Sounds intimidating, or worse, doesn't it? It isn't. Promise. There are no beasties in the following words. And sorry, but no lunch either. MICE refers to storytelling. M is for Milieu and although every story has a setting, a Milieu story is more than a story based mostly on setting. It's also a tool to … Continue reading MICE with PIES in the Toolbox
Stories
And Then There was the … Synopsis
What -- you do it first? I don't, and there's a reason for that. It's not that I do things back to front, at least not from my perspective. The start is the beat sheets, one for each character in the story, but the main two characters (usually the main character/protagonist and the antagonist) get … Continue reading And Then There was the … Synopsis
Your first pages – 5 more book openings critiqued by a literary agent (and me!) at @Litopia
Get the lowdown on your sub from professionals … go on, submit
I’ve just guested again at Litopia, the online writers’ colony and community. Each week they have a YouTube show, Pop-Up Submissions, where five manuscripts are read and critiqued live on air by literary agent Peter Cox @agentpete and a guest, or sometimes two (this time we had longtime Litopia member Jon Duffy.
Here’s a glimpse of the green room before we went on air, with thoughtful shuffling of notes.
The format is simple. Five manuscripts, each with a short blurb. We hear the opening pages, then discuss how they’re working – exactly as agents would consider a manuscript that arrived in their inbox.
As always, the submissions had many strengths. Issues we discussed included atmospheric writing that doesn’t go anywhere, a character who seemed in the wrong age group, a voice that might be confusing the reader, a curious choice of second person for the narrator, obvious and unnecessary…
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The Call to Magic:
It’s live, in a dark urban fantasy way …
Description:
Awaken, spirit of Maiden, vessel of a pure soul and bearer of an empath’s heart.
Aventi sends out the call for a new Maiden. If she doesn’t get a replacement, magic will leave her. If that happens, she can’t heal, and her soul remains blemished forever.
Please, she begs, feel your truth.
But when the novitiates arrive without a guide, Aventi must choose — risk death to escort them through the same ordeal that still haunts her worst nightmares, or hide from the responsibility and close the circle?
Can she survive another journey through that hell to seek the path to redemption?
Magic calls — are you the vessel it seeks?
Goes live on 23 October 2020, a gift to one who loved to read on his birthday.
Scorpio release!
Another anthology on my tbr list — I’ve loved them all
Lots of talented authors in this new edition coming from Deadset Press! Pumped to have my little godstory “The Endless Chase” included 🌟🌌🌟
Mug shots
There are days all these messages are appropriate (especially the last one) …
Friday funnies
I think this may say it all about the year we’ve had –
Proud? Yes.
The latest story is here! and in Here (the .com link to the 'zon) https://www.amazon.com/Libra-Speculative-Fiction-Inspired-Zodiac-ebook/dp/B08MQN31ND/ I already have my copy, but the sell date is 8 November which means the north of the line residents need to wait a bit longer. Not much longer, just a tiny few hours and it's all there, ready to … Continue reading Proud? Yes.
ALL ABOUT POP-UP SUBMISSIONS
This is an amazing place for writers – definitely recommended for writers!
THIS is what I was talking about – check out Litopia.com and see what you think. This is the kind of creative connection and advice I wish I’d had years ago. Great place for meeting writers of all kinds, making contacts, finding out how to improve your writing, and just generally having a good time being creative.
Kay
Author of Treasure This
Founder member of Electrikinc
All the books…!!!
Antipodean darkness creeps here … read on, if you dare
I published a lot this year and not sure I really updated the news blog about them, so here’s the latest books. In fact, hell, here are all the books available through Amazon…!!!
If you see any advertised on Amazon at ridiculously high prices, or any books you don’t see here ( I counted 26 of 28 :P), feel free to email me (dillonstephen@hotmail.com) for a quote with your address as Amazon (AU especially) keep bumping up the prices….
