Holiday Hiatus

... not that I've posted much in the past two weeks, but since I'm off on holiday on Saturday and probably won't have time for another post until then, I'm taking a blogging break until at least October.

Actually, I've been taking a good long writing break. From any kind of writing, period. Life and stuff - like preparations for the holiday, it's unbelievable what you have to think of for just two weeks - have kept me too busy. But I'm definitely taking a notebook with me to Cornwall, where I'll be backpacking with my brother. Oh, the stories we'll tell when we get back...

It's going to be interesting, to say the least. Neither my brother or I have ever been backpacking, let alone done much camping. I think I hold the record between the two of us with about six days of camping. And now here we are, with nothing planned except the flights to London and back, and a reservation at a B&B in St. Austell for the first night. (We thought it better to ease into this backpacking experience without doing the camping thing on our first night. :-))

So there, that'll be my new writing/blogging/scribbling fodder, probably for months after we get back.*

By the way, if you want an example of an amazing blog by an aspiring author (whose debut YA dystopian will be on sale in November), check out Grab a Pen. 23-year-old Tahereh Mafi is funny, authentic, energetic, interesting - she had a hoarde of followers on her blog before even nabbing a publishing deal. Just from reading the blog I can't wait to get my hands on her book, Shatter Me.




*If we get back - we might decide to become permanent extras for the Rosamunde Pilcher movies that are always filmed there, or fall in love with some picturesque little fisherman's village we'll never want to leave again. Or be lynched by said fishermen for insisting on installing this new-fangled thing called interweb or world wide net or some such in our little cottage that we'll rent from the old man in his beat-up hat with his rusty boat. I bet you can't at all tell what sights I expect to see on this trip...

 

Putting My Query On The Blog

The incomparable Janet Reid wrote an interesting post on her blog about how she nowadays sometimes does click on links or visits websites of aspiring authors looking for an agent, and how it is a good idea for said author to always be prepared for this possibility.

Since, in such instances, she's on the lookout for information on the book(s) - a query, first pages, an overview of the world building, whatever - it's a good idea for the author to make such information easily accessible on his/her website or blog. Else, that amazing chance is over and done with quicker than you can say 'Aww, maaaan!' and jab your ever-scribbling pen into your aorta.

So I'm listening to her advice and putting the query for my first novel, Magic Under Fire, and a description of my work-in-progress, Dream Raider, on this blog, in a hopefully easy-to-find way.

If you can't find it quickly, would you be so kind as to let me know?

Thanks! :-)

MAGIC UNDER FIRE

As a half-blood jinn, Thalestra Ford can play with fire without getting burned. Problem is, the heat can come from many different directions.

Direction Number 1: Iblis, the most powerful jinn in existence, a.k.a. Daddy Dearest. He makes an appearance after twenty-five years of radio silence, commanding Thalestra to track down his missing rival ASAP. Typical.

Direction Number 2: Lucien, said rival, a rather unconventional jinn. Tracking him down is a piece of cake, but the idiot has gotten himself captured by humans and the paparazzi have caught wind of this sensational news. When Thalestra breaks him free he shows his gratitude by declaring her his mate. Hard luck for him she won’t bind herself to another jinn. Ever. No matter how intriguing or persuasive he may be.

Direction Number 3: Agent Dean, Mr. Ambitious. Of all the human factions (scientists, paparazzi, religious fanatics) now hot on their tails, the newly appointed head of the Paranormal Activities Division is definitely the biggest threat to Thalestra’s and Lucien’s unhindered bickering-ever-after. Well, unless you count...

Direction Number 4: The magi High Lords. They enforce one strict law, the breaking of which is punishable by death: Never ever alert humans to the fact that magic and its wielders are real.

Oops.

97.500 words
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