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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

A few more days, then a week of messaging :-)

Only a few more days and then the Iron Writer Winter Open starts, and I'll be bothering the hell out of people on facebook, twitter, Goodreads, and any other network I can get my hands on. But really, this story is EXCELLENT...all the others are good, the latest have been very good, but this one...deserves YOUR VOTE :-)
Got some sales since the 'birthday' promo (Yes!, at this rate I'll retire when I'm 547 years old...), and I'll do a promo once I can get 'How to' sorted out. Also working on some Brad Shaw short stories, one already sent to an anthology...wonder if it'll be accepted? If not, I'll publish it, definitely worth seeing, that one...and others.

Monday, January 13, 2014

"That person's solid gold" - Zsuzsa Demcsák

Since living in Hungary, I've bumped into quite a few Hungarian celebs, especially TV hosts. I've seen a few Hungarian actors, but they're not the nicest people.
However, TV hosts...on the TV screen there are some fantastic people, they look great (Hungary has a high percentage of pretty women - they do have their share of ugly ones, too, I might add, but if you want to see beauty, come to Hungary), they speak well, they hold themselves well. You even feel bad about the sad things that happen in their lives when talking on other shows. Then you bump into them in real life...the facade drops. Most are shallow selfish creatures who deserved all the bad things they got, and none of the limelight.
But the other day, I bumped into one host in particular, and I was impressed. She is what a TV host should be, a great 'role model' for the person of today: caring mother, sporty, looks good, polite, natural. Zszuzsa Demcsák :-) Thankfully, amongst all the egotistical, selfish limelight seekers, there are still the few who the ordinary person in the street can look up to and say "Yes, that person's solid gold."
https://www.facebook.com/zsuzsa.demcsak

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Educating the Reader Part 1 - Dialogue tagging

What I really hate is when a writer tags every single line of dialogue. It should be obvious who is speaking due to tone, words, style, interaction, expectations, roles, etc. So why put 'said John', 'asked Jane'? It's because the writer wants to make it perfectly clear who is speaking when.
I, however, believe it is a perfect opportunity to 'EDUCATE THE READER'. Never miss that. (Yes, that was in capitals to get your attention.)
Of course, you don't want to be too obtuse...well, I love that, too. A little confusion until the dust settles always makes things interesting :-)
For example...
"Uncle?"
Who is speaking? Who has an uncle in the story? If you didn't know before, you know now that there is a man who is an uncle and there's a niece or nephew. Do you see? With one word, you have created a little world of questions and the reader is 'into' the story.
What characters say and how they say it can also tell you who is who. Two different characters requesting salt...
"Excuse me, I wonder if you could be so kind as to pass the salt?"
"Oi! You! Give me that!"
Taking out unneccesary dialogue tagging is just one way to educate the reader. There are others...later...

BTW, my birthday promo of MBAT and Beth got 199 downloads! Good for no advertising :-)



Saturday, January 11, 2014

It's my birthday - 2 free ebooks

In the true sense of 'birthday', MBAT and Beth Fiasco are free today :-)
http://www.amazon.com/Dani-J-Caile/e/B00CDX0HSM
If you haven't got a copy, you should go get one now...please.

And I'm in the Iron Writer Winter Open Final! Thanks for voting for me. I'll need you next week, too!

...but here's a few other things... http://theironwriter.com/weekend-quickie-18/ ..even with the sad ending, you just can't help feeling my sarcasm... 
How about this? http://theironwriter.com/relay-event-t1/ (Part 10) - I just can't get 'serious'!!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Tiny Little Steps

Each tiny little step forward brings you closer to your goal.
I wrote up TIW's 4 elements in an implied 10 word sentence for a laugh, and now it'll be used as an example in a presentation/workshop in the USA in June sometime. Cool. Here it is...'He tutted as she stood there in a mini skirt' - it has judge, victim, conservative and liberal all in there. And only 1 more day and we'll see if I can get into TIW Winter Open Final...unless there's a last minute spree of votes for someone else...
I've also completed a 3000+ word story for a '50s horror movie' anthology celebrating the genre (you know, those cheesey cheapo USA movies). I wonder if it'll be accepted (?), what with its cardboard characters, confused female and last moment hero, with the usual cheesey action and the essential 'lots of information given to make the movie stay within budget limits' dialogue.
'How to' is slowly getting closer to completion...in skeletal form...etc,etc
Putting on a 100 word piece on TIW relay 1 soon, still don't know how to do that but hey...

Friday, January 3, 2014

Cheating Amazon book shops

I just had a look at who has 'used' copies of Manna-X - no one should be selling any because I know EXACTLY who has a paperback - not many and it's not any of them...
So, let's look at the list and prices of all these CHEATS...so there's a shop which has a used Manna-X for $999.11+ $3.99shipping? That's over $1000 !!!! And if they do sell that one copy (which they don't have because they didn't buy it) I would see $2 of that - perhaps...






Thursday, January 2, 2014

Yes, it's voting time again! TIW Winter Open

Yes, it's that time again, to go and have a little read and vote for the best...it's the Iron Writer Winter Open. I'm in the Edgar Allan Poe bracket, along with some tough competition. Got a few votes so far but whether I can 'stay the course' is another matter. Please go read and vote :-) And get anyone else to have a look :-) If your hamster or gerbil have internet, message them!
http://theironwriter.com/edgar-allan-poe-bracket/

Still working on the draft of 'How to', getting to the final parts, though I need just a little inspiration...and time...