July 23, 2012 · 3:48 pm

Wingless Cover Release

I am so excited to share my cover for Wingless!  The artist, Valerie Tibbs, has an eye for dramatic flair, or just keeping it simple and eye-catching.

I’m so lucky to have gotten her as my cover artist.  She cranks out several covers a month, so you know she’s in demand, and she’s a hard-working artist.  I’m always happy to tip my hat to an artist who’s found their nitch in this world doing what their good at!  Thanks Valerie, and thanks Pink Petal for the wonderful cover 🙂

Here’s a link to her website if you’re interested to see more of her work. (*Disclaimer*  She is a Romance cover artist, so some of her work is spicy!) http://www.tibbsdesign.com/

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Filed under Fiction, Flow of Life, Paranormal Fiction, The Writing World

July 19, 2012 · 2:34 am

The Two Week Mark!

Ahhhh!  The counter says two weeks until my first release!  To celebrate I’ve decided to post a little something that has to do with Wingless- An inspirational character.

Luke, who’s featured on the cover, was inspired quite a bit by a character in an anime series called Clannad.  Her name is Fuko.

Fuko is befriended by a group of friends in highschool.  She usually keeps to herself, carving wooden stars for woodshop. At one point they all hear of a ghost that haunts the school, a girl who used to attend their class.  Eventually they run into Fuko’s older sister.  She tells them of her little sister Fuko, who’s been in a coma for the last two years.

One by one, the friends believe the sister.  Some even go to visit Fuko’s body in the hospital.  And each person that looses faith in Fuko can no longer see her.  It was their faith that help them see her, have real contact with her, and keep their memories of her.

Luke is similar in the fact that he’s there, in a very tangible way, and then he’s not.  What would you do if you became friends with someone, only to find out they aren’t really there?

3 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Japanese Tid-Bits, Paranormal Fiction

July 10, 2012 · 7:52 am

What Inspires You?

I was asked this question recently, and I had to stop and think.  I’ve written so many kinds of stories, and different things inspire them.  It’s the same with my artwork, knitting, hat making, even cooking.

God and family have a huge stake in that claim, whatever it may be.  With my knitting it’s usually a cause or season that spurs me on.  With artwork it’s often my own characters that inspire me, or even a favorite anime.  Cooking is more my taste buds that drive me.  I want my food to taste good, but who doesn’t?

And writing?  For Wingless it was a wonder of what the other side is like that drove me.  For Gargoyle it was need of a close and cherished friend.  For many it was a contest title or theme that inspired me.  Often it’s a song.

Once I really recognized what inspired me that helped me to look at that object or person or event in a different way.   Then, if I need to be inspired again I can seek out one of them.  So I’m never truly stuck because I already have a list of thing that have inspired me in the past.  I hope you know what has inspired you in the past so it may guide you in the future!

5 Comments

Filed under Flow of Life

July 2, 2012 · 11:22 pm

Advice From My Favorite Author

Only one more month until my first Novella, Wingless, is released.  I’m so excited I’m celebrating with writing another manuscript!  I’m following the advice of my favorite writer- Jeaniene Frost.

“My writing advice is simple – write. The more you write, the better you’ll get at it. Read a lot. Be prepared to revise your novel, because revising is part of the process. But until you’ve finished a novel and really gone over it several times, don’t look for an agent. Write first. Make sure you love it. Then jump into the publishing world :) ”

So I’m writing again, in my never-ending quest to be a great author.  My current manuscript is a series of shorts the first one tentatively titled “The Shadow Fan.”  I do hope to one day be able to meet my favorite author and have her go- “Shelley Martin?  Aren’t you the author that wrote…”

That would be so cool 😉

4 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Flow of Life, The Writing World

June 18, 2012 · 5:35 am

I Just Got Bamboozled

After today I feel like what I must do to my poor characters.  I had no less that 4 door-to-door salesmen stop by today.  The last guy told me he was going to give something for free, all he wanted was free advertisement by putting his signs in my yard.  And as a new author I know all about advertisement.

So I let him install his product in my house, then I had to call to get it set up.  Upon doing that the lady on the phone asked me if I agreed to their 60 month contract.  I was immediately alarmed.  I told them I knew nothing about a contract.  As a matter of fact the guy mentioned I only needed to pay one month, then cancel.  He neglected to tell me the cancellation fee would be around $2,000.  The poor woman was just as confused as I was.  Neither of us knew what to do.  The product was already install, if it was removed it would leave scars to my house.

But we just could not handle that kind of commitment, especially since I was lied to.  No doubt the salesman thought once the screws had gone into my wall, I wouldn’t want to remove it due to the visible damage.  But you know what, my house is already pretty damaged.  What’s a few more scars?  I can putty and paint over them.  Just like real (or fictional) scars, it will heal and the memory will fade with time.

But for right now I feel like an idiot for letting it get that far.  And I’m so mad at that salesman for taking advantage of my trusting nature.  In the end I’ve learned, as I would hope any other fictional character would, and I’m going to put a big NO SOLICITING sign on my door.  I will not ever let that happen to me again.  I’m just dreading when the guy has to come to remove the thing… 😛

4 Comments

Filed under Flow of Life

June 15, 2012 · 12:15 am

The Slump

I’ve been in this slump lately.  It seems I do a ton of stuff each day and then I’m so over-exhausted I can’t write.  It’s not that I don’t have anything in my head, or that I don’t know what will happen next.  I’m just tapped out of energy.

At least I’m still getting some work done, it’s just not on the level I’m pleased with.  So what should I do to climb out of the hole?  Go write somewhere else.  Mostly I write at home.  But with the kids and distractions, work just isn’t working out right now.

One place I love is the library.  Another is my fave lunch time restaurant, Bardenay.  And the other is, of course, Starbucks or other coffee houses.  Sometimes even my friends houses if they are also writers.

I really want to get more stories out there.  And I can’t do that if I’m not writing.  So I have to prioritize.  What’s more important?  That summer movie or writing?  Hands down, writing 🙂

3 Comments

Filed under Flow of Life

June 5, 2012 · 3:49 am

Fairy Ring

 

While visiting the cemetery today my daughter spotted a fairy ring, otherwise known as a toadstool ring.  Being a fairytale junky I was all kinds of excited.  I didn’t think these appeared in the U.S.  I thought they only grew in England, Ireland or Scotland.

Here is my friend Kierah, making a wish in the middle 🙂

So what is a fairy/toadstool ring?  Wikipedia says- Fairy rings occupy a prominent place in European folklore as the location of gateways into elfin kingdoms, or places where elves gather and dance. According to the folklore, a fairy ring appears when a fairy, pixie, or elf appears. It will disappear without trace in less than five days, but if an observer waits for the elf to return to the ring, he or she may be able to capture it.

Fairy Chronicles says- They are usually found in places where fairies have had a gathering. Toadstool rings tempt people, who are hoping to see fairies, back to the same spot over and over again. However, non-magical people cannot see fairies; and fairies seldom meet in the same place twice, so it is somewhat silly to return to a toadstool ring in the hopes of glimpsing fairies. Toadstool rings are thought to be bad omens by people who mistrust fairies.

I love fairies, so no bad omens here!  I’d love to get more pictures, but I think I’ll let the fairies be for now.  I’m just glad to see such a beautiful and rare thing 🙂

5 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Flow of Life, Non-Fiction Paranormal, Paranormal Fiction

May 30, 2012 · 2:00 am

Man Away

My husband works on the road quite a bit.  And while I wish he were home I find that I get more work done while he’s out.  I don’t have to worry as much about dinner (hot dogs are fine with the kids), and the laundry can get piled a little higher than usual.  Also the sexual tension in the pieces I’m working on seem to go better when I’m missing him.

But there’s some very interesting things I’ve noticed when he is home.  Like how a gallon of milk and boxes of cereal suddenly disappear.  There are three times as many dishes.  And a bar of soap only lasts a week!

As I was in awe over these occurrences I realized, these are the little things I could work into a story.   After all, it’s the little things that bring a character and background surroundings to life.  (And I always need to work on my surrounding description.)

What little things does your significant other do that may seem annoying, but could be endearing?  Next time my hubby comes home I might have to make a list.

Yup, stalker-ish creepy wife here >:)  Hope he doesn’t mind!

6 Comments

Filed under Flow of Life, The Writing World

May 28, 2012 · 5:54 am

New Ideas In E-Books

I belong to two writer’s groups.  Both often represent their authors at conventions, conferences and fairs.  I love to walk by and see my friends books on the table.  However, that’s not the case with many other authors in the groups.  Their books can’t be represented at these venues because they’re e-published only.  And I will soon be one of these authors.

I know that one day I will come out in print, but the excitement of my first book makes me want to get it out there.  And a convention or fair that has thousands of people walking by is a frustrating thing to be barred from.

So, I was wondering if there were any post cards, coverflats, promo-anything out there that could represent my book on such occasions.  I’d like to have a code printed on the promo-item that could be bought and redeemed for my specific book.  But, I couldn’t find any info about something like that in cyberspace.  So I emailed my publisher about it, and boy, am I glad I did.  She was interested, too.

We’ll have to wait and see if this works.  There will have to be trial cases and such to see if it’s worth it.  But if it does I’ll be thrilled, and I hope my other e-pubbed colleagues can join in on the events table, too!

3 Comments

Filed under The Writing World

May 21, 2012 · 6:47 am

Self Promo

I remember back-in-the-day when being an author ment you hand over your book, they (the publishers) give you money, they wave their magic wand and your books would sell, sell, sell.  Well, I don’t know if that world ever actually existed outside my own mind, but things just aren’t like that anymore.  It seems every author needs to do self promo these days.  My publisher mentioned it’s because of all the books out there now.  With new publishing avenues such as self pub, vanity publishing, traditional and epub, there are just so many books of every genre out there.

So, my job as an author is to try and stand out.  And let me tell you, it feels pretty overwhelming.  But in the last two weeks I’ve gotten the website going, re-vamped the blog and gotten my author facebook page up.  Now I just need to stand on a really tall box and shout out to passers by “Like Me!”  Anyway, here’s the new page.  I won’t shout at you, though. Just place this little non-intrusive link at the bottom of the post and hope you visit.  Thanks!

http://www.facebook.com/ShelleyMartinFiction

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Filed under Fiction, Flow of Life, The Writing World