Sky Child; an intriguing new YA novel by T.M. Brenner - Review & Interview

Sky Child -T. M. Brenner

If you have read my top ten YA reads for 2014 you would know that Sky Child received honorable mention.  As a fan of supporting other authors trying to  ‘make it’ I often troll crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter searching for writers bold enough to have a go at putting the power of publishing in the hands of supporters.  Not an easy thing for a writer to do by any stretch of the imagination.  Your book is your baby and to toss it out there to the fate of others is a terrifying notion -but that’s exactly what T.M. Brenner did with Sky Child. 

The book sounded promising and when the project funded, I received a signed copy.  It took me under a week to get through Sky Child. It can certainly be considered dystopian but dystopian on a level that thrusts the readers back to the stone age.  The story follows Sam through a series of circumstances that thrust Sam (unwillingly) into a leadership role among the hunters of The Crag (the system of caves where all the survivors live -the only people on earth for all they know). It is a very human story dealing with survival, politics (among the cave dwellers), love, loss and self-discovery.  Sam has adopted two ‘brothers’ and raises them as if they were his/her own children -a unique spin on the typically independent dystopian protagonist. Not only the attachment and vulnerability that comes along with it but the ambiguousness of the sex of the main character, Sam.  It is an easy, quick read with a satisfying conclusion. If you haven’t heard of T.M. Brenner, you will.  Sky Child is well worth a read.

Check out my interview with T.M. Brenner about his Kickstarter campaign HERE

Here is my interview with T. M. Brenner

What were the circumstances surrounding the evolution of Sky Child from idea to novel?

I've been keenly interested in writing a YA Dystopian for some time, and I wanted to write something that would stand out and have meaning. Maybe open some eyes. So I chose a setting that I hadn't been used much before, which was inside a cave. I wanted to avoid revealing the gender of the main character, to open people's eyes to the fact that what's important about the story is the human experience regardless of gender, orientation, etc.

How was writing Sky Child different than Luminaries?

Luminaries was very research intensive. I also spent more time writing it. From start to finish, Luminaries took me two years to finish. Sky Child took me about nine months. Luminaries still needs some major revisions, and I didn't have as much help with it. I was very fortunate to have about a dozen beta readers for Sky Child, and the quality of the final book is in large part due to their efforts. I owe them a huge debt of gratitude. For other authors out there, I highly recommend utilizing as many beta readers as you can.

What books/authors would you consider main influencers when it comes to your writing?

Probably my largest influence is the Ender's Game series of books. I do not agree with many of the author's personal viewpoints, but he has admittedly crafted some of the best stories I've ever read. I will have some similar thematic elements in the Sky Child series, but I am doing my best to make sure that my story is vastly different from the Ender's Game books, even though they are roughly in the same genre.

Who was your favorite character to write?

I really enjoyed writing many characters for different reasons. Helm for his wisdom, Flot for his innocence and Jet for his strength. Ebb for her bravery, and Chaff for his evilness.

Who was your least favorite character to write? (Not necessarily because you disliked the character but because you struggled to write for them -to get in their head, if you know what I mean.)

Sam was by far the most challenging to write. It's very, very difficult, at least for me, to constantly be aware of the fact that I can't reveal Sam's gender. I have a very clear picture in my head of what gender Sam actually is, but to make sure that information doesn't consciously or subconsciously leak out is very difficult. The other thing that made writing Sam so challenging was the limited vocabulary that Sam had access to. Since the Crag only had a dictionary as its source of information, and the people living in the Crag had been removed from civilization for many generations, the language had to be stripped down. I hope readers understand that when they read the book, that there's a reason the language is terse. It's deliberate, and necessary.

How often do you write?

Multiple times a day, generally. I spend time in the morning before work (I also have a day job currently), during lunch breaks, sometimes before bed. Sometimes for longer stretches during the weekends. I thankfully love writing, and it's very easy for me to be motivated to keep at it.

How many revisions did Sky Child go through before you were ready to publish?

I had my first draft that I went over on my own with a fine tooth comb. Unfortunately some of the teeth were bent. Then I handed it off to my editor/fiancee, and she had a few qualms with the story, specifically the ending. So I completely re-worked the ending, and I think it is now the best part of the story. I can point to it as the thing I think most readers will find interesting and enjoy. Once I got her suggestions back and implemented them, I sent it off to a dozen beta readers. Their feedback was invaluable as well. I made their suggested changes then sent it back to my fiancee for final cleanup. Sky Child honestly wouldn't be currently sitting at 5-stars on Amazon right now if it wasn't for the efforts of those amazing people.

Why self publish?

Finding an agent is a lot like dating. You have to find one that is not only right for you, but you have to find one where you're right for them. I've only queried a handful of agents, but I haven't found the right one yet. They were all wonderful agents, but for one reason or another, I haven't made that connection yet. I'm hoping to eventually move into traditional publishing, but for the time being, the important thing is getting my name out there. Self-publishing has been wonderful for that, as I can put just about any story I want to tell out there, and have readers enjoy what I've worked hard to craft. I have complete control, which is wonderful, and no set deadlines.

What other genres interest you from a writing perspective?

Murder mysteries, paranormal, steam punk, detective/noir. Pretty much anything clever that really makes me think.

What do you read?

I don't often get to read, sadly. Part of it is that I enjoy writing so much that I spend my free time writing instead of reading. Recently though I've read the Maze Runner books, Hunger Games series, and the first few books in the Kim Harrison/Rachel Morgan series. Traditionally I read a lot of Dean Koontz, Ender's Game books, some Stephen King, Hemingway, and up until a few years ago I read a lot of comic books.

Craziest thing that’s ever happened to you.

A relative won a sizable jackpot in the lottery. Can't say who it was or how much though. Either that, or meeting Bruce Campbell in person. It was pretty surreal.

Any unusual talents?

I play a mean kazoo. I can do about 100 impressions, 50 of which you can actually tell who they're supposed to be, and about 5 that really genuinely sound like who they're imitating. I can also balance 16 quarters on my elbow, and in one swift motion drop them and catch them in mid-air with my hand. Other than that, I pretty much just have usual talents.

Tell me about your family.

I'm really fortunate to have the family that I do. Wonderful, caring and generous people. I owe a lot to them, and their love and support.

Did you go to school to become a writer?

Writing fiction was about as different from what I studied as you can get. I have a degree in Computer Science, believe it or not. I started out as a double-major, art being the second one, but I figured it'd be difficult making a living at it. I'm also sort of glad that I wasn't an English major, because I think I might have burnt out on the writing experience if all I did was focus on writing. The other thing was I didn't really discover how much I loved writing until I'd been out of college for five or six years.

What do you do to pay the bills?

I'm a software developer for a really great company that produces safety software. It matters a lot to me that the software I work on helps protect people and save lives. I'm fortunate that I've been able to work there as long as I have.

Favorite fictional character?

That's a tough one. I'd say Stephen Colbert's fake persona on the Colbert Report, Ender from Ender's game, Darth Vader, or Red from the Shawshank Redemption movie. I know that's an insane mashup of very different characters, but they all resonate with me for different reasons.

Mac or PC?

Definitely PC. I respect Macs for the things they're good at, but I prefer PC.

Are you a fan of The Walking Dead?

I enjoyed the first episode, but didn't end up getting into it. I enjoy zomedies, like Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead and Warm Bodies a bit more than hardcore zombie stories.

Will JJ Abrams salvage the floundering Star Wars franchise or send it into a death spiral?

I think he's got a very good shot at making them memorable. He did a brilliant job with Star Trek, and I guess the biggest thing he'll need to accomplish is to make Star Wars stand out from Star Trek, so that they feel like two different universes. He definitely has a signature style, which I think will work wonderfully with Star Wars. He has one of the most difficult jobs on the planet, as there are so many people that loved the original trilogy and will settle for nothing less than brilliance. If he doesn't succeed, he could alienate a lot of his fans.

John Snow or Jamie Lanister?

Snow. The whole sister thing puts me off my kibble.

With the uprise of self-publishing Where is the role of ‘traditional’ publishing headed? Will literary agents be around in ten years?

I think that you'll see a balance eventually happen. Traditional publishing helps filter out a lot of the difficult-to-market stories, stories that might not have mass appeal, and provides the casual reader with a smaller set of stories to choose from. There's quite a few casual readers out there. For the people that devour books like they were Crispy Cremes, it's wonderful that they can read self-published stories that can be just as good as their traditionally published counterparts, but may not have the mass appeal that the industry views as marketable. So I feel that both traditional and self-publishing will continue existing, and hopefully thriving.

Is self publishing good or bad for the industry? Why?

I think it's changing the industry, for better or worse. I think it's allowed a number of very talented authors to get their books out there, who otherwise wouldn't have a voice. I think that's important; that people can share their stories with the world. Competition is almost always a positive, as it forces us to work harder to achieve our goals.

What, if anything, are you writing at the moment?

I'm hard at work on the sequel to Sky Child, which I'm tentatively titling 'Sky Machine'. It's a bit of a departure from the first one, and I'm interested to see people's reaction to finding out what's really going on in the world that Sam lives in. I'm trying to let readers make assumptions, and then hopefully show them that what they believed may not be right.

Where can we find you online?

I have a blog at www.tmbrenner.com and a list of all the people that have helped out with Sky Child. I call them my 'Sky Children', and I hope to add many more people to the list.

Where can we purchase Sky Child?

Through Amazon as a Kindle eBook HERE

Through Barnes & Noble as a Nook eBook HERE

And as a Paperback through Amazon HERE

The Lost Journal Volume 31

As always, find interviews, writing samples, videos, contests, more from the lost journals visit my website.

www.TheNeverChronicles.com

In bookstores now

The Lost Journal volume 30

You can find the entire collection, along with another excellent serial story, The Searcher and The Sentinel at my website, www.TheNeverChronicles.com

To navigate right to the journals, click HERE

Releasing 6-5-2012

The Lost Journal Volume 29

After a long hiatus...

You can find the entire collection, along with another excellent serial story, The Searcher and The Sentinel at my website, www.TheNeverChronicles.com

To navigate right to the journals, click HERE

Releasing 6-5-2012

Presenting a Professional image- Part One

Guest Post by Carlie M A Cullen

These days, authors have to work much harder to get their work in the public eye. We have to have an understanding of how to market ourselves and our books (especially those who indie or self publish); we have to network, maintain blogs and keep up a social media presence.

A great deal of this work is done behind the scenes so it doesn’t matter if you’re sitting at your computer in scruffy jeans and a sweatshirt that could double as a wash rag for your car. BUT what does matter is your attitude. Let me explain . . .

A very good friend of mine is Senior Editor for a publishing company and obviously has a large number of manuscripts to read through and give feedback on. She confided in me recently that a proportion of writers go ballistic when given constructive criticism on how to improve their work in readiness for possible publication. How professional is that?

I was pretty gobsmacked by this. If you ask someone to beta read your work or you submit it to an agent or publisher, you should be prepared and ready to accept their opinion. Let’s face it – are any of us so perfect that we can submit a flawless manuscript first time every time? No, of course we’re not. We edit and revise over and over until we think it’s the best it can be, but there’s always room for another perspective, another opinion and improvement.

My writing is precious to me; I’ve nurtured it and watched it grow from a weak seedling to a strong forest. I’ve edited and revised several times before placing it in the hands of a beta reader. Yet, am I so arrogant about my work that their views don’t count?

NO!

I know my work isn’t as perfect as I’d like it to be and I know I’m too close to it to see the flaws. That’s why I welcome critique from industry professionals.

Now don’t go thinking I’m some kind of masochist and that I get a kick out of my blood, sweat and tears being trampled on with hobnail boots. What I do get a kick out of, is receiving good, honest, constructive criticism before I take that final step and submit my work for publication. I don’t want to embarrass myself or waste an agent’s or publisher’s time by sending a pile of crap – I want my work to have a strong voice not a whimper!

So before you ask someone to beta read your work, ask yourself if you are ready to receive feedback that you may not like. If the answer is ‘no’ then don’t send it! If you can’t take constructive criticism without spitting the dummy then how professional are you being? Is your beta reader likely to want to help you in the future? Remember, publishing is a business (and a damn hard one at that) and if you can’t be professional in your business dealings then you won’t get very far.

As for me – I say, bring on the hobnail boots! I’ll listen, I’ll learn, I’ll improve, I’ll be professional and I WILL go far!

Carlie M A Cullen:

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and is also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing. Carlie has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel.Carlie currently lives in an Essex village with her daughter.

Check out Carlie's blog HERE

-----------------

As always, find interviews, writing samples, videos, contests and more on my re-vamped website.

www.TheNeverChronicles.com

6-5-2012

The Lost Journal Volume 28

Enjoy Volume 28 of The Lost Journal!

You can find the entire collection, along with another excellent serial story, The Searcher and The Sentinel at my website, www.TheNeverChronicles.com

To navigate right to the journals, click HERE

Author interview: C.K. Volnek

C.K. Volnek is the author of tween novels,
 Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island and A Horse Called Trouble.

So you've written and published Ghost dog of Roanoke Island, A Horse called Trouble and The Secret of the Stones will be out soon.  How goes it?

Hi Josh, thanks for having me on your blog today. The writing is going fine. Wish I could say it is brilliant, but I’m in the throws of learning everything I can about Marketing and it is mindboggling! If I could go back in time and give myself one piece of advice, it would be get a web page and build a presence on the web five years before my books came out! Ha.

Seriously, marketing is a beast in itself for an author. As an author nears publication, they have to be aware that they will have to share their writing time with not only marketing and publicity, but also with networking. All three elements are important to your book. And if you leave one piece out, the other two suffer. It’s a major juggling act.

As for my writing, the Secret of the Stones is Book One of my series, The Lost Diaries of Northumberland. So, I’m in the middle of writing Book Two, The Secret of the Wood. It’s a fun story, based on the legend of Merlin and Vivien but based in the present time. Young Alex Ramsey is on a mission to discover the mysterious secrets bound in the Lost Diaries of Northumberland to rescue the greatest wizard that ever lived…Merlin. (Yes, Merlin isn’t really dead. He was saved by a loyal wood nymph and lays in a perpetual sleep until the mysteries can be solved.)

I am also working on a Young Adult novel that is very near and dear to my heart. It’s titled The Three O’Clock Hour and is based on the tragic school bus accident from my home town that took the lives of three students and one parent. It is a difficult book to write, but there are so many miracles surrounding the accident, the story needed to be told.

When did you first start writing? Do you recall your first writing project? 

Oh my, my first writing project. That was many moons ago. Like most authors, I have at least one skeleton book in my closet. That first baby never made it. But it taught me a lot and helped me grow in my writing.

I’ve always wanted to write books. But life got in the way for a number of years. Children, work, a house payment. My writing was limited to short stories and articles during that time. About eight years ago, I decided to get back into my passion of writing books. It’s not always easy to find the time to write, market and network, but it’s a passion I love and enjoy and will continue to strive and grow.

When did you finish your first book?

My first finished book is actually The Secret of the Stones. After spending much time in a great critique group, I shelved it for a while and continued onto Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island and A Horse Called Trouble. That was about seven years ago. It only took about six months to write the book but I took a few years to edit it.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?  If So, how do you get over it?

I can’t say I really get writer’s block. My muse has about fifty more books for me to write so I’m never lacking on a subject. However, I have an internal editor which throws a curve into my writing a lot of times. She is an annoying girl and one I try to sneak around. If she crops up, she can cause me great grief with doubt, worry and overworking my story. She also has a friend named Procrastination that I must fight with once in a while as well. When they tag team me, I don’t get anything done!

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

That’s an interesting question. I used to say I was a panster through and through. But I’ve found that each book requires a different style of writing. The Secret of the Stones was off the cuff the whole way. Now with the second book in the series, I am outlining it to make sure I follow the clues correctly. I have a rough outline and edit that as I research and write. My first draft is going to be riddled with changes and NOONE will ever see that one! lol. It’s a different style of writing for me, but it’s fun.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

I love to read and I can honestly say I try to come away with something from every book I read. When I was little, I loved Black Beauty and was determined to be the next Anna Sewell. I do admire many authors now…Jane Yolen and Janet Lee Carey are two I really enjoy reading.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? For example, you write about a teen who experiences abuse in her past. Is that drawn on experience? 

I think a writer writes a lot from experience. Maybe not directly, but your life comes in very indirectly. I did have a lot in common with my MC, Tara, in A Horse Called Trouble. Tara wasn’t popular or cool. She didn’t have money or a name to be proud of. Neither did I growing up. And it is sad how others can pick on kids like that. Tara was put down, pushed around and made to feel very small. She had virtually no self-esteem and no reason to fight for herself. Though I did not experience life to the depth of my MC, my own emotions and frustrations rose to play in my manuscript. And that’s okay. It creates authenticity. It also creates healing for the writer and reader alike. In Tara’s case, the healing started with an unlikely hero, a horse called Trouble. He gave her a reason to fight, a reason to stand up for herself, a reason to want to heal. She found her own self-worth and this is something we all need to find for ourselves.

What was your favorite chapter in A Horse called Trouble (or part) to write and why?

My favorite chapter in A Horse Called Trouble is the next to the last chapter. I’m a sucker for a happy ending and I was able to tie up the mystery, show a major growth in Tara as well as provide her with an ending sure to make everyone smile.

I believe most kids can identify with Tara in one way or another. She is a character a reader can root for and hope things change. So how else could I end her story but with the antagonist getting what she deserves and Tara receiving the best gift she could ever get. To find out what that gift is, you’ll have to read the story. ;-)

Do you own 1. A horse and 2. A dog?  Names?

I have always had animals. Had many horses growing up though I have none right now. Would love to have one, but the city would frown on keeping one in my garage. Ha.
Dogs…I don’t think I will ever be without fur-kids. At this moment we have three spoiled Papillons. Sally is my lovely little shadow and Isaiah and Emma are tiny runts and do not even weigh 10 pounds between them. None of them consider themselves small though. They are just big dogs in a little body. Papillons are a fun little breed, full of energy and smart as a whip. We had a fourth little boy named Noah who we lost in November. He was the trick wizard and a certified therapy dog. The only problem with my pups is, they can’t control their licker. ;-) They know no strangers, only friends they haven’t met yet.

Tell me about your writing environment. Do they use a pen and paper, laptop? Quiet room, music or what? Dog at their feet? Cat on the desk? Just whatever makes it comfortable to be productive. 

Laptop. Sitting in my big overstuffed chair with two dogs sleeping at my feet and the other sleeping by my side. Everyone else in bed. TV needs to be turned off and Yanni turned on. Also need my diet coke close at hand. Ahhhh….finally. J

Star Wars or Star Trek?

LOL. The first Star Wars that came out in the 80’s. Loved the creative creatures they came up with.

The Lost Journal -Volume 27

Enjoy Volume 27 of The Lost Journal!

You can find the entire collection at my website, www.TheNeverChronicles.com

To navigate right to the journals, click HERE

The Lost Journal Volume 26

Enjoy Volume 26 of The Lost Journal!


You can find the entire collection at my website, www.TheNeverChronicles.com


To navigate right to the journals, click HERE

Be Prepared To Be Amazed: gust post by Carlie Cullen

Be Prepared To Be Amazed

by Carlie M A Cullen

Writers are often asked where they get their inspiration from and every one of us has our own sources.

I write Fantasy. My love affair with this genre began when I was quite young and has continued through the years. It began with stories written by Hans Christian Andersen and The Brothers Grimm and grew from there. I was the proverbial bookworm as a child and nothing has really changed.

I was inspired by the wonderful worlds created by the books I read and began composing my own short stories and fairy tales before my age reached double figures. That inspiration has stayed with me, but these days I find inspiration in a number of different ways.

People watching can provide a rich source for creativity. Whether you’re on a bus or plane, sitting in a café, shopping or just walking down the street, there are some amazing characters around that you can incorporate into your writing. It might be the way someone walks, the way they dress, their mannerisms or even their turn of phrase. Sometimes a line from a song can trigger inspiration as well as films, novels (of course), conversations and new places.

Going somewhere new will usually prove a source of inspiration, but where you go can have a dramatic effect on you. This can best be demonstrated by a short mid-week break I took back in September to Dublin. Apart from being a fantastic city to visit, with lovely friendly inhabitants, not to mention the rich literary heritage, the folklore of the country is fascinating.

Everyone has heard of leprechauns and they are synonymous with the Irish. They are portrayed as little men dressed in green, carrying a wonky walking stick and hiding their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. On my trip I decided to find out a little more about them and visited the National Leprechaun Museum. What an ear-opener.

There was a great deal more to the museum than just leprechauns; during the visit, a guide told the tourists other tales about the Sidhe (pronounced Shee), the fairies of the land. A large map - showing the country and some of the ancient place names - was used to tie together tales of adventure, great battles and betrayals. It was a veritable smorgasbord of inspiration. I even bought a book about the Sidhe from the gift shop.

I have so many story ideas from this four day trip it will keep me going for a good couple of years!

Inspiration can come in so many guises and usually when you least expect it, so be prepared to be amazed wherever you go.

Carlie M A Cullen:

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and is also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing. Carlie has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel.Carlie currently lives in an Essex village with her daughter.

Check out Carlie's blog HERE

-----------------------

As always, please visit my website, www.TheNeverChronicles.com for updates on my upcoming YA fantasy novel, Exiled.  Writing contests, videos and other cool stuff can also be found.

Book Rivew...look out! Divergent by Veronica Roth

Oh boy...that time again.   I've finished another book.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I'll save the cover for the end...mix it up a bit.

 

Happy Birthday, Dad.

The old man would have been 66 today.

Don't worry, I'm not going into a depressing remembrance of those good old times we had together. Mostly because he would have told me to shut the (expletive) up and get over it.

Humor was the medicine he often prescribed (quite often unwittingly so) and I will share some of it with you.  As a business owner, Bob had to deal with all types of employees.  Quite often, when an employee would call out sick, Bob would reply 'Shove two aspirin up your ass and get in here!' His terse management style quickly won him the respect of his employees.

There was no filter mechanism that stopped what he was thinking from spewing out of his mouth. I recall when he attended an event I was participating in as a child I would cringe and say a quick prayer that he wouldn't embarrass me too much. He gave me a nickname when I was little.  Duck.  I don't recall its origins but I'm sure they were benign. (if you know otherwise, keep it to yourself, I enjoy believing it was a term of endearment)  Anyway, I used to wrestle and when I walked out onto the mat to face my opponent, I could hear Dad yelling 'come-on Duck or Ducky or Duck-a-duck'.  I can imagine the fear that instilled upon my opponent as we prepared to grapple.

When I was young, my father was a super-hero.  I remember he would stand right at the edge of the pool and dare us to push him in.  Nobody could, he was too strong. Shortly after that he got into the habit of wearing nothing but his skin into the pool and we all maintained our distance.  One day, he thought it would be a good idea to chase my mother into the house and up the stairs with the garden hose -apparently his attempts to throw her right into the pool had been foiled.  Mom broke her foot on the stairs and had to wear a cast for the rest of the summer.

Dad was cooking on the grill, which was positioned in front of a wooden railing in a breezeway between the house and garage.  He must have let the propane run too long before attempting to light it because when I looked over, the railing, spindles and supports were engulfed in flames. He put it out before any major structural damage occurred.

Speaking of fire,  in our area we get nests of tree-killing caterpillars.  The only way to save the trees is to cut out the nests, which attach to the branches like a spider web, and kill all the insects.  So Dad collected a nice pile of these nests on the driveway, doused them in gasoline and lit them on fire.  Things were progressing nicely when for some reason, Dad decided the fire wasn't burning quite fast enough and decided to dump more gasoline onto the already burning fire.  As a result, he caught his own leg on fire, which my brother extinguished by tackling him to the ground (a long un-satiated desire of his I'm sure) and roll him around.  A trip to the hospital followed.

I know for a fact he's congratulated at least half a dozen women for being pregnant when they weren't.  Dad had an irrigation system installed on part of his property.  Shortly after the installation crew left, Dad thought it would be a good idea to hop on his tractor and rototill up the dirt above the piping so he could plant the Kentucky blue grass he'd wanted as a yard for most of his adult life.  From across the property I could hear the rototiller blades come to a sudden stop -as if they'd been caught on a large rock.  This sound was quickly followed by even louder cursing and screaming. When I walked over to see what was happening (I never ran, for I had no desire to be the first on a disaster scene) I saw irrigation piping snaked through the rototiller blades.  Each end continued another fifteen feet or so before it had been severed.  The installation crew was back the next day.

During a summer vacation to the beach we all saw Return of the Jedi. I was a little down (as any kid would be) because my hero, Darth Vader, was dead and Dad decided to cheer me up by jumping out from the darkness and screaming.  Little did he know I was changing into my pajamas, which were around my knees at the time, so when I went to run, I fell into the door jamb -head first.  Blood was everywhere.  So, on day two of the family vacation I got a trip to the hospital, stitches and had to wear a bandage around my head like The Mummy for the rest of the week.

Good times!

Happy Birthday, Dad.


---------------------

For more inspiring pieces of writing visit MY WEBSITE
Exiled, book one of The Never Chronicles releases on June 5th! See all the latest updates, extras, videos and more right there. Including the world famous Lost Journal

The Lost Journal Volume 25

For more Lost Journal entries as well as the entire collection in one document, visit MY WEBSITE




www.TheNeverChronicles.com

Where am I?

I'll be honest, I haven't disclosed what's going on with my publishing process much.  I'm not sure why, really -I guess I think it isn't very interesting for an outsider.  For those thinking of publishing or just wondering what the process is like, I'll share where I am in the process.

Earlier in December, I was given a production schedule by my production manager at my publisher.   Essentially it marks the milestones all they way up until the release date.  The release date has been set to Tuesday, June 5th.

If all goes according to plan between now and then we will hit that release date -or possibly release earlier.  There is always a chance it could be pushed back.

What am I working on right now?

The copy editing team has my manuscript and is making their first pass. I expect to see it marked to hell in early February.  Then, I have to review, make changes etc. quickly.  I have three weeks max.  All while working full-time.  Ugh.

Also at the moment, I'm working with my illustrator on my chapter header illustrations.  Deadline for those is February 17th.  29 of em.

And, I'm gathering ideas/inspiration for my cover design.  I have some things in my head, plus a list of my top ten favorite YA covers I'll send off to the design team.

And, I'm finalizing a contract with a marketing firm. Hopefully I'll have it in my hands by the end of the week. 

Plus, I'm working on getting endorsements for my book -when you get someone famous to say how great your book is and put it on the back cover. I have to have all of those out by the 15th of this month. 

I had my photo-shoot for my website/PR/book shots done last week.