Fresh meat in the Video Reviews department, and submission guidelines

I recently had the privilege of reviewing Coral Moore’s Broods of Fenrir. It’s a werewolf urban fantasy, and let’s just say I am now in love with werewolves.

Have a watch:

If you like my reviews, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. I try to keep a fresh assortment of indie books that range in length from short stories to novels.I update about once or twice per week, depending on health, schedule and how long the books are. I try to cram a short story or a novella between novels to keep things fresh.

Additionally, I promised some submission guidelines for those among you who are up to the nerve-wracking awesomeness that is having me video-review a book. Well, look no longer. I’ve got a bit of a back list, but I’m still accepting submissions for the time being. Let me know in the comments, twitter or any of the other myriad ways there are of contacting me.

New Video Review: This Brilliant Darkness, by Red Tash

By popular demand, I have another video review for you.

This was a highly enjoyable book, and I am going to say that if you like stories of the darker persuasion (of course you do, that’s why you’re on my blog!)

This Brilliant Darkness on Amazon

Red Tash’s website

More reviews are on their way!

At long last, Deadlocked is finished, and a cute picture I drew

You heard it here, and maybe during my self-congratulatory tweets last night. Deadlocked‘s first draft is finally complete! I really struggled with this one, lots of stupid life-stress caused huge amounts of writer’s block. But, I crawled forward in 200-word blocks until the end, where a few more substantive writing sessions finally finished it.

Today, I’m going to be taking the Red Pen of Doom to this lovely manuscript, to fix the damage writing in 200-word segments can do, general coherence and to tighten up my descriptiveness and prose. Whatever prose really means.

In other news, The Zombie’s Bride is approaching 2500 downloads. That’s a nice number, but it seems to have little to no effect on sales. I’ll focus more on the main Zombie Bedtime Stories plot line for now, as I want Bedlam to be released by Christmas. This is, of course, barring extenuating circumstances, such as finding full-time work.

Finally, some artwork. My recently was able to get my hands on a Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet courtesy of my boyfriend’s wonderful negotiation skills. After figuring out how to draw with it, and a crash self-taught course in Photoshop Elements, I came up with this little thing:

Brains

My cover artist‘s job is safe.

Fall approaches, and I have a haiku dedicated to me.

I’m going to do these in order. The haiku stuff is at the bottom.

Fall is here. It’s that time of year when I spend 20+ hours/week in the kitchen. I make preserves, apple crisp and great fresh food. I’ve been documenting some of my recipes and thoughts on my Youtube channel. My latest cooking video was about tomato canning. This same video also is compelling me to step up my weight loss inititives. I know the camera adds 10 pounds and all, but yeesh. Extreme cooking is exercise, right? (Especially when it all goes into jars and you don’t even get to eat it!). My awesome neighbor just dropped off a few pounds of fresh plums from her sister’s tree. I think plum jelly is in the works.

I’m trying to teach myself javascript, to increase my skill set. Maybe soul-destroying sales jobs won’t be the only places who find my resume interesting if I add yet more non-sales skills. Monster.ca is lame like that.

Locked Out is doing great, it’s already overtaken Locked In‘s record sales week, and it’s only Thursday. I’m so in awe of all the support and enthusiasm my friends and family have for the Zombie Bedtime Stories project. I intend to keep delivering! Deadlocked is nearing it’s gory and catastrophic conclusion, and then it’s time for yet another perspective.

Now, a lovely twitter friend and fellow #Zweepette (kind of a code for girl who really likes zombies) made a haiku for me, because it’s Friday (for her, not quite for me yet) and because I’m awesome. The pickle juice drinking is in reference to this video.

And, for the haiku:

The best haiku ever

Weekend updates!

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

I recorded myself reading The Zombie’s Bride on YouTube. It’s hopefully the first of many readings.

In other news, I get the draft of Locked Out back tomorrow. Double yay! It’s much improved, and apparently it is darkly hilarious. Possibly in ways I didn’t intend, but that’s even better.

Weekend news: I got interviewed, Zombie Walk Video and more!

So it’s been a dismal week productivity wise. That happens, I’m told. I’ll just redouble my efforts next week. It’s a pain editing halfhearted crap into good material, so it’s probably for the better. I’m getting good feedback on Locked Out, which is very encouraging to make me sit down and crank out Deadlocked. I want to have it out before NaNoWriMo.

I promised you a video. Here is the footage Kyle  took. He got some great shots of the zombies swarming a Justin Bieber display.

Montreal Zombie Walk 2011 video – skip to 1:16 if you only care about seeing Bieber get eaten (there are two waves, second is at 1:50ish)

Goals for this week: Deadlocked to 5000 words. If I get Locked Out back from editor (hi mom) then new draft. I’m hoping to have some nice cover art to show off at some point in the nearish future, but that might not be this week.

Finally, I have an interview about Locked In posted. This is happy news. Thanks to 1st Author Interviews, you guys rock.

 

 

Impersonating zombies, and editing day 1

I was asked to do a zombie impersonation. This seemed like a completely valid and awesome request, so I did it. While wearing the lamest hat I was able to find in my stack of hats. Check it out!

I edited the first draft. I needed to change a few minor plot details, but they make the story stronger over all. Tomorrow I have to input all these edits. That is going to be fun.

I didn’t get to writing any zombie flash today. Ended up spending much time on phone with person I do work for. Now I don’t know if I can get to it – I had a lot of stuff dumped on my plate. It’s probably worse than it looks. Business writing just isn’t as much fun as zombies.

I really, really want to write that zombie flash, though. It’s consuming my mind. And it’s delicious.

Tomorrow is formatting day

I found some last-minute edits to make today. Fixing typos and all that. I have to have it looking its best, so the world can enjoy it. I guess that makes it draft 7.5?

Not a lot else to report. I’m still feeling excited about it, and maybe even more confident in my abilities. I created a Facebook Fan page, because apparently I have to.

I read my sample on my latest YouTube video. Check it out! I spend about the first minute playing with a tricorder I got when I was 10. Be amused.

Zombie Bedtime Stories: Locked In Cover Art and Sneak Peek.

Edit 07/25/2011: Here are links to the store pages for Locked In:

Amazon.com

Smashwords

Original Post:

You heard it here. I think it’s done. I’m going to do the “read it out loud” test tomorrow evening.

So, here is the story cover my boyfriend created for me. The arms are mine, and I made the fake (bright pink) blood. The rest of the effort is all his. I know I’ve posted it before, but it’s changed and improved.

Book Cover

I did promise a sneak peak, didn’t I?

            Haley threw up her arms as he made a lunge for her face. His unimaginable strength pitched them both to the ground. The blow winded her. Her eyes widened in alarm as she squirmed under his wizened form to keep his decaying teeth away from her flesh. His fetid breath was tinged with the scent of blood, the overwhelming stench burning into her lungs. Haley thought she was going to vomit. The three officers and Frank shouted as they struggled to gain control of the crazed man. Deafened by Buddy’s shrieks, the terror of the cacophony threatened to paralyze her. A Taser was drawn, but its discharge barely seemed to jolt Buddy, prompting a renewed flurry of attacks. Haley felt a discernible electric tingle pass through her own body, so she knew the device had worked, but on the wrong person. With this realization her thoughts became frantic and incoherent. As she felt her arms weaken from the exertion, she couldn’t help wondering if Buddy was drugged.

That’s all for now. Sleep tight. If you want a more animated version of today’s events, featuring overuse of the word “crap”  and a Fedora, then check out today’s vlog.

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I Am A Sprinting Writer With No Stamina

I can crank out sweet word counts for the first hour, but then I need to fall back and recharge. I wrote 1100 words in just over an hour, but then it was like my mind melted. My total count per burst is getting higher, but I just have no stamina whatsoever! It’s the new writer’s block.

Yesterday, I made a YouTube video to talk about Zombie Bedtime Stories. Check it out.

Tomorrow I’m going to RibFest in Ottawa, and I get to see my cousin that I never get to see! I’m so stoked. Stay tuned for another cover art sneak peek – Locked In is getting a face (font) lift.