Recently I went to dinner with some friends. One of them is a motivational speaker and as we were sitting at the table discussing stress, setting and reaching goals, and how to deal with life in general, she smiled and held up a glass of water. The water line was at the middle of the glass and of course we just knew she was going to ask us the classic question "Is this glass half full or half empty?" But, she fooled us when she merely asked, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"
We all looked at one another with an expression of humor, a bit baffled, I may add. Our answers were anywhere from 6oz. to 20oz.
She waited patiently for us to answer then replied. "Actually, the exact weight doesn't matter. It really depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, then no problem, right? If I hold it for an hour, I'm likely to have a muscle ache in my left arm. If I hold it for a day, I'll probably end up in the Emergency Room of the nearest hospital. But, to make my point, regardless of how long I hold it, it's the same weight, only the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She smiled at us then nodded and continued, "And that's how it is with stress. Think of stress as a heavy burden. If we carry our burden around all the time, no matter how small, or big for that matter, sooner or later our burden becomes increasingly heavy, and we won't be able to carry on."
She stopped speaking for a moment to let us all digest what she had just told us before continuing.
A burden is like this glass of water, we have to put it down for a while, and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time we practice this. So, in the early evening we really should practice to put all of our burdens down. We need to lean to not carry them through the evening and into the night, but rather to pick them up again tomorrow.
She finally put the glass of water down then reiterated, "Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've carried around is conquered!"
We were quiet for a while, I suppose taking in what she said, and I guess looking rather befuddled. This caused her to laugh and she left it with this. "Here are twenty things about life that are basically true. I'll email them to you so the next time you're stressing out about not meeting a goal, a deadline or just life in general pull it up and read. Trust me, something in that list will make you chuckle and lighten your load. I hope!" She grinned the proceeded with the following list:
1.) Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!
2.) Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3.) Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4.) Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
5.) If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
6.) If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
7.) It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8.) Never buy a car you can't push.
9.) Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
10.) Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
11.) Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
12.) The second mouse gets the cheese.
13.) When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
14.) Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
15.) You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
16.) Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.
17.) We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
18.) A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
19.) Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
20.) It was I, your friend!
I printed these out and keep them close to my desk so I can look at them now and then. Thank you Caroline for sharing this with us at dinner the other night, and allowing me to share it with my friends out there in blog land.
Go forth and have a beautiful and productive day and know I Love Y'all. Hope I helped, and made you smile.!!
8-) ♥
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sample Sunday - Another branch on The Story Tree!
One of the many branches of The Story Tree belongs to my dear friend and author, M.d. Christie. Today she is revealing her book cover and a small blurb about her new book The Sight. This book is the first release in the series called The Glamour Series, and will be revealed on November 1, 2011 by 4 Corers Press. Please check it out, and stop by to say hello to M.d.!
Ever since the night of her Parents Disappearance eight years ago; 17 year old Ella St. John has known she was different.
The CREATURE… did he take her parents that night, or was it a delusion?
FLASHBACKS… Keep her from living her life.
AUNT SAGE… Keeps secrets, does she know more than she lets on?
The sudden feeling of BEING WATCHED…. What does it all mean?
When Ella St.John Heads home from her shift at the Pink Java Cafe, she hardly expects to be attacked. Much less by the same creature responsible for her parents mysterious disappearance eight years earlier. This is Ella's first encounter with a dark creature of Murumendi; but it certainly won't be her last. Within moments Ella's life as she knows it is ripped away, forcing her to discover who and what she really is. Will she be able to handle the truth?
The Sight Book One of The Glamour Series will take you on a Fantastical Journey of Love, Loss, and the Battle between Good vs. Evil.
Links:
http://www.mdcwrites.com (website)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MD-Christie/192600590775827 (Facebook Page)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002127271889 (regular acct)
https://twitter.com/#!/md_christie (twitter)
http://www.goodreads.com/md_christie (goodreads)
Coming Midnight November 1, 2011 during the Witching Hour of Samhain
Friday, April 22, 2011
Sugar and Spitfire!
When I blog, I like to think I'm blogging for everyone ~ readers, other writers, other bloggers and the public in general because that often affects what kind of blog I write.
I really don't like to be told what to write. I think of myself as a free spirit so it's hard for me to do a hop-a-long-blog thing where I answer someone elses questions, or support someone elses books or review because someone asked me to. I would rather do that of my own volition! That's not saying I don't go to blogs where others have reviewed books or go read said questions etc. But it's just me and how I am. If I'm asked a question I answer to the best of my ability and also with regard to how much information on said question I wish to reveal, especially if it's a personal question. Does all that make sense? And is it so “politically wrong” to feel this way? In oher words I'm not a follow the leader type person. I'm a dance to my own tune kind of girl.
I used to be the type of girl who had free reign to be inappropriate and silly and sometimes to vent and complain about anything I want because who cares? But not anymore. I don't like to hurt peoples feelings nor be thought of as a negative, bitchy type person. But then again because I am my own spirit some may look at me that way.
It seems now I have so much to think about and say. I want to talk about my path goals as a writer. I want to talk about how grateful I am for my readers and some of the really inspirational things they say to me in messages on Facebook or on Twitter. I don't get a lot of fanmail yet but maybe someday I will.
I used to be the type of girl who had free reign to be inappropriate and silly and sometimes to vent and complain about anything I want because who cares? But not anymore. I don't like to hurt peoples feelings nor be thought of as a negative, bitchy type person. But then again because I am my own spirit some may look at me that way.
It seems now I have so much to think about and say. I want to talk about my path goals as a writer. I want to talk about how grateful I am for my readers and some of the really inspirational things they say to me in messages on Facebook or on Twitter. I don't get a lot of fanmail yet but maybe someday I will.
I really wish I could talk about my books and the things I have coming up but for some reason I dont feel I can because in this day and age it seems there is always someone who takes the idea and runs with it. Then there are times when I just want to talk about the latest movie I've seen or the latest book I've read but then do people really care about that? Is it appropriate to talk about those things in my blog? Well I think so because truly this blog is about me and about what I do which is write books and also some music AND watch movies and read. But on this blog, The Story Tree I'll just be talking mainly about books and things that have to do with them. WHICH by the way have you read Water for Elephants written by Sara Gruen ? I can't wait to see the movie which is coming out today!! Now right there is an example where I can talk about books and movies!! YAY!!
To define myself I write books, music and lyrics. I'm so greatful for all the ability to connect with others in this personal way. I've read more books than I can probably ever write and not written as many songs as I would like to. I know people want to see characters and read stories that they've never heard before and I'm going to atempt to achieve this. I'm very humbled and thankful to those who have benefited from the words I write and the music I have created. I want to thank you all.
Of course being a writer is not all I am. I'm a daughter, a sister a great grand daughter a friend and am partial to cats. I still live at home. I take care of my disabled mother who can't walk and isn't eligible for disability because she quit her wonderful job with the government to take care of me and not because I HAVE to but because I WANT to. She has given so much to me and it is the least I can do for her. Soon my father is to have more surgery. Five years ago he had open heart surgery, a quadruple bipass and we all lived through that. Now he has to have more surgery in May so I'm going to be on double duty. I do have a sister here to help out sometimes but not always. So this all may drag me down time wise with my writing but family to me comes first and always will. It bothers me to read or hear about others complaining about their families. If you don't like it then either deal or get out. I guess that sounds rude and cruel but good grief are we not the true benefactors of our own destiny? I just tell others to first look at the good. If the good outweighs the bad then stick with it. Don't over vent if you do then seek counseling. Oh well that's just me.
When I'm not doing things around the house I live on the computer. I'm always writing and editing, trying to answer emails or keep up with Facebook and Twitter. So far so good but maybe not as much as I would like. I am so, so grateful for life but I'm truly overwhelmed sometimes. I still haven't figured out how to manage my time which is ridiculous. But I'm getting there.
I can't do and be everything everybody wants me to do all the time. I can't have it all I realize that, but if I can make a decent living by my books and music then that would be good. I'm going to give it a try and see where it takes me. I'm not a fame or attention whore or a me me me look what I did bragadocia kind of person I can't be everything to everyone. I can only be me, and I will always try to do the best I can and do right by everybody I come across and treat people with respect.
Right now I'm working on trailers for my books using Maya. I've just learned how to use Maya which a dear friend gave to me a while back. I'm pretty proficent at photoshop though not as good as Phatpuppy who rocks. So I'm messing with book covers. I don't think I did such a bad job on the book cover for my book For The Love Of Cyprus. But then tha'ts just me. I can do better.
I can't do and be everything everybody wants me to do all the time. I can't have it all I realize that, but if I can make a decent living by my books and music then that would be good. I'm going to give it a try and see where it takes me. I'm not a fame or attention whore or a me me me look what I did bragadocia kind of person I can't be everything to everyone. I can only be me, and I will always try to do the best I can and do right by everybody I come across and treat people with respect.
Right now I'm working on trailers for my books using Maya. I've just learned how to use Maya which a dear friend gave to me a while back. I'm pretty proficent at photoshop though not as good as Phatpuppy who rocks. So I'm messing with book covers. I don't think I did such a bad job on the book cover for my book For The Love Of Cyprus. But then tha'ts just me. I can do better.
So I just wanted to say all of this so you can get to know me, Khole and a few things that make me click. I will be writing things of interest to some in this blog now and then but not rambling or answering questions that don't interest me nor I think will interest others. Does that sound bad?
I hope to be able to relate helpful things and items of interest in these pages for you, the reader's, enjoyment. Now you have a little more insight to me. So have a great day and enjoy what ever it is you're doing or working on. If you get frustrated take a break and count your blessings then go back to what you're doing. Remember, love one another.
Much Love ~ Khloe <3
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Blog Hop #2 - Favorite Place To Write
Welcome to the Writer’s Follow Friday Blog Hop! Not sure if you qualify? If you have a blog to add, guess what, you’re a writer! So check out the rules, grab the link and join the hop! We’re small for now, but we hope to continue to grow.
Please join in in welcoming Liz Schulte from Bat Country with this week’s featured question.
Some people like to do it in the office. Others prefer it in bed. Some people like it on the dining room table. Get your mind out of the gutter, I'm asking where you like to write!
------------------------------------------------------------
I have a window I look out upon when I write that has a wonderful view and I never know what each day will bring. That window looks out upon a rugged back yard filled with nature and the scene of a mountain. Once in a while I look up and can see the chipmunks scampering around or the cardinals in the tall bush aside of a lattice fence in their nest, feeding their babies. Sometimes I just look out at the small mountain known around here as Sweat Mountain and daydream about ideas for my books. This is a picture of Sweat Mountain, my view from the window.
In the evening the possums and raccoons come by but I don't feed the raccoons because it's not a good idea. I do feed some of the baby possums though and if there's food left over then the raccoons eat it up. Look here isn't this cute? Baby Possum lol!
Now one day I was writing and it was sort of misty out as it had been raining. I was really into what I was writing and I felt something staring at me. I looked up and almost jumped out of my skin. There staring at me was a deer family! I was shocked and mesmerized at the same time. People, I've never really seen a wild deer that close before except in a wild life zoo out in Stone Mountain. There was even a cute little baby deer.
Recently I've been working on the first book of a paranormal trilogy and it's been raining for what seems like days. So much that if Noah's Ark floated by I'd think nothing of it ( because I know Sweat Mountain would stop that ol' Ark right in it's path lol ) So this is the view I've been given many a day and to me it looks like I'm up in the sky writing with nothing but trees and my house.
Spooky but beautiful huh? Well it's not always all misty like that but when it is then we just say we're up in the clouds for a while. At night when the full moon comes around this is the view from that same window so serene and quiet. I see the moon and the moon sees me. :-) The picture below was the Super Moon in March.
So yes, this is my favorite place to write is in front of the back window where nature comes to me and gives me the best it can for where I live here in the state of Georgia. Soon the hummingbirds will come around and as always I'll keep on writing and watching while they fight over the sugar water I give them in the feeder.
Y'all have a beautiful day where ever you write but most of all remember to Write ON!! Much love xo ♥
Friday, March 25, 2011
Follow Friday For Writers
Elizabeth Sharp has started a new way for all of us to connect and network. If you have a blog then you are a writer and are welcome to join the fun. The rules are simple.
1) (Required) You must follow my blog
2) (Required) You must follow the guest poster featured in the blog hop post.
3) You must add you name to the link bar.
4) You must copy these rules, the hop link and the featured question with your answer on your own blog. This blog serves as a place for new followers to say hi.
5) Follow, follow, follow. This is about networking, people, making connections with people in your community. So talk to us. We don't bite!
6) If someone stops by, says hi and follows you, the polite thing to do is follow back.
7) Comment here and introduce yourself and you just might find a new follower or two.
So the question for the day is this:
What inspired you to start writing?
I've written since I was a little girl I think or at least learned my ABC's and how to project them into words. I started out with a book called "A Child's Dream" which I think was probably 42 pages long. It was complete with pictures and about all the dreams of children for the big 'when they grow up' question. I think because people used to ask me that question and I heard the 'already grown ups' ask that question I decided to write about it. Oh yes and I even interviewed other children at my daycare, the park and the neighborhood crew. I still have that book and a few others but it was finding that book after years of it being packed away that really peaked my interest in novel writing. It wasn't bad for a 2nd grader.
As time evolved when I was younger I always wrote poetry and small diddies as I call them about life, love, and anything I could think of then at 8 years old I learned to play the guitar. Well really it was a violin but my brother caught me playing it in my bedroom several times like a guitar and so my parents bought me CBAG. What is CBAG ? Well it's what I fondly now refer to as Crappy Black Acoustic Guitar because you see I really really really wanted a black guitar with a butterfly on it. Well at least it was black and now its scratched and a bit worn from use but still playable. So again I was writing song lyrics and ideas for songs along with the teenage angst of living life, love and the pursuit of who knows what. So I began my first book "The World Of ATortured Rock Star". I know I was a teenager but that book is now on my computer and someday just someday it may come to complete fruition.
The inspiration for my first completed and self-published novel came from my parents and some of their life incidents and experiences especially with reference to the Island of Cyprus. I'm a Greek Cypriot and in 1974 way before my time there was an invasion of the island of Cyprus or some call it a war. During that time people were separated, some in terrible ways, from one another. That's what I wrote about death, love and honor are what my protagonist Zoe learns about and experiences in this book. And, that death is not always the winner or is it? So yes that inspired me to write this particular book and though I don't say too much about it here I enjoyed writing the book and yes when I read it, it still makes me laugh and cry. And no I don't look at my books as my babies but a work of joy and more joy when they are completed. By the way the incident with Cyprus has never seen resolved and the Turkish still occupy 40 percent of the island to this day displacing and taking homes from those lands. Just saying.
So those are the things that drove me to write in answer to today's question. I hope it will suffice and you don't find it too boring.
Have a beautiful day and Write ON!! *big smile*
1) (Required) You must follow my blog
2) (Required) You must follow the guest poster featured in the blog hop post.
3) You must add you name to the link bar.
4) You must copy these rules, the hop link and the featured question with your answer on your own blog. This blog serves as a place for new followers to say hi.
5) Follow, follow, follow. This is about networking, people, making connections with people in your community. So talk to us. We don't bite!
6) If someone stops by, says hi and follows you, the polite thing to do is follow back.
7) Comment here and introduce yourself and you just might find a new follower or two.
So the question for the day is this:
What inspired you to start writing?
I've written since I was a little girl I think or at least learned my ABC's and how to project them into words. I started out with a book called "A Child's Dream" which I think was probably 42 pages long. It was complete with pictures and about all the dreams of children for the big 'when they grow up' question. I think because people used to ask me that question and I heard the 'already grown ups' ask that question I decided to write about it. Oh yes and I even interviewed other children at my daycare, the park and the neighborhood crew. I still have that book and a few others but it was finding that book after years of it being packed away that really peaked my interest in novel writing. It wasn't bad for a 2nd grader.
As time evolved when I was younger I always wrote poetry and small diddies as I call them about life, love, and anything I could think of then at 8 years old I learned to play the guitar. Well really it was a violin but my brother caught me playing it in my bedroom several times like a guitar and so my parents bought me CBAG. What is CBAG ? Well it's what I fondly now refer to as Crappy Black Acoustic Guitar because you see I really really really wanted a black guitar with a butterfly on it. Well at least it was black and now its scratched and a bit worn from use but still playable. So again I was writing song lyrics and ideas for songs along with the teenage angst of living life, love and the pursuit of who knows what. So I began my first book "The World Of ATortured Rock Star". I know I was a teenager but that book is now on my computer and someday just someday it may come to complete fruition.
The inspiration for my first completed and self-published novel came from my parents and some of their life incidents and experiences especially with reference to the Island of Cyprus. I'm a Greek Cypriot and in 1974 way before my time there was an invasion of the island of Cyprus or some call it a war. During that time people were separated, some in terrible ways, from one another. That's what I wrote about death, love and honor are what my protagonist Zoe learns about and experiences in this book. And, that death is not always the winner or is it? So yes that inspired me to write this particular book and though I don't say too much about it here I enjoyed writing the book and yes when I read it, it still makes me laugh and cry. And no I don't look at my books as my babies but a work of joy and more joy when they are completed. By the way the incident with Cyprus has never seen resolved and the Turkish still occupy 40 percent of the island to this day displacing and taking homes from those lands. Just saying.
So those are the things that drove me to write in answer to today's question. I hope it will suffice and you don't find it too boring.
Have a beautiful day and Write ON!! *big smile*
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Better Safe Than Sorry Royalty Free Pictures and Videos For Book Covers & Trailers
Recently a lot of people have been making their own book covers and I must say doing a bang up job! There was recently an issue regarding the use of a copyrighted picture by one author. For one thing you can go look up a legally filed copyright here www.copytiright.com if you know the name of the artist. Second of all, look for a copyright by the artist on their work as many inscribe their own copyright on the site you are looking at. Here's another site with information about Copyright and Fair Use Information
http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.shtml#whatis . Then, here is a site Understanding Copyright Free and Stock Photography at http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/81353.aspx which may be helpful.
Oh, and here is another helpful site to check out :
http://www.altered-book.com/copyright-free-images.html
Here are some Free Stock Photo sites to check out but it is clearly written - Some of the free stock photo sites offer copyright free stock photos for any use but please always check the image licence as you may have to provide a credit or link back to the photographer should you choose to download the free stock photos for your own use.
Check out these sites perhaps they will help with not only book covers but trailers which I will talk about briefly in a minute:
http://www.public-domain-photos.com/
http://www.openphoto.net/
http://www.morguefile.com/
http://www.sxc.hu/help/7_2
http://www.freeimages.co.uk/
http://imagebase.davidniblack.com/main.php
http://www.historicalstockphotos.com/
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
http://www.freepixels.com/
http://www.stockvault.net/
http://www.unprofound.com/
http://www.photorogue.com/
http://www.freerangestock.com/
http://www.freefoto.com/index.jsp
http://www.everystockphoto.com/
http://www.nasaimages.org/
http://www.cepolina.com/freephoto/
http://www.abstractinfluence.com/forums/gallery/album.php?album_id=2 http://www.kavewall.com/stock/index.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.free-stockphotos.com/
This is one of my favorite and many times you can write the artist and tell them what you would like to use their art for ex: book cover or trailer and tell them you will credit their art if they wish and many times they will let you use it. So good luck
http://www.renderosity.com/
In Renderosity you must join as with some of the sites above but it is free on this site and on most of the sites above I believe. It is full of many kinds of pictures and art genres under Galleries then click what ever kind of genre such as Fantasy, Horror, Portrait or just type what you're looking for in search. I usually choose Poser in the select a gallery on the left. There are various ways to search once you get used to it or just look at the galleries. It's an awesome place.
So good luck on making your book cover or finding the right art or having one of your friends or associates make it for you just make sure and give them the credit. :-)
BOOK TRAILERS
I've found out that book trailers are important too though I didn't know that a while back. So there are also royalty free videos out there and on You Tube also. Just search in your browser and read up on them before you attempt to use any for your trailer. Here is also a good site I found that teaches you how to make a book trailer at least it looks knowledgeable and I will probably use it:
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2008/12/03/book-trailers-11-steps-to-make-your-own/
There are plenty of other sites on this if you just type <How to make a video book trailer> in your browser.
Also there is a really awesome company out there that makes book trailers for Authors with publishing deals and though they are expensive $250.00 - 2,500.00 (yikes) they offer a good set of trailers they have done recently and in the past. They are known as Circle Of Seven Productions and they do everything from soup to nuts meaning simple trailers to Marketing and distribution of said trailer. Their site can be found here:
http://www.cosproductions.com/
Now they also have a page of videos they have made by Genre, Publishers and Genres. I'll list the page for Genres here and you can choose as you wish.
http://www.cosproductions.com/videos/genres
Well I hope this helps with a few things. I know there is a lot of information here but take your time and come back to check. This blog isn't going anywhere. I wish you all good luck in your writing, publishing, book covers and book trailers. And as a final question from me how many of you have made book trailers yet or are going to? :-)
Now Write ON!! ♥
http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.shtml#whatis . Then, here is a site Understanding Copyright Free and Stock Photography at http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/81353.aspx which may be helpful.
Oh, and here is another helpful site to check out :
http://www.altered-book.com/copyright-free-images.html
Here are some Free Stock Photo sites to check out but it is clearly written - Some of the free stock photo sites offer copyright free stock photos for any use but please always check the image licence as you may have to provide a credit or link back to the photographer should you choose to download the free stock photos for your own use.
Check out these sites perhaps they will help with not only book covers but trailers which I will talk about briefly in a minute:
http://www.public-domain-photos.com/
http://www.openphoto.net/
http://www.morguefile.com/
http://www.sxc.hu/help/7_2
http://www.freeimages.co.uk/
http://imagebase.davidniblack.com/main.php
http://www.historicalstockphotos.com/
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
http://www.freepixels.com/
http://www.stockvault.net/
http://www.unprofound.com/
http://www.photorogue.com/
http://www.freerangestock.com/
http://www.freefoto.com/index.jsp
http://www.everystockphoto.com/
http://www.nasaimages.org/
http://www.cepolina.com/freephoto/
http://www.abstractinfluence.com/forums/gallery/album.php?album_id=2 http://www.kavewall.com/stock/index.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.free-stockphotos.com/
This is one of my favorite and many times you can write the artist and tell them what you would like to use their art for ex: book cover or trailer and tell them you will credit their art if they wish and many times they will let you use it. So good luck
http://www.renderosity.com/
In Renderosity you must join as with some of the sites above but it is free on this site and on most of the sites above I believe. It is full of many kinds of pictures and art genres under Galleries then click what ever kind of genre such as Fantasy, Horror, Portrait or just type what you're looking for in search. I usually choose Poser in the select a gallery on the left. There are various ways to search once you get used to it or just look at the galleries. It's an awesome place.
So good luck on making your book cover or finding the right art or having one of your friends or associates make it for you just make sure and give them the credit. :-)
BOOK TRAILERS
I've found out that book trailers are important too though I didn't know that a while back. So there are also royalty free videos out there and on You Tube also. Just search in your browser and read up on them before you attempt to use any for your trailer. Here is also a good site I found that teaches you how to make a book trailer at least it looks knowledgeable and I will probably use it:
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2008/12/03/book-trailers-11-steps-to-make-your-own/
There are plenty of other sites on this if you just type <How to make a video book trailer> in your browser.
Also there is a really awesome company out there that makes book trailers for Authors with publishing deals and though they are expensive $250.00 - 2,500.00 (yikes) they offer a good set of trailers they have done recently and in the past. They are known as Circle Of Seven Productions and they do everything from soup to nuts meaning simple trailers to Marketing and distribution of said trailer. Their site can be found here:
http://www.cosproductions.com/
Now they also have a page of videos they have made by Genre, Publishers and Genres. I'll list the page for Genres here and you can choose as you wish.
http://www.cosproductions.com/videos/genres
Well I hope this helps with a few things. I know there is a lot of information here but take your time and come back to check. This blog isn't going anywhere. I wish you all good luck in your writing, publishing, book covers and book trailers. And as a final question from me how many of you have made book trailers yet or are going to? :-)
Now Write ON!! ♥
Thursday, March 17, 2011
How Do You Like Your Vampire? Fried, Poached, Boiled, Baked or Broiled?
Ha ha I've been researching about vampires for a really long time since an experience I had when I was 14 made me believe maybe JUST maybe there are such creatures. It's a big world out there. I've read everything I could get my hands on and watched movies to see what views others had of them.
When I was 14 it was the old adage of you're bitten, you change into one, you sleep in a dirt filed coffin. Fire, holy water, sun, crucifix's and a stake through the heart killed the vampires I knew of. Then of course there were Anne Rice's vampires which I had never really checked out before and a gamut of of other vampires leading up to the Twilight vampires. So I began to research really deep to see what made Bram Stoker make Dracula with the attributes that I mentioned above. I thought surely there were vampires before the famed Dracula because as a child I heard my old yia yia (pronounced ya ya in Greek - for Grandmother) tell stories of vampires from old greek legends she had learned from her ancestors and had been passed down. Well anyway to get on with it.
I'm wondering now what everyone out there prefers as far as the vampire is concerned? I know people love to read about them but are very particular about them. Though the Twilight movies did well I'm wondering if the Anne Rice vampire movies and books did better? Do people like to read about violent vampires, do they like to see vampires who can walk in the sun. Do people accept Dhampir's (the child who is the result of a vampire and human mating O.O) or what exactly do the majority of people believe in and wish to see?
I'm writing a vampire trilogy regarding the history of a few places where I live right now. I know how I want the vampires of those books to be represented in my minds eye but what about the general public's eye? So thus I ask and would hope to get answers so I can surmise if what I am writing will be accepted among the general public. I think vampires can be cunningly stunning and violent yet I like certain aspects of their abilities that are not always acceptable other than I just don't believe they can procreate in the way a human does. But that's explained in my book too.
By the way there are many of you out there with vampire subject books and I've read a few so far and really like them a lot but not going to mention them here because if I've read one persons book and not the others I don't want to hurt someone's feelings. It happens ya know. So anyway I guess that's what this blog is about the question of vampires and what people like to see in their attributes. Lots of great research out there too and as for my experience when I was 14 I'll just say this.
Yes Virginia there is a vampire!! No I'm not one lol. Now go y'all and WRITE ON!! :-)
When I was 14 it was the old adage of you're bitten, you change into one, you sleep in a dirt filed coffin. Fire, holy water, sun, crucifix's and a stake through the heart killed the vampires I knew of. Then of course there were Anne Rice's vampires which I had never really checked out before and a gamut of of other vampires leading up to the Twilight vampires. So I began to research really deep to see what made Bram Stoker make Dracula with the attributes that I mentioned above. I thought surely there were vampires before the famed Dracula because as a child I heard my old yia yia (pronounced ya ya in Greek - for Grandmother) tell stories of vampires from old greek legends she had learned from her ancestors and had been passed down. Well anyway to get on with it.
I'm wondering now what everyone out there prefers as far as the vampire is concerned? I know people love to read about them but are very particular about them. Though the Twilight movies did well I'm wondering if the Anne Rice vampire movies and books did better? Do people like to read about violent vampires, do they like to see vampires who can walk in the sun. Do people accept Dhampir's (the child who is the result of a vampire and human mating O.O) or what exactly do the majority of people believe in and wish to see?
I'm writing a vampire trilogy regarding the history of a few places where I live right now. I know how I want the vampires of those books to be represented in my minds eye but what about the general public's eye? So thus I ask and would hope to get answers so I can surmise if what I am writing will be accepted among the general public. I think vampires can be cunningly stunning and violent yet I like certain aspects of their abilities that are not always acceptable other than I just don't believe they can procreate in the way a human does. But that's explained in my book too.
By the way there are many of you out there with vampire subject books and I've read a few so far and really like them a lot but not going to mention them here because if I've read one persons book and not the others I don't want to hurt someone's feelings. It happens ya know. So anyway I guess that's what this blog is about the question of vampires and what people like to see in their attributes. Lots of great research out there too and as for my experience when I was 14 I'll just say this.
Yes Virginia there is a vampire!! No I'm not one lol. Now go y'all and WRITE ON!! :-)
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