Author Spotlight--The Boy Who Dreams/Cesar

How often do you dare to dream? Well my next guest does it quite often. Today's author is Cesar. Spoiler Alert...free book giveaway at the end of this post!

Bio: Cesar has a very experienced background in the spiritual world. He was brought up in a Christian family, but branched out from that base as he got older, seeking answers about the world around him, and the spiritual world around him. In his mid-twenties dramatic events occurred in his life which challenged his very existence, but he learned from these experienced and most of learned that how that life is not just in our own hands. Now Cesar is a firm believer that everyone has their own path to walk in life, and part of that walk is all about the choices that you make. Some people choose a good life and some a wicked life, but most of us live the life in the middle, influenced by the world around us and our own upbringing, Cesar understands that life is simply not black and white.

1.What inspires you as a writer?

Life, friendships, relationships, people, the world around me and of course, my imagination (thanks Barney the Dinosaur lol).

GP: Good job Barney!

2.When did you have that ah ha moment when you knew you were a writer?

I think it happened when I realized that all I could think about was writing stories, creating characters and spending hours after hours perfecting dialogue!!  After weeks and months of feeling like that, I stopped myself and said, hang on a minute, I’m a writer !!

3.What is your writing process?

Well originally it was writing at night when the world was quiet, then I changed to writing in the afternoon.  Now I feel it might be changing again as I just purchased a piece of software which means I can speak, and it will write for me.  Still getting used to it, but what a piece of technology for writers to have!! (And NO, I’m not lazy lol)

4.Tell us about your favorite character and why you chose to write about them?

Ok, in Boy who dreams, it is centered around a character called Jordan.  I liked creating him as he is quite normal in the way that he is quite different.  As a teen, he is uncertain about life and lacks confidence with girls, but he is open minded, soaking up information like a sponge.  As spiritual stuff bears its weight down on him, he accepts it rather than being a skeptic, and yes inside of him is the possibility to be a great leader.

5.What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on book two in this series and it is about half way written, it will be an exciting continuation of the story as the characters begin to change amidst uncertain circumstances, betrayal and triumphs litter their paths into the spiritual world, all under the shadow of a growing threat to the whole world.

6.Any upcoming events?

Yes I am currently on Book launch Tour for ‘Boy who Dreams’ which will end around mid-August, but there will be other events after that, so readers should keep an eye out on my Blog for that.

7.If you could be anyone you like, who would you be?

Hmm this is a tough one, I guess I would like to be like Keith Green, a hippy Christian piano player from the 70s.

8.Do you have any advice for new writers and something that a seasoned vet can learn?

Yes, forget about fame, forget about fortune.  Concentrate on you, your writing and perfecting your craft, everything else will follow.

9.Where can your followers find you?

Various places, I balance a fair few Blogs and I am very active on Goodreads with what I am reading and with posting reviews, I did set a target of reading 100 books this year, but its hovering around the 25 mark so far.  My Blogs concerning myself and Boy who Dreams are;

http://aboutcesar.blogspot.ie/p/home.html

http://destinyawokenseries.blogspot.ie/

Goodreads Page;

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3102876.Cesar

10.Any last words?

Yes, I’d like you for the opportunity to share a little about myself and my life.  Enjoy the book everyone !! 

Cesar is giving away 5 free books so please enter to win!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Boy Who Dreams

by Cesar

Giveaway ends August 13, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

Author Spotlight--Justin E. Geary

It's been awhile since my last guest or my last post but please forgive me as it is summer and I do have young men to raise. In the midst of it I did a book signings but I'll get to those details at another time. So without further ado let's get to the Author Spotlight. 

 Bio: Justin E. Geary lives in western Maryland where he spends his time reading various authors and exploring different subjects. In addition to fiction he enjoys history and some science. He is the nephew of 1942 Pulitzer Prize winner Laurence Edmond Allen. Justin’s hobbies are chess, pool and writing epic fantasy. He started reading Edgar Allen Poe with interest at the age of sixteen and started writing screenplays at the age of nineteen. Screenplays were unfulfilling for Justin because they lacked depth. Later on he wrote his first novel at twenty-one and Midnight’s Cloak his second at twenty-four. After finishing the rough draft Justin decided that Fantasy was his escape from the world. Without a college education Justin decided to seek editorial help sinking twenty-one hundred dollars of his own money into the editing and proofing of his manuscript. Justin calls the expense a small price for something he loves so dearly.

Up Close and Personal With Justin E. Geary

What inspires you as a writer? I think people around you inspire you at times. There are a lot of pessimistic people in the world and that is sad. I think people need to have a more optimistic view on life. I believe that authors should surround themselves with others that encourage them, not the ones who tell us how hard it is to make it in this business. We already know that and we have a thick stack of rejection letters to prove it. Good novels have also inspired me over the years. I would say Robert Jordan has inspired me more than any other author. I learned most of what I know from reading his work. He was a master at character development.

When did you have that ah ha moment when you knew you were a writer? When I was about nineteen, I started reading a lot of Stephen King and one day I sat down and wrote a two page short story called Wall Climbers. Then I read through it and wondered where it had come from. It surprised and excited me at the same time. It was creative. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to write fiction.

What is your writing process? My writing process is exhausting and a lot of hard work. I don’t use webs. First, I write the rough draft which is exactly that, rough. It’s undisciplined and totally mine like a captured wild stallion. After the rough draft is finished I submit to my first editor. A good editor is a complete jerk when it comes to writing. If he criticizes everything you do, that’s how you know he is doing a good job. The more critical he is about the manuscript the better that novel is going to be. Editors are so important. If you want any chance at success your novel must be edited. When I receive my manuscript back I will be very upset and go through many stages of denial. Then after the stubbornness wears off I realize that this man or woman is trying to help me find the weaknesses in my work. This is the most important part of my novel’s preparation and if it’s done properly, my book should be cut considerably. After the work is done on my end, I submit to a proofreader and make the grammatical changes. I hate grammar with a passion, because I’m so obsessive with it. I have to check every little thing twice. I get panic attacks during the proofing stage. The last step is publishing. Every aspect of the novel should look good, from the inside to the cover. Then I send it in to print. Anyone can write a novel, writing a good novel is difficult.

Tell us about your favorite character and why you chose to write about them? I think at this stage in the series Arsidis Vanhorn is my favorite character because he’s a wandering vagrant without responsibilities. He finds himself involved in the battle of Quenendor. He’s trying to avoid getting himself involved and kind of falls into it by befriending people and finding love within the city. I don’t have a favorite character though. I love them all. Aramina will definitely be the most enjoyable to write about in the future. Her magic is very powerful and unique and while you see her as a girl in the first book you will see her grow and evolve in future books.

What are you currently working on? I’ve been working on a collection for a long time. There are a few literary pieces but the majority is the fiction genre, mostly horror. I don’t even know if I want to publish it. The stories are good but I would really like to be labeled as an epic fantasy writer, to promote future Age of the Wrath books. Also, I’ve started on Shadowlance, the second book in the series. I am about twenty thousand words in. Dragons will actually be in the second book early on, which will be a change from the first one.

Any upcoming events? I’m doing a radio interview which will be on my blog. It also has the book tour information and I will be on other tours in the future. Just check out my blog. Type in Justin E. Geary blog and it will be under ageofthewrathjeg. It’s like the fourth one down on the Google search engine.

Do you have any advice for new writers and something that a seasoned vet can learn? I don’t know if I have anything I can tell a seasoned vet but for new writers: Write the rough draft and submit to an editor and even though it’s hard, you must make the majority of the changes and cuts to make your work stronger. Never stop believing in your work and yourself. But realize that writing good fiction is hard work. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.

 Where can your followers find you? My blog is the best place, ageofthewrathjeg. I will keep you posted on any changes and of course, you can see my reviews and read my sample chapters on Amazon. The cover is not up yet for the paperback but the kindle is. Also the reviews are spread between the two which is kind of a pain in the neck for you guys.

Any last words

I would just like to thank the host for inviting me to The Mind of Omegia and watch for my future novels. My Amazon Kindle is $2.99 and it’s free in the lenders’ library for Amazon prime members.

 Please let Justin know you were here by leaving a comment. 

Omegia Keeys

Are you dreaming of traveling to Asia?

HI there! My name is Ami Blackwelder and I have worked as a teacher for eight years in Asia. I wanted to share some of my experiences with you so that you could consider if traveling as a teacher is right for you. Or perhaps you just wanted to take a vacation in the great Eastern Orient?

I taught a year in Korea and one thing I can say for sure is that the country is very exotic. The people and culture are very different from anything here in the states. They use their eyes to speak and many Korean women look like models. I made many friends who took me out to eat. Kimchi and Kimbop are two popular Korean dishes. The first is very spicy, while the later is like a vegetable sushi roll. There are many, many churches in Korea and the country is built vertically since the land is so small. This means everything is very TALL. They drive like mad, but once you get to known them you will discover a world hidden from tourists. The salary is about $2,000 a month, so if you are having a hard time finding work…perhaps Korea will help. Say hello - "An Yang ha say yo?" Which actually means something like "Are you feeling happy?"

I spent six years in Thailand. Thailand is warm and friendly. Very easy-going people who are often helpful. I loved my time in Thailand. Some of my best memories. Some of my best friends. Thailand is very affordable and buying property there is also frugal. There are islands  to visit and sunbathe on while Thais will offer massages, fresh corn and other goodies. Transportation is fun since you can go on motorbike or Baht-Bus, or an air-con bus, taxi, sky train if in Bangkok, and more. To say hello "Swadee Ca" or if a guy "Swadee Cup"  Thai salary is not as much as you'd make in Korea, maybe somewhere between $500-$1500 depending on where you work and your experience. You could work at an international school and make close to $4000 a month, but then your teaching credentials have to be up to par and you will be competing with many others.

I also travelled into Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia, North Vietnam, Japan, and China. One of the most beautiful landscapes was in Nepal/Tibet/North Vietnam. I took a tour bus from Tibet into Nepal. Very scenic route. As we passed waterfalls the bus began to rattle until stopping completely. We had to walk the rest of the way and down the side of a mountain to get into Nepal. The Nepali children climbed up the side of the mountain to help all us foreigners into the city of Katmandu. It was one of the coolest experiences I ever had. (And lived to tell;)

I would recommend visiting, if not working, in North Vietnam. Picturesque landscape and simple village people. I traveled with a village guide and saw some of the most interesting places. We walked hiking trails and off the beaten path a few times. We walked into a poor village/ school area. The area is called SAPA. This is very different from the main cities of Vietnam which are not that interesting to me.

Well, I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about the countries of Asia. Perhaps one day you will see them for yourself?

In the meantime, please check out my books at http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com

I write with a unique-social voice and unusual, unpredictable plot twists.

BYE for now!

Ami

Author Etiquette-SC Book Fest

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the SC Book Festival along with several other bestselling authors to include Allison Hobbs (Brick and Scadalicious), Eric Jerome Dicky (Marvel Miniseries and  Chasing Destiny), Hanoch McCarty (Chicken Soup for the Soul), Kimberla Lawson Roby (The Reverend’s Wife), Zane (Sex Chronicles and Hot Box) and many more. These authors were not only Featured Presenters but some also had exhibitor spaces.  

 Me in the middle along with Strebor Books (an imprint of Simone and Schuster) authors Charmain and Allison Hobbs

The festival did a 180 degree turnaround from last year from the bigger names to the crowds. Upon the opening of the doors on Saturday readers flooded the event, bringing in their good spirits and of course their wallets. Within an hour my sales tripled from the previous year. Along with the readers came the inquiring authors. As most know I enjoy helping others, just not so much when I’m at an event selling books. This leads me to my actual blog topic—Author Etiquette.

As with anything there are rules one should follow when seeking advice from other authors or publishing companies at book festivals:

#1 No blocking the table! Unless you are purchasing a book do not block the booth from other readers. Step to the side. 

#2 Do not hand the author or publisher your book expecting them to look it over on the spot. Yes, we like meeting people but those booths are not free. We are there to sell books. No one has time to read your book and give you a critique. But, if you are to be sold bold as to do this please make sure you are handing them a quality product. Handing someone a non-edited, non-formatted, and poorly designed cover to boot is not making a good impression. 

#3 Do not bombard authors and publishers with questions and surely don’t pull out a form expecting them to go down your list of questions.  In fact festivals often have classes authors can attend regarding writing and publishing. Feel free to attend those classes and ask away. That’s why they have them. Also, most questions can be answered by looking at a publisher’s website.  Feel free to stop by the booth and take some marketing material.

#4 Know the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing before you assume and insult an author. Having a booth at an event and not a featured presenter does not mean an author is self-published nor has not reached bestselling status. It means the author knows about marketing and promoting their work.

#5 A good way to get some answers from an author is to actually purchase one of their books. Why would an author want to spend their time speaking with you if you don’t bother to even read their work? For all you know they may not be that good of an author and you don’t want their advice or in my case, I have a book that answers all your questions but you fail to purchase it. The Not So Common Sense Guide for Authors was written with you in mind. Tip: no author is going to give you all of their secrets. We worked hard to get where we are and are not going to just hand it over. 

 Me and one of my young adult readers

#6 If you are a fellow author vending the event don't get upset if your book is not selling as much as the authors around you. If you do, please refrain from trying to block their readers and making snide remarks. It’s best to sneak peeks and take note of what you can do better. If possible catch the author in-between customers and make small talk with them. Networking is acceptable, but if a reader walks up kindly step to the side.

#7 If you are going to approach other authors please be professional and use good hygiene. It’s a shame I have to say this but bathing is essential if you want to hold a conversation with me. I don’t have a very good poker face so my eyes starting to water and nose turning up has nothing to do with your characters untimely death. It’s the odor. 

The above mentioned are just a few of I often encounter while book touring and all were broken in SC. While I'm making fun due not I'm also being serious. It will get you a little closer to your goal. For more tips you may want to try The Not So Common Sense Guide for Authors and if you are serious about promoting your work try being an exhibitor yourself.  

Until Next Time,

Omegia Keeys

www.okeeys.com

Award Winning Author

Publicist

Publishing Liaison

Fiction Do's and Don'ts

Now that book touring has picked up for me again my posts have gotten far and few in between. I've held back because I didn't want to over-saturate my blog with how one should behave while signing books. Today my mind was in another space and I was allowed to write something else.

As I was catching up on all my emails from authors and my favorite blogs I came across a topic I touched on in The Not So Common Sense Guide for Authors. When writing fiction there are things authors should avoid. Overuse of Flashbacks is a big no no for me. Recently I was reading a book which had so many flashbacks I never knew when I was in the present mode. Then, to top it off the flashbacks really did nothing to move the story forward. After chapter five I gave up. 

For you aspiring authors I hope you take heed to the following.

How Not to Write Fiction: 3 Big Mistakes To Avoid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Books are enjoyable to read. However, they are not enjoyable if they are bogged down in description or when flashbacks prevent the story from moving forward and rob the readers of their ability to emotionally connect with the characters. Sadly, some authors, especially aspiring authors, get into these habits when writing fiction. The three biggest mistakes are author imposition, overuse of flashbacks and over description. 

 
Author Imposition

Author imposition is when the author uses his or her voice to tell the story. There is a time and place for author imposition, and that is when the novel follows the life of the author, told through the author's eyes. In stories like that, it is okay when the author imposes him or herself on the story narrative and dialogue. After all, he or she is the main character in the novel. However, when a book is completely fiction, the author needs to butt out and let the story write itself and the characters develop as they would in reality. 

"I told you so," Emily said emphatically. This sentence is a perfect example of author imposition. Readers can easily feel Emily's emotion when reading her words, "I told you so," on their own. The word 'emphatically' at the end of the sentence is the author's way of telling how Emily felt after she just expressed herself in the sentence.

The sentence is best be written as, "I told you so," Emily said. If a reader can't feel Emily's emotion based on those four words, then the author needs to go back to the drawing board. Bodily gestures and facial expressions are also excellent ways to convey a character's emotion.
 
Overuse of Flashbacks in Fiction

While flashbacks can help a story move forward, too many flashbacks can actually hinder the story and character development. Readers do not need to know about every character's life story. They don't even want to know about the main character's entire life story, unless the story revolves around the main character's life. Novels that begin with a character walking down a busy street, reminiscing about childhood memories does not tell readers anything about that character.

Over Description in Fiction

Description is central to fiction, but too much of it can severely hinder the beat of the story. Try reading this sentence: The tiny, furry, brown, kittens jumped onto the big, green, cashmere sofa. This adjective rich sentence is so easy to trip over. There is no reason for most of these adjectives.

The tiny, brown kittens jumped onto the big sofa. This sentence is concise and it gives the reader a clear image of the kittens jumping onto the sofa.

Over description robs a fiction book of its vivacity and personality, so avoid it.

When writing fiction, all authors should be aware of author imposition, flashbacks and description. They should use flashbacks only if the flashbacks serve to move the story forward and should be judicious in their descriptions of characters, events, building and streets.

Deanna Proach is the author of two books, Day of Revenge (Inkwater Press) and To be Maria (recently complete). She also writes for discounts.ca, a website that specializes in all kinds of discounts.

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

Until Next Time

O. Keeys

www.okeeys.com