Since starting Thayer Literary Services, a book editing business, in 1997 and after reading what seems like a gazillion first novels, I have seen the same mistakes over and over again. After a while I started calling them “the usual suspects.” I have considered collecting them into a book, but I thought that seeing so many of them all in one place would drive me to drink.

So I decided to create this blog as a way to discuss grammar and punctuation problems one at a time, along with many other writing issues, all of which I think will be helpful to budding writers. Follow this blog, and I’m sure you will find some information that will help you become a better writer.

Welcome aboard!

Paul Thayer
Thayer Literary Services
paulthayerbookeditor.com

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Paul Thayer is a full-time professional book editor with more than 35 years of experience. During that time he worked in the trenches of the real world of writers, editors, and publishers. He uses his extensive knowledge to help writers who still have a lot to learn, offering them critiques and line editing of their work.

This topic is really big right now. Any writer or reader familiar with books coming out these days has probably noticed a huge trend in shorter fiction. Short stories, novellas, even episodic or chapter-length works are releasing all of the time on Amazon and other book sellers. And it appears that there are two schools of thought in response.

One is comprised of a group of writers and readers who see no issues with shorter fiction. In fact, they encourage it! 

Writers enjoy publishing these works because they can write faster and move on to the next project on their ridiculously long to-do list. Not that writing such a story doesn't take a lot of plotting or research. Believe me, they still do. But, instead of cranking out a big novel every six months to a year, or longer, the turnaround time is a few weeks to, at most, a few months to completely polish one and have it ready for release. For some readers, they enjoy what the industry terms as an hour or "two hour fiction", a quick read on your Kindle while you're at the beach during your vacation, or when you finally get a moment alone at home. And I guess it depends on how fast you read too. LOL. A certain group of readers even enjoy the episodic, sort of Dickensian approach certain books are taking now.

There's nothing wrong with liking shorter fiction. Most writers who start out are practicing their skills by writing short stories. Even writing workshops or classes at universities usually will only expect a story turned in as the project because it's hard enough to write, but still deemed 'manageable' during the time that a semester runs. Only a Master's program would expect a full-length novel pitched as a dissertation. In some ways, shorter works are a tad easier to read or write because they just go faster. 

Why, I bet you've even seen more multi-author anthologies coming out these days. Writers will submit short stories to publishers for such anthologies. It's a good way to launch new authors before they come out with a larger piece, like a novel. A lot of seasoned authors, as well, are participating in charity anthologies. I know a few writers who enjoy a little break between their full-length novels, so they tackle shorter works during that time. I have submitted for several anthologies as well, and for those I've seen anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 words, but sometimes up to 10,000 word stories accepted. It probably depends on how many authors are involved.

So, let's talk length. I have included a few good diagrams and tips below depicting the range of length on shorter and longer fiction. This is just to give you an idea of the industry standards. Shorter fiction exists as well. I have seen writing contests for one-sentence or one-paragraph fiction. That is called micro fiction. Flash fiction, which is different, is about a page long, and will sometimes be termed 'short-short'.

"That's weird, Marie."

Maybe. But the writer who can accomplish it is quite talented. I don't think I'm brave enough to try it. I'll stick with works that are a bit longer, at least for now. 

As you can see, it's looking like they really can't decide what should be counted as a novel or a novella. And every publisher has different requirements.

There's nothing wrong with writing short fiction. Right? 

Well, it's a matter of opinion. In fact, there's also a group of readers (and writers, for that matter) who never bother with shorter works. Stories or novellas aren't long enough, they say. And in some circles, they feel that only longer fiction is "true fiction".

Everyone has the right to their preferences in books – genres or lengths – but I can't agree with the former assessment. Length doesn't affect quality in any way. As long as the writer develops the characters, gives enough description of the setting and such, moves the plot along and offers a satisfying conclusion, should it really matter if the work in question is a short story or a novel? Apparently, for some people, it does matter. But that's completely fine. We're all entitled to our own opinions.

So, what's my approach? As a writer, I try not to fuss over length while I'm focused on a project. When I'm editing, I can worry all I want about length. But, during the composition of a work-in-progress, the story stands on its own. For me, it's all about the characters and what makes them tick. It's about the story, what drives me to tell it. Where is the tale set? How can I flesh out a character or even a scene a little better so that a reader can "see it" in his or her mind? What's next in the story? How do I keep the action going? And how do I wrap it all up in the end? These are subconscious, and conscious, questions that, I think, most writers try to tackle. However, during the writing process, it's not about length for me. Do I celebrate milestones with word count? "I made it to 25,000 words!" "I reached 50,000 words today!" Yes, of course, I celebrate it. Every writer likes to make progress. 

But we shouldn't place a huge emphasis on word count or manuscript length during composition. Why? Because it can affect everything. I know one writer who can't finish more than one chapter because he's always asking, "But, how long should my book be?"

And that's a problem. It's possible that some writers need the aforementioned word count guidelines to give themselves a goal. However, it can be extremely limiting at the same time. My answer on how long it should be? The manuscript will be however long it is. If it ends up a short story, then so be it. A novella or novelette? Great! A full-length novel? Nothing wrong with that. It is what it is. By the time you're done writing and polishing, you have a finished product and, as a writer, you should be satisfied with the results. You have to love your story or book as much as your readers do. If you don't fall in love with your characters, if the story doesn't "compel" you, then you're in the wrong profession. 

Enjoy writing your manuscript and, I assure you, you'll get more out of it. AND you'll worry less about book length. Be concerned about word count when you're ready to tackle editing and about to research possible publishers to submit the book to, not BEFORE you start a project or while you're writing.

Remember when I said it will ruin everything if you're concerned with length? It's true. Because if you listen to those naysayers who feel your story isn't "true fiction" due to its length, then you have spoiled the joy of writing for yourself. And that assumption? That's all it is, just a belief, not fact. Don't let one opinion discourage you from writing. You can see more about this and other issues in my article, "Don't Limit Yourself", also on the Writing in the Modern Age blog, and you can learn about how to cope with such adverse opinions in my guest post on Penny Estelle's blog. It is titled "Fighting the Naysayers".  

There are plenty of readers who LOVE short fiction. Just out of curiosity, let's count some of the famous authors who became known by their shorter works: Aldous Huxley, Anton Chekhov, Dr. Seuss, Elizabeth Gaskell, Honoré de Balzac, Herman Melville, J.D. Salinger, Jack London, James Joyce, Joseph Conrad, Joyce Carol Oates, Jules Verne, Louisa May Alcott, Roald Dahl, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Washington Irving, Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Oscar Wilde, Franz Kafka, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens and so many more! Obviously, the word count snobs never thought of that one, did they? LOL. And it should be about what's inside the book, anyway. 

In the end, does book length really matter? Not really. The point is that you write your story or novel to the best of your ability, then you sit back and are proud of your work. And what is the second goal of writing? To reach readers who appreciate our stories, who 'see' our characters the way they were meant to be seen, of course. If in the process, you give someone a wonderful experience for an hour, two hours, a day or however long it takes to read the book, then I'd say you've done your job as a writer.

So, get out there, pick up a pen and your favorite journal, or set up your laptop, and start writing! After all, who's stopping you? No one. Just you, and I hope by the time you've read this article, you won't be stopping yourself either. Write that book to wherever it takes you. You won't be disappointed by the experience. I hope I've helped to shed some light on the question 'does size matter in books?'. 

Have a great week, everyone. And, as always, happy reading  :)

(Sources: Wikipedia, Writing-World.com, http://bit.ly/1MbdnSz, Better Storytelling,The Famous People.com, Ranker, Classic Shorts, Listverse)

I wanted to come in and talk about a specific topic. I get so many people, mostly aspiring writers, reaching out to me for advice and the one question I see the most is…

“What should I do next?”

In other words, the writers believe they have exhausted their options. Or maybe they simply haven’t read up on that particular subject. But, there is a moment, I think, in every writer’s career in which you don’t know what to do next, what steps to take. This is usually the moment I become a sponge; I try to absorb every article around and glean every tidbit I can from other writers who have been through the process.

Nothing…I repeat, nothing prepares you for the writing or publishing journey like making mistakes and learning from them. Is it a hard road? Definitely. Will I offer up some advice anyway? Of course. That’s what writing blogs are all about.

So, what am I really discussing today? Well, it’s that moment when you throw up your hands and ask yourself if the process is worth it. I’ll never encourage anyone to give up, but we all have to decide if we’re willing to put forth the effort. If you have the determination to keep going, then you can survive in this crazy business. And that’s not to say that all writers have to be published. Some are totally content with using writing as a hobby, and there’s nothing at all wrong with that. You should do what makes you happy, no matter what dream you have.

Let’s talk about writing for a minute, though. You’ve poured your heart out onto a manuscript, fallen in love with your characters (or maybe not in the case of non-fiction, but you at least believe in your subject) and made that story or novel the best you can. Do you do this for the joy of writing? Or because you want a quick path to money? Maybe you want more than anything to see your name in print or to see the proof of your work in the best form possible. A bookstore? An ebook?

So, what are your motivations? Figure that out first because this road isn’t easy and having that goal in mind will help you through so much. For myself, I do it because I love to write, because I can’t imagine doing anything else. Seeing my name in print? Well, that’s just a bonus. I don’t do it for money. If that was my real motivation, I think it would be an empty journey. But, I digress.

Writing should be a fun process. Is it full of work? Sure. Research is work. Though it’s fascinating, it can occasionally be hard to find the right information. And when you’re designing your story, it can be challenging if you encounter a character that is particularly difficult or a plot element that requires some finesse. Despite the random obstacles, you should love this process if you love writing at all.

I get questions related to writing such as “I have an idea for a story or book, but I don’t know what to do next. What do I do?” 

My advice? Write.   

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious, Marie.”  

Look, I know you think it’s a challenge because of all those articles out there telling you how to write a perfect scene or what words NOT to use. But, believe me, that is something you can worry about later. You think you have an idea for the next Great American novel? That’s wonderful! Stop talking about it and write. Even if you only write a paragraph or a chapter, you’ve made progress. You don’t have any time?  Believe me, I understand. We're all busy people. But, it is feasible. Read Matty Millard’s article on the Writing in the Modern Age blog here. He explains how you can fit writing into your crazy life. I’ve said it time and time again. The only person disappointed in the fact that you’re not writing is YOU. Well, unless you already have books out and then you’re just making your readers antsy too. LOL. 

But, if you’re an aspiring writer, all you have to do is try.  

There is no perfect way to start writing. If you have trouble getting there, maybe you need to break through that clutter in your brain.  

We carry so much responsibility, so much worry, so much junk in our heads that it’s sometimes necessary to bypass it. How do you break through that clutter? Try brainstorming or journaling. Or, just freewrite for ten minutes about whatever comes into your mind. Break through that block and get to the heart of what matters. Your story.  

Think all of that brainstorming/journaling/freewriting is useless? It’s not. Not really. I have written poems from entire passages when I went back and read them months later. I have started great stories based on one random line of text. Never think that any effort is stupid. It’s not. You just have to be open-minded enough to use what's there in front of you.  

So start writing. Get down a paragraph or a chapter. Too daunting? Even just a scene would be an excellent start. Maybe you know more about your characters than what’s going to happen in the story. Great! Do a character worksheet. Here are some good questions to answer. I did a guest blog post on it once. Any effort, even the smallest ones, will get you closer to the goal.

“What goal is that?” you ask. Well, in this case, it’s finishing that short story or book. Just write. You can worry about the technical stuff later.

“What should I do next?”

Yes, what do you do after your book is written? Do you look for a publisher? Nope. The real work begins now.

Become an editor. 

What? Isn’t that what editors are for?

Hmm…yes, in a way, but don’t be arrogant enough to think that someone else will do all the work for you. This is your story, which means the final call is yours now and you have to make the changes. When I say “become an editor”, you don’t have to go to school for it, by any means. By now, if you are a writer, maybe you’ve taken a Creative Writing class. And even if you haven’t, we’ve certainly had English classes in school, telling us the correct ways to use grammar.

Apply what you’ve learned. I imagine some of you get annoyed when you see a typo in the newspaper or even in a published book. Have you ever read something that didn’t sound quite right, but you weren't sure why? That was most likely awkward wording and it could have been improved. So, if any of this sounds familiar, you are quickly on your way to becoming a writer-editor. 

That’s not a word, Marie. 

Yes, I know. Thanks. Now I’m talking to myself, but I digress.

You need to be both writer and editor in this business. You MUST edit your own work. I recommend that you take a break from your manuscript for awhile, at least a couple of weeks or longer, before you try. If you do it sooner than that, you probably will overlook most errors because you’re way too close to the text. One method to brush up on your editing skills is to offer to become a beta reader or critique partner for another writer. You’ll see more glaring errors in someone else's work first. We are just naturally wired that way. In Creative Writing classes, workshops are done with this very idea in mind. It is also bad to start reading and bookmarking articles about how to edit your own work. I find C.S. Lakin (or Susanne Lakin) to be an invaluable resource in this regard. Subscribe to her blog/newsletter and you’ll get an email several times a week, or at least once a week. Subscribe to other blogs that provide this kind of help too. Ryan Lanz has some good tips, as does Now Novel, Crimson League, Write to Done and The Write Life.

Also, take some time to read books by other authors. Maybe that is just the key to stepping away from your own work for a bit. Pay attention to the story and the way it reads. It is always good to get an idea of voice and particular techniques other writers use. You may even find your internal editor waking up, ready to chomp at the bit. Enjoy the book, but also ask questions. “Why did this author decide to use first person point of view?” Or, “should the writer be switching point of view so much?” All good questions. (By the way, head-hopping is actually a bad thing.)

There are, of course, lots of story elements to wonder about. Examine techniques used, but don’t necessarily mimic them.  

You want to be true to yourself, but be open to fixing mistakes in your work. And prepare yourself. In the beginning, there will probably be a LOT of mistakes in your work. That’s normal. You’ll receive feedback from people and you’ll quickly see the merits of this system. After you’ve gained some much needed space from your manuscript, you can go back to it with an editor’s approach. If you have to, picture the editor on your shoulder as that stern teacher you had in grade school, the one that was willing to smack your knuckles with a ruler if you stepped out of line. Okay, maybe she wasn’t that bad, but we all had a pretty stern one.In any case, this perspective keeps you from straying too far away from editor mode. You may have moments in which you think, “Oh, that line is good! Did I really write that?” It might not happen often, but it could. Okay, bask in it for a moment, then move on. Don’t let yourself fall in love with the story as it is. Now is not the time. You need to look at the manuscript with an eagle eye.

I usually do three rounds of self-editing with some time between before I let anyone else look at my work. I don’t like to send out a total rough draft; that’s just me. But, it is courteous to get the major errors that you can find corrected before foisting your work on anyone else. And it will make you feel better about sending your work into the ether too.

Where do you find critique partners or beta readers? There are some groups on Yahoo!  There are also plenty of writer discussion groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where you can put out requests. Give a brief description of your work (blurb), the length and anything else you think they might need to know. Offer to proof or beta read someone else's work. People usually want something in exchange for their time. However, I have had just as many betas happy enough to read a new story. Writing classes are also great resources if you have the money. Most of the time, you won’t be able to offer an entire manuscript in those, but you can get part of it looked at. There are also some places out that help you find local writing groups.

After you have edited your work as much as you can and made the suggested corrections, I would recommend sending that final draft to a proofreader or professional editor. There will always be something you missed. Oh, one final thing. You are not going to agree with every suggestion from betas or critique partners. You will be asked to make drastic changes, and some might make you want to scream. If you come upon this dilemma, weigh the change carefully to see if it will really alter your story’s vision or not. Perhaps it will improve the manuscript. Who knows? Just keep an open mind.

So…

“What should I do next?”

What, you thought the real work was over? Nah. It gets more interesting. Now, you have to decide whether you’ll make a go of traditional publishing or opt for self-publishing. They are completely different animals. Maybe you want to try traditional and use self-publishing as back-up plan.  If you’re going to try traditional publishing, two invaluable resource are Authors Publish (they often email about noteworthy publishers) and QueryTracker (helps to track your query progress).  And if you’re going to self-publish, finding a great cover is key. I have seen some very affordable options on GoOnWrite. They offer pre-designed covers or premades. Of course, there are tons of other options on the internet, depending on the genre of your book. I have browsed for potential covers on SelfPub Book Covers and The Book Cover Designer. There are lots of others, complete with different price ranges. You can also go for a custom cover. I have used the remarkable talents of Sherry Soule at SwoonWorthy Book Covers several times. 

It’s likely I have confused you now. “What are you talking about, Marie? What are all these sites?” For more details about traditional and self-publishing, you can look at this article I did on Linda Lee Williams’ blog about the “big choice” and what to do in both cases. I would go into more detail here, but I am running out of time and space.  

I hope I have helped you cut through some of those “What should I do next?” questions. As always, happy writing and I’m so glad you got to visit the blog today!  :)

For Immediate Release…

Contact: Marla Sherman

query@emsapublishing.com

EMSA Publishing is an independent online publisher whose goal it is to facilitate new and established authors in having their novels published. We strive to publish page-turning works of fiction for up-and-coming authors to give them a stepping stone toward meeting their goal of becoming published and best-selling authors. Authors should either have an established online platform or be willing to create one and use it to promote their books.

EMSA Publishing offers eBook distribution and print-on-demand services. Authors who sign with us will receive editing services, a professionally designed cover, and marketing support for building and maintaining an on online presence including blog tours and reviews, web page creation, press releases and social media. The author pays nothing up front and receives a competitive royalty percentage payment.

Interested authors should send a cover letter with a brief synopsis and the first 20 pages of their manuscript in the body of an email to query @ emsapublishing.com Most genres are welcome. Please refer to our submission guidelines at http://emsapublishing.com/submissions/ for further details. 

On 19 June 15, the Ancient Origins website published an article by Mark Miller entitled "Ancient Greeks apparently feared zombies so much they weighed down the dead".  In his article, Miller says ancient inhabitants of the island of Sicily feared zombies so much they used large boulders to weigh down the bodies of the newly buried dead. This, apparently, was the result of the fear of revenants held by the Ancient Greeks. Miller defines revenants as existing in a state between life and death, in which the undead would be able to "ris[e] from their graves to haunt the living."

Both Miller and an article published by Richard Gray on Mail Online quote heavily from a Popular Archaeology article which confirms that "necrophobia, or fear of the dead…has been present in Greek culture from the Neolithic period to the present."   These articles are the result of the excavation of a site in Sicily yielding close to 3,000 bodies. Two of the burials found were covered with heavy amphora fragments and rocks, presumably "to trap [the bodies] in the grave."

To read the full article, please visit http://eliseabram.com/revenants-are-real/

**image from: http://goo.gl/OW5oPG

Announcing EMSA Publishing’s very first ever Fabulous First Lines Competition!

The first line of a novel is incredibly important in that it sets the tone of a novel, establishes point of view, and hooks the reader. Here’s your chance to see how your novel’s first line stacks up.

The Rules:

• The Fabulous First Lines Competition will be open to thirty (30) self-published and indie-published authors.
• The competition will run throughout the month of August 2015 as follows:
  • August 2 – 8 => voting will take place for the first group of 10 authors
  • August 9 – 15 => voting will take place for the second group of 10 authors
  • August 16 – 22 => voting will take place for the third group of 10 authors
  • August 21 – 29 => voting will take place for the top three winners from each week, with a winner being declared on 30 August 2015
• The prizes:
  • bragging rights
  • a badge you can proudly display on your website
  • your book featured on EMSA Publishing’s homepage slider for the month of September 2015
  • posts to social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Storify) directing readers to a blog post featuring your novel’s cover, book blurb, and author bio

For more information, visit the Fabulous First Lines Competition page.

What is writing fiction all about? If you're an author, ask yourself this question. It's important, and here's why. You have to make a decision about why you write. If you write to make a big splash on the literary ocean, then that's the wrong reason. If you write because you believe what you have to say is important, then that's the wrong reasonburning_book. If you write because the story is everything, then you're writing for the right reason.

Some of you are sitting out there scratching your head and saying, "Hey, my story is important and it will set the world on fire." You could be right, and your story might be one that will ignite change and raze the world. But could someone else tell the same story, and do it better? If you answer yes, then you are writing for the right reasons. Why? The story is everything.

Some of you are still sitting out there and scratching your head saying, "That's your opinion." Well, yes, and no. It is my opinion, but it is also the opinion of many of our illustrious predecessors in the craft. They wrote because they had to write. They had to get the story out. It was building inside of them and unless they wrote it down, they would burst. Dostoevsky couldn't write unless he had an idea behind it. Meaning had more importance than just telling a story. Others, like Conrad and Dickens felt the same way. The story didn't take on significance to them unless it had meaning, an underlying idea that would give their story life.

It isn't enough to tell a story about boy meets girl, boy loses girl, then boy and girl unite. I've read many number of stories that are about that simplistic. Throw in a vampire, or put these people on another planet, throw in some sex to make it erotica, or have them chase a killer and you have a story filled with action, but it's empty. What made Dickens great is that he cared about the society he lived in. He saw things around him that needed to be told, that needed to be corrected. He could have written dozens of non fiction books about the differing classes in British society, and how they didn't address poverty or child labor, or how the weak are preyed upon by the unscrupulous and those obsessed with making money. He did it within his timeless tales. Those ideas were all there and he addressed them brilliantly. Dostoevsky wanted to discuss the criminal class in Crime and Punishment, but more importantly, he wanted all of us to know how many people are affected by a murder, how the criminal class thinks, and to discuss the conscience of man.

Once upon a time, people read a book and discussed it in the marketplace, just like

people talk about television shows today. TV is weak and filled with scandal and stupidity. Books spur a deep conversation, connect us, create empathy for our fellow man. American Idol doesn't. Shows like Scandal diminish us, they don't spark conversation about ideas, just salacious gossip. Authors wrote about ideas within a story. The story was everything, and that is why their books last, are continually read by generation after generation. They are not sterile, or bereft of meaning, they make us think.

Over the past few years, I've listened to many authors talking about their writing, and have read their interview on the many blogs out there about books and authors. The writers all say they enjoy telling a story, or God wanted them to write, or friends and family encouraged them because they said they have talent, etcetera. Out of all the thousands of authors interviewed out there, the reasons are surprisingly the same.

Where it gets sticky, and the reasons once professed start to change dramatically, is when you get into a fight over the author's ability to tell a good story outside the fantasy land of friends and family encouragement. I'm talking about the writer who starts butting heads against the real world of publishing. Any good editor or reviewer will tell you about those authors, the ones who use the cheesy cheap vanity presses, or Smashwords and other sites like those to put an Ebook on Amazon. You know, the self-publishing world. The truth emerges, and it ain't pretty. It doesn't have anything to do with God, or that they can humbly enjoy fashioning a good yarn. No. It becomes, "I'm good, and I know it."

Writing fiction to those authors is all about them. It's not about the story. But they're wrong, and here's why. As writers we have a responsibility to write with clarity and truth, and as Vonnegut says, to pity the readers and say what you mean. Even if you're writing about a vampire, or another world, authors still have a responsibility to follow that line of truth. My stories are not about me. And they should never be about me. It's the story that's important. I want to make you think, and to wrap it up within a story. Even if you can't remember my name, it's my fervent desire to help you remember the story. The story is everything.

When I work with my editor I'll even pause and ask her what she thinks is true to the story, to the characters. I listen to her advice and think hard about what she says. I have to leave the role of writer for a moment to see if the story is working. For those who hang on to their prose as if it's an organ you're trying to surgically remove, it can never be about the story. This is a little something to think about over the weekend. Ask yourself the question and see what you really answer, what lies in your heart. If your story is everything, then you might be a teller of tales that will last beyond your life and change the world, if only a little bit, like one person at a time.
http://www.jvause.wordpress.com

    Our overriding job as fiction authors is to entertain our readers.  They buy our books not to be impressed, awed or confused but rather to be entertained. Here are some do's and don'ts that I think we need to pay attention to.

    (1) Unpronounceable Names. Some authors give characters unpronounceable names. Bad idea. Most readers subvocalize so words that are difficult to pronounce usually get skipped over. If the reader skips over a character's unpronounceable name they will find it difficult to follow the story. Calling a character d'Aczrgueith instead of Azerg is an unnecessary obstacle to the reader being able to enjoy your book.

    (2) Complicated Names. In science fiction, writers sometimes think they are being clever to invent an entire naming scheme. They decide that male aliens will be named d'Aczrgueith A XXXXXX and female aliens will be named d'Aczrgueith K XXXXXX then they give you a cast of characters with names like d'Aczrgueith A Fuirnbz, d'Aczrgueith A Kertnm, and d'Aczrgueith K Szrmnof. This is another example of the "See how clever I am that I was able to think up all this stuff" syndrome. We are not writing a novel to prove to readers how clever we are.

    (3) Similar Names. It's our job to make it easy for readers to keep our characters straight. If you have one potential love interest named Rachael then don't name another potential love interest named Rhonda. If you have a major character named Carlson don't have another one named Cartman. If the hero is Steve Fisher then make the hero's boss Walter Tallman and his best friend Ralph Amoroso and the villain Eric Ames. Keep both the character's first and last names very different.

    (4) Odd Units of Measurement. Another aspect of the "See how clever I am" syndrome is the science fiction writer's temptation to create completely new units of measurement. "The ship was a small freighter, only 132 irals long." Does that convey any information whatsoever to the reader? No. Should we expect our readers to turn to a glossary in the back of the book to learn that an iral is equal to 2.439 meters and then get out their calculators to translate 132 irals into meters or, heaven forbid, from irals to meters to feet in order to understand our story? No.

    Yes, it's likely that aliens will not use feet, meters, pounds, kilos etc. but aliens are not reading our books. People who do use feet, meters, pounds and kilos are reading our books and therefore we need to use units of measurement that are understandable to those readers.

    If you had written a novel about an OSS agent working behind the German lines in WW II your book would still be in English even though real people in that situation would have been speaking German. Do the same automatic translation for your readers for aliens' units of measurement.

    When I was very young I read a comic book where Donald Duck somehow ended up in a jungle in South America where he was confronted by a lost tribe of natives. The balloon above the tribal chief's head said something like, "Why have you come here?*" and at the bottom of the page was a footnote: "*We have translated all conversations from Sumapti to English for the convenience of your readers."

    We need to be equally considerate for our readers.

    (5) Clarity In Time And Place. If a story takes place in multiple locations and at multiple times we need to make the time and place of each incident clear to the reader. One way to do that is with a specific time and place designation.

    "Chapter One – January 27, 1945, Hitler's Bunker, Berlin." "Chapter Two – March 1948, Zurich." This works but it can be inconvenient for the reader because he/she may have to flip back and forth between chapters in order to keep things straight. If possible, use comparative times: "Chapter One – Hitler's Bunker, Berlin." "Chapter Two – Two Years later, Zurich." "Chapter Three – Present Day – Washington D.C."

    These may seem like mundane issues but they make a big difference in the reader's comprehension of and therefore his/her enjoyment of our work.

My website: http://www.davidgraceauthor.com
My latest book is Death Never Lies – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NLTBMSQ

    –David Grace

I specialize in crime fiction and I've written over fifteen novels. Several of my short stories have been published in national magazines. You can check me out at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/davidgrace

Britbear’s Book Reviews is thrilled to feature fellow Black Rose Writing author, Mary Ellen Bramwell in today’s author interview.

When Brea Cass, a young mother, is awakened in the night by the news that her loving husband, Paul, has been shot during a robbery, she is stunned.  Arriving at the hospital to discover he has died shakes her whole world.  When she finally emerges from the fog of her life, it dawns on her that something is amiss in the way her husband died.  What was really going on?

As Brea searches for answers, she discovers things she never knew, things she’s not sure she wants to know.  Delving into the mysteries that surround her brings several questions to the forefront of Brea’s thoughts.  Can I move forward despite heartache?  Am I loved?  Is someone who has made mistakes redeemable?

To read the interview, please go to http://eliseabram.com/britbear/?p=270.

Are you an author or blogger who would you like to be featured in an author spotlight with a guest post, author interview, excerpt and/or cover reveal, contact me at britbear@eliseabram.com

Let us embark on a journey together. I am pursuing my dream of becoming a famous author. Follow with what I post here on the internet and support my efforts in whatever way suits you, such as buy and read my books, or if you are in Portland Oregon, attend some of my events. In return, I will provide you with novels to entertain, move, stir you up, and inspire you. At the events we will have conversations that may do the same. On this journey, you will discover new ways to see the world and new openings for action you may not have thought possible. I am about people having their dreams come true, like the characters in my novels. Wouldn't you love to see someone fulfill his or her dearest dream for a change, and without selling out?

We can still dream about what is possible for us as we did when we were children. Kids dream of things to do with their lives without the aid of experience (say, the past) to teach them they could not do it. As a child, did you dream of being a great actress, a firefighter, a ballet dancer, a jet fighter pilot, a doctor, an astronaut? Are you like me and have a dream you would love to pursue, but it occurs to you at this moment as inaccessible due to the demands life puts upon you?

For me story is paramount. I say story is what gives us humans our reality. We think and speak in terms of stories—it's all stories, and we make it up. We all have where we stand, our viewpoints, or frame of reference and none of us has a privileged frame of reference. The story I have created for my life and the world is that as a famous author I will assist my beloved human race becoming interstellar explorers; beings who other races welcome, because we take care of ourselves and where we live. We will become inquirers and explorers, rather than agents for rich people bent on getting richer.

How you really embark on this journey is not by just following what I'm up to, but by assisting me in this dream, there are a number of ways: one of the first is to visit my website, if you're not already there; buy a book (reading one would help too), subscribe to my newsletter, or even buy some novel merchandise and if you're in the Portland area (Oregon that is) keep an eye out for upcoming author events that include yours truly. Two novels are available through Lulu.com, Mermaid Song, and Chrysalis as eBooks, paperbacks, and first edition hardcovers. Two more novels are in the works, Verdigris and Sweet Dreams of Flying Machines. An interesting part of this is, once you assist with the dream, you are the dream itself. Think about that a bit.

A little about what I write. In my science fiction novels, you will discover that my stories are about people who transform their lives in one way or another. These are not nice stories, they are not a quick read, they may be a bit demanding of your emotional involvement, stir you up, have you be uncomfortable sometimes. I have little doubt that with their adventure, romance, mystery, and violence, my stories will entertain you. They are not safe stories to read, but ritual journeys to take where you may not be the same person as when you started.

Much more to come.

To my characters in Against Their Will, family is important in different ways. Not only are the relationships that are typically formed between family members an important part of what the characters do and experience, but the genetic map they carry also has implications that not many people take time to consider. But genetic composition as well as relationships are two foundations on which families are built.

I attended a family reunion today. I really enjoy getting together with this group of people from my mother’s father’s family. We have much in common; we laugh, we catch up and we joke about the changes in our lives, mostly on how we’re getting old way too fast! It occurred to me, however, that family really does influence our lives and having one is not something to take for granted. While we are all born of biological parents, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we automatically have a family. Deaths occur, marriages never happen or are dissolved, children are abandoned or adopted. Many things happen in life that disrupt the flow of life via the biological family. Even non-biological families can suffer from dysfunction, or can thrive through good relationships. It is a sense of belonging to another, however, that drives so many on a quest for family in one way or another.

Lack of family is what drives Lynn McCaine in Against Their Will. As we meet her in the opening of the story, she is distraught over things she has learned about her family. She is frantic to return to the only family she knows at the time, her cat. Her search for family is a driving force motivating her to set out on a quest for knowledge. That quest costs more than her life.

Matt Grayson has a loving family. And, he is blessed to be able to appreciate them in the present. Like most of us, he takes them for granted from time to time. But, when it’s crunch time, they are there for him and him for them.

While family is an underlying theme in Against Their Will, a parallel theme is that of being there for and supporting others in our lives. When Matt and Lynn’s ill fated flight ends in flames in East Texas, Matt Grayson doesn’t stop to think about any danger he may be in, or the non-existence of a relationship with the woman in the seat beside him with violet eyes and independent hair. He is focused on one thing, making sure he gets her out alive. Why would a stranger do something like that?

How many of us would do the same? Why would we? What’s in it for us? What drives Matt to do what he does?

Against Their Will by Nancy Livingstone

*Not for the faint of heart*

 Sharon’s life was at its fullest or so it seemed. She had one of the best paying jobs, a high flyer; climbing the career ladder at a pace most people could only imagine. Blessed with toys typical of the fast-paced life, state of the art automobiles, jetting from one city to another on vacation, and been courted by the most eligible bachelor at work. What more can a girl possibly ask for?

 This was Sharon’s life until a sleeping beast from the past rose and dealt her an eternal wound. Would she recover from it?

Left alone by family and friends, she turned to the one who has the answers to the questions of life. A Rough Diamond portrays the frailty of human affections in the face of adversity, Sharon’s emotional battles with God who she held responsible for her woes and the strength that came when she decided to put her faith in an invisible God.

In this story, we will get to see that death is not the end of human existence; it is only a door to eternity.

From this classic piece, we will see how a life can be beautifully remolded and transformed by tragedy; how good can spin out of a tragic event and how the human spirit through faith in God can rise above every conceivable challenge of life.

Emotional, gripping and deeply moving, this is a book that will hold, possess and remain with you forever.

 Hello,

 My novel The Tragedy of Fidel Castro, published by River Grove Books  was chosen the third best translation published in America in 2013 by the literary magazine ForewordReviews. https://botya.forewordreviews.com/books/the-tragedy-of-fidel-castro/ 

Please see some reviews:

Waking Up Dead is a paranormal mystery novel that follows the quest of a ghost to solve the crime of another murder victim.

LOUISVILLE, KY., Oct. 9, 2013 -- Author Margo Bond Collins is proud to announce the recent release of her novel Waking Up Dead. Waking Up Dead is a paranormal mystery novel that follows the quest of a ghost to solve the crime of another murder victim. The compelling book trailer for Waking Up Dead was revealed today on DGT Book Promotion news. In addition, Margo Bond Collins shared an insightful interview this week on the Reading and Writing Addiction blog about herself and the release of Waking Up Dead. Margo’s interview can be read at www.readinwritin.blogspot.com and the official Waking Up Dead trailer can be viewed on YouTube.

About The Book

When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead, she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex. Now she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up in Alabama?

Praise for Waking Up Dead

Waking Up Dead is “A definite winner! One of the best paranormal mysteries I’ve read! ” – A readers review.

About the Author

Margo Bond Collins lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter and several spoiled cats. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters. The paranormal mystery Waking Up Dead is her first novel; her second, Legally Undead, is an urban fantasy due out from World Weaver Press in 2014.

Waking Up Dead is available at Amazon.com. To learn more about Margo Bond Collins and Waking Up Dead, visit www.MargoBondCollins.com.

Affordable book promotion for authors with DGT Book Promotions

Often there are many acquaintances and family members that don't know our struggle. Some have given advice that fits their life but would not resolve our issues or assist our needs. There are those who are guilty, for they have compounded our lives with their problems and increased our stress, purposely. Often we want to say something but find it won't change a thing. We seek a break.........

Janet Robinson is a character facing crossroads in her life. She needs a break. Her use of prescribed medication has landed her in the hospital and her circumstances have now mounted.

Read the novel, you may recognize a story that touches those you love....... finding internal strengths is the path to healing......

GET YOUR COPY TODAY........ AVAILABLE IN ALL E-READER FORMATS
www.ipendesigns.net or here on facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/IPenBooksNanetteBuchanan?ref=ts&fref=ts

On effective writing

What’s your best chance of surviving as a freelance writer? Before answering this, let us tie this question up with the time and space in which we live. In the present world, earning money from writing words is one of the most difficult jobs. That is what makes at least some of us wish, if we could live in the 19^th century when you didn’t have such competition.

Don’t click the corner button please; I know the reason why you went through the first paragraph. The reason is the same as that which spurred me to write these very words.

If you are a beginner, let me make myself clear—my intention is not to put you off from your writing dream. On the other hand, I am trying to address an issue, which due to its wild impact, remains unspoken-about in any writing class or book or web page about writing.

In my opinion, the question of survival is not a negative one at all. Just like a river that detours around any obstruction and finds for itself a new shore and a whole lot of life forms along those shores, the concomitant of being a writer is to find new paths and create new shores. If you understood my stand about the question of survival, you would also have understood the question being transformed into a sign, a sign that calls upon the need for a vital detour.

Inevitably, a writer would be forced to choose or create a niche for him or her under such concern for survival; what I mean is, being genre specific. Most of them, dreaming about a literary grandeur, might want their profiles full of academic writings, in which the writer proclaims his independence from the readers. This style, which is jargonistic and dull, often drives readers away from spending their money, especially for a new writer.

On the other hand, if the writer becomes reader specific, he or she can find a space better accessible.

This detour also leads some writers to dedicate themselves in areas where they are good at or they actually find their love in. This helps in your maturation as a writer. For those who think popular literature or writings that are made for the common people second grade writing, I have only one thing to say, great books are never away from people and so are great writers. However difficult the concurrent situation is, even if we all wish to be Charles Dickens or Stephen King, the ultimate question is always the same; how committed are you to your work?

Recently, one of my friends, an aspiring writer, emailed me a You Tube video link, an interview of John Irving, in which Irving says if he were a writer of 27 starting off his career NOW, he would have been tempted to shoot himself.

I asked my friend dejected; what are you planning to do with your life now?

He had a smile and said; I posted this video on my Facebook wall and sent it to many debuting writers too. It sure will thin out much of my competition!

He meant that the love for his craft is total and blind and that he would never quit.

For MORE: http://anu-lal.blogspot.in/2013/07/is-your-love-blind.html

From my WordPress blog https://michellespaul.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/fair-trade-kenyan-green-beans-net-good-thing/

Mavis the Fat Fairy asked:

“Always intrigued about fair trade green beans from Kenya. The fact that they are flown in from Kenya scores negative points for environmental impact. But they are fair trade, so doesn’t that mean I should support them, and encourage more fair trade in supermarkets, but what if land is given over for fair trade cash crops that should be used for more sustainable farming….So fair trade Kenyan green beans, are they a net good thing or not?”

Not just yummy, Green Beans are one of your five a day
Photo used with permission by Samuel Cheney (Via morgueFile)

The straight forward answer is – it is a personal choice, depending on what is important to you; so consider these four factors and work out the net ‘goodness’ from your own perspective.

• Carbon aka climate change
• Development
• Water
• Fair Trade

Go straight to the summary

Or to have your question answered go to ‘What should I write about‘.

Carbon aka climate change

(Note I will use Carbon to mean Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Dioxide Equivalents, as it is easier on the eyes)

Yes, flying beans from Kenya creates a lot of Carbon and if carbon impact was as simple as food miles then Carbon would be a clear negative for imported green beans.  But, the food miles debate is one-sided and distorts our understanding of Carbon impact, it is now largely discounted (did you know it was initially promoted in the UK through a campaign by the Farmer’s Weekly magazine?).  It is not enough to consider how far food has travelled because food production in the UK, indeed all Western nations, is Carbon intensive.

The Kenyan flag
Via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

The Carbon arguments for food imports from developing nations

In the West we use oil powered equipment vs In Africa most farms depend on manual labour

In the West we use hydrocarbon based fertilisers vs In Africa most farmers use the free fertiliser produced by cows (both produce Nitrous Oxide which is about 300 more powerful than CO₂ as a greenhouse gas, but the cows were doing that anyway)

In the West ‘out of season’ foods are grown in heated greenhouses vs In Africa the sun is enough

In the West growing seasons are prolonged with the use of polytunnels vs In Africa the sun is enough

The Carbon arguments against food imports from developing nations

In the West crop yields are three to four times greater than in Africa

Airfreight is sometimes in the ‘belly’ of passenger planes, thus reducing the cost of, and encouraging more, flights

Can we be more scientific about this?

To be scientific we need to compare the Carbon produced by both the UK and Kenyan supply chains, but this is difficult for two reasons, so even though I provide a number here, you might choose to take it with a pinch of salt.

• When calculating Carbon we have to decide how to manage the data.  In the Netherlands two studies using the same data about importing flowers from Africa drew opposing conclusions because they used the data differently.
• In his book ‘How Bad are Bananas’ Mike Berners-Lee discusses when to stop attributing Carbon to individual items, in his example he asks whether to add the Carbon produced in the manufacture of the paper clips used in an office, to the Carbon calculation for the output of a factory.  In the case of Green Beans we could debate endlessly whether to include the personal carbon footprint of the farmer.

The energy required to grow, package and transport Green Beans – UK vs Kenya

In 2011 PIP, a European forum, issued a report about Food Miles, Carbon and African Horticulture, this report shows that 59 MJ more energy is used to produce Kenyan Green Beans than UK Green Beans.  This is equal to 12 Kg of Carbon per Kg of Kenyan Green Beans.  As mentioned earlier, you might disagree with some of the assumptions made and want to take other factors into consideration.

It is worth noting that for other food stuffs the Carbon arguments are different, for example apples in cold storage in the UK create more Carbon emissions than apples flown from New Zealand.

Air Freighter
Via Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons

Other Carbon thoughts

Carbon trading; in Africa the average Carbon emission per person is 1/30 of that in the UK.  In a Carbon trading scheme – if all else remains equal – Africa could trade the Carbon emissions of flying food to Europe and still produce less Carbon per person than the amount that damages the environment.

There are many other ways of reducing your Carbon foot print which are much more effective than avoiding Kenyan Green Beans, here are a few examples*:

• In 1996 agriculture bought 0.1% of airfreight capacity – banking and finance bought 157 times as much – ask your bank what they are doing about airfreight
• A kilogram of beef releases 36.4Kg  of carbon - eat less meat
• Flying to Barcelona from London releases the same Carbon as 420 packets of Green Beans (250g), flying to New York from Liverpool uses the energy that could fly 1,200 packets of Green Beans – fly less
• The Carbon released by one packet of Beans will fuel 12 school runs – pool with other parents or educate your children nearer to home
• Driving 6.5 miles to the supermarket emits more CO₂ than airfreighting one bag of beans from Kenya – car share or buy on-line
• According to the World Bank flying in 1^st class has three times the Carbon emissions of Business, which in turn has three times the emissions of economy – if you have to fly, fly in economy
• Sea freight uses much less energy than air freight, but vegetables are refrigerated and will still not be as ‘fresh’ when they arrive (it was never going to be an easy choice)

*All these numbers and their sources can be found in the links throughout this article or in the additional reading below

Structural diagram of Carbon Dioxide
Via Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons

Development

The UK has a policy of trade not aid, when you read stories about the way that aid is sometimes spent irresponsibly or stolen this seems like a logical approach.  Countries like Kenya welcome trade and, unlike aid, the money paid for Green Beans goes directly to the farmer.  Once farmers take on an export licence they start to buy their own food from other farmers.  Taken positively this ensures that money trickles down the community; from a negative perspective farmers are forced to displace subsistence crops for cash crops.  Both arguments are valid, though the latter is mitigated by Fair Trade.

Another positive for development is that farmers are encouraged to find better ways of producing food from their land.  The exporting farmers share the techniques and skills developed to grow Green Beans with other farmers and use the same skills to improve farming for other crops.  Our demands for static, if not reducing, food prices produce the downside of development.  To reduce transaction costs some Western buyers of food promote the development of ‘Industrial Estate’ farming, this disengages small farmers from the market (and increases Carbon).

Water

The UK uses 189 million litres of African Water to get its out of season vegetables.  Given the impact of lack of water and poor sanitation has on people in all developing nations, it would seem that a good way to balance our use of their water would be to support one of the many charities that are seeking to make sure that everyone in the world has access to clean water – for example WaterAid or Toilet Twinning

Irrigation – the primary use of water in agriculture
Via WikiMedia Commons, public domain

Fair Trade

The Swedish Fair Trade logo
Via WikiMedia Commons, Public Domain

In Mavis’ question she asked if land was being given over to cash crops that should be used for sustainable farming.  Cash crops are those grown only for sale and in many developing countries the allure of cash crops has resulted in subsistence farmers relying on the income.  When the income fails people can lose their land and could starve.  At the same time cash crops are necessary to buy goods, services (eg health care) and education.  Fair Trade was founded to counter balance the potential for harm that comes from cash crops – in the words of the Fair Trade Foundation (UK).

“Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.”

Malawian farmers can be seen here talking about the impact of Fair Trade on their lives and communities.

While Fair Trade doesn’t impact the carbon effects of flying food from Africa, it does make sure that the positive benefits of trade are genuinely delivered, including environmental benefits.  It is worth noting that many farmers involved in Fair Trade comment on the improved availability of water and sanitation.

In summary

Carbon aka climate change impact

• Negative, seek to reduce your footprint elsewhere to balance this factor

Development

• Positive, will definitely remain so for Fair Trade farmers

Water

• Negative, offset by supporting a water charity

Fair Trade

• Positive, if the Green Beans are Fair Trade you are genuinely supporting development for small farmers and their communities, if not you are dependent on supermarkets to trade ethically.
  • Which is the most ethical supermarket
  • The role of supermarkets in Ethical food production

If you have a burning question and not enough time to find the answer, post your question here ‘What should I write about‘.

Additional reading

The Independent newspaper reports Kenyan Green Beans arriving in UK supermarkets for the first time

Waitrose and PIP show the source of the food on Waitrose shelves

A handy Carbon equivalents calculator – limited input units

Convert energy units into kilowatt hours so that you can use the calculator above

Pictures from WikiMedia Commons and morgueFile

By the way, this is what the Fair Trade foundation says about local vs Fair Trade

“Some people say ‘buy local’ rather than ‘buy Fairtrade’. What is the Fairtrade Foundation’s response?

The Fairtrade Foundation recognises that many farmers in the UK face similar issues to farmers elsewhere, not least ensuring that they get a decent return for upholding decent social and environmental standards in their production. We therefore support the promotion of sustainable production for UK farmers but our specific role will continue to be supporting farmers from the developing world.

Fairtrade isn’t in competition with UK farmers and the purchase of locally produced and Fairtrade products are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Fairtrade focuses by and large on tropical agricultural products such as coffee and bananas that can’t be grown in temperate climates or products that can’t be grown in sufficient quantities in the EU e.g. grapes and oranges. For some items such as honey and flowers, local supply is not able to meet the total demand – it has been estimated that both UK flowers and honey account for less than one-third of the UK market – and so imports are necessary to keep up with consumers’ shopping preferences. Other products, such as apples, are seasonal in both the UK and places like South Africa, and for as long as shoppers want to buy apples out of season, there is a demand for fruit from other countries. Often the choice facing shoppers is not necessarily between local honey and Fairtrade certified honey but between Fairtrade honey and conventional honey imported from, say, the US or China. It is up to each person to weigh up these choices and shop accordingly.

Ultimately, it is up to each person to do what they see as being in the interests of people and the planet. What is important is that we all try to make informed choices wherever possible. The Fairtrade Foundation is committed to raising awareness of ways in which buying products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark is empowering and strengthening the future for disadvantaged producers in developing countries.”

If you have a burning question and not enough time to find the answer, post your question here ‘What should I write about‘.

I have joined today: a few hours ago. I have written eight eBooks and would like to invite member friends to download them free. They are available at Smashwords, Amazon, B&N, Obooko, Lulu.com and a few others. The titles are:

1. The Honey Gatherer - a story set in the deep jungles bordering India and Nepal

2. Aroma Of Orange Pekoe - Snippets and musings spanning the life of Tea & Coffee planters in India & PNG.

3. Laugh Like A Dog - The daughter of a rich Hindu industrialist elopes and marries a poor Anglo Indian boy.

4. To Sweeten Boredom - thirteen gripping short stories to keep you riveted.

5. Episodes Of Ecstasy - Thirteen more unput-downable stories.

6. A Compilation Of Short Stories

7. Travails Of Innocence - A story from rural India of love, God-women, teen pregnancy, honor killing, etc.

8. She Shed A Tear - Love between a Hindu boy and a Muslim woman and its crashing consequences. 

Assigned to rescue a vampire kidnapped by humans determined to exterminate them, a weredragon Enforcer falls in love. Will betrayal keep them apart?

Can the pursuit of true love overcome the fear of society’s rejection and exile? Vampire Jaden Beayer thinks so. When she is kidnapped and tortured by humans, her government sends weredragon Enforcer Kiellen Henley to find her. After her recovery, Jaden convinces Kiellen to help her track down the humans responsible for her torture and exact revenge on them. The problem is, Jaden feels Kiellen is the missing ingredient for her complete recovery. Kiellen believes she has mistaken gratitude for attraction, and despite his overpowering need, he rejects her attempts at seduction.

As they face violence and betrayal from unexpected sources, Jaden’s quest for revenge becomes one for justice. Kiellen’s resistance evolves into acceptance and love. Jaden wants forever with Kiellen, but he’s realistic. They simply can’t be together because they are enemies. Weredragons and vampires have always been at war, and a relationship between Kiellen and Jaden could even endanger the fragile centuries-long truce.

When Jaden is finally safe and Kiellen’s name has been cleared, Kiellen says goodbye, leaving Jaden devastated and himself dangerously heart broken. Will Jaden ever be able to help Kiellen overcome his fears of prejudice and exile, and fulfill their love, making her his forever? Or will their love spark open warfare and send them both to the death penalty?

The Background:

Today's weredragons are the modern descendants of an alien species that arrived on Earth during the infancy of humankind. These highly intelligent reptiles, with their technological advances, considered themselves THE Apex predator. Humans weren't their preferred prey, being considered unpalatable and too much trouble for too little reward, even if they were the most intelligent, adaptable prey on the planet.

When dragons discovered vampires preying on humans, they couldn't allow the challenge to their superiority go unmet. A long and bloody war erupted between the two predator species, but the war only served to keep both populations under control.

Dragons adapted their chameleon-like ability to take the shapes of other life forms and learned to shape shift into human bodies. The skill allowed dragons to live secretly among humans like the vampires did, but didn't give them a real advantage in the war.

As human populations increased and became organized, they started to hunt dragons and vampires. Most dragons lived the majority of their lives in human form and eventually lost the ability to take on other forms. Around the same time, they began calling themselves 'weredragons' in an attempt to alleviate the brutal, predatory image humans held of them.

Today, vampires and weredragons are still enemies, but a long-term truce is in effect, enforced by the Inter Racial Council. Both continue to live secretly among humans, and only rarely cross paths.

Here's a little taste of SAFE HEART to whet your appetite:

* Warning: Adult language and sexual situation*

Kiellen waited until she turned away, then closed the door softly and turned the locks. Jaden’s heart caught in her throat as he turned toward her and leaned his shoulders against the doors. The low lighting set off his rugged handsomeness. His sensual lips tipped into a small smile and now-familiar heat pooled in her belly.

“You were jealous.” His eyes glinted as he started unbuttoning his shirt.

Jaden’s throat went dry as the firm skin of his chest came into view slowly, tantalizingly. “I was.” Then his shirt was open all the way, exposing hard pecs and abs. The little line of hair below his navel disappeared into the waistband of his pants. She swallowed hard. “I don’t share.” The words were out before she could stop them, revealing a possessiveness she hadn’t been aware of before. Something had changed.

He slipped the shirt off his shoulders and let it drop to the floor. “Why won’t you share me?” His voice was gravelly, thicker than usual.

Her heart pounded. She licked her lips. Stared at his chest. “You’re mine.” Her voice stayed so low she could barely hear it, the words involuntary, dragged from her being by some unseen force.

He moved and her eyes flicked back up to meet his. He crossed the room in three long steps and stopped before her. He just stood there, looking at her, his breath harsh. He raised his hands slowly and grasped her shoulders with a crushing grip.

Jaden stared at his mouth, his lips parted temptingly. Her body ached to be crushed to his. She strained toward him.

“Do you mean that?” His voice was a low growl, raising gooseflesh on her skin.

She couldn’t tell if he wanted her to mean it or not, or even if she did mean it. Thoughts raced frantically through her mind as she tried to decide how to answer. Then that moment in the car where he’d told her she was someone special came back to her.

“Yes.” Her heart lodged in her throat for a different reason. What if he didn’t want to be hers? She licked her lips again, staring at him, trying to read him.

His mouth softened and his grip on her shoulders eased. Gently, he drew her closer as he lowered his head. “Mine,” he breathed when his lips met hers. Jaden melted into him as his mouth played across hers, teasing. He buried his hand in her hair and tilted her head just so to give him better access to her mouth. His tongue teased at her lips, seeking entrance.

Jaden felt him smile against her mouth as she parted her lips. She had her answer. He wanted to be hers, at least for a time. His other hand smoothed down her back, over her butt, guiding her even closer to him. The closer contact brought the ridge of his erection against her. She moved slightly, rubbing against it.

He growled into her mouth, then pulled her shirt free of her waistband. She dropped her hands to his, stilling them from working at her buttons. “This is a good shirt. I don’t want it torn, and the buttons are decorative.” She didn’t give a damn about the shirt. What she wanted was to tease him a little.

He drew back, watching as she lifted the hem with shaking hands. When the shirt slid to the floor he drew his breath in a rush. Meeting his eyes, she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra and let it fall. It wasn’t like he’d never seen her naked, never made love to her, never licked every inch of her skin. That didn’t stop her from trembling from nervous anticipation. Everything felt new and special, like a momentous occasion.

Kiellen reached for her, settling his hands on her waist. His fingers burned against her skin. His hands weren’t perfectly steady as he unbuttoned her pants and shoved them down over her hips. He stepped back to look at her, his gaze devouring her body.

Jaden grasped his belt and pulled him closer. Her hands still trembled as she looked up, meeting his gaze, and unbuckled the belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Dragging a breath in, she pushed pants and underwear down. She stepped forward the six inches necessary to bring her into the slightest contact with his body. Her breasts swelled at the sensation of his hot skin brushing them.

Another breath and his arms crushed her to him. The volcanic intensity of his arousal scorched her belly. Jaden let her arms creep upward and around his shoulders. His scent, always more intense and tantalizing with arousal, was different, in some unexplainable way. Jaden was absolutely certain that new quality was addictive, that having taken it into her lungs, she would be unable to live without it.

Kiellen bent and scooped her into his arms. He took a step and promptly tumbled over with her. They crashed to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Kiellen straightened himself and began running his hands over her, searching for injuries. “Are you okay?”

Jaden fought to control her breathing and found it impossible. Tears streamed from her eyes as she struggled to keep from laughing aloud.

“Damn it! Where are you hurt, baby?” Desperation tinged his voice.

She gave in and shrieked with laughter. “I can’t believe you dropped me!”

Relief settled over Kiellen’s features and he collapsed beside her. His shoulders shook with laughter. “I forgot I still had my boots on. Got tangled in my jeans.” He pulled the offending boots and jeans off and discarded them to the side.

As she watched him relax and laugh at himself, Jaden’s own laughter subsided. Seeing him comfortable and at ease with the world cranked her desire for him up another notch.

He caught her staring and abruptly stopped laughing. He rose onto his knees and leaned toward her, bearing her gently to the floor. His mouth descended on hers, powerful, devouring, consuming. He stretched out atop her and she shifted so that her body cradled his.

Watch KenraDaniels.com for excerpts and updates on BLOOD DRAGON 2: Heart Of Stone, slated for release at the end of March, 2013!