Dragon Slayer recently completed an updated teaser graphic for The Whisperer of Storms. I love what she came up with! I told her to go for a dream-like look and she came through once again.
Veronica
Monday, July 21, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
A Need for Change
I made some changes to my website, which includes this new header. Unfortunately, the template cropped off half of it, but I still like it. Be sure to visit my site! If only home renovation was this quick and easy!
Veronica
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
The Indie Route
Great news! I've completed the first draft of The Whisperer of Storms and am in the process of revision! My plan is to publish
independently through Smashwords and Amazon, in both eBook and paperback formats. I've been doing a little
research on self-publishing, thus I'm not completely in the dark when I get to
that point. Formatting sounds a little challenging and I've heard some horror stories about Auto-Correct.
I've also been collecting ideas for the book trailer, when the time comes to work on it. I've chosen the music and am collecting images that I'd like to use. I still need to work on the wording, but there's time for that.
Once again, I have Dragon Slayer working on a concept graphic for me, which I hope to have up soon.
I've also been working
on social media. Twitter is a wonderful tool for writers. Since
I've been utilizing it more frequently as of late, I've met many other writers
and have discovered a wealth of information about the writing/publishing
business. Feel free to visit me @VRWinters or click the link off to the right of this page.
Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!
Veronica
Monday, June 9, 2014
Love Story vs. Romance
What is the difference between a romance and a love story? I had to do a little research to answer this question. The biggest difference would be a romance is expected to have a happy ending. A love story has more options for the ending. Even though I love reading romance, I decided to go with a love story for The Whisperer of Storms. It allows many possibilities in addition to decreasing predictability. Plus, it omits the expectation of a love scene. I have no qualms about writing a love scene, but I do with publishing one. Would I want my parents or my children to read those scenes? No! Therefore, what goes on behind closed doors is going to remain there. I'll leave it up to the reader's imagination. I had to make a few more changes with moving away from romance, which included stripping a few fellows of their titles and replacing the word ton, which referred to London's fashionable society. With weighing the options, I do believe a love story is the right fit for my novel.
Speaking of which, I've completed the first draft of The Whisperer of Storms! Now, I'm in the process of revising. It's not as fun as creating scenes, but I do enjoy improving them.
Enjoy the summer!
Veronica
.
Speaking of which, I've completed the first draft of The Whisperer of Storms! Now, I'm in the process of revising. It's not as fun as creating scenes, but I do enjoy improving them.
Enjoy the summer!
Veronica
.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Eighteen
My protagonist, Hope, is 18 years old at the start of my novel The Whisperer of Storms. I chose that age since it was the eligible age for a young lady to marry in the early 1800s. I didn't want her to be on the shelf, but getting her married off was a cause for concern for her guardian in that day and age. What a perfect way to develop conflict in the plot!
Interesting enough, age 18 was a period of ups and downs in my own life. My grandmother's hardy health took a rapid decline. My own health took a turn downhill as well a few months later and I was faced with my own mortality. It was through the trials and tribulation that I finally found what I was looking for.
Interesting enough, age 18 was a period of ups and downs in my own life. My grandmother's hardy health took a rapid decline. My own health took a turn downhill as well a few months later and I was faced with my own mortality. It was through the trials and tribulation that I finally found what I was looking for.
I was lucky as I caught the monster (as I like to call it) early, but I remember the time of uncertainty. The day I was diagnosed, I went to school, which was right before Valentine's Day. Our school had the tradition of giving flowers to our friends. Some people walked around with a bouquet of flowers pinned to their shirts, while others didn't have any. That day, I thought it was all very stupid! I'm happy that people thought of me, but it seemed so insignificant to the whole aspect of life. (To this day, I still don't care for Valentine's Day.) Even my crush couldn't make me feel better, who thanked me for the flower I got him, which I ordered earlier that week. He hadn't a clue what I was going through because I never told him. I tried to talk to him at the end of that night, after a school event, but he said he had to go and that he'd see me on Monday. Only I knew I wasn't going to school that Monday due to doctor appointments. I responded that I'd see him later. I drove home that night feeling very alone. The thought kept going through my mind that if he was truly my "friend" he would have sensed that something was wrong. I've often wondered what he thought when I wasn't in school on Monday. I missed most of that school week, but I learned that I was going to survive. I only needed surgery. No radiation or chemo. I didn't have to worry about losing my hair. But I was never the same. I often think of Frodo's narrative at the end of LOTR,
“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back?"
There was no going back. My crush started dating a girl within three weeks after my health scare. I wasn't even recovered enough from my surgery to participate in Physical Ed and in addition, I had a broken heart on top of it! I realized life was too short to be pining over someone who didn't want me, so I decided that we weren't going to be friends anymore. He never confronted me about it, because I simply quit talking to him, but I would sometimes catch him watching me with a questioning look. I should have handled it better, but I was young. I was forced to grow up faster than my peers, but I still wanted to hang on to a little immaturity. Looking back on it now, I know that I handled it poorly. I regret the way that I treated him. After all, I never told him how I felt, but I always figured that he must have known. I had the worst luck with love, but little did I know that my luck was about to change in the upcoming months . . .
I met my husband that fall during my first year of college. Have you ever felt that spark the first time you made eye contact? You feel like he's a new person, yet he's somehow familiar to you? Is that what it's like when you finally meet your soul mate? That's what it was like for me. That's how I met the one I was meant for. We've been together ever since, married with children. We've had our trials and tribulations, but that's what a life together is all about.
Unlike my 18 year-old self, Hope is too busy assisting others to think of her own heart's desire. She's never had time for a relationship other than friendship. I think many readers will find her quite interesting. Some might think 18 is a little young, but I've learned from experience that maturity isn't always measured in years.
Enjoy your summer. I will be revising my manuscript since I completed the first draft.
Veronica
Unlike my 18 year-old self, Hope is too busy assisting others to think of her own heart's desire. She's never had time for a relationship other than friendship. I think many readers will find her quite interesting. Some might think 18 is a little young, but I've learned from experience that maturity isn't always measured in years.
Enjoy your summer. I will be revising my manuscript since I completed the first draft.
Veronica
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Thought-Provoking Prompt
I recently caught the ending of a movie I saw about a year ago. I'm not going to mention the title because that would be a spoiler for those of you who haven't seen it. It got me thinking, as those 9/11 movies do. What would you do if you were suddenly hurdled back in time to the morning of September 11, 2001? You can't bring along a newspaper, magazine, printout or notes. Which flight numbers do you remember off the top of your head? Do you remember which airports that the flights departed? (You can't cheat by Googling it!) What do you do? If you're at the airport, who would you tell? What would you say? And most important, would they believe you???
I have asked myself these questions many times. I only remember, for certain, Flight 93. I know there were numbers in the 200s. 211? I don't remember which airports they originated from. They were all on the east coast, possibly Boston? (Remember, no cheating!) I'm limited with the information that I can remember off the top of my head.
Let's say I'm at a departing airport prior to the flights taking off. What would I say to security? I'm sure I wouldn't be calm!
"There are at least seventeen hijackers of middle eastern origin carrying box cutters and explosives strapped to themselves. They are going to hijack planes that are bound for the west coast and fly them into buildings. The twin towers, the Pentagon and the White House are targets, but I'm sure there's more."
They would stare at me blankly for a second before concluding that I'm insane, until the first plane hits the World Trade Center. By now the other planes would be in flight. Now, they're listening, but they are also wondering if I was a part of it. Will I tell them who I am and from when I came from? Will I tell them where I was working that day, so they could see my twenty-something self? Remember, there are no smartphones. There are digital cameras, but photos have to be emailed. I wonder how my younger self would handle being interrogated by a cop about my whereabouts that morning?
I'm curious what you think you would do in that time travel situation? Do you think you could change the outcome, or would you only make things worse for yourself? One has to remember: There are some things that are beyond our control and are not meant to be changed.
When I first heard the news of the missing Malaysian flight, my first thought was of 9/11. I didn't think of the plane crashing, I thought of a hijacking. What bothers me the most about the missing flight is with today's technology, they still can't find that plane! In a time of GPS, tracking devices and satellites and they still can't locate it? I know that there are satellite-free zones in the world. Still, it's unbelievable! Sometimes, when technology fails us, it's time to rely on the human spirit. Someone out there knows where that plane is. My only hope is that they come forward with their information, so the victims' families can have closure. Please keep them in your prayers.
Enough with my thought-provoking musings. I hope you're enjoying spring so far. It's nice to see green in the grass again and hearing birds chirp. Life is starting to bloom once more in my neck of the woods!
Veronica
I have asked myself these questions many times. I only remember, for certain, Flight 93. I know there were numbers in the 200s. 211? I don't remember which airports they originated from. They were all on the east coast, possibly Boston? (Remember, no cheating!) I'm limited with the information that I can remember off the top of my head.
Let's say I'm at a departing airport prior to the flights taking off. What would I say to security? I'm sure I wouldn't be calm!
"There are at least seventeen hijackers of middle eastern origin carrying box cutters and explosives strapped to themselves. They are going to hijack planes that are bound for the west coast and fly them into buildings. The twin towers, the Pentagon and the White House are targets, but I'm sure there's more."
They would stare at me blankly for a second before concluding that I'm insane, until the first plane hits the World Trade Center. By now the other planes would be in flight. Now, they're listening, but they are also wondering if I was a part of it. Will I tell them who I am and from when I came from? Will I tell them where I was working that day, so they could see my twenty-something self? Remember, there are no smartphones. There are digital cameras, but photos have to be emailed. I wonder how my younger self would handle being interrogated by a cop about my whereabouts that morning?
I'm curious what you think you would do in that time travel situation? Do you think you could change the outcome, or would you only make things worse for yourself? One has to remember: There are some things that are beyond our control and are not meant to be changed.
When I first heard the news of the missing Malaysian flight, my first thought was of 9/11. I didn't think of the plane crashing, I thought of a hijacking. What bothers me the most about the missing flight is with today's technology, they still can't find that plane! In a time of GPS, tracking devices and satellites and they still can't locate it? I know that there are satellite-free zones in the world. Still, it's unbelievable! Sometimes, when technology fails us, it's time to rely on the human spirit. Someone out there knows where that plane is. My only hope is that they come forward with their information, so the victims' families can have closure. Please keep them in your prayers.
Enough with my thought-provoking musings. I hope you're enjoying spring so far. It's nice to see green in the grass again and hearing birds chirp. Life is starting to bloom once more in my neck of the woods!
Veronica
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Writer's Workshop
It's been a while since I posted. I've been busy helping my kids with school projects and waiting for a little inspiration to strike. I've also been spending more time on Twitter, which I feel is an important tool for my author platform. I'm discovering more author resources than I realized were out there! Twitter is awesome! Thanks to those of you who are following me as I pursue my dream!
My children are on a field trip today to a writing/reading workshop for middle school. I would have loved to tag along, but I'm scheduled to work at the library today. Regardless, it caused me to take a trip down memory lane to my first writer's workshop. I was in sixth grade and only children with an interest in writing were able to attend. The class I remember the best was descriptive writing. It was due to the instructor, who was a horror writer. During his lecture, he told a few ghost stories, which he claimed were true. They consisted of a haunted grandfather clock, a zombie under the bed and a haunted window that turned out to be the ventilation system and some faulty hardware. I don't remember the name of the writer, but his lecture had quite an impact on me. I remember being scared to sleep alone because I kept replaying his lecture over in my mind. Was there really a zombie under my bed??? I started sleeping with a teddy bear again. I kept a good distance from grandfather clocks, too. My overactive imagination had gone into overdrive. I think it was the fear that made this writer so memorable for me. It's unfortunate that I can't remember his name. I should see if my mom saved the itinerary in my scrapbook. I'd like to Google him. That was my first experience with writing and the paranormal.
My second experience happened as an adult, when I took up writing again. I had started writing The Whisperer of Storms, and I was interviewing a lady for research. I wasn't expecting much for the supernatural that time, but lo and behold, she proved me wrong! It got me thinking, with the ghost stories I was hearing which involved writing, maybe I was getting a sign? Perhaps I was meant to write paranormal fiction? I took that idea and I went with it, choosing paranormal as a sub-genre. I have to admit that sometimes writing alone in the dead of the night can really freak me out, especially when I'm writing those spectral scenes! I keep expecting to look up and find someone standing beside me! Overactive imagination indeed! Now you know a little more about why I chose to write about the paranormal. It has nothing to do with current trends, but rather a gut-feeling. As a wise master once advised his apprentice to trust his instincts, I'm taking that piece of advice to heart .
Veronica
My children are on a field trip today to a writing/reading workshop for middle school. I would have loved to tag along, but I'm scheduled to work at the library today. Regardless, it caused me to take a trip down memory lane to my first writer's workshop. I was in sixth grade and only children with an interest in writing were able to attend. The class I remember the best was descriptive writing. It was due to the instructor, who was a horror writer. During his lecture, he told a few ghost stories, which he claimed were true. They consisted of a haunted grandfather clock, a zombie under the bed and a haunted window that turned out to be the ventilation system and some faulty hardware. I don't remember the name of the writer, but his lecture had quite an impact on me. I remember being scared to sleep alone because I kept replaying his lecture over in my mind. Was there really a zombie under my bed??? I started sleeping with a teddy bear again. I kept a good distance from grandfather clocks, too. My overactive imagination had gone into overdrive. I think it was the fear that made this writer so memorable for me. It's unfortunate that I can't remember his name. I should see if my mom saved the itinerary in my scrapbook. I'd like to Google him. That was my first experience with writing and the paranormal.
My second experience happened as an adult, when I took up writing again. I had started writing The Whisperer of Storms, and I was interviewing a lady for research. I wasn't expecting much for the supernatural that time, but lo and behold, she proved me wrong! It got me thinking, with the ghost stories I was hearing which involved writing, maybe I was getting a sign? Perhaps I was meant to write paranormal fiction? I took that idea and I went with it, choosing paranormal as a sub-genre. I have to admit that sometimes writing alone in the dead of the night can really freak me out, especially when I'm writing those spectral scenes! I keep expecting to look up and find someone standing beside me! Overactive imagination indeed! Now you know a little more about why I chose to write about the paranormal. It has nothing to do with current trends, but rather a gut-feeling. As a wise master once advised his apprentice to trust his instincts, I'm taking that piece of advice to heart .
Veronica
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