Storm Lake East and West by @LiviaQuinn: First Book #FREE! #IAN1 #MFRWAuthor #Romance
Go get your copies of not one, but two free novels today from author Livia Quinn — she’s a fellow member of Marketing for Romance Writers, and my friend, author N.N. Light, featured Livia’s novels today at her blog Princess of the Light.
A Quick, Drive-By Bloglet…
Folks, I’m still here. I’m just absorbed by a number of things right now, including several ongoing edits and trying to devote some brainpower toward fixing another thorny problem in CHANGING FACES. Because of that, I haven’t had a whole lot of energy to devote to blogging.
That said, I wanted to make sure everyone knew about N.N. Light’s news. From her recent blog post:
Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella has passed the first round of The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Awards – Summer 2016. WHOO! This is the first award I’ve entered for this book and I’m super excited.
The next round is called the Nomination Round and this is where I need your help.
Folks, “Planting the Seeds of Love” is my friend N.N. Light’s contemporary romance novella. I read it, I enjoyed it, and I thought it quite interesting. (I keep meaning to review it at SBR right along with PRINCESS OF THE LIGHT, also written by Mrs. Light. And I keep running out of time. Sometime soon, I have to make time to review these books.) And now, Mrs. Light’s novella has been nominated for an award…but she needs fifty nominations between March 14 and March 31, 2016 to move to the next round.
If you’re like me, you probably don’t want to nominate a story you haven’t read. That said, rectifying that problem is very easy…go buy a copy at Amazon right now, or borrow it if you’re a member of Kindle Unlimited (as it’ll be free). Then, if you enjoyed “Planting the Seeds of Love” as much as I did, go to this link at the Romance Reviews and nominate it. (If you’re not a member of the Romance Reviews, it’s easy to become one. I did it about twelve hours ago…so can you.)
Thus concludes today’s quick, drive-by bloglet…I hope to be back to blogging, book reviewing, and other such interesting activities Real Soon Now.
Friday Free-For-All (AKA News, Round-up, Etc.)
Folks, I have a bit of news for you.
First, as you know, I wrote about “the story behind A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE” and it was posted yesterday over at the Opinionated Man’s blog. I tried to discuss, for readers new to me, a little bit about why I do what I do — and why I’ve fought so hard to keep the Elfyverse alive.
But then, I thought a little more. And realized that readers who have been with me every step of the way deserved a better answer. So, after much struggling, here it is.
The main reason I kept trying, with the Elfyverse, was because the stories interested me. In that, I’m no different from any other writer.
But the secondary reason was because it made me laugh, even in the darkest hours…and I figured if it could make me laugh, it could make anyone laugh.
Look, folks. We all have days where we wonder why we’re still here. (I can’t be the only one who’s ever wondered this.) Work doesn’t go well, the traffic on the Interstate is bad, family members get sick, you ran out of money before you ran out of month…the list of things that go wrong is seemingly endless, and there’s almost no relief in sight.
But there are books that make you laugh, or make you think, or maybe take you out of yourself.
This, in a nutshell, is why I started writing in the first place. And it’s why I fought so hard for my Elfy duology, because I hope AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE might be able to do that for you — if it can’t, it’s not for lack of trying.
Anyway, I did say “round-up,” didn’t I?
Last week, I pointed out that REALMS OF DARKOVER will be out in May, and is available for pre-order. Editor Deborah J. Ross has interviewed all the writers, with Shariann Lewitt being the first up last week. But this week, it’s Rosemary Edghill’s turn…and she has some very interesting things to say about Darkover, about writing, and about why she enjoys doing both.
Do go take a look at her interview, will you? (Rosemary Edghill is a fantastic writer. You could learn a lot from her.)
Happy Friday, folks!
Book Promotion – Why I Wrote a LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE – By: Barb Caffrey
My latest guest blog post…hope you will enjoy it.
Want to Read a Free Copy of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE on 3/6/16? Here’s How
Folks, in honor of Read an E-Book Week, my publisher, Twilight Times Books, is giving away free e-books from March 6, 2016 to March 12, 2016 — one full week — at their website only. Every day, two e-books will be given away for free, including copies of SCHOOLED IN MAGIC by Chris Nuttall and THE CASE OF THE DISPLACED DETECTIVE: THE ARRIVAL by Stephanie Osborn later in the week.
“But Barb,” you say. “What’s this about a free copy of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE? I want details!”
OK. For those detail-minded among you, AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE will be given away, free of charge, at the Twilight Times Books website starting at midnight 3/6/2016 and ending at midnight 3/7/2016. (Go to this page, and you will find the links when they become active.)
So if you love free e-books — and really, who doesn’t? — this is your chance to get the book that Rosemary Edghill called “is a fresh and unexpected take on the urban fantasy genre with a charming and original protagonist.” She further said, “You’ll want to read this one.”
Author Stephanie Osborn is also in AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE’s corner, saying, “(It’s) filled with fascinating characters both good and evil, characters that, because of their strengths…and weaknesses…seem to come to life for the reader, and a riveting conundrum of a mystery with many facets…The further into An Elfy on the Loose I read, the deeper it drew me into the story. And I went eagerly!”
Others who’ve loved AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE include authors Jason Cordova, Katharine Kimbriel, and N.N. Light…so, really, what are you waiting for?
Go grab your free copy as soon as it becomes available…then, if my story about Bruno the Elfy and Sarah, his mostly-human teenage girlfriend has intrigued you, go read the second half of the Elfy duology, A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and OmniLit/All Romance for just $2.99 USD.
Then come back and let me know what you think. (I won’t bite. Promise.)
News: REALMS OF DARKOVER Is Now Available for Pre-Order!
Folks, I have good news to share.
First, REALMS OF DARKOVER — the latest in the long-running Darkover anthology series, started by Marion Zimmer Bradley and continued by Deborah J. Ross — is now available for pre-order! (It’s due to be released in May of 2016.)
Second, Ms. Ross, editor of REALMS OF DARKOVER, has a new interview up over at her blog today featuring Shariann Lewitt. Ms. Lewitt’s story in REALMS is called “Tainted Meat,” and features owls. (Yes, owls.)
Do go read the interview, will you?
Third, this interview series will include Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox next week (on 3/9/2016), Marella Sands the following week (3/16/2016), then yours truly on 3/23/2016. More authors are scheduled after that, and I do plan to let everyone know when the newest interviews are available.
I’m proud to be a part of REALMS OF DARKOVER, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading the various author interviews as they are published.
Otherwise, in case you missed it, I have a new guest blog up at the Opinionated Man’s WordPress blog and also at his personal blog. It’s about A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, and gives a longer blurb, plus links to the sample chapters and the three places it’s available… the hope is, maybe this will extend my reach a little and aid in “discoverability” (that is, having readers discover I’m out here, and that my writing might intrigue them).
Granted, this whole notion of discoverability often seems mythical, considering. But I’ve been doing what I can to raise my profile, in the hopes that one day soon, people who don’t know me will enjoy my work. (I want people who do know me to enjoy my work, too, mind…but there are a whole lot more out there who might just like the Elfyverse, if they but know it exists.)
Anyway, happy Wednesday, folks! (Now go read the interview with Ms. Lewitt, then go find the guest blog I did if you haven’t read it already.)
#Authors – New Affordable 3D Book Promo Displays Service Available…
Chris the Storytelling Ape has a new service with 3D covers…he gives examples, and they look great! Please take a look.
Why Should You Buy A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE?
This is the guest blog I did for Opinionated Man’s blog…hope you all will enjoy it! (I wrote it in the same style as the book, in case anyone’s wondering.) It features a longer blurb to whet your interest.
Why are you still here? Why not go read my guest blog instead? (You might just like it.)
Revision — or, How do you find your Story?
Folks, as I wound up my writing this evening/morning, I had a thought.
Yes, thoughts can be dangerous. But this one probably isn’t. In fact, this particular thought might actually be useful to those working on revising a story, and wondering just how long it’s going to take to fix it. Much less what sort of story you’re going to end up with once you’re done…and whether or not it has anything to do with the story you started with.
The revision process is daunting, you see. It’s also frustrating, nerve-wracking, confusing, sometimes painful, and downright difficult.
Mind, I’m not the only writer to say this. (Far, far from it.) Anne Lamott said this in her book BIRD BY BIRD; she even said that her own first drafts are so awful, she barely can stand looking at them. (My best paraphrase, mind, as I don’t have the book in front of me.)
But these painful first drafts are needed, you see. Only after you get down everything you visualize in your head can you work with the raw materials of your story…and figure out what, exactly, your story is.
Now, some writers work much faster than others, and everyone’s process is a little different. So I can’t give you a timetable as to how long it’s going to take to refine your story from the raw material of your first draft.
All I can do is give you a little encouragement, if you’re dealing with a revision right now. And remind you of three simple things:
- Every writer goes through this; you’re not alone.
- You do have a story there, no matter how obscured it seems right now.
- The end product is worth your time and investment, even though you can’t see that right now.
So, if you’re stuck in the throes of “revision Hell,” as I am right now with regards to CHANGING FACES, try to remember these three things. And ask yourself, “What is the story, and how do I advance it from here?”
That should help you get through the rough spots a little better.
Thoughts about N.N. Light’s Review of “Columba and the Cat”
Folks, I’d meant to write this yesterday, but time got away from me. So, here are my further thoughts regarding N.N. Light’s wonderful review of my late husband Michael B. Caffrey’s story, “Columba and the Cat.”
First, it’s great to get a positive review like that. Michael had a lot of talent as a writer, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve tried so hard to keep his work alive. To know that someone else loves his writing as much as I do is extremely gratifying.
Second, for someone to appreciate it and understand it at the level N.N. Light did it makes me believe that finishing Michael’s work — in Columba’s universe, and in the Atlantean Union with Joey Maverick and Peter Welmsley (among others) — is not only doable, it will be appreciated and understood.
Third, it reminds me of something Michael often told me. “The work will be appreciated, in the end,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Even if no one else knows it but us and the universe, it will be appreciated.”
I always thought he said that because of Michael’s Buddhist leanings. But maybe that wasn’t it…or at least, maybe that wasn’t it precisely. (And Michael always was precise, y’know.)
Look. I don’t write the same way Michael did. He used to write all his stories out longhand, then type them into a computer file. Only then would he edit, revise, and keep going.
Whereas my process is much more fluid than that, and usually involves thinking about something for a great deal of time, and then — and only then — going back and fleshing out the initial idea.
But we got to the same place, in the end. And we were able to understand each other, to the point that I can finish his stories despite his style being markedly different than my own…even if the way I do it isn’t quite the same way as he would, maybe the stories will still make sense, and still do what Michael wanted them to do.
That’s why I’m working on the outline of THE QUEST FOR COLUMBA, which is the Columba story as told by Cat, otherwise known as the Duc d’Sanchestre (and a shapeshifter). This is Cat’s story, told my way, and through my voice…but it’s also Columba’s story, as seen by Cat. And in a way, it’s quite fitting, as Michael wrote the Columba stories for me.
Now, I’ll write Cat’s story for him.
I can’t be certain that the stories I’ll tell in his universes are the same ones he’d have come up with, given time. I can tell you that I knew Michael better than anyone, and it makes me feel better to keep working on stories in his universes…more like part of him did not die, and that might yet, if given time, be discovered and appreciated.
That said, I’m very glad that N.N. Light enjoyed “Columba and the Cat” so much. It gives me hope…and really, isn’t that what life is all about?
Barb Caffrey's Blog 