The First Hurdle

I can proudly say that I have completed the first two chapters of The Oracle. Obviously it is all a rough draft, but I really feel like I have gotten over the first hurdle. Even better, I really like what I've written so far, and this book has taken on its own identity almost immediately. It's always amazing to me how, once you get rolling, the characters lead you in different directions than you thought you were going to go. Not in very big ways, but significant enough for me to diverge from my outline within the first couple pages (that's what makes it a working outline, I suppose). At any rate, I think my readers will be pleased with how the book is shaping up. It's a little more mature (not in a bad way, in the sense that my main characters are now a year older and should act more mature) and while I think it maintains the spirit of the first book for continuity, it is also something completely new. Darcy is in a much different place at the opening of this book than she was at the opening of the last one, and I think people will be pleased to know that she's not going to be quite so disagreeable, at least, not right away. (She still has to be flawed, you know?) Anyhow, here's the first two chapter titles (liable to change!): Chapter 1: Darcy Has a Dream. Chapter 2: Questions Without Answers.
So long for now!

Almost there!

Goodness! It has been much too long since I have updated my blog! Well, here's my excuse: I'm a full-time school teacher and the school year is winding down. It's crazy right now, but school will be out in 4 short days and I am counting down the time until I can begin actually writing The Oracle. So I guess this is just a short update to anybody out there who cares that I have not disappeared off the face of the planet, and I have a novel in my head that is crying to get out! I hope to have weekly or biweekly updates on The Oracle throughout the summer.
So long for now!

Sneak Peak

Today I sat down and wrote the back cover of The Gateway Chronicles, book 2: The Oracle. Here it is in its entirety:

One year has gone by since Darcy Pennington’s life changed forever. A year ago she’d thought that magic only existed in fairy tales. A year ago the existence of parallel realms would have seemed preposterous to her. A year ago she’d had no real friends. Now all that had changed.

It is the summer before freshman year and a return to Cedar Cove Family Camp also means a return to Alitheia for Darcy and her five friends. The return to Alitheia is bittersweet for Darcy, however, as her elusive purpose and uncertain future in the magical realm continues to evade her. Egged on by the boy she is supposed to someday marry, Darcy sets out on a quest to find the Oracle, a mysterious entity that can answer any question. In the end, however, Darcy may discover that the answer to her question is not worth the cost of asking it.

I am looking for feedback on this, so don't hold back! It's only the first draft and I don't have any problem making changes. I am heading into Spring Break this week and hopefully I can get some work done on the book. We'll see! Either way, The Oracle will be published around Thanksgiving this year.

The Hook

I've put a great deal of thought into The Oracle (book 2 of the Gateway Chronicles) this month, particularly concerning what the hook for the second book should look like. Of course I already know what the story is going to be (I'd be in a great deal of trouble right now if I didn't at least have that figured out), but I think there is a great challenge to be met in drawing the reader into the story right away in the first chapter. Writing a good hook is always a challenge, but I think it's even more difficult when you have a series of stories like mine, in which the principle characters have to get to the other world before the real conflict of the story develops. The Six started off very gradually because it was introducing the entire series, and I want The Oracle to be a distinct break from that. I determined long ago that each book has to start in "our" world, so I took care in The Six to set up elements of conflict that can carry over from Alitheia to "here." And I think that just this morning I figured out exactly what the hook for book 2 should look like. (No, I'm not going to tell you!) Now that I know the beginning, I feel like I can finally start putting together the outline for the book.

Okay, I've been feeding peach puffs across the table to my ten-month-old, but I think he needs something more substantive. Now he's grabbing at the laptop. Time to go!

Contest Entry

Well, I just finished submitting my book to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest. I have never entered a writing contest before and it was super nerve-wracking just trying to make sure that everything was formatted correctly and just right. It's really a matter of jumping through the same publishing hoops as usual: They will read my "pitch" (ie. query) to determine if they want to look at anything else. So if the pitch is not engaging enough, that's basically end of story. I'm torn between feeling really confident about the pitch I wrote and really morose about, but it's submitted and done regardless. I know that I have a good story to tell! The positive feedback has been overwhelming! Now it's just a matter of getting somebody in the publishing industry to take notice. Okay, to avoid sounding like a broken record, I'll leave off on that for now. My thanks to all of you who are supporting me!

The Waiting Game

What an amazing time this publishing experience has been! It's incredible to me that I have "fans." People have read my book, like it, and are eager for more! I have gotten nothing but positive feedback so far from my readers, and some of it has been VERY positive. So, now that I have gotten the first wave of books out and we are through the holidays, it is time for me to start actively promoting myself again. I feel like I am stuck in a waiting game for a while, though. I am waiting for those who have read and liked it to tell other people about it who will then go purchase and read it. I am also waiting to hear from some various people who have given copies to people in the media and the publishing industry and whatnot. I feel like official publication just HAS to happen for me! I don't know how long it will take, but I think I will get there eventually. As to what else I can do right now, I'm going to take some copies to the local libraries and try to set up a few more book signings. That's as good a place to start as any!

What's new?

Well! It's been a whirlwind couple months for me in which I've made some important decisions regarding my publishing prospects. So here's what's new:
-I decided to self-publish my book on Amazon with createspace.com.
-I successfully completed said task and now have a book for sale!
-I have sold 22 copies of my book in 3 days and am looking forward to the prospect of many more sales to come!
-I have been working hard at promoting my book and have a large book-signing party planned for December 10th.
-I have many more prospects in the works for the further promotion of my book, including (hopefully) some interviews in various media outlets in the Birmingham area.
-I will continue to search for representation by a literary agent and I hope that I will someday soon see myself signed by a publishing house!

Whew! I think that's enough to be getting on with for now. If you would like to purchase The Gateway Chronicles: The Six, you can get it on Amazon.com or you can also purchase it at www.createspace.com/3402648

Thanks!