The Realms of a Fantastical Mind

Welcome, Sue Bolich, this week’s Blog Ring of Power guest. Sue is a member of  Broad Universe,  where she recently shared the news that she is battling cancer, and the medical bills are piling up.  Please help Sue and show your support by purchasing her novels as every little bit of financial help is desperately needed. Don’t miss the rest of her interview at: Part 1: Monday, Dec. 3, About You–  Sandra Part 2: Tuesday, Dec. 4, The Writing Life– Dean Part 3: Wednesday, Dec. 5,The Creative Process– Terri Part 4: Thursday, Dec. 6, About Her Currant Work - T.W. Part 5: Friday, Dec. 7, Words of Wisdom–  Emily  Words of Wisdom BRoP:  Tell us about your route to success –how did you land your agent/publisher? Sue:  I met my publisher at a science fiction convention. Get out of the house! Meet people. Learn the ropes. Demonstrate that you’re a professional and can get the job done, and that you have something great to offer....

Welcome HEIDI GARRETT, this week’s Blog Ring of Power guest! She was born and raised in Texas, lived more than a decade in Southern California, and now she resides in Spokane, WA, with her husband and their two cats. So far, she loves the snow. Don’t miss the rest of Heidi’s interview at: Part 1 @  Sandra - Monday, Oct. 8 Part 2 @  Dean - Tuesday, Oct. 9 Part 3 @  Terri - Wednesday, Oct. 10 Part 4 @ T.W.- Thursday, Oct. 11 Part 5 @  Emily - Friday, Oct. 12 Let's chat about a few Words of Wisdom with Heidi  BRoP:     Tell us about your route to success – how/when did you decide to self-publish? Did you query an agent first? How did you handle the editing, proofreading, cover design, etc. HG:  I decided to self-publish in January of 2012. I queried two earlier drafts of the manuscript. Both were rejected. I had originally planned to query the published version, but in December 2011 I got an older version of the iPhone for a ...

There are times when everyone gets burnt out.  Yes even in writing. When words seem to come get you instead of singing sweet songs in your ears. It's not writers block but something more, as if the fire of writing has left ash in its wake.  As the forest fires of nature, seeds are left under the grey dust, but only time will bring forth the sprouts of new words, new ideas, and reinforce thoughts to old ones. Everyone gets burnt out at some point.  Thinking too much on a Manuscript, revising and rewording over and over. The words get jumbled together.  Thoughts fade in the mind before they get on page. The only cure is time.  This is why it is not always good to write every day. Rest from the words, read a book, or if that is also too much, play a game, watch a few movies.  Take a week or two off to refresh your mind.  Do anything else.  I would suggest not even thinking about the MS, but I can't even succeed in doing that, so I wont push th...

It's Blog Ring of Power Time!!!  Today we are wrapping up the interview with Danielle For the beginning parts check out Part 1 with Sandra Part 2 with Dean Part 3 with Terri Part 4 with T.W. Award-winning author Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for over seventeen years. Her works include the urban fantasies, Yesterday's Dreams , Tomorrow's Memories , the upcoming Today’s Promise , and The Halfling’s Court , and the writers guide, The Literary Handyman . She edits the Bad-Ass Faeries anthologies and Dragon’s Lure , and has contributed to numerous other anthologies. She is a member of the New Jersey Authors Network and Broad Universe, a writer’s organization focusing on promoting the works of women authors in the speculative genres. She can be found on LiveJournal (damcphail, lit_handyman), Facebook (Danielle Ackley-McPhail), and Twitter (DMcPhail). Learn more at www.sidhenadaire.com .  Thanks for ...

I think the first thing that comes to mind on this is... "All Hale George R.R. Martin!" Okay, maybe not everyone feels that way.  I've only read his first book and was wowed by it.  There is so much depth, so much to every banner, every household.  So much that I didn't think of... back to the drawing board. When writing fiction there are some basic backgrounds that need to be established. The Main Character.  Where did they come from?  How did they get to be the way they are at the beginning of the book?  What effects them the most positively and negatively? The Supporting Characters.  Again, where did they come from? How did they get to be the way they are at the beginning of the book? What effects them the most positively and negatively? The Land around them.  Yup even the land needs a history.  When writing Urban stories things are easier because the history was already made.  We know about what has happened in Bo...

We need our computer, some paper and pens, or some nifty software so that we can organize the craziness of our books. With all these things, our greatest tools may be overlooked. What are they you ask... go ahead ask. I'll tell you what they are (IMHO) Critique partners, Beta readers, and Editors. Yes, your greatest tools as a writer are those people who take time out of their lives to hack and slash your baby into little red filled pages of suffering.  They are the reason we writers need to have thicker skin than a killer whale. They are also the reason why the successful author's books get read, and read and read over again. It's common knowledge that as a writer we get so involved with our babies, so much care taken to make every word choice perfect, that we don't see the blaring black holes in our plot, or the grossly overused metaphor that needs to go. We need those extra set of eyes to point out the flaws. So what is the difference between ...