A giveaway from the delightful Danyelle Leafty!

If you've never read Danyelle Leafty's delightfully whimsical, fun and well-written fairy tales, now is a great time to start! She's hosting this huge giveaway to celebrate the release of Slippers of Pearl and Bitten. Check it out!

Magic isn't a handful of sparkling dust, a star-topped wand, or a tame word captured on parchment.

It's alive. It has a mind of its own. And it's hungry.

To celebrate the release of Slippers of Pearl and Bitten: A Novel of Faerie, I'd like to offer a bite of magic to all those who love kidlit--and fairy tales in particular.

There will be eleven winners and six different prizes available:

A Bite of Cobbler

3 Chapter Sample Here

Shoes, unlike magic, are predictable. They don’t change shape, bite, or alter a person’s destiny.

And that’s just how Faryn likes it.

But his Uncle Harvey has a bad habit of dying. While inconvenient, this hasn’t ever been a problem until now. Thanks to an evil witch and a poisoned apple turnover, Harvey is dead again—permanently this time.

As his uncle’s heir, Faryn has to give up shoemaking in order to accept and refine his magic.

Magic he never wanted.

Unwilling to let go of his dream, but unable to escape his destiny, Faryn combines the two and discovers a knack for making magical shoes. He also learns that turning a person into a goose is a lot easier than turning her back, and that he severely underestimated how much trouble magic can be.

The witch who killed his uncle is trying to control all the magic of the land, and it’s up to Faryn to stop her. If only he can get his magic to cooperate in time. 

an autographed copy of Slippers of Pearl

a magical pouch to keep it in

and a Slippers of Pearl bookmark

A Bite of Faerie

(Available October 2nd-ish)

Fourteen-year-old Cherrie Wilding stopped believing in fairies after her Grams had a stroke that left her a silent, empty stranger. But whether she believes in them or not, one of them bit her, and now the venom is spreading through her system and causing  . . . complications. Like an allergy to iron and a craving for milk.

It turns out that fairy venom has the power to turn mortals into small, winged versions of themselves. And it gets better. Grams's stroke was the result of her light—her fairy soul—being stolen. The fairy who bit Cherrie demands her to help steal Grams’s light back. 

As much as Cherrie wants to save Grams, her need to protect her older brother from the fairies and the rest of the real world wins out. Who knows what lurks in a world populated by winged menaces? But when the fairy talks Cherrie’s brother into going to the fairy realm, Cherrie mounts a rescue attempt to save him. To her surprise, it’s not her brother who needs rescuing—it’s the fairies. Someone is stealing their lights and imprisoning them, and it’s up to Cherrie and her brother to free them. But saving the fairies, keeping her brother safe, and returning home requires the help of the Phoenix. And the price for his aid doesn’t come cheap. If Cherrie wants to succeed, she must be willing to part with her greatest possession: her heart.

an autographed copy of Bitten: A Novel of Faerie

a faerie habitat

a Bitten bookmark

A Bite of Books

1 $25 Amazon Gift Card

Two Bites of Music

2 $15 iTunes Gift Cards

Six Bites of Braun Books Certificates

6 $10 gift certificates to Braun Books; redeemable in store or through Amazon

(A special thanks to Megan at Braun Books!)

To enter, leave a comment. Extra entries available through the Rafflecopter below.

Thank you to all, and best of luck!

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One Thing at a Time (Or Not!)

Another piece of advice from Kevin J. Anderson at the Storymakers conference last spring was to work on multiple projects at the same time. I can certainly see the wisdom in that. There's a lot of stuff to get done when it comes to writing, and as I mentioned in my last post, I want to speed up the process. That is going to mean working on more than one project at once, which is something else I haven't done in the past. I am a one thing at a time kind of gal.

But no more! I think the trick is to have the projects in different stages, so I'm not working on the same thing on multiple projects.

Anyway, here's what I want to work on right now.

1. Drafting a Christmas story (almost done with that)
2. First revision on Shattered Skies
3. Planning and outlining the new novel

Of course, once the Christmas story is done, I'll need to revise that too--in time for Christmas. Hopefully that will only take a matter of days, though.

What projects are you working on? Do you work on more than one at a time?

A New Challenge

My new notebook is ready! 

As you probably know, I finished my third novel, Shattered Skies at the end of August. It took me fifteen months to write it. That's the same amount of time it took to write The Ransomed Returning. I'm thinking, that's just too long! I really need to speed up the process. So, in addition to creating my ideal writing environment, I am giving myself a challenge to write a novel in a hundred days.

That's not quite NaNoWriMo speed, but for me it will be huge. I plan to start in November when everyone starts NaNo. It'll be my own personal NaNo.

At the moment I am working myself into this writing pace with a short Christmas story. Once that is done, I will begin planning the novel. I know that's the only way I'll be able to write that fast. Problem is, I'm not normally a planner. So, this is going to be a big change for me, but I'm excited to try.

Now I just have to figure out which novel I want to write next. Either an LDS urban fantasy demon fighters type thing, (working title: Lions of the Lord) or a straight up sci-fi, alien planet space opera, still religious in nature, but only subtly LDS (working title: Cold Sun). What do you think? Both ideas have been vying for attention for over a year. It's hard to choose, though I'm leaning toward the sci-fi (my first love).

So, what challenges have you taken lately? Are you doing NaNo this year? Do you have any tips for planning a novel?

Don't forget to enter the short story contest! Ends October 31.

The Short Story Contest!!

Photo by Julien Tromeur

Announcing

The Notes From the Writing Chair Short Story Contest!  

Here are the official rules:

1. Entries must be original, unpublished works of fiction 7500 words or less.

2. Entries will be accepted September 18, 2012-October 31, 2012. (Cut-off for entries will be at 8am MDT November 1.)

3. Entries must be submitted via email to this address as an attached file in .rtf format. Manuscript should be in Times New Roman 12pt, or similar font, with no identifying information on the manuscript itself. Your email should include your name, address, email address, story title and word count. Please put the words: Contest Entry: Story Title as the subject of your email (with the title of your story).

Entries will go to the story wrangler who will forward the unmarked attachments to the judge (me). Authors of the stories will not be revealed until after the judging is complete.

4. The judge will select one winner at her sole discretion. Winner will receive publication of the story on the Notes From the Writing Chair blog, and an author spotlight/interview on the blog. All entries will receive feedback from the judge. The winner will be announced on Friday, November 16, 2012.

Submit your stories HERE. 

Good luck! I look forward to reading your entries. Please let all your writer friends know about the contest!

Writing Short Fiction Part VI: Why, Where, and When

Okay, so I think it's time for another little blog series, this time on writing short fiction. A subject dear to my heart. I have written dozens of short stories and spent seven years as an editor of short fiction. If short stories are something you're interested in writing, hopefully I'll have some useful information. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them.

We've discussed the what and the how of short fiction. Now it's time for the why, when and where.

Photo by Julien Tromeur

So, why write short fiction?

I'm sorry to say that there isn't much money in short fiction. If you want to make a living as an author, short fiction probably won't pay the bills. There are still lots of good reasons to write short fiction, though.

It's an excellent way to hone your storytelling skills. This is how I learned to write. Short stories give you the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of character, setting, plot, and other story elements in a less overwhelming environment than novel writing.

You can get to THE END more quickly. Many new writers have an easy time starting projects but a much harder time finishing them. Short fiction can give you the opportunity to take a story from beginning to end in much less time than a novel. I personally love the satisfaction of finishing a story, and that comes a lot quicker with a short story. It can help build up your confidence in your ability to finish a longer work.

Short stories can help you get your name out there, get some publishing credits, and start building an audience of readers.

Many authors, including me, are using short fiction as a marketing tool to promote novels. Short stories set in the same world as your novel can add to readers' enjoyment of your world and get the word out about your novels.

Plus, short stories are fun! At least I think they are.

Where can you publish your short fiction?

There are lots of options. Ralan's Webstravaganza and Duotrope are both excellent resources for finding short fiction markets.

Short stories can also be published on a blog or through Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. (Personally, I think the best thing about e-books is the resurgence of short fiction.)

You can also enter many short fiction contests, which can be an excellent way to establish yourself as an author.

Last, but not least, when should you write short fiction?

Hey, there's no time like the present! Give yourself a challenge and start a short story today! Who knows where it could lead. My novel, Defenders of the Covenant, started with a short story I wrote ages ago.

Short fiction is fun, versatile and educational. Give it a try!

And just because I love it so much: Announcing the Notes From the Writing Chair Short Story Contest! Watch for the details here tomorrow!

Writing Short Fiction Part V: The Don'ts!

Okay, so I think it's time for another little blog series, this time on writing short fiction. A subject dear to my heart. I have written dozens of short stories and spent seven years as an editor of short fiction. If short stories are something you're interested in writing, hopefully I'll have some useful information. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

Photo by Julien Tromeur

The Don'ts!

There are a few things that you ought to avoid when it comes to writing short fiction.

First and foremost, never, never ever begin with backstory or info-dumping. Nothing kills a short piece dead faster than a bunch of telling at the beginning.You have to impart the pertinent information in the midst of the action. Trust me. Your readers are smart. They will figure things out. But if you info-dump on them, they will put the story down and never look at it again.

Related to this is don't start the story before the story begins. Maybe you're not just info-dumping. Maybe you've written a lovely scene, but that scene doesn't really have anything to do with the plot. Maybe it's just a set-up scene. You don't need it. Trust me. Begin at the beginning--at the inciting incident--then run with it.

Don't use someone else's characters or world. At least if you want to publish the story. There are a lot of fan fiction sights where you can post your stories set in somebody else's world or using their characters, but don't offer them to the world at large. You'll run into copyright trouble and you don't want to go there! Besides, you have great stories all your own just waiting to come out!

And finally, don't worry about length while you are writing. I know I've talked a lot about keeping your short story, well, short. But when you are in the process of creating a story, don't worry about how long or short it is. Find the length that fits the story. Once you have a first draft out, you can look at it and see if something needs to be cut or added in. Writing a short story (or anything) ought to be a fun process. Don't hamper yourself by worrying about the length.

Any other don'ts you can think of?

If you're interested, check out Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV!

Writing Short Fiction Part IV: How (Plot)

Okay, so I think it's time for another little blog series, this time on writing short fiction. A subject dear to my heart. I have written dozens of short stories and spent seven years as an editor of short fiction. If short stories are something you're interested in writing, hopefully I'll have some useful information. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

How to write a great short story! 

Photo by Julien Tromeur

I once took a class from Orson Scott Card in which he compared writing short stories vs. novels to taking a boat across a lake. When writing a novel, you can take a rowboat across the lake. You can stop and fish and enjoy the scenery and paddle around all day. When writing a short story, you get into a speedboat, start the engine and race to the other side of the lake as fast as you can.

Short stories need all the same elements as a novel in order to make it truly a story and not something else. (See Part I). But you're going to handle those elements quite differently in a short story than you would with a novel.

Today, we'll talk about the plot! In order to be an actual story, you must have a plot with a conflict and a resolution. Without those things, you don't have a story at all. Your main character needs a problem, something standing in the way of what he wants. The story is about him (or her) trying to solve the problem and either succeeding or failing in the end. Same goes for novels. But in a short story, you must focus on only one problem or one main storyline without subplots like you'd have in a novel. (See the boat metaphor above.)

You want to start your story right at the inciting incident, the thing that drives the character into action, or maybe even a little bit after the inciting incident. I think it's fun to read a short story that begins with the zombies breaking down the door!

Then the action must proceed fairly quickly to the climax. That means in short fiction, the conflict will be less complex, but no less compelling, than in a novel. Both characterization and setting details must also drive the plot forward. No problem, right?

Finally, you must have a resolution. The story needs to feel finished, not like it was just a first chapter or an excerpt from a longer work. There's nothing wrong with excerpts, of course, but you shouldn't try to pass it off as a short story. Even if you intend to write a series of short stories about the same character, each story should have it's own complete story arc, so the reader feels satisfied in the end.

That, in my opinion, is what makes a great short story great. You get the complete story experience in a short space of time. They are exhilarating to write and to read!

In case you're interested, check out Part I, Part II, and Part III

Writing Short Fiction Part III: How (Setting)

Okay, so I think it's time for another little blog series, this time on writing short fiction. A subject dear to my heart. I have written dozens of short stories and spent seven years as an editor of short fiction. If short stories are something you're interested in writing, hopefully I'll have some useful information. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

How to write a great short story!

Photo by Julien Tromeur

I once took a class from Orson Scott Card in which he compared writing short stories vs. novels to taking a boat across a lake. When writing a novel, you can take a rowboat across the lake. You can stop and fish and enjoy the scenery and paddle around all day. When writing a short story, you get into a speedboat, start the engine and race to the other side of the lake as fast as you can.

Short stories need all the same elements as a novel in order to make it truly a story and not something else. (See Part I). But you're going to handle those elements quite differently in a short story than you would with a novel.

Today, let's talk about the setting. Just as it is important for the reader to get to know and love the main character right away, they also need to know where and when the story is taking place. I know I find it frustrating to read halfway through a short story with no clue even what the time period of the story is! You need to ground the reader in the world of the story from the very first paragraph, if not the first sentence.

However, in the small space of a short story, you do not have room for long descriptions of the setting. Nor is it wise to info-dump on your readers. The trick is to choose the little, telling details that open up the world for the reader without bogging down your prose. Is the character using a cell-phone? Riding in a buggy? Traveling in space? What is the character wearing? How do they feel about their surroundings? It's the small details that will pack the most powerful punch in establishing the setting in a short story.

Because everyone likes to dwell in a different world from their own, even for just a little while!

(If you're interested, check out Part I and Part II of the series.)

Writing Short Fiction Part II: How (Characters)

Okay, so I think it's time for another little blog series, this time on writing short fiction. A subject dear to my heart. I have written dozens of short stories and spent seven years as an editor of short fiction. If short stories are something you're interested in writing, hopefully I'll have some useful information. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

How to write a great short story!

Photo by Julien Tromeur

I once took a class from Orson Scott Card in which he compared writing short stories vs. novels to taking a boat across a lake. When writing a novel, you can take a rowboat across the lake. You can stop and fish and enjoy the scenery and paddle around all day. When writing a short story, you get into a speedboat, start the engine and race to the other side of the lake as fast as you can.

Short stories need all the same elements as a novel in order to make it truly a story and not something else. (See my last post). But you're going to handle those elements quite differently in a short story than you would with a novel.

First of all, your story needs characters. In a short story you are (probably) going to have only one main character. Maybe two. But that's it. You're going to stick with just one viewpoint throughout the story (unless you are writing in the omniscient viewpoint). Your main character should be the person the story is about. The person most deeply effected by the main conflict of the story. You don't have room in a short story to introduce a lot of secondary characters. Of course, their will be secondary characters, but you won't spend much time developing them.

In a short story, your main character needs to be someone readers can relate to at once. They need to feel an almost immediate connection with the character in order to care about what's happening. That means you need to choose your characters actions, dialog, and descriptions very carefully in order to pack the most punch into the shortest space.

To achieve this (in my opinion), you need to get to know you're character inside and out. You need to know him or her so well that you can convey the character's personality to the reader in just a few sentences.

The short stories I love the best are the ones with the most memorable characters!

Next time we'll discuss the importance of the setting in a short story.

Writing Short Fiction Part I: What is a short story?

Okay, so I think it's time for another little blog series, this time on writing short fiction. A subject dear to my heart. I have written dozens of short stories and spent seven years as an editor of short fiction. If short stories are something you're interested in writing, hopefully I'll have some useful information. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

Photo by Julien Tromeur

What is a short story?

Let's start with some official definitions.

According to SFWA:

Less than 7500 words = short story (I would add that less than 1000 is considered flash fiction.)
7500-17.5K = novelette
17.5K-40K = novella
40K and up = novel

Why is it important to know this? Well, when if you want to sell your short fiction to a magazine or anthology, it's important to know what length they are looking for. In general, it's easier to sell a short story than a novelette or novella, especially for a first-time author. Back in the day, when I started writing, I was told that novellas were almost impossible to sell. That is true, or was anyway, but the rise in e-books has had the happy side effect of bringing about the return of the novella. I like that because I think novellas are fun to write. It's a length that really works well for me.

Aside from knowing what length your short fiction should be, you should also understand that some kinds of shorter works may fall into the length category without really being short stories. Some examples: articles, personal essays, slice of life stories (just a nice little description of life without any real conflict), allegory,  and joke stories (basically just a set-up and a punchline. Most flash fiction falls into this category.)

There are markets for all of the above types of short writing, so if that's what you want to write, that's great. But for purposes of this blog series, I will be discussing short works that have the elements of a story: plot (with conflict and resolution), character, and setting--which are usually shown and not told.

There are some types of shorter works that don't qualify as stories and don't really have any market. That includes novel synopses and chapters or excerpts of longer works.

But we'll discuss that more in Part II: How to write a great short story!