WEbook Round 2 Update

I’ve noticed that a few fellow aspiring writers have been getting a bit peeved about the lack of meaningful feedback in the WEbook Page to Fame contest. (You get a number ranking out of 5 and if raters so wish to, they can click on some pre-made comments that may apply, or add their own typed comment.) Personally, I have been finding the feedback pretty good–especially for a contest.

For the first 50 or so ratings my piece was garnering a 68 – 70% elevation rate. (That means of the 50 raters, 68-70% were giving it a 4/5 or a 5/5 and wanted to see it elevated to the next round of the contest.) Talk about being pleased with myself as well as completely shocked and stunned.

In fact, I started to worry and wonder. How was it that my piece was speaking to this many readers? While most raters rate in the genre of their interest (mine being women’s fiction), my story starts with a woman at her most unhinged moment. That doesn’t exactly speak to everyone.

Then in the last week or so my ratings have slid down to the mid-60s for elevation ratings. While disappointing, I’ve also gotten a few written comments about my main character. I love it! Here’s why: The way I see it she’s either going to make the reader hoot with laughter, cry along with her sorrows, or want to completely wring her neck and then punt her in the pants. It’s going to depend upon the reader’s personality as well as their life experiences. In a nutshell, they will react differently to her and that is what I am seeing this week in a few lowered ratings as well as a few comments about the fact that she is ‘unpleasant’ and a ‘lunatic.’ Excellent.

The latest reviews: 68 ratings, 63% want it elevated (chose 4s or 5s).

Another reason why I love the comments about her being a nutjob is because she is getting under their skin of the reader in 1200 words or less and that she is getting so under their skin that they are feeling compelled to take the time to write me a comment. How wonderful is that? Even if they don’t like her and would toss the book across the room, I’m getting to them. (And yeah, maybe it would be nice if they loved her to pieces, but still. They took the time to write a comment!)

So, darlings, it’s in the pudding. What I mean is, feedback tells you something about your work and that, my dears, can be absolutely wonderful.

Good luck!

Book Review: Return the Heart

Book Review for: Return the Heart
By: TK Richardson

You may recall TK Richardson (Website & Blog) from our author swap some time back. Well, guess what? She’s been busy writing and publishing her first book, Return the Heart. And you know what? It’s fabulous. This is a gal who has invested in her skill and it shows.

Lilly, the heroine, is well-developed, as is the rest of her ‘gang’ of new friends that have special, top secret talents. You know what motivates them, what their internal conflicts are, and all that high-tech writerly mumbo-jumbo. In other words, you totally get why each character acts the way they do and totally understand (and empathize) with the push-pull they feel at any given moment.

So, what’s up with Lilly anyway? Well, Lilly can read hearts. That is, she can look at someone (or a photo of someone) and read their feelings, histories, desires, and most telling, their secrets–good and bad. Her friends have similar, but unrelated talents, and together they mesh to create a powerful group that is wanted by agencies (both good and bad) around the world. But I’ve already told you enough. TK slowly doles out information in a way that intrigues the reader and causes them to want more and I don’t want to spoil that for you.

Watch for more from TK, and more in the series. (After reading the last chapter I emailed her and asked, so you totally led up to a sequel–is there one? The answer is yes. Yay!)

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Details, Details, Details

You know the expression, details, details, details. It’s often expressed with a slight eye roll and blase attitude. Well, I’ve been thinking about details lately and those slight nuances between people, countries, etc. Maybe it’s all the travel I’ve done this summer. Or maybe it’s related to my curiosity as a writer.

There was a time where I shrugged my shoulders at details believing they were unimportant. Besides, who cares? I could make those up. I was a writer after all. I could extrapolate and get away with it. I mean, you can’t experience everything and that research takes time! Time away from writing.

Now I think differently. The correct detail in the right place can bring a whole scene to a truth that can drive at the reader. It can make something really work. Or more importantly, not work. For example, mentioning baby wipes in your 1940s novel when they weren’t invented until the 1970s. Yeah, that’s just being lazy and will get your ass kicked.

That’s right. Time travel, baby! Yeah!

A week ago we went to Disney World. Having been to Disneyland, I figured I could extrapolate what Disney World would be like. And then I went. Ha! There is that false sense of ‘I can imagine anything’ popping up.

I couldn’t extrapolate the details of Disney World, Florida, or even several, specific travel details (even though I usually step foot in the US at least once a year). Even the way Disney theme parks have evolved in the past 20 years made my detail sensor step back and say, “Well, now. We’d better take an extra look at this.”

The small details like the way sweat beaded up on the insides of my wrists at 5:30 at night while dining outdoors (I didn’t even know my wrists could do that), the way rules for passenger conduct in buses and airplanes, etc, in the US are emphasized first and foremost that this is a law! What if I had written a story about a gal who flew to Florida in August and she didn’t even sweat after 3PM? What if she had checked her bags WITHOUT charge for her flight on United Airlines? Oh, how that would have made American readers howl at my naivety/stupidity/lack of knowledge. Kind of like that check-in agent come to think of it….

And most of all, I would not have realized just what a flirt Mickey and Minnie are! My goodness. No wonder everyone loves them, they are a complete hoot.

I’m thinking I might set my next novel in Italy and what I’ve learned from this latest trip is that I’d better go immerse myself in the details of Italy. What do you think?

Out of Office

As you may have gathered, I haven’t exactly been near my computer lately. Which I know, in today’s world, is no excuse for not blogging. But I’m using it. I’m going to go see Mickey Mouse so I’m going to spend at least another week not blogging.

Eastern Alberta, July 2010
Or is this my house pre last week’s renovations?

See you all later! I hope you are having exquisitely wonderful summers and that all your wishes are coming true! (I know mine have been. Even those ones I thought were pinned up on the ‘ain’t gonna happen’ side of the fence.)