The Best Writing Advice You’ll Ever Get…(Guest Post)

Chris The Story Reading Ape's avatarChris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

Andrew Joyce

For a few years now, Chris has been posting articles to help us with our craft. I’ve learn some valuable things on this site, from editing to copywriting to marketing books and everything in between. I might have missed it, but there is one bit of advice that I have not seen here. And that is, if you want to write well, you must read.

Reading to a writer is as medical school is to a doctor, as training is to an athlete, as breathing is to life. Think of reading books as taking a writing course.

I would suggest reading the classics: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and, of course, Steinbeck, to name but a few. These three authors made up their own rules. (Hemingway couldn’t get published at first because his writing was so different from the writing that preceded him.)

Below are three examples of Steinbeck’s writing. If you read…

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Behind the Face of Nicholas Rossis

philipparees's avatarINVOLUTION: Science and God: Reality Redefined

I asked Nicholas whether he would agree to be interviewed in rather a ‘personal’ and targeted way. I am less interested in the writer than in the life that lies behind writing. As it happened the philosophy he revealed ( and his final summary) made it appropriately hosted on Careless Talk- the blog of things related to Involution-An Odyssey and its universal implications. So here it is.

Interview with Nicholas Rossis.

Nicholas Rossis Nicholas Rossis

Nicholas, because I do not interview writers on any kind of regular basis, I hope you don’t mind me framing questions that arise from impressions you give me and my fascination with what underpins the individual writer, their past, their passions, their acute dislikes. Feel free to answer ‘Pass’ at any point. You have a charming on-line persona, and make many faithful friends. I would like to introduce the individual alone with yourself.

A Greek who has…

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Yeah 100 followers!

congrats!

Eric Klingenberg's avatarEric's blog

followed-blog-100-2x

I’m very happy I’ve hit my first milestone. It may not seem a lot, but to me it’s massive. Thank you to everyone who has followed and supported my blog especially Shamby who was my 100th follower. To celebrate I have updated my about page and replaced my awful picture with a more up to date awful picture. Now how to make it 1000…..

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New Book Fanfare – The Sorcerer’s Garden by D. Wallace Peach

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Book launch! Gorgon, the second volume of the WhipEye Chronicles by Geoffrey Saign

Sue Vincent's avatarSue Vincent's Daily Echo

I recently had the pleasure of hosting a guest article by author Geoffrey Saign whose new book has just been released…

GORGON
WhipEye Chronicles Book 2

“WhipEye” Book 1, 2015 International Book Award Winner, US Book News,
& 2015 Outstanding Children’s Fiction, IAN Book of the Year Awards

St. Paul, MN July, 2015
Gorgon, continues the international award-winning fantasy thriller series, WhipEyeChronicles. Gorgon departs from WhipEye’s personal story to a much larger global examination of love, nature, and intuition. The fast-paced story poses the questions;AGorgon EbkFinal
Is love just taking care of our own personal world and family, or does it mean that we should consider the good of the planet—and everyone—as a whole when deciding our actions? Is intuition just our path, or is intuition what is best for everyone?

The relationship between the two major characters Sam and Jake grows, conflicts expand, and the world building…

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August Interview: Sari the Playful Gypsy

Sari by Kayla Matt

Sari by Kayla Matt

  1. If you had the choice of any occupation, what would you actually like to be?
    .
    I’d still be with my clan, but that’s only if this choice means they’re still alive.  If not then I’d be a wandering thief.  Probably move between the big cities for a while and eventually go outside of Serab.  Sorry if you expected a happier answer.  With my clan or my friends, I’m not really interested in doing much else.
    .
  2. Do you have any hobbies that you would like to be able to spend more time on?
    .
    Can I claim that pulling pranks and causing mischief is a hobby?  That’s very entertaining and relaxing.  If that doesn’t count then I would like to be able to collect more clothes.  Especially multi-layered skirts because they really help distract people from what I’m really doing.  Wearing the same one for so long can cause it to lose its effect.
    .
  3. What’s your favorite meal?
    .
    Venison skewers cooked over an open flame alongside slices of bog hare.  A sweet water and some fae water to drink throughout the night.  A spinach salad with radishes and cucumbers too.  Dessert would be cake.  Just some kind of cake.
    .
  4. Do you play any musical instruments–if so, what? If you don’t, what would you like to play?
    .
    I have ankle bells, a jangling belt, and castanets that I can use when dancing.  It doesn’t work for every song.  At least the castanets are rather hard to fit into everything.  The others involve a lot of hip movement and spinning from me, so nobody really complains about the noise.
    .
  5. Is there any one in particular that you wish you didn’t have to be around?
    .
    Stephen.  If people haven’t figure out that he’s utterly despised by now then they aren’t paying attention.
    .
  6. Have you ever been strongly attracted to someone and it never developed?
    .
    Pass.
    .
  7. Are you surprised about what you have become? Is this what you expected when you were a child?
    .
    The whole champion and adventurer thing caught me entirely by surprise.  I thought I’d travel with my clan, cause trouble from time to time, and eventually have kids that would make me worry myself at night.  Gypsies aren’t typically heroes or adventurers since we stay within our nomadic groups.  Then again, when one’s clan is wiped out, you can’t really stick with the standard, childhood dreams.
    .
  8. What is your biggest fear?
    .
    Being abandoned.  It’s why I have the nightmares and need somebody in the bed with me.  Sounds rather childish and silly when I say it out loud, but those dreams linger after I wake up.
    .
  9. If you could change places with another person in Windemere, who would it be and why?
    .
    Kira Grasdon.  For one thing, it means I could live in that huge manor and be around all those riches.  The dessert isn’t my favorite place, but Bor’daruk is on the coast so I can escape into the water pretty easily.  Also, it would give her time with Luke and make me feel like the playing field is a bit more even.  We’d switch back, of course.  It would be strange if Kira and I switched bodies and got stuck.  Actually, that would be a disaster.  So lets hope it never happens.
    .
  10. What makes you happy?
    .
    Being in love, helping being fall in love, parties, drinking, dancing, flirting, gems, my friends, attention, and Gnomish plumbing.
    .
  11. What does teamwork mean to you?
    .
    It means working together like a family.  There’s an emotional bond that needs to develop, so that everyone feels comfortable.  It’s something that will become so strong that petty fights and disagreements can’t harm it.  Most importantly, teamwork shouldn’t be limited to adventures and battles.  Just spending time with each other is needed to forge this connection.
    .
  12. How would you define honor?
    .
    The thing that Paladins will not shut up about.  Seriously, I think I’m honorable at times, but very few people are able to maintain it.  At least not without becoming a pompous windbag.  Timoran can do it, but barbarians are a strange breed.  From what I’ve been told, they’ve very emotionally controlled and that’s the total opposite of gypsies.  What was the question again?  Honor?  Eh, I guess it helps some people find their way.
    .
  13. What’s the best way to hunt monsters?
    .
    With the biggest sword or most powerful caster you can find.  In other words, I’ll be behind Nyxie and Timoran if we have to do that.  They can do the heavy stuff and I’ll wait for an opening like a good, little, delicious gypsy.  Everybody has their own tactics here and you have to work to your strengths.
    .
  14. What’s your first response when someone makes you really, really mad?
    .
    If it’s a man, I charm him, bring him to a bedroom, strip him, and leave him tied the bed.  If it’s a woman, I do the same thing to her boyfriend, husband, or whoever is close to them.  Then I’d get lectured and scolded by Nyxie for misbehaving.  Maybe it’s safer to simply slap people.
    .
  15. What’s it like working for Charles?
    .
    I’m pretty sure if I’m working for anybody, it’s Gabriel.  Never heard of a god named Charles.

Check out more of Sari in
LEGENDS OF WINDEMERE

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Toofer one #giveaway: Buy Occasional Soulmates n’ get Yesterday Road for free!

Great deal!

Kevin Brennan's avatarWHAT THE HELL

3D cover

Here’s a nifty little deal for the weekend. Tell your amigos and amigas.

Buy a copy of Occasional Soulmates for $3.99 and I’ll shoot you a free copy of Yesterday Road in whatever ebook format you prefer.

Just send a copy of your Amazon receipt to kevinbrennan520(at)gmail(dot)com and I’ll reply with your freebie.

I know many regular readers have already bought and read both books, but here’s a chance to deepen the readership pool. Spread the word, or get the pair and give them as gifts to your ebook-reading compadres.

Tweet this post to all your tweetniks so they can take advantage. Two fine novels for under four bucks, but the offer ends Sunday evening.

Have a great weekend, everybody. Summer’s wrapping up in a hurry.

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Read MTM’s Interview: Win Stuff.

M T McGuire's avatarM T McGuire Authorholic

Yes everyone, today is the day when I am interviewed in the Brain to Books blog tour. And it’s a long, long, long interview so if you like to read me wittering on, do head over and say hello. You can find my spot in the Brain to Books blog tour here: http://www.angelabchrysler.com/m-t-mcguire/

If you would like a chance to win a free paperback copy of Few Are Chosen, K’Barthan Series: Part 1 there is still time for you to enter the draw to win one on Goodreads. The giveaway ends on 2nd September. To enter go here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/150964-few-are-chosen

Finally, there is absolutely loads of literary bling to be won in a whole host of giveaways from a bunch of the authors taking part in the Brain to Books blog tour. To have a look at what’s on offer, go here: http://goo.gl/VtFLrP

Thank you, I’m a little teapot* and good…

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Questions 3: Traditional and Indie Authors Edition

Yahoo Image Search

Yahoo Image Search

This could be a can of worms that I don’t want to open, but I’m doing it anyway.  I’ve seen some nastiness appear on this topic before, so just play nice.  If you feel your answers are too big for comments then please feel free to write a post and respectfully link back to this post.

  1. What kind of relationship do you think traditional, self-published, and independently published authors will have in the future?
  2. How do you think all three will adapt and/or shape the industry?
  3. If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
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Quick Post about Outage!

So we had a power outage this morning and I realized just how crappy an iPhone battery is.  I mean, I lost 10% of the power in 30 minutes of trying to sort emails and tweets.  Anyway, the kid and I are doing a play date at a zoo, so we’re out for the morning.  Just wanted to get a few things off my chest:

  1. What in the world happened to WordPress?  The like and reblog stuff are somewhere else and there’s a toolbar in the bottom right corner.  I already accidentally unfollowed a blog and then had to scramble to re-follow.  Sorry about that, John.  We really do live in a world where if it’s not broken, change it and possibly break it.
  2. I keep getting ideas for the comedy/action/blockaded USA story.  Even researched the area around Rikers Island to get an idea of location for the first chapter.  Unfortunately, I’m not getting to the writing.  Probably not until next Wednesday when the kid goes back to school.  By the end of the day, my mind is simply shot and I have no motivation to do more than watch TV.  Also I kind of feel like I wouldn’t get very far in the 2 hours that I have.
  3. Think I finally figured out how the finale of Legends of Windemere is going to go.  All the survivors, fatalities, injuries, scars, mistakes, and victories have been chosen along with who gets the killing blow.  So that’s my success.
  4. Don’t you hate it when you have a weekend coming up, want to do something, but you can’t because there’s an event with no locked in time/day?  Ugh.
  5. August sucks.  Horribly.

Well, I’ll be back later.  Off to do stuff.  Hope people are having a fun week.  Questions 3 will be going up at some point.

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