February | 2012 | laurenwaters

Archive for February, 2012

Infinite Devotion Giveaway!

Posted in self-publishing, tagged Goodreads Giveaway, Infinite Devotion, Print Copy on February 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Infinite Devotion

by L.E. Waters

Giveaway ends March 25, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

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Flash Fiction Challenge

Posted in Blogging, tagged Flash Fiction Challenge on February 24, 2012| 15 Comments »

Sara Flower has written a fantastic entry and has inspired me to partake in the Flash Fiction Challenge. The Rachel Writes blog began the challenge of writing flash fiction that is exactly 200 words.

More about this fun challenge:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

* end the story with the words: “everything faded.” (also included in the word count)

* include the word “orange” in the story

* write in the same genre you normally write

* make your story 200 words exactly!

Since I have a terrible cold and couldn’t sleep, I wrote this until 2am:

Shadows crept across the wall
The bokor’s fire reaching tall
Exposed pin-stuck sawdust dolls
Watching scattering critters crawl

Buccaneer, survived it all
In the midsts of Titan’s squalls
Heard the screaming cannon balls
Dodged a limey’s Musket ball

Yet on his Haitian port of call
The loser of last night’s brawl
Shrieked his feeble warning call
‘Leave her now or harm befall!’

Was she worth it all?
Her curvy feel, her voodoo drawl
Hips that roll, lips enthrall
Still, was she really worth this fall?

Salty shipmates carried him tall
‘Go to bokor, he heals all’
Pulled back the whore’s ruined shawl
Stuffed in his wound, a cotton ball

Bokor said, ‘Do you recall,
Who lay with you before the maul,
In dirty, straw-thrown stall?
My wayward daughter, sweet Chantale

The devil charmed her with your gall
Hell has claimed her for his all
Now I claim you as my thrall
In this jar, death’s cure all’

His eyes widened in smokey pall
Cryptic mumbo-jumbo scrawl
Zombie juice, all in all
His undead future he must forestall

He kicked the jar against the wall
Orange splatter quickly sprawls
His soul saved—his heart stalls
Everything faded, once and for all

This just goes to show everyone: don’t write poetry on cold meds!

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Sunshine Award!

Posted in Blogging, tagged Sunshine Blogger Award on February 16, 2012| 15 Comments »

I love getting these awards and thank you SO much Sara Flower, blogger and soon-to-be published author (*eek*), for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award.

This is how this award works.

Rules: Thank the person who gave you the award. Write a post about it. Answer the questions that come with it. Pass it along to ten other bloggers and let them know they’ve received the award.

Questions:

Favorite Color: Silver Sage (thank you Restoration Hardware for addicting me to this color)

Favorite Animal: Oh, this is so hard. I love so many. If I had to pick, I’d say Canadian Geese. I raised an orphaned one when I was little and she has a special place in my heart.

Favorite Number: 7

Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink: Lattes (I have a whole post about this)

Facebook or Twitter: Ugh, I have to start to use these more, but I feel ancient when it comes to technological thingies (it’s a miracle I’ve figured blogging out)

My Passions: Writing, reading, animals, hiking, family, antiques, gardening, and crafty stuff.

Getting or Giving Presents: Giving. I get such a thrill out of finding the perfect present for someone.

Favorite Pattern: Wow, I’ve never thought of this before. I have to say ribbons and roses.

Favorite Day of the Week: Saturday, since my husband’s home and I actually get some writing time!

Favorite Flower: Pansies

My Nominees:

Sara Flower– I have to nominate her back since I just worship her style and her romantic/fantasy inspired posts. They have a way of transporting me to a place that is critical for everything imaginative.

Bethany Yeager– I have so much love for this amazing blogger and writer. Not only is she just the best crit partner in the world, her posts are always so fun and full of sagacious writing advice.

Yesenia– Now this aspiring writer is just about to give birth, so she gets a free pass not to respond to this award. But she has terrific insights into writing with tips and resources to help aspiring writers. Good luck with the new baby!

Brian James Freeman– I’m new to Brian’s blog, but his novellas looked so interesting, I snatched them up right away. I’m half-way through his collections of short stories titled Seven Stories and he has a wonderful voice. He has such a professional blog and I look to him as model for a successful author.

David Shutter– David’s blog is wonderful for staying on top of the latest self-publishing news and occasionally he speaks about his journey toward self-publishing. I love the title of his first sci-fi action thriller, The Doomsday Door.

Hollister Ann Grant– I owe this blogger a lot. She found my blog early on and provided such wonderful advice since she had just published herself. She has two books out right now (both so enjoyable) and I know she is busy right now writing a third. She writes fantastic guest posts and is so helpful.

Shéa MacLeod- Talk about prolific writer! This lady puts me to shame. Every time I check in on her blog it seems she’s written another amazing book. I love her blog, love her guest posts, and I love her voice.

Caitlinnicoll – Exceptional YA reviews. I don’t know how she does it, but I’m astounded by how many books this girl can read! Her blog is always fun and creative.

Brigid Kemmerer– Author of the Elemental series, who is just about to have her debut release! She provides great advice and insight into the traditionally published route. I can’t wait to get my hands on Storm, the first of her series.

Katie Mills Hilarious, hilarious blogger whose blog title, Creepy Query Girl, says it all. Every post she writes makes me laugh. Don’t miss this one, especially if you’ve been down the query rejection path.

Thanks again, Sara and be sure to check out the above blogs—they will not disappoint!

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Happy Valentine’s Day

Posted in self-publishing, tagged Book launch, Historical Fantasy, Infinite Devotion, Novel release on February 14, 2012| 5 Comments »

Devotion

The heart can think of no devotion
Greater than being shore to ocean –
Holding the curve of one position
Counting an endless repetition.

~Robert Frost

Happy ~~Valentine’s~~ Launch Day!

All those clutching their valentines and stuffing their faces with Godivas: pull cupid’s arrow out of your backside for one moment to feast your eyes on this…

Ta-da!

I’ve launched the second book in the Infinite Series!

Finally!

If you haven’t heard me talk about it before, here is a description of the sequel:

Maya continues to delve into her past lives after death, and strives to complete the tentative journey required to reunite with her loved ones in heaven.

She must relive and explore her former incarnations as the scandalous and misunderstood Lucrezia Borgia in Renaissance Italy; a young stowaway on the doomed Spanish Armada fleet; and the rebellious Irish Robin Hood, Count Redmond O’Hanlon.

Her companions prove truer while her enemies grow stronger as her bygone adventures spin forth. This time she must experience the trials of loyalty and endure the hardships that only supreme devotion brings.

As an extra treat for being such amazing blog supporters, I want to offer my sequel’s ebook for free!

No strings attached!

Email me for your Smashwords coupon today.

*In a rushed, hushed voice* Offer ends either at midnight tonight or until after the first fifty requests; whichever comes first.

However, if after reading this epic novel you cannot resist posting me a review, I will not be upset 🙂

To all those interested in a print copy: they will be available in a few days via Amazon.

(And Dad, you’re not allowed to buy eight copies like you did before!)

Thanks everyone for your support and have a wonderful day!

Special Note: Infinite Devotion is not a standalone; side effects of reading the series out-of-order include headache, confusion, and, though extremely rare, disinterest in continuing the series.

Commence Valentine’s day proceedings…

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So it’s now February…

Posted in self-publishing, tagged Book launch, Historical Fantasy, indie publishing, Infinite Devotion, Novel release, Self-Publishing on February 9, 2012| 5 Comments »

and I haven’t launched Infinite Devotion yet.

Due to unforseen baby showers and baptism parties (and extra editing) I’ve had to delay my release a tad. Since the title of this sequel is titled Infinite Devotion, I thought it would be fitting to attempt to release it on Valentine’s Day.

That’s a terrible day for a launch you say?

Yes, while many people will be enjoying the day filled with sappy cards, chocolates, dinners, and romantic interludes, there will be plenty of people looking for something to entertain them (as I remember from my single days). And my husband and I will be lucky to enjoy a dinner without disruption from our little kiddies, so why not add some thrill to the day!

So, be sure to meet me back here on V-day! (Unless you have better plans 😉 )

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You Still Need a Proofreader (Even if Your Editor is a Superhero)

Posted in self-publishing, tagged copyediting, copyeditor, Editing, editor, Editors, indie publishing, POD, Self-Publishing on February 2, 2012| 9 Comments »

Yes, it is a superhero talent to weed through and catch every error from comma placement to sentence structure to checking historical facts. And after all that, they still comprehend the work enough to make sweeping editorial changes!

How do they do all that?

I’m completely impressed by my editor’s talents. Both times I sent my ms to her I thought, I really feel like a caught everything this time. And both times, my ms came back painted with insertions, deletions, and editorial suggestions. My editor is the person who double-checks my parachute before I jump out the airplane. That added bit of confidence that I have produced the best novel that I can is priceless. Although, even with that extra pack inspection, every parachutist still has a backup parachute.

A proofreader (or copyeditor) is that extra parachute.

It’s important to get another pair of discerning eyes to pick up on the oversights the first editor missed. As authors, we’ve all experienced the moment when someone points out an obvious error and you say to yourself, I must have read that sentence a hundred times before, how could I have missed that! Well, your editor is only human–although mine is as close to superhero as you can get–and they can overlook as well. Since my editor is making comments on practically every other sentence, things can get harder to spot. I do send it back for a second look through, but again, things may still slip on by.

Since the sequel is much longer (epicly long), I toyed with the idea that maybe I didn’t need a proofreader since my first editor is so amazing. The proofreader did find a few instances where she really saved my professional tukus in the first novel, but my editor caught most of the problems. So the cheap side of me tried to overcome the perfectionist side of me, but my OCD girl won out, and I opened up my wallet to hire the proofreader as well. The good news is that a proofread usually costs half of what the editor costs.

Phew! Was I glad I did get the proofread!

It must have been because this book is so much longer that it caused more opportunities for oversight, but she really caught some critical things. At one point I added something during the revision process and used the wrong name for a character and the proofreader caught that. That would have majorly confused someone. That one catch was worth her whole payment.

No matter how incredible your editor is, they are only human and can’t be 100% accurate.

The best evidence that all self-publishers should use an editor and a proofreader (if they can afford it) is that traditional publishers have a whole team of editors and copy-editors, all triple-checking your novel before release. As a self-publisher, I strive to mirror as many of the steps that a traditional publisher would carry out—at a lower cost of course.

So, you still might decide to only use an editor to save money, but if you hear feedback from an eagle-eyed reader about an error somewhere in your published novel, you’ll end up paying a formatter to go back and make those corrections for you, not to mention the fact that every review or rating you get mentioning that error is permanent.

My advice: hire the safety inspector and splurge for the backup parachute. It’s money well spent.