Fiction

Coming soon!

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I’ve some major news for everyone!
I have toyed with the idea of opening a publishing house for years, I have the necessary skills to run a business.
What I need is for those of you who’d like to be considered for various positions to send me your resumes and samples of your work.
Needed are: Authors with books ready to go! Authors please send query letters in standard format, subject line Query for (title of work) to: ciccas_world@yahoo.com
Content writers, for web site. Editors: Technical and Style.
Formatters: Both for print and EBooks, Marketing, Agents, Readers, Artists for cover art etc.
If you think you have the skills needed, please send an email with attached items to: Subject line Job opening, ciccas_world@yahoo.com
Thank you.
P.J.

Camp NaNoWriMo!

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I can’t believe it is already time for #CampNaNoWriMo!
I’m not doing my usual #TruethatThursday post because I think CampNaNo is awesome enough all on its own! 😀
If you are a writer and you have not done this you really should. It helped me a great deal to meet my writing goals when I was struggling to get anything done. Remember: You can “polish” crap. You cannot, however, polish the non-existent. Perhaps more importantly, it allowed me a chance to communicate with other writers outside the small, albeit an awesome community I’m proud to be a part of over at Mythic Scribes. http://mythicscribes.com/forums/

The link to the Camp Nano is at the bottom of this post. I really hope that if you write or just want to write you will check it out. There is something for everyone and NaNoWriMo always has some awesome giveaways too! Who does not like free stuff right? 😉
https://campnanowrimo.org/sign_in

I hope to see some of you there!

Updates- Indie Author interview with James G Pearson

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I’m still not feeling well and have not done the interview with Mr. Pearson yet.
I am hoping to connect with him sometime next week. It will depend on his time availability and my health.
Again, I can not apologize enough to you for this delay. 😦
I look forward to getting well and taking care of the back log of items I want to bring to you, but for now I need to deal with getting well.

Hugs to all.
~P.J.~

New Authors – Epic Oppertunity.

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This is a chance to toss your hat into the ring for a chance to win a publishing deal and a 10k Advance!

I hope someone I know wins this, because I am privileged enough to know so many people with talent in spades! 🙂

Good luck everyone! Opportunity only knocks once, for most don’t miss your chance. #WickedWednesday

http://www.hayhouse.com/the-writers-workshop-san-francisco?utm_id=5813&et_mid=663029&rid=239073963

Updates and Poll Winner Announcement

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Updates:
I’ve been so ill it is not funny, a trip to the ER and several medications later I still am not up to speed. I’m hoping to have the interview with James G. Pearson up on the 2nd, there is just no way I can get it done by tomorrow. I’m so very sorry!

This won’t happen again mainly because the lead time is a lot longer for the next author interview, but also because I detest letting everyone down.

Announcements:
I’m removing the chapter posts, the winner for anyone who does not follow my Facebook page is Merge ’em!

I’m so glad that many of you took the time to read and reply with your thoughts and comments on these chapters. I can’t wait to get the final draft all done.

I think that about covers everything. I’ll let you know if there are any more delays with the interview asap. Cross your fingers I sure hope not!
Hugs to all, stay warm out there,
~PJ~

Sneak Peek Saturday!

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It is #SneakPeekSaturyday!
Last week I posted 2 versions of ch1 for you to vote on. Guess which one won???
Drum roll please! Merge ’em!!!

The results come from messages, comments, and votes on the poll post. I’m so happy to have been able to interact with everyone and I hope that the final draft will be to your liking.

Ok, now on to new business. #SneakPeekSaturday was a huge hit last week. In fact, it was EPIC! So thank you to all who took the time to read and vote. I’ll be doing something like it again soon, so stay tuned for now enjoy this passage: Ch. 7

“Ari, is it done?” The man who stood in the shadows asked but a few minutes later. His voice was raspy as they stood in the near darkness within the twisting maze of caverns, the hard stone and jagged edges jutted out posing risk of impalement as he waited impatiently for the reply he wanted.
“It is.” Ari bowed to the hooded figure before him.
“Good, as soon as I receive confirmation you shall claim your bounty. You would not lie to me now would you?” The hooded figure asked, as he waved his hand at the wall causing a woman to appear.
“My lord, I have done what you asked. Beyond that, I can take no responsibility. We do not yet know if the watcher has made contact with her. If he has, she may already be in possession of her powers.” Ari answered shakily.
“Do you find me stupid Ari? Do you think that I do not know these things already?”
“No, my lord, please I beg of you, I did not mean to offend. I only mean to say that if this indeed the child the Tengu were meant to have destroyed than perhaps we are too late. However, dare I remind you that never has a walker been female… perhaps she is not the one we seek?” He took a defensive step back, frightened as the hooded figure conjured a fire sphere and began tossing it lightly in the air only to catch it again before it landed on the ground.
“Gisela what do you see?” He (the hooded man) asked the woman seated on the cavern’s floor directly under a jagged black stalactite, that had appeared at his call.”

Freaky Friday – Hope for the New Writers

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I found this on FB and though it had to be shared. I read it end to end praying that there is hope for someone like myself who wants nothing more than to see their name on the cover of a book they wrote.

I found information, sure. And advice, most certainly, but hope?
You tell me.
http://thebackseatwriter.blogspot.com/2014/02/self-publishing-failure.html?zx=ef8af25eb222a019

It all goes back to what I have long suspected that self publishing does not work for 99% of people.
It is a giant slush pile where a few gems get buried for all time.
Unless you have something really special, or half a million friends that is…

Does that mean it can’t work for you? Not at all, but it underscores with a fine point just how hard it is; this dog eat dog world of publishing. You must know what your main goal is. Is it to just get it, your work, out there into the world? Do you want fame and fortune? Do you want your work in stores?

For me, I’d rather try to go with the traditional route. I want my books in stores, I don’t own an E-reader and I never will. For me, books are like Alice’s magic mushrooms. Little bits of goodness that have the ability to transport me to their world the moment I see the cover, smell the old paper, and when I finally crack the pages open to reveal their secrets it is as if they are doing so solely for me.

Do I look down on those who self publish? Not at all. These authors did what they felt was best for them. They are miles ahead of me most of the time, their work is A) finished. B) Edited (usually) C) it is published! Some have even sold a copy or two.
So yeah, they totally get props from me for letting it all hang out for the world to judge, but as I said usually the bad work outnumbers the good ones and everything becomes a victim in a sea of who the heck knows.

Trolls are another issue with self publishing work. Someone can read half a book, write a scathing review and the novel is dead in its tracks. At least with traditional publishing you have some type of safety net to defend against these rabble-rousers. Nothing is 100% foolproof, but something is better than nothing right? One does not jump head first into a hungry, angry, shark infested tank without at least some shark deterrent spray right?

I might consider self publishing after the traditional world has fully destroyed my hopes of publishing the traditional route.
However, I have friends who write, who plan to self publish. Their work is fantastically done, and they don’t want the hassle of trying to go through the gatekeepers and then travel down the long and strenuous, winding road to final publication. That is what their heart tells them is right for them. And I support that decision one million percent.
#FreakFriday

True that Thursday

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I don’t know how other people get into the writing mood, but I do things like watch the History Channel… Please tell me what you do to get into that elusive zone. 🙂
I was unable to sleep again last night and I ran across this TV show on, you guessed it, the History Channel, the title of the show is Vikings. They were promoting the new season, I’d not even seen the first season so I went to the on demand and checked it out. I watched the whole season in one night it was that freaking good. But, the Music in the promo was crazy cool, so once the sun poked its head out I had to jump online and Google it. I found the song and was happy to find that the whole song was as good as the bit in the promo. I ended up downloading the album.

Now anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that most music does not impress me much. With the exception of AWOLNATION who I swear could turn a song about going poop in to a mega hit. Anyhow, this new song is Glory and Gore by Lorde. I’d never heard of her. I was totally missing out on some ultra pumped writing jams!

My creative juices are flowing like a waterfall and I’m so ready to get something done and then take a walk as it is 65 out today!
#HellYa #TruethatThursday

Peace my dear page peeps.

Wicked Wednesday- This one is for the Gingers!

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I ran across this article and had to share it for all the gingers out there. Now personally speaking, I love redheads, my mother is a redhead with hazel eyes, but Genetics is an endlessly fascinating subject of study.
Enjoy! #WickedWednesday

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/emmakelly/redhead-facts_b_4781153.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009