I have a feeling that reading out loud is something that you get better at with practice. For the first time ever, I can be seen reading Hipstopia, my YA dystopian satire about hipsters taking over Los Angeles.
I was definitely a bit nervous, as this hasn't been something I've even attempted in the past. But I'm fairly happy with my first attempt. Enjoy! And happy reading!
Showing posts with label The Uprising Duet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Uprising Duet. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Monday, May 26, 2014
The Collapse: Out now!
It has been a long journey to get to my third release date. A large part of it still feels very surreal, like I'm dreaming. This has to be a fantasy world, because there's no way I could have three books out... right? Alas, I'm not waking up from the real world--not anytime soon anyway. So three books it is!I've learned a lot on this journey. The main thing: stop stressing.
The other thing I learned? Try to finish everything as early as possible. Having more time to ask blogs and get readers before the release would have been nice. But I'm quite happy that I made the deadline with a darn good book.
The Collapse was a lot of fun for me to write. Murphy is such an interesting character and getting to write a dual narrative was a nice change of pace. I wrote about how I switched playlists depending on which voice I was writing for. Jay and Murphy have such different feels, and I think that's what makes The Collapse so interesting.
You can purchase your copy of The Collapse for kindle. It will be out soon in paperback!
Murphy carries on after Jay abandons Hipstopia--and him. With a mixture of hatred and admiration for his new foe, Murphy becomes more aggressive than ever, unearthing a darker side of himself. He’s willing to sacrifice anything to keep Sky and Hipstopia safe, even if it means killing Jay.If you haven't read the first book in the duet, Hipstopia, you can get it for .99 on kindle.
Free from Murphy’s reins, Jason wants to begin his new life with Kiera, but she’ll never be able to settle as long as Leo is trapped in prison. The only way Jason can keep her safe is by going back into Hipstopia with her, but if he sees Murphy again, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to pull the trigger.
Now on opposite sides of the war, Jason and Murphy tell their stories as they come head to head in the final battle.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
The Collapse: Cover Reveal and Goodreads Giveaway
Here's the synopsis for the sequel to Hipstopia:
Murphy carries on after Jay abandons Hipstopia--and him. With a mixture of hatred and admiration for his new foe, Murphy becomes more aggressive than ever, unearthing a darker side of himself. He’s willing to sacrifice anything to keep Sky and Hipstopia safe, even if it means killing Jay.
Free from Murphy’s reins, Jason wants to begin his new life with Kiera, but she’ll never be able to settle as long as Lee is trapped in prison. The only way Jason can keep her safe is by going back into Hipstopia with her, but if he sees Murphy again, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to pull the trigger.
Now on opposite sides of the war, Jason and Murphy tell their stories as they come head to head in the final battle.
Enter the giveaway below! You can purchase Hipstopia for kindle or as a paperback. The Collapse will be released on May 26! Mark your calendars, it's going to be an awesome ride!
Friday, January 24, 2014
Giveaway Winners and Update
Congratulations to the two winners, Jessica and Pearl! I've already been in touch with both of you, and I must say - I've never been so excited about a giveaway before. I don't know why, but this one just felt better than my previous ones. I have you guys to thank, of course, for all the entries!
I wanted to take a second to make an update on The Collapse (Hipstopia's sequel)! I am twenty-one chapters in to edit number three, which means I have seven chapters away from giving a copy to my developmental editors.
That means, I am totally on track to publish by May!
Also, I agreed to do a developmental / line editing exchange with one of my fellow authors (RJ Blain). Not only is she an amazing developmental editor, but she's an awesome story teller herself. She's going to whip me into shape with The Unanswerable, which means I will be well on my way to getting that published by the time she's done with it.
Seriously, the girl's amazing.
So congratulations again to our winners! Check back for more information on The Collapse and occasional teasers! And remember, you can buy Hipstopia and My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade on amazon!
I wanted to take a second to make an update on The Collapse (Hipstopia's sequel)! I am twenty-one chapters in to edit number three, which means I have seven chapters away from giving a copy to my developmental editors.
That means, I am totally on track to publish by May!
Also, I agreed to do a developmental / line editing exchange with one of my fellow authors (RJ Blain). Not only is she an amazing developmental editor, but she's an awesome story teller herself. She's going to whip me into shape with The Unanswerable, which means I will be well on my way to getting that published by the time she's done with it.
Seriously, the girl's amazing.
So congratulations again to our winners! Check back for more information on The Collapse and occasional teasers! And remember, you can buy Hipstopia and My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade on amazon!
Friday, January 10, 2014
The Collapse (Hipstopia's sequel) Playlist and Updates!
I finished the first edit of The Collapse (The Uprising #2), the sequel to Hipstopia. I am quite pleased with the results of the first edit. I added 4,000 words, established more tension, filled out some characters who had previously been lacking.
Something that I've always wanted to do was create a playlist for a book. I write to music. Music creates a certain mood that I would have trouble emulating otherwise, and I think each list of songs speaks volumes about the characters. They are such polar opposites in feel and style - much like the characters themselves.
Murphy
Hate Dept. "New Son Army"
Hate Dept. "Hard Times"
Pigface "Insect / Suspect"
Filter "The Inevitable Relapse" (Clayton Worbeck Mix)
UNKLE "Ghosts"
UNKLE featuring Gavin Clark "Blade in the Back"
Jason (Jay)
Miike Snow "Animal"
Slighter "Stood Still"
The Neighbourhood "Sweater Weather"
Broken Bells "October"
Bonobo "Cirrus"
The Naked And Famous "The Sun"
Passion Pit "Take a Walk"
Radical Face "Welcome Home"
Murphy's music is raw, powerful, and angry - just like him. Jason's music is pensive and melodic with just a little bit of bounce. I encourage you guys to check out some of these songs! Go on, you might find your next favorite.
Monday, December 2, 2013
New Goals and BONUS: Hipstopia 2 Excerpt!
I did it again - went overboard with the goal creation. But hey, if I aim high and only accomplish half of what I set out to do, then at least I accomplished half of an insanely long goal list, right? Right.
So, I'm aiming for two self-published releases next year. Hipstopia 2 is a definite (and no, it won't be called Hipstopia 2 once I can come up with a better title). The Unanswerable I would really like to get out in October - because horror books in October? Yes, please!
I want to edit everything I currently have on my plate next year. This means editing five works - on top of trying to grow my own proofreading business. But I need to get this stuff edited - otherwise, it's never going to see the light of day (and that would make me sad).
I also want to write The Underground (Unseries #2) and Rioss Origins (Rioss #0.5).
Basically, this is a Holiday Wish List to my future self. Please self, do all the things!
For those of you who read this whole blog post, I have a surprise for you! It's an excerpt from Hipstopia 2. This is from Murphy himself, folks. He and Jay will be sharing the spotlight in this duel narrative novel.
Murphy
Before all of this had started, there had been a lightness to her intense, brown eyes. The air of nonchalance even came across in the way she stepped, sure-footed and buoyant. I never saw that anymore, the lightness had been destroyed by something feral, something sinister... something that I had created.
I stared at the glass of whiskey she placed on my desk. Her fingernails were chipped, skin cracking in pink, raw hangnails. She pushed the glass towards me. The golden liquid sloshed around the cold stones Sky had tossed in.
"Why did you let him go?" She asked again. It was the hundredth time, and every time her dark red lips formed the words, I wanted to shudder. There was such contempt and disdain behind the way she spoke.
Looking up, I met her eyes. Fearless and fierce, none of that girl who thought she could change the world. This was because of me, because of what I had made us do... because of all the destruction we made together. "Because I couldn't stand killing him."
She rolled her eyes and knelt down next to me, making our eyes level. Her breath reeked of yesterday's wine, and her eyeliner was smeared along the edges of her eyes. The white and black striped suit coat, her uniform, was too sophisticated for this moment. I reached out and nudged one of the edges down off her shoulder, revealing white skin in desperate need of sun. The white v-neck underneath was better made for her, simple and pure. At least, the her that used to exist.
"You're in charge now, Murphy." Her words circled around my head, but I couldn't listen. "You have to make the tough decisions, even if it means killing someone you love."
Sky placed a single finger on my knee, tapping once, twice, three times before she stood up. My hand fell away from her shoulder. Sky adjusted her jacket and ran her fingers through her cropped, black hair. I remember when it used to be long. Before everything. "Even if it means killing me."
So, I'm aiming for two self-published releases next year. Hipstopia 2 is a definite (and no, it won't be called Hipstopia 2 once I can come up with a better title). The Unanswerable I would really like to get out in October - because horror books in October? Yes, please!
I want to edit everything I currently have on my plate next year. This means editing five works - on top of trying to grow my own proofreading business. But I need to get this stuff edited - otherwise, it's never going to see the light of day (and that would make me sad).
I also want to write The Underground (Unseries #2) and Rioss Origins (Rioss #0.5).
Basically, this is a Holiday Wish List to my future self. Please self, do all the things!
For those of you who read this whole blog post, I have a surprise for you! It's an excerpt from Hipstopia 2. This is from Murphy himself, folks. He and Jay will be sharing the spotlight in this duel narrative novel.
Murphy
Before all of this had started, there had been a lightness to her intense, brown eyes. The air of nonchalance even came across in the way she stepped, sure-footed and buoyant. I never saw that anymore, the lightness had been destroyed by something feral, something sinister... something that I had created.
I stared at the glass of whiskey she placed on my desk. Her fingernails were chipped, skin cracking in pink, raw hangnails. She pushed the glass towards me. The golden liquid sloshed around the cold stones Sky had tossed in.
"Why did you let him go?" She asked again. It was the hundredth time, and every time her dark red lips formed the words, I wanted to shudder. There was such contempt and disdain behind the way she spoke.
Looking up, I met her eyes. Fearless and fierce, none of that girl who thought she could change the world. This was because of me, because of what I had made us do... because of all the destruction we made together. "Because I couldn't stand killing him."
She rolled her eyes and knelt down next to me, making our eyes level. Her breath reeked of yesterday's wine, and her eyeliner was smeared along the edges of her eyes. The white and black striped suit coat, her uniform, was too sophisticated for this moment. I reached out and nudged one of the edges down off her shoulder, revealing white skin in desperate need of sun. The white v-neck underneath was better made for her, simple and pure. At least, the her that used to exist.
"You're in charge now, Murphy." Her words circled around my head, but I couldn't listen. "You have to make the tough decisions, even if it means killing someone you love."
Sky placed a single finger on my knee, tapping once, twice, three times before she stood up. My hand fell away from her shoulder. Sky adjusted her jacket and ran her fingers through her cropped, black hair. I remember when it used to be long. Before everything. "Even if it means killing me."
Thursday, November 21, 2013
NaNoWriMo Day 21
I know, I totally don't publish consistently enough - but hey! Two a month is better than what I was doing before! Besides, it's NaNo time, so I can't really blame myself for not updating very much.
Last night, I reached 40,000 words in Hipstopia #2 (I really need to come up with a title for this). It's scary, because I have three chapters before the end of the book, which means, I need to average 3,333 words per chapter (else I need to go back and edit during NaNo and pray that I add words instead of taking them away).
I'm happy that I'm on track -- I wasn't aiming for some 60-70k book because I don't feel like this story needs it. There's a conflict, a few side stories to develop a rich sense of the characters, and then the conclusion. Besides, when I do my first draft read through, I usually add in 5-10k with things that I missed the first time around. While I'm drafting, my brain is constantly thinking of the next scene, which sometimes makes the scene I'm working on suffer. During the rewrite/reread, I don't have to worry about what comes next, since it's already written.
Anyone else have this problem? Do you have scenes that you know you have to rewrite because you "just weren't feeling them" at the time? Would love to hear from anyone who is participating in NaNo this year! Or writers in general :)
I'm aiming for a summer release date next year for Hipstopia #2. We'll see how this works.
And... public accountability note to self: I need to update my goal list for next year / this year.
Last night, I reached 40,000 words in Hipstopia #2 (I really need to come up with a title for this). It's scary, because I have three chapters before the end of the book, which means, I need to average 3,333 words per chapter (else I need to go back and edit during NaNo and pray that I add words instead of taking them away).
I'm happy that I'm on track -- I wasn't aiming for some 60-70k book because I don't feel like this story needs it. There's a conflict, a few side stories to develop a rich sense of the characters, and then the conclusion. Besides, when I do my first draft read through, I usually add in 5-10k with things that I missed the first time around. While I'm drafting, my brain is constantly thinking of the next scene, which sometimes makes the scene I'm working on suffer. During the rewrite/reread, I don't have to worry about what comes next, since it's already written.
Anyone else have this problem? Do you have scenes that you know you have to rewrite because you "just weren't feeling them" at the time? Would love to hear from anyone who is participating in NaNo this year! Or writers in general :)
I'm aiming for a summer release date next year for Hipstopia #2. We'll see how this works.
And... public accountability note to self: I need to update my goal list for next year / this year.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
NaNoWriMo 2013: Day Three
Has it really been four months since I last published? I fell out of blogging for a lot of reasons - mostly because I haven't had any really exciting news in awhile. Brief update time!
I started proof reading for some friends - and am going to attempt to make that a more lucrative thing outside of my day job (which is still Communication Editor - so consequently, proofing is right up my alley). I used to hate it, but now I'm realizing that because I'm so meticulous, I actually work well as a proofer.
My husband and I just decided we were going to start up Wine a Week Reviews again - seeing as how we got 300 pages views last month without posting anything for almost over a year. Crazy, right?!
And, what I think is the best yet, I started writing Hipstopia 2 (working title, I have no idea what I'll end up calling it). I wrote 10,000 words in the first two days of NaNo, and I'm definitely going to finish it this month. Once I finish writing it, I'll take a week off to proofread for another G+ friend, then start the editing process! I'm exciting, because I might have a much earlier release date than I originally anticipated.
Insider information: Hipstopia 2 is a duel narrative. It goes back and forth between Jason (Jay) and Murphy from the first book. Murphy's thought processes have been so incredibly fun to write because he is so out there - and dangerous. I think people will really get a kick out of hearing from the hero and the villain this time around!
That's all I got for now!
Shameless self promotion: you can get Hipstopia on Amazon paperback or kindle. You can also check out My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade on Amazon
, Smashwords, Kobo, or Barnes & Noble.
I started proof reading for some friends - and am going to attempt to make that a more lucrative thing outside of my day job (which is still Communication Editor - so consequently, proofing is right up my alley). I used to hate it, but now I'm realizing that because I'm so meticulous, I actually work well as a proofer.
My husband and I just decided we were going to start up Wine a Week Reviews again - seeing as how we got 300 pages views last month without posting anything for almost over a year. Crazy, right?!
And, what I think is the best yet, I started writing Hipstopia 2 (working title, I have no idea what I'll end up calling it). I wrote 10,000 words in the first two days of NaNo, and I'm definitely going to finish it this month. Once I finish writing it, I'll take a week off to proofread for another G+ friend, then start the editing process! I'm exciting, because I might have a much earlier release date than I originally anticipated.
Insider information: Hipstopia 2 is a duel narrative. It goes back and forth between Jason (Jay) and Murphy from the first book. Murphy's thought processes have been so incredibly fun to write because he is so out there - and dangerous. I think people will really get a kick out of hearing from the hero and the villain this time around!
That's all I got for now!
Shameless self promotion: you can get Hipstopia on Amazon paperback or kindle. You can also check out My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade on Amazon
, Smashwords, Kobo, or Barnes & Noble.
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