Reviewers—Our Lifeblood.

After having sent out and received (cold) over 1,370 personalized review requests, I think I’m qualified to depart a little information on the topic of Book Review Requests. I’ll start the salvo off with a personal letter from a reviewer who happened to discuss some problem areas wherein authors were disrespectful and/or intimidating. I have her permission to post this material. Below her letter is my reaction and thoughts.

Hi!

So nice to hear from you again! I read the blurb at Amazon, and this one sounds much more to my liking. Go ahead and send the MOBI whenever you like. My reading schedule is pretty busy until the 15th, but I’ll see what I can do.

Surprisingly, about reviewing, it can be trickier than you think! Previous to 2019, I had been a casual reviewer. Voracious reader but only reviewed books now and again if I felt strongly about them (one way or the other). My new year’s resolution this year was to read 200 books and review each one of them. After some bad reverses at work, reviewing became a bit of an obsession. I have started to question my sanity about reading so many books, but I do love to read as it provides refuge.

What makes it tricky is that sometimes authors can do bad things to reviewers, either publically or privately. If I give what an author perceives as a bad review, I often get long diatribes about why I was wrong. A few authors have even commented (or had friends comment) on my reviews at Goodreads, saying that I misunderstood something or other; my favorite was when an author stated I should have inferred X about the book from its blurb (if you want me to know something… tell me… don’t expect me to have to figure out your meaning if you’re not clear). I don’t like the private notes, but the public calling outs are uncalled for. In two days in mid July, I was targeted by two different authors, one publically and one privately. The private one was a “publisher” asking me to take down a review at my site because they hadn’t given me permission to post it! Seriously! He used all sorts of legalistic language and was mildly threatening. The other author took my public review on Goodreads, made a screenshot that included my name, and posted it on her blog (which she broadcasts all over her social media channels), where she shredded my review and me. Over the course of a week or so, she continued to make defamatory remarks. I continue to get harassing emails from her friends; I received another just today. Sigh.

All this over book reviewing!

I joined a FB group for book bloggers just share my tales of woe and get feedback, and it was amazing how many came back with similar stories. Some have actually gone so far to never accept private requests for reviews because they don’t want the potential to be harassed by an author who knows their email address.

How sad that it has come to that. I think that’s why your lovely little line resonated with me. Balm for my wounded reviewer soul!

Regards,

Jamie

(My Response) Hi, Jamie.

Soulful words indeed. I’ve seen instances of a total lack of respect for the reviewers, comments and emails comprised of hate speech, claims of stupidity and demands. I’ve been at this for the last 15 years straight (29 total), and I’ve mellowed with just about all literary pursuits. Everyone has to understand that this is all a collaborative effort and there are HUMAN beings with lives on the other end of these emails, especially reviewers. In my view, reviewers perform an impossible task by reading books from cover to cover and then writing about them and then linking them to all their social media sites. FOR FREE. For the enjoyment of it. I could Never do such a thing! The workload would topple me, frustrate me, hurt my feelings and take up enormous amounts of time. And even yet, reviewer’s mission statement are filled with enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity of reading someone else’s book. They are honored. Astonishing.

I’ve written articles on the proper way to query for reviews–this involved all aspects. I have a powerful writer website, and I’m about to really nail this subject again. I’ve enlightened every one of my publisher’s authors (with little comments) to abide by these tasks and pass them on. Read the policies through and through. Then read the bios and see who this person is and if you can click with anything of interest with them. Yes, it’s time consuming. But look at the time they take with you. And any author who sends a cold copy of a book to a reviewer should be automatically scratched. It’s discourteous. If they want one off the bat, they ask for it.

Sorry, but this advanced age publishing glut has hobbled the entire industry. Supply has eclipsed demand. Reviewers are overworked to the breaking point. How can they sift through trash without finding the true gems? I’m not talking about the majority of indies who are really setting the industry afire with true talent. I also believe that small and large press editors should redouble their efforts and weed out those mistakes in format, grammar, structure and all else

Nice conversing with you. You have confirmed my feelings. I promise to blast a message about this subject. I want you to know that you are valued as a pro reader and a person, and that you are real to me.

Kindly,

Chris

Let’s lay down some simple ground rules: read their bios and policy/guidelines. You’ll know exactly what to expect from every individual human reviewer. You can even read some of their reviews to check out their style and voice. You can tell a lot about a person from their background; job occupation, loves, hates, hobbies and wishes—and just look at all the baby, children and animal photos and references! You’re digging. This brings you close. It’s intimate, and it should be. Granted that most of your request package will be a cut and paste, but it is subject to change with every reviewer, and none of them are specifically the same. Give them, honor them with the first paragraph of your opening letter. You don’t have to pander. Politely disagree with them on a point or topic if you feel the need. Just communicate in real time.

Some reviewers will ask for a cover photo, a certain subject line heading, the best way to contact them; form or email. Some want paperbacks only, with many specifying their e-copy formats. Address them by name—if it isn’t listed go find it in their social media contacts. Don’t judge them by the number of their blog followers—this is a level playing field.

Find out what their policy is for DNF (did not finish) or low 1 and 2-star rankings. Many will give you the option of not publishing a very low rank. If you don’t want that low score, ask to opt out of the review. (This just happened to me with a paid review and I had no option to opt out. It shredded me. More about paid reviews later, or what they disguise as “marketing and social media expenses.”)

Target their genre. What’s their top pick? What are their secondary choices? What are their marginal genres? If you have a YA fantasy with a lot of violence and death in it, the reviewer might say they love YA fantasy, but say they can’t stomach horror in any fashion. That leaves you out, if that’s what you have. Don’t try to get by as an exception unless they ask you to explain those types of contents. If you have trigger warnings, spell them out up front. (I’ve made some mistakes with this).

If you don’t have a new release, don’t tell them you do. Generally, a new release can be less than a year old, but more commonly, three monts. If you are weeks within a release, state that up front and politely ask for an ASAP review. I’m over three months old with my release but I’m not asking for a quick review. I’ll take my place in line with the rest of them. In my mind, the reviewer is the pilot/captain—I’m the passenger with seat belt on and the tray in the upright. I’m not running this show. The reviewer is not your employee. They are an advocate for your product—not theirs—yours.

As an aside, I’ll pay for a cup of coffee as a donation, but I’m refusing to pay for any low-cost reviews. You can find out if they list services other than free reviews that might cost you, but those are generally legitimate services that involve extensive social media promotion campaigns. Just feel comfortable about what you’re getting into.

I could go on forever about this topic and I’ve left so much out that it will require another long blog post. For now, I’ll show you my request package. It’s a disorganized mess, but it’s working like a charm. Only because it covers just about everything they ask for. BUT remember your opening hello letter at the top.

I’ll red-shift outta her. Thanks for reading—Christy J. Breedlove and Chris H. Stevenson.

ETA: I doff my fedora to all the reviewers I’ve had contact with. So many of you are now my friends and subscriber buddies. You are the treasures in our industry.

(THIS IS YOUR HAPPY TO MEET YOU PARAGRAH)

 I know you must be swamped, and I’d like to just take the time to thank you for your unselfish service and dedication to us writers. The TBR piles are higher than K-2 out there. I don’t know if you are up for a review right at this time, but I thought I’d ask first. I abide by and honor your review policy. (A review on Amazon would be fabulous, but not a requirement).

Well, what makes this tome stand out? I think my book Screamcatcher: Web World is unique in that I have never seen a dream catcher used as a prop or device in the plot or theme of a book on the Internet. I had to create the inside reality of a web world. My book has shades of Indian lore in it, and I think the characters are diverse and well-drawn. It has a slow-burn sweet romance. I see this as a mash-up between Jumanji and The Hunger Games. I’ve included the cover blurb in this email for your perusal. For a deeper probe, you can click on Christy’s Amazon page. I hope you like this idea.

Most Kindly Yours,

Christy Breedlove (pen name)

AMAZON SCREAM PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Screamcatcher-World-Christy-J-Breedlove-ebook/dp/B07QDK5M75/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Screamcatcher+Web+World&qid=1555016089&s=books&sr=1-1-spell

Amazon.com: Screamcatcher: Web World eBook: Christy J. Breedlove: Kindle Store Screamcatcher: Web World – Kindle edition by Christy J. Breedlove. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Screamcatcher: Web World. http://www.amazon.com

The pub date was officially 4-23-2019, so it’s a recent book. You can get to it whenever you please—I have no priorities or demands. The publisher is Melange Books, Fire & Ice. Age range: Upper YA 15—19. Pages: 218, Words: 67,000. Formats: PDF, Kindle/Mobi, E-Pub.

Summary:

When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Native American lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane web world filled with murders, beasts and thieves. How can they find the center of the web where all good things are allowed to pass? Where is the light of salvation? Are they in hell?

24 July 2019 – CHRIS STEVENSON – GUEST AUTHOR

CHRIS STEVENSON – GUEST AUTHOR –
G’day folks,
Today, I interview an author who makes a lot of sense in this day and age.
Welcome, Chris …

1.   TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY. My early writing accomplishment were multiple hits within a few years: In my first year of publication back in 1987, I wrote three SF short stories that were accepted by major slick magazines which qualified me for the Science Fiction Writers of America, and at the same time achieved a Finalist award in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. This recognition garnered me a top gun SF agent at the time, Richard Curtis Associates. My first novel went to John Badham (Director) and the Producers, the Cohen Brothers. It was only an option, but an extreme honour. The writer who beat me out of contention for a feature movie, was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. My book was called Dinothon, and has long sense vanished.

A year after that I published two best-selling non-fiction books and landed on radio, TV, in every library in the U.S. and in hundreds of newspapers.

I have been trying to catch that lightning in a bottle ever since. My YA dystopian novel, The Girl They Sold to the Moon won the grand prize in a publisher’s YA novel writing contest, went to a small auction and got tagged for a small film option. So, I’m getting there.
2.   WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER? I became a writer very early on in about 1974 when I wrote about five SF novels longhand in spiral note books. But it wasn’t until 1986 when I read a short story in Twilight Zone Magazine that the writing bug really hit me. I was so impressed with the structure of the story, I thought I could duplicate the feat, and started writing short stories right away.
3.    WHAT TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP? Except for drawing out character personalities, backgrounds, and physical features, I shoot straight from the hit, non-stop. I might make notes along the way, but the story (somehow) has a life of its own. Sometimes I think the characters dictate to me and actually order me around.     

4.   WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER? The freedom to create my own worlds in minute detail. I love to craft visual images that use all of the senses to describe a scene. Spec fiction allows me that creativity. I feel I’m the master of my own universe. Ya know, God-like powers and all that?
5.   WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER? I’ve never had problems writing out pure text, attracting agents, selling books whether by myself or my agent and bulk editing. No writing blocks to speak of. The most difficult chore is promotion and marketing. It is time-consuming, tedious and very hard to get right. The competition today is so fierce writers are using extreme measures to get noticed, get reviews and make sales. Many authors are spending significant amounts of money advertising. I love meeting people, but I am shy about asking them to check out my books.  
6.   WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER? I must have been a story teller or a scribe. In spite of some shyness, I feel very comfortable in front of an audience. I like to coach and teach on just about any subject that I know well. Since I’m good with my hands, I must have been a blacksmith or some type of an engineer.
7.   WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT? My limelight days were from 1988 to 1991. My two non-fiction books did very well. I was so very proud to attend the American Booksellers Association twice, wearing an authors’ badge. I landed on the evening news cast at 6:00 PM. I have never had so many radio interviews as I did at that time. I was swarmed by the media.
8.   WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? I am working on the editing on my YA fantasy books, the Screamcatcher Series. As of this interview, the first book, Screamcatcher: Web World has just gone on sale for pre-order. As far as new material, I am revising a 400-page werewolf thriller for reprint. Aside from that, I’m half way through a Middle Grade fantasy book.          

9.   WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I’m inspired by great voice/style in writing. I’m a stickler for a unique premise or idea. They say that “Everything under the sun has been done.” I fool myself into believing that this is not true, and I can come up with something totally outside of the box. It is an obsession with me. For example: A Jurassic Park werewolf, a society that permits parents to pawn their children, an ancient dream catcher that imprisons four teenagers….

10.              WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE? I’ve written in the genres of science fiction, thriller, paranormal romance, young adult, urban and portal fantasy and contemporary romance. I first thought I was a good science fiction writer until readers told me I had a flare and great voice for young adult.
11.              DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS? If a budding writer ask me if they should make authorship a vocation, I would tell them to take a couple of aspirin, go into a dark room, lie down and wait for the feeling to pass. Seriously, this is a rewarding but very tough profession to be in. It takes dogged determination and a steady stream of written material to last in this business. Set writing goals every day and meet them as best you can.
12.              DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK? I don’t really suffer from writer’s block. I’ve learned from Anne Rice, Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, to just plough right through it and worry about major editing later. The trick is to get the first draft completed. That takes discipline. If I hit a snag, I’ll walk away from it for awhile and then come back with a refreshed mind and attitude. 
13.              DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE? For some reason or other, some of my best writing has been at night and the wee hours of the morning. There are no distractions then and I have a sense of freedom. Yet, I can be struck by the urge at any hour or any place. I try and knock out at least 3,000 words at a setting, with intermittent breaks.
14.              DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE? I have a writing desk and a huge, older, Acer PC. I can’t write well on a laptop and change my location. I’ve tried that. Nor do I use a tablet or other device. It is always at my work station, using my dinosaur equipement.  

15.              WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING? I love to be read by the multitudes, if I’m lucky enough to strike gold. I’ve had people tell me that my ideas and imagination is what gives me such popularity and strength. When I hit on a unique idea, I come alive, filled with a white-hot passion. I feel any award for my work gives me great satisfaction and fortifies my resolve to continue on and better myself.
16.              WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY? My favourite authors are rather obscure: Joseph Wambaugh, Poul Anderson, Alan Dean Foster, Peter Benchley. These writers struck with marvellous styles and senses of irony and great humour. They touched me, brought me into the pages and made me feel like I was living in their stories. J.K. Rowling’s world building is just astonishing.
17.              WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER? There’s been a few comments that really surprised me: “This guy can certainly bend one word against another.” My agent: “For the life of me, I can’t believe you haven’t been discovered by the world.” And another: “He’s got golden age SF down pat—I put him right up there with Heinlein and Farmer.”
18.              WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER? The one that really left me baffled was a comment that condemned a scene of mine where I had two older teenagers retire to a room to have romance. This was a “behind the door” sweet and passionate scene, and in no way supported underage sex in any fashion. This goes into creepy territory, and with my background as a federal protection officer, it hurt and insulted me.
19.              WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU? No, not really. I know that J.K. Rowling was traumatically influenced by the death of her mother, and that incident became a major part of her storyline in the Harry Potter series. But nothing like that, or close to it, has influenced me. I can take a ride or hike in the country and be struck by a wonderful idea—that happens all the time.
20.              OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE? Oh, gosh. When I’m not writing, I’m watching every YouTube documentary or movie about UFOs, Bigfoot, astronomy, Ancient Aliens, palaeontology, archaeology, hauntings, paranormal investigations, ancient megaliths. I’m also hooked on the old Laurel and Hardy and W.C. Fields movies. Anything non-fiction/biographic instantly gets my attention. Coast-to-Coast is a favourite radio program.

21.              DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION? Sense all of my books were trade published, I would say yes. With all things subjective, sometimes they were edited well and sometimes lacking in certain areas. There is no such thing as a perfect manuscript. I do the best I can before the editor see it.
22.              DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY. A perfect day would be getting a wonderful phone call or letter from my agent, whom I adore and have a special relationship with. Then fan mail, or mail from friends. I feel great when I’m watching my diet and getting the proper amount of exercise—authors MUST watch their health—their profession leaves them horribly static.
23.              IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY? It would be Stephen King. I would like him to explain to me (again) the hardships he went through in becoming a writer. I share those many toils and hardships with him. He makes me feel that I’m not alone and that this whole crazy business in worth it in the long run. Next would be Anne Rice for the same reason. I constantly need inspiration and drive like a fix of dope. I can’t fall into depression—no writer can. We are the Champions of the world (so we think).
24.              WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS? I would tell them that you’d better all get this UFO stuff out there in the open and tell the absolute truth about our origins and what secrets are being kept from us. NASA needs to really fess up about anti-gravity, and a solution to using fossil fuels that destroy our environment.
25.              WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? I have seven more polished books with my agent. During the years, I over-wrote and stacked up the novels. I need to sell them all (if possible), making sure I have enough longevity to see those projects through to completion. We have sold four books in the last year. We have a ways to go!

26.               WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS? I’ve had one major book trailer. It was not an overwhelming success. I’m sure if I had more of them my thoughts might be different. I’m waiting for someone to ask me again. I would go hell bent and horseshoes for it! A writer needs any and all types of extra exposure. I’m so shy, that I don’t ask for such opportunities. I wish I was approached more. I think my blog, Guerrilla Warfare for Writers is a valuable resource into the publishing industry—what to do and what not to do, from years of experience.
27.              DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS? I see myself in all of my characters, male or female. No matter the gender, they are human beings, with the same thoughts, loves, hardships, and happy times. My male MCs are typically shy but very strong in subtle ways. Clint Eastwood is a prime example of what I call an “Alpheta”, which is the best  parts of an Alpha male, minus the controlling, harsh, dominating, loud-mouthed characteristics. So I guess I’m an AlphaBeta male. Gak!
28.              DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU? Ha! The publishing industry flat-out murders me! I write about it often. So many of the current self-published authors have taken such a horrible beating for decades that it’s refreshing to see their accomplishments and dreams finally fulfilled. I can speak for them since I’m a hybrid author. Promotion and marketing is the toughest mountain to climb, IMO. 
29.              DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING? I’ve never thought of quitting, but I’ve been precariously close to throwing in the towel. Yet, I’ve spent too much in labour and dedication to toss it all away. I’ll die at the computer screen—I’m convinced of that. Just listen to Missy Higgin’s song “Light me on Fire” and you’ll understand the brutality of losing faith and then rebounding.
30.              WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY? My idea for The Girl They Sold to the Moon was truly groundbreaking for me. But my latest YA fantasy series uses a dream catcher that I have never seen used before, and I always wondered why. So I jumped on that. The third book in the series, Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye, was modelled after the haunting story about the Skinwalker ranch. The investigative reporter out of Las Vegas, George Knapp, gave me the thumbs up on the idea. It was his story. I only wrote my version of it in a fictional sense.
31.              HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER. Let’s be honest about this: I believe a great reader fan base and great book sales is a great indicator of success. In a more realistic sense, just having written books that I enjoy crafting is a gold medal for me.
32.              WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL? I want them to feel entertained, with lasting thoughts and memories. I want to also educate them about things and places they have never seen or heard of before. I strive for major impact, in a shockingly good sense. I’m after the effect that Harry Potter and The Hunger Games had on the reading and viewing public. I’m after “I’ve never read anything like this before!”
33.              WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY? I have had two small film options that never materialized. From book to film has been my ultimate dream. Every one of my books have been written with special visuals in mind. I can think of several of my books that would make great films (all authors think this way). I have published horror radio plays which are similar to screenplays, but they don’t have camera-shot instructions. I must say though, my stories would require quite a bit of CGI.
34.              HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER? A lot of thought should go into designing a book cover, because it can say so much with just a flash of the eyes. I had an original oil canvas painting for one of my books that was extraordinary. That was a hardback edition. Nowadays, Photo Shop and clipart can suffice, and if done well, can really grab attention and curiosity.

35.              WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM? Oh, by far the movie deal. That is the end of the road for an author. At least for this one. The only thing that could top it would be a movie series or more movie contracts. That goes for foreign rights also.
36.                WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS? Yep, marketing is that other thing. That diabolical other thing. My thoughts are pretty much standard: Join and participate in large writing groups and display sites. Use FB and Twitter as a tool to get the message out, but don’t overdue it. Book trailers, interviews like this one, guest blogs, give-aways, up-to-date and active blogs and websites, targeted ads, such as banner, FB and Twitter boosters, all of these can help. Join genre groups. Investigate BookBub for precision advertisements. All social media can help. Signings and newspaper interviews are also valuable
37.               ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED? No, they were all trade published except for one, which was a reprint of an older book. So I had to go through that Kindle process.        
38.              DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS. I will never give up
39.              WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST? The fact that we have lost Borders and countless independent book stores. Right now Barnes & Nobel is in trouble. The Big 5 and its imprints have cut back on debut authors, staff, categories and genres. I don’t like this downhill slide. I want to desperately resurrect literature and reading to new and better heights. We have a glut of books—supply has eclipsed demand. I feel we need blockbusters and breakaway novels that restore us to our glory days. I aim to see to it that nothing but the best comes out of me. I want authors to unite and focus on the importance of literature. Encourage our youth to read.

40.              WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE? Believe it or not, it was The Hunger Games. I was absolutely floored, and I still am. The movie did it justice. I wrote a YA dystopian novel called Sky High, and it is a direct reflection on how inspired I was to try such a genre with a somewhat similar plot. I’ll never forget it.
41.               WHAT WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE? He had the most profound look on his face.
42.               WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE? I’m ugly enough to make a freight train take a dirt road, older than Triassic rock and have more baggage than a Carnival cruise. I can’t help that, ha! But I do know that I want to be loved and understood by people, in general. In addition, I am a nervous wreck with the release of Screamcatcher: Web World. I want so much for it to be a loved tome. I pray to God for such gifts.
43.              ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? Clancy, what you are doing is such an unselfish gesture for us scribblers, it goes without saying that it is people like you who sustain and promote literature. I want to thank you on behalf of all of us who appear in your pages. I think someone ought to pin a medal on you for service above and beyond the call of duty. Also, I’ve never participated in an interview that was so thorough and mind-provoking. I’ll red-shift outta here now.

 BLOG

AMAZON

Clancy’s comment: Thank you, Chris, for your kind words. Well done on your success. I agree with many of your comments. We all should be working together to promote our books. Love ya work!

Here is my interview with Christy J. Breedlove

25 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by fionamcvie1964 in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

My name is Chris H. Stevenson (pen name, Christy J. Breedlove). I’m 67 years-old, officially retired, but writing full time.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I was born in Los Angeles and raised on the beaches of California, one of the original long-board surfers. I’ve lived in Arkansas, Las Vegas, and I’m currently living in Sylvania, Alabama—down in a holler.

Fiona: A little about yourself (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I was originally born in California and then moved to Sylvania, Alabama in 2009. I currently live with my sister and her husband.  My occupations have included newspaper editor/reporter, amateur astronomer, federal police officer, Housecleaner and professional doll house and miniature builder. I’ve been writing off and on for 36 years, having officially published books beginning in 1988. Today I write in my favourite genre, Young Adult, but have published in multiple genres and categories. I was a finalist in the L. Ron. Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, and took the first place grand prize in a YA novel writing contest for The Girl They Sold to the Moon. I write the blog, Guerrilla Warfare for Writers (special weapons and tactics), hoping to inform and educate writers all over the world about the highpoints and pitfalls of publishing.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I’ve just had a new YA fantasy release, Screamcatcher: Web World. It is book one of a trilogy. I once wondered what would happen to a very old dream catcher that was overloaded with dreams and nightmares. What if the nightmares were too sick or horrible to contain? What if the web strings could not hold anymore negative images? Would the dream catcher melt, burst, vanish, implode? Something would have to give, if too much evil was allowed to congregate in one spot. I found nothing on the Internet that offered a solution to this problem, and asked myself why hasn’t anybody used this? So I took it upon myself to answer such a nagging question. Like too much death on a battlefield could inundate the immediate area with lost and angry spirits, so could a dream catcher hold no more of its fill of sheer terror without somehow morphing or transforming. What would it be like to be caught up in another world inside the webs of a dream catcher, and how the heck would you ever get out?

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I fondly remember picking up a copy of Twilight Zone magazine and reading a short story. I was so gobsmacked, totally taken in by the plot and characters, that I figured I could do that too. That was in 1986. I went on a quest to publish my own short stories in the small press, and one year later had success with selling about a dozen of them. That really opened things up, but my first real trade published book was a non-fiction guide about garage and yard sales. It did extremely well. My first published novel was in 2007.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I can explain the events better: My early writing accomplishment were multiple hits within a few years: In my first year of writing back in 1987, I wrote three Sf short stories that were accepted by major slick magazines which qualified me for the Science Fiction Writers of America, and at the same time achieved a Finalist award in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. This recognition garnered me a top gun SF agent at the time, Richard Curtis Associates. My first novel went to John Badham (Director) and the Producers, the Cohen Brothers. Only an option, but an extreme honor. The writer who beat me out of contention for a feature movie, was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. My book was called Dinothon.

A year after that I published two best-selling non-fiction books and landed on radio, TV, in every library in the U.S. and in hundreds of newspapers. For joy!

I have been trying to catch that lightning in a bottle ever since. My YA dystopian novel, The Girl They Sold to the Moon won the grand prize in a publisher’s YA novel writing contest, went to a small auction and got tagged for a film option. I was convinced I was a writer then.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

I was engrossed in yard sales, indoor swap meets and auctions. It was truly a mania back then. I had such success at it that my friend dared me to write a book about it. I did, and that became Garage Sale Mania, the first ever book on the subject.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

Now, as far as my most recent book, I derived the title Screamcatcher from the words dream catcher. It’s kind of a play on words, but it also hints at the plot. It’s the Screamcatcher series, with the sub-titles: Web World, Dream Chasers and The Shimmering Eye.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

I admit that my writing style/voice was/is deliberate, and I emulated who I considered  stylists: Poul Anderson, Virgin Planet, Peter Benchley, The Island and Jaws, Joseph Wambaugh, The Onion Field and Black Marble, Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, Alan Dean Foster, Icerigger trilogy, and some Stephen King. Anne Rice impresses me with just about anything she has written. I think it’s the humour and irony that attracts me the most–and it’s all character related.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

If I have a book in a contemporary setting, I strive to make it as accurate as possible. The world has to obey our general laws of physics unless I have created something fantastical that requires alternate world-building. I do have hints of personality traits in my characters that are based on real people, but not all. I’ll mix it up, so I stay away from stereotypes and clichés.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

No travel necessary. I can usually research exotic locations down to their exact, fine points. I try not to cheat, but if there is something I’m unaware of or do not know, I’ll avoid the nitpicking details of it, to stay on the safe side.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Caroline Andrus created the cover for Screamcatcher, and it’s a total mind-blower. I’m not just saying that. She has a saber-tooth cat clawing its way through a dream catcher, and the background is of the badlands of South Dakota. I’ve been told that the blurb, cover and title is an at-bat triple. Sales will eventually tell me if it is a homerun or not.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Aside from my theme that accentuates loyalty, survival and determination, I do have a very subtle, almost hidden message in the book. It’s gender related and really no one would ever suspect it, because it has nothing to do with the main female character. All I’ll say is, nice guys finish first and get the girl.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

Neil Gaiman is new to me. I loved his Stardust, and I plan on reading a lot more of his work. He writers with strong visuals and senses, and I like that. Susanne Collins and her The Hunger Games really impressed me. She has a prequel coming out in May of next year.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

Hands down, it’s my agent Sara Camilli. She has been through the thick and thin with me, always pushing me to strive and attain my goals. She is ultra-supportive of me, and quite concerned about my health and emotional state. She’s never given up on me and refuses to let me give up on myself.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

Not in the sense that it supports me. It did support me for a very brief time but it is so difficult to keep up that kind of momentum. Becoming a writer is easy—staying one is hard.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Now that I’ve had a few constructive comments, yes. I would have my major male character “alpha-up” just a bit. He’s a tad too nice or desperate for the affection from his soon-to-be girlfriend. I would also calm down a racy sex scene that the main characters witness. The MCs don’t resort to overt sex or anything, but they do witness something I should have toned down.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

I learned some really neat things about Indian lore and culture. I love that type of diversity in this book. My main female character is half-blood Chippewa. She is at odds with her true cultural history with that of a modern, progressive teenage girl.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Without question, my lead character, Jory, is an absolute dead-ringer for Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. So she would have to be a very young looking Jennifer Lawrence.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Watch your spending on ads–they can be grossly ineffective. Use social media and generously interact with fellow writers and readers. Don’t abuse FB and Twitter solely for the purpose of “Buy My Book.” Join writing groups and learn from the pros. Ask politely for reviews–don’t pressure, harass or intimidate. Be creative. Target your genre readers. Offer incentives and freebies. Craft a newsletter and send it out bi-monthly. Don’t take critiques as personal attacks–learn from honest opinions. Don’t despair. Never give up. Revenge query.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Only to support your indie and small press trade authors. You’ll find some gems there that will delight and shock you. Support your local independent bookstores—they need the love—they spread enough of it for you—pay it forward to them.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I’m re-reading Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It’s a novelization, but I like the style and wonderment.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

It was very early on in school when I read The Yearling. That was the first “classic” that I read. My first science fiction novel was Virgin Planet by Poul Anderson. He became my pen pal and mentor.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Bumping off a character in a book saddens me greatly, especially when I’m invested in that person. Great irony makes me bust the gut. Joseph Wambaugh and Peter Benchley are masters of it. Of course, the elder Benchley was a humorist!

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

I’d like to meet Stephen Spielberg. I’m as much of a kid at heart as he is and would love to discuss young adult characterization in book and movie plots with him.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

I watch any documentary having to do with Bigfoot, UFOs, cryptozoology, palaeontology, astronomy, archaeology, airline flight, history, hauntings, the planets and the universe.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

For TV it has to be non-fiction and associated with the core sciences—Nova, The History Channel, Hanger 18, Finding Bigfoot, Ancient Aliens, Animal Planet and other informative shows. Crypto-science is fine.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

My favorite food is Chinese all the way! My color is ox blood. My favourite music is movie soundtracks from some of my most favourite SF and fantasy movies. I do like hard rock and roll, but I’ll relax with ABBA anytime.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I would tell stories in sign language and the spoken word.

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

I would write out a short synopsis of my history, seal it in a jar and bury it under a rock. Maybe somebody would find it and say, “This confirms it—these primitives were nuts.”

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

He came, he saw, he tried to conquer.

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Christy J. Breedlove’s Young Adult Fabuliers:https://christysyoungadultimagineers.com/

Guerrilla Warfare for Writers: http://guerrillawarfareforwriters.blogspot.com/2019/06/ya-review-consequences-by-darlene.html

FB Author’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/Chris-Stevenson-Author-Page-177979902302440/

Amazon authors page USA https://www.amazon.com/Christy-J.-Breedlove/e/B07QL3HBVR/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christy-J-Breedlove/e/B07QL3HBVR?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1561483752&sr=1-1

I think I might have just hooked you into here.

Have you hooked or are you bait-less?

I’ve accumulated thousands of rejection slips, both email and hard mail, dating back at least 28 years. We writers agonize over just about every word in these little snippets of rejection death, attempting to decipher some type of meaningful logic out of these one or two-line zingers.

Scenario: So the editor has read about three or four pages and stopped. She is in problem territory already. She sees snags and there are a few that stand out over the rest which indicate specific problems, and the rejection usually begins with, “I’m afraid I wasn’t pulled into the story,” or “I couldn’t identify with the protagonist,” “the front bogged down,” or “after a few pages, I wasn’t compelled to read any further.” “too dialogue heavy,” “static opener,” “excessive sentence fragments,” Something to that tone, anyway. What we have here is a failure to communicate up front with that all important “hook.” A hook doesn’t have to make logical sense. It’s better left less obvious.  

The hook is that mystical teaser, that pulls the reader into the story, and it usually begins on page one, and really never lets up unless it finally reveals but leads into another. You can craft a hook by using dialogue, action, narrative or even description, but the one thing it does is present a unique problem that is not answered immediately, or is a set of circumstances that confounds the reader, asking more questions that it’s answering. I think a really great hook uses deceit or misdirection. It presents a “What the hell’s going on here” in the reader’s mind, or a “why or how could this be happening?”        

Setting a good hook, I later learned, is a crafting trick–a tactic. There’s nothing artistic about it. Just like a magician uses sleight of hand, so too does the writer create an unfathomable scenario that begs explanation and further reading. Of course, it’s wise to take the reader up to the confusion threshold but not beyond it, where incidents and plot seem even more disjointed. There must be a method to your madness, allowing the reader to glimpse that sliver of light at the end of the tunnel. Which means, little answer and a bit more tease.  

I can pontificate all day long about how stunning and fast-paced my second and third acts are, but when I read and interpret those pesky rejection slips, the ones that hint at boring, tepid, stilted, stuffy first-page or fist-chapter passages, I know then that I’ve failed in capturing my reader’s attention–he/she will be reluctant to invest further reading time if I cannot make the mystery worth his/her time to solve. I’ve opened the story door and invited the reader to ride along, but they are inclined to pass and let me drive off without them if I haven’t grabbed their curiosity.         

Thick back-story is a killer, as is puffed up prologues, heavy, multiple character descriptions (laundry listing), too many characters, uninspired dialogue, weather reports and heavy handed scenery that tries too hard to be literary or cinematic.

I can have a dynamite query letter, but the editor or agent won’t get past page five if I haven’t pulled them into the story and forced them to wonder or agonize about something.        

The hook scene doesn’t have to be complicated. (First Page–First Paragraph)–Imagine average Joe Blow pulls over in a picturesque grove of trees, gets out of his car and lights up a cigarette. He’s on his way home but has a few minutes to kill. He happens to notice a church a few hundred yards away and the church parking lot is filled to capacity. The back of the church looks to be occupied with a reception area, filled with chairs, tables, colorful streamers and a small stage. But no one is out there celebrating, meaning that the festivities must still be under way inside. He crushes out his cig butt and happens to look up, being prompted by the sound of a twig snapping in the boughs of a large tree.

He sees a woman in a full sequined wedding dress, balanced precariously on a limb high up in the tree. The woman has a terrified look on her face; she is breathing hard and sweating profusely.

You’ve just set the hook. You don’t have to have this guy figure out exactly what she’s doing up there, but we have a pretty good idea. Or do we? We won’t really know until the writer let’s these two exchange dialogue. But we’re not going to do that either. Joe Blow has decided, against his better judgment, to help this woman out. Just by her demeanor, he knows something is way off the normalcy scale. She’s a runaway. He can sort it out later once he gets her in his car and down the road away from the church.         

He drives off and they’re safe for now. When it comes time for her to confess her problem, she’s evasive and remains quiet.  He slows the car down and then gets a phone call from his wife, wondering if they’re still on for their marriage counseling session that night. He can’t talk right now and hangs up. He slows down, looking for his pack of cigarettes that he’s lost, and he can’t get his seat belt up because it’s wedged in the closed door. She whines from the back seat and slips into a barrage of hacking sneezes, spraying phlegm all over his new upholstery. He also can’t see out of the rear view mirror because she’s got her head buried in the carpet and her pleated wedding dress has sprang up and blocked his view.         

Now we have conflict, while still nothing has been resolved. And that’s what you’re doing–leading the reader along, who thinks he/she is on the main storyline highway, but are actually ending up hitting potholes and speed bumps. I think you get what I’m trying to say. Don’t be predictable. Don’t underestimate your reader. Shock and surprise. Don’t explain the reason for this scene.

How important is the hook? It is the most important page or pages of your entire manuscript, and that includes the query and/or synopsis. You’ve got one chance, one pair of editor/agent eyes to entice, to compel, to convince the reader to keep turning pages. Any lull or stoppage in the text is the mark of death, and it means your bait is inadequate, it stinks of age or it’s missing entirely.         

Does your book really start on chapter 2? Then dump chapter 1. Is Chapter 1 a slough? Then cut and burn out everything that isn’t thrusting the plot forward or arousing conflict and asking new questions. Yeah, but Chris, you should read some of these dud first pages in these bestsellers; hardly grabbers. Let those brand name authors craft their books the way they see fit; they’re not hurting for readership and the fans know their style pretty well. Study some of the debut author’s works from some new books and see if you can’t find those subtle hooks, little red herrings–those attention grabbers that are starting to unravel things.       

Another mile down the road, our driver’s phone rings again—it’s his counselor confirming their appointment for that evening. He can’t answer because the girl in the back has rolled down the window and pitched out her bridal train and veil onto the street. He cusses her for that action and tells her to get down. She starts insulting him. He steps on the gas and comes to a screeching halt in front of the police station, where he forces her door open and yanks on her legs, only to tear her nylons off.

“Halp! He’s trying to rape me!”

“You get out of this car right now.”

“I won’t let you kill me, you masher!” she wails for all the city to hear.

You get the idea. This can go on and on and escalate into a full scale donnybrook–clothes being torn, saps and batons flying until our two are handcuffed and shackled and led through the entrance door to precinct 11. His new car starts to burn from a lighted cigarette which fell between the seats. He tries to get away but assaults the arresting officer. Just make sure if you lock him up make sure that his prison stay has SOMETHING to do with the plot. Now, if you can’t stand the notion of pulling your first chapter because it’s a slug, do a flashback scene. Exchange a really interesting future chapter with chapter 1, and then sew up the transition between that pulled chapter and the next one. If you move your slug chapter to the chapter 2 position, cut it down and make it move faster. How do you write a flashback scene? Google it.

It’s not that difficult.

Red-shifting otta here…

SUMMARY:

Second chances lead to new beginnings… sometimes, they lead to murder. Seventeen-year-old Rose Jackson is a self-righteous, nature-loving truth seeker whose rocky relationship with her mother, Doris Murphy, is tested after Rose is court ordered to a youth house.
With six months left before she goes in front of a judge for potential release, her patience is tested between an in-house bully, her neglectful mother, and an inappropriate therapist.
Fed up, Rose runs away before her court date and settles in a town she randomly chose on a map. Misinterpretation ensues as she falls for a town local, goes head to head with a biker gang, and the unthinkable happens.
Can Rose succeed in finding the freedom she craves or will her determination cost her everything?

REVIEW–5-STAR AMAZON


Rose Jackson has got a big problem, being institutionalized in a youth house, filled with chaos, nasty counselors and a depraved therapist. She’s worse off than inmate, and her drug-addicted mother had everything to do with her landing in the hellhole. Although she’s just under eighteen, Rose is not going to wait a minute longer and manages a covert escape into the freedom she desperately craves, otherwise she’ll lose her sanity.
She hikes miles and miles with sparse belongings and little money to land in a strange little town that she’s picked on a map. She finds out real quick she’s a Philly city girl trapped in a wayward town of drunks, misfits and bikers. She meets up with a biker prospect, Tucker, who takes her under his wing.  It just so happens that when Tucker gets his colors, he has to surrender a gift to the biker boys. He won’t have–she won’t have it–and they hike and ride for their lives. Meanwhile, her mother, who has sobered up and kicked drugs is desperate to find her daughter who escaped the youth house without her knowledge.
Consequences is a thriller, a coming of age story and a slow burn romance all rolled up into one. It’s a relentless chase and survival story, with harrowing scenes and tragedy. Rose is steadfast and courageous, fighting back at every turn. You just have to root for her, and find out how she’s going to get out of her next jam.
This was wonderfully written, the author using all five senses to describe and paint stunning visuals. The characters are diverse and well drawn. This was a page-turner and had some abrupt detours and spins. The young adult voice was captured very naturally. I would recommend this to teens who love frantic adventure, and adults who appreciate grownup themes. I think Ms Darlene A. McGarrity has got a future in the YA category. This tome begs a sequel.

AUTHOR INFO:

Darlene was born and raised in Philadelphia but now resides in Bucks County, PA. Nature fuels her bones along with the love of a rescued black cat, wonderful husband, and strong coffee. She has been writing seriously since 2006, despite starting back in 1997. Some of her favorite authors include Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, Ann Rule, Edgar Allan Poe, and Chuck Wendig.

She uses music to adjust any mood for writing, for driving, and for life.

Nature is her church. 
AMAZON LINK:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QTFHZ79/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1

Hello fellow scribes. I’m now eligible for the EPIC FANTASY FANATICS READERS CHOICE AWARDS. I would be solely indebted for your one-click nomination for Screamcatcher. My team thinks we can pull a spot in this prestigious event. Please tell your friends to do likewise. Your nominations will get me into the quarter finals. from there on, the semi-finals will be in sight. We have about two hundred entries and each entry must stockpile 100 nominations to advance. I couldn’t tell you what this mean to me. I have a hoard of supporters who are intent on helping me out. I can’t thank you enough for your time and consideration. There’s no need to sign in or reveal any of your personal info. You click and you are out. Blessed be. Here’s the link:

https://epicfantasyfanatics.com/screamcatcher-christy-j-breedlove/?fbclid=IwAR1YbLzoK7rBsjWJEdbwCd-Ighd1FVHBZS_KBrTfdSgENDXv4zVQTaU57sw

If you have problems bringing up the site, please contact me at   stevenson_333@msn.com