The Great Sword of Ages

Yo! Well done!

 

Congrats NaNo'ers! This is about as close to the victory date as you can come. Hope you all got in some fantastic writing time this month.

This'll be the last short post for my November series. We'll be back to blog normality next week, and we've got a lot of fun catching up to do. Not to mention a certain wily ninja to fete. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, here's one of my favorite sources for no-holds-barred editing advice for those NaNo novels that need a little love. And just an all-around awesome excerpt from Molly Cochran and Warren Murphy. If you guys like the Arthur legend in any way, give this one a try.

Resource: Miss Snark’s Crap-o-meters

Inspiration: Molly Cochran and Warren Murphy, The Forever King

 And then he saw it, too: Arthur standing tall, holding in his hand the great sword of ages.

He forgot Saladin and his horsemen, still as statues on the meadow. He forgot the blood that was pouring from his neck, and the useless objects that had once been his hands, and the pain that burned through his body like a living thing. He forgot that he was about to die.

 

                               “My king,” he whispered.



Dresden Countdown!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I've got a couple short posts this week as folks make the final push for NaNo, then we'll be back to normal blogging and some fun announcements.

In other news, Cold Days is out this week!! This is one of those books I've been waiting for ALL YEAR! So excited to get back to Harry and the gang. If you haven't picked up the Dresden Files yet, give 'em a try.

 

Resource: Janice Hardy’s Real Life Diagnostics
Janice is an amazing MG author and also a great writing coach. She gives away free advice on her blog as part of her line-by-line Real Life Diagnostics series for anyone who submits their opening scene.

Inspiration: Jim Butcher, Ghost Story

“You’ve got it backward, Harry. You are a soul. You have a body.”

 

Two Worlds

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is the day we pause to recognize all our blessings, and I don't know about you, but boy do I have a lot to be thankful for!

Hope you all enjoy the time with family and friends, and top off all that shopping and eating with a good book.

Until then, enjoy the latest Resource/Inspiration combo for NaNo!

Resource: Absolute Write
Writing forums for all genres!

Inspiration: Terry Brooks, Sometimes the Magic Works

“Writers live in two worlds—the real world of friends and family and the imaginary world of their writing.

 

If you were to measure the difference in time spent between the two, I suspect you would find it quite small…a writer can’t ever leave either for very long.”

Sometimes the Magic Works

Resource: DeviantArt
A great source of inspiration and potential cover artists!

Inspiration: Terry Brooks, Sometimes the Magic Works

“The muse whispers to you when she chooses, and you can’t tell her to come back later, because you quickly learn in this business that she might not come back at all.”

“I have decided, on reflection, it is best just to remember that sometimes the magic really works.”

“I am incomplete without my work. I am so closely bound to it, so much identified by it, that without it I think I would crumble into dust and drift away.”

“I cannot imagine life without books any more than I can imagine life without breathing.”

“If you do not hear music in your words, you have put too much thought into your writing and not enough heart.”

 

 

That last one is one of my favorites!

Who Wills, Can

I'm off to the northwoods to clear my brain and breathe deep for a couple days. In the meantime, enjoy a few words from one of my favorite authors. Sometimes, it takes so little to say so much.

Resource: Let's Get Digital, by David Gaughran

This is an excellent recap of everything you need to know about the self-publishing frontier, plus some fabulous examples of how other authors have succeeded. Hats off to David for putting it all together!




Inspiration: Anne McCaffrey, Dragonflight

Who wills, can.

Who tries, does.

Who loves, lives.

 

Oh, and if anyone's checking in from the "I Miss You" blogfest, I'm nominating the late, great Miss Snark. The blog's been dark for several years, but man, that lady could dish out the writerly wisdom!

 

The Marquis Cover Reveal

Cue the dramatic music! Today marks the cover release for Christine Rains' paranormal romance 1301 - The Marquis.

Life after Hell isn't more exciting than watching football and fixing a busted pipe. Once a powerful demon, Marc enjoys his quiet existence and a good cup of coffee. With big ambitions to gain his master's favor, a trickster demon named Vetis shatters Marc's peace and vows to deliver Marc's head to the fires of Hell. Not before he destroys everything Marc cares about, of course.

Marc's power has diminished over the years. Heaven will never grant him absolution, and he refuses to return to Hell. Running isn't an option. The city of Carmine is his territory. It's also home to his favorite cafe owner, Mae Hopkins. The dame has a lovely smile, but it's her heart and soul that shine bright.

While his city burns and his love is captured, Marc must decide to surrender or let hate and anger fuel him to become the fearsome beast he so loathes: The Marquis. If the Marquis rises, Vetis can be defeated and Mae saved, but Marc would be lost to his demon forever.

 

Doesn't it sound great? It kinda reminds me of the Count of Monte Cristo...with demons! The hauntingly intense cover perfectly fits the mood. The book will be available next month, so stay tuned to Christine's blog for more updates.

About Christine:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She also has two novellas and sixteen short stories published.

Catch up with her here:

• Website: http://christinerains.net/
• Blog: http://christinerains-writer.blogspot.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristinerains
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/@CRainsWriter
• Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4017568.Christine_Rains

 

It Is Our Actions That Define Us

Resource: Bookshelf Muse

Inspiration: Karen Marie Moning's Bloodfever 

 

“Back in high school when I used to feel insecure about something, I would console myself with two thoughts: I’m pretty and my parents love me. Between those two, I could survive anything.

 

Since then, I’ve come to understand how little the former matters, and how bitterly the latter can be tested. What’s left then? Nothing about our appearance or who loves or hates us. Nothing about our brainpower—which, like beauty, is an unearned gift of genetics—nor even anything about what we say.

 

It’s our actions that define us. What we choose. What we resist. What we’re willing to die for.”
 

 

I don't know about you guys, but that opening definitely got me hooked.

Congrats NaNo'ers! Almost two weeks down, three to go.

I Had to Write, You See

This post kicks off my November blog theme. A couple times a week, I'll highlight a writing resource and a source of inspiration--excerpts from fellow writers, quotes and other fun tid-bits.

Today, it's wisdom from sci-fi author C.S. Friedman.

Enjoy!

Resource: Nathan Bransford Forums

Inspiration: C.S. Friedman on writing In Conquest Born

 

“I had to write, you see. That’s not a choice, for some, but a condition. A hunger as visceral, as demanding as the need for sex or food. Words build up inside you, they have to be let out. They have to have the proper form, too. It doesn’t matter if you have a master’s thesis due the next day; if a chapter of a science fiction novel is screaming in your brain to be let out, that has to come first…

 

So I wrote. I created worlds, and they grew as I grew, and the stories I set in them began to take on larger scope…And then, one night, it happened. I had come home from a stressful workday of fourteen hours and couldn’t sleep. I sat down at my typewriter to let off some creative steam, and the words just began to flow. Long, long into the night, until time was forgotten. Miles past exhaustion, into the hours before dawn when creativity is at its sharpest and the muse at its most demanding.

 

Thirty pages.

 

When I was done I sat back and just stared at those pages. I could still hear the music of the language in my brain, I could still taste the imagery of the story. Even in first draft form, the story sang to me. And, I knew, in that moment, that I had crossed some unnamed line. My writing was ready. If I ever wanted to publish, it was time to try.”

Thanks! Gracias! Merci! Danke!

Vikki and Tara are giving us a wonderful chance to pause and thank the people who have helped us on the way. These "thank yous" might seem simple, but they mean the world to me!

• To Mom and Dad – My love of reading and writing started with you, and I’m so grateful that you’ve always supported and encouraged me over the years, even my over-active imagination.

• To Katie – You are more like a sister to me than anyone. Thanks for all the inside jokes, the fellow love of fantasy, and for always knowing what it means to be a dreamer.

• To the original Tuesday night crew at All Writers, especially Kathy, Mark, Mary Ann and Kristen – You guys are incredible. I am so, so lucky to have such an awesome group of writers in my own backyard. Your stories are amazing, your feedback is wise and your friendship is priceless.

• To Karen – You have been so helpful and supportive, and it’s always great to hear your perspective. Plus, it’s fun to chat, and I’m always happy to return the favor for any of your WIPs!

• To all my fellow bloggers and writers and readers – Thanks for believing!

And, above all, thanks to God. Without Him, there’d be no stories…and I would have surrendered the dream long ago.