Saturday 1 February 2014

Book Promo & Guest Post by M.H Soars

The Prophecy of Arcadia Synopsis:

Being a teenager is tough, especially when you have to pretend to be something you’re not, and you’re in love with someone you shouldn’t. 115 years ago, my planet, Arcadia, was invaded by a vicious alien race and nearly destroyed. Cut off from our resources, we turned to Earth for help. A group of Arcadian explorers discovered a Prophecy that claimed our salvation lay in the hands of two children from Earth. To ensure their safety, the Arcadian Council sent their most gifted youngsters to Earth to act as protectors. I am one of them.
To succeed in my mission I must learn to control my Arcadian powers and keep my true identity from my best friend, and the girl I swore to protect, Alexia. But distractions keep getting in my way. Such as my love/hate relationship with my “cousin” Matthew. Or my confused feelings toward popular and gorgeous Julian. I want nothing more than to be free to live my life. But the survival of my planet depends on me and my friends. Free will is not an option.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ayMgFdGoodreads: http://bit.ly/1f2344e
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MHSOARS

Author Bio:

I like to call myself a United Nations child. I was born in the United States but grew up in several different countries which gave me a broader perspective of life. I've always been passionate about books and stories and at a certain point had a comic book series going. With a background in fashion design I always thought I was going to follow that path. But the characters in my head kept begging to be set free. So I decided to write their stories. A couple of years and a baby later, the first installment of my Arcadian Wars series is finally done. I currently reside in New Mexico with my husband and baby daughter. I love to read novels in the YA, PNR, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and Chick Lit genres. When not devouring said novels, you may find me shopping online (I'm an expert), blogging about fashion, or trying to teach my daughter to walk (even though she's too young for that). If you would like to learn more about me and my projects, visit my Facebook page. Or you can also 'friend' me on Goodreads


Guest Post

Writing a novel. Anyone can do it. Really.
Have you ever thought, I wish I could write a novel, but I don't have the necessary skills to do it? Well, I used to be one those people. I've always been a bookworm and always admired the ability my favorite authors had to create wonderful characters and weave intriguing plots. But not in million years did I ever think that I could do it too. And I was fine with that.
But then I began to come across books that really didn't impress me. I would find problems with the MCs, the plot, everything! I would think, how did this book get published? I could have done so much better. Then I started to think how I would improve a novel that I didn't like. So yeah, you get the gist. What motivated me to write my own stories were the 'bad' books I've read. I know, terrible! The worse the read, the more motivated I got.
But don't think my first drafts were any gems. Oh, no sir. They were awful! All I had was pretty much dialogue (and not even good dialogue). But writing, like everything else you do, gets better with practice. If you really want to do it, go for it. Don't get discouraged if you get writer's block. But don't expect to complete your novel in a couple of months either. Writing a novel takes time, especially if it's your first. So yeah, you gotta make a commitment to it. It took me over 2 years to complete my first manuscript, The Prophecy Arcadia.
There were tools that helped me along the way. Since my book is part of a series, I wrote an outline for all 4 books. Without it, I would have gotten lost for sure. Not all writers do that, but for me it was fundamental. I also used Scrivener, a software for writers. I gotta say it was the best investment I made. I'm not saying everyone should use it, but it worked for me.
After I finished the first draft, I asked a journalist friend to edit it for me. Not only did he correct many of my grammar mistakes, but he also gave me several tips to improve my novel. So, no matter how good your grammar skills are, it's always a good idea to have someone else read your manuscript. Once I made the many changes he suggested, I sent my draft to a professional editor. And I can't stress it enough, having your manuscript professionally edited is a MUST for any self-published author. You really don't want to annoy your readers with glaring grammar mistakes.
So back to the post title. I truly believe anyone can write a book. If you set your mind to it, you accomplish anything. And even if your book doesn't become an international sensation, just the fact that you actually finished it, it's already an incredible achievement.

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