The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

The holiday season is upon us but as many of you know, our work still continues in our daily lives. And that includes us wordsmiths who eek out a living doing what we enjoy so much.  Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas shopping will have to defer for my need to work on my next big thing which my newest ebook that is currently going through the final stages of production. I am eager to get it ready as a Kindle and PDF file.

I hope you'll find this interesting and happy holidays to you all!

1. What is the working title of your book?
The Priestess and the Ravenknight

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
I wanted to write about two of the characters you meet in my last co-written novel "Realmwalkers."

3. What genre does your book fall under?
Medieval Fantasy Romance

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
That's hard to say. My guess would be Alex Pettyfer for Krymson and Amanda Seyfriend for Azurene. 

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Two dark elves make a bold attempt to defy an evil deity in order to save hundreds from death.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Self published as an ebook only.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
A few weeks. It's not a novel but a novelette. I also did the artwork and formatted the pages myself.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Realmwalkers which is featured at this blog.

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I like these two characters a lot and wanted to write their story.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I tend to add artwork to my stories that I hope my readers will enjoy and find interesting. Here below is the graphic I created for the cover of the ebook.

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this post you are invited to visit other writers who write similar works. Get to know them and leave comments for a chance to ask any questions you might have and perhaps win free copy of one of their books. 

kelleysrealm.blogspot.com

www.susanroebuck.com

heatherhambelcurley.wordpress.com

portaloflight.wordpress.com

www.sharonpoppen.com

 

The Book Exchange - Local Authors Party

Time is passing so fast. Here we are in the second week of November and Christmas decorations are appearing all over town.  I thought about that as I sat at my table with several books of Realmwalkers to sell. The Christmas music reminded me of how close we are getting to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now's the time to sell my books as the snowbirds who come to Lake Havasu shop and enjoy our warmer weather.

The bookstore was small, but it was filled with lots of wonderful books and gifts for book lovers. It was The Book Exchange here in Lake Havasu City and it held its first ever Local Authors Party.  Authors from all over this city were invited to bring their books to sign and sell.  They served refreshments and our club, The Lake Havasu City Writers Group, came to participate in the event.

The Book Exchange - 1761 Mcculloch Blvd N, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 (520) 453-4043

People came and some bought our books so it was a good event. I met some new authors and hugged some of the returning writer friends I have come to know for years. Everyone was in good spirits and I managed to sell a few books.  I can't complain as I wasn't sure I would even sell one.

The staff was friendly and very motivated to do business with us local writers. There is talk about having this book event every month from now on. We'll see. I intent to come back next month for certain as it will take place just before Christmas. And copies of Realmwalkers will be available there as well at the Local Authors section of the store. So if you missed the event, my book will still be available for purchase!

Next Saturday, I also have a book signing event up at the Kingman City Hastings Books, Music & Video store,  Nov. 17th at 11 - 3. 

Busy... busy... busy!  Be safe out there when you're shopping or going to holiday events.  God bless you all. Take care and keep warm!

Booksigning At Hastings

Back From My Road Trip!

Hello friends!

I've been gone almost ten days now on a road trip back east with little opportunity to write, but here I am now and can't wait to get back to it! I haven't learned how to type effectively using a smartphone and I don't own a tablet...yet. I did do a little YouTube surfing before falling asleep at the various motels and found this entertaining video I hope you will enjoy.

I was once an AOL Help Desk Techie and now I am a writer so this video REALLY got me laughing. Enjoy this and I hope to have the next segment of "The Priestess and the Ravenknight" for you soon.




It's so good to be home again!

RAINBERRIES

I was inspired to draw this morning and decided that I would design Velanth's rainberries mentioned in Chapter 6 of Realmwalkers. I first began the drawing by doing a rough sketch then outlined it in ink. After coloring it with color pencils using a blend of apple green and teal for most of the berries I hand drew the name in brown & black. Since they are called rainberries, I wanted to make the berry itself shaped as a teardrop. In my mind, these berries are thin skinned and translucent as if filled with water, but the insides are like jelly. Rainberries grow very rapidly whenever it rains in Velanth. Soaking up the rain water, they grow to the size of white grapes, and are safe to eat within 24 hours after they ripen.

The faes of the city of Velanth are experts at knowing when to harvest the berries, mashing them just at the right time for if left too long in the bushes, the berries become toxic. Great care is taken to prevent travelers visiting the outskirts of Velanth. Signs are posted in all languages and word is spread from city to city to ensure no one accidentally eats the berries long after they ripen. This was done after many a griffin rider fell to his death after being intoxicated. The necessary warnings are also on every label when the bottled juice is exported over all of Tiaera.

Eating a few ripe rainberries straight from the bush does no harm. The juice is sweet, of course, producing a mild tranquilizing affect when consumed. Once plucked from the bush, the berries make delicious juice, wine, tea and medicine. For medicinal purposes, a concentrated dose will render the drinker fast asleep. The healer needs to be very careful, however, for an overdose would make the drinker comatose. Once comatose, the patient would have to be cared for until they awaken as this can take anywhere from a few days to a few years.

It is also illegal to misuse rainberries all over Tiaera. Violators can expect to be fined and even jailed depending on the severity of the crime.

Book Marketing and Ebooks

Sorry I have been so quiet here lately. The holidays came and went and I was busy taking down decorations, storing them all for another year. January has been very cold and I find it hard to leave the comfort of  my home to go marketing, but I have been.  Excuses... excuses.. but I am BACK!!

Recently I arranged to have "Realmwalkers" available at a local store called Crystal Moon which is located at 1850 McCulloch Blvd N. After that I arranged for "Realmwalkers" to be at the Kingman Library. Some time this year, I hope to join a panel of several other local authors for an event called Kabam at Kingman.

I was also at the local Hastings promoting "Realmwalkers" and an anthology called "Offerings from the Oasis" where my artwork was selected for the front cover. Every year the Lake Havasu City Writers Group publishes an anthology and holds a book signing at Hastings. The sand castle sporting several books with a beach background was this year's cover graphic for our anthology. I also have a poem "My Typical Morning" in the book as one of the selections.

 

It was a fun event. Many members brought their own books to sell, including me. By the way, that large banner

you see in front of the table was also one of my designs. I have been designing almost all our marketing projects and enjoy doing it. We often use the banner for street fairs to promote our club. 

I just got off the phone and heard from one of the librarians in Kingman, which is about an hour's drive from Havasu, and she says the book is gaining some interest. It has been checked out three times since it was made available. Hopefully I will be seeing some of those readers later this month when I do my first book signing there at Hastings on the 23rd of this month from 11 - 3.

And lastly, I have been working away at creating my first "Realmwalkers" Kindle ebook. It's been really hard to do as I have literally had to learn how to do it. But thanks to some friends and the Internet and a very patient hubby, I am almost done with it. I hope to have it up and available for sale here at my blog and at Amazon.com. Stay tuned for my announcement in the near future.

Until my next post, take care, keep warm and healthy and KEEP WRITING!

"Realmwalkers" is now at Hastings Book Store!

It's been a busy August and September. Between selling books, I went on vacation for two weeks and then I went on a four day retreat to a guest ranch. But now I am back home again and ready to continue promoting and selling Realmwalkers. I hope you all have been enjoying a terrific summer!

Last Monday, I went to my local Hastings Book Store and made a deal there to sell Realmwalkers. So many people have asked me if the book was at Hastings that I made it a point to take several copies there and sign a contract. These copies are only available at the Lake Havasu City branch but later this month, I will be driving up to Bullhead City with more books to sell at the Hastings branch there. Kingman is a bit of a drive, but if sales go well in Bullhead City and in Lake Havasu, I may expand.

And more good news! On November 12th (from 10 - 2pm), I will be at the Lake Havasu City Hastings for my very first Book Signing! I am already working on making flyers and postcards to promote the event and I will be giving away free Realmwalkers bookmarkers and candy to everyone who comes to say hello. Another shipment of books is on its way so I have plenty on hand to sell and autograph to those who can make it. I know many of you won't be in the area, but keep me your thoughts and prayers for a successful event anyway. If you have any advice on how to prepare for a book signing, please leave me comments here. I would really appreciate it.

Response to the book has been limited so far, but positive! Marketing takes a lot of time and work but someone has to do it. Thank you all for your support and encouragment. I welcome any helpful feedback to improve my writing for any future stories whether they be in book form or online.

Marketing and Future Plans

The books have been selling nicely as many friends and fellow writers have stepped up to buy a book. Such support has been very touching and exciting as I continue to promote wherever I can.  Most of my marketing supplies are homemade, but effective in getting the word out locally. I also found out that some online book sellers like Amazon.com are now selling Realmwalkers. I can't sign those, but they are fast and in a few cases even less expensive than I can sell here at my blog.

One day soon, I hope to get back to writing my short stories featuring some of the characters in the book which I will post here. There will be more maps here soon, as well as a glossary to help out with some of the archaic words used in the book. I also plan to draw some more illustrations to post here along with the stories. Stop by and subscribe here for future updates.

More than a Novel

Book Cover Design

Realmwalkers is a 6" X 9" softcover book that weighs just under 2 lbs. It has 460 pages of text and graphics and is just over 1" thick.  It has 21 full page illustrations and 10 small images, artwork and graphics that took me hours to draw and enhance by computer. This is no pocket size novel and I chose this size so you wouldn't have to squint to read it. The cover is printed on 10pt stock, full color and laminated for durability. The interior paper is not the cheap, thin greyish newspaper used in many novels on the market.  It is library-quality with professional trade paperback binding and sturdy 60 lb. bright white paper.

Title Page

World Map and First Chapter

The Books are Here!

This is a very exciting time for me as I pack the books received into their large bubble-wrapped packages. I have sold several by internet and even more locally to friends and neighbors. I have decided to cover the loose page ends with cardstock so that while it is in transit, it will be protected from bending or folding. It's important to me that the book arrives in perfect condition. And while this shipment lasts, if anyone orders a book here, I will be able to package and mail it the following day. Their book should arrive in 2 - 7 working days.

Order your books now!

I am taking orders now. The book shipment will be here by Aug 2nd and I will autograph any orders and mail them out to you as soon as possible. Click on the scroll to the left and use the secure Paypal order form. I will be notified of your payment and order and send you "Realmwalkers" as soon as I can.

Realmwalkers Shipment due August 2nd!

I spent the last week finalizing the second proof copy of Realmwalkers. It has a new background that looks a little darker but clearer than the first background. My first shipment is due next Aug. 2nd and so I shall be bringing a few books to sell at the following LHCWG meeting. Most of this order is already "spoken for", but books will still be available though this blog and through my eStore online. If you don't live in Lake Havasu City, Laughlin or Bullhead City, you may want to use this blog site to place an order.

I will be putting up a "BUY ME" button here very in the next few days. Come back soon and look for it. The "Buy Me" button is from Paypal who will accept major credit card and Paypal payments.  I will get your payment from Paypal and will send you an autographed copy of the novel directly to you.

Realmwalkers will also be available at Amazon.com and other outlets. I am currently looking into doing a booksigning at Hastings.

Leave any questions or comments if you are interested. If you want a chapter sample, I can email you a copy of that.

Thanks again to my friends and family who have been so supportive. Very excited! =D

Preview "Realmwalkers" Now

Appearing mysteriously in a medieval world of magic and beauty, a young woman pulls herself from a secluded lake and discovers she has lost her memory. In order to survive, she struggles to find work and learns about the world of Tiaera until she meets three immortal realmwalkers and a “sentry” of incredible futuristic technology. Led by a powerful lightchild, Alain Harper, the realmwalkers reveal they come from a realm light years away, on a mission to help Tiaera’s goddess, Astria, and her people fight the devastating attacks from monstrous creatures and evil god-like beings. When the realmwalkers try to restore Solita’s memory, they soon realize that she is not just a cosmically displaced woman with amnesia, but also a key figure in the ultimate battle to save Tiaera from total destruction.

Click the link here to get to the Preview site and feel free to leave us some feedback.  It's free and NO registration needed.  Just read and enjoy!

Thanks to all our friends and fans for your constructive criticism and encouragement. I hope you like this preview.

Preview of Realmwalkers

Book Piracy and Realmwalkers

The World of Tiaera

REALMWALKERS is Coming Soon!

Audrey and Carlyn stand outside a bookseller shoppe and see the new book being displayed.  The book cover features a bow and quiver, a strange looking 'window' with the image of Tiaera inside it and a long sword.

"Hmmm... a book about welmwalkeos?" says Audrey, pointing with her little gnomish finger.  "I wondeo if Masteo Alain knows 'bout dis."


Carlyn isn't impressed. "I thought we were going to the tavern. I can't read anything while I am thinking about a nice cold brew." 


" Okies, I doubt we will be in da book anyways. Let us away. I wanna a dwink too."