Lady Luck is in the networking

By Monty Wheeler 

He walked with Lady Luck awhile, which is how they might say Monty Wheeler came to sign a publishing contract for his formal verse. He’d suffered the pains of rejection until deciding he’d had enough. Writing would be pure pleasure and hobby. Firm in the mindset that he’d never submit works again, he set out to enjoy life.

Life—like the world—changes. Never fear changing with the world. Networking is by far not a new concept, but as the world shrinks and the information highway is playground to faster and faster cars, social networking and interactive marketing become more common place. Through one avenue of social networking, and interacting with others across the Twitterverse, Wheeler met and interacted with other poets and writers, not realizing the scope of those reaches and how others’ lives might change as well, opening doors one might never expect.

When one whom Wheeler had befriended and interacted with on a social program known as Twitter offered guidance should he ever decide to submit a full collection of formal verse for publishing consideration, Wheeler’s vow to himself that submissions were things of his past faded, and he considered. . . Little did he know at that time, his fellow poet friend had ties to a publisher who favored new writers and poets. The walk with Lady Luck? Or direct results of this new social networking avenue?

As the release date nears for Wheeler’s debut collection of dark verse in meter and rhyme, he must remember, a contract does not mean success; there’s much to be done in the way of promotional work. The information highway and social interaction along such paths as Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc. . .play important roles in marketing and self-promotion as a writer and poet.

So whether by blind fool’s luck or an unguided trip through this new world of social networking, Wheeler will publish his first collection of poetry. He encourages those who’d seek to write and publish— or just to write—to change with it as the world changes and look to new ways of selling one’s self and one’s works.


Monty Wheeler, author of "The Many Shades of Dark", his debut collection of formal verse that comes to the shelves via Winter Goose Publishing in March of 2013, considers himself naught but a little old feller living out his days in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. With his work in meter and rhyme, he strives to keep the art of formal verse alive. His days, when not at the job that pays the bills, are spent in writing, fishing, hunting, and his newly-acquired want of gardening. You can find him on Twitter as @bumfuzzled2004, Facebook as Monty Wheeler and at GoodReads

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Private Critique Groups

Since 2005 Authors by Design (AbD) offers to its members the option to join or create their own private critique groups for free. That means no paid memberships, the only requirement to join an AbD critique group is to be an active AbD member.

What are private critique groups?

Private Critique Groups, unlike public groups, can only be viewed by the members you chose to be in your group. No more worries about who's reading your work or if your work is now considered 'published'.

How does it work?

Each group decides its own rules and chooses its own moderator. Usually the moderator is the person who formed the group unless otherwise stated. If you were never a moderator before then one of the Administrators will explain how all the tools work. Its very easy.

Each group has a general discussion area and each member of the group has his/her own area to post their work in.

Example:

Private Group General Forum

Member 1 Forum

Member 2 Forum

Member 3 Forum

This helps members keep track of their own posts as well as their critiques without having to sift through everyone's post to find the one they need.

Authors by Design also offers a chat room and conference room. Groups can use these to meet and discuss their group's needs, offer on the spot feedback to their members, or even engage in some character role playing. Some of our groups have a rotation chat, where they meet once a week and focus on one member's story to offer suggestions, support and brainstorming.

How many members does a group need to have?

As many or as few as you like. The requirement to form your own private group is two members, after that you can add as many new members as you want.

What genre should the group be?

That is up to you. AbD is open to all genres therefore we will host groups of any genres. Usually its a good idea to form a group with members writing inside the same genre, but we've had mix-genre groups that have worked very well together.

Are there any requirements/rules for private group members?

Yes. Membership is free but there's a posting requirement for private groups. Members inside a private group have a mandatory posting requirement of one (1) post per week in the public areas of the AbD forum. This can be a reply to a topic posted by another member or you can start your own topic.

If you have further questions feel free to join us and contact one of our Administrators.

Happy writing!

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Author Spotlight

Kim Smith

Kim Smith is a long time member of Authors by Design and writes in a variety of genres including her bestselling mystery series featuring Shannon Wallace available at Red Rose Publishing. She has several short romances there as well. Her YA time travel can be found on Amazon and is called A Mirror in Time. To learn more about Kim Smith visit her at her blog Writing Space where she always has something informative and fun for writers and readers alike.

Avenging Angel (A Shannon Wallace Mystery) Book One:  Shannon Wallace is having a bad hair week. She’s been ditched by her job, dumped by her boyfriend, and implicated in his murder. When she finds out her very private video collection is missing from the crime scene, it is all out war to find the disks before the cops do. The problem is, the killer has them. And he’s watched them. Now Shannon’s at the top of his most wanted list.

Buried Angel: Shannon Wallace Mysteries: Book Two:
When Shannon and Dwayne are hired to videotape mysterious goings-on in the local cemetery in South Lake, Mississippi, they find more than just old tombstones, including a "plot" that has nothing to do with the dead!

Crooked Angel: Shannon Wallace Mysteries: Book Three:
Shannon and Dwayne have to track down a missing teacher when she is the leading person of interest in the murder of a local man. But this time, their cop buddy, Sal Ramirez, is too busy to bail them out of trouble, and the way it looks, school may be out for them all.

A Mirror in Time:
What would you do if you discovered ... A Mirror in Time? Leading lady-Carly Jean (CJ) Simms thinks she'd like to live in the era of her school play, Buttermilk Hill. It takes place during the War Between the States and she thinks being a lady of the manor would be very cool. She hopes to pull off the performance of a lifetime and win the drama award. The only thing keeping her from it is her mother who needs her at home to take care of her baby brother and aging grandfather. Leading man-Josh Jamison has problems of his own. He wants to join the army but has found no support from his father. Josh doesn't understand what the big deal is. When his best friend tries to convince him that he's making a mistake, he turns a deaf ear. Paired with CJ in the school play, he thinks his luck is finally turning. Maybe his performance as a soldier in the play will win the drama award and a little respect from everyone. CJ and Josh pin all their hopes on that prestigious drama award. If they could just find some way to insure their success...

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Author Spotlight

Terry W. Ervin II

Terry Ervin is the author of the First Civilization’s Legacy series and a variety of short fiction. By day, Terry is an English teacher who enjoys writing Fantasy and Science Fiction. He is an editor for MindFlights, a guest columnist for Fiction Factor and is the author of over two dozen short stories and articles. 

Flank Hawk is his debut novel. When Terry isn’t writing or enjoying time with his wife and daughters, he can be found in his basement raising turtles. To contact Terry, or to learn more about his writing endeavors, visit his website at www.ervin-author.com.

FLANK HAWK: What happens when fire-breathing dragons battle Stukas for aerial supremacy over a battlefield? Can an earth wizard’s magic defeat a panzer? Krish, a farmhand turned mercenary, witnesses this and much more as he confronts the Necromancer King’s new war machines resurrected from before the First Civilization's fall. Worse yet, a wounded prince tasks Krish to find the fabled Colonel of the West and barter the royal family’s malevolent Blood Sword for a weapon to thwart the Necromancer King’s victory.

Flank Hawk is set in the distant future where magic exists and brutish ogres are more than a child’s nightmare.

BLOOD SWORD: The Necromancer King has been defeated and his surviving forces are in retreat. But a new threat marches against the Kingdom of Keesee, promising destruction.

Scouting along the western frontier, Flank Hawk and Grand Wizard Seelain discover an army massing, the army of Fendra Jolain, Goddess of Healing. Weakened and battle weary, Keesee and her allies cannot withstand Fendra Jolain’s powerful army of men and beasts arrayed against them.

One hope of survival remains: Retrieve the Blood Sword from the immortal Colonel of the West and bring its sinister strength to the battlefield.

To accomplish this end, Flank Hawk accompanies Grand Wizard Seelain as she leads a mission across land and sea. Together they find new allies while confronting new foes, learning that the war ravaging Keesee is part of a larger struggle whose roots stretch back to the First Civilization’s Fall.

If the Blood Sword can be obtained, it must be done quickly. Every day means more death for the defenders of Keesee. Every day is one day closer to utter defeat. Even if Flank Hawk can deliver the Blood Sword to King Tobias’s hand in time, will the malevolent blade’s magic be enough?

To learn more about Terry Ervin and his work visit the links below.

Terry W. Ervin II official website
Up Around the Corner
Gryphonwood Press

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Interesting Facts About Famous Authors #2

“Vertical Authors”

The habit of standing to write is not as rare as you would think. Here are five famous authors that did their best work on their feet.

Ernest Hemingway 1899-1961: Hemingway stood in a pair of oversized loafers on the worn skin of a lesser kudu when he wrote. Standing to write was a habit he had from the beginning. He used pencil on onionskin typewriter paper, with a “boyish” handwriting which consisted of large letters, a lack of punctuation, and very few capitals. He only used his typewriter when he considered writing to be fast and simple, for example, dialogue. 

Author of For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea, Indian Camp, The Sun Also Rises, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

Thomas Wolfe 1900-1938: North Carolina's most famous writer. A very tall man, he reportedly wrote standing up beside a refrigerator, using the top of the refrigerator as a desk. Though Wolfe owned a typewriter he never used it, preferring to use pencils and writing only in longhand. 

Author of Look Homeward, Angel, Of Time and the River, From Death to Morning,and The Story of a Novel, which are the only works published during his lifetime. Most of Wolfe’s works were published posthumously. 

Lewis Carroll 1832-1898: His poor health, suffering from a chronically weak chest and a knee injury sustained in middle age, which left him stiff and awkward, did not stop Lewis from being one of the writers that stood to write. 

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
― Lewis Carroll 

Author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

Vladimir Nabokov 1899-1977: Nabokov did a lot his writing standing up and on the move. He used a pencil and index cards so he could take them with him everywhere (much like we use laptops today) and because they allowed him to write scenes non-sequentially and reshuffle them as he wished.

His Novel Ada wound up taking over 2000 cards.

Author of Lolita, Pale Fire and Ada.

Philip Roth: Roth thinks on his feet. He writes while standing up and paces around his work area while he thinks. Not wanting to mix work with personal life, Roth has a studio away from his house where he can work without any interruption, he even avoids facing the window at his studio so the view won’t offer any distractions from his writing.

Author of novels such as Goodbye, Columbus, My Life As A Man, The Ghost Writer, and many more.

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Karen Miller interview

Karen Miller is the author of the bestselling fantasy duology Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, the fantasy trilogy Godspeaker, the bestselling tie-in novels Stargate SG-1: Alliances and Stargate SG-1: Do No Harm and Star Wars The Clone Wars: Wild Space. Writing as K.E. Mills she is the author of the Rogue Agent series.

What can you tell us about the first book you’ve written? What do you think is the difference between that book and your first published book?
Well, when it comes to fantasy fiction, the first fantasy novel I wrote is what got published, eventually. I originally wrote the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker duology as a standalone novel and submitted it to my Australian publisher. That manuscript was rejected with some rewriting suggestions and an invitation to resubmit, which I did, and it was the rewritten version of the story that was accepted for publication. The biggest difference is in the length -- the original standalone version ran to about 140,000 words, and the final 2-book story ended up at over 300,000 words. So you might say I learned I had a lot more story inside me than I trusted. Nothing changed about the story, as such -- but I dramatised a whole lot of stuff that previously had happened 'off stage' so to speak.

How did you find out and how did you react when you first learned you would get published?

I got a phone call from the editor at Voyager, saying that the project had passed through the acquisition committee and would be published. I was a bit numb at first, because I'd dreamed of being a published author for many, many years. But most of all, I was just very very happy ... and worried that I wouldn't justify the faith the editor had placed in me.

Your books combine a wonderfully complicated world and realistic characters. We’re curious, when you get an idea for a story, which comes first, the world or the characters?

Thank you! And the answer is characters, every time. For me, it's always always always about the people. The world they inhabit comes into focus more slowly, and as part and parcel of who they are and what's happening to them. But story, for me, is ultimately about people. To my way of thinking, societies are created by people, therefore they are defined by the people who live in them. Yes, there are external factors like geography that impact certain elements of world building ... but the root of it all lies in the people who live there. And also, for me, people are more interesting to explore and tell stories about than things or even big ideas -- unless what you're looking at is how those big ideas impact on the characters in the story.

The Kingmaker, Kingbreaker cover art is very neat, especially when looking at the spines side by side. How much say does the author have in creating the cover?
The Orbit cover art for those books is unbelievably amazing, isn't it? And I'm equally in love with the covers for the sequels. Same artist and design team. Spectacular. I'm so lucky on that score I have to keep pinching myself. As for what control an author gets over cover design, well, there's no definitive answer for that one. For example, I get no input whatsoever into the Star Wars covers. That's a design decision between the publisher and Lucasfilm. And with tie-in material, that's pretty much par for the course. With my own work, so far, both of my English language publishers have been tremendously collaborative. See, the thing is, publisher's don't want to upset their authors. On the other hand, cover design is a very specific part of the marketing process, and generally speaking authors don't have the expertise to comment on what will or won't entice or repel a browser in a bookshop. Authors tend to get very protective and literal about the images that appear on their covers, and we can't always see past our emotional attachment to the story. We need to remember that we're writers, not designers. Sometimes we do need to stand firm on things, but we should always bear in mind that other people in the publishing process have their areas of expertise, too, and we should respect that.

Do you plan your stories or make them up as you go? Any tips on this for new writers?

To my astonishment, I'm learning that this is actually a fluid situation. As I answer these questions, I'm about to start writing my 13th novel. At first I really needed to break down the stories plot point by plot point, step by step. Now I can be a little looser with it, mainly because I'm learning to trust myself in the storytelling process. Writing a novel is really an enormous leap of faith. It's like setting out to run a marathon. The first time you do it you don't know if you can. Now I've got a few tucked under belt I'm more relaxed. I know that I can do it, even though I will hit boggy patches and slow patches and have moments of terrible self doubt. I know now that they're part of the landscape and I just need to push on. The other thing I've learned is that writing a step by step outline is, in many ways, a very external process. When I'm writing an outline I'm not inside the story, living it, I'm standing outside it trying to imagine how it's going to turn out. It's kind of like looking at a Christmas present trying to figure out what's inside it because of the vague shape and wrapping. For me, the story doesn't actually come alive until I'm inside it, writing it and experiencing through the eyes of the characters. And it's that weird alchemical process of being inside the story, when the imagination is on fire and the story's alive and you're living it with the characters, that guides me to the nuts and bolts of what happens. Which is very scary, because you can't make that happen from the outside. It can happen on the inside, which means you have to surrender control and let the story grow and develop naturally.

Which isn't to say that I dive in without any kind of road map. I do. I know where I'm starting, I know where I'm ending. I have a few significant signposts along the way. But I'm learning to trust that much of the story will reveal itself to me in the process of telling it.

So for newer writers, especially if you're tackling a novel, I'd say, start off with a fairly detailed idea of what you're doing. But be prepared to let the story suggest new ideas to you as it unfolds through the writing process. Use your outline as training wheels, until you're comfortable taking your hands off the handlebars. But you know, having said that, some writers like to do detailed outlines all the time. It's not about the right way or the wrong way, it's about finding the way that works best for you. So beware of people telling you there's only 'one right way' of getting the job done.

What would you say are the dos and don’ts when submitting a book to an agent or publisher?

Single biggest mistake newer writers make -- and hello, I have more than one teeshirt on this -- is submitting work before it's ready. You need to have your work read and considered by people who are good analytical readers with no emotional investment in you, or who are strong enough to tell you what you need to hear not what you want to hear. It goes without saying that we want people to like what we've written. But while being told we're wonderful might make us feel good, it doesn't do anything to improve a manuscript. I always suggest writers sign up to the Online Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Workshop because it's run by professionals and is a great forum for improvement and encouragement. I believe you learn more about writing by reading and critiquing other people's work than you do hearing a critique of your own work. Learning how to effectively self-edit is one of the most crucial skills you can develop. Editors and agents these days are too busy to take on the work of bringing a promising manuscript up to publishable standard. As the writer, that's your job. Learning how to improve your own work is vital -- and by developing your editing eye on other people's work, you'll be doing yourself a huge favour.

Do your homework. Find out what authors the agent represents, what kind of books the publisher has on its list and make sure you're a good initial fit. And if you are going to submit to them, read their submission guidelines and follow them to the letter. Trust me, agents and editors don't find it cute or engaging or encouraging when someone flouts their list of guidelines. Doing that makes you look like an arrogant prat. Nobody wants to work with an arrogant prat.

Agents and editors don't exist to make your dreams come true. Publishing is a business, so be businesslike and professional. If you get a knock back, accept it. Don't ran't and rave and write back vitriolic letters about their stupidity and your unappreciated genius. Publishing is a small pond. Don't piddle in it.

Queries, authors shiver at the idea; any tips from a successful writer on writing a successful query?
Actually, I'm sorry to say I don't. I haven't sold anything on a query. I did a covering letter with my first manscript, which basically said, this is me, this is my book, thank you for reading it, I hope you like it. Since then, everything I've sold has been a verbal pitch, talking about the story in general terms. The closest I came to a query letter was Star Wars. Once I was professionally published I dropped the editor a note saying this id me, I'm a professional fantasy writer, also a huge Star Wars fan, if ever you're in the market for a new writer I'd love to be considered. We chatted back and forth about my Star Wars interests, she read my first novel, and nothing happened for three years. Then I got an email out of the blue and ended up with a 3 book contract.

In general, I'd say it's important to be succinct, polite and self-effacing.

Writer’s block, real or fiction? What are your views on this and what advice would you give to new writers about it.
I think writer's block is a catch-all term for a complicated set of circumstances. I think if you want to write, and you can't, you're looking at some issues relating to fear of failure, fear of success, fear of being noticed, fear of offending people you know, fear of revealing more of yourself than you're comfortable with, fear of close friends and family seeing something about you. Basically you need to dig a little and ask yourself, why am I holding myself back? Deep down you know the answers. And once you've looked them in the face, you can decide how you're going to deal with them.

If you get stuck on a specific project, most often I think it's your subsconcious trying to tell you that you should've turned left at Albuquerque. When the story comes to a grinding halt, instead of trying to push through it go back to the point where the story stopped flowing comfortably, then examine the storytelling choices you've made. Play around with a few different scenarios, and wait for the light bulb to turn on.

What can you tell us about your latest book? How would you pitch it to a prospective new reader?

My latest release is The Prodigal Mage. It's the first of another duology, Fisherman's Children, which follows on from the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker duology. Basically it's the story of ... just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. *g* Some time has passed since the end of The Awakened Mage. And while everyone thinks things are hunky dory actually they're not, and all hell is about to break loose in the kingdom of Lur. It's also a story about family and expectation and how you can be your own person while not disappointing your parents. And it's about consequences and making mistakes and how you deal with those mistakes. It's about doing the right thing for the wrong reason, and the wrong thing for the right reason, and how much that can mess up people's lives. I think anyone who's read and enjoyed the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker books will enjoy it. It's possible to read it without having read them, but there are huge spoilers for the first 2 books.

Are you working on a new story? Anything you can share with us on that?

I've just finished the third Rogue Agent novel, Wizard Squared, and that's been ... an interesting journey. Fun and fraught at the same time. I'm about to start my 3rd Star Wars novel, which is the second part of a two part story.

What does Karen Miller do for fun?

This year, because I have to write 5 novels, there's not a lot of time for fun. When life is less insane I enjoy working at my local theatre as a director and actor, and I really love film and tv and playing with my new puppy, Wilson.

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Jane Lindskold Interview

Jane Lindskold is the bestselling author of the Wolf series, as well as many other fantasy novels.


Photo by Patricia Nagle

I would like to begin this interview with a journey down memory lane. What can you tell us about the day you found out your first novel was accepted for publication? How did you find out and what were your reactions?

My first published novel was Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls.
I learned it had sold when my agent called me. I was at home in my house in Virginia. She was very business-like, discussing advances and terms for royalties. I listened. I probably asked a few questions (I usually do), but what I remember was being stunned.
Here’s a perspective note. I just pulled the contract from my files. It’s dated March 26, 1993. Contracts often take months to be issued, so that phone call would have been months earlier. The book itself would not come out until December 1994.
This is not a business to get into if you want rapid gratification.

What can you tell us about the first letter you have received from a fan? Did it have the same impact as actually getting published?

My first fan mail came via e-mail. I was very excited. I think until that point, despite sales figures and all, I really didn’t believe anyone but my immediate friends and family read my books.
However, the book coming out had a bigger impact.

What would you advise aspiring writers to do and not to do when submitting a manuscript?

Follow guidelines from the publisher. If the guidelines ask for a summary and three chapters, don’t send them the whole manuscript. I’ve talked to lots of people who read “slush” and they say that one way they do a fast triage is based on whether or not people read directions and follow them. After all, who wants to work with someone who can’t bother to follow directions?
Also, try to target your submission to the market. If it’s a magazine, read a few issues first. If it’s a book publisher, read some of their books. A publishing house like Baen Books has a distinct “flavor.” Even a bigger publisher like Tor has many editors. These have their own tastes. See what they are buying. Often, you get only one chance, so don’t blow it by failing to prepare.

Do you plan a novel before writing it? If yes, how much do those plans change, if at all?

No. I’m a very intuitive writer. I think about ideas, then I see where they take me. I often do research not only before I start writing, but as I am writing, and when I am done. I don’t recommend this for everyone, but I it works for me, partly because I am ruthless about throwing away things that didn’t work out.

How did you handle the submission of your first book? Was it a difficult market to break into?

I didn’t handle my submission, my agent did. The market was tough. It’s always tough. It’s even tougher for your second book, because the shine of “new discovery” is off.

What are the most effective methods you’ve developed in marketing your novels? How much marketing assistance does your publisher provide now as compared to when your first novel was published?

I’m a writer. That means I thrive on being left alone to make up imaginary worlds and people. I don’t mind book signings or interviews, but that’s about my limit. Oh, and I have a website.
I think that publishers should provide more marketing assistance than they do. Asking me to go out and be a salesperson is not a good use of my aptitudes. Ask me to write a book or story. I’m good at that.
I can’t really compare the situation between my first novel and my current novel. One reason is that fourteen or so years have gone by. In 1994, most people hadn’t heard of the Internet or e-mail. An interview like this one wouldn’t have happened.

Do you work directly with your editor and/or are there times where you work through your agent with the editorial staff at Tor?

I work with my editor. I’ve always worked directly with an editor. Happily, I’ve usually liked my editor, and usually taken away something valuable from the relationship. That goes for both my Tor editors, Teresa Nielsen Hayden and Melissa Singer. I am still friends with my first editor, John R. Douglas.

What can you tell us about your new series Breaking the Wall? What inspired you to begin this series and what have been the reactions of your fans thus far?

The “Breaking the Wall” series was inspired by on odd conjunction of my interest in mythology in general and a game of mah-jong played one Christmas Eve.
A good number of years intervened between that Christmas Eve and actually starting the books, but once the idea was there I began reading more intensively about Chinese mythology and culture, preparing to give those vague impulses shape.
If you’re interested in reading more about this, I did a series of blogs for Tor.com about how my research shaped the eventual books.
Reader reactions so far have been positive and interested. Brenda seems to cause the most debate, and I expect that this is because she’s so unlike Firekeeper.

Thank you Dr. Lindskold, we are looking forward to more of your work in the future.

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