Reading Links…4/17/18

Check out these great reading links courtesy of Traci Kenworth’s blog

Where Genres Collide

daisies

Reading Links…4/17/18

Traci Kenworth

 

Fantasy/Dystopian/UF/Paranormal/SF:

1. https://legendsofwindemere.com/2018/04/07/chaos-before-the-storm-spring-break-meets-book-release/
2. https://phsolomon.com/2018/04/07/interviews-with-tordug-part-1-the-bow-of-destiny/ This evening was disturbed by turmoil around Marston’s Station which roused this reporter from sleep. Reports are coming in this evening of a troll attack when travelers approached this very way-station. Events are unclear at the moment, but trolls becoming so bold as to attack as far as the station are ominous.
3. http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2018/04/12/catherynne-m-valente-five-things-i-learned-writing-space-opera/The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets the joy and glamour of Eurovision in bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente’s science fiction spectacle, where sentient races compete for glory in a galactic musical contest… and the stakes are as high as the fate of planet Earth.
4. http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2018/04/women-in-sff-month-peng-shepherd/ It’s my pleasure to welcome Peng Shepherdto the blog today! The Book of M, her upcoming debut novel, is partially inspired by Zero Shadow Day, during which peoples’ shadows temporarily vanish in certain parts of the world due to a…

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5 Writing ‘Setbacks’ That Are Actually Tiny Miracles

Check out this great post from the Novelty Revisions blog with 5 writing setbacks that are actually tiny miracles

Novelty Revisions

Everyone has setbacks.

It’s true. They’re what shape us into the writers we’re meant to be.

In the moment, it can feel like these are the tragedies destined to end our dreams.

They’re not. Let me show you why.

1. Giving up on a project you’ve been working on for months

After weeks or more of constant frustration and dragging your feet — avoiding the inevitable, perhaps — “giving up” might seem devastating. And in many ways, it is. It hurts. It probably feels wrong.

In actively deciding to put something aside, though — either for now or forever — you’re making a conscious choice to move on. You have enough self-awareness to realize it’s not the right thing for you at this time, and you’re allowing yourself to direct your creative energy where it can better be used.

2. Getting rejected by your dream publication/employer

Rejection hurts, especially when…

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Top Ten Things Not to Do While Photographing Doors

Check out this post from John Howell’s Fiction Favorites blog with the top ten things not to do while photographing doors

Fiction Favorites

The inspiration for this list is the Thursday Door prompt as interpreted by Dan Antion. I have often thought when looking at his photos what would happen if certain things went wrong. So here they are, and I’m glad to report Dan has done none of these things.

10 If you are taking door photos, do not ignore that no trespassing sign. If you do, at best you’ll get a warning shot. At worst, the owner will have a pack of wild dogs trained to discourage trespassing. (You finally found out how quickly you can run, Donahue. Too bad those dogs are faster.)

9 If you are taking door photos, do not keep shooting pictures while Tiny, the WWF Champ is waving at you. If you do, at best, he is friendly. At worst, he just entered the witness protection program and thinks you are on the opposite team…

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15 Reasons Why Your Book Isn’t Selling

Check out this great post from the How to eBook blog with 15 reasons why your book isn’t selling.

How To Ebook

BY JOEL FRIEDLANDER

We’ve all been there: a book we were excited about, one that we worked on earnestly.

But when it hit the market, all that came back was a big yawn.

No author wants to be in that situation, most of all a self-published author. We gamble our own time, money, and commitment to our books, and we really need a positive response sometimes just to keep going.

But there it is: your baby isn’t selling.

What went wrong? Is it something you can fix, or is it embedded in the DNA of your book, a flaw so grave it can never recover?

Take a look at this list and see if you’ve been guilty of any of these oversights.

And don’t feel too bad, we all make mistakes, miss important road signs, get confused on the journey to publication.

read…

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Writing Links…4/16/18

Check out these writing links from Traci Kenworth’s blog. I’m honored to be included.

Where Genres Collide

hyacinth

Writing Links…4/16/18

Traci Kenworth

 

Fantasy/Dystopian/UF/Paranormal/SF:

1. http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2018/04/women-in-sff-month-2018-begins-tomorrow/ “Since 2012, the month of April at Fantasy Cafe has been dedicated to highlighting the wonderful work women have been doing in speculative fiction. When closing last year’s series, I mentioned that it may be the last series of April guest posts—but I’m happy to say that 2017 will notbe the last one and the seventh annual Women in SF&F event begins tomorrow!” I LOVE this event! It introduces me to writers I wasn’t aware of and plus, women writers don’t always get the spotlight, here they do!
2. https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com/2018/04/07/were-you-born-between-signs-on-cusp-the-minds-journal/ “Born on Cusp – edge of the Zodiac Signs Cusps are extremely sensitive days as energy shifts into something else. This “in – between” thing is where witches believe that magic is most powerful.” I was born between Aquarius and Pisces.
3. http://storitorigrace.blogspot.com/2018/04/so-your-character-is-from-czech.html “But the “weirdest” celebration we have is Easter. We…

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Ubersuggest: An Awesome Free Keyword Tool

Check out this great post from Nicholas Rossis’ blog on using the free keyword tool, ubersuggest.

Nicholas C. Rossis

You may remember my review of Dave Chesson’s (aka Kindlepreneur’s) KDP Rocket. KDP Rocket is by far the easiest way to find keywords for your Amazon ads, as it searches for books similar to yours (in the Also Bought department) and offers these in a handy Excel spreadsheet.

I have now discovered the perfect companion to KDP Rocket: Ubersuggest. As the name, well, suggests (Ueber being German for over or hyper), Ubersuggest is a free keyword tool that comes up with more keywords than you can shake your virtual, SEO-supercharged stick at. You can then use these keywords for your Amazon ads, your Google ads, etc.

Even better, Ubersuggest allows you to choose whether you’re focusing on images, web, or shopping (hint: you want shopping).

How To Use It

Say you want to create an Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) campaign for your children’ book. You’ve already used KDP…

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Handling real-life disasters sensitively in fiction – an interview

Check out this helpful post from the Nail Your Novel blog on handling real-life disasters sensitively in fiction

Nail Your Novel

Novelists are sculptors of real-life, but some have to be particularly sensitive to their raw materials. Especially when that material is events that have made headlines in the news – natural disasters, wars, or terrorist incidents.

That’s what I want to explore today. You might recognise my interviewee – Jane Davis, who has hosted me on her Book Club series and was one of my co-conspirators in the Women Writing Women box set. In her eighth novel, Smash All The Windows, she tackles the aftermath of a fictional disaster, for which she drew on the Hillsborough football stadium disaster in 1989.

In this interview we talk about

• Why the story’s time period was an important choice
  
• Why she created a fictional situation instead of writing about an actual event
• How she created an authentic experience
• Sensitivity issues

Roz Your novel was sparked by the second inquest into the Hillsborough…

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