Top 10 Steps in Doug J. Cooper’s Daily Ritual of Writing

Posted: March 31, 2014 in Blog Tour Hosting
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1) It’s 4:30 am. Get out of bed.
2) Make a pot of coffee.
3) Fire up laptop, open latest Word version of book.
4) Check email.
5) Read pages from yesterday. Edit, edit, edit.
6) Write new bits. Realize I’ve written myself into a corner.
7) Make breakfast. Eat while brainstorming ways to fix plot.
8) Check Twitter. Check email.
9) Write stream of consciousness. Wonder if thoughts will make sense tomorrow.
10) It’s 8:30 am. Check email. Get ready for work.
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About the Author

As a young child, Doug stood on a Florida beach and watched an Apollo spacecraft climb the sky on its mission to the moon. He thrilled at the sight of the pillar of flames pushing the rocket upward. And then the thunderous roar washed over him, and shook his body and soul.Since then, he has explored life as an educator and entrepreneur. He enjoys telling inventive tales, mentoring driven individuals, and everything sci-tech.In his new book, Crystal Deception, Doug swirls his creative imagination with his life experiences to craft a science fiction action-adventure story with engaging characters and a plot line with surprises.He lives in Connecticut with his wonderful wife and with pictures of his son, who is off somewhere in the world creating adventures of his own.
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Flying By the Seat of My Pants

Posted: March 30, 2014 in Blog Tour Hosting
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A guest post by Abigail Owen

There are two extremes of writers out there – the ones who plan and detail like crazy and the ones who fly by the seat of their pants. Much like other polar opposites – like liberal/conservative, shy/outgoing, hot/cold – most people fall somewhere in the middle but lean more toward a particular side. Neither side is perfect or more right or more wrong. It’s what works for you as an individual.

Me? I lean more toward the “pantser” side.

I recently read a book release by an author where she talked about writing the book. She mentioned things like, “I laughed out loud when Mike (the male lead) whispered in my ear.” I love that mental image because sometimes that is exactly what I feel like happens to me. My characters and story talk to me.

I have tried to map out every detail of a story before, and I really struggle to write it after I do that. I feel so restricted, so hemmed in by what “has to happen” that the story doesn’t flow for me. I can’t hear my characters talking to me. But if I leave it too loosey-goosey, with no plan on where to go, I spend a lot of time spinning my wheels.

So now I do a little planning. I always start a book with a general idea of the key points – characters and their development, major turning points, beginning and end. I will often have specific scenes in mind and I know where I want those to go in the book. But all the stuff in between… it comes to me as I go.

Sometimes where a story goes is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you. And I love that. I love discovering my characters and story along the way. Do I frequently have to go back and change parts I’ve already written to go with my new direction? You bet. Do I believe the story is better because I’m flexible enough to roll with it? Absolutely.

So to the writers out there… which are you and why?

Author Bio

Award-winning author, Abigail Owen was born in Greeley, Colorado and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are the center of her universe.

Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by obtaining a degree in English Rhetoric/Technical Writing. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.

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Is There Honor Among Orcs?

Posted: February 20, 2014 in Announcements, Blog Tour Hosting, book reviews, Recommended Reading
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Honor Among Orcs

by Amalia Dillin 

Designed by: Melissa Stevens (Website)

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

Series: Orc Saga, Book One

Genre: Fantasy (18+)

After nearly a decade as the king’s whipping-girl, Princess Arianna has no intention of going quietly into marriage to some treasonous noble, or serving obediently as the king’s spy until her death is more convenient. When she discovers a handsome orc, chained and trapped inside a magic mirror, Arianna cannot help but see a lasting freedom from her father’s abuse.

Left to rot inside a mirror by the king, Bolthorn never imagined his prayers would be answered by a princess. Nor did he ever expect to meet so worthy a woman after knowing her father’s cruelty. He needs her help to escape the mirror before the king marches against the orcs, but all he can offer Arianna is ice and darkness in exchange for her aid.

If Arianna can free the monster behind the glass, perhaps she might free herself, as well. But once they cross the mountain, there will be no return, and the deadly winter is the least of what threatens them on the other side. Romance blossoms in this gripping fantasy adventure.

EXCERPT

He knew these woods, sparse as they had become, and when they broke, he knew the tundra of the foothills too. Just before dawn, he found the outcrop beneath which he had made a shelter his first night beyond the mountains, and though he did not dare to light a fire, the sedge made a soft bed.

After a meal of apples and cheese, the last of their food, Arianna curled against his side, sharing the fur, and rested her head on his shoulder. He tested her forehead for fever and breathed his relief when she did not burn against his palm.

She tugged his hand away, a small smile curving her lips. “You worry overmuch. There are still two days of warmth before I must fight your cruel winds. I will be well enough for your mountains by then.”

His fingers lingered against her skin and her smile faded. He traced the clan-markings on her cheek and her lips parted, her heart thrumming in his ears.

“Bolthorn –”

Up the bridge of her nose and over her eyebrow, the umber flaked from her skin, coloring his fingertip. Down along the line of her jaw, to the pulse point beneath. Her breathing hitched. He only wished the marks had reached her collarbone, to give him some excuse to trail his fingers across the smooth skin there.

“You make a beautiful orc.”

“Not a Vala?” she asked, her eyelashes sweeping across her cheek.

“The Vala cannot marry.” The sunlight caught in her hair, flashing reds within the rich brown and he smoothed the soft, wild strands from her face. “They cannot bear children, or know the touch of any kind of man after they have made their vows. They know only the ancestors and the mysteries they reveal.”

“Oh,” she breathed.

Oh. It was the first thing she had ever said to him, trembling against the stone. She trembled now, too. As she should, he thought, knowing herself within the arms of an orc. He closed his eyes and drew his hand back. This was a dangerous game to play with her so near, so vulnerable.

“Sleep well, princess,” he said, his jaw tight against his need. “You’ll want your strength.”

She made a noise in the back of her throat, but when he glanced at her, she had turned away.

About the Author

Amalia Dillin began as a Biology major before taking Latin and falling in love with old heroes and older gods. After that, she couldn’t stop writing about them, with the occasional break for more contemporary subjects. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, and dreams of the day when she will own goats–to pull her chariot through the sky, of course.

Amalia is the author of the Fate of the Gods trilogy from World Weaver Press, and the soon to be released Orc Saga, coming April 1, 2014. You can learn more about her work at www.amaliadillin.com

  

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