Rant: Think of the Stir Crazy Author Without an Office

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz
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Graphic line:  Winter sucks more than a first time whore determined to prove herself.

Another day of winter wonderland has graced me with the glory of a stir crazy toddler who refuses to be quiet.  All plans I had have been dashed to the ground.  I’m so sick of this bad weather because it keeps decimating whatever I plan to do.  I don’t even know how to write this because I’m so frustrated.  Constant noise for the last 6 hours and 20 minutes!  My biking schedule takes another hit because if I try, the toddler tries to climb on the bike with me.  There is another adult here, but he’s trying to shovel all the snow in a battle that reminds me of a dog chasing its tail.  I’m actually envious that my wife went into work and away from this.

And there’s the rub on being a stay-at-home father and full-time Indie Author without an office:  You are beyond screwed when a snow day hits.  The other adults in the house treat you like you’re unemployed and don’t help until they finish their business, so you’re left so exhausted by the end of the day that you’re not getting any real work done.  At least if the toddler was sick, he wouldn’t be this energetic.  Not that I wish him sick, but he’s got cabin fever and refuses to watch the television.  I know all the suggestions I’m going to get here and the truth is that there is more to my story, which I can’t divulge in a public forum.  Mostly because I’ve learned some people read this and relay the information to other parties.

Anyone wondering why the lack of an office comes into play?  It means that even on weekends, I have no sanctuary to escape to.  On the days (and nights) where everyone is home from school and work, I can’t get writing done.  Too much noise, chaos, and accusations that I’m ignoring my son.  I love that last one because if people would let me get work done on weekdays (and nights) then I wouldn’t be spending the weekend screaming to be left alone.  These books don’t plan, write, edit, and market themselves.  My blog doesn’t handle itself either.

I’m at a point of irrationally pissed and this is supposed to be my ‘vacation’ time.  I’m not even sure this makes any sense beyond random, angry rambling.  I might have had a point before the 3 phone calls (I know it’s fucking snowing!) and the toddler talking nonstop.  Maybe it was to be nice to stressed authors who have no respect at home or lack a sanctuary to escape to.  Pray for our souls and our sanity.

(By the completion of this, I’ve found that the wife is coming home due to the weather and has sworn to let me get work done.  We’ll see how that goes.)

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My Writing Progress Blog Tour

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz

I have been asked to participate in this special blog tour by Bridget Whelan.  Now, one is supposed to tag 3 other author volunteers.  I couldn’t find any with the time to do this, so I’m going to change it up.  So, anyone who wants to participate can do so with either the 3 authors or the open invitation rule.  I’m going open invitation.

Also, you can use #mywritingprocess on Twitter and Facebook if you wish to mention the blog tour there.

Step 1: Acknowledge the person and site that involved you in the blog tour.  (Done!  Now the 4 Questions!)

What Am I Working On?

I’m currently resting between projects.  I recently finished the first draft of Legends of Windemere: Curse of the Dark Wind and will begin building hype for Legends of Windemere: Family of the Tri-Rune in February.  During this break, I’m outlining future ideas and going over notes for the next book in my series.

How Does My Work Differ from Others of Its Genre?

Most importantly, I wrote these books.  That’s a really big difference between my books and others in my genre.  All from my mind with my world and characters.  If you’re talking style then my use of Present Tense Third Person is rather unique.  I’m sure others do it, but it isn’t common and has thrown some people off.

Why Do I Write What I Do?

I enjoy telling my stories.  I enjoy developing the adventures, the world, and the characters that live in my mind.  It makes me happy and I love it when other people enjoy what I write.  If one of my stories can bring a smile to someone’s face then all the hard work and bad reviews are worth it.

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

It’s a simple structure.  I design characters, central groups, important monsters, and a basic plot beforehand then I make a scene by scene outline.  The outline is made to be flexible and overly detailed at times.  So, I end up merging, adding, and removing scenes as I begin the actual writing.  Once I’m done with the first draft, I send it to a beta reader and my editor.  Then I relax to think about the next project and usually start it before I get the edited drafts back.  My mental process throughout is rather fluid where I let the story and characters carry me along.  I nudge them in the right direction when necessary, but my use of dialogue focuses on a natural flow.  So, there are parts of a conversation that are oddly casual and not specifically about the central plot.  It’s similar with action where I focus on each move to make sure the choreography works together.

Well, that’s my part of the blog tour.  Feel free to join in and reveal your process.

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Sunday Peep Pimping!

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz

Check out these upcoming and ongoing events.

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2 Weeks Until the Storm Continues…

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz

Big upcoming debut news!

Sarah M. Cradit's avatar...and then there was Sarah

 

You’ve read The Storm and the Darkness

You think you know the story of Ana, Finn, and Jon?

Guess again.

Two weeks until the story continues…

Add Beyond Darkness: Shattered on Goodreads

BeyondDarknessComingSoon

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Winter Woes? Read a Book

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz

Check out these recommended and affordable books. Thank you for spreading the word, Pamela.

Pamela Beckford's avatarYear 'Round Thanksgiving Project

I haven’t mentioned lately all the good books that are available (and some that are on their way). The ones I’m going to talk about today are all indie authored books. Support your indie artists – download a book and curl up to escape this weather or football (if you aren’t a football fan).

Let’s start with a great series:

Legends of Windemere – this series starts with Beginning of a Hero. Luke Callindor is introduced to us as he travels through Windemere looking for adventure. He attends (under false pretenses) a school to give him the training to be an adventurer. And adventures he does have. But then Prodigy of Rainbow Tower and Allure of the Gypsies continue the adventures. Charles Yallowitz spins a great tale and you could spend your time reading a great series – all for less than $5. These are well written and edited…

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Super Goals for the Super Bowl . . . Not Really

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz

Pins and needles!  Pins and needles in my right leg!  It’s like an annoying, numbing, phantasmal pain where my brain refuses to get the limb to work!  Be right back!

*Time passes*

There we go . . . So, today is the Super Bowl and my family is throwing their traditional party.  Means 3 times as much food as the guests can eat, which leads to a week of leftovers to rival Thanksgiving.  Three kinds of hot wings, veggies, cheese, beer, soda, AND a deli sandwich platter?  Ugh.

So, the BEGINNING OF A HERO RAFFLE is still going on with tons of prizes.  Join in and spread the world.  There’s over 25 prizes to be had and it takes is a few clicks like following the participating authors’ Facebook pages and Twitter Feeds.  This lasts all month too.

I have no idea what I did this week beyond preparing for the Super Bowl party.  I did have a school district meeting and I finished preparing one project.  I’ve moved on to the next series on my ‘To Be Outlined’ list and found it to be a mess.  It’s based on the D&D game I ran in college and I’ve mentioned it before.  Bigger disaster than I thought, so I’m needing to rethink everything beyond the main characters.  With days of work, I only managed to fix up the first book.  I’m tempted to post about all this in the afternoon, but I’m not sure where that will get me.  The old notes are needed to understand the scope of this headache.

I might be a rarity for the first few days of the week because of an . . . honored?  No.  Not really dishonored either.  Got it!  A Pants-Wearing Guest will be around.  My friend Greg and I will finally get to chill around here for a few days.  I’ll be checking email and doing the usually morning promo stuff while he sleeps in, but beyond that is a crapshoot.  This is the finale to the vacation and maybe we’ll do a fun joint post.  I make no promises that it will happen or that it will be coherent.  It’s his birthday today (sorry, but he saw his shadow.  6 more weeks of Winter Ale), so we’ll be trying to do something.  Maybe.  Keep in mind that we’ve been known to grab alcohol, an anime, and spend the day watching and mocking it.  At least in our youth . . . I miss the carefree days.

Anyway, here are the goals:

  1. Hang out with Greg, have fun, and avoid being arrested.
  2. Make a special announcement on Monday morning.  It has been Charles tested and Ionia approved.  Sadly, the FDA, FCC, KFC, and LOL are still against it, but that shouldn’t cause a problem.
  3. Read more of The Crimson League.  Maybe even take a day to finish it.
  4. Outline and plan more of The Elysium Saga.
  5. Continue biking if possible.
  6. Begin writing Legends of Windemere: Sleeper of the Wildwood Fugue.
  7. Start planning Hype work for Legends of Windemere: Family of the Tri-Rune.  Going to try the Twubs Chat again, but I’m not sure what people want to see in terms of post material.  A spoiler-free excerpt maybe, but that’s a lot harder for the 4th book.  Maybe just the beginning like I did for the 3rd book.  Any suggestions?
  8. Eat, sleep, and shower.
  9. Continue negotiations with the toddler about giving me writing time when he’s off from school next week.
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Garden of the 4 Sisters

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz
Off to Handle the Weeds

Off to Handle the Weeds

The above is the inspiration for an idea that I’ve been toying with, but unsure where to go with it.  You see, my son grabbed an old toy sword of mine and my mother’s watering can back in 2012.  He ran around the backyard with both of these things for a while.  Sometimes he had water in the can and went around watering the few plants that were around.  It was entertaining and had no explanation.

The idea that this influenced was one of a huge garden in Windemere.  All four seasons and all types of environments exist in this hidden area.  There are guardians on this island who carry swords, watering cans, and various tools to handle the dangers.  Much of what they do is maintain the plants for the goddesses who created the garden.  There are a few animals around too for pollination and because they found their way to the area somehow.  I’m not really sure of the specifics since this is based off the organization and I haven’t gotten very far.

I get stumped on the plot of such a story.  There’s the standard ‘outsiders invading’ or a ‘disease’.  I considered making it a single book where the main character goes on adventures to handle daily responsibilities.  Watering a rare flower that blooms once a century, find a missing bee queen, get some rare seeds to help a goddess fix a damaged region, etc.  Nothing that holds the world in the balance.  This puts the character in a similar grouping as Genevieve Archer and Brian Hunter.  They don’t have the ‘epic’ stories of Darwin, Sin, and Luke.  It’s more localized and organization/life specific.

There is the option of having the character appear in another book and see how people take to him.  If people want to see more then I can do a book.  If not then it’s nothing lost since he/she will have worked for the story I put her into.  I’m looking at Sin’s series because his world-spanning adventurers have the most openings for character testing, which is where Genevieve and Brian will step out at first.

Anyway, that’s another work in progress.  Surprised I haven’t run out yet.

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Celebrate 1 Year of Beginning of a Hero!

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz
Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

On February 27th, Legends of Windemere: Beginning of a Hero will be 1 year old.  To celebrate, I’m running a month long Giveaway through Rafflecopter.  Honestly, Danielle Taylor put it together because I’m so lost on here.

There are over 20 prizes to win, which range from a free book to a $10 Amazon gift card to a set of Legends of Windemere INCLUDING Family of the Tri-Rune when it’s released.  The contest goes from today to February 28th and all you have to do is click on the link below to see what you have to do.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s rather simple really.  There is a list of actions you can take to gain entry points, which increase your chance of winning.  For example, you can go to this page and get points for following the Facebook page and Twitter feed of the participating authors.  It’s very easy and quick.  So, join in the giveaway and see if you win one of the many prizes.

A thank you to all of the authors who are participating.  I’m sorry about the last minute notice and am very appreciative for the turnout.

Finally, a VERY BIG THANK YOU to Danielle Taylor who put this together.  Help me give her a thank you by checking out both of her excellent books.  Click on the covers to go to the Amazon site:

Captive at Christmas Cover

Captive at Christmas Cover

FfYgood

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February Giveaway Donation Request!

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz
Yahoo Image Search

Yahoo Image Search

 

A change of plans with the giveaway, which effects my fellow authors if they wish:

Danielle Taylor showed me that getting other authors to donate free books as prizes along with their Twitter and Facebook info will help spread the word.  It will also help other authors get something out of this event.

If you’re interested, please send me the following either in the comments or by email some time today:

  1. Title of the book that you wish to donate as a prize.  Please include format.
  2. Facebook Author Page.
  3. Twitter Site.

The contest will go until February 28th and you’ll be contacted about who the winner of your book is along with an email address.  Thank you to anyone who wishes to be a part of this event and I apologize for the short notice since the contest starts tomorrow.

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Cover Reveal: Finding Destiny

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Charles Yallowitz

Exciting and Hot Cover Reveal!

Christa Simpson's avatarChrista Simpson

Finding Destiny - ecover

A Valentine’s Romance

Expected Release: February 14, 2014

Add it to your Goodreads shelves now!!

Synopsis:

Skylar has rules.  He has never strayed from those rules.  And yet Destiny has him breaking every last one of them.

Destiny was looking forward to a bit of solitude in the north.  She figured surrounding herself with her two besties at an expensive spa retreat would beat away the winter blues.  That was the plan.  Destiny liked plans.  But plans don’t always work out the way you want them to.
–
Skylar never expected to find three ladies trudging through the snow.  But after finding them stranded, in the middle of nowhere, during the biggest snow storm of the year, he’s forced to invite Destiny and her friends back to his cabin.  Though he tried to ignore what was subtly unravelling between them, he couldn’t discount their attraction.  The way Destiny could read into…

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