Archive for October, 2008

Everything is a process

Sunday, October 26th, 2008

Welcome Readers!

I really don’t care what it is you are doing it is a process. And while I may not totally enjoy all the steps, one does lead to another and then before you know it you are done and the next project is on the table or desk so to speak. How much thought do you give to your processes? I am a touch of a control freak… I can see my friends rolling their eyes now, “Somewhat, ha.” Okay, I am a control freak. I admit it. I like things the way I like things.

This was really in my face this week when I reached the halfway point in the podcasting of The Mark of a Druid. Yes, that is right, there are enough episodes canned to call it half done. I realized that I was going to be sad when it was over. I am totally having fun with it. Sure there are challenges, a quiet place to record, broken folks to take care of in the house and where to put the extensive editing time I tend to have around seeing clients and writing blogs and dealing with publishing things, marketing and you know, life! But it has really been fun to step out of the comfort zone and do this project in this way.

I have been working in spirits on the sequel but now I can see that I need to for me get it going so that I can podcast it.

The next two weeks will probably give me another good jump of episodes ahead again even though I have been uploading 2 per week instead of the promised 1. We will see if I can keep the pace up. Wish me luck! And keep listening and telling your friends. I want to break the 300 mark in the next two weeks.

The response has been amazing and the comments have been fun keep them coming. We have been holding the #6 and #7 Spot for the most downloads for the last 30 days for over a week. Subscriptions are almost at 200 on podiobooks and Itunes is getting great hits Thank you! Thank you!

This week I need to come up with a new promo for the print release so look for that it should be a lot of fun. Come on Publisher with the release date! The plan is to have all the episodes recorded in about 4 weeks and to keep up the upload/editing schedule I have been on of 1 or 2 a week, if I can, can two a week then I will upload 2 if not then I will upload 1. And the final contest rules need to be written and posted. As soon as I have a date… Grrrr. There will be a big marketing push and then another when we go live on Amazon and B&N.com which I am told takes a few weeks.

A local bookstore is doing book signing were we: The artist and I will be signing copies you can come see the original artwork and see if you can win it in the contest and where I will be giving away a few copies of the book and posters, which by the way came out really cool.

Then the first week of Nov I need to fit in some more writing time. When Ethers Descend is proving to be a riveting read and I can’t wait to jump in with both feet with the process. If you didn’t know I am also writing another story called Truth Slithers. When podcasting is done I plan on working on both the new books at the same time.

 

So I tend to do well with schedules if you haven’t seen that by now. That is how I corral my processes. Even down to cookie madness weekend. Which by the way, takes place just before or after Thanks Giving. Lorain (a sweet heart of a future daughter in-law) comes up to the mountains and we make cookies for the holidays. And I don’t mean just a few batched. Last year we turned out over 2000 cookies in two days and that did not count the pumpkin bread and rolls which are to so good. We are already planning the attack of the likely 50lbs of flour and sugar we will use. We do new recipes every year and then the ones that are the favorites. All night cookie-athon about to happen here! I can already smell the sweet smells and taste the goodness.

 

December is when I will get completely serious about turning out mad pages of the new works.  

 

Keep Writing, I know I will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter

 

 

 

 

Critiquing groups are they helpful?

Sunday, October 19th, 2008

Photo by Henry Diltz

Welcome Readers!

 

 

After writing the first rough and I mean rough draft of The Mark of a Druid, I searched all over for a group that would be right for me as an aspiring author. I found that group on compuserve’s literary forum. Now since I joined, the group some almost 5 years ago it has had its membership ups and downs. For several years we were housed in another location on a Forums America site. Not too long ago the forum moved back to compuserve and into a much larger community setting. Lots of the old folks are there and a ton of new ones.

 

One of the things I liked about our little group was that there wasn’t anyone who felt it necessary to cut you to pieces to make a point about what you could do better in your story. The crits were not only content considerate but line editing as well. (for me extremely helpful) If you saw a mistake that was an obvious typo or grammatical help were also offered as well as plot and character development.

 

It was an easy system. Once granted access to the library of file you picked something that caught your eye and started critiquing. After you critiqued 5 pieces, you could upload 1. Pieces usually consisted of a complete short story or a chapter or chunk from a WIP (work in progress). From then on it is 3 to 1 and trust me you would build a cash of crits to use for your uploads fast if you put any effort into the group.

The diversity of the group was wonderful, people from all over the world joining together and helped each other out. The benefits to me as an author were worth every minute I spent with these people. Now I am not going to tell you that I agreed with all of the suggestions but if I didn’t incorporate something I thought long and hard about the readers experience.

 

Now there are plenty or writing groups online and in your local communities as well. I like the online groups because I can get more out of them, the volume of participants is higher and more diverse. While I am not active in the compuserve forum at this time because I am in a different phase, pre-publication and podcasting, I do recommend the group. Here is a link to them the membership is free and once your work is posted it is copywrited so it is actually a way to protect your work although others say it is not safe I just don’t agree. No one writes in the same way I do. They may be able to take what is there but they would never be able to complete the work like I would have, so I don’t worry about it. And from what I know this has not happened in this place. There is also a research and craft area that can be very helpful.

 

I found my time in a critiquing group extremely rewarding and I hope as I move into book two in the series I will find the group as helpful again. I met many wonderful people there and one of my dearest friends and I actually met there and we talk almost every day.

 

Keep Writing, I know I will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter

A fabulous week for me as a writer!

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

Photo by Henry Diltz

Welcome Readers!

The Mark of a Druid. Is fairing better than I ever expected!

If you haven’t subscribed yet it is free!

You can get The Mark of a Druid, serialized podcast of the novel. www.podiobooks.com here is the page address http://www.podiobooks.com/title/mark-of-the-druid All of the episodes that are available now on podiobooks.com, podcastpickle.com, Mobli, Amigofish.com, Digg, Itunes and other places as well. The Episodes are available at the same time at (usually a few hours before) at www.themarkofadruid.com under the Episode sections where you can listen to them on the site with no download or download them. I am considering doing an extended version for Themarkofadruid.com but have not made up my mind yet how that will work.

And my favorite kind of writing weather is almost upon the mountains where I live. There is nothing better for me than the fog dancing on the forest floor to inspire me to tell a story. Add to that a warm fire in the hearth and the silence that comes with winter in a resort community and it makes my mind wonder in and out of plots and subplots. The voices of my characters call to me to scribe their words and emotions. They scream, “tell my story,” and I must listen.

So you might asked what is the next book? I started a historical fiction novel based on a true story that is about ¼ done called Truth Slithers. And I have the first few chapters of the next book in the The Mark of a Druid Series in the works. The title you ask? Drum Roll Please…. When Ethers Descend.

More about the contest that is coming up. As you may have read the cover of this book is mighty special as there are lots (nope not saying how many yet) hidden images from the book in the artwork. Sometime in the next month we will be launching the contest and I can’t wait. The artist who painted the oil on canvas, Miss Amie Perry will not even tell me all the locations and I have found many of them and she says there are more. Thanks Amie that means I get to play the game too, but I can’t win anything. That just wouldn’t be fair. There will be formal rules and the prizes are very cool. Posters of the cover art, greeting cards and copies of the book all dual autographed by both me the author and Amie the artist. I have my very own Web GOD! Dave from http://wrkg.com/ who is full of very cool interactive ideas for the book site and how the contest can be interactive on the web so look for announcements about that as the day gets closer and tons of other cool stuff for the readers to get involved in. I figure if we are going interactive lets take it to a new level.

The Print Version?

I have approved the final cover polish and the print versions hardback and paperback of The Mark of a Druid are in print set up right now. So in a couple of weeks tops I will be holding this labor of love in my hands!!!! Can’t wait! Then it will go live at the iuniverse bookstore website and a few weeks after that we will be announcing the contest and going live on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com as well as bookstores and outlets everywhere in the USA. .

If you have been following the progress of the endeavor then you know there has been a lot of work and I am very excited how well it is going. I was checking the stats for hits on Friday of this week and I was shocked. In a good way. 81,219 hits between rhondacarpenter.com and themarkofadruid.com and it is not even the half way point yet. So keep coming back and tell a friend. Thank you all so much it feels great to have so much interest.

If you haven’t noticed the blog roll to your right or the Hot Promo page you should take a minute and hear what else is out there. I started Fractured Horizon by H.E. Roulo and I am totally impressed with the story so this may be one you will want to follow if you want a story that is original and read very well by the author. And congratulations H.E. For hitting the The Podiobooks Top Ten #1 slot! For the most downloads in the last 30 days! Great Job! So what are waiting for check it out. You won’t be disappointed. I haven’t been.

As I have been unable to record this week because my oldest son was in a car accident and is in living room recovering from double pelvis fractures. Poor guy! Sorry “G” But no worries I have episodes in reserve for just such a problem. How did I know??? Hey life happens you just need to be as prepared as possible. So if push comes to shove and I hope it doesn’t, I will be good for 4 more weeks of episodes before things get critical. I promise I will do my best not to let the listeners down. I know I have a problem when I get into a book and then all of a sudden there is a gape in installments. So I said I would not do that to my listeners. Hence the reserve!

 

Okay I have prattled on enough. Remember leave a comment either here or podiobooks.com or itunes. It helps and only takes a second you don’t have to tell your real name. But I would so help me to know what you are thinking and what you like or don’t like so I can do this better for the next books. All comments are appreciated.

Keep Writing! I Know I Will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter

100 Down and Dirty!

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

Yes! The Mark of a Druid has officially reached 100 subscribers in less than a week. And it is all because you guys! Thank you. And Enjoy the read. on www.poidiobooks.com or www.themarkofadruid.com

Keep subscribing!

Rhonda

We have been in the top 3 all week!

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

Photo by Henry Diltz

Welcome Readers!

What a wonderful week for The Mark of a Druid.

If you haven’t subscribed yet it is free!

You can get The Mark of a Druid, serialized podcast of the novel. www.podiobooks.com here is the page address http://www.podiobooks.com/title/mark-of-the-druid

Sign up for an account there is no cost involved. At that time you will be able to add my book to your subscriber’s list or any of the others. It is free! And you can snag the promo here! http://www.rhondacarpenter.com/?page_id=95 post it to your website send it to your email, chat buddies, put it up on your myspace, facebook and talk about it on twitter and please tell a friend! And let me know if you have a podcast you would like me to promo other podcasters.

All of the episodes that are available now on podiobooks.com, podcastpickle.com, Mobli, Amegofish.com and Digg, soon Itunes and other places as well.
The Episodes are available one week before at www.themarkofadruid.com under the podcast section where you can listen to them on the site with no download or download them.

Sunday is upload day as well as Blog night, but my son was just in an accident and I am typing this as I wait for which hospital I need to go to. I don’t think it is serious as he called me just after it happened. Back to Biz…So keep up with what is going on and get your weekly fix of The Mark of a Druid.

The Print Version?

As I type this blog I am awaiting the final cover design so I can approve it. Let’s just say it was not easy to get to this stage. Also if you haven’t paid close attention to the cover art as there are hidden symbols and I will be starting a contest with a ton of great prizes for identifying them. More on this when I have a release date from Iuniverse.

The interior of the book has been approved and now we only wait on the cover finish and we are in printer set up mode. So for those of you who are waiting for the print versions hold on it is coming I promise!

If you haven’t noticed the blog roll to your right you should stop by and check out Fractured Horizon by H.E. Roulo I am starting it this week and will leave a review when I am done.

This week is about podcasting. Out there tell everyone that the book is available. Market, Market Market. Edit Episode 14 which is recorded but not edited. And write the press releases. Scary!
 

Also this week the book was promoted on J.D. Sawyers Antithesis and Edward G. Tabolt’s New Word Order as well as Emriane Rich’s Horror Addicts. Thank you all for adding my promo. You’re the best! See these authors’ works in the hot promo section of this site. Very cool stuff.

Keep Writing! I Know I Will!

Rhonda R. Carpenter