Important notices - CassaStar book review, Wido Submission Contest and more...

Before I launch into this week's Publication Party I'll just catch you up on a few things:

• If you'd like to read my book review of CassaStar, Alex J Cavanaugh's debut novel go to Reading at Dawn. Alex was the speaker at my previous Publication Party.
• If you have a mss  that you'd like to see published, enter Wido's Submission contest. Your mss must be 50,000 words (how's your NaNo novel looking?) They don't want it all right away! Allie, the acquisitions editor, will review each submission and email you a paragraph or two feedback on both your query and your sample chapters. Each entry will receive her critique. Contest closes 1 March. Further details go here.
• If you'd like to enter the Broken Hearts Blogfest, it is on AFTER Valentines Day (ha ha) the 13 - 15 March. Hosted by Dawn Embers. Go here for Mr Linky.
• I am a finalist in Dominic de Mattoss' No Fear Blogfest. You can read my story here. Voting is taking place here, but read all the finalists' entries before voting.
• If you missed my previous post, please read it! A search engine for writers is not announced every day!
• I knew there was something else! See in my sidebar - I've read 13 books for January, on track for my 100+ challenge for the year.

I'll be back soon as your host for the Publication Party with short story writer Helen M Hunt. Don't miss it!

Denise :)

Beyond awesome! A search engine just for writers...

Elizabeth Spann Craig started something really cool! A search engine for writers. No more useless Google searches! Well, I'm a great fan of Google, but if you're like me and have bookmarked hundreds of excellent articles on writing, then can't find them in a hurry when you need them, Elizabeth Spann Craig came up with a solution:

A Search Engine for Writers

Here's what Elizabeth has to say:

Google doesn’t always deliver. If you want to search for specific information on POV, for example, try plugging the term into Google.

The top sites returned for POV are a video that PBS made (which isn’t on writing POV), a couple of definitions by Wikipedia (several of which have to do with automobiles), a racy YouTube video, and some freeware.


That’s right—nothing to do with the craft of writing.


When I started subscribing to writing blogs, I did it to access in-depth information on the writing craft—written by working writers and industry professionals.


After amassing a huge (1587 and growing) number of writing blog subscriptions, it occurred to me that other writers might be interested in the same type of information….and that maybe they didn’t know where to look.


That’s when I started tweeting the info I found.


Realizing that not everyone was on Twitter, I started sharing the links, weekly, on my blog.


Still, the fact that the links weren’t easily searched bothered me. What if there was a writer who didn’t need that great link on book marketing now? Maybe they needed an agent post on penning the perfect query. Would they just miss out on the marketing link since they wouldn’t need it for a while? Would they bookmark it for later and end up with a ton of bookmarks?


I put a couple of pages up on my blog to try to archive the links and make them, to some degree, searchable. Still, the searching wasn’t particularly efficient.


I mentioned on my blog one day, “I’m sure there’s got to be a better way to do this, but I can’t think of it.”


Enter Mike Fleming, software engineer.


Mike knew exactly how to make the links searchable—create a specific search engine for writing links. He emailed me to bat the idea back and forth with me (actually, it was more of a one-sided tennis game, since he’s way over my head in terms of technology.)


But I loved the idea of a free resource for writers. A way for writers to access information that would help them write better books or articles.


After a lot of work on Mike’s part, the Writer’s Knowledge Base was created.

As Mike stated on his blog:


The search is done instantly over thousands of writing-related articles ranging from character development to author promotion on social media. Unlike Google, all of the results are relevant to you as a writer. They may not all interest you, of course, but at least searching for "plot" will bring back articles on how to plot your story and not news articles on terrorist plots.


Mike has also included a fun feature where a writer can browse the links and find random writing-related articles.


Who are the authors of these blog posts? Writers, agents, editors, book marketing experts. Some of your blog posts may be included, too. Writers won’t only be accessing the information they need, but they’ll also be finding new and helpful blogs to follow. And Mike will continue adding the links that I uncover each week.


When you have a minute, we’d love for you to give it a try. What do you think? Please tell us what you like, what you’d like to see added, and any ideas or thoughts you have. You can comment on either of our blogs, email me at elizabethspanncraig (at) gmail.com or Mike at mike.fleming (at) hiveword.com.


And feel free to spread the news. I’d love for this to be a real resource for writers.

There you go, lovelies. Isn't this great news? Check it out, tweet, fb it, but most of all grab the picture/link I have in my sidebar (it's available on Elizabeth's blog) and whammo! You're set to read awesome how-tos on just about any writing topic. I thought Christmas was over!
 
And the fun keeps on...don't forget to comment on Alex J Cavanaugh's talk below to learn heaps and to be in the running for great prizes. New Publication Party post Wednesday - short story guru Helen M Hunt! Woo hoo!
 
Denise :)

No Fear Blogfest - look how brave my MC is! Publication Party post below...

Thanks to Dominic de Mattos @ Writes of Passage for this No Fear blogfest. Here we are to post a passage from one of our WIPs where our MC shows bravery. Don't forget to click on the link to read other entries.


Here is my entry. I have publised a version of this story before, but I have tweaked it for this blogfest. It is an extract from which much has been cut for brevity.I hope it still makes sense.

MEMORIES

She is a fool to come back. This hated place holds too many memories, too many secrets. But they are memories and secrets she can no longer ignore.

She needs to face her fears.

Here it is, the beach house, its timbers broken and exposed. Years of relentless tides have eaten away at its foundations. It now teeters on the edge of the dunes, on its knees in the sand, ready to surrender to a king tide.


But today the ocean holds no threat, its gentle waves lap the sand, leaving a trail of silvery froth and grit. She falls to her knees onto the silky sand, her body hunched over. Memories of that night come rushing in with the force of a tidal wave.

At times she almost forgets why she has been running away from her memories for so long. But the mind holds onto things, remembers things best forgotten. Here today, confronted with the crumbling house, her mind is searching its dark recesses, unearthing hidden secrets which she thought buried. Through the years in her silent moments, she had heard it speaking so softly in the gentlest of whispers, as it tried to speak to her of its memories. Then there were other times where her pain had come rushing to the surface without warning, hurtling through her like a runaway train, threatening to derail her altogether.


She cries there, hunched in the wet sand. She no longer wants to carry that heavy sharp stone of hurt.

***

Her life changed on a night when the wind roared.
The Pacific waters swirled and fell in a dance of wave and tide. Then the winds calmed and the moon rose and sat outside her window.


She’d been dreaming of the sea as she did every night. This night, she opened her eyes and watched the moonlight creep across her bed like a lover’s soft caress. The sheets were tangled and fell over the bed like waves. She kicked off the covers and threw herself across the bed like a marionette without strings.


The moon’s light overlooked the angry welts criss-crossing her legs. The welts throbbed, but she had no ointments to ease the pain. But that was his intention.

***

The crashing waves come closer and closer as high tide approaches. Soon the water will be just below her window. She can hear its relentless pummelling. The sound and rhythm remind her of her father’s blows. He will not be denied his will. She will not give in.


There was a big storm earlier in the night and now the rain starts again. It will cover her tracks. She hasn’t been able to communicate with Ahmed but she is not afraid.


She knows he waits for her beyond the dunes.

The sea calls to her. The open window draws her into the night. A soft swish and she is swimming for her life in the treacherous waters, her robe tangling around her knees, threatening to drag her under.


Her bare feet find sand at last. She straightens and runs towards the trees, her sodden robe tripping around her ankles.


Ahmed whispers her name.

***

He sees her now as he watches from the top of the dunes, next to the crumbling wreck that had been her home, then her prison. A few long strides and he is by her side. He gently lifts her and cradles her and rocks her like a baby as she cries.


He knows the tears are healing, making her whole.

“My brave girl,’ he whispers.

THE END

©Denise Covey, 2011

N. R. Williams blog tour/Simply Hot Blogfest

If you're looking for N. R. Williams blog tour, The Treasures of Carmelidrium, go here.
The Simply Hot Blogfest entry, go here.

Publication Party third session - author Alex J Cavanaugh tells us of his journey to the publication of his first novel, CassaStar.

Welcome to the third session of our great Publication Party. You all enjoyed Clarissa Draper's talk last week and you were so pleased to be at the beach with the sun and champagne (as soon as the cranberry mocktails ran out!) that I had trouble getting you to leave. So many enthusiastic comments afterwards. We all learned so much. Your writerly aspirations were obvious with the overwhelming requests to win the critique over the books.  


So today I've moved the party inside again. Help yourself to the drinks and nibbles and let's party! Firstly, a big drum roll for last week's prize winners. Congratulations to Tony Benson who won the chapter critique from Clarissa, (and I note that you're a little bit nervous at seeing it posted so we'll respect that) and to Kari Marie for winning Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs and to Simon C Larter for winning Ernest Hemingway's Across the River and into the Trees. Those looking for a CP have been contacted by email and I'm waiting on your details.


Hello to all you aspiring authors here today. In case you haven't met today's honoured guest, he has been all over the blogosphere lately as he recently released his first novel, a science fiction work, CassaStar (one of my current reads.) Many of us have followed Alex's journey as he posted about the process of writing, then suddenly, whammo! (or so it seemed) he'd found a publisher. Behind the scenes Alex was seeking publication, but I for one never knew the story of how the contract got signed. Alex's story is different again to our two previous guests and that's what we're here to learn about. So now, over to Alex as he shares his journey with us...


Here's a short bio of Alex accompanied by his latest picture:

Alex J Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He’s experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Currently he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Thanks Denise. I'd had a hard night when that photo was taken so excuse me if I look a little green.

Great to be invited along to the Publication Party.  Thanks for coming along all you keen writers. I hope you'll find something in what I say today to help you along the road to publication. Okay, let me tell you my story folks.
While I was writing CassaStar, I kept reading that science fiction was dead. Real encouraging, huh? I decided to just write the story and worry about the popularity of my genre later. I completed my book and it went through test readers, an editor, and a lot of polishing.


Now that I was ready to seek a publisher, it appeared heavy tech science fiction was growing in popularity. Obviously, my genre hadn’t died, but I was faced with a challenge. CassaStar is very low-tech. It focuses on adventure and characters rather than technology and science. My manuscript wasn’t in tune with the growing trend.

I never even considered an agent. I just started querying science fiction publishers. Many take direct submissions and I scoped out the guidelines before sending my query. Of course, most were seeking the high tech or political science fiction manuscripts. It didn’t take long to realize my approach wasn’t working.


Frustrated, I looked for another angle. I decided to capitalize on my main character’s youth and started submitting CassaStar to small young adult publishers instead. After all, there is a science fiction category for young adult.


That approach eventually landed a publisher. Ironically, Dancing Lemur Press decided to classify CassaStar as adult science fiction. I was right back where I’d started - in the science fiction - adventure/space opera category.


Do I recommend a small publisher? Absolutely! I’ve been very pleased with my publisher’s efforts. No, you won’t make a lot of money - but you might not make any with a large press, either. I make more a month at my job than most authors do in their lifetime. I think if a writer does it for the money, he’s writing for all the wrong reasons.


It was never about fame and fortune for me. It was just knowing I could do it, even if only once! And I did!


Thanks Alex. Your story is inspirational. I believe Alex has just completed the first draft of CassaStar's sequel.



Here are the details for Alex's debut novel, CassaStar, followed by the synopsis.

CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh - $12.44 in paperback through Amazon. Also available in ebook format - Kindle $4.95.

Science fiction/adventure/space opera, Dancing Lemur Press LLC

ISBN Print 9780981621067 eBook 9780982713938

To pilot the fleet’s finest ship…


Few options remain for Byron, a talented young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude. Slated to train as a Cosbolt pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life. Much to his chagrin, Bassa, the toughest instructor in the fleet, takes notice of the young pilot. As war brews on the edge of space, Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive. Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?


Here is an excerpt from a review by the Library Journal:


“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

Note: I am going to review CassaStar on Reading at Dawn, a book review blog I collaborate on early next week (Tuesday Oz time, Monday US/UK time,) so please visit if you wish to read my review.

You can contact Alex directly at:

http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

If  you'd like to learn even more about Alex's journey he has posted at Selling Books today. Catch what he has to say. 
Thanks again author Alex J Cavanaugh. Now to the prizes...

TODAY everyone who comments and leaves their email address will be in the draw to win EITHER of these books:

As today is Australia Day in my country, I'm offering an Aussie read by another of my favourite authors - Belly Dancing for Beginners by Aussie author Liz Byrski. This is a fictional story, not a how-to-bellydance non-fiction guide! It's both funny and serious (a great combo) showing that women can have hugely rewarding lives no matter what their age.

And for all the Dean Koontz fans out there, here is Relentless. It's a spine-chillilng thriller by one of the masters of the genre.

So thank you all for coming today. Before you leave would you mind doing the following:

• leave a comment with your email address if you want to be in the draw for this week's book prizes or the GRAND PRIZE and giveaway books and writing paraphanelia at the end of the series (you must comment on each post to win, starting at the first post. If today is your first day, go back to the previous sessions, read and leave a comment. I'm keeping track...)
• tell us which book you'd like to win today - sorry, no critique, Alex is shy 
• ask Alex a question
• if you're published, share your story in the comments
• tell us if you'd like to find a Crit Partner. Last week there were more requests. Contact like-minded souls and we may be able to help each other in this way too...

Thanks for coming everyone! Winners for this week will be posted at the next party Wednesday February 2. Don't forget you have until Monday 31 January at 8 pm NY time to enter for this week's prizes.


Next Wednesday February 2 we have very successful short story writer, autobiographical writer, blogger, book reviewer and novelist Helen M Hunt coming to our party to speak to us. Don't miss what she has to say! I, for one, want to know how Helen became so successful in selling her clever short stories to so many magazines. I want some of that to rub off on me.


Denise :)