Last 5 Days to vote for Butterfly Suicide on Kindle Scout

Okay, this is it! The final five days until my Kindle Scout campaign is over....

It's been an interesting journey. I've watched my stats go up and down. Like way down. Realistically, my chances of getting offered a contract--despite how much I believe in my book--are not great.

That's okay. Live and learn, right?

I really appreciate all those who have nominated my book, and no matter what happens, I hope to be able to get a copy of Butterfly Suicide into your hands soon! Here's the synopsis of the book and after you read it, if you feel so inclined, head on over to Kindle Scout to read an excerpt and nominate it.

BUTTERFLY SUICIDE KINDLE SCOUT LINK

Butterfly suicide.

The blood on the cafeteria floor has been washed away and the bullet holes plastered over, but those words carved deeply into the back of the worn auditorium chair will always be a reminder for the students of Rockingham High School of what happened there last May. For Stephen Valley, the brother of infamous school shooter Jude Valley, that day is one he will never be allowed to forget—especially since the small town blames him for the loss of the seven students killed in Jude’s rampage. Tormented by cruel late night phone calls, vandalism to his home, and a growing reputation as a bad boy, Stephen longs to escape to a place where no one has ever heard of Jude or his deeds. Unfortunately, poverty has a firm grip on his mother’s finances, imprisoning him in the bigoted town with no options to leave.

Monica Monroe, a self proclaimed Theatre Nerd, hates being known only as the sister of Jude Valley’s murdered girlfriend, Simone. The constant questions about what really happened the day of Simone’s death, the sympathetic looks from strangers, the way her parents are falling apart—it’s all become too much. Even though she’s never believed Jude killed her sister over a lover’s quarrel, she does blames herself for not seeing what a monster he was.  Her mother and father have decreed she never talk to her secret crush, Stephen Valley, but when she is partnered with him for an acting scene in Theatre class, Monica views this as an opportunity to finally get some answers. Being paired with Stephen proves to be dangerous for her emotional well being and her heart. When he is beaten up for being on her street, Monica realizes his life after the actions of Jude has been as traumatic as her own.

When they look inside Jude’s Artistic Bible—a collection of Jude’s most private and graphic art work—Monica and Stephen decipher a devastating secret which threatens to rip their families apart and destroy their blossoming secret romance. Together they must decide whether to confront the truth or keep quiet the reason for the “butterfly’s suicide.”

Kindle Scout campaign for Butterfly Suicide: Why write about school shootings?

Well, it's been an interesting few days of campaigning. I've seen my stats soar and sink and then soar again for Butterfly Suicide. Thanks so much to all of the readers out there who continue to nominate it. The campaign is still running so feel free to share the link with your friends. Remember, you get a free copy of Butterfly Suicide if the campaign succeeds!  Butterfly Suicide Kindle Scout Nomination

I wrote Butterfly Suicide after a conversation with someone close to me regarding the power of perception. Something had happened in my friend's life when they were in middle school and this particular event went on to color the way people viewed them in high school and beyond. Around the same time as this conversation, the awful tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary occurred. As an elementary teacher,  I was especially horrified by that event--saddened for the community, heartbroken for the young victims and their families. I followed the story that day as it unfolded and couldn't help but wonder what was going on in the minds of the shooter's family, too. How did they feel? How would they live with what happened? How do you move forward knowing that someone in your family is capable of such destruction?

These questions were the beginning roots of Butterfly Suicide. I spent quite a bit of time tooling around with the story line about a school shooting which takes place in a small town and trying to decide what was important to tell, what was just fluff, what would be interesting to a reader. In the end, I crafted a simple story that really isn't about the shooting, but more about two teens dealing with the aftermath and what people do in order to get through horrific events like this.

School shootings aren't an easy subject to write or read about, but unfortunately, they are still a part of our reality. My hope is that Butterfly Suicide reminds people to look at all sides of the story.

Changes to Amazon's Publishing Program

Well, if you live in the self publishing world at all then you've probably heard about the changes KDP is making in regards to how authors enrolled in the select program will make money. Now it's based on pages read---this could be a good thing, could be a bad thing. I'm never very good at explaining royalties so I'm going to refer you to one of my fave blog sites on book marketing. I saw this woman, Penny Sansevieri, lecture last year at a writing conference. She rocks! Check out her views on this latest change!

The New Changes to Kindle Unlimited

http://www.amarketingexpert.com/the-new-changes-to-kindle-unlimited/

Managing Your Time as a Writer

Do you hear that? Yes. It's the sound of the children making their way back to school after a long, lazy summer. Many parents breathe a sigh of relief while us teachers prepare to batten down the hatches and start a brand new year.

I love what I do, but I'm always sad about the end of summer. My prime writing time happens during those two and a half months where I'm not thinking about my students or their creative development. Instead, I'm focused on mine.

Managing your writing time no matter what career you are in is tough. Most of us don't have the luxury of sitting at home all day and escaping to another place with our imagination. The bills aren't going to pay themselves. So what's a working writer to do? After all, we're supposed to be networking, Tweeting, Facebooking, maintaining our websites, Pinteresting, and making ourselves available to readers--and writing! How do you do that on top of a full time job?

It ain't easy!

Everybody has their own method, of course. For me, I schedule my daily writing time for early in the morning. I put in about an hour before I have to start thinking about breakfast and getting the kiddo up. At night, I usually spend another hour editing. Weekends are my big days to push hard. I close the door which signals to the rest of my family: Don't bother her or she'll freakin' kill you. I also use those days to schedule tweets or to schedule my blog posts.

Yes, there are times when I lapse from my schedule. Honestly, as much as I love blogging and connecting with readers, I really need my writing time even more. So sometimes my blog posts may suffer, but I think the writing, getting the words down, is the most important thing.

So to those of you in the same predicament as me, good luck to you! Hang in there!

You can follow Mary Ann Loesch at www.maryannloesch.com or find her on Twitter: @maryannloesch!

RWA 2014

So today I'm off to San Antonio to check out the Romance Writers of America Nationals conference. I can't wait! While I've attended writer conferences in the past, this is the first really big one. As a hybrid author (traditionally published and self published), I'm looking forward to learning about topics that are specific to the genre I write, as well as, rubbing elbows with agents, editors, and other writers.  This is my SXSW!

If you happen to be in San Antonio on Thursday, July 24, drop by my Kensington book signing. It's from 9:45-11:15 at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel.  I will be signing copies of Nephilim and giving away lots of free swag.

Esmae Browder will also be attending RWA! Be sure to drop by the Goody Room and pick up copies of her Naughty Shakespeare series. Can't make it? No problem. All three of her books will be free at Amazon this week in honor of RWA 2014!

And speaking of free...if you haven't picked up the companion stories to Nephilim, they will be free next week at Amazon!

Hope to see you at RWA 2014!

Theatre Junkie Press--a small press for theatre education

I'm always interested in helping out the small press. They fight so hard to be seen by readers and it's even more difficult for educational presses to get attention. When Theatre Junkie Press approached me about doing some writing for them, I jumped on board. Using their services, I've written several theatre books for the elementary classroom teacher. I promised to highlight them on All Things Writing, but haven't had a chance to do so up until this point! If you are a teacher looking for different approaches to teaching reading skills or develop an awareness of theatre arts, check out this press! Here is their mission statement:

theatre junkie press is committed to providing educational materials to both the elementary theatre arts teacher and the regular classroom teacher. Fine Arts education is incredibly important and having the resources to teach it are crucial. While there are many excellent texts and websites out there for middle school and high school drama teachers, when it comes to elementary theatre, the pickings are slim.  Our mission is to change that and publish a wide variety of materials suitable for Kindergarten-Fifth grade.

Here are a few of their titles as well!

The Day Our Teacher Lost Her Mind: A Reader's Theatre for Grades 2-3.

A charming Reader's Theatre for grades 2-3, The Day Our Teacher Lost Her Mind helps students remember the classroom rules while developing reading fluency. Included in this book are theatre games, the narrative, the script, and extension activities designed to take the tale a step further.

How  Do I Get Out of This Mirror?

Are your kids stuck in creative problem solving rut? Does thinking outside the box seem impossible for some students? Not anymore! How Do I Get Out of This Mirror takes you into the world of improvisation and theatre arts, getting students to think about difficult situations in a new way.  With fun games and warm ups, your students will be problem solving champs in no time! Suitable for grades 3-5, How Do I Get Out of This Mirror provides seven lessons that will challenge your students to work in collaborative groups, use every day materials to create props, and allow them to see that there can be more than one answer to a problem.

I'm Going to Tell My Mother: A Reader's Theatre for Grades 2-5

I'm going to tell my mother!" Everyone is sick of Alan using that phrase. It's how he always manages to get his way. When he tries to use it on his second grade teacher, Alan discovers that his words can have a powerful affect--and not necessarily in a way that benefits him! This engaging story is presented as a narrative and a reader's theatre. With easy to follow instructions on how to conduct rehearsals, you'll soon be on your way to presenting an amazing performance with your students. Use the games and warm ups provided to bring your shy friends out of their shell.

I encourage you to spread the word about this unique publishing company! Check out their website at theatre junkie press

 

How to Become a Better Writer

I've been writing a long time, and while I'm not the greatest writer in the world, I know that I've improved over the last few years. A friend and I were chatting about what makes a writer better, what makes us feel that we are getting anywhere in the literary world? Is it getting an agent? Is it publishing that first book or finding a home for a short story?

Any of those prove you are getting better as a writer, but how do you even get good enough to accomplish the above things? What steps should you take to put you on a writing path that gives you everything you want?

I think the answers are simple.

1. Set goals. They don't have to be complicated or extreme. A writing goal is personal and should be something that is attainable whether in the short or long term. In fact, I think it's good to set both kinds of goals. Having a mission helps keep you focused.

2. Manage your time wisely. Family, work, writing, social. That's the order of importance for me. When I write, I like to make sure everyone knows that it's my time to be creative and I don't want to be interrupted. Email, Facebook, and surfing the web do not count as managing my time. I try not to do any of those things when I'm working on a story or manuscript.

3.Read. Yes, it may seem like a no brainer, but even as a writer, you should be reading. I think you should read all genres--don't just get stuck in the one you writer. Open yourself up to new experiences and you might discover a new trend in your own writing.

4. Check your ego at the door and let someone critique your work. Writing is a lonely business and often we don't get immediate feedback. Form a group of trusted readers who will be honest with you about your work and how good/bad it is. No matter what the feedback, consider it. Mull it over. Even if you receive negative reviews on a work, challenge yourself to see if the reviewer has a point.

5. Keep a list of ideas. I use a notebook and write down character ideas or plot outlines. Sometimes I forget about them and then re-discover them later. I have several friends who use various programs on their phones to keep track of their ideas.

6. Try to write as often as you can. Yes, I know that writers are supposed to write every day, but sometimes that just doesn't happen. Don't beat yourself up about it. Just try again the next day.

Kensington Publishing Corp. Aquires Lyrical Press!

As a Lyrical Press author, I'm thrilled with the news below! This means Nephilim and any other books I publish with Lyrical will get a wider audience and Kensington Publishing Corp. has a great reputation!--Mary Ann

KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP. 
AQUIRES DIGITAL PUBLISHING COMPANY LYRICAL PRESS


NEW YORK, NY - Kensington Publishing Corp., one of the foremost commercial independent publishing houses in the United States, announced today that it has acquired the eBook publishing company Lyrical Press.  Beginning in January 2014, Lyrical Press will operate under its current name as a digital-first imprint at Kensington Publishing.  

Steven Zacharius, President and CEO, Kensington Publishing Corp., says, “This deal delivers on Kensington's mission to publish the books that America wants to read and to be the house that talented authors want to call home.  The ability to have a digital imprint that works efficiently like a small independent press is what first attracted me to Lyrical.  With Renee Rocco’s cutting-edge expertise in running a small independent press and Kensington's team of talented professionals, we look forward to building new and existing authors while expanding the titles published under the Lyrical Press imprint.”

The imprint will be overseen by Adam Zacharius, Kensington’s Director of Special Projects and Alternative Media.  Renee Rocco, who founded Lyrical Press in 2007, will be Managing Director of the imprint.  

"When I first founded Lyrical Press, I strove to emulate Kensington’s standard of quality and the company’s dynamic atmosphere,” states Renee Rocco, Managing Director. “As the publishing business evolved, we sought strategies to expand the reach of Lyrical Press and strengthen its foothold in the industry.  The opportunity to now join forces with Kensington, a company I have deeply admired, and become a member of the Kensington team is both an exciting adventure and the realization of a lifelong dream."

The acquisition includes approximately 250 romance, YA and genre fiction titles in the Lyrical Press backlist. Kensington will immediately begin acquiring new titles for Lyrical Press, as well as expanding its publicity, marketing and editorial departments in order to dedicate the resources necessary to supporting and growing the new imprint.  All eBooks published under the Lyrical Press imprint will be DRM-free and books over 60,000 words will be available as print-on-demand editions.  


ABOUT KENSINGTON PUBLISHING:
Founded in 1974, Kensington Publishing Corp. is located in New York City and is known as “America’s Independent Publisher.”  As the foremost independent commercial publishing house in the United
States providing hardcover, trade paperback, mass market and digital releases, Kensington publishes the books that America wants to read.

The house of New York Times bestselling authors including Fern Michaels,  Lisa Jackson, Joanne Fluke, William W. Johnstone and many others, Kensington publishes over 500 fiction and non-fiction titles each year. Its diverse imprints including Zebra Books, Brava, Citadel Press, Dafina, Pinnacle Books, Aphrodisia, K-Teen, eKensington and Lyrical Press are well-known for providing readers with a range of popular genres such as romance, women’s fiction, African American, young adult and nonfiction, as well as true crime, Western, and mystery titles.

With 2014 marking its 40th anniversary, Kensington remains family owned and operated. It is the only major US publisher to have had three generations serve the company since its founding by the late Walter Zacharius. Currently Steven and Adam Zacharius, the second and third generation of the family, lead a talented staff, many of whom have been with the Company for over 20 years.   
Visit www.kensingtonbooks.com

ABOUT LYRICAL PRESS:
Founded in 2007 by Renee Rocco, Lyrical Press offers readers a rich catalog of titles ranging from tender contemporary romances and edgy erotic paranormals, to suspenseful thrillers and shocking science fiction. Authors can expect a personalized publishing experience from Lyrical Press, where the relationship between the author and publisher is understood to be symbiotic. When the authors succeed, the house succeeds.  Readers will find Lyrical Press books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, iTunes, and most other eBook sites including www.KensingtonBooks.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Vida Engstrand, Kensington Publishing / vengstrand@kensingtonbooks.com / 212.405.1573

Goodreads Giveaway for Bayou Scar

As I mentioned in last week's post, my book Bayou Scar comes out on October 1. I am hosting a book giveaway at Goodreads to celebrate the occasion. If you would like to receive a signed paperback version of Bayou Scar click on the link below to enter the giveaway!

I love Goodreads! It is one of my favorite websites to discover new books, authors, and writing groups.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Bayou Scar

by Mary Ann Loesch

Giveaway ends October 10, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I'm also working on new author site! Here is the current link if you are interested in checking out my other works! MARY ANN LOESCH, AUTHOR

Bayou Scar--The Journey of Writing a Sequel

My new book, Bayou Scar, comes out on Oct. 1, 2013. Finally. It should have been out almost four months ago! But writing a trilogy isn't as easy as you might think, and when you've written the first tale to good reviews, you kinda feel that crazy pressure of the next one needing to live up to certain expectations.

I think the hardest part for me in crafting the second book was that I wrote the rough draft for it right after writing a second draft of Bayou Myth. I was inspired and ready to keep the story rolling along while it was fresh in my mind. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

But then life interfered. Edits for Bayou Myth ate up a lot of time. I started writing for multiple clients and Bayou Scar got pushed to the back burner. When I did get around to reading that rough draft, it depressed me. I'd made so many changes and edits to Bayou Myth that the draft for Bayou Scar had things in it that no longer applied or didn't make sense.

It was frustrating. Really frustrating. The kind of frustrating that makes you procrastinate big time and only work on it in small spurts.

Last spring I finally got my act together and started cleaning up the rough draft. It was surprisingly painful. Joan (my main character) and I were at odds with each other. She wanted to do one thing on the page and I wanted her to do another! She wouldn't behave.

And then I realized she really needed to run the show. So what if I had all these words already written? They weren't exciting me, much less Joan. I had to let go and let her take the lead.

Once I did, every thing fell into place.

I'm proud to announce that after writing five drafts of the novel, going through a Beta Reader group, and working with the best editor out there--Ramona DeFelice Long--the novel will be released on Oct. 1. Yippee! Just in time for Halloween!

You can pre-order your copy of Bayou Scar today at Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon!

Here is the publisher's blurb from Dragonfire Press:

The moment teenage voodoo queen Joan Renault holds the Golden Apple of Journalism in her hand, its deadly power silently infiltrates her life. But this apple is more than just a token of high school pageantry.

It's toxic. Poisonous.

And it just might kill all the people Joan loves.

This is Book 2 in the Bayou Myth series.

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Of course, now comes the hard part...writing the final book in this trilogy! It's called Bayou Curse and will hopefully be out soon!


Follow Mary Ann Loesch at Twitter or Facebook or drop by www.maryannloesch.com.

Anthology Writing: It's all about teamwork!

Putting together an anthology with a group of writers is not easy. When you write a novel, it's all on you. When you put together a collection of stories, you have to rely on others. Deadlines, editing--all of that is crucial to getting your work in a coherent form everyone can agree on. If you are considering undertaking this kind of project, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1. Figure out your theme. This is tricky if you have writers who write in different genres. Come up with a common them and work with that. Otherwise, your stories may feel a little out of whack, something that can turn off a potential reader.

2. Have a word count goal and assign the number of stories each writer will undertake. The count and number of stories may grow or diminish depending on the project, but at least have a starting point.

3. Set deadlines. This is probably one of the more crucial pieces of advice! Deadlines help keep people motivated and provide an end goal. Of course, we're talking about writers. Sometimes life happens, and you have to change deadlines. Be flexible, but do your best to stick to them.

4. Read each other's work. This is a great time to make sure every story fits within the theme and to give constructive criticism. Once all stories have been critiqued, allow for revision time.

5. Hire an editor.  I think this is the most important part of putting together an anthology. Good editing makes your work look polished and professional. An editor will catch all the technical stuff that's been overlooked and can guide you on the order of the stories.

Mary Ann Loesch is the moderator for All Things Writing. She has published several fiction novels, including Nephilim and Bayou Myth. An active blogger and ghostwriter for hire, Mary Ann also works as an elementary theatre arts teacher. Learn more about her at MARY ANN LOESCH.