ONLINE VERSUS REAL CRITIQUE GROUPS

I have a group I meet with monthly and beta readers that I met online. Both are beneficial for different reasons:

The monthly group I attend meets at a Barnes and Noble near my house. We are a mixed group of women, all in different life stages, and all sharing our love of writing. The best part of the group is sitting and chatting in real time, enjoying each other’s company, and making lasting friendships with women who share a common interest.

The online readers are cyber friends who also share a love of reading and writing. We email each other and share links to blogs, articles, and reviews. We email back and forth to answer each other’s questions, complain, vent, and share happy news.

I wouldn’t trade either group for the world. Each woman brings a different perspective and view of the world that only helps to strengthen my writing.

How about you? Do you have people in your life, real or in cyberspace, who are invaluable to your writing?

Kimmy :)

 

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013

Realistic Settings

While taking a walk with my toddler recently I observed everything I could about my settings. Not because I am writing a book based in New Jersey, but rather what is different here than where my actual WIP takes place. Since my story takes place in a real town in West Texas I need facts. As I edit I need these things to refer back to, constantly.

During the summer of 2011 I spent several weeks in Texas visiting family and we took a day trip (very long one) out to San Angelo, Texas where I have based this particular WIP. Why did I chose San Angelo? I used to live there, once upon a long time ago. It's been a long while since I had been there, so off we went to see the different sights I had planned on including.

I wondered what was different, if any, for creating a fictitious setting. So I thought back to another manuscript for which I created a town along the Jersey Shore called ??. Although I created this particular town, I based it on a nearby town to where I live, one I think of as being perfect for this manuscript. So, I used what I could of that town to create my setting folder.

Here's a list of those things I found necessary to keep the setting realistic.

1) Map - They help keep different locations in perspective. Regardless of whether it is explained to the reader where certain places are, it is great for the writer to have a sense of where they are, what's around that location, how long it takes to get from one location to another, and so on. It is also helpful to describe sounds based on what is nearby. People hear different sounds based on different locations. Knowing what is nearby will help with sound.

2) Pictures - This helps when describing locations based on sight. I have tons from my trip to San Angelo. While I might not have many for my local site, I drive there regularly which makes it easy to describe.

3) Travel - I know this one is difficult, but if possible I like to have traveled to the location I am writing about. There are different feelings and sensations you get. Texas summers are vastly different from New Jersey summers. Likewise, the winters are extremely different as well. 

Why do we write

Firstly, I hope everyone out there is safe and warm and recovering from the after-effects of Superstorm Sandy. My power was out for five days, the roads around me were closed thanks to fallen trees and my town was deserted. Still, when friends and family asked me how I was doing I could honestly say I was doing well. I was prepared with enough food and water, flashlight and candles and I was in touch with friends. Yet, I didn’t write a single word during the storm. I doodle-ed, took walks, and in general wool-gathered.

Why do we write, I wondered. I always thought it’s because I have something to say. For someone who doesn’t talk much in person, the pen and paper are convenient tools. But why do I have something to say? Is it because I see things others don’t see? (How aggrandizing is that!?) Or do I ponder over things longer than others? Why do I, when I look at a person, try to give her a story so that I can justify her soulful brown eyes or her hurried gait? This curiosity and pondering slow me down, my writing output declines and I tend to revise these stories (instead of my WIP) in my head while waiting at traffic lights, grocery lines, and, of course, while waiting for my power to return.
So while we write because we want to say something we also write to connect with others, to connect, yes, to humanity, as a whole, but isn’t it a relief to know that at least one other person sees things the way we do and gets what we are trying to say?
I think we also write to make sense of life. Living through Sandy, when life as we knew it was suspended, where our lives were upended and where we didn’t know what to expect the next day or the day after that, writing helps us bring some kind of order to the unexplainable chaos. Why do things happen? Must they happen? Can we avoid them? Why do we meet the people we do? Would our lives have turned out differently if we hadn’t? Life, most times, doesn’t run predictably. We live it trying to make sense of it. We have routines, structures and habits to help us. Writing could be another habit of ours.
But then again maybe we write because we just can’t help it. For some of us, writing is an act of will. Are we underplaying the role of determinism? Some things like Superstorm Sandy are determined to happen –we can prepare for them and plan our actions, yes. But we just can’t stop them. Whatever we do, we have to dream up stories, create characters and plot lines and pen them down.
What do you think? Why do you write?

Book Release - New Pride

NEW PRIDE RELEASE DAY BLITZ! By Laura Diamond

New town, new love, new terror.

It’s here! My prequel novelette, NEW PRIDE, releases today. I’m SO stoked for it to run wild in the world.

NEW PRIDE was born from my upcoming novel, SHIFTING PRIDE (coming December 7, 2012!). In SHIFTING PRIDE, the main character, Nickie, searches for her missing father, Richard…and NEW PRIDE is all about Richard’s journey to independence and new love.

NEW PRIDE Blurb:

A shape-shifter without a pride, Richard Leone strikes a tenuous friendship with power hungry, Derek, from an unstable, rogue group. On a hunt in the forest, they encounter a gorgeous brunette, Molly, partying with friends around a campfire. Derek tells the rogue pride and they bristle at humans trespassing on their territory. Richard risks life and tail to protect his secret and the humans—especially Molly—while simultaneously trying to win her heart. When Molly is kidnapped, he faces taking on the rogue pride alone, but quickly finds he has to put his trust in Derek, not only to rescue his new love, but to ensure the rogue pride doesn’t wreak havoc on his new town.

Author Laura Diamond:

Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist and author of all things young adult paranormal, dystopian, horror, and middle grade. Her short story, City of Lights and Stone, is in the Day of Demons anthology by Anachron Press (April 2012) and her apocalyptic short story, Begging Death is in the Carnage: Life After the End anthology by Sirens Call Publication (coming late 2012). Her debut young adult paranormal romance, SHIFTING PRIDE, is coming December 2012 by Etopia Press. When she's not writing, she is working at the hospital, blogging at Author Laura Diamond--Lucid Dreamer , and renovating her 225+ year old fixer-upper mansion. She is also full-time staff member for her four cats and a Pembroke Corgi named Katie. 

How to find Laura Diamond on the web:

Blog: http://lbdiamond.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/diamondlb

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laura.diamond.52

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraDiamond

Amazon.com Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Diamond/e/B009Y7L432/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_8

Website: www.AuthorLauraDiamond.com

Check Laura and her books out!

Kimmy :)

Triangles, Spencer Hill Press, 2013

COVER REVEAL: Extracted: The Lost Imperials (Book One)

Extracted: The Lost Imperials (Book One)

Welcome to the war.

The Tesla Institute is a premier academy that trains young time travelers called Rifters. Created by Nicola Tesla, the Institute seeks special individuals who can help preserve the time stream against those who try to alter it.

The Hollows is a rogue band of Rifters who tear through time with little care for the consequences. Armed with their own group of lost teens--their only desire to find Tesla and put an end to his corruption of the time stream.

Torn between them are Lex and Ember, two Rifters with no memories of their life before joining the time war.

When Lex’s girlfriend dies during a mission, the only way he can save her is to retrieve the Dox, a piece of tech which allows Rifters to re-enter their own timeline without collapsing the time stream. But the Dox is hidden deep within the Telsa Institute, which means Lex must go into the enemy camp. It’s there he meets Ember, and the past that was stolen from them both comes flooding back.

Now armed with the truth of who they are, Lex and Ember must work together to save the future before the battle for time destroys them both…again.

Title: Extracted: The Lost Imperials (Book One)

Authors: Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler H. Jolley

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press (www.spencerhillpress.com) Please feel free to use any images, text, links, etc. from our website.

ISBN: 978-1-937053-68-0

Release Date: 11/12/13 (cool date for a time-travel book, eh?)

Formats: Paper, e-book

If you'd like to request an ARC, please use the reviewer form on our website. ARCs will ship in August/September of 2013.

And for added fun, here is the making of video:

http://youtu.be/Dw_V-jzfH80 

Another amazing cover from Spencer Hill Press, with more to come!

Kimmy :)

Triangles, Spencer Hill Press, 2013

Spooktacular Winner!

We hope this post finds everyone safe and healthy in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. We're keeping everyone in our thoughts during these difficult times.

On a happier note we have a WINNER in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop Contest, Kate Smythe!! Congratulations Kate!!

We know the original blog post mentioned giving 48 hours to respond, but being so close to so much of the devastation that was Sandy, we're extending it an extra 48 hours. Mostly because some of us are still without power ourselves.

Congratulations Kate!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

QUERY CORNER – Successful Queries

Today I’m going to post another query that received requests. This one belongs to my lovely beta reader, Kim. This story was amazing, and her query landed her several requests. It does the job of getting attention! Check it out:

Dear Agent, (Of course, the agent’s name goes here)

The last place Evvy expected to find love is in the arms of the fairy prince...which probably means she shouldn’t have rejected his marriage proposal. (This paragraph, and last sentence, should hook the agent/editor and make them want to read more)

In fairy tradition, the worth of a fairy girl is determined by the beauty of her flower and the number of human shoes a groom is willing to pay for her hand in marriage. With a blossomless flower, Evvy can hardly be considered worth a shoelace, let alone the shoe it came from. So when Evvy is kidnapped by the Weeds but isn’t ransomed, she is certain she will never find a respectable husband, and the only thing she wants in life, is to be worth a pair of Converse High Tops. 

As a prisoner of the Weeds, Evvy begins to feel acceptance, and a possible romantic attraction to her abductor—a man who treats her decently enough despite the occasional threat to feed her to his falcon.  But when the fairy prince to shows up a season later to rescue her and declare her his intended bride, she doubts her place in either world.   

On the journey to find her own salvation, Evvy must figure out which world she fits in before her chance to reconcile with either man passes and true love is lost to her forever. (These paragraphs should read like the back cover a book—it should sound enticing and interesting without giving too much away)

TITLE is a …(This paragraph includes the title, word count, genre, and lists any submission guidelines that were followed)

Thank you for your time and consideration. (It is always a good idea to thank them for their time and close the letter professionally)

Sincerely,

Kim (Following your name would be any contact information—address, phone number, email address, and website, social media links)

Feel free to comment on her query or offer up any tips you have that get queries noticed!

Kimmy :)

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013