Colonization Confidential

Aubrie Dionne is blog touring for her book, Colonization.  Recently she visited my BLOG

 to tell us about her book, but today we learn more about her. She shares how she manage to write so much and what we can expect from her in the future!

You’re one of the most prolific writers I know.

Thank you, Theresa! I want everyone to know you worked hard as my critique partner on this book and it’s become so much better with your suggestions! Thank you for helping me!

Do you have a writing schedule?  If so, what’s your writing schedule?

I do have a schedule. I write in the mornings before work, then in the evenings after work. I work Mon- Thurs 3-8. So those are always good writing days. Fridays I work all day at the University, so that’s usually a bad writing day. Saturdays I teach flute lessons in my home, so I write when people cancel, or at the end of the day. Sundays I get to write all day.

This year I increased my word count goal to 365k for the year, or 1k per day (30k per month). This seems to be helping me stick to writing and not wander around on the internet for so long!

Do you have a specific # of words you write in a day?

I try for 1k a day, but if I miss a day, then I have to write 2k the next day and so on. I had a bad week during band camp- so I had to make up for it by writing more the week later. Sometimes I have a bad month- like May I wrote only 10k for some unknown reason. Maybe I was burnt out. So I’m trying to make up for that this month because I have a lot of time off.

How many books have you published?

6 books, two novellas, and a bunch of short stories. One book is out of print now- which is fine because it was my first one and has a lot of mistakes.

What is the genre(s) of Colonization?

I’d say YA sci fi romance. It’s sort of post-apocalyptic- but the apocalypse happened a long time ago. I don’t think it’s dystopian because the world is pretty nice-not so bad. LOL

Finish this statement: If readers like books by __?______________, they’ll like Colonization.

I’m not sure about this one because I haven’t read many YA sci fi books. Maybe Lauren Oliver? I did enjoy her series starting with the book Delirium. But, maybe not Suzanne Collins because her books (the Hunger Games trilogy) are much darker.

Do you have another book coming out after Colonization?

Yes, there will be two more in the trilogy: Reconnaissance and Alliance. The second book was actually inspired by a comment you had about the first. I’m developing the other characters in the series by giving each one their own book. Recon. It will be told through Nova’s POV, and Alliance will be told through Lyra’s POV. 

What are you working on now?

I just finished my very first contemporary romance for Entangled Publishing’s new Bliss line. I didn’t think I could write one until I tried- which is good advice for everyone out there- you have to try each genre before you automatically dismiss it as something you can’t write! Now I’m finishing a fantasy romance, and starting a new contemporary romance about two scientists investigating the Loch Ness monster! This fall I’ll start writing the third book in the Paradise Reclaimed trilogy.

Quick Questions:

Plotter or panster? Used to be a panster- now I’m more of a plotter because I have to submit outlines to my agent and my publishing company BEFORE I write the story! It saves so much time on the acceptance end of things.

Quiet or music? I listen to Radio Gaia while I write!

Laptop or desktop? Desktop

Mac or PC? PC

Coffee or tea? Both- I love caffeine!

Wine or other? Wine- although I read somewhere that it causes belly fat, so I’ve cut back.

Day or night? Night!

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, and for supporting me in my writing journey!

Click here for Inkspell's special 30% off discount 
Click Here to buy it on Amazon
Click Here to buy it on Barnes and Noble

Outcast and Break from You

Susan Oloier is one of my favorite online writer friends.  If you don't know her I recommend you follow her blog and find her on Facebook. Susan has written a book which tackles the unfortunate reality of bullying. And she's teamed up to tour with Rebecca Green Gasper, who has written a book about dealing with an abusive boyfriend.

Susan Oloier

Outcast

Noelle dreams of a different life, one where Trina Brockwell doesn’t exist. Trina has bullied Noelle since junior high. Now she’s tired of it. With the help of her black-sheep aunt and a defiant new classmate, Noelle seeks revenge. But vengeance comes with a price: Noelle risks friendship, her first love, and herself to get back at those who have wronged her.

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Moxie Writers

Rebecca Green Gasper

Break from You

Love shouldn’t hurt this much…Brooke Myers wants to believe she has it all: the perfect guy, the perfect relationship, the perfect life. She wants to believe it so much that she's willing to overlook the fear, the isolation, and the pain her boyfriend has caused her. She knows it isn't right but tells herself that love isn't always easy. However, when a fire destroys the restaurant during homecoming dinner, she forms an instant bond with the boy who saves her, one her boyfriend wouldn’t like. With the pain of a concussion reminding her of how bad things can get, she is forced to re-evaluate the relationship she has with her boyfriend and face the ghosts that haunt her. Brooke once believed love was all it took…but is it enough? Is it truly love when you've lost yourself in it?

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Thank you for visiting.  

If you're American, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.  

xo Theresa

Show and Tell in a Nutshell

Show and Tell in a Nutshell... clever title, Jessica. 

     I could’ve used a book like Jessica Bell's when wrote my first manuscript.  My writing education had consisted of one creative writing class in high school and another in college.  (I also endured the grammar bits of English classes with limited comprehension, but that’s another story.) 

     After I wrote “The End” on my first manuscript, I looked it over a few times for mistakes, deemed it DONE and… *cringe* began querying.  An editor at Candlewick was kind enough to send me a full letter rejection of feedback.  That was when I first heard I needed to show—not tell.

I didn’t really know what that meant.

     My research led me to believe I needed more dialogue.  So I’d show, tell, show, tell, show, tell…

You get the idea.

Obviously I didn’t get it.

     It took me years to improve my writing skills dramatically.  When I began scouring agent blogs, I finally saw enough examples that I figured out the difference.

I’m slow. 

     Since then, my writing has improved greatly. When I receive critiques and rejection, it’s for lots of ludicrous  ridiculous other reasons. 

     But I’m not sure I sometimes don’t tell when I should be showing. Like all mistakes, it’s easier for me to spot when I read someone else’s manuscript than when I try to revise my writing. So I’m buying this book. 

Thanks for saving us from ourselves, Jessica!

Click to add me to Goodreads!

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

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

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

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

The author, Jessica Bell, also welcomes questions via email, concerning the content of this book, or about showing vs. telling in general, at showandtellinanutshell@gmail.com

Reviews:

“Jessica Bell addresses one of the most common yet elusive pieces of writing advice—show, don't tell—in a uniquely user-friendly and effective way: by example. By studying the sixteen scenes she converts from “telling” into “showing,” not only will you clearly understand the difference; you will be inspired by her vivid imagery and dialogue to pour through your drafts and do the same.” ~Jenny Baranick, College English Teacher, Author of Missed Periods and Other Grammar Scares

“A practical, no-nonsense resource that will help new and experienced writers alike deal with that dreaded piece of advice: show, don’t tell. I wish Bell’s book had been around when I started writing!” ~Talli Roland, bestselling author

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

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

About the Author:
The Australian-native contemporary fiction author and poet, Jessica Bell, also makes a living as an editor and writer for global ELT publishers (English Language Teaching), such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, Macmillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

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

For more information about Jessica Bell, please visit: 
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Colonization Release!

I'm so excited to share the release of Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed! This has been years in the making. This story is very special to Aubrie and she's happy to finally be able to share it with the world! 


Click here for Inkspell's special 30% off discount 
Click Here to buy it on Amazon
Click Here to buy it on Barnes and Noble


Finding a new home has never been so dangerous...

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer

assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius's ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn't expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?