See you soon!

This is just a quick note to explain my lack of posting until November 2^nd. I (excitedly clapping) am going to Disney World next week for their Food and Wine Festival. I cannot wait. I am a foodie to the core and am sooo looking forward to having yummies from all over the world.  As a special treat to myself I’m leaving my computer at home, which includes writing. I’m such a nitpicker for my schedule I don’t know if I’ll be able to take it or not, but I think all the luscious food will be a good distraction.

Until next Friday,

Melanie

Book Signings

On Saturday I went to my nearest Barnes and Noble bookstore for a local author book signing event. There were five authors there, all lined up in a row. It was great, mainly because I wasn’t one of them. I can’t imagine how it would feel to be on display like that. True, it would have been worse to do it alone, or maybe not- imagine if every one of the other author got fans, but you. That would suck.

It just reminded me that being an author is really a test of bravery. It’s not enough that we’re baring our soul in the books we write, we have to stand (or sit) front and center and hope and pray someone will walk up and pick up our book and love it.

Courageous indeed.

So I raise my hat to all of you, all of us, who write our hearts out and let the world have at it.

SWAG

Swag is another thing that was a previous unknown to me, prior to this whole writing adventure. But according to my publicist, it’s what you do.

So I poured over online sites like Vistaprint and several others like it all the time wondering what I should get.  I love writing, love it. But does that mean that people are going to want stickers with my face on it? No.

So I decided to do something different. For each of my books, I’ll give away the typical bookmarks (I was told that was mandatory) but instead of some worthless thing people will lose or throw away I’ll invest in something better, something specifically meaningful for that particular book.

I can’t wait to show you what I picked for NEWSTEAD.

For the writers out there: Was it just me that was surprised by the whole swag thing?

Trailer

I’ve been working on the trailer for my book THE NEWSTEAD PROJECT and have hit several roadblocks along the way. For instance that great song I wanted to be playing in the background? Forget it. I don’t have the copyright for it.

Dido with a lot of the other ideas I had, too.

So I came to a point where a decision had to be made: Grandiose and possibly wreaking of cheesiness or simple, short, and to the point.

In the end the choice was easy.

I can’t wait to show it to all of you. Anyone else feel like sharing their trailer stories?

Never Gone by Laurel Garver

Today I’m doing a review of the book Never Gone by Laurel Garver.  Laurel is a follower of this site, and her blog laurelgarver.blogspot.com, is one of my favorites. It is full of practical advice for all those writing a novel and desiring to see it published.

Never Gone is a story about a girl who loses her father unexpectedly after an accident. But he doesn’t die right away. I love that Laurel included that; the grief followed by forbidden hope- maybe he would make it after all. But he doesn’t. And Deane (the protagonist) is left staring at the pieces that remain in her life, realizing that none of them fit. Her journey takes her across the world and into the very depths of her own soul as she searches for who she can possibly be without the person who was the anchor in her life.

But is the anchor still there? Deane doesn’t know. It’s either that or she’s going crazy, because she’s seeing her dad everywhere, and he’s leading her on  what seems like a pointless goose chase.

And then it isn’t.

 I loved the heart that wrote this story, a heart that has seen grief herself and wanted to use that experience to point the way to the Truth.  

I’ve included the links below to where the book is available for purchase. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Never-Gone-Laurel-Garver/dp/1479205079

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/never-gone-laurel-garver/1112775142

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/229715

Writer Review: Maggie Stiefvater

Today I’m doing a review of Maggie Stiefvater’s book Shiver. Actually, I’m reviewing Maggie, herself, as a writer. I loved the Shiver series. Loved it. I thought the characters were deep and relatable and unique. She is excellent at getting to the feelings in the situation and making you weep right along with the characters that are experiencing it. When I finished the first book I immediately went out and bought the second, and then the third. I loved them so much I bought The Raven Boys, even though I already knew it was about the occult. For those of you who don’t know me too well yet, I avoid the occult like the plague it is, at least anything that represents it as being a positive thing. But I read it and loved the writing and the concept. I never did get over my aversion to mediums being the good guys, but that’s not what I’m focusing on here. While I love Stiefvater’s writing, really, really love it, I do think she has one Achilles heel.

The ending.

I could have read about Sam forever, and I wanted to, but instead I was left with a synopsis style ending to wrap things up. I thought it was just a fluke, but the same thing happened with The Raven Boys.

It wouldn’t have stood out for me so much probably, it her writing hadn’t been so excellent prior to that point.

Any thoughts?

Shameless plug

Just a heads up to let you know on November 2^nd, I will be doing a cover reveal for my novel The Newstead Project, as well as the book trailer, and swag give away. The book itself is due out May 1, 2013. If any of you would like to review it on your blogs, I would greatly appreciate it. A little closer to the release date, I’ll probably be contacting some of you. It’s been an exciting process. The publishing company I’m working with is very author friendly, which basically means I have a lot of say about the cover, trailer, swag, edits, etc. Good, but scary at the same time. I know that as the author, I have the vision about how I want things to look, be, presented, but still; scary.

Oh in case I didn’t mention it the swag is bookmarks (of course) and black cinch sacs with the Plan Well. Plan Wisely.  logo on it. All are free, except shipping, if interested go to my website melanieschulz.com after November 2^nd.

Thanks for allowing my shameless plug. I’ll be back on Tuesday with a review of SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater.

Training for a 5k

For those of you who’ve been following this blog, you know I’m doing the couch to 5k program. I’m on week five (okay, actually I’m on week ten, but after the first week I decided I needed the pre-couch to 5k program, you know the one for comatose people, so I started running from mailbox to mailbox in my neighborhood, but now I’m up to the actual week 5)

Tomorrow I’m supposed to run for 20 minutes. Straight. No walking between. That’s like two miles. As I saw that looming on my App, real fear flooded through me. Can I do it?

It reminded me about writing. When I started I knew nothing. In fact I’d be ashamed to list the grammatical errors I used to make. But now I’m doing better. Not twenty minutes in a row better, but better.

What I need to focus on is the goal. I want to run a 5k, and if I’m going to do that, eventually I’ll actually have to run. And if I’m going to write a book, eventually I’ll have to forget my fears and inhibitions and just do it.