Cover Art

Okay, not really! It's cover art I drew myself for my short story, which if anyone out there read my last post, I have submitted it to a market. But before that I drew a cover for it because I LOVE my main character Carmine Rojas and hope to use her in the future for more shorts and that novella- provided I can find where I put it...

She was also posted on my Deviant Art page and LJ awhile ago. I have to admit I update LJ a lot more than I do this blog. I get to complain about dolls a lot and people respond more on LJ but here is nice too, don't get me wrong.

I am submitting to an anthology! I decided to try and 'get out there' more by writing some short stories. And I was more than a little inspired by the Write One Sub One thread Absolute Write. My intended anthology had a word count cut off of 5k but get this! I found another anthology to submit to! It must be fate! Anyway the story is going here http://bramblingbooks.blogspot.com/

I am also working on a novella with the same character from my short. Actually- it goes like this. The 1st story I started was getting too long and I decided novella was the answer. Began story the 2nd starring the same character as story the 1st. But had to quit work on story the 1st in order to finish story the 2nd. Have now miss placed story the 1st.

AND I still need to finish my novel!

I read slow...

OK. Kindle project is going slowly. I can't read 5 books a month...

BUT I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I may not be the biggest blog in the world but I'm going to see if I can a few Kindle authors to answer a few questions and post these e-mail interviews for all the world (and 27 followers) to see.

Err...

Well, my Kindle plan has hit a snag. It turns out I can't READ 5 books a month. I'm still reading the first story, Grim Doyle.

And I've been a neglectful blogger.

AND I'm STILL almost done with Tea Times Three!

Put my money where my mouth is.

I bought 5 $.99 books on Amazon and I bought them cold! Yikes!

The break down:

Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure; self described as steampunk for kids. It has a number of excellent reviews and I've had my eye on it for awhile. Also I'm following a thread on AW about how no one buys middle grade and YA on Kindle.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AHKCVQ

Milrose Munce and the Den of Professional Help; this seems to be MG pubbed overseas and without an American publisher so they went DIY. I hope this sets a precedence for more foreign books to do this if foreign rights fall through. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TFEVGC

Milrose Munce and the Plague of Toxic Fungus; You had me at fungus. This is the sequel obviously.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NBZLN8

Night and Chaos: The Deava Chronicles; This one being the rather biased choice! Thought I'd go with an author I KNOW to be good. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JXVY0O

Tinna's Promise; I liked the cover art. This should totally prove cover art is still KING! Make a good one! Even for an e-book!! Fork over for that nice stock photo and the extended rights :) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010746UC

I also got samples of two more.I'll let you know how this goes....

Kindle project is GO!

Ok, for my b-day I got a Kindle. And ever since I've been trying to work up the nerve to buy books for it. I am not easily parted from money, unless it is for dolls.

But I have also been thinking more and more about self publishing. Not everything mind you. I still want what support a traditional publisher and agent can provide. BUT I think Ambriel at it's staggering length would lend itself to Kindle.

So here's what I'm going to do. If I can bring myself to fork over $5.00 a month I will purchase and read some of the indie Kindle books. I will post reviews and maybe see if I can land an interview or two.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to give Amazon my debt card # and go see what I can get for $5.00!

Run out of things to say

I have been out of updates lately. I ran out of things to say! Which is terrible considering how rich a topic writing is.

BUT I never run out of pet peeves.

Here's my latest: Writers who are over dependant on the opinion of others as exemplified by Absolute Write. I have been on the forum a lot less which I believe is a good thing. And since I don't have friends there no one misses me so it works out for everyone. But- here is the thing; so many people post their ideas, ask if they are doing right or wrong, cruise for betas, and ask for every one's opinion even though no one else's opinion matters but your own.

That's not to say a good critique group isn't helpful (a joy I may never know....) but when it comes down to it you have to rely on yourself.

It's the same principle that you see on Top Chef vs. Top Chef Masters. The master chefs don't worry. They do what they want for the challenges and they have confidence in their food. At some point you have to trust yourself.