E is for Editing #AtoZChallenge

I like to jump around projects which means at any given time I am both writing and editing books. I have a lot of plans for the upcoming year, chiefly to publish all ten of the books I have in the pipeline. It may seem a little too ambitious but I have been working on several books over the course of the past year and I feel like I’m finally ready to start my indie author journey.

One of the most important elements after writing is editing. I am still learning how to self-edit (something I still struggle with). Try to get your manuscript in the best possible shape before you send it off to an editor.

Secondly, identify what kind of editing you need done. Does your book need a developmental edit? Would you benefit more from a content or line edit? Based on your needs, you can narrow down your search for an editor.

Remember to research the credentials of the editor you hire.

Most editors offer a sample edit which is a great way to gauge if the editor is the right fit for you. I would recommend asking for that before you sign up with an editor and possibly end up with a bad edit.

Your relationship with your editor is an important one. You need to trust that this person is helping you turn your manuscript into the best possible shape it can be in. Take your time choosing an editor and don’t be afraid to keep searching if you don’t find the right fit.

D is for Dare Valari #AtoZChallenge

Amazing illustration by Judit Mallol of Dare Valari

Dare Valari is the main character of my upcoming fantasy novel A SWORD OF FORTUNE AND FATE.

She’s the privileged daughter of a nobleman. With one spontaneous decision, her life is turned upside down. She has to leave everyone she loves and cares about to go find her place in the world. A chance encounter with the notorious Blaze sets her life on a path she never expected.

What do you think? Is my introduction to Dare Valari too vague? Does it make you want to read the book or put it back down and move on to the next fantasy novel? I’m still working on how to present the story to readers without giving away the twists and turns. This is a spoiler-free zone.

In any case, I could use the feedback. I’m still new at this.

I suppose, in a way, A SWORD OF FORTUNE AND FATE can be categorized as a coming of age fantasy novel. It’s got some mystery, intrigue, and a lot of sword fighting.

C is for Camp NaNoWRiMo #AtoZChallenge

This April I’m participating in my first Camp NaNoWRiMo. I joined a cabin with other fellow KBoard members after I saw Evenstar’s Kboards thread.

My goal is to write 120,000 words this month. As of today I have 6,632 words down. I’m going to be traveling on Thursday for 3 days so that’s going to eat up some of my time as well but I’m fairly confident I’ll meet my target.

Camp has been great so far. I enjoy the company of the other authors and it’s nice to see everyone updating their word counts. It’s certainly motivational watching the great Amanda M. Lee reach hers day in and day out.

Have you ever joined Camp NaNoWRiMo? Leave a comment & let me know!

B is for Blaze #AtoZChallenge

BLAZE is a short story set in the world of my upcoming book, A SWORD OF FORTUNE AND FATE. It’s a short read, at a little over 10K words. It should take you a sitting to get through the book.

Blaze is a central character in A SWORD OF FORTUNE AND FATE, the first book in my Dare Valari series.

The story was inspired by my friend asking me how Blaze got his nickname. This story explains how. It also introduces readers to additional side character that will appear in A SWORD OF FORTUNE AND FATE.

You can download the story at Instafreebie by clicking HERE.

Happy Reading!

A is for April’s #AtoZChallenge

I recently found out about the #AtoZChallenge through a Kboards.com thread and decided to join the fun. My blog was looking a little sparse for lack of posts. It won’t hurt to add a month’s worth of blog posts.

My theme for the #AtoZChallenge is “Self-publishing”. I’m going to discuss what I’m working on and the elements of self-publishing that I want to focus on.

You can find the scheduled post dates below. I will be updating the titles as I work my way through the month.

***

S/1 A A is for April’s #AtoZChallenge

 

M/3 BB is for Blaze

T/4  CC is for Camp NaNoWRiMo 

W/5 DD is for Dare Valari

T/6 EE is for Editing

F/7 FF is for Facebook

S/8 G

 

M/10 H

T/11 I

W/12 J

T/13 K

F/14 L

S/15 M

 

M/17 N

T/18 O

W/19 P

T/20 Q

F/21 R

S/22 S

 

M/24 T

T/25 U

W/26 V

T/27 W

F/28 X

S/29 Y

 

M/30 Z

New April Book Releases

Happy April 1st! Here are four books I’m excited to read this April.

Click on the covers to purchase or pre-order the books from Amazon.

April 4
Red Sister – Mark Lawrence

April 13
Cold Welcome – Elizabeth Moon

April 25
Snared – Jennifer Estep

Blade Bound – Chloe Neill

These are just some of the science fiction and fantasy books I’m hoping to read in April.

What new releases are you excited about? Let me know in the comments below!