Liesel K Hill - Persistence of Vision Blog Tour

Character Interview with Joan

Please introduce yourself and tell us what your role on the team is?

My name is Joan. I live at Interchron with my daughter, Lila. My role on the team is that of Protector. That means I protect the team’s minds from neurological attack. In our world, evil men—sent by the collectives—can manipulate energy. They attack our brains because that’s where their power is. My job is to protect against that with neurological shields. I’m also skilled at using Offensive Energy against the attackers.

What’s the difference between your role and Clay’s role? They seem similar.

Clay is the Concealer. He hides the team’s minds from potential energies. If their minds are discovered and attacked, that’s where I come in. Clay’s ability is more specific than mine. It’s preventative while mine is responsive.

I understand you’re the “mother hen” of the bunch. Why is that? Do you see the team members as your children?

Yes. I’m the only member of the team who has living children right now. (Clay’s wife is pregnant so he will soon.) My daughter is an adult but I’ve never lost my protectiveness over her. The team lives and works together very closely—we practically are family. Perhaps it’s my age as well as being the only parent, but I’ve always naturally gravitated toward the “mother hen” position.

How did you get involved with the Interchron community?

I’ve lived at Interchron since I was a small child. My parents discovered it when I was a toddler. They immediately saw its value and we lived in the mountain from that time forward. As I reached adulthood, my neurochemical abilities began to manifest. Doc realized I could fulfill the role of Protector, so becoming part of the team was a natural transition for me. I married a man who also lived in Interchron. That was Lila’s father. He passed a few years ago, but as you can see, Interchron is simply part of me.

What do you think about Maggie’s return?

I’m so glad about it. Being the only other woman on the team, you can imagine we were close and relied upon one another a lot. I was heart-broken after the accident. I don’t know what it all means or what to expect, but I’m glad to have her back.

What is your greatest fear?

I think everyone’s greatest fear is to become enslaved to the collectives. For me, my daughter’s protection and freedom are even more important than my own. She may be old enough to fend for herself, but my fear is that she’ll never have an opportunity to raise a family of her own in a free world. The collectives are trying to steal her future, along with everyone else’s.

About Liesel:
Liesel K Hill writes across three genres: scifi/fantasy, historical fiction, and crime drama. She lives in northern Utah and comes from a large, tight-knit family. She's a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and plans to keep writing until they pound the final nail into her coffin. Or until the Second Coming. You know, whichever happens first.

Facebook: facebook.com/interchronseries

Twitter: twitter.com/lkhillbooks

Pinterest: pinterest.com/lkhillbooks

Goodreads Author Page: goodreads.com/lieselkhill

Goodreads Book Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15982000-persistence-of-vision

Sunday Surfing

How To: Create Your Own Audiobook

The Over-doer's Editing Checklist: Structure and Point of View

5 Elements of Story Structure

5 Blogging Rules Authors Can Ignore…and 5 You Can’t

Interesting info-graphic on setting goals

A most enlightening article: When You Have Editorial Differences

7 Libraries Of Sensational Photographs You Can Use For Free

Aspiring Novelist's Pledge

 I pledge allegiance to the task of writing a best selling novel, and to the public for whom it's written, one statement, at a time, enthralling readers, with excitement and pleasure for all.


What's your pledge?

How Do You Cook Your Stories?

I recently had a conversation on Twitter with another writer. NaNoWriMo prompted the conversation. We both had attempted NaNo in the past. (Mine was in May and not part of the official November NaNo.)

The conversation left me pondering the many ways writers prepare--or cook--their stories.

Every writer is different, just as every cook is different.  We each have our preferred methods, our secret ingredients, our own assessment of when it's cooked to perfection.

My stories must simmer, percolate and sit for a spell.  In other words, my stories are cooked in a crock pot, not a microwave.

Oh, how I'd love to crack open a couple characters, drop them into a bowl, scramble up some plot and setting and cook in less than a minute by pressing "1" on the Microwave oven's keypad. I could crank out books like McDonald's cranks out fries.

But no. I cook like Grandma.  Turn the heat on 4.  Let simmer.  Stir.  Add plot potatoes.  Stir again.  Simmer some more. Lift lid and take a whiff.  Needs pepper.  Maybe some oregano.  Back the heat down to low and turn in for the night. The next morning, stir again and serve slow-roasted-story for lunch.

Perhaps some stories need to be cooked differently? But where one measures every 1/8 teaspoon, another uses a pinch.  Where one sets the timer, another watches the oven.  Some folks disappear for hours in a steamy kitchen while others bask in nature's warmth.

Cover with frosting? Baste in a sugary glaze? Bathe it in butter? Oh my goodness, everything's better with butter!

We all want sizzling settings and satisfying stories.   Broil them, broil them, serve them in a stew!  Chill the plot like pudding until it thickens.  Dazzle your readers with distinctive description like seasoning.

But I can't serve them raw! Stories aren't fruit. They need to be prepared.

Regardless of how you cook your stories, cook them well.  Serve them hot and spicy.  Make us come back for seconds.  Fill the kitchen with the aromas only your masterpieces have.  Let us taste your mouthwatering brilliance.

You're the artist, the chef, the baker of the best books in town.


How do you cook your stories?

Bob Brady on Getting Published in 2013

I met Bob through the Yahoo Fantasy Writing group and was intrigued by his choice to move from independent publishing to traditional publishing.  He graciously accepted my request for an interview.

You set out to write a series. Did you seek agency representation or traditional publishing at first, or did you intend to self-publish all along?

At first I did. My first rejection letter was in 1983 from Tor Publishing, where the reviewer actually told me that I was a terrible writer, that I'd never make it and strongly advised me to stick to reading. He was right in that I was terrible at the time. I'd been over-influenced by my professors in college and needed to refocus and relearn.

Right now, it's exceptionally difficult to get picked up as a new author by a publisher. The new idea is to prove yourself on the independent market, and THEN when you can show a following, a publisher will look at you and make a decision as to whether you're marketable or a fluke.

The only alternative to this is to go the awards route. There a such things as Nebula Awards which, if you win them, you're much more likely to get picked up. As far as I'm concerned, though, independent is the way to start.

Can you tell us about circumstances of your initial correspondence with Sky Warrior? Did they approach you or were you continuing to seek traditional publishing?

Robert W. Brady, Jr.

One thing you can rely on is that a good publisher is NEVER going to contact you. If someone comes to you and says, "We think you're our guy," your scam alarm should ring loudly in your head.

When I started to become more popular on Kindle, I started to notice whose books were bought alongside mine (this is a feature in Amazon). What I wanted to do was to go to these authors and offer to review each others' books to cross-increase our popularity. This, by the way, is a VERY viable way to make yourself more popular.

What I noticed was that a lot of these were Sky Warrior published. That's when I went to them and made my case.

Has “signing the contract” changed your self-perception at all?

Yeah - you can barely talk to me now! Just kidding - you have to remember that The Fovean Chronicles is a project I began in 1982, in my first year in college. I've picked it up and put it down a lot. Finally getting representation by someone as qualified as Sky Warrior legitimizes the effort.

What have you found to be the most difficult or challenging aspect of going independent with the books?

There's a belief by more old-school authors that, once you go independent, other publishers won't touch you. That's pretty much untrue. The problem with independent publishing is you're one in a crowd of around 10,000,000. Most of that 10,000,000 is crap and most people know it. You're going to REALLY have to get out there and make your case, get the word out, give people a reason to read you.

Which aspect of self-publishing have you enjoyed the most?

The control. I'm the master of my own fate. If I make a mistake, it's my mistake. If I have successes, those are mine as well.

Did you seek an agent or lawyer to aid in your negotiations?

Most agents aren't interested in you until it's clear you have something they can market to a publisher. They're inundated with manuscripts and authors pleading, "Give mine a chance."

Most lawyers don't know anything about a literary contract, and they'll want to charge you. I'd say go with the lawyer because you won't be able to get the agent, and if you go to an agent contract-in-hand all he/she is really going to do for you is get you to give them around 15% of your profit, which doesn't really help you.

A lawyer is going to be able to tell you about common contract scams that you may not realize. It will likely cost you about $250, which is money well spent.

The Banner on Bob's Website for the Series.

Since your books were already selling, was Sky Warrior more amenable to contract negotiation or was their offer still “industry standard” and rigid?

Sky Warrior was pretty cut and dry, and exceptionally fair, so I was happy to go with what they offered me. I imagine if I wanted to press for more control on cover art, I could have gotten it.

What pushed you over the edge to sign with Sky Warrior?

I was getting ready to drop a lot of money on publicity. What it would cost me to break in has already been achieved by Sky Warrior, so it made monetary sense. They'll take me places that I'd have to spend a lot of money to go, and get me there faster.

Will Sky Warrior be publishing all of your existing books? Any guarantees or special considerations for you future books?

I have a deal with them for the whole Fovean Chronicles series, about 1/2 of which is in rewrite now. When they take over in January, I'll have four books done, two in rewrite and two unwritten. I'll deliver on the unwritten this year or this and next.

I'm already laying out another series which isn't covered by Sky Warrior, but I'll be giving them first crack at it.

What has been your biggest surprise since the day you decided to publish?

I think I'm surprised at how popular the series is becoming, all on its own. Word actually did get around about it. I'm waiting to see what happens when someone who knows what they're doing takes the reins.

What recommendations do you have for aspiring authors?

I think most people know by now that if any deal sounds too good, it is. Also, I think that the word is out that no one legitimate wants your money in this industry. An agent or a publisher who "needs you to participate" monetarily will never get you off the ground. They'll just take as much of your money as they can get, and you'll never get anywhere.

You want to be careful signing a contract. A lot of people are "willing to take a chance" with a smaller publisher. Smaller publishers fail right alongside of new writers and for the same reasons, however when your signature is on their contract and they owe money to the world, your work is their asset and you can end up unable to do anything with your own writing for years.

On the other hand, one person who did this was JK Rowling, and that turned out pretty good for her.

If you're not getting picked up by someone who's been around a while, have a serious discussion with them about why they're going to make it, and why you're going to get onboard with them. Getting you off of the ground is at least a $30,000 investment - are they borrowing this, did they hit the Lotto or are they already representing a few gold-mine authors who are bringing in the revenue to cover you? Or are they going to do a lot of stuff you could do yourself, but then take 2/3 of the money they make?

If you don't get the answers you like, don't sign, no matter how badly you want to.

Tell us about the books themselves.

Your Introduction to Fovea

The Fovean Chronicles are the story of a man from our world, cultivated by the dying shards of the god Anubis to be the instrument of a god named War, in another reality where magic is real and has supplanted technology. The main character is Randy Morden, a dishonorably discharged Navy Nuclear propulsion technician who always loved history. He's big, he's mean and he's got a bad temper that tends to get him into trouble.

As the instrument of the god War in a strange land, he can speak to his god. He has no faith, he has proof - this changes how he deals with the world around him, and what he'll do to succeed in War's plans for him. He doesn't live in a world of 'what if?', he lives in a world of 'or else.'

I didn't want to create a superhero or an anti-hero, I wanted to create a man, give him a couple advantages and a lot of disadvantages, and cut him loose on Fovea.

The first two books are from Randy's perspective, the second two are from the perspective of everyone else who has to deal with him. Then there is 'The Intermission,' which is three short books which occur at the same time, and then there will be a final book which ties the whole thing up.

Can we still get them? Where? For how long? Etc.

You can still buy the books on Amazon and Kindle. The website for the series is http://www.swordsandsorcery.net . By the way, it doesn't hurt me AT ALL that I was able to buy that site a few years ago.

Sunday Surfing

Let me begin this week's list of links by apologizing for my lack of presence in Bloggyland lately. The past fortnight has been grueling at work with little letup in sight for the coming week.  I have managed to visit a bit here and there and save some links to posts I want to revisit. And somewhere in all the hustle and bustle I managed to add about twenty words to my WIP! (hanging head in shame.)

Book Trailer for Spells: Ten Tales of Magic

We snow-covered folks can dream, right?

Progressive Book Club

The Worldbuilding Blogfest

About That Book Advance...

Photo Pin (Photo resource for bloggers)

freepixels (another photo resource)

5 Ways to Act Like a Pro (& 15 Grammar Goofs)

WordNet Search (Online) (A lexical database for English)

Show Versus Tell (A different perspective)

What do tradpubs do…and can you do it?

Marvin: My Favorite Martian Bloghop

(This is being released a couple days early because I have a guest appearing on the 21st, which is when everyone else will be posting about their favorite Martian.)

Without a doubt, Marvin is my favorite Martian.

Marvin has this preoccupation with the people (insects) of the tiny blue planet known as Earth. This preoccupation has led to a number of altercations with the tiny blue planet's inhabitants, including our beloved Bugs Bunny and, of course, Duck Dodgers of the 3rd Dimension.

He's hip on newfangled technology and an ardent supporter of the right to bear arms, possessing his own Acme Disintegrating Ray Pistol and being quite adept with a PU-36 Space Modulator. Without hesitation, he'll use both to defend the red planet known as Mars.

Yet his existence can be rather lonely.  I've never seen a Mildred, Martha or Mary Ann the Martian. He did, however, have K-9, his trusty four-legged companion.  And we do love those who have trusty, four-legged companions whether they be flesh and bone or not.

And I am convinced that we have Marvin to thank for the huge success of NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers. I fully expect we'll find a little Marvin DNA under one of those red rocks someday, possibly around the icy polar regions frozen alongside a biggie-sized telescope or an atomizer.

Marvin is definitely my favorite Martian--until you've made him very angry.

My Favorite Martian Bloghop (Announcement)

Hosted by the Geek Twins (and others)

So who is your favorite Martian (or alien?)
 

Creativity Pills: Take As Directed

There is a secret to unleashing one's creativity.  It comes in the form of pills.  And I keep plenty on hand.

Creativity Pills: Take As Directed

These pills are specially marked with little white Ms so as to not be confused with other pills prescribed for other needs.  The "M" stands for Muse.  Or maybe Magic.  (Possibly Maniac, but we'll discount that possibility for the moment.)

These marvels are brilliant! Find the answers to your most perplexing questions wrapped in the sweetest of colors!

Can't decide your protagonist's next plot twist?  Pop an M!

Does the lead supporting character live or die?  Pop an M!

Can't find the right voice for the antagonist?  Just pop an M!

These little beauties are gems, priceless imagination enhancers fit for kings and eccentric introverts alike.

Monetary minded mages meticulously manufacture magnificent Ms for your creative pleasure! And they're available without a prescription! 

But wait! There's more!

Start your regimen of Ms today and get this beautiful container free!  Use it for the life of your creativity needs.  Even if you return the Ms keep the container as your free gift!

Too little tension?  Place the Ms just out of reach, but plainly in sight.  Feel the yearning.

Pacing too fast?  Let the M dissolve slowly, melting in your mouth, not in your hands.

Pacing too slow?  Grab Ms by the handful, munch with wild abandon until your prose (and pulse) quicken.

But if hours of devouring candy coated chocolate hasn't enhanced your climax, well, that's what kisses are for!

Elizabeth Seckman on Healing Summer and Telling Lies

I'm sure many of you know that Elizabeth is on a blog tour right now promoting Healing Summer, the second book in her Coulter Men series.  You may also know she's writing guest posts based off prompts we bloggers have given her.

My prompt to Elizabeth was: "People pay me to tell them lies."

So you must read how the quick-witted, creative Elizabeth Seckman responded!

Me lie?

Why Jeff, I am offended. You say people pay me to tell them lies? Why, I never lie…but I do take literary license as my God given right and talent. ;)

Okay, no lies; true story.

Elizabeth Seckman

My mother bought me a Hummel wall plate. I love Hummel. I LOVED my plate. Notice I said LOVED? Yep, my son knocked it off the bathroom wall. I heard the shattering glass from the kitchen. I knew my cute little pink cheeked, bow lipped, plucked from a happy yard in the 1950’s children were probably dust on the floor.

See, I have four boys. They are active and ornery and I have yet to abuse a single one. And that’s not by luck. You see, years ago I determined the best way to keep from giving them a good beating was to take many deep breaths before visiting the scenes of their crimes.

So, on that day, as I waited for God to grant me calm, I overheard an older brother tell his younger brother, “Don’t just tell her you broke it. Make something up. Something funny, like you were practicing your ninja techniques or rehearsing to be Spider-Man. Just telling her you threw a shirt at me will get us both killed. Make her laugh, keep her distracted, and we’ll order a replacement.”

I was impressed. My children had colluded against me to save the younger, weaker member of the pack.

And they taught me the fundamentals of any good lie, eh mmm, I mean story…you have to engage the receiver. Whether we’re telling stories to entertain, to get attention, or to save our hides…we have to find the best combination of truth, lie, and detail to interest and engage the listener.

A bit of truth…yes we broke the plate
A bit of lie…it happened in an extraordinary way
A bit of detail…something interesting…like ninja moves or Spider-Man

It’s a lesson from my boys, who use story telling as a defense mechanism, for us writers, who take it to the next level and ask for cash. If we can distract and amuse readers long enough, we can rob them of their money and not have them call the police for giving them nothing more than pages and pages of lies in return.

About Healing Summer:

Ditched at the altar…biopsied for cancer…Mollie Hinkle is having a bona fide bitch of a summer. When life sucks so hard it takes your breath away, what's a girl to do?

2nd Book in the Coulter Men Series

Road trip! Pack a bag, grab a few friends, and leave the past and the worry in the rear view mirror. What wounds can’t be healed by a drive across the Heartland, where quarter flips at cross roads determine the route and the future?

All roads lead to Craig, the second son and bad boy of the haughty Coulter line. Craig has spent his life taking care of number one—himself. He’s not interested in a relationship and he’s definitely not looking to fall in love. But if a morsel drops in his lap, who is he to refrain?

Mollie’s not looking for love either, but truth be told, she’s not opposed to it. Heck, if fate brought her to the miniscule Montana town to find happily ever after, she won’t fight it.  Perhaps it is a summer where love, not time, heals all her wounds.

Links:
Healing Summer Blog Tour page.
Connect with Elizabeth on Facebook and Goodreads
Get Healing Summer on Amazon!

And enter the Rafflecopter for a chance at the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Surfing

Book Contract: What's Negotiable and What's Not

Is YA Only a Sales Label?

4 Ways a Storyteller Learned to Write

Writing a One-page Synopsis...Yes, it CAN be done!

10 Tips to Get Blog Tours and Guest Posts Right

Anatomy Of A Query Letter: A Step-By-Step Guide

Publishing with Createspace

Cassie Mae's post on FFF resonated with me this week.  Monday Inspirations: "I Inspire Myself"

The Beginning of a Dream

Beginning.  It's the first step to success.

I'm normally good with beginning.  It's the following through and finishing that challenges me more often than not.  This Beginnings Blogfest post has driven that fact home to me yet again.  I began this post at least half a dozen times. 

What is it they always say? The longest journey begins with the first step.

I'm journeying on the road to becoming an accomplished author.  It's a lofty destination that requires much in the way of ambition, dedication and effort.

There were a number of steps I've taken, each (as I see it) a beginning.

The first beginning was being singled out by an English professor at college.  She read to the entire class a brief paper we had to write "on the fly" during a previous class.  (Thankfully, she didn't announce who had written it. I had already slid so far down in my seat that I was almost sitting on the floor.) She later apologized for not giving me a "head's up", but said she really wanted to share it with the class.

This professor began encouraging me to write.  It was she who inspired me to improve.  It was she who kindled that first spark of the dream.  And it was at her urging that I wrote two short stories and submitted them to a contest.  When both stories placed in that competition, I began to believe I could write.

She told me there was a book dwelling inside me and that I had an obligation to write it.  Due to her insistence and my budding confidence, I began the process of writing my epic fantasy novel.

There were many bumps in that road I was traveling.  Doubts and insecurities assailed me at every intersection.  But in April of 2012, I wrote the final words of that book that begins my series.

With a short story now published, I'm one step closer to my destination.  I'm confident that the day will come when my books are published.  And it's all because I began to believe.

The Beginnings Blogfest is hosted by L.G. Keltner at Writing Off the Edge.

Carol Kilgore's Cover Reveal for Solomon's Compass

Carol Kilgore of Under the Tiki Hut is revealing the cover of Solomon's Compass, her latest "Crime Fiction with a Kiss" book today and I get to be part of the reveal.  Personally, I think the cover is fantastic!  It's appealing, professional and uses a great color scheme.

Read about Carol and Solomon's Compass below.  And be sure to visit the Tiki Hut if you haven't already.  Congratulations, Carol!

About Solomon's Compass:

One slick cover!

A missing belt—her uncle’s prized possession. The lure of buried treasure. And a sexy former SEAL who makes U.S. Coast Guard Commander Taylor Campbell crazy. What more could any woman want. Right?

Taylor is in Rock Harbor, Texas, on a quest to unearth her uncle’s treasure—a journey far outside the realm of her real life. There’s one glitch. Taylor's certain the buried treasure was all in Uncle Randy's dementia-riddled mind. Now he’s dead.

Former SEAL Jake Solomon is in Rock Harbor under false pretenses to protect Taylor from the fate that befell her uncle and the other members of a tight circle of Coast Guardsmen called the Compass Points who served together on Point boats in Vietnam.

Jake is definitely not supposed to become involved with Taylor. That was his first mistake. Taylor is attracted to Jake as well, but she refuses to wait for him to locate the killer when she knows her plan will force her uncle’s murderer into action.

But the killer's actions are just what Jake is afraid of.


About Carol Kilgore:

Carol Kilgore has always had stories and characters in her head, but she didn’t know she should write them down until about a dozen years ago. Once she started, she couldn’t stop.

Carol Kilgore

Her first published short story won the Derringer Award for Best Short-Short Mystery. She continued to write short fiction for a few years and also enjoyed a small success as a freelancer before giving it all up for her true love—novels.

Carol writes a blend of mystery, suspense, and romance she calls Crime Fiction with a Kiss. Always at least one crime; always a love story. Solomon’s Compass is her second published novel.

As the wife of a Coast Guard officer, Carol has lived in locations across the U.S. She and her husband now live in a San Antonio suburb and share their home and patio with two active herding dogs that keep them free from all danger, real or imagined.

You can find Carol here: 

website . blog . facebook . twitter . goodreads . amazon

Sunday Surfing

A Writer's Resolutions

Your Novel Blueprint

Let Characters Be Wrong

Semicolons

The Importance of Being (Slightly) Arrogant as a Writer (I struggled a bit trying to accept this. It's from a perspective I've not considered before now.)

Melissa Maygrove's IWSG - Motivation post (lots of great resource links)

An Editor Confesses: 6 Things Writers Taught Me...by Ruth Harris

4 Tips for Creating a Business Plan for 2013

And most have probably seen this, but if not...

Source: SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

Jessica McKendry's From the Ashes

The time has finally come to reveal the cover for Jessica McKendry's debut novel!  And it's a most excellent cover indeed.

About From the Ashes:

I'm not sure how it all went wrong.

The concept was simple.

The Trials were made to test us. They were made to challenge our strengths; our bravery.

We were supposed to come out better.

Winning the Trials would make us Superior citizens.

It would bring us honor and demonstrate our loyalty to the Imperial Alliance. I knew exactly what I wanted.

Until I met him.

There was something about him. Something dark. If only I had known the danger it would put us in.

I thought I knew the risks.

But I never imagined the price we'd pay.


An insightful look at the good and bad that exist within us, McKendry's debut is a high-octane adventure that pushes the imagination to the limit as it lays bare the nature of self-reliance, self-confidence, and teamwork. Playing with the concepts of dark and light and how they affect our lives in multiple forms, her novel is a complex coming of age story that encapsulates the heroine's journey from student to leader. A dark tale of love and revenge, From the Ashes is a powerful reminder to think for yourself instead of blindly following what you've been taught to believe.


About Jess:

Jessica McKendry was born in Michigan, yet has lived all over the Northeastern United States. She's been writing ever since she could hold a pen. From the Ashes is Jessica's debut novel, and the first in a trilogy she started writing in middle school. She loves any song by Evanescence, and currently lives in Ohio.

Be sure to visit Jess at her blog.

My First IWSG Post

Today, I join the ranks of a mighty force.  A force of brave souls who stand with those who have chosen to face their fears and insecurities.  It's a force hundreds strong.  A valiant force of helping hands, encouraging words and cheering peers.

Today, I join the Insecure Writer's Support Group.

For my first post as part of this ever-growing group, I've chosen to reveal an insecurity I've had for some time. The insecurity is the name I selected for my blog.

As with most of us, I began this blog because that's what we aspiring authors are supposed to do.  Build a presence.  Become known.  Engage potential readers.  Establish relationships with fellow writers.  And that's exactly what I did.

When I decided to create this blog, I wrestled with the immense task of choosing its name.  For about thirty seconds.  I thought it was a no-brainer.  I intended to write an epic fantasy series.  The series title was Strands of Pattern.  And thus was born the title of my blog.

In retrospect, I wonder if I should simply have used my name instead.

"You'll most likely write more than just that one series," I've been told.  "People will search for you by your name, possibly by a book title.  The name of your series may, at best, be third in their search criteria sequence," I hear.  "Your name is your brand."  I read these things frequently.

And they're all true.

But changing the name of my blog at this point in time, I fear, is impractical.  Launching a second blog is an alternative I find none too appealing.  A website with my author name as title and URL is a possible alternative, I suppose.

So what do you guys think?  Are there viable options I haven't considered.  Oddly enough, I'm even insecure about revealing my insecurities.  Perhaps I needed to participate in this worthwhile group a long time before now.  I guess I was just, well, a little insecure.

My Top 10 Resolutions for 2013

A short and simple post today. (Perhaps I should resolve to do that more often?)

I'm not one who usually makes resolutions. 2012 was the first year in decades I made any at all.  I made two, both relating to my first book.  I accomplished them.  Spurred by that success, I'm making ten for the New Year.

In 2013, I'm making resolutions that I can accomplish.  Goals just vague enough that failure requires more effort than success, and important enough that success is not optional. 

My resolutions this year are single word verbs, active verbs.  And in no particular order, they are:

Make Resolutions That Matter

• Improve
• Progress
• Encourage
• Appreciate
• Persist
• Believe
• Enjoy 
• Inspire
• Entertain
• Love

Sometimes, single word goals are the most difficult.  Not because they're vague or undefined, but because they're encompassing and require commitment in all aspects of life. 

I measure personal success by these verbs. And I resolve to accomplish them all.