Born blonde and Polish, Jennifer Turner writes action adventure thrillers and romances. She resides in Wisconsin with her husband Eddie, a red-headed Texan, and her three children, Dustin, Molly and Matthew. Raised by an eclectic assortment of artists and musicians, her upbringing helped shape and hone her imagination and dedication to the romantic arts. Between her commitments to family and writing, she actively pursues three things–white chocolate, dark chocolate, and more chocolate.
Visit My Website!
Do you love urban fantasy with hot heroes and flawed heroines? Contact me for a free review copy of Redemption, my latest title. See what Nancy Holzner has to say:
“In a bleak, post-apocalyptic world, what happens when a half-angel searching for her redemption meets a half-demon hellbent on revenge? If it’s J.R. Turner’s world, major sparks fly. Redemption is a heady mix of action, thrills, and sizzling romance. Half-angel Savannah Mantas is both a kick-ass heroine and a complex character. Immortal yet deeply wounded, she searches for the redemption that will allow her to ascend and leave behind the blasted, dying Earth. But she never expects to find that redemption in the arms of half-demon Nico Montenegro, a man who should be her mortal enemy. Turner’s urban fantasy is a fast-paced thrill ride that wrestles seriously with questions of good and evil, guilt and innocence, to deliver a satisfying, multilayered read.” Nancy Holzner, author of the Deadtown series.
First 15 reviewers will get a free copy! jturner4@charter.net
I've got some interesting news to share ;) Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association has asked me to step into Boyd Sutton's shoes this October as Executive Director. I'm totally stoked and excited about this. Not only will Boyd mentor me, but I'll be trained on how to run a non-profit. So very cool!
Okay, back to my conference, editing, and writing work!
Ever wonder what I do all day? I do... Just kidding :) Seriously though, where does the time fly? It's not yet 9:30 (CT) and I'm already running around like a chicken on fire!
A.M.
6:30-I save the carpets--I take the dog out.
6:45-Make coffee and check emails-lots happening with upcoming conference, newsletter, 9/1 releases...etc.
7:00-Feed turtle, fish, check food/water for mice and guinea pig, let in the cat...
7:10-Shower and dress for the day
7:45-Make breakfast for the kids my daughter is babysitting
8:00-Start making phone calls: 4 Dentist appt.s for whole family, pay med bills, etc.
8:20-Make breakfast for my own children (we're out of milk...)
8:22-Make grocery list (milk is on the top of the list)
8:45-Start cleaning up sleep-over mess and run load of laundry
9:10-Check email again--very quiet today, thank goodness-only 2 need a quick reply
9:15-Start writing this blog...
So, that's how I start my days--mostly :) Today, I have to be at the dealership to get the car fixed (something's goofy with the driver-side front tire thingy) at 11:00, then I have to take Dustin in for a doc appt in another town--and visit a friend in that same town--by 3pm. After that, I'll be nose to the grindstone editing until I stop to get dinner on.
I hope everyone has a great Thursday...er....Wednesday :) (Really? It's only Wed.?? Oy...)
Here I am, with a pretty new blank blog to fill, all this wonderful "white space" to work with--and I'm lost. How funny! I've been editing WAY too long.
Right now, I'm thinking about Redemption coming out. Nancy Holzner has the ARC now and has agreed to get it back to me by September some time, which is absolutely wonderful of her considering she's got big deadlines to deal with. I really, really loved writing Redemption. The feel of it, the aura, the ability to get supernatural, the huge cast and epic scope--all of it was a real treat. Now I'm itching to do something along the same lines. I've been captivated by a word and all the wonderful nuances that word has. I'm thinking it might be the next title I work on when I get some "me" time to write. The word is: Ruiner. The possibilities with that are endless.
While things have been hectic and crazy, they've been good. I'm working at a steady pace and getting tons accomplished. Even if there are tons more to accomplish, these achievements feel pretty darn good.
I really can't wait for Redemption to come out. Here is the back cover blurb:
Half-angel Savannah Mantas smells the sulfuric stench of wrath when it enters her city, Iron Point. Resurrected by the archangel Michael, she's hunting for redemption and half-demon Nico Montenegro is her prey. He comes from the Fringes, the border between the city and the toxic wasteland beyond.
When they meet, Nico tells her a story, one of genocide and confiscated bodies. Not revenge, but justice is his purpose and his target is the most admired family in the world–Commander Hathaway and his daughter.
Hathaway's soldiers are slaughtering Fringers and secretly feeding them to Revenants, mutants who survived the bio-bombing of 2120. They have a twisted idea they can train these clever creatures like dogs and keep them out of the city long enough to mobilize an evacuation for the wealthy and well-connected.
Savannah knows better. Revenants are what killed her. When they attack, the last of humankind may be wiped out completely. Stopping Hathaway might just be enough to gain her redemption and escape a hellish fate.
Hope you think it sounds as fun as to read as it was to write! :)
Where have I been? I've been working under a rock! :) Just kidding--but I have been super busy. These are the projects I am working on right now or have just finished:
1) WRWA Fall Conference 2) WRWA Summer Newsletter 3) Editing Servant to the Wolf by the fabulous Sue Wentz of Cassidy Creek Bridge fame 4) Editing Shaken by the super D.M. Anderson of Killer Cows fame 5) Editing Take Me Home (working title) by Martin Bartloff of Torn From Normal fame 6) Writing books #4, 5, and 6 in the Delbert Dallas series 7) Reading Submissions to the Quake imprint of Echelon Press 8) Transferring website to my wordpress account for easier updating 9) Updating all blogs :) 10) What I call "red-tape" work: writing up contracts for the conference and for new books coming through Quake--writing up agreements for workshop presenters and panelists, etc.
Okay, so that's where I'm at this morning. It's just after ten and I'm all ready tired! Lol! :) Think I'll get a big cup of coffee and settle in for a nice long day behind the keyboard.
One of these days I'll actually be able to write again!
I have a gripe. I’m sick and tired of reading how Print-On-Demand publishers only exist to sell books to their authors. That’s like saying all poor people have a welfare mentality or a rape victim was asking for it because of the way she dresses. We live in a day and age where that sort of bigotry is simply inexcusable.
I work with an independent publishing house and not once have I ever been “forced” to buy my books. It is not in the contract, it is not an expectation. They do offer me a discount if I wish to buy my books for events like book festivals and the like—but so does Random House and myriad other houses. This is standard operating procedure, people!
No publisher simply gives their authors unlimited access to a bottomless barrel filled with books. That’s not how the industry works. Contracts usually state how many author copies an author can expect. Once those are gone, the publisher doesn’t keep handing over titles for free. So, to use the argument that houses that use POD technology only survive by selling to their own authors is not only naïve but inaccurate.
My advice: be wary of blanket statements and research any publishing house you’re considering working with. I did, and I can’t say enough wonderful things about my publisher, Echelon Press.
You really know you're not ready for a busy day when you wake up with The Lazy Song running through your head!
Maybe some Bobaflex, Nonpoint, and Wolf Mother will wake me up :) Funny how music can really influence the way we feel. Of course there's always this: http://youtu.be/HsyMtYoSkC0 that never fails to make me laugh!!
I've fought my weight all my life. Up until I got pregnant with my first son, I did fairly well. I was a size 12/14 and at nearly 5' 10", that's pretty good. When I got pregnant though, all bets were off and like so many uninformed first-time pregnant women--I ate for two--literally. I still carry that weight today, 18 years later.
This morning I fired up my computer and on my iGoogle page, I found an article titled Surgery is no Quick Fix for Teens. The article itself is fairly interesting, since I have been considering bariatric surgery of some kind. After all, I've been eating non-fat, sugar-free, mostly fruits and vegetables for nearly two months--plus exercising regularly--and the results are not what I hoped. But--that's the case with dieting and exercising, it is far harder to lose the weight than to gain the weight. So many people give up because they get disheartened, and for other reasons.
What prompted me to write this blog post though, were the horrendous comments from the readers who obviously never had to fight weight gain. The condescending way they talk about "fat people" the holier-than-thou put-downs they sling without thought, are the very reason obese people often remain obese.
Why don't we see the truly obese working out in public gyms? Because of the very people who make those comments. Why don't we see exceptionally heavy people swimming or walking in our communities? Because of the type of people who would make fun of them. While they may not be the original cause of the weight gain--they are definitely a huge part of the problem when it comes to getting fit and healthy again.
For a real-life example, I chose to go on a "power walk" not that long ago. I was four blocks from home when a car full of guys drove past me. One of them hung out the window and barked at me. Yes, literally barked at me--just to let me know he thought I was a "dog." I haven't done that again since. Now I work out quietly in the back of my house on a second-hand stationary bike.
So if you know someone who is feeling self-righteous about looking good, or loves to condemn those who are out in public struggling to lose weight, please, please, remind them that anyone actually doing the work of getting healthy deserves their support, not their derision.
Please welcome Karen Cioffi, an awesome lady with a wonderful group of writers in her inspired and fabulous group, VBT Writer's on the Move.
SEO and Marketing: Basic Tips and Definitions
By Karen Cioffi
In its simplest form, promotion is a tool or strategy under the marketing umbrella. The marketing umbrella covers the creation or manufacturing of a product or service, R&D, distribution, and any other elements needed to get a product from creation to the consumer. Promotion creates visibility.
Utilizing online promotion means you will be using the internet, search engines, and SEO. SEO is the process of getting the search engines to find and rank your content. You obviously want a high ranking so when a searcher (potential customer) types in a search term (keyword) your site may be one of those on that first SERP.
Marketing and especially SEO can be confusing and seem like a daunting task to undertake, but once you understand the basics it becomes less intimidating.
SEO and Marketing Definitions
1. SEO – search engine optimization: “the process of creating and adjusting website content with the goal of improving search engine rankings.” (according to Compendium.com)
2. SERP – search engine results page – the page results from a search query.
3. Keyword – “any word or phrase a searcher might use to describe or identify a desired resource on the Internet.” When using keyword in your title, it’s important to use the keyword in the beginning of the title. Rather than use “How-to-Guide for SEO,” opt for “SEO: A How-to-Guide.” (according to Compendium.com)
4. Organic Traffic or Marketing – free strategies, such as Twitter, blogging, article marketing, etc.
5. Paid Traffic or Marketing – utilizing paid/sponsored ads, such as Google adwords, etc.
6. Ranking – your position (how high up) on the SERP: the higher the better. In other words, you want to be on the first SERP, or at least within the first few pages.
7. Anchor text – linking to other websites and/or pages directly from text within your content. This strategy should be used to bring the reader to your products, to other related articles you’ve written, to another site that has useful information pertinent to your post, and/or to link to a site you’re mentioning.
Providing readily accessible information and links through anchor text will give your readers more “bang-for-the-buck.” It will give the reader a broader reading experience, and she will definitely appreciate it – this builds a relationship . . . and trust.
Karen Cioffi is an author, ghostwriter (for authors, bloggers, and businesses), freelance writer, reviewer, and on the teamof DKV Writing 4 U (http://www.dkvwriting4u.com). She is also the founder and manager of VBT Writers on the Move, and co-moderator of a children's writing critique group.
For writing and marketing information visit KarenCioffi.com and sign up for her FREE newsletter, A Writer’s World. You’ll get TWO free e-books on writing and marketing in the process.
Welcome Liz to my blog today, everyone! She's a great person and as some awesome thoughts on what goes into writing a sequel. Not only that, but she's going to give a prize package bundle of both books! Expectations and What Money Won't Buy will go to one lucky commenter--so warm up your keyboard and share your thoughts! :)
Writing a Sequel
Expectations was originally planned as a standalone novel. Actually, considering I’m a pantser, it wasn’t really planned at all, but I digress. Then, about a month after I signed the contract with my publisher, Lazy Day, some of my beta readers and I started kicking around the possibility of continuing the storyline. Nothing too serious, just ‘what if’ scenarios. Until, I shot up in bed one morning around 5 AM with an outline of the sequel in my head. I was on fire! I wrote for two and a half hours straight before remembering my caffeine. No, it didn’t make total sense, but I had a viable idea. And from those mess of notes, What Money Can’t Buy was born.
Writing a sequel provided both great and scary things. I knew and loved my characters, we were friends, so the period of ‘getting acquainted’ was skipped. Which is good because none of us are very good at small talk and that period is so awkward. I didn’t need to build a new world. In a word, writing What Money Can’t Buy was initially very comfortable. Maybe too comfortable. What followed were paralyzing fears: What if What Money Can’t Buy isn’t as good as Expectations? I don’t want to disappoint my fans. Then there were practical concerns: How much background do I include? Should people be required to read Expectations before What Money Can’t Buy? The answers? Just enough to remind the reader of relevant events and no, but it does help.
I’m happy to report, What Money Can’t Buy will not disappoint fans and will probably draw in some new readers. And, I’ve started work on the as yet untitled third book.
"Liz Borino is the author of Expectations and it's sequel, What Money Can't Buy. Throughout her education, including a Bachelor’s Degree from Hofstra University, she’s kept her stories to herself, but this only child is all grown up and wants to share them with the world. Her roots are in Bethlehem, Pa, but she loves to experience new cultures. As fun as that is Liz likes nothing better than curling up at home with a good book or her work in progress."
Mother's Day is fast approaching and I'm missing my mom something terrible. I try not to think about it too much, but with all the commercials on radio, television, and ads coming in the mail, it's hard not to be bombarded by the holiday. Yes, I'm a mom so there is much to celebrate and I do try to focus on the positive. Over the years, I imagine it will get easier.
This weekend I'll be at WRWA's Spring conference and I'm looking forward to seeing great friends and making some new ones. I'll miss those who can't make it there and wish them well for whatever circumstance made them unable to attend.
I'll let everyone know how the event went and hopefully share some fun pictures!!
Please welcome Marc Vun Kannon to my blog. He's an awesome guy who helped me at my very first conference. He is a champion of the independent published author and all around exceptional person. Let everyone know about him and his wonderful books:
Some stories are easier to write than others. I admit I was a little spoiled by the first two, which took years to write but were at least talking to me the whole time. My latest novel, St. Martin’s Moon, was not so forthcoming. The first bump in the road was that this was my first story that wasn’t a pretty straightforward fantasy novel. I’m always trying to stretch myself, do new things, and the inspiration for the book was another book that turned out to be a murder mystery set on a lunar colony. The werewolf was my idea.
The lunar colony I could do, with a few minutes of The Dreaded Research to back me up. A werewolf was a bit out of my scope, the sort of stretch I was looking for. The mystery was impossible. I’m a complete pantser. I discover the story as I go along. There was just no way I could plot it out, the way a mystery paradigm required.
The werewolf was much the same. Horror is a matter of setting and ambiance, also not strengths of mine. I prefer my descriptions to come from the perceptions of the characters, and werewolves are not characters, they’re monsters. The people who became the werewolves were another matter. The shift from horror to a paranormal was easy enough to make, in spite of the fact that I am not on board with the current trend in paranormals of turning classic monsters into leading men. The good thing about werewolves is that they are only part-time monsters. Poor old Larry Talbot and those like him spent most of their months looking forward to the last day. Unless…
And what about my werewolf hunter, last vestige of the mystery that wasn’t? He was the linchpin of the whole story, the catalyst of a reaction to which he (everyone, actually) was completely oblivious as he went about his ordinary duties. In chapter one I discovered that he had a whole lot of backstory as to why he didn’t want to go back to the Moon. What other secrets might he be hiding? As it turned out, it was a bit of a doozy. The ghost was not my idea. Or the romance.
My original idea was admittedly rather nebulous, but even so it was better than the nothing I had left after both genres up and walked out on me. As it was I wrote what was mostly a scifi story with the occasional elements of Dark Shadows mixed in. It was the characters’ fault really, I was just following them around. While they were all set off by the presence of my werewolf hunter on their lunar colony, each of them went and did their own thing. None were enough, but all were necessary. What had started out as a single linear story of uncertain genre broke up into five different plots, on two different planes of reality, which intersected in the person of my hero.
Nothing to it.
**************************
St. Martin’s Moon will be released on May 15th, 2011.
Like many writers, I started when a story came along and decided that I should write it. Don't ask me why. Others followed, until now I'm afraid to go out of the house with a recorder or notebook in my hand. But I show them, I refuse to write the same story twice!
Hey everyone! :) Hope you're enjoying a very Hoppy Easter!! :) :)
I got a new fridge--with a water and ice dispenser, like I've been wanting forever. This came in the warm-fuzzy form of FREE from hubby's trucker buddy, Todd. Thank you, Todd! :)
So Eddie is under the sink hooking up the water line and I can hardly wait to get in there and transfer everything from one fridge to another. The kids got chocolate, and I got a great big chocolate-keeper! :)
Okay, gonna go enjoy the day, and I hope you do too!!
Don't you just hate it when people take things you say out of context or twist them around to have entirely different meanings--then go on a rampage half-cocked without the facts? Setting them straight just turns you into their target, right? There seems to be so much of this going on lately. People are going ballistic over the smallest things.
I spend most of my time around writers, readers, and publishing industry pros. We are definitely not free of this sort of behavior. In some cases, I think it's worse among us. Take for instance John Cusack who was lambasted for spelling and typing errors on Twitter. (I know, I know, old news, but it's a perfect example.) As an editor, I know the importance of getting it right--but come on folks! That's like bitching at a ballerina because she doesn't know how to play poker. Hello? John Cusack is not a flippin' writer--he's an actor, okay?
When did we all seem to lose our compassion, our sense of humor, our collective good will toward our fellow writer? Are times so tough out there economically we have to stoop to cutting each others throats to get ahead instead of relying on merit?
So lets show a little tact out there. Make sure the battle you're fighting is worth fighting, and make sure the hill you're fighting on is the one you want to die on. Beyond that, just be flippin' kind to each other and to the non-writers out there who only want to communicate and share their experiences. Maybe we all need a little Bobby back in our lives: Don't Worry, Be Happy! :)
Okay, this concludes this public service announcement. :)
I'm thrilled to share my blog with Magdelena today! Please make her feel welcome. She's excited to respond to comments as soon as she gets back to civilization after her trip! :)
So what’s with all these faked memoirs and identities?Does the fault lie with the publishers for not fact checking?Some would have it so: http://www.newsweek.com/id/118814
Does it lie with the authors for duping their publishers, their agents, and of course the angry public who feel cheated of a real life story when all they got was fiction?What’s so funny ‘bout fiction anyway?A good story is a good story, whether it really happened or whether it was pulled together by someone who imagined it.Frey’s book for example may not be damn good history, but it surely it is still the same damn good fiction that Oprah cried over.Perhaps even the bigger truths of the work—those characters and situations that we find verisimilitude in--remain the same.Writing a novel is no easier than writing a memoir – it takes an awful lot of work, talent, research, and inner searching to produce a full length book that takes the reader somewhere that he or she can recognise as real regardless of genre.The books have to be truthful in one way or another or they won’t touch the reader.
Perhaps novelists are faking ‘memoirs’ rather than writing ‘novels’ because of the public’s insatiable hunger for ‘what really happened’ and the flow on effect this has with publishers, who are much more willing to take on memoirs than new fiction. My own novel Sleep Before Evening, is entirely fiction, but you can’t write a novel without putting an awful lot of yourself into it.There are plenty of moments that really happened, and the novel is full of the truth, because that is the whole point of fiction – to show something real and meaningful in a narrative construct.We don’t live in a linear, narrative type of universe.Our lives are bombarded with a range of sensory perceptions, memories, diffuse narrative threads and anticipations.Both memoirist and novelist take these things and use art to create something structurally accessible that others can understand, but there’s always construct, selection, re-invention.There’s always artfulness.Even relating a recent memory involves that kind of construction.I’m not condoning the literary hoax; nor am I suggesting that these hoaxes don’t matter – of course it’s wrong to go on the record as being someone you aren’t – particularly when you are dealing with sensitive issues or race, experience or influence where you might steer someone wrong because of your pretence or create inappropriate propaganda because of your bias.
But I am suggesting that the kind of reverence that the public places on “what really happened” -- the obsession we seem to have with “reality TV” and gritty revelation talk shows -- might be misplaced.James Frey was a successful author long before he faked his memoirs, but it was only the attention from Oprah and the ensuing scandal that made him a literary superstar, or super villain if you prefer – I’m not sure there’s that much difference from a sales point of view.But should I really care whether James Frey really went to jail for 1 day or 10? Should I begin investigating because there’s a small discrepancy in the dates in Ismeal Beah’s latest memoir, A Long Way Gone?The key issue here is whether these are good books or not.If we buy them because they’re shocking, or amazing stories (“hey madge, you won’t believe what this kid got up to”) that don’t ring true, and are full of ridiculous rubbish we are happy to believe (“he swore in his memoir that aliens took him to Mars and I believed him”) then we might deserve to be lied to.If the memoir is beautifully written, and full of rich, vivid detail which touches something very real in the reader, then maybe it remains good fiction even if it isn’t good fact.The truth is about something deeper and more powerful than simply the bald facts.
In Jill Lepore’s excellent piece in the New Yorker, “Just the Facts, Ma’am”, she makes this point wonderfully, exploring the relationship between historical writing and fiction: “For Fielding, there are two kinds of historical writing: history based in fact (whose truth is founded in documentary evidence), and history based in fiction (whose truth is founded in human nature).”There are many different kinds of truth, but the memoir, real or faked, certainly doesn’t have a greater claim to it than fiction does.
I'm pleased to post the long awaited review of the second book in the Deadtown series by Nancy Holzner!
I approach sequels to books the same way I do movies--especially when the first one was so fabulous--with a sincere hope the follow up story will do the first one justice. I am more than thrilled to say that Hellforged surpassed all my expectations and reminded me just why I loved the first one so much.
Aunt Mab was such an intriguing figure in the first book, I was excited to travel to Wales with Vicki and get to know this side of her family much more intimately than in Deadtown. My favorite secondary characters were back as well--Tina, now a hopeful back-up singer for a zombie band, Juliet--yes that Juliet of Romeo fame--a vampire roommate who may not be on the page much, but plays an integral part in the plot.
I think what I loved best is the sexual tension created between Vicki and her bad-guy 'cousin' in the first part of the book and how that evolves into a renewed romance between her and the ever-sexy Alexander Kane, the werewolf attorney love interest from the first book. Don't think this book is all about romance though, Vicki has a fantastic struggle I found mesmerizing.
The internal battle she faces over trying to be 'pure' in order to vanquish the evil in this book, how she feels stained by her bond with The Destroyer, a powerful demon we first met in Deadtown, is something anyone could relate to. My heart went out to Vicki time and again as she struggled with her inner demons--so to speak!
I loved Deadtown and now Hellforged has found a spot on my keeper shelf! I hope they make it to your bookshelf, too!
(Aunt Christy, me, and Grandma Robin~ aren't they awesome?! :) )
For me, there is nothing worse than being stuck on a plot line you have no clue about. I've been buried under a plot that didn't want to go anywhere. I wrote 500 words for every 400 I deleted for a week. I still didn't know what was going on with the plot until today when I wrote the final pages. Isn't that crazy? Short story writing isn't as easy as this novelist thought it would be.
My biggest problem was trying to conform to the mini-synopsis I wrote months and months ago. I had a whole different plot outlined than I used, and I didn't use the one I had because the premise was weak. I needed something much stronger and something far less character driven. In a short story there's only room for one or the other--character driven plot, or action driven plot. Since my target reader is 10 years old--I needed the action driven plot, but I was only getting the characters inner thoughts. Not much fun to read about a bunch of characters standing around contemplating the nuances of life!
Granted, my life has been sort of wacky lately, but when is it not? Last week I was wearing shorts and started spring cleaning. This week, it's snowing out side and I've got my winter coat on. Go figure!
Anyway, that's all I got right now. I'm going to be bringing some writing related stuff back to my blog soon though. If you have any writing questions you would like answered, please just ask!
If you're wondering what happened to me, I can only say that life has intruded on my computer time in a major way. I'll be working for the next three to four days to get all caught up, so if you've been expecting an email from me, it'll be coming very soon!
My son, Dustin, was in a car accident last Wednesday. Thankfully, no one was injured, but unfortunately, the van was totaled, leaving us without a vehicle. We found out Friday that after everything is paid, we'll only get 300 or so from the insurance company. Not exactly enough to buy a new vehicle. We're hopeful though, that our perfect payment history on the previous car loan will help us get another one.
So, I've been hunting down vehicles and doing extra work to try and get enough together for a down payment. Here are the photos of the car accident:
We truly are grateful no one was injured, including the other driver. Things could have been so much worse. The front axle was broken, and I know it's hard to see from the photo, but the tire is bent inward. I'm just glad we had full coverage on the vehicle and we won't be walking away with a huge loan payment for a vehicle we don't own anymore.
So okay, I've got to get back to work. Thanks for checking up to see how I'm doing!
Hi everyone! Please give Elysabeth a warm welcome to my blog. She'a fabulous lady! :)What's next?
by Elysabeth Eldering
Jenny has asked that I talk about where the series is headed next and what's coming out soon. As far as the Squad and me, we are heading to PA for a homeschool conference and then on to a few more book festivals, homeschool events and other type events squeezed in there. This is the season of promoting and making sure that we are making a presence in as many places as we possibly can.
There will be an unveiling of a new persona for me in May, so stay tuned to my blog for the ta-da moment.
As far as the series goes, at the time of this posting, book #6, State of Nature, is about to be released; we are just awaiting the proof copy to release it. I'm currently working on finishing the stories of #7, 8, 9 and 10 - all are in various stages of being finished. State of Acceleration, #7, is in the story stage, working on the mini plot and getting the characters through another state in a fun and interesting way. State of Imagination, #8, is in the arranging clues in an orderly fashion stage; State of Monuments, #9, is in the adding a couple more clues/rearranging them in the order they will be presented stage; and State of Production, #10, is in the adding more clues and tweaking a few that are already in place stage. I have a table set up so I know which states will be released in a given year, all the way through to the fiftieth state and 2019, when the final book will be released with probably a couple of surprises interspersed in there.
The process is multi-staged for me for one story. I guess putting my clues in first is like someone who outlines their stories. The clues are how I base my titles and how my characters tend to react or interact. Then after I decide which facts to use as clues, I send off to my editor who comes up with a title. Sometimes, she is not so successful. State of Nature, #6, was actually named by son who decided which clues should be on the cover; he also helped in naming #10. We were all at a loss for #9, even my teacher friend, but my illustrator, Heather C. Paye, came up with a very befitting title. After I have my clues in place and in the order I want them to appear along side my title, I start writing the story. Once the story is finished, off to my editor, refined or fixed up by me and then off to Heather for her to do her thing. She does a great job with the covers and layout. Once I receive the file back in final mode, I submit to createspace.com and await for them to tell me the file is print ready so I can then order my proof copy. Once the proof copy arrives and I've looked over it from cover to cover, then I release it.
So what's next for the Squad? We just keep on doing what we can to get where we need be and hopefully the big break will come along soon.
Elysabeth Eldering is a traveler from birth. She has traveled with her family due to her father being in the military. She has lived in several states and overseas during her childhood. Ms. Eldering calls South Carolina home these days with a mindset of "Southern by choice, not by birth." She entered her first writing contest in her early 40s and took second place for a children's mystery story (Train of Clues), which has inspired her to take that story and write a series for children, the premise being that each state would be the mystery. Her series has a Jeopardy!® like style to it but for guessing the state in the form of a question. Each book concentrates on one state and there are supplemental study guides available, which take the series cross curriculum. For more information on the series, please visit the JGDS website. Elysabeth may be reached at eeldering@gmail.com with any questions or to place an order.
I'm thrilled to announce the first book in the Delbert Dallas and the Dragon Diaries series from Quake and Electric Shorts is released into the wild today!
#1 Voyage to Viking Island
Delbert Dallas has all kinds of issues, brothers and stuff like that. But one day he discovers the new guitar his father gave him as a gift can turn into a dragon named Barbecue Bob. Together they can travel through time.
Delbert ends up back in time on Viking Island where Prince Rolloff and his new best friend, Walter Wheeler, are planning a wild escape by longboat.
Can Delbert convince Prince Rolloff that Walter can’t be trusted? Or will Walter’s magical time-traveling dragon Firebrand live up to his name?
Thanks to everyone for your support and please spread the word. These middle-grade readers share what life was like for the average Viking and offer a fun glossary filled with all sorts of great words like Fender Stratocaster and Clotheslined. Perfect for the adventure-minded reluctant reader!
When I signed on to write a series of six short stories for young adults I wasn't given a lot of guidelines, other than my main character was to have a paranormal ability of some sort. The crazy setting of Ever came to me first, and actually rather easily. Deciding on what to do for my main character took more thought. She had to be able to survive Ever. I played around with various ideas and for 'normal' type abilities I settled on running. Running is good, good for escaping creatures trying to eat you. Misha's character turned out to be very active in track, and ran at least once every day.
Now for the paranormal part...what to pick? There are so many possibilities, or I could even invent something new. I couldn't decide, so thought on what my readers might be interested in. I still remember being a teenager (It wasn't that long ago!) The answer came quickly then, fire.As a teen, I remember my own fascination with fire. I wasn't alone either. Every friends house had candles somewhere, my own room was full of them. Kids played with matches and lighters outside of school. Bonfires were a must in the summer if we could find a place to have one.
I gave Misha the power of pyrokinesis, or more commonly, she is a firestarter. Since I can't make her life too easy, she doesn't gain her powers until she is a teen, not long before she is banished to Ever. Now she not only needs to learn to survive there, she has to learn how to use and control her powers as well.
I hope readers, both young and adults, will enjoy my tale and become fascinated not only by the fire, but by the world of Ever as well. Happy reading!
Welcome to Ever.
Ever, a deadly realm where feared, powerful and dangerous magical beings are banished. Though very large, it is not a world but a magically created prison. You can’t break through its circular boundary. Who, or what, made Ever? I’ve no idea. They were powerful, and cruel. That is all I can tell you.
Ever is like and unlike every other world. Nothing is safe. Safety is a dream. Ever is a nightmare. Few survive their first day. Nothing is what it seems. If something appears safe, it isn’t. If something appears dangerous, well it is, but probably more so than you think.
Ever has no sun, no moon, no stars at night. Time is told by the ever changing color of the sky where portals open, dropping new inhabitants, or new terrors. Time does pass. Don’t worry, you won’t get old. You won’t live that long.
The landscape changes without reason form dessert to jungles. The flora isn’t safe at any time. There is food, if you can find it without getting eaten yourself. Most plants and animals are poisonous. So is the water.
Are you afraid? You should be. This is the end. It gets worse of course. Remember the portals? Do think angels come through? Rarely the innocent do. Mostly, it is people of evil, people too powerful to kill. Their magic works here. The creature’s are worse.
Do you understand? Well you will eventually, or you’ll die. There is no escaping Ever. Ever.
Banished:
My life was normal. It sucked, but it was normal. At least until I got this new power. I can control fire. It would be cool if it wasn’t so dangerous and if I knew how to use it. Pretty much my sucky life took a nose dive once I got it. Yup, everything gone. I suppose I should be thankful some uncle I never heard of took me in. Turns out the whole family isn’t normal and my power is a lot more dangerous than I thought. I thought things couldn’t get any worse. I was wrong. They banished me to Ever.
Jennifer Wylie was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories. Sweet light is her debut novel to be published in 2011.
Jennifer resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her husband, two boys, Australian shepherd a flock of birds and a disagreeable amount of wildlife.
Of course authors have a whole ton of reasons to dislike booksellers. We groan at discounts, totally despise returns, and have at times been treated strangely (ahem) at book signings and such. However, that's not the reason I'm calling them Beelzebub!
I can't seem to leave a bookseller without spending more than I make! Ugh! After two events--a lovely time at Dan's Dog Eared Books in Medford and Egocon (hosting Book Isle) in Stevens Point--my TBR pile has grown by a dozen, at least. It's crazy! I'm swamped with great reads all ready, so it's especially difficult to sit and see all those really great books just waiting for me. I'm going to have to take a vacation just to get some of these read!
At the moment, I'm reading Hellforged by Nancy Holzner and though it seems to be taking me forever to get it read, I'm enjoying it immensely. I've had to put it down a few times because of looming deadlines for books I'm editing and books I've got coming out--so my for-fun reading has been seriously delayed. Watch out though, for my review of Hellforged, coming soon!
So yeah, booksellers tempt me more than just about anything else. If I were to sell all the books I have, I could probably take the kids to Disneyland. Insane! Well, I better get going now, or I'll never have time to read my for-fun books!
(My little guy, Matthew, in his super alien costume)
Hey everyone,
Just going through emails and such and find that I've fallen way behind. I've been working hard on some big projects that have looming deadlines, so if you've been waiting to hear from me, it shouldn't be long now.
I'm getting ready to launch the first book in the Delbert Dallas series later this month, so keep your eyes open for more announcements about that. The first three in the Electric Shorts pilot program are now up for everyone to see: Super awesome program, Electric Shorts, now live--see them here: http://bit.ly/fLwwGB Drop by and check them out ;)
Dan’s Dog Eared Books was a blast this weekend. I gave a workshop that took the audience from finding their inner book, to submitting and what to expect from the industry. Everyone was most excellent to me, including Jeanie, my hostess, who sent me home with chocolate and a blinged out bookmark! I think I want to be adopted now ;)
The last of the editing for Delbert Dallas and the Dragon Diaries, #1 Voyage to Viking Island was finished this weekend. Look for the release on March 22nd. These short stories are fabulous reading material for middle-grade readers. I loved highlighting the Viking age in this first story. What fun! I had no idea what a byrnie was!
My blog tour continues with a few more fabulous new stops and places to be entered into a contest. Check them out here:
First, a HUGE shout out to Tea Mouse. Not only is she being a fabulous blogger and hosting a stop on my tour, but she also made the lovely banners everyone is seeing on all my blog stops. Thank you bunches, Tea Mouse!! Visit her blog here: http://teamouse.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/blog-tour-giveaway-with-j-r-turner/
Supernatural is on tonight and it looks like it will be a mind-bender, for sure! :) Sam and Dean go to a parallel universe where they're actually actors--Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. Imagine that! :) Okay, on to "that" part of the post:
Yesterday I was sort of under the weather and couldn't sit at my computer for any real length of time. Today I'm much better and back at work :)
And Asher Knight still has some fabulous contests and give aways going on over at Paranormal Indulgence: http://bit.ly/feFIl0
Tomorrow I'll be in Medford for a great weekend shindig with Dog Eared Books. Please drop on by and say hello if you're in the area :)
Voyage to Viking Island was turned in this week, so I'm excited to see this first installment in my Electric Shorts series, Delbert Dallas and the Dragon Diaries, released on ebook for middle-grade readers.
There's a lot going on, but they say when you're doing what you love, then it ain't work ;)
Today I’m dedicating my blog to Marvin Wilson, author of Beware the Devil’s Hug. This is an interesting book getting some very interesting reviews! Check it out:
What if a homeless, smelly, ugly, unkempt old man had a hug so powerful it could cure cancer? Cause a prostitute to stop hooking and seek true love? Shake the demons of addiction free from a junkie? Make a radical terrorist Muslim want to befriend and love a Christian and visa versa? But rare is the beneficiary of his divine embrace--nobody wants to come near him out of fear.
Beware the Devil's Hug is available on amazon.com and also directly from the publisher, All Things That Matter Press, at: https://www.createspace.com/3478953
To view the book trailer, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3KIe8QxZms
And to embed the trailer in a blog post, here's the html code:
“Beware the Devil’s Hug introduces readers to a mishmash of deftly-drawn, misguided characters who are prone to bad decisions and worse circumstances. But as one homeless man proves, things are not always what they seem. This book is part-magical realism, part-spirituality and part-social commentary; and remarkably, Wilson’s cornucopia works harmoniously to create an utterly engrossing and enlightening story.”~ Jen Knox, author of Musical Chairs (a memoir), and the forthcoming novel, Absurd Hunger
“Marvin D. Wilson has created an intriguing allegory centered around a Christ-like figure who, despite his abilities to heal and forgive, is much more human than divine. Beware the Devil’s Hug is sometimes irreverent, sometimes uplifting, but always a fascinating read.”~ Steve Lindahl, author of A Motherless Soul
“This is a journey of awe and inspiration! Marvin Wilson has penned an intriguing and imaginative tale. Beware the Devil's Hug is part parable, part allegory, and it brilliantly calls into question one's truth, faith, and essentially one's personal belief system in an often jaded world. Beware the Devil's Hug will surprise, mesmerize and challenge one's precepts in ways that many of us just might need to be challenged.”~ L.M. Ross Author of Manhood and Like Litter In the Wind Marvin D. Wilson has a widely varied and rich life experience background-from Hippie Rock and Roll musician, to nightclub entertainer, to Zen Buddhist minister, to carpenter, to small business owner, to network marketer, to sales and sales training, to skilled trades instructor and adult education teacher, to public speaker and motivational coach, to now in his chosen “golden years” career, a writer and multi-published author with the self-proclaimed, “audacity to write novels.”
Wilson describes his spiritual path as one who is a non-religious, dogma-free, maverick spiritualist Christian, with a strong bent toward Zen, Taoism, and the Law of Attraction, and who believes in the Oneness of all creation and all paths leading to re-awakening to the On e. He is a family man with three grown children and six grandchildren, and works with his son and oldest daughter in their organic compost and vegetable farming business when not writing, traveling, and marketing his books.
Marvin writes primarily in the spiritual/inspirational genre, but likes to pen “cross-over” novels that appeal to a wide variety of readers. His books are uplifting, sometimes weighty, oftentimes humorous, abidingly thought-provoking, meant to instill and create passion and emotion, more than occasionally provocative to the point of controversial, and always “tell it like it is”, real world, no punches pulled writing. He likes to deliver spiritual messages in a non-preachy, often irreverent, sometimes sexy and ribald way, through the medium of an entertaining story.
Thanks so much to Marvin for visiting my blog this month! To find out about other publications and make friends with Marvin online, visit these links:
Lots of very cool things to win--including books, ebooks, and book thongs. To be entered into the contest is simple: click a link where a winner hasn't been chosen yet and leave a comment.
It would seem that over the last week, I've gained a bunch of readers! :) Thanks so much and WELCOME! I'm always interested in answering questions or responding to comments on my blog.
So today, followers new and old, readers new and old, feel free to ask me a question or leave a comment.
As an editor, I can share what I know about the industry, Quake, Echelon Press, Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association, and Rotowriter Critique Service.
As an author, I can share what I know about writing, publishing, marketing, and promoting.
As a mom who loves to cook, craft, and camp--I can share tips and tricks I've learned over the 18 years I've been a mom! (18 years, wow! Lol!)
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