The people of Hamelin have a problem with
rats. There are rats in their houses, their stores—even swimming in
their stew! The rats don’t think they’re a problem. They just want to
live their lives in peace. With the town’s approval, the mayor thinks of
a clever way to solve the problem. He offers twenty gold pieces to a
piper to rid the town of rats. He delivers only five.
But he’s
cheated the wrong piper, who’ll have to use both skill and wit to teach
this town a lesson. Because there’s more than money at stake. An evil
pattern is emerging in the way Hamelin treats any creature it considers
inferior. And the Piper vows to put an end to it—once and for all.
Think
you know everything about this classic folktale of greed and cunning?
In “Paying Piper,” you’ll learn what really happened the day a magical
musician came to Hamelin—and why.
Ten-year-old Wikkley McStag and his family are born farmers, happy to
work the land. But then they—and other royal subjects—are forced to buy
strange, useless machines. Money starts running out. Now the McStags
have two days before they lose their farm. As the eldest child, Wikkley
must journey to the palace and ask for the king’s help. His loved ones
only hope his reckless nature won’t get him in trouble once he’s there!
When
Wikkley arrives at the palace, he finds an unnecessary castle being
built right into the sky. The same thing is happening in a neighboring
kingdom. When royal foolishness leads to disaster, it’s up to Wikkley to
save several lives. Will his recklessness finally come in handy? Or
will it mean the end of his family, his farm, and possibly . . . his
life?
From the fantasy world of “The Adventures of Stanley
Delacourt,” Ilana Waters brings you another alternate-medieval
adventure. If you like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, don’t miss
meeting Wikkley McStag!
About Ilana
Ilana Waters is a freelance writer
who lives in New Jersey. When not creating content for websites, she can
be found working on fiction—as well as nibbling string cheese. She once
pet-sat an electric eel, and enjoys walking in circles around the park
for no particular reason.
Her first book—The Adventures of Stanley Delacourt: Book I of Hartlandia—is a middle-grade fantasy. It is available at Amazon, Amazon.com/uk, Barnesandnoble, Apple,Kobo, and Smashwords. Ilana is currently writing Book II of the Hartlandia trilogy, due out in 2013. Check out more of her work here!
Thanks so much for hosting me, Becky, and for letting me share some of my personal writing tips and tricks to your readers!I’m no expert, by any means, but I think all authors have something unique to share that just might benefit someone.And that’s all that matters.
(Everyone, don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a print copy of Shadow Eyes, your full name in the sequel, and a KINDLE FIRE!)
Alright, I’m going to narrow this down to 5 tips.I’m sure I could come up with more, but 5 seemed like a nice round number.
1.Come up with a story you’re passionate about.So many potentially great, creative writers give up in the middle of writing whatever book they started because they lost interest.For me, I was so excited and passionate about the story of Shadow Eyes that I simply had to finish it.From the very beginning, the idea grabbed a hold of me and demanded to be written.The concept was something I knew was unique, intriguing, mysterious, and suspenseful – all things I enjoy in books myself.I was also so excited about the ending I’d come up with that I had to keep writing to get to it!On top of that, the story had a deeper, more powerful purpose of being a uniquely hopeful and inspiring read for all ages, but especially teens.And that is something I’m truly passionate about.
2.Have an outline.Now, I know this isn’t for all writers, but for me, having a very detailed outline saved me from so much writer’s block.This is especially important for stories with twists, mysteries, and sub-plots so that you can remember to include little reminders and foreshadowing wherever needed.All that being said, I know several writers, particularly romance writers, who are what they call “pansters,” meaning they write by the seat of their pants. So really, it just depends on your style.
3.Revise until you have your story memorized.Have you heard the saying, “There are no final drafts, only deadlines”?I tend to agree with this.I was still revising up until I signed with Musa Publishing, then I revised some more before I got my editor, and then I revised again with her help.Here are some specifics to consider when revising:
a.Show, don’t tell – You’ve probably heard this before.It’s such a common editing phrase that it’s cliché.But it is so important!A lot of this is changing adjectives and adverbs to descriptions.Instead of telling us, “Britney was angry,” or even, “Britney’s anger showed in her face,” how about “Britney pressed her lips into a thin, taut line as her eyes narrowed to slits and her entire body became a rigid, volatile, hyper-sensitive stick of dynamite that would go off at the slightest touch.”
b.Get rid of filtering. Filtering is when we tell the story through the character’s eyes, instead of letting the readers experience it themselves.If the story’s in 1st person, you’ll use phrases like “I knew, I saw, I heard, I felt, I thought, etc.”Check out the examples below to see the difference.Little changes can make a big difference.
“From the street I could see a small sliver of light where the dark curtains met but didn’t quite touch in the middle of the window.” à “From the street a small sliver of light glowed where the dark curtains met but didn’t quite touch in the middle of the window.”
“I knew I would have to make it to the edge of the woods.It was the only way.” à “I had to make it to the edge of the woods.It was the only way.”
c.Cut unimportant parts (phrases, sentences, whole sections). If it drags the story or doesn’t add to the story’s plot, character development, theme, etc., get rid of it.It might be amazing writing, hilarious, or so moving it could win an Oscar if played out on the big screen, but just as movies must delete scenes and lines for the sake of the overall movie, your story will have to do the same.(Note: For the bigger sections, especially, you may need an outsider to help you know what’s not as important.)
4.Read for inspiration.It’s always good to read books in the genre you write to give you ideas and a better grasp of what those types of stories actually look like.This is great when you’re working on revision as a newer writer because if you read a best-selling novel in your genre and then go back and re-read your story, you’ll easily see differences you can change and fix.But reading is also great when you’ve hit a slump, and you need to get inspired to write again!
5.Don’t give up!When trying to get your book published or get an agent, don’t give up or get discouraged.You will get several rejections, and several others won’t even bother to respond.You may even have a few who get your hopes up by asking for your manuscript and then reject you.Your journey may not end up exactly the way you’d thought it would, but if you keep pursuing your dream, you will get there.
Shadow Eyes Synopsis:
Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil.But she is the only one who can see them.She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.
Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters.First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.
As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.
Synopsis Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. She
knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of
a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she
isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very
much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the
chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's
dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly
humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick.
Even if it means lying to the people she loves. As Harriet
veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly
enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to
realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than
the real world did. And as her old life starts to fall apart,
the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she
ruins everything?
My Review I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I actually got invited to a launch party for this book by the publishers, I really wanted to go, I hadn't heard much about the book beforehand but just from reading the blurb I knew it would be a book I would love. After all I am a self-confessed Geek - so perfect for me. Unfortunately I couldn't attend which I was really disappointed about - but now I've finished reading it I'm even more disappointed - that would have been such an awesome afternoon. This book rocks! Meet Harriet, she's just discovered she's a Geek - she even looked it up in the dictionary to confirm it! No one at school seems to like her, so when she's offered the chance to be a model she thinks it could be just the thing she's been looking for, to make a change for good and maybe make other people see her in a different light. I liked Harriet's honest and fun narration, she's very up front and says what she is thinking, often times it's random facts but I enjoyed her little interludes. I liked how Holly Smale conveyed Harriet's awkwardness and self-awarness. It really made the character come to life. I literally laughed out loud whilst reading this book, mostly conversations between her dad and step-mum and even Wilbur the model agent. They were so random and funny, my mum even asked me what I was laughing at! I love books that can make me laugh, it's hard to get the balance right but this one does it perfectly. I really could relate with Harriet and she's very likeable if not slightly annoying at times - but that's her charm. Alexa is the school bully and we've all known someone like her in our lives (if you didn't, you probably were her!) The one who has to be the Queen bee, bringing everyone else down, Smale wrote her perfectly, I could picture every sneer, hair flip and put down. This book is so much more than a simple high-school coming of age story. I absolutely loved it and read it in just a couple of hours, hours filled with laughter. The writing flows so well, the dialogue feels natural and just everything about this book made me smile. It has definitely moved it's way up my favourites list and I hope there will be a lot more from Holly Smale.
You never know how strong you
are until something makes you
choose between humanity, and the beast.
As Claire descended deep into
the ancient tomb; laying to
rest the bodies of the fallen, she wondered if
time healed all wounds, would an
eternity be long enough? Still recovering from a
brutal attack that nearly
killed her, she refused to let evil win. Pain and
destruction glared at her
everywhere she went. Nothing and no one would ever
be safe until Baal was not
only defeated, but destroyed. Fueled by her thirst
for revenge, she traveled
with her father to the ‘old world’, seeking the
aide of a long forgotten ally. Will
their quest for help lead to their salvation, or
is it only the first step in
their annihilation?
Author Bio:
Megan Duncan is a YA Author,
professional nerd, oddity enthusiast and
paranormal junkie. She is continually fighting her
addiction to chocolate, and living in
her overactive imagination.
My Review Series: Warm Delicacy (book 3) Release Date:
February 26th 2013
ASIN: B00BLUJIHY
I absolutely love Megan Duncan's books, if you've followed this blog for a while I think you will have noticed that, I have promoted every new book out and this one wasn't going to be any different. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and was really excited when it came through. We are back in teh world with Claire and Arrick, after the big battle at teh end of book 2 they are trying to recover from the loses and injuries whilst dealing with what is to come ahead. The fight is definitely not over yet. It had been well over a year since I read book 2 and I did have to go back and skim through to remind myself, but once I started to skim through I actually found myself remembering a lot of it. So in no time at all I was onto this book, eager to delve back into that world. Claire has really grown as a character over this series and I love to see how far she has come, but also that she hasn't lost all of her innocence and links to her past. It makes a great mix and a very believable character. Arrick is still strong, confident, powerful. The one you know will do anything to protect Claire and I love how he treats her, even when she is a bit of a cow to him, he steps up. So sweet. Ana makes a re-appearance and boy does she make herself known, I found her really creepy, I was never quite sure when she would turn up or where and I could feel Claire's nervousness about it, it really came off the page. Was very well written. The plot mainly focuses on the impending war, but it's not all fights and battles, Megan Duncan has found a great balance between scenes and the pace carries you along fantastically, there is never a dull moment or anything that happens that shouldn't. Everything serves a purpose to the story. I love seeing more of Robin and Dmitry. I'm still not sure exactly what to make of Bennett, something doesn't quite seem right with him, but I hope he is a good guy. I like stories that leave you guessing a character though, makes you more involved. The story comes to a great conclusion that leaves you both satisfied and wanting more. If that makes sense. All I know is that Megan Duncan has done it again, another amazing book. Is there anything she can't do? Now, when's the next one out? :P
Giveaway
One lucky winner will win an e-book copy of 'Devour' and a gorgeous Devour Keychain. So pretty!
If you want to win just leave a comment below telling me your favourite vampire story, is it Dracula, Morganville Vamps, or Megan Duncan's creations? Let me know, I might even discover some new ones.
Open Internationally,
Entries close on 10th March.
You can also win some fabulous prizes on Megan's website, head over there to enter. :D
Author Sara Celi has stopped by today with a guest post for The Undesirable Blog Tour!
How Fostino became...Fostino
Naming a character might be one of the best parts of writing a book, but it can also be one of the hardest. You want to get the character names just right because (if readers are anything like me) impression are sometimes created by the name of character.
When it came to Fostino, the male love interest for The Undesirable, I had a really hard time naming him. I kicked around about ten different names for him, and not one of them felt right. I could see him in my head, and almost hear him speaking in my mind, but I didn’t think any name I tried out for him worked.
Would you believe an early name for this character was Derek? Yes, friends, it was.
Fostino needed a certain name--an unusual name, a name that would immediately put him at odds with a community hellbent on conformity and “fitting in.” But after several weeks of trying on different names, I just couldn’t figure out a name that fit. In short, I was stuck.
Enter my friend Jacob. He works with me at my day job as a photographer (I’m a TV anchor and reporter) and we sometimes work on stories that take up several hours of our day. It’s the kind of work environment that allows you get to pretty close to your co-workers. After almost two years of working together often, he and I are pretty tight.
By the time we got in a car one day on the way to Ft. Sill from Oklahoma City, he knew I had started writing a book. He knew about where I was in the story. And he even know how much anguish the male lead’s name had been causing me.
So, he did what he usually does. He forced me to talk about it. He asked probing questions and even teased me a little until I opened up.
And that’s when it began.
He tossed out a name. I toss out one. I pulled out my trusty Moleskine notebook and started jotting them down. He said another. I brought up two others. By about 10 miles from Ft. Sill, that notebook had a list of about 25 names.
Only one of those names had a big circle and star. It was the one that rang true.
Fostino.
Title: The Undesirable
Author: Sara Celi
Publisher: Lowe Interactive Media
Pages: 225
Book Description:
*This book is Mature YA/ New Adult. It is recommended for readers 14 and over.
What if everything you knew turned out to be a lie?
Charlotte Walker knows how to live under the rule of The Party. She has managed for 18 years. She helps out her drunken mother and keeps life going at a familiar, steady pace. She doesn’t ask questions, even though she has many of them in her heart.
Fostino Sanchez knows how to live under the rule of The Party, too. For 19 years, he’s worked to be the perfect Party member. He knows what must be done to keep Maxwell Cooper in power, and how find the The Undesirables that threaten to take away everything that matters.
As the months go by, what matters most to Fostino is Charlotte Walker.
While their love blooms, danger comes to Charlotte and Fostino’s small hometown of Harrison Corners, OH. Threats they never knew existed could take away all that they care about. And just when these two teens think they know what will come next, Charlotte learns the truth about a secret she has long suspected.
What Charlotte finds out changes everything.
EVERYTHING.
THE UNDESIRABLE is Charlotte Walker’s story, from her point of view. It is a thrilling, suspenseful tale of love, curiosity, adversity, and maturity against the backdrop of a futuristic war.
Should Charlotte trust Fostino with what she knows? Can she trust anyone? Will she find it in herself to rise up against terrible odds? What if the ultimate Undesirable is her?
New Orleans born Sara Celi has lived all over the United States. She calls the Greater Cincinnati area and the Queen City home.
She's currently a TV reporter and anchor in Oklahoma City, and has spent more than a decade working in journalism. She graduated cum laude from Western Kentucky University in 2004.
Celi is also a contributing author to Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Positive.
The Undesirable is her debut novel.
In her spare time, she likes to read, shop, write, travel, run long distances, volunteer with the Junior League, and fundraise for Cooperative for Education, a non-profit providing educational opportunities for Guatemalan kids.
Keith never believed in Happily Ever
After, at least not for someone like him. However, that's exactly what
it feels like when he has the love of his life by his side.
Alice fought everything she was,
everything she thought she wanted to be, just to save him. When the
nightmare blew over and the both of them were left standing, she thought
she’d get her shot at happiness.
But how long can bliss last when
everything they hold dear starts to crumble around them? Can they truly
be free of a hatred that’s been alive for centuries?
The song has been played and, in its wake, the silence shatters…
If you'd like to preorder this book,
grab some cool swag, brag about having a scene written for you or just
be part of the project, there's an IndieGoGo page where you can get
all that and more! Follow the link below and check out what you could
get perks start from just a dollar!
Alice had it all... By day, that is. By
night, she had a secret she would never admit. Not even to herself.
Except, if she doesn't acknowledge it, it might be lost forever. It
would be easy to let go—if the price weren't his soul.
Psst! If you want to buy Silent Song, consider claiming it as a perk instead!
About the Author
Ron C. Nieto is a fantasy and romance
author who has been writing in her secluded fortress for the longest
time. Recently, she had a talk with her cat and decided that she should
share her creations, because it was selfish to hoard them all for
herself.
If you would like to know more about her, please visit her website.
Confess your blogger sins! Is there anything as a newbie blogger
that you’ve done, that as you gained more experience you were like —
oops?
My Answer: I haven't really had many regrets, I too used some google images on my blog that I soon realised was wrong. The only other thing I have really learned from my blogging experience is saying no to review requests. I am still behind with my reviews even now but I have got better, but when I first started getting requests I was so pleased people wanted to hear my opinion and I didn't want to let anyone down, so I said yes to about 95% of them, I soon got buried in books and stuck with some I wouldn't enjoy but just felt like I couldn't say no to. Added a lot of stress and it wasn't fair to me or the author, so I have learned a lot from that.
