Lionsong's Den Newsletter February 2010

Hi everyone,

This month went by so quickly. I have no idea where the time went. I've gotten a lot accomplished, though... so at least it didn't pass me by! I supposed I've passed time by because I've been so busy. You'll see what I mean when you check out the announcements.

February is going to be an exciting month for me. My husband and I will be celebrating our fifth anniversary on Valentine's Day, and in honor of V-Day I've set up a special contest. The details of that are at the end of the newsletter.

Also, don't forget to check out the Book of the Month. It's not a new book, but I'm reading it for the first time and I'm actually surprised with how good it is. I enjoyed the movie, but never felt inspired to read the book. Now I'm glad I've started reading it and can't wait to read the rest of the series

Happy reading everyone!

Naya

Considering Self-Publishing

With some new developments in the publishing industry regarding ebooks (and the fact that the issue is leading to much more politics and corruptness than I'm willing to tolerate), I'm seriously considering going back to my idea of self-publishing Shadow Stalker. There are other factors affecting my decision too and I would love to hear what you have to say about it. Check out Stuck in a Conundrum on my blog.

New Look for Lionsong's Den

I spent most of last week and part of this passed weekend working on Lionsong's Den and giving it a new look. I've moved the blog over to Blogger because it's much easier to use and it gets better SEO on Google (which is no surprise since it's owned by Google). I also like the look of it better. So the actual website and blog are separate now, but I've linked them so well you can't possible get lost. :-D Have a look and let me know what you think!

Here is the URL for the new blog: http://lionsongsden.blogspot.com

Writer of Greeting Cards?

If you saw my blog entry entitled Wow, you know that I was contacted by an editor of Blue Mountain Arts which published greeting cards and those little sentimental type books you can get as gifts for loved ones in the bookstore. If you didn't read it, well... now you know! I've been in contact with her over the last couple of weeks and I'm now awaiting some samples so I have a better idea of the kind of stuff they're looking for. I did run across a display of theirs at the local shopping center here, though, which made me feel a little giddy. Never considered writing greeting cards, but it seems like it will be a pretty challenging endeavor. I'm looking forward to it. I'll keep you posted on any updates in that department.

Shadow Stalker Update

I've been working on Shadow Stalker again. Filling in the blanks and I've also come up with another story arc that will make an appearance in book 2. I may even have to do some rearranging in the first book to be able to fit it in... to work up to it, but we'll see what happens. One of my biggest issues with the first book was how to end it. I have to give it a definitive ending, leaving no loose ends, in order to appeal to the literary agents because generally speaking they don't want to hear the word "series" from a new author. But at the same time I want to give the general feeling that there is more to the story, so that when I do move onto book 2 it won't be like I'm starting over with getting people hyped up about it.

I suppose if people like book 1 it won't be an issue anyway. Either way, I've got the ending worked out in my head now though, but it means I will be taking ideas that were going to be in book 2 and writing them as the ending for this book... as well as other ideas I've come up with including a huge battle. Then some of the ending I've written for this book will actually go into book 2. Confused yet? Good... so am I, but I'm sure it'll all work out!

New Article

I've added a new article to So You Want To Write called How to Create Believable Characters. A really important skill for any writer because it can make or break your story. You can have a really bad story with awesome characters and people will love it... but even if you've got a great story it won't matter if people can't relate to your characters. This method of building believable characters is the one I've been using for years and it's worked very well for me.

Currently I'm working on an article on that blog on tips for people who want to self-publish their work. Self-publishing is definitely not the easy route as many people think it is, but if you succeed it's certainly rewarding. So if you want to keep updated on the writing tips I publish occasionally on that blog head over there follow me.

The 1962 Version of ETIQUETTE in the BEDROOM!!!

In 1962, Barbara Cartland, writer of romance novels and lover of the colour pink, wrote a book instructing people in etiquette.

Seeing as Valentine's Day is on the march, I thought I'd share with you some of the notions she has about using etiquette correctly. This should make you rise an eyebrow or two!

To begin with she points out that good manners mean not stealing all the bedclothes from your partner and not reading while your partner is trying to sleep...

read more...

New Contest! My Perfect Valentines Day!

Everyone has a different idea of what is romantic and since we are coming up on Valentine's Day, I want to hear all about your romantic fantasies (and realities as the case may be). Tell me in 50 words or less what your perfect Valentine's Day would be. It can be something that has actually happened or a wild fantasy (but not too wild... let's keep it PG).

The winner will receive an autographed copy of my upcoming novel, Shadow Stalker. Up to 14 runners up will receive the ebook version for free.

For more information and to enter, go to Contests & Events at Lionsong's Den.

What Power Would You Want?

This contest is now over. See the Contest Winners Announcement at the new Lionsong's Den Chatbox for details of the winners.

The Force Within

Have you ever dreamed about what you would be when you grew up? Was that dream so powerful that it felt as though it was already true? When Naya was a young girl she had a dream that went beyond desire. It had entrenched itself within her being and as she grew into adulthood it manifested itself into reality. It did not happen easily, though. This dream was born from a desire to understand the universe we live in and her path in life.

You Don't Have to Take It! A Kid's Guide to Understanding & Preventing Child Abuse

This book will change the life of every child who reads it. It's is an empowering tool, which will help kids to understand that they do have the ability to put an end to their abuse or prevent it from happening in the first place! Reading this book will help kids gain a better understanding about child abuse. It defines child abuse and explains the different types of child abuse. It offers quizzes to help kids determine whether or not they may be experiencing child abuse. It also explains who they should talk to if they or a friend is being abused, and what may happen when abuse is reported.