Shannon Delany's Blog: Shannon Delany's Goodreads Blog, page 2

I wanted to say a quick (and BIG) thank you to all the goodreads readers who have already added WEATHER WITCH to your TBR lists, or your June Release lists, or your Steampunk lists or Cool Cover lists or Historical Fiction lists, or Fantasy lists, or Paranormal lists, or YA lists...

As an author trying something new and a great deal different from her debut series, it means a lot to know that people are going to give WEATHER WITCH a chance. So, again--thank you for your support and curiosity! You and people like you allow the publishing industry to invest in new and different ideas and share more (and more diverse) voices.

That matters so much! <3

In the WEATHER WITCH series I'm combining things that I feel naturally fit together, mainly mythos and music. You all know by now that WEATHER WITCH is much different from the 13 TO LIFE series. It deals with a historically-inspired setting (1840s, America's East Coast), a deep, sort of steampunk world, and a lot of darkness and conspiracy. Okay, so the last bit is similar to the 13 TO LIFE series after all. I am a sucker for darkness and conspiracy.

And one of my favorite themes shows up again--it seems I can't quite put to rest yet the idea of what separates man from monster.

Some of the music in WEATHER WITCH is truly traditional--or close to authentically traditional. Those of you who have delved into ballads and the evolution of music know that words shift and change and tunes are altered the same way traditional tales evolve differently in different places.

Such is the joy and bane of the oral tradition.

The music that makes up the WEATHER WITCH world is partly traditional and driven by myth, legend, and lore, and partly created thanks to the generous talents of Wade Mulvihill who has been researching the styles of things I want, crafting words and music to fit the story's needs and handing his results over to me freely. I am very grateful for his help.

As far as mythos...I drag out a couple "monsters" from traditional myth, tweak them to serve the story's needs and set my human population to war with one particular species.

This era in history was a time when we were desperate to conquer the frontier and tame the wilderness--and that is reflected in some ways in the WEATHER WITCH series as well.

So where does madness come in, Shannon? Great question. For all the strange creatures and odd trappings of the setting, at the heart of this series is humanity. Men and women with goals all their own--goals that drive them and sometimes control them. That is madness to me--the need for something that is so strong you do things you wish you hadn't or things you know you shouldn't. Madness is saying, "I have no choice," or "It's beyond my control," and allowing yourself to go down the path such thinking allows.

It's Friday and, as I'm trying to be better about blogging, I wanted to share a quick resource for you, dear writers.

When I do my workshops or just sit down and chat with aspiring authors, one of the most confusing (and daunting) moments we all face is writing a query letter to land an agent.

Published authors frequently tell you that you need an agent--that you should want an agent. For many major publishing houses you do still need an agent (but there are lots of options out there that do not require such and I think the tide will continue to change with so much indie publishing).

FIRST: Make sure you REALLY know your story and can summarize it into an "elevator pitch" or "logline". Maybe you don't have it fully written--hopefully you do. And polished! It needs to be polished because if an agent asks to see the first 10, 50, 100 or--yes, even--the whole blessed thing--you need it to SHINE.

SECOND: Do your research. Know who you want as an agent (there are books available that you might be able to get through your local library that will give you gobs of useful literary agent info--check them out)! Look at books that are like yours (Oh, I know--yours isn't like any other book out there--you're an original. Yes, aren't we all!) and check their Acknowledgments because it's very possible they name their agent.

THIRD: Don't be cocky. Seriously.

FOURTH: Fulfill any expectations (follow directions!)the agent may have thanks to the research you've already done about them--be smart!

FIFTH: Before you press Send make sure you have no typos. Make sure your contact info is correct and readily available. And, please, please, address the agent you are courting appropriately--deals have gone no further because of agents being addressed by the wrong gender or by the wrong name entirely.

Now, if you're really ready to try and hook a literary agent, the following link will give you great information (and very specific links to examples) so you can start on the way to constructing a firm query.

Make sure you notice the things the queries have in common and always keep it simple, short and clear.

"Successful Query Letters for Literary Agents" through GalleyCat

Good luck out there, gang!
~Shannon

Happy 2013!

This year's another big one for me with the first two novels in the WEATHER WITCH series (June 25 and December) and another charity anthology (VERY SUPERSTITIOUS through Month 9 Books) releasing. And this year, like every year, I intend to write more and blog more. We'll see how I do!

To kick things off, I'm aiming at posting a "What and Where Wednesday" feature aimed mainly at readers, writers (of prose, poetry and music) and curious onlookers. Mostly you'll be able to find future posts related to these topics at my regular blog: www.ShannonDelany.com

Let's kick off the year with What and Where to Write: PROMPTS! These are just a few places I've checked out before--it's faaaaar from a comprehensive list but if you want to shake up that sexy brain of yours, here are some places that may help you do it!

What and Where to Write: PROMPTS

Sunday Scribblings
http://sundayscribblings.blogspot.com/

Three Word Wednesday
http://www.threewordwednesday.com/

Author and Speaker Jo Knowles
JoKnowles.com/prompts (Archived prompts, but every Monday Jo posts a new one under the "Monday Morning Warm-Up" tag.)

Writers Digest
WritersDigest.com/prompts

The Writer Magazine
WriterMag.com

Well, the public release for the WEATHER WITCH book cover caught me by surprise, but I feel like I'm nearly up to speed thanks to great bloggers hopping in and sharing parts of the prologue in a mini-tour (and contest--of course a contest!) that is well underway.

The new steampunk series is darker and grittier than the 13 TO LIFE series and allows me to blend fantasy elements with divergent history and create a world unlike any seen in history books.

And the second novel is due to my editor December 15... and a short story is due to another charity anthology... December 15... and...

Well. Life is busy, but that "busy" helps remind me I have a life. ;)

~Shannon

Taking a vacation in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine during the last two weeks of my revision time? NOT the brightest move on my part, even though it was a working vacation (aren't they all if you're an author?)...

But, the good news is that my editor loved the first book in the upcoming series even before the little tweaks he suggested, and after I was done obsessing over it, well, I just hope he loves it more!

It is vastly different from 13 to Life.

13 to Life was a story built in what I call a "thin world." It was based in a contemporary setting anyone could step into in a small town. If there were werewolves... But I digress.

The new series is far deeper. Imagine Philadelphia in the 1840s. Now add creatures they never historically dealt with, a frightening truth about humanity and a brand new revolution ready to brew beside both tea and coffee.

I hope you enjoy it when it releases next year.

~Shannon

Okay, today, 2/12/11 at 11 am EST I'll be talking LIVE with host Barry Eva and Pietr and Max Rusakova on Blog talk Radio. I am so excited (and terrified)! Please join us if you can-- A Book and a Chat. Bring your sense of humor and your curiosity and wish us luck for the SECRETS AND SHADOWS tour!

So those of you who are getting to know me *waves* know I try to do some fun stuff for fans. This February's blog tour is no exception. I found a Pietr and a Max to help me actually record audio interviews for the MAX-imum Exposure Blog Tour (which kicked off earlier this morning--2/1/11).

YES.

Now you can listen to the Rusakova werewolves being interviewed (and the chick on the recordings is me!). AND we'll have a LIVE Blog Talk Radio interview with both boys (and me) on 2/12 at 11 am EST--check the Events listing here to learn more. :)

Here's a link to the
MAX-imum Exposure Blog Tour Schedule

Join us on tour and take a listen! :) I hope it's as much fun for you listening as it was for us recording! *G*

~Shannon

Wow. I am SO sorry I haven't been around much recently. I'd say things have been hectic (they have been) and those of you who are fellow authors would easily relate to that (and I figure you readers can too--hope you had great holidays and an awesome start to the year)!

Let me quickly update you all on some things:

1.) 13 to Life will now be available in France, Hungary, Turkey, Brazil, Canada and the UK.
2.) The Brazilian version of 13 to Life just released in January and has a STUNNING cover!
3.) I've dealt with some piracy issues. Yup. Seems people like the book enough to steal it. O.o
4.) The book cover for Bargains and Betrayals was officially released. It's all pretty and purple-ish.
5.) I've arranged for book signings (like a crazy woman) throughout my region.
6.) I located a Pietr and a Max.
7.) I did a photo shoot with Pietr and Max on Black Friday. Yes, it was waaay more fun than standing in a long line at a cash register or fighting crowds to get amazing deals. And I really like amazing deals. :P
8.) Pietr will be attending two book signings--one in Oneonta, NY at The Green Toad on 2/15 at 7pm and the other with Max on 2/19 at 1pm at Colgate Bookstore in Hamilton, NY.
9.) I had two new book trailers made for Secrets and Shadows.
10.) I finished Secrets and Shadows and Bargains and Betrayals (well, I'm finishing B&B's 1st pass pages now).
11.) I switched agents.
12.) I got asked to write two more books in the series--which is perfect for the way I want things to wrap up! :)
13.) I'm working on book 4 now.

And, and, and--I'm playing with neat new technology thanks to a very young local company that specializes in Augmented Reality. YES. This means more fun freebies for fans--bookmarks that are more than bookmarks... Muahaha!

Secrets and Shadows releases on 2/15 (which blows my mind) and Bargains and Betrayals hits shelves 8/16.

I hope you all are doing well and enjoying reading and perhaps writing!
~Shannon

Those of you who have been following along at my regular blog know I (relatively recently--like in April) turned in my copyedits for the second novel in the 13 to Life Series: Secrets and Shadows . Then about 2 + weeks ago I sent back my 1st pass pages for the same novel.

Secrets and Shadows releases February 15, 2011 in the States.

That book is already available for pre-order in both the USA and the UK! AND--it looks like it'll have the same release date. :D

Say it with me: WOW.

And I thought--holy heck! I need to share my new book cover with you all before it shows up on Amazon.com and spoils the surprise!

This cover was a little longer in the development stage and thanks to Ervin Serrano (the designer of 13 to Life's book cover) for really being willing to work with me and get the cover closer to what I was hoping for.

Without further ado, the cover of book 2 in my debut series:Secrets and Shadows...



I hope you love it! The autumnal colors are perfect for this particular book in the series (Halloween occurs during part of Secrets and Shadows ).

If you loved 13 to Life and you're ready to pre-order Secrets and Shadows , I've found it available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK and Barnes and Noble.

And, if you loved 13 to Life, please, please, please get your review posted as many places as you can (including Amazon--US and UK if you can, Borders, Goodreads, LibraryThing and Barnes and Noble). Unless you're in the publishing industry it's hard to really understand how much glowing reviews really mean to a debut author but trust me. It means a ton.

Thank you so much!
~Shannon
PS--Thanks to these intrepid folks (at Narratively Speaking Cem's Book Hideoutwho also popped the cover onto their blogs and mentioned the reveal within minutes of me announcing it! YOU ROCK!