#NaNoWriMo #First50Words Contest!

Hey NaNoWriMo-ers!

Jerusha Rodgers from Rabid Bader Editing here, and I have a couple big things to let you in on!

First things first: Joni Rodgers and I put together a #NaNoWriMo book bundle just for you guys. It's Joni's book FIRST YOU WRITE: The Worst Way to Become an Almost Famous Author & the Best Advice I Got While Doing It, which is a hilarious and poignant book of essays that contain fantastic writing advice. There's even some pro tips from our League of Extraordinary Authors pals. It's also got my title, YOUR TITLE HERE: How To Craft a Killer Nonfiction Book Proposal, a step-by-step guide. Although it was written with (obviously) nonfiction book proposals in mind, it shows writers how to set out a clear path for their book complete with a deadline and marketing strategy. It's kind of like a mad lib for self-publishing, so if you're serious about taking your NaNoWriMo writing to the next level, this is for you.

This book bundle is a limited-time deal available only through Amazon for the next 90 days, so don't wait to grab it (or add it to your Christmas list if that's more your style)!

On to the contest: We loved the response we got when we ran a #First50Words contest a few years ago, and we wanted to bring that back--with a twist.

We want you to send us the first 50 words of your NaNoWriMo manuscript between now and November 30th.

On December 4th, I'll announce the six winners and five Honorable Mentions on Box Octo along with their 50 words!

One first place winner will receive 3 hours of editing from me.

Two second place winners will receive 2 hours of editing from me.

Three third place winners will receive 1 hour of editing from me.

Five Honorable Mentions will receive a free book bundle!

All six winners' edits will be accompanied by a letter that talks about how these edits can be extended throughout the work to improve it and why those changes elevate the work. They'll also receive a free copy of our book bundle to help them further their writing journey.

Come December 1st, you'll be one of two things: A) Ready to set your work aside and let it marinate for a bit before you edit, or B) On fire to get going on the next step and not lose your momentum. Both of these are good responses. And whatever you choose, I'll be right here to help. Editing is an incredibly important stage in writing because it asks you to look at your work and decide not what to take away but what to keep. What drives the story forward? What words earn their space on the page? Where can you reveal things more cleanly or deliver information more vividly? Did your character 'say' something or did they 'cackle' it? Is a particular passage process or product? Having an objective eye can be helpful in early editing phases and is, I think, necessary in the later ones (Our brains know how something is supposed to sound/what something should say, so often our eyes skip over mistakes that a less familiar eye would catch easily.). I'll be posting periodically throughout December on different topics in editing, so whenever you're ready for that next step, you'll have a helping hand with an eagle eye.


Boring Contest Rules That You Still Need to Read:
-Entries submitted in the comment section will not be considered (feel free to post 'em down there, but be sure you email us with the proper info so we can include you in the contest!)
-Email should have the subject line: #First50Words [name] [working title]
-Email body should include only your working title, genre, and your first 50 words
-Contest ends at 11:59pm central time on November 30th.
-You do NOT need to have a finished manuscript (but you DO need to know where the story is going)
-Please only submit your 2015 NaNoWriMo writing. This is totally on the honor system, but Santa sees what you're doing, so don't end up on the naughty list.
-Winners will be contacted via email on Dec. 4th with their place and asked to provide the following:
     -Manuscript in MS Word (edits and comments will only be done in Track Changes)
     -Short (no more than one page) synopsis of your story
-If a winner does not provide the manuscript and synopsis by December 11th, they forfeit their prize (editing hours and critique letter)
-Editing hours will be done during the month of December and returned to winner before December 31st at 11:59pm

Harlequin Romantic Suspense Party Clue #1

HRS Holiday Party Clue #1: It was a terrible day for a race, with the dark sky rumbling, shoes sloshing, and rain soaking every runner to the skin. With everything else she had to contend with, why did today of all days have to bring with it a thunderstorm? For more information on how you can win enough autographed books to fill your stocking, click to learn all about the Harlequin Romantic Suspense Killer Christmas Contest! Photo attribution: U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Free Book Giveaway: 3 Questions with Shana Galen

Special Instruction for the Drawing: We'll be choosing one lucky reader from among the commenters below to win a free, autographed copy of Shana Galen's wonderful new Lord & Lady Spy! We'll be announcing the winner on Wednesday at noon (Central Daylight Time.)


A couple of weeks ago, I was privileged to be part of a signing with historical romance author Shana Galen—and even more privileged to purchase and read her brand new release, Lord & Lady Spy.

And it was fun, readers, the most fun I've had with a historical romance in eons. Fresh and exciting, it had crisp repartee and a number of laugh out loud moments, but most of all, the story and the characters had heart.

So aside from recommending it like mad to everybody I know, I also asking Shana to stop by Boxing the Octopus for the traditional Three Questions.

BtO: Hello, Shana, and thanks for joining us. One of the things that stood out to me was your ability to blend seemingly modern plot elements (i.e. the Mr. and Mrs. Smith-like set-up, where each member of a pair of married spies knows nothing of the other's secret life) with a more traditional British setting. What gave you the idea to liven up the Regency romance with this idea? Could your secret past as a writer of contemporary chick lit have anything to do with it?

SG: Thank you so much for having me. I try to read the blog whenever I have a free moment and really enjoy it.

I don’t think my not-so-secret past as a contemporary author had as much to do with the idea for Lord and Lady Spy as did desperation for an idea for my next book. I was thinking and thinking and nothing was coming to me. One evening I was flipping channels and saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith on cable and started thinking, what if the year wasn’t 2005 but 1815? And what if the hero and heroine weren’t assassins but spies? Unemployed spies, since Napoleon was captured in 1815. I got chills and knew I finally had my next idea! Most of my books have a lot of action, and I’ve written heroes who were spies before, so that part wasn’t a huge leap. Writing a romance with a married couple was quite a challenge. I’ll get into that more below.

BtO: I recognized so many accurate historical details, I instinctively trusted that you'd done your homework. To what extent was the spy-related background really rooted in fact?

SG: There were actually spies during the Peninsular Wars, but they weren’t very well known. We tend to think of spying as dangerous and sexy. In the nineteenth century, spies were considered cowardly. A real man didn’t sneak around but fought in the open. So most of the spy-related parts of the novel were pure fiction. Two real people who did influence how I wrote the spy sections were George Scovill and Grace Dalrymple Elliott. Scovill cracked Napoleon’s Paris cipher for Wellington. His story is told in The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes. Elliott was a British courtesan living in Paris during the French Revolution. She smuggled messages from Marie Antoinette to her sympathizers in Austria and saved several royalist sympathizers from being captured and imprisoned by the French Revolutionary government. A great book titled My Lady Scandalous tells her story.

BtO: For all the derring-do and funny moments (love your sense of humor!) what really made this novel stand out for me was the root cause of Sophie and Adrian's emotional estrangement, the heart-wrenching loss of three pregnancies to miscarriage. What made you decide to add such a serious issue to the story?

SG: I was struggling with the conflict between Adrian and Sophia for a long time, and I needed to come up with some reason they were estranged to make the book move forward. During this time, I suffered a miscarriage. It was my first pregnancy, and it completely devastated me. When I was able to get back to fiction writing, I started thinking about Sophia again, and I realized infertility/miscarriage could be one reason for a marital estrangement. Also, writing about miscarriage gave me a way to address a topic that isn’t covered in many romance novels. And yet it’s something many, many women deal with. I know so many friends who have suffered miscarriages. I thought my readers could relate to a woman who struggled with pregnancy loss.

I did face some initial reservations from publishing industry people because “miscarriage isn’t sexy.” But my response was that I thought readers could handle a more complex emotional subject without feeling it made the book less romantic or the sexual relationship between the hero and heroine less fulfilling.


BtO: I'm really sorry to hear of your personal loss, but I agree that readers will be very touched, as I was, by reading of an issue that impacts so many.

Is there anything else you'd like us to know about the book or future releases?

SG: I do have a book coming out in February. It’s the third in my Sons of the Revolution series. The first two were The Making of a Duchess and The Making of a Gentleman. We’ve been going back and forth about the title, so at this point, I’m not even sure what that’s going to be. It was The Making of a Rogue and then Once a Rogue and then The Dread Pirate’s Bride. It might be something else next week! But we’ll get it figured out soon.

Also, because of the great reader-feedback, my editor and I are discussing making Lord and Lady Spy a series. I’m currently contracted to write a new series, and the first book in that will be out in Fall 2012, but somewhere between books 2 and 3, there may be another Lord and Lady Spy book.

BtO: Yea! Glad to hear that! And I almost forgot the obligatory BtO bonus question. What are you reading and loving these days?

SG: I just turned a book in today, so I haven’t been doing much reading. I did finish Ashley March’s Romancing the Countess and really enjoyed it. Next up is Sophie Jordan’s Vanish, and I have your own Colleen Thompson’s Phantom of the French Quarter on my nightstand too. I am really looking forward to taking a week off and reading.

BtO: Thanks so much for visiting, Shana (and enjoy Phantom!) We're so glad to share Lord & Lady Spy with readers—who might be interested to know that the e-book version (the book is also available in paperback) is now on sale for the low price of $2.99. Score!

SG: Thank you for having me! I want to offer a signed copy of Lord and Lady Spy to one person who comments today. I’ll check in later today and reply to any comments or questions.

Dr. Janece O. Hudson Gets Into Your Dreams

Boxing the Octopus Contest/Dream Advice Exclusive: Ask Dr. Hudson a question about your dreams in the comments below or simply post a comment to be entered in a drawing to take place on Friday, August 5th at noon CDT to win a copy of Into Your Dreams! Beginning this afternoon (Monday, 8/1) Dr. Hudson will answer your dream questions on a first-come, first-served basis in the comments section.

Please include an e-mail address with your comment or check back at the blog on Friday afternoon so we can reach you if your name is drawn.

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Right around the time I sold my first book, I was fortunate enough to meet Jan Hudson, the author of more than thirty romances and romantic comedies. During a shared meal at a writer's conference, I casually mentioned a vivid, terrifying dream that had repeatedly troubled me for months, something about continually being cut off on my commute to work by tornadoes dropping from the sky.

That's when I learned of Jan's alter-ego, Dr. Janece O. Hudson, psychologist, hypnotist, and expert on dreams, who, with a few insightful questions, led me to figure out I was not really afraid of actual tornadoes, but that my stories (ideas that come from above, a.k.a. my brain) were going to cause me to leave my secure career in teaching.

That brief conversation clarified my fears about the decision at hand so quickly and completely, I never had that dream again. (And I really did end up quitting my day job soon after.) My subconscious had finally gotten across the message, and I've never looked at dreams in quite the same way since.

That's why I'm especially excited that Dr. Janece O. Hudson has finally shared her expertise in the form of a brand new book called Into Your Dreams. Recently, I invited her to stop by and answer a few questions.

BtO: Hi, Janece, and thanks so much for visiting Boxing the Octopus. I'm curious to know what inspired your interest in dreams?

JH: It seems I’ve always been interested in dreams—I still remember one from my childhood—but I think it was meeting Elsie Sechrist and becoming part of her study group that really whetted that interest. Elsie was an author of a best-selling dream book, an international speaker, and expert on the Edgar Cayce readings, who became my mentor. My experiences with my own dreams convinced me of how important working with those unconscious messages were.

BtO: Has an understanding of the messages of dreams ever offered insights to your own novel-writing or writing career? Do you feel that dreams can influence waking creativity?

JH: Absolutely! Last night in the U.S. alone, there were a billion and a half dreams by people—all marvelously creative, all unique to the dreamer. That’s enough to convince everybody of their own creativity. Look at all the stories there! And, yes, I’ve used dreams in my own writing. In one particular one, as the scene unfolded, I thought to myself, “This is a terrific plot for a book.” I’ve written it as a humorous mystery, but I haven’t sold it yet. Writer friends tell me it’s the best novel I’ve ever written, so we’ll see.

Several writers have reported using dreams in their work. LaVyrle Spencer once told me that a dream awakened her, one so vivid that she got up and wrote it down immediately. As I recall, it was the basis for HUMMINGBIRD, a much beloved novel.

BtO: What can we expect to learn from a reading of Into Your Dreams?

JH: You can learn how much interpreting your own dreams can enrich your life and get lots of tips on how to do that. You can learn to understand “dream language.” As I often say: You have a direct pipeline to the world’s greatest wisdom. It’s as close as your pillow.

BtO: Thanks so much for stopping by, but before you go, I have to sneak in our standard BtO Bonus question. What's the last book you've read and loved?

JH: Thanks for having me. I just got home from vacationing and reading a half dozen or more books. My two favorites (can’t recall which I read last) were Janet Evanovich’s SMOKIN’ SEVENTEEN and Tess Gerritsen’s THE SILENT GIRL.

For those in the Houston area, Dr. Hudson will be signing copies of Into Your Dreams at Barnes and Noble Champions Village on FM 1960 from 2:00-4:00 PM on Saturday, 8/20. Stop by and, who knows? Maybe she'll help you unravel your own subconscious mystery, just as she did mine.

Win a Free Copy of The Restorer: Interview with Amanda Stevens

Every so often I read a book so great I just have to crow about it. Amanda Stevens' latest, The Restorer, is a Southern gothic-styled mystery so eerie and compelling, it kept me reading late into the night. From its creep-tacular Charleston setting, cemetery lore, and first-class mystery to its lushly sensual writing style, this novel gripped me from the opening pages and didn't let go…

Today, please welcome Amanda Stevens to Boxing the Octopus, where she's answering our standard three questions and giving away a free, autographed copy of The Restorer to one lucky commenter. (Note to our readers: Please include your e-mail address in your comment, written out like such to fool the spambots: myname at gmail dot com)

BtO: Hi, Amanda. We're delighted to have you here on the blog today. As I gushed in my e-mail to you, I just loved The Restorer, whose protagonist, Amelia Grey, is a cemetery restorer who's always dropping cool bits of info about funereal symbology, customs, and occult beliefs I've never even heard of. (Which is really something, as I recently finished researching and writing on an upcoming book whose heroine is a New Orleans cemetery tour guide.)

What gave you the idea of writing about this particular profession? You know, beside morbid curiosity (although that's always worked for me!)

AS: Thanks so much for having me!

You know, I wish I could tell you the book was inspired by a visit to a creepy old cemetery or some spooky paranormal event, but truth be told, I Googled ‘unusual jobs’ and up popped cemetery restorer. I’d just finished reading Charlaine Harris’s Harper Connolly series and I wanted to create a protagonist with a strange occupation and/or ability. My mouth literally dropped open when I saw cemetery restorer on the screen because I knew it would be perfect for the kind of series I wanted to write—a lush, modern-day Gothic set in my beloved South.


BtO: In The Restorer's powerful opening, when nine-year-old Amelia Gray sees her first ghost, her cemetery caretaker father is quick to give her a set of rules that she must live by at all cost. Can you share a little about these rules?

AS: Her father presents the rules as a way to protect her from the ghosts. Netherworld parasites, I call them because they devour human warmth and energy much the same way a vampire feeds on blood. And those who can see them—like Amelia—are in particular peril because the thing the ghosts want more than anything is to be a part of our world again. Hence, Rule #1—never acknowledge the dead. However, as the series moves along, Amelia will discover another purpose to these rules…but that’s all I can say for now.

BtO: I still get chills thinking about that scene! Next, can you tell us a little about the free, related e-book, The Abandoned, along with what's next for Amelia Gray?

AS: The Abandoned is called a prequel, but really it’s a stand-alone story that introduces Amelia through the eyes of the POV character, Ree Hutchins, a grad student who volunteers at a creepy mental hospital in Charleston (inspired by the old Jefferson Davis Hospital here in Houston). One night something follows Ree home.

The Abandoned is also a mystery so readers will catches glimpses of Detective John Devlin, Amelia’s love interest, and learn a bit more about the history of the abandoned cemetery featured in The Restorer.

Next up for Amelia is The Kingdom, where she travels to an isolated town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a strange, withering place where she’s never before set foot but is inexplicably drawn to. Think hex symbols, vortexes, and a cemetery at the bottom of a murky lake. Think Twin Peaks.

BtO: I've already downloaded The Abandoned and can't wait for The Kingdom! Before you leave us, Amanda, I'm sneaking in the standard BtO bonus question. What are you reading these days?

AS: I just picked up Michael Koryta’s The Cypress House about a man who can foretell deaths. It came highly, highly recommended and I can’t wait to really dig into it.


BtO: Thanks again for stopping by, and don't forget, readers, we'll be drawing to give away an autographed copy of The Restorer to one lucky commenter. Contest ends on Wed., May 11th at noon (Central Daylight Time) so don't forget to enter!

Contest Winners for The Lincoln Lawyer

Last week, I promised to draw the names of five lucky commenters, each of whom will receive one free copy of the new paperback edition of The Lincoln Lawyer, along with a snazzy poster for the movie version, coming in March and starring Matthew McConaughey.

Winners, I will need you to contact me at boxocto@gmail.com by no later than Wednesday with your full name and mailing address to claim your prizes.

Without further adieu, here's the list:

Rita
Jeanna Thornton
Elen Grey
Lark Howard
Terry Blain

Don't forget to contact me with your information as soon as possible! Thanks for playing, everyone!

Win Free Books & Movie Posters:The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey

I've made no secret of the fact that I absolutely love suspense novelist Michael Connelly's work, especially his charming, crafty, and just-this-side of sleazy (though just like all his ex-wives, you gotta love him anyway) defense attorney Mickey Haller, whose adventures begin with the fabulously well-crafted, completely-unputdownable The Lincoln Lawyer.

A classic coyote/trickster character, Haller cruises the seamier side of LA in the backseat of his office-on-wheels, a Lincoln Towncar whose license plate reads IWALKEM (novel version) until he stumbles into the case that will change his life forever. In March, The Lincoln Lawyer, starring Matthew McConaughey, is coming to theaters, and do we have a treat for BtO readers. A terrific giveaway courtesy of the movie studio will bring five lucky winners each one copy of the mass market paperback edition of The Lincoln Lawyer along with one of the supercool new movie posters.

(By the way, I'm halfway through an Advanced Reading Copy of the forthcoming Mickey Haller novel, The Fifth Witness, and I'm absolutely loving it. But more about that in a later post.)

For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment (preferably one with your name) and--here's the important part--check back on Monday, when I'll be posting the winners. Then e-mail me by clicking the provided link to send me your full name and mailing address, and your prizes will be on their way!

Please help me spread the word about this hot new contest on Boxing the Octopus by tweeting or sharing to your Facebook page.

Two Thrillers for the Price of...Free!

Hi, all,
First of all, thanks to all of you who help spread the word about the free download of my RITA-nominated romantic suspense TRIPLE EXPOSURE for Kindle. The book landed at #1 on both the free and paid (once the promotion ended) bestseller lists, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

I've been so swamped with deadlines lately, I've been missing blog dates left and right, so I'm trying to make up for in with a very special contest over at eHarlequin, where I'll be celebrating special book buddies by giving away two identical signed copies of any one title from my backlist, one for the lucky commenter, and a second to share and discuss with a friend.

If you'd like to enter or just say hi, please drop by the e-Harlequin blog for your chance to win!

Thanks!

Post a Comment, Snag a Book!

Today I've been interviewed by hilarious romantic suspense author Christie Craig (if you haven't tried her books, I highly recommend them!) over at Killer Fiction, where she's giving an autographed copy of my latest, TOUCH OF EVIL, to one lucky commenter.

Plus, you'll find out what really scares... me, at the end of a day filled with eliciting chills from readers. Stop by http://bit.ly/bsXj3N to enter and uncover my darkest "secret."

BtO Contest: Win Linda Cowgill's The Art of Plotting

A friend gave me a brand, spanking new copy of Linda Cowgill's guide for screenwriters, The Art of Plotting: Add Emotion, Suspense, and Depth to Your Screenplay and asked if I'd like to give it away on the blog.

I seriously thought about swiping it for my own, but since my to be read pile threatens to scrape the ceiling, I've restrained myself.

To be eligible to win the drawing, all you have to do is post a comment telling us what future writing-related topics would you like to see us discuss in future posts here on Boxing the Octopus.


Linda Cowgill is a screen and TV screenwriter, instructor, and author of several books on writing. You can read more about her here.