"I found Wolfdo!"

 Look who's just now popping up after dropping off the face of the planet! Yeah, that's right, me; and when I say I dropped off the face of the planet, I mean it literally. I was off visiting good ol' home sweet Chronalachi. Where do you think I went?

So, woe and alas, I learned I did not make the first cut in the ABNA...but I'll send them reeling next year, hopefully.
In other news, The Dawnwolf is now $9.99 on paperback and $5.99 on Kindle! So if you haven't gotten it yet, now is the perfect time to buy it for yourself OR a fellow fantasy-crazed friend!
I'm very honored to have gotten such good reviews. Mind you, those were based on the first edition...I can only imagine how impressed they'd be with the second one now! Ha, only joking...but seriously. I didn't write those myself to look good. That would be lame.
Oh, here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Dawnwolf-Second-Mary-W-Hills/dp/1479141054/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356813810&sr=1-2&keywords=the+dawnwolf

So you might be wondering what I've really been up to...well...that's none of your business since it doesn't have much to do with writing, but I guess I'll admit to you that I was TAKING A BREAK. Yes, you read that right. TAKING A BREAK. No, I haven't given up on writing, but it seems like lately I've been losing interest, but that's a whole other story entirely. I'm still in the game, but I do need some help. I'm kind of stuck in a rut regarding promotion and marketing my book (The Dawnwolf). I probably won't be releasing a new novel until I can figure this all out, but as I always say, life is a team effort, a battle that should never be fought alone. Go ahead; quote my words of wisdom and put it on a golden plaque.

If you can assist me in any way, I will be MOST grateful, and you will surely be awarded if you advice gives me a significant breakthrough. THANK YOU in advance!

Today's word is...
Asphyxiation:
 The condition of being deprived of oxygen (as by having breathing stopped); suffocation.

Not a fun word. Somebody give me a paper bag.
Wolf

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards

I stayed up until past midnight waiting and entering my novel into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards contest. (Which I will be abbreviating to ABNA like a normal person from here on out.)
I was very nervous/excited when it all came down to that last button I had to click in order to throw my book out into the contest. I'm still excited. I truly hope to be chosen. You guys can help make this possible when voting comes around in the finals, which hopefully I will make it to. I'm setting my hopes and sights high! There will be no pessimism over here, but no arrogance, either.
For now...we wait.

Currently I'm still taking time off from FireHeart. I won't be publishing it until The Dawnwolf attracts enough decent attention. Want to see FireHeart sooner? Help is appreciated. ;)

Super stoked!
Wolf

The Dawnwolf Website

Hey folks! I'm here to quickly show you a new website I created for The Dawnwolf. It's pretty basic, but it should do for now until I can create something better. Which I will, in later time.
You can read the "bonus chapter" found only in the second edition there, a 2k+ word excerpt, buy the novel, follow and/or contact me! Check it out! http://maryhills.wix.com/thedawnwolf

Wolf

The Dawnwolf (Book Trailer)

Okay, I'm going to have to hand it to you straight. I got hardly anything done on FireHeart. I did, however, eat tamales last night, so I'm a super happy camper. That's one resolution off the list. ♪
So! If you didn't peek ahead already, you'll see I just posted a video. That, my friend, is a book trailer to help promote my novel, The Dawnwolf. Check it out!

Hand drawn images, photo effects, royalty free music, and Windows Movie Maker--all of these went hand in hand in hand in hand. If it's necessary to specify how many hands went in hand. It's a start, considering my limitations. You guys are all I have (sob, sob), so don't hesitate to show it to friends and pass the link around! Just don't re-upload without my permission or credit.

I'm snooping around and figuring out different ways I can spread the word about my novel. I've successfully caught the eyes of a few people aside from relatives and friends, which is pretty good. By the way, if you've read and finished The Dawnwolf, please do leave a review and rating on Amazon! You'll be helping me out in many ways if you give your opinion, because it counts.
If you have and suggestions pertaining to how I can further expand the audience of my novel, please share! As a self-publisher, I have to do it all by my wee little self until I get a publisher for the big girls. I hope to achieve this if I win grand prize in the Amazon Breakthrough Awards, WHICH begin submission in less than a week. I keep forgetting. Ah.

So, while I'm busy promoting my novel, psyching myself to edit and revise FireHeart, and already plotting for my next project (which I'm pretty sure I've decided on), I'll manage to keep you posted. I highly recommend transforming into a blue bird and stalking me in the land of Twitter, or creepily say that you like me on Facebook. Or you can add me, but if you start any funny business I won't hesitate to kick you off. Sorry, I have a reputation to keep, and tamales to protect.
Wait...what...

Word of the Day
Skullduggery:
Trickery: verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way.

...I'm not skullduggerying you. What? Bad grammar? Yes, I'm a published author, why do you ask?

Wolf

New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year! I have a whole long list of profound resolutions as do you, I'm sure. I have mental list, really, but all I can seem to think about is tamales. I seem to have an odd craving for them lately. Have you ever had one?

Anyway, guess what! The Dawnwolf is now not only available on Amazon and CreateSpace, but on Kindle, and to libraries and bookstores. I'm assuming it will have to be requested in order to appear there, but I'm going to go bother my local library later on to consider my book. If you want to see it on your library, too, well, go ahead! Request it! Let's see if this works. I appreciate it.
Also, you might notice a new link on the side bar there. Yup, Wolfie has a Twitter, now. She does indeed! Go and follow me, all ye tweetlings! https://twitter.com/WritingProgress

Back to resolutions, I think my two biggest are getting The Dawnwolf promoted and noticed and getting FireHeart edited and published. Then, it's on to the next project, and the same thing next year!
But do you want to know what I'm going to do this year? Like, in 14 days?
I'm entering the Amazon Breakthrough Awards! Yes...I'm just crazy enough to think my novel could have a chance, and, considering all the lovely feedback I'm getting from it, I could be right. I'm hopeful to even win grand prize, because $50k and a publishing offer sounds pret-ty darn good to me. I will squander it on fabulous pleasantries, like jewelry, dresses, and shoes! Nah, I'm playin'...I'd put it to good use, like furthering my writing career.

I'm also really hungry right now.

Starting today, unless I'm stricken with tragic symptoms of laziness, I'm going to continue writing in FireHeart, just like it was still NaNoWriMo. Meaning, I'll be writing about 1k words a day, maybe. I'm not in as much of a hurry as I was last year since I can use my CreateSpace winner's code for another novel if I don't meet the deadline.
At any rate, if I don't write today, I'll edit. There are a lot of things popping out to me that I'm itching to correct. This should reduce the cheese-o-matic gauge--which is to say, the level of the novel's cheesiness. It's not that cheesy, but it has its moments...

Yeah, well, that's what's up! I also uploaded a profile on Amazon's Author Central. It'll probably appear within my novel's Amazon page. By the way, if you think someone will be interested in he Dawnwolf, please spread the word! Thanks a ton, I owe you one!

I would give you a word today, but the only words that come to mind are "stomach" and "tamales".
A stomach is an internal organ in which the food you ingest goes to be digested. It has a tendency to growl when you need to eat. Tamales are a Mexican food with seasoned meat wrapped in cornmeal dough, steamed or baked in corn husks.

*drool*
Wolf

The Dawnwolf (Second Edition) Now Available!

The publishing process wrapped up sometime this morning and now The Dawnwolf is available in the usual locations, which you can find, along with a few other links, on the right-hand sidebar. I swapped the first edition with the second edition, don't worry, but the first edition is still available. They're the same price, $11.99.
I'll be releasing it on Kindle soon once I finish setting up my account info later on, and then extend the distribution to bookstores and libraries. Now, here's the thing; it won't just pop up into the store overnight, or even in a week. It has to be requested, I do believe. Not sure how that's done, but if you do, I'll let you know when I extend the distribution, and I'm sure you could request it. That, or I'd much appreciate it if you'd help me figure out how to do it myself if I can! I'm a noob writer. Enough experience in writing, but not in publication, promotion, and the like...you understand, right? Good! Thanks muchly!

Here, I'll give you the links here anyway:

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Dawnwolf-Second-Mary-W-Hills/dp/1479141054/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356813810&sr=1-2&keywords=the+dawnwolf
CreateSpace:
https://www.createspace.com/3941780

Copyrighted Content. All Rights Reserved.

*UPDATE: The Dawnwolf is now available on Kindle, too! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AUXUW6E

Wolf

Good Tidings!

Merry Christmas, by the way, or Happy Holidays. Whichever thou dost prefer.
I come with good news after my month-long absence! The good news is that I haven't been slacking all this time! But no, really, even better...wait for it...wait for it...drumroll, anyone? No? Okay, fine.
All right, the time is here. The second edition of The Dawnwolf is complete! Yes, my dear friend, it is 100% done, corrected, and ready to hit bookstores, libraries, and e-stores! That will take a little time, but I'll spam you with links once it happens.
I'm so stoked and excited! This has been made possible all thanks to three brilliant ladies by the names of E. G. Windsor, Victoria Grace, and Teddy Ashcraft. In honor of their epic, typo-smashing, grammatical-error-burning, time-consuming feats at the keyboard in spite of busy schedules, I hereby add them to my list of loyal contributors and bellow my loudest and giddiest thanks! I couldn't have done it without you guys! Words can't express my gratitude. Actions might. I'd hug and squeeeeeeeeze you all if I could.
As I write this, I'm getting ready to publish it. Since I have to go attend to that business, I don't have time to say anything else, so I will get back with you later!
Thanks for your continued support, everyone! I didn't forget about you!

Wolf

Winner of NaNoWriMo 2012!

Would you look at that! I've finished a day early. I did cut back down to 50k as the goal since things got kind of hectic around here, but I still beat my goal with a word count of 50,311.
However, my novel isn't anywhere near finished yet. I still have yet to write an extremely major part of the novel. If I can guess correctly, that might add another 15k or so under the belt. I have to say things went really well for me this year! There were many bumps and blocks in the road, but I managed to move past them on my way to the finish line. I'm still cringing a little at some of the slightly cheesy stuff I threw in there, but that's all right. I won, that's all that matters. I can contend with the rest later. I'll make that my New Year's resolution like I did this year. Another resolution would be to ask a bunch of people to help me edit and/or review this novel instead of me doing it all by myself. I've learned my lesson.

So, how is NaNoWriMo going for you? Whether you're extremely behind, just wrapping it up, or you've already won, I wish you the best! It's a huge challenge and a mad scramble when you happen to be behind, but no worries. You can do it. Even if you don't win, you're no loser. You made the effort, and you're sure to have an even better strategy next year! I can help you with that, too. All you need to do is ask.

Word of the Day
Hornswoggle:
Get the better of (someone) by cheating or deception.

Weird word.

Peace!
Wolf

(P.S. Wondering about The Dawnwolf Second Edition? It's on the way. I've been waiting on a reviewer for a while, but once she's done, I'll finish the corrections and send it out. At the very latest, it should be out by the New Year!)

30 Covers 30 Days - Winner of Day 20

Me again. Two posts in the same day. Well technically this should have been posted 2 days ago, and technically it's day 22 of 30 Covers 30 Days, but I didn't know I had won the cover until today, when a fellow NaNoer PMed me congratulating me.
Thank you, fellow NaNoer!I wouldn't have wanted to be the last to know!
By the way, for those of you who don't know, 30 Covers 30 Days is an event that runs through the NaNoWriMo challenge. 30 lucky Wrimos are picked to have their novel covers created by a professional. Each day, the winner is picked and the cover is posted. I won day 20! Out of millions of users out there, I was one of 30 who got picked. Wow, what an honor, really!

Here's the link to the one that was created for me: http://blog.lettersandlight.org/post/36147317396/30-covers-30-days-2012-day-20

The picture of Jesus is a lovely, traditional looking painting (not at all fitting to my time period), yet kind of blurry, and the border and cover font look like they were done on Microsoft Paint.
Okay...but let me get this straight. I'm not gonna say I don't appreciate that someone actually considered my novel, and many actually loved my synopsis (which as you'll see is slightly outdated because I've since altered the story, that's my bad!), it's just that even though I could very well create a cover myself, I was hoping to see someone do better than I could.
This cover might be just fine if you were reading about Catholic history, perhaps, but if you've been following me long enough, you probably know that my novel is not about that. If you read all the comments on the post I just linked to, that will sum up the gist of it; Axle is not Christ, but a follower of Christ. Christ is the heart of the novel, but not in an up-in-your-face kind of way like the cover suggests.
When you read the synopsis, you see there's a group of young rockstars in a modern world living the dream. Then you add the bassist in, who unexpectedly changes all of their lives. That's FireHeart, summed up in a rather un-profound way, but still. This cover hardly reflects that.
To put it very simply, I just don't think this would attract many people in the bookstore. I would also move on to the next book if I saw this, and I probably wouldn't even bother to look at the back.
I know, the designer and I didn't actually meet face-to-face to create this cover, but I'm a little startled at the lack of imagination here. I'm not saying Jennifer Morla has a lacking imagination though--she probably has a reason for this. Maybe she did like it, but if not, I'd imagine maybe her schedule was too cramped, maybe she was out of time, or perhaps she wasn't really familiar with this idea and wasn't 100% sure what to do with it. I'm little puzzled, but I suppose this is just how the world works sometimes. I really do appreciate that I got picked. I'm not complaining here. Believe me, I'm actually quite ecstatic! This is better than not getting picked at all. I'm happy I took this opportunity, and thankful that someone took the time to do this, whether they wanted to or not. I do hope I don't sound overly critical, I just felt like I needed to get my point across.


With that, I'm out! Thanks for your support, by the way--that's another thing I'm thankful for on this day!
Wolf

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you ran out of Halloween candy, good luck with making the pumpkin pie last longer. I have a family to keep me in line...cough...I mean share it with.
I have loads of things to be thankful for today, and even every other day. Too many things to list, but from the writer's perspective, I'd say I'm most thankful for...um, pumpkin pie. Sorry, that's all I can seem to think about today!
Happy Thanksgiving, NaNoers! If its the 22nd, that means we only have a little over a week left of the challenge! I need to get 24-23k done. But it's entirely possible. I'm at 36,729 at this very moment. I'm supposed to hit 38,936 today.Yes...I'm the writer who almost never sleeps. Figuratively speaking.
So guess what! I've made some major changes to my novel. Axle is now the bassist, since he claims to know how to play bass guitar as well. He does the job well, but as Sonja says, "the fact that he's also a background vocalist and my assistant songwriter makes him less disposable than most bassists." Ouch.
He's still skilled at guitar, but I remembered Sonja needed a bassist more than a third guitarist, since she plays guitar herself for some songs. Alongside that, some of their ages have changed, but not much.
You probably already peeked ahead, but I whipped up the cover image for my novel just the other day. Have another look!

Copyrighted Content. All rights reserved.

I have to admit it's quite lovely. I'll make a few more changes to it before the project is published (which will probably be sometime in the middle of next year) but I like it right now. Almost looks exactly like what I had in mind!

Here's the link to my novel's Facebook page. And by the way, let me know if I need to get a Twitter, if that's more convenient for all of you viewers:

FireHeart - Pride Meets Humility

My encouragement today is...be thankful for every word you write, because each is closer to the last. Not saying you'll die before it's done. Please don't. I'm saying you're gonna finish if you push yourself! I know this from doing it 4 years in a row, and longer with projects outside of NaNoWriMo.

I have one last thing to say. Guys really like pumpkin pie. This is not relationship advice, it's a scientific fact, with a few exceptions.

Wolf

FireHeart - Characters

Well into the second week of the NaNoWriMo challenge, how are your writings going? Are you in a scramble to achieve your daily word count? Did you slam into the ominous tower of Writer's Block? Are you bored with your plot? Characters? Or is everything just about hunky-dory?
Sometimes it's the simple things that you overlooked that cause the biggest problems. Whatever the issue is, allow me to tell you that, with this being my fourth year of NaNoWriMo, and having 7 years of writing experience, I am well able to assist you in whatever stands in your way. Don't be shy, just ask. They may call me Wolf, but I don't bite, promise!
Oh, me? My project's going great. 25k written as of yesterday, and I'm about to hit the novel again after this post. The plot is extremely dull in places, I noticed, but that'll patch up later. Right now the suspense is killing me. I'm itching to get a breakthrough. I think Axle Garrett is, too.
Speaking of the guy, as promised, let me whip up some character descriptions for you to read:

Sonja Leoni: The protagonist and lead singer/songwriter of the band FireHeart. She has long, curly, medium-brown hair, light, hazel eyes, and somewhat bony features. She's also half-Italian. 
While she carries herself with bold confidence and pride, Sonja is skilled at hiding her feelings and past, and her heart's under a lock and key. She strides headstrong through the day, show after show, wearing a plastic smile and a sassy attitude, but all the while is afraid that someone will know what's underneath it all.

Axle Garrett: The deuteragonist and backup singer/songwriter and skilled secondary guitarist of FireHeart. He has mid-neck-length, straight, dirty-blonde-colored hair, light brown eyes, a slightly large jaw and a lightly dimpled chin. He's just a regular white guy with a deep voice influenced by a tinge of a Texas accent.
Axle is down-to-earth, yet quirky and humorous at the same time. In ways, he's the opposite of Sonja, and has a humble and compassionate heart, willing to open up to anyone who will let him. He is quite interested in unlocking Sonja's heart, despite the complications that often stand in his way. He is also protective of not only her, but the rest band, all of whom he perceives as brothers.

Jared Augustine: The antagonist and lead guitarist of the band. He has short, trimmed black hair that sticks up somewhat in the front, light blue eyes, and angular facial features.
Once thing you'll notice right away about Jared is that he's very possessive of Sonja. He's also very competitive of everything, and a little like her, prideful and cocky. He is one to shoot blunt or snide comments in conversation or upon observation of something. Most of the time he ignores Axle, despite his increasing feelings of envy and resentment toward the young man, but even though he almost always speaks (or, rather, blurts) what's on his mind, sometimes it's very difficult to tell what he's really thinking...

Dustin Garcia: An important supporting character. He's the drummer and the backbone of the band. He has long, about shoulder-length brown, somewhat shaggy hair that hangs in his face most of the time. His eyes, whenever you can see them, are brown also. He has sharp features, a strong, sturdy build, and he's half-Hispanic.
Dustin is very quiet and reserved, but also highly observant and intelligent. While he comes off as grumpy and unfriendly most of the time and hardly speaks unless spoken to, after moving past the stage of brief responses, you will eventually find that he is quite open to friendship and can be surprisingly supportive. He and Axle hit it off pretty early on, and the two of them are working together to unlock Sonja's mysterious secrets--for the sake of her own safety. When in trouble, Dustin is always there for any of his band mates, especially Axle, to talk to. But most of all, Dustin is a good listener. He always listens.

And there you have it--the main characters of FireHeart. There's a lot of conflict between them, you may notice!


Word of the Day

Paraphernalia:
1. Miscellaneous articles, esp. the equipment needed for a particular activity.
2. Trappings associated with a particular institution or activity that are regarded as superfluous.

Writing Tip:
If your plot seems dry, there's always a solution. Whether it doesn't have enough development or you're only focusing on the plot itself, some things that always make a novel more interesting for both the writer and the reader are subplots, backstory, and plot twists. A subplot could be a character's personal problem, which they hope to resolve during or at the end of the novel. Or just something else that's happening in the midst of the plot. You can focus on the subplot at any given time, like between intervals of major events in the plot. It helps things to seem less rushed as well.
Backstory gives a lot of realism and depth to the novel and especially the characters. Everyone has a past...and maybe some secrets to be unfolded. Both backstories and subplots could result in a shocking discovery of the character, plot, or a new direction to the plot--a plot twist!
If you're at your wits end of the novel right now, make something sudden and unexpected happen that will throw your novel into an exciting direction. Sudden doesn't necessarily mean random, like a unicorn with a cotton candy mane appearing in the sky, but whatever it is, if its relevant to the story, it should really save your novel's hide!

Encouragement: Remember, this is only the first draft! The Dawnwolf was pretty bad once I finished it last year, but after editing and revision AFTER the challenge, it cleared up. Also, get help from friends, family, and just generally honest people for editing.

Peace, and happy NaNoing!
Wolf

FireHeart - Pride Meets Humility (NaNoWriMo 2012)

So it begins! Are you ready? It's okay, you have all month, but that excuse can only last for so long.
Throughout the month, I'll be posting encouragement and tips for all you guys marching into the battle with me.
First one: I salute you. You took the first step. Keep going and don't stop. That's not a suggestion, it's an order, private!

You were probably wondering what exactly I'm doing this year, even if I did post something about changing my mind, but who's to say I didn't change my mind again?
Well, me. I didn't change my mind! I'm writing an inspirational novel, and something totally different from not only The Dawnwolf, but everything else I've ever written. And I'm excited. Here's the summary!

Meet Sonja Leoni, the 21-year-old lead singer of a rock-pop band called FireHeart at the top of the billboards. Her life with the band
is everything you’d expect from the excitement of mainstream fame; the fans, the paparazzi, and that one irksome band member, namely, Jared Augustine, who makes it quite clear he has a thing for her.
But when she stumbles upon writer’s block for the next album, an unexpected offer of help is extended from a simple guitar-wielding individual she had bumped into a couple months before. This young man, Axle Garrett, an open-minded follower of Christ with a heart of integrity, proves his worth in the position of a secondary guitarist and backup songwriter, despite their drastic differences. But Sonja’s decision to permit Axle assistance, forget flipping her world around—it downright takes her from it as she is tossed into a life-changing experience that she never knew she’d face. What’s worse; hatred rises as Jared grows increasingly envious of Axle.

You may have seen me state it before, but I think there's something for everyone here in this novel. The genre is Christian Contemporary Fiction, or otherwise inspirational, as I just said. But don't get me wrong...I'm not attempting to force my beliefs upon you. Not at all. Certainly, it is my hope that if you should read this after I publish it, that it may spark some curiosity, but its your choice whether to pursue it or not. Just enjoy the story! I will not get into arguments with you either. If you have questions regarding this subject, however, feel free to ask them, publicly or privately--your choice.

This novel is named after the starring band, FireHeart, and it's an entirely original story, inspired by the people around me, all of whom are highly influential in my life. Naming no names, of course, but you and I both know that many characters gain traits from people we know, or even ourselves. Better not to make the character like you, but hey, sometimes it happens.
This novel is not full of preaching and condemnation toward nonbelievers. In fact, I'm certain the novel will show that nonbelievers are still loved. The theme of this novel is when humility confronts pride, in both Christians and nonbelievers, and finds a way to replace the prideful nature with one of humility. The pseudo-subtitle of FireHeart is Pride Meets Humility. Sometimes humble people just don't understand prideful people. Well, sometimes prideful people just don't understand humble people either! As Axle Garrett is thrown into a mix of different kinds of pride among each member of this mainstream rock-pop band, in his curiosity, he realizes that these people are not so very different from him, and they certainly don't really have it all together like they seem to. He ventures deeper into their hearts to unveil their hidden secrets. All the while, Sonja discreetly seeks to figure out just how and where the puzzle pieces of Axle's heart fit together. One big life lesson learned by all, but how does it turn out in the end?
This novel is not a fluffy ponyride. I'm gonna get as gritty as I feel is right without appearing to glorify something I don't mean to.
Alcohol, drugs, obsession, pain, jealousy, hatred... In this story, stuff gets real--and fast.

I really felt led to write this, just like with The Dawnwolf. The plot developed swiftly and beautifully, just like the characters. When a novel idea blooms this fast, it's a keeper!  If you're having trouble with your novel, maybe it needs marinating time, or, maybe an epiphany is just around the corner.
Sometime this week, I'll post the four main characters and their descriptions, like I did last year. Until then, happy writing!
Wolf

NaNoWriMo 2012!

When the clock strikes midnight, it begins, NaNoers. Are you ready? Are you staying up to face the challenge head-on--your dramatic destiny?
Okay, enough of that. Who's psyched? I know I am! I'm getting ready to launch it off with style tonight with another fellow writing BFF.
I'm doing 60k again this year, and I'm determined to make this one even more successful than The Dawnwolf was--and I pray, a thousand times better than Feng Song, my last 60k project...
The Dawnwolf ended up being nearly 60k after I finished the revision. Like, just a few hundred words short. Then if I compare it to Feng Song, I am reminded that quality really does beat the pants off of quantity. 
Just remember that you're writing the first draft, not the final edit. "Take your sticky fingers away from the backspace button," says the hypocritical Wolf.
Right. My excuse? I just want it to be a little less work come editing time...you shouldn't always do what Wolf does, homies.

Well, whether you're kicking it off at midnight or not, I wish you the best! T-minus 10 hours and counting...you're about to plunge into a great big challenge.
If you're a first timer or if you need help, drop a comment or shoot me an email at maryw.hills@yahoo.com.

Go get 'em!
Wolf

NaNoWriMo Project Confirmed!

So! I was brainstorming between intervals of sleep the other night and I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I'll most likely be writing the new novel idea I had mentioned in my last post for NaNoWriMo. I'm short on time, the idea is more developed than Noctivagous, and there's only a few things I need to change. Noctivagous needs some marinating time. This, however, came together easily, and faster than I thought.
Also, I'll most likely changing the name of the book (it had a name earlier if you didn't notice) as well as the band itself. It was one of those moments where you slap together a name for something temporarily and find out later that you either don't like it, it doesn't fit the storyline, or simply doesn't make sense, you know what I mean? Same for Noctivagous, though. I like it, it makes sense, it sticks, but it might be unmemorable to others or a mouthful. Darn!
Anyway, yes, even though I'm 10k words into this new project, I'll set my word count to 60,000 or something and do it the fair way.
I have quite a bit of work to do, but I'm confident that it will get done before the end of October. The second edition of The Dawnwolf is complete and I'm currently having it reviewed by a couple of people. I keep pushing it back, but I know now for certain that it will be released at the beginning of next month.

Oh, the busy excitement of being a hardcore writer!

Word Of The Day
Idiosyncrasy:

1. A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group.

2. A physiological or temperamental peculiarity.

3. An unusual individual reaction to food or a drug.
 

Also, the first edition of The Dawnwolf has dropped to $11.99. The right-hand sidebar will have the links.

Wolf

New Novel!

Hey, folks! Glad to be back. Things sure have gotten hectic since The Dawnwolf got published. Some quick news on that; the Second Edition is just about ready to go! Oh, and here's a cool little bonus; I added a special chapter at the end of this edition called "Behind The Scenes". As the name suggests, I go behind the story of The Dawnwolf's development. It's pretty thrilling, wouldn't you say? If you already have the book, don't worry; I might post it here later, or you can email me if you'd like to read it. It's not something I wish to wave in your face to leave you wondering.

On top of that I've been brainstorming over this year's NaNoWriMo project, Noctivagous. There are quite a few holes that displease me greatly, and I only have about a month and a half to complete it...but wait, wow! Where did the year go? It seems like just yesterday that I was writing The Dawnwolf!
At any rate, I hope to have some sort of epiphany that will help me with the outline and filling the plot holes.

But that's not it! Lately I've been working on yet another novel. It's completely and totally different from anything I've ever written before. Why? Because it's set in modern-day earth! Whoa, yes, Wolf just said earth!
I could blab all day long about it, but I've learned not to reveal too many spoilers, so here's the summary:

Meet Sonja Leoni, the 21-year-old lead singer of a rock-pop band called FireHeart VII at the top of the billboards. Her life with the band is everything you’d expect from the excitement of mainstream fame; the fans, the paparazzi, and that one irksome band member, namely, Jared Augustine, who makes it quite clear he has a thing for her.
 But when she stumbles upon writer’s block for the next album, an unexpected offer of help is extended from a simple guitar-wielding individual she had bumped into a couple months before. This young man, Axle Garrett, an open-minded follower of Christ with a heart of integrity, proves his worth in the position of a secondary guitarist and backup songwriter, despite their drastic differences. But Sonja’s decision to permit Axle's assistance, forget flipping her world around—it downright takes her from it as she is tossed into a life-changing experience that she never knew she’d have. What’s worse; hatred rises as Jared grows increasingly envious of Axle.

 It's got something for everyone in it, really, but the moral of the story is how the band is changed by the incomprehensible actions done through Axle. Depending on who you are, you may or may not like it, but personally I've always wanted to write something like this and I'm quite intrigued by where it's going.

(Un)word Of The Day:

Integritous

Characterized by integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness: The state of being whole and undivided: "territorial integrity".

(I was thinking about this when I typed out the summary. I dunno about you, but I sure think that integritous should be a word if there's nothing else like it...)

That's it! Until next time!

Wolf

Announcement

The Dawnwolf is back in stock with the second edition on its way!
The first edition will only be on Amazon and CreateSpace, but the second edition will soon be released to bookstores and libraries before the end of next month.

Thanks for your patience!
Wolf

The Truth About Self-Editing

Just recently got the corrected manuscript from my editor and plan to read it over soon. However, thanks to my free version of Microsoft Word 2010 I can't edit the comments and therefore can't manually fix my errors, so she offered to fix them for me if I tell her what I do and do not want to keep or leave.
Honestly, while I missed a lot of things and messed up kind of bad in some areas, I'm still impressed with myself... in the most humble way possible, of course. It's an accomplishment, right? Readers are still enjoying it. I've gotten three good reviews on the Amazon page, if you've noticed, and if you're one of the reviewers, thank you! Rest assured corrections will be made in the upcoming Second Edition. As a bonus, I'll add a behind-the-scenes summary at the back of the book, and for those of you who have the drafty-yet-still-moderately-awesome first edition, email me, and I'll send it to you. Hold your horses, though, because I haven't even written it yet!
I'm looking forward to the second edition because it'll be a load of my mind, and also, that will be the version you'll see in some libraries, bookstores, and of course, on Kindle, even though the formatting stinks, but hey, people be a-requestin' for them digital copies!

Anyway, on a more serious note, like I may have said before, you shouldn't always do what Wolfie does. Here's a writing tip: don't edit the whole novel by yourself! To some extent there are some things you should do in the editing field, like personal corrections to the plot and stuff and anything that you do happen to find, but if you decide to do the big job, don't rush, and don't expect to get all of the mistakes and errors and whatnot cleaned up by yourself. Get another person. Even if they're not a big-boss editor in a business suit, grab a willing friend who isn't a blind fanatic or too afraid to state their opinion/critique... or the opposite; waaaaaay too willing and downright rude. That wouldn't be a friend, right? Sure hope not.
Just find a trusted friend to read it and tell you what went wrong and what they do and don't like, even if they don't fix it for you. See, you can do the editing, but don't try all the finding like I did. As you can see, I messed up! I did it all myself and after all my hard work I kicked it out the door... it was well received, sure, and I'm happy about that, but the errors are still there!
Bottom line? Don't do it yourself-- it's not a good idea. Also, not even your friends will necessarily find everything either but they'll see more than you do since you're used to reading your novel the way you wrote it and often become desensitized to any mistakes. Happened to me, and others.
Also, like I said before, you should still do some stuff yourself. Like, my editor didn't notice that I had accidentally cut something out of a sentence. After you jot down what your homies want you to fix, tackle the manuscript little by little and clean it up. Take it real easy, don't rush. Take frequent breaks, too, but don't slack off the job!

We all learn from all kinds of mistakes. I know, this is only my debut novel, but considering what all went into it, and all the good reviews and compliments I'm getting from it, I'm pleased with the results... well except for the mess-ups, but I learned from it, anyhow, and that makes me happy. After all, even those big-boss editors in the suits slip up and miss things, too! I've seen it in bestsellers but fans don't seem to like it any less.
Keep at it, writers!

P.S. My plans for the 2012 NaNoWriMo might be changing... again. Stay tuned.

Word Of The Day
 Undulation:

1. A regular rising and falling or movement to alternating sides; movement in waves.

2. A wavelike form, outline, or appearance.

3. One of a series of waves or wavelike segments.

 

Wolf

The Dawnwolf Second Edition

Found out just yesterday that there were more mistakes in The Dawnwolf than I was aware of. However, with the help of my new editor, you should be expecting a Second Edition coming soon!
Keep your eyes peeled. I'll update here and on Facebook in the meantime.

Wolf

Writer's Paranoia

Have you gotten your copy of my novel? Amazon seems to be working pretty quick.
If "The Dawnwolf" has any mistakes in its pages I am going to be very, very annoyed. I scoured the manuscript page for page and it had better be error-bug free! I am certain I squashed them all... but one can't help but get a tad paranoid at times. I've had all kinds of writer's paranoia since the moment after I officially published that little booger and kicked it out the door.
Even so I'm certain I did a good job. I'm seeing new flaws in it now, but every novel has its flaws. I kind of wish I saw them earlier so I could fix them, but for all I know, you might not even notice. I did my best!
We as the creators of art have a tendency to see more flaws than those outside of us who are viewing it. Critics, however, see a million more! You have the honor of criticizing my work, but probably most of what you say, if true, I probably already know or just found out. But it happens!
I'm kicking my writer's paranoia out the door and I just hope you all enjoy my personal masterpiece, my debut novel, and all of it's great gloriousness... you know, all of that good junk. :)
Look forward to further novels from me. After all, I still have the "Lirin Bahonan" series to work on, the development of "Noctivagous", and so many others.
Currently I've been writing a novella, the new "Midori Ookami", about Midori, a green wolf who was abandoned as a cub and went to live and grow up in a village by himself, but when he meets Tayou, an exiled princess of fairies, who tells him there is trouble in the land, he realized he must step out of his comfort zone and leave the village, which is all he's ever known, to investigate matters.

Just for kicks. I don't know what I'll do with it after it's done, but it'd pretty fun to write, anyway.
That said, I finally present to you another word of the day!

Lackadaisical:
Lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy.

Wolf

"The Dawnwolf" is Out!

Lo and behold! After about 8 months of arduous toil, my debut novel has been released!
You can only order it in two places right now, but it'll be distributed further in later time, and also put on Kindle.


http://www.amazon.com/The-Dawnwolf-Mary-W-Hills/dp/1478141964/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340929753&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dawnwolf

https://www.createspace.com/3921302

If you want to be updated on Facebook, like my blog or "The Dawnwolf" page below!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Writing-Progress/179257148846147?ref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dawnwolf/213453918777409

I'll link to these on the sidebar there. Thanks for you patience and support!
Oh, and by the way, I'm back...

Wolf