G: Grab this book

Michael Offutt: Slipstream

Today's title is the most tenuous of links to this post but it's there, (and the book is green), so I think we're covered. I don't care anyway, I'm just so excited to be writing this post.

Michael Offutt wrote a book which was due out in May. He has a blog tour set up for May and everything. I really really want this book and, luckily for me, my birthday is in May – neat plan huh? Well, he went and ruined my plan by releasing the book. It's okay, I'm going to buy it anyway, there's no way I'm waiting until May. From what I gather, everyone who has read it thinks it's amazing. This is the blurb:

Jordan Pendragon is crazy good at fixing situations that have gone bad. It's a talent prized by his high school ice hockey team. However, when a car accident puts Jordan in the hospital, he wakes up with more than just an amazing slapshot in his toolbox. Jordan can manipulate space-time and in just a few weeks, he'll depend on it to save his life. 

When earthlings detonated the first atomic bomb in 1945, something incredible happened. The detonation triggered an extinction level event on a parallel world. A computer program saved humanity and became the ruler of this place. However, its brilliant mind fragmented and became insane. 

Jordan's power strands him in this nightmare universe. To get home, he becomes a professional in a sport where athletes are killed to boost network ratings. To survive, he discovers that the most broken among us can be fixed and that love is unpredictable. Near the end, he also learns a startling truth about his own birth. If he fails to fix the computer’s insanity, both Earth and this sister world are doomed

I nabbed that from Goodreads, as I didn't tell Michael I was writing this post but I'm hoping he won't mind :-)

I should warn you, from what Michael and others have said, this is a book that doesn't shy away from tackling dark themes and tough issues. It's not a frothy romance that's for sure. Of course, that just makes me want to read it even more :-)

Congratulations Michael, I hope the book is a huge success.

Buy it from:

Double Dragon Publishing

Amazon USA Kindle

Amazon UK kindle

Kobo

A: Anniversary

Blogging from A to Z : A

Even though I've thought of, and discarded, several themes for the A to Z challenge, the one post that I never had any doubts about was the first one.

It's one year ago today that I started blogging. I spent weeks following other blogs before finally jumping in so I'll never know why I picked April Fool's day to start, but I did so today is my anniversary :-)

In the past year I've finished another three first drafts, experimented with flash fiction, let other people read my work and written 118 posts.

More important than all that though, I've made friends. People I care about . People who I visit and who visit me. I've continued discussions over email, received support when I've needed it – sometimes from the most unexpected sources – and hopefully, offered support of my own.

What I'm trying to say is thank you. Thank you for making this blogging lark so much fun :-)

Musical Impressions 3: Patsy Collins

I told you today's Musical Impression was a special celebration didn't I? That's because Patsy Collins today became a published novelist, and I'm so happy to be able to help her celebrate.

For those of you that don't know Patsy, (and even if you do), here is a brief introduction to her. I swear, this is my favourite video on youtube. Watch it if you're down, I defy you not to smile!



 Now, on to the story. Constructive criticism not needed on this one because it's OUT TODAY! (I may have mentioned this already). There are two songs again this week, one that was just made for this story, and one which, as Patsy herself says, pretty much sums up how Leah feels about both the men in her life at different times.

Amazon USA Paperback  Amazon USA Kindle
Amazon UK Paperback    Amazon UK Kindle

Escape to the Country
Leah is accused of a crime she didn't commit. Dumped by Adam, the man she planned to marry, she escapes to Aunt Jayne's smallholding in the Kent village of Winkleigh Marsh. Heartbroken and homeless, she strives to clear her name and deal with her emotions.

Jayne treats Leah's unhappiness with herbal remedies, cowslip wine and common sense in equal measure. In return Leah works hard for the delicious home-cooked meals they share. She wrestles with sheep, breaks nails and gets stuck in the mud - learning as much about herself as she does about farming. Soon Leah is happy milking cows, mucking out pigs and falling halfway in love with Duncan, a dishy tractor driver.

Back in London, steps are being taken to investigate what's happened to the missing money. It looks as though the real embezzler must soon be unmasked and Leah will have to chose between resuming her old life or starting a new one.

That's when her problems really start.

Lyrics here


 Lyrics here

Musical Impressions 2: Jaycee Delorenzo

This week's Musical Impression is for a new friend of mine, Jaycee DeLorenzo. She already has a great playlist  on her blog for this story, which you can find here. The songs I've chosen today are a bit different from those but hopefully, she'll think they work!

You might note I said 'songs' and not 'song'. Yes, second week in and I'm breaking my 'one song' rule, but it was so hard trying to decide between Ivy and Ian's voice that I thought it was only fair they should both get a say. Also, I think the lyrics of these two work really well together :-)

Constructive criticism welcome.

The Truths About Dating and Mating

Spunky Italian girl Ivy Rossini loves to talk and push the boundaries. She gets to do both alongside her best friend, reputed bad boy, Ian Hollister, as they host The Truths about Dating and Mating, a sex-edutainment program for Riordan College's radio station. For Ivy, Ian has always been like an overprotective big brother - but that's about to change with a near kiss. With the memory of the moment fresh in her mind, she finds herself aroused by his slightest touch and fantasizing about finding out for herself what those girls on campus mean when they say he's an "intense lover." 

Ivy has always been Ian's one ray of sunshine, the only girl who really sees beyond his bad boy reputation. It's only fair he protect her from the typical jerks around campus, or so he tells himself. But when he sees her in a steamy embrace with another guy, he's forced to reconcile the sexy, confident woman she's become, with the "little-sister" he's always looked out for. 

With their friendship hanging in the balance, can they follow the advice they give their listeners to communicate, be honest, and trust in themselves - and each other - or will foolish pride ruin their fledgling relationship before it even gets off the ground?

Lyrics here


Lyrics here

Musical Impressions 1: Tania Walsh

This week's Musical Impression is for a story by Tania Walsh of T. F. Walsh. If you don't know this blog, you should check it out; she has a fantastic series on mythical creatures. Thank you so much Tania, I hope you enjoy it.

When I received this entry I knew exactly what song I was going to pick and I've stuck with it all week – until last night. Yes, as is (apparently) a woman's prerogative, I changed my mind at the last minute. I hope you enjoy what I've chosen. I think it captures the spirit of what the lead character is feeling in this story, but I'd love to know your views. Love it? Hate it? Have a better suggestion?

Constructive criticism welcome.

DEAD LIES

YA Fantasy/Mythology

Joking about someone's death at school and then having it come true is never a good thing. Now minus her friends who are scared of her, Leev's life just got worse - a wraith turned up on her doorstep. She's dragged into a terrifying spirit realm where black swans dive bomb from the air, hungry to steal your eyes, where wolves the size of horses wear harnesses, and where beautiful necromancers control wild spirits to do their bidding.

Leev learns that Valkyrie blood courses through her veins, and she is appointed as a mighty Mist. Like all the females in her family, she must collect the spirits of dead heroes and guide them safely to Valhalla. 

A cinch, especially since Leev can sense which hero will die next and delivers them before her collection memo is even issued. But when her death-senses point next to her firefighter dad, she struggles to accept his destiny, and sets out on a mission to save him, even if means breaking all the rules.

However things just got complicated. Her ability is unique and drawing the wrong kind of attention. A demi-god and powerful necromancer both set their sights on her soul, drawing Leev into a deadly cat and mouse game. 

And the stakes are higher than Leev could have ever imagined.

Lyrics here

Behind the Curtain of the Magic Appreciation Tour

You may remember me telling you about Daniel Marvello's Magic Appreciation Tour a while back. I asked Daniel to come and tell us how it was going once it had been running for a few weeks as it's a model I'm interested in, and that I think may work for other genres. So, here he is :-)

I met Sarah through Rachael Harrie's Platform Building Campaign last year and we've stayed in contact since then. The Campaign was supposed to help us make new friends and build a following, and I must say it accomplishes that goal. Thanks for inviting me to guest post on your blog, Sarah!

Sarah asked me to share my experiences with an experiment I started a couple of months ago called the Magic Appreciation Tour and Book Sale. The "MA Tour" is a Web site dedicated to magical fantasy books and authors, and I'm "the man behind the curtain."

Why the Magic Appreciation Tour?

The idea for the MA Tour came about one day while I was thinking about unobtrusive ways to market my book. I needed to find a way to get my book in front of readers. However, every social network I'm involved with takes a dim view of self-promotion. As Joe Konrath says, "It's about what you have to offer, not what you have to sell." I didn't want to be that guy who never shuts up about asking people to buy his book.

While researching marketing options, I found an interesting site called the 99-Cent Network. However, the site has no particular market focus and finding books in a specific genre was painful. Their registration form didn't even have "fantasy" as a category! I was going to give them a try anyway after my book was done, but they switched to a paid model almost the day I registered. They wanted $25 per month to put my book on their site. At 99 cents, I'd have to sell 72 books every month just to break even on their fees. Scratch that idea!

What I needed was a place to offer my book that was specifically oriented toward the audience I wanted to reach, in my case, fantasy readers. It comes down to basic marketing theory: identify your audience and then find ways to reach them. I had no luck finding such a place, so I decided to create my own.

Creating a Venue

I knew I was in for an uphill battle. Attracting an audience to a brand new Web site takes effort and time. But I'm in this writing thing for the long haul. It's not like my book was traditionally published and has just six weeks to sell or be taken off shelves. It's out there and it will stay out there. Plus, more books are coming, and by the time they do, the MA Tour may have gathered some steam.

The basic premise of the site is that it is a resource for readers to find fantasy books. But not just any fantasy books. Taking marketing theory a step further, I narrowed the focus to books that contain magic (like mine.)  

I wanted the book listing page to reflect the best attributes of the book sites I've visited. The cover thumbnails are generous, a short blurb is right there next to the cover, and links are provided for readers who want to learn more about the author or buy the book. The author page lists all of the authors with a photo and bio, and it includes links to their blogs and books. I'm very happy with how quickly a reader can size up a book and then take action to learn more or buy.

But I needed more believers like me. I set up a basic Web site and started calling for authors through Twitter, Facebook, and Google-Plus. My efforts brought in a few authors, and those authors brought in more authors. I'm pleased to say we now have 19 authors and 30 books. That may not sound like a lot, but I think it's a great start.

How Authors "Tour"

In the spirit of the Platform Building Campaign and the various blog tour services, the "tour" aspect of the Magic Appreciation Tour is designed to help authors network with one another and share audiences. It has two tools to facilitate this: the author page itself, and the Post Exchange.

The author page is not only a resource for readers, but for authors as well. Authors can quickly see who else is touring and click links to visit their blogs. Like the Platform Campaign, we can follow each other and comment on posts to show support.

The Post Exchange is essentially a blog tour dedicated to MA Tour authors. An author submits a blog post offer and requests a blog post in exchange. I match authors up according to the type of post they want to do, and connect them via email. Once the post goes live, I add a link to either the book listing or the author listing on the MA Tour site.

The relationship between the site and the author blogs is symbiotic from a search engine standpoint. Author blog links to the MA Tour site give it more authority, and the site's links back to them give them more authority. That relationship will only get more powerful over time.

How Are We Doing?

I'm pleased with how the MA Tour is progressing. We are only in our second week, and we've had 20 Post Exchange submissions, which translate to 40 blog post pairings. Our authors are meeting, networking, and sharing audiences.

I've personally made several new author friends, which makes me happy. Being a magical fantasy reader myself, I've enjoyed finding new books to read by the participating authors. You could say that I'm my own best customer!

I don't know about the other authors, but I've yet to see a bump in sales beyond those I know are going to other authors on the tour. But these are early days. Like books themselves, the site will take time to gain traction.

What's Next?

Judging from the stats, readers have not found us yet. But that isn't a surprise. The site is brand new and the benefits from touring are rarely immediate. This kind of marketing takes time to bear fruit. Also, I'm just getting started with spreading the word about the site at other places where fantasy readers gather. Telling readers about a free resource isn't the same thing as telling them to buy your book.

From a site standpoint, the next step will be automation. Everything from registration to the Post Exchange can be folded into a membership site where authors have full control over their listings and can pick-and-choose their own blog post pairings. Automation would also have the benefit of replacing the manual processes I'm doing now. I hand-code every book listing and author listing, and I'm managing the Post Exchange in an Excel spreadsheet at the moment.

At the same time, my wife has expressed interest in using the MA Tour model for other markets. Once the system is automated, it will be fairly easy to run multiple sites like the Magic Appreciation Tour.

Overall, I'm very pleased with how the site is working out. We have authors, we have books, and we have participation. The rest is just a matter of time and perseverance.

If you'd like to learn more about the Magic Appreciation Tour, visit the Web site at www.MagicAppreciationTour.com. To learn more about Daniel Marvello, visit www.DanielRMarvello.com.

Introducing ...

Before I start today's post I must give a quick shout out to my friend Mark Koopmans over at Aloha! He's running 'Got Green?' a blogfest in honour of St Patrick's Day. Sign ups began today but you have until the 16th to join in, before sharing your memories, dreams, or complete fiction about the Emerald Isle on the 17th, the day itself. Full details are here.

The results for the poll I ran a few weeks back are as follows:

Keep Musical Stories – 8 (18%)

Reduce to two songs – 5 (11%)

The 'synopsis' idea – 30  (68%)

I don't visit Fridays – 1     (2%)

Therefore, I'm very pleased (and more than a little nervous) to announce that Musical Stories has been replaced by Musical Impressions. Thank you to Golden Eagle at The Eagle's Aerial Perspective for the name. As soon as she suggested it I knew it was perfect.

Here is how it's going to work. I'd love it if you could email me a pitch, outline, synopsis, blurb, or whatever you prefer for one of your stories. This can be something you're working on, something that's finished or even something you just made up ten minutes ago. Every Friday, I'll take one (in the order they arrive) and select a song that I think matches your plot, theme or mood. They may not be 'exact matches', just something I think your work reminds me of.

You'll have a choice as to whether you would like your work critiqued or not, and whether you would like to remain anonymous, just let me know in the email.

Put Musical Impressions as the title of the email, then your outline either as the body, or an attachment. I'd like it if you can keep it to under 500 words but if you really can't, I'm not going to chuck it out :-)

I'm going to run this for the three Fridays left in March and decide what to do from there (in other words, if it's really really hard, I might have to think of something else!).

I hope this is clear, if not feel free to drop me an email or a comment. Also, this is an idea in progress so if you have any suggestions feel free to voice them. And someone, please send me something or I'm going to feel really silly!

Musical Stories 30: Romance

So here it is, the last official issue of Musical Stories. I'll do a couple of special editions over the next couple of weeks and then we'll be moving on to our new feature, which I still don't have a name for. (Any suggestions welcome!). I'll be doing a post all about it soon, and asking for volunteers to submit, so watch out for that.

It seems fitting that we're ending with romance. After all, isn't love supposed to make the world go round? Whether you believe that or not, I hope you find something to enjoy amongst this week's selections.

The first story has been sitting on two lists for a while, this one and YA. I've included it today because I don't care how old you are, when you feel it you feel it. Boy, does this guy feel it!

The second one, perhaps as a counterpoint to the first, is proof that romance isn't the province of the young. True love is what remains when that first flush, that 'I-can't-bear-to-be-away-from-you' wears off.

The final entry for Musical Stories is one that is very special to me. It's not 'my' song, it doesn't remind me of anyone or anything in my past, I just think it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and although I've heard it sung by many different people, this is the singer I think does it best. This is another one of those songs that I have avoided using because I didn't think it told a full story but, thanks to Denise Covey at L'Aussie Writer I have the answer. It's a vignette. Denise says (and I hope you don't mind me quoting directly from your blog Denise):

"Vignette" is a word that originally meant 'something that may be written on a vine-leaf.' It's a snapshot in words. It differs from flash fiction or a short story in that its aim doesn't lie within the traditional realms of structure or plot.
(Originally from The Vine Leaves Literary Journal).

Thank you all for sharing my Musical Stories with me, and for all your comments and suggestions.


 Lyrics here


Lyrics here


Lyrics here

Counting words with Annalisa Crawford

That was some party yesterday, wasn't it? No time for hangovers though, I have to clean up around here. *Sweeps confetti under the rug*. I've got a guest!

It's my absolute pleasure to welcome Annalisa Crawford from Wake up, eat, write, sleep to my blog today. (If she added 'blog' to that title, she'd have my whole life!) Annalisa's novella, Cat and the Dreamer was released on 14 February. Here's what you want to know:

As a teenager, Julia survived a suicide pact, while her best friend Rachel died. Julia’s only escape from her guilt, and her mother’s over-protection, is her imagination. When Adam arrives in the office, Julia’s world takes a startling turn as she realises reality can be much more fun than fantasy. Finally she has someone who can help her make the most of her life. But can she allow herself to be truly happy?

Buy it here:

Vagabondage Press (inc, PDF version)

Kindle UK

Kindle US

Nook

Now, take it away Annalisa!

Firstly, a big thank you to Sarah for inviting me over to her blog today. Posting on someone else’s blog is a bit like being inside your TV and looking out, slightly disconcerting but lots of fun.

Did you know that War and Peace has approximately 570k words (a Google search brings up varying counts – that’s an average), To Kill a Mockingbird has 99k, but The Color Purple only has 67k? I did - because I’ve previously Googled them (and before Google, I searched Yahoo!). I used to be obsessive about word counts. In fact before the internet, I’d grab books from my shelves just to count words:

Average words on a line x number of pages – 1000 or so for empty spaces = The Word Count.

And then I’d compare the counts to my own novels, fall short and feel disappointed. Put your hand up if you recognise yourself in this… erm… please tell me I’m not the only one!

I also – still – buy books based on their thickness. There’s nothing better than seeing a short novel on the shelves: if they can get published at that length, so can I! I’ve found some wonderful books doing this, but I also realised they were the exception to the rule.

In an attempt to increase my word count, (unpublished novel #1 for example, started life at 23.250 words) I developed The Method, otherwise known as Write & Delete - a six-point plan to increase my wordage:

1. write your story, preferably longhand

2. type up the first draft, editing and developing as you go

3. print out and then delete the file (or move it to another part of your hard drive if you’re not brave enough to delete it completely – just don’t look at it anymore)

4. read the print-out, make notes, scribble all over it, huge chunks of prose should appear as if by magic

5. retype

6. return to #3, and repeat as many times as you choose.

BUT, WAIT… these days, is word count so important? Am I stressing about nothing?

When I wrote Cat and The Dreamer – the first version was written about seven years ago – I loved the story, I thought it was perfect, but I assumed it would never get published, solely based on the fact it was only 22,000 words – too long for a short story magazine, far too short for a novel.

Seven years ago, if you remember, was before the explosion of ereaders and ebooks. And when that explosion happened, people were suddenly clamouring for books to read on their Kindles. Now there are Nooks, iPads and smart phones too, the clamour has grown.  Can you imagine reading War & Peace on your smart phone?

Shorter pieces, it seems, are now much more desirable than they are when printing volume costs and unit costs have to be taken into consideration. Based on this, and after some thought-provoking comments on my blog, I pulled Cat and The Dreamer out of its drawer and submitted, and the rest is history!

It's taken me a long time to realise it, but in today's market size is not important. People are selling individual short stories of 2000 words, and making a name for themselves. Simply write the story you want to write, make it the best it can be, and there will be more of a market than you think!

Thank you so much to Annalisa for visiting, and for making me feel more hopeful about all my work that doesn't seem to fit any known word count! Do you think word count is still important? Or do you think 'anything goes' these days?

Alex J. Cavanaugh and CassaFire

I've sneaked an extra post in today, but I know you won't mind when I tell you that it's for Alex Cavanaugh's newest release. I don't think there's anyone out there who doesn't know what an awesome guy Alex is, so here's hoping CassaFire is a huge success!

The blog tour for CassaFire began yesterday and will run through to March 9. Anyone who comments on any of Alex's posts during this time will be entered to win all the goodies shown in the picture, courtesy of  his very kind publisher. There will be other book giveaways during the tour too. For more information about them see Alex's blog for details. Don't forget, if Twitter is your thing, you can join in at #CatchFire.

CassaFire

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities. 

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Want to buy it? Here's where you can:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Amazon Kindle

And, just because it's cool:

Daniel Marvello and the Magic Appreciation Tour

If you're wondering what the poll on the right is all about, read this post for details.

 If you read or write Magical Fantasy in any of its many forms, here's something that will interest you. The Magic Appreciation Tour, brainchild of Daniel Marvello of The Vaetra Files, is a new website going live on March 1. I've used some of Daniel's own words to help me tell you about it.

What is it?
The Magic Appreciation Tour (MA Tour) and Book Sale is a website that helps fantasy readers find out about new authors and get great deals on Magical Fantasy books. Each tour will run quarterly.

The term 'Magical Fantasy' refers to any fantasy book that includes a force or power that readers would recognise as magic. The book might be considered an urban fantasy, epic fantasy, romantic fantasy or whatever. The critical element is that it has magic of some kind.

What's in it for readers?
It serves readers by collecting Magical Fantasy books in one place and displaying them in a format that makes it easy to find the books that interest them. It also gives readers the opportunity to learn more about the authors of those books.

Readers participate by visiting the book sale and author pages of the MA Tour website.

What's in it for writers?
It serves authors by showcasing their work on a site that is dedicated to their genre and by helping them form new supportive relationships with other authors.

The Book Sale page shows the cover and blurb for every participating book, along with links to buy, see reviews, and learn about the author.

The Author page shows a picture (or avatar) and a bio for every participating author, along with links to visit the author's blog, read interviews of the author, and read guest posts by them.

Authors participate by making their book available on the MA Tour site and by engaging with other participating authors through their blog and social networking during the tour. By pooling their social connections, authors help each other get the word out about their books and make new friends.
FAQ

Note that the MA Tour site does not actually sell books; buy links take readers to either Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords. Listing books on the MA Tour site is NOT a violation of the KDP Select terms, as long as the buy link goes to Amazon.

I've added links to Daniel's blog, and to the MA Tour site itself if you would like more information but, if you  have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I'm sure Daniel will be happy to answer. I should add that Daniel didn't specifically ask me to blog about this, I just happen to think it's a really great idea, and one that I'd love to see take off. Also, the guy has an excellent blog photo :-)

Fourth Writers' Platform Building Campaign

I'm pretty sure that you've all heard the news by now but, just in case you've somehow missed the announcement, the Fourth Writers' Platform-Building Campaign is upon us. I was part of the last one, and it was a lot of fun. You have until 15^th February to sign up and you can do so here, at Rachael Harrie's blog, Rach Writes. . . This time around it's a mini campaign running until 17^th March, so it's a perfect way to try it out if you're new to the campaign, before the big one in the Summer. It's a great way to make new friends :-)

In other news, I found out yesterday that The Old Geezer's blog has been hacked by spammers, so if he's on your reader it might be a good idea to remove his blog. Ron, if you're reading this, I hope you're back with us soon.

After four weeks of waiting, Diva phoned the art college yesterday to ask when she might hear from them. You know what's coming next, right? Yeah, they didn't receive her application. So, it's back to square one whilst we wait for a new one to come in the post. So, please keep those fingers crossed for a few weeks longer!

Today's post is a short one, so I'll leave you with a new trailer for one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year. Enjoy!

Musical Stories 26: War

Thank you so much to all of you who commented on my last blog post. There were some great comments and suggestions for improvement. A quick note to those of you who commented on the pov change. The original piece was handwritten with indented paragraphs and a space between the two povs. I didn't pay enough attention to the formatting when I typed it. I'll try not to make that mistake again. Can't promise anything though :-)

Can you believe we're up to week 26 of Musical Stories? Over six months of music, (if you count the special editions), and you're still listening, commenting and, hopefully, enjoying. You lot rock! Sorry to those of you who couldn't listen to the second song last week. If any of you have a burning desire to listen to Don't you want me by The Human League, there is a new link underneath the original video.

This week the genre is War, and it might just be the easiest week ever. Every song was suggested by one of my lovely readers. All I had to do was pick a video and enjoy!

The first one comes from Julie Fedderson from Gypsy in my soul. This one was new to me. It's a reminder of the fears of the family left behind. We often talk about the parents, children and partners of soldiers. This one is for the siblings, and all those other relatives who sometimes get forgotten but whose fears are every bit as real.

I can't believe it's taken three series, and a reminder from Margot Kinberg at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist to include this second one. (I swear Margot has forgotten more songs than I will ever know!). This is the tale of how raw excitement turns to jaded reality for young soldiers.

Finally, Rick Watson from Life 101 introduced me to another song I hadn't heard before. I've included this one as it's the tale of the Everyman. Anyone, in any town, in any generation could be uttering these words.

Enjoy this week's stories. Next week we'll be back in the world of Fantasy.



Lyrics here


 Lyrics here


 Lyrics here

It's a good job other people have great ideas

You know what is supposed to be here? My entry for Heather's competition* over at My Demon Spirits. In fact, I had planned to post it last Monday. However, you can't post what isn't written, and right now I've got nothing. Instead, I bring you a couple of public service announcements.

*The deadline mentioned in this post is 19th December, but Heather has kindly extended it to 31st December.

I'm pretty sure that you're all following SB Jones Publishing but, just in case you didn't realise, he released Guardian, the second novel in his Eternal Gateway trilogy, on December 15^th. Go here to see how you can tweet to be in with a chance to win a copy until December 30^th. Don't worry if you haven't read Requiem, the first in the series. SB is offering everyone a free ecopy from Amazon, also until December 30^th. You can download it for the Kindle, or for the Kindle app (if, like me, you still haven't got a real Kindle and you're pretending that your pc is an ereader).

This is a link toAmazon USA

This is a link toAmazon UK

Have you got a romantic 'short' just looking for the right home? Jami Gold on her Paranormal Author blog is offering a great chance for writers. I'll let her explain it herself, as she did in her post here:

Several editors from Entangled Publishing will be visiting my blog in the second week of January to take pitches for shorter length works.  They’re interested in stories with strong romantic elements that end in a “happily ever after” or a “happily for now.”  They’re looking for stories in the 10-60K word range and are open to many genres:

• Contemporary
• Historical
• Romantic Thrillers
• Science Fiction, Dystopian, Steampunk
• Paranormal and Urban Fantasy
• Fantasy

If you have stories already completed that would fit those guidelines, get them polished.  If you have ideas along those lines or if you’ve thought about attempting a short story, get writing.  (Another great thing about short stories is they’re quick to write and revise.)

The editors have promised they’ll make at least one request from those who pitch on my blog, and for the pitch that excites them the most, they’ll offer detailed feedback.

So, if this sounds like something you might be interested in, check out Jami's blog before January 10^th and make sure you get your chance to pitch. Good luck!

In the meantime, if you need me, I'll be here in the corner trying to turn a vague idea into a 500 word story.

Contests and blogfests and corn, oh my!

The family trip to the art college on Saturday was a huge success. Practically from the moment she walked in, Diva was sure this was where she wanted to be next year. Each new thing she learned about the studies involved only strengthened her resolve. She's already working on extra pieces for her portfolio to show her diversity. Fingers crossed that she's accepted. They accept 200 students a year and last year had 420 applicants so it isn't a foregone conclusion, but at least she knows what she's working towards. I wish we could say the same for poor Blue. The school she has set her heart on accepts about 20 students from the UK and have over 500 applicants. So far, we haven't found any other viable schools that offer the International Baccalaureate rather than A' levels, but we keep searching! Send us positive thoughts if you would :-)

I have some interesting things to tell you about today, so let's start with some contests:

Medeia Sharif is offering a book of your choice from the Book Depository. This is an international contest which closes on 31st December. Click here to enter.

Joanne at Whole Latte Life is offering a $20 ebook gift card for her lucky winner, but this one closes tomorrow so be sure to click here today to enter!

Here's a nice one. Heather at My Demon Spirits is holding a competition for the best short holiday story (it doesn't have to be Christmas related). The closing date for entries to be posted on your blog is 19th December and she's offering three prizes including a $25 Amazon gift card. Go here for all the details.

Now for some blogfests:

A nice easy one to start. Katie Mills at Creepy Query Girl is co-hosting the Deja Vu blogfest, along with Nicole Ducleroir, Lydia Kang and DL Hammons. Click on one of the links to sign up, and repost one of your old posts on 16th December. Easy, and a good chance to remind us of something you might be particularly proud of :-)

The Wrap It Up blogfest is being organised by David Powers King, J. A. Bennett and Leigh Covington. Sign up before 16th December, then write something in less than 300 words for somebody, (real or imaginary), and post it on your blog before the closing date. There are prizes for this one. Click on one of the links for full details.

Finally, if all this Christmas joy is just too much for you, here's a bloghop especially for you. Grumpy Bulldog is offering his very own Bah Humbug Blahg fest. Hit the link to sign up before 15th December then, on that day, simply answer the question: What are the 12 things I hate most about the holiday season?

Before I go, I promised you corn. Enjoy :-)

Musical Stories 19: Horror

Life's been a bit hectic this week, but I couldn't miss my regular chapter of Musical Stories, so here I am. Before we get to that though, a very brief update on how NaNo is going for me. In a word, badly. Apparently, I'm set to achieve my 50,000 words on June 15, 2012. Hopefully, I'll pick up this weekened though as Phil from A Time to Phil and I are doing one of our regular team 10k events, where we write 10k words in a weekend. This is our third time, and we've always managed to push each other over the finish line in the past, so wish us luck for this time too!

This week's Musical Stories are from the horror genre. I've gone for a slightly more tongue in cheek theme this time, rather than out and out chills, but I hope you enjoy them all the same.

The first one is a great example of the writing 'rule' where everyone should have a motive for what they do, even the bad guys. This gentleman's motivation is that he loves his work!

I love the second story, it's a wonderfully creepy YA tale. If it was made into a film I have no doubt that one of the boys would be changed into a screaming girl, but I like it better this way.

For my final choice, what happens if you're turned into a zombie and your co-worker won't speak to you? Why, you send him a memo of course! This song is fun, as well as being creepy but - and this is a serious warning – If you're one of those who can't watch The Walking Dead, don't watch the video. Minimise it and just listen to the song, I really don't want to gross anybody out.

Next week, we reach the end of our journey for the second time and we'll end on a romantic note. In the meantime, have a lovely weekend, and don't have nightmares!

Musical Stories 18: Children's Literature

I'd like to tell you that I'm late with this week's Musical Stories because I was hard at work writing or editing, but I'd be lying. The truth is, I went to bed at 8pm last night. One of these days I'll find a decent sleep pattern!

Better late than never, this week's Musical Stories are Children's Literature. They're all quite different, but each is special in its own way.

I love number one almost as much for the video as for the song itself. The singer mimics the mannerisms of a small child beautifully. I hope you're able to watch the video as well as listen, and you'll see what I mean.

Number two is a reminder that the world can be a harsh confusing place, and sometimes children have to find this out early. This one never fails to bring a lump to my throat.

The final song for this week was recommended by Margot Kingberg from Confessions of a Mystery Novelist. I do have other songs that, perhaps, tell more of an actual story than this one but it was so beautiful I just had to include it. (Sorry if there's an advert at the beginning, it was the best version).

Next week is the penultimate chapter in this series and it's horror, so be prepared to be spooked!

Some very Special People

I'm the first to admit that I'm really really bad when it comes to passing on awards. One of the reasons for this is that, other than Musical Stories on Fridays, I only post once a week and something always seems to come up when I'm planning an award post. This is partly why I'm planning to post an extra day a week. I probably won't start doing this until December because of NaNo, but I've got so much great stuff that I find, and want to share, that it's something I need to do.

That was all a long-winded introduction to tell you about a really special award that I received a while ago. Julie at rosewood pencil box gave me an award that she and J at Concrete Pieces of Soul had designed. (Well technically J's talented fiancé designed it, but you know what I mean). They've named the award 'The thumbs up from Skunk award' since “we all feel like stinky, stinky skunks some days” and there are people who “make us feel (and smell) a lot better”. I don't know about the smelling part, but there are definitely people who make me feel better :-)

Thank you so much to Julie, and I'll let her explain the award:

Since the Random-Things-About-Yourself trope is getting a little tired, J and I decided to make this award different. Of course, still thank and link back to the person who gave it to you. Thumbs Up from Skunk is about confidence, believing in yourself, so we think it'd be great for you to list one Thing About Yourself That Pleases You, one thing you LOVE. It could be anything, from your writing, to a good meal you had, a conversation with a witty cut-up... something good. To get the ball rolling, J and I are passing the award onto five people a piece, but you can give it to as many or as few as you like. You can even hold onto it, if you'd rather, until a particularly uplifting something occurs, and then pass it on accordingly. Or, as J says in her post, “until someone comes along and changes your universe.” I love that.

Okay, something about myself that pleases me? Fifteen days ago (not that I'm counting!), I started a diet, and I have stuck to a sensible eating plan instead of some get-skinny-quick crash diet. There's a long way to go, and it's not something I'm going to bore you all with by blogging about (although I might, occasionally), but right now, it's something I'm proud of.

Now for the hard bit. Obviously, there are so many people I would like to pass this on to, so I decided to pass it on to people who either inspire me, or make me feel good, without knowing that they do so. Feel free not to display it or pass it on if you choose not to, (at least one of these people doesn't display awards), I just wanted you to know that you make a difference. I managed to narrow the list to six, so in no particular order:

E. R. King at Get Busy Writing and

Vic Caswell at hairnets and hopes

Emily and Vic, thank you for being my friends. Your emails cheer me up, and you both have the ability to make me laugh even when you don't know that's exactly what I need :-)

Margot Kinberg at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist

Margot, you write a fabulous crime fiction blog and I've expanded my knowledge of this genre so much since I've been reading it. More than that though, you are kind and patient and you never mind when I make stupid comments. Your kind emails have stayed with me, thank you.

Denise at L'Aussie Writing

For making me feel that you believe in me, and for having faith that one day I might be able to write a decent romantic scene :-)

Michelle at Hot Pink Combat Boots

For your sense of humour and fun blog, (the name of which suits you perfectly), in the face of constant moves and a difficult job. I admire the way that you get on and do things that others only think about.

Brooke Busse at Paper Mountain

Because every piece of flash fiction you write makes me want to know more about the characters. I think you are incredibly talented and I cannot wait for the day I can buy something published by you. Your writing inspires me.

You six, you inspire me, and make me feel good. So now you know :-)

I apologise for the weird spacing, font size and everything else. I've typed this post three times. Blogger hates me.

Broadening my horizons

Well, I've finally gone and done it. I've joined Twitter. Actually, I did it last week, I just haven't tweeted anything yet. Or told anyone I'm there, until now. So far, I'm following three people and watching two. (These are people who came up on my google account). I haven't really got to grips with it yet, mainly because the little bird on my task bar who is supposed to turn red when someone tweets only does it about one time in three. I'm sure I'll work it out soon though. I'm SarahPearson9 if you're interested, but I wouldn't bother just yet. I do have one follower though, Techie bless his heart, which is funny because he doesn't actually tweet either. Also, if he wants to say something to me he could just turn round. At some point, I'll try and work out how to put links on my blog. At some point.

Also, I'm on Goodreads. I joined ages ago, but I've just started using it in the last few weeks. It seemed a better idea than my 'books I want to read' page, which I never remember to update. Join me there if you like.

Lastly, who's doing NaNo this year? I wasn't going to. I was just going to use it as a challenge to write 50k words in November, but then Sommer Leigh of Tell Great Stories (who's running a series of great posts about it) asked me why I wasn't actually signing up. I don't actually have an answer, so I think I'll probably just take the plunge.

Before I go, I just wanted to let you know that I'm probably going to revert to the old comment system. I've had at least four people let me know that they were unable to comment on my last post. I've been looking at it and I can't see why, so it'll be all change again soon.

Update: Apparently, if you click on the actual post title, the comments box will appear. If you still have problems, could you please email me and let me know?

To finish, here's a little something I nabbed from Sarah Wesson over at Earful of Cider, who got it from I Can Has Cheezburger. This is just brilliant :-)

(Removed picture of two crows. Caption reads 'attempted murder.')

see more So Much Pun

Paying It Forward

If you're looking for this week's Musical Stories, they'll be up later. For now, I wanted to take part in the Pay It Forward Blogfest that Alex Cavanaugh, and Matt from the Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment have devised. The idea is that we each choose three blogs to introduce you to, blogs that we love, and if you don't already know them, feel free to check them out.

Once you've done that, Click on Matt or Alex's list above for a full list of blogs taking part if you fancy finding plenty more great new blogs.

If you're taking part in this, then you'll know how hard it is to pick just three. I've finally managed, and I hope you love them.

Linda G at Visiting Reality is funny and smart and has plenty of sass. Also, every week on hump day there are camels. How can you resist?

Michael Offutt from SLC Kismet is a man with opinions, which he's more than happy to share. I don't always agree with him, but he often makes me think. Plus, he has excellent taste in TV programmes :-)

Roland Yeomans of Writing in the Crosshairs writes the most beautiful prose, and has a wonderful imagination. On top of that, he's kind and supportive and will reach out a helping hand to anyone in the blogosphere who needs it.

So there you go, three out of hundreds. Please go and say hello if you get the chance.