Okay, so most of you probably already saw this on facebook, but the ELF is coming! Emily Lace or Edward Luke Fred is expected to arrive on or about May 11, 2012 ;).
Yay!
Oh, and you have a better L name for a boy please let me know ;). This is awesome. What urban fantasy/paranormal romance writer doesn't want her own elf?
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Now Hiring
I'm looking for a freelance editor to edit my 324 page YA paranormal romance Phantom Fires. I hope to find someone reasonably priced with experience in YA.
If you are interrsted, please send an email to bethfred08 @ gmail.com with "freelance editor" in the subject line. Tell me the last ten books youve read and your five all time favorite books. Include a list of projects you have edited along with the names of the authors and/or a resume.
I appreciate all the responses, but please tell me your favorite books. I know it sounds silly, but I'm looking for someone with a similar reading list. I want the editor to enjoy this gig and be as passionate about the book as I am.
If you are interrsted, please send an email to bethfred08 @ gmail.com with "freelance editor" in the subject line. Tell me the last ten books youve read and your five all time favorite books. Include a list of projects you have edited along with the names of the authors and/or a resume.
I appreciate all the responses, but please tell me your favorite books. I know it sounds silly, but I'm looking for someone with a similar reading list. I want the editor to enjoy this gig and be as passionate about the book as I am.
Wed & Writing: The Problem With My Writing
Forgive the title. This was scheduled to post last Wednesday and somehow didn't.
In December of 2009, I decided I wanted to be a writer. While I had decided this a couple of times before one thing was different this time. I knew what I wanted to write, so I set out to write it. I did, and it sucked. I wanted to fix it, but I didn't know where to begin. My gut feeling was the whole book needed to be thrown out, and re-started from the first line. The only way to fix it was to re-write it. But after spending two months on it, and knowing the concept was amazing (and I still believe this) I was in no place to re-write. I didn't. I decided I'd start something new. I tried and 60 pages in, I could tell it sucked. I kept the premise in the back of my mind and read and blogged and contemplated how to fix first book. I had a dream that I knew would translate into a book. I just didn't know when.
So I got bored one day and decided to just write the book from the dream. I combined the original premise with my dream and spent the next four months working away on my second novel, Phantom Fires. I wrote a book, and it didn't suck. I was aware of this. I sent it off to betas and cps expecting it to come back with grammatical errors and the few plot holes I knew about, and just needed a break before fixing. It came back with much more than that, and when you're as stubborn as me this is hard to accept. But I did. I paid for agent critiques, and I took a revision class. I cut 120 pages. Now I knew not only was it brilliant, it shined. My teen readers agree.
I queried, and it seems New York doesn't agree. This is disheartening but I wouldn't give up. In fact, by the time I felt novel #2 had been through enough revision to query, I had a complete draft of #3. The only problem? It just wasn't as good. I degressed! Now my CP kindly pointed out that for personal reasons #3 was harder to write, and that it's a genre I don't write or even read. But still. I wrote something brilliant which NY either refuses to appreciate or simply can't comprehend, and my next shot was a step backwards? Can't a girl catch a break.
I didn't think I would query #3 but decided to edit it anyhow. After all, I could learn from the revision. I read through it and came to this conclusion: I need to cut one narrator and 58,000 words which will change the theme of the book. I have no idea what the new theme is, just that the only way for the story to survive is to cut the girl and her 58k. But writing this book was hard, like a root canal. So I decided to put off editing for a while, send it to my cp even though i know im cutting 58k, because she may be able to tell me something about the remaining 42k, or what parts she thinks I should try to keep and rewrite from the guy's pov. In the meantime, I'd be working on #4. I started. The first 30 pages were really good. But after that it felt forced and had so many plot elements I had no idea how they would all come together. By now, I cried. I had to. I have the brilliant #2 which will never see the light of day, and since then I've gotten WORSE. Wow. I was okay with the first one being bad. Really. I could improve and I did. Then I unimproved.
I must be smarter when I sleep b/c my last 3 concepts came from dreams, but so did the reason I started sucking again.
*You are now entering a weird freaky Beth dream.*
I'm walking on a road not far from my apartment, but far enough getting there on foot would be a loong walk. A white 90's model car is speeding along, but begins to lurch to a stop as it approaches me. Instinctively, I know this car is for me and I know the driver, but I have the strangest feeling that I'm not supposed to know the driver just yet.
The car was much nicer on the outside. The inside is bright maroon and the vinyl in the door is cracked in places. The car even has a unique smell. I think to myself, take it all in. Don't forget anything. You'll need to remember this so you're able to write it at some point. Then dream Beth looks straight at me (the best way to describe this is like a cameo shot in a movie) and says, "Get out of my head. It's no wonder you suck. You get your inspiration from your dreams. You can't control them."
*end dream sequence*
And I think dream Beth was right, because one constant struggle I had in the first sixty pages of the book I left undone was remembering that the protag was not me, remembering that writing is not editing. The challenge was taking my overly ambitious writer conscious out of the story, or in this case out of the dream. So how does a writer not try so hard?
And in contrast to this there Julie Musil has a good post up about how hard work pays off. So what's a girl to do?
In December of 2009, I decided I wanted to be a writer. While I had decided this a couple of times before one thing was different this time. I knew what I wanted to write, so I set out to write it. I did, and it sucked. I wanted to fix it, but I didn't know where to begin. My gut feeling was the whole book needed to be thrown out, and re-started from the first line. The only way to fix it was to re-write it. But after spending two months on it, and knowing the concept was amazing (and I still believe this) I was in no place to re-write. I didn't. I decided I'd start something new. I tried and 60 pages in, I could tell it sucked. I kept the premise in the back of my mind and read and blogged and contemplated how to fix first book. I had a dream that I knew would translate into a book. I just didn't know when.
So I got bored one day and decided to just write the book from the dream. I combined the original premise with my dream and spent the next four months working away on my second novel, Phantom Fires. I wrote a book, and it didn't suck. I was aware of this. I sent it off to betas and cps expecting it to come back with grammatical errors and the few plot holes I knew about, and just needed a break before fixing. It came back with much more than that, and when you're as stubborn as me this is hard to accept. But I did. I paid for agent critiques, and I took a revision class. I cut 120 pages. Now I knew not only was it brilliant, it shined. My teen readers agree.
I queried, and it seems New York doesn't agree. This is disheartening but I wouldn't give up. In fact, by the time I felt novel #2 had been through enough revision to query, I had a complete draft of #3. The only problem? It just wasn't as good. I degressed! Now my CP kindly pointed out that for personal reasons #3 was harder to write, and that it's a genre I don't write or even read. But still. I wrote something brilliant which NY either refuses to appreciate or simply can't comprehend, and my next shot was a step backwards? Can't a girl catch a break.
I didn't think I would query #3 but decided to edit it anyhow. After all, I could learn from the revision. I read through it and came to this conclusion: I need to cut one narrator and 58,000 words which will change the theme of the book. I have no idea what the new theme is, just that the only way for the story to survive is to cut the girl and her 58k. But writing this book was hard, like a root canal. So I decided to put off editing for a while, send it to my cp even though i know im cutting 58k, because she may be able to tell me something about the remaining 42k, or what parts she thinks I should try to keep and rewrite from the guy's pov. In the meantime, I'd be working on #4. I started. The first 30 pages were really good. But after that it felt forced and had so many plot elements I had no idea how they would all come together. By now, I cried. I had to. I have the brilliant #2 which will never see the light of day, and since then I've gotten WORSE. Wow. I was okay with the first one being bad. Really. I could improve and I did. Then I unimproved.
I must be smarter when I sleep b/c my last 3 concepts came from dreams, but so did the reason I started sucking again.
*You are now entering a weird freaky Beth dream.*
I'm walking on a road not far from my apartment, but far enough getting there on foot would be a loong walk. A white 90's model car is speeding along, but begins to lurch to a stop as it approaches me. Instinctively, I know this car is for me and I know the driver, but I have the strangest feeling that I'm not supposed to know the driver just yet.
The car was much nicer on the outside. The inside is bright maroon and the vinyl in the door is cracked in places. The car even has a unique smell. I think to myself, take it all in. Don't forget anything. You'll need to remember this so you're able to write it at some point. Then dream Beth looks straight at me (the best way to describe this is like a cameo shot in a movie) and says, "Get out of my head. It's no wonder you suck. You get your inspiration from your dreams. You can't control them."
*end dream sequence*
And I think dream Beth was right, because one constant struggle I had in the first sixty pages of the book I left undone was remembering that the protag was not me, remembering that writing is not editing. The challenge was taking my overly ambitious writer conscious out of the story, or in this case out of the dream. So how does a writer not try so hard?
And in contrast to this there Julie Musil has a good post up about how hard work pays off. So what's a girl to do?
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Tag, You're It.
First of all, my posts have been crazy sporadic lately and I've been a horrible commenter, because life has be insanely crazy. I'm sorry and I hope to get better, but make no promises.
Secondly, Jen tagged me last week. And now I must tag someone else. The tag means I have to share 10 random things about myself that should help my followers to know me better. The hard part is I feel like I say everything I think/feel/am on my blog. In other words, if you read me you know me. But I'll try.
1. I think (not know) that I have a huge secret I can't share for a while and it's eating at me.
2. I've become a new addict of selzter water and crystal light.
3. As I type this, I really want to be asleep. (Yes, I'm that boring but more than that I'm that tired).
4. I have no idea what my favorite song is, but I'm almost sure it's Taylor Swift.
5. The pharmacy closed early today and I could not get my inhaler. Sucked.
6. If you're on my fb you know it's my birthday. Sharing a birthday w/ 9/11 sucks more than a prematurely locked up pharmacy.
7. I <3 Cheesecake Factory, but don't know what my fave cheesecake is. I often order the faves of people I miss. Like my bff's fave cheesecake is vanilla bean so tonight I ordered a vanilla bean and ate it for her.
8. I went to Canada last weekend. It was amazing.
9. I'm so ready for Breaking Dawn to come out, or if not Breaking Dawn just any decent chick flick. The last four times hubs and I have wanted to watch a movie, we've ended up checking the listings and deciding against it.k
10. I love the garlic, serano, chili chick peas, but try so hard not to eat them. I have a food addiction. Seriously.
And now I'm tagging:
Brenda Sills
Catherine Johnson
MG Higgins
Stacy Jensen
Secondly, Jen tagged me last week. And now I must tag someone else. The tag means I have to share 10 random things about myself that should help my followers to know me better. The hard part is I feel like I say everything I think/feel/am on my blog. In other words, if you read me you know me. But I'll try.
1. I think (not know) that I have a huge secret I can't share for a while and it's eating at me.
2. I've become a new addict of selzter water and crystal light.
3. As I type this, I really want to be asleep. (Yes, I'm that boring but more than that I'm that tired).
4. I have no idea what my favorite song is, but I'm almost sure it's Taylor Swift.
5. The pharmacy closed early today and I could not get my inhaler. Sucked.
6. If you're on my fb you know it's my birthday. Sharing a birthday w/ 9/11 sucks more than a prematurely locked up pharmacy.
7. I <3 Cheesecake Factory, but don't know what my fave cheesecake is. I often order the faves of people I miss. Like my bff's fave cheesecake is vanilla bean so tonight I ordered a vanilla bean and ate it for her.
8. I went to Canada last weekend. It was amazing.
9. I'm so ready for Breaking Dawn to come out, or if not Breaking Dawn just any decent chick flick. The last four times hubs and I have wanted to watch a movie, we've ended up checking the listings and deciding against it.k
10. I love the garlic, serano, chili chick peas, but try so hard not to eat them. I have a food addiction. Seriously.
And now I'm tagging:
Brenda Sills
Catherine Johnson
MG Higgins
Stacy Jensen
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Leaving today....
Okay, so I'm flying by myself for the first time since 07, and some time tonight I will be in LA. Wish me luck!!!!!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Let's Be Fair
Recently, I was at a conference that I feel sure a few self published writers attended. There were some comments made by an agent and a moderator about how unprofessional self publishing is, and how it's always been around but professional writers will always go the "real" way.
I feel for this post to matter I need to point out that I'm not self published, and that while it's tempting I'm not really sure I ever will be self published.
I do editing for people. I've edited for traditionally published writers, self published writers, and unpublished writers. Some of the stuff I've read has been really good, some not. I didn't say some of the stuff I receive from the traditionally published has been really good (though some of it has). I said some of the stuff I see is awesome, and some isn't.
If you jumped over with me from P-52, you probably know I also read. A lot. To date, most of what I've read (other than what I'm sent) has been traditionally published because I don't own an e-reader. My vision isn't great, and with no e-reader print is just the best option for me. You can't usually buy self published books in the store, and I don't shop online so in an industry controlled by a select few, most of what I read is traditionally published. And I have read some really bad traditionally published books. Last year I did 52 book reviews. This year my goal was to review 30 books, and even though I've read way more than 30 books, I've reviewed a handful. I quit doing negative reviews. And while I always make an effort to give balanced reviews if my list of annoyances is longer than my love list I just won't review it. Now having read more than 30 books and only having reviewed five, I'm sure you can guess that I read more than one traditionally published book I didn't feel okay reviewing. But it gets more complicated than that. I read a book that was expected to do fairly well. It jumped from first person to third person for whole sections with no warning it would do so and the sections had no rhyme or reason. It felt like the writer needed to convey something mc couldn't know, so she'd just jump heads. Wow. I went to another signing where the writer got confused by their own writing! I never talk about these things on my blog. I'm not out to insult anyone, or their work. And I'm not out to make enemies. But lots of book bloggers also write. And lots of writers know that they can't be too harsh about a book that may have really had some things wrong with, because they may need to work with that editor. And so traditionally published books, that I have to pay $15-$20 for may not be fairly reviewed. While on the flip-side, a self published book that you usually pay less than $8 and often less than $3 for is overly criticized, because the notion is it must be bad or it would have been traditionally published. The reviewer opens it with the expectation of mistakes, and when you look for something, you usually find it. Not to mention the reviewer probably won't have to work with the editor in the future.
I'd also like to point out that not all books are self published because they couldn't be traditionally published. There are many good reasons to self publish. I have a fairly complex YA ms out right now. Some people like it. Some don't. But some people would like to see it altered in a way that will make integral changes to the story. I'm not sure I'm okay with that. And I know there are some things about the book that I will not change, not even if it means keeping it on my hard drive. I have respect for a writer who chooses to self publish and be true to the story they wrote, over rewriting for one person. Sorry, I just do. (I need to say I'm not advocating no one ever make revisions. That's not what I mean, but I think there comes a time when you as the artist know when something is too far from your vision to work).
I'd like to see changes in the blogosphere reflect changes in the industry. I really do think it's okay to be critical of the self published as long as you review the traditionally published by the same standard. And I'd like to see writer/blogger circles move away from the view that the self published couldn't otherwise be published.
I feel for this post to matter I need to point out that I'm not self published, and that while it's tempting I'm not really sure I ever will be self published.
I do editing for people. I've edited for traditionally published writers, self published writers, and unpublished writers. Some of the stuff I've read has been really good, some not. I didn't say some of the stuff I receive from the traditionally published has been really good (though some of it has). I said some of the stuff I see is awesome, and some isn't.
If you jumped over with me from P-52, you probably know I also read. A lot. To date, most of what I've read (other than what I'm sent) has been traditionally published because I don't own an e-reader. My vision isn't great, and with no e-reader print is just the best option for me. You can't usually buy self published books in the store, and I don't shop online so in an industry controlled by a select few, most of what I read is traditionally published. And I have read some really bad traditionally published books. Last year I did 52 book reviews. This year my goal was to review 30 books, and even though I've read way more than 30 books, I've reviewed a handful. I quit doing negative reviews. And while I always make an effort to give balanced reviews if my list of annoyances is longer than my love list I just won't review it. Now having read more than 30 books and only having reviewed five, I'm sure you can guess that I read more than one traditionally published book I didn't feel okay reviewing. But it gets more complicated than that. I read a book that was expected to do fairly well. It jumped from first person to third person for whole sections with no warning it would do so and the sections had no rhyme or reason. It felt like the writer needed to convey something mc couldn't know, so she'd just jump heads. Wow. I went to another signing where the writer got confused by their own writing! I never talk about these things on my blog. I'm not out to insult anyone, or their work. And I'm not out to make enemies. But lots of book bloggers also write. And lots of writers know that they can't be too harsh about a book that may have really had some things wrong with, because they may need to work with that editor. And so traditionally published books, that I have to pay $15-$20 for may not be fairly reviewed. While on the flip-side, a self published book that you usually pay less than $8 and often less than $3 for is overly criticized, because the notion is it must be bad or it would have been traditionally published. The reviewer opens it with the expectation of mistakes, and when you look for something, you usually find it. Not to mention the reviewer probably won't have to work with the editor in the future.
I'd also like to point out that not all books are self published because they couldn't be traditionally published. There are many good reasons to self publish. I have a fairly complex YA ms out right now. Some people like it. Some don't. But some people would like to see it altered in a way that will make integral changes to the story. I'm not sure I'm okay with that. And I know there are some things about the book that I will not change, not even if it means keeping it on my hard drive. I have respect for a writer who chooses to self publish and be true to the story they wrote, over rewriting for one person. Sorry, I just do. (I need to say I'm not advocating no one ever make revisions. That's not what I mean, but I think there comes a time when you as the artist know when something is too far from your vision to work).
I'd like to see changes in the blogosphere reflect changes in the industry. I really do think it's okay to be critical of the self published as long as you review the traditionally published by the same standard. And I'd like to see writer/blogger circles move away from the view that the self published couldn't otherwise be published.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Waiting On Wed. The Iron Knight
I think I posted this one before the cover was out, but I like it so I'm posting it again. And I technically already have it as a galley and am loving it, but I can't read it on my comp, so I'm still waiting.
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