Tag Archives: Writing

January 1, 2012

2012 Resolutions

By Anne Michaud

New year’s melancholy. What I used to be, who I wanted to become. Have I changed? Probably. But one thing remains: to aspire to something different.

Write More * Write Better * Write for me

In the spirit of this list of wishes, here’s a flash inspired by this dream I’ve had just before waking up. You know the kind – one that stays with you all day, that you can’t push out of your mind. And days later, you just have to bleed it on the page.

On the Rocks

Clever, they pretended to be something else. A meteorite shower all over our planet, but nothing to worry about. Brown shapeless space stones weren’t a concern to us, until they landed.

Inside, millions waiting to take our place, to send us away. Ships lined up, futile fighting ended in death; my father, the neighbor, our president. The only hand left to hold was my mother’s.

Through the shredding of our lives, she smiled at me. I asked her: In the wide map of black above, will we lose ourselves? She said: Between the stars and the moon, nothing will catch us if we fall.

 

For all of you who are still missing out, City of Hell is on the loose, catch it if you can while one of the wonderful stories is FREE ♥

12 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in #fridayflash, All about me, myself and I, Good Book, Highly recommended, Little Obsession, Short Fiction

December 21, 2011

Chatting with Shannon Mayer

By Anne Michaud
I was shocked when I read Shannon Mayer’s blog post about quiting her agent and going indie – not shocked by the act itself, but the information she divulged about traditional publishers.
 
Me: Hey Shannon, could you please tell us the inside scoop about what’s going on in the publishing industry, from a writer’s pov?
 

Shannon Mayer: The industry is changing so fast Anne, that by the time this blog post goes up, it could have turned us on our heads once more. But here’s what I know. Agents are getting out of the agenting business, they are setting their clients loose to pursue self publishing because they CAN’T compete.

 
I mean, if you knew that a Traditional Publishing House (TPH) was only going to give you an advance of $2500 IF it was a really good day, then they would only give you a print run of 6-8k which isn’t even enough books to “pay out” your advance, and now you’re labelled as a “bad selling” author, would YOU do it? If you knew that you could Self Publish (SP) as an Indie Author, make the same $2500 and then some without having to wait to see your book on the virtual shelves, PLUS have complete control over how your book is presented, what is there stopping you? Fear? Yes, I think that is the biggest drawback to being an author, we want validation that we are good enough. I say, let the readers decide what is good and what isn’t.
 
Agents will be squeezed out by the trends that are happening right now, that is my opinion. They are no longer needed. Authors can self publish and when they do well enough, the TPH will come to them with a deal, no agent involved. There are lots of blogs out there right now that explain how the agents are no longer the gatekeepers to the publishing industry, its a fascinating trend. And really, it only benfits authors.
 
Me: Self-publishing is amazing, but so many authors out there are badly representing the trend by not having professional editing done on their manuscripts, publishing its first or second draft, promotting themselves as amateurs by having friends rate 5 stars when obviously, the work isn’t. Don’t you think that bad apples will rot the barrel?
 
Shannon Mayer: It’s like any business. Those that don’t treat it with respect, WILL be weeded out. Even if they have their friends 5 star for them, readers who don’t know them will star their work appropriately. The down side is then the readers may think that ALL indies are so sloppy with their work.
Do I think they will rot out the system? No, but I do think there needs to be a way to SHOW readers who is taking a responsible view of the industry. I wrote a post about dividing Amazon into edited and un-edited Indies for this very reason. Those who take the longer, more difficult road shouldn’t be put in the same barrel as the rotten apples. 🙂 In my opinon.Me: So you do believe there should be a structure for Indie writers? Other than having different categories on Amazon, have you thought of other ways for those who put in the work can get recognition?Shannon Mayer: I think structure would be very good. I think its fabulous that anyone can now publish a book relatively easily, that’s great. BUT, as you pointed out, there are a number of bad apples out there. Okay, more than a number. And the biggest complaint I hear from readers is that the indie authors have books that are riddled with typos, bad grammar, POV shifts, plot arcs that go nowhere, and so on. They aren’t ALL like that, I’ve seen a few that are very well written and obviously have had a lot of care and time put into them.

I think one way might be that when people review a book, there could be a spots where you would star them. Quality of work, Engaging, Satisfaction with story, Unique plot and such. Then, if a book maybe has some poor editing, but is still a unique plot with a story that pulls you along, you might be willing to try that. Some people don’t care about typos, others hate them. If the rating system was broken down, you could easily see where the writers strong points are and judge whether it was worth your time or not.

Me: Famous last words?
Shannon Mayer: Hmm. Famous last words? This isn’t the end of the shift in the publishing world. We, as authors, need to be on top of the changes that keep coming our way, just look at the KDP Select through Amazon and the hububb around that.

It IS a great time to be an author, we just need to remember that doesn’t mean it’s going to be any easier of a road. Getting published, whether you go with a TPH or SP takes dedication, hard work and most of all, good, clean writing.

Shannon Mayer blogs and writes and tweets @TheShannonMayer

14 Comments   |  tags: , | posted in Good Book, Highly recommended

December 15, 2011

Blog Award, German style

By Anne Michaud

Darling zombie poet April R Denton bestowed this award to me – as if her  dedicated poem wasn’t enough. Sadly, she is taking a break from blogs, tweets, etc, but if you want to read her amazing prose, come here.

My blogging nominations to spread the love of the Liebster – it means beloved and dearest. Cute, non?

REN WAROM is one amazing, weird, creepy, cursing sailor of a writer, and I adore not only her rich stories but how she always has a nice word twist. Beware: highly addictive.

AMY L OVERLEY makes me laugh with her genius plots and schemes as  the co-founder of the Genius Club. One hell of a writer.

MIKE WORDPLAY is a new friend who cheers me up when I feel ugly, old and fat – not an easy feat, let me tell you. Quite a talented boy.

JASON DARRICK can be very scary and a little creepy, but that’s only when you read his stuff. He’s a cool dude with great muscial taste, too.

TYMOTHY LONGORIA is a sweet, kind-hearted and go-getter writer who helps practical strangers with their query letters. Oh, and he’s adorable, too.

There you have it, peeps – stalk them on twitter, follow their amazing blogs, and show the love ♥

26 Comments   |  tags: , | posted in All about me, myself and I, Highly recommended, Little Obsession

December 5, 2011

Chatting with Lisa Forget

By Anne Michaud

I’ve been meeting such great people from around the world on Kelley Armstrong’s forum, that when I learned that Lisa Forget lived close to me, I almost didn’t believe it! This gal is a well-rounded artist, and with her new short story available at MuseItUp Publishing, she’s now a published author, too.

 

Me: You’ve kept your approach to romantic vampirism fresh even if it sometimes feel like it’s all been said and done in that genre. What/who inspired Deathly Quiet?

 Lisa Forget: First, I want to thank you Anne for inviting me to chat. I’m thrilled you feel my little dark tale might offer something fresh for those who enjoy this genre.

Although, I’ve always loved stories about vampires – especially written in the gothic style – I never intended to write one.

Deathly Quiet was inspired by a little street in Montreal, near where I grew up. Just like Moira, it always intrigued and frightened me and as a child I was convinced the houses on the street were haunted. When I grew up I often drove by Sebastopol street just to soak up the ambiance and to watch the Caleche drivers tend the horses in the stables that exist there even today. One night, after driving through that part of town, I set my mind to writing a dark tale about an young woman coming face to face with terror. Writing the story “by the seat of my pants” I started with a young Irish girl named Moira, a creepy street named Sebastopol Row, an inky-black crow and a pool of dripping blood and let the words flow. The moment I penned the stranger stepping out of the shadows – he bared his teeth at me. That’s when I knew he was a vampire. Perhaps my deep-rooted feelings about the street, the stables, the houses, coloured my story and my love of the gothic style decided my traditional treatment of him. In a way it was as though one of my childhood nightmares had come to life.

Me: Loving this – I do the same, Iinspire myself from what surrounds me, and then of course I twist it into my own darkness. When you write, do you need to be in a frame of mind? Do you put music on? Does it influence your writing?

Lisa Forget: Usually, I only sit down to pen a story if I’m in the right mood. The only time I “force” myself is if I’m doing NaNoWriMo or editing. However, sometimes I do put on music to heighten creativity right before I sit down at the computer. I usually turn the music off once I begin typing. Yes, I’d say music does influence my writing. Three bands who get my creative juices flowing are Hedley, Coldplay and Muse. Their music and lyrics touch me and spark ideas.

Me: What are you future writing plans? Other paranormal short stories in the works? Or maybe a novel?

Lisa Forget: At the moment, I’m awaiting the first edits from my publisher for a YA short story entitled “Leapling”It’s slated for February 2012. And, I’m writing some dark shorts for a project I’m collaborating on with Pat Hollett and Tammy Crosby – an anthology called “Bleeding Ink – a collection of Dark Tales.” We’re compiling a collection of creative and dark stories from talented writers like you Anne….hint, hint.

My plan is to finish the stories I started…. LOL! I have several. What I’m presently working on is “The Guardian of Secrets” – a paranormal romance. I’m also editing two completed novels, “The Powers Within” (YA) and “Love Eternal” another paranormal romance. “Love Eternal” was the very first writing project I completed a few years ago based on a 5th century Welsh legend. Once I’m done the edits I plan to submit the stories to my publisher. Hopefully they’ll like them and I’ll have reason to write a sequel to Powers and finish the sequel to Eternal!

Deathly Quiet is a hauting tale of love and regret, get it now! 

7 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Good Book, Highly recommended, Short Fiction, YA

December 1, 2011

The City of Hell bugs are on the loose!

By Anne Michaud

The day has come: the horror anthology City of Hell has launched, and everyone can finally be scared out of their wits. I’ve never been part of a project getting so many good reviews before, so I’ll just say this – buy it.

Paperback

Kindle

I didn’t feel like posting a Fridayflash this week, instead here are the very first words that will appear in Wild Swan. Not a prologue per se, more like a poetic warning about the book. Ready? Go!

Fire, Let It Burn

Fire, See How It Feels

Forthcoming Fire

You like? Me too. It’s totally copyrighted, so don’t even try.

13 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in All about me, myself and I, Good Book, Highly recommended, YA

November 24, 2011

Chatting with April R Denton…& GIVEAWAY!

By Anne Michaud

The #CoffinHop wasn’t only about meeting horror authors and enjoying Halloween’s festivities – it was also about winning goodies! I was super happy when April R Denton told me I won a poem she’d write for me, so I proposed to premiere her composition over here.

AM: You’re such a prolific writer: poems, short stories, and novels…where do you find your inspiration, dear Zombie Girl? What sparks your fire?

April R Denton: Music and my dreams are most influential. When I find the right music for what I am writing the words flow freely, but they also influence my tone in the piece.

AM: Me too! Some dreams have become novels – they were that good to expand! Give me examples of the music you listen to write a scene, like a fight scene or a more mellow, romantic one.

April R Denton: I let Winamp do most of the work for my by shuffling until I reach a song that gives me goosebumps. For a sexy scene I use Puscifer, Maynard always makes me want to do dirty things. For violence Morphogenesis by Scar Symmetry or maybe some Killswitch Engage.

AM: Cool stuff. So when you wrote my ♥poem♥, how did you come up with it?

April R Denton: To write your poem I read your blog and took words that described you. Then I used rhymed.com to find rhymes that would work well. I reread the poem about 20 times until I was satisfied.

AM: It feels personal, you did a great job:)
Here it is, folks. Enjoy!

Gothic girl

Hazel eyes

Dark obsessive

Sweet surprise

Gloomy tunes

Oh so tall

Anne, the wordsmith

For her words you’ll befall

***In honor of the macabre and gloomy, I’m giving away two – yes, 2!! – ARC e-copies of City of Hell – Chronicles 1 (horror anthology featuring 7 scary short stories) to anyone who subscribe to this blog and leaves a comment to this post. Drawing of the lucky winners on Monday November 28th at noon-ish, Mtl time. Good luck♥***

12 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in All about me, myself and I, Highly recommended, Little Obsession, Short Fiction

November 18, 2011

Interview From Hell, the saga

By Anne Michaud

I am extremely proud to be part of the Anachron Press horror anthology City of Hell – Chronicles 1 coming out this December. Kendall Grey (you know her, right? such a cool/crazy writer to stalk) orchestrated The Interview From Hell – follow the links at the end of this post to find out other hellish memories…

Kid from Hell

Colin Barnes:

The annoying child across the street to me. Their back garden isn’t far from mine and they have one of those annoying trampolines inside a net. He bounces on that damned thing screaming and shouting at all hours. Drives me nuts. I have considered a sniper rifle.

Victoria Griesdoorn:

During birth I broke my collar bone and the doctors never noticed. My mom saw a nurse for a post-natal check up two weeks later and asked whether it was normal that I was a happy baby but started crying as soon as my mom picked me up. The nurse found the broken bone and assured my mom it wasn’t her fault. My mom must have thought I hated her.

Ren Warom:

I have three – I call them the spawn and they are the burning plasma at the heart of my world and the single reason I will go bat-crazy and drooling before I hit my prime 🙂

Kendall Grey:

As a former middle school teacher, I have a long list of kids from hell, but there was only one I grabbed by the shirt collar and nearly punched. Spawned straight from Satan’s wanton loins, this little shit made it his business to keep all the teachers on Prozac. Years later, I was talking to a substitute teacher at school and thought he looked familiar. I asked his name. It was the kid from hell! All grown up now, he’s the nicest dude.

Anne Michaud:

Aren’t they all from Hell? I mean, really: the crying, the nagging, the demands and diapers. I rest my case.

Belinda Frisch:

Any kid that trashes my house, fails to follow rules, cries excessively, or messes with my pets is a kid from hell.

Amy Overley:

The kid from hell was a little boy named Adam Snavely. Yes, Adam, I’m naming names, dude. I was a kid too at the time, and we knew each other from church. CHURCH, people. Where we’re supposed to love each other like Jesus…or something along those lines. Adam, however, loved staplers. He loved stapling me in particular. I would run every Sunday after church to cower behind my mother’s skirt. My mother, of course, took Adam to task, but his mother would say with a cheerful smile, “boys will be boys.” Really, I should have kicked him in the gonads.

　

Friend from Hell

Colin Barnes:

I once had a friend who did a terrible and highly illegal thing and had to move to Cornwall to escape the wrath of the family of the person on the end of this terrible thing. On the upside, the only way he could afford his rent was to let the landlord do certain ‘things’ to him against his will to make up the shortfall in the rent.

Victoria Griesdoorn:

The only times I ever hated a friend was the dreaded Sunday mornings. Growing up, I used to always be outside, playing or hanging out on the streets. Back then shops were closed on Sundays and my friend’s family slept in. I was bored to tears every time. I still hate Sunday mornings.

Ren Warom:

Huh. Easy. Sharon. Nightmare. Black hole human. Friend at my second senior school. Needless to say I will NEVER be guilt-tripped into being friends with someone ever again. Back-stabbing cow she was. Told everyone I’d gone nuts when I left school due to having enough of being bullied by people who hated HER. Bitch. I’m totally over it… 😛

Kendall Grey:

I have a few, but I won’t name them. To stay off Kendall’s Friend from Hell list, follow these simple rules. 1) Don’t push your kids off on me. I don’t care how sweet they are. I don’t want them around without you there. 2) Don’t use me. Contrary to popular belief, I can be very kind and giving. If you take advantage of me, I will fuck you up. 3) Be there for me like I’m there for you.

Anne Michaud:

Stephanie was her name: she stole my Smurf ballerina, a French dress for my favorite doll, my Halloween candy and tried to make me fall off my bicycle. Needless to say, we stopped being friends after she brought matches to my sixth birthday party.

Belinda Frisch:

Any friend that betrays my trust, covets what’s mine, lies to my face, or uses me for what they can get and then are never there in return is a friend from hell.

Amy Overley:

Her name was Sandy, and she had hair the color of old cherry Koolaid and a carrot-tinted complexion from too much time at the tanning bed. Sandy was the sort who loved you at first sight and regurgitated her entire life story onto you within minutes of clasping you to her hefty bosom. Sandy was fine until she got drunk, and then she was “Handsy Sandsy.” Woe to the man who stumbled across her path at a party. It didn’t matter if you were gay or straight. If you had a package, her hands were on it. Damn, I miss her at parties.

Check out the rest of the City of Hell crew’s Interview From Hell:  

November 14: Colin Barnes – Ride from Hell; Boss/Coworker from Hell

November 15: Victoria Griesdoorn – Pet from Hell; Car from Hell

November 16: Ren Warom – Day from Hell; Illness from Hell

November 17: Kendall Grey – Vacation from Hell; Family Member from Hell

November 18: Anne Michaud – Kid from Hell; Friend from Hell

November 21: Belinda Frisch – Binge from Hell; Book from Hell

November 22: Amy Overley – Meal from Hell; Bug Bite from Hell

6 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Good Book, Highly recommended, Short Fiction

November 11, 2011

Scribbles Blog Hop

By Anne Michaud

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved good quality paper, and certainly a good journal. Thick but not heavy, long but not wide, a hard-cover without too much glitz. I can spend hours looking, touching, sniffing journals in a bookstore, and if I really want to treat myself, I make a detour to L’Essence du Papier

My journals through the years

There’s a certain excitement when I find a good journal: it’s the possibilities. Maybe my next book will be written on these pages * Maybe these pages will be inked with my next big project * Maybe this new story will change my life. And this goes through my head every time I start a new one…

The uncompromising list of characters for Wild Swan

I keep one by my bed – since most of my problems are solved at night, between the click of the light and the beginning of my dreams – one in the bathroom – because my best ideas come in the shower – one in my handbag – for flashes that begin from a conversation heard in a coffee shop, bookstore, ladies room. Oh, and there’s my main journal, the one I always have handy in my office, by the computer, for story development and outlining.

Misery of Me flashes, since published in Tattered Souls 2

It often starts with a scene between characters, a glimpse of a futuristic world, a dream that leaves a lasting impression. And anything can spark the flame: a melody heard on the radio, an art piece on a wall, the way the sun’s rays hit the color of my antique trunk…This is what I love about creating worlds and people: anything can happen.

 

Happy writing, and don’t forget to visit my fellow Scribbles Blog Hoppers:

Pocket-size & pretty ♥

**In honor of the first Scribbles Blog Hop, I’m giving away this small and practical dark blue/white journal to anyone who leaves a comment & subscribes to my blog. I’ll draw one lucky winner on Monday the 14th of November, noon-ish.**

23 Comments   |  tags: , | posted in All about me, myself and I, Highly recommended