Struggling Writers discussion

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Welcome to the April 2014 Struggling Writers newsletter! Booksellers, bloggers, and authors in the cyber community are welcome here to scroll through our many social attractions, including new book releases, book ads, events, featured member writing, and much more. Thank you for the people who submitted their works to be hand selected in our e-letters, as well as the grand focus exerted from the moderators of Struggling Writers. Without further ado, please sit back and enjoy our newsletter for April 2014!

New Book Releases for April
1. Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland

Will half-god assassin Zephyr save the day?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

2. Over My Live Body by Susan Israel
In the fresh and new installment in the Delilah Price series, Price stars as an aspiring sculptor whose double life as a nude model lands her in a heap of trouble. When an admirer lays on her hands, it's more than obvious he will do anything for her. Till death do them part

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

3. Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano

Nearly Boswell is a trailer park living, secret-keeping, coupon-junkie with an eye for emotions...and murder. When a murder involving a slanderous serial killer springs into town, Nearly is tempted to vent all her secrets to one student who might help her solve the murders. But is he to be trustedhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...


Q&A With Philip Dodd
For the month of April, we interviewed author Philip Dodd on what author life is like...and we also asked him a couple of questions about his newest work, Angel War!

What was your inspiration for Angel War?
My main inspiration for Angel War was Chapter Six of the Book of Revelation, which speaks of the war in heaven. The idea of there being a war in heaven astounded me. So the seed of my story was planted in my brain. The Bible only says that the war happened, but not why, so I decided to write my own version of the events of the war and its aftermath.

Why do you think people will enjoy Angel War?
Firstly, I think people will enjoy Angel War because it tells a good story. Secondly, they may find it interesting in that although it could be classed as fantasy fiction, it is rooted in The Bible, and is presented as a history. At the root of fantasy lies the question, what if? My story asks the question, what if there was a war in heaven, what if angels are real, what if dragons exist, what if the war that ruined angel history came to affect human history on Earth from the time of Eden unto the twentieth century, what if what The Bible says is all true?

What tips do you have for authors that are new to the publishing process?
Take a look through the Writer's and Artists Year Book, which I found very helpful, and, of course, take a look through the many sites concerned with publishing on the internet for advice. Be patient. Attend. When you have finished writing your story, do not think it is complete, ready for publication. Understand that it is only the first draft. Rest from it for a while, and then read it again, critically. You will then understand that what you have written is only a base to build upon. When you have completed your final draft, you will know, because you will understand that you cannot do anything else to it, to make it better, and it is ready to be read by others.

Did you self publish your story, or was it professionally published?
I decided to self publish my book. Having a degree in English literature from Newcastle University, I felt I knew enough about literature to know that my book was worth reading by others. So, after finding them in the Writer's and Artists Yearbook, I decided to publish my book through Fast Print Publishing.

What is some advice that you have for young, aspiring writers?
Do not read narrowly. You may have your favourite kind of book and list of favourite authors, and it may seem safe and enjoyable to remain with what you have come to know and love, but understand that there are worlds elsewhere in other kinds of books. Learn from the masters. Classic books have lasted for a reason. Find your own voice. Once you have found your own voice, create with it your own pearls on the page.

Did you ever picture yourself as a published author?
Ever since I began my first book, which I left unfinished, when I was a fifteen year old schoolboy, I have had a dream of having my own book on the shelf.

Was writing always your passion, or did you have a different career in my mind?
Since I wrote my first song when I was twelve, I have loved to write in prose and verse. My love of literature and of writing has always been my main passion.

What author/story do you look up to and use for ideas/inspiration?
Angel War was inspired by the King James Version of the Holy Bible. My other inspirations were John Milton, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Arthur C. Clarke, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mervyn Peake, Virginia Woof, Homer, and whoever wrote Beowulf, The Elder Edda and Gilgamesh, and some paintings and sculptures, music and events in my own life.

What do you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process?
The most difficult part is polishing what you have written into the final draft, the one you feel is good enough for others to read and which reveals you at your best.

Can we expect some new works from you in the future?
In February, I completed the final version of my science fiction story, called Klubbe the Turkle and the Golden Star Coracle, which I may publish in 2015. One day, I plan to publish a book of my poems and song lyrics. Whatever happens in the future, I know I will never write anything as good as Angel War, in my opinion, for it took me twenty six years to write, and all that I want to say about history and the war between good and evil can be found on its pages.

Q&A With Tahnee Fritz
We also interviewed author Tahnee Fritz on her newest book, The Human Race.

What was your inspiration for The Human Race?
What inspired me to write this book probably had something to do with the strangest question I asked my husband about a year ago. What would happen if a zombie bit a vampire or vice versa? It was the most random question that popped up in our conversation, but the more I thought about it, the more of a story line came trailing into my mind, and The Human Race was born.

Why do you think people will enjoy The Human Race?
The Human Race isn’t like the other apocalyptic, horror stories. I think people will enjoy reading about the human demand for perfection which drove the world into such turmoil. I went down a different path for the popular genre and I feel that readers of this sort will certainly enjoy it.

What tips do you have for authors that are new to the publishing process?
Definitely start blogging about your writing and who you are in this particular world. Building an audience this way is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door with agents or publishers. Above all, never be alarmed at how much work you’ll need to do to get where you want to be. But, it is a labor of love.

Did you self-publish your story, or was it professionally published?
I self-published and plan on self-publishing the rest of the trilogy. I love being in control of my work with this route, especially the creativity side of it. Of course, there are good and bad things about both means of publication. You just have to do your research before choosing which road you want to go down.

What is some advice that you have for young, aspiring writers?
Never give up on what you love doing. Write until your fingers hurt and then keep writing. Don’t get hung up on one rejection and think you’re wasting your time, because you’re not. Just pick up that pen or turn on the computer and keep doing what you love best.

Did you ever picture yourself as a published author?
Yes. Every day since I wrote short stories throughout school. I could imagine selling my books to people all over the world and I knew I would do whatever it took to get to the point of being published.

Was writing always your passion, or did you ever have a different career in mind?
There was a time when I was real young that I wanted to be a veterinarian. That changed the day I wrote a short story for my sixth grade English class and got really high remarks from my teacher. From that day, I knew writing was all I wanted to do and the passion only gets stronger each and every day.

What author/story do you look up to and use for ideas/inspiration?
I read a lot of different genres by a lot of different authors. The one that really inspired me to keep going and write books would have to be James Patterson. I love his Maximum Ride series along with everything he writes.

What do you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process?
That would have to be the inevitable writer’s block. When I find myself typing the night away and I get to a certain part of the book and my fingers stop moving and I’ve completely drawn a blank. It just takes some time to think about what should happen next, but it still drives me crazy.

Can we expect some new works from you in the future?
Most definitely! Like I said, The Human Race is the first in a trilogy and I’m working on the second. When I’m finished with my zombie/vampire series, I have a notebook full of ideas that will someday be shared with the world in book form.

We'd like to extend a special thank you to both authors, Philip Dodd and Tahnee Fritz, for cooperating in helping us conduct these interviews. :)


April Quiz

Okey-Dokey, everyone! The Quiz for April has finally arrived, at: https://www.goodreads.com/quizzes/353...


April Writing Contest

You probably know that, on the first day of April, we have April Fools Day. But did you know that April is also national poem-writing month? So, for the month of April, we're challenging you to write a poem about April Fools! Bring out the silly, the wacky, and everything in between for your poems! For further information and also the rules and guidelines, click HERE:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

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Writing Tip of the Month

Spring has sprung and so have the events of the writing world! March kicked off the start with National Editing Month and in April we have another event to look forward to (actually two events). So, in honor of these events we are going to have more of a little intro to each and some resources for you to check out! There won’t be too many “tips” this month, but sometimes improving your writing is all about exploring new things.

First off, April is National Poetry month, and there is a kind of poetry out there for nearly everyone! So, if you are interested in taking part of it all, make sure to check out this page from the Academy of Poets here: http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41 If you have never created poetry why not try some today? First off, poetry comes in a multitude of forms so browse through and see what best suites you! From there write! The only rule is that you write what comes to you and you be creative. During April make sure to look for events in your school(s) and at your local libraries.

Secondly, Camp NaNo is also this month! Camp is pretty much the same as the event in November, but it is a lot more flexible, check it out here: https://campnanowrimo.org/sign_in Now, while it boasts “write a novel in a month” on the front page, you can write anything with any word goal. The only major rule is that you have to meet your goal! Camp usually happens twice a year, this time it is going to be in April and July. So, take this great chance to be immersed in a fabulous writing atmosphere and get some serious progress made on your current WIP or a new project! The only thing you need to make sure you do is sign up ASAP and set a goal that gives you a bit of a challenge. There are all sorts of ideas for what you can do for Camp if you aren’t sure so, if you already have a NaNo login use it or create a totally new account, and check it out!

And that was your writing advice for this month, try something new and take advantage of the resources provided to you to better yourself as a writer!

Monthly Riddle

Q: Timmy's mother has three children. The first was named April. The next was named May. What is the final one's name?
A: Timmy, of course!

Monthly Quote

“You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
-Jack London

Congratulations to our March Poetry Contest Winner!

Congratulations to the March Poetry Contest Winner, Kristopher! You can check out his winning poem by clicking here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Happy Birthday, March Babies!

First of all, we'd like to sincerely apologize for not giving our March babies their proper birthday shoutouts during their actual birth month. However, we're here to do it now, so happy birthday to the following Struggling Writers members: Atheefa, Debbie, Esher, Gabrielle, Jessica (Struggling Writers Moderator), Michael, Philip, Samuel, and Vicki!


Happy Birthday, April Babies!

Happy birthday to the following Struggling Writers who call April their birth month: Boyko, Cynthia, Estefany, Hadley, Jay, John, Katie, Mel, Rose, and Susan!


New Book Release by Brian Marggraf (Struggling Writer's Author)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNW967G
San Francisco, California. Fifty hills surrounded by the cold waters of the ocean and the bay. City of rebellion and revolution. Smothered by fog daily.

This is the place where Jacob Gavel grew up, the place he ran away from at twenty, and the place he never thought he’d come back to.

The city’s in the middle of its second financial renaissance. A century and a half earlier, gold nuggets. In the year 2000, silicon microchips. The dot-com boom created hundreds of new companies, swollen with capital and potential, profitable only in theory, run by young professionals with a lot of disposable income.

After Jacob, a fledgling sculptor, leaves a failed marriage and flees New York City, he returns home, welcomed by his mentally ill mother, subordinate father, and successful sister. As he settles in, he discovers a family secret. He had a twin brother who died in the womb right next to him. When the shock wears off, his reality becomes clear. He’s alone, broke, and unemployed. In an attempt to rebuild his life, he takes a low-paying job as a mental health case manager, but with all the tech money flooding the city, his childhood friend, Paul, has a better idea.

His fresh start spoils. Events trigger his dreams, and his dreams resurrect childhood memories, propelling him forward on a sleep-deprived, speed-fueled mission to find recognition, love, and revenge.




We'd like to give a special thanks to everyone that helped make this newsletter possible, and we also want to extend a huge thank you to your Struggling Writers Moderators--Ingrid, Irene, Jessica, Laura and Tara! Check back next month for the May newsletter, and have a happy Easter for all of those who celebrate it!

Happy Easter!