I'm Trying to Get a Book Published! discussion

My name is Kevis Hendrickson, author of The Legend of Witch Bane and Rogue Hunter. Since I've been critiquing the work of everyone else in this group, it's only fair that I share my writing with you all as well. Anyone interested in checking out my work can visit my author profile:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Enjoy.

I would love it if you guys could take a look at my book trailers for The Legend of Witch Bane and let me know what you think of them. Feel free to add your comments to the trailers so that I can read them. Thanks!

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/list_...

Hi, Kev-a-roo!

:-)

Hey, Archer. Glad to see you here!

loved the trailers, kevis! you've inspired me to make my own, as you already know. :)

i've been reading some of your excerpts, too. :] i love the character names you use. how do you come up with them?

It's funny you should ask that, Brigid. I am very tough on myself and other authors about character names. Nothing jars you out of a story quicker than reading a story that features characters with unconvincing names. To paraphrase Orson Scott Card, can you imagine if Dracula was called Cuthbert? How menacing is that?

As I think some of you are starting to learn, I am a perfectionist and believe that it is important to create character names that are not only believable, but beautiful as well. In fact, I think character names should give you a feeling for who they are.

I try to create character names that sound exactly as though they are based in reality. In other words, even though they are exotic, my character names are phonetically sound because I use linguistic structures to help create them.

For instance, in The Legend of Witch Bane most of the characters have Germanic/Norse/Anglo-Saxon/Celtic sounding names. In fact, some of my character names are taken directly from mythology or history. Names like "Rhiannon", and "Elva" are actual Celtic names. "Anyr" is Slavic in nature, while Kòdobos is a Greek sounding name. This helps to create a cultural identity for my characters or at least a cultural frame of reference for my readers.

However, I don't just drop names randomly into my story because they sound cool. I actually have invented my own languages to create a template for what kinds of names certain characters should get.

I am a bit eccentric about character names, so I don't expect everyone to go as far as I do to name their characters. But it sure doesn't hurt to make certain that your characters have names that seem to have some basis in reality. I don't know about the rest of you, but I hate reading about characters with names like XXXZZzzzzyssxss, LOL.

Wow.. and i consider mysefl very lucky to get comments on my works from a guy like you Kevis!!!

XD =D

Mizla,

And I consider myself lucky to get to read the stories you write. The fun thing about sharing our writing with each other is that not only do you get to have the pleasure of knowing that others are reading your works. But your readers, in this case, me, get to enter your world through the words you shape and form into your writing.

I enjoyed your work a lot and learned a great deal from you as I do other writers. Believe it or not, there are things you can do with a word that I cannot. The way you express yourself through your writing is uniquely yours. There is only one person in the world with your voice and experience. You. That's what makes reading your writing so much fun. Regardless of whatever flaws may or may not exist, reading your work is the closest thing another person will ever get to knowing your soul. Keep up the great work. :)

Wow!! that inspired me a lot!!
i think the site www.ponderworthy.org is hepful for the new writers! One can get their poems and stories published there...

Go for it, Mizla. You're going to be on an emotional cloud 9 when you see your work being accepted by professionals. There's no other feeling like it, trust me! ;)

Kevis wrote: "It's funny you should ask that, Brigid. I am very tough on myself and other authors about character names. Nothing jars you out of a story quicker than reading a story that features characters with..."

Wow! I totally agree! I'm very obsessed with my character names, too. I spend hours browsing through name websites sometimes. lol! The name has to be just right … Not only does it have to sound right, but it has reflect something about the character, too. :] And when I find the right name, it just clicks somehow, like it was meant to be. :D

☺☺☺i dreamed about kirilee☺☺☺

haha cool! i don't dream about my characters too often ... :/

neither do i, but, in the middle of a dream, kirilee popped up and introduced herself, saying that she was special and that i should write about her...thats how fire touched came to be

lol nice.
darn i wish i got ideas from my dreams. unfortunately all my dreams are about school. even during the summer. O_o

oh thats horrible! :-(

Dreams can be a very interesting source of information about your characters. It's a fact that sometimes when writer's block is starting to set in, I'll have a dream that will reveal the next scene for me thus sparing me the ills of writer's block. But I can't imagine how dreadful it must be to dream of school over summer break. Must be a pain.

*sigh* it is. lol. i wish i had USEFUL dreams ... i never get ideas for my stories from dreams! argh!

I've gotten stories from my dreams and then never wrote them down. But then I'm just glad I'm writing at all.

♥ Brigid ♥ wrote: "lol nice.
darn i wish i got ideas from my dreams. unfortunately all my dreams are about school. even during the summer. O_o"

And oh, I've been out of school for so long that I can't remember how long it's been and yet I STILL have dreams about standing at my locker and missing class because I can't seem to move.

oh dear ... that will be me someday. lol.

I always decide that those dreams mean that I'm too stressed out and overwhelmed.

O_o guess that means i'm always stressed and overwhelmed then. lol.

welcome to life.

You know that thing where adults always say, "Wait until you get into the real world. Then you'll wish you had it this good."

It's not true. Life is rough. High School is worse.

haha good ... cuz high school is pretty bad O.o lol

I want to thank everyone in this group who voted and commented on my book trailers. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to help me out. There are some terrific people in this group who I am happy to call my GoodReads friends. If you haven't had a chance to view my trailers and would like to do so, you can visit the following link. Don't forget to vote for the video and add your comments. Enjoy.

Trailer #1:

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/show/...

Trailer #2:

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/show/...

omg. i love your first story about a girl that tried hard to give her father a gift!!! when i reading that i remembered my father,
X') love you dad!

Cj_ wrote: "omg. i love your first story about a girl that tried hard to give her father a gift!!! when i reading that i remembered my father,
X') love you dad!"

Hi CJ. I'm not sure your message was intended for me. Are you sure you're posting on the right thread?

yes sure, >>the tale of liril<<

Oh. That one! Thanks for letting me know. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I didn't think anyone had read that story before now. You just made my day. Thanks, CJ. :)

CJ,

BTW, you're next on my list of people to read. I'll make sure to leave you some comments. ;)

thank you so much kevis, but i need to remind you...
my english is not well, so im sorry if there are a lot of grammatical error.. ^^)>>and a lot of ppl said that too<<
but i hope you can enjoy...

CJ,

That's okay. I totally understand that most of the writing in this group is unpolished. I don't expect perfection. If there's any advice I can give to help you out, I'll be sure to let you know. Everyone can use a bit of advice and encouragement every now and then. Even yours truly. ;)

thank you Kevis... >.<

I love your writings too!!

Hey, Kevis, I haven't watched your trailers yet. I'll do it when I get home from work tonight.

they're gr8, Rita!

Mizla wrote: "I love your writings too!!"

I appreciate the kind words, Mizla. I guess it goes without saying that I enjoy reading your writing too. I don't know how many fans you have. But I'm proud to consider myself one of them! ;)

Rita wrote: "Hey, Kevis, I haven't watched your trailers yet. I'll do it when I get home from work tonight."

Thanks, Rita. I hope you enjoy it.

Kevis wrote: "Mizla wrote: "I love your writings too!!"

I appreciate the kind words, Mizla. I guess it goes without saying that I enjoy reading your writing too. I don't know how many fans you have. But I'm pro..."

lol.. thanx- That's a bid thing to me!!
I am one of your 'countless' fans!! =D

Mizla,

You really are wonderful. I can certainly say that the world is a better place for having you in it. My life has already been enriched by having met you and reading your poetry. Stay true to yourself and keep on writing and great things are bound to happen for you! ;)

Thank you so much Kevis!
XD

I just want to thank everyone in this group for all the wonderful interest you have shown in my books. As a big thank you, I am offering free eBook copies of The Legend of Witch Bane to anyone in this group who would like one. All you have to do is to send me an email at (aragornisking@lycos.com) with the heading "FREE BOOK" or "WITCH BANE" and I'll send you a copy of my eBook via email.

However, since many of you are underage, please get permission from your parents first to find out if they will allow me to send you the eBook. Of course, if you prefer to purchase my book, that is fine too. :)

Again thank you everyone for your wonderful help. I look forward to sharing The Legend of Witch Bane with you all!

Ooh awesome! :D Thanks for the offer ... I will send you an email straightaway. :)

I already did! ;)

I WANT ONE!!! ill send an email right away

i sent my email ^_^

i havnt yet....ill send one after i get home from color guard - 4:00

i just got it! Yippee!! thankyou so much Kevis =)

hi mizla.