20 September 2011

Goodbye To Round Three...

It's The Final check-In For ROW80 ~ Round Three!

Don't forget!  Round 4 begins on 03 October, 2011...


In Interesting News & Events... Drum Roll, Please...

The Self-Published Book Expo, which will be held....

GENERAL SHOW INFORMATION
WHERE: SHERATON NY HOTEL & TOWERS, 811 Seventh Avenue @ 53rd Street, New York, NY
WHEN:  SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011;   9:00am – 5:00pm
The Self-Publishing Book Expo is a learning center for published as well as aspiring authors. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain valuable information about how to successfully self-publish and market their books. Key members of the self-publishing community offering a variety of services to authors will be on hand, as will representatives from literary agencies and the media. Top-notch pros from all facets of publishing will lead a wide variety of seminars and panels on diverse subjects ranging from how to create a website, to the dollars and cents of self-publishing, creating a platform to build a solid audience, how to work effectively with an editor, marketing and publicizing one's work, and more.

EXHIBIT HALL:  FREE to all attendees!!

Exhibitors include:
Authors selling & displaying their books
Companies who help bring self-published works to market (There is a fee to exhibit...check out site -click link- for more info)

Wow!  This sounds great, especially for a newly published author like myself.  I'm already planning my trip to the Big Apple.  Who knows, maybe I'll meet up with some other ROW80 participants - or even a fellow Campaigner!  If anyone from either of these two groups decides to attend, let's email and meet up during the Expo!

Goals Updates...

I've been quite busy this first half of the week. 

I continue to write Her Dark Baron, but it has been an odd re-entry into this WIP.  I've finished chapter eight, which puts me ahead of my goal (one chapter per week, Sunday - Sunday).  The problem is not in getting the chapter finished, but in the knowing that I'll have to really shine it up during my first read-through.  I feel that my creativity has been dull and flat while writing these last few weeks.  It's something I'm attributing to not taking a break after finishing one project before jumping (both feet) right back into another project! 

I joined in another writing challenge,

Stop! The Judge and Jury Blogfest is Here! Click Here To Sign Up Or To Read More...

The challenge is open to entries until 30 September, 2011, so stop by and join in!  My defense piece is on the linky list at Gwen's blog!  (You can also read it back a few posts)






I've had so many visitors this week!  My goal is to visit five blogs a day, and with all the great ROW80 friends combined with my new Campaign friends - let's just say that I've been hard pressed to keep up!  Thanks to everyone who has stopped by and left a comment.  Reading all your posts on your sites has been just great.  I'm learning new blogging tips, gaining insight on self-promotion, growing in knowledge of formatting issues as an indie author, reading inspirational posts, and enjoying a much appreciated laugh or two.  I'm looking forward to continuing many of the relationships these two groups have introduced!

The paperback of Claiming The Prize will be for sale within the next two weeks!  My document is formatted - finally...after a headache or two in dealing with the template instructions over at Amazon, which thankfully became a non-issue after a simple piece of advice from a friend (Thank you!  Really! :}  Now, I'm waiting on the new spine size from my wonderful cover designer, Elaina Lee!  I can't wait...

On the reading front...I have been reading at least one hour a day.  In fiction,  I'm working through a fellow ROW80 author's book, The Binder's Daughter, by Matt Hofferth, and I'm enjoying his take on the vampire world!  I also started A Writer's Guide To Harry Potter, by S.P. Sipal.  Not about writing Harry Potter-ish stories, Sipal guides writers through the techniques that make - or break- the world building/characterization necessary to pull readers into your story and endear your characters to their hearts.  Truly a wonderful guide thus far...

A Great Big Round Of Applause For The Finalists In Rachael Harrie's Campaign Writing Challenge!

Here are the Finalists and their prizes:                      

  1. First Place: M.C. Rogerson
  2. Second Place: Juliana L. Brandt
  3. Third Place: Barbara V. Evers
  4. Fourth Place: Jessica Therrien
  5. Fifth Place: Jocelyn Rish
  6. Sixth Place: Christine Tyler
  7. Seventh Place: 1000th.monkey
  8. Eighth Place: Candy Fite
  9. Ninth Place: Leah Denman
  10. Tenth Place: Christine Rains
  11. Eleventh Place: Alynza Smith
  12. Twelfth Place: Chantele Sedgewick
Don't forget - the next challenge begins on Thursday, 22 September, 2011!

Have a great day! ~ Nadja
 

22 comments:

  1. I wish I had the guts to submit to a contest. I did it once and never again. Not because of the results of the contest, but crippling fear. Blog posts are one thing, this is something else.

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  2. I try not to think of it in 'contest' terms. I entered my first challenge, mostly because I thought it would be fun to try writing a piece of flash fiction. Guess what? It was!

    I wanted to try it again, so when Gwen's challenge came up, I decided to give it a whirl! Now, I cannot wait for the next campaign challenge...

    I have to ask, Joshua, and I hope you won't mind...What exactly is it that sparks off the crippling fear? What is it that you are afraid of? ~ Nadja

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  3. I'm afraid that's a loaded question, and one that would take a lot more space than this here comment box, with the added bonus of perhaps boring your readers into straight jackets and banging their heads on padded walls. The short version: I'm a compulsive self-editor and have problems with brevity. These two things make for a long writing process. A battle of wills between the need to finish and the need to make it perfect before moving on.

    Strange Example: Some people play Angry Birds to quickly unlock all levels before going back to get three stars on all levels. Others (like myself) won't move on to the next level until all three stars have been granted.

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  4. I see...Well, not really, as I have never played Angry Birds...lol. I've heard all about it from my boys, who routinely try to convince me that I should play games of any sort with them. I happen to be a person with zero...(really, I mean zero here)...video game skills.
    But I do get being a bit compulsive! And I can also relate to trying to stifle the 'inner-perfectionist' that lurks beneath the calm, cool, collected exterior...heh heh. My Great Aunt claims it's my Virgo personality getting the best of me! Ha!
    ~ Nadja

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  5. You have CERTAINLY been busy! :) Good luck with all your projects.

    The Binder's Daughter is on my TBR list.

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  6. Brilliant! I'll blame it on being a Virgo, too. Done it before, why not this, as well?

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  7. Am looking forward to tomorrow's challenge! :)

    -----

    Join me at the Rule of Three Writers' Blogfest!

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  8. Great work on your goals, Nadja! Looking forward to round 4, where I hope I will be able to catch up on everyone's books (like yours!)

    I have never tried flash fiction; in fact I tried the 150-word challenge that Jenny Hansen had on her site for a fight scene (and was miserable at it!). I revise ten times before anything gets on the page (lapidary prose, eh?) but maybe I should try to loosen up .

    Oh, sorry for the massive introspection here!
    Elizabeth

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  9. It feels strangely emotional to read everyones check-ins today....maybe because we have come so far! One of my goals for this 'break' between rounds should be to read your book! It is ready and waiting for me to find the time!

    Thank you for all your support and I look forward to seeing you next round!

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  10. I'm a little hesitant on submitting for a contest, because I'm afraid of losing time with my WIPs. I do enjoy reading the entries though.

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  11. I nearly forgot about the next challenge. Alright. Time to get my gears going. Please pardon the smoke issuing from my ears as I hand crank my mind real quick.

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  12. So much good info in this post.

    Congrats to the finalists.

    Congrats on the upcoming paperback release of Claiming the Prize.

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  13. Lauralyn - I'm really enjoying Hofferth's book. His vampire is a bit 'out-of-the-box' - and he has created a nice tension within the story line.
    Joshua - Ha! I always knew I'd come up with at least one brilliant idea!
    Damyanti - I'm heading over to Rule Of Three link right now!!
    Elizabeth - Don't get too down about that...fight scenes are difficult. But I know what you mean...sometimes the 'right-now' idea on a challenge or flash-fiction just doesn't click.
    Em - We'll all be back on Oct 03! And I know what you mean about finding time to read...I'm looking forward to the short break. I need to finish the books I've got going.
    Julius - You'd be great at it, but I totally understand not wanting to distract yourself from your WIP's!
    Angela - Good luck! I'll be around to check out your entry - whatever it may be! I've been wondering what this challenge will be all day?...
    Medeia - Thanks! And as for the finalists..I'm not sure how the judges ever decided! There were so many great entries!
    ~ Nadja

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  14. Welcome to the Rule of Three Writers' Blogfest! Nadja! Look forward to your story in October! Please help us spread the word via your blog.

    Are you on Twitter? If yes, just give me a shout @damyantig

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  15. Thanks, Damyanti! The blogfest sounds like a real challenge. Three characters? That's going to be tough...

    I haven't entered the Twitter world yet...I think I'll have to seriously consider doing that! ~ Nadja

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  16. Grats on the getting that paperback out (;-D) and on making it all the way through Round 3. It has been a pleasure, and I look forward to Round 4!

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  17. Same to you, Matt! I'm looking forward to round 4 also. I've got a novella to edit and publish during the next 'Go-Round'...~ Nadja

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  18. Good job with your goals. I agree with feeling swamped. I have pretty much had to let go of the whole Writer Campaign thing because I was floundering. See you next round

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  19. Yay, so glad to hear about the progress with the paperback! Good luck with edits and writing, and I can't wait to see what you're up to in Round 4!

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  20. Sounds like you're doing great! Hope you'll share your Expo experiences with us - it sounds like an exciting event!

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  21. Wow, you've been so busy!! I feel totally out of the loop. So are you JOINING Round 4? I've been thinking about it. I need some motivation and some motivators. :) I've been writing. Not much, but it's a start at least.

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  22. Absolutely joining! I need the motivation, too, Kate. Glad to hear you are at least getting in some writing with your new little guy. I've just started Compis! But...I have two other books going, so I'll probably have to finish the others before I really tackle it. I was just getting a sneaky-peak...lol. Good to see you! ~ Nadja

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