I was busy making some book trailers this weekend, have you seen them?
Book Reviews:
Lucky Series Trailer:
Tiva Boon Series Trailer:
I love making these things!!
Showing posts with label Tiva Boon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tiva Boon. Show all posts
August 30, 2016
June 10, 2016
FREE BOOK FRIDAY! #YA #SciFi @TivaBoon: Royal Guardian!
Hey Everyone!
I have a free book for you this Friday!! Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian. The first book of the Tiva Boon Series!
I'm blasting all over social media, but will take all the help I can get! You can find the promo below, and remember, if you have your copy, tell a friend!
#FREE through Saturday! Already have your copy? Tell a friend!
#FinalFantasy meets #StarTrek in this YA SciFi Bestseller
amzn.com/B00LN8S32U
Have a great weekend!!
~Jenn
I have a free book for you this Friday!! Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian. The first book of the Tiva Boon Series!
I'm blasting all over social media, but will take all the help I can get! You can find the promo below, and remember, if you have your copy, tell a friend!
#FREE through Saturday! Already have your copy? Tell a friend!
#FinalFantasy meets #StarTrek in this YA SciFi Bestseller
amzn.com/B00LN8S32U
Have a great weekend!!
~Jenn
June 7, 2016
Teaser Tuesday @TivaBoon Heir of Abennelp
Here's a teaser from Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Bk2)
Adam has become a polarizing character for some of my readers. What did you think, love him or leave him? lol
“You call this stuff intoxicating? Where are the real drinks?” Tiva heard the complaint as she walked in the mess hall. The aroma inside made her stomach rumble, chastising her for skipping a meal. She sighed and moved to the counter. Vinni served a large mug to Adam Cooper; who was laughing at the bartender. He shook his head. “I’m joking, Vin. Well, not really, but don’t worry... I’m not mad. Just hook me up with one of those citrus drinks.”
Tiva took a seat, and placed her order with the young lady standing behind Vinni. She was tired of he protein shakes; a sandwich and juice would be a nice change of pace.
The mess was unusually quiet. Several people chatted silently with their friends or crew mates. Cracking her fingers as she waited, Tiva watched as Cooper gulped down his drink, and tapped on the bar.
“And how about a glass of water and a washcloth for my lady friend?” He gestured to the blade hanging at his hip.
Tiva gawked. A sword wielder?Most of the aliens she had come across thus far preferred advanced technical weapons. Not many used metal and steel among the stars. Vinni fulfilled his request then placed her order on the counter.
“Here ya go.”
She broke her stare.“Yes, thank you.” Tiva gathered the tray and hopped off the chair. Her usual table in the corner was unoccupied and she made her way over.
Tiva sipped her juice and glanced out the porthole window. The stars were less dense than they had been the week before. Granted, it was a different part of space, but she wondered if that meant anything as she bit into her food.
“Nifty little toy you’ve got there.”
She glanced up and raised an eyebrow. Cooper stood before her, smiling. “Pardon?”
He gestured toward her side, the one without her plasma gun. “That thing, your claw.”
Her hand protectively went to the weapon and she dropped her sandwich. “Thank you. I brought it from home.”
“Of course you did,” he said with a chortle and ran his hand through shaggy brown hair. “It’s not like you can get a decent weapon here. Nope, nothing but new-age lasery stuff.”
“I fashioned the weapon myself. I have found few items that can compare, yet.”
“Now that takes a bit of skill. I’ve never been one to make weapons. Mine was a gift from an
old friend.”
She peered at his side. “The craftsmanship is amazing, I have never seen anything like it...”
She paused narrowing her gaze for a moment. There was something odd about him, and the
weapon. “…before.”
He pulled the blade out, allowing her a better look. The golden eyes engraved in the hilt seemed to stare at her. “She’s one of a kind...Well, one of a pair. The other is lost.”
Her gaze slid over the blade, exquisite was the only word she could think, but she kept that to herself. “Very nice, indeed...Mr...”
“Sir,” he calmly corrected, sheathed his weapon and sat down across from her without invitation. “Sir Adam Cooper. And you?”
She blinked.Sir Adam Cooper? Only the protectors on Abennelp held the title of Sir, was he a protector from his world as well? “Roya...Tiva Boon.”
“Roya? I never heard of a name like that before. Then again, there are a lot of names I haven’t heard.” He laughed. “Nice to meet you, Roya Boon.”
“Tiva Boon. I was about to say Royal Guardian, but I no longer hold the honor.”
He shrugged. “And I haven’t been a knight in ages. But that doesn’t mean I don’t go by Sir. Wait a second...” He paused.“Royal Guardian?”
She bit into the last of her sandwich, acting as if his intrusion was no issue, and consented. “You mean like a castle guard or more like a knight?”
“I was an elite protector to the king and queen of my planet,” she answered, giving no other information. Turning slightly upon hearing the doors to the mess open, she spotted Raife.
Cooper chuckled. “It’s been a long time since I met an actual Dame.”
“I am no longer a guardian, my duties lie here now.” She rose from her seat taking her tray in hand. The conversation made her uncomfortable. Crossing the mess hall, she gave Vinni her dishes and ordered another juice.
A gust of wind rushed past and Cooper’s voice boomed from behind, startling her. “Try the orange stuff. It’s great.”
She jumped back, her hand nearing the claw automatically. She met his eyes and raised a brow, then looked back toward the table. The movement on his back was not a cloak or a cape, but large black feathered wings smoothed along his shoulders. That information was not in his record. She forced herself to show no emotion, and was thankful for the interruption when Raife neared.
Adam has become a polarizing character for some of my readers. What did you think, love him or leave him? lol
Tiva took a seat, and placed her order with the young lady standing behind Vinni. She was tired of he protein shakes; a sandwich and juice would be a nice change of pace.
The mess was unusually quiet. Several people chatted silently with their friends or crew mates. Cracking her fingers as she waited, Tiva watched as Cooper gulped down his drink, and tapped on the bar.
“And how about a glass of water and a washcloth for my lady friend?” He gestured to the blade hanging at his hip.
Tiva gawked. A sword wielder?Most of the aliens she had come across thus far preferred advanced technical weapons. Not many used metal and steel among the stars. Vinni fulfilled his request then placed her order on the counter.
“Here ya go.”
She broke her stare.“Yes, thank you.” Tiva gathered the tray and hopped off the chair. Her usual table in the corner was unoccupied and she made her way over.
Tiva sipped her juice and glanced out the porthole window. The stars were less dense than they had been the week before. Granted, it was a different part of space, but she wondered if that meant anything as she bit into her food.
“Nifty little toy you’ve got there.”
She glanced up and raised an eyebrow. Cooper stood before her, smiling. “Pardon?”
He gestured toward her side, the one without her plasma gun. “That thing, your claw.”
Her hand protectively went to the weapon and she dropped her sandwich. “Thank you. I brought it from home.”
“Of course you did,” he said with a chortle and ran his hand through shaggy brown hair. “It’s not like you can get a decent weapon here. Nope, nothing but new-age lasery stuff.”
“I fashioned the weapon myself. I have found few items that can compare, yet.”
“Now that takes a bit of skill. I’ve never been one to make weapons. Mine was a gift from an
old friend.”
She peered at his side. “The craftsmanship is amazing, I have never seen anything like it...”
She paused narrowing her gaze for a moment. There was something odd about him, and the
weapon. “…before.”
He pulled the blade out, allowing her a better look. The golden eyes engraved in the hilt seemed to stare at her. “She’s one of a kind...Well, one of a pair. The other is lost.”
Her gaze slid over the blade, exquisite was the only word she could think, but she kept that to herself. “Very nice, indeed...Mr...”
“Sir,” he calmly corrected, sheathed his weapon and sat down across from her without invitation. “Sir Adam Cooper. And you?”
She blinked.Sir Adam Cooper? Only the protectors on Abennelp held the title of Sir, was he a protector from his world as well? “Roya...Tiva Boon.”
“Roya? I never heard of a name like that before. Then again, there are a lot of names I haven’t heard.” He laughed. “Nice to meet you, Roya Boon.”
“Tiva Boon. I was about to say Royal Guardian, but I no longer hold the honor.”
He shrugged. “And I haven’t been a knight in ages. But that doesn’t mean I don’t go by Sir. Wait a second...” He paused.“Royal Guardian?”
She bit into the last of her sandwich, acting as if his intrusion was no issue, and consented. “You mean like a castle guard or more like a knight?”
“I was an elite protector to the king and queen of my planet,” she answered, giving no other information. Turning slightly upon hearing the doors to the mess open, she spotted Raife.
Cooper chuckled. “It’s been a long time since I met an actual Dame.”
“I am no longer a guardian, my duties lie here now.” She rose from her seat taking her tray in hand. The conversation made her uncomfortable. Crossing the mess hall, she gave Vinni her dishes and ordered another juice.
A gust of wind rushed past and Cooper’s voice boomed from behind, startling her. “Try the orange stuff. It’s great.”
She jumped back, her hand nearing the claw automatically. She met his eyes and raised a brow, then looked back toward the table. The movement on his back was not a cloak or a cape, but large black feathered wings smoothed along his shoulders. That information was not in his record. She forced herself to show no emotion, and was thankful for the interruption when Raife neared.
May 23, 2016
Mini Q&A with Jenn Nixon - Hey, that's ME!
I asked a good friend (and writer) to give me some questions to answer for a blog since I've been blogging for so long I'm not sure what people actually want to read about anymore. I've answered her questions below but I would love to do this more often. Do you have any questions related to writing, being an author or blogger, social media, TV, fandom, or well, basically anything? I'm happy to try to answer them all. So post a question in the comments if you have one!!
With so many stories in your head, how do you choose which to write?
This is a great question. The short answer is, no clue. The long answer is, it depends on which story has the best opening chapter in my head. That's usually the one I will write next. Since I am currently working on the third book of a series, the opening of this book was practically done before I finished book 2 because I knew exactly where the story was heading. :-)
If the opening hooks me, I'll keep going. When I get to chapter three or four, I usually set it aside and think about it, a lot. For at least a week. I like to see the characters and scenes in my head. I want to make sure the characters are believable and the world building is solid. At this point, I usually start taking notes if I haven't yet. Yes, even pantsers need notes (sometimes outlines too!).
Right now, I have four or five ideas rolling around in my brain. I have no idea which one I want to do next. It's possible I can combine those five ideas into three, so that helps, somewhat. I have several projects that I've started and stopped writing because they weren't working for me. I still go back to some of them and reread them to see if they're worth finishing, but I will be honest, that rarely happens.
What's the weirdest thing that ever inspired a story?
The Wild & Wicked story started out as a dream. Yes, I had a dream I was in a strip club watching some hot chick give an even hotter guy a lap dance. I think I was a bartender or waitress because it wasn't me giving the dance. :-( When I woke up from the dream, most of it had faded but that one moment stayed in my head. I wondered why she was there. Aside from looking like Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who was he? (Hey, it was a dream!) I had to know, so I wrote the opening and BOOM the entire story came to me while writing that first chapter. It took me by surprise, but I kept writing and eventually that first story because a much bigger story than I had originally planned.
People have inspired me as well. Sometimes it's a character on TV or a person walking down the street. A specific quality or feature will often find it's way into a book. I've even used direct quotes from people and put them in my novels.
I tend to people watch when I'm out among the crowds so I never have a problem creating characters, I'm surrounded by them. :-)
How awesome does writing feels and why you do it?
This one is a trick question, right? Finishing a book feels amazing. Writing it doesn't always feel that way. At times, I can be fighting a backache from sitting too long...Kidding!! Well, not really, writers do spend lots of time sitting and typing, so it is important to make sure you get up and move. Lucky for me I have dogs that need to go for walks three times a day, so regardless of what I'm doing if they need to go outside, we're going outside.
Often, that little break is good for me. I'll be thinking about what I've just written, where I'd like it to go, and many times other ideas for plot points further along in the story come to me. My brain works in very weird ways.
I've been writing seriously, with the purpose getting published, for over 15 years now. However, I've been a writer all my life. I've dabbled in poetry, fan fiction, novels, novellas, short stories, content writing, and even screenplays. At this point in my life, I think it's just part of who I am now. I started writing as a means of escaping reality and coping with teenage life, like many kids do. Writing just stayed with me through the years changing from diaries and blogs, but it never left me and probably never will.
How about you? Do you have a hobby that became a part-time job or life long goal? I'd love to hear your story!
May 17, 2016
Teaser Tuesday - @TivaBoon: Royal Guardian
Book one of my epic Sci-Fi Fantasy series: Tiva Boon!
The kingdom of Abennelp has enjoyed an age of peace. Tiva Boon, a loyal and ambitious Royal Guardian is determined to carry on tradition and become an elite protector to the throne. It is all she has ever wanted. Possessing abilities and strength beyond her age, Tiva dedicates her youth and risks her life in the service of her king to prove she is worthy. With her goal achieved and her destiny in motion, a mysterious off-world threat emerges and shatters everything Tiva holds dear.
Exiled from her home and running for her life, Tiva seeks asylum with the Union, a universal security force, and attempts to put the past behind her. Finding herself alone among various space faring races, Tiva integrates herself into the strange society using her skills as a protector and befriends several aliens she meets along the way, ones who will change her life forever.
When a message from those loyal to her king reaches her months after she feels safe in her new life, Tiva’s destiny and the fate of her people collide.
Excerpt
The king held out his hand to Tiva. She turned to her father, who nodded, so she pressed her tiny palm against the king’s hand. He covered the top of her hand with his other and looked into her eyes. Instantly, she felt warmth and kindness from him. She smiled.
“I do not intimidate you, do I Tiva Boon?”
“No, sire,” she said, and put her free hand on top of the king’s. A smiled appeared on his lips as he looked up to Kevler.
Her father chuckled.
“Most of the children I have met are quite frightened of me, even though I always offer my hand in friendship,” he said, studying her small hand on top of his.
“Your hands are warm, sire, your spirit is calming. You are a good king,” she said candidly.
The two men laughed.
Tiva looked to them confused. She pulled her hands back and took a step away from the king, her markings turning pink. Kevler noticed and immediately knelt down beside her.
The king looked to Kevler. “She is in tune with her empathic senses and her markings have begun to react already?”
“Yes, Harer, can you believe it?” he said.
“I would expect nothing less from the Boon Family.” He nodded and clasped Kevler on the shoulder. The king turned to Tiva and took her hand again. “You are a very special child. Study well and listen to your elders.”
Tiva nodded.
“As you grow, you will come to learn, young Tiva, that even I can be easy-spirited in private, but you are still confused, speak of what you feel.”
“Father called you by your birth name,” she said, studying him. She was sensing more from him than she understood. His jade eyes pierced through her in a wave of familiarity and his touch was comforting not intimidating as her cousins had told her. The king’s short black hair sparked with flecks of silver when he ran his hands over his head. The hair hid his moon markings. Tiva found this curious as she believed the crescent moon markings of her people were beautiful and something one should display with pride.
“Your father and I have been friends for many, many cycles. He is as close to me as a brother of my own blood,” he said, his complete attention on her, “you will learn when you can be informal. Guardians must always balance duty with pleasure.”
“So, am I to begin my training to prepare for the induction?” Tiva grinned at her father and the king.
“Yes, Tiva Boon, you are to begin your training.” King Delos deepened his voice sounding more official. “Five cycles from this day, should you pass all your schooling, you will be inducted into guardianship training.”
“Sire…” Tiva looked up to him once more.
“Yes, little Lady Boon?”
“I wish to be an elite guardian,” she said.
Both Kevler and the king paused for a moment.
“I have told her we could discuss that, sire. Young Tiva here needs to learn patience,” he said.
“Have you not told her?” Harer asked.
“No, actually, I have not.”
“Told me what? Speak of what you hide,” Tiva said.
Kevler knelt down in front of her.“I wanted to wait until you were older so that you may understand, but there has never been a female elite guardian before.”
“Then I will be the first,” she said forthrightly.
“It is not so simple, dearest one.” He stroked her hand. “Tradition has always been such that women cannot hold the position of a level one guardianship.”
“Can the tradition be changed?”
“By whom?” he asked.
“Our king, he makes the rules of our land, he can change them,” she said, and looked to King Delos and stared into his eyes. Kevler turned to the king perplexed, as if looking for help to explain the reasoning.
“Traditions are hard to break, Tiva, but we shall see where your path leads you. You may be the very one to bend the rules.”
https://www.amazon.com/Tiva-Boon-Royal-Guardian-Book-ebook/dp/B00LN8S32U
May 11, 2016
How much money do Small Press Authors make? Depends...
One of my good friends and fellow writers asked for a blog on royalties. A great topic for sure! I will preface that everything contained in this post is my point of view and my experience with royalties.
So, here we go. Sorry. It's tough. Real tough to make money as an author if you don't have A. Big publishers behind you or B. Marketing budgets in the thousands.
Since I am with a small publisher, I don't have to shell out any money for editing or covers, but all marketing responsibilities are shared between me and the publishers. Luckily, my publishers are focused on marketing, and do a great deal to help promote me and my books. However, since most publishers have many, many authors, it's not profitable for small presses to pay for individual advertising online or elsewhere, so we all tend to focus on author-share marketing, where all authors in the publishing house help promote the other authors. This varies from publishing house to publishing house, but it's something that every small press should consider doing. Not only is it great to network with other authors it is very likely you already share readers or can find new ones if you are interacting in the right way.
I know, I know, you want numbers right? Well, you're not going to like it...
Most of my eBooks are $2.99. Per my royalty contract, I get 50% of the royalty after Amazon takes their cut. Basically, I make between $1.00 and $1.10 per ebook sold. Yep. A whole dollar. Believe it or not, this is actually pretty good considering the royalty on a print book isn't much higher, at all. I do make more on print books when I buy them and resell them for signings, but even then, when you add in all the costs to get to the signing, most authors break even if they're lucky.
Each book is different, too. My YA SciFi Tiva Boon has done the best, sales-wise, more than all my other books combined. I can only assume it's because it's in the YA Genre. To be honest, I have no idea how and where all these readers found me. The first quarter Tiva was on sale I made over $1000. Every quarter after, that number got smaller and smaller. This past quarter I made just over $100 on three books, the two Tiva books, and the first MIND book. Tiva #1 and MIND #1 were also on sale for .99cents in March. That means I make .33 cents for each sale that month.
Let me say this before I go further. I AM NOT COMPLAINING. Yeah, it kinda sucks you only make $1.00 on a book that took you a year or two or three to write and then another year or two or three to sell, but I AM MAKING money writing. It's a dream come true. I never thought I'd make it this far. I never knew I had the perseverance to keep going after two years of rejections (per book). It's still hard. I promote myself and my books just about every day. Sometimes I take off Sunday, everyone needs a day off, right?
When it finally came time to work out my numbers for taxes, overall, I came in at a loss, but I purposefully spent the majority of my royalties buying paperbacks and marketing because I wanted the exposure. I'm not sure if it worked or not, I'll let you know when the next book comes out in October :-)
While I am not an expert, I'm happy to answer anything I can. Ask away. I don't bite. Usually.
So, here we go. Sorry. It's tough. Real tough to make money as an author if you don't have A. Big publishers behind you or B. Marketing budgets in the thousands.
Since I am with a small publisher, I don't have to shell out any money for editing or covers, but all marketing responsibilities are shared between me and the publishers. Luckily, my publishers are focused on marketing, and do a great deal to help promote me and my books. However, since most publishers have many, many authors, it's not profitable for small presses to pay for individual advertising online or elsewhere, so we all tend to focus on author-share marketing, where all authors in the publishing house help promote the other authors. This varies from publishing house to publishing house, but it's something that every small press should consider doing. Not only is it great to network with other authors it is very likely you already share readers or can find new ones if you are interacting in the right way.
I know, I know, you want numbers right? Well, you're not going to like it...
Most of my eBooks are $2.99. Per my royalty contract, I get 50% of the royalty after Amazon takes their cut. Basically, I make between $1.00 and $1.10 per ebook sold. Yep. A whole dollar. Believe it or not, this is actually pretty good considering the royalty on a print book isn't much higher, at all. I do make more on print books when I buy them and resell them for signings, but even then, when you add in all the costs to get to the signing, most authors break even if they're lucky.
Each book is different, too. My YA SciFi Tiva Boon has done the best, sales-wise, more than all my other books combined. I can only assume it's because it's in the YA Genre. To be honest, I have no idea how and where all these readers found me. The first quarter Tiva was on sale I made over $1000. Every quarter after, that number got smaller and smaller. This past quarter I made just over $100 on three books, the two Tiva books, and the first MIND book. Tiva #1 and MIND #1 were also on sale for .99cents in March. That means I make .33 cents for each sale that month.
Let me say this before I go further. I AM NOT COMPLAINING. Yeah, it kinda sucks you only make $1.00 on a book that took you a year or two or three to write and then another year or two or three to sell, but I AM MAKING money writing. It's a dream come true. I never thought I'd make it this far. I never knew I had the perseverance to keep going after two years of rejections (per book). It's still hard. I promote myself and my books just about every day. Sometimes I take off Sunday, everyone needs a day off, right?
When it finally came time to work out my numbers for taxes, overall, I came in at a loss, but I purposefully spent the majority of my royalties buying paperbacks and marketing because I wanted the exposure. I'm not sure if it worked or not, I'll let you know when the next book comes out in October :-)
While I am not an expert, I'm happy to answer anything I can. Ask away. I don't bite. Usually.
May 4, 2016
Writing a book is hard. Seriously. I learned the hard way.
There's a social media post going around about a reader who emailed an author to tell her that the .99c to $2.99 price she paid for her ebook was too much and she had to return it. While you will never be able to get rid of the freeloader and pirate mentality these days, maybe a little bit of an education on writing a book can go a long way to help some readers understand what it takes. It's not easy. I learned that the hard way.
So, I wrote a Star Wars Fan Fic called Children of the Force. Pretty damn good story idea if you ask me.
I became an avid reader in my mid-Teens. Family members bought me some 90s version Nancy Drew books and I couldn't get enough. From there I started reading Star Trek: The Next Generation novels and mostly mysteries and suspense like Mary Higgins Clark and Iris Johansen.
I binge read both authors, as I had found them later in their writing career, and realized I was figuring out the end before I was halfway through the book. So, that totally meant I could write a better mystery, considering I already had piles and piles of unfinished fanfiction, short stories, novel plots, video game ideas, and even plays. Right? Hahahahah
One day, way back in 1999 this little movie called Star Wars: The Phantom Menace came out and Jenn fell in love with young Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. I saw that damn movie 15 times in the theater, had a padawan braid, and started reading the Jedi Apprentice books from Scholastic despite the fact I was a 25-year-old girl and the target audience was 12-year-old boys. (That's another story for another blog). If I remember correctly, a new book came out every month. They were short, but great stories, and I figured, hey, I should try to write one of these.
Anyway, when I finished it and thought it was the best story ever, I decided to try my hand at an original story because I knew Scholastic wasn't going to take my story. That book was called Play Nice and Live to See Tomorrow. You see the Mary Higgins influence no doubt. Well, I thought Play Nice was awesome. All my friends LOVED it. My family LOVED it. After I published it with a vanity press and started to promote it on AOL I learned a very hard truth. It. Was. Horrible.
I figured I had read enough, did well enough in school, and wrote enough stories already that I knew what I was doing. Big mistake. Not only did people on AOL call me out for spam promoting (I was), they pointed out that my writing was terrible. They were right. I cried a little. Flew off the handle at some people online. Cried a little more.
However, I had a choice before me. A. Forget about writing and go on with my life. B. Keep writing, learn, get better, and try again.
I chose B. I went back to college to get my degree. I joined a writers group. I wrote my second book, another Mystery. I wrote a third book - a Harlequin style Romantic Suspense.
At my writer's group meetings and conferences, I learned the "rules" of writing. Showing vs. Telling, The difference between POVs and how they work, character development, plotting, the story arch, etc. I talked with bestselling authors and picked their brains for hours. I worked with critique partners. I worked with writer friends online. I worked and worked and worked on my craft (PS I'm STILL learning and hopefully improving) for ten years before I even attempted to sell another book.
Yes. TEN years.
During those years, however, I wrote both Tiva books and the first Lucky book. When I submitted them and got them accepted by a publisher (2 years later) were they great? No. Did they need lots of work? Yep. I think I probably learned more about the writing craft working with editors than anyone else. I paid very close attention to my bad habits: Fragments, Passive voice, comma splices, crutch words, and I taught myself how to spot at least half of them when I'm writing now, which really helps, let me tell ya!
I remember getting back Lucky's Charm during the first round of edits and I almost died seeing how
much I had to review and change. It was pretty much a nightmare. However, each book and each editor taught me a new rule or a new approach or pointed out a bad habit and each time I learned something new it made me better.
I want to keep writing for as long as I am able. I want to be taken seriously regardless of the genre I write. I want to get better. I want to learn more.
I don't want to be one of these dino-porn writers who are simply trying to make a buck off readers by putting out crappy (even if parody) ebooks. In my opinion, they are clogging up the bestsellers lists so that people like me have a harder time finding an audience. I think it's wrong and shady. Obviously, people are buying these books but it just makes having a writing career much harder even if you do write well and put out a decent book.
Writing, for me, is well worth the hardships. I try not to complain but sometimes, when you see that reality star get a six figure contract or try to read the first page of the newest bestseller and you can't get passed the first paragraph because the author is breaking all the rules you've learned not to break, it can be tough.
Like any dream, it takes work. The good thing, these days, you can pretty much learn to do anything you want by going online, meeting like-minded people, and joining online communities. I'll keep writing. It's in my blood now and I'm glad you're along for the ride.
What dream are you working on? I'd love to hear about it!
At my writer's group meetings and conferences, I learned the "rules" of writing. Showing vs. Telling, The difference between POVs and how they work, character development, plotting, the story arch, etc. I talked with bestselling authors and picked their brains for hours. I worked with critique partners. I worked with writer friends online. I worked and worked and worked on my craft (PS I'm STILL learning and hopefully improving) for ten years before I even attempted to sell another book.
Yes. TEN years.
During those years, however, I wrote both Tiva books and the first Lucky book. When I submitted them and got them accepted by a publisher (2 years later) were they great? No. Did they need lots of work? Yep. I think I probably learned more about the writing craft working with editors than anyone else. I paid very close attention to my bad habits: Fragments, Passive voice, comma splices, crutch words, and I taught myself how to spot at least half of them when I'm writing now, which really helps, let me tell ya!
I remember getting back Lucky's Charm during the first round of edits and I almost died seeing how
I want to keep writing for as long as I am able. I want to be taken seriously regardless of the genre I write. I want to get better. I want to learn more.
I don't want to be one of these dino-porn writers who are simply trying to make a buck off readers by putting out crappy (even if parody) ebooks. In my opinion, they are clogging up the bestsellers lists so that people like me have a harder time finding an audience. I think it's wrong and shady. Obviously, people are buying these books but it just makes having a writing career much harder even if you do write well and put out a decent book.
Writing, for me, is well worth the hardships. I try not to complain but sometimes, when you see that reality star get a six figure contract or try to read the first page of the newest bestseller and you can't get passed the first paragraph because the author is breaking all the rules you've learned not to break, it can be tough.
Like any dream, it takes work. The good thing, these days, you can pretty much learn to do anything you want by going online, meeting like-minded people, and joining online communities. I'll keep writing. It's in my blood now and I'm glad you're along for the ride.
What dream are you working on? I'd love to hear about it!
October 9, 2015
.99¢ Sale! My YA SciFi Bestseller is on sale this weekend!
Needs something new for your Kindle? Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian is on sale this weekend for only .99c!!
What others have said:
"Full of royal intrigue, love, tragedy and adventure!"
"Tiva is a badass!"
"A unique and intriguing world."
"Tiva Boon is a true hero."
"There is never a dull moment."
Book 1 link: amzn.com/B00LN8S32U
Book 2 link: amzn.com/B00T3OQSPK
What others have said:
"Full of royal intrigue, love, tragedy and adventure!"
"Tiva is a badass!"
"A unique and intriguing world."
"Tiva Boon is a true hero."
"There is never a dull moment."
Book 1 link: amzn.com/B00LN8S32U
Book 2 link: amzn.com/B00T3OQSPK
May 15, 2015
.99¢ Ebook Sale! #YALit #SciFi
.99¢ Ebook Sale!
"Tiva is quite the badass."
#FinalFantasy meets #StarTrek in this Bestselling YA adventure
March 10, 2015
Teaser Tuesday from Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp
Today's Teaser Tuesday is from me!
“You call this stuff intoxicating? Where are the real drinks?” Tiva heard the complaint as she walked in the mess hall. The aroma inside made her stomach rumble, chastising her for skipping a meal. She sighed and moved to the counter. Vinni served a large mug to Adam Cooper; who was laughing at the bartender. He shook his head. “I’m joking, Vin. Well, not really, but don’t worry... I’m not mad. Just hook me up with one of those citrus drinks.”
Tiva took a seat, and placed her order with the young lady standing behind Vinni. She was tired of he protein shakes; a sandwich and juice would be a nice change of pace.
The mess was unusually quiet. Several people chatted silently with their friends or crew mates. Cracking her fingers as she waited, Tiva watched as Cooper gulped down his drink, and tapped on the bar.
“And how about a glass of water and a washcloth for my lady friend?” He gestured to the blade hanging at his hip.
Tiva gawked. A sword wielder?Most of the aliens she had come across thus far preferred advanced technical weapons. Not many used metal and steel among the stars. Vinni fulfilled his request then placed her order on the counter.
“Here ya go.”
She broke her stare.“Yes, thank you.” Tiva gathered the tray and hopped off the chair. Her usual table in the corner was unoccupied and she made her way over.
Tiva sipped her juice and glanced out the porthole window. The stars were less dense than they had been the week before. Granted, it was a different part of space, but she wondered if that meant anything as she bit into her food.
“Nifty little toy you’ve got there.”
She glanced up and raised an eyebrow. Cooper stood before her, smiling. “Pardon?”
He gestured toward her side, the one without her plasma gun. “That thing, your claw.”
Her hand protectively went to the weapon and she dropped her sandwich. “Thank you. I brought it from home.”
“Of course you did,” he said with a chortle and ran his hand through shaggy brown hair. “It’s not like you can get a decent weapon here. Nope, nothing but new-age lasery stuff.”
“I fashioned the weapon myself. I have found few items that can compare, yet.”
“Now that takes a bit of skill. I’ve never been one to make weapons. Mine was a gift from an
old friend.”
She peered at his side. “The craftsmanship is amazing, I have never seen anything like it...”
She paused narrowing her gaze for a moment. There was something odd about him, and the
weapon. “…before.”
He pulled the blade out, allowing her a better look. The golden eyes engraved in the hilt seemed to stare at her. “She’s one of a kind...Well, one of a pair. The other is lost.”
Her gaze slid over the blade, exquisite was the only word she could think, but she kept that to herself. “Very nice, indeed...Mr...”
“Sir,” he calmly corrected, sheathed his weapon and sat down across from her without invitation. “Sir Adam Cooper. And you?”
She blinked.Sir Adam Cooper? Only the protectors on Abennelp held the title of Sir, was he a protector from his world as well? “Roya...Tiva Boon.”
“Roya? I never heard of a name like that before. Then again, there are a lot of names I haven’t heard.” He laughed. “Nice to meet you, Roya Boon.”
“Tiva Boon. I was about to say Royal Guardian, but I no longer hold the honor.”
He shrugged. “And I haven’t been a knight in ages. But that doesn’t mean I don’t go by Sir. Wait a second...” He paused.“Royal Guardian?”
She bit into the last of her sandwich, acting as if his intrusion was no issue, and consented. “You mean like a castle guard or more like a knight?”
“I was an elite protector to the king and queen of my planet,” she answered, giving no other information. Turning slightly upon hearing the doors to the mess open, she spotted Raife.
Cooper chuckled. “It’s been a long time since I met an actual Dame.”
“I am no longer a guardian, my duties lie here now.” She rose from her seat taking her tray in hand. The conversation made her uncomfortable. Crossing the mess hall, she gave Vinni her dishes and ordered another juice.
A gust of wind rushed past and Cooper’s voice boomed from behind, startling her. “Try the orange stuff. It’s great.”
She jumped back, her hand nearing the claw automatically. She met his eyes and raised a brow, then looked back toward the table. The movement on his back was not a cloak or a cape, but large black feathered wings smoothed along his shoulders. That information was not in his record. She forced herself to show no emotion, and was thankful for the interruption when Raife neared.
Purchase Book Two
Purchase Book One
February 4, 2015
NEW RELEASE! Book 2 in the #Bestselling SciFi Series Tiva Boon!
I'm happy to announce that Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp is out now! It's ranking, which is super awesome, so thank you all for helping me spread the word.
Many of you know that this book went through two previous publisher, but various circumstances caused the books not to release. Finally, Tiva and I found our forever home with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. They have an amazing team! From the artists, editors, marketing teams, to the authors and of course SJ Davis, our publisher, everyone has helped make this happen for me and I thank them from the top to the bottom of my heart!
You can find their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CrushingHeartsandBlackButterfly
You can find mine here: https://www.facebook.com/JennNixonAuthor
And if you're not into Science Fiction, I have other books you may like, check it out: http://www.jennnixon.com/shop/
Final Fantasy meets Star Trek in this Bestselling YA SciFi adventure!
Book 2 - Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp-- smarturl.it/TivaBoonBk2
Book 1 - Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian -- smarturl.it/TivaBoonqr
Book 2 - Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp-- smarturl.it/TivaBoonBk2
Book 1 - Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian -- smarturl.it/TivaBoonqr
Many of you know that this book went through two previous publisher, but various circumstances caused the books not to release. Finally, Tiva and I found our forever home with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. They have an amazing team! From the artists, editors, marketing teams, to the authors and of course SJ Davis, our publisher, everyone has helped make this happen for me and I thank them from the top to the bottom of my heart!
You can find their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CrushingHeartsandBlackButterfly
You can find mine here: https://www.facebook.com/JennNixonAuthor
And if you're not into Science Fiction, I have other books you may like, check it out: http://www.jennnixon.com/shop/
January 28, 2015
#Ebook Release Party for @TivaBoon Heir of Abennelp (Feb 3rd)
Join me on February 3rd for the release party for Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp book two in the epic SciFi-Fantasy saga. https://www.facebook.com/events/1540026386265022/
**Contests will begin on Saturday!**
To give everyone a chance to win something, I'll have a daily giveaway leading up to the release date. Grand prize entries will be open for a week after release date, so if you can't make it on the day and time, you'll still have an opportunity to win!
November 18, 2014
I'm a real writer now...and it feels like it, too!
As many of you know, because you're following me on various places around the internet, I've been writing in one form or another for most of my 40 years. It started waaaay back in elementary school and eventually turned into a full-fledged part-time career.
My first "published" novel was crap. I had a fun time writing it, but I had no idea what I was doing. When I got slammed with horrible reviews, I knew I needed help, so I found help within writer's groups and with writer friends. I didn't consider myself a real writer. Not even close.
The Lucky Series sold to Wild Child Publishing and I can honestly say working with Marci and my awesome editor has helped me become a better writer. The group of writers there are supportive and wonderful to work and network with as well. The first two books have sold well, but Romantic Suspense is a hard genre to break into for unknown authors. But at the very least, selling these books helped me to feel more like a writer than before.
The next sale I made was Wild and Wicked to Tease Publishing featuring Mason Storm and Veronica Chance. It was my first try at writing a novella, which eventually turned into three of them, but the company closed. Now I'm working on an anthology of all three coming out soon from Freya's Bower, sister company of Wild Child. :-) Okay, maybe I am a writer after all.
My next sale will be glossed over for various reasons.
The sale after that one is under a pen name. :-) If you want to know more, you'll have to send me an email or message. lol
Now, we move on to the Tiva Boon dyad. If you don't know the story behind Tiva getting publishing here's a good starting point - CLICK ME! It was the second story I finished writing back in the early 2000s (seriously), but only recently found its proper home at Crushing Hearts. Yet another awesome small pub with rock star authors and a kick ass marketing and creative team.
Well, I had this book finished before Hunger Games, Twilight, and all the other YA Books of late. I made the mistake of thinking the violence in Tiva's world was too much for the young adult crowd. Spoiler alert (highlight to read- she slashes a guy from stomach to throat at the age of 16.- (end spoiler) Apparently, it's not so violent anymore. So, when I got the rights back for the second time, I decided to try Upper YA/New Adult as a sub category within the SciFi-Fantasy. It worked, I found the right placement for Tiva and with the response and sale I'm seeing now, I really do feel like a writer now.
No, it's not about the money, though it has helped, it's the fact that complete strangers, in different countries, are reading my books. With the recent explosion of the YA/NA genre, and the added bonus of older adult women devouring the genre, I've found myself in a very interesting spot. The "SaleWhichWillNotBeNamedButYouCanProbablyFigureOut" has been selling, on it's own, simply because it's also a Science Fiction novel. Lucky's Charm and Lucky's Break are also selling with little advertising from me right now (I'm gearing up for another sale, stay tuned). I'm getting real reviews from people who love it and hate all my books! Okay, no one has said they hated anything yet, but I have a couple 1 Stars on Goodeads and 2 Stars on Amazon. To me, that's just another indication that I'm a "real writer" now.
I'm not on the USA or NY Times Bestseller's list. I haven't hit #1 in any Amazon category lists, yet, and I'm a long way away from making the kind of money I'd need to make to quit working my day job, but I'm a writer. I'll always write. I guess I've always been a writer, but now it feels like it, too.
My first "published" novel was crap. I had a fun time writing it, but I had no idea what I was doing. When I got slammed with horrible reviews, I knew I needed help, so I found help within writer's groups and with writer friends. I didn't consider myself a real writer. Not even close.
The next sale I made was Wild and Wicked to Tease Publishing featuring Mason Storm and Veronica Chance. It was my first try at writing a novella, which eventually turned into three of them, but the company closed. Now I'm working on an anthology of all three coming out soon from Freya's Bower, sister company of Wild Child. :-) Okay, maybe I am a writer after all.
My next sale will be glossed over for various reasons.
The sale after that one is under a pen name. :-) If you want to know more, you'll have to send me an email or message. lol
Now, we move on to the Tiva Boon dyad. If you don't know the story behind Tiva getting publishing here's a good starting point - CLICK ME! It was the second story I finished writing back in the early 2000s (seriously), but only recently found its proper home at Crushing Hearts. Yet another awesome small pub with rock star authors and a kick ass marketing and creative team.Well, I had this book finished before Hunger Games, Twilight, and all the other YA Books of late. I made the mistake of thinking the violence in Tiva's world was too much for the young adult crowd. Spoiler alert (highlight to read- she slashes a guy from stomach to throat at the age of 16.- (end spoiler) Apparently, it's not so violent anymore. So, when I got the rights back for the second time, I decided to try Upper YA/New Adult as a sub category within the SciFi-Fantasy. It worked, I found the right placement for Tiva and with the response and sale I'm seeing now, I really do feel like a writer now.
No, it's not about the money, though it has helped, it's the fact that complete strangers, in different countries, are reading my books. With the recent explosion of the YA/NA genre, and the added bonus of older adult women devouring the genre, I've found myself in a very interesting spot. The "SaleWhichWillNotBeNamedButYouCanProbablyFigureOut" has been selling, on it's own, simply because it's also a Science Fiction novel. Lucky's Charm and Lucky's Break are also selling with little advertising from me right now (I'm gearing up for another sale, stay tuned). I'm getting real reviews from people who love it and hate all my books! Okay, no one has said they hated anything yet, but I have a couple 1 Stars on Goodeads and 2 Stars on Amazon. To me, that's just another indication that I'm a "real writer" now.
I'm not on the USA or NY Times Bestseller's list. I haven't hit #1 in any Amazon category lists, yet, and I'm a long way away from making the kind of money I'd need to make to quit working my day job, but I'm a writer. I'll always write. I guess I've always been a writer, but now it feels like it, too.
July 28, 2014
Facebook Promos. What I've learned and paying it forward!
I have a great mix of people reading my blog. Some of you are authors, musicians, artists, models, others are fellow pop culture geeks, readers, friends, family...you get the idea.
This post is probably more for authors, but anyone who uses the internet to advertise can probably pick up a tip or two.
As you know, I've been promoting a few books hardcore the last couple of months on Facebook. I don't have a large budget, so this should be helpful to people in similar circumstance.
Here's what I used, how it works, and the results I got.
Facebook -Events, Ads, and Groups:
Hosting an Event on Facebook is a great way to make new friends, promote your brand, and even make some sales depending on what you have to offer.
Two weeks before my latest book release, I set up an Event Party. I invited lots of friends and family, and ask my fellow publishing house authors and author friends to help me spread the word. 172 people, half of which I didn't know prior, clicked to "Join the Event". For my first ever event, I thought I did rather well.
One week before the book release, I had a daily giveaway via donated ebooks from author friends. This helped to generate buzz and readers invited other readers. Awesome!
On the day of the Event, I had a 4 hour window of giveaways, with a new prize every half hour, and promoted my grand prize drawing. Anyone who wanted the grand prize was asked to leave their purchase code for the book in the comments! I was skeptical about doing this, but it generated more sales that I ever imagined! The party was a lot of fun, I sold books, and gained new readers. Win-Win!
During the Event Day and several days after I ran two different Facebook promotion. One was a sponsored ad and the other boosted specific posts I had on my Author page to gain visibility among my followers.
The minimum magic budget seems to be $5 per day for me. The good thing about Facebook is that you can set daily and lifetime limits so you won't go over a certain amount. Facebook will also bill you at a specific dollar point if you ask them to. Learning Facebook ads can take some time, but there are help sections, videos on the internet, and friends out there who can help you, but it's best to learn the basics it on your own first. The main thing to know is you can BID for Impressions, Engagements, and Clicks.
Impressions are usually by the thousand and are basically a fly by advertisement, it will show up 1000 times on a web page. This helps you show up more, but not necessarily get the attention you want.
Engagements are when people like, comment, or share the post.
Clicks are for when people physically click the link you have in the ad, which usually takes you to another webpage where someone can buy your product.
Each product and ad are different. Getting clicks is more expensive but so far in my experience more effective, but on occasion I do change it up to get it in front of different people. You can change the add constantly, switching from Impression to Engagements to Clicks and back. You can also keep track of this on your own with trackable url links. I use smart url. It will show you the number of time each link you set up is clicked. I highly recommend it to help keep track of any promos you do.
Lastly, posting in Facebook Groups can be helpful, too, if done right. The key is to find promotion or advertising groups for your products. There are many out there and most are open to everyone.
Facebook puts all your groups in a list with the most recently accessed ones up top. If you are posting multiple posts, pay attention to this list. Start on the bottom and work your way up.
When you get to each group, READ THE ABOUT SECTION FIRST! Make sure they allow promotions and advertising. Some groups are just for networking and not promotion. Next, scroll down a for a few seconds to make sure you haven't posted recently. If you spam groups multiple times a day for days in a row they may kick you out. They are trying to help all authors and don't want any one person clogging up the groups with multiple posts.
Above and beyond the promotions listed above on Facebook, you also have your personal profile and Fan Page to help you promote with no additional costs. Branching out beyond Facebook to Twitter, Google+, and other social media outlets may be right for you, too, and if you're just getting started, check out my helpful guide here: http://jennafern.blogspot.com/2013/02/facebook-twitter-pinterest-oh-my-social.html
Hope this helps a bit and remember to pay it forward. :-)
This post is probably more for authors, but anyone who uses the internet to advertise can probably pick up a tip or two.
As you know, I've been promoting a few books hardcore the last couple of months on Facebook. I don't have a large budget, so this should be helpful to people in similar circumstance.
Here's what I used, how it works, and the results I got.
Facebook -Events, Ads, and Groups:
Hosting an Event on Facebook is a great way to make new friends, promote your brand, and even make some sales depending on what you have to offer.
Two weeks before my latest book release, I set up an Event Party. I invited lots of friends and family, and ask my fellow publishing house authors and author friends to help me spread the word. 172 people, half of which I didn't know prior, clicked to "Join the Event". For my first ever event, I thought I did rather well.
One week before the book release, I had a daily giveaway via donated ebooks from author friends. This helped to generate buzz and readers invited other readers. Awesome!
On the day of the Event, I had a 4 hour window of giveaways, with a new prize every half hour, and promoted my grand prize drawing. Anyone who wanted the grand prize was asked to leave their purchase code for the book in the comments! I was skeptical about doing this, but it generated more sales that I ever imagined! The party was a lot of fun, I sold books, and gained new readers. Win-Win!
During the Event Day and several days after I ran two different Facebook promotion. One was a sponsored ad and the other boosted specific posts I had on my Author page to gain visibility among my followers.
The minimum magic budget seems to be $5 per day for me. The good thing about Facebook is that you can set daily and lifetime limits so you won't go over a certain amount. Facebook will also bill you at a specific dollar point if you ask them to. Learning Facebook ads can take some time, but there are help sections, videos on the internet, and friends out there who can help you, but it's best to learn the basics it on your own first. The main thing to know is you can BID for Impressions, Engagements, and Clicks.
Impressions are usually by the thousand and are basically a fly by advertisement, it will show up 1000 times on a web page. This helps you show up more, but not necessarily get the attention you want.
Engagements are when people like, comment, or share the post.
Clicks are for when people physically click the link you have in the ad, which usually takes you to another webpage where someone can buy your product.
Each product and ad are different. Getting clicks is more expensive but so far in my experience more effective, but on occasion I do change it up to get it in front of different people. You can change the add constantly, switching from Impression to Engagements to Clicks and back. You can also keep track of this on your own with trackable url links. I use smart url. It will show you the number of time each link you set up is clicked. I highly recommend it to help keep track of any promos you do.
Lastly, posting in Facebook Groups can be helpful, too, if done right. The key is to find promotion or advertising groups for your products. There are many out there and most are open to everyone.
Facebook puts all your groups in a list with the most recently accessed ones up top. If you are posting multiple posts, pay attention to this list. Start on the bottom and work your way up.
When you get to each group, READ THE ABOUT SECTION FIRST! Make sure they allow promotions and advertising. Some groups are just for networking and not promotion. Next, scroll down a for a few seconds to make sure you haven't posted recently. If you spam groups multiple times a day for days in a row they may kick you out. They are trying to help all authors and don't want any one person clogging up the groups with multiple posts.
Above and beyond the promotions listed above on Facebook, you also have your personal profile and Fan Page to help you promote with no additional costs. Branching out beyond Facebook to Twitter, Google+, and other social media outlets may be right for you, too, and if you're just getting started, check out my helpful guide here: http://jennafern.blogspot.com/2013/02/facebook-twitter-pinterest-oh-my-social.html
Hope this helps a bit and remember to pay it forward. :-)
July 14, 2014
BEST Weekend EVER!
After a ten year journey I was able to bring Tiva's story to life with the help of the amazing team over at Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly, an awesome publisher with awesome authors!!
Tiva's book hit #2 on the UK Sci-Fi Genre list!!
And #5 in the US!!
I've probably thanked and over-thanked everyone a million times already, but it never hurts to say it again.
THANK YOU!!
Tiva's book hit #2 on the UK Sci-Fi Genre list!!
And #5 in the US!!
I've probably thanked and over-thanked everyone a million times already, but it never hurts to say it again.
THANK YOU!!
July 10, 2014
Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian Release Day & Party!
It's Release Day for Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian!!
This has been a very long journey for me and I'm so excited to celebrate with you all!
You can join me on Facebook for an ALL DAY party with flash giveaways and a grand prize drawing. Stop by and check it out: https://www.facebook.com/events/293417760826659/
You can purchase Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian now on Amazon: http://smarturl.it/TivaBoonRG or use your smartphone:
Thank you for your continued support!
Jenn
July 2, 2014
My #SciFi Journey from Reading Rainbow to Tiva Boon and Back Again.
Way back in the dark, non-tech age of 1983-1984, I was a ten year old tomboy. I didn't read much, until I happened upon Reading Rainbow on PBS. After watching a few episodes, I went to the library and found a series called Encyclopedia Brown. I devoured the books. Eventually graduate to older books, especially Nancy Drew.
Around 1987, my social studies teacher had the class watch Roots. I recognized LeVar Burton instantly and found myself captivated by the series. I was older now, but I was curious to see if Reading Rainbow was still on TV. It was! I watched a few episodes here and there, it was still fun, but most of the books at that time were for younger kids. However, luck would have it that one episode I watch happened to be the behind the scenes episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
I had a healthy knowledge of SciFi for a 14 year old. There were all the superheroes of course, Star Wars, and I knew about the original Star Trek, though never watched regularly. So imagine my shock when Wil Wheaton from Stand By Me (I was a Cory fan, I HAD to see it), showed up on set as Wesley Crusher. Okay, I thought, I'll have to check this out.
I watched every episode I could find on TV. Mostly in reruns, late night in syndication (sitting alone in the basement), after all, there were no DVRs. Recording TV on VHS was SUCH a pain.
Over the next few years during high school and beyond, I read the Star Trek books, eventually watched all the episodes, fell in love with other Science Fiction series' like Quantum Leap, Sliders, X-Files, DS9, then Voyager...you get the idea.
In the late 90's I started dabbling in Fan Fiction, before it was even a thing. I wrote a couple Star Treks, a Star Wars one, but mostly stuck to mystery-crime types as I moved into the 2000s.
Then, one night early August 2001, I found a little chat group called the Exploratory Crews of the Federation on AOL. I already had a Jenn Of N screen name, my homage to Seven of Nine. So, I popped in, learned it was an online Star Trek Role Playing group, and proceeded to act out in character, trying to assimilate the people inside. LOL!After chatting with one of the group captains, I agreed to come back to watch one of their games, which they called Sims, short for simulations. Basically, each person had a Star Trek type character and post on a starship, and they would act out original "episodes" of Star Trek real time in the chat room.
What fun!
I made a character. Excelled at playing in their style, made so many friends I can't even tell you, and found myself having so much fun I made multiple characters.
One of them was Tiva Boon.
She was my fish out of water, only one of her kind alien, who I made to be a cross between Data from TNG and Seven from Voyager. Well, like most of my characters, she took on a life of her own and over the course of the next year or so, I had this awesome, fleshed out character with a story begging to be told.
Who am I to argue? I started writing. It took me another two years to write the entire story.
This project, on many levels, is a group effort. Without any of these steps, I know for a fact, Tiva would not exist. So when I learned that LeVar Burton was trying to bring back Reading Rainbow for a new generation, I didn't hesitate one moment and backed the Kickstarter project, which I'm happy to say met BOTH it's goals!!
Above and beyond writing Tiva's story or any of my others, I've made friends from all walks of life, just like a Star Trek future I hope the people of Earth get to participate in one day, because after all, it's a very big universe, there may be something out there.
Inspiration comes in many forms, even in the oddest places, let it open your mind and heart, you never know what the result will be!
June 24, 2014
Cover Reveal #TivaBoon Royal Guardian #SciFi #Fantasy #NA
I am super, SUPER happy to share the cover for Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian, the first book in this two book, SciFi Fantasy Epic!
What do you think?
Isn't she pretty?
What do you think?
Isn't she pretty?
June 23, 2014
Online Book Release Party July 10th!
Please join me on Facebook for more info! https://www.facebook.com/events/293417760826659/
Not on Facebook? Don't worry, I'll have flash giveaways all day on all my social media platforms including this blog, so be sure to check back in a couple of weeks!!
Good luck to everyone!!
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