Monthly Archives: October 2014

October 10, 2014

Strength 101 (Or How to Be a Strong Female Character)

Hey, guys! A.M. Liebowitz invited me to do a guest post on her blog, and this morning she posted my short story “Strength 101”

It’s a fun look at what happens when a bunch of fictional characters attend a class on how to be “Strong Female Characters,” and how things don’t go exactly as planned.

Seriously. Good times for your Friday.

And while you’re there, check out the sidebar links to A.M. Liebowitz’s upcoming release “Lower Education.” I got all spendy and pre-ordered this one. We’ve met the main characters on WIPpet Wednesdays, and they’re amazing. 🙂

Here’s the link to the story.

Enjoy!

3 Comments | tags: fiction, free, humor, short stories, short story, strength, strong female characters | posted in Short Stories

October 8, 2014

WIPpet Wednesday–Déjà Vu

By Kate Sparkes

I’m writing this post on Tuesday. I just finished up working for the day, and I am not happy.

It’s not that things aren’t going well. In fact, yesterday and today were AMAZING. It’s killing me that I can’t tell you guys what’s happening in book 3 right now. One of the characters surprised me on Monday, and… and I really wish that fictional people would stop making me love them. It hurts.

So I’m just mad that I have to stop working for the day. There’s a house that needs cleaning, and the ~~distractions~~ kids are home from school, my ~~other distraction~~ beloved husband will be home in less than 2 hours, I need to get supper on. You know. Real life.

And so it goes. I just hope my excitement about what’s happening lasts until tomorrow, when I’ll dive head-first back into this thing.

For WIPpet Wednesday I’ll give you the last eight lines (in the WordPress editor pane, anyway) that I wrote before I quit for the day. Rowan’s POV, very rough, but at least fairly spoiler-free.

Unless you haven’t read Bound, in which case I make no promises, and you should go do that. 🙂

Mountains, yo.

A cliff loomed to my right. As I passed into its shadows an eagle shrieked. I ran toward the noise. Aren, still in his familiar avian form, lay chest-down on the rocks. A few paces away the gryphon crouched on the ground, head held at an awkward angle, gaze fixed on Aren.

“Hey!” I yelled. The beast didn’t change its position. I threw one of the rocks. It bounced off of the gryphon’s skull with a cracking noise, but still the creature wouldn’t move.

I stepped closer. The whites of its eyes showed beneath heavy feathers, and the massive talons curved uselessly beneath it. The animal I’d so heroically attacked was already dead.

Aren let out a softer noise, calling for my attention. His left wing stretched out over the rocks, oozing blood onto the ground.

“Well, this looks familiar,” I observed.

He snapped his beak at me.

The um… the gryphon was a lot more impressive when it was airborne and attacking and didn’t already have a broken neck. You’re just going to have to trust me on that for now, because sharing that would just be BOOK TWO SPOILERS.

For more WIPpet fun, here’s the link to everyone’s posts. It’s updated throughout the day, so shop early and shop often. Say hi to the nice folks, and join in on your own blog if you’d like! The only rules are that you have to post from a current work-in-progress (WIP), and the passage has to have something to do with the day’s date (so I did 8 lines, but you could do a wee slice of chapter 8, show us a planet with eight rings, something about spiders, eighteen lines for 10+8… et cetera). Big thanks to our host KL Schwengel, who’s not allowed to get mad at me for hurting Aren. It was the gryphon’s fault, not mine.

Seriously, he came out of NOWHERE.

*innocent face*

ROW80 Update (goals post link)

Hey, here we are already. So far, so good. 3,000 words on Monday, 3,000 words on Tuesday, and I’m hoping for another 3,000 today. Guess we’ll see… this is what I get for posting from the past.

I’ve got a whole lot of scenes turning up that I didn’t plan on, so the book keeps getting longer. It’s also getting deeper, and the story is filling in nicely. All of the planning I did is (so far) leading draft one to have the depth of a draft 2, if not the polish. There have been a few more detours than I expected, but they’re all still leading to the right place, and it’s a fun ride.

So that’s it for today’s report. How’s your week going so far, writing, reading, or otherwise?

21 Comments | tags: book three, bound trilogy, fantasy, snippet | posted in ROW80

October 6, 2014

Half-Assing #ROW80 (on purpose, this time)

By Kate Sparkes

Okay, that was a strange title, so let me explain.

I sort of dropped out of ROW80 (A Round of Words in 80 Days) on the last round because I was worried about boring people with my posts, especially those of you who subscribe by e-mail. You don’t want your phone to go BRRRRRRMP or BING! or whatever on a Sunday just to be notified that OMG KATE SPARKES WROTE ANOTHER 5000 WORDS YAY.

I know. And I don’t want to put you through that.

But I do miss the accountability and the community. So what to do?

I think I’m going to just check in once a week, on Wednesdays (see? Half-assing the reporting bit). That way these posts will be combined with WIPpet Wednesdays, which will be the candy I offer you to go with the vegetables that are my goals updates. If you’re interested in how things are progressing with my goals, by all means read through. I live to serve, and if watching my numbers is at all inspiring, encouraging, or exciting, I hope you’ll follow along.

Just don’t feel like you have to.

Round 4 of ROW80 for 2014 runs from October 6 to December 25. That means it’s GOAL-SETTIN’ TIME.

*rolls up sleeves, spits in conveniently-placed spittoon*

GOALS:

BOUND TRILOGY BOOK #3 – I’m currently at about 36,500 words out of a projected 120,000. I want to have this done by mid-November, if possible, to leave time for my other book-related goal (see below). This won’t be a problem if I can focus and stick to my schedule… so it’ll probably be a problem. But here’s what I’m aiming for:

3000 words a day, 4 days a week. This leaves one day for me to go to town and get groceries, because my children continue to insist on me putting food in their faces. COOKED food, even. So demanding. If I can get more words than that in, I will. If I can squeeze in writing time on the weekends, I’ll do that, too. But based on what I’ve been able to accomplish over the past month, this seems like a reasonable base goal, if a challenging one.
So doing the math… That would get me done with this messy first draft thing in 28 working days, or on November 20. Hmm. I’ll have to try to get extra words in there, maybe aim for 14,000 words a week somehow. Because my other goal is…

TORN – barring some miraculous cancellation on the part of one of his other clients, my editor will be taking this one on at the beginning of December. I’ve already worked in most of my beta readers’ notes (many thanks to those of you who got through it so quickly, you’re the best!), but there are a few more things that need fixing up. So as soon as Book 3 is drafted, or sooner if need be, I need to get those last few things cleaned up. This is really important, but I don’t want to interrupt this whole first draft thing while I’m on a roll, so I’m putting it off.

Oooooh, dramatic tension, if only in my own mind!

SHORT STORY – It’s a thing I’m working on, which I’d like to have released by Christmas, but it’ll have to get squished in between other BIG, IMPORTANT STUFF. No promises.

OTHER GOALS –

listen to two writing podcasts a week. I can do this while I’m cooking or out walking the dog, so this should be an easy one to cross off. Right now I like Hide and Create and The Self-Publishing Podcast.
Beta reading. I’m doing this for a fellow WIPpeteer this month. I haven’t started yet, but I’m going to get on it soon. There will be notes. SUCH NOTES THERE WILL BE.
Other reading – one or two novels a month seems to be all I have time for these days. Reading just feels like homework right now (heartbreaking, I know), but it’s important. Right now I’m reading Behind the Scenes by Dahlia Adler (so adorable–and I usually don’t like contemporary YA romance) and The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. We’ll see what comes after that. And I’d like to get through at least one writing-related book this round, too.
Organize something fun for the Bound audiobook release in November.
Also, I’m using the Duolingo app to learn French. Because why not?* I have no concrete goal for this, except to use it for 10 minutes a day.

I guess that’s enough.

Are you participating this round? Link back to your goals post in the comments so I can stop by and say hello!

October. Oooooh, aaaaah!

–

*Weird story: I’m pretty sure it had me say, “Je mange les femmes” yesterday, meaning “I eat women.” I’m not entirely sure what they’re implying… this could go in a few directions. Of course, they also think “Je suis un homme,” so you know. Whatever.

15 Comments | tags: #ROW80, editing, fantasy, first draft, goals, revisions, trilogy, writing | posted in ROW80, writing

October 6, 2014

Fall Into Fantasy: The Daath Chronicles by Eliza Tilton

By Kate Sparkes

Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

Week 7: The Daath Chronicles

Book One: Broken Forest

Book Two: Wicked Path

Hopeless he’ll never be more than the boy who didn’t save his brother, 17-year-old Avikar accepts his life as the family stable boy, trying to forget the past. But when his sister, Jeslyn, is kidnapped, the thought of losing another sibling catapults him on a desperate quest. With his best friend by his side, and using the tracking skills he learned from his father, he discovers Jeslyn has been taken, kidnapped by one Lucino, the young lord of Daath, a mystical place thought only to exist in fables.

And Lucino has plans for Jeslyn.

His shape-shifting brethren feed off the auras of humans, and Jeslyn’s golden hue is exactly what Lucino needs to increase his power. The longer it takes Avikar to reach her, the more entranced she becomes with Lucino’s world, and the harder it will be for Avikar to set her free.

He failed his family once. He won’t fail again.

Buy it from: Amazon / Barnes
& Noble / KoboOr add it to GoodreadsEXCERPT:

The wagons surrounded the site in a semi-circle. Sweat pooled in my palms. I had to take out the guards closest to that entrance. If I failed, so did the mission.

Get a grip.

I clenched the arrow in my right hand. Brushfire shifted nervously, sensing my fear. I rubbed her neck. I felt safer with her. She’d been with me since Jimri’s death. At night when the nightmares taunted me, I’d sneak out, riding until dawn forced us home. I’d rescued her from the burning woods, she’d rescued me from despair — today, I prayed both of us would make it out alive.

In Wicked Path: Book Two of the Daath Chronicles brother and sister are forced to opposite sides of Tarrtainya on a fast-paced adventure where the wildlife isn’t the only thing trying to kill them.

Three months have passed since Avikar defeated the Reptilian Prince, and he still can’t remember his battle with Lucino. On the hunt for answers, he returns to the scene of the fight and discovers a strange connection between his family’s dagger and the mysterious kingdom of Daath, and it seems only his distant father can reveal the truth behind it all.

Before Avikar can travel back home, Lucy assaults him in the market and forces him to flee to Nod Mountains—a place few dare to enter, and even less return from. With Raven and her childhood friend by his side, they must survive the treacherous journey through the pass with a vengeful Lucy hunting them. If they don’t, they’ll never see home again.

Jeslyn’s new life in Luna Harbor is the perfect remedy for her confused and broken heart. But when a group of mercenaries kidnap her beloved Grandfather, interrupting her daily routine as his jewelry apprentice, she’s forced to join forces with the one person from her past she tried to forget.

And his assistance comes with a price.

Buy it from: Amazon Barnes & Noble (TBA)

Or add it to Goodreads

ABOUT ELIZA TILTON:

Eliza graduated from Dowling College with a BS in Visual Communications. When she’s not arguing with excel at her day job, or playing Dragon Age 2, again, she’s writing.

Her YA stories hold a bit of the fantastical and there’s always a hot romance. She resides on Long Island with her husband, two kids and one very snuggly pit bull.

Find Eliza online:

Website / Twitter
/ Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest / Google+

Want to get involved with the Fall Into Fantasy promotional tour?

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Leave a comment | posted in books, Fall Into Fantasy

October 3, 2014

ENSUING DARKNESS by Sabrina Giles

By Kate Sparkes

Good Friday, everyone! Unless it’s not Friday where you are or when you read this, in which case I hope you’re having a good other day and are enjoying the future.

Man, blogging is awkward sometimes.

On topic: I met Sabrina Giles through the Indie Author Group on Facebook a while ago, and she’s pretty darned swell. Sabrina’s new book Ensuing Darkness is out now, and I agreed to host a promo post as part of her blog tour. Check out the book and a quick excerpt here, and purchase links are available below. There’s a Rafflecopter giveaway link at the bottom for a paperback, e-books and swag (US only)

Enjoy!

Ensuing Darkness
(The Dark Chronicles: Book 1)

Kota’s hometown is harboring more secrets than she ever imagined.
Hunting, partying, and hanging with the guys has made up the most of her frustratingly simple life, and she’s looking hard for something else. Something new. Unfortunately for her, she gets her wish senior year when a family of dancers comes Waltzing into her life.
Unbeknownst to Kota however, the Peters are hiding dark secrets and a dark past that’s still chasing them. Their dangerous mission needs to go perfectly, but when the twins get mixed up in a taboo romance with Kota and her best friend Sue, things get nasty for everyone.
Driven by her inexhaustible curiosity and the disturbing effect the Peters have on her, Kota starts pushing her way towards the truth without hesitation. All at once, she’s surrounded by everything she never knew existed, and now more than just her life is in danger.
So be careful what you wish for…

An Upper YA Paranormal Fantasy

Teaser:
“― I said I would protect you from anything, right? Well, I will, but there’s something about them that puts my teeth on edge.”
I really couldn’t blame Louis, I mean, they were vampires. Regardless of the fact that I’d slept an entire night at their house and left without a single bite mark or puncture wound of any kind, it was in their nature. I also couldn’t help feeling a little more on his side now that I knew the truth, but it was a big struggle now that the shock of it had lifted. On the one hand, Connelly was a vampire, a blood-sucking monster who could rip me to shreds with a flick of his wrist, but on the other hand, he had saved me from Randy. He had saved me, and that action in and of itself was what stopped me running away when he had shown his true form. That single act was what was keeping me… transfixed.

Excerpt:

“Kota, I’m begging you, stop right now before something bad happens. Before you get hurt.” On these last words, I had to stop. That was too close to what was really going on and I was suddenly on guard. Does he know their secret too? How?
“Louis, what exactly are you talking about?” I was nervous and scared. If he knew, they were in big trouble, but if he didn’t know, I didn’t want to give away anything that would make him suspect. “How do you think they’re going to hurt me?”
“Kota, listen,” he said, turning to completely face me now. “I’ve known people like them and they never do any good. These people are different in a bad way, and you may not see it truly now, but trust me, you will soon. Something will happen.”
“What if you’re wrong? What if they’re just different and they do do good?”
“If they’re just different, then they’re still drifters, and that means that what you and Connelly have isn’t going to last. He’s going to leave, and then you’ll be left. Hurt.” He sat up straighter now and added, “Either way you look at it, you’re gonna end up hurt if you stay with them ― Either physically or emotionally.”
I was trying to ignore how much his words hit me, and part of me thought I was getting so mad because I didn’t want them to be true. I couldn’t back down though, not now. I was too deep into it now to quit. I knew too much, and even though it had become dangerous, I was going to have to stick it out. I couldn’t let them down. “Then who should I be with? You?”
He looked surprised for a minute and then shrugged, saying, “Well, you know, I’ve always ―”
“That’s just the problem,” I interrupted. “Instead of just being a friend, you’re acting out of jealousy because you want me to be with you.”
“Kota, that’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“How do I know for sure?”
“You know me, that’s how! I’m your best friend!”
“If you were really doing this all along just to get with me, then you weren’t really a friend at all.” The words were out before I could stop them and I bit my tongue. We both looked surprised and his face changed from being angry to being extremely hurt.

Links

Goodreads

Amazon (Print)

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble
About the Author

Sabrina Giles was born during a storm, in a room with no windows and no electricity. She used to hate reading fiction so much her mother made it a punishment, and then suddenly something clicked. Now she can’t stop writing it.
Ensuing Darkness is the first in her series The Dark Chronicles. She’s persistently working on its sequel, as well as a couple other projects you might see popping up soon.
When she’s not writing, she can be found spending time with her husband, being crafty or making tasty messes in the kitchen.
She & her husband currently live in Illinois with a boxer, a fat cat, and are expecting their first child.
Site/Blog: http://sabrinagiles.wordpress.com/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGilesAuthorPage

Amazon Author Page: http://viewauthor.at/SabrinaGilesAMZ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sabrinabgiles

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6861227.Sabrina_Giles

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

Tumblr: http://sabrinagiles.tumblr.com/

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Leave a comment | tags: Ensuing Darkness, paranormal, promo, rafflecopter, Sabrina Giles, upper YA | posted in cover reveal