Hi everyone! This is Holly Jones. Kelley Roby my co-author for "The Pull of Blood and The Blood Chalice", said I should get on this blog. Well folks, I am about the most unfamiliar computer idiot on the planet.... So, I don't know how to do all the cool downloading of pics or anything, so bare with me. I will visit on a regular basis, but computers make my head hurt! I can't even book airline tickets without a migraine!!! But will be here for support or a good word if anyone needs one.
Holly Jones
Monday, March 26, 2012
Happy Release Day for The Hourglass!
Happy Release Day for The Hourglass!
Prim research librarian Mary Chase travels to Italy in search of an antique manuscript rumored to belong to international financier Emilio Vittorini. She soon discovers the rumors are right -- but that gaining access to the manuscript hinges on her willingness to submit to a series of dark and carnal games with Vittorini himself.
When she submits, she makes the most astonishing discover of all – that the rituals of Vittorini’s calculated discipline have the power to awaken a level of passionate response in her that she never knew she possessed. But at what price? And what will become of her when their ‘negotiations’ come to an end?
Get your copy today!
Amazon
Bradley Publishing
Friday, March 23, 2012
Today Bradley Publishing is having a sale on my short horror story anthology, Just Shadows. Instead of 2.99, pay only 1.49!
To celebrate, I wanted to share a little more writing advice, this time on handling the dreaded words any writer is loathe to hear: Word Count Limit. Have a great Friday, and a better weekend!
JUST SHORT ENOUGH
The term “word count” is familiar to any author, no matter if they write long novels or micro fiction. But the term is probably most important to those who write shorter stories, like flash fiction.
Most flash fiction is 1000 words or less, though some websites define it as 500 words, maximum. But no matter how you define it, one thing is cut and dry: word count is everything. It defines the story arc, giving the action precise limits, demanding that each word be essential to the action, or face the chopping block. When you have that few words, you can’t afford to waste one that doesn’t convey plot, mood, or meaning.
My first experience with word count was a 24-hr contest I entered. The topic was given in a paragraph. The limit was 900 words, firm. I wrote the story I wanted to write, and then checked the word count. It was 1200 words. Panicked, I began paring down, then checked again. Still too long by over a hundred words. I pared down to the absolute max, then checked again. Still too long.
That day, I wrote and rewrote the story, checking the word count again and again. Each time, I was either under and the story was choppy, or the story was complete and I was over the limit. Frustrated and tense as a spring, I pushed myself to keep reworking, to make the deadline with an engaging story. Hours later, I finished with 2 words to spare, at 898 words. It had been arduous, but I’d done it. Excited and relieved, I sent it off, sure I would place, if not win the prize.
I didn’t win the contest. I didn’t even get an honorable mention. But the experience gave me the skills to convey my story arc in the least number of words possible. I could write an interesting story in a set number of words, if I just worked at it. Further, I was sure that I could do it for stories from my own imagination. I’d learned something valuable and I couldn’t wait to put it to use.
I went on to place many horror stories, and then longer works, most recently Just Shadows, my anthology of horror stories from Bradley Publishing. And my story that failed to win? I sold it a year later to the Halloween Alliance, where it still resides online for all to enjoy. J
Website: www.tarafoxhall.com
Email: tarafoxhallATgmailDOTcom
Tara's Facebook Page:
For my latest interview, click here: http://lasrmysteryguests.blogspot.com/2012/03/interview-tara-fox-hall.html
Bio:
Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense, erotica, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She also coauthored the essay “The Allure of the Serial Killer,” published in Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone: Being and Killing (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010). Her first e-novella, Surrender to Me, was published in September 2011. Her first full-length novel, Lash, will publish in April 2012. She divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice. Her most recent publication is the anthology of short suspense and horror stories, Just Shadows.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Writing Advice: Turning Back Time by Tara Fox Hall
Hello and welcome to the Bradley Publishing Blog. A big thank you to Jennifer and Zeb for setting this Blog up for us BP authors.
My name is Tara Fox Hall. My short suspense and horror anthology, Just Shadows, published in January 2012.
For my first (test) post, I thought I'd share a little writing advice on getting organized. :)
TURNING BACK TIME
The struggle for enough time in any standard day of a successful, proven author is a given. Yet it pales in comparison to the frenzy of a new, yet-to-be proven author. There is advertizing, promotion, reviews, deadlines, book covers, links, blog posts, and a million other details that need to be at your fingertips with a few clicks. You’d need a Time Turner from the Harry Potter Books to get it all done. But Time Turners that really work seem to be in short supply. So how does a struggling author handle the stress?
Answer: get very, very organized.
First off, you’ll need to make friends with spreadsheets, either Excel or another type. Spreadsheets are not just for accountants; they are very a useful, necessary tool you will need to keep track of a minimum of things, such as the publishers and agents where you have submitted your book. If you’re past that stage, and have been published, you’ll still need spreadsheets to successfully promote your work, which is expected of all authors, both famous and not-so-famous. Even if you’ve published only one book, and you’re not sure if there will be a next one, this is important to do. If you plan on being a writer, there will be other books in your future at some point. Copying an existing spreadsheet of places to submit, complete with emails and feedback from your last round of submissions, is much easier than sorting through a ton of emails in your sent box to compile a fresh list of possible places to submit. If you have more than one book a year coming out, you’ll need to have multiple tabs on the spreadsheet, one for each book.
If you are asking for book reviews, you’ll have to keep track of who you asked, what they said, when this happened, and whether or not the book actually got reviewed. Trust me, this is very useful, especially when you last send out requests six months ago, and are wondering if you should bother submitting a new book to a review site that sounds familiar. You’ll want to know if they reviewed your last book, or never replied to a query you spent an hour or two crafting.
All promotiom—whether ads, blogging, interviews, or giveaways—also need to be tracked, the last just so that you don’t miss sending out a prize to a winner on time. Nothing alienates a fan like a coveted prize that never materializes. Have a file for all your frequently used files, such as book covers, so when one is needed quickly, you don’t have to try to pull it off the internet, or look through email. Customize your organization as needed when you discover what works best for you and what needs more organization.
At first, this will seem daunting. But when you’re rushed to finish a blog, hours from your deadline with your publisher, and you get that emergency email asking some random bit of information, like the word count of your second book, you’ll have it at your fingertips. Sometimes something small makes the difference between publishing and not publishing. Being organized will give you more time to write. And it’s far more reliable than trying to mystically turn back time.
Tara's Links:
Website: www.tarafoxhall.com
Email: tarafoxhallATgmailDOTcom
Tara's Facebook Page:
For my latest interview, click here: http://lasrmysteryguests.blogspot.com/2012/03/interview-tara-fox-hall.html
For info on my recently published work, Just Shadows, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Shadows-ebook/dp/B006V4HB2Y
Welcoming a nice opportunity on the Bradley Blog
Thank you Zeb and Jennifer for the opportunity for the Bradley Writers to create posts about their books. I am currently writing away in the Florida Keys Sunshine and promoting my Bradley book, the YA Novel, FULL SNOW MOON. I am also the National Dog Week Blogger, http://www.nationaldogweekbook.wordpress.com active in the movement that focuses on the state of the dogs in the states of the nation. I am working on two non-fiction projects now, but I find that no matter what I am writing, fiction or non, I love to share obscure moments and events in history, fusing them with current events. There is a lot we can learn from the past is what I like to believe. I look forward to answering any questions about FULL SNOW MOON and my writing.
Lisa Begin-Kruysman
Lisa Begin-Kruysman
Welcome to Bradley Publishing's Author and Editor Blog! Be sure to follow us for great interviews, reviews, contests, and the inside scoop on all our releases. Get to know the BP family. Whether it's Romance, Erotica, Mystery/Thriller, Horror, Young Adult, or even Fantasy that interests you, our authors are here to give you a glimpse inside their world. With all the great information and giveaways, you're not going to want to miss it!
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