Showing posts with label sci-fi authors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sci-fi authors. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Keys to Being a Successful Author
Keys to Being a Successful Author
By S.E. Smith
I recently gave a presentation at the Romancing the
Capital Convention in Ottawa, Canada that helped to re-enforce what it takes to
be a successful author. The Keys to being a Successful Author are a little more
in-depth than what I’ll be posting in this blog, but they are the essential
foundation to being a successful writer. I’ve had many people ask me what I did
to be successful. Hard work, research, learning, some really great stories, and luck some more are
just a few things that helped me be where I am. Most authors would tell you
they are already doing this! But, it also takes a few additional strategies to
become successful. I’m not going to go into great detail, but I will share what
I told those who attended my workshop what I believe are the Keys to being a
Successful Author.
Stories Ideas are unique and should be! I'm not in the business to tell other people how to write their stories, just that if they do make sure they grab the readers attention. You want to make sure that you are writing in a genre that shows your passion for it. It will come through in your writing. You also need to make sure that your characters, good, bad, or ugly, fit the story and balance each other. Finally, if you are writing a series, start out simple. You do not have to build the entire world in the first book. Whatever rules you put in place need to make sense down the road. Build your worlds slowly, let them grow with your characters.
Write a great story that captures your audience's attention. You need to balance your scenes, descriptions, dialogue, and characters to do that. There is a fine line of giving too much or not enough. I recommend listening to your story being read back to you (you can use the speak command in the Tools if you are using Microsoft Word to do this). It will help you pick up flow issues, too much/not enough information, stilted dialogue, and more.
Use trusted Beta Readers to help you. They love to read and they do it very, very well. They will let you know if something doesn't make sense or if you have 'holes' in your story. The key is to trust them, listen to them, and appreciate their experience as a reader.
This is the business end of being a writer. You are the publishing company. Think smart, look at advertisements on TV, in the papers, in magazines, and think 'How can I do that?' You'll begin to immediately identify different companies branding. You need to think of branding yourself and your books! Also, remember that this is an ongoing experiment. Even the big companies don't have all the marketing answers. That is why they are constantly changing their ads.
Think long term when you start writing. Just like you hopefully don't plan to write one book, it will take time to build your reader base. Slow and steady, using organic growth, is the best way to build and retain your reader base. This is the group that falls in love with you, your characters, and your stories.
Use Social Media! Yes, in this day and age, this is the best way to get your books out their. Look at your own list of 'friends'. Now, multiply that list by having ten other people who 'Like' you. They like your books, your stories, your characters and they are talking about it to all their 'friends' who enjoy the same time of books. Slow and steady is a very good thing.
Remember, I didn't go over everything I presented, but just a few of the basics. Look at your set up as an author and compare it to what I have written on this few slides. If you ask me how I have become successful, here it is. Keeping it simple helps to keep it manageable. There are a lot of sub-categories for each of these and I went into more detail, but if you review your own structure you will see the foundation of what it takes to be a successful author. It takes a lot of hard work, research, learning, some really great stories, and just a bit of luck.
Part of my branding is in my book covers, in my name, how I do my business cards, even down to the colors I use.
About
S. E. Smith
S. E. Smith is a multi-listed New
York Times, USA TODAY and #1 International Amazon Bestselling
author who has always been a romantic and a dreamer. A prolific writer, she has
spent years writing, although it has usually been technical papers for college.
Now, she spends her days and weekends writing and her nights dreaming up new
stories. She enjoys camping and traveling when she is not out on a date with
her favorite romantic guy.
Look for Viper's Defiant Mate: Sarafin Warriors Book 2 coming the end of May 2015.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Moony For Love
Did you all see that moon October 19-20? It was nearly red as it crept past the horizon, then turned orange as it rose, finally becoming the usual white high in the sky.
Also known as a Full Hunters Moon, its technical term is a waning gibbous moon. Not quite as romantic.
And a full orange moon is romantic. In addition to the lunar pull that affects the 70% of water in the human body as it does the tides, it's a perfect symbol for celestial love and lunar romance.
Here are a few sci-fi explorations of moonrise love... including a title by our own Linda Andrews.
Blue Maneuver: The extraterrestrials have landed and they're human.
Rae Hemplewhite didn't believe in aliens until a close encounter with out-of-this-world technology drags her into the extraterrestrial security program. Helping alien refugees adjust to life on Earth is difficult enough, but her first clients have a price on their heads. Plus, her new partner seems torn between the urge to kiss her or kill her.
And that's the good news.
The bad news: Alliances are forming in deep space. If Rae doesn't keep her witnesses alive long enough to transfer their top secret information to the right faction of humanity, Earth will become a battlefield.
Rae Hemplewhite didn't believe in aliens until a close encounter with out-of-this-world technology drags her into the extraterrestrial security program. Helping alien refugees adjust to life on Earth is difficult enough, but her first clients have a price on their heads. Plus, her new partner seems torn between the urge to kiss her or kill her.
And that's the good news.
The bad news: Alliances are forming in deep space. If Rae doesn't keep her witnesses alive long enough to transfer their top secret information to the right faction of humanity, Earth will become a battlefield.
For other sci-fi and paranormal reads, click here to see an Amazon list.
Probably one of the most famous moon romance films is Moonstruck:
"The moon brings the woman to the man, capiche?"
For other moon-based films, click here.
A big moon makes people a little looney (get it?). Mix that with love, and the story lines are endless...
Thursday, October 17, 2013
A "Soul-Mate" Isn't What You Might Think...
Obviously, I love a good old-fashioned romance. Boy meets girls. Love at first sight. Fairy tale ending and everyone lives happily ever after. Right? That's all the rage in romance novels. There are a variety of ways to label this phenomenon: lifemate, soul-mate, kismet, fated-mate, etc...especially in the paranormal genre. We've got a very firm grasp on the idea of one true love that was destined, fated, and meant-to-be. And maybe that's true for some.
Maybe it's not.
But either way, I think soul-mate may be the incorrect label for that kind of true-love, romantic relationship. True love is amazing, wonderful and miraculous, don't get me wrong. But that's not what I believe a true soul-mate is.
So, if that's NOT what a soul-mate is, you may be wondering how, exactly, I DO apply that label. Well, here goes:
1 - A soul mate is someone from whom you truly hide nothing of yourself because they SEE you, and they understand.
2 - A soul mate connection is so strong, so unbreakable a bond that you know it will survive anything, and I do mean literally anything, life can throw at it - Divorce. Death of loved ones. Cancer. Drug addiction. Old age. Job loss. Loss of faith in oneself or the world. Depression. All tremble in fear at the power of this bond. It is truly unbreakable. Invincible. A miracle.
3 - A soul mate knows you better than anyone on this Earth (including the significant other you may be sleeping with and/or married to)
4 - A soul mate loves you, and you them, no matter what. Warts and all (and they see all the warts.)
5 - A soul mate has your back. Period. Homeless? No problem, stay as long as you like. No job? She'll help you find one. Need a kidney? She'll give you one. Depressed? She'll come drag your sorry hide out of bed. Lost? She'll find you. Losing faith in yourself? She will forever believe in you.
Who is this person, you might ask? Well, if you're very lucky, the first one is your mother. If you're doubly lucky, you'll have a sibling that's a true friend. Not a lot of us are so lucky. And if you are truly blessed, you'll have a friend so true that you know you'll never, ever be facing this life alone - no matter what happens. Whole new spin on the term "BFF."
I've been well and blessed. My mom was amazing. And my BFF was a true soul-mate. They both just "got" me. I lost both to breast cancer, one this year, and I still miss them dearly. But I will see them again, and I know they are both cheering me on from the other side.
The point? This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - go get your mammogram. Stay here a while longer. I'd bet you've got people who need you.
~Michele Callahan
RED NIGHT (Timewalker Chronicles, Book 1)
SILVER STORM (Timewalker Chronicles, Book 2)
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
My Latest Sci-Fi Reads
As a writer, one lament is the diminished reading time available. All that plotting, editing, story mapping often puts the kibosh on curling-up-in-the-chair-time-with-a-good-book.
Dangit.
But when I do get a chance to read, it's extra awesome. I've been on a bit of a sci-fi kick lately, so I wanna share some of the great books that have made me forget I should be writing.
While Cathy's books are relatively new to the sci-fi genre, I'm already a firm fan of her tight, well-plotted stories that keep my Kindle 'next button' active.
Recently out of rehab,
Sasha James is determined to keep her head down, complete her parole and
never touch amber again. The chip in her neck controls her cravings for
the highly addictive drug, but also tracks her every move. Not that she
goes anywhere other than work and the halfway house she calls home—a
far cry from her luxurious former life as lover of the mining colony's
top drug dealer, Guy Christiansen.
Agent Nathan Sterling has no desire to see Sasha fall back into amber, but his sister has become Guy's latest conquest and the unexpectedly attractive Sasha is the key to getting her back. So in exchange for an introduction, he offers Sasha the one thing she can't refuse—her freedom. From the chip, her parole and even the planet if she wants. Though he would be sorry to see her go…
Torn between her growing attraction to Nathan, fear of Guy and the allure of amber, Sasha accepts. But who will save her if Guy refuses to let her go a second time?
Agent Nathan Sterling has no desire to see Sasha fall back into amber, but his sister has become Guy's latest conquest and the unexpectedly attractive Sasha is the key to getting her back. So in exchange for an introduction, he offers Sasha the one thing she can't refuse—her freedom. From the chip, her parole and even the planet if she wants. Though he would be sorry to see her go…
Torn between her growing attraction to Nathan, fear of Guy and the allure of amber, Sasha accepts. But who will save her if Guy refuses to let her go a second time?
Daynight is an intriguing idea about a dystopian world where everything is reversed from Earth. This kept me up late reading. (2012 Book of the Year Award Finalist-Young Adult Fiction, ForeWord Reviews)
Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth's benevolent non-profit by day, Thera's totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Life(TM).
Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and
politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving--forced lifetime
union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI
edicts? Immediate Exile or death.
Girl Under Glass has been described as a cross between The Scarlet Letter and A Handmaid's Tale, and that's pretty accurate. Extremely gripping story that will keep me coming back to Ms Pierce's works.
What do you do when
you’re trapped between death and the devil? To protect her young
daughter from a madman and a tyrant, Rachel Pryne must trust an
enemy—one of the alien warriors who conquered Earth.
It is 2032, the Ohnenrai—Earth’s humanoid alien conquerors—orbit the planet, and Terran reproduction is failing. Rachel Pryne, a trained medic, is struggling to protect her seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, from the sexual predation of their penal colony’s leader. Having fathered the girl by rape, he now intends to take her on her eighth birthday, only six weeks away.
Then Rachel finds her unlikely champion—an injured Ohnenrai soldier who appears in her yard one stormy evening. She knows she may be choosing death over the devil in trusting this warrior, but she doesn’t know that her trust, and her DNA, will make her one of the most important and endangered people to ever set foot aboard an Ohnenrai starship.
It is 2032, the Ohnenrai—Earth’s humanoid alien conquerors—orbit the planet, and Terran reproduction is failing. Rachel Pryne, a trained medic, is struggling to protect her seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, from the sexual predation of their penal colony’s leader. Having fathered the girl by rape, he now intends to take her on her eighth birthday, only six weeks away.
Then Rachel finds her unlikely champion—an injured Ohnenrai soldier who appears in her yard one stormy evening. She knows she may be choosing death over the devil in trusting this warrior, but she doesn’t know that her trust, and her DNA, will make her one of the most important and endangered people to ever set foot aboard an Ohnenrai starship.
Rise Of The Siren takes a lot of risks, and for me, they worked. It was one hella cray cray book, but I HAD to keep reading.
Kora hates vampires and swears she'll never make one. Using artificial
cells, she synthesizes pleasant, harmless creatures like mermaids and
gnomes for wealthy clients who want mythical creatures roaming their
grounds and swimming in their private lakes.
When trillionaire Ruby Lazar buys Kora's masterpiece, the Siren, Kora leaps at the opportunity to deliver her marvel in person. She rushes off to Ruby's Gothic castle on the cliffs of Point Dume only to end up imprisoned in a Victorian monkey cage. To save her own life, Kora must transform the Siren into the very creature she loathes.
To make matters worse, Ruby already has a synthetic vampire boy toy named Vaughn who's the most vicious, arrogant, gorgeous thing Kora has ever laid eyes on. She hates every strand of hair on his blood-sucking head but can't stop thinking about him.
But everything about the castle—including Vaughn—is oddly familiar to Kora. She soon learns that in order to truly escape, she must uncover secrets from her own forgotten past. Only by discovering her true identity can she prevent Ruby from destroying her life all over again.
When trillionaire Ruby Lazar buys Kora's masterpiece, the Siren, Kora leaps at the opportunity to deliver her marvel in person. She rushes off to Ruby's Gothic castle on the cliffs of Point Dume only to end up imprisoned in a Victorian monkey cage. To save her own life, Kora must transform the Siren into the very creature she loathes.
To make matters worse, Ruby already has a synthetic vampire boy toy named Vaughn who's the most vicious, arrogant, gorgeous thing Kora has ever laid eyes on. She hates every strand of hair on his blood-sucking head but can't stop thinking about him.
But everything about the castle—including Vaughn—is oddly familiar to Kora. She soon learns that in order to truly escape, she must uncover secrets from her own forgotten past. Only by discovering her true identity can she prevent Ruby from destroying her life all over again.
So take a chance and grab a new sci-fi read. If the above titles are not enough to satiate your sci-fi cravings, check out the authors of this blog for even more titles!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Time Travel and Sci-Fi Better Than Peanut Butter and Chocolate
Remember those Reeses Peanut Butter Cup commercials where one person with chocolate runs into someone else with peanut butter and then they collide? Or maybe I'm just that old.
But that's not the only thing that’s better when combined...or when it collides.
Science fiction is known for many things, but one of the best components is time-travel.
The idea has been around for a long time, across most cultures, and there are those who claim they've done it themselves.
There's no end to the story possibilities and a fish out of water story just never grows old.
Plus it's fun to imagine what would might do if given a second chance--a very compelling aspect of the human condition.
And sometimes we just want to know the future fashions.
I have two series that focus on the time-travel element. In Kiss Me, I'm Irish, a young Regency-era lady has been banished to a convent. When a chance of escape is at hand via some mysterious lights in the forest, she finds herself in modern day Tennessee at the mercy of a struggling musician and his snarky sister.
In Apocalypse Babes, the main character--a type of Persephone--gets a second chance at happiness, but she must fight her way through a crummy past, flighty friends, a mysterious compound in the wilderness, and pink velour.
So take a trip on the wild side, and travel through time--even if it's only in your mind.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Science Fiction Romance Fashion Tips
When it comes to Science-Fiction Romance fashion, why does it often seem metallic and a little gray and gloomy?
Or weird and kooky?
Why can't Science-Fiction romance be softer? Prettier? And well, pinker?
It can for one lucky winner. I'm featuring a contest on my personal blog where the grand prize is a Juicy Couture pink velour tracksuit, which was featured in my Science-Fiction Romance series Apocalypse Babes.
After all, handling the aliens, zombies, conspiracies, and romantic angst that come with SFR, one needs the extra comfort and indulgence that comes with designer velour. It's as important as a light saber, people.
So imagine yourself curling up with one of the SFR books featured by the great authors of this blog, wearing the comfy and fashionable and PINK tracksuit.
Cause you'd make SFR look even better.
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