The Writerly Witch

Greetings dear fans and writers. Where did we leave off the last time? Oh yes. You had honed your draft, left it to brew …speaking of. Where’s my tea?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Ah, that’s better. There is nothing nicer than a cup of tea when chatting.

The next important step, darlings, is to send the manuscript in all it’s glory to your beta readers. Before you scream at me that you know this already, hear me out.

Beta readers are worth their weight in tea and you should honor and applaud them. If you are lucky they will point out where the story deviates from the plot or meanders through a meadow filled with wildflowers and butterflies.

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Yes, beautiful isn’t it. Now concentrate.

Once the beta readers are finished with your little darling manuscript you edit and tweak whatever they suggest and then;

READ OVER AGAIN.

Once satisfied and your eyes are burning in your skull you send to your chosen editor. Be aware when choosing an editor. Search their page for recommendations, ask other writers about their editors. Search around, I can not stress enough how important this is. You will forge a working relationship with your editor which will grow with each manuscript you write.

For next time, darlings, I explain the different types of editors you may encounter or wish to engage.

Stay strong my warriors. Ta Ta for now.

 

The Writerly Witch

Well, I shake my whiskered face. You’d think she, being the author, would come up with a better headline than, “The Writerly Witch,” I’m not sure it’s grammatically correct.

Anyway, let me introduce myself. I am a witch’s cat and let me tell you it’s a hard job. However, I excel in a particular area of advice, yes my adoring fans, because you will adore me, I will appear on here every so often to throw you scraps of my fantastic wit and wisdom.

No. The tea is mine, leave it alone.

Now, you’ve finished your novel. Fantastic, wonderful, how clever and talented you are. I am now about to burst your little bubble, with kindness. Okay with my sharp claws.

The work, dear readers, is just about to start.

Put your finished work away, file it, store it, print it out and hide it in the cellar, where ever you can’t get access to it for at least two weeks. Don’t look at it. 

After two weeks retrieve your work and, this is important, make sure you have a bevy of your choosing at the ready. Sit at your desk, open the electrical device you can’t live without and begin.

First edit, not so hard. There are so many editing tools out there which will help you, apart from me.

She, uses: https://prowritingaid.com 

Okay, so it’s going well, fantastic. Now, put it away again. Yes, yes, you heard me. Hide it away again, 1 week this time.

Poor dears, I know I’m cruel, you love it.

Resurrect the work once more. Read over and over noticing where you might have head hopped, (writerly term for mixing up your point of view.) Called a character by the wrong name or spelled, (heaven forbid) their name wrong. Read it and read it until you see double. Then save and file.

Next time:  What happens when you open the file again?

I am here and there,

Forever on my whim,

Will, I appear,

My advice to give.

Until next time:

“Ma haw! I scorched my whiskers,”

Our Story The Sisters of The Fey

via Our Story

A Fresh Wind Blowing Through Stereotypes

Is fantasy a male-dominated genre? I don’t think so. Tanith Lee is the first name that springs to my mind, perhaps because my mother loved her work. My mother also introduced me to Marion Zimmer Bradley and her Thendara books. Later I would buy Mists of Avalon. It remains a firm favourite, although dog-eared and faded. The link I’m posting below tells me that the female voice of fantasy is surging forward, just as it always has been.

Blog Tour – The Curse of Time Book One The Bloodstone By Marjorie Mallon

This post is about Marjorie Mallon the author of The Curse of Time Book One The Bloodstone.

 

Here is the live link to the paperback of The Curse of Time Book One – The Bloodstone

I’ve had to amend my post to make sure that people on Facebook can see who this article is about and not think that it is about me. Why Facebook doesn’t show my Word Press articles exactly as they appear, I don’t know. It’s very annoying.

I am a debut author who has been blogging for three years at my lovely blog home Kyrosmagica: https://mjmallon.com. My interests include writing, photography, poetry, and alternative therapies. I write Fantasy YA, middle grade fiction and micro poetry – haiku and Tanka. I love to read and have written over 100 reviews: https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-z-of-my-book-reviews/
My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheroes! I was born on the 17th of November in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit,) second child and only daughter to my proud parents Paula and Ronald. I grew up in a mountainous court in the Peak District in Hong Kong with my elder brother Donald. My parents dragged me away from my exotic childhood and my much loved dog Topsy to the frozen wastelands of Scotland. In bonnie Edinburgh I mastered Scottish country dancing, and a whole new Och Aye lingo.
As a teenager I travelled to many far-flung destinations to visit my abacus wielding wayfarer dad. It’s rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six foot hunk of a Rock God husband, and my two enchanted daughters. After such an upbringing my author’s mind has taken total leave of its senses! When I’m not writing, I eat exotic delicacies while belly dancing, or surf to the far reaches of the moon. To chill out, I practise Tai Chi. If the mood takes me I snorkel with mermaids, or sign up for idyllic holidays with the Chinese Unicorn, whose magnificent voice sings like a thousand wind chimes.
Books by M J Mallon:
The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone
Blurb:
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden pathway where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, but perplexing stranger.

With the help of a magical paint set, and some crystal wizard stones she discovers the truth about a shocking curse that has destroyed her family’s happiness.

Title: The Curse of Time Book 1 – Bloodstone
Kindle Publication date: 27th August 2017
Genre: YA/Paranormal Fantasy
Pages: 237
ASIN: B074CDJPY9
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Intended Paperback Release date – April 2018
Genre: YA/Paranormal Fantasy
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781999822439
Book Design: https://wendyannedarling.wordpress.com/
Photography Credit: Dr John C Taylor, OBE: http://www.johnctaylor.com/
Paperback includes additional material – two black and white illustrations by Artist – Carolina Russo. https://yesterdayafter.com/
Edited by: https://colleenchesebro.com
Buy Paperback Book link: Coming soon!
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
Excerpt:
This terrifying being deserved the term: hideous. No other word would do it justice. Lumps of earth were matted around its skull convincing me that it wore dreadlocks. Worms fed on the rotting skin that hung from its skeletal frame. Many insects collected in the recesses of the creature’s decaying body.
Surprised at the painting’s transformation, I knocked over my paint pots in shock. Paint spattered across the kitchen table. My mind raced. I questioned how I could have painted such a revolting thing? Was I hallucinating?
Without warning, the floorboards beneath my feet rattled. I tried to throw the paint brush away, but it clung to my hand like extra strength super glue. After several attempts, I succeeded; my fingers released the paint brush. I ran into the lounge in a panic leaving my art stuff scattered all over the table. This calmed me down a bit, and I slowed my pacing. The thudding of my heart grew so loud I heard it pounding like an overzealous gong in my ears.
With the continuous sound of the beating of my heart, it wasn’t long before I heard the house joining in with a chorus of shouts, and yells. The rattling floorboards continued moaning out their sorrowful tune.
When the doorbell rang, I sprung up to answer it thinking it could be my dad. Just in time, I remembered what he had always said: ‘Make sure you check who’s at the door before you open it.’
I turned on my heel and sprinted upstairs to the first-floor landing where I could observe the transparent window above the doorway. This window allowed an excellent view of the front of the house.
To begin with, I saw nothing. I considered the doorbell ringing must have been kids playing a prank. I was ready to turn away when there followed a flicker of movement. My eyes darted left and right, and I couldn’t believe what I saw standing on the doorstep. There in all its glory stood scary dreadlock dude, the creature I’d just painted, the same creature I had met in my dream standing on my front doorstep, like a visitor at Halloween.
A family of rats sat perched on its head, biting at the last remnants of meaty flesh from around its eye sockets. Closing my eyes, I hoped that he was just some wild figment of my imagination. However, when I re-opened them, I saw that my fears were justified. The being resembled a horrible hellish beast transported from a Halloween Underworld Party who had paid me a trick or treat visit! Except, I saw no sweets, instead a bunch of worms and rats were making a mega meal out of him.
I heard distressed sounds coming from the house as it registered this unwelcome visitor at the door. Weird noises echoed from within the walls, and the floorboards creaked like they would crack wide open. The central heating pounded a protest like an agitated heartbeat.
Beneath my feet, Shadow’s black fur stood on edge. He hissed and bared his sharp fangs at the sound of the unwelcome visitor at the door. The strange being continued knocking. I freaked out. I feared the door threatened to tumble down. The sound of splintering wood shattering filled my ears. I imagined the creature racing up to get me; the rats tucking into my painted toenails, and the worms feasting on my mascaraed eyes.

The pre-release blog tour begins in April with my #ABRSC club pals, followed by a release tour with Neverland Blog Tours. (Jenny Marston is also a #ABRSC member!) http://neverlandblogtours.weebly.com/

Social Media:
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
My Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/
Collaborations:
Carolina Russo has created two wonderful portraits of my characters which feature in my paperback which is due for release in April. Below you can see the full colour version of the images, please note the paperback images are in black and white.

Esme and The Creature
The above images are Copyright ©Carolina Russo: https://yesterdayafter.com
Fun facts about Marje:
1. I wish I could be wonder woman or MJ from Spiderman.
2. I adore crystals, alternative therapies, the unusual and the strange. I’m a qualified Aromatherapist, Reflexologist, (I no longer work as a therapist instead I devote my spare time to reading, writing, blogging and reviewing.)
3. Some say that I am a white witch…my blogging friends confer and have included me in the Sisters of The Fey, a writerly collaboration.
4. My husband can’t remember asking me to marry him and neither can I. He suspects I cast a spell on him!
5. I have travelled to many foreign destinations, including: Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Rome, Venice, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Portugal. I would love the funds to travel some more!
6. I currently work as a receptionist in a massive building, home to twenty companies. In quiet moments I observe peoples’ mannerisms, listen to snippets of gossip and dream up new story ideas.
7. I love food! Asian food and anything spicy, yum…My mother is Malaysian and my father is Scottish so I grew up with a very varied diet.
8. My motto is to do what you love! Stay true to your heart’s desires, remain young at heart, and inspire others to do so, even if the odds are stacked against you like black-hearted shadows.
9. I studied Communication Studies at University, (marketing, media studies, public relations, etc.) My degree is coming in mighty handy now.
10. I love cats but don’t own one (my husband and daughter are allergic,) so I adopted a virtual black cat called Lily who looks like my black cat character Shadow in my book: https://mjmallon.com/2017/05/17/shadow-welcomes-lily-the-cat-to-kyrosmagica/
11. I have so many writing projects and so little time! I am a writing butterfly so this pains me greatly!
12. I am an original! I have been to every single Bloggers Bash until now. http://sachablack.co.uk/annual-bloggers-bash/
13. I have met the inventor of The Corpus Christi Chronopage clock – Dr John C Taylor, OBE who kindly gave me permission to use his images in my book. http://www.johnctaylor.com/the-chronophage/
14. I interview my fictional characters on my blog. Currently you can meet:
Shadow: https://mjmallon.com/2017/05/11/my-interview-with-shadow-a-black-cat-character-with-a-past/
Amelina: https://mjmallon.com/2017/08/20/mj-interviews-amelina-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone-sundayblogshare/
Ryder: https://mjmallon.com/2017/07/02/mj-interviews-ryder-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone/
The Creature: https://mjmallon.com/2018/02/20/mj-interviews-the-creature/Esme The Mirror Girl:https://mjmallon.com/2018/02/23/mj-interviews-esme-the-mirror-girl/

Finalist in Authorsdb Book Cover Contest

Winner of Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge no. 7 with my murderous flash – Mr Blamey: https://carrotranch.com/2017/12/19/winner-of-flash-fiction-contest-7/

 

Thank you Marjorie for sharing information about your wonderful book, I can say that because I’ve read it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I hope this post lets you know more about Marjorie and below are the links to the blog tour for the paperback version of Curse of Time Book One The Bloodstone.

In like a lion out like a lamb?

Happy Sunday to all readers.

I felt compelled to write this post today.

It is a beautiful spring day here in Scotland. The sun is shining, the frost is still nipping at my fingertips, but the crocuses are blooming, the witch hazel is resplendent with her coat of yellow and red.

The birds are so busy I smile to see them pecking at little bugs only they can see on our cherry tree or diving through the air showing off for the ladies.

I awaken at Spring, my heart sings, my body feels lighter and so does my mind.

Worries seem so far away when I listen to Mrs Blackbird scolding Mr Blackbird or Dante the dog when he gallops across the lawn interrupting her worm finding.

It is a beautiful day and I am very glad I’m alive and able to see, hear and feel the sun on my skin, for a change.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone hope your day is as blessed as mine.

Wise words from Anna Dobritt

The fear lurks within all who put pen to page or fingers to keyboard. Should I do this? Should I actually sit down and write a story? What do I have to say that others would want to read? Our need to write is deep-seated, something we can’t deny. It’s a craving like you have […]

via Writing Tip — 34 — Anna Dobritt — Author