LDStorymakers Midwest Writers Conference and Shelfie Update

What a weekend! I attended the Midwest LDStorymakers conference in Overland Park, Ks and my head never stopped whirling the entire time.

First, I met one leg of the tripod that started out four years ago as three wannabe writers, the skilled and totally sweet Charity Bradford. One of these days, we're gonna show up at Marcy Hatch's doorstep and make the team complete.

Young pup

Our keynote speaker was the hilarious and rather amazing Adam Glendon Sidwell, author of the Evertaster series. Doesn't that cover entice you to buy?

Btw, Google his name and see where it leads you. (ohmy...is that Tom Hiddleston on Thor?! Maybe it's a slim connection but like I care. *pant,pant*)

I can't begin to thank all the presenters and staff. Great workshops on marketing, queries, and Voice, TMI for my still-whirling brain.

They presented me with second and third place in the First Chapter contest, The Adamant and Of Oak and Dragons, respectively, a most humbling experience. Thank you. Sarah Negovetich of the Corvisiero Literary Agency critiqued my query for Diamond Black, and no, I never figured out how to pronounce her name.

* * * *

Tara Tyler's Shelfie Blog Hop update:

We have contestants!

Ellie Garrett
L. Diane Wolfe
Gina Stoneheart
Stephen Tremp
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Tyrean Martinson
Tami Aschenbrenner
Elizabeth Arroyo
Chrys Fey
Eric Juneau
Loni Townsend
Rebecca Bradley
Nicki Elson

Check out their bookshelf photos and see what you think. And remember, there is still time for you to enter. 

The Rules--
Dates: Now thru Monday, Oct 6

Entries: Take a picture of you and your book(s) - your favorites or your own novels. Or you can just arrange the books in a special way and take the picture - but you do get extra points for being in the photo

Formats: Tweet, Facebook, Blog - just make sure to include a link(s) to each.

Tara's lovely co-hosts, co-conspirators and contributors: Heather M. Gardner, Christine Rains,Vikki Biram, M.J. Fifield, Elizabeth Seckman, and Rena Rocford

But that's not all - check out the fabulous prizes! It's easy and profitable! I hope you'll join us and spread the word =)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Underrated Treasures Blogfest – Movie

For this blogfest hosted by the fabulous Alex Cavanaugh (thanks Alex!), I have two movies. One mostly famous but underappreciated. And the other, a sleeping marvel.

Mostly Famous. Meet Joe Black. William Parish is dying. He knows this because Death showed up at his door and told him so. But before Death takes William on that one-way journey, It wants to live as a human for a

few days and be “...swept away out there... sing with rapture and dance like a Dervish.”

Death acquires a body and a human name, Joe Black and walks at William’s side for a few days. It stays by him during business meetings, a birthday party, and meals, where Death meets Susan, William’s daughter. And Death discovers true human emotions.

The movie, a paranormal drama coupled with amazing music, is on my short list of shows that I can watch over and over.

Sleeping Marvel. Vivacious Lady, starring Jimmy Stewart and Ginger Rogers. A young man brings home a nightclub singer to meet his sedate and very proper family and

wonders how to break the news: he’s already married to her.

Comedy routines have to start somewhere. Maybe this movie isn’t exactly the beginning but after watching it, you can see how modern day comedians came up with their stuff.

Watch this clip and you’ll see what I mean:  

  

Mage Revealed

Book Two of The Magic Withheld series

Struck with enough malevolent Spirit to turn him into a raving beast of a man, Bert Reese fights to remain human. Alone, he walks a slender path between sanity and madness. Then, an unlikely source enters his life to help—one of the now-hated mages.

But Ashleigh is different and calms his butchered senses. Her fierce nature is the only rock that stands between him and the crevasse that is beast. In all ways, she walks beside him toward a new beginning. But at the end of their journey lies the one who used Spirit against him. Questions arise; did Tiarra, head of the Imperium, lose her magic, die, or simply give way to the new order? Or, like a spider, does she wait for a mage to blunder into her web?

Forced on him without a care for his humanity, Bert is the mage who should not exist, born with a different kind of magic.  

And the gates of Hell are no match for the magic he wields.

* * * *

Release date, October 24th.

Download the prequel to Wilder Mage, Out of Magic FREE at Amazon.

The Subtle Marketeer

As co-host of the Shelfie Blog Hop, a month long event culminating on October 6th (my 41st wedding anniversary, btw), answer this question for me:

What are you waiting for?

A small section of my book shelf

Shelfie, started by the incomparable Tara Tyler, is basic marketeering. Take a picture of your book, post it, and possibly win a prize. Take a pic of you and your book for extra points. OR, take a picture of your book shelf and post. Hence the term shelfie.

But what is this? I spy with my little eye...Alex Cavanaugh

No, it is not a made-up term. The Old Farmer’s Almanac says so.

Sign up, post your photo, expose yourself...er, market your book. 

Shelfie Blog Hop co-hosts, co-conspirators and contributors: Heather M. Gardner, Christine Rains,Vikki Biram, M.J. Fifield, Elizabeth Seckman, and Rena Rocford

Shelfies. It’s a Trend.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac – 2015 

Trends, under “People Are Talking About”:

In addition to "...turning parking spaces into mini parks for a day and 'slow TV'..." (still don’t understand that one) there is this fact:

• taking “shelfies”—photos of our books

Tara had it right! A Shelfie! Ha HAAAA.

Enter her contest and win big. Not just the actual prizes (although they are cool enough!) but take a pic of your book as a marketing tool. It does get around, folks. 

In the words of a certain brand of athletic shoes, 

Just Do It.

Sunflowers Everywhere

In memory of Tina Downey.

#lifeisgood 

IWSG - What is Plagiarism?

IWSG—Insecure Writers Support Group, coming together on the first Wednesday of every month for a virtual pat on the back. 




Here is the scene: You've conceived a fine premise, written not only that first book but continued the series by 300 K word count. You love it. Your friends and family love it. But it's your first attempt at this career and after querying it to only a few agents, you set it aside to hone your skill and become a better writer.

Since completing the first manuscript, you've gone on and achieved Published Writer with another novel. You decide to return to your first manuscript and polish it for publication.

The unthinkable happens. Another author publishes a book very like your original. The author is well known. A similar book coming out by a mostly unknown writer like yourself might be construed as “riding the coattails” of the famous author.

What do you do?

****

In 2009, I wrote Of Oak and Dragons. The first line in my query: “Dragons walk among us, silent, in human form.”

The new book by Julia Kagawa, Talon: "Dragons walk among us in human form”

*cursing a blue streak*

No, there is no plagiarism involved. And yes, I’ve seen other shape-shifter books. But...GAAAHHH... 

No, I don’t think her book has the same premise and no, I’m sure she didn’t latch onto my query via a literary agent who showed interest and made it her own. At least, I hope she didn’t.

How would it make you feel?

What do you do?

****

Insecure Writers Support Group: The Final Frontier.

These are the continuing voyages of the Ninja Captain, AJC. His mission, to explore all new writing venues, to seek out new authors and new blogs. 

To boldly go where no blogateer has gone before.