tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48294730382121189952024-03-13T13:37:21.825-05:00Write Me A WorldTips, Advice & Tools to Counter the Blank PageNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.comBlogger386125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-83756604071690238102015-12-29T11:49:00.001-06:002015-12-29T12:28:31.383-06:00Posts to Help You Write Characters<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/06/baggage-claim.html" target="_blank">Baggage Claim: Giving Your Characters Backstory</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/05/calling-all-non-magical-beings.html" target="_blank">Calling All Non-Magical Beings</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/03/characters-in-flux-making-em-multi.html" target="_blank">Characters in Flux: Making Characters Multi-dimensional</a><o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-writing-space-advice-from-fish.html" target="_blank">Character Advice from Dory: Letting Them Experience Adventure</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/01/creating-sympathetic-villains.html" target="_blank">Creating Sympathetic Villains</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/10/grand-exits.html" target="_blank">Grand Exits: Sending Characters into the Sunset</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/08/i-say-couch-you-say-chaise.html" target="_blank">I Say Couch, You Say Chaise: Character Word Choice</a><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-eyes-have-itor-do-they.html" target="_blank">The Eyes Have It…or Do They?: Writing Character Emotion</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/02/first-names-characters-youre-in-trouble.html" target="_blank">The Power of First Names</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-sword-under-sink.html" target="_blank">The Sword Under the Sink: Cool Ways to Introduce Readers to Your Characters</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-would-your-characters-do-and-nano.html" target="_blank">What Would Your Characters Do</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/07/writing-rules-according-to-gibbs.html" target="_blank">Writing Rules According to Gibbs</a><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/09/writing-unpredictable-characters.html" target="_blank">Writing Unpredictable Characters</a></div>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-14517702666948465102015-12-29T11:49:00.000-06:002015-12-29T12:34:24.324-06:00Posts to Help You Plot<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-can-disneys-animal-kingdom-teach.html" target="_blank">Animal Kingdom on Stories</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/06/captain-obvious.html" target="_blank">Captain Obvious</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/07/do-you-trust-me.html" target="_blank">Do You Trust Me</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/07/drought.html" target="_blank">Drought</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/06/freedom-fighters.html" target="_blank">Freedom Fighters</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/05/harnessing-muse-you-need-now.html" target="_blank">Harnessing the Muse You Need NOW</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2015/09/leaving-room-for-spontaneity.html" target="_blank">Leaving Room for Spontaneity</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/02/new-twist-on-write-what-you-know.html" target="_blank">New Twist on Write What You Know</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/09/piecing-together-plot.html" target="_blank">Piecing Together a Plot</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/10/plotting-for-plan-g.html" target="_blank">Plotting for Plan G</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/12/art-of-subterfuge.html" target="_blank">The Art of Subterfuge</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/09/dangers-of-matrix-zone.html" target="_blank">The Dangers of the Matrix Effect</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-end.html" target="_blank">The End</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/08/un-fairy-tale-ending.html" target="_blank">Unhappy Endings</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/05/when-muse-strikes.html" target="_blank">When the Muse Strikes</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2015/06/writing-about-good-stuff.html" target="_blank">Writing about the Good Times</a><br />
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-14511423588915514202015-12-29T11:48:00.001-06:002015-12-29T12:46:49.553-06:00Posts with a Little Encouragement<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/09/chase-your-passions.html" target="_blank">Chase What You Love</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/02/chlorinated-inspiration.html" target="_blank">Chlorinated Inspiration</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/08/dont-stop-writing-readers-plea.html" target="_blank">Don’t Stop Writing</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/06/dont-think-just-write.html" target="_blank">Don’t Think, Just Write</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/03/fleas.html" target="_blank">Fleas</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/01/focusing-on-right-thing.html" target="_blank">Focusing on the Right Thing</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/09/from-lions-mouth.html" target="_blank">From the Lion’s Mouth</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/05/it-doesnt-get-easier-you-just-go-faster.html" target="_blank">It Doesn’t Get Easier, You Just Go Faster</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/06/handling-i-dont-know-what-pirates-do.html" target="_blank">Handling the Pirate Moments</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/08/renewal.html" target="_blank">Renewal</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/05/running-shoes.html" target="_blank">Running Shoes</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/05/silly-things-writers-panic-over.html" target="_blank">Silly Things Writers Panic Over</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/02/surrender.html" target="_blank">Surrender</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/07/trust-process.html" target="_blank">Trust the Process</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/09/why-youre-great.html" target="_blank">Why You’re Great</a></div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-85553564187025166032015-12-29T11:48:00.000-06:002015-12-29T12:31:03.623-06:00Posts to Help Build Your World<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/03/coin-of-realm.html" target="_blank">Coin of the Realm</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/search/label/Color%20thesaurus" target="_blank">Coloring the Page: Color Thesaurus Series</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/11/does-your-work-influence-your-setting.html" target="_blank">Does Your Work Influence Your Setting</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/01/ipods-in-narnia.html" target="_blank">iPods in Narnia</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/10/mapping-your-world.html" target="_blank">Mapping Your World</a><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/08/play-ballor-quidditch.html" target="_blank">Play Ball…or Quidditch</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/11/two-characters-walk-into-bar.html" target="_blank">Two Characters Walk into a Bar</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/10/worldbuilding-what-are-your-constants.html" target="_blank">What are Your Constants?</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-22336147755105325332015-12-29T11:33:00.000-06:002015-12-29T12:43:26.481-06:00Posts to Help You Market<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/05/book-launch-101-part-one.html" target="_blank">Book Launch 101 – Part 1</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/05/book-launch-101-part-two.html" target="_blank">Book Launch 101 – Part 2</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/05/book-launch-101-part-three.html" target="_blank">Book Launch 101 – Part 3</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/01/do-you-suffer-from-online-book.html" target="_blank">Do You Suffer from Online Book-marketing-itis?</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/03/funny-failsafe-blogging-tips-for-writers.html" target="_blank">Funny Failsafe Blogging Tips for Writers</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/08/lessons-from-my-day-job-go-big-or-go.html" target="_blank">Go Big or Go Home</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/07/lessons-from-my-day-job-queries-and.html" target="_blank">Queries and Resumes</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/09/lessons-fom-my-day-job-building.html" target="_blank">Relationships and Engagement</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2012/02/author-behind-curtain.html" target="_blank">The Author Behind the Curtain</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/09/this-crazy-business.html" target="_blank">This Crazy Business</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-84947691137211167722015-12-29T11:32:00.000-06:002015-12-29T12:41:07.988-06:00Posts to Help You Edit<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/10/best-critique-advice-ive-received.html" target="_blank">The Best Critique Advice I've Heard</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/05/do-cliches-have-their-place.html" target="_blank">Do Cliches Have Their Place</a>?<o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/07/do-you-trust-me.html" target="_blank">Do You Trust Me?: The Promises We Make Readers</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/07/not-quite-as-easy-as-1-2-3.html" target="_blank">Drafts 1, 2, 3</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/01/editing-encouragement-poll.html" target="_blank">Editing Encouragement</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2015/12/my-favorite-editing-exercises.html" target="_blank">My Favorite Editing Tips</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-sight.html" target="_blank">Five Senses – Sight</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-touch.html" target="_blank">Five Senses – Touch</a><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-taste.html" target="_blank">Five Senses – Taste</a><br />
<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-smell.html" target="_blank">Five Senses – Smell</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-sound.html" target="_blank">Five Senses – Sound</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2011/05/get-thee-crit-group.html" target="_blank">Get Thee a Crit Group</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2013/07/instincts.html" target="_blank">Instincts</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2015/01/writers-workout.html" target="_blank">Writer’s Workout</a></div>
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<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2015/03/writing-that-perfect-pace.html" target="_blank">Writing that Perfect Pace</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-1122809413614452182015-12-29T09:42:00.002-06:002015-12-29T09:42:53.877-06:00My Favorite Editing Exercises<div class="MsoNormal">
Editing is a pretty broad topic to tackle, so I’m going to
focus on exercises for three common types of editing we all face: 1) Plot
Editing, 2) Character Editing and 3) Line Editing.</div>
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<b>Plot Editing</b></div>
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<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Goal,
Conflict, Stakes</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Exercise</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />Write these three words at the top of each chapter in your WIP. Then, go
through and actually identify them—write your answers down at the top of each
chapter. This will help you see where the goal is undefined, where the conflict
could be better, and where the stakes could be higher.</span></li>
</ul>
<br /><ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Plot
Matrix</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />Many writers use a variation of a plot matrix—including JK Rowling. She
uses the matrix to plan her novels, but since I’m more of a panster myself,
I’ve utilized this approach as a double-check to identify plot holes during
editing.<br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />Write the chapter numbers along the far left
side of a notebook page and the major POVs or subplots across the top. Then,
summarize the key events for each character or subplot by chapter. It’s really
helpful in fixing timing issues, and since it’s visual you can more easily see
how all aspects of the story fit together…or not.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<b>Character Editing</b></div>
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<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Story
Bible</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />Take a blank piece of notebook paper for each character (or creature, or
location). Write down the details of that character, from physical descriptions
to fears, loves, allergies, backstory, etc. The list should morph along the way
as you add to it. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />This story bible is extremely valuable in maintaining character consistency,
especially over a series. Most of us remember the key components of our
character, but sometimes let the small details slip.</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Assign a
Beta to Each Character</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><br /></b>This is a fun way to get friends involved. Assign each friend one of your
characters. Then, ask them to pay special attention to that particular
character as they read. Since your friends feel strong ownership over “their”
character, they’ll become experts at spotting any holes or inconsistencies in
the character’s storyline.</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Screenwriting/Dialogue</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><br /></b>Role-play a scene to make sure the plot makes sense and that the characters act
and sound consistent. It’s amazing how many silly errors you’ll find simply by
speaking your dialogue out loud and by acting out a scene.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Line Editing</b></div>
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<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The
Basic</b><span style="text-indent: -24px;"><b><br /></b>Be ruthless in avoiding words like ‘was’
and ‘had’ if possible. To further polish your novel, try reading sections of it
backwards. That takes plot out of the equation for this exercise and helps you
focus only on fixing grammar and language mistakes.<br /><div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<br /><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;">Looking for more trouble words to slay from your manuscript? Check out
this <a href="http://blog.janicehardy.com/2008/02/trimming-words.html" target="_blank">great list</a> from Janice Hardy.</span></div>
</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Cutting
Down Your Word Count</b></li>
</ul>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Find
a fast-paced book. I’ve used Rick Riordan, Suzanne Collins and Karen Marie
Moning in the past. Read it in one sitting. Now, go edit. <br />
<br />
This puts me in a speedy frame of mind, and I’m much more willing to cut or
rewrite my own sluggish scenes because I’m fresh from an example of seeing it
done well.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Pick
any (approximately) 100-word paragraph in your book. Rewrite it using only 75.
Now 50. Now 25. <br />
<br />
Complete the exercise, even if you know the 25 word sentence is never something
you would use. It will help you identify the key points you’re trying to
communicate and highlight areas where you can afford to cut. After you’ve done
this a few times, you’ll start to apply that same attitude to your novel as a
whole.<b><br />
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-69034928275187611342015-12-28T00:00:00.000-06:002015-12-28T13:59:57.863-06:00Baggage Claim<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng17E_u31QjE9sik6ZGKre9b-8AmhmlTnEnanj9vBcIUQJxmqCmJNSwwvouip8mAJ-Ej3XkyYufY-31ehfqKL82_YNZSsjsdGzj5fJD44KlmTvGAwSHMerLk2fABRaTktt9SYidNZeTo/s1600/dreamstimefree_237492_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng17E_u31QjE9sik6ZGKre9b-8AmhmlTnEnanj9vBcIUQJxmqCmJNSwwvouip8mAJ-Ej3XkyYufY-31ehfqKL82_YNZSsjsdGzj5fJD44KlmTvGAwSHMerLk2fABRaTktt9SYidNZeTo/s320/dreamstimefree_237492_cropped.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© <a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/wallacedb_info" target="_blank">Dan Wallace</a> | <a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/man-wearing-rucksack-stock-photography-imagefree237492" target="_blank">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ever notice how some characters are immediately interesting
while others struggle to pull us in? I think a big part of the reason is, you
guessed it, BAGGAGE.</div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>A. </b></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Give your characters baggage</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Even if it’s just a small quirk, all characters
should be bringing <i>something</i> to the
book before we read that first page. This helps set their motivations and drive
their action. I’ll never forget my original beginning of the first book I
worked through with my crit group. It literally opened with my MC walking along
the beach, smiling. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Yikes! Where’s the tension? Where’s the
conflict? Things were too perfect (And honestly, they should have been anything
but. She was coming off a major solo journey that would have left anyone
nerve-wracked.). But young Nicole hadn’t wanted to give readers a glimpse of
that baggage right up front. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I learned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I fixed it and completely changed the tone
by starting in a slightly different place and letting that baggage (perfectionist,
stubborn, weight of the world, mommy issues) influence her actions.</div>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>B. </b></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Let your readers see it, but don’t hit us
over the head with it</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
It’s important to share parts of the
characters’ baggage with readers – that’s what makes us sympathize with and
care for them – but you want to dole it out slowly, a little at a time. Info dumps
are not your friends. Did JK Rowling tell us all of Harry’s history in book
one? Did we know the full horror of the Hunger Games and Katniss’ personal
baggage with Peeta from the first page? Nope. But we knew some.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Everyone take out your “Show, don’t tell”
merit badges. This is where you earn them again and again. <i>Show</i> us your characters’ actions are influenced by their histories,
their fears or their faults. It advances the story <i>and</i> gives us a glimpse into their past.</div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-44522485975764378772015-12-14T05:30:00.000-06:002015-12-14T05:30:00.774-06:00The 12 Days of Querying: 2015<div>
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<br />
To usher in the Christmas cheer, I give you...a writerly twist on a holiday classic. And hats off equally to all you writers in the query trenches and all you agents who remain patient, wise and energetic about our writing hopes. ;)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>On the first day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>A kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the second day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>”</li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the third day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>”</li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>”</li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the fourth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the fifth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!”</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the sixth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>”* </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!”</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
</div>
<strong>On the seventh day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> <br />
<ul>
<li>Seven “<em>Where’s the plotlines?</em>"</li>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>” </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!"</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the eighth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Eight non-responses</li>
<li>Seven “<em>Where’s the plotlines?</em>"</li>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>” </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!"</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the ninth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Nine “<em>I don’t get its</em>”</li>
<li>Eight non-responses</li>
<li>Seven “<em>Where’s the plotlines?</em>"</li>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>” </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!"</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the tenth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Ten “<em>I can’t sell this</em>”</li>
<li>Nine “<em>I don’t get its</em>”</li>
<li>Eight non-responses</li>
<li>Seven “<em>Where’s the plotlines?</em>"</li>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>” </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!"</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the eleventh day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Eleven “<em>Not-my-genres</em>”</li>
<li>Ten “<em>I can’t sell this</em>”</li>
<li>Nine “<em>I don’t get its</em>”</li>
<li>Eight non-responses</li>
<li>Seven “<em>Where’s the plotlines?</em>"</li>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>” </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!"</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<div>
<strong>On the twelfth day of querying, the agent gave to me:</strong> </div>
<ul>
<li>Twelve “<em>I need whiskeys</em>”</li>
<li>Eleven “<em>Not-my-genres</em>”</li>
<li>Ten “<em>I can’t sell this</em>”</li>
<li>Nine “<em>I don’t get its</em>”</li>
<li>Eight non-responses</li>
<li>Seven “<em>Where’s the plotlines?</em>"</li>
<li>Six “<em>Not for us’s</em>” </li>
<li>“<em>500K is too long!!"</em></li>
<li>Four “<em>Closed to queries</em>”</li>
<li>Three “<em>Hell Nos</em>” </li>
<li>Two “<em>Try agains</em>” </li>
<li>And a kindly worded form rejection</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">MERRY CHRISTMAS!</span></strong></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<em>*Us’s is a rare and technical term that rhymes with “hippopotamuses”</em></div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-29460541986764156262015-11-27T07:00:00.000-06:002015-11-27T07:00:05.474-06:00Mark Koopmans' REVIVAL Blog Tour<i>I'm so excited to be today's stop on Mark's REVIVAL tour. If you've been around the writing blogosphere, you know Mark is a fantastic guy--plus, I was lucky enough to read an early version of his manuscript. Loved its humor and heart!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And I'm even MORE excited because Mark's giving us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how he connected with Donald Braswell about writing Donald's story. But first...</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>THE STORY</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29vzEf69hr7pV5CaezoyjL82q03yUsGHaTjSc6zyMmEJSu3stj7ilfxYc8yV6ELEhWaYjCwfoIQDZNCYHPCPNcN24saK1yadOThKwb1yPCVGxasxXYlKSNy_bW0MGu-Yi3jGedL4u2W8/s1600/REVIVAL+-+Front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29vzEf69hr7pV5CaezoyjL82q03yUsGHaTjSc6zyMmEJSu3stj7ilfxYc8yV6ELEhWaYjCwfoIQDZNCYHPCPNcN24saK1yadOThKwb1yPCVGxasxXYlKSNy_bW0MGu-Yi3jGedL4u2W8/s400/REVIVAL+-+Front+Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>REVIVAL - The Donald Braswell Story Subtitle: How a Tenor Lost his Voice, but Found his Calling </div>
<div>
<b>Authors:</b> Donald Braswell with Mark Koopmans </div>
<div>
<b>Length:</b> 236 pages </div>
<div>
<b>Synopsis: </b>Five years removed from his 1990 Juilliard graduation, Donald Braswell is set to be “the next Pavarotti.” Braswell’s successful career ends, however, not with a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall, but alone, lying in a dirty ditch. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Following the hit-and-run accident that steals his voice and future, the “Texas Tenor” struggles with depression and despair—until the night his daughter, Aria, is born.<br />
<br />
Understanding this new and immediate life change, Braswell fights to relearn how to speak, sing—and share this gift of second chances with others. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Working as a plasterer, a car salesman, and many jobs in-between, it takes thirteen years—and a musical miracle—for Braswell to battle back and sing on a professional stage. His dreams and ambitions collide with a tired and angry crowd when he auditions for America’s Got Talent. For his family, his faith and his entire future, can the Rocky Balboa of the operatic world find the courage and strength to win just one more fight? </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY</b></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Take it away, Mark.</i><br />
<br />
Aloha,<br />
<br />
Happy post-Thanksgiving Day, and best wishes to anyone who’s reading this after surviving the Black Friday shopping day crowds (It’s madness, I say, madness!!)<br />
<br />
Special thanks to Nicole for the invitation today, and she’s curious to know how I convinced Donald to “sign off” on me writing REVIVAL.<br />
<br />
When I initially realized Donald’s story was way more than a simple feature I was writing for the newspaper, the first thing I did was to take a step back.<br />
<br />
I scribbled a simple outline to get my initial thoughts down on paper (sometimes when I talk with others—especially when I have an exciting idea—my mouth (sadly) works way faster than my poor, little brain.)<br />
<br />
Once the outline was in place, I pitched the idea to Donald in a phone call, and he agreed to meet for a coffee in a local mall.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I wrote up a business plan, printed it, and built a tabbed folder for him to look through the day we met.<br />
<br />
Our meeting lasted about an hour (and I had my then-baby boy with me, which looking back is really funny… talk about making a lasting first impression! Donald, however, is the proud parent to three girls, so the addition of the stroller didn’t faze him a bit.)<br />
<br />
The only other thing I brought with me to that initial meeting was a passion and sincerity that if Donald would trust me—and be a little patient—I would do my very best to share his inspirational journey with the world.<br />
<br />
Donald agreed… and as I said elsewhere, the rest is his story…<br />
<br />
<i>Wow, great backstory, Mark! Thanks so much for sharing.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>MORE ABOUT MARK KOOPMANS</b></div>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysD9-pEi4j_tlCfJEgZqrGSXfWPssoiYQ_o0h_F5xBfmc_bhpYQHhpiHVZp8q5n41VBLgYYDYI-N3gI182bbirvZSVdtQtZ6kBYtuj882llyxry2YNrOipJnGrE7VEndSEsLeY3f8ouY/s1600/REVIVAL+-+Koopmans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysD9-pEi4j_tlCfJEgZqrGSXfWPssoiYQ_o0h_F5xBfmc_bhpYQHhpiHVZp8q5n41VBLgYYDYI-N3gI182bbirvZSVdtQtZ6kBYtuj882llyxry2YNrOipJnGrE7VEndSEsLeY3f8ouY/s200/REVIVAL+-+Koopmans.jpg" width="100" /></a></div>
<div>
Mark Koopmans is originally from Ireland. After working in Holland, Spain, France and England, he won his U.S. “Green Card” in 1994, and is an American by choice since 2003. Koopmans began his writing career with a feature for a regional magazine in California. Since then, he’s worked as a staff writer for newspapers in Florida and Texas. Koopmans is also a proficient blogger and is working on his next book, a novel. Koopmans lives in Virginia and is a married, stay-at-home dad to three active boys under the age of nine. He writes at night. </div>
</div>
<div>
<b><i><a href="http://markkoopmans.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">markkoopmans.blogspot.com</a> </i></b></div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>MORE ABOUT DONALD BRASWELL</b></div>
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Donald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years. After that, he lived a quiet life outside of the spotlight until his appearance on the 2008 season of America’s Got Talent where he was a Top 5 finalist, which gave him another chance at a career in entertainment. Since then, he has entertained audiences both internationally as well as shore to shore in the United States in concerts, television appearances, inspirational speaking and radio. He boasts an international fan club with fans from over 25 countries. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Braswell has reentered the world of music by singing in concerts starting with the Symphony of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas in June 2009. He performs a variety of musical genres ranging from pure classical repertoire to soul to mainstream pop. He engages people of many cultures by singing in various languages outside of English, including Spanish, Italian, Neapolitan, French and Russian. His concerts are generally multilingual, and he has performed pieces that are themselves in more than one<br />
language. Some of these include: Mario Frangoulis bilingual version of “Nights in White Satin” (Italian title “Notte di luce”), originally by The Moody Blues; “The Prayer”; and Andrea Bocelli’s “Vivere” (English title “Dare to Live”). His other non-English repertoire includes Aqustin Lara’s “Rosa” (Spanish), Mario Frangoulis’s “Vincerò, perderò” (Italian) and the Neapolitan standard “O sole mio”. Some of his many compositions can be heard on his recent album We Fall and We Rise Again. </div>
</div>
<div>
<b><i><a href="http://donaldbraswell.com/" target="_blank">donaldbraswell.com</a> </i></b></div>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-13487964997434021172015-11-02T05:30:00.000-06:002015-11-02T05:30:01.361-06:00NaNo Writing ResourcesIt's that time of year again. Writer's are sharpening pens, pencils and typing skills, and carving out precious hours around, oh, 2:30 a.m. All to crank out those beautiful, wondrous things called novels!<br />
<br />
For those of you tackling NaNo, here are a few resources to help:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://blog.janicehardy.com/" target="_blank">Janice Hardy's Fiction University</a></b> - Insights on everything from worldbuilding, to plotting, to characters. Check the tags in the site's lefthand column to navigate to the areas where you most want to focus.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://dankoboldt.com/science-in-scifi/" target="_blank">Dan Koboldt's Fact in Fantasy blog series</a></b> - Real world experts weigh in to help SFF writers nail those tricky factual details.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://writershelpingwriters.net/bookstore/" target="_blank">The Emotional Thesaurus and other books at Writers Helping Writers</a> </b>- Loads of great resources to hone your prose.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-2468347477149370462015-10-26T05:30:00.000-05:002016-06-02T19:15:03.964-05:00Cinderella's Ball Was A Sting: Redux<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/karla_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Karla</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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You deserve a treat ... with pumpkins!<br />
<br />
Here's a reposting of my "Twisted Fairytales" blogfest submission from a few years back, in which I decide to mess with the classic Cinderella. Goodbye mild-mannered housemaid, hello smart suave undercover agent.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><br /></strong>
<br />
<h3>
<strong>What if Cinderella's Ball was a sting operation?</strong></h3>
</div>
<br />
In a cramped, nondescript office in mid-town, a screen flashed the pictures of two women. Below them, in thin black font, scrolled a warning: <em>The Stepsisters – Wanted on Theft and Trafficking Charges.</em><br />
<br />
The room’s door burst open, and a pixie blonde in a dark suit strode in carrying a mop. “We got ‘em, Gus.” She tugged the hidden recording device from the mop’s handle and slapped it on the table in front of the wiry man monitoring the screens. “Ten years of sweeping floors and crawling through dusty air vents finally paid off. This is the evidence we needed.”<br />
<br />
“I don’t know, Elle. The Sisters are big names around here. Even with that tape you got, it’ll never stick. What we really need is a chance to catch them in the act.”<br />
<br />
“We have it.” Elle tapped the website she’d brought up on Gus’ computer. “Here.”<br />
<br />
“The Royal ball? Naw, too risky. The Prince is just an unwitting fall guy in the Sisters’ latest con. We can’t let this bounce back on him.”<br />
<br />
“What if we had someone on the inside? I lifted an invite from the Sisters’ mailbox today. All ladies of the house, it said. And I’m a lady.”<br />
<br />
Gus chortled.<br />
<br />
Elle ignored him. “We’ll set Jacques up as a potential buyer and get it on record. I know their weaknesses, and I’m telling you, we can nail them. Let me run the op.”<br />
<br />
Gus nodded thoughtfully. “Write it up. We’ll move tonight.”<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * *</div>
<br />
Three hours later, the unit’s make-up team had lengthened her pixie cut into the long tresses she wore undercover. This time, no dirt dulled their edges. The full skirt of her robin’s-egg dress disguised a wire and several guns. Oil-resistant elbow length gloves, compliments of Gus’ gadget collection, would mask any fingerprints in places she didn’t want to leave them. Gus handed her a pair of shoes, and she shot him a quizzical look. “These are glass.” In fact, they were exquisite.<br />
<br />
“It’s my latest camera design. We see what you see.”<br />
<br />
“Can’t you just give me a button?”<br />
<br />
“The shoes let me watch everywhere at once, even behind you while your back is turned.”<br />
<br />
She examined the pair. None of the electronics were visible to the naked eye. “Nice.”<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * *</div>
<br />
Without the subtleties of the sting, the ball would have been utterly boring. Elle danced with a number of very eager, very vapid men before the Sisters made their appearance. “Finally,” she muttered when she spotted them on the verandah. She politely stepped away from her date. “Jacques, they’re moving toward you now. Let me know if you need me to intercept.”<br />
<br />
The ear pieces kept her in touch with Jacques, in position in the curtained balcony where they’d arranged for the meet to go down, and with Gus, in the tech van.<br />
<br />
“We’re set here,” Jacques said. “I can see them on approach. Gus, you getting this?”<br />
<br />
“Affirmative. We’re rolling.”<br />
<br />
“Hey, Elle.” Jacques again. “The Prince is wandering a little too close to our op zone here in the balcony. Can you steer him away?”<br />
<br />
“Moving now.” She caught sight of the Prince’s royal suitcoat through the crowds and headed toward it. He was already halfway up the main stairs. “Excuse me.” She touched his elbow, making her voice coy. “Aren’t you the Prince?”<br />
<br />
A couple eyelash bats, and he was hers. She steered him back to the main ballroom and kept him there for three songs while Jacques made the deal with the Sisters. Compared to the others, the Prince was a decent dancer. He kept up a steady stream of interested conversation, and she almost felt bad that her attention was on the voices in her ear instead.<br />
<br />
She carefully angled their latest waltz turn to get a better view of the balcony. It was empty. Too late, she realized the Sisters were heading back to the main floor. Close enough to spot her. She spun away from the Prince and whispered, “Guys, we’re blown. We’ve got the evidence. Get out now. I’ll ditch the Prince and meet Jacques at the car.”<br />
<br />
“We still need eyes on that building, Elle. If anyone walks out with the artwork Jacques fronted—”<br />
<br />
“On it.” She turned back and threw a hurried curtsey in the Prince’s direction. “I’m so very sorry. I must go.”<br />
<br />
“Wait” He stepped after her. “I simply must know who you are!”<br />
<br />
The Sisters were on the move. And Gus still needed eyes. Elle ran for the main entrance, weaving through the crowd and ignoring the Prince’s calls behind her. Just outside the entrance, at the top of the grand outside stairs, she smoothly stepped out of one glass slipper without losing pace. “Good enough vantage for you, Gus?”<br />
<br />
“Perfect, I can see all the exit points. Now, get your ass back to the car.”<br />
<br />
The car was a sleek silver beauty, all muscle and curves. It made get-aways a dream. The Stepsisters fired a couple shots in vain as she ducked in, and Jacques gunned it. Within minutes, she was back in the tech van with Gus, doing final op clean-up. And no one at the ball was the wiser. Elle shed the dress and undid her hair extensions.<br />
<br />
“Check this out.” Gus’ voice called from the front of the van.<br />
<br />
“What?” She hopped into the legs of her suit pants as Gus tapped the surveillance screen.<br />
<br />
“Your Prince came out on the steps looking for you. He’s gonna get himself into trouble if he doesn’t stop sticking his nose around.”<br />
<br />
Sure enough, there he stood, shadowed by Palace Security as usual.<br />
<br />
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Elle said. “I’ll handle this.” She climbed down from the van, skirted the next block to avoid drawing attention to their recon location and walked up to Palace Security, flashing her badge. “I’ll take it from here, pal.” She turned to address the Prince. “What seems to be the problem, sir?”<br />
<br />
“There was a shoot-out on our steps. That woman I was dancing with…I think they kidnapped her.”<br />
<br />
She barely stifled a snort, but no recognition flared in his eyes. That was good. <em>Yeah, I look different out of a dress, don’t I, bub?</em> “A shoot out, sir? That would be highly unusual on the palace steps, wouldn’t it?”<br />
<br />
“Well, yes…but they were right there. A man and a woman fighting two others. And there was this car. Like a tricked-out silver car you see in movies.”<br />
<br />
In the background, the clock struck midnight.<br />
<br />
“Sir, I can assure you there were no shots fired. There was no car of that kind.”<br />
<br />
“B-but, I saw it. It drove right there and slowed down. I’ll show you.”<br />
<br />
Elle turned where his finger pointed and hid a smile. The curbside and the field beyond were empty now, of course. Jacques had taken the ride back to HQ. Only a few animals remained scrounging for food along the gutter.<br />
<br />
“Those are mice, sir. They’re eating a pumpkin.”<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-3596415391173557572015-10-12T05:30:00.000-05:002015-10-12T05:30:00.083-05:00What I Learned in a Week Without My Computer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/phildate_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Phil Date</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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<br />
A few weeks ago, my computer had some issues. The kind where things won't stay open more than a few minutes and an ominous clicking starts about 20 minutes after each reboot.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, I didn't get much writing done. Scratch that. I didn't get ANY writing done.<br />
<br />
I'm diligent about backing everything up, so I wasn't concerned about that. But it WAS a challenge to get anything new out on page in between all the mini-crashes and restarts as I tried valiantly to salvage the system through fixes.<br />
<br />
What I <b><i>did</i></b> discover were new ways to keep moving forward on my story, sans laptop.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>You can get an amazing amount of things done on your phone</b>, including voice texting yourself blog posts. (I did two!) And cleaning up that pesky Twitter feed.</li>
<li><b>The backlog of writing may melt your brain.</b></li>
<li><b>Mini tape-recorders are a God-send.</b> I actually managed to "write" a couple thousand words via dictation. I typed them up once I got my new laptop.</li>
<li><b>Catch up on some quality reading time. </b>In between all the reboots while trying to salvage my old laptop, I enjoyed a great read with Maria Dhavana Headley's MAGONIA. </li>
<li><b>And, when all else fails and you're ready to chuck it out the window, go to bed early</b>. Sometimes it's the best way for imagination to strike.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm back in action with a new laptop now. No more brain melting for me!</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-24875107739991106052015-09-28T05:30:00.000-05:002015-09-28T05:30:01.071-05:00Touring the Senses...Again!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR3d7BMkngTtDMBOT-8-s2r_qM_Ed2ELhHmD0w3usXH5mWe_6D5zyXds6gRCLxrKrvYVlVFE3PN4wlBZC_4eVy14J3r4A6IYfIE_iqxdR1hHsxMaVThXRZ_hpB3U_lgnQjJ0o9BNcfMs/s1600/Senses+Tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR3d7BMkngTtDMBOT-8-s2r_qM_Ed2ELhHmD0w3usXH5mWe_6D5zyXds6gRCLxrKrvYVlVFE3PN4wlBZC_4eVy14J3r4A6IYfIE_iqxdR1hHsxMaVThXRZ_hpB3U_lgnQjJ0o9BNcfMs/s200/Senses+Tour.jpg" width="120" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/smitea_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">sherrie smith</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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Last year, I did a blog series on how using the five senses can improve your writing's power. People found it pretty helpful, so dust off your author passports - we're doing it again!<br />
<br />
Follow the links below for your very own "Tour of the 5 Senses."<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Using<b><i> <a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-sight.html" target="_blank">SIGHT</a></i></b> in your writing</li>
<li>Using <a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-touch.html" target="_blank"><b><i>TOUCH</i></b></a> in your writing</li>
<li>Using <a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-taste.html" target="_blank"><i><b>TASTE</b></i></a> in your writing</li>
<li>Using <a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-smell.html" target="_blank"><b><i>SMELL</i></b></a> in your writing</li>
<li>Using<a href="http://nicole-singer.blogspot.com/2014/06/tour-of-five-senses-sound.html" target="_blank"> <b><i>SOUND</i></b></a> in your writing</li>
</ul>
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<br />Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-40763060070473279592015-09-14T05:30:00.000-05:002015-09-14T05:30:02.139-05:00Leaving Room for Spontaneity<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYCmHsKG3-wv2jfWFCIesOBEX94jW_S0sJPTYATfYGPQFSDF-0-vCECm2XvpE7aY6wx0WPxz-LPSHpp5I-X0Dc7mv88E_MBEfC18NHwdcdWAOdek919J7rIfQOQyRzeLkuI4OK53YmOg/s1600/Dice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYCmHsKG3-wv2jfWFCIesOBEX94jW_S0sJPTYATfYGPQFSDF-0-vCECm2XvpE7aY6wx0WPxz-LPSHpp5I-X0Dc7mv88E_MBEfC18NHwdcdWAOdek919J7rIfQOQyRzeLkuI4OK53YmOg/s320/Dice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/thorren_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Piotr Majka</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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<br />
Imagine how boring and stressful our lives become when we don’t leave room around the edges for spontaneous fun or spur-of-the-moment decisions. The same holds true for characters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
While we know every moment of our book is plotted, readers should feel like our characters could spin off into random actions every once in a blue moon. Otherwise, the most beautifully twisty plots become semi-predictable and overburdened with tension. But how do we convey that spontaneity in a way that doesn’t seem contrived?<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Let your characters do something totally different than the heart of the current plot</b> <b><i>(notice I didn’t say totally unrelated to the plot)</i></b>. If war is pending, have them race to the river on a dare, let them check the home-brews they’ve started on their space shuttles, or go dancing in the sky. It’s funny how often—in fiction and in real life—THESE are the moments that stick with us and carry the most poignant meaning.</li>
<li><b>Time of day can also be helpful. </b>Early morning or late evening and night are great times for spontaneous walks, flights, swims, and reflection. It also provides a pause in the action so your character (and readers!) can catch a breath.</li>
<li><b>Have your character meet someone new or strike up a friendship with a previously distant co-character. </b>The novelty and new set of dynamics between the two will help their actions feel spontaneous even in instances where it’s a little more scripted.</li>
</ul>
<br />
So, there you have it. A trio of ways to add spontaneity to your tightly plotted novel.<br />
<br />
It’s also fun to track the spontaneous things you do in real life. Next time your friends ask you to get drinks, go fishing in the Amazon on a whim, or catch that flight to Iceland at the eleventh hour, start a list. You can use the ideas as inspiration.<br />
<br />
Now, I’m off to do something wholly unplanned and adventurous!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Oh, and don't forget to catch up on all our reviews, author interviews and fandom posts over at<a href="https://booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><i> Books. Fantasy. Fandom!</i></a></h3>
<div>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-33630774296328015472015-08-10T06:30:00.000-05:002015-08-10T06:30:00.113-05:00Writing Wrap-upI've come across some wonderful quotes and links on Twitter lately, so I thought it'd be fun to do a mash-up for you below.<br />
<br />
Also, if you haven't yet stopped by <a href="http://booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>Books.Fantasy.Fandom.</i></b></a>, here's a recap of our latest:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses/" target="_blank"><i>Ashley's review of A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/authors-couch-qa-with-kate-elliott/" target="_blank"><i>Q&A with author Kate Elliott about her upcoming COURT OF FIVES release</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/2015/08/07/fandom-post-sherlock-special/" target="_blank"><i>Our Friday Fandom on the Sherlock Special</i></a></li>
<li>Today: <a href="https://booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/2015/08/10/legend-trilogy/%20%E2%80%8E" target="_blank"><i>My review of Marie Lu's LEGEND trilogy</i></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Happy reading and writing!</div>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-20455847111455691822015-08-03T06:00:00.000-05:002015-08-03T06:00:08.816-05:00BFF's First Review & My Favorite "Tell Me a Story" BooksHappy Summer Monday, everyone!<br />
<br />
First off, stop by <a href="http://www.booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>Books.Fantasy.Fandom.</i></b> </a>to check out Ashley's review of A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES. It kicks off our first official week of posts. I'm so excited for our Q&A with Kate Elliott on Wednesday (one of my fave fantasy authors), and our reactions to the Sherlock Special trailer for Friday Fandom.<br />
<br />
<h3>
'Tell Me A Story' Books</h3>
You know those books that draw you in and wrap you gently in their story as it unfolds like you were listening wide-eyed around a campfire or on a cozy winter night on Grandpa's knee? I call these "Tell Me a Story" books and, boy, do I love them! They make us feel like kids again, surrounded by the wonder of adventure and danger, honor and friendship.<br />
<br />
The kind that have perfected narrative distance to achieve an almost-omniscient tale that feels like someone's speaking it right to us. Whose opening lines whisk us away and make us lean forward, elbows on knees, thinking, "Oh, this is going to be good!"<br />
<br />
To round out the summer reading season, I wanted to a share a few of my favorites with you. They hail from many different genres, so hopefully there's a fit for all!<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>The Deed of Paksenarrion, <i>Elizabeth Moon</i></b> - Epic Fantasy</li>
<li><b>A Wrinkle in Time, <i>Madeleine L'Engle</i> </b>- MG/YA Fantasy</li>
<li><b>The Emerald Atlas, <i>John Stephens</i></b><i> </i>- MG Fantasy</li>
<li><b>The Far Pavilions, <i>M.M. Kaye</i></b><i> </i>- Historical Fiction</li>
<li><b>Out of Africa, <i>Isak Dinesen</i></b><i> </i>- Nonfiction, Memoir</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8X78EVCadMLULyYwlYmG8RhYIskkl28KP7ur8p5Npiu_qeYhcrwwI9EV_nCKGkpDpG9pwW_0D9zI3-GyOcD-n-3GhnpZiAH4n9XQtbLH9eVdXXwQ59m6Zg98o3cjXcRoILY0gRcMwtbk/s1600/2004_0322winter0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8X78EVCadMLULyYwlYmG8RhYIskkl28KP7ur8p5Npiu_qeYhcrwwI9EV_nCKGkpDpG9pwW_0D9zI3-GyOcD-n-3GhnpZiAH4n9XQtbLH9eVdXXwQ59m6Zg98o3cjXcRoILY0gRcMwtbk/s320/2004_0322winter0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, if you're <i>still</i> looking for a good read. Check out my review of Karina Sumner-Smith's RADIANT at <a href="http://fantasy-faction.com/2015/radiant-by-karina-sumner-smith" target="_blank"><b><i>Fantasy Faction</i></b></a>.</h4>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-28807560468790656312015-07-29T08:56:00.000-05:002015-07-29T08:56:47.465-05:00Sneak Peek of Books. Fantasy. Fandom.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu4mWkIm8NvO7TgJPSXezYvqebct0ws8QkvzSI0fgZTbrIr4e2faTkMhb10IzfXJHsnsmURBT7zpI1Z3eLYNWYcBwr_E6BXX8Z4O0ubSrT82rAD-tAfxfzTGO_dEc6uhtpbHnkw8X470/s1600/cropped-bannerbfaftagline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu4mWkIm8NvO7TgJPSXezYvqebct0ws8QkvzSI0fgZTbrIr4e2faTkMhb10IzfXJHsnsmURBT7zpI1Z3eLYNWYcBwr_E6BXX8Z4O0ubSrT82rAD-tAfxfzTGO_dEc6uhtpbHnkw8X470/s400/cropped-bannerbfaftagline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fun news, guys! Ashley Nixon and I are starting a book
review and reading blog! You may have seen the hints on Write Me A World
already. While we both love (and will continue) our writing blogs, we also
wanted a site where we could fan out as <b><i>readers</i></b>. And we figured you might
too!</div>
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The result is <a href="http://www.booksfantasyfandom.wordpress.com/"><b><i>Books. Fantasy. Fandom.</i></b></a> Or, BFF for those who like clever acronyms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the site, you’ll find:</div>
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<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Weekly reviews of fantasy books across all ages</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Friday Fandom posts about our favorite fandoms
on the large and small screen</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Q&As with authors like Kate Elliott, KA
Stewart and more</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Categories and tags that help you find reviews
in our archives (even tricky finds like “YA for boys”)</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Our review policy in case you’ve got something
you think we’d love!</span></li>
</ul>
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As you can probably tell by the number of exclamation
points, we’re really excited about BFF and hope you are too!! In fact, we hope
you’re so excited you’ll spread the word and stop by to enjoy. We can’t wait to
share our favorite books and new reads with you!</div>
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If you have questions, salutations or are interested in a
guest post, email us at <a href="mailto:booksfantasyfandom@gmail.com"><b><i>booksfantasyfandom[at]gmail[dot]com</i></b></a>.
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Happy reading!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-57226358284192236092015-07-21T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-28T14:19:34.957-06:00The Eyes Have It...Or Do They?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/socrates_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Socrates</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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If you're anything like me, you've watched your share of gut-punchingly emotional scenes in movies or TV shows where the characters seem to say EVERYTHING with their eyes.<br />
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No words.<br />
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No actions.<br />
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Just the subtle play of their eyes in that split second to capture what they feel: heartbreak, hope, fear, disappointment, anger, love.<br />
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Even in our daily lives, the eyes tell a story of someone's moods, thoughts, and reactions. Talented actors and actresses can convey even more. (<a href="http://bellamy-and-clarke-haven.tumblr.com/post/89987958505/northernshe-wolf-bellamy-blake-meme-1-3" target="_blank"><b><i>The 100's Bellamy Blake</i></b></a> seems to have a corner on the expressive eye emotion market.)<br />
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So, if you're FURTHER like me, you watch these great scenes and think, "That! That right there is what I want to capture in my novel."<br />
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And here's where those eyes begin to lead us astray. The danger is that, while eyes can be a powerful nonverbal cue on-screen, readers can't actually SEE them on the page. We end up describing the eyes (telling) rather than the emotion itself (showing). All that great potential too often fizzles in feeble phrases like "He looked..." or "Her eyes widened."<br />
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This last one is a good example of the limitations. While "eyes widened" is a nice lead-in phrase, what does it actually tell us? People's eyes can widen in surprise, in hurt, in fear. Which one is your character facing?<br />
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On TV, we naturally intuit the answer from tiny clues. A frightened eye looks different than a surprised eye. But those are nearly impossible to communicate on page via eyes alone. In order for it to have meaning, we need to take it deeper and that can be danger-ground for telling.<br />
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But it doesn't have to be. Instead of letting the eyes do all the work, opt for other supports and alternatives that pack more punch on page:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Facial expressions and movement</b> - What does your character do with her eyebrows, forehead, lips, nose, chin that helps convey what she's feeling?</li>
<li><b>Action</b> - Make your character DO something. Even a subtle shiver or the clenching of a hand can speak volumes. Action is doubly effective for emotion, because it can be seen, and sometimes felt, by both the POV character <i>and</i> any other characters in the scene with him.</li>
<li><b>Internalized actions</b> - Showing action doesn't mean your character needs to physically move. Throats can tighten, stomachs can turn cold, spines can stiffen.</li>
<li><b>Inner dialogue or thoughts - </b>A character can't see her OWN eyes to describe emotion, so unless you're writing omniscient, sprinkle in some thoughts to give us a peek at her internal reaction.</li>
<li><b>Dialogue</b> - This is your best bang-for-the-buck at conveying emotion and advancing the story. Dialogue on the page is what eyes are on-screen. Readers intuit the tone, subtle undercurrents, and what's left unsaid as much as what your characters discuss aloud.</li>
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Now, go forth and make us weep!</div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-20529880498825242942015-06-15T00:00:00.000-05:002015-06-23T09:47:47.546-05:007 Common Fears and Advice for Writers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIujkcZV0oPQUNDEevgT64xdUNKIvDDEFifGuBuzIziQIhUP2fQdarF4ijrTyh9gArphDQDegtRudRJV8-sV7GKQ-7ScT5n2TQ6fTCa5zRzOzfGKBxS4rm5yXqZy9usc4UebzvBGII-0/s1600/Sylvia_headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIujkcZV0oPQUNDEevgT64xdUNKIvDDEFifGuBuzIziQIhUP2fQdarF4ijrTyh9gArphDQDegtRudRJV8-sV7GKQ-7ScT5n2TQ6fTCa5zRzOzfGKBxS4rm5yXqZy9usc4UebzvBGII-0/s200/Sylvia_headshot.jpg" width="128" /></a><strong></strong><br />
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<strong><strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">Digging this one up from the archives, because good advice never goes out of style! And neither do writers' fears. </span></strong></strong></h3>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong><br /></strong><strong>Hats off again to Sylvia for her words of wisdom.</strong></span></strong></h3>
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<strong><i>The talented Sylvia Ney over at </i></strong><a href="http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Writing in Wonderland</span></em></strong></a><strong><em> is taking over the blog today to share her insights on common writing fears and how to overcome them. Take it away, Sylvia!</em></strong><br />
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Writers often express common fears when talking with agents, editors, and other authors. The advice I offer below is based in part on my own experience and in part on interviews I have completed with agents and editors. <br />
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<strong>Rejection and Inadequacy</strong> - This is the most common fear because it’s the hardest to let go. You question if your work is worthy of publication. You feel it as a first timer wondering if you’ll ever find someone to like your finished product. And this feeling will still sneak up on you as a multi published author worrying if the next creation will be as successful. Rejection happens. You can’t please everyone all the time. Shelves are lined with the books of famous authors who suffered repeated rejection. The key is, they never gave up. They continued improving and searching for the right market. You can too.<br />
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<strong>Success</strong> - Many people are afraid of success. They believe too much will be expected of them and the thought of everything becoming too big to handle is enough to paralyze them into doing nothing. The trick is to deal with the situation one step at a time. Worry about success when you get there.<br />
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<strong>Revealing Too Much</strong> - There are times writers expose so much of their soul, inner demons, dreams, hopes, and beliefs that a project can become very journal like. You begin to fear you are revealing too much of yourself. Maybe family and friends who read the book will see right through the characters, and to the true depiction of yourself (or worse yet, one of them). Relax. Every great writer draws from experience, as well as the heart. The relationship you have to the story is what makes it memorable. It’s what will hook and never release a reader. And the truth is, someone will see themselves in your story whether that was your intention or not. That means you’ve been successful at capturing human experience.<br />
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<strong>You’re Too Old - </strong>You’re never too old. I know a thirteen year old who has just published her first book, but it’s nowhere as moving as the first book my friend published in her seventies. With age comes experience. Experience adds depth and maturity to your writing. A novel requires patience - something young authors often lack.<br />
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<strong>Too Much Research</strong> - Details are important in a novel. You have to know the period in which the story is set, details of characters’ occupations, nuances of different cultures, etc. Enjoy the research. Learn about your characters and the world they live in. Try writing articles, blogs, or ebooks based on the new things you are learning (these can prove to an agent or editor that you are highly qualified to write on your topic – even if the book is fiction). Don’t consider learning a job. It can be a fun hobby as well as a lucrative side project.<br />
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<strong>Technology</strong> - If you’re only comfortable using a word document, and have yet to learn anything else about your computer, the thought of mastering the technology involved in submitting and publishing might be intimidating. The great news is that it’s all relatively simple to learn and use. You can take the time to learn to do it yourself, or there are many others you can hire to help with everything from formatting, to cover design, to marketing. Shop around and ask for recommendations.<br />
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<strong>Marketing</strong> - Some people are natural marketers: confident, charismatic, and with an instinctive grasp of what benefits will entice their audience. Others find marketing uncomfortable at first. Marketing may not come naturally to you, but you’re perfectly capable of it. You are simply letting people know what you can do for them. Focus on your audience in your marketing. Instead of trying to write about how great your work is, write about how it can help them. Start an email list, create social media accounts (facebook, twitter, pinterest, etc.), use your own blog, guest post on other sites.<br />
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If one of these fears has been holding you back, decide today how you’re going to move forward. If you want to ask specific questions, I encourage you to leave a comment below or read <a href="http://janefriedman.com/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Jane</span> <span style="color: #674ea7;">Friedman</span></a><span style="color: #674ea7;">, </span><a href="http://www.rachellegardner.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rachelle Gardner</span></a><span style="color: #674ea7;">, </span><a href="http://askaliteraryagent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Noah Lukeman</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Chuck Sambuchino</span></a>. Other agents are helpful as well, but these four have FREE information available on their websites/blogs.<br />
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<em><strong>Awesome advice, Sylvia! I know from experience those four names you suggest are fantastic resources for writers. So go ahead, guys, check it out and vanquish those pesky fears and doubts!</strong></em>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-50992378808846477742015-06-08T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-29T12:37:30.255-06:00Writing about the Good Stuff<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/ximagination_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Paulus Rusyanto</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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We writers get a kick out of trapping our characters in awful situations, so it's easy to overlook a story's lighter moments. But they're vital.<br />
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Think of:<br />
<ul>
<li>The long-awaited melting of winter in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</li>
<li>Christmas holiday or the Quidditch matches at Hogwarts</li>
<li>The Bel Tine festival in Wheel of Time</li>
<li>The shindig or any of the crew's meal times aboard Serenity in Firefly</li>
<li>The wedding scene from Lion Heart</li>
</ul>
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Each of those scenes--and others like them--allow us to glimpse the characters' normal lives in between the myriad of wicked plot twists we throw at them. Moments like these are opportunities to do three important things:</div>
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<ol>
<li><b>They let readers experience a new, lighter side of the characters.</b> Perhaps even learn something new or uncover a deeper layer of character. This last reason is why the Firefly meal scenes are some of my favorites. We always seem to come away from them with a new bit of history about our crew's time together.</li>
<li><b>They let the characters and readers catch their breaths.</b> Even if the next page is right back to action, even if the celebration is interrupted halfway through by a dementor in a space suit spreading a zombie plague...for that split second of calm, it's still a change of pace. Pause points like this help keep the plot flowing. When was the last time you enjoyed a book that was ALL NAILBITER, ALL THE TIME! There have to moments of reflection, moments where you get the information that helps you understand WHY you should be biting your nails in any given chapter.</li>
<li><b>They set the comparison for the bad times. </b>There's an old saying that you can't appreciate the light unless you've lived in shadows. The same is true for stories. Without the fun and celebrations, readers can't fully appreciate the gravity of your dark scenes or the frantic pacing of your action scenes. The burning of the Shire wouldn't have been nearly as powerful or heartbreaking if we hadn't seen the laughter, dancing, and cheer of Bilbo's birthday party.</li>
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So, next time you've got your MC backed against the wall, facing an angry weredragon with nothing but a hairbrush, try sending them a few happy scenes too. Readers will thank you.</div>
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In the meantime, long live summer!</div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-87471799636514673782015-06-01T00:00:00.000-05:002015-06-01T00:00:07.467-05:00Conference Insights and My Fave New ReleasesHello again, fellow interwebbers! Can you believe summer is here already? Well...sort of. What have you been up to in recent weeks?<br />
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My YA steampunk is coming along nicely, and I had a chance to attend the Milwaukee Writing Workshop with Chuck Sambuchino and a panel of fantastic agents. <b><i><a href="http://milwaukeewritingworkshop.com/" target="_blank">(You can see who here)</a>.</i></b><br />
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One of the most interesting segments was the first-page panel, where Chuck read aloud a variety of first pages from the crowd, and the eight agents then raised their hands at the moment they'd personally stop reading.<br />
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We got through about 35 first pages, from a variety of genres, and got an inside glimpse of an agent's thought process while reading queries, feedback and reasons for stopping. I was impressed with the panel's professionalism, business savvy, and love for stories!<br />
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Chuck's final piece of advice for the day? "Put down the remote!" The room chuckled, but it's sadly true. Butt-in-chair time works for a reason, folks.<br />
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The conference netted lots of great take-aways, on everything from platform to publishing options. I captured some of the highlights for you below.<br />
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<div class="storify">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/Nico1eSinger/milwaukee-writers-conference/embed?border=false" width="100%"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/Nico1eSinger/milwaukee-writers-conference.js?border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/Nico1eSinger/milwaukee-writers-conference" target="_blank">View the story "Milwaukee Writing Workshop Tips" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>
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New Releases that Deserve a Place on Your Shelves!</h3>
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In the last week, two books launched that should be on your radar <b><i>and </i></b>your TBR.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-FpvJRHPxbbOM9uYDe5GVcoKC-OGtUqhDavxXkM_fM0RLgxMqwhilycFkJ31X6c2fHNPf4hou_sVcJpFchyEO9qfosBlgeISayIWs1Aikf9wNcURyrbl97Xem9yGhU6nhseosuSqExA/s1600/Lion+Heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-FpvJRHPxbbOM9uYDe5GVcoKC-OGtUqhDavxXkM_fM0RLgxMqwhilycFkJ31X6c2fHNPf4hou_sVcJpFchyEO9qfosBlgeISayIWs1Aikf9wNcURyrbl97Xem9yGhU6nhseosuSqExA/s200/Lion+Heart.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lion-Heart-Scarlet-C-Gaughen/dp/0802736165/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433112448&sr=8-1&keywords=lion+heart+a+scarlet+novel" target="_blank">LION HEART, by A.C. Gaughen</a></b></div>
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The conclusion of Gaughen's Robin Hood trilogy, told from the colorful and delightful viewpoint of Scarlet/Marian. And if that's not enough convincing, read my reviews of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/495762168" target="_blank"><b><i>SCARLET</i></b></a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/882317022" target="_blank"><b><i>LADY THIEF</i></b></a>.</div>
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<b><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flintlock-Cutlass-Ashley-Nixon-ebook/dp/B00XTH3XMI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433112416&sr=8-1&keywords=flintlock+ashley+nixon" target="_blank">FLINTLOCK, by Ashley Nixon</a></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsmU7MSLGnjRf6SYJPc6X6DXl_o4Cffunpb2jjdpq6pVUUDwjfBvTLtMMPJteL6RKt2wxSSlTlSNX_YWNfis0D_UxARy6PXnf7kLuZ-CM6UxAs2KcTZEnuFBPhHAYGbRJHrg9cG9JYRY/s1600/Flintlock.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsmU7MSLGnjRf6SYJPc6X6DXl_o4Cffunpb2jjdpq6pVUUDwjfBvTLtMMPJteL6RKt2wxSSlTlSNX_YWNfis0D_UxARy6PXnf7kLuZ-CM6UxAs2KcTZEnuFBPhHAYGbRJHrg9cG9JYRY/s200/Flintlock.png" width="128" /></a>I was lucky enough to read this one prior to publication, and I'm so excited it's out in the world for all of you now! I loved Ashley Nixon’s pirate fantasy, CUTLASS, and said I
couldn’t wait to see where she took the series. Well, with the release of
FLINTLOCK, the answer is: bigger, broader and even more fun! Catch my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R145DO5AINOECQ/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm" target="_blank"><i><b>full review here</b></i></a>.</div>
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What's on your summer reading list?</div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-26292428703304927652015-04-13T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-28T14:18:15.703-06:00Grand Exits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It’s hard to kill off a character, especially a beloved character. We debate, gnash our teeth and wring our hands, <em>(They don’t reeeaally have to die do they? What if I just rewrite the plot? Or maybe throw in some magic Lazarus serum. Yes, that’s it! Lazarus serum!)</em>, we cry (and hope our readers do too), and then we stare at the page totally drained of emotion and wondering if we’ve just made a huge mistake and where to go from here.</div>
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But here’s a secret. Killing off a character also can be opportunity to have a little fun. Hey, we’re writers, remember? We torture our characters for breakfast (and lunch, and dinner, and elevenses).<br />
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A well-written exit is a chance to make our adored character larger than life. The culmination of everything we’ve tried to convey about them, and it can be a huge page-turner and fan favorite if done right.<br />
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Here are some of my favorite final exit examples and why I love ‘em. <strong>Warning: Minor spoilers for Castle, Star Trek and Burn Notice.</strong><br />
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<br />Captain Montgomery: Castle</h3>
<strong>The Exit:</strong> In the semi-finale of a thread spanning multiple seasons, the loyal and beloved Captain Montgomery is revealed to be the mysterious “third cop” in a group of vigilantes entangled in the events surrounding the murder of main character Kate Beckett’s mom twenty years ago. Now, that past has caught up to him. He’s the only remaining survivor of the vigilante group, so the bad guy pulling the strings considers him a liability and gives Montgomery an ultimatum: turn over Beckett or they’ll kill his family. <br />
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Montgomery sets a meet with Beckett at an abandoned air field hangar. As she walks up to meet him, she gets a text that tells her he’s in cahoots with the bad guys. When she confronts him, Montgomery shows his true (awesome) colors. He used Beckett as bait to lure the bad guys, knowing he could get her safely away and take the bad guys down. Which he does. At the price of his life.<br />
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<strong>Why it Works:</strong> The twists! It’s a huge shock to the Castle team and viewers that Montgomery played a part in the backstory of Beckett’s mom’s death. We feel a sense of betrayal and whiplash, and because we’re so thrown off our game, there’s a lingering unpredictability throughout the rest of the episode. We have no idea what to expect. <br />
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The emotions! There is a very deep bond between Montgomery and Beckett, which is shown beautifully here as he gives his life to save her. Viewers, too, get the sense that, while Montgomery might be flawed or have made past mistakes, he is a man who stands his ground, a man to admire. <br />
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The lines! I have a soft spot for exits that include lines of bravado in the face of imminent danger or death. Montgomery’s last words, before he takes out the final bad guy (Who has just told him he can’t hide): “You’ve got that ass backwards, boy. You can’t hide from me.”<br />
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<br />Kirk’s Dad: Star Trek (The new movies)</h3>
<strong>The Exit:</strong> George Kirk is on-screen less than 12 minutes. I love him anyway. The Romulans are attacking. The ship is crippled. There’s only one way to save his wife and infant son…stay behind. Not only does he do that, he does it with an aplomb and conviction of character that makes me want to cheer and weep at the same time.<br />
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<strong>Why it Works:</strong> Well, see above, for starters. Simultaneous cheering and weeping is like the gold medal standard of reader/viewer reactions. <br />
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Also, the pacing! It helps here because events move so fast and build a foundation of intensity that heightens our emotions all the more. The fact that they kept the dialogue running between Kirk’s parents throughout all of this was a brilliant move.<br />
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The effect on other characters! This is a great example of how a character death can alter the course of the lives around him or her. Sometimes, writing someone off isn’t the hardest part. It’s keeping everyone else going in their absence. We haven’t even met Kirk yet, but we sense this will play a defining role in making him the character we know and love. Don’t forget about managing the aftermath of your Grand Exits.<br />
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<br />Madeline Westen: Burn Notice</h3>
<strong>The Exit:</strong> Madeline Westen, chain-smoking, straight-talking mom of spy hero Michael Westen, is trapped in a house with her grandson and Jesse (one of Michael’s fellow former spies) as the bad guys close in. Like, the <em>really </em>bad guys. The ones who also have Michael and gang pinned down in an office complex across town, threatening to kill Madeline and her grandson unless Michael gives himself up to die. So, what does Maddie do? She takes herself out of the equation. They have explosives in the house, but no remote detonator, so Maddie gives her grandson to Jesse to escape and sets it off herself, taking down the bad guys in the process.<br />
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<strong>Why it Works:</strong> The attitude! This ties back to my earlier comments about great final lines. Madeline Westen chooses to go out on her own valiant, kick-A terms. In a situation where the bad guys should clearly hold all the cards, she flips their metaphorical poker table so fast, it’s not even funny. They’ve lost their main bargaining chip, and Michael is now free to rain down hell on them. <br />
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There also is a strong sense of steely, motherly protection in her final scene. She wants to stick it to these guys, and she lets them know it. The bad guys enter the house, see a 50+ year old woman lounging on a couch smoking a cigarette. She fixes them with a sly, how-do-you-like-me-now smile, says: “This one’s for my boys,” and hits the button. People don’t forget characters like that!<br />
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<strong>Misc. Other Favorite Exits</strong></div>
<ul>
<li>Draco – Dragonheart <em>*“Look to the stars.” Happy sigh.*</em></li>
<li>Boromir – LOTR <em>*Can you say “redemption?”*</em></li>
<li>Wally Hamilton – The Far Pavilions <em>*This one made me ache in a way beyond tears.*</em></li>
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How about you? Any you want to add to the list?Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-58587212125912783612015-03-29T21:28:00.002-05:002015-03-29T21:31:35.781-05:00Shelf Updates, Most Anticipated, & Book NewsCan you believe 2015's almost a quarter done already? Time flies like books off a shelf! And, speaking of books and shelves, here's what's been on my shelf so far this year.<br />
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<b>FIRST LORD'S FURY</b> - Wrapped up Butcher's CODEX ALERA series. Fantastic!<br />
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<b>MARK OF ATHENA & HOUSE OF HADES</b> - These characters are so much fun to read. They always leave me cheering, and I can't wait to finish the series with BLOOD OF OLYMPUS.<br />
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<b>THIS SHATTERED WORLD</b> - The sequel to THESE BROKEN STARS. See my full review at <a href="http://fantasy-faction.com/2015/this-shattered-world-by-amie-kaufman-and-meagan-spooner" target="_blank"><i><b>Fantasy Faction</b></i></a>.<br />
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<b>ICED</b> - A continuation of my fave Karen Marie Moning series. I was lukewarm on this one.<br />
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<b>SNOW LIKE ASHES</b> - This was a gift read and another lukewarm one for me.<br />
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<b>THE MAZE RUNNER</b> - It fell at the perfect time to feel like a fresh voice compared to what I'd been reading lately, so I enjoyed it!<br />
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<b>THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA</b> - A friend has been bugging me to read this for years. I owe him. It's amazing! Like, read-in-one-sitting-and-go-buy-the-sequel-the-next-day amazing!<br />
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Books I'm Still Looking Forward to in 2015</h3>
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LION HEART (May 19) - The final chapter in AC Gaughen's Robin Hood trilogy. Can. Not. Wait!!</div>
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THE AERONAUT'S WINDLASS (Sept. 29) - Jim Butcher does steampunk! I love all his other stuff, so I'm very excited to see what he does with new characters and a new world in his CINDER SPIRES debut.</div>
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<b>Other Book Happenings</b></h3>
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If you haven't been following the Fantasy Fandom March Madness Battle Royale, check it out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FandomBattleRoyale" target="_blank"><b><i>here</i></b></a>. </div>
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My pal, Nick Wilford from Scattergun Scribblings, just <a href="http://nickwilford.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-change-of-mind-and-other-stories.html" target="_blank"><b><i>unveiled the cover</i></b> </a>for his up-and-coming collection A CHANGE OF MIND AND OTHER STORIES. </div>
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And, in case you were partying too hard on St. Paddy's to notice Mark Koopmans found a publisher for his Donald Braswell memoir (Woo!!), go congratulate him <b><i><a href="http://markkoopmans.blogspot.com/2015/03/revival-finds-home-st-paddys-day-podcast.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></b> I reviewed an early draft and enjoyed it, and I'm so happy and excited for Mark!</div>
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Have fun and good luck to everyone doing the A-to-Z Challenge in a few days.</div>
Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829473038212118995.post-16157438655744249952015-03-09T00:00:00.000-05:002015-03-09T00:00:03.034-05:00Writing that Perfect Pace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The right pacing can cover a lot of sins, and
each genre, age group, and storytelling style has its own sweet spot when it
comes to pulling the ready along at the proper speed. But what if you haven’t
nailed that perfect pace yet? Here are some tips to help.</div>
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Too Slow</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMWIQtcwiektdY_e4dd0rDC_h6rokEWrwIjxizplxceNhlNkVemXKDIfRs9Q6BuVPYqZXA1gAeHc8z1oEwSgLQ26UCZWXra4k7e2gUos8YFqd3c0q_I0FOm0qmEDjlnRjC227ylGeYsg/s1600/Turtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMWIQtcwiektdY_e4dd0rDC_h6rokEWrwIjxizplxceNhlNkVemXKDIfRs9Q6BuVPYqZXA1gAeHc8z1oEwSgLQ26UCZWXra4k7e2gUos8YFqd3c0q_I0FOm0qmEDjlnRjC227ylGeYsg/s1600/Turtle.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/rsharood_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Robert Sharood</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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</h3>
<span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Is there
at least a small amount of conflict pulling readers along in each chapter? On
each page? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Pull out your handy highlighter (or virtual highlighter) and
actually walk through your chapters with this in mind. Highlight the conflict
or stake on each page, and you’ll begin to see where the story drags. If you’ve
got a handful of pages with no highlighter, that’s your trouble area. Focus
there. </span><br />
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<br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Another approach is to assess the beginning and end of each chapter to measure
plot progression. Read your first sentence in the chapter. What’s happening?
What’s the main problem? Now, read your last sentence in the same chapter. Nine
times out of ten, you’ll want to end with the original problem solved (or made
worse) and a new problem introduced. Can’t go letting our characters to get bored,
after all, can we?</span><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </b><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Is that
half-page-long description really necessary? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Ask yourself this question and
be firm on the answer. And then go ask a bunch of your crit pals who bring more
distance to their assessment than you do. If it’s not needed or you can get
away with less, do it! Remember, tightly written description often is the most
powerful. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If you and the crit brigade are absolutely onboard with leaving it in, ask
yourself the next question.</span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Is it
necessary HERE? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">All of it? Or, can you sprinkle it across multiple pages in
the chapter, interspersed with action and discovery. Sometimes, that simple
type of change makes all the difference in pacing.</span><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </b><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Does your
flowery prose need a trim? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If your action scenes consist of sentences like:
</span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Ryan stretched his long, cargos-clad legs
and leapt like a spooked gazelle for the rusted, cracking fire escape,
retrieving his heavy black .45 from the leather side holster on his braided
belt along the way…</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> You’re </span><s style="text-indent: -0.25in;">probably </s><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">overwriting. </span><br /><br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">These sentences can be tricky to spot at first, but cleaning them up tightens
your pace AND your word count. This exercise can help.</span><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </b><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Should
you consider adding fresh plotlines or twists? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If you’ve run through the
above and your manuscript still feels sluggish, it’s possible there’s just not
enough going on yet to spark the pace. You want to be careful about adding
plotlines or twists simply for the sake of complicating the story, but adding a
layer of threat, complication or motivation can really up the pace. </span><br /><br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Imagine the Harry Potter storyline without Sirius Black. Harry would face just
a teensy bit less mystery, lower personal stakes, and fewer external pressures
and motivations to drive his actions and the series’ pacing.</span><!--[if !supportLists]-->
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Too Fast<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I may not look fast, but I'm plotting.<br /><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">© </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/southpaw3_info" itemprop="author" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Jack Dagley</a><span style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"> | </span><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/" style="color: #246eac; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Dreamstime Stock Photos</a></td></tr>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Even if
the pace if quick, are you increasing the stakes?</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> One of my recent reads
had this problem – and note this was on a book I still enjoyed. I loved the
pacing, but realized that 100 pages in, the stakes were essentially what they’d
been on page 1. We just kept getting whisked along so quickly there wasn’t time
to stop and think about it, or from the author’s perspective, to build those
stakes. To me, this puts a story in danger of remaining shallow, when it could
be much deeper and more developed.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Do your
characters have time to process and reflect after big moments?</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> This can be
as simple as a paragraph or two, but it’s important to slow things down
occasionally to let characters react, grow and change. These are the parts of
the book that help us </span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">feel </i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">the pace
because of their momentary contrast with fast action.</span><br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><br /><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Are you
going as deep into the plot as you could be? </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">While I enjoy hyper-paced
books, they also risk irritating me by breezing through important plot points
or simplifying aspects I wanted characters to investigate further. Don’t
abandon plot depth for pacing. Ask yourself if you’re allowing your characters
to question the situation enough, to respond to alternate solutions, to dig
deeper into mysteries you’ve left hanging. Remember, plot loses most of its
power if readers stop caring about and relating to your characters.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><br /><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">So, there you have it. I feel like I should cue one of those
fast-voiced legalese announcers to read pacing disclaimers and inspirations to set the mood for that nail-biting pacing you’ll crank out next time you open
your manuscripts!</span><!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><a href="http://fantasy-faction.com/2015/this-shattered-world-by-amie-kaufman-and-meagan-spooner" target="_blank">And jump over to Fantasy Faction to check out my review of THIS SHATTERED WORLD.</a> </i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkP1EL05n166sFjb9sErBzu2cHyjsbONPYSSIepvJUdx_N1hyphenhyphenSLlRQOoaE2xMKbbqYeCjPw2oR_URiSKd9hG7ks6hv6eyrUtUd1aYwh6IMqUeWcIUZZS71Ku6eTxqUucgJWkERO0FDwM/s1600/This+Shattered+World+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkP1EL05n166sFjb9sErBzu2cHyjsbONPYSSIepvJUdx_N1hyphenhyphenSLlRQOoaE2xMKbbqYeCjPw2oR_URiSKd9hG7ks6hv6eyrUtUd1aYwh6IMqUeWcIUZZS71Ku6eTxqUucgJWkERO0FDwM/s1600/This+Shattered+World+Cover.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com7