Sunday, December 22, 2019

Contests and Awards

I'm celebrating an unexpected victory at the moment. Trying to grasp what happened. I was just informed that my book Screamcatcher: Web World took first place in the N. N. Light Book Awards contest for best Young Adult novel of 2019. Not a huge event, nor a teeny one either. I must have been auto-entered in this running because I had no idea such a platform was part of their yearly program. I take it that about 1,750 books in 25 categories/genres were considered because of their highest reviews. I wasn't even forewarned as a finalist position. Since this was a no-pay entry contest, it made it all that more significant and relevant to me. I really attribute most of this to luck and timing.

This is the third time I've won or placed in anything literature related in 29 years. I think we all know how impossible the odds can seem. Yet when it happens, you sit there in a stupor and wonder the why of it, rather than the whole "Oh hell yes!" of it. Needless to say, I'm humbled and grateful to be called out for a little book that I thought was nothing more than a little slammer beach read. The heck with me—this is a win for the First Nation’s Tribe, a salute to our North American Indian cultural history.

I would encourage others to adopt the feeling that this could happen to you too when you least expect it. And isn't that always the way it seems to work? Victory always seems to sneak up on you with no pre-warning. I'll have fond memories of this day and time in my life. It felt like somebody wrapped their arms around me after a long period of loneliness. And in the writing world where rejection is 99% of our existence, these are the moments that make it all worth the insufferable effort to accomplish and carry on. On the upside, this contest required no payment or commitment to enter. These types are far, few and in between. Many of them are small and barely register a blip on the “who won what” radar. Yet even the smaller ones can have a huge reader base and attract the curious.

THE DOWNSIDE OF CONTESTS AND AWARDS

J. A Konrath, the successful Indie guru, is noted for saying that contests “aren’t worth sh.t.” That they have no relevance or significance when it comes to notoriety or impact on sales—particularly sales. He goes on to say that they are a gimmick or scam at best. Nearly all of them. He has a point, to a certain extent, and I don’t and can’t disagree with his logic and opinion. Our senior population is a favorite target of contest campaigns because the contests come in so many venues and guises, covering a multitude of subjects.

Contests and awards can be an enticement, and yet they can be an entrapment. Ergo an addiction. This, by the way, applies to just about every contest or award out there for a multitude of products and services—books, jewelry, appliances, gift cards, cars, vacations, artwork, poems and the like. There’s no end to the array of prizes and circumstances by which you can enter with the possibility of placing, becoming a finalist or winning. Wouldn’t you know that many of them include honorable mentions as kind of an afterthought. The more divisions to win in allows the host to pander and cater to many more participants. First, second and third placements are the most common winning sequences, with sometimes a hats off to the overall grand prize winner of the entire field. Honorable mentions usually bring up the rear, and make no mistake about it, those little wins won’t go unrecognized by participants and can be just as important as the larger award positions. What’s important is that you got ink!

We definitely have some legitimate and noteworthy contests that can pull in lots of interest from industry professional watchdogs. These contests are mostly free but require nominations to be included in their lists. They are considered premium awards and are usually sponsored by huge organizations and companies each year. Among the best known book awards and competitions are: (Including fee entries)

General Book Awards Contests

1. TCK Publishing Readers Choice Contest

Website: www.tckpublishing.com Contest details: www.tckpublishing.com2019-readers-choice-awards Fee: Free

6. Georgia Author of the Year

Website: www.authoroftheyear.org Contest details: www.authoroftheyear.org/faq/ Fee: $60

7. Hollywood Book Festival

Website: www.hollywoodbookfestival.com Fee: $75

8. International Book Award Contest

Website: www.internationalbookawards.com Contest details: www.internationalbookawards.com/2020callforentries.html Fee: $69 ⁠–$89

9. National Indie Excellence Award

Website: www.indieexcellence.com Contest details: www.indieexcellence.comentry-form Fee: $75

10. Nautilus Book Awards

Website: www.nautilusbookawards.com Fee: $165–$185

11. NextGen Indie Book Awards

Website: www.indiebookawards.com Fee: $75

12. Reader’s Favorite

Website: www.readersfavorite.com Contest details: www.readersfavorite.com/about Fee: $99 – $119, discount on multiple genres/book

13. The National Book Awards

Website: www.nationalbook.orgnational-book-awards/submissions/ Fee: $135

14. The Wishing Shelf

Website: www.thewsa.co.uk Contest details: www.thewsa.co.uk/enter/ Fee: $89

15. Woodson Book Award

Website: www.socialstudies.orgawards/woodson/nominations Fee: unpublished

16. Rubery Book Award

Website: www.ruberybookaward.com Fee: unpublished

17. 2019 Foreword Indies

Website: www.forewordreviews.com Contest details: www.publishers.forewordreviews.comawards/#why-register Fee: $89

Children’s Book Awards Contests

18. The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards

Website: www.moonbeamawards.com Contest details: www.moonbeamawards.com38/guidelines Fee: $55

19. The Royal Dragonfly Book Awards

Website: www.dragonflybookawards.com Contest details: www.dragonflybookawards.compurple-dragonfly Fee: $60

20. The Golden Kite Award

Website: www.scbwi.org Contest details: www.scbwi.orgawards/golden-kite-award/ Fee: unpublished

21. Mom’s Choice Award

Website: www.momschoiceawards.com Contest details: www.momschoiceawards.com/apply Fee: unpublished

22. The Purple Dragonfly Book

Website: www.dragonflybookawards.com Contest details: www.dragonflybookawards.compurple-dragonfly/ Fee: unpublished

Christian Book Awards Contests

23. Cascade Contest

Website: www.oregonchristianwriters.org Contest details: www.oregonchristianwriters.orgcascade-writing-contest-2019/ Fee: unpublished

24. Illumination Awards

Website: www.illuminationawards.com Contest details: www.illuminationawards.com/entryform Fee: $85

25. Christian Indie Awards

Website: www.christianaward.com Contest details: www.christianaward.comeligibility-guidelines/ Fee: $45

26. Christian Book Award

Website: www.ecpa.org Contest details: www.ecpa.orgpage/cba_1_overview? Fee: unpublished

27. Carol Awards

Website: www.acfw.com Contest details: www.acfw.comcarol Fee: $45 for members, $115 for non-members

28. The Inspy Awards

Website: www.inspys.com Contest details: www.inspys.com?page_id=1183 Fee: Free

29. Christianity Today Book Award

Website: www.christianitytoday.com Contest details: www.christianitytoday.comct/2019/may-web-only/nomination-instructions-2020-christianity-today-book-awards.html Fee: $40

30. CPA Book Awards

Website: www.catholicpress.org Contest details: www.catholicpress.orgpage/CPABookAwards? Fee: $36 for members, $76 for non-members

31. The Christy Awards

Website: www.christyawards.com Contest details: www.ecpa.orgpage/christy_submissions Fee: $175

Self-Published Book Awards Contests

32. The IndieReader Discovery Awards

Website: www.indiereader.com Contest details: www.indiereader.comproduct/indiereader-discovery-awards-entry-2020/ Fee: $149

33. The Best Indie Book Award

Website: www.bestindiebookaward.com/live/ Contest details: www.bestindiebookaward.com/submit/product/best-indie-book-award-entry/ Fee: $50

34. Foreword INDIES Book of the Year

Website: www.forewordreviews.co Contest details: https://publishers.forewordreviews.com/awards/register/ Fee: unpublished

35. Indie Reader Discovery Awards

Website: www.indiereader.com/enter-discovery-awards Contest details: www. indiereader.com/product/indiereader-discovery-awards-entry-2020 Fee: $150

36. The Independent Publisher Book Awards

Website: www.ippyawards.com Contest details: www.secure.independentpublisher.comcart/?program_id=4 Fee: $75-$95

37. The Eric Hoffer Award

Website: www.hofferaward.com Fee: $60

38. Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Website: www.indiebookawards.com Contest details: www.indiebookawards.com/enter/guidelines Fee: $75

Crime and Mystery Book Awards Contests

39. CWA Daggers

Website: www.thecwa.co.uk Contest details: www.thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers Fee: unpublished

40. The Edgar Awards

Website: www.mysterywriters.org Contest details: www.mysterywriters.org/edgars/edgar-submission-information/ Fee: unpublished

E-book Book Awards Contests

41. ELit Awards

Website: www.elitawards.com Contest details: www.elitawards.com/entryform Fee: $70–$90

42. Global E-Book Awards

Website: www.globalebookawards.com Contest details: www.globalebookawards.com/instructions-for-entering/ Fee: $4.97

43. Digital Book World Awards

Website: www.digitalbookworld.com Contest details: www.digitalbookworld.com/dbw-award-form Fee: $59

Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Book Awards Contests

44. Bram Stoker Award

Website: www.thebramstokerawards.com Contest details: www.thebramstokerawards.com/submissions/ Fee: unpublished

45. Fanstory Horror Writing Contest

Website: www.fanstory.com Contest details: www.fanstory.com/contestdetails.jsp?id=105611 Fee: unpublished

46. Hugo Awards

Website: www.thehugoawards.org Contest details: www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-categories/ Fee: unpublished

47. Nebula Awards

Website: www.nebulas.sfwa.org Fee: unpublished

Business Book Awards Contests

48. Axiom Business Book Awards

Website: www.axiomawards.com Contest details: www.secure.independentpublisher.comcart/?program_id=1 Fee: $75-$95

50. Financial Times

Website: www.ft.comwork-careers/business-book-award Fee: unpublished

Other Book Awards Contests

51. TipTree Award

Website: www.tiptree.org Contest details: www.tiptree.orgabout-the-award/the-process Fee: unpublished

52. Spur Awards

Website: www.westernwriters.org Contest details: www.westernwriters.org/spur-awards/ Fee: unpublished

53. WILLA

Website: www.womenwritingthewest.org Contest details: www.womenwritingthewest.org/willaCurrentFinalists.html Fee: $65

54. Royal Dragonfly

Website: www.dragonflybookawards.com Contest details: www.dragonflybookawards.comroyal-dragonfly Fee: $60-65

55. Stonewall Books

Website: www.ala.orgawardsgrants/awards/177/apply Fee: unpublished

56. Living Now Book Awards

Website: www.livingnowawards.com Contest details: www.secure.independentpublisher.com/cart/index.php?process=product_detail&product_id=5 Fee: $95

57. Green Book Festival

Website: www.greenbookfestival.com Fee: $50

58. American Fiction Awards (American Book Fest)

Website: www.americanbookfest.com Contest details: www.americanbookfest.comamericanfictionawards.html Fee: $69–$89

59. PEN/Faulkner Awards

Website: www.penfaulkner.org Contest details: www.penfaulkner.orgaward-for-fiction/submission-guidelines/ Fee: unpublished

60. AICP Cookbook Awards

Website: www.iacp.com Contest details: www.iacp.comawards/cookbook/ Fee: $150–$200

Among this list are free contests that carry a lot of weight—the Hugo, Nebulae, Booker Prize, Pulitzer, Bram Stoker and other such notables. However, take note of the fees associated with most of them. Name your category or genre and you’ll probably find yourself eligible in one or more of these offerings. Some are for unpublished manuscripts. How deep are your pockets? What are your realistic expectations?

BUT LOOK AT THOSE ENTRY FEES!

Do you think for one minute those sponsoring agencies are losing money by bestowing huge cash prizes and publication upon you? You would be wrong. They are making money hand over fist. The question you have to ask yourself is…is it worth the expense and nail-biting to anticipate or expect a win of any kind in any of them? With thousands or tens of thousands of applicants, tabulate your odds of picking up a win. It’s worse than a crap shoot in Las Vegas. If you are a contest chaser and think that you can even your odds by entering many or most of these contests, you’ll end up sitting on the curb with your hat in your lap begging for living expenses. If you happen to feel good about your odds in a certain competition, it doesn’t hurt to enter. Just do so with the full knowledge that everyone has the same hopes and dreams and the playing field is level.

I’m sorry, but I can’t see myself as a wunder talent since I might have edged out a runner up because of a dropped run-on sentence or a POV slip. Final decisions could be that close.

How much does talent have to do with copping a win? Fortunately a great book will stand out whether it is picked by a panel of judges or a reader’s poll. It is subjective and a matter of personalized opinion. Yet the wheat will win over the chaff. Every time.

There are and have been instances where an applicant can actually sway the votes by using huge marketing campaigns (more expense) aimed at fans, readers and relatives. This happens a lot with book cover contests. Get somebody to click on you as a favorite and wallah! You start stacking up the votes. This happens. It’s a little desperate, but if the cover really is great, it’s justified. People can go to extreme lengths to win—you’ve heard of those authors who have bought thousands of copies of their own books to hit the NYT, USA Today and Amazon top-seller lists. The same thing happens in the contest and awards arena.

What’s in it for you if you pick up a substantial or even moderate win? Besides publication and a cash prize (if it’s offered), you have bragging rights. Sometimes you get permission to wear the contest badge, usually a star with the logo displayed prominently on your book cover. Does it help? Money and publication is fine. Wearing the badge? That’s up to you. A little gold star might give you a second look. It is NOT a guarantee that your sales and reviews are going to skyrocket. Your win is not an earth-shaking event and, except for the most prestigious awards, don’t expect front page news, radio interviews or TV spots with the major networks. This kind of news goes over with fans, friends and relatives more than other segments of the populace.

So you won something…consider it a personal best. Take pride, include it in your diary and remember it fondly. You certainly did something right and, no, it really wasn’t all luck. It was pluck and you just happened to be there with a beloved book that made an impact on somebody who cared enough to draw you out of the crowd. Good luck with your future entries, and may we all have our 16 minutes of fame!

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Opposite Gender Pen Name?

There are so many instances of neutral initial pen names, also called non de plumes, that it’s rather ordinary and taken as a normal happenstance in the literary world. Jo Rowling is perhaps one of the most famous examples. C.S. Lewis and D.L. James come to mind. Pretty ordinary stuff here. What about a gender flip-flop though? During the last generations of literature, dozens of women have taken on male pen names to approach a reading crowd that might not have given them the time of day had they revealed their true gender Identity. They were certainly justified in adopting this theory. Nothing wrong with that at all. It worked out for them. They could adventure, crash, bang and boom with the best of them. We didn’t care. That’s the point. We loved them and became one with their universe.

Robin Hobb–she’s a gal
George Eliot is a gal
Isak Dinesen is a female

Alas. Leigh Greenwood is a guy! And so is Jessica Blair!

These authors chose a gender flip-flop pseudonym, and their reasons were varied: identity cloaking, privacy, restart failing careers, outright deception (a few), testing purposes–insert your reason. A few didn’t have to change their names–Nicholas Sparks, being one of the talented male authors who writes very believable female leads and characters, had no reason to cloak his real identity. He had the experience and formula down and the women readers readily accepted his talent. Such wonderful things happen when you get it right, and you more than often than not, should get it right consistently. Because if you stumble, it might raise suspicion about your motives. You have to feel very comfortable with the switch and feel justified in your decision to use it. Now Rowling and King used a different approach, swapping gender author names to test the waters as a new, or unknown talent. They wanted to distance themselves from their famous brands. It worked for only a little while until they were found out. Their questions were answered, though.

I wanted to write as a female because of the genre I wanted to specialize in–YA fantasy and paranormal. I needed to distance my real name from my SF and adult thrillers. I even wrote an erotic romance that went belly up when I used my real name. I was switching my category, changing to all female leads and using a unique or catchy new name. I settled on Chrisy J. Breedlove, because my first real name was in the mix and I just happened to love the last name Breedlove. I’d first heard the Breedlove last name in a move decades ago, and if was called Hamersmith is Out. A sub-character in that movie was called Billy Breedlove. There I had it.

My reasons? I wasn’t hiding under a skirt and pretending to be a women. That would have been easily discovered by my group display site fans and friends. With close to 5,000 followers on FB, who did I think I was kidding? I would be found out instantly because of the hints and bios plastered all over the Internet. If you played cross-the links in my profiles, it would be more than easy to find me out. Most did. Some, however, did not and refused to believe I was not a gal writing gal characters. They were in the minority, though. Ninety percent of the reviewers and readers really didn’t give a flying you know what. “Oh, is she strong, with great leadership capabilities, courage and brains. She also has athletic prowess! What a woman! We love her! She is my favorite in the whole story.” What a wonderful reception. Almost like a vindication.

I always had a gut feeling I could write the female side. It did come naturally for me and I never had any complaints about it. Well, except for being dog-piled on my erotic romance. Oh, I didn’t hear the end of that one. It served me right. I’d always written sweet romance in all my books. Taking it too deeply into the sexual desires of women drew a lot of fire–machine gun fire. Even though the book was co-written and passed muster with a female co-author, I still took the brunt of harsh critiques, EVEN BEFORE THE WHOLE BOOK WAS READ. That’s another story, though.

My motives were simple and logical, to my mind. It was a business decision as well as anything. It’s true that nearly 65% of all books bought and read are by women. Romance has dominated the genres since forever, it seems. Just like the male writing fraternity, the sisters had a close group of reading fans, only much larger and just as discerning. I only planned on spontaneous sales, those who looked at the cover, read the blurb, blitzed through the sample pages and adored the title. That was a primary hook. After that, I didn’t care who outed me. The point was, I had a better chance of discovery. I’d always thought that women possessed more of a realistic and emotional accuracy in writing YA fiction. I don’t have to name the super blockbusters for you–you know them, have read them and certainly heard of them. I so wanted to tap that market without being intrusive or offensive. How could I do it honestly and what was the secret?

Men have a female side and women have a male side. They can delve into it and explore anytime they want. Yet, the MOST IMPORTANT ingredient was and always has been the fact that they are both human beings. They have the same likes, desires, fears, needs and feelings. They are basically the same animal. They have only nuances and traits that are specific to them–microcosms of separation. In other words, there are certain things that men and women don’t ordinarily do. Yet this is highly subjective too! Why? Because we have the basic human being as the main ingredient, and then we have the individual who calls out to be recognized. These are personality traits. You can explore all this territory without being stereotypical and sexist. Just remember: Human beings.

How has it worked out? That’s the big question isn’t it? For such a bold move, one would expect bold and unforgiving mistakes. Christy is only about six months old so I had to look at it with stats in mind. I’ve never had more reviews, clicks, raves, sample reads and other kudos. Sales came a little heavy in the beginning. (Of course, you have to stay on the marketing and promo wagon). As far as popularity, it has out-shined the other books. It’s only the fresh beginning. I don’t know what I’m on to, but I’ll let Christy take the spotlight. But more importantly, I want the story to take the spotlight. Judge ye not the author, but the story that he or she tells. The story is the real driving force for any author, and the end game is for the reader.

Chris J. Breelove–“Blue shift to me. Or check out the second star on the right."

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Fab Interview by the Illustrious Wendy Van Camp!

Author Interview: Chris J. Breedlove

October 23, 2019 Wendy Van Camp Leave a comment

I asked Author Chris Breedlove what his motto for being a writer was. He answered:
A Writer is… A humble, receptive student and negotiator But the heart that beats within his/her breast Is a determined savage Unfamiliar with surrender
Please welcome this savvy science fiction author to No Wasted Ink.

My name is Chris Harold Stevenson and I’m 67 years young. I go by the pen name Christy J. Breedlove for my YA books and stories. Yes, I changed gender entirely. That’s another story.
My early writing accomplishment were multiple hits within a few years: In my first year of writing back in 1987, I wrote three SF short stories that were accepted by major slick magazines which qualified me for the Science Fiction Writers of America, and at the same time achieved a Finalist award in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. This recognition garnered me a top gun SF agent at the time, Richard Curtis Associates. My first novel went to John Badham (Director) and the producers, the Cohen Brothers. Only an option, but an extreme honor. The writer who beat me out of contention for a feature movie was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. My book was called Dinothon.
A year after that I published two best-selling non-fiction books and landed on radio, TV, in every library in the U.S. and in hundreds of newspapers.
I have been trying to catch that lightning in a bottle ever since. My YA dystopian novel, The Girl They Sold to the Moon won the grand prize in a publisher’s YA novel writing contest, went to a small auction and got tagged for a film option. So, My latest release is Sceamcatcher: Web World, and it’s showing some promise. I’m getting there, I hope!
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer when I published the two shorts in Amazing Stories magazine. I actually considered myself an author after my first non-fiction book was published and hit the media. It seems I had to have legitimate credits in order to claim such status.
Can you share a little about your current book with us?
I can give you the basic summary, or the extended blurb:
When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half-blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Native American lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane web world filled with murders, beasts, and thieves. How can they find the center of the web where all good things are allowed to pass? Where is the light of salvation? Are they in hell?
What inspired you to write this book?
It all started with a dream catcher. This iconic item, which is rightfully ingrained in Indian lore, is a dream symbol respected by the culture that created it. It is mystifying, an enigma that that prods the imagination. Legends about the dream catcher are passed down from multiple tribes. There are variations, but the one fact that can be agreed upon is that it is a nightmare entrapment device, designed to sift through evil thoughts and images and only allow pleasant and peaceful dreams to enter into the consciousness of the sleeper.
I wondered what would happen to a very ancient dream catcher that was topped off with dreams and nightmares. What if the nightmares became too sick or deathly? What if the web strings could not hold any more visions? Would the dream catcher melt, burst, vanish, implode? I reasoned that something would have to give if too much evil was allowed to congregate inside of its structure. I found nothing on the Internet that offered a solution to this problem—I might have missed a relevant story, but nothing stood out to me. Stephen King had a story called Dream Catcher, but I found nothing in it that was similar to what I had in mind. So I took it upon myself to answer such a burning question. Like too much death on a battlefield could inundate the immediate location with lost and angry spirits, so could a dream catcher hold no more of its fill of sheer terror without morphing into something else, or opening up a lost and forbidden existence. What would it be like to be caught up in another world inside the webs of a dream catcher, and how would you get out? What would this world look like? How could it be navigated? What was the source of the exit, and what was inside of it that threatened your existence? Screamcatcher: Web World, the first in the series, was my answer. I can only hope that I have done it justice.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I’m a fruit salad of other known writer’s influences. Oh, like what I consider stylists: Poul Anderson, Virgin Planet, Peter Benchley, The Island and Jaws, Joseph Wambaugh, The Onion Field and Black Marble, Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, Alan Dean Foster, Icerigger trilogy, and some Stephen King. Anne Rice impresses with just about anything she has written. I think it’s the humor and irony that attracts me the most–and it’s all character-related
How did you come up with the title of this book?
After I had the idea/premise for the book, having researched similar works, if any, I found that I had something very unique. It dawned on me to name the book Screamcatcher since it was a play on words and it sounded impactful. Again, I researched that word and only found that it was used in a short story about a kid having a tooth extraction. I knew then that I was home free. I was continuously complimented by all of the publishers and editors who saw the title. It’s the first book in the series, and I have sub-titles for the other two as well, which are sold and just about ready for editing.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I’m not very heavy-handed when it comes to delivering messages in my books. I want to avoid any preaching at all costs. I do include the basic/standard survival, loyalty, courage and persistence themes in my young characters, as well as emotional growth and cooperation. I did hide, or rather include, a very deep and subtle message in the story that I think most will gloss over or not recognize altogether. And that is my belief that sometimes the nice guy finishes first and gets the gal. I wanted something that swerved away from the controlling, domineering alpha male that is so often seen in other works of YA and romance. I wanted a slow burn sweet romance that was touching. Quite a few reviewers recognized this message and I got kudos for it. That was a RELIEF.
Are experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
The main character Jorlene (Jory) is named after my sister. Although she does not resemble the FMC physically, she does so in an emotional sense. Her boyfriend, Choice Daniels, is named after my great-nephew. All of my books contain the names of my extended family members. And there are parts of them that show through in the personalities of the fictional characters.
What authors have most influenced your life? What about them do you find inspiring?
Other than those stylists mentioned above, I had direct contact with members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Alan Dean Foster, Richard Curtis, Robert Bloch, Bob Heinlein, Clive Barker, and others. From their Youtube instruction videos and articles, JK Rowling, Anne Rice, and Stephen King have inspired me tremendously with their no-nonsense attitude about hammering those keys in spite of depression, lack of motivation or pure laziness.
If you had to choose, is there a writer would you consider a mentor? Why?
That honor would go to Poul Anderson who wrote back to me habitually and gave me guidance in the industry when I needed it the most. He took out his valuable time to befriend me and answer so many questions. Can you tell I’m a dinosaur yet?
Who designed the cover of your book? Why did you select this illustrator?
Carlone Andrus of Melange Books, Fire & Ice YA division rendered the cover after reading the book. I had a different idea in mind, but she absolutely nailed it. The compliments have never stopped coming. Most of the plot is revealed on the cover but you would have to search very hard to put it all together.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Watch your spending on ads–they can be grossly ineffective. Use social media and generously interact with fellow writers and readers. Don’t abuse FB and Twitter solely for the purpose of “Buy My Book.” Join writing groups and learn from the pros. Ask politely for reviews–don’t pressure, harass or intimidate. Be creative. Target your genre readers. Offer incentives and freebies. Craft a newsletter and send it out bi-monthly. Don’t take critiques as personal attacks–learn from honest opinions. Don’t despair. Never give up. Revenge query. I run a writer’s advocate blog and I pull no punches.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
If you think that you’ve had it tough, I recommend you watch Magic Beyond Words, the life story of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Books just don’t happen. They are nurtured and raised from infancy, just like a budding writer is. This business might quit you, but you cannot quit the business. Stay active and attentively writing.

Chris J. Breedlove
Sylvania, Alabama
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Screamcatcher: Web World

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Internet--Harsh, Cruel Words

Hello, friends. This post is rather atypical of what I usually write about. But I thought it was very relevant in our associations with people on the Internet–particularly in a social setting.. In a roundabout way, this would apply to communicating with other writers, agents and publishers. I thought it was important because I see so much of it. I’m sure you do too.

Drawing a comparison to penpals and dating sites:

So you found somebody you like on the Internet. That other person likes you. You just started something wonderful that excites and fulfills you. You might even develop a symbiotic love for each other. A man might be searching for that electronic girl friend. You know, a cyber cutie–an email female–that pixel princess? A woman might be looking for that goofy Gmail guy, that Internet intellectual, that cuddly computer hunk.
Why is it that we can say the meanest and most cruel things to each other in Internet emails? Words that sting, doubt, question, threaten, accuse, belittle–name your poison. It’s because we think we can spout off and avoid any confrontation. We don’t need to own our words. We are detached. Even phone calls to potential mates can become heated and cause disagreements, ending in short or long-term rejection.

The calamity can happen quickly, unexpectedly. It can happen as a result of a simple miscommunication. A few words interpreted the wrong way can start a firestorm of anger and hatred. You can commit a word-slip and hurt someone’s feelings without knowing it. So it is with a social media setting. Only it could involve regular posters, comments, and private messages. We’ve all been attacked in one form(um) or another. I know that I have taken some insufferable abuse online. I’ve been stalked–hunted down like some dog that needs to be shot. It tore me to pieces. Being critically ill, the last thing I need is misplaced and deliberate damnation from a friend or even someone I hardly know.

It helps if you remember that people always look for the best in others regardless of most circumstances. All human beings seek peace—they all want shelter, sustenance, good health and a loving family. These are universal expectations and truths that every human being on this planet strives for. We are all connected, like an umbilical cord that has not been severed. Like a mother and baby, we can feed off each other and attain the nourishment of life. The more we feed, the more we grow.

Here’s no surprise: people deal with each other exceptionally well face-to-face. They are too busy scoping out characteristics and admiring the presence of another, hopefully seeking out an interesting human being. They are polite and respectful, and desirous of learning and becoming close to the other person. They oft times want to share and travel. They are curious about the wonders of life’s nature and feel comforted when they search out the wonders together. BTW, nature is a prime magnet for discovery. Wonder and discovery brings people together in such an innocent vein. People don’t do so good when they are physically detached from each other. There is a massive hole in the relationship. The love and respect core is missing. The Information Highway can have some disastrous head-on collisions.

Contra-wise, there is a certain thrill upon meeting your virtual friend/s face-to-face. It is the last step in the process of bonding together, and it is necessary to complete the cycle. It is crucial. True, unconditional love cannot flourish unless two bodies meet and merge in a slow and mutual relationship. People can read magical compatibility in the eyes of another. The eyes never lie. Without meeting in the flesh, you are blind and unaware of spiritual truth. “What God has brought together, let no man separate.” That means a physical union where it is eventually intended, friends. And guess what? Two souls can merge into each other and plug up some very big holes. Disputes can be settled easily if a calm dialogue is opened up.

Some of the worst case insults and fights I’ve seen are in the comment sections on the YouTube movie or documentary channels. Take your pick, it could be any movie network or discussion site. I’ve never seen more foul and racist language than I have on these commentary sites. It’s the lowest, dirtiest swearing I’ve ever seen/heard. It can be two groups of posters–the pros vs the cons. It can be group swarm attacks on a few or individual posters. You could swear that the floodgates of hell have opened up and let loose. What kind of damaging effects can this have on someone’s psychological persona? It can have a devastating effect, even terminal. We have all heard of the cyber-bullying that has taken place within the younger crowd and resulted in suicides. This is how deadly the freedom of speech issue can evolve. Notwithstanding, the depression and anxiety it causes can contribute to existing terminally ill afflictions and depression.


My suggestion to all of you on the electronic airwaves is to be kind, understanding and tolerant of your friend/friends, even though they might raise the bristles on the back of your neck. If things begin to break down because of suspicion and mistrust, stop right there and discuss the problem honestly and out in the open with gentle, soothing, kind words. Discussion is the triage for minor or major differences. Or would you prefer a major trauma when things have gotten too far out of hand? The choice is yours. If you don’t confront your differences in good spirits, you might lose the potential love or friend of your life. The other alternative is to ignore the comments completely, and this is sage advice for bad reviews and nasty comments on Amazon. Us poor writers!

Sending explicit photographs through the airwaves is a whole different ballgame, but it falls within the territory of censorship and invasion of privacy. Just don’t do it. Both women and men use this tactic to draw favoritism, in such a twisted way, that it is insulting, crude and lewd. This isn’t the kind of example adults should set for the little ones or the underage.

Try laughter and jokes to salve some of your disagreements. Humor takes the edge off and delivers some needed comedy relief…Or else? Or else you might end up needlessly heartbroken and feeling alone. Learn to forgive and heal. Redemption is a precious commodity that everyone can afford. It costs nothing to put love and kindness first over mistrust and negativity. Remember the song: “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative”, theme from Blast to the Past. Yeah, corny., I know.

Live easy and love hard.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Halloween Bash Give-Away!

Halloween Bash Give-Away! Three Signed Paperbacks, 12 Handcrafted Dream Catchers, Free E-Books, And A Questions and Answer Contest Starting Today And Running Until Oct 31rst. Don’t Miss This Screamcatcher Surprise sponsored by Christy J. Breedlove & Crystal Gauthier! Here’s The Link:

https://authormigrainecentral.blogspot.com/2019/10/screamcatcher-web-world-halloween.html

SCREAMCATCHER - WEB WORLD HALLOWEEN GIVEAWAY!

WE ALL LOVE A GIVEAWAY!

Book giveaways are the best!

Author Christy J. Breedlove

We are offering up some author personalized/signed Paperbacks and some Awesome dream catchers for the winners of this

Multiple Choice Contest.

(knowledge of the book)

All you have to do is... you must have read the book in some form whether it be ebook or paperback. Then answer some questions, that's it!

How fun right?

LINK TO GIVEAWAY QUESTIONS

https://form.jotform.com/92805901827159https://form.jotform.com/92805901827159

https://form.jotform.com/92805901827159

When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent's deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she's half blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Indian lore is so yesterday, but she's willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory's most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They're in an alternate universe-locked inside of an insane web world. How can they find the center of the web, where all good things are allowed to pass?

Ebook:

https://www.amazon.com/Screamcatcher-World-Christy-J-Breedlove-ebook/dp/B07QDK5M75/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Christy+J+Breedlove&qid=1570566113&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Screamcatcher-World-Christy-J-Breedlove/dp/1680467484/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1570566113&sr=1-1

STUDY UP FOLKS!

Here is the link to visit to answer the question, see when the contest starts and ends, when we will pick winners.

Crystal L. Gauthier, Literary Agent

Proudly represents Author Christy J. Breedlove