Monday, February 17, 2014

Writing update

     I've been working on Ascendancy Rising lately as some you may know. Mostly I've been fleshing it all out so that it becomes a real story. It's during the rewrites and the fleshing out that it becomes what it's always meant to be. That's the way it almost always works though. Earlier today I reached 49k on the manuscript at the end of chapter 24 and I have bits and pieces of six more chapters including the ending that I'd printed off. Most of what I'm doing at the moment is actually first rough drafts instead of rewrites.

     I just checked through the calendar and I guess the first bits I wrote of Ascendancy was in the middle of September. It probably would have been out by now but I had to set it aside several times before I could finish it. There were other rewrites and edits that took precedence and it couldn't be helped. In this case there were actual publishing deadlines involved that I can blame.


     Once I finish with Ascendancy Rising I'll probably start working on Inquiso again. With the story I'm glad I set it aside. More bits and pieces are coming to me and it will be interesting to see where that whole story heads when I come back to it.

     This is the tentative cover for Inquiso. The flames actually fits the story. I even like the lettering because it actually fits also. It's going to be quite the thriller. There will be bombs, people dying, and the overthrow of a government. All that means its a lot of fun to work on :-)

     I wonder how quick after it comes out the NSA will be investigating me?


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Darkness envelops

Darkness envelops
Shadows all around
As I walk forward 
Hearing not a sound
Except for my steps
Rustling in the grass
All is quiet here
Time slowly passes
A sound reaches me
Whisper from the past
Glowing entity
Coming closer now
Reaches out to touch
The horror grows
Want to run away
My hearts staccato
Fills my ears and mind
I scream in terror
When its ghostly touch
Contacts my fingers
Sends its chill within
Losing every thought
To run heedlessly
Leave it all behind
10 Feb 14

Author Earnings

Where writing can be, or will be, my entire living probably won't happen. The majority of authors it doesn't happen either quite honestly. We all think of the likes of JK Rowling, Stephen King, etc. and how much they make but to tell you the truth they're the exception to the rule. Many authors can occasionally buy a pizza with their royalties at the end of the month and I've been there. I've also used royalties to help pay the bills at times like the electric bill, at least a hefty chunk of the electric bill. I've also bought pizza's a couple of times with royalties.

While I may not make a huge amount of money it's wonderful for me to see my own name on the cover of a book. Believe it or not there's a bit of pride that goes hand in hand with that alone. There's a legacy of mine that will go on even if I never publish another book. It was also quite the feather in my cap to sign two titles late last year. The one is still presently in edits with the publisher.

If you want to see how much authors are actually earning here are the numbers. You may be a bit surprised. http://authorearnings.com/the-report/

Monday, February 10, 2014

Meet Melina

    Author Bio: Hi I’m Mel aka Melina Turner, I’m an international award-winning poet and live in Australia in a little town called Gympie. I began my writing at an extremely young age starting in primary school in year 3 when I heard about Write4Fun, a school international writing competition. My first piece was called “Wild Brumbies” published in 2003 when I was in year 3. I soon after moved from Nambour to Gympie an hour away, where I was influenced by an amazing English teacher to continue writing. In 2005 when I was in year 5 I was awarded “honoured writer” for my poetry in which I continued and still do. In 2013 I was awarded, “Best Poet of 2012” and put into a poetry book that is now in the library of Congress.
    After I began poetry I soon wanted to branch out thus starting “The Deathly-Roses Volume 1” a flash fiction narrative-prose piece, original and first of its kind, to be published 2013. I then gapped it out and wrote Volume 2 in 2007 to be published at the end of 2013; the third to be written in 2013 and publish 2014. My goal with these books (TDR Volumes) was to make it short and poetic-like to gain non-readers interest and I believe I have done that. As of 2012, I slowly branched out and started helping co-author for Timothy Mitchell Films, helping with scripts for movies.
    As of now I am beginning to write my first finished novel ever and working at my business as an editor and promoter for independent authors.
    As of now I will be finishing my novels and aiming for traditional publishing.




    What am I writing at the moment you may as…well the answer is simple three pieces and each has its own personal signature. As The Past plays to the Present is my first YA Teen Romance about a past that replays to the present. As Black a teen born into one of the richest families ever struggles to survive from her father, who stalks her for the very riches he murder her mother for…Will most definitely finish rewriting this piece this year.
    The second book is a collaboration with a new author called Bill Jensen it will be a book on a collection of comedy shorts that both will make you laugh, shock you and might even find it offensive but there are so many different comedy types to choose from that we will cover most of them; from aussie humour on the drop bears to a girl tying herself up to a very long rope and flying like a kite (pretending to be an army plane mind you) and another which will really offend which I wont mention just yet ;) This won’t be finished for a while so the wait must continue.
    And lucky last Deodora Daggers, the first novel ever in The Deathly-Roses Books which will introduce a new character and how she came to be and how she managed to be in The Deathly-Roses Volumes. This piece surprisingly will not be YA as The Deathly-Roses Volumes are but Adult content. It will be published hopefully next year before The Deathly-Roses Volume 3.


A small blurb of Author’s book: The Deathly-Roses Volume 1
    “I had scratches and scars all over me but they were slowly disappearing, which was great and would let my beauty settle in. I looked at myself in the mirror focussing on different parts of my face. Something was different. Was it my full lips? The cleaned face? Mo, it wasn’t. It was my eye colour it had changed…”
    Meet Wisty, a teenager forced by her family to bond to the richest, in Acrelain. But dire punishments, have given her something she never believed was true… Join Wisty as she sets off on her journey between good and evil to find the very truths…that could break her or make her stronger.




Reviews or quotes of positive reviews your work has already received. 
Review Of “The Deathly-Roses” (volume 1 and 2)
    There is an honest voice in Turner’s writing evident in “The Deathly Rose”. Turner writes with wit and manages to keep the reader engaged over the course of the two volumes. The end with bonus volume 3 sneak peak (which could even serve as a prologue for volume 2) reminds me of the ending of ‘Mad Max’, in the sense that the character has slowly sunken to the depths of insanity the she now is ready to extract more violent horrors. Some descriptions are a little had to visualize, but I guess that’s part of its poetic beauty. The first person narration voice isn’t narrating character’s name in third person in the same chapter. Still, it’s only a small thing which readers will choose to ignore because of its engaging content. Definitely get into this series. Well craft and very well devised. 4 out of 5. ~Timothy David Mitchell (moviemaker of “The Waiting game”)
    Melina turner’s “The Deathly-Roses” Volume 1, is a refreshing story well written story, with an excellent array of supernatural thought provoking concepts. The characters both serve as well written portrayals of angels, corrupt business tycoons and tragic misunderstood victims each with their own complex back stories and agendas. At the heart of the characters is the character of Wisty. A tortured young girl, drugged and forced to serve under a corrupted rich family and forced to marry a stranger against her will. Melina Turner does a great job at bringing the character of Wisty to life, as the feeling of sadness on Wisty is ultimately reflected upon the reader as well as the strength and courage Wisty gains upon learning of real purpose in life and her love and affection with the character of Iriami, a mysterious stranger who shows sympathy towards Wisty. The story as a whole is edgy and well-driven; with a sense of humour in various areas. All in all a very well written story and I cannot wait for the next installments in this exceptional series ~Robert Church





You can buy The Deathly-Roses Volume 1 at this link http://smarturl.it/DeathlyRoses but hurry The Deathly-Roses Volume 2 releases June 9th

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Homelessness

     Homelessness is really a difficult thing to live through having been there before. Sometimes it was of my own making but it wasn't that case every single time. The last time it was Brandy and myself. Together we lived in a Toyota Corolla which isn't fun in the least I assure you and I never want to do it again. The whole roof, trunk, and back seat was loaded with much of what we owned. Thankfully that was a long time ago now but because of things like that I know how difficult it can be to get yourself off the streets.

     Anyway, Utah seems to have found a means to help alleviate the situation. They've begun giving homeless people apartments and I think also they're helping with food stamps. I imagine some will run with the opportunity that's presented. One of the hard parts of getting off of the street is having a home address of some kind. Another issue is being able to get cleaned up which isn't easy at public restroom sink though I've done it. For a while my address was at a soup kitchen but I had a cell phone so at least I could receive a call from an employer. http://www.exposingthetruth.co/utahs-plan-eradicate-homelessness-actually-working/

     While Utah's solution isn't perfect I think it's better than what's being done in most places. I do recall that it sometimes seemed impossible and I'm not joking on that. It seems like there are insurmountable obstacles which is why many will never break the cycle. In many cases someone's self image is damaged almost permanently which is sad.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Xenophobia

I was rather shocked recently that an ad would cause outrage of any kind because it wasn't in English. It happened with the ad this link goes to. http://www.eonline.com/news/506501/coca-cola-s-america-the-beautiful-commercial-sparks-outrage-on-twitter

Every one of us, except for a very few are the descendants of immigrants. My own ancestry is English, Irish, Norwegian, and several others and my family name originated with John Bigelow who was on the Winthrop Fleet of 1630. While my ancestors have been here in the America's for a long time, almost four centuries, it doesn't make me better than anyone else. John Bigelow, he was born in Suffolk, England on 16 February 1617.

America consists of a melting pot. That's part of what made this country so great. So many different ideas were brought together in one place it sparked so many inventions. I can guarantee you that the majority of those immigrants that came didn't speak English at first. They had to learn it over time and I'm sure it was difficult. Can you imagine why they would leave their homelands? It was lots of different reasons. Starvation or religious persecution was two of the big ones.

I would love to see the derision, hatred, bigotry, all go bye bye. It doesn't really belong when you think about it. 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Secrets Abound My Love

Pamela Foreman, Published Author

Genre: Romantic Fiction



SYNOPSIS: When David and Annette join their families and begin one of their own, the couple can’t imagine how their marriage will affect their children, new and old. As parents, they each have high hopes for their children and their marriage, but in only a few short years, the path has gone the way of destruction.

Drugs, alcohol, abuse, loneliness … Secrets hide among the folds of their new lives and David and Annette are faced with the challenge of reconnecting with their children, while learning to be parents all over again.

How will they cope, discovering the hidden secrets? Will their marriage survive or will the threat of losing their children drive them apart? Can they fight adversity and win, or will their marriage be over as quickly as it began? Find out in Secrets Abound, My Love, the third segment in the Nebraska Holds series.


EXCERPT:

Oh, Georgia! Lighten up!” Jersey shook her finger at Georgia. Georgia could tell her sister had been drinking not only by her behavior, but Jersey smelled of the beer or liquor. The two girls plus their fellow triplet, Virginia, were barely seventeen, and their step-sister Mallory was still sixteen. The four were about to be seniors in high school and their sibling was already an alcoholic.
Jersey and this male friend of hers both laughed then shushed each other like preschoolers about to get caught in an mischievous act. Georgia didn’t even know his name and didn’t remember ever seeing him before. Georgia rolled her eyes, knowing this was not going to get any better.

“How did he get in here?” Georgia asked. She put her hands on her hips, an action she had observed her mother doing over the past several years as all her older siblings had become teenagers. Georgia knew for a fact this boy did not enter through the front door of their house.

“How else?” Jersey slurred. “The window.”

“The window? We’re on the second floor!” Georgia put her head in her hands, exasperated. She’s been covering for her sister for more than two years now, but she wasn’t sure she could any longer. Jersey seemed to be getting herself deeper and deeper in trouble.






Author Bio: Pamela Foreman is a wife of seventeen years to her high school sweetheart and the mother of four children. Having grown up in Texas, Pamela currently lives in central Virginia. Pamela received her master’s degree in accounting from Liberty University and is an avid reader. She enjoys sewing, crocheting, knitting and scrapbooking when she is not involved with her children’s activities and spending time with her husband.

Pamela is the author of the Nebraska Holds series, a series surrounding the lives of David Anderson and Annette Miller, middle-aged adults who have both gone through the sudden deaths of their spouses and each have children to continue to raise. The series currently has three books, You're Right, My Love (December 2011), Not Again, My Love (January 2013) and Secrets Abound, My Love (January 2014).


Author Links:

Website: http://www.pamelaforeman.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamelaforemanauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pamela_foreman
About Me: http://about.me/pamelaforeman

Google+: https://plus.google.com/111814691744564977712/posts