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Friday 27 September 2013

It's Almost Ready!!!

Broken Truce's book cover, that is!

I have an artist friend who very kindly took on the job of designing the art word for the 2nd book in the Broken City series. I've always loved her work so I'm MEGA excited!

I wanted to keep the theme from the first book, but I wanted to incorporate some thing new and, if you've read the first story, something unexpected. 

Are you curious yet???

Broken Truce has some major new elements to the story, the biggest difference for me as the writer is that, unlike the first book, only a third of the story is narrated by Deeta. The remaining two thirds follow other lead characters. Because of these diferent point of view chapters, you start to see different sides of the world that Deeta inhabits.

I also had a lot of fun introducing new tribes into the mix, as well as new characters that become very important as the book, and the series, goes on.

Now I just have to finish editing the manuscript...  ;-P



DeeDee

Sunday 22 September 2013

Goodreads Review Guidelines Update: What Do You Think???


Someone posted this( http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... ) on my Facebook page and it seems to be getting people hot under the collar.

So I was wondering what you thought of it???

As an author I can't help feeling a tiny bit relieved: you hear such horrible stories of bullying. 

But on the other hand, I can't help feeling that some Indies really do ask for the trouble they receive, by being very rude and thinking that they have a right to spam and demand good reviews just because they've written a book. 

No one likes to hear that their 'baby' is ugly, but when you put yourself out there, you should be ready for people to not like you're work. It's their prerogative, and I always like to say that if something as universally yummy as chocolate can have it's haters, the rest of us haven't a hope!!! ;-P

I guess what I'm saying is that if you want to be treated like a professional writer, then you must behave in a professional way. As authors we have a duty to treat the public with respect, after all: without readers, where would we be???

It's that old saying, isn't it: the customer is ALWAYS right?

I don't understand the nastiness, and I don't think I ever will.

You didn't like the book?

I can understand that, I've read a lot of books that I didn't like and you have my full sympathy. There's nothing more irritating than wasting your time on a book you end up hating!

You give it a bad review?

That's fine by me, I've written bad reviews myself! Yes, as an author it's depressing to receive a bad review, but hey, as the song goes: you were never promised a rose garden. 

Along with the good reviews that bring sunshine to your day, there's going to be a little rain sometime. You just have to learn to deal with that.

But attacking someone whose behaviour you deem unacceptable?

This is where I stop being on your side. 

The very thing you are accusing them of, and are disgusted with them for? You've just done exactly the same thing.

Don't get me wrong: I've had authors be horrible to me too. Sometimes it was because I didn't like their book, but more often because they didn't think that I was important enough to be nice to.

I've met those people, I've been on the receiving end of the nastiness, so please don't think that I don't know that there are some authors out there who don't know how to behave.

But I have my revenge: I never buy another thing from them. I don't 'like' their activity on goodreads/facebook/amazon/etc. I gain satisfaction from knowing that they will never see another penny from me, not ever again!

And for me, that's enough.

As an author, I've never replied to a bad review. It doesn't help the situation and in my opinion this is where the problem starts. By putting your book out there for others to read, you are ASKING for their opinion. You're asking them to part with their hard earned cash, shouldn't that entitle them to decide whether your story was worth it or not?
Even if you gave it to them for free, they still spent their time on it, probably their precious leisure time! They should be able to say if it was time badly spent!

On the other hand, I've met a lot of fellow Indies who are very nice! They've helped me with proofreading, and in return I've helped them when they need an extra pair of eyes. I've even criticized their work and had them thank me for my opinion!!! Sometimes they ignore what I say, and sometimes they take it on board. Either way, I'm happy. I want people to know that I'm telling them the truth, that when I tell them I loved a book they KNOW that I mean it, and that when I say that a book wasn't for me, they know I've actually READ the book and I'm not just paying someone back for not liking my stories, or for saying something that I've took offence to.

I guess what I'm taking so long to say is: 

Readers, 

please don't give up on us Indies. Not all of us are crazies that will stalk you and be unpleasant to you just because you didn't like our book!

Authors,

someone posted a bad review of your book that you think was unfair, or targeted you personally? That sucks, but it's also life. Engaging in ANY kind of interaction with them will only make things worse. Not for them, you understand, but ALWAYS for you. 

Think that's unfair? Well, maybe it is. That snarky comment you post, the down votes you hand out in retribution, or the friends that you rally in your defence, isn't going to make it any fairer. You'll just prove them right, because all of those things you do in revenge DO make you a jerk. 

That might not be the most pleasant truth to handle, but it's still the truth.

This is just my opinion of course, feel free to disagree without fear of retribution!

D.D. Chant

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Star Trek: In To Darkness.


Yes!!!

DeeDee has finally watched Star Trek 2!!!

This film combines two of my favourite things: Star Trek and Sherlock! Or to be more precise: Cucumberpatch!!!

First off I just want to say poor old Admiral Pike! ;-(
I liked his character a lot in both films and was sad to see him go. Also I could have done with a bit more 'old' Spock, I missed him.

I really enjoyed the movie, it had the same snappy dialogue that characterised the first film, and I think it shifted from excitement/suspense to comic/wise cracking very smoothly.

Some funny in jokes and the continuation of some old gags in the first film worked nicely too, I particularly like Bones ever more inventive metaphors. I also want to see Sulu get his own ship, just so I can hear him say his first name more often.
Hirkaru, just in case you were wondering.
I really love that name...

Anyway... If there was one niggle it's that Spock wasn't really Spock-like enough for me this time around. In the first film I think Zachary Quinto really nailed it, this time I felt a little disappointed. I liked how he explored Spock's struggle to contain his anger, but I feel he was too soft in this film.
Gotta be honest, I don't want to see Spock crying.
That is just wrong on soooo many levels... I can't even... just no.

Then of course there is Captain Kirk... I don't really have a lot to say about Kirk. As a child William Shatner was my favourite character in the TV series.
Don't judge me!
Chris Pine is an okay Kirk, I just don't find him very memorable, or very likeable. Spock gets to be all reserved and mysterious, with all that pent up anger that makes him interesting. Bones gets to be all dry wit and wise cracks. Chekov gets to be sweet and nerdy, plus he has a cute accent. Hirkaru, because I'm refusing to call him Sulu now I know his first name, has skills when it comes to a samurai sword, the guy needs nothing else to be epic! And Scotty: well Scotty is SIMON PEGG!!! He just has to stand in front of a camera to be funny!!!

What does that leave poor old Chris Pine???

He's stuck playing a womanising hothead, with a seriously bloated idea of his own cleverness, who seems to stumble upon the right thing to do by accident rather than any merit of his own.

Did that sound harsh???

Blame it on all the exersize I'm doing lately! ;-P

And then we have Khan... or Cucumberpatch, as I like to call him. Well... what can we say about Khan other than he wasn't a baddie: he was just tragically misunderstood!!! ;-P
Great acting and very much a scene stealer!!!

So I guess this is where I tell you which of the crew of the Enterprise was my favourite this time round...

Bones takes it again!!!

Consistently good in both film, I'll like to see more of his grumpiness in the next film.

Who's your favourite???

Comment below and tell me!


DeeDee xxx