Yo-ho-ho and a copy of your book – Argh!!

Captain Jack aside, those mythical pirates of days gone by are gushy wimps compared to the crafty robbers of today. Some never leave a computer - ready and able to steal an author's hard work and not once, but thousands of times.

Ten years back, many students in my school were beyond poor and needy. Sadly, these children, neither loved nor cared for, would pirate lunch money, even winter jackets with cool finesse. Watching a Kindergartener give a lunch lady the slip to return to the classroom and pilfer every new box of crayons in less than five minutes was not uncommon. Today, they are the young adults who switched such honed skills from crayons to e-books, music, and artwork. They read books on their phones and negotiate the internet like a video game. But not all pirates come from abject poverty and neglect. In fact, most on today’s web-bandits are educated, middle to upper-class individuals who steal from modern modes of technology simply because they can. And as our world changes, anything posted on the internet is fair game.

Musicians have gotten wise, now it’s time for authors to do their homework. All authors. True, the best-sellers may lose a little in royalties. But can you? Would the ever-illusive goal of sky-high sales say to your publisher that what you write has a following and is being read? Of course! Yet many of us will never know. Our genre at The Black Rose Line often has an underground following, which includes millions of readers with unique techno-competency. And you'd be right to say that book pirates come in any age, size, or gender.

Scary, huh? Also reality.

Piracy sites are insidious. Once discovered, they disappear only to resurface with another name. And they don’t just pirate one book – they pirate thousands! Some charge – as little as 5 cents a copy to download! Owned by individuals who can crack any code and vanish, these sites are filled with "stuff" that can infect any unsuspecting computer.

In a recent workshop, I learned that 65% of Amazon books are pirated. It’s shocking. And paranormals tend to be right up there with hard-core Science Fiction and Erotica. No author, not the biggie or the newbie, is able to stop this. Song writers, poets, artists, filmmakers, musicians can’t stop it either. The loss of hard-earned royalties to piracy sites is suspected to be in the millions of dollars and there’s no end in site. The guest speaker likened piracy to lending a book to a friend. We all do this – to a few individuals. Now think about lending an e-book that is pirated and downloaded. Think of the websites dedicated to reading our genre. Now add the closet vamp-lovers who sneak a peek at our sensual heroes and heroines in untraceable downloads, perhaps to read and trash in a week. Scary indeed! Large houses that have begun to publish e-books are starting to take notice. Big authors are starting to demand action.

Moral character, anyone? How about “Thou shall not steal” or “That’s not yours, so don’t touch it”? Pirates steal our work because they can – it’s that simple. No encryption is too difficult to break. So what do we do? We educate ourselves about this matter. Google the term, read the articles, but above all, DO NOT click on some unknown site because you see your book listed there and think you can demand they stop! Report the abuse, swallow the loss of another royalty, and get your mouse far away from the site. In other words, grit your teeth and let it go.

Many organizations exist that have knowledge about e-book piracy. You just have to investigate a bit. Recently, I found such a group that has brought this to our government’s attention. I applaud the effort and truly hope they can raise awareness of piracy on the web. Don’t dismiss the effect on your sales. Be aware and form an opinion. Then, take a stance.

After all, you might have a best-seller and not even know it.

Mickey Flagg
Visit www.mflagg.blogspot.com for November news.

Writing Quirks

After agonizing over something to share with everyone, I finally decided to focus on a few of my odd quirks when it comes to writing and ask if any of you have them as well.

Unlike most people that prefer sticky pads and computer programs to keep their stories in line, I'm a cheap-o composition pad lover all the way. I have one for each story I've ever written, and even purchase the little-bitty ones to keep in my purse when the brain is a stewing over a new plot, characters, or a story I just can't seem to get out of my mind. I get odd looks sometimes when diving for the pen that is often lost in the monstrosity of what I call a Mom purse (which can occur anywhere, including the movies), but I've found it works best for me.

Some of my other odd habits?

Listening to Music and making "mini-movies".

When I can't work a scene or can't "see" it right in my head, I'll pop on some music to create the mood and let my brain go. If I'm lucky, I can accomplish this while doing mundane chores around the house. Tackling two birds with one stone and all that.

Playing it "odd".

When the story just isn't flowing well and I want to go postal, I'll go full on silly instead. It's always fun to open a new word document and place the characters that aren't giving you squat into odd situations to see how it plays out. One time I had my hero and heroine combating large roach-like insects inside a warehouse using nothing more than a hand kettle of Jiffy-Pop and a case of Coca-Cola. Think a funny version of the movie "The Mist", minus Thomas Jane and that creepy Marcia Gay Harden woman.

Writing a scene in first person, then switching it up.

I love doing this. It helps me gain a feel of the character and hear their distinct voice. I don't do this often because it becomes a project of it's own, but writing something in a first person narrative from the hero or heroine's perspective truly does give you a fresh outlook on the material.

Those are just a few odd things I do when the mood isn't there and I need to re-group or take a break. Most of them are meant to be (and are) fun and relaxing. Sometimes, that's the only way to combat the stress of daily writing.

What are some of the things you do to stay on track? Share with a comment. I can't wait to read your answers.

Happy Writing!

Jaime

One Writer’s Journey in Keeping Track of Her Characters

When I first heard about the topic of writing tips and tricks, I got scared. I have yet to write a full-length novel – what could I possibly say to inspire people? Then I took a breath and really thought about it. I may still be working on that first novel, but I’ve taken a lot of workshops and tried different processes to find what works for me.

I’m a pantster so I don’t have outlines or plot boards. Everything is my head and this works well for everything but tracking my characters descriptions. Did this guy have a beard? Did that girl have gray or brown eyes? These things need to be tracked because going back through your story can be time consuming.

For the very first story I wrote (buried in my files waiting a major rewrite before it will see the light of day), I listed my characters on a piece of paper and made some simple notations. This doesn’t scale well and I went looking for something else.

There are plenty of example character sheets on the internet. Anywhere from 2 to 20 pages worth of questions. My brain seizes each time I sit and try to fill one out. Not the method for me.

I have a list of software programs different authors have said worked for them to use for plotting and research. The Super Notecard program from Mindola Software looked like it would work for keeping track of characters. The trial worked okay. I could have notecards on the laptop instead of piles of cards the kids would knock over and get out of order.

But my husband didn’t like it because you had to pay to fully activate it. Also he wanted to institute a server setup at the house and we’d need a copy for the server and my laptop. (What can I say, he’s a computer geek.) He suggested FreeMind – a mind mapping program. It’s free and java based so it works on any platform.

I’m still learning the program, but it’s going good. You’re also supposed to be able to organize research, so that would be a plus when I need it. You can add notes (like meaning of names or story ideas), insert links, and add pictures. You’re able to collapse and expand trees as you need them. Below are some maps I’ve created for stories I’m working on:

Template for Novels


Mended Hearts – fantasy story in progress


On Hidden Wings – paranormal romance in progress

How I Write

I’ve dreamed up the most interesting characters. I capture their story. I proofread their story. Now it’s ready for submission. Right? Wrong!

First, I go through the story again and highlight all of those annoying writing habits I have. I tend to use that and adverbs too often. I always have numerous occurrences of push, pull, thought, saw, heard, felt and watched. Finally, I have issues with the correct use of lay versus lie.

Most of my thats are deleted. Adverbs are replaced with more descriptive phrases or verbs. All of the weak verbs are replaced with the assistance of a thesaurus. I keep a link to an online thesaurus... http://thesaurus.reference.com/ For the lay versus lie issue, I keep a link to Grammar Girl… http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/lay-versus-lie.aspx.

Second, I do a read through and determine where I can add more sensory detail or descriptive sentences.

Third, I send it off to be critiqued. I have a lot of faith in my proofreading skills, but when it comes to my own work, I tend to read what I meant to put down on the paper as opposed to what I actually wrote.

So, I need a critique partner, preferably four.

Two of my critique partners are great at checking for continuity issues. What needs to be fleshed out? What doesn’t make sense? What contradicts? My other two critique partners are great at checking for all those things I overlooked during my own proofreading. What word did I use incorrectly? What would be a better word to convey my meaning?

Fourth, I read through all of the critiques and incorporate suggestions I like and fixes that need to be made.

After one final read through, I submit.

I hope sharing my process helps someone out there!

So, how do you write?

His Hope, Her Salvation, coming December 16th!

Promised in marriage to an abusive oaf, Judith resolves to find out if there can be passion without love. Snatches of conversation overheard at the local inn lead her to a mysterious American merchant who might be able to satisfy her carnal curiosity and capture her heart.

Donovan, a Guardian Hunter, is on the trail of a rogue Elysian in Georgian England. As the son of the First Hunter, he long ago gave up hope of finding his heart's mate. When Judith appears in his study, his inner beast and his heart demand he answer her plea for help.

Will their passion answer their hearts' pleas, or will it wither under the threat of reality?

Learning the Ropes: A New Writer's Viewpoint on Writing

This month’s topic was a request for ‘writing tips and tricks’. As a newly published author I feel absolutely hypocritical providing others with ‘tips and tricks’, after all, isn’t that for the real writers? The multi-published gurus? The people with experience? Or education? It can’t possibly apply to me, after all, I’m just, well, me.
Writing has been an interesting journey for me. At nearly 40 I have only recently managed to tell strangers I’m a writer without ducking my head and looking bashful. It was difficult at first and I literally had to force myself to say the words but the more I did, the easier it got. (I think I had a bad experience in the second grade because I truly expected people to laugh when I announced I was a writer.) Imagine my shock when people were supportive, excited and even encouraging.
So while I’m still learning (and I hope I never stop) I will share the two most valuable lessons I’ve learned thus far: (1.) Never be afraid or intimidated to involve others in my writing. This includes everything from owning the fact that I am a writer, to showing my work to others, to joining a group or chapter.
One of the hardest things for me to do as a writer (aside from admitting it) was to involve others in my writing. If a friend hadn’t challenged me to a contest, I might never have published anything. If the same friend hadn’t practically dragged me to an RWA meeting I probably would never have gone. Thank goodness she did because I learned that no one was there to laugh or make fun, instead they were there to support and encourage. It was such a welcome relief to learn that I didn’t have to be alone. Of course, we are all solitary practitioners producing our stories a word at a time, but we can network, support one another, critique and throw out ideas. We can stay in touch via email, phone and impromptu coffee shop meetings.
I also had to get over my inhibition of letting someone else read my work (I think this also stems from that bad second grade experience?). At some point over the years I must have grown a thicker skin than I realized because from moment one I decided that critiques, changes, edits, re-writes and corrections (from anyone other than my editor) are only suggestions. I can take ‘em or leave ‘em. If my editor makes the same call, maybe then I’ll take notice but until then, if I like it, it’s going to stay. Why? Because it’s my story.
Point number 2. Write. All the books in the world aren’t going to write my story for me. I can (and do) have an entire library on plotting, scene and structure, characterization and viewpoint, writing fiction, writing romance, writing science fiction. I have books to help me name characters and entire encyclopedias on mythological creatures. I have books on angels, demons, tarot and astrology. However, no matter how many books I have (or read), I still have to sit down, tune out the world and write.
Some days it’s easier than others. Some days the words flow like water in river, other days it’s a battle to get a single page. Some days I don’t write at all, but I forgive myself and try to do better today. In his book “The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write” Mark David Gerson says that ‘writers often have the cleanest windows, floors, fridges and toilets because in the moment, just about any task seems more palatable than sitting down to write.’ While I certainly don’t have the cleanest house (that ranks lower than writing) I completely understand what he is saying. I can check my email, play solitaire and run to the grocery store, anything to keep from having to sit down to that keyboard. Yet once I do, I’m so glad I did. I’ve had to learn to recognize my own signals of avoidance and overcome them. I hope that someday I will get past this procrastination but for right now I work on overcoming it one day at a time. (If you haven’t seen Mark David’s book, I highly recommend it. You can find it here): http://www.markdavidgerson.com/index.html
Writing is such a solitary endeavor but I think our need for support and encouragement are only human. If you aren’t in a writing group of some sort, I urge you to seek one out. Take a class online or at the local community college. If there isn’t a writer’s group in your town, consider starting one. Don’t know how to find other writers? Hang out in the writing reference section at your local bookstore. Be patient, it’s like fishing, but sooner or later a likely candidate will come along, and chances are they will be just as excited to meet you as you are to meet them. Run an ad in the local paper or post one on an online classified site. Don’t be afraid to put yourself and your work out there instead, embrace the support and encouragement others want to give you and most importantly, write!
Autumn Shelley is the author of "Blood Moon" a paranormal romance featured in the 'Taming of the Wolf' Anthology.

13: WHAT'S IN A NUMBER?

So what's the scurry flurry behind the popularity of paranormal romance? Maybe today might explain things. It's Friday the 13th. And since my paranormal-romance series is founded upon numerology, I can talk about writing with numbers. ;)

The number 13 has intrigued humans for millenia and continues to grip our imaginations when the sneak between the covers of paranormal romances. Just what's the fascination all about? The symbolism of a number, x-hmm, the most basic form of symbol in a worldview that controlled some of the greatest Western minds for thousands of years. How? The symbolism is passed on from generation to generation of course. But what is behind all that shared meaning? Ah ha! The missing pieces to self-analysis, predicting the future, and empowerment. After all, mathematics was considered sorcery just a few centuries ago, especially when Protestants arm-wrestled Catholics and nobility had to mop up the mess. (Not that I generally root for nobles.) Numerology was old-school-our-lives-are-predestined-road maps, taboo in that we could read the futures of others if schooled in the subject, affect the futures of others, potentially control their destinies... But what value can we find in a number with our scientific perspective today?

I write about two cultures from the future who intermarry as soul mates to safeguard history as they travel along the timeline, TIME GUARDIANS. They use numerology to traverse time and space. Okay, maybe they need some fairy magic in the mix too. So, formally educated in hard and soft science, I had to study numerology--a completely foreign concept to moi. But within the incredibly complex fabric of numerology lays an equally interlaced science. One of my favorite books has the answer. In Richard Craze's NUMEROLOGY DECODER, number 13 stands for magic and mystery. It is one of the strongest and most powerful secondary numbers--numbers outside of the basic primary numbers 1-9. Remember, these numbers are believed to be the blueprint to your personality, a symbol, shared meaning with value passed on from generation to generation. And these numbers can help writers with characterization.

So you've calculated your known name, birth, and given name numbers. Secondary numbers add another aspect of meaning to your 3 primary numbers. Of course, I think 7 is just as significant to those into paranormal romances. Seven is the number of individuals whose favorite subjects are mysticism and the occult. And isn't 7 supposed to be lucky? Perhaps the luck is in a individual's awareness and affinity for peering outside the box. Essentially, you can play a lot with numbers once you understand their basic meaning. Think Tarot cards with nothing but a number--the most basic symbol--on the cover. This concept goes back to Babylonia. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around myself being a 5. I can handle pear. *ugh* But there's more to the symbolism one can play on in writing a paranormal or straight historical tale. Yes, with a historical, an author must know what the people in a culture thought.

If you're dealing with Western history, just pick up Ben Jonson's VOLPONE, Dante's INFERNO, or Spencer's THE FAIRIE QUEEN. I promise you that every line, every quatrain, every canto, etc has a number associated with it. And if you look up that number in numerology, you will find the theme of that line, quatrain, canto, etc. I took Medieval Lit and Renaissance/Reformation English Lit AFTER I wrote on my Time Guardians' series for a few years. The professor was too busy insisting everything in Western history was bad if it wasn't Christian because she wanted us to adopt her Anglican bias... Back to the "etc."... Even when 4 or 7 people ran onto the scene to save the day, there is value embedded in the number of characters arriving. Four represents a problem. Seven represents luck. Albeit, mystics probably looked at things differently than the peasant Catholic who relied on a priest to converse with God for him/her. (Lord, I'm rambling!!!) And there is a bit more to consider...

Carl Jung studied the symbolism in a Tarot deck while working his way up to be one of the biggest names in psychology. Betcha didn't know that. It's amazing how strong and long-lived symbols are. You tell me if you think it's unlucky to sit among 12 others at a dinner table. And historically, the hangman's fee was 13 1/2 pence, (1/2) pence being the cost of the rope. The Scot's mark, "Hangman's money," was 13 1/2 pence. Not to mention, all the Christian symbolism in the Haxey Hood Game wouldn't mean beans without the number 13. Where's the rub, eh? Symbolism. And humans are fools for it. Culture hinges upon shared meaning, i.e. symbolism. Don't literature professors swear all those shifters and vampires are related to the inner beast breaking through to the surface where they take control turning the weak into animals, and, God forbid, convert others whether willing or not? Or maybe days like Friday the 13th are supposed to remind us how much we fear the dark little secrets hidden deep within us all? What about that it doesn't matter what science proves to us, we really are at the whims of some force if even just basic atomic attraction? Everything is about power. Use symbols to empower your writing by deeply embedding symbolism in your wip.

And don't forget to enculturate your reader when whipping up a new world. Internalization should reveal the meaning of all symbols by revealing your character's goals, motivation, and conflict. I mostly rely upon Deep POV. I do pull out of it to add stimulus. For more information on what I'm talking about, visit THE SOUL OF FICTION and BARE YOUR CHARACTER'S SOUL. ~Skhye

Read more about numerology, historical reference sources, the paranormal, the Celts, and writing at Skhye's Ramblings.

Buy Time Guardian tales

A war wages among the Gods. Two Celtic time-travel orders from the future intermarry as soul mates to safeguard history. Paradox is but a stolen heart away. Open the door to a new reality where legend becomes history and destined love defeats timeless evil...

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." He of the Fiery Sword's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

“The Spell of the Killing Moon offers the best of spine-tingling suspense. The setting is perfect... Moncrief’s ability to wield magic and emotion are without compare. Her words twist together emotions and visuals until you experience this tale as if the trap were set for you. Some lines blend a kind of poetic magic: “Moonlight wove a special kind of magic, a spell so vacillating that a person never knew if reality were anything other than a dream.” Darkness and premonitions and deadly intent fill these pages... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller. 5 books" ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Intense, original, suspenseful, and dramatic... an unpredictable topsy-turvy romance... the suspense builds with every page in SACRIFICIAL HEARTS. In a world where symbols mean everything, magic is the way..." ~Snapdragon; LASR

"Be the change you want to see in the world." ~Ghandi

Skhye Moncrief's website

Introducing Emma Lai

Howdy! I'm late with my intro, but I have a great excuse; I've been learning to be a new mother to my beautiful baby boy. Too cute, right?!

2009 has been an amazing year for me. It started with a challenge from my husband…try writing full-time for a year and see what comes out of it. So, here we are with the year almost complete and I’ve got numerous works in progress, but most importantly, I’ve gotten published!

My first short story, HIS SHIP, HER FANTASY, was released by The Wild Rose Press in August. HIS SHIP, HER FANTASY is part of the Faery Rose line. It is the first in a series entitled Mates of the Guardian. It’s a sweet romance that I hold dear to my heart because my own personal experience as an engineer is woven into the story.

Blurb for His Ship, Her Fantasy:

Ellie Woods is in love…with a ship. When an argument with the ship results in a bump on the head, she finds herself in the strong arms of Alastair. But, who is he, and where did he come from?

Alastair has loved Ellie from afar for years, but duty has kept him from revealing himself to her. When a grave threat reveals his true identity, he hopes that Ellie will choose reality over fantasy.

My second short story, HIS HOPE, HER SALVATION, will be released on December 16th through the Black Rose line. It is the second story in the Mates of the Guardians series. It’s a lot hotter than the first story, but that’s the way the characters’ demanded to be written.

Blurb for His Hope, Her Salvation:

Promised in marriage to an abusive oaf, Judith resolves to find out if there can be passion without love. Snatches of conversation overheard at the local inn lead her to a mysterious American merchant who might be able to satisfy her carnal curiosity and capture her heart.

Donovan, a Guardian Hunter, is on the trail of a rogue Elysian in Georgian England. As the son of the First Hunter, he long ago gave up hope of finding his heart's mate. When Judith appears in his study, his inner beast and his heart demand he answer her plea for help.

Will their passion answer their hearts' pleas, or will it wither under the threat of reality?

Excerpt:

The voices in the taproom of the Horse and Hound deafened us as we entered. A large group of men stood packed together in the center of the room. A roar ripped through the crowd as it surged inward.

I shoved my way through the mass of sweaty bodies with Eallair following in my wake. I stopped when confronted with the scene that held the crowd enthralled.

A large, older, well-dressed gentleman gripped my mysterious guest from earlier by an elbow. He shook her and yelled, “You little whore!” He raised a hand and slapped her across the face with his open palm.

The crowd cheered as she collapsed to her knees, her shoulder wrenched as the hand on her elbow restrained her from crumbling into a heap on the floor.

The dead look in her eyes and the lack of any outward emotion testified to the regularity of similar scenes she must have suffered. With a bellow of rage, I swooped forward and scooped her to her feet just as the old man raised his hand to strike her again. Placing my body between them, I snarled, “Release her.”