Review of “The Storyteller” by M. Arthur by C.C.Cole August 4, 2011

“The Storyteller” by M. Arthur is a short read about a young girl named Ruth who by chance acquires an unusual book.  The reader is immersed in Ruth’s life, as she realizes the book has cursed her.  In order to remove the curse from herself, she can only pass the book, along with the curse, to another person.  Though short, the story is an entertaining read, showing childhood curiosity, the results of tragic family events, and the realization that the best results do not arise despite the best of intentions.  I think this story could be developed further as the book is passed on, and could be a potential series reasonable for young readers.  Four stars!

Review of “Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes” by Bernard Schaffer by C.C.Cole

Author Bernard Schaffer hits it out of the park with a stylish, fictionalized story of the notorious killer Jack the Ripper with one of the ultimate investigators in fiction, Sherlock Holmes.  As expected, it’s not for the faint of heart, but the book reads smoothly and carries the reader into the world of Dr. Watson and his relationship with the aging Sherlock Holmes.  The horrific nature of the crimes returns the love/hate relationship of Holmes with law enforcement officials.  The story carries beyond the investigation by Watson’s narrative of the lives of those involved, and the ultimate destination of Sherlock Holmes, revealing the people that affected his life the most.  This is an excellent book for horror genre, Sherlock Holmes fans, or mystery fans that can handle the graphics.  Congratulations, five stars!

Review of “Xannu: The Prophecy” by Paul Dorset by C.C.Cole August 3, 2011

“Xannu: the Prophecy” by Paul Dorset is the beginning of an epic tale geared to young readers.  A group of school-age kids finds themselves transported into another world, assuming new identities with new abilities they gradually grow in to.  As the story moves forward, the seemingly benign adventure becomes more dangerous, challenging the kids to face their fears.  All around, it delivers in entertainment as well as the messages of friendship and bravery.   Four stars!

On the Mystery of Editing and the New Author by C.C.Cole August 2, 2011

As a new author, like many others, I attempted to go the traditional route to publication before my transition into an Indie writer.  The query letters had to be just right, to get the agents’ attention, but not too over-the-top.   The agents I found required completed, professionally edited manuscripts, making it clear that the agent’s purpose is not to be an editor. 

So if accepted, the agent finds the contacts in the publishing companies to sell your work to.  Who are the contacts?  Editors!   But this time, one that works for or with the publishing company.  But wait, hasn’t the manuscript already been professionally edited in order for the agent to accept it? 

Here we go, into the mystery of the editing world.  Even in self-publishing, this step is probably one of the most difficult and confusing of the publishing process.  After tiring of blow-offs by a few agents, I sent my story to the editing service provided by the self-publishing company.   Their “package” was a separate “content edit” and a “copy edit.”  (Can you hear the dollar signs?)  The content edit is basically paying someone to read your book.  This may sound stupid at first, but reality is that people you know don’t want to read unedited, or even unpublished work.  Also, an honest opinion from someone you don’t know to just tell you if a story is present or it’s mumbo-jumbo is very important for the new author. Afterward I sent the story for the copy edit because of my non-professional grammar, which resulted in more improvement in the manuscript than the content edit.  I learned to respect grammar.

A book cover later, my first book, “Act of Redemption” was published!  Several people read it, and thankfully, friends and reviewers, liked the story more often than not.  But what was the advice when offered?  “You need an editor.”  What?  I had several editors!  What happened here?  One editor’s “OK” is another editors “lousiest piece of excrement I’ve ever read.”  Like reviewing, editing is subjective (content editing) and to be fair to these professionals, it’s not easy.  They do recommend that writers learn proper grammar, to keep from wasting their time on doing what they see as something time-consuming to them and should be basic tools for any writer. 

In the big picture, I respect editors.  As I commented on a blog recently, an editor cannot make you a great writer, or a good writer, but they can make you a better writer.  What they cannot do is write the story for the author.

And as long as copy editors are out there, they’ll have at least one job from me. I’ve been sent many wonderful emails about grammar, but to be honest, if I wanted a degree in English I would’ve majored in it.  So go forth, and write, new authors!  You do your part and let the editors do their part, and hopefully you’ll end up with an awesome story!

Lor Mandela - L. Carroll: Author! Author!

 http://lormandela.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-author.html

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Author! Author!

It's time for the "August Authorpalooza!"

Kicking off this exciting event is the uber talented author of  "The Gastar Series", book #1 ACT OF REDEMPTION & book #2 CHILDREN OF DISCORD. Please leave lots of comments, and show your support for the fantastic

C.C. Cole!

L.C. Hello Ms. Cole, and welcome to the blog! Can you give us a brief synopsis of "The Gastar Series, and tell us what genre it falls into?

C.C. The “Gastar” Series is medieval dark fantasy/action genre. The novellas, four when completed, follow teen assassin Shevata on her journey through the history of the city of Gastar to seek redemption for her past actions and to re-gain her soul. The first novella “Act of Redemption” came out in 2009. Shevata is introduced in the prologue when she kills a group of evil priests without a death order, so she was punished for murder. The first book begins with Gastar having fallen, with an evil demon lord ready to annihilate the remaining people and extend his realm in hell. The second novella, “Children of Discord” Shevata is summoned back to Gastar from hell, where she is hunting the evil boy Goldeon, whose treachery resulted in a number of deaths and he assisted the enemy of the people of the city.

L.C. Sounds quite intriguing. How long have you been writing? Have you always known that you wanted to write?

C.C. I started writing in 1997 following the death of my sister in a domestic violence incident. Since I wasn’t in a position to take off work for six months to a year, I turned to writing for a creative outlet, which helped me gain closure during a difficult time.

L.C. Well I, for one, am glad you were able to find writing as a creative and positive outlet! I'm sure many readers have benefited as a result. What, would you say, has been your greatest triumph as an author?

C.C. As a new author, the biggest triumph is completing each book. Writing is very difficult, and I’ve learned much appreciation for other writers in other genres. My lead character Shevata won a Goodreads poll for Most Memorable Female Assassin, and “Children of Discord” recently won a Pinnacle Achievement Award for fiction, so I’m proud of that.

L.C. Awesome! I know what you mean about gaining an appreciation for writers! Sounds like Shevata is one amazing character. So, if you were stuck on a desert island with one of your characters, who would you want it to be, and why?

C.C. Shevata, she’s been to hell and back many times, and her upbringing as a slave child of war makes her a very tough adversary and survivor.

L.C. Okay…now, a couple of questions just for fun, where is the most exotic or strange place you've ever traveled to?

C.C. The Pacific Northwestern Coast of the US. That may not seem very strange or exotic, but from Mississippi it’s certainly different and very beautiful. My favorite was the redwood forest, it had a very surreal feel while I was there.

L.C. I took a trip to the Pacific Northwest this year, myself! It certainly is breathtaking. Next random question…what is your favorite movie of all time, and why?

C.C. Ouch, a tough question because I’m a fan of so many films. One of my all-time favorites is “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Though I don’t gravitate to country music, the story of Loretta Lynn was done so well, and I could relate to an extent of growing up in a very rural environment.

L.C. Speaking of movies, if a big-shot Hollywood producer offered to turn "The Gastar Series" into a motion picture (or a couple), who would you want to play the lead roles?

C.C. I’ve thought of it many times, and while I don’t have an actor in mind for the supporting roles, actress Amber Tamblyn has the most similar physical resemblance to Shevata, at least when she was younger, like in “Joan of Arcadia.” I’ve never seen her in an action movie, though. Mila Kunis possibly also.

L.C. Author to author… I have some weird things that I do when I'm writing. Do you have any strange habits or rituals when you write?

C.C. Yes, I like to have something on TV that inspires me, which could be anything from a historic documentary about WWI to a Lifetime movie.

L.C. So, what do you like to do when you're not writing?

C.C. I like martial arts (hapkido, but hurt my knee), and I read books by other Indie writers. After about four or five Indie books, I pick up a classic, such as “1984” by George Orwell or a mainstream bestseller such as “Freedom” by Jonathan Franzen. I usually post reviews on the Indie books and some kind of analysis of the classics.

L.C. It's so great that you support self-published authors! We Indies have to stick together! Alright, here's the toughy! Last, but not least, SELL IT! Tell us why we should read your book(s). (The heat is on, buah ha ha!)

C.C. The Gastar series is a fun, action-packed, non-boring series that is very entertaining. The reader will not stop smoking or change religion by reading these novellas. But most readers connect with good vs. evil and the gray area that Shevata creates. Her life isn’t easy, but she makes life even harder for the bad guys. She doesn’t look dangerous, but is respected by those that know her. Sometimes I think we all need a little Shevata in us. Thank you for the interview!!

L.C. Thank YOU, C.C.! It's been a pleasure having you & thanks for helping us kick off the August Authorpalooza!!!

     C.C.Cole is an author from rural Mississippi. Schooled in medicine, she lives a suburban life with her family. Following her sister's death in a domestic violence incident, she began writing as a creative outlet.
     Her debut novel is The First Book of the Gastar Series "Act of Redemption," a dark fantasy story about a heroine with a dark past who protects the people of the city of Gastar and seeks to re-claim her soul.
     Book Two of the Gastar Series, "Children of Discord," is currently in the editing process. There will be four Gastar books in all. 

Wanna see a couple of really cool book trailers? Check out these for ACT OF REDEMPTION and CHILDREN OF DISCORD!!!  

http://lormandela.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-author.html

 

Thank you very much for featuring my stories and posting my interview!!  Please check out her blog, it is way cool!!

On the Creation of an Epic by C.C.Cole August 1, 2011

I think of the early 1990’s as a “blank time” for fictional reading, as I was into the deep distraction of post-graduate school, leaving zero time for fictional reading.  Therefore, when “Game of Thrones” began on television, I had no idea it was based on a series of books, with the first published in 1991.  It’s not unusual for me to be a latecomer to popular books and films.

I’ll admit, the television series didn’t grab me initially.  Having adopted “The Borgias” as the cable series I chose to follow (please forgive my judgment, though to me it’s well-acted), I didn’t watch “Game of Thrones” until after the season with on-demand viewing (the best thing since sliced bread).  Despite film stars I like to see, such as Sean Bean, Mark Addy, and Lena Headey, I found it difficult to follow and frustrating due to the lack of a clear protagonist.  The confusing relationships between the various groups of people had me wondering what the blondes had to do with the platinum blondes.  While I point out negatives, I will also make note as a reader of Lord of the Rings and Dune, I applaud the originality of the story. 

After reading more background about the series of books, I decided to use this series to test my new Nook as an e-reader.  (I’ve tweeted about my e-reader obsession many times).  For starters, the title “A Song of Ice and Fire” is great for the series.  When reading “Game of Thrones” it didn’t take long to fill in the gaps I complained about above, given partly to the limitations of filmmaking and partly to my own impatience.  While I won’t go into details of this huge story to avoid spoilers, I found it the writing to flow easily, building the novel chapter-by-chapter.

The method author George R. R. Martin uses to build the book “Game of Thrones” to me is an excellent option to the creation of a huge epic story.  Each chapter is a character, leading to thorough character development and exposing the historical relationships they have, even if they don’t know one another personally.  By immersing the reader into the lives of the many characters, it drops the reader into this fantasy world of intrigue, treachery, and adventure.   Now when I think about the series, much more makes sense though I’m still in search of a protagonist; meaning not a benevolent person, but a person/people that oppose the existing evil. 

I’m looking forward to completing the four books, but will take my time between the reading/reviewing of Indie writers as well as work on my own writing.  I think many of us that write dark fantasy can learn from Martin’s series; if you’re like me and were clueless in the beginning, consider giving the books a chance, and definitely before writing off the television series like I almost did.    

Review of “Citizen Zero” by Mark Cantrell by C.C.Cole August 1, 2011

“Citizen Zero” by Mark Cantrell is a complex story about an unemployed man who enters JobNet, a complex totalitarian realm where the real and un-real overlap in this “Orwellian” like story, but with many more characters with diverse experiences.  Overall, this is a well-written, highly developed novel that gives a vivid, and sometimes-horrifying picture of a dystopian world.  My critique is that the story could be simplified for a more concise message, but to me it’s not a discouragement to potential readers.  Four stars!