Authorsday: Jackqueline Corcoran

1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
At seven years old, my mother tells me that I announced I wanted to be a writer.

2. How long have you been writing?
I started a novel when I was 17 but didn’t finish it. I finished my first novel when I was 20 and have written about 15 novels since then, but didn’t get published in fiction for 28 years after I started. That’s persistence!

3. How did you pick the genre you write in?
When I started out, I was still a teenager, so I wrote YA and middle-grade fantasy, but I turned to mysteries when I started reading mysteries – in my mid 20’s.

4. Do you plot or do you write by the seat of your pants?
I try to plot, but end up writing a lot by the seat of my pants. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, but it’s hard not knowing what to write next.

5. What drew you to the subject of Backlit?
I’ve been around for awhile now and have had many adventures. This describes one part of my life when I was a lot younger.

6. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching it?
I always have some difficulties with the legal aspects of my stories. Luckily, my husband is a lawyer, so he referred me to a friend who could answer some of my questions.

7. What was the name of the first novel you wrote? Did you try to publish it?
My first novel was called A First and Last Choosing, and I did try to publish it in the days when you sent everything by post with self-addressed, stamped envelopes. It was never published.

8. What do you know now that you are published that you didn’t know pre-published that you wish you knew?
There is a lot more writer support now than there used to be. Critique groups and online support abounds, but those were the days before personal computers. I typed my first manuscripts on a regular, old typewriter. If the support had been available, I would have had more eyes on my work earlier.

9. How many rejections have you received?
Hundreds probably since they spanned over 28 years, and I still get rejected!

10. What was the best writing advice someone gave you?
I don’t know if I have a single best piece of writing advice. I learn all the time from writing itself, from reading craft books, and taking online classes.



Author Bio:
I was born to Irish and Welsh parents in England, but I’ve lived in the U.S. for most of my life – in California, Michigan, Texas, and now in Alexandria, Virginia with my family. In addition to my non-fiction, I’ve published Time Witch (middle grade fantasy, Solstice Publishing), A Month of Sundays (mystery, Whimsical Publications), and Backlit (mystery, Etopia Press). I have a YA mystery Memoir of Death coming out in May 2012. I am a blogger on Downtown YA, and my website is http://www.jacquelinecorcoran.com/.


Book Blurb: When photographer and Miami topless bar waitress, Liz Volpe, believes she has found the love of her life in federal public defender, Jules McAdams, she is shocked to wake up on his lawn one morning to find that he is dead and that she has been accused of his murder. Even as she doubts her own innocence, Liz must find the real killer or face life in prison.

Script vs Novel

WRITING A SCRIPT VS. WRITING A NOVEL

It’s been said, for good reason, that the play is an actor’s medium, television a producer’s medium, film a director’s medium, and the novel a writer’s medium. With the exception of one’s editor, the author of a novel pretty much has free reign and the final say in how he or she wishes to tell a story.
Writing for film and television is different than writing a novel or a play. In a play, the story is essentially revealed through the characters’ dialogue. Even under the guidance of a director, it is the actor who ultimately conveys the essence of the play. (This was true, incidentally, in old-time radio as well).

In a novel, the author can rely on a combination of narrative and exposition to lay out the story. A visual medium, however, is just that. Visual. Here, the old axiom “show don’t tell” strictly applies.
For example, in a novel, a young, resolute ballerina might say, “I realize this is hard work, but I’m determined to make dancing my life’s work no matter what it takes.”
On film she’d say nothing. Instead, we’d see her removing her wrinkled waitress uniform and change into a leotard. She’d twist her long pony tail into a bun before sitting down and removing her shoes. We, the audience, would watch her slip worn ballet slippers over feet that are bruised and discolored. She’d walk into the dance studio, take a deep breath, and begin a strenuous dance routine. Her determination to dance despite all obstacles would be revealed without so much as a line of dialog.
A script can go on for pages without dialog. To some writers, this might seem easy. Personally, I find it challenging. My strength is in writing dialogue (I would love to have been a writer on one of those old radio shows). I preferred script writing for the soaps as opposed to writing story breakdown. I also find it more natural for me, in writing a mystery, to include a lot of dialogue in addition to exposition.
Writing a screenplay is a trickier proposition for me. I find that I have to constantly remind myself to convey a scene with as little dialogue as possible. I would probably have an easier time adapting a screenplay to a novel than I would adapting a novel into a screenplay.
Another thing to keep in mind is that to a film director, a screenplay is often no more than a blueprint. He (or she) will interpret the story as he sees fit even if that means completely overhauling the script. In contrast to a novel, a screenplay or a teleplay is usually a collaborative effort.
At the end of the day, whether one is writing a play, a novel, or a screenplay, it is imperative to keep in mind the particular medium for which one is writing.

Vivian Rhodes is a published mystery novelist, Emmy-nominated television writer, and connoisseur of all things mysterious. Her recently republished novel, Groomed for Murder is available as an e-book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Vivian lives in Los Angeles and writes about all things nostalgia- from film noir to vintage toys- on her blog, Rhodes Less Traveled.

Masquerade Crew is sponsoring a mega giveaway!!!

Their adventure started a little more than six months ago. Since they posted their first author-requested review on October 1st, they're going to officially celebrate their six month blogaversary between now and April 1st, which is the first day of the A to Z challenge. They encourage you to come back for that because for 26 days in April they're going to post writing tips from some of their followers.




In the meantime, they're kicking off this party with a mega giveaway. Roughly half of the authors of their 5 star reviews have agreed to give away copies of their books. This is your chance to win up to 8 free books. Click on the book covers to go to their review.



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A Soul to Steal
by Rob Blackwell

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Force of Habit
by Marian Allen

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The Punished
by Peter Meredith

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CurbCheK
by Zach Fortier

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H10N1
by M. R. Cornelius

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Spirits Rising
by Krista D. Ball

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Everything I Tell You Is A Lie
by Fingers Murphy

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Blood Passage
by Michael J. McCann

Enter Below for your Chance to Win

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Author Career Planning

Author Career Planning: What, Why and How Much?

The publishing industry has gone through a lot of changes since I first published. My first ebook was published in 1999 (it was on a disk!) and my first print book came out in 2001. I've written for traditional publishers, independent presses and e-publishers around the world and I think the biggest career mistake I made was not having a career plan.

It's difficult to make a career plan when you don't have the all the answers. For example, when will you make that first sale, or the one after that? Who is going to be your publisher? You just don't know. Release dates can be moved forward or pushed back, lines fold, editors leave, or the publisher suddenly stops buying your lighthearted paranormal and now only want dark romantic suspense. What can you do?

Not much. But here are some things you can answer when putting together a career plan:

1. What are you writing?

What emotional experience do you offer to the reader? Do you write sexy? Sweet? Scary? Cozy? Funny? Sad?  Can you deliver this in every story you write? Also, know your core story and the themes that frequently pop up in your work. This is something you can carry over if you change sub-genres or write different story lengths.

2. Why are you writing?

Define your goals and see if they align with your work schedule and your projects. Your goal doesn't have to be the bestseller lists. Do you want to receive special recognition, like a contest win or rise in your publisher's hierarchy? Perhaps your goal is to quit your job so you can write full-time. Start planning now. Find out if you can make enough income each year from writing by reading Sabrina Jeffries' "The Big Misunderstanding about Money" http://www.sabrinajeffries.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=author&pageID=11 or Brenda Hiatt's "Show me the Money" http://brendahiatt.com/show-me-the-money/.

3. How much do you want to write?

Decide how many books you can comfortably write in a year and find a publisher that is ideal for your output. Most traditional publishers would like a minimum of one book every 9 - 12 months. Some publishers not only want a trilogy, but they want to publish it in three consecutive months. Harlequin wants at least three books a year from their authors.

If you are very prolific and your publisher only wants one book from you, you're going to be unhappy. Decide if you want to write for more than one publisher and how you can do it. Do you want to self-publish as well? Factor in the time it will take to produce, distribute and promote those titles.

While a writer can't control everything in her career, she can still be the driving force. When making a career plan, ask yourself these questions: What do I want to write? What do I hope to gain from a writing career? How much do I want to write? The answers may surprise you!

Bio: Susanna Carr writes sexy contemporary romance for Harlequin Blaze and Mills & Boon Modern. Visit her website at www.susannacarr.com.

Book blurb:

Julie Kent is looking for excitement in her life. She wants to save the world -- and earn a cool nickname while she's at it -- but her crime-fighting career has been more paperwork than perps. And if Eric Ranger has any say in the matter, she won't get out of her cubicle!

Eric is a battle-scarred agent temporarily helping his friend's security business. He wants to protect Julie from the world he knows. She reminds him of what he's been fighting for; he's attracted to Julie, but he won't touch her. He even goes so far as to let her think she isn't sexy enough to be a decoy on their current case.

But Julie turns the tables on Eric by making the first move. Trying out one sexy alias after another, Julie finds trouble wherever she turns. And though Eric is determined to be at her side to protect her, now he just can't keep his hands off her….

Authorsday: Carol Preflatish

1. What was the name of the first novel you wrote? Did you try to publish it?

The first book I wrote was called "CIA Man." My writing was horrible, but I still love the story. I did send it out to several publishers, but none took it. I've done some revisions on it, but it still isn't ready. I hope to be able to get it published some day because I really think the story is a good one.

2. If you have a day job, what is it?

My day job is working as a Human Services Consultant for State government. I sit at a computer all day reviewing public assistance cases.

3. What’s your writing schedule?

I try to write for at least 45 minutes over my lunch hour at work. Then, for an hour in the evening, if I'm lucky. The weekends are the best for writing. My husband works on the weekend and that leaves me plenty of uninterrupted time to write.

4. What place that you haven’t visited would you like to go?

I'd love to go to Colorado and see the Rocky Mountains. I love mountains and would love to go there to photograph them. I'd also like to visit the New England states. I think the pictures I've seen from there look wonderful.

5. What do you do when you are not writing?

I'm afraid I love to watch television, old movies especially and there are a few current shows that I hate to miss. I also love to watch NFL football. When my favorite teams are playing on Sundays, I have to take a break from writing.

6. Who is your greatest cheerleader?

That would be my best friend, Sandy.  She has been so supportive of my writing; always encouraging me.

7. What is your favorite writing reference book and why?

I have a very old English Composition textbook that I bought for fifty-cents at a book sale in high school. When I need to reference sentence structure or connecting words, I always check that book. I have no idea what the name of it is.

8. Where do you write?

Most of my writing is done at my desk at home on my laptop. It's a small desk with very little space available on it right now. I also have an AlphaSmart word processor that is great to take with me when going somewhere. It's much lighter than my laptop and keeps me off the Internet when I should be writing.

9. What was the hardest scene to write?

The hardest scene I've ever written was in my first book, yet unpublished. It was a fight scene with no dialogue. I had to describe the physical action of the fight and also show the emotions while it was going on.

10. What else are you working on right now?

I have about four chapters finished on a contemporary romance that is about a millionaire who falls for his personal chef. I'm also working on a mystery series that is police procedural that I am hoping to self-publish. So far, about five chapters are completed with four books plotted.

You are welcome to make up your own questions if you like also. Anything you think will illuminate what you want your readers to know.

Author Bio

Carol Preflatish knew at an early age that she loved to write. In high school and college, her favorite classes were composition and creative writing. It wasn't until after she married and then became a parent that she decided to pursue it seriously. Always loving a good mystery, she's constantly thinking up ideas for future books.

Carol lives in southern Indiana, sharing her log cabin in the woods with her husband and their cat and dog. When not writing, she loves to read, watch football, and go camping with her husband.

You can learn more about Carol on her web site at http://CarolPre.webs.com and on her blog, http://CarolPre.blogspot.com

Book Blurb:

When writer Jaime Wilson visits Indiana to investigate an unsolved mystery, she finds herself becoming the next target and Sheriff Ben Hunter comes to her rescue. She didn't count on falling in love with him and he didn't think he would have to work so hard to keep her safe.

Review: Murder Unscripted

Murder Unscripted

by Clive Rosengren

ISBN: 9781935797197

a 2012 release from

Perfect Crime Books

111 pages, Trade Paper

Eddie Collins is a sometime Hollywood actor and a part-time investigator. He’s cast in the old style; a loner, divorced, he views the world through plain, cracked lenses. Nothing rose-colored here. He’s an authentic character, one you’d be likely to encounter on Sunset Boulevard. If you made the connection and bought him a drink, Eddie might tell you a story. Like this one.

When the scene opens, Eddie Collins is costumed as a cowboy, perched on a fake rock, chewing on yet another piece of chicken. He’s doing a TV commercial for an enterprise called Chubby’s Chicken. A telephone call to his office sends him, on behalf of his client, a bonding company, to the set of a murder. It turns out the deceased actress is Eddie’s former wife.

The novel benefits hugely from the author’s background. He’s a former theater, film and television actor who has appeared in numerous theatrical films and television dramas. Rosengren uses his considerable experience to infuse the novel with authenticity, but he never slides into the bitterness or the whining of too many journey-actors who made a living but never reached starring level. Eddie Collins has come to terms with his career and that’s why he’s become more of an investigator than an actor.

“Murder Unscripted,” is a short, fast, read, well-plotted and intrinsically solid. The characters are enjoyable to follow and the final emotional twists are logical and just right for the character and the tone of the story. I hope to see much more of Eddie Collins in the near future.

--
Carl Brookins www.carlbrookins.com http://agora2.blogspot.com, Case of the Great Train Robbery, Reunion, Red Sky

Facebook and Goodreads and Social Media, Oh My

Every author should have a Facebook Author Page. It’s a way to interact with fans without letting them see the high school pictures of you that Aunt Thelma posts and discussions with your nephews. The best way to migrate people to the Author Page is to make merchandise and content available to readers that is not available on the friend page.

There are a number of add-ons and tabs that can be added to the author page in Facebook. They are boxes that will show up as part of your newsfeed for the page or they are additional tabs that show up at the top of the page as well. One of these that is easy to use is GoodReads. GoodReads.com is a site that catalogues your library as well as what you’re reading now. You can review books, tell others what you are reading and discuss books in general.

GoodReads also has a wonderful giveaway program. You can run contests from the site and specify how many copies you want to give away and how long you want the contest to run. GoodReads does maintain control of the information of their participants, so you can’t add all of these people to your mailing list when you’re done, but you can encourage them to go to your site and join. The program is limited to paper books at the moment, but there is some talk of opening it to e-books as well.

They also include a widget that can be shown on your website or other pages that is a click-through to the giveaway as well. This gets the word out to more people about the contest. It’s a very easy way to have someone else manage giveaways for you.

Since I write biographies as well, I use GoodReads to tell my readers what particular book by the subject I’m reading now. When I recently wrote my biography of Erle Stanley Gardner, all of my readers could see which book I was reading by Gardner and towards the end, I had a contest where the person who guessed when I would finish all the books won some books by Gardner and by me.

Jeffrey Marks is a long-time mystery fan and freelancer.  After numerous mystery author profiles, he chose to chronicle the short but full life of mystery writer Craig Rice. 

That biography (Who Was That Lady?) encouraged him to write mystery fiction. His works include Atomic Renaissance: Women Mystery Writers of the 1940s/1950s, and a biography of mystery author and critic Anthony Boucher entitled Anthony Boucher. It was nominated for an Agatha and fittingly, won an Anthony.  

He is the long-time moderator of MurderMustAdvertise, an on-line discussion group dedicated to book marketing and public relations. He is the author of Intent to Sell: Marketing the Genre Novel, the only how-to book for promoting genre fiction.

His work has won a number of awards including the Barnes and Noble Prize and he was nominated for a Maxwell award (DWAA), an Edgar (MWA), three Agathas (Malice Domestic), two Macavity awards, and three Anthony awards (Bouchercon). Today, he writes from his home in Cincinnati, which he shares with his partner and two dogs.