Callie James's Blog - Posts Tagged "callie-james"
INNOCENT is .99 cents thru 12/27!
*****.99 Cents!*****
“I found that there was more depth, rawness and honesty than found in a lot that I have read from this genre." - Twin Spin reviews
To find happiness with the boy she loves, Missy must first acknowledge a past she’s kept hidden too long. INNOCENT, a young adult romance available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G
“I found that there was more depth, rawness and honesty than found in a lot that I have read from this genre." - Twin Spin reviews
To find happiness with the boy she loves, Missy must first acknowledge a past she’s kept hidden too long. INNOCENT, a young adult romance available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G
Voting for 2015 YA General RONE Awards begins today!
I'm so thrilled that INNOCENT & STUDENT BODYGUARD FOR HIRE are YA General 2015 RONE Award nominees! So appreciate your vote! http://indtale.com/2015-rone-awards-w.... Thanks so much!
Student Bodyguard for Hire
My young adult romance novel, STUDENT BODYGUARD FOR HIRE, will be FREE on Kindle beginning August 29 through September 2, 2015.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JNI3JRG
STUDENT BODYGUARD FOR HIRE was a Young Adult finalist in the 2015 Booksellers' Best Award, the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, the 2015 Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Awards, the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2014 Dante Rossetti Awards, the 2014 International Digital Awards, and a Nominee in the 2015 RONE Awards.
When her younger brother becomes victim to Ridgeview High’s worst group of bullies, Peyton Greene sets out to hire the most feared student in school to protect him. It never occurs to her that the antisocial, two-time senior won’t agree to do it, even for the large sum she’s willing to pay.
Sam Guerra can’t afford to pick a fight at school and risk another expulsion, but after witnessing the beginning of a humiliating locker room beat down, he gets involved anyway. Soon more students approach him with offers of money and requests for protection. Having zero interest in becoming anyone’s bodyguard, he finds other students willing to take his place for the same fee. A growing list of names rapidly morphs into a reason to approach the pretty geek again, and despite the stark differences in his and Peyton’s backgrounds, they begin seeing each other outside of school.
But everything changes when Peyton transforms the list into a bodyguard website for a class project. Not long after go-live, she’s struggling to maintain the burgeoning database of bullied students matched with student bodyguards. What happens next turns the senior class assignment into a non-profit, nationwide project that will ultimately tear her parents' marriage apart and the town in two as it fuels the hot topic of violence to stop violence in an already divided nation. Her struggle to do the right thing becomes even more complicated when she learns of Sam’s dark past and equally violent present—information that could compromise their relationship, her reputation, and the integrity of a successful, anti-violence project she refuses to quit.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JNI3JRG
STUDENT BODYGUARD FOR HIRE was a Young Adult finalist in the 2015 Booksellers' Best Award, the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, the 2015 Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Awards, the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2014 Dante Rossetti Awards, the 2014 International Digital Awards, and a Nominee in the 2015 RONE Awards.
When her younger brother becomes victim to Ridgeview High’s worst group of bullies, Peyton Greene sets out to hire the most feared student in school to protect him. It never occurs to her that the antisocial, two-time senior won’t agree to do it, even for the large sum she’s willing to pay.
Sam Guerra can’t afford to pick a fight at school and risk another expulsion, but after witnessing the beginning of a humiliating locker room beat down, he gets involved anyway. Soon more students approach him with offers of money and requests for protection. Having zero interest in becoming anyone’s bodyguard, he finds other students willing to take his place for the same fee. A growing list of names rapidly morphs into a reason to approach the pretty geek again, and despite the stark differences in his and Peyton’s backgrounds, they begin seeing each other outside of school.
But everything changes when Peyton transforms the list into a bodyguard website for a class project. Not long after go-live, she’s struggling to maintain the burgeoning database of bullied students matched with student bodyguards. What happens next turns the senior class assignment into a non-profit, nationwide project that will ultimately tear her parents' marriage apart and the town in two as it fuels the hot topic of violence to stop violence in an already divided nation. Her struggle to do the right thing becomes even more complicated when she learns of Sam’s dark past and equally violent present—information that could compromise their relationship, her reputation, and the integrity of a successful, anti-violence project she refuses to quit.
INNOCENT for free! First time!
My award-winning young adult romance, INNOCENT, is free on Kindle Sunday, Sept 20 through Thursday, Sept 24, 2015. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G.
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
INNOCENT won the Young Adult category for the 2015 Booksellers' Best Award, the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, and the 2015 Wisconsin RWA Write Touch Readers' Award. INNOCENT also went on to final in the Young Adult category of the 2015 Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Awards, the 2015 Book Buyers Best Contest, the 2015 Award of Excellence Contest, the 2015 Maggie Award of Excellence, the 2015 Golden Quill Contest, the Chatelaine Awards 2014, and the 2015 RONE Awards.
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
INNOCENT won the Young Adult category for the 2015 Booksellers' Best Award, the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, and the 2015 Wisconsin RWA Write Touch Readers' Award. INNOCENT also went on to final in the Young Adult category of the 2015 Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Awards, the 2015 Book Buyers Best Contest, the 2015 Award of Excellence Contest, the 2015 Maggie Award of Excellence, the 2015 Golden Quill Contest, the Chatelaine Awards 2014, and the 2015 RONE Awards.
INNOCENT for free on Kindle!
INNOCENT, the multi-award-winning novel by Callie James, is free on Kindle Dec. 20th through Dec. 24th. To find happiness with the boy she loves, Missy must first acknowledge a past she’s kept hidden too long.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
Innocent
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
Innocent
Student Bodyguard for Hire free on Kindle!
Free YA on Kindle! Award-winning young adult novel, Student Bodyguard for Hire by Callie James, is free on Kindle February 21 thru February 25. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JNI3JRG
"Readers will not be able to put down this book!" - InD'tale Magazine
Student Bodyguard for Hire
When her younger brother becomes victim to Ridgeview High’s worst group of bullies, Peyton Greene sets out to hire the most feared student in school to protect him. It never occurs to her that the antisocial, two-time senior won’t agree to do it, even for the large sum she’s willing to pay.
Sam Guerra can’t afford to pick a fight at school and risk another expulsion, but after witnessing the beginning of a humiliating locker room beat down, he gets involved anyway. Soon more students approach him with offers of money and requests for protection. Having zero interest in becoming anyone’s bodyguard, he finds other students willing to take his place for the same fee. A growing list of names rapidly morphs into a reason to approach the pretty geek again, and despite the stark differences in his and Peyton’s backgrounds, they begin seeing each other outside of school.
But everything changes when Peyton transforms the list into a bodyguard website for a class project. What happens next turns the senior class assignment into a non-profit, nationwide project that will ultimately tear her parents' marriage apart and the town in two as it fuels the hot topic of violence to stop violence in an already divided nation. Her struggle to do the right thing becomes even more complicated when she learns of Sam’s dark past and equally violent present—information that could compromise their relationship, her reputation, and the integrity of a successful, anti-violence project she refuses to quit.
"Readers will not be able to put down this book!" - InD'tale Magazine
Student Bodyguard for Hire
When her younger brother becomes victim to Ridgeview High’s worst group of bullies, Peyton Greene sets out to hire the most feared student in school to protect him. It never occurs to her that the antisocial, two-time senior won’t agree to do it, even for the large sum she’s willing to pay.
Sam Guerra can’t afford to pick a fight at school and risk another expulsion, but after witnessing the beginning of a humiliating locker room beat down, he gets involved anyway. Soon more students approach him with offers of money and requests for protection. Having zero interest in becoming anyone’s bodyguard, he finds other students willing to take his place for the same fee. A growing list of names rapidly morphs into a reason to approach the pretty geek again, and despite the stark differences in his and Peyton’s backgrounds, they begin seeing each other outside of school.
But everything changes when Peyton transforms the list into a bodyguard website for a class project. What happens next turns the senior class assignment into a non-profit, nationwide project that will ultimately tear her parents' marriage apart and the town in two as it fuels the hot topic of violence to stop violence in an already divided nation. Her struggle to do the right thing becomes even more complicated when she learns of Sam’s dark past and equally violent present—information that could compromise their relationship, her reputation, and the integrity of a successful, anti-violence project she refuses to quit.
WRITERS: Self-Editing Fiction
SELF-EDITING FICTION
Step 1 - Seek and Destroy
Searching for specific words/phrases is a massive time sucker and often takes me weeks to complete, but I've found it's a process worth finishing. I usually cut my use of the words listed below by half and reduce my manuscript by 3,000-5,000 words. This is a great way to tighten up those sentences.
Since I have so many lists to share (and these are "short" lists), I'll keep my comments to a minimum. I've listed these in the following order:
1. Do you need all of those prepositions?
2. Change "to be" verbs (stop passive writing to make your sentences stronger).
3. Delete unnecessary words/phrases.
4. Find deep point of view opportunities.
5. Don't start sentences with these words.
6. Define indefinite words.
7. Check capitalization and specificity.
8. Remove or replace repetitive words/phrases.
1. DO YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE PREPOSITIONS? People often clutter sentences by using too many prepositions. A quick fix is to try to eliminate the preposition and make two sentences. The preposition or prepositional phrase is often not needed.
aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
anti
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
except
excepting
excluding
following
for
from
in
inside
into
like
minus
near of
off
on
onto
opposite
outside
over
past
per
plus
regarding
round
save
since
than
through
to
toward
towards
under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon
versus
via
with
within
without
2. CHANGE "TO BE" VERBS (STOP PASSIVE WRITING). Try to make the doer the subject of your sentence.
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
Be
Being
Been
Become
Became
Have
Has
3. DELETE UNNECESSARY WORDS/PHRASES. These will clutter your sentences.
A lot
Actually
Almost
Although
Always
Awfully
Basically
Begin/Beginning
Certainly
Essentially
Even
Extremely
For a moment
Generally
In spite of
It occurred
Just
Kind of
Literally
Mostly
Nearly
Perhaps
Pretty much
Quite
Rather
Really
Slowly
So
Something
Sometime
Somewhat
Sort of
Started/Starting
Suddenly
Sure
That
Then
Usually
Very
Yet
Most words ending in "ing" and "ly"
4. FIND DEEP POINT OF VIEW OPPORTUNITIES. No doubt, you've heard to show and not tell. When you find these words below, see if you can reword from a deep point of view perspective. For example, substitute "she felt sick" with "her stomach churned" or "she tasted bile." You get the idea.
Feel/Felt
Hear(d)
Think/Thought
Know/Knew
Notice(d)
Realize(d)
See/Saw
Seem(ed)
Watch(ed)
Wonder(ed)
5. DON'T START SENTENCES WITH THESE WORDS.
• Hopefully
• Fortunately
• It is
• There is
• There are
6. DEFINE INDEFINITE WORDS. This helps to avoid confusing the reader.
• Few
• Many
• Some
• Pronouns
7. CHECK CAPITALIZATION AND SPECIFICITY. Search names and pronouns. I find after so many passes, I'll often miss mistakes like "my Mom" should be "my mom." No capitalization needed in this case.
8. REMOVE OR REPLACE REPETITIVE WORDS AND PHRASES. This list will be your own personal list of words/phrases you use too often. I'm sharing words/phrases below that I overuse.
Again
At least
Definitely
Glanced
Heart
Laugh
Likely
Look
Nod
Possibly
Probably
Sigh
Smile
Stared
Turned
Was deciding
Was going to
Was happening
Yeah
This is a constantly changing list for me, and each time I go through the process, I get a little better at not making these mistakes. However, I sometimes pick up new problems while trying to avoid old ones.
After several self-editing passes, crushing self-doubt will begin to overwhelm me and I have to fight a burning desire to chuck my manuscript into the trash. That’s how I know I’ve reached Step 2. Time to hand over your baby to someone else.
Step 2 - An Honest Look
Beta readers and critique partners are important for any writer to have. That said, I highly recommend only asking people you trust.
• Beta readers should be anyone with an interest in what you write. Preferably someone who has good copy editing skills and can spot obvious errors. Send your manuscript to 2-3 beta readers.
It still surprises me when I get the copy edits back with all of those glaring mistakes that I can no longer see. Mistakes such as "the" instead of "they" or "conservation" instead of "conservative." Easy fixes, but wow, those errors would have marred the final product to the point of distraction.
• Critique partners should be mentors or experts in your field/genre who read a great deal of the subject matter. They also need to be people who will give you an honest opinion.
Hopefully, you’ve already gone over your story scene by scene. You’ve made sure the chapters are similar in length and that you’re at least close to adhering to standard industry chapter word counts:
1500-3500 words for YA
2000-4500 words for Adult
You also note that each chapter:
1. Begins by describing some new problem.
2. Raises the stakes for the main character and/or characters.
3. Concludes at some critical decision or turning point.
These are issues a critique partner might spot faster than you can, as well as pacing, timeline or blocking issues. For instance, a sagging middle likely means you've missed steps 1, 2 and/or 3 for a scene, a whole chapter or even several chapters.
If a scene/chapter does not include these three elements, consider adding or deleting to the scene/chapter until it does. You may even consider deleting altogether, especially if you’re trying to cull enough of the manuscript to fit into a publisher’s word count guidelines.
Once I incorporate the final edits, I usually make one final pass, preferably in a different format (I read the final pass in printed format). Manuscripts look very different in the various formats available and you may find a few more errors on that last read because of it.
Good luck!
Step 1 - Seek and Destroy
Searching for specific words/phrases is a massive time sucker and often takes me weeks to complete, but I've found it's a process worth finishing. I usually cut my use of the words listed below by half and reduce my manuscript by 3,000-5,000 words. This is a great way to tighten up those sentences.
Since I have so many lists to share (and these are "short" lists), I'll keep my comments to a minimum. I've listed these in the following order:
1. Do you need all of those prepositions?
2. Change "to be" verbs (stop passive writing to make your sentences stronger).
3. Delete unnecessary words/phrases.
4. Find deep point of view opportunities.
5. Don't start sentences with these words.
6. Define indefinite words.
7. Check capitalization and specificity.
8. Remove or replace repetitive words/phrases.
1. DO YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE PREPOSITIONS? People often clutter sentences by using too many prepositions. A quick fix is to try to eliminate the preposition and make two sentences. The preposition or prepositional phrase is often not needed.
aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
anti
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
except
excepting
excluding
following
for
from
in
inside
into
like
minus
near of
off
on
onto
opposite
outside
over
past
per
plus
regarding
round
save
since
than
through
to
toward
towards
under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon
versus
via
with
within
without
2. CHANGE "TO BE" VERBS (STOP PASSIVE WRITING). Try to make the doer the subject of your sentence.
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
Be
Being
Been
Become
Became
Have
Has
3. DELETE UNNECESSARY WORDS/PHRASES. These will clutter your sentences.
A lot
Actually
Almost
Although
Always
Awfully
Basically
Begin/Beginning
Certainly
Essentially
Even
Extremely
For a moment
Generally
In spite of
It occurred
Just
Kind of
Literally
Mostly
Nearly
Perhaps
Pretty much
Quite
Rather
Really
Slowly
So
Something
Sometime
Somewhat
Sort of
Started/Starting
Suddenly
Sure
That
Then
Usually
Very
Yet
Most words ending in "ing" and "ly"
4. FIND DEEP POINT OF VIEW OPPORTUNITIES. No doubt, you've heard to show and not tell. When you find these words below, see if you can reword from a deep point of view perspective. For example, substitute "she felt sick" with "her stomach churned" or "she tasted bile." You get the idea.
Feel/Felt
Hear(d)
Think/Thought
Know/Knew
Notice(d)
Realize(d)
See/Saw
Seem(ed)
Watch(ed)
Wonder(ed)
5. DON'T START SENTENCES WITH THESE WORDS.
• Hopefully
• Fortunately
• It is
• There is
• There are
6. DEFINE INDEFINITE WORDS. This helps to avoid confusing the reader.
• Few
• Many
• Some
• Pronouns
7. CHECK CAPITALIZATION AND SPECIFICITY. Search names and pronouns. I find after so many passes, I'll often miss mistakes like "my Mom" should be "my mom." No capitalization needed in this case.
8. REMOVE OR REPLACE REPETITIVE WORDS AND PHRASES. This list will be your own personal list of words/phrases you use too often. I'm sharing words/phrases below that I overuse.
Again
At least
Definitely
Glanced
Heart
Laugh
Likely
Look
Nod
Possibly
Probably
Sigh
Smile
Stared
Turned
Was deciding
Was going to
Was happening
Yeah
This is a constantly changing list for me, and each time I go through the process, I get a little better at not making these mistakes. However, I sometimes pick up new problems while trying to avoid old ones.
After several self-editing passes, crushing self-doubt will begin to overwhelm me and I have to fight a burning desire to chuck my manuscript into the trash. That’s how I know I’ve reached Step 2. Time to hand over your baby to someone else.
Step 2 - An Honest Look
Beta readers and critique partners are important for any writer to have. That said, I highly recommend only asking people you trust.
• Beta readers should be anyone with an interest in what you write. Preferably someone who has good copy editing skills and can spot obvious errors. Send your manuscript to 2-3 beta readers.
It still surprises me when I get the copy edits back with all of those glaring mistakes that I can no longer see. Mistakes such as "the" instead of "they" or "conservation" instead of "conservative." Easy fixes, but wow, those errors would have marred the final product to the point of distraction.
• Critique partners should be mentors or experts in your field/genre who read a great deal of the subject matter. They also need to be people who will give you an honest opinion.
Hopefully, you’ve already gone over your story scene by scene. You’ve made sure the chapters are similar in length and that you’re at least close to adhering to standard industry chapter word counts:
1500-3500 words for YA
2000-4500 words for Adult
You also note that each chapter:
1. Begins by describing some new problem.
2. Raises the stakes for the main character and/or characters.
3. Concludes at some critical decision or turning point.
These are issues a critique partner might spot faster than you can, as well as pacing, timeline or blocking issues. For instance, a sagging middle likely means you've missed steps 1, 2 and/or 3 for a scene, a whole chapter or even several chapters.
If a scene/chapter does not include these three elements, consider adding or deleting to the scene/chapter until it does. You may even consider deleting altogether, especially if you’re trying to cull enough of the manuscript to fit into a publisher’s word count guidelines.
Once I incorporate the final edits, I usually make one final pass, preferably in a different format (I read the final pass in printed format). Manuscripts look very different in the various formats available and you may find a few more errors on that last read because of it.
Good luck!
