Rinelle Grey's Blog, page 25

When I handed my novel over to my husband for a final proofread, this is one of the major issues he picked up on. Not surprisingly, this error had made it through my editor, and the other proofreaders (friends and family), who’d read the book. It’s an easy mistake to make, but also, an easy one to fix!

Bought is the past tense of buy. Neither word has an r in it. “Today I am going to buy a book.” v’s “Yesterday I bought a book.”

Brought is the past tense of bring. Both begin with br. “I am going to bring cupcakes to the party.” v’s “Yesterday I brought cupcakes to the party.”

Since Reckless Rescue is set on a planet with only about a hundred occupants, there aren’t any shops, and not much buying! My husband picked up almost all of the instances of bought instead of brought, but I went through and did a search just in case. (Manually, so I didn’t accidentally mix up the few instances where bought was correct.)

What words do you mix up? Any good tips for keeping them straight?

All this month I’m participating in the A-Z blogging challenge, writing a blog post for each letter of the alphabet, on every day of the month except Sundays. Check back regularly to see what else I have in store for you.

The post B is for bought (or is it brought?) appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

Everywere I go looking for a way to link directly to my novel, all I find is information about the Amazon Associates program. I avoided signing up for quite a while, since I really didn’t see the point. But I think I might have found one.

The Amazon Associates program enables a seller to list Amazon products on their blog/webpage, and gain a small percentage for anyone who buys an item through their link. There are countless widgets to enable you to set up these links, either as stand alone links/images, or impressive cycling displays.

How are they useful for authors?

Well, first up, if anyone buys your book through your own link, you get an extra cut (not taken from your percentage of the sale!) In reality though, I suspect that if you’re selling ebooks, you’re not likely to see many sales. Most people who hit your ebook page, are going to start by downloading a sample and checking that out. Then when they come back later (probably more than 24 hours, which is the time Amazon allows for follow up buys), you miss out on the Associate fee.

Any money you earn this way though, is just the icing on the cake. The real benifit of the Amazon Associate program is the extra stats it gives you. Without it, you might know if someone has clicked on a link from your blog (if your blog stats tell you that). With Amazon Associates, you can tell how many clicks you’ve had on all your links. Links on facebook, links on Twitter, links on your blog, they all show up.

I used these stats recently to evaluate my Facebook Ad campaign, but you’re going to have to wait for F to see the results of that one.

Do you use the Amazon Associates program? Any hints or tips?

All this month I’m participating in the A-Z blogging challenge, writing a blog post for each letter of the alphabet, on every day of the month except Sundays. Check back regularly to see what else I have in store for you.

And a special thanks today for Arlee Bird, who started the A-Z blogging challenge, and who’s name also happens to begin with A.

The post A is for Amazon Associates appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

I’ve been reading a few interesting posts lately about science fiction romance, and whether it will gain the same popularity that paranormal romance has recently. (Such as this one at Smart Girls Love Sci-Fi.) It’s a fascinating topic.

It’s hard to imagine two genre’s more different.

Science fiction writers are looking for something to make them think, to challenge their brain, and importantly, they like their science within the realms of believable. In the scheme of books, science fiction is a relatively new genre, with a perception of being technical, and hard to understand. It is also traditionally a genre written and read by men.

Romance readers, on the other hand, want something light, enjoyable, and with a guaranteed happy ending. People choose a romance book to read when they don’t want to be challenged. Unsurprisingly, it’s a much larger category than science fiction, with many sub-genres. Romances are traditionally seen as written and read by women.

This doesn’t mean they can’t be combined.

There are many sci-fi romances out there. But currently, it remains a niche market. It doesn’t even have it’s own clear cut category on Amazon, making it rather hard to find.

A large number of general readers avoid science fiction. Many romance blogs say they won’t read it. When I was asking friends if they’d have a read through Reckless Rescue and let me know what they thought, I had several responses of people saying “I don’t read science fiction.”

So  how do we bridge that gap?

In my opinion, the best place to start is making sci-fi romance more like romance than sci-fi.

Soft v’s hard – soft sci-fi, with less emphasis on the technical story, and more focus on the people, is more likely to be accepted in mainstream fiction. Reckless Rescue is very much soft science fiction. There aren’t any techinical details, faster than light travel is just there. It explores the social issues rather than the technology.

Worldbuilding – Sci-fi excels at creating vivid and detailed worlds, were everything works differently. This can be quite jarring for a general reader. There is so much to learn, so much they don’t understand, that it can be quite hard to see the romance within the world. The more world elements that you can keep the same, the more comfortable the experience will be for your reader.

Blurbs – Sci-fi worlds are different to the one we know, and thus a lot of sci-fi romance blurbs focus on explaining the world and how it works. The more focus there is on the romance elements, the characters and who they are, the more likely they are to be picked up by a general reader.

Covers – If you look at a science fiction novel next to a romance novel, there is a clear difference in the covers. Most sci-fi romance borrows more from sci-fi than romance in their covers. This appeals to the sci-fi readers, but reinforces the idea that sci-fi is a technical and hard to read genre. I’ve gone the other way. The cover of Reckless Rescue is clearly romance, both in the colours used (soft pinks and blues), and the images. The only clue to it’s science fiction setting is the spaceship crashed in the snow.

Time – Of course, one of the biggest factors is beyond our control. As science fiction continues to be more popular in movies and TV, more people will come to see it as normal, and consider it as an option in reading as well.

Isn’t this compromising what Sci-fi is?

In my opinion, no. Sci-fi is about fiction involving science as it’s basis. There are, and will be, a variety of levels of science fiction, from soft to hard, and everything in between. I’m NOT proposing that all science fiction should be soft science fiction, just that it offers a comfortable starting point for someone wanting to dip their toes into the genre.

Once they see how nice and warm the water is, they might feel more comfortable wading in.

What do you think? How do you see the blending of sci-fi and romance?

The post How can we Encourage more people to read Sci-Fi Romance? appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

I was driving my daughter to one of her many homeschooled activites today, my mind floating from one thing to another, when hit hit me – I’m an author! I have a published book!

I’ve been so busy the last month, since Reckless Rescue came out, that I haven’t really had time to think about it! So today I’m taking a moment to reflect on the fact that I did it. I wrote a book, I edited it, I formatted it, and now it’s for sale. And people are buying it!

It is worth keeping trying. Keep believing in those dreams. Never stop working your way towards them, because one day, you will wake up and find yourself there.

The post I’m an Author! appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

After spending most of March promoting Reckless Rescue, I’m now looking forward to april. Though it lookes to be just as busy, I have some new projects coming up.

This year, for the first time, I plan to take part in the A-Z Blogging Challenge. If you haven’t heard about it, in this challenge, bloggers post a blog post each day (except Sundays) beginning with the letters of the alphabet.

I’ve already started a list with a lot of marketing/promoting topics, a few writing, and some about Reckless Rescue. I’m really looking forward to some of the posts! I’m sure it will be a challenge, as I’m not normally a consistent blogger, but I’m hoping it will help me improve in that regard. I’m not normally a planner either, but I’ve found writing down the list of posts surprisingly inspiring.

As if that wasn’t enough for one month, I’ve also signed up to Camp NaNoWriMo, with a goal of 50,000 words. I’m hoping to get very near the end of the second draft (requiring a LOT of new words) or Reckless Rebellion. I’m thinking I’ll be able to stay motivated, since this year I’m in a cabin with 5 of my writing buddies. Hopefully we’ll be able to encourage each other to keep writing! Unlike last year, when most of the members of my cabin had stopped chatting by the end of the first week.

Am I crazy? I could be. But I figure if you don’t try, you’ll never get it done. I’m also fond of the saying, “If you shoot for the Moon, you’ll land amongst the Stars*”.

*Note: saying not scientifically correct.

The post What’s on for April? appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

Wherever writers gather around the (virtual) watercooler this topic comes up. Are you a panster, or a plotter? Meaning, do you sit down with no idea of where your story is going and just write and do youwrite a scene by scene outline before you even begin. Most writers fall into one camp or the other, and most are pretty vocal on why their method is best. The pantsers insist that if you stick to an outline, you’ll miss the delicious side paths your story may take, that are sometimes the best part of the novel. The plotters say that a well plotted novel hangs together much better, and will require less editing in the long run.

Both sides have their pro’s an con’s. In case you can’t guess which camp I fall into, I’m a pantser. Mostly.

I don’t have the patience to sit down and write a full outline before I start writing. But this doesn’t mean that I don’t have a pretty clear idea of where my novel is going. Sometimes I have the ending planned, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I know what is coming in the next scene, sometimes I’m as curious as the characters. I do feel that some of my best scenes have come up when I’ve thrown in something completely random. In fact, one of these is in Reckless Rebellion, and I look forward to sharing it with everyone in the FAQ after the book is out. (I can’t share it yet, it’s full of spoilers.)

However, I do sometimes wonder if there is a way to have the best of both worlds. Is there a certain amount of planning that will help a pantser write more quickly and effectively? Can a plotter keep their outline fluid enough to take advantage of an unexpected twist when it arrives?

I can’t speak for planners, but as a pantser, I definitely find that writing out a brief plan for a scene before I start can help me get the words down faster. And when I get stuck and aren’t sure where the scene is going, running through a list of possibilities, or talking it over with a writting friend, can definately help me get unstuck.

How about you? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Do you ever wish you could do the opposite?

The post Are You a Pantser or a Plotter? appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

Today I’m over at Sci-fi romance author Aubrie Dionne’s blog for an interview. Check it out if you want to learn some background for anysogen gas, the valuable fuel Tyris is looking for when he crashes on Marlee’s planet.

I’m also giving away a copy of Reckless Rescue to one lucky reader, so head on over for your chance to win!

http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com.au/2...

(sorry about the link, I’m on my iPad, and that’s the best it will do.)

The post Going Visiting appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

I’ve had several hours yesterday to get stuck into writing Reckless Rebellion, the next book in my series. So what did I find myself doing? Spending hours labouring over some cosmetic changes to my webpage!

This is NOT how to get my book written, yet I’m sure we all do it. So after giving myself a stern talking to, and getting the first chapter written, I thought today was a perfect day for this post I’ve been working on about how to beat procrastination.

1. Identify the problem - Why are you procrastinating?

The first step is to figure out why you’re procrastinating. Once you know this, the solution is sometimes obvious. Some of my most frequent reasons are:

Waiting for inspiration- Sometimes you can simply be stuck on a plot idea. The answer may come to you if you wait, often while driving, washing up, or my favourite, in the shower. But if you’ve been waiting for inspiration for more than 24 hours, it’s time to move on. Start writing, and move past that point, even if your prose is lousy and your plot weak, you can fix it later. And the funny thing is, some of my best prose and best plot ideas have come from just making myself write through the block.

You don’t know where to start- Particularly common at the start of a project, when a job seems overwhelming. Instead of doing something, you start researching how to do it, leading into all sorts of side roads. Sometimes, research helps, but if you’re not finding an answer, or the answers seem more overwhelming than you already were, stop researching, and get back to writing.

The job seems too big- Funnily enough, this one doesn’t usually hit me at the beginning of a novel. Then I’m buoyed up by the excitement of a new project . This one usually hits about 20-30% in, sometimes as far as 50-70%. When the excitement of the beginning has worn off, but there is still a long way to go to the end! Working in small chunks helps. Don’t look at the overall project, just pick a reasonable amount to get done in a day/hour, and focus on that. Keep doing this long enough, and eventually, you’ll get to the end.

2. I don’t have time to really get stuck into it.

As a parent, homeschooling mum, and working from home (on a non-writing job), this one gets me a lot. I have spare time while my daughter is watching TV, playing outside, etc, but I never know how long it will be before she suddenly (and urgently) needs me. So I often find myself sitting reading mail, or checking Facebook, not willing to get stuck into anything big, in case I get interrupted. Then I kick myself half an hour later when she’s still happily occupied, and I haven’t achieved anything. Grab those moments, write something down, even if it’s only a few sentences, it keeps your mind in the story, and those moments really add up. And on the rare occasions when a few minutes turns into an hour, you can really make some progress.

3. Open the document

When all else fails, and you’re still sitting playing Jetpack joyride and you haven’t written for a week, make yourself just open up the document. Tell yourself that you don’t have to write anything, just actually open the document and see where you’re up to. If you’re anything like me, that last sentence you wrote will draw you back in, and before you know it, the words will be flowing.

Do you find yourself procrastinating when you have something you need to get done? What tips do you have for dealing with procrastination?

The post 3 Tips to Beat Procrastination appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

Reckless Rescue is featured over at Cover Reveals today. Go check it out, and see some of the other beautiful covers as well.

The post Cover Reveals appeared first on Rinelle Grey.

Today I have Aubrie Dionne, author of the Paradise Reclaimed series, to talk about her books.

Tell us a little about your new series, Paradise Reclaimed?

My Paradise Reclaimed series is a YA spin off of my New Dawn series for adults. Paradise 21, the planet they colonize in the Paradise Reclaimed series, is a destination planet in the adult series, but it’s still three hundred years away. So technically, they never get there. If you want to see what happens, you’ll have to read the YA spin off series. Even though it’s great marketing for my other series, I didn’t plan it that way. I just wanted to know for myself what happened, so I started to write.

This series is related to your New Dawn series, how is it different?

The Paradise Reclaimed series is young adult, first person. The New Dawn series is third person with rotating viewpoints. Also, most of the Paradise Reclaimed series takes place on one planet, whereas the New Dawn series is all over the galaxy. Both have ample doses of romance!

The first book, Colonization, is set when the colony ships first arrive on Paradise 21, and Andromeda learns of a deadly threat to the colony. Can you tell us a little more about it?

Andromeda is the great great granddaughter of the antagonist in my adult series. Her great great grandfather is the commander of the ship, so she feels a lot of pressure to excel and live up to her family name. She throws all of that out the window for her obsession with Sirius, her childhood friend. This book is about turning things around, and proving yourself against all odds.

The people on board the New Dawn are assigned life mates by a computer system, how does Andromeda feel about this?

Andromeda hates this! She believes because she failed at the tests, her lifemate is unworthy of her.

When is the second book, Reconnaissance, due out?

Reconnaissance is due out May 1st from Inkspell Publishing. This story features Andromeda’s rival: Nova Williams, and her quest to gain back respect after her mission fails.

Here is the blurb:

Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenant hood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.

While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.

Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

You can add it to Goodreads here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...

Do you have plans to write more books in this series?

I just finished the third and final book in the series: Alliance. This book features a character from the first two books: Lyra Bryan. My agent is reading through it in April, and then we plan on submitting to Inkspell after that.

Where can people find out more?

My blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

My books on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

My website: www.authoraubrie.net

My Twitter Account: @authoraubrie

Thanks Aubrie! And Aubrie has kindly offered a copy of Colonization for you to win. Enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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