Did you name Andrea’s Thingie yet?
The editor and marketing have colluded and picked a name… and I can’t announce it yet. Sadly nobody won the contest exactly, because in the end they did decide to keep Magic in it. ::facepalm:: But everyone tried so hard, so we will end up random number generating a winner for some sort of prize. We need some opinions: we can do signed books, we can do an e-arc of Fate’s Edge, or a beta spot.
Did you send stuff to remaining two betas yet?
I’m going through it to clean it up and you will be getting the cleaner versions today.
As an aside, I am so sleepy. I had to watch IT with Kid 2 past eleven and get up at 6:00 am for a session of algebra with Kid 1. I remember when I could exist on five hours of sleep. Apparently, not so much anymore. Also I should get “No, you forgot the minus” tattooed on my forehead. 14 and -14 are not the same number, damn it. Graph paper helps.
When will you publish Silver Shark?
Silver Shark is going through our agency and our agent has read and made small editorial corrections. I should get the file done today. I’ll email it to the two remaining betas for additional quality control. Meanwhile I’ve already emailed the CE, so depending on if the CE has time, hopefully you will get it in the next two weeks or so.
I did find a cool girl for the cover.
We will be getting something out in the meantime.
How can I read your e-stuff if I don’t have a Kindle or a Nook?
See the next post.
Where is the next post?
I will write it after I am done with this one.
M writes:
I have many stories in my head but somehow I can’t get them on paper. I’ve tried but the wording never comes out right. If you have any advise (and free time) please email me in reply. Thank you so much for bring much joy into my life in these tough times.
The vision in my head never matches what I put on paper. Never. When we started Fate’s Edge, for example, the idea was to get everyone into the castle and have a castle heist. Instead, the book ended up being about getting to the castle. There is a fun castle part when everything is going to hell, and Claws of Bast from West Egypt turn into panthers – werekitties, meow, meow – and chase the Hand agents around, but mostly it’s about the journey.
I think that as a writer, you can never match the vision. You can only strive to get close to it.
If you would like a more technical advice, there is some on the blog already under writing tricks. Or, if you want to get more specific, feel free to email me, and I will try to answer to the best of my ability. Warning: it might take some time, because right now it’s all work and work and no play.
personally i would want the beta spot. The RNG hates me though so i am betting against myself. maybe you do the RNG and let who is pick choose their prize there fore making them happy?
so your editor got hold of Andrea huh well thats good right?
No, we are still writing Andrea, but our editor has a detailed synopsis.
I hope you have learned your lesson and will cease your efforts to use logic and reason when trying to figure out what marketing people want.
I would want the beta spot too. Even under pain of death by spoon, beta reading would be a dream. I missed the last contest for beta reading and was very sad, stupid malfunctioning wireless router. Anywho, I agree with Rhoda, maybe let lucky RNG winner pick from the 3?
I wish I was one of those people who could still get by on four or five hours of sleep. I used to do it in college, but not now. Now, if I don’t get at least seven hours of sleep, I’m dead the next day. And if I don’t get enough sleep for a few days in a row, I crash, like I did last night, and go to bed at 8:30. ::shakes head::
I’m excited for all the upcoming releases! I agree with the previous posters. Let the winner decide on the prize between the things you listed. Beta or Fate’s Edge? Tough decision.
Are you helping with 8th grade algebra too? I agree about the graph paper. What I don’t understand is why my son has a worksheet but no text book. ???? I’m off to hunt one down on Amazon since I **might** have forgotten some things in the past thirty years! I’m an older mum so this makes it fun especially when I solved a complicated equation and my husband (the math phobe) high fived me. The bonus points were when that embarrassed the said 8th grader.
I can so relate. I went back for my MBA after many years out of school and let’s just say graph paper saved my butt…lol
Try these sites http://math.com/homeworkhelp/Algebra.html
and
http://www.khanacademy.org/
for free math help
Feel your pain with no sleep. Living with two pseudo-adults attending college is turning me into a zombie. Good luck with all the work and homework! (I am useless with math and hire tutors for my kids!)
BTW, I would want the Beta spot for a prize!
Any one of the 3 prizes would be awesome. Just pick whatever makes your life easiest right now.
Hope you can get some shut eye tongiht (or a nap – whatever)
kindle-aholic recently posted..Recent Good Reads
“God can’t be everywhere, so He created Russian mothers.” I’m sure you’re exhausted, but I’m glad to hear how much mom/daughter time you’re getting. My son is five and just started “sight words” this year- for some reason, this is excruciating to me. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like when he needs help with anything more complicated (like algebra.) Very excited about Silver Shark!
Hooked on Phonics. Worth every penny. Both girls were reading three levels above their grade when starting school.
Definitely agree on Hooked on Phonics! Any other method really doesn’t work – I know because my sister and I tried several for her kids and Hooked on Phonics works!
Random number generator hates me too.
Never Win.
But if I did win, I would want the Beta spot
Jan Brett (she writes picture books) has flash cards for sight words and lots of other helpful stuff for preschoolers and early grades here http://janbrett.com/activities_pages.htm
I hope you get some shut eye. Anything is nice, but the beta spot is better than nice! There is something great about getting a book before it’s released, like eating chocolate!
My baby is a senior in high school this year. I miss the days when he actually wanted to hang around me and he didn’t need anything. Time goes too fast:( Totally looking forward to Silver Shark.
I would also want the beta spot… Curiosity is a b-word!
And since I don’t live in USA, I guess it would be more practical… Why don’t let the lucky winner choose?
I leave the algebra to my hubby, I take all the English homework so I’m happy
Can’t believe they went with ‘Magic’ after all that – hilarious!
I think they’re all fab-a-rooney prizes too, but my fave would be the beta.
Chantal Halpin recently posted..Help – I can’t choose!!
Sorry you’re tired but Woohoo! Really excited about Silver Shark coming out soon
I think the chance to beta one of your stories sounds great. I have no idea how much good my limited ability would help though. I have been wanting to ask something; how did you intend for the names of your characters to be pronounced? For instance, is it Curan like in currant, or Curan like in cure? It really doesn’t matter…just curious.
Would you pretty please post the titles you liked most? Maybe they could give us a hint of what else to expect from Andrea’s book…
I missed out on entering the beta spot contest, so I vote for that option. Fate’s edge e-arc would be fantastic as well.
I would want Fate’s Edge or to beta
Kindle-A is an amazon friend of mine, and I was mildly jealous/super happy for her when she came up RNG for Silver Shark. Even though I would LOVE to have you “scribble” your name in my books, I currently have all of them and live outside the US so anything electronic will be easier for you. (Although one of these days I’m going to have to get physical copies of the more recent books that I’ve bought in eformat.) One of my dreams is to come to a conference or book signing for you, and also one for Michelle Sagara West! But it’s going to take a while!
I’d have to agree with the crowd – the opportunity to beta would be amazing! And Hooked on Phonics is really good for teaching kids to read? I’ve heard the commercials, of course, but haven’t really looked at it and my munchkin is 5 and just learning her sight words as well. We do spelling games at home, but it would be great to give her a real leg up here…. Thanks for the tip!
Beta reader – definitely!
Seems the beta wins.
Personally I’m still sad I lost the post x the betas.. It’s a great opportunity!
Well if there was a post particulary ispiring you can recopensate him\her like this..
If there were alot of ispiring ones.. we are still waiting for the short stories with Ascanio at the banket or Gordon can gift us with a POW!!
And the one at the steak house too..
I’m gready, I know, sorry..
Right now I’m going to read “A mere formality”
You’re wonderful, thanks!
Getting an e-ARC or Fate’s Edge is great but being a beta is the gift that keeps on giving.
Thanks for all of the great extras, you and Gordon are such generous people with your time and talents.
I would want a beta spot prize as well! Though I think my chances have dimmed slightly with a randomization. I was really hoping that my title choices would come close so I could pick a beta read. I’ve got a lot of experience, but never with a published book.
I would want the e-ARC. I don’t think I have anything to offer as a beta. Although I’m really good at noticing dropped words and wrong tenses.
Can’t wait to read the new story!
My piano teacher told me a story:
A student complained to his violin master that the music sounded so much better in his head than it did when he was playing it.
The violin master replied, “What makes you think that ever changes?”
I hate to upset you, but YEAH to the editor for keeping Magic in the title. That was my vote all along.
e-ARC…n the off chance that the RNG gods smile down on me. :p
It’s too bad they didn’t decide to go w/ one of the reader suggestions for the Andrea book title. I was amazed w/ the titles people came up with–they were fabulous.
Right there with ya on the math homework!!!
I agree–RNG, or whatever is easiest for YOU!!!
Happy almost weekend!
I think being a beta is the best!!
so editor and marketing settled on a magic name, huh?
but at least it was fun to read through all the suggestions!
Beta!
I’m so excited to read Silver Shark. Can’t get that story out of my head!