Atlas is a struggling colony on an untamable world, a fragile society held together by the Truthsayers. Parentless, trained from birth as the sole users of Veritas, a telepathy virus that lets them read the souls of the guilty. Truthsayers are Justice—infallible, beyond appeal.
But sometimes they are wrong.
Falsely accused of murder, Troy Boren trusts the young Truthsayer Kalliana…until, impossibly, she convicts him. Still shaken from a previous reading, Kalliana doesn’t realize her power is fading. But soon the evidence becomes impossible to ignore. The Truthsayers’ Veritas has been diluted and someone in the colony is selling smuggled telepathy. Justice isn’t blind—it’s been blinded.
From an immortal’s orbital prison to the buried secrets of a regal fortress, Kalliana and Troy seek the conspiracy that threatens to destroy their world from within. For without truth and justice, Atlas will certainly fall…
Blindfold, by Kevin J. Anderson takes place on the colony of Atlas, where the lands are divided among several landowners, each doing his part to make Atlas run like a well oiled machine, but not everyone plays by the rules. Killiana is a young Truthsayer who, comes to believe that her mindreaading powers may have falsely convicted Troy Boren, a young man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When she unwittingly uncovers that one landowner isn’t playing fair and may soon take over control of the colony, she finds herself a fugitive with Troy, as they fight to uncover the truth.
As all of Anderson’s works, Blindfold is well written and skillfully crafted to emmerse readers in the story. It keeps the reader guessing, and that keeps pages turning. I give it five quills.
there, mute. Inside myself I will be screaming at the shape
of the world. Outside: nothing. Silence.
I won’t write a poem. I will hold my tongue.
Ukraine is flaming but there is music and art in Kiev. Wars hate poems. Poets hate wars.
On top of the hill I howl in silence
at the awful suffering.
No poem necessary. In the face of this calamity poetry is silly.
If war is poetic then explosions are its vowels. (It’s hard
to make that language work.) An explosion/poem will not detonate here
any time soon.
Clouds
Every day
the clouds change shape.
They change color, size, patterns, density,
Every day. I can’t help but wonder
that I’m not blasted from my body
by such beauty
painting the sky forever.
How can I see this and continue\
without bowing to the majesty of it,
the creation of a world above our heads
that heralds the appearance of night’s beads
as they are strung onto the circlet of the dark.
About the Author
Arthur Rosch is a novelist, musician, photographer and poet. His works are funny, memorable and often compelling. One reviewer said “He’s wicked and feisty, but when he gets you by the guts, he never lets go.” Listeners to his music have compared him to Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Randy Newman or Mose Allison. These comparisons are flattering but deceptive. Rosch is a stylist, a complete original. His material ranges from sly wit to gripping political commentary.
Arthur was born in the heart of Illinois and grew up in the western suburbs of St. Louis. In his teens he discovered his creative potential while hoping to please a girl. Though she left the scene, Arthur’s creativity stayed behind. In his early twenties he moved to San Francisco and took part in the thriving arts scene. His first literary sale was to Playboy Magazine. The piece went on to receive Playboy’s “Best Story of the Year” award. Arthur also has writing credits in Exquisite Corpse, Shutterbug, eDigital, and Cat Fancy Magazine. He has written five novels, a memoir and a large collection of poetry. His autobiographical novel, Confessions Of An Honest Man won the Honorable Mention award from Writer’s Digest in 2016.
Want to be sure not to miss any of Arthur’s “Mind Fields” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress. If you find it interesting or just entertaining, please share.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw Kickstarter campaign ending soon
There are just a few days left for you to join in on our campaign! The more we raise, the more rewards we can offer. With the campaign ending soon, it’s almost the last chance to show support for author and project. The deadline is 8/31/23, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to get an early digital copy of the book, a signed print copy, an interview with the author, posters and so much more, available exclusively through the campaign.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw won’t release through distributors until September 18, so it is only available through my Kickstarter at this time. So click on the Kickstarter to learn more about this rocking time-travel adventure.
The Rock Star and The Outlaw is a story from my heart, inspired by the music of The Pretty Reckless, which is my favorite band. It’s a time-travel adventure. Amaryllis Sanchez is a rock Star in 2025. LeRoy McAllister is an outlaw from 1887. They’re both running from the law and other outlaws in their respective times and when they meet, it’s a non-stop adventure through time.
Check out the book trailer video on the Kickstarter page to learn more.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw Book Trailer
More About the Book
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
About the Author
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is her passion. It is a very strange time indeed when Kaye Lynne does not have at least three WIPs, in addition to her other writings, teaching and other life activities. Kaye Lynne lives, works and plays in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.
Visit her author’s blog and website, “Writing to be Read” to learn more about Kaye Lynne Booth and her writing. https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/
Release through distributors & book blog tour
If you miss the Kickstarter, The Rock Star & The Outlaw will release through distributors on September 19, 2023, and to celebrate, well be running a WordCrafter Book Blog Tour September 18-22.
Coming Soon: Midnight Roost
The 2023 WordCrafter Anthology, Midnight Roost will be scheduled for release October 17, 2023. This anthology of weird and creepy stories features works by talented authors including Zack Ellafy, Chris Barili, Joseph Carrabis, DL Mullan, Christa Planko, Paul Kane, Sonia Pipkin, C.R. Johansson, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Patty Fletcher, Keith J. Hoskins, Denise Aparo, Julie Jones, Rebecca M. Senese, Mario Acevedo, Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Robert Kostaczuk. Midnight Roost also features the winning story from the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, “Red Door House”, by Isabel Grey. More to come in next month’s “WordCrafter News”.
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Can Michele close the book on her neighbor’s mysterious past before a killer sets his sights on her?
With her kids away for the summer, widow Michele Lopez Hanson struggles with her newfound solitude. When her unmarried retired neighbor Gidget asks her to document her career in the art world, she’s eager for the company…and the advice on coping with an empty nest. But their trek down memory lane turns into a missing person search when Gidget dies and leaves behind a will that tasks Michele with finding her long-lost love child.
Before the casket lid closes, she feels a wave of sympathy for the endless stream of mourners from Gidget’s days as a high-powered art dealer. But when she learns the murderous truth behind Gidget’s death and she’s named the prime suspect, Michele realizes any one of the grieving artists and collectors could be the love child’s mystery father or her neighbor’s killer. To complete the memoir and clear her name, Michele must discover the ugly motives behind the picture-perfect murder before she joins her friend six feet under.
I listened to the audiobook edition of Fighting for Anna, a Michelle Lopez Hanson mystery, by Pamela Fagan Hutchins and narrated by Natalie Gray. I was immersed in this story from the very first chapter, when Michelle finds her elderly neighbor dead and the deputy she reports it to is so hostile toward her, foreshadowing the accusation later that she is the murderer. This story is well crafted with an intricately woven plot, and a diverse set of distinctive characters.
Michelle’s nieghbor is an elderly lady who was once the belle of the Houston art scene, who wants Michelle Lopez Hanson to be her biographer. But when Michelle and her kids find her neighbor dead, things begin to turn strange. Especially when it is revealed that Michelle was named as the beneficiary in the neighbor’s will and Michelle makes it her personal mission to make sure the woman, Anna’s, last wishes are fulfilled. When it is revealed thaat Anna was poisoned and Michelle is arrested for the murder, things really begin to heat up, and it just keeps getting hotter as Michelle with each clue that Michelle uncovers.
Natalie Gray has a wonderful voice which matches what I thought the character of Michelle Lopez Hanson would sound like. In addition, she manages distinctive voices for each character, and paces the story well.
An audiobook that will keep you listening to the very last page. Well crafted to keep you guessing, with just enough twists to maintain anticipation throughout. I give Fighting For Anna five quills.
(The Special Chirp Link above was given to me for sharing this book with others by Chirp. It offers this audiobook for $1 to new Chirp users, but it is regularly priced for repeat customers. I receive no monetary compensation or gain if you use it.)
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
“Who Killed Cock Robin” is an English nursery rhyme which is believed to be ancient although the earliest record of the rhyme is in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book published in 1744. This version only contained the first four verses. The longer version was first printed in approximately 1770.
You can listen to a lovely rendition of “Who Killed Cock Robin” here:
Alternatively, these are the lyrics:
Who killed Cock Robin? I, said the Sparrow, with my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin.
Who saw him die? I, said the Fly, with my little teeny eye, I saw him die
Who caught his blood? I, said the Duck, It was just my luck, I caught his blood.
Who’ll make the shroud? I, said the Beetle, With my thread and needle, I’ll make the shroud.
Who’ll dig his grave? I, said the Owl, With my pick and trowel, I’ll dig his grave.
Who’ll be the parson? I, said the Rook, With my little book, I’ll be the parson.
Who’ll be the clerk? I, said the Lark, if it’s not in the dark, I’ll be the clerk.
Who’ll carry the link? I, said the Linnet, I’ll fetch it in a minute, I’ll carry the link.
Who’ll be chief mourner? I, said the Dove, I mourn for my love, I’ll be chief mourner.
Who’ll carry the coffin? I, said the Kite, If it’s not through the night, I’ll carry the coffin.
Who’ll bear the pall? I, said the Crow, With the cock and the bow, I’ll bear the pall.
Who’ll sing a psalm? I, said the Thrush, As she sat on a bush, I’ll sing a psalm.
Who’ll toll the bell? I, said the Bull, Because I can pull, I’ll toll the bell.
All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing, when they heard the bell toll for poor Cock Robin.
There is an alternative ending in which the sparrow who killed Cock Robin is hanged for his crime.
Dark Origins
Despite the earliest known record of this nursery rhyme being in 1744, there is some evidence that it may be much older.
A 15th century stained glass window in Buckland Rectory, Gloucestershire depicts the death of a robin by an arrow.
Picture credit: Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi Medieval Stained Glass in Great Britain https://www.cvma.ac.uk/jsp/location.do?locationKey=13&mode=COUNTY . The central diamond depicts a bird with an arrow in its chest and the diamond on the right depicts a bird holding an arrow – Is it a sparrow?
There are similarities between this nursery rhyme and a poem, Phyllyp Sparowe, written by John Skelton in 1508 which is about the death of the narrator’s pet bird.
There are a number of different theories about the meaning of the nursery rhyme. Some believe it is a parody of the death of King William II who was killed by an arrow which hunting in the New Forest (Hampshire) in 1100. King William was known as William Rufus which means “red”.
Another possibility is that the rhyme relates to the fall of Robert Walpole’s government in 1742. Robin is a short form of Robert. Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford and known as Sir Robert Walpole between 1725 and 1742, was a British statesman and Whig politician and is generally regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. You can read more about Robert Walpole here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Walpole
Another alternative is that the nursery rhyme was inspired by ancient myths and legends:
The rhyme could record a mythological event such as the death of the god, Balder, from Norse mythology or the ritual sacrifice of a king as proposed in “The Cutty Wren” theory of a ‘pagan survival’. “The Cutty Wren” is a traditional English folk song which is believed to represent the human sacrifice of the year king or the slaughter of a wren, king of the birds, at the end of the year as a symbolic subsitute.
According to Celtic traditions, Lugh, the sun god who dies as the nights get longer after the summer solstice is depicted with a bow-and-arrow shape. Lugh represented the red sun and was known in Welsh as “Coch Rhi Ben” or Cock Robin. The sparrow who kills him may represent Bran the Blessed, the god of winter in the form of a raven.
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Want to be sure not to miss any of Robbie’s “Dark Origins” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress. If you found it interesting or entertaining, please share.
It was a busy summer in the bird sanctuary, with many, many visitors, some the old reliables I’ve I’ve seen before, but also some new faces and today, i’d like to share some of them with you.
Unidentifed WarblerJuvinelle White NuthatchUnidentified Baby Black-Headed GrossbeakAmericanRobinWestern TanangerWoodpeckerHummingbirdTurkey Vulture
I’ve had the little yellow-bellied warblers in the first photo this year for the first time. I think they are warblers, but have been unable to identify the type as yet.
White Nuthatches are year round residents. The one in the photo is a juvenille. I always talk about seeing babies, but in truth, I never see the babies. If they are old enough to be where I can see them, they are juvenilles, but they are still awfully cute and I enjoy watching them.
The third photo is an unidentified baby or juvenille. I would guess it to be some type of wren. You can tell it is a young one because of the ruffled appearance caused by the fine baby feathers which haven’t all been shed.
Black-Headed Grossbeaks are summer residents and I’ve seen several youngsters raised each summer. They are gluttons who like to clean out my feeders. The one in the photo sat there eating for a long time, hogging up the whole feeder.
I watch for the American Robins to return as a sure sign that spring has arrived. They have babies twice a year, so I’ve watched several Robin families grow up, and although I can’t be sure, I think the babies return as adults to raise their own families the next year.
The Western Tanager is one of the most colorful birds I’ve ever seen in the wild. Although I have seen them in years past occassionally, this year, I had them in droves. I believe I mentioned this in my last post from the sanctuary, when talking of my colorful trees.
Woodpeckers are frequent visitors, and some years they nest in the sanctuary. The one in the seventh photo is either a Strickland’s or a Nutall’s Woodpecker. I’m not sure which.
Hummingbird’s and welcome visitors every year. The green-backed Rufus Hummingbirds arrive in the spring, even earlier than the Robins. In July, I get the Allen’s Humminbirds, which are orange and more aggressive. When they arrive the skies become a flyzone as the Hummingbird wars begin. The one in the eighth photo is a Rufus Humminbird who stopped to perch atop a Mullien plant and say good morning.
The Turkey Vulture was a surprise visitor which I had only seen one other time. They are birds, but not the kind I put out food for, so they usually don’t pay the santuary much mind. But this guy dropped in unexpectedly and hung out a few minutes, long enough for me to snap some photos. When he flew away, his wingspan was huge. They are ugly, but majestic birds, bigger than hawks, but perhaps about the size of eagles.
In the first picture below you see both a woodpecker and a Cassin’s Finch. Woodpeckers often hang on the bottom of the feeder as their size makes perching difficult. They also hang from the hummingbird feeders, not for the nectar, but for the ants that it attracts. The Cassin’s Finch always look to me like someone splashed red paint over their heads, a glimpse of bright red or pink in a sea of green pine boughs.
On the ground in the second picture below is a juvenille mourning dove from the second batch of babies I’ve seen this year.
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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger. With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family? A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.
TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.
INSPIRED BY: The World Famous Corpus Christi Chronophage Clock, created by Dr. John C Taylor, OBE, and artist Anya Gallaccio’s Crystal Grotto, in Juniper Artland, Scotland.
Bloodstone is Book 1 in M.J. Mallon’s The Curse of Time series. I’m not sure what I expected when Ipicked up this book. I’m a sucker for time-travel stories, and the subject of time and parallel worlds perplex me, so I suppose I expected something along those lines given the claock on the cover and the series title. But that is not at all what this book is. But, Bloodstone may be just as enchanting.
This tale is a young adult novel dealing with the issues of a fifteen-year-old girl who has a very strange life. While her home life may be disfunctional, other parts of her life are magical in this delightful tale of magical realism. Things happen which may seem odd or unusual, but they seem to be everyday occurances in the fantastical world which Mallon has created.The result is a paranormal fantasy that deals with real adolecent issues like friends and boyfriends, peer pressure, depression, self-harm, and betrayal, in a manor that raises awareness, and still entertains.
Another unexpected touch the author offers up in this story is a syllabic poem as the heading of each chapter, which offers a hint to the events in the chapter to come. I found this to be a clever way to clue readers in and creative way to add to the magicalfeel of the story.
A refreshing surprise, Bloodstone captured my attention and my heart. I give it five quills.
I am very excited to be featuring Kaye Lynne Booth for my August Treasuring Poetry post. I have been working with Kaye Lynne for a number of years now and I have short stories in all of her anthologies. Kayne Lynne and I also co-edit the annual Poetry Treasures anthologies.
Small Wonders is Kaye’s first book of poetry and I am pleased to include my review of this delightful collection here today.
I know that your poetry collection, Small Wonders, includes poetry from throughout your writing career. Do you think your poetry writing has changed much over this period?
My poetry has been a series of experiments. I like to play with words and styles. I have written syllabic poetry, limericks, acrostic poems, shape poems that form visual images on the page, and more.
Do you do a lot of editing of your poetry or does the poem manifest itself fully formed?
It depends on the poem. Intimacy & the Harlequin Dance was written when I was on a fifteen minutes break at work, but they usually don’t come quite that easy. Aspen Tree is minimalist poem and I worked several days on it to get the words just right.
You have been sharing some of your poetry as YouTube videos? Do you find this a effective way of sharing poetry with poetry lovers?
I have done several readings of poems from Small Wonders. We started doing readings of both poetry and fiction because they work well for the blog tours. Many contributing authors have been quite enthusiastic about it. But the ones for my poetry collection are the first I’ve done for a solo project.
Do you think poetry is still a relevant form of expressing ideas in our modern world? If yes, why?
I do. I think poetry is a wonderful form of expression, and I think it helps to process emotions to try and put them into just the right words.
Which of your own poems is your favorite?
Mist chills morning air
Frosty dew coats stem and blade
Sun’s warmth awakens
This is a reading by Kaye Lynne Booth of Aspen Tree which features in Small Wonders:
Which poem by any other poet that you’ve read, do you relate to the most and why?
I’ve always felt a connection with Emily Dickinson, because she wrote about everyday things and made them seem interesting. It wasn’t that she saw the world through different eyes, but that she paid such close attention to the details of what she did see that she could describe it in a manner that others could relate to. That’s what poetry is about. Attention to detail.
“I Could Not Stop For Death“, by Emily Dickenson is one of my favorites because it speaks of the inevitability of death and being too busy with life to stop for it. Dickenson spent most of her life as a recluse and her poetry takes note of the most ordinary things, calling attention to them in extraordinary ways.
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses’ Heads
Were toward Eternity –
My review of Small Wonders by Kaye Lynne Booth
The poems featured in this collection have been written over Kaye Lynne’s life and share a wide spectrum of memories, some full of fun, for example My ‘Vette, some are achingly beautiful, Sun and Shade immediately sprang to mind, and some, like A Single Heartbeat are poignantly sad. All are worthwhile and inform the reader about the human condition whether delight in nature, agonising over trauma and grief, or throwing care to the wind and ‘riding the wave of life.’
Kaye Lynne’s poetry style is straight forward and simple, my favourite type of poetry, and is very relatable to all of us who have walked life’s path, experiencing its ups and downs. A few of the poems are printed on lovely background artworks which embellish their meaning and purpose.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is her passion. It is a very strange time indeed when Kaye Lynne does not have at least three WIPs, in addition to her other writings, teaching and other life activities. Kaye Lynne lives, works and plays in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.
Visit her author’s blog and website, “Writing to be Read” to learn more about Kaye Lynne Booth and her writing. https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s book and three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.
You may be aware that I’m currently running a Kickstarter campaign for The Rock Star & The Outlaw, my time-travel adventure novel,which was inspired by the music of The Pretty Reckless. It’s a rocking story that you won’t want to miss, and you can learn more about it and support the campaign through the link above. But it’s come to my attention that many of you, who might happily buy this book through a distributor, which is the route we are most used to using to buy books, may be hesitant to purchase through this less familiar method of book buying. I thought I might offer some insight into how a Kickstarter works and the reasons why you might buy books via Kickstarter.
How does a Kickstarter Work?
Kickstarters are a method of direct selling that operates on the large spike business model, meaning the author gets a large spike in sales, rather than having them trickling in through distributors. Big name authors like Brandon Sanderson, Kevin J. Anderson, Dean Wesley Smith, and Joanna Penn are launching campaigns that are funding within minutes of launch, and making major money buying adding stretch goals to keep momentum going throughout the campaign.
As an unknown author, my first campaign, for Delilah, didn’t fund until the very last day, but it did fund. So it is possible for the little guy or gal to make a buck from our books this way. I set my goal lower, at $500, which I felt I could more likely reach, while the big authors shoot for thousands. I’d love to reachy goal early and be able to add some of those stretch goals like to the big guys though.
Kickstarters are crowd funding, so they are an all of nothing deal. If the campaign pledges meet the campaign goal set, the author receives all the money raised, minus Kickstarter’s 5%, (which is a lot better than the 30% which most distributors take). But if you don’t meet the funding goal, then none of the pledges are collected and you aren’t responsible to deliver any of the rewards.
As an author, you decide what your reward levels will be and what rewards will be offered. As a reader, you can support a Kickstarter for any amount, even $1, with no reward, (and yes, people do do this just to support an author they like or a project they feel is worthwhile), or choose a reward level offered by the author. Once you back the campaign at some level, you will be able to see the add ons which are available at that level for an additional cost, making even more deals available to you.
Because Kickstarter also promoted your campaign, you are able to reach a whole new audience of potential backers in the Kickstarter community. They have a whole community of people who back the projects which they feel are worthwhile, so it’s a great way to expand your audience.
The video below offers a brief overview. (Note: there is no audio for this video).
Support authors you already love or new authors you’d like to give a try.
Get books for less before they are available through distributors and exclusive items which you can’t find anywhere else, like signed print copies and other merchandise.
Check out my Kickstarter campaign for The Rock Star & The Outlaw to see what it’s all about. If you like the project, show your support at the reward level.of your choice while your there. All support is appreciated.
Outline your novel for success, taught by a master writer and instructor. Bestselling author David Farland taught dozens of writers who went on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Mayer (Twilight). Dave was an award-winning, international best-selling author with over 50 novels in print, and a tireless mentor and instructor of new writers. His book Million Dollar Outlines is a seminal work teaching authors how to create a blueprint for a novel that can lead to bestseller success. In this book, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel to appeal to a wide readership. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors went on to prominence. David Farland was hailed as “The wizard of storytelling” and one of the best writing instructors in the field for many years. Dave passed away in January 2022, but WordFire Press is pleased to bring this vital resource back to a wider readership.
What I love about books on the craft of writing, is that they get my mind working as I automatically try to apply the techniques I’m reading about to my current W.I.P., and it often takes my writing in new directions which I hadn’t imagined before. Million Dollar Outlines, by David Farland did this for me with, not one, but two books which I am currently working on. As all my Delilah Kickstarter campaign backers know, I am actively working on the research and outline for Sarah, Book 2 in my Women in the West adventure series, and this is the book I intended to try out Farlands methods with, but I found some of his advice needed to be applied to a story which I’m just finishing up.
By reading through the elements that Farland believed should go into your outline, I discovered some things that I knew my western time-travel romance adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw needed, but had neglected to consider as I flew through the writing during NaNoWriMo last year. If you were with me then, you will know that I had a partial working outline, which changed as events in my story veered from the path I had prepared, but mostly my fingers just flew over the keys at every opportunity, and I adjusted my outline accordingly, so there was little time to think about the purpose that each scene or chapter served besides moving my story from point A to point B. (Which is why, this year, I plan to be better prepared and I’m currently working on the outline for Sarah, so that I have a fully developed outline when November roles around.) So as I read this very informative book, which is packed chock full of useful writing advice, I saw places where the Rock Star story is lacking, and even though I’m well past the outlining stage with this book, I went back and did the checks to be sure my story was hitting all the proper beats, and it wasn’t. That’s why took the time for a developmental edit and do the revisions, and now, it is.
Of course, I also used this book to improve my outlining technique with Sarah, which was my original lol intent, keeping in mind that MillionDollarOutlines is a book aimed at outlining to increase productivity. In order to do that, Farland begins by asking, and answering, questions such as ” Why do we read or crave stories?”, or “What is a story and how does it work?”. Then he has you take a look at the shape of your story.
With Sarah, I already knew that the shape of her story would be similar to that of Delilah, because they are both in the same series. Delilah was my first novel and a huge experiment where I tried many different methods and styles, but my method of creating a partial outline and revising as I go seems to have stuck with me with The Rock Star & The Outlaw, so I had planned to stick with it on Sarah.
According to Farland’s theory, that will no doubt make Sarah linear in style with numerous obstacles and hurtles to overcome along the way, because like Delilah, Sarah will embark on a hero’s journey as an unwilling traveler turned heroine. I use this method because it offers me some direction to get the story started, but also allows flexibility because my stories rarely end up going where I start out thinking they are headed.
Next, Farland has us look at the potential for a best selling story and how to analyze your audience to better create stories that readers will like. This is not something which I would normally think about when outlining, but it is something that every author should think about if the end goal is to sell what we write, and what better time to think about this step, than during the outlining process?
Farland also talks about the elements of story, such as setting, characters, conflict and treatment. Normally, I write out a scene out starting with the character interaction which moves the story forward, then I go back and fill in the descriptions to bring the setting to life, so his suggestion to develop the settings in the outlining process, would be a very different approach for me. By outlining in this way, I can see the potential to have most of the pieces to my story in place in my outline where I could almost pluck them from the outline and place them into the story, like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle.
Regarding characters, had a good start with Sarah because her character was at least partially developed in Delilah. In addition, I had a pretty good idea of who my supporting characters were going to be, and their parts in the story because they are either historical characters, which I took certain liberties with. So, all I had to do with them was to develop them more, giving each a physical description and a part in the book. In addition to Sarah, members of her Ute Indian family also made brief appearances in Delilah, so they just needed to be fleshed out a bit. And then there are the two characters who two of my supporters in the Delilah Kickstarter campaign got the privilege of naming which needed to be fully developed.
Once I knew who my characters were and the role that each would play, I had a basic outline of events written out, because you can’t know what role a character will play until you figure out what they do in the story. But this is my list of main/supporting characters.
Sarah – protagonist – red hair and freckles – 17 – raised in bordello, traveled with Delilah until she was abducted and sold to the Utes, who treated her well & she was happy with. She strives for self-reliance and learns healing from the old Ute woman, Flies like a Heron, becoming a valuable member of the tribe.
Three Hawks – love interest – Sarah’s Ute husband- kind to Sarah, but brave warrior- son on tribal elder, will one day be chief.- traded many horses for Sarah and fights to keep her.
Flies Like a Heron – healer & mentor – kind old woman & wife of Ute shaman, Raven Wings – teaches Sarah healing ways
Owoz Crebo – Antagonist – lone Sioux warrior who visits Ute camp guised as a friend, but steals away with Sarah in the night – an outcast of his own tribe – old & scarred
Lillian Alura Bennett – Temptress – red haired Irish Woman who runs boarding house/ bordello in Glenwood Springs – was orphaned and became a ‘crib girl’, then worked her up until she made a spot for herself in one of the better houses, the bought out the madame – kind offers Sarah a room in exchange for her domestic services.
Kate Elder – mentor – historical character – independent prostitute, on her own since young, companion to Henry ‘Doc’ Holliday – came to Glenwood Springs in his last days & cared for him, kind of ‘the woman behind the man’s – kind, helps Sarah, takes care of Doc
This is my list of settings which will need to developed. I’ve done a lot of research on the history of Glenwood Springs, but the rest must come from within my own head, but a few back woods excursions may be in order to get a feel for the terrain.
Ute camp – already partially developed from Delilah.
Cliffs where Indian battle takes place
Mountains between Telluride and Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Springs, 1887 – a. Glenwood Hotel/ Docs room & Fictional boarding house
Farland goes on to offer up plotting tools, which can be used in the construction of your story to hit the emotional beats that will grasp your readers and won’t let go. He suggests tools such as timebombs, dilemmas, crucibles, reversals, revelations, twists, motivations, mystery, romance, varying emotions, gads, braiding conflicts, varying conflicts, identity conflicts, centering, doubling, haunting, tripling, stacking, growth, duality, the third alternative, the rule of threes, spectacles, adding a thematic line, placing your world in jeopardy, or creating an epic. I’ve used a few of these, such as the rule of threes, twists, revalations, and reversals, but others were new to me. I bet you see a few tools in the list above which could use some explanation. I know there were for me.
We all know what a twist is, when the story suddenly takes off in an unexpected direction, or a revelation, where your characters reveal something about themselves which bears on their actions in the story. The Rule of Threes says that you should call something that you want readers to notice three different times throughout the story, if you want it to stick in your readers head. I’ve used that one in every story that I’ve written. Doubling, tripling and haunting are all methods of doing just that. Some, like placing the world in jeopardy, may work better for certain genres more than others, but it is always a good way to raise the stakes in the story. I used this one in my science fantasy series, still in progress, Playground for the Gods, which centers on a group of beings who destroyed their own planet and come to Earth to make their new home, but some members threaten to repeat their peoples mistakes and destroy Earth as well. This particular tale is also an epic, so there’s another plotting tool used to create story.
Then, Farland goes on to discuss the plotting process, talking about what makes a good beginning, middle and end and incorporating it all into your outline. I’m busy working right now, incorporating some of Dave Farlands suggestions into my outline for Sarah.
I have a more detailed outline right now for Sarah than I ever had for any story, and it still looks like it will be too short. I’ll have to go back and see what other plotting tools I may I want to ascertain that book 2 in my Women in the West series will be even better than book 1.
Will it be a million dollar outline? Not in the sense in which Farland was using it. He used his outlines to sell his stories to publishers and producers. For Sarah, I am both author and producer, but maybe the story will sell enough copies to make a million. I’ll just have to wait and see. I hope you’ll stick around until Sarah comes out in 2024 to see the end results, too.
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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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