiting impatiently for my edits... after that's done, I can start the new novel.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

John Fitch V said:


> Kinda sorta. Wish I didn't have a broadband connection that's about as fast as dial up.... wish my UK sales were better...


I don't have any UK sales....


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I've got to start posting writing goals on here again to get my buttocks back in gear. Too many competing priorities, but I've got to start holding myself accountable to get at least SOME wordage in.
> 
> So, for tonight, I'm shooting for a minimum of 500 words in the next hour. I just stuffed a bunch of dark chocolate in my face for the sake of the muse, so she'd better be happy and start telling the fingers what to type...


Dark chocolate? Yuck... Oh well, I guess I better get editing.


----------



## Michael Crane

John Fitch V said:


> Kinda sorta. Wish I didn't have a broadband connection that's about as fast as dial up.... wish my UK sales were better...





DArenson said:


> I don't have any UK sales....


I don't either. At least I'm in good company with you guys!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

No UK sales here, either.


----------



## Guest

This hilaric display of emoticons has arrived just to make a smile!

      

Don't lie, your smiling.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

M.R. Mathias said:


> This hilaric display of emoticons has arrived just to make a smile!
> 
> 
> 
> Don't lie, your smiling.....


M.R. "The Smiley Guy" Mathias


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I'm shutting down after 1242 new words written...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I'm shutting down after 1242 new words written...


Here's some more dark chocolate.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I'm shutting down after 1242 new words written...


I keep telling you, word count don't matter, it's chapters!


----------



## Guest

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> M.R. "The Smiley Guy" Mathias


It's my new make over image!

Hey all of you sad sacks go to this thread and chime in. Its in the Book Corner and might get you some sales....

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,34441.0.html


----------



## R. Doug

DArenson said:


> I don't have any UK sales....


Got ya beat. I ain't got NO sales. Tee more martoonis, barkeep.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Doug said:


> Got ya beat. I ain't got NO sales. Tee more martoonis, barkeep.


At last you can drink. I can't even do that.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No UK sales here, either.


And you're busting your butt on those UK Amazon forums... about as much as I am.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> And you're busting your butt on those UK Amazon forums... about as much as I am.


Oh, well. Something will click (no pun intended).


----------



## R. Doug

R. Doug said:


> Got ya beat. I ain't got NO sales. Tee more martoonis, barkeep.


My mistake. I DID GET A SALE. _Now_ who's yo daddy?

Sorry. I lost my head for a moment. Tee more martoonis, barkeep.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A light night folks, only 4,300 words on The People's Treasure. But I also continued the final-final listen from Katie der Kindlespreche. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Doug said:


> My mistake. I DID GET A SALE. _Now_ who's yo daddy?
> 
> Sorry. I lost my head for a moment. Tee more martoonis, barkeep.


The bad news is, now you have to stop drinking.


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I'm shutting down after 1242 new words written...


and here's where I confess that I, um.....didn'tworkoneditstoHarvesttonight....

Sowwy.









On the other hand, you're still writing the dang thing, so it's not *reallllllly* like I'm behind.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I don't know what the heck is happening, but after a very slow month, sales are just ticking right along tonight. Not just the new one. They're all climbing up the ladder.


----------



## R. Doug

Stop drinking? But, I'm in no _condition_ to stop drinking, ociffer.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. Doug said:


> Stop drinking? But, I'm in no _condition_ to stop drinking, ociffer.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Revising the shorts this morning... planning on going to Starbucks later to have a fast internet connection and get some work done there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Revising the shorts this morning... planning on going to Starbucks later to have a fast internet connection and get some work done there.


Mega-caffeine and sugar. Bet your typing speed goes up ten points.

I think I'll get a job cleaning sewers. It's preferable to this limbo I'm in where I haven't connected to my characters yet.


----------



## Michael Crane

I've been playing catch-up at work, so this hasn't been the best week of writing for me.  I love to write in the morning and during my breaks at work, because I feel the most focused and productive.  It's hard to keep focus when I'm at home.  Too many distractions!

But, we have a three-day weekend coming up.  I will have to devote some time to writing then.  Even if I'm home!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael Crane said:


> I've been playing catch-up at work, so this hasn't been the best week of writing for me. I love to write in the morning and during my breaks at work, because I feel the most focused and productive. It's hard to keep focus when I'm at home. Too many distractions!
> 
> But, we have a three-day weekend coming up. I will have to devote some time to writing then. Even if I'm home!


Three day weekends just don't mean the same thing when you're retired.


----------



## Michael Crane

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Three day weekends just don't mean the same thing when you're retired.


True! I'm still looking forward to it, and I hope to get a few things accomplished.

Just realized it's a new month. I hope I sell some books. My goal is small for the time being... if I sell one or two a month, I think I can live with that! At least while I'm trying to get my name out there and establish myself.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Today's sign you pay way too much attention to detail in your novels and that you take way too many photos when you're on day trips to Boston: You look at one of the photos you took and say to yourself, "Now where the hell did I take that one?"


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Today's sign you pay way too much attention to detail in your novels and that you take way too many photos when you're on day trips to Boston: You look at one of the photos you took and say to yourself, "Now where the hell did I take that one?"


You blow it up, turn it in to vinyl wallpaper and paper your bathroom with it. With all that thinking time, it'll come to you.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> and here's where I confess that I, um.....didn'tworkoneditstoHarvesttonight....
> 
> Sowwy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the other hand, you're still writing the dang thing, so it's not *reallllllly* like I'm behind.


Ohhh, that's SUCH good rationalization! 

And thanks for the choco-fix, Gertie. I'll be using more tonight. And Scarlet, word count indeed means nothing in the end, it's just a small stick I can beat myself over the head with to keep moving. Ha!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ohhh, that's SUCH good rationalization!
> 
> And thanks for the choco-fix, Gertie. I'll be using more tonight. And Scarlet, word count indeed means nothing in the end, it's just a small stick I can beat myself over the head with to keep moving. Ha!


Steph, can you get out your poking stick and poke Mike with it to get him to write more. I may hold a couple of chapters hostage to get more.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> Steph, can you get out your poking stick and poke Mike with it to get him to write more. I may hold a couple of chapters hostage to get more.


I take it you're enjoying the book so far?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I take it you're enjoying the book so far?


I think she hates it and just wants to get the torture over with so we can move on to the next IHN book...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think she hates it and just wants to get the torture over with so we can move on to the next IHN book...


Oh, okay. I can go along with that. Do we all have to hate it to get the next IHN book?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, okay. I can go along with that. Do we all have to hate it to get the next IHN book?


Maybe my muse would get discouraged and leave me hangin'...!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Maybe my muse would get discouraged and leave me hangin'...!


Walter would never do that to you.

My muse, on the other hand, has run off to Cabo with some beach body type and is sipping margaritas on the seashore.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You blow it up, turn it in to vinyl wallpaper and paper your bathroom with it. With all that thinking time, it'll come to you.


I figured it out.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think she hates it and just wants to get the torture over with so we can move on to the next IHN book...


No, I don't hate it. I want it finished so he gets back to the characters I want more of.



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, okay. I can go along with that. Do we all have to hate it to get the next IHN book?


No, we probably need to stroke his ego to get him to write.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Maybe my muse would get discouraged and leave me hangin'...!


Give her more chocolate. Godiva has yummy new flavors.


----------



## Steph H

scarlet said:


> Steph, can you get out your poking stick and poke Mike with it to get him to write more. I may hold a couple of chapters hostage to get more.


This one?









Consider yourself poked, Mike.









Oh, and I didn't get any more edits typed up on Harvest last night either...but I have a better excuse. Severe storms, thunder, lightning...oh, and that pesky couple of hours of power outage.  So I read on the Kindle with a flashlight instead (since I don't have a booklight 'cause I don't usually use one).  I think I'll just plan on finishing it and getting it back to you this weekend! Unless I hold it hostage (see the IHN thread in the Bazaar for why...).


----------



## Michael Crane

I have a short-short that I wrote a while back, and I think I'm going to put it on Smashwords very soon!  It's a story I originally wanted to include with IN DECLINE, but felt it didn't belong there.  It's much more on the lighter side--not that all of the stories of IN DECLINE are all gloom and doom, as much as I joke about it.  

I'm excited!  It's another way to get the word out and get some exposure.  Smashwords has been great for that, especially with short stories.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> This one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Consider yourself poked, Mike.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, and I didn't get any more edits typed up on Harvest last night either...but I have a better excuse. Severe storms, thunder, lightning...oh, and that pesky couple of hours of power outage.  So I read on the Kindle with a flashlight instead (since I don't have a booklight 'cause I don't usually use one).  I think I'll just plan on finishing it and getting it back to you this weekend! Unless I hold it hostage (see the IHN thread in the Bazaar for why...).


Hmph! No fair ganging up on me!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hmph! No fair ganging up on me!


It's what we do, Mike. It's what we do.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> It's what we do, Mike. It's what we do.


D'oh! Rough crowd!

Okay, now on to more about the good guys' new ally and the other craziness in _Season Of The Harvest_...


----------



## Jeff

I'm about burned out. I'll continue to maintain the author and genre lists but I'm going to stop writing and promoting for a while.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jeff said:


> I'm about burned out. I'll continue to maintain the author and genre lists but I'm going to stop writing and promoting for a while.


Awww...hope you get your batteries recharged.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I'm about burned out. I'll continue to maintain the author and genre lists but I'm going to stop writing and promoting for a while.


Take a break and recharge! That's a good thing to do every once in a while, anyway, to give the muse a chance to snooze and grow stronger... 

Speaking of muses, mine's ready to roll, I hope: aiming for 1,000 words tonight. Ready...set...go!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'm about burned out. I'll continue to maintain the author and genre lists but I'm going to stop writing and promoting for a while.


Sometimes you just have to drop back and punt. Hope to see you back soon.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Jeff said:


> I'm about burned out. I'll continue to maintain the author and genre lists but I'm going to stop writing and promoting for a while.


You gotta take care of you. Do what you need to do. BTW, I appreciate the author and genre lists - I use them all the time.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Rewrote that same paragraph again tonight, but it's finally right. Or did I say that last time? I might just set this one aside for a little while and let it stew and bubble.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Rewrote that same paragraph again tonight, but it's finally right. Or did I say that last time? I might just set this one aside for a little while and let it stew and bubble.


Yeah, I think I'm in the same boat. I did some revisions and wanted to write some new stuff, but I suddenly sorta ran out of steam. Maybe I'll go to bed a bit early for a change...!


----------



## Jeff

Yikes. I hope what I've got isn't contagious.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Yikes. I hope what I've got isn't contagious.


If it is, you probably caught it from me.


----------



## Jeff

Ah-ha. Typhoid Gertie.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did 1500 words on one of my side projects, A Land of Ash. The short is up to 2500, and probably 500 words or so from being finished.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Ah-ha. Typhoid Gertie.


My secret is out.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

8,500 words on The People's Treasure. (I took last night off).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Today's To Do list: give ROYAL SWITCH its penultimate read (not bad for a novel I wrote in April), watch the England-Bulgaria Euro qualifier at 3... then batten down the hatches!!!


----------



## Michael Crane

Think I've found the cover photo for my short-short, _Showdown at SunnyView Playground_. Plan to work on it today, and then hopefully will have the story up by this weekend.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Yay, my first UK sale. It's for a novelette, and I'm only going to be able to buy half a penny candy with it, but YAY anyway.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Still waiting for more UK sales.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I haven't had any UK sales for Kindle yet, although a month ago my science fiction book The Cloud sold 5 paperback copies through a UK distribution channel. I am approaching my 500th Kindle sale in the US - that is a combination of sales from multiple titles, though, versus a single book.

I haven't been doing much new writing, but I am halfway through the hopefully-final-edit of my 80k word modern fantasy, Through the Arch, which I hope to release in print and Kindle form soon.

Good writing to you all.
Elmore


----------



## Derek J. Canyon

Hey, All,

I'm a newbie in the Kindle authoring realm, hoping to get my first science fiction novel up on Amazon by late October.

I've started a blog, derekjcanyon.blogspot.com, to chronicle my efforts. I'll be putting up the processes I use, the hurdles I overcome, the resources I find, and the people I work with. I'll also include my Kindle sales numbers, when those come around, so you can see what a complete unknown writer might expect to see in the way of revenue. I'm hoping that my blog will help new authors get started.

So, if you're also a new writer and want to see how it goes for me, stop on by.

If you're an experienced writer, you can also give advice. I will eagerly accept it. 

I've just posted a free short story on my blog. This is the pre-edit version. I'll be posting the edited version later, so folks can see the difference and get a feel for how an editor can improve a story.

Thanks!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, a more productive day today with 13,800 words for _*The People's Treasure*_, and I am coming into the stretch with the final revision. Edits will continue for a bit longer. I think this one will start gearing up for launch on September 20th, if not sooner. I was 3 weeks ahead of my schedule, and I am taking advantage to assure that this one goes out with Zero editing defects. The others went from 1 to 2% and the earliest books, were 3 - 5% have all been re-edited earlier this year and relauched. I am pleased with the overall reception of all 15 works, but now feel proud of the overall editing condition of the entire suite.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Mere 500 words on Secret Mission. Need to get into high gear here.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

20,500 words today on _*The People's Treasure*_.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ryne Douglas Pearson said:


> Finishing formatting a short story collection and two novels to DTP for Kindle. Hope to have the short story collection uploaded by next weekend.
> 
> Also doing a lot of script revising.
> 
> Can anyone tell me definitively if Mobi Pocket Creator works with Vista? I've seen conflicting answers.
> 
> Thanks.


You might be better off embedding your cover in the Word file and uploading that file to dtp. I usually end up with formatting problems if I go through mobipocket creator.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I embed my cover in the first page of the word doc, no top spaces and size it to 2/3rds of the page. I then run mobicreator and it comes out perfectly every time for the Kindle uploard

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Came up with a new pre-YA action/adventure series today... need to flesh it out more.


----------



## Jeff

Ryne Douglas Pearson said:


> Can anyone tell me definitively if Mobi Pocket Creator works with Vista? I've seen conflicting answers.


Yes, it works with Vista and Windows 7. I always upload Mobipocket PRC files to DTP and have never had a problem.


----------



## Monique

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 20,500 words today on _*The People's Treasure*_.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Great Caesar's Ghost!

Is that even physically possible?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Monique said:


> Great Caesar's Ghost!
> 
> Is that even physically possible?


It's revision work and in the last act as I charge toward the end. The manuscript generally needs less revisions in the last third, as the pace picks up and extraneous stuff never makes it to the page. 20,000 fresh words would be rough. I hope to finish revisions tomorrow in the 190,000 word work. My editor should finish her proof work by Friday. Then its a last read through via the Kindle (Katy der Kindelscpreche and thenlaunch time). I still need to write the acknowledgements, the afterwords and the marketing blurb (long and short) for the press release and the product pages. This fourth book of The Jade Owl Legacy series is like a rocket ship - sleek, and tight with never ending movement and action. It has over 100 characters, all developed, takes place on three continents and it's the broadest (and most detailed) sweep on my brush yet. I'd venture to say (at least my beta-readers say it - it is the best one yet, and they are all hooked on Book II, which this surpasses).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Monique

Wow, you're a writin' machine! Amazing.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm taking a break. I can't get in to Lena's head and until I can, what I'm writing is very awkward. I'm putting words in her mouth and thoughts in her mind and we all know that doesn't work.

I might just start something else and let this one simmer. That's means I've got two simmering and that doesn't make me happy.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm taking a break. I can't get in to Lena's head and until I can, what I'm writing is very awkward. I'm putting words in her mouth and thoughts in her mind and we all know that doesn't work.
> 
> I might just start something else and let this one simmer. That's means I've got two simmering and that doesn't make me happy.


Lenna needs to get into your head. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

I've supported my author by editing 3 (count 'em 3) chapters of the Harvest book.  Hopefully, I'll get through a couple more....


----------



## Steph H

Haven't had much luck working on Harvest for Mike this much weekend either, huh, Scarlet....   Glad it's not just me.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

I wrote 1200 words today in the next novel, "Requiem Fire".


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Haven't had much luck working on Harvest for Mike this much weekend either, huh, Scarlet....  Glad it's not just me.


Ahem, I did 2 yesterday and 3 so far today. I'm on chapter 8 now so he should get that in an hour or so. I plan to do nine and ten tonight. Really, I do....


Spoiler



of course, that's still less than 1/2 of what we have to do.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Lenna needs to get into your head.
> 
> Ed Patterson


In other words, STOP THINKING, GERTIE.

Thanks, Ed. You're right. I need chocolate, strawberries and champagne.


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff said:


> I'm about burned out. I'll continue to maintain the author and genre lists but I'm going to stop writing and promoting for a while.


Please don't stop writing......slow down maybe, but don't stop altogether.
Your public wants more.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,000 words tonight and guess what . . .

This evening I finished the final revision of _*The People's Treasure (The Jade Owl Legacy Book IV). * _ It's heading now for its final proofing and should be launched by 9/20. I'm now doing the naked Conga dance and you all can hook onto my hips as I lift the wine. Next up: *The Road to Grafenwoehr.*

Edward C. Patterson

PS: And Jeff - don't you dare put down that pen!!!!


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Please don't stop writing......slow down maybe, but don't stop altogether.


Well, Geoff, I suppose I really owe you, and a few others, a more complete explanation so here goes...

I self-published because I wanted to tell the stories of American patriots throughout history and I knew from experience that nobody in New York would publish big, fact laden novels. At first I didn't particularly care how many books I sold as long as a few people who shared my views read and enjoyed them.

Lately, with all the back and forth among the authors about who has sold the most books, I've gotten caught up in worrying about sales. That's no fun and neither is writing when my mind keeps focusing on sales and reviews. I just need to walk away until I can regain my focus on story telling. Hopefully that will happen before I'm a candidate for a Kindle screen saver. Thank you for being my friend.


----------



## Michael Crane

Finished writing CHAPTER 4 of GOODMAN'S BAD DAY!  And now I'm past the 10,000 wordcount mark.  It's nice having some of the chapters already typed out from years ago, so it's almost like I'm working on the second draft--until I get to the new ones.

This may end up being a novella, which would be fine with me.  I hope people end up liking it if I'm able to finish it.  It's very different from what I normally write.  Some may think it's a tad silly.  But I'm having fun with it!

Why write if you're not enjoying yourself?


----------



## Derek J. Canyon

Lazy weekend. Only worked for an hour on my 3rd draft of my scifi novel. However, yesterday I wrote first 500 words of a new hardboiled detective story that came to me in a dream. No plot, though. Just the hook. It'll make a good series, but that's for after the SF.


----------



## J.M Pierce

I am nearly finished with "Duality". The writing is effortless and if things go as well as they did today (2000 words in 45 minutes), I should be finished with the first draft in the next week or so. All I need is more time to write!


----------



## R. M. Reed

A science fiction story I have been sending to major magazines has a horrible mistake in the first sentence. I wrote "I could I could" when I meant to write "I could." I reviewed the ms. at least twice. I just noticed it, and I feel so embarrassed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Well, Geoff, I suppose I really owe you, and a few others, a more complete explanation so here goes...
> 
> I self-published because I wanted to tell the stories of American patriots throughout history and I knew from experience that nobody in New York would publish big, fact laden novels. At first I didn't particularly care how many books I sold as long as a few people who shared my views read and enjoyed them.
> 
> Lately, with all the back and forth among the authors about who has sold the most books, I've gotten caught up in worrying about sales. That's no fun and neither is writing when my mind keeps focusing on sales and reviews. I just need to walk away until I can regain my focus on story telling. Hopefully that will happen before I'm a candidate for a Kindle screen saver. Thank you for being my friend.


That's why I never post my sales figures. I'll look at what other people are selling because it's nice to see them reach their goals. I've also reached my goals which are writing books and finding readers who like them. I'm actually very pleased with my average daily sales and I know I certainly sell more than if I were in a B&M store. And I love seeing four works listed whenever I pull up the dtp reports.

There are over 600K books in the kindle store. Maybe more since I last checked. If you are ranked around 60K in kindle sales, you are in the top 10%. Not too shabby at all.

So, get your focus back to what's important to you and I shall try to wait patiently for the next installment of Maggie in Mexico.

Geoff, can I hear a "Just sayin' ... ?"


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Tossing out about 20k words from book five...including some scenes I really, really liked. But the story isn't there. Too much flailing around, to little tight narrative focus like I usually have. Spent a nice long walk listening to some Tool, and had one of those 'eureka' moments. I know where the story will go, and solved one particularly bothersome part involving what to do with a character.

So...

-20k words for the day.

David Dalglish


----------



## J.M Pierce

You've gotta love Tool. I think with each album "how can they make a better song than that" and then they come out with a song like The Pot. One of the most rhythmically impressive songs ever!!!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Excellent, more Tool fans...


----------



## Mark Fassett

I saw tool in concert about a month and a half ago. Great stuff. Way too much pot smoke in the air, though.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wrote the Afterword and Acknowldgements tonight and work with the Kindle for about an hour and applied some of Peg's edits. Mostly I watched American Has Talent and read and re-read 2 5 star reviews I received today (one for No Irish Need Apply and the other for Look Away Silence, which said the book should be on the NY Times Best Sellers list).    Night all, going to bed . . . I after I read that second review again.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Came up with a new pre-YA action/adventure series today... need to flesh it out more.


Let me know when you have that available. I'm looking to fill up my GS's new K3 for Christmas.


----------



## shadow2683

Hey guys I need to ask a question.  Im finishing up a new project I titled Its Just a family thing.  Its being fully edited out and should be done soon.  After going through multiple rejections for Dawn of The Shadow I wanted to try a different path.  I didnt try for an agent with Shadow, so this time I would like to attempt it.  Besides the predators and editors website does anyone know any leads of good agents?


----------



## Michael Crane

I now have 5 chapters for GOODMAN'S BAD DAY and am working on the sixth.  This may end up being a novella, which would be fine by me.  I'm just happy to be working on it again.  It's been years in the making.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Lately, with all the back and forth among the authors about who has sold the most books, I've gotten caught up in worrying about sales. That's no fun and neither is writing when my mind keeps focusing on sales and reviews. I just need to walk away until I can regain my focus on story telling. Hopefully that will happen before I'm a candidate for a Kindle screen saver. Thank you for being my friend.


Jeff -

I know what you mean. I think I was happiest when I didn't worry about how many books were being sold, only that there were at least a few people who enjoyed reading them. Past that, I think we start wrapping part of our self-worth into the deal, comparing our sales to what others are doing, feeling awful if a reader pans a book (even while knowing that the most popular books ever written have a ton of bad reader reviews), feeling like there's a monkey on your back to promote your work, etc.

I was very much caught up in that whole thing for a while, but then decided it just isn't me: checking sales figures for me is almost always an act of frustration (although, unfortunately, that has yet to stop me!). Every author has his or her own "Why" for writing. Some do it for sales or money, etc., and that's great. But for me it's really just because I enjoy doing it. I like to entertain myself with the delusion that I have a small gift for writing, but even if not, it doesn't really matter. It's fun and that's the main thing.

So keep writing because it's something that fulfills you and forget all the excess baggage...


----------



## Jeff

Thanks, Mike.


----------



## Michael Crane

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I was very much caught up in that whole thing for a while, but then decided it just isn't me: checking sales figures for me is almost always an act of frustration (although, unfortunately, that has yet to stop me!).


I hear you on that. I know I have to stop worrying about that. The book is out there and some people have bought it. That's what's important. It's hard not to focus on how many sales you make compared to others, but in the end I have to realize that I'm very lucky to even have a platform where I can make my book available. In the end, this was always about me finding a home for my writing and not worrying about playing the waiting game and feeling like it's getting me nowhere.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

shadow2683 said:


> Hey guys I need to ask a question. Im finishing up a new project I titled Its Just a family thing. Its being fully edited out and should be done soon. After going through multiple rejections for Dawn of The Shadow I wanted to try a different path. I didnt try for an agent with Shadow, so this time I would like to attempt it. Besides the predators and editors website does anyone know any leads of good agents?


We're mostly indies here who have given up on the whole traditional publishing route. Frustration, rejection, I can get that at home.


----------



## Michael Crane

healeyb said:


> My life goal is to write a book that gets burned and banned...
> 
> ...I don't know why.


That would be pretty epic. I'll see if I can get the movement started!


----------



## geoffthomas

healeyb said:


> My life goal is to write a book that gets burned and banned...
> 
> ...I don't know why.


I am sure that we could form a support group that would be happy to declare your work "banned".
And if you wanted to send that group a couple of copies of your book, we could burn them for you.

But then what.......

Just sayin.....


----------



## Michael Crane

Jeff,

Seriously, don't give up writing.  Take a break if you have to, but only because you feel it'll help your writing afterwards.  I know it's very easy to get caught up on thinking about how many copies you sell.  Like I said, I was going through that myself, and thanks to your post it helped sober me up some!    Made me realize I really shouldn't worry about it.  I'm lucky enough to not have to depend on my writing for income.  I would just like to think that more people were reading my stuff in the end.

But don't ever give up.  If you enjoy writing, that's really the only reason you need.  Even if nobody would read my stuff, I'd still write because I love it.


----------



## Michael Crane

healeyb said:


> Wait! I have to write something worthy first!


But you already have a book out! Even if I haven't read it yet, I can still say I'm outraged by it. Isn't that what everybody else does, anyway??


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff said:


> Well, Geoff, I suppose I really owe you, and a few others, a more complete explanation so here goes...
> 
> I self-published because I wanted to tell the stories of American patriots throughout history and I knew from experience that nobody in New York would publish big, fact laden novels. At first I didn't particularly care how many books I sold as long as a few people who shared my views read and enjoyed them.
> 
> Lately, with all the back and forth among the authors about who has sold the most books, I've gotten caught up in worrying about sales. That's no fun and neither is writing when my mind keeps focusing on sales and reviews. I just need to walk away until I can regain my focus on story telling. Hopefully that will happen before I'm a candidate for a Kindle screen saver. Thank you for being my friend.


First of all - you are most welcome.

But I don't think one should become too frustrated by sales. 
We know the buying public is stupid, right?
When a frivolous nonsense about a witch's school can turn it's author into a very rich person......
Granted Harry and the rest are fun but is this good literature?
And the incredible sales of sparkling vampire stories, some of which are not good and with poor editing.
But they sell.
So how can one figure.
Write what pleases your soul.....please.
And this is not meant for just one author - I believe the creative urge should be followed. Play music that you like, paint pictures that express you, take photographs that record precious moments, and write what you have to say.

And if you are Jeff Hepple, or Margaret Lake or Michael Hicks, or C.S. Marks, or Carolyn Kephart or some other newbies like A. Sparrow, I will purchase your work and read it because you have pleased me in the past.
I love historical stuff. 
And the more factually accurate, the better for me.
I love to have a story entertain (that is important) and not offend me (sorry that is my need) and I love it when it causes me to THINK.

So keep up the good work, authors.
You are superb.

Just sayin......


----------



## Michael Crane

I now have 6 chapters done in GOODMAN'S BAD DAY.  W00t!

That last chapter was pretty emotional.  Even though it's a silly story, this was where the main character finally gets the courage to call his dying mother.  They hadn't spoken to each other for 10 years.  She was pretty horrible to him when he was little, and is the cause for all of his fears and being overly passive in his life.

So, even though it's meant to be a goofy story, there is a journey that the character takes with hopes of becoming a better and stronger person in the end.


----------



## shadow2683

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> We're mostly indies here who have given up on the whole traditional publishing route. Frustration, rejection, I can get that at home.


I should have figured but its never a bad thing to try right?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I leave sales to my agent. God is my agent. If the sales stopped tomorrow, I wouldn't be sad, because I'm not in it for the money. Hell, I donated most of it to Kindleboards for the first 6 months of last year. However, I would find a way to be read, because my writing is my soul and it's good to know that another soul can encompass my talents, be engaged and, for a brief time, find enjoyment in my words. The promotion part is work, but I lost my Big Ass Director of Marketing job, but never the skills. And since I no longer need to be a Marketer, I enjoy promoting other people's works and encouraging authors not to be afraid to stand up and let the world know where their work is. Some days I'm more weary than others, but ten years ago I woke up and had no purpose in my life, so I got on my knees and got me an agent, who whispered in my ear and said - just do it & He's taken care of the rest.

Edward C. Patterson

None of this discouragement because of other authors. Who gives a fig what other authors do? Each of us may band together or spring apart, but our own dollop of talent is never to be squandered or wasted worrying about such minor details as the DTP report or how to set ourselves up as a 90 book detective writing machine with a spreadsheet and all the tricks to scour our reader's pockets. What I want from my readers is beyond their pocket change. I want their undivided attention. I want them to leap up and get another one of my books. And I expect them to tell at least one other person, and if they choose to do it in writing - so be it. If not, pillow talk will do just as fine.

Rant over.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

shadow2683 said:


> I should have figured but its never a bad thing to try right?


Never hurts to try. Just remember the cardinal rule. Never deal with an agent that wants money from you.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

So I'm working on several projects at once... I did some research yesterday for not only the thriller, but for the pre-YA action/adventure series I'll write early next year, as well. Found a great web site which has the demolition and destruction of Scollay Square in Boston, which is now Government Center. Great photos.

And today I've spent the past couple of hours brainstorming out a couple of scenes from the pre-YA.... two words: Ninja ferrets.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Never hurts to try. Just remember the cardinal rule. Never deal with an agent that wants money from you.


My agent appreciates bills in the collection plate.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> So I'm working on several projects at once... I did some research yesterday for not only the thriller, but for the pre-YA action/adventure series I'll write early next year, as well. Found a great web site which has the demolition and destruction of Scollay Square in Boston, which is now Government Center. Great photos.
> 
> And today I've spent the past couple of hours brainstorming out a couple of scenes from the pre-YA.... two words: Ninja ferrets.


GS will love ninja ferrets. Keep me posted.


----------



## Derek J. Canyon

I just finished incorporating edits to my three short stories. If there are any writers out there interested in the results of editing for someone else, I've uploaded all three versions of the first story (edit, pre-edit, and final) to my blog http://derekjcanyon.blogspot.com/.


----------



## R. Doug

In _Decisions_ my main character has an upfall at the end. I hate sad endings.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

To me an ending is an opportunity to linger in the reader's mind . . . forever. The closing image of all my books must take the reader's breath away and get them scurrying to pick up another of my books. In many ways (actually most way), the ending and how to close the last third of a novel, is more important than the opening hook. The opening is important to keep the reader reading THIS novel, but the ending is important to keep the reader reading YOUR novels.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wrote the Afterword and Acknowldgements tonight and work with the Kindle for about an hour and applied some of Peg's edits. Mostly I watched American Has Talent and read and re-read 2 5 star reviews I received today (one for No Irish Need Apply and the other for Look Away Silence, which said the book should be on the NY Times Best Sellers list).  Night all, going to bed . . . I after I read that second review again.
> 
> Ed Patterson


You got to love some of those reviews. But i have to say, sometimes I think the comments a reviewer emails me later are more impressive then their review. I wish I could have framed or put up those in the reviews. My latest reviewer said she has read Fallen 4 times so far, and has to make time to read it again, and as such she's falling behind her other books she has to review. To me that's even better then her actual review.


----------



## traceya

I thought I had the book all finished ready for some serious editing and polishing then bam one of my beta readers picked up a huuuge plot hole.  Very major stuff so I'm now buckling down to a rewrite of Slade's Destiny.  So much for my October release.  Sigh


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sharlow said:


> You got to love some of those reviews. But i have to say, sometimes I think the comments a reviewer emails me later are more impressive then their review. I wish I could have framed or put up those in the reviews. My latest reviewer said she has read Fallen 4 times so far, and has to make time to read it again, and as such she's falling behind her other books she has to review. To me that's even better then her actual review.


Yeah, I know. The private mail is wonderful. I once had a publisher tell me about _*No Irish Need Apply * _ that it was among the best 5 novellas he had read in a decade. Now he's a prominent name in the gay community, but publishes incanabula (so no boost for me there); however, I believe that he was instrumental in a behind the scenes selection of my book by Booz Allen Hamilton as June 2009 Book of the Month - a gig that got me a $2,500 honorarium and a bucketful of sales. So sometimes its the silent movers that make the difference. Not that I don't like my 214 reviews (well there's 4 of those I don;t much like). 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Yeah, I know. The private mail is wonderful. I once had a publisher tell me about _*No Irish Need Apply * _ that it was among the best 5 novellas he had read in a decade. Now he's a prominent name in the gay community, but publishes incanabula (so no boost for me there); however, I believe that he was instrumental in a behind the scenes selection of my book by Booz Allen Hamilton as June 2009 Book of the Month - a gig that got me a $2,500 and a bucketful of sales. So sometimes its the silent movers that make the difference. Not that I don't like my 214 reviews (well there's 4 of those I don;t much like).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


  $2,500 honorarium? How did you get that? Yeah I suppose your right there, the silent ones can sometime do a lot for us in the back grounds. I'm just thrilled to death that someone I don't know loves one of my books to read it so many times. Feels like I won something...


----------



## julieannfelicity

Not really sure what I think about this, but I suppose it could explain why my book hasn't sold in the UK ... I just found my book listed under Dora The Explorer.

Umm ... it's not a child friendly book, so why is it there? Crazy ...

http://www.dora-explorer.co.uk/d1-1025612-0557539242-The_Kindness_of_Strangers.html


----------



## Gertie Kindle

julieannfelicity said:


> Not really sure what I think about this, but I suppose it could explain why my book hasn't sold in the UK ... I just found my book listed under Dora The Explorer.
> 
> Umm ... it's not a child friendly book, so why is it there? Crazy ...
> 
> http://www.dora-explorer.co.uk/d1-1025612-0557539242-The_Kindness_of_Strangers.html


you need to let them know. dtp-amazon.co.uk


----------



## julieannfelicity

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> you need to let them know. dtp-amazon.co.uk


Thank you!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I have had some problems with my books in paperback not being linked to my ebook pages.  I wrote to them twice already and each time, they've fixed only one or two and then stopped.  I guess you just have to keep after them and keep an eye on things.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, diving in for what I hope will be at least two solid hours of writing tonight. Have sort of gotten stuck on *Season Of The Harvest* and need to get *unstuck* and moving again! Shoveling down some dark chocolate to inspire the muse, and off we go...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

In New Jersey with Dad, so writing hasn't been a option. But I'll be back in the seat on Sunday afternoon. I expect to be launching _*The People's Treasure*_ no later than next weekend. And starting _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ sometime the following week (between promotions and roll-out). Jeff (and any other interested beta-readers), I give you some idea of progress on the new book, which although started in 2002, is not as developed as some of my other manuscripts. However, over the last year, I've brought whole sections of it to life, so the work should progress through the end of the year, because I need to start _*Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow Book III * _ no later than the end of Ferbruary. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## JoeMitchell

I need some help from my fellow authors, just to clear some things up in my mind.

This mostly about the commas.

“Listen, Jake,” Parker said as they raced back up the road. “Those things either want to kill us or rob us or most likely both."

“Listen, Jake,” Parker said as they raced back up the road, “Those things either want to kill us or rob us or most likely both."

“Listen, Jake,” Parker said, as they raced back up the road, “Those things either want to kill us or rob us or most likely both."


1: The comma after 'Parker said'...is this needed, or is omitting it okay?  Is it better without it?

2: Period or comma after 'up the road'...this is my main concern, and I'm leaning toward using the comma, or is that wrong somehow?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"Listen, Jake," Parker said, as *he* raced back up the road, "*those* things either want to kill us or rob us or most likely both."

Although the comma after _said _ is sometimes omitted, it helps the reader mentally parse. Remember that our reading of what we write is different from what a reader reads when read it for the first time. I will omit the comma only when my editor decides that it intrudes (as she is a reader). Although I sometimes would place a period after "up the road," the correct useage is a comma and lowercase "t" for those, as the sentence continues after the salutory "Listen, Jake." If you put a period there, the proper form is a repetition or a reset of the salutory to preserve the sentence as a sentence. It changes the pacing. Also, since the dialog tag refers to the singular, it should be _he _ rather than _they_. I avoid pluralising when I can, because it spreads the reader askew briefly and hinders their focus.

Whenever I need to analyse sentences like this one, I generally rewrite it to separate the action from the dialog.

Parker raced up the hill. "Listen, Jake, those things either want to kill us or rob us or most likely  both," he said. (_most likely _ is optional, depending on the character's established venacular. The _he said _ dialog tag is also redundant, because the sentence starts with an identified character performing an action.

Hope that helps

Edward C. Patterson

BTW, I violate all these rules, but only after I understand the consequences or advantages of doing so.  In both cases, it's whether the structure benefits legibility and reader enjoyment. If it flags their attention, I stick to precise grammatical forms.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

You scooped me, Ed.  I was going to say pretty much the same thing   Separate action from dialog.  It reads better imho.


----------



## JoeMitchell

My sincere thanks to you, Edward, for taking the time to explain that.  Would you still use 'he' in place of 'they' even though it's Jake driving while Parker is the passenger?


----------



## Valmore Daniels

"Listen, Jake, those things either want to kill us or rob us." Parker clutched the dashboard to brace himself when Jake suddenly gunned the accelerator. The car roared up the hill. 

(sorry about taking literary license)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I managed to kick out 1100 words yesterday on *Season Of The Harvest*. Didn't quite get past where I'm stuck, but am trying to take a detour around it! LOL! Shooting for at least 500 words tonight...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I managed to kick out 1100 words yesterday on *Season Of The Harvest*. Didn't quite get past where I'm stuck, but am trying to take a detour around it! LOL! Shooting for at least 500 words tonight...


Remember, edits are being held hostage for the finale!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Did 1200 words so far on Guardian of the Mountain, a short story set in the same world as my other novels. Hoping for it to be about 9-10k words long, sell it for 99 cents.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Remember, edits are being held hostage for the finale!


I know, I know! But did you figure out who the unexpected ally is yet?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I know, I know! But did you figure out who the unexpected ally is yet?


Can't comment.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

JoeMitchell said:


> My sincere thanks to you, Edward, for taking the time to explain that. Would you still use 'he' in place of 'they' even though it's Jake driving while Parker is the passenger?


Yes, I would. There's are some fine line redundancies with the word "they." If Parker is in the vehicle with Jake, HE (referring back to Jake) means that unless Jake has suddenly hopped a cab, he's going up the hill too. It's like saying _He shrugged his shoulders_. Unless you can shrug something other than your shoulders, it's _He shrugged_. (Of course, he could shrug his work). There's a bunch of these. _She clapped her hands_, should be just _She clapped_. _He kicked the door with his foot_, should be _He kicked the door_. The exception is in dialog, because colloquialisms are redundant at times.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## JoeMitchell

Thanks for the help, guys.  Nine hours straight editing today, and I'm 1/4 of the way done.  Now I need to unwind with some video games.  Mafia II is playable on my aging system, using the lowest video settings possible.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

I wrote a scene today featuring Chinese dragons.  I think Ed would love it.


----------



## shadow2683

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Never hurts to try. Just remember the cardinal rule. Never deal with an agent that wants money from you.


Thats been my plan from day one.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just came up with an idea for a thriller novella.... that's now six stories to write.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Just came up with an idea for a thriller novella.... that's now six stories to write.


You'd better get crackin', dude! 

Finished chapter 26 of *Season Of The Harvest* finally! Up to a total of 112,000 words now. Moving on to chapter 27...


----------



## Daniel Arenson

At the coffee shop, writing about Chinese dragons....


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Have to get that next Obloeron novel finalized this week, as soon as the edits come in.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Making great progress on the kindle proofing for *The People's Treasure*. Also worked out some dialog in the car on the trip home from NJ for _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Some really comic stuff between my two Roman ghosts, Maximus and Pertinax. I'm surprised I didn't crash or forget to get off at my exit and wind up in Harrisburg.  I hope I remember this stuff when the time comes to slip into the zone. However, since I do not outline or plot, if it doesn't come back, it wasn't worth thinking about in the first place.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## J.M Pierce

I'm only three or four chapters away from finishing Duality. Man I love it when a writing session flows so easily. I should finish the first draft this week.


----------



## LB Gschwandtner

Hi Everyone

What do you all think of writing under different names?

I'm formatting a middle grade novel for Kindle & have a mainstream women's fiction selling already.

My name would be HARD for kids (hey it's hard for everyone) I think. But then you have to identify that you're also writing as ... which seems kinda cumbersome.

Thoughts?

LB


----------



## R. M. Reed

If you use your name, every article about you and interview with you will start with the pronunciation and perhaps the origin of the name. (You said Austrian, I think?) That might actually work to your advantage. It is memorable, and if you joke about it people will remember that. Or maybe you want something different for the kids' stuff at least.

I have a separate name for horror, just so people who have read my humor don't get confused.


----------



## LB Gschwandtner

R. Reed said:


> If you use your name, every article about you and interview with you will start with the pronunciation and perhaps the origin of the name. (You said Austrian, I think?) That might actually work to your advantage. It is memorable, and if you joke about it people will remember that. Or maybe you want something different for the kids' stuff at least.
> 
> I have a separate name for horror, just so people who have read my humor don't get confused.


Thanks for the input. Yes, Austrian. I guess I could use it as a learning lesson for kids in the book's acknowledgments.
BTW I just tagged your books. missed them before somehow.
Xanthan Gumm -- always wondered what that stuff was. Title made me chuckle.


----------



## Michael Crane

Got some more work done on GOODMAN'S BAD DAY this morning.  I have found the emotional core of the story, and I think that is the big improvement over when I started writing this years ago.  I still had that theme and idea, but only touched on it a little.  Now, it's no longer only a off-the-rails goofy tale.  Yes, there's still plenty of silliness, but I'm balancing the goofy and absurd with sincerity and emotion.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Cranked out 4200 words on Guardian of the Mountain. Still on pace for about 10k words or so. Feels real good to be writing so much again.

David Dalglish


----------



## Monique

I'm waiting for my first non-Amazon review. I think one of the review sites I submitted to will put one out this week. I hope. I'm so nervous. 

Hold me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Monique said:


> I'm waiting for my first non-Amazon review. I think one of the review sites I submitted to will put one out this week. I hope. I'm so nervous.
> 
> Hold me.


No worries! If it's a glowing review, bask in the glory! If it's not, step back and consider the reviewer's comments as an opportunity to learn to improve your writing (even if you don't happen to agree with their comments). Also remember that even the very best books ever written have been panned plenty of times!


----------



## Monique

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No worries! If it's a glowing review, bask in the glory! If it's not, step back and consider the reviewer's comments as an opportunity to learn to improve your writing (even if you don't happen to agree with their comments). Also remember that even the very best books ever written have been panned plenty of times!


You're so right, Michael. Here's hoping there's more basking than learning.  But seriously, I know you're right. But right now, tonight, it's the waiting, the not knowing that's killing me. I mean, it is my first.


Spoiler



I'm a review virgin.


----------



## FrankZubek

I'm waiting to hear from EverydayFiction to see if my 1,000 page horror story got accepted.

Working on my new Crowell novella, which is planned at 90 to 100 pages. My longest Crowell yet.
I have a rough idea of the story and I started the first few pages of the first draft today, but I haven't yet thought up the paranormal angle.

But I'm sure i'll solve it all before I release it in November.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Monique said:


> You're so right, Michael. Here's hoping there's more basking than learning.  But seriously, I know you're right. But right now, tonight, it's the waiting, the not knowing that's killing me. I mean, it is my first.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I'm a review virgin.


I know, I was the same way - it's inevitable. And the next knuckle-biter is the first 1- or 2-star review. When you get the first one of those, here's what I recommend: find your most favorite book on Amazon, one that a lot of people have read, and look at how many crappy reader reviews it's gotten! That helped put it in perspective for me.


----------



## Monique

Great idea, Michael!

Thanks for listening.


----------



## R. M. Reed

My agent heard from the first publisher to respond to my novel. The woman really liked the book, but turned it down, mostly due to her fear that books like that don't sell well. So we wait to hear from the rest.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Monique said:


> I'm waiting for my first non-Amazon review. I think one of the review sites I submitted to will put one out this week. I hope. I'm so nervous.
> 
> Hold me.


Your review will be stellar. No worries.


----------



## Monique

Aww, thank you, Valmore. That's kind of you to say.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Outlined a thriller novella yesterday... going to work on my pre-YA series today. So if you're scoring at home, that's five projects waiting in the wings (one of which I need the 1986 World Series DVDs to complete), and another that I'll brainstorm/outline later this week.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Cranked out 3k words on Guardian of the Mountain. It's currently sitting at 9k, with plenty of stuff left to go. Methinks this sucker might end up in novella territory.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Finished brainstorming the pre-YA action/adventure story... life is good.


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> Finished brainstorming the pre-YA action/adventure story... life is good.


Is that the title?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Another 1000 words cranked out for *Season Of The Harvest*. Had another half hour before bedtime, but the muse had too much beer and chocolate and passed out on me, the little wench!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Another 1000 words cranked out for *Season Of The Harvest*. Had another half hour before bedtime, but the muse had too much beer and chocolate and passed out on me, the little wench!


She had beer with your chocolate chip pancakes?


----------



## Gordon Ryan

What a GInormous thread.  And it seems to have remained on target, although I admit, I did not read the ENTIRE 200 pages.  Two questions arise:

First, how many of the participants of this thread write in more than one specific genre?  And what genre are they?  To answer my own question, I write political / military thrillers; historical fiction; and I even have a contemporary government corruption story which is grounded in a romance.  In retrospect, I don't know who I really am, author-wise.  And I am seriously tinkering with a slight move into a political sci fi revolving around the 2012 prophecy.

Second, what do most of you consider to be the initial goal, word wise, when you start out a new WIP?  Most of my full sized novels are 85,000 to 130,000.  I have a couple of shorter versions that run 15,000 - 18,000, but they were written as specific stories for a particular audience.

That said, fantasy and sci fi seem to populate this forum more than any other genre.

Gordon Ryan


----------



## R. M. Reed

Another rejection of my novel, this one just saying, "This is a pass for me."

Novelist, one of my genres, science fiction satire, seems to be so small that I am it's only writer. I have also done superheroes, and can't get any readers. I have a horror novel and horror short stories.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Another 1000 words cranked out for *Season Of The Harvest*. Had another half hour before bedtime, but the muse had too much beer and chocolate and passed out on me, the little wench!


*burp.... snore......*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Novelist said:


> What a GInormous thread. And it seems to have remained on target, although I admit, I did not read the ENTIRE 200 pages. Two questions arise:
> 
> First, how many of the participants of this thread write in more than one specific genre? And what genre are they? To answer my own question, I write political / military thrillers; historical fiction; and I even have a contemporary government corruption story which is grounded in a romance. In retrospect, I don't know who I really am, author-wise. And I am seriously tinkering with a slight move into a political sci fi revolving around the 2012 prophecy.
> 
> Second, what do most of you consider to be the initial goal, word wise, when you start out a new WIP? Most of my full sized novels are 85,000 to 130,000. I have a couple of shorter versions that run 15,000 - 18,000, but they were written as specific stories for a particular audience.
> 
> That said, fantasy and sci fi seem to populate this forum more than any other genre.
> 
> Gordon Ryan


I am a cross-over author and bring my own take on several genres. I have novels in contemporary fantasy-adventure, historical (mainly 12th Century Chinese), Gay-themed (romance, mystery, horror or paranormal, humor, literary and slice of life). My contemporary gay-themed novels run as short as 35,000 words to as long as 90,000 words. My Chinese historical and contemporary fantasy adventures run from 145,000 words to 285,000 words. I have some poetry out there and a big selling non-fiction work on How to publish. I have 15 books published, with number 16 coming out in a week or so, bringing the total word count published to 1.5 million words (give or take a semi-colon). I have 11 WIP progress - 1 horror (est. 95,000 words), 1 fantasy adventure (est. 280,000 words), 3 Chinese historical (est. 150,000 - 185,000 words each), 5 dystopian SciFi (a series est. 90,000 each) and 1 gay-themed work (est. 60-70,000 words, that may never make it as it is the most ludicrous child of my imagination and has stuck in my craw for 12 years). Plus several projects in the offing as I race time to the finish line.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Finished writing Chapter 7 on GOODMAN'S BAD DAY.  My current wordcount is close to 18,000.  This will most likely be a novella, but that's fine by me.  I still have a ways to go on it, but I don't think it's going to be a very long book.  Which would make sense, being that it all takes place in one day.  I'm having fun with it.  I've found a balance between the goofy humor and some serious themes about a character's fear of his own mother.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I just wrote a story in an hour. I submitted to the NPR "Three Minute Story" contest. It has to be at or under 600 words, and use an opening and closing line that they provide. Mine turned into a horror story, as that is my wont, and they probably want more literary, but it was fun to write.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129752769&ps=rs


----------



## Sean Sweeney

scarlet said:


> Is that the title?


Nope.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay folks. I'm nearing the 75% point in the final proof of _*The People's Treasure * _ and will probably finish it this weekend and do my kindle, Smashwords and POD formatting and submissions early next week. Press Release however will most likely go out this weekend.

Here's the blurb (oh how I hate writing blurbs, although I'm believe I'm pretty good at it). This one is difficult as the work is the 4th in a series and needs to entice potential readers of the entire series, both those who have bought and read book 1 thru 3, and those who might pick up the first three based on interest in Book IV. And then, of course, there is a Book V. )

Before the first Emperor conquered the Han peoples and the world came under the sway of Heaven, the villagers of _Yu-shui-ch'ien _ paid homage to the creatures under the mountain, pledging to keep the _ch'i_ world alive and the line of the feathered-kin intact. In return, they received a great gift - a treasure that would give them power beyond aspiration. Now the China Hands hear the prophesy of the three women. Now is the time for Rowden Gray to gather the relics to redeem the great promise - to awake the sleeping and the dead. Now is the time for heroes to close the gap before the Moon days devour the Earth.

_*The People's Treasure * _ (Book IV of _*the Jade Owl Legacy*_) resuscitates the green hoot bird from its hiding place and sends it on a journey back to its source - a race across three continents. It sets Professor Gray and his adventurers on the brink, set for a showdown with their ultimate challenger. The most action-packed installment in the series, _*The People's Treasure * _ is a full spectrum tale of those infected by the relic. The mysteries are finally revealed and Professor Gray's team face their gravest responsibility when the villagers are stirred and the feathered-kin awake.

I know there are a few Jade Owl readers that night peek in here, so I hope the blurb piques their interest. I will say, we (Peg and I) have labored hard and long to assure zero errors. It's hard in a book 185,000 words long, but we have instituted some strict processes and guidelines to assure that if something slips (and something will) it must be the most minor and obscure thing imaginable.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Edward C. Patterson said:


> It sets Professor Gray and his adventurers on the brink, set for a showdown with their ultimate challenger.


Sounds good, but the only very itsy bitsy tiny minor issue I could come up with is that the above sentence has "sets" and "set", and that made me jump back and reread. It's a near-neglible glitch, imho, so feel free to ignore me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks. I'm eliminating the second set.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Why are people SO cruel??

Okay, I write reviews and give my honest opinion of the book. Note that it is just MY opinion, and it is my opinion of THE BOOK in question. I never review "authors". I don't call authors names or make personal remarks.

For those that don't read my blog, I posted this week about my boyfriend's hip surgery.

The following is what someone tried to post on my blog:

(Note: The first blacked-out portion is an especially nasty word, so keep your mouse off if you are offended by profanity.)

Author : Mike (IP: 68.197.117.93 , ool-44c5755d.dyn.optonline.net)
E-mail : [email protected]
URL : 
Whois : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=68.197.117.93
Comment: 
If you weren't dating such an old fat


Spoiler



[expletive]


, you wouldn't have to be dealing with this hip nonsense. As far as getting laid off, I couldn't even imagine having to work with a smug


Spoiler



bitch


 like you. Trust me... personality is ALWAYS considered when they are picking people to lay off.

Lastly, don't fool yourself. An "on-line" degree is not accepted. You are wasting your money!

*************************

Fortunately, all posts are e-mailed to me for approval first.

Just for the record, my boyfriend is only 50, which I don't consider "old." He's also not 'fat'. The hip surgeon he has is one of the best in the country and has a very high success rate, partly because he refuses to do hip replacements in overweight people.

However, even if he were old and fat and if I got laid off because of my personality, it all has absolutely NOTHING to do with my blog or my reviews.

Oh, and for the previous attempted poster: I'm not a 'slut'. I was married to my son's father.

****************************

End of rant...for now...Thanks for listening.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You're one of the first things I read before the NY Times daily (well, except for weekends).   As a subscriber, you provider a wonderful service to readers. One thing I could not do is review on a regular basis. There are literally tens of thousands of books and I would gt overwhelms. On Greg and my Indie Spotlight, I thought I'd need to supplement daily posts with articles and promoting my own books, but we are 2 months backlogged (so Greg tells me - he handles that end, I only do the daily promoting as pert of the perks) and we don;t write it - the authors do. The Indie world is vast, so when you get a nasty note for a thankless service, it amazes me. Keep up the good work and may your husband (Old - I'm young at 63) recover and thrive.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Red, this hip replacement thing bummed me out just because it put a stop to your steady streak of reviews. Just delete that silly email and move on. Your fans (which I believe some other website declared 'are legion') are waiting for you, and are a heck of a lot more supportive.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Red -

People who say things like that have no respect for themselves or anyone else. They don't know how to build, only to tear down. To put it bluntly, they're losers. Don't even bother getting angry or upset, because the only thing he really might deserve from you is pity...


----------



## Valmore Daniels

I second the above sentiment. It's not worth getting upset over. Chances are he or she is angry at someone else or him or herself, and is just projecting that on you and anyone else they come across.  Like I tell myself when that happens to me, "Water off a duck's back."


----------



## Michael Crane

*sigh*  Not a great month for book sales... maybe next month will be a bit better.  Hopefully.

Other news, the novella is still going strong.  Getting closer and closer to finishing the first draft.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Aww, I'm sorry man, that sucks. Is there no auto-save feature you can turn on? I have mine set for every 3 minutes.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish




----------



## Michael Crane

Sorry to hear that.  Never fun to lose work like that.  It's happened to me before.  The only upside to that was when I re-wrote what I had, it ended up being better.

Still stinks, but chances are when you re-write it that it'll even be better.


----------



## daveconifer

Can't find much cold, hard procedural information on mercy-killing, a.k.a. pulling the plug(s).  Everybody's all preachy.  Got to make this realistic...


----------



## daveconifer

healeyb said:


> Yeah, it's one of those topics that you almost can't discuss rationally. The internet is probably not the best place to look. Perhaps interview a couple MD's at the local hospital; I'm sure one of them will give you something approaching clinical.


Good idea. Hopefully I won't get arrested


----------



## Basil Sands

Half-Orc said:


> Aww, I'm sorry man, that sucks. Is there no auto-save feature you can turn on? I have mine set for every 3 minutes.


\\

That sucks. I had a similar thing happen to me about two years ago. Except that it wasn't whether it was saved or not, which I faithfully set up for every 3 minutes. My hard drive crashed and for most of a week I had not copied to either my email server, or my usb drive, or my backup hard drive. I lost forty pages of really good story. That sucked.

As far as the basic setting you can set autosave in OpenOffice Writer by going to Tools/Options then choose Load/Save, General. On the General settings of the Load/Save page about half way down is the setting for "Save AutoRecovery information every ... minutes" There is also an option to "Always create backup copy".

Also, always backup the whole file to another drive somewhere either by emailing to your online account, backing up to usb thumb drive, or copying to a server or external hard drive. My advice, never have less than three copies of any file you are working on.


----------



## Basil Sands

healeyb said:


> "Local author arrested while researching for book on euthanasia."


The question is...arrested for what?

"Research." Detective gave that look that only a cop can. "Yeah, buddy I understand. That's what Dahmer said."


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

healeyb said:


> If you're writing a book on the subject, I'd hope I _did_ get arrested! Instantly publicity!
> 
> "Local author arrested while researching for book on euthanasia."


That's okay. As long as you're not researching necrophila. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

POV question: Is it OK to pop in and out of different people's heads during an action sequence or fight? I'm talking about cutting to B, then cutting to C, then back to A, like in a movie. It's mainly from character A's POV, but all the characters are hustling and bustling and either fighting or trying to escape. What's your opinion?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carbonite, folks. I haven't had to restore yet, but if I do, it's there. 

I'm surprised Open Office didn't recover the doc for you, healey. My laptop freezes all the time and when I reboot, OO allows me to recover the doc.  

I've been working away at Novelette #3 which is probably going to end up at 30K. It's close to 17K now and I'm only about halfway through. It's not ready for things to come to a head.


----------



## JoeMitchell

I had a crisis last week and stopped posting here almost entirely.  I didn't want anyone to see my posts and be tempted to buy my book.  I discovered that I'd made a serious error in punctuation, and done it dozens of times.  I spent all week re-editing and polishing, getting ready to re-publish, feeling terrible about all the people who were still buying the book and trying to see a good story despite the errors.  I took it very hard, and worked very hard to fix it.  Despite doing zero promotion and trying to stay hidden in my cave, sales have risen, and I averaged a steady, very steady, three sales per day all month.  Each one was like a sting.  Would this be the one that some awesome blogger would review, hopefully saying nice things about the story while also pointing out it's flaws in punctuation?

I'm better now.  The book is republished, and I feel like the editing that I've done was very good.  The best I could ever do.  Now, I can be proud of my novel again, and look forward to reading any reviews it might receive, eagerly.

Just hoping they don't point out all the errors I missed, because that would mean I missed some.


----------



## daveconifer

healeyb said:


> I'm going to catch flak for this, but I say do what reads naturally or is most stylistically interesting without sacrificing understanding and readability. I am a big proponent of experimental language construction, and if jumping in and out of the heads of your characters works, is able to be understood and doesn't detract from the work, go for it.
> 
> I always try to experiment with something in my work. Sometimes it flops, sometimes it's even hated, but more often it works and fits the story well.


I agree with you, Healey. We should write our own book. If it doesn't work, we fix it, but I've seen writers who can pull this off. And I know Dykema is a good writer.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave Dykema said:


> POV question: Is it OK to pop in and out of different people's heads during an action sequence or fight? I'm talking about cutting to B, then cutting to C, then back to A, like in a movie. It's mainly from character A's POV, but all the characters are hustling and bustling and either fighting or trying to escape. What's your opinion?


Unless you want to beat your reader over the head with an invisible structure that was meant to keep them on track, always faollow POV rules. Break grmmar rules. Misspell words. Make typos and dance the fangango on the corner of 42nd St nude, but POV is your precious - your friend. If you thumb your nose at it, it will kick you in the ass, and so will your readers.

Soapbox away

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I agree with you to a point, Ed. But to me it seems silly to put a double space or ***** to just say something like (and I'm not really writing this pedestrian; this is for example): Meanwhile, in the corner, Kim continued straining against her bonds.


----------



## Derek J. Canyon

Just got back from a 10 day vacation to South Dakota where I was doing research on my second book. I collected a bunch of details, and I'll have to make some changes to the story based on the actual locations.

I never knew there was so much to do in South Dakota! We didn't get to everything that we wanted to see. Anyone who enjoys hiking, wildlife, monuments, geology, the old west, and museums should spend some time around Rapid City. And, be sure to check out Roundhouse Restaurant in Lead, Alpine Inn in Hill City, Wall Drug in Walll.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*Finished Proofing The People's Treasure.*

*OOOOHHH-RAH!*

Tonight I begin kindle and POD formatting. It won't be long now before I'll have book #16 launched and pick up the pen for manuscript #37, which will become Book # 17, _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Congrats, Edward!    That most certainly deserves an OOOOHHH-RAH!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I managed to format the POD (cover and interior) and send it up to CreateSpace and also spin out the .prc file and upload that to DTP. Smashwords will follow the weekend and then the marketing plan kicks in.

GOING TO BED

Edward C. Patterninny


----------



## Michael Crane

Haven't done as much with GOODMAN'S BAD DAY this week as I would've liked... with playing catch-up at work and getting a new pet hamster, there's been a few distractions.  Still, the novella is going well.  Getting closer and closer to the end.  Just a few more chapters, I think, and the first draft will be finished.  What's nice is I won't have to re-write the entire thing since I basically rewrote the first 5 chapters when I decided to start all over again.  That makes me happy.


----------



## MrPLD

I crashed out bad today - was supposed to be doing the usual rounds with the forums, organising reviews, doing more artwork and such... but no, come about 11am I hit the floor, almost literally as I copped a dizzy-spell.  Got to just love it when your body has different ideas to your mind


----------



## Gertie Kindle

MrPLD said:


> I crashed out bad today - was supposed to be doing the usual rounds with the forums, organising reviews, doing more artwork and such... but no, come about 11am I hit the floor, almost literally as I copped a dizzy-spell. Got to just love it when your body has different ideas to your mind


Maybe doing too much and not taking care of yourself?

Congrats on the new one, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gert:

The POD, believe it or not, cleared approval already and in being processed. It's fun trying to guess which format will come up first. For now, I'm enjoying a 2 day relax (starting the first chapter of Graf - a movie this weekend - and promotion is light, I did n;t promote for two days and yet I had 40 sales, so it was like a vacation). I'll start the marketing launch next week.

Ed Patterson


----------



## MrPLD

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Maybe doing too much and not taking care of yourself?


Spending too much time on the boards going flat-out. Happens to me when ever I do a 3~4 day stint of crazy non-stop push push push. If there's one thing I need to attain in life it's the notion of balance and routine. Still working at it 

Paul.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

CONGRATS, ED! 

I've been a total slacker lately, although I'll take a car wreck as at least a reasonable excuse for a couple days (not sure how to explain the rest - LOL!). Back into it today as we relax in the Madison KOA before the 10K in Pittsburgh tomorrow...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm slacking today - in the wating mode and will begin my loooooong todo list of 25 tjhings for this launch. I also want to get some Grafenwöhr to Peg by Monday, but . . . 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Some teenager called me "sir".

What the--?  I'm not a "sir"!  My dad is a "sir".  I'm only thirty.


----------



## Daniel Pyle

Daniel Arenson said:


> I'm not a "sir"! My dad is a "sir".


Tell yourself that all you want, grandpa.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Daniel Pyle said:


> Tell yourself that all you want, grandpa.


Darn teenagers with their hipping and their hopping...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

And their 8-track tapes.


----------



## R. M. Reed

When I was young, a popular saying was, "Never trust anyone over thirty." So now I don't trust you. Or myself.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

In a last-minute spurt of creativity after an unexpectedly busy day, I managed to crank out 400 words last night right before bed. Goal today after we get back from the 10K "the great race" in Pittsburgh this morning is to hammer out at least a couple thousand...


----------



## Daniel Arenson

_Flaming Dove_ got its first review in the UK store -- 4 stars. Kinda wish it were 5, but 4 ain't bad either. Nice to know the Brits care enough to leave a review.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Okay, Jeff - I started _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ with a short session of 1,120 words. Proof (the opening, which might change)

"_Ausstiegen!" _ the bus driver shouted. "_Ausstiegen der Bus!"_

Quincy Summerson had a notion that he had reached his destination - the first in a string of places that his travel orders specified. Although he knew no German, he assumed that the opened door and his comrades-in-arms scurry meant that he was being commanded to disembark onto the bustling plaza. He slid across his seat, while the soldiers jostled for their duffel bags. Since he couldn't stand erect in the crunch, the low baggage rack nearly knocked his dress cap off.

"_Ausstiegen! Ausstiegen der Bus!"_

I have already a need to confront another fun German letter with the word _Gleiss_, which had to become _Gleiß_. Aussteigen doesn't use the funny esses. Back to promoting the newly published book


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Okay, Jeff - I started _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ with a short session of 1,120 words. Proof (the opening, which might change)


Vielen Dank!


----------



## julieannfelicity

All this weekend I have debated whether or not I should remove my book from amazon.  I'm obviously not in the same writing caliber as some of you here and probably never will be.  I've always been known as being a great story-teller.  But it's the grammar and editing I have a problem with, and it has now come to bite me in the bottom.  

For about two months I have been waiting, with great anticipation, for a reviewer to read my book.  I was patient, never stalking or provoking, and I got that all important e-mail this weekend.  It was basically a 'no-go'.  The grammar/editing in the book was so bad (awful) that this reviewer couldn't even continue beyond the first few pages.  I requested the advice this reviewer was willing to give, and I've made the necessary changes based on this reviewers comments.  But it was only on the first page!

Everyone I've spoken with regarding this, says I need beta-readers.  Well I had them ... about a dozen.  I made every single change they suggested, including adding more detail, removing detail, etc.  What I published was the outcome of all their advice.  Another reviewer tried to read the book and suggested I use grammarly.com.  I was pleased this reviewer was willing to allow me to use their account and fix my book, but even after fixing what the system found, there are STILL issues.  Can I ever win?!

So because of this, I am doubting my writing ability entirely.  I wrote a short story for another kindleboards member's blog (for October) and I'm wondering if it's going to be panned with awful reviews.  I've written a second book, but had to step away from it because I'm just not sure where it needs to go.  The third book I'm trying to work on, I am enjoying and I have two excellent beta-readers (T. L. Haddix and Vicki!), but I'm starting to wonder if I'm wasting their time (which I certainly don't want to do).  

Sigh ...   ... sorry - I just had to share my sadness ... (here's hoping now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'll be able to hunker down and do something productive).


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

If you absolutely, truly feel you have a wonderful story, it might be time to just -pay- an editor instead of relying on beta readers. Derek Prior from here on the KB does wonderful work (he edited Dance of Cloaks) as well as Scott Hepple, who's starting up as well.

Send me a message if you want either of their e-mails.

David Dalglish


----------



## julieannfelicity

healeyb said:


> That being said, grammar and form are important. My recommendation is to start diving into books that can guide you in the right direction in terms or rules and structure. A couple helpful links:
> 
> http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
> http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/


Thank you for those links, I've just saved them in my browser so that I can have them handy.



healeyb said:


> Finally, can you provide examples of the kind of errors that were uncovered?


Would you like me to e-mail you the attachment I received?



Half-Orc said:


> If you absolutely, truly feel you have a wonderful story, it might be time to just -pay- an editor instead of relying on beta readers. Derek Prior from here on the KB does wonderful work (he edited Dance of Cloaks) as well as Scott Hepple, who's starting up as well.
> 
> Send me a message if you want either of their e-mails.
> David Dalglish


Thanks, David. The main problem I have with hiring an editor is, I don't have the money.  This was why I was relying so heavily on those beta-readers (who were family and/or friends - which might be the reason so much slipped ... perhaps they were too afraid to tell me the truth ).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Juliaeanne

I could give you pages of advice, but like the Wizard of Oz, "what you need is . . " an editor OR try Serenity Editor http://www.serenity-software.com/ , an excellent grammar and form check and teacher that will help. I never recommend writing software (I believe that whole industry is bunk), but this one is the exception. It's not hokum and it make you work while using it (a good thing).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## julieannfelicity

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Juliaeanne
> 
> I could give you pages of advice, but like the Wizard of Oz, "what you need is . . " an editor OR try Serenity Editor http://www.serenity-software.com/ , an excellent grammar and form check and teacher that will help. I never recommend writing software (I believe that whole industry is bunk), but this one is the exception. It's not hokum and it make you work while using it (a good thing).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Thank you, Ed! I just downloaded the trial (the Editor 3.5 New Version with Word Add-In version). Hopefully it'll help me out (even if I can learn a thing or two, to help me in the future).


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Think I'm going to start writing a new novella soon... need something to do when I'm not at a game. Might as well write.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,700 words (the first chapter to Peg) on The Road to Grafenwöhr.

Ed Patterson
(Is this entire website now centered or am I going nuts)


----------



## daveconifer

I have to go back and rework a scene from two chapters ago so that the cop quietly overhears a tiny clue...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

daveconifer said:


> I have to go back and rework a scene from two chapters ago so that the cop quietly overhears a tiny clue...


Go send in the invisible author of Author and smack that cop and tell him to listen.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> (Is this entire website now centered or am I going nuts)


Nothing new here.


----------



## Michael Crane

Making some good progress on the first draft of GOODMAN'S BAD DAY.  Over 80 pages double-spaced and have passed the 20,000 wordcount mark so far.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Light
Night
Tonight

only 1,100 words (_*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_) - but this Chapter two is a bit bumpy. It must be all the umlauts.

Spent most of the evening preparing and launching the People's Treasure hardcover (a limited edition of 2 copies - one for me and one for Peg of the Red Pencil). It's a little tradition we have (an expensive one, but nice).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Daniel Pyle

I'm only two sales short of topping last month's numbers.  Cross your fingers for me.


----------



## Jeff

Daniel Pyle said:


> I'm only two sales short of topping last month's numbers. Cross your fingers for me.


Fingers crossed. Break a leg.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Got started on the new novella yesterday; wrote 1,111 words while sitting at Starbucks for a couple of hours. Took a bit for the words to flow, but once they did.... woah nelly!

Going to continue writing today, and I hope to have the novella half-finished by the time I leave for my game.


----------



## R. M. Reed

daveconifer said:


> I have to go back and rework a scene from two chapters ago so that the cop quietly overhears a tiny clue...


Gotta love computers. I remember when a change like that would mean retyping all the pages after it.

I'm taking my laptop and going out somewhere. I need to finish my superhero stories, whether anyone ever reads them or not. I only have six to go. At home it is too easy to play on the internet or take a nap.
Of course, almost anywhere I might go has wi-fi and I can still waste time here at KB, but at least the nap thing is out.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Doubled my word count on my novella... up to 2,222. Not bad.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I went to Starbucks, and I did get on the internet while there, but I also started the next superhero story. The series has been suspended for almost two years, while I wrote my horror novel and a bunch of other stuff. Now that I have a few hundred words of the next story, I hope to finish the series in a few weeks.


----------



## Michael Crane

Hey, is anybody else having problems with the Amazon DTP site?  I keep getting a "untrusted connection" error saying that their security certificate has expired.  Is this happening to anybody else?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Decided not to write tonight - sat down to do a few minor adjustments and wrote 2,000 word on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Daniel Arenson

All right, so... it looks like I'll be about a dozen sales short of last month's numbers.  Last month I had KND, though, so it's still good.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just checking in to report that chapter 28 of *Season Of The Harvest* is done. Good grief, this story is taking some really wild turns. I'm not sure what the heck my muse is on...!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just checking in to report that chapter 28 of *Season Of The Harvest* is done. Good grief, this story is taking some really wild turns. I'm not sure what the heck my muse is on...!


I told you not to feed her that weird beer! Chapter 28? How long is this thing gonna be?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I told you not to feed her that weird beer! Chapter 28? How long is this thing gonna be?


Well, it's only up to 120,000 words now, so it's not exactly a gigantic tome. We're moving into the nuclear weapons phase of the story, so the end can't be TOO far away! LOL!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, it's only up to 120,000 words now, so it's not exactly a gigantic tome. We're moving into the nuclear weapons phase of the story, so the end can't be TOO far away! LOL!!


Nuclear weapons phase?

OY! My head hurts.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dad had a seizure this morning while I was in NJ. He's recovering, but I'm texting this from the emergency room. L8r friends.

Ed P


----------



## Monique

Sending good vibes your way, Ed.


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

Sorry to hear this, Ed. Hang in there.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Hope your dad is all right, Ed.


----------



## Michael Crane

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Dad had a seizure this morning while I was in NJ. He's recovering, but I'm texting this from the emergency room. L8r friends.
> 
> Ed P


Sorry to hear this, Ed.  Will keep the both of you in my thoughts.


----------



## Alice Y. Yeh

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Dad had a seizure this morning while I was in NJ. He's recovering, but I'm texting this from the emergency room. L8r friends.
> 
> Ed P


Hope your dad gets better soon!


----------



## nomesque

Ed - *hugs* I hope he's better soon.

The only good thing I can think of about seizures is at least emergency departments take it seriously straight away, and don't leave you in the waiting room for hours.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, all. He's recovering and admitted. Test upon test coming.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks, all. He's recovering and admitted. Test upon test coming.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed -

D'oh!! Hope he's okay!


----------



## Jeff

Best wishes for your dad, Ed.


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Thinking about you and your dad, Ed.  Hope he's doing better now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

He went for an MRI this morning, and fought tooth and nail (according to my brother, who had to run from work in order to get him to take it). He was afraid of the enclosure and the dark. But he's down there now. It must be terrifying, but the man was in 7 invasions during WWII. Anyway, it's in progress.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

Thanks for the update, and keeping you guys in my thoughts, Ed.


----------



## Derek J. Canyon

I just published my first ebook! Woot! It's a trilogy of cyberpunk short stories that lead up to my imminent full-length novel.

Dead Dwarves, Dirty Deeds



Now to finish scrubbing the novel and send it off to editing. I'm 48% ready for edit, and it's due next Monday! Gotta get going.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Interesting little cover. Where'd ye get that made?


----------



## Derek J. Canyon

Les Peterson did it for me. Here's his website. If you use him, let him know I sent ya!

http://www.lespetersen.com.au/index.php


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No writing today - the whole day sorta blew right by! Hoping to get some in tomorrow...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks again all for thoughts and prayers. Dad managed his MIR today and they gave him some therapy. He sounds better and says he's in less pain. Still needs tests and perhaps some rehab.

I managed to eek out 3,000 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Still getting my land legs weaving some of my own personal experiences into foreshadowing the grim story ahead. We're finally off the train and arrived in a town called Vilsek.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## theaatkinson

late to the party, so I'm imagining this is far past. 

1500 words is very do-able. I read Stephen King does 2000 a day, and when he's done, he does what he wants. well. he can, can't he? do what he wants, I mean.

this is too big a thread to read through everything, but I'll follow from here on...I think it's a great idea.

I'm planning to let my new novel incubate (read: lazy) till nanowrimo, then i'm writing the hell of that thing. ha. I imagine the edit will take a year just to clean up my excess verbiage.

1000-2000 words per day is my usual when I'm working on a novel, (in between freelance gigs) but lately I've been editing as that's a big task for any writer.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Haven't been here in several days.

Ed, saw the bit about your dad and wish him well. Seems like things are progressing on that front. I'm throwing you some support from an author.

I'm editing, re-reading, and revising a book that's been stalled for about five years. Soon I'll get to the point where I need to write new material. A scary thought!

(Why are all my novels stalled at the 2/3rds mark?)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'm running on empty and took a night off - but I applied Peg's edits to Chapter three of _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ and while I was in I wrote 1,000 words, but stopped. I need some sleep. However, here's a little sample - the opening of Chapter Four (hot from the fingers and subject to change):

Sunday's quiet gripped the _Vilsek_ Post. The wind gently shook the rain from the leaves, but otherwise scarcely troubled the trees. The sun lay lower in the sky now. The place was accustomed to sudden storms and recuperation. It had been this way since Charlemagne's days or when the Romans poked their noses north of their Cisalpine borders. Although the reminiscences of a more ardent Franconian past could be exhumed, history is sometimes best when half-remembered - wholly guessed beneath the restless trees.

Night all.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I can't match Ed's word count (<grin>) but I'm going to hammer out a few words tonight. Another very hectic day after a sleepless night (bruised ribs are *really* annoying!!): after trying to actually get some rest (partly successful), we finally got the new car - Honda CR-V/4WD - to replace our poor smashed van, did the application to refinance the house, and tomorrow we go to trade in the RV. OY! Thank God we've got a scheduled outing to the Shenandoah mountains this weekend where we can chill out a little bit!! I still have to get my hand X-rayed. Meant to get that done today, but resting and then getting the car replaced (we just got the settlement check for the van today) took priority. Will try to get that done tomorrow. Who needs to run half-marathons with all this sorta stuff going on?


----------



## theaatkinson

Dave Dykema said:


> Haven't been here in several days.
> 
> Ed, saw the bit about your dad and wish him well. Seems like things are progressing on that front. I'm throwing you some support from an author.
> 
> I'm editing, re-reading, and revising a book that's been stalled for about five years. Soon I'll get to the point where I need to write new material. A scary thought!
> 
> (Why are all my novels stalled at the 2/3rds mark?)


I had a visual artist friend once tell me the hardest part of any project is teh 2/3 mark becaus the first 1/3, you're excited to begin, the ideas are flowing, the potential is still all there and the last 1/3, your driven--you see the home stretch and it excites you again with the power of finishing and seeing it in full.....the middle third is where the work is. you have to be determined, you have to push yourself, you have to work.

I've found it to be true as well.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

For the first times ever, I so badly want to break one of the KB rules. There's a thread elsewhere here about wanting assassin books similar to a video game. Responders are throwing out various books, many not even related to the theme, while I'm banging my head against the desk wanting to scream and point at my own, which is absolutely perfect for what the original poster wanted. So I came here to mope to keep myself from getting into trouble.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> For the first times ever, I so badly want to break one of the KB rules. There's a thread elsewhere here about wanting assassin books similar to a video game. Responders are throwing out various books, many not even related to the theme, while I'm banging my head against the desk wanting to scream and point at my own, which is absolutely perfect for what the original poster wanted. So I came here to mope to keep myself from getting into trouble.


Send the member a PM.

Ed Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Send the member a PM.
> 
> Ed Patterson


....

I really am an idiot, aren't I?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

healeyb said:


> No. I wouldn't have thought of it, either.


That's why we have Ed around...


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Send the member a PM.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Against the rules.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jeff said:


> Against the rules.


So I'm not an idiot...

Okay wait. I probably am still. Just not about that.


----------



## geoffthomas

Half-Orc said:


> So I'm not an idiot...
> 
> Okay wait. I probably am still. Just not about that.


We wouldn't want to disagree with you. (snicker).


----------



## telracs

Is it against the rules for him to PM someone who has read the book and point out that someone is looking for reccomendations?


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> Is it against the rules for him to PM someone who has read the book and point out that someone is looking for reccomendations?


Yes, self promotion in Private Messages, even by proxy, is against the rules.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

scarlet said:


> Is it against the rules for him to PM someone who has read the book and point out that someone is looking for reccomendations?


See, that feels like being sneaky (not that it didn't cross my mind). It's like "oh I can't recommend myself but I'll just tug on a friend of mine's ear and point him in the direction to do it for me." I know _my_ intentions are pure, and that I truly think my own book perfectly fits the request...but there's no reason I deserve special treatment, and how many authors feel the same genuine way? I've seen so many other threads (outside of here) just get buried by book indie recommendations that have only the very slightest hint of meeting the original request (and some flat-out breaking them).

Sucks, but I also understand. That's kind of the worst part of it.


----------



## telracs

May I admit to being confused?  I know that certain threads are off-limits for self-promotion, but if someone is asking for reccomendations, why can't an author state they have a book that fits that request?  A person is ASKING for books.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

scarlet said:


> May I admit to being confused? I know that certain threads are off-limits for self-promotion, but if someone is asking for reccomendations, why can't an author state they have a book that fits that request? A person is ASKING for books.


"Hey, does anyone know any good romance books?"

*fifty million indies start recommending their own books, even if they aren't even strictly romance*

I think that's the idea.


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> See, that feels like being sneaky (not that it didn't cross my mind). It's like "oh I can't recommend myself but I'll just tug on a friend of mine's ear and point him in the direction to do it for me." I know _my_ intentions are pure, and that I truly think my own book perfectly fits the request...but there's no reason I deserve special treatment, and how many authors feel the same genuine way? I've seen so many other threads (outside of here) just get buried by book indie recommendations that have only the very slightest hint of meeting the original request (and some flat-out breaking them).
> 
> Sucks, but I also understand. That's kind of the worst part of it.


We all have to live by our own, private code of honor.


----------



## telracs

Half-Orc said:


> "Hey, does anyone know any good romance books?"
> 
> *fifty million indies start recommending their own books, even if they aren't even strictly romance*
> 
> I think that's the idea.


I think I'd love it if we had 50 million indies here, but yeah, I get the idea. It's a grey area, and I'm glad you were moral enough to not want to bend the rule.


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> I think I'd love it if we had 50 million indies here, but yeah, I get the idea. It's a grey area, and I'm glad you were moral enough to not want to bend the rule.


The rules state clearly that authors are permitted to have one promotional thread per title and are not permitted to promote elsewhere. Personally, I don't even reply to public threads when people recommend my books, but instead thank them in a Private Message.


----------



## Jeff

The 70% Royalty Option is now available in the UK.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Jeff said:


> The 70% Royalty Option is now available in the UK.


Sweet. Will we need to do anything different, or will any book of ours already set up at 70% will get the new rate at the UK?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

scarlet said:


> May I admit to being confused? I know that certain threads are off-limits for self-promotion, but if someone is asking for reccomendations, why can't an author state they have a book that fits that request? A person is ASKING for books.


Betsey:

A ruling please. Not that I PM people I don;t know, but when a reader asks for a suggestion, I would think a private response is not unsolicited (note the abonimation of a double negative, but hey - I'm from Brooklyn where that rule doesn't never apply )

Ed Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> Sweet. Will we need to do anything different, or will any book of ours already set up at 70% will get the new rate at the UK?


[quote author=DTP]If you've already selected the 70 percent royalty option, you will
automatically start receiving a 70 percent royalty for sales made in the UK
from both the Amazon Kindle US and UK Stores.[/quote]


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Having a slow sales day... sold two early this morning, another one this afternoon, and nothing since.  Total for October:  44 books so far.


----------



## D. Nathan Hilliard

I just hit the publish button for the next installment in the Shades series. It's called Wind and Dark Waters and it has two short stories, actually the first two of mine to ever reach print. I wish I had the rights back to a lot of my short stories, but alas I won't see most of them for years.


----------



## theaatkinson

Daniel Arenson said:


> Having a slow sales day... sold two early this morning, another one this afternoon, and nothing since. Total for October: 44 books so far.


44 in 7 days you are a god


----------



## Dave Dykema

Jeff said:


> We all have to live by our own, private code of honor.


Jeff, are you a Klingon?


----------



## Dave Dykema

theapatra said:


> I had a visual artist friend once tell me the hardest part of any project is teh 2/3 mark becaus the first 1/3, you're excited to begin, the ideas are flowing, the potential is still all there and the last 1/3, your driven--you see the home stretch and it excites you again with the power of finishing and seeing it in full.....the middle third is where the work is. you have to be determined, you have to push yourself, you have to work.
> 
> I've found it to be true as well.


I've heard about the 2/3rds rule before too, but kind of forgot about it until you reminded me. Thanks for the words of encouragement.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just _ein bischen _ tonight - 2,100 wrods on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. But some major rethinking on characters and action from the original manuscript, which has made me excited. Since I'm dealing with character deconstruction (or negative protagonist arc), I need a stronger companion chracter, which I have knighted tonight (although he didnlt voluteer - he's nabbed).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I think I did somewhere around 1500 words today, between this morning and just now - finished up the complete rewrite of the last half or so of chapter 28 of *Season Of The Harvest*. The original chapter was a bit too _deus ex machina_, so had to go back and rework things a bit to make it more "realistic." I'm not sure what that really means in the context of a thriller with sci-fi undertones, but what the heck!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think I did somewhere around 1500 words today, between this morning and just now - finished up the complete rewrite of the last half or so of chapter 28 of *Season Of The Harvest*. The original chapter was a bit too _deus ex machina_, so had to go back and rework things a bit to make it more "realistic." I'm not sure what that really means in the context of a thriller with sci-fi undertones, but what the heck!


It means if you pull a _deus ex machina_ your beta readers will rise up and beat you with your own books. I was going to say we'd beat you with our kindles, but they are too expensive to waste that way.


----------



## Brian Drake

Hi, everybody. I'm glad I found this thread because I have a question. Well, a statement and then a question. My book sales have totally dropped off since mid-September. I've stopped promoting because I'm working on the next one, so perhaps I shouldn't be TOO surprised, but I'm a little distressed that I'm not being found as readers search Amazon. Have any of you experienced the same thing? Right now I only have two books out, with a third on the way, if that means anything. I've heard many say that quantity is important, but it will take me some time to get there. Anyway thanks!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> It means if you pull a _deus ex machina_ your beta readers will rise up and beat you with your own books.


That's why I always have Jan read things first!  I could probably survive being beaten with the manuscript from a 300 page book, although being beaten with the IHN omnibus would've done me in!



> I was going to say we'd beat you with our kindles, but they are too expensive to waste that way.


Besides, I could always put on my Kindle Defense Armor, which looks suspiciously like paper towels and toilet paper wadded up under my shirt...


----------



## Michael Crane

I just finished editing and putting together LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES.  Previewed it on the Kindle and it looks great.  W00t!

But...

...gotta wait for the cover, which probably won't be done for at least a week or so.

When they say waiting is the hardest part... they ain't kidding!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,100 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Cliff Ball

I need some feedback. I've been struggling with writing the perfect description/blurb/summary for The Usurper, and I've gone through 4 or 5 different ones. I posted on my blog the ones I've used so far, and I'd just like to know which has the best hook, or, if someone has a much better idea for a great hook.

http://cliff1974.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/the-perfect-blurb-for-the-usurper/

Thanks in advance!


----------



## JennaAnderson

Hi everyone - I am working on a revised edition of my story - fixing typos, etc. The last time I uploaded my ebook the cover art did not show. If I hit the 'go to cover' - it didn't.  Does anyone know how to get a cover to appear?

Thanks

Jenna


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm never happy when I'm working on a novel unless I can design my cover. So here's the cover to _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

The process of trying to get a traditional publisher through my agent is frustratingly slow, but I have been preparing a collection of horror stories for DTP. I have the Word file all set. I wonder if I should put my horror pen name out into the self published ranks, when a publisher might want the novel, which is under the same name, to be clear of any self published "stigma?" And believe me, the trad world still considers it a stigma.

I would love to have another book out, and in a genre that is easier to promote than the ones I have so far. I am still hesitating. I also don't have any money to pay a cover artist, but that's another issue.

Could I interest anyone in reading the stories and telling me if any should be cut, or if there are any horrible problems with them? I don't expect a full edit, just a friendly yea or nay.


----------



## Chris J. Randolph

Daniel Arenson said:


> Having a slow sales day... sold two early this morning, another one this afternoon, and nothing since. Total for October: 44 books so far.


Tough day, huh. Sold three by that evening, and 44 this month?

No reason to feel bad, man. I've sold 2 this month. Two. II.

...

Just to reiterate: 2.


----------



## R. Doug

Chris J. Randolph said:


> No reason to feel bad, man. I've sold 2 this month. Two. II.
> 
> ...
> 
> Just to reiterate: 2.


Same here. Two. Dos. Duo. Deux.


----------



## Chris J. Randolph

R. Doug said:


> Same here. Two. Dos. Duo. Deux.


Nice (perhaps bittersweet) not to be alone. Keep your head up, though; we have better days ahead of us. I promise.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Brian Drake said:


> Hi, everybody. I'm glad I found this thread because I have a question. Well, a statement and then a question. My book sales have totally dropped off since mid-September. I've stopped promoting because I'm working on the next one, so perhaps I shouldn't be TOO surprised, but I'm a little distressed that I'm not being found as readers search Amazon. Have any of you experienced the same thing? Right now I only have two books out, with a third on the way, if that means anything. I've heard many say that quantity is important, but it will take me some time to get there. Anyway thanks!


It happens, Brian. I had a drop off in September. Sometimes half an hour of promotion a day, or an hour a week, can help.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

healeyb said:


> Gorgeous cover! I'd buy it...


Thanks. Now I just need to finish the book. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## theaatkinson

healeyb said:


> Wrote 3500 words for segment two of No Where, and then finally added another 3000 to Shattered Wings. Feeling very accomplished for a lunchtime writing session; now, back to work...


LUNCHTIME writing session! good god you're a robot!

seriously, I'd feel pretty darned productive too.


----------



## Dave Dykema

May I ask how long your lunch is? Are you salaried??

(I hope you note the sarcasm there. I often write on my "lunch" too, so I can't toss any stones)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It was a productive evening with 2,600 words completed on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Had some more breakthrough ideas on the work, all dipping deep into my own German experience (when I was stationed there in the 1960's). I had a flash dance in my head - a rather gruesome one back to _Flossenburg _ Concentration Camp, a place I visited and also ome stories from friends about Dachau, which have now been added into the material as it develops. OH I'm so glad I don;t outline or this here sotry would be a dead duck. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dear friends:

Well, I haven't written since Wednesday. Dad had a stroke the weekend before and was in the hopsital, and then he had a mild heart attack and was move to the cardio unit. Since then his kidneys failed and his blood count dropped to 7 and they have been trying to stabilize him, which happened last night. However, he still need an operation, dialysis (most likely ongoing) and he was out of it (He was singing drinking songs from the Navy back in 1942 and talking about football games he coached in Brooklyn in the 70's). This evening they are trying to avert pneumonia, so we're not out of the woods. I returned to PA (work tomorrow), but needless to say, I'm stressed to the max and done very little posting and no writing. I asked God for a miracle and that came this morning, the blood count going from 7.1 to 10.5 But I really need a few more.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Our prayers are with you and your dad, Ed.  He'll pull out of it.


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I haven't written since Wednesday. Dad had a stroke the weekend before and was in the hopsital, and then he had a mild heart attack and was move to the cardio unit. Since then his kidneys failed and his blood count dropped to 7 and they have been trying to stabilize him, which happened last night. However, he still need an operation, dialysis (most likely ongoing) and he was out of it (He was singing drinking songs from the Navy back in 1942 and talking about football games he coached in Brooklyn in the 70's). This evening they are trying to avert pneumonia, so we're not out of the woods. I returned to PA (work tomorrow), but needless to say, I'm stressed to the max and done very little posting and no writing. I asked God for a miracle and that came this morning, the blood count going from 7.1 to 10.5 But I really need a few more.


*HUGS* Ed. Praying for your dad, and for you. I hope he pulls through OK.


----------



## R. Doug

Keep hope, Ed.  I'll be praying for you and your dad.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - sorry to hear that about your dad! Hopefully he'll pull through okay...!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks all. I believe in prayer and am thankful to tap into that powerhouse.

Love
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm "supporting" you, Ed.


----------



## theaatkinson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Dear friends:
> 
> Well, I haven't written since Wednesday. Dad had a stroke the weekend before and was in the hopsital, and then he had a mild heart attack and was move to the cardio unit. Since then his kidneys failed and his blood count dropped to 7 and they have been trying to stabilize him, which happened last night. However, he still need an operation, dialysis (most likely ongoing) and he was out of it (He was singing drinking songs from the Navy back in 1942 and talking about football games he coached in Brooklyn in the 70's). This evening they are trying to avert pneumonia, so we're not out of the woods. I returned to PA (work tomorrow), but needless to say, I'm stressed to the max and done very little posting and no writing. I asked God for a miracle and that came this morning, the blood count going from 7.1 to 10.5 But I really need a few more.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I'm so sorry to hear this Ed. It's tough seeing our parents in weaker states. I'll send a quick prayer up for you and your dad.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just for the heck of it, I put up *In Her Name: Empire* on Amazon for $0.99, to see what - if anything - happens sales-wise (and thanks, John Fitch, for taking the plunge! <grin>)...


----------



## Chris J. Randolph

Very sorry to hear it, Ed.  You and your father will be in my prayers.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just for the heck of it, I put up *In Her Name: Empire* on Amazon for $0.99, to see what - if anything - happens sales-wise (and thanks, John Fitch, for taking the plunge! <grin>)...


Just bought it. I've been staring at your books for a very, very long time. Can't really resist any more, now that I can effectively sample an entire book for 99 cents


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Just bought it. I've been staring at your books for a very, very long time. Can't really resist any more, now that I can effectively sample an entire book for 99 cents


LOL! Well, at least you get the first third of the last third of the entire story (much of which has yet to be written)!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, peeps, count me in for 2500 words tonight on *Season Of The Harvest* - the most I've put in at one sitting in quite a while. I think I might actually finish the draft of this sucker within the next week!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, peeps, count me in for 2500 words tonight on *Season Of The Harvest* - the most I've put in at one sitting in quite a while. I think I might actually finish the draft of this sucker within the next week!!


Guess that means I better get back to e-mailing you...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Guess that means I better get back to e-mailing you...


Slacker!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Slacker!


Well, I hate being left hanging, so until I get more....


----------



## Steph H

Ummm....one of these days I'll actually email my edits to you too, Mikey. (Thought I did, but can't find it now.  Oops.)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm back on the wagon and wrote 2,600 words this evening on The Road to Grafenwöhr.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Well, I hate being left hanging, so until I get more....


I'll send the next batch out once I finish the current chapter...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Ummm....one of these days I'll actually email my edits to you too, Mikey. (Thought I did, but can't find it now. Oops.)


Slackeeeerrrr! Of course, I can't complain about free help...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Slackeeeerrrr! Of course, I can't complain about free help...


"Free"? You mean no chocolate? Where's my stun baton?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> "Free"? You mean no chocolate? Where's my stun baton?


Whoa, whoa, whoa! I meant free as in no money changes hands - the chocolate is an honor payment (with interest, of course, since I owe you guys for Legend, still)...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Whoa, whoa, whoa! I meant free as in no money changes hands - the chocolate is an honor payment (with interest, of course, since I owe you guys for Legend, still)...


Darn, guess I won't tase you then.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Darn, guess I won't tase you then.


Yeah, I think there's enough of that already that goes on the beginning of *Season Of The Harvest*, isn't there?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm not keeping up with Ed's standard phenomenal writing speed, but getting there: shooting for at least 1000 words tonight. Getting close to the end of *Season Of The Harvest*, I think (right now it's around 130,000 words). Well, except for the pile of revisions I have to go through...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm not keeping up with Ed's standard phenomenal writing speed, but getting there: shooting for at least 1000 words tonight. Getting close to the end of *Season Of The Harvest*, I think (right now it's around 130,000 words). Well, except for the pile of revisions I have to go through...


Revisions? Where'd you get those?


----------



## Steph H

I presume he's projecting about the ones he'll be getting....


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> I presume he's projecting about the ones he'll be getting....


Or the ones we've sent telepathically?


----------



## Steph H

Yeah! That's it! That's how I sent them to him already....I just forgot.

My story. Sticking to it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ha! Well, I *do* have some revisions from like chapters 1 and 2. <ahem> And if you're beaming them to me telepathically, good luck! My single brain cell is too busy bashing itself against my skull to receive any telepathic rays...


----------



## telracs

I KNOW I sent you through chapter 17.  And I think chapter 18 should be cut.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I KNOW I sent you through chapter 17. And I think chapter 18 should be cut.


So YOU say!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> So YOU say!


Don't make me unleash the rhesus monkey.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Don't make me unleash the rhesus monkey.


D'oh! That would be very bad...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, put me down for 2,000 words tonight. Finished chapter 30 without realizing it, and now several pages into chapter 31. And yes, Scarlet, we're getting close to the end!


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

Is there a way to contact people from their Amazon profiles if they don't already list contact info? For example, if you find a reviewer that you want to get in touch with based on their Amazon reviews, how would you do this?


----------



## Daniel Arenson

I just wrote 4,500 words in one sitting; the most I've written in one sitting in ages. This is part of my work-in-progress novel, _Requiem Fire_. It's a story full of death, sacrifice, betrayal, pain. It's my darkest, most intense work yet. I'm feeling rather emotionally drained. Time to take a break.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Whew! Some revisions, 1200 new words added, a chapter finished, another started. Time for bed - more to write tomorrow!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just did a major re-edit of ONE HERO, A SAVIOR... edited for voice, and culled stuff that made me wince... without that crap, and with a more active voice, the book reads so much better... and I lowered the price by a buck... loaded it onto Kindle, waiting on Smashwords.

And I'll tell you... I don't give that book much credit. The book is incredible.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

And I just received a second five star reader review for SIDETRACKED:

"This story reminded me of why I kept my parakeets covered as a teen after watching Hitchcock's The Birds."


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,100 new words on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ last night. Never got in the zone, as I'm still in NJ and spending the full day in the hospital, bedside. Dad should be operated on Monday.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hammering into chapter 32 of *Season Of The Harvest*. Still hoping to get the draft finished today, but have to take a break to do some home fix-it projects!


----------



## Cliff Ball

So... when does this KB Book of the Day usually bring results?


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Sunday mornings are always slow ... it'll pick up this afternoon for you, I'm sure


----------



## Cliff Ball

Valmore Daniels said:


> Sunday mornings are always slow ... it'll pick up this afternoon for you, I'm sure


Well, I hope so, because I'm seeing sales for Out of Time, but for The Usurper, so far, its epic fail. Of course, I'm a pessimist at heart...


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Wrote another 3000 words this morning; that's 7500 so far this weekend.


----------



## JoeMitchell

I'm still not writing nearly enough.  There are always other things that need to be done.  I can't fix my car, but I know a guy who can, and he's got computer problems he needs fixed.  I'm going to give him one of my old computers to set up in his garage so he can google 'free porn' on his own computer and stop messing up his wife's computer, which I also need to disinfect and install a memory upgrade.  I also have to help him with fixing the car, I guess, though I feel useless doing it.  I also have to give the dog and two cats a flea bath today (a major ordeal), so I doubt I'll be doing any writing today or in the next couple days at least.  Once NaNoWriMo starts, everything like this this will just need to wait a month, because I won't be available.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2400 words today on *Season Of The Harvest*. Thought it seemed like more, but it is what it is! Still not done (had hoped to finish the draft today), but things have gotten *very* hot - the characters need their two million sunblock!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Another 1200 words. Oy, where's the end to this thing!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Another 1200 words. Oy, where's the end to this thing!!


The end better be near, or I'm gonna go crazy.


----------



## J.M Pierce

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,100 new words on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ last night. Never got in the zone, as I'm still in NJ and spending the full day in the hospital, bedside. Dad should be operated on Monday.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Hey, Ed. I hope all goes well with your dad.


----------



## Michael Crane

Today's my Kindle Book of the Day.  A little nervous, but excited.  Even if I only sell a few copies, I'll be happy.  Wish me luck!


----------



## julieannfelicity

So last night I spent from 10pm til 2 am writing over four pages of work for my short story (over 1000 words), all to have it disappear in the folds of my computers memory, never to return.

If anyone knows how to restore files let me know, I've tried everything I could to get it back. For those who may be scratching their heads or tsk-tsk-tsking, I _DID_ click the save button several times, _AND_ the settings for auto-saving every 10 minutes was selected. I can't find any versions of my saved file (all I could find was a copy from 10/17), and can't find any versions of the auto-saved files. I'm stuck. I'm trying now to recapture everything I wrote, but it's not coming as easily as it had last night (and I had done a lot of research on medical terms, which I'm now fumbling over).

I work with computers on a daily basis; I'm fairly knowledgeable and yet feel so stupid right now. Sigh ...


----------



## R. M. Reed

Do you have a way to search for a phrase that you know is inside the file? My Mac OS can do this, so I assume recent Windows versions can. Of course, if you can do it, you no doubt already have.


----------



## julieannfelicity

R. Reed said:


> Do you have a way to search for a phrase that you know is inside the file? My Mac OS can do this, so I assume recent Windows versions can. Of course, if you can do it, you no doubt already have.


Actually I hadn't tried that. I'm a newbie with Windows 7, and not really sure how you would do that. I got a tip from a co-worker who said to download another file. He thinks it's got some weird, obscure name, but I may be able to find it if I try saving another file. Usually when I pull the file from my e-mail (I e-mail copies to my yahoo account between machines) I save it to my desktop immediately, then open it and make my changes. But I was inspired (after reading R. J. Keller's interview on www.tlhaddix.com) and couldn't stop writing. As I would do my research, I would periodically click the save button. After I realized it was 2 in the morning (and needed to be up at 6 to tend to my children getting up for school), I decided to save and close it for the last time, and hit the sack. After I did the final save, clicked the close button and was about to shut down my computer, I realized I hadn't e-mailed it to myself. So I went into my e-mail, opened a new message and tried to attach the file I thought existed on my desktop. But the file on my desktop was only 48 kb's and the file I had originally sent was over 55 so I knew something wasn't right. I opened the 48 kb file, and sure enough it was from 10/17. I searched my machine frantically to see if I had saved it elsewhere, with no luck. Sigh ...

I just got an e-mail from a friend who might have a solution! Fingers crossed http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827099 will take care of it! Wish me luck ...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> The end better be near, or I'm gonna go crazy.


I'm typin', I'm typin'!

Oh, and got your notes up through 20. Agree on the POV issue, so when I'm (finally!) done, I'll go back and see if I can sort that out...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm typin', I'm typin'!
> 
> Oh, and got your notes up through 20. Agree on the POV issue, so when I'm (finally!) done, I'll go back and see if I can sort that out...


You should get 21 and 22 tonight or tomorrow. And that's all I have, so if there's more, you'll need to send it to me. That would be good actually, I can read it on my flight to Scotland Thursday night.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> You should get 21 and 22 tonight or tomorrow. And that's all I have, so if there's more, you'll need to send it to me. That would be good actually, I can read it on my flight to Scotland Thursday night.


Scotland? Lucky! Yes, I'll send you the rest of what I have no later than tomorrow...


----------



## R. M. Reed

My Book Bazaar thread for Halloween Sky has vanished. Even Search doesn't turn it up. Can anyone else see if it's there but I'm too dumb to find it, or if it really is gone?


----------



## Jeff

R. Reed said:


> My Book Bazaar thread for Halloween Sky has vanished. Even Search doesn't turn it up. Can anyone else see if it's there but I'm too dumb to find it, or if it really is gone?


Is this it?

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,39746.0.html


----------



## R. M. Reed

How did you find it? Thank you, whatever you did.


----------



## Jeff

R. Reed said:


> How did you find it? Thank you, whatever you did.


Magic. You're welcome.


----------



## Basil Sands

Question related to posting re-edited versions to Kindle. I found some formatting errors in the books I uploaded a few weeks ago and corrected them. When I upload the new version of the edited file do the people who already purchased the book get the new version pushed to their systems? Or do they keep the original one?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Basil Sands said:


> Question related to posting re-edited versions to Kindle. I found some formatting errors in the books I uploaded a few weeks ago and corrected them. When I upload the new version of the edited file do the people who already purchased the book get the new version pushed to their systems? Or do they keep the original one?


People who bought the old version will have the old version and forever have said old version unless they can get Amazon Support to send them the new one.


----------



## R. M. Reed

As I understand it, they can't even buy a version newer than the one they have. That does seem strange to me.

I'm a nervous wreck: Red Adept's review of Halloween Sky will be up on Friday. Breathe, Robin, breathe...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

When I revised and reissue a novel (I've done it to 4 of my earlier ones), I offer them for t\free at Smashwords for 2 weeks and notify the world that they can replace their older copy there. Then I turn that faucet off. It also boosts sales for the book with new readers. I generally change the description to include the tag REVISED FOR 2010 or REVISED AND EXPANDED FOR 2010. This aids readers when reading a not too favorable review of the previous version.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Basil Sands

Half-Orc said:


> People who bought the old version will have the old version and forever have said old version unless they can get Amazon Support to send them the new one.


Yeah, I figured as much. I think the problem came from switching back and forth from OpenOffice to MS Office 2007 then MS Office 2010, some indents and fonts in a few places got hokied up & I missed it before uploading.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> When I revised and reissue a novel (I've done it to 4 of my earlier ones), I offer them for t\free at Smashwords for 2 weeks and notify the world that they can replace their older copy there. Then I turn that faucet off. It also boosts sales for the book with new readers. I generally change the description to include the tag REVISED FOR 2010 or REVISED AND EXPANDED FOR 2010. This aids readers when reading a not too favorable review of the previous version.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


That sounds like a good idea, Ed. So far the two books I found the errors in have not gotten any bad reviews, or good ones for that matter, on Kindle but a reader alerted me to the problem here in KBoards. Marketing kicks in next month so I wanted to make sure and tie all loose ends up before a big hit takes place.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Another 1000 words and chapter 33 done on _Season Of The Harvest_...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Another 1000 words and chapter 33 done on _Season Of The Harvest_...


and when do i get an e-mail?

edited to say- e-mail received.


----------



## LCEvans

You people are inspirational. Now I have to get my own thousands of words written.


----------



## StevenSavile

I think this counts as author support... ahem... it's my mate David Niall Wilson's birthday today, and I am trying to give him a cool present by getting his book Ancient Eyes to pop up onto the Kindle Bestsellers chart...

http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Eyes-ebook/dp/B0044KM186/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=digital-text&qid=1288270780&sr=1-7

I picked this one out of all of his books because it's my favourite, plus I paid over 50 bucks to read the signed limited edition hardcover, 3 bucks is a flippin' bargain...

So... how's about it? Give a great birthday gift and enjoy a fantastic novel in the process? Go on, help me surprise the heck out of him.

S.


----------



## J.M Pierce

I'm going to get an MRI done tomorrow. I've been fighting a headache of varying intensity for a couple of months now and I'm a little nervous. It affects my right ear and eye, as well as the right side of my jaw. Doctors have checked my right ear several times but haven't found anything. Part of me wants them to find something tomorrow, just so it can go away, but of course I'm worried about what they'll find. It has definitely had an impact on how often and how long I can write. Like right now all I want to do is curl up in a dark room and close my eyes. It sucks.


----------



## julieannfelicity

J.M. Pierce said:


> I'm going to get an MRI done tomorrow. I've been fighting a headache of varying intensity for a couple of months now and I'm a little nervous. It affects my right ear and eye, as well as the right side of my jaw. Doctors have checked my right ear several times but haven't found anything. Part of me wants them to find something tomorrow, just so it can go away, but of course I'm worried about what they'll find. It has definitely had an impact on how often and how long I can write. Like right now all I want to do is curl up in a dark room and close my eyes. It sucks.


Aww, J. M., I'm so sorry! I do hope they find out what's going on tomorrow. I had a friend who had the same symptoms and they found out what it was (a noncancerous mass on his optical nerve). As soon as he had surgery, he felt so much better! Please keep us updated, and I hope you feel better soon!


----------



## Basil Sands

Another author support question. The errors I had discovered recently in the formatting of my Kindle books were not corrected when I put up the fixed word documents. There is a weird indent that randomly appears in several places treating some text like block text instead of normal first line indent. It only goes for a paragraph or two then returns to normal. I checked the Smashwords edition of the same books, uploaded from the same word docs, and the error is not there. It is only on the Kindle version. Anyone know what causes that?
_
...oh...and by the way... JM, I hope your mri shows the docs what's causing the headaches. That's a real bummer to not even be able to write. Prayers going up if you wish._


----------



## Jeff

Basil Sands said:


> Another author support question. The errors I had discovered recently in the formatting of my Kindle books were not corrected when I put up the fixed word documents. There is a weird indent that randomly appears in several places treating some text like block text instead of normal first line indent. It only goes for a paragraph or two then returns to normal. I checked the Smashwords edition of the same books, uploaded from the same word docs, and the error is not there. It is only on the Kindle version. Anyone know what causes that?


The left margin perhaps?


----------



## Basil Sands

Jeff said:


> The left margin perhaps?


Thing is it happens in the middle of a page, for a few lines only, then returns to normal before the end of the page. Got me baffled.


----------



## William Meikle

Well, it had to happen. My first ever 1 star review, on Amazon UK, for THE INVASION which apparently is "Absolute dross."


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

williemeikle said:


> Well, it had to happen. My first ever 1 star review, on Amazon UK, for THE INVASION which apparently is "Absolute dross."


I need to learn to write me some absolute dross then.


----------



## J.M Pierce

Basil Sands said:


> _
> ...oh...and by the way... JM, I hope your mri shows the docs what's causing the headaches. That's a real bummer to not even be able to write. Prayers going up if you wish._


That would be great, Basil. I'd appreciate it. Thanks to you and Julieanne both.


----------



## William Meikle

Half-Orc said:


> I need to learn to write me some absolute dross then.


Strange thing is, it seems to be the only review this guy has ever done -- it must have -really- pissed him off.


----------



## John Hamilton

williemeikle said:


> Well, it had to happen. My first ever 1 star review, on Amazon UK, for THE INVASION which apparently is "Absolute dross."


I saw this on your Twitter feed, Willie. Absolute dross? Seriously? Kkkkhhh!

For what it's worth, I'm really enjoying "The Valley." Conan Doyle meets Zane Grey indeed!


----------



## R. M. Reed

williemeikle said:


> Well, it had to happen. My first ever 1 star review, on Amazon UK, for THE INVASION which apparently is "Absolute dross."


I went to look at Amazon UK and found someone had trashed me too. This is about Xanthan Gumm:

This book was clearly written by a bright sixth form student, who had a half-decent comic idea but couldn't recognise the point at which it stopped being funny or useful. It is essentially a series of gags, extended far beyond their ability to amuse anyone but its creator. However, the author does have some talent and could, in time, develop into a reasonable writer.

It's funny, no one in the UK has bought that book. And is sixth form the same age as sixth grade? At least I show promise.


----------



## William Meikle

John Hamilton said:


> I saw this on your Twitter feed, Willie. Absolute dross? Seriously? Kkkkhhh!


And a book that's just about to sell copy number 4000 on Amazon sometime tonight must be doing something right, even if it is "dross" 



John Hamilton said:


> For what it's worth, I'm really enjoying "The Valley." Conan Doyle meets Zane Grey indeed!


Glad you're enjoying it John


----------



## Jnassise

> I think this counts as author support... ahem... it's my mate David Niall Wilson's birthday today, and I am trying to give him a cool present by getting his book Ancient Eyes to pop up onto the Kindle Bestsellers chart...
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Eyes-ebook/dp/B0044KM186/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=digital-text&qid=1288270780&sr=1-7
> 
> I picked this one out of all of his books because it's my favourite, plus I paid over 50 bucks to read the signed limited edition hardcover, 3 bucks is a flippin' bargain...
> 
> So... how's about it? Give a great birthday gift and enjoy a fantastic novel in the process? Go on, help me surprise the heck out of him.


Like Steve, I highly recommend Ancient Eyes as well. A gripping, atmospheric tale.


----------



## Jeff

Basil Sands said:


> Thing is it happens in the middle of a page, for a few lines only, then returns to normal before the end of the page. Got me baffled.


If you would like me to look at it for you, email the Word file to me.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

501 ebooks sold since March 1st. Thank you, Kindleboards!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I managed to scrawl 4,900 word in the last two evenings, on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, despite the low concentration levels. Of course, I think I'll iron it out a bit, because my creative spirit is in a row board paddling upstream. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> 501 ebooks sold since March 1st. Thank you, Kindleboards!


w00t!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

With Dad still sinking, I haven't done much beyond a few blogs and stuff. However, I eeked out 1,100 words onight. I'll do much more over the next few days, escaping so to speak into the ZONE.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - sorry to hear your dad's not doing well. That sucks. Hopefully his condition will turn around soon!!

On the writing front, none for me tonight, although I think I finished chapter 36 of _Season Of The Harvest_ last night. It's a fairly short chapter, but brings me to what I think is the final chapter of the story before the epilogue. I hope!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Mike. Dad is going into hospice, sorry to say. His throat is closing and he may be going fast.

Ed
Btw 3,700 words tonight. Can't vouch for their quality.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks, Mike. Dad is going into hospice, sorry to say. His throat is closing and he may be going fast.


So sorry, Ed! Prayers for you and your dad...


----------



## nomesque

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks, Mike. Dad is going into hospice, sorry to say. His throat is closing and he may be going fast.
> 
> Ed
> Btw 3,700 words tonight. Can't vouch for their quality.


*hugs* I'm sorry, Ed. :-( Hospice stage is hard. :-(


----------



## Jeff

Sorry, Ed. I was hoping that things would turn around for your father.


----------



## J.M Pierce

Thinking about you and your dad, Ed. Grace and peace.


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Ed, my wife lost two of her grandparents in the last three years, and I lost my last grandparent last year. I feel for you. Hang in there.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Ed, I have been through the end of my father's life, and my mother is in a nursing home now. It's always hard.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi all: I'm trying to immerse myself in stuff while waiting. Dad's peaceful now, but the sands of time are running low for him.

I spent some time today redesigning the only cover that I have out there that's not an original Patterson - the cover to _*Bobby's Trace*_. I haven't published the cover yet, but I thought I'd put it up here for you guys to see.








Here's the current cover, which is stock (I've seen it on another book even), from Lulu's cover art. It worked, but it just isn't me, and the original cover I made for it sucked.

​
So I hope the new one works better and gives this, my second published book, a little ooomph.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My Dad, Donald Phillips Patterson, passed away at 2 AM this Veteran's Day. He was a WWII Veteran and my brave Cherokee warrior. He's with Mom now at the clearing at the end of the path.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## julieannfelicity

Oh, Ed, I'm so sorry!  I was really hoping and praying he'd pull through.  xoxoxo


----------



## Valmore Daniels

I'm very sorry for your loss, Edward.


----------



## nomesque

*hugs* Ed. I'm sorry for your loss.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - I'm so sorry to hear that, my friend. Our prayers are with you.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you all. Quite moved by the many good wishes and thoughts

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

After hammering out 3100 words this morning, the last chapter (minus the epilogue) of _Season Of The Harvest_ is DONE! I'm now going to go take a nap!


----------



## 13500

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My Dad, Donald Phillips Patterson, passed away at 2 AM this Veteran's Day. He was a WWII Veteran and my brave Cherokee warrior. He's with Mom now at the clearing at the end of the path.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Sorry to hear about your father, Ed. My thoughts are with you today.

Karen


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

4100 words for yesterday in total. Going to try and wrap up the epilogue today, then start in on edits.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My Dad, Donald Phillips Patterson, passed away at 2 AM this Veteran's Day. He was a WWII Veteran and my brave Cherokee warrior. He's with Mom now at the clearing at the end of the path.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I'm sorry to hear this, Ed. Take care of yourself.


----------



## telracs

Ed, sorry for your loss.

Mike, guess I need to start reading again.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Ed, sad to hear that, but it's not unexpected, I guess.

Mike, Good job with "almost" finishing your book. Hope the edits go well.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Mike, guess I need to start reading again.


Yeah, now that you're back from your boondoggle to Scotland! I have to catch up on your travel blog, BTW. And besides, there's a chance this may be the last book out of me for a while - not forever, but maybe the next 6 months to a year. Not sure yet. Have to reevaluate some things, and not sure where that's going to fall in the grand plan...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, now that you're back from your boondoggle to Scotland! I have to catch up on your travel blog, BTW. And besides, there's a chance this may be the last book out of me for a while - not forever, but maybe the next 6 months to a year. Not sure yet. Have to reevaluate some things, and not sure where that's going to fall in the grand plan...


Excuse me, but if you keep my alter ego hanging for 6 months to a year, there may be problems!


----------



## 16205

Late, but so sorry to hear about your loss, Ed.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Coming up on 25,000 words in the new project. Very pleased with that. I could take tomorrow off and get some laundry done if I cross it today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers during this hard time for my family. Dad was laid to rest yesterday - in style - with a full military funeral and a 21 guns salute. He laid beside Mom and is a peace. Now, because I know it is his wish, I'm getting back on the horse and refiring up my current novel project, recommencing by blogs and network posts and even some light promotion.  It might take a day or two to get back in the saddle, but I'll get there.

Thanks again for all you support.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'm back in the saddle with 4,200 words this evening on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Whew! The characters finally came to life in the Zone.

Edward C. Ptterson


----------



## MrPLD

Crikey,  I'm back after a long hiatus... hardly deliberate, just that I unfortunately had to catch up with so many other parts of my other businesses that I had to drop all my book work 

One of these days I'll learn to be more balanced on a weekly/daily basis... one day.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'm working on my story to submit to the disasters anthology. It's turning into something a little different than I expected, more of an adventure story, but with lots of things trying to eat my characters I hope it still qualifies as horror.

I can't remember if there is a word limit on submissions. I am up to about 2500 and I have a ways to go.

I am very glad I have a laptop. With my power out I can use the battery mode at home, then come to the library the next day where I can recharge while I web surf and write some more. If it is dark when I write at home I put a battery powered camping lantern next to the keyboard. Batteries are saving my sanity, I have a book light that lets me read a DTB, and my iPod for Kindle books. I can recharge my phone and iPod with a battery charger from Radio Shack.

I should stop posting here and go write. I will work all night tonight.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Now officially into edits of *Season Of The Harvest*, swimming through all of Scarlet's red ink. Hey, that's a pun!

P.S. Steph, you slacker!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:
 

> Now officially into edits of *Season Of The Harvest*, swimming through all of Scarlet's red ink. Hey, that's a pun!
> 
> P.S. Steph, you slacker!


Well red fontat any rate....

And be careful, it stains.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Well red fontat any rate....
> 
> And be careful, it stains.


Yeah, yeah! Sent you the revised chapter...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, yeah! Sent you the revised chapter...


You want me to finish the book first or look at the revised?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> You want me to finish the book first or look at the revised?


Finish the book first, and I'll send you the revised text so you can scan through them when you're done (shouldn't be too much to clean up then, as I take almost all your revisions, as you well know!). 

Then I'll mix in Steph's stuff. I think I may have a few beta readers for this one, too, since it's totally off the beaten track for me...


----------



## Steph H

Yeah yeah, I'm a slacker. It's been super busy at work, I was at the office all day yesterday too.  I'll start reading and marking-up today!

And what was that about no more books for awhile?!  I agree with Scarlet, you can't leave us hanging that long on IHN!  Get that real life crap straightened out, young man!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Getting near the 45,000 word limit. I think this one shall top out at 120 - 125,000 words. It depends on the ending, of which there are five different ones that have managed to crop up over the last week. I'll let the protagonist chose and then retrofit any bumps during the revision. Of course, I pushed down the release to Mid-February since I slowed down during my crisis. The 3rd book of _*the Southern Swallow series * _ is the next one up, called _*Swan Cloud * _ and will be the most difficult of the five books in the series as I need to make 12th Century Chinese politics and law gripping and engaging to my readers - at least as gripping and engaging as it is to me.  Much of that book is already conceived, having been in the works for 37 years.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Yeah yeah, I'm a slacker. It's been super busy at work, I was at the office all day yesterday too. I'll start reading and marking-up today!
> 
> And what was that about no more books for awhile?! I agree with Scarlet, you can't leave us hanging that long on IHN! Get that real life crap straightened out, young man!


Well, I think we worked out something where I'd have at least some time to keep pecking away at the keyboard. Have to get _Harvest_ finished off first, then I'll start back into the next IHN book, whatever that'll wind up being called...


----------



## R. Doug

I put out 2,000 words today in a little over three hours.  Finally getting back into the swing of writing.  Feels great.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

R. Doug said:


> I put out 2,000 words today in a little over three hours. Finally getting back into the swing of writing. Feels great.


Sweet! 

Finished first-round edits on chapter 4 of *Season Of The Harvest*...


----------



## Steph H

I got through reading/marking-up Chapter 27 or so, somewhere around there (roughly p. 350ish I think), on Season of the Harvest yesterday. Not sure how much time I'll have to work on it during the evenings this week, but will do what I can; otherwise, I'll finish it up over the coming slightly longer weekend (work willing), get the mark-up transferred to Word w/track changes, and send it back!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> I got through reading/marking-up Chapter 27 or so, somewhere around there (roughly p. 350ish I think), on Season of the Harvest yesterday. Not sure how much time I'll have to work on it during the evenings this week, but will do what I can; otherwise, I'll finish it up over the coming slightly longer weekend (work willing), get the mark-up transferred to Word w/track changes, and send it back!


Coolness! I'm working through the first set of revisions from Scarlet. Tell you what: once I go through hers, I'll go through yours, then send you both the complete revised version to scope out again. Howzzat?


----------



## telracs

Hey Mike, what happens when Steph and I disagree?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Hey Mike, what happens when Steph and I disagree?


Rock, paper, scissors...best two out of three? 

I suspect the muse will be the tiebreaker!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I finally finished editing - fifth draft - on a fantasy novel that has been in progress for several years. I will have my release / first book signing for this at the library's annual local authors book fair in early December. I should have the Kindle edition up by then as well (NaNoWriMo has me busy for the next week before I work on formatting the Kindle version).

I'm not sure why, but the Kindle sales for my books - in particular The Twenty Dollar Bill - have spiked recently - second best sales month I've had. I'm not racing up the best seller charts but it's nice to get some unexpected sales.

Good writing to you all!
Elmore


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Rock, paper, scissors...best two out of three?
> 
> I suspect the muse will be the tiebreaker!


Remind the muse that I have chocolate.


----------



## julieannfelicity

Well so far only 12,000+ words done for From Heaven.  I'm hoping to knock out another 2000 to 3000 this weekend, but with the kids being home it gets tough.  We were actually let go from work today at 2:30, but I've stayed behind so that I can get some dedicated writing time squeezed in.  Started the first half of Chapter 3 ... going for the second half later tonight.  I'm really, truly hoping THIS book will be THE book. 

Anyways ... have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Remind the muse that I have chocolate.


OoooOOOoooooo! 

And Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Cliff Ball

So far, I've gotten absolutely no sales from the Kindle Nation e-Book of the Day yesterday. Does that happen sometimes, or am I one of those rare birds?

I did, however get at least 4 from the Indie Spotlight. So, I guess it balances out.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I've been more concerned with writing the next book than I have with promoting my current titles. Nearly finished the NaNo half of my current WIP.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,900 words on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. . Starting to hit some of the scary stuff. Also had a nightmare last night that will be incorporated into this work. I woke up sweating. Real sweet and I thanked God for the inspiration.  Meanwhile, FEDEX delivered me several big tomes in prep for Febraury's commencement for polishing _*The Southern Swallow Book III - Swan Cloud*_. One book has 1,238 year old transciptions from Yueh Fei's stint before the Bureau of Censors. I'm in Sinological heaven, because now I can send my reader's practically into the interogation chamber.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Valmore Daniels

Cliff Ball said:


> So far, I've gotten absolutely no sales from the Kindle Nation e-Book of the Day yesterday. Does that happen sometimes, or am I one of those rare birds?


Yesterday was a tough day for everyone, but hopefully you got a lot of samplers who will buy at some point in the future!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just won NaNoWriMo 2010. Destination 50K has been achieved.

Now to celebrate.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

John Fitch V said:


> Just won NaNoWriMo 2010. Destination 50K has been achieved.
> 
> Now to celebrate.


Congrats!

Ed P


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thanks, Ed.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Valmore Daniels said:


> Yesterday was a tough day for everyone, but hopefully you got a lot of samplers who will buy at some point in the future!


I did absolutely no promotion for my other two novels for a long period of time in the previous year, so doing this all the way through to the Christmas season is new to me, so I'm still like a fish out of water. I know peoples' buying habits in a brick & mortar store having worked in retail for nearly 10 years, but online buying habits is a total mystery to me., and I do most of my shopping online! 

I really wish Amazon had a thing on the DTP showing how many hits you get from people visiting the page to your novels, and where they came from, that way you know which promotion is effective.


----------



## Jeff

Good on you, Fitch!


----------



## Walterrhein

If anybody needs me to digg anything, just let me know. You can write me at walterrhein at gmail.com. In case you don't know how useful digg is, you can read this article http://www.rhemalda.com/info/2010/11/digg/.

Also, I do author interviews over at my blog. If you're interested in that, just send me an email!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Just won NaNoWriMo 2010. Destination 50K has been achieved.
> 
> Now to celebrate.


Hot dog and a beer, coming right up! 

Congrats, dude! That's a LOT of writing!!


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> Just won NaNoWriMo 2010. Destination 50K has been achieved.
> 
> Now to celebrate.


Congratulations John!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words this evening of _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Moving forward nicely now and the next chapter, which has been written in my head for for 7 years and reheased while I drive numerous times, is one of the rewards that authors get when they write.  Tomorrow I get to introduce the world to Maximus and Pertinax.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael Crane

I'm up to 21 drabbles for LESSONS II so far--really hoping I can get to 30 on this one.  A productive writing weekend for me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Michael Crane said:


> I'm up to 21 drabbles for LESSONS II so far--really hoping I can get to 30 on this one. A productive writing weekend for me.


A drabble? Is that related to a dribble?


----------



## Daniel Arenson

Flaming Dove received two great new reviews lately.  One person re-posted her five star review onto Amazon, but accidentally gave it only four stars there, because (she says) her cat moved her hand; now she won't correct it.  Another person won't post his review to Amazon, because Google apparently hates duplicate content. 

So... good/bad news... :/


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thanks Jeff, Mike, and Scahhhlit. I took the past two days off. Back to it either tonight or tomorrow.


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> Thanks Jeff, Mike, and Scahhhlit. I took the past two days off. Back to it either tonight or tomorrow.


Interesting what the Boston accent does to my name.


----------



## Guest

scarlet said:


> Interesting what the Boston accent does to my name.


I like your new avatar!


----------



## telracs

foreverjuly said:


> I like your new avatar!


Thanks. Check out the bigger version with my cool quote in the Cartoon Thread.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just responded to an e-mail from a local author who has been traditionally published in the past and wanted information on digital self publishing for his out-of-contract/rights reverted books.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I finished formatting and uploading the e-book editions for Kindle and Nook yesterday for my latest novel, Through the Arch. Hopefully those will be live soon. The paperback is already on Amazon and I've got 25 copies for the debut book signing at the local library next Friday. Today I will start formatting and come up with a cover for the very ugly first draft of my NaNoWriMo novel from November - even if I never pursue revisions on this one, I like having one copy for my own bookshelf.

Happy writing everyone!
Elmore


----------



## datinman

I've got about 10k on Pandora's Sister, plus the actual basic storyline.
I'm elbow deep in research for the book - making sure destinations, surroundings and facts are accurate, but I'd like to get another 1k done by tonight.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Productivity booming - 3,780 words this eveing on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Managed to bring to life 2 charqcters that were conceived by in the 70's and have been yearning to emerge onto the scene. It was quite an experience watching these two old friends - 2 Roman Centurions, birthed in the middle of this gothic horror.  Long live Maximus and Pertinax.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - I think I'm going to commission you to start typing in my stead! Your word counts are just too darn high! 

Also, I just wanted to make a quick announcement: after much pondering and for a variety of reasons, I decided to set up a new author site at http://authormichaelhicks.com. So I'd like to invite everybody over for the opening day party - strawberry margaritas are on me! On top of that, for those who would like to join the newsletter subscription, they can get a free copy of _In Her Name: Empire_ free in their choice of ebook formats...

Okay, I think it's time for a nap now!


----------



## telracs

I think margaritas should be in glasses, not on authors....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I think margaritas should be in glasses, not on authors....


Well, I dunno - that probably depends on how many I've had!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, I dunno - that probably depends on how many I've had!


How about IN authors?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> How about IN authors?


That, too!

BTW, no editing tonight. Pooped after a long week of long hours. Have to work again tomorrow, then a regular schedule next week, so I hope to get in lots of editing catch-ups! (Ketchup?)...


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> BTW, no editing tonight. Pooped after a long week of long hours.


*warning, warning, bad joke ahead*

So what you're saying is...this week has been far from regular for you?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> *warning, warning, bad joke ahead*
> 
> So what you're saying is...this week has been far from regular for you?


Yeah, I need more fiber!


----------



## Lambert

I'm a new Kindle author, so I am basically trying to promote my book, so  it can be seen on Amazon. Learning as I go.  Been begging my family and friends to check out my book. They don't have a Kindle so am telling them about the Kindle for PC.

It sounds like a lot to them to download and install the software, register on Amazon and then hopefully buy my books. My sister did start the process today. She's computer illiterate and I was trying to talk here though it over the phone.

We gave up for today and will try again tomorrow. LOL

Fun!

Lambert


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It is my experience that friends and family do not read my books. I gift them to many, but they are rarely read. Your best bet are "readers," who for the most part are strangers, and audience out there in the dark (or, ironically, in the brightest of light).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,260 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Finished Part II (3 Parts to go). We now move on to the fun of the field manuevers in Germany spurred on by Russia's invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. Fun and games, especially with infighting between the characters and the protagonist developing his cosmic skills. YeeHah! At the 55,000 word mark. I think this one will be about 120-140,000 words. A bit longer than I anticipated - but then I didn't anticipate taking the reader back into the concentration camps either.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Got some words written in A DROP TO DRINK, first time in three days. Hadn't been feeling well.

And I sold a couple of books today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

John Fitch V said:


> Got some words written in A DROP TO DRINK, first time in three days. Hadn't been feeling well.
> 
> And I sold a couple of books today.


Feel better, John

Ed P


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Feel better, John
> 
> Ed P


Starting to, Ed. Starting to.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Got some words written in A DROP TO DRINK, first time in three days. Hadn't been feeling well.
> 
> And I sold a couple of books today.


You need to watch some classic baseball game reruns to cheer you up!  Hope ya feel better!

Going to try and get some editing done tonight. The last week just hasn't been very conducive, for various reasons...


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Productivity booming - 3,780 words this eveing on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Managed to bring to life 2 charqcters that were conceived by in the 70's and have been yearning to emerge onto the scene. It was quite an experience watching these two old friends - 2 Roman Centurions, birthed in the middle of this gothic horror.  Long live Maximus and Pertinax.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Hey Ed, I'm curious. How long does it take you on the average to pump out 3,780 words?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

About 4 hours, if it's fresh stuff. Revision work multiplies that by 2 or 3, accordning to which revision. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sharlow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> About 4 hours, if it's fresh stuff. Revision work multiplies that by 2 or 3, accordning to which revision.
> 
> Ed Patterson


OK cool. I was just curious as it takes me that long as well, and it feels like pulling teeth at times. I was wondering if it was any different for someone like you who has been doing it for such a long time, and it feels from reading your post like it just flows out of your finger tips at times. =)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

When I get into the zone it writes itself.

Ed patterson


----------



## Cliff Ball

I finally got my first 1 star review for The Usurper on amazon. I always find it amusing when people base a whole novel on the first chapter. At least he didn't want a refund!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Cliff Ball said:


> I finally got my first 1 star review for The Usurper on amazon. I always find it amusing when people base a whole novel on the first chapter. At least he didn't want a refund!


LOL! Well, at least that's out of the way - and a good attitude to keep about it, too!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You need to watch some classic baseball game reruns to cheer you up!  Hope ya feel better!
> 
> Going to try and get some editing done tonight. The last week just hasn't been very conducive, for various reasons...


I'm feeling better. I'm just in an up and down cycle. Hopefully I'll feel better all day today and get some serious writing done.

Sent THE MASTERMIND to my beta reader. She's looking at it now.


----------



## Cliff Ball

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! Well, at least that's out of the way - and a good attitude to keep about it, too!


I'm trying, but I feel very much like leaving a snarky comment there. I knew when I started writing it that a lot of people were just not going to like it, mostly because it doesn't fit their ideas of what a political thriller should be, or I'm slamming their precious leader, or whatever. So the first chapter starts off kind of slowly, or whatever, I had to start from somewhere, sorry that it doesn't appeal to the instant gratification people. I figure we should be able to write fiction however we want... Ok, this is turning into a rant! lol


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Cliff Ball said:


> I'm trying, but I feel very much like leaving a snarky comment there. I knew when I started writing it that a lot of people were just not going to like it, mostly because it doesn't fit their ideas of what a political thriller should be, or I'm slamming their precious leader, or whatever. So the first chapter starts off kind of slowly, or whatever, I had to start from somewhere, sorry that it doesn't appeal to the instant gratification people. I figure we should be able to write fiction however we want... Ok, this is turning into a rant! lol


Here's my take on this sort of thing, for what it's worth:

- Never argue with a reader's opinion, even if they give you a single star for silly things like Amazon's pricing or whatever. Keep to the moral high ground and let the readers throw rocks at or compliment your work as they see fit.

- The most popular books ever written, every single one of them, have received at least a few bad reviews from readers, and some have actually gotten quite a lot. I look at getting a one- or two-star rating as sort of a rite of passage for a book: if a book hasn't gotten one of those yet, it just means it still needs to reach a lot more readers!


----------



## William Meikle

Damn I'm on a roll. Started yesterday on a new novel -- just hit 8000 words. I love it when it just flows like this.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

williemeikle said:


> d*mn I'm on a roll. Started yesterday on a new novel -- just hit 8000 words. I love it when it just flows like this.


Sweet! Way to go!


----------



## Cliff Ball

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Here's my take on this sort of thing, for what it's worth:
> 
> - Never argue with a reader's opinion, even if they give you a single star for silly things like Amazon's pricing or whatever. Keep to the moral high ground and let the readers throw rocks at or compliment your work as they see fit.
> 
> - The most popular books ever written, every single one of them, have received at least a few bad reviews from readers, and some have actually gotten quite a lot. I look at getting a one- or two-star rating as sort of a rite of passage for a book: if a book hasn't gotten one of those yet, it just means it still needs to reach a lot more readers!


Oh, I know, arguing makes you, the author, look bad, and I wasn't going to anyway. But, you know, when those voices in your head that wants you to be bad start growing louder....  lol


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Cliff Ball said:


> Oh, I know, arguing makes you, the author, look bad, and I wasn't going to anyway. But, you know, when those voices in your head that wants you to be bad start growing louder....  lol


Here comes Brendan Carroll's quote: (oft' quoted)

"Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it."



Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hey, remember me? Haven't been around in a while. Too much going on. 

I'm up to 54,400 words in the WiP which I only expected to be about 15K. I don't know how long it's going to be, but I'm pushing to have the first draft done by Friday.


----------



## Jeff

Yay Gertie Margaret.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hey, remember me? Haven't been around in a while. Too much going on.
> 
> I'm up to 54,400 words in the WiP which I only expected to be about 15K. I don't know how long it's going to be, but I'm pushing to have the first draft done by Friday.


I bought "Of Love And War," BTW. Starting to read on my Kindle again!


----------



## MarilynMeredith

I find that as this time of year it's really difficult to settle down and do the writing things I need to do. I have a book I need to edit, but have a sneaking hunch it'll be put off for awhile. Instead of working on my books, I have written som blogs.

Marilyn


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I bought "Of Love And War," BTW. Starting to read on my Kindle again!


Thanks, Mike. I'm flabbergasted ... or maybe gobsmacked since I've been spending a lot of time in the UK forums. 

Hope you enjoy.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Thanks, Mike. I'm flabbergasted ... or maybe gobsmacked since I've been spending a lot of time in the UK forums.


I like it so far, although obviously it's not my typical cup-o-tea. About halfway through. Have to get back over to the UK forums in my copious free time! LOL!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I like it so far, although obviously it's not my typical cup-o-tea. About halfway through. Have to get back over to the UK forums in my copious free time! LOL!


Well, I hope you enjoy the rest.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Well, I hope you enjoy the rest.


Done! You should've written a longer one on this!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Well, I hope you enjoy the rest.


...review posted on Amazon...and blogged...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Chapter 9 of Season Of The Harvest is hereby edited...


----------



## R. M. Reed

A story I sent to the podcast Escape Pod was rejected. The same story got a personal rejection from the head editor at Isaac Asimov's magazine. Now I need to find a place that will accept it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Up to fourteen in Season Of The Harvest, although I have to go back and do 12 (Yo, Scarlet!) and touch up a few things that my brain couldn't deal with tonight. Chugga-chugga...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Up to fourteen in Season Of The Harvest, although I have to go back and do 12 (Yo, Scarlet!) and touch up a few things that my brain couldn't deal with tonight. Chugga-chugga...


Chapter 12 must be fine.... Yeah, that's right...



Spoiler



I seem to never have sent it. And I deleted the file, so I don't know if there were any changes....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Chapter 12 must be fine.... Yeah, that's right...
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I seem to never have sent it. And I deleted the file, so I don't know if there were any changes....


Ohhh, that's such a copout! LOL!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. That all she wrote. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

scarlet said:


> Chapter 12 must be fine.... Yeah, that's right...
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I seem to never have sent it. And I deleted the file, so I don't know if there were any changes....


I knew there was a good reason I did the whole file at one time and sent it to Mike all at once rather than a chapter (or so) at a time...  And keep my emails and files ad nauseum....


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


>


Same to you.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Same to you.


Now, now, ladies! There's enough chocolate for everyone... 

Am now in the process of "upgrading" my writing machine (Acer Aspire One netbook) with Windoze 7 and Office Home. It just became too much of a hassle bouncing between Linux and the rest of the Windoze world (including DTP, Smashwords, and Mobi). Hopefully I'll survive!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now, now, ladies! There's enough chocolate for everyone...


No such thing as "enough" chocolate!

And I sent you chapter 23 last night.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> No such thing as "enough" chocolate!
> 
> And I sent you chapter 23 last night.


There may never be enough, but I'll share what I have! 

Am also moving entirely into the Windoze world for my writing. Just too many hassles trying to make things compatible between Mac, Linux, and the on-line stuff like Smashwords. So I now have Windoze 7 and Word on my netbook... <sigh>


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I've been pleasantly surprised with Windows 7 on my wife's laptop.


----------



## Jeff

Half-Orc said:


> I've been pleasantly surprised with Windows 7 on my wife's laptop.


I have Windows 7 on two desktops and a netbook. No issues. I too gave up on Linux.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

The only problem I had was the activation key, although that was actually my fault: Win 7 upgrades won't install directly over reformatted drives (well, you can install the OS, but it won't let you use the activation key) - it expects a prior version of Windows. And before anybody says it, I do own a copy of XP for this machine that I removed when I installed Linux, so I'm legal. 

Anyway, "Rocky" from Mumbai helped me through that, and so far it's been quite nice. I had to update the driver for the touchpad, but other than that, no issues so far...


----------



## Steph H

I like Win7, the desktop I bought a year ago came with it and it's been great. I need to update my netbook from XP with another (legal) copy of Win7 that I have, just haven't got a round tuit yet.

Now maybe you can churn out edits and books even faster....


----------



## julieannfelicity

~16000 words down so far for _From Heaven_. Still in rough form, but its available to read on my website if anyone would like to take a peek and offer suggestions/advice. Really liking where it's going so far ...

Have a great weekend everyone!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Done! You should've written a longer one on this!


I was going to write a bunch of short ones ... instant gratification ... and actually did two novelettes. My third is up to 59K and still going. Remember when I said a couple of weeks ago I only have 10K to go? Hah!

I did 3K just last night and I'm already over 1K tonight. I think I've cleared the way for a resolution, but I can't be sure. I have no control over these crazy people.

Back to work. I'm finishing this weekend if it kills me ... and it may.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I was going to write a bunch of short ones ... instant gratification ... and actually did two novelettes. My third is up to 59K and still going. Remember when I said a couple of weeks ago I only have 10K to go? Hah!
> 
> I did 3K just last night and I'm already over 1K tonight. I think I've cleared the way for a resolution, but I can't be sure. I have no control over these crazy people.
> 
> Back to work. I'm finishing this weekend if it kills me ... and it may.


Okay, that and a chocolate chip cookie are my motivation. Time to edit!


----------



## telracs

But if you guys die, then there won't be any more new books, so please don't die Margaret!


----------



## LarryEnright

Peace on earth 


Larry


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> But if you guys die, then there won't be any more new books, so please don't die Margaret!


Nah, there's a cheat code if we die. Just type in buymoreindiebook buymoreindiebooks buymoreindiebooks


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Nah, there's a cheat code if we die. Just type in buymoreindiebook buymoreindiebooks buymoreindiebooks


Will that bring you back?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> Will that bring you back?


Absolutely. Especially if you spread the message far and wide.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Will that bring you back?


Strawberry margaritas will accelerate the recovery process!

BTW - the Smashwords edition of *In Her Name: Legend Of The Sword* is available again...


----------



## tbrookside

5000 words into my new Ancient-Sumer-themed epic fantasy trilogy. This first volume is tentatively titled _An-Gashar and His Enchantments_.

It's only 5000 words, but I'm pleased by the fact that I seem to be working faster, as I move from book to book.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just finished 3500 words. Most enjoyable was an homage killing of Amanda Hocking (who knew in advanced, and was rather amused). WIP is up to 77k, approaching the likely 100k end. Good times.

David Dalglish


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Just finished 3500 words. Most enjoyable was an homage killing of Amanda Hocking (who knew in advanced, and was rather amused). WIP is up to 77k, approaching the likely 100k end. Good times.
> 
> David Dalglish


Sweet! 

First-round edits of *Season Of The Harvest* are now done through chapter 20. Scarlet, wherever you are, dear, you'd better get going or I'm gonna catch up to you shortly (will do Steph's edits after I've gone all the way through the first time - some other changes I need to make, too)!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2600 words today - on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. At about 60,000 words - and halfway through the work. So the 120,000 word target is holding true. Tonight I wrote about C-Rations and give the famous recipe for _*Ham and Mutha Beans*_, P-38 tool and all.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

No writer can claim to be a success until David Dalglish has killed you.

I have reasonably high hopes for a story that was rejected at the highest level by Asimov's magazine. It is now at Andromeda Spaceways, an Australian magazine. They send an email every time a story clears a level in their slush pile system, and mine went up the first two levels in two days.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I crossed the 60,000-word mark tonight and received two 4-star reader reviews, one each for The Mastermind (my free novella download) and A Galaxy At War. 

Made me a happy author today.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

R. Reed said:


> No writer can claim to be a success until David Dalglish has killed you.


Hahahha. I've killed several authors here at the Kindleboards, always in homage. Derek Prior, Robert Duperre, and David McAfee all bit it in Dance of Cloaks. Amanda Hocking and John Fitch both going to die in book 5. Sadly, not many more extraneous characters left to kill, or I might like, hold a contest to be another casualty


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Tonight I wrote about C-Rations and give the famous recipe for _*Ham and Mutha Beans*_, P-38 tool and all.


I actually liked C-rats. I kept a P-38 on my key chain until a few years ago.


----------



## telracs

just so you know, half-orc, if you kill me, it will be bad for you.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

scarlet said:


> just so you know, half-orc, if you kill me, it will be bad for you.


No worries. I figured Mike Hicks had that right claimed


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Half-Orc said:


> Hahahha. I've killed several authors here at the Kindleboards, always in homage. Derek Prior, Robert Duperre, and David McAfee all bit it in Dance of Cloaks. Amanda Hocking and John Fitch both going to die in book 5. Sadly, not many more extraneous characters left to kill, or I might like, hold a contest to be another casualty


If I had a nickel for every time someone killed me off this year....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> No worries. I figured Mike Hicks had that right claimed


Huh! You think I'm stupid enough to kill off "Scarlet" in the next IHN book? Uhhh, no...

BTW, I'm though chapter 21 on *Season Of The Harvest*. I guess once I get through chapter 23 I'll have to double back early and start in on Steph's edits. 

And yes, Ed & Jeff, C rations and the P-38! I think I still have one around somewhere (a P-3. Damn useful little gadget. C-rats: John Wayne bars, green eggs and ham, peaches, and fruit cake that you could use for anti-tank rounds in a pinch! Setting the cans on a hot engine manifold to heat 'em up...and watching them explode if you forgot to open the can (or it was somebody else's vehicle and you didn't have to clean it).

Those were the days. MREs aren't nearly as much fun...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> I actually liked C-rats. I kept a P-38 on my key chain until a few years ago.


In the story, the 6th of the 60th are on alert and out in the field as Russia has invaded Czechoslovakia (August 20th 196. The cushy Battery HQ are not accustomed to field life, war games (or even reading a map), let alone C-Rations. To lighten this gothic tale up a bit, I have a small cooking lesson in using the P-38 and the Mutha Beans recipe, which according to most posts, wasn't bad at all. My C-Ration experiences were not favorable, especially those things they called crackers. Unlike other meals that I describe in my novels, I did not order the rations online (I could, they're available quite readily) and cook the recipe myself.  My bad. Now I have the protagonist looking for a rogue shelter half, because hie's odd man out on the sleeping arrangements. He gets by with a little help from his ghostly companions.  

I even added some poetry into the mix (so like a Patterson novel):

You can skate, be late or masturbate,
But don't leave the gate without your P-38.



Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

Half-Orc said:


> No worries. I figured Mike Hicks had that right claimed


Mike knows that if he kills off my alter ego, she will kick his muse into another dimension....



Michael R. Hicks said:


> BTW, I'm though chapter 21 on *Season Of The Harvest*. I guess once I get through chapter 23 I'll have to double back early and start in on Steph's edits.


Hmm, chapter 24 is only 6 pages, and the first three don't need edits, so....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Huh! You think I'm stupid enough to kill off "Scarlet" in the next IHN book? Uhhh, no...
> 
> BTW, I'm though chapter 21 on *Season Of The Harvest*. I guess once I get through chapter 23 I'll have to double back early and start in on Steph's edits.
> 
> And yes, Ed & Jeff, C rations and the P-38! I think I still have one around somewhere (a P-3. d*mn useful little gadget. C-rats: John Wayne bars, green eggs and ham, peaches, and fruit cake that you could use for anti-tank rounds in a pinch! Setting the cans on a hot engine manifold to heat 'em up...and watching them explode if you forgot to open the can (or it was somebody else's vehicle and you didn't have to clean it).
> 
> Those were the days. MREs aren't nearly as much fun...


I have them resort to sterno although the recipe called for C-4.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have them resort to sterno although the recipe called for C-4.
> 
> Ed P


Tape the fruitcake to a block of C4 and you have an instant anti-tank mine...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Mike knows that if he kills off my alter ego, she will kick his muse into another dimension....


Your alter-ego (and Steph's) are going to have your work cut out for you in the next book!



> Hmm, chapter 24 is only 6 pages, and the first three don't need edits, so....


And your point would be?? I wrote it that way on purpose, as I knew you'd need a break!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

7600+ words this weekend (in between tree decorating and computer games with GD and a book report/review with GS) and Listen to Your Heart is done. 

It was supposed to be about 30K and ended up at nearly 68K. Now I'm reading and we'll see how many of those words I keep.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 7600+ words this weekend (in between tree decorating and computer games with GD and a book report/review with GS) and Listen to Your Heart is done.
> 
> It was supposed to be about 30K and ended up at nearly 68K. Now I'm reading and we'll see how many of those words I keep.


Sweet! Writing machine!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Tape the fruitcake to a block of C4 and you have an instant anti-tank mine...


We're suppose to be nice to tanks and tankers. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sweet! Writing machine!


It seems I can't write without a little mayhem and constant interruptions. Peace and quiet just doesn't do it for me. I have to sign the grandkids up for several more noisy activities.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> We're suppose to be nice to tanks and tankers.


As a former tank commander, I thank you.


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Your alter-ego (and Steph's) are going to have your work cut out for you in the next book!


Got some ideas in mind already, eh? That's a good sign... I'm starting to get an itch to re-read the saga as it exists so far and I was really hoping to hold out until there was another, oh, 4 books at least. 

And I'm guessing that 95% of my edits will already be done, caught by Miss Green Eagle Eyes.


----------



## JL Bryan

Edward C. Patterson said:


> We're suppose to be nice to tanks and tankers.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


That's right. Cause we only fight wars against people too poor to afford tanks!


----------



## Jeff

JL Bryan said:


> That's right. Cause we only fight wars against people too poor to afford tanks!


During the time that Ed served in the Army, a handful of US and West German tanks faced a vastly superior number of Russian tanks.


----------



## JL Bryan

I thought the point of Ed's "be nice to tanks" comment was that anti-tank weapons are much more likely to be used against American soldiers than on behalf of American soldiers, these days.  Maybe I misunderstood.  EDIT: Not commenting any further on this...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> As a former tank commander, I thank you.


I wanted to go armored cav, but the Army stuck me in military intelligence. Go figure!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> .....the Army stuck me in military intelligence....


Must....resist....commenting....


----------



## Jeff

JL Bryan said:


> I thought the point of Ed's "be nice to tanks" comment was that anti-tank weapons are much more likely to be used against American soldiers than on behalf of American soldiers, these days. Maybe I misunderstood.


Maybe I misunderstood you, but after facing 70,000 Russian tanks on the Czech border (near Ed) for 3 long, miserable years, I was offended by your comment that "we" only fight wars against countries that are too poor to afford tanks. In deference to the KB rule against political discussion, I'll refrain from defending US military policy.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No. I made that comment as a compliment to my fellow veteran , jeff.


Ed patterson
Proud vet


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I wanted to go armored cav, but the Army stuck me in military intelligence. Go figure!


Haha. You must have been too smart for the cav.

I'm still proud to have served in L Troop, 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Haha. You must have been too smart for the cav.


Hey, I just wanted the cool boots with velcro straps!



> I'm still proud to have served in L Troop, 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry.


And well you should be! <Salute!>


----------



## telracs

Hey Hicks, are the alter egos gonna meet in the new book?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, the official word's in on my right hand, which took a pounding in the car accident back in September. The doc went over the MRI, and it looks like I've got permanent ligament damage that'll probably (eventually) lead to accelerated arthritic deterioration (if arthritis develops). Technically, they could operate, but the doc wasn't optimistic about the long-term outcome. So the motion limitations I've got now (which are bounded by some really eye-popping pain! LOL!) are probably gonna be my little buddies for the rest of whatever. The good news, however, is that my keyboard antics don't seem to be an issue, and I got the green light to start exercising again, although I can't do certain things/certain ways (like pushups: have to do them on my fists or with a pushup bar to keep the wrist straight), so I'm putting P90X Plus back on my schedule for the new year!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Hey Hicks, are the alter egos gonna meet in the new book?


Technically, that would be a spoiler, wouldn't it??


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Technically, that would be a spoiler, wouldn't it??


Darn.... Caught me....


----------



## Steph H

He's sneaky like that.  It was a good try, Green One.

Geez, Mike, I had no idea your hand had gotten so wrecked.  That's a real bummer.  

On the other other hand, I had a brain MRI done a couple of weeks ago, due to recurring migraines.  So the doc's office calls a couple of days later to let me know that nothing 'significant' showed up and not to worry....so does 'nothing significant' mean there was SOMETHING  DON'T WORRY  Sheesh.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Darn.... Caught me....


Okay, but JUST THIS ONCE:



Spoiler



Didn't I catch you once before trying to trick me into giving up a spoiler? LOL!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> He's sneaky like that. It was a good try, Green One.
> 
> Geez, Mike, I had no idea your hand had gotten so wrecked. That's a real bummer.
> 
> On the other other hand, I had a brain MRI done a couple of weeks ago, due to recurring migraines. So the doc's office calls a couple of days later to let me know that nothing 'significant' showed up and not to worry....so does 'nothing significant' mean there was SOMETHING DON'T WORRY Sheesh.


Well, it's not bad most of the time. Again, everyone walked away from the accident, so all things considered I still got off lucky.

As for your migraines, yikes! I assume you've already checked on your vision and so on? Do allergies trigger migraines (don't know, just wondering)?


----------



## Cathymw

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, peeps, count me in for 2500 words tonight on *Season Of The Harvest* - the most I've put in at one sitting in quite a while. I think I might actually finish the draft of this sucker within the next week!!


Good job. I really need to work on mine tonight.


----------



## telracs

Gee, thanks Cathy, make me feel guilty about not doing my editing job...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Steph H said:


> Must....resist....commenting....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Gee, thanks Cathy, make me feel guilty about not doing my editing job...


<whistles innocently>

Speaking of which, I need to get through at least one chapter tonight. Been a full day and pretty pooped, but the genetically modified organisms must go on!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 words for me tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Not a complete chapter for Peg tomorrow as the chapter is a logistic ballet and the birst of a scene that has been with me since 2002. It's based on a real field experience that I had on guard duty, when a line of trees came to life and turned out to be a tank crew taking our encampment in the dead of night. They thought the target was an empty range and didn;t know our entire battery was encamped there. We ran around turning vehicle lights on before we were blasted to Kngdom come. That's the truth of it - the fiction of it is juiced up with another true encounter I had with a wild boar on that same guard perimeter. It's a fun chapter - pivotal, but not ready for Peg of the Red Pencil yet - even for all the chocolate in the universe. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Going to start writing a great scene this morning: What do you get when you cross a CIA Counterterrorism agent with a Walther P99, a Colt AR-15 A3 Concussive Turbine rifle, a "fully loaded" Porsche 918 Spyder, an iPad, and an army of enemy foot soldiers in Boston City Hall Plaza? Heh, you'll have to wait until August 2011 to find out.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Going to start writing a great scene this morning: What do you get when you cross a CIA Counterterrorism agent with a Walther P99, a Colt AR-15 A3 Concussive Turbine rifle, a "fully loaded" Porsche 918 Spyder, an iPad, and an army of enemy foot soldiers in Boston City Hall Plaza? Heh, you'll have to wait until August 2011 to find out.


Hey, you forgot The Exploding Baseball Launcher!


----------



## telracs

John Fitch V said:


> Going to start writing a great scene this morning: What do you get when you cross a CIA Counterterrorism agent with a Walther P99, a Colt AR-15 A3 Concussive Turbine rifle, a "fully loaded" Porsche 918 Spyder, an iPad, and an army of enemy foot soldiers in Boston City Hall Plaza? Heh, you'll have to wait until August 2011 to find out.


You forgot the bewildered tourists!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

chanting . . .
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest!
I want Season of Harvest! .............

ecp
pressure and support! Yay!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, Ed, I want some of what you're having!  I'm also looking forward to your book about Graf, one of the places I never happened to get to during my miniscule part in the Cold War story. I'll be adding that to my rapidly growing TBR pile as soon as it's out...



Edward C. Patterson said:


> chanting . . .
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest! .............
> 
> ecp
> pressure and support! Yay!


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> chanting . . .
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest!
> I want Season of Harvest! .............
> 
> ecp
> pressure and support! Yay!


Maybe I'll just stop editing and let Hicks finish on his own, that way you people will get off my back...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Maybe I'll just stop editing and let Hicks finish on his own, that way you people will get off my back...


Noooo! That would lead to an editorial singularity and the universe would implode...!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Alright all you guys and gals. Back to work!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,790 words finishing up that chapter about the boar hunt and the tank attack. It scintilates, if I must say so myself, and it a tapestry of authoring - so much so, I changed the chapter tile from _The Huntsmen _ to _Tapestry_.  Can't wait until Peg's verdict.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I'm 400 words away from 250,000 words for 2010. That's just for novels. No short stories, novellas, blogs, social media, game stories, e-mails, etc.

Just novels.


----------



## Jason G. Anderson

John Fitch V said:


> I'm 400 words away from 250,000 words for 2010.


That is very impressive!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell," was just rescinded and Pres. Obama sent me an email saying he will sign it. God, I didn't think I would ever live to see this day. Today is so much brighter with freedom. 

Edward C. Patterson
former SP 5 Patterson, USArmy & a Proud Gay Vet


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," was just rescinded and Pres. Obama sent me an email saying he will sign it. God, I didn't think I would ever live to see this day. Today is so much brighter with freedom.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> former SP 5 Patterson, USArmy & a Proud Gay Vet


Congrats, Ed. It's about time.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Putting the rest of A Drop To Drink on hold until after my grandfather's wake/funeral services. Mind is a little too cluttered, and my heart isn't into it right now. I don't want to put it off, but maybe after the wake and everything is all said and done, I can concentrate more on finishing it. There's no way I'll make my goal now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words last night an ironically the subject was "coming out under fire." Didn;t plan it that way.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

John Fitch V said:


> Putting the rest of A Drop To Drink on hold until after my grandfather's wake/funeral services. Mind is a little too cluttered, and my heart isn't into it right now. I don't want to put it off, but maybe after the wake and everything is all said and done, I can concentrate more on finishing it. There's no way I'll make my goal now.


No use even trying to write now. My condolences on your loss, John.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

John Fitch V said:


> Putting the rest of A Drop To Drink on hold until after my grandfather's wake/funeral services. Mind is a little too cluttered, and my heart isn't into it right now. I don't want to put it off, but maybe after the wake and everything is all said and done, I can concentrate more on finishing it. There's no way I'll make my goal now.


Sorry to hear about that John. My prayers go with you. I just went through it with my Dad.

Ed Patterson


----------



## D.A. Boulter

John Fitch V said:


> Putting the rest of A Drop To Drink on hold until after my grandfather's wake/funeral services. Mind is a little too cluttered, and my heart isn't into it right now. I don't want to put it off, but maybe after the wake and everything is all said and done, I can concentrate more on finishing it. There's no way I'll make my goal now.


Sorry to hear this, John. Take care of yourself.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Sorry to hear about that John. My prayers go with you. I just went through it with my Dad.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed, I've hardly been around the past couple of weeks and I missed the news about your Dad's passing. Please accept my belated sympathies.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, I've hardly been around the past couple of weeks and I missed the news about your Dad's passing. Please accept my belated sympathies.


Thanks. It's been tough. This will be the first holiday am will be without either parent. I haven't had this situation since my days in the army in Germany, and then I have people around me and letters from home. To boot, my brother's mothr-in-law has been hospitalized, so he cancelled Christmas in NJ. The other brother will have a little something here on Christmas day. But I'll get through it. Fortunately, I have always appreciated my parents and was a wonderful son. Whenever I hear about children turning their backs on parents, I shae my head and say: "why. They aren't with us for as you long as you think."

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks. It's been tough. This will be the first holiday am will be without either parent. I haven't had this situation since my days in the army in Germany, and then I have people around me and letters from home. To boot, my brother's mothr-in-law has been hospitalized, so he cancelled Christmas in NJ. The other brother will have a little something here on Christmas day. But I'll get through it. Fortunately, I have always appreciated my parents and was a wonderful son. Whenever I hear about children turning their backs on parents, I shae my head and say: "why. They aren't with us for as you long as you think."
> 
> Ed Patterson


My Dad is 91 and my Mom is 88. I'm the only person my age I know that still has both parents. So many of my friends lost their parents early. I've been blessed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Putting the rest of A Drop To Drink on hold until after my grandfather's wake/funeral services. Mind is a little too cluttered, and my heart isn't into it right now. I don't want to put it off, but maybe after the wake and everything is all said and done, I can concentrate more on finishing it. There's no way I'll make my goal now.


Sorry to hear about that, dude! And sorry to you, too, Ed, for your dad not being with you this year. I know some other folks have been having a rough time lately, as well. Seems a bit paradoxical to wish everyone a Merry Christmas under those circumstances, but I'm going to do it anyway - may your pain and troubles be eased and may the coming year be a brighter one...!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sorry to hear about that, dude! And sorry to you, too, Ed, for your dad not being with you this year. I know some other folks have been having a rough time lately, as well. Seems a bit paradoxical to wish everyone a Merry Christmas under those circumstances, but I'm going to do it anyway - may your pain and troubles be eased and may the coming year be a brighter one...!


Thanks Michael:

This is the first Christmas Eve in 44 years that I've spent alone. The last and only other time I was in the Army at Grafenwöhr, and then I had my barracks buddies. We got drunk. Tonight I went to the movies (True Grit), came home and had a weight watcher dinner, watched a DVD (The Pacific), and will finish the night up reading some Dickens. It's a good thing I don't drink. Tomorrow I will have dinner with my younger brother and his family (well, my family - the last remnants). Although I am alone, I am not lonely as long as I know that somewhere on the planet someone is reading one of my books. With each page, a part of me lives, capturing moments both imagined and real. As for Mom and Dad, they are both with me always. Can't evict them, not that I would. You don't live with people for 60 years and have them melt away just like that. So I think I'm going to slice a piece of Amaretto Cake and crack open another Diet Coke with my Dickens, then say my prayers and sleep the sleep of the ages. Tomorrow is Christmas after all and it's about the sweet murmur of goodness at dawn, kissing us in birth and rebirth, a caress of infinite hope and rest. I can never be alone in such a dawn.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I wrote a brief 1,500 words tonight (a difficult chapter, which gave me anxiety - not as a writing challenge, but on how to not gross out my reader. I mean, we're only half-way through it). I think I succeeded (not in the gross out area, but in suggesting some deep and ponderous images for the reader to latch onto, and an intense emotional build up to then end of this section - Part III).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Just started the final epic battle for my entire Half-Orc series. I'm having a ball. No holding back now, just going crazy over-the-top. Got people sprawled all over the place, angels fighting demons, paladins fighting undead, brother fighting brother, gods and goddesses emerging into the world to aid their champions.

Aaah.

Been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. Almost surreal that I'm finally writing it. Wrote 3400 for tonight, and hope to crank out a crap-ton tomorrow before my friends come over for Poker.

David Dalglish


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half-Orc said:


> Just started the final epic battle for my entire Half-Orc series. I'm having a ball. No holding back now, just going crazy over-the-top. Got people sprawled all over the place, angels fighting demons, paladins fighting undead, brother fighting brother, gods and goddesses emerging into the world to aid their champions.
> 
> Aaah.
> 
> Been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. Almost surreal that I'm finally writing it. Wrote 3400 for tonight, and hope to crank out a crap-ton tomorrow before my friends come over for Poker.
> 
> David Dalglish


It's great when after years of writing a scene in your head you finally get to write it.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Way to go, David! I, on the other hand, have been a complete and total slacker on the writing front. Vacationing in Orlando has a tendency to do that...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Way to go, David! I, on the other hand, have been a complete and total slacker on the writing front. Vacationing in Orlando has a tendency to do that...


I was wondering why my last 3 e-mails didn't get answers. How did I not know you were going away?


----------



## telracs

Well, Hicks is on vacation, and I couldn't get out my front door to get to work.  So I finally got back to proofing Harvest.  One more chapter and the epilogue, and I'm done!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Well, Hicks is on vacation, and I couldn't get out my front door to get to work. So I finally got back to proofing Harvest. One more chapter and the epilogue, and I'm done!


So, that's what it takes to get you going on editing? Me on vacation and you not being able to get to work? We'll have to do this more often! 

I've been checking the thread occasionally and have indeed seen your emails with the edits come in, but we've been so darn busy I haven't even had a chance early in the morning to get anything done like I normally would. But, I guess that's what a vacation is supposed to be...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> So, that's what it takes to get you going on editing? Me on vacation and you not being able to get to work? We'll have to do this more often!
> 
> I've been checking the thread occasionally and have indeed seen your emails with the edits come in, but we've been so darn busy I haven't even had a chance early in the morning to get anything done like I normally would. But, I guess that's what a vacation is supposed to be...


When you gonna actually be home? And what did you buy me?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Meanwhile, us Hicks fans got to wait. Hmmmm.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> When you gonna actually be home? And what did you buy me?


Gonna be home - weather and traffic permitting - on New Year's Day. I'd bring you back a jar of Orlando sunshine for ya, but right now it'd be covered with frost!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Meanwhile, us Hicks fans got to wait. Hmmmm.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Awww, Ed!


----------



## telracs

I am now officially finished proofing Harvest.  All yours Mike.  And I want a t-shirt!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I am now officially finished proofing Harvest. All yours Mike. And I want a t-shirt!


w00t! Thanks to you and Steph! T-shirts and chocolate (double, since I still owe you two for _Legend_!) are on me!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! Thanks to you and Steph! T-shirts and chocolate (double, since I still owe you two for _Legend_!) are on me!


As long as the chocolate is not ON the t-shirt.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> As long as the chocolate is not ON the t-shirt.


Oh, you're SUCH a spoilsport!


----------



## R. M. Reed

I started an SF story about a young girl on a colony planet, but it stalled in my brain after a short time. I decided it was too easy. I made her older, and a mail order bride at an agricultural research station on the planet. This brought up all kinds of issues about the Earth culture at the time, and had to include sex, which is outside of my usual writing comfort zone. So the story is turning out to be much more challenging than I expected. If it works, it will be a great story. If I blow it, it will suck Grade A eggs. It could go either way right now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 word addition to _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. A tense chapter involving a boar, some coffee and mathem (ahem).

Edward C. Patterson
PS: The sales have been crazy in the last three days. I haven;t promoted and have nearly 100 sales in that time. God bless the Kindle and new kindle owners. I wondering how they're finding me without me standing on the side of the road yelling!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Well I'm starting to feel a little better.... I ravaged my back not only with the recent snowstorm, but we also had the funeral for my grandfather on Tuesday. My grandmother got sick during the afterparty and had weak legs, so a family friend and I wheeled her to the front door, then lifted her into the house.

I'm not going to reach my goal, and as I sit here, I can't help but feel ashamed of not meeting it. Things got in the way that I couldn't control, but still.

I'm taking a few more days to get better and rest, then I'll resume writing.


----------



## julieannfelicity

John Fitch V said:


> Well I'm starting to feel a little better.... I ravaged my back not only with the recent snowstorm, but we also had the funeral for my grandfather on Tuesday. My grandmother got sick during the afterparty and had weak legs, so a family friend and I wheeled her to the front door, then lifted her into the house.
> 
> I'm not going to reach my goal, and as I sit here, I can't help but feel ashamed of not meeting it. Things got in the way that I couldn't control, but still.
> 
> I'm taking a few more days to get better and rest, then I'll resume writing.


Sometimes life works in mysterious ways. Don't feel guilty or ashamed, it happens. You need this time for you and if you pushed through you'd only be hurting yourself more. Get those three R's (Rest, Relaxation and Rejuvenation) and we definitely look forward to your writing again!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

John, sometimes you need to step away. I just went through it with mu dad. You'll return at double strength. Trust me.

Ed patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished Part III of _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ with a 2,000 word chapter. Had a knock down drag out fight with my protagonist on his character arc. Sadly, he's winning. But that's not sad for my readers. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Cliff Ball

I have a question... how the heck does one keep momentum going? I can get a bunch of sales one week, and then go two or three weeks with nothing, then get a bunch in two or three days, and then the same pattern repeats. It's driving me nuts!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Happy New Year all. Only 1,800 words today on _The Road to Grafenwöhr_. It's the second time in my novels I have a conversation between urinating men. (The last one they were three Chinese Generals planning strategy over a good distance contest in the _*Nan Tu * _ - this time it was more an Oktoberfest relief deal). 

Edward C. Patterson
_Ein, zwei, g 'suffa._


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Two books away from breaking last January's mark.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,000 words today or there about on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, and I'm a bit behind my schedule. The book probably won;t be finished until the end of the month, when I'll get in high gear for the revisions and the publication. Between that I need to whip together my Jargon book, and start Swan Cloud. I had a few bumps in 2011, one might say. It's a good thing I live to write and not wirte for a living.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I don't have writer's block, I have writer's blech. I have decided that my current story is the biggest load of crap every written and any editor I send it to will laugh me out of the business. I decide this at some point during every writing project.


----------



## julieannfelicity

R. Reed said:


> I don't have writer's block, I have writer's blech. I have decided that my current story is the biggest load of crap every written and any editor I send it to will laugh me out of the business. I decide this at some point during every writing project.


  Don't feel that way, Robin. I think it might be the January blahs hitting everyone, because I'm feeling it today too. Try not to let that creepy, crawly bug, Mr. Self-doubt, hit ya ... let it sit, and in a few days go back to it and see what you can salvage. I'm sure you'll feel a LOT better after it has sat for a few. *hugs*


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

R. Reed said:


> I don't have writer's block, I have writer's blech. I have decided that my current story is the biggest load of crap every written and any editor I send it to will laugh me out of the business. I decide this at some point during every writing project.


Robin, it's time to "outrun your doubts." 
If you're using an outline, tear it up - they're poisin. Now take a deep breath, envision your story strictly through your protagonist's eyes. Let the protagonist take you where he/she wants to go. Then think of a different idea. Pick up the newspaper, or watch a movie, and during that activity glean some fresh material (doesn't even need to be related to your story). Close eyes again - see if your character does the same thing. I bet not. I bet new doors will open. Cast the direction in your head and decide if you need to pick up your writing at the same point or at another, earlier point. Then get in the zone and do your magic.

Every author goes through the blech. You hit it fast if you're more organized. (I do a free fall as I work without a net). I just had a drag out fight with my protagonist and after working on and off with the current story since 2002. I work on novels to a point where I hoist them into the publishing gun and then stick with it. This character, who is suppose to deconstruct and arc downward into madness just upped and told me where to stick it. He fought and fought until now his mad arc is downright heroic. He slammed me right and left and now he and I are on the same page and I'm loving what he wants me to do.

The blech is better than the block. The block is a black hole. The blech is an opportunity to reinvent your work.

Hope that helps. _Nil disparandum_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## J.M Pierce

I am back into _A Shadow's Light _ full force! Man it feels good! Got down 3000+ words today. I'm feelin' good.


----------



## julieannfelicity

Finally finished 6671 words for Chapter 6 of my current WIP _From Heaven_, and posted it to my website. Whew! That's even with Mr. Self-Doubt kicking in my door. 

Now it's time for bed ... and then tomorrow off to start Chapter 7.

G'night ya'll!


----------



## julieannfelicity

Well wrote 1500+ and finished Chapter 7 of my current WIP, From Heaven (and posted it to my website).

I'm thinking of ending the 'free chapters' here to see if it can drum up some interest for when the book is finally published. (Yet that makes me feel so guilty! )


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,200 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, and a hard one, because it was an action sequence, but the hard kind - combat, as I have a projection into the jungles of Nam and a fight scene. In order to write this scene and a few others, I needed to become familiar with a kabar (ka-bar), a rather mean USMC fighting knife, a key point in the story. I thought to get a feel for it on-line. Ka-bars are not standard Army issue, so I had never dealt with this fine killing blade nearly the length of a bayonet. My nephew (a marine) didn't have one to borrow, so . . . you guessed it, I bought one and studied it, balanced it and did everything but kill (or circumcise) with it in order to _larn _ my readers about this unique instrument. I figure that, once published, I'll need to sell 50 copies to pay for this little extravagance in verisimilitude.  But hey, when I wrote _*Turning Idolater*_, I researched on-line gay male strippers (even interviewed one for a week, during the show) to capture the real spirit of that enterprising industry. Someone had to do it. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

Ed - No outlines for me. I just type and go with what happens. My heroin in this story was a child in the first version, but that didn't seem to be right for the story. I made her a young adult, and early in the story she said a line that I liked, but it opened up a can of worms. Now I had to worry about the background, and why Earth society had changed so that the line made sense. Now I worry about offending women readers, because this future is not a good one for women. Well, I am almost done, if early readers tell me it stinks I will put it aside as an interesting experiment.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

R. Reed said:


> Ed - No outlines for me. I just type and go with what happens. My heroin in this story was a child in the first version, but that didn't seem to be right for the story. I made her a young adult, and early in the story she said a line that I liked, but it opened up a can of worms. Now I had to worry about the background, and why Earth society had changed so that the line made sense. Now I worry about offending women readers, because this future is not a good one for women. Well, I am almost done, if early readers tell me it stinks I will put it aside as an interesting experiment.


Sounds like you need to borrow onward regardless of your fears and doubts. Creativity know no such bounds. Once finished, sit down for the revision. The first thing in a good revision (which is where the writing part happens - the manuscript is for the authoring and the soul), is a read through with notes on major changes and adjustments. Then, with that as your guide, you revide - word by word - line by line. In that way you can cut judiciously and keep an eye on your notes. You'll also stumble across the theme in there somewhere. There is never any room in authoring for panic and if you think you will be offending a specific group, note it - validate it - tone it down or justify it. If its extra crust, trim it. If its germaine to your story, bake it well and always gild your philisophic pills.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

I think the Gerber Mark II fighting knife was Army issue after about 1967, Ed.

Traditional publishers insist on an outline for multi-book deals so I got into the habit of outlining and then expanding the outline many years ago. The outline and research takes me longer than writing the story but I don't think I could manage complicated time-lines in multiple locations without one.

I'm about 1/3 finished with _Johnny Comes Marching Home_ and am still planning to publish in April during the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

This one must be a kabar and is issued by 2 roman centurions (ghosts). Just wrote my Nam sequence. Phew.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> This one must be a kabar and is issued by 2 roman centurions (ghosts). Just wrote my Nam sequence. Phew.


Can't wait to read it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Can't wait to read it.


The book took a weird and wonderful turn because the protagonist refused to obey my explicit orders to arc downward. I almost fired him for insubordination. Now I never know quite what he wants to do, but he knows better than I do and is leading me through a journey. My only job is to shine his work up in the revision and let him take my readers on the same insane, absolutely unique trip. BTW, his name is Quincy Summerson aka Chico (because of a significant scar on his cheek - one shaped like a wishbone, which the Gertmans call a _Gabelbein_). In my original concept, he would be plundered by his own imagination, but as it has turned out, he masters it like a finely tuned weapon and wields it for all the right causes. He was a pain in the ass to negotiate with, but in the end he'll do me as proud as Winslow Gibbs or Philip Flaxen. The only thing, this novel was scheduled to be finished by Christmas. I expected a delay through my mourning period, but I've just passed the 1/2 way point and we're into January. However, I have resolved to delay revisions and publication until it's ready, because it might prove with some of my readers to be their favorite, and I'll not rush that. I've pushed _Swan Cloud _ off a month. Peg of the Red pencil was leery of this work. (She's not fond of Gothic or horror), but now she's on board, rootin'-tootin' and loving Chico and his arc, which his nannies (these Roman ghosts, who were crucified during the reign of Marcus Aurelius at Ratisbona "Regensburg") call _The Ripening_. The next big challenge is to present the Pink Triangles of Plassenburg concentration camp and a gruesome Christmas celebration by the commandant of Dachau. But I owe that to Miriam Ben Shalom (a discharged lesbian and one of my mentors). Racing along. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

We were garrisoned at Regensburg. When we weren't at Graf or on maneuvers, we spent six weeks there in relative comfort, then six weeks in the border camp.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Less than 8,000 words until I reach the minimum goal on my project.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> We were garrisoned at Regensburg. When we weren't at Graf or on maneuvers, we spent six weeks there in relative comfort, then six weeks in the border camp.


I set a scene in the Regensburg townhall, in the interogation chambers (scary) and one on the banks of the Danube on the steps and gardens of the Valhalla Temple.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Brooke A. Sheehan

Hello everyone! ^_^
I am very new here, but, seeing as how the first book in my series is at the 'being edited to death' stage by my cadre of editors (fondly known as my housemates), I decided it was definitely time to look into various modes of publishing. I'm not generally one to jump on the e-book bandwagon, but even I can tell where the print media is going, so I've decided to look into e-publishing. So, with that said:

My goal is to wander aimlessly through the mass of websites on e-publishing, decipher the language that's a rather sad attempt at looking prestigious, then follow a likely link that, in reality, sends me to some undusted corner of the internet where information lurks that's over five years old and therefore completely obsolete, only to turn around, retrace my footsteps and start the entire process all over again. ^_^


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

BSheehan said:


> My goal is to wander aimlessly through the mass of websites on e-publishing, decipher the language that's a rather sad attempt at looking prestigious, then follow a likely link that, in reality, sends me to some undusted corner of the internet where information lurks that's over five years old and therefore completely obsolete, only to turn around, retrace my footsteps and start the entire process all over again. ^_^


Oooooor you could ask your questions here, and get timely, up-to-date answers.


----------



## Brooke A. Sheehan

Half-Orc said:


> Oooooor you could ask your questions here, and get timely, up-to-date answers.


But...but...that would be logical and make things quite simple.

SYSTEM OVERLOAD
Abort? Retry? Cancel?

Much better. Actually, my two biggest questions are finding a good sample e-book layout and figuring out how, exactly, you upload your book to places like Kindle and Nook. Every time I attempt to hunt down these things using a site search, I wind up lost in some Alice-in-Wonderland world of 'Well, HALF this word matched this one, so here's 300 sites with that word and 55 eBay sites because you used 'e-' in your search'.


----------



## J.K. Arauz

BSheehan said:


> I am very new here, but, seeing as how the first book in my series is at the 'being edited to death' stage by my cadre of editors (fondly known as my housemates), I decided it was definitely time to look into various modes of publishing. I'm not generally one to jump on the e-book bandwagon, but even I can tell where the print media is going, so I've decided to look into e-publishing. So, with that said:
> 
> My goal is to wander aimlessly through the mass of websites on e-publishing...


Cyber high-five from a fellow newbie!

You can join me over at JA Konrath's blog which is essentially what you're looking for. He started small, went big, and he's published a bunch of helpful information about the epublishing process. I highly recommend you check him out.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

BSheehan said:


> Actually, my two biggest questions are finding a good sample e-book layout and figuring out how, exactly, you upload your book to places like Kindle and Nook. Every time I attempt to hunt down these things using a site search, I wind up lost in some Alice-in-Wonderland world of 'Well, HALF this word matched this one, so here's 300 sites with that word and 55 eBay sites because you used 'e-' in your search'.


Heh. Uploading to Kindle is fairly easy, at dtp.amazon.com. Go ahead and make an account there, play around with some options, see how it works. You'll upload cover, description, and the book file itself all separately. If you really wanted to, you could use Word, though I wouldn't recommend it. It usually works best to create a filtered htm file through Word, and then create a PRC file using Mobipocket Creator (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/productdetailscreator.asp). It's free, so don't worry about cost.

If you're looking for some giant, step-by-step, this is how you upload to Amazon, you probably aren't going to find one. Narrow the question down, though, and you'll get plenty of help.

Oh, and for B&N, you'll use their Pubit system, which is fairly similar to Amazon's DTP.

David Dalglish


----------



## Brooke A. Sheehan

Actually, that is exactly the thing that I was looking for. Mr. Dalglish. Thank you so much!

And thank you for the point toward JA Konrath's website, my fellow newbie! ^_^

Brooke Sheehan


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Brooke,

Send me an email at [email protected] and I send you my book on eBook and POD publishing in the format of your choice (for free). My address is [email protected]  It contains all the essentials and some laughs too. I published my first eBook for the Oindle in November 2007 (one of the first Indie authors to do so), so I have a teeny weenie bit of experience with it and have 16 books published now.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

A Drop To Drink currently sits at 211 pages in Microsoft Word; 84,100 words written. Only 5,900 words to meet the minimum goal.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

And I have met itttttttttttttttttttt!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,000 words last night on The Road to Grafenwöhr. Like many of my chapters, they are tripartite. However, this one I only wrote the first two sections. Quincy, my protagonist, wrote the third. He did a better job than I would have. I had somethng else planned, but as he arcs, he's becoming my boss. Soon I'll be working for him.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Slow this week as I lost my job (and got it back again at a greatly reduced hourly wager) in one day (last Tuesday). Working now at starting salary after 45 years with the company (new company bought us). But money ain't everything, but at least I'm still employed and will need to kick in my savings in order to get to social security in 28 months. It is ironic that my salary slipped in 2003 down to my 1986 salary level, and now I've slipped back to my 1981 salary level. What's next, my 1965 salary of $60 a week. 

Anyway, I have taken the high ground and shall survive. I leave the low-ground to victims, and . . . I'll get to Scotland before ya.

Edward C. Patterson

_He don't plant tatters,
He don't plant cotton,
And thems that plants them
Is soon forgotten,
But Ole Man River
He just keeps rollin' along._
- Oscar Hammerstein III
Show Boat


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just passed 750 books sold overall since Nov. 1, 2009... someone pinch me.


----------



## Jeff

John Fitch V said:


> Just passed 750 books sold overall since Nov. 1, 2009... someone pinch me.


>Pinch<

You're awake. It must be true. Congratulations.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Thanks, Jeff!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 more words on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ - in the thick of the _Floßenburg _ scenes (throw backs to the concentration camp), so a bit of rough wirting and some vivid memories from my own visits there in the 60's. Hit 80,000 words for the work tnight. About 35,000 more to go. This work was originally sized at 50-60,000 words, but has grown in the telling. It was a shaky manuscript at first, but has not standing tall besides its siblings. (_Turning Idolater _ and _Look Away Silence _ were also shaky manuscripts - so I have great confidence that my readers will like the adventures of Quincy Summerson, the _Grimmörtz von Oberpfalz_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## cortney

Hufff.... Ya'll write so dang fast! It took me like a month to write 5000 words. i guess my small fingers play a part in this....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

cortney said:


> Hufff.... Ya'll write so dang fast! It took me like a month to write 5000 words. i guess my small fingers play a part in this....


Your muse has his or her own pace - that's all that matters...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 more words on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ - and a devastating write tonight as I had to deal with _Floßenburg _ concentration camp and particularly the infamous Dachau Christmas tree (which the commandant decorated with gay prisoners - the pink triangles). It was a tale related to me by one of my mentors, Miriam Ben Shalom, who had it told to her by an eye witness. She told me that the one thing that kept her going as an activist was the Dachau story and how it haunted her dreams. My problem was incorporating it into the story not for pathos or shock value, but as an impetus for my protagonist and his purpose as a _Grimmörtz_ - or, as his ghostly mentors, the Centurions Maximus and Pertinax tell him - _Imaginarius, you are a rare bird who walks the thread between life and death, mind and abyss, past and future - the nexus of all existence. _ I'm drained. Whew!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

It's too early to bump the book thread for *Season Of The Harvest*, but I wanted to post the foreword for entertainment purposes... 

*Foreword*​
Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.

Just sitting there on the page, the term sounds exotic, doesn't it? Like something out of a science fiction story. You may have heard about them, or you may not. But one thing's for certain: unless you eat only organic food, you've probably put a genetically modified organism in your mouth and eaten it. Many times. Corn. Soy. Rice. Wheat. And others.

There are companies here in the United States and in other nations that have modified the genetic material of many of our most basic food crops to be fundamentally different than their "natural" siblings. Strains of these crops have been engineered to be resistant to certain herbicides, or to repel insect pests. To need less water. To grow faster, or larger. Human engineering has improved on the work of Nature, tailoring these vital plants to our needs. It's a multi-billion dollar industry that controls an ever-larger share of the world's food supply, for the benefit of people everywhere.

And we know that GMOs are safe for us, for our children. For the animals we depend on for our protein. We know this because the companies that produce these wonder crops say so. The government agencies responsible for the safety of our food supplies say so. Therefore, it surely must be true.

Genetically modified organisms. _You are what you eat&#8230;_


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

This reminds me of the anecdote by W.S. Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan fame (I'm a Savoyard). During the rehearsal of _*The Mikado*_, the tenor lead (Nanki-poo played by Durwood Lely) had the line: _Rapture_. Gilbert, who always lurked in the theater didn't care for the delivery yelled: _ Lely, modify rapture_. Lely shaded his eyes and said: _Yes, Mr. Gilbert_. He returned to his Yum Yum (the soprano Leonora Brahams) and said: _Modified rapture_. Gilbert couldn't contain his laughter and even the carpenters roared. It was incorporated into the libretto and whenever a Savoyard wants to convey the height of orgiastic pleasure they will shout: _Modified rapture_. (I even include it as a homage catch phrase in _*Surviving an American Gulag * _ because the protagonist, Winslow Gibb (ME) is an afficiado of G&S - a Savoyard).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Mike,

You may have said and I may have missed it but - when are we going to be reading _Season Of The Harvest_?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Mike,
> 
> You may have said and I may have missed it but - when are we going to be reading _Season Of The Harvest_?


Jeff - I'm *hoping* to get the edits wrapped up this week, and with a bit of luck it'll be in the Kindle store by next week-ish...


----------



## Jeff

Looking forward to it, Mike.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Me too, Mike.

I did 3,800 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, and had a stretch of the memoir basis for the work in this section. Here's a small snippet.

"Quincy supposed that he was having a better Christmas away from home than he had ever in that cold, loveless environment. At least here, he had Ratz and the Applegates and Sergeant Eagle's feast. He even had a better class of imaginary friends in Maximus and Pertinax. Even Jay Mathias (when he wasn't off with Rudi) had been warmer than the old world back in Brooklyn. So, when Mary Rostov asked him about finding his Sudeten family, he told her the truth, because he knew that this was as close to a family that he had ever known. Even the Christmas tree (not the mental vision, but the one in front of the barrack's Day Room) was whimsically merrier - ornaments made from crushed beer cans and puffed condoms tucked between the boughs (grease pencil etched with the names of girlfriends and town whores) and yellow tinsel made from shredded field reports and a star cut from a pie plate (either mince or pumpkin). However, the aroma of pine was divine no matter how much decorated garbage was tossed on the tree. It made Quincy laugh, the missing ingredient that lacked at home - humor and irony and the occasional condom popped by a sly passing drunk on their way to sleep it off."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Looking forward to it, Mike.


Thanks, guys! I have to say that I'm rather happy with it, considering it's totally "off-road writing" for me. Need to massage it a tad more, but am hoping to have it done SOOON! About the only other thing I'm doing at this point other than going to work, eating, and doing P90X is hammering on this sucker to get it done. LOL!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

And Ed, I have to say I'll have to check out the Road to Graf - I was never there, but a lot of the guys I used to work with had been, but I don't remember any stories about puffed-up condoms on Christmas trees! I obviously missed out on the good stuff!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I used to have a picture of the beer and condom tree, but I can't find it. Someone somewhere is saying, thank God. What can I tell ya. We were young then. I was only 20.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I used to have a picture of the beer and condom tree, but I can't find it. Someone somewhere is saying, thank God. What can I tell ya. We were young then. I was only 20.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


LOL! That'd be a crackup!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ - only 8 more chapters to go befure I start the revision and Peg starts her final edits. The work is getting intense now (all my works get to some level of intensity - that's what my readers expect, but this one has my feet tapping). 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I started writing a children's book on Monday. I wrote a chapter that day, and I only wrote a page today. Hopefully will get a little written tomorrow. Have to think positively sometimes that one page is better than no pages.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Somewhere past the halfway mark (chapter 22 of 35 or thereabouts) in final edits of *Season Of The Harvest*. Determined to finish this sucker off today. Raawwwrrrrr!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Somewhere past the halfway mark (chapter 22 of 35 or thereabouts) in final edits of *Season Of The Harvest*. Determined to finish this sucker off today. Raawwwrrrrr!


thank goodness.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> thank goodness.


Indeed!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Indeedy. Peg of the Red Pencil has a Kindle now and I want to gift a book. (Not to mention my copy).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Indeedy. Peg of the Red Pencil has a Kindle now and I want to gift a book. (Not to mention my copy).
> 
> Ed Patterson


Hope she likes lots of stuff getting blown up! LOL!


----------



## bobavey

My goal is to finish my third book. I'm two years in and still working.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hope she likes lots of stuff getting blown up! LOL!


Who the heck doesn't?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Who the heck doesn't?


Well, there are a few "kinder, gentler" readers out there who are averse to things going kerplooie. And this story ends on a pretty darn big one...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another The Stand?


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, there are a few "kinder, gentler" readers out there who are averse to things going kerplooie. And this story ends on a pretty darn big one...


Your story ends on a pretty darn big kinder, gentler reader? That was mean of you. What'd that poor reader do to you?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, there are a few "kinder, gentler" readers out there who are averse to things going kerplooie. And this story ends on a pretty darn big one...


as he knows, I'm one of these "kinder, gentler" readers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Your story ends on a pretty darn big kinder, gentler reader? That was mean of you. What'd that poor reader do to you?


He probably posted some totally outrageous things to my Runmeter and needed a good squishing! 

Poor Scarlet - this one was tough for her to slog through!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> He probably posted some totally outrageous things to my Runmeter and needed a good squishing!


I always wondered...how does it voice those to you? My impression is that it'd just suddenly, in a robot voice, give you the direct message. Now if it also says who it's by, that's clearly not as fun. Come on, what could possibly get your attention off of running better than having it seem like your little gadget has become sentient and started hitting on you?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> I always wondered...how does it voice those to you? My impression is that it'd just suddenly, in a robot voice, give you the direct message. Now if it also says who it's by, that's clearly not as fun. Come on, what could possibly get your attention off of running better than having it seem like your little gadget has become sentient and started hitting on you?


LOL! It *is* a little robot voice, but it also tells me who it's from. It's great fun, though, and it does help make the runs a lot more enjoyable!!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! It *is* a little robot voice, but it also tells me who it's from. It's great fun, though, and it does help make the runs a lot more enjoyable!!


Dangit!! That ruins all the fun. I'm going to have to make a user account "Isayboy Isay," so it makes every message sound like it is from Foghorn Leghorn.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Half-Orc said:


> Dangit!! That ruins all the fun. I'm going to have to make a user account "Isayboy Isay," so it makes every message sound like it is from Foghorn Leghorn.


LMAO! One of my all-time favorite characters! I used to love watching him whack the dog with a stick!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, *Season Of The Harvest* is pretty much finished - off to the beta readers for any pithy comments they may have, then (pending any last-minute edits) it's gonna get fired off to Smashwords for distribution by next weekend (give or take a day or so)! Good heavens I'm tired. I think I need a vacation!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Getting closer to the final push as this roller coaster comes into the station Yahoo!!!! BTW, I'm dedicating this one to my Dad, who I just lost - Here's the inscription:

"*In Memory of My Father

Donald Phillips Patterson

A combat Naval Veteran of World War II and,
Aboard the USS Thomas Jefferson, made
Six major Invasions

Fedela - North Africa
Sciletti - Sicily
Salerno - Italy
Southern France
Normandy - Omaha Beach
Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands - Japan

He was a devoted Husband, loving and supporting Father, a Cherokee warrior and 
My Hero

"Be at rest, Sailor Boy. Be at rest."*​
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Nice dedication, Ed. I'm sure he's proud.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, *Season Of The Harvest* is formatted for Smashwords and DTP. So as soon as I get the feedback from the beta readers and make any necessary tweaks, I'm kicking the sucker out the door to the ebook world! A print version will follow shortly behind (and still have to go back and make a print version of *Legend Of The Sword* - d'oh!)...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, *Season Of The Harvest* is formatted for Smashwords and DTP. So as soon as I get the feedback from the beta readers and make any necessary tweaks, I'm kicking the sucker out the door to the ebook world! A print version will follow shortly behind (and still have to go back and make a print version of *Legend Of The Sword* - d'oh!)...


Forget print versions. Get me the next INH book!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> Forget print versions. Get me the next INH book!


LOL! Well, hey, I've already got the first two chapters done...


----------



## Valerie Maarten

I absolutely love this thread.  I wish I would have found it much earlier.  Forgive me, I'm fairly new to the KB community.  I have several things that causes me angst when I'm writing, research being one.  I always have trouble coming up with a title and trying to find the right character name(s) that suit them.  I usually find myself changing their names before I'm complete.  However, I'm curious to know how many writers out there work on multiple WIP at a time?  I can't seem to make my brain work that way.  I can only seem to work on one at a time, though I have numerous stories in my head that are clamoring for my attention.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Valerie, I have to work on just one thing at a time as well, so you're not alone.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,800 words tonight on one chapter f The Road to Grfenwöhr. First time in any of my books I've resorted to Latin (Chinese, Cherokee, Swedish, Italian, Spanish and German yes— Latin, No), but my Roman ghosts (who have for the most part spoken in English - a bit Shavian even) needed to express themseves in their native tongue. My Latin is horrible. Thank Jove that theirs is better.   

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Valerie Maarten

Half-Orc said:


> Valerie, I have to work on just one thing at a time as well, so you're not alone.


Whew! I'm glad it's not just me


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Valerie Maarten said:


> Whew! I'm glad it's not just me


No, you're not alone! If I didn't force myself to focus on one project at a time, it would never get done!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ShadowCatz said:


> Last night I finally got back on the editing horse and I did five chapters. I am very pleased with myself and then I check my inbox and someone commented on my blog about an upcoming book from an author I interviewed, that has given me a warm fuzzy feeling. That someone asked for my help not many people do that.


Sweet! Good onya! 

Getting the final edits coming in for *Season Of The Harvest*, so I hope to have the Kindle version of that out on the street next week...


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Finished a 3,000 word short story tonight. I liked it enough that it may just turn into my next novel.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Worked a little on the next chapter of The Road to Grafemwöhr, but did edits on the opening 2 chapters (adjustments on the other end of the character arc, now that Quincy Summerson has finally made up his mind what he wants to do with my novel).  Also penciled in a piece that was cut from the middle of the work and restored it greatly reshaped and refined to the works sunset. I also am not sure how to clasofy the work. It was originally conceived as Horror (or Gothic), but now its more a modern fantasy since I jettisoned most of the gore (there are some mentally excriciating sections and emotional intensity, but hey - that's my style). Funny, however, I do have a little bit of squeamishness coming up. I'll need to warn Peg not to edit that chapter at lunch. 

Edward C. Patterson
Waiting to read _*Season Of the Harvest * _ and will be the first on the Buy Button.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ugh! God, thought I'd accidentally blown away the first two chapters I'd written on the next _In Her Name_ novel when I changed from Linux to Win 7. Couldn't find them on my Mac, either! Finally found the file on my remote me.com storage. Oy...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 2,000 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ - just went over the 90,000 word mark and only have 6 chapters more. I also ran the revision of Chapter One through _SerenityEditor_. Peg won;t get the revisions for her looksee until she gets the last chapters. Then she'll do her final edit, and then I'll run it through Katie the Kindlespreche. We'll see how Katie handles the German words.  My target is now the end of February. I'll be firing up the little _*Jargon*_ book between the launch and the start of _*Swan Cloud*_, but I've been hitting my Sung histories and rereading the first 2 books of _*Southern Swallow * _ to get me motivated and my mind settled into 12th Century China. Also browsing the Yuan Dynasty novel _*Outlaws of the Marsh * _ - for more strucutral ideas. _*Swan Cloud * _ is an interesting contrast to the first two books as it centers not only on the ever going Jade Owl backstory, but on the trial and death of General Yueh Fei, and the inner workings of the Sung Censorate leading up to a power confrontation between the Son of Heaven and his Grand Tutor. It also includes the journey to the malarial island of Hai-nan, where our hero is exiled for a few decades. (see: Book 4 - _*The House of Green Waters*_). Getting psyched. My SciFi book,_* Belmondus*_, which has been waiting for five years now, beckons me also. Actually, longer than five years. Material for it was first written in my first full length unpublished novel _*The Nioche*_, back in 1971 - so that one, in part, has been in my cerebellum, for 40 years. Recently, I found a handwirtten copy of _*The Nioche * _ among my dissertation notes and a rejection for another novel that I submitted. I'm glad I found it, because although I don;t need it to continue the work, it's nice to study the origins of the thought.

Edward C. Patterson

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just finished the voice edit for A Drop To Drink, which will be now known as Only Available Agent. 

Proofing it tomorrow, then sending it to a beta reader.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 2,200 words on _The Road to Grafenwöhr_. Chugging along. This one involved the fine art of create dialog with a lot of cursing - and regional slang. My object was to make it sing, so the reader forgets that they're reading, but can hear it. I find that the best way to marshal out ribald dialog is to have a firm grip on classical poetry. It's all in the rhthym. New chapter up is gruesome, so I need to put on my visceral goulashes. 

Edward C. Patterson

_Gung-xi Fa-tsai _ - Year of the Rabbit (_tu-nien_)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

An unaccustomed break from anything related to writing while I wait for the last bits of beta reader feedback. Time to catch up on some movies!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Rent or buy The Pacific. Better still get E B Sledge's With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa. And Robert Leckie's Helmet for My Pillow. Wow. Both are available on the kindle.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike. Get a promo piece out on the Coming Attraction thread for Season Of the Harvest. 

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,51451.msg885742/topicseen.html#msg885742

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike. Get a promo piece out on the Coming Attraction thread for Season Of the Harvest.
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,51451.msg885742/topicseen.html#msg885742
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed - Cool, thanks for the heads-up!


----------



## Jason G. Anderson

Just finished my current short story (set in an atomic wasteland post-apocalypse setting). I was aiming for just over 5k words, ended up being around 6,300 words. I can live with that  Still need to do some editing/proofing before it goes off for beta readers, but I'm happy with it.

Now to get back to editing my novel!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Will I ever finish this one.    1,700 words today on The Road to Grafenwöhr, not including revisions to the first two chapters (getting a leg up on that). Only 5 more chapters to go, but today's was brief, but a little on the gruesome side (well, one little grue or is it some grue). I need to warrant the blood on the book's cover.    I shouldn't complain. I'm supposed to be in NJ this weekend taking care of business (Dad's posthumos stuff) with my brother, but we had an ice storm this morning and I was sliding all around the place, so I cancelled. Next week. But the plus was that I was able to finish a chapter (and tomorrow another one), and also set up the British Embassy in Iraq on Operation eBook Drop.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

I rewrote most of "Enchanted Heart".  It took almost a month but it is done.  Now, I have to reread it to make sure my changes are consistent and my characters (several of whom I changed the names) are well-developed.  Sometimes, I think that it will never be finished.  I am my worst critic!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

For the first time ever, splitting my writing time between two projects. Haven't written near as much as I want (dang you cold!), but pulled off 2k today on Dance of Blades, and 3k yesterday on Ethereal.


----------



## JMelzer

Oh, look! An author support thread! What a great idea.  

I wrote 3,721 today, bringing me up to just over 20K on a new novel.


----------



## Gerald

I wrote just over 1500 words today on a new horro short for #SampleSunday. It was OK, although the first comments I've had back, although really good, weren't the sort of comments I was hoping for (i.e. no one said they were scared witless).

So it's back to crime tomorrow for me


----------



## WilliamEsmont

Revised & edited 3 chapters of Fire this evening, one of which was a sex scene from a woman's POV - a first for me. This should be interesting.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I submitted my most recent short story, the one I agonized about in another thread, and which Scarlet kindly read and critiqued, to Asimov's SF Magazine. I also took it to the critique group I meet with once a month, and one person had a brilliant suggestion that took out the element that I was so worried about. I sent it to Asimov's because their head editor said she was looking forward to my next story after rejecting the one I sent last year.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words tonight on ye old The Road to Grafenwöhr. Just zipping along. I believe the work will be finished by next weekend. I have also started front end revisions trying to get to the 1st week of March date. BUT, this is amongst my best work (the rule applies, that each work MUST be better - reader pressure - slef pressure) and the material is unique in my canon, although the character driven nature remains steadfast. It has also taken me back 45 years, when I was stationed in Germany - because as fantastic as the story is (ghosts and paranormal and pacts with nature), the setting is genuine (look and feel of Graf and the military). It has hugged my jogged memories and set them down better than any photograph could. It's funny when I talk to Peg (in our little review sessions). We'll be talking about how Quincy causes a hail storm, and I'll say: "Now I remembered the day the hail caught us by surpriuse and . . . " and then describe to her exactly how it happened in real life. Or the fanicful scne with the boar. "There really was a boar when I walked the perimenter on sentry duty and  . . " I'll tell her the real story. This is about as autobiographical as ne can get when authoring a spook tale.    But it is about imagination, after all - and I've always had plenty of that to spare. Some say, I still do.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Megan Duncan

I am all about an author support thread! I would just like to say I finished writing my first book over the weekend "Released". It is a post-apocalyptic novel, a little ya paranormal romance and a little thriller. Tonight I will start writing the first book in my vampire series, "Savor (The Warm Delicacy Series)". You can check out additional information on my blog: http://www.meganduncan.blogspot.com/


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Abit tired tongiht, but only 4 more chapters to go (one's a monster).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Sold my 200th copy of Galaxy in the overnight. And a beta reader enjoyed my debut thriller... she has notes for me, though.


----------



## Jeff

Good on you, John.

The draft of my Civil War novel, _Johnny Comes Marching Home_, is about finished. It weighs in at 1,200 8 1/2 X 11 single spaced pages and a whopping half million words. Obviously that's too long so I'm splitting it into three books of about 300 pages each. I'll publish the smaller books as paperbacks and Kindle editions under the titles _Antebellum_, _So Shall You Reap_, and _The Carpetbaggers_ then I'll publish a combined Kindle edition with all three books as _Johnny Comes Marching Home_.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats, John! 

And WOW, Jeff, that's amazing! I've got to set aside some time to read all those. Just have to get this pesky job thing outta the way...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And WOW, Jeff, that's amazing! I've got to set aside some time to read all those. Just have to get this pesky job thing outta the way...


Just keep writing. You can catch up on your reading when your rich and famous.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Just keep writing. You can catch up on your reading when your rich and famous.


When Cameron calls, we'll set up a KB convention - on me!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> When Cameron calls, we'll set up a KB convention - on me!


I'm pulling for you.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I'm pulling for you.


Thanks, Jeff! It would be sooooooo nice to be able to write full-time! We've got a goal of breaking free of the rat race in 2 yrs...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, Jeff! It would be sooooooo nice to be able to write full-time! We've got a goal of breaking free of the rat race in 2 yrs...


Keep you eye on the goal. I had to write boring, dry non-fiction for years before I got the chance to write boring, dry fiction.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

ShadowCatz said:


> I mentioned this on twitter but I will repeat it here because I am very happy at the moment. Today I edited 12 pages of my novel which means I only have another 45 pages to go before I have finished.


AWESOME!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff, looking forward to your trio of books.

Moving along here with 2,000 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr.*_ Topped the 100,000 words mark with 3 more chapter to the end. The next chapter is the big moment (the forest scene) and will probably be 8,000 words long - so I think the final word count of RTG will be about 112,000 - about 50 pages longer than Look Away Silence and 60 pages shorter than The Academician. It will be my logest stand-alone novel to date. But I think it's meaty. I hope it holds up to my revision run, Reg's walk through and the Katie the Kindle Spreche final. I'm using Serentiy also with this one - (I have with the others on spefici sections, but I want to better utilize this excellent editing software and have made a resolve if it delays the launch, so be it).

Edward C. Patterson
PS: I bought me a _Grafenwöhr _ Army hat on-line. I also learned that my old outfit, the 6oth Artillery 6th Batallion (6th of the 60th) has been redesignated the 60th Air Defense Unit. I want to get my unit crest (I only have one left, which I guard with my life, but can't find it on any of the on-line military stores. I might need to contact the unit, which is now HQ'd at Vilseck).


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff said:


> Keep you eye on the goal. I had to write boring, dry non-fiction for years before I got the chance to write boring, dry fiction.


I resemble that remark and take exception - 

Your books are anything but boring.
They should be flying off the shelves (they are, aren't they?).
I can't wait for this set of books.

Just sayin.....


----------



## isaacsweeney

I've had an inspirational/sappy   book about dog agility in the works for a couple of years now. I just can't seem to find time to work on it anymore. Instead, I'm writing this. Bye.


----------



## Sharlow

Well I finally got back into the saddle again last night. 1,100 words in my sequel to Shades of Twilight. I don't know why I always put off writing, because every time I write I always feel better about myself and life in general. Kind of stupid when you think of it. Write = feel better. Pretty simple formula.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,800 words tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ and a tough one (the scene that's on the book cover) but I managed to get through it. 2 more chapters left, and they are a dream, because they deal with the twist in the tale and the "Patterson ending . . ." which I always promise my readers . . . the lingering endings that should make the trip worthwhile.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jennybeanses

1897 words written tonight on the sequel to The Goblin Market. w00t!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words today and I am happy to announce that

_*I have finished The Road to Grafenwöhr*_

Now I have revisions and edits, but my mind is released from the strang und sturm that this one had been. But I'm happy with it and can only be happier as I tighten the girdle.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Congratulations, Ed.


----------



## MrPLD

Edward C. Patterson said:


> _*I have finished The Road to Grafenwöhr*_


For some reason, when I read that, I envisaged the scene in the movie "Chocolat" where the Comte de Reynaud announces he's finished the 18th century to Caroline.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Heard I'll receive the cover to my debut thriller Monday.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*w00t!!* 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,800 words today and I am happy to announce that
> 
> _*I have finished The Road to Grafenwöhr*_
> 
> Now I have revisions and edits, but my mind is released from the strang und sturm that this one had been. But I'm happy with it and can only be happier as I tighten the girdle.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

John Fitch V said:


> Heard I'll receive the cover to my debut thriller Monday.


 Yay for You!


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,800 words today and I am happy to announce that
> 
> _*I have finished The Road to Grafenwöhr*_
> 
> Now I have revisions and edits, but my mind is released from the strang und sturm that this one had been. But I'm happy with it and can only be happier as I tighten the girdle.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Awesome Ed!


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

Jennybeanses said:


> 1897 words written tonight on the sequel to The Goblin Market. w00t!


 Great job, Jenny!


----------



## Arthur Slade

Congrats Ed,

Gee, over 100,000 words. It takes me three novels to add up to that much!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

John Fitch V said:


> Heard I'll receive the cover to my debut thriller Monday.


Sweet!


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

I sold a few books today.  But I've been updating my blog.  And all this time, I thought I didn't have anything interesting to say!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Have been planning to get the print version of *Season Of The Harvest* sorted out today, but I'm bleary-eyed and want to wait until I can see straight before I start messing with genetically modified text! 

Besides, it's Valentine's Day - hope you're all having a good one!


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

Happy Valentine's Day!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks all for the encouragement. I got 11,868 words done tonight (revision work ) on *The Road to Grafenwöhr*. I also crafted a blurb this afternoon. Here 'tis:

PFC Quincy Summerson begins his military adventure in 1968 in Bavaria realizing that his presence stirs the paradigm - the thin line between twilight and night. His hyperactive imagination gets the better of him, and soon the world enlists him for a predestined purpose - to travel on the road to Grafenwöhr, where the woods is alive with myth and folk lore.

Set in a tense Cold War atmosphere during both the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Vietnam call to arms, _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ is one man's emotional journey to square nature's justice with humankind's disregard for it. It's a summons for a least likely and reluctant champion. But those called to service rarely choose where they serve. They just answer it, ripening to their purpose. For Quincy Summerson, a hero's life is not his choice, but can he ignore the call? Can he stay off the road once the twilight snares him?

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,500 words today in revisions. Moving ahead now.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

14,667 words in my revision work on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Really flying through it.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Model Agent has been out for 24 hours, and I've sold 20 copies. Not a bad start.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 14,667 words in my revision work on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Really flying through it.


Sounds exciting.



John Fitch V said:


> Model Agent has been out for 24 hours, and I've sold 20 copies. Not a bad start.


That's a great start.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

I thinks it is a good idea to include promotion and marketing tips.  These authors who are selling over 1000 books a month can certainly help, if they want to.


----------



## Jeff

drdln (dr s dhillon) said:


> I thinks it is a good idea to include promotion and marketing tips. These authors who are selling over 1000 books a month can certainly help, if they want to.


You can start a thread for promotion and marketing tips. That wasn't the intent of this thread.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

There are several threads on marketing and rpomotional tips, and each time a new one forms (like once a week), links are embedded to the original one.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jamie Case

Tag.
Do people use tag around here? I hope so.


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

John Fitch V said:


> Model Agent has been out for 24 hours, and I've sold 20 copies. Not a bad start.


Yay! Awesome cover too!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, my netbook got left behind in the mad dash out the door this morning, so I can't work on formatting *Season Of The Harvest* for print this weekend as I'd planned. So, I may be relegated to seeing if I can get anything done on the next *In Her Name* novel...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 4,000 words tonight, but I slacked off - celebrating the sale of my 10,000th Book today. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Not sure how I've been missing this thread, but I'm glad I found it.   Last night I managed to knock off 1,100 words for a short story, 150 words for my mystery novel "Damage," and a new blog post that I proofed and posted today.  Tonight's expectations are minimal -- SLEEP! 

This weekend I hope to add another 1,000 words to the short story, which is an old-fashioned ghost story that I plan to publish as a freebie when it's finished, and hopefully a further 1,000 words for the novel.  The first draft of "Damage" squeaked over the 50,000 word mark last night, and I'm expecting it to finish just shy of 70,000 when all is said and done.  My goal for finishing the first draft is May.

Nighty night!


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

Keep at it Mark.  You've been busy!

Yay Edward on the 10,000!

Sorry about the netbook being left behind, Michael.  I am lost without my laptop so I know how you feel.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Good work, everyone! And thanks, Brianna - it's a pain, but I've got Jan's netbook, so I'm at least computer-enabled and can do some other stuff, just not what I'd planned to get done this weekend. Oh, well - not gonna let that slow me down!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, my netbook got left behind in the mad dash out the door this morning, so I can't work on formatting *Season Of The Harvest* for print this weekend as I'd planned. So, I may be relegated to seeing if I can get anything done on the next *In Her Name* novel...


I know what I vote for!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Very close to my second consecutive 100-sale month!


----------



## Mark Feggeler

John Fitch V said:


> Very close to my second consecutive 100-sale month!


Amazing accomplishment! Congratulations!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> I know what I vote for!


LOL! Well, no new wordage so far today, mostly social networking and sending queries out to some reviewers, but hope to try for some new wordage tonight after the muse gets stoked up from today's wine tastings! 

And congrats, John - WTG!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,767 words tonight in revision work on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Got my *P-38,* *Ka-Bar * and *Mutha Ham and Beans * out for these chapters and getting quite excited now for this release. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 7,767 words tonight in revision work on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Got my *P-38,* *Ka-Bar * and *Mutha Ham and Beans * out for these chapters and getting quite excited now for this release.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


But did you talk about the John Wayne Bar and the fruitcake??


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I passed it earlier this afternoon... I also hit 850 eBooks sold, and 925 books overall.

The new book, Model Agent, is three copies away from 50. Just incredible, after three days.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> But did you talk about the John Wayne Bar and the fruitcake??


No. But I did buy a Ka-Bar for a scene (a forward flash to Nam), so I could feel the weight of the knife and the handle (although I altered the handle to fit the story). I also used my Ka-Bar to get the door of my car open during our last ice storm.  Of course, Jeffry's tanks appear in the wtory a well, but I have the Mutha Ham and Beans cooked over sterno instead of C2. (I thought of the C2 as I read Season of the Harvest - boom , boom). Now about the fruitcake - I know many, and have loved many, but I don;t get the full connection.

Edward C. Patterson
PS: Because of the Ka-Bar I had to include the trademark registration doff on my copyright page to the KA-Bar Knife Co. Inc.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No. But I did buy a Ka-Bar for a scene (a forward flash to Nam), so I could feel the weight of the knife and the handle (although I altered the handle to fit the story). I also used my Ka-Bar to get the door of my car open during our last ice storm.  Of course, Jeffry's tanks appear in the wtory a well, but I have the Mutha Ham and Beans cooked over sterno instead of C2. (I thought of the C2 as I read Season of the Harvest - boom , boom). Now about the fruitcake - I know many, and have loved many, but I don;t get the full connection.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> PS: Because of the Ka-Bar I had to include the trademark registration doff on my copyright page to the KA-Bar Knife Co. Inc.


Rock the Ka-Bar, Rock the Ka-Bar.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

9,970 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. Quite productive considering I went to a local theatrical event (a dumb show called _*Moby Dick: The Musical * _ - poorly sung. It was like Melville showing up for the bad auditions of American Idol. I was stunned).  You would have thought I'd like a hosw where Ahab is a drag queen and Ismael is an out-of-tune chorus girl - but, naw . . . it didn;t work on so many levels I just couldn't wait for the whale to bust up the sets. Of course, I'm somewhat of a Moby Dick aficianado (no comments from the peanut gallery), using many Melvilleian motiffs in my novel _*Turning Idolater * _ (the title being a Melville quotation from that great and wonderful leviathan of a work).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

11,700 words today on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. It's going like butter and Peg of the Red Pencil is jumpig up and down, because she was worried that this was going to be gore fest. But she's smiling broadly and expects a hit. I told her, I only need one person to read and enjoy it (and then another and another). The one person that I really want to read this one, sadly is gone - but I'm sure he'll watch over it - heroic angel that he is.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just saw this on Twitter about MODEL AGENT: "Just read chapter one of your book..let me just say holy crap did not see that coming!"


----------



## Mel Comley

I haven't managed any writing today! But I did pass the 800 mark for the month my best month ever and the sequel is selling well too.

Mel


----------



## bobavey

I wish I could finish the third book in the Detective Elliot series. I'm two years in and still not there. In my defense, I do work fulltime. I know plenty of other authors do as well, but I have to have some excuse.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

New blog post last night and two pages written for the murder mystery during lunch in a Cracker Barrel somewhere along I-95 in Virginia.  Who knew chicken and dumplings were good for the muse?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mark Feggeler said:


> New blog post last night and two pages written for the murder mystery during lunch in a Cracker Barrel somewhere along I-95 in Virginia. Who knew chicken and dumplings were good for the muse?


Now that's the spirit. Only I couldn't write in a Cracker Barrel (boycotted). 

Miss Chatty


----------



## Jack Wallen

Got the second half of Gothica back from Red Adept today. I have some work to do, but I should be able to have this title re-launched by next week!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

14,370 words today in revisions for _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, and a smidgeon on the front end with _Katie the Kindlespreche_. Tired, a bit, but not much more to go in revisions to Peg and hope to get the balance to her by Thursday. This means I will probably be in a position to launch the book next week - perhaps by Thursday or Friday. Going to start it out at $2.99 (instread of my usual $3.99) and not lower it (unless I feel like it). There's neem so much paranaioia about pricing, I fear that the Indie author world is creating their own equivolent to acquisition editors. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Light night tonight with only 7,400 word on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_. However, I'm not far from the end of my revision pass, and Peg's comih along (she was out sick today), and the Text-to-speech is catching all those little nuggets like _throught _ instead of thought and _scoffed _ instead of _scarfed_. She even picked up _Rassiertapparat schnitt _ instead of _Rasierappart schnitt _ (razor nick).  Katie the Kindlescprieche doesn't do too badly with German, although danke and bitte, comes out dank and bite. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

Got my blog up and running. Did not work on my new book. Did not work on my other blog.  But it was worth it because I was helping my fellow authors list their books on my blog.  That, to me is an accomplishment.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Brianna Lee McKenzie said:


> Got my blog up and running. Did not work on my new book. Did not work on my other blog. But it was worth it because I was helping my fellow authors list their books on my blog. That, to me is an accomplishment.


Excellent!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

10,700 word tonight on _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ and (drum roll) *FINISHED REWRITES * - I have a novel of 107,000 words and with Peg of the Red Pencil for her edits. That and Katie the Kindlespreche will have me formatting and luanching next week for (hopefully) a first sale by the first weekend of March.Next stop _*Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere * _ and the biggy - _*The Southern Swallow Book III - Swan Cloud*_.    

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Getting closer to the end of the editing process. Tomorrow, probably. Let me share the blurb you the suppor tthread:

_*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_

PFC Quincy Summerson begins his military adventure in 1968 in Bavaria realizing that his presence stirs the paradigm - the thin line between twilight and night. His hyperactive imagination gets the better of him, and soon the world enlists him for a predestined purpose - to travel on the road to Grafenwöhr, where the woods is alive with myth and folk lore.

Set in a tense Cold War atmosphere during both the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Vietnam call to arms, _*The Road to Grafenwöhr * _ is one man's emotional journey to square nature's justice with humankind's disregard for it. It's a summons for a least likely and reluctant champion. But those called to service rarely choose where they serve. They just answer it, ripening to their purpose. For Quincy Summerson, a hero's life is not his choice, but can he ignore the call? Can he stay off the road once the twilight snares him?

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Getting closer to the end of the editing process.


Hurry up. I didn't join Geoffrey's book club this month just so I'd have time to read _The Road to Grafenwöhr_.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Hurry up. I didn't join Geoffrey's book club this month just so I'd have time to read _The Road to Grafenwöhr_.


I'll say "hurry up," too, although I have to finish Jeff's La Malinche saga first!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You know about hurry up . . . and waiy.    Sctually, I have only one more night of edits. Peg was out sick last week and tat slowed things up. She has the last parts for me tomorrow, and I just need to run them by katie der kindlespreche (who is finding lots of stuff), which should be finished tomorrow night. Then, Thursday night is my target to get it into KDP and to format the book for CreateSpace. I hope it's live on the Kindle by the weekend. However, I can accomodate before that, to anyone interested (by Thursday at least).  

It's been a haul and what makes me happy (beside the fact that this is upper crust stuff for me), is Peg's reaction. She likes my work (why else would she edit it for free), but she is also critical and doesn;t hold back (as she shouldn;t hold back), but, as egoistical as it is to say, this one put her in awe. Either that or she was so nervous that I would go all blood and graphic guts on her — and I didn;t. I listened to my protagonist and let him guide his own course, which was quite different from the 2002 draft manuscript. I'm glad. But of all the books I've written, this one gives me the least pressure for acceptance. Every inch of it is autobiographical (except for those parts when the fantastical occur, and even that reflects my own imagination). So it is a sharing. I also take an underlying gay issue and turn it on its head, making it univrsal (and the protaginist is not gay either). Anyway . . . I think it serves us Army guys well and captures a slice of life for those times.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Revised the outline for my short ghost story. Came up with a much better ending based on where the characters were taking the story.

Also revised Chapter 13 of *Damage* (murder mystery). It's a very "talky" chapter compared to the rest, so I forced the characters to move their conversation halfway through to break up the monotony. Works much better now, and does a great job moving them along to the next scene.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished editing The Road to Grafenwöhr tonight. Sent file to Kindle Platform, formatte for Print, made interior and cover POD, and uploaded them to CreateSpace for approval. (came to 372 pages). And now I'm going to fry up some eggs with cheese slathered with butter on white bread and a side glass of celebratory Chambord. Then I'm doing the naked conga dance and hopping into bed early. Another one down. Now for the wait - - - and then the grunt works - - - and turning to the next 2.

I'll keep all popsted when it's available. Hopefully it will be avaiable on the Kindle by the end of the week, and in paper by Monday.

Whoot!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, all - I stopped checking the rankings for *Season Of The Harvest* a couple weeks ago. Then I started seeing some odd tweets showing up on twitter about what sounded like rather bizarre (as in high, to me) rankings. So I checked: it's at 315 right now in the Kindle store, and...

#14 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Action & Adventure
#14 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure
#77 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery & Thrillers

HOLY COW, BATMAN!!!


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'll keep all popsted when it's available.


What's the ASIN number that KDP assigned? The page is probably up already with a buy button.

Edited to add: Yay, Mike!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

As promised - the kindle version just came up. Here's the link:

[/​

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

As promised, I just bought it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you, Jeff. I believe you're the first sale.

 

Enjoy

And I hope I got all the Graf stuff right. I was careful. I even caught a _faux pas _ last night when our hero goes to take a leak and _*unzips*_, which of course he couldn't do - because we had _*button flies * _ in our fatigues. Good catch. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Tonight will be about finishing this torturous chapter and moving into the action leading to the climax.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Chapter 13 is dead!  Long live Chapter 14!

I can't believe I finally hacked my way through and reached the other side.  I realized I needed a revision to my outline for the remainder of the book, and once I revised the outline, it was easy to finish the chapter and reclaim the voice that has told much of this story so far (except for the awful first chapters that will need serious revision).  I feel like a giant monkey has been pulled off my back and beaten to death with a giant stick.


----------



## Brianna Lee McKenzie

Ripple Effect is now in the Library of Congress!  I got my certificate today!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, the Kindle version of The Road to Grafenwöhr is out. I'm just waiting for the paperback to get on-line before I begin the promotional launch. (I never really launch unless I have both media covered for readers). Hopefully that will be mid-week - then I'll hut the luanch list of some 20 items.

Meanwhile, I've started compling the next book, which consists of 4 of my more popular BLOGS. They need heavy editing and revision (and formatting - they come in messy from the www). I've had success with BLOGS as Books before (*Are You Still Submitting to a Traditional Publisher?. * . . which consists of 2 former BLOGS, is nearing 4,000 sold. _*Diary of Medicine Flower * _ has made a nice companion piece to Come, Wewoka - but poetry doesn't really catch fire). In this case there are four BLOGS - _*A Reader's Guider to Author's Jargon, Extempore Thoughts for the Day, Ask Miss Chatty and New Leaves in the Wind.*_ The first two ran here on KB as well as on all the social networks and BLOGIT. Miss Chatty is one of the drag queens from _*The Jade Owl*_, and in 2005 she had her own Advice column (I was both the client and the respondee - thank God, or I couldn't reprint it) and _*New Leaves in the Wind * _ is a comic (ironic) poke at being a webmaster and setting up a corporate website. I'm brutal, especially on company waste. All this comes to about 64,000 words and will be published as _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere*_.

It'll be a nice break for Peg, who's gearing up for the six month of Chinese names and places with Swan Cloud, the next manuscript up for finishing.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

In addition to the objections people raised when an author proposed exchanging reviews, I now know that it's not a good idea because the person who proposed it may not hold up his end of the deal.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Five pages written today during airport delay.  Not bad.  My murder is confessing -- and setting up the next exciting scene -- so I suspect the next few chapters to move along at a good clip.  Also wrote a new blog post about, of course, air travel.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,368 word on _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon*_. And also cracked into the first chapter of _*Swan Cloud*_. Almost finished with _*The Road to Grafenwöhr's * _ launch - only a website update and a little higher profile material (an article or two in guest blogs somewhere to be sought) and it's on its feet. The pages are complete on Amazon (except Search Inside the Book, which takes a while). Smashwords is up, but waiting the premium catalog business to get things up to B&N, Ipad, Sony etc. I even got my first review - a 4-star review. The reader enjoyed the book, hated the cover, thought it wasn't as good as my other books, didn't understand the principle character and made a comment on great editing. This is the fastest I've gotten a review, and although it wasn't a glowing rah rah - it was honest and balanced. More important, the reviewer states that she bought it because of my NAME (BRANDING) and states that she's a regular reader of my work. And to have someone say that, although there are few typos, the editing was "better than most" novels. (Peg loved that one). Very content with it.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Good progress on Chapter 14 of DAMAGE, a new blog or two, and another page in the short story. Halfway through outlining a series of work-themed essays that I will not post to the blog, but instead sell as a stand alone collection as an eBook.

Also, extraordinarily pumped earlier today at seeing my one and only "Ramblings of a Very Pale Man: Volume One" break into the *Amazon Top 100* for paid sales in the humor/essay category!


----------



## R. M. Reed

It's very hard to write with my current work schedule. I'm always sleepy.


----------



## SEAN H. ROBERTSON

Nice thread. Congrats to all of the success here. I'm new to KB. I'm 25% done with novella #2 of my 'The Cries Of Vampira' vampire/wolves book saga. Enjoying the ride fleshing out more history of this epic story. Novella 1 is currently ranked at 37,767 averaging about 15 downloads a month since releasing 11-2. Goal is best seller series, while donating 3.5 cents of every kindle download to National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. I wish the best to you all in your goals!


----------



## Guest

I think I belong in this thread.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wrote about 5,300 words tonight - 2,600 on _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon * _ & 2,600 on _*Swan Cloud * _ (almost finished the crucial 1st chapter). Then spent a good deal of time exploring WWII correspondance written by my father to my mother from combat and thinking that this stack of rare and valuable (and frail) letters is definitely the stuff of a future novel. (It took me two months to find them and I thought they were lost. Whew - that would have been a shame).I'll need to ponder them for a few years - like all my books. Besides I have seven books in my WIP hopper, but I need to think of what comes after that, and this just may be it.

Edward C. Patterson
PS: I found a bunch of short stories I hand wrote and had long since lost, which my mother kept among her papers. Two of them I don;t even remember writing. We're taliking 1958-63. Although they are rather horribly written (I peeked), they still had my own particular stamp on it, way back then. Hmmmm. The oldest novel that I have that still exists was hand writen dating from 1970 (older things are long since gone, but my Army writing still exists). It's called _*Nioche * _ and much of it has been incorporated in my SciFi Dystopian work (a Cherokee smash up) called _*Belmundus*_, WIP for 12 years now, and due for the run at completion and publication in 2012.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Very productive day with 4,100 words committed to _*Swan Cloud*_. Tricky opening chpaters, where a total information dump needed to be avoided, yet infomation is needed - so it was a balancing act. Harder still when it's Chinese history. Howevr, I beleive I got it by secreting it from fairly iconic opening scenes and poignient, character driven dialog. The trickiest description tonight - the lighting of a joss stick (a ceremonial incesnse stick) which in the 12th century was done with . . . a match (yes, invented in China in the 5th Century). But trying to describe it using a rendition of its Chinese name (fire inch-stick) in a rather matter-of-fact way was a dance and a half. Got it.  (PS: The Europeans didn;t acquire this device until the 16th century and still didn;t master it until the later 19th Century).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got some work done today while taking day off from work-work. 3,100 words on _*Swan Cloud*_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Howdy all. 6,500 words today - 4,300 on _*Swan Cloud * _ and 2,200 on _*Readers Guide to Jargon*_. Taking off on these two like a wind storm. Almost time to design 2 new covers. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## DonnaFCrow

I'm rather new here on the Kindle Boards, so I hope this is an appropriate threat to post a review.  My brand new romantic suspense A MIDSUMMER EVE'S NIGHTMARE just got it's first review and I'm thrilled to share:

A Midsummer Eve’s Nightmare by Donna Fletcher Crow has all the elements of a throat-gripping, sleep-robbing thriller, while still wooing the reader with the tenderness of sweet romance. Set in the idyllic Southern Oregon town of Ashland, where bard-lovers abound, this is a charming page-turner that will keep readers on edge to the very end. 

Kathi Macias (www.kathimacias.com) Author of more than 30 books, including the international thriller People of the Book


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well folks - it's cover time again. In fact, I need to develop 2 covers. The one for a _*Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon * _ (which will be published first) is still in the cogitation stage - but the one for _*Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow Book III*_, because I've been working for 37 years on these five books, is well established in the mind. So I designed one tonight for it (eventhough it will not come out until August at the earliest). It will be my 19th Book (Jargon will be 1.

Here 'tis:








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Theresa M Moore

I am currently 9/10 of the way to finishing *Written In Blood*, the 8th book in my Children of The Dragon series of SF/vampire books. This book has been a long time coming because I have to take time out to promote the other 7 books, and so far I think I am caught up. Below is the cover design for the book, which will most likely be just an ebook for now. Print books are selling very slowly right now, so I am biting my nails about whether I should publish both at once. It used to be I published the printed book first, then the ebook very soon afterward. Given how big this book is going to be (375+), I cringe to think how much I should charge for it. A the moment I'm leaning toward $21.95, with an ebook price of $3.99.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I browsed on Amazon for horror collections, hoping that mine would come up. If it was there, it was buried many pages in. Clearly people are not finding it while searching. I wish I knew a way to make it more prominent.


----------



## Theresa M Moore

R. Reed said:


> In addition to the objections people raised when an author proposed exchanging reviews, I now know that it's not a good idea because the person who proposed it may not hold up his end of the deal.


Yes, which is why I'm in search of reviews again. I had an arrangement with one reviewer who has been very long in reviewing a book which was way shorter than all the other books. Beside that, her reviews tended to reveal important things which would have served to prompt readers to walk away without buying. For example: she revealed the names of special guest villains instead of allowing the mystery to unfold, and so on.
*Sigh* On top of that, all the reviews she posted for me on Amazon went away again when it decided to remove everything but whatever a customer posted. Without any significant buys, and the reluctance of customers to post any reviews at all, what can one do? Is a puzzlement!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Busy day, but only 2,250 words written on _*Swan Cloud*_. BUT, I finished the cover for _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Raving from the Bogosphere*_, which will contain 4 sections (all informative/humorous) -_ A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon, Extempore Thoughts for the Day, Ask Miss Catty_ and _New leaves in the Wind_. For the cover, I put on my photoshop certification hat and designed a little _faux _ lily that morphs into a pen - and in the background, I ghosted images of 6 of my 7 writing mentors - Melville, Twain, Dickens, Tolkien, Gilbert and Austen. (I thought it inappropriate to include Uncle Stevie, as he's still living and breathing and three months younger than me) 

Well, here 'tis








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I am proofreading and editing my own novel, which I'm sure I shouldn't do. I have no budget to get any help, though. This book has taken me from the high of getting an agent and having actual high level New York publishers see it, to the low of getting it ready for Amazon by myself after the NY people rejected it. I do hope in a few months I can start posting about how wrong they were based on my Kindle sales. My one expense will be a professional cover, I think that is important.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm finally out of my sick bed (wow - 4 days of coughing and spweing). Anyway, 3,000 words on _*Swan Cloud * _ this evening. Train back oin tracks.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

Get well, Ed, I need to know what happens to Li Kai-men and Ko Ku-lung. Those names may not be exactly right, I am just pulling them out of my memory.

Ed keeps mentioning the name of his WIP so I guess I can. I didn't write it in KB threads for a long time because my agent was sending it to NY biggies and I was letting her handle all mentions of it anywhere. Now that I am post-agent and on my own I can say that the title is MAMA. I am reading through it to find typos but I am also trying to make it as intense and scary as I can. I know a writer who harps on "active voice" so I am trying to use verbs and take out "was" as much as I can. I think that will help make this book a fast read that really grips people. At least I hope so.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

R. Reed said:


> I am proofreading and editing my own novel, which I'm sure I shouldn't do. I have no budget to get any help, though. This book has taken me from the high of getting an agent and having actual high level New York publishers see it, to the low of getting it ready for Amazon by myself after the NY people rejected it. I do hope in a few months I can start posting about how wrong they were based on my Kindle sales. My one expense will be a professional cover, I think that is important.


Keep up the good work and to hell with the NY people ... 5 years from now most of them will be looking for jobs in another field. It's a lot of work getting your own book ready for pubbing, I'm working on my second, but really, it's worth it AND you are in the driver's seat, not some faceless person in NYC.


----------



## Mehryinett

I'm mulling over possible directions for my next Vanderveldt story. I have about six options... but which to choose?


----------



## Jeff

Little help, please.

What would a 19th Century confidence woman say when she suddenly discovers that she'd been conned? I want her to exclaim something that connotes anger that she, the trickster, has been tricked. 

I used "He played me!" Scarlet wants me to change it to "He played me for a fool." I think that takes it outside of the con-artist being conned. Any suggestions?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Easy obe, Jeff - "I've been hoodwinked." or "I cannot believe he has hoodwinked me!"

2,350 words this evening, after a few days hiatus (I've been trying to shake a bad cold - 2 weeks now, but I think it's conquered). Those words were on _*Swan Cloud*_, which is coming around nicely for an August-September release.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Easy obe, Jeff - "I've been hoodwinked." or "I cannot believe he has hoodwinked me!"


It's fine for an every-day person, but doesn't get where I want to go. What would a grifter, who was just taken in a con-game, say? It needs to convey the irony of her trying to manipulate him only to discover that she was actually the one being manipulated.


----------



## telracs

Sorry, I don't think hoodwinked works.

Here's the basic question from my obsessive point of view (see Gertie, I even consider myself that too)--  would "he played me" sound okay as 1860's slang, or would a reader feel it's anachronistic?


----------



## Susan in VA

Would some version of *double-crossed* work?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I suggested hoodwink because my mentor Gilbert uses it often in lyrics (G&S is 19th century). However the expression of the 1860's that expresses some disgust at being hustled is "I've been suckered." Suckered is in common parlance then. _I've been taken _ is a little anachronistic.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Double-cross is a synonym for _betrayal_, which implies a lapse of turst, which doesn;t seem to fit here as a con-games relies on mistrust or misplaced or premeditated mistrust.

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

susan, you'll be reading it next week, you can decide then....


----------



## Jeff

Susan in VA said:


> Would some version of *double-crossed* work?


Still too common. Something with a low-brow edge like gamed me, conned me, played me...



Edward C. Patterson said:


> However the expression of the 1860's that expresses some disgust at being hustled is "I've been suckered." Suckered is in common parlance then. _I've been taken _ is a little anachronistic.


Actually, "he hustled me" isn't bad.


----------



## Mehryinett

scarlet said:


> Sorry, I don't think hoodwinked works.
> 
> Here's the basic question from my obsessive point of view (see Gertie, I even consider myself that too)-- would "he played me" sound okay as 1860's slang, or would a reader feel it's anachronistic?


I think it feels anachronistic, although actually it's probably historically accurate. 'Play off' as a term to mean 'con' was actually around in the 18th century. But you can't exactly put a reference in historical fiction to persuade the reader. I quite like 'Pigwidgeon' as a word, but it's probably too comic here. There are a few historical slang dictionaries around, like "A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English". And perhaps there might be something from http://www.archive.org/details/newdictionaryoft00begeuoft which doesn't feel too Shakespearean might work.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good night. 2,675 words on _*Swan Cloud*_. Scene set at an Imperial audience. Nifty. Now I have three chapters with The Outlaws of the Golden Marsh charcters - so it's gonna be fun. The first section should be a mere 38,000 words. This one will stretch to 220,000 or more. Lots of material and non-stop movement.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

Ed, I have to thank you again for suggesting using TTS to read my ms. out loud. This morning it caught this mistake: don 't

I didn't notice that when I typed it, or in several other readings. My eye slid right over the space in the middle of the word. Your friend Katie pronounced it as "don t," which made me look at it more carefully. I am also smoothing out sentences that don't sound right even though nothing is misspelled.

I am on Chapter Seven of this edit, with 17 to go. Mama is on her way!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Meager 1,270 words tonight on _*Swan Cloud * _ and 1,100 on _*Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon*_. Inch by inch. In Jargon I've stared editing the advice column _*Ask Miss Chatty*_. It should be fun.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,200 words today on _*Swan Cloud*_. A key chapter as a foeshadow for the final _*Jade Owl * _ book - _*In the Shadow of Her Hem*_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Mehryinett

Great going!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,200 words tonight on _*Swan Cloud * _ - a fun little chapter with two naked 12th century Chinese men running around a mountain aftr their clothes. Riht up my alley.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## JRTomlin

Anyone have some spare chocolate? I just got a 2-star review for Freedom's Sword over on Librarything that just really smarted. Ouchies! 

Yeah, I know bad reviews happen. I'll live, but needed somewhere to whine. Now about that chocolate...


----------



## jnfr

Sorry to hear that, and here you go:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

JRTomlin said:


> Anyone have some spare chocolate? I just got a 2-star review for Freedom's Sword over on Librarything that just really smarted. Ouchies!
> 
> Yeah, I know bad reviews happen. I'll live, but needed somewhere to whine. Now about that chocolate...


Fortunately, it didn't get on Amazon. And speaking about reviews, thank you for the wonderful review you gave _*Look Away Silence * _ on your Review blog (I thanked you in the threads while reprinting a bit . . . well, all of it).  That's one book that in making people cry makes me happy. It doesn't bring my angels back to me, but it certainly has people rememberig that they were lving, breathing, vital beings, in their prime and set to make their marks, when their candles were snuffed and our hearts were broken. Thanks again.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## JRTomlin

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Fortunately, it didn't get on Amazon. And speaking about reviews, thank you for the wonderful review you gave _*Look Away Silence * _ on your Review blog (I thanked you in the threads while reprinting a bit . . . well, all of it).  That's one book that in making people cry makes me happy. It doesn't bring my angels back to me, but it certainly has people rememberig that they were lving, breathing, vital beings, in their prime and set to make their marks, when their candles were snuffed and our hearts were broken. Thanks again.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


You're very welcome, Ed. You told the story in a way that seemed so much more positive (on that subject being positive is hard, after all) than any other I've read. Remembering the lost brings tears, but there has to be joy in having known them. That is something you told as well.

Yes, I can't complain about that particular review not having made it to Amazon. I've just gotten spoiled to good reviews on that novel. It's a good reminder of the hard facts of life--someone is going to hate our writing.


----------



## momilp

JR, I went to read the review, and I found the following words: well researched, accurate portray, highly personable characters, intriguing plot, entertaining novel, interesting portrayal...  cheer up


----------



## BellaStreet

Research is my very favorite part of the writing process, and I often use it as an excuse not to write--tho I can't say it's taken me in any phallic directions--LOL.  What I hate most is editing. I tend to read pretty fast which means I miss a ton of stuff. Luckily, I have an eagle-eye friend who does my final read-thru.


----------



## samanthawarren

I haven't written anything substantial in days, but I'm going to post my goal for today here. If I don't get it done by tonight, someone come zap me with a cattle prod, k?  I want to have 2k written in _Jane #3_ today. I need to have 6k by the end of the week or I lose $5.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,200 words last night (fell into bed and didn;t post here then).    On Swan Cloud - and interesting entry in the work and a difficult one where I have 2 people sharing the POV. I've done this before and with similar characters. Of course, you can get away with it without being whipped by the POV police when your characters have metaphysical abilities and can share each others thoughts, emotions and senses. Still, writing such chapters are like walking over Niagara on a gossamer thread. It will be interesting to see what Peg of the Red Pencil says. If it passes her, I'll be okay - especially if she doesn't notice the POV magic (which of course is to be desired. Magic should remain hidden - the gantry invisible, only the effect evident).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'm struggling with formatting this morning. I put my cover into the Word doc, at the size I was told to use, but it looks small. It may look fine on the Kindle screen, but I wish I could know for sure.


----------



## julieannfelicity

R. Reed said:


> I'm struggling with formatting this morning. I put my cover into the Word doc, at the size I was told to use, but it looks small. It may look fine on the Kindle screen, but I wish I could know for sure.


I feel your pain! I've had to re-upload my story to Smashwords four times this week because they keep saying 'Paragraph separation error, mixing first line indent with before/after space in paragraph style'. I have no idea what they're talking about! I've formatted each paragraph line by line the last two times and still the error pops up. I'm now #1449 in the queue ... grrrr. If it doesn't work this time, I'm not going to bother until I've cooled off again.


----------



## R. M. Reed

Smashwords is always harder than KDP. They do have a guide to the format they want that I have found helpful.


----------



## jnfr

It's interesting you say that, R. Reed, because my Smashwords formatting worked fine, while Kindle formatting is giving me a serious headache today.


----------



## julieannfelicity

R. Reed said:


> Smashwords is always harder than KDP. They do have a guide to the format they want that I have found helpful.


Yeah, I've used the guide and did their bomb method - placing the file in a text doc and then re-copying to a clean word doc before formatting once again.



jnfr said:


> It's interesting you say that, R. Reed, because my Smashwords formatting worked fine, while Kindle formatting is giving me a serious headache today.


Do you need help? I use the mobipocket creator for KDP.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Funny. I've published 17 books on Smashwords and used the same exact word doc that I used as a basis for my .AZW file to KDP (with the copyright changes only). Never had a prblem with the raw word doc.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## jnfr

Thanks for the offer, Julie Ann, but with great help from the Kindle community I managed to fix my problem. It should be smooth sailing from here on out  Fingers crossed, anyway. Once Amazon decides my story is actually published I'll upload the new version (it's available to buy, but still publishing on my KDP page).


----------



## R. M. Reed

Smashwords' Meatgrinder has choked on the copyright symbol: © and any time there are more than two paragraph returns in a row. These go through fine on KDP. They also very strictly want you to delete all tabs and use the styles settings, which I didn't know existed until I read their guide. My earlier books had tabs galore and Kindle didn't blink.


----------



## samanthawarren

2018 words written! Whoever had the cattle prod ready, you can put it down now. Sorry!

I'm still waiting on my first Smashwords attempt to be reviewed. I perused the guide and made a few changes to what I used for Kindle, but I didn't change a ton. Sounds like that might get me in trouble. I see nothing wrong with my copyright page, but maybe Smashwords won't like it. I guess I'll find out once they get around to me!


----------



## julieannfelicity

Whew! Smashwords FINALLY accepted my book's new edition. Only took four tries (nearly 6 days). *wipes brow* Now I've got to get some major writing done!


----------



## R. M. Reed

I did it! Mama is in the Amazon process and will be live whenever they do their thing.
After years of working on this book and all the drama of getting the agent, then losing the agent, and worrying about all the little details, and wondering if this is the right thing to do, Mama is on her way!


----------



## jnfr

Huge Congrats, Robin! You must be thrilled.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I finished a chapter tonight at 3,600 words (a rather big chaper) as I approach the end of Part I (of V) in _*Swan Cloud*_. It's funny how at 55,000 words, the first part is longer than three of my published novels.  It was a fun chapter to write, and different. I had never describe the flight of several thousand birds on a Chinese lake (and their accompanying droopings - the true white rain), and in this chapter I have two men walk on water (an every day occurance in Chinese folk lore). I also introduced a band of _mi-ho _ (Chinese for Macaques, in this case the red ones prevalent around Lake T'ung T'ing in Hu-pei Province). Between the _e-yu _ (alligators), the _tun_ (the Yang-tze river dolphins) and the _guang-k'o _ (the Imperial Cranes), we're getting downright zoological. But hey, the title is Swan Cloud (and although that's a metaphor for Chinese Scholar-Officials), the protagonists are in mourning and wearing the appropriate robes, which are, of course, white, the mourning color in China.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## samanthawarren

Wrote 2663 yesterday. Finished chapter 3 in Jane #3. I hope to get another chapter at least partway done today. It's my day off from EDJ, so I should be able to get something done.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

julieannfelicity said:


> Whew! Smashwords FINALLY accepted my book's new edition. Only took four tries (nearly 6 days). *wipes brow* Now I've got to get some major writing done!


Congratulations!
What was the problem? Was it format? I have some nonfiction on smashwords; and formatting due to Tables was quite time consuming.


----------



## julieannfelicity

*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Congratulations!
> What was the problem? Was it format? I have some nonfiction on smashwords; and formatting due to Tables was quite time consuming.


It was because of formatting a Table of Contents (that I never included), which they require now (since late 2010). If you don't create a TOC, they create one for you and the code gets all scrambled. I fixed that by taking out the word 'Chapter', which is what it uses to identify it as a new chapter. Instead of left it as, one - two - three, etc. It still hasn't been approved for premium, it got rejected saying I had an error in the TOC, so I had to once again re-do it.


----------



## Stefanswit

Having written two books in two years I'm finding the third the most difficult. I'm about halfway through, which is where I've been for the past three months. Anyone else experiencing third novel block?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The secret is to be writing 8 or 9 novels in various stages, and concentrating on one or two for final manuscripting, revision and publication. Also (important) when writing any new novel, read one of your older ones as you write the new one. This maintains your  base consistancy in style, and always set a goal to write each novel better than the last. You'll be surprised how that will keep you on track. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,100 words in Chapter 16 of the first part of Swan Cloud. Only one more chanpter for the end of Part I (of 5 Parts). Whew! BTW, to my revision editing (which hasn;t started yet on this one), I've added a new tool - autocrit. www.authocrit.com - take a look. It's not like anything Peg, Katie or myself can do readily, nor is it one of those "YOU-TOO can write a novel" software (which . . . well, don;t get me started). It's a statistic machine (los f statitistics) for decision making during revision work and it is entirely web-based (easy-peasy) and has some easy on the pcoket book plans. I took the biggest, because I was so impressed. You can try it for free. I will use it along with SerenityEditor while I drill into revisions and before Peg makes her second pass.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Part I of _*Swan Cloud * _ is finished with a 2,200 word chapter, and I also wrote 1,200 words on* A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon*.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Another 600 words added to the book tonight. The characters have really taken over, which is great. All along throughout this process I've been looking forward to finishing the first draft so I can work on the weak structure of the story. What I'm realizing now is that the structure of the story really is okay. Oh sure, it needs some work, but not nearly as much as the characters. 

My problem in the first half of the book is that I didn't know the characters well enough to depict them with enough depth, which is why I threw too many characters in at the beginning. I was compensating for lack of depth with quantity. The end result is a roomful of shallow characters, several of whom took on greater depth as they proved themselves important to the story and our hero. I'm now much more interested in rewriting for the purpose of character development (and character elimination) than I thought I'd be.


----------



## Tess St John

I'm doing final edits and would love to be finished by Monday, May 23rd. There, I typed it out loud!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

It's been a good week. Sold a short story (to The First Line), and received another 5-star review for The Twenty Dollar Bill on Amazon. I'm working on a revision / second draft of a novel so not a lot of new writing happening - more cutting than adding!
Happy writing to you all.
Elmore


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Good evening of full throttled wirting - 3,320 words on _*Swan Cloud * _ - the strange openng to Section II - a Chapter where nothing happens, but the texture and characterizations are crucial. It was like writing the Declaration of Independance with a sledgehammer.  We'll see how it flies by Peg tomorrow.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## AmberQueen

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The secret is to be writing 8 or 9 novels in various stages, and concentrating on one or two for final manuscripting, revision and publication. Also (important) when writing any new novel, read one of your older ones as you write the new one. This maintains your base consistancy in style, and always set a goal to write each novel better than the last. You'll be surprised how that will keep you on track.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


This is the first time I've seen this advice and I'm grateful for it. Thanks, Ed! I've been bashing myself over the head for having so many unfinished manuscripts on my laptop. Whenever, I hit a wall with one, I tend to move on to another one, which means I'm constantly moving between them. I always thought that this was bad, that I should just hang in there and box my way through, but maybe I should just go with the flow.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A light day of writing on _*The Southern Swallow Book III - Swan Cloud * _ with 2,300 words, but it's a big work and so I'm taking my time. The work today had a procession of mourners in 12th century China (dress in white) enter on state business to a famous general's encampment, just after they had visited (the previous chapter) the aftermath of the battle of Shr-guo-shan. A fun write with a spiritual horse and a feat ou hare and sturgeon and snappy dialog between two towers of protocol. Just sent it off to the editor.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I had a moderately productive night on the WIP *Swan Cloud * with 2,424 words in a chapter that's downright Shakespearean as it has a intense confrontration between General Yueh Fei and Nan Ya, the Southern Swallow. Just can't wait until it see the light of day out in September. I also need to get cracking on the other WIP, _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere*_, but that one is only needs a few more weeks, and is humorous nonfiction - thus the creative juices are not commanded as much.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey folks, had a modest writing day - with 3,400 words in the third book of the Southern Swallow - *Swan Cloud*. Here's a peek (my editor hasn't seen it yet, so forgive any you-know-whats). It's from mid-chapter.

Fan Tsung-yin had been retired for seven years. He thought little of government duties now as he enjoyed his small house at the edge of the Imperial City. He was a regulated gentleman - up at dawn, studied until tea, gardening until mid-day and scholarly pursuits until sundown, when his servants would light the lanterns and lead him to the entertainment district, where he would paint fans for the local prostitutes and listen to their songs. If he were lucky, he'd stay sober and remember their flirtations. If not, his servants would tell him about it in the morning. Fan Tsung-yin had served His Majesty well since those days after the mutiny. However, he was glad to be rid of his duties now.

One delight the old man had was to listen to the rain on the roof of his sky-well - the rivulets cascading through the dragon spouts and gushing into his koi pond. So on a day like this, he was likely to be undisturbed, sitting cross-legged in his ke-ting, smiling like an old carp listening to the rain-songs.

Well its a wee work in progress - a 250,000 word WIP (hopefully it will be out the door by September - I mean, I've been working on this one on and off for 37 years).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jim Franz

Congratulations on today's word count, Edward!

I've managed to formally launch my blog today and fully jump into these boards as an active participant, instead of a lurker.  I know that's a rather meager goal, but I'm happy about having finally accomplished it.

In terms of my own writing, I'm currently awaiting response from a cover artist.  I'm working on my next novel and the new blog to keep myself energized as I go through the indie publishing process for the first time.


----------



## Angelina Cabo

Jim Franz said:


> Congratulations on today's word count, Edward!
> 
> I've managed to formally launch my blog today and fully jump into these boards as an active participant, instead of a lurker. I know that's a rather meager goal, but I'm happy about having finally accomplished it.
> 
> In terms of my own writing, I'm currently awaiting response from a cover artist. I'm working on my next novel and the new blog to keep myself energized as I go through the indie publishing process for the first time.


What's your blog link? And I too have suddenly gone from Lurker to Participant - feels good!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A moderately good writing night with 2,340 words complete on Swan Cloud. Hated to stop, but I need to wake up at 5 for work.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

samanthawarren said:


> I haven't written anything substantial in days, but I'm going to post my goal for today here. If I don't get it done by tonight, someone come zap me with a cattle prod, k?


Hi Samantha ... maybe this will inspire your writing ... want to tell you how much I like your book covers. Very enticing. So I went to your blog. Equally enticing. I'm about to start a blog myself, haven't really launched it yet, waiting until my next crime thriller, DIVA, has some "buy" links. I'll be synopsizing 3 types of cases: serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. One such case inspired my first novel, Absolution. Stalker inspired Diver. Figured I've done enough research to write them up, won't do the famous ones like Bundy, etc. There's no lack of them, for sure.


----------



## samanthawarren

Music & Mayhem said:


> Hi Samantha ... maybe this will inspire your writing ... want to tell you how much I like your book covers. Very enticing. So I went to your blog. Equally enticing.


Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I did 3 of the 4 covers myself, so that makes my day. 

Good luck on your blog!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A moderate stint tonight on Swan Cloud with 2,800 words committed. Only at 65,000 words so far, with much  more to go. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## MicheleShriver

This is a great thread idea.

I just started revisions (draft 3) on my novel. A frustrating process, but I am plugging away. I hope everyone else is doing well.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words tonight on Swan Cloud. A little paranormal scene reminiscnet of The People's Treasure (in fact, one of those cross reference sequences between the two series which are exciting for me to write). Reaching the 70K mark on this one.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'm working on a project that will either be the biggest and best work of my life or will kill me. The thing is, I keep thinking of things that have to be changed in earlier sections so I go back and rework those before I can get back to the newer part. The things I think of are about world(s) building, internal logic, keeping things consistent, and making everything clear to people so they don't imagine something completely different than I meant them to imagine. In the course of the three books that I am planning, how many times am I going to think of something that means going back and rewriting everything else?


----------



## anne_holly

I just completely shelved the WIP I was working on and started working on one that came to me in a flash last night... It's also in a different genre. Either I am brilliant or nuts. 

Either way, cross your fingers for me.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

samanthawarren said:


> Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I did 3 of the 4 covers myself, so that makes my day.
> 
> Good luck on your blog!


Thanks Samantha, way behind on checking the boards as usual. Just pubbed (print) my novel, DIVA, and I am so psyched. Must put the cover up in my sig line. Right now, hurrying to get the Kindle version up. How's your writing going? I'm impressed that you did 3 of 4 of your covers. I do mine myself too, and it's a lot of work! congratulations!


----------



## R. M. Reed

For the first time I am writing with the Word style set to indent without having to hit tab. But I keep hitting tab anyway. After a lifetime of typing starting on manual typewriters it isn't that easy to change.


----------



## samanthawarren

Wrote 1700ish today while laying in the hammock. Not great, but I've been working my way back up to my normal pace.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2 big days in a row on Swan Cloud for a total of 5.400 words.

Ed Patterson


----------



## journeymama

I'm trying to get 1000 words done every morning in my first draft of my second novel. I get up before the kids, sit down and type away. 
Next goal, sit down in the tangle of ideas and get some sense in the madness! Maybe a plot chart, if I'm brave enough.


----------



## MosesSiregarIII

journeymama said:


> I'm trying to get 1000 words done every morning in my first draft of my second novel. I get up before the kids, sit down and type away.
> Next goal, sit down in the tangle of ideas and get some sense in the madness! Maybe a plot chart, if I'm brave enough.


Go go go!

I have so much respect for busy moms who find time to write.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Achingly close to finishing first draft of first novel. Only a few thousand more words to go and it should be ready for edits & rewrites.


----------



## R. Doug

Yesterday I hit a _*huge*_ milestone on my latest project-I hit the 60,000-word mark. I have approximately 20,000 to go, from the way the story is unfolding.

I am, like, _*SOOOoooo*_ pumped on this project. Turning out to be one of my best stories ever.


----------



## Dave Dykema

R. Doug said:


> Yesterday I hit a _*huge*_ milestone on my latest project-I hit the 60,000-word mark. I have approximately 20,000 to go, from the way the story is unfolding.
> 
> I am, like, _*SOOOoooo*_ pumped on this project. Turning out to be one of my best stories ever.


It always feels good when you meet one of your goals. Congratulations. Recently, I hit my ideal mark on my latest WIP, only to realize I had dozens of pages of notes still in the manuscript that need to be excised.

Well, the book isn't finished yet, so I'll still get those words after I remove the other stuff.

Good luck!


----------



## Harry Nicholson

I just want to begin the first page of a sequel to a first novel; but promotion of that story is making me glassy eyed and the Muse has become bored (she has gone away - fled!). 
One download a day is the June average so far - not an avalanche. Do I need to take a selling course or, for my sanity, try to be a writer once again?


----------



## anne_holly

I have to write a chapter tonight that I have been dreading. Violence, emotional carnage, parental rejection... It's not going to be fun. The trouble is, I'm feeling pretty good. I had an ice cream bar, and there's a nice cool breeze coming from the window for a change, and all is fairly well in my world. There's even a little bouquet of purple clover and Queen Ann's Lace on my desk from my tot, who went to bed without a struggle tonight. So... How can I feel as worked up and mean as I need to do this chapter?

I don't normally have this problem - music or something similar usually snaps me out of it. But tonight I'm more prone to write a sequel to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farms than a wrenching domestic abuse call.

I know I can do it, functionally, but it won't have umph unless I can bring the heat. Sometimes it sucks being a method writer.


----------



## Adam Pepper

MosesSiregarIII said:


> Go go go!
> 
> I have so much respect for busy moms who find time to write.


Oh yeah. I second that. Moms are on duty 24/7. Keep at it!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I continue my second draft edits on a superhero novel in progress. This pass is a general clean up, and tracking all the characters and sub-plots I have going on. The next pass will be connecting or removing those as needed to get the whole narrative to flow better. I'm finding myself taking longer to get a novel into the state where I am ready to publish it these days - either I am getting pickier or just slower!
Elmore


----------



## Dave Dykema

anne_holly said:


> I know I can do it, functionally, but it won't have umph unless I can bring the heat. Sometimes it sucks being a method writer.


I fear what my life would become if I ever became a method writer!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hi Dave, good to see you. (Waves)

I haven;t posted in the support thead in a while, but I've had several goos sessions of over 3,000 word in succession. _*Swan Cloud * _ is up to a mere 75 K words, on target still for a September release. _*Jargon * _ has been pushed back a little.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Hey, Ed. Thanks for the greeting. It's nice to post again!


----------



## Sarah Fawkes

Well since I could use all the help I can get I'll jump into this thread! My current WIP is in the rewrite stages (that painful morass directly after a fast-draft; at least it is for me) and my goal is to get at least 1k words a day on the new draft. My first draft was just under 36k words but I'd like this draft to be at least 50k. It's due to my editor on Labor Day (September 4) so I have a deadline of 2.5 months to get it done and so far am at 3500 words. Unlike my first draft, where I never allowed myself to go back and "fix" something, I have no problems doing that now as long as I keep my 1k/day goal (ie, if I cut 2k I'd better be prepared to write 3k). 

Wish me luck!


----------



## anne_holly

Yayayayayayayayayayayayayaaaaaay!

I finally killed that chapter that was haunting me for the last day and a half - a squalid domestic violence scene that I really didn't want to put my characters (or myself) through. I am so relieved it's done!

Now, my re-writes have only about 5k left, so it should be ready for its first reader for Monday.

Whew!


----------



## R. Doug

Way to go, Anne.  Keep up the good work on those rewrites.


----------



## anne_holly

R. Doug said:


> Way to go, Anne. Keep up the good work on those rewrites.


Thanks! It was very nice of you to respond.

I'm making like the lil engine that could and keep chugging along.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Hi folks, I've been off for a while, publishing my latest thriller. I just created a page for the book. Now I have to figure out how to add the cover and buy links to my sig line. ha ha, I can't remember what it looks like so I'm posting it here. Meanwhile, here's the link to my DIVA book page.  [URL=http://tinyurl.com/DIVAbookpage]http://tinyurl.com/DIVAbookpage [/url]

Cheers! I'm off to fix my sig line!

Susan


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Sorry to be a pain about this ... just testing to see if my sig line is fixed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A Healthy 2,600 word session on Swan Cloud - over 85 K words on this mms. 100 K plus to go.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## JoshuaPSimon

Just finished the 2nd draft of my prequel novella today.  Plan to put it aside for 2 weeks then hit it up again for another 1-2 more passes.  My wife will look it over at that point (after finishing a reread of Book 1 in my trilogy).  Then both will go to my next set of betareaders.

So....with that all in mind, I'll be starting Book 2 of the trilogy on Wednesday.

Lots left to do so I can get both my website up and Book 1 out before the end of the year...


----------



## anne_holly

Completed the final 4k left to finish my re-written ending to my new novel. Now to edit those 4k, and re-read the whole thing over again, and send it off to the betareaders. 

The first 40k are already edited and ready, so it's only those last 20k (especially the new 4k) that need keen attention to make it beta-ready. 

Then I'm taking a day off!


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Music & Mayhem said:


> Sorry to be a pain about this ... just testing to see if my sig line is fixed.


ha ha, I used to think I was fairly smart ... but this sig line thing has me mystified. I used to have one of my covers in my sig line. Now it's gone. Here's another test.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

OK, I am admitting defeat. I tried to copy/paste info for my 2 novels. I took the "sample" code and plugged in my ASIN for Diva.

SAMPLE CODE: with my ASIN for DIVA 


[the instructions noted that the URL of the product page is in BLUE, the URL of the book cover is in GREEN. So I added my URL book cover] So I went and got the URL of the cover 
URL of Diva cover http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0056ASYCU/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Unfortunately, this didn't look like the GREEN BOOK COVER URL as noted above. But, being a brave soul, I plugged mine in and viola: I got nothing in my sig line.



Did the same thing with my ABSOLUTION novel. No luck there either. 
sample code with ABS ASIN and URL of cover


Link to ABS cover image
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B003MNH7JY/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&n=133140011&s=digital-text

Well I just previewed my message and nothing worked. Can anybody help? Point out what I'm doing wrong? 
I suuuuuuuuuuuuure would be grateful!


----------



## Jeff




----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Jeff said:


>


Thanks a million Jeff! I copied it into my sig line on my profile. We'll see how it posts.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Jeff said:


>


Another big thank you, Jeff. I think I've got it fixed. 
Can I buy you a Margarita?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Reading the galleys of my next release ZOMBIE SHOWDOWN today while slogging coffee. It's going to be that kind of a day.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Two bacj to back 2,500 word days on Swan Cloud. Up over 85,000 word and charging onward. The work is getting really exciting bow.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

Ooh, I like this thread. I'm posting a self-and-husband-enforced deadline and countdown on my blog for my own first epublication, but this might be even better (in concert with the blog thing). I can get wrapped up in edits (to the point of likely over-editing) and self-doubt (the cause of the overediting) so, this will hopefully help me push through it and move on to the next chapters, and then, the subsequent steps after that.

For now...

I hit save and closed my chapter fifteen of "B." (I only use initials for my titles until they are done - or nearly done, and in this case, near publication). I write each chapter as a separate document while I write to help me from fixating on any previous part and allow me to continue momentum towards the end of the story. But, for the purposes of seeing my word and page counts as reference for the whole of the story and it's intended final length, I copy the "finished" chapter into a "all chapters" file. I just did that with chapter 15 of "B" and learned that I am at 61,452 words over 151 pages. Right on target as I'm a little over half way done with it.

I wish the best momentum for everyone else on this thread and hope you do the same for me.

Oh, and I posted a sample of my writing on my blog. It's just a poem I did a while ago, but it's at least a taste of my writing. It's on the "drabbler" section of my blog. I'd been hedging between wanting to post on-going samples (100 word "drabbles") to help me solidify what I've written thus far and motivate moving on to the next parts and the alternative fearing it'd include something that gets cut completely in final edits. At least now, I have something up there. So, yaay for my bravery for accomplishing posting any "creative writing" sample there.

And now I'm feeling like an idiot, so I will stop typing here. ~_~ooo

Thanks.

[Edited to change "Chapter 15" to "Chapter 16". Gah, getting ahead of myself!]


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Had a slow day at work, but managed to revise and prepare 7,560 words on the other book in the works (the non-fiction book), A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere. Today's shaping was applied to one of four parts of this work, a section called Ask Miss Chatty, a blog that I maintained in 2004 over at Blogit. Had fun making what was hilariously funny, even moreso. Onward and upward.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

Chapter 16 done.  Total cumulative story word count thus far: 63,548.  Pages: 159.  Woot.  Taking a break, then on to Chapter 17.


----------



## R. Doug

Randirogue said:


> Chapter 16 done. Total cumulative story word count thus far: 63,548. Pages: 159. Woot. Taking a break, then on to Chapter 17.


That's great. I should hit 63,000+ today. I hope. If I get off this stupid internet and get busy. How much do you estimate that you have to go before completion?


----------



## Randirogue

R. Doug said:


> That's great. I should hit 63,000+ today. I hope. If I get off this stupid internet and get busy. How much do you estimate that you have to go before completion?


Well, I don't have a strict outline. Some chapters include less of the plot than I'd meant them to include when I started them, simply because a _natural_ chapter end formed in the process of writing it. That pushes the unused planned content into the next chapter (if not abolished by how the previous chapter panned out). My chapters vary drastically in length (some as short as 5 pages, others as long as 25 pages, and many variations in between), all based upon what needs to be expressed in order to achieve the goals of them. I have a loose plan, but I allow the characters and the moments to generate some of their own control. Because of that, the expected length morphs as I go. At some points it seems like it will reach the climax and then be wrapped up sooner; at other times, it seems the reverse.

That said, as of right now, I think "B" will be between 25 & 30 chapters, with about 100,000-150,000 words.

The part of me that yearns to be a more simplistic writer hopes I'll find my way out of the plot by 22 chapters and 95,000 words. Who knows, maybe an epiphany will arise in the next couple chapters and this will happen after all.

After that's roughed out, I'll go through the whole thing and do primary edits before I consider the "first draft" complete. These primary edits include grammar, spelling, pacing, and consistency checks. However, it also includes the eradication of the many "notes" I'd included with the "comments tool" as I went. Some notes remind me to research some particular detail, to choose between possible options I left open there (that would be decided by how the rest of the story played out), to flush out a segment that was truncated at the time I wrote the scene (usually because I wasn't _feeling_ the moment as much as I wanted to at the time and made myself just move forward to curtail obsessing over getting it perfect right then), to reduce something I thought was redundant or wordy or awkward (but found myself obsessing over the possibility that cutting it at that time would ruin my momentum or obsessing over the possibility that clipping it then would be hasty by either causing me to lose a part I should've kept while saving a part that needed to go), and more. By the time I finish the initial write-out (like a really extensive, organic outline), this round of edits should be easier because the questions and problems the notes highlight are answered and worked out by the time I get the last word of conclusion typed. So, these edits _should_ only take a few days to a week to gruel out. Having a deadline to get the "first draft" out to beta readers _should_ help keep me from obsessive over-editing it to death.

I keep reminding myself that I'm writing this one to _publish_, to officially launch this writing career dream, and that beta readers and editors are important tools with important tasks, and part of my gratitude for them is to _trust_ them.

It's gonna be tough, but I've got support to help me through those anxieties (I hope). And these boards are a great help as well.

There's a lot more to my plan for my publishing debut (involving additional associated short stories/novelettes/novellas, a periodical and progressive sampling stratagem, etc.), but I won't go into that now. Thinking on all of it at the same time can be overwhelming (and leads to the dreaded obsessive over-editing self-doubt thing). So, I'm trying to force myself to stay focused on 1) the current step (this chapter), and 2) the nearest significant goal (out to beta-readers deadline as determined by my husband--on my request--~_~ooo). Every thing else can wait until those two are completed.

As for your accomplishes, R. Doug...
Congratulations on reaching the 60,000 milestone. I'm excited that you are so near to finishing it. 20,000 left? That's so exciting! What's your progress since you last noted it here?


----------



## R. Doug

Well, Randi, I'm ashamed to admit not much.  I got dragged away to run errands and do the monthly shopping with the wife, but she says I can do some writing tonight so I'll be getting to it soon.

Thanks for asking, and best of luck with your current work-in-progress.  May it go swimmingly, quickly, and most of all, successfully.


----------



## Sara Pierce

I'm having issues with editing.  So far everything is rewriting and right now it's the beginning, not even at the plot, but I can't seem to motivate myself to get writing. Even now I'm online here instead of trying to get some words out! I have the first chapter with my beta and she says she likes it; chapter two is done mostly and I've started chapter three but those three chapters (just shy of 5k words) have taken me around two weeks. Before I was doing 6k days and MISS that freedom!!!

Dude has moved away which initially I was blaming but now that I'm starting to settle into a routine that excuse falls flat. I feel awful that I'm procrastinating but I can't seem to keep on track whenever I sit down to write. I'll open up my files, type a word or two, then go "research" something online and never get off.

Frankly, it's starting to annoy me....


----------



## Randirogue

R. Doug:
I'm sorry that your progress has been delayed.  Life happens that way sometimes.  I'm pushing hard this weekend because I know I have some heavy "day job" distractions coming up that will steal me away.  Then I'll have to work hard to get my brain back into the game of the novel.  So, my progress from last week through this weekend will hopefully be enough to make up for the shortcomings I foresee in the very near future.  I'll be sounding like you by next weekend... and maybe the few following it.

Ladyeclectic:
I've been there (a lot).  I've berated myself, felt extensive guilt, anger, and rallied about distractions and my lack of fortitude in achieving my goals (writing or otherwise).  It truly is a harsh place to be emotionally and psychologically, and rarely seems to improve itself.  Some things that sometimes help me in those times are patience and forgiveness towards myself.

Easier said than done, though, huh?

What I have been able to be more successful to hold onto is this:
Perhaps, such times are exactly what you need to put you in the place (emotionally, psychologically, and more) for later.  Perhaps, you need to go through this so that you will have it fresh in your mind and heart when inspiration strikes for a story that will need your personal understanding of this time to best express it in a story.  Perhaps, something is about to occur in your life that will be exactly what you need to draw on to make this story of yours the best it could be.  Only, it hasn't happened yet, and you aren't aware that it will happen, so you're in a sort of frustrating holding pattern.  But, it will come, and when it comes, you may be able to look back and be grateful for this frustrating period, because without it, you wouldn't have been in just the right position to witness or be involved in the event that draws that great moment in your writing out of you.

I'm hopeful that this is the case for you.  Then it will be worth the struggle.  Good luck!


----------



## Ursula_Bauer

Ed, you're rocking in out!


I reviewed the 1st  test chapter of my next book - I plan to do a revision to set tone for the rest of the book, but had to do a 'cold' read first before delving back into my crit parnter comments, and looking at my own take and then figuring out where I head. What I plant here will be critical for the rest of the book - nothing like a little pressure. If I get the revisions done by next weekend that would be grand. More of this weekend is for reading pleasure, not work.


----------



## Randirogue

Congrats Ursula_Bauer!

I really enjoy reading about other writers' progress, and especially, their process.  It really helps put it into perspective.

I wish you the best!

Edited to add my update.

Ch. 17 of "B" is completed.
Cumulative counts:
67,766 words
170 pages


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

You are so right randirogue ... writing is a solitary business. And then there's the business end of it, the marketing and blogging and slogging. OK, I'll quit b**** ing. I am so thrilled to say I got my first 5 star review for my latest thriller, Diva, and also a nice blurb quote to use on my author page. Also finished two video trailers (one long, one short) and posted on YouTube ... and also on my DIVA page. So, y'know what? I think I am just going to CHILL OUT tomorrow!

Can't wait to get back to writing my next thriller!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A little session today yielded 1,200 words on Swan Cloud. I'm in Holiday mode.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

Congrats, Music & Mayhem!  5 stars is fabulous!  So is a quote for your author page.  Video trailers, huh?  Share the links?  I'm checking some out here and there as preparation for eventually doing mine.  I bet they are great!

Edward C. Patterson:
Holiday mode is great. tee hee. And 1200 is better than nothing.  On some days, it's a lifeline, so congrats on those!  I hope your holiday is great!

And while I'm posting here again, I have no update of my own.  My husband got me some comics, and well, I am a story addict... comics are the worst for me.  At least they aren't long, so I hope I get at least some paragraphs in for my next chapter.

Otherwise, I look forward to seeing more progress notes by others on this thread.


----------



## Randirogue

Status.

Chapter 18 of "B" is complete.
Cumulative totals:
69,551 words
175 pages

(btw, I write the first draft in single spaced paragraphs for my convenience, so the whole 250 words per page estimation doesn't apply.)



I hope everyone is making progress this weekend, and if not, are enjoying their holiday (or family and friends, for those not American or Canadian - Wasn't Canada Day this weekend?).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Had a great day yesterday at 3,700 words on Swan Cloud - now standing at the halfway (a little under) mark 89,000 words. BTW, the standard conversion of words to Trade size paperback is 330 words per page. So if you're looking to see where you stand POD-wise 89,000 words is 269 pages. This is an important benchmark for planning if you're using CreateSpace to do your POD as they cap out at 750 pages. I've come close to that with The Dragon's Pool at 705. Lulu allows up to 850 pages, however, while thir wizards are good for creating POD PDF's, their overall quality is less so (IHMHO) from CreateSpace's I hope ths helps those who are managing the final number of pages. BTW, since all chapters should begin Recto (right hand page), the work will generally grow by 10 pages of blanks depending of your front and back material., section breaks and how many chapters begin recto when poured into a template. All books end Verso (that is on a left hand page with an even number of pages.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

3,700 words in one day. You must be butter, Ed, because you're on a _roll_. Wish I could get that kind of output.


----------



## gregoryblackman

How many words would you think a good number is for a children/YA novel?  I settled around 40,000, but am not sure if I should have either increased or decreased that number.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

gregoryblackman said:


> How many words would you think a good number is for a children/YA novel? I settled around 40,000, but am not sure if I should have either increased or decreased that number.


40,000 is good, Greg. Depending on the trim size you use for your paperback, you'd be looking at a fairly decent-sized book.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I'm half a cup of coffee away from starting the third Jaclyn Johnson/Snapshot novel.


----------



## R. Doug

I went over 70,000 words yesterday afternoon. I might . . . just _might_ . . . have my first draft done this week.

Finally.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Wrote 2,000 words in four hours this morning. It measured out to 3 1/2 pages of prose. The third Jaclyn Johnson novel is off to a fantastic start.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,400 words on Swan Cloud this morning bringing that one up to 94,000 words.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

That's impressive, Edward.

This thread inspired me to start posting daily updates towards my goal to my have story to beta readers by a certain date. The updates make me accountable to someone/something other than my own self, which can be depressed, doubtful, distracted, etc. ~_~ooo

But, I like to post here as well. Ya'll are so supportive, it's nice. Plus, when I do, I try to give some support back to others that post here.

And I'm blathering... but it's late, so I hope I'm forgiven.
*
Current novel status:*
26 days remaining until deadline
20 chapters completed
(chapter 21 _still_ incomplete)
80,375 words (I broke 80,000!)
206 pages (single space in draft for my convenience)

I wish everyone posting on this thread a productive and proud week of writing!


----------



## R. M. Reed

The "How Long is a Piece of Rope" blog asks the same questions to all authors who want to be mentioned, and today my interview came out. http://thecompanyoffellows.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/how-long-is-a-piece-of-rope-robin-morris/

Someone posted this comment: "I read "Mama" about a month ago and I haven't driven since! One cannot be a horror fan without reading this."

If I could only use that as a blurb!


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Randirogue said:


> Congrats, Music & Mayhem! 5 stars is fabulous! So is a quote for your author page. Video trailers, huh? Share the links? I'm checking some out here and there as preparation for eventually doing mine. I bet they are great!


Well, I don't know if they're great, but I'd love to have you check them out. I did two for DIVA. 
Long one is at 




Short one is at 




Let me know what you think!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I was about to write that I had finished Ch. 1 in DOUBLE AGENT at 9,100 words... but the girlfriend wants me to expand one section.


----------



## Randirogue

Music & Mayhem said:


> Well, I don't know if they're great, but I'd love to have you check them out. I did two for DIVA.
> Long one is at
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Short one is at
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me know what you think!


Music & Mayhem:
Those are nice. The images are compelling. I haven't seen a ton of book trailers yet; I will study those more when I get close to doing my own.

One thing I've noticed of the few I have done is that they tend to be fairly static, using typed words and photo slideshows rather than video or voice overs. Is this pretty standard?

I wonder why more do not do actual video. There are tons of people on craigslist who would probably be very excited to help out simply for resume credits (with options of pay should the product make decent money or even for pay on future projects). That is especially true for actors. And with actors, you can actually get some quite good ones at no pay because they are so eager to build up a resume as well as something "professional" they can show off or add to their reel. But, the same can be said of some videographers as well.

It's not a criticism as much as curiosity. I'm gathering information for when I finally go to do my own. I'm lucky in that I have experience on video shoots, have done editing, have professional editing software, can do graphics (did graphics and editing and shooting on previous jobs - nothing exciting), and have an incredible musician/composer for a husband. That doesn't mean I'll end up with a perfect product, by any means. I could still have all these benefits and end up with something that just doesn't appeal. Not to mention that none of these things mean anything if my book doesn't appeal on it's own story-telling merits. And that's the part I'm focusing on now.

Thanks for sharing these trailers, Music & Mayhem. I very much enjoyed watching them.

And to Sean Sweeney... 9,100 for the first chapter, huh? That's an impressive word count. I try very hard not to let my first couple of chapters be too long, myself. For myself, I've found that trying to accomplish my plot goals for those in about 5 pages helps give a good kick to the beginning pace. After that, it can be fair game for length with chapters ranging from 4-25 pages each, depending on the requirements of plot goals, character development goals, mood manipulation, and pacing, of course.

How long do you anticipate this story being total? Chapters? Pages? Word count? Does your goal tend to keep close to the actuality?

I love hearing how everyone is doing.

My own story "B" (just the initial until I'm near release of it) is coming along fantastically, and so far, within my deadline for getting it out to beta readers.

*My cumulative status for it thus far is:*
18 days remaining until deadline
24 chapters completed
(chapter 25 almost done and chapters 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39 & 40* partially done)
95,768 words
262 pages (single spaced in first draft for my convenience)

*Estimated chapter numbers for the later chapters.

Good luck everyone, and best progress!


----------



## R. M. Reed

I dreamed an idea that might become my next horror book. I had another one planned but this one has grabbed my brain and won't let go.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,500 words today on Swan Cloud, but the last week have top[ped 8,000.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Randirogue said:


> Music & Mayhem:
> Those are nice. The images are compelling. I haven't seen a ton of book trailers yet; I will study those more when I get close to doing my own. One thing I've noticed of the few I have done is that they tend to be fairly static, using typed words and photo slideshows rather than video or voice overs. Is this pretty standard?


Hey, thanks for checking them out! For me, it's much easier and less time consuming to go with the slides. I just don't have time to find videographers and actors ... even if they're free.  But that doesn't mean you shouldn't. It all depends on your goal for the video and how you want it to look. Good luck with yours!


----------



## Randirogue

Music & Mayhem said:


> Hey, thanks for checking them out! For me, it's much easier and less time consuming to go with the slides. I just don't have time to find videographers and actors ... even if they're free.  But that doesn't mean you shouldn't. It all depends on your goal for the video and how you want it to look. Good luck with yours!


Good point on the time consumption aspect. While I can do much of that kind of thing myself, it still would be a lot of time. It's definitely something I'll have to weigh in when the time comes for it.

In the meantime, let me know if you do any others. I definitely would like to see them!

And now for a little show of pride...

*Current "B" status includes:*
17 days remaining until deadline
25 chapters completed
(chapters 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39 & 40* partially done)
99,229 words
272 pages (single spaced)

*Estimated chapter numbers.

Thank you everyone for replying and your support. The Kindle Boards are a wonderful place!


----------



## JoshuaPSimon

Edited a chapter on Book 1 of my trilogy and then wrote 2600 words on Book 2.


----------



## JFHilborne

2300 words on Fatal Fury, then my cheer was knocked by my first 1* review for my 2nd book. Ah, well.....can't please everyone.


----------



## anne_holly

Going to try to complete the first draft of my 12k short by the end of the long weekend. A tiny little NaNo weekend. Only have about 6k left to go, so I may make it. 

Good luck to everyone with their various goals. 

Have coffee, will write!


----------



## AnnetteL

A couple of days ago, I started a to-do list for my August writing goals. 

It started out surprisingly sparse, and I thought that dang, I can do this. 

Next thing I know, it's two pages long and growing. I doubt I'll get it all done in August, but at least all the items are written down!


----------



## JMJeffries

Trying to get all the digital rights on past books and it's not going well.


----------



## Randirogue

JMJeffries said:


> Trying to get all the digital rights on past books and it's not going well.


Oh, that's terrible! I'm so sorry.

I hope it turns out how you hope, but also, I hope that it doesn't impede current writing in the process.

I'm in my own frustrating position at the moment. I'm 6 days away from my self-imposed first draft deadline and I'm falling behind. I've been chewing at this same chapter for several days. it's unlike me. Especially since I'm itching so badly to get to the next part. That's what I'm doing starting tomorrow. I'm letting this chapter stand as is and moving on. Here's hoping doing so will rebuild my momentum again.

As it stands, I've already got over 110,000 words, 311 single spaced pages (for my writing convenience), and 30 completed chapters. I've got the rest of the scenes plotted out. Even have some important lines of dialogue, actions, and descriptions written for them. I just need to finish fleshing them out.

Here's hoping...


----------



## JMJeffries

Randirogue said:


> Oh, that's terrible! I'm so sorry.
> 
> I hope it turns out how you hope, but also, I hope that it doesn't impede current writing in the process.
> 
> Thank you. I will not give up. The publisher isn't going to do anything with them, so why keep them. I've decided that all future writing is going to be one self-published. I like having control over my product.


----------



## Randirogue

JMJeffries said:


> Thank you. I will not give up. The publisher isn't going to do anything with them, so why keep them. I've decided that all future writing is going to be one self-published. I like having control over my product.


I don't blame you there. I know that control is one of the factors playing into my upcoming venture into self publishing an ebook.

Speaking of which... I am ecstatic tonight. After several days of struggling on one chapter and finally wrapping it up, today, I completed two chapters and added more than 8,000 words of real story meat. I'm nearing the endgame. I'm so eager to keep writing. It's almost like I'm experiencing it as my characters do, their adventure and excitement paralleling my excitement over this adventure of writing my first full novel.

I hope everyone else had (or will soon have) a day like this.


----------



## Guest

A typical writer's complaint: I finished Conflict of Interest, re-did the last edits, and was going to put it live this weekend. On my final re-read, I've just seen how it could be improved. It's going to involve re-writing 21,000 words, redoing the story and getting it edited again.

I don't mind making the changes to improve the story, but I wish I'd thought of these changes earlier: for example, before I finished writing the whole thing....

Oh well, back to typing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Written 13,700 words since I last posted. Moving along briskly with _*Swan Cloud.*_

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## neciaphoenix

Trying to get focused to finish edits on a couple projects. I feel very distracted and excited about the new possibilities. And terrified I am going to blow it somehow. 

Today's goal, at least 1500 new words on E2, edit and finish rearranging the middle of E1.....
try not to get to anxious about launch day....


----------



## JMJeffries

Randirogue said:


> Speaking of which... I am ecstatic tonight. After several days of struggling on one chapter and finally wrapping it up, today, I completed two chapters and added more than 8,000 words of real story meat. I'm nearing the endgame. I'm so eager to keep writing. It's almost like I'm experiencing it as my characters do, their adventure and excitement paralleling my excitement over this adventure of writing my first full novel.


I love when I have productive days. Though today was not one of them. My brother is coming for a visit and I have to clean. I have animals and he's allergic to animals, so I'm cleaning under and over everything that isn't nailed down. Then I'm taking a week off to just visit with my brother. I think some time off will recharge and rejuvenate me. I realized I haven't taken any time for myself in almost two years.

Sometimes as writers I don't think we take good enough care of ourselves. I know when I'm deeply focused on a project I will work seven days a week, ten hours a day and go this way for several weeks before I can back away. I think I may just pack up and head to Starbucks tonight and people watch. Never know when an idea will strike. My sister works there so I'll have company.


----------



## Randirogue

JMJeffries said:


> I love when I have productive days. Though today was not one of them. My brother is coming for a visit and I have to clean. I have animals and he's allergic to animals, so I'm cleaning under and over everything that isn't nailed down. Then I'm taking a week off to just visit with my brother. I think some time off will recharge and rejuvenate me. I realized I haven't taken any time for myself in almost two years.
> 
> Sometimes as writers I don't think we take good enough care of ourselves. I know when I'm deeply focused on a project I will work seven days a week, ten hours a day and go this way for several weeks before I can back away. I think I may just pack up and head to Starbucks tonight and people watch. Never know when an idea will strike. My sister works there so I'll have company.


I so know what you mean! We bought tickets to a show (our first nyc play since we moved here) back around our wedding anniversary. The show is tonight. Back then, it seemed like it'd be forever until we got to go. We hadn't predicted the increase of my "day job" (and how prolific that increase would become) nor this new ebook selfpublishing venture (and it's rapid progression on completing the book). I'm already feeling a pinch on my time to write because of the increased prolific "day job" stuff, and now I have to take time off for a play?!

But, it is still a good thing. A break for fun and rejuvenation. A reminder as to why I'm working so hard on this venture (maybe we'll be able to see more shows, and if I want that kind of luxury, I should treat it as such and enjoy it when I can get it). Quality time with my decadent husband.

I hope your visit with your brother does everything for you and him that you want it to do... and then some! Using my vast and wily superpowers, I predict that you will love every minute of it and come out of it writing like a hyper freight train!

Heck, I wish that of everyone here. Cheers to us all!


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Randirogue said:


> Good point on the time consumption aspect. While I can do much of that kind of thing myself, it still would be a lot of time. It's definitely something I'll have to weigh in when the time comes for it. In the meantime, let me know if you do any others. I definitely would like to see them!


Hi Randi ... just checking back in to see how you're doing. Have you done your video yet? I'm completely flummoxed because I just got Windows 7 on a new computer and the movie maker is totally different and I am tired of learning new stuff (whine whine) 

good news is, Diva is getting great 5-star reviews on amazon, AND I lowered Absolution to 99 cents for month of August and have sold more books in 8 days than I did in all of July! Yeaaaaaaaaaaah


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

On vacation this week and cleaning our my apartment (the once in 10 year clean).    Did manage to write 2,500 words yesterday amidst the moan and groan of an aching back. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Now that I'm outta my day job and writing full-time, I need to get my butt back on the accountability wagon. Since keeping track of goals was one of the main reasons I originally started this silly thread, my goal for tomorrow is hereby officially 3,000 words (Hurricane Irene notwithstanding). Did about 2,500 today on IN HER NAME: DEAD SOUL, plus another 800 on a blog post...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now that I'm outta my day job and writing full-time, I need to get my butt back on the accountability wagon. Since keeping track of goals was one of the main reasons I originally started this silly thread, my goal for tomorrow is hereby officially 3,000 words (Hurricane Irene notwithstanding). Did about 2,500 today on IN HER NAME: DEAD SOUL, plus another 800 on a blog post...


Oh welcome back, oh prodigal son.  You have been missed.

Edward C, Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Oh welcome back, oh prodigal son.  You have been missed.
> 
> Edward C, Patterson


Thanks! I was busy ditching my day job! 

Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to make my goal today - I pulled a muscle in my upper back that's making the most minor things (like looking at or typing on my laptop!) agonizing. Plus there is now what sounds like a gaggle of thirty generators running around us, now, including ours - power's out from the hurricane - which makes concentration a tad difficult! LOL!


----------



## sinclairbrowning

JMJeffries said:


> Trying to get all the digital rights on past books and it's not going well.


Are your books still in print? If not, then your revisionary rights clause may kick in and you'll get all rights back.

Some of the legacy publishers are twitchy about the electronic rights. I know in my own case they don't want to do e-books on them because the contracts were done before the rights became important and I frankly think they're worried about legal repercussions if they exert those rights.

I've had letters from 3 major publishers asking me to sign a new electronic rights clause. I've ignored them. The funny thing is that one of the publishers has already published one of my books on Kindle. I got the rights back on 2 others with the same house and they still have two in print.

If your book is out-of-print you should definitely write a letter asking for all of your rights back.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I have 2,570 word day on Swan Cloud, which is up to 134,000 words. It's a big one, but I still have hopes of getting to the revision work by the third week of September, although optimistically the work will be pulished by the end of October now. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Victoria J

I'm having a hard time finding balance. I want to write all of the time! I have so many stories that have been bouncing around in my head for years that I gave up on because I thought I would never get published, that now that I have no barriers, it's hard to get away from the computer and just live my life! I have to pry myself away from writing to go spend time with friends and family or just to go and do simple things like cook and do laundry!

I love being productive but it's getting a little crazy!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 1417 words today on In Her Name: Dead Soul on what I suspect is the last chapter before I get to the epilogue. Time to quit for now...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Put me down for 2,905 words for *In Her Name: Dead Soul* today. Finished what I thought would be the last chapter, but turns out there's one left, plus the epilogue. Darn it...


----------



## JMJeffries

I did 20 pages on Protecting Lulu this weekend and feel like I'm successful. Maybe not successful, but kind of happy.


----------



## Guest

Conflict of Interest is back from the editors with very few change requests, which is good. Technically there is no reason it shouldn't go live this weekend. Unfortunately, I am having trouble working through a bad case of author's nerves. The Docks just got its first smashwords review, and I'm not sure I've written something that measures up.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

I am trying to take break from my favorite part which is writing; and getting into spreading the word around about my books. I totally stink at marketing and my case is hopeless. No body can help and support for which you're no good.  Whatever is selling is totally at its own. Thank god writing is hobby and not a job to earn living for me. I am slowly starting with tagging exchange and see if it has any value. Thanks to all those authors who help here and there about marketing. Wish you all the very best.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> I am trying to take break from my favorite part which is writing; and getting into spreading the word around about my books. I totally stink at marketing and my case is hopeless. No body can help and support for which you're no good. Whatever is selling is totally at its own. Thank god writing is hobby and not a job to earn living for me. I am slowly starting with tagging exchange and see if it has any value. Thanks to all those authors who help here and there about marketing. Wish you all the very best.


Most of us "totally stink at marketing" when we start out, because we don't know anything about it. But there is a lot of information available on marketing books, so start a process of self-development to learn what you need to know. Different things work for different people, but I think the key is to stick with it - you'll get better (and make more sales) over time.


----------



## R. Doug

Finished up the first draft on The Globe and notified my agent that I'll be starting my editing/rewrites and getting it out to my beta readers.  My agent e-mailed me back that he would like it not later than October 27, and that he's going to set aside that weekend to read it.

I'm one happy camper at the moment, but I'm really going to have to get busy now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,370 words on Swan Cloud. Going a bit slow, because I'm working OT at day job (gotsto pay for my last doctor bill, since I now have the crap insurance - at least until I get to Medicare. I hope I get there before Congress  )

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Zero wordage for me today. Sorta felt like garbage all-round, so worked on some non-brain-required stuff (web site updates & some other things). Determined to get the last chapter of Dead Soul done tomorrow...


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Most of us "totally stink at marketing" when we start out, ....)


Thanks Michael. In theory I know almost all the information on marketing. 
Application and enjoying doing it is different. As far as sticking with it. You bet I will. Thanks for the advice, though.

I am selling but I wonder what those people do who sell in thousands, some in a month. Is it price or something else that I am missing. I do appreciate your response. Wish you all the best.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,670 words tonight on Swan Cloud. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Thanks Michael. In theory I know almost all the information on marketing.
> Application and enjoying doing it is different. As far as sticking with it. You bet I will. Thanks for the advice, though.
> 
> I am selling but I wonder what those people do who sell in thousands, some in a month. Is it price or something else that I am missing. I do appreciate your response. Wish you all the best.


To be honest, I think Joe Konrath summed it up best in his latest blog post...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Got absolutely no writing done today - had a very late night last night and was pretty wonked out most of the day. My wife Jan and I will be running in the VA Beach half marathon tomorrow morning, so don't know if I'll get any writing done, but will try after we stagger back to the hotel after the race!


----------



## JMJeffries

No work done for me today.  Had to have my beautiful Maine **** cat euthanized this morning after he had a stroke during the night.  Still feeling down.


----------



## R. Doug

Oh, that is so sad, J.M.  Those big ol' Maine ***** are just such sweet, gentle, loving giants.  My sincerest condolences for your loss.


----------



## Pamela Kay Noble Brown

JMJeffries said:


> No work done for me today. Had to have my beautiful Maine **** cat euthanized this morning after he had a stroke during the night. Still feeling down.


I'm sorry to hear about your cat JM. Try to hang in there.

Pamela


----------



## Randirogue

It is done!  The first draft is done!

:drools and passes out on keyboard:

Ahem.  ~_~ooo

This beast I've been affectionately calling "B" clocks in at... 
159,206 words
417 pages (single spaced, approx. 800 double spaced)
42 chapters

Here's to trimming her claws back a bit in the edits.

I'm so proud of myself just for getting this far. 

Go me!

~_~ooo


----------



## RedTash

w00t!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

JMJeffries said:


> No work done for me today. Had to have my beautiful Maine **** cat euthanized this morning after he had a stroke during the night. Still feeling down.


My condolences - been there and done that. Always a terribly difficult thing. 

On the writing front, I might try and eke out a few words later, but may just wait until tomorrow. Am totally pooped after the half marathon this morning...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I second the "w00t!" 



Randirogue said:


> It is done! The first draft is done!
> 
> :drools and passes out on keyboard:
> 
> Ahem. ~_~ooo
> 
> This beast I've been affectionately calling "B" clocks in at...
> 159,206 words
> 417 pages (single spaced, approx. 800 double spaced)
> 42 chapters
> 
> Here's to trimming her claws back a bit in the edits.
> 
> I'm so proud of myself just for getting this far.
> 
> Go me!
> 
> ~_~ooo


----------



## JMJeffries

R. Doug said:


> Oh, that is so sad, J.M. Those big ol' Maine ***** are just such sweet, gentle, loving giants. My sincerest condolences for your loss.


Gryphon was the sweetest cat I've ever had and I'm going to miss him, all 30 pounds of him pounding me in the chest when it's time for breakfast.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

JMJeffries said:


> Gryphon was the sweetest cat I've ever had and I'm going to miss him, all 30 pounds of him pounding me in the chest when it's time for breakfast.


Yeah, Maine ***** are awesome. I knew one once - he was really cool. We've got Siberians - next in line size-wise, and incredibly fun & sweet cats.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Been absent for a bit. Had a few good days. Tonight was 3,700 words on Swan Cloud. Gonna need a pulley to lift the trade version it's getting so heavy.    

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, Maine ***** are awesome. I knew one once - he was really cool. We've got Siberians - next in line size-wise, and incredibly fun & sweet cats.


I'm so sorry to hear about your cat, Michael. My cat, Mimo, is part Main **** (you'll see him in the picture I use), but he's only 15 pounds. 12 years old, though, so I keep careful watch. The thing is he refuses to stay inside. He loves the warm weather we've been experiencing, especially at night.

And on the writing front, I haven't visited this thread for ages, but I guess I got sidetracked with other threads. For a brief update, I completed edits for my second Casey Holland mystery this summer. The book (print) will be released in spring 2012. My publisher is planning to put the first one on Kindle, but wants to work with print sales first. Meanwhile, book 3 is due at the end of Dec., but it's about done, and these days I'm editing book 4 and writing book 5...is that a good enough excuse to explain my absence


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - you're a machine!

Debra - Fortunately our cats are fine. It was JM's cat who passed away. 

On the writing front, I'm in first-round edits of chapter 5 of Dead Soul, but need to get my butt in gear. I've got a goal of four chapters edited today - going to be a late night at the keyboard!


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ed - you're a machine!
> 
> Debra - Fortunately our cats are fine. It was JM's cat who passed away.
> 
> On the writing front, I'm in first-round edits of chapter 5 of Dead Soul, but need to get my butt in gear. I've got a goal of four chapters edited today - going to be a late night at the keyboard!


Oh, sorry about that...must be another middle-aged moment. My condolences to JM.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

On chapter 7 edits for Dead Soul, moving right along...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Chapter 8 done, so that's two today. Dang, was hoping to get three! Have to do more tomorrow. Have I mentioned that I really hate editing??


----------



## JMJeffries

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> Oh, sorry about that...must be another middle-aged moment. My condolences to JM.


Thank you.


----------



## D.A. Boulter

JMJeffries said:


> No work done for me today. Had to have my beautiful Maine **** cat euthanized this morning after he had a stroke during the night. Still feeling down.


So sorry to hear this, JM. I lost my Maine **** almost 23 months ago. Still miss him.


----------



## JMJeffries

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Chapter 8 done, so that's two today. Dang, was hoping to get three! Have to do more tomorrow. Have I mentioned that I really hate editing??


I don't like it either and will put it off until I have to finish or miss a deadlines.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

JMJeffries said:


> I don't like it either and will put it off until I have to finish or miss a deadlines.


I'd love to put it off, but have to have this pile-o-wordage to Scarlet by the 18th!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,000 word on Swan Cloud and only 2 more chapters for this section - then we head into the last section and simultaneously begin rewrites on section 1. Up to 145,000 words. Yihay! This chapter was a punch in the gut. Left me bawling.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed, stop punching yourself in the gut. Not good for you! 

Almost halfway through the prelim edits for DEAD SOUL, on track to get it to Scarlet by the 18th...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Done with edits for chapters 12 and 13. Had to rearrange a bunch of stuff in 13, which was a pain, but it's done. Onward!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Edit, edit, edit. I know, Mike. I'll start the revision editing soon. For now, tonight was 2,400 words of fresh meat. Happy with it. Good basic for revision. One more chapter in this section, and then we hit the orad going south to the jungles of Hai-nan Island. Whew! It's blisteringly hot there, and in the twelth century, little beyond monkeys and moon rats.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Moon rats? Not sure I like the sound of them!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

They are small icky creatures feared worse than skunks. The challenge of the Hai-Nan is the native language - Hmong spoken by the Miao peoples. I'm struggling along with the basics.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> They are small icky creatures feared worse than skunks. The challenge of the Hai-Nan is the native language - Hmong spoken by the Miao peoples. I'm struggling along with the basics.


Oh, man. And here I thought Russian spoken with a Texas accent (not me, someone else!) was tough to understand...


----------



## R. Doug

Moonrat. Looks cute. Smells yucky.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ah, but there's a scene where one enters the village and causes quite a stinky stir. I still need how to say it in Hmong, else I'll need to approximate it. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Today was a day for thinking rather than cranking out words, though I did some of that too, but I wanted to work out in my head how I wanted the last third of my lastest mystery to end, and I'm just about there. Figured out 5 or 6 chapters, but I'm not sure yet where the final climatic scene will happen, though an idea is starting to emerge....


----------



## JMJeffries

Managed to write seventeen pages in my new romantic suspense, Protecting Lulu (tentative title) in the last two days.  Haven't written for over a week and it felt so good.  Now I have to clean.  My elderly cat has left fur everywhere.  She doesn't groom herself anymore, just pulls her fur out and I have clumps everywhere.  I'm surprised she'd not bald.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, I managed to get one chapter edited this morning before collapsing (didn't sleep much last night), and have to get a second one done tonight after helping a certain munchkin with homework he didn't do while we were out at his brother's track meet (result = no computer games tomorrow morning before school. MWUAHAHAHAHA!). So it's gonna be a long night...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Met my 2-chapter editing goal yesterday (finally!), and looks like I'm going to chug through 3 today. Now working on ch 17 of DEAD SOUL. I'm ready to be finished. Now!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Morning. Well today will be the day my novel Swan Cloud is complete at about 160,000 words, a little shorter than anticipated, because the last section proved too anitclimatic and has been now reserved for the 4th book - The Houe of Green Waters. I will pass the 1st 2 chapters over to Peg of the Red Pencil (my editor) for her final edit. Before I send stuff to her, I rewrite it, run it through Autocrit and then a "red-back" program. When I feel it's polished, she gets it. I then make her suggested changes and then run it through Kindle's voice to speech for the ultimate edit. So the book will be ready for publication by mid-Novemver. Meanwhile I will finish my little non-fiction work, A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere as a palate cleanser before starting final book of The Jade Owl series - In the Shadow of Her Hem (target start date Jan 1). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats, Ed!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Michael. I may take a few days off since I've been writing this one since April. Six months ain't much for a novel of its size, but it's a mighty tapestry of a work and quite takes my breath away.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, folks, I finished _*Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow Book III * _ last Wednesday and since then have revised and finished 49,000 words of the 148,000 words of the total piece. This is my 18th published book and should be released before the end of the month if not sooner. Never had I had a book coming through with such editing skills - in fact, _Katie-the-Kindlespreche _ has only picked up 3 errors so far. (In most cases, she finds, after several edits, hers being the last, anywhere between 120 and 150. I'm pleased, pleased, pleased with the finalized editi-proofing formula that Peg and I have implemented.

Anyhow, a Press Release is on the offing and I've turned to finishing *A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogoshere* , which will probably be released (#19) in December. I've also began a short-trm 150 poetry project to honor the heroes of WWI called *Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not  * and have also began the last Jade Owl installment, a biggy called _*In the Shadow of Her Hem*_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

Way to go, Ed.  Good job.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats, Ed! That's awesome!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Author's Support Thread. I'm happy to announce that the last edit has been applied to _*Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow Book III * _ (147,300 words). I shall be uploading tonight and creatng the paperback also this evening.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Ladies and Gentlemen of the Author's Support Thread. I'm happy to announce that the last edit has been applied to _*Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow Book III * _ (147,300 words). I shall be uploading tonight and creatng the paperback also this evening.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Sweet! Congrats, Ed! 

Just finished chapter 8 (draft) on the next book, Leap Into Hell (working title), and will soon be publishing a second omnibus with the First Contact trilogy...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sweet! Congrats, Ed!
> 
> Just finished chapter 8 (draft) on the next book, Leap Into Hell (working title), and will soon be publishing a second omnibus with the First Contact trilogy...


Thanks. Now all I need is to get rid of by BboS. Still brown at mid-day Yikes!

ECP


----------



## R. Doug

Good work, Ed.  Best of luck with the launch and subsequent sales.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, R Doug.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, the kindle version of Swan Cloud was uploaded and I managed to format and template the POD for CreateSpace in less than 2 hours. That just was fired up for review. Only one left is Smashwords. That's easy and I'll do it tomorrow. Then it will be Press release time and the gazillions of netowrk nooks and crannies that promotion lurks in (<---- dangling participle).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## morriss003

Sarah's Spaceship Adventure is now at Amazon and Smashwords. It's a story about Sarah Talmaiz who sneaks out of her house one night to go joyriding on her boyfriend's space yacht. Her boyfriend turns out to be a dangerous jerk. A chance encounter with space junk disables the yacht, and Sarah is rescued by Pall Swiftcar, a young space trader. He takes her aboard his freighter, but Sarah does not realize that Pall is not headed toward her home planet, Marl. Instead, he is off to the Hoop, a humongous asteroid belt, where adventure and romance await Sarah. This is a fun SF story, not for people who are eager to be depressed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I can't believe it, but the Kindle vrsion of Swan Cloud cme up ready to buy within 2 hours.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0062CGHU2
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I can't believe it, but the Kindle vrsion of Swan Cloud cme up ready to buy within 2 hours.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0062CGHU2
> Edward C. Patterson


My, that was quick.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, the response time of Amazon's systems is blazingly fast compared to what it used to be!

Onward with the new book: chapter 9 today, hoping to hammer down 3000-5000 words...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Haven't been here in a while because I've been too busy writing. I've got a four book series set in WW II with the editor. I just finished two of a four book series set during Prohibition, and three books done of a very long series with the fourth started. 

I'll start releasing the WW II series in December. The blurbs and covers are about done. They just need a little tweaking. I'll get that done today. I'm home taking care of Mom who had a rough time with a pain shot yesterday so no writing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Haven't been here in a while because I've been too busy writing. I've got a four book series set in WW II with the editor. I just finished two of a four book series set during Prohibition, and three books done of a very long series with the fourth started.
> 
> I'll start releasing the WW II series in December. The blurbs and covers are about done. They just need a little tweaking. I'll get that done today. I'm home taking care of Mom who had a rough time with a pain shot yesterday so no writing.


Awesomeness! And hope your mom feels better quickly!


----------



## geoffthomas

Margaret you know we will be happy to see your new books.
And I also hope your mother feels better soon.


----------



## starhawk

I'm superstitious about numbers, so I decided to start my new book on 11-11-11. It's got to be a lucky number.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Awesomeness! And hope your mom feels better quickly!





geoffthomas said:


> Margaret you know we will be happy to see your new books.
> And I also hope your mother feels better soon.


I'll pass your good wishes along to Mom. She was able to get up and fix her own lunch. To be honest, I enjoyed pampering her last night and this morning. 

Another month, Geoff. Watch for Regan O'Reilly, Private Investigator.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Margaret:

I'm a sucker for WWII stories. Keep me posted. (I already have a Margarent Lake Kindle category - and a Michael Hicks one too (or is that one-two  )

Hope your Mom feels better.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BTW, I have 2 WWII books in my WIP (not stories or novels). One is a book of 150 poems dedicated to the men who served in the Pacific. (Some samples posted devastated the readers, and one was recently and almost immediately deleted by Amazon from the boards - it's tough and very Marine - I Bowdlerized the language, but I guess the "Kill the Japs," line was taken literally instead of in the spirit of the times). The collection is called _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not*_. It's visceral and is dedicated to Eugene Sledge, whose first hand account of the Battle of Peleliu and Okinawa is a monument to the truth of war's utter insanity.

The other is a book of letters - my Dad's from shipboard to my Mom during WWII, and mine home from Basic Training and Germany during the Vietnam Era. It will be annotated and is called _*Dearest Flower of My Heart - Mail Call from Two Generations*_. My Dad's letters to Mom always began "Dearest Flower of My Heart." The book will also include my Dad's little work "Navy Days," that he wrote a few years back. Few people read it and it was left to me in his personal effects.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Margaret:
> 
> I'm a sucker for WWII stories. Keep me posted. (I already have a Margarent Lake Kindle category - and a Michael Hicks one too (or is that one-two )
> 
> Hope your Mom feels better.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


The first book is only set in WW II. The second book gets Regan involved but only peripherally. The third book, not at all, but the fourth book is Regan O'Reilly Goes to War.

I'm honored that you have a Margaret Lake Kindle category.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, I have 2 WWII books in my WIP (not stories or novels). One is a book of 150 poems dedicated to the men who served in the Pacific. (Some samples posted devastated the readers, and one was recently and almost immediately deleted by Amazon from the boards - it's tough and very Marine - I Bowdlerized the language, but I guess the "Kill the Japs," line was taken literally instead of in the spirit of the times). The collection is called _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not*_. It's visceral and is dedicated to Eugene Sledge, whose first hand account of the Battle of Peleliu and Okinawa is a monument to the truth of war's utter insanity.
> 
> The other is a book of letters - my Dad's from shipboard to my Mom during WWII, and mine home from Basic Training and Germany during the Vietnam Era. It will be annotated and is called _*Dearest Flower of My Heart - Mail Call from Two Generations*_. My Dad's letters to Mom always began "Dearest Flower of My Heart." The book will also include my Dad's little work "Navy Days," that he wrote a few years back. Few people read it and it was left to me in his personal effects.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Let me know when the Mail Call book comes out. I recently played a PC game based on someone's grandparents love story and marriage which began in Hawaii in WW II. They've been married for over 70 years.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, book #18 is launched. _*Swan Cloud - Southern Swallow Book III * _ - Good luck, my child.

Today I finish Book number #18 - _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravngs from the Blogosphere * _ -(70,000 words) - which now starts a month of editing and proffing.

And yesterday finished the cover design on Book #29 - _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not*_, a collection of tribute poetry (150 pieces) for the greatest generation and the Herculean efort. Due out in March-April 2012. Here's the cover:








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

Best wishes for a successful launch, Ed.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

starhawk said:


> I'm superstitious about numbers, so I decided to start my new book on 11-11-11. It's got to be a lucky number.


Why do you think this will be your lucky number! Is it related to your date of birth? I have heard numerology is based on DOB Six is supposedly my lucky number....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

R. Doug said:


> Best wishes for a successful launch, Ed.


Thanks, Doug. Here's the cover to that one:






and I already made changes to the cover for _*Pacific Crimson*_.







Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Wow, so many of you have been really productive since I last visited! I've been doing a lot of editing, and have my third Casey Holland mystery due on the publisher's desk Dec. 31st. I'm still writing two blogs a week and a couple of book reviews each month, but I want to increase my word output further. Going to work on that in the New Year.

Right now, I'm spending a fair bit of time selling books at local craft fairs, which has turned out to be far more fun and lucrative than selling at bookstores. Who knew?


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Finally finished, and released, the print and kindle editions of my latest novel, a semi-dark super hero tale. I've got a local authors book fair at our library next weekend as the debut book signing for that book, and will have copies of my others as well of course. I haven't figured out what project to tackle next - either finishing a western that's been sitting for a couple years, or starting fresh. Good writing to all!
Elmore


----------



## R. Doug

Nice covers, Ed.

Debra—glad to hear that you're getting words out, and that the local craft fairs have proven beneficial.

Elmore—best of luck with the new release.  Hope you sell a ton.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Roughly 10,000 words into the second draft of my first novel. It's been a little bumpy, but I think I've finally found a process that works for me. It's a short book, so here's hoping it won't take too long to complete and send to beta readers.


----------



## R. Doug

Best of luck with the project, Mark.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

#19 is nearing the end of it's final proof. _*A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon*_ and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere should be launched early next week. Then I'm getting crackin' on _*In the Shadow of Her Hem*_, the last Jade Owl legacy book.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

Way to go, Ed.

Keep up on the writing, Mcoorlim.


----------



## treycikay

DDark said:


> Finished a third draft to my sequel, and sent it off to the beta readers. This is something new, and I'm anxious for the feedback. In the meantime, designing the cover for the book (and title) has become the bane of my existence.


What program(s) are you using for your cover art? I used GIMP for mine. I think it worked pretty well, but I'm anxious to learn a possible new route for my sequel.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Made some changs to the cover for _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not*_. Of course, the work won't be finished until Spring, because it is a huge undertaking to compose 110 narrative poems each specific to a WWII Pacific date and place - but at least the cover's finished. Changes were made to the central image's mask and the typeface was switched out for something bolder.

BTW, the photos (which were black and white) were hand colored by me and they depict (left) the Bataan Death March, (right) The Invasion of Peleliu, (upper right) Battlefield Communion on Saipan; 9upper left) Shuri Heights, Okinawa. The ground, of course, was colorized to depict blood pooling into the icon of the rising sun flag. The upturned carbine bayonneted into the ground and crowned with helmet nd dogtags wes used as makeshift gravemarkers troughout the Pacific for our fallen heroes. The scratchboard effect is meant to depict the constant debilitating rain in the South Pacific, especially on Cape Gloucester. One of the poetry entries is a rhapsody on the rain (see below as I've included an excerpt):








*Cape Gloucester Rhapsody*

_New Britain, Cape Gloucester, January 10, 1944_


Nothing can like a tin can can 
On a string in the rain on Cape Gloucester,
A noisy plicketty plick plick plick
Instead of the sounds I am used to.
The mornings rise in the drenching cries;
Who needs a God damned rooster?
And my feet are soaked, in the mud they're cloaked,
And I slip on this sh*t like a crapper.
The canvas sings, and my shirt, it clings,
And the palms beat a tappety tapper.

The enemy's gone 'cause they've grown forlorn
And have left us here like suckers,
And the sun, it hides in the cloudland tides
While my fingers shrink into puckers.
And the maggots crawl in my underall 
Until I cry motherbuckers.
I shiver and shake, in this land of lake
Up to my knees in the gushers,
And my hammock's a pail - a swampy krael
So I squirm to my pant line mushers.

So what I have got is jungle rot
And a bad case of _enuresis_,
Which keeps me wet, and I don't mean sweat
Until I am worn to pieces.
And the trees they rip on the tent line tip
And pound us into feces.
When they call my name, I become insane
And tell them all to go shove it,
Because I am hot and without a cot
Or a tent to be stretched above it.

There's the daily shot around the lot,
Another man's gone bananas,
Lying there splat in the arms of drat
And taken away to the canners.
But without a drain we are all insane,
And chow is soup from a copper
And it's slop and it smells like abandonned wells.
Or a cistern without a stopper.
So I count the days, 'though I've lost the ways
To track the time in this dripping,
And naked I lie, like a hog in my sty,
'cause there's nothing left to be stripping.

Shoot if you must and lay me in the dust,
My country I will be serving,
But to drink in this bane of eternal rain
Is beyond the pale of unnerving.
I long for the song of the church ding dong
And the jitterbug that I can foster.
And to crush this can - this tin tin can
On its string in the rain on Cape Gloucester.

*Edward C. Patterson*


----------



## treycikay

DDark said:


> I use GIMP as well. It's a matter of learning all the tricks; it can do anything photoshop can. (youtube has a lot of tips you can watch) Also, there are filters you can install (although its been years since I did that and half don't work for whatever reason). My issue is just finding the right look, model, background, etc. to somehow feel like the same series as book 1. Tiring. It's more difficult with female model in my genre as there are few stock images to use out there.


Thats awesome. GIMP is pretty amazing, I did catch some more tutorials on youtube by playing around with the search words. Best of luck on your cover art!


----------



## Liz Davis

Hallo everyone, my name is Liz and I'm new on kindleboards. I'm currently going through the final edits for my YA novel, Tangi's Teardrops, which I plan to self publish in January 2012. I'm so excited.
Last night I was reading through a chapter of my manuscript when suddenly I thought, "this is crap. Who will ever want to read what I write?"
Needless to say, I stopped editing and went to bed feeling discouraged.
Today, one of my friends, Larissa, led me to this thread. I'm so happy to be here. This is a great thread and I think it will help keep me going. 
Good luck everyone.


----------



## Liz Davis

treycikay said:


> What program(s) are you using for your cover art? I used GIMP for mine. I think it worked pretty well, but I'm anxious to learn a possible new route for my sequel.


I use Photoshop elements. In the coming weeks I'll post the cover I designed. 
I've tried using GIMP for other things (like digital scrap booking). It's not bad either.


----------



## R. Doug

Congratulations, Bryan.

Liz—We've all been there, reading our own stuff and thinking it crap.  Don't get discouraged, and remember that you will probably be your harshest critic.


----------



## Patty Jansen

I released part 2 of my trilogy. Currently working on part 3.

You know those days that you feel kinda 'meh' about writing?

Yeah, that.


----------



## geoffthomas

Liz,
If you wrote what you intended to when you started out, then merely edit it for good spelling and sentence structure and then publish it.  If you had something to say, then others will enjoy reading that.  

IMHO.


----------



## Music &amp; Mayhem

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Haven't been here in a while because I've been too busy writing. I've got a four book series set in WW II with the editor. I just finished two of a four book series set during Prohibition, and three books done of a very long series with the fourth started. I'll start releasing the WW II series in December. I'm home taking care of Mom who had a rough time with a pain shot yesterday so no writing.


I guess you HAVE been busy, Margaret. Good luck with your Mom. WW II history is fascinating. Also love Prohibition era stories. My WOMEN WHO DARED: Trailblazing 20th Century Musicians covers WW I, Prohibition, and WW II. As seen through the eyes of violinist Maud Powell and trumpeter Edna White, who recorded for Edison Records and stared in vaudeville with her second husband. You can see a brief synopsis of her life here. 



 The book is out on Kindle, and there's an enhanced PDF version (with active links to dozens of photos and audio/video examples) for sale on my website. http://www.susanfleet.com/women_who_dared-vol1.html

Happy Holidays!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

This evening I designed my 21st cover, for the last (5th) book in the Jade Owl Legacy Series - _*In the Shadow of Her Hew*_, the loolapalooza of them all.  It should be out Spring 2012 - but as is my habit, covers come while the work's in progress:








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## R. Doug

Nice, Ed. Way to go.

I just uploaded last night my newest mystery thriller, _The Globe_, into Amazon's Kindle Select program. Hasn't gone live, yet.

This novel was two years in the making, so I'm really excited about it.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

Is there a place to find *free logos* that will go with publishing company name?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I'm nearing the 30,000 word mark with the last Jade Owl Book - _*In the Shadow of Her Hem*_. Just scratching the surface as this one will be about 250,000 words. Thought I'd give you a taste: This is the opening pragraph of Chapter Ten - Beyond the Pale - which opens in one of China's "Black Jails."

----------------------
In a crevice beneath the city, somewhere lost to all but the most sinister, a crypt stirred dripping with sewage and rats. Here the state kept those who disappeared to no where, but they were somewhere - somewhere not recorded on any docket or on any People's _fucky-bucky paper wucky_. This was the black jail, filled with quiet moans of the near dead or dying, the difference of which could only be discerned with a mirror held up to the mouth. No light was allowed except the occasional flashlight by the guard, who delivered scant rations. The prisoners were glad for the scant light, because when brighter lights moved through the cells, it meant a round of beatings and other molestation. Pitiful.

Edward C. Patterson
Author of the Jade Owl Legacy series


----------



## tamaraheiner

Carolyn Kephart said:


> 'Author Chat,' started recently by vwkitten, is serving a general purpose, it seems to me. Too many Author threads take up space and scatter our forces.
> 
> We're very fortunate that self-promotion is encouraged here, but we have our own threads for that, as you noted (some of us more than one).
> 
> Just my view.
> 
> Writerly regards,
> 
> CK


I'm interested in what you mean by this, Carolyn. You have your own thread for self-promotion? Where? and how do you keep interest up?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm also busy on _*Pacific Crismon - Forget Me Not*_, a collection of 110 narrative poems in honor of the greatest generation of WWII, particularly the Pacific warriors. Each poem is specific to a date and place, is full lenth and narrative. It's taking quite a bit of research to get the proper lingo in place (Army vs Marine) and the language is a bit rough, as is to be expected for poems from the point of view of the ground troops and the naval crews. I've tackled every issue (obvious and contoversial) and have cast them in simple accessiible meters. I have 30 of the 110 complete, and those who have peeked at them have been (I proudly say) reduced to rubble. These are remembrance poems, but none are token war requiems with lofty or flowery themes. No funeral dirges here - bullets and mortars. We get down to the wound-level and the fear factors and the playfulness. From Peleliu to Iwo, from Bataan to the Marianas, I mean for this work to be my _magnus opus_, it means that much to me.

Here's an excerpt from Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not. I've bowdlerized words in parens, not only the naughty words, but also mopped up references to our WWII enemy, which whenever printed on Amazon, get the poem zapped as it appears to them as a racial slur. I'll observe the same restraint here, although all who know me know nothing of the such is intended.

enjoy (my editor likes this one the best) and yes, it's a limerick
==================
_*Out at Second Base*_

_Guam, The Mariana Islands, February 22, 1944_

His name was Dooley O'Dowd.
But we called him Francis the Loud.
He was a ball chaser,
A strong second baser
For the Mad Badger team from St. Cloud.

We didn't much mind his big brag,
`cause he heartily waved our brave flag,
And beneath his red hair,
A grin he would wear
And you knew he had one in the bag.

But then on that day in Guam's rough,
Things got pretty d*mn tough
And the (foe) were relentless
And tried to prevent us
From breaching the beach on the cuff.

Our defilade gave us some space,
And our machine gum made (enemy) lace,
But then something happened
To make us all crap and
We thought we relinquished the chase.

An enemy pineapple grenade
Came bounding to our defilade, 
And we froze at the notion,
We'd be blown to the ocean,
But our buddy was steady and staid.

For Dooley he cornered the thing,
And listened to the menacing zing,
"I'll take care of that,
You just rat-tat-tat-tat."
And he swooped - picked it up with a fling.

Out it went from our hole with a lob,
Returned to that (enemy) slob,
Who dared throw it in.
He's gone - met his kin
And ground on the Emperor's knob.

But through all the battle's fray wail,
Came another pineapple's assail,
But Dooley, he caught it,
And none of us bought it,
`Cause he lobbed it back `long its trail.

And another and another did come,
But old Dooley he fielded the sum,
And hurled them away,
For the enemy's play,
And grinned as if having his fun.

Then as the last one brought sin,
He fumbled it and it fell in,
We all brushed aside,
To minimize hide,
But Dooley he just stood and grinned.

"Don't stop the shootin' hombre,
It certainly's not been my day,
I'll take care of that,
You just rat-tat-tat-tat,
And kill those (foe bustards). Okay?"

With that said, old Dooley O'Dowd,
Dived on the bomb, hugging proud,
But we never stopped shootin',
Or gave up our bootin',
Wearing pieces of Francis the Loud.

In war there's no time to mourn,
Until the end silence is born,
But this kid had the chrome
To send us all home.
But tarried at second as pawn.

We gathered him as best we could,
And over a mass grave we stood,
And tears were a plenty
For this lad of twenty,
Whose major-league dreams were kaput.

Now whenever I go to a game,
I am never quite right or the same,
For when anthem's sung,
My whispering tongue,
Says, "Dooley O'Dowd was his name."
Edward C. Pattrson
author of Pacific Crimson - Forgt Me Not (to be published in the Spring)


----------



## lea_owens

Some interesting posts and threads here. Love the cover you're designing for your latest book, Edward C. Patterson.

I published my first book a bit over a month ago, Horses Of The Sun (The Outback Riders). It is a children's book which adults are also enjoying, about four children and their horses in the outback of Australia - an inspiring story. It is chugging along at a few sales a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, getting down to a ranking of 5,200 but it has slipped back out past 20,000 now. It is up to nine good reviews and an overall rating of 5 stars, which is great. I have to get the second one in the series finished and published ASAP.

My second book, Flame The Fire Horse and Other Horse Stories is a collection of short stories about horses - some have been published in leading Australian horse magazines over the years, and I just put them together here. It's a fairly niche market - not everyone likes stories about horses, but those who do read it, like it.

I also have an advice book for young teens, You Look Worried - Inspiring and Helpful Advice for Teenagers (Good Advice) which covers a lot of the topics that students at school worry about (I'm a high school teacher) and I've used it to help them through these difficult years. Not selling very well, but it's probably not in a 'sought after' category - the big value of this book is that, so far, three young teens have contacted me saying they had been getting to the point of considering suicide because of their problems when they read it and it helped turn their lives around.


----------



## Marg

Hello, I've been browsing around. Would like to make my first post so I can be listed as an author, make a thread for my book, set up a link and signature, etc. I'm not even sure this is my first post because I have popped in and out several times and always got lost. Am I in the right place to get started? The discussion sounds interesting and I'm looking forward to joining.


----------



## R. Doug

Welcome, Marg.  Care to tell us a little about yourself and your writing projects?


----------



## NUTRIWINE

Are there any nonfiction writers here on KBs as there is a lot of fantasy writers. What if you have successfully
published a nonfiction book would you advise authors to do in terms of marketing and sales


----------



## Cliff Ball

I've got a question.... If you write more novels in the same time period as the previous one, and it tells a different side of stuff going on, but doesn't involve the same characters, is that still a series?


----------



## JRainey

Cliff Ball said:


> I've got a question.... If you write more novels in the same time period as the previous one, and it tells a different side of stuff going on, but doesn't involve the same characters, is that still a series?


I think this could go either way. I would say it depends on just how much of the aforementioned "stuff going on" also happens in the previous book. If it's happening in the same "universe" but with different characters, you could definitely call it a series, but you also wouldn't necessarily have to.


----------



## Cliff Ball

JRainey said:


> I think this could go either way. I would say it depends on just how much of the aforementioned "stuff going on" also happens in the previous book. If it's happening in the same "universe" but with different characters, you could definitely call it a series, but you also wouldn't necessarily have to.


My last novel is an End Times novel, so I figured I'd write another novel told from a different families' point of view in a different part of the U.S. that knows nothing about the previous novels' characters, but they experience something totally different than the first novel.

Anyway, I guess its up to me to figure that out.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I haven't posted in this thread for a long time, but am going to start again because it was a good accountability tool for me to use and I *really* need something to help me stay on track over the next several months. We're planning to move from Maryland to Florida, and amidst all that hubbub I've got to stay focused on work or we'll starve.

So: I'm somewhere around the halfway point on Bitter Harvest, the sequel to Season of the Harvest. 3600 words yesterday on chapter 14, and need to finish that chapter today and hopefully get 15 started. I'm also hoping to get an audiobook chapter for Season recorded. That's the plan.

And, BTW, I hope that you're having a great Memorial Day weekend...  

Let the day's writing begin!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Great, Micahel:

I was thinking of you and this thread the other day when I finished the manuscrupt of the last Jade Owl Book - In the Shado of Her Hem, and said, "I should report my progress in that old, dead thread." But now that it's not dead - I shall do so now.

I finished at 177,000 words, In the Shadow of Her Hem, last week, and it's now with Peg of the Red Pencil, who is frantically proofing my revisions. I've finsihed revising the first part and the first 8 chapters of the second part. I hope to release mid-June.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - great news! 

I didn't actually get that much done today, although I managed to finish the chapter I was working on. I woke up at 3AM and felt like trash most of the day, but hopefully tomorrow will be a bit more productive...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

If I didn't have this 20 lb cat in my lap, I'd be writing! Waiting for him to decide to move on, then hoping to get most/all of chapter 15 of Bitter Harvest written today.

And, of course, remember that it's Memorial Day, in honor of those who have fallen in service to their country...


----------



## R. M. Reed

I'm at a science fiction convention in the San Francisco Bay area. My writer's group has a table in the dealer's room. I have sold more paperbacks this weekend than I have sold ebooks on Amazon this month. Of course, that's only seven paperbacks, versus four ebooks, but it feels good when people hand me money for my books. The expense of coming here, with a registration fee, hotel, and gas, are far more than I am making, but the more books I get out there in the world, the more likely it is that they will take off someday.


----------



## R. Doug

Nice to hear that you're having fun and selling at least a few books, Robin.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, can't say as I have much experience to go by, as I've only been to one con so far, but I think the main reasons to go are exposure and just to have fun. If you sell some books in the process, so much the better! And hand out a bunch of business cards or bookmarks, too. 

2000 words on Bitter Harvest so far today. Hoping to get in at least another 1,000 before I pull the plug for the day...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well I finished two more chapters in revision (about5,000 words) and am ready to send them through Natural Speaking - a step I use before sending them out to Peg. After I apply Peg's edits, I then listen to the chapters on the inle with Katie the Kindle Sprece. So for proofing I've adopted a multi level attack - 

1 - revise chapter.
2 - spell and grammar check (for the artifacts)
3 - Natural Speaking
4 - Peg's proof and edit
5 - Katie the Kindle Spreche

It's pretty mechanical, but it allows me to apply techinques to the work, which never occur during the crative process, and to catch those unintention gammar thingies, words that throw the reader out of the story, the pronomial tag team game, and the general killing of the darlings. Plus continuity comes to play here, since I still refuse to use an outline or a plot for my massive tomes. (No sense sinkling them before they come ito being).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

3,000 words and chapter 15 draft is done. It's Miller time!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No new text written today, but I did a cover concept for BITTER HARVEST and got a few other odds and ends done...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1,500 words written so far...and this:


----------



## Jeff

You look a little lonesome here, Mike. 

Three cheers for your progress and cover art. Yay, yay, yay.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,500 this evening.


----------



## Jeff

Congratulations to you too, Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> You look a little lonesome here, Mike.
> 
> Three cheers for your progress and cover art. Yay, yay, yay.


LOL! Thanks, Jeff! It's okay if it's a bit quiet - easier to get a nap in here.

And was that 7,500 new stuff, Ed, or editing? w00t!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Editing. No new stuff as next up s a wW II poetry memorial set.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Editing. No new stuff as next up s a wW II poetry memorial set.


Still, that ain't bad at all! 

Okay, I have to stop procrastinating and get ch 16 of Bitter Harvest done. About 600 words to go, give or take...


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

Putting writing on hold.  Trying to figure out ways to promote.  Any suggestions will be helpful. Wish you all the very best.


----------



## Liz Davis

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 1,500 words written so far...and this:


Wow!!! Very nice. I love the cover. I should really start coming to this thread for support because I'm editing my next novel and I'm not motivated at all. I edited five pages last night .


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Liz Davis said:


> Wow!!! Very nice. I love the cover. I should really start coming to this thread for support because I'm editing my next novel and I'm not motivated at all. I edited five pages last night .


Thanks, Liz! So: how many pages have you edited today, or do we need to send "Cousin Vinnie" over to give you some motivation? 

I haven't gotten any writing done yet today - had to spend the entire morning through early afternoon chasing some things down with the department of motor vehicles. Hopefully going to get some writing in later, though!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Putting writing on hold. Trying to figure out ways to promote. Any suggestions will be helpful. Wish you all the very best.


Why put writing on hold? Keep writing! Promotion is a huge topic that has different answers for different people. My personal gold mine is Twitter, although I do a lot on Facebook and a small but growing amount on G+...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I have to stop procrastinating and get ch 16 of Bitter Harvest done. About 600 words to go, give or take...


*cracks whip while munching on godiva*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *cracks whip while munching on godiva*


NOM-NOM-NOM! And when's your birthday again? There could be brownies in your future...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

And on a totally unrelated note, has anyone used Kbuuk.com? I heard about them over Twitter, looks sort of like a Smashwords-type publishing/retail site...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Your link went to smashwords. Haven't heard of that publisher. Also, did you get your Mobipocket settlement. It was the first thing I ever got from Mobi, but I remembered that you did well there.

Ed Patterson


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> NOM-NOM-NOM! And when's your birthday again? There could be brownies in your future...


July 21st.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Your link went to smashwords. Haven't heard of that publisher. Also, did you get your Mobipocket settlement. It was the first thing I ever got from Mobi, but I remembered that you did well there.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Smashwords? Dang, pasted the wrong thing. Here's the URL: http://kbuuk.com/welcome

And yes, got the final settlement from Mobipocket, may they rest in peace! I did okay there, I guess, although it was quickly overtaken by the Kindle store. And now I'm finally seeing some serious progress at B&N, at long last! LOL!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> July 21st.


Four days after mine! I'll put that on my calendar...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1,700 words so far today on Bitter Harvest. Going to take a little break to play some Call of Duty, then write some more...


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> ...did you get your Mobipocket settlement.


I started a thread to celebrate the Mobipocket payment but nobody replied. Guess there weren't very many of us writing Ebooks before the Kindle.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I started a thread to celebrate the Mobipocket payment but nobody replied. Guess there weren't very many of us writing Ebooks before the Kindle.


Yeah, most probably have no idea what it was! LOL!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I started a thread to celebrate the Mobipocket payment but nobody replied. Guess there weren't very many of us writing Ebooks before the Kindle.


Heavens! That's really something to celebrate.

AP was on Mobi and never sold a thing. Then I kept getting emails that Mobi was phasing out and I'd better put AP on Amazon.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Heavens! That's really something to celebrate.
> 
> AP was on Mobi and never sold a thing. Then I kept getting emails that Mobi was phasing out and I'd better put AP on Amazon.


Yeah, Mobi died a rather quiet death. I'd completely forgotten about it when the final payment came through!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Smashwords? Dang, pasted the wrong thing. Here's the URL: http://kbuuk.com/welcome
> 
> And yes, got the final settlement from Mobipocket, may they rest in peace! I did okay there, I guess, although it was quickly overtaken by the Kindle store. And now I'm finally seeing some serious progress at B&N, at long last! LOL!


It might be a Smashwords wannabe, but starting 5 years too late. Between Amazon, CraterSpace, Smashwords - the current distribution world is virtually covered.. Ans the name kbuuk suggests a Dybuk, which enough to have me running for the garlic cloves.

Ed


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> It might be a Smashwords wannabe, but starting 5 years too late. Between Amazon, CraterSpace, Smashwords - the current distribution world is virtually covered.. Ans the name kbuuk suggests a Dybuk, which enough to have me running for the garlic cloves.
> 
> Ed


LOL! Yeah, sort of what I figured. A bit of a tough market to break into...

Draft of chapter 17 of Bitter Harvest is done. Taking a break today to get some house prep chores done. Oy!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! Yeah, sort of what I figured. A bit of a tough market to break into...
> 
> Draft of chapter 17 of Bitter Harvest is done. Taking a break today to get some house prep chores done. Oy!


I've finished revisng and proofing 33 Chapters of In the Shadow of Her Hem in the last three weeks. I have 31 Chapters to go and then the final romp with Katie the Kindlespreche. I just sent out 13,000 words to Peg of the Red Pencil.

BTW, have your sales slowed in the last few months. Mine have gone from 14-21 a day to 2 a day (and like today, I'm still waiting). Now after 16,400 sales I'm not complaining, it's just I think the universe is changing and us pioneers may be feeling it. You know I'm not in it for the money, but I do worry when the circulation slows down. I've resorted to . . . writing!!! lol. Why should I settle for 20 books out there when I could have 40, eh?

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 1,000 words this morning for me, finished chapter 17 of Bitter Harvest. 

As for sales, I don't know what to tell ya, Ed. They go up, they go down. Some has to do with promotion, some has to do with matching algorithms on the retail sites, and some has to do with God knows what. Just keep writing...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No writing today - was consumed with home fixit projects to get the house ready to go on sale (hopefully this weekend). Tomorrow I'm planning to get in at least 1,000 words or so before I break out the cordless drill and hammer.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No writing today - was consumed with home fixit projects to get the house ready to go on sale (hopefully this weekend). Tomorrow I'm planning to get in at least 1,000 words or so before I break out the cordless drill and hammer.


*drumming fingers on the desk*

come on hicks, you got people waiting....

and i gotta know when to re-read Season to be up to date to beta Bitter...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *drumming fingers on the desk*
> 
> come on hicks, you got people waiting....
> 
> and i gotta know when to re-read Season to be up to date to beta Bitter...


I know, I know - this house selling/buying thing is such a distraction! And when to read Season depends on how long it'll take you to read it...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I know, I know - this house selling/buying thing is such a distraction! And when to read Season depends on how long it'll take you to read it...


ahem........


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No writing today - was consumed with home fixit projects to get the house ready to go on sale (hopefully this weekend). Tomorrow I'm planning to get in at least 1,000 words or so before I break out the cordless drill and hammer.


You keep saying that. Get it up for sale. You can keep fixing while the realtor starts advertising it. As long as it's nothing obvious like huge holes in the wall, or electrical wires hanging down from the ceiling, it'll show okay.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only one chapter revised and sent to the BOSS. These next few chapters were messy, so I'm taking it slow. It isn't so much a matter of the way they were written, but they're a dark shift and represent a pacing change. I have decisions on pacing and coloration. My characters take a side trip to the Ming Dynasty (which should be a bright and happy time - nope. I've made it dismal, dark and almost dystopian). My mess is handling the historical and fantastical elements . This is the first of three challenging journeys my characters take t the end of the work before the bang-bang finale. The other two are more riveting, so I need to take care here to engage, but not over shadow. From here, the gang goes through the ghostlands and then through the Mountains and Seas, a world of Chinese mythical beings and places (derived from the Classic of Mountains and Seas). They also hob nob with the characters from my Southern Swallow series. I mighty fun- eye opening and has been my hugest authoring undertaking in my canon. But alas, tonight, one little, but crucial Chapter.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You keep saying that. Get it up for sale. You can keep fixing while the realtor starts advertising it. As long as it's nothing obvious like huge holes in the wall, or electrical wires hanging down from the ceiling, it'll show okay.


LOL! Well, considering there's still painting going on in half the rooms and the cleaners and carpet cleaners haven't been in yet, it would be an...interesting showing! As Felix once told Oscar, "Lawrence of Arabia couldn't make it through such dust!"  We Just had the windows cleaned yesterday it's amazing the difference that actually being able to see out the windows can make. Ha!

I'll probably do either the hand rail to the basement or the water line to the fridge, which has a bunch of punctures that are just about the size of kitty fangs.Then I'll get in some writing...

Keep chugging, all! Writing, that is. You can chug other stuff later!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! Well, considering there's still painting going on in half the rooms and the cleaners and carpet cleaners haven't been in yet, it would be an...interesting showing! As Felix once told Oscar, "Lawrence of Arabia couldn't make it through such dust!"  We Just had the windows cleaned yesterday it's amazing the difference that actually being able to see out the windows can make. Ha!
> 
> I'll probably do either the hand rail to the basement or the water line to the fridge, which has a bunch of punctures that are just about the size of kitty fangs.Then I'll get in some writing...
> 
> Keep chugging, all! Writing, that is. You can chug other stuff later!


That's a lot left to do. Have fun!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's a lot left to do. Have fun!


Yeah, with "fun" like this, who needs the Marquis de Sade?


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> *drumming fingers on the desk*
> 
> come on hicks, you got people waiting....
> 
> and i gotta know when to re-read Season to be up to date to beta Bitter...


I've been thinking the same thing....mostly the last part, but the rest works too....


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

I thought  I will never get tired of writing. But I am ready to take a break.  I don't know what to do with my time. Financial security is not always a good thing...lol


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, have your sales slowed in the last few months. Mine have gone from 14-21 a day to 2 a day (and like today, I'm still waiting). Now after 16,400 sales I'm not complaining, it's just I think the universe is changing and us pioneers may be feeling it. You know I'm not in it for the money, but I do worry when the circulation slows down. I've resorted to . . . writing!!! lol. Why should I settle for 20 books out there when I could have 40, eh?
> 
> Ed Patterson


Hi Ed and everyone, I haven't seen this thread in quite a while. Not sure how I missed it, but anyway, yes, I've heard that others have noticed slowing sales over recent months. When I first met you amazon forums about 4 years ago, there weren't as many ebooks out there as there are today, and Kindle Select didn't exist. What I've really noticed is the glut of free books compared to four years ago. It's getting harder to compete, I think. But we could see this coming back then too!

All the best,
Debra


----------



## Jeff

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> It's getting harder to compete, I think. But we could see this coming back then too!


We have to adapt or be left behind.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> We have to adapt or be left behind.


We used to worry about the glut of 99 cent books, too, but now many authors are raising their prices. The market is changing again. I agree with you, Jeff. That's why it's good to network with other authors so we can keep up with changing trends.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

The market's always changing, I guess. It's interesting on pricing, though: I just thumbed through Amazon's Sci-Fi/Adventure category, and there's an entertaining range of prices in the top 50 or so. I might play around with things a bit later, but $2.99 still seems to be the sweet spot for my books. Going lower doesn't seem to matter much, and going higher seems to drop them in the rankings to the point where I wind up losing money. 

As for competition, there's certainly more, but I suspect that if you look on a time scale of, let's say, 5 years, the vast majority of the current crowd will be gone. More will have come to replace them, and there will be a stream of stellar successes, but I think that those of us who just stick with it for the long term, continue to build our reader base, and continue to write good books will make it. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! 

I'm not sure what I'm going to do today. We've got a pile of people coming and going, working on the house, so we've got to stick around. I'd like to try and get some writing done, but I'm not sure if that's gonna happen today. We shall see...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> The market's always changing, I guess. It's interesting on pricing, though: I just thumbed through Amazon's Sci-Fi/Adventure category, and there's an entertaining range of prices in the top 50 or so. I might play around with things a bit later, but $2.99 still seems to be the sweet spot for my books. Going lower doesn't seem to matter much, and going higher seems to drop them in the rankings to the point where I wind up losing money.
> 
> As for competition, there's certainly more, but I suspect that if you look on a time scale of, let's say, 5 years, the vast majority of the current crowd will be gone. More will have come to replace them, and there will be a stream of stellar successes, but I think that those of us who just stick with it for the long term, continue to build our reader base, and continue to write good books will make it. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
> 
> I'm not sure what I'm going to do today. We've got a pile of people coming and going, working on the house, so we've got to stick around. I'd like to try and get some writing done, but I'm not sure if that's gonna happen today. We shall see...


I sold my house in December 2008, right on the cusp of market change. As it was I only got 230,000 for it (we started at 300,000). But I bought it in 1979 for 60,000, and I co-owned, so Imade a litte on it (and if I didn;t have such a high debt load at the time, I would have made a tidy sum).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, we're not exactly going to make a killing, but I'm hoping we'll have enough for a down payment on a place in Sarasota, and maybe with a little bit to spare. But this house is way too big for us, and there's no point in paying the mortgage to go with it. That, plus no income taxes in FL, should help a lot!

In the meantime, no writing today, as I was wrapped up in house fixing stuff. Had to replace the trim around the back door - the knuckleheads who built the house didn't even caulk the top of it where it attached to the frame of the door, and there was a huge gap on one side. No wonder it rotted out!

There is a little writing news, and Ed, you in particular will appreciate this: the final draft of the Chinese (don't ask me which variety!) language version of First Contact and Season Of The Harvest should be done soon. So that should be pretty nifty, although I have absolutely no idea if any will actually sell!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No words written yet today, but my goal is 1500. Did some promo work this morning, then we have to run out while someone's showing the house. So, 1500...1500...1500...


----------



## Ursula_Bauer

I've noticed a grind to halt with borrows, sales within the same general range, but my older Samhain books showed increase over the last three months so I'm not sure what that all means. Probably just the vagaries of fate.

Back to writing again tho, now that all the stuff has chilled in regular life (crossing fingers).  

Mike, good luck with the house sale, move and Asian adventures.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ursula_Bauer said:


> I've noticed a grind to halt with borrows, sales within the same general range, but my older Samhain books showed increase over the last three months so I'm not sure what that all means. Probably just the vagaries of fate.
> 
> Back to writing again tho, now that all the stuff has chilled in regular life (crossing fingers).
> 
> Mike, good luck with the house sale, move and Asian adventures.


Thanks!! 

Not sure what to tell you about the sales. There are so many variables involved, I doubt Einstein could figure it all out! I was hoping that we'd see a general upswing for the summer, but so far I haven't seen much.

And now, finally, I'm going to try and get a little writing in. Most of the rest of the day has been pretty well shot!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not sure what to tell you about the sales. There are so many variables involved, I doubt Einstein could figure it all out!


It's pretty easy for me to figure out.  My sales shot up to the stratosphere when I got sick and Gertie took over promoting my books for me.

Edited to add: I saw your crack about Gertie's mustache, by the way, Michael.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> It's pretty easy for me to figure out.  My sales shot up to the stratosphere when I got sick and Gertie took over promoting my books for me.
> 
> Edited to add: I saw your crack about Gertie's mustache, by the way, Michael.


It would be nice if I really knew what I was doing. I just keep hacking away at it and trying new things. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. 

Now, Mike, don't you think the mustache goes well with the pipe?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> The market's always changing, I guess. It's interesting on pricing, though: I just thumbed through Amazon's Sci-Fi/Adventure category, and there's an entertaining range of prices in the top 50 or so. I might play around with things a bit later, but $2.99 still seems to be the sweet spot for my books. Going lower doesn't seem to matter much, and going higher seems to drop them in the rankings to the point where I wind up losing money.


Mike, those who have been watching the popularity lists have noticed that Amazon has skewed the algos to favor the higher priced books. I don't know if I've made those lists, yet, but raising my prices seems to have boosted both sales and income. I thought for a long time that $2.99 was my sweet spot, and it probably is for the bestseller lists, but it's the pop lists that show up on different devices.



> As for competition, there's certainly more, but I suspect that if you look on a time scale of, let's say, 5 years, the vast majority of the current crowd will be gone. More will have come to replace them, and there will be a stream of stellar successes, but I think that those of us who just stick with it for the long term, continue to build our reader base, and continue to write good books will make it. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!


Absolutely agree. It's the long haul that counts.

Now, if I could just get back to writing ...


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mike, those who have been watching the popularity lists have noticed that Amazon has skewed the algos to favor the higher priced books. I don't know if I've made those lists, yet, but raising my prices seems to have boosted both sales and income. I thought for a long time that $2.99 was my sweet spot, and it probably is for the bestseller lists, but it's the pop lists that show up on different devices.
> 
> Absolutely agree. It's the long haul that counts.
> 
> Now, if I could just get back to writing ...


we can chain you to the desk with hicks.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

A crack about a moustache? I have no idea what you're talking about...  

Interesting about the higher price/pop list thing. I haven't read that myself, as I don't spend much time in the writer's cafe anymore. Is that in the Select megathread or somewhere else? That probably bears reading.

In the meantime, about 600 words written today. Hope to get a bit more done, but not so sure with all the hoopla going on around here this evening! Ack!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> we can chain you to the desk with hicks.


Hicks and I in the same room? That'll only work if Jan keeps feeding us choco chip pancakes.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> A crack about a moustache? I have no idea what you're talking about...
> 
> Interesting about the higher price/pop list thing. I haven't read that myself, as I don't spend much time in the writer's cafe anymore. Is that in the Select megathread or somewhere else? That probably bears reading.
> 
> In the meantime, about 600 words written today. Hope to get a bit more done, but not so sure with all the hoopla going on around here this evening! Ack!


You really should keep track of the MEGA THREAD. Lots of good info there.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You're right about the sales Michael. Out of the blue I got a jolt going from 1 a day to 18. Spike or not, it was fun and I believe it cme from a 5-star review by Alan Chin in _The Examiner _ for *Swan Cloud * (The Southern Swallow Series), and the books sold were full sets of that series and *The Jade Owl*.

Anyhow, 8,000 words today on *In the Shadow of Her Hem*. I believe I'll be able to launch by the 20th or I'll need to adjust my copyright to July 2012, but this one is letter perfect (or will be) in the editing and proffing department. And of course, my standard is that each book must be better than it's predecessor. This will be book 20, so the mountain gets higher and higher.

After the War Wolrd II Pacific poetry book is finished and out (_*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not*_), I'm turning not to the Southern Swallow series' 2 remaining books, but taking a pallate cleanser with _*Belmundus*_, my dystopian/succabus/Cherokee History inspired/Thespian/Magus/Rebellion mash up. The last time I had such a mash-up on my plate, I wound up with _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, a book which hasn't taken off yet, but I count among my best. So I'm excited. Beta-readers for early chapter drafts back in 2004-5 were quite encouraging, and now that my style has progressed, it should be a treat, and will be a trilogy. BTW, my first visions of _*Belmundus * _ were back when I was 13 when I crafted a lousy libretto called _*Adrift in Eternity * _ (inspired by _Candide _ - yes, I read, but didn't really understand _Candide _ at age 13). I have toyed with this structure for 50 years, and so I'm going forward with it, now that I have a sufficiently bizarre mashup and a wonderful axe to grind on the travesty of Cherokee history (in the work they are the Cetronians - an urban underclass forced on drugs - a bit of Japanese tactics with the Chinese on Opium). And my protagonist is a self-centered, young American actor who's kidnapped by Succubii, daughters of a Princely class of magi that rule the Belmundian world and cruise the many worlds to harvest a collection of misfits (Some people collect stamps). There's a scene on a transitory beach when my protagonist realizes he left this world and meets his brother-in-law to be, a kidnapped Shakespearean actor (snatched right from the Globe theatre). Insanity - SciFi - historical and I hope different. I've learned that to be unique one must cull the entire world of "already done" stuff and turn on the blender. lol.

Edard C. Pattreson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I did go back and scan a bit of the recent stuff in the mega thread, although I need to do more. I do have to say that submitting books to the "here's a freebie!" sites like Kindle Daily Deal and Free Kindle Books & Tips (among others; those are the only two that I can confirm have run it so far) definitely can have a major impact. I've had *First Contact* running free now for a few weeks, and it was hovering around 700-800 on the free list in the Kindle store. As of right now, it's at 121. So I'll definitely continue that little strategy!

Just as a side note, I'm pulling all my books out of Select. Since Amazon made the major changes to the algos in March, it's been a case of diminishing returns for me. At this point, I'm getting a better overall return by giving away the first book of the two trilogies (Empire + First Contact) and making it up on sales of the remaining books.

On top of that, in the last few months I've made a LOT of headway at B&N: last month the royalties from them were almost $1800. I attribute that mainly to some targeted freebie handouts through Twitter of First Contact and Empire. Once I get Harvest and the two trilogy collections out of Select, I hope to increase that even more. I just wish there were some sites for Nook like there are for Kindle to announce freebies.

Anyway, enough blathering! Time to get back to writing...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I did go back and scan a bit of the recent stuff in the mega thread, although I need to do more. I do have to say that submitting books to the "here's a freebie!" sites like Kindle Daily Deal and Free Kindle Books & Tips (among others; those are the only two that I can confirm have run it so far) definitely can have a major impact. I've had *First Contact* running free now for a few weeks, and it was hovering around 700-800 on the free list in the Kindle store. As of right now, it's at 121. So I'll definitely continue that little strategy!
> 
> Just as a side note, I'm pulling all my books out of Select. Since Amazon made the major changes to the algos in March, it's been a case of diminishing returns for me. At this point, I'm getting a better overall return by giving away the first book of the two trilogies (Empire + First Contact) and making it up on sales of the remaining books.
> 
> On top of that, in the last few months I've made a LOT of headway at B&N: last month the royalties from them were almost $1800. I attribute that mainly to some targeted freebie handouts through Twitter of First Contact and Empire. Once I get Harvest and the two trilogy collections out of Select, I hope to increase that even more. I just wish there were some sites for Nook like there are for Kindle to announce freebies.
> 
> Anyway, enough blathering! Time to get back to writing...


That makes sense for you. The off-sites never did anything for me and I'm still doing well in Select. My six weeks report jumped up 40% over last week. If I get another decent free run next week, I could reach the same sales I had in February.

Do a search in Twitter for "free books for nook" and a list will come up. I think Authors on the Cheap has a section for Nook or you can just specify Nook in your post.

I had a plan today since Tuesday is the day I pick GD up from camp. It's right down the street from the library and I was figuring on going there first and picking her up on the way home. Mom has decided to come with me. Maybe I can talk her into spending a little time browsing around the library while I struggle to get back into the writing habit.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That makes sense for you. The off-sites never did anything for me and I'm still doing well in Select. My six weeks report jumped up 40% over last week. If I get another decent free run next week, I could reach the same sales I had in February.
> 
> Do a search in Twitter for "free books for nook" and a list will come up. I think Authors on the Cheap has a section for Nook or you can just specify Nook in your post.
> 
> I had a plan today since Tuesday is the day I pick GD up from camp. It's right down the street from the library and I was figuring on going there first and picking her up on the way home. Mom has decided to come with me. Maybe I can talk her into spending a little time browsing around the library while I struggle to get back into the writing habit.


Sweet! Good onya! I'll scope around some more for Nook stuff, and you need to get back into the habit, even if it's a little bit a day! 

Okay, stupid question, on the off chance that someone's seen this (I haven't had any luck finding the answer so far): has anyone figured out the magic key to getting books into the sub-genre categories on Amazon that *don't* appear in the KDP list? In particularly, I'd like to try and get Season Of The Harvest into the Thrillers > Technothrillers list, but of course I can only select "Thrillers"... Bah!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sweet! Good onya! I'll scope around some more for Nook stuff, and you need to get back into the habit, even if it's a little bit a day!
> 
> Okay, stupid question, on the off chance that someone's seen this (I haven't had any luck finding the answer so far): has anyone figured out the magic key to getting books into the sub-genre categories on Amazon that *don't* appear in the KDP list? In particularly, I'd like to try and get Season Of The Harvest into the Thrillers > Technothrillers list, but of course I can only select "Thrillers"... Bah!


Here's the reply I got from KDP.

Further, I checked your KDP account and see that, you've chosen the below categories on KDP:

FICTION / Anthologies
FICTION / Romance / Short Stories

The categories you chose has exported on the web site as follows:

Books > Literature & Fiction
Books > Romance > Anthologies
Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Romance

Please note, the categories you choose on the KDP web site is as per BISAC standards; however, the one that is displayed on the web site is a broader classification on it; hence, the categories you chose did not export as it is, on the web site. However, we can manually assign the categories to your book.

We can add a total of two categories that aren't currently available to select in your KDP Bookshelf, as long as they already exist in the Kindle Store. If you'd like us to manually change your category, you'll first need to remove the current categories.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Aha! Okay, if I'm understanding this right, they can manually assign up to two categories, but you can still only have a *total* of two categories assigned, ja?

Okay, chapter 18 of Bitter Harvest is done - 4000 words written today, and I'm pooped! But it was a fun chapter to write... aren't they all? 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Here's the reply I got from KDP.
> 
> Further, I checked your KDP account and see that, you've chosen the below categories on KDP:
> 
> FICTION / Anthologies
> FICTION / Romance / Short Stories
> 
> The categories you chose has exported on the web site as follows:
> 
> Books > Literature & Fiction
> Books > Romance > Anthologies
> Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Romance
> 
> Please note, the categories you choose on the KDP web site is as per BISAC standards; however, the one that is displayed on the web site is a broader classification on it; hence, the categories you chose did not export as it is, on the web site. However, we can manually assign the categories to your book.
> 
> We can add a total of two categories that aren't currently available to select in your KDP Bookshelf, as long as they already exist in the Kindle Store. If you'd like us to manually change your category, you'll first need to remove the current categories.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Aha! Okay, if I'm understanding this right, they can manually assign up to two categories, but you can still only have a *total* of two categories assigned, ja?
> 
> Okay, chapter 18 of Bitter Harvest is done - 4000 words written today, and I'm pooped! But it was a fun chapter to write... aren't they all?


yippee!


Spoiler



now go write more...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Aha! Okay, if I'm understanding this right, they can manually assign up to two categories, but you can still only have a *total* of two categories assigned, ja?
> 
> Okay, chapter 18 of Bitter Harvest is done - 4000 words written today, and I'm pooped! But it was a fun chapter to write... aren't they all?


Not sure, but it sounds as if they'll add two categories from their bestseller lists. Why don't you try it?



telracs said:


> yippee!
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> now go write more...


Just finishing up a story about Mordaunt Telracs.  You are such an inspiration. How did you like your alter-ego in The Professor and the Bootlegger?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I sent an email to KDP to see if they'll add Harvest to the Technothrillers category, so we'll see how that pans out. Have been mostly working on promo stuff this morning, then sending IRS their second quarter blood money. My stress level just shoots through the roof on "tax days" - seems like we're starting to get ahead a little bit, then splat-O! I'm just hoping we can sell the house pretty soon...


----------



## geoffthomas

It is nice to see telracs nagging three of my favorite authors here in one place.
go telracs!

She allows me to be Mr. Nice Guy.
Looking for more from all three of you though: Jeff, Gertie and Mike........

Just sayin.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> It is nice to see telracs nagging three of my favorite authors here in one place.
> go telracs!
> 
> She allows me to be Mr. Nice Guy.
> Looking for more from all three of you though: Jeff, Gertie and Mike........
> 
> Just sayin.....


You'll be happy to know I made it to the library this morning and wrote nearly 1700 words. Hopefully I'm back on track. I plan on going to the college library tomorrow first thing in the morning.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You'll be happy to know I made it to the library this morning and wrote nearly 1700 words. Hopefully I'm back on track. I plan on going to the college library tomorrow first thing in the morning.


w00t!


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just finishing up a story about Mordaunt Telracs.  You are such an inspiration. How did you like your alter-ego in The Professor and the Bootlegger?


giggle.

I LOVED my alter ego! nice to know I will live on...


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> I LOVED my alter ego! nice to know I will live on...


I'm not buying dinner for Margaret's version of your alter-ego. Too scary.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I'm not buying dinner for Margaret's version of your alter-ego. Too scary.


don't worry jeff, you get the real me. but then again, hicks might tell you that the real me is scarier than ANY thing you people can come up with.


----------



## Jeff

I know he'd have nothing but good things to say.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'm not buying dinner for Margaret's version of your alter-ego. Too scary.


Howard thought so, too.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Howard thought so, too.


Howard is a smart man...



Jeff said:


> I know he'd have nothing but good things to say.


maybe....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I know he'd have nothing but good things to say.


She was very entertaining!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> She was very entertaining!


otherwise known as "she didn't shut up"


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> otherwise known as "she didn't shut up"


Bah! You had lots of great stories!!


----------



## Jeff

See?


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> See?


he's afraid of me...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> he's afraid of me...


Who, me? You're not the reason we're moving to Florida. Really...

In other news, I think I'm going to give Dragon Dictate a try. I've found that if I do more than about 1500 words a day, on top of all the other crap I have to type (Twitter, Facebook, blog, KB, whatever), my wrists get sore pretty quick and don't recover very fast, especially my right side, which got hammered in the car accident a year or so ago.

The only downside is that now I'll have to go hide in a closet - I don't think I can speak the stories, and then I can't hold Jan in suspense for what's coming in the next chapter!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Talking about being in the closet with limp wrists .  

I just received from Peg her edits for some 15,000 words which took me less than 10 minutes to apply. Her note to me was "Pretty darn clean." I guess the layers of stuff I've put in place must be working as far as proofing. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Talking about being in the closet with limp wrists .


LOL! It's a writer thing! 



> I just received from Peg her edits for some 15,000 words which took me less than 10 minutes to apply. Her note to me was "Pretty darn clean." I guess the layers of stuff I've put in place must be working as far as proofing.


Nice! Haven't started in on mine yet today. Still waiting for Dragon to download. Will play around with it a bit, then we have to go get the RV from the shop that works on the chassis and take it to the RV dealership for a safety inspection (for tags & title) and a couple other odds and ends to be fixed. Have a trip planned for the end of the month, although we're not sure where yet. LOL!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, 2800 words this morning on Bitter Harvest. I think I'll chill for a bit...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, 2800 words this morning on Bitter Harvest. I think I'll chill for a bit...


*cracks whip*

get back to work!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *cracks whip*
> 
> get back to work!


Ow! Ow!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,00 more in revision today (had a day off from the day job).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1K words at Pokemon last night and 1600 words at the library this morning. I plan on another library session tomorrow morning.

Scarlet, please be careful you don't injure Mike's hands when you're cracking that whip. Any other body parts are fair game.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 1K words at Pokemon last night and 1600 words at the library this morning. I plan on another library session tomorrow morning.


Pikachoooo, I choose you!!



> Scarlet, please be careful you don't injure Mike's hands when you're cracking that whip. Any other body parts are fair game.


Oh, cruelty, thy name is Woman!

[/quote]


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 1K words at Pokemon last night and 1600 words at the library this morning. I plan on another library session tomorrow morning.
> 
> Scarlet, please be careful you don't injure Mike's hands when you're cracking that whip. Any other body parts are fair game.


i very carefully target his back.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i very carefully target his back.


So that's why it hurts all the time! Sheesh!

Fine, on to chapter 20. Jack's in a bit of a sticky wicket in this one...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> So that's why it hurts all the time! Sheesh!
> 
> Fine, on to chapter 20. Jack's in a bit of a sticky wicket in this one...


prepares the bottle of sangria to tempt Mike's muse...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Fine, on to chapter 20. Jack's in a bit of a sticky wicket in this one...


I should hope so. How's the cat?

Took GD to the library with me this morning. Big mistake. I only got about 400 words done, but that's 400 more than I had yesterday.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I should hope so. How's the cat?


The cats haven't come into play yet much in the story, but that is about to change... 



> Took GD to the library with me this morning. Big mistake. I only got about 400 words done, but that's 400 more than I had yesterday.


Well, compromise isn't necessarily a bad thing... 

Got 1,000 words done on Bitter Harvest yesterday, but between house showings and various other goings on, I probably won't get a lot done today. Have been playing with Dragon Dictate for Mac, and think that may be a real wrist-saver. Decided to go ahead and splurge on their recommended bluetooth mic - it's a lot more pricey than I'd normally spring for, but what the heck. So we'll see how that goes, but it looks promising. I tried it with my iPhone as a remote microphone (they have a free app for that), but it's annoying holding the phone up for long periods. The results of the dictation, however, were nearly perfect for me. But the software can do a LOT more, including controlling a lot of the apps and functions on the Mac (or PC), it'll just take time to learn it.

So, hopefully tomorrow when the mic gets here, most of what I write in here will be by the spoken word...


----------



## theaatkinson

I've had to use Dragon for years! It's amazing. And it changes the way you write. Believe me. Makes you hear your dialogue and if a metaphor makes you cringe you to speak it, you don't put it in.

But I find homonyms get stuck in there frequently and sometimes an odd recognition I don't notice, but mostly, it's the cat's pajamas.

Enjoy!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

theaatkinson said:


> I've had to use Dragon for years! It's amazing. And it changes the way you write. Believe me. Makes you hear your dialogue and if a metaphor makes you cringe you to speak it, you don't put it in.
> 
> But I find homonyms get stuck in there frequently and sometimes an odd recognition I don't notice, but mostly, it's the cat's pajamas.
> 
> Enjoy!


Cool! The main problem I've had in my limited testing so far is that my brain seems almost hard-wired to my fingers. I'm sure that's simply a matter of getting used to doing things another way as anything else, but it was pretty frustrating the other day: I managed to get down a paragraph using Dragon in the time I could've written a page on the keyboard. It wasn't Dragon's fault - it put down what I said nearly without error - but I just couldn't "think" the words to my mouth nearly as fast as I do to my fingers. D'oh!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Cool! The main problem I've had in my limited testing so far is that my brain seems almost hard-wired to my fingers. I'm sure that's simply a matter of getting used to doing things another way as anything else, but it was pretty frustrating the other day: I managed to get down a paragraph using Dragon in the time I could've written a page on the keyboard. It wasn't Dragon's fault - it put down what I said nearly without error - but I just couldn't "think" the words to my mouth nearly as fast as I do to my fingers. D'oh!


Yes, that is the main problem. The other problem is muscle memory. Working as a word processor/secretary/paralegal for 40 years, my fingers have to type. They need to type. When I couldn't work, my fingers were very restless. I took up knitting to give them something to do.

I know I'm going to switch at some point to dictating. Maybe I can knit at the same time. Anybody want a hat and scarf? I'll probably have tons of them.

No writing planned for today.

Happy Father's Day to all those who qualify!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I got Dragon a few months ago - not for writing, becuse my mind and fingers are so conntected - but to transliterate my Dad's letters to my Mom from WWI (and my own from Grermnay) for an upcoming project (2014) Dearest _*Flower of My Heart - Mail-call from Two Generations*_.

Well, I'm back from my NJ jaunt, so perhaps I'll get something done today.

Edward C. Pattrson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I got Dragon a few months ago - not for writing, becuse my mind and fingers are so conntected - but to transliterate my Dad's letters to my Mom from WWI (and my own from Grermnay) for an upcoming project (2014) Dearest _*Flower of My Heart - Mail-call from Two Generations*_.
> 
> Well, I'm back from my NJ jaunt, so perhaps I'll get something done today.
> 
> Edward C. Pattrson


Sounds like a lovely project, Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, today has been a complete waste so far. I ran a few errands, but two of the things that I wanted to get done, the stores weren't open yet. As for getting any writing done, I started doing a little bit this morning, but then got interrupted by bad kitties. We have a house showing pretty soon, and maybe after that I'll be able to get some work done… or not!


----------



## That one girl

I just started a new novel today! It's my first venture into the paranormal romance market. I'm nervous about my ability to pull it off, though I have already written five sci-fi/fantasies, so it can't be that far off. :-/

I'm hoping to get at least the first chapter down today. The first chapter's always the hardest for me and the setting requires a bit of research, so I'm going easy on the goals today. I usually try to finish two chapters per day. I finished the plot diagram last week. 

Does anyone here write fantasy without pre-plotting? I'm a major plotter, but I played the role of "pantser" while writing  my last post-apocalyptic series and I think it turned out well.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Awesome! Hope it goes smoothly. I don't plot anymore (except to snare chocolate chips when my wife isn't looking), because the stories always come out flat... 



T.S. Welti said:


> I just started a new novel today! It's my first venture into the paranormal romance market. I'm nervous about my ability to pull it off, though I have already written five sci-fi/fantasies, so it can't be that far off. :-/
> 
> I'm hoping to get at least the first chapter down today. The first chapter's always the hardest for me and the setting requires a bit of research, so I'm going easy on the goals today. I usually try to finish two chapters per day. I finished the plot diagram last week.
> 
> Does anyone here write fantasy without pre-plotting? I'm a major plotter, but I played the role of "pantser" while writing my last post-apocalyptic series and I think it turned out well.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, today has been a complete waste so far. I ran a few errands, but two of the things that I wanted to get done, the stores weren't open yet. As for getting any writing done, I started doing a little bit this morning, but then got interrupted by bad kitties. We have a house showing pretty soon, and maybe after that I'll be able to get some work done&#8230; or not!


if you write something, you may have one of my chocolate covered oreos. or maybe some of my godiva brownie.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Fantasy here. Never a plot or an outline. I let my imagination take flight and tether it in revision.


----------



## theaatkinson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Cool! The main problem I've had in my limited testing so far is that my brain seems almost hard-wired to my fingers. I'm sure that's simply a matter of getting used to doing things another way as anything else, but it was pretty frustrating the other day: I managed to get down a paragraph using Dragon in the time I could've written a page on the keyboard. It wasn't Dragon's fault - it put down what I said nearly without error - but I just couldn't "think" the words to my mouth nearly as fast as I do to my fingers. D'oh!


it gets better. once you get used to hearing the words, they'll come. Mind you, I prefer to type especially if someone's hanging around. good luck!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

theaatkinson said:


> it gets better. once you get used to hearing the words, they'll come. Mind you, I prefer to type especially if someone's hanging around. good luck!


Yeah, I reconciled myself to the fact that it will take a while to get used to it. But just using it right now to make posts like this saves a lot of strain on my wrists, so that right there is worth it. But it is kind of weird trying to talk while someone is in the room! LOL! 

Okay, back to work on Bitter Harvest&#8230;


----------



## Jedidiah

I am struggling with a direction that I should take in writing. I already completed one fantasy novel and I have started writing the sequel recently because I have heard that I need to get my second and third book of the series done before doing anything else. 

My dilemma is that I wrote the first fantasy novel seven years ago and just recently self published it. I started a fiction novel about a year ago and nearly finished that before diving into this whole self publishing ebook craziness. 

I feel like I could be more successful in the fiction genre and would like to knock out those ideas but I keep hearing that I need to finish my fantasy series. I understand that today's reader doesn't want to wait more than a year to read a sequel but being that I am self published would it really be that big of a deal?

Right now I am leaning toward finishing my sequel and then moving on to my other fiction ideas while the genre is hot. Ideas??


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

First of all, keep in mind that this is a long-term effort. You can go either way, putting out the other novels in your fantasy series, or alternating between that and other books that you would like to do.

Personally speaking, if you're close to finishing the new fiction novel, I would go ahead and get that done and get it out there, then get the sequel done. And don't worry about today's reader not wanting to wait more than a year to read a sequel-if you write good books, readers are going to want to read them.

The most important thing is to keep writing, and keep publishing! 



Jedidiah said:


> I am struggling with a direction that I should take in writing. I already completed one fantasy novel and I have started writing the sequel recently because I have heard that I need to get my second and third book of the series done before doing anything else.
> 
> My dilemma is that I wrote the first fantasy novel seven years ago and just recently self published it. I started a fiction novel about a year ago and nearly finished that before diving into this whole self publishing ebook craziness.
> 
> I feel like I could be more successful in the fiction genre and would like to knock out those ideas but I keep hearing that I need to finish my fantasy series. I understand that today's reader doesn't want to wait more than a year to read a sequel but being that I am self published would it really be that big of a deal?
> 
> Right now I am leaning toward finishing my sequel and then moving on to my other fiction ideas while the genre is hot. Ideas??


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, I reconciled myself to the fact that it will take a while to get used to it. But just using it right now to make posts like this saves a lot of strain on my wrists, so that right there is worth it. But it is kind of weird trying to talk while someone is in the room! LOL!
> 
> Okay, back to work on Bitter Harvest&#8230;


pretend you're talking to me...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

A decent morning at the library. 1200 words. Still getting back in to the swing of things. I brought GS with me and she was much better about letting me work. There's a Subway right on campus across from the library, so we had lunch there. Yum!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> pretend you're talking to me...


And you'd let me say anything?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And you'd let me say anything?


i knew that was coming....

sigh.....

pretend you're talking to me and I'm hanging raptly on every word...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i knew that was coming....
> 
> sigh.....
> 
> pretend you're talking to me and I'm hanging raptly on every word...


Hey, I'm a fiction writer, but there are limits to my imagination&#8230; 

Oh, by the way, I wrote a thousand words today. I was hoping to write more, but my muse must not have gotten enough chocolate today. Oh well, will try again tomorrow!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, I'm a fiction writer, but there are limits to my imagination&#8230;
> 
> Oh, by the way, I wrote a thousand words today. I was hoping to write more, but my muse must not have gotten enough chocolate today. Oh well, will try again tomorrow!


*tosses the muse a chocolate covered oreo*



Spoiler



and plots torture for hicks insults...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *tosses the muse a chocolate covered oreo*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> and plots torture for hicks insults...


I'm doomed...

Going to try and get the next chapter of Bitter Harvest done today, although a really crappy night's sleep didn't help. It's always something... <sigh>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

about 12,000 yesterday. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with this one. Yahoo!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> about 12,000 yesterday. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with this one. Yahoo!


Just as long as it's not the oncoming train, Ed! 

700 so far today. Trying to finish this darn chapter! Wasn't very motivated yesterday. A little bit more today. Obviously need more chocolate...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm interviewed today by Alan Chin in today's Examiner.com -

http://www.examiner.com/article/alan-chin-interviews-historian-author-edward-c-patterson

Thought I'd mention it, if you didn;t bump into it on the millions of places I've been promoting it. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

DEATH TO SMASHWORDS! Okay, maybe that's a little extreme - at this point, I'll settle for dismemberment. I *HATE* having to submit books to them in .doc format, because it seems like there's always some stupid error that creeps into the Word file. I spent all morning trying to get Season Of The Harvest formatted, and it's still spitting out errors. So, I've given up for the moment. I guess it doesn't matter much, since the only real reason I'm using Smashwords at all anymore is for price-matching, but I can probably do that just as well via iTunesConnect (when it decides to work - I've been able to upload one book so far, but not the others, and it doesn't even give me an error).

I think I need to go back to the stubby pencil method, except I can't even read my own writing...


----------



## Elmore Hammes

I didn't get much writing done yesterday - probably about 500 words - but they were the right words. I finally finished a chapter on a work-in-progress and more importantly figured out to get my protagonist moving in the right direction again.

Good writing to all!
Elmore


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> DEATH TO SMASHWORDS! Okay, maybe that's a little extreme - at this point, I'll settle for dismemberment. I *HATE* having to submit books to them in .doc format, because it seems like there's always some stupid error that creeps into the Word file.


I'm off Smashwords for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that they won't accept publisher formatted books. The MOBI and EPUB books that I produce are of much higher quality than those built from DOC files by the meat-grinder.

Because I believe that the next waves of electronic readers will have more multimedia capabilities, my most recent projects have been illustrating classic children's stories and experimenting with audio and animation. After a half century of being on the notoriously unprofitable bleeding edge, you'd think I'd learn. Maybe I should spend a little time on a new novel, since it's novels that are paying the rent.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I'm off Smashwords for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that they won't accept publisher formatted books. The MOBI and EPUB books that I produce are of much higher quality than those built from DOC files by the meat-grinder.
> 
> Because I believe that the next waves of electronic readers will have more multimedia capabilities, my most recent projects have been illustrating classic children's stories and experimenting with audio and animation. After a half century of being on the notoriously unprofitable bleeding edge, you'd think I'd learn. Maybe I should spend a little time on a new novel, since it's novels that are paying the rent.


Well, somebody has to do the bleeding edge stuff so the rest of us can play with those safe little rubber swords!


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I'm off Smashwords for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that they won't accept publisher formatted books. The MOBI and EPUB books that I produce are of much higher quality than those built from DOC files by the meat-grinder.
> 
> Because I believe that the next waves of electronic readers will have more multimedia capabilities, my most recent projects have been illustrating classic children's stories and experimenting with audio and animation. After a half century of being on the notoriously unprofitable bleeding edge, you'd think I'd learn. Maybe I should spend a little time on a new novel, since it's novels that are paying the rent.


and new novels keep your fanbase happy.....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> and new novels keep your fanbase happy.....


Well okay, then.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Well okay, then.


YIPPEE!!

I didn't wanna push, but i do miss your stuff.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> YIPPEE!!
> 
> I didn't wanna push, but i do miss your stuff.


You're pushy in the very nicest way. I'll keep you updated.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> You're pushy in the very nicest way. I'll keep you updated.


Oh, you've just headed down a very slippery slope, indeed! 

Going to try and get chapter 21 of Bitter Harvest done today. Hopefully there won't be TOO many interruptions like there were yesterday (starting with Nina hurling up a hairball at 4:30AM).

Have also been working with the team overseas working on the Chinese translation of First Contact. I had no idea, but apparently they commonly use illustrations in their novels, not just for the book covers, but sprinkled throughout the text. The team lead found this gal who goes by the nickname of "9" (love that) who's coming up with some great ideas. When the artwork is finalized, I'm going to try and get rights (and pay 9) to put it in the English version.

And my mic isn't cooperating this morning, so I'm having to type instead of talk. Grr. Well, the joys of technology, right?

BTW, Elmore, 500 words is great! Now do it again! And congrats on the interview, Ed... 

On to writing - hope y'all have a great day!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, you've just headed down a very slippery slope, indeed!


Oh, well. I miss being nagged by [backwards]Scarlet[/backwards] and Geoff.

Congratulations to Elmore for the progress, Ed for the great interview and Mike for every new word except hairball.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Oh, well. I miss being nagged by [backwards]Scarlet[/backwards] and Geoff.
> 
> Congratulations to Elmore for the progress, Ed for the great interview and Mike for every new word except hairball.


who's this [backwards]Scarlet[/backwards] of whom you speak?

and hicks..... be nice or i will taunt you with godiva brownies again.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> who's this [backwards]Scarlet[/backwards] of whom you speak?


Hmm. That would be telracS. Apparently Kindleboards doesn't support BBS backwards tags.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> who's this [backwards]Scarlet[/backwards] of whom you speak?
> 
> and hicks..... be nice or i will taunt you with godiva brownies again.


Shhh! I'm trying to get some writing done here!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Everybody get back to work!!!

Didn't do much yesterday, but I got to 10K words on the wip.


----------



## geoffthomas

Ok, we need some new books here folks.
May be if I became ffoeg people would take me more seriously?


----------



## telracs

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, we need some new books here folks.
> May be if I became ffoeg people would take me more seriously?


i like ffoeg!

and i'm not backwards.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, we need some new books here folks.
> May be if I became ffoeg people would take me more seriously?


I have eight finished and waiting in the wings, but I'm not going to release the first three until December. There will be 12 altogether and I'm working on #9 now.

yrros,

teragram


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I have eight finished and waiting in the wings, but I'm not going to release the first three until December. There will be 12 altogether and I'm working on #9 now.
> 
> yrros,
> 
> teragram


hi 'ekal teragram a/k/a' eldnik eitreg!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> hi 'ekal teragram a/k/a' eldnik eitreg!


Yano, Gertie is who I really am.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> hi 'ekal teragram a/k/a' eldnik eitreg!


Margaret who?? 

Probably not going to get too much writing done today. We've got several house showings today, and are planning to grab the cats and hang out in the RV, although I might get some writing done when we get home.

In the meantime, I hope everyone has a great Saturday!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Margaret who??
> 
> Probably not going to get too much writing done today. We've got several house showings today, and are planning to grab the cats and hang out in the RV, although I might get some writing done when we get home.
> 
> In the meantime, I hope everyone has a great Saturday!


Hoping all this interest turns into something for you soon.

Got a very late start today so I only had about an hour at the library. Got 800 words done. Not a record breaker, but at least some progress.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

13,400 revised today and sent off to Peg. I'm in the last part of the book and then it's Kaie the Kindlespreche and the usual formatting and luanching stuff — except this time, since it's the last book in a five book series, I'll be lauching the entire series in a Press release and doing all sorts of other cretive stuff. I'm thinking of dressing up in a Jade Owl suit (like Nick Battle in the the story does) and go out trying to save gay people in destress (as Nick Battle does).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I have decided that I'm going to take the day off today and just goof around.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I have decided that I'm going to take the day off today and just goof around.


Hit the dirt! Incoming!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Me too. Ducking


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I have decided that I'm going to take the day off today and just goof around.


Lucky for you I was off-line all day. and I'm too tired to throw anything. but, no sangria for you! 


Spoiler



hope you had a good day



now, get back to dictating/typing/sacrificing chocolate to the muse.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> Lucky for you I was off-line all day. and I'm too tired to throw anything. but, no sangria for you!
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> hope you had a good day
> 
> 
> 
> now, get back to dictating/typing/sacrificing chocolate to the muse.


Ha! Back to work tomorrow, although this week should be interesting (although no more so than usual). Hoping to get the new MD plates for the RV tomorrow or Tuesday, then it's off to the DelMarVa peninsula for a little camping trip! Plan to get a lot of writing done, though...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

One of the cats had the gall to wake us up at 4AM this morning! Grr. Got 1,000 words written so far on Bitter Harvest so far, but it's now time for a nap!!


----------



## R. Doug

The last time my cat woke me at 4:00 a.m., I sat him down next to me and showed him Internet searches of ways to prepare roast cat.

He hasn't done that since.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

R. Doug said:


> The last time my cat woke me at 4:00 a.m., I sat him down next to me and showed him Internet searches of ways to prepare roast cat.
> 
> He hasn't done that since.


LOL!! Of course, our cats are a bit difficult to impress sometimes. You can see why from this pic of my wife holding Sasha (his little sister, Nina, is the one who woke us up this morning):


----------



## Jeff

That animal belongs in a zoo or a wildlife park.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> That animal belongs in a zoo or a wildlife park.


Yeah, considering how much he eats! And he's not fat at all, except between the ears...


----------



## geoffthomas

So Mike, I hope Sarasota did not get whacked by the storm?


----------



## vrabinec

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL!! Of course, our cats are a bit difficult to impress sometimes. You can see why from this pic of my wife holding Sasha (his little sister, Nina, is the one who woke us up this morning):


JHC, is that a cat, or is that a lynx? Look at the size of that thing. What's weigh? Bet it busts your bladder when it jumps on you in the morning.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vrabinec said:


> JHC, is that a cat, or is that a lynx? Look at the size of that thing. What's weigh? Bet it busts your bladder when it jumps on you in the morning.


The last time we weighed him, he was 20 lbs, and he has about a year left before he's fully mature. And yes, bladder ruptures are common!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I managed to pull a rabbit out of that yesterday and wrote two thousand words on Bitter Harvest. I'm planning to finish chapter 22 today, and hopefully move on to chapter 23.

Best of luck to all of you in your writing today!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Took Mom to the eye doctor and brought Ginny the netbook with me. She's usually there for a couple of hours, but today, I barely got started writing when she was done. At least I got 400 words in.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I managed to pull a rabbit out of that yesterday and wrote two thousand words on Bitter Harvest. I'm planning to finish chapter 22 today, and hopefully move on to chapter 23.
> 
> Best of luck to all of you in your writing today!


drums fingers on desk.....

how many chapters is this thing gonna be? i want it done by your birthday!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> drums fingers on desk.....
> 
> how many chapters is this thing gonna be? i want it done by your birthday!


Me, too! 

I have no idea, but I just finished ch 22 today - 3400 words for the day. Oy! Will start 23 tomorrow. Still waiting to get the RV titled in MD - now there's a holdup because the dealership wrote down the wrong odometer reading on the Florida title, and it doesn't match the reading provided by the state inspection. FL dealership said 32K, but it's actually 16K! D'oh...


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL!! Of course, our cats are a bit difficult to impress sometimes. You can see why from this pic of my wife holding Sasha (his little sister, Nina, is the one who woke us up this morning):


Oh my God! He's enormous and wonderful! He makes my 13 lb. tabby seem like a little squirt.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

4600 words written today on Bitter Harvest, finished through chapter 23. WIP is now up to 84,000 words total, and not sure how much is left to do!

Wrists are tired. I think it's time to stop for the day...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Wrists are tired. I think it's time to stop for the day...


no it's not! get back to work!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> no it's not! get back to work!


Heartless slave driver!

I guess I don't have much excuse other to complain that the inside of the house (except for the basement) is going to turn into an oven today. The power's been out since around 11 last night, and almost half a million customers are out of service in the BGE area here in MD from the storm last night. Appreciating our investment in a standby generator even more! LOL! Alas, it doesn't power the A/C, so we might have to grab the cats and hang out in the RV for a while. Need to make a more comfortable writing area in the rig - the dining table thingy is too high. Hmmm...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

FINISHED! BOOK #20. Came to 179,874 words (revised down from 195,000). Now getting the read back through the kindle (Katie the Kindlespreche) and by next weekend I'll be launching. I took 5 days off to devote myself to promoting). It's a good time, since Smashwords has its monthly promotion and Amazon sales will take a dive. I'll just put my sales on autopilot over there (no money, but maybe I'll hit the 17,000 mark in circulation).

Anyhow - here 'tis. The last Jade Owl book, the 5 book series toting in at just over 3,200 pages.








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Congratulations, Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats, Ed!  

Not much writing for me today. Power's still out, and while the generator's keeping the fridge and other stuff going, it doesn't do the A/C. Not too bad in the basement, but nowhere to write comfortably here. Oh, well, will putter around with other stuff...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats, Ed!
> 
> Not much writing for me today. Power's still out, and while the generator's keeping the fridge and other stuff going, it doesn't do the A/C. Not too bad in the basement, but nowhere to write comfortably here. Oh, well, will putter around with other stuff...


okay, you get a break for this. but you could always, i don't know, actually long hand it and type it later....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> okay, you get a break for this. but you could always, i don't know, actually long hand it and type it later....


That's cruel and unusual.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> okay, you get a break for this. but you could always, i don't know, actually long hand it and type it later....


You have NO idea! I'd get hand cramps in about 5 minutes, and even I couldn't read what I'd written!


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> That's cruel and unusual.


well, that seems to be my modus operandi....



Michael R. Hicks said:


> You have NO idea! I'd get hand cramps in about 5 minutes, and even I couldn't read what I'd written!


actually, unfortunately, I do have an idea. it was


Spoiler



mostly


 a joke....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Mike and Jeff. Here's what's coming next (I'm slogging through it - and it's almost as tough as Look Awaly Silence).

Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not. And here's one of the entries (most are pithy like this one - no holds barred). This ain't flowery poetry, and I don't hold back.

*His Last Hand*
_Betio Island, the Aftermath on Tarawa Atoll, November 23, 1943_

You son-of-a-bitch, you owed me some,
And now I'll never get it.
Don't think 'cause you're laying there
Without a sound that you're let off so easy.
No chance of it, I say,
You welching son-of-a-bitch.

It's quiet now that Betio's crushed,
Now that the battle cry has hushed.
Now that the cocoanut wall is cleared
Of the piles of bloody martyrs.
And you tailed me, you did
With your mortar stand,
And I knew you were there, so I shouted,
"Stay down and off the beach with you."

But what beach is there here
On this coral strip,
Where the flesh is torn and the helmets rip,
Where the torsos pile against the logs
And the bullets fly through shelling fogs.

I fell then. Nothing much compared to most.
I caught a buzzer in my shin.
In fact, pay the ticket and sing the tune,
That buzzer is a million dollar wound.
Fat chance with no escape
From this lagoon in the shell case fire.

But now we've won it, this blood soaked beach,
Where I now find you lying in the breach,
And you owe me for that


Spoiler



fracking


 ace-in-the hole
That I squirreled away 'neath my poker face,
And you fell for it, you son-of-a-bitch,
Only to trump me without a stitch.
You were behind me, you know,
And then you were not,
And I called to you, but no reply came.
Only my own false hopes and chances.

Now there's the hush and the taps and the ponchos,
The prayers from the chaplain, the spiel from the honchos,
But who's gonna give me the pot that you owe?
Maybe I should just cut off your toe.
Then they come - the registration crew,
And they drop you into Betio's grip.
The pain in my passport wound assaults,
And I weep for that money you owe me.

Oh Hell, get your ass up as often you did.
Slap my back silly as you had every day.
What will I do in the States without you,
My buddy, my pal, my bucking mule,
Who'd tell me it's white, when I could see black,
Who'd bum my butts from morning to rack
And sing off-tune ditties and fall off your bunk,
Get your ass up now. Get out of this funk.

Long lines of ponchos, emptied to trench.
Makeshift the crosses come into view.
I guess I won't see your owings - not a sou,
Now that you're gone and I finally owe you -
You, son-of-a . . . son-of-a-bitch.

Here's the cover art (and yes, the red meatball is subliminal):


----------



## R. Doug

That's great, Ed.  Best of luck with the book launch.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Doug

Ed P


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Hey Gang. In the Shadow of Her Hem just went live on the Kindle. (Still working on the paperback)

Here's the brand new link

In the Shadow of Her Hem http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008I9IS22

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Hey Gang. In the Shadow of Her Hem just went live on the Kindle. (Still working on the paperback)
> 
> Here's the brand new link
> 
> *In the Shadow of Her Hem http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008I9IS2*
> 
> Edward C. Patterson





> Looking for something?
> We're sorry. The Web address you entered is not a functioning page on our site
> 
> Go to Amazon.com's Home Page


----------



## telracs

http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Her-Jade-Legacy-ebook/dp/B008I9IS22/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341672129&sr=1-1&keywords=edward+patterson

here's a working link....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Don't know what happened there.

In the Shadow of Her Hem http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008I9IS22

Thanks all.

Ed


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Don't know what happened there.
> 
> In the Shadow of Her Hem http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008I9IS22
> 
> Thanks all.
> 
> Ed


Looking at the two links you posted, it looks like the first was missing the final 2 so it read S2, not S22....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Interesting title, Ed. Good luck.

Still not able to do more than 400 words at a time on the wip and that's not good. I have four more stories to complete for the December release. Just haven't been able to get my rhythm back since I gave up going to McD's. Maybe I'll go have some hotcakes tomorrow morning.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Interesting title, Ed. Good luck.
> 
> Still not able to do more than 400 words at a time on the wip and that's not good. I have four more stories to complete for the December release. Just haven't been able to get my rhythm back since I gave up going to McD's. Maybe I'll go have some hotcakes tomorrow morning.


too bad there's nowhere to go and hang out that has HEALTHY food! 

hammered out around 4,000 words yesterday on Bitter Harvest, bringing the manuscript to just shy of 90,000. not sure how much is left, my muse ain't telling!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> too bad there's nowhere to go and hang out that has HEALTHY food!
> 
> hammered out around 4,000 words yesterday on Bitter Harvest, bringing the manuscript to just shy of 90,000. not sure how much is left, my muse ain't telling!


i need your muse's phone number. we gotta talk.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i need your muse's phone number. we gotta talk.


I think she only accepts calls from iPhone users...


----------



## Steve Vernon

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Interesting title, Ed. Good luck.
> 
> Still not able to do more than 400 words at a time on the wip and that's not good. I have four more stories to complete for the December release. Just haven't been able to get my rhythm back since I gave up going to McD's. Maybe I'll go have some hotcakes tomorrow morning.


Hey Gertie - and anyone else who is having problems with keeping the works flowing - check out my latest blog entry which will give you TWO simple easy motivational tricks that might help you get a little further down the road.

[URL=http://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress]http://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/stupid-writing-tricks/[/url]

I'm not claiming that any of this is rocket science. I'm in the same boat, trying to find the proper sort of motivation to get the words flowing at a reliable clip.

Hope it helps.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think she only accepts calls from iPhone users...


if she wants chocolate, she WILL talk to me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> if she wants chocolate, she WILL talk to me.


LOL! Well, we'll see how far we get tomorrow. As soon as I get up, it's going to be writing time...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> too bad there's nowhere to go and hang out that has HEALTHY food!
> 
> hammered out around 4,000 words yesterday on Bitter Harvest, bringing the manuscript to just shy of 90,000. not sure how much is left, my muse ain't telling!


Oatmeal and a Senior Hot Tea, but Sundays, I had hotcakes, no sausage. So there! 



Steve Vernon said:


> Hey Gertie - and anyone else who is having problems with keeping the works flowing - check out my latest blog entry which will give you TWO simple easy motivational tricks that might help you get a little further down the road.
> 
> [URL=http://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress]http://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/stupid-writing-tricks/[/url]
> 
> I'm not claiming that any of this is rocket science. I'm in the same boat, trying to find the proper sort of motivation to get the words flowing at a reliable clip.
> 
> Hope it helps.


Thanks, Steve. My big problem is finding a place to write. I like the library, but it's a 20 minute drive where McD's was only five minutes. The trouble with McD's is the tables are too high and I ended up with tendinitis in both shoulders. Come Fall, I'll be taking GS to school every day and it's on the college campus. That's the best library for me to write at because they have study carels and adjustable chairs. I'll be able to go there on Monday since GS is doing cleanup at his school.


----------



## Steve Vernon

Location, location, location. It can get difficult without having a place to write. Glad to hear that the fall will work out better for you, Gertie.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

The library sounds a lot better than McFrankenfood! 

Okay, time for me to dive in at oh-dark-thirty, or telracs will yell at me. She'll probably yell at me, anyway, but what's new?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My big problem is finding a place to write.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


>


Cute!!! I'm such a sucker for that kind of thing.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> The library sounds a lot better than McFrankenfood!
> 
> Okay, time for me to dive in at oh-dark-thirty, or telracs will yell at me. She'll probably yell at me, anyway, but what's new?


i don't yell. there is no need for me to raise my voice. i do, however, threaten......


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff said:


>


I kinda liked the accompanying photos of the results of the use of this product.


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> I kinda liked the accompanying photos of the results of the use of this product.


No, no. That was a result of driving with The Club on the steering wheel.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> No, no. That was a result of driving with The Club on the steering wheel.


I HATE it when that happens! 

Okay, going to grab some wine (as opposed to whine) and write some more. Put in 1000 words before 0630 this morning, then the rest of the day messed up between whining teens and house showings. And a nap. And cats. And...


----------



## Jeff

I think I must be about 3/4 of the way to illustrate _Hansel and Gretel_. The novels are on the back burner.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I think I must be about 3/4 of the way to illustrate _Hansel and Gretel_. The novels are on the back burner.


Ooh, my favorite!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I think I must be about 3/4 of the way to illustrate _Hansel and Gretel_. The novels are on the back burner.


Illustrations? I must've missed something!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Illustrations? I must've missed something!


The Gunniwolf
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Goldilocks
The Three Little Pigs

And here's one of the new illustrations:


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Love it, Jeff. It's the best one yet.


----------



## Jeff

Thanks, Gertie. I was going to concentrate on the novels for Scarlet, but the children in my family can out-nag her.


Spoiler






Spoiler



(The kids books are more fun too.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Thanks, Gertie. I was going to concentrate on the novels for Scarlet, but the children in my family can out-nag her.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> (The kids books are more fun too.)


And Hansel and Gretel is my favorite.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> And Hansel and Gretel is my favorite.


I know. That's why it's the next book.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I know. That's why it's the next book.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Thanks, Gertie. I was going to concentrate on the novels for Scarlet, but the children in my family can out-nag her.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> (The kids books are more fun too.)


they can only out-nag me because they get more opportunities....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> they can only out-nag me because they get more opportunities....


You're certainly more eloquent in your nagging, but please, please, please, please over and over and over again, a hundred times in a row, with a "pretty please" interspersed occasionally, is very effective.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> You're certainly more eloquent in your nagging, but please, please, please, please over and over and over again, a hundred times in a row, with a "pretty please" interspersed occasionally, is very effective.


please, please, please,
please, please, please,
please, please, please,
please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,
pretty please, i'll give you chocolate...
please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,
please, please, please,

please, please, please,
please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,

is this working?


----------



## Jeff

Hahaha. I should have known.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Hahaha. I should have known.


please, please, please,
please, please, please,
please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,
please, please, please,
please, please, please,

please, please, please,

please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,

please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,please, please, please,


----------



## Jeff

We could save a lot of this if you'd just be satisfied with kid's books.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> We could save a lot of this if you'd just be satisfied with kid's books.


nope, sorry.... but at least i didn't indulge my whim and post my "nagging" on other threads... i could still do that....

please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please!!!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, some number x 1000 words later today, chapter 25 of Bitter Harvest is done (draft). About 95,000 words now. Not sure how much is left, but probably not too much - things are looking pretty grim for everybody!


----------



## telracs

Jeff AND Mike.....

please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please!!!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> Jeff AND Mike.....
> 
> please, please, please
> please, please, please
> please, please, please
> please, please, please
> please, please, please
> please, please, please!!!!


I did 1K words today. Does that help?


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I did 1K words today. Does that help?


always....


----------



## geoffthomas

I am soooooo glad that telracs is "bugging" you people.
I can just relax and know that Jeff, Mike and Gertie are being prodded into production.  I just makes me smile.

Soon, soon.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1700 words today on the ninth novella/novelette of the 12 book series. Moving right along!


----------



## Jeff

Yay, Gertie!


----------



## telracs

geoffthomas said:


> I am soooooo glad that telracs is "bugging" you people.
> I can just relax and know that Jeff, Mike and Gertie are being prodded into production. I just makes me smile.
> 
> Soon, soon.


ooh, "prodding". must enlist the electronics.....


----------



## Jeff

My great-grandson wants a word with you, Telracs. He says that books for children are more important than books for grownups because the grownups already have the big part of the library.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> My great-grandson wants a word with you, Telracs. He says that books for children are more important than books for grownups because the grownups already have the big part of the library.


tell him that if he lets great granddad finish a book for me, i'll let you do TWO for him next......
and that someday, when he's a big boy, he'll be happy that i made you write the next family history book!

and that i have pretty colors...

please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please!!!!


----------



## Jeff

I can't spell what he said, but it was juicy.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I can't spell what he said, but it was juicy.


tell him we'll buy him balloons.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

NICE!! 



Jeff said:


> The Gunniwolf
> The Three Billy Goats Gruff
> Goldilocks
> The Three Little Pigs
> 
> And here's one of the new illustrations:


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, with book out, time to crack open the next project(s). Hope to start _*Belmundus*_ by the end of the week, and charging ahead on _*Pacific Crimson * _ as early as today. Back running with pack - hiya!hiya! Keep thoses whips a snappin'.,

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

pWrote one poem today, but then tuned to the resdeign of my website http://www.dancaster.com. I took a screen shot of all 20 of my book covers and made a little gallery up there. Here's the gallery to date - I can't believe I managed to be so iconoclastic (a rebellion against my years as a Marketing Director, ) Postage anyone








Here's some statistics:

I first published on the Kindle on November 18, 2007, so the enterprise is 1,666 days in so far - and my selling streak (at least one book a day) started back in March 2009 and has gone on for 1,220 days. I now have 20 books out there - 16,762 in circulation, dollars sales of $21,823.67 and royalties of $7,296.32 (if I include an honorarium I won for No Irish Need Apply it is restated at $9,730.32). My costs for all 20 books has been $352.00. I have published 2,060,680 words over 6,526 pages.

I'm having so much fun that I'm in the process of shedding 100 pounds (36 gone already) controlling my blood sugars (has dropped from 240 to 107), walking 2 miles a day, and want to take off 16 inches from my waist (6 gone - 10 to go), because I want to live to author 20 more. I mean, my young colleague Stephen King has written over 60 books, and I'm three months older than him - so I got to be catching up.
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - Good onya for getting in shape! I'm not going to comment on all the statistics, other than to say that I think you're only mildly anal-retentive (is there a hyphen in that?)...   I can count the number of books I've published - past that, it's all gravy.

Severely need motivation today. Need to finish the next chapter of Bitter Harvest, but between the ding-a-ling cats waking me up at ridiculously early hours the last few days and feeling "meh" over life in general at the moment, it's been hard to get much done.

Thus, at 0615 today, after I post this, I'm going to stare at the Scrivener file and eat chocolate until something useful happens...


----------



## theaatkinson

Michael: Meh seems to be going around. I was going full for bear on book two and at about 15K suddenly decided I need to (and I mean NEED to) write down a list of goals, add some pretty graphs to my spreadsheet to chart my declining numbers, and surf for pictures for the new cover.

Gah.


----------



## Steve Vernon

Here's a little something for all of us writers in the trenches...


----------



## geoffthomas

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ed - Good onya for getting in shape! I'm not going to comment on all the statistics, other than to say that I think you're only mildly anal-retentive (is there a hyphen in that?)...  I can count the number of books I've published - past that, it's all gravy.
> 
> Severely need motivation today. Need to finish the next chapter of Bitter Harvest, but between the ding-a-ling cats waking me up at ridiculously early hours the last few days and feeling "meh" over life in general at the moment, it's been hard to get much done.
> 
> Thus, at 0615 today, after I post this, I'm going to stare at the Scrivener file and eat chocolate until something useful happens...


Mike, you KNOW how dangerous it is to say you need motivation......telracs is lurking around somewhere, I know. So let me get out the pointed objects (for jabbing with) and try to motivate you...I NEED the book!.
OK?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ed - Good onya for getting in shape! I'm not going to comment on all the statistics, other than to say that I think you're only mildly anal-retentive (is there a hyphen in that?)...  I can count the number of books I've published - past that, it's all gravy.


Mildly anal-retentive? I'm gay, and there's nothing "mildly" about it. Of course, the older I get . . . 

Miss Chatty


----------



## telracs

did i hear my name?

mike, i will stick chocolate on the end of pointy things and taunt you if you don't finish the first draft soon. you have 2 weeks. that is your deadline. i better get it before i get to DC.

got that?

oh and Jeff....
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please
please, please, please


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, it was so nice to see all your covers together. I've always liked your cover stylings. 

Going to Pokemon League tonight where 30 screaming kids will hopefully provide the backdrop for at least 1500 words. Last week, I actually added some Pokemon nerding to the wip. )

Right now, it's pouring down rain which better stop in the next hour so I don't have to float down the road.


----------



## Steve Vernon

It's been hot all week here in Halifax. Got a day off today and hope to get some writing done - but the lawn looks a little veldt-ish. I'll swear I saw a zebra grazing out back. Must mow before the sun gets too high.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steve Vernon said:


> Here's a little something for all of us writers in the trenches...


I think you missed Evil Kitties...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Mike, you KNOW how dangerous it is to say you need motivation......telracs is lurking around somewhere, I know. So let me get out the pointed objects (for jabbing with) and try to motivate you...I NEED the book!.
> OK?


I'm doomed, that's all I can say! 97,482 words in, and I still have no idea where this thing is going to end (and there'll be another book after it!).



> mike, i will stick chocolate on the end of pointy things and taunt you if you don't finish the first draft soon. you have 2 weeks. that is your deadline. i better get it before i get to DC.


As Bugs Bunny would say, "I'm TRYIN'!" D'oh! Planning on hammering out a lot of wordage while we're on our RV trip this weekend (and most of next week)...



> Mildly anal-retentive? I'm gay, and there's nothing "mildly" about it. Of course, the older I get . .


Ed, definitely NOT gonna touch that one with a 10-foot pole, no matter how much you might enjoy it! 



> Michael: Meh seems to be going around. I was going full for bear on book two and at about 15K suddenly decided I need to (and I mean NEED to) write down a list of goals, add some pretty graphs to my spreadsheet to chart my declining numbers, and surf for pictures for the new cover.


Thea, yeah, has been extra hard for us lately - we're trying to sell our house, and have been having a lot of showings. That's good on the one hand, but on the other it's a pain because our days are totally disrupted. Oy!

Okay, I'm now going to finish the next chapter on Bitter Harvest. Already 3,000 words, can't be that many left. Ha. Ha.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ah, the joys of Pokemon night, when GS, who used to go for the battles, now goes for the girls. At any rate, it's prime writing time for me and I did 1K in 1 hour. 

Library this afternoon. Wii tournament for GS, book browsing for Mom, and writing for me.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Edward C. Patterson said:


> pWrote one poem today, but then tuned to the resdeign of my website http://www.dancaster.com. I took a screen shot of all 20 of my book covers and made a little gallery up there. Here's the gallery to date - I can't believe I managed to be so iconoclastic (a rebellion against my years as a Marketing Director, ) Postage anyone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's some statistics:
> 
> I first published on the Kindle on November 18, 2007, so the enterprise is 1,666 days in so far - and my selling streak (at least one book a day) started back in March 2009 and has gone on for 1,220 days. I now have 20 books out there - 16,762 in circulation, dollars sales of $21,823.67 and royalties of $7,296.32 (if I include an honorarium I won for No Irish Need Apply it is restated at $9,730.32). My costs for all 20 books has been $352.00. I have published 2,060,680 words over 6,526 pages.
> 
> I'm having so much fun that I'm in the process of shedding 100 pounds (36 gone already) controlling my blood sugars (has dropped from 240 to 107), walking 2 miles a day, and want to take off 16 inches from my waist (6 gone - 10 to go), because I want to live to author 20 more. I mean, my young colleague Stephen King has written over 60 books, and I'm three months older than him - so I got to be catching up.
> Edward C. Patterson


Congratulations, Ed. All those titles pictured together is amazing! And thanks for sharing your stats. I've been writing full time nearly 2 years now and am much more prolific. (2 books published in the last two years and another coming out in Fall of 2013.) The only downside is that I'm gaining weight, even with my daily workout at Curves. But I'm having a lot of fun too!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1500 words at the library, today. Mostly dialogue. Could have gone a bit more, but I got chilly.


----------



## Jeff

I've spent the entire day teaching pigs to dance like John Travolta.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I've spent the entire day teaching pigs to dance like John Travolta.


excuse me?


----------



## Jeff

Pigs can't do the "duck" worth a darn.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I've spent the entire day teaching pigs to dance like John Travolta.


Cool!!!


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Pigs can't do the "duck" worth a darn.


my head hurts. i'm going back to my brownies.


----------



## Jeff




----------



## Gertie Kindle

Very, very cool, Jeff.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks all for comments on covers and stats. 

Jeff, Your piggies rock!

Ed P


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Started the new book tonight - _*Belmondus - Book I - Mortis House*_

Chapter One
Nineteen Going on Thirty
1
"I'm a star," he whispered. "A star," and then chuckled as he throught about a giant ball of gas, ignorantly fixing its planets in their orbit for no other reason but gravity.

Harris Cartwright, who was born nineteen years earlier and christened Humphrey Kopfstutter, smiled in the mirror dimly. Dimly, because the hotel room shone amber with pricey ambiance and the flattering light was meant to be so. Still, in any light, this star of stage and screen was a vritable Narcissus, although his beauty sometimes tamed him when reflected in any light.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


>


But where are the blingy white jackets that they toss away in the tradition of John Travolta?


----------



## Jeff

Pigs don't do bling.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Pigs don't do bling.


Poor pigs!! Don't know what they're missing...

Put in 1,000 words so far on Bitter Harvest today. Hoping to get in some more, as I'd like to finish this latest chapter, but the relaxed pace of campground life is getting in the way...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Put in 1,000 words so far on Bitter Harvest today. Hoping to get in some more, as I'd like to finish this latest chapter, *but the relaxed pace of campground life is getting in the way...*


ahem...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> ahem...


I'm working on it right now!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Soooo, chapter 27 is now done, and cleared 100,000 words in the manuscript. Still not sure how much is left, though!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Like I don't have enough to do - I started a new blog with the unlikely name of UNDER THE WISTERIA TREE.

http://wisteria-tree.blogspot.com/

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Like I don't have enough to do - I started a new blog with the unlikely name of UNDER THE WISTERIA TREE.


Ed, that's supposed to be "under the APPLE tree"...!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Apples aren't on my diet. Too many carbs. But I do drink one sippy of Motts for Totts at breakfast.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ed, that's supposed to be "under the APPLE tree"...!


Hey!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, it's good to see that Jeff's got the right fruit going on here... 



Jeff said:


> Hey!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, it's good to see that Jeff's got the right fruit going on here...


It's a thousand+ pages of crap, but I still like the cover. That's London during the blitz, superimposed on the apple.

Edited to add: Happy birthday, Mike.


----------



## geoffthomas

Gotta jump in here to say:
Happy Birthday Mike.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> It's a thousand+ pages of crap, but I still like the cover. That's London during the blitz, superimposed on the apple.
> 
> Edited to add: Happy birthday, Mike.


A thousand pages of crap? Somehow I doubt that!

Thanks for the birthday wishes, both of ya!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> A thousand pages of crap? Somehow I doubt that!
> 
> Thanks for the birthday wishes, both of ya!


i doubt it too!

and for your birthday mike, i will allow you a brief respite from harrassment...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....

Okay, time's up, get back to the book!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Happy B Day Mike

Ed

Amd Jeff - where's Under the Apple Tree. I just scoured Amazon for it. No found.

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Good luck with blog, Ed, which ever tree you're falling out of writing under.

Happy Birthday, Mike!!!

Jeff, I'm sure it's 1,000 pages of GREAT crap.

I did 2800 words of, I hope, at least decent crap today. Answering phones at the school and writing at the same time worked out. I'm going to try it again tomorrow and maybe I can finish the story. Should finish out at about 22K words, I think.


----------



## R. Doug

Have a happy and wonderful birthday celebration, Mike.


----------



## Miriam Minger

Plotting a novella.  Really enjoy this part.  

Miriam Minger


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2400 words so far today on Bitter Harvest. Might get a whole chapter done today! w00t! 

Thanks for the birthday wishes! Which reminds me, I've still got cake left. NOM-NOM!

And Miriam, you're not allowed to drop lines like that without giving at least a teaser of what it's about.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 words at lunch time on _*Belmundus*_. Will polish it up as a first chapter to be sent to Peg tonight. It has begun.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Only a few hundreds words today, but I finished and edited about a third of it already. I'll be able to start a new one tomorrow night.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Didn't get any more written today, but will get this chapter finished tomorrow a.m. before we pull up stakes to head home...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 700 words done this morning. Not a ton, but that finished off chapter 28 of Bitter Harvest, and we have to start getting the RV ready to head home...


----------



## sarahdalton

I've not done any writing for a couple of weeks now. It feels weird. 

I've been promoting the release of my debut, but at the same time not writing makes me feel like I'm not doing anything productive.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Finished my edits and I'm now 1400 words into the new story. All I had was a title and a concept but it seemed to flow right away.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Love it when that happens!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Love it when that happens!


I struggled with the last one until close to the end, but this one is smooth sailing so far. Hope I haven't jinxed myself.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I struggled with the last one until close to the end, but this one is smooth sailing so far. Hope I haven't jinxed myself.


Now you've done it. The BLOCK monster's gonna getcha. Unless you bury a dead cat under a tree stump at midnight. You may have to swing it over your head first - I can't remember for sure.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Now you've done it. The BLOCK monster's gonna getcha. Unless you bury a dead cat under a tree stump at midnight. You may have to swing it over your head first - I can't remember for sure.


A rubber chicken works just fine, too. And that way PETA and the SPCA won't get after you - nobody cares about the poor rubber chickens... 

On to the next chapter of Bitter Harvest...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Now you've done it. The BLOCK monster's gonna getcha. Unless you bury a dead cat under a tree stump at midnight. You may have to swing it over your head first - I can't remember for sure.





Michael R. Hicks said:


> A rubber chicken works just fine, too. And that way PETA and the SPCA won't get after you - nobody cares about the poor rubber chickens...
> 
> On to the next chapter of Bitter Harvest...


You guys are so encouraging. What would I do without you.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You might use the leapin' lizard method. Us momentum to begin a NEXT chapter no matter what it looks like and stop . . . in the middle of a sentence. When you return, your mind is refreshed, you need to figure out what you were saying, you get reset and ol' Mr. Block is gone before you know it.

Only 800 words yesterday (busy work day), but I didn;t intend to writie at all. I just sat down with a refresher map of lower Manhatttan, because my protagonist needs to pursue an elusive woman from the AMC Cinema 7 at 3rd Ave and 11th Street at the Tribeca Film Festival down to 1st Ave and 2nd Street to a Drag-Chinese Restaurant called Happy Pings (in reality called Lucky Chengs). It's been years since I walked that course and I wanted to check out landmarks and get the street crossings correct short of hopping the bus back to my hometown. However, I decided to write the first sentence in the Chapter (which is in cockney) and it flowed for 800 words until I halted. 

Funny thing, in Chapter One Peg of the Red pencil circled the word splif in one of the cockney charaters dialog strethes. (Do you mean split?). She got an education in things within the sound of Bow bell.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dropped GS of at the HS to pull up carpet while I strolled over to the college library to knock out some wordage. There used to be three colleges there. The HS has taken over the building vacated by one college four years ago. The second uni left a few weeks ago. Now, they've cut back the library hours drastically, and I didn't know Fridays had been eliminated entirely until August 12. The Subway on campus is now only open M-W-F.

So I walked all the way back, hopped in the car and had tea and cinnamon melt at McD's while zipping through 1800 words. Taking GS to another library for a teen murder mystery thing. I'll see if I can stay awake long enough to up the word count by at least 1K.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Stay awake, Gertie!!

Okay, that's 3700 words written today on Bitter Harvest and another chapter done. Time for some Black Ops on PS3!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Stay awake, Gertie!!
> 
> Okay, that's 3700 words written today on Bitter Harvest and another chapter done. Time for some Black Ops on PS3!


*drums fingers impatiently....*

you KNOW that tomorrow is my birthday and you KNOW what i want for my birthday, and you're STILL gonna play PS3?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Stay awake, Gertie!!
> 
> Okay, that's 3700 words written today on Bitter Harvest and another chapter done. Time for some Black Ops on PS3!


Ended up taking the boys to a gaming place where they had a nice table for me to plunk Ginny down on. Final word count for today 2300. I'm pleased with the way the story is going.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *drums fingers impatiently....*
> 
> you KNOW that tomorrow is my birthday and you KNOW what i want for my birthday, and you're STILL gonna play PS3?


Wrists and eyeballs can only take so much! Besides, my muse needs some play time, too! 

Good going, Gertie!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Wrists and eyeballs can only take so much! Besides, my muse needs some play time, too!
> 
> Good going, Gertie!!


so instead of exercising the wrists and eyeballs by writing, you're gonna wreck them by playing video games?

no brownies for you.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> you KNOW that tomorrow is my birthday...


I didn't know, but now I do and I'm planning something diabolical to pay you back for all the nagging.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I didn't know, but now I do and I'm planning something diabolical to pay you back for all the nagging.





Spoiler



beauty and the beast? that's my favorite.

please?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I didn't know, but now I do and I'm planning something diabolical to pay you back for all the nagging.


Do I have to be afraid of showing up here tomorrow? Heaven knows what you two will get up to.

I'll wish you Happy Birthday now, Scarlet. You might not see me anywhere on the forum tomorrow.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> beauty and the beast? that's my favorite.
> 
> please?


Okay. Since you said please. Right after _Rapunzel_ and _Rumpelstiltskin_, which will be coming soon.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Okay. Since you said please. Right after _Rapunzel_ and _Rumpelstiltskin_, which will be coming soon.


Do you realize the Grimms have about a hundred fairy tales plus about twenty legends? How's your graphics hand holding up?


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Do I have to be afraid of showing up here tomorrow? Heaven knows what you two will get up to.


No, I'll actually be off-line most of the day, I have to work. So please, do stay away!



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'll wish you Happy Birthday now, Scarlet. You might not see me anywhere on the forum tomorrow.


Thanks Gertie! So you know that Scarlet LaRouge is a cancerian.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Do you realize the Grimms have about a hundred fairy tales plus about twenty legends? How's your graphics hand holding up?


If you can write 'em, I can illustrate 'em.

I've got a tennis elbow brace and I rest my arm on the desk pull-out. That seems to be working.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> If you can write 'em, I can illustrate 'em.
> 
> I've got a tennis elbow brace and I rest my arm on the desk pull-out. That seems to be working.


I'm setting aside Sundays to write them, except for the two Sundays I'll be on a train.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:



> I'm setting aside Sundays to write them, except for the two Sundays I'll be on a train.


Amtrak has free WiFi.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Amtrak has free WiFi.


Only on the Acela Express. They don't have it on the regular trains.  Wish they did. Although I hear there are some hot spots along the route.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Only on the Acela Express. They don't have it on the regular trains.  Wish they did. Although I hear there are some hot spots along the route.


hmm... i thought i always got wifi on my trips to DC.... and i don't go near the acela. i'll have to verify on Tuesday.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Only on the Acela Express. They don't have it on the regular trains.  Wish they did. Although I hear there are some hot spots along the route.


Here's the page that details the trains and stations.

Odd that they don't show the Texas trains, all of which have wi-fi.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> so instead of exercising the wrists and eyeballs by writing, you're gonna wreck them by playing video games?
> 
> no brownies for you.


Completely different wrist muscles, and no computer glasses! Gimme them brownies!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Completely different wrist muscles, and no computer glasses! Gimme them brownies!


*hands hicks the rest of the godiva brownie*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Here's the page that details the trains and stations.
> 
> Odd that they don't show the Texas trains, all of which have wi-fi.


But not on the Silver Service. Those are the trains I take. And believe me, when the train is banging back and forth, its difficult to keep my fingers on the keyboard. I'll have Internet access, but not wifi, from my Dad's house.


----------



## Randirogue

telracs said:


> *drums fingers impatiently....*
> 
> you KNOW that tomorrow is my birthday and you KNOW what i want for my birthday, and you're STILL gonna play PS3?


Ooh, in case I get tied up tomorrow, Happy Birthday!


----------



## JFHilborne

My writer and goal is to stop editing as I go and finish the darn story. I'm a compulsive editor, and it takes me so much longer to get the thing written.


----------



## Randirogue

JFHilborne said:


> My writer and goal is to stop editing as I go and finish the darn story. I'm a compulsive editor, and it takes me so much longer to get the thing written.


That is HARD to get past. Some chapters I'm better at it than others... 

Good luck with it!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

JFHilborne said:


> My writer and goal is to stop editing as I go and finish the darn story. I'm a compulsive editor, and it takes me so much longer to get the thing written.


Try setting a daily word count goal that's challenging but achievable - unless you spend your time editing instead of writing. You don't get to go to bed until you make your goal...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

And Happy Birthday to Scarlet!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

JFHilborne said:


> My writer and goal is to stop editing as I go and finish the darn story. I'm a compulsive editor, and it takes me so much longer to get the thing written.


I'm just the opposite. Once I get started writing, I can't stop. I have to set myself a time limit. The next day, I'll read the previous page and maybe fix that up a little, but then my fingers get moving.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And Happy Birthday to Scarlet!


Mike, malted milk balls? Don't you think that's a little over the top? At least I gave Scarlet healthy strawberries to go with the chocolate.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mike, malted milk balls? Don't you think that's a little over the top? At least I gave Scarlet healthy strawberries to go with the chocolate.


Oh, please! Remember who we're talking about here. And if she doesn't like the milk balls, I'll eat 'em!


----------



## crebel

Telracs/Scarlet has asked me to pass along the message that she is keeping both the malt balls AND the strawberries!  

Her computer keeps booting her out when she tries to respond...


----------



## R. Doug

I didn't know it was Scarlet's birthday.  Happy Birthday, Scarlet!!!  May you enjoy many, many more.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished 3,000 words yesterday on _*Belmundus * _ and also designed the book's cover, which I share wil\th all now:








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Another gorgeous cover, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gertie.

ECP

And a slow writing day today - only 2,150 words (Chatper three of _*Belmundus * _ to Peg).

ECP (again)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2,400 words so far today, finished the draft of chapter 31 of Bitter Harvest. Up to a total of 115,000 words now, and I *think* there are only 3-4 chapters left. I won't have it done by the DC meet up tomorrow (thus, I must face the Wrath Of Scarlet), but should be done in the next week. Oof.


----------



## Jeff

Nice cover, Ed.

Gertie finished the _Rumpelstiltskin_ story and I have a good start on the illustrations. Rapunzel was scrubbed in favor of _Red Riding Hood_ because I already had all the characters built. Gertie finished the story. I suppose when Gertie gets back from her trip, we'll start on Scarlet's birthday gift: _Beauty And The Beast_.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Nice cover, Ed.
> 
> Gertie finished the _Rumpelstiltskin_ story and I have a good start on the illustrations. Rapunzel was scrubbed in favor of _Red Riding Hood_ because I already had all the characters built. Gertie finished the story. I suppose when Gertie gets back from her trip, we'll start on Scarlet's birthday gift: _Beauty And The Beast_.


It's not a Grimm's tale, but I found a synopsis of the original story. I'm going to work from that, not the Disney version. I'll probably write it when I'm away. I'm enjoying writing them.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I have never sold a book any further afield than the UK, but as I clicked the various stores today, I found I sold a Mama in Germany! Maybe I'll become a star there, like David Hasselhoff.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. M. Reed said:


> I have never sold a book any further afield than the UK, but as I clicked the various stores today, I found I sold a Mama in Germany! Maybe I'll become a star there, like David Hasselhoff.


Congrats! I sold a couple in Germany but that was back in the prehistoric ages, I think.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I sell a few Kindle books in Germany every month. A couple months ago the sales actually amounted to over $100!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I sell a few Kindle books in Germany every month. A couple months ago the sales actually amounted to over $100!


Impressive!

Did a bit of writing today, but I've been very busy with volunteering at GS's new HS. I'll get editing done tonight on the fairy tales.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

I don't think Mike got any writing done today.... 

Betsy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I don't think Mike got any writing done today....
> 
> Betsy


It's okay. He had Scarlet's permission.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

She's just gonna be on my case even more now!


----------



## Jeff

Must be vewy, vewy quiet&#8230;


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> She's just gonna be on my case even more now!


nice car hicks..... we saw you peeling out of the parking lot.

you have until 8-1-12 to finish bitter harvest, or the wrath of telracs (which is even worse than the wrath of scarlet) will descend. or something like that.

oh and Jeff, i don't hunt wabbits....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> nice car hicks..... we saw you peeling out of the parking lot.


Probably the last time I'll drive it any distance - am putting it up for sale!



> you have until 8-1-12 to finish bitter harvest, or the wrath of telracs (which is even worse than the wrath of scarlet) will descend. or something like that.


D'oh!! Am diving in now...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Probably the last time I'll drive it any distance - am putting it up for sale!


it's a pwetty color.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just over 2,000 words on Chapter Four of _*Belmundus*_ at lunch. Hope to finish the chapter and jettison my protagonist from this world and into the next by this evening. But it's WILFRED night, so who knows.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## LaFlamme

I'm baffled. I see some of you have seven or even eight titles in your signature. I was fine at six, but when I try to slip in the seventh, I run into the character limitation. Can somebody share the trick to get around that? It eludes me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

LaFlamme said:


> I'm baffled. I see some of you have seven or even eight titles in your signature. I was fine at six, but when I try to slip in the seventh, I run into the character limitation. Can somebody share the trick to get around that? It eludes me.


Have you tried shortening all the URLs with something like http://goo.gl? That'll save lots of space...

In other news, 3500 words written today on Bitter Harvest. One chapter closer to being done...!


----------



## LaFlamme

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Have you tried shortening all the URLs with something like http://goo.gl? That'll save lots of space...
> 
> In other news, 3500 words written today on Bitter Harvest. One chapter closer to being done...!


Thanks. I'll give that a shot. And hey, 3,500 words is a good day.


----------



## Randirogue

I know haven't been posting as much as I should have been lately, especially in a supporting role for fellow indies around here. Still, I am in a need of some sideways support myself today.  Like most, I crave success, but perhaps unlike most, I can get freaked out by it, even small tastes of it.  This is particularly true hen it happens in small bursts.

The last two days is an example of just such an occurrence.

True to my severely lacking self-promotional skills, I didn't post any notice regarding my first Select Free Promo (2 days, today is the second day) before it started.  Halfway through the first day (yesterday), I finally started mentioning it around here and there (twitter, Facebook, blog--all which have very few followers--and eventually on the book's thread in the Book Bazaar).  I'd meant to spread notices about it to all sorts of sites listing free books, but I chickened out.  

Then, surprisingly, "Beatific" started jumping the ranks.  It's been on the front page (top twenty) of Contemporary Fantasy all day today. It's lowest rank overall hit #609 in all of Kindle (free list, of course).

I'm DIZZY over it.  I was literally dizzy when I went for my usual walk at lunch today.  This was unbelievable to me!

I know others have had much more successful promo runs (goodness, "Beatific" still doesn't even have any reviews), but for me, this is crazy exciting and scary overwhelming, even as, yes, it is fantastic.  I completely pestered my small group of twitter followers with about a dozen updates dying the course of the climbing since yesterday.

Now, I just need to find a way to keep from hiding after all this amazingly intense (for me) attention, so that I can do the proper business-y thing to do and find some way to both capitalize on this modest momentum while I have it and even to try o stretch it out for as long as I can stand it.

Any support or advice you could offer to this scared-yet-craving-success writer would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Randi -

I think the most important thing you have to keep in mind (well, we all have to learn this first! LOL!) is that you're running a marathon. Early on, like where you are now, and when you get on a high because your book popped up the charts, you're sprinting. "God, I've got to keep this going! Don't want to let it fall! Can this really be happening? What else can I do...?" 

That's all fine, and enjoy the rush. But be prepared: what goes up, will come down. It sucks when it happens, but it's part of this business, and you have to learn to take it in stride and not get depressed or panic. If you want to become successful, you have to transition your mindset from being a sprinter to being a marathoner. Long term success = consistency over time. 

Let's take Twitter, for example. Instead of blasting your followers with joyous news every hour about how your book is climbing the charts (or depressing them on the same interval when your book falls), one or two tweets will do it. But put out a few tweets every day about your books to keep yourself in front of the world (but be sure that you also engage your tweeps directly!). Over time, that will have a telling effect.

And keep writing. Write as much as you can every day. But, in my opinion, you have to do a combination of both writing and promoting. Sometimes the proportions will vary, but again, consistency over time is key. It's like investing money in a bank, it will accrue interest over the long term as you build your readership...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, and speaking of chart climbing, *EMPIRE* went from its usual spot in the 600-900 range overnight to 92 this morning, and I have absolutely no idea why! LOL!


----------



## Jeff

Margaret finished the revisions for _Rumpelstiltskin_. We're twelve illustrations from The End.


----------



## Jedidiah

Ok my sales on Smashwords and Barnes and Noble just don't compare to my Kindle sales AT ALL! Can anyone who has had moderate success selling books on either of those platforms give me some advice? 

My Kindle sales are 3k right now and I have sold 13 books total through B&N and 56 through Smashwords....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Margaret finished the revisions for _Rumpelstiltskin_. We're twelve illustrations from The End.


Nice!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Margaret finished the revisions for _Rumpelstiltskin_. We're twelve illustrations from The End.


You got the file okay, then? I have some running around to do but I'll get on it when I get back home.

Did some good work last night. Only 1K words, but they were definitely good words.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jedidiah said:


> Ok my sales on Smashwords and Barnes and Noble just don't compare to my Kindle sales AT ALL! Can anyone who has had moderate success selling books on either of those platforms give me some advice?
> 
> My Kindle sales are 3k right now and I have sold 13 books total through B&N and 56 through Smashwords....


I've never gotten much from SW directly, but my BN sales now make up almost 20% of my total royalties (note: I use PubIt for them - I'm only using SW for the retailers without direct channels). However, I used to be in the same boat as you, getting almost nothing!

I think the trick with BN is that you have to lead your customers there by the hand. Their site search engine is horrible, they don't have cross-marketing engines anywhere near as good as Amazon, and I suspect that the algorithms for what they do put in front of customers is weighted toward trad pub books. I can't confirm that, just a suspicion.

So I send out periodic tweets and so on with #Nook hash tags and direct links to the BN site. I know that's what's working for me, because every time I've stopped those tweets for any reasons, sales fall off like a rock.

But I also happen to offer two of my books free to get people hooked on the series, and those are the ones I mostly send potential readers to. That way, I don't have to do direct promos of the other books in the series - the lead freebies do that for me.

Anyway, hope that helps!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm on vacation, folks, so I don't expect to get any writing done for about a week. Tomorrow, I'm heading for the beach and I might just camp out there for the entire week.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm not going to get much writing done this week, either - we're packing up the house, and plan to be rolling down to Florida in the RV on Sunday! Choo-chooo!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm not going to get much writing done this week, either - we're packing up the house, and plan to be rolling down to Florida in the RV on Sunday! Choo-chooo!


um, you have a buyer for the house? cool!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> um, you have a buyer for the house? cool!


Yep! But boy, we've got to burn rubber getting everything packed, moved out, the CR-Z shipped, etc., etc.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm not going to get much writing done this week, either - we're packing up the house, and plan to be rolling down to Florida in the RV on Sunday! Choo-chooo!


Hey!! Congrats! That was really fast, but then you had a lot of showings. Hope it all goes through for you without a hitch.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yep! But boy, we've got to burn rubber getting everything packed, moved out, the CR-Z shipped, etc., etc.


thought you were selling the CR-Z?

so, i guess i won't bother you for a few days, deer in the headlights....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yes, buyers lined up, non-contingent contract! And we were going to sell the CR-Z, but right now we still owe more than I could get for it, so may as well keep it for now. Besides, it'll be handy to have down there, at least until we get settled in. Things are going to be totally insane for a while...!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, buyers lined up, non-contingent contract! And we were going to sell the CR-Z, but right now we still owe more than I could get for it, so may as well keep it for now. Besides, it'll be handy to have down there, at least until we get settled in. Things are going to be totally insane for a while...!


sigh....

okay, let's get one deadline straight. i leave for india on october 21st. the book better be done before that!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> sigh....
> 
> okay, let's get one deadline straight. i leave for india on october 21st. the book better be done before that!


Oh, will definitely have it done before THEN!!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, will definitely have it done before THEN!!


Jinx!​


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, buyers lined up, non-contingent contract! And we were going to sell the CR-Z, but right now we still owe more than I could get for it, so may as well keep it for now. Besides, it'll be handy to have down there, at least until we get settled in. Things are going to be totally insane for a while...!


At least you'll be down here a few weeks before school starts. August 20th in my County.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Jinx!​


COUNTER JINX!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> COUNTER JINX!


Yeah, what she said! 

And 20 August is the long pole in the tent - the start date is the same in Sarasota County, so we've got to be down there and get all the residency hooplah sorted out to get the boys registered. Oy!

Depending on how things go, I'm going to do some writing today. Spent all morning packing and staging boxes into the garage, and the U-POD boxes won't be here until Thursday, which should give us enough time. I hope. Ha!


----------



## telracs

i need to be clearer.  the book needs to be done by the end of September so that i can do my beta read before i leave for india.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2 chapters of 3,000 on Belmundus and as leased a punch with them.   I love creating strange creatures and odd-ball dialog, and this was the work I was destined to author. IK think I'm up to the challenge now, where I wasn't a few years ago. Glad I waited until I had enough practice runs with the other 20 books.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i need to be clearer. the book needs to be done by the end of September so that i can do my beta read before i leave for india.


It'll be in your hands before then. This next week is going to be a mess, but once we get to FL I'll be writing in the morning and evenings in between house hunting runs. There's not *that* much left, no more than two chapters plus the epilogue, and I'll actually be getting in some writing over the next few days, as most of the packing is done now...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It'll be in your hands before then. This next week is going to be a mess, but once we get to FL I'll be writing in the morning and evenings in between house hunting runs. There's not *that* much left, no more than two chapters plus the epilogue, and I'll actually be getting in some writing over the next few days, as most of the packing is done now...


Then we get to bug Scarlet. )

Might do a little work tonight. I'm getting antsy.


----------



## Dhdonaghe

Hey.  I found kindle boards through a link from another site.  The marketing tip on that sight said to join Kindle boards and create a signature line for when you post.  How do you do that, crate the signature line I mean?


----------



## Jeff

Dhdonaghe said:


> Hey. I found kindle boards through a link from another site. The marketing tip on that sight said to join Kindle boards and create a signature line for when you post. How do you do that, crate the signature line I mean?


The answer to your question (and your next question) is here:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,41454.0.html


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Chapter Seven of Belmundusis finished - a 4,000 worder and some 9 pages (Peg will be happy as she charges me by the page he he). 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

The first draft of B&B is done (hear that, Scarlet?). It's going to get some major reworking when I get home.

Right now, I'm in McD's (blueberry oatmeal and tea) to do a little social media, promoting and catching up with everyone. Then I'll try to get some work done on the wip.


----------



## Jeff

_Rumpelstiltskin_ is on the cloud waiting for you, Gertie. Still needs a cover. I'll start on the animation for it today and on the still illustrations for _Little Red Riding-hood_.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> _Rumpelstiltskin_ is on the cloud waiting for you, Gertie. Still needs a cover. I'll start on the animation for it today and on the still illustrations for _Little Red Riding-hood_.


Slow down. You'll get too far ahead of me again.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Filled 3 1/2 U-Haul shipping boxes (like PODS) with our stuff, odds and ends left. I...am...pooped!! Hoping to get loading finished tomorrow & start taking care of various errands, have U-Haul pick up the boxes Saturday, prep the RV, and be rolling for Florida by Sunday, maybe Monday if we need more time (or I'm totally immobilized, which will likely be the case tomorrow!)... 

Obviously, no writing was done today!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Filled 3 1/2 U-Haul shipping boxes (like PODS) with our stuff, odds and ends left. I...am...pooped!! Hoping to get loading finished tomorrow & start taking care of various errands, have U-Haul pick up the boxes Saturday, prep the RV, and be rolling for Florida by Sunday, maybe Monday if we need more time (or I'm totally immobilized, which will likely be the case tomorrow!)...
> 
> Obviously, no writing was done today!


I'll be heading back to Fla myself on Sunday. I'll wave if I see an RV tootling down the road.

It's too early for breakfast, and nobody else is awake, so I think I'll fire up Ginny and maybe write a line or two.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I hate moving. When I moved to PA (it was suppose to be temporarity) I hated it. Then when I sold my house and had to move more stuff (lots in storage) I swore the next move would be done by someone else (when they remove the body from the apartment)  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I hate moving. When I moved to PA (it was suppose to be temporarity) I hated it. Then when I sold my house and had to move more stuff (lots in storage) I swore the next move would be done by someone else (when they remove the body from the apartment)
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I say that every time I move.  I figure I've got two more moves before I end up in the nursing home.


----------



## Jeff

I agree with Ed, Mike. Moving sucks. I'm never doing it again. (Not voluntarily, anyway.)

Gertie, here's your cover and video:


Click for larger view


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Then we get to bug Scarlet. )
> 
> Might do a little work tonight. I'm getting antsy.


if you can find scarlet, you can bug her...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

<collapses to the floor, unconscious...>


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <collapses to the floor, unconscious...>


*waves chocolate to revive hicks....*


----------



## rolfe

Ok I am new to this forum, how about I promise to get back to writing the book I stopped writing last year. Or do people think I should simply start a new one?


----------



## Jeff

rolfe said:


> Ok I am new to this forum, how about I promise to get back to writing the book I stopped writing last year. Or do people think I should simply start a new one?


If you want my two-cents: Not finishing work you've started is a bad habit to get into.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> If you want my two-cents: Not finishing work you've started is a bad habit to get into.


Yup.

I've got one hanging out there for the past 1.5 years and I keep putting it off. I've now set myself a firm goal to get back to it the first of the year after I finish writing the current series and one other I started jotting notes for.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> If you want my two-cents: Not finishing work you've started is a bad habit to get into.


I second that, unless there's a really compelling reason to shelve something (I have one of those, but ONLY one)...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *waves chocolate to revive hicks....*


Comes to long enough to gobble down a brownie, then passes out again...

Fortunately, the back-breaking work is now over: the U-Haul shipping crates (like PODS) were just hauled away a little while ago. Whatever is left that we can't fit into the RV or the CR-V (which we'll be towing behind us, replete with bike rack + bikes and a kayak on top!) gets left behind!


----------



## KristenDaRay

I want to be able to have at least 2 more chapters edited by the end of the week.


----------



## Jeff

KristenDaRay said:


> I want to be able to have at least 2 more chapters edited by the end of the week.


You can do it. Yes you can.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Comes to long enough to gobble down a brownie, then passes out again...
> 
> Fortunately, the back-breaking work is now over: the U-Haul shipping crates (like PODS) were just hauled away a little while ago. Whatever is left that we can't fit into the RV or the CR-V (which we'll be towing behind us, replete with bike rack + bikes and a kayak on top!) gets left behind!


Don't you have an SUV, too? Are you leaving that behind? I had to leave stuff behind from one of my moves, too.



KristenDaRay said:


> I want to be able to have at least 2 more chapters edited by the end of the week.


Isn't the week practically over? Get to work. Sez the person who's been lollygagging all week.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,000 words yesterday and 2,400 today - two chapters for _*Belmundus*_, both dealing with slavery and marginalized peoples. (in this case The Cetrones - read: the Cherokee).

Hi ho.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Don't you have an SUV, too? Are you leaving that behind? I had to leave stuff behind from one of my moves, too.


Just a quick post for now: we're rolling! Got the house cleaned out in a final mad rush this morning and got on the road (2 1/2 hours late, but that's not bad for us!).

Yes, we're towing the CR-V behind us, and it's loaded to the gills with stuff, plus bikes on the back and the kayak on top! The circus on wheels, I tell ya!

Anyway, we're near Fredericksburg, VA now, having some lunch at a rest stop. The plan is to make Fayetteville, NC today, so we've still got quite a few miles to go...


----------



## daveconifer

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just a quick post for now: we're rolling! Got the house cleaned out in a final mad rush this morning and got on the road (2 1/2 hours late, but that's not bad for us!).
> 
> *Yes, we're towing the CR-V behind us, and it's loaded to the gills with stuff, plus bikes on the back and the kayak on top! *The circus on wheels, I tell ya!
> 
> Anyway, we're near Fredericksburg, VA now, having some lunch at a rest stop. The plan is to make Fayetteville, NC today, so we've still got quite a few miles to go...


What, no pictures?


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Anyway, we're near Fredericksburg, VA now, having some lunch at a rest stop. The plan is to make Fayetteville, NC today, so we've still got quite a few miles to go...


Every day's an adventure.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just a quick post for now: we're rolling! Got the house cleaned out in a final mad rush this morning and got on the road (2 1/2 hours late, but that's not bad for us!).
> 
> Yes, we're towing the CR-V behind us, and it's loaded to the gills with stuff, plus bikes on the back and the kayak on top! The circus on wheels, I tell ya!
> 
> Anyway, we're near Fredericksburg, VA now, having some lunch at a rest stop. The plan is to make Fayetteville, NC today, so we've still got quite a few miles to go...


I thought you were leaving on Sunday?

I'm back from a lovely but hectic week. Some day, I will actually take a weekend in a hotel with room service and a pool all by myself so I can have an actual restful vacation.

Catching up on Internet stuff and I will (I promise) be back to writing tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

daveconifer said:


> What, no pictures?


Not yet - haven't had time! LOL!!

And we did mean to leave Sunday, but it was dawn to dark work trying to get the house ready. Then this morning we had hoped to get going by 9, but finally got going at 11:30. Oh, well...

If nothing else, we're now a third of the way there!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Chapter Ten down (2,700 words) and we're still rolling on _*Belmundus*_.

Edward Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not yet - haven't had time! LOL!!
> 
> And we did mean to leave Sunday, but it was dawn to dark work trying to get the house ready. Then this morning we had hoped to get going by 9, but finally got going at 11:30. Oh, well...
> 
> If nothing else, we're now a third of the way there!


Then the fun really begins. Searching for a new house, and even more fun ... unpacking. <shudder>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Then the fun really begins. Searching for a new house, and even more fun ... unpacking. <shudder>


Well, the unpacking we can at least do at our own pace. U-Haul will just drop off the crates and we can drag a few boxes in at a time in between sipping tropical drinks with little umbrellas in 'em... 

And maybe after we get there I'll actually be able to finish Bitter Harvest! Ed's word count reports are making me jealous...


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Chapter Ten down (2,700 words) and we're still rolling on _*Belmundus*_.


Yay. Keep on keeping on, Ed.

You too, Mike.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's funny. I didn;t mean to get into the new book at this depth until September. The poetry came first. But the poetry is slipping as the characters in this one came alive in the zone and are now dictating my existance. When you first havve an idea for a novel and let it set, it bakes for some time. This one started back in the 60's and has grown by leaps and bound in my heart and soul for over 50 years. What surprises me is that I don't recognize the results. What I had in mind dpesn;t show up on the page, and I don;t know who wrote it, but I'd like to meet him.   

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, the unpacking we can at least do at our own pace. U-Haul will just drop off the crates and we can drag a few boxes in at a time in between sipping tropical drinks with little umbrellas in 'em...
> 
> And maybe after we get there I'll actually be able to finish Bitter Harvest! Ed's word count reports are making me jealous...


Just in case you need a little more inspiration, I'm back on track. 3500 words this morning. YaY!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just in case you need a little more inspiration, I'm back on track. 3500 words this morning. YaY!!


I did 1/10th that many miles - does that count?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I did 1/10th that many miles - does that count?


Depends. Are you in Sunny Fla yet?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I did 1/10th that many miles - does that count?


no.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> no.


You're tough.


----------



## Jeff

You only have to watch 93 more of these.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Depends. Are you in Sunny Fla yet?


Not quite - just on the GA side. And obviously no sympathy from teLracs! 

Should pull into Sarasota around 3PM tomorrow, hopefully, then will start house hunting Thursday a.m. Oy!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not quite - just on the GA side. And obviously no sympathy from teLracs!
> 
> Should pull into Sarasota around 3PM tomorrow, hopefully, then will start house hunting Thursday a.m. Oy!


hey, i'm not going out of my to harass you, but when you ask a question, you get an answer.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff, I love the way the wolf is dressed. The best part is the second half when they face each other in the challenge.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not quite - just on the GA side. And obviously no sympathy from teLracs!
> 
> Should pull into Sarasota around 3PM tomorrow, hopefully, then will start house hunting Thursday a.m. Oy!


Well, had you been a Floridian already, I would certainly have been more understanding.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I took GS and his friend to a gaming place and brought my netbook with me. Then I discovered Panera Bread was next door so I went there for strawberry cream Danish and a coffee and writing. 1300 words. 

Tomorrow, I'll be at the HS. I hope to get at least 2K done there.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I took GS and his friend to a gaming place and brought my netbook with me. Then I discovered Panera Bread was next door so I went there for strawberry cream Danish and a coffee and writing. 1300 words.
> 
> Tomorrow, I'll be at the HS. I hope to get at least 2K done there.


You little writing machine!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You little writing machine!


take a cue.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You little writing machine!


It's about time. 



telracs said:


> take a cue.....


Ah, Telracs. We can always count on you to give Mike a gentle nudge.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ah, Telracs. We can always count on you to give Mike a gentle nudge.


I WANT BITTER HARVEST!

i don't have time for subtle.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> take a cue.....


Ow! My eye!


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> I WANT BITTER HARVEST!
> 
> i don't have time for subtle.


Maybe Gertie and I should have you write the text for _Beauty And The Beast_ to keep you busy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Maybe Gertie and I should have you write the text for _Beauty And The Beast_ to keep you busy.


Good, then I can get started on the 12 princesses or the little tailor who struck 7 with one blow. 

Which reminds me, I didn't make that one change to LRRH and send it to you yesterday. I'll take care of that today for sure. I'm happier with B&B after I made a couple of changes to that, but I want to work on it a little more over the weekend.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 3,200 words - on Belmusdus - up to 33,000 words (almost a Novel lol). Part I of the book is projected at 45,000 words (almost there) - There are 3 more parts and this first book of the Trilogy I expect to be only 180,000 words maybe a little less, but enough to do the matierla justice. 

This last Chapter took some time, because of the detailed writing. I'm not a big subscriber to gratuitous detail - only the essentials and then I engage my readers to bring their own version of my suggested images to my vision. However, sometimes there is a need for increased detail, and this Chapter, which describes the nine realms of Farn with their Elector rullers as witnessed by the protagonist needed some riviting imagery and extreme redundancy control. In this work I stay entirely in the protagonist's POV using 3rd person limited — a difficult tonality to maintain. It had required me to marry the protgonists language into my own narrative style to expand the reader's horizon. The only opportunity I have to violate POV rules is with 2nd Person for short measures at the beginning of the chapter. Because my view and the protagonist's view have been somewhat plurred, I can sublemate the heroes thinking in my own.

Anyhow, this was a beast of a chapter to sustain, but Peg told me I nailed it. But there's only one way to know that for sure.   The world of Farn is emerging slowly, but I have Three Books to arc it entirely:

“Nine houses rule the world of Farn
Balanced in perpetuum 
About Primordius Centrum —
Volcanium holds the firebrands,
Aquilium has the waters’ keep,
In Aolium’s realm the air depends,
While Terrastrium mines the earthen halls.
Montjoy lifts the orb of art,
Protractus totes and measures all.
And Magus wields the wands of time
While Pontifrax chants the holy rites
To draw the portals twain aligned
Into Zin and Zacker’s care,
Beyond the darkest brightest lair.”


Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Good, then I can get started on the 12 princesses or the little tailor who struck 7 with one blow.


Okay, ScarletBackwards. Where's the story? I have the characters built for Belle, her father and her sisters, the morph built for the Beast/Prince, the castle interior and exterior, the farmhouse interior and exterior - and I'm working on a shipwreck. Hurry up.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Maybe Gertie and I should have you write the text for _Beauty And The Beast_ to keep you busy.


um, no.... i'm an editor, not a writer.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> um, no.... i'm an editor, not a writer.


No is not an acceptable answer.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Okay, ScarletBackwards. Where's the story? I have the characters built for Belle, her father and her sisters, the morph built for the Beast/Prince, the castle interior and exterior, the farmhouse interior and exterior - and I'm working on a shipwreck. Hurry up.


Shipwreck? wrong fairytale....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> Shipwreck? wrong fairytale....


Belle's father lost his fortune when a trade ship he was financing sank. Of course, when you write the story you can use whatever license you wish to use.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Belle's father lost his fortune when a trade ship he was financing sank. Of course, when you write the story you can use whatever license you wish to use.


i'm not writing anything!


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> i'm not writing anything!


Please, please, please, please...


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Please, please, please, please...


um, mine was a lot more colorful.... and i threw in a couple of "pretty please"


----------



## Gertie Kindle

As soon as I get back from Pokemon League, you'll have both of them. Promise. I just spent nearly two hours on the phone with AT&T trying to get my bill straightened out among other things.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> um, mine was a lot more colorful.... and i threw in a couple of "pretty please"


Yes. You're so expressive. That's why you have to write the story. Please.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Yes. You're so expressive. That's why you have to write the story. Please.


colors good. words bad....


----------



## Jeff

Don't make me stalk you. Betsy doesn't like stalkers.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Too late. I already sent you updated Rumpie and Hoodie and I'm proofing B&B one last time. You should have it in about 15 minutes.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Too late. I already sent you updated Rumpie and Hoodie and I'm proofing B&B one last time. You should have it in about 15 minutes.


whew, thanks, gertie!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Too late. I already sent you updated Rumpie and Hoodie and I'm proofing B&B one last time. You should have it in about 15 minutes.


Drat. I wanted her to squirm a little longer.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Drat. I wanted her to squirm a little longer.


*hands jeff a chocolate*
*hands gertie TWO chocolates*

no chocolates for hicks.


----------



## crebel

telracs said:


> *hands jeff a chocolate*
> *hands gertie TWO chocolates*
> 
> no chocolates for hicks.


*Steals chocolate from telracs and gives it to Mike*...so he'll have the energy to FINISH BITTER HARVEST.


----------



## telracs

crebel said:


> *Steals chocolate from telracs and gives it to Mike*...so he'll have the energy to FINISH BITTER HARVEST.


who invited you to this thread?

and he doesn't get chocolate until he starts writing again.


----------



## Jeff

I invited her.


----------



## crebel

Thank you kindly, Jeff.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I invited her.


well, fine then.....

no chocolate for anybody.


----------



## crebel

*Gives telracs more chocolate to replace what I stole for Mike* 

*adds ice cream and Baileys to the basket*

Cabana boys should be by with delivery any time now...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Drat. I wanted her to squirm a little longer.


Had I only known!



telracs said:


> *hands jeff a chocolate*
> *hands gertie TWO chocolates*
> 
> no chocolates for hicks.


Oooh, two chocolates. It pays to be on telracs good side.



telracs said:


> well, fine then.....
> 
> no chocolate for anybody.


Wait, I just got the chocolate and you're taking it away? Jeff, I'm taking back B&B. Telracs has to write it now.



crebel said:


> *Gives telracs more chocolate to replace what I stole for Mike*
> 
> *adds ice cream and Baileys to the basket*
> 
> Cabana boys should be by with delivery any time now...


Okay, now this is waayyy too much. Telracs gets chocolate, Baileys, ice cream AND a cabana boy? Noooooo! She can have the chocolate and ice cream. I want the Bailey's and the cabana boy. Let's not forget I'm the one that sent Jeff THREE completed stories.


----------



## telracs

no gertie, i didn't mean to take back your chocolate....  just jeff's and crebel's.


*sends cabana boy over to gertie with chocolate and bailey's*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm just gonna stay out of this one! 

House hunting today was disappointing: the two houses that we were really interested in had contracts between last night and this morning; one that looked really cool on-line was a complete dog; and the others had varying degrees of non-appeal. The hunt continues, although there's an increasing likelihood that we might have to rent for a while until the right place turns up.

Oh, well, at least we're in Florida near the beach...and I'm going to get back to work on Bitter Harvest tomorrow after we get back from the day's hunting session...

<ducks back under cover to avoid the chocolate covered cabana boy>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> no gertie, i didn't mean to take back your chocolate.... just jeff's and crebel's.
> 
> *sends cabana boy over to gertie with chocolate and bailey's*


That's better.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm just gonna stay out of this one!
> 
> House hunting today was disappointing: the two houses that we were really interested in had contracts between last night and this morning; one that looked really cool on-line was a complete dog; and the others had varying degrees of non-appeal. The hunt continues, although there's an increasing likelihood that we might have to rent for a while until the right place turns up.
> 
> Oh, well, at least we're in Florida near the beach...and I'm going to get back to work on Bitter Harvest tomorrow after we get back from the day's hunting session...
> 
> <ducks back under cover to avoid the chocolate covered cabana boy>


Are you insinuating I covered the cabana boy in chocolate? Were you peeking?

Ah, house hunting in Florida. My cousin and I visited 22 houses one Sunday and he ended up buying the first one. He still had to compete with another buyer. The owner held on to the contracts until he could start a bidding war.

Good luck tomorrow.


----------



## telracs

i think he's insinuating i covered the cabana boy in chocolate to increase aerodynamics.  as if i would abuse our cabana boys like that!  or waste our chocolate!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie, _Rumpelstiltskin_ and _Red Riding Hood_ have been published for Kindle and paperback.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Gertie, _Rumpelstiltskin_ and _Red Riding Hood_ have been published for Kindle and paperback.


I see that Jeff is making a valiant attempt to get the discussion away from cabana boys. Good luck with that, fella! 

We'll be heading off in a bit for day 2 of house hunting, so we'll see what happens. The kicker is that we're not preapproved for a loan yet, as we're still waiting on a copy of our 2010 IRS returns to send to the lender (yes, I thought I had a copy on my laptop, but it's on my OLD laptop whose charging cord just went kaflooie, etc., etc.), so we can't make any serious offers yet. So I guess all these houses are appetizers, anyway!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> We'll be heading off in a bit for day 2 of house hunting, so we'll see what happens. The kicker is that we're not preapproved for a loan yet, as we're still waiting on a copy of our 2010 IRS returns to send to the lender (yes, I thought I had a copy on my laptop, but it's on my OLD laptop whose charging cord just went kaflooie, etc., etc.), so we can't make any serious offers yet. So I guess all these houses are appetizers, anyway!


I see Murphy is riding on your shoulder. 

I think I'll do something silly today like ... oh, I don't know ... write? What do you guys think?

Or maybe not. I couldn't open Open Office last night. I'd better check to see if its okay or if I have to download it again. Seems Murphy might be covering the whole state of FL.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Can't have chocolate.    Been on a regimen since March 30- trying to lose 100 lbs by March 30 2013. Down 40 lbs so far, but more importantly, blood glucose has dropped from 230 to 101 and 6 inches off the waist. Keeping to 1,500 cals a day, and walking 3 miles per day.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Did somebody offer you chocolate, Ed?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No, but I beat the former Scarlet out on theblast Queen of Mean contest, so I have a license to grab.


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No, but I beat the former Scarlet out on theblast Queen of Mean contest, so I have a license to grab.


you grab my chocolate and you will not be beating anyone for anything.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm not getting fat again. And the diabetes has aleady has me bond in one eye. And if I grab anything as a gay man, it won't be soft and melted. Lol


----------



## chrisstevenson

I don't dare write anything new right now since my agent is "stagger" submitting four of my books at the same time. They are all different genres, so that's why she can get away with it. It can cause some horrendous traffic jams if two books hit the same editor, but so far she's been very adept at juggling so many balls in the air.

chris


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Can't have chocolate.  Been on a regimen since March 30- trying to lose 100 lbs by March 30 2013. Down 40 lbs so far, but more importantly, blood glucose has dropped from 230 to 101 and 6 inches off the waist. Keeping to 1,500 cals a day, and walking 3 miles per day.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Keep at it, Ed. My neighbor across the street lost 150 lbs in six months after his doc put the fear of god in him. He bikes and does the walk/jog routine at least twice a day.


chrisstevenson said:


> I don't dare write anything new right now since my agent is "stagger" submitting four of my books at the same time. They are all different genres, so that's why she can get away with it. It can cause some horrendous traffic jams if two books hit the same editor, but so far she's been very adept at juggling so many balls in the air.
> 
> chris


Good luck! I don't know how you can keep your hands off the keyboard. When I'm in writing mode, it's worse than trying to eat just one chip.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

BTW, 1400 words today cuz, you know, this is all about writing, although I do find chocolate very inspirational.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I was hoping to get in some wordage today on Bitter Harvest, but I think I'll content myself with going over the last couple chapters to see where the heck I left off. Why? Because we spend most of the day house hunting and managed to find a house we really liked and put an offer on (along with a few others that we liked, just not as much). We don't know if our offer will be accepted until at least Monday, and aren't sure if we'll get it, anyway, because we know there's at least one more offer going in on the property. So, we'll see.

In the meantime, starting tomorrow I'm going to get back in gear with writing, as there's nothing else to do on the home hunting biz until we know the response to our offer. With a little luck, I'll have the draft of Bitter Harvest done by next Friday, take the weekend to go over it, then fire it off to telRacs...with a simulated chocolate-dipped cabana boy (say THAT five times fast!).

And I wish everyone mucho goodo wordage!


----------



## telracs

give the cabana  boy to Jan to help with the unpacking.  just send me bitter harvest (note to self, start re-reading SOTH).


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> give the cabana boy to Jan to help with the unpacking. just send me bitter harvest (note to self, start re-reading SOTH).


Aye, aye! I'm sure Jan will hate the whole cabana boy thing...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Aye, aye! I'm sure Jan will hate the whole cabana boy thing...


tell her they have to be returned in the same condition she received them.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Or pass them on to me


----------



## Jeff

Oh. Did you see that? I think it was a squirrel.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Oh. Did you see that? I think it was a squirrel.


Or maybe a bunny!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

GATOR!!

Good news #1: I managed to get another 1600 words done on Bitter Harvest, and should have chapter 33 done tomorrow and 34 underway (we're getting pretty darn close to the end, BTW).

Good news #2: the offer we made on the house we wanted was accepted! So, with just a little luck, we should be moving in sometime in early/mid-September! w00t! Here's a link to a pic of the house (which hopefully will display): http://goo.gl/IClWK


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Surprised I got aything done today with a dozen things going on, including Operation eBook Drop. Still preparing for next weekends eFestival of Words. (I'm on 2 panels).

Managed 2,700 words - Chapter Twelve of _Belmundus_.

Ed Patterson


----------



## chrisstevenson

Well, it never occurred to me in a million years that the file size of my book have everything to do with giving it a low price. Apparently, if it's over 3 megs, you cannot price it at .99 and the 35%. I had to settle for the $1.99 option and the 35%. Which still isn't too bad. You should have seen me pull my hair out trying to figure out why I couldn't price-dump to .99

It's in the fine print and terms, me lad. Yah, that's where it be!

I'm stupid.

chris


----------



## Jeff

chrisstevenson said:


> I'm stupid.


Me too. The first time it happened to me I was baffled - until some kind member of this forum explained it to me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

News for me too. I don't have many pictures in mine so I haven't hit 3 Meg but will when I publish Tje Jade Owl Legacy Omnibus which will be about 10 Meg. But that would never ne ,99


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> GATOR!!
> 
> Good news #1: I managed to get another 1600 words done on Bitter Harvest, and should have chapter 33 done tomorrow and 34 underway (we're getting pretty darn close to the end, BTW).


Good news on the _let's keep telracs happy_ front.



> Good news #2: the offer we made on the house we wanted was accepted! So, with just a little luck, we should be moving in sometime in early/mid-September! w00t! Here's a link to a pic of the house (which hopefully will display): http://goo.gl/IClWK


Guess the other offer was quite a bit lower than yours and there was no hope of starting a bidding war. Congratulations! I looked at the other pics Jan posted. It didn't look that big from the front (really nice entrance) and a gorgeous pool area. Looks like everything came together for y'all.

I'm not even trying to write this weekend. All day yesterday at GS's school. Grand opening and open house. I'll be up at the sailing club with him all day today. Tomorrow I'll be back at the school and hopefully, I'll be able to write there.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Finished chapter 33 of Bitter Harvest this morning, and will be working on 34 after we get cleaned up and Jan takes the boys clothes shopping...

Also, for those interested, here are some more pics of the house (until we get some more on Monday when we go back to see it again): http://www.estately.com/listings/info/2956-captiva-dr


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Finished chapter 33 of Bitter Harvest this morning, and will be working on 34 after we get cleaned up and Jan takes the boys clothes shopping...
> 
> Also, for those interested, here are some more pics of the house (until we get some more on Monday when we go back to see it again): http://www.estately.com/listings/info/2956-captiva-dr


I like that it's got a separate dining room. Are those built-ins surrounding the fireplace?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I like that it's got a separate dining room. Are those built-ins surrounding the fireplace?


Yep! And the sitting area with the big sliding glass doors (which open all the way up) will be where we have our office...


----------



## geoffthomas

The house looks great, Mike.
But those of us in the MD/Wash,DC area are going to miss you and Jan.

Just sayin......


----------



## Jeff

Great house, Mike.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thanks!! Well, we'll be back up during the summers to drop off the boys at their dad's. Then Jan and I will RV around for a while until it's time to bring them back to Florida, so we can probably set something up then...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Finished chapter 33 of Bitter Harvest this morning, and will be working on 34 after we get cleaned up and Jan takes the boys clothes shopping...
> 
> Also, for those interested, here are some more pics of the house (until we get some more on Monday when we go back to see it again): http://www.estately.com/listings/info/2956-captiva-dr


Does the hat come with the kitchen or did you have to pay extra for that? 


Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks!! Well, we'll be back up during the summers to drop off the boys at their dad's. Then Jan and I will RV around for a while until it's time to bring them back to Florida, so we can probably set something up then...


It's a tough life but somebody has to live it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Does the hat come with the kitchen or did you have to pay extra for that?


The hat's for the cat, so we can have a cat in a hat! 



> It's a tough life but somebody has to live it.


Darn right!

[/quote]


----------



## Jeff

DDark said:


> Even with those hours, I still can't manage to publish a book in a quicker time frame than 7 months. What the heck am I doing wrong?


Nothing wrong. I write full time (8-16 hours a day) and I have the fastest beta readers and editors on the planet. It still takes me a year to complete a novel.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Everybody has their own speed, and it depends on the book. Don't stress about how fast you write, just write well...


----------



## BBGriffith

DDark said:


> Even with those hours, I still can't manage to publish a book in a quicker time frame than 7 months. What the heck am I doing wrong?


I take a year to write a book. Reading this board sometimes makes me think I'm the only one!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

DDark said:


> I just want to blow off steam. I've been re-drafting my novel since February and now after the betas have submitted their two cents, I'm on my final edit before it goes to my editor. Rinse & repeat. Then it starts all over again when I publish this thing! I'm working anywhere from 12-18 hours a day every day because I also have a day job. (And guess what I'm doing at work during my breaks and lunch hour)
> 
> Meanwhile, I'm trying to squeeze in a novella I wrote over a weekend and try to get that published this year. My goal is to get all these books published so I can really start WRITING again. Even with those hours, I still can't manage to publish a book in a quicker time frame than 7 months. What the heck am I doing wrong?


I think seven months for a full-length novel, including beta reads and edits, is pretty darned good. Don't stress about it. It takes however long it takes.


----------



## geoffthomas

I think like Mike, Jeff and Gertie say, it takes as long as it takes.
And as a fan of all three of them, I must say that while I want new books as soon as I have read the current one, I also want them to "have a life" and produce a good book - when it is ready to be produced.

Just sayin......


----------



## Caddy

I write in clumps.  Today I wrote 7,000 words.  It is just the first draft, though.  All the refining is what will take time.  I am a little over half way I would guess on the first draft of the 4th in the series. Have 64,000 so far.


----------



## Jeff

Nobody can write fast enough to please their loyal readers.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

6,500 words yesterday and nearly finished Part I of the First Book and that will be bearly novel legth (lol, just short of 50,000 words). My big job is an Investiture Rite in the Scarlet Chamber (almost called it the Telracs Rebmahc he he), complete with Cetronican music and dancing (the orchestra is playing on instruments with Cherokee derived names, whic\le I had to resort to Latvian for others). It's a grand scene and parallels a Red Carpet event, which the protagonist (a Movie star abducted by a succubus) is quite a home with. Lots of social tension as this Fantasy world I created is (like all true Fantasy wordls), one-off of the real one - complete with a Trail of Tears and a Dystopian ghetto of heroine addicts (only we call it Swquallen - but similar to the Opium addictions afflicted on the Chinese by the Japanese invaders). Oh, we're having fun. Peg tells me that I'm surpassing the Jade Owl in scope, depth and page-turning, with become cliche or potboiler. Happy with that assessment, but the book is just getting underway, so I'm sure the expected (and welcomed, creative hiccups are before me). For example, in Part II there's an entertainment which requires me to recast the last scene of Shakespeare's Othello into a Noh drama with a happy ending (Othellohito). Already coping with that. Moving along. Also was able to find titles for the other two books in this trilogy, so it stands now as follows:


Belmundus: Book I of the Farn Trilogy
Boots of Monjoy: Book Two of the Farn Trilogy
The Adumbration of Zin: Book III of the Farn Trilogy

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 6,500 words yesterday and nearly finished Part I of the First Book and that will be bearly novel legth (lol, just short of 50,000 words). My big job is an Investiture Rite in the Scarlet Chamber (almost called it the Telracs Rebmahc he he), complete with Cetronican music and dancing (the orchestra is playing on instruments with Cherokee derived names, whic\le I had to resort to Latvian for others). It's a grand scene and parallels a Red Carpet event, which the protagonist (a Movie star abducted by a succubus) is quite a home with. Lots of social tension as this Fantasy world I created is (like all true Fantasy wordls), one-off of the real one - complete with a Trail of Tears and a Dystopian ghetto of heroine addicts (only we call it Swquallen - but similar to the Opium addictions afflicted on the Chinese by the Japanese invaders). Oh, we're having fun. Peg tells me that I'm surpassing the Jade Owl in scope, depth and page-turning, with become cliche or potboiler. Happy with that assessment, but the book is just getting underway, so I'm sure the expected (and welcomed, creative hiccups are before me). For example, in Part II there's an entertainment which requires me to recast the last scene of Shakespeare's Othello into a Noh drama with a happy ending (Othellohito). Already coping with that. Moving along. Also was able to find titles for the other two books in this trilogy, so it stands now as follows:
> 
> Belmundus: Book I of the Farn Trilogy
> Boots of Monjoy: Book Two of the Farn Trilogy
> The Adumbration of Zin: Book III of the Farn Trilogy
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


i was thinking Telracs Chamber when I read it Ed! I want a cameo!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

DDark said:


> Thanks. A stand-alone book is one thing, but when it's part of a series, you have readers chomping at the bit. I just don't understand when I see other indie authors releasing them 2-4 months apart. That is mind boggling to me.
> 
> Oh well. Back to editing...


I have a series coming out in December. All the books in the series will be written before then so I can release them three months apart.

I won't be doing much writing this week. I'm helping get GS's high school open.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2300 words on Bitter Harvest before we had to run off to the home inspection, which went very well (thank heaven!). Will get this chapter done tomorrow. After that, I'm thinking one more chapter and the epilogue...and the draft will be done...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yeah Michael


----------



## crebel

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 2300 words on Bitter Harvest before we had to run off to the home inspection, which went very well (thank heaven!). Will get this chapter done tomorrow. After that, I'm thinking one more chapter and the epilogue...and the draft will be done...


*sends more chocolate to keep Mike going*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

crebel said:


> *sends more chocolate to keep Mike going*


NOM-NOM!!

And thanks, Ed! Wish I could make your word count, but at this point I'm happy to do any! Of course, I now have to grapple with applying for health insurance. Why is it that a new carrier can't just get all the records they need from the previous carrier, rather than making applicants fill out ever freakin' time they visited the quack in the last two years? STOOOOOPID!!

But I digress...time to go to the pool. That'll be my morning routine when we're in the house: swim first to make sure to get in some exercise (and wake up), then write. Have to get back into shape...!


----------



## Jeff

Good on you all for your word counts. Looking forward to reading all the new books by my favorite authors.

I haven't written a serious word in - a long time, but I'm averaging between three and four illustrations per day.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Good on you all for your word counts. Looking forward to reading all the new books by my favorite authors.
> 
> I haven't written a serious word in - a long time, but I'm averaging between three and four illustrations per day.


A picture's worth a thousand words, so you're doing pretty dang good!


----------



## budowriter

God, how I wish I could write as fast as some of you. I know everyone has their own routine and perhaps more experience helps, but man. Thousands of words a day? That is damn impressive.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Good on you all for your word counts. Looking forward to reading all the new books by my favorite authors.
> 
> I haven't written a serious word in - a long time, but I'm averaging between three and four illustrations per day.


Must not comment.....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm laughing because in my fantasy world I needed to create a name for a preist-like character, a deacon and I came up with a politically charged one with a definite toungue in cheek subtext - Deacon


Spoiler



Fagus Marius


.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> Must not comment.....


Yeah, that's probably a very good idea, in view of the fact that I've been working 18 hours a day, 7 days a week on the book that you requested on your birthday.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Yeah, that's probably a very good idea, in view of the fact that I've been working 18 hours a day, 7 days a week on the book that you requested on your birthday.


sigh.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Yeah, that's probably a very good idea, in view of the fact that I've been working 18 hours a day, 7 days a week on the book that you requested on your birthday.


Speaking of which, I figured out how to blend our two time-frames. I'll mail you the changes without changing the file.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Speaking of which, I figured out how to blend our two time-frames. I'll mail you the changes without changing the file.


You can open the file in Word, edit, save and close it. The next time I open it, your changes will be there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You can open the file in Word, edit, save and close it. The next time I open it, your changes will be there.


I know. I just didn't want to edit the file until you approved my concept.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I got some work done tonight. About 1200. Not as much as I wanted to do. I won't be able to get anything more done until probably Tuesday.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,200 and Part One of Beomundus is finished. And we're officially a novel at 51,000 words. Lots more to go.

Edwqrd C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

In between projects right now. Reading A Clash Of Kings right now. May start brainstorming my next project when I'm done, sometime next week. Still on a vacation hangover.


----------



## Jeff

Where have you been, Fitchey?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Been in hiding.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Good to see you back, Sean. Is your thread still going over in the UK?

Managed 1200 words last night. 

Spent all day at the HS today. Can't wait until Tuesday when the HS is open, schedules are handed out, parents aren't coming in last minute (or at least most of them already have) and I can get back to my normal schedule of writing. I'm months behind.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Good to see you back, Sean. Is your thread still going over in the UK?


Thanks, Gertie. As far as I know, no. I stopped going into the forums on both sides of the Atlantic.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sweeney! Stop posting all that silliness about sports on FB and get your butt in gear on the serious stuff called "writing"... 

Finished chapter 34 of Bitter Harvest - the entire thread that chapter was part of wasn't sitting well with me until I had a flash for a devious plot twist. Jan's going to kill me when she reads it this morning.

One, no more than two chapters left now. I'm going to try and make a final push this weekend to get the first draft done...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sweeney! Stop posting all that silliness about sports on FB and get your butt in gear on the serious stuff called "writing"...


No. 

I'll be back to work soon.


----------



## Jeff

Good news, Mike. Get it to what's-her-name fast so she'll stop nagging.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sweeney! Stop posting all that silliness about sports on FB and get your butt in gear on the serious stuff called "writing"...
> 
> Finished chapter 34 of Bitter Harvest - the entire thread that chapter was part of wasn't sitting well with me until I had a flash for a devious plot twist. Jan's going to kill me when she reads it this morning.
> 
> One, no more than two chapters left now. I'm going to try and make a final push this weekend to get the first draft done...


tell Jan she's NOT allowed to kill you until after the first draft is done. we can always publish it posthumously, but i am not looking fof another Edwin Drood.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Not much written on Belmundus as I'm blocking out part II, which includes that Japanese rewrite of Othello lol. However I did complete two poems for Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not, one of which I'll incude here, so you can get a taste of the gut renching tribute to the Greatest generation thatI plan. I never forget my father in his hospital bed forgetting who we were, but still drifting back to WWII - My brother said, "what's he doing?" I said, "he's with his buddies on the beaches."

*The Muddy Month of May*
_The Assualt on the Shuri Line, Okinawa, May 29, 1945_

How many days can a man withstand
The mud and the grit and the maggots' band,
And the shells falling as thick as the rain,
And the ceasepool creeping like the devil's bane?
How many, how many days?

The night comes by and I don't much care,
I seek the bullet that will crease my hair
And end this misery for all times,
The skin that crawls and the finger's grime,
And yet I won a yard today and perhaps another tomorrow,
Amidst all this blood and sorrow.
How many, how many days?

The bodies fall about my side,
But my soul is as thick as the enemy's hide.
My buddies scream - are they there or not?
Or will they join the human rot,
As the slope slips down the ravine
With nothing but limbs to intervene?
And it's too fond now to be obscene.
How many, how many days?

Flashes and glows about my head.
Am I alive or am I dead?
I have no feeling now, instead
I grip my weapon and feel no dread.
Visions of life are far away,
All is night, even at day,
And the maggots crawl through my knuckle's yaw,
And they look tasty to this hungry jaw.
The ground is shaking as the blasts can tell
That I'm but a heartbeat from eternal hell.
How many, how many days?

I reach the crest of this ridge I've stalked.
For time immemorial have I balked.
I see the next hill beyond my arm,
But never beyond the risk of harm,
For another yard I must go on,
While flame thowers lash the hole beyond
And I know, if I go, I might find my heart,
To roll away and be apart,
To release my pain and give up breath
And find the grace in the gift of death.
How many, how many days?

Then daylight comes and rockets cease,
And shrapnel stops raining in the crease,
And I dare sit up and look about,
And see the gophers of war's redoubt.
And the smoke has cleared from the corpses strewn,
And the stench is settling over my ruin,
As I shake and weep and never be
Fully free from recovery,
From Okinawa's rattling sway,
In these the bloody days of May.
And now I look across the years
And only one thing can I say.
How many, how many days?

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

New-Mother-to-be seems to be taking over all of my writing time lately.  I need to hunker down and partition my time better.  Only got a couple more weeks of "summer break" from the show before the season two starts and we're back in the studio (and thus, I can get "day job" pay coming in again).  Was disconcerted to have a whole month off, but with the advent of my husband's father's surgery (and subsequent week visit back to Florida to help with recovery) and the opportunity to take advantage of the "no job" time by filling it with lots of writing, I had found a way to make it more acceptable to me.  But, baby fever got highly sparked while visiting in Florida, and it's continuing full force with me and my husband now that we're back.

Here's hoping I do better tomorrow!

(Congrats on everyone's progresses!)


----------



## penrefe

So I quit my job last week. Not because I believe I can make a full-time thing of this writing lark (namely because you have to actually have something out there in order to be able to make anything of it), but because I wasn't happy in the position I've held for the last eight years. So I've applied for other-- more menial--work (so I have more time to write and less time to stress about a 9-5 to bleeds into the rest of my life), something that will hopefully come to fruition before the mortgage is due for its next repayment.

While I wait to hear back from prospective employers, I'm panicking just a bit that nothing will come and that I'll end up thrown out of my house.

Happy thoughts and well wishes, please!


----------



## Randirogue

penrefe said:


> So I quit my job last week. Not because I believe I can make a full-time thing of this writing lark (namely because you have to actually have something out there in order to be able to make anything of it), but because I wasn't happy in the position I've held for the last eight years. So I've applied for other-- more menial--work (so I have more time to write and less time to stress about a 9-5 to bleeds into the rest of my life), something that will hopefully come to fruition before the mortgage is due for its next repayment.
> 
> While I wait to hear back from prospective employers, I'm panicking just a bit that nothing will come and that I'll end up thrown out of my house.
> 
> Happy thoughts and well wishes, please!


Ack, scary... but exciting. I wish you the best.

I can see similar happening to me in the coming months, though I am trying to avoid it. I like my job and despite the wear that the early hours have on me, it does allow me extra time to write, edit, format, and do graphics. However, our first child is on the way. So far, my research into day care is not promising in terms of finance, scheduling, transportation, etc. Plus, there are waiting lists. The more I research, the more it looks like our best option will be for me to stay home, despite the difficulty that losing the income from my "day job" will incur. I'm brainstorming ways I can work from home to supplement the loss, and at the same time... daydreaming about the time with our first baby. 

Keep us posted on how it goes.


----------



## arvel

Ah - help! I can't seem to stop procrastinating. I have 10k to write today and instead I'm playing around on the computer. *sighs* A kick in the butt needed.


----------



## Jeff

arvel said:


> Ah - help! I can't seem to stop procrastinating. I have 10k to write today and instead I'm playing around on the computer. *sighs* A kick in the butt needed.


----------



## arvel

Jeff said:


>


*laughs* Thanks


----------



## telracs

arvel said:


> Ah - help! I can't seem to stop procrastinating. I have 10k to write today and instead I'm playing around on the computer. *sighs* A kick in the butt needed.


arvel, if you step away from here and go write, when you come back and tell us you've written at least 5000 words, you may have chocolate.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had an unexpected opportunity to write today YaY and I got in 1200 words. Not as much as I like to do at a sitting, but still better than nothing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not sure how many words I got in today, maybe 3,000 or so. Finished the last full chapter of Bitter Harvest and got about 1/4 of the epilogue done. Am planning on writing more tonight and finishing it up tomorrow, assuming I don't choke to death on my drink like I almost did last night (scared Jan and the boys out of their wits - me, too, for that matter!)...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not sure how many words I got in today, maybe 3,000 or so. Finished the last full chapter of Bitter Harvest and got about 1/4 of the epilogue done. Am planning on writing more tonight and finishing it up tomorrow, assuming I don't choke to death on my drink like I almost did last night (scared Jan and the boys out of their wits - me, too, for that matter!)...


no choking to death, please. and definitely not on liquids....


----------



## Jeff

One more illustration for _Beauty And The Beast_, telracS.


----------



## arvel

telracs said:


> arvel, if you step away from here and go write, when you come back and tell us you've written at least 5000 words, you may have chocolate.


I managed to get 8k in. Yay! Chocolate!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

arvel said:


> I managed to get 8k in. Yay! Chocolate!


8K new words in a day? Holy cow!!


----------



## telracs

arvel said:


> I managed to get 8k in. Yay! Chocolate!


congrats.... *hands arvel a box of godiva*

enjoy!


----------



## arvel

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 8K new words in a day? Holy cow!!


Yuppers! I only write on weekends, so I tend to spend the whole day writing. I usually write 10k a day, but some days I come up short. I have no life. lol


----------



## arvel

telracs said:


> congrats.... *hands arvel a box of godiva*
> 
> enjoy!


*dives in* Godiva. You spoil me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nothing really much this last weekend - as I was a panelist on he EFestival of Wrods (Julie = bardsandsages = the queen of mean)'s highly successful endevour, which willnow be an annual event.

Be back later with my totlas for today. Working on a "Bridge" chapter, and we all know how that goes.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Segment 2 out of 4 done on the epilogue for Bitter Harvest, continuing onto 3...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Segment 2 out of 4 done on the epilogue for Bitter Harvest, continuing onto 3...


*drums fingers on desk*

off to start re-reading season....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *drums fingers on desk*
> 
> off to start re-reading season....


The draft will be done tomorrow. Then I'll work through the initial clean-up and will hopefully have it to you no later than Thursday...


----------



## Jeff

Yay, Mike.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Yay, Mike.


Okay, let's get this sucker finished...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, let's get this sucker finished...


Yes.

And I'm ready to publish _Beauty And The Beast_ as soon as Margaret gives me the okay.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

arvel said:


> Yuppers! I only write on weekends, so I tend to spend the whole day writing. I usually write 10k a day, but some days I come up short. I have no life. lol


You're an author. No life is a given. 


Jeff said:


> Yay, Mike.


Ditto.



Jeff said:


> Yes.
> 
> And I'm ready to publish _Beauty And The Beast_ as soon as Margaret gives me the okay.


Exciting!! I have to leave for the HS shortly, but I promise I'll give it a final once over tonight after dinner.

After HS, I'm popping over to McD's for oatmeal, tea and writing, then to pick up GD, drop her off with Mom, go back to the bus stop to get GS, then home to cook dinner for everyone. So, after dinner, I'll be in the mood to relax and read a good book with lovely illustrations.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Bridge Chapter completed at 3,700 words (it's a suspension bridge lol). No writing tonight. My copy of Hunger Games arrives and I'm celebrating, becauase yesterday my doctor cancelled my scheduled appointment to see him — my blood work showed my glucose went from 8.5 to 6.2 (Yaya) and since I've lost 46 pounds, he doesn;t need to see me for another 4 months. I'm celebrating with Hunger Games, a glass of Chambord over Weight Watchers ice cream (I'm not one weight watchers, but what the hell) and canning one of my diabetic pills (I think the Januvia, which I buy in Idia so I can afford it) and see if I can still maintain a normalglucose level. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## arvel

I finished the second novella in my series. Took the day off to write and came in at 13k written. Woot!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, Arvel and Mike, you're making me jealous. Nothing seems to go right for my writing schedule. While I was at McD's writing, the delivery truck came and I had to move my car, leave, or be stuck there for an hour. 

I only got 800 words in when I planned to do 2K today if I'd been able to get to the library this morning.


----------



## lorelei

Margaret, you can write in McDonald's with all the screaming kids? Amazing, hats off to you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

lorelei said:


> Margaret, you can write in McDonald's with all the screaming kids? Amazing, hats off to you!


Yup, I can totally tune them out. But if one person is carrying on a convo on the phone, I can't concentrate at all. Too nosy, I guess.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, the first draft of Bitter Harvest is done. I'll catch up on everybody's posts tomorrow - right now I'm too pooped!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, the first draft of Bitter Harvest is done. I'll catch up on everybody's posts tomorrow - right now I'm too pooped!!


where's my file?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, Arvel and Mike, you're making me jealous. Nothing seems to go right for my writing schedule. While I was at McD's writing, the delivery truck came and I had to move my car, leave, or be stuck there for an hour.
> 
> I only got 800 words in when I planned to do 2K today if I'd been able to get to the library this morning.


Ah, but on dys like that, Gertie, the head does more writing thn the fingers. I will typically write the chapr I'm working on in the car, the shower, walking at work etc. Then when (and if) I sit at the computer (at lunch) or after hours, those overy long mental converations are brought into the ZONE for my characters to sit down and vote. Early chapters are hard, because the characters are still developing and can't share in the creative load. Bou now I have at least three helprs in the zone now that stir me happily off-course into realms my head never explored. It only gets better from here. When I was writing the Jade Owl sries, by the last book, a session would resemble more a union meeting than a authoring session - and I couldn;t belive how many times I was vetoed, and by charactes who I've known for a decade. Hoe dare they? But they represnt the reader more than I do. I just want to come out of the ZONE with my sanity intact. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> where's my file?


Was planning on reading through it to catch any major bloopers first, unless you want it now?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Was planning on reading through it to catch any major bloopers first, unless you want it now?


oh, i thought you'd already done that....

nope i can wait. i'm re-reading season.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> oh, i thought you'd already done that....
> 
> nope i can wait. i'm re-reading season.


Roger, dodger!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, the first draft of Bitter Harvest is done. I'll catch up on everybody's posts tomorrow - right now I'm too pooped!!


Very nice. I may start some brainstorming today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Today was technically my day off, which means I didn't have to go to my volunteer job, but I did have to run GK's and mother all over the place. Have to be back at Mom's in a little bit so no writing time. 

Now tomorrow, if Mr. Murphy doesn't sit on my shoulder, I plan on spending two hours working at the library.


----------



## arvel

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, Arvel and Mike, you're making me jealous. Nothing seems to go right for my writing schedule. While I was at McD's writing, the delivery truck came and I had to move my car, leave, or be stuck there for an hour.
> 
> I only got 800 words in when I planned to do 2K today if I'd been able to get to the library this morning.


No need to be jealous. After those intense weekends, I have to spend the whole week recovering. So most people are writing more than I am in the long run.


----------



## Jeff

Didn't write a single creative word today - but _Beauty And The Beast_ was published as an e-book and paperback; the video was coded and is now rendering on my farm; Gertie's and my websites got updated; Da's Story Time got a new web site; my daughter got a new blog - something else, but I can't think of it.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Didn't write a single creative word today - but _Beauty And The Beast_ was published as an e-book and paperback; the video was coded and is now rendering on my farm; Gertie's and my websites got updated; Da's Story Time got a new web site; my daughter got a new blog - something else, but I can't think of it.


you need to post in the book bazaar about BATB.....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> you need to post in the book bazaar about BATB.....


Oops. You're right. Thanks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,240 words for Part II - Chapter 2 of *Belmundus * - I swear this one will be a gazzilion words longs. But it's giving me more joy than I've had in authoring something as it's pulsing through my blood and letting me use my Cherokee language skills.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I got my copy of Beauty and the Beast, but now the quandary - In which Collection should I put it - My Hepple Collection or my Lake Collection. Hmmmm. Oh, I can put it in BOTH.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Didn't write a single creative word today - but _Beauty And The Beast_ was published as an e-book and paperback; the video was coded and is now rendering on my farm; Gertie's and my websites got updated; Da's Story Time got a new web site; my daughter got a new blog - something else, but I can't think of it.


Just watched the video. Awesome as always.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I got my copy of Beauty and the Beast, but now the quandary - In which Collection should I put it - My Hepple Collection or my Lake Collection. Hmmmm. Oh, I can put it in BOTH.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Now you need a Margreff collection. Thanks, Ed.

Finally got to implement my back-to-school writing plan. My goal was 2K, but I'm happy with the 1700 I did. The background for this piece is rather complicated, but while I was writing, I figured out how to work with it. So, that's an accomplishment. Doncha love it when a plan comes together?

The HS principal now wants me to document how this school came to be. I'm going to call it, _Hogwarts, a History_.


----------



## Randirogue

Gah! I haven't managed to write at all since the break between seasons started and the end of this break is rapidly nearing.  Sure, I have good reasons for the disruptions, but I still hate that I've accomplished so little on this front.  This is especially true because it's looking like I won't be getting any decent time in my desk chair today, either.  Others may be able to successfully write while on the go, but I cannot manage this.  I need to concentrate, to put myself in the moment of the story, and that doesn't happen with crowds spinning around me.  

Also doesn't help that I'm having so many frustrations with the healthcare systems around here.  Crappy mood tends to negate creative activities for me.

Blah. I'm just venting.  Not even seeking pity or reassurance. I hope everyone else is having better success with their progress.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Just checking in. Revisions through ch 20 of Bitter Harvest are done, will get the rest done tomorrow and forward it on to telracS. My eyeballs are tired...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Pokemon League tonight and I was hoping to get some more writing in. The HS had a fund raiser at a pizza place so we didn't get to Pokemon until too late to get anything done. <sigh>


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just checking in. Revisions through ch 20 of Bitter Harvest are done, will get the rest done tomorrow and forward it on to telracS. My eyeballs are tired...


and you want it back when?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> and you want it back when?


As soon as you're done...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Made it to the library this morning and did 1400 very happy words. Had to do a little research which slowed me down some. I plan on going to the library again tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Four chapters left for Bitter Harvest revisions...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Four chapters left for Bitter Harvest revisions...


Excitement!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Excitement!!


Okay, the bloody thing's done, at least for me for the moment! Kicked the draft out to telracS and my two Norwegian red-inkers, so we'll see who comes up with the most bloopers... 

In the meantime, I'm going to do nothing tomorrow but watch movies, eat cookies, and drink margaritas!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, the bloody thing's done, at least for me for the moment! Kicked the draft out to telracS and my two Norwegian red-inkers, so we'll see who comes up with the most bloopers...
> 
> In the meantime, I'm going to do nothing tomorrow but watch movies, eat cookies, and drink margaritas!!


i want a margarita!
oh, wait, i don't drink....

may i finish reading the change wars before i start bitter harvest?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i want a margarita!
> oh, wait, i don't drink....
> 
> may i finish reading the change wars before i start bitter harvest?


That depends on when you want your brownies...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That depends on when you want your brownies...


actually, i've some of the chunk ones, so nyah, nyah, nyah...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> actually, i've some of the chunk ones, so nyah, nyah, nyah...


Dang. It's so hard to get any leverage on you! 

Trying to take today off, maybe watch a couple movies. Then will start in on various to-do's that I've been putting off (getting books back on Kobo, etc.)...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Dang. It's so hard to get any leverage on you!


very true. first couple of pages read. but i'm exhausted and want to do right by you, so am not going to really start until Monday.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Back to work in a week. One more week of reading and relaxing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> very true. first couple of pages read. but i'm exhausted and want to do right by you, so am not going to really start until Monday.


Sounds like a good plan!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sean Sweeney said:


> Back to work in a week. One more week of reading and relaxing.


One MORE week? Slacker!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> One MORE week? Slacker!


I take every August off.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sounds like a good plan!


my exhaustion might lift faster with a godiva infusion....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> my exhaustion might lift faster with a godiva infusion....


Ah. I was going to suggest something like that.


----------



## Guest

Starting the very last revision on Crystal Shade: Angeni, Volume 2. Nine chapters, 175k words, two months. This is going to be an extreme challenge, but not impossible.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> I take every August off.


August is such a dead month, anyway. Might as well. I'm actually taking this afternoon off.

A very productive two hours at the library this morning. Added 2100 words and I'm up over 20K in the story. I like to do about 30K for a novella, but I think I won't make it much past 22K.

Have to do a rewrite of a couple of paragraphs in the beginning to make it fit the ending. Shouldn't take long.

Our library is closed on Tuesday for software upgrades so I plan on getting an oil change at WalMart and sitting in their McD's to write that day.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Ah. I was going to suggest something like that.


he's trying to hold brownies hostage, jeff. which is bad, because if you're mean to your brownies, they go away. and then they tell your muse and she gets miffed and NO work gets down


----------



## telracs

while attempting to find my 25 random things about you post, i found this instead....

Ooooh, greedy!

Well, if I can manage to crank one out every six months (give or take):

- First Contact (almost there now!)
- Legend of the Sword (December/January)
- Brothers in Arms (Summer '10)
- First Empire #1 (Winter '10)
- First Empire #2 (Summer '11)
- First Empire #3 (Winter '11)

post of Mikes from 2009. Anybody else notice anything wonky about this schedule?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> he's trying to hold brownies hostage, jeff. which is bad, because if you're mean to your brownies, they go away. and then they tell your muse and she gets miffed and NO work gets down


Hostage? No, I was thinking more like outright bribery. 

And if August is a dead month, I should do great in September! Not that I'm counting on that, since sales last September through November tanked. Hopefully this year will be better...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yeah, yeah, dredge up my over-optimistic schedule! 



telracs said:


> while attempting to find my 25 random things about you post, i found this instead....
> 
> Ooooh, greedy!
> 
> Well, if I can manage to crank one out every six months (give or take):
> 
> - First Contact (almost there now!)
> - Legend of the Sword (December/January)
> - Brothers in Arms (Summer '10)
> - First Empire #1 (Winter '10)
> - First Empire #2 (Summer '11)
> - First Empire #3 (Winter '11)
> 
> post of Mikes from 2009. Anybody else notice anything wonky about this schedule?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hostage? No, I was thinking more like outright bribery.
> 
> And if August is a dead month, I should do great in September! Not that I'm counting on that, since sales last September through November tanked. Hopefully this year will be better...


bribery is good. i thought you were holding them hostage until i got you back the file. bribery would mean you give them to me BEFORE i do the work in order to do the work.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> bribery is good. i thought you were holding them hostage until i got you back the file. bribery would mean you give them to me BEFORE i do the work in order to do the work.


I'll see what I can arrange tomorrow, assuming the storm hasn't blown us out to sea...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hostage? No, I was thinking more like outright bribery.
> 
> And if August is a dead month, I should do great in September! Not that I'm counting on that, since sales last September through November tanked. Hopefully this year will be better...


I have nearly twice as many books out this August as last August and less sales this year than last year.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll see what I can arrange tomorrow, assuming the storm hasn't blown us out to sea...


Oh, yeah, you're on the west coast. The rule is that every time someone on the news says _hunker down_, you get to have chocolate or a shot. Your preference.

I thought our cookout today was going to be cancelled but Cousin Chef just called and said to come on over.

I'll be working on Cinderella today. I'd hoped to finish it in a day, but perfectly cooked steaks and grilled shrimp take precedence.


----------



## Jeff

Cinderella can wait, Gertie. Have fun.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Talking about cranking - 7,500 words this weekend - but I'm hanging it up for the day, because I now have the rigors of presenting the Japense version on Othello - called Othellohito, as a convincing backdrop to Brunint Day festivity at Ayelli, the pleasure gardens of Montjoy. Having a ball with this monster sized book.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, sitting on my butt periodically may have its rewards: I made Season Of The Harvest free to lead people into Bitter Harvest when it goes out, but didn't announce it or anything. Unbeknownst to me, Pixel of Ink picked it up yesterday and it's now #9 in the Kindle store...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, sitting on my butt periodically may have its rewards: I made Season Of The Harvest free to lead people into Bitter Harvest when it goes out, but didn't announce it or anything. Unbeknownst to me, Pixel of Ink picked it up yesterday and it's now #9 in the Kindle store...


Yup, I saw that when I was looking at what my freebie competition was. I was surprised that you didn't wait until closer to the launch of Bitter Harvest, but at least this way, they have a chance to read Season. Did you put a teaser at the end of it?



Jeff said:


> Cinderella can wait, Gertie. Have fun.


Good steak, good burgers, but I forgot to eat any shrimp. He didn't grill them this time but did them up with butter and garlic in the frying pan. Isn't that Scampi? Lousy weather, of course.

Took a nice long nap after and now I'm working on Cindy and waiting for my broccoli stuffed chicken breast to cook.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, I just sorta put Season out there in anticipation of playing it up a bit when Bitter Harvest was close to release. But then POI picked it up and...well, hopefully this'll give folks a chance to read the first book and be ready to buy the second. No teaser in it yet, though...!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, I just sorta put Season out there in anticipation of playing it up a bit when Bitter Harvest was close to release. But then POI picked it up and...well, hopefully this'll give folks a chance to read the first book and be ready to buy the second. No teaser in it yet, though...!


Getting picked up by POI and/or ENT is absolutely key. With all the great reviews you have, you were bound to get picked up by one of them. With no reviews, I know I'm not getting picked up. I put out some ads and I'm going to post on all the FB pages that let us post.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Getting picked up by POI and/or ENT is absolutely key. With all the great reviews you have, you were bound to get picked up by one of them. With no reviews, I know I'm not getting picked up. I put out some ads and I'm going to post on all the FB pages that let us post.


The weird thing is that I didn't submit it, somebody else must have. And now it's at #3...wow...

When folks give you feedback on your books, you should ask them if they'd consider doing a review. Ask for what you want, as the saying goes!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ask for what you want, as the saying goes!


okay, then, may i have some godiva pecan caramel brownies?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> okay, then, may i have some godiva pecan caramel brownies?


Like these?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Like these?


yup. them. but real....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> yup. them. but real....


Same address?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gee, that stuff nearly blinded me. I had to rememebr that I am on a diet and must declare thoise pictures horseapples.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Gee, that stuff nearly blinded me. I had to rememebr that I am on a diet and must declare thoise pictures horseapples.


Yeah, once we're out of Stressville (in the middle of selling a house, buying a house, living in an RV in the meantime, new schools, new life, etc., LOL!), I'm cutting out the yummy-looking sugary garbage and getting back in shape. Hugh Jackman won't have nuthin' on me! 

On another note, I do have to confess that I always feel lost in between books while the editors are hacking away. Grr.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, once we're out of Stressville (in the middle of selling a house, buying a house, living in an RV in the meantime, new schools, new life, etc., LOL!), I'm cutting out the yummy-looking sugary garbage and getting back in shape. Hugh Jackman won't have nuthin' on me!
> 
> On another note, I do have to confess that I always feel lost in between books while the editors are hacking away. Grr.


hugh jackman already has nuthin' on you!

and why are you "between" books. go start writing another kreelan book!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Between books? Whatever happened to tje overlapping of a dozen books? Lol.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, once we're out of Stressville (in the middle of selling a house, buying a house, living in an RV in the meantime, new schools, new life, etc., LOL!), I'm cutting out the yummy-looking sugary garbage and getting back in shape. Hugh Jackman won't have nuthin' on me!
> 
> On another note, I do have to confess that I always feel lost in between books while the editors are hacking away. Grr.


Speaking of living in the RV, how's your weather? We got really slammed with wind and rain. Especially rain. Most of our streets are flooded. Some of them are knee deep in water. Driving the kids home from school was an adventure.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> hugh jackman already has nuthin' on you!


You need your glasses updated! 



> and why are you "between" books. go start writing another kreelan book!


Hmm. Good question. I always threaten myself with getting things done that I haven't gotten done, but then don't do most of 'em.

But that always brings up the question, the next book in the First Empress trilogy (because I know how much you love trilogies), or one of the other story ideas set in the timeline of Reza & Esah-Zhurah?



> Between books? Whatever happened to tje overlapping of a dozen books? Lol.


Ed, if I tried that, I'd never get ANYTHING done! 



> Speaking of living in the RV, how's your weather? We got really slammed with wind and rain. Especially rain. Most of our streets are flooded. Some of them are knee deep in water. Driving the kids home from school was an adventure.


Yesterday was pretty much a non-event for us here, just some moderate winds and fairly heavy rain, but not that much more than the almost daily seasonal storms. Today we've been getting more rain intermittently, and the wind's actually been just a bit worse. But nothing that I'd call bad. Sorry you guys are getting hammered - that sucks!


----------



## telracs

Hugh's cute, but you're nicer.

and i vote

FIRST EMPRESS


----------



## Sean Sweeney

OK, I got back to work today. I wrote about one page (legal pad size) of notes and plot for an as-yet untitled novel. I've been thinking about this project for about a month, so I'm really ready to let the pen go.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> Hugh's cute, but you're nicer.


Still think you need your glasses checked! 



> and i vote
> 
> FIRST EMPRESS


Are you sure? You seem pretty ambivalent about it...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> Hugh's cute, but you're nicer.
> 
> and i vote
> 
> FIRST EMPRESS


DITTO!!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> DITTO!!!


Hmm, I think I see a pattern emerging...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Are you sure? You seem pretty ambivalent about it...


[size=72pt]first empress!!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hmm, I think I see a pattern emerging...


It's been too long since I read the first one. I have to make time to read it again.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's been too long since I read the first one. I have to make time to read it again.


Me, too!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Me, too!


snort....

okay, dx is charged, it's going in the bag. Bitter Harvest, here i come.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> snort....
> 
> okay, dx is charged, it's going in the bag. Bitter Harvest, here i come.


I'll clam up so you won't have to yell at me again...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,700 words yesterday (and a late nighter - yawn, esepcailly when I'm up at 5 and in by 6). Today I need to create a creature called a Tippagore (do you think I'll be sued), a fierce desert dweller and a cross between a bull and a trilobite, with perhaps at little of the pachyderm. But the meat is delectable and makes a fine Rugruster Stew with ripe porrousberries and green ritchua sauce. Well worth the hunting, if you're willing to take the risks (the thing has three formidable tusks and Liberace set of antlers. Still it manages to lay flat in the dunes like carpet lice and surprise any would be intruder.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll clam up so you won't have to yell at me again...


8% read.

mike, it's discreet, not discrete....


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Over a third of a page written so far today. Happy with that so far. Loads more time in the day.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

telracs said:


> 8% read.
> 
> mike, it's discreet, not discrete....


But is it discreet in Crete - are Cretans really cretins. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## telracs

he's really making me work!  two incorrect discrete for discreet and a couple of repeated words.  those are hard!


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Full page. Now two pages. It feels so good to be creative again.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> he's really making me work! two incorrect discrete for discreet and a couple of repeated words. those are hard!


Depends on the context.

dis·crete
   [dih-skreet] Show IPA
adjective
1. apart or detached from others; separate; distinct: six discrete parts.
2. consisting of or characterized by distinct or individual parts; discontinuous.
3. Mathematics .
a. (of a topology or topological space) having the property that every subset is an open set.
b. defined only for an isolated set of points: a discrete variable.
c. using only arithmetic and algebra; not involving calculus: discrete methods.


----------



## Steph H

Mike doesn't really love me anymore, telracS.  I had to nag him on Facebook to get him to send me Bitter Harvest to edit/beta. Which he did yesterday finally. I guess it's because I don't participate in this thread often enough anymore, nagging him like you do so well. 

If I even GET a vote, Mr. Hicks, I agree with continuing with First Empress, since you started it already.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Worked on the wip at Mom's eye docs and got 2200 words done. I don't know if readers are going to buy the part I worked on. It's a really weird twist to the story.

Tippagore? Really, Ed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> he's really making me work! two incorrect discrete for discreet and a couple of repeated words. those are hard!


Hey, you should have to work hard for brownies! 

I knew those were there, I just put them in to see if you'd catch 'em. <cough, cough>

And yes, mea culpa, Steph! We're out of practice on this gig. That just means you need to work, too (and I'll send you brownies)...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, and yes, I'll do the next book of the First Empress trilogy. I got that from Jan, today, too... 


Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Worked on the wip at Mom's eye docs and got 2200 words done. I don't know if readers are going to buy the part I worked on. It's a really weird twist to the story.


They'll love it... 



> Tippagore? Really, Ed.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Mike doesn't really love me anymore, telracS.  I had to nag him on Facebook to get him to send me Bitter Harvest to edit/beta. Which he did yesterday finally. I guess it's because I don't participate in this thread often enough anymore, nagging him like you do so well.
> 
> If I even GET a vote, Mr. Hicks, I agree with continuing with First Empress, since you started it already.


i was gonna PM you to harass him. i was wondering why he hadn't mentioned you, just the 2 norwegians. and yes, he has to send you brownies!

up to chapter 5. gotta tell you people, this is GOOD! (mostly)


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i was gonna PM you to harass him. i was wondering why he hadn't mentioned you, just the 2 norwegians. and yes, he has to send you brownies!


Hmm. I think I might order MYSELF some brownies!!



> up to chapter 5. gotta tell you people, this is GOOD! (mostly)


That's always good news! (mostly)


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hmm. I think I might order MYSELF some brownies!!


well, hurry up, the sale ends soon....



Michael R. Hicks said:


> That's always good news! (mostly)


and i won't talk about the bad parts publicly.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> well, hurry up, the sale ends soon....


Typical!



> and i won't talk about the bad parts publicly.


Better not - you've already pummeled my ego!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Typical!
> 
> Better not - you've already pummeled my ego!


isn't that the id's job....

and gertie, trust me, in the context he has it, it's discreet, not discrete.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> isn't that the id's job....


Hmph. Just as long as it's not like in Forbidden Planet, where the id gets out of hand and starts rampaging around...



> and gertie, trust me, in the context he has it, it's discreet, not discrete.


Already fixed!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hmph. Just as long as it's not like in Forbidden Planet, where the id gets out of hand and starts rampaging around...


too late. way, way, waaaaaay too late.


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> i was gonna PM you to harass him. i was wondering why he hadn't mentioned you, just the 2 norwegians. and yes, he has to send you brownies!
> 
> up to chapter 5. gotta tell you people, this is GOOD! (mostly)


I'm through Ch. Thirteen, starting Fourteen here shortly.... 



Michael R. Hicks said:


> And yes, mea culpa, Steph! We're out of practice on this gig. That just means you need to work, too (and I'll send you brownies)...


Brownies?? Yum! I'm working hard....lost track of the number of highlights I've made.... 

*giggle*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> I'm through Ch. Thirteen, starting Fourteen here shortly....
> 
> Brownies?? Yum! I'm working hard....lost track of the number of highlights I've made....
> 
> *giggle*


Ha! Red ink divas...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ha! Red ink divas...


i'm 20% through...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Steph H said:


> I'm through Ch. Thirteen, starting Fourteen here shortly....





telracs said:


> i'm 20% through...


You guys are reading fast. I take it this is another page turner from Hicks and I'll be up until the wee hours finishing it?


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You guys are reading fast. I take it this is another page turner from Hicks and I'll be up until the wee hours finishing it?


oh, yeah... but you might not want to read it at night...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> oh, yeah... but you might not want to read it at night...


MWUAHAHAHAHAAA! Oh, wait, Nina the cat typed that...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> oh, yeah... but you might not want to read it at night...


Suspense? Thriller? Horror?



Michael R. Hicks said:


> MWUAHAHAHAHAAA! Oh, wait, Nina the cat typed that...


Speaking of cats, Alexander better be safe. humphhh.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Suspense? Thriller? Horror?
> 
> Speaking of cats, Alexander better be safe. humphhh.


Suspense. Thriller.....

fortunately, no horror (so far).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> Suspense. Thriller.....
> 
> fortunately, no horror (so far).


Good. The aliens were quite icky enough on their own.


----------



## telracs

finished chapter 11....


----------



## Steph H

I've finished my first read-through.  I'll probably let it rest, then read again over the weekend before sending my mark-up.

Um, Mike? I wanna change my vote. Start on Book 3 of Harvest instead of First Empress, please....


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Two pages of plot, brings me up to four handwritten pages. Mainly questions for myself and major plot points I want to cover.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> finished chapter 11....


A third of the way through...



Steph H said:


> I've finished my first read-through. I'll probably let it rest, then read again over the weekend before sending my mark-up.
> 
> Um, Mike? I wanna change my vote. Start on Book 3 of Harvest instead of First Empress, please....


Hey, that was awfully fast! How come I have to write for months and you finish in a day or so? Hmph! And you'll have to fight it out with telracS over which one to do next. She was rather emphatic about #2 of the First Empress trilogy... 



Sean Sweeney said:


> Two pages of plot, brings me up to four handwritten pages. Mainly questions for myself and major plot points I want to cover.


Handwritten pages? You're so quaint!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Two pages of plot, brings me up to four handwritten pages. Mainly questions for myself and major plot points I want to cover.


I don't know, Sean. Seems like handwriting might be slowing you down. 



Steph H said:


> I've finished my first read-through. I'll probably let it rest, then read again over the weekend before sending my mark-up.
> 
> Um, Mike? I wanna change my vote. Start on Book 3 of Harvest instead of First Empress, please....


Did Hicks leave us hanging again?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> A third of the way through...
> 
> Hey, that was awfully fast! How come I have to write for months and you finish in a day or so? Hmph! And you'll have to fight it out with telracS over which one to do next. She was rather emphatic about #2 of the First Empress trilogy...
> 
> Handwritten pages? You're so quaint!


i was thinking today that it's a bit unfair that you toil for months and months and we get through it in a week...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Did Hicks leave us hanging again?


Would I do that??



telracs said:


> i was thinking today that it's a bit unfair that you toil for months and months and we get through it in a week...


Yeah! We should have a national Pity Author Day...


----------



## telracs

sorry, i meant to do a lot of reading today, but instead tackled the chore of laundry and apartment cleaning....

oh, i need to do a little writing of my own.  hope that's allowed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Would I do that??


A missing bag of corn. Need I say more?



> Yeah! We should have a national Pity Author Day...


Absolutely! I actually broke a nail typing the other day. And I tripped over my laptop cord.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> sorry, i meant to do a lot of reading today, but instead tackled the chore of laundry and apartment cleaning....
> 
> oh, i need to do a little writing of my own. hope that's allowed.


Oh, I suppose...


----------



## Randirogue

telracs said:


> sorry, i meant to do a lot of reading today, but instead tackled the chore of laundry and apartment cleaning....
> 
> oh, i need to do a little writing of my own. hope that's allowed.


You write too? Why didn't you tell me? What are you working on?


----------



## Jeff

Randirogue said:


> You write too? Why didn't you tell me? What are you working on?


Psst. Don't ask. She writes backwards. It's very hard to read.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Handwritten pages? You're so quaint!
> 
> 
> Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know, Sean. Seems like handwriting might be slowing you down.
Click to expand...

I'm only brainstorming!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sean Sweeney said:


> I'm only brainstorming!


Hey, we've already got enough tropical storm stuff going on!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 words yesterday on _Belmundus _ and breached the 70,000 word mark (and we're still in exposition - whew - this might be a long one). I introduced the _Tippagore _ (but not in the flesh yet, but in the _Cartisforium _ - a library in Montjoy city where _the Book of Farn _ is kept). The protagonist wants a foreshadow of the beast and so uses his library card (a grogeous sapphire brooch called a _Columbincus_, names after my alma mater), You see, when I came home from work the others day, and got out of the card, I looked up, and God presented me with the most beautiful sight in the cloud formation over the parking lot - a perfectly formed _Tippagore_. _Eureka_! So the physiogomy of the beast had to emerge from a cloud and where else better than a mystical library over a magical book. I also had to do some rare research, on fencing of all things, so my character can give a brief demonstration with his new sword before his spying mistress, who appears to him at will as a giant golden eyeball called - _The Eye_ (well, we can't name everything as if we took a Prachitt pill) lol. I don;t anticipate any writing tonight as my friend Elijah Wood's show _Wilfred _ is on. Thursdays belong to him. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

Jeff said:


> Psst. Don't ask. She writes backwards. It's very hard to read.


I want to try! Could it make me dizzy? I like getting dizzy.

Well... Until the vomiting begins. But, I doubt she'd be capable of that. On purpose, at least.



Spoiler



Hope I didn't just issue an attractive challenge for her with that!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Randirogue said:


> I want to try! Could it make me dizzy? I like getting dizzy.
> 
> Well... Until the vomiting begins. But, I doubt she'd be capable of that. On purpose, at least.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Hope I didn't just issue an attractive challenge for her with that!


Leonardo da Vinci and my morther, Virginia Agnes Patterson, rest both their souls, could write backwards as easily as they could forward. One was a genius, and the other painted the Mona Lisa. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## telracs

finished chapter 14.....

and randi, it's my travelblog and theater reviews.  i'm 6 shows behind on my reviews and my OCD won't let me write the newest review until i finish the old one...


----------



## Randirogue

telracs said:


> finished chapter 14.....
> 
> and randi, it's my travelblog and theater reviews. i'm 6 shows behind on my reviews and my OCD won't let me write the newest review until i finish the old one...


Ah, k.

...though, I still wouldn't like to the backwards thing too!


----------



## telracs

Randirogue said:


> Ah, k.
> 
> ...though, I still wouldn't like to the backwards thing too!


pmub eht dna uoy rof doog on eb dluow gniht sdrawkcab eht kniht i....

Piers Anthony did a very good backwards writing bit in Bearing an Hourglass....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I was always amazed at my mother. She could write as fast backwards in the loveliest script as she could wrtie forward.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I only wrote forward today and on the netbook. When I try to write with my hand, it jerks across the page and even I can't read it.

1500 words and I'm about two to three pages away from finishing.


----------



## telracs

seiwrob evah i.....

seno lemarac nacep


----------



## Jeff

What are borwies?


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> What are borwies?


not borwies! siewrob! 
"n"
eht
sunim
seinworb
era
yeht
dna


----------



## Randirogue

telracs said:


> pmub eht dna uoy rof doog on eb dluow gniht sdrawkcab eht kniht i....
> 
> Piers Anthony did a very good backwards writing bit in Bearing an Hourglass....


ha! The bump is going to love getting dizzy like me (unlike her daddy who doesn't like to ride roller coasters!)


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> not borwies! siewrob!
> "n"
> eht
> sunim
> seinworb
> era
> yeht
> dna


Haha. I know. I can't write backwards, but I can read backwards. Dyslexia has its moments.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Haha. I know. I can't write backwards, but I can read backwards. Dyslexia has its moments.


with me i think it's due to 12 years learning hebrew. my eyes just automatically switch directions.


----------



## Randirogue

telracs said:


> with me i think it's due to 12 years learning hebrew. my eyes just automatically switch directions.


I used to like to play with text seen through a mirror. When I was little, I thought I was hot stuff, a brilliant secret coder... against my l'il bro, at least, with it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, I put a blurb together for BITTER HARVEST, and I'll confess that I hate writing those even more than I hate revisions! Here's a link to it for those who want to look (I didn't post the whole thing because I know there are some who don't want to know anything until it's out <Gertie!>)... http://goo.gl/ZX44G


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I put a blurb together for BITTER HARVEST, and I'll confess that I hate writing those even more than I hate revisions! Here's a link to it for those who want to look (I didn't post the whole thing because I know there are some who don't want to know anything until it's out <Gertie!>)... http://goo.gl/ZX44G


you HATE revisions? i feel hurt....

and i'm not reading the blurb until i'm done.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I put a blurb together for BITTER HARVEST, and I'll confess that I hate writing those even more than I hate revisions! Here's a link to it for those who want to look (I didn't post the whole thing because I know there are some who don't want to know anything until it's out <Gertie!>)... http://goo.gl/ZX44G


Nooooo, I caved! But I didn't read it all. It's nice to know I have some strength left to battle evil authors who try to


Spoiler



spoiler


 me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Finished the WIP last night and started on the rewrite. Ended up at about 24K. I'm pretty happy with the ending. 

I'll wait until Monday to start the new one. Maybe I'll be inspired by then.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, I put a blurb together for BITTER HARVEST, and I'll confess that I hate writing those even more than I hate revisions! Here's a link to it for those who want to look (I didn't post the whole thing because I know there are some who don't want to know anything until it's out <Gertie!>)... http://goo.gl/ZX44G


They're still better to write than to old Synoipsis requirements sent to traditional publishing houses. They're harder than writing the whole book (because they're unfun). Good blurb . . . but series blurbs are easier than most after the first book, because most of the readership don't need to be enticed after book one. So the pressure is off. 

Edward C. Patterson

BTW, no writing yesterday (and maybe today). I'm far ahead of schedule (4 weeks ahead in fact) and this book is fun, fun, fun - but also a new challenge as it's an epic told in 3rd person limited and in a single POV throughout - no variation on POV - which is a hard discipline for me. I never violate the POV rules for scenes and will change numbers when the POV shifts, but when the POV is consistant to one person and we're not writing in 1st person, there's an additional level of character continuity to consider and maintain. It's like walking a tight rope, and yet making it seem seemless.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wait! There are POV rules?? 

Good job on wordage all - except you, Ed, as you're obviously slacking off. LOL! 

And yes, telracs, I hate revisions - my revisions, that is. That doesn't apply to revisions other people may throw at me - I just direct those at the manuscript and pretend I'm totally innocent in the whole thing.

Oh, and yesterday I was playing around with the Editor software by Serenity. It picked up quite a few dorky things I do, so I tightened things up a tad while waiting for the editorial committee to dump its red ink on my head.


----------



## telracs

mike, making me cry on the train is NOT NICE!

56% done.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Wait! There are POV rules??


Please pull over, and show me you poetic license and your chracter registration. Have you been drinking, sir. There was a report that you wer head hopping about a mile back and unless you're Charles Dickens or Virginia Woold, that's a serious offense in the State of Creativity. Now you can either pay a fine or put an editor up as collatoral until bail can be set. 

Officer Chatty of the Flapping Falls Police Force


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Please pull over, and show me you poetic license and your chracter registration. Have you been drinking, sir. There was a report that you wer head hopping about a mile back and unless you're Charles Dickens or Virginia Woold, that's a serious offense in the State of Creativity. Now you can either pay a fine or put an editor up as collatoral until bail can be set.
> 
> Officer Chatty of the Flapping Falls Police Force


i'm NOBODY's collateral!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Policing begins at ****. Lol. In my case it bégins at ****.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Please pull over, and show me you poetic license and your chracter registration. Have you been drinking, sir. There was a report that you wer head hopping about a mile back and unless you're Charles Dickens or Virginia Woold, that's a serious offense in the State of Creativity. Now you can either pay a fine or put an editor up as collatoral until bail can be set.
> 
> Officer Chatty of the Flapping Falls Police Force


Tee-hee. Thanks, Ed. I needed a laugh today.

The good news is, I did the rewrite on the wip, although, now that I think about it, I didn't spell check. Just when you think you're done ... <sigh>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> mike, making me cry on the train is NOT NICE!


Hey, blame it on my muse and eat another brownie! 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Please pull over, and show me you poetic license and your chracter registration. Have you been drinking, sir. There was a report that you wer head hopping about a mile back and unless you're Charles Dickens or Virginia Woold, that's a serious offense in the State of Creativity. Now you can either pay a fine or put an editor up as collatoral until bail can be set.
> 
> Officer Chatty of the Flapping Falls Police Force


Heck with that! As Sammy Hagar sings it, "I can't drive 55...!" Come on, telracs, we'll make a getaway in my Radio Flyer wagon...



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> The good news is, I did the rewrite on the wip, although, now that I think about it, I didn't spell check. Just when you think you're done ... <sigh>


There's alway something!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Spell checked. Now I can get back to worrying thinking about the next one.


----------



## telracs

80% done.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> 80% done.


And no additional crying!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And no additional crying!


um, actually.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> um, actually.....


Did u cry again??


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Did u cry again??


yes. this is a 4 tissue book. at least.


----------



## crebel

Four tissues??  Ack!  Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up and finish with your comments so Mike can get back to work.


----------



## telracs

crebel said:


> Four tissues?? Ack! Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up and finish with your comments so Mike can get back to work.


mike can work.....


Spoiler



on the next book!


----------



## crebel

*sending warm monkey bread, godiva chocolate and liquor, and waffle cookies*  BOTH of you, work faster!


----------



## telracs

crebel said:


> *sending warm monkey bread, godiva chocolate and liquor, and waffle cookies* BOTH of you, work faster!


unfortunately, i have to do the work that the big corporation pays me for first....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> unfortunately, i have to do the work that the big corporation pays me for first....


How rude of them!


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> yes. this is a 4 tissue book. at least.


I can cry at the drop of a hat while reading, but I didn't really on this one. There were several "awwwww.....bummer" moments, though, that may be your tissue moments. Maybe I wasn't feeling sentimental enough while I was reading....


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> I can cry at the drop of a hat while reading, but I didn't really on this one. There were several "awwwww.....bummer" moments, though, that may be your tissue moments. Maybe I wasn't feeling sentimental enough while I was reading....


and maybe i was feeling overly-sentimental....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have some extra tissues left from _*Look Away Silence * _ - a warehouse full. (It's my second warehouse - my readers emptie the first one out). lol

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

I just got my first review for "Beatific" and I just had to tell you wonderful, wonderful people here who would know how fantastic this sensation is and could understand my ecstatic elation.  Not only is it a five star review that praises the book, but it offers a fantastic criticism about the main character's personality (a point to which has been planned to be further addressed in the next book since I started the first book)... but the best part, imo, is that it's from someone completely unknown to me who has reviewed other books in the same genre over a good span of time and with varying degrees of ratings.  I hope it will encourage others to review it as well and that potential readers will be able to recognize that it's a real review.

Yays!

(And now, since I feel silly and shy for posting this, I hope you all return to your regular activities without paying me too much attention. lol)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Randirogue said:


> I just got my first review for "Beatific" and I just had to tell you wonderful, wonderful people here who would know how fantastic this sensation is and could understand my ecstatic elation. Not only is it a five star review that praises the book, but it offers a fantastic criticism about the main character's personality (a point to which has been planned to be further addressed in the next book since I started the first book)... but the best part, imo, is that it's from someone completely unknown to me who has reviewed other books in the same genre over a good span of time and with varying degrees of ratings. I hope it will encourage others to review it as well and that potential readers will be able to recognize that it's a real review.
> 
> Yays!
> 
> (And now, since I feel silly and shy for posting this, I hope you all return to your regular activities without paying me too much attention. lol)


Uh-uh, we can't let that pass.


----------



## telracs

*breaks out the chocolate*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Randirogue said:


> I just got my first review for "Beatific" and I just had to tell you wonderful, wonderful people here who would know how fantastic this sensation is and could understand my ecstatic elation. Not only is it a five star review that praises the book, but it offers a fantastic criticism about the main character's personality (a point to which has been planned to be further addressed in the next book since I started the first book)... but the best part, imo, is that it's from someone completely unknown to me who has reviewed other books in the same genre over a good span of time and with varying degrees of ratings. I hope it will encourage others to review it as well and that potential readers will be able to recognize that it's a real review.
> 
> Yays!
> 
> (And now, since I feel silly and shy for posting this, I hope you all return to your regular activities without paying me too much attention. lol)


w00t!


----------



## Randirogue

Thank you all so much.

And Telracs... You just had to outdo Gertie, huh?

lol


----------



## telracs

Randirogue said:


> Thank you all so much.
> 
> And Telracs... You just had to outdo Gertie, huh?
> 
> lol


i liked the dancing redhead....

mike.... 96% done. would have finished but really annoying band on train.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i liked the dancing redhead....
> 
> mike.... 96% done. would have finished but really annoying band on train.


A band??


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> A band??


guitarist and drummer. really annoying...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> guitarist and drummer. really annoying...


Oh, jeez...


----------



## Jeff

Somebody brought a drum set onto a train?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Somebody brought a drum set onto a train?


----------



## telracs

okay, i'm done reading bitter....

and sorry steph, i still want the next first empress before he does the next Harvest....


----------



## Steph H

Oh, I can live with that. I'm used to waiting between series books in general anyway.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I see you two are conspiring again, just like old times...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

So I finished the brainstorm and now I'm on to editing Federal Agent. 11 chapters edited yesterday. Going to edit a chapter before I go out and mow the lawn, perhaps a chapter before Jen and I run errands, and then another two chapters after we pick vegetables and before I make dinner.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> So I finished the brainstorm and now I'm on to editing Federal Agent. 11 chapters edited yesterday. Going to edit a chapter before I go out and mow the lawn, perhaps a chapter before Jen and I run errands, and then another two chapters after we pick vegetables and before I make dinner.


Sounds like a plan!

Today is Sunday and that's when I write the children's books for Jeff to illustrate. Jeff, are we doing Snow White or Sleeping Beauty next?


----------



## arvel

*sneaks in* I haven't written again. I need another kick, please?


----------



## Jeff

arvel said:


> *sneaks in* I haven't written again. I need another kick, please?


Uh-uh. No more kicks. The penalties become more sever with each transgression.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Today is Sunday and that's when I write the children's books for Jeff to illustrate. Jeff, are we doing Snow White or Sleeping Beauty next?


Surprise me.


----------



## arvel

Oww, oww. No more transgressions. I got it! *sulks away* Thank you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Surprise me.


Decisions on a Sunday morning. Not my favorite thing.  Get the little men ready.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

The only thing I've gotten done today is assign an ISBN to the ebook version of Bitter Harvest. Tomorrow I'm going to finish off all the other little tidbits that need to be done. After that, I'll just need the editorial input... <ahem>

In the meantime, we went to the beach for a couple hours (perfect weather, warm water, and not too many people), then will be heading off to Camping World to buy a couple doo-dads for the RV.


----------



## Steph H

Yeah yeah yeah. It's on the agenda for today. 

Let's see...do the mark-up for Mike, or clean the litter boxes....decisions decisions....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Snow White is done (2266 words) and I started Sleeping Beauty. I don't know if I'll get it done today, but I will definitely get it done tomorrow.


----------



## Steph H

Steph H said:


> Yeah yeah yeah. It's on the agenda for today.
> 
> Let's see...do the mark-up for Mike, or clean the litter boxes....decisions decisions....


Email with mark-up sent, darlin'.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Yeah yeah yeah. It's on the agenda for today.
> 
> Let's see...do the mark-up for Mike, or clean the litter boxes....decisions decisions....


I'd take the litter boxes!! 

Emailed you about markup (can't seem to see any in the file)...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> The only thing I've gotten done today is assign an ISBN to the ebook version of Bitter Harvest. Tomorrow I'm going to finish off all the other little tidbits that need to be done. After that, I'll just need the editorial input... <ahem>
> 
> In the meantime, we went to the beach for a couple hours (perfect weather, warm water, and not too many people), then will be heading off to Camping World to buy a couple doo-dads for the RV.


kindle is recharging. as soon as dinner is eaten, file will be reviewed and e-mailed....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1567 words and Sleeping Beauty is done. 

Jeff's going to be very busy doing illustrations for the next few weeks.


----------



## telracs

e-mail has been sent to hicks....

if he publishes this soon enough and starts on my next first empress book, i'll give him some brownies...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I managed to edit through Ch. 22 yesterday, so I'm two-thirds of the way through the book. There's some work to do this week... some tweaking and re-writing entire sections. First time I've had to really do re-writes.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,700 wods yesterday. I think I go look for some sunlight today.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I think we all deserve a day of rest on Un-Labor Day.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think we all deserve a day of rest on Un-Labor Day.


Um, no rest for the wicked today! I got through the edits-by-telracs except for the big blob at the beginning of the book (saving that for later). Now have to see if I can get Steph's edits to show up on a Windoze machine...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Um, no rest for the wicked today! I got through the edits-by-telracs except for the big blob at the beginning of the book (saving that for later). Now have to see if I can get Steph's edits to show up on a Windoze machine...


You had your day of rest yesterday.


----------



## telracs

ch-ch-ch-changes....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You had your day of rest yesterday.


HA!

Ch-ch-ch-changes for telracs and Steph (after I opened up the file on my Windoze machine) are now done. Waiting on one more set of revisions, and have to think about the opening part of the story. Will be sending off to beta readers this week. Might include an alternate opening to see which people like better...


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Finished the first major edit of FEDERAL AGENT today. I'll begin inputting edits tomorrow. Hoping to do it in two days.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sean Sweeney said:


> Finished the first major edit of FEDERAL AGENT today. I'll begin inputting edits tomorrow. Hoping to do it in two days.


w00t!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, is it just me or do the sales stats for Amazon UK seem to be stuck? Mine haven't updated since yesterday morning, and I know that at least ONE person must've grabbed a freebie in that amount of time! LOL!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Finished the first major edit of FEDERAL AGENT today. I'll begin inputting edits tomorrow. Hoping to do it in two days.


Way to Go, Sean!



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, is it just me or do the sales stats for Amazon UK seem to be stuck? Mine haven't updated since yesterday morning, and I know that at least ONE person must've grabbed a freebie in that amount of time! LOL!


They've been talking about that in the Mega Thread.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, is it just me or do the sales stats for Amazon UK seem to be stuck? Mine haven't updated since yesterday morning, and I know that at least ONE person must've grabbed a freebie in that amount of time! LOL!


That's what I'm thinking.


----------



## Jeff

​
Good job, Gertie.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sean Sweeney said:


> That's what I'm thinking.


Out on the KDP boards there are dozens upon dozens of authors complaining about no sales reports in the UK for September thus far, just Bbos. It's probably stuckaroony [SP].

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> ​
> Good job, Gertie.


It's a team effort.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

NICE!!!



Jeff said:


> ​
> Good job, Gertie.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1700 words today. Probably none tomorrow. I'm on chauffeur duty.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

So I got the first series of edits inputted in four hours yesterday, beating my estimate by 44 hours. And last night I started writing the sequel to COLD ALTAR, tentatively titled VOIR DIRE.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> So I got the first series of edits inputted in four hours yesterday, beating my estimate by 44 hours. And last night I started writing the sequel to COLD ALTAR, tentatively titled VOIR DIRE.


Boy, when you go back to work, you go back to work!!! WTG!!!


----------



## Jeff

I'm fighting the temptation to volunteer as a beta reader for Mike and pressing onward with _Sleeping Beauty_ instead. Hope some kid, somewhere, someday, appreciates it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'm fighting the temptation to volunteer as a beta reader for Mike and pressing onward with _Sleeping Beauty_ instead. Hope some kid, somewhere, someday, appreciates it.


I know. It's hard.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Well, here I am, late to yet another party.

Recognized a couple of names from Facebook and elsewhere (Steph and Michael), so I thought I'd drop in.

Just finished a draft of the third book in the series I'm working on (a draft so rough you'd get splinters trying to read it). I'm going to let it sit and simmer while waiting for the beta readers for book two to get back to me. (One has done so, the other two are apparently just getting started...  ).

While I wait, I have a couple of short pieces I'd like to get out of my system. I'll be starting the first of them this afternoon.

The past week involved attending a convention, which derailed the writing side of life. Time to get back up to speed!


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, here I am, late to yet another party.
> 
> Recognized a couple of names from Facebook and elsewhere (Steph and Michael), so I thought I'd drop in.
> 
> Just finished a draft of the third book in the series I'm working on (a draft so rough you'd get splinters trying to read it). I'm going to let it sit and simmer while waiting for the beta readers for book two to get back to me. (One has done so, the other two are apparently just getting started...  ).










Hiya Tom! Don't worry, they don't bite much in this thread. Well, except for telracs if she doesn't get her chocolate.... 

Third book's done (roughly) already?? Coolness! Kick those other beta readers in gear on book two...at least I got it turned around quickly.  What are the short pieces going to be, sci-fi or something else?

Sean, nice job on getting those edits done already, plus the start on the new one!

Jeff and Gertie, go ahead and be a beta reader for Mike...y'all know you wanna....and it's worth the read!!  [/enabling mode off]


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> Hiya Tom! Don't worry, they don't bite much in this thread. Well, except for telracs if she doesn't get her chocolate....










Hiya, yerself!

I used to be a moderator in the the Cloudy Nights refractor forum. I'll be fine. (I'll keep some chocolate around, just in case.  )

One of the two has said he'll be back to me before the end of the month. I was told up front by the other that she wouldn't be able to get to it "right away," whatever that meant. I'm looking to expand the number of beta readers to improve the chances of getting two or three reviews in fairly short order, and speed the revision process along just a bit.

The short stories will be set in the same universe, events off to the side of the main story arc. The first one will be out before the TusCon 39/ASAE weekend.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Steph H said:


> Jeff and Gertie, go ahead and be a beta reader for Mike...y'all know you wanna....and it's worth the read!!  [/enabling mode off]


We're going to read it anyway, right?


----------



## telracs

*wanders in*

did i hear someone say my name?

i don't bite newbies.  especially if they know people here already.....

Hi Tom!

*wanders off to finish my brownies*


----------



## Thomas Watson

No worries. Once you've been dressed down as a Nazi-anti-free-speech-honest-opinion-killing moderator by someone trying to justify spending $10K on a four inch disc of glass in a steel tube, being bitten doesn't have much power to intimidate.

Enjoy the brownies.


----------



## Steph H

Yes, but did you ever mod binoviewers??  

Hey telracs, aren't you off today? Shouldn't you be at a Broadway matinee or something?  

Gertie, exactly - you'll read it anyway, so why not now when it's not all *that* rough?


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Hey telracs, aren't you off today? Shouldn't you be at a Broadway matinee or something?


yes, i'm off. but wednesday is usually sleep in and do chores day. (except when dragging out of town visitors all over the city)


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Boy, when you go back to work, you go back to work!!! WTG!!!


Thank ya... Wrote a little over 2,000 words today, and was invited into a horror anthology about demons.

I can work it.


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> yes, i'm off. but wednesday is usually sleep in and do chores day. (except when dragging out of town visitors all over the city)


Whoever could you be talking about??









Another good day for you, Sean, and congrats on the invite to the anthology!


----------



## Randirogue

So, this may be a good sign for this season at work.  Last season, the early hours and short sleep pattern (I just can't seem to fall asleep before midnight - later in most cases - even though I have to be up at 4 am) often made it very difficult to have the creative prowess to get much, if any, progress accomplished on my WIPs after work.  However, today was the first day back for season two, and yet, here I am, on the computer, feeling alert, and about to get a couple hours in on creative projects.  And this is on only about 4 hours sleep - and while 5+ months pregnant!  

Here's hoping this becomes the trend this season!

And good luck to everyone else on their progress!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Randirogue said:


> So, this may be a good sign for this season at work. Last season, the early hours and short sleep pattern (I just can't seem to fall asleep before midnight - later in most cases - even though I have to be up at 4 am) often made it very difficult to have the creative prowess to get much, if any, progress accomplished on my WIPs after work. However, today was the first day back for season two, and yet, here I am, on the computer, feeling alert, and about to get a couple hours in on creative projects. And this is on only about 4 hours sleep - and while 5+ months pregnant!
> 
> Here's hoping this becomes the trend this season!
> 
> And good luck to everyone else on their progress!


The baby needs its sleep. And get some yourself now while you can because once the baby is born, you can count on not sleeping for about 18 years.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> Yes, but did you ever mod binoviewers??


Believe it or not, the binoviewer wars were a bit before my time (as a moderator). I've heard the stories, though...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I'm fighting the temptation to volunteer as a beta reader for Mike and pressing onward with _Sleeping Beauty_ instead. Hope some kid, somewhere, someday, appreciates it.


Just say the word... 

Boy, am I pooped. After getting hand cramps from signing a bunch of house selling/buying paperwork, we just found out that closing on our Maryland house (selling) has been delayed until at least the 21st because one of the upstream buyers had a problem with their financing. I hate this chinese puzzle/domino effect thing! Trying to see if we can rent from the sellers (it's an estate sale, so at least there's no one in there now) until we close. Oy.

I think I'll have another piece of cake. <sigh>


----------



## Thomas Watson

I remember when buying a house was a relatively straightforward matter.

Best of luck with all of that!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just say the word...
> 
> Boy, am I pooped. After getting hand cramps from signing a bunch of house selling/buying paperwork, we just found out that closing on our Maryland house (selling) has been delayed until at least the 21st because one of the upstream buyers had a problem with their financing. I hate this chinese puzzle/domino effect thing! Trying to see if we can rent from the sellers (it's an estate sale, so at least there's no one in there now) until we close. Oy.
> 
> I think I'll have another piece of cake. <sigh>


These things are never easy. Feel like you've got Murphy sitting on your shoulder?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,300 yesterday and still rolling. 

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> These things are never easy. Feel like you've got Murphy sitting on your shoulder?


Well, we were thinking that things were going too smoothly! Oh, well. Hopefully the up-stream dominos won't have any more major glitches... <fingers & eyes crossed>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Couldn't sleep last night so I started writing Margreff's (Margaret & Jeff) Halloween story. The first draft is nearly finished at 2K words today plus 500 on the wip. 

So while everyone was drooling over the new Fire's and Paperwhite Kindles, I've been busy.


----------



## Jeff

Way to go, Ed.

Here's hoping the best for you, Mike.

Get some sleep, Gertie. You're already two books ahead of me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Way to go, Ed.
> 
> Here's hoping the best for you, Mike.
> 
> Get some sleep, Gertie. You're already two books ahead of me.


I'll slow down when I get this Halloween book done. October is only three weeks away and you need time to do the illustrations.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'll slow down when I get this Halloween book done. October is only three weeks away and you need time to do the illustrations.


Unless your Halloween story's got a slew of characters like your _Sleeping Beauty_ does, turning your prose into verse is going to take longer than the illustrations.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Unless your Halloween story's got a slew of characters like your _Sleeping Beauty_ does, turning your prose into verse is going to take longer than the illustrations.


There are two main characters, a couple of scenes where there will be a bunch of ghostly partygoers, and three friends that appear in two scenes.

I think I'll just make it a straight prose piece without breaking it up into scenes since you're going to rhyme it. That should keep it flexible for you.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

1,519 words on VOIR DIRE this morning... break time, then starting the demon story for Dean M Drinkel's demon anthol.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> 1,519 words on VOIR DIRE this morning... break time, then starting the demon story for Dean M Drinkel's demon anthol.


Busy, busy!

Had to do some research so I didn't get as much done as I usually do. 1400 words. At least that's something.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No wordage for me (big surprise) while I wait to hear from the beta readers and one of the editorial types who got delayed. I think I'm going to work a little on my NSA project ("You Can't Make This Sh** Up" - LOL!) until we get into the house. Our days are just so disjointed now that I don't have any decent stretches of time, plus too much stress for my muse...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No wordage for me (big surprise) while I wait to hear from the beta readers and one of the editorial types who got delayed. I think I'm going to work a little on my NSA project ("You Can't Make This Sh** Up" - LOL!) until we get into the house. Our days are just so disjointed now that I don't have any decent stretches of time, plus too much stress for my muse...


*hands the muse some chocolate*

first empress!!!


----------



## Jeff

I've just spent the 3rd day on an illustration of a dinner party that includes 7 fairies. (No wisecracks, Ed.) Each fairy glows in a different color so lighting the scene has been a huge PITA. It's rendering now for what I hope is the last time. I won't know that for sure until about midnight.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I've just spent the 3rd day on an illustration of a dinner party that includes 7 fairies. (No wisecracks, Ed.) Each fairy glows in a different color so lighting the scene has been a huge PITA. It's rendering now for what I hope is the last time. I won't know that for sure until about midnight.


red 
orange
yellow 
green 
blue 
indigo
violet...

are they in color order Jeff? i get obsessive about that....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> red
> orange
> yellow
> green
> blue
> indigo
> violet...
> 
> are they in color order Jeff? i get obsessive about that....


You'll have to take that up with Ms. Words. I'm Mr. Picture. I just draw what she says.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I've just spent the 3rd day on an illustration of a dinner party that includes 7 fairies. (No wisecracks, Ed.) Each fairy glows in a different color so lighting the scene has been a huge PITA. It's rendering now for what I hope is the last time. I won't know that for sure until about midnight.


It's going to be well worth it.

Sorry, telracs. There must be a pink fairy.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's going to be well worth it.
> 
> Sorry, telracs. There must be a pink fairy.


well, where in my rainbow does she fall?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> well, where in my rainbow does she fall?


It's a fairy tale rainbow and since it's a fairy tale, I can make it any colors I want.

There are actually eight fairies and one of them (the evil one, of course) is black.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I know I haven't been around here for awhile, but I wanted to share my excitement: I finished the first draft to PHOBIA, the sequel to STALKER, yesterday! I'll let it sit for a week or so, and then begin the edits.


----------



## Jeff

Good to see you back, Dave. Congratulations.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Thanks Jeff. Wow, I didn't expect a response so late at night/early in the morning already.

Edits will take some time, and I have a cover to put together, so this one is probably still a month or two from actual publication.


----------



## Jeff

When you get to be my age, there's no such thing as late or early. Looking forward to your new book.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Thanks Jeff. Wow, I didn't expect a response so late at night/early in the morning already.
> 
> Edits will take some time, and I have a cover to put together, so this one is probably still a month or two from actual publication.


Congratulations. There's nothing like that feeling when you can type The End.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> I know I haven't been around here for awhile, but I wanted to share my excitement: I finished the first draft to PHOBIA, the sequel to STALKER, yesterday! I'll let it sit for a week or so, and then begin the edits.


Awesomeness!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's a fairy tale rainbow and since it's a fairy tale, I can make it any colors I want.
> 
> There are actually eight fairies and one of them (the evil one, of course) is black.


Hey, isn't that fairy profiling


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *hands the muse some chocolate*
> 
> first empress!!!


Yikes! I'm gonna have to have my hearing checked!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, isn't that fairy profiling


Hey, she chose to dress herself in black and lock herself in a tower for a hundred years, not me. Or maybe she wore white and her robes are just very, very dirty after a century of no one to do her laundry.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Or maybe she wore white and her robes are just very, very dirty after a century of no one to do her laundry.


TMI! (Hope she left the windows open. Whew!)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> TMI! (Hope she left the windows open. Whew!)


Now you know why she's so cranky!


----------



## Thomas Watson

It would certainly ruin _my_ mood.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Finished the Halloween story yesterday. It came out at about 2300 words. 

Worked on the wip today and I'm happy with a little over 2K words.

Did some research on a new series I'm thinking of doing.

Can I rest now?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Finished the Halloween story yesterday. It came out at about 2300 words.
> 
> Worked on the wip today and I'm happy with a little over 2K words.
> 
> Did some research on a new series I'm thinking of doing.
> 
> Can I rest now?


Nice! I had two margaritas - does that count??


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Nice! I had two margaritas - does that count??


They would if you'd shared.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> They would if you'd shared.


Here, catch!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Here, catch!!


thanks!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> thanks!


Hey!!!


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hey!!!


*passes undrunk margarita to gertie*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> *passes undrunk margarita to gertie*


Okay, then.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Are you sure she didn't at least take a sip??


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Are you sure she didn't at least take a sip??


i would not do that.

*goes off to corner grumbling*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> i would not do that.
> 
> *goes off to corner grumbling*


No, she only took the Godiva swizzle stick.


----------



## crebel

Ewwwww!  A Godiva swizzle stick in a margarita?  She did you a favor, Gertie.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

crebel said:


> Ewwwww! A Godiva swizzle stick in a margarita? She did you a favor, Gertie.


I know. If telracs wasn't off in a corner grumbling, I would thank her.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I know. If telracs wasn't off in a corner grumbling, I would thank her.


you're welcome...

*slinks back into corner with her chocolate*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> you're welcome...
> 
> *slinks back into corner with her chocolate*


I hate to tell ya, but I licked it first!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I hate to tell ya, but I licked it first!


YUCK!

*throws swizzle stick at Hicks*

now you owe me extra brownies!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Ugh. Sounds like something my kids would do!


----------



## telracs

Dave Dykema said:


> Ugh. Sounds like something my kids would do!


you give your kids margaritas?

*puts CFS on speed dial*


----------



## Thomas Watson

People are yelling and throwing things at each other?

Steph was right! I'm gonna fit right in!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> People are yelling and throwing things at each other?
> 
> Steph was right! I'm gonna fit right in!


you can't throw anything until you pay the entrance fee.

which means you have to send me chocolate.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,200 words today (of which perhaps 700 were Shalespeare's from Othello, with some names and terms translated into Japnese, as the play was being performed on a set during the Tokogawa Shogonate.) Insane, you might say, but I'm counting on this next book (trilogy) to be THE ONE. While my 20 books ths far are my Legacy, _*Belmundus * _ is . . . my destiny.   

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

You're way too serious, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, it's just me, my little ole books and my readers.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, it's just me, my little ole books and my readers.


I'm one of your most loyal readers and looking forward to Belmundus


Spoiler



I still say you're too serious


.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Serious I am and the master of humor.    Glad for the support.

Edward C. Patterweenie
A serious Flamer


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,200 words today (of which perhaps 700 were Shalespeare's from Othello, with some names and terms translated into Japnese, as the play was being performed on a set during the Tokogawa Shogonate.) Insane, you might say, but I'm counting on this next book (trilogy) to be THE ONE. While my 20 books ths far are my Legacy, _*Belmundus * _ is . . . my destiny.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Why do I feel like surrenduring my sword to you?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Is it the sword of destiny?


----------



## Dave Dykema

telracs said:


> you give your kids margaritas?
> 
> *puts CFS on speed dial*


Drugged ones. But seriously, I meant licking the brownies.

CFS= Child ***** Services?


----------



## telracs

children and family services


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Is it the sword of destiny?


More like the sword of density.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Is that like a swizzle stick?

Ed


----------



## Jeff

Seriously.


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> People are yelling and throwing things at each other?
> 
> Steph was right! I'm gonna fit right in!


Told ya. :smacks gum and metaphorically tosses ponytail:


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Seriously. Just finished 1753 words according to Word.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Seriously. Just finished 1753 words according to Word.


That's great and will be more than I get done today, because I need to build an urban landscape that can sustain an indigigous population that can walk through some stone (Kaybar), but not through others (phitron). The eclectic architecture is a combo of neo-Nazi and ancient hu-tung, although the Cherokee building style was more colonial Georgian (I might retain some of that in the under-ruins). Needless to say, the detail, which has been growing in my mind for 20 years, must stay there, unless I'm to bre the reader. I need to tap only those elements that will allow my reader to supercharge the scene from their own imaginations, so that they build Montjoy and I only suggest it. Of course, I'll bring the sounds and smells and snippets of historic backstory to help this edifice emerge across the cityscape. So, my word output ight be a bit shy today as I let the turnps take root and grow. 

Sirius Ed (I turn into a big black dog at will)


----------



## geoffthomas

Now look you guys......
I like frivolity just like everyone else does, but...
We need some words written here (nice going Ed, by the way).
Readers can't read if Writers don't write (or something like that - can't be sure after the last pitcher of magaritas).
so let's keep enjoying ourselves but keep on writing also (got that Hicks?).

Just sayin......


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Told ya. :smacks gum and metaphorically tosses ponytail:


yeah, but you forgot to tell him that he has to give me chocolate first!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

geoffthomas said:


> Now look you guys......
> I like frivolity just like everyone else does, but...
> We need some words written here (nice going Ed, by the way).
> Readers can't read if Writers don't write (or something like that - can't be sure after the last pitcher of magaritas).
> so let's keep enjoying ourselves but keep on writing also (got that Hicks?).
> 
> Just sayin......


The question is, for me now, is whether readers will understand the words I write.  Because I have several new languages going here (Cetronian, Gurt, Zecronisian, Ayellian and a mix of every other thing in Farn), I actually will have a glossary appendiced to these books. In this way readers can reference the difference between the Yunocker's old prison (the Porias) from their new prison (Katorias) and navigate Gurt, which (like Polish) has a lot of "y" vowels (like the Gurt word for house = pykyn, thus their courthouse is a the Myrkpykyn). Of course, I've based the lion share of Cetronian (the main linguisitc reference) on my native tongue, Cherokee - so we have gasdi (whips), caliseegee (sugar), suweechi (eggs) and a nasty concoction called stewganasti. Other words and names are Greaco-Roman in spirit, like the two suns of Farm - Solus and Dodecadatamus (rythmes with Hippopotamus).  Then we come to the main weapon of Farn, a rifle-like things called . . . the Stick.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Now look you guys......
> I like frivolity just like everyone else does, but...
> We need some words written here (nice going Ed, by the way).
> Readers can't read if Writers don't write (or something like that - can't be sure after the last pitcher of magaritas).
> so let's keep enjoying ourselves but keep on writing also (got that Hicks?).
> 
> Just sayin......


It's not writing, but I've been busy:


Click for larger view.


Click for larger view.


Click for larger view.


----------



## telracs

okay, jeff, i know the fairy scene was pita, but you did GREAT!


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> okay, jeff, i know the fairy scene was pita, but you did GREAT!


Ah, thanks. I needed that. I must have 80 hours in that one picture.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Ah, thanks. I needed that. I must have 80 hours in that one picture.


i wanna be the purple fairy! although the dress on the "scarlet" one is nice too.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> yeah, but you forgot to tell him that he has to give me chocolate first!


If only I'd known!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> If only I'd known!


it's never too late to give me chocolate.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> okay, jeff, i know the fairy scene was pita, but you did GREAT!


Isn't it wonderful? So rich in color! (psst, don't tell him the queen lost her crown).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Ah, thanks. I needed that. I must have 80 hours in that one picture.


You know the Halloween one is going to be much easier.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Isn't it wonderful? So rich in color! (psst, don't tell him the queen lost her crown).


it fell off when she got startled and is out of the frame to the left....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> it fell off when she got startled and is out of the frame to the left....


I get it. All those fairies popping into the castle at the same time.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Why wasn't this fairy invited.


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Why wasn't this fairy invited.


i think our invites got lost in the mail.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> (psst, don't tell him the queen lost her crown).


I know, I know. There was nothing I could do, Gertie. The queen said that it messed up her hair and made her neck tired, so she refused to wear it after the photo-op. The baby's was one of those from Burger King, but she drooled all over it so we never see it again, either.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

telracs said:


> i think our invites got lost in the mail.


Then woe to Princess Aurora!!!

The Evil Fairy


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I know, I know. There was nothing I could do, Gertie. The queen said that it messed up her hair and made her neck tired, so she refused to wear it after the photo-op. The baby's was one of those from Burger King, but she drooled all over it so we never see it again, either.


Isn't that just typical. It was cute, though, when she's standing between Daddy King and Mommy Queen in nothing but a crown and a diaper.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Isn't that just typical. It was cute, though, when she's standing between Daddy King and Mommy Queen in nothing but a crown and a diaper.


What do you want to bet they keep that picture to show to future boy friends?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> What do you want to bet they keep that picture to show to future boy friends?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edits for Bitter Harvest are done. Have to add in a few bits to the front matter section, then will be uploading to the various ebook sites tomorrow...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Edits for Bitter Harvest are done. Have to add in a few bits to the front matter section, then will be uploading to the various ebook sites tomorrow...


Right on schedule. YAY!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Right on schedule. YAY!!


After the usual delays! LOL!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Edits for Bitter Harvest are done. Have to add in a few bits to the front matter section, then will be uploading to the various ebook sites tomorrow...


Wow, the beta readers got done fast!

Or else you just got impatient and are going ahead without them......


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Wow, the beta readers got done fast!
> 
> Or else you just got impatient and are going ahead without them......


i think he's doing edits and not getting things rechecked. so i take no responsibility!


----------



## Steph H

Well, I meant his second-round beta readers, not us. He opened it up to some number of people (I don't know how many) from his Facebook fans.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Well, I meant his second-round beta readers, not us. He opened it up to some number of people (I don't know how many) from his Facebook fans.


i still take no responsibility. i just take chocolate.

on a different author's note, i'm 4% into Tom's second book...


----------



## Thomas Watson

The Luck of Han'anga didn't put you off, after all?

I'll take that as a good sign.  


Congratulations, Michael.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff seems to be going full tilt on the Sleeping Beauty illustrations. I'm napping.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> The Luck of Han'anga didn't put you off, after all?
> 
> I'll take that as a good sign.


There were some issues with it, but nothing insurmountable.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> There were some issues with it, but nothing insurmountable.


That's still a good sign.


----------



## amygamet

I'm trying to get book two of my romantic suspense series done by Halloween (not counting editing).  That means I need to maintian 1,500 words/day between now and then.  Which would be a wee bit easier with a housekeeper and a nanny!!  I got it done today, which is all I can do today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

amygamet said:


> I'm trying to get book two of my romantic suspense series done by Halloween (not counting editing). That means I need to maintian 1,500 words/day between now and then. Which would be a wee bit easier with a housekeeper and a nanny!! I got it done today, which is all I can do today.


My kitchen elf quit 30 years ago. I know how you feel. I have to go hide in the library to work.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Edits for Bitter Harvest are done. Have to add in a few bits to the front matter section, then will be uploading to the various ebook sites tomorrow...


That's gotta feel pretty darn good! Editing on mine begins next week.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> That's gotta feel pretty darn good! Editing on mine begins next week.


I'm exhausted! LOL!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 words on Belmundus. Tell you all about it, but I don;t want to be accused of being serious.  

Ed P


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 words on Belmundus. Tell you all about it, but I don;t want to be accused of being serious.


We want to hear whatever you have to say, Ed. Seriously.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Ever wake up in the morning, have the book immediately on your mind in the "Wait! That can't be right!" sense?

Did that this morning. Apparently book three doesn't end when and in the way I'd originally intended.

Let's see how much of this I can fix before the root canal tomorrow.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I give up. I'm trying to work in the library, but some of the students think this is a social club. 900 words and I'm quitting for the day.


----------



## telracs

hey tom!  ultimate telracs compliment.  you almost made me miss my subway stop.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> We want to hear whatever you have to say, Ed. Seriously.


Okay, you twisted my arm  Here's a snippet from Belmundus. It's a randomw sample from the middle of the work in progress, but . . .

-------------
At the edge of this world, the suns rose. Dawn flooded the sky with crimson beauty. Harris stood in his Cabriolin with Yustichisqua perched behind him. They were a regal mass of blue silk, Lord and squire, ready for the hunt. As Harris peered out over the Ayelli, he thought he saw stars still twinkling on the borderlands of night. But he soon realized that these were the lights from dozens of Cabriolins and zulus drifting in the distance - his brother consorts and their children with Trones in tow hovering over the valley - the Pod assembled. Then a group of Cabriolins approached Harris' high perch. The first to arrive was Arquebus.
"Are you secured?" Arquebus asked. "It will be a fine day for the hunt, but any foray into the Forling is fraught with danger. So heed Agrimentikos and his instructions."
"I'm ready for it, Sir John," Harris said, uncaring about the form of address. 
This man would always be Sir John Briarcliff to him, despite the title and the protocol. He nodded to Elypticus, who drifted beside his father in his Cabriolin. He thought to thank the Thirdling for the basket of mongerhide¸ but recalled Little Birds' words about honor among Thirdlings. Elypticus bowed deeply, just as Agrimentikos arrived.
"Aha, Lord Belmundus," Agrimentikos shouted, a harking of considerable warmth. "I see you flout the rules already, your Trone riding astern."
"I'm a man resistant to rules that defy logic, honorable brother," Harris replied, touching his Columbincus in a salute. "This Trone was assigned to me for my exclusive use. Am I correct in this?"
"Absolutely," Agrimentikos replied.
"Hadn't his conduct come under scrutiny in the Scarlet Chamber?"
"Undoubtedly."
"Did this conduct survive even my mistress's approbation?"
"Tenuously."
"And didn't our Memer, the fair Joella, grant me my heart's wish on that day?"
"Most graciously."
"And wasn't that confirmed and upheld by the Great Kuriakis himself?"
"Case won, Lord Belmundus. I have no objections."
"Neither I nor my Trone have broken the rules."
"That might be disputed by Buhippus," Arquebus inserted. "Lord Tappiolus might also have a word or two on that subject."
"Then let him sue me."
"Unfortunately, that is not his style, my friend," Arquebus replied, but moved aside as Agrimentikos landed on the portico.
"Look yonder, Belmundus," Agrimentikos said. "You have left a world of grief and pity to embrace one of purpose and beauty. You must admit its charm."
Harris did admit its charm - its mystery and puzzlement. However, before him spread an army of hunters - predators no different from those from the world he had left. This world would not be his first choice. Still, the need to leave Mortis House, if just for a little while was appealing, and the excitement of a real hunt - not a cinematic setup with booms and cranes and green screens and fall nets and harnesses, was exhilarating. He grinned at his mentor.
"I will admit that there's much in this world that's reassuring. But I've seen only the inside of this damned palace and these fragile gardens. I long for the raw world beyond the invisible gate. And I shall explore it with my Stick in hand, my brothers racing at my side and my Cetrone as an extension of myself."
"Well, that is a novel view of things, Lord Belmundus," Agrimentikos said. He cocked his head and gazed into Yustichisqua's eyes. "I have watched these people for more years than you can imagine, and unlike the Yunockers or my brothers, I have found value in their knowledge of the land, of music and their empathy for others. If you can control the wildness inside this lad - a wildness that is not evident at first glance, then I will be the last to object to the arrangement of your household." He brought his face into Little Bird's. "You are a wild lad, are you not? Admit it. Beneath your Sqwallen-addled façade, lurks a Dune Tygger ready to pounce. I can see it."
Little Bird trembled, but did not answer.
"That's it, Lord Agrimentikos," Harris said. "I have my Stick in hand, a sword on my belt and a knife wielding Dune Tygger at my back. Can anyone doubt my potency?"
Agrimentikos grinned, and touched Yustichisqua's headband.
"Still, I would keep the dagger out of sight from Lord Tappiolus. He has a way of enforcing the rules. A trump in the bone tiles he. And although we can control him at most times, his arm stretches beyond us, his authority kidnapped, as it were, from Septa Charminus. He spreads it like musticle dust over those who serve under him." 
Agrimentikos straightened himself over the helm of his Cabriolin. His Thirdlings - six of them, who had hovered at a distance, formed a V around Arquebus' entourage. 
"Here begins the adventure of my brother, Lord Belmundus the Just," Agrimentikos announced in his booming Macedonian voice, "who comes to the Pod with an iron heart and a Dune Tygger at his back."
Three Trones floated past them out from the shadows. They raised twisted horns and blew. These echoed over the Ayelli. Other horns - distant, were raised and blown; their bellowing filled the air - a blast of anticipation and foregone victory. Then from the palace emerged Nightmare, his master upon his back. The Pod moved forward slowly until Kuriakis came to its head. He raised his staff, blue lightning flashing skyward. The journey to the Forling had begun.

---------
Anyway, the writing progresses a few thousand words at a time.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> hey tom! ultimate telracs compliment. you almost made me miss my subway stop.


 

Okay... that is indeed a compliment.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Okay... that is indeed a compliment.


Watch out! The next thing she'll want is chocolate brownies!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Watch out! The next thing she'll want is chocolate brownies!


i ALREADY want brownies... but the plain ones, not the caramel pecan.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

BITTER HARVEST is out:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK

I think I'm going to collapse now...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> BITTER HARVEST is out:
> 
> Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> 
> I think I'm going to collapse now...


Bought and tweeted!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Bought and tweeted!!


w00t! Now take your no-doze...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! Now take your no-doze...


she won't need drugs, the book itself will keep her up.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! Now take your no-doze...


No No-Doze needed. I'm sure Bitter Harvest will keep me up all on its own.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No No-Doze needed. I'm sure Bitter Harvest will keep me up all on its own.


I really do need to make those t-shirts!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I really do need to make those t-shirts!


Promises, promises.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I really do need to make those t-shirts!





Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Promises, promises.


*giggle* and i want a 2XL. or a 3XL....


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Watch out! The next thing she'll want is chocolate brownies!


Hey, as soon as it cools down enough to use the oven! I mean, any excuse will do, in this house.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Hey, as soon as it cools down enough to use the oven! I mean, any excuse will do, in this house.


yippee! homemade brownies. just not coconut


Spoiler



and no hashish


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> BITTER HARVEST is out:
> 
> Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> 
> I think I'm going to collapse now...


Congratulations! 

(Hope there's someone handy to break his fall...)


----------



## crebel

Michael R. Hicks said:


> BITTER HARVEST is out:
> 
> Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> 
> I think I'm going to collapse now...


Yay!!!! Got it and called my sister that Bitter Harvest is out - she is buying as I type.


----------



## Error404

telracs said:


> i ALREADY want brownies... but the plain ones, not the caramel pecan.


Amen.



amygamet said:


> I'm trying to get book two of my romantic suspense series done by Halloween (not counting editing).


I'm trying to do this with only one novel, how are you doing this with two??!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

crebel said:


> Yay!!!! Got it and called my sister that Bitter Harvest is out - she is buying as I type.


w00t! 



Thomas Watson said:


> (Hope there's someone handy to break his fall...)


At this point I'm not sure I'd feel anything if I landed on concrete...



telracs said:


> *giggle* and i want a 2XL. or a 3XL....


Dang! I really DO have to make those things! Maybe I'll work on that tomorrow...


Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Promises, promises.


I know, call me Slacker...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I know, call me Slacker...


Hi, Slacker!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Mike:

Got me my copy of Bitter Harvest, heading for my Kindle Category: HICKS, MICHAEL  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Mike:
> 
> Got me my copy of Bitter Harvest, heading for my Kindle Category: HICKS, MICHAEL
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed! Appreciate the support...and now I can afford a brownie for dessert!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> BITTER HARVEST is out:
> Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK
> Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bitter-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009AEIIVK


Congratulations, Mike. I just bought it but I won't have time to read it until I finish illustrating Gertie's Halloween story and Sleeping Beauty. The pressure's on.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, Ed! Appreciate the support...and now I can afford a brownie for dessert!


remember, you have to share!

i'll buy the book, i promise....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Congratulations, Mike. I just bought it but I won't have time to read it until I finish illustrating Gertie's Halloween story and Sleeping Beauty. The pressure's on.


She's such a slave driver! 


telracs said:


> remember, you have to share!
> 
> i'll buy the book, i promise....


Brownie rebates!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hey, everyone, don't forget to tag and like _Bitter Harvest._


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hey, everyone, don't forget to tag and like _Bitter Harvest._


Oh, guess I should do that, too!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had to cut my writing time short, but I did get 1500 words done. Working my way back (I hope) to my old pace of 2hrs/2K a day.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Had to cut my writing time short, but I did get 1500 words done. Working my way back (I hope) to my old pace of 2hrs/2K a day.


I'd be happy to get any done right now!


----------



## Thomas Watson

It's always something, isn't it?

Right now, for me, it's the lingering distraction of a root canal...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> It's always something, isn't it?
> 
> Right now, for me, it's the lingering distraction of a root canal...


Just the thought is distracting.

Went to McD's this morning for hotcakes, OJ and writing. I did get 2K done in 2 hours so I feel pretty good about that. Took a nice nap when I got home and I feel even better about that.

Tomorrow, GS will be sailing and there's a McD's a few minutes away. It'll be oatmeal and writing for a change.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

I think I better start reading fiction. It's quite lonely for nonfiction..lol


----------



## Thomas Watson

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> I think I better start reading fiction. It's quite lonely for nonfiction..lol


Need some recommendations? I'll be bet we could scrounge up a few!


----------



## Randirogue

So I think I jinxed myself by boasting about how great my first week back in the studio (for second season) went at work - that my ability to get sleep and not be too worn out after work could be a good sign for the rest of the season.

Yeah, this second week totally kicked my patooty.  I mostly only got 2 hours sleep a night no matter how early I laid down.  I was utterly exhausted and brain frazzled by the time I got home each day and couldn't work on anything more than graphics (and even that was only basic stuff, no major detailing or intricate tweaking).  

I'm just now feeling like I'm catching up on rest... and the results was a few pages of writing.  Granted, not the story I'm supposed to be working on.  But, I don't take that terribly.  Sometimes, I make better headway when I'm working on more than one story/series at a time.  it's like they feed each other and help keep each other fresh.  Here's hoping.


----------



## Thomas Watson

More reading than writing, this weekend. Hard to be creative when one side of your face feels like it has an ice pick stuck in it. 

Even harder to write when I resort to the vicodin they gave me. Or rather, it's a lot harder to put the words down in the right order.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> More reading than writing, this weekend. Hard to be creative when one side of your face feels like it has an ice pick stuck in it.
> 
> Even harder to write when I resort to the vicodin they gave me. Or rather, it's a lot harder to put the words down in the right order.


Poor baby!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sailing for GS and McD's for writing. 2K in 2 hrs makes me happy. It's over 14K words and I'm guessing it'll hit 30-35K.


----------



## A.S.K.

This book is about making Astrology as fun and simple as possible. $0.99 for kindle copies.

"How to Read Your Astrology Sign Compatibility for a Happy Career and Love Life"
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RJWLV

Thanks for checking it out.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Randirogue said:


> So I think I jinxed myself by boasting about how great my first week back in the studio (for second season) went at work - that my ability to get sleep and not be too worn out after work could be a good sign for the rest of the season.
> 
> Yeah, this second week totally kicked my patooty. I mostly only got 2 hours sleep a night no matter how early I laid down. I was utterly exhausted and brain frazzled by the time I got home each day and couldn't work on anything more than graphics (and even that was only basic stuff, no major detailing or intricate tweaking).
> 
> I'm just now feeling like I'm catching up on rest... and the results was a few pages of writing. Granted, not the story I'm supposed to be working on. But, I don't take that terribly. Sometimes, I make better headway when I'm working on more than one story/series at a time. it's like they feed each other and help keep each other fresh. Here's hoping.


Every week for me seems to be different. Some weeks I get loads done, even when my schedule seems to be hectic otherwise, and some weeks I get crap-all done, regardless of how much writing time I have. All that matters is that you keep chuggin' away!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> More reading than writing, this weekend. Hard to be creative when one side of your face feels like it has an ice pick stuck in it.
> 
> Even harder to write when I resort to the vicodin they gave me. Or rather, it's a lot harder to put the words down in the right order.


D'oh!! Sounds like a good break time to me!



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sailing for GS and McD's for writing. 2K in 2 hrs makes me happy. It's over 14K words and I'm guessing it'll hit 30-35K.


Sailing, as in boat sailing on water that's not in a bathtub?? Hey, I wanna be part of your family!  2K in 2 hrs is howling good. I haven't done that much in what seems like forever, but the movie-in-the-head for Forged In Flame (sequel to From Chaos Born) is starting to play...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sailing, as in boat sailing on water that's not in a bathtub?? Hey, I wanna be part of your family!  2K in 2 hrs is howling good. I haven't done that much in what seems like forever, but the movie-in-the-head for Forged In Flame (sequel to From Chaos Born) is starting to play...


Yes, sailing in an actual boat on actual salt water. I took him for a week of sailing lessons last summer, 8:30-4:30. He loved it. Now he's part of the racing fleet and I'll be signing him up for the Sea Scouts in January. He'll be taking part in a Regatta at the end of the month. Five races between two sailing clubs. Should be fun.

Forged in Flame. Love it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,200 words yesterday.

ECP


----------



## Revolution

Author support thread... interesting!


I've just finished my novel, where the hell do I start now? I'm lost in a web of information yet have no idea how to navigate it.

2 years ago I sat down and started a book. I was sick at the time and had nothing better to do, since then I've actually finished it and that got me wondering on what to do with it.

One thing was for sure, there's no way I have the patience nor energy to follow traditional publishing routes so I'm opting for the self publishing way of doing things.

I would like it on apple, amazon etc, but just not sure how I go about it. Any links? Tips? Sound advice? Cautions? Anything?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Revolution said:


> Author support thread... interesting!
> 
> I've just finished my novel, where the hell do I start now? I'm lost in a web of information yet have no idea how to navigate it.
> 
> 2 years ago I sat down and started a book. I was sick at the time and had nothing better to do, since then I've actually finished it and that got me wondering on what to do with it.
> 
> One thing was for sure, there's no way I have the patience nor energy to follow traditional publishing routes so I'm opting for the self publishing way of doing things.
> 
> I would like it on apple, amazon etc, but just not sure how I go about it. Any links? Tips? Sound advice? Cautions? Anything?


Congrats! Suggested step Numero Uno: find some grammarian friends who can edit the heck out of it. Once that's done, make sure you've got good cover art (there are a lot of people who can do that for very reasonable prices if you can't do it yourself). Then you can worry about the technical bits about uploading to various retailers. Of course, then the real fun begins: promoting it! LOL!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats! Suggested step Numero Uno: find some grammarian friends who can edit the heck out of it. Once that's done, make sure you've got good cover art (there are a lot of people who can do that for very reasonable prices if you can't do it yourself). Then you can worry about the technical bits about uploading to various retailers. Of course, then the real fun begins: promoting it! LOL!


And here's a few technical tips. No tabs, use first line indent. No double spacing between paragraphs. No fancy fonts. Italics okay.

I don't put page breaks between chapters. Smashwords meatgrinder doesn't like it and, depending on the ereader or smartphone the reader is using, there can be a blank page or two between chapters. Very annoying. I put two or three hard returns instead.

Good luck.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

We're FINALLY closing - as I type this - on the house in Maryland. That'll be one down. Hoping to close on our new house here in Florida on Wednesday...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> We're FINALLY closing - as I type this - on the house in Maryland. That'll be one down. Hoping to close on our new house here in Florida on Wednesday...


YAY!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had to put in extra hours at the school this morning, so I only got an hours writing in. 1K in 1 hour is still pretty good.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Had to put in extra hours at the school this morning, so I only got an hours writing in. 1K in 1 hour is still pretty good.


1K more than me! LOL! Hoping to close on the FL house on Wednesday, walkthrough is tomorrow. Oy!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 1K more than me! LOL! Hoping to close on the FL house on Wednesday, walkthrough is tomorrow. Oy!


Then the fun begins.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 1K more than me! LOL! Hoping to close on the FL house on Wednesday, walkthrough is tomorrow. Oy!


Matter to do with home buying have been known to reduce word counts. 

I'm all of 500 words into a short story, today, but as this is the first time since late last week I've felt up to wordsmithing, I'm not at all disappointed!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats! Suggested step Numero Uno: find some grammarian friends who can edit the heck out of it.


and give them chocolate and brownies.....


----------



## Thomas Watson

That brings up something I've never seen discussed, in this regard. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Or is that determined by genre?


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> That brings up something I've never seen discussed, in this regard. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Or is that determined by genre?


hmm... i've always thought it was based on the reader.
although...
horror=dark chocolate with raspberry filling
science fiction=dark chocolate with mint
fantasy=milk chocolate
chick lit= white chocolate.

of course, as has been said elsewhere, your mileage may vary.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Well, what do you know? I'm writing in the right genre after all!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, what do you know? I'm writing in the right genre after all!


You like dark chocolate with mint?


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> hmm... i've always thought it was based on the reader.
> although...
> horror=dark chocolate with raspberry filling
> science fiction=dark chocolate with mint
> fantasy=milk chocolate
> chick lit= white chocolate.
> 
> of course, as has been said elsewhere, your mileage may vary.


Definitely based on the reader. Milk chocolate, or milk chocolate with raspberry, goes with everything.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> You like dark chocolate with mint?


Yes. Although I must admit that I'll go for dark chocolate with almost anything.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Definitely based on the reader. Milk chocolate, or milk chocolate with raspberry, goes with everything.


that's why they make assortments.... thomas gets the dark, steph gets the milk, and i get the white. although i will steal some of steph's milk chocolate.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Works for me.


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> that's why they make assortments.... thomas gets the dark, steph gets the milk, and i get the white. although i will steal some of steph's milk chocolate.


::hands telracs some milk chocolate::

I like the milk chocolate creams assortment. Raspberry and strawberry and orange, oh my!


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> ::hands telracs some milk chocolate::
> 
> I like the milk chocolate creams assortment. Raspberry and strawberry and orange, oh my!


*sorts through the pile for a milk chocolate strawberry*

thanks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Wrote a little over 1K this morning while waiting for Mom at her eye doctor. And that was without the aid of chocolate. I did, however, eat a bag of cheez-its.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Wrote a little over 1K this morning while waiting for Mom at her eye doctor. And that was without the aid of chocolate. I did, however, eat a bag of cheez-its.


Eww! Bad for you! We're still sitting here, cooling our jets while we wait to get word about the walkthrough of the house. It was supposed to be cleared out after the estate sale the weekend before last, but our agent found out that all the junk still left from the sale was still in the house! There were apparently six people in there cleaning yesterday, and at least two in cleaning more today, which leads me to wonder just what the heck was going on. The house wasn't a wreck before, there was just a bunch of stuff. Grrr.

Also, I'm happy to report the first two star review for Bitter Harvest! LOL!


----------



## Steph H

Didja get dinged for the cliffhanger ending??


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Didja get dinged for the cliffhanger ending??


Oh that, and I've apparently lost all my creativity in a headlong rush to make a living...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Eww! Bad for you! We're still sitting here, cooling our jets while we wait to get word about the walkthrough of the house. It was supposed to be cleared out after the estate sale the weekend before last, but our agent found out that all the junk still left from the sale was still in the house! There were apparently six people in there cleaning yesterday, and at least two in cleaning more today, which leads me to wonder just what the heck was going on. The house wasn't a wreck before, there was just a bunch of stuff. Grrr.
> 
> Also, I'm happy to report the first two star review for Bitter Harvest! LOL!


What kind of a review was that? Not liking the book is okay. Attacking you personally like that was very low.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh that, and I've apparently lost all my creativity in a headlong rush to make a living...


oh my....

hands mike extra chocolate.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh that, and I've apparently lost all my creativity in a headlong rush to make a living...


Yeah, I read the whole thing. Pretty disgusting.


----------



## Steph H

Sheesh. That was a ridiculous review. Mike, you're _such_ a tool for wanting to support your family by writing. I mean, c'mon, how could you. 

Oy.

::hands Mike more chocolate::


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,300 more words on Belmundus (total 88,000 and I'm still in exposition. People will be able to do poush ups with this book).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 4,300 more words on Belmundus (total 88,000 and I'm still in exposition. People will be able to do poush ups with this book).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I like a nice healthy book.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh that, and I've apparently lost all my creativity in a headlong rush to make a living...


People are mean. Especially when they know that there are no consequences. Leaving one and two star reviews is the new way to get even for some real or imagined insult.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> People are mean. Especially when they know that there are no consequences. Leaving one and two star reviews is the new way to get even for some real or imagined insult.


That does read like snark based on a personal grudge, doesn't it? Good old keyboard courage. Nothing inspires such childish personal attacks (piss off anyone recently, Michael?) quite like knowing you don't have to say it to the other person's face.

Not sure what good it does, but to the question regarding helpfulness of the review, I clicked "No."


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Sheesh. That was a ridiculous review. Mike, you're _such_ a tool for wanting to support your family by writing. I mean, c'mon, how could you.
> 
> Oy.
> 
> ::hands Mike more chocolate::


NOM-NOM! Yeah, I'm such a capitalistic, money-grubbing swine with no imagination. What was I thinking when I set out to do this full-time? 

I can't think of anyone I've pissed off recently, but that could be because the only thing I ever think about is how fast I can pump out the next book so I can sell more trash to unsuspecting readers. Yeah, that must be it... HAHAHAHAA!

Well, this review had slightly more class than one of the 1-star reviews for Season Of The Harvest that was unabashedly from another author who had the chutzpah to actually make a plug at the end of the review for one of HIS books (plus a link to the Amazon page). Now that took some serious brass...

Anyway, I look at it this way: getting a bad review lends credibility to the good ones, and telracs and Steph didn't yell at me about how awful it was (*too* much)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hope the walk-through went okay. This time tomorrow, you could be lounging around your own pool, sipping a margarita.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Anyway, I look at it this way: getting a bad review lends credibility to the good ones, and telracs and Steph didn't yell at me about how awful it was (*too* much)...


it wasn't awful..... most of it at least.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> it wasn't awful..... most of it at least.....


From you, that's glowing praise! 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hope the walk-through went okay. This time tomorrow, you could be lounging around your own pool, sipping a margarita.


Walk-through was fine, but the seller is now wanting to delay until Thursday. Been pressuring us from day one to go to closing, now that we're ready (Maryland house is sold; we've got the funds lined up; the lender has the loan ready) they want to delay. ARGHHHH!

Well, there's always mocha vodka!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> From you, that's glowing praise!
> 
> Walk-through was fine, but the seller is now wanting to delay until Thursday. Been pressuring us from day one to go to closing, now that we're ready (Maryland house is sold; we've got the funds lined up; the lender has the loan ready) they want to delay. ARGHHHH!
> 
> Well, there's always mocha vodka!


*giggle*

and pass the mocha vodka. got any chocolate ice cream to mix it with?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *giggle*
> 
> and pass the mocha vodka. got any chocolate ice cream to mix it with?


No, but if I'd read this before we went out shopping I sure would've gotten some!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Making the first notes on Forged In Flame...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> From you, that's glowing praise!
> 
> Walk-through was fine, but the seller is now wanting to delay until Thursday. Been pressuring us from day one to go to closing, now that we're ready (Maryland house is sold; we've got the funds lined up; the lender has the loan ready) they want to delay. ARGHHHH!
> 
> Well, there's always mocha vodka!


It's never easy. <sigh>


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> *giggle*
> 
> and pass the mocha vodka. got any chocolate ice cream to mix it with?


Mocha vodka and chocolate ice cream

Dang!

((Puts a new sticky note on the computer monitor.))


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Making the first notes on Forged In Flame...


which is?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> which is?


The sequel to _From Chaos Born_. Seems to me someone was hollering about that a while back...


----------



## Jeff

Here are three illustrations from Gertie's _Stevie Gee's Halloween_. (Click on any image for the larger version)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Are you going to animate the party, Jeff? <gertieduckstoavoidjeff'sshoe>


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Anyway, I look at it this way: getting a bad review lends credibility to the good ones, and telracs and Steph didn't yell at me about how awful it was (*too* much)...


*Note to self: Just for fun, write pithy yet witty negative review for book that you helped edit and for which you are included in the acknowledgments*


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> The sequel to _From Chaos Born_. Seems to me someone was hollering about that a while back...


Seems to me someone missed the very recent post where you mentioned that title. I caught it though!  Yay on notes. Where's the full draft?










Jeff, you do great illustrations.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> *Note to self: Just for fun, write pithy yet witty negative review for book that you helped edit and for which you are included in the acknowledgments*


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> The sequel to _From Chaos Born_. Seems to me someone was hollering about that a while back...


That's what I thought. Will I get it before I leave for India?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Here are three illustrations from Gertie's _Stevie Gee's Halloween_. (Click on any image for the larger version)


Holy cow! Nice, Jeff!!



Steph H said:


> *Note to self: Just for fun, write pithy yet witty negative review for book that you helped edit and for which you are included in the acknowledgments*


Now listen, smartypants! 



Encephalitic Yvette Teach said:


> That's what I thought. Will I get it before I leave for India?


I wish! With luck I'll probably have the rough draft done by the end of January...


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> *Note to self: Just for fun, write pithy yet witty negative review for book that you helped edit and for which you are included in the acknowledgments*


bad steph! wait you're in the acknowledgements? where am I?



Michael R. Hicks said:


> I wish! With luck I'll probably have the rough draft done by the end of January...


sigh.... fine.... by Valentine's day, then...

And Jeff, GREAT WORK! Realize of course, now I'm singing Monster Mash...


----------



## Steph H

Encephalitic Yvette Teach said:


> bad steph! wait you're in the acknowledgements? where am I?


I believe you're there also, dearie.

"Encephalitic Yvette Teach"? Is that your pirate name? If so, I'd ask for a refund....


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> I believe you're there also, dearie.
> 
> "Encephalitic Yvette Teach"? Is that your pirate name? If so, I'd ask for a refund....


i'm sure there are some people who think i'm brainless, so i like it....


----------



## Jeff

Thanks. The nice thing about illustrating is that there isn't much that a negative reviewer can say.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Encephalitic Yvette Teach said:


> And Jeff, GREAT WORK! Realize of course, now I'm singing Monster Mash...


Ha-Ha! Too bad Jeff can't use that song for the animation. It would be perfect.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had to put in some extra time at the HS today so I only got a few hundred words done. At least I finished a scene.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Okay, so isn't anybody working but me? Only a few hundred words last night but 1750 today. Nearly coming to the end. Maybe another 5K words. Then I can start on the final book.

It'll feel good to finish, but I just realized that means I have to write 12 blurbs. Not fun. I do have the last of the cover art picked out.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Nah, you're not alone. I'm 3,500 words into a most reluctant short story, over the past several days. Seems to come out of me one sentence at a time. 

Kinda painful, that way.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Nah, you're not alone. I'm 3,500 words into a most reluctant short story, over the past several days. Seems to come out of me one sentence at a time.
> 
> Kinda painful, that way.


Worse than the root canal?

Yeah, I know how that feels. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ack! Nothing for me except house stuff. Hopefully things will settle down in a few days. Only catch is that there's not a decent place to write. Hmmm. Except the dinner table, maybe. haven't tried that yet...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ack! Nothing for me except house stuff. Hopefully things will settle down in a few days. Only catch is that there's not a decent place to write. Hmmm. Except the dinner table, maybe. haven't tried that yet...


Assuming you closed and are happily rooting through boxes while trying to find a place for everything? <shudder>










Maybe you should lock yourself away in the RV to write.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Worse than the root canal?
> 
> Yeah, I know how that feels. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth.


It's worse than _having_ root canal (the recovery phase being the real hardship.) At least during the procedure there was N20.

Hmmm... I wonder if applying an general anaesthetic might help here, too?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Hmmm... I wonder if applying an general anaesthetic might help here, too?


Yes, and it's called "alcohol"... 

Moved all the stuff we'd managed to stash in the RV into the house. Looking at how much there was, it's amazing that a) we ever managed to cram so much stuff into it in the first place and b) the suspension didn't collapse under the load...

Now enjoying a little on-line catch-up time under the covered part of the lanai while the rain falls.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, and it's called "alcohol"...


Oh, goodie! I'll be doing it right!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, and it's called "alcohol"...
> 
> Moved all the stuff we'd managed to stash in the RV into the house. Looking at how much there was, it's amazing that a) we ever managed to cram so much stuff into it in the first place and b) the suspension didn't collapse under the load...
> 
> Now enjoying a little on-line catch-up time under the covered part of the lanai while the rain falls.


This rainy season seems like it will never end. The ground still hasn't soaked up everything from Isaac.

McD's this morning for oatmeal and tea. I ordered apple cinnamon outmeal with double walnuts. They gave me the fruit and maple oatmeal with apples and double walnuts. Very yummy. Got about 1600 words done.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> This rainy season seems like it will never end. The ground still hasn't soaked up everything from Isaac.
> 
> McD's this morning for oatmeal and tea. I ordered apple cinnamon outmeal with double walnuts. They gave me the fruit and maple oatmeal with apples and double walnuts. Very yummy. Got about 1600 words done.


Well, not bad for McD's. Starting tomorrow we should be getting back into better eating, although things are still a bit of a mess. Oh, well, we're making progress, I think. Haven't done any writing yet, though. Hopefully get a little done this week. Maybe!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Best of luck for a smooth settling in period.


----------



## telracs

Party on the lanai!  Bring on the cabana boys!  (they can help unpack).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> Party on the lanai! Bring on the cabana boys! (they can help unpack).


Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that you hogged all the cabana boys last time.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that you hogged all the cabana boys last time.


Ah, jeez, here we go again!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ah, jeez, here we go again!!


Look, there is a clear division of spoils here. Telracs gets the choco fudge brownies. I get everything else.


----------



## crebel

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Look, there is a clear division of spoils here. Telracs gets the choco fudge brownies. I get everything else.


EVERYTHING?? Come on, at least telracs offered to bring the cabana boys to work this time... Can we share the booze?


----------



## telracs

crebel said:


> EVERYTHING?? Come on, at least telracs offered to bring the cabana boys to work this time... Can we share the booze?


thank you. we need to share the booze. Thomas Watson needs some.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Some. Yes.


----------



## Steph H

::sneaks in and steals the alcohol, chocolate and cabana boys while everyone else is arguing::


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Look, there is a clear division of spoils here. Telracs gets the choco fudge brownies. I get everything else.


Okay, i get the browies (but i share them!)
You get the cabana boys (but you have to share them)
we split everything else.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> Okay, i get the browies (but i share them!)
> You get the cabana boys (but you have to share them)
> we split everything else.


Sounds good to me. Except for the booze. I'm limited to a glass of wine and definitely no champagne. The rest of the booze is up for grabs.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> ::sneaks in and steals the alcohol, chocolate and cabana boys while everyone else is arguing::


nice try. but the chocolate is in my grip. and the cabana boys are helping jan unpack. and tom has the booze.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> nice try. but the chocolate is in my grip. and the cabana boys are helping jan unpack. and tom has the booze.


Excuse me?


----------



## Steph H

Curses! Foiled again.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Excuse me?


hands gertie 1/2 the chocolate.
and asks a couple of the cabana boys to fan her...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> hands gertie 1/2 the chocolate.
> and asks a couple of the cabana boys to fan her...


Okay, then.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> nice try. but the chocolate is in my grip. and the cabana boys are helping jan unpack. and tom has the booze.


Had... ::hick!:: Had the... booze...


----------



## Steph H

Tsk.  Can't take/introduce you anywhere, Tom.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> Tsk. Can't take/introduce you anywhere, Tom.


----------



## Steph H

Is that a Twitter handle I see in your sig now??


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> Is that a Twitter handle I see in your sig now??


Yes it is.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Only catch is that there's not a decent place to write. Hmmm. Except the dinner table, maybe. haven't tried that yet...


Does anybody else find that they can only write certain things in certain places?

For instance, I best write fiction on the laptop in the kitchen, but non-fiction on the computer in the writing room. I can also edit fiction on the writing room computer, but can't edit it in the kitchen.

Does this make sense to anyone else? I'm guessing yes, since writers are an anal bunch.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Does anybody else find that they can only write certain things in certain places?
> 
> For instance, I best write fiction on the laptop in the kitchen, but non-fiction on the computer in the writing room. I can also edit fiction on the writing room computer, but can't edit it in the kitchen.
> 
> Does this make sense to anyone else? I'm guessing yes, since writers are an anal bunch.


And a little wacky. 

I can write certain things at home, but I have to do most of my work outside the house. Just can't do my regular writing at home. If I sit down at the netbook at home, my fingers won't even work.

I do my best work at McD's and/or the library. 2200 words in 2 hrs at McD's today. I'll easily make my minimum goal of 25K.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished a 3,700 word chapter on *Belmundus  * (still being edited). Been in NJ without a computer, so I fell a bit behind. But principally, my characters decided to play a game of _Grusoker _ and I had to find out exactly what that was. Have you ever had to invent a game from scratch with dice, tiles, suits, and cribbage pegs on a round board that lights up? Well, I did - the _Farnian _ game of _Grusoker_, where I have the protagonist leanring from his three marshals (He's become a _Didansyisgi _ - a provost in the _Yuyutlu _ - the _Gurt _ marketplace, and has been assigned three _Danuswas _ - marshals. In an effort to break down some barriers, they teach him this popular game). It took a lot of research finding the oddest looking dice, boards and finally the screwiest card game I've ever encountered called Egyptian Ratscrew, and adapted the whole thing into my fantasy realm). But it slowed me down. I'm delighted with the results, however. Next up is a meeting with a sect called The _Zocor _ Council, which I named after my statin medication. 

Edward C. Patterson
Writing shouldn't be this much fun


----------



## Thomas Watson

Naming a character after a med?

I wonder if anyone would believe in a villain named Lysinopril?


Nah...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I would because I had an alergic reaction to Lysinipril. Lol. Not a character after Zocor. A religious sect. Please, I makes a big desert creature a Tippagore and am MC Mr.Fytzufu.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I would because I had an alergic reaction to Lysinipril. Lol. Not a character after Zocor. A religious sect. Please, I makes a big desert creature a Tippagore and am MC Mr.Fytzufu.


I'm never gonna get over Tippagore. Is BaBaBusch next?

Just finished writing a blog post about our Halloween story, but I'm waiting on some info from Jeff. Just sent him the request ten minutes ago.


----------



## Jeff

I answered you ten minutes and twenty-two seconds ago.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I answered you ten minutes and twenty-two seconds ago.


Got it nine minutes and four seconds ago.


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> Naming a character after a med?
> 
> I wonder if anyone would believe in a villain named Lysinopril?
> 
> Nah...


I don't know about a villain, necessarily, but it looks like an elvish name.


----------



## Jeff

What's wrong with using medication names? I once had a horse named Aspirin. It wasn't spelled or pronounced quite that way.


----------



## Thomas Watson

If the shoe fits...


----------



## Jeff

Who is Cinderella?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Exactly!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I wear a size 4.5 shoe. Does that count? Oh, that's not what you meant.

Had to go to my eye doc this morning so I only got 600 words done.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Spent more time on a blog entry today than I should have. Time flies! It's going to take some doing to get any real work done, now.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I changed out the garbage disposal, replaced a bunch of light bulbs, got new remotes for the garage door opener, and bought up more stuff at Home Depot. Wordage? Zip! But I made up for it by taking a swim in the pool...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I changed out the garbage disposal, replaced a bunch of light bulbs, got new remotes for the garage door opener, and bought up more stuff at Home Depot. Wordage? Zip! But I made up for it by taking a swim in the pool...


A day spent at Home Depot is never wasted.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> A day spent at Home Depot is never wasted.


It seems like that's been EVERY day so far!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It seems like that's been EVERY day so far!


Followed by a swim in the pool?


----------



## Dave Dykema

I think you meant "A day at the pool is never wasted."  

New homes ALWAYS involve Home Depot or Lowe's or whatever for the first few months.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I think you meant "A day at the pool is never wasted."
> 
> New homes ALWAYS involve Home Depot or Lowe's or whatever for the first few months.


So true. I don't have a new home, but I've been trying to get to HD for quite some time. Been too busy with the wip.

1500 words today. Writing time got cut short by Mom's doc appt.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> So true. I don't have a new home, but I've been trying to get to HD for quite some time. Been too busy with the wip.
> 
> 1500 words today. Writing time got cut short by Mom's doc appt.


Not so many words, today, but had a breakthrough with a story that was dead in the water. (I hate getting to the end of a paragraph and having no idea what comes next. Ack!)

Hope your Mom got an Irish diagnosis. (Clean Bill O'Health.)


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

Most of day is spent on social networks, primarily pinterest. Taking a kind of break from writing. May be 12 books have covered most of the stuff I wanted to share...lol


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Not so many words, today, but had a breakthrough with a story that was dead in the water. (I hate getting to the end of a paragraph and having no idea what comes next. Ack!)
> 
> Hope your Mom got an Irish diagnosis. (Clean Bill O'Health.)


As Irish as a 90 yr old woman can be. She's actually in very good shape except for her friend, Arthur-itis, in her back.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Eh... I know him. 'Cept we're not exactly friends.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I only wrote about 500 words today but the wip is done. I had already written the end so it didn't take much to finish it. I'm about 80% through the first edit. Just thinking, though, I might write an epilogue. The HEA is implied but not specifically stated and I may need to make it clearer in an epilogue.

One more to write and the series is done. The first three books are with the editor and the artwork is picked out for the covers.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Congrats. Don't know what the word count is, but by the end of the evening I'll have a short story draft completed. Then comes the fun part!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Congrats. Don't know what the word count is, but by the end of the evening I'll have a short story draft completed. Then comes the fun part!


Thanks. I didn't expect to finish today.

Good luck with completing your short story.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 words on Belmundus. Reached 90,000 words. About one-third complete.

Edwqrd C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 words on Belmundus. Reached 90,000 words. About one-third complete.
> 
> Edwqrd C. Patterson


Thanks goodness for ereaders!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I only wrote about 500 words today but the wip is done. I had already written the end so it didn't take much to finish it. I'm about 80% through the first edit. Just thinking, though, I might write an epilogue. The HEA is implied but not specifically stated and I may need to make it clearer in an epilogue.
> 
> One more to write and the series is done. The first three books are with the editor and the artwork is picked out for the covers.


Awesomeness!!



Thomas Watson said:


> Congrats. Don't know what the word count is, but by the end of the evening I'll have a short story draft completed. Then comes the fun part!


The fun part is outrageous consumption of chocolate brownies, I take it? 




Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 words on Belmundus. Reached 90,000 words. About one-third complete.


Your cup is gonna run over, Ed! 

No writing yet for me. It's just too darn distracting with workers running all over the place, and between running around buying things and then installing or fixing 'em, I'm too pooped by the end of the day to do much. Plus the stress of applying for another health insurance carrier - the one I applied to first down here wanted to up my rate by 50% (because I had elevated cholesterol sometime in the last 10 years) and our 16 yr old son's by *300%* - for a strained muscle in his shoulder and a stress fracture in his right foot (which is pretty much healed, and neither of which require any follow-on care). I thought, "Holy crap, what would happen to our rates if we had something really wrong?" So we're trying another provider and going for a huge deductible to try and keep the premiums down. Gag me.

I think that's the biggest downside about being self-employed: the health insurance racket. Ugh!

Okay, rant over!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Mike, have you tried Florida Blue? That's Blue Cross/Blue Shield down here. Of course, I'm on Medicare, but they had the best Medicare Advantage plan at the best rate. 

I know how that is. I was without insurance for four years after I had to stop working. The COBRA rates were outrageous.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Thanks goodness for ereaders!


Yep, or we'd need to reenforce our bookshelves.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mike, have you tried Florida Blue? That's Blue Cross/Blue Shield down here. Of course, I'm on Medicare, but they had the best Medicare Advantage plan at the best rate.
> 
> I know how that is. I was without insurance for four years after I had to stop working. The COBRA rates were outrageous.


The ridiculous quote we got was from Florida Blue. The most outrageous thing was that the premium modifications for me and the 300% whopper for the kiddo were *permanent*. For a shoulder strain and stress fracture? Really?

Trying United next. We still have coverage from Our MD plan, but higher deductible and coinsurance out of network here...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Yep, or we'd need to reenforce our bookshelves.


Well... that's actually on my nonwriting "to do" list. (What knucklehead dreamed up those little brass plugs to support bookcase shelves, anyway?)

Another reason to love ereaders, I very much enjoy _long_ books, but the arthritis creeping into my hands and wrists is making it difficult to hold on to them. Ereaders weigh less!



> The fun part is outrageous consumption of chocolate brownies, I take it?


That would do, but since it's science fiction, so I believe I'm supposed to indulge in something that combines dark chocolate and mint. Or so I was told by someone hereabouts...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,500 words on _Belmundus_. Steamrolling.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

You're a word machine, Ed.

Finished Gertie's _Sleeping Beauty_ and waiting for it to go live.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Sanding down the rough edges of that short story. Not many words, but plenty of work!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You're a word machine, Ed.
> 
> Finished Gertie's _Sleeping Beauty_ and waiting for it to go live.


It came out great!

No writing for several days. I'll start a new wip tomorrow. It'll be the last of the series.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Well... that's actually on my nonwriting "to do" list. (What knucklehead dreamed up those little brass plugs to support bookcase shelves, anyway?)
> 
> Another reason to love ereaders, I very much enjoy _long_ books, but the arthritis creeping into my hands and wrists is making it difficult to hold on to them. Ereaders weigh less!
> 
> That would do, but since it's science fiction, so I believe I'm supposed to indulge in something that combines dark chocolate and mint. Or so I was told by someone hereabouts...


It's your imagination, have whatever chocolate you want.... 


Spoiler



as long as you share.


----------



## Thomas Watson

My imagination? I suppose that's posssible, considering what I spend most of my time doing, these days.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Started the new wip today. 2K words. I'm liking it already.


----------



## Rin

Yesterday...put in my application for business name resgistration, organised a PO Box, and moved ahead with plans to have my first release on the 13th. Things are finally really happening. It's scary, but awesome.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 3,800 words today on *Belmundus*. Oh well. Finsihed Part II and now moving on to Part III.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Rin said:


> Yesterday...put in my application for business name resgistration, organised a PO Box, and moved ahead with plans to have my first release on the 13th. Things are finally really happening. It's scary, but awesome.


Scary but awesome about sums it up. Every time I get ready to hit the publish button, it's scary but awesome.

Nothing wrong with 3800, Ed.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Nothing wrong with 3800, Ed.


No kidding! It's been a while since I wrote that much in one day.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Part 2 of _Belmundus _ is finished at 110,000 words. 4 more poarts to go for Book I. Chapters will be shorter now as the pace is hastening - and I'm finally out of exposition and in development. I'm trying to keep it unde 280,000 words and have already made some structural changes (as a pantser, I can do that without slitting my wrists like plotters do) 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Part 2 of _Belmundus _ is finished at 110,000 words. 4 more poarts to go for Book I. Chapters will be shorter now as the pace is hastening - and I'm finally out of exposition and in development. I'm trying to keep it unde 280,000 words and have already made some structural changes (as a pantser, I can do that without slitting my wrists like plotters do)
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Pantser's definitely have more fun.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Got the short story in the hands of a couple of readers now. The first one has already responded. Said it was well written, then added something about needing to get therapy.

 I get the feeling she wasn't talking about herself in that regard.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Didn't start Part 3, instead took a break and revised the first 2 chapters and ran them through

ProWriter'sAid
AutoCrit and
Serenity

In that order (and that's important)
and then applied
Naturally Speaking (the Paul voice)

I've discovered that, along with Peg as a beta-reader (it's important to a human reading less for usage and proofing and more for interaction), and my eyes, and then Kindle's Text-to-Speech (Katis the Sindlespreche), the editing function is covered wall to wall a minimal cost. (ProWriter is free, AutoCrit is $120 a year and Serenity is under $100, and awesome and the only software I've encountered that coaches usage and catches commas). Paul (and Kate, not to be confused with Katie) voices on Natural Speech run at -2 speed, hightlight artifacts and other editing primetime blunders. Using only one doesn't cut it and, of course, as we steer the ship, we learn things every day.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Nothing for me but home fixit stuff! However, we're definitely making progress, and I hope to start writing again next week (having a lot of flashes for Forged In Flame, which is good!). The house repainting will be done tomorrow, and the pool resurfacing is done (it's filling overnight). We decided that instead of just upgrading the countertop and appliances in the kitchen, we're going to go ahead and replace the cabinets, too. Hey, it's only money, right? 

I have a couple pics up on my facebook page if you wanna look - http://facebook.com/authormichaelhicks...

That'll be the big stuff for now. We're going to replace the disgusting shag rug in the bedrooms with wood flooring, but that'll be later after the piggy bank is replenished. In the meantime, we're chillin' out on the lanai, watching the pool refill...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Nothing for me but home fixit stuff! However, we're definitely making progress, and I hope to start writing again next week (having a lot of flashes for Forged In Flame, which is good!). The house repainting will be done tomorrow, and the pool resurfacing is done (it's filling overnight). We decided that instead of just upgrading the countertop and appliances in the kitchen, we're going to go ahead and replace the cabinets, too. Hey, it's only money, right?
> 
> I have a couple pics up on my facebook page if you wanna look - http://facebook.com/authormichaelhicks...
> 
> That'll be the big stuff for now. We're going to replace the disgusting shag rug in the bedrooms with wood flooring, but that'll be later after the piggy bank is replenished. In the meantime, we're chillin' out on the lanai, watching the pool refill...


You did remember to call the water department to tell them your filling the pool so you don't get charged for sewer, right?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had to work at the school all day so I didn't get much done. 800 words, better than nothing. Still setting up the story and characters.

Tomorrow, I'll be talking to the creative writing and art classes. Should be fun.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Okay, so Mike is floating around in his pool when he's not snoozing in his lanai. Jeff is no doubt playing around with animations. Ed is having fun making up names like Tippagore, Bababoosh, and Mishobum. So, where are the rest of you?

I didn't have a whole lot of time in McD's to write today, but I did finish editing one and wrote 1K words on the wip. Can I take a nap, now?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3k today. Hey hey hey.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3k today. Hey hey hey.
> 
> Ed P


Well, that puts my 1K to shame. What's a good excuse? Oh, yeah. My nails are too long for typing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

While I was floating around in the pool I was thinking of a long ago and far away world...tonight I was doing a bit of plot sketching, and tomorrow I'll "officially" start work on *Forged In Flame*... 

P.S. I don't expect to make Ed's word count for a while, as we still have a lot of "to-do's" going on, but at least 1K/day, building as we go!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> While I was floating around in the pool I was thinking of a long ago and far away world...tonight I was doing a bit of plot sketching, and tomorrow I'll "officially" start work on *Forged In Flame*...
> 
> P.S. I don't expect to make Ed's word count for a while, as we still have a lot of "to-do's" going on, but at least 1K/day, building as we go!


YIPPEE! Something to look forward to when I come back from India


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Well, that puts my 1K to shame. What's a good excuse? Oh, yeah. My nails are too long for typing.


Ah, yes. I too studied the T'ai-p'ing rebellion led by General Tu Long.

Edward C. Patterson

PS: Sales were tough out there today. If it weren't for a KDP freebie day for me on my one KDP-Select book, I'd be sucking in a zero. (Going to bed now, so I'll chance the overnight, but my streak of one-a-day is still tenaciously holding on at 1,754 days, having started on March 9th 2009). Today, however, I went over the 18,000 book circulation mark. I know that's creeping Moses compared to some out there (I don't write Vampires, Zombies or Shades of Gray -he he, but still to get someone to sample a book about gay folk, or Chinese folk, or green Owls can be a helluva row to hoe. Still, Readers Rock!!!    So, I'll continue to drop the weight and get healthier (down 64 lbs and 8 inches and my blood glucose has fallen from 230 to 105) so I can keep pumping out whatever it is I pump out to get to that magic number of 60 novels (King wil still beat me, even though he's younger).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> While I was floating around in the pool I was thinking of a long ago and far away world...tonight I was doing a bit of plot sketching, and tomorrow I'll "officially" start work on *Forged In Flame*...
> 
> P.S. I don't expect to make Ed's word count for a while, as we still have a lot of "to-do's" going on, but at least 1K/day, building as we go!


I've had too many 0 days lately. Managed 600 and 800 a couple of days until now I'm up to 2K today. I think I can do it again tomorrow if I can get to the library on time.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Ah, yes. I too studied the T'ai-p'ing rebellion led by General Tu Long.


Hoping to defeat General Tu Long this afternoon.



> PS: Sales were tough out there today. If it weren't for a KDP freebie day for me on my one KDP-Select book, I'd be sucking in a zero. (Going to bed now, so I'll chance the overnight, but my streak of one-a-day is still tenaciously holding on at 1,754 days, having started on March 9th 2009). Today, however, I went over the 18,000 book circulation mark. I know that's creeping Moses compared to some out there (I don't write Vampires, Zombies or Shades of Gray -he he, but still to get someone to sample a book about gay folk, or Chinese folk, or green Owls can be a helluva row to hoe. Still, Readers Rock!!!    So, I'll continue to drop the weight and get healthier (down 64 lbs and 8 inches and my blood glucose has fallen from 230 to 105) so I can keep pumping out whatever it is I pump out to get to that magic number of 60 novels (King wil still beat me, even though he's younger).


Is that one a day per book or just one a day? It's getting so I don't even want to look at my six weeks report.

Can't wait to finish my series. 20-25K words and the last story should be done.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

One a day. Like taking an aspirin.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> One a day. Like taking an aspirin.


And yet we continue because we must.

From 5/1/09 through 8/31/12, I've averaged 5.78 per day. That includes paperbacks but not anything sold outside of Amazon or borrows. There are many zero days in there as well as a number of fantastic post-Select days. It's the post free run days that kicked up my average. I keep wanting to pull my series out of Select so I can put the first book on perma-free, but I barely sell anything on the other venues. It's just not worth the effort.

I just raised the prices of all my full-length novels to $3.99. Might as well not sell at $3.99 as $2.99.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I average 10.15 over the full five years of this enterprise (1,755 days - 4.81 years) and royalties over that same period is $4.29 per day. However in the beginning sales were healthier. Now erosion has set in. But with that 18,000 plus number, I'm content and have nothing to kvethc about. Today I thought the streak would end and, although no US Sales today, I picked one up in the UK (yeah), a British save.

Ed P.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, put me down for the first 500 words of Forged In Flame...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Will that be cash or on account.   Great.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Will that be cash or on account.  Great.


After what we spent today on the kitchen remodeling project? Ummm, I'll pay you in kitty litter! 

And it's 700 and I'm fried for the day...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Meeow


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> After what we spent today on the kitchen remodeling project? Ummm, I'll pay you in kitty litter!
> 
> And it's 700 and I'm fried for the day...


the book's supposed be forged in flame. you're not supposed to get fried in the flame.


----------



## Jeff

Spent three days writing and rewriting 1,200 words of verse for _Sergeant Steadfast_, a children's Christmas story. The illustrations are finished. Here's the paperback cover.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Gorgeous cover, Jeff. Good story, too.

Gave up writing this morning in favor of defeating General Tu' Long. No wordage, but gorgeous nails.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Formatting a short story while beta reader comments simmer on the back burner. Got some thinkin' to do before launching into revisions on Book Two.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Forged In Flame is now at 1200 words. Not quite up to Ed's prolific standards, but things are starting to flow, and the pace will pick up (in between unpacking boxes from our household goods, which arrive tomorrow). It feels good to be writing again...


----------



## Randirogue

Jeff said:


> Spent three days writing and rewriting 1,200 words of verse for _Sergeant Steadfast_, a children's Christmas story. The illustrations are finished. Here's the paperback cover.


The cover has such a great lighting landscape and the figures themselves have such great use of contrasts for light and shadows on themselves, it seems a shame that they cast no shadow on each other or their environment - makes them look cut and pasted in. ~_~ooo

With all that hard work you've put into it, I'd hate to have your book be overlooked by anyone who would love it because the cover looks a little unfinished to new potential readers.

Just a suggestion... I'm definitely no expert. ~_~ooo


----------



## Jeff

Randirogue said:


> The cover has such a great lighting landscape and the figures themselves have such great use of contrasts for light and shadows on themselves, it seems a shame that they cast no shadow on each other or their environment - makes them look cut and pasted in. ~_~ooo
> 
> With all that hard work you've put into it, I'd hate to have your book be overlooked by anyone who would love it because the cover looks a little unfinished to new potential readers.
> 
> Just a suggestion... I'm definitely no expert. ~_~ooo


Thanks for your input.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Forged In Flame is now at 1200 words. Not quite up to Ed's prolific standards, but things are starting to flow, and the pace will pick up (in between unpacking boxes from our household goods, which arrive tomorrow). It feels good to be writing again...


it'll feel even better when you're all done....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Randirogue said:


> The cover has such a great lighting landscape and the figures themselves have such great use of contrasts for light and shadows on themselves, it seems a shame that they cast no shadow on each other or their environment - makes them look cut and pasted in. ~_~ooo
> 
> With all that hard work you've put into it, I'd hate to have your book be overlooked by anyone who would love it because the cover looks a little unfinished to new potential readers.
> 
> Just a suggestion... I'm definitely no expert. ~_~ooo


I don't think that's going to be a problem. Imaginary monsters don't cast shadows. They just come out of the shadows.


----------



## Randirogue

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I don't think that's going to be a problem. Imaginary monsters don't cast shadows. They just come out of the shadows.


Excellent point. It had jumped out at me so I thought I'd mention it. If it had been an accidental oversight, I would've like to be told so, well, I noted it. Hope I didn't sound too critical. ~_~ooo


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Randirogue said:


> Excellent point. It had jumped out at me so I thought I'd mention it. If it had been an accidental oversight, I would've like to be told so, well, I noted it. Hope I didn't sound too critical. ~_~ooo


You didn't know the story, so it was a valid observation. I just finished proofing it for Jeff, so I knew what it was about.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> it'll feel even better when you're all done....


That's gonna be a while!

BTW, Jeff, awesome work on the cover! That's really cool!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That's gonna be a while!


yeah, but it's in my contract that i get to harass you, so....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> yeah, but it's in my contract that i get to harass you, so....


Dang! I knew I should have taken out that clause...!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Dang! I knew I should have taken out that clause...!


Like we'd LET you....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,200 words tonight. I got my protagonist drunk on a concoction called _wisgi_. (A botle of Jim Beam somehow shows up from _Dodingdatum_ Colony. Go figure). It sure beats _bolinsanga,_ a cheap wine distilled in _Ryyve Portium_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Like we'd LET you....


Drat! Ganging up on me again! But did you read the clause where it says you have to come down and help unpack all our household stuff??


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Drat! Ganging up on me again! But did you read the clause where it says you have to come down and help unpack all our household stuff??


you pay the airfare.....


----------



## Thomas Watson

Isn't that just like a beta reader? Thinking things through to a logical conclusion, and all.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Isn't that just like a beta reader? Thinking things through to a logical conclusion, and all.


hush, you, or no more chocolate.


----------



## JRWoodward

We've been plugging away at the sequel, even though we hardly have any sales of the original. I admit, sometimes it feels like I'm wasting my time.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> hush, you, or no more chocolate.


Busted!

Probably won't get much writing done today: the U-boxes are to arrive this morning, so the day will be filled with lots of...exercise...yeah...


----------



## Randirogue

JRWoodward said:


> We've been plugging away at the sequel, even though we hardly have any sales of the original. I admit, sometimes it feels like I'm wasting my time.


Don't be discouraged so soon, JR! As the so helpful people around here always say, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Big sales on a first book are extremely rare.

I checked your book page and I believe it's doing better than both my books combined so far. You already have a review and your book is higher ranked than both of mine. When I released my second book, sales for both increased. You also released in summer, which is the slow season. I know I'm never going to be a self-marketing genius nor a personal social media butterfly - selling myself, even subtly, is just something I'm personally awkward and squeamish about. Because of these things, I'm prepared for a long haul before i could possibly gain significant enough attention to achieve high sales. And that's just fine! There isn't a time limit. The more books out there, the more chances people will notice them. And when they do notice and try it and love it, by having multiple books out, you'll have something more to offer them right away. I know that when I discover a new writer, I look for what else of theirs I can gobble up. The more there is to gobble at the time that I discover them, the more likely I am to remember them enough a few months later to bother to look for their next release.

I understand it's frustrating to hear about others who are doing so well while you are languishing in slow sales, but hang in there - don't give up too soon. Ignore sales numbers now. Focus on the next book. Give them plenty to become addicted to before you worry about how you get them hooked. You'll get there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

JRWoodward said:


> We've been plugging away at the sequel, even though we hardly have any sales of the original. I admit, sometimes it feels like I'm wasting my time.


It does feel that way sometimes. And sometimes, it feels that way all the time.

I write because I'm a dreamer and I get to put my day-dreams down on paper. If I sit, staring out a window, people can yell at me to get back to work or say I'm lazy or wasting my time wool-gathering. But if I'm staring at the computer screen, it's "Shh, don't bother her. She's working."

So, I keep on writing even though some days (or even weeks or months), it feels like nobody (readers) love me.

I didn't get any writing done last night, but staring at the screen paid off. I made some changes to the wip and this morning, I woke up with a really major change that's going to make the story work.

Today's my day off. Mom and I are going to the Mall to see if we can find a new suit for GS. Homecoming Dance next month. We're the advance scouts so we can see what we can afford and then we'll only take him to that store. That means no writing today, but I will make that major change when we get home.


----------



## Thomas Watson

JRWoodward said:


> We've been plugging away at the sequel, even though we hardly have any sales of the original. I admit, sometimes it feels like I'm wasting my time.


The book's been out for, what? Less than six months? Keep writing. I agree with Randirogue. It's _much_ too soon to despair!


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> hush, you, or no more chocolate.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

JRWoodward said:


> We've been plugging away at the sequel, even though we hardly have any sales of the original. I admit, sometimes it feels like I'm wasting my time.


It took me three years (well, seven, really) and seven 100K-word novels to start selling lots of books and make "real" money. If you write because you love to write, there's no reason to be discouraged. Every book is an adventure, every sale is a gift, and if you're persistent, eventually those gifts will start amounting to something that might change your life.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1700 words at the library and another 300 at Pokemon. I'm not sure what I'm doing, but then again, I never am. Somehow it always seem to work out.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Exellent Gerrie.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Exellent Gerrie.


I think that's my evil twin sister.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think that's my evil twin sister.


wait, i thought I was the evil twin.....


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It took me three years (well, seven, really) and seven 100K-word novels to start selling lots of books and make "real" money. If you write because you love to write, there's no reason to be discouraged. Every book is an adventure, every sale is a gift, and if you're persistent, eventually those gifts will start amounting to something that might change your life.


Well said.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> wait, i thought I was the evil twin.....


Wait... I thought Steph was the evil twin?


----------



## Steph H

There you go again, taking my name in vain....


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> There you go again, taking my name in vain....





Thomas Watson said:


> Wait... I thought Steph was the evil twin?


excuse me, i am WAY more eviler than Steph.


----------



## Steph H




----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> excuse me, i am WAY more eviler than Steph.


Did you just say "more eviler"??


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Did you just say "more eviler"??


She's just being more twinier.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think that's my evil twin sister.


Gerrie is your name when I type on the Blackberry with my evil thumbs. Can you congratulate Gertie on her excellent productivity. 

Edweird See Plumbottom
(my Bunbury thanks to O. Wilde)


----------



## Thomas Watson

"She has returned, more eviler and more twinier than ever before..."


And now I've got something by Two Steps From Hell playing in my head.


----------



## telracs

i did not say more eviler...

i said WAY more eviler


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i did not say more eviler...
> 
> i said WAY more eviler


Hmm. Wonder if I can work that into one of my books...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hmm. Wonder if I can work that into one of my books...


i can't see any of the Kreelan saying that.... but my alter ego? Sure! or Renee could use it. it sounds like a Renee line. To Carl.


----------



## geoffthomas

You are lucky that some of the rest of us read Mike's books so we get the reference.


----------



## telracs

geoffthomas said:


> You are lucky that some of the rest of us read Mike's books so we get the reference.


Actually, i was trying to intrigue the people who HAVEN'T read them so that they would. if people buy his books, i have a better chance of getting brownies.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i can't see any of the Kreelan saying that.... but my alter ego? Sure! or Renee could use it. it sounds like a Renee line. To Carl.


Bingo!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I see that most of the wordage being written by my esteemed colleagues is being written in this thread.

A mere 1700 again today. Just can't seem to push myself beyond that. Well, I probably could if I stayed at the library longer, but if I stay longer, then I can't relax in my car for half an hour eating a protein bar while larval forms are being thrust out of thoraxes.


----------



## balaspa

I will soon officially be the author of 20 books (fiction and non)...and I am STILL not able to be a full time author.  I still have to spend my days working for a g-damn PR/marketing firm.  Argh!

Sorry, just needed to vent.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I see that most of the wordage being written by my esteemed colleagues is being written in this thread.
> 
> A mere 1700 again today. Just can't seem to push myself beyond that. Well, I probably could if I stayed at the library longer, but if I stay longer, then I can't relax in my car for half an hour eating a protein bar while larval forms are being thrust out of thoraxes.


Yikes.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm about 2/3rds of the way through editing PHOBIA. My goal was an October release (well, actually a Sept. release, but that didn't happen). Now it looks like early Nov. at best.

I've surprised myself as it reads better than I thought it would.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm about 2/3rds of the way through editing PHOBIA. My goal was an October release (well, actually a Sept. release, but that didn't happen). Now it looks like early Nov. at best.
> 
> I've surprised myself as it reads better than I thought it would.


Coolness! Hoping to get in some writing today, assuming I can ever get any sleep. Last night was horrible. Ugh...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Busy weekend with family and friends. Monday I start the process of revising/editing book two.

I did toss a short story out there, this past week, for promotional purposes. It's free on Smashwords, and will be on Amazon and B&N when various processes of "shipping" and price matching run their course.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I think I'm going to splash around in the pool a bit, get a shower, get Jan's monitor set up, then write for a while...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think I'm going to splash around in the pool a bit, get a shower, get Jan's monitor set up, then write for a while...


*holds hicks' head under the water*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *holds hicks' head under the water*


Well THAT'S not going to improve my word count! <gag, choke>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

balaspa said:


> I will soon officially be the author of 20 books (fiction and non)...and I am STILL not able to be a full time author. I still have to spend my days working for a g-d*mn PR/marketing firm. Argh!
> 
> Sorry, just needed to vent.


Understandable. All we can do is keep on keeping on and know that one day something will hit. If it's a Numb3rs game, and most everything is, it's inevitable.



Jeff said:


> Yikes.


Yikes is right. And I read this while I'm eating.



Dave Dykema said:


> I'm about 2/3rds of the way through editing PHOBIA. My goal was an October release (well, actually a Sept. release, but that didn't happen). Now it looks like early Nov. at best.
> 
> I've surprised myself as it reads better than I thought it would.


One must be flexible with one's goals or go nuts.



Thomas Watson said:


> Busy weekend with family and friends. Monday I start the process of revising/editing book two.
> 
> I did toss a short story out there, this past week, for promotional purposes. It's free on Smashwords, and will be on Amazon and B&N when various processes of "shipping" and price matching run their course.


I gave up on that. Too much waiting. Too much time lost when a book could be selling.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think I'm going to splash around in the pool a bit, get a shower, get Jan's monitor set up, then write for a while...


You're having waaayyyy too much fun.



telracs said:


> *holds hicks' head under the water*


Come on, Telly, he can't write that way.

No writing planned for today, but I will be editing and planning my next series.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Come on, Telly, he can't write that way.


*pout.* nobody lets me have any fun...



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well THAT'S not going to improve my word count! <gag, choke>


*pulls hicks out of the pool, wraps him in a towel and pushes him towards his computer*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> *pout.* nobody lets me have any fun...
> 
> *pulls hicks out of the pool, wraps him in a towel and pushes him towards his computer*


"Yes, Mom!!"


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> "Yes, Mom!!"


if i can't play in the pool, then you need to be working.


----------



## Thomas Watson

> Busy weekend with family and friends. Monday I start the process of revising/editing book two.
> 
> I did toss a short story out there, this past week, for promotional purposes. It's free on Smashwords, and will be on Amazon and B&N when various processes of "shipping" and price matching run their course.





> I gave up on that. Too much waiting. Too much time lost when a book could be selling.


It's a giveaway, so the wait won't cost me anything to worry about.

Or were you talking about the family and friends, thing?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Forged In Flame, chapter 1 - done...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Forged In Flame, chapter 1 - done...


i need one of steph's dancing emoticons.....


----------



## Thomas Watson

I need to decompress from the last couple of days. Nothing bad, just busy and high energy.

So I'm going to indulge in a bit of star gazing tonight. Out into the desert under a clear, starry sky, and a little peace and quiet and a few like-minded friends.  I'll start revisions tomorrow.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> It's a giveaway, so the wait won't cost me anything to worry about.
> 
> Or were you talking about the family and friends, thing?


Talking about myself, actually.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Forged In Flame, chapter 1 - done...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,320 words on Belmsdus new chapter. 6,000 + on rewrites on earlier chapters.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,320 words on Belmsdus new chapter. 6,000 + on rewrites on earlier chapters.


Someday I'll get to your level, Ed.

I finished editing one story and about to start on another one.


----------



## That one girl

Thomas Watson said:


> I need to decompress from the last couple of days. Nothing bad, just busy and high energy.
> 
> So I'm going to indulge in a bit of star gazing tonight. Out into the desert under a clear, starry sky, and a little peace and quiet and a few like-minded friends. I'll start revisions tomorrow.


That sounds positively delightful. I'm taking a road trip through Arizona in late November. Are there any particularly good places for stargazing that time of year?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Didn't quite finish editing the second story. Oh, well, there's always tomorrow.


----------



## Sapphire

I'm still in rehab from my hard drive crash.  The techies recovered my files.  Now I am trying to master a new operating system (2007) on my new laptop.  My dear husband has loaded When Least Expected onto his old PC which runs Word 2003, the same version as my deceased laptop.  So, here are my short-term goals.  Reread the entire book to verify no format glitches were created in this fiasco.  Insert photo and image.  Review again to see if it is ready for upload.  Get my copy of Word 2007 loaded on the new computer to replace Word Starter.  Build my web-site.  Finish the current chapter on my next book.  I want all this done this week.  After that, I will return to my goal of a minimum of 1000 words per day for a minimum of five days per week.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Someday I'll get to your level, Ed.
> 
> I finished editing one story and about to start on another one.


Had a curious thing happen with this novel. When I write, generally the protagonist comes alive somewhere in the first third of the book and sparks the whole crowd to wake up and participate. Because this is the first book I've penned where I'm giving 3rd person limited POV to the protagonist only and strictly, because he didn't raise his head until chapter 8 (the normal zing bang boom, breathing), I've gone back to the first 7 chapters and did extensive rewriting. Although happy with the original, the presence of a more realized protagonist now makes these chapters explode. These first chapters were written in 2002 and interrupted by The Jade Owl. I've matured since then, and a reliance on these materials strictly was not an option. But I think some of the earlier bits seeped through. Out with the old socks, in with the new. Hooray. Also, the protagonist - (Harris Cartwright aka Humphrey Kopfstetter aka Lord Belmundus) develops in tandem with his manservant (turned friend) Yustichisqua. The relationship between these two characters has endowed them with larger than life lives. Y'all know me. I tell my stories through character development, so when one of my creations knocks my socks off, I'm please to unveil them to my reading public. In the case of this duo - the protagonist and his pal - Don Quixote had his Sancho Panza, Pickwick his Weller, Frodo his Sam - so my Harris has his Yustichisqua (Little Bird). Thus, revisions have started before I'm halfway done with the book. The rest of this work will fly, although I'm not beating myself on a schedule. I'd like to have it out around Christmas, but, as I told Peg at lunch yesterday, if it goes beyond that, so be it. I'm treating it as the first, not the 21st book I've written and published. The editing requires zero defects (and I'm relying less on Peg and more on the three AI programs - a challenge, but one I can write about later). I also shocked Peg by saying that I don't care if I sell any copies of the book. (She called me a liar) - I confessed, I said this because I know I'll have at least one sale). This is the book I MUST write and not the one I should be writing (the 4th Southern Swallow book - which is the next one up).

Edward C. Patterson

PS: How about Mo Yan winning the Nobel prize for literature. If you've never tried his books - go for it. I particularly like "Life and Death are Wearing Me Out."


----------



## Thomas Watson

T.S. Welti said:


> That sounds positively delightful. I'm taking a road trip through Arizona in late November. Are there any particularly good places for stargazing that time of year?


I'd need to know where you where going to be, to be specific, but all you really need to do is get out of town and away from the city lights. Then look up. If you're here when the skies are clear, it will be quite a sight.

I did my star gazing tonight about 45 mins. west of Tucson, in the company of other amateur astronomers, telescopes and binoculars all over the place. Astronomy is a hobby of mine, and how I came to know Steph, btw.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Astronomy is a hobby of mine...


I confess that, until you said the above, I hadn't looked at your books. I just did and bought _Mr. Olcott's Skies_. I'm behind in my reading, however. I still have several of Gertie's books and Mike's latest open on my Kindle. Mr. Olcott may gather dust like my old, 10" reflector telescope.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just finished editing another story. Two more to go.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> I confess that, until you said the above, I hadn't looked at your books. I just did and bought _Mr. Olcott's Skies_. I'm behind in my reading, however. I still have several of Gertie's books and Mike's latest open on my Kindle. Mr. Olcott may gather dust like my old, 10" reflector telescope.


Thanks!

And if you have to choose anytime soon, dust off that telescope!


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Thanks!
> 
> And if you have to choose anytime soon, dust off that telescope!


I grew up in New Mexico where the night sky was clear and bright. Here in Central Texas, even out here in the country, the Earth glow limits viewing to nearly straight up and only very late at night.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just finished editing another story. Two more to go.


Go, Gertie, go!!!

Ed Patterson
runner up in The Queen of Mean contest.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edited three books today. Working on the fourth, but I'm not happy with it at all. I think there's going to be a major rewrite. 

Hopefully, I'll be writing tomorrow.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> I grew up in New Mexico where the night sky was clear and bright. Here in Central Texas, even out here in the country, the Earth glow limits viewing to nearly straight up and only very late at night.


Living in Arizona has some advantages, then. I only have such problems here in town. Out at a dark sky site I just need to avoid light domes.

Today I wade into revisions on Book Two of The War of the Second Iteration.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Living in Arizona has some advantages, then. I only have such problems here in town. Out at a dark sky site I just need to avoid light domes.
> 
> Today I wade into revisions on Book Two of The War of the Second Iteration.


<sigh> I miss Arizona. That's where I grew up (Scottsdale). But Florida on the Gulf Coast isn't bad...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <sigh> I miss Arizona. That's where I grew up (Scottsdale). But Florida on the Gulf Coast isn't bad...


I miss Jersey and I left there in 1958.

Spending the day cattle-prodding GS. I really don't want to miss a writing day, so I'll pop over to Panera with my netbook (Ginny) later on for a pastry and coffee. Yum.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <sigh> I miss Arizona. That's where I grew up (Scottsdale). But Florida on the Gulf Coast isn't bad...


There are a LOT of amateur astronomers out your way. One of the biggest annual astronomy events going, the Winter Star Party, is held in Florida. (Florida Keys, to be precise.)

Turns out I have some gardening chores that must be addressed before starting the real work of the day. So, off I go!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

No school today, so GD came to my house and took over my best laptop. Didn't make it to Panera, but I'm in the mood for chicken salad. Might treat myself to dinner and an hour of writing. Then again, maybe not. There's always tomorrow.

Time to walk the dog.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2,000 words today on ch 2 of Forged In Flame. I'm actually amazed I got that much done with so many interruptions!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 2,000 words today on ch 2 of Forged In Flame. I'm actually amazed I got that much done with so many interruptions!


The pool calleth?

Well done. Wish I could report the same.

Working on the rewrite of the story I mentioned yesterday. That's important, too, right?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> The pool calleth?
> 
> Well done. Wish I could report the same.
> 
> Working on the rewrite of the story I mentioned yesterday. That's important, too, right?


Aye! Rewrites are a necessary evil...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Aye! Rewrites are a necessary evil...


way more eviler!

*wanders in and pushes hicks into the pool....*


----------



## geoffthomas

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> The pool calleth?
> 
> Well done. Wish I could report the same.
> 
> Working on the rewrite of the story I mentioned yesterday. That's important, too, right?


I am waiting for the new series, Gertie.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Athough I managed some rewriting this afternoon at lunch (about 800 words), I only cleared 1,700 words on _Belmundus _ (new stuff) this evening and with good reason. I've been dreading this chapter for months (years perhaps). The protagonist has entered _the Kalugu_, a ghetto where the underclass are kept used as laborers to the rest of society and, if not employed, kept on a opiate-type diet of gruel called Sqwallen (as inspired by the Japanese drug-inducements to control the Chinese population during the WWII occupation).The part I dreaded was describing the squalor and the extreme conditions of the people. This underclass, called the Cetrone, are based on my own people, the Cherokee. In fact, most of the fantasy lingo is based on the Cherokee language (which I am blessed to know). So this evening, with Rachmaninoff's _Totenilen _ _(The Island of the Dead_) playing in the backgroud, I recreated the conditions of the Cherokee awaiting transport on the Trail of Tears. Beyond 1,700 words I couldn't go. In fact, I don't think I'll sleep tonight as I haven't written anything as devastating since _Look Away Silence _ and the Plassenburg Concentration Camp scene in _The Road the Grafenwöhr_. I'm glad it's behind me. Whew!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> way more eviler!
> 
> *wanders in and pushes hicks into the pool....*


Umm... 

Does he usually sink straight to the bottom like that?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> I am waiting for the new series, Gertie.


I think the first one is going to be well worth the wait. I like the others, too, but that first one is a grabber.

Ed, if it was tough for you to write, you know it's going to touch your readers.



Thomas Watson said:


> Umm...
> 
> Does he usually sink straight to the bottom like that?


It's all those choco chip pancakes.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I only sink because telracs and Steph tied a cannonball to my leg...


----------



## Thomas Watson

I was about to point out that the pancakes sounded like a more plausible explanation. Then I thought about "more eviler," and, well...

Good call on the extendable snorkle, by the way.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I only sink because telracs and Steph tied a cannonball to my leg...


They were supposed to tie your laptop to your leg (wrapped in plastic, of course) so you could write while drowning.

I'm sitting here at the library having a terrible time with my story because I keep getting bogged down in details. Make that _unnecessary _details. I've deleted about every second and third sentence I've written. I think I need to open up another doc and write out all that crud that has no business messing up my story. Maybe if I do that, I'll get all said crud out of my head and I can get back to writing something decent.

Maybe the problem is that I didn't get to Panera yesterday for strawberries and cream pastry. Maybe if I go there now (it's only five minutes away), I'll be inspired. Maybe I should just shut up and get back to work.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> They were supposed to tie your laptop to your leg (wrapped in plastic, of course) so you could write while drowning.
> 
> I'm sitting here at the library having a terrible time with my story because I keep getting bogged down in details. Make that _unnecessary _details. I've deleted about every second and third sentence I've written. I think I need to open up another doc and write out all that crud that has no business messing up my story. Maybe if I do that, I'll get all said crud out of my head and I can get back to writing something decent.
> 
> Maybe the problem is that I didn't get to Panera yesterday for strawberries and cream pastry. Maybe if I go there now (it's only five minutes away), I'll be inspired. Maybe I should just shut up and get back to work.


Stop deleting and just write. You can delete later while eating some frankenfood! 

Speaking of writing, I just spent way too much time writing a post in another thread. Time to finish chapter 2 of Forged In Flame...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Stop deleting and just write. You can delete later while eating some frankenfood!
> 
> Speaking of writing, I just spent way too much time writing a post in another thread. Time to finish chapter 2 of Forged In Flame...


Now I'm hung up on pizza. The story is set in NY. Crispy crust, loads of cheese stretching out from the slice, olive oil dripping. Mushrooms. It's gotta be mushrooms.

600 words in an hour and twenty minutes. I think I'm just hungry and it's distracting me. I had to eat my breakfast in the car this morning, and that did nothing to satisfy my soul.

Okay, back to work. I can eat my protein bar in about half an hour when I'll be checking on what those pesky larval forms are doing. Maybe I'll get at least 1K done today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Now I'm hung up on pizza. The story is set in NY. Crispy crust, loads of cheese stretching out from the slice, olive oil dripping. Mushrooms. It's gotta be mushrooms.


You forgot the most important part: the aroma!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You forgot the most important part: the aroma!


You had to bring up the aroma when I'm sitting here eating mashed potatoes and chicken. Boring!

The good news is I ended up with 1400 words.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not sure how many words I wrote, but I finished chapter 2 of Forged In Flame. On to the Dark Queen in the next chapter...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not sure how many words I wrote, but I finished chapter 2 of Forged In Flame. On to the Dark Queen in the next chapter...


Off with their heads!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Not sure how many words I wrote, but I finished chapter 2 of Forged In Flame. On to the Dark Queen in the next chapter...


*wanders in and sits by the pool splashing water....*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yes, I suspect there'll be a lot of head-lopping going on shortly...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, I suspect there'll be a lot of head-lopping going on shortly...


Amazing how you can predict these things. 

Back to my rewrite. It's going very slowly.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, I suspect there'll be a lot of head-lopping going on shortly...


head-lopping or head-hopping?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> head-lopping or head-hopping?


Lopping. There's still head-hopping, but I think that's a lot more organized now than it used to be!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Lopping. There's still head-hopping, but I think that's a lot more organized now than it used to be!


oooh, goody, i get to bounce some heads...


----------



## Thomas Watson

(Straps on helmet, just to be on the safe side.)

Moving pieces around, cutting pieces out, adding pieces back in. . . Ah, revisions!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> (Straps on helmet, just to be on the safe side.)
> 
> Moving pieces around, cutting pieces out, adding pieces back in. . . Ah, revisions!


BAGPIPES! i hear bagpipes!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Done with the rewrite. I think it's better, but I'm going to make one more run-through just to make sure.

Day off tomorrow.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> BAGPIPES! i hear bagpipes!


"The Battle is Over" echoing through a starship's corridors...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did a final rewrite and I'm a lot happier with the story. Now I can get back to new stuff tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Did a final rewrite and I'm a lot happier with the story. Now I can get back to new stuff tomorrow.


Yay! Will be finishing chapter 3 today, hoping to get started on chapter 4 of Forged In Flame...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yay! Will be finishing chapter 3 today, hoping to get started on chapter 4 of Forged In Flame...


Boy, when you get going, you get going!

Just finished Bitter Harvest. Oh, my.


Spoiler



You know, I wasn't surprised about Khatuna. And thanks for that fitting end to Kelso.


 I don't mind waiting until next year for the last book. I need to catch my breath.


----------



## Jeff

I also finished _Bitter Harvest_. Good job, Mike.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Glad you both enjoyed it!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Finished my edit of PHOBIA yesterday!

Okay, with a caveat or two...

1) I remembered one little detail I left out as I closed it, so I have to slip that in there.

2) I also have to go through and take care of all the [brackets] I have floating around in the manuscript. For example, "She turned her [ blue ] eyes to him." Now, earlier in the book, when we first met the character, I probably described her eye color. Months (or years, in my case) later when I wrote the part with the bracket, I couldn't remember her eye color. Instead of stopping to look it up, I just type a color, throw a bracket around it, and keep going. Normally through editing I can fix a lot of these things because I remember having just read the detail a day or two ago. But some details still slip my mind and I have to go back and check. Or sometimes it's a mark that tells me I have to research something. For example, I wrote about acid, but don't know what kind it is. So I have to figure that out and determine its scent (if it has one) and properties, etc.

It's easy to do this while editing because I just search for "[", and once that's taken care of, I hit find next, and so on.

3) I still need a cover.

edit: first time I did that all the copy went to blue from the bracket on, and didn't say the word "blue." Oops! Hopefully now it makes sense.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2000 words so far on Forged In Flame.

As for covers, I decided that I hate doing them after I've finished the book. I did the one for Bitter Harvest pretty early on, and was able to use it as a promo visual before the book was even ready to go. I'll probably work on the cover for FIF pretty soon, after the Dark Queen gets done with leveling another city...


----------



## Dave Dykema

Michael--

I thought about doing that, but the guy that does them was so swamped at work at the time that I didn't want to dump more on him. But now, of course, I need one, so it doesn't really matter how busy he is (HA HA HA... evil laugh).


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 2000 words so far on Forged In Flame.
> 
> As for covers, I decided that I hate doing them after I've finished the book. I did the one for Bitter Harvest pretty early on, and was able to use it as a promo visual before the book was even ready to go. I'll probably work on the cover for FIF pretty soon, after the Dark Queen gets done with leveling another city...


i want a cameo in Forged in Flame....

but then again, i want a cameo in all your books......


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i want a cameo in Forged in Flame....
> 
> but then again, i want a cameo in all your books......


How many chapters do you want your cameo to live?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> How many chapters do you want your cameo to live?


hmmmm..... since it's just a cameo, one chapter would be nice.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> hmmmm..... since it's just a cameo, one chapter would be nice.


Going to be kinda hard, since there aren't any humans in this one!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Going to be kinda hard, since there aren't any humans in this one!


why can't i cameo as a kreelan?


----------



## Steph H

Oooh, that'd be fun. Can I be a Kreelan too?

I want a really awesome death, though.


----------



## crebel

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Going to be kinda hard, since there aren't any humans in this one!


Can they drown? You know what they say about payback...


----------



## telracs

crebel said:


> Can they drown? You know what they say about payback...


go away crebel....


----------



## Steph H

*snicker*


----------



## telracs

as long as steph and i don't kill each other...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nothing yet today. Got bogged down setting you links and paperback prices at AuthorsDen to see if their new store cold be a source for sales.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> as long as steph and i don't kill each other...


The Rise of the Kreelan Sisterhood.


For all I know, that's funny, but since I haven't read any of his books (yet) I have no idea...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Well, they likely won't drown - they'd be eaten first. Most Kreelans don't learn to swim for a very good reason: everything in the water has lots of teeth. I'll see what I can do...

Unfortunately, I'm in a bit of a conundrum with chapter 3. There's a huge amount of what's winding up as backstory that's starting to get rather convoluted, and I'm - gasp! - really having to consider going to some sort of outline to try and keep things straight and not lose any threads, and take a lot of what's coming out as exposition and doing the "show not tell" thing. Back to the cork board! Oy!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Finished my edit of PHOBIA yesterday!


congrats!



> 2) I also have to go through and take care of all the [brackets] I have floating around in the manuscript. For example, "She turned her [ blue ] eyes to him." Now, earlier in the book, when we first met the character, I probably described her eye color. Months (or years, in my case) later when I wrote the part with the bracket, I couldn't remember her eye color. Instead of stopping to look it up, I just type a color, throw a bracket around it, and keep going. Normally through editing I can fix a lot of these things because I remember having just read the detail a day or two ago. But some details still slip my mind and I have to go back and check. Or sometimes it's a mark that tells me I have to research something. For example, I wrote about acid, but don't know what kind it is. So I have to figure that out and determine its scent (if it has one) and properties, etc.


Don't feel bad. JKR forgot to mention the color of Ron's eyes at all until alert readers pointed it out to her. I think it was book four before she corrected it.

When I start a character, I add the name and description at the end of the doc. I add to each one as new things come up like wife's name, child's name, etc.



Thomas Watson said:


> The Rise of the Kreelan Sisterhood.
> 
> 
> For all I know, that's funny, but since I haven't read any of his books (yet) I have no idea...


You've got to read at least the original In Her Name trilogy. Get the omnibus edition, but be prepared to be up until 2am to finish it. And don't expect a tee-shirt.

Despite the day from hell, I managed just under 2K today.


----------



## Thomas Watson

No worries. I don't look good in t-shirts.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

SOMEDAY there will be t-shirts. Maybe when the movie deal comes through...


----------



## Randirogue

telracs said:


> why can't i cameo as a kreelan?


Got my vote! I'd love to see you as a kreelan.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thomas Watson said:


> The Rise of the Kreelan Sisterhood.
> 
> 
> For all I know, that's funny, but since I haven't read any of his books (yet) I have no idea...


Now, you must get with the program and take your vows. Resistance is futile. Banish sleep and pick up the blue-lady book. You'll not be sorry. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Okay, here's my excuse for not reaching 2K today.

My shoes got soaking wet this morning when I walked across the lawn. I got to the library and took them off. They were so wet, my feet were dripping. I got to 1500 words and my shoes were still wet and my feet were icy. Decided to come home for dry shoes. At least I got 1500 done. Giving myself props for that.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> The Rise of the Kreelan Sisterhood.


Well, in this part of the series there are "guy" Kreelans, too. Later in the story, well, they don't fare so well...

Sketching out some history, then going to take a nap. Being awake since 2AM and nearly getting electrocuted this morning has left me a tad pooped!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, in this part of the series there are "guy" Kreelans, too. Later in the story, well, they don't fare so well...


The infamous ESPN room. 



> Sketching out some history, then going to take a nap. Being awake since 2AM and nearly getting electrocuted this morning has left me a tad pooped!


Not good. Home repairs on obviously not your forte.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Since I didn't get 2K done this morning, I decided to go to Panera Bread after working at the school to have some lunch and write. I've been dying to try their Fuji Apple Chicken salad and here was my chance. It comes in this 8" bowl or maybe it's 10". Anyway, it's humongous. I planned on taking half home. I ate the whole loaf of yummy warm bread and all but one layer of lettuce. The rest of that yummy goodness is resting in my happy tummy. Chicken noodle soup for dinner. Maybe later.

Anyway, my final total wordage for today is 2100.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Have been playing around with Aeon Timeline, which can synchronize with my beloved Scrivener app. Not as tasty as Gertie's dinner, perhaps, but it looks like it'll be quite helpful for sorting out sequencing in plot lines...  

And now, even though I've just eaten, I may flop into the pool. I know it's safe because Jan went in earlier...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Have been playing around with Aeon Timeline, which can synchronize with my beloved Scrivener app. Not as tasty as Gertie's dinner, perhaps, but it looks like it'll be quite helpful for sorting out sequencing in plot lines...
> 
> And now, even though I've just eaten, I may flop into the pool. I know it's safe because Jan went in earlier...


Were you swimming in a thunderstorm (verboten in FL) or did you just jump in with a plugged in space heater in your hands (verboten anywhere)?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Were you swimming in a thunderstorm (verboten in FL) or did you just jump in with a plugged in space heater in your hands (verboten anywhere)?


I haven't quite gotten to the Groundhog Day scenario...


----------



## Thomas Watson

In Florida that would involve a 'gator, not a ground hog.

Which would put this tale in a whole 'nuther genre, most likely.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> In Florida that would involve a 'gator, not a ground hog.
> 
> Which would put this tale in a whole 'nuther genre, most likely.


We only have 'Gator Day in Gainnesville.

No plans to write today, but that may change later on. I'm enjoying the scene I was working on yesterday. Or maybe I was just enjoying the Fuji Apple chicken salad.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gators and groundhogs notwithstanding, have managed to get some good work done today. Not measured in words, exactly, but I'm LOVING Aeon Timeline to help get things organized, and it can synchronize with Scrivener. Normally I'd be worried about "organizing" my writing, but I'm getting a lot of ideas as I'm playing with this thing that I'm not sure I would've had otherwise...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Gators and groundhogs notwithstanding, have managed to get some good work done today. Not measured in words, exactly, but I'm LOVING Aeon Timeline to help get things organized, and it can synchronize with Scrivener. Normally I'd be worried about "organizing" my writing, but I'm getting a lot of ideas as I'm playing with this thing that I'm not sure I would've had otherwise...


Fantastic!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,000 words (new ones - well actually 3,989 word) on _Belmundus_, which included a poem - y'all know I believe that poetry and rhythm stands at the base of all powerful prose. But I also find opportunities at organic moments for poetry in all my novels. In this case,a song (thus a lyric) sung in the recesses of a holy shrine on a stormy night. Share-time:

In the mountain's meadow shade,
Sighed a sad, but lonely maid,
Gazing at the cloudless sky,
Dreaming worlds to multiply,
Lighting lands with glowing love
From the lamp of truth above.
Faraway mountain, faraway glade,
Sighs this most unhappy maid.

Beyond the Forling sings a heart
From her true love far apart,
Waiting in the nave of love
For the hawk to claim his dove.
And join her in the fire's heat,
And with his tears wash weary feet.
Faraway mountain, faraway glade,
Sighs this most unhappy maid.

I serve a mistress stern and still
Who rules upon the conqueror's hill,
I bring her all. I am her slave,
A spirit trapped within a cave,
But know I now that it is he,
Who comes aloft to set me free.
Faraway mountain, faraway glade,
Sighs this most, most hopeful maid.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm sure it's lovely, Ed, but you know how I feel about poetry.

Despite Mike taking an _electrifying _lead, I'm soldiering on with 2100 words again today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm sure it's lovely, Ed, but you know how I feel about poetry.
> 
> Despite Mike taking an _electrifying _lead, I'm soldiering on with 2100 words again today.


I have to bow out on the poetry, too - the only poems I ever really enjoyed were the ones I learned when studying Russian. Go figure...

No wordage count today, but got most of the major plot milestones laid out and am restructuring the text I wrote to fit. This Scrivener/Timeline symbiosis is total awesomeness!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I listen to language - musically it enchants. I often think when a page of prose is flat, the reason can be found in its lack of sonority. Readers IMHO are kept more engaged in a story that works on all levels, and one important level is its lyrical underpinning. Of course, when writing fantasy, poetry is essentail for inscriptions, profecy, messages in bottles, whispers through time and the like.

My mentor, WS Gilbert, expressed things poetically that many would dismiss otherwise. for example:

"Tired housewives, who would prefer their husbands dead, should be happy for the time they have to grow bored."
(ho hum)

Now Gilbert.

"Oh, weary wives who widowhood would win, rejoice that ye have time to weary in."
(Yippee. Poetry rocks!)  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sorry, Ed. That's so ho-hum to me. And I have to read some poetry from the kids today. I need to take some no-doze. 

I'm such a Philistine.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm such a Philistine.


Hmm. Who wrote all the verses for the wicked queen's magic mirror?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry, Ed. That's so ho-hum to me. And I have to read some poetry from the kids today. I need to take some no-doze.
> 
> I'm such a Philistine.


"The Philistines may jostle,
You shall rank as an apostle
In your celebrated state of mind."

- W.S. Gilbert 
Patience, Act I Bunthorne's Song

Couldn't help my self. 
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Hmm. Who wrote all the verses for the wicked queen's magic mirror?


Yeah, Hoo?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Hmm. Who wrote all the verses for the wicked queen's magic mirror?


I'm sure you are using the word _verse _very loosely.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> "The Philistines may jostle,
> You shall rank as an apostle
> In your celebrated state of mind."
> 
> - W.S. Gilbert
> Patience, Act I Bunthorne's Song
> 
> Couldn't help my self.
> Edward C. Patterson


Forgiven. I do like Gilbert and Sullivan.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm sure you are using the word _verse _very loosely.


I thought it was very well done.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I thought it was very well done.


Thanks.

I just sent you an email. Check it out and let me know what you think.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Can't report any word counts, but I've been making progress on the revision process (Founders' Effect). Also preparing for an opportunity to do a reading at a local scifi convention in a couple of weeks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff and I have a new project going and I worked on that this afternoon. I think it's going to be fun.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I put in about 1000 words today (a bit over, actually). Was planning on getting more done, but after a terrible night's sleep I consider 1K a monumental achievement!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I put in about 1000 words today (a bit over, actually). Was planning on getting more done, but after a terrible night's sleep I consider 1K a monumental achievement!


How's the electrical problem?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> How's the electrical problem?


THey haven't fixed the underground cable yet, but who knows how long that'll take. For the moment I don't care - the temporary cable isn't something we normally notice, anyway. The one thing that I still have to get fixed is whatever's going on with the pool light - there must be a short in it that's affecting another circuit, so have to get the electrician out to troubleshoot that. Oh, and the wall oven got fried, if you'll pardon the pun! But it's no loss - it's the original from 1981, and while it technically still worked, we were afraid to use it!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> THey haven't fixed the underground cable yet, but who knows how long that'll take. For the moment I don't care - the temporary cable isn't something we normally notice, anyway. The one thing that I still have to get fixed is whatever's going on with the pool light - there must be a short in it that's affecting another circuit, so have to get the electrician out to troubleshoot that. Oh, and the wall oven got fried, if you'll pardon the pun! But it's no loss - it's the original from 1981, and while it technically still worked, we were afraid to use it!


Are you going to replace the wall oven? I love wall ovens. No bending and easy to see what's in there.

Couldn't sleep last night so I started a new story. Got the characters and their occupations as well as the first paragraph written. Not much, but it's a start. It's just hard for me to write at home.

The kids are off school on Friday which means the library is probably closed. Think I'll go to Panera and have a turkey/cranberry panini. Mom and I stopped there for coffee this morning, and there were a bunch of people with laptops. I got a lot of work done there the other day.

On second thought, since the panini is 770 calories and 23 grams of fat, I might be better off at McD's. My salad was 560 calories and 34 grams fat. That was without the delicious hunk of bread they gave me. In my defense, I didn't eat anything else all day.

I either need to get used to writing at home or bite the bullet (instead of the panini) and drive to the library on the days it's open.

Right now, I need to catch up on some sleep.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yes, we're replacing the wall oven, along with the entire kitchen... 

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do to get the story out, I guess. But don't eat at McD's - berry, berry bad for you!

Just short of 2000 words today, a bit of philosophy and world building. God, now I'm starting to sound like Ed...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3.200 words. Would be more, but I've developed a bad cold and really pushed.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, we're replacing the wall oven, along with the entire kitchen...
> 
> Ya gotta do what ya gotta do to get the story out, I guess. But don't eat at McD's - berry, berry bad for you!
> 
> Just short of 2000 words today, a bit of philosophy and world building. God, now I'm starting to sound like Ed...


I think the best thing to do is not eat out at all. 

Headed to the library this morning.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1800 words at the library this morning. I may or may not make it to Pokemon tonight to do more. It depends on the weather. If the tropical storm holds off until tomorrow like it's supposed to, I should get some more good wordage in tonight. I'm at a turning point in the story and I would like to work on it.

No school tomorrow, so I won't be going to the library.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

A bit off-topic, perhaps, but does anyone have any suggestions for books for a sophomore high school boy who hates trying anything new? He ate up Harry Potter a while back, enjoyed the Vladimir Todd books, as well as the Ranger's Apprentice. Alas, those were all a year or more ago, and I'm hoping to move him UP rather than DOWN in reading level. He likes reading if he gets into something (in fact, once he gets sucked in, we have trouble getting him to do anything else), but we have a devil of a time getting him to even try anything. But we finally decided that we were going to make him and his younger brother read a bit every night. Lord knows he needs his horizons broadened! :^D


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> A bit off-topic, perhaps, but does anyone have any suggestions for books for a sophomore high school boy who hates trying anything new? He ate up Harry Potter a while back, enjoyed the Vladimir Todd books, as well as the Ranger's Apprentice. Alas, those were all a year or more ago, and I'm hoping to move him UP rather than DOWN in reading level. He likes reading if he gets into something (in fact, once he gets sucked in, we have trouble getting him to do anything else), but we have a devil of a time getting him to even try anything. But we finally decided that we were going to make him and his younger brother read a bit every night. Lord knows he needs his horizons broadened! :^D


Has he read Rick Riordan's books? GS also liked The Keys to the Kingdom series. Our principal (formerly a high school English teacher) recommended The Midnighters series. I read the sample and I think it's about teenage vampires. I'll ask GS about anything else he enjoyed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hope somebody is here to pat me on the back. I added another 1800 words to this morning's count of 1800 for a total of 3600 words today. That puts me very, very close to finishing the last book in my twelve book series.

I think I'll check to see the date I started the first one. I'd like to know how long it took me.


----------



## Jeff

Consider your back patted. Way to go, Gertie!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Consider your back patted. Way to go, Gertie!


Thanks, Jeff. I needed that.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hope somebody is here to pat me on the back. I added another 1800 words to this morning's count of 1800 for a total of 3600 words today. That puts me very, very close to finishing the last book in my twelve book series.
> 
> I think I'll check to see the date I started the first one. I'd like to know how long it took me.


SWEET!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> SWEET!


Thanks!

Are you getting any weather from Sandy? It's pretty nasty here. Even the dog who never cares about rain won't go outside.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Rick riodans Percy Jackson seria. Wthout a doubt.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hope somebody is here to pat me on the back. I added another 1800 words to this morning's count of 1800 for a total of 3600 words today. That puts me very, very close to finishing the last book in my twelve book series.
> 
> I think I'll check to see the date I started the first one. I'd like to know how long it took me.


  Congrats! Always nice to see the finish line drawing near!

In the thick of the revision process. Feedback from the beta readers has (as usual) turned a bunch of ideas loose, and the book if filling out nicely! A lot of people grimace and flinch when revisions are necessary. For some reason I find this part of the process especially rewarding.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Are you getting any weather from Sandy? It's pretty nasty here. Even the dog who never cares about rain won't go outside.


Just a bit of wind and a few clouds so far, but Maryland's going to get pounded - we left just in time!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just a bit of wind and a few clouds so far, but Maryland's going to get pounded - we left just in time!


Yes, you did. The temp dropped into the 60s this morning and it's pretty windy. By Wednesday, it'll be in the 40s. All that rain we've had this year is going to make for a very long, very cold winter. This being your first winter here, I imagine it'll be no more than windbreaker weather for you guys.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Interesting coincidence: a Paramount movie producer happened by our yard sale today! He was here in FL vising his mom, who's about a mile away, and was just wandering through the neighorhood. Not sure if anything will come of it, but who knows? Very nice guy. I've got his email address (but darned if i can remember his name!!) and gave him one of my biz cards, so will be able to follow up. Hoping to get a copy of Season of the Harvest and maybe First Contact in his hands, just for the heck of it...


----------



## Dave Dykema

Good luck with that.

P.S. Remember his name next time. It will help with the email.

P.S.S. If you know what movies he's worked on you can IMDB.com his movies and look up his name there.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Interesting coincidence: a Paramount movie producer happened by our yard sale today! He was here in FL vising his mom, who's about a mile away, and was just wandering through the neighorhood. Not sure if anything will come of it, but who knows? Very nice guy. I've got his email address (but darned if i can remember his name!!) and gave him one of my biz cards, so will be able to follow up. Hoping to get a copy of Season of the Harvest and maybe First Contact in his hands, just for the heck of it...


Can I say I knew you when?  Fingers crossed, candles lit!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dave Dykema said:


> Good luck with that.
> 
> P.S. Remember his name next time. It will help with the email.
> 
> P.S.S. If you know what movies he's worked on you can IMDB.com his movies and look up his name there.


I found him on Facebook, LOL! He's not like a big producer-producer, but I think one of the people on the production side who do more of the nuts and bolts type stuff. But what the heck, it's all about knowing somebody who knows somebody. He's not heading home until Wednesday, so I'll fire off an email to him on Thursday or Friday and see what happens from there.

In the meantime, back to writing...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I found him on Facebook, LOL! He's not like a big producer-producer, but I think one of the people on the production side who do more of the nuts and bolts type stuff. But what the heck, it's all about knowing somebody who knows somebody. He's not heading home until Wednesday, so I'll fire off an email to him on Thursday or Friday and see what happens from there.
> 
> In the meantime, back to writing...


If you don't ask, you don't get. Keep us posted.

No writing today. Stevie Gee's Halloween Party is free today and I've got to keep on top of that.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Just wrapped up my first ever Goodreads giveaway overnight. Not exactly record-setting numbers (719 entries and 274 adding it to their "want to read" lists), but not bad for a book and an author none of these people ever heard of before. Nice bit of publicity. Now, if only a couple of the five winners would be so kind as to review the book.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1300 words so far today on FIF. Took a nice almost-4-mile walk, now going to write some more...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Think I'll do some planning in between promotional postings.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Haven't been posting much on KB lately, but I was pleased to see some of the familiar names here today. If you are in Sandy's path, take care. We're having a perfect Halloween cool spell down here in East Texas. Lots of interesting ideas for new stuff floating around. I'm working on the final edit of Book 30:. Dream Walkers in my series and I'll be done with it after 100 years. 
I have another book in the works and I'll be starting on the Apprentice Series, which will be a sort of companion series to Assassin Chronicles (you didn't think I could give up my old friends, did you?)

But seriously, take care up there on the East Coast. This storm could be big trouble if you are not prepared.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 yesterday. Today, at work, taking a 1/2 day to get home before Sandy hits. Tommorrow is dicey.

Everyone in the storm's path, be safe.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 yesterday. Today, at work, taking a 1/2 day to get home before Sandy hits. Tommorrow is dicey.
> 
> Everyone in the storm's path, be safe.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Stay safe! The whole tri-state area is in danger.

It took me 900 words today to finish the wip and that's the end of the 12 book series. Still have to review and edit that last one but I can do that anytime. I'm pretty happy with the way it came out.

Started two new projects. Work, work, work ... but not tomorrow.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Somewhere I got the impression that telracs lives out where the storm has made such a mess of things. Anyone know if I have that right?


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Somewhere I got the impression that telracs lives out where the storm has made such a mess of things. Anyone know if I have that right?


You have it right. She lives in Brooklyn and she works in Manhattan. But - she's in India, right now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

What a mess here in PA but less than eastward. Hope all are safe. In hlding pattern for work which has power, but the work servers are in NJ. 

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> What a mess here in PA but less than eastward. Hope all are safe. In hlding pattern for work which has power, but the work servers are in NJ.
> 
> Ed


Glad you're safe, Ed. Sounds like you have plenty of free time to write. 

I'll review the wip tonight and continue to plan the next series. I don't think I'll start any serious writing until Thursday or Friday.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I need support in helping to format my new book.

The old ones, last put up a couple years ago, I just deleted my tabs, saved it as an html file, and uploaded. Done. Looked very sharp on the Kindle.

Now, with the Fire, the indents don't happen automatically anymore, because when I checked it in their formatting box, it looked fine on the older Kindles (mine) and the iPhones, but had no indents on the Fire.

Anyone know a quick, easy fix?

Otherwise I'll take a long and involved one.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I need support in helping to format my new book.
> 
> The old ones, last put up a couple years ago, I just deleted my tabs, saved it as an html file, and uploaded. Done. Looked very sharp on the Kindle.
> 
> Now, with the Fire, the indents don't happen automatically anymore, because when I checked it in their formatting box, it looked fine on the older Kindles (mine) and the iPhones, but had no indents on the Fire.
> 
> Anyone know a quick, easy fix?
> 
> Otherwise I'll take a long and involved one.


Do you use first line indent? That's always worked for me. I use .3 instead of the default .5.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I use .3 instead of the default .5.


And I change it to .5.

If you want to email the file to me, Dave, I'll try to fix it for you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> And I change it to .5.
> 
> If you want to email the file to me, Dave, I'll try to fix it for you.


Tch-Tch. It makes a difference in the number of pages in the print books. That's why I use .3


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> You have it right. She lives in Brooklyn and she works in Manhattan. But - she's in India, right now.


Whoa! When she heeds an evacuation order, she doesn't mess around!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

No actual wordage yesterday, but I did come up with all the titles for my new series and the leading ladies names. That sounds better than it is because their names are the titles. Is that cheating?

Back to work tomorrow.


----------



## JamescCamp

Apologies if this isn't the appropriate thread to post this in, or if it's already been covered in this/another thread, but I'm new to the forum so I don't know.

Anyway, this is mainly for indie authors: Do you or should you feel the need to reciprocate a review from another indie author?

I'll try to explain as succinctly as I can – all of the 'experts' always say to connect with other indie authors on Twitter, FB etc. as a way of growing your name and platform. I've done this, and in the process I came across two authors whose work I really wanted to read, so I bought both of their books and gave them good reviews on Amazon because they really were good books. 

Now, obviously they aren't obligated to do the same for me in return, but of course I was kind of hoping they might (that was not the reason I provided my reviews; I did it because they were good books), and one even explicitly said she would buy my book and review it. Never happened.

But what do you think? Should indies be more inclined to reciprocate reviews from other indies, given that they know how hard it is to get ahead in this biz? And I don't mean fake, overly-laudatory reviews, I mean genuine, honest reviews.


----------



## cshenold

Not getting as much writing done as I need to. The next Tali Cates book is poking along. But, Bloody Murder is now out so if you need a Halloween spooky read?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

JamescCamp said:


> Apologies if this isn't the appropriate thread to post this in, or if it's already been covered in this/another thread, but I'm new to the forum so I don't know.
> 
> Anyway, this is mainly for indie authors: Do you or should you feel the need to reciprocate a review from another indie author?
> 
> I'll try to explain as succinctly as I can - all of the 'experts' always say to connect with other indie authors on Twitter, FB etc. as a way of growing your name and platform. I've done this, and in the process I came across two authors whose work I really wanted to read, so I bought both of their books and gave them good reviews on Amazon because they really were good books.
> 
> Now, obviously they aren't obligated to do the same for me in return, but of course I was kind of hoping they might (that was not the reason I provided my reviews; I did it because they were good books), and one even explicitly said she would buy my book and review it. Never happened.
> 
> But what do you think? Should indies be more inclined to reciprocate reviews from other indies, given that they know how hard it is to get ahead in this biz? And I don't mean fake, overly-laudatory reviews, I mean genuine, honest reviews.


It's a minefield best avoided.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Whoa! When she heeds an evacuation order, she doesn't mess around!


yeah, she doesn't.....

but, i'd appreciate everyone keeping their fingers crossed for resumption of flights from india to JFK! we're scheduled to fly out EARLY saturday morning....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> yeah, she doesn't.....
> 
> but, i'd appreciate everyone keeping their fingers crossed for resumption of flights from india to JFK! we're scheduled to fly out EARLY saturday morning....


----------



## JamescCamp

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's a minefield best avoided.


So this topic has already been beaten to death?


----------



## Jeff

JamescCamp said:


> Apologies if this isn't the appropriate thread to post this in, or if it's already been covered in this/another thread, but I'm new to the forum so I don't know.
> 
> Anyway, this is mainly for indie authors: Do you or should you feel the need to reciprocate a review from another indie author?
> 
> I'll try to explain as succinctly as I can - all of the 'experts' always say to connect with other indie authors on Twitter, FB etc. as a way of growing your name and platform. I've done this, and in the process I came across two authors whose work I really wanted to read, so I bought both of their books and gave them good reviews on Amazon because they really were good books.
> 
> Now, obviously they aren't obligated to do the same for me in return, but of course I was kind of hoping they might (that was not the reason I provided my reviews; I did it because they were good books), and one even explicitly said she would buy my book and review it. Never happened.
> 
> But what do you think? Should indies be more inclined to reciprocate reviews from other indies, given that they know how hard it is to get ahead in this biz? And I don't mean fake, overly-laudatory reviews, I mean genuine, honest reviews.


This thread is primarily for writers to track their work-in-progress and for others to encourage them. There are numerous threads regarding quid-pro-quo reviews.


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> yeah, she doesn't.....
> 
> but, i'd appreciate everyone keeping their fingers crossed for resumption of flights from india to JFK! we're scheduled to fly out EARLY saturday morning....


I was just watching the news -- JFK and Newark have resumed limited flights; La Guardia is still closed because parts of it are still underwater. I was even wondering if you were going in to La Guardia thinking they could re-route if needed because they said it may not open until this weekend. But if you're going in to JFK, you'll probably be fine by then.  But....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> yeah, she doesn't.....
> 
> but, i'd appreciate everyone keeping their fingers crossed for resumption of flights from india to JFK! we're scheduled to fly out EARLY saturday morning....


Fingers crossed.


----------



## Dave Dykema

JamescCamp said:


> Apologies if this isn't the appropriate thread to post this in, or if it's already been covered in this/another thread, but I'm new to the forum so I don't know.
> 
> Anyway, this is mainly for indie authors: Do you or should you feel the need to reciprocate a review from another indie author?
> 
> I'll try to explain as succinctly as I can - all of the 'experts' always say to connect with other indie authors on Twitter, FB etc. as a way of growing your name and platform. I've done this, and in the process I came across two authors whose work I really wanted to read, so I bought both of their books and gave them good reviews on Amazon because they really were good books.
> 
> Now, obviously they aren't obligated to do the same for me in return, but of course I was kind of hoping they might (that was not the reason I provided my reviews; I did it because they were good books), and one even explicitly said she would buy my book and review it. Never happened.
> 
> But what do you think? Should indies be more inclined to reciprocate reviews from other indies, given that they know how hard it is to get ahead in this biz? And I don't mean fake, overly-laudatory reviews, I mean genuine, honest reviews.


Expecting anything to be reciprocal is the minefield best avoided. You start to get feelings of "owing" someone something.

Honest reviews will come. It just takes time.


----------



## JamescCamp

All righty, good to know, thanks guys.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Reciprocal reviews can be difficult. If you want to write a review and are so moved, do so - but you should avoid doing it with any expectations or prior deals with the author. It is frowned upon.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I used to do that back in the "old days," but don't leave reviews for books anymore, particularly on Amazon. Not because I don't care to, but it's just become too much of a minefield and I've got plenty of other stress producers...

About 2,800 words today on Forged In Flame. Things are coming along, but it's rather a different way for me to write. I'm sort of writing the book out by thread, then will try to stitch things together later. Ha.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> About 2,800 words today on Forged In Flame. Things are coming along, but it's rather a different way for me to write. I'm sort of writing the book out by thread, then will try to stitch things together later. Ha.


No, no, say it isn't so. That's how Diana Gabaldon messed up the Outlander series.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No, no, say it isn't so. That's how Diana Gabaldon messed up the Outlander series.


p
Really? What happened? I only read the first one...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> p
> Really? What happened? I only read the first one...


She started writing scenes as they occurred to her and when she had enough of them, she put them in some kind of order and stitched them together. The result was disjointed and incoherent.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> She started writing scenes as they occurred to her and when she had enough of them, she put them in some kind of order and stitched them together. The result was disjointed and incoherent.


Ewww! No, that's now what I meant. In most of my books (at least lately!), there are two or three story threads running in parallel, and the viewpoint shifts between them, usually by chapter (sometimes within chapters, but I've tried to get away from rampant "head hopping"). What I'm doing is writing out the primary thread, which is mainly about the central character, of course, then will try writing out the other thread(s) that complement it. But the scenes in each thread are contiguous, so it's not like I'm writing out random bits, then am planning to cram them all together. That would be a total mess! 

Will see how much gets done today. Another lousy night's sleep (I'm obviously not drinking enough wine - LOL!), so we'll see how that goes...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ewww! No, that's now what I meant. In most of my books (at least lately!), there are two or three story threads running in parallel, and the viewpoint shifts between them, usually by chapter (sometimes within chapters, but I've tried to get away from rampant "head hopping"). What I'm doing is writing out the primary thread, which is mainly about the central character, of course, then will try writing out the other thread(s) that complement it. But the scenes in each thread are contiguous, so it's not like I'm writing out random bits, then am planning to cram them all together. That would be a total mess!
> 
> Will see how much gets done today. Another lousy night's sleep (I'm obviously not drinking enough wine - LOL!), so we'll see how that goes...


Okay. I feel better now. I should have trusted you.

The absolute greatest writer of shifting POV is Susan Howatch. Each character gets their own Part in the book but there is really only one story so that wouldn't work for you.

No library for me again today, but I'll be at Pokemon tonight with my trusty netbook. I'm going for 5-6K words per story. If I stick to my writing schedule, I should be able to get one done a week. HAH!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well this month I hit 5 years with books published on the Kindle - *Cutting the Cheese * having been published in Novemebr 18, 2007 (as a wing-ding). It seems like yesterday. I've been on Kindleboards for 3 1/2 years and in that time my books in the Bazaar have been viewed 152,802 times, probably a good source for readership. (AuthorDen fin 4years has only 35,289 views).

Antway, I wrote 2,200 yesterday in a gingerly written chapter (difficult one) with an iconic scene, which I hope will be one that lingers with the reader. I'm still polishing it. just past the 125,000 word mark with Belmundus. I cut and detoured much material so I can perhaps keep it a lean and mean 225,000 page work. This one has more action and speed, and much richer than The Jade Owl. I've tried to engage the reader in every paragraph, and stuff that doesn't engage - jetticoned. I also have two characters that have outpaced any of my children - the protagonist - a wise-cracking screen actor, who at 18 is up and game for most anything, including ultimately saving the world (several worlds, actually) AND a young Cetrone slave (he's really 52 in Farn years, but Farnians mature in 3 years) who goes from subservient to full reliance through his own wit and charm. His name is Yustichisqua and is my favorite creation to date - even surpassing Simone DeFluerry and K'u Ko-ling. But every hero (by the book) needs a side-kicj (every Pickwick needs a Weller, Quixote his Sancho Panza, every Frodo his Sam). This Harris Cartwright has his Yustichisqua. lol

(I've also decided to dedicate the series to the Cherokee nation, who afterall has leant me their history and their language as a basis or Cetronia)

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Randirogue

Oh, the distractions, the distractions...  Some are sparklier than others.

ats growing belly:
:gets kicked in response:

And some are just too cool (and important) to ignore. 

Adjustments and balance will come... eventually.  Gotta keep faith, and positive attitude... and humor.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I was going to work on the new series but the graphic novel drew me in. I'm planning on 60 pages (hear that, Jeff?) and I got 12 done tonight.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I was going to work on the new series but the graphic novel drew me in. I'm planning on 60 pages (hear that, Jeff?) and I got 12 done tonight.


No problem.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No problem.


There are a lot of ghosts and a big old house, maybe Victorian, or whatever you have.

Haven't had a chance to do the second proof of SD. I'm getting the usual error message about 200 dpi. I'm going to proof it in pdf and see how it goes.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> There are a lot of ghosts and a big old house, maybe Victorian, or whatever you have.
> 
> Haven't had a chance to do the second proof of SD. I'm getting the usual error message about 200 dpi. I'm going to proof it in pdf and see how it goes.


It should be fine - unless Create Space messed up the PDF file that I sent to you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> It should be fine - unless Create Space messed up the PDF file that I sent to you.


Fingers crossed they didn't.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Fingers crossed they didn't.


Nyah, nyah, nyah-nyah, nyah. You should have let me publish it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Nyah, nyah, nyah-nyah, nyah. You should have let me publish it.


I would have if I hadn't originally published it under Jobree. Don't worry. You get to do the rest. I'll just write. You do the hard stuff.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1300 words so far today, which puts Forged In Flame up to a bit over 23,000 words so far. I'm actually rather shocked, now that I look at that: about a quarter of the way to 100K words, which seems to be the average for my books. I suspect this one's going to be longer, though! Will try to get in at least another 1,000 today, then plan to (re)start recording the audiobook version of Empire. Hoping to do a chapter a day for that...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> ...then plan to (re)start recording the audiobook version of Empire. Hoping to do a chapter a day for that...


How do you avoid ambient noise? I did a short voice-over for a trailer and it took a half dozen tries.


----------



## Randirogue

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I was going to work on the new series but the graphic novel drew me in. I'm planning on 60 pages (hear that, Jeff?) and I got 12 done tonight.


A graphic novel would be very cool. I can't wait to see how it turns out.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> How do you avoid ambient noise? I did a short voice-over for a trailer and it took a half dozen tries.


The first step is to record in a space that's as sound-proofed as you can reasonably make it. I'll be using a closet with lots of clothes, and hang a blanket over the doors (ours have those see-through slat things). Then you have to keep the mic within several inches of your mouth and adjust the mic volume and input volume (you may only have the input volume depending on your mic). Past that, I use the noise reduction filter in Audacity to clean up the remaining ambient noise as much as possible. It's not nearly as good as being in a studio, of course, but the earlier recordings I did weren't bad.

Speaking of graphic novels, I hope to release an illustrated version of First Contact at some point soon. I'm buying the rights for the illustrations that are being used in the Chinese language version and will include those in a special ebook release...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Randirogue said:


> A graphic novel would be very cool. I can't wait to see how it turns out.


The first one is done. I just have to do the final review and hit the publish button.



Jeff said:


> How do you avoid ambient noise? I did a short voice-over for a trailer and it took a half dozen tries.


I would love for you to do an audio of the Da's Story Time books.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> The first step is to record in a space that's as sound-proofed as you can reasonably make it. I'll be using a closet with lots of clothes, and hang a blanket over the doors (ours have those see-through slat things). Then you have to keep the mic within several inches of your mouth and adjust the mic volume and input volume (you may only have the input volume depending on your mic). Past that, I use the noise reduction filter in Audacity to clean up the remaining ambient noise as much as possible. It's not nearly as good as being in a studio, of course, but the earlier recordings I did weren't bad.


I can't even comment on this. 



> Speaking of graphic novels, I hope to release an illustrated version of First Contact at some point soon. I'm buying the rights for the illustrations that are being used in the Chinese language version and will include those in a special ebook release...


Very cool.

The Chinese agent that contacted me hasn't been able to sell my books. Oh, well.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My Chinesr readers read me cautiously, bwcause of some of scenes set in detention centers and one in a Black Jail in tje last Jade Owl book. My dream of rerurnng to China might be gone because I don't hold back when describing tje conditions.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My Chinesr readers read me cautiously, bwcause of some of scenes set in detention centers and one in a Black Jail in tje last Jade Owl book. My dream of rerurnng to China might be gone because I don't hold back when describing tje conditions.


What's a Black Jail?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sometimes citizens disappear into interovation hidey holes called Black Jails. Unlike detention centers which deal with reeducation, these sometimes make people disappear. China is clandestine but efficient.bfor example - if you're sentence to death you aren'tbkeptbon deathb row. They send a death mobile to your residence for the lethal injection.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Sometimes citizens disappear into interovation hidey holes called Black Jails. Unlike detention centers which deal with reeducation, these sometimes make people disappear. China is clandestine but efficient.bfor example - if you're sentence to death you aren'tbkeptbon deathb row. They send a death mobile to your residence for the lethal injection.


Isn't that thoughtful and considerate?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's very convenient. The truck pulls up to your housing complex - you have a last cup of tea and a bowl of noodles, and then come down to the truck and tey put you out. No pain. Of course, considering the death penalty is rarely dealt out for murder, but more oftne for financial and white collar crimes, the system would be practical here. All those Wall Street Banker would not be on big bonuses, but in the People's Death mobile. In China, excessive parking tickets can bring you a life sentence. But then again, teenagers are selling their kidney's for iPads and iPads (it's a combo deal). When I ws in China (a few decades ago) they had public executions (mostly a simple bullet through the head) and then a public dcisplay of the remains (mandatory). We were shoo'd away from one such queue in the People's Hiustory Museum - and again, the crime wasn't murder, but five party official's sons found guilty of sexual harassment. That would wipe the grim off many a bully boss in this country. This month, the party official's wife found guilty of murder of a British scumbag, is under house arrest, shorn of her position and fined - her husband demoted to dogcatcher or something. The citizen who snithed on her, was found guilty of public nusiance and is waiting for the death mobile. Suh is life in the People's Republic. Ad I don't hold back in the 5 Jade Owl Books - thus I don;t think I'd get past the airport now. I mean, if you tell the truth in China (and any time) it has consequences. Ask the ghost of Pearl S. Buck, who was denied reentry with Nixon in the 70's - and by the presonal administion of Mdam Mao herself, because Miss Buck, who was raised in China and who wrote all her books in Chinese and trasnlated them back to English before publishing them, "didn;t understand the Chinese people, and must never be allowed to return!!!!"

Oh well. At least I got to tour there and I love the people and culture. I'm not just another pretty MA in Sinology. I'm a true China Hand.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Wow, Ed. That's incredible on so many levels.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Those death mobiles sound crazy!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Jeff did a fix on my manuscript and then I tweaked it. Here's what I did:

(this is from a thank you letter I sent him)

After I saw what you did I was able to make some adjustments. I thought the .5 looked too big.

In the end I didn't indent the first paragraphs of any section, and set everything else to .3.

On the Fires that looked perfect, and on the older Kindles they still wanted to put an indent where there wasn't one. Their default is .3, so the first line indent lined up with the rest of them once it inserted it.

I just took off the idents on the chapter headings since they were centered, and that recentered them, and all is well.


----------



## Jeff

I just double checked. The chapter headings weren't indented in the document that I sent you.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I should have been more clear.

Once I saw what you did, I ctrl A'd the entire document and changed it to .3.

Then I went back and cleared up the headings, since I inserted the .3 before them.

Not your fault. Sorry if it appeared that way.

Again, thanks for your help.


----------



## Jeff

You're welcome, Dave. I'll be happy to help you any time in the future, if you promise not to thank me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> You're welcome, Dave. I'll be happy to help you any time in the future, if you promise not to thank me.


LOL!!

Probably won't get much writing in today. My parents are coming in this evening and we've got to get the RV cleaned up (we haven't taken the time to do that since we left the RV park where we were staying and moved into the house). Good luck to everyone else, tho!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL!!
> 
> Probably won't get much writing in today. My parents are coming in this evening and we've got to get the RV cleaned up (we haven't taken the time to do that since we left the RV park where we were staying and moved into the house). Good luck to everyone else, tho!


You've been a little busy.

Should be a good writing day for me. I'll check in later.


----------



## Jeff

Happy birthday, Gertie.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Happy birthday, Gertie.


Thanks, Jeff. I'll be doing some celebratory writing today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Have a wonderful Birthday, Gertie.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Have a wonderful Birthday, Gertie.
> 
> Ed P


Thanks, Ed.

I've decided to ask everyone to do a load of laundry for me instead of a present.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I do luadry once a month - but I also buy a months worth of underwear and socks. Sometimes its less hassle to replace to wahs them.  

Edward C. AntiAlundryQueens


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I do luadry once a month - but I also buy a months worth of underwear and socks. Sometimes its less hassle to replace to wahs them.
> 
> Edward C. AntiAlundryQueens


That would work if all you're wearing is underwear and socks. I don't know how that would work in the winter, though.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have a months worth of veteran shirt. Pant are hard bwcauaw I've lost 70 lbs since March and 8 inches off the waist so I have hard time keeping my pants from falling.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have a months worth of veteran shirt. Pant are hard bwcauaw I've lost 70 lbs since March and 8 inches off the waist so I have hard time keeping my pants from falling.


suspenders AND a belt.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'd love to see Ed dressed like that!

Happy Birthday Gertie!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Happy Birthday!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I'd love to see Ed dressed like that!


Please, don't encourage him.



> Happy Birthday Gertie!


Thanks, Dave.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Actually, I wore suspenders when my belly got so big that the pants wouldnt stay up. For a year I wore suspenders and over them sweater vests. The orange one made me look like the great pumpkin. Then I bought a thing called The Magic Belt. There is such a thing. It's an industrial strength belt that can be looped to any size. It allowed me to get ride of the sweater vests in summer. BUT, it is still my belt of belts. It has adjusted to where it circumnavigates my new periphery almost one and a half times. At work I have announced that when I've lost 100 pounds, I hoped the magic belt went around me twice. Of course, my goal is to fit into my Army Uniform and have pictures taken and post them on my Facebook page. I might need to loose more than 100 for that - the 100 as arbitrary, because I weighed 276 lbs on the doctors scale in March (end of), so I vowed to weigh 176 lb on that same scale by the end of Marchy 2013, just a few days from Social Security benefits (66). However, when I left the army I was 163 lbs, so I might still need to shimmy off a few more to have that photo taken.

Today wrote 3,400 words on an action packed chapter. Not edited yet, but I need to gt my power walk in and also do my Cristmas shopping at the mall. (I do it all in one day - in 2 hours. when you get old, the list gets shorter). The chapter was so exhilerating I couldn;t possibly look at it from an editing point of view yet. I'm still on a high. It was one of those all hell breaks loose chapters - the kind you hope the reader is saying "Yes! Yes!" in a public place, receving the glares of the unfortunates who are not reading.  

Edward C. Patterson (Erkel Eat Your Heart Out)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

The graphic novel is about 20 pages closer to completion after today's writing session. The best part is, the story came together. Because of the direction it's taken, I may eliminate two or three of the beginning pages.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

18 more pages for a total of 66 and the first draft of the new graphic novel is done. This is an original story unlike the first one that was an adaptation of a short story I had previously published.

One section needs to be changed to be more historically accurate and I have to decide whether or not I need to move another section. 

It's 5270 words altogether, so it qualifies as a short story. I'm really enjoying this type of writing and I'll probably do more. 

Jeff, I'll get with you later to discuss the illustrations. I think you already have a lot of the elements. Right now, I have to put on a different hat and get over to the high school.


----------



## Jeff

Send it when you're ready. Peter and the Wolf is nearly finished.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Send it when you're ready. Peter and the Wolf is nearly finished.


I forgot you were working on that. Looking forward to it.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I forgot you were working on that. Looking forward to it.


I did a book in addition to the DVD, because I can't decide if I want a new challenge of trying to market DVDs. I can mail you a copy, if you want. I haven't published the Christmas DVD either.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I did a book in addition to the DVD, because I can't decide if I want a new challenge of trying to market DVDs. I can mail you a copy, if you want. I haven't published the Christmas DVD either.


That would definitely be a challenge but only for the few weeks of the Christmas season.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That would definitely be a challenge but only for the few weeks of the Christmas season.


Peter and the Wolf is a 30 minute video.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Peter and the Wolf is a 30 minute video.


Will Create Space and Amazon allow you to package the DVD and the paperback together?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Will Create Space and Amazon allow you to package the DVD and the paperback together?


No.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No.


Too bad.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

For those who may be interested, here are the pics I took today at the Sarasota Chalk Festival - some really incredible street art! The photos are on Facebook, but hopefully everyone who wants can scope 'em out: http://goo.gl/4yT0b


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> For those who may be interested, here are the pics I took today at the Sarasota Chalk Festival - some really incredible street art! The photos are on Facebook, but hopefully everyone who wants can scope 'em out: http://goo.gl/4yT0b


pretty pictures.....


Spoiler



but you should be writing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> pretty pictures.....
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> but you should be writing.


1300 words today, which isn't too bad with my parents in town.  Forged In Flame now up to 26,500 words, and the next chapter should be done tomorrow. The last chapter had Jan all teary-eyed...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 1300 words today, which isn't too bad with my parents in town.  Forged In Flame now up to 26,500 words, and the next chapter should be done tomorrow. The last chapter had Jan all teary-eyed...


yeah, yeah, blame the parents.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> For those who may be interested, here are the pics I took today at the Sarasota Chalk Festival - some really incredible street art! The photos are on Facebook, but hopefully everyone who wants can scope 'em out: http://goo.gl/4yT0b


Fabulous!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did the first run-through of the new graphic novel. Tightened it up some but it needs more action. I liked what I did with it, but not how I did it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7,500 words yesterday - 3,000 fresh on a new chapter and the balance on a revision of an earlier chapter. Still having fun at 135,000 words.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 7,500 words yesterday - 3,000 fresh on a new chapter and the balance on a revision of an earlier chapter. Still having fun at 135,000 words.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Good work, Ed.

Did the final run-through of the last book in the 12 book series. 20K words.

Now I have to work on the graphic novel to give it more action sequences.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 words today. Still polishing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Did around 2,000 yesterday, which isn't bad considering I have parental units running around the house. Forged In Flame now up to 30,000 words, and a long way yet to go to get to where I want it to end...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Did around 2,000 yesterday, which isn't bad considering I have parental units running around the house. Forged In Flame now up to 30,000 words, and a long way yet to go to get to where I want it to end...


Absolutely looking forward to it.

Must take mother to at least two stores today, so no writing planned. Hopefully, I'll get to the library tomorrow because my regular writing routine on Sunday will be interrupted.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 words today. Still polishing.


I'm feeling puny.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm feeling puny.


Ed's just big...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ed's just big...


be nice. ed's been losing weight.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> be nice. ed's been losing weight.


Big in an authorly way.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> be nice. ed's been losing weight.


Bah. You know I didn't mean it that way. And power to ya, Ed!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Bah. You know I didn't mean it that way. And power to ya, Ed!


if your sentence can be misunderstood, it will be. that's why you give me brownies, to point these things out to you. or maybe you give me brownies just so i'll shut up and go away.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I want right bite Brownies - 100 cals per bag. They"re delicious, although they look like rabbit droppings.


----------



## R. M. Reed

My Christmas horror comedy is on Amazon, enrolled in Select. I've sold two copies on the first day!


----------



## Jeff

R. M. Reed said:


> My Christmas horror comedy is on Amazon, enrolled in Select. I've sold two copies on the first day!


That's good.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

R. M. Reed said:


> My Christmas horror comedy is on Amazon, enrolled in Select. I've sold two copies on the first day!


Lucky! My first book sold three copies in the first month...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Lucky! My first book sold three copies in the first month...


And I'll bet you were totally thrilled with that.

Since everyone around here had known me for months before I pubbed my first novel, a lot of people bought it that first week. Very exciting. Jeff whipped up a lot of interest with his "I've got a secret" thread.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Started the new series this morning. It'll be twelve short stories. I put together all the info I need for the stories and wrote 1676 words on the first one. Good start, I think.

Also got an idea for the series after that.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Started the new series this morning. It'll be twelve short stories. I put together all the info I need for the stories and wrote 1676 words on the first one. Good start, I think.
> 
> Also got an idea for the series after that.


w00t! I got in 1500 words today. Not as many as I'd hoped, but better than nothing!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! I got in 1500 words today. Not as many as I'd hoped, but better than nothing!


A lot better than nothing. Any day you write is a good day.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Over 10,000 words today. 4,000 new, 6,000 revisions. Had no work at work today thanos to the banks being closed yesterday amd no cash ro post today. Tomorrow will be a double work day. BTW the new chapter left me like jelly. If any thing of my work is remembered I pray it will be today's chapter. I just sent it to Peg.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Over 10,000 words today. 4,000 new, 6,000 revisions. Had no work at work today thanos to the banks being closed yesterday amd no cash ro post today. Tomorrow will be a double work day. BTW the new chapter left me like jelly. If any thing of my work is remembered I pray it will be today's chapter. I just sent it to Peg.


I know the feeling. I don't turn to jelly, but I'm know I'm doing well when I'm smiling.


----------



## Thomas Watson

It does feel good when it works and comes together. 

Working through the editing/revision process, and something from the beta readers just "clicked." There's a change to be made that amounts to discovering a box full of Really Cool Stuff that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

Sometimes, this is just flat out _fun!_


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I know the feeling. I don't turn to jelly, but I'm know I'm doing well when I'm smiling.


Well, I turned to jelly. My protagonist is nineteen and indestrutible (and a bit of a loveable wise-ass). In this chapter he comes face to face with his mortality and it's shattering. Now he get's over it (or I wouodn't have a 2,100 page trilogy), but the emotional impact to me as an author was devastating, especially since my writing music last night was Rachmaninoff's _Totenilen _ (The Island of the Dead), on a continuous loop. lol Now my works (all of them) have their emotional moments, and some, lile _Look Away Silence_ even have unemotional moments, but this one got to me. The kid's in a formidible desert. He's wounded (by vampire bunny-rabbits), been saved by a massive Tippagore from dune tyggers (tladuchi) and sand devils (porcorporian), this monstrous desert cow (the size of an apartment house) has breast fed him and he's had a raw dinner. All this and he finds himself totally alone facing the fact that he will die. It's a _Manon Lescaut _ moment, you know - the one where Manon realizes she's going to die in Puccini's fictitous Great American Desert (just outside of New Orleans - gp figure) and belts out her famous _Abandonata _ aria (you know, _non voglio morir_ - I don't want to die - how Susan Hayworth). In the end - I turned to jelly and you could spread me on melba toast. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I turned to jelly. My protagonist is nineteen and indestrutible (and a bit of a loveable wise-*ss). In this chapter he comes face to face with his mortality and it's shattering. Now he get's over it (or I wouodn't have a 2,100 page trilogy), but the emotional impact to me as an author was devastating, especially since my writing music last night was Rachmaninoff's _Totenilen _ (The Island of the Dead), on a continuous loop. lol Now my works (all of them) have their emotional moments, and some, lile _Look Away Silence_ even have unemotional moments, but this one got to me. The kid's in a formidible desert. He's wounded (by vampire bunny-rabbits), been saved by a massive Tippagore from dune tyggers (tladuchi) and sand devils (porcorporian), this monstrous desert cow (the size of an apartment house) has breast fed him and he's had a raw dinner. All this and he finds himself totally alone facing the fact that he will die. It's a _Manon Lescaut _ moment, you know - the one where Manon realizes she's going to die in Puccini's fictitous Great American Desert (just outside of New Orleans - gp figure) and belts out her famous _Abandonata _ aria (you know, _non voglio morir_ - I don't want to die - how Susan Hayworth). In the end - I turned to jelly and you could spread me on melba toast.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I read Manon Lascaut in college. Didn't know about Puccini.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Phenonmenal opera


----------



## Thomas Watson

This certainly made my day...

http://www.amazon.com/Long-Time-Passing-ebook/product-reviews/B009P81O6C/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> This certainly made my day...
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Long-Time-Passing-ebook/product-reviews/B009P81O6C/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1


Congrats! It's great when someone understands our work.

I only had an hour writing time, but I got in 1K words. About halfway through.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 6k


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Great review! 

Put in about 3000 words yesterday + today on Forged In Flame. I need Ed's typing speed!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Great review!
> 
> Put in about 3000 words yesterday + today on Forged In Flame. I need Ed's typing speed!


Did you say January?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Did you say January?


That's not an impossibility, but February (I hope) is probably more realistic. Assuming the cats get their hairy butts off my keyboard and let me write...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That's not an impossibility, but February (I hope) is probably more realistic. Assuming the cats get their hairy butts off my keyboard and let me write...


Cats! Get your hairy butts off that keyboard ... unless you're the ones doing the actual writing. Hmmm.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Funny... I just removed a cat butt from _my_ keyboard. Seems to be a lot of that going on these days.


----------



## telracs

um, wasn't forged supposed to be my December holiday present?

btw, i'm off a week in December, so free proofing time....


----------



## cekilgore

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Cats! Get your hairy butts off that keyboard ... unless you're the ones doing the actual writing. Hmmm.


Perhaps monkeys with typewriters is outdated and we should try a room full of cats with laptops?


----------



## Dave Dykema

Putting my cover together for PHOBIA. Had to buy a font that I used before because we somehow lost it. Oh, well. It didn't cost that much and I want to "brand" my name with a certain look, so it's OK.

Won't be much longer now...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

cekilgore said:


> Perhaps monkeys with typewriters is outdated and we should try a room full of cats with laptops?


Exactly. I think I'll have to borrow GD's cat. He's a big, hairy monster, too.

I'm trying to work on the first story in my new series and I'm stuck. Not stuck in the story, but stuck in the setting. It's the usual girl meets boy, girl hates boy (Astaire and Rogers anyone?), boy wins girl over with dancing, home repairs, tire changing skills, whatever, only in this case, it's NASCAR. Research is getting me nowhere and I can't continue on until I find out about qualifying heats. Anyone?

On a happy note, the last time I sold anything outside of US/UK was October 2011. This morning, I had a sale of my most expensive book and slowest seller in Germany. Yay! I'm guessing it was someone that got a freebie of Ariana's Pride and wanted to read the next one. Happy dance!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Dave Dykema said:


> Putting my cover together for PHOBIA. Had to buy a font that I used before because we somehow lost it. Oh, well. It didn't cost that much and I want to "brand" my name with a certain look, so it's OK.
> 
> Won't be much longer now...


Cool...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> um, wasn't forged supposed to be my December holiday present?
> 
> btw, i'm off a week in December, so free proofing time....


Well, I can send you what I've got by then, but I'm pretty sure the draft won't be done, even by the end of December. It's over 35000 words now, and seems to really be just getting started! There's a looooong way to go before it gets to where I was planning to end the book, and this is probably going to wind up being more than a trilogy (which is good, since I know how much you LOVE trilogies!)... 

Oh, BTW, for anyone who hasn't seen yet, BN has finally opened a Nook store for the UK (http://uk.nook.com). So there's one more channel to get new readers...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Another 1700 words on FIF this morning, but now I think it's time for a nap!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Another 1700 words on FIF this morning, but now I think it's time for a nap!


No writing today and I agree, it's time for a nap. 

Only got about 500 done yesterday because I was stuck on that NASCAR thing. Finally got all the info I need so I was hoping to put in 2K today while GS was sailing. It's too windy so sailing was canceled. Now I have to take Mom shopping.

After shopping, it's naptime, and then I'll see if I can hide away somewhere to write for a couple of hours. Hmm, I feel Panera coming on!


----------



## Quiss

Waaaaaaaaaa!

I just got a two-star review that basically trashed my story for all the things that the five-star reviewers liked it.  

Interestingly, he/she first says that they only got one third through the story and then complained that there was no resolution. WTH??

I'll be over there, weeping into my wine  
It's making me feel mean and want to say "people who read free books shouldn't throw stones at them"


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

7K new on Belmnndus. Just over the 140k mark.


----------



## Jeff

Good on you, Ed.


----------



## T.P. Grish

I wrote a fantasy novel that I spent a lot of time and effort on, and that is the main kind of novel I want to write. I also recently added a light humour/drama short story set in a fictional real world setting, one that I had started years ago.

I have no idea how to market this in an effective way as a new writer, except the usual social media / forums / goodreads kind of thing. I recently shortened the description on my Amazon page for my fantasy novel drastically, to match what successful writers seemed to do. 

In my sig: The fantasy novel is the green one with the combat, the short story the on with the beach.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Quiss said:


> Waaaaaaaaaa!
> 
> I just got a two-star review that basically trashed my story for all the things that the five-star reviewers liked it.
> 
> Interestingly, he/she first says that they only got one third through the story and then complained that there was no resolution. WTH??
> 
> I'll be over there, weeping into my wine
> It's making me feel mean and want to say "people who read free books shouldn't throw stones at them"


At least she said why she didn't like it. Someone could read that review and say, "But that's just what I like in a book."



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 7K new on Belmnndus. Just over the 140k mark.


I think I'm at 700 for the day. But I'm done with the NASCAR stuff and into what I like to write so I should do better now. I have about another 45 minutes to write. Maybe I can do another 500.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Jeff. Today marks my 5th Anniversary as a Kindle author. Cutting the Cheese was published on November 18, 2007. Now 20 books later and I still learn somethng new each day. I feelbeach book is maturer than the last. Still,despite having revised and relaunched the first 5 books, I look back feel each reached that magic point called Publishable. That first book might benefit from lessons learned from book 20, but each rose to its perfume - each blossom to its season. 

Edward C. Patterson
Author


----------



## balaspa

I am just so frustrated.  It is the holidays and the days I do get to spend at home, with my wife, and then write and focus just on writing are my happiest days.  Why, oh why, will the universe not let me write my books and articles and that's it?  Why do I have to waste my time and talent with the damn PR firm I work for.  So tired of it.  So tired of clients and my boss and everything that just distracts me from what I care about - my writing.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

balaspa said:


> I am just so frustrated. It is the holidays and the days I do get to spend at home, with my wife, and then write and focus just on writing are my happiest days. Why, oh why, will the universe not let me write my books and articles and that's it? Why do I have to waste my time and talent with the d*mn PR firm I work for. So tired of it. So tired of clients and my boss and everything that just distracts me from what I care about - my writing.


Your day job is just something you do to pay the bills so you can do what you love at night.

I'm so glad I'm retired.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

balaspa said:


> I am just so frustrated. It is the holidays and the days I do get to spend at home, with my wife, and then write and focus just on writing are my happiest days. Why, oh why, will the universe not let me write my books and articles and that's it? Why do I have to waste my time and talent with the d*mn PR firm I work for. So tired of it. So tired of clients and my boss and everything that just distracts me from what I care about - my writing.


After I published my first book in 2008, I started writing again (hadn't written a word of fiction for nearly 14 years). By 2009, I was probably spending an average of 12 hours a day between my day job (high stress defense department job) and writing. When I started writing Season Of The Harvest in mid- to late 2010 (which I think made seven books at that point), I was putting in about 16 hours a day seven days a week (with odd breaks here and there), making an all-out push and trying to do everything I could to kick it as high as I could. It wasn't an "if this doesn't work, then to heck with it" thing, but I felt that particular book had some real potential and was trying to give it the best shot I could.

In August last year I quit my day job, because the royalties I'd earned between February and August were almost as much as my entire salary for the year as a well-paid government GS-15 to write full-time. Things haven't always been smooth sailing since then (in fact, sales for September through November were near-catastrophic, and I was seriously considering having to go back to work), but I learned a lot and applied it. I still worry about the bottom line from month to month, but more because I learned that you can never count on next month's sales, so you have to plan ahead for things and not let yourself ever get over-extended financially.

You need some talent, patience, determination, and a little luck. Where you live and your lifestyle are going to determine where the financial threshold is, but 50 books a day at $3.99/70% will get you about $50K. That's 1500 books a month, which sounds like a lot (and it is), but it's not an outrageous number. But if you have those four ingredients (not all of which you can control, unfortunately), you can make it - if you stick with it long enough.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You need some talent, patience, determination, and a little luck. Where you live and your lifestyle are going to determine where the financial threshold is, but 50 books a day at $3.99/70% will get you about $50K. That's 1500 books a month, which sounds like a lot (and it is), but it's not an outrageous number. But if you have those four ingredients (not all of which you can control, unfortunately), you can make it - if you stick with it long enough.


So true. Even though you can't control the luck, without the first three, the luck won't do much good. Suppose you quit just when your luck was about to turn? That's why patience and determination are so important.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> So true. Even though you can't control the luck, without the first three, the luck won't do much good. Suppose you quit just when your luck was about to turn? That's why patience and determination are so important.


Chance favors the prepared mind, and the well-written book.

Hang in there, man. It's hard, sure enough. But it's worth it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I was hoping to get a lot of work done since the schools are closed all this week. I usually only get in two hours at the library in the morning and then go to the high school to help out in the office. That should give me a lot of extra time, right? Wrong! I was very busy with the kids all yesterday and looks like another busy day with them today. I'm not even going to try for the rest of the week.

Hope the rest of you are doing better than that.


----------



## Jeff

Drat. I can't think of anything to whine about.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Drat. I can't think of anything to whine about.


I'll loan you some of mine. I have plenty.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'll loan you some of mine. I have plenty.


Nothing truly bad, I hope.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Nothing truly bad, I hope.


Nah, just the usual.

Just looked at the covers for _Giving up the Ghosts_. Jeff, you are a cover genius!!!!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just looked at the covers for _Giving up the Ghosts_. Jeff, you are a cover genius!!!!


Glad you like it. I put it on your web site so you could use it in your promotions:


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Nice!!

Got something like 1500 words done on Forged In Flame this morning and finished a long chapter. The next one will be a rather unpleasant journey into the Great Wastelands, with bad guys and nasty critters in pursuit...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 4k new and 6k revised. Slowed down for the lyrical poetry (which I know Gerties loves   ) I can't help it. My leading cultural group (The Cetrone) are very musical.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Another 4k new and 6k revised. Slowed down for the lyrical poetry (which I know Gerties loves  ) I can't help it. My leading cultural group (The Cetrone) are very musical.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I'm such a Philistine!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm giving up writing ... for the next two weeks or whenever I get my to-do list done. I'll be doing some writing related things, but I'm doing some renovations in my kitchen and bathrooms and I have to get ready for that. I want to work on getting narrators for a couple of audiobooks (fingers crossed). I have a new book to be released next month (just waiting on my editor). The cover is ready to go (thanks, Jeff) and I need to get busy writing a blurb and tweets.

So, much to do and I want to get it done so I can concentrate on the next series.


----------



## Thomas Watson

I'll be starting a new job next week, after a year of being free to write all day long. (Read: unemployment.)

Talk about a good news, bad news sort of thing.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> I'll be starting a new job next week, after a year of being free to write all day long. (Read: unemployment.)
> 
> Talk about a good news, bad news sort of thing.


Um ... Congratulations ... I think?

Jobs are good, right? Good luck with it.


----------



## Thomas Watson

It'll be just enough money to keep things right side up, but not enough to do anything about improving cover art. 

But it's 30 hours a week, so there's still some writing time available.

It's also an administrative type position with the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. Being a star gazer, this has a certain appeal.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> It'll be just enough money to keep things right side up, but not enough to do anything about improving cover art.
> 
> But it's 30 hours a week, so there's still some writing time available.
> 
> It's also an administrative type position with the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. Being a star gazer, this has a certain appeal.


Hey, beats 30 hrs at McD's!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> It'll be just enough money to keep things right side up, but not enough to do anything about improving cover art.
> 
> But it's 30 hours a week, so there's still some writing time available.
> 
> It's also an administrative type position with the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. Being a star gazer, this has a certain appeal.


I like your middle cover a lot. The one on the right isn't bad. The black with the white lettering doesn't work for me, although I use that, too. There isn't enough black in the graphic to easily make the transition. It might work better as a full, black frame. I do like the graphic. The one on the left isn't bad either. It looks like non-fiction, but other than that, it works.

I'm going to Panera later to read some high school student's work. These two kids are really talented and I want to encourage them. As I told them, Christopher Paolini was only 15 when he wrote the first book in the Eragon Trilogy.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, beats 30 hrs at McD's!


Oh, yes!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I like your middle cover a lot. The one on the right isn't bad. The black with the white lettering doesn't work for me, although I use that, too. There isn't enough black in the graphic to easily make the transition. It might work better as a full, black frame. I do like the graphic. The one on the left isn't bad either. It looks like non-fiction, but other than that, it works.


Thanks. Most people seem to like the cover on Luck of Han'anga, which has been something of a confidence builder. The short story originally had black frame. Looks like second guessing that bit wasn't my best move. As for Mr. Olcott's Skies, it _should_ look like non-fiction. It's a memoir.  The cover is a sort of tribute to the book by William Tyler Olcott that turned me into a serious star gazer.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> As for Mr. Olcott's Skies, it _should_ look like non-fiction. It's a memoir.  The cover is a sort of tribute to the book by William Tyler Olcott that turned me into a serious star gazer.


Then it does what it's supposed to do and doesn't need improvement.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

With Thanksgiving under my belt (literally), finished my long languishing nature chapter at 3,250 words. I see the light. Only about 60,000 more words to go for this book, I anticipate. What's really nice is that I have 1/4 of it revised on the front end and edited - so when the tail (tale) wraps up, all I need do is it run it throught Peg and Serenity and Katie the Kindlesprecher and I can get it up into reader's hands - hopefully mid January. The fly in the ointment this time out is 2 maps and a glossary (plus a list of Characters). I already experimented with the glossary on Kindle formats using a Word table (with the boundaries surpressed), and it came out pretty good. But I think I want to also include a pronounciation guide and derivation abbrevs., something like CET for Cetrone, GRT for Gurt, AYE- for Ayelli, Zec- for Zecronisian and YUN - for Yunocker, the main languages of the fantasy. Unlike the Chinese words in many of my books, where I bastardize pin-yin with Wade-Giles so the average reader can more easily pronounce the names and words, in this case it's important the pronounciation is near to how I've crafted the word so the musicality of the prose isn't lost. It supports the story entire. Most of the harder words are based on Tsa-la-gi (Cherokee) and contain (if anyone seeks and finds) keynote meanings - for example the Yunockers (who are a militant ruling class) are derived from the Cherokee word Unakas, which means White People (a term still used in Oklahoma freely). And the dominant race - The Ayelli, comes from the word To Be at the Center. I might fail at creating an organic language for these realms of Farn, but at last I've nobly tried. Tolkien said that a thing doesn't exist until it's named - then "it comes to life in radiant glory." Now this is from the man who created a culture by putting Vikings on horseback, and smashing together Roman and Egyptian culture to create Gondor. Now I, like all fantasists, only can walk in his shadow, but I also mean to follow his example.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I love it, Ed. I'm getting to read this book right here.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

$2.99 please. Lol

BTW, hit a milestone this morning with 18,000 books in circulation. I published the sales and royalty figures on the board in the Count-down thread.

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> $2.99 please. Lol
> 
> BTW, hit a milestone this morning with 18,000 books in circulation. I published the sales and royalty figures on the board in the Count-down thread.
> 
> Ed


Congratulations!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Someone refresh my memory. What, if anything, does having people "like" your book on Amazon accomplish? (Someone just asked, and for some reason I'm drawing a blank.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Someone refresh my memory. What, if anything, does having people "like" your book on Amazon accomplish? (Someone just asked, and for some reason I'm drawing a blank.)


One thing that I know of is that if they "like" your book, Amazon will send out emails suggesting similar books.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, hit a milestone this morning with 18,000 books in circulation.


Good for you, Ed.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> One thing that I know of is that if they "like" your book, Amazon will send out emails suggesting similar books.


Not a bad thing, but perhaps not as big a deal as an acquaintance was making of it this morning. Thanks.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, hit a milestone this morning with 18,000 books in circulation. I published the sales and royalty figures on the board in the Count-down thread.
> 
> Ed


Very nice! Congrats!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats, Ed! 

Hit my own milestone today - back up to 4 miles running (although we took a quick potty break, but added another half mile in penance), trying to get back in shape for the Disney half marathon in January. Forged In Flame is just shy of 45,000 words. Going to work on that some today, too, 'cause this is the last day for the week that I'm likely to get much done: we've got a guest coming in tomorrow and a pile of contractors in to remodel the kitchen, lay wood flooring in the bedrooms, and put new tile in one of the guest bathrooms. Oy!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats, Ed!
> 
> Hit my own milestone today - back up to 4 miles running (although we took a quick potty break, but added another half mile in penance), trying to get back in shape for the Disney half marathon in January. Forged In Flame is just shy of 45,000 words. Going to work on that some today, too, 'cause this is the last day for the week that I'm likely to get much done: we've got a guest coming in tomorrow and a pile of contractors in to remodel the kitchen, lay wood flooring in the bedrooms, and put new tile in one of the guest bathrooms. Oy!


Better keep working so you can pay for that remodel!

I was going to take another week off, but I don't think I'm going to make it. My fingers are getting itchy. I still have a lot of reading to do, but I think I'll go to the library tomorrow morning and relax with the reading and then get writing when I finish.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm doing a final edit before I upload. I've found eight mistakes/typos/words I want to change so far.

Ugh.

You always think you're done, and then, no.

_Phobia_ will be up soon though.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Remind me to NEVER do another "Replace all." Good grief, I keep finding areas that that function missed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> Remind me to NEVER do another "Replace all." Good grief, I keep finding areas that that function missed.


and sometimes it replaces parts of words which is even weirder.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave Dykema said:


> Remind me to NEVER do another "Replace all." Good grief, I keep finding areas that that function missed.


Consider yourself reminded. I only do a replace one at a time or replace all with strange names or punctuation (the printer's quotes for the other thingies, when I copy and paste into NaturalSpeaking so it can read back correctly).

Only 3,507 words today. Had to battle with an Australian slang dictionary (learned a lot of expressions that will curl your hair ) and then went to see Lincoln for the third time. It ends the same each time - the same body in the same bed, and me with the same bloody handkerchief. sniff, sniff. Despite that, I didn;t cry when the boat went down in Titanic. I told the person sitting next me that Lincoln dies in the end. She said, "You spoiled it," he he he. Then I said, "Yes, he hits the iceberg and sinks."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

On my other two books I didn't do the REPLACE ALL and tediously removed each Tab as I went along. I should have done it that way again, because it really only took about 45 minutes before to take them all out.

Plus it gives you another run through as you go down the manuscript, stopping at each paragraph to remove the tab. You tend to find a misspelled word (that is still a word, like "form" and "from") here and there that way.

Ed, I love your idea of reading it on different formats too. When I read it on a Kindle, something about the different font or the new device makes you spot things that were missed the other times.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Much as I want to get back to writing, my back has other ideas. I plan on spending the rest of the day in bed. Maybe I'll take Ginny the netbook with me. If I can get comfortable enough, I might be able to knock out a few pages.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Dave Dykema said:


> On my other two books I didn't do the REPLACE ALL and tediously removed each Tab as I went along. I should have done it that way again, because it really only took about 45 minutes before to take them all out.
> 
> Plus it gives you another run through as you go down the manuscript, stopping at each paragraph to remove the tab. You tend to find a misspelled word (that is still a word, like "form" and "from") here and there that way.
> 
> Ed, I love your idea of reading it on different formats too. When I read it on a Kindle, something about the different font or the new device makes you spot things that were missed the other times.


I also use, beside Peg and SerenityEdit software, NaturalSpeaking - a read back program (free, except for the more human voices, which I did purchase). You wouldn;t believe what the speaking program finds/ Then I also use text-to-speech on the Kindle (at the very last read trhough) to find those boo-boos and artifacts remaining. The biggest problem with proofing is, when you revise you create (100% of the time) more erros (failed adaptation of number, article changes, agreement in gender and a bunch of things, which I call artifacts). Once you revise, you can never rely on previous proofing as sure.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Here's an interesting piece for Mike Hicks or anyone that's been reading his most recent books,

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57505149/modern-wheat-a-perfect-chronic-poison-doctor-says/


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Here's an interesting piece for Mike Hicks or anyone that's been reading his most recent books,
> 
> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57505149/modern-wheat-a-perfect-chronic-poison-doctor-says/


Yes, I believe it's absolutely true. And the article doesn't even address the double-whammy of genetic alterations done since the 90s to wheat and other key food crops that has added genes from bacteria and other sources that do things like have the plants secrete natural insecticide, etc., that we in turn eat.

But yeah, wheat is a major source of low-level allergies and systemic inflammation. I'm convinced that the nasal congestion and "sinus infections" that I've had are due to wheat. I've been trying to cut it out of my diet, but it's really tough: eliminating wheat and corn (the latter more for the GMO issues) wipes out about 90% of the prepared foods in the store, and it's been a bugger trying to get into the swing of not eating all that crap and only eating "good" foods. It's also more expensive, because the government subsidizes the growing of the crap foods and makes it very expensive for growers to be certified as organic (and doesn't subsidize them at all in most cases). Oy...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Here's an interesting piece for Mike Hicks or anyone that's been reading his most recent books,
> 
> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57505149/modern-wheat-a-perfect-chronic-poison-doctor-says/


Scary! You know, it took me a year to go back to eating corn after reading Season of the Harvest.

The problem is, you can avoid bread, but there's wheat in a lot of products.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Scary! You know, it took me a year to go back to eating corn after reading Season of the Harvest.
> 
> The problem is, you can avoid bread, but there's wheat in a lot of products.


Well, avoiding corn isn't so easy, either - pick up any random food product from rolls to ketchup in the grocery store. Nine times out of ten they'll contain corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup (which is truly the worst of all worlds!). It's a lot harder to avoid than wheat. And yes, I think a lot of the "bad" stuff that comes with the GMO ickiness follows through to the processed byproducts. I don't have clinical evidence at hand to prove it, but it's a very strong suspicion...


----------



## geoffthomas

Yeah and now soy is becoming the universal crop.
Many butter/margarine substitutes used to be based upon corn oil but are now using soy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Got back to writing last night. Major interruptions but I still managed 1200 words. It felt good to get back on track.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,900 yesterday. Nothing today. Closing the month at work today. I'm one pooped accountant. Lol


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I think I did about 500 so far today, and plan to do another 1000 plus tonight to wrap up this chapter. It's taken me longer than usual because I wasn't quite sure which way the plot was going to go. But after enough wine and chocolate, the muse pointed out the way... 

Oh, and the weather here in Sarasota is brutal. We're sitting here with the pocket doors open to the lanai (6 PM), going to eat dinner outside. Still in shorts and t-shirts!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think I did about 500 so far today, and plan to do another 1000 plus tonight to wrap up this chapter. It's taken me longer than usual because I wasn't quite sure which way the plot was going to go. But after enough wine and chocolate, the muse pointed out the way...


Or was that chocolate wine?



> Oh, and the weather here in Sarasota is brutal. We're sitting here with the pocket doors open to the lanai (6 PM), going to eat dinner outside. Still in shorts and t-shirts!


It's a tough life, but somebody has to live it! Enjoy!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I edited the day befores 3,900 and ran it by Peg, and blocked the next chapter (you knw, acted out the dialogue - send in the mne with the white coats. Make sure they're good looking, thought). I'll get a good whack tomorrow, because there's no good movies playing and I already saw Lincoln 3 times. (Life of Pi disappointed me). The Nobbit (got my ticket already) is coming and the day after that a Live at the Met performance of Aida. I did fill in some time tonight watching Gounod's Faust, and discovered a new composer (not new, he's been dead as long as I've been alive), names Ture Rangstrum. I listened to his 4th Symphony and was enthralled. I need to add him to my Swedish composer collection (along with Alfven, Atterberg, Rosenberg and Langgard).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Wansit

I changed my blurb and added a category to my title last night - thanks to KB. Overnight I rose 100,000 rankings. That might be only 2-3 sales but that's more than I had previously.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

My evil living must have caught up with me last night - spent the evening curled into a ball on the bed with cramps, which finally subsided. Ugh. But at least I finished the next chapter of Forged In Flame before whatever it was attacked!



Wansit said:


> I changed my blurb and added a category to my title last night - thanks to KB. Overnight I rose 100,000 rankings. That might be only 2-3 sales but that's more than I had previously.


Coolness! It takes time. I sold three books my first month. 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Or was that chocolate wine?


Would that it were - the best of both worlds! But the kind we like is ridiculously expensive, around $30 for one of those little bottles (maybe 250ml). Oy.



> It's a tough life, but somebody has to live it! Enjoy!


Darn right!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,900 yesterday. Nothing today. Closing the month at work today. I'm one pooped accountant. Lol


Stop over-achieving, Ed!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I edited the day befores 3,900 and ran it by Peg, and blocked the next chapter (you knw, acted out the dialogue - send in the mne with the white coats. Make sure they're good looking, thought). I'll get a good whack tomorrow, because there's no good movies playing and I already saw Lincoln 3 times. (Life of Pi disappointed me). The Nobbit (got my ticket already) is coming and the day after that a Live at the Met performance of Aida. I did fill in some time tonight watching Gounod's Faust, and discovered a new composer (not new, he's been dead as long as I've been alive), names Ture Rangstrum. I listened to his 4th Symphony and was enthralled. I need to add him to my Swedish composer collection (along with Alfven, Atterberg, Rosenberg and Langgard).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Let me know about The Hobbitt. I cried at the previews last summer.

Mike, hope you're feeling better.



Wansit said:


> I changed my blurb and added a category to my title last night - thanks to KB. Overnight I rose 100,000 rankings. That might be only 2-3 sales but that's more than I had previously.


Those things can really make a difference. Good luck.

All my sales for November and December disappeared yesterday for hours. Not that I had much for December, but it was my first borrow from the UK and I hated to see it go. They're back this morning, thank goodness.

I hope to get back to work tomorrow morning.


----------



## Thomas Watson

One week into a new job, and still keeping a good pace with the revisions for Founders' Effect. Life hasn't been without it's bumps, though. Thursday a dear friend ended up in the hospitol with an irregular heartbeat, and now we have a sickly cat. The last couple of days have not been productive, as far as writing goes.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> One week into a new job, and still keeping a good pace with the revisions for Founders' Effect. Life hasn't been without it's bumps, though. Thursday a dear friend ended up in the hospitol with an irregular heartbeat, and now we have a sickly cat. The last couple of days have not been productive, as far as writing goes.


Glad to see you're keeping up.

I'm getting back to work today, if I can ever get back to sleep.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I need some help. When I published PHOBIA a few weeks ago, I added its cover link to my signature. It was taller than the other books, so tonight I tried to resize it.

The original art on the first two is 356x500. The dimensions on PHOBIA are 600x900 because those are the new guidelines. I tried many times to get it over, but keep doing something wrong. When I've gotten PHOBIA's picture to appear, it's even bigger than before.

What am I doing wrong? I haven't had to do this for three years and I don't remember.


----------



## Jeff

Dave Dykema said:


> I need some help. When I published PHOBIA a few weeks ago, I added its cover link to my signature. It was taller than the other books, so tonight I tried to resize it.
> 
> The original art on the first two is 356x500. The dimensions on PHOBIA are 600x900 because those are the new guidelines. I tried many times to get it over, but keep doing something wrong. When I've gotten PHOBIA's picture to appear, it's even bigger than before.
> 
> What am I doing wrong? I haven't had to do this for three years and I don't remember.


Dave, the two other images are 119 X 159. Phobia is 66 X 99. If you'll email the original to me I'll size it to match the others and mail it back to you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thank goodness for Pokemon. I got 700 words done, which doesn't sound like much but is better than the nothing I have been doing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1600 words so far today. Did about 5000 yesterday between two blog posts and most of a chapter of Forged in Flame, so I'm not pushing my wrists too much today. Might have to use Dragon Dictate for a couple days!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 1600 words so far today. Did about 5000 yesterday between two blog posts and most of a chapter of Forged in Flame, so I'm not pushing my wrists too much today. Might have to use Dragon Dictate for a couple days!


We appreciate that you are saving your wrists from annihilation.

I expect to do some writing over the weekend.


----------



## Dave Dykema

Jeff, as you'll see from my sig I got everything worked out finally. Thanks for the help.


----------



## Jeff

Looks good, Dave.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 2.6k yesterday. In NJ this without computer, so at a lull. But I create during the drive there and back.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1700 good words today which advanced the story to the point that I can see how it's going to end. That's a great feeling.


----------



## Jeff

2000 words and 21 pictures for _Guinevere and Arthur_. I'm guessing that the finished book will have 2,000 pictures and 300,000 words so I may split it into volumes.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> 2000 words and 21 pictures for _Guinevere and Arthur_. I'm guessing that the finished book will have 2,000 pictures and 300,000 words so I may split it into volumes.


Goodness! I had no idea! Are you having way too much fun again?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Argghhh! My laptop died! The critical stuff is backd up, but my workflow and twitter promo stuff is hosed at least until Monday when I get to the Apple Store...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Argghhh! My laptop died! The critical stuff is backd up, but my workflow and twitter promo stuff is hosed at least until Monday when I get to the Apple Store...


I feel your pain!


----------



## Doctor Barbara

You all are inspiring me.  Way to go with all these daily word counts!  

Thomas, life has such a way of interfering with an author's work - sometimes for days and sometimes for a few months!  ("Thursday a dear friend ended up in the hospitol with an irregular heartbeat, and now we have a sickly cat. The last couple of days have not been productive, as far as writing goes.")


----------



## Thomas Watson

Doctor Barbara said:


> You all are inspiring me. Way to go with all these daily word counts!
> 
> Thomas, life has such a way of interfering with an author's work - sometimes for days and sometimes for a few months! ("Thursday a dear friend ended up in the hospitol with an irregular heartbeat, and now we have a sickly cat. The last couple of days have not been productive, as far as writing goes.")


Sometimes you just have to hang on tighter.

The cat is on the mend (and we're hoping it's permanent this time) and my friend's situation is stable - even if she now needs to take nitro. We each of us have had other friends recently and suddenly die from heart attacks, so her episode frankly scared the hell out of all of us. One of those things that makes you hang on a bit tighter to the people you love.

In the calm that followed, I've managed - as of last night - to finish the major revisions on Founders' Effect. It looks like I'll make my New Year's Day goal after all.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> It looks like I'll make my New Year's Day goal after all.


Hooray!

King Arthur gained 2,000 words last night and this morning. I lost count of the new images, but I don't suppose that matters anyway.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Hooray!
> 
> King Arthur gained 2,000 words last night and this morning. I lost count of the new images, but I don't suppose that matters anyway.


Where are you getting all this energy from? Congrats!



Thomas Watson said:


> Sometimes you just have to hang on tighter.
> 
> The cat is on the mend (and we're hoping it's permanent this time) and my friend's situation is stable - even if she now needs to take nitro. We each of us have had other friends recently and suddenly die from heart attacks, so her episode frankly scared the hell out of all of us. One of those things that makes you hang on a bit tighter to the people you love.
> 
> In the calm that followed, I've managed - as of last night - to finish the major revisions on Founders' Effect. It looks like I'll make my New Year's Day goal after all.


Sometimes you have to grab what tiny islands of calm you can find to get things done.


----------



## Doctor Barbara

Thomas, if you reach your goal, that is fantastic!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1300 words today. Should have been more but it's better than nothing.

Tomorrow, I'll be taking my car in for an oil change and that's going to give me time to work while I wait.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3.2 k today. Reached 175k for Belmundus and still rockng forward.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Pubbed my new book yesterday. Remember that 12 book series I've been talking about? The first one is finally out.

_Twelve Months of Romance - January_



I hope the next 12 book series doesn't take me as long to write. I only did 500 words on it today.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Congratulation!

The best of intentions often fail to increase word counts. Speaking from long experience, here!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Congratulation!
> 
> The best of intentions often fail to increase word counts. Speaking from long experience, here!


Don't I know it!

877 more words on the wip, helped along by a blueberry scone. Will work for food.

GS won't be sailing tomorrow (bad cough), so no excuse to find a cozy nook to write in while I'm waiting for him. Guess it's back to the blueberry scones.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No writing (or blueberry scones!) for me yet today, although I plan to finish the next chapter of Forged In Flame later. Still recovering data for my laptop. I think I'll name it Humpty-Dumpty!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No writing (or blueberry scones!) for me yet today, although I plan to finish the next chapter of Forged In Flame later. Still recovering data for my laptop. I think I'll name it Humpty-Dumpty!!


Hope you can put Humpty together again.

None of the libraries in my area are open on the weekend. Well, one is, but I hate to drive for half an hour to get there. I can usually go to Panera or McD's on Sat or Sun, but with the hordes of shoppers packing every store and restaurant, that's impossible. I have to go to Panera to drop off my Angel gifts tomorrow so I'll see how busy they are. Maybe I can get in an hour before I'm squeezed out.


----------



## Quiss

Someone hold my hand, please.

Got a two-star review that really knocked me off the high I was flying with all the fivers I've been getting.

The review isn't really on point - she made an assumption about the characters that isn't even part of the story and then she berated me for exactly the thing that others have praised the book for. Her other reviews make her appear as someone how doesn't enjoy very much in life, but it still stings.

Plus it messes up my star rating!  
The worst part is that I obsessed over it and didn't even feel like writing yesterday!  Someone slap me upside the head.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only editing my last 3,7 k bwcause I went to seé The Hobbit last night and today I have ticket for Aida live from the Met.


----------



## Iren

Quiss said:


> Someone hold my hand, please.
> 
> Got a two-star review that really knocked me off the high I was flying with all the fivers I've been getting.


Quiss,
I can imagine how upsetting it can be, but all of us know that sooner or later we shall be getting a low rating. I am sure you knew that, too. I can say that it shouldn't upset you much, but I know it won't help. It's just a feeling that needs some time to go away.
I recently noticed someone had given me 1-star review on goodreads, and it upset me a lot. One day later I'm not thinking of it anymore. Moreover, I think I might stop looking at the reviews I receive, because I've ceased to believe in the reviewers' honesty.

From my experience I can say that tomorrow you won't be thinking of that bad review anymore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Quiss said:


> Someone hold my hand, please.
> 
> Got a two-star review that really knocked me off the high I was flying with all the fivers I've been getting.
> 
> The review isn't really on point - she made an assumption about the characters that isn't even part of the story and then she berated me for exactly the thing that others have praised the book for. Her other reviews make her appear as someone how doesn't enjoy very much in life, but it still stings.
> 
> Plus it messes up my star rating!
> The worst part is that I obsessed over it and didn't even feel like writing yesterday! Someone slap me upside the head.












It's a _confirmation _of the things everyone else loved. And now you've gotten that bad review out of the way so you don't have to worry about getting one anymore.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Quiss said:


> The worst part is that I obsessed over it and didn't even feel like writing yesterday! Someone slap me upside the head.


I'd whack ya, but I know the feeling too well. My second review for Mr. Olcott's Skies (second ever review for _anything_ ) was a one star.

Really sucked the excitement out of that first book ... for a while.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had a very good writing day. Only 1900 words, but they really advanced the story. Hoping for another 2500 words at least. I'm shooting for completion by the end of the week.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I got the first two reviews for "Twas the Night" in one day, and they're both five star!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. M. Reed said:


> I got the first two reviews for "Twas the Night" in one day, and they're both five star!


YAY!


----------



## Thomas Watson

R. M. Reed said:


> I got the first two reviews for "Twas the Night" in one day, and they're both five star!


Right on!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

R. M. Reed said:


> I got the first two reviews for "Twas the Night" in one day, and they're both five star!


w00t! 

Got the cover for Forged In Flame done. The text is at 70,000 words and still has a long way to go. Hoping I can finish it up on schedule, or at least close (by February). The characters are just all over the place...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t!
> 
> Got the cover for Forged In Flame done. The text is at 70,000 words and still has a long way to go. Hoping I can finish it up on schedule, or at least close (by February). The characters are just all over the place...


nice cover..... and i'll be nice and only say that....

but gertie, may i have some of the chocolate?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

tipsy telstar said:


> nice cover..... and i'll be nice and only say that....
> 
> but gertie, may i have some of the chocolate?


Hey, blame it on my muse! 

I'll take some chocolate, too, Gertie, while you're making handouts. That might help speed up the process...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t!
> 
> Got the cover for Forged In Flame done. The text is at 70,000 words and still has a long way to go. Hoping I can finish it up on schedule, or at least close (by February). The characters are just all over the place...


Great cover. 
Ed


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thanks, Ed! Lots of blue girls in this one...and blue guys, too!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, Ed! Lots of blue girls in this one...and blue guys, too!


Are the blue guys still a bunch of wimps?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Are the blue guys still a bunch of wimps?


No, these guys are serious butt-whoopers...!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No, these guys are serious butt-whoopers...!


The male gender's just about eclipsed in reality so I'm very relieved to hear that it has a chance in science fiction.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Do the blue guys wear green jockstraps? Miss chatty wants to know.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

That chocolate was for Quiss, but ...



tipsy telstar said:


> nice cover..... and i'll be nice and only say that....
> 
> but gertie, may i have some of the chocolate?


Here's yours.












Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, blame it on my muse!
> 
> I'll take some chocolate, too, Gertie, while you're making handouts. That might help speed up the process...


And yours.










But maybe you need some of these.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

It took just 500 words to wind up the wip which gave me plenty of time to run through it. Didn't have to edit much but I'll give it another run through just to make sure. 

New plan. Even though I'm not releasing this one right away, I'm doing the blurb and the tag lines now. I'm going nuts writing blurbs for stuff I wrote six months ago.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I think everything's better in fiction... 

Could really use the chocolate and batteries - we did a Les Mills Body Combat workout yesterday and a Pump workout today. Jan and I can barely move. Tomorrow's an off-day that we'll use as an excuse to go out and gorge ourselves for lunch!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did 1K on the new wip yesterday and liked what I did. Unfortunately, I don't think the premise is sustainable for a whole story. 

Solution? Put fingers to keyboard this morning and see where they take me.


----------



## Jeff

Good luck, Gertie. I envy those of you who write "freestyle" without an outline. It must be like reading.

_Guinevere and Arthur_ is now 10,454 words and 92 illustrations. Every morning I tell myself that it's a colossal waste of time and money that no one will ever buy, and then I add another two or three pictures and another thousand or so words. Go figure.


----------



## Carry Lada

My goal is to finish my two short stories: 
"What does the early worm get?"
and 
"Multicolored Boogs"
and publish them on Amazon by the 30th just in time for the Christmas week.

Currently I have a loose draft of each and need to tighten up and polish. Working on my descriptions mostly. 87% of the dialogue is complete.
My covers and descriptions are done.

The next two days I am locking myself in my office.

If you see me on KB and my stories are not published, then please tell me to get back to writing.  

Happy Holidays!


----------



## edmjill

I have a few short stories that I would really like to finish over the holidays.  I'm fairly new to doing short stories, but they feel like more fun to me than a full-fledged novel.  

Goal: to finish three stories (no titles yet) by Dec. 31st.  All three are related to crime fiction, with a dollop of paranormal.


----------



## Cherise

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I think my first pay out from Mobipocket will be in 2012, the day before the Maya calendar runs out.


Did it come through yesterday?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Good luck, Gertie. I envy those of you who write "freestyle" without an outline. It must be like reading.


it's more like daydreaming on a computer screen. Now that I think about it, it's sort of like a movie unrolling in my head. I think I spent so many years typing from dictation that it's easy to flow words from my head to my fingers. I never really thought about it before, but I think that's my process.



> _Guinevere and Arthur_ is now 10,454 words and 92 illustrations. Every morning I tell myself that it's a colossal waste of time and money that no one will ever buy, and then I add another two or three pictures and another thousand or so words. Go figure.


Have fun with it. That's what's important. Sales are a bonus.



edmjill said:


> I have a few short stories that I would really like to finish over the holidays. I'm fairly new to doing short stories, but they feel like more fun to me than a full-fledged novel.
> 
> Goal: to finish three stories (no titles yet) by Dec. 31st. All three are related to crime fiction, with a dollop of paranormal.


I agree. My best length is 10-15K and it comes easily. The grind of 100K intimidates me anymore. But I do have one more 100K historical to write. It's started and I fully intend to finish it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Have 6 days off (in day 3) and haven;t done much, because I bought a Kindle Fire HD  4G and set up wifi in the my place and with a gatrillion books to download and setting up to play 400 Classical albums and watching videos I've been distracted. I do need to crack down today and finish the current chapter and editing on 2 more. I am also reaching the end of the sales streak (1,348 days with at least one sale somewhere), because it's getting harder to even get that. It hasn't ended-ended, but I 'm anticipating it as I've cut down on promotion by about 40% in the last month. So I figure I've got 18,200 books in readers hands and with Belmundus I'll reset the enterprise given the new Mark Coker predictions for eBooks (he's got 21 and I believe him before I believe Konrath). So I raised all my prices at Smashwords (except the novellas , non-fiction and poetry) to $2.99 nd now await the price to roll through Nook, iPad, Sony and Kobo - and once that happens I'll effect the changes on Amazon. I'll still promote, but the old ways are fading. I might even update a cover of three. But my main concentration wil be finishing and getting Belmundus is reader's hands - then the next two (and last books of The Southern Swallow) and then the 2 remaining books of Belmundus (and also my laggging Pacific War Poetry work, which I owe to the Greatest Generation). There's a freight train of new ideas moving in also, but I'm holding them back until after 2014 as best as I can.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1200 words yesterday and finished the set up. I think I know where I'm going now. I just don't know when I'm going to be able to get back to it. Maybe Wednesday.


----------



## Carry Lada

In spite of goofing around on KB, I finished and published "What does the early worm get?"

I am currently working on finishing "Multicolored Boogs" tonight.

I am very optimistic.

This is a great thread. I feel that it has given me a boost of accountability to finish.

Hope you are having a productive day.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Carry Lada said:


> In spite of goofing around on KB, I finished and published "What does the early worm get?"
> 
> I am currently working on finishing "Multicolored Boogs" tonight.
> 
> I am very optimistic.
> 
> This is a great thread. I feel that it has given me a boost of accountability to finish.
> 
> Hope you are having a productive day.


Yeah, we're here to guilt each other into writing and it works.


----------



## Carry Lada

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yeah, we're here to guilt each other into writing and it works.


Ha!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yeah, we're here to guilt each other into writing and it works.


Oh, great! And here I am logging on to report a _lack_ of progress. Darned the new job and the holiday craziness, anyway!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Oh, great! And here I am logging on to report a _lack_ of progress. Darned the new job and the holiday craziness, anyway!


You have to make it look like you're being productive. E.G., I'm reporting that I started a review which a publisher asked me to do for a very prominent author. It may take me _days _to get it just right.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well got 4,1 k done todayl


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well got 4,1 k done todayl


Hmmm, actual writing. Putting me to shame again.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'll confess to having done absolutely nothing work-related today except send out a couple promo tweets. Past that it was food, seeing The Hobbit (quite good), and starting into the Falling Skies TV series...


----------



## timskorn

I do freestyle writing, but I run into situations like I'm in now...

I know how the story ends, which is the light by which I write...or something.  I know where the story is going and it's been flowing great.  Problem is, I'm at a point where I can move the story forward in a few different ways.  Which one to choose?  I know it's a red flag because I've written nearly 100 pages and haven't second guessed my progress so far.  And, to be honest, it's not a huge issue...if I continued on my current path, it'll take me where I want the story to go.  But as I learned with my last book, my gut instinct is usually right about these things and this section will gnaw at me, and I'll go back and re-write it anyway.

With infinite possibilities on how to write a scene, and where to take it, how can I choose just one?    I'm tempted to delete everything back to where I started feeling "iffy" on the direction, and trust I'll get back on track again.


----------



## Carry Lada

Yay! I finished "Multicolored Boogs" 

Hope everyone is having a good night.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

timskorn said:


> I do freestyle writing, but I run into situations like I'm in now...
> 
> I know how the story ends, which is the light by which I write...or something. I know where the story is going and it's been flowing great. Problem is, I'm at a point where I can move the story forward in a few different ways. Which one to choose? I know it's a red flag because I've written nearly 100 pages and haven't second guessed my progress so far. And, to be honest, it's not a huge issue...if I continued on my current path, it'll take me where I want the story to go. But as I learned with my last book, my gut instinct is usually right about these things and this section will gnaw at me, and I'll go back and re-write it anyway.
> 
> With infinite possibilities on how to write a scene, and where to take it, how can I choose just one?  I'm tempted to delete everything back to where I started feeling "iffy" on the direction, and trust I'll get back on track again.


Go back to that point and then just put your characters in charge. They're the ones who have to move the book to its conclusion. You're just along for the ride, remember?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had a lovely afternoon off yesterday. Decided just to be lazy in bed and play with my Fire. I did write that review, but I'm still polishing it up this morning. I expect I'll get back on track in the next day or two.


----------



## edmjill

Does anybody else consider reading (ahem) as work?  I haven't been writing as much lately as I should, but I have been spending a bit more time reading - various things.  In the past, I have found that jumping around with my "pleasure" reading (whether in my genre or not, whether fiction or not) helps me with my writing.  I consider reading (ahem) research.  

Maybe I'm just trying to find a way to justify my absence from the keyboard...?


----------



## Jeff

After a top-down rewrite of the first hundred pages I'm still not happy with _Guinevere and Arthur_. I think I'm putting too much in the illustrations and leaving the story flat. It lacks the suspense necessary to make the reader want to turn the page. Maybe there are too many illustrations. I'm still convinced that picture books are going to become popular for tablet users, but I may not have what it takes to pioneer the effort. It's very challenging.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> After a top-down rewrite of the first hundred pages I'm still not happy with _Guinevere and Arthur_. I think I'm putting too much in the illustrations and leaving the story flat. It lacks the suspense necessary to make the reader want to turn the page. Maybe there are too many illustrations. I'm still convinced that picture books are going to become popular for tablet users, but I may not have what it takes to pioneer the effort. It's very challenging.


Need help?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Need help?


That's very kind of you to offer but no, thanks. I prefer to either sink or swim on my own.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> That's very kind of you to offer but no, thanks. I prefer to either sink or swim on my own.


You can borrow my rubber ducky!

Mostly updating twitter stuff today, but am planning to write some more on Forged In Flame after I laze around a bit.

As for reading, I consider that part of my work time now - professional development, as it were!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> That's very kind of you to offer but no, thanks. I prefer to either sink or swim on my own.


Probably a wise decision since I'm sinking faster than I can swim these days.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You have to make it look like you're being productive.


So... act like I'm at my day job?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'd lend you my rubber ducky, but you never know where it's been.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> So... act like I'm at my day job?


You're productive at your day job? Come on, let's be serious here...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> So... act like I'm at my day job?


Exactly! I assume you've mastered the phantom memo, the non-existent urgent phone call, and the restroom trot?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You're productive at your day job? Come on, let's be serious here...


That's not what I said.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Exactly! I assume you've mastered the phantom memo, the non-existent urgent phone call, and the restroom trot?


Decades ago!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I only had about an hour to write last night, but I did 1100 words. Hope they were good words.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3.4 kb yesterday.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Not sure how many words I wrote today - I needed to insert two characters into the story, but wasn't sure where. Turns out it was three chapters back! Got the first chapter revised today, will do next two tomorrow...


----------



## Quiss

Wrote ALL day and got 6k words (rough draft) done. Major space battle and the events leading up to it. I'm quite dizzy now.


----------



## Not Here Anymore

Got 1,221 words in today and am closing in on "the end"--thank goodness!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sara Rosett said:


> Got 1,221 words in today and am closing in on "the end"--thank goodness!


Ah, the two best words in any story.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Though often the hardest to place correctly.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I've been heavily promoting my Christmas related book this month, but my horror novel, which I have not been promoting, suddenly started to sell. (We're talking eleven copies, but that's a lot for me.)


----------



## Richardcrasta

R. M. Reed said:


> I've been heavily promoting my Christmas related book this month, but my horror novel, which I have not been promoting, suddenly started to sell. (We're talking eleven copies, but that's a lot for me.)


Eleven copies is also a lot for me. Congrats!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Part IV of Belmundus is complete with a small Coda chapter of 1,300 words - a "in the quadrangle" love scene with a twist. At 176,000 words now I set for the dash for the finish line - Part V (with a short Part VI). It's all action and wild and wooly, so I'm girfing my loins and writing it all as one piece with a premeditated chapter shortening technique. I also have Part I and a portion of Part II already revised and in the can (finished and polished), so I'm hoping to be done by the end of January. I wanted this one out sooner, but I'm striving for zero proofing errors (I always strive for that, but . . . famous last word. This time I'm passionately fanatical about it and am using 3 different AI proofers and editors as well as three different sets of voice readers - and Peg thrown in to the mix as well). I am looking at Book 21 as if it were my first publishing venture — as my best foot forward. It's a book long in the think tank (since 1972, if not earlier - I dreamed parts of this thing up in High School, and wrote an unpublished novel - The Nioche - back in 1978 using the Cherokee nation themes). This trilogy is the one child I want to be remembered for, so I have a lot riding on it, pshychologically.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

R. M. Reed said:


> I've been heavily promoting my Christmas related book this month, but my horror novel, which I have not been promoting, suddenly started to sell. (We're talking eleven copies, but that's a lot for me.)


w00t! Sometimes you just never know!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've been very lazy this Christmas. I have a meeting this afternoon at the high school, which is five minutes from Panera. I'm going to force myself to have a Fuji Apple Chicken salad and write for two hours. So there.

Oh, the sacrifices I make for my craft!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! Sometimes you just never know!


Now twelve!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. M. Reed said:


> Now twelve!


Congrats! Every sale counts.

Changed my mind about lunch. I had a tuna sandwich and salad on the side. I only got in about an hour so only 1K words.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Congrats! Every sale counts.
> 
> Changed my mind about lunch. I had a tuna sandwich and salad on the side. I only got in about an hour so only 1K words.


Well, you can't really expect too much of a boost from a tuna sandwich!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, you can't really expect too much of a boost from a tuna sandwich!


That is certainly the truth.

I'm now debating whether I should stick to the plan for a spinach/artichoke souffle and a couple of hours of writing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That is certainly the truth.
> 
> I'm now debating whether I should stick to the plan for a spinach/artichoke souffle and a couple of hours of writing.


No writing for me today, I don't think. Jan hit me over the head and said I need to take a day off. So the plan - if the wind doesn't pick up too much - is to take the kayak out on its maiden voyage in Florida waters, play some games on the PS3, maybe watch some movies, nap, and probably hit the bottle of champagne we didn't have a chance to open last night (although we got a free glass of bubbly at the restaurant where we had dinner last night)...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just some blocking for me today and maybe the opening of Part V. But it's darn chilly out there this moring (26 degrees), so a warm blanket and some Chai makes eminent sense.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've had a sinus headache since last night and nothing is chipping away at it.  I figured it would be too hard to get much typing done with one hand rubbing the top of my head. It feels like someone hammered an iron spike in there.


----------



## Thomas Watson

'Tis the season, I suppose, even here in (relatively) warm and sunny Tucson. The day after Christmas I came down with some sort of respiratory bug. I was going to use the UofA holiday break to polish off Founders' Effect. Instead, I increased the profit margin of the Kleenex corporation.  Finally coming around and getting back to work, just in time to go back to work.    tanj


----------



## T.P. Grish

Sales have been slow. I got into the game October 2012, starting with one fantasy novel, the first in a series hopefully. I also published a short story I had been working on for a while, but it is not fantasy- I decided to use the same pen name. I got a hybrid fantasy short stories in my head, the first one I am just about to publish relatively soon. Overall, I am trucking along, but not sure where any of this is heading...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

KDP down? I'm showing bbos across the board and all my books have disappeared from my bookshelf.


----------



## Quiss

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> KDP down? I'm showing bbos across the board and all my books have disappeared from my bookshelf.


YIKES!

No, my end looks fine. Sales in .com and the books are there.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> KDP down? I'm showing bbos across the board and all my books have disappeared from my bookshelf.


It works for me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Boo-Hoo! I even had freeloads in BR and now everything is gone.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Boo-Hoo! I even had freeloads in BR and now everything is gone.


Is just you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Is just you!


Isn't it always?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

And I was just about to change a cover.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Okay, now. New cover uploaded successfully. This isn't the first time this has happened. 

I'm adding the women's fiction category to some of my books which is why I'm putting single women on the covers and why I had to change this one.


----------



## Jeff

You lost me, Gertie. You had to change the cover to get KDP to work?

Let's see - work in progress on _Arthur and Guinevere_ is about 15,000 words and a somewhere over a hundred illustrations. Does anybody know how to make Word use external images? I'm going to hit the file size limit soon.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> KDP down? I'm showing bbos across the board and all my books have disappeared from my bookshelf.


My is fine, but I still have Bbos across the board. I'll need to give away some books to keep the streak going (if that matters anymore). lol.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You lost me, Gertie. You had to change the cover to get KDP to work?
> 
> Let's see - work in progress on _Arthur and Guinevere_ is about 15,000 words and a somewhere over a hundred illustrations. Does anybody know how to make Word use external images? I'm going to hit the file size limit soon.


Sorry to be confusing. I had to change a cover and that's when I found KDP was down for me. I'm not going to tell you what the problem turned out to be. Too embarrassing. 

Only 500 words done today. I kept nodding off over my keyboard. I don't mind stream of consciousness writing, but stream of unconsciousness just doesn't work for me.

Maybe some wordage after a nap.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sorry to be confusing. I had to change a cover and that's when I found KDP was down for me. I'm not going to tell you what the problem turned out to be. Too embarrassing.
> 
> Only 500 words done today. I kept nodding off over my keyboard. I don't mind stream of consciousness writing, but stream of unconsciousness just doesn't work for me.
> 
> Maybe some wordage after a nap.


Come on, embarrassment for you is entertainment for us! 

1000 of my 2000 word goal done today so far. Then we hauled the kayak down the road about a mile and a half to the local boat ramp and spent the late morning/early afternoon on the water, watching fish jump out of the water while we munched on crackers and cheese!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My is fine, but I still have Bbos across the board. I'll need to give away some books to keep the streak going (if that matters anymore). lol.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Since I'm doing a three-book free run the only bbos I have is jp. Not bad for a last minute run with no notifications. Unfortunately, I started out the year with a -1 (return) at .com.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Come on, embarrassment for you is entertainment for us!


Okay, okay. I switched accounts to buy some ebooks for GD's new PW. I forgot to switch back before checking KDP and that account hasn't published any books. Dumb mistake.



> 1000 of my 2000 word goal done today so far. Then we hauled the kayak down the road about a mile and a half to the local boat ramp and spent the late morning/early afternoon on the water, watching fish jump out of the water while we munched on crackers and cheese!


Lovely!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm doing my one book two day free run this weekend, so the Bbos will die then, although I dread knowing it might last for the next few days. But my New Years resolution (since I've already lost 80 plus pounds) is to not worry about sales and to drastically cut back on promotion, treating Belmundus as if it were my first ebook venture - a reset as I run foward the 20,000 book mark.

Only managed 1,200 words today, but understandably. The opening to Part V is trucky. Snce I am writing my firs work exlusively in 3rd person limited for a single character throughout, I cannot employ my usual overview intro to the last part, which requires 2nd person  - a sense which is elegaic, and would shatter my heretofire steady tonality. Therefore I am attempting the very difficult approach for this chapter using parathentical narative, which manages to keep the voice and POV strict, but allows me to abstractly stray into frequent tangents which the voice character knows. Since I mean to cover several events simultaneously to breach time and outline events, it's quite a dance and very taxing (and infact diregards the ZONE). But once I've cleared it, the zipper will be in the track and then its speed-racer time in the formal POV to the end. Writing in parathetical narative is like walking in the rain without an umbrella, andcrossing a busy intersection against the light with ocoming traffick trying to run you down. But if I succeed, the pay-off for the reader will be an unexpected dividend.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, I don't know how you can work without THE ZONE. I hope you at least have a supply of Milano cookies on hand. 

It all sounds very complicated and very literary.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

complicated, yes. the zone, always except when doing something structured. Muslims, nope. on diet. zero calorie magic mushrooms - eaten and smoked.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Spinach salad (it's new) at Panera and an easy 1K. Not much, I know, but I'm trying to get back in the groove after the lazy holidays.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 1.5 k on my bag of hammers chapter. Would have done more, but was distracted by my new Kindle Foire 8.9 HD 4G LTE.   Myaskovsy calls and I am bound to listen.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Another 1.5 k on my bag of hammers chapter. Would have done more, but was distracted by my new Kindle Foire 8.9 HD 4G LTE.  Myaskovsy calls and I am bound to listen.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Excuses, excuses. 

I'm trying stream of unconsciousness next. Napping is high up on my list of priorities for today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

No naps for me today, I don't think. Counter tops delayed again, so carpenter is here putting n temp plywood counters over the new cabinets. No sink, no dishwasher, but at least the cooktop is in (plywood) so we can use that and the oven. Gack! 

Was hoping to get in some writing today, as this next chapter is going to be a bit of a tear jerker, but will have to wait until the sawing is done...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No naps for me today, I don't think. Counter tops delayed again, so carpenter is here putting n temp plywood counters over the new cabinets. No sink, no dishwasher, but at least the cooktop is in (plywood) so we can use that and the oven. Gack!
> 
> Was hoping to get in some writing today, as this next chapter is going to be a bit of a tear jerker, but will have to wait until the sawing is done...


I'm waiting for my handyman to schedule me to put new counter tops in the kitchen. I at least need him to put in the new faucet and shut-offs since the faucet is leaking so badly, I can't use it. I've got it set to heavy drip now, but if I turn it on, I might not be able to hit that sweet spot again.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No naps for me today, I don't think. Counter tops delayed again, so carpenter is here putting n temp plywood counters over the new cabinets. No sink, no dishwasher, but at least the cooktop is in (plywood) so we can use that and the oven. Gack!
> 
> Was hoping to get in some writing today, as this next chapter is going to be a bit of a tear jerker, but will have to wait until the sawing is done...


I expect that would be a bit of a mood buster, as a matter of fact.


----------



## Wansit

I've written 4,000 words in two days. I need to get a further 2,000 written tonight and 6,000 written this weekend.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Wansit said:


> I've written 4,000 words in two days. I need to get a further 2,000 written tonight and 6,000 written this weekend.


Go, You!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Wansit said:


> I've written 4,000 words in two days. I need to get a further 2,000 written tonight and 6,000 written this weekend.


I'll take some of those!


----------



## edmjill

I got 7,000 words written over the holidays!  I'm so happy!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Had a good session this morning, 2500 words so far, and will finish the rest after a little break playing my new Black Ops 2 game. Writing went fast because I had a great visualization session last night. Sad chapter, though, as one of the supporting character's is gonna buy the farm - Jan's not going to like reading through it...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Had a good session this morning, 2500 words so far, and will finish the rest after a little break playing my new Black Ops 2 game. Writing went fast because I had a great visualization session last night. Sad chapter, though, as one of the supporting character's is gonna buy the farm - Jan's not going to like reading through it...


we do not like you killing off supporting characters.....


----------



## 60865

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Boo-Hoo! I even had freeloads in BR and now everything is gone.


are you sure you don't have two accounts and are logged in with a different identity ?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Lady_O said:


> are you sure you don't have two accounts and are logged in with a different identity ?


Yup, that's what happened. 



edmjill said:


> I got 7,000 words written over the holidays! I'm so happy!


Excellent!



tipsy telstar said:


> we do not like you killing off supporting characters.....


Ditto, but I'm resigned. As long as he never kills off Sasha and Alexander in the Seasons books. Then we're going to have some serious issues.

GS goes back to sailing tomorrow which gives me two hours writing time. Looking forward to it.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Jan's not going to like reading through it...


We're having a wake on Face Book.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> We're having a wake on Face Book.


Free food?


----------



## Jeff

Only if your complexion is blue.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finally finished that tough chapter, which came to 5,100 words - but only 2k were done today and I still need to edit and proof it before sending it out to Peg. But now the last stretch is threaded and I'm ready to zoom zoom zoom.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Only if your complexion is blue.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


LOL!!!


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


*snort*


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Free food?


Yes, but you have to come to Sarasota to get it!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, but you have to come to Sarasota to get it!


Let's see, that's about a three hour drive from here ... better have *lots *of food ready.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


Somebody get that guy a bucket, 'cause he don't look well...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Let's see, that's about a three hour drive from here ... better have *lots *of food ready.


Let's see - that's a 38 hours drive or so for me. But only if you take me to the orchid gardens. I remember the beautiful orchids on my last trip to Sarasota. They were awesome. Be there in a sec'. Hold that food.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Let's see - that's a 38 hours drive or so for me. But only if you take me to the orchid gardens. I remember the beautiful orchids on my last trip to Sarasota. They were awesome. Be there in a sec'. Hold that food.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


38 hours? Are you coming by scooter?  But the food will be healthy except for the chocolate and I'm sure we can spare some time for the orchid garden (didn't even know there was one, not that I'm that much into flowers!). Assuming, of course, that Gertie leaves anything for anyone to eat!

Okay, let me see if I can get this chapter done. Another night of most non-sleep and my lower neck is killing me this morning for some reason. Gah. Good luck with the wordage today, boys and girls!


----------



## dalya

I nearly had a meltdown today, but I didn't want to add a 1 to my scorecard, so I ate some fruit and watched funny TV shows until the feeling passed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Dalya said:


> I nearly had a meltdown today, but I didn't want to add a 1 to my scorecard, so I ate some fruit and watched funny TV shows until the feeling passed.


You can avoid meltdowns more easily by increasing your wine consumption!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 38 hours? Are you coming by scooter?  But the food will be healthy except for the chocolate and I'm sure we can spare some time for the orchid garden (didn't even know there was one, not that I'm that much into flowers!). Assuming, of course, that Gertie leaves anything for anyone to eat!


Don't count on it.



> Okay, let me see if I can get this chapter done. Another night of most non-sleep and my lower neck is killing me this morning for some reason. Gah. Good luck with the wordage today, boys and girls!


Let me tell you about non-sleep. GS wouldn't go to sleep so he kept me up with his pacing and ranting and raving about how he absolutely could not get to sleep without his beloved laptop. By the time I herded him in to bed, I couldn't sleep, so I took my K into his room and sat on the floor beside his bed reading until 2am. He, of course, slept.

Okay, I can still get six hours sleep before I have to walk the dog, except that Target decided to text me at 4:52am to tell me I'd won a gift card for ... get this ... $4.94. That destroyed sleep for the rest of the night. I think I'll have a thing or three to say to Target.

Taking GS to his sailing lesson this afternoon and hope I don't fall asleep at the wheel.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dalya said:


> I nearly had a meltdown today, but I didn't want to add a 1 to my scorecard, so I ate some fruit and watched funny TV shows until the feeling passed.


Maybe I'll bring my Fire with me to the park and watch funny TV shows. I can probably borrow a banana from my mother.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Maybe I'll bring my Fire with me to the park and watch funny TV shows. I can probably borrow a banana from my mother.


Mom's can usually be relied on to let go a banana now and again. 

Urk. Think I'm going to wolf down some food and get in a little writing on the next chapter before we have to get ready and go pick up the boys from the airport, returning from their holiday visit to their father in Maryland. Told them we'd take them out to dinner, which will probably mean Subway...


----------



## Sapphire

To Michael R. Hicks:  This is off subject for the thread, but I've wondered ever since I first saw your picture.  Are you a pilot?  What do you fly?


----------



## Quiss

Dalya said:


> I nearly had a meltdown today, but I didn't want to add a 1 to my scorecard, so I ate some fruit and watched funny TV shows until the feeling passed.


It's only January 6! Pace yourself!

I debated having a meltdown but I'll wait to see what my post-promo bump will be. Or not be.

Hey! My new favourite line from a review:

_The writing is good and so seamlessly appropriate that you never once notice it._

This is my goal and this is why I don't sweat the "ly's" and the "he said"s. I don't want people to be impressed by my individual words. I want them to be immersed in my story without noticing me at all.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sapphire said:


> To Michael R. Hicks: This is off subject for the thread, but I've wondered ever since I first saw your picture. Are you a pilot? What do you fly?


This thread has a subject? 

I'm not a pilot, although I did get in enough hours to solo years and years ago on a Piper Tomahawk. Unfortunately, life intervened, so I never finished getting my license, but I'll steal a ride on a light plane when I get the chance. That pic was taken by my cousin while we were over the Great Salt Lake in her Piper Cub. She held it over her shoulder and took a happy snap. Alas, she didn't have the stick set up for the back seat, so I couldn't do my Red Baron impersonation...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Quiss said:


> This is my goal and this is why I don't sweat the "ly's" and the "he said"s. I don't want people to be impressed by my individual words. I want them to be immersed in my story without noticing me at all.


I just want them to buy the darn books!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Mom's can usually be relied on to let go a banana now and again.
> 
> Urk. Think I'm going to wolf down some food and get in a little writing on the next chapter before we have to get ready and go pick up the boys from the airport, returning from their holiday visit to their father in Maryland. Told them we'd take them out to dinner, which will probably mean Subway...


That's usually GS's second choice.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> I just want them to buy the darn books!












It was a great day for sailing. I had tuna and egg salad and wrote 1300 words. I kept getting distracted by the boats.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It was a great day for sailing. I had tuna and egg salad and wrote 1300 words. I kept getting distracted by the boats.


We actually wound up going to a local grill where one kiddo had snow crab legs and the other had 35 (he counted 'em) fried shrimp. Go figure!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> We actually wound up going to a local grill where one kiddo had snow crab legs and the other had 35 (he counted 'em) fried shrimp. Go figure!


They do stuff like this every once in a while to try to give us a heart attack.


----------



## Sapphire

Michael R. Hicks said:


> This thread has a subject?
> 
> I'm not a pilot, although I did get in enough hours to solo years and years ago on a Piper Tomahawk. Unfortunately, life intervened, so I never finished getting my license, but I'll steal a ride on a light plane when I get the chance. That pic was taken by my cousin while we were over the Great Salt Lake in her Piper Cub. She held it over her shoulder and took a happy snap. Alas, she didn't have the stick set up for the back seat, so I couldn't do my Red Baron impersonation...


My hubby started flying lessons in his early 20's. After only 3 lessons he ran out of money...married, new baby, small paycheck, etc. Twenty years later he returned to flying. He's now been the proud owner of a Piper Saratoga TC since 1998. His happiest hours are soaring above the clouds. Yes, he gets there safely, instrument rated.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Well, I made the effort today. 500 words while Mom was with the eye doc. I'll put that under the "better than nothing" column.


----------



## Jeff

Don't bother me. I'm in Camelot.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Don't bother me. I'm in Camelot.


I won't join you unless Sean Connery is King Arthur.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm a founding member of the "Better than Nothing" Club.


----------



## StephenBrennan

I have a hard time focusing on...anything really 

My first Novella "The Darkness Between" is a success in reviews, if not sales just yet. The actual novel I started writing about 2 years ago is fully outlined, but only about 1/5th done. Gave myself the 4 months until Christmas to finish the first draft. Didn't happen though.

I ended up deciding to put the novel on the backburner until I crank out another novella dubbed "Everything Gets Out Eventually". So far that's 400 words long and provides many opportunities for me to procrastinate lol. To make matters worse, I've got an idea now for an online game that I'd build as a viral marketing tool. Ok that's not a bad thing exactly, but now I think about my new pet project just as much as my supposed current one.

I've read that it's best to just _write_ when you're writing and not worry about editing yourself along the way. I find that especially hard though. If every line isn't Shakespeare off the bat, then it gets stuck in my craw. Do people still say that? 

Well anyway, I could write a book about why I'm not writing a book at this moment, but I'll just leave it. Hey guys, my name is Stephen


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm a founding member of the "Better than Nothing" Club.


Is that a good thing? 

I have big plans for tomorrow, if I can finish what I started today. Notice I gave myself an out.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I won't join you unless Sean Connery is King Arthur.


Arthur was 15 when he pulled the sword from the stone.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Arthur was 15 when he pulled the sword from the stone.


----------



## Jeff

Yikes.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

elake28 said:


> I'm trying to finish the second book of my series. The problem is getting from point A to point B. I know what happens at the end, so I have a pretty clear idea of where I want the story to go. Filling in the blanks is the problem. It's not what happens, but how it happens.
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Sent from my LGL35G using Tapatalk 2


Is this a continuation of your _Banjie the Beast_ book?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sapphire said:


> My hubby started flying lessons in his early 20's. After only 3 lessons he ran out of money...married, new baby, small paycheck, etc. Twenty years later he returned to flying. He's now been the proud owner of a Piper Saratoga TC since 1998. His happiest hours are soaring above the clouds. Yes, he gets there safely, instrument rated.


Nice!! I've always dreamed about owning a plane - maybe someday. But if not, I don't regret it: I soloed a few times, so at least I got that far. But I'm glad for you guys, that's an awesome thing to be able to do!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I won't join you unless Sean Connery is King Arthur.


Just as long as he's not in his Zardoz outfit!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just as long as he's not in his Zardoz outfit!!


Uh, I was happily unaware of the Zardoz incarnation. Some things are better left to the imagination.

Wrote 1300 words this morning. I don't know why I can't do 2k in 2 hours anymore, but I'll keep on doing what I can do.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Uh, I was happily unaware of the Zardoz incarnation. Some things are better left to the imagination.


Yeah, I think that one would even frighten Ed away... 



> Wrote 1300 words this morning. I don't know why I can't do 2k in 2 hours anymore, but I'll keep on doing what I can do.


It comes and goes. Sometimes I struggle to do 500 words in a stretch, other times I do 2K and it seems like I just started...

No wordage for me today, it looks like. Was wrestling with getting Quicken Home/Business for Windows set up on my Mac (using the Windoze version because the Mac version sucks), because I really need to start tracking our finances and make the end of year tax dance easier!


----------



## telracs

can't we have one thread not invaded by THAT movie....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

tipsy telstar said:


> can't we have one thread not invaded by THAT movie....


Hey, at least nobody posted a pic. Of course, now that I've said that...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, at least nobody posted a pic. Of course, now that I've said that...


SHH! Let's hope none of the evil zardoz followers see this....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Bollocks! As they say across the pond. I did about 1.5 k in revision work at lunch time and this evening wrote about 700 words, really into the zone, covering good ground when I looked up and say a blank screen. Somewhere along the line I deleted the entire manuscript . . . not lost, but probably a control-A and delete sort of thing. I gasped, held my chest (it would never be lost, because I backed up stuff at lnch). I carefully exited without saving and restarted. But, bollock, I lost my 700 or so words. I ranted and used much harsher languaue. Even cursed in Cetronian (many a _gugubasti _ and _tluduchi bambaditsmi _ - don't even ask. When I'm in the Zone and in Farn, and that's the language folks.) I took a deep breath, made a bracket and quick jotted a stream of consciouseness covering what I could remember - some of the finer metaphors and stuff. Closed the brackets, and then wrote myself a note. "Take a deep breath - this is the first time since The Dragon's Pool you've lost work to the machine. Take it up again tomorrow and pack it in tonight." I've been lucky. The Dragon's Pool's manuscript disaster (a full chapter of about 4,000 words) was back in 2009. Who knows, maybe tomorrow's version will be better. The reconstituted Dragon;s Pool Chapter was bette the second time through.

So I say, bollocks and will find something to stream over my Kidle Fire HD and my new Netflix contract.



Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward Lake

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Is this a continuation of your _Banjie the Beast_ book?


Yes it is. Took me a minute to get back to you. 

Sent from my LGL35G using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Got some good writing done yesterday but I forgot to take a word count. Maybe another 1K to finish the story. I should get it done today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Working in the epilogue for Forged In Flame, and hoping to have the complete draft done by the end of the week...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Working in the epilogue for Forged In Flame, and hoping to have the complete draft done by the end of the week...


HAPPY DANCE!!!


----------



## Jeff

Wow. Congratulations Gertie and Mike. Next week is going to be busy for some beta readers. Speaking of which, where's the _beta-reader-formerly-known-as-Scarlet_ been lately?

I'm splitting my WIP into a trilogy of about 50,000 words each. The first draft of volume one, _King Arthur: Arthur and Guinevere_, is getting close with about 40,000 words and about 200 illustrations. After it's published I may go back to wrap up some earlier non-illustrated work before tackling the next volume. I might try to slip in an illustrated Peter Pan children's book, if I can figure out how to avoid running amok of the special UK copyright on the characters and ideas. It's very strange.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Wow. Congratulations Gertie and Mike. Next week is going to be busy for some beta readers. Speaking of which, where's the _beta-reader-formerly-known-as-Scarlet_ been lately?


My back gave out again. I'm headed for bed with a heat pack and my netbook. Determined to finish this today.



> I'm splitting my WIP into a trilogy of about 50,000 words each. The first draft of volume one, _King Arthur: Arthur and Guinevere_, is getting close with about 40,000 words and about 200 illustrations. After it's published I may go back to wrap up some earlier non-illustrated work before tackling the next volume. I might try to slip in an illustrated Peter Pan children's book, if I can figure out how to avoid running amok of the special UK copyright on the characters and ideas. It's very strange.


Looking forward to it!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2100 words today. So much for the epilogue - a few paragraphs turned into another chapter! We also got the kitchen counters installed (finally), although the installers dropped a bit of goo down the front of one of the cabinets that i didn't notice until just now. Hopefully it'll come off without damaging the finish or Lowe's will be buying us a new cabinet face. The joys of home improvement!


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Wow. Congratulations Gertie and Mike. Next week is going to be busy for some beta readers. Speaking of which, where's the _beta-reader-formerly-known-as-Scarlet_ been lately?


she's been off drinking while waiting for Hicks and Watson.


----------



## geoffnolan

I drank a LOT of coffee today. And I'm pretty sure Caitie Quinn got me banned from the internet...

All in all, a good day's work.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,00 word yesterday and reached 190,000 word mark with eleven chapters to go. Got me some battle scenes to write, so the word count per chapter will shorten.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,00 word yesterday and reached 190,000 word mark with eleven chapters to go. Got me some battle scenes to write, so the word count per chapter will shorten.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I did about 10% of that yesterday. Back still bad. Going to bed now.


----------



## kit1978

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to introduce myself. My name Is Kit Tinsley and I'm a writer. I have written a few screenplays in the past that I'm still trying to sell, but at the moment I am in the latter stages of writing my first novel. Any advice or support anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

I write predominantly horror, but please don't let that put you off LOL.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kit1978 said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Just wanted to introduce myself. My name Is Kit Tinsley and I'm a writer. I have written a few screenplays in the past that I'm still trying to sell, but at the moment I am in the latter stages of writing my first novel. Any advice or support anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> I write predominantly horror, but please don't let that put you off LOL.


Oooh, I'm _horrified_. 

It helps just to report your progress right here. Happy to have you join us.


----------



## kit1978

Thanks Gertie,

Well  my progress is in fits and starts, I have a one year old son who is going through a phase of not wanting to sleep at night, so I often don't get to write every day, but I did manage to get 4300 words done the other day. hoping I'm only about 15,000 words away from the finish line.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kit1978 said:


> Thanks Gertie,
> 
> Well my progress is in fits and starts, I have a one year old son who is going through a phase of not wanting to sleep at night, so I often don't get to write every day, but I did manage to get 4300 words done the other day. hoping I'm only about 15,000 words away from the finish line.


Sounds good. If you can do 4300 words in a day, that makes up for the days you can't write.


----------



## Jeff

Finished the rough draft of my first illustrated novel for grownups entitled _King Arthur: Guinevere and Arthur_. Currently it has 135 illustrations and 40,000 words, but both will grow a bit as I flesh it out.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Finished the rough draft of my first illustrated novel for grownups entitled _King Arthur: Guinevere and Arthur_. Currently it has 135 illustrations and 40,000 words, but both will grow a bit as I flesh it out.


Fantastic, Jeff! <tappingfootwaitingimpatiently>


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Fantastic, Jeff! <tappingfootwaitingimpatiently>


Haha. My best guess is at least two more weeks before you can start picking it to pieces.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Haha. My best guess is at least two more weeks before you can start picking it to pieces.


I'll get out my sharpest needles.


----------



## Thomas Watson

tipsy telstar said:


> she's been off drinking while waiting for Hicks and Watson.


Dang! You're gonna have one hell of a hangover!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 word yesterday on a chapter featuring _gasuntsgi_, which are, what else, vampire bunny rabbits.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 word yesterday on a chapter featuring _gasuntsgi_, which are, what else, vampire bunny rabbits.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I knew that.


----------



## kit1978

Another 2500 words last night, the finish line is well in sight now


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Finished the rough draft of my first illustrated novel for grownups entitled _King Arthur: Guinevere and Arthur_. Currently it has 135 illustrations and 40,000 words, but both will grow a bit as I flesh it out.


Holy cow, Jeff! What is that, one illustration every other page?  Amazing amount of work!

And for what it's worth, the initial draft of Forged In Flame is done! I still have to go over it before I turn it over to the editors, but the first draft is finito. Click here if you want to read the little descriptive blurb thingy (which isn't perfect; consider that a draft, too!)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kit1978 said:


> Another 2500 words last night, the finish line is well in sight now


Go, go, go!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Holy cow, Jeff! What is that, one illustration every other page?  Amazing amount of work!
> 
> And for what it's worth, the initial draft of Forged In Flame is done! I still have to go over it before I turn it over to the editors, but the first draft is finito. Click here if you want to read the little descriptive blurb thingy (which isn't perfect; consider that a draft, too!)...


Pretty decent blurb.

Scarlet/Telracs/Telstar (I feel like I'm reading LOTR), clear the decks.


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And for what it's worth, the initial draft of Forged In Flame is done! I still have to go over it before I turn it over to the editors, but the first draft is finito. Click here if you want to read the little descriptive blurb thingy (which isn't perfect; consider that a draft, too!)...


:oes an excited little happy dance::


----------



## telracs




----------



## Michael R. Hicks

tipsy telstar said:


>


Oh, God, I think I'm getting seasick...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, God, I think I'm getting seasick...


*hands mike the dramimine...*


----------



## Steph H

She stole those from me....and then had to out-do me.  Drama queen!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, God, I think I'm getting seasick...


Urk!


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> She stole those from me....and then had to out-do me. Drama queen!


"borrowed" not "stole"

and i can't help it if they like me and multiply....


----------



## Steph H

Ohhh, I see... "borrowed"....uh huh.

Yeah, they're like rabbits, aren't they?


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Ohhh, I see... "borrowed"....uh huh.
> 
> Yeah, they're like rabbits, aren't they?


they jumped from your post to mine....

oh, and Mikey..... here's hoping Harvest Book 3 is next....


----------



## crebel

tipsy telstar said:


> oh, and Mikey..... here's hoping Harvest Book 3 is next....


*nodding head vigorously* Since this is the Author Support Thread, I would like to say I fully support Mike providing a resolution to that darn cliffhanger in Bitter Harvest as his next project!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yep! *Reaping The Harvest* will be next up, and hopefully out by summer. After that, it'll either be the next book of the First Empress series, or the start of another series... 

Oh, and BTW - we're planning a big RV trip this summer (click here if ya wanna see the planned route on Google maps), so if any of y'all happen to be along the route, gimme a shout and maybe we can hook up...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yep! *Reaping The Harvest* will be next up, and hopefully out by summer. After that, it'll either be the next book of the First Empress series, or the start of another series...


You are totally heartless, Hicks.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You are totally heartless, Hicks.


Now why do ya say that??


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now why do ya say that??


Feeding us one book in a series, then a book in another series, and now you're adding a third series. You have no concern at all for our sleep time.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yep! *Reaping The Harvest* will be next up, and hopefully out by summer. After that, it'll either be the next book of the First Empress series, or the start of another series...
> 
> Oh, and BTW - we're planning a big RV trip this summer (click here if ya wanna see the planned route on Google maps), so if any of y'all happen to be along the route, gimme a shout and maybe we can hook up...


I better get Reaping by my birthday Mikey....


----------



## Thomas Watson

This is definitely more fun than watching people wigging out over KDP reports being down all day.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> This is definitely more fun than watching people wigging out over KDP reports being down all day.


you shouldn't be reading threads, you should be writing me the next book.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> This is definitely more javascript:void(0); fun than watching people wigging out over KDP reports being down all day.


Now they're back up and I get to wig out over no new sales today. 

Went to see my tax lady today and she was quite pleased with the money I made last year. Hope to make her even happier next year.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And for what it's worth, the initial draft of Forged In Flame is done! I still have to go over it before I turn it over to the editors, but the first draft is finito.


Gertie and I were illustrating every page of the kid's books so I feel like a slacker.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> And for what it's worth, the initial draft of Forged In Flame is done! I still have to go over it before I turn it over to the editors, but the first draft is finito.


That's terrific news. Good on you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Gertie and I were illustrating every page of the kid's books so I feel like a slacker.
> That's terrific news. Good on you.


Oh, yeah, 40K words is really slacking.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, yeah, 40K words is really slacking.


Looks like it will be 50,000 or more after this re-write. I've been letting the pictures do too much of the talking. I need to fix that.


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yep! *Reaping The Harvest* will be next up, and hopefully out by summer. After that, it'll either be the next book of the First Empress series, or the start of another series...
> 
> Oh, and BTW - we're planning a big RV trip this summer (click here if ya wanna see the planned route on Google maps), so if any of y'all happen to be along the route, gimme a shout and maybe we can hook up...


DALLAS! Sweeeet! Lemme know when!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> DALLAS! Sweeeet! Lemme know when!


Our itinerary isn't firm at this point, but we should be hitting Dallas on the return leg in the first or second week of July - we'll know which as soon as we figure out how long we want to stay at the various stops. We'll be making day trips in the car from some of 'em, so we'll actually be covering a fair bit more territory than the route shows, which is the RV track. 



Jeff said:


> Looks like it will be 50,000 or more after this re-write. I've been letting the pictures do too much of the talking. I need to fix that.


A picture is worth a thousand words, so you should maybe add in another what, 90,000 or so?


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> A picture is worth a thousand words, so you should maybe add in another what, 90,000 or so?


That's exactly what I was thinking.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> That's exactly what I was thinking.


Great minds!!

Finally finished the wip and will be editing tonight. Just under 12K words which is exactly what I want for this series. 10-15K each. Only 10 more to go!


----------



## kit1978

Well finished the novel today. 85171 words in total. This was a re write to improve the book. I'm very happy with it


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kit1978 said:


> Well finished the novel today. 85171 words in total. This was a re write to improve the book. I'm very happy with it


Congrats! Nice length for a novel.


----------



## kit1978

Thanks Gertie,

Feels great to have finally written a novel


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

kit1978 said:


> Well finished the novel today. 85171 words in total. This was a re write to improve the book. I'm very happy with it


w00t!!


----------



## Thomas Watson

tipsy telstar said:


> you shouldn't be reading threads, you should be writing me the next book.


What kind of writer would I be if I didn't procrastinate?


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> What kind of writer would I be if I didn't procrastinate?


one who sells books and keeps me off the booze.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Our Saturday morning began at quarter after 5 with some punks breaking out the rear window of the Honda CR-V that was parked in the street. What knuckleheads!


----------



## Jeff

Bummer.


----------



## Ven West

Can I get in on this? I REALLY need to complete the illustrations for my kids book, since my beta readers (all published authors and schoolteachers) have unanimously assured me that it's not garbage.   I'm aiming to get AT LEAST a concept sketch done for every "chapter" every day.... somehow... in between working a job in retail, finishing commissioned art, editing and completing my other books, helping my BFF with concept art for his grad school thesis production, and spending time with my wife and daughter and cats.

Only one of these things has any chance of paying me more than minimum wage and continuing to generate income for me. Guess which one. (Hint: it's my flippin' book. XD)


----------



## Jeff

Ven West said:


> Can I get in on this? I REALLY need to complete the illustrations for my kids book, since my beta readers (all published authors and schoolteachers) have unanimously assured me that it's not garbage.  I'm aiming to get AT LEAST a concept sketch done for every "chapter" every day.... somehow... in between working a job in retail, finishing commissioned art, editing and completing my other books, helping my BFF with concept art for his grad school thesis production, and spending time with my wife and daughter and cats.
> 
> Only one of these things has any chance of paying me more than minimum wage and continuing to generate income for me. Guess which one. (Hint: it's my flippin' book. XD)


Consider yourself in and having encouragement heaped on you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Our Saturday morning began at quarter after 5 with some punks breaking out the rear window of the Honda CR-V that was parked in the street. What knuckleheads!


Just for fun, right? Ick!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ven West said:


> Can I get in on this? I REALLY need to complete the illustrations for my kids book, since my beta readers (all published authors and schoolteachers) have unanimously assured me that it's not garbage.  I'm aiming to get AT LEAST a concept sketch done for every "chapter" every day.... somehow... in between working a job in retail, finishing commissioned art, editing and completing my other books, helping my BFF with concept art for his grad school thesis production, and spending time with my wife and daughter and cats.
> 
> Only one of these things has any chance of paying me more than minimum wage and continuing to generate income for me. Guess which one. (Hint: it's my flippin' book. XD)


Jump right in! Oh, yeah, you already did.  It helps to report progress (or lack thereof) here.

Getting a short story ready to pub today. Also hoping to get the Regan series ready to go back on SW.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Aside from marking some more narrators to talk to, not much work for me today: we're heading off to the RV super show in Tampa shortly!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Aside from marking some more narrators to talk to, not much work for me today: we're heading off to the RV super show in Tampa shortly!


Would have been nice if the narrators I contacted had at least written back to say no.


----------



## Ven West

Thanks, Jeff and Margaret! 

Michael, if you're looking for someone to do audio, I know lots of people. Unless you're looking to have someone specific do it, in which case I'm sorry for jumping in without really knowing what you're trying to do, but I thought I'd offer. I was a podcaster for almost a year and know plenty of people who do audio work professionally or semi-professionally and have excellent technical quality and vocal talent.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ven West said:


> Thanks, Jeff and Margaret!
> 
> Michael, if you're looking for someone to do audio, I know lots of people. Unless you're looking to have someone specific do it, in which case I'm sorry for jumping in without really knowing what you're trying to do, but I thought I'd offer. I was a podcaster for almost a year and know plenty of people who do audio work professionally or semi-professionally and have excellent technical quality and vocal talent.


Well, if any of them would be interested, please pass the word! I'm trying to find someone who wants a long-term relationship across multiple projects, so whoever gets the first job has almost guaranteed work spanning almost a dozen books at this point. I was also originally going to just ask for royalty share, but if the price is something I can swing for each project, I'll probably lean more toward paying the narrator directly. The project info, including the focus book's sales history, is here on ACX...


----------



## Ven West

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, if any of them would be interested, please pass the word! I'm trying to find someone who wants a long-term relationship across multiple projects, so whoever gets the first job has almost guaranteed work spanning almost a dozen books at this point. I was also originally going to just ask for royalty share, but if the price is something I can swing for each project, I'll probably lean more toward paying the narrator directly. The project info, including the focus book's sales history, is here on ACX...


I have flung that link towards my colleagues.  Good luck finding someone!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The invasion is on and I just had my fleet of Seecoys burst through inpenetrable walls using loads of wadi-wadi, gengergust and other blundaboomer-shot ammunition. Only 2,100 words today, but I got my hero (a commander now), into the slave quarters of the Kalugu just minutes before the klaxon sounds for reaptide. But first he must save the yondanado - the Whisperers of Cetrone, a bunch of soothwaying ladies who are nothing more than heads. Then its on to defeat the Yunockers (which means white-folk in Cerhokee) in the mordanka and destroy the zugginak kennels. It's all so fast and furious.  (I'm having a ball, so I know my readers will when they get their hands on this stuff). _Adadooski. Arkmo!_ (that's Hallelujah! Amen)

Edward C. Patterson
aka Nv-wo-di A-gi-lv s-gi (Medicine Flower)


----------



## Thomas Watson

Editing, proofing, editing, proofing...

At least now I have a decent pace set. Seems to have taken a long damned time to kick the virus I picked up just after Christmas. Felt well enough that we finally saw The Hobbit today. And now I'm back to editing, proofing, editing, proofing...

Okay, well, not at this exact moment.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ven West said:


> I have flung that link towards my colleagues.  Good luck finding someone!


Thanks, appreciate it!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The invasion is on and I just had my fleet of Seecoys burst through inpenetrable walls using loads of wadi-wadi, gengergust and other blundaboomer-shot ammunition. Only 2,100 words today, but I got my hero (a commander now), into the slave quarters of the Kalugu just minutes before the klaxon sounds for reaptide. But first he must save the yondanado - the Whisperers of Cetrone, a bunch of soothwaying ladies who are nothing more than heads. Then its on to defeat the Yunockers (which means white-folk in Cerhokee) in the mordanka and destroy the zugginak kennels. It's all so fast and furious.  (I'm having a ball, so I know my readers will when they get their hands on this stuff). _Adadooski. Arkmo!_ (that's Hallelujah! Amen)
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> aka Nv-wo-di A-gi-lv s-gi (Medicine Flower)


I don't know what the book is going to be like, but I'm having a wonderful time reading your Cliff Notes version.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Oh, BTW - if you're ever in the Sarasota area, we had some AWESOME seafood at the Pelican Grill down in Nokomis (a few miles south of here). Best clam chowder (New England style, I think) I've ever had. NOM!

Tomorrow will be a long day, going to get as much of the read-through done of Forged In Flame, hopefully done some time Monday so I can send it out to the editorial red inkers. 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> The invasion is on and I just had my fleet of Seecoys burst through inpenetrable walls using loads of wadi-wadi, gengergust and other blundaboomer-shot ammunition. Only 2,100 words today, but I got my hero (a commander now), into the slave quarters of the Kalugu just minutes before the klaxon sounds for reaptide. But first he must save the yondanado - the Whisperers of Cetrone, a bunch of soothwaying ladies who are nothing more than heads. Then its on to defeat the Yunockers (which means white-folk in Cerhokee) in the mordanka and destroy the zugginak kennels. It's all so fast and furious.  (I'm having a ball, so I know my readers will when they get their hands on this stuff). _Adadooski. Arkmo!_ (that's Hallelujah! Amen)


Come on, Ed - fess up! You're getting a lot of this terminology straight out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, aren't you? But you forgot the Oompa-Loompas!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Working on the SW versions of the last two Regan books. I had forgotten about stripping out all the formatting and redoing it all. Hope to get both books finished and uploaded tonight.

My Lonely Heart is live.



It's just a short story. I wanted it to be longer, but that's all it took to tell it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Working on the SW versions of the last two Regan books. I had forgotten about stripping out all the formatting and redoing it all. Hope to get both books finished and uploaded tonight.
> 
> My Lonely Heart is live.
> 
> 
> 
> It's just a short story. I wanted it to be longer, but that's all it took to tell it.


Have I mentioned that I hate formatting books for Smashwords?? Oy...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Have I mentioned that I hate formatting books for Smashwords?? Oy...


It's not as tedious and time consuming for a 50 or 60 page book as it is for one of your epics. I'm getting there.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

nope, Mike. Mostly derived from my native Cherokee.

ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

One book successfully pubbed on SW. One to go. I need a glass of wine and some chocolate.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> One book successfully pubbed on SW. One to go. I need a glass of wine and some chocolate.


this new book coming up I' m not pubBing on SW. KDP Select for some free promo time in the main arena. Changing it up. haven't done much promoting since the new year and just raised t he prices in 6 of my books . to $2.99.

ed p
btw, this kindle fire is 8.7 he 4g Lte is a hoot. I on it now.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> this new book coming up I' m not pubBing on SW. KDP Select for some free promo time in the main arena. Changing it up. haven't done much promoting since the new year and just raised t he prices in 6 of my books . to $2.99.
> 
> ed p
> btw, this kindle fire is 8.7 he 4g Lte is a hoot. I on it now.


I'm only doing it because I want to put the first book in the series permafree. The series has lost its momentum in KDP.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph and telracs-or-whatever-you-are-now, check your mailboxes (and let me know if you want a different format than I sent you)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Steph and telracs-or-whatever-you-are-now, check your mailboxes (and let me know if you want a different format than I sent you)...


Be still my beating heart!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Steph and telracs-or-whatever-you-are-now, check your mailboxes (and let me know if you want a different format than I sent you)...


Okay, I've finished the other book I was reading, and now I've loaded Forged in Flame on my Kindle. Let the reading and editing commence!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Finished editing the novelette but I didn't have time to start the new one although I have the first few lines written in my head.

Maybe tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Be still my beating heart!


I suspect Telracs will be mad at me (I can at least rely on Steph to not get mad)...


----------



## DAWN71753

I find that I just don't have the discipline to write every day. My first novel came quick and easy, as if I was being channeled by an author who has passed away. My laptop is being tapped by dead people!. My second novel ( at the publisher now) came so much slower. 
I have a wonderful idea for book 3 and 4, and I find that I am just writing when ever the mood strikes, but I feel like the writing has gotten better.
Anybody else suffer the same undisciplined behavior? IS there a cure?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I suspect Telracs will be mad at me (I can at least rely on Steph to not get mad)...


Okay, who did you kill off this time? No, don't tell me. I can wait. <grittingteeth>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

DAWN71753 said:


> I find that I just don't have the discipline to write every day. My first novel came quick and easy, as if I was being channeled by an author who has passed away. My laptop is being tapped by dead people!. My second novel ( at the publisher now) came so much slower.
> I have a wonderful idea for book 3 and 4, and I find that I am just writing when ever the mood strikes, but I feel like the writing has gotten better.
> Anybody else suffer the same undisciplined behavior? IS there a cure?


Yes. Place fingers on keyboard. Press fingers on keys one at a time in random order until real words start appearing on the screen. PT for writers.

Good luck!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yes. Place fingers on keyboard. Press fingers on keys one at a time in random order until real words start appearing on the screen. PT for writers.
> 
> Good luck!


Don't forget about the "butt in chair" part!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Steph and telracs-or-whatever-you-are-now, check your mailboxes (and let me know if you want a different format than I sent you)...





Michael R. Hicks said:


> I suspect Telracs will be mad at me (I can at least rely on Steph to not get mad)...


who, me? now, why can't i figure out my DX's e-mail address?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Don't forget about the "butt in chair" part!


So that's where I've been making my mistake!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

rafealagabriellasasparilla said:


> who, me? now, why can't i figure out my DX's e-mail address?


Bad DX! Bad!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

DAWN71753 said:


> I find that I just don't have the discipline to write every day. My first novel came quick and easy, as if I was being channeled by an author who has passed away. My laptop is being tapped by dead people!. My second novel ( at the publisher now) came so much slower.
> I have a wonderful idea for book 3 and 4, and I find that I am just writing when ever the mood strikes, but I feel like the writing has gotten better.
> Anybody else suffer the same undisciplined behavior? IS there a cure?


Are your a pantser or an outliner? If you're outlining, that might deter you, but, from the sounds of it (your firt book), you're a pantser, like me. I do my best writing and authoring (I differentiate between the two) while driving to and fro (work and home) and at other odd times without a keyboard in sight. Then I come to the tabernacle once per day and I slipminto the ZONE and see what my characters think of my mind rove. Negotiation after negotiation, until the work is done and I've told myself the story. Then I pull out that third part, the "craft" to refine and hone. "The craft" is generally a stumbling block when in the ZONE. It's important for me to e two different entitiies when giving birth to my work. Then I call in that third person, ME the proofing tyrant and my tools and peeps. But that's not writing nor authoring - that's publishing, a horse of a different color.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I suspect Telracs will be mad at me (I can at least rely on Steph to not get mad)...


So you say.  Nah, not mad. I can see where you decided to end it and why, it was a perfect ending...except for the two chapters following it.  I think I remember reading your epilogue got out of control, I guess that's those two chapters.

Okay, first read obviously done, and things marked. Now I need to re-read closer.

Oh, and you need to change your place of residence in your bio. 

Wish I didn't have to wait until fall for the next one... (according to the books list at the end)

Teases everyone else: I know something you don't know...heehee


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> So you say.  Nah, not mad. I can see where you decided to end it and why, it was a perfect ending...except for the two chapters following it.  I think I remember reading your epilogue got out of control, I guess that's those two chapters.
> 
> Okay, first read obviously done, and things marked. Now I need to re-read closer.
> 
> Oh, and you need to change your place of residence in your bio.
> 
> Wish I didn't have to wait until fall for the next one... (according to the books list at the end)
> 
> Teases everyone else: I know something you don't know...heehee


Steph, you know that i'm slower than you and you just spoiled it for me......

I'm at chapter 6.


----------



## Steph H

What, that the next one is in the fall? Or that his bio is wrong?    Don't worry, darlin', it spoils nothing to have said what I did, and you'll have forgotten by the time you get there.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> What, that the next one is in the fall? Or that his bio is wrong?  Don't worry, darlin', it spoils nothing to have said what I did, and you'll have forgotten by the time you get there.


i thought he thought i'd be mad at the beginning (which i kind of am....) not at the ending!

editing on the PW is presenting some challenges....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

rafealagabriellasasparilla said:


> i thought he thought i'd be mad at the beginning (which i kind of am....) not at the ending!
> 
> editing on the PW is presenting some challenges....


If u want it in another format, let me know!

And ending it 2 chapters earlier? Really? Well, we'll see about that! 

Changing the bio now...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> If u want it in another format, let me know!
> 
> And ending it 2 chapters earlier? Really? Well, we'll see about that!
> 
> Changing the bio now...


the file type's not the issue. it's the higlighting/noting on the PW. first time i've used the touch while beta-ing.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

rafealagabriellasasparilla said:


> the file type's not the issue. it's the higlighting/noting on the PW. first time i've used the touch while beta-ing.


Might I suggest

Abraham DeLacey Giusseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley

for your next incarnation?


----------



## Jeff

Hey rafealawhothehellaaryouanyway. Why can't you use the USB connection to send files back and forth between your DX and you Mac?


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Hey rafealawhothehellaaryouanyway. Why can't you use the USB connection to send files back and forth between your DX and you Mac?


thanks...

i got the file to the DX, no problem there. but i decided i didn't want to lug the DX today, so i'm using the PW.

actually, because of keyboard issues, the mac and the kindle aren't really talking to each other.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Might I suggest
> 
> Abraham DeLacey Giusseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley
> 
> for your next incarnation?


okay..


----------



## crebel

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Might I suggest
> 
> Abraham DeLacey Giusseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley
> 
> for your next incarnation?


Stop encouraging her...


----------



## telracs

crebel said:


> Stop encouraging her...


or maybe YOU should START!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Abraham DeLacey Giusseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley said:


> okay..


Waiting for someone to name the movie.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Abraham DeLacey Giusseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley said:


> or maybe YOU should START!


I wonder if there's a character limit on the name field...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I wonder if there's a character limit on the name field...


We can always hope.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I wonder if there's a character limit on the name field...





Jeff said:


> We can always hope.


Knowing Ms. S, she'll find a way around it.


----------



## telracs

I CAN be bribed, you know....


----------



## Jeff

This WIP of mine is like a piece of tough meat. The more I chew on it the bigger it gets. It's at 50,000 words now and still growing.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> This WIP of mine is like a piece of tough meat. The more I chew on it the bigger it gets. It's at 50,000 words now and still growing.


What a Texas thing to say. 

Started a new one today which surprised me by being a first person narrative. 1K words and it's already taken on a life of its own.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

My accomplishment for yesterday (and first thing this morning) was getting Bitter Harvest formatted for print and uploaded to Lightning Source. Ick. Now have to do the same today with From Chaos Born while waiting for the barrage of editorialisms on Forged In Flame. My head hurts...


----------



## Jeff

My accomplishment yesterday was to chop about 4,000 words and a dozen pictures out of the WIP in the hope that I can create a file that doesn't cause Word 2010 to crash. I downloaded the 30 day trial version of Scrivener yesterday, but I really dread trying to learn it and haven't installed it yet.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> My accomplishment yesterday was to chop about 4,000 words and a dozen pictures out of the WIP in the hope that I can create a file that doesn't cause Word 2010 to crash. I downloaded the 30 day trial version of Scrivener yesterday, but I really dread trying to learn it and haven't installed it yet.


You don't need to know a lot to start using Scrivener. It's one of those things where it can do as much or as little as you like, and they have very good video tutorials and support community. I'll be honest: aside from Tweet Adder, Scrivener was THE best investment I've ever made in my writing. It makes it easy to organize story elements, put research and other "external" data in one convenient place, and output files easily. I only wish I would've bought it a long time ago!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You don't need to know a lot to start using Scrivener. It's one of those things where it can do as much or as little as you like, and they have very good video tutorials and support community. I'll be honest: aside from Tweet Adder, Scrivener was THE best investment I've ever made in my writing. It makes it easy to organize story elements, put research and other "external" data in one convenient place, and output files easily. I only wish I would've bought it a long time ago!


Okay. You convinced me. I'm off to install it and to try importing this project. Wish me luck.

Edited to add: That was easy, Scrivener crashed. I think it must be 64 bit Windows 8 that's making life miserable. I'm just going to move the whole project to the web server for now and figure out how to convert it to something publishable when I've finished writing.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> My accomplishment for yesterday (and first thing this morning) was getting Bitter Harvest formatted for print and uploaded to Lightning Source. Ick. Now have to do the same today with From Chaos Born while waiting for the barrage of editorialisms on Forged In Flame. My head hurts...


"barrage"? no, not quite a barrage....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Taking a break from redesigning my website. Chicken wings and garlic potatoes for lunch.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Taking a break from redesigning my website. Chicken wings and garlic potatoes for lunch.


*wanders in, steals a wing, wanders out*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> *wanders in, steals a wing, wanders out*


Who was that masked man woman person?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Taking a break from redesigning my website. Chicken wings and garlic potatoes for lunch.


I think you'd have a lot more visitors if you offered chicken wings and garlic potatoes with your books!  <dips finger in potatoes for a taste>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Okay. You convinced me. I'm off to install it and to try importing this project. Wish me luck.
> 
> Edited to add: That was easy, Scrivener crashed. I think it must be 64 bit Windows 8 that's making life miserable. I'm just going to move the whole project to the web server for now and figure out how to convert it to something publishable when I've finished writing.


Ah! The joys of Windoze! I actually had to get a copy of that and Parallels so I can run Quicken for Windoze on my Mac, 'cause the Mac version sucks...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ah! The joys of Windoze! I actually had to get a copy of that and Parallels so I can run Quicken for Windoze on my Mac, 'cause the Mac version sucks...


I really wish that I hadn't installed Windows 8 on my newest computer. As soon as I have time I'm going to downgrade to Windows 7. I'll never be an Apple fan, even now that their OS will run on a standard computer.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think you'd have a lot more visitors if you offered chicken wings and garlic potatoes with your books!  <dips finger in potatoes for a taste>


yuck! gertie, can you make more garlic potatoes since hicks put blue cooties in them?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> yuck! gertie, can you make more garlic potatoes since hicks put blue cooties in them?


You got it, Scarlet. Can't let you have chicken wings without garlic potatoes.

Rotini with my Mom's very special sauce for dinner tonight. Come on down!


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> yuck! gertie, can you make more garlic potatoes since hicks put blue cooties in them?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

LA-LA-LA-LA-LA ignoring LA-LA-LA-LA-LA


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You got it, Scarlet. Can't let you have chicken wings without garlic potatoes.
> 
> Rotini with my Mom's very special sauce for dinner tonight. Come on down!


thanks gertie.

and jeff, mike has blue woman cooties


----------



## Jeff

Yikes. Does Jan know?


----------



## telracs

finished forged in flame.

and i don't hate the ending.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I really wish that I hadn't installed Windows 8 on my newest computer. As soon as I have time I'm going to downgrade to Windows 7. I'll never be an Apple fan, even now that their OS will run on a standard computer.


Well, for what it's worth, I thought Win 7 was probably the best of the lot. I had it on three laptops and never had any major trouble with it, but I have no regrets about switching to Mac. The only major downside is the steep price, but past that I've loved it.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


>


Yeah, what Jeff said!



scarlet said:


> finished forged in flame.
> 
> and i don't hate the ending.


But did you enjoy the book? That's always the question!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, what Jeff said!
> 
> But did you enjoy the book? That's always the question!


Elijah Wood has a new movie coming out call "Cooties" - about a HS faculty trapped by body-sbatched students (sort of the reverse of his earlier, pre-Lord of the Rongs film, The Faculty).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,300 word (over the last three days). I've been stymied at work where my PC crashed and (when it came back) I lost connectivity to Microsoft Word (and Excel) over the network. Hopefully it will come back, but I usually write during lunch and my employee allows me to dive into the zone once my work is finished and I've helped olut my colleagues. And at home, between my new Kindle 8.7 HD 4g LTE and Netflix, and also the great joy (and it was a joy) of my Social Security start-up interview, I've stranded my proagonist on a rooftop during a fierce battle. But I am happy to announce, I brought him down last night and the chapter is finsihed (not edited, but completed). The work has only seven or eight chapters to go (revision work on the front end has been in progress), but since I'm going for a Zero error release, I suspect I will get the thing published at the end of February. Although the works been in gestation since the 1970's, this first book in the series went relatively fast having begun the first chapoters for some beta-readers back in 2004, and brining it to full term starting in June (9 months - which is longer than the women of Farn, who have a 9 week gestation period). I'm at 194,000 words, so these will be of Jade Owl heft.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## telracs

i was supposed to ENJOY it?


----------



## Steph H

scarlet said:


> i was supposed to ENJOY it?


There's always a catch....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

[rant] I canceled Select for my four book series, went through all that trouble to format and upload to SW, and somehow, the four books stayed in Select. I noticed that they were still prime eligible, so I went in and the boxes were still checked. Amazon won't do a thing about it. I'll be more careful next time. [/rant]

Don't know when I'll get back to writing.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> [rant] I canceled Select for my four book series, went through all that trouble to format and upload to SW, and somehow, the four books stayed in Select. I noticed that they were still prime eligible, so I went in and the boxes were still checked. Amazon won't do a thing about it. I'll be more careful next time. [/rant]
> 
> Don't know when I'll get back to writing.


*hands gertie a chocolate covered mini cupcake*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

scarlet said:


> *hands gertie a chocolate covered mini cupcake*


Thanks, Scarlet. I needed that.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Thanks, Scarlet. I needed that.


no problem. i've got more...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> no problem. i've got more...


<reaches and grabs a cupcake when telracs isn't looking>

Got the links to the books on Amazon CA added to the site and got Steph's revisions for FIF, after much back and forth trying to get a format that works between us!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <reaches and grabs a cupcake when telracs isn't looking>
> 
> Got the links to the books on Amazon CA added to the site and got Steph's revisions for FIF, after much back and forth trying to get a format that works between us!


*SMACK!*

no cupcakes for you!

and i'll be e-mailing you Sunday.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> *SMACK!*
> 
> no cupcakes for you!


Too late! Already stuffed it into my mouth! NOMNOMNOM



> and i'll be e-mailing you Sunday.


Coolio!


----------



## Thomas Watson

What a mess! Cupcake crumbs all over the place and... what on earth is that on those plates by the sink?

Blue cooties


::quicklyslipsbackoutthewayhecamein::


----------



## Ven West

May I whine for a moment please?

I'm feeling very frustrated and preemptively defeated right now.

I'm having an IMPOSSIBLE time trying to figure out the best way to publish my kids book. I feel like I might be able to get it published by a Big Name Publisher... like Scholastic or Penguin... and I really, REALLY want to do a print publication for that one, but even if I were to do print-on-demand publishing, that takes money. Or an agent. Or both. I think I could raise the amount of money I would need via Kickstarter using my best friend's success as a launching point... then again, my best friend just raised $11,000 in 36 hours. That's more than twice the money I've made working 8 months of the first real job I've been able to get in 3 years. I think of us as a collaborative team, but since he's the face on the camera and the primary script writer, I don't get paid and only even started getting credited in the past 3 episodes of his webshow... and no one really knows who I am.

I've just learned that the kind of work I do for his show for free is work that I could get up to $300 for here. I've been doing that kind of freelance art for two years now and never charged much more than 1/10th of that.

But hey... them's the kicks, right? And I have a second book I want to publish. One I can format and illustrate in a way that will work with e-reader screens. I can do a kickstarter for that right away! That's great right?

...well... except that I don't know that there's much market for a dystopian sci-fi fairytale about gay robots. I WANT to think people will buy it and like it, but I simply don't have any faith in my own writing anymore... because even though it's GOOD writing, it may not be popular or accessible writing. Even though my themes are LGBT and dystopian, which are popular, I think... my story is just... weird. There's a romance, and there's sex, but it's not a romance story and it's not erotica. It's illustrated, but it's not YA lit, but it's not _NOT_ YA lit... And the prose is dense in a way I feel cancels out the fact that it has LGBT and dystopian themes, which means I have no idea whether anyone will like it.

So... I'm not sure which book to focus on or where to go from here right now. I'm not considering a "just give up" attitude, but I am... very, very frustrated. 

_The world as we know it has died, but the world is not dead. It is changed. All the litter and refuse of mankind's existence lies in half-neglect -- only half, for many of their robot servants remain, performing their tasks as they had when their gods lived, caretakers of monuments no worshippers would ever return to. They are a perpetual memorial, for they have long since been taught to provide their own power, to fix themselves and one another, to sustain the order. They speak to one another. They are aware. They chatter, they imitate humanity well, they pose, they gesture, they engage one another in pleasantries and sometimes pantomimes of arguments, they are metal ghosts, they are imperfect echoes.

Despite their work, the cities have begun to crumble and be swallowed by poisoned vines and mutant soils that move and grow and twist in ways no man from our time would recognize. All the rivers in the world now are not water, but strangemetal. It is like mercury, and like tinfoil, it crinkles, it flows, it shatters and reflects light, but it is also no more than an echo.

There is fire. The horizon is red with it always. The night is full of smoke and glitter rising from distant explosions. There is disease. Not all the bodies have been taken away, especially outside of the cities. There is light, electric buzzing, timed lights still directing traffic on empty streets. Sometimes, there are radios and televisions put on by timers or by others like Larry, who are performing routines without reason. It might even be with hope, if metal beings had the capacity for hope. The radios and televisions have no new programming anymore, but somewhere there are stations that have been told to recycle their programming over and over in the absence of other commands. Art echoes. This, too, will never die. _


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> What a mess! Cupcake crumbs all over the place and... what on earth is that on those plates by the sink?
> 
> Blue cooties
> 
> ::quicklyslipsbackoutthewayhecamein::


do i hear the strains of BAGPIPES?

and there aren't any cupcake crumbs, they're minis. but there are some chicken bones. at least i think they're CHICKEN....


----------



## Jeff

Ven West said:


> So... I'm not sure which book to focus on or where to go from here right now. I'm not considering a "just give up" attitude, but I am... very, very frustrated.


Give up, that's the only sure way I know of to fail. Whoever it was that told you life was easy or that you were owed a living was a liar. Stop whining and go to work.


----------



## Ven West

Jeff said:


> Give up, that's the only sure way I know of to fail. Whoever it was that told you life was easy or that you were owed a living was a liar. Stop whining and go to work.


...yessir


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ven West said:


> ...yessir


We do nice and supportive over in the stop-smoking thread. Here, we're not above using cattle prods to get our lazy rears in gear.










Ouch ... okay, I'll get to work as soon as I ... Ouch. Okay, right now. I'm working, I'm working.


----------



## telracs

if you write, you may have cupcakes...  and chocolate...

(gertie's the stick, i'm the carrot)


----------



## Jeff

And if you write, Ven, you may even be successful. That sometimes happens.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Give up, that's the only sure way I know of to fail. Whoever it was that told you life was easy or that you were owed a living was a liar. Stop whining and go to work.


What Jeff said. Remember, JK Rowling was turned down by 12 different houses for Harry Potter before someone finally took a chance on it, but she didn't give up. And many - probably most - authors of other books that became phenomenal bestsellers had to go through the same thing. And most of us who are writing full-time for a living now have put in ridiculous hours trying to get here, and still put in long hours (a lot more than 40 a week!) to keep things going.

Now you at least have an option with self-publishing: if the big houses don't want to bite (or you don't want to play their increasingly ridiculous games), you do it yourself. And believe me, I'm making more money now as a self-published author than I ever could have dreamed of making had I sold my rights and soul to a publishing house.

And what money does print on demand publishing require? I go the "expensive" route with Lightning Source, and that costs me a $70 setup fee, $12 a year to maintain the book on file with them, and $25 for an ISBN (which I buy in lots of ten at $250 each). CreateSpace is something like $40 for the whole shebang (unless you want your own ISBN). The rest of it you do yourself, and the bits you can't do you find someone else to do for you (free or for pay).

As for ebooks, you can publish them entirely for free. And if you want to publish an illustrated book and you're the illustrator, how can you complain? Otherwise you'd have to pay someone a lot of $$ to do that part of the work. You've got it made on that score!

You want to do both projects, so just pick one and see it through to completion, then start the next. If people like what you write, great. If not, take what they don't like to heart and make your next book better.

Get to work!


----------



## Steph H

Are you editing right now, Mike? If not, YOU get to work!! ::lashes the _grakh'ta_::


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Are you editing right now, Mike? If not, YOU get to work!! ::lashes the _grakh'ta_::


excuse me.... he's waiting on me, okay? put your whip away.....

but she does bring up a good point, Mike, you need to make sure you're consistent in your italics...


----------



## Steph H

Well, he did tell me he was going to start my edits today....

And good point about my good point that I forgot to actually mention to Mike about being consistent on the italics on the Kreelan words.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Well, he did tell me he was going to start my edits today....
> 
> And good point about my good point that I forgot to actually mention to Mike about being consistent on the italics on the Kreelan words.


i always wonder if the italics issue is his fault or the file we get it in fault.

also, mikey.... capitalization of compass directions? you're confusing me.


----------



## Steph H

LOL - I mentioned that too. 

(Poor Mike, I suppose we shouldn't drag him down in public....  )


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> LOL - I mentioned that too.
> 
> (Poor Mike, I suppose we shouldn't drag him down in public....  )


you're the one who was whipping him!

nice to know you and i tell him the same things.

and i get to go off to flirt-land next!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And what money does print on demand publishing require? I go the "expensive" route with Lightning Source, and that costs me a $70 setup fee, $12 a year to maintain the book on file with them, and $25 for an ISBN (which I buy in lots of ten at $250 each). CreateSpace is something like $40 for the whole shebang (unless you want your own ISBN). The rest of it you do yourself, and the bits you can't do you find someone else to do for you (free or for pay).


For me, the whole shebang on Createspace amounted to the expanded distribution fees and the cost of a couple of proof copies. It's possible to do this with little or no money in the budget.

Ven: As for getting discouraged, well, that's easy to do. This isn't an easy thing to do. So far this month I've sold two copies of Mr. Olcott's Skies. That's all. But I went into this in March of last year with high hopes and no expectations, other than expecting it to be really hard to find and cultivate an audience. It has been hard, so far, but I haven't even been published a year, yet. Way too soon to call it a failure. All I can do is keep writing and plugging. It will add up to success, or it won't, and there's really only one way to find out which it will be.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> For me, the whole shebang on Createspace amounted to the expanded distribution fees and the cost of a couple of proof copies. It's possible to do this with little or no money in the budget.
> 
> Ven: As for getting discouraged, well, that's easy to do. This isn't an easy thing to do. So far this month I've sold two copies of Mr. Olcott's Skies. That's all. But I went into this in March of last year with high hopes and no expectations, other than expecting it to be really hard to find and cultivate an audience. It has been hard, so far, but I haven't even been published a year, yet. Way too soon to call it a failure. All I can do is keep writing and plugging. It will add up to success, or it won't, and there's really only one way to find out which it will be.


Even Uncle Sam gives us seven years to make a profit.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Even Uncle Sam gives us seven years to make a profit.


Fair enough! If I haven't arrived in seven years, I'll start thinking about maybe possibly giving it up.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Fair enough! If I haven't arrived in seven years, I'll start thinking about maybe possibly giving it up.


I made it last year. $56.48.  If I don't plow most of it back into the business, I'll have to pay taxes on my SS.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> you're the one who was whipping him!
> 
> nice to know you and i tell him the same things.
> 
> and i get to go off to flirt-land next!


It's no wonder so many authors drink and go crazy!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It's no wonder so many authors drink and go crazy!


i thought they became writers after drinking and going crazy?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> i thought they became writers after drinking and going crazy?


No, no, those are the painters!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> No, no, those are the painters!


And poets. Reasonably sure it works that way for poets.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> And poets. Reasonably sure it works that way for poets.


The drinking and going crazy part sounds good, but I hate poetry and can't draw a straight line with a ruler (literally; the hand holding the ruler slips or my fingernail gets in the way and there's this little bump). So writing it is. Maybe I should go straight to the drinking part. Crazy is already here.

Thinking about abandoning GS and hiding away somewhere to write today. I have some errands to run so I might as well go do something useful while I'm out.


----------



## telracs

okay steph, you can get the whip out now, i've sent my comments.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> okay steph, you can get the whip out now, i've sent my comments.


No fair ganging up on the author!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I think you have the two toughest Beta readers in the Empire.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think you have the two toughest Beta readers in the Empire.


why thank you ma'am....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think you have the two toughest Beta readers in the Empire.


<hangs head and cries, then swipes one of Scarlet's Godiva brownies>


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <hangs head and cries, then swipes one of Scarlet's Godiva brownies>


Ohhhh, qwitcher bellyachin.....you know you love us.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Steph H said:


> Ohhhh, qwitcher bellyachin.....you know you love us.


Steph, you've already got a "blue" moon in your avatar, and I heard Scarlet is going to change her name to Periwinkle. I'm beginning to think you're a pair of thinly disguised blue chicks.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <hangs head and cries, then swipes one of Scarlet's Godiva brownies>


btw, where ARE my brownies?



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Steph, you've already got a "blue" moon in your avatar, and I heard Scarlet is going to change her name to Periwinkle. I'm beginning to think you're a pair of thinly disguised blue chicks.


and no, i'm an agent of Terran Intelligence.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> btw, where ARE my brownies?


Um, I ate them...



> and no, i'm an agent of Terran Intelligence.


Doesn't tha qualify as an oxymoron?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, Scarlet & Steph's edits are done. On to the Norwegian editorial team... 

And I had to have cavities filled at 8AM this morning. That was an entertaining experience. My stupid mouth is still numb...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Doesn't tha qualify as an oxymoron?


you created her, don't call her a moron.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, Scarlet & Steph's edits are done. On to the Norwegian editorial team...
> 
> And I had to have cavities filled at 8AM this morning. That was an entertaining experience. My stupid mouth is still numb...


aren't you a little old for cavities?


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Do you still want to go over _Guinevere and Arthur_, Gertie? And what about you, Scarlet? Are you up to beta reading a short illustrated novel or do you just want to wait for _Carpetbaggers_? (56.000 words.)


i'm waiting on some short romances to beta this week, so i don't know if i can do Guinevere. but i am happy to do carpetbaggers!


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> i'm waiting on some short romances to beta this week, so i don't know if i can do Guinevere. but i am happy to do carpetbaggers!


Sorry. I deleted the post that you answered because the word count was wrong and I need to recalculate. I understand that you're busy. Thanks anyway.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Sorry. I deleted the post that you answered because the word count was wrong and I need to recalculate. I understand that you're busy. Thanks anyway.


it's kind of amusing...
nobody wants me for months and months and months, then 3 of my favorite people want me at the same time...
now if Watson would just get his bagpipes in gear.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Sorry. I deleted the post that you answered because the word count was wrong and I need to recalculate. I understand that you're busy. Thanks anyway.


Send it when you're ready. Skydrive?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

scarlet said:


> you created her, don't call her a moron.


Just sayin'!



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Send it when you're ready. Skydrive?


Isn't that a Bond film??

And I wish I was too old for cavities. There should be a law. Alas, this is my punishment for not getting any checkups/cleanings the last few years.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just sayin'!


now you owe me TWO boxes of brownies! insulting my alter ego. bad hicks, bad!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Send it when you're ready. Skydrive?


Yes, if you're sure you have time, I'll build a Kindle book and create another folder for it. (The Word 2010 file is too unstable.) I don't know if Susan is going to be interested in this or not, but I'll share it out with her just in case. It may be tomorrow. Thank you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Yes, if you're sure you have time, I'll build a Kindle book and create another folder for it. (The Word 2010 file is too unstable.) I don't know if Susan is going to be interested in this or not, but I'll share it out with her just in case. It may be tomorrow. Thank you.


I can do 50K words (or thereabouts) standing on my head and I don't work on Wednesday. Just have to get back into Skydrive.


----------



## Thomas Watson

scarlet said:


> it's kind of amusing...
> nobody wants me for months and months and months, then 3 of my favorite people want me at the same time...
> now if Watson would just get his bagpipes in gear.


Easier said than done. Ever try to tune bagpipes?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Easier said than done. Ever try to tune bagpipes?


I didn't know they ever were in tune.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I didn't know they ever were in tune.


That sounds like something Alicia MacGregor would say.  (Character in The Luck of Han'anga.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> That sounds like something Alicia MacGregor would say.  (Character in The Luck of Han'anga.)


To be serious for a moment <gasp>, I used to watch the Shriner's parades just to hear the bagpipes. Do they even do those parades out of Philadelphia anymore?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thinking of Linda (L. C.) Evens today. It's neem a year.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thinking of Linda (L. C.) Evens today. It's neem a year.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I was thinking about her the other day. I can't believe it's been a year she's been gone.


----------



## kit1978

so while waiting for my copyediting to be finished on my novel I' 've been writing some short stories to put together in a collection. what does everyone think is a fair number of 3-10 thousand word stories to put in a collection?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kit1978 said:


> so while waiting for my copyediting to be finished on my novel I' 've been writing some short stories to put together in a collection. what does everyone think is a fair number of 3-10 thousand word stories to put in a collection?


A full-length novel is 40-50K depending on who you talk to. I'd say go for at least 50K words.


----------



## Silvanom

Hi, 

I'm really a "dummy" but please can anyone tell me how can I register me as an author?
So I will can insert my books in the kindleboards' official list...

Thanks in advance for every answers!

(and sorry in advance if I will not say thanks soon cause I write from Italy and now I ... go to sleep   )

Silvano.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had to work late at the HS setting up a spread sheet for next year's class schedule so I only had time to do a couple of hundred words. The thing is, writing in first person for this story is really working out well. It's third in the new series and I'm wondering if I should rewrite the first two in first person to be consistent.

Thoughts, please?


----------



## Jeff

Silvanom said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm really a "dummy" but please can anyone tell me how can I register me as an author?
> So I will can insert my books in the kindleboards' official list...
> 
> Thanks in advance for every answers!
> 
> (and sorry in advance if I will not say thanks soon cause I write from Italy and now I ... go to sleep  )
> 
> Silvano.


The instructions are here:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,123763.msg1837937.html#msg1837937


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words yesterday and we're out of _the Banetuckle _ and the _Kanaguda_. Now for the Battle of the _Gonada Gigaha _ and the struggle on _the Galliwailit _ Bridge.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,800 words yesterday and we're out of _the Banetuckle _ and the _Kanaguda_. Now for the Battle of the _Gonada Gigaha _ and the struggle on _the Galliwailit _ Bridge.


Those all sound like exotic dances to me! 

Nothing terribly useful accomplished yesterday or today beyond receipt of the proof print copies for Bitter Harvest and From Chaos Born. The main news was clinching a deal with a narrator to do the audiobook of Season Of The Harvest (and, hopefully, the rest of the books, as well). The first of the Norwegian editors should have her feedback in tomorrow on Forged In Flame, and when the last one gets done red-inking and I do the last revisions, it'll be time for beta readers. Oh, and the Chinese edition of First Contact apparently has made its way into the beta reader stage, so that's creeping a bit closer to publication, as well...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,800 words yesterday and we're out of _the Banetuckle _ and the _Kanaguda_. Now for the Battle of the _Gonada Gigaha _ and the struggle on _the Galliwailit _ Bridge.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Always been kind of a Battle of the Gonada Gigaha buff. Can't wait to see how you handle it. 



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Those all sound like exotic dances to me!
> 
> Nothing terribly useful accomplished yesterday or today beyond receipt of the proof print copies for Bitter Harvest and From Chaos Born. The main news was clinching a deal with a narrator to do the audiobook of Season Of The Harvest (and, hopefully, the rest of the books, as well). The first of the Norwegian editors should have her feedback in tomorrow on Forged In Flame, and when the last one gets done red-inking and I do the last revisions, it'll be time for beta readers. Oh, and the Chinese edition of First Contact apparently has made its way into the beta reader stage, so that's creeping a bit closer to publication, as well...


Did you find a narrator through ACX or one of those the guy here put you in touch with?

Didn't know you had a Chinese edition in the works. Congrats!

Another few hundred words today. It's hard to write on three hours sleep. The brain just doesn't work. This first person story I'm working on is about twins. I'll be switching PoV's a few times. I'm on the second twin now but still only six pages in. I want to keep it down to around 50 pages.


----------



## Silvanom

Jeff said:


> The instructions are here:
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,123763.msg1837937.html#msg1837937


Thank you Jeff!


----------



## kit1978

Hey does anyone know of any good reviewers for horror fiction that I can send an ARC of my novel?


----------



## Jeff

kit1978 said:


> Hey does anyone know of any good reviewers for horror fiction that I can send an ARC of my novel?


No, but if you send it to me I'll give you a bad review.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> No, but if you send it to me I'll give you a bad review.


LOL! You're so bad!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Another few hundred words tonight. Gosh, I'm really tearing it up.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! You're so bad!


The devil made me do it.

My internet service went south when a technician was installing service across the street and it took me 24 hours to convince the company. When I transferred my great work of art, _Guinevere and Arthur_, to Sky Drive, it fell to pieces with the pictures being scattered randomly throughout the document. Oh yeah - and I seem to have lost most of the vision in my right eye. Can you find the thread in there to see how all those incidents are related?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Those all sound like exotic dances to me!


They're nothing compared to the word for an exotic dance, _the alsalgi_, which you learn in Cetronia's grammar schools, which are called _Deedaloquasdi_.  It's funny, but Peg and I discuss the editing and she's becoming adept in three or four fake languages. Her favorite word (except for the protagonist's sidekick, _Yustichisqua)_ is the balloon that ferries contraband across _the Forling _ desert - a vehicle called _the Gananadana_. Now if that doesn't sound like an exotic dance from Tegucigalpa, I'll be an _awidena's matorishmaggin_.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> The devil made me do it.
> 
> My internet service went south when a technician was installing service across the street and it took me 24 hours to convince the company. When I transferred my great work of art, _Guinevere and Arthur_, to Sky Drive, it fell to pieces with the pictures being scattered randomly throughout the document. Oh yeah - and I seem to have lost most of the vision in my right eye. Can you find the thread in there to see how all those incidents are related?


That's the _I can't read on my Kindle because of my eye or download any books or my wip for my beta reader because I lost my Wi-Fi_ thread.

See? you can post that in both _Let's Talk Kindle_ and _The Writer's Cafe_.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's the _I can't read on my Kindle because of my eye or download any books or my wip for my beta reader because I lost my Wi-Fi_ thread.
> 
> See? you can post that in both _Let's Talk Kindle_ and _The Writer's Cafe_.


Thanks. I'd rather be horsewhipped.


----------



## Guest

I was doing fairly well this morning: 1,500 words and a reskinned website... and then there was a white flash, and when my eyes cleared I could see pretty orange flames dancing up the wall. Cue extinguishing flames, suppressing sparks and dumping the culprit outside to smoulder.

It was just the monitor not the PC, thank heavens, and I had an old and clunky spare, but my concentration is a little shot. I hope that's not the monitor's version of a critical opinion!


----------



## Jeff

Haha. I can't top that.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Had an interrupted day at work, having been named Performer of the Month (I've got to learn to keep my clothes on while posting cash) - so I needed to go eat some free food and receive some accolades. (Someone has to receive them). I've been with this copmy for 48 years, and since I hope to work until I'm at least 72, I'll wrap it up with 55 years. I am the longest continusly (well I did have temporary interruptions) employed associate in the company (the acquired piece, although I believe, if I was still with Dun & Bradstreet - where I started this road, I'd have that honor too). I also commenced Social Security this month (I'm on the dole, and this job is now secondary income - SSA being most kind to me and starting 4 months prior to my 66th birthday).

SO, the only thing I've done this morning (after closing out the month - ka-ching) is write the dedication for the new book, _Belmundus_, which goes as follows (and no, Gertie, it's not poetry, so you don't need to hide your eyes - I've saved the poetry for the preface and its in Cherokee anyway).

*To the Living Legacy of the Cherokee People
And to my native Great Grandmother 
Lillian Devereaux Patterson 
Dawes Roll Card 
#8721 - M2139*[/cente
I wouldn't dedicate it to my full blooded Cherokee grandfather - the old drunk and reprobate, 'cause my father would be rolling in his grave. Great Grandmama will do.

Edward C. Patterson​


----------



## Gertie Kindle

VH Folland said:


> I was doing fairly well this morning: 1,500 words and a reskinned website... and then there was a white flash, and when my eyes cleared I could see pretty orange flames dancing up the wall. Cue extinguishing flames, suppressing sparks and dumping the culprit outside to smoulder.
> 
> It was just the monitor not the PC, thank heavens, and I had an old and clunky spare, but my concentration is a little shot. I hope that's not the monitor's version of a critical opinion!


Eeek! I don't think we have a thread for that!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Had an interrupted day at work, having been named Performer of the Month (I've got to learn to keep my clothes on while posting cash) - so I needed to go eat some free food and receive some accolades. (Someone has to receive them). I've been with this copmy for 48 years, and since I hope to work until I'm at least 72, I'll wrap it up with 55 years. I am the longest continusly (well I did have temporary interruptions) employed associate in the company (the acquired piece, although I believe, if I was still with Dun & Bradstreet - where I started this road, I'd have that honor too). I also commenced Social Security this month (I'm on the dole, and this job is now secondary income - SSA being most kind to me and starting 4 months prior to my 66th birthday).
> 
> SO, the only thing I've done this morning (after closing out the month - ka-ching) is write the dedication for the new book, _Belmundus_, which goes as follows (and no, Gertie, it's not poetry, so you don't need to hide your eyes - I've saved the poetry for the preface and its in Cherokee anyway).
> 
> *To the Living Legacy of the Cherokee People
> And to my native Great Grandmother
> Lillian Devereaux Patterson
> Dawes Roll Card
> #8721 - M2139*[/cente
> I wouldn't dedicate it to my full blooded Cherokee grandfather - the old drunk and reprobate, 'cause my father would be rolling in his grave. Great Grandmama will do.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> ​




You do know that if you make over $25K you have to pay income tax on 50% of your SS, don't you?

And thanks for the no poetry. You're a very kind man.​


----------



## kit1978

Jeff said:


> No, but if you send it to me I'll give you a bad review.


Thanks for the 'support' lol


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Eeek! I don't think we have a thread for that!
> 
> You do know that if you make over $25K you have to pay income tax on 50% of your SS, don't you?
> 
> And thanks for the no poetry. You're a very kind man.


Yep. I thought it was 80%. I only make 29K (I once pulled in 110K - that's why my SSA is inordinately high). But since I'm taking the SSA and throwing it against my creditcard debt for the next 2 years, I cake a bunch and pay my taxes. I now make more per month on SSA than I do in take home pay, and I also have a monthly annuity. It's been a 12 year struggle since I was down-sized, but perhaps, after the bills are paid off, I can amass a some funds to return to China, buy some canned air (that they now sell in Bei-jing) and see the hills of Gui-lin again before I kick the korinkle. lol.

The nice thing is I can mae as much money up to $42,000 (they upped it) after age 66 (4 months from now) and not give anything back. So I can turn tricks on the side up to $12,000 worth. Trouble is finding anyone willing to pay more than chocolate for it.  Once I could demand a bottle of Dom Perignon. Now it's viamin water (lemon).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Yep. I thought it was 80%. I only make 29K (I once pulled in 110K - that's why my SSA is inordinately high). But since I'm taking the SSA and throwing it against my creditcard debt for the next 2 years, I cake a bunch and pay my taxes. I now make more per month on SSA than I do in take home pay, and I also have a monthly annuity. It's been a 12 year struggle since I was down-sized, but perhaps, after the bills are paid off, I can amass a some funds to return to China, buy some canned air (that they now sell in Bei-jing) and see the hills of Gui-lin again before I kick the korinkle. lol.
> 
> The nice thing is I can mae as much money up to $42,000 (they upped it) after age 66 (4 months from now) and not give anything back. So I can turn tricks on the side up to $12,000 worth. Trouble is finding anyone willing to pay more than chocolate for it.  Once I could demand a bottle of Dom Perignon. Now it's viamin water (lemon).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Yes, between my SS and my pension, I also make more money than I used to take home. Just have to make sure I get those deductible expenses in so I can keep from giving it back to Uncle Sam. E.G., I deduct my volunteer miles.

Weird, isn't it?


----------



## Thomas Watson

3K words spread over two days, to complete the first draft of a short story. That'll be set aside while I address errors found in the final version of Founders' Effect by the Last Beta Reader. (If any errors are found after this, they're mine ... all mine!)

Then... the joys of formatting!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> 3K words spread over two days, to complete the first draft of a short story. That'll be set aside while I address errors found in the final version of Founders' Effect by the Last Beta Reader. (If any errors are found after this, they're mine ... all mine!)
> 
> Then... the joys of formatting!


Oh, BTW, I meant to tell you that we're planning on rumbling through Tucson on our summer RV trip. I was planning to head up to Kitt Peak for a tour (seemed like a good idea for a sci-fi author!). We were thinking about the stargazing thingy on Mt. Lemon, but probably won't do that, as we'll be pretty strapped for time. Maybe we can hook up along the way...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, BTW, I meant to tell you that we're planning on rumbling through Tucson on our summer RV trip. I was planning to head up to Kitt Peak for a tour (seemed like a good idea for a sci-fi author!). We were thinking about the stargazing thingy on Mt. Lemon, but probably won't do that, as we'll be pretty strapped for time. Maybe we can hook up along the way...


Give me as much warning as you can, and we'll work something out.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> 3K words spread over two days, to complete the first draft of a short story. That'll be set aside while I address errors found in the final version of Founders' Effect by the Last Beta Reader. (If any errors are found after this, they're mine ... all mine!)
> 
> Then... the joys of formatting!


does this mean the third book will be started soon?


----------



## NicWilson

Oof. I knew I had an ambitious publishing schedule set for myself, but that was before I got moved up to a full time schedule at work. Now, I've written maybe 3-4000 words this week. That's probably somewhere between half and a third of what I had been doing. And I need to get this draft finished so I can hurry up and edit 6 other nearly finished novels. This is the LAST time to stall out!


----------



## Jeff

kit1978 said:


> Thanks for the 'support' lol


That's what friends are for.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Give me as much warning as you can, and we'll work something out.


I'll likely periodically mention where we are! 

Updates for the morning: Found out that the illustrator for the Chinese edition of First Contact is still on the job! I thought she had stopped to focus on her school work, but apparently not. I just wish the publishers weren't quite so intent on having an illustration for *every* chapter in the book. That's an incredible amount of work!

Also got the first 15 minutes of the narration for Season Of The Harvest, which I think sounds great. So hopefully that will be out on the street in early March...

In the meantime, waiting for the final edits on Forged In Flame before firing that out to beta readers.

Oh, and a nap. Mustn't forget a nap!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll likely periodically mention where we are!
> 
> Updates for the morning: Found out that the illustrator for the Chinese edition of First Contact is still on the job! I thought she had stopped to focus on her school work, but apparently not. I just wish the publishers weren't quite so intent on having an illustration for *every* chapter in the book. That's an incredible amount of work!
> 
> Also got the first 15 minutes of the narration for Season Of The Harvest, which I think sounds great. So hopefully that will be out on the street in early March...
> 
> In the meantime, waiting for the final edits on Forged In Flame before firing that out to beta readers.
> 
> Oh, and a nap. Mustn't forget a nap!


Congrats on the audio book. I hope it continues to go well.

I did pretty well with my ENT BOTD and I think I'll be able to pay for one of my novellas to be recorded.

No writing today, but I'm moving right along with Jeff's _Arthur and Guinevere_. I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No writing today, but I'm moving right along with Jeff's _Arthur and Guinevere_. I'm really enjoying it.


I'm very grateful for the help, Gertie/Margaret. Great input so far. Very helpful.

I'm going to need a proof reader who doesn't have children who might accidentally see some of the slightly risque pictures over their shoulder. Anyone know of one? Everyone I've used in the past has kids who'll be likely to rubberneck. It's about 57,000 words with adult situations but no vulgar language or inordinately graphic violence.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'm very grateful for the help, Gertie/Margaret. Great input so far. Very helpful.
> 
> I'm going to need a proof reader who doesn't have children who might accidentally see some of the slightly risque pictures over their shoulder. Anyone know of one? Everyone I've used in the past has kids who'll be likely to rubberneck. It's about 57,000 words with adult situations but no vulgar language or inordinately graphic violence.


I'm about halfway through the middle part. Hope to finish it tomorrow.

I put A Slice of Life on acx and said I would pay for production. It's only 2.8 hours so maybe I'll get some interest.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,800 words yesterday. In the stretch folks - one 3 short chapters to go and the revision work (which is about 1/3 done).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,800 words yesterday. In the stretch folks - one 3 short chapters to go and the revision work (which is about 1/3 done).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


You go, Ed!

Haven't been able to do a thing, but I promise myself, I'll be at the library bright and early tomorrow morning, ready to work. Gotta get back on track. 500 words in two hours just doesn't cut it.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll likely periodically mention where we are!


I'll monitor your progress westward.


----------



## Thomas Watson

I need a volunteer, someone who has not downloaded a copy of my freebie short story Long Time Passing. (Surely one of you managed to resist the temptation.   )  I changed some of the front matter and reloaded the file, but since I've already downloaded a test copy (months ago) I can't seem to do it again. (And yes, I deleted that test from my library, but still get the reminder that I've downloaded it, followed by the date.) I added a link to Luck of Han'anga and a publishing logo. I need to know if everything worked as intended. You can delete the thing afterward, and no hard feelings. The book cover in my signature line is, of course, a link to the story.

TIA


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> I need a volunteer, someone who has not downloaded a copy of my freebie short story Long Time Passing. (Surely one of you managed to resist the temptation.  ) I changed some of the front matter and reloaded the file, but since I've already downloaded a test copy (months ago) I can't seem to do it again. (And yes, I deleted that test from my library, but still get the reminder that I've downloaded it, followed by the date.) I added a link to Luck of Han'anga and a publishing logo. I need to know if everything worked as intended. You can delete the thing afterward, and no hard feelings.
> 
> TIA


It looks fine to me.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> It looks fine to me.


Thanks, Jeff! That's good to know.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Thanks, Jeff! That's good to know.


You're welcome. If you need screen shots or anything like that, let me know.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Doesn't seem necessary, but appreciate the offer.


----------



## Jeff

_Guinevere and Arthur_ is being proof-read and so, as I promised, I've reopened the _Carpetbaggers_ manuscript for the first time in a very long time. I've forgotten so much about the characters and their circumstances that I'm going to be forced to read _Freedom_, if not the whole trilogy again. Reading my own work without editing is proving to be very difficult.

Here's the cover for _Guinevere and Arthur_, in case anyone's interested. I haven't decided what to do about posting it in the Book Bazaar. It isn't really historical fiction and it's absolutely not a children's book. Starting another thread that nobody will read seems like a waste of time and resources.


----------



## telracs

*hums quietly to self while daydreaming of carpetbaggers*


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> *hums quietly to self while daydreaming of carpetbaggers*


No nagging. I'm old and crabby.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> _Guinevere and Arthur_ is being proof-read and so, as I promised, I've reopened the _Carpetbaggers_ manuscript for the first time in a very long time. I've forgotten so much about the characters and their circumstances that I'm going to be forced to read _Freedom_, if not the whole trilogy again. Reading my own work without editing is proving to be very difficult.
> 
> Here's the cover for _Guinevere and Arthur_, in case anyone's interested. I haven't decided what to do about posting it in the Book Bazaar. It isn't really historical fiction and it's absolutely not a children's book. Starting another thread that nobody will read seems like a waste of time and resources.


It's set in an historical time period and is fiction. So yes, it's an historical fiction graphic novel. You can designate it as such in your historical fiction thread. And you'd be surprised at how many times the BB threads get read.



scarlet said:


> *hums quietly to self while daydreaming of carpetbaggers*


^^^



Jeff said:


> No nagging. I'm old and crabby.


That's not nagging. You'll know when we nag.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm back on track. 3200 words this morning. My brain was humming and my fingers were flying. Now I have to go soak my poor hands in epsom salts.


----------



## telracs

if you mention it and i tangentially say i'm thinking about it, it is NOT nagging.....

if you want nagging, i can oblige.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

The first 1000 words written on Reaping The Harvest while waiting for the final edits to come back on Forged In Flame...


----------



## crebel

Note to self #1:  Do NOT nag sweet, not-a-curmudgeon, Jeff.

Note to self #2: DO nag cliff-hanger-writing Mike to hurry up with Reaping The Harvest.


----------



## Jeff

scarlet said:


> if you mention it and i tangentially say i'm thinking about it, it is NOT nagging.....
> 
> if you want nagging, i can oblige.


I wasn't accusing you of nagging, I was warning you that there would be terrible consequences if you started. Don't ask me what consequences. I have to think about that for a while - but I know that it would involve some form of chocolate deprivation.

Yeah. And what she said. ^^^



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's set in an historical time period and is fiction. So yes, it's an historical fiction graphic novel. You can designate it as such in your historical fiction thread.


I'd be too embarrassed to call it historical anything. I pretty much ignored the language and customs of the period, dressed the characters in Hollywood style costumes and used fantasy settings. I didn't even stick to the legend very closely.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'd be too embarrassed to call it historical anything. I pretty much ignored the language and customs of the period, dressed the characters in Hollywood style costumes and used fantasy settings. I didn't even stick to the legend very closely.


I take it you didn't change _pantaloons_? 

I'll put it in my graphic novel thread if you want.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I take it you didn't change _pantaloons_?


Some of the illustrations are already pretty risque. If I'd been true to period costumes and the characters wore no underclothes...



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'll put it in my graphic novel thread if you want.


That's not a bad idea. Your predominately female romance readers are far more likely to be interested in it than my predominantly male blood-and-guts fans.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The goal this weekend is to finish _*Belmundus*_. It's a reasonable goal. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Some of the illustrations are already pretty risque. If I'd been true to period costumes and the characters wore no underclothes...
> That's not a bad idea. Your predominately female romance readers are far more likely to be interested in it than my predominantly male blood-and-guts fans.


Let me know when you're ready!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> The goal this weekend is to finish _*Belmundus*_. It's a reasonable goal.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Ed, this is not my type of read, but I have so enjoyed your progress reports, I'm tempted to read it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

YAY! I've got a producer for one of my audiobooks! I decided to put up A Slice of Life because it's short and I could afford to pay up front. I had the narrator make some changes after the first audition and she did exactly what I wanted. She accepted my offer and I just sent her the formal offer through ACX.

It could be out there by the end of March.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> YAY! I've got a producer for one of my audiobooks! I decided to put up A Slice of Life because it's short and I could afford to pay up front. I had the narrator make some changes after the first audition and she did exactly what I wanted. She accepted my offer and I just sent her the formal offer through ACX.
> 
> It could be out there by the end of March.


^ Like


----------



## Shane Murray

Jeff said:


> ^ Like


double like!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

crebel said:


> Note to self #1: Do NOT nag sweet, not-a-curmudgeon, Jeff.


Jeff's not a curmudgeon? Sheesh! Now you tell me! 



> Note to self #2: DO nag cliff-hanger-writing Mike to hurry up with Reaping The Harvest.


No nagging until after Forged In Flame is on the street! I told myself I wasn't going to start writing until it was out, as I tend to neglect things like putting together the print copy, etc. But my fingers sort of started tapping on the keyboard by their little selves. I'll indulge them for now, but as soon as I get the final edits for Flame back (which should be today), I'm going to try and get those done this weekend and get the book out to the beta readers by Monday. I'll give them until Friday, do any revisions, and hopefully punch the book out on the 18th. President's Day! 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> YAY! I've got a producer for one of my audiobooks! I decided to put up A Slice of Life because it's short and I could afford to pay up front. I had the narrator make some changes after the first audition and she did exactly what I wanted. She accepted my offer and I just sent her the formal offer through ACX.
> 
> It could be out there by the end of March.


w00t! Hoping to have the audio version of Season Of The Harvest out in early to mid-March. I just have absolutely no idea what to expect in terms of listener interest, but I guess once it's out there, it'll earn money (a little or a lot) forever. The joys of residual income!


Edward C. Patterson said:


> The goal this weekend is to finish _*Belmundus*_. It's a reasonable goal.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Congrats, Ed! That's awesome!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Je suis finis. - Belmundus.

Now for the rest of the revisions, editing and proofing - and then making the files.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! Hoping to have the audio version of Season Of The Harvest out in early to mid-March. I just have absolutely no idea what to expect in terms of listener interest, but I guess once it's out there, it'll earn money (a little or a lot) forever. The joys of residual income!
> Congrats, Ed! That's awesome!!


It won't earn a dime for sure if it's not out there. That's the way I feel about it. The goal is to earn enough money to be able to pay for production up front for the Regan books. Have you designed your audiobook cover?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Forged In Flame is now heading out to the beta readers, with release slated for the 18th. Finally! LOL!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Forged In Flame is now heading out to the beta readers, with release slated for the 18th. Finally! LOL!


so i can expect the next harvest book when?

and brownies?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

whats-her-face said:


> so i can expect the next harvest book when?
> 
> and brownies?


Brownies soon! Harvest this summer (early, I hope, but you know how that goes)...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Brownies soon! Harvest this summer (early, I hope, but you know how that goes)...


brownies for valentine's day, harvest for my birthday!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

whats-her-face said:


> brownies for valentine's day, harvest for my birthday!


D'oh! Have to get on that!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> D'oh! Have to get on that!


It's a common misconception that indie authors do not face deadline pressure.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> It's a common misconception that indie authors do not face deadline pressure.


I think we're our own worst taskmasters.

Right now Ginny (my netbook) and I are suffering separation anxiety. I haven't been able to get to the library or McD's or anywhere that I can avoid the family and write.


----------



## Jeff

Of course we have self-imposed deadlines. Everything about being an entrepreneur is self imposed.

I'm hoping to get _Guinevere and Arthur_ back from the proof reader today. Maybe when that's published I'll be able to get more motivated to finish _Carpetbaggers_. The reality is that I enjoy doing illustrations more than writing, but the writing is more profitable. Well, if I was going to be completely honest, I made ten times as much money writing software and non-fiction "how-to" books. Forget all that crap I said about being an entrepreneur. I hear they're hiring old vets with carry permits as night guards. Why bother with all this hard stuff?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thomas Watson said:


> It's a common misconception that indie authors do not face deadline pressure.


Actually, an author without a deadline is like stove without a flame. I write for that one (and only one) reader who demands my book and waits for it with bated breath. "Ah, that's a figment of your imagination, Ed," you might well say. But I respond, "So's my book without that reader waiting anxiously in the winds."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Of course we have self-imposed deadlines. Everything about being an entrepreneur is self imposed.
> 
> I'm hoping to get _Guinevere and Arthur_ back from the proof reader today. Maybe when that's published I'll be able to get more motivated to finish _Carpetbaggers_. The reality is that I enjoy doing illustrations more than writing, but the writing is more profitable. Well, if I was going to be completely honest, I made ten times as much money writing software and non-fiction "how-to" books. Forget all that crap I said about being an entrepreneur. I hear they're hiring old vets with carry permits as night guards. Why bother with all this hard stuff?


Because then you won't have time for Camden.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I've been sketching out some plot milestones and character "issues" for Reaping The Harvest while waiting for the beta readers to finish up - I don't want to dive into it full-bore until Forged In Flame is actually out the door. Come next week, though, I'll need a good butt-kicking to start cranking out wordage, as I think I'm getting used to this whole laying around in the sun doing not much of anything gig...

I have also discovered something potentially horrible: I can't find the brownies on the Godiva chocolate site! All I'm coming up with is those little chocolate covered biscuits!! The horror!!


----------



## Wansit

While anxiously awaiting the edits to Sworn T R, I've been working on a small plot arc, and to borrow Michael's term 'character issues', for Casbah Guardian. It's fun but I should be done with that today and onward to the writing the 55K+ words for book 3.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Got the first 15 mins test-tape of my audiobook. Things are moving along. Still no writing this week and here it is Thursday already. <sigh>


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Planning to get the next batch of edits done from the second beta reader to sling things back, but probably won't do much more than that today: we're heading out soon to watch the latest Die Hard movie, then go out for a Valentines Day meal (too late for lunch, too early for dinner)... 

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!


----------



## telracs

no brownies?  must check later


----------



## Jeff

Happy Valentines Day. Congratulations to those meeting their goals; commiserations to those who're not.

Sorry, Scarlet and all my distant cousins, I'm giving up on Carpetbaggers again for a while. Everything I've written seems wooden. Maybe I'll get inspired after I finish the King Arthur trilogy.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Happy Valentines Day. Congratulations to those meeting their goals; commiserations to those who're not.
> 
> Sorry, Scarlet and all my distant cousins, I'm giving up on Carpetbaggers again for a while. Everything I've written seems wooden. Maybe I'll get inspired after I finish the King Arthur trilogy.


that's fine, jeff. if you're enjoying the illustrated books, stick with those. i'd rather you be happy than force yourself.

but remember, sometimes we are our own harshest critics, so it's probably not as bad as you think it is. (which should not be constituted as nagging, betsy!)

@mike.... they've discontinued the brownies! guess you're off the hook. enjoy the movie.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Happy Valentines Day. Congratulations to those meeting their goals; commiserations to those who're not.
> 
> Sorry, Scarlet and all my distant cousins, I'm giving up on Carpetbaggers again for a while. Everything I've written seems wooden. Maybe I'll get inspired after I finish the King Arthur trilogy.


KA is obviously where your heart is. I'm happy to know that Carpetbaggers is at least a gleam in your eye.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Sorry, Scarlet and all my distant cousins, I'm giving up on Carpetbaggers again for a while. Everything I've written seems wooden. Maybe I'll get inspired after I finish the King Arthur trilogy.


I think you just need to drop the main character(s) into a completely untenable situation and let them dig themselves out! 



telracs said:


> @mike.... they've discontinued the brownies! guess you're off the hook. enjoy the movie.


Tragedy! Any alternatives?

Die Hard was great for mindless shoot-em-up action in Moscow...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Tragedy! Any alternatives?
> 
> Die Hard was great for mindless shoot-em-up action in Moscow...


my mind and stomach were really set on the brownies, so i can't think of anything else but saddness for their demise.

i wonder if ghiardelli sells brownies....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> that's fine, jeff. if you're enjoying the illustrated books, stick with those. i'd rather you be happy than force yourself.


Thanks. If you're so inclined, Ghiardelli sells brownie mix via your nearest WalMart. 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> KA is obviously where your heart is. I'm happy to know that Carpetbaggers is at least a gleam in your eye.


I think it's the process more than the story that I like. When I get tired of writing I can work on an illustration (and vice versa) without ever getting outside the story line. While I'm working on one element I'm still thinking about the other. No down time. I've now gotten familiar enough with the process to be able to let the pictures lead the words. That's very much faster than staring into space and visualizing a scene. I could probably turn out a 60,000 word novel every month, if I could type and knew where comas commas were supposed to go. (I know the difference between a coma and a comma. Honestly, I do.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Thanks. If you're so inclined, Ghiardelli sells brownie mix via your nearest WalMart.
> I think it's the process more than the story that I like. When I get tired of writing I can work on an illustration (and vice versa) without ever getting outside the story line. While I'm working on one element I'm still thinking about the other. No down time. I've now gotten familiar enough with the process to be able to let the pictures lead the words. That's very much faster than staring into space and visualizing a scene. I could probably turn out a 60,000 word novel every month, if I could type and knew where comas were supposed to go.


You don't trust my comma expertise?


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Thanks. If you're so inclined, Ghiardelli sells brownie mix via your nearest WalMart.


"mix"? that means i have to bake it? um, no....


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You don't trust my comma expertise?


Absolutely. You're the comma queen. I just wish I could keep my mind on the rules of punctuation when I'm writing dialog. But they put me in a coma.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> "mix"? that means i have to bake it? um, no....


Why am I not surprised?


----------



## telracs

i was gonna be nice and PM you about your comma coma, but then you fixed it yourself.....


i've actually moved on to a new chocolate company, vosges, but it's WAY too expensive for my author friends to buy me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Absolutely. You're the comma queen. I just wish I could keep my mind on the rules of punctuation when I'm writing dialog. But they put me in a coma.


You should see all the red marks on my pages after Scott gets through editing. It's kind of embarrassing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You should see all the red marks on my pages after Scott gets through editing. It's kind of embarrassing.


If there wasn't lots of red he wouldn't be doing his job! ;-)


----------



## Thomas Watson

Sorry to interupt... but...

Founders' Effect is out! Link in the cover image below. 

_Hot damn and Hallelujah!_
         

Sorry... got a little carried away, there. Please, continue the conversation...


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Sorry to interupt... but...
> 
> Founders' Effect is out! Link in the cover image below.
> 
> _Hot d*mn and Hallelujah!_
> 
> 
> Sorry... got a little carried away, there. Please, continue the conversation...


and when is book three gonna be ready for me to beta?


Spoiler



(i have to stick pins in the happy balloons)


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> and when is book three gonna be ready for me to beta?
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> (i have to stick pins in the happy balloons)


Those are pins? I thought I was just all atingle with excitement! 

I need to add an entire story line to the braid that makes up _Plight of the Eli'ahtna_ (working title). At a guess, it'll be April. Of this year, I mean. I'll keep you posted. The day job is really screwing with my productivity.  Man, being unemployed for year did have its advantages!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Those are pins? I thought I was just all atingle with excitement!
> 
> I need to add an entire story line to the braid that makes up _Plight of the Eli'ahtna_ (working title). At a guess, it'll be April. Of this year, I mean. I'll keep you posted. The day job is really screwing with my productivity.  Man, being unemployed for year did have its advantages!


Okay, i won't bother you until May, then.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> If there wasn't lots of red he wouldn't be doing his job! ;-)


So true. I guess my fingers just don't move as fast as my brain. I don't know if that means that my fingers are getting old, or my brain has retained its youthful, lightning speed.



Thomas Watson said:


> Sorry to interupt... but...
> 
> Founders' Effect is out! Link in the cover image below.
> 
> _Hot d*mn and Hallelujah!_
> 
> 
> Sorry... got a little carried away, there. Please, continue the conversation...


Major congrats!!


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Sorry to interupt... but...
> 
> Founders' Effect is out! Link in the cover image below.
> 
> _Hot d*mn and Hallelujah!_
> 
> 
> Sorry... got a little carried away, there. Please, continue the conversation...


Good on you.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Sorry to interupt... but...
> 
> Founders' Effect is out! Link in the cover image below.
> 
> _Hot d*mn and Hallelujah!_
> 
> 
> Sorry... got a little carried away, there. Please, continue the conversation...


Woooot!


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> Sorry to interupt... but...
> 
> Founders' Effect is out! Link in the cover image below.
> 
> _Hot d*mn and Hallelujah!_
> 
> 
> Sorry... got a little carried away, there. Please, continue the conversation...


So.....you're saying you're excited?? 

Congratz!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> So.....you're saying you're excited??
> 
> Congratz!


Oh, may be a wee bit, for a moment or two.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Half way through Belmundus edits and revisions. Going fast now. Hoping for a March 1 release. Took afew days off to celebrate my Social Security transition. My day job is no longer my principle source of income now that the SSA has kicked in. Now to get out of debt and work until I'm a young 72. (That's the plan). But the first 4 checks are a windfall, because I don;t turn 66 until April, but they insisted . . . and you don;t say no to Uncle Sam. I'm fortunate in that Imade good money most of my life at the job until 2001, when I was downsized by $55,000 a year from my annual salary. Been struggling for the last 12 years. But because I've been forking into SSA all my working life - since 1965 (that's a year before Medicare xisted), my SSA check is higher than my monthly take-home pay from the job, and because I have an annuity from before the company did a split-up, I may have finally reach economic freedom at the end of it all. So I's celebrating - breaking out the stilettos, the red feather boa and doing the naked conga dance.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Dave Dykema

Keep celebrating, Ed! Seems like we'll all have to work until we're 72...or beyond!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Half way through Belmundus edits and revisions. Going fast now. Hoping for a March 1 release. Took afew days off to celebrate my Social Security transition. My day job is no longer my principle source of income now that the SSA has kicked in. Now to get out of debt and work until I'm a young 72. (That's the plan). But the first 4 checks are a windfall, because I don;t turn 66 until April, but they insisted . . . and you don;t say no to Uncle Sam. I'm fortunate in that Imade good money most of my life at the job until 2001, when I was downsized by $55,000 a year from my annual salary. Been struggling for the last 12 years. But because I've been forking into SSA all my working life - since 1965 (that's a year before Medicare xisted), my SSA check is higher than my monthly take-home pay from the job, and because I have an annuity from before the company did a split-up, I may have finally reach economic freedom at the end of it all. So I's celebrating - breaking out the stilettos, the red feather boa and doing the naked conga dance.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I know, Ed. I'm in better shape now than I was before, too. Lucky enough to have a pension that I was able to take at age 60. It's just that between SS and pension, I'm already over the $25k limit, so I have to be careful not to make too much money in royalties or put it all back into the business.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I got my first sale in Spain today! Plus, Mama is taking off in the U.K. I am an international better-seller! (Not best-seller, just better-seller.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

R. M. Reed said:


> I got my first sale in Spain today! Plus, Mama is taking off in the U.K. I am an international better-seller! (Not best-seller, just better-seller.)


YAY!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Anybody know how to convert multiple URLs to one RSS feed? Only some of my posts are showing up in my Author Central.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Anybody know how to convert multiple URLs to one RSS feed? Only some of my posts are showing up in my Author Central.


Posts from your blog are converted to a single feed by default and Author Central should get all new post and changes within an hour or so. If you're talking about something else, please explain.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Posts from your blog are converted to a single feed by default and Author Central should get all new post and changes within an hour or so. If you're talking about something else, please explain.


Not all of my posts get through.

This is the last post to get to Author Central.

http://www.jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/

I have since posted:

http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=48
http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=55
http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=70
http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=60
http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=40

None of which appear in my author central page.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Not all of my posts get through.
> 
> This is the last post to get to Author Central.
> 
> http://www.jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/
> 
> I have since posted:
> 
> http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=48
> http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=55
> http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=70
> http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=60
> http://jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?page_id=40
> 
> None of which appear in my author central page.


If you read what I wrote earlier, forget it.

You're posts get fed to Author Central but new pages don't. Just copy the pages into posts and it should be okay.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> If you read what I wrote earlier, forget it.
> 
> You're posts get fed to Author Central but new pages don't. Just copy the pages into posts and it should be okay.


Funny, that's just what I was thinking. Great minds!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Funny, that's just what I was thinking. Great minds!


Mine's not so great. I jumped through a bunch of hoops and drew a bunch of wrong conclusions first. But your blog now has every patch and update known to man.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Mine's not so great. I jumped through a bunch of hoops and drew a bunch of wrong conclusions first. But your blog now has every patch and update known to man.


Thanks, Jeff. I don't blog too often, but when I do, I like to see it get out there.

I reposted my Richard III blog as a post on the home page about an hour ago, but it didn't make it to author central yet. I'll check again in the morning. I imagine that's one of the things Amazon runs in batches.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Productive weekend - revised and proofed 40,600 words of _*Belmundus*_. Now off to listen to a rare Tschaikovsky Opera - _*Orleanskaya deva*_ (The Maind of Orleans) - a great recording done by the Marensky Theatre in 1946, the year before I was born. The sound is great and unlike the more recebnt recording includes the Act II Ballet musci - although the mid-1970's recording by Moscow Radio did include it, the performance didn;t have the heart that this older one does. Epic opera always inspires me toe author epic novels, both structuraly and tonality akin across the media.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

My Richard III post is still not showing on author central. Which also means none of my new release posts or book review posts will show up either, even if I add them to my home page. 

Mike, does your RSS feed work through Tweet Adder? I've got it set up, but haven't seen anything yet.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> My Richard III post is still not showing on author central. Which also means none of my new release posts or book review posts will show up either, even if I add them to my home page.
> 
> Mike, does your RSS feed work through Tweet Adder? I've got it set up, but haven't seen anything yet.


Tweet Adder will pick up the feed, but you sometimes have to monkey with the settings for it to post in a reasonable amount of time. The aggravating thing, though, is that sometimes it'll post the subject of the post, but not the actual link. So what I typically do is make a tweet for a given post and add it to the automatic tweet pile, and remove it later if necessary (although some, if not time-limited/sensitive, I just leave in there to periodically highlight the post)...

And, BTW, *Forged In Flame* is available for Kindle!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And, BTW, *Forged In Flame* is available for Kindle!


I like the way you just casually throw that on at the end. . Congrats!!


----------



## Steph H

And still you spell my last name wrong... *long suffering sigh*


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> And still you spell my last name wrong... *long suffering sigh*


he didn't?

now he owes extra chocolate!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:
 

> Tweet Adder will pick up the feed, but you sometimes have to monkey with the settings for it to post in a reasonable amount of time. The aggravating thing, though, is that sometimes it'll post the subject of the post, but not the actual link. So what I typically do is make a tweet for a given post and add it to the automatic tweet pile, and remove it later if necessary (although some, if not time-limited/sensitive, I just leave in there to periodically highlight the post)...


That's exactly what happened. Subject but no link. I can schedule the posts for Twitter, but I really want them to show in author central.



> And, BTW, *Forged In Flame* is available for Kindle!


On my way over there.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> ... but I really want them to show in author central.


Make sure that the feed is correct in Author Central.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And, BTW, *Forged In Flame* is available for Kindle!


Great. I hope you sell a million.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> And still you spell my last name wrong... *long suffering sigh*


Dag nabit! I thought I checked that. Well, you'll have one of the "limited edition" versions before the file gets corrected!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Make sure that the feed is correct in Author Central.


What Jeff said. If the feed is correct, it'll pick things up. Sometimes it can take a while, though, and I think it'll only grab like the most recent one or two, maybe?



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's exactly what happened. Subject but no link. I can schedule the posts for Twitter, but I really want them to show in author central.


I'm not sure what's up with Tweet Adder doing that. It also doesn't seem to be consistent. I figured since I don't put out that many blog posts, I'd just save myself the trouble and do that manually.



> On my way over there.


Hope u enjoy!!



Jeff said:


> Great. I hope you sell a million.


Thanks! I'll settle for something less than that, but I wouldn't complain, either!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Dag nabit! I thought I checked that. Well, you'll have one of the "limited edition" versions before the file gets corrected!


She won't stay mad for long.

(Guess how I know this?  )


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Make sure that the feed is correct in Author Central.


Looks like it's correct.

http://www.jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?feed=rss

It was feeding through November, then I started doing pages. Since I put the last one into a post yesterday, it should have posted to author central in 24 hours. Not yet!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Looks like it's correct.
> 
> http://www.jobreepublishing.com/wordpress/?feed=rss
> 
> It was feeding through November, then I started doing pages. Since I put the last one into a post yesterday, it should have posted to author central in 24 hours. Not yet!


I don't see anything wrong on the blog. How did you switch the pages to posts? I know that Author Central won't pick up old posts.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I don't see anything wrong on the blog. How did you switch the pages to posts? I know that Author Central won't pick up old posts.


I just copied and pasted the page into a new post.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I just copied and pasted the page into a new post.


If your Author Central and your blog are both correct, the only obvious remaining possibility is that Amazon has some kind of filter in place to keep authors from flooding their servers with new RSS posts and your sudden activity tripped it. A call to Amazon support might be in order or it may sort itself out in a day or so.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> If your Author Central and your blog are both correct, the only obvious remaining possibility is that Amazon has some kind of filter in place to keep authors from flooding their servers with new RSS posts and your sudden activity tripped it. A call to Amazon support might be in order or it may sort itself out in a day or so.


I have several issues I need to talk to them about.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Another 10,000 words revised and proofed under my belt this morning (at work). You'd be surprised what I found under my belt.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Another 10,000 words revised and proofed under my belt this morning (at work). You'd be surprised what I found under my belt.
> 
> Ed Patterson


ED!!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Another 10,000 words revised and proofed under my belt this morning (at work). You'd be surprised what I found under my belt.
> 
> Ed Patterson


So that's where all the lost keychains go!!


----------



## geoffthomas

Well I got my copy of Forged in Flames.
Have you started a book bazaar thread for it yet.
Have you marketed it yet?
hmmm?    Have you?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> So that's where all the lost keychains go!!


Yeah, they dangle.

BTW, I got me copy of FLames and shared the link and cover art out to my FB universe.

Ed


----------



## telracs

i thought that's where all my missing socks are....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Well I got my copy of Forged in Flames.
> Have you started a book bazaar thread for it yet.
> Have you marketed it yet?
> hmmm? Have you?


Thanks, Geoff! No, I haven't started a thread in the book bazaar, and wasn't really planning to. The truth is that those book threads don't seem to garner much attention (there are millions of 'em now), and I hate just bumping threads every week and seeing a long string of posts by just lil ol' me. But what the heck - hope you enjoy the book! 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> BTW, I got me copy of FLames and shared the link and cover art out to my FB universe.


Thanks, Ed! Appreciate it, and hope you enjoy the blue ladies...and guys!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, Geoff! No, I haven't started a thread in the book bazaar, and wasn't really planning to. The truth is that those book threads don't seem to garner much attention (there are millions of 'em now), and I hate just bumping threads every week and seeing a long string of posts by just lil ol' me. But what the heck - hope you enjoy the book!
> 
> Thanks, Ed! Appreciate it, and hope you enjoy the blue ladies...and guys!


Whenever I buy a book (or anything at all), Amazon gives me a nice little pre-written tweet (or fb) to send out. Makes it easy.

I'm so used to the guys being in the ESPN room, I was a little taken aback when "he" was mentioned. Then I remembered. This is the time before the Great Betrayal.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Whenever I buy a book (or anything at all), Amazon gives me a nice little pre-written tweet (or fb) to send out. Makes it easy.
> 
> I'm so used to the guys being in the ESPN room, I was a little taken aback when "he" was mentioned. Then I remembered. This is the time before the Great Betrayal.


ESPN room?

and i'm hoping to see the Great Betrayal soon....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> ESPN room?
> 
> and i'm hoping to see the Great Betrayal soon....


I guess you weren't here when Mike was doing a "read with the author" book club. We all wondered where they kept the guy Kreelans since the women only mate once a year. We decided they stuck them in a room with recliners and ESPN on every TV.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I guess you weren't here when Mike was doing a "read with the author" book club. We all wondered where they kept the guy Kreelans since the women only mate once a year. We decided they stuck them in a room with recliners and ESPN on every TV.


Ah, okay... I thought the Kreela were advanced enough to have turned their backs on sports TV.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> Ah, okay... I thought the Kreela were advanced enough to have turned their backs on sports TV.


The women, yes, but the guys had to have something to do. I heard they were going on strike if they didn't get mini-fridges, too.


----------



## Jeff

Glad I didn't ask.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Glad I didn't ask.


Me, too!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

ESPN? ExtraSpecialParalysisNetwork?

Edward C. Patterson

PS: another 23,000 words revised and edited yesterday.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

No matter what, I'm going to the library early tomorrow and write for at least two hours. You heard it here, folks. Hold me to it.


----------



## kit1978

Hi all

I've been away from here for a week or so, how is everyone?

I've been busy, finally got my debut Novel up on Amazon. 

Working on a collection of short stories at the moment.

What has everyone else been up to?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

4000 words into Reaping The Harvest, 2000 of which I wrote today. I'm pooped! LOL!


----------



## Ven West

Several days ago, I had a most magnificent opportunity to meet and chat with a published author. 

So... this woman comes into my store, I ring up her items, ask for her address (because we have a rewards program and look people up by address, not name). But I did glance at the name, and it's... it's Martha Grimes. THE Martha Frickin' Grimes. 

It turns out she is a regular customer at the store where I work. I think my manager may have mentioned that to me when I was hired, but that was 8 or 9 months ago now and I had completely forgotten since she'd never come in during my shift. 

Since she didn't seem like she was in a rush, and was doing a bit of browsing after paying for her items, I decided it would not be inappropriate to bring up the fact that I was familiar with her work, that she's my mother's favourite author, and mention that I was also a writer currently trying to get published and finding the process excessively confounding and frustrating and full of more complications than a surgical procedure in 1824. She gave me a sort of knowing smile and pretty much said yes... yes getting published IS like pulling teeth from an angry rhino whilst riding a derailed train in a country whose native language you speak not one single word of (though not exactly in those words). I told her what I expected from my three books in terms of how successful I figured they had the capacity to be, and she agreed with my assessments. 

Basically, I wasn't pressing her for information, just chatting about my experiences, and it was at least incredibly reassuring and very nice to hear from someone who has done as well as she has as an author that I am not deluding myself in my expectations of my work, nor are my issues with the publication process a sign that I am doing anything blatantly wrong. That's just the business. 

She was a lovely, fantastic person and while I'm still not much closer to figuring out THE single right and best way to publish any of my books, I feel a lot more motivated to keep at it knowing that this is just the normal BS every author has to go through. I don't know if she realized how much it meant to me that she was willing to chat with me for 5 minutes about that, but I hope I get a chance to thank her if she ever comes in during my late shift again.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 4000 words into Reaping The Harvest, 2000 of which I wrote today. I'm pooped! LOL!


Excellent.

ECP


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ven West said:


> Several days ago, I had a most magnificent opportunity to meet and chat with a published author.
> 
> So... this woman comes into my store, I ring up her items, ask for her address (because we have a rewards program and look people up by address, not name). But I did glance at the name, and it's... it's Martha Grimes. THE Martha Frickin' Grimes.


Cool!!!

So, when are you going to format one of those books for Kindle and hit the publish button?


----------



## Ven West

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Cool!!!
> 
> So, when are you going to format one of those books for Kindle and hit the publish button?


I'm doing the illustrations for the kids book right now, the poetry book I just have to give a final edit and tell myself "screw it, it's not like more than 20 people are ever going to read this during my lifetime anyway," but the robot book needs more significant work so won't be done for a while yet.

I am aiming REALLY REALLY HARD to have the kids book published in SOME form by April. I'd love a print publication but that's expensive and complicated and my sister keeps insisting I just need to throw the text and images at her and let her do the rest so you know what.... I'm so OCD, so perpetually prone to procrastination, so technologically inept... that's what I'm going to do. Finish the illustrations, throw everything at her, and let her worry about making it look good and formatting it and all of that.


----------



## Kailei Wiseman

What a great thread. I love hearing about the writing process from other writers. I'm currently working on my non-fiction trilogy. Well, it started out as one long novel with 6 sections, but it's far too long, especially for a first-time publishing. Those six sections are: Love, Sexuality, Friendships, Family, Addictions, and Writing.

Today, I want to work on Friendships. I have about a page and a half written, which is a good start, but I need much more content than that. I'd like to get at least five pages written today in that section. I also need to reread Sexuality and edit the crap out of it. That is the messiest section by far.

Those sound like good goals. We'll see what happens. Good luck to everyone else on their writing projects.


----------



## kit1978

Hi 

Does anyone know the best thread on here to let people know my novel is currently on free promotion? I don't have enough reviews to get on any of the sites that list free books.

P.s. if any of you would like a copy click the link below

Thanks


----------



## Gertie Kindle

kit1978 said:


> Hi
> 
> Does anyone know the best thread on here to let people know my novel is currently on free promotion? I don't have enough reviews to get on any of the sites that list free books.
> 
> P.s. if any of you would like a copy click the link below
> 
> Thanks


Here you go.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,97167.msg1499156.html#msg1499156


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Well, I did get to the library, but not until 5pm, and I did do some writing. Didn't quite make 2K but at least I made 1800. Maybe I can finish this thing in another week. The library is open on Saturday morning again which is happy news for me.


----------



## kit1978

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Here you go.
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,97167.msg1499156.html#msg1499156


Thank you Gertie, much appreciated


----------



## FrankZubek

I'm juggling several things
( so that if I get blocked on one I have a back up story to hammer away on)

The Fence originally began as a childrens book about a neighbor who builds a large fence for privacy but the kid ( the narrator) thinks there are martians living next door and his imagination goes wild

I read it at a group meeting and they suggested changes so..... I think I'll make the mom the narrator and throw a good deal of humor into it plus make it a 20 or 30 pager and throw it on kindle as a short story 

A Strange Life ( the novella down there in the sig) has a sequel being worked on called Even Steven about a felon trying to re-enter society but he gets killed and discovers his soul - or life force essence- can jump from body to body and he plots revenge on Crowell- the cop he blames for his situation

Once I get the job hunting distraction out of my way ( so I can pay my rent) I can focus on this stuff and have them out before summer
Everything is in outline right now but I plan to start doing actual typing very soon


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sounds like a plan, Frank.


----------



## FrankZubek

Thanks Gertie-
Yes, the overall plan is to do a total of 3 Crowell novellas and then make them an omnibus on both e-format and createspace and eventually sell the omnibus on my webpage too

So with luck I hope to be bringing in about 50 bucks a month from the books- minimum at best

I have a third novella that pairs up with Chalk Story and Martins House of Books also and THAT'S planned as an omnibus by year's end as well

sigh....    so much to do, so little spare time ( grin)


----------



## Thomas Watson

Good gawd...  


I just had a reader of my short story ("Long Time Passing") tell me I've "single-handedly" rekindled his love of science fiction!

I'm not ready for that kind of responsibility!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Good gawd...
> 
> I just had a reader of my short story ("Long Time Passing") tell me I've "single-handedly" rekindled his love of science fiction!
> 
> I'm not ready for that kind of responsibility!


Moan, groan, whine, complain. Deal with it, Dude.


----------



## Ven West

Thomas Watson said:


> Good gawd...
> 
> I just had a reader of my short story ("Long Time Passing") tell me I've "single-handedly" rekindled his love of science fiction!
> 
> I'm not ready for that kind of responsibility!


Did they now?

*clicks sig link*

...and you're literally giving this away?

Well okay then. Onto the Kindle it goes. I'll leave you a review when I'm done reading the book I'm in the middle of right now.  (...that might be a while, though, it's Dan Simmons)


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Moan, groan, whine, complain. Deal with it, Dude.


  and bear it?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Ven West said:


> Did they now?
> 
> *clicks sig link*
> 
> ...and you're literally giving this away?
> 
> Well okay then. Onto the Kindle it goes. I'll leave you a review when I'm done reading the book I'm in the middle of right now.  (...that might be a while, though, it's Dan Simmons)


Never rush Dan Simmons...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Write 2K words? Organize garage and kitchen cabinets? Decisions, decisions. Unfortunately, cabinets win for today.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Bookcases, for me. We have a few with those ridiculous metal pegs that plug into shallow holes. I'll be fasting real hardware to replace that stuff. A bit time consuming.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Good gawd...
> 
> I just had a reader of my short story ("Long Time Passing") tell me I've "single-handedly" rekindled his love of science fiction!
> 
> I'm not ready for that kind of responsibility!


w00t! Words you can only love to hear! 

1200 words on Reaping The Harvest today. I was shocked to see that it's already almost 10K long, even having to stop and research stuff practically every paragraph. And the real fun is just starting!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> w00t! Words you can only love to hear!
> 
> 1200 words on Reaping The Harvest today. I was shocked to see that it's already almost 10K long, even having to stop and research stuff practically every paragraph. And the real fun is just starting!


hmm..... so i'll see reaping when?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm just savoring Forged in Flame. I like the Harvest books, but my heart belongs to IHN.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm just savoring Forged in Flame. I like the Harvest books, but my heart belongs to IHN.


part of the reason i'm twigging him about reaping is that he needs to finish the Empress trilogy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> part of the reason i'm twigging him about reaping is that he needs to finish the Empress trilogy.


I like your thinking.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> part of the reason i'm twigging him about reaping is that he needs to finish the Empress trilogy.


I think it's gonna be longer than a trilogy... 

And Reaping should be ready for your slashing in early summer...


----------



## Steph H

Early summer It's not even spring yet!! Get cracking so we can see it earlier, dude!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think it's gonna be longer than a trilogy...


Ohh. Thank you.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I think it's gonna be longer than a trilogy...


Funny, how that so often happens...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Amazon straightened out my problem with my blog posts appearing on author central. Thank you. 

Now all I have to do is find time to write some blog posts and work on my latest novella. 

Reviewed Forged in Flame. Another winner, Mike.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Amazon straightened out my problem with my blog posts appearing on author central. Thank you.
> 
> Now all I have to do is find time to write some blog posts and work on my latest novella.
> 
> Reviewed Forged in Flame. Another winner, Mike.


Thanks, Gertie! Glad you enjoyed it! 

I also need to do more blog posts, but I just never quite seem to get around to it. Gack!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Thanks, Gertie! Glad you enjoyed it!
> 
> I also need to do more blog posts, but I just never quite seem to get around to it. Gack!


Definitely enjoyed it. I was glad to see Dara-Kol back.


Spoiler



Now I have to find the name of the _Great Betrayer_. It's one of the two you young warriors, right? Care to tell me and save me searching through the original book?



BTW, I couldn't find the IHN Omnibus on my Fire. All the other books are listed in the Cloud, but not that one. Have to check my K1.

I think I'm going to go back to a full-time job. I got much more done then. 

Just got an email from Amazon with their February picks. Two of the books are priced at $11.04. What's with that? Are they figuring their profit down to the penny?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Definitely enjoyed it. I was glad to see Dara-Kol back.
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Now I have to find the name of the _Great Betrayer_. It's one of the two you young warriors, right? Care to tell me and save me searching through the original book?


His name


Spoiler



starts with a "K"


. 



> BTW, I couldn't find the IHN Omnibus on my Fire. All the other books are listed in the Cloud, but not that one. Have to check my K1.


Hey, that's one of the originals! No more of those around anymore!!



> I think I'm going to go back to a full-time job. I got much more done then.


I'd happily go back (part time) to work at my old job if I could just do the work and not suffer the stupidity. Unfortunately, one comes with the other, so I'll take a pass! LOL!



> Just got an email from Amazon with their February picks. Two of the books are priced at $11.04. What's with that? Are they figuring their profit down to the penny?


I dunno - they don't send me any emails like that... <sniff>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> His name
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> starts with a "K"
> 
> 
> .


 

I have the _Redemption_ book. Is that the omnibus?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Moving ahead quickly. Both Peg and I have finished proofing on _Belmundus_ Part I: The Audition and hope to complete it all by Friday. Also working on the glossary of Farn words (which runs several pages) and formetting is tricky (not a bear, or a Zinbear - in Farn parlance - but tricky). Even drew a map (rudimentary, but sufficient to keep the reader on track, because East is West and North is South in Farn, as it should be through the looking glass).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Moving ahead quickly. Both Peg and I have finished proofing on _Belmundus_ Part I: The Audition and hope to complete it all by Friday. Also working on the glossary of Farn words (which runs several pages) and formetting is tricky (not a bear, or a Zinbear - in Farn parlance - but tricky). Even drew a map (rudimentary, but sufficient to keep the reader on track, because East is West and North is South in Farn, as it should be through the looking glass).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Where I live, the "West" suburb is north.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I have the _Redemption_ book. Is that the omnibus?


Yep, that's the omnibus renamed. But you have the one with the blue chick on the cover, right?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yep, that's the omnibus renamed. But you have the one with the blue chick on the cover, right?


Right! But I was so disappointed that she's not blue on my Fire. It shows B&W. Boo-Hiss!!! Anyway, I'm frantically looking through it to find the name. Wouldn't want to put me out of my misery, would you, Oh, Evil Master of the Universe?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Right! But I was so disappointed that she's not blue on my Fire. It shows B&W. Boo-Hiss!!! Anyway, I'm frantically looking through it to find the name. Wouldn't want to put me out of my misery, would you, Oh, Evil Master of the Universe?


Ah! But you won't find the name in Redemption - it was stricken from the Books of Time, long, long erased by that time. Check the very end of From Chaos Born and you'll see... 

Managed another 1200-ish words on Reaping The Harvest today, despite having to run a bunch of errands and having a miserable weather headache most of the afternoon. It's at 10,00 words and counting, and things aren't looking too rosy for the good guys


Spoiler



as the Russians launch a salvo of ICBMs


...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ah! But you won't find the name in Redemption - it was stricken from the Books of Time, long, long erased by that time. Check the very end of From Chaos Born and you'll see...


Oh, yes I did. I remembered Reza had to get past him to save Esah-Zurah. Hah! I thought that's who it might be because


Spoiler



Reza's son's name was Shera-Kahn so it had to be Tara-Kahn.


----------



## Jeff

Why do I find this conversation so disturbing?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Why do I find this conversation so disturbing?


And it's not over yet!!!


----------



## Jeff

Oh yeah? Well then, I'm tellin'.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Oh yeah? Well then, I'm tellin'.


Tattle-tale!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, yes I did. I remembered Reza had to get past him to save Esah-Zurah. Hah! I thought that's who it might be because
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Reza's son's name was Shera-Kahn so it had to be Tara-Kahn.


Well, I'm not going to un-confuse you! You'll just have to wait for the next book. MWUAHAHAHAA!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, I'm not going to un-confuse you! You'll just have to wait for the next book. MWUAHAHAHAA!


Humph 

I think I may never write another word again. With GS being home-schooled, I have to spend the morning here waking him up so i don't get to the library early on. Just can't get myself going to do it in the afternoon.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, I'm not going to un-confuse you! You'll just have to wait for the next book. MWUAHAHAHAA!


you got a hairball, mike?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think I may never write another word again. With GS being home-schooled, I have to spend the morning here waking him up so i don't get to the library early on. Just can't get myself going to do it in the afternoon.


Hmm. Gonna have to force yourself or figure out some other arrangement! Can't stop now... 



telracs said:


> you got a hairball, mike?


Well, now that you mention it... <RALFFFF!>


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hmm. Gonna have to force yourself or figure out some other arrangement! Can't stop now...
> 
> Well, now that you mention it... <RALFFFF!>


Just had a talk with GS about scheduling. Of course, he said Okay but we'll see.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just had a talk with GS about scheduling. Of course, he said Okay but we'll see.


It's like politics - it's all in the compromise! 

Speaking of kids, we get a note home from our 14 yr old's language arts teacher. The lad has been taking every opportunity to yak to a girl behind him, so the teacher separated them. They were supposed to be reading, and he wasn't, just sitting there diddling around, and she asked him why he wasn't doing his reading. "Because I don't feel like it," he says. When informed that his mother would be receiving an email about his "not feeling like it", he grudgingly pulled out his book and started reading. Of course, that didn't save him from losing his laptop privileges when he got home. Derp...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It's like politics - it's all in the compromise!
> 
> Speaking of kids, we get a note home from our 14 yr old's language arts teacher. The lad has been taking every opportunity to yak to a girl behind him, so the teacher separated them. They were supposed to be reading, and he wasn't, just sitting there diddling around, and she asked him why he wasn't doing his reading. "Because I don't feel like it," he says. When informed that his mother would be receiving an email about his "not feeling like it", he grudgingly pulled out his book and started reading. Of course, that didn't save him from losing his laptop privileges when he got home. Derp...


A girl?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> A girl?


Oh, yes, he sees himself as quite the Casanova...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, yes, he sees himself as quite the Casanova...


Mine has a girl in every port. <sigh>


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, now that you mention it... <RALFFFF!>


Okay, never mind the conversation - _that_ was disturbing.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mine has a girl in every port. <sigh>


And they're all suing him for non-support...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> And they're all suing him for non-support...


Good thing I'm not a best-selling author with deep pockets. Failure is sometimes the better option.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Good thing I'm not a best-selling author with deep pockets. Failure is sometimes the better option.


All my money is going into a trust fund for some guy named Michael R. Hicks...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> All my money is going into a trust fund for some guy named Michael R. Hicks...


He must be a worthy person.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> All my money is going into a trust fund for some guy named Michael R. Hicks...


The name rings a bell. Isn't he some sort of writer, or something?


----------



## Steph H

Doesn't sound familiar....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> The name rings a bell. Isn't he some sort of writer, or something?





Steph H said:


> Doesn't sound familiar....


He's probably just another self-aggrandizing stuffed shirt!


----------



## Brad__W

Michael R. Hicks said:


> He's probably just another self-aggrandizing stuffed shirt!


Well, I have to admit that stuffed shirt sure can write darn good!  He's part of the reason I finally started publishing some of my own stories, after many years of putting it off.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2 Parts down and 3 to go. Still need a press release and blurb. No Smashwords on this one, as it will be my first pure KDP novel.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Brad__W said:


> Well, I have to admit that stuffed shirt sure can write darn good!  He's part of the reason I finally started publishing some of my own stories, after many years of putting it off.


LOL! Good onya! 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2 Parts down and 3 to go. Still need a press release and blurb. No Smashwords on this one, as it will be my first pure KDP novel.


Why KDP only??


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! Good onya!
> 
> Why KDP only??


I'm giving it a whirl, the KDPSelect free promotion has worked well for my throw-away work. This way I can work the two in tandem. Also Smashwords only provides me an ocassional sale - and nook, Apple, Kobo and Sony sales were less tahn 50 sales last year. With Belmundus I have the chance of launching it on KDP Select cleanly, no retreat from the others and a better promo opportunity. My marketing approach has changed drastically. Although my one a day streak continues (nearly 4 years), some day it's just that - when the 1st quarter of last year it was 7 a day.And the year before I averaged 15-20 a day. Promoting the book here and on facebook and tweitter does work to some extrent, the Amazon Author's chatter has proved a waste of time, where once it was a pump. So, I raised my prices to an exorbitant $2.99 (he he) on my works (except the 3 novellas, 2 poetry books and the two factoid works). Sales remained the same (a good thbing), and royalties increased (_naturalamente_), but royalties for me are a private laziness. Use to ay the electric bill - now it rolls in and goes for a lunch or two. Of course, that's not why I write.

There will be a CrateSpace print copy, of course. A book without a print copy is a fart without a host. 

As for _Belmundus _ - IMHO, this is my heart and soul magnus opus. WQhatever sales I have rely on word of mouth and fan support. I mean, I have 18,400 books in circulation. So, I'll try to increase my base using KDP Select with a major 600 page first book in a trilogy, which might lure some takers for my other work. Since the next book up is WWII Poetry (Gertie - just for You ), KDP will be useful there also. That work will be published because it must, not that it even needs an audience. It'll keep me out of trouble while I begin Book IV of Southern Swallow - The House of Green Waters.

On Sashwords, I'll still participate in there twice a year super promos - March and July, and of course, Operation eBook Drop.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Since the next book up is WWII Poetry (Gertie - just for You )
> Edward C. Patterson


Meanie 

Poetic justice so to speak, I'm compiling work by 9th graders into a book and a lot of them are doing poetry. Not only do I have to read it, but I have to stay awake through the whole thing. Fortunately, none of them are up to epic status. A dozen lines at most.


----------



## Jeff

Commatose. About halfway through adding the thousands of missing commas to _Guinevere and Arthur_. Hope to hit the publish button today.

Anyone know anything about Susan in VA changing her email address? I want to send her an Amazon gift, but she's not answering her email or PMs. I have her mailing address but can't find her phone number.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Commatose. About halfway through adding the thousands of missing commas to _Guinevere and Arthur_. Hope to hit the publish button today.
> 
> Anyone know anything about Susan in VA changing her email address? I want to send her an Amazon gift, but she's not answering her email or PMs. I have her mailing address but can't find her phone number.


I'm pretty sure that Ann, Betsy, or maybe Geoff would have it...


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm pretty sure that Ann, Betsy, or maybe Geoff would have it...


Thanks, Mike. I asked in the Good Morning thread too.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Commatose. About halfway through adding the thousands of missing commas to _Guinevere and Arthur_. Hope to hit the publish button today.


Does that mean you're commatose?

Ed P


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Does that mean you're commatose?
> 
> Ed P


Regaining consciousness now. _Guinevere and Arthur_ is published.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Does that mean you're commatose?
> 
> Ed P


groan.

Actually managed to write about 800 words tonight. Really moved the story along. I think another 12-1500 should do it for this one. I hope to get it done tomorrow morning.

Now I have to think about the next one.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, almost finished the proofing (Peg finished her stuff this afternoon). I turned to the marketing blurb and decided to create back cover art (usually I use standard Lulu back cover art wshen creating my double spread PDF, but changes with Lulu's wizard has made adding text a beast). Here's the back cover art at low resolution (the useable final is humongous) and the print copy is legible, but there's a few errors to correct.








and of course, this is the front cover - a picture of the protagonist, The Eye and the Gananadana floating over the Dodaloo. lol








Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Definitely an ECP front cover. But, Ed! That eyeball on the back! <shiver?\>


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thes THE EYE - sort of like Big Brother, but also (with the two swiggles) the sigil for the protagonist when he becomes the co-consort to the succubus in question. (The first consort has only one squiggle). This sigil is embedded on his _*Columbincus*_. (lol) - a word I derived from my Alma Mater. 

Edward C. Patterson

PS: I've already altered the text colors as well as corrected the spelling mistakes on the Backcover.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ed - 

The front cover certainly fits in well with the rest of your line, but I have to say that the background of the back cover makes it nearly impossible to read the text (especially the black). I'd consider a solid background color like the dark blue (or put the speckly stuff outside the text area), maybe white text with a narrow outside stroke of the same color as the background (so it'll show up where it crosses over the eyeball), and perhaps reduce the opacity of the eyeball to maybe 70% or so. That way your readers' eyeballs won't be looking like that one when they try to read the back cover! 

About 2500 words yesterday on Reaping The Harvest. I also have to report that Amazon did me a huge favor when they emailed around the announcement to my previous buyers about the release of Forged In Flame - that pushed the book up to around #350 overall in the Kindle store, although it's now on the downward slide. It would be incredibly nice if they did that for every release! The only downside is that it was only for customers who bought from the US Kindle store, but being a beggar I'm not gonna be a chooser!

Last but not least, the audiobook for Season Of The Harvest should be out around the end of this month, so we'll see how that does. Ironically, I got an email from an audiobook production studio yesterday wanting to cut a deal. Where we you guys a few weeks ago? LOL!

Oh, crap, and I still owe chocolate to a couple ladies. Guess I better get my act together on that score before I get into real trouble...


----------



## telracs

did he just call me a "lady"?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ed -
> 
> The front cover certainly fits in well with the rest of your line, but I have to say that the background of the back cover makes it nearly impossible to read the text (especially the black). I'd consider a solid background color like the dark blue (or put the speckly stuff outside the text area), maybe white text with a narrow outside stroke of the same color as the background (so it'll show up where it crosses over the eyeball), and perhaps reduce the opacity of the eyeball to maybe 70% or so. That way your readers' eyeballs won't be looking like that one when they try to read the back cover!


Thanks, Mike. Here's a revised version. ent with basic black and gold with a drop shadow and emboss. Reduce the Columbincus to 39% opacity. Also took care of the proofing, plus added the tag. Adadooski. Arkmo (which is Farnian for Hallelujah! Amen!) 








Slowing the release down, because of Read an EBook Week - where all my books and a gazzilion other authors books go on promotion FREE and below. This is the week Amazon Indie authors and all authors take a hit in the sales department. I learned a long time ago (4 years since this is the 5th March madness), you either join it or watch the goose-eggs in circulation. So I will probably release during th week quietly and begin prepromotion and Press Release next weekend.

Thanks again

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Slowing the release down, because of Read an EBook Week - where all my books and a gazzilion other authors books go on promotion FREE and below. This is the week Amazon Indie authors and all authors take a hit in the sales department. I learned a long time ago (4 years since this is the 5th March madness), you either join it or watch the goose-eggs in circulation. So I will probably release during th week quietly and begin prepromotion and Press Release next weekend.


I've also read that there's usually a glut of freebies at the start of each month, so I normally time my promos for the second or third week...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I've also read that there's usually a glut of freebies at the start of each month, so I normally time my promos for the second or third week...


Makes sense.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I've also read that there's usually a glut of freebies at the start of each month, so I normally time my promos for the second or third week...


That might explain the pattern I see with the perma-free short story I have out there. Downloads are lowest early in the month, and pick up as the month progresses.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just pressed the KDP upload button for the 21st time (if you don;t count revisions), and BELMUNDUS is on its way to Kindledom. Now I can concentrate on the print version and hopefully will clear that in the next few days. Then preparing for some marketing stuff and then onto my WWII Poetry and the next Chinese book - The House of Green Waters.

I am walking on a cloud, because not only have I gotten a fifty year old idea out of my system, I met all my goals - the principle one - to author an epic novel using 3rd Person single character POV without drifting once into another character's POV and not using 1st person. It gives the work the natural grounding to sustain the flights of fancy and the wild ass chances I took, including rewriting parts of Shakespeare to be set in Japan (lol) and naming a giant Yak-like creature a Tippagore. (I also have a priest called Fagus Marius - and Miss Chatty can get away with that). And those are the modest flights. I don't have blue ladies, but I have one's with three breasts, and a race with a third leg (to sit on, of course), and a lizard people that can pick lice from their hair with their tongue. 

Deep breath. Adadooski. Arkmo.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

Congratulations, on all counts! (Tips his cap.)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

To my support gang friends:

_*Belmundus*_ went live over night on the kindle, for anyone interested.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BOCTQPS

Thank you all for being there (as always)
Ed Patterson
(exhaustion has set in - I'm at work running on 2 hours sleep).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> To my support gang friends:
> 
> _*Belmundus*_ went live over night on the kindle, for anyone interested.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BOCTQPS
> 
> Thank you all for being there (as always)
> Ed Patterson
> (exhaustion has set in - I'm at work running on 2 hours sleep).


You lost me with the lice people.  Best of luck to you, Ed.


----------



## Brad__W

Edward C. Patterson said:


> (exhaustion has set in - I'm at work running on 2 hours sleep).


I can really relate to this Ed, I hit the publish button on my latest one in the early hours of the morning too and now suffering through work with minimal sleep. Good luck with yours, and I'm very curious about those Lizards! 

Now, I'm not sure whether to have a day off from writing or jump straight into the next few I have planned for Spring release... maybe sleep and family time before immersion is best!!

Edit: And what the hey, I just went a purchased a copy of Belmundus!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

If you're only going to get two hours sleep, it's sometimes better not to sleep at all.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Brad__W said:


> I can really relate to this Ed, I hit the publish button on my latest one in the early hours of the morning too and now suffering through work with minimal sleep. Good luck with yours, and I'm very curious about those Lizards!
> 
> Now, I'm not sure whether to have a day off from writing or jump straight into the next few I have planned for Spring release... maybe sleep and family time before immersion is best!!
> 
> Edit: And what the hey, I just went a purchased a copy of Belmundus!


Thanks, Brad.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> To my support gang friends:
> 
> _*Belmundus*_ went live over night on the kindle, for anyone interested.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BOCTQPS
> 
> Thank you all for being there (as always)
> Ed Patterson
> (exhaustion has set in - I'm at work running on 2 hours sleep).


Congrats, Ed! Now go to sleep...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats, Ed! Now go to sleep...


I still need that sleep.  I finished the print formatting, uploaded and got everything approved this morning. So the second foot has dropped and I'm just waiting for the print page to come live on Amazon before I launch into a more vigorous promotion. (I always like to have the virtual paperback  existing before I hard pedal the eBook). It's funny the role the print copy has taken. It validates a books existance, and yet it sells like mustard in a cookie factory. Still, I guess the print version is the rainson d'etre for the book, whicl the eBooks move like silk over Cleopatra's bustie.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Brad__W

Ed, I've only managed a 4 or 5 chapters of your book before family time and sleep was needed on my side... but from what I've read, a single author name kept popping into my head at how the story is unfolding. 
For some reason, all I could think is that this was in the style & manner of how (the great and underated) JB Priestley might write if he was still around today! Now I haven't read any of his works for donkey's years, but it just evoked that impression. Great stuff!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If you're only going to get two hours sleep, it's sometimes better not to sleep at all.


You sound like an astronomer.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> You sound like an astronomer.


No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

1200 words today. I would have stayed at McD's and finished the wip but it was freezing. Only a couple more pages to go. I sort of have the opening for the next one done in my head.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hammered out 2500 words this morning after a pretty lousy weekend+Monday. Got a new smoker/grill BBQ - have it fired up now, about to toss a bunch of chicken thighs on it. OM-NOM!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hammered out 2500 words this morning after a pretty lousy weekend+Monday. Got a new smoker/grill BBQ - have it fired up now, about to toss a bunch of chicken thighs on it. OM-NOM!!


chocolate for dessert?

or grilled pears?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hammered out 2500 words this morning after a pretty lousy weekend+Monday. Got a new smoker/grill BBQ - have it fired up now, about to toss a bunch of chicken thighs on it. OM-NOM!!


You're having way too much fun, Mike.

Love chicken thighs. Did I ever tell you that I used to have a baked chicken thigh with Ruffles and a Pepsi for breakfast every day? Aren't I lucky to be alive?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> chocolate for dessert?
> 
> or grilled pears?


Some chocolate chips is all. Cutting out all the junk carbs but a bit of chocolate in hopes of salvaging my cholesterol...!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You're having way too much fun, Mike.
> 
> Love chicken thighs. Did I ever tell you that I used to have a baked chicken thigh with Ruffles and a Pepsi for breakfast every day? Aren't I lucky to be alive?


Good grief! I hate to think what you ate for your other meals! LOL


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Good grief! I hate to think what you ate for your other meals! LOL


Bacon and eggs; pork roll and eggs, lots of hamburgers and chips, steaks and fries. No heart attack, yet. I'm saving it up for my 70th birthday.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Bacon and eggs; pork roll and eggs, lots of hamburgers and chips, steaks and fries. No heart attack, yet. I'm saving it up for my 70th birthday.


Except for the chips and fries, I could get by!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I used to eat (daily) athree egg sausage-bacon-cheese-onion omelet with 3 bacon and sausage sides, a bagel and a gallon of butter (real). Of course, that's why I was nearly 280 lbs. Now I stick to Jimmy Dean breakfast bowls (pre-counted at between 230-460 cals and a Mott's for Tots - half the sugar and a mile walk around the office - about 2,000 steps measaured) before I can eat it. I've done this fr a year and I'm down to about 195 lbs. I do love that old omelet and have it on metabolic bump days. I estimate it was the equivolent to a day and a half of my current calorie intake.    Hunger is bad for the starving, but for the well-fed American, a rumbling stomach before breakfast beat down with a brisk walk, may add a few more years (to write perhaps).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

Nothing proves you aren't a teenager anymore quite like trying to eat like one. (I remember when pepperoni pizza was _fun_ food.  )

On a note with fewer calories, I'm three chapters into Plight of the Eli'ahtna. I'm working through a draft I kinda-sorta completed late last year, just in time for the last of my beta readers to respond regarding Founders' Effect. Set Book Three aside to do those revisions and prepare Book Two for publication. In the process of revising Founders' Effect the overall story changed a bit, requiring me to braid a another story line/POV into what I already have. It's been both curious and challenging, so far.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Nothing proves you aren't a teenager anymore quite like trying to eat like one. (I remember when pepperoni pizza was _fun_ food.  )
> 
> On a note with fewer calories, I'm three chapters into Plight of the Eli'ahtna. I'm working through a draft I kinda-sorta completed late last year, just in time for the last of my beta readers to respond regarding Founders' Effect. Set Book Three aside to do those revisions and prepare Book Two for publication. In the process of revising Founders' Effect the overall story changed a bit, requiring me to braid a another story line/POV into what I already have. It's been both curious and challenging, so far.


there better be bagpipes.


----------



## Kathy Clark Author

More importantly we're looking to gain support for the establishment of a sarcasm font.  Think of the unnecessary verbiage that would be saved.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Bob Kat said:


> More importantly we're looking to gain support for the establishment of a sarcasm font. Think of the unnecessary verbiage that would be saved.


I like this.


----------



## Jeff

Sartalics.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Sartalics.


Perfect!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Sartalics.


HA!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Rolled up sleeves and rethought scope of the new poetry book. In that rethink, I'm nearly complete. The poems are different - WWII and Pacific, and in the vernacular of fighting men and veterans (a bit rough for the curly-cue set). Each is a vignette of an actual even in the fisrt person and the effect (I hope) is rviting. Trying to capture the 40's in all their horrifying glory isn;t easy, but it helps to have been born in the forties and had the 50's as a reference. My Dad's experiences as well as the research should make this little book worthy of my time. Howeve, the 40 or so poems are gut renchers. So the roiginal 100 poem plan has been scrapped. I don;t think my readers could survivie the experience and I can barely do it. So, that being said, I selected from my plan 10 esssential unwritten poems to be penned and will cap the book (Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not) at that.

Here's a sample (Gertie Look Away ):

_*Changing of the Guard*_
Troops passing to the line, Peleliu, The Palau Islands, November 12, 1944

I
"Brother, pass me by as from the hill you come.
I've been there some, but have had my rest;
Embraced my mail and ate my chow
And caught some z's to ease my brow.
But brother, I've come to it now -
Come for another round or two.
Brother, I've come to replace you.
"And I see in your eyes, my fate, I do
Because your limp, your grizzled beard
Is like a mirror I gaze through.
And see the peace that you are due.

"Share my smoke - you take it now,
I know you can't say much
Except perhaps a Semper Fi.
And even that's a weak reply.
The trail you blazed for me to track,
Your hole where I shall go.
To feel your heart in muddy rack,
Within the pulse of battle's flow.
"And yet in that thousand yards you stare
As the road you trudge along,
Down the smoky hill you tread,
To your bloody battle's song -
No voice, but cut and carved away,
Back to the beachhead come,
Another day to do or die,
So in peace, my brother, pass me by."

II
"Not a rip - no, not a tare,
No crap within your underwear,
No smoking stench about your frame,
No need even to recall your name,
Go, brother take my place,
I'm finished with it now -
Your turn behind the plow.
"I wish you luck, you motley


Spoiler



fuck


,
'cause when the frontage glows,
And the night flare shows
Your profile to the Nip,
He'll join you in your sodden bin
And try your throat to rip.
"Yes, pass me by into the sty,
Into the grip of death,
Where blowflies rule your every step,
And maggots your every breath.
And coral rock to break your stock
And pierce you like an arrow,
And mortar's dance to wet your pants
And freeze you to the marrow.

"I take your smoke. It is no joke
That I have lived to share,
Just do not tell me who you are,
As you pass my stare,
Because the chance that you'll survive,
Is far beyond my care.
I've lost all feeling on the hill
With the wounded and the kill
To care who lives or dies,
So brother trust that if you must,
And pass on to the flies."

III
"How was it up there on the line?"
"About as how I look.
It's tough up there,
So you take care,
Brother, pass me by.
Remember me and all my crew,
Because we surely will forget you.
Yes, indeed, you pass me by
And remember brother, Semper fi."


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Rolled up sleeves and rethought scope of the new poetry book. In that rethink, I'm nearly complete. The poems are different - WWII and Pacific, and in the vernacular of fighting men and veterans (a bit rough for the curly-cue set). Each is a vignette of an actual even in the fisrt person and the effect (I hope) is rviting. Trying to capture the 40's in all their horrifying glory isn;t easy, but it helps to have been born in the forties and had the 50's as a reference. My Dad's experiences as well as the research should make this little book worthy of my time. Howeve, the 40 or so poems are gut renchers. So the roiginal 100 poem plan has been scrapped. I don;t think my readers could survivie the experience and I can barely do it. So, that being said, I selected from my plan 10 esssential unwritten poems to be penned and will cap the book (Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not) at that.
> 
> Here's a sample (Gertie Look Away ):


You know I am!

Right now, I'm editing a book for GS's high school which includes poetry. Luckily, 9th graders aren't capable of writing more than a dozen lines or I'd be nodding off and not getting anything done.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

1000 words today on Reaping The Harvest. Not as many as I should've written, but at least I got that much done. It's just a very lazy day today for some reason, except for Sasha the Cat, who happily chased a lizard across the pool deck this afternoon...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 1000 words today on Reaping The Harvest. Not as many as I should've written, but at least I got that much done. It's just a very lazy day today for some reason, except for Sasha the Cat, who happily chased a lizard across the pool deck this afternoon...


Poor lizard. They can't outrun my Angelo, so I have to watch him.

900 words and the wip is finished. Had time while munching on a blueberry scone and a (free) Panera coffee to polish it up. 34 pages, 11K words.

Hoping to go to the library tomorrow to start the new one.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Five chapters in the bag for _Plight of the Eli'ahtna._

Here's a curious thing. Many years ago, while trying to survive being a teenager, I took to reading sci-fi in a big way, to escape the real world. Now I find myself in a rather tense situation, and find that _writing_ sci-fi is serving in the same capacity. I came home this afternoon fit to be tied, brought up the Word file and got to it. Put a chapter's worth in, and I'm feeling much better now. I think I'll do another! 

The more things change...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Five chapters in the bag for _Plight of the Eli'ahtna._
> 
> Here's a curious thing. Many years ago, while trying to survive being a teenager, I took to reading sci-fi in a big way, to escape the real world. Now I find myself in a rather tense situation, and find that _writing_ sci-fi is serving in the same capacity. I came home this afternoon fit to be tied, brought up the Word file and got to it. Put a chapter's worth in, and I'm feeling much better now. I think I'll do another!
> 
> The more things change...


The big difference is now, instead of throwing yourself into someone else's world, you're creating your own. Good going!

I had to add a bit of poetry (Ed must be having a good influence on me) to the WIP I finished yesterday and it worked out well. I only had to suffer through one stanza and Byron is rather easy going.

Then I started the new WIP. Only got 600 words in. I was up half of last night and I couldn't keep my eyes open to do more. There's always tomorrow.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> There's always tomorrow.


Maybe.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Maybe.


Don't make me break into song!


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Don't make me break into song!


no, please, anything but that!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> no, please, anything but that!


Wise choice. Even the nuns wouldn't let me sing in church.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Five chapters in the bag for _Plight of the Eli'ahtna._
> 
> Here's a curious thing. Many years ago, while trying to survive being a teenager, I took to reading sci-fi in a big way, to escape the real world. Now I find myself in a rather tense situation, and find that _writing_ sci-fi is serving in the same capacity. I came home this afternoon fit to be tied, brought up the Word file and got to it. Put a chapter's worth in, and I'm feeling much better now. I think I'll do another!
> 
> The more things change...


That's how I got started - writing was a form of self-therapy...

And on that melancholy note, about 700 words today between seeing a movie and cooking a huge pile of pork carnitas...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That's how I got started - writing was a form of self-therapy...
> 
> And on that melancholy note, about 700 words today between seeing a movie and cooking a huge pile of pork carnitas...


That sounds like a worthy trade-off. (Meaning the pork carnitas, of course.)


----------



## Jeff

Finished about 25% of _Camelot_.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Finished about 25% of _Camelot_.


You're really moving quickly.

I designed new business cards the other day using one of the 3D book covers you made me. Came out very nice.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You're really moving quickly.
> 
> I designed new business cards the other day using one of the 3D book covers you made me. Came out very nice.


I always forget to take any with me!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I always forget to take any with me!


I always keep them in my purse. Do you carry a wallet? Or ask Jan to keep them in her purse.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I always keep them in my purse. Do you carry a wallet? Or ask Jan to keep them in her purse.


That's part of the problem, LOL! Both of us carry these little iPhone cases that hold our licenses and credit cards, but that's about it. I went minimalist after I got tired of carrying around The Bag, which I only really started doing when I was at work and had to carry my junk plus a clunky secure phone from work. Now it's just iPhone + keys. Well, I guess I can tape some business cards to my forehead!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That's part of the problem, LOL! Both of us carry these little iPhone cases that hold our licenses and credit cards, but that's about it. I went minimalist after I got tired of carrying around The Bag, which I only really started doing when I was at work and had to carry my junk plus a clunky secure phone from work. Now it's just iPhone + keys. Well, I guess I can tape some business cards to my forehead!


A couple of cards will fit in those cases, too.

I'm going to put some on magnets. They'll be a little heavy to carry around, but I'm a girl. I'm used to heavy purses.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Well, I guess I can tape some business cards to my forehead!


The tape would fail on the first warm, sweaty day. How about a tattoo instead?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

0 words for the last 2 days and I'm proud to say it.    I shut the engine off for a few days, although its revved and ready to go to the Pacific jungles. I have been re-reading Swan Cloud to get my mind back to China and away from Farn.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

Taking a break is a healthy thing, especially when you've achieved a major goal. Rest, recharge, and admire what you've accomplished for a moment.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Rest is over. Did my quarterly wash, dusted a few knicknacks, changed the linen and its on to the next book. Of course, the sooner I get started, the sooner I'll get to the next quarterly dust, wash, linen change.  

Edward C. Patterson
The Gay Batchelor


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Rest is over. Did my quarterly wash, dusted a few knicknacks, changed the linen and its on to the next book. Of course, the sooner I get started, the sooner I'll get to the next quarterly dust, wash, linen change.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> The Gay Batchelor


You know what Joan Rivers says. "You wash the dishes, you make the beds, and six months later, you have to do it all over again."


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just over 2K words on Jeff's and my new project. I should be able to finish it up today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I have no standard daily count for poetry, but a few were shaped today and two completed as I near the completion of Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not. Here's one, I'll share (and this time, Gert, don't look away). I was composing verses to honor the prisoners of San Tomas Interment Camp when I discovered that Lt. Milidred Dalton Manning passed away to day at age 89 - she is one of 66 American nurses interred at Santo Tomas after being captured after a long, hard struggle in the tunnels at Corregidor. I shifted gears and dedicated the poem to her and gave her voice to it. It is actually the only verse I have to stand as testiment to women in the Pacific conflict. Let me share:

*Santo Tomas*
_Santo Tomas Interment Camp, Manila, Philippines, February 11, 1945
In Memory of Lt. Mildred Dalton (Manning) of the Army Nurse Corps, who passed away March 11, 2013, age 89._

After the torment and torture of living,
After the sacrifice and the heat unforgiving,
After the rickets and malarial slew,
After the beatings and the boiled dirt stew,
The doors open wide and the sun harries in
Telling we're free in the wake of the din,
But it's a trick, I'm sure as can be,
They'll never be gone - never for me.

Sixty-six survived up from the hole,
That Corredor pitch that tried my soul,
But we had no choice, and neither did they,
Whom the enemy marched away,
Beyond Santo Tomas, to horrible fates,
Places more deadly beyond these gates.
Our patch work held so they could stand
To pay more painfully upon demand.

The children and women, how they stay,
In my memory until this day,
Their skin and bones and shallow eyes;
The swollen bellies and concave thighs.
So little help could I provide,
But God's my witness, I tried and tried,
In the dim darkness of the two o'clock check
To the commander's dusk of his bloody deck.

Some were taken to who knows where,
Other just fell in the sunshine's blare.
I watched my sisters wither away,
And my teeth one by one dropped in the fray.
My wrists so thin, I could see the bone.
My chest assaulted by aches unknown
To any of God's creatures told
As I awaited for death's sweet fold.

But now the voices call me free.
"Millie, the gates are open for thee."
Yet how in God's name can that be
While so many others should go before me.
And they did go, beyond that day,
Dead on their feet for the starving pay -
A devil's trick as sure as can be,
But they're never gone - never for me.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Very moving, Ed.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just over 2K words on Jeff's and my new project. I should be able to finish it up today.


Our new project is the fairy tale version of Jack the giant killer. The story of Jack was spawned from Le Morte d'Arthur. I'm currently writing the adult version of giant slaying.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Very moving, Ed.


Thanks, Gertie.

I'm trying my best to honor the greatest generation in the best way I know how. And they were the greatest generation - one that not only turned the other cheek after defeating terrible foes, but extended a hand and rebuilt them, thus shielding us against a third wave of aggression. They gave us a different set of tools to forge the future. Considering most of the 20th century was mankind's darkest hour since feuldalism, the greatest generation turned on the lights for us. We can't forget 'em.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Our new project is the fairy tale version of Jack the giant killer. The story of Jack was spawned from Le Morte d'Arthur. I'm currently writing the adult version of giant slaying.


And I'm writing the kid's version while trying to avoid some of the guts and gore. 

I'm not as far along as I thought I was, but I'm sure I'll have it done in the next day or so.

BTW, you'll need a two headed and a three headed giant.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> BTW, you'll need a two headed and a three headed giant.


I can do that. Did you know that there were several tribes of giants in Mexico? They only had one head, however.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I can do that. Did you know that there were several tribes of giants in Mexico? They only had one head, however.


A whole tribe of giants and only one head among them? Hmmm. Interesting.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> A whole tribe of giants and only one head among them? Hmmm. Interesting.


And it was working fine, too, until the White Man introduced them to party politics.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> And it was working fine, too, until the White Man introduced them to party politics.


Which then spawned two-headed giants, then three-headed giants, etc., until the poor giant doesn't know which way to turn and keeps walking into walls.

Wrote another 1600 words on the Jack project last night.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Glad you guys are making progress. While I finished another chapter of Reaping The Harvest, I find myself totally, absolutely unmotivated this morning...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Glad you guys are making progress. While I finished another chapter of Reaping The Harvest, I find myself totally, absolutely unmotivated this morning...


The larval forms shall not prevail!


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> While I finished another chapter of Reaping The Harvest, I find myself totally, absolutely unmotivated this morning...


Will success spoil Michael Hicks?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> Will success spoil Michael Hicks?


Not if he uses the right preservative. (I'd recommend something imported from the Highlands, myself.)

Added a short story to my publication list this week. I'll eventually put the cover in the signature line.

Second Chance


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Not if he uses the right preservative. (I'd recommend something imported from the Highlands, myself.)


The right preservatives used to be Twinkies, but they don't make 'em anymore! Pffffttt! And it's nothing to do with success, just a day of having fallen into the doldrums. Bah.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Glad you guys are making progress. While I finished another chapter of Reaping The Harvest, I find myself totally, absolutely unmotivated this morning...


I find it's best never to walk away at the end of a Chapter. Just go on and pen the beginning of the next. In this way you avoid any literary valley. Always walk uphill when creating. Downhill is best left to bungie jumping.

Edward C. Platitudeness


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I find it's best never to walk away at the end of a Chapter. Just go on and pen the beginning of the next. In this way you avoid any literary valley. Always walk uphill when creating. Downhill is best left to bungie jumping.
> 
> Edward C. Platitudeness


An bungee jumping is best left to anyone but me..


----------



## Thomas Watson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I find it's best never to walk away at the end of a Chapter. Just go on and pen the beginning of the next. In this way you avoid any literary valley. Always walk uphill when creating. Downhill is best left to bungie jumping.
> 
> Edward C. Platitudeness


Platypuses notwithstanding, this does work.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Glad you guys are making progress. While I finished another chapter of Reaping The Harvest, I find myself totally, absolutely unmotivated this morning...


ahem.....

which motivation will work better....
godiva chocolate, or a large blue warrior with a whip?


----------



## Selma

Hello! *waves* I'm new here, but hell, support sounds good. 

telracs - sounds like a "beatings will continue until morale improves" situation


----------



## Thomas Watson

Selma said:


> Hello! *waves* I'm new here, but hell, support sounds good.
> 
> telracs - sounds like a "beatings will continue until morale improves" situation


Oh, please don't give her ideas.

No, wait, your idea might be survivable. The big blue warrior with a whip... not so much.

Welcome aboard!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Oh, please don't give her ideas.
> 
> No, wait, your idea might be survivable. The big blue warrior with a whip... not so much.
> 
> Welcome aboard!


thomas, darling, realise that i customize my "incentives" to each writer.... so no big blue warrior for you.


----------



## Selma

Lol, does this mean that Thomas gets something even worse?

Thanks for the welcome!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Selma said:


> Lol, does this mean that Thomas gets something even worse?
> 
> Thanks for the welcome!


Um, Folks, we have a noob, here. Let's try to behave at least until she gets used to us.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Um, Folks, we have a noob, here. Let's try to behave at least until she gets used to us.


um, gertie, this IS behaving....

and selma, thomas gets BAG PIPES!


----------



## Jeff

Hey, Mike. Wish Jan a happy birthday from us, please.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> um, gertie, this IS behaving....
> 
> and selma, thomas gets BAG PIPES!


----------



## Selma

telracs said:


> um, gertie, this IS behaving....
> 
> and selma, thomas gets BAG PIPES!


The fate worse than death.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


please, i would never be caught dead in those colors. or with those eyebrows.


----------



## FrankZubek

Finally cracked the first chapter ( for tone and drawing readers in.....) of the next Crowell story. And now I have to get the rest of the planned 130 pages locked ( grin)


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> um, gertie, this IS behaving....
> 
> and selma, thomas gets BAG PIPES!


Hang on! I happen to love bagpipes!


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> please, i would never be caught dead in those colors...


That's such a strange phrase. After all, what _would_ you want to be caught dead in?


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> That's such a strange phrase. After all, what _would_ you want to be caught dead in?


a really hunky guy's arms?


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> a really hunky guy's arms?


I could write you into that scenario if you had a sexier name. Well - now that I think about it, Telracs might be a good name for a robot. Maybe the hunky guy is fixing you. The red sweater's not bad but we'll lose the eyebrows in the illustrations. Too bad you don't write.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I could write you into that scenario if you had a sexier name. Well - now that I think about it, Telracs might be a good name for a robot. Maybe the hunky guy is fixing you. The red sweater's not bad but we'll lose the eyebrows in the illustrations. Too bad you don't write.


Sir Telracs, the robotic knight of the round table.

At least I made my telracs medieval and named him Mordaunt. Mordaunt Telracs.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Hey, Mike. Wish Jan a happy birthday from us, please.


Thanks, Jeff!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

telracs said:


> a really hunky guy's arms?


Me too.

Ed P


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> I could write you into that scenario if you had a sexier name. Well - now that I think about it, Telracs might be a good name for a robot. Maybe the hunky guy is fixing you. The red sweater's not bad but we'll lose the eyebrows in the illustrations. Too bad you don't write.


where did we ever say i don't write?


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> where did we ever say i don't write?


Somewhere earlier in this thread you said "I don't write" or words to that effect. I'm not going to go find it for you.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Somewhere earlier in this thread you said "I don't write" or words to that effect. I'm not going to go find it for you.


you believe everything i say?
*insert evil grin*

you know me, i have to be contrary on occasion...


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> you believe everything i say?
> *insert evil grin*
> 
> you know me, i have to be contrary on occasion...


Oh good. You write and I'll illustrate.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2800 words today on Reaping The Harvest and another chapter (almost) done. Took me half the morning to get through the first 500 words - seemed like I was having to do research for every other sentence - but then things started rolling. Now I'm pooped!

Things also appear to be on track for the audiobook for Season Of The Harvest, so hopefully that'll be ready for review in a week or so.

In the meantime, I'm sitting here salivating, waiting for the pork roast that's been smoking on the grill all day to be done. The smell wafts in through the sliding doors to the pool deck (the grill's over on the patio next to the pool cage), and it's been sheer torture...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Oh good. You write and I'll illustrate.


Am I fired?



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Things also appear to be on track for the audiobook for Season Of The Harvest, so hopefully that'll be ready for review in a week or so.


My audiobook is stalled. The narrator is two weeks behind on the first 15 minutes.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Oh good. You write and I'll illustrate.





Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Am I fired?


no, gertie writes, you illustrate and i edit..... isn't that the best division of labor?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Am I fired?
> 
> My audiobook is stalled. The narrator is two weeks behind on the first 15 minutes.


No. Of course not. I'm just recruiting more writers. Don't you remember the days before I talked you into publishing?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No. Of course not. I'm just recruiting more writers. Don't you remember the days before I talked you into publishing?


And thank goodness you did!!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Let's talk writing.

I forgot to post my word count for Thursday. 1100 words. Wish I had time to write more. Too much craziness going on.


----------



## Brad__W

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Let's talk writing.
> I forgot to post my word count for Thursday. 1100 words. Wish I had time to write more. Too much craziness going on.


Ugh... I can't agree more! Only 4,500 words done this week and that was after a quick vacation to Germany where I hoped to have double that word count done. At the moment work is crazy, my wife is about to start night shift for a week and the 3 yr old needing lots of entertainment is going to be putting a severe dent on things this week. Sigh... I need another vacation already so I can get the next two books on my schedule finished next month!


----------



## Jeff

Okay, let's see. Camelot is up to 20,000 words and 66 illustrations. That's about a third and may be a step backward. I had to do some rewriting to create a hook for Gertie's _Jack the Giant Killer_ (or whatever she's calling it).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Okay, let's see. Camelot is up to 20,000 words and 66 illustrations. That's about a third and may be a step backward. I had to do some rewriting to create a hook for Gertie's _Jack the Giant Killer_ (or whatever she's calling it).


Or maybe _The Giant Killer Called Jack_ or _Jack: The Guy Who Kills Giants_ or _The Great Jack and the Giants Caper_ or _Jack, Giant Killer for Hire_ or _Jack and the San Francisco Giants_.

Votes, anyone?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Or maybe _The Giant Killer Called Jack_ or _Jack: The Guy Who Kills Giants_ or _The Great Jack and the Giants Caper_ or _Jack, Giant Killer for Hire_ or _Jack and the San Francisco Giants_.
> 
> Votes, anyone?


I vote for _Jack the Giant Killer_. Hold the beanstalks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I vote for _Jack the Giant Killer_. Hold the beanstalks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I finished Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not last night. Proofing and formatting to ensue. I believe book number 22 will hit the streets before I turn 66 in April.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I finished Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not last night. Proofing and formatting to ensue. I believe book number 22 will hit the streets before I turn 66 in April.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


A nice birthday gift, Ed. I know I'll forget, so Happy Birthday.


----------



## geoffthomas

Has anyone but me noticed that Mike keeps on cooking pork in this nifty new grill?
What's wrong with chicken, beef and fish , Mike?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> Has anyone but me noticed that Mike keeps on cooking pork in this nifty new grill?
> What's wrong with chicken, beef and fish , Mike?












I had corned beef and cabbage with Irish Soda Bread. I may not eat for another two days.

Right now, I should be busy editing but I'd rather play.


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Has anyone but me noticed that Mike keeps on cooking pork in this nifty new grill?


We, we, we noticed.


----------



## Thomas Watson

For some reason that makes me glad we're making a pizza for dinner tonight.

Moving forward with Book Three, with 10 chapters worked over and about a thousand words added. 

(Is it just me, or do the new emoticons look just a bit freaky?)


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> (Is it just me, or do the new emoticons look just a bit freaky?)


Be careful what you say. Betsy's very defensive about those creepy beautiful smilies.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> Be careful what you say. Betsy's very defensive about those creepy beautiful smilies.


Oh, dear! Did I say that out loud?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

geoffthomas said:


> Has anyone but me noticed that Mike keeps on cooking pork in this nifty new grill?
> What's wrong with chicken, beef and fish , Mike?


I'll huff and I'll puff...but no, I'm an equal opportunity griller. Had two batches of chicken and one batch of pork on yesterday. I'll have to confess that I overcooked some of it, but even the overcooked stuff was good (and lesson learned for next time). Best thing is that almost all of the cooking is done for the week! 

Now on to the next chapter of Reaping The Harvest. 30,000+ words and counting...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'll huff and I'll puff...but no, I'm an equal opportunity griller. Had two batches of chicken and one batch of pork on yesterday. I'll have to confess that I overcooked some of it, but even the overcooked stuff was good (and lesson learned for next time). Best thing is that almost all of the cooking is done for the week!
> 
> Now on to the next chapter of Reaping The Harvest. 30,000+ words and counting...


Time to visit the Chinse market and grill up some fresh Labrador retriever. And I hear in the UK, horse is the thing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Time to visit the Chinse market and grill up some fresh Labrador retriever. And I hear in the UK, horse is the thing.


Oh, come now! Basset hounds are so much more tender!


----------



## telracs

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Time to visit the Chinse market and grill up some fresh Labrador retriever. And I hear in the UK, horse is the thing.





Michael R. Hicks said:


> Oh, come now! Basset hounds are so much more tender!


stop it, both of you!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> stop it, both of you!


Woof! Chocolate covered termites, anyone?? Speaking of which, it's definitely time for lunch...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had the feeling the narrator for ACX was going to back out of the project and she notified me today. With no auditions on the other books and this one sunk, I won't be bothering with audiobooks.


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> (Is it just me, or do the new emoticons look just a bit freaky?)


I'll risk the wrath of Betsy and Harvey, and agree with you, Tom. They're...weird, most of 'em.


----------



## Steph H

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I had the feeling the narrator for ACX was going to back out of the project and she notified me today. With no auditions on the other books and this one sunk, I won't be bothering with audiobooks.


Awwww, that sucks.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steph H said:


> I'll risk the wrath of Betsy and Harvey, and agree with you, Tom. They're...weird, most of 'em.


Maybe it's just that we're accustomed to a different style.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Maybe it's just that we're accustomed to a different style.


No; they're creepy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No; they're creepy.


I hear Tim Burton loves them and has cast them in his next movie.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

What's wrong with this smiley.   Anyway, in the last stretch of proofing on Pacific Crimson.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I had the feeling the narrator for ACX was going to back out of the project and she notified me today. With no auditions on the other books and this one sunk, I won't be bothering with audiobooks.


D'oh! Sorry to hear that. It's not easy to find someone who's a) good quality and b) willing to commit to the project without a significant amount of moolah up front...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I hear Tim Burton loves them and has cast them in his next movie.


Now there's a disturbing thought.

(Sorry about the audio book thing...)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just finished editing my latest novella, _April Showers_. Hope to hit the publish button tonight. Then I'll format it for D2D tomorrow and get it uploaded there. Last time, B&N picked up my books in less than 24 hours. Not up on Apple or Kobo yet.

Back to editing Jack.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just finished editing my latest novella, April Showers. Hope to hit the publish button tonight. Then I'll format it for D2D tomorrow and get it uploaded there. Last time, B&N picked up my books in less than 24 hours. Not up on Apple or Kobo yet.
> 
> Back to editing Jack.


Yay.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thank you, Jeff. Publish clicked.


----------



## Thomas Watson

On this first full day of spring I'm twenty-six years married, one year independently published.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> On this first full day of spring I'm twenty-six years married, one year independently published.


Congratulations.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> On this first full day of spring I'm twenty-six years married, one year independently published.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> On this first full day of spring I'm twenty-six years married, one year independently published.


Congrats!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Just clicked the button on KDP to launched BOOK #22 - _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not.*_ I'll let all know when the page appears. Haven't formatted the paperback (trade) edition yet. I'll get cracking on that this weekened. Has tricky formatting. I'm very happy to let this one escape from my pen, espeically since it was suppose to ber eady before I began the last run at _*Belmundus * _ in July. But I made a pact with Peg that this one would go out before I wrote the first chapter of _*The House of Green Waters*_.

These smileys grow on you.
         

Ed Patterson
        
Look what we can do with hose little golf balls.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Just clicked the button on KDP to launched BOOK #22 - _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not.*_ I'll let all know when the page appears. Haven't formatted the paperback (trade) edition yet. I'll get cracking on that this weekened. Has tricky formatting. I'm very happy to let this one escape from my pen, espeically since it was suppose to ber eady before I began the last run at _*Belmundus * _ in July. But I made a pact with Peg that this one would go out before I wrote the first chapter of _*The House of Green Waters*_.
> 
> These smileys grow on you.
> 
> 
> Ed Patterson
> 
> Look what we can do with hose little golf balls.


Congrats again, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks, Gertie.

Miss Chatty


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Just clicked the button on KDP to launched BOOK #22 - _*Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not.*_ I'll let all know when the page appears. Haven't formatted the paperback (trade) edition yet. I'll get cracking on that this weekened. Has tricky formatting. I'm very happy to let this one escape from my pen, espeically since it was suppose to ber eady before I began the last run at _*Belmundus * _ in July. But I made a pact with Peg that this one would go out before I wrote the first chapter of _*The House of Green Waters*_.


Congrats, Ed!

Got another chapter of Reaping The Harvest done yesterday (Naomi's about to get into BIG trouble!). I haven't done any writing today yet, although I'm hoping to get a bit in later - have been wrestling with the last bits and pieces of the taxes. I'm hoping this year will be a LOT simpler without buying/selling houses, cashing in retirement funds, etc. Gag.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats, Ed!
> 
> Got another chapter of Reaping The Harvest done yesterday (Naomi's about to get into BIG trouble!). I haven't done any writing today yet, although I'm hoping to get a bit in later - have been wrestling with the last bits and pieces of the taxes. I'm hoping this year will be a LOT simpler without buying/selling houses, cashing in retirement funds, etc. Gag.


Oh, god! Don't tell me that. I haven't even read the book and already I'm grinding my teeth and staying up until 2am.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks Gertie, Mike:

It just came up live on Amazon Kindle. Boy they are getting quick with the turnacround.

Pacific Vrimson 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BZ51YSG

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, god! Don't tell me that. I haven't even read the book and already I'm grinding my teeth and staying up until 2am.


HAHAHA!! 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> It just came up live on Amazon Kindle. Boy they are getting quick with the turnacround.


Yeah, it's amazing compared to how it was back in the "old days", isn't it?


----------



## vikeeland

Final edits due back from the editor today! One last pass and I should be ready for my April 4th publish date!!

_(promotional bit removed. Thanks for understanding. --Betsy)_


----------



## Gertie Kindle

vikeeland said:


> Final edits due back from the editor today! One last pass and I should be ready for my April 4th publish date!!
> 
> _(promotional bit removed. Thanks for understanding. --Betsy)_


Hello, Vi, Welcome to KB and the thread. We support the process of writing here and not the promotion. You can start your own promotional thread in the Book Bazaar where Betsy will welcome you with the Forum Decorum.

Good luck and keep writing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Pacific Crimson was approved last night and in process of the Amazon Paperback page build. I had some stress with it because (stupid me), I used an em dash in the title line which converted to a ? attached to the ISBN. Which means a great deal of pain. I had to start ovr again and use a reguslar dash with a new ISBN. It's funny the disaster on character can cause. Fortunately, I was down this road four years ago and avreted it. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Pacific Crimson was approved last night and in process of the Amazon Paperback page build. I had some stress with it because (stupid me), I used an em dash in the title line which converted to a ? attached to the ISBN. Which means a great deal of pain. I had to start ovr again and use a reguslar dash with a new ISBN. It's funny the disaster on character can cause. Fortunately, I was down this road four years ago and avreted it.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Experience counts. I would never have known what to do.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

vikeeland said:


> Final edits due back from the editor today! One last pass and I should be ready for my April 4th publish date!!


Congrats!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Started _*The House of Green Waters * _ today - a few arrant paragrpahs as a warm up to what is my biggest challenge yet, and the last book of the Southern Swallow series. One where my myriad of loose neds must be tied. I won;t pull a Stephen King though, when he decided to tie up loose ends in *The Stand* by blowing everyone up to Kingdom Come (poiler, I guess) 

As y'all know, I begin a book by designing its cover, which captures the essence of the work before it exists. As a pantser, it is a better touchstone than a weigh-me down lodestone anchor of an outline. So anyway, here's the cover for the new book, which has a self-imposed deadline of November-December, when I'm schedule to pick up the second book of _Belmundus_ - _*Boots of Montjoy*_.








Edweard C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Congrats on the cover, Ed! 

Starting to go through the review of the *Season Of The Harvest* audiobook. Unless he slipped and did a narration faceplant somewhere later in the work, the guy did a bang-up job on this thing for what I'm paying him! It's going to be an exercise in patience, though, as the entire book is almost 15 hours long. I'm not used to sitting and listening to someone talk for quite that long!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats on the cover, Ed!
> 
> Starting to go through the review of the *Season Of The Harvest* audiobook. Unless he slipped and did a narration faceplant somewhere later in the work, the guy did a bang-up job on this thing for what I'm paying him! It's going to be an exercise in patience, though, as the entire book is almost 15 hours long. I'm not used to sitting and listening to someone talk for quite that long!


That's why I don't listen to audio books. They put me to sleep. I really should get a couple of poetry books on audio for those nights when I can't doze off. Have fun.

Ed, I especially like the dragon and the border on your cover, but you know I always like your covers. I did that for my next series, too. I designed all the covers first.


----------



## Thomas Watson

vikeeland said:


> Final edits due back from the editor today! One last pass and I should be ready for my April 4th publish date!!


Congrats, and welcome aboard. This is a good bunch of people, on this thread. Give us a chance, you'll be glad you did.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Congrats on the cover, Ed!
> 
> Starting to go through the review of the *Season Of The Harvest* audiobook. Unless he slipped and did a narration faceplant somewhere later in the work, the guy did a bang-up job on this thing for what I'm paying him! It's going to be an exercise in patience, though, as the entire book is almost 15 hours long. I'm not used to sitting and listening to someone talk for quite that long!


You should be spellbound! Mesmerized!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That's why I don't listen to audio books. They put me to sleep. I really should get a couple of poetry books on audio for those nights when I can't doze off. Have fun.


I have to say this guy has kept me perked up through the first couple chapters, and has yet to goof anything. It's just that the book is so darn long!

And, speaking of which, time to get to reviewing the next chapter. I'm going to force myself to get this sucker done before I write any more on Reaping The Harvest...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I have to say this guy has kept me perked up through the first couple chapters, and has yet to goof anything. It's just that the book is so darn long!
> 
> And, speaking of which, time to get to reviewing the next chapter. I'm going to force myself to get this sucker done before I write any more on Reaping The Harvest...


And who was that guy that wrote such a long book? Sheesh, you'd think authors would have more respect for our sleep time and not keep us up until 2am being chased by those pesky larval forms.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Nothing gets the week going quite like stopping half way through a draft and saying, "Uh, oh..."

I seem to have misplaced the Bad Guys. 

I could swear they were right here, doing the foreshadowing schtick, just a few pages ago.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Nothing gets the week going quite like stopping half way through a draft and saying, "Uh, oh..."
> 
> I seem to have misplaced the Bad Guys.
> 
> I could swear they were right here, doing the foreshadowing schtick, just a few pages ago.


Watch out! They're getting ready to ambush you from behind that big rock!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Watch out! They're getting ready to ambush you from behind that big rock!


Exactly! They're going to suddenly reappear in the next chapter, when all hell breaks loose!


----------



## Steph H

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Exactly! They're going to suddenly reappear in the next chapter, when all hell breaks loose!


You mean....that's not the way it's supposed to work??


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Nothing gets the week going quite like stopping half way through a draft and saying, "Uh, oh..."
> 
> I seem to have misplaced the Bad Guys.
> 
> I could swear they were right here, doing the foreshadowing schtick, just a few pages ago.


what is this foreshadowing of which you speak?

and if your bad guys hurt my cabana boys, you're in deep trouble, watson.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've done some nice foreshaoding with some pretty bad guys.    Foireshadowing? Is that the word?  

Happy Pesach.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

> Watch out! They're getting ready to ambush you from behind that big rock!


As a matter of fact, asteroids do figure into this.



> Exactly! They're going to suddenly reappear in the next chapter, when all hell breaks loose!


Well, that was the plan. But they wandered off to Texas for pancakes and... Well, never mind all of that...



> You mean....that's not the way it's supposed to work??


Well, yes... yes it is!



> ...and if your bad guys hurt my cabana boys...


Cabana boys Good grief, has Holm been moonlighting again?



> I've done some nice foreshaoding with some pretty bad guys...


These bad guys ain't pretty...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Who notices when in the throes of foreshadowing.  

Edward C. Patterson
may standard is defined "does he breathe"


----------



## telracs

holm AND macgregor!

more bagpipes


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> holm AND macgregor!
> 
> more bagpipes


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


I for one never find it borin'
To take a peek beneath the sporan. 

Edward C. Chatty, Miss bonafide


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I for one never find it borin'
> To take a peek beneath the sporan.
> 
> Edward C. Chatty, Miss bonafide


Control yourself, Miss Chatty. Don't make me come over there.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


>


 

I should've taught MacGregor to play the fiddle...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Control yourself, Miss Chatty. Don't make me come over there.


It's the poetry, no doubt.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> It's the poetry, no doubt.


Hmmmmm


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Am gradually getting through the review of the SEASON OF THE HARVEST audiobook, but yesterday was mostly a loss for all the time we spent at the car dealership, and today I've been preoccupied, but it's all been for a worthy cause...


----------



## telracs

ooooh, pretty!  what is it?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> ooooh, pretty! what is it?


2001 Corvette convertible w/just under 43,000 miles. We traded in the Honda CR-Z, which I bought back in June or so of 2011 as a commuter car - just a couple months before I left NSA to start writing full-time at home! It was a great car for commuting, but after we moved down here we really wanted a convertible again (I owned two convertibles before the CR-Z). After looking around, I found out that we could have a used Corvette ragtop for not all that much more than some of the other used (let alone new) convertibles, so we found one we liked and snagged it. Oddly enough, the payments are within two bucks of what we were making on the CR-Z, and my insurance is $10/month cheaper. I thought the mileage was going to totally suck, but with my granny driving techniques it's getting around 25 MPG average, which is slightly better than our other car, a Honda CR-V. It really growls, though. Talk about a car with attitude...


----------



## telracs

and the blue warrior women will fit in the color scheme....


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> It really growls, though. Talk about a car with attitude...


No wonder Jan calls it Mike's new toy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Mike, I think you're enjoying the good life a little too much.

As for me, I'm editing a story written by a ninth grader and I have to tell you, it's agony. Random capitals thrown into the middle of a sentence, double apostrophes instead of quotation marks, whole paragraphs where the only punctuation is commas, and it's all written in first person present. Did I mention that every paragraph has a bullet? I can't tell you what it took to get rid of those. Not so simple as blocking and going into bullets to check none. None was already checked. Tried many things, but I don't know which one finally worked.

When I'm through editing, I'll send it off to the budding, young author, but then I'll accept all the changes in a separate file, nuke the formatting and start over again.

I'm only on page 3 of 8.

*He slightly lifts the left side of his mouth as a guilty gesture and says ...*

That's after the girl has told him her father is dying.

What? Any ideas how I can make sense of that sentence?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I hate to say it, but that's probably what you'd find in a significant percentage of randomly sampled self-published books out there. And a lot of adults don't write much better, as seen on Facebook posts, etc... 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mike, I think you're enjoying the good life a little too much.
> 
> As for me, I'm editing a story written by a ninth grader and I have to tell you, it's agony. Random capitals thrown into the middle of a sentence, double apostrophes instead of quotation marks, whole paragraphs where the only punctuation is commas, and it's all written in first person present. Did I mention that every paragraph has a bullet? I can't tell you what it took to get rid of those. Not so simple as blocking and going into bullets to check none. None was already checked. Tried many things, but I don't know which one finally worked.
> 
> When I'm through editing, I'll send it off to the budding, young author, but then I'll accept all the changes in a separate file, nuke the formatting and start over again.
> 
> I'm only on page 3 of 8.
> 
> *He slightly lifts the left side of his mouth as a guilty gesture and says ...*
> 
> That's after the girl has told him her father is dying.
> 
> What? Any ideas how I can make sense of that sentence?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I hate to say it, but that's probably what you'd find in a significant percentage of randomly sampled self-published books out there. And a lot of adults don't write much better, as seen on Facebook posts, etc...


I can forgive it in a 9th grader, but not in an adult. Then again, they probably write that way because they weren't taught the proper way.

I asked the principal if I can set up a seminar on word processing for the creative writing class.

Oh, and I changed _guilty _to _sympathetic_.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mike, I think you're enjoying the good life a little too much.
> 
> As for me, I'm editing a story written by a ninth grader and I have to tell you, it's agony. Random capitals thrown into the middle of a sentence, double apostrophes instead of quotation marks, whole paragraphs where the only punctuation is commas, and it's all written in first person present. Did I mention that every paragraph has a bullet? I can't tell you what it took to get rid of those. Not so simple as blocking and going into bullets to check none. None was already checked. Tried many things, but I don't know which one finally worked.
> 
> When I'm through editing, I'll send it off to the budding, young author, but then I'll accept all the changes in a separate file, nuke the formatting and start over again.
> 
> I'm only on page 3 of 8.
> 
> *He slightly lifts the left side of his mouth as a guilty gesture and says ...*
> 
> That's after the girl has told him her father is dying.
> 
> What? Any ideas how I can make sense of that sentence?


I recommend this student for shop class.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> I recommend this student for shop class.


I'm moving well clear of the band saw...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I recommend this student for shop class.


If only they still had shop class.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> I'm moving well clear of the band saw...


Wise decision.

It's another death and dying story. Almost all of them have submitted d&d stories. Suicides, deadly car wrecks, blood and guts and gore galore. I'm having such fun.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> If only they still had shop class.


They probably stopped it not long after my class went through. The shop teacher was humanely locked in the tool room so we could have races with the belt sanders...



> It's another death and dying story. Almost all of them have submitted d&d stories. Suicides, deadly car wrecks, blood and guts and gore galore. I'm having such fun.


And who says first person shooter games don't have a positive influence on our youth?? Honestly...


----------



## Thomas Watson

When I was a lab rat I often proof read papers for grad students. Some were people for whom English was a second language, others the products of the American education system. I'd have been hard-pressed to distinguish between the two groups using the errors I corrected.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

On the other hand, I've got one kid so good, I'm coaching him to the publishable stage. He writes sff. Watch out, Mike. This kid's that good.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> On the other hand, I've got one kid so good, I'm coaching him to the publishable stage. He writes sff. Watch out, Mike. This kid's that good.


Good for him! I'm just glad the technology and opportunity is available now that young folks (especially those with talent) can publish. I can't imagine where I might be now if I'd started writing back in high school. Oh, well, just another reason to try and not remember those years!


----------



## Thomas Watson

> On the other hand, I've got one kid so good, I'm coaching him to the publishable stage. He writes sff. Watch out, Mike. This kid's that good.


Things like that keep me from just giving up. 



> Oh, well, just another reason to try and not remember those years!


Remember which years?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Holy cow! *Season Of The Harvest* got picked up by Pixel of Ink again and has jumped up to #52 in the Kindle store freebie list this morning! I think I'll go hop in my Vette and ride around for a while... 

Well, actually I'm going to get back to work on the audiobook. Need to try and kick that sucker out the door soon!


----------



## telracs

no, go finish the last book in the trilogy before more people find out how you ended the second.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Had a nice, long afternoon of writing/revising. Twenty chapters done on Plight of the Eli'ahtna.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Had a nice, long afternoon of writing/revising. Twenty chapters done on Plight of the Eli'ahtna.


Jealous!!

Can't wait until GS goes back to school on Monday. Panera, here I come. Souffle for breakfast and 2K words.

I'm redesigning some covers. I got one nearly done today. Just have to switch around the text a little bit. I'm using Powerpoint. It's even easier than Excel and it saves as a jpg.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> no, go finish the last book in the trilogy before more people find out how you ended the second.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


>


Mornin', Mike.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Mornin', Mike.


Morning! You're up early! My stupid body clock is back to it's old tricks. Today it happens to work out okay, as we're heading over to a sunrise Easter service on the beach (so I get to wake Jan up in about 20 minutes - ha!), then coming back, rousting the boys, and heading out to breakfast (and a second service so they boys get their dose, too)...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Morning! You're up early! My stupid body clock is back to it's old tricks. Today it happens to work out okay, as we're heading over to a sunrise Easter service on the beach (so I get to wake Jan up in about 20 minutes - ha!), then coming back, rousting the boys, and heading out to breakfast (and a second service so they boys get their dose, too)...


Cool!

Remodeling finishing up and everything from kitchen and bathroom on my bed. I'm sleeping on a fold out chair. Not good for the back.

I'll be helping GD hunt for eggs later on.

Enjoy the sunrise.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

On a fold-out *chair*? Good heavens! You'd probably be better off on the floor. Hope all that gets sorted out soon - and good luck with the Easter egg hunt! 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Cool!
> 
> Remodeling finishing up and everything from kitchen and bathroom on my bed. I'm sleeping on a fold out chair. Not good for the back.
> 
> I'll be helping GD hunt for eggs later on.
> 
> Enjoy the sunrise.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Happy Easter all.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> On a fold-out *chair*? Good heavens! You'd probably be better off on the floor. Hope all that gets sorted out soon - and good luck with the Easter egg hunt!


This is it.










Angelo (Da Dawg) found the first egg. Such fun!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

On a working note, I finished redesigning all 12 covers. I'll start uploading the first four tomorrow. Too much else to do after Easter dinner.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> On a working note, I finished redesigning all 12 covers. I'll start uploading the first four tomorrow. Too much else to do after Easter dinner.


New covers in siggy. Just have to upload them to D2D. This is what I hate about selling on other venues. It'll take forever for any changes to be made.

Back on track this morning with 1K inspired by a spinach/artichoke souffle. Would have been more but I made my leading lady a flight attendant and I had to do a lot of research on today's airlines and all things flightattenderly.

Wow, what a difference since the last time I flew. $5 for a cup of yogurt with some granola sprinkled on top? Cookies for breakfast? Did you know that FA's don't get paid for time on the ground? Just when the engines are running, so checking inventory (headphones, blankets, etc.) and boarding passengers is time they give the airlines for free. Starting salary is $14-17K a year.

One FA said her mother learned how to serve lobster thermidor as part of her FA training, but she had to learn how to handcuff a passenger. Today's times!

Back to editing the kiddie authors.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Spent the afternoon rearranging chapters and adding new ones. Accommodating a character who's decided she needs to be a POV in the story.    When I can bend my fingers enough to make keystrokes again, I'll go through and patch up the messy bits this created.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Spent the afternoon rearranging chapters and adding new ones. Accommodating a character who's decided she needs to be a POV in the story.  When I can bend my fingers enough to make keystrokes again, I'll go through and patch up the messy bits this created.


Poor little overworked fingers. Soak them in Epsom Salts.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Ack! I can't imagine redoing all the covers. You're a masochist! 

And we avoid the expensive airline food thing by going on Southwest. Snack to your heart's content!

Back to the Harvest audiobook. Next time I'm going to just make it a short story...



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> New covers in siggy. Just have to upload them to D2D. This is what I hate about selling on other venues. It'll take forever for any changes to be made.
> 
> Back on track this morning with 1K inspired by a spinach/artichoke souffle. Would have been more but I made my leading lady a flight attendant and I had to do a lot of research on today's airlines and all things flightattenderly.
> 
> Wow, what a difference since the last time I flew. $5 for a cup of yogurt with some granola sprinkled on top? Cookies for breakfast? Did you know that FA's don't get paid for time on the ground? Just when the engines are running, so checking inventory (headphones, blankets, etc.) and boarding passengers is time they give the airlines for free. Starting salary is $14-17K a year.
> 
> One FA said her mother learned how to serve lobster thermidor as part of her FA training, but she had to learn how to handcuff a passenger. Today's times!
> 
> Back to editing the kiddie authors.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ack! I can't imagine redoing all the covers. You're a masochist!
> 
> And we avoid the expensive airline food thing by going on Southwest. Snack to your heart's content!
> 
> Back to the Harvest audiobook. Next time I'm going to just make it a short story...


Think SHAWSHANK. That was just a short story.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Enough resting - Started the first chapter of _*The House of Green Waters*_. First chapters are always like writing a book entire, but makin headway.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Redbloon

Currently going through my next book, editing it. Unfortunately this sometimes becomes a rewrite, which means I'll have to go back over it again. Hoping for an end of April release, but still have the children off for the Easter holidays, so we'll see. Also have to firm up the title. It was going to be called 'A Marriage of Hearts' but decided that was a bit blagh. Then it was to be called 'Marrying the Marquess' but I googled it and found another book by that title. So current favourite is 'Lord Runthorne's Dilemma'. Of course I could end up with something totally different.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

A few more chapters of the audiobook reviewed - am hoping to have it done tomorrow, I hope! Then will be looking for a few audiobook beta readers. After that, it'll be done and I can eat back to Reaping the Harvest. Oy!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> A few more chapters of the audiobook reviewed - am hoping to have it done tomorrow, I hope! Then will be looking for a few audiobook beta readers. After that, it'll be done and I can eat back to Reaping the Harvest. Oy!


You know, maybe if you'd been eating regularly all the while, the review process might have been easier on you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> You know, maybe if you'd been eating regularly all the while, the review process might have been easier on you.


Have you forgotten the pork?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Probably should slips some carbs in there...


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Spent the afternoon rearranging chapters and adding new ones. Accommodating a character who's decided she needs to be a POV in the story.  When I can bend my fingers enough to make keystrokes again, I'll go through and patch up the messy bits this created.


a new female POV? me like.......


----------



## micki

Am so, so chuffed to have emailed my finally finished book to Lynne of Red Adept for editing....


----------



## Noelle Rath

Despite writing almost nothing today, I was able to rework a plot point that was driving me crazy. Now I have to go back and make the first half of the novel line up so it all makes sense, but at least I'm not cringing anymore. Small victories, I'll take them.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

micki said:


> Am so, so chuffed to have emailed my finally finished book to Lynne of Red Adept for editing....


Congrats.

I'll be spending my day catching up on editing young authors books. Ick!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

micki said:


> Am so, so chuffed to have emailed my finally finished book to Lynne of Red Adept for editing....


Cool! Congrats!


----------



## Jeff

What's a chuff?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> What's a chuff?












Oh, wait. I don't think you mean the bird.


----------



## Thomas Watson

It's something distilled from chuffles.


----------



## BlakeMP

Finished up a new short story -- one I'm really quite happy with. Optimally, I'd like to put it out on Amazon for free in the hopes of pointing people at my other work (it's really very short, I'd almost feel bad charging even 99 cents for it).

One problem... I can't think of a TITLE.


----------



## Jeff

BlakeMP said:


> One problem... I can't think of a TITLE.


_Chuff_ has a ring to it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

BlakeMP said:


> Finished up a new short story -- one I'm really quite happy with. Optimally, I'd like to put it out on Amazon for free in the hopes of pointing people at my other work (it's really very short, I'd almost feel bad charging even 99 cents for it).
> 
> One problem... I can't think of a TITLE.


Your title is somewhere in your story. Print it out and hold it up to your head and you will find the right key phrase. Alternatively, banging your head against the keyboard might do it.



Jeff said:


> _Chuff_ has a ring to it.


Or this.

Hope that helps. I'm the world's worst when it comes to titles.


----------



## BlakeMP

I was looking in the story for a title, but nothing leapt out at me. Eventually, though, I landed on the perfect terrible pun: _Associated Pressure._


----------



## Gertie Kindle

BlakeMP said:


> I was looking in the story for a title, but nothing leapt out at me. Eventually, though, I landed on the perfect terrible pun: _Associated Pressure._


That's the kind of title I would look twice at.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

BlakeMP said:


> I was looking in the story for a title, but nothing leapt out at me. Eventually, though, I landed on the perfect terrible pun: _Associated Pressure._


I had plenty of "associated pressure" at my old job! 

Now that I'm done reviewing the Season of the Harvest audiobook, I was hoping to get some writing in on Reaping the Harvest today. However, I'm completely pooped after running six miles on the beach this morning. Am going to rest a bit and then see if I'm sufficiently motivated to write. Otherwise, I'll consider this my rest day and dive back into it tomorrow...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I had plenty of "associated pressure" at my old job!
> 
> Now that I'm done reviewing the Season of the Harvest audiobook, I was hoping to get some writing in on Reaping the Harvest today. However, I'm completely pooped after running six miles on the beach this morning. Am going to rest a bit and then see if I'm sufficiently motivated to write. Otherwise, I'll consider this my rest day and dive back into it tomorrow...


poke......
poke..........
poke...................


----------



## Robena

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Your title is somewhere in your story. Print it out and hold it up to your head and you will find the right key phrase. Alternatively, banging your head against the keyboard might do it.


Agree. Something a character says or observes. It has always worked that way for me. Good luck. : )


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> poke......
> poke..........
> poke...................


Ow!
Ow!
Ow!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ow!
> Ow!
> Ow!


start writing, i'll stop poking.....


----------



## Steph H

telracs said:


> poke......
> poke..........
> poke...................


Here, let me help you poke him...


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> Here, let me help you poke him...


oooh, thanks......


----------



## Catriona Crehan

MY goal is to try and actually focus on my upcoming sequel. I'm having major writers block.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> oooh, thanks......


Man, that's just brutal!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Man, that's just brutal!


gee, i was hoping you'd show up....


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


>


----------



## telracs

Jeff,

how are you adding an image to a quote of mine that i can't access?

not fair!


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> Jeff,
> 
> how are you adding an image to a quote of mine that i can't access?
> 
> not fair!


Na-na-na-na-na.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Na-na-na-na-na.


*sniffle* may i PLEASE have that gif? i promise to use it wisely...


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> *sniffle* may i PLEASE have that gif? i promise to use it wisely...


http://ebookgab.com/forum/Smileys/default/anim_buttkick.gif


----------



## Thomas Watson

OMG!

He took her word for it??


----------



## Steph H

Jeff's an ol' softy....


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Chapter One of _*The House of Green Waters*_ has been completed - a biggy at 5,500 words - but over a few days, because first chapters are . . . well, first chapters. Need I say more? 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Chapter One of _*The House of Green Waters*_ has been completed - a biggy at 5,500 words - but over a few days, because first chapters are . . . well, first chapters. Need I say more?
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Yes, that are usually first. 

Congrats.

Hope to get back to writing again tomorrow.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Notmuch getting done, today. I decided to indulge in some star gazing last night. Up late, but not allowed by hungry cats to sleep in.

I'm currently in what amateur astronomers call "recovery mode."


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Actual writing done today. 2K and I'm beginning to be happy with the way the story is shaping up.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

2K for me, too, and more on the way after I gobble down some Indian food...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> 2K for me, too, and more on the way after I gobble down some Indian food...


skip the indian food and keep writing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> skip the indian food and keep writing.


I yam, I yam, said Popeye the sailor man!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Care when you rhyme in National Poetry Month.

Ed


----------



## Jeff

My experiment with the illustrated King Arthur novels is returning less than stellar results. Generally, women seem to dislike the illustrations and find them a distraction, while the few men who've commented think the pictures add to the story.

Having said all that, I'm committed to two more volumes and intend to complete them, even if they're a total commercial flop. Yeah, yeah, I know. I've always been stubborn about new ideas; I'm not going to change at the age of 71.

The second book, _King Arthur: Camelot_, is at 40,000 words with about 130 illustrations. I expect it to end up with 60,000 words and a few more illustrations.










Edited to add:

Happy 11th anniversary, Mike.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Happy Anniversary, Mike. No time for a card. My Internet is going down again in a couple of minutes. AT&T has been working on it for several hours now.

1K words last night.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

She's baaaackkk!

I had no signal at all. No land line. No internet. And the trouble was in two places at least a half mile away. I can't believe I was the only one to have a problem.

Sorry this is late, Mike. Maybe the chocolate and strawberries will make up for it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff, the difference between what men like about the illustrations and women don't is the


Spoiler



boobs


.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> She's baaaackkk!
> 
> I had no signal at all. No land line. No internet. And the trouble was in two places at least a half mile away. I can't believe I was the only one to have a problem.
> 
> Sorry this is late, Mike. Maybe the chocolate and strawberries will make up for it.


wanders in and steals cake.....

will return it when he finishes 2 more chapters.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Jeff, the difference between what men like about the illustrations and women don't is the
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> boobs
> 
> 
> .


The women's magazines in the checkout line of our local supermarket display more cleavage than the San Andreas Fault. Are you telling me that it's really men who buy them?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> The women's magazines in the checkout line of our local supermarket display more cleavage than the San Andreas Fault. Are you telling me that it's really men who buy them?


I think it's more the way the clothes cling making them look like Demi Moore when she did that nude photo with just a design painted on.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I think it's more the way the clothes cling making them look like Demi Moore when she did that nude photo with just a design painted on.


I missed the Demi Moore photo, but I get the idea and I'm still going to finish the trilogy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I missed the Demi Moore photo, but I get the idea and I'm still going to finish the trilogy.


Of course you are. Would we let you not finish it?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,300 words today on *The House of Green Waters*. Going slow, because I decided to write a tragedy (in the literary sense), which entails a good deal more planning, calculation (no outlines, thank God), and character development than the other kinds of stories. But I'm trying to keep to my mantra that every novel I author must present a new challenge for me and must exceed the one I just finished. I owe that much to myself and my readers. Besides, life is defined by the ripple we leave behind. (BTW, *Belmundus* is a hard act to follow, I'm finding out). 

Edward C. Patterson

PS: I added a new novel to my think tank (I generally add a new one every few years after noddling around weekly. Few survive the cut, but this one is a keeper and deep in the autobiagraphical arena. It's called _*Robert Leg, An Opera in Three Lives*_. The first line to ponder, so far, is - Mary had a little lamb and his name was Robert Leg, and every where that Robert went, old Mary had him pegged." Look for it in 2017 or 2018 - there are 6 others ahead of it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> PS: I added a new novel to my think tank (I generally add a new one every few years after noddling around weekly. Few survive the cut, but this one is a keeper and deep in the autobiagraphical arena. It's called _*Robert Leg, An Opera in Three Lives*_. The first line to ponder, so far, is - Mary had a little lamb and his name was Robert Leg, and every where that Robert went, old Mary had him pegged." Look for it in 2017 or 2018 - there are 6 others ahead of it.


I should live so long. 

Editing my May book. The cover and blurb are done. Shouldn't be any problem getting it out on time.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

So should I. I'll be in my 70s them.

Ed


----------



## Jeff

Children.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Happy 11th anniversary, Mike.


I'll take the animated hottie on the left as an anniversary present! Oh, wait, I guess that would be a bit complicated, wouldn't it... 

Thanks for the anniversary wishes, all! I haven't been on the last couple days - been trying to get the audiobook for Season Of The Harvest sorted out, and wrote more on Reaping The Harvest. Yesterday was great, but today not so much: while cleaning up after dinner, one of the boys turned on the disposal, whereupon the lights in the house flickered. When I tried it, a wall switch (on a different circuit) exploded and we lost one of the outdoor lights. I minimized the flickering by shutting down about half the circuits in the panel (some of which, I saw, were leaking small amounts of oil). So we're going to try and limp along until our electrician can come on Monday morning... <sigh>


----------



## telracs

what is it with you and electricity, mike?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> what is it with you and electricity, mike?


Must be my magnetic personality...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Must be my magnetic personality...


let's wrap a wire around you and turn you real fast


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> let's wrap a wire around you and turn you real fast


Oh, lets not. I'm having enough trouble keeping up with current events around here.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Oh, lets not. I'm having enough trouble keeping up with current events around here.


Just watch you don't flip polarity!


----------



## Guest

Haven't done much writing, but the fluff (like an 8000px map) is coming along nicely, and I've secured the work of a Lithuanian artist for character designs (the places DeviantArt takes you to...^^).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

SPBreit said:


> Haven't done much writing, but the fluff (like an 8000px map) is coming along nicely, and I've secured the work of a Lithuanian artist for character designs (the places DeviantArt takes you to...^^).


The internet is a wonderful thing.

Taking GS to a birthday party and then I'll get down to editing.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Just watch you don't flip polarity!


I'm not sure I'd have the resistance necessary to avoid the temptation.


----------



## J Bridger

Having a good day. Got my arc for my serial novellas finished and got another about 2k done.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,200 words yesterday on The House of Green Waters.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,200 words yesterday on The House of Green Waters.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Congrats!

I'm sticking to a very modified work schedule of Thursday night, Monday morning for the next few weeks.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I did 3000 words on Reaping The Harvest, finishing off a 6K-word chapter, which I probably should've split, but, well, didn't feel like it.

The audiobook for Season is just about done. A few final edits over the weekend, and hopefully it'll be on the streets by Monday...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I did 3000 words on Reaping The Harvest, finishing off a 6K-word chapter, which I probably should've split, but, well, didn't feel like it.
> 
> The audiobook for Season is just about done. A few final edits over the weekend, and hopefully it'll be on the streets by Monday...


Yay for you! That's some big chapter!!

I don't feel so bad about my producer backing out of the audiobook project. It's happened to several people here. Maybe the noobs just don't realize how much work it is.

500 words last night. Not much but more than I had yesterday morning. Hope to find someplace to work tomorrow morning, if I get up early enough.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2800 words at Panera today where the souffle was free and I'm feeling good.

I think this one will hit 12K at least.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Still weaving the new POV character into the existing draft of Book Three. 

I'm not starting Book Four until AFTER the beta readers have commented on #3.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Still weaving the new POV character into the existing draft of Book Three.
> 
> I'm not starting Book Four until AFTER the beta readers have commented on #3.


Starting Book Four will keep you from biting your nails while waiting for the verdict.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Starting Book Four will keep you from biting your nails while waiting for the verdict.


That's why I did the first draft of both Two and Three when I did them, and it certainly kept me busy while I waited. Changes prompted by the beta readers for Book Two, though, meant a lot of new material was needed for Book Three as a new POV propagated through the plot. (This is not, by the way, a complaint! It's a MUCH better story as a result.) It's enough extra work that it might have been better to have waited to begin Three until Two was in its final form. We learn by doing.

I'll write short stories and work on another amateur astronomy book while the beta readers do their thing with Book Three. That should keep me plenty busy!

Speaking of short stories, "Second Chance" has its very first review.

http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-ebook/product-reviews/B00BS1P25S/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,000 words today and oy yoy yoy, its a hard to be a pantzer with a novel with so much happening and so many characters, but it's funny. The knots get tied and untied in my head and then I make up my mind how it goes, then I sit down to write in the zone and do something else. Of course, rarely do I have help from the characters this earlyin the game, but with a 5 book series, many of the characters are already alive, kicjing and milti-dimensional. Every time I doubt whether being a pantser is insanity, I come away with a grat sense of satisfaction that there is no better way to create. When the characters engage me, I can best engage the reader.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> That's why I did the first draft of both Two and Three when I did them, and it certainly kept me busy while I waited. Changes prompted by the beta readers for Book Two, though, meant a lot of new material was needed for Book Three as a new POV propagated through the plot. (This is not, by the way, a complaint! It's a MUCH better story as a result.) It's enough extra work that it might have been better to have waited to begin Three until Two was in its final form. We learn by doing.
> 
> I'll write short stories and work on another amateur astronomy book while the beta readers do their thing with Book Three. That should keep me plenty busy!
> 
> Speaking of short stories, "Second Chance" has its very first review.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-ebook/product-reviews/B00BS1P25S/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1


That's the kind of review that keeps us going. WTG!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 4,000 words today and oy yoy yoy, its a hard to be a pantzer with a novel with so much happening and so many characters, but it's funny. The knots get tied and untied in my head and then I make up my mind how it goes, then I sit down to write in the zone and do something else. Of course, rarely do I have help from the characters this earlyin the game, but with a 5 book series, many of the characters are already alive, kicjing and milti-dimensional. Every time I doubt whether being a pantser is insanity, I come away with a grat sense of satisfaction that there is no better way to create. When the characters engage me, I can best engage the reader.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I agree, Ed. It's a very exciting way to write. I have no idea where something is going and all of a sudden, I'm trying to keep up with my characters as they drag me in a new direction.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I tried to write Thursday night, but only got about 500 words done. Kept nodding off.


----------



## Jeff

I got sidetracked by my great-grandson's wish that he could be a superhero.


----------



## Thomas Watson

For me, it's the day job. Since early March it has been a huge chore, leaving me with little energy for more important matters. Hard to be creative when you've just spent much of the day putting a huge effort into making very little progress. I have, in fact, fallen asleep at the keyboard several times.

But the capital inventory for the observatory is done. Or as done as it's ever going to get. There's a mess to clean up, after the fact, but there are no deadlines to face. Writing will be easier to manage.

 Or so I hope...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff, that is so cute.

Did I tell you I'm a great-grandma?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Jeff, that is so cute.
> 
> Did I tell you I'm a great-grandma?


No, you didn't. Tell me more.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No, you didn't. Tell me more.


Only a step-great-grandma. My SiL's youngest had a baby girl three months ago. Johanna. Very happy baby, mainly because her mother carries her around like a little doll.  Finally got to hold her today by snatching her away. Mama had to hover in case I dropped her or something.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Mondays at Panera and 2200 words today. Maybe another 1500 and it'll be done. I want this whole series to be about 10-12K each. Should get some writing in tomorrow.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,000 words today on The House of Green Waters

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I managed to squeeze out most of a chapter today, maybe 2000+ words, after finalizing the summer trip itinerary. Can't wait to roll!


----------



## Thomas Watson

I've managed a chapter a day since Saturday. This morning I woke to a raw throat and a fever. I have co-workers with children who have compromised immune systems, so I'm likely out for a couple days. Which either means I'll get a lot done here, or I'll be too sick to care. Blah!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Looks like we're all on a roll. 1700 words yesterday. Not as impressive as you guys, but I'm happy.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Looks like we're all on a roll. 1700 words yesterday. Not as impressive as you guys, but I'm happy.


There have been days, of late, when 1700 words would have thrilled me to no end!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1200 last night. A bit over my goal.

Taking my car in for an oil change this morning. I'll take my netbook and should get some more done. Maybe two more scenes to go.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Managed a bit over 3K words the last couple of days.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Managed a bit over 3K words the last couple of days.


Me, too.


----------



## Jeff

Me three.


----------



## BlakeMP

I'm a teacher and it's the last month of school. I told my fiance yesterday that, as of June 1, she's not to allow me any days where I don't write, edit, or produce SOMETHING.

Right now, though, I'm just holding my breath and marking time until the end of the semester.


----------



## Moondreamer

Today, I managed around 1500 words on SW2 : Betrayal, the follow up to Innocent. The last few weeks have been rough at work and writing has suffered for both me and my co-autor, so it's good to finally get back into the beat!


----------



## Jennifer R P

I statted up four artifacts for an RPG supplement. Would like to get some more done on the short I'm working on, but the partner is rustling papers, which destroys my concentration on ANYTHING. Sigh. Not his fault it has that effect.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Me three.


Where's Mike?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Where's Mike?


Summer trip?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Summer trip?


School's not out yet.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> School's not out yet.


Planning the summer trip?

[quote author=Mike 8 hours ago]Off to pick up the Corvette. Have to take it to the local Chevy dealership next - problem still not sorted out..[/quote]


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Planning the summer trip?


Still here! Today was unproductive writing-wise, although I got a couple blog posts done. Have to figure a way through a sticky wicket in the plot for Reapim The Harvest. Corvette will hopefully get sorted out Monday!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Still here! Today was unproductive writing-wise, although I got a couple blog posts done. Have to figure a way through a sticky wicket in the plot for Reapim The Harvest. Corvette will hopefully get sorted out Monday!


Did the vette get sorted out? In my wip, the leading man has a red corvette convertible that he's afraid to drive over 30 mph.

2K words today and I'm about maybe 500-700 away from finishing. This one went longer than I expected.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,700 words on The House of Green Waters.

I thik Gertie may be right about poetry. I ran a 2 day free promotion of Pacific Crimson and only 6 takers (I mean I can't give it away.  )

Next weekend starts a first for me - one week FREE on Belmundus. Let's see is a 700 page epic moves out on the Free-o-sphere. I'll remind everyone when the time comes (my friends here in the support groove should all get a Freebie).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,700 words on The House of Green Waters.
> 
> I thik Gertie may be right about poetry. I ran a 2 day free promotion of Pacific Crimson and only 6 takers (I mean I can't give it away. )
> 
> Next weekend starts a first for me - one week FREE on Belmundus. Let's see is a 700 page epic moves out on the Free-o-sphere. I'll remind everyone when the time comes (my friends here in the support groove should all get a Freebie).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


The book I'm editing has at least a half a dozen poems but they're all short and with a healthy jolt of caffeine, I got through them. I just decided to put two long poems in the book and I think I'm going to need more than a cup o' joe to read them. It's not that they're bad. They're actually very good. It's just me.

Freebies have run their course for me. I'm working on permafree for my two series. I'll let you know how that goes once I get Amazon to price match.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Hello.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Hello.


Ah, Sean. I see you've written a word today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> The book I'm editing has at least a half a dozen poems but they're all short and with a healthy jolt of caffeine, I got through them. I just decided to put two long poems in the book and I think I'm going to need more than a cup o' joe to read them. It's not that they're bad. They're actually very good. It's just me.
> 
> Freebies have run their course for me. I'm working on permafree for my two series. I'll let you know how that goes once I get Amazon to price match.


I have a price match from Amazon (wasn't trying for one), but I raised prices on many of the books to a whopping $2.99 in February, but one was discounted to $ .99. (Amazon gave me the full royalty), but it took me quite a time tp discover that Apple failed to raise that book's price and Amazon price-matched. I've corrected it. It had something to do with the length of my blurb on iPad. Whatever the problem it went away. But I do know now that Apple will price match.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I have a price match from Amazon (wasn't trying for one), but I raised prices on many of the books to a whopping $2.99 in February, but one was discounted to $ .99. (Amazon gave me the full royalty), but it took me quite a time tp discover that Apple failed to raise that book's price and Amazon price-matched. I've corrected it. It had something to do with the length of my blurb on iPad. Whatever the problem it went away. But I do know now that Apple will price match.
> 
> Ed P


I've got one book on Apple and Kobo that's free and 99 cents on B&N. It's only been a couple of days, but I'm hoping they'll price match to free soon.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Did the vette get sorted out? In my wip, the leading man has a red corvette convertible that he's afraid to drive over 30 mph.


LOL! Ten what's he doing with a Vette?? 

Yeah, got the problem sorted out - loose tie rod on left rear wheel. Now drives like it's supposed to!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! Ten what's he doing with a Vette??
> 
> Yeah, got the problem sorted out - loose tie rod on left rear wheel. Now drives like it's supposed to!


You'll have to buy the book to find out!  Oh, wait a minute, I won't be releasing it for six months. It's number four in the new series and I like to have the whole thing written before I start pubbing.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Dead in the water, the last couple of days. Last week's "bug" was apparently warning shot. Had to be creative when your lungs don't work and your head's full of mud.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ah, Sean. I see you've written a word today.


LOL May have been the only one. Yesterday was a mental health day.


----------



## Jeff

Congratulations to Gertie, Mike, Ed, and all who're progressing; get better soon, Thomas; get to work, Sean. I'm hoping to finish the second book in the King Arthur trilogy this week. The rough draft is complete, but I don't like the ending.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Congratulations to Gertie, Mike, Ed, and all who're progressing; get better soon, Thomas; get to work, Sean. I'm hoping to finish the second book in the King Arthur trilogy this week. The rough draft is complete, but I don't like the ending.


That was fast.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

As promised, I would let my Author Support family know when BELMUNDUS went FREE on Amazon. Come grabs yourself a copy. It's my Magnus Opus and I'm unabashedly proud of it. It'll be FREE until May 15th.

Thanks for all your support on this one and the others (especially that other one - Look Away Silence, where I Acknowledge this thread as the guiding light to get me through it).

Edward C. Patterson
aka Miss Chatty


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

Edward C. Patterson said:


> As promised, I would let my Author Support family know when BELMUNDUS went FREE on Amazon. Come grabs yourself a copy. It's my Magnus Opus and I'm unabashedly proud of it. It'll be FREE until May 15th.
> 
> Thanks for all your support on this one and the others (especially that other one - Look Away Silence, where I Acknowledge this thread as the guiding light to get me through it).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> aka Miss Chatty


Thank you for letting us know it's free. (You know, I read the subtitle as the 'Farm' Trilogy, at first. Oops!)


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

ElisaBlaisdell said:


> Thank you for letting us know it's free. (You know, I read the subtitle as the 'Farm' Trilogy, at first. Oops!)


It's real an elided form of foreign (say foreign as one syllable) 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,500 words today on a breakneck chaptr (bandits, arrows, decapitations, angry word bantter and much cursing within the confines of 12th Century vernacular syntax ) _*The House of Green Waters*_ is prograssing.

The free promotion (which still goes until Wednesday) was a great success thus far with nearly 150 Belmundus copies downloaded, which hopefully might get a review on this so-far rviewless book.

Thanks
Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

ElisaBlaisdell said:


> Thank you for letting us know it's free. (You know, I read the subtitle as the 'Farm' Trilogy, at first. Oops!)


Got it and tweeted the freebie. I don't know when I'll have time to read it, but maybe if I skip the poetry, it won't take me so long.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Got it and tweeted the freebie. I don't know when I'll have time to read it, but maybe if I skip the poetry, it won't take me so long.


Thanks and thanks, and the poetry is prophesy and _colori_, certainly sustainable by anyone into folklore. 

Ed P -


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks and thanks, and the poetry is prophesy and _colori_, certainly sustainable by anyone into folklore.
> 
> Ed P -


Trying to sucker me in to reading the rhyming stuff?

1500 words on the new story. It's going well. I'm loving my leading man.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm starting the formatting of the collection and I need help with describing something. Easy enough to say a poem, a short story or an essay. But when it's more of a listing, e.g. 

*Learning is what brings you to a higher stage in life

*Learning is a happy thing when you know it

We also have a "life is" and a "love is" So what would you call it?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I'm starting the formatting of the collection and I need help with describing something. Easy enough to say a poem, a short story or an essay. But when it's more of a listing, e.g.
> 
> *Learning is what brings you to a higher stage in life
> 
> *Learning is a happy thing when you know it
> 
> We also have a "life is" and a "love is" So what would you call it?


I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you, but I don't understand what you need. I may be brain dead, of course.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you, but I don't understand what you need. I may be brain dead, pf course.


See, that's what I mean. It's not clear what it is. If it's a short story, I can say _Skateboard, a short story by xxx_, if it's a poem, I can say, _The Glass Road, a poem by xxx_, if it's an essay, I can say _Helping Hand, an essay by xxx_. But I don't know how to classify these list thingies. The closest I can come is poem, but they don't have meter. It's okay if they don't rhyme, but they have to have meter. Not being a poet, I'm not sure of even that.


----------



## telracs

stream of consciousness?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> stream of consciousness?


It's a _thought_. 

Got it ... I think.

Commentary

What do y'all think?


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's a _thought_.
> 
> Got it ... I think.
> 
> Commentary
> 
> What do y'all think?


here's a question.... are you the author of said piece? if not, what do/does the author call it?

"literary list"?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> here's a question.... are you the author of said piece? if not, what do/does the author call it?
> 
> "literary list"?


No. I'm not the author. I'm putting together a collection from a ninth grade creative writing class. Since the authors are only fourteen, they don't call it anything.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No. I'm not the author. I'm putting together a collection from a ninth grade creative writing class. Since the authors are only fourteen, they don't call it anything.


i wouldn't bet on that.....


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Here's the blurb.

What do high school freshmen think about love and life and learning? What do their imaginations come up with when they spin stories in their daydreams? You’ll find out in this collection of stories, poems and essays written by ninth graders. 

Surprisingly insightful, sometimes touching, and always entertaining, you’ll find everything from a poem about a childhood toy to a sci-fi novelette with a killer ending.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> i wouldn't bet on that.....


Maybe so, but I can't use language like that in the book.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Here's the blurb.
> 
> What do high school freshmen think about love and life and learning? What do their imaginations come up with when they spin stories in their daydreams? You'll find out in this collection of stories, poems and essays written by ninth graders.
> 
> Surprisingly insightful, sometimes touching, and always entertaining, you'll find everything from a poem about a childhood toy to a sci-fi novelette with a killer ending.


i like the blurb.

one more question, why do you need to put descriptors? why not just the titles of the pieces?

okay, sorry, that was two questions.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> i like the blurb.
> 
> one more question, why do you need to put descriptors? why not just the titles of the pieces?
> 
> okay, sorry, that was two questions.


I'm putting the descriptors in the ToC.


----------



## Jeff

Prose.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Prose.


Close.

Freeverse?

Where's Ed when I need him.

ETA: Here's the def of free verse

unrhymed verse without a metrical pattern ... I think that might be it!


----------



## Jeff

Blathering?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Blathering?


Are the authors then blatherskites? 

I think I'm going to use free verse. It seems to fit best.


----------



## Jeff

Isn't the Freeverse the domain of the Freefighters of Krypton?


----------



## Dan Fiorella

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> free verse.


I love that song. Lynyrd Skynyrd's best.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Isn't the Freeverse the domain of the Freefighters of Krypton?


You're killing me, Jeff. 

So is this book. I've been over it four times today and still tweaking. Tomorrow, it gets uploaded no matter what. Still have to tweak the cover.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I believe the word you're looking for is blank verse.  

Of course there is a form called Free Verse, the domain of Marianna Moor, who (like Arnold Schoenberg in the music world with his 12-tone row), created a form where the meter of the first seenteen wors in the poem set the pattern for what followed. But I don;t think that's what you mean.

Good for Blank poetry.

(I don't mean a blank page).

and even with blank, there's structure.

Edward C. Patterpatterpattersong


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I believe the word you're looking for is blank verse.
> 
> Of course there is a form called Free Verse, the domain of Marianna Moor, who (like Arnold Schoenberg in the music world with his 12-tone row), created a form where the meter of the first seenteen wors in the poem set the pattern for what followed. But I don;t think that's what you mean.
> 
> Good for Blank poetry.
> 
> (I don't mean a blank page).
> 
> and even with blank, there's structure.
> 
> Edward C. Patterpatterpattersong


Don't think so, Ed. Just checked it out and blank verse is written in imabic pentameter. These are like a list.

Love is xxx
Love is yyy
Love is aaa and bbb

Any other ideas? I have to hit the publish button tomorrow.


----------



## Jeff

Only prose and blathering have no structure.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

How about run-on verse or runaway verse or non-terse verse or no-rhyhm-nor reason.  

Edward C. Blatherson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Just made my forthcoming novel REDEEMED a fourth draft. Sent it to two other authors, and they're going to review it over the next couple of weeks.

I want to release it by mid-July.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Cleaning up the draft of The Plight of the Eli'ahtna. Hard to say exactly when I'll send it off to beta readers, but it shouldn't be more than a week from now.

I think I'll write something astronomy related, while this one is under review.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

A mere 600 words tonight but better than nothing. Just too tired to write. Tomorrow is all scheduled up and the weekend is dedicated to getting the new book ready to publish.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Sorry I haven't been around much - have been neck-deep in getting ready for the upcoming RV trip, getting the Season Of The Harvest audiobook out (it's done, BTW - check out the demo here if you like), and trying to make headway on Reaping The Harvest, which now stands at 71,000 words. And no, I have no idea how much more I have to write! LOL!

Also, this was pretty funny: Amazon pilfered the cover of EMPIRE, airbrushed out the title, and used it as an email marketing graphic! I couldn't find anything in the KDP TOS covering that, so sent them an email saying, uh, what's up, doc? I wouldn't have minded if the link pointed to EMPIRE or any of my other books, but apparently it didn't. So, we'll see what happens with that...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Sorry I haven't been around much - have been neck-deep in getting ready for the upcoming RV trip, getting the Season Of The Harvest audiobook out (it's done, BTW - check out the demo here if you like), and trying to make headway on Reaping The Harvest, which now stands at 71,000 words. And no, I have no idea how much more I have to write! LOL!


That's some voice!



> Also, this was pretty funny: Amazon pilfered the cover of EMPIRE, airbrushed out the title, and used it as an email marketing graphic! I couldn't find anything in the KDP TOS covering that, so sent them an email saying, uh, what's up, doc? I wouldn't have minded if the link pointed to EMPIRE or any of my other books, but apparently it didn't. So, we'll see what happens with that...


Flattering, maybe?

Finished the HS book ably assisted by Jeff when the spacing went all wonky on D2D. The thing I love about D2D is how quickly Apple, Kobo and B&N pick up the books. All three of them in less than 36 hours. Apple wasn't even 24 hours.

Back to my own work tomorrow.


----------



## SEAN H. ROBERTSON

120 words yesterday and 431 words written today so far, totaling 3114 words for my new novel. 42,000 words to go!   Happy Writing, friends!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Also, this was pretty funny: Amazon pilfered the cover of EMPIRE, airbrushed out the title, and used it as an email marketing graphic! I couldn't find anything in the KDP TOS covering that, so sent them an email saying, uh, what's up, doc? I wouldn't have minded if the link pointed to EMPIRE or any of my other books, but apparently it didn't. So, we'll see what happens with that...


You know, I seem to recall a clause somewhere that lets them do something of the sort for marketing purposes, but I interpreted that as using the cover if they email adverts recommending your title to Amazon customers.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> You know, I seem to recall a clause somewhere that lets them do something of the sort for marketing purposes, but I interpreted that as using the cover if they email adverts recommending your title to Amazon customers.


Yes, but my understanding wasn't that they could take a cover and airbrush out the title, etc. The interim reply from our friend Raghu M. Amazon was:



> I've verified the graphic on your Facebook page and notified the concerned department about this issue. I'll closely monitor this issue with the concerned department and follow up with you as soon as I can provide you an answer.
> 
> We appreciate your patience in this matter and thank you for bringing this to our attention.


So, we'll see. If I can wheedle some sort of special promotion out of them, I'm not going to complain!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yes, but my understanding wasn't that they could take a cover and airbrush out the title, etc. The interim reply from our friend Raghu M. Amazon was:
> 
> So, we'll see. If I can wheedle some sort of special promotion out of them, I'm not going to complain!


My goodness! All that _concern_! Is that the word of the day?

3200 words at Panera this morning. Makes up for all the other days I'm not doing anything.


----------



## Jeff

Our good friend Geoff Thomas is reading _King Arthur: Camelot_ for me. Susan has offered to edit it when the beta readers' changes have been incorporated. I'm knee deep in _Carpetbaggers_ again.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4 days off from writing (the first in 4 years), as I went to Massachusetts on vacation and left the computer home by design. Will rev up sometime tomorrow.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Our good friend Geoff Thomas is reading _King Arthur: Camelot_ for me. Susan has offered to edit it when the beta readers' changes have been incorporated. I'm knee deep in _Carpetbaggers_ again.


That is great news. Looking forward to Arthur, but really, really looking forward to _Carpetbaggers_.

Got the print book for the HS today. It came out really well. I'll take it in to them tomorrow. I know they're going to love it.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I've verified the graphic on your Facebook page and notified the concerned department about this issue. I'll closely monitor this issue with the concerned department and follow up with you as soon as I can provide you an answer.
> 
> We appreciate your patience in this matter and thank you for bringing this to our attention.


Usually, when I receive a messaged worded that way, it's from this guy in Nigeria...


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That is great news. Looking forward to Arthur, but really, really looking forward to _Carpetbaggers_.


Thank you, Margaret. Geoff sent me the marked up _Camelot_ MS a couple of hours ago. I'll try to get his changes made tomorrow and upload the new MS for Susan. Note that this will be Kindle book number 40, including our collaborations that I've published.

I'm hoping to release _Carpetbaggers_ around Thanksgiving and at least two more children's picture books before then.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Usually, when I receive a messaged worded that way, it's from this guy in Nigeria...


Well, most likely Bangalore in this particular case! LOL! No response back yet. I'm giving them until tomorrow a.m. before I start firing off more emails and/or post something obnoxious on their Facebook pages...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Thank you, Margaret. Geoff sent me the marked up _Camelot_ MS a couple of hours ago. I'll try to get his changes made tomorrow and upload the new MS for Susan. Note that this will be Kindle book number 40, including our collaborations that I've published.
> 
> I'm hoping to release _Carpetbaggers_ around Thanksgiving and at least two more children's picture books before then.


I'm only at 21, not counting our collaborations, but I've got 10 more waiting in the wings. Most of them are short, though, so you're way ahead of me.

Don't plan on any writing until tomorrow night. But I do have to finish the Zodiac series by January. I'm on Book 5 now, so I should be on track. They're all novelettes. I'm keeping them short so I can publish them all in one paperback.

The June book in the 12 months of romance series went live this morning on Kindle. Waiting on B&N, Apple and Kobo. Should be some time today, though. (fingers crossed)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2200 words today. Not much more to go on this one.

Mike, did you ever hear back from Amazon?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 2200 words today. Not much more to go on this one.


Yay. I think. Is "this one" _Zodiac Rising_?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Not much progress in the last few days. Got back to work and had to . . . work   And hooked on a serial binge of Supernatural on Netflix on my Kindle Fire HD (better known as the DEVIL). But I have 3/4rds of a chapter completed and mean to finish it today and start the next one.  This book is a challenge, because it needs the reader to known "stuff" and yet it can;t become a course in 12th Century China, so I need to do the full backstroke for each chapter in oodles of details, which I then sublemate to buffetting phrases to maintain author craft while in the ZONE with characters, who also must imbibe the sociohistorical material, none of which can smack of the classroom. I must remember when an official undertakes simple gestures, (like balling his fist) that he can't because of his long fingernails and that Chinese threshold are not flat but raise to prevent ghost from crossing them. I'm living in a ral work and translating it into a story to engage a reder and not put them to sleep. It's exhausting. I long for the world of Belmundus (but this one comes next, because I've actually had requests for it from readers who have caught up and have finished Book III and want Book IV). I guess that's a good thing for the branding and legacy and all that schiess.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Yay. I think. Is "this one" _Zodiac Rising_?


Part of the Zodiac Rising series (Leo). the name of the book is Leah. I'm naming each book for the leading lady and the name reflects the sign. Aries is Ariel, Taurus is Tori, Cancey (okay, so I made up that name) is Cancer. I still have to write Virginia, Libby, Schuyler, Sage, Cappy, Aquaria and Pixie. I need to finish them all by October, which I think is doable. Then I can release them once a month directly following the end of the 12 months of romance series.


----------



## Jeff

Candy might work for Cancer.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Whew! Finished the chapter (Chapter eight) 5,100 words. Nearing the 40,000 mark, so it's not a novel yet (50k under the belt assures that), but Part I is finished in 1st run. I have have 6 subdivisions in The House of Green Waters (6 Parts), I'm estimating the entire work will be about 210,000 words or about 630 pages or so (longer than the last Southern Swallow book - Swan Cloud, but shorter than Belmundus, which clocked in at 702 pages). 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

Less than a hundred pages to go in the clean-up process, then on to the beta readers. I expect to wrap it up tomorrow.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thomas Watson said:


> Less than a hundred pages to go in the clean-up process, then on to the beta readers. I expect to wrap it up tomorrow.


Great news.


----------



## Jeff

Hooray for everyone posting on this thread. Keep cranking out those words.


----------



## BellaRoccaforte

Hello, I'm Bella. 

I've been lurking around KB for a while and you guys have been inspiring me through the whole process. 

Now I'm doing initial revisions and in the process of finding an editor I can afford!

My goal is to be done with initial revisions and send to some beta readers by Tuesday!


----------



## Jeff

Good luck, Bella.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Great news.


It is. I really am going to work on something completely different while the beta readers tear Book Three to pieces. I need to have my head in a different universe for a while! There's a few rattling around in here to choose from.

Actually, more than a few. I don't know about the rest of you, but the inside of my head has a resemblance to this TV ad...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__KkQ8gDIds


----------



## Thomas Watson

BellaRoccaforte said:


> Hello, I'm Bella.
> 
> I've been lurking around KB for a while and you guys have been inspiring me through the whole process.
> 
> Now I'm doing initial revisions and in the process of finding an editor I can afford!
> 
> My goal is to be done with initial revisions and send to some beta readers by Tuesday!


Welcome, and best of luck!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Candy might work for Cancer.


I thought about it, but when I hear that name, I think of the smutty book from the 70's. Thought of Casey, too. It's the only name I'm not happy with. Votes, everyone?



BellaRoccaforte said:


> Hello, I'm Bella.
> 
> I've been lurking around KB for a while and you guys have been inspiring me through the whole process.
> 
> Now I'm doing initial revisions and in the process of finding an editor I can afford!
> 
> My goal is to be done with initial revisions and send to some beta readers by Tuesday!


Hey, Bella, glad you stopped lurking.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> It's the only name I'm not happy with. Votes, everyone?


Melony short for Melanoma?

About 2,000 words for _Carpetbaggers _today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Melony short for Melanoma?
> 
> About 2,000 words for _Carpetbaggers _today.


Now, why didn't I think of that? 

Big Yay for _Carpetbaggers_.

I'm going through the remaining 12 months books and tweaking them a bit. Need to set up the front and back end stuff so I can just plug them in when the time comes. The novellas need to be chapterized, too, and I've still got five blurbs to write.

I promised myself when I started the Zodiac series I would write the blurbs as I went along but I keep forgetting.


----------



## Jeff

_Carpetbaggers_ gained 3,000 words today and I finished the covers for Camelot.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600 words on a chapter about guns and horse poop (Guns in 12th Century China?) Yikes!  But this is one part of the two series (The Jade Owl and the Southern Swallow, where the stories intermingle). There's a scene in The Third Peregrination where the evil Prison Guard get's pushed through a painting of Hai-nan island where the 12th Century charcters are exiled. Now that we're on the 12th Century side, the police officer comes through and it's a real challenge for this here author to remember the delta between the two Chinese period, including thefact that they didn;t speak the same language, and the characters of Mao's China are simplified and based on the Mongol Yuan Dynasty invention, a dynasty after the Sung - so communication between them is quite problematic. (I should just invite Common Speak like Toliien).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Good going, Ed, even though I didn't understand anything past the word poop.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Good going, Ed, even though I didn't understand anything past the word poop.


Most people pass poop. 

ECPoop


----------



## Jeff

Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Thanks for sharing.


Your welcome. As the Chinese say:

"Come, dear stranger and us my outhouse, and come harvest I'll grow you the onion of your dreams."

Edward C. Fertilizer


----------



## Jeff

You're getting very weird, Edward old friend.

No words today. Well - I wrote a thousand or more, but they smelled like Ed's Chinese outhouse, so I flushed them.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> You're getting very weird, Edward old friend.
> 
> No words today. Well - I wrote a thousand or more, but they smelled like Ed's Chinese outhouse, so I flushed them.


But Chinese Outhouses are the only game in town. Just remember to travel with paper, because there are no left handed Chinese in China. (No wierd - just the facts, sir  - it's the little points that make life intersting. Now I know a great deal about Florentine public street urinals and also the cool facts on Danish pissoirs.)

Ed Pee


----------



## Jeff

Mike, look at this:

http://topinfopost.com/2013/05/28/russia-warns-obama-monsanto


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Mike, look at this:
> 
> http://topinfopost.com/2013/05/28/russia-warns-obama-monsanto


See, and here I was worried about the sun exploding in 500 million years. Guess we're not going to get that far.


----------



## Jeff

Haha. The end of the article confirms Mike's corn-spiracy theory.


----------



## Jeff

2,000 words today.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Haha. The end of the article confirms Mike's corn-spiracy theory.


And it's pretty bad when the Russians are the "reasonable" ones. More proof that the harvesters are more fact than fiction!

Speaking of which, 80,000 words into Reaping The Harvest, writing continues. Not sure how much farther it has to go. And we have 8 days left until we leave for our Southwest RV trip! Finally got the RV back today, and the air brakes were working properly after the mechanic had to replace an $850 computer module! Fortunately it was covered by the extended warranty - thank God for that. Now we have to get things loaded up, replace the radio with one that'll work with our iPhones (if I can get the right wiring harness), stock up the fridge and the pantry, and go. Come on, next Friday!


----------



## telracs

drums fingers on table......

well, at least i have a watson book to keep me going until hicks gets done...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> Mike, look at this:
> 
> http://topinfopost.com/2013/05/28/russia-warns-obama-monsanto


http://www.snopes.com/politics/conspiracy/monsanto.asp


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> drums fingers on table......
> 
> well, at least i have a watson book to keep me going until hicks gets done...


If she's a fast reader, Mike's in trouble...


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> http://www.snopes.com/politics/conspiracy/monsanto.asp


It was a joke, Thomas.

You should read Mike's fictional corn-spiracy books.


----------



## Jeff

Another 2,000 words today. A Thanksgiving release date looks realistic.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Another 2,000 words today. A Thanksgiving release date looks realistic.


yippee!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> It was a joke, Thomas.


Sort of hard to tell, from out here...


----------



## telracs

btw, tom......

41% done.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> Sort of hard to tell, from out here...


Yeah. Sorry. I'll refrain from inside jokes in the future.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,600 words today on The House of Green Waters - no horses or poop anywhere in this chapter. Just plain, old Chinese character etymology — your garden variety type.     

Edward C. SonofPeter (really Donald), but if we're to etymological . . .


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> yippee!


^^^^^!!!!!

No writing tonight at McD's. Just visiting. So, Panera tomorrow. I always do well with their souffle.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> Yeah. Sorry. I'll refrain from inside jokes in the future.


Meh... That's no reason to stop. Next time I'll ask if you're kidding.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> btw, tom......
> 
> 41% done.


And you're still reading?

I'll take that as a good sign...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1300 words today and an inch away from finishing. A big storm was kicking up and I had two more places to stop, so I got out of there right away. I'm going to go finish now.


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> And you're still reading?
> 
> I'll take that as a good sign...


I'm done reading, and now I'm marking up the .docx file.  You may get it today, you may get it tomorrow.


----------



## Jeff

Only 1,500 words today but I did a lot of research.

Do you need beta readers Gertie/Margaret?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Only 1,500 words today but I did a lot of research.
> 
> Do you need beta readers Gertie/Margaret?


Looking for something to read? I've got the first five in the Zodiac series done if you'd like to take a pass at them.


----------



## telracs

Steph H said:


> I'm done reading, and now I'm marking up the .docx file.  You may get it today, you may get it tomorrow.


show off...


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Looking for something to read?


No, just looking for a way to help you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No, just looking for a way to help you.


Thanks, Jeff. I appreciate it but Scott's doing a great job.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> show off...


To the best of my knowledge, the other two beta readers haven't had a chance, yet, to start.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Thanks, Jeff. I appreciate it but Scott's doing a great job.


Great. Let me know if you need another pair of eyes.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Question: How many of y'all use read-back programs to help in proofing and SerenitySoftware and the likes to assist with editing? With Peg, those have been my editing tools and I was just wond'ring how ye leverage these to thine.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Question: How many of y'all use read-back programs to help in proofing and SerenitySoftware and the likes to assist with editing? With Peg, those have been my editing tools and I was just wond'ring how ye leverage these to thine.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Sorry, Ed. Neither text to speech nor Serenity Software have been useful for me.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Sorry, Ed. Neither text to speech nor Serenity Software have been useful for me.


Good to know. They've become my buddies and also the text-to-speech on the Kindle, but the web speech tool have proved invaluable, even in the draft stage.

Finished the current chapter and was really surprised at the turn of events, since I never know where my charcters decide to take the story. I believe if I am spontaneously taken by the story as it unfolds in the ZONE, it will have a similar effect on he reader. Of course, some of my anchor visions for the work now changes, since two of my characters jettisoned three whole chapters and replaced them with another line altogether. But I'm excited and can't wait to see what they have in store for me - true pantser that I am.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

This was posted late yesterday. I'm more than a little pleased with how it came out.

http://kltoth.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/written-in-the-stars-an-interview-with-thomas-watson/


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Good to know. They've become my buddies and also the text-to-speech on the Kindle, but the web speech tool have proved invaluable, even in the draft stage.


I don't think they'd work for me either because I don't like listening to audiobooks.



> Finished the current chapter and was really surprised at the turn of events, since I never know where my charcters decide to take the story. I believe if I am spontaneously taken by the story as it unfolds in the ZONE, it will have a similar effect on he reader. Of course, some of my anchor visions for the work now changes, since two of my characters jettisoned three whole chapters and replaced them with another line altogether. But I'm excited and can't wait to see what they have in store for me - true pantser that I am.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Don't you love when that happens? I had no idea how the wip I finished on Friday was going to end, but my leading man provided the perfect last line.

1300 words yesterday on the new story. Hope to do another 2K tomorrow. I have a very unlikely leading man in this one.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> This was posted late yesterday. I'm more than a little pleased with how it came out.
> 
> http://kltoth.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/written-in-the-stars-an-interview-with-thomas-watson/


Very, very nice. I won't tell the others about Linus.


----------



## Steph H

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Very, very nice. I won't tell the others about Linus.


I wouldn't, either, but I think Fiona's twin, Bugsy, might spill the beans....  (Fiona is one of Tom's cats; one of mine, Bugsy, looks almost identical to her. We think they're separated-at-birth twins.  )

Nice write-up! Isn't the bullfrog story in the book (Mr. Olcott's Skies)? I seem to recall laughing heartily at that...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Yes, that's the same bullfrog. Everyone who reads Mr. Olcott's Skies remembers that durned bullfrog...

It was a really BIG frog!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I don't think they'd work for me either because I don't like listening to audiobooks.
> 
> Don't you love when that happens? I had no idea how the wip I finished on Friday was going to end, but my leading man provided the perfect last line.
> 
> 1300 words yesterday on the new story. Hope to do another 2K tomorrow. I have a very unlikely leading man in this one.


Gertie, it's less listening to an audiobook than following the bouncing ball. The voice reback lets you hear errors (missed punctuation, misppropriate words, spelling erros , revision ghosts and artifacts and syntax problem. It's particularly good to double check dialog. It also focus's on consistency, little things like a character who normally contracts words, suddenly doesn't, and vice versa).

BTW, Viva la Pantsers.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1500 this morning. Nothing I'd scheduled for today worked out, but I had my netbook with me so I ended up at Panera for a scone and McD's for oatmeal and between the two, I wrote 1500 words.


----------



## Jeff

About 2,000 new words added to _Carpetbaggers_. I've written myself into a corner by writing the beginning and end. Now I have to find something interesting to fill in about five years in the time line when nothing particularly interesting really happened.

_Jack the Giant Killer_ by *Margaret Lake* is live:


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> About 2,000 new words added to _Carpetbaggers_. I've written myself into a corner by writing the beginning and end. Now I have to find something interesting to fill in about five years in the time line when nothing particularly interesting really happened.
> 
> _Jack the Giant Killer_ by *Margaret Lake* is live:


By Margaret Lake _and _Jeff Hepple, you mean.

Working on reorganizing all my twitter blurbs and adding new ones. Has to be done. Too many books, now. And I've fallen behind on setting up blurbs for the new stuff. In fact, since GS's school time has changed so drastically, I haven't been doing any promoting. Now, I've set up a new schedule for myself so promoting and promotional stuff will be done first thing in the morning and writing in the afternoon and maybe evening.

Probably have to change everything around for the summer again, but at least I have something to start with.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 1,000 words topday (so far), beause I lost my letter F at work. Well, not lost, but a new keyboard requires me to really hit that letter hard. So I needed to backtrack over the paragraphs and insert the letter. In the process I inadvertantly invented a bug called "irelies." and also left a character standing at "the oot o the stairs." Practive makes perect.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Picking up the dog, picking up GD, taking GK's to Stevie B's, helping Mom with various and sundry, left me no time to write. Disappointing.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Time's been short, here, as well. And when I do have time, I find myself picking away at research for a new project, of writing a weblog entry. Having gotten Book Three out to the beta readers, I find myself temporarily lacking in motivation. This happened when I finished the other two, as well. Apparently when I wrap something up I need some time to decompress, whether I want to or not.


----------



## Jeff

About 3,000 words today for _Carpetbaggers_ and I formatted the paperback edition of _Jack the Giant Killer_.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got another 1,600 words done this evening. What a difference an F word makes.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600 words today on _The House of Green Waters_. WooHoo! at 49,888 words, just 200 words short of Novel status. Of course, I'm still in the root cellar beginning of this one, so the WooHoo is jujst a train whistle in the night. This one is another one of them thar epics - you know, with the 200,000 pus word tag and the far flung chapters in serial format (minus the chapter artwork, which define a novel as serial).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The waiting and sweating are over on _Belmundus_. Just received my first review on that big-ass book and it was f-stars and glowing (and I'm glowing). You'd think after almost 5 years in this endevor and with tons published and tons of reviews that I'd take it in stride, bt when a "different" book is out there (and a 700 pager at that), the chances of someone going "what the hell is this - 1-star" is a distinct possibility. This weekend I've gotten some positive feedback from reaaders who generally do not review, which raised my spirits, but out of the blue the public review arrived and the nerves are secure now. For those of my friends interested in the review, here's the link

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BOCTQPS

You can't miss it - there's just one there. duh!

BTW, I also started a short novel this weekend concurrent with _The House of Green Waters_, a novella called _The Sapphire Astonishment: A Nick Firestone Mystery_, which is for my Jade Owl fans concerning a grown up Nick Frestone and his sidekick, John Battle Gray, sort of a Nancy Drew for the Chinese-American set, only with adult wannabe subtext and some hard-core sinology (my degrees hafta be good for something). Besides, I think I could actually write a shorter work that's not gay (like _No Irish Need Apply_), and maybe work myself down to something harder, like a short story.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Congrats, ED. That is one darned fine, review.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Congrats, ED. That is one darned fine, review.


Thanks Gertie.

Ed P


----------



## Thomas Watson

Pushing 2K words of nonfiction today. Found myself with the afternoon free, and ran with it!

Also received one heck of a review for The Luck of Han'anga! (The one at the top of the set.)

http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-ebook/product-reviews/B0089Q2B22/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending


----------



## telracs

*wanders in*
*pokes watson.... GO WRITE BOOK FOUR (and five)!*
*wanders out*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Pushing 2K words of nonfiction today. Found myself with the afternoon free, and ran with it!
> 
> Also received one heck of a review for The Luck of Han'anga! (The one at the top of the set.)
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-ebook/product-reviews/B0089Q2B22/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending


Wow! Ten stars. Doesn't get any better than that.

900 so far today and I'm working myself myself up to go pound out a few more.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> *wanders in*
> *pokes watson.... GO WRITE BOOK FOUR (and five)!*
> *wanders out*


Ow!

I need to finish book three first!

(Man, where'd she get that sharp stick?)


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Ow!
> 
> I need to finish book three first!
> 
> (Man, where'd she get that sharp stick?)


no, you need to start book four while the other betas are reading book 3....

and if you do that, you can have a cupcake.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I need to tell Peg that cupcake work. She's yelling for me to finish book 4 of The Southern Swallow Series and gear up for Book 2 of Belmundus.So I tell her I've also started The Sapphire Astonishment and she's yapping. But I told her that the new book is a fly by shorty with a cap of 200 pages - a mere pamphlet.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I need to tell Peg that cupcake work. She's yelling for me to finish book 4 of The Southern Swallow Series and gear up for Book 2 of Belmundus.So I tell her I've also started The Sapphire Astonishment and she's yapping. But I told her that the new book is a fly by shorty with a cap of 200 pages - a mere pamphlet.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


No more than a yawn and a stretch for you to pop that one out, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> No more than a yawn and a stretch for you to pop that one out, Ed.


The only thing I swore to Peg and Heaven above - no Vampires, Zombies or Fifty Shades of anything. I am commmited to NOT selling books, just authoring them, and hopefully I won't spark my reader's imaginations with someone else's spark. But I guess for the unimaginative, fangs, jaunty walks and hand-cuffed and dangling from the Empire State building while dreaming of the Kama Sutra is _derigeur_.

Ed P


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> no, you need to start book four while the other betas are reading book 3....
> 
> and if you do that, you can have a cupcake.


I picked a fine time to go on a diet...


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> I picked a fine time to go on a diet...


virtual cupcakes have no calories.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> virtual cupcakes have no calories.


And they taste like air.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> And they taste like air.





telracs said:


> virtual cupcakes have no calories.


Oh, I thought Telracs was giving us permission to eat actual cupcakes and Godiva chocolate. No wonder my scales have been going crazy!

A few hundred words last night. I like this story but my leading lady is not cooperating. She's being stubborn long past the time she should be. But I do need another 2K words and she probably knows that.


----------



## telracs

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, I thought Telracs was giving us permission to eat actual cupcakes and Godiva chocolate. No wonder my scales have been going crazy!
> 
> A few hundred words last night. I like this story but my leading lady is not cooperating. She's being stubborn long past the time she should be. But I do need another 2K words and she probably knows that.


gertie, i give you permission to eat whatever you want.

but i take no responsibility for the effects.


----------



## BellaRoccaforte

Ok so I know I've just started, but it feels like I'm about to cross a huge milestone! My first book goes to the editor on Monday! I'm ready. I'm bracing myself and I really think I'm ready. whew, if I say it enough times maybe I'll really believe it!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BellaRoccaforte said:


> Ok so I know I've just started, but it feels like I'm about to cross a huge milestone! My first book goes to the editor on Monday! I'm ready. I'm bracing myself and I really think I'm ready. whew, if I say it enough times maybe I'll really believe it!


It is a huge milestone and congrats. To author a book is an accomplishment. Now put anxiety aside and switch on your craft hat (the book you've sent was your creative hat). The craft hat will make you receptive to change and to survive a good editor, who will be Lucifer in disguise and find things that a precious to you. To write is one thing - there a a gazzillion who do it (or try it). To author is another thing - the quality of creating a time, space and denizens which satisfy you and engage a reader. Publishing is yet a third thing - you go from art to product, a product which must keep the reader's attention, whether they like your work or not. Never give them an excuse to abandon you, and thus editors (human, software, audible and otherwise) are an essential element for publishing. When you pass that milestone and have the work out (and haven't murdered your editor - they're our Friends, despite their penchant to perforate our stomachs), the last miletone is audience (that is, marketing). But all you need is one reader at a time other than family and friends to give you feedback on the work - the mysterious audience out there in the dark, and you'll have an accomplishment well worth the joy and trauma.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

BellaRoccaforte said:


> Ok so I know I've just started, but it feels like I'm about to cross a huge milestone! My first book goes to the editor on Monday! I'm ready. I'm bracing myself and I really think I'm ready. whew, if I say it enough times maybe I'll really believe it!


Treat yourself to a soothing cup of tea or chocolate or whatever soothes your soul and bask in the accomplishment. Congratulations, the easy part is over and now the hard work begins.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1800 words yesterday and hopefully, I'll finish today. I'll also be plugging in edits from Scott so I can publish my July book next week. Its my favorite story of this series.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 1800 words yesterday and hopefully, I'll finish today. I'll also be plugging in edits from Scott so I can publish my July book next week. Its my favorite story of this series.


Good for you, Gertie.

_Carpetbaggers_ is about 1/3 finished.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Good for you, Gertie.
> 
> _Carpetbaggers_ is about 1/3 finished.


That is so exciting, Jeff!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 on The House of Green Waters (and we're now a novel at 53,240 words).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## BellaRoccaforte

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Treat yourself to a soothing cup of tea or chocolate or whatever soothes your soul and bask in the accomplishment. Congratulations, the easy part is over and now the hard work begins.


Thanks Margaret! I got myself a cup of coffee and a crumpet (yup a real crumpet) and came back into my office to continue working on the book!



Edward C. Patterson said:


> It is a huge milestone and congrats. To author a book is an accomplishment. Now put anxiety aside and switch on your craft hat (the book you've sent was your creative hat). The craft hat will make you receptive to change and to survive a good editor, who will be Lucifer in disguise and find things that a precious to you. To write is one thing - there a a gazzillion who do it (or try it). To author is another thing - the quality of creating a time, space and denizens which satisfy you and engage a reader. Publishing is yet a third thing - you go from art to product, a product which must keep the reader's attention, whether they like your work or not. Never give them an excuse to abandon you, and thus editors (human, software, audible and otherwise) are an essential element for publishing. When you pass that milestone and have the work out (and haven't murdered your editor - they're our Friends, despite their penchant to perforate our stomachs), the last miletone is audience (that is, marketing). But all you need is one reader at a time other than family and friends to give you feedback on the work - the mysterious audience out there in the dark, and you'll have an accomplishment well worth the joy and trauma.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Edward, thank you so much, I know it's going to be hard. I've already warned my children/husband that when I get my edits back it will be a bumpy ride and make PMS look like a picnic. But I know it's for the greater good. I've held many an author's hand through this process, but have never been on this end of things. If I can avoid being huddled in the corner being spoon-fed oatmeal I'll consider it a victory!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only a 1,000 words this afternoon, but I did some serious research from Classical Chinese texts (Sung-chiao de li-shr) for the details of the great navel Battle of Tzai-shr, which has the honor of being the first Naval Battle in history to use firepower (bombs and other future goodies) and was fought by a thousand plus ships inland on the Chang (Yang-tze) River in 1161. I still need to consult Needham for the details of the Sung Paddle wheel ships and the precise design of the trebuchets used, but I have the essentials. The battle forms the centerpiece of _The House of Green Waters_ (sort of my Borodini in the middle of all those darn Chinese family affairs).

Edward C. Patterson

PS: There was an earlier battle (also naval) unsing gunpowder, also dutring the Sung, but they were mines planted on the Chang. Same enemy - the Jurchen (a precursor to the Manchu). I had the opportunity to depict that battle also, but knew that the 4th book would have the grandddady of them all and didn;t want anitclimax, eventhough they're two different novels in the same series. Plus the Nan Tu alredy had a navel battle with dragon oil, a land battle, two mutinues and a sea skirmish, so another battle would make it more a military work than an epic historical fantasy.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Wow, all the way down to page 10!

We must all be getting some good word counts down. (I wish!)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Wow, all the way down to page 10!
> 
> We must all be getting some good word counts down. (I wish!)


I've got the thread bookmarked so I don't lose it.

I'll definitely be piling up some wordage tomorrow. I had an accident the other day and ended up with a black eye that closed up completely. Couldn't even read much less write.

Did manage to get my latest in the Twelve Months of Romance series published this morning. Live on B&N and Amazon. Waiting on Apple and Kobo.


----------



## Thomas Watson

It hadn't popped up in my "new replies" list, so I got curious.  

Writing has been difficult for about a week and a half. We've been in constant crisis mode, worrying about a family member's health. Now the immediate danger has passed, and things should settle again - for a while. "Elder care" issues never really go away. Well, no, that's not quite true, but lets not go there...

Sorry about the accident! Hope a black eye was the worst of it - bad as that surely was!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Started the prequel to Listen to Your Heart yesterday. Got a whole 300 words done and then had to scrap most of them. Fixed it up today and now I'm at 1200 words and it's flowing nicely.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,500 words over the weekemd.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 4,500 words over the weekemd.


Burning up the keyboard again!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Managed to get to the library today. No actual writing but did a final run through of the wip and rewrote the ending. Set up dropbox on my netbook and transferred all of this series into a new folder. 

Should be able to start the next one tomorrow morning at Panera.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Managed to get to the library today. No actual writing but did a final run through of the wip and rewrote the ending. Set up dropbox on my netbook and transferred all of this series into a new folder.
> 
> Should be able to start the next one tomorrow morning at Panera.


Good on you.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Started the new one today. 1100 words. As usual, I have no idea how it's going to get where it's going, but that's the fun of it. Wish I could get back into my old habit of 2K a day. Since this current series are all going to be 10-12K, I'd be able to knock one out every week. Oh, well, I'll get there one way or the other. The world's not going to end if it takes me 2-3 weeks instead of 5-7 days. 

Also did another 300 words on the prequel. At 300 words a day, it'll only take me six weeks to finish. Doesn't sound so bad, right?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Not to me, it doesn't.

Pushing 10K words for the new amateur astronomy project. Word is I'll have at least one more beta reader response soon, and I can start working on revisions for Book Three.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Not to me, it doesn't.
> 
> Pushing 10K words for the new amateur astronomy project. Word is I'll have at least one more beta reader response soon, and I can start working on revisions for Book Three.


Moving right along!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Only 1000 words yesterday, but I had a touch of something. I had fasted for my blood testing (high cofidence there), but then, a tradition after fasting for 18 hours, I went to Perkins for a hearty breakfast of Eggs Benedict. About two hours later, I rode the porcelain roller coaster and did so most of the day. Much better now.

Learned a marketing tip. I know that the military genre is almost as hard to market nowadays as the non-erotic Gay & Lesbian genre. I have over come mostly. I also know Poetry is a labor of love (although I've sold over 400 copies of my Cherokee Poetry, it's taken over 5 years). Yesterday I found out that War Poetry is unmarketable. I throw a FREE KDP  day for Pacific Crimson, promoted it, and no one showed up. Well, one taker. Still, since I really beliee in the memorial volume, I'm glad I published it. 

Tomorrow is FREE month at Smashwords - a full month. I'm putting all those on the gratis buckboard and hopefully I'll go over the 20,000 circulation mark before the end of the month. I've also learned on Amazon during Smashwords July promotional (this is the fourth one), eBook sales drop radically. Now I'm selling 1 book a day (if that on Amazon), so what's half of one.   It's a good thing I want readers and not moolah or it would be Ramen Noodles for me.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hope you're feeling better, Ed.

Can't believe I actually wrote 1K on the prequel yesterday. I'll see how it goes today because I know I can't work on the wip until tomorrow.


----------



## beccaprice

I have about 500 words of plot outline for what will probably be around 2500-3000 word short story. And that treatment is just sitting there, because there are some plot points I just can't work out, and need to know before I start writing it for real. This is also different for me, because all my other fairy stories are original, and this one is a take off of Tam Lin, and I'm not sure I want to get into retelling of old fairy tales rather than writing new ones - that field of retelling has been done by other, better writers than I am.


----------



## 67499

Looking for advice on using a pen name and particularly on the downsides.  I've used pen names for some of my short stories and did it just for fun.  But now am considering using a pen name for a comic crime series - to differentiate the series from the non-genre stuff I write.  I realize using a pen name can make it difficult for Amazon to continue to bring together all my books in one place for readers to find.  But have noticed that some who use pen names add their own names as sort of second writers.  Presume that's how they get around the problem.  Any advice out there from folks who have used pen names?


----------



## Jeff

Where's Mike?

My book sales are down too, Ed. They're about equal to what they were 4 or 5 years ago when I only had three fiction titles. Too much competition.

I revised the blurb and title pages for the two illustrated King Arthur books to indicate that there will only be two books instead of three.

Haven't written a single word in _Carpetbaggers_ for a week or so.

You need to find a way to work at home, Gertie.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> Where's Mike?
> 
> My book sales are down too, Ed. They're about equal to what they were 4 or 5 years ago when I only had three fiction titles. Too much competition.
> 
> I revised the blurb and title pages for the two illustrated King Arthur books to indicate that there will only be two books instead of three.
> 
> Haven't written a single word in _Carpetbaggers_ for a week or so.
> 
> You need to find a way to work at home, Gertie.


Yes and that competition isn't BOOK, but Netflix. 

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Where's Mike?


Having a "grand" old time, I would guess.



> My book sales are down too, Ed. They're about equal to what they were 4 or 5 years ago when I only had three fiction titles. Too much competition.


Same here. I think there's also too much choice within our own catalog. My stepfather, who was a fantastic businessman (but don't call him that) always said not to give the customer too much choice. If they have a hard time making a decision, they'll move on to something else.



> You need to find a way to work at home, Gertie.


Trying.  I'm just doing a few hundred words at a time on the prequel, but if I do that 3-4 times a day, it'll add up. I've got 700 words done so far today in between laundry, loading the dishwasher and having my lunch. Putting a load in the dryer, then I'll write some more.

It's just a matter of habit and wrapping my mind around working at home.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Steven Hardesty said:


> Looking for advice on using a pen name and particularly on the downsides. I've used pen names for some of my short stories and did it just for fun. But now am considering using a pen name for a comic crime series - to differentiate the series from the non-genre stuff I write. I realize using a pen name can make it difficult for Amazon to continue to bring together all my books in one place for readers to find. But have noticed that some who use pen names add their own names as sort of second writers. Presume that's how they get around the problem. Any advice out there from folks who have used pen names?


You might want to ask that question in a separate thread in the Writer's Cafe. You'll get a quicker, more definitive answer.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Yes and that competition isn't BOOK, but Netflix.
> 
> Ed


I don't believe for a minute that any serious readers have actually given up books in favor of cheezy movies.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

No. It's the TV shows for 7.99 that are dilutng the pool of serious readers.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> No. It's the TV shows for 7.99 that are dilutng the pool of serious readers.


I agree with Jeff on this (as I sit watching _Wings_ on Netflix). Even so, I don't watch TV when there are books to be read. The only time I watch is when I'm messing around on the computer or when I watch a movie with the GK's on the weekends. Otherwise, I read.


----------



## Jeff

I can't imagine that anyone who regularly watches TV ever reads anything serious.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Jeff said:


> I can't imagine that anyone who regularly watches TV ever reads anything serious.


I Don't believe authors compete, books of the same genre inspiring readers to read in the same genre. However, given the serial nature tv programing available for continuous binging at +Netflix as if delving into a novel for 120 hours. Why read cinderella when you watch back to back episodes of Once. When we bid for readers we bid for time. With the rise tablets time is the commodity in contention. As seniors we like to think in terms of generational values but to the touch screen generation the delivery of quality humor like Arrested Development might be good choice for leisure time, although 0ride and 0prejudice is a more enriching choice.

Ed P


----------



## Jeff

I don't watch television and have no idea what you're talking about, Ed. I think it's time I quit this whole business.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Serial binging is watching via stream on a tablet whole TV series in succession. It's a new phenomenon and netflix, hulu and amazon aré fanning the lucrative fires. I watch no TV, until now with a Kimdle fire.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I don't watch television and have no idea what you're talking about, Ed. I think it's time I quit this whole business.


As if we'd let you! And what does not watching TV have to do with you quitting writing?

I only think about it every other day, but I know I couldn't do it. My abbreviated writing schedule is killing me. GS starts summer school tomorrow and that will give me all morning to write. I'm really looking forward to it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2300 words on the series wip this morning at the library and 900 on the prequel yesterday at home. 

Tomorrow's writing will be interrupted by a gel manicure, but I should still be able to hit close to 2K.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Had my plan already and put it into action despite a cold and sore throat. Went to McD's for hotcakes, fired up my netbook, and poof, I was dead in the water. I very efficiently put the wip and the prequel into dropbox so I could work on them from either computer, but forgot that this particular McD's doesn't have wi-fi. So I decided to reread the story that the prequel will go with and saw some places where I could improve or where it would conflict with what I've written in the prequel. Some changes to be made in the prequel.

Maybe tomorrow but I think I'll stay home and work. I can do it!


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Maybe tomorrow but I think I'll stay home and work. I can do it!


Make your grandson rearrange the furniture in your office - or buy a cheap painting - or print a couple of your covers and pin them to the wall. Anything that changes the room's appearance will help change your mood about writing there.

Now I need to take my own advice. One more doorstop book. Just one.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Make your grandson rearrange the furniture in your office - or buy a cheap painting - or print a couple of your covers and pin them to the wall. Anything that changes the room's appearance will help change your mood about writing there.
> 
> Now I need to take my own advice. One more doorstop book. Just one.


Good advice. I think I'll print those covers for inspiration. Need tri-color ink, though. That's okay. Someone will make me go to WalMart this morning. As a matter of fact, GD wants to buy GS a present and Mom wants me to get an extra blue tablecloth.

You can do it! It's the natural culmination of the Civil War books.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,200 words on _*The House of Green Waters * _ over 3 days (a fun chapter, delayed by a tangent into 12th Century paddle wheel ship building and operation to accomodate a single paragraph - )

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 4,200 words on _*The House of Green Waters * _ over 3 days (a fun chapter, delayed by a tangent into 12th Century paddle wheel ship building and operation to accomodate a single paragraph - )
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Oh, but the tangents are the best part of writing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I'm here! Enforced lurking - our network connectivity most of the trip has SUCKED, even with our mobile hotspot. If I had any fewer bars on the little connection meter, I'd be sending smoke signals...

Have gotten very little writing done (no big surprise there), although I hope to at least finish this next doggone chapter of Reaping The Harvest tomorrow. It needs a few more paragraphs, maybe 500-800 words, but I've been too busy or pooped to get it done. 

After Tucson, spent a night in Phoenix to meet with a friend, then a night in Camp Verde just because (kayaking the Verde River and some wine tasting made it worth the stop), then three days devoted to the Grand Canyon hiking, helicoptering, and sightseeing with an absolutely awesome guide who took Jan, me, and my parents around to some fantastic spots we wouldn't have gone to otherwise.

We're currently roasting at Lake Powell - it was 108F and 15% humidity when we got here, but the view is incredible. We took a photographer tour of Antelope Canyon (amazing, but really crowded), then a rafting trip down a couple miles of the Colorado below Glenn Canyon Dam. Tomorrow my dad and I are heading out at oh-dark-thirty for a half-day fishing trip, and tomorrow Jan and I will be out in the morning for a half-day kayaking trip. We planned everything for half days in the morning because it gets so bloody hot, although not as hot in Phoenix (I think it reached 120F a day or so after we left there). 

We'll be leaving Sunday for Holbrook, AZ as an overnight stop between here at Page and Santa Fe, NM, where we'll be spending a few days. It's hard to believe that we're past the halfway point of our six week trip!

I really need to get my butt in gear when we get home, though. This has been a fantastic trip, but it's made me realize that I need to have a more structured approach to my work in terms of time spent actually...well...working. That's the problem with working at home, I guess: it's too easy to be distracted or simply slack off. 

Oh, as for the sales falloff thing...it's hard to tell why. Competition is always a factor, but toss in retailer algorithms and all the other factors and you just have a massive hair-pulling exercise. I will say one thing, though: if you want to check into a paid promotion venue that really works, check out BookBub.com. It is NOT cheap to list your book, and they don't take everything (in fact, they seem to be pretty darn picky in a lot of ways), but I had a fantastic free run with Season Of The Harvest (got up to #7 in free Kindle list, and also shot up the charts for a while on Apple and BN), along with a nice $$ run for The Last War, where I made at least four times what I paid for the listing. BookBub is also nice because it's not Kindle specific - you can tell them at which retailer(s) you're going to discount your book (you have to go either free or at least 50% off regular price), so you can get some traction at Amazon, BN, Apple, Kobo, etc. Although, to be honest, the only retailers I got any love from were Amazon, Apple, and BN. The other retailers showed negligible changes.

Anyway, take all that for what it's worth. Now I better hit "post" on this before the connection dies on me again!


----------



## Jeff

Glad you're okay and having a good time, Mike.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Happy to hear you're having a Grand old time. Sonds energetic and heaps of eye fulls. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Good to hear from you, Mike, and glad you're having a great time.

Yes, working at home is difficult. That's why I take myself off to the library or McD's or Panera as often as I can. The library is best, of course, but they all have wi-fi if I need to do a quick spot of research.

Managed a few hundred words in between coughing last night. I'm at a turning point in the story. I have to balance my leading lady's utterly respectable, middle-class upbringing in the early 20th century, with her attraction to the local bad boy who, nonetheless, supports his mother and takes her to church on Sunday. We all know why she's attracted, of course, but she doesn't.


----------



## BellaRoccaforte

I'm wondering if this is normal:

I'm about done with line edit revisions and final MS goes for final proof reading. It's all been going pretty smooth. Everything is on schedule for my August 8th released. the unproofed digital arc is already going out to bloggers, I'm nearly 2/3 through the rough draft of book 2. I've had my prologue featured on a pretty high traffic blog, I've posted a preview of chapter 1 on my website and have scheduled the reveal of the rest of the chapter over the course of the next 7 days, I'm listed in Goodreads. My book cover won second place in a cover contest (against NYT bestsellers!) I'm tweeting and facebooking up a storm, met some super fantastic YA authors at Utopya, it seems like everything is wonderful.

But for some reason today I have this overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. It feels about the same as when you are in labor and you feel like you just can't do it. 

Is this normal? Or am I just a freak?


----------



## Jeff

BellaRoccaforte said:


> Is this normal?


No.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> No.


 

Sounds like you've been pretty busy and now that everything is done, you have nothing better to do than to be depressed. Either get yourself busy again or take a nap.


----------



## Jeff

Maybe you have to have experienced childbirth to get it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Maybe you have to have experienced childbirth to get it.


Maybe I'll try that next.


----------



## horse_girl

Jeff said:


> Maybe you have to have experienced childbirth to get it.


A very difficult childbirth. Did it twice; never had the feelings described.


----------



## BellaRoccaforte

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Maybe I'll try that next.


I've had 5 kids all natural, right before you're about to push the little sucker out a wave of the "I can'ts" takes over for about 5 seconds.


----------



## Jeff

Well, five seconds? Then yeah. I've had five seconds of doubt many times. Usually when a big book is half finished, not when it's about to be published.


----------



## telracs

*wanders in, dispenses chocolate, says something encouraging, but not pushy, to Jeff, wanders out.*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Well, five seconds? Then yeah. I've had five seconds of doubt many times. Usually when a big book is half finished, not when it's about to be published.


My doubts are just before I start a new one since I have absolutely no idea where it's going to go.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

A 3,700 word chapter finished for _*House of Green Waters*_. Now a smaller coda chapter to end the second part and then onto the big-ass central section. Gotsto put on me war cap now as this is mostly an historical battle interlude between dividing the novel into 2 unequal hemishoeres.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> dividing the novel into 2 unequal hemishoeres.


2 equal hemorrhoids might be better.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

All hdmorrhoids are equal. Details at eleven.


----------



## Jeff

Edward C. Patterson said:


> All hdmorrhoids are equal. Details at eleven.


Whatever you say, Ed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

this is getting to be such a fun thread!


----------



## Jeff

Ed's hdmorrhoids have always been entertaining.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Ed's hdmorrhoids have always been entertaining.


I've missed out on a lot in life.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Speaking of Hemmorhoids, in No Irish Need Apply, the widow Borden (Sarah) tells her friend about how there's a lack of Preparation H in the local food market, because they are forced to lock it up. It's being shoplifted by drug addicts to clot their needle pricks. So, you see, for every topic there's an outlet to the reader.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Peg suggested I include a snippet of Sarah Borden's hemmorphoid phone call on the support thread. Fun idea, Peg of the Red Pencil.

from _*No Irish Need Apply*_
-----
Sarah punctuated June's rattle with head bobs and the occasional _I didn't know that. Isn't that just the case_, and more concretely, "Oh, really. I didn't realize she was going in this week. I thought it was . . . Bad thing that. My Harold used to get them. He couldn't sit down in one place for very long. Tried everything." 
There was a pause here, while June listed all the remedies for hemorrhoids in her _collegium pharmaceutica_. 
"Yes, the cream. He tried the cream, but the . . . well, dear me . . . the suppositories worked best." Sarah laughed. She fussed with the sugar bowl, blushing now that the conversation had turned to ass-holes, especially her deceased husband's. Suddenly, she flared. 
"June, did you know I went to Flender's Mart on Wednesday and there was no Preparation H on the shelf." She winced. "No, I was just curious. I used to buy it so often for Harold that . . . well . . . let me finish." She picked up an errant dust cloth that lay on the counter. She flicked it about the edges of the cabinets. "Well, I made inquiries, and guess what? Flender's had them moved from the shelves to the customer service counter." She gazed about, as if someone had stepped in from outside to eavesdrop on this ripe bit. She whispered. "It seems that drug addicts use Preparation H to clot their needle pricks. Imagine that."

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

<sneaks in after Scarlet, grabs some chocolate, looks askance at Ed, then dashes out...>


----------



## Jeff




----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> <sneaks in after Scarlet, grabs some chocolate, looks askance at Ed, then dashes out...>


Are you sure it's chocolate? 

Edward Asskance Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Are you sure it's chocolate?
> 
> Edward Asskance Patterson


Ayeffirmative. Hey, I saw the pool scene in Caddyshack, too, ya know...


----------



## telracs

i don't know what ed's talking about.

if i have it, it's chocolate.

and right now, it's probably vosges exotic chocolate bars.


Spoiler



if anyone wants to buy me birthday chocolate, vosges gift cards are a good idea....


----------



## Thomas Watson

Three out of four beta readers have checked in, so this week the revision/editing process of Plight of the Eli'ahtna begins. It'll be a relief to stop transcribing old notes and get back to some real writing.


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Three out of four beta readers have checked in, so this week the revision/editing process of Plight of the Eli'ahtna begins. It'll be a relief to stop transcribing old notes and get back to some real writing.


finally. when do you start the next book?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Finished 2,400 words to the opening chapter of the 3rd section of _*The House of Green Waters*_, along with blocking out the battle plan (which required some research on Needham and the _Sung-shr de li-shr_). Also blocked most of the shorter novel _*The Sapphire Astonishment * _ and designed the cover. A little different for me, but this series of stand alone mystery novels (with sinological roots) will have it's own branding. Here's the cover.

​


----------



## Gertie Kindle

You do great covers, Ed. Suggestion. I think you should move the subtitle to the top. It'll be clearer there in thumbnail and give it more balance.


----------



## geoffthomas

alright talented people.....
Let's get some books finished (Margaret you are on-target).
I can't read if I run out of good material.

(just trying to encourage without using Betsy's cattle prod).


----------



## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> alright talented people.....
> Let's get some books finished (Margaret you are on-target).
> I can't read if I run out of good material.
> 
> (just trying to encourage without using Betsy's cattle prod).


Definitely by tomorrow.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> finally. when do you start the next book?


'Round about the time I finish this one. More or less.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> 'Round about the time I finish this one. More or less.


I like a man with a definite plan.


----------



## Jeff

Happy birthday to Mike Hicks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Happy Birthday, Mike.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Happy birthday to Mike Hicks.


Thanks (Ed, you, too)! 

Trip is almost over. Sad to see it end, but we've had an awesome time. A few more days and we'll be home, where my two main goals will be a) starting to get back into shape, and b) get back to writing (and writing more than I was before)...


----------



## Steph H

Happy birthday, Mike!!  And it was really great meeting you and Jan on Saturday.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I like a man with a definite plan.


I ask directions too.

Sometimes, when I agree with them, I follow them. Sometimes.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> Happy birthday, Mike!!  And it was really great meeting you and Jan on Saturday.


Thanks, Steph! Yes, was great to meet you (and sample a little Turkish food)!


----------



## telracs

ooh, i know all those people!


----------



## Wansit

Tomorrow needs to be an 8,000 word day.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2400 words on House of Green Waters and 1000 words on The Sapphire Astonishment.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> ooh, i know all those people!


I should hope so!


----------



## Steph H

There ya go, photographic proof - it really happened!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Steph H said:


> There ya go, photographic proof - it really happened!


And no photoshopping!


----------



## Wansit

Just finished my personal best! Ringing in the day with 8,000 words!


----------



## JShepard

7,000 words written today, and edits on another project finished. (Yes, I multitask.) 

I'm exhausted, and really hope to get another 7k tomorrow. I recently went through a massive slump (Didn't write more than a hundred words for over a week.) I'm coming to accept that sometimes, I experience burnout, and lose the will to write. But that downtime has its value: I read several good books, watched a few movies, and caught up on news I missed while typing like mad.


----------



## 9thChapter

Tonight I finished working through my editor's notes on my novella's first draft (book two of my series). I covered  25,000 words in less than a week (and ending up adding/tweaking a good chunk in the process). Feels great!  Was a lot of work... and the story is better for it!


----------



## Jeff

Wow. I'm impressed, and envious, of everyone above. I'm still in the doldrums and haven't written a word in weeks.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3 words written (just kidding - about 100, but some logic knots untangled on The Sapphire Astonishment). However, I am nearing one of my personal goals of having 20,000 books in circulation across all 22 titles and platforms and price points + promotions. I'm at 19,961. With the way sales are going this month I was depending on the Smashwords promotion to push me over the top, but yestday I had more Amazon sales than I had for the first part  of the month (in the US). The UK has been actually outstriping US. They love No Irish Need Apply, which I should set up on KDP Select some day and see bhow many copies I can give away.   But not yet.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## geoffthomas

Jeff, does it seem quiet here to you?


----------



## Jeff

geoffthomas said:


> Jeff, does it seem quiet here to you?


Haha. Yes. Gertie/Margaret is on a train headed for the New Jersey Shore.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Haha. Yes. Gertie/Margaret is on a train headed for the New Jersey Shore.


Gee, everybody is missing me. Guess I've taken over Ed's title as Miss Chatty. 

Mike, sorry I missed your birthday, but as Jeff said, I was on a train ... forever. But I'm here at the shore where it is too hot to go to the beach. Piffle!

Hopefully, I'll have some wordage to report soon.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Gee, everybody is missing me. Guess I've taken over Ed's title as Miss Chatty.
> 
> Mike, sorry I missed your birthday, but as Jeff said, I was on a train ... forever. But I'm here at the shore where it is too hot to go to the beach. Piffle!
> 
> Hopefully, I'll have some wordage to report soon.


Gertie:

You headed to my territory, New Joisey. Which Beach? And you're right, it's too damn hot to be outside. I'm about toe leave work here in Bethlehem PA and glad I only have a 16 minute commute to my air conditioning at home. Whew, it's hotter than . . . hotter than Texas.  Although I've been in a snow storm in Dallas and an ice storm in Austin during my numerous forays into the Lone Star State.

Ed P


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Y'all have me chomping at the bit to get back to writing! Sorry to see our trip ending, but the last week has mostly been driving, and I'll be glad when that's over (we roll into Tampa tomorrow, pick up the boys Sunday AM then head for home). I have a daily schedule worked out; once I get home I'll tweak it, then hopefully get back into the game here!


----------



## 67499

Help help help! I need some author support! I'm in the final stages of preparing a fantasy story I want to publish as a Kindle serial novel but my beta readers have me second-guessing the opening pages. I want the story to start here, they want it to start there. I could use some advice from other writers. So I've posted my problem and the opening chapter on Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/341348-the-empty-throne and really would appreciate hearing your advice. The story is an Arthurian fantasy titled "The Empty Throne" and opens with "Episode 1: The Reluctant Merlin." This is my first try at fantasy and after the drubbing I've taken from beta readers may be my last.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Gertie:
> 
> You headed to my territory, New Joisey. Which Beach? And you're right, it's too d*mn hot to be outside. I'm about toe leave work here in Bethlehem PA and glad I only have a 16 minute commute to my air conditioning at home. Whew, it's hotter than . . . hotter than Texas.  Although I've been in a snow storm in Dallas and an ice storm in Austin during my numerous forays into the Lone Star State.
> 
> Ed P


Belmar, although I'm in Eatontown right now. 102 in the shade, so I'm sticking mostly indoors. Although I did pop out to the local Panera to pick up salads for dinner. May go there again tomorrow for soufflé and writing. I need the inspiration. Yum.


----------



## Thomas Watson

> I want the story to start here, they want it to start there.


How many beta readers do you have? And what percentage of them disagree with you on where the story starts?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Oh, and what I actually logged on to say...

It never ceases to amaze me that I can go over a novel several times, including reading it out loud, and when I get the manuscript back from beta readers they STILL find errors, as easy as picking up pebbles on a rocky shoreline.


----------



## 67499

Thomas Watson said:


> How many beta readers do you have? And what percentage of them disagree with you on where the story starts?


Three beta readers with two pushing for the later story start. Two out of three means I need to give it serious thought!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1200 words tonight and it feels good to be somewhat productive. 

Early to bed tonight so I can get a good start in the morning.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Steven Hardesty said:


> Three beta readers with two pushing for the later story start. Two out of three means I need to give it serious thought!


I agree. I have four beta readers. If three out of four object to the same thing, I start thinking of other ways to get the job done.

Something I've found over the years is that I almost always start writing a story before the beginning of the story. Then I have to decide what to cut off from the "beginning." It isn't uncommon for my "first" chapter to prove expendable.

Take the beta reader advice and write an opening from where they think it should begin. Then compare the two versions. Odds are, you'll like the second version better. No guarantees, of course, but that's how I'd approach this.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I've stop using beta readers since I've found my stride in both voice and process. My editor provides feedback, but I rely on dialog between my close readers, who let me know what they like and hate, and I spin out feelers for the works in progress. I keep my reders in mind during the revision process and make adjustments. As for the proofing part of betaship, that's always dicey. The process now has many software programs (plus Peg of the Red Pencil) looking at the manuscript. The read back programs are wonderful (Paul and Katie - NaturalSpeech and Kindle Tect-to-speech). They catch all those things people miss. I also swear by Serenity Software, which is a stern task mistress on grammar, plus some other online grammar and usage cheks, which give me aerial views beta-readers don;t have. I almost did a beta test on my last published book, Belmundus, only because it was such a shift in genre and really out there a la Terry Prachtt or China Mielville, although not in neither of their style (procaic for Pratchett and marblecake for Mieville) or voice. Nor was is abstract Kafka. So I decided it was still me on qualuudes. So I took a chance and it panned out. It's not a runaway hit (none of them are and even the bigger sellers start slow) but feedback has been great. Ann of Arlington, who doesn't care for fanstasy, but is one of my readers, liked it very much even at 700 pages and said as much here on Kindleboards. I prefer to trust in the single threaded trust in my authoring abilties and risk a blow out if the work stands up to my severely critical evaluation (a love-hate relationship). However, for new authors and first novels I strongly recommend beta-reader training wheels until the enterprise is up and running.

Miss Chatty


----------



## Thomas Watson

I started out using beta readers because my budget didn't (and still doesn't) allow me to hire a professional. Having worked with these people now for three books and established a solid working relationship with them, I would set that relationship aside only with great reluctance. And then, only because the readers themselves have said "Enough's enough!" When the last book of the Second Iteration series is completed, I'll see where things stand, but unless my economic situation changes profoundly, it's likely to be some combination of beta readers for the foreseeable future. Given how well it's worked so far, I can live with that.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm fortunate with Peg. She works for free and the ocassioanl trip to the IMAX.


----------



## 67499

Thomas and Edward - Thank you for your excellent advice!  I'll rewrite as you suggest - along lines suggested by my beta readers - then compare old and new versions to see which works best.  Getting past this roadblock means I can have the first episode up as part of a Kindle serial novel next month.  That will feel good.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1300 words last night and 2300 words today. I'm up to about 9400 so I think it's shaping up to be about 12K.


----------



## Thomas Watson

editing...editing...editing...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> editing...editing...editing...


Having fun, are we?

Only about 600 last night, but I've reached the turning point in the story.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Having fun, are we?


All kidding aside, I am. Or would be, if real life would stop getting in the way. (Is it just that this year ends in a 13?)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> All kidding aside, I am. Or would be, if real life would stop getting in the way. (Is it just that this year ends in a 13?)


Could be. Might as well blame it on that as anything else.

My prequel is going well right now and I should get a good bit done tonight. Have to mess around with the timing and location of the outbreak of the 1918 influenza epidemic, but I'll deal with that in an author's note.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 2400 words on Reaping the Harvest today - happy to be getting back into the swing of things. 90,000 words total...so far...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,[email protected]@ word from this county.


----------



## JShepard

^I'm jealous of those two.^  



Only 399 (usable) words here, but I'm going to knuckle down and really try to tear through some works I've got hanging around. They're not doing anything (Lazy [email protected]) so time to shine them up and make them earn their space on my hard drive. 

(Why don't we have a whipping icon?)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Round about 2K on the prequel novelette this morning. It also hit me this morning that in the actual novel, I had the leading lady at a different age so I'm going to have to change things up a bit. 

I'm up to 12K already and it feels like only 3/4 of the book. I may hit novella length.


----------



## Thomas Watson

JShepard said:


> ^I'm jealous of those two.^
> 
> 
> 
> Only 399 (usable) words here, but I'm going to knuckle down and really try to tear through some works I've got hanging around. They're not doing anything (Lazy [email protected]) so time to shine them up and make them earn their space on my hard drive.
> 
> (Why don't we have a whipping icon?)


Because the wrong people would use it.


----------



## Jeff




----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


>


Ooooh, you're tough!

Haven't had breakfast yet. Too full from dinner last night. After breakfast, I'll think about doing a little work.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

About 3400 today...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hey, Mike, how's your audiobook doing? I see it's up on Amazon.

I won't see you guys for a few days, traveling and post-travel stuff to take care of. I'll see you when. Keep on writing!


----------



## MrBourbons

My first book was almost 80,000 words, and I'd like to hit 100,000 for the follow up.

Thing is, I'm roughly two thirds in, and I'm only at 44,000.  

I'm figuring that it'll bulk up when I revise the first draft, but I'm still a little worried I'll be falling short here!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,300 words on_* The House of Green Waters*_, just reaching gthe 85,000 word milestone, a little short of half-way. I think this one might be 180,000 qords, one of my average size works (for me) - still shorter than my 220,000 corkers. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Kathy Clark Author

Thankful and proud to announce the 3rd installment in the CUL8R Time TRavel Mystery Series, BION [Believe It Or Not], was released yesterday. It was cool to see the release message and activity blew the first two books up into the Amazon top 10 or 20 and all sales are up across the 23 back list titles. A really great day.

Back working on the Suspense and the New Adult series [Bob is that is] and working the reviewer circuit to get that moving.

80,000 words!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hey, Mike, how's your audiobook doing? I see it's up on Amazon.
> 
> I won't see you guys for a few days, traveling and post-travel stuff to take care of. I'll see you when. Keep on writing!


It's not exactly making a fortune, but it's out there. I figure over time it'll pick up. I hope! LOL!


----------



## telracs

mike.....


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> mike.....


Over 3000 yesterday and about 1200 so far today...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Over 3000 yesterday and about 1200 so far today...


good boy...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,000 plus today and on a roll with The House of Green Waters. Although I had to apply many of the Chinese methods of execution in this chapter (there a 17 despinct ancient tortures and executions, unlike today, where it's a bullet through the head or the Deathmobile - when the government sends a convenience hypodremic to your home - painless and quick). But this chapter is one of the most gruesome ones I've ver penned about China's vrsion of Caligula (Prince Hai-ling - Wan-yan Liang, who usurped the Chin Dynastic throne and ran amuk for a brace of years). Fortunately, I was left little to my imagination except presentation as this character is so well documented, I can veer very little from the Imperial records. I'm so glad he wasn;t a Sung emperor, because those gys are my specialty.

At 90,000 words and nearing the middle of the work.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Jeff

Sorry. A few people are going to be disappointed, but I have to give up on _Carpetbaggers_. My short-term memory's just not good enough to manage a multi-threaded tome any more. _Carpetbaggers_ inherited five major threads and twenty-something active characters from _Freedom_. Add in historical facts, characters and elements and it's just too much data for these old brain cells.


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> Sorry. A few people are going to be disappointed, but I have to give up on _Carpetbaggers_. My short-term memory's just not good enough to manage a multi-threaded tome any more. _Carpetbaggers_ inherited five major threads and twenty-something active characters from _Freedom_. Add in historical facts, characters and elements and it's just too much data for these old brains cells.


i will admit to disappointment, but fully understand the decision. and i want to you to keep using those brain cells for whatever makes you happy.


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> i will admit to disappointment, but fully understand the decision. and i want to you to keep using those brain cells for whatever makes you happy.


Thank you. That means a lot to me.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Brain cells


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Sorry. A few people are going to be disappointed, but I have to give up on _Carpetbaggers_. My short-term memory's just not good enough to manage a multi-threaded tome any more. _Carpetbaggers_ inherited five major threads and twenty-something active characters from _Freedom_. Add in historical facts, characters and elements and it's just too much data for these old brain cells.


That sucks! Maybe try taking each thread at a time?


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Brain cells


you never had any, so don't worry....


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> That sucks! Maybe try taking each thread at a time?


Thanks, Mike, I've tried that, but I make too many mistakes.

Historical novels are beasts to write. Not only do you have to track the interaction of your own fictional characters, you also have to marry the story to an historical time-line that includes another whole array of characters with known identities. To pull it off you need a lot of background information, a good memory and a very active imagination. I can still do the research and my imagination still works, but the recall fails me. I don't think that can be fixed.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> you never had any, so don't worry....


Yay! I was worried there for about a quarter second...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yay! I was worried there for about a quarter second...


 

get back to work.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> Thanks, Mike, I've tried that, but I make too many mistakes.
> 
> Historical novels are beasts to write. Not only do you have to track the interaction of your own fictional characters, you also have to marry the story to an historical time-line that includes another whole array of characters with known identities. To pull it off you need a lot of background information, a good memory and a very active imagination. I can still do the research and my imagination still works, but the recall fails me. I don't think that can be fixed.


Yeah, I guess I see what you mean, but I hate for you to give up something you're so good at. Might be there are some writing tools out there (Scrivener?) that might help keep things straight?

On the home front, put in another 2400 words on Reaping The Harvest, and the WIP is now over 105,000 words. So, I'm HOPING to have the draft done within the next couple weeks. In know telracs will be gone to Mosquitoland and will miss out on the editing for this one, but she deserves a break, I suppose. 

Of course, the next question I have to start grappling with is what to work on next...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm back for a quick visit. My laptop is still in the hospital waiting for a new screen and my netbook is usually off campus, so this is a rare opportunity for me to stop by.

Still getting myself together after vacation, but I managed 1300 words yesterday. This prequel is so slow going that I'm thinking it's very dull and I'll either have to rewrite it or scrap it.

Definitely no writing today but, lord willing n' the creek don' rise, I might be able to squeeze some words out tomorrow.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> This prequel is so slow going that I'm thinking it's very dull and I'll either have to rewrite it or scrap it.


It may not be as bad as you think. Send it to me and I'll give you my honest opinion. I'm an expert at opining.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> This prequel is so slow going that I'm thinking it's very dull and I'll either have to rewrite it or scrap it.


Have some guys with guns burst into the room with the main character(s). That'll spice things up!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Historical Fiction are beasts. I agree. With me and the Chinese (sinological) application, although I might think to get away with it, every Latin based term needs to be expunged. Measurements can't be inches, miles or feet, but li and mu, although I sometimes use the word catty as a weight measurement because it's common to China Hand literature. I just went through the tortures of the damned describing a trebuchet without using the words catapult, missile, or bomb. At one point in I had to describe a pomegranate without using the word - in  Swan Cloud the word peaches (used as a poison carrier) without using the word peach. Alligators are e-yu, and yet to use  e-yuI need to decribe one from the ground up. I needed to completely rewirte a chapter changing its season because an historica battle I setin Spring instead of Winter (it was December) and I needed to be accurate with the climate in Anhui Province. It's a beast and although we can combine characters, shorten timelines and move events using the old "hanging a lantern on 'em" techniques, sometimes I wonder whether the reader notices - BUT that's the point. When you pick up the Historic novel gauntlet, it's expected that you know on which side of the river a town is on (even if the river shifted and in the 12th century it's different from today's map). I spend much time pouring over city maps of Sung Dynasty vintage to assure the wall are in the proper palce and the gates are where they should be.

I wish I could tell you, Jeff, just to do a Stephen King thing when his characters went offline in The Stand. He just blew them all up to tie up loose ends, but itswould be a shock to our genre integrity. That's probably why I alsways add elements of fantasy - all those extra lanterns to hang on those historical gaps.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> It may not be as bad as you think. Send it to me and I'll give you my honest opinion. I'm an expert at opining.


Thanks, Jeff. Will do.



Michael R. Hicks said:


> Have some guys with guns burst into the room with the main character(s). That'll spice things up!


Hmm, not a bad idea. Jack delivers moonshine to make extra money and he recently stopped. Could work.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yeah, I guess I see what you mean, but I hate for you to give up something you're so good at. Might be there are some writing tools out there (Scrivener?) that might help keep things straight?


Everybody works in their own way, but Scrivener and a host of so-called Novel Writing tools as my personal bugaboo, because they foster "outlining" and over-development. I prefer keeping things on the back of an envelope. Nothing like insecurity to keep the creative juices flowing. "Pantsers" for the most part enter their craft as skittery as kittens on the grill, and as such, generally have more fun (and satisfaction) when fate kicks in and contributes the element which make a work fly. I can imagine the father of the modern novel, that "pantser" called Jane Austin, behind her French doors at her small writing table, secretly scrawling her works, which is the way she worked. Now the computer has given us great support in the revision department, but imagine a 3rd or 4th revisition of "Furst Impressions" before it became "Prince and Prejudice." Not a Scrivener program in sight. Only a jittery master scratching on paper (dear by the pound) and keeping the notation deep in her heart and soul. As hard as it is, we have it easier, if we have it at all. Who can hold a candle to Miss Austen's rilliant leading lamp - a beacon which still beckons all who would be wise and follow it.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1500 words day before yesterday on the series wip. 

Thanks for your input on the prequel, Jeff. Good advice.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,304 words yesterday. Nearly the 100,000 word mark with _House of Green Waters_. This last chapter was fun. Gave me the opportunity to bring to life General Yu Yen-fu, a brilliant scholar and soft- spoken warrior who was the Robert E. Lee of China fromn 11-62 to about 1185.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Magda Alexander

My local RWA chapter is having a "Plotting with Scrivener" online workshop right now which will include talking about keeping track of timelines. The class started on Monday, so you wouldn't be too far behind if you signed up right now. Class is only $25 for non members and runs until August 30 and you could catch up over the weekend.

http://www.marylandromancewriters.com/august-workshop/


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Pantser here. The only plot I will ever know is that final one, when the timelines clarify forever.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Pantser here. The only plot I will ever know is that final one, when the timelines clarify forever.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


It's the only way to fly! 

Three beta readers in and their suggestions and corrections considered. There's one outstanding, but if that one doesn't check in soon, I'm moving on to the final revisions and copy editing. I may yet publish two books in the same year!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

My experiment with KDP Select Program has astounded me. Until now I've had only 3 books up (a non-fiction collection of essays, war poetry and Belmundus), and although Belmundus went free twice and has pushed out a number of copies and the non-fiction work has managed a thousand over a year and a half - don;t ask about the poetry), I decided the program need the right book with some good reviews. So The Road to Grafenwöhr went FREE yesterday. I expected 50 copies over the 2 days. To my happiness, the book pushed out 220 copies in the first day and every time I check the tick goes up. The book sports 9 reviews (8 five -stars, including one from Jeff). I believe that's whats doin' it. It's taken off in Germany (where the troops access Kindle sales at Amazon DE), but I expected some German sales with a book set in Germany and on Europes largest US military base. The PX crowd took 16 Belmundus' last week. I meant to change the blurb and perhaps the cover (and still may), but I pleased by the results.

I've been preparing my flagship books for a KDP Run (No Irish, The Jade Owl and The Academician), just waiting for removal from B&N-Kobo, iPad and Sony. After 5 years on Smashwords, the outer bank retailers provide me with a trickle of sales, no rank or reviews, so I've nothing to loose there. As for SW advantages (like format access and their bi-annual promotional;s), when you unpublish there, all your stuff stays there and can be reactivated at any time (any time, of course after the quarterly obligation to Amazon). Hopefully my TIPS will go up at Amazon from this effort. BTW, TIPS are what Peg and ave had renamed sales.   Get a new reader yeah! Get someone to leave a tip for the book, double yeah!

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The wind's been knocked out of me. I may have mentioned that since I passed the 20,000 readershp mark, I'd bring all my books over to KDP Select (I raised a few prices, but looked forward to 110 FREE promotion on Amazon a quarter). Given the track reocord with the three books I had on Select, I thought I'd pick up 20 or 30 downloads per book per 2-day campaign. Was I wrong. I started with _*The Road to Grafenwöhr*_, and in 2 day picked up 329 new readers. Encouraged, I put _*Bobby's Trace * _ up on a 2-day weekday promotion and had 453 new readers. Today I put _*The Jade Owl * _ up on a 2 day weekend promotion and the first day's not over but I've clocked in 400 downloads. I'm flabbergasted. I remember when I offered The Jade Owl FREE from my website and got 2 downloads over a one year period. So far, mid-month on this program I've had 1,284 hits (and oh yeah, and 14 sales, wohoo - which I'm calling the TIP JAR). Next week _*Surviving an American Gulag*_, _*The Academician, No Irish Need Apply * _ and _*Turning Idolater * _ will have 2-day promotions and, although the bloom shall go off the roses at some point, I'm encouraged that there are takers (and who knows, some might even read them). It's also to have readers taking in the IT, IN, JP, IT, BR, CA and the UK, but with ovr 110 downloads in Germany, their my new best firends.

Edward C. Patterson
Oh, BTW 3,000 words on The House of Green Waters


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'm happy for you, Ed, and I'm glad it's working out, but I remember when 10K downloads and 300 post free run sales was the norm. I haven't done a free run in a while. I've got two books permafree and that's been helping some, although it's August so 'nuff said.

I'll be back to writing on Monday when the kids go back to school. Just reviewed my December book and really enjoyed it.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Still missing that last beta reader, so on I go with revision and clean up of Plight of the Eli'ahtna. Great excuse to stop transcribing notes for a nonfiction project. (Listening to myself nattering on about the Moon, as seen at 3am, gets old in a hurry.) There's a local sci-fi convention here in Tucson in the first half of November. T'would be grand to have the third novel out before then.

As a by-the-way... Those of you looking to promote books might want to check this site out: http://firstchapters.net/

It's new, but looks promising.


----------



## telracs




----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


>


So that's where he's been hiding out.


----------



## Thomas Watson

His witness protection program needs work...


----------



## Jeff

Is that in Hicksville?


----------



## Miriam Minger

My goal this week is to immerse myself and write non-stop on Book 1 of my new series.

Miriam Minger


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Miriam Minger said:


> My goal this week is to immerse myself and write non-stop on Book 1 of my new series.
> 
> Miriam Minger


YGG!!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


>


Drat! I'm busted! Still chugging away...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Too much chugging and I can't find the keyboard.

Or were you talking about something else?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

My first day back working didn't yield much. I opted to wallow in the freedom of having the laptop, TV and even the radio all to myself. Still a few hundred words is better than nothing.

Back to the library tomorrow. Promise.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2600 words. And another boom day on the Select program. The Jade Owl went over 1100 downloads, whilr Surviving am American Gulag just crested 500 and holdnthe topspot in Free Memoirs.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Only 1K for me today and I was hoping for 2K. I went to the library to work but I kept nodding off. It'll take a while for me to get used to waking up at 6am. 

I finally gave up and went to McD's for coffee and a cinna-melt and got the 1K done there.

I'll probably work for a bit tonight, but I think I'll have to make myself go to sleep at 10pm so I'm not falling out of my chair when I'm trying to work.


----------



## 67499

From all of you who have made a success writing a series, I need some advice!  (Provided this is the right thread on which to ask it.)  I'm working on 6 novels - comic crime stories - to publish one after the other on Kindle in late fall.  I could use some advice as to how I ought to ramp up reader interest before the first book hits Amazon.  Is pre-publication PR for a series different from that for a single book and, if so, what should I do?  Thanks!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Steven Hardesty said:


> From all of you who have made a success writing a series, I need some advice! (Provided this is the right thread on which to ask it.) I'm working on 6 novels - comic crime stories - to publish one after the other on Kindle in late fall. I could use some advice as to how I ought to ramp up reader interest before the first book hits Amazon. Is pre-publication PR for a series different from that for a single book and, if so, what should I do? Thanks!


There have been several threads about the different aspects of publishing a series. You should do a search first, and if you can't find what you need, the best thing to do is start your own thread.

This thread is for encouraging each other through the writing process. And chocolate


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've written some words over the past few days but I keep forgetting to write down the count, or even calculate the count. So let's say I've written somewhere between 500 and 500,000 words in the last 48 hours.

Yeah, that should cover it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm spread all over the joint in this current chapter, a pultipart battle sequence. I'll add up the wordage when finish and report. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Derrick M.

I always PLAN to write over 1000 words a day...and usually end up with around a few hundred! hahaha....still, better than none I guess. I am hoping to finish episode #1 in a serial, and get 2 and 3 done before starting to publish in late fall....of course at the rate I am going it will be late fall next year!


----------



## RinG

I need a thread like this right now!

I have a novel I need to finish, but I just can't seem to get started. I've been editing for so long, writing seems so much harder. So I'm setting myself a goal for 200 words a day on the weekend, in the hopes of kickstarting myself back into the habit. (I would set more, but I will be out nearly all day both days.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'm spread all over the joint in this current chapter, a pultipart battle sequence. I'll add up the wordage when finish and report.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Ed, after so many years of reading your posts, my eyes have learned to interpret your typos without a second glance. 



Derrick M. said:


> I always PLAN to write over 1000 words a day...and usually end up with around a few hundred! hahaha....still, better than none I guess. I am hoping to finish episode #1 in a serial, and get 2 and 3 done before starting to publish in late fall....of course at the rate I am going it will be late fall next year!


I tell myself the same thing every day, although my goal is usually 2K and I usually make 500-1000.



Rinelle Grey said:


> I need a thread like this right now!
> 
> I have a novel I need to finish, but I just can't seem to get started. I've been editing for so long, writing seems so much harder. So I'm setting myself a goal for 200 words a day on the weekend, in the hopes of kickstarting myself back into the habit. (I would set more, but I will be out nearly all day both days.)


Put down the red pen and step away from the table. Editing can become a bottomless pit into which your story leaps to die a very sad and painful death.

If 200 is all you can do, then do it.


----------



## Jeff

Rinelle Grey said:


> I need a thread like this right now!
> 
> I have a novel I need to finish, but I just can't seem to get started. I've been editing for so long, writing seems so much harder. So I'm setting myself a goal for 200 words a day on the weekend, in the hopes of kickstarting myself back into the habit. (I would set more, but I will be out nearly all day both days.)


Just write and don't worry about the sentence structure or the punctuation or the perfect word choice. Once you have all the words down you can go back and polish.


----------



## Thomas Watson

What they both said. Writing and editing at the same time is like trying to sail a boat with the anchor down. Plunge in. Damn the punctuation, full speed ahead!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well remember I'm a Cyclops.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1K words and a short story finished. Feels good.


----------



## Jeff

Congratulations, Gert.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Congratulations, Gert.


Thanks! Hopefully I'm starting to get back on track after a largely unproductive summer.


----------



## telracs

did someone say chocolate?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> did someone say chocolate?


In the interest of full disclosure, yes, I did mention chocolate in an earlier post. Think I'll go have a Hershey's Kiss with Almond to kick-start my day. Of course it's nearly one thirty, but we won't mention that.


----------



## telracs

i have maple sugar candies.  those will kickstart your whole week.  not for consumption by diabetics.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> i have maple sugar candies. those will kickstart your whole week. not for consumption by diabetics.


They would certainly kick start something. Not for consumption by very young children, either.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Spent the day sitting at the computer, working on Book Three.

I can't feel my feet...


----------



## Jeff

Writer's don't need feet.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Diabetics can't feel their feet. As a Cyclops I can barely see them. LoL


----------



## Thomas Watson

Jeff said:


> Writer's don't need feet.


They do when they get hungry.


----------



## lynnfromthesouth

I broke one of my feet this week. I feel it.  

My goal this week is to finish the edits for my short story, upload it, and at least make some progress on my stalled piece.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

5,000 word chapter completed this evening. Nothing like Chemical warfa in China in December 1161.


----------



## Thomas Watson

LynnBlackmar said:


> I broke one of my feet this week. I feel it.
> 
> My goal this week is to finish the edits for my short story, upload it, and at least make some progress on my stalled piece.


Ouch...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I wish I couldn't feel my tummy. Some kind of bug leading a conga line in my stomach.

Okay, despite the bugs, I intend to get some writing done today. Maybe later. After lunch, which will happen just before nap time, followed by picking up GD. 

Yeah, I can do this.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

999 words yesterday. Couldn't think of a single word more to reach 1K.

Time to wash rugs and scrub floors and maybe I'll get to do another 999.


----------



## Thomas Watson

It's been a rough weekend. Had a death in the furry part of the family. Haven't had the heart to be creative.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> It's been a rough weekend. Had a death in the furry part of the family. Haven't had the heart to be creative.


So sorry. It's tough to lose a furry friend.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,600 words yesterday. On the select program for August pushed out 6,400 books, and doubled sales (I know, double of nothing =, but it hit $100.00 for the first time in many, many months). First 2 days, sales were larger than the either June or July - so, I guess in order to bring in the sales, you need to giveaway a few thousand books. And since I raised my prices on the big-*ss books, that acceleration has already outstripped most months this year (in 2 days).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 2,600 words yesterday. On the select program for August pushed out 6,400 books, and doubled sales (I know, double of nothing =, but it hit $100.00 for the first time in many, many months). First 2 days, sales were larger than the either June or July - so, I guess in order to bring in the sales, you need to giveaway a few thousand books. And since I raised my prices on the big-*ss books, that acceleration has already outstripped most months this year (in 2 days).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


The last two days have been 3X better for me, too, although not stellar. I'm happy to see any increase.

Managed 500 words yesterday.

Have to get used to the new schedule and working at home instead of the library or Panera or McD's where I could usually knock out 2K.


----------



## lynnfromthesouth

I managed to achieve my goals for last week.   

This week it's to finish the novella.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> So sorry. It's tough to lose a furry friend.


It was. Sudden and unexpected.

The last beta reader came through just after this happened. I've been working through his comments and corrections rather than worrying about the real revision process (I'd started that without him, having been warned the comments would be delayed). No major changes, just some typos and phrasing issues not raised by the other three. It's been more like grunt work than anything really creative, but that's been just what I needed to get back in the saddle again. By the time I'm done with this process I expect I'll have caught my breath and started moving forward with the main event.

2013 has been just, plain... icky...


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

I'm sorry about your furry friend. Just let yourself grieve, and do whatever types of work you can. That seems to be the great thing about self-publishing--there's always grunt work for the times you can't be creative.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,700 words today and started revisions of Part I of The House of Green Waters. On the Kindle Select front, I'm still in a whirlwind, only now the books are selling also. Almost 2 months worth of sales in 10 days and nearing the 30,000 mark in circulation. I don;t know why I delayed in doing this. Even the poetry is being sampled now. Go figure.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hotcakes and OJ and tea and 1K words at McD's. The story should go faster now because my leading lady has stopped being a doormat.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,700 words today and started revisions of Part I of The House of Green Waters. On the Kindle Select front, I'm still in a whirlwind, only now the books are selling also. Almost 2 months worth of sales in 10 days and nearing the 30,000 mark in circulation. I don;t know why I delayed in doing this. Even the poetry is being sampled now. Go figure.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Ed, you should have been in on it two years ago. I was selling 300-500 after each select run. Others were doing even better than that. But congrats on that nice uptick in sales. Hope it keeps up for you.

Let's see what matchbook does.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, you should have been in on it two years ago. I was selling 300-500 after each select run. Others were doing even better than that. But congrats on that nice uptick in sales. Hope it keeps up for you.
> 
> Let's see what matchbook does.


Thanks Gertie:
It took me a long time to realize the other ebook sellers weren;t doing much for me and although I'm Mark Coker's friend, Smashwords was holding me back. I still have my books on the dashboard there in case I want to go back there. I'm also feeling the effect of have 22 books on select, which allows for 110 FREE pomotion days per quarter and I've finally getting great expouse in Britain and Germany. I also don;t mind the extra cash (I mean I was pulling down about $200 to $250 a month in 2009 and 2010 from fewer books, but for the last year was glad to break $25 a month. But as my Support family here know, I'm in it for the readers so to jump from 20,ooo readers to 30,000 readers in 2 months puts me over the moon, at least until the satuaration point comes. As for Match book, I signed them all up, but it doesn;t start until October or November.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks Gertie:
> It took me a long time to realize the other ebook sellers weren;t doing much for me and although I'm Mark Coker's friend, Smashwords was holding me back. I still have my books on the dashboard there in case I want to go back there. I'm also feeling the effect of have 22 books on select, which allows for 110 FREE pomotion days per quarter and I've finally getting great expouse in Britain and Germany. I also don;t mind the extra cash (I mean I was pulling down about $200 to $250 a month in 2009 and 2010 from fewer books, but for the last year was glad to break $25 a month. But as my Support family here know, I'm in it for the readers so to jump from 20,ooo readers to 30,000 readers in 2 months puts me over the moon, at least until the satuaration point comes. As for Match book, I signed them all up, but it doesn;t start until October or November.
> 
> Ed P


Same here, Ed. Fewer books, greater return. Part of that might have been due to the fact that there were only about 50-75K ebooks available at the time. Now there are 2M. Lots more competition.

Back to work.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Same here, Ed. Fewer books, greater return. Part of that might have been due to the fact that there were only about 50-75K ebooks available at the time. Now there are 2M. Lots more competition.
> 
> Back to work.


The competition is not other eBooks. It's Netflix. 

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> The competition is not other eBooks. It's Netflix.
> 
> Ed


And my Kindle Fire on which I can watch Netflix. 

Wrote 2500 words on three different stories yesterday. Hopefully, I'm back in the groove, although I shouldn't jinx myself.

Might or might not make it to the library this morning, but I'll definitely be working at Panera tonight because I have 20% off that expires today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> And my Kindle Fire on which I can watch Netflix.
> 
> Wrote 2500 words on three different stories yesterday. Hopefully, I'm back in the groove, although I shouldn't jinx myself.
> 
> Might or might not make it to the library this morning, but I'll definitely be working at Panera tonight because I have 20% off that expires today.


My Kindle Fire HD is wonderful. I rarely watched TV before I got mine, but now that the HD helps with my blindness, I'm addicted. I also can stream my 1,700 Operas over the gadget from the Amazon cloud.

Ed P


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> My Kindle Fire HD is wonderful. I rarely watched TV before I got mine, but now that the HD helps with my blindness, I'm addicted. I also can stream my 1,700 Operas over the gadget from the Amazon cloud.
> 
> Ed P


That's great, Ed.

I just found that I can download apps from the History Channel and the Discovery Channel and watch some of those shows, too, since I don't have cable or satellite. Too many commercials and since I have the first gen Fire, it pauses a lot, but at least I can watch.

I love my Fire. I keep it right beside my bed and check my sales and the weather on it first thing in the morning. I wasn't going to get one because I figured I'd have no use for it, but I use it for tons of things.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1500 words yesterday but no time to write today.

I did proof two more chapters of the audio book. One more chapter and the epilogue to go. Then I'll do a second run-through of the whole book. Once the producer/narrator approves it (after she's paid, of course), I understand it takes about a month for the audio book to go live. 

I'm writing a Christmas short featuring some of the characters from the same book. 3-5K is all I'm looking for.


----------



## Thomas Watson

No writing done to speak of, this past weekend. I did a book signing at a hole-in-the-wall indie bookseller on Saturday. Figured it for an interesting hour, to see what it was like. Sold a few books, made a couple of new connections in the local sci-fi community, and found myself in the middle of an unexpected family visit. A younger brother and his wife came down for this "event" from Phoenix.

Apparently the half dozen people who hung around chatting for that hour wasn't quite the image little brudder had in mind. He seemed surprised that I wasn't deeply disappointed by the turn-out.

Hell's bells, I was surprised and delighted that half a dozen people came!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> No writing done to speak of, this past weekend. I did a book signing at a hole-in-the-wall indie bookseller on Saturday. Figured it for an interesting hour, to see what it was like. Sold a few books, made a couple of new connections in the local sci-fi community, and found myself in the middle of an unexpected family visit. A younger brother and his wife came down for this "event" from Phoenix.
> 
> Apparently the half dozen people who hung around chatting for that hour wasn't quite the image little brudder had in mind. He seemed surprised that I wasn't deeply disappointed by the turn-out.
> 
> Hell's bells, I was surprised and delighted that half a dozen people came!


I'd be thrilled if it was me!

1500 words on the Christmas story yesterday and that's more than half done.

Have to get back to the series today. I've only got three months to finish it. I don't like to publish a series until I've got the whole thing written.

Also have to see what I can salvage from the prequel I started. It was already half done but as boring as watching love bugs in May.

And a blog to write.

Can I take a nap now?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,400 word this weekend. Dealing with domestic strife (in the novel - not in life) and trying to adhere to proper 12th Century Chinese devolvement instead of mid-20th Century Eugene O'Neill.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3,400 word this weekend. Dealing with domestic strife (in the novel - not in life) and trying to adhere to proper 12th Century Chinese devolvement instead of mid-20th Century Eugene O'Neill.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Ed, you need to do a little time traveling!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, you need to do a little time traveling!


I've been all over the place already. My former director's job put me on the road to all but 5 state of the union, and I've done Europe extentively, PLUS China (of course). Time for the inner journey now.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Spent yesterday raising prices, republishing to Apple, and updating back matter. Must write today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2500 words yesterday and they were very fine words if I do say so myself.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Now that *Reaping The Harvest* is finally off to the red-inkers and I have a little slack time (I'm pooped!), I thought I'd pop my head in the door. Sounds like everyone's cranking things out and making things happen, which is always a good thing! In the meantime, I'm going to try to get *The Journal Of Avery Moore* recorded for ACX and figure out what the heck I'm going to work on for the next book project...


----------



## Nicole Castro

While trying to come up with my second book's plot and cast, I came up with my third book's too. I guess it's better than having writer's block! Now, I just have to write them!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Nicole Castro said:


> While trying to come up with my second book's plot and cast, I came up with my third book's too. I guess it's better than having writer's block! Now, I just have to write them!


And jot down some notes before you forgot what your muse told you!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3 k today, hey hey hey. (a little poetry for Gertie)

Ed P


----------



## Nicole Castro

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And jot down some notes before you forgot what your muse told you!


I did, I did!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3 k today, hey hey hey. (a little poetry for Gertie)


Come on, Ed, at least spring for a haiku!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

If you count what's in the parems, I'm only 2 syllables shy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now that *Reaping The Harvest* is finally off to the red-inkers and I have a little slack time (I'm pooped!), I thought I'd pop my head in the door. Sounds like everyone's cranking things out and making things happen, which is always a good thing! In the meantime, I'm going to try to get *The Journal Of Avery Moore* recorded for ACX and figure out what the heck I'm going to work on for the next book project...


What! What! What! How come we don't know about this journal thingie?

You have a great voice.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> 3 k today, hey hey hey. (a little poetry for Gertie)
> 
> Ed P


You're so sweet, Ed. <razzzberries>

Been chipping away at a few wips. Nothing substantial to report.

I'm pretty worn out, too, and haven't been able to concentrate much. I need to get back to the library and put in a solid two hours. Although, I have to be right by Panera tomorrow morning and I always find the spinach/artichoke souffle inspirational. Yeah, that's the ticket. And I might just be able to finish one of the wips.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> What! What! What! How come we don't know about this journal thingie?


You didn't know about this?





> You have a great voice.


Well, it's certainly a *free* voice! LOL! For as few sales as I've made so far of Season of the Harvest, free is good... 



> I'm pretty worn out, too, and haven't been able to concentrate much. I need to get back to the library and put in a solid two hours. Although, I have to be right by Panera tomorrow morning and I always find the spinach/artichoke souffle inspirational. Yeah, that's the ticket. And I might just be able to finish one of the wips.


Hey, that sounds pretty good...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now that *Reaping The Harvest* is finally off to the red-inkers and I have a little slack time (I'm pooped!), I thought I'd pop my head in the door. Sounds like everyone's cranking things out and making things happen, which is always a good thing! In the meantime, I'm going to try to get *The Journal Of Avery Moore* recorded for ACX and figure out what the heck I'm going to work on for the next book project...


that's it, i'm changing my ink color!

oh, and your next project? BLUE WARRIOR PEOPLE!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You didn't know about this?
> 
> Well, it's certainly a *free* voice! LOL! For as few sales as I've made so far of Season of the Harvest, free is good...
> 
> Hey, that sounds pretty good...


No, and after reading the blurb, I'll take blue over red any day, thank you very much.



telracs said:


> oh, and your next project? BLUE WARRIOR PEOPLE!


YES, YES, YES.

My audiobook is finished and as soon as Gail receives the check, she'll release it. I started with a short one so I would only have $400 out of pocket. Figured a little toe in the water was a good move before I decide to do any more. If the first one doesn't make enough to pay for the next one, there won't be a next one.

Back to work.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> that's it, i'm changing my ink color!


To scarlet, perhaps? 



> oh, and your next project? BLUE WARRIOR PEOPLE!


Yes, but blue warrior people set in what time frame? I was originally planning on writing the next First Empress book, but the sales of the first two have been less than spectacular. I've been thinking about writing a companion novel to Confederation (and eventually one to Final Battle), telling more of the Kreelan side of the story in that part of the timeline...?


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Wow... been looking for this thread for awhile. 

Nearing 20K in my murder mystery novella. Brainstorming my next large project on the side.

May have to get a full time job. That saddens me.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> To scarlet, perhaps?
> 
> Yes, but blue warrior people set in what time frame? I was originally planning on writing the next First Empress book, but the sales of the first two have been less than spectacular. I've been thinking about writing a companion novel to Confederation (and eventually one to Final Battle), telling more of the Kreelan side of the story in that part of the timeline...?


There's a difference between less than spectacular and totally dismal. Totally dismal and maybe we'll let you slide. Less than spectacular ... get writing buster!



Sean Sweeney said:


> Wow... been looking for this thread for awhile.
> 
> Nearing 20K in my murder mystery novella. Brainstorming my next large project on the side.
> 
> May have to get a full time job. That saddens me.


Oh, that is sad. Hope not.

Did over 1K last night but I was too tired to figure out how much.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Oh, that is sad. Hope not.
> 
> Did over 1K last night but I was too tired to figure out how much.


I don't think I really have a choice in the matter.

Anything over a thousand is good. Heck, anything greater than 0 is good.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> I don't think I really have a choice in the matter.
> 
> Anything over a thousand is good. Heck, anything greater than 0 is good.


In that case, I wish you luck.


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> To scarlet, perhaps?
> 
> Yes, but blue warrior people set in what time frame? I was originally planning on writing the next First Empress book, but the sales of the first two have been less than spectacular. I've been thinking about writing a companion novel to Confederation (and eventually one to Final Battle), telling more of the Kreelan side of the story in that part of the timeline...?


you need to finish the first empress arc. i think if you do, then the other books in that set will sell better.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> you need to finish the first empress arc. i think if you do, then the other books in that set will sell better.


Well, I just made From Chaos Born free. I figured I might be able to make up the difference in sales of Forged In Flame. Okay, well, maybe I will. Ack. Then again, I'll remain in a quandary of indecisiveness until I get Reaping The Harvest out the door... 



Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> There's a difference between less than spectacular and totally dismal. Totally dismal and maybe we'll let you slide. Less than spectacular ... get writing buster!


Bwahahaaha! Well, at least you're getting some writing done. I'm not doing any right now!



Sean Sweeney said:


> May have to get a full time job. That saddens me.


Sorry to hear that, dude! Been there, done that. I was sure I'd have to go to back to work a couple months after I quit my job back in August of 2011. Fortunately, I was saved by KDP Select at the time (when it was actually useful, not the hollow shell it is now). But if you have to, you have to. Sometimes the plane bounces on the runway a couple times before it finally climbs into the air...


----------



## Thomas Watson

> Sometimes the plane bounces on the runway a couple times before it finally climbs into the air...


Still paving the runway, here...


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Still paving the runway, here...


Yeah, that's gotta be done, too!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'll be paving the runway with Fuji apple/chicken salad at Panera tonight. Absolutely. And I'll finish the wip for sure. The next one is started. Just have to change a few paragraphs.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

The good news is, I finished writing a novella today. Break time, I think. I've written about 227,000ish words of fiction this year.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> The good news is, I finished writing a novella today. Break time, I think. I've written about 227,000ish words of fiction this year.


That is an extremely respectable output. Kudos!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1600 words tonight and I couldn't work on the story I wanted.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> 1600 words tonight and I couldn't work on the story I wanted.


Now that sounds like a paradox!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

2,900 words last night and sent to Peg of the Red Pencil. House of Green Waters is up to 125,000 words with 6 more chapters in this part and a final part of perhaps 7 chapters (you know us pantsers never known when a chapter disappears or a new one materializes).  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Now that sounds like a paradox!


It's more like a 15 yr old that fooled around getting ready until it was too late for me to go where there was wifi. Everything is in dropbox now, but I started a story when I was in no-wifi-zone last week so I worked on that. Piffle.

I worked on the other story when I got home last night and did another 800 words. I'm up to almost 11K and probably only have 2K to go. Which I could finish in one session at the library. Maybe this afternoon.

Next week I'll leave without the little @#$%^&*.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> That is an extremely respectable output. Kudos!


Ta. And there'll be at least 30K more, depending on when I start the next book.


----------



## Debra Purdy Kong

Sean Sweeney said:


> The good news is, I finished writing a novella today. Break time, I think. I've written about 227,000ish words of fiction this year.


Wow, that is amazing. I know I haven't written nearly as much, although I may have edited that many words this year. I spend more time editing than I do writing new work.

Debra


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I just checked the latest figure on the number of word and pages I have in publication and nearly collapsed. It's up to 7,950 page and 2,242,926 words. Now if I had published four more "f" word, I could have rounded the last number up to 2,432,930.   But this lastest doorstop will add to the larder, although the Chinese "F" word is also four letters in pin-yin.

Edward C. Patterson
aka Eddie Spaghetti


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Now I'm going to have to add up my wordage. That'll keep me from writing for an hour or so.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've earned my sleepy time with 1700 words on the Christmas story. 

Night, folks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

3600 words today and the Christmas story is done, done, done. I even mocked up a couple of cover ideas.

Now if I can do that tomorrow on the two wips, I'll be in good shape.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2K on one story and 500 on another. Have to take GS to the eye doc in the morning, so I might not get anything done.


----------



## christianem

Previous book was my most successful - that's the good news.
Now I have to write its companion novel and I feel loads of pressure because of how well the first one did - that's the not-so-bad news.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

christianem said:


> Previous book was my most successful - that's the good news.
> Now I have to write its companion novel and I feel loads of pressure because of how well the first one did - that's the not-so-bad news.
> e


Congrats and get busy. The next one won't sell at all if you don't write it. Keep us posted with your progress.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

christianem said:


> Previous book was my most successful - that's the good news.
> Now I have to write its companion novel and I feel loads of pressure because of how well the first one did - that's the not-so-bad news.


If you got a good locamotive, and fine box cars, the market will follow along as caboose. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## christianem

@Edward, @Gertie, thank you for the pep talk! =D I promise this will be my last day on KB and I won't be back until I finish this book. Big words, I know. (I've only just started being active on this forum but it's fast becoming an obsession!).


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Checking in to say I've had a run of it. I woke up last Tursday and was dtone deaf in my right ear. It's called Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome and can becaused by any number of things. Restoration of hearing is by no means guarenteed. They have me on prednizone (still nothing rturning), which has given my high glusouse readings. I'm diabetic. I'm also blind in the right eye, so now I'm the Monoral Cyclops. I ought to join the Tea Party since the can't hear nuttin' no way.   I had vertigo (mild but lots of throwing up), but I conquered that. I thought it was morning sickness, but I'm above my child bearing days. I tested vertigo by going to see Gravity at the IMAX in 3D and surviving a spin with Sandra Bullock got me in the clear. I go for an MRI next Saturday. I'm interested if they find anything this head of mine. Be surprised if they do.  . I might have lost 3 of 6 senses, but that sixth sense (of humor) will outlive the other five. Well with only one eye now and one ear, I should thank God for 2 kidneys and 2 testicles.

All kidding aside, take nothing for greanted. Whatever they find or not, I resigned that I have only something to regain (not to mention an expense). 

Edward C. Patterson
THE MONAURAL CYCLOPS


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sorry to hear that, Ed. But you still have all ten fingers, right? So get tapping on that keyboard.

1K yesterday and I should have finished the story, but it took a twist I hadn't expected and I'm thinking I should end it that way, with maybe an epilogue to tidy it up. In the meantime, I've got another one started so I'm good.


----------



## Guest

No words today, but I have worked on promotion a bit. Trying to get ready for my release at the end of the month. Still have lots to do, including edits on book 2


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

1,800 today.


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Always encouraging to see the word counts go up among my fellow authors. I have been a bit stagnant lately, tweaking a few short stories, but anticipate a busy rest of October planning for my 11th National Novel Writing Month.

I did reach a personal milestone today, however, as The Twenty Dollar Bill received another 5 Star review - and that was the 100th review for that book (my next nearest book in number of reviews is around a dozen).

Have a great writing day!
Elmore


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Good to see you, Elmore.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Still looking to have Book Three out in November. It's a good thing I gave myself plenty of wiggle room regarding release time. Life has certainly had some awkward moments, of late.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Reworking my prequel to give it some pizzazz of which it needs a lot. Got to page eight and whoops! Where did the rest of it go? Thank goodness, Jeff still had a copy so I'm back up to 44 pages.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Good grief, Ed! And it always happens after the warranty has expired... 



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Checking in to say I've had a run of it. I woke up last Tursday and was dtone deaf in my right ear. It's called Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome and can becaused by any number of things. Restoration of hearing is by no means guarenteed. They have me on prednizone (still nothing rturning), which has given my high glusouse readings. I'm diabetic. I'm also blind in the right eye, so now I'm the Monoral Cyclops. I ought to join the Tea Party since the can't hear nuttin' no way.  I had vertigo (mild but lots of throwing up), but I conquered that. I thought it was morning sickness, but I'm above my child bearing days. I tested vertigo by going to see Gravity at the IMAX in 3D and surviving a spin with Sandra Bullock got me in the clear. I go for an MRI next Saturday. I'm interested if they find anything this head of mine. Be surprised if they do. . I might have lost 3 of 6 senses, but that sixth sense (of humor) will outlive the other five. Well with only one eye now and one ear, I should thank God for 2 kidneys and 2 testicles.
> 
> All kidding aside, take nothing for greanted. Whatever they find or not, I resigned that I have only something to regain (not to mention an expense).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson
> THE MONAURAL CYCLOPS


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well Mike. I am writing the noisiest Chinese parade scene now as a tribute to all those dimnisjed sounds I will barely hear again. My gift to my readers.


----------



## Jeff

Sorry to learn of your latest health issue, Ed. Glad to see everyone else doing well. Mark me down for about 120,000 words and 200 illustrations since last I visited.


----------



## AngryGames

*sigh*

the last 5-6 weeks have been spent toiling away editing/revising an 86k word Adult Fic novel, a 132k word Adult Fic / Crime Fic novel (two books completely out of my normal range/genres to be honest). Last night I published a 14k word chunk of a new 50k word urban fantasy novel (experimenting with this whole 'serialization' thing that everyone seems to be having success with). 

I've got two science fiction novels still 2/3 finished each and have had them on hold while trying to get the two finished novels published. I've got a short 16k word novella (a 'birthday present' that I wrote for my wife on my 40th b-day at the end of August) that only needs editing. Three other science fiction novels that are in various stages, though all are over 20k words each. It might seem a bit chaotic, especially to writers who have to work start-to-finish on a single book at a time, but this is just my nature. And I've got readers demanding I write a sequel the "It's Better This Way" without leaving them looking over the edge of a cliffhanger =/. 

And then there's this other non-fic humor book about self-publishing I'm about 40k words into. How to suck it up when you get a bad review, the story of the first book, the first book review, why you shouldn't listen to any author who tells you not to break any of the Unbreakable Rules of Writing, etc. etc. It's a book that will probably get me a ton of hate from authors who love nothing more than to follow some arbitrary rules that other authors made up while sitting in their Enclave on thrones made of solid gold skulls of previously vanquished authors and agents. I can already hear the collective TSK TSK that caused a vibration strong enough to shatter my femur. Or was it my fibula. I can't keep track anymore because I'm most likely already insane and imagining this while locked in a padded room and blitzed on Lithium and some other anti-psychotics. 

So far this year I've only published about 45k-50k words, but by the end of December, that number should be between 300k-400k published words. Helps having 215k worth waiting on only on cover art and for me to stop being so anal that I have to constantly fix things. I am, however, completely burned out on these two books. I've read each at LEAST 40 times now. I just want it to be over so I can move on. Does anyone else get so burned out on their own books during the process that they almost throw their hands up and say "well who cares, no one is going to read this drivel anyway!" before downing a beer or whatever you author types do to relax (or fly off into a rage...one never knows lol)? 

For a long time I thought I had to write a certain number of words per day. Now I just write. Most of the time I'm logging 2k-5k per day when not editing or running around like a headless chicken, but some days that number is zero, and once in a while it rockets up to 15k. Non-fic humor is a hell of a lot easier to write than fiction...at least that's my opinion on it. 

Right. So. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I think I can go to sleep.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Good work, Ed, Jeff and Travis.

Wish I could say the same to myself. <sigh> I've gone over my same little novelette about twenty times. First because I enjoy reading it, and second, I want it to be as well-written and error-free as I can make it.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

Are there authors who are using social networks such as FB, Twitter, Pinterest, Good reads for promotion? I am member of almost all of them, but not able to use them well. I appreciate you sharing your experience.. Thanks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Are there authors who are using social networks such as FB, Twitter, Pinterest, Good reads for promotion? I am member of almost all of them, but not able to use them well. I appreciate you sharing your experience.. Thanks.


Absolutely. Start a topic in The Writer's Cafe and you'll get loads of info.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I started a new story last week and was really struggling with it. So I'm sitting in Panera tonight, enjoying their spinach/mushroom power salad and sort of tapping out a few hundred words, when I said to myself, "Self, if you don't like this story and these characters, no one else will."

I kept the first two paragraphs, tossed out the rest, and wrote another 1200 words. I'm much happier, now.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Big chapter. 4711 words.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

After much hacking and chopping based on red-ink feedback from certain people (ahem), the beta draft of Reaping The Harvest is done! Going to be picking the beta readers and firing the sucker off to them tonight...


----------



## AngryGames

Michael R. Hicks said:


> After much hacking and chopping based on red-ink feedback from certain people (ahem), the beta draft of Reaping The Harvest is done! Going to be picking the beta readers and firing the sucker off to them tonight...


I'm one of hopefully tens of thousands waiting for this book, Mr. Hicks! Loved all of the other books, all the way back to the first "In Her Name" stories. Got your email last night, and wish I could bring myself to help, but I have a hard time now reading books from authors I know or have interacted with here as a pure reader...getting harder to shut off my 'writing brain,' which for me is less useful than if I can read it with a 'reading brain.'


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> After much hacking and chopping based on red-ink feedback from certain people (ahem), the beta draft of Reaping The Harvest is done! Going to be picking the beta readers and firing the sucker off to them tonight...


YAY!!!

Did you decide what's next?

Managed 1K today. I usually go to McD's on Sundays for hotcakes and writing, but I didn't get there until 9:30. I'll never go that late again. I think I was too hungry by then and didn't get my energy up in time to do some serious writing. But, 1K is better than nothing.

Also published one of my Christmas stories today. I put it out early because it's a companion piece to the audiobook and I want to do this one in audio, too. I'll be publishing the other Christmas story Thanksgiving week.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

AngryGames said:


> I'm one of hopefully tens of thousands waiting for this book, Mr. Hicks! Loved all of the other books, all the way back to the first "In Her Name" stories. Got your email last night, and wish I could bring myself to help, but I have a hard time now reading books from authors I know or have interacted with here as a pure reader...getting harder to shut off my 'writing brain,' which for me is less useful than if I can read it with a 'reading brain.'


You're obviously a glutton for punishment! Yes, once we first put on the author cap (which looks suspiciously like a dunce cap), things are never quite the same...


Not entirely sure what's next, Gertie, although it'll have blue people with swords in it. Just not sure if I'm going to work on the next (last?) book of the First Empress story or jump back into the Empire era.

And great job on the writing, everyone! I've been slacking off after sending the book to the beta readers, but should have Reaping The Harvest out by Monday...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You're obviously a glutton for punishment! Yes, once we first put on the author cap (which looks suspiciously like a dunce cap), things are never quite the same...
> 
> 
> Not entirely sure what's next, Gertie, although it'll have blue people with swords in it. Just not sure if I'm going to work on the next (last?) book of the First Empress story or jump back into the Empire era.
> 
> And great job on the writing, everyone! I've been slacking off after sending the book to the beta readers, but should have Reaping The Harvest out by Monday...


FIRST EMPRESS!!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> FIRST EMPRESS!!


+1


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

4,500 word chapter. Next one's a coda and short. Heading into Part V of this tome.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 4,500 word chapter. Next one's a coda and short. Heading into Part V of this tome.


Good going, Ed!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I'll be taking Mom to the eye docs tomorrow with my trusty little netbook (Ginny) slung over my shoulder. Should get some good writing done while I wait.

For today, I'm working on some very complicated covers for the current series. My eyes are going buggy, but they are coming out really nice. Several layers each. I'm now doing them on a production line. All backgrounds, then first image, then title and author text, etc. It's going much easier that way.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

For what it's worth, REAPING THE HARVEST is now on its way out the door! Now I think I'm going to grab a bottle of champagne and collapse for a while...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> For what it's worth, REAPING THE HARVEST is now on its way out the door! Now I think I'm going to grab a bottle of champagne and collapse for a while...


Give us a link as soon as it's live. Looking forward to those pesky little larval forms that like to eat their parents.

You deserve the champagne. Have some choco covered strawberries with it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

500 words this morning. I would have done a lot more but I kept falling asleep over my hotcakes.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Yep, Mike - link me up when you got one.

Smal;l 2100 chapter ending part IV. Did a guesstimate of the final part at about 45,000 words, about 15 days work) and then it'll be on the the reivsion. I'll be lucky if this one's out by Christmas, but you can;t rush these things.  

Edward C Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Okay, herewith is the link for RTH: http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-The-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00G8OC1D6

Enjoy!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Got it in HD.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Okay, herewith is the link for RTH: http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-The-Harvest-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00G8OC1D6
> 
> Enjoy!


Got it and tweeted!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Yay! 

Going to try and kick back this week. Haven't been feeling all that well lately, not sure why. Mix of stress and lack of chocolate, maybe? I dunno. Where's my rubber ducky...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yay!
> 
> Going to try and kick back this week. Haven't been feeling all that well lately, not sure why. Mix of stress and lack of chocolate, maybe? I dunno. Where's my rubber ducky...


*passes the godiva catalog*
*and starts singing songs from sesame street*


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Yay!
> 
> Going to try and kick back this week. Haven't been feeling all that well lately, not sure why. Mix of stress and lack of chocolate, maybe? I dunno. Where's my rubber ducky...







Take care of yourself.


----------



## Jeff

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Haven't been feeling all that well lately, not sure why. Mix of stress and lack of chocolate, maybe? I dunno.


There _is_ such a things as too much chocolate, you know?


----------



## telracs

Jeff said:


> There _is_ such a things as too much chocolate, you know?


is NOT!


----------



## Jeff

telracs said:


> is NOT!


Is too. It turns you green.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Jeff said:


> There _is_ such a things as too much chocolate, you know?


I'm with scarlet on that one!


----------



## Thomas Watson

I used to think it was impossible to OD on chocolate. Then I ate one of these, this past weekend:

"Chocolate Bar~ White, milk, and dark chocolates spiked with Whiskey, Amaretto and Cassis. Served with a tarragon crème fraiche."

It's gonna be a while before I can look at a bag of M&Ms, let me tell you...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> I used to think it was impossible to OD on chocolate. Then I ate one of these, this past weekend:
> 
> "Chocolate Bar~ White, milk, and dark chocolates spiked with Whiskey, Amaretto and Cassis. Served with a tarragon crème fraiche."
> 
> It's gonna be a while before I can look at a bag of M&Ms, let me tell you...


Sounds a little rich. I don't think I could get past the first bite.

1K words on one of the wips. I have several going right now.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> I used to think it was impossible to OD on chocolate. Then I ate one of these, this past weekend:
> 
> "Chocolate Bar~ White, milk, and dark chocolates spiked with Whiskey, Amaretto and Cassis. Served with a tarragon crème fraiche."
> 
> It's gonna be a while before I can look at a bag of M&Ms, let me tell you...


O.M.G. I'm in love...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just one of those days where nothing went right. Nothing major, but it stopped me in the middle of writing. I did manage 500 words.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just one of those days where nothing went right. Nothing major, but it stopped me in the middle of writing. I did manage 500 words.


Ack! Been there, done that. My break's over after the weekend - back to work on Monday...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Ack! Been there, done that. My break's over after the weekend - back to work on Monday...


You deserve a break after the blockbusters you write.

I got in 1K words last night so I made up a bit for Thursday.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hotcakes and 1300 words. My usual Sunday morning.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I had a light writing weekend with only 2,000 words. This book might be out before Christmas.   It was suppose to be out before Thanksgiving.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I had a light writing weekend with only 2,000 words. This book might be out before Christmas.  It was suppose to be out before Thanksgiving.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


A holiday is a holiday 

Mostly edited yesterday. I'll probably finish up today and get back to writing tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Hey, saying it'll be out by Thanksgiving is fine...as long as you don't specify the year...


----------



## Thomas Watson

Something tells me it's too late for me to use that clever ploy.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Forgot to report 1200 words from Sunday. I really have to get back into a regular routine.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Another 800 words. Not so much as I would have liked to do, but the story is coming together. I moved some stuff around and eliminated some and threw in a big, Italian, restaurant-owning family. I have one of those myself, so it's easy to write about them.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

I pulled an "Ed" and wrote 4000 words today. The draft of the first chapter of the new book is done...oh, and crap! I have to send someone some chocolate, still!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> I pulled an "Ed" and wrote 4000 words today. The draft of the first chapter of the new book is done...oh, and crap! I have to send someone some chocolate, still!


What's the new book?

and yes, you do.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wish Ed could pull an Ed. Have an eye nfectiob and pain and am forced to a short break until it runs its course. The hearing is mproving. No voices yet but buzzes and resonating rumbles.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> What's the new book?
> 
> and yes, you do.


Inquiring minds want to know.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Inquiring minds want to know.


State secret until it's almost ready... 

And get better, Ed...and I'm going to try and catch up on my chocolate-mailing to do list tomorrow, scarlet...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> State secret until it's almost ready...
> 
> And get better, Ed...and I'm going to try and catch up on my chocolate-mailing to do list tomorrow, scarlet...


feel better ed....

gertie, you hold him, i'll pummel him to get info.

and you still have the address, right mike?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

telracs said:


> feel better ed....
> 
> gertie, you hold him, i'll pummel him to get info.
> 
> and you still have the address, right mike?


Deal!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> and you still have the address, right mike?


Aye!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Well, that's _finally_ done!


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, that's _finally_ done!


congrats! now, where's the next one?


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> congrats! now, where's the next one?


...write faster... must write faster...


----------



## telracs

Thomas Watson said:


> ...write faster... must write faster...


write well.... must write wellllllllll...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, that's _finally_ done!


Congrats!

Wish I could say the same to myself. I was rolling right along this morning when my battery died. I'd forgotten to plug it in last night and there just wasn't enough charge to do more than a few hundred words. Ah well, at least I had breakfast.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Darned battery died again. Time to get a new one when the nine-hour battery is down to about one and a half hours usable life. 

But I did finish the wip, finally. 2400 words and it's done, but I'm not real happy with the ending. I'm usually able to relate the ending back to something significant in the story, and I did that, but not nearly as well as I usually do it.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

3,000 words finally. Eye is infected with a fungus (I call is fungula eye) but under doc Gordon's care.


----------



## zzzzzzz

Scratched my retina a few weeks ago. Just got the emergency room bill. Seeing as I'm uninsured, it's going to be an entire month's rent.

So much for putting anything aside for taxes, I guess.


----------



## daringnovelist

Mcoorlim said:


> Scratched my retina a few weeks ago. Just got the emergency room bill. Seeing as I'm uninsured, it's going to be an entire month's rent.
> 
> So much for putting anything aside for taxes, I guess.


Just bought one of your books.


----------



## Jeff

Mcoorlim said:


> Scratched my retina a few weeks ago. Just got the emergency room bill. Seeing as I'm uninsured, it's going to be an entire month's rent.
> 
> So much for putting anything aside for taxes, I guess.





daringnovelist said:


> Just bought one of your books.


That's very thoughtful of you.


----------



## zzzzzzz

daringnovelist said:


> Just bought one of your books.


Well, thanks. I sincerely hope you enjoy it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

No writing today, but I did think about it a lot. My big accomplishment is five pounds of potatoes au gratin in the oven. I'm trying not to think about the ten pounds I have to do tomorrow. I'd rather think about writing. I may even do some tonight.


----------



## daringnovelist

Mcoorlim said:


> Well, thanks. I sincerely hope you enjoy it.


I no longer read a lot of sf and f, but I do like the mystery end of steampunk, especially character oriented -- so I expect to enjoy it.


----------



## Thomas Watson

telracs said:


> write well.... must write wellllllllll...


Finding the balance, aye, there's the rub.

(I try to misquote Shakespeare at least twice a month.)


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Went for my weekly breakfast at McD's and writing and my battery died after half an hour. I ordered a new one this morning. So, I only got 400 words done, although I'm pleased with the opening of the story.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

I am done with the writing but never learned how to promote...ha ha


----------



## IreneP

Ughh, my characters aren't talking to me.

I vaguely know where the scene is supposed to go.  It's just not happening.

In my mind, I picture Bo and Travis standing with their backs to me.  I'm getting the silent treatment.

This is what happens when I leave something sitting too long.  My characters are obviously high-maintenance and don't like to be ignored.


----------



## Justawriter

Just bought a beautiful real Christmas tree and brought it around back of my condo to bring in through my patio. My neighbor steps outside and says, "Didn't you know real trees aren't allowed here?"  Why no, no I didn't.    Would have been nice to know. I just moved in this Summer and nothing is in the paperwork about no trees....  Funny thing is I actually almost bought a fake one for the first time yesterday thinking it might be easier because this place has carpet...and I couldn't do it. I love real trees...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, I've been missing in action - mostly with some eye broblems and then a nasty fall on the ice. But the eye is settling down (hopefully) I can't see out of it anyway, so I'd wish it would just b e quiet and be a make-believe eye instead of crying for attention ----- and the aches from the fall are easing.

Still, I'm one chapter away from completing The House of Green aters (and a short epilog chapter at that). Then it's a few weeks of revisions and clean-up. It should be out the 3rd week of January (It was suppose to be out in October, but it's very different from my other works, being a tapestry, with many, many vignette-types scenes, from battle to magic to political - and has been intricate to get the entire thing to work). It will wind up 177,000 words. I'm exceited because I've been getting emails from readers of the Southern Swallow series asking for Book IV - so I know some people are reading this series.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, I've been missing in action - mostly with some eye broblems and then a nasty fall on the ice. But the eye is settling down (hopefully) I can't see out of it anyway, so I'd wish it would just b e quiet and be a make-believe eye instead of crying for attention ----- and the aches from the fall are easing.
> 
> Still, I'm one chapter away from completing The House of Green aters (and a short epilog chapter at that). Then it's a few weeks of revisions and clean-up. It should be out the 3rd week of January (It was suppose to be out in October, but it's very different from my other works, being a tapestry, with many, many vignette-types scenes, from battle to magic to political - and has been intricate to get the entire thing to work). It will wind up 177,000 words. I'm exceited because I've been getting emails from readers of the Southern Swallow series asking for Book IV - so I know some people are reading this series.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I did a face plant on the concrete driveway last summer so I know whereof you speak. That eye is still tender to the touch.

Congrats for finishing (almost).

I did about 2200 this past week. Too much Christmas stuff going on, but I should be able to get some good work in tomorrow night.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

1100 on Thursday and exactly 2K today. I'm enjoying this story.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Deep in final revisions not that the House of Green Waters is finished.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Deep in final revisions not that the House of Green Waters is finished.


Ed, did you mean "not" or "now." Your typing skills can be very confusing sometimes.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Ed, did you mean "not" or "now." Your typing skills can be very confusing sometimes.


I meant "now." Wehn I use the Blackberry, sometimes no typing skills are required. Just thinner thunbs.

Ed


----------



## Thomas Watson

Hope the holidays were happy for one and all.  

11,571 words into Book Four - The Courage to Accept.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Hope the holidays were happy for one and all.
> 
> 11,571 words into Book Four - The Courage to Accept.


Yay!!!

2K on the new wip today. I was at McD's and my usual seat was taken. Where I ended up sitting was so cold, I couldn't even get to 1K. I packed up and thought I'd get a cup of coffee to warm up. Then I figured, why not stay? My usual seat was empty, I had hot coffee and a good start on the wip. Sat back down and made it to my goal.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yay!!!
> 
> 2K on the new wip today. I was at McD's and my usual seat was taken. Where I ended up sitting was so cold, I couldn't even get to 1K. I packed up and thought I'd get a cup of coffee to warm up. Then I figured, why not stay? My usual seat was empty, I had hot coffee and a good start on the wip. Sat back down and made it to my goal.


Right on!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Another 2K today. I'll be at McD's for most of the next week since the college library is closed until after the Christmas break.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2K yesterday but only 1500 today. I was anxious to get home to make doll clothes with my granddaughter.

If my neighbors would quit setting off fireworks (it's 1:00am), I could maybe get some sleep and work tomorrow ... I mean this morning.

Happy New Year!!!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Finished the holiday break (the UofA shuts down between Christmas and New Year's day) with Book Four at 20K words and change.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Happy New Year, gang. I resolve to post here more often. 

Working on a new book, entitled INCINERATION. I'm 16K into it so far, been working on it for a month. Had one week or thereabouts off from the holidays. 

Friend is wrapping up his edits on JJ5/LITERARY AGENT. Hope to have that manuscript back within the week.

Sales were VERY slow in the last quarter. I still haven't found a "regular" job. The search has been on for three months. I'm ready to give it up.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Finished the holiday break (the UofA shuts down between Christmas and New Year's day) with Book Four at 20K words and change.


How nice. Sounds like you got some writing in.



Sean Sweeney said:


> Happy New Year, gang. I resolve to post here more often.
> 
> Working on a new book, entitled INCINERATION. I'm 16K into it so far, been working on it for a month. Had one week or thereabouts off from the holidays.
> 
> Friend is wrapping up his edits on JJ5/LITERARY AGENT. Hope to have that manuscript back within the week.
> 
> Sales were VERY slow in the last quarter. I still haven't found a "regular" job. The search has been on for three months. I'm ready to give it up.


I had a pretty decent (for me) summer, right through September, then bombed in October. November picked up a bit and December has broken even with November. I've even had a few audiobook sales. But it's all been spent on ads, editing, etc.

1500 yesterday. I got a late start but the next writing session should finish up the wip. One and a half more stories to go and the series is done. Then maybe in March I can get back to my prequel.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Already over 3,000 words for the year. Think I'm nearing 3,200 or something like that.

Allons-y.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Already over 3,000 words for the year. Think I'm nearing 3,200 or something like that.
> 
> Allons-y.


Good on you! Allons-za

I skipped writing yesterday in favor of spending the day with my granddaughter before she goes back to school.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Wrote 1,000 yesterday. Hoping for 1,500 today (probably won't get it, but hey, shoot for the moon). Getting a new horse for my betrothed today, so it's an exciting time here at the farm.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Happy New Year all. Working on edits and should have book nu.ner 24 our in 2 weeks.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Wrote 1,000 yesterday. Hoping for 1,500 today (probably won't get it, but hey, shoot for the moon). Getting a new horse for my betrothed today, so it's an exciting time here at the farm.


Write first, horse around later.



Edward C. Patterson said:


> Happy New Year all. Working on edits and should have book nu.ner 24 our in 2 weeks.


Good going, Ed.

Finished the old wip yesterday and 2K today on the new wip. It's turning out nicely.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Got 1,002 yesterday. Also...

http://seansweeneyauthor.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-new-year-new-friend.html

Meet Jesse.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Got 1,002 yesterday. Also...
> 
> http://seansweeneyauthor.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-new-year-new-friend.html
> 
> Meet Jesse.


Congrats, Sean. And I hope perpetuity lasts a long time.

I don't think I'm going to be writing today. Very foggy out and cold weather is rolling in later. Hot Chocolate and reading is on my menu.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

I need to review my notes before I go to the bank. Then I need to settle in for a solid morning/afternoon of writing. At least that's how I have it planned in my head. Would like to get 1,500 today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

39 Chapters of revision complted and cleared Peg of the Red Pencil. Only 26 more to go and then it's on to Katie the Kindlespreche. Move', movin', movi'.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> 39 Chapters of revision complted and cleared Peg of the Red Pencil. Only 26 more to go and then it's on to Katie the Kindlespreche. Move', movin', movi'.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Go, Ed!!!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

And just went over the 40,000 book mark.

Ed


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Pulled teeth to get to 1,000 words today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> And just went over the 40,000 book mark.
> 
> Ed


Doing cartwheels for you, Ed.



Sean Sweeney said:


> Pulled teeth to get to 1,000 words today.


Some times it's like that. It's always very slow starting for me, but then toward the end of my allotted time, I zip right through.

Just ordered a used Alpha Smart from ebay for $17.99 and free shipping. Sure hope it works. It's so light, I can carry it around with me wherever I go. I should have it by Friday.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just ordered a used Alpha Smart from ebay for $17.99 and free shipping. Sure hope it works. It's so light, I can carry it around with me wherever I go. I should have it by Friday.


Does it have a USB port?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Does it have a USB port?


Yes, it does. I wouldn't bother without one.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Good morning, everyone.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Sean Sweeney said:


> Good morning, everyone.


Good Morning. It's so cold here in PA that it feels like one of the outer planets. I've greeting everyone this morning with - "Welcome to the Planet Uranus." 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Sean Sweeney

It'll still be cold today. 1,610 words yesterday.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Up to 23,529 on Book Four.

As far as writing is concerned, going back to the day job is like driving with the parking brake on.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Up to 23,529 on Book Four.
> 
> As far as writing is concerned, going back to the day job is like driving with the parking brake on.


Oh, yeah. I remember those days well.

Strictly editing today. Fifty more pages done (70 yesterday) and twenty-six more to go. I'm going to try to finish tonight.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Another day, another 1,200 words and change.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Another day, another 1,200 words and change.


Excellent!

No writing for me today, but I spent most of the day putting together three bundles. What a job! Just hit the publish button on the last one. I'll send them to D2D tomorrow. Too pooped tonight.


----------



## Thomas Watson

This certainly was a pleasant way to begin the day!

http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B0089Q2B22/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> This certainly was a pleasant way to begin the day!
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Hananga-Second-Iteration-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B0089Q2B22/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending


Pleasant? No, not pleasant. Ab-Fab!!! Congrats. That is definitely the right way to start the day.

Lots of writing done over the last few days. 3,500; 2,000; 1,300, 1,500. Finished one wip and about two-thirds through another.


----------



## Redacted1111

My husband left for four days to Florida on business, so I'm here alone with the kid. I published the first episode of a new serial today. I'm pretty happy with it. It's the longest serial episode I've written under this pen name. My family is 2000 miles away, and I'm pretty much stuck in the house in a kind of bad area of St. Louis with no transportation. It's rough. One of the only things that keeps me from losing it is that I can write and try to make some money at it. I'm trying really hard to stay positive.


----------



## Eric Mazzoni

My first every book project reached 10,000 words yesterday after I churned out 3,000 over a period of 8 hours. That is both disheartening and exciting. My aim for today is 5,000 as I am now moving into the heart of my story. Previously I was doing about 500~800 words a day as I only had pieces of the plot worked out but nothing seemed clear until. It is a Mystery/ thriller with science fiction elements. I finally figured out how the pieces will fit together, who the bad guys are, how the mystery ties into the story and across the next two books (hopefully.)

Then I found out editors are far cheaper than I thought which open up my budget so I can source a top notch book cover. I am getting ahead of myself...

I need to finish 80K words by the end of February, push the book out by April 1st while I prep the release of book 2 for June, then slip out book 3 somewhere around July or August. Anyway. That is my current goal/ to-do list. I'm scratching to start on another series after I finish this trilogy. I think 6 books from a new author is a bit ambitious, but I'm curious to see how my works are received.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

In edit and review for the last ew chapters of The House of Green Waters. Looks like this book only reached 170,000 words, and although a bit longer than the other 3 books in the series, much shorter than th Jade Owl's 5 books. I'm excited about this one, because it has a lot of Li family stuff and also a detailed depiction of the Battle of Tzai-shr, the first battle in recorded history to use gas in warfare. We also have Prince Hai-ling in this one - China's Caligula, so it's quite a diverse book, but it's still grounded in the ZONE approach I use with full character participoation, and still written as a pantser without outline or those . . . what are they calle . . . oh yes, plots.



Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> In edit and review for the last ew chapters of The House of Green Waters. Looks like this book only reached 170,000 words, and although a bit longer than the other 3 books in the series, much shorter than th Jade Owl's 5 books. I'm excited about this one, because it has a lot of Li family stuff and also a detailed depiction of the Battle of Tzai-shr, the first battle in recorded history to use gas in warfare. We also have Prince Hai-ling in this one - China's Caligula, so it's quite a diverse book, but it's still grounded in the ZONE approach I use with full character participoation, and still written as a pantser without outline or those . . . what are they calle . . . oh yes, plots.
> 
> 
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Plots?

Finishing up edits today and writing a blurb. Should hit the publish button tonight.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

You know by now that the only plot I want in my future is the one I'll be buried in. A plot to me is a death knell to the story. One might emerge organically, like themes (another authorial sag point), but for me if it exists before I begin authoring, it's an anchor which weighs the story down. I have a semi-lucid map in my mind and with the Chinese novels an old envelope where I jot down the names (for continuity - if I get lost. God help my reader), but beyond that the story unfolds betwixt events, characters and locale. And character development trumps them all, because where a story goes depends on living characters. And when they wake up, I give them the task of telling me where the story will go. I DO plan iconic moments well in advance, but some of those fizzle as time goes on and some transform into something more appropriate. An example of this is in The Road to Grafenwöhr, where I always planned for the hero to go mad and the last scene in an asylum. Well, we never got there, because the main character rebelled - refused to go that route. So I told him if he wanted the HEROES role and direction, tell me how. And he did. He worked out his own destiny and I followed it to a totally different ending. I was as surprised as the reader, and I think that spontaneous revelation on my part helps make that particular work well received (10 5-star out of 10 reviews). If I have mad a plot and kept the novel to the plot, I believe the work would have be better published beneath the sea to a host of squid and tuna.  

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## lynnfromthesouth

Flu. Go 'way and leave me alone!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Right now I'm procrastinating as I always do before hitting the publish button. I always think there's something or a dozen things I haven't done. Cover has been designed for months, plugged in all the edits my editor sent and fixed up what he suggested I fix (mostly, he's right). It's really as ready as I can make it right now.

Okay, I'll take the dog out for his last walk and _then_ I'll hit the publish button. Although I have to upload everything first, right? That'll take up some time.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Yes, I did hit the publish button for both Amazon and D2D last night. Now I can stop worrying cuz it's too late now and continue with the wip. 1700 words at McD's tonight. I planned on between 8-10K, but I'm already inching toward 8K and there's still lots of story to tell. I think it'll be more like 10-12K.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yes, I did hit the publish button for both Amazon and D2D last night. Now I can stop worrying cuz it's too late now and continue with the wip. 1700 words at McD's tonight. I planned on between 8-10K, but I'm already inching toward 8K and there's still lots of story to tell. I think it'll be more like 10-12K.


I know. Sometimes its like going to the casino. I work extremely hard for zero errors and despite the many webs I weave, there's always something. I'm doing a fully text-to-speech now before I hit the button, although it's been through revisions, Peg, Natural Speech, Serenity and several other electronic cleansers. You can;t do enough for quality control, but there's always something, so I shrug and say to that reader/reviewer (and there's always one) who finds the edit error and posts it as a Headline in their review - "I tried to engage your imagination, but only managed to touch your bleak, bleak heart." 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I know. Sometimes its like going to the casino. I work extremely hard for zero errors and despite the many webs I weave, there's always something. I'm doing a fully text-to-speech now before I hit the button, although it's been through revisions, Peg, Natural Speech, Serenity and several other electronic cleansers. You can;t do enough for quality control, but there's always something, so I shrug and say to that reader/reviewer (and there's always one) who finds the edit error and posts it as a Headline in their review - "I tried to engage your imagination, but only managed to touch your bleak, bleak heart."
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I still have my K1 so I can't do TTS. I imagine you catch a lot that way. I was reading over the wip last night before plunging in and I can't tell you how many words were missing. Actual, whole words. Sometimes my fingers can't keep up with my brain.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I still have my K1 so I can't do TTS. I imagine you catch a lot that way. I was reading over the wip last night before plunging in and I can't tell you how many words were missing. Actual, whole words. Sometimes my fingers can't keep up with my brain.


Download NaturalReader - and use that. It's excellent and I use it during my revision stages. You can buy various voices if you don;t like the ones that come with the free version. I like Paul. BTW, eye, hand and brain work differently when reading and authoring. That's why we can be the end-all when if comes to proofing. We are conditioned to insert words and letters which are missing when we read and thus miss it. These cumpeter voices catch that stuff as well as misspellings (odd how desert and dessert can be caught easily by the mech crew). The only problems I have is with printer's qutes, but I substitute apostrophes with a find and replace while in the speech program. They also tend to take some words as abbrevs of tohers, min = minimum, no problem for most novels, but works set in China have lots of "Mins."

Ed P


----------



## MrBourbons

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Download NaturalReader - and use that.


Thanks for the heads up, Ed. I'll look into that.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Download NaturalReader - and use that. It's excellent and I use it during my revision stages. You can buy various voices if you don;t like the ones that come with the free version. I like Paul. BTW, eye, hand and brain work differently when reading and authoring. That's why we can be the end-all when if comes to proofing. We are conditioned to insert words and letters which are missing when we read and thus miss it. These cumpeter voices catch that stuff as well as misspellings (odd how desert and dessert can be caught easily by the mech crew). The only problems I have is with printer's qutes, but I substitute apostrophes with a find and replace while in the speech program. They also tend to take some words as abbrevs of tohers, min = minimum, no problem for most novels, but works set in China have lots of "Mins."
> 
> Ed P


Thanks, Ed. Looking into it now.


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## geoffthomas

I also took a look at natural reader.  The default (free) version seems to be just fine.  Thanks for mentioning this item, Ed.


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## Gertie Kindle

geoffthomas said:


> I also took a look at natural reader. The default (free) version seems to be just fine. Thanks for mentioning this item, Ed.


It wouldn't install for me. I'll have to try again.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I wrote 1300 words today and might do a bit more. 

Also did a long blog post that I had a lot of trouble with. In fact, I spent almost all day on it. The writing was easy enough. The problem was the links. I've never had trouble posting links before. I wanted to do a cover link to Amazon (no problem there) and text links to the other vendors. That's when the trouble began. I ended up, after several frustrating hours, doing all cover links. I've n ever had this problem before.


----------



## timskorn

Wrote 2,000 words to start my new book.  Didn't feel right, so I deleted it.  First time I've ever done that so early and it felt good.  Started from scratch and wrote 2,000 yesterday and love it now.  Let's see what I can scramble up tonight!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

timskorn said:


> Wrote 2,000 words to start my new book. Didn't feel right, so I deleted it. First time I've ever done that so early and it felt good. Started from scratch and wrote 2,000 yesterday and love it now. Let's see what I can scramble up tonight!


I did that for the first time a couple of months ago. If it isn't working, no sense trying to salvage the mess. Congrats on recognizing the necessity of starting over.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Launched.


----------



## JeanetteRaleigh

My goal is a million word year.  I have a one page chart that I fill out with the daily word count.  To get there, it only takes 2,740 words a day.  But the great news?  Even if I only reach 75% of my goal, I will still have 750,000 words, which is 9 books at 80,000 words.  What I've found is that the stories are flowing better. I write more because when I'm not at work or doing family things, I'm writing.


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## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Launched.


YAY!!!



JeanetteRaleigh said:


> My goal is a million word year. I have a one page chart that I fill out with the daily word count. To get there, it only takes 2,740 words a day. But the great news? Even if I only reach 75% of my goal, I will still have 750,000 words, which is 9 books at 80,000 words. What I've found is that the stories are flowing better. I write more because when I'm not at work or doing family things, I'm writing.


Sounds like a plan. I agree. The more you write the easier it flows.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I had to take Mom to the eye docs today which is always a two hour wait. I usually bring my netbook with me, but I have everything in dropbox now and have to have a wi-fi connection to access my work. So, I bought a used alpha smart ($17.99 incl s&h) on ebay. This was the perfect time to try it out.

Wouldn't you know, they'd canceled Mom's appt without telling her and by the time they told us, I'd only gotten a couple of hundred words written. Oh, well, better than nothing. Maybe I'll try the AS on the patio.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

You know, I was just adding to the wip when I realized I've gotten in way over my head with medical stuff. Over 9K words and I'm going to have to scrap it. 

Maybe I can salvage something.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, _*The House of Green Waters * _ paperback came out today and the kindle version has been up for a week. The House of Green Waters - Southern Swallow Book IV. Still need to promote it - probably this weekend a bit.

Wrote 2,800 words today (home - snowbound from work), on the newest work *The Sapphire Astonishment  * - A Nick Forestone Mystery. Trying the mystery genre smashed into my Jade Owl charactre cast - setting it in 2020 to change things up and give me some technical license. The little tyke from The People's Treasure and In the Shadow of Her Hem , Lincky Forestone, who was 5 in those novels, is now 19 and a precocious sinologue about to take his first steps in mystery solving, the first in what I hope will be a long trail of San Fracisco Chinatown mysteries. Although it doffs to the fantasy world of The Jade Owl, these are not fantasy works perse (except for their near-future setting). They are history-based and will be paced in the whodunit - whatisit genre. I expect the book to be shorter than my usual - works, perhaps 300 pages or so.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, _*The House of Green Waters * _ paperback came out today and the kindle version has been up for a week. The House of Green Waters - Southern Swallow Book IV. Still need to promote it - probably this weekend a bit.
> 
> Wrote 2,800 words today (home - snowbound from work), on the newest work *The Sapphire Astonishment  * - A Nick Forestone Mystery. Trying the mystery genre smashed into my Jade Owl charactre cast - setting it in 2020 to change things up and give me some technical license. The little tyke from The People's Treasure and In the Shadow of Her Hem , Lincky Forestone, who was 5 in those novels, is now 19 and a precocious sinologue about to take his first steps in mystery solving, the first in what I hope will be a long trail of San Fracisco Chinatown mysteries. Although it doffs to the fantasy world of The Jade Owl, these are not fantasy works perse (except for their near-future setting). They are history-based and will be paced in the whodunit - whatisit genre. I expect the book to be shorter than my usual - works, perhaps 300 pages or so.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Good luck, Ed. Some day I'll work up the confidence to do a mystery. Are you going to plot it?

2K yesterday. Nothing so far today.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nope. I have a sliver of a mystery surrounding a piece of Imperial Jewelry and a head full of possibilities. But I'll let my characters take it while I do my usual story telling. I actual have written a mystery romance called Turning Idolater but the surprise there was that it was a mystery novel. In this one there's an hisogrical mystery and I do know ghe outcome. But to plot it would spell failure and deem the read pedestrian for my readers. Logic will play put of course (or not because logic can be strained when you "hang a lantern on it."


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Ed, it's good to know when I get around to starting my mystery series that I don't have to have a whole plot outlined. Whew!

I restarted the wip from scratch, only retaining the location, the two mc's and their professions. I did 1700 last night, although I did borrow two paragraphs from the original, and 2100 today. It's moving along nicely and I feel so much better about it now.


----------



## Thomas Watson

At 34K words and change, I found myself deleting a couple of chapters and trying a different way to present a new plot element. Usually I can tell when something isn't working before I devote nearly 6,000 words to it! Yikes!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> At 34K words and change, I found myself deleting a couple of chapters and trying a different way to present a new plot element. Usually I can tell when something isn't working before I devote nearly 6,000 words to it! Yikes!


I know the feeling. I blew 9K words and had to start from scratch. But I'm much happier now.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Sometimes it hurts to give up on so much work. But you've got to do it, and be true to the story.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Sometimes it hurts to give up on so much work. But you've got to do it, and be true to the story.


Yup, we did the right thing. I'm about 5K into the new story and it's going well.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Well, I've replaced the deleted words and added about 1K into the bargain, so I don't feel quite so bad about it. I was even able to salvage a bit of dialog I was especially pleased by, first time around.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, I've replaced the deleted words and added about 1K into the bargain, so I don't feel quite so bad about it. I was even able to salvage a bit of dialog I was especially pleased by, first time around.


Good for you.

I put in 2100 words this morning.


----------



## Dave Dykema

I'm 6,000 and some words into a new, shorter WIP. The goal is to be around 20,000 words. I started this one as a pantser, and now I'm at the point where I need a twisty-twist, a devious plot, and lots of thrillerific action. Too bad I can't think of a thing to write. It was all flowing so smoothly until this point. Any advice?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> I'm 6,000 and some words into a new, shorter WIP. The goal is to be around 20,000 words. I started this one as a pantser, and now I'm at the point where I need a twisty-twist, a devious plot, and lots of thrillerific action. Too bad I can't think of a thing to write. It was all flowing so smoothly until this point. Any advice?


Keep writing, listen to your characters, something will come up.

I've been doing a little here and a little there. My netbook suffered a severe illness and I thought I lost all my work. Some kind of malware dumped every piece of data I had into a temp file.

She's now at the hospital and recovering nicely. I should have her back by tomorrow so I can do my usual Thursday night writing marathon.


----------



## Dave Dykema

That's pretty much what I thought, Gertie, but it's nice to hear it from some one else. Hope your baby recovers nicely.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Dave Dykema said:


> That's pretty much what I thought, Gertie, but it's nice to hear it from some one else. Hope your baby recovers nicely.


Thank you. She was supposed to be discharged today, but the guy closed early. Gack!

Took my alpha smart to McD's and knocked out 2K words.

Good luck with the wip.


----------



## Rich Amooi

I just finished the first draft of my debut Contemporary Comedy Romance novel (85,000 words) and then realized that I had a few gaping holes and the hero had no GMC. The poor guy!  

I did learn a big lesson—I need to have a rough outline ahead of time, as well as the GMC for my hero and heroine. I will definitely do that for my next book. I didn't need to do that when I wrote short stories, but it's a must for me with longer works, or I'll get lost or frustrated.

Anyhoo, I'm hoping for another two to three weeks of tweaking, before I'll let some beta-readers rip it apart. Then, back to tweaking! One thing I will say, that first draft was hard! I'm enjoying the revision process more.

Good luck to everyone!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Rich Amooi said:


> I just finished the first draft of my debut Contemporary Comedy Romance novel (85,000 words) and then realized that I had a few gaping holes and the hero had no GMC. The poor guy!
> 
> I did learn a big lesson-I need to have a rough outline ahead of time, as well as the GMC for my hero and heroine. I will definitely do that for my next book. I didn't need to do that when I wrote short stories, but it's a must for me with longer works, or I'll get lost or frustrated.
> 
> Anyhoo, I'm hoping for another two to three weeks of tweaking, before I'll let some beta-readers rip it apart. Then, back to tweaking! One thing I will say, that first draft was hard! I'm enjoying the revision process more.
> 
> Good luck to everyone!


I keep notes at the bottom of my doc keep track of my characters and the story. It's like goal setting on the run.

Good luck with your debut.


----------



## Rich Amooi

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I keep notes at the bottom of my doc keep track of my characters and the story. It's like goal setting on the run.
> 
> Good luck with your debut.


That's good. I'll have a better plan for the next one, for sure.

Enjoy the weekend!


----------



## Dave Dykema

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I keep notes at the bottom of my doc keep track of my characters and the story. It's like goal setting on the run.
> 
> Good luck with your debut.


I used to do that too. I sometimes still do, but not as much. It was mostly for when something would flash into my head that i couldn't get to right away--or it was a few chapters down the pike--and I just needed to get it down so I wouldn't forget.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm up to 20000 word on the new novel - the Sapphire Astonishment.


----------



## J.T. Bauer

I've been wanting to write a book for the past few years, but I've never have been able to sit myself down and actually write anything.  Today I took the plunge and wrote my first 600 words!  It felt awesome!  I can't wait to get back to it and write some more!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I'm up to 20000 word on the new novel - the Sapphire Astonishment.


You don't let the grass grow under your feet, do you?



J.T. Bauer said:


> I've been wanting to write a book for the past few years, but I've never have been able to sit myself down and actually write anything. Today I took the plunge and wrote my first 600 words! It felt awesome! I can't wait to get back to it and write some more!


It's a great feeling. Keep us posted on your progress.

1K for me today in dribs and drabs. Hoping for 2K tomorrow morning (different wip).

Having a problem with the timeline on tonight's wip so I may set it aside for a few days and let it stew.


----------



## Harriet Schultz

Am I the only person who doesn't track how many words I write each day? 

I'm 32,000 words into my third novel, and I suspect that if I write 500 words a day I'm lucky. Before I write anything each day, I go over what I did the day before and fine tune that section. This results in less progress, but a cleaner manuscript when I reach "the end."


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Harriet Schultz said:


> Am I the only person who doesn't track how many words I write each day?
> 
> I'm 32,000 words into my third novel, and I suspect that if I write 500 words a day I'm lucky. Before I write anything each day, I go over what I did the day before and fine tune that section. This results in less progress, but a cleaner manuscript when I reach "the end."


Yeah, you probably are. 

We all have our own way of doing things. I like to do 2K in two hours and I've gotten so into that habit, that it's very hard to get beyond that, even if I'm on a roll.

I'm trying to break another bad writing habit now. I have to leave my house and go somewhere else to write. Library, McD's, Panera. I bought an Alpha Smart and I managed a day out on my patio (which is still technically leaving the house) and did 2K words on the AS. If I could cattle-prod myself out to the patio every day, I could be much more productive.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sat outside with my AS while I supervised my grandson cleaning the patio and got some writing done. Then I took him to his Thursday night league and wrote some more. 

2400 words. YAY! I may have to rewrite some of it because I can't do internet on the AS. Part of it requires research, but I'll rewrite that when I'm done with the WIP.

One thing I like about the AS, I don't have to worry about glare outside.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2K words last Thursday and 2400 this morning. I'm glad I saw my last post. I forgot about the research I needed to do on the completed wip.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Back in the work mode after 18 days illness (the dreaded everyon'e-go-it flu). 2,00 words today.

Ed


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Back in the work mode after 18 days illness (the dreaded everyon'e-go-it flu). 2,00 words today.
> 
> Ed


Bad news, good news.


----------



## SunshineOnMe

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sat outside with my AS while I supervised my grandson cleaning the patio and got some writing done. Then I took him to his Thursday night league and wrote some more.
> 
> 2400 words. YAY! I may have to rewrite some of it because I can't do internet on the AS. Part of it requires research, but I'll rewrite that when I'm done with the WIP.
> 
> One thing I like about the AS, I don't have to worry about glare outside.


I'm impressed! I can't write unless I'm alone in a room.


----------



## tknite

I've got 3 scenes left to write for my sci-fi novelette. About to start the first of those three.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

SunshineOnMe said:


> I'm impressed! I can't write unless I'm alone in a room.


Thirty screaming kids engaged in Pokemon battles. I guess I'm just very good at tuning out.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Thirty screaming kids engaged in Pokemon battles. I guess I'm just very good at tuning out.


My mother was the best at tuning everyone out when she was reading.

My sister and I got wise to it and would ask her permission to do something debatable when she was deeply engrossed in a book. Mother's subconscious knew that the conversation would be shorter if she said yes so, unless it was a really big deal, we usually got permission.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> My mother was the best at tuning everyone out when she was reading.
> 
> My sister and I got wise to it and would ask her permission to do something debatable when she was deeply engrossed in a book. Mother's subconscious knew that the conversation would be shorter if she said yes so, unless it was a really big deal, we usually got permission.


Sneaky! But when Mom found out what you'd been doing, did you get in trouble anyway?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Sneaky! But when Mom found out what you'd been doing, did you get in trouble anyway?


I never asked for permission to do anything that I wasn't pretty sure that I could get with a long, reasonable discussion so the worst that ever happened was a long, reasonable discussion, after the fact.

My sister was another story, but she can outargue a grizzly bear.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I never asked for permission to do anything that I wasn't pretty sure that I could get with a long, reasonable discussion so the worst that ever happened was a long, reasonable discussion, after the fact.
> 
> My sister was another story, but she can outargue a grizzly bear.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Harriet Schultz said:


> Am I the only person who doesn't track how many words I write each day?
> 
> I'm 32,000 words into my third novel, and I suspect that if I write 500 words a day I'm lucky. Before I write anything each day, I go over what I did the day before and fine tune that section. This results in less progress, but a cleaner manuscript when I reach "the end."


You are not alone, Harriet. I get written however many I get written, and the books are as long as they need to be.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

2K yesterday morning and I finished a wip. Another 1K last night on a new wip. That was at one in the morning when I couldn't sleep because of the dST change.

Today is a major rewrite on an old story that needs pepping up before I can publish it.


----------



## Mark Feggeler

Finally hit the PUBLISH button on the second book in the Psi Squad series. "The Psi Squad and the Atherton Ghost" went live this morning! I'm hoping book three will come along a little more quickly than this one did.

http://www.amazon.com/Psi-Squad-Atherton-Ghost-ebook/dp/B00IWEQ6E0


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Mark Feggeler said:


> Finally hit the PUBLISH button on the second book in the Psi Squad series. "The Psi Squad and the Atherton Ghost" went live this morning! I'm hoping book three will come along a little more quickly than this one did.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Psi-Squad-Atherton-Ghost-ebook/dp/B00IWEQ6E0


Congratulations and good luck.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Yeah, you probably are.
> 
> We all have our own way of doing things. I like to do 2K in two hours and I've gotten so into that habit, that it's very hard to get beyond that, even if I'm on a roll.
> 
> I'm trying to break another bad writing habit now. I have to leave my house and go somewhere else to write. Library, McD's, Panera. I bought an Alpha Smart and I managed a day out on my patio (which is still technically leaving the house) and did 2K words on the AS. If I could cattle-prod myself out to the patio every day, I could be much more productive.


I keep track of word counts as a way of maintaining momentum. Watching the number go up motivates me to keep pushing it up.

I don't set daily goals, though. Life is too busy these days, and I'd fall short of meaningful goals as often as not. Nor do I set a target word length. What Mark said - the book will be as long as it needs to be.


----------



## I Give Up

I quit my call center job today. Here's to hoping I can stretch my tax return till my first royalty payout in May. I have a lot of anxiety over leaving, but less anxiety than when I had to go to work for nine hours, six days a week, only to come home and stare blankly at my computer screen and the vast expanse of nothingness that followed 'CHAPTER ONE'.


----------



## SunshineOnMe

Wow Viloarivard! Congratulations! Way to jump in and do what you love! 

Congratulations Gregg, on publishing your sequel- so excited for you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

violarivard said:


> I quit my call center job today. Here's to hoping I can stretch my tax return till my first royalty payout in May. I have a lot of anxiety over leaving, but less anxiety than when I had to go to work for nine hours, six days a week, only to come home and stare blankly at my computer screen and the vast expanse of nothingness that followed 'CHAPTER ONE'.


Congratulations! Hope that first royalty check exceeds your expectations and plan for the summer dry spell.

Good luck!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Well, here's a first - and a second. Smashwords just logged two sales for the Diesel eReader. One each, Luck of Han'anga and Founders' Effect. I can't even remember selecting that distribution channel.

Steph will love this part - they listed the "country of sale" as Texas.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, here's a first - and a second. Smashwords just logged two sales for the Diesel eReader. One each, Luck of Han'anga and Founders' Effect. I can't even remember selecting that distribution channel.
> 
> Steph will love this part - they listed the "country of sale" as Texas.


Texas would agree!!

Wrote 2400 words last night.


----------



## MatthewAlanThyer

Okay, guys I need some support. I'm nearing the end of a 40,000 word book (number two in my Sports in Space series). I have my first run edit scheduled next Thursday the 20th, so between now and then I have to complete the story and sink my editing claws into the piece.

Break out your whips, I've been dragging ass.


----------



## S.D

I'm staying up tonight to finish part one of a series I've been beating my head against a wall about. My deadline for the complete series is on the 19th. 

Here is my question. Does anyone have any suggestions on writing a paranormal romance? That is the next book I'm writing and need some pointers.


----------



## Steph H

Thomas Watson said:


> Well, here's a first - and a second. Smashwords just logged two sales for the Diesel eReader. One each, Luck of Han'anga and Founders' Effect. I can't even remember selecting that distribution channel.
> 
> Steph will love this part - they listed the "country of sale" as Texas.


You mean....it's not??


----------



## Gertie Kindle

MatthewAlanThyer said:


> Okay, guys I need some support. I'm nearing the end of a 40,000 word book (number two in my Sports in Space series). I have my first run edit scheduled next Thursday the 20th, so between now and then I have to complete the story and sink my editing claws into the piece.
> 
> Break out your whips, I've been dragging *ss.


  that you're not getting off your a**,  that you're depriving your faithful readers  that you need prodding  for when you're finished.



SolaeDehvine said:


> I'm staying up tonight to finish part one of a series I've been beating my head against a wall about. My deadline for the complete series is on the 19th.
> 
> Here is my question. Does anyone have any suggestions on writing a paranormal romance? That is the next book I'm writing and need some pointers.


I think you'll get more response if you ask for pointers in the writer's cafe. Go ahead and start a thread.

Got some writing done this morning, but I haven't uploaded it for a word count yet. I'm guessing around 1K. Plan on sitting outside for a bit and doing some more after dinner. (chicken and spinach)


----------



## Thomas Watson

63,500 words into Book Four.

I feel like I'm wading through hip-deep mud.


----------



## Jeff

Thomas Watson said:


> 63,500 words into Book Four.
> 
> I feel like I'm wading through hip-deep mud.


Then be sure to keep your chin up.


----------



## I Give Up

I just sent the manuscript for my fourth book off to the editor. Usually I wait until the launch date to have my everything-I-wrote-is-utter-garbage anxiety-fest, but it decided to come two days early. 

Yay.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> 63,500 words into Book Four.
> 
> I feel like I'm wading through hip-deep mud.





Jeff said:


> Then be sure to keep your chin up.


Good advice.



violarivard said:


> I just sent the manuscript for my fourth book off to the editor. Usually I wait until the launch date to have my everything-I-wrote-is-utter-garbage anxiety-fest, but it decided to come two days early.
> 
> Yay.


Now you can get it over with that much sooner.

I'm in such a mess with my wip, I decided to rewrite my leading man. He'll still be who he is, but how he got that way is going to be much more simple.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

60K into my current WIP, but I spent the past two days outlining my next Jaclyn Johnson novel. Life is good. Back to work on the WIP today. It has been a slog, and I know I can edit the suck later.... I'm just hoping that it isn't a total bag of suck.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> 60K into my current WIP, but I spent the past two days outlining my next Jaclyn Johnson novel. Life is good. Back to work on the WIP today. It has been a slog, and I know I can edit the suck later.... I'm just hoping that it isn't a total bag of suck.


Gee, we're all always so confident around here.


----------



## geoffthomas

I have every confidence that the work will not suck when released.
And Gertie is right, let's be more postitive (and no, "I am SURE it will suck" is not what I mean).
Keep up the good work, folks.


----------



## Dave Dykema

geoffthomas said:


> And Gertie is right, let's be more postitive (and no, "I am SURE it will suck" is not what I mean).


This made me laugh.

On another, better note, I "may" have finished my revisions on a history of comics for my editor today. I addressed "most" of his issues, which is where the "may" comes from. I'll send it off and see. Of course, guilt will probably pummel me and I'll quickly dash off the rest sheepishly before sending it off.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Just under 2100 words tonight. And if I do say so myself, they were pretty good words. I'm polishing them up now.

How's that, Geoff?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Just under 2100 words tonight. And if I do say so myself, they were pretty good words. I'm polishing them up now.
> 
> How's that, Geoff?


I'm not Geoff, but I'm pretty impressed with 2100 words in a single night. Are you actually writing at home?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> I'm not Geoff, but I'm pretty impressed with 2100 words in a single night. Are you actually writing at home?


Not tonight. I was at GS's league for two hours. But, since I got the Alpha Smart, I've been trying to sit out on the patio to work. It's pretty comfortable on my lap. I've managed 2K a couple of times. Tomorrow should be a really nice day to sit out there, but I have to take Mom to find a new washing machine.

GD is off school this week, so I've been pretty busy with her, but starting Tuesday (professional day on Monday), I'm going to try to get in two hours twice a day 4-5 days a week. Even if I only do that once a day, that makes 8-10K words a week. Fingers crossed, candles lit.

I want to get back to that prequel. It's nearly done but you know it needs to be jazzed up. Then I can start on the sequel.

Big plans, right?


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Big plans, right?


You can't possibly accomplish big things without laying big plans.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> You can't possibly accomplish big things without laying big plans.


Words to live by. I think I'll embroider a sampler.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Well, my progress on this book The Sapphire Astonishment has been slow. After my bought with the flu or whatever it was, there's a wee crisis on the horizon for my continued employment, which has defocused me for a bit. But I did hop on and wrote 1k last night. The book is up to 26,000 words, and about 1.4 way through. (Yes, a shorter book from me). Havenn;t crested the novel length number yet (50K), butI estimate part I will be about 60,000 words.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Well, my progress on this book The Sapphire Astonishment has been slow. After my bought with the flu or whatever it was, there's a wee crisis on the horizon for my continued employment, which has defocused me for a bit. But I did hop on and wrote 1k last night. The book is up to 26,000 words, and about 1.4 way through. (Yes, a shorter book from me). Havenn;t crested the novel length number yet (50K), butI estimate part I will be about 60,000 words.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Hope all is well with your job, Ed.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Hope all is well with your job, Ed.


Thants, Gertie:

The account I work on has pulled out as of June 30th. So I'm either placed in another position in the company or I'm pounding the pavement for the first time in 49 years. Of course, I want to work into my deep seventies and can;t afford to retire, unless I want to spend the rest of my life living from hand to mouth. There's three month to go and hopefully they can place me, but there are 8 members on my team - all needing to be placed and very few opening in the company.

Ed


----------



## Jeff

Pulling for you, Ed.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've done a lot of writing so far this week. Close to 10K words since Sunday. And I started a new wip tonight as soon as I finished the then current wip. 

I think my plan is working.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I've done a lot of writing so far this week. Close to 10K words since Sunday. And I started a new wip tonight as soon as I finished the then current wip.
> 
> I think my plan is working.


Wow. Sounds like your plan is *really* working.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Jeff said:


> Wow. Sounds like your plan is *really* working.


Instead of trying to work at set times each day, I just pop outside when I have a spare minute and write until someone stops me. I discovered the wip I thought was finished needs one more scene, and I hope to get that done today.


----------



## Jeff

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Instead of trying to work at set times each day, I just pop outside when I have a spare minute and write until someone stops me. I discovered the wip I thought was finished needs one more scene, and I hope to get that done today.


Good plan.


----------



## Sean Sweeney

Finished the first draft of my latest WIP on Wednesday. The ending needs a lot of work, but that can wait until August. Just relaxing until it's time to start working on the next Jaclyn Johnson book.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Sean Sweeney said:


> Finished the first draft of my latest WIP on Wednesday. The ending needs a lot of work, but that can wait until August. Just relaxing until it's time to start working on the next Jaclyn Johnson book.


August?


----------



## Thomas Watson

Well past the 70K mark at last, but more important, there's a feeling of momentum, of the end being in sight. There'll still be a ton of work to do to get this WIP ready for beta readers, but the tale will be told.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Well past the 70K mark at last, but more important, there's a feeling of momentum, of the end being in sight. There'll still be a ton of work to do to get this WIP ready for beta readers, but the tale will be told.


That's a great feeling.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Yes, it is! Completing the first draft is always the toughest part for me. Once I have all the pieces out where I can see them and push them around to make them work, I always feel more relaxed. Things really come alive at that point.

"First drafts don't have to be perfect. They just have to be written."  That's floating around on Facebook - don't know who the quote is by, but it nails it.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Yes, it is! Completing the first draft is always the toughest part for me. Once I have all the pieces out where I can see them and push them around to make them work, I always feel more relaxed. Things really come alive at that point.
> 
> "First drafts don't have to be perfect. They just have to be written." That's floating around on Facebook - don't know who the quote is by, but it nails it.


Words of wisdom. I can't tell you how many aspiring writers I've said something similar to and they have all looked at me like I'm crazy.

Kind of lost track of my word count this week, but I'm sure it was at least 8K. Also started a new full-length novel.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

We are all saddened by the passing of our good friend Jeff Hepple.

Please support his memory by visiting his Amazon Author's page and sharing out the links and titles. He left many legacies, and his books are certainly a treasure trove.

http://www.amazon.com/Jeffry-S.-Hepple/e/B002BM69BO/

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Thomas Watson

I was just thinking that I haven't checked in here in a long while, so I acted on the impulse and, well, checked in.

Seems I'm not the only one AWOL. Last post a month old? 

Where'd everybody go?


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> I was just thinking that I haven't checked in here in a long while, so I acted on the impulse and, well, checked in.
> 
> Seems I'm not the only one AWOL. Last post a month old?
> 
> Where'd everybody go?


LOL! This thread seems to die off for a while, revive, then go back into hibernation. What the heck - what's everyone working on? I just sent The Black Gate off to the editors a bit ago and am now on a 10 week RV road trip through New England. I don't plan to do any real writing, but I'll be doing research and sketching notes for the next book, the third of the In Her Name/First Empress story...


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! This thread seems to die off for a while, revive, then go back into hibernation. What the heck - what's everyone working on? I just sent The Black Gate off to the editors a bit ago and am now on a 10 week RV road trip through New England. I don't plan to do any real writing, but I'll be doing research and sketching notes for the next book, the third of the In Her Name/First Empress story...


oh, yeah, i have to upload my comments about Black Gate....


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> LOL! This thread seems to die off for a while, revive, then go back into hibernation. What the heck - what's everyone working on? I just sent The Black Gate off to the editors a bit ago and am now on a 10 week RV road trip through New England. I don't plan to do any real writing, but I'll be doing research and sketching notes for the next book, the third of the In Her Name/First Empress story...


Say "Hi!" to New Hampshire for me.

I'm in the middle of the pass I make through a book just before turning it over to beta readers. "Real life" (lets call it "elder care issues" and leave it at that) is turning this into a long, drawn-out process as writing time is frequently used up by other concerns. I can tell when problems derailed writing for several days (or weeks - February was bad) during the first draft, because I keep finding pieces of the first half of the book that don't connect with the second. It's coming together - in fact, I'm rather pleased with the way it's doing so - but it's taken a long damned time!


----------



## MrBourbons

I'm planning on releasing my second novel this Friday, which is also my birthday. I learned a lot in the last year, and it's not easy marketing a book when you have everything else in life to contend with. This is my first attempt at self publishing a novel, so it's rather nerve wracking. I'm pleased I can control the price and offers this time, as the first came out through an indie publisher and my hands are a bit tied.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> oh, yeah, i have to upload my comments about Black Gate....


"oh, yeah..."


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> Say "Hi!" to New Hampshire for me.
> 
> I'm in the middle of the pass I make through a book just before turning it over to beta readers. "Real life" (lets call it "elder care issues" and leave it at that) is turning this into a long, drawn-out process as writing time is frequently used up by other concerns. I can tell when problems derailed writing for several days (or weeks - February was bad) during the first draft, because I keep finding pieces of the first half of the book that don't connect with the second. It's coming together - in fact, I'm rather pleased with the way it's doing so - but it's taken a long d*mned time!


You can only do what you can do. There are certain priorities that can't be ignored, just don't be derailed by the ones that can. And as for finding bits and pieces that don't quite fit, well, that's what the editing process is for!


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

MrBourbons said:


> I'm planning on releasing my second novel this Friday, which is also my birthday. I learned a lot in the last year, and it's not easy marketing a book when you have everything else in life to contend with. This is my first attempt at self publishing a novel, so it's rather nerve wracking. I'm pleased I can control the price and offers this time, as the first came out through an indie publisher and my hands are a bit tied.


It never stops being a learning process, trust me!!


----------



## Thomas Watson

Michael R. Hicks said:


> You can only do what you can do. There are certain priorities that can't be ignored, just don't be derailed by the ones that can. And as for finding bits and pieces that don't quite fit, well, that's what the editing process is for!


All true. I have however, set a personal best for the number of times I've read something in my own manuscript and thought, "Dude, what were you thinking?" And these are just the things so obvious that even I can spot them! lol


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Thomas Watson said:


> All true. I have however, set a personal best for the number of times I've read something in my own manuscript and thought, "Dude, what were you thinking?" And these are just the things so obvious that even I can spot them! lol


LOL!!


----------



## telracs

Michael R. Hicks said:


> "oh, yeah..."


or i can just hit you over the head with my kindle tomorrow.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

telracs said:


> or i can just hit you over the head with my kindle tomorrow.


Ow! You'll probably hit me with it, anyway...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Hey, Mike. Long time.

I finished a novella over the weekend and did some editing, but it needs a lot more. I messed up the timeline and have to redo some of my research.

Did 1700 words on the wip yesterday, but mostly I'm relaxing this week. I'll get back to work on the weekend. Is that backwards?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I haven't posted here in a long time either. Thoughts of Jeff are very sobering and he was was a bastion of this forum. But my latest is nearing completion - The Saffire Astonishment - A Nick Firestone Mystery - I'm at 62k with 5 chapters to go before revisions and changes. I hope to have this one out by the end of July. It will be my 24th.

I've also started a countdown to 50,000 books in criculation (I'm at 49,94. It's only taken 7 years,  (and some authors do it in a day), but it's nice to know your words nestle somewhere out there on the globe.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I haven't posted here in a long time either. Thoughts of Jeff are very sobering and he was was a bastion of this forum.
> Edward C. Patterson


I know. It's hard to be here, especially in this thread, without Jeff.

I've been on vacation all week but I did get some writing in. Close to 10K. I finished a novella and worked on a new novel. The novella is the prequel to a novel I wrote a few years ago and the novel is the third in the trilogy. But I discovered that I completely screwed up the timeline. I have to do a lot more research.

Jeff would not be proud that I messed up the history.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie, I think Jeff would just gently kick your butt back on track...

We're currently on tour of New England for the summer, which is why I haven't posted much - or gotten much writing done, LOL! We just arrived in Dennis Port, MA, after hitting spots in Maryland (to drop off the boys with their father for the summer), New York City (where we saw Wicked with telracs), and Mystic, CT (where we did a bunch of stuff, including a sunset sailing cruise out of Newport, RI). Now we're off to explore Cape Cod for the next several days before moving on to Boston.

And I'm going to try and get my butt out of bed early enough in the morning to get The Black Gate ready for the beta readers. It's just rather hard to focus right now! But I'm going to to start spending at least an hour or two each day working on it. Hmm, and speaking of telracs, I think she owes me some revisions!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Gertie, I think Jeff would just gently kick your butt back on track...


You're so right about that!

I did upload all the wordage I wrote while on vacation (hear that, Mike?).

I won't be doing any more writing until tomorrow night, but I have a lot of research to do. I always research an historical timeline before I start but I messed this one up pretty badly. I may have to go to the (gasp) library and read actual (gasp) books.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You're so right about that!
> 
> I did upload all the wordage I wrote while on vacation (hear that, Mike?).
> 
> I won't be doing any more writing until tomorrow night, but I have a lot of research to do. I always research an historical timeline before I start but I messed this one up pretty badly. I may have to go to the (gasp) library and read actual (gasp) books.


Did I hear what?? 

And actual books? Egads! Don't you know that Al Gore invented the Internet just so you wouldn't have to do that? LOL


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Did I hear what??


 



> And actual books? Egads! Don't you know that Al Gore invented the Internet just so you wouldn't have to do that? LOL


I should be grateful. Riiigghhhhtttt!!!


----------



## shellywriterlady

Hello,

This is my first post and I was wondering how you guys deal with a manuscript that is begging to be written? Here's the thing, I work from home as a writer for other people. I do web site content, blog posts for lawyers and that sort of thing. But the last day or so my WIP characters are beating me over the head to write THEIR story. It is seriously affecting my focus. Any advice? 

BTW all of you are very inspiring.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

shellywriterlady said:


> Hello,
> 
> This is my first post and I was wondering how you guys deal with a manuscript that is begging to be written? Here's the thing, I work from home as a writer for other people. I do web site content, blog posts for lawyers and that sort of thing. But the last day or so my WIP characters are beating me over the head to write THEIR story. It is seriously affecting my focus. Any advice?
> 
> BTW all of you are very inspiring.


Shelly -

Greetings! This sort of question comes up a lot, but the long and short of the answer (that I typically give, anyway) is that you just have to sit your butt down in a chair and write. Do that other work as necessary, then on your own time put your own words down. You have to prioritize your time to get it done, and sometimes it's a pain, but that's The Big Secret To Writing Stuff.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Shelly -
> 
> Greetings! This sort of question comes up a lot, but the long and short of the answer (that I typically give, anyway) is that you just have to sit your butt down in a chair and write. Do that other work as necessary, then on your own time put your own words down. You have to prioritize your time to get it done, and sometimes it's a pain, but that's The Big Secret To Writing Stuff.


Exactly!

I can make a zillion excuses not to write, but in the end, Mike is right. Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard and start typing.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Exactly!
> 
> I can make a zillion excuses not to write, but in the end, Mike is right. Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard and start typing.


Hey, maybe I should try that sometime!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> Hey, maybe I should try that sometime!


Hey, maybe you'd better take it slow. You don't want to hurt yourself. 

Did some editing on a novella and some research which left me more confused than ever. Not that the historical timeline confused me. How I'm going to correct the story is what has me stymied.

I'll figure it out, but I think I'll take some ibuprofen ahead of time to stave off the headache I know I'm going to get.


----------



## Thomas Watson

shellywriterlady said:


> Hello,
> 
> This is my first post and I was wondering how you guys deal with a manuscript that is begging to be written? Here's the thing, I work from home as a writer for other people. I do web site content, blog posts for lawyers and that sort of thing. But the last day or so my WIP characters are beating me over the head to write THEIR story. It is seriously affecting my focus. Any advice?
> 
> BTW all of you are very inspiring.


I know the feeling. I don't work at home, so I sit in an office all day peering at spread sheets and writing emails to astronomers who forgot to respond to the previous email. All the while, the current WIP is kicking at the inside of my head yelling, "Let me out!" The only way I can deal with this is to rush home as soon as I'm off the clock and write as much as I can with the energy I have left. Which puts me in a different situation altogether.

http://underdesertstars.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/musings/


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I fixed my timeline. It turned out to be easier than I thought. I found a really good event at a perfect time I could use. Now I'm thinking of working in a few more events to lead into the set up for the next book.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> I fixed my timeline. It turned out to be easier than I thought. I found a really good event at a perfect time I could use. Now I'm thinking of working in a few more events to lead into the set up for the next book.


And don't forget to have two men burst into the room with guns at a completely inopportune moment... 

Leaving Cape Cod today and heading for Boston!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Michael R. Hicks said:


> And don't forget to have two men burst into the room with guns at a completely inopportune moment...
> 
> Leaving Cape Cod today and heading for Boston!


Darn, I did forget.  Thanks for the reminder.


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Darn, I did forget.  Thanks for the reminder.


Any time...


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Did 2K last night on the new novel. No gun-totin' gangsters, yet (it's 1937 so there's bound to be an opportunity). 

My leading lady has just received some very harsh warnings about directors and casting couches, but I think she's going to fall for the guy anyway, giving a big boost to her career, but of course, breaking her heart.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I finished THE SAPPHIRE ASTONISHMENT - A NICK FIRESTONE MYSTERY on Sunday afternoon. Now for a few weeks of RPP&P (Revisions, polishing, proofing and p[ublishing).It came of 71,000 words (rather short for me, but . . .). I'm dedicating this book to Tim Mulder, who passed away in Febraury. My next book, Boots of Montjoy will be dedicated in memory of Jeff Hepple.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I finished THE SAPPHIRE ASTONISHMENT - A NICK FIRESTONE MYSTERY on Sunday afternoon. Now for a few weeks of RPP&P (Revisions, polishing, proofing and p[ublishing).It came of 71,000 words (rather short for me, but . . .). I'm dedicating this book to Tim Mulder, who passed away in Febraury. My next book, Boots of Montjoy will be dedicated in memory of Jeff Hepple.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Congrats. I didn't know you were writing mysteries. Let me know when it comes out.

I stopped doing dedications because I have too many books out. But, yes, I'll be dedicating my next one to Jeff, too. I still can't believe he's gone.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

The series is a mystery spin off from The Jade Owl - the main character being the grow'd up five year old protagonist from the last 2 Jade Owl books. But it's a stand-aling (no Jade Owl 3,700 page read required). lol

Ed P

PS: I know about dedications. Tom, Jeff, LC. It's hard to think of friends and colleagues gone.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon)

I don't feel like writing anything new or may be there is nothing new to write...lol
Anyone else feel that way. 

May be I need to visit such inspiring site more often that I have not done for over a year.. Wish you all the very best.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Two blissful hours of uninterrupted writing time and 2500 words written. I'm up to almost 22K on the wip. Shooting for 50-60K.

I'm scheduling another 2-3 hours tomorrow. Fingers crossed nothing alters my plans.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Taking a little vacation from wordsmithing while beta readers do their thing. Catching up on other matters and reading a book or two. Funny thing is, I didn't intend to take a break. It just seemed to happen, and while I'm looking forward to getting down to revisions when the readers are done, I feel no inclination to fill the gap with short stories and such.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

I've written 6500 words in the last week. I'm really enjoying writing a full-length novel again.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Finally have revisions completed and getting Courage to Accept proofread. I'm still hoping to release it just before Christmas, but dealing with an elderly (and declining) father-in-law has so frequently derailed everything to do with normal life. If I pull this off, I'll frankly be amazed!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Finally have revisions completed and getting Courage to Accept proofread. I'm still hoping to release it just before Christmas, but dealing with an elderly (and declining) father-in-law has so frequently derailed everything to do with normal life. If I pull this off, I'll frankly be amazed!


Congratulations on finishing, but we all know family comes first. The book will eventually get published no matter what. Good luck.


----------



## Thomas Watson

It will. The "eventually" part is what worries me. But there's nothing for it.


----------



## Thomas Watson

"Eventually" has come at last.



Four down, one to go!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> "Eventually" has come at last.
> 
> 
> 
> Four down, one to go!


YAY!!!


----------



## Kirkee

RJ Keller: RE: "You should bake me a nice pie"

Would you settle for a Twinkie?

Just askin'.


----------



## Thomas Watson

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> YAY!!!


Feels that way, to be sure!

The first draft for Book Five begins today.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Thomas Watson said:


> Feels that way, to be sure!
> 
> The first draft for Book Five begins today.


Jumping right back in!


----------



## Thomas Watson

I need all the momentum I can get!


----------



## Joe Mynhardt

Doing my best to stay highly motivated under a lot of pressure. 

I started what was supposed to be a small press back in 2012, but with a book a month coming out till the end of the year and working with people I grew up admiring, 
plus a teaching day job and living on the school grounds, I tend to lose speed now and then. The company grew a lot faster than I anticipated, and I still do way too much of 
the work on my own.

But this site has already taught me a lot, especially on improving my launches. So I feel quite positive and a lot more productive.

Thanks, everyone. This is an awesome forum.


----------



## Michael Deed

> Feels that way, to be sure!
> 
> The first draft for Book Five begins today.


Hi Thomas,
Just downloaded the first book in your series. I like the idea of reading a Sci Fi book by someone who is passionate about Astronomy.
Best wishes,
Michael


----------



## Trans-Human

Some touch of astronomy, cosmology, and genuine hard exobiology is what is lacking in today's science fiction stories. Glad somebody injects that from time to time. Hats tipped to you Sir Thomas


----------



## Thomas Watson

Thanks for giving me a shot, Michael! Very much appreciated!

Alex, glad the science is appreciated. So much "sci-fi" these days is really science fantasy. Not necessarily a bad thing - I do love Star Wars after all - but science in general has been getting a bum rap these days. Nice to have a chance to show it in a better light.


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## Thomas Watson

On another note, folks who follow me on Facebook (I just have an ordinary page there, right now, but feel free to drop in any time) know that the word count for Book Five is lagging. The unexpected death of my father, not long after releasing The Courage to Accept, seriously derailed my efforts. I'm only now regaining that momentum I mentioned back in January. I haven't visited this discussion since then, and it occurred to me just now that those who know me here might wonder what became of me. I'm fine -  now. And writing full bore again.


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## Trans-Human

Thomas Watson said:


> Thanks for giving me a shot, Michael! Very much appreciated!
> 
> Alex, glad the science is appreciated. So much "sci-fi" these days is really science fantasy. Not necessarily a bad thing - I do love Star Wars after all - but science in general has been getting a bum rap these days. Nice to have a chance to show it in a better light.


First, let me say I'm sorry to hear that about your father. I have one too, and can't even imagine what it would be to lose him. Even though that day may come eventually as I get older. But I'm happy you went through that and came back strong and full of writer's vigor, so I'm happy that you have a drive, and hope it translates on the pages .

I personally haven't tried hard sci-fi, at least not the one by definition of the term, mainly because I'm neither a scientist, nor am I that good in science even as a layman, hobbyist or what have you. But I do tend to differentiate between more fantastical, lollipop sci-fi as I like to call it, and one that is a lot more serious, grounded, rationalized, well-explained. Its not gonna raise any eyebrows with amateur or pro scientists who like science fiction but it may give something more stern and solid to the average reader than 'Invasion of the Warrior Cat Men from Zeetula V'. I do consult on things sometimes in order to bring more traditional "hardness" to my stories, by discussing things with biologists, chemists, astronomers, engineers etc. But still, they never know the whole picture and they are not writing the story themselves, so a lot of holes are left open. Wide open. But I'm satisfied. Since, when I started writing at age of 16, I've come a long way from Space Dinos in metal suits. That gotta count for something now! 

I'm not sure how "hard" one can make space opera, but that subgenre tends to require the most suspension of disbelief, or at least, scientific disbelief, in order for it to work. The only slightly more "hard" version of space opera that I know of is 'Lockstep', from Karl Schroeder. That was the first time I saw somebody entertain it in that way.


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## Thomas Watson

Most of the suspension of disbelief I need to employ reading space opera is the idea that interstellar travel is possible in the first place. Accept that "what if," and the rest is generally not a challenge. The science I employ is based on my own background, mostly my life-long interest in astronomy (practiced as an amateur astronomer and working at the Steward Observatory here in Tucson), and biology by training (BS in plant biology, with a lot of other science wedged in along the way to the degree). I've used what I learned of genetics and molecular biology, and learned again working for about ten years in a functional genomics lab. It's all provided a very useful frame of reference, which really helps when research is necessary. 

I sometimes get carried away with it all, though. I've had beta readers warn me away from "lecturing" readers!


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## geoffthomas

Hey now.
I know someone's working on a book, right?
Mike Hicks, Margaret Lake, Edward Patterson and Thomas Watson......
What's going on?  Status on new works?


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## Gertie Kindle

I haven't seen Ed or Mike around here in ages.

You know the last of the First Empress trilogy has been out for a while. I've been reluctant to read it because once I do, the _In Her Name_ series is gone. End of an Era (sigh) Mike's new one, _Vulcan's Fury_, looks really good.

http://authormichaelhicks.com/blog/

I'm taking a short break from writing. It's been a jam packed year and my writing has suffered. So, a little R&R and then plunging back in with a vengeance. Hopefully.


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## hardnutt

Okay, I don't think I've posted on this before, mainly because I haven't actually finished an entire book since 2011! I know, shame on me. But now I've got the bit between my teeth and have written Asking For It #16 Rafferty, just waiting for a cover. I'm currently 21,00 words in on another Rafferty, no title as yet. And I've written three Rafferty Shorts, two just awaiting covers, and one already up on Amazon.

I won't leave it as long again. I've also promised a reader that I'd do a third Casey & Catt - who knows, once I get back into that series, I might do more. I'm also toying with another biographical historical.

Making up for lost time. Oh and I've also had an audio offer accepted by a narrator on ACX.


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## Gertie Kindle

hardnutt said:


> Okay, I don't think I've posted on this before, mainly because I haven't actually finished an entire book since 2011! I know, shame on me. But now I've got the bit between my teeth and have written Asking For It #16 Rafferty, just waiting for a cover. I'm currently 21,00 words in on another Rafferty, no title as yet. And I've written three Rafferty Shorts, two just awaiting covers, and one already up on Amazon.
> 
> I won't leave it as long again. I've also promised a reader that I'd do a third Casey & Catt - who knows, once I get back into that series, I might do more. I'm also toying with another biographical historical.
> 
> Making up for lost time. Oh and I've also had an audio offer accepted by a narrator on ACX.


Congrats on jumping into the deep end. And double congrats on snagging an ACX narrator. Did you do royalty share or pay up front?


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## Steph H

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> You know the last of the First Empress trilogy has been out for a while. I've been reluctant to read it because once I do, the _In Her Name_ series is gone. End of an Era (sigh)


Not true! Mike made it clear in an email to his reading list last month that there would be more...

"Lastly, for those who have been wondering, MISTRESS OF THE AGES was not the last book of the IN HER NAME series. The story of the Kreelan Empire and Confederation of Humanity isn't over yet. "

I believe he plans to move back to the time around First Contact, following that trilogy, though I won't swear to it.  So don't despair and don't wait any longer! 

And Geoff, I don't believe Thomas will mind if I tell you that the 5th book in his series is due probably in January. It's with the beta readers now, of which I'm fortunate to be one.  No spoilers....


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## hardnutt

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Congrats on jumping into the deep end. And double congrats on snagging an ACX narrator. Did you do royalty share or pay up front?


Thanks! I paid up front. But I'll only manage to do it on this one, so it better make me some money, or it's unlikely there'll be another audio!


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## telracs

Steph H said:


> Not true! Mike made it clear in an email to his reading list last month that there would be more...
> 
> "Lastly, for those who have been wondering, MISTRESS OF THE AGES was not the last book of the IN HER NAME series. The story of the Kreelan Empire and Confederation of Humanity isn't over yet. "
> 
> I believe he plans to move back to the time around First Contact, following that trilogy, though I won't swear to it.  So don't despair and don't wait any longer!
> 
> And Geoff, I don't believe Thomas will mind if I tell you that the 5th book in his series is due probably in January. It's with the beta readers now, of which I'm fortunate to be one.  No spoilers....


oops, that reminds me, better start reading Thomas's file.....


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## Steph H

telracs said:


> oops, that reminds me, better start reading Thomas's file.....


Ha, I haven't actually started yet either, I'm re-reading the rest so I can remember who/what/where everyone/everything is....  Almost done though.


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## Gertie Kindle

Steph, I'm on Mike's mailing list but I don't recall that. Good news. Now I can read the empress book. Back to the 2am club.



hardnutt said:


> Thanks! I paid up front. But I'll only manage to do it on this one, so it better make me some money, or it's unlikely there'll be another audio!


I hear you. That was my plan too.


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## hardnutt




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## geoffthomas

Ok, this is the kind of "inside info" a hard-core reader (sometimes beta) wants to know.
And let me continue to encourage you all to keep up the good work.
I am also on Mikes list.  Probably saw it there.  He also shares some hints on his FB page.


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## Gertie Kindle

I just put my heart series into paperback. _Diana and the Gypsy_ is going into paperback on 10/16.

The reason I'm waiting that long is there is a young man I'm mentoring and I want to show him how to create and upload a paperback. The 16th is the first day we can get together. I've been reading his work since he was fourteen (almost eighteen now) and he is an amazing writer. He's working on a YA Post Apocalyptic trilogy. The first book is done and I loved it.

I'm still on a writing hiatus but I'll be back soon.


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## hardnutt

More competition!


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## Gertie Kindle

hardnutt said:


> More competition!


And he's starting decades ahead of most of us. <sigh>


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## Thomas Watson

I've got the fifth and final volume of the Second Iteration series off to the beta readers. That's later than I originally intended, but much sooner that I thought was going to be the case. It's been a year, but not a good year for focusing my energies on the writing of a book. I'm hoping to release it in January of 2016, but that'll depend on how many holes the beta readers find in the current draft.

Nice to see this thread come to life again. I've missed it!


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## Gertie Kindle

I'm working on a FB ad right now. I have a cover reveal coming up as well as a freebie and a countdown deal on the same series. 

All I have to do now is find the names of some comparable authors. Sweet romance set in WW I. Probably anything from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th. 

Any suggestions?


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## Thomas Watson

Wish I could help. Not a genre I'm familiar with.


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