The June 30th deadline for my free CreateSpace copies is quickly drawing close. I’ve been playing with covers for a while now and have finally settled on my design. My first thought was water based, but since I came up with my tagline of “The Earth Clan has declared war and a landscaper is at…
Category: Thanmir War
Query Shark Analysis
I wrote a blurb for This World Bites. Actually, as it was pointed out to me, I wrote a list of events, not a blurb. In other words, it sucked. But the girls in my facebook writing group set me straight and gave me some very helpful feedback, such as definitions. I’d always thought a…
Description and Transitions
There are different flavors of readers out there, this I know. Some prefer lush, detailed descriptions of settings, characters, and any other item that come across the page. And then there are those in the other camp who gag and go cross-eyed when they are subjected to that level of attention. Heck, I had the…
The Beat Sheet
In my post about my second draft journey, I mentioned Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder. Well, I’ve decided to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo during April and have chosen to do something I’ve never done. Plan. Blake Snyder has a beat sheet that pretty much every big movie hit follows. He says a good screenplay…
Too old and yet just right
I watched the Total Recall remake tonight. If there is any actor I could have playing Cameron Hartford, it would be Colin Farrell. Cameron is only 19 and Colin Farrell is a hunky 36, so you can see my dilemma when it comes to age. But man! The actor profile this guy plays, the commando…
The Second Draft Journey
When I read Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, he mentioned a formula he received in a rejection letter: 2nd Draft = 1st Draft – 10%. That inspired me and I set it as my goal. Numbers and me are good friends and I like having achievable goals I can see and…
Blog Hop: World Building Excerpt
Day 5 of the World Building blog hop, hosted by Sharon Bayliss. World Building Excerpt Book: Thanmir War Name: Cameron Hartford Title: Commander Age: 19 Race: Human Hair color: Auburn Eye color: Green The change was instantaneous. Cameron stared down at the invisible line dividing the two provinces. On one side, a breeze stirred the…
Blog Hop: Food, Drink, Holidays, and Culture
Day 4 of the World Building blog hop, hosted by Sharon Bayliss. Food, Drink, Holidays, and Culture Chikara has four festivals, each on the eve of the new quarter annual: Travad, Ruis, Mau, and Braum. The palace doors are opened and all are welcomed to partake in the food, drink, and dancing. For towns not…
Blog Hop: Religion and/or Magic
Day 3 of the World Building blog hop, hosted by Sharon Bayliss. Religion and/or Magic Chikara was created by the elemental deities, collectively called the Drethamir. There are five Drethamir, just like there are five clans. The Drethamir embody creation, order, and meticulous design. They created the elements, the elementals, the oazmir, and many other…
Blog Hop: History and Politics
Day 2 of the World Building blog hop hosted by Sharon Bayliss. History The human Chikaran calendar starts at 0 EE (Elemental Epoch). Elementals have no use for calendars or other time telling devices. Elementals are eternal and have existed long before the humans ran ashore on the hot desert sands in the Embrathael province….