September 25, 2013

It's Okay to be Nerdy!

This is a blog hop hosted by Cassie Mae for her book How to Date a Nerd. Congratulations on your release, Cassie!


Check out her book!

Now Available on: GoodReads / Amazon

When I signed up to do this blog hop I thought it would be a no-brainer. I mean I've been considered nerdy since I was a kid because I liked to read and write. But when I had to decide what the nerdiest thing about me is my mind went blank. So what did I do? I called my oldest sister, of course! And she said, "This. You calling me up to ask me this is the nerdiest thing about you!" I couldn't help but laugh.

We got to talking and during our conversation, which turned in many directions, we discovered the nerdiest thing about me is that I'm a big fan of the wrestler Jeff Hardy from Total Nonstop Action (TNA)..

I'm such a big fan that I . . .


Once dressed up like him for Halloween. Yes, that is me. I know. Hard to imagine.



Got two DVD collections of his matches from my brother. (One for Christmas and one for my birthday.)


Got a Jeff Hardy t-shirt as a nice, random gift from my brother's then girlfriend (now fiance).


And I even decorated a Christmas cookie to look like him.

Although I've been out of this phase for a while now, I have to add something that I forgot about until I read another participant's post . I am also in the middle of writing a romantic-suspense story inspired by Jeff Hardy. Yes, it's true. I started it a couple of years ago and I am now working on finishing it. The hero is a wrestler, and he holds quite a resemblance to Jeff Hardy. 

So it's safe to say that my love for Jeff Hardy is the nerdiest thing about me.

It's okay to be nerdy though! EMBRACE IT!


QUESTION: What is the nerdiest thing abut you?

It doesn't even have to be nerdy. Share something that no one knows. Don't be shy! :)


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September 24, 2013

Rules for Writing: Word Placement


I encountered this rule that says you should place the most important word at the sentence’s end.

I certainly hope I’m not the only writer who finds this rule bizarre. When I read this my jaw literally dropped. I would like to know how many editors check the end of every sentence in a 300-500 page manuscript to see if the most important word is there. My editor certainly didn’t mention it while she was editing my short story, Hurricane Crimes.

I don’t have much to say about this rule other than who the heck pays that close of attention to word placement?! Maybe this makes me an amateur. If so, I am happy to be one! ;)

My philosophy is this and it is simple: If the sentence has all the components that makes it complete, if the grammar is correct, if it has strong words, and if it sounds good when you read it aloud then it is good! Regardless if the most important word is in the beginning, middle, or end.


QUESTIONS: Do you believe the most important word in a sentence should be at the end? Or do you find this rule a bit ridiculous like I do?


SHARE: Is there a writing rule you've heard that you thought was just silly? Please share it and we can laugh together. ;)


September 18, 2013

Another Shot At Love by Niecey Roy / Cover Reveal and Giveaway


Another Shot At Love
Series- What’s Love? Book # 1
Author:  Niecey Roy
Genre:  New Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Expected Publication Date- November 2013
Imogen Gorecki has a problem—her twin sister just got engaged, and guess who’s the best man? That’s right, her scum-of-an-ex-boyfriend whom she caught cheating with a bottle-blonde, with fake breasts and a stripper’s flexibility. There’s a disturbing possibility her eyes will never recover.
Gen needs a date for the engagement party, but finding Mr. Perfect in a time crunch is proving impossible. Just when she’s about to give up, she face-plants into the crotch of the sexiest guy she’s ever met.
Matt Sesnick is everything Gen wants in a man —except he’s not interested in a relationship. Can she convince Matt to take another shot at love, or will Gen’s pregnant, hormonal older sister, her bridezilla twin, and all of her past Mr. Wrongs get in the way of their happily-ever-after?





About the Author-
Niecey Roy knew she wanted to be a writer from a very young age, but her moment of enlightenment came after watching the movie You’ve Got Mail. It was then she realized her place in life, and happily parked her butt on writing romance. Her dream was to create sexy vixens, hunky, half-naked heroes, and above all, romance; lots and lots of butterflies in the belly, breathless first kisses and happily-ever-afters.
When she’s not at her day job where she works as a legal assistant, she can be found at home at a cluttered desk, pounding her tired little fingers away on a keyboard with nothing but black pepper flavored sunflower seeds and Visine as her weapons for mass-romance-novel-creation. When her fingers need a break, you’ll find her at a table with friends, drinking a few martinis and showing off a new pair of (sometimes ridiculous) high heels. She’s usually the loudest at the table and most often the one snorting with laughter.   
Niecey is the author of Fender Bender Blues, a contemporary romantic comedy published by The Wild Rose Press. Her new novel to be released November 2013, Another Shot At Love, is the first novel in the What’s Love??? series.

     



September 17, 2013

Writing About: A Funeral


Funerals are always emotional. When you write about a character’s funeral, it’s all about the emotion you convey. These five tips can help you to heighten the emotion:

1.    Devote a good paragraph to the setting.
What does the funeral home look like? What kinds of flowers are set out? At the grave site, write about the weather. Weather often plays a big role and can contribute to the tone of the piece.

2.    Describe your character’s grief. 
Grief can be expressed in many ways.
Physically: in the form of headaches, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, fatigue, aches and pains.
Emotionally: crying bouts, extreme sadness, depression, worry, anxiety, guilt, denial, anger, and frustration.
Let your character rage. Death is something that we can never understand when someone we love passes away, and anger is often a major coping mechanism. Your character can scream at other characters or unleash their anger on innocent people.

3.    Don’t neglect the water works.
Utilize tears at the perfect moment: when your main character has to follow the casket out of the church, when she tosses a rose into a grave, or when she accepts the American flag in honor of her loved one.

4.    Give your character a eulogy to read.
What would you say about your mother? Your sister? Your child? Your wife? Your best friend? Whatever you would say at a loved one’s funeral will resonate with others and will most definitely cause your readers to choke up, too.

5.    Have your character recall memories of the person who passed away.
Memories are always powerful. Don’t underestimate the use of a memory whether it is happy or sad. Showing a memory could reveal a moment of symbolism that can impact your readers.


Photo by Chrys Fey
My grandma, Clara.
I put that stone on her grave when I was eighteen.
It was my first time visiting her grave.


Another option is to write about a character viewing a funeral from afar. If you do this, the emotion you use will be even more important because you won't have the advantage of writing about everything that happens during the funeral. So, describe the setting and what your character sees. Although your character isn't there, she could still see the cemetery, the casket, and recognize some people they know. 
Focus heavily on your character’s thoughts and emotions. You can still let her cry and think about what they would say if they could. Is the funeral for an abusive step-father? Maybe she will shed tears over the painful memories she has.
After the funeral: Don’t forget to write about what happens after the funeral. Does your character listen to condolences? Does she escape into a dark room, curl up in bed, or pick up a bottle for comfort?
Always follow your character’s grief. You can’t just kill a character off, write a sad funeral, and then bring everything back to normal. Even if your protagonist is a detective and has to continue investigating a case, make sure her grief is a cloud hanging over him. Let your character’s grief impact her social life by making her depressed and by cutting herself off from friends. You can even let your character question her faith.
After your character’s grief runs its course, let your readers know when and how she finally accepts the death of her loved one. The moment of acceptance is as equally important as the funeral itself.
Continue to follow your character through the healing process while progressing your story forward.

SHARE: Your tips to writing about a funeral.


QUESTION: What do you remember the most about a loved one's funeral/memorial?

*Check out this poem: De Mortuis by Ette Meyer written in response to my question. 



If you have lost a loved one, I am opening the comments as a place for you to share their names and memories. 


September 11, 2013

9/11 Poem


This is the first poem I am sharing on my blog. I wrote it on the one year anniversary of 9/11, and I was just a kid, so please don't judge it too harshly.
Remembering 9/11
by
Chrys Fey

© I remember from that day,
All the lives that thought it was okay.

I remember not knowing until I came home,
And all the T.V.’s, black and white,
showing the terrible fright.

I remember the Twin Towers,
That was our power,
Falling and crushing our spirits.

I remember seeing those planes,
How ugly they looked,
When they crashed into the buildings,
Bringing horror to all.

I remember the cries and faces of scared people,
Running and getting caught in debris,
A lot died while others got free.

I remember the hush and terror cast over New York,
And the entire world watching with broken hearts.

I remember and I always will,
Because no one will ever forget that day,
September Eleventh,
When we thought everything was okay.

God bless those who lost their lives,
And everyone who was left behind.

SHARE: Have you written something in remembrance of 9/11? Please share it, or post the link to it!




September 04, 2013

I Am An Insecure Writer


*takes a deep breath*

Hello. My name is Chrys Fey, and I am an insecure writer.

*sits back down*

I created this blog on January 1st 2012 to help aspiring writers to write a novel from beginning to end. The funny thing is I can confidently tell others what it takes to write a novel, and how to improve their writing and manuscript, but I still have insecurities about my own writing.

I started seriously writing at the tender age of twelve. I had always loved to write stories, poems, and I was probably the only kid in my class who actually enjoyed the state writing tests. Growing up, my mom was an aspiring writer. When she worked as a librarian assistant in my elementary school she’d read her own children’s stories to the classes that came to visit. She was a real hit, and seeing that made me so proud.

My mom’s passion soon ignited my own, but it was when I found a rusty screw with a crooked tip that my hobby morphed into something magical. I got my first idea for a book while holding that screw, and quickly realized my dream of being a writer. I wrote every day until I had to leave school in the 11th grade. Then my writing stopped. I thought for sure my muse had run off to Paris, as my imaginary friend had, but after a while I uncovered the truth; the series I started when I was twelve was too immature for the adult mind I developed. So. I took on the task of rewriting my series from book one.

I recently finished writing the fourth and last book of my supernatural-thriller series, and I am seeking representation. At the moment, I have a few published short stories and a couple of poems under my belt, but I am not any closer to publishing my series, or to changing the situation I am stuck in.

In my past, I have suffered from depression and in July I experienced a low point. Here is a part of a message that I sent to my best friend:
“. . .  but I am not optimistic. Nothing ever works out for me. I know, I know, gotta be positive, but I am in a very depressed state today. It’s been five years since I’ve moved to [a new city in Florida] and nothing (and I mean nothing!) has changed for me. I’m tired of it! I don’t want to be in this situation much longer, so God needs to hurry things along!”
Now I’m sure God doesn’t like to be threatened but he definitely heard me, because that same night an editor from The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract for my romantic-suspense, “Hurricane Crimes”!

I may be publishing an eBook, but I am still an insecure writer, and I may always be. At least I’m in good company! :)


QUESTIONS:

How did you start your writing journey?
Who do you look up to?
Have you experienced a low point in your writing journey? 
How did you conquer it?



September 03, 2013

Writing About: Murder


I've already told you how to write about a crime scene, but now I’m going to tell you how to write about murder, whether your readers know who the suspect is or not.

The best method of writing about a murder is from the suspect’s perspective. To do this, you have to get into your antagonist's head, and know everything that he/she is going to do. Why does he/she want to kill the victim? In other words, give your suspect a motive! And take your readers through the act from the beginning, from the moment the killer breaks into the house, ambushes the victim, or kidnaps them.


What does the killer do? Does he/she tie down the victim to prologue their agony, or sneak into their room while are sleeping to kill them in bed? How does the killer do it? You can make it quick with a single gunshot or slow with torture.


Before you begin writing, you will have to decide on the type of murder and work out all the details such as where it happens (this will later turn into the crime scene), what weapons are used, and what the killer does with the body afterward.

Photo by Chrys Fey
Walk your readers through every slash, every bullet, every scream, and every drop of blood. Reveal everything the killer does and all of his/her thoughts while they are doing it. Include the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Murder has them all . . . well if cannibalism is involved anyway, in which case I can’t help you. Go talk to Thomas Harris!

Writing from the killer’s perspective is definitely ballsy because to be effective, you will have to get into a criminal’s mind. To write such a horrible act that readers can visualize and cringe at in disgust and fear requires going into a very dark place. Maybe that’s why they say writers are crazy? Hmm . . .

The other method is trickier, which is to write from the victim’s perspective, from the moment they realize they are in danger. You will have to share their fear about the situation (even if it’s just a split second before a gun goes off), their thoughts, and the pain they feel from everything the killer does. You will also have to write about the moment when their life slips away.

Writing about murder definitely isn’t easy, but it is possible and it will make the suspense in your story soar!


SHARE: Your tips for writing about murder.



After writing about a murder you might have to write about a crime scene: Writing About: A Crime Scene


September 02, 2013

Cover Reveal / Alone No More by Terri Rochenski


Title: Alone No More
Author: Terri Rochenski
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: eBook
Official Release Date: December 18, 2013
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

BLURB:
Dismissed from her job as a scullery maid and cast aside by her lover, pregnant Cara Morland has no choice but to return to her father’s farm. While lies of widowhood keep her from disgrace, Cara is faced with a local landowner’s unwanted attentions. Without the social status to do much more than avoid the vile man, she loses hope of ever finding happiness.

A friendship based on mutual loneliness blossoms between Cara and James Elliot, a young farm hand hired by her father. He offers his protection, and one shared kiss reveals his heart, but propriety and her feigned grieving period hinders what they both desire.

When Cara’s stalker learns the truth of her circumstances, he gives her an ultimatum—submit to his possession or he’ll ruin her second chance at love with James.

BOOK LINKS: 
Amazon for only $1.99.


BIO: 
Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with storytelling.

Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not playing toys, picking them back up, or kissing boo-boos, she can be found sprawled on the couch with a book or pencil in hand, and toothpicks propping her eyelids open.

AUTHOR LINKS: