I'm always excited and nervous leading up to the Authors Fair at Bob's Beach Books because I'm afraid I'll get there and won't have anybody interested in purchasing any of my books. I've been spreading the word for a while now, and have some friends that I know are for sure going, and others that said they'll try to make it or tell their loved one about it who is now a fan of my work. I've been trying to promote it all month long at least. I just hope the weather turns out to be really nice, and nothing like the reports leading up to Saturday are expecting it to be.
Of course I'll be spending the night once again at my co-author's place since we have to leave pretty early in the morning to make it to the event. That will save her some on gas not having to swing by my place to get me. I'll be getting my stuff around for that as well. I'll be charging my camera battery tonight, pack my notebook and a pen ahead of time, and what not.
I haven't had anything new on the writing front this week, but maybe I'll be inspired while peddling my wares. I've written new poems at the event before, so it could happen again.
Updated 8/24 at 1 PM
I just got my books packed up for tomorrow to take with me to my friend's house. I still have some essential sleepover items to pack, but I'll do that after I have some lunch. I did print out the last chapter I wrote in "The Shepherdess Princess" to take with me, and I'm bringing along my poetry notebook in case I feel led to write a poem any time tonight or tomorrow.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
I created another author's page!
I've had my books available on Amazon.com for a while now because the books are added by my publisher usually a month after they are published to their site on Amazon. I just noticed within the last couple days that I didn't have a separate Amazon page just for my books, so I decided to create one to help others find me better. Here's the link for you to check it out: http://amazon.com/author/mandy97365. I also added the link to my "Honorable Mentions" to the right of this blog post. You may have to scroll up or down a bit to see my list of links depending on where this post is on my page.
I also wanted to share that I was able to outline the entire second half of "The Shepherdess Princess" after taking a nap in the afternoon. I can't believe I dreamt the entire second half of the novel and wrote everything pertaining to the dream down as soon as I woke up, so I wouldn't lose it. I've been sleeping a lot the past couple days because I haven't been feeling well, but it also means I tend to stay up while the rest of the world is sleeping which sucks for me.
I now know what I'm going to be doing in my spare time, and the rest of the weekend: Trying to finish up my novel. I have a goal to finish it by the end of August, but I will go into the first week or so of September if the need arises. I would really like to get this book published by the end of the year. I now have 81 pages total in "The Shepherdess Princess."
I also wanted to share that I was able to outline the entire second half of "The Shepherdess Princess" after taking a nap in the afternoon. I can't believe I dreamt the entire second half of the novel and wrote everything pertaining to the dream down as soon as I woke up, so I wouldn't lose it. I've been sleeping a lot the past couple days because I haven't been feeling well, but it also means I tend to stay up while the rest of the world is sleeping which sucks for me.
I now know what I'm going to be doing in my spare time, and the rest of the weekend: Trying to finish up my novel. I have a goal to finish it by the end of August, but I will go into the first week or so of September if the need arises. I would really like to get this book published by the end of the year. I now have 81 pages total in "The Shepherdess Princess."
Friday, August 10, 2012
A New Poem, and A Book Read...
I finally got in the writing mode a little bit this week, and just finished a poem I started writing on Wednesday night. I've felt lost on the inspiration front where poetry is concerned because the 21st Century Poets site has been having issues, and all the bugs aren't fixed yet! I've mainly continued going there the past couple of weeks to get my points for the day, and leave again.
Anyway, here's my newest creation:
Behind These Eyes
Behind these eyes
Is an intelligence that lies
Hidden from the world's view
Until a question is asked anew.
People look at my outward appearance and assume
The stupidest things, and leave no room
For the surprise
They feel when they get to know me from inside.
I use my poetry to vent,
But sometimes I feel like I can't
Go on being prejudged
For being a unique individual at all.
When will the stupidity end?
Take a chance, and gain a new friend.
The world would be a better place
If people stopped judging the rest of the human race.
I'll be adding my new poem to "The Trifecta" soon, and may continue writing some more in "The Shepherdess Princess" before going to bed tonight.
After 11 months of reading "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman, I finally finished it today. I kept dragging my feet and finding other books to read because I was enjoying the His Dark Materials trilogy, and didn't want it to end. I keep wondering if the studio is going to pay for the rights to make a movie out of "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass" like they did for "The Golden Compass." I think if they ended up making movies of the rest of the books, they would have to get a new child actress to play Lyra because Dakota is getting too old to play the part now. I would like to see Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman back as her parents if that happened, though.
The only book I'm reading now is "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen. At least until a new library book shows up for me to read. I have a couple I'm waiting on now.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Work-In-Progress (WIP) Challenge
A friend of mine shared her answers to this challenge in a blog post, and tagged some friends to do it as well. Even though I wasn't a tagged friend, she also offered anybody else who had a work-in-progress novel to accept the challenge as well if they wanted to, so here I am.
1. What is the title of your book/WIP?
The working title is "The Shepherdess Princess," but I might think of a different title around the time it's ready to be released.
2. Where did the idea for the WIP come from?
I was a big fan of fairy tales as a child, and always liked the story of "Cinderella" especially. However, I always had problems liking the kind of fairy tales where the Prince swoops in to save the Damsel in distress. In my novel, the Prince IS the Damsel in distress!
3. What genre would your WIP fall under?
My novel would be considered a historical romance due to the time it's set in, and a couple of the characters are based on people that lived during that time.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I'm not altogether sure who I would get to play my characters in a movie version. Whoever it is would have to be able to do a Scottish, English, and French accent depending on the part they are picked for.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your WIP?
A young Prince of France flees for his life with his mother's most trusted Lady-in-Waiting from his uncle who killed his father, the King, in battle during a Crusade and made others think the enemy did it, before heading to England where the Queen and Prince were hiding out until the fight was over only to murder the Queen, and attempts to murder the Prince to tie up all loose ends.
You'll have to read the book to find out the rest of the story.
6. Is your WIP published or represented?
It is neither published or represented at this time because I'm still in the first-draft stage of writing it.
7. How long did it take you to write?
In November 2012, it will be three years since I first brainstormed my story idea, and began fleshing out the characters. I've also been doing research as the novel progressed to make sure some of the scenes would be historically accurate.
8. What other WIPs within your genre would you compare it to?
I looked up other historical romance titles on Amazon, and have come to the conclusion that none of the books titles I found are like mine. There were a few titles I came across that had some aspects of my novel in their synopsis, but none that had everything I have in mine.
As for the other personal writing projects I have on hold, "The Shepherdess Princess" is unique in and of itself. I have other romance-type novels on the back-burner at the moment, but none of them have a historical aspect to them.
9. Which authors inspired you to write this WIP?
Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, and Mark Twain all influenced my childhood imagination. Michael Buckley's Sisters Grimm Fairy-Tale Detective series has influenced me as an adult because they weren't around when I was younger.
10. Tell us anything else that might pique our interest in this project.
It starts out in England in the year 1339, and jumps to Scotland five years later. The story takes place ten years after Robert the Bruce died. Robert the Bruce died in 1329. The Prince and King of France are based on the ruler of France at the time, and one of his son's that never succeeded him to the throne. The shepherdess the Prince falls in love with is a descendant of English nobility. Her mother traveled to Scotland to take care of an ailing aunt, and her father was there to meet her carriage when she arrived. It was love at first sight for her parents. You'll have to read the book to find out how the shepherdess's father came to be in Scotland. Just like the Prince has to hide his identity from his new friends, the shepherdess isn't told of her nobility until she's sixteen years old because her parents didn't want to raise her thinking she was better than everybody else.
Tag your it:
If you have a work in process that I don’t know about, please do join in – post a blog like this, telling me what you’re doing and what your WIP is all about, and leave a link to your blog in the comments so that I can read all about it. Happy Writing!
Work In Progress Challenge
1. What is the title of your book/WIP?
The working title is "The Shepherdess Princess," but I might think of a different title around the time it's ready to be released.
2. Where did the idea for the WIP come from?
I was a big fan of fairy tales as a child, and always liked the story of "Cinderella" especially. However, I always had problems liking the kind of fairy tales where the Prince swoops in to save the Damsel in distress. In my novel, the Prince IS the Damsel in distress!
3. What genre would your WIP fall under?
My novel would be considered a historical romance due to the time it's set in, and a couple of the characters are based on people that lived during that time.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I'm not altogether sure who I would get to play my characters in a movie version. Whoever it is would have to be able to do a Scottish, English, and French accent depending on the part they are picked for.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your WIP?
A young Prince of France flees for his life with his mother's most trusted Lady-in-Waiting from his uncle who killed his father, the King, in battle during a Crusade and made others think the enemy did it, before heading to England where the Queen and Prince were hiding out until the fight was over only to murder the Queen, and attempts to murder the Prince to tie up all loose ends.
You'll have to read the book to find out the rest of the story.
6. Is your WIP published or represented?
It is neither published or represented at this time because I'm still in the first-draft stage of writing it.
7. How long did it take you to write?
In November 2012, it will be three years since I first brainstormed my story idea, and began fleshing out the characters. I've also been doing research as the novel progressed to make sure some of the scenes would be historically accurate.
8. What other WIPs within your genre would you compare it to?
I looked up other historical romance titles on Amazon, and have come to the conclusion that none of the books titles I found are like mine. There were a few titles I came across that had some aspects of my novel in their synopsis, but none that had everything I have in mine.
As for the other personal writing projects I have on hold, "The Shepherdess Princess" is unique in and of itself. I have other romance-type novels on the back-burner at the moment, but none of them have a historical aspect to them.
9. Which authors inspired you to write this WIP?
Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, and Mark Twain all influenced my childhood imagination. Michael Buckley's Sisters Grimm Fairy-Tale Detective series has influenced me as an adult because they weren't around when I was younger.
10. Tell us anything else that might pique our interest in this project.
It starts out in England in the year 1339, and jumps to Scotland five years later. The story takes place ten years after Robert the Bruce died. Robert the Bruce died in 1329. The Prince and King of France are based on the ruler of France at the time, and one of his son's that never succeeded him to the throne. The shepherdess the Prince falls in love with is a descendant of English nobility. Her mother traveled to Scotland to take care of an ailing aunt, and her father was there to meet her carriage when she arrived. It was love at first sight for her parents. You'll have to read the book to find out how the shepherdess's father came to be in Scotland. Just like the Prince has to hide his identity from his new friends, the shepherdess isn't told of her nobility until she's sixteen years old because her parents didn't want to raise her thinking she was better than everybody else.
Tag your it:
If you have a work in process that I don’t know about, please do join in – post a blog like this, telling me what you’re doing and what your WIP is all about, and leave a link to your blog in the comments so that I can read all about it. Happy Writing!
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