Guest Post: Challenging the Collective Identity

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Blog Series, Guest Post, Indie Author, Science-Fiction, Women

Anela says: I’m excited to kick off a series of guest posts from awesome women authors of science fiction. Women fill science fiction as readers, writers, and characters in stories, though do not often receive equal recognition in this genre. Today, I welcome author Mikhaeyla Kopievsky as she examines gendered stereotypes and the ways in which science fiction has served as a vehicle to challenge them.

Take it away, Mikhaeyla!

Challenging the Collective Identity

Just a little while ago, on 14 July, I released the second book in my Divided Elements series, Rebellion. I thought it was kind of fitting that Rebellion was published on Bastille Day, since it is a dystopian tale of revolution set in a post-apocalyptic Paris. Interestingly, 14 July is also celebrated as International Non-binary Day – which similarly held a nice symmetry, since my book is centered on challenging the identity stereotypes society imposes.

As someone who has always strongly identified as female and as a feminist, but not particularly feminine, Non-binary day got me thinking about how gendered identity – like all types of identity – is both a deeply personal and a deeply cultural concept. And that authentic identity is forged in the way we both embrace and challenge the cultural stereotypes of that collective identity.

Collective identity is a tricky thing – by its very nature it is a generalisation; a broad-brushed characterisation of a shared experience, perspective, and values-system. Changing the way we view that characterisation (and opening up opportunities for challenging it), requires changing the narrative…

And what better vehicle for doing that than actual narratives?

Science fiction has been creating mind-bending narratives for decades and there are likely hundreds of examples that show stereotypes being challenged and reimagined. Today I want to share with you my favourite examples of gendered stereotypes turned on their heads by scifi books and movies:

• Sarah Connor (Terminator) – ‘Mother’. Sarah Connor is not the kind of mother you’d find in a Norman Rockwell painting and yet she is nothing if not fiercely maternal. Sarah debunks all concepts of passive, gentle motherhood and instead gives us a mother lioness.

 

 

• Ellen Ripley (Alien) – ‘Damsel in Distress’. Ellen Ripley is on a distant, unfamiliar planet when her entire crew is decimated by a really freaking scary alien. Ellen is not a kick-ass, alien-killing ninja (a la Emily Blunt’s Angel of Verdun in Edge of Tomorrow) – she is just a woman who is left alone and who must survive with the skills, knowledge and resources available to her. She is not super-human, but she finds a super-human strength within her to win her battle with a formidable foe and make it out alive.

 

• Ann Burden (Z is for Zacahariah) – ‘Dreamy Schoolgirl’. Ann, a teenage girl who is left alone on her family’s farm in the wake of a nuclear fallout, undergoes a rite of passage when her isolation is interrupted by the arrival of Loomis – an older man who appears with a radiation safe-suit and ideas on how to survive. Desperate for company and impressed by his confidence and credentials, Ann nurses him to health and fantasizes about eventually marrying him, falling into line with his ideas and directions. Over time, she starts to harbor doubts about the man and his ideas and when he turns aggressive and violent, rather than capitulate to submission, Ann takes control of her life and claws back her own agency.

 

• YT (Snowcrash) – ‘Sweet Sidekick’. YT (Yours Truly) is a savvy, self-assured skateboarding courier who is more the reluctant hero than the book’s actual protagonist, Hiro. YT is a world-weary fifteen year old, who wears a dentata (anti-rape device), frequently thinks about sex, throws herself into the path of danger, and still loves her mum.

 

• Nyx (God’s War) – ‘Pure Warrior’. There are many stories about women warriors who are righteous and just and almost Madonna-like (holy, not musical) in their pure quest for victory. Not Nyx. Nyx is a ruthless mercenary who kills for money, not morals and not loyalty. She is not the one to save the cat, she is one to save herself.

 

Each of these examples show how good science fiction can challenge what we think we know about a shared experience and collective identity. I see aspects of myself, my sister, my mother, and my friends in all of these characters – and I love that they broaden my understanding of what being female is and can be.

Challenging gender stereotypes creates a more dynamic and fluid understanding of identity and allows us to create more personal reflections of the cultural stereotypes that have previously limited us.

I hope to read, and create!, more amazing and interesting and unique female characters that continue to challenge and inspire me.

Anela says: Thank you so much for this insightful post, Mikhaeyla!

Readers, where have you seen science fiction confront or confound gender stereotypes in books/TV/movies/games?

Don’t forget to check out Mikhaeyla’s gripping Sci-Fi series Divided Elements below!

Love thought-provoking and subversive science fiction? Check out the Divided Elements series, where forging your own identity is the most dangerous form of revolution.

From the moment you are born, you are conditioned to know this truth: Unorthodoxy is wrong action, Heterodoxy is wrong thought. One will lead to your Detention. The other to your Execution.

Two generations after the Execution of Kane 148 and Otpor’s return to Orthodoxy, the Resistor’s legacy still lingers.

In this future, post-apocalyptic Paris, forbidden murals are appearing on crumbling concrete walls – calling citizens to action. Calling for Resistance.

When Kane’s former protege, Anaiya 234, is selected for a high-risk undercover mission, Otpor is given the chance it needs to eliminate the Heterodoxy and Anaiya the opportunity she craves to erase a shameful past.

But the mission demands an impossible sacrifice – her identity.

While the growing rebellion will change the utopian lives of all Otpor’s citizens, for Anaiya it will change who she is. As the risk of violence escalates and every decision is fraught with betrayal, will Anaiya’s fractured identity save her or condemn her?

—

Winner of a 2017 OneBookTwo Standout Award, Resistance (Divided Elements #1) is free for a limited time. Rebellion (Divided Elements #2) is now available as an ebook from all major distributors.

Get your free Cocktail Companion Guide and deleted prologue by signing up to Mikhaeyla’s newsletter.

MIKHAEYLA KOPIEVSKY is an independent speculative fiction author who loves writing about complex and flawed characters in stories that explore philosophy, sociology and politics. She holds degrees in International Relations, Journalism, and Environmental Science. A former counter-terrorism advisor, she has travelled to and worked in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Mikhaeyla lives in the Hunter Valley, Australia, with her husband and son. Divided Elements is her debut offering.

Guest Post: The ESSENCE of Writing Serial Novelle

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Book Series, Guest Post, Indie Author, Novella, Science-Fiction, Self-Publishing, Writing Tips

Today I’m excited to have indie author and friend J. K. Ullrich as a guest on the blog! An award-winning Science-Fiction author, she’s recently finished an awesome Sci-Fi series called Syzygy and is here to talk about her experience with the novella story form. Enjoy!

The ESSENCE of Writing Serial Novelle

What do Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm, and The Metamorphosis all have in common? Besides a reliable spot on English class syllabi, each of these classics contains less than 40,000 words, technically a novella. While these famous novelle (that’s the plural, thanks to how the Italian language declines feminine nouns) probably wouldn’t have landed a deal with modern publishers, who rarely consider manuscripts under 70,000 words, readers find a lot to like about the format. Lauded author Ian McEwan praised short fiction that can be read in one sitting, “like enjoying a three hour movie or opera”. If bingeable streaming TV is more your taste, however, consider a novella serial. Earlier this year I completed Syzygy, a science fiction novella hexalogy. Fun yet challenging, the project taught me the ESSENCE of writing a serial novelle: Evaluate the master plot, Structure the component parts, use Suspense, Echoes, and Negative space to Concentrate storytelling, and plan an Endgame for publication.

Evaluate

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America define a novella as fiction from 17,500 to 39,999 words (70-160 standard pages). That doesn’t leave room for meandering tales that take chapters to hit their stride. Advance planning is essential, especially if you intend to release each novella as you complete it. Plot the master arc just as you would a novel, and don’t skimp on the details. I learned this the hard way when I reached Pt VI: Right Ascension and discovered that my notes, so precise for the early titles, contained little more for the final installment than “Heroes confront antagonist. The end.” That put me in the awkward spot of reverse engineering scenes that fit with everything I’d already established. Having a comprehensive outline from the start would have saved me a lot of agony!

Once you’ve worked out the big picture, subdivide it into individual novelle. If I framed the entire Syzygy story (about 160,000 words) in three-act structure, the first two installments would be Act I (about 40,000 words total) books three through five would be Act II, ending with the peak crisis (about 70,000 words total) and part six is the climactic Act III (about 40,000 words). Each episode builds on the previous one, adding tension and advancing the story.

Structure

Component novelle are more than just arbitrary slices of the broader arc: each needs its own internal structure. Let’s zoom in on the plot outline above….

In the scope of the entire Syzygy saga, Transient Phenomena is only half of act one, but as a standalone, it still reflects classic plot mechanics with its own beginning, middle, and end. This helps every piece feel complete. But not too complete. The key to any good series is tempting the audience irresistibly onward.

Suspense

Notice something different about the Transient Phenomena outline compared to the series outline above? There’s no drop at the end to represent denouement; the action keeps rising. I drew readers through the series by ending each novella with a question or twist that would send them scrambling for the next story right away. Part I leaves Ash’s decision and Skye’s fate unresolved. Part II concludes with a revelation that turns everything upside down. And so on. Identify the suspenseful points in your master plot and divide up the story around them. (I went a step further and tried to end every chapter with a hook as well!) Is it a little cruel to leave readers hanging? Undoubtedly. But is that not an author’s prerogative?

Echoes

A good hook may pull readers through your series, but it takes more than a core plot line to fuse separate installments into a cohesive, satisfying whole. One way to cultivate connection is to draw parallels between the pieces. Plot and character development accomplish some of this, but I found it was the nuances that really pulled the story together. For example, Ash and Skye’s quips about their respective name meanings in the first book establish an inside joke between them, and variations on it play across the series. Offhand dialogue from early installments, echoed later at a critical point, resonates with new meaning. This technique adds thematic depth and facilitates narrative cohesion. It’s like the baseline in a piece of music, a common rhythm beneath the changing melody. In novelle, even the background is important!

Negative Space

“Negative space” in visual arts describes the sometimes-empty area around the main subject of an image. Narratives have negative space, too, in the ambient details surrounding major events.  Novelle writers can use it as a canvas for implications, making the most of their limited pages. In the opening scene of Transient Phenomena, Skye steals equipment from the Colony and detects a radio signal emanating from Earth. Two simple plot points, right? A lot more appears between the lines:

• The harsh living environment of lunar dwellers (and the presence of rival settlements, at least one of which is struggling to survive);
• Skye’s status as an outsider in her community (and the existence of a leader who would punish her for disobedience);
• Her habit of talking to herself (suggesting chronic isolation);
• Her skill with telemetry and electronics (which she’s been prevented from using); and
• A previous discovery of the same signal, ignored for unknown reasons.

By integrating all these clues into the background, I avoided exposition and saved precious wordage. (Transient Phenomena is available free for Kindle and Nook if you want to read the whole scene and judge for yourself.) Leveraging negative space helps writers get the most out of every paragraph.

Concentration

The prologue I just described introduces a protagonist, implies parts of her backstory, establishes key world-building elements, and poses questions that keep readers turning pages…in only 566 words. Concentrated storytelling like this helps maximize impact in the pithy novella format. As you edit, appraise the manuscript with economical eyes. Can you condense any sequences, combine any scenes? Can any characters do double duty? For example, the supporting character Violet is Hazel’s mother and Ash’s father’s work partner and the mechanic responsible for the Colony’s plot-entangled power grid. I could have created a separate person for each of those roles, but combining them makes for a more interesting character (and helps keep the cast from becoming unmanageably large over the course of the series). Once you’ve streamlined the narrative, pare down the prose. My prolix English major habits struggled at first, but I came to appreciate the brisk elegance of novelle.

Endgame

Your novella may be as fast and trim as a well-engineered spacecraft, but don’t launch it just yet. Publishing a novella serial involves a few more decisions than publishing standalone work. Will you release each installment as you write it? A steady flow of new titles can build a reader base hungry for more, and but you risk continuity errors or writing yourself into a corner if you haven’t planned the story well. What about completing the whole series first? That enables comprehensive revision, but it might take years to complete the entire thing, and having your name off the market that long can be problematic (especially for Indies).

Whichever path you choose, Novelle are a hard sell—people are already reluctant to pay a few dollars for “full-length” novels, much less shorter works—but serials enjoy the advantage of various marketing options.

• Make the first story “permafree” to entice readers to give it a try (hopefully all those suspenseful hooks will drive them to buy the rest).

• Once all the installments are available, Amazon allows authors a series page where shoppers can buy all the books in one click.

• Release the complete series in a single-volume edition. Bonus content, like a new epilogue or spinoff story, can make the omnibus an especially appealing purchase.

With swift storytelling honed to its ESSENCE, novella series offer a unique and rewarding experience for authors and readers alike!

Anela says: Many thanks to J. K. Ullrich for an insightful look into the structure and execution of writing a novella series! Check out her website to learn more about her work and find other great articles about speculative fiction and more. 

You can grab the first installment of her Syzygy series for FREE on Amazon! It’s a fast-paced story with plenty of twists and awesome characters, so don’t miss out!

Ash was never supposed to visit Earth. After a genetic engineering catastrophe wiped out civilization, the survivors—inhabitants of a lunar mining colony—planned to rebuild on Mars. That was before a group of rebels seceded to the dark side of the moon, taking critical data with them. Now conscripted teenagers scavenge the ruined planet for species to use in terraforming. At fifteen, Ash is the best diver in a generation. But when tragedy strikes, he vows to end his colony’s dependence on its old homeworld at any cost.

Skye has never set foot on Earth. It’s not even visible from the moon’s far side, although the exiles’ mystic leader promises they will return home someday. Skye has discovered something that could realize this long-awaited dream, but she’s an outcast among outcasts, and no one will listen to her plan. To save her people, she might have to betray them.

Worlds collide when Ash and Skye meet, blurring the boundaries between enemies and allies, deception and truth. Their choices could win a future for humanity…or finally drive it to extinction.

Grab it on Amazon!

 

Guest Post: Voyager, Stargate, and Patchwork Storytelling

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Guest Post, Indie Author, Science-Fiction, Self Published Book, Time-Travel

Visiting the blog today is author W. R. Gingell, writer of speculative fiction, here to talk about Sci-Fi and the stories that led her to not just loving the genre, but creating universes of her own. Take it away!

 

I’ve never been a huge Sci-Fi reader. As I grew up, I read quite a lot of Sci-Fi—the difference between reading Sci-Fi and being a Sci-Fi reader being the fact that I didn’t seek out Sci-Fi particularly. It was usually by accident, when I found a story or characters that fascinated me. If the story and characters were good, I read it regardless of genre. I ended up reading a lot of Nicholas Fisk, C.S. Lewis’ Cosmic trilogy, and a fair bit of John Christopher, along with a smattering of random scifi titles.

It was probably for this reason that I was so late to the game when it came to scifi T.V. shows like Startrek, Stargate, and Starwars. My mum loved fantasy, my dad didn’t really watch fictional T.V. at all, and scifi T.V. was just never on in the house. In fact, I discovered Voyager after I got married, some time in my early 20s.

And I LOVED it.

I loved the episodic nature of it, while at the same time appreciating the over-arching story of trying-to-get-home (and seriously, is there anyone who didn’t love Q? Oh. I’m the only one who loved him? Okay.). I loved Captain Janeway, a character who was so busy being herself and doing awesome stuff that it never occurred to her to try and be a Strong Female Character. Because she was a person. A captain. And I loved the odd episode where you weren’t quite sure what was happening and what was up, but you followed it because you knew the character and you were interested in seeing where the writers took it.

So when I got the idea for extending my short story, A Time Traveller’s Best Friend, into a series, the idea of writing it like a T.V. series instead of a traditional scifi series was the only way it occurred to me to do the thing.  Originally, A Time Traveller’s Best Friend started as a short story written for my local writing group; a single story from a single idea that sprouted from a series of writing prompt challenge words. But I loved Kez and Marx so much that I didn’t want to stop writing about them, and I knew lengthening the short story wasn’t an option for me. I liked it in its compact, cellular form. The logical option was to turn it into a T.V. series. In a book.

In my Time Traveller’s Best Friend series, I’ve combined all my favourite things about Sci-Fi into bookform, making a patchwork of Sci-Fi and time travel that is about as battered as The Upsydaisy, Marx and Kez’s stolen er, secondhand craft. Each volume of the series is a set of interlinking, but distinct, adventures—something like a season would be on T.V.—each with its own story arc that feeds into the main arc of the whole series. And because of the nature of time travel, I left myself free to play with the structure as far as chronology goes. I mean, if your characters are travelling in time and space, some things are going to happen in a different order to what an outside watcher perceives…

Since the 2^nd book is now up for preorder (September 26^th), I’m running a 99c special on A Time Traveller’s Best Friend, which means you can check it out for a steal (Kez would certainly approve). The first volume of the series is on the shorter side, but Memento Mori more than makes up for that, weighing in at over twice the length of A Time Traveller’s Best Friend. Come aboard the Upsydaisy for adventures in time and space, but beware—Here be monsters…

Thanks for stopping by!

Check out Gingell’s time-travel series and its upcoming sequel! The first book (below) is only $0.99!

Meet Marx. Meet Kez.

Marx is a small, angry man with a time machine and a chip on his shoulder. Kez is a homicidal little girl with a price on her head and a penchant for kicking people where it hurts the most.

After a narrow escape from the owners of the stolen craft he pilots, the last thing Marx wants is another gun pointed at him. What he wants and what he gets, however, are two very different things.

On the run from killers, shadowy corporations, and one very specific Someone, the last thing Kez wants when she points a gun at yet another apparent killer is a self-appointed protector.

What she wants and what she needs, however, are two very different things…

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The sequel is available for pre-order now!

Even time travellers can run out of time.

Marx and Kez have been skipping through the known Twelve Worlds, keeping one step ahead of certain capture by the seat of their trousers, and the vastness of time and space is feeling a tad too small.

Kez has always been a bit crazy, but now it’s Marx who is getting mad. Someone is trying to kill them, and that’s the sort of thing he takes personally.

To add to their difficulties, there are Fixed Points in time that are beginning to look a little less…fixed.

Between Time Corp, WAOF, Uncle Cheng, and the Lolly Men, it’s beginning to look like there’s nowhere safe in the known Twelve Worlds for Kez and Marx.

Release Date: September 26th!

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About the Author

W.R. Gingell is a Tasmanian author who lives in a house with a green door. She loves to rewrite fairytales with a twist or two–and a murder or three–and original fantasy where dragons, enchantresses, and other magical creatures abound. Occasionally she will also dip her toes into the waters of SciFi.

W.R. spends her time reading, drinking an inordinate amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.

Connect with her via:

Website/Blog: http://wrgingell.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wrgingell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WRGingell

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7849833.W_R_Gingell

Guest Post: Realms of Culture

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Fantasy Romance, Guest Post, Jeffe Kennedy, Writing Tips

Super excited to have award-winning author Jeffe Kennedy as a guest on the blog today! As a huge fan of her work (Read my review of her new release, The Shift of the Tide), I am always so impressed by the cultures in her novels. Seriously, I have found myself talking about some of the intricate and fascinating aspects only to realize the level of detail I went into made it sound like an actual culture that existed somewhere. So, I asked if Jeffe might tell us a bit about her writing approach regarding the different cultures in her Fantasy worlds and what she does to make them seem so real.

I often get asked about how I construct the cultures in my fantasy worlds. Well, more broadly, readers and other writers ask about my worldbuilding process. Anela here specifically asked about the cultures. She mentioned the Nahanaun culture from The Pages of the Mind (Anela says: This one just won a RITA award, woooo!!), in particular, and the Faerie society in my Covenant of Thorns trilogy. She also asked about the cultures as they’re experienced by my characters as outsiders to them.

That last question is actually quite pertinent. It’s a common trope in fantasy to have a character who is what we call “a fish out of water.” This acts on a couple of levels. The character who is plunged into an unfamiliar world with a new set of rules has to find new abilities in themselves, to learn to overcome the challenges of those circumstances. If a person remains in familiar surroundings, there’s no impetus for them to change. Taken out of their pond, they have to learn to breathe air in order to survive. Also, a fish out of water character serves as an avatar for the reader—they allow the reader to learn the world along with them.

As for the rest, I often reply that I learn the world as the characters do, by riding around in their heads as the story unfolds. That’s true, but it’s also an oversimplification. I might observe the world through their perceptions—which includes their own ideas and cultural preconceptions—but I try to base aspects of the world on real life principles.

1. Physical Laws.

It’s important to determine if the world follows the same physical laws as ours. Some aspects, like gravity and molecular cohesion are hard to get away from and still have a comprehensible story. In the world of The Twelve Kingdoms and The Uncharted Realms (the world of The Pages of the Mind), most of the standard physical laws apply, with the addition of magic. In the Faerie of Covenant of Thorns, I twisted up some of those laws. The presence of magic changes how the natural world works, particularly the rate of mutation and evolution.

2. Ecology

I’m a biologist by training, so I’ve studied a lot about how ecology—climate, temperature, geological features like oceans or mountains—influences the flora, fauna and human civilizations there. For example, in our world, animals tend to be larger the farther north they live. So Wyoming bobcats are much bigger than New Mexico bobcats. When I built the world of Nahanau, I knew the islands would be formed from volcanic activity and be in a tropical climate. The types of plant life and animals there would be informed by all of that. Because volcanic islands have barrier reefs (a consequence of how they’re formed), I knew there would be sea life associated with barrier reefs, and so forth.

3. People and politics

The humans who live in a particular environment are as much a product of it as the plants and animals. The Nahanauns live in a consistently warm environment, so their dress and building construction reflects that. On top of that, because of the openness of their society, I figured they’d have more flexible ideas about personal property. In Faerie, humans have no magic and thus no power. They’re lower class citizens and their towns reflect that. In that society, the types of fae who have the most magic—and are most willing to wield it—rise to the highest levels. But that kind of society leads to near-constant battling, as well.

4. Language

Deciding on a culture’s language can be a twisty proposition. Because a book is an exercise of language to begin with, the language the story is written in dictates a great deal. I usually make the “home” language of the main characters be pretty close to modern American English, for simplicity’s sake. Some readers don’t like this because they feel the language of epic and high fantasy should be like in Tolkien. But Tolkein wrote in the early 1900s—the language he used was different than modern American English. I don’t think it’s any more “accurate” to use British English of the early 1900s for fantasy that American English of the early 2000s.

When I go to create a language foreign to the main characters, I usually base it off another language in our world, so there’s a sense of familiarity that also evokes place. For Nahanau, I used Hawaiian words and put a slightly different spin on them. I did this for names, as well. For Faerie, I used Gaelic as a base.

Finally, because I wanted Nahanaun to be a perplexing language for the heroine, Dafne, I complicated their verb tenses. I added words to indicate past and future, like oriental languages such as Chinese do. I also had those tenses colored with good or bad fortune, partly to illustrate the culture, and to make things more interesting.

5. Mythology

Finally, I always try to be sure to include the spiritual outlook of the human culture. How people view the intangible world is as important as the effects of the tangible one.

Many thanks for being a guest on the blog, Jeffe!

Check out her newest release in The Uncharted Realms series, The Shift of the Tide

Free from the hand of a tyrant, the Twelve Kingdoms have thrown all that touch them into chaos. New allies appear–and enemies encroach–from all sides. To survive, they must adapt to this new reality without a moment of doubt…

Growing up in a country where magic was common as dust, Zynda never had to worry about her enchantments upsetting the balance of nature. But the land beyond the borders of the thirteenth kingdom calls to her. It may be foreign and ugly, but the strangeness is laced with an excitement she has never known. Outside her homeland, Zynda’s shapeshifting and sorcery are a potent advantage to nations grasping for dominance–and the thrill of power lures her even as she recognizes the threat she poses to these magic-buffeted realms.

A ruthless enemy stalks them, promising destruction if she does not fight with all her strength–but if she upsets the equilibrium of the land, all will pay, the common people most of all. And a man of this outside world fascinates her, a mossback with no scrap of magic in him. He knows nothing of the fears and temptations pulling at her. But in his steady embrace she learns she must choose well–for the consequences may reach farther than she ever imagined…

 About Jeffe Kennedy

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include novels, non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award.

Her award-winning fantasy romance trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms hit the shelves starting in May 2014. Book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and was nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose received a Top Pick Gold and was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2014. The third book, The Talon of the Hawk, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2015. Two more books followed in this world, beginning the spin-off series The Uncharted Realms. Book one in that series, The Pages of the Mind, has also been nominated for the RT Reviewer’s Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and won RWA’s 2017 RITA® Award. The second book, The Edge of the Blade, released December 27, 2016, and is a PRISM finalist, along with The Pages of the Mind. The next in the series, The Shift of the Tide, will be out in August, 2017. A high fantasy trilogy taking place in The Twelve Kingdoms world is forthcoming from Rebel Base books in 2018.

She also introduced a new fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons, which includes Lonen’s War, Oria’s Gambit, The Tides of Bàra, and The Forests of Dru. She’s begun releasing a new contemporary erotic romance series, Missed Connections, which started with Last Dance and continues in With a Prince.

In 2019, St. Martins Press will release the first book, The Orchid Throne, in a new fantasy romance series, The Forgotten Empires.

Her other works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion; an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera; and the erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, which includes Going Under, Under His Touch and Under Contract.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular SFF Seven blog, on Facebook, on Goodreads and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

 

Writing Beneath a Glass Ceiling

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Guest Post, Indie Author, Science-Fiction, Women's Issues

Today I’m visiting author Intisar Khanani’s blog and talking about women who write Science-Fiction and the gender challenges they face in this genre.

Stop on by and check it out:

Writing Beneath a Glass Ceiling

In other news, heads up on a FREE Sci-Fi anthology available on Amazon right now with stories by multiple writers, including Lindsay Buroker. Don’t know how long it’ll be free so grab your copy ASAP!

 

Guest Post: Self Published Fiction and the Quest for Quality

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Book Marketing, Fantasy, Guest Post, Self Published Book, Writing Tips

The process of getting an idea onto the page, into a publishable book, and finally into readers hands, has many stops along the way. How does one figure out whether the finished product is ready for the world? Self-published writers, or authorpreneurs, have the added challenge of doing it all on their own. Today’s guest, author Aderyn Wood, offers a road map and some sage advice on quality control before hitting that “Publish” button. 

Take it away, Aderyn!

Self Published Fiction and the Quest for Quality

I’m an Indie author and I’m pretty passionate about self-publishing. As such, I want to support and read other indie authors. I’m always on the lookout for self-published books, fantasy in particular, that will get me turning the pages and totally immersed the way my old favourite trad pubbed books do.

But if I’m going to be honest, the search for quality self-pubbed books is not always easy, and it seems in my quest to find some shiny gems, I often end up with a big bag of turnips. The quality varies on many levels. There’s a lot of books with interesting plots and characters, stories that would have held my interest, writing that almost made it, but just didn’t cut it quality-wise, and could have if the author had incorporated quality control measures in their writing-publishing process. As a reader, this is frustrating, as I really want to read and LOVE the work of fellow Indies.

So how can indie authors get quality control? And how do you get it without the budget of a traditional publishing house?  We don’t have a team of agents, editors, cover designers and marketers. We have to work all this out, and pay for it, ourselves. I’m by no means an expert, I’m still learning, but I’ve now incorporated strategies that help me gain some quality control in my process. And most of them cost nothing.

So, here’s a process, from writing to marketing, that helps to create the best book for the cheapest possible price – but be warned, you will have to invest some money along the way if you want a quality product.

1) Write your book.

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, whether you write every day or only on weekends, this is the most important step of all. Just write the damn book warts and all, and write it as quick as you can. I spent about two decades of my life saying, ‘one day I’ll write a book.’ Now, (that I’m about to start writing my sixth book) I look back and wish I’d just stopped talking about it and done it already!

2) Let the book ferment. In On Writing, Stephen King recommends locking your first draft away in a dark drawer and letting it rest, like the way we let bread dough rest between kneads. He suggests that it should sit for a minimum of six weeks. So, forget about it for a couple of months. This will allow you to read your manuscript with ‘fresh eyes’ when you return to it. Don’t let anyone see it yet. While you’re waiting, you could work on your next novel, or read some books on writing and/or editing.  There’s always more to learn and there’s plenty of good books on writing available. But keep in mind, the best way to learn more about writing, is to write.

3) Edit your book and create your second draft. Get your manuscript out of the drawer, cut out those unnecessary adverbs, make sure your POV is consistent, and tidy up your grammar. Now you’re getting it ready for someone else to read – but not the reading public, not even friends and family, not yet. 

4) Workshop your book and welcome robust critique. This can be confronting, especially for new writers. I remember the nervous butterflies when I first had my work seriously workshopped. I discovered so much about what I was doing ‘wrong’. It was how I first learnt about filtering, something I was doing a lot of, and within six months my writing had improved dramatically.

Critiquing is a wonderful part of the process where other people can pick out the flaws in your writing that your brain can’t see, but when highlighted, they become rather obvious – whether they are character inconsistencies, plot holes, places where you need to kill your darlings, or the dreaded info dump – a good group of critiquers will make such weaknesses visible for you. I find the best critquers are fellow writers, and there’s heaps of them around. While you’re at it, do some critiquing yourself. Critiquing the work of others can help you learn a lot about how to improve your own writing. There’s plenty of information around on how to find a critique group.

5) Create the third draft. Now that it’s gone through the workshop grind, you can edit and create the next draft – but it’s still not ready for publishing.

6) Get Beta readers to read it. Finally, you can ask your friends and family to read your book and give you feedback. But if you’ve written an epic fantasy novel, only ask those friends who actually read and enjoy epic fantasy. Otherwise, you’re not going to get the right kind of feedback. You should also give your beta readers a small list of specific questions that will help you get the feedback you need, otherwise you might get very general stuff like ‘it was good’, which is nice, but won’t help you much to improve it.

7) Create the fourth draft. Do yet another edit, incorporating any feedback from your beta readers that you choose to take on.  But, it’s still not yet ready for readers to buy.

8) Get an editor.  Hire a real, professional editor with actual editing qualifications who is not a friend or family member and who you DO have to pay. Everything up to this point has been free. Or would cost very little (an online subscription to a critique site might cost a small annual fee). To hire a real editor is going to cost you real money.  But you know what? This whole process can take a while. It takes me about six months, and that’s enough time to save up the money. I always budget for at least $1000 to get a real editor to edit my work. But at this point, after the manuscript has had so many other eyes on it, it’s in pretty good shape and makes the editor’s job that much easier.

Sometimes my editor has charged me less than her original quote because she didn’t have to spend as much time on it.  Joanna Penn has an extensive list of editors and editing resources on her site. However, every country, state or region will have local editors and resources available. I found my editor through my state’s association, Editors Victoria, and their freelance list – so check out your local resources too.

9) Create your final draft.  Incorporate that all-important feedback from your editor. Ok, now it is ready to face the world!

10) Send out ARCs. This is a new step for me that I’ve only just incorporated with my latest release, but it’s totally worth the time. I used to think it was somehow ‘wrong’ to ask reviewers to review your book, but that was just silly. Sending out Advanced Review Copies has been a long tradition in publishing houses, and Indies are just as entitled to employ the practice.

By contacting reviewers and politely requesting they review your book in return for a free Advanced Review Copy, you will get some early feedback, and reviews posted very quickly after publishing. One of the advantages of self-publishing is that you can modify or fix any typos, or anything else, instantly, both before and after the book has been published.  A good place to find Indie friendly reviewers is on The Indie View.

10) Publish your masterpiece. Assuming you’ve paid for a real cover art designer to create the cover – yes, this costs real money too, but not as much as hiring an editor. I usually pay no more than $200 USD for my cover art; also assuming you have gone through a rigorous process with your blurb/book description, it is time to publish!

11) Market your masterpiece. Yes, this means paying for real book sites to advertise your book, and again you have to pay with real money. But it doesn’t have to break the bank. You can spend as little as $10 – and in some instances this would be the best course e.g. if it is your first book. The more you pay (in most cases) the more return you will see. Marketing does not mean abusing social media with ‘buy my book’ posts. Something, I’m embarrassed to say, I did after my first publication. Yes, I was one of those authors who sent out way too many tweets, all focused on some kind of ‘buy my book’ message. Now I hang my head in shame about it, but at least I am fully qualified to inform you that such use (abuse) of social media has no real positive effect on sales. It’s not a surprise really; social media is awash with spam.

So that’s my process as it currently stands. I’m happy to report that I’ve had good feedback so far, in terms of my rather small number of reviews from readers who have enjoyed my books and the ‘quality’ of the finished product. But, I’m still learning, and it’s early days in my writing and publishing journey. I’m sure my ‘quality control’ process will continue to evolve. One thing I would like to do in the future (when my budget allows) is to hire an additional editor to better reflect the kind of rigorous process inherent in a traditional publishing house.

I think we indie authors owe it to ourselves, our readers and to each other to ensure that a self-published ‘label’ doesn’t equate to poor quality. I’d love to hear any ‘quality control’ tips from fellow authors – do you have a ‘quality control’ measure that works for you?  Or have you made mistakes (as I have) in your writing/publishing journey?

 

Many thanks for providing a thorough and thoughtful run-down of your process, Aderyn! I fully agree with all of these points!

Check out Aderyn Wood’s book, Currently FREE today and tomorrow only (12/2 & 12/3)! Pick up your copy while there’s time!!

The Raven (The Secret Chronicles of Lost Magic Book 1)

A lonely outcast is forced to reveal her secret Gift – but will such power bring acceptance?

‘The Secret Chronicles of Lost Magic’ is a collection of histories that will take readers on a journey into a rich new fantasy world. Enjoy stepping into the dark days of time in this sweeping prehistoric fantasy. ‘The Raven’ is the first Chronicle in a collection set in a vibrant new world by Aderyn Wood.

From high fantasy to paranormal, Aderyn’s stories cover the broad spectrum of Fantasy. Inspired from childhood by the wonder and mystique of Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising and the adventures in Tolkien’s The Hobbit, her love of the Fantasy genre has been life long. As a writer, she brings characters and places to life in stories filled with magic, mystery, and a good dollop of mayhem.

Aderyn studied Literature, History and Creative Writing at university, travelled the world, and taught English before becoming a full-time writer. She is also a part-time farmer passionate about self-sufficiency and poultry. She lives in a cosy cottage on a small farm in Victoria, Australia with partner Peter, their dog, cat, and a little duck called Snow.

http://aderynwood.blogspot.com

Explore her work:

The Raven (Latest Release, High Fantasy)

The Viscount’s Son (Paranormal novella, #1 in a trilogy)

The Borderlands: Journey (YA Contemporary Fantasy, #1 in a trilogy)

 

Guest Post: The Do’s and Don’ts of Self-Publishing From a Book Reviewer

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Guest Post, Self Published Book, Self-Published Fantasy Blog-off, Speculative Book Review, Tyson Mauermann

My guest today is Tyson Mauermann of the popular Speculative Book Review blog. As a veteran reviewer and a participant in The Great Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, I asked him to share any pointers he had for authors based on his experience reviewing self-published work. Below he provides some great advice:

I have been in the book reviewing game for five years now and I guess some consider me a bit of a pro. It has led to an editing gig with a few authors as well as a job with the up and coming publishing company, Ragnarok Publications. So when I was asked to come up with a guest post about the Do’s and Don’ts of self-publication it took me a little while to actually put together a small list.

THE DO’S

1. Edit. Edit. Edit.

And when you are done with that edit again to be sure. Your book might be the best thing since sliced bread but if I find several glaring errors I will put the book down and do my best to forget about it. My advice is to find a reputable editor. Some charge quite a bit but find one in your price range and use them. Better yet, use two if you can afford it. Aside from grammar they should help you with character development, story arc, and plot.

2. Give the bloggers some love

Early reviews are critical and if you can send the book to several bloggers asking for an honest review, then do it. Ask them if they would be willing to publish their review on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing, Rifflebooks, and Shelfari. As long as the review is honest you should gain a better understanding of your writing. Also, don’t ask the blogger to remove or edit their negative review if you receive one. Not everyone will love your book and a few negative reviews, if they are honest, shouldn’t hurt your book as the reviewers that enjoyed your book will outshine the negative publicity.

It should be noted that I often turn down review requests based on the email an author sends me. If it is full of errors or comes off as unprofessional I tend to delete it and not look back. If the email is professional but I am swamped with books, I find the time to reply back and politely decline their review offer.

You should also make it easy for the reviewer to review your book. Have the book available in several different formats. I don’t accept PDF files as I have a Kindle but other reviewers prefer that format. Pay close attention to the contact page on their blog site. It should help you narrow down their preference and if you can’t find it ask or offer all the formats.

3. Be active

If you want to be successful in the (self) publishing game you need to be active on social media. Facebook, Twitter, and forums like SFFWorld and Reddit are a great place to start. That doesn’t mean spamming every few minutes but getting to know your fan base and taking an active role in the discussions. Places like SFFWorld have a spot to pimp your book but if you engage with the book readers and have something worthwhile to say, you will find them more receptive to trying your book. If you do gain an audience keep them informed and stay active long after your book has hit shelves.

4. Offer some free content

If you create an online profile give them a chapter or two to sample. You can generate buzz and word of mouth will quickly spread to your fan base.

THE DON’TS

1. Don’t respond to reviews

While you may receive a few nasty reviews avoid the temptation to lash out at the reviewer. I have had this happen on a few occasions. One went so far as to email my wife and threatened her to get me to remove my scathing review. Another created a sock puppet army to attack my review. I built my reputation on honest reviews regardless of how personal a relationship is with an author; it is how I became a reviewer. If you engage one reviewer you will get a negative reputation as the reviewing community is a pretty tight knit group and we do talk to one another and keep each other informed of some authors’ behaviors.

2. Search out reputable self-publishing companies

Many authors are very willing to talk to you about their personal experiences with publishing companies. There are a few that you should avoid at all costs and they will help you to sort the good from the bad.

3. Avoid blatant advertising on newsgroups and forums

Join a few sites and take an active role in it and once you have participated for a while, then you can plug your project but don’t go spamming. Nothing turns the community off more than the constant bombardment of your work. You will lose more than you gain.

4. Don’t harass reviewers

My current review queue is well beyond 100+ books. I try to review in the order received but if a book grabs my attention or I have enjoyed the previous book in the series, I will read it next. The reviewer is going to read it, it just may take a while to get to it. We have lives and sometimes it takes priority over your book. If it has been more than six months feel free to reach out to the reviewer but nothing irks me more then an author who expects me to drop everything to review their book. If the email is especially obnoxious I may even put it even further down on the review pile or reject it completely.

5. Don’t skimp on a cover

While it may seem like a bargain to grab a generic cover, a picture is still worth a thousand words. If you find the right cover you will find an audience. Also, don’t choose a cover that will get you banned. If you choose to show nudity on the cover Amazon and other major retailers will ban it. Stay classy.

6. Finally, don’t burn your bridges

You will most likely receive a few letters from agents, editors, and publishers turning down your book. That is okay. Learn from it and move on. Who knows, they may just accept your next book. A scathing letter in reply from a place that turned down your book will make your next endeavor an even steeper hill to climb, which could have been avoided.

About Tyson:

Tyson Graduated from the Eastern Washington University and Evergreen State College with degrees in History, Geography, and Satellite Imagery Analysis. He later went back to the University of Washington to receive his Teaching Certificate and his Masters in Education. After several years of teaching English and History in public schools he was bit by the travel bug and decided to check out Asia.

At present, Tyson is a freelance editor and recently married his beautiful and intelligent wife and looking for gainful employment. 

Tyson was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. He is constantly reading something whether it is fantasy, science fiction, history or a book that attempts to teach him something new. He loves traveling and the occasional cold, frosty beverage.

Guest Post: 5 Things No One Told Me About Being a Successful Writer

Tags

entrepreneur, Guest Post, Self Published Book, Writing Tips

The life of a writer is a challenging one. Ours is an uphill battle against self-doubt and the blank page. Throw in the business of getting our books out to readers and, well, the train can go off the rails a bit. Author, entrepreneur and podcaster Michael La Ronn offers some things to focus in on to find success.

5 Things No One Told Me About Being a Successful Writer

Authors are always looking for secrets. This article is full of them. This year, I’ll be finishing my second year as an indie author. After two years, fifteen books and countless hours of learning, there are at least a thousand things that I wish someone would have told me when I was just starting out.

This won’t be your typical self-publishing advice article. Trust me, you probably haven’t seen this advice before. If you’re looking for advice on marketing, writing a bestseller, or finding readers, you won’t find it here. There are a ton of resources out there. The writing posts on Anela’s blog are a good start. What I’m going to teach you comes BEFORE all of that.

Let’s talk about what really matters: how to plan for your eventual success.

#1: Focus on the Fundamentals

OK, so I lied a little. You know the first lesson already: it’s all about the storytelling. When you’re just starting out, this is very easy to ignore. You’re going to chase after shiny things: sales, advertisements, reviews, social media, experimental promotion techniques, shortcuts, anything that will help you sell a ton of books and quit your crappy day job. You’ll invest so much time in these things that your writing time will suffer. Pretty soon, an entire year will be over and you won’t have anything to show for it but a lot of money spent on things that didn’t make you any money at all.

New authors never believe me when I tell them this. I got laughed at a few months ago when I gave this advice to a writing group, actually. They’re going to learn this lesson the hard way.

The first thing YOU must do, above all others, is commit yourself to producing more books regularly, faster, and better. Think about it like this: if you buy an ad and it doesn’t sell any books, you’re going to regret it. You’ll especially regret it if you buy a bunch of ads that don’t perform. Will you ever regret publishing a new book? Ten? Twenty? Never.

When I stopped chasing shiny things that didn’t matter and focused solely on writing more books, I got the sales I had been trying to chase before. My sales doubled. Not kidding.

#2: Develop a learning plan

Remember in school when teachers passed out a syllabus with all the things you were going to learn in the class?There’s no set syllabus for being a writer, but I developed one for myself. It’s a very, very long bulleted list that covers virtually every element of the writing craft and business. I systematically knock things off the list one by one. I’m continuously adding to it every time I encounter something that I want to learn. It’s a living document that will never truly be conquered, but every time I cross something off the list, I’m more in control of my career.

In this business, the most successful indie authors are the ones who are the most knowledgeable. You must spend the time and money on your own continuing education, or you won’t last very long.

The worst thing you can do is look at something and think, “I’ve got a good grip on that. I don’t need to learn anymore” (or some variation on that thought). If such a thought ever crosses your mind, chances are you probably haven’t even begun to understand how it really works. Guaranteed. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I “knew” something about writing (pacing, storytelling, character development), only to discover, embarrassingly while running my mouth in the presence of professional authors, that I actually didn’t know anything at all.

There are many layers to learning. Start educating yourself and never stop. And stay humble. It’s good for you.

#3: The best business advice comes from non-writers

While you should absolutely pay attention to how successful indie authors are conducting their businesses and implement what makes sense for you, you should pay more attention to other businesspeople and how they do it. Reality television is great for this. For example, I recently watched two seasons of “Hotel Impossible” on Netflix. It follows Anthony Melchiorri, a famous hotelier who travels to struggling hotels around the world. He shows them the reasons they’re struggling and how to fix them. He’s brutally honest sometimes overbearing, but he knows his stuff.

Almost all of Anthony’s advice on “Hotel Impossible” can be applied to writers. In fact, I learned more from two seasons of “Hotel Impossible” than all the writing business books, blogs and podcasts I consumed previously. The best way to learn how business truly works is to approach it from odd angles. Look at the music industry. Listen to interviews with entrepreneurs like Jim Henson, Walt Disney, Mark Cuban, etc. Watch shows like Hotel Impossible and Shark Tank. Take nuggets from their advice and apply it to your situation. This will give you a clarity that other writers won’t have. You’ll learn the true fundamentals of running a business. You’ll also be able to identify the critical mistakes that your contemporaries are making and how to avoid them for yourself.

#4: If you don’t manage your fear, it will manage you

So much of being a writer is about overcoming fear. Here’s a secret: just about every mental struggle you will have will be rooted in some kind of fear. Worried about your sales? That’s fear. Don’t think that readers will like your work? That’s fear. Think it’s impossible to write a novel in one draft without revision? Yep, fear.

Dean Wesley Smith, an indie writer I admire, says all the time that there’s nothing to be afraid of in this industry. It’s true. Any fear you have is imagined. It’s not real. It took me a long time to learn this, but when I did, I skipped light-years ahead. I highly recommend Dean’s “Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing” series. Read the books in that series several times and internalize them.

Learn how to be fearless. Stand up for your art and believe in yourself. Keep the fear at bay, and you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.

#5: You’re always going to be impatient about something

Namely, sales. But they’re not going to come at first, and that’s okay. Use your first few years to cement your understanding of the writing craft and business. The beginning of your career is the best time to fail. No one will ever see or care about your mistakes. That’s a wonderful thing. In your early years, focus on laying the groundwork for your eventual success. This means developing your learning plan and embracing it. This way, when you reach success, you’ll be ready for it.

Have a vision for the next five and ten years. This is hard when you’re just starting out, but as you release more books, you’ll be able to see the future more clearly. I already know what books I’m going to be publishing in the next two years because I have a greater vision of what I want my overall catalog to look like. As that vision slowly becomes a reality, I am confident that readers are going to love my books. But it’s going to take a lot of work to get there, and it’s hard NOT to be impatient.

Fighting impatience never gets any easier. It’s actually a good thing because as long as you don’t give up, it will keep you hungry.

Bringing It All Together

The above lessons are just a few of the many lessons I have learned. Here’s the recap:

• Focus on storytelling and writing craft above all things
• Develop a learning plan for yourself so that you can keep growing
• Learn business advice from people outside the writing industry and apply what makes most sense for your situation
• Overcome your fears or it’ll hold you back
• Deal with impatience and use it as fuel

You’ll be able to avoid most career-ending mistakes if you follow my advice. This will ensure that you’ll be ready to embrace your success when it arrives. If you keep writing, reading and learning like I am doing, you’ll get there eventually.

Here’s to your success!

I want to thank Anela for inviting me to do a guest post on this blog. I had a lot of fun writing this.

Many thanks to you for such an insightful article!

The future is bright,
But the past will kill you.

BIO

Michael La Ronn writes fearless fiction. His novels feature unlikely heroes such as teddy bears and vegetables, and his writings are filled with quirky and imaginative humor. He also co-hosts the To Be Read Podcast where he talks about the books he’s reading. You can find him at www.michaellaronn.com.