Wednesday 28 November 2012

The Artist Unleashed: BYE BYE HATE – POETIC ANALYSIS OF A DANCEHALL RIDDIM, by Matthew MacNish

The Artist Unleashed posts have moved to a new domain. Please click HERE to read the rest of this post and for the opportunity to comment. Just search for the title of the post in the search bar on the new site.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2012: PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW!

PictureEditors: Jessica Bell & Dawn Ius
Original Artwork: Gary Waters
ISBN: 978-0-9875000-4-5
Size: 140 X 216 mm (Perfect Bound)
Printing: premium colour on high quality paper
Pages: 150
RRP: €13.99

PRE-ORDER NOW!

The Blurb:
In late 2011, Jessica Bell and Dawn Ius founded Vine Leaves Literary Journal to offer the vignette, a forgotten literary form, the exposure and credit it deserves.

The vignette is a snapshot in words, and differs from flash fiction or a short story in that its aim doesn’t lie within the traditional realms of structure or plot, instead it focuses on one element, mood, character, setting or object.

The journal, published quarterly online, is a lush synergy of atmospheric prose, poetry, photography and illustrations, put together with an eye for aesthetics as well as literary merit. The annual print anthology showcases the very best pieces from across the year.

From the haunting prose of Theresa Milstein and Carrie Mumford, to the controversial and quirky work of H. Edgar Hix and Greg Belliveau, the pathological effects of cigarettes and apple seeds, ice sculptures and mental illness are explored. We meet a lovable old man named Joseph and find out out how the good old washing machine can change one’s life. Oh, and how could we forget a mention of the mother with the scissors?

Each vignette merges to create a vivid snapshot in time and place. Prepare for big stories in small spaces, between and beyond the words.

Read one at a time.

Taste them. Savour them.

Live them.

PRE-ORDER to receive your discount on the recommended retail price:

Australia $20.99 + postage (RRP $23.99)

UK £9.99 + postage (RRP £11.50)

USA $17.99 (RRP $20.99)

Europe €11.99 + postage (RRP €13.99)

Rest of the World $20.99 plus postage

For more than three copies contact sale(at)emergent-publishing(dot)com for discounts on shipping.

Monday 26 November 2012

This is why I still can't tell people I'm an author.

Stranger: So, what do you do?
Me: Um, I'm an editor for English Language Teaching text books.
Stranger: Oh, that's interesting.
Me: Yep, so um ... tell me about you.

days later ...

Me: Hey, we should hook up on Facebook.
Stranger: Yeah good idea. I'll find you. Jessica Bell, right?
Me: *blank stare* Um, no, actually, you won't find me with that, it's Author Jessica Bell.
Stranger: Author?
Me: Um ... yep. *my insides are doing somersaults and my teeth are clenching*
Stranger: Are you published?
Me: Yep.
Stranger: Cool. Tell me the titles and I'm pick them up in the bookstore.
Me: Oh, um, they won't be in the bookstore, but you can find them on online.
Stranger: Online?
Me: Yep.
Stranger: *confused expression* Oh ... you're one of those authors.
Me: *tight-lipped smile* Yeah, anyway, what were you saying earlier?

Friday 23 November 2012

BREAKING ALL THE RULES. MAKING IT REAL.

I'm writing a novella at the moment called THE BOOK, set in the late 70s, early 80s. The book is a journal. And the whole story revolves around the relationship each of its characters have with 'the book'.

The mother, Penny, who always writes in it because she wants her daughter, Bonnie, to have it when she's older. The father, John, who wants to continue writing in it, but because he no longer lives with them, it makes things difficult. And Bonnie, who thinks the book is full of sadness because it always makes her mum cry, and the step dad, Ted, turn violent from jealousy. Bonnie wants to get rid of the book to protect her mum from its demons. But the book will end up bringing Bonnie's parents back together. That's the plan anyway. Who knows where it will take me as I write.

But there's a catch.

Penny and John's points of view are written in the form of their entries in the book only. And because they're separated, they've promised not to read each other's entries. The point of view of Bonnie is 1st person, present tense. So I'm writing like a 5-year-old girl would speak.

You know what is really interesting about this? The setup means I'm defying all the rules of the craft.

The journal entries are all just 'telling'. Bonnie's POV is young, so it's full of awkward grammar, repetition, plenty of redundancies, and words you couldn't even find in a mad hatter's dictionary. But it's how she speaks. And it's real.

And before you tell me a book like this isn't going to work, I'm going to tell you it is. It will be a project I will self-publish, so I don't need any agent/editor approval. And it will rip your little hearts out, folks. That's a promise.

Sometimes, we have to sacrifice the rules to make something real. This is one such case, and I'm damned excited.

Have you ever written anything that was 'technically wrong' on so many levels, but just knew it was right?

Wednesday 21 November 2012

The Artist Unleashed: HOW I FOUND MY WAY BACK TO THE LIGHT, by Jodi Cleghorn

The Artist Unleashed posts have moved to a new domain. Please click HERE to read the rest of this post and for the opportunity to comment. Just search for the title of the post in the search bar on the new site.

Monday 19 November 2012

Literary Journal Submission Tip: Avoid Clichés, or Twist them into Treasure

Source
As a literary journal editor, I have read my fair share clichéd submissions. And I'm afraid to say, that most of the time, they make me wince.

As a writer, it is probably hard to comprehend how overwhelming these clichéd  submissions actually are. You are one person, and you think, "oh, it'll be alright, surely there won't be any other subs like this." You would be surprised. You need to think, are you really going to be noticed writing about the sea breeze among an inbox full of 300-400 other subs?

Vine Leaves Literary Journal has been around for a year now. And the clichés (especially in poetry) that most frequently overwhelm us are:
  • gardens/plants (pretty red poppies and bees and roses)
  • sun/moon (shining on sand or water)
  • beating hearts (oh boy how much I love you)
  • quiet nights (as I caress your cheek as soft as a baby's bottom)
  • gentle breezes (I close my eyes and feel your presence)
  • oceans/beaches (my toes dig into the warm sand)
  • weather/seasons (birds chirping in spring, heat waves rising off the road)
However, if you are sure that you have written about these things in a unique way, we're totally open to reading about them. But trust me, we will be extra critical.

For an example of one unique way to write about gardens, take a look at The History of Dirt, by Allie Marini Batts, from Issue #03. This WOWED us.

So next time, before you submit, think twice. Are you writing about a clichéd  topic? If so, did you twist it into treasure?

What other clichés can you think of that you persistently see in writing? Or better still, what have you read that deals with a cliché in a unique way?
__________________________

PS: Sadly, FABRIC didn't make it into the Goodreads Choice Awards ten finalists. But thank you to all of you who tried to help me get there with your votes! Your support is amazing. And I am still pleased that it was a semi-finalist. I guess that's no easy achievement in itself.

Friday 16 November 2012

OH, HOW I MISS YOU BLOGFEST, hosted by Andrew Leon, Matthew MacNish, and Alex J. Cavanaugh

First, a big hand to the hosts of today's blogfest: Andrew Leon, Matthew MacNish, and Alex J. Cavanaugh! You can drop by either of these blogs to locate the entire list of participants.

The Premise: Do you have a couple blogger buddies who aren’t posting as often? Those who’ve pulled back and seem absent from the blogging world? Do you have blogger buddies you are grateful they are still around and would miss if they vanished? Now is your chance to show your appreciation and spotlight them!
On November 16, list one to three bloggers you really miss and one to three bloggers you would miss if they stopped blogging. Then go leave a comment on those blogs.

Our blogger friends are special – time to let them know!

With no further ado, here are my choices ...

Bloggers I miss because they don't post as often (or have stopped commenting and I therefore lose track of):


Nicole Ducleroir:

I'm a short story author, aspiring novelist, and world traveler who has penned fiction from homes on three different continents. I currently live with my husband and two children in the Atlanta area. When I find myself less inspired by my Southern locale, I have only to rifle through memories of adventures abroad until colorful characters or thrilling plots come forth. And on the rare occasion that none arise...I've been known to finagle a flight out.

Michelle Davidson Argyle:

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

Hart Johnson:

I write books from my bathtub and blog in my basement. For a full bio on the 3 faces of me, check out the tab. As for the shenanigans around here... lots on writing, some life... mostly I just want to encourage you to play with me. Silliness abounds.

Bloggers I would miss if they no longer blogged (I'm sure we'd still keep in touch via email, but it's still nice to read their posts!):

I started writing at age 8 upon discovering writing about monsters was less scary than looking for them under my bed. I'm still leery of things that go bump in the night, but hope my thriller writing skills have improved. I live in Canada will my husband, stepdaughter and three bullmastiff hounds. You know, just skulking around.
*Writer, editor, wife, mom, friend. *My books THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKING (YA rom-com) and ROUGE (Mature YA romance) are now available on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, & Smashwords. *New posts on Mondays. Leave a comment, make a suggestion, stay a while~
I'm the father of two beautiful young ladies, three lazy cats and one adorable German Shepherd. Together we live in the mountains of north Georgia amidst my endless collection of vinyl records. I run this blog in an attempt to help other novice writers avoid the mistakes I made in the beginning of my road to publication. Believe me, I made many.

So there you have it! My top six favourite bloggers :-) PS: I'm also to blame for the "lack of commenting" situation. It just gets so hard to keep up once you garner a large following ...


______________________________

Reminders:

Thursday 15 November 2012

DOG GIBBERISH, A STRANGE FRENCH DUDE WITH A WRINKLY FOREHEAD, AND SHADES OF ... *SIGH* ...

My Week in Facebook Faffing ...

Saturday
Sometimes I speak gibberish to my dog. I'm sure it's what she hears anyway. :-)

Random people keep sending me poems on LinkedIn. Like 1 minute after accepting a request. Hint? That's not the way 2 get yr poetry read.

Sunday
If someone says that your prose should not be poetic, in a story told in 1st person, because it's not a natural way of speaking, then you can respond with, "Telling a story in 1st person isn't natural, full stop. Who goes around narrating their life like that? But that's not going to stop people from writing books in 1st person, is it?"

Thank you for the suggestion to pay Vine Leaves contributors with Amazon gift vouchers, and making sure that I know Amazon is available in various countries, and for embedding the links into your note, because I'm sure I would never have found Amazon online if it weren't for your message. *rolls eyes*

Author Struggle No.3: New Release. Glued 2 screen. Check sales stats every 2 mins despite knowing they won't show up 4 hrs. #WritersLife

Monday
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm an official nominee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please vote! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday
Have always been, and will always be, in love with Ryan Adams' version of Wonderwall ...

Was going through my old "short story" files and found a doc titled "new stroy" ... yeah, nice spelling Jessica, and it contained only this:
“No,” said Ryan, hammering his index finger into the front of his bald wrinkly head. “Listen. Concentrate on ze beat.”
Made me laugh ... :-) I wonder what my intentions were with it. Because it's not triggering any memories!

Wednesday
Come on now ... I think there are enough book titles in the world that begin with "Shades of". Get a grip. Cut it out. Joke is OVER.

Thursday
It's climbing! :-) Leigh, how is yours going? Are you glued to the charts as much as I am? I shouldn't have freaking looked. Now I can't stop! Grrrr ... It's your fault. You know that right? I saw your status about your ranking and you ... you ... you ... made me do it! LOL ♥
______________________________

Reminders:

Wednesday 14 November 2012

The Artist Unleashed: CHARACTER-DRIVEN FICTION. YEA OR NAY? by Shauna Kelley

The Artist Unleashed posts have moved to a new domain. Please click HERE to read the rest of this post and for the opportunity to comment. Just search for the title of the post in the search bar on the new site.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

I'm a Nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2012!

Every year I browse the list of books nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award with a starry look in my eyes and dream of being among them ... but this year I don't have to dream anymore!


If you are a member of Goodreads and enjoy my poetry, can you please do me the honour of voting for my poetry book, FABRIC? I would appreciate it so much. While this may be "just another award" for some, for me this is HUGE. It's the biggest recognition I've ever received for my work and I'm flabbergasted, overjoyed, and if I could add more adjectives without sounding like a total ditz I would.




THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE!!!

Monday 12 November 2012

The Artist Unleashed: THE STORY THAT WAS, by Leigh T. Moore (We have 2 Wednesdays this week!)

First, Thanks so much, Jessica, for having me here today! I'm so excited to share my new book ROUGE with everybody.

Last time I talked about how as I wrote The Truth About Faking (link) the whole story changed ("The Story That Wasn't"). In the case of ROUGE, however, the story pretty much turned out exactly as I planned it.

I got the idea walking in my neighborhood one fall day. A melancholy little song came on my iPod ("Complainte de la Butte"), and I thought, "What if there was a girl who tried to help another, younger girl, and it all went terribly wrong?"

Add on Goodreads
I wanted the girls to be orphans. I wanted them to be street-smart and running cons to survive. I wanted it to be set in New Orleans, which was as close to France as I could get without research…

I imagined main character Hale saving Teeny from starving, only to discover her "salvation" brought her into a situation worse than hunger. I imagined a carnivalesque "family" Hale turns to for help…

 In the first chapter, readers learn the girls' theater-home is a front for prostitution, and Teeny's getting old enough to "earn her keep." Hale's desperate to keep that from happening, so the questions become what will Hale do to make it right? How far will she go to protect this little girl?

Then I started thinking about problems like time. I knew it would have to be set either in the future, post-apocalyptic-style, or in the past.

So I went with the past. Hale's doing her best to con a rich Parisian suitor into proposing to her and taking them both away. Then she meets Beau. Falling in love complicates everything.

Writing ROUGE was the first time I stuck with the plan (for the most part) in one of my books. It's full of theater and New Orleans and romance. It has sexy moments; it has dark moments. I hope you guys love it as much as I do!

Find it on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Thanks again, Jessica!

Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a freelance editor when time permits, a caffeine addict, a chocoholic, a beach bum, a lover of YA and new adult romance (really any great love story), and occasionally she sleeps. -THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKING is her debut young adult romance. -ROUGE is the first book in her mature-YA/new adult romance series.



Leigh loves hearing from readers; stop by and say hello!

Saturday 10 November 2012

SHOW & TELL IN A NUTSHELL IS OUT NOW! #WritingTip #AmWriting

Click to add me to Goodreads!
Have you been told there's a little too much telling in your novel? Want to remedy it? Then this is the book for you!

In Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing you will find sixteen real scenes depicting a variety of situations, emotions, and characteristics which clearly demonstrate how to turn telling into showing. Dispersed throughout, and at the back of the book, are blank pages to take notes as you read. A few short writing prompts are also provided.

Not only is this pocket guide an excellent learning tool for aspiring writers, but it is a light, convenient, and easy solution to honing your craft no matter how broad your writing experience. Keep it in the side pocket of your school bag, throw it in your purse, or even carry it around in the pocket of your jeans or jacket, to enhance your skills, keep notes, and jot down story ideas, anywhere, anytime.

If you purchase the e-book, you will be armed with the convenient hyper-linked Contents Page, where you can toggle backward and forward from different scenes with ease. Use your e-reader's highlighting and note-taking tools to keep notes instead.

I also welcome questions via email, concerning the content of this book, or about showing vs. telling in general, at showandtellinanutshell@gmail.com

Reviews:
“Jessica Bell addresses one of the most common yet elusive pieces of writing advice—show, don't tell—in a uniquely user-friendly and effective way: by example. By studying the sixteen scenes she converts from “telling” into “showing,” not only will you clearly understand the difference; you will be inspired by her vivid imagery and dialogue to pour through your drafts and do the same.” ~Jenny Baranick, College English Teacher, Author of Missed Periods and Other Grammar Scares
“A practical, no-nonsense resource that will help new and experienced writers alike deal with that dreaded piece of advice: show, don’t tell. I wish Bell’s book had been around when I started writing!” ~Talli Roland, bestselling author

Purchase the paperback:
$4.40 on Amazon US
£3.99 on Amazon UK

Purchase the e-book:
$1.99 on Amazon US
£1.99 on Amazon UK
$1.99 on Kobo

About me in a nutshell:
I'm an Australian-native contemporary fiction author and poet, who also makes a living as an editor and writer for global ELT publishers (English Language Teaching), such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, Macmillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

I am the Co-Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and co-host the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek Isle of Ithaca, with Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest.

For more information about me, please visit: 
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Thursday 8 November 2012

My Week in Facebook Faffing

Monday
"I just noticed you don't want attachments. I don't know how to copy and paste. Sorry, please withdraw my submission." Wha? How do you get through life without knowing how to copy and paste?

Tuesday:
Eeek! Have so many interviews to do and guest posts to write. They just keep piling up! I'd better get cracking ...

Wondering if I should set up a personal newsletter. Is it worth it? When I receive newsletters from lit mags and authors that I've subscribed to, I actually very rarely READ them. Unless they are my friends. Thoughts?

Just started reading a book that makes me feel totally talentless ... The Stone Gods, by Jeanette Winterson.

Wednesday:
REALLY annoyed that I can't publish to NOOK. I have to be a US resident! Wow, B&N are really limiting themselves. No wonder Amazon is getting the better of them! Sheesh, even KOBO allows foreigners to publish there.

I've been over and over and OVER these proofs and I STILL feel insecure about typos ...

One thing I notice when reading hundreds of poetry submissions, is that way too many poets are drawn to gardens ... why is it that flowers and suns, and moons and dreams, and tides and quiet breaths in the dark dark night, suffocate this form of written word until I need to come up for air and scream GIVE ME SOME FUCKING CONTROVERSY?

Thursday:
Kindle of Show & Tell in a Nutshell is available. Do I promote it before the paperback is ready? Decisions decisions ...

Author Struggle No.1: Tired of seeing so much book promo. Need to market own books. Catch 22.

Once upon a time there was a gal named Jess
who had an urge to write limericks upon your request
but she had to watch for names
that were damn hard to tame
or the limerick would lack the required finesse!

So it seems, Facebook tells my story ... this has the potential to be a weekly feature! How much of your life do you share on Facebook?

Wednesday 7 November 2012

The Artist Unleashed: IF YOUR STOMACH CHURNS, I'VE DONE MY JOB, by Sarah Fine

The Artist Unleashed posts have moved to a new domain. Please click HERE to read the rest of this post and for the opportunity to comment. Just search for the title of the post in the search bar on the new site.

Monday 5 November 2012

Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing

On November 12, my pocket guide, Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing, will be released, and I'm super excited about this little book!

When I first started writing, I totally didn't understand the concept of "show, not tell". In theory I could, but when I tried to put it into practice it would just end up being a more fancy version of telling. I always wished there were easy-to-access, and reliable examples out there to refer to. And so this book was born! &
Here's the blurb:
Have you been told that you have a little too much telling in your novel? Want to remedy it? Then this is the book for you!
In Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing you will find sixteen real scenes depicting a variety of situations, emotions, and characteristics which clearly demonstrate how to turn telling into showing. Dispersed throughout, and at the back of the book, are blank pages to take notes as you read. A couple of short writing prompts are also provided.
Not only is this pocket guide an excellent learning tool for aspiring writers, but it is a light, convenient, and easy solution to honing your craft no matter how broad your writing experience. Keep it in the side pocket of your school bag, throw it in your purse, or even carry it around in the pocket of your jeans or jacket, to enhance your skills, keep notes, and jot down story ideas, anywhere, anytime.
Of course, a Kindle version will be available at the same time with a slightly different introduction and blurb, as it won't need any note-taking space.

And so, in light of this, I'm going to write up a short advertorial blog post, and transfer it to HTML, for those who are interested in helping me advertise between November 26 and December 10. Are you interested in helping me out? If so, just say yo in the comments, with the date you want, and I'll be in touch via email!

When you were just beginning to write, how did you wrap your mind around the show, not tell rule? Did you crave real examples like me? Do you think your beginner self would have benefited from such a book? Why?





Friday 2 November 2012

The Artist Unleashed: THE TWO-FACED LIFE OF A WRITING EDITOR, by Laurel Garver

The Artist Unleashed posts have moved to a new domain. Please click HERE to read the rest of this post and for the opportunity to comment. Just search for the title of the post in the search bar on the new site.

Thursday 1 November 2012

BRAIN SUCKERS!!!

Extraterrestrial ballroom dancers exist. They disguise themselves as spunky blonds, and try to inhale human brain matter through our aural orifices for experiments in cloning participants for Dancing with the Stars. Seriously. I caught it on camera. You should check it out! Because I think one of them is sucking Angela Ackerman's brains out as we speak ...