Between Lost & Found - Chapter 7

The girl ran through the woods. She jumped over fallen trees and ducked under low hanging limbs. She heard the thundering footsteps behind her and tried to pick up the pace. One of the dogs ran past her and the rest followed. The pack had grown but were still clumsy with their big paws and large heads.
The girl had noticed that she was changing as well. Her legs and arms had grown longer and thinner, although she wouldn’t have believed that she could get any thinner. But she was stronger than she had ever been. Her legs moved quickly and her eyes had grown keen.
The last dog to pass her cut too close and bumped straight into her leg, tumbling the girl and her long limbs to the ground.
The girl cried out in shock, but when the dog that had bumped her came back to lick her face and nudge at her to get back up, a laugh bubbled out of her.
She had never been so happy.
She lay on her back and watched as a swarm of insects flew amongst the leaves of the trees above. They sparkled blue and reminded the girl of the beetle she had once tried to save. The swarm flew downwards in a cyclone of wings. A couple of them came to rest on the girl’s chest and she had to stop the dog from pouncing on them. 
They were so beautiful. Long bodies and elegant wings. Wasps they were, but they did not sting the girl. They simply walked around on their fragile little legs and then took off again, buzzing pleasantly as they flew away. 
How improbable they were. Such tiny creatures. How was it possible that they contained the same things as she inside their bodies? Brain. Stomach. Heart. And to be able to fly with such small wings, fine and delicate and barely there at all.
As quick as the wasps had flown away, the rest of the dogs, whom she considered her brothers and sisters, came back as well, all crowding and licking and playing. The girl sat up on the soft mossy undergrowth amongst the tumble of wagging tails and boisterous bodies. 
The dog that had rumbled her nudged at her arm until she lifted it to let him under. She hugged his thick neck tightly as he kissed her face. She stroked his soft shiny coat and watched the love on his expressive face. Ears down, he crept further and further on to her lap. She couldn’t stop patting him for a moment, lest he nuzzle his way back under her hands.
‘Oh, Fury. I can’t pat you forever,’ she said to the big black dog that gently lay on top of her. 
She watched his coat gleam as she stroked his neck, but caught sight of her hands. The bones in her fingers had become pronounced, the spaces between joints had lengthened. And she had to think, how many joints are there meant to be on a human hand? There looked to be too many. The tips of her fingers were becoming pointy and her fingernails seemed to be changing color.
‘They’re just dirty,’ she thought, but something about her hands made shivers run up her spine. 
Suddenly, the entire pack’s ears were pricked and they were all staring off into the woods in the same direction. One of the dogs, she couldn’t figure out who began to growl deep in their chest. 
Out of the trees came a beautiful being, a woman, with fiery red hair and green scales instead of skin. She had black horns that rippled and curled from the top of her head. Her face was long and her eyes were large ebony globes cracked with volcanic crimson. She was a dragon. But also a woman. She was naked bar a belt with a sword in its hilt. It was the same dragon lady she had seen before. 
The black dogs continued to growl. They all stood in front of the girl, barricading her from this strange woman. 
‘Sweet girl,’ said the dragon lady in a feminine but rough voice. She then got down on one knee and bowed her head. ‘I mean you no harm.’
At this sign of subordination, the dogs stopped their growls but did not back down, did not lower their hackles. 
The girl stood up and the dragon lady looked up, but quickly put her head back down. 
‘I know you from somewhere,’ said the girl. ‘I have seen you at my home.’
‘Yes, forgive me, sweet girl. I have been …’ she chose her words wisely. ‘… Observing you from afar.’
‘Afar? You came in my home while I was asleep,’ said the girl, for she was not entirely stupid.
‘I have been mesmerized by your beauty and your voice,’ said the woman. ‘News of your crystal voice has traveled far and wide across the kingdom. I had to hear it for myself. I wished to talk to you, but I am afraid that your pack mother wouldn’t allow it.’
The girl heard the words but she was not listening properly. She had never been complimented before, she had especially never been called beautiful. Something grew inside her, a new feeling that she couldn’t quite explain. But she liked it. She wanted to hear the words again.
‘My beauty?’ she asked.
The dragon woman looked up and back down again, keeping her head bowed, horns pointing towards the pack of dogs protecting their sister. ‘Yes, sweet girl, I had heard stories of the human beauty that could sing to the forest. I had to come and see her for myself.’ She chanced another look at the girl and her dogs, but this time she kept looking.
‘And what was it that you wanted to say to me?’ The girl stood up a little taller.
‘Our queen wishes to have a meal with you, she is to have a feast in your honor,’ said the dragon lady.
‘Queen?’ thought the girl.
She stepped in front of the pack and the dragon woman stood up. At full height, she towered over the girl as a tree does a shrub.  
‘What is your name?’ asked the girl.
‘I am Lady Kavain, left hand of the queen and keeper of Dracorllia,’ said the dragon woman with an inflection a human couldn’t mimic.
‘Dracorllia?’ asked the girl, trying her best at the strange accent.
‘Yes, that is my home, where all the Dracorlla people live. It is on the other side Evermeer,’ said Kavain.
‘Evermeer?’ asked the girl.
Kavain smiled, showing her sharp teeth, glistening white. ‘Yes, sweet girl, that is where we live. That is here,’ she said with a sweep of a taloned hand.
The girl felt excitement building up inside her. There was a queen and she wanted to meet with her. She was throwing a feast in her honor. She tried to keep her decorum, but the smile touched her lips, escaping like a bug trapped in cupped hands, squeezing through the cracks between fingers. 
‘When is this feast?’ asked the girl. She may not have been stupid, but she was still young and impressionable, hopeful.
‘Why, tomorrow night, sweet girl,’ said Kavain. She said night as if that was an actual thing. But Kavain had not seen darkness since she was a child and the last human king had ruled. 
The girl laughed a little, for she had not seen nightfall either. ‘How will I know when it is night?’ the girl asked.
‘I will return tomorrow and escort you to the castle.’ Kavain looked over the girl. ‘And bring you some clothes. Maybe you should also think of taking a bath. It is rude to be in the presence of the queen smelling of dog.’ This last sentence made Kavain kick herself. She immediately saw the look on the girl’s face change. Kavain bowed her horned head toward her and averted her eyes. ‘Forgive me, sweet girl, I only wish to serve the queen and yourself.’
‘That’s okay, Lady Kavain. You did not offend me,’ the girl lied.
‘I must be off to inform the queen that you will be able to attend. Her Grace will be quite pleased,’ said Kavain, straightening up once more.
‘I can’t wait,’ said the girl.
Kavain bowed for the last time and then turned to leave. She tried not to think about the young human girl and her sweetness. She could see it on her face, her excitement at such a prospect as to meet the queen. Instead, she thought about her own daughter. Her beautiful Kavina. And all the other Dracorlla children in her home. The death of this one human child would continue to save theirs.

Blogging, vlogging & all the bullshit in between

Driving to work this morning, singing along to Fall Out Boy (don't judge my music taste...) I got to thinking about all the things we have to do to "become writers."
We have to start a blog, get a YouTube channel, instagram, pintrest, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, blog tours, manuscript assessments, street teams, amazon advertising, goodreads, ARC copies, giveaways ... the list is fucking endless.
I have seen so many blogs selling books telling wannabe #authors about how to sell and make money from their books. 'This is my success story, buy my book and I'll tell you the secret!'
It reminds me of a story my father once told me. He (or my grandfather... I can't remember exactly) once saw an ad in the newspaper saying 'how to make $1000 a week. Send $1 to this address and I'll send you the info on how.' He thought that sounded like a pretty good deal. So he sent his dollar. A week later, he received a letter in the mail. He opened it up and it was the big secret! It said, 'put ad in paper promising big secret for only $1. Copy this letter and send it to people.'
True story.
This is what these books are like. This is what all the bullshit is like. We struggle to keep an interesting blog going, fret about what photo to take for insta and we pull our hair out wondering why an agent hasn't picked us up yet or why we only have three likes on our YouTube video.
We should be just writing.
This revelation probably won't change anything. I'll still blog and take photos of my coffee in the morning. #writerslife ... but at the end of the day we should be spending more time on the art and less time on the sell.
Hugs xxx

Between Lost & Found - Chapter 5

The girl closed her eyes so tightly it hurt her head. Time seemed to stretch on and on in front of her. 

Suddenly, she felt something hot and wet slide up the side of her face. She opened her eyes to see the giant black dog and its open mouth right in front of her, its moist breath hot on her skin. It licked her face where tears had streaked. She hadn’t even noticed that she had been crying.

Several smaller dogs, the ones that had been hanging around, came tumbling in behind the larger one. The girl noticed that they were clumsy, their feet and heads too big and not in proportion. They tugged at the larger one’s ears, nipped at its ankles. 

The pups crawled all over the girl. With no concept of personal space or stranger or of the unknown. 

They simply loved her.

They kissed her face and rubbed themselves against her. Twelve the girl counted. Twelve pups. The bigger dog that towered over them all had teats heavy with milk, the girl guessed that she was their mother.

The mother dog lay down on the ground and the girl watched as the pups, the size of large dogs themselves, all crowded around their mother. The giant beast of a dog offered up her belly to the hungry brood and all the pups took a teat and suckled. 

A peace fell on the forest – the quiet that surrounds a mother feeding her young. A quiet the girl had never known. 

The girl relaxed as she watched the pups, who had been rambunctious only moments ago, become sleepy and content. That is when she remembered the strange dream she’d had. She remembered suckling at a giant black dog, the milk of the mother saving her.

The mother dog looked up at the girl, her big head heavy with sleep, ears flopping, eyes burning. The mother blinked slowly then placed her massive paw on the girl’s leg and tried to pull her in toward her. 

The girl hesitated a moment, but the mother was insistent. Eventually, the girl gave in and suckled alongside her new brothers and sisters.

This part is a short one. Sorry, guys. Hugs xxx 

Sad news

Today I have sad and disappointing news... My publisher has closed. With a mixture of personal issues and other things they have been forced to shut down.

They are handing all their authors back the rights to our books and cover images. All of our books and stories will be unpublished.

I'll be honest... I have no fucking idea where to go from here.

At first, I thought I might just self-publish Dead Bunnies and give away my short stories for free (like I normally do. I am a big believer in free stories.) but, for some reason, this doesn't sit well with me and there is something inside me telling me not to.

I know that I have spoken of self-publishing in the past, and I do believe that it is possible to make it work, but I have always wanted a publisher. Deep down in my little, blackened soul, I have always dreamed of the big deal. Not because of any money side, but because having a publisher means reaching a wider audience. It means being able to connect with more people.

So, maybe I will keep Dead Bunnies for now. Maybe I will put it on Wattpad and let it just be read and enjoyed by people. And then I will submit to an agent with Under The Corners of Shadows and Madness.

With a heavy heart, I bid farewell and RIP to Ink Blood Publishing. And I wish everyone connected to IBP all the best within their careers and lives. 

That is all for today...

Happy writing. Never give up hope.

Hugs xxx

Get ready for 2017 with a more effective writing routine

I have said it before but I'll say it again. Routine is important… when it comes to writing… That is really the only routine I have. The rest of my day is left up to the gods and my children, but between the hours of 5am and 7.30, it is all about the writing.
If you don't already have a routine in place then now is a good time to set one up. With the new year only a few days away it is now that we make decisions to better ourselves in the new year. I am going to give you a few pointers to get you started on the road to a better writing routine for 2017.

Creative flow
First thing to do is decide when your best creative flow comes. Do you work best first thing in the morning? Are you a night owl? Are you better suited to lunchtime breaks at a coffee house? Find a time during the day that works and stick to it. I work best first thing in the morning, when everyone is still asleep. I can sit there in my PJs at 5 am and happily type away. Even if it involves making the time. Years ago, I used to say that I didn't have time to write. I would also sleep in until eight o'clock in the morning or later. Making the decision to make time for writing is one of the best decisions I ever made. You should also work out if you work best after or before big meals, after working out, or after meditation. All these things can help contribute to making your writing time more productive.

Set goals 
What is it that you want to achieve? Is it a word count? A time frame? I, personally, am terrible at word count goals. One day I will wake up and the writing flows out of me like blood from an open wound. Other days I will write seven words and then delete them all again… So, I work with time. Set a realistic goal that you think you will be able to stick to. Start small, you can always increase it. If you start too big and then fail you may become discouraged and start skipping days and/or stop altogether. 

Figure out what you want to achieve
And yes this is different to the goal thing. Is it just writing that you need to do for your career? Do you need to write your blog or vlog or social media? I try to set up my schedule so that everything is slotted in. Blog post are written on Mondays, social media posts and photos taken on Tuesdays… you get the idea. It is good to set out everything you need to do and give it an allocated time. Make sure you still leave more time for writing as this is obviously the most important part of your writing schedule.

Turn off your phone and internet 
No, like seriously. Switch those fuckers off. In your writing time that is what you are doing. Writing. Resist the urge to see if your great aunt Miriam's dog has had her puppies yet or if Vlogbrothers have posted a YouTube clip yet or if your crush is online and wanting to chat. 

Learn to close the door 
If you are serious about writing then you need to learn that this is your job. Close the door (even if this means listening to music) and try to stay in your own head.

Set up things you need before your routine starts 
If you read my blog on listening to music maybe now is a good time to implement this. Set up a playlist on YouTube now so it is all ready to go in the new year.

Pre-write
So, this sounds odd, but hear me out. When I lay in bed at night, instead of ticking over all the problems I might have or all the things I have to do or should have done or whether I locked the front and back doors, I think about what I am going to write in the morning. This is a good time to do it, because you are a little tired so your mind is loose and malleable, so you can kind of just give in and let your subconscious take over. Just daydream about what is going to happen next in your book. Perhaps put yourself in the body of your main character and see what unravels. Then when you get up the next day, you already know what you are going to put to paper.

Plot 
I fucking hate plotting but it helps some people. I still make myself do it a little… I write chapter notes on index cards and then put them on a wall or window so I can look them over and make changes. There are some great advice on plotting on YouTube and all over the web. I do like "beautiful minding it" (putting it up on the wall… this is what my husband calls it.) but I may not be the best to take advice from on this subject because I plot terribly and I always seem to stray from the original…

Don't be too hard on yourself 
If you do miss a day here and there, don't beat yourself up, just try again the next day. Try to be consistent, but life does tend to happen regardless of what we try to do to prevent it. Just keep trying.


I hope this helps you figure out what you are going to do in the new year. Stay safe over this holiday season. 

I will post another chapter of Between Lost & Found tomorrow… if I still have internet… 

Hugs AMC 
xxx

Between Lost & Found - Chapter 1

‘Once upon a time there was a broken girl,’ the girl thought as she scrubbed the merciless wooden floor. She hated scrubbing those damned floors. Out of all the chores she had, it was the worst. The cold, hard floor bit into her knees as she worked the brush back and forth. It would soon be filthy again. People walked their muddy feet on it. How was it ever meant to stay clean? Nevertheless, she scrubbed. 

The brown bubbles of soap and grime clung to her bony fingers. Her clothes were a similar colour to the dirty bubbles, as was everything in the orphanage. Everything in the girl’s life seemed to be a variant of brown or beige, even the sky most days. Her life was a canvas and the artist painting on it had only one colour. She longed for more colour. She longed for rainbows and light and more. 

Sometimes, when the sun was still young in the sky, she would stare out the bedroom window, down onto the street below, just to feast on the many colours of the ladies’ dresses down below. But the feast would never last long, if the sisters did not find her spying first, the feasting would soon turn to daydream, and she would start imagining that one of those ladies was her mother. And day dreaming in a place like the orphanage was a perilous undertaking.

The daydream would start out simple enough. She was upstairs in the nursery of their grand home, the noises of the other children behind her would be the sounds of her brothers and sisters. She would be waiting for her mother to come back from the market. Some days her mother would be wearing red with golden hair, other days yellow with the hair of freshly roasted chestnuts. Sometimes, if she was lucky, she would see a woman with the same midnight hair as herself. 

She had received the strap one morning for accidentally waving to one of the ‘daydream mothers.’ The woman had complained to one of the sisters. The girl’s hands had to be bandaged for weeks. 

Now, the bandages were off and she was back scrubbing floors. 
While down on the floor, on this particular day, she heard a sweet clicking sound. It seemed to be coming from under a nearby chair. She subtly scrubbed her way over to the chair and, while the sister was not looking, she peered into the gloom under the chair. A sparkle of pearly blue caught her eye. 

She reached underneath and pulled out a beautiful blue-black beetle. Its shell shone in the flickering candle light as she held it out in her scarred palm. It was as pretty as a precious stone. ‘Don’t worry,’ whispered the girl. ‘I’ll keep you safe.’ She carefully tucked the beetle into the pocket of her brown dress and returned to scrubbing.

‘You! Ebony haired girl! Stop bloomin’ day dreamin’ already and scrub!’ screeched one of the sisters. 

The girl looked down at what she was doing. She had the brush in her hand and she was moving it back and forth. ‘I am scrubbing,’ she mumbled. 

‘What did you say?’ The sister’s tone was that of an alley cat on heat.

The girl cringed and closed her eyes. She looked up. All the other orphans had stopped scrubbing to watch. Some even had wicked grins lurking on their smug, dirty faces. 

The girl sat up on her haunches and looked the sister in the eyes. ‘I’m in trouble now anyway,’ thought the girl. 

‘I. Am. Scrubbing,’ she said loudly, pronouncing every syllable. 

The sister descended on her like a gray bat, all flapping robe wings and scratching claws. She grabbed the girl by the ear and dragged her to the Head Sister’s office. 

The girl kicked and squealed. She never gave up without a fight.
The sister flung the door open and threw the girl inside. ‘Mother, this one’s back talkin’ again,’ said the sister, prodding the girl harshly in the spine.

The mother, a woman as plump as a Christmas ham with snaggleteeth and no neck, growled at the girl. She slid her chair over to a drawer where she kept their files, the legs of the chair ground on the wooden floor like the claws of a giant beast from a fairy tale. The girl wondered how the spindly legs of the chair didn’t give way under the mother’s mighty weight.

‘What’s your name again, girl?’ asked the mother.
The girl went to speak but received a slap to the back of her head from the sister. 

‘Ouch,’ said the girl, rubbing her head. 

‘Ahh, yes,’ said the mother, getting out a file with the girl’s name on it. ‘Silly name for such a miserable, little urchin like you. Been ‘ere since you was a babe. Think you’d know better by now.’ 

‘I was scrubbing, Mother, I promise,’ said the girl, the word mother in relation to this woman tasted bitter on her tongue. 

‘And I s’pose you weren’t day dreamin’ t’all then?’ said the mother.

The girl paused for a moment.

‘See, Mother, the girl lies,’ said the sister, tugging hard on the girl’s hair. 

‘Ouch,’ cried the girl and, without thinking, she stomped backward onto the sister’s toes. 

The sister jumped around and hollered. The mother chuckled. She was not biased with her cruelty.

‘Compose yerself, Sister!’ The mother’s face changed into a hardened stone scowl. ‘You’re a feisty one, aren’t ya? Come, let’s see if we can break that spirit of yours.’

The girl hung her head and held out her hands, palms up. The red, raised scars that crisscrossed her palms still angry from the last time. 

The girl closed her eyes.




The girl sat outside in what little sun could make it through the smog. Her bones ached with the cold and the damaged skin on her hands stung. The bandages that the sister had wrapped around her hands were grubby, the same colour as the dirty soap bubbles on the floor she had been scrubbing, the same colour as the sky. 

She felt movement in her pocket and remembered the new friend she had found earlier. Standing up to have a walk around the small enclosed yard, she took the beetle out of her pocket. Its fluffy little feelers searched around in the open air and it clicked happily.

‘I told you I’d keep you safe,’ said the girl. And she began to sing quietly to herself as she walked.

Suddenly, she felt something large and hard strike the back of her head and she was falling forward before she could stop herself. Pain shot up through her hands as they struck the cobbles and it ricocheted up her arms.

She heard laughter behind her as a group of kids came over, the ones who had thrown the large rock that now lay in the dirt beside her. 
The girl’s head swam as she tried to blink away the black and white spots that swirled across her vision. Everything became shadowy.

‘Look at her, Richard! She’s presenting like a mare! Quick, in ya get,’ said one of the boys to another uproar of laughter.

The girl rolled over onto her hindquarters. The pain in her hands throbbed and she kept her eyes on the group of kids that had come over to taunt her, least they have more than one rock.

The boy that had thrown the rock pushed his friend, Richard, towards the girl. ‘Stop it, Thomas,’ said Richard, taking a swing at the rock thrower. ‘I’ll bloody catch something.’

The girl felt the pain in her heart as they all laughed at her. ‘Why don’t you all just sod off!’ Her voice broke as tears fell out onto her dirty cheeks.

‘Why don’t you all just sod off!’ they all mocked in high-pitched voices as they jeered and turned around as if she wasn’t even worth the effort of teasing. They all walked away and the girl looked to her bleeding palms to see the beetle that she had saved or what was left of its little carcass. Silvery wings and the scattered shell, nothing more than blue glitter and entrails.

Feel free to make any comments. I hold up to scrutiny! I'll post more next week.

Hugs AMC

xxx

I'm home!

So... For those who don't know, over a year ago I had a house fire. We have been moving around for the past 12 months and we are now... finally... back home! Halle-fucking-lujah!

This what my kitchen looked like and the rest of the house was not much fucking better. We did loose everything material, but we are all alive and healthy.

If you have ever moved house with children, then you will feel my pain. Trying to explain to your young child that 'No, sorry, we can't go home,' or 'Sorry honey, that toy is gone now,' is heartbreaking.

When we set out to the first lot of family with only the clothes on our backs, we told the kids that we were going on an adventure. 

That was all we could tell them.

It was not a lie. The past 12 months has been an adventure, alright! One that has tested my family and marriage to the brink. Tested my resolve and drive to continue my career. I won't lie, I have applied for a few jobs... I didn't get any of them, but I was still looking and sending my resume out there.

Anyway, I have gone off topic. We are home!

This is my new kitchen (& me in my PJs looking psychotic). It is black like my soul, and I love it.

So, I am starting a new project... well, technically, I will be sharing a new project. I will be sharing with you, as of next week, the story I have been working on... which happens to be the prequel to the novel I am working on.

So, stay tuned. Keep writing/making art/doing what makes you happy!

Hugs AMC
xxx

Juggling life while trying to write

Word Count: 33,875
Day: Sunny and Freezing
Mood: Not too shabby

A problem that I seem to notice a lot of novice writers and big names seem to share is the ability, or the art, of being able to juggle normal civilian life and being a writer. We can't do it all. But I think it all boils down to a few points I'm going to skim over. 

• Time management- Being a mother, I know something about time management. Something. Not a lot. This is a writing blog not a mummy blog. But all the same, we do have to learn how to manage our time. I have spoken before about setting aside time for our writing and sticking with it. This is so important. Think about the routine you already have in place. There is no need to try to shift things around if you already have a routine. And then think about where in that routine could you fit in your writing. It might be the hour when you put your child down for a nap or your lunch break at work or after you finish your homework or - in my case - I decided about 4 years ago that sleep was for the dead and started waking myself up 3 hours early than absolutely necessary. 
• Priorities- This works in with time management. I prioritised writing over sleeping in till 8am. You might watch TV before bed or sit on social media while eating breakfast or something of the like. You have to think about the things you do and pick something that is less important than the nagging story in your head. When you find it, throw that thing away and insert writing time in its place. You'll never look back.
• Habit- try to make it the same for every day. This way it will become a habit and soon you will feel weird or off if you missed out on your precious writing time.

This past week has been tricky. I have had builder appointments for our house (no, they haven't even started rebuilding the bloody thing yet #sigh It is still a burnt out little shell...) My son sliced his foot open, work was busy last week, I've had book covers to make... gaah. It's been busy. I missed a couple of days here and there and my weekly word count is not what I would like it to be, but I have still got something done. 

We, as a human race, tend to be way too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves if we don't live up to our own or (worse yet) someone else's expectations. 

Life happens sometimes and there is nothing we can do about it. The point is that we pick ourselves back up, we open that computer or notebook and keep on going. 

Sometimes we have excuses and sometimes we make them. Not having time is one of those made up excuses, I feel. I have missed out on my morning writing time before so I have made up for it by writing on my phone while on the loo. #truestory 

I have a friend with 3 children under 4 and a chronic illness, and even she finds time to write!

Juggle your life just make sure that one of those balls is for writing.

Hugs xxx

Writer's Block

Hello void that is the internet!

Today I would like to discuss writer's block. I have been suffering from this a lot lately which sucks because I used to be able to conquer this dreaded beast so easily. I am not just writing this post for you guys out there in the void, but also for me, to remind me of the things I used to do to help me get over it and move on!

Tips for making writer's block your bitch.

1. Keep writing. I know. I'm a dick saying this one. But this
   
   seems to be the best way to kick writer's block in the nuts. So the gist of this is to just write anyway. Forget about what is worrying you (thoughts of not being good enough, the fight you just had with your significant other, not knowing exactly where your story is going, etc) and just write. Write anything. Because you know what? Your computer has a delete key and a backspace key. And you can use them. This is the thing that mostly gets me going. Because no one has to see what you have written if you don't like it the next day. 
2. Read a book. Or even listen to a book. Zoning out into another person's world can often just help you to relax enough to stop worrying and keep that writing train chugging. Also it can spark ideas, keep you motivated (I want to be the next Stephen King! you say to yourself as you read his words.) and, let's face it, most of us write because we love books. We don't want reality. Reality is for shmucks. Get out of your head for a while and go relax.
3. Plot. I hate fucking plotting. But it has really helped me when I get stuck so I make myself do it. It is harder to get stuck in a hole if you can see the entire road stretched out before you.
4. Have a shower. Not because you stink (well maybe you do, depends how long your writing slump has been going for) but because "shower thinking" is a real thing. Research shows that when doing any monotonous task your prefrontal cortex relaxes and puts your brain into autopilot. This clears the pathways for new, creative ideas. This is the same for exercising.
5. Exercise. Now I don't mean that you should go join a gym (you can if you want but don't say I told you to) but if you can go
   
   for a walk or do some yoga, something to get the blood moving, those endorphins going then that can be really beneficially to your writing. In the warmer months I would work out right before or right after writing time. Also, it is a good way to justify snacking while typing!
6. Have a coffee. because reasons.
7. Take a nap. see above.
8. Google images. This is a weird one, but hear me out. Sometimes I like to see what I am writing, which can be difficult to find. But I go on Google images and I find pics that represent
   
   something in my story. I also set these pics as my wallpapers so I can sit and stare at them and get ideas.
9. Use online plot generators. These can be helpful if you have zero ideas. but try to use them wisely. Remember that other people have also used the same things, so try to twist them a little. You can also do Brainstorming which I might discuss again in another blog.
10. Change stories. Sometimes a story hasn't fully revealed itself to you. Sometimes if you go away from it for a while and come back to it later you can see it with fresh eyes. Go write a short story or some poetry or start a new novel. The work isn't going anywhere. So take a break.

Treat yourselves kindly. Writer's block can suck hairy donkey balls, but just remember that it is only temporary. It will come back to you. The more you stress about it the worse it will get. 

hugs 

AMC xxx

Advice for newbie writers

Hello void!

Someone on Instagram asked me through the week if I have any advice for them as an unpublished author. They were looking for a little direction.

Now, I ain't no famous writer, but I have had some minor successes so far in my career and seeing as though I am still only a newbie myself I think any success is great. So, that being said, I am going to give you my top ten tips newbie writers.

1. Write! This may seem pretty stupid and simple, but writing everyday can be harder than what it seems. You need to get some sort of writing routine in place. Start out with small goals, say write for half an hour a day, and then you can build from there. And keep this routine every day. The only times I don't write are when I am too deathly sick I can't even get out of dead or if, you know, life happens and I can't do it. But if I miss days then I do try to make up for them.
   
2. Read! I love reading, but when I first started writing every day, I told myself that I was a writer now, not a reader. I didn't have time to read. This was wrong. And my writing suffered for it. You can't make a good coffee if you don't know how it tastes, you can't write a good story if you don't read. Reading gives you tools that you can use when writing your own books. It also lets you keep up to date with what has been done. There is nothing worse than being so engrossed in writing your own stuff and then going to submit/publish it only to find out then that someone else has just had huge success with something similar. (EL James, I'm looking at you)
3. Get a writing buddy. I think this is so important. You need someone that you can show that all important first draft to. Someone you can trust and someone who will be honest without being a dick. This person is not a Beta reader, this is that person that is your first reader. They could be a friend, a partner, a parent or someone you meet through writing groups or book clubs. But you need someone to bounce ideas off and to read your work and to even give you a little boost when the old hag in your attic (mind) comes down to tell you how bloody horrible your writing is.
4. Social Media. Get on that shit now. I mean get yourself on author page on Facebook, Twitter, whatever and start using them. Don't spam your writing stuff though, that's not cool. But post stuff that is interesting to start building that fan base. Some people say you should do everything. Get on Pintrest and Youtube and tumblr and anything else that has just come out. I think this is wrong. You should pick the ones that you want to do. The ones that you will be able to keep up-to-date on. If you have all these social media and never post anything because there are so many and goes into the too hard basket then what is the point? If you can keep up with all of them then go for it. If you think you can handle only a couple then I suggest the trinity of social media. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. And if you can squeeze Google+ in there then that would be awesome. (Cause Google controls everything)
5. Freebies. About four/five years ago I started writing short stories as well as novels. But I give away most of my short fiction away for free. I have them on Smashwords, on my website, I even had them on Wattpad for a while (argh) I had them published in magazines/newspapers and it just got my name out there. People love free stuff. Who doesn't! And giving your stuff away is only going to help build your fan base. Even if it is giving away sample chapters for your novel away on your website, it is all helping towards getting new fans.
6. Learn how to self market. If you can go do a short marketing course, that would be great, but not all of us have this sort of time. so do your research and learn how to market yourself. As much as us artists don't like it, we are selling a product. And you can't sell it if people don't know it exists. And they find out by marketing. Start saving your money too because some things (like Facebook ads) can cost money. This is applicable for whether you are going to self-publish or traditional.
   
7. Dream Big! Someone once told me that I should start dreaming big. And by this they meant that I should start thinking and preparing myself to have a fan base. Get yourself a website and an author email and business cards and whatever else that you will need as an author. You want to be an author? Start acting like one now.
8. Make a decision. These days we have it easy, kinda. We have two main choices when it comes to publishing. We can go the traditional routine and submit to agents/publishers or we can self publish. Both have their advantages, so do your research. But you have to decide which one you want to do. It is okay if you change your mind (I did. A Lot.) but it is good to have some sort of goal that you are striving for. Either way you choose, start developing a thick skin. Rejections and bad reviews are coming your way and everyone of them hurt. It is up to you to decide how deep the wound is.
9. Research. This more of an actual writing one. There is nothing worse than reading a book that has factual flaws. well, there is. And that is publishing a book with factual flaws. I speak from experience. Although my main character in Dead Bunnies is very poorly treated when it comes to her mental disorder and that was part of the point, I still had her on medication, which is not what happens at all with DID. Now, I still stand by that her doctor is a D bag, which is why she is on meds, but still, I should have made more of a point in the story showing that it was not normal practice. I had planned on pointing it out in the sequel, but I didn't emphasize it enough in the first book. Of course this has since been pointed out to me... Do your bloody research.
10. Edit!!! Oh for the love of sweet holy fuck, edit. Edit until you know the words off by heart. Edit until your fingers and eyes bleed. Edit until you hate your story. Edit until you recite the words in your sleep and you freak out the people you live with. And then edit again. This includes, but is not limited to, first reader phase, Beta reader phase and PAID editor phase. Yes, you MUST pay someone to edit your work. Do your research and pick someone good. My very last editing phase, normally done the day before print day, is the read out loud phase, where I read the story out loud to my first reader or (even better) they read it to me. Soooo many things get picked up in this phase! Even after all this, Gaiman's Law will always apply ...

“Picking up your first copy of a book you wrote, if there’s one typo, it will be on the page that your new book falls open to the first time you pick it up.” – Neil Gaiman

Happy writing, annonymous void. I hope this has helped! If there is anything you would like me to ramble about, feel free to leave a comment or you can contact me on the social media.

Hugs 

AMC xxx

How to write a book - Routine

Writing a book is hard. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! 

I know that it is an artistic process and you want your muse to guide you and the energy has to be right or whatever ... But I think the best thing I ever did was establish a routine. A strict one.

Photos from Pixabay

It's no good wanting to have your muse guide you if that moody little being doesn't know where you are going to be and when!


Time

First thing to do is decide when your best creative flow comes. Do you work best first thing in the morning? Are you a night owl? Are you better suited to lunch-time breaks at a coffee house? Find a time during the day that works and stick to it. 

I work best first thing in the morning, when everyone is still asleep. I can sit there in my PJs at 4am and happily type away.

How long?

In the beginning I suggest setting realistic goals. If you have a day job or kids, I would suggest a time limit. Try out small ones at first. I started with 30 minutes and now I have worked up to almost 3 hours.

You could also go for a word count goal. Once again, start low. Go for a couple hundred words or less in the very beginning and work your way up. If you find that you are able to pump out the words like a machine (go you!) then up your word count. But keep it reasonable otherwise you may find that you just can't keep up with it.

What days?

Every day.

Without fail. 

Sometimes it is hard to stick to your routine in times of high stress or sickness, but try to do something. Anything. Even if you cut back, you have to keep doing something. Stephen King famously says that he used to tell interviews that he writes every day except his birthday and Christmas day, but this was a lie. He writes everyday. Just like you should!

But what about ...

So, your novel is about a thirteenth century plumber with the bad habit of skinning people alive and this requires a lot of research? Research is not writing.

You have a blog and social media to keep up with? Neither of those is writing, in the sense of what we are talking about anyway. 

I know have set in place that each day I have time set aside for other "writing" commitments, like blogging, social media, research, cover design, editing, etc. 

So, if you have similar commitments then maybe you can do what I have done.

Monday is set aside for Blogging. Tuesday is for writing my book reviews. Wednesday is the day that I blitz the crap out of social media and set up what I am going to post for the next week. Thursday is when I do Market research and plan marketing strategies. Friday is when I work on editing or cover designs that need doing. I work on these until I am done or 6.00am rolls around. Then it is straight back to writing till 7.30am.

If you don't have anything like these commitments then don't worry about it. Just focus on writing.

If you do, I find setting an alarm in my phone reminding me what I have to work on is the best thing to keeping to my schedule. 

But I don't have the time!

I remember when I used to drag myself out of bed at 7.30-8.00 every morning and just start getting the kids ready. I used to rush around the whole day and then crawl into bed and realise I didn't get to write again that day. 

You have to make the decision. How much do you want to write? How much do you need to write? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to write every day?

In the beginning, I decide I was willing to sacrifice 30 minutes. So I started waking up half hour earlier. I would set my alarm for 7.00am instead of 7.30am.

Bam! I just made time! Look out world.

It is that easy. If you want something you have to make room for it.

Writer's Block

Writer's block is one of those myths, along with the muse. You have to tell these mythical creatures that you are the boss. 

When Writer's Block hits the best thing to do is to write! Write gosh darn it, write! 

 "stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.” - Stephen King

So, go get writing!

Hugs, AMC xxx

How to write a book - Idea Generation

After all my crazed ramblings about publishing and such, I thought I should go back to the beginning. How do you actually write a whole book?

Images thanks to Pixabay

It seems daunting and in some ways it is, but mostly all it takes is persistence, a little ink and paper and love/hate. But what are the actual steps you need to take to write a book, you ask? Worry no more, I'll try to shed some light on the subject! I will not put these in any particular order because, realistically, you need to find what works for you.

Today I am going to talk about coming up with ideas. "Where do you come up with all these ideas, Adelise?" I am actually asked this all the time. And I am sorry to say that they just pop in there! Don't get me wrong, I have used tools before, but nothing beats my imagination.

A huge part of "writing" includes sitting and just thinking. Quite often my husband will see me sitting there staring out a window and he will ask what I am doing. "Writing," I always respond, even if there is not a pen in sight.

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” 

― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Daydreaming

Do you ever just sit there and daydream? What do you day dream about? Write that! Yes, that! If you enjoy something so much that you sit there in a daze, ignoring life over it, then you would probably buy a book about it. And others probably would too. 

If you are still stuck or you are just not a daydreamy type of person, try some music (movie score are really good) - something without lyrics so you don't get tempted to sing along. I find that music can really help get those creative juice flowing.

Stationery

Sometimes, if I am in a bit of a writing slump, getting some nice stationery can really help. I love writing long hand and there is not much that gets me more excited than a blank notebook. Go out and treat yourself. By a new notebook, some nice pens and/or pencils and just start writing words down. They don't have to end up in the final draft. There are some really good online stores for stationery too. Typo is probably my favourite!

Meditation

I know that may seem a little hippie of me, but I find meditation to be a great catalyst for idea generation and a nice way to snuff out doubt. If you haven't tried any meditation before I would suggest guided meditation. Do it while no one is around. Just give it a go, it won't hurt!

Writing prompts

There are SO many websites and Facebook pages and Tumblr feeds and Instagram accounts out there for writing prompts. Like a few of them and check them out. Find a prompt that sparks something (or one that doesn't) and have at it. There are also writer's wheels, but I personally don't want to get into them because I do not understand how they work! #shame

Reading

Yes. Reading. Reading other peoples work is often great for coming up with your own ideas. Plus, if you don't know what is out there, what is being written and how it is being done, how can you expect

to be able to come up with your own masterpiece? Writing without reading is like a painting not seeing colour. You must read. Now, I am a very slow reader. I manage to read maybe twelve books a year, but at least something is still going in, something is still being fed into my imagination.

Questions

Ask questions about everything. Do like Stephen King Do. (lol sorry I had to write that. Go watch Zefrank on YouTube. So many laughs.)

Anyway ... Yes, ask questions. "What if" questions, like: What if I had a pet helper monkey and one day I came home and he was baking a cake and chatting on the phone to my mother using my voice? (don't ask yourself that question. There is no story there... or is there?) Or What if I woke up one morning and realised my consciousness had bee swapped with my dog's? These sorts of question can lead to a story.

There are so many ways to come up with ideas, but when it boils down to it, you have to find a way that works for you. If you get totally stuck you can always just ask your friends what to write. or you can always take this great advice: 

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison

Hugs

AMC xxx

To edit or to not edit ...

This is the week I am finally sending my manuscript off to the editors. 

For any author (noob or expert) I think this is a daunting task. This will most probably be on of the first times a professional would have read your baby. This is not like giving your book to your mum to read ... My nerves are shot.

So, I am going to answer a few questions to shed a little more light on the dark underground of the editing world. Well, there is really no "dark underground" most of the editors I have spoken to have been super nice people. Once again, they are just people.

When I spoke to editor recently about how nervous I was/am she said something really sweet that I want to share with the void. "Think of me as an old friend who has your best interest at heart. My intentions are good: to support you while you bring your MS up to the best level it can be ..." And that is exactly what you want to find.

Can't I just edit myself?

By all means, please do! Multiple times. I have rewritten my manuscript at least fourteen times, not to mention all the additions, subtractions, character changes, etc. that have been done. But this doesn't mean that your MS is "publish ready."

All manuscripts MUST be edited by a professional. If you can't afford the prices (which can be expensive) try to work something out with your editor. I have worked out a kind of payment plan with mine, something that works well for both of us. 

What about editing software?

No. Just ... no. Computers are good, but nothing will ever replace or replicate the flow human writing. 

When should I have an editor look at my work?

As soon as you haven't fiddled with it in a few months and you are starting to think about self-publishing it. 

If you are going to go for traditional publishing, DO NOT get your MS edited. You can get it assessed or get a mentor, but do not have it edited. Agents and publishers like it a little bit raw, because they have their own editors there waiting to have at your MS. 

If you are self-publishing, this will be one of the last things you do. Think of this moment as "time." Time to get your cover art done. Time to organize your marketing campaign. Time to get all your social media up and out there. Time to work on your website. (Yes! You MUST have a website!)

In this time, I am working on my cover and organising myself. I am working out a better schedule to optimise and balance my writing vs my other authorly duties.

Which type of editing should I use?   

There are a few different types of editing, but mostly they boil down to two main types: Copy Editing/Proofreading and Structural/Developmental Editing.

Copy Editing and Proofreading is the bare bones of editing. It generally includes fixing spelling errors, punctuation, grammar, style, omissions, repetitions, repetitions, typographical errors. Sometimes a CE or PR will include one revision, but not always.

Structural/Developmental Editing is the meaty edit. This is where the editor evaluates the novel as a whole. They look for plot holes and problems in the structure and organisation. They pull you up on logical/illogical consistencies. They may also do their own reconstructing. 

This is the one that we fear. The one where (we have all heard the author horror stories) they tear your MS apart. But if you have a look in most successful author's acknowledgements, you will often see a thank you to the editor. A good author knows that their work needs work. We are too close to it. It is our baby and we always look at our children with rose coloured glasses on. 

But it is the one a MS must have before being published. 

Who or which editor should I use?

My main suggestion for this on is to shop around. Send out emails and see who you seem to have a little rapport with. You need to feel comfortable with your editor as you may be working with them for a long time. 

It is also a good idea to go with someone that has been recommended to you. That way you know that they are good at their good before you spend all the money.


I hope I have helped. 

Hugs
AMC xxx