Linda Covella, Author

I’ve been working steadily on my publisher Beau Coup Publishing’s request to add 10,000 words to my middle grade story The Castle Blues Quake.

The manuscript was originally at 40,000 words, so it’s a big percentage to increase it to at least 50,000 words. I’ve made a lot of headway, though, and am now down to adding a minimum of 3,500 words.

I’ve felt some pressure to get this done, pressure that I’ve put on myself because my editor isn’t pushing me at all, but giving me the time and space I need to complete the revision. However, I’ve set a deadline of Monday May 26. Luckily, I have no plans for the Memorial Day holiday, so I can spend the weekend with BIC writing. (For those who don’t know, “BIC” was coined by author Jane Yolen and stands for “Butt In Chair,” meaning that’s what it takes to get your writing done!

The Castle Blues Quake is a manuscript I worked on in an online class I took: “Empowering Characters’ Emotions” taught by Margie Lawson. I’ve mentioned her and the class previously in this blog, and it was one of the best classes on writing I’ve ever taken.

Now, I’ve been looking back at what I learned, and it’s been helping me with this revision. The lessons and exercises from the class taught me to dig deeper into my characters. This not only improved my characters, but also, many times, improved the plot.

An exercise that we did throughout the course was to take a line, a paragraph, or a complete scene and work on “amplifying” it. To take a character’s reaction or a description, for instance, and amp it up, bring to the next level.

I’m using this technique with my revision. The thing is, I’m not just adding words. I’m enhancing the story, making the characters more real with deeper emotions, which will, hopefully, create stronger connections to the reader. I’ve also come up with new beginning chapters and a few additions to the plot that will add to the suspense, and I’ll write another chapter that will reinforce the friendship between the two main characters.

I have to say, as nervous as I was about adding this big chunk of words, I’m now really happy the publisher requested it. I’m excited about the changes so far. Now it’s BIC and finishing it up by Monday.

How do you go about tackling major revisions?

Today I welcome author Annie Douglas Lima. She lives with her her husband in Taiwan, and besides writing, she also teaches fifth grade.

Annie, thank you for joining us today.

Annie’s Writing:

Linda Covella: How long have you been a writer?

Annie Douglas Lima: When I was seven years old, I had a sudden inspiration for a story and decided then and there that I was going to write a book and be the world’s youngest author!  I ran to my room in great excitement, found an old notebook and a pencil, and started in.  Well, that first novel was never actually finished, let alone published, but it got me started.  After that I can’t remember a time that I didn’t have at least one book in progress.  But it wasn’t until I was nearly done with college that I started working on a book that would eventually be published.

LC: Do you write in one particular genre, or explore a variety of stories?

ADL: I’ve only ever done young adult action adventure/fantasy.  It’s what I most enjoy reading and what’s easiest for me to write.

LC: From where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

ADL: The inspiration for my first published book, Prince of Alasia, came from a dream I had.  Most of the rest have flowed from that or from ideas I’ve had related to those characters.

LC: What is your writing process? How much/often do you write?

ADL: I always begin by creating an outline.  It starts off as a brief summary of the whole book (a page or two long), then at some point I usually divide it up chapter by chapter, with a few sentences about what will happen in each.  The details change as I go along, and I often end up with more chapters than I originally planned, but I really need that structure to get me started and keep me focused as I write.

When I come to a part of the story where I have to write about something I don’t know, I stop writing for a while and research the issue.  (For example, in Prince of Malorn the main character, Prince Korram, has to live off the land while making a solitary trek through the mountains.  I spent hours researching details about wilderness survival to make sure everything was accurate.  I learned about making wooden spears without steel tools, how to start a fire with rocks, what kinds of edible plants you could expect to find, and what beetle larva tastes like!)  While I research, I type notes right into my manuscript, then when I’ve found out what I need to, I turn the notes into a coherent scene or into bits of information to be used in various scenes.

After I finish drafting a scene or chapter, I let it sit for at least a day.  Then I go back and re-read it, fixing any obvious errors and adjusting the word choice and sentence fluency to make it sound as good as it can.  I go on to the next scene after that, and so on. When I’ve finished the whole book, I read through it at least once, often twice, checking for inconsistencies and making sure it all flows right.  Then I read it aloud to my students and/or send it to beta readers for their feedback.

Because my day job keeps me busy on weekdays, I mostly write on the weekends.  Sometimes I’ll write a little in the evenings if I don’t feel too brain dead after a long day of teaching.

LC: Do you have writing partners who critique your work before submission? Why do or why don’t you think this is important?

ADL: I’ve been blessed to have a number of different beta readers, most of whom I’ve found through my online writing groups.  Their input has been very helpful to me in seeing what needs to be changed in my stories.  In addition, I read my books aloud to my students every year (I teach 5^th grade and also host a reading club for middle schoolers). Their reactions help me know what scenes are exciting or funny to readers of that age, what doesn’t make sense, etc.  I don’t think any author, no matter how skilled, can accurately judge how her writing will come across without feedback from others.

LC: Support from fellow writers can be helpful in so many ways. We’re both members of Clean Indie Reads, a support group for authors and a place for readers to find “flinch-free” fiction. Today the group is celebrating its one year anniversary and the milestone of over 300,000 views. How has this group helped you and your writing?

ADL: Clean Indie Reads is awesome!  I love the way people there are so willing to tweet each other’s tweets, share each other’s updates about book releases, answer questions about writing and publishing, and just encourage each other in our writing.  Because all books featured there are “flinch-free”, I don’t have to worry that I’ll be tweeting or sharing about something that goes against my moral standards.  It’s been a real blessing to me to be part of such a supportive group of writers!

Annie’s Road to Publication:

LC: How long have you actively been pursuing publication?

ADL: For about eight years now, ever since I decided Prince of Alasia had a chance.

LC: Do you have an agent? If yes, how did you go about finding him/her and what have the benefits been to having an agent?

If not, do you think an agent would be helpful to your writing career/do you plan to seek an agent?

ADL: I spent a couple of years trying to get an agent, but to no avail.  Finally I learned about Kindle Direct Publishing and decided to publish on my own.  I’m no longer seeking an agent or traditional publication, because I don’t think it would help me much.  When it comes to the writing/publishing/marketing process, marketing is my biggest weakness.  But the way it works these days, authors are still responsible for most of their own marketing either way.  A traditional publisher wouldn’t be likely to do much for me that I’m not already doing anyway.

LC: Your new release, Prince of Malorn, is the third book in your Annals of Alasia series. Please tell us a bit about these books.

ADL: Yes, Prince of Malorn is the third book in the series, but like the others, it can stand on its own.  Each book deals with events surrounding the same major political incident: the invasion of the kingdom of Alasia by the neighboring kingdom of Malorn.  Prince of Alasia begins on the night of the Invasion and describes what happens to twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin after he is forced to flee for his life.  In the Enemy’s Service features a girl as the protagonist and tells the story of those who were not able to escape from the Alasian palace when the enemy invaded.  Prince of Malorn begins several months earlier and focuses on the Malornian perspective of the events leading up to the Invasion.  In each of the books, main characters from the others make brief appearances and interact with each other at the point where the timeframes and settings overlap.

LC: If you could have any job (besides being a writer), what profession would you choose?

ADL: Actually, writing isn’t my day job.  I teach fifth grade at an international school in Taichung, Taiwan, where my husband and I have lived for the last six years.  I love teaching and don’t ever plan to quit, but I do wish it left me with more time for writing!

LC: What’s up next for Author Annie Douglass Lima?

ADL: I’m nearly done with the next book in the series, tentatively titled King of Malorn.  It takes place five years later and brings together the main characters from all three of the other books.  In addition, I’m working on an unrelated story that will probably be the first in a completely different series.  It’s called The Collar and the Cavvarach, and is set in a world very much like our own except that slavery is legal.  Though still a young adult novel, it’s geared toward a slightly older audience than my Annals of Alasia and deals with darker issues.  Writing it has been both an exciting and disturbing experience for me.  In the last few weeks I’ve begun outlining ideas for its sequel.

LC: Annie, thanks so much for telling us about your writing and sharing your “Road to Publication.” It’s been a pleasure having you!

Author Bio:

Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published six books (three YA action adventure/fantasy and three anthologies of her students’ poetry). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

You can contact Annie via email at: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com

And find her online at:

Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4955329.Annie_Douglass_Lima

Amazon Author Page (where all my books are available): http://www.amazon.com/Annie-Douglass-Lima/e/B0051XD0SU/

Buy Prince of Malorn (Kindle): http://smarturl.it/PrinceofMalorn

Buy In the Enemy’s Service (Kindle):  http://smarturl.it/EnemysService

Buy Prince of Alasia (Kindle): http://smarturl.it/PrinceofAlasia

Buy any of the books for Nook or other formats:   https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Annals+of+Alasia

Click here for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card! a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’ve now completed two rounds of editing for my story Yakimali’s Gift, working with a junior editor. It was actually pretty painless, and I feel the manuscript is much improved thanks to the editor’s sharp eye and understanding of all the grammar rules.

Receiving edits from someone other than my critique partners was a new experience, and one thing I learned is, no matter how good at self-editing you think you are (and, boy, did I have a lofty opinion of myself in that regard. Notice the past tense “did”), you’re never going to catch everything.

I also learned another, more specific, thing about my writing style, a bad habit that I was completely unaware of. I used a lot of m-dashes—and I mean a lot—to emphasize certain phrases. Oops, see what I mean?

The editor brought it to my attention, and said it could be irritating to the reader. When I did a search and destroy in Word, I was truly amazed how often I’d used them.

I admit this editing process was a bit intimidating at first, but I’m really grateful to have the editor’s help. The manuscript is now in the hands of the publisher, so I’m awaiting Round Three edits—and looking forward to her feedback. Oops! Darn!

Beau Coup Publishing

I’ve also been working on a revision of The Castle Blues Quake. Before starting the editing process with the editors at Beau Coup, the publisher asked if I could add 10,000 words to the manuscript. I gulped, and then said, Of course!

When I submitted the query, the manuscript was at approximately 40,000 words, so adding another 10k is a significant amount. I came up with some ideas, though, and submitted a short outline to the publisher, and she was happy with my additions.

So far, I’m halfway there. I just submitted a new beginning to my critique group while I continue to work on the rest of the story. It’s a little nerve-racking trying to meet that goal and do it in a timely manner, but then I love revision (as opposed to first drafts), so I’m enjoying it.

That’s where I’m at now in my “Road to Publication” and I’ll be back next Wednesday with another update.

FYI: In case you don’t hear from me before then, it’s because I’m heading up to the mountains for a few days with little or no Internet access. I will, of course, bring my computer to get in some writing time and knock off more of those 10k words!

Do you have any “bad” writing habits you’ve had to overcome?

You know how I keep telling you to never give up? To keep working hard and pursuing your dreams?

I have more proof (and exciting news) that dreams can come true!

Earlier in the year, I announced my first book deal with Astraea Press for my young adult historical novel Yakimali’s Gift.

I recently signed another book contract with Beau Coup Publishing for my middle grade paranormal novel The Castle Blues Quake.

I had submitted the story to another publisher, received a contract to look over as well as an author questionnaire to fill out. I felt pretty confident that we were going to make a deal, and then, unfortunately, it fell through.

Then I learned about Beau Coup Publishing from a member of a LinkedIn writer’s group I belong to. I talked to a couple of authors who had signed with Beau Coup, and they gave glowing reports, so I decided to submit, as their submission guidelines request, the synopsis and full manuscript of The Castle Blues Quake.

I heard back fairly quickly from the publisher that she enjoyed the story (luckily, she loves ghost stories!) and that she wanted to talk. I was excited to say the least, and a little nervous about the phone call. But after the conversation, and her description of the company and how they support their authors, among other things, I knew I wanted to work with her and Beau Coup.

The contract was fairly straight-forward. (By now, I have a pretty good understanding of book contracts!) I asked to have a few things clarified, and then happily signed.

My manuscript is currently around 40,000 words. They asked me to add another 10,000 words, so that’s what I’m working on now.

I’ll be posting every Wednesday to discuss my progress with this and with Yakimali’s Gift, as I continue down my Road to Publication. I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I’ll try to answer any questions you have about the publication process.

And please tell me any stories you might have about the pursuit of your own dreams!

When I decided to join the Blogging from A to Z challenge, I knew it would be a busy month! I usually post a blog once or twice a week, and here I was committing to posting Monday through Saturday for the entire month of April.

It was a lot of work, but I had a good time writing the posts, visiting other blogs, and making some new blogging buddies.

I heard some bloggers actually wrote many if not all of their blogs ahead of time. Not me. I did have a theme—creativity—and I did have some of my topics figured out. It wasn’t difficult for me to come up with each topic, though, and often I changed to different topics than the ones I had planned.

Some of the topics required research, so those took longer to write than others. But I like doing research, so that didn’t feel like a chore. And I hope my readers enjoyed the posts and maybe learned a thing or two!

I didn’t have any real technical issues with the challenge. The only thing is I did have trouble posting to some of the blogs. The A-to-Z Challenge Team suggested that bloggers turn off certain tools that restricted comments such as the captcha. Personally, I find this can be irritating when I don’t get it right the first, or second, or third time…well before that I’ve given up and moved on. On other sites, I had a hard time seeing where to leave the comment. Maybe I missed something, but on some sites, I figured out if I “liked” the blog (which I don’t mind doing per se), the comment section would appear.

I want to thank the organizers of the challenge and my co-host Alex J. Cavanaugh and his helpers listed here.

Tomorrow’s blog: some exciting news!

Saturday, May 3, is California Bookstore Day when 93 independent bookstores throughout the state celebrate the written word.

In my area, I’ll be visiting Hicklebee’s where author Emily Jiang and illustrator April Chu will be celebrating their debut book Summoning the Phoenix: Poems & Prose About Chinese Musical Instruments. From 3:00 to 5:00 pm, Emily and April will be signing books as well as demonstrating how to play certain Chinese instruments among other activities. Refreshments will be served.

Other author appearances that day include children’s author Megan McDonald who is the author of the popular Judy Moody series. She will be at Hicklebee’s from noon to 1:30 pm.

Illustrator Katherine Tillotson, who illustrated Megan McDonald’s Shoe Dog is scheduled from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.

In Santa Cruz, Logos Books & Records and Bookshop Santa Cruz are participating in California Bookstore Day.

Be sure to visit and support your local independent bookstores—Saturday and always!

My theme for the Blogging from A to Z challenge is Creativity. And today, the last day of the challenge, I ask you to be zany!

This past month, I’ve discussed many aspects of, and ways to, unleash your creativity:

Try brainstorming to come up with unique and fresh ideas.

Be curious.

Be dauntless.

Use your intellect, your heart, and your soul.

Find what you’re passionate about, and pour that passion into your work.

Trust yourself. Listen to that inner voice, the voice that’s coming from your gut and your heart.

And what’s a good way to approach all these things? By being zany!

Let yourself go. Loosen the emotional reins and go for it. Create something that’s “you.”

This has been a fun challenge, and I appreciate all of you who have read my posts. I enjoyed talking with you in the comments, and thankful for the opportunity to connect with new bloggers.

NOTE: I need to make sure I’ve followed you all, and to list you on my blog. I will get to it. 🙂

I’ll leave you with this quote by modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham.

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”

My theme for the Blogging from A to Z challenge is Creativity. Today I want to spotlight Yoko Ono. She’s always been a controversial person with her politics, lifestyle, and art. Personally, I don’t have strong feelings either way about her and her work. But I do think she’s truly followed her own path in life and creatively expresses herself with her heart and soul.

Here are some highlights from her career as a poet, artist, and film maker:

* Her 1961 “Smoke Painting” was a suspended piece of canvas accompanied by this note: “Light canvas or any finished painting with a cigarette at any time for any length of time. See the smoke movement. The painting ends when the whole canvas is gone.”

* In 1964, she staged her “cut piece” where the audience participated by cutting off pieces of her clothing until she was naked. This was Ono’s commentary on ridding oneself of materialism.

* In the mid-1960s, she collaborated with Anthony Cox, a film producer, art promoter, and Ono’s first husband, in the film Bottoms, which showed close-ups of nude rear ends. The film was banned by the British Board of Film Censors.

* Ono and John Lennon held a “bed-in” during their honeymoon in 1969 to promote world peace. They invited various members of the press into their hotel room to ask questions.

After Lennon’s death, Ono continued her art and music career. She recorded albums, composed two off-Broadway musicals, and in 2002, saw a collection of her artwork exhibited in New York City, her first retrospective in the United States.

Visit this site for many more details, including pictures, of her life and art.

I believe Yoko Ono was, and is, an artist who “thinks outside the box” like no other!

What do you think of Yoko Ono and her work?

My theme for the Blogging from A to Z challenge is Creativity. Today’s letter “x” is a difficult one in this challenge. But I chose “xylophone” because music is another way to express your creativity, and to share your passion with others.

As a kid, I played the organ. My mother wanted to get a piano, but apparently my father found a deal on the organ, so there ya go. I enjoyed playing it, though. I went to a Catholic grade school and got to play the big pipe organ in the choir loft at the rear of the church.

I wished I’d continued to play as I got older. The piano is my favorite instrument to listen to, and I’d love to be able to play it now. I took lessons several years ago (I was pleased I could still read music), but I just didn’t have the time to put into all the practicing, etc. And my creative energy and time is now directed at my writing.

I know some writers who are inspired by listening to music while they write. That’s too distracting for me, although in high school I’d have rock and roll blasting while I did my homework.

I love listening to all sorts of music, and it can fill me with different emotions, whether it excites me and makes me want to get up and dance or brings me to tears because it’s so beautiful. When that happens, I know the writer or composer has poured his or her passion into the song.

What style of music do you enjoy? Do you sing or play an instrument?

My theme for the Blogging from A to Z challenge is Creativity. Today I pay tribute to author Alice Walker.

Walker is best known for her novel The Color Purple. For that, she became the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The book also won the National Book Award.

I read The Color Purple when it was first published in 1983, so of course it’s not fresh in my mind. But I remember it was a difficult read for me because of the main character Celie’s extremely tough life. But through Celie, who suffers both physical and mental abuse, Walker shows us the hopes and determination of the human spirit when Celie fights to be, and ultimately is, recognized as a human being.

Walker’s parents were sharecroppers, and she grew up in extreme poverty and racism. Her determination to give her parents and the people she knew a voice inspired her to become a writer.

“If you deny people their own voice,” she said, “you’ll have no idea of who they were.”

In this video, Walker talks of her childhood, of which she has fond memories despite the poverty, and her experiences with racism.

Of The Color Purple, she says, “What I would like people to understand when they read The Color Purple is that there are actually all these terrible things that can happen to us, and yet life is so incredibly magical and abundant and present, that we can still be very happy.”

Alice Walker created a novel that incorporated truths about her own life and past, about the people she loved, and in doing so, she joined other artists who, throughout history, used their creativity to break barriers, bring awareness to important societal issues, and remind us about the beauty of life and the indomitable human spirit.