Writing

The Winter Garden: Book Two of the Ingenious Mechanical Devices

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The Winter Garden: Book Two of the Ingenious Mechanical Devices is only chapters away from completion (apart from editing), so I decided it was time to post the blurb and hopefully build up some hype.  Here is it:

Emmeline Jardine and Immanuel Winter are only months away from achieving their dreams, she will enter debutant society and he will receive a degree from Oxford, but a day at the Thames transforms their lives forever, intertwining their souls and putting them into the path of a predator.

Ripped from the comfort of the world they know, Emmeline and Immanuel are thrust into a struggle for their survival. Even though they escape, Immanuel is forever altered by his time in captivity. Gradually he begins to settle into a normal life as the coroner’s assistant until he comes face to face with the man who nearly destroyed him.

Unaware of what he is capable of, Emmeline is infatuated with the dashing madman and follows him deeper into a world of corrupt mediums. When a murderer masquerading as a monster begins to hunt beautiful Spiritualists, Immanuel knows the key to stopping him lies within the girl who shares his soul.

Continue reading “The Winter Garden: Book Two of the Ingenious Mechanical Devices” →

Writing

Straddling the Genre Line

Kara Jorgensen2 Comments

litvgenrThe phrases “genre fiction” and “literary fiction” strike fear into my heart.  There’s a constant tug and pull in the literary world between what is of the higher art and what is considered beneath the establishment.  What should be valued more? Entertainment and enjoyment or the more “artistic”, philosophical, cerebral side of literature. Being a graduate student studying creative writing, I cringe when people ask what I write.  I am already anticipating the raised eyebrows and disapproving looks when I say, “Well, it’s technically science fiction or historical fiction.”  Instantly, it is discounted as trope-laden, cliche genre fiction. Continue reading “Straddling the Genre Line” →

Personal Life · Writing

The Long-Term Goals of a Young Writer

Kara JorgensenLeave a comment

Today I am heading back to graduate school to begin another semester studying creative writing.  Every time I start school anew, I feel my anxiety level rise tremendously as I worry my professors will not like me or my work, and the best way I have found for me to combat this is to look at the larger picture.  This year I achieved one of my major life goals, to publish a novel, and for this year and the beginning of next year, I would like to publish the second book in the Ingenious Mechanical Devices series, The Winter Garden.  I’m 73,000 words into it, so I hope to be done in a month or two since my writing slows down exponentially once the semester starts.  Editing hopefully won’t take too long, so it is supposed to be out some time in March or so. Along with finishing book two, I plan on getting book three underway or working on my master’s thesis project (which is a novel also but not in the Ingenious Mechanical Devices series though it is still laced with fantasy). Maybe even both. I haven’t tried to tackle juggling two projects at once in a while, but hopefully, I’ll manage. Continue reading “The Long-Term Goals of a Young Writer” →

Writing

The Writing Process

Kara JorgensenLeave a comment

One of the members of my Facebook author page asked if I would do a post about my writing process.  After I saw it, I sat back and scratched my head.  What was my writing process?  Like many things, when you live with it, it isn’t nearly as obvious as it is to others.

 

As with all writing, it begins with an idea.  Sometimes it comes as a smattering of dialogue or description while other times it comes as a topic or idea.  For The Earl of Brass, it began with the idea of a man needing automaton parts in order to survive, but this rapidly evolved into a man with a missing arm who needs a prosthesis.  In the beginning, I typically free write and put down anything that comes to mind.  Sometimes it becomes the first chapter of a novel while other times it gets completely rewritten or discarded.  Once an idea beginnings to take form, I make an idea map or an outline of what events will happen in the coming paragraphs.  For flexibility’s sake, I usually only plan five or so chapters ahead at any given time.  Typically, my characters are wayward and do what they want, so I need to alter my plans to fit them.  Forcing an agenda on my characters never goes well.  Sometimes when I have ideas but am not sure what order they should be in, I make index cards and lay them out.  I will move them around and ask my best friend/beta reader and see what she thinks to ensure it’s logical to others. Continue reading “The Writing Process” →

Book Reviews · Writing

The Earl of Brass is IndieReader Approved!

Kara Jorgensen3 Comments

IR Approved Sticker 2I awoke today to the most glorious news: The Earl of Brass was given a 4.5 star rating from The IndieReader, which means it has been given the distinction of being IndieReader Approved!  You can check out the review here.

 

Since 8:30 this morning, I have been doing my happy dance and texting, messaging, and bugging anyone who would listen that my novel made the list of approved books.  For an indie author, this is quite a big deal.  The IndieReader is one of the larger, more prestigious book reviewers for Indie and self-published books, and their reviews allow readers to find the gems in indie fiction as well as give indie authors the credit they deserve.  For a self-published author, marketing and getting your book recognition is an uphill battle.  Often reviews like Kirkus, are rather pricy for the average indie writer, but the IndieReader offers a moderate price with a thorough, balanced review.  Being IndieReader Approved is nothing to sneeze at.  Plenty of books they review do not reach the 4 to 5 star level, and the reviewers aren’t afraid to say the book is in need or editing or is lacking in certain areas. 

 

The Earl of Brass is my first literary child, and I definitely feel like a proud parent today.  Here is a sniplet of the review that made me particularly happy and I think captured the spirit of the novel:

The novel proceeds in a satisfying series of complications as Lord Sorrell and Ms. Fenice work together as archaeologists. The plot takes some unexpected turns and, while not overburdened with action, the events are well-paced and follow logical choices of the characters. The depictions of everyone, from London socialite to field laborer, showed distinct personalities which made THE EARL OF BRASS a humorous and delightful book to read.

Thank you, Claire L. Deming for reviewing my book (no, I do not know any of the reviewers, but her name is listed at the bottom).  I am honored and ecstatic that my debut novel is now on the IndieReader Approved list. 

 

Once again, the rest of the review can be found here.

The Earl of Brass can be purchased here:

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Personal Life · Uncategorized · Writing

A Woman of Principle

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

On my blogs and page, I try as a rule not to get too political on my author page or blog, but a recent event has refused to leave my mind, leaving me to purge it through writing.

One of the authors I know from the writing groups I am a part of on Facebook sent me a link to a blog tour service that was hosting a tour for a steampunk novel and was looking for blogs that would be willing to do the advertising posts.  Obviously, I want to support and network with other steampunk writers, so I checked it out.  The book looked okay.  I’m not a fan of advertising something I haven’t actually read, but at that point, I was willing to give the author a chance based on the blurb.  The only thing was, I couldn’t figure out how to sign up for the tour, so I went onto the their contact and information page.  As I scrolled, I came across the thing that completely soured my feelings toward that book blog tour host, No M/M, F/F, or M/F/M.

For those who are unfamiliar with the terminology, that basically means no stories involving same sex or bisexual protagonists or love interests.  I couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t bring myself to sign up for the tour and quickly clicked off the web page.  From the time I understood what being gay meant, I have been a strong supporter of LGBT rights and marriage.  Many of my friends are gay, and two of my characters in The Winter Garden comprise a gay couple who is dealing with their relationship in a world that does not approve of them.  How could I, a supporter of the LGBT community, work with a company that outright excludes them?  I couldn’t.

When we exclude certain types of fiction, what are we saying to those who choose to write about their experiences or the experiences of others?  Your story isn’t worth telling. I don’t want to hear it. No one wants to read it if it’s about that. In this day and age, diverse books are a necessity.  By writing and reading about characters who are a different ethnicity, sexuality, or religion as yourself, you are learning empathy and stepping into their shoes as you go from cover to cover.  When you say no gay or bisexual protagonists, you are telling every bisexual or gay reader or writer that comes across that site that they are unacceptable.  The anti-gay sentiment from many book blogs and reviewers follows in the vein of the prejudicial sentiments of the 1960s. Diversity in characters and novels is a necessity, and having open-minded reviewers and book programs will only further that goal.  I hope you will not ignore books solely on the sexuality or ethnicity or a characters within.  I will not state the name of the blog tour and take away their livelihood or slander them, but I will boycott them.  I will not participate in anything that excludes those who are in need of support.

Writing

The Editor’s Eye for the Writing Guy

Kara Jorgensen1 Comment

Whenever I tell other writers that I have written and published a novel, they often ask me about the editing process.  For many, editing seems like a daunting and seemingly insurmountable task, but with the help of a beta reader or two, the process can become much easier.  I would like to share my process.  It is far from perfect, but it’s what I usually do and what has worked for me.

There are certain things that are needed before going into the editing process: a finished novel, an open mind, a critical eye, and the drive to get it done. 

  1. A finished novel is fairly self-explanatory.  I suggest it being finished only because I can sit and edit constantly and not move forward for months.  If you think of things you know need to be fixed, make a list and keep it somewhere safe where you won’t lose it (been there, lost several).
  2. Many writers see their novels are their children. No one wants to hear their children being criticized, but when it is in their best interest, you may want to listen to your beta readers and what they suggest.  You don’t need to always listen to what they say, sometimes it won’t work or it’s a personal preference, but be open about fixing things. Try not to get too attached to a certain phrase or metaphor.  In the editing process, as much as you love that line, you may need to cut it or tweak it.  I clung to an analogy comparing England to dingy mashed potatoes but realized the entire chapter needed to be reworked and obviously, the potatoes had to go.
  3. A critical eye goes hand-in-hand with an open-mind.  You need to be able to look at your own work and see the problems in it. Where are you lacking? Where is there too much? If you wrote the story over a long period of time, did you style change from beginning to end? There is no way that after a first or second draft your book is ready for publishing.  Look harder for mistakes and issues that need tinkering with.  One cannot always rely on their beta readers to find every issue, so being self-critical will definitely help when perfecting it before it heads into your readers’ hands.  As a reader, what would make you annoyed or want to change?
  4. Seeing a stack of two hundred and fifty pages laying on your table can be incredibly daunting.  How will you get through all of it with all your other life commitments?  My suggestion is to set a manageable goal for yourself each day or each week.  You won’t always accomplish it and other days you will exceed it, but just try to press on and get through it.  if you are having a day where you reread the same line over and over, step back and do something else for a while or try reading a different chapter. No one said you had to edit the book cover to cover, you can skip around.

My process for editing, can be a long one and a repetitive one to many, but it’s like a rock tumbler.  Each revolution through the story polishes it more and more.

  1. My first editing process (if I hold off until the end of the book) is making the edits I have on my list, things I know need to be fixed, which can include changing characters’ ages or descriptions, changes in continuity or style, passages you have been eying since after you wrote them. I may go through this process more than once just to make sure I got everything.  **As a tip, I like to print out my entire manuscript, then make changes with a red pen by writing in the margins or attaching pieces of paper where I have rewritten chunks of a chapter or scene.  If you tend to miss your changes, go over the pen with a highlighter (I prefer pink) to make the changes stand out.
  2. Leave your draft alone for a while.  Putting away, get some distance from it and make it so you don’t recite the memorized phrases instead of actually reading them.  If you haven’t given your book to a few people to read, you should do so now. Their feedback will hopefully be helpful during your next session. Make sure they will give you honest feedback and most importantly, they will actually do it. Explain to them what you want them to look out for and be specific, write it down even.
  3. Read your story, make notes on areas that need correcting or altering and if any areas are boring.  As you go through and tweak things (mine tends to be wording and adding more since I’m an underwriter. If you are an over-writer, you may need to prune your manuscript), highlight them and mark them in a distinctive pen on your manuscript. Take the feedback from your beta readers and see what they suggest.  If it should be changed, do it now. If you are unsure, save it and wait until you are all done and reread the story again to decide if it needs to be done.  Typically, I go through this editing phase about twice. When doing historical fiction or anything that needs research, make sure you fact-check what you are unsure of still.
  4. Leave it for a week or two. Now, reread it. This is going to (hopefully) be lighter editing.  Read it aloud.  Are there words that need changing? Is any of the dialogue stiff or awkward? Sometimes it may be beneficial to have someone read it to you in order to catch awkward parts that sound fine in your head, and during the reading process, you may also come across typos. 
  5. The final stretch! I call this typo time. I was a writing tutor, so I am familiar with most rules of grammar and can correct most of my work (I still need to look up lay v. lie and a few other rules that always need refreshing). If you have certain rules you know trip you up, make an index card of the rule to keep with you while you go through it again, but if you would rather have someone else deal with grammar, I would suggest finding a proofreader online or a friend who is willing to take a look at it. I go over my work with a fine-tooth comb and often hand it off to my mom who is good at catching mistakes I miss.  At this point, you are done fiddling with your text hopefully. Word changes may still occur, but remember the point is fine polishing, not overhauling. If you are still unhappy with it, I would go back to step 3 or 4 for another round or two of edits.

The point of this post is hopefully to empower you to be your own editor.  The input of others is important, but first and foremost, you should be writing a book you want to read. Take the process into your hands and be self-critical without being self-defeating.  It is your work, your book, and while an editor is a great tool, you should ultimately be responsible for perfecting your writing as it is a process through which you will grow to understand your flaws and what you need to do to become an even better writer.

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Personal Life · Writing

Portrait of the Artist: From Biology Major to MFA

Kara Jorgensen4 Comments

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Last week I was gruching about a scene that was giving me trouble to my aunt, and she said, “You know, you don’t have to do this if it isn’t fun anymore.”  For a moment, I just stared at her.  Just because I’m complaining about writing being difficult doesn’t mean I want to throw in the towel.  The idea of stopping never even crossed my mind.

As with many writers, I don’t write because I want to please my fans or make money off it but because I feel compelled to.  It’s a compulsion, an itch that can only be silenced by reading and writing.  During the semester when graduate school has taken over my life, I feel the unmistakeable misery of not being able to scratch that itch and write (usually I end up foregoing reading for class and write a bit throughout the day).

From the time I was about ten years old, I have been writing stories. Over the years, the amount I write has waxed and waned depending on my circumstances, but it has been present over the last thirteen years.  When I was in high school, I had a few lousy English teachers who killed my love of writing and reading to the point that I never thought of becoming an English major in college. Creative writing was kept under the wraps since I didn’t write about teenage-appropriate topics like sports, romance, and angst.  If the guidance counselor saw my stories full of epic battles or the one about a young woman who deals with her friend’s suicide attempt, I would probably would have been sent to counseling.  Somehow I feared college would be the same.

  It wasn’t though.  I went into college as a biology major with dreams of becoming a doctor who specialized in reconstructive surgery, and honestly, I did well in my biology classes and even earned an award from the department.  In my freshman year, I met a wonderful professor who happened to be the head of the English department.  She took me under her wing and nurtured my insecure talent until finally in the second half of my sophomore year I chose to double major in English as well.  During my time as an undergraduate, I contributed to the school’s literary magazine as well as worked on it, was a writing tutor, and spoke at two literature conferences (one on scifi and fantasy and one on Medieval literature).

Much to my father’s dismay, becoming a doctor faded away the moment a Norton anthology was put in my hands.  I finished my degree in biology but immediately applied to a graduate school with an MFA program in creative writing.  While biology could have provided me with a stable income should I have pursued it, I knew I would have been miserable.  I needed to write, I needed to read. It pulled me and compelled me and was the one thing I did that felt completely natural.  Call me hedonistic, but my life has been guided by what makes me happy and so far it has worked for me.  My mom has a job that pays well, but she isn’t truly happy there.  If I see how doing what is expected can lead to misery, why should I follow the trail of money if I do not have to?

My question is, do we do what makes us happy or do we try to live up to the status quo?

Writing

The Overeager Author and Creating Buzz

Kara Jorgensen7 Comments

I am incredibly guilty of being overeager when it comes to my writing and events I am going to do months from now (an example being posting and tweeting about the Steampunk Worlds Fair I’m speaking at next May). 

Once I began editing The Earl of Brass, I was dead-set on self-publishing it as soon as possible, so I read up on self-publishing, how to format books for ebook and paperback, and how to run your author page on Facebook.  Somehow despite all my reading, I forgot about marketing.  Of course the basics were taken care of, telling everyone I know I published and making a website, but that doesn’t bring in book sales very well.  What authors need is buzz beforehand.  To do this, there are several things authors should do:

1. Even when you finish your edits and formatting, do not publish it immediately.  This is the time when you need to create some buzz and begin a countdown.  Get readers eager to buy your book and to read it for that matter.  Two to three months may seem like an agonizing amount of time to wait even though your book is ready, but it’s worth it if you want to build a following.

2. During these two to three months of free time, send your book to reviewers.  I sent out dozens of query emails to various book bloggers and am still having reviews trickle in.  Reviewers usually take weeks to months to get to your book depending on their load, but if you tell them it is an ARC (pre-publication but perfected), they will often try to get your review out near the time your book is to be released.  Some writers get upset that they need to send free copies of their ebook to bloggers, but it’s worth it and sending an ebook doesn’t cost you anything (Smashword’s “meat grinder” feature can generate epub and mobi files for your book).  Reviews expose your work to that blogger’s audience and also build buzz. If a book is on Amazon or Goodreads and it has reviews, people are more willing to give it a chance.

3. Have a cover reveal a few months ahead of the release.  If you have a Facebook or a blog, make a big deal out of it.  You should have a cover you are proud of and be willing to show it off.  Do a countdown for the reveal.  If you have a summary read to go for that book, I would suggest putting it up on Goodreads as a to-be-released book to also build some buzz.

4. Create an author page on Goodreads as well as Amazon.  This way, people will run across your face on both sites and hopefully become interested in your books. On Goodreads, you have an audience of readers at the ready.  Join clubs and discussion boards.  Obviously, don’t just talk about your book, but if you get involved with people who have similar interests, you will become enmeshed in your target audience. If they like you and are interested in what you have to say, they will be more likely to check out your work in the future. As a side note, you may not be able to create your Amazon author page until you are ready to publish your book because you are not yet “an author” but with Goodreads, it’s much easier to join their author program.

5. A few weeks before your book is ready to be released, create event on Facebook.  Invite everyone and tell them to invite everyone they know.  If you know other authors on Facebook, Goodreads, writing groups, or in real life, invite them to have giveaways during your event (like paperbacks or ebooks of their novels or even random goodies if they are somehow related to your novel). Build relationships with other authors as well as your readers.  During the event, give away a few ebooks and maybe a paperback or two.  Have fun with it, it’s your party.

Hopefully, this is helpful.  As a first time indie author, this has been a learning curve, and I would love if my mistakes actually help others.  Just remember the importance of creating buzz and interest as well as making connections with other authors and your readers.