Tuesday, May 6, 2014

My Writing Process Blog Hop







Today is my day on #MyWritingProcess Blog Tour, where writers and authors answer questions about their writing processes. I was invited to take part in this by a great writing friend of mine Lisa Terry, who posted about her work last week Lisa's Blog Post She is an fantastic writer that I learned a lot from about editing, take a look at her writing process too, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.



Before telling you my writing process, I thought I'll fill you in on with what #MyWritingProcess means:

“We writers share these things, but informally during workshops and at conferences (and, for a handful of established writers, in printed interviews), but not so much through our open-forum blogs. With the hashtag #MyWritingProcess, you can learn how writers all over the world answer the same four questions. How long it takes one to write a novel, why romance is a fitting genre for another, how one’s playlist grows as the draft grows, why one’s poems are often sparked by distress over news headlines or oddball facts learned on Facebook…”
     

What am I working on?
I’m currently working on a couple of projects at the moment, the first I, Vladimir is in its final editing stages and is due for release later this year from Gentry Publishing. I’m also working on the second in the series, Anonymous Jack. The main vampire characters from I, Vladimir revisit us in this follow on so it is more of a spin off than a sequel. Anonymous Jack is Arminius’ story of how he was a promising medical student who is lured into a dark alleyway where he is attacked by the woman who led him there. She turns him into a creature of the night but when something proves not quite right with Arminius, he is brought to meet the elders of the clan. Instead of learning why he is different from his new kind, he goes out in search of prey alone, and soon becomes history’s most notorious serial killer.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
This is quite a difficult question to answer. I like to blend a mixture of both fact and fiction in all of my writing. Even though I write fiction, in both of my novels I have used historical facts, dates and events that I hope will bring a sense of reality to the reader.
I’ll leave this question with a quote which was written by one of the earlier readers during the working process of I, Vladimir which I hope helps answer it –
"Historically, this is minutely documented, making it more realistic than fantasy."

Why do I write what I do?
They always say write what you enjoy reading - I have always loved the horror genre, and I owe it all to James Herbert. Ever since I picked up The Rats many years ago, since then I have read his entire collection, some more than a few times. Although my two novels would not quite fall into that category, there’s definitely enough blood and gore to keep the most blood thirsty of you entertained.
After a fantastic writing career he was made the Grand Master of Horror by the World of Horror Convention in 2010, but sadly James passed away in 2013.

How does my writing process work?
Before I answer this question I’ll start with a bit of advice…
Take each bit of advice you hear with a pinch of salt… I know, talk about a contradiction.
What I mean by this is… that you have to find what works for you as a writer.
There are all sorts of writers out there. There are the planners and the plotters, who have every single detail written down before they even start. They know what each character looks like, what they wear, they even know what happens in each chapter as the story progresses. Or there are those who fly by the seats of their pants and just see where their pens or keyboards take them with little or no planning at all.
I am of the latter. I know the beginning and the end, that’s it! I begin to write, I enjoy the journey and I research as I go. I’m a real believer of the bum in seat and write approach, get that first draft written, and edit it later.
I once heard an author give a talk about his writing and he described it as like being on a tightrope. He would always write the first and last chapter first, he did say he rarely used them in the end, and then he would navigate between those two points. I think this is the closest description I’ve heard to my own writing process, but I wouldn’t go as far as writing a first and last chapter before.

Thank you for reading this brief look into my writing process and I hope you enjoyed it, but before you go it is my turn to pass the challenge on. 


Firstly I’d like to introduce one of my longest writing friends, Mary T Bradford. Mary is a great writer who I am luckily enough to meet up with most mornings at our local library where we work away, well until the tea and coffee arrives anyway. Over the years I’ve learned loads from Mary, so I know you’re going to enjoy reading her blog and her writing process which she’ll post next Monday. For now here’s a short bio about her…
 Mary T Bradford is from county Cork, married and mother of four children. She has seen her work in various magazines, newspapers and anthologies both in Ireland and abroad. It was because of this success that, Mary took the plunge and self-published her first collection titled, A Baker’s Dozen (2012), 13 stories covering the ups and downs of life. It is available in both print and e-book from Amazon and other book sites. When one of her stories kept growing, it was then she realised this was her first novel emerging. Tirgearr Publishing in Ireland picked it up and Mary signed her first contract earlier this year. Her novel titled My Husbands Sin is due out on July1st 2014. Not content with all this, Mary has dipped in to writing plays and seen her work short-listed and performed on stage.

Next up is Marie O’ Halloran. Marie is another great friend of mine who meets both Mary and myself in the library when her work permits. She is newer to writing but don’t let that fool you, her enthusiasm and drive is matched by no one. She has had fantastic success with her poetry, and is currently working hard on her novel. I’ll let her tell you more…

 Marie O’Halloran lives in Co. Cork, Ireland.  She writes novels, poetry, short stories and plays. A number of her poems have been commended and published. She was also part of the program of readers at the 2013 Fermoy International Poetry Festival. Her short stories have been commended and published also. She was proud to contribute to and be involved in the editing and production of a collection of award winning stories entitled ‘Just Because’.  She has completed her first novel, a psychological thriller which is under consideration and is working on her second a crime thriller.


Thanks for stopping by,


All the best,
Daniel Kaye x





Sunday, May 4, 2014

Gilded Destiny by Nola Sarina plus an exciting Rafflecopter Giveaway.



Hi all,

Back in 2013 I was delighted to be asked to do a review by the wonderful Nola Sarina on her novella, Gilded Destiny. Nola is represented by Michelle Johnson of Inklings Literary Agency so I was honoured to be asked, you can read my review of it here:  My Review of Gilded Destiny by Nola Sarina 








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***Features bonus chapters and a never-before-seen preview of Jaded Touch!***    
     

Blurb:
A deadly, alluring stranger. The consequences of loving a doomed immortal. The steamy hot, heart-wrenchingly emotional, edge-of-your-seat first Vesper novella Gilded Destiny is dark fantasy romance like you've never seen it before.

A woman's memory returns when she falls in love with the monster who took it from her.

Calli tattoos her skin to fill the holes in her memory, thanks to an accident that left her mind damaged and empty. But a nasty encounter with a fired employee leaves her in the arms of her unlikely savior: Nycholas, a predatory, serpentine Vesper on the run from his brutal master.

Nycholas’ clandestine world holds the secrets to mankind’s origin and survival… but he only wants one thing before his time is up: a few colorful nights with Calli, the fragile, tattooed, human woman he pursued and saved.
The more Calli learns about Nycholas, the more her own darkened memories return to her. Despite her haunted past, she loses herself to passion and desire with her immortal captor.

Now, Calli must overcome the demons of her past, or allow Nycholas to kiss her memories away and spare her the trauma of loving a doomed immortal. But each choice comes with dire consequences – some that endanger not only herself, but her family as well.





Author Bio:
Nola Sarina is a paranormal romance, dark fantasy, and erotica author from Alberta, Canada. She Nola will also be at RTCon in New Orleans this month. Stalk her down and say hi for some free swag - bookmarks and bracelets!
loves weaving romances that leave you breathless and challenge typical relationships with the most mind-blowing twists.

Represented by Michelle Johnson of Inklings Literary Agency, Nola is the author of the spicy hot dark fantasy Vesper series. Taking vampires to a whole new level, the Vespers in Gilded Destiny & Jaded Touch live dangerously sexy lives in a harsh world of the balance between mortals and immortals.

Nola is also the co-author of Wild Hyacinthe and THE CORE with friend Emily Faith. Wild Hyacinthe portrays sexy, alpha hero from a unique perspective: an incubus who can't help but kill, while THE CORE invites every reader to throw stereotypes out the window, strip down, and get dirty.
 SNEAK PEEK free chapters of all Nola's works are available on her website! sneak-a-peek-free-excerpts

Be sure to subscribe to her email contact list for newsletters, exclusive content and to get the latest on all Nola Sarina titles before anyone else: email newsletter

Social Media Links:
Website

 
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