Comparative titles (aka comp titles) are something that has baffled me on and off again for the past…thirteen years? But who’s counting? What is a comp title, you ask? In a writer’s world, it’s a book or other piece of IP (intellectual property) that shares themes, ideas, and/or tropes in common with your book. And… Continue reading Comps Don’t Have to be the Absolute Bane of My Existence AKA Why Do I Do This
Tag: Writing
A Lovely Day at the Library Author Fair Plus Writerly Updates
Two weeks ago from tomorrow, I participated in the Ritter Public Library’s third annual local author fair. Sadly, I have no photographic evidence of this, as neither my mom (who was my assistant) nor my sister (who came for the last hour) nor I thought to capture the day. Oh, well. It was a nice… Continue reading A Lovely Day at the Library Author Fair Plus Writerly Updates
The Ins and Outs of Finding and Working With a Good Small Press
Are you interested in working with a small press? Well, there are tons out there. Some are good, some are…not so good. But how do you find them in the first place? And if they accept your book manuscript, what happens next? Here’s a bit of advice from me, Beth. I’ve worked with several… Continue reading The Ins and Outs of Finding and Working With a Good Small Press
Book Reviews: How Does a Body Go About Writing and Leaving One, Anyway?
I've mentioned how much I appreciate and admire reviewers. It's so easy for me to read a book or use a product, enjoy it but say nothing of my experience to others. Reviewers are in the trenches, sharing their thoughts with the world. Now, I'm not a professional reviewer. I rarely write reviews for Amazon,… Continue reading Book Reviews: How Does a Body Go About Writing and Leaving One, Anyway?
Researching Books: Tough, Honest Work–and I’m Ready for the Challenge!
You'd think a contemporary fantasy novel (fantasy set in current modern times) wouldn't need much research. Well, you would be wrong. My next book, Fate's Immortal Hands (formerly known as All They See is Dust--trust me, the new title fits better), dives into the past a few times (the 1660s, to be more precise) and… Continue reading Researching Books: Tough, Honest Work–and I’m Ready for the Challenge!
Important Preorder Incentives Update Plus the Fun Reasons Behind My Gifts
A notice to those who preordered Tempered Glass and emailed me for incentives: The first five of you who contacted me have their parcels in the mail! The remaining eight will *hopefully* ship sometime next week and the week following. Thank you for preordering and for your patience! You might wonder why I do these… Continue reading Important Preorder Incentives Update Plus the Fun Reasons Behind My Gifts
A Gathering of Random Factoids for Your Quick Reading Pleasure
TFIW’s word count: 64,724 Movie: Emma (2020) Book: Sincerely, Secretary of Doom (Jennifer Kropf) Music: Crazy Times (Jars of Clay) Greetings! Here are a few random facts I’ve gleaned while doing research for my books. Hang onto your hats. This is gonna be interesting! Are you seeing this? The word “blindfold” (as a noun) originated… Continue reading A Gathering of Random Factoids for Your Quick Reading Pleasure
How to for Sure Fail at Writing and Publishing
Books and tea are my comfort foods What follows is for comedic and informative purposes, so take all with a grain of salt and remember that no advice (or joke) is one-size-fits-all. Don’t read. Like, don’t read anything. Especially not the guidelines for submissions when you’re ready to hit submit to that snazzy-looking ‘zine or… Continue reading How to for Sure Fail at Writing and Publishing
7 Ways Readers Can Help an Author Right Now
Read more Here’s a doable list of things you can do to help your favorite author (or any author, really) stay in the business of writing the books you consume. 1 - Request your local library buy a copy of the author’s book. While libraries make up around a little over 1.3% of book sales… Continue reading 7 Ways Readers Can Help an Author Right Now
I’m Ecstatic to Announce…the Birth of a Totally New Series!
Don't panic! This is it. The moment I have been waiting for: I finally get to announce (on my blog, that is) that the first book in my duology has been accepted for publication by Flame Tree Press! The title of the book is Brittle and the duology--is not a duology any more. Oops. Instead… Continue reading I’m Ecstatic to Announce…the Birth of a Totally New Series!
Beth Overmyer 