Writing Alternate History (It's Not For Pansies)

I have no problem telling the world that I'm enamored with Sharon Bayliss:) Why not? The woman is a work horse writer, she's been my beta reader, she's a marketing guru and she's got a debut novel called THE CHARGE coming out! Add having a baby amidst it all...like I said, I'm enamored!

Today you get to share in my girl crush because Sharon has stopped by for a guest post. In light of her upcoming novel she's throwing a blog tour and has been kind enough to include me in the fun.

Soooo, without further ado, I give you Sharon Bayliss: Writing Alternate History (It's Not For Pansies)....

Okay, confession time. I'm not a history buff. In school, I liked history at least more than math, but I've always been more interested in the present and future. So, why did I write an alternate history? Probably because I love to make things hard for myself. :) But, I suppose if I'm allowed to change history into whatever I want and add a touch of magic, it's a lot more fun.

The flag of the Texas Empire, based on the first official flag of the Republic of Texas.

My alternate history fantasy, The Charge, is set in an alternate present day North America and in this reality, the state of Texas never joined the United States and instead became it's own nation. For those of you who know American history, this possibility would have been unlikely, but it is based on reality. Texas was an independent nation from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. So, it follows that inquisitive types might wonder what would have happened if Texas never joined the U.S.

The Charge isn't meant to be a realistic theory of what might have happened if Texas stayed it's own nation, it's meant to be more of a fantastical "what-if". For starters, the first President of Texas in my alternate history had supernatural powers, so I play pretty fast and loose with reality. :) However, that doesn't get me off the hook research-wise.

I actually did my research after I finished writing the story, and that strategy worked for me. An interesting alternate history is all fine and good, but if you want a story that people actually want to read, (and by "people", I mean more than just history teachers) the plot and character development are far more important than an clever "what-if" premise.

However, my general readership may also include some history buffs. Every time I thought about getting lazy with my research, this fictional alternate history geek would pop into my mind and start pointing out my mistakes.

If you want to do an alternate history, you really have to sit down and re-write history. My history deviates in 1836, so anything that existed before then gets to stay the same. Everything that happened after that is called into question. I wrote the timeline of all the big events that happened from 1836-2013 in my alternate world. I had to consider how my change would have impacted real events like the Civil War and The Great Depression and had to come up with likely new wars and important events.

If you're writing an alternate history, I suggest going through your novel with a fine-toothed comb and looking for any references that could possibly have been altered by your change in timeline. Places, events, brand names, political figures, basically any proper noun. Cities were an obvious issue. For example, Sam Houston does not exist in my timeline so there can be no city called Houston in Texas. And then there are smaller things. I realized that using the term "African-American" to describe race didn't make sense when I was referring to a Texas resident, they would technically be an "African-Texan".

When you're creating new events, I suggest modeling real world events. It's easier to make events seem plausible when they are similar to real things that have happened. No one can say, "that would never happen", if actually did or almost did. I used a lot of Cold War parallels to describe the twentieth century conflicts between the U.S. and the Texas Empire, but my Cold War got hot. Instead of the Red Scare, I have the "Blue Scare," a wave of irrational and intense hatred of Texas. And I use the Cuban Missile Crisis as a model for the events that led to the U.S. bombing the Texas Empire. The main difference is that in my version, the disaster isn't narrowly avoided, it happens, and of course, Castro is replaced with the current King of Texas.

History buff or not, writing an alternate history is not for the faint of heart. Expect to spend some time with your nose a history books. But I have to say, I had a blast and I loved the challenge. And I have plenty of information in the timeline I created that never comes up in The Charge, so I've got lots of good stuff left to use for later installments or possibly even a prequel.

About Sharon:

Sharon Bayliss is a native of Austin, Texas and works her day job in the field of social work. When she’s not writing, she enjoys living in her “happily-ever-after” with her husband and two young sons. She can be found eating Tex-Mex on patios, wearing flip-flops, and playing in the mud (which she calls gardening). You can connect with Sharon at www.facebook.com/authorsharonbayliss ,  www.sharonbayliss.com and https://twitter.com/sharonbayliss

About The Charge:

When King of the Texas Empire kidnaps Warren's brother, Warren embarks into a still Wild West to save him. On his journey, he makes a discovery that changes his life forever—he and his brother are long-lost members of the Texas royal family and the King wants them both dead. 

He gets help from an activist Texan named Lena, who's itching to take on the King and happens to be a beautiful firecracker Warren can't stay away from. Convincing her he's not one of the bad guys becomes harder when a mysterious energy stirs in his body, turning his brain into a hive of emotions and memories—not all his own.

A legacy of violence is not all he inherited from the brutal Kings of Texas. The myth that the royal family possesses supernatural powers may not be myth at all.

Gone are the days when choosing a major was a big deal. Now Warren must save his brother and choose whether or not to be King, follow a King, or die before he can retire his fake ID.

Doesn't that sound sooooo good? Here are some pretty fabulous links to get your paws on this book....

The Charge - a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase Links: http://amzn.com/B00BNPCHGQ http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-charge-sharon-bayliss/1114745688

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheChargeBook

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17239442-the-charge

NetGalley (free review copies): https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/28197


What do you all think about writing alternate history? 

The Carnelian Legacy Book Launch Giveaway!

I'm super excited to be able to give a shout out to Cheryl Koevoet today! Her new novel, THE CARNELIAN LEGACY was released this month and I cannot wait to get my little nubblies on it:) 

Let's learn a little bit about this cool chick and her book, then you can enter to win a copy of the THE CARNELIAN LEGACY all for yourself!

Hi Cheryl! First of all, congrats on the release of your novel, THE CARNELIAN LEGACY!

Q: What would you like the world to know about Cheryl Hettick?

A: I love to write and I love to share with others. When I combine these two things together, I create something that I hope will last and resonate with many generations.


Q: Can you give a small blurb about what we can expect from this book?
 
A: Eighteen-year-old Marisa MacCallum always knew the man of her dreams was out there somewhere. The problem is--he's in another dimension.

Q: You've signed with WestBow Press. I'd love to know the details on how this came about and how you like working with them.

A: I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. After searching for almost a year for a literary agent (without success) I began to question the entire process of going the "traditional" route. Just because I couldn't find someone to fall in love with my story didn't mean that it wasn't worth publishing. When I decided to go with WestBow, I was a little apprehensive at first, but the folks there have been kind and gracious the entire way. I have enjoyed learning the process of steps that turn a manuscript into a physical book and looking back now, I wouldn't have done it any other way.
 
Q: On your blog, you made the announcement that in Sept 2012 that CARNELIAN LEGACY would be published (squee)! And lookie here, the time has arrived only six months later! That's so fast! What have you had to do to prepare for this big moment?

 A: To be honest, I haven't had any time to rest on my laurels yet! I have taken the story through countless edits and through it all, I have always been my own worst critic. Like one of my main characters, I am a recovering perfectionist and am always trying to push each scene to it's outermost limit. I have been blogging, tweeting, and facebook-ing like a maniac to build up my platform.



Q: Where can we get your book?

A: You will find the link to purchase the softcover version at Amazon.com here. 
For customers in Europe and the UK, you'll find the link at Amazon.co.uk here.
For all versions of the book, I have created a page at Goodreads. The softcover version link is here.
 
Q: Where can we find you online?
 
A: 
www.CherylKoevoet.com
www.OregonGirlAbroad.blogspot.com
www.CarnelianLegacy.com
www.facebook.com/CarnelianLegacy
www.facebook.com/AuthorCherylKoevoet
Twitter: @CherylKoevoet
YouTube link to the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyuB51AMvEE 

Ready. Get Set. Fast five:

Q: Fill in the blank - If I were a shoe, I'd be a ______________?
A: Manolo Blahnik
  
Q: Favorite place?
A: Cannon Beach, Oregon
   
Q: You're face to face with the entrance of a cave. All is black inside, except for the red rimmed eyes of a creature.  What happens next?
A: I would send in my fearless main character, Darian Fiore with his Excalibur to defend me.
 
Q: Rainy days and sweatpants or sunny days and a swimsuit?
What does your future hold? 
A: I'm an Oregon girl at heart. Rainy days and sweatpants!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Cheryl! I wish you the best of luck with THE CARNELIAN LEGACY:) Happy release month!

Here's your chance, guys! If you'd like to win a copy of THE CARNELIAN LEGACY enter the Rafflecopter below! A winner will be announced Friday, 3/22/13:) Good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

GUTGAA Meet and Greet Sign-Ups and Questions

T-minus 3 days and counting until the Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest begins!!! How excited are you? I know I am! 

If you writers are ready to get this party started with a little 'get to know you' action, then you've come to the right place! 

Meet and Greet Rules:

-Sign up on the linky list below if you are going to participate in this bloghop.

-Copy the questions below and paste them in your Monday's Meet and Greet post along with a mini bio about yourself. If you don't like these questions, make up your own.

-You will have from Monday, Sept 3rd- Friday, Sept 7th to visit other's blogs and get to know them. Have fun and visit as many as you can!

Questions for the Meet and Greet

-Where do you write?

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

-Favorite time to write?

-Drink of choice while writing?

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

That's it! I can't wait to see your answers! And as always, if you have questions, please post them in the comments section.

Wait. Before you do....

Other tidbits to remember for week 1 of GUTGAA:

If you're interested in hooking up with beta readers or critique partners, come to my blog Wednesday for further instructions.

Don't forget, Friday is the call for Pitch Polish Entries and I will be announcing the first random prize winners!

If you want to get in on any part of the Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest/Pitch Contests you must sign up on the master list first. Sign ups will continue until the last event begins. Go HERE to sign up on the master list.

The complete GUTGAA schedule is HERE.

Badges are HERE.

Wanna yap about it on Twitter? #GUTGAA talk is HERE

I have a new side bar to the right ---->>>> and up, with links and a recently added GUTGAA FAQ's 

And one more thing...

I had to tell you guys that I'm being interviewed by the lovelies at Falling for Fiction. I'd love for you to check it out. If you want to, that is:) The link is HERE

Now that really is it. 

Questions? If not have a great holiday weekend and I'll see you back here Monday!!!

Giveaway! 250 Business Cards!

Summer's almost here! How are you feeling about it? I love the time I get to spend with my kids, but hate how my writing time seems to diminish. I just have to keep doing the balance chant and maybe one day it will work.

Until then, I've got some good news...no I don't have an agent yet. The good news is for you!

A GIVEAWAY!

I've been blabbing about doing one since my birthday in March, but a major case of slackeritus got the best of me.

Until PrintRunner came to my rescue offering to give me and a winner 250 business cards each.

This offer came about during the writer's conference I attended a couple of weeks ago. Any writer who has been to a conference knows how great it is to have a handy dandy business card available to pass around.

If you agree check out the details below. And good luck!!!

Here are the deets of the Giveaway:
-Tell me in the comments your name, email address and why you could use some business cards.
-Giveaway ends Friday, May 25th 2012
-Once I winner is chosen at random I will submit your name and email to PrintRunner and they will contact you about the design.
-Open to US residents only, ages 18 years old and up.
-Standard shipping to winner is free. If you want the shipping rushed, winner must pay the extra shipping.
-You don't have to, but it would be nice if you followed PrintRunner on Twitter and liked them on Facebook.

Description of cards: 
Business Card Size and Style Business Cards - 2x3.5 (Standard)
Quantity 250
Colors 4/4 Color Both Sides

Paper 14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on both sides,

Proof NONE
Rounded Corners NO
Ready To Ship In  3 Business Days

For those of you who don't know, PrintRunner is an online printing company that does quality printing for less. If you don't end up being the winner you can try their business card printing services and see for yourself.

Debut Author, Tawdra Kandle Interview and Chance to Win a Kindle!

I don't usually blog on Wednesdays anymore, but one of my great friends, Tawdra Kandle, is starting her book tour today and I am super excited for her. You should really check out her book, Fearless and the tour because she is giving away a free Kindle, plus if you sign up for her newsletter you get a free e-book of her second book in the series, Breathless! Whaa...? Yup, I said it:) Check out the details HERE

Now, on to the interview...

DB: Tell us a little about yourself and your book? 

TK: I’m a wife and  a homeschooling mom.  Two of my kids are graduated, and two are still homeschooling. I’ve also been a mother-in-law since this past June! And of course, I’m a writer.  I’ve been creating characters and stories in one form or another since I can remember.  Those tales saw me through some tough times.  My first short story was published in the magazine “A Child’s Life” when I was twelve years old.  After I was married and had children, I veered away from fiction for several years to concentrate on non-fic work, mostly columns and articles on parenting and homeschooling. I also wrote some homeschool curriculum.  I began seriously writing fiction again in 2008, and that year I finished my first YA novel, FEARLESS, which grew into the King series.

FEARLESS tells the story of Tasmyn, a seventeen-year old girl who has spent her life hiding her ability to hear minds. When she moves to the town of King, Tas is faced with first love, a rumor of blood sacrifices and a chem. teacher who seems to be more than she appears. The King series follows Tasmyn’s journey from a shy and cautious girl to a young woman confident in and comfortable with her powers.

DB: Wow, published at 12! You are destined for great writerly things:) And having read Tawdra's work, Fearless is one you don't want to miss!

You recently went the indie publishing route and I think your story is one that many writers might resonate with. Could you share your journey and how you got to where you are now?

TK: Like most if not all writers, I began this journey fully confident that I would go the traditional publishing route.  Once FEARLESS was completed, I began querying agents.  In retrospect, I started that process too soon, burning contacts before the book was really ready to be seen. Querying can be  demoralizing, but I didn’t really lose heart.  I was encouraged by agents telling me that they loved my writing but that my story wasn’t quite what they were looking for at the moment. 

I attended a writers’ conference in New York in the fall of 2010, and it was there that I realized that the world of publishing was in the midst of a revolution. Agents and editors weren’t saying as much in their seminars, but privately, they were much more vocal. I also recognized that finding an agent was going to be much harder than I had anticipated, as our small group received directly contradicting advice from each new set of agents we met in the roundtables!

I began chatting online with some of my favorite well-known authors, asking their advice on the whole process.  Several told me that if they were new writers today, they would definitely go the route of indie publishing, because it provides more creative and financial control. It took a little time for me to accept that going this way was not giving up; instead, it’s just taking a different road to the same destination. It does require more work in the realm of promotion and publicity, but even those authors who are traditionally published are often on their own when it comes to that part of the business.  The days of book tours and readings for every new author are over!

DB: I love hearing your story, and I think this is a great route. I commend you for it and can't wait to see your success:)

Time management seems to a big theme in a lot of blog posts I read lately. Can you tell us how you time manage writing with promotion, being a mother, wife, and all the many other duties you have?

TK: This is a huge topic of interest for me; I even have a page on my website called “How Writers Stay Sane” and post weekly about different strategies. I am blessed to have daughters who are very tolerant of my writing.  They frequently pick up the slack in the housekeeping and cooking department.  I try to keep running lists of what needs to be done when, different lists for each part of my life.  I have a wonderful friend, fellow writer and advisor who prods me to keep up the promotion end when I slack off.  And I don’t sleep nearly as much as I would like! It’s amazing the things you can accomplish after midnight.  Now having said that, I miss the amount of time I used to be able to give just pure writing—not editing, not promotion or anything else associated with books—just pure, wonderful writing time.  I have books that need to be finished, and I might have to run away for a week to make that happen.  But shhhh. . don’t tell my family that!

DB: Your secret is safe with me:)

What is the next step for Tawdra Kandle?

TK: Other than running away?    Once I’ve launched that, I am going to concentrate on editing RESTLESS and the final book in the series, which I think will be called TIMELESS (but that is a working title).   Then I have to finish the first book in my adult series, which is as yet untitled.  It’s much lighter than the King series, and I am having a lot of fun with it.  I think it has series potential, but we shall see.  After that. . .Nell wants her own book, and I have the work up of a sort of prequel to the King series, about Gravis King, the man who founded the town, and Sarah, the witch he rescued from being burned at the stake in Romania.  So many characters, so little time!

DB:Well, it doesn't sound like you are giving yourself any time to run away!  

Now let's have a little fun....

Favorite food?

TK: Aside from anything chocolate, I love beets with goat cheese and spiced pecans.  I know. . but it’s good for me and I love the juxtaposition of flavors!!

Favorite book?

TK: You might as well ask me about my favorite child. Gone With the Wind was the first real book I remember reading, when I was about 7 or 8.  I love Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow. Just about anything Anne Rice writes. . .and Stephen King. . .Diana Gabaldon. . .oh, I could just go on and on!

DB: Favorite author, and if you were trapped in an elevator with him/her, what would ask?

TK: My favorite author right now is probably Diana Gabaldon, just because I love her style and her unapologetic defiance of book length maximums! If we were trapped in an elevator, I would ask her how she keeps all her story strands straight. . .and how she integrates them so well.

DB: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

TK: England. 

DB: Where do you see yourself in five years?

TK: Still writing, hopefully with more finesse and style, and also I hope with more understanding of the promotion and publicity process.  I would like to have a loyal readership who enjoy my books.  That,  a happy and healthy family, and I’ll be satisfied.

DB: Sounds like a perfect plan! Tawdra, thanks so much for visiting today!

And for all you potential Tawdra fans, go get her book HERE. It's awesome!

Firsts Fridays: Author, Mark Boliek and Giveaway!

Today’s Firsts Fridays guest Mark Boliek had a dream and went against the grain to follow it. He has recently published his first book, The Mahogany Door and his story is one I think can help any dreamer at heart.

DB: Mark, thanks so much for being here!

MB: Thank you for having me, Deana. I love following your escapades on your blog. I wish I had as much energy as you do!  Even with the little ones!

DB: HA! And here I am thinking I’m a lazy bum who just writes all the time. Thanks for the compliment.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your book, The Mahogany Door?

MB: I was born in North Carolina and have lived here most of my life. I’m 41 years old and am a SAS programmer by trade (Google “SAS” if you are interested). I was in the Navy during the later part of the 80’s and served during Operation Desert Storm. I have a pretty uneventful life – though I like to think that it is. I am married and live with twin orange tabby cats (they remind me of the two Valociraptors from Jurassic Park as I sometimes notice them – when they are not sleeping - thinking of ways to kill me), and a six month old Scottish Terrier (I thought I was stubborn).

The Mahogany Door is the first in a trilogy called “The Bruinduer Narrative.” It is a story of 3 friends separated by tragedy when they were younger and have to go back to the fantasy world called Bruinduer through a mahogany door and save it from collapse. It also comes with a cool original music soundtrack.

DB: I think this is the perfect opportunity to tell the world…or my readers at least that I read the book and listened to the sound track as well (which if I’m correct, Mark did most of too) and wow. This guys got some talent. The book carries you away on an adventure and you begin to really feel for the characters. I thought it was very interesting how Mark was able to mix adult lives into a children’s story and still make it relevant by the way the story was told.

The music I actually listened to before I read the book and it really geared me up and set the tone for this book. It was haunting and fun and I really enjoyed both the music and book!

Also, Mark will giving away a box set of his book and cd. As always, if you want it let me know in the comments section and I will pick the winner next Friday!

I read that it was published by Split Rail multimedia, which you are the founder. Can you tell us why you went this route rather than the get-an-agent-get-a-publisher or the e-pub route?

MB: There are 2 e-Book versions of the book. There is the ‘regular’ e-Book which can be found at Amazon, B&N, and iBooks, but there is also an enhanced version of the e-Book for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch at the iBook store that contains the embedded soundtrack (it is so cool – there is a video on my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=2074203611925).

I went the self route – AT FIRST – because there are so many cool books and authors out there that it is very difficult to get your foot in the door with an agent. I created the publishing company so that I can get a name for myself (no matter how small that might be) and prove that I am willing to do what it takes to be a successful author (it is very difficult as you may well know). I have started locally and pushing the book out from there to create a reading base, and agents I think, may look a little longer at an author with a platform - maybe. Local indie bookstores are amazing and can really help a first time author get a little publicity. Check this pic out of my book on the shelf at “The Regulator” in my hometown of Durham, NC –

It’s right along there with some pretty cool and popular books, and sometimes seeing it there makes doing it by myself (of course I had a lot of help from others) worth it, because who knows if I will ever get an agent and see the book published in a major house otherwise. (I also like to think the quality is right there too – but I am biased)

DB: I commend you! This route is a ton of work I hear but really can pay off in the long run. I just finished reading the third book of a series that just went this route and she got an agent after the fact. It definitely does happen.

Do you see yourself sticking with this method of publishing?

MB: That is a big NO. The endgame is definitely to get an agent and go the “traditional” route – whatever that might be now-a-days.  I do, however, want to help other authors get a feel for what the publishing industry is like. If nothing else, I can answer a LOT of questions about how to get a book on the shelf.  As I work on the second book and soundtrack, my focus is now more on getting an agent – though I still love doing local book signings – I have 2 scheduled through Dec 10th.

DB: I’m rootin’ for you Mark!

I also read that you didn’t begin writing until after 9-11. Have you always wanted to write or was this the first time you tried it?

MB: I took creative writing classes in college and have been messing around with The Mahogany Door since about 1996, but wasn’t really serious about writing until after 9-11, that is when the story became a little more personal to me. I played football when I was growing up, so sports were more important to me. In a recent interview, the interviewer stated I look more like an NFL linebacker than a writer. That is very true, and I never expressed my creative side while playing sports – in some ways it was looked down upon by my fellow teammates. Writing, especially after 9-11, became a therapeutic exercise more than anything else – and I also learned not to care what others thought.

DB: Kudos to you for having the courage to do what you really loveJ

Your book is a great read as I said before, and I am wondering how you came up with your idea?

MB: Being from NC, we have been blessed with both the beach and the mountains – and I enjoy both, but love the beach more. I basically grew up on the North Carolina shore, and one day in 2002, I took a trip to the Biltmore House (http://www.biltmore.com/) in the mountains and fell in love with the big old mansion – the only thing I could have wished more was that it was at the beach. I walked around and imagined what it must had been like to be a kid growing up in this wonderful house – WOW - the adventures they must have had. I dusted off my originals of the story, took the Biltmore House and stuck it on the beach and away I went with the story.

After 3 drafts about the beach, the mansion, and my characters, I realized that I was writing a story about my own life. It sort of just hit me that way. I could see that the tale was full of symbolism and things that had happened to me – forgetting about my childhood due to tragedy (the character JT), wanting to forget about some of the bad things that had happened to me (the character Kali), getting older and then wanting to go back to a more simpler when the responsibilities weren’t so tough (the character Michael), getting stuck and not able to move forward with my life due to some of the choices I had made (the character Charlie), and then realizing that I had pushed God out of my life and perceiving Him as a vindictive monster (the character Billy). I also put the events of 9-11 (allegorically of course) in the story because it had such a profound impact on me. Like the old cliché, I guess I wrote about what I knew.

DB: And that seems to be what we doJ

What can you tell us about the soundtrack?

MB: I got the idea for the soundtrack because I have a songwriting streak in me and a fascination with sound engineering. My wife also has a Master’s in Music. At first I just wanted a song to stick on the website just to have something besides a silent page, but after riding around with my brother-in-law Scott, who had a pivotal role in the project, we decided to put the album together. I think during the whole process this was the most fun we had. I would be lying if I told you there was no stress involved, but it was a great learning experience, and my family (including our wonderful friends) has some pretty cool music to play at parties and say, “that’s us singing and playing!” The reaction is always – “Really?” our answer – “really, really.”

“Goodbyes” is the most special song on the soundtrack. I wrote that song thirteen years ago after a terrible divorce and other things. I found a poem in my sister’s diary and put it to music. I really think just wanting to hear that song recorded motivated me to write the other songs for the book. It is also beautifully sung by Katie Basden, one of my wife’s former students. She also wrote, sings, and graciously allowed me to use “Rear View Mirror.” (you can listen to the full soundtrack here: http://www.reverbnation.com/themahoganydoor  it is also on Spotify (just search “The Mahogany Door” and can be downloaded at iTunes, Amazon MP3, Walmart, Napster – and most other mp3 sites)

DB: Very cool!

Where do you see yourself and your writing five years from now?

MB: I would like to see myself as maybe the minor league of publishing and writing. Professional teams in baseball have their farm teams that develop their players. I’d really like to see myself maybe like that with authors. I’d love to help authors write and produce songs for their books if they want and maybe do enhanced e-Books – it is just going to be common that publishing is going more interactive. I’d also like to be finished with the trilogy and two more soundtracks – maybe with an agent – who knows – I might win the lottery and not worry about it. J

DB: You’re awesome Mark, thanks for the interview!

MB: Thank you Deana – I can’t express enough thanks to you for having me today!

People can buy the printed version in NC at (can call and order as well) The Regulator in Durham, NC, Quail Ridge Books (special box set $27.99) in Raleigh, NC The Moravian Book store in Winston Salem, NC and Chambers Arts in Cary, NC – people can also buy the book from my website at www.jmarkboliek.com (the book and CD (included) will be on sale for $12.99 – free shipping) .

That’s a pic of me at a book signing posing with a reader and the box set (it is a handcrafted box that comes with the book, CD, and bookmarks) If you were interested.

And I think that about does it for this week!

Until next time…

Keep learning. Keep writing.

Firsts Fridays: Author Nadja Notariani and Killer Characters Day 3

UPDATE: We've got ourselves a winner for Nadja's e-book, Claiming the Prize. Congrats to ANGELA BROWN! Nadja will be contacting you shortly:)

First off, today is the final day for the Killer Characters Blogfest! If you want to spill the beans on who your fave antagonist is and maybe win a prize, go HERE! Read after the First Fridays interview to see who mine is.

Today’s Firsts Friday’s guest is a busy gal having just finished up a very creative blogfest called The Rule of Three, as well as recently publishing her first novel. Let’s see how Nadja Notariani can help us as she celebrates a first in her life.

From an early age, stories filled with adventure and romance captivated my imagination. Now I have become the storyteller.

Nadja Notariani

DB: Hi Nadja! Welcome to First Fridays and thanks for being hereJ

You have just published your first novel, Claiming the Prize. Can you tell us a little bit about the book and how you came up with the idea?

NN: Claiming The Prize is my first novel, published on 01 September, 2011. I still have trouble believing it! Ha.

The novel centers around Drago Zadrovec, a mixed-martial-artist from Slovakia who travels to the United States to train in an exclusive gym. Drago intends to fight his way to the light-heavyweight title, but he gets more than he bargained for when he meets Grace Antolini, daughter of the legendary trainer he signs on with. Of course, romance blooms. However, Drago and Grace are unique characters. They have definite ideas about love and life that add a balance to their passion. Claiming the Prize makes me smile.

I suppose the idea of a fighter, and his ensuing fighting career, isn't what one normally thinks of when conjuring a romance. Well, unless you're me! I liked the duality of the character, Drago. MMA is a brutal sport, but under those fighters are real men. I have three sons, all folk-style wrestlers, and one who trains in mixed-martial-arts. I've watched so many practices, tournaments, and matches! I'm a great fan. Through watching my boys and discovering how much they have to sacrifice to participate successfully in this sport, my admiration grew considerably. Voila! The idea for the novel was planted.

DB: Your novel sounds very unique.  Who doesn’t love a romance mixed up with some crazy fighting?

Also, Nadja is giving away an e-book of Claiming the Prize. Read after the interview for details.

What about you, how long have you known you wanted to write and what kind of writer are you, a plotter or a pantster?

NN: I've been an avid reader since I could read. I devour books. What's better than getting lost in the desert while sipping sweet tea on the breezy side porch? What's more exciting that trailing a kidnapper from behind a locked door? Hunting vampire? I do it all the time from my comfy chair!

DB: Not much compares to it!

NN: This love of the story – combined with the over-active imagination I have – inspired me to attempt my own stories. I always had thoughts like, “Oh! The heroine should say this...or do that...or go here...or ...” well, you see. I'm tickled that I did! Writing is the best fun I've had yet!

Now...I didn't have a clue where I was going exactly when I began Claiming The Prize. I absolutely pantsed my first novel, writing scenes out of order and following the muse as it skipped merrily around my brain. No more of that for me. I'm an organized sort of person. Very organized. Outlining is the way for writing and me to get on splendidly. I need a map to keep that overactive imagination from veering off the storyline. Ha. For me, the outline is like a guardrail dotted with reflective lights - for when I'm plowing through a hazy/foggy/dark part of the story.

DB: I’ve tried both routes too. It is plotting all the way for me now too.

What route did you decide to take to publish your book and how has the experience been so far?

NN: Before I had written half of Claiming The Prize, I had decided to indie publish. Being a bit of a control freak...(No, you say...But, yes, 'tis true. )... indie publishing offered me complete control over my work. I liked the idea of being part of each step in the process. The writing, the editing, the corrections, the cover design, the promotion – all come from me. I find this extremely satisfying as I'm also a task-oriented person. Each step enabled me to enjoy a sense of accomplishment instead of being tossed along in the ocean waves of traditional publishing. No waiting for someone to find my book idea as fantastic as I ...No accepting a cover I didn't want...No edits that fundamentally changed my story (although I cannot stress enough how important it is to get beta reader opinions and to use their thoughts, suggestions, and ideas to sharpen your writing – and to get yourself an editor)

 Keep in mind, however, that indie publishing is also scary! It's learning on the job for sure. I needed every ounce of self-confidence I could muster to take on formatting. I needed to follow my gut with my story – and then be prepared for whatever that meant, whether good or bad. (Thankfully, it's been overwhelmingly positive...whew! :) I've made some mistakes. But that's okay! How else can we learn but by doing? When we fail to learn, we fail to grow. When we fail to grow, we wither. We decay. We die.

I chose the option that was best for me. Each of us must weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision that fits where we are at the time.

DB: I totally agree! Us writers are all so different. I think it’s wonderful to have as many options as we do to get our work out thereJ

NN: Oh! Do I have plans! (smiles like a Cheshire cat) In five years, my goal is to have at least eight novel length works published. I'd like to be selling a minimum of 50 books per day. (that would put me at the earnings of a median income wage in the United States) And, I'd love to have laid a solid foundation for my business platform. As for the how-to...well, I'm learning as I go. I'm in stage one, which is building my library, growing in my craft, and gaining readers. I'll be studying up on marketing techniques, gleaning information from fellow indie authors, and applying the golden rule to all I meet.

DB: Awesome plans!

Tell us anything! It can be about you, your writing; something fun…the choice is yours.

NN: My sister and I (I have four sisters and four brothers...;) once took a personality test on the computer. The results promised to match you up with your best movie/cartoon characters, so we thought it would be a hoot and delved right in, imagining our perfect match ups...you know.

We received our results, and while I cannot argue with them, as we both laughed our 'unmentionables' off at how 'right' their assessment was, neither of us wanted to admit to our responses.

My sister's over-all title was 'Mastermind', and her number one match up was Cat-Woman from the Batman movies....Ha! I still laugh until the tears roll as that describes her to perfection. She was always coming up with these 'ideas' and 'plans' when we were growing up that were guaranteed to get us both a spanking.

It was a bit harder at first to laugh at my own result, but I've managed to 'own' it...

My over-all title was 'Barbarian', (ouch) and my number one match up was Lucy from Peanuts (you know the one who pulled the football out from in front of poor Charlie Brown over and over....the one who set up a stand and charged 5 cents for advice...yeah,her.) Who wants to be Lucy? Maybe Lucille Ball....heh heh.

Anyway, I hope you gained a laugh. And in the end, old 'Lucy' and I came to an agreement. We'd tone down the football snatching and concentrate more on charging the 5 cents...Ha! My sister calls that 'growing up'. She's the 'strategist', right?

DB: HA! That was fun and I like LucyJ

Again Nadja, thanks so much for being here!

Want more of Nadja? Check out her blog HERE

If you are interested in getting yourself an e-book of Claiming the Prize comment below and you will be entered. I will announce the winner next Friday!

If you're here to find out who my Killer Character Antagonist is you've come to the right place.

There is not a scarier antagonist then the balloon totin', kid killin' clown in the movie IT in my opinion. I have never looked at clowns the same since.

Nuff Said...eek!

Until next time…

Keep writing. Keep learning.