CoStoWriMo Countdown Clock

Check out the new countdown clock we've added! Keep an eye on this so you don't miss the opening of CoStoWriMo, a second chanc NaNoWriMo in February.

Here at Fiction Flurry, we're sharpening our pencils and gathering our notebooks (not really, we mostly use our computers, but it's a fun visual) in anticipation of February 1st.

Get your story ideas ready - if you've always wanted to write a novel, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!

The concept is simple: 29 days, 50,000 words.

Can you do it?

My Favorite Season

I love fall.

Hands down, it's my favorite season. If you talked to me in person, you might not pick up on that right away, because after a winter in Ohio (ugh!) Spring is just so wonderful that I tend to go on and on about how much I love Spring. And on those rare years when Summer cooperates by being a) not too hot and b) not too humid, you might think it's my favorite season.

But no, it's always been fall.

I admit, I'm a little in love with the crunchy leaves. And all the colors that the leaves turn. And the crispness in the air. Which is why I'm really excited about this weekend. My husband and I are driving into northern Ohio - Amish country - to see what we can see.

Next week I'll (hopefully) have some photos to share from our travels. Until then, tell us what is your favorite season and why?

ePublishing - The Cover Image

As you all know we at Fiction Flurry have recently been working on publishing our first anthology of short stories. During this process we've learned quite a few things which we'd like to share with you.

Seven of us chose to write short pieces for inclusion in our first publication. During the conception of this project we batted around a bunch of ideas, carefully wrote out a to do list and bravely got started. Each author forayed into their own imagination to create a short story.

At our next group meeting we shared a short synopsis of our personal creations. Then we set out on the Herculean task of a cover concept. One author stepped forward and undertook the task of perusing sites that offer photos for publication use. Several eMeetings over email later we all agreed on the summer beach theme.

Introduce Jennifer Unruh, my wonderfully creative sister. Jen has worked in the advertising industry for several years. She has a natural eye for photography and an artistic sense of design. Frequently she will walk into our father's enormous farm shed and emerge with works of art worthy of any showroom. So, as sister's do, I begged a favor for our first self-publishing endeavor. And, well, she agreed.

Now, my sister is no stranger to the creative arts by any means. She has tackled multiple projects for my job that pays the bills at a real estate and mortgage broker. She has created commercials, videos, light shows and much, much more. So, this was a relatively easy assignment. True to form, she gave us a finished project more beautiful than we could have imagined.

Thank you Jen for the amazing cover you cobbled together from the ideas of seven creative individuals!

Please keep checking back for more details as we get nearer to publication in July 2011.

Fiction Flurry Announces Anthology

Big News! 

Fiction Flurry is excited to announce the publication of a very special e-book:  A collection of short stories that will warm your heart like a sunny day at the beach. Tales of falling in love and finding romance that mends the broken heart, romance that's just for fun, romance from days gone by, and romance that lasts forever.

Dip your toes into Tales of Summer Romance from the writers of Fiction Flurry with titles ranging from "The 'I Do' Blues" to "Washed Ashore" to "Full Circle," and featuring one short by our very own Susan Gee Heino (author of Mistress by Mistake, Damsel in Disguise and her new release, Temptress in Training)!

Summertime is heating up, so grab a cool drink, kick back, and get swept away by a flurry of summer romance

Check back for downloading options and more details...

arrival date July, 2011. 

Paranormal Book Review - First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, Book 1)

by Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson has a gift - she sees dead people. They are drawn to her - because as the Grim Reaper she is bright and shiny - and her job is to point them to the light. However, those who have been murdered want her to make sure their killers are caught first. Which is why her police-officer father and uncle began consulting her for help in solving murders when she was five-years-old.  Charley's latest recently departed clients are three personable lawyers, all murdered by the same person on the same day. Charley must use all of her beyond-the-grave resources to solve their murders - before she becomes the next victim.

And when she's not helping ghosts with their ultimate closure, Charley is trying to figure out who her sizzling-hot dream lover is.

This novel won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart for Best Paranormal Romance - and I can see why. A friend of mine gave me this book to read, saying "It sounds like something you'd like." She was right. (Thanks Annie!)  If you like paranormal or romance or detective stories - or some combination of those, you are going to love this book!

 Charley Davidson is Mary-Janice Davidson's, Betsy meets Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita with a dash of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mixed in for good measure. Sassy and sarcastic, Charley takes crap from no one - which is why this is a fun, flirty, grab-you-by-the-throat read.

As with all good books, there's a cast of support characters who are worth getting to know: Uncle Bob, who doesn't want to know how Charley does what she does, just as long as she solves the case; Garrett Swopes, who is by turns funny and irritating - but is there to back her up when the shit hits the fan; and Cookie, her "neighbor-slash-best friend-slash-receptionist" who is equally snarky and has an unhealthy obsession with coffee. And let's not forget Mr. Wong, the uncrossed soul who lives in the corner of her living room.

Despite being a quick read (anyone looking for a book for the beach this summer?), this is a well thought out plot, that leaves you both satisfied and wanting more (more Reyes, please!). The good news is that the next in the series, Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson, Book 2), will be out in August - so we don't have to wait long.

For those of you, like me, who like to know a little more about the characters you read about, check out Darynda Jones' blog. She talks about how some charaters came to be - plus there is a smokin-hot picture of the actor she based Reyes on. One word....Wow!

What are your writing goals for March?

You can't see or feel it, but time is slipping away.

February has all too quickly become March, so take a moment to evaluate the progress you’ve made on the writing goals you made in January.

I have discovered that if you don't take a step back once in a while, months have a way of disappearing without any visible progress. Before you know it, December has arrived and your book still isn't finished.

The best way to make sure that you make consistent progress is to cultivate two habits:

1. Track your progress at the end of each month.
2. Create deadlines for finishing specific tasks for the next month.

It's easy to do both of these things if you list your accomplishments during the previous month on a sheet of paper and hang it on your wall where you can glance at it (often) and feel good about what you’ve accomplished. Likewise, commit your upcoming month’s writing goals to paper and hang them on the wall next to your accomplishments.

How you do this is up to you...use a calendar (online or printed), type out a list or jot it down on the back of a napkin. But make sure you keep them so you can look back at the end of the year to see how far you've come.

Don't let 2011 slip by, take control of your goals now.

Leave a comment and let use know how you stay on track with your goals.

Polishing Your Writing

I will admit up front that misspelled words are a pet peeve of mine. Perhaps it's because I’m a bit...ahem, shall we call it “diligent” about grammar and spelling? Or perhaps it’s just because I love words. Yes, all of them. (Thank you, Mrs. Alexander)

I imagine we’ve all seen an article or blog post (or 2, or 10) bemoaning the decline of the written word in the era of texting, Twitter and the like. If you’re looking for the other side of that argument, this isn’t it. Sorry.

As writers, our job – our whole job – is about choosing the right words. We have a reason for choosing the word “conundrum” instead of the more commonly used “problem.” So after carefully choosing your words, it’s just as important to make sure you’ve spelled them correctly, especially if it’s one of the “problem” words that sound alike but have different spellings. We all remember this from 2nd grade – their, there and they’re come to mind. And don’t forget the words that are misused – effect and affect, for example.

Consider the following sentence: I don’t no what there whether is going two bee tomorrow, but it won’t effect me to much.

Phonetically, you can figure out what is being said, but technically it's not even close to being correct. So you’re probably thinking that Word (or similar word processing program) will catch and/or fix your spelling and grammar mistakes – and I’ll admit, it probably will catch most of them. But it probably won’t catch all of them. There are 7 misspelled or misused words in the above sentence – can you find them all?

If spelling and grammar is something you struggle with in polishing your writing, there are some websites that can help.
Grammar Girl – a great resource for all of your grammar questions
Your Dictionary – there are links on the home page to help with navigating
Google search – sometime the easiest way to find something quickly

Having a friend or group to read your work can also help with this problem. In our local critique group, no surprise, I’m known as “grammar chick” – but really, everyone in our group is good at finding problem words. Yes, even I have been known to screw up a word or two.


Challenge for today: In the comments, rewrite the above incorrect sentence and make it “right.” No peaking peeking at other peoples answers either!

Podcasts for Writers

This post is really "Achieving Your Resolutions - Part 2" continuing my post from last week about online learning for writers.

As I said before, learning, no matter what the format is a good thing. So this week I want to talk about podcasts. It's definitely the most convenient way to learn...well, almost anything!

Look, I'll be the first to admit that regardless of the technology, I will never be an "early adopter" so I'm new to podcasts. If you, like me, are new to podcasts - but you have a computer, MP3 player or iPod, you can find out how to subscribe to podcasts here.

Once you are set up to subscribe, check out these podcasts especially for writers.

1. I Should be Writ­ing: cov­ers the ins-and-outs of writ­ing, from com­ing up with ideas to self-publishing to writ­ing queries. Mur Lafferty is straightforward and has some good insights into the writing and publishing world. (RSS  iTunes)
2. The Writ­ing Show: The Writing Show Slush Pile Workshop is designed to help you practice engaging readers. In each podcast, Paula B. plays agent and comments on your anonymous submissions. Does she want to see more, or does she lose interest? Beginning in December 2010, the format of this podcast changed to feature only Slush Pile Workshops. You can find other writing topics in their archives. (RSS  iTunes)
3. Litopia: Litopia con­sists of two pod­casts. The first, “Litopia Daily”, is a short daily round-up of news of inter­est to writ­ers. The sec­ond, “Litopia After Dark”, is a longer weekly round-table dscus­sion of issues in the writ­ing and pub­lish­ing worlds. (RSS  iTunes)
4. Gram­mar Girl: Mignon Fog­a­rty offers “quick and dirty tips for bet­ter writ­ing” in this twice-weekly show on the ins and outs of Eng­lish gram­mar. (RSS  iTunes)
5. Writ­ing Excuses: fea­tures three writ­ers (Bran­don Sander­son , Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells) talking about var­i­ous writ­ing chal­lenges, either amongst them­selves or with guests. It's a brief 15 minutes - because, they say, “you’re in a hurry and we’re not that smart”) — fun, and sur­pris­ingly help­ful. (RSS  iTunes)

I hope you find these podcasts informative and interesting.

Do you know of other podcasts dedicated to writing? We would love to hear about them. Please post a link in the comments section along with a note about why you like it.

Achieving Your Resolutions

Admit it...you made some New Year's Resolutions this year, didn't you?

It's okay, you're among friends. And I promise - I won't tell!

Chances are, if you made resolutions for 2011, then at least one of your resolutions had to do with learning. Something to the effect of - "I will take one class in 2011 that will further my writing."

First, let me just say - Good for you!

Personally, I think that learning, no matter what the format, is a good thing. So I'm here to help. Here's a roundup of 10 online writing classes that I guarantee will fit your schedule - it's online so you can work at your own pace - and your budget. The classes are all FREE!!

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT offers dozens of free online courses through its MIT OpenCourseWare initiative. No registration required.
2. Utah State University  - Three free courses devoted to the art of writing are available through the school's OpenCourseWare program. No registration required.
3. Open University The UK's largest academic institution, Open University, offers a number of different writing courses through their OpenLearn website. Classes are open to everyone, regardless of country of origin. No registration required.
4. University of Utah The University of Utah offers two free writing courses designed for beginners. No registration required.
5. Purdue University Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) materials are free to everyone regardless of location or student status. The OWL site offers writing instruction, grammar and usage information, individualized help from tutors and much more. No registration required.
6. Steven Barnes' UCLA Writing Course Steven Barnes offers a free version on his website of the writing class he has been teaching for many years at UCLA. No registration required.
7. News University Courses cover everything from writing and editing to reporting and ethics. News U also offers a newsletter, a blog and other great resources. Registration is required.
8. E-Zine University Although the courses offered at E-Zine University are designed mainly for web and e-zine writers, they would be helpful to almost any type of writer. Courses are short and don't take much time to complete. No registration required.
9. Wikiversity There are currently several different writing courses that can be found at Wikiversity, many of which focus on technical writing. No registration required.
10. Writing.com Online writing classes for all levels of writers -- from beginning to advanced. Registration required.

Here's to 2011. I wish you success in achieving your resolutions!

My First NaNo

"So," I announced to my husband with a flourish, "I've signed up to do NaNoWriMo this year."

Pulling his attention (reluctantly) away from the TV, he asked, "What's that?"

As I explained the concept of National Novel Writing Month, and my personal reasons for participating, I began feeling anxious - and overwhelmed - about the commitment. I went on about how I would need my computer free in the evenings and why I had to get dinner over with in a timely manner, but I could see his eyes glazing over.

"Okay," he said when I sputtered to a stop and went back to watching TV.

This was my first clue that I was starting to obsess about National Novel Writing Month.

This is my first year for NaNo. Last year, several members of my critique group participated, but I did not. And I felt that I had good reasons for my decision. I was several chapters into my first novel and I didn't want to stop the momentum to start another story. Also, the Thanksgiving holiday is something that doesn't happen just once in my family - between my husband and I, we have a large family requiring our presence at 2-3 family functions. Then, of course, there's Christmas shopping and decorating to do (I like to get it all done early). So I felt justified for holding out.

But, what I realized - as I watched other people (people I knew) participate in NaNo - is that none of my reasons were really valid. Everyone has lots to do at Thanksgiving and everyone has Christmas shopping or something equally as important. My real reason for not participating was plain, old-fashioned fear.

The final straw, so to speak, was the wonderful Guest Blog posted by Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle. If you haven't read it you can find it here. She talks about her experiences with NaNo and the two books - both now published - that she completed during the month. After reading about her success, I realized that I needed to face my fears.

Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of being ridiculed. These fears have ruled my writing, crowding my head with "What ifs" and "You can't say that" thoughts. Participating in NaNo is about facing these fears and moving forward with my writing.

I also have other compelling reasons to participate.

First, I need to learn some habits as a writer. Umm...make that GOOD habits. Most important of these is to write every day. I have a lot of excuses for NOT writing - and I'm really good at deploying them. Web-surfing, FARMVILLE, my favorite TV program - all of these have kept me from my writing goals.

Second, I have to learn to write without editing myself. My Inner Editor is a cold-hearted, evil bitch with no compassion whatsoever. She delights in ripping my efforts to shreds - before the words even hit the page, if possible. I sit, staring at the blank page, desperate to find a word - any word - that's suitable to type.

And finally, I really need to finish something. I'm good at starting a story, but not so good at sticking with it. Halfway through (or before) I've already decided that the story I'm telling is overdone, my writing sucks and the ending I'm working towards is garbage. So I quit. The story I was in the middle of last year at this time (the one I didn't want to put away) now languishes on my computer - stuck on Chapter 8.

So, I made the plunge. Headfirst dive, no safety net - just me and a blank page. I've locked my Inner Editor in a closet and bought my fears a one-way ticket to Antarctica. You'll have to check back to see how it goes.

If you have a moment to spare from your own project, I would love to hear your experience with NaNo. Is it your first time? Have you participated before and if so, what are your thoughts on the experience. If not, why not? All comments are greatly appreciated.

Laura Bickle - Guest Blogger

Today at Fiction Flurry, Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle talks about her experience with an annual November tradition. Nope, it's not Thanksgiving.  We'll let Laura tell you more about it.

But first, we want to say a big THANK YOU to Laura for hanging out with the Fiction Flurry crew this week. We've had a lot of fun working with Laura and hope she'll come back again soon - maybe when her new book ROGUE ORACLE is released?  What do you say, Laura? 

Followers, if you want Laura to return, please make her feel welcome by commenting generously.  As an added bonus, anyone who comments (on any of Laura's posts this week) will TRIPLE their chances of winning Laura's newest book, SPARKS. Laura is giving away an autographed copy of SPARKS to one lucky winner this week.  See the Contest Tuesday post for additional details. (and if you missed it, check out Laura's interview here.)

So now, the moment you've all been waiting for....Laura, the blog is yours.

Why I Love NaNoWriMo

The blank page is the most intimidating force in the universe to me.

It says nothing, and it's likely to say nothing. I fight against all that white space, trying to fill it, wondering how a ream of blank paper becomes a book. I used to take years to finish a book. I'd pick it up, put it down. I'd ignore it for weeks or months. I'd lose my place, go back, get sucked into editing. I'd wander into internet research, never to return. I had no deadline, nothing external to make me finish.

A friend in my writer's group mentioned National Novel Writing Month. I wrinkled my forehead and asked her:

"What's that?"

"It's an online challenge to write fifty thousand words in a month."

"No kidding?"

That sounded like a complete impossibility. After all, it took me YEARS to finish a book. How could anyone possibly do fifty thousand words in A MONTH? In a month, with a full-time job and other commitments?

"Sure. You should try it."

"Um. Okay."

I was doubtful. Really skeptical.

But I gave it a shot.

And I learned more in that crazy month than I did in years of plinking around with the same book. Laundry piled up. Sleep was at a premium. But I learned the most important secrets to writing a novel that contributed to me becoming a published writer:

•  Integrating writing into my daily life. NaNoWriMo requires that one keep a pace of around 1600 words a day. It became easier and easier for me to fold that into my life, to keep the momentum going.
• Suspending the dreaded inner editor. My inner editor can become quite vicious. NaNoWriMo allows me to hold her at bay for weeks, allowing me to get the skeleton of a story down on the page.  
• NaNo taught me to finish. Completing a manuscript is the most important thing that a writer can do to further her career. And doing it again. And again.

My 2008 NaNoWriMo novel, DARK ORACLE (under my Alayna Williams pseudonym), was published in June 2010 by Pocket Books. My 2009 NaNoWriMo book, ROGUE ORACLE, will be published in March 2011.

I use the skills I learned in NaNoWriMo in all the novels I write. I've learned to write quickly, to write daily, and to complete a story over and over. At the end of NaNoWriMo, I certainly don't have a complete eighty thousand word manuscript. But I have the skeleton of a book, something that I can build upon.

And I'm no longer facing the terror of the blank page. I know that it won't be blank for long. Within a few weeks, I'll be on my way to something wonderful.

Well said, Laura! For more information on Laura and her books, check out her website.

So tell us, are planning on participating in NaNoWriMo?  Have you participated in the past? We would love to hear about your experiences.

Contest Tuesday - Win a copy of SPARKS by Laura Bickle

Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle joins us again today. Her latest release, SPARKS, is the perfect spooky read for this time of year. Here's a synopsis:

WITHOUT A TRACE. Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department--while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits plaguing a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell--but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.

After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains-- or, more precisely, the lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims--and she is sure this was no naturally-occurring blaze. Soon she's unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit's poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more--she's collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky's freshly-hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

So here's the deal. Laura is giving away an autographed copy of SPARKS to one lucky Fiction Flurry follower. If you're not a follower, what are you waiting for? All followers get one chance to win. HOWEVER, if you comment on any of Laura's posts this week (Monday Interview, Contest Tuesday, Thursday Guest Blog), you will receive THREE chances to win.

That's right followers - anyone who comments will TRIPLE their chances of winning Laura's new book, SPARKS.

We love our followers! Complete rules and guidelines for claiming your prize are in the sidebar.

Interview with Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle

Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle is with us this week at Fiction Flurry. Laura has a new book out, SPARKS so we are lucky to have her. Today we sit down with Laura to talk about her background and how she got started writing. Tomorrow we’ll have a special giveaway featuring one of her books and later this week Laura will take center stage with a blog post of her own.


Laura thanks so much for joining us. Congratulations on the new book!
Thanks so much! I really appreciate you having me.

So, tell us a little bit about your background. Where are you from?
I live in the Midwestern US with my husband/chief muse, where we're owned by four mostly-reformed feral cats. My background is in Criminology and Library Science. I've worked in and around criminal justice for the last ten years, which has really helped me with the criminal investigation aspects of my books.

I write urban fantasy novels as Laura Bickle and as Alayna Williams. This past year has been busy. EMBERS and SPARKS were released in April and September. DARK ORACLE was released under my Alayna Williams pseudonym this June, and will be followed by ROGUE ORACLE in March, 2011.

Wow, you have been busy! When and why did you begin writing?
I've always been writing, since I was old enough to hold a crayon. When I was a kid, I used to write stories from the perspectives of the family pets. The dachshunds and the cats had pretty exciting adventures in the woods, chasing critters and climbing trees. The fish...not so much.

Poor fish! What inspired you to write your first book?
I probably completed my first book ten years ago. It's still in a shoebox. The road to publication is really long.

My first published book, EMBERS, was inspired by a theme that pretty much built itself. By day, Anya investigates suspicious fires as an arson investigator in Detroit. By night, she works as part of an eccentric group of ghost hunters. Anya's the rarest type of spiritual medium - a Lantern. Where other mediums allow spirits to use their hands and voices to communicate, Anya incinerates malicious ghosts.

I'd established a theme centering around flame....and decided to give Anya a fire salamander as a companion. Salamanders haven't gotten much press since Paracelsus' time. They are the elemental avatars of fire. Our ancestors assumed that they were the spirit of fire, as they were often seen crawling out of logs tossed into hearth blazes. The salamander was probably annoyed to have his peaceful woodland home turned to tinder, and was making a fleet-footed escape. But alchemists and sorcerers made the link between salamanders and flames, and the association has endured.

So...for me, inspiration is pretty much following a theme down a rabbit hole.

It seems like you don't have any problems finding inspiration at all. So I have to ask, do you ever experience writer's block? If so, how do you get through it?
All the time. I think that the worst thing that I can do is to give into it. There's really no good solution except powering through it with the "butt in chair" approach.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I do a lot of research. I keep files of clippings about arson investigation, spontaneous human combustion, ghosts, Tarot cards…I’m sure that my files greatly resemble Fox Mulder’s from the X-Files. I’m doing research before and throughout the writing of the book. I often arrive at a point where I need to know something new for a plot detail. Everything I’m reading when I’m writing a book is research for that project – sort of a total immersion. I find that I get the best ideas that way.

When I’m working on the ORACLE series (as Alayna Williams), I write with a deck of Tarot cards at hand to try out a spread or generate ideas. It’s a really fun way to work.

Probably the hardest research I did was research on Chernobyl for ROGUE ORACLE. That kept me up at night, everything from eyewitness accounts to pictures. Really disturbing stuff

Wow. That sounds like pretty heavy research.

So let’s switch gears for a moment. When did you first consider yourself a writer?
It's something I've always done, but never really thought much about. I've always had at least one project going on.

What book(s) have influenced your life most?
When I was a child, I read Robin McKinley's HERO AND THE CROWN and BLUE SWORD. I'd never read any fantasy before with strong female heroines, and I was instantly in love with the genre.

What book(s) are you reading now?
I'm reading Ann Aguirre's HELLFIRE. Also THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO ALCHEMY. I love mixing pleasure reading up with research.

Is there someone you consider a mentor?
I've had a lot of help and encouragement from fabulous authors like Linda Robertson, Ann Aguirre, and Jeri Smith-Ready. But my favorite mentor would be my editor, Paula Guran. She really teaches as she works. I've learned so much about what it takes to make a book through the four books she's edited for me.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?
I'd be a veterinarian. Maybe for some mythical beasts, like dragons. :)

And to finish up, what has surprised you the most about the publishing industry?
That it isn't over once the contract is signed. There's so much to do after the fact...copy edits, promo, worrying about sales...it can get to be overwhelming.

Do you think your experience is typical in the publishing industry?
Probably not. My first four books were sold directly to the publisher without an agent. I only recently acquired one, and am very excited to begin to work on new projects and ideas.

Any words of advice on how to get published?
Know how what you're writing fits the market. Study submission guidelines carefully - there really is no leeway. Only submit if your manuscript meets those requirements.

Be patient, persistent, and flexible. Once you've sent a manuscript off, be working on the next. This may not be the book that is your big break, but it may be the next one. Keep pushing your darlings out of the nest. One of them will fly someday.

Go to local writer’s conventions and join organizations that are involved with your type of writing, like RWA and SFWA. Go to conventions and meet other writers, editors, and agents. Though it's difficult for introverted writers like me...network, network, network.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
The best advice I can give is to finish. Whatever you’re working on, push through to the end. And do it again. And again.

To that end, I strongly recommend participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The process challenges you to write 50,000 words in November. That was really a breakthrough in my own writing process, in learning what was possible. Both DARK ORACLE and ROGUE ORACLE are NaNoWriMo books.

Laura thanks so much for your time. For all of our as-yet unpublished authors out there, your story is very inspiring because it proves that there is not just one way to get published. Great job!

Readers, if you want more info on Laura or her books, check out her websites http://www.laurabickle.com/  and http://www.alaynawilliams.com/.  Plus, we’re not done with her yet. Laura will be back on Thursday with a guest post on the upcoming NaNoWriMo that you won’t want to miss. Best of all, Laura has a great giveaway for the Fiction Flurry followers, so be sure to check back with us tomorrow for Contest Tuesday.

Censorship in America

Although today we tend to think of censorship as a modern problem, it isn't new at all. You might be surprised to discover just how far back the tradition extends. In ancient times, banning books meant burning books. Books were hand-written, with few copies and burning was a very effective method of eradicating all traces of an idea. However, the advent of the printing press in 1450 made it so much easier to produce a book that it has become virtually impossible to destroy any book completely. (In a side note, the first list of censored books was published in 1559 by the Roman Catholic Church - a list that continued to be printed until 1966.)

  In 1650, 125 years before Thomas Jefferson put pen to paper and laid out the Bill of Rights, The Meritorious Price of our Redemption, Justification, & c. by William Pynchon became the first book banned in America. The book opposed the Purtanical teachings of the day and was immediately banned. It was ordered burned and a day of "fasting and humiliation" followed in order for the citizens to contemplate the role Satan had played in these wild ideas. Only 4 copies of the book survived.


  Although this was the first, it wouldn't be the last time a book was banned in America. Modern censorship was pioneered by Anthony Comstock, founder of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1872. He was responsible for the "Comstock Law," passed a year later by Congress, which banned the mailing of works deemed to be obscene. Over the next 40 years, it is estimated that over 120 tons of printed works were confiscated. The "obscene" works that were so dangerous? Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights and works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, to name a few.

It took the specter of Nazi book-burning to show Congress how wrong the law was. It was repealed in 1933.

Of course, we know that the possibility of censorship continues to exist, even today. And although we celebrate our right to read every year with Banned Books Week, the fight continues. When Judith Krug founded BBW, she wasn't only fighting against the public challenges to ban books. Because a public challenge draws attention, and with enough attention a book may not be banned. Ms. Krug was also fighting against the silent banning of books. You know, the teacher, librarian or parent who will quietly remove a book for someone else's "protection." She estimated that for every one publicly challenged book (and there have been over 4,000 challenges in the last decade alone), there are four to five that go unreported. That's four or five books that disappear from the shelf and no one notices.

Although today burning a book is mostly symbolic - or a way to garner free publicity -when the public doesn't have free access to any book, any idea, it's like that book has been burned. And maybe we didn't start the fire, but when we don't stand up and demand the book's return - demand that censorship stop - it's like we didn't put it out.

We should all celebrate our right to read - anything we want, any time we want. And we should exercise these rights often!

BANNED BOOKS WEEK

Celebrate Banned Books Week by exercising your right to read.

Check out the list below of the Top 25 Banned/Challenged Books. Which ones have you already read? Which ones do you want to read? This is the perfect opportunity to choose a book from the list and find out what's inside that has everyone in such an uproar.

1 Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
2 Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3 The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
4 And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
5 Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
6 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
7 Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
8 His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
9 TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Myracle, Lauren
10 The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
11 Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers
12 It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
13 Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
14 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
15 The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
16 Forever, by Judy Blume
17 The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
18 Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
19 Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
20 King and King, by Linda de Haan
21 To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
22 Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
23 The Giver, by Lois Lowry
24 In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
25 Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan

List compiled by the ALA.  Want to see more Banned Books?  Check out the ALA website for the Top 100
 
As you look through the titles, keep in mind that this isn't an "All Time" list - oh no, this list is the most frequently banned or challenged books from 2000-2009!  All of these books have been banned, or attempted to be banned in the last 10 years.
 
What is your opinion on banning or restricting access to books?

BookMarks: What (and HOW!) Our Writers are Reading

Like Fiction Flurry contributor Colleen Scott says, “One of the best parts of being a writer is that you get to read!” Absolutely true! In order to improve your craft and also just for the sheer joy of it, all writers should be readers, too. That is why every couple of weeks we like to TALK BOOKS. We like to share what we are reading – from the inane to the profound – and hear what you are reading. I have found many of my favorite books simply by word of mouth from friends and colleagues. (And the flip side to that is plenty of the titles I haven’t enjoyed quite so well have been lifted straight from “best of” lists.)

When I sent out my “what are you reading” email to everyone this week, I got a very interesting reply from Rachel. She wrote she would have to get back to me, as she was in the process of reading three books simultaneously: one in the traditional written form; one as an audio book; and one on her Nook! It’s not that unusual to be reading more than one item at a time, but her answer really resonated with me, and how different our industry is today than even a scant ten years ago. (Rachel even blogged a little about it, and you can read that post here.)

So in addition to sharing what we are reading with you, I’d like to pose this question to everyone: how do you read? Do have an e-reader? Do you “read” in your car using audio books? Are you not ready (or willing) to put down your ink and paper copy quite yet? Let us know your thoughts! In the meantime, here are some books you might want to consider (no matter how you choose to read them):

Michele Downey: Eight Days To Live by Iris Johansen

Why I choose this book: I have read a few Iris Johansen books in the past - she used to write straight romance, then veered into romantic suspense - this book is straight mystery, part of a series about a forensic sculptor who reminds me of the character from Bones. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it is a good read.

Rachel Dilley: I'm currently reading Crafting The Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Non-Fiction by Dinty W. Moore. Besides the fact that the author's name reminds me of canned stew, I chose this book for pretty obvious reasons -- I want to learn to write better essays. My only publishing success thus far has been in the personal essay market, so I'm going with what works!

Annie McElfresh:   The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller:  Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

 

Back to School

It's Back to School time!

No, not that kind of school.

I thought I was finished with school when I finished college. Hah! The more I write, the more I find myself in search of instruction. Whether it's an introduction to something new - a class on writing for magazines, for example - or brushing up on the basics, it seems I am always on a quest for knowledge. No matter how much I've learned or how much I've written, I want more.

What about all of you? Are there any writers out there that feel the need to take a class or two? Are you brushing up on basics or learning something new? Whatever the reason, there is a class out there waiting for you. So today, we'll explore some links to online classes that can give you the knowledge you've been in search of.

This list is just a sampling of what's out there. Fiction Flurry and it's contributors do not endorse nor do we have any relationship with any of the listed courses.

Writer's Digest - Classes such as Fundamentals of Fiction Writing and 12 Weeks to a First Draft will help you on your way to finishing that novel.

Absolute Write - Several workshops are available and are being taught by published authors - always a good thing.

Writers.com - Writers.com has been offering online writers classes since 1995 and bills itself as the first writing school on the Internet. The list of course offerings is extensive.

The Writers Workshop - Although based in Seattle, this workshop has many online classes as well. Introduction to Travel Writing and Introduction to Poetry are just the beginning.

Holly Lisle - Holly is the author of over 30 novels and her site has huge resources to help aspiring authors. How to Think Sideways and How to Revise Your Novel are the two major courses, but there are more - as well as many freebies.

Dramaquill's Weblog - in what could be called kismet, Dramaquill's Weblog just posted a marvelous piece on FREE online courses. There is lots of information here so be sure check it out.

If you are looking for a class, hopefully these links will point you in the right direction. And, of course, do your research before giving anyone online your hard-earned money.

Has anyone taken an online writing class? Did you love it? Hate it? We want to hear from you.

Calling all Bloggers

We are doing something a little different today here at Fiction Flurry. It's Contest Tuesday time again, but instead of giving away something physical, like a book, we're giving the gift of forum. That's right, you have the opportunity to win a Guest Blog spot right here at Fiction Flurry.

Do you have a writing or publishing topic you've been dying to talk about? A discussion you want to have with other writers? Have you been wanting to blog but aren't sure where to start?

This is your chance to shine!

The winner of this week's contest will win a Guest Blog spot here at Fiction Flurry at a date of your choosing within the next 60 days, plus you will receive a permanent link from Fiction Flurry to your blog for a whole year.

Please keep blog subjects within the writing/publishing world.

To enter, leave a comment below describing the topic you would like to blog about. Originality is encouraged.

Shadow Fall - Book Review

Synopsis: Custo Santovari accepted pain, blood, even death, to save his best friend. But a man with all his sins just isn't cut out to be an angel. One moment he's fleeing Heaven; the next, he's waking up stark naked in Manhattan. In the middle of a war. Called there by a woman who's desperately afraid of the dark. The Shadowlands gathers around Annabella as she performs, filled with fantastic images of another world, bringing both a golden hero and a nightmare lover. The Wolf pursues her relentlessly, twisting her desires even as she gives herself to the man she loves. Because each of us has a wild side, and Annabella is about to unleash the beast.


This is the second book in the Shadow series (see my review of Shadow Bound here) with the same basic premise of fighting the wraith war. I like the Custo character - he's everything an alpha male should be - dark, hot and sexy. Annabella is fragile yet strong and the ballet that she dances is described beautifully. Both of them make for a hot, sexy read. Although I enjoyed reading this book, I will admit that the plot is somewhat convoluted.  There is talk of Annabella needing to "master her magic" yet no one seems to know what the magic is that allows her into the Shadowlands, nor is there any plan on how she will accomplish the mastery. She has worked for 17 years to become the lead ballet dancer, yet she is willing to give it up without a struggle. This just doesn't track. The reasons for keeping Custo and Annabella apart in the first half of the book also seem a bit contrived. He thinks he is such a bad person that he couldn't possibly be with her. She runs hot and cold on whether she wants him to touch her. And then there's the "bad guy"- which in this case is a creature from the Shadowlands who is hunting Annabella. It's never fully explained if he is a shapeshifter or just possesses peoples bodies or both. Nor do we know how Annabellas magic will benefit him. And the way Custo disposes of the Wolf seems a bit too convenient.

The beautiful, moving prose that was part of the first book is gone in this one, but the writing itself is strong. The characters are fully developed and make you want to care about their problems. If you can read this without asking why the characters do what they do, it's a good book.

BookMarks: What Our Writers Are Reading

Michele Downey: Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts

Synopsis:  Wedding baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company with her best friends Parker, Emma, and Mac. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that their clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother Delaney, on whom she's had a mega-crush since childhood.

But some infatuations last longer than others, and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her-or so she thinks. When Laurel's quicksilver moods get the better of her-leading to an angry, hot, all-together mind-blowing kiss with Del-she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever...

Why I picked this book: The book actually came out a few months ago, but I've been waiting for it to be available at the library. I've read the first two books in this series and really enjoyed them. I love Nora Roberts writing and will read -or re-read - anything she publishes.

Annie McElfresh:  Well, I just finished The Ghost and The Goth.  I love the cover and I met the author and she gave me signed Swag - how could I resist?  As a matter of fact, I'm now doing a giveaway of this book over on my blog: Young Adult Bookworm (be sure to check it out!) 

Synopsis:  After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck here in spirit form with no sign of the big, bright light coming to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser/outcast type who hates the social elite. He alone can see and hear her, but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.   Can they get over their mutual distrust—and this weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist?

My thoughts:  I finished this novel in about two days. I literally got sucked in and had to find out what the connection was between Alona and Will. I like the fact that Will isn't a true Goth, just different, and Alona started noticing little things about him that made him cute. Things, she would've overlooked when she was her alive "bitchy" self, like his perfect smile.  This book has duel points of view in first person. Alona feels a little abrasive and shallow in the beginning, but as time goes on she stops hiding behind her stuck up mask and lets Will know her true self. Also, I thought it was so cute that Alona was, like, Will's dream girl and he finally gets some one on one time with her.  This was a really cute book. So, if you like ghosts, and snarky characters that redeem themselves, this ones for you.

Rachel Dilley:  I'm currently reading The Doctor's Wife by Elizabeth Brundage. There have been so many best sellers with titles involving someone's wife that I figured I'd better jump on the bandwagon...The Time Traveler's Wife, The Pilot's Wife, The Senator's Wife, The Zookeeper's Wife, The Kitchen God's Wife...  Anyway, I selected this book because it was the author's debut novel, and I am always interested in the work that causes an author to break through the publishing barrier, even if it is with an overused title formula.

Here's the book review from Amazon:  A suspense novel crossed with a literary exploration of infidelity and marital rancor, Elizabeth Brundage's ambitious debut, The Doctor's Wife, provides more than the usual kick of adrenalin for readers. In a small town in upstate New York, urban transplants Annie and Michael Knowles--he is a rising OB/GYN, and she is a once-trailblazing journalist who has settled into a teaching job--hope to escape the noise and bustle of the city. But both are drawn into danger: Annie begins an affair with an infamous (and married) painter, Simon Haas, and Michael is coaxed into helping an ex-lover at her family planning clinic. He performs abortions for poor women, and tries to ignore the cars that follow him home and the increasingly threatening phone calls. Sometimes Brundage perfectly navigates the twisting, overlapping elements of her complicated story line, but other times gives us too much at a time. And one of her characters, Simon's disturbed wife Lydia Haas, is so fascinating that she puts the others in the shade. Nevertheless, this is a rich first novel and a promising beginning for its author.

Beth Zellner:  On deck for me is Made in the USA by Billie Letts. 

Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything.  With her mother long dead and her father gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, fifteen-year-old Lutie lives in the godforsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota, with her eleven-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the three-hundred-pound ex-girlfriend of her father.  While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows, and worrying about global warming.  As if their life were not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in the local Wal*Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or high-tailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac.  Choosing the latter, they head off in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number, and no particular interest in the kids he left behind.