Every author has to cut scenes. Some are easy to cut. Others cling to the manuscript with a cocklebur vengeance.
This is a scene I cut from Whisper of Memory (Whispering Woods #2). Both my beta reader and editor suggested I cut it. So, on to the cutting floor it went. Why do authors cut a scene? There are numerous reasons. Maybe the scene doesn't add to the story. Or a scene can slow the action.
I still love the following deleted scene for some reason. Austin and Em are secondary characters in the series.This is one of the short scenes from Austin's point of view.
Hope you enjoy. My May giveaway to one lucky commenter is a $10 Amazon or B & N gift card. I'll draw at the end of the month from all commenters on posts during May.
If you're an author, have you cut scenes you loved? As a reader, do you enjoy deleted scenes from authors?
Austin sat in the circular drive waiting for Em to come to the door. He had turned the engine off and sat back with his eyes closed. The passenger door opened with a soft whoosh, and Em jumped in.
"What's up?" Em closed the door.
"Nothing. Just bored."
"You decided to see if I could entertain you?" She snorted. "Since when do you come hang out at my house when you're bored? Is this the apocalypse?"
"Close."
"You're getting to be a real downer. You know it?"
"Yeah. I'm sick to death of hearing myself whine. I should leave here. Transfer to somewhere normal with normal friends who worry about normal things."
"What's normal?"
"It sure isn't this. We talk about keeping Mia safe and figuring out what is going on. We should be sitting around watching movies in your living room."
They both looked at the front of the house and knew Austin wouldn't be going inside. Em wasn't allowed to have visitors over unless it was planned, scheduled, and had a permission slip attached.
"Don't you ever have homework in college?" Em shifted to angle toward Austin. The darkness hid his face.
"Is that all you ever think about? Homework?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "And I don't have homework. That's high school."
"Oh." Silence. "I miss hanging out with Mia, too."
Austin reached over to the glove compartment to remove something camouflaged by the dark interior of the Jeep. Seconds later, he held a cigarette between his lip and flicked the lighter.
"Maybe I should go. Your mom know you're outside?" Austin stared at the front of the house. The security light cast a bright beam illuminating the front entry and bushes.
"She's watching television in her room. She's in for the night."
"Good."
"Since when do you smoke?"
"Since lately."He took a drag and exhaled.
Em coughed. She frowned at him and opened her mouth to say something. He wasn't in the mood to hear Em giving him grief. His mother had handed out the weekly lecture earlier today. A lecture about not doing the millions of things that would ruin his health.
"Let's walk." Austin opened his door and grabbed his jacket from the seat.
"I need to go in and get a coat. It's freezing out here."
"No. Take mine. I don't need it."
Em eyed him before taking the jacket from his hand. Shrugging into it, she pulled her long hair over the collar and smiled. "Thanks. Now tell me what's really going on."
Austin headed down Em's paved driveway. He looked back to see the dimly lit upstairs windows. "Let's walk around that bend up there." Austin quietly moved at a brisk pace and Em fought to keep up.
He slowed as they turned a corner and could no longer be seen from an upstairs window. "What do you think Em? You think that we're going to make it out of college? Mia and Dimension Dork will settle down and have a family? Raise some mini-dorks."
"No. They're only dating. Why do you have to be so dramatic. And he's not a dork. Why are you calling him that?"
"Mia, you are my destined gatekeeper for the galaxies. I am unable to be complete without you. And your uncanny ability to find me a new place to exit when necessary." Austin's voice rose dramatically while gesturing a hand clutching his heart. The cigarette fell, and he bent to pick it up.
Em stared at him without smiling.
Austin shook his head. "Okay, he's not a dork. He talks like one. He's a dork with some muscles and a pretty face."
"No, he's not. And he really cares about Mia. You don't see it because you're bent on hating him."
"I wouldn't hate the guy if he dated you. I might still think he's a freak, but I wouldn't have this overwhelming urge to rub his face on the concrete every time I see him."
"Yeah. I realize that. Does Mia know?"
"Know what?"
"How you feel about all this." Em reached over to grab the cigarette and pulled it to her lips. She inhaled and sputtered before handing it back. "That is so gross."
Austin dropped the cigarette and smashed it with the toe of his boot. "I think Mia knows."
"So you've told her."
He hesitated. "No. Not in words."
"You drew a picture or what? Or maybe you handed her a note that said I like you. Check the box if you like me," she said, each word dripping sarcasm. At his silence, she added, "This isn't third grade, but you have to be obvious. With words." She waited for him to reply. "Maybe you do need the note."
Austin moved to sit on a large rock which sat conveniently at the edge of the drive. Emily sat on the ground beside him with her legs crossed underneath her. She gripped Austin's jacket tightly in front and tucked her chin against the collar.
"Do you think it would make a difference?" Austin's voice came out gravelly and uncertain. He cleared his throat and looked the other way. Talking to Em felt easy, but they were treading into the land of no-return. He wasn't her BFF and almost wished they were talking about the latest Quest of Zion tourney. Hell, they'd be talking about pedicures next.
He thought she considered the question too long.
"That's my answer," he said. New topic in order.
"I think she's really into Regulus. Maybe even in love with him. But that doesn't mean it's forever and she ought to know where she stands with you. I'm trying to protect you." Em laid a hand on his knee.
"You can't decide whose side you're on, can you?"
"Oh, I'm only on Mia's side."
"What about my side? Aren't we friends?"
"You can take care of yourself. Besides, I have a bad feeling about all this. I've never seen her act this way over a guy."
"Do you know something? 'Cause if you're keeping something from me--."
"I know a person should only have to deal with a finite number of issues. There should be a limit. So, if this goes badly, she's going to need us. We both have to be here for her right now."
"How'd you get so smart?"
"Hangin' out with you, I guess."
 Neumarian Uprising, We need your help! Thanks to our spy, Ciara Knight, we are able to communicate with you today via blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The Neumarian uprising has begun. We are fighting for freedom and equality for all, but we need your help. Ciara informed us that you might want to know more about the uprising and why we ask you to risk your lives for our cause. To answer these questions I’ve agreed to let Ciara tell my sister’s, Raeth’s, story about her captivity. It will be free for you on a site called Amazon until March 1, 2013. Our spies have told us this will help spread the word and find more recruits for our rebellion against the tyrannical queen. You can help by simply downloading a free copy of Weighted, a prequel to the Neumarian Chronicles. If you are intrigued and wish to follow our uprising, Escapement, book I of The Neumarian Chronicles, will be available for only $2.99 until March 1, 2013. Escapement is told by Princess Semara. Don’t hold the fact Semara is a princess against her like I did, there is more to her than you can possibly imagine. Here is a brief explanation of her telling of our uprising: Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death. If you are now ready to join our fight, please add Escapement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads here. Shout out on all your social media sites, and tell everyone you know to stand up and fight. Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Free. In the name of the rebellion, Ryder Arteres Escapement can be found at Amazon.
What people are saying about Escapement:
“A heady mix of action adventure and steampunk -- leavened with a dash of romance -- ESCAPEMENT offers up its fair share of thrills, horrors and heart-pounding moments. A strong start to a captivating new series.”
-- Jana Oliver, author of The Demon Trapper's Daughter
“A riveting tale of justice, mercy, honor and love. Take a deep breath and hold on, because you'll be turning the pages of Escapement quickly. Three unlikely comrades, Princess Semara, Ryder, and his sister Raeth, embark on a journey that will alter their lives forever. The beautiful love story nestled into these action-packed scenes will make you sigh and remember why you love to love. After reading the prequel Weighted, I knew this story would be amazing, and it was. Ciara Knight truly has a gift for creating awesome worlds and characters you won't forget.”
--Lindi Peterson--Award winning author of Summer's Song.
“Betrayal, secrets, and a rebellion send readers on a grand adventure, caught in the plight to discover Semara’s gifts and purpose.”
--Alex J Cavanaugh, author of Amazon best sellers CassaStar and CassaFire
“The most unmissable series ever! I couldn't stop reading, the action and romance too breathtaking to break the spell!”
--ARC review by Sudah on Goodreads
"A courageous heart-stopping journey by young people to save their kind."
--Hildie McQueen, bestselling author of Where the Four Winds Collide
 Young Adult Giveaway HopCo-hosted by BookLove101 and I Am a Reader, Not a WriterLaura Diamond has two books that you will love. That's if you are into mystery, romance, intrigue, hot guys, and excitement. So, I'm giving away her ebooks and a gift card so you can get a third book.
MY PRIZE: Shifting Pride and New Pride ebooks
PLUS: A $5 Amazon gift card
 Curiosity brings out the Kitty...
Sixteen-year-old Nickie Leone has proof her father is still alive. His watch arrives in the mail, with a note telling her to “keep it hidden,” and her curiosity is piqued. She obeys the request, even keeping it hidden from her mother. But when an email from her father disappears before her very eyes, she begins to question her own sanity.
And things get even more complicated when she meets Xavian Katz, the blue-eyed, blonde hottie whose contagious smile and ridiculous sense of humor make her want to tell him all her secrets. But there’s a current beneath his charm that she can’t quite read. He’s hiding something.
When Nickie grows pointed ears and whiskers…and then a tail!...Xavian (who always seems to knows the right time to be around) seems unsurprised. He’s a shapeshifter too, a coincidence that Nickie can’t deny or ignore. She needs his help to master her new abilities, because her father’s rival, Derek, wants her to join his tribe. The last thing she wants is to be under his rule, but Derek’s got something to do with her dad’s disappearance—she knows it. And maybe letting herself be captured is the best way to find out…
 New town, new love, new terror…
Kicked out by his alpha father for nearly exposing their secret, seventeen-year-old Richard Leone is a shape-shifter without a pride. Alone, homeless, and hungry, he forms a tenuous friendship with Derek, a power-hungry shifter from an unstable rogue pride. It’s either that, or starve. Until they encounter a gorgeous brunette, Molly, partying with friends around a campfire. Richard immediately feels a connection with her, and something about her calls to him. Almost as if she was supposed to be his mate.
But when Molly is kidnapped, Richard must take on the entire rogue pride to save her and keep his human town safe from harm. Derek offers him a deal: he’ll help Richard take on the pride to rescue Molly, but only to secure his place as alpha. And once that happens, the humans could be in even more danger…
| EC Newman, YA author published with Etopia Press, has been a mystery to me--until now.
A line from her Goodreads bio says that she, "...teaches middle school drama and high school literature, and can't help but find it hilarious that she’s now teaching how to write an essay when she so deplored them as a student herself. " You've gotta love it.
I haven't learned nearly enough about EC, but the interview today is a start. I do know this: we could sit around and talk for hours.
EC, I hate to sound all stalker-like, but this interview is only the beginning. |  I love this author pic with her head tilted down as if studying a particularly troubling riddle.She's probably studying a menu, and I've read too much into the photo. |  BB: Please give me the elevator pitch for Phase, your debut YA paranormal.ECN: Okay, it took me about five full minutes to understand what ‘elevator pitch’ meant. I like it, though. I would probably include a short dance along with my pitch because I like to dance in elevators. Back on topic, Phase is a young adult paranormal novel about the friendship between two girls, Sophie and Jules. Sophie is from a solid family, friendly and open. Jules is a foster child, untrusting and mysterious. She is also not all she seems. But the two struggle to stay friends amid bullies, high school, crushes and surprising secrets. Oh and there’s definitely some cute boys too. How was that? Didn’t make you jump off the elevator, did it? :) BB: I read that you are a hockey fan. I am NOT a sports person. Please explain what is so fun about hockey.EC: I am not sports person either. Does that surprise you? My love of hockey still surprises me. I guess the simplest way to explain why it is so fun is this: Most of the things I enjoy are based in story (songs, tv shows, movies, books) and even though I might get really involved in the story, there is still an expectation and mild predictability as to how it will all turn out. That security does not exist in hockey. There is no comfort in watching players race around, slamming into each other and impressively shooting a little disc with a stick, while skating on ice, past a large, majorly padded goalie. It’s overwhelming and absorbing and completely thrilling. Both on television and during live games, I am on edge; shouting and cheering and booing. I never know what will happen, no matter how much I know about the teams, players and the game. The very nature of it cannot be calm and predictable.
BB: What is the Classics Club List on your website? I read a lot of these in school, but I admit that I haven't read any of them recently. Favorites so far?ECN: The Classics Club List! I’m so excited about that. It’s this challenge that you can sign up for at this site: http://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com. You make a list of all the classics you want to read (and reread if you choose) and give yourself a goal or finish date (up to five years). As an English nerd and English teacher, there are so many classics I just haven’t gotten around to and sometimes, it’s easier to pick up that light beach read over Dickens. Every time you finish one of the books on your list, you blog about it (and link it back to your list). I’ve only reviewed one so far, but I just finished Sense & Sensibility, so I’ll be reviewing that soon. It gives me motivation to finally get through some of these books. And even the rereads are fun because some I read in high school and just didn’t ‘get’ and in my vast maturity (lol) now, I understand these books so much more. Like I just reread and reviewed The Great Gatsby which I read only a few years ago for the first time. I was ‘meh’ about it then. Now? Holy Cow, Fitzgerald is a master with words. BB: I've decided that you and I must hang out together after seeing your Song of Moment page. I love Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, and Spoon. Do you listen to these songs while you write or do you just sing and dance to them? What's up with this lovely selection?ECN: We should hang out! My Song of the Moment list is getting ridiculously long, but I can’t help it. I love music. I wish I could make music but other than some ability on piano, I’m at a loss. I started that when I started my author blog. I know that I am often introduced to new music through people I follow on Twitter and Facebook, etc., and I thought maybe I could return the favor to anyone who reads my blog. I also really enjoy seeing other authors’ soundtracks for their books: music that they listened to when writing or songs that seem to match their work. Song of the Moment is exactly what the title says. It’s what I’ve been listening to most recently and really want to share with my readers. I do often sing and dance to some of the songs on there although some are not really danceable. It’s beyond eclectic and probably doesn’t make a lick of sense to listen to in full, but that sort of encompasses my brain and personality: eclectic and doesn’t make a lick of sense. :D
 BB: On to my favorite topic...dogs. Tell me about Margie.
ECN: You’re a dog person! Brilliant. I am too, although I really thought I was going to wait until I had a house of my own to get a dog. But I found Marjorie (Margie) October 2010 when the Humane Society in my hometown set up shop during one of our festivals. She looked a lot like my dog growing up and she was so sweet and docile. So, I got her and brought her home and found out soon enough that she definitely had the energy of a puppy.
Margie (named for a minor literary character Marjorie Phelps in the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers) is so friendly and loves every living thing: people, dogs, cats, you name it. She’s a good dog as well, because I have to leave her in the apartment all day while I teach and she doesn’t destroy my place in the process. I do take her to the dog park every Saturday so she can socialize (and I can too). I notice that I’m slowly becoming one of ‘those’ pet owners. I just love her so much.
Thanks for letting me take over a post on your blog. This was fun!
| | | From a reader:
"I was beginning to despair of finding a YA novel I could read without cringing every few seconds - whether at the bad grammar/spelling or hideously awful plot.
'Phase' was a breath of fresh.
The protagonist was extremely likeable, the minor characters significant, and the plot a whole lot more complex than one would expect at first glance.
Thank you, E.C. You had me, hook, line, and sinker, from the first page to the last. Looking forward to the next installment."
|
Seven prizes from five authors...
As an early Christmas present, some of the young adult authors at Etopia Press have banded together to come up with a giveaway that we hope you'll love! All you have to do is participate in the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win. Thank you to our readers, old and new! This year has been amazing.
Good luck!  Theresa McClinton, author of The Stone GuardianAvailable for purchase hereA long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa started her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and features articles to delve into the whimsical world of young adult paranormal romance. Since then, Theresa has gotten married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and was repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having stepped foot on the soil of over a dozen countries, traveled to sixteen U.S. states—including an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, she will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.
 Sara Hubbard, author of Blood, She ReadAvailable for purchase hereSara Hubbard is the author of young adult books. Her debut novel BLOOD, SHE READ releases fall 2012 and is a NEORWA Cleveland Rocks winner and a RCRW Duel on the Delta finalist. Sara was born in Australia to British parents, but has lived in Nova Scotia for the majority of her life. In addition to being an author,Sara is a wife, a mother, and a registered nurse with the military.
 Brinda Berry, author of The Waiting Booth and Whisper of MemoryAvailable for purchase here (for The Waiting Booth) and here (for Whisper of Memory) Brinda Berry lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She's terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality. She doesn't mind being called a geek or “crazy dog lady”. When she's not working the day job or writing a novel, she's guilty of surfing the internet for no good reason.
 E.C. Newman, author of PhaseAvailable for purchase hereBorn and raised wherever the military sent her father, E. C. Newman is a storyteller at heart. It didn't translate into writing, however, until she found herself in Ancient History her freshman year of college, desperate to stay awake. Bringing stories alive since then in FanFiction, poetry, and original work gave E. C. the confidence to add a Writing Major to her bachelor's degree, and after a stint in acting school in Los Angeles, she gained a MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University in Bath, England. E.C. currently lives with her mutt of a dog in Illinois, where she teaches middle school drama and high school literature, and can't help but find it hilarious that she's now teaching how to write an essay when she so deplored them as a student herself. In her spare time, E. C. is also a reader for a literary scout, which keeps her current with the children's literature market. She actively avoids growing up by writing stories about high school and the trials and triumphs that accompany it.
 Angela Parson Myers, author of When the Moon is Gibbous and WaxingAvailable for purchase hereFormer newspaper staff writer and corporate writer/editor, now writing the kind of fantasy I've loved since I was a child. Live in Central Illinois with my high school sweetheart, where we somewhat successfully masquerade as normal grandparents. Please see my blog at http://www.angelaparsonmyers.blogspot.co
| | Today, we're celebrating The End of the World Book Blast and Giveaway with Theresa McClinton. Theresa has a debut release called The Stone Guardian.
I'm crazy about the cover and blurb for The Stone Guardian. I think both are very original and exciting. Theresa is giving away prizes in the Rafflecopter below, so be sure to enter! | When myth becomes reality, reality becomes a nightmare.
 Like any other teenager in America, Ashley just wants a normal life. But growing up in an orphanage for the insane is anything but normal. After endless therapy and increasing medication, her nightmares have only gotten worse.
Probably because they’re not nightmares.
When Ashley’s mysteriously abducted, she finds a reality even less normal than the orphanage. And she discovers something else—she’s no ordinary orphan. Faced with enemies thought to only exist in fairy tales, Ashley discovers she possesses a powerful Maya bloodline. She’s the daughter of an ancient Maya Guardian, whose duty is to protect the Stone of Muuk’ich, an enchanted relic blessed by the gods. But first she must get it back from Sarian, a power-hungry demigod who slaughtered the last guardian—Ashley’s mother. Without the stone, all will be lost.
When she meets Arwan, a hot Belizean time bender, his delicious olive skin and dark eyes make her feel a little less alone. But his gentle whispers and reassuring touch might not be all they seem. How can she balance love and duty when it’s up to her to prevent the rising of the underworld? Especially when the guy she loves might be its crown prince…
About Theresa McClinton  A long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa started her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and features articles to delve into the whimsical world of young adult paranormal romance.
Since then, Theresa has gotten married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and was repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having stepped foot on the soil of over a dozen countries, traveled to sixteen U.S. states—including an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, she will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.
 My sister and niece I stress.It's true. I try to hide it. Act calm. Carry on. Etcetera. I've been lucky in the past 30 days. Things have gone well. So, I think I'll take a deep breath and be thankful for all the goodness in my personal and professional life. If you've been with me here, you know that I've had a lot going on in the last month. I've done two television interviews without succumbing to Tourette's (a disorder I don't have but fear I'll exhibit while in a public forum). I've hosted my niece's wedding. I planned a book signing with 10 authors for the short story anthology, Wild at Heart, which is dedicated to charity. On Saturday, I had my first signing for The Waiting Booth at a local bookstore. The Waiting Booth is my debut YA book that recently released in print. So for all you worriers like me, know this. Sometimes it all comes together. It was a sold-out event.My sister deserves a lot of the marketing credit. She messaged all her friends on Facebook and asked them to share the book signing announcement on their walls. She also made her famous cupcakes for the event. Most important, she kept me positive. Writers are an insecure bunch. We truly are. I had a vision of no one approaching the book signing table. Or worse, a customer would approach and ask for another book in the store. My plan was to seek solace in the cupcakes. In addition to my sister's request to our friends, readers also shared on their Facebook walls. If you doubt the power of social media, here is my testimony that it worked for this event. I noticed a bump in online sales over the weekend as well. Readers asked me if there would be more in stock before Christmas. It's enough to make an author dream of snow and sugarplums....and bestsellers. I am grateful for wonderful family, friends, and readers who support me. Last week's winner of November Reader Appreciation Month is Sherry Isaac, who blogs at Psychological Sizzle. Sherry will receive an Amazon or Starbucks $5 gift card. I have more surprises for December!
 Today's post is a regular one that you see the first Wednesday of each month. It's part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group founded by Alex Cavanaugh. If you'd like to find out more about joining, click HERE to visit Alex's blog. He's the author of Cassa Star and Cassa Fire as well as being a super-nice blogger. You can inspire and support all the writers by visiting them from the linky list HERE.
DL Richardson has a new release that entices me with all the right ingredients. Feedback is a YA action adventure with a sci-fi feel. It's calling my name on my iPad. DL is here to talk about success, and then we'll get a peek at Feedback. Welcome, DL!  Nature + Nuture = Success. That’s the formula shows like X Factor, Idol, and The Voice use to create stars. Find someone with Talent, Nuture them by teaming them up with a successful artist or manager, and you have Success. The same formula is applied to sports. Kid with talent joins local soccer team. Talent scout notices kid, signs him up with top training program, coaches kid to professional arena and kid becomes a winner. But is this Nature + Nuture method the best way to measure success?
Not only is the Nature + Nuture method limited, if it continues to be the only formula used for creating stars, in a few decades we will have an entire pool of manufactured talent and no real substance. How far would Madonna or The Rolling Stones make it on shows like Idol? They’re not the greatest vocalists in the world, but they are amazing entertainers and they possess what manufactured artists don’t – substance.
It seems that these days, if we want to be successful in anything we go straight to the mentors and leapfrog one very important aspect of what it really makes to be a winner. And that is substance. Substance is the essence of every character – the struggle to get where we want to go, the obstacles we face along the way, the agony of small losses, the joy of little wins… each of these things creates the very heart and soul of success.
Take this best selling fiction story and appply the Nature + Nuture = Success approach. Harry Potter is a talented wizard (Nature). He joins Hogwartz (Nuture). Under the guidance of the teachers he learns everything there is to know about magic and becomes the greatest wizard in the universe (Success). The End.
How horribly, incredibly dull. It’s hardly worth opening the book. What is missing is substance. Harry’s struggle with not belonging in either world, the obstacles he faces from an evil wizard who wants him deads, the agony of losing some battles, and the joy of winning others, these are the things that craft Harry into being the greatest wizard in the universe. Writers understand that it takes more than Nature + Nuture to create a book which people wanted to read. Struggle, conflict, obstacles…call them what you like they all mean substance. And substance is what helps readers connect with the characters.
Our characters face need to face obstacles in order to grow. They need to experience ups and downs. They need to fail and succeed along the way. Often they need to get broken and put back together. Writers don’t throw obstacles at our characters because we can. We throw obstacles at them because we must. Without conflict and struggle, all we would end up with is a bunch of characters who wanted something, got it, and the rest of the book would be spent flaunting what they got in the other characters’faces.
Another thing the Nature + Nuture formula doesn’t take into account, and this is sometimes the most important factor, is that the journey itself is often the story. What poor tales Thelma and Louise, Star Wars, and The Hobbit would be without the struggle and the journey. In the case of Thelma and Louise, Star Wars and The Hobbit, the journey isn’t the underlying story. It is the story.
Some publishers today are telling authors to get their manuscripts professionally edited and appraised before submitting them. This is sending the message that to succeed as a writer you only need talent and mentoring. This is so not the case. A great writer needs talent, they need a great editor/publisher/agent, but they also need an equal measure of life experience. I hope the X factory formula doesn’t make it into the writing arena. Struggle, experience, obstacles, conflict...all these things come from a writer’s experiences in real life. It is our life’s experiences that make our writing honest. And without honesty, what we write is nothing more than words on paper.
How do you measure success? By the end result, or by the journey?
D L Richardson is the author of young adult paranormal fiction.
 Feedback
by D L Richardson
Listening to your inner voice can get you killed.
Ethan James, Florida Bowman, and Jake Inala are three teenagers who receive much-needed organ transplants. Two weeks later they are inadvertently recruited by the CIA when a spy dies halfway through his mission. Three bacteria bombs are set to detonate, spreading illness and death across the planet, and it’s up to Ethan, Florida, and Jake to deactivate them.
Except that they have no idea where the bombs are located.
Kidnapped for information they can’t possibly know, and fuelled by the spirit of a dead CIA agent, Ethan, Florida, and Jake must look deep inside themselves if they are to finish the mission and save millions of lives. But they’re being held captive in a strange place by a man who believes in Feedback, the theory that information is retained in the memory of organs–in this case those of a certain dead CIA agent donor. And their captor will stop at nothing to get the information retained in their newly transplanted organs.
I'm happy to introduce my friend Sara Hubbard. Sara is the author of Blood, She Read published by Etopia Press. Blood, She Read is Sara's debut, and you can imagine how busy she's been since the release a couple of weeks ago. Before we find out more about Sara, I'd like to announce the winner of last week's drawing from comments. Stephen Tremp's lucky comment number was drawn for a $5 Starbucks or Amazon card. I'm thankful for readers, and I love comments. This month, I'll give away a $5 Amazon or Starbucks gift card every week. Leave a comment, and it automatically counts as an entry. Sara Hubbard's Three Wishes  Brinda, thank you so much for letting my hijack your blog today! I promise I’ll be good.
It’s been a little over a week since I became a published author! Whoot! And this week has been an absolute blur, filled with lots of promotion and very little writing. I’d planned on doing Nano but that has since fallen to the wayside, not that I mind. Promotion is kind of fun. Stressful, but fun. I mean, you’ll only ever release you first novel once, right?
So what am I going to talk about today? I won’t leave you in suspense. Brinda suggested some ideas when she asked me if I would be interested in posting on her blog, and one of those ideas immediately stood out: what would you wish for if you had three wishes. Who doesn’t want three wishes? Of course, my thoughts kind of wandered initially and I came up with an outline for another story…. Thanks for that, Brinda! But I quickly got back on track…hours later. What would I wish for, you ask? If you’d asked me a year ago I would have said ‘to be published’ but this is a reality for me now (giggle, giggle) so it looks like I still have my three wishes.
Here are my current three (and I’m a firm believer in ‘go big or go broke’):
One: I would like to make the NY Times bestseller list. Honestly, if a writer didn’t choose this one as one their wishes I think I’d call bull@#$%. I enjoy writing and first and foremost I write for me, but in order for me to write full-time and to quit my day job I have to make enough money to be able to pay my mortgage and feed my kids.
Two: A vacation home in England. My parents and my relatives are all English and I haven’t been back since I was a child. Although I don’t remember it I’ve always felt a pull to return there. I would want an old cottage in the countryside with lots of character, closets, and bathrooms. And an awesome kitchen—updated.
Three: Tour the world! My first stop would be Egypt. The pyramids have fascinated me since I was little, and to walk through one would be an absolute dream!
So now you know what my three wishes are, what are yours? Leave a comment below and tell us about them! But since I still have your attention, I’ll leave you with my book blurb! Hopefully, it will interest you!
Thanks so much for reading this! And thanks again, Brinda, for having me.
 Blood, She Read by Sara Hubbard
Keeping secrets from a psychic can be murder.
Petra Maras lives a charmed life, but only in the magical sense. Her absentee father is a criminal, her mother is emotionally dead, and everyone at her new school knows she comes from a family of witches. All she wants is to be normal, but that's impossible, given her family. And given that she's psychic. When the police request help with a murder investigation, Petra reluctantly agrees. Which isn't such a good idea since the prime suspect wants to date her, and she really wants to say yes. Her gut says he's innocent, but since she can't get a read on him, she can't know for sure. And when she discovers he's been keeping secrets, she wonders if maybe she's been following her heart instead of her head...
Blood, She Read is available for purchase here:
 About the author:Sara Hubbard is the author of young adult books. Her debut novel BLOOD, SHE READ released fall 2012 and is a NEORWA Cleveland Rocks winner, an RCRW Duel on the Delta finalist, and an Omnilit/All Romance eBooks bestseller. Sara was born in Australia to British parents, but has lived in Nova Scotia for the majority of her life. In addition to being an author, Sara is a wife, a mother, and a registered nurse with the military. Learn more about Sara here: Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook
 Krystal Wade is having a huge party for her recent release, Wilde's Meadow. Her YA series is called Darkness Falls, and readers are crazy about it.
Krystal and I first got to know each other on Twitter. She would always make me laugh when talking about her drive to and from work. We both have this commute that would drive most sane folks INSANE. Thank goodness that didn't happen to us. (Or so I say.) It only made us writers who dream up tales while on the road.
I asked Krystal to name the five biggest distractions from her writing.
Krystal's answer:
1. Facebook
2. Twitter
3. Promotion
4. Day Job
5. Sleep
Yeah, there you have it. The reason I haven't written twenty books yet. One day . . . .
Ah, Krystal, you silly author. Who needs sleep? Or money? Or that highly addictive social media? Get to work on your next book. :) Make sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win the daily giveaway of Wilde’s Fire ebook (international). Krystal is giving away some major prizes, including a Google Nexus. Click here to see all the blog stops: http://krystal-wade.com/wildes-meadow-release-day/ Happy endings are hard to find, and even though Katriona is in the middle of a war with someone who’s already stolen more than she can replace, she aches for a positive future with her Draíochtans. Armed with hope, confidence in her abilities, and a strange new gift from her mother, Kate ventures into the Darkness to defeat a fallen god. Losses add up, and new obstacles rise to stand in the way. Is the one determined to bring Encardia light strong enough to keep fighting, or will all the sacrifices to stop those who seek domination be for nothing?t? Wilde’s Meadow: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo
 Last, but not least, be sure to enter the Wildest Moments Blogfest (bloghop) for your chance to win a Kindle Fire! Click HERE to join.
|
RSS Feed
