So, the book has been published, and is up on Amazon and Smashwords, with distribution to other sites as soon as Smashwords gets them out. It was exciting to actually finish a novel and have it published! Yippee!
I'm thrilled with the sales so far. Getting another book up will help, and I'm working on that in addition to working on the print version of this one. I've been learning print formatting, and after some problems have gotten the basic structure down. Now it's tweaking time--getting the right font and spacing, some decorative touches, etc.
Links to the book are in the sidebar., for convenience in checking it out.
Til next time,
Anne
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Friday, August 31, 2012
Hello, I'm still here!
Goodness, I'm so far behind it's not even funny. I'm glad there's a three day weekend coming up--I need the time!
I've basically thrown out the first third of the novel, and started again. I feel good about it, actually, because I've gotten more focused on the right way for the book to be going, not to mention how things are setting up for the following books.
I did mention that there's more than one? I've got a pretty solid outline for the first three, with four and five pretty much done. After I did all my soul-searching about the first one, I started to see how things can be tied in from one book to the other, leading up to the finale in book five. I think it's going to be good, and I hope the readers feel the same.
Once this rewrite is finished, there will be another editing pass or several, a cover finalization, and then the big day--publication. Woo-hoo! I can't wait. Especially since I've got about twenty other things waiting to be written.
Anyway, that's it for me for now. Stay safe and happy, and grill something this weekend.
Anne
I've basically thrown out the first third of the novel, and started again. I feel good about it, actually, because I've gotten more focused on the right way for the book to be going, not to mention how things are setting up for the following books.
I did mention that there's more than one? I've got a pretty solid outline for the first three, with four and five pretty much done. After I did all my soul-searching about the first one, I started to see how things can be tied in from one book to the other, leading up to the finale in book five. I think it's going to be good, and I hope the readers feel the same.
Once this rewrite is finished, there will be another editing pass or several, a cover finalization, and then the big day--publication. Woo-hoo! I can't wait. Especially since I've got about twenty other things waiting to be written.
Anyway, that's it for me for now. Stay safe and happy, and grill something this weekend.
Anne
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Writing is an amazing journey.
I've been working on some rewrites/editing on the novel, and I had become rather unhappy with the first chapter--which was really the first two, since they covered the same situation.
Which was another thing I wasn't happy with, as I felt there was too much in there that wasn't necessary, or just not written that well. But, that's what rewrites are for.
The timeline also needed to be tightened up, and that meant re-working or eliminating places where the heroine isn't actually doing anything, but is waiting for others to do stuff and then tell her about it so things can move forward.
This is where subplots come in, I know, but I still wasn't happy with how it was going.
And it hit me. Like the cliched freight train.
POW!
I figured out how to get rid of those pesky scenes, and give the girl a more compelling reason to get involved, which also adds to the overall story arc that carries through the series.
Now why didn't I think of this before?
Who knows?
Really, I don't get how my mind even comes up with these things. One second I'm washing dishes--or sleeping--and the next I'm stumbling to the computer to get down a story idea, or even a complete short story.
It's so weird when that happens.
But nice.
Hope you had a nice July, and are looking forward to an even nicer August.
Bye for now,
Anne
Which was another thing I wasn't happy with, as I felt there was too much in there that wasn't necessary, or just not written that well. But, that's what rewrites are for.
The timeline also needed to be tightened up, and that meant re-working or eliminating places where the heroine isn't actually doing anything, but is waiting for others to do stuff and then tell her about it so things can move forward.
This is where subplots come in, I know, but I still wasn't happy with how it was going.
And it hit me. Like the cliched freight train.
POW!
I figured out how to get rid of those pesky scenes, and give the girl a more compelling reason to get involved, which also adds to the overall story arc that carries through the series.
Now why didn't I think of this before?
Who knows?
Really, I don't get how my mind even comes up with these things. One second I'm washing dishes--or sleeping--and the next I'm stumbling to the computer to get down a story idea, or even a complete short story.
It's so weird when that happens.
But nice.
Hope you had a nice July, and are looking forward to an even nicer August.
Bye for now,
Anne
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Someone, save me from rewrites...Please!
Just a short update on the novel today. I'm making progress on the rewrite, getting the story tightened up nicely. The only problem is I'm beginning to feel like the first chapter isn't working!
Argh! What's a poor writer to do? Get her butt-in-chair-fingers-on-keyboard. That's what.
It's a good thing I love to write, or I would be majorly depressed right now. I'm trying to make this book as good as I possibly can, and I find myself second-guessing every plot point, every word choice.
Well, we all know that can't go on, so I'm just going to finish the rest of the book, and then look at that first chapter. What I think is wrong is that I'm still trying to have too much going on (the dreaded info-dump) that's not directly plot-related, so all I guess I really need is to cut out some stuff.
Easy-peasy.
So, yeah.
Later,
Anne
Argh! What's a poor writer to do? Get her butt-in-chair-fingers-on-keyboard. That's what.
It's a good thing I love to write, or I would be majorly depressed right now. I'm trying to make this book as good as I possibly can, and I find myself second-guessing every plot point, every word choice.
Well, we all know that can't go on, so I'm just going to finish the rest of the book, and then look at that first chapter. What I think is wrong is that I'm still trying to have too much going on (the dreaded info-dump) that's not directly plot-related, so all I guess I really need is to cut out some stuff.
Easy-peasy.
So, yeah.
Later,
Anne
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Book update
Rewrites are coming along, though a little slower than I'd hoped. Family health issues have really slowed the process, but I think I'm finally back in the groove with things.
I found an artist who had a fantastic cover that would be great for book two in the series, so I emailed her about the possibility of working something out to do all the covers. It would be a relief to have someone else handle that side of things, because I haven't been able to find anything that really spoke to me before now.
If things keep going well (hey, don't jinx myself!), the book should be ready by the end of the month, with the second book coming along in the fall, with any luck by October 1st.
I found an artist who had a fantastic cover that would be great for book two in the series, so I emailed her about the possibility of working something out to do all the covers. It would be a relief to have someone else handle that side of things, because I haven't been able to find anything that really spoke to me before now.
If things keep going well (hey, don't jinx myself!), the book should be ready by the end of the month, with the second book coming along in the fall, with any luck by October 1st.
Friday, June 15, 2012
welcome!
Just wanted to start this blog off by welcoming you all. I'm excited to have my first novel, Spelled in Amber, published, and I hope you enjoy it!
Spelled in Amber introduces Arribel "Bel" Devlin, a witch who doubts her abilities, but who somehow keeps getting drawn into the battle to protect the magical world from exposure, and the human world from being harmed by those who walk on the dark path.
Keep checking for more news, updates and anything else I can think of!
Spelled in Amber introduces Arribel "Bel" Devlin, a witch who doubts her abilities, but who somehow keeps getting drawn into the battle to protect the magical world from exposure, and the human world from being harmed by those who walk on the dark path.
Keep checking for more news, updates and anything else I can think of!
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