How to (Successfully) Co-author a Novel, Part 3: Writing & Wrap-Up

Alright, here is the final installment of the short little series on co-authoring.

Co-authored with the great Evangeline.

Who may or may not have had a little too much coffee while writing her part...go check out her blog.  Seriously, go do it...you might regret it.  She'll be talking about where you can write your story.

Today (or this evening, rather), I'm going to share our thoughts on editing.

Editing a story on your own can be quite messy, especially if it’s your first time doing so (or, if you’re like me, and just write first drafts that are all over the place).

However, editing with a co-writer is twice as messy.

So don’t even try.

Okay, I’m kidding. Actually, if done with some forethought, editing with a co-writer can be somewhat easier.

Your partner is also your Alpha reader.

Doesn’t that sound great?  The poor soul that is exposed first to all the GRUESOMENESS and the SHEER RAW POWER of the FIRST DRAFT…is someone that helped write the thing…

Of course, editing won't be without it's little setbacks, but hey?  When does a story ever just go 100% perfectly?

In a nutshell: Fix what you are good at, and your co-writer can handle the things he/she is good at. Discuss the plots and characters and such together, and then go from there. If you are good at descriptions, than you can go through the story and take care of those. Your co-writer might tweak dialogue. If you split the story into different POVs, you might edit the ones with your character’s, and your co-writer will handle his/her character POVs.

Go through the draft together and make notes on what need to be changed, then split up the workload according to skill set and willingness to do so. Always keep your fellow writer in the loop of what you’re doing. If you’re going to change a scene, it never hurts to ask first.

Honestly, it's all downhill from here.  Unlike writing on your own, things get easier once you begin to edit.  Your workload is cut in half!

You should always edit the SAME DOCUMENT.  Things get messy when you have to merge to second drafts together.  *Shudders*

This happened to Julian and I once.  We were both editing a story on our laptops, but because we were using different word processors, we just decided to edit two different documents.  We were editing chapter by chapter thankfully, so merging them was actually rather simple, but it was frustrating trying to keep up with what the other was doing.

Once scenes are added, removed, and edited, and all the main and side plots are straightened out, and the dialogue and description are well balanced, send the grammar expert in to do a quick read-through, and you’re finished!

So we have a new year coming up.  Why don't you try something new and co-write a story?  It can be something simple, something short.  No need to start an epic nine-book fantasy saga on your first attempt (but I won't stop you if you do start one).  Just give co-writing a try this 2018!

How to (Successfully) Co-author a Novel, Part 2: Characters

So technically I still posted this on Wednesday, so I kept my promise.  :)  But there was PANIC! at work today, and I was so frazzled I forgot just about everything that I should know about anything and yeah...Evangeline was so nice and patient.  Great gal to work with!

But today (or this evening, rather), we are talking about how to write the characters when you are co-authoring a novel.  And just as a reminder, when I am "speaking" the text is underlined, and when Evangeline gives her wisdom, the words are italicized. 

Writing the characters can be one of the hardest and most complicated parts of co-authoring a story.  It can also be one of the best and most enjoyable experiences - when done so as to please both writers. 

It’s complicated.  :)

Today, we are going to tackle the two main ways characters can be handled in co-authoring: sharing the characters, and splitting characters.

Sharing Characters

Again, hop over to Evangeline's blog.  She'll be talking about how to co-author while sharing all the characters.  Very interesting.  :)

Splitting Characters

Most common to co-authoring, each character is assigned to a writer, and that writer is responsible for making sure that the character and the plot surrounding him/her is taken care of, nothing is forgotten, and other character plots are not trampled.  So one writer might take the main character, the other writer the sidekick or another MC.  Side characters are divided up, according to the writers preferences and writing abilities.  (I personally have a hard time writing villains, so I usually just let Evan take over them.)

(I rule the Dark Side.)

Of course, you can always try something new, and work with a character type or plot you usually avoid, just for some practice.  You have your co-author there to help you out, or take on the writing of hard character for you.

You also will need to set up some rules regarding characters to abide by, such as in the words of Iron Man, "Okay, anybody on our side hiding any shocking and fantastic abilities they'd like to disclose? I'm open to suggestions."

See, when you have a co-author, you can't keep little secrets about your characters’ history or abilities.  Everything has to be on the table.  The point of writing is to surprise your readers – not your co-author.  They need to know what’s going on.

This is a common pitfall I’ve seen (and experienced) in co-authoring.  Everyone wants the cool character with the tragic backstory – which isn’t revealed until later. (ba-dum tiss!)  Please restrain yourself from hiding things from your co-author.  They might unintentionally ruin your secret plot, leaving you furious.  Or in the revelation of your secret plot, you might crush their own plot…and then things go downhill.

You have to be willing to compromise when it comes to characters.  Your favorite character can't win every victory and be the center of attention all the time.  You must be willing to work with your co-author's characters and plots.  Not everyone can have a cool life (or win them all)!

But how do you write a story when you have your own characters you are writing?

Simple.  You take turns - going back and forth with them, moving along the draft, using the POVs of your own characters.  It will often look like this:

Julian:  Vanyar turned back to her visitor.  “Please excuse me for a moment.  I will be right back.”  With a final smile at Jewel, she turned and stormed through the shop, practically yanking the door off the hinges as she burst into the street.  “Tharn Blackshard, you get here right this minute!”

Evangeline:  Jewel covered her ears, and moved farther away, pretending to examine the wares of the shop.  When all was quiet, she turned back to her friend.  “Have you heard from Hwen or the Sisters recently?  Any news from their end of the map?”

Julian:  Vanyar stuck her head back in the shop.  “Say what again?”

Evangeline:  “Have you any news?” Jewel hesitated to stop closer - Tharn had not yet arrived, and Vanyar might break into more ear-shattering screams at any moment.

Julian:  Tharn trotted up, soaking wet, followed by Joshi, who was also damp from head to toe.  “What happened to you boys?” Vanyar waved a finger in their faces.  “What on earth happened to you??”

Evangeline:  The boys both pointed at each other, crying, “He started it!” at the same moment.

And so on until the end is reached.  This is a fun way to get stories covered, but it does have drawbacks: editing can be rather complicated.  If you copy the story right over, you will most likely have some serious head-hopping, POV problems, tenses and such change, and a mash-up of different styles.

Another problem that arises is lack of detail.  Often times when you write alone, you spend more time introducing a scene, and adding description.  When you’re going back and forth quickly, detail and description often falls to the wayside.

This can, however, be fixed in editing (which we will talk about next week, Lord willing).

Key

(Though I will add that Evangeline and I know each other and our characters fairly well, so we often don’t bother to ask, and don’t mind when someone else takes care of a character for a few lines.  Like in the example above, Evangeline "took" my character Tharn when she made both boys point at each other.  I did not mind, however, because she played him correctly - they are both trouble-makers...always close to disaster.)

The Return

How you handle the characters will be up to you.  You can practice both ways before you draft, test things out during the first draft, or just decide which method you want to use beforehand.  You may even try using both (it’s actually very easy to do both, and ultimately, it will sorta’ end up that way regardless of which way you start with)!  Take a look at your story, and where you think it will go.  Which method will help the story flow?  Do you have multiple POVs?  A large cast of characters?  Splitting them up between the co-authors might be best.  Or are you sticking to one MC?  You may want to go ahead and share the writing of him/her.

Come back next week for our wrap-up post where we will discuss editing, give some general knowledge and tips, and dare you to try something new this coming 2018!

How to (Successfully) Co-author a Novel, Part 1: Getting Started

There's an old quote that goes something like "Write what you know."  So today I am here to talk about co-writing a story, and Evangeline is helping me (she is my co-author, after all)!

Personally, I absolutely love co-writing.  Some of the best stories I have written were co-authored with Evangeline.  Some of my favorite characters are the ones we created together.  Some of my favorite quotes are from our stories.  But I digress.

I mean, seriously, these are sooooo cool!!!  (What you don't see are the stories we wrote via flash drive instead of actual paper and ink.)

Back in 2013, on a long car trip, Evangeline and I grabbed a notebook and decided to write a little story in it to pass the time.  It was a huge success (as in, we were instantly addicted and there is no cure).  Four years later, we have not looked back from co-writing.  From those little stories and snippets, have emerged entire novella, novels, and our complete series beautiful-brainchild Heritage of Kings.

Writing with a co-author is a different experience from writing on your own.  It’s scary and unfamiliar!  You don’t have complete control!  You have to share your characters and your work!  So why would you do it?  (Cause seriously, only those who enjoy forms of self-torture might like this...)

Simple.  It’s a great way to get non-writers into writing, to try out new styles, or simply to have help with brainstorming, plotting, writing, and editing.

But today, Evangeline and I are here to prepare you (and hopefully excite you) for jumping into this new way of writing!  We actually wrote most of the content on the posts together, taking turns the way we do when writing together.  When Evangeline is bleeding her fingers onto the keyboard, the font color will be like this.  And when I'm explaining, it'll look like this.  Ready?  Keep reading!

What should I expect to experience if I co-author?

Please jump over to Evangeline's blog for her list on things to expect.  You can read it first, or you can finish this post and then go visit her - it really doesn't matter.

Getting Started

The first thing you need is a story idea.  You're dead in the water without one.  Once you have your initial idea, sit down with your friend/co-author and work out a rough outline.  It doesn't have to be an eight-page document with all the scenes in detail, but enough to hold up the story idea. 

Basically, this is very similar to normal writing.  You get an idea...flesh things out...gather characters...etc....you just need to work it out with another person, and make sure everyone is happy.

For Julian and I, we generally both come up with the plot together.  She usually has a good head for planning the general scope of the story, and then I sit down and work out all the smaller threads and side plots that bring everything together.  After I’m done, I’ll bring it back to Julian for review.  She'll tweak it or add elements of her own.  Once everything is agreed upon, we start writing.

Of course, sometimes you and your friend might have different methods of outlining.  And I’m here to tell you, it’s okay to outline differently for the same story when co-writing!  Evangeline usually keeps an outline consisting of things we have already verified to be in the story (such as “they go to the castle for XYZ”) and she keeps that with her while she writes.  I prefer to get a general idea (usually attained after lots of discussion and the final plot revision) and then wing it.  But I always have Evan to keep me on track.

The saying “two heads are better than one” holds true when co-authoring.  You'll always be coming back to the plot and tweaking/adding to it.  What makes co-authoring so great is being able to bounce off each other when brainstorming.

Not to mention that co-writing means you have twice the amount of strengths (and brain power) going into the story.  Evan is always there to bring humor to the draft, and I keep the drama and music going.  Evan pushes the plot forward, and I sew up any holes.

One thing that is fun to do with co-writing is to try branching out into a genre that isn’t one you’re normally writing in.  Evan didn’t write much fantasy until we started co-writing together.  And with the story I’m writing with Sarah will have more of a modern feel, which will be new to me.  So don’t be afraid to try something new!

Key

The Return

So, are you interested in co-authoring yet?  I hope so, because there’s more coming next week!  This series (should) have two more parts covering how to deal with dividing up characters and work load, and then another with tips on how/where to write and edit your shared book.

Happy co-writing!

Minutes at a Time

So we all talk about how busy we are.  We have no time to write, to read, to do all the things.  School, work, and chores take up a lot of our time.

And that's okay.  After all, education and putting food on the table is important.

But instead of worrying about the three straight hours we don't get to do things (such as writing, or blogging, or reading), let's focus on the three minutes that we do get.  This is a little thing I like to call...okay, I don't have anything to call it.  (Anyone got a snazzy name for using a few minutes to do something?)

I'm reading through a book with some friends, and we are doing one page (both sides; or basically two page numbers...) a day.  It's not that hard - I usually read during lunch break - probably takes about ten minutes.  But do you know what's really hard?  Playing catch-up.  Miss a day or two, and suddenly I need half an hour of time, and that's harder to find.  Like, much harder.

So that got me thinking...this concept can apply to anything.  Don't put things away in your room for a week, and you'll have a huge mess to clean on Saturday.  But if you tidy up at least something every day, it won't be so bad.  Clean up the floor before you go to bed, or refold those shirts you tossed in the drawer.  Wipe the mirror clean after brushing your teeth, and if you see a mess on the sink counter, clean it up before you leave the bathroom.

We've all heard the "writing in small increments a day can really boost your word count" deal.  And I'm not denying it.  But I'm not just talking about writing.

So I challenge y'all, this December, to do a lot of little things - things that seem simple, but can add up.  Keep things clean and organized.  Keep yourself feeling great.  Keep your motivation up.  Don't let busyness stress you out.

Read an extra chapter in the Bible when you wake up.

Take the extra minute to do your hair differently than normal.

Clean the dresser top before you leave your room.

Listen to a story on tape while cooking. 

Read a page a day on that new book (or two pages, if you think you have the time).

Write for ten minutes before you eat dinner, and another ten afterwards.

Drink a glass of water.

Organize your flash drive/desktop/notebooks/wherever you store your writing things.

Go outside (even if it's cold) to look at the stars for a few minutes before bed.

Get something on your to-do list completed - even if it's just a small and simple task.

Smile.

NaNo 2017

So I finished NaNo on the 18th, and was quite happy with my progress.  Not only did I reach 50K, I did it early, so I didn't have to worry about writing over Thanksgiving days.  I got a little over half-way through the story, so I will get back to writing in December and hopefully finish this book by the end of the year.  (yay!)

So for now, enjoy a few excerpts!

One

“Tonight, we will prepare for the celebration as best we can, and alter our appearances.  If she doesn’t suspect us, she won’t play close attention.  We just need to avoid instant recognition and not draw attention to ourselves.  That’s all.”

“Not draw attention to ourselves?  We are a traveling band of minstrels!  We go around playing music and hoping to draw attention!”  I waved my hands for emphasis.  “We are practically going to walk in front of Queen Moreno, play a song, and scream, Look at us! We’re your most hated enemies! Come and kill us!”

“Okay, so there is a small flaw in our plan, but...”

“A small flaw?  You call instant death a flaw?”

“Maybe a minor set back, but...”

“So death is just a minor set back?”

(Yeah, Marywyn can be a bit dramatic...especially when she's worried, stressed, and panicking...)

Two

“We might be able to rally a number of the Silencers, but they are leaderless, and men without a brave leader are not brave on their own.”

 “Could I convince them?”

 “You could.  But you are not a warrior, Marywyn.  Warriors do not need words to put them at their bravest.  Warriors need their leader - the one they look up to.  That’s where they get their strength and their bravery.”

 I closed my eyes, refusing to let the still fresh tears flow.  “What about you, Rayn?  You’re the Second in Command of the West Band.  You’re the Captain now, come to think of it.  You can lead them.  The Silencers will follow you, at least.”

 “I’m not their captain, and they know it.  The Silencers died when he did, Marywyn.”

(Hits me in the feels - every time.)

Three

I opened to the first page, though the darkness made the words unreadable.  “Thank you, Nahale.  I will try to read it as often as I can.”

“And if you need help, I would gladly read it with you.  Or Lavern, or anyone else.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t be afraid to go to the Lord for help.  Acknowledging your weaknesses is not foolish, but rather the first step to overcoming them and receiving help.”

(Marywyn gets her first copy of the Bible.)

Four

This was more people than I had ever performed for before.  The practice I had had had had no means to prepare me for such a gathering.  So many eager faces, waiting for a good song, staring up at me.

(Seriously, those four hads...I ran around the house showing it off to everyone and laughing manically when I realized what I had written...)

Five

I shifted my lute, swallowed as naturally as I could, and finished my breakfast without looking up.  An attempted casual scan of the room showed him still looking at me.

Time to leave.

Preferably a take-off-in-a-flash-of-cloak-and-sword-and-no-one-even-glances-up-Duren-style leave.

Six

“You will take me there?  Do they have real services?  Do they sing?”

“Yes and yes.  Have you never gone to one?”

“Never.  My old nurse read the Bible to me, and I read it on my own now.  I try to sing, but I cannot risk being overheard.  I would go to a worship service, but I don’t know where to go, or how I would go without escaping notice.  But I’ve longed for a day when I could go to church, and sit with other believers, and learn even more about the Lord and have my little faith strengthened.”

(Imagine being a grown adult and a Christian and never gone to Church before.  Spoiler: she cries.)

Well, enjoy!  And drop a comment if you have any questions about the trilogy - I'd be happy to chat about it.  :)

Things I Look Forward To // Being Published

I dream of being published someday - and what writer doesn't?  That mental picture of holding a printed book in our hands - with our name on the cover - is what can push us on when we're discouraged.  It's what we hope to accomplish.  But what other sort of things can happen once you're published?  What do you have to look forward to?

• Holding a book with your name on the cover.  Seriously...how is that not cool?  How is that not rewarding?  Don't you just get shivers of excitement by imagining a beautiful cover...with that title you picked...your name...your words inside...
• Putting your book on your shelf.  Oh, the feels...to see my printed work beside my favorite works by other authors.
• Bragging rights.  (Also known as Getting to introduce yourself as an Author.)  You can get an "I am an Author" bumper sticker to put on your car.  When meeting new people you can call yourself an Author.  You can hand out business cards and not look weird.  You no longer have to smile awkwardly and say, "Well, I'm not finished with the book yet."
• New work.  Yes, just because it's published doesn't mean I'm done.  There will be other things to do...getting the book out there so others can read it...book signings...newsletters....publicitiy....the whole lot.  But you know?  It's something different than first drafting and editing, and right now, I'm ready for something different, even if it's harder.
• The Fandom.  You know your favorite book, and how much time you spend obsessing about it?  Someone, someday, may do the same with the very story you are writing right now.  I can't wait to see what  fanart, fanfics, and ships people come up with!  I can't wait to see what characters are loved most...what pairings are best loves...and what little stories (or giant epics) they will write with my characters.
• Starting something new.  Once this trilogy is finished (published), I can't wait to start working on the next book or series.  (Wait...I thought I said I was ready to stop drafting and editing???  Oh well....)
• Seeing my hard work accomplishing something.  All those late nights...the plotting headaches....the crude maps....the editing blues....and this is what came of all that.

What do y'all look forward to (in regards to your WIPs)?  Anything I should add to the list?

A Book-Reading Family

I recently came to the conclusion that my family likes books.

I figured this out as I stacking new books onto the fifth bookshelf in the den.

I figured it more out when I looked at the five other bookshelves in the room often called the toy room, the spare room, the school room, and the library.

Looking at the three bookshelves in my dad's office, the two in our dining room, the one in my room, the one in the kid's room, the one in my brother's room, the cubbies for books and magazines in the bathrooms, and the occasional boxes of books that can be found in storage in the basement and attic (and let me not forget the baskets of magazines and the stacks of old books on desks and tables for "decoration" that can be found throughout the house as well).

Whenever we get a new stack of books book we have a "book-smelling party" where we take turns sticking our nose in between pages and sniffing deeply.  We all sit together on Sunday afternoons and read books.  We frequently read aloud books to each other so we can "share in the reading" of them.  We stare at all the books we have and say "I can't wait to read that one!" or "I can't believe we got another copy of this one!" and "You read that one?  Great, how was it?"

So my family apparently is apparently a bunch of book readers collectors.

This is okay.  There is nothing wrong with buying a bunch of books and not reading them (apparently that's what retirement is for...).  But how does this affect writers?

Your family supports you in your writing.

Because - hey! more books.  And good books, too, right?  They know I love books, and so they find it completely natural that I write them as well.  My parents enjoy reading what I write (and love editing it, too).  My siblings and I bounce story ideas off each other.  My mom will come up and say, "I've got another story idea - someone should write this!"

Your father will let you know that you're not reading enough books.

Even though I have a decent-sized stack that makes up by TBR, my father will say "Make sure you're reading enough!"

No one minds you reading at the table.

Except during dinner.  Because that is the family meal.  But want to read during breakfast or lunch!  Go for it!

Your mom spent countless hours looking for good books for you to read when you were younger, and made sure school always included reading.

I read soooooo much for school.  Lots of historical fiction.  Lots of writing exercises.

You're not the only one carrying stacks of books around a used book store.

'Nuff said.

You're not considered crazy when you walk laps in the backyard reading aloud a more difficult book (because reading aloud helps you understand better) or when you sit with the horses and read aloud to them (for the same reason)(and because horses make everything better).

Because my family knows.

Story-telling.

I grew up with amazing bed-times stories from my father; being read to by my mother; inventing little "stories" with my siblings while we played together. 

When we sit together around the table, we are constantly telling stories - what we did, what we thought, what we wanted to do.  We make each other laugh.  We read the Bible together.  We share stories.

Does anyone else live in a book-loving family?

Indie Christian Books Blog Tour // Interview with Jaye L. Knight

Alright everyone, I have some rather extremely exciting news!!

Who here likes books?

*glances at hypothetical raised hands*

Who here likes package deals, free shipping, discounted, $0.99, and even free books?

*glances at hypothetical bloggers shouting and hollering and waving both hands*

Well, good news awaits you!  In honor of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, a number of independent Christian authors have banded together to offer a huge selection of discounted books between Nov. 24th and 30th.  All genres, sizes, formats, you name it!

On November 24th, the Indie Christian Books website (http://www.indiechristianbooks.com/) will go live.  Every single book listed will be on sale in one or more ways.  Find discounted paperbacks, dozens of books offered with free shipping, $0.99 ebooks, package deals, and more.  Even if you have a budget of $0, new reading material awaits you.  When you purchase a paperback book through http://www.indiechristianbooks.com/ you'll be eligible to enter an exclusive giveaway, including free books and an Amazon gift card!

You can also meet the authors by visiting the Author Database on the website.  Want to get to know the authors better and have the chance to win some fun prizes?  Join the week long FaceBook party, which will feature over 39 authors over 7 days.  Seriously.  You know you want to at least stop by and check out what's going on.  If you just want to follow via blogs, check out the list of all the bloggers and supporters doing interviews, reviews, and announcements!

 

AND, as a part of this book sale, I have interviewed author Jaye L. Knight, about the first book in the Ilyon Chronicles, Resistance!  As some of y'all might know, I have recently started reading her series, and, to tell the truth, I am hooked.  So it was a great honor to get to ask her a few questions.  It was a struggle not to just ramble about the book and the characters and the plot and the storyworld...

Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that, even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

What was the first spark of an idea that started you down the path of writing Resistance?  Was it a character, a plot, etc?  Or did you just start writing with no real clue as to what the story would become?

Resistance began with the spark of an idea for Jace.  I was reading DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul, and at a scene where I discovered that my favorite character in the series was a half-blood, it set my creative gears turning.  Everything grew from there.

Which character arc came first in the plotting - Jace or Kyrin?

Jace.  After all, being the character that started everything, he was the one I focused on at the beginning of planning the series.

When you first started writing, did you know this story would turn into the series that it is now?

At first, I thought it would be a trilogy. I knew right away it would be longer than just one book.  Then it grew to seven books (yikes), until I ended up combining books 2 and 3 and it settled at six books. (Of course, I wasn’t planning on two extra novellas that popped up along the way as well.)

When reading Resistance, I loved the little bit with Jace and Niton!  Have you had any experience with horses prior to writing them?  And is Niton a Friesian?  (Friesians are one of my favorite breeds, so I was just curious and had to ask!)

Yes, I did have quite a bit of experience with horses. I took two years of riding lessons in my late teens and then owned two different horses over the years. My youngest brother currently has a horse as well. And yes, Niton is a Friesian, or at least the fantasy equivalent. They have been my favorite breed for many years.

 Reading Resistance was a refreshing change from stories with magic and sorcery!  What made you decide to write the story with no magic?  Was it hard (did you sometimes wish you could add something like magic into the world)?  Or did it just feel right to have it as it is?

I didn’t consciously decide to write with no magic, that’s just how I’ve always written fantasy. I love history, so I write fantasy with a historical feel, and don’t ever feel like it needs magic. If I were to ever include “magic” it would be more like characters with certain gifts like X-Men. I guess I just like writing “realistic” fantasy.

Dare I ask who is your favorite character?  Does it depend on who you're writing at the moment, or does one character (or a few) ultimately stand out as a favorite?

Jace. Jace will always be my favorite Ilyon character. Choosing a second favorite would be much more difficult. That does depend on who I’m writing at the moment. Different ones I particularly enjoy writing are Kaden, Daniel, Talas, Trask, and Aaron. Incidentally, those are the ones I’d consider my “sassy” characters. I guess that’s why they are so much fun to write.

What brought you to the decision to indie publish?

Because it seemed easier and much more plausible than traditional publishing, especially since I was only 18 at the time. And, being young, I guess I was impatient to see my books in print.

Have you ever regretted it, or felt like people hesitate to read your book because it's not been published in the traditional way?

I don’t regret it at all. I love indie publishing. In the beginning, indie publishing definitely had a stigma, and I did feel like people might hesitate to read my books because of it, but I don’t feel like that anymore. Indie publishing has become so popular now that I think the stigma has almost disappeared.

What words of encouragement would you give to anyone considering indie publishing their novel?

If you have a good, well-edited book and a professional looking cover, there is no reason you can’t have success in indie publishing. There are so many more avenues and resources available now than when I started. The possibilities are endless.

~~*~~

So there you have it, everyone!  And seriously, go and get her series.  This book sale is the perfect time to do it, and you have no excuse.  Go.  Now.  You won't regret it.

~~*~~

BUT WAIT THERES MORE

Remember what I said about the giveaway?  If you purchase a paperback book through http://www.indiechristianbooks.com/ you are eligible for the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~*~~

Alright.  I'm done.  I promise.

Oh, wait...I'm not...looky here....

*Just a quick note on the Ebooks Only page.  All books are listed as "Sold Out."  This only refers to paperback copies of these titles.  Please click onto the product pages to find descriptions and links to discounted or free ebooks.

**Acknowledgements:  Thanks to Leah E. Good and Kendra E. Ardnek for their work organizing this sale, and Hannah Mills for her fantastic design work on the website graphics.  Hannah can be contacted at hmills(at)omorecollege(dot)edu for more information about her design services.

The Mysteriously Nameless Tag of Doom

So Lena (my current nickname for Evangeline) tagged me last week sort of because I asked her.  She was talking about answering the questions to it, and I was like "tag me, so I have something to post during NaNo and don't have to spend a bunch of time prepping for it."  And she complied.

So enjoy.  Cause I certainly enjoyed not having to take time off from NaNo to prepare a super-amazing-and-informative-post-that-will-make-me-a-popular-blogger.

*ahem*

What book has been on your shelf the longest?

I just got a new bookshelf, so they all have only been on there for a few weeks.  I don't even think I've gotten any new books since I got the bookshelf...

What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next?

Currently reading:

The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher

I'm actually reading a paper-back copy, with Evangeline and another friend.  My Dad has this nice hard-backed one, though, that's he's also reading.  The notes are super helpful, but also a little distracting when you're trying to read. 

The Thought of God by Maurice Roberts

I've met the author twice, and he is a very dear man and retired preacher.  I highly recommend this book - it is a series of articles that he wrote, and they are very easy to understand, very thought-provoking, very encouraging, and really stir the reader towards thoughts of God!

Last Read:

Samara's Peril by Jaye L. Knight

I think it's my least favorite book in the series so far, but I still enjoyed it.  Full of adventure, feels, and friendship!

Next Read:

Exiles by Jaye L. Knight

This was going to be my reward for completing NaNoWriMo, but I may let it sit until I completely finish the draft of Words of Peace.  Cause once I start reading it, I probably won't be able to put it down, so I better hold off until the draft is finished!

What book did everyone like, but you hated?

The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin Jr.

It was plain weird.  Just.  *squirms*  Weird.  Perhaps a little too much symbolism (I don't mind it, but not when every single little thing has some sort of hidden meaning...), and a lot of Chauntecleer screaming COCK A DOODLE DOO and the dog howling MAROOOOONED, and it was written in an odd style that I'm not used to, and I couldn't get into it at all.  Even thinking of that book gives me a headache.  But yet everyone gives it good reviews....

Not that it's a bad book...it's just totally not my kind of reading.  Somehow.  'Cause on a normal basis I would enjoy a story about chickens.  I just probably won't read the next ones. 

On the other hand, my brother read it, and he enjoyed it.  So there's that.  If he ever gets the other ones, I may just skim them anyway...

What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?

Hmmm...not sure.  I've pretty much read all I've wanted read, save for books currently on my TBR, and I plan to read all those.  So...nothing here.

What book are you saving for retirement?

Retirement?  *record screech*  Wait...I've got to start thinking about that now???

Last page: read it first, or wait ’til the end?

Wait until the end, of course!!!  Only twice have I not read straight from the beginning to the end...and I regretted it both times.

Mostly.

Occurrence #1 - My Grandpappy got me Forest Born for my birthday, and I immedtialy started reading it...only to find out it was the last book of the Bayern series.  Whoops.

Occurrence #1 - I was getting ready to read Inkdeath, and as I flipped through the pages first (looking at the illustrations to prepare myself to read) the name Dustfinger caught my eye at the top of a page.  So I started reading, and...wait...he's alive???  Whoops again.

Acknowledgement: waste of paper and ink, or interesting aside?

I skim them in a second and then ignore them for the rest of eternity.  I don't think they're a waste, as I most certainly will be writing them when my books are published, but I doubt anyone reads them.  Unless they're funny.

Not to Self: Make your acknowledgements funny. 

Which book character would you switch places with?

Aravis, from The Horse and His Boy.  I want to go travel the countryside with a Prince and two talking horses!  (And maybe save Narnia while I'm at it.)

"The bolt of Tash falls from above!!!"

"Does it ever get caught on a hook halfway?"

Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life? (Place, time, person?)

I have a couple books that I've received from different people (and thusly think of them when I read it) or took with me on trips (so I think of that trip when I read it), but nothing other than that.

Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way.

I was at Corbridge a few years ago, and found the book The Lantern Bearers for sale at the gift shop.  I couldn't remember reading it before, so I snatched it up.  When I started to read it, I found that I had already read it before, but at least I have my own copy now - and brought all the way from Merry Old England!

Another time, I let a friend borrow a horse book of mine, and when she "returned" it, it was a different horse book....but she said I could keep that one anyway, so I did.  I'm still waiting for the original one. 

Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person?

I don't give away books.  I hoard them.  But also see above answer for the one time I "gave" a book away...

Which book has been with you most places?

My paperback copy of The Silmarillion.  It's tiny, and super easy to just tuck into my purse and take places.  It's been to England, Belarus, Germany, and all over the US (who knew I was such a traveler??).

Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad later?

Well, to be honest, I was happy reading whatever I was given.  It's just like "Oh, great, a new book to read!!!  Kinda boring, but it's better than nothing, y'know??"  *speeds through book even though it's not to interesting or in my favorite genres*

Used or brand new?

WHATEVER I CAN GET MY PAWS ON BE IT BRAND SPANKIN NEW AND OR SO RIPPED THERES NOT A COVER I WILL READ ITS HEAVILY UNDERLINED PAGES TILL MY EYES BLEED

Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?

No, and I will admit, I had to Google his name to even find out who he is...

Have you ever seen a movie you liked more than the book?

Prince Caspian.  The book was a little ho-hum (probably my least favorite Narnia book, actually), but the movie is probably my favorite Narnia movie.  I dunno....the movie just has a little more excitement and adventure, while the book is like...sloooowwww....

Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks included?

That's my secret.  I'm always hungry. 

Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

1) My parents.  They did the research when I was younger, and looked for good, clean, wholesome books for me to read.  When they tell me "this is a good book you can read," I have complete faith and trust that I can go ahead and start reading it.

2) Evangeline.  Honestly, I read waaaaaaaay more books then she does, but when she comes and says "Hey, I liked this one," I know it's good.  Or else she wouldn't have finished it, and she certainly wouldn't be telling me it was good if she didn't like it.

3)  Sarah.  She tells me about a good book, and I instantly have to go check it out.  She knows that I prefer books with less magic in them, and she respects it, and suggest books she knows I'll enjoy.  When she tells me of a good book, I'm sure it'll be good.

Is there a book out of your comfort zone (e.g., outside your usual reading genre) that you ended up loving?

Charity and Its Fruits, I would say.  It was one of my first attempts at reading "An Adult Theological" book.  I don't think I was a mature enough of a reader when I first attempted it, and so I put it down shortly, being just unable to read it.  Then I came back to it earlier this year, wanting to give it another go, and managed to get through it, and I really liked it.  I would love to read it again sometime!

The Re-Tag

Lisa @ Inkwell
Mary @ Sunshine and Scribblings
Anyone else who wants to do this tag so they don't have to write a fancy post during NaNo