Posted first at Amazon with Four Stars
I enjoyed reading the draft of Ms Gorman’s offering at her web site, and following up with the finished story was an equal pleasure for a couple of reasons: I didn’t have to wait a week between chapters, LOL, and there were a few changes that I liked with none that I didn’t.
I’m not sure of the genre; there are elements of romance, and fantasy and SF along with some dystopia to keep the reader engaged, though I think romance and fantasy dominate. As befits a story of this length, the plot doesn’t take many (any) side trips.
Still, I hoped for a more explicit resolution of a couple of plot threads (read: It wasn’t long enough!). This likely says more about me than the story, so I’ll avoid spoilers.
Ms Gorman’s characters seem true to me. I liked all of them, even Telemut, but Allish and Seth particularly struck the mark. Her descriptions are lush, even when chronicling the more dystopian scenes.
I read La Sylphide using the Kindle app on my MacBook; the formatting was fine. The cover evoked Allish as both dancer and sprite; I liked it, but didn’t check how my greyscale Kindle rendered it. The characters use real language.
I noticed a couple of typos which may by now have been corrected, but probably would interfere with no one’s enjoyment.
I recommend La Sylpide to anyone looking for a striking mélange of romance and fantastical elements.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
It’s Wednesday the 13th!
Not such a big deal, I guess.
Connections is available as a giveaway at Goodreads, running until the twentieth of May. If you have interest, click on over and sign up. Check out the display below.
Description:
Everyone has connections they take for granted, and others of which they are unaware.
Beckie’s ongoing training as a nineteen year-old apprentice in Ian Jamse’s mercenary group emphasizes teamwork above all else. Now, with the London episode behind her, it’s time to put her training on hold and begin her sophomore year at Miami.
Goldfarb impelled Piero to smuggle cocaine using sex and money. Their enterprise flourishing, Piero turns to the Peruvian Presidential election. Goldfarb controls the key to the election: videos documenting the conspiracy to pervert the course of justice both Piero and his chief opponent engaged in years ago. The videos would ensure Piero’s election.
To force delivery of the videos, Piero threatens to halt their smuggling partnership. When threatened, Goldfarb’s composure fails; he attacks Ian’s group, starting with Amy Rose, Beckie’s young friend.
To save Amy, to keep the team safe, Beckie must put her wants on hold. It’s a helluva one-semester course. Pass-fail means live-die.
Connections is the third Mercenaries story, a YA/NA thriller recommended for 15 and up. While Connections stands alone, readers may find that understanding the background and relationships, especially from Freedom Does Matter, enhances the story.
Bonus: an excerpt from the next offering in the series, Coda?, is included.
Connections is available as a giveaway at Goodreads, running until the twentieth of May. If you have interest, click on over and sign up. Check out the display below.
Description:
Everyone has connections they take for granted, and others of which they are unaware.
Beckie’s ongoing training as a nineteen year-old apprentice in Ian Jamse’s mercenary group emphasizes teamwork above all else. Now, with the London episode behind her, it’s time to put her training on hold and begin her sophomore year at Miami.
Goldfarb impelled Piero to smuggle cocaine using sex and money. Their enterprise flourishing, Piero turns to the Peruvian Presidential election. Goldfarb controls the key to the election: videos documenting the conspiracy to pervert the course of justice both Piero and his chief opponent engaged in years ago. The videos would ensure Piero’s election.
To force delivery of the videos, Piero threatens to halt their smuggling partnership. When threatened, Goldfarb’s composure fails; he attacks Ian’s group, starting with Amy Rose, Beckie’s young friend.
To save Amy, to keep the team safe, Beckie must put her wants on hold. It’s a helluva one-semester course. Pass-fail means live-die.
Connections is the third Mercenaries story, a YA/NA thriller recommended for 15 and up. While Connections stands alone, readers may find that understanding the background and relationships, especially from Freedom Does Matter, enhances the story.
Bonus: an excerpt from the next offering in the series, Coda?, is included.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Congratulations - CampNaNos
Today is the last day of Camp NaNo, so everyone who participated deserves a round of applause and a tipple of their favorite libation. Drink up!
I chose not to participate this year, seeing a scheduling disaster of epic proportions if I did. In fact, even if I didn’t but…
I had three novellas to critique (by which I mean beta read and comment on), two of my WIPs to finish up, two more to work on and then, spring to enjoy. More than winter, anyway.
I published Connections last week, and Coda? has gone to a second beta reader for comments and suggestions.
The three novellas are critted and today or tomorrow, the latest set of comments and questions will be in the respective author’s hands. As always, I hope I was able to help them on their way to the story they want to tell.
With all that, I still was able to get four thousand words on (working title) Princess, the book to follow Served Cold. Since I’m following Dean Wesley Smith’s suggestions for Writing Into the Dark, I have very little idea where it will end up. (grin)*TM DWS. (Unfortunately, he has apparently removed those posts from his blog.)
The grandson’s baseball (or maybe T-ball) season begins next week, and my brother is helping out with a show at Don’t Tell Mama in New York the middle of the month, so I’ll pack my toothbrush and phone and watch him and the others. That should be fun; I’ll catch the Thursday and Saturday shows before returning, so I’ll have Friday to look around NYC for setting ideas.
Then of course, the yard will need attention, and the house, and the usual mundane things everyone has to embrace. Or if not embrace, at least do.
Comments welcome.
I chose not to participate this year, seeing a scheduling disaster of epic proportions if I did. In fact, even if I didn’t but…
I had three novellas to critique (by which I mean beta read and comment on), two of my WIPs to finish up, two more to work on and then, spring to enjoy. More than winter, anyway.
I published Connections last week, and Coda? has gone to a second beta reader for comments and suggestions.
The three novellas are critted and today or tomorrow, the latest set of comments and questions will be in the respective author’s hands. As always, I hope I was able to help them on their way to the story they want to tell.
With all that, I still was able to get four thousand words on (working title) Princess, the book to follow Served Cold. Since I’m following Dean Wesley Smith’s suggestions for Writing Into the Dark, I have very little idea where it will end up. (grin)*TM DWS. (Unfortunately, he has apparently removed those posts from his blog.)
The grandson’s baseball (or maybe T-ball) season begins next week, and my brother is helping out with a show at Don’t Tell Mama in New York the middle of the month, so I’ll pack my toothbrush and phone and watch him and the others. That should be fun; I’ll catch the Thursday and Saturday shows before returning, so I’ll have Friday to look around NYC for setting ideas.
Then of course, the yard will need attention, and the house, and the usual mundane things everyone has to embrace. Or if not embrace, at least do.
Comments welcome.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Connections is Live
Connections is live in ebook format at most of your favorite outlets. The CreateSpace proof copy has been ordered; the POD version should be available next week, if I didn’t make any errors in that version.
I used Draft2Digital for distribution to Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Scribd, Page Foundry and Tolino. I uploaded to Amazon and Apple directly. Smashwords wasn’t cooperative Saturday night, so there will be a delay with them. Given the ease of working with D2D, so far, I can recommend them.
If you don’t see your favorite bookseller in the list, please let me know.
I used Draft2Digital for distribution to Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Scribd, Page Foundry and Tolino. I uploaded to Amazon and Apple directly. Smashwords wasn’t cooperative Saturday night, so there will be a delay with them. Given the ease of working with D2D, so far, I can recommend them.
If you don’t see your favorite bookseller in the list, please let me know.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
It's April, After All That.
All That being six weeks of high, high heating bills and 106 plus inches of snow... but as they say in Vermont: God put it there; God'll take it away. The snow's gone. Temperature's rising. Don’t even have many April showers to contend with; a few wispy clouds are drifting by this morning.
Connections is done. Put aside. Ready to publish. 93100 words. I’d value any thoughts about the description I plan to use:
I’m cleaning up the cast page and the other things (updating About the Author, for example) so I plan to go live across the board this weekend, including POD at CreateSpace, though that will require approval of the proof, so will follow by a week or so… If I don’t screw something up!
On the fourth and fifth books, my first reader has pointed out holes, nay, chasms to either fill or bridge over. Fortunately, fewer in the next one, Coda?, but some of the ones in Served Cold reflect back into Coda? since together they cover a continuous roughly ten month period. While Coda? completes its arc, it also segues into Served Cold with no delay.
I had thought that Served Cold would finish the series, but the characters are unwilling to be set aside so easily. As I sit here in my comfy chair, three characters are pushing two different stories at me. It will be interesting to see how they see their lives progressing. The parts they are willing to share, at least!
Comments are welcome, as usual.
Connections is done. Put aside. Ready to publish. 93100 words. I’d value any thoughts about the description I plan to use:
Everyone has connections they take for granted, and others of which they are unaware.
Beckie's training as a nineteen year-old apprentice in Ian Jamse’s mercenary team emphasizes marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat and most importantly, teamwork to protect the team, the client and civilians, in that order. But after a summer saving London, it’s time to start her sophomore year at Miami.
Piero fell under Goldfarb’s blackmail easily; sex and money are powerful motivators. However, winning the Peruvian Presidential election seems within his reach when he recalls the videos that Goldfarb controls. Videos documenting the conspiracy to pervert the course of justice both he and his chief opponent engaged in years ago would cement his victory or his defeat.
Throwing his blackmail back at Goldfarb, he threatens the loss of their smuggling revenue. So threatened, Goldfarb loses control, and attacks Ian’s team, starting with Amy Rose, Beckie’s young friend.
To save Amy, to keep the team safe, Beckie must put her wants on hold. It’s one helluva one-semester course. Pass-fail means live-die.
Connections is the third in the Mercenaries series, a YA/NA thriller recommended for 15 and up.
I’m cleaning up the cast page and the other things (updating About the Author, for example) so I plan to go live across the board this weekend, including POD at CreateSpace, though that will require approval of the proof, so will follow by a week or so… If I don’t screw something up!
On the fourth and fifth books, my first reader has pointed out holes, nay, chasms to either fill or bridge over. Fortunately, fewer in the next one, Coda?, but some of the ones in Served Cold reflect back into Coda? since together they cover a continuous roughly ten month period. While Coda? completes its arc, it also segues into Served Cold with no delay.
I had thought that Served Cold would finish the series, but the characters are unwilling to be set aside so easily. As I sit here in my comfy chair, three characters are pushing two different stories at me. It will be interesting to see how they see their lives progressing. The parts they are willing to share, at least!
Comments are welcome, as usual.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Here We Are Again
For the second day in a row, the temperature has remained above freezing long enough to be noticeable. Which isn’t all that far above freezing, to be sure, but it is what it is. Weather people state with greater or lesser certainty that the snow lying deep on our lawns and gardens will survive no longer than the beginning of April, four weeks or so. Unless…
Along with the moderation in temperature, the sky is azure, the sun is brightly shining, reflecting from the still-white snow—where we live, anyway—requiring the use of sunglasses for excursions out of the shade.
It’s beautiful.
To a review of writing projects.
To avoid working on the problems with book three, Connections, I did a few reviews and crits, and worked on books four and five. In spite of that lollygagging, I have now finished the trimming and rewrites for Connections. It comes in just under 90K words, down from 110K plus. To me, the problems my reader had have been addressed, but that could be entirely because I know the story in all its incarnations and backstory too well to recognize a problem, far less how to fix it.
In any event, it is with another reader; we’ll see how it sits this time. Depending on the feedback, I'll publish it soon.
Books four and five are both ‘complete.’ What that really means is the second or third draft of book four, Coda?, and the first draft of book five, Served Cold, have been done. Coda? is nearly ready for beta readers (any volunteers?) and Served Cold is ready to sit for a week or three before I reread and try to discover what I’ve left out or overstated and other fatal flaws.
Hopefully I’ll find the discipline to return and update you on whatever progress I make. Or don’t make; that’s important, too.
Thanks for reading. As always, comments are welcome.
Along with the moderation in temperature, the sky is azure, the sun is brightly shining, reflecting from the still-white snow—where we live, anyway—requiring the use of sunglasses for excursions out of the shade.
It’s beautiful.
To a review of writing projects.
To avoid working on the problems with book three, Connections, I did a few reviews and crits, and worked on books four and five. In spite of that lollygagging, I have now finished the trimming and rewrites for Connections. It comes in just under 90K words, down from 110K plus. To me, the problems my reader had have been addressed, but that could be entirely because I know the story in all its incarnations and backstory too well to recognize a problem, far less how to fix it.
In any event, it is with another reader; we’ll see how it sits this time. Depending on the feedback, I'll publish it soon.
Books four and five are both ‘complete.’ What that really means is the second or third draft of book four, Coda?, and the first draft of book five, Served Cold, have been done. Coda? is nearly ready for beta readers (any volunteers?) and Served Cold is ready to sit for a week or three before I reread and try to discover what I’ve left out or overstated and other fatal flaws.
Hopefully I’ll find the discipline to return and update you on whatever progress I make. Or don’t make; that’s important, too.
Thanks for reading. As always, comments are welcome.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Checking Up On Business, and a Quick Update
A blog post to keep me from what I should be doing: fixing Connections. Probably needs a new title and cover, too, to accommodate the change in direction my beta partner has pointed to.
There are advantages. The word count went from 115k to 75k, though I fear some, perhaps most, of those 40k words will either recur or be replaced. May end up around 90k or so, though, which would be good.
I’m a little behind in referring you to Kris Rusch’s postings on the business of writing, but I recommend you look at her recent post, Business Musings: The Rise of the Backlist. Even if, like me, you have no backlist to speak of, she still has useful comments and information. things to be aware of. If you are lucky enough to have a backlist, you should be aware of the ideas she lists near the end of the post, regarding actions you could and should take to make good use of your assets.
Among other things, she writes:
There are advantages. The word count went from 115k to 75k, though I fear some, perhaps most, of those 40k words will either recur or be replaced. May end up around 90k or so, though, which would be good.
I’m a little behind in referring you to Kris Rusch’s postings on the business of writing, but I recommend you look at her recent post, Business Musings: The Rise of the Backlist. Even if, like me, you have no backlist to speak of, she still has useful comments and information. things to be aware of. If you are lucky enough to have a backlist, you should be aware of the ideas she lists near the end of the post, regarding actions you could and should take to make good use of your assets.
Among other things, she writes:
In that first week, Publishers Marketplace went deeper into the numbers than Publishers Weekly did and came out with some fascinating information, some of which I’ll deal with in the next week or two. But here’s the take-away: All of the year’s gains and then some came from backlist, however, not newly-released titles. Frontlist unit sales fell 2 million units to 276 million, while backlist sales rose 17 million units to 359 million…Read more at Kris Writes.
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