Yes, I write again!

Things have started to fall back into place for me. For a while now and I am quite serious about this, I couldn’t make myself sit and write anything for the second vampire novel of Mythic Blood. The second book was living up to it’s name in my eyes. Forever night…. Aka this is taking forever to write!

As of late, I have found some inspiration in writing out what could occur in the series, the ending is done, it was one of the first chapters I finished without hesitations, but starting it and the filler in between is a whole different can of worms. Believe it or not, I have written nearly three other complete books before the second one. Weird huh?

This is what happens when I get a day off for work and there are flash drives on sale at Walmart! (By the way, at mine they had Kingston flash drives 4MB for 8.88! Wicked deal since everywhere else its 20 dollars a pop for the same kind of drive)

Cheep plug over and done with.

To be fair, I haven’t really written anything new, for the most part, I had gone back to a story I just can’t seem to pull myself away from and reworking nearly the same four chapters over and over again. Why? I don’t know, I think I like tormenting this one character I have and making her suffer a little with those she is forced to be around. Let’s just say Karma is a bitch… and you will need to wait at least six novels into the Mythic Blood series to know who I am talking about. But I can just about assure you, when you get to know her, you’ll love what I do to her!

I have promised those who are kind enough to take the time and read my blog another novel sample. I really do need to post something since you have all been kind enough to give me the time of day. I will get something up soon, I just need to pick my parts carefully to be sure I don’t give everything away up at once. (Or else it will seem like a movie trailer where it’s better than the actual movie itself)

Did you know I have a twitter?

Then again, I am on that as often as I blog… well… I try to tweet once a day, and no it’s not about going to the bathroom, where I shop or anything like that. But updates nonetheless on the series.

You are more than welcome to follow me @MythicBlood.

You don’t have to though, but if you want to, feel free.

I need to start doing some research for publishers, just so I know who is accepting right now. There aren’t many out there and I want to avoid self-publishing if possible. I had been tempted in the past, but vanity publishing can’t compare with an actual publisher. It’s an uphill battle for me though, due to Twilight and Tru Blood, vampires are harder to sell.

I already explained this didn’t I?

See, this is why I don’t blog that often, I end up like a broke record!

Until next time everyone. Keep well, stay safe and hopefully I will have some better news and more significant things to write about!

Take care.

Here we go again

As I write this, I am half awake along with my best friend in the world right now… a box of Puffs tissues. Yes, I got the cold that has been spreading around town as of late. Yet for some reason, I got sick right after my younger brother came home from University feeling a under the weather.

The circle of life of a cold germ, it is always started by the youngest in the family who touches everything! So, in order to not get blamed for anyone else getting sick, I’ve made frequent trips to the bathroom… not for the reason you may think. After watching Myth Busters, I learned how much a cold germ could spread when someone doesn’t wash their hands after each time it comes in contact with their face. So lesson of the day everyone, wash your hands after you blow your nose, no matter how annoying it maybe. Just do it!

Alright, now on to the more important stuff.

I have sent Mythic Blood off once more to a different publisher in hopes of getting my novel off the ground, that right I took the plunge again! I have made alteration to the novel and condensed the first chapter and merged it into one with the second chapter. You get to the vampires quicker to put it mildly. As well I got some wonderful advice from the woman who really got me into writing about my immortals.

Anne Rice.

What a wonderful person she has been to me. I have written her about three times now, and she has responded to me three times. Recently, I was feeling rather down due to the rejection letter I got from the last publisher, one of the errors they pointed out with my manuscript was the historical inaccuracies. I asked Mrs. Rice for any suggestions and she came through for me greatly, and allow me to pass that on to anyone else who has encountered the same problems as I have been.

When I asked her how she got information for the time frame she was writing in for her vampires, this is what she suggested.

“Go to Amazon.com and put in suggested titles like "Every Day Life in Medieval Rome." or Every day life in Renaissance Rome." See what turns us.

Keep trying. "Daily Life in Medieval Rome." Medieval Rome.

Rome in the late middle ages

(The 1300's is not ancient times at all, but the late Middle Ages.) Google aspects of life. "Economics in Medieval Rome."

"Working conditions in Medieval Rome."

Amazon will keep searching and dredging up titles for you, throwing up suggested titles. Order the books that look good or to the point. There are many specialized books on Italy and many general books for a popular historian. Keep using combinations of words to snare different titles. note that you can order used books on Amazon for low prices. Keep searching.

That's the easiest way to do research. "Art in Medieval Rome." "Architecture in Medieval Rome." "The Medieval City." "Italy in the late Middle Ages." "Italian architecture in the 1300's." Go on and on like that.

When you get your first batch of books, study the footnotes for other sources. Buy the books cited in the bibliography if they are more focused on what you need to know.

"Economics in Medieval Rome." "Trade in Medieval Rome."

"The Rise of bankers in Medieval Rome." Just keep hitting it.

Amazon is fast, flexible and huge.”

This was fantastic advice, I mean books do have to name their sources for historical facts right?

By the way, I did some research, one of the inaccuracies for my novel was that they didn’t have two level houses in the 1300s in Rome…

UNTRUE!

I got my history books and one especially on Rome, two level houses existed since 300 A.D, it was the Romans who were pioneers in architecture, were they not? If I am still wrong on this topic, please someone point me in the right direction! But so far, I think I got this right.

Anything else to update?

Not at this time, but I will once again, keep you posted on what I have learned, what there is to know and if Mythic Blood will have a home. From there, the world is limitless! The possibilities are going to come.

Come to think of it, this is really starting to sound like J.K Rowlings when she first started writing Harry Potter. Granted, I have been very blessed with the fact that I still live at home, I have a job and no real responsibilities besides pitching in wherever I can in the house and paying part of a bill each month. But only time will tell.

Until next time…

Finally! I have word on my novel!

Well it nearly took a year, and waiting, waiting with more waiting. And finally an answer!

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It just wasn’t the answer I had been hoping for.

Sadly, Mythic Blood has been rejected once again. But this time, I got good feedback on it and will take the suggestions given to me into account and to heart. They were very truthful and made me see I do have some work ahead of me to do. But the main issue was spelling and grammar, I knew the grammar was the biggest of the two since I have always struggled with it.

As much as I wished and hoped for it to be, it wasn’t time for Mythic Blood. Not yet at least.

But I know it will be soon.

A change of seasons

Ah the fall has finally come!

Not the book that Mr. Guillermo Del Toro has written along with Chuck Hogan, but the season of Fall. Autumn! My favorite season, for you see, I LOVE the cold.

Now for some updates.

There is no word on the publishing front, so let’s leave it at that, no need to make an echo blog right?

I have gotten back to writing. I’ve been doing a mix of my own novel and fan fiction for WWE. Two new fan fictions have been created, as for the vampires. I’ve gone back and been rewriting one of my novels for later on in the series. I keep adding details and pushing the word count to well over 100,000. But I need to make sure it’s necessary. Does anyone mind quite a bit of dialogue in a novel? It is relevant to the story to set the character’s mindsets and emotional state. But that’s the purpose to editing too right? Not to mention the rough drafts help iron out details as well as situations.

But mainly, I’ve been working on a rather dastardly immortal. I cannot say too much about them, but the fact that it’s part of the most grotesque coven I have created. In a pervious blog I explained a group of vampires who call themselves Gluttons. Like a walking blob but their goal was to get at large and corpulent as possible. There are a few things I still need to work out with them, but they give me chill just writing about them and their abilities. Let’s say this, an elder could make a modern city disappear in one sitting! Creepy, right? Disgusting, oh yeah. The devoured everyone, cell phones and all. That would be quite uncomfortable and awkward.

I have been trying to broaden one of my other immortals, a main one later on in the series, but there doesn’t seem to be much for him to do. Not to mention I am going to make some new characters, but there is also another difficult task to contend with.

When do I kill off some of the characters?

It’s hard to decide if there are vampires that have warn out their welcome in the series. Yet I have grown attached to many of them. (Sigh) I guess this is one of the many difficulties of being a writer besides trying to get published.

In other news, I have just about finished Christmas shopping for my good friend Alexandre. We have a Christmas tradition of sending each other gifts, for me, I send him the greatest bounty in Canada…. Maple Syrup!

Did you know they have made a whole bunch of stuff out of it? Maple Candies, syrup (duh), fudge, tea, coffee, caramels the works! I just hope they don’t get tired of this stuff. But I ask them every year as to what they would like. Anything Maple wins hands down!

Well, that’s all I have for now. If anyone is interested I do have my WWE fan fiction posted on fanfiction.net, look for Scorpina, and I will admit some of the stories are out there! You have been warned.

For now, I am going to prepare another sample to share with you the reader of Mythic Blood! But let’s wait and see what happens in the next few weeks shall we? I am getting a good feeling about this!

Until next time…

sorry for lack of updates

You know the song ‘it’s been a while’ has started to play a lot in my eyes. But then again, I keep looking back at my blog and realize how silent I have been. That’s for many reasons.

One- Work- insane hours and sometimes even stranger people.

Second- Pet sitting, my second job… kind of. I look after my neighbor’s pets when they go to work or on vacation. Nonetheless, money is money right now.

Third- preparing.

I am getting myself ready for the World Horror Convention in Austin Texas this year. I am determined to go as a published author, even if it’s for a short story. I will go with work behind me. That way I will have something interesting to talk about to say the least. But for the moment, my vampires have been rather silent. I’ve focused on WWE fan fiction and a short story I am tinkering with involving a man who owned a dog fighting ring… yet doesn’t get caught by the police. Something more… supernatural to say the least.

I’ve also been trying to keep up with some other people’s blog. Scott Nicholas who I have had the pleasure of working with as well as a sensei to help me with my vampires, is doing a contest for a Kindle reader! I would really like one of these right now, and if there is anyone else out there interested in his contest, here is his site.

http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/

Best of luck to everyone who enters.

Now, what else to talk about?

Hmmm….

Well, I did do something rather risky recently. And for anyone who is like me, an author waiting to be discovered and published. I wrote the publisher that I had sent Mythic Blood off to. I have read many times over and have been told by professionals this is a big NO NO. Yet an author by the name of Nancy Kilpatrick informed me that if they had given me an date they would contact me, it was ok to ask and inquire. So, I did!

From what is to be known at this time, my story is in limbo. And it sounds like it could be up against stiff competition from others who are just as hungry as I am for a chance to get their work out there. But I am not losing hope! Never lose hope in anything no matter how impossible.

Speaking of Hope, I suppose everyone has seen what has happened in Pakistan right? Well I read up on various websites, what these people need desperately is water purification tablets. Simple little drop to purify the water so it is safe to drink, I don’t know about you, but I would like to do what I can to help them out. World Vision is explaining that they are already over there and know what is needed, perhaps if anyone else is reading this, we can open our hearts and wallets to these people who are left with nothing. Seriously though, Pakistan has water everywhere, but none of it is safe to drink.

Well, this is all I have for today. If any of you are interested in reading my WWE fan fiction, feel free.

www.fanfiction.net/~scorpina

that’s my pen name, and please read the ratings posted, as well, forget spelling and grammar areas. I know some are obvious, please don’t remind me. But there is just about something for everyone, from cross overs to some over the top funny stories about the biggest men in the WWE, and the crazy stories I put them in. (for fans out there, ever wonder what would happen if the Undertaker had a cold and slept walked?) chaos ensues!

I thank you, everyone who has taken the time to read my blog, I am going to post a bit more of my novel up, just to see if it peeks anyone’s interest.

Until next time.

History is history.

I don’t know if there are many others who feel the same way as I do. But I am now kicking myself over and over again that I never took the ancient civilization classes offered to me in high school. But then again, I doubt I knew my life was heading into the direction of writing. That was before I realized I was capable of writing something original!

Anyway, that’s my grip for the moment.

I’ve been trying my hardest to gather accurate information. On a recent twitter I posted that I had been inspired to write. The son of King Leonidas (yes, the one that screamed THIS IS SPARTA! King Leonidas) the history books do not have any information as to what became of his son Pleistarchus. The name is a mouthful that I know. But after looking and researching I have gathered mixed results. There are two explanations at to what became of him. One, he died in a battle in Athens at the age of 22. Or, he was told that he had angered the gods, the elders told him to flee in order to prevent all of Sparta from sharing his faith. But nothing explained how he died, no accurate details or what be did when he did become King of Sparta.

Interesting no? We all know what happened to his father, 300 Spartan men and 7,000 Athenians, but nothing on what became of his son.

I try to be as accurate a possible when I take a historical figure and use them in my series. It’s never easy, which brings be me back to my grip from earlier.

Damn!

I hoped those who read my last blog liked my sample of my novel. It is a little deceiving. I have had people from authonomy post how good the beginning was and how they love Lucas and where he would go in the story.

Confession and Spoiler alert.

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Lucas isn’t the main character.

Deceiving isn’t it?

Well this is all I have to say for now, I hope to have more interesting things to write about later on. August is going to be a very busy month for me. Rock Concert, birthday, comic con (yes, I am a nerd!) But we will have to wait and see what happens.

Until next time…

Well… you know! ;)

update... sort of... kind of

A new day and yet a while since I have written anything useful on this blog. So, what’s new with me?

Nothing much.

Yeah, that would be the shortest blog ever huh?

Ok, well I have been getting back into the writing, as well as set myself up for 2011. I had recently purchased World Horror Convention tickets for my brother and I. We’re going to Texas! The hotel is booked, so all we need to do now is start saving for our plane tickets and get some extra scratch for spending money. But the money will come to us easily and effortless. That I know! (sorry once more I am explaining part of the secret, but every time I say that line, I find money!)

I have also developed a new character for my vampire series. An immortal by the name of Chimera, her name means precisely what it entails to. But details of that will come a little later, all I can say is that she is African, and the Savanna is her domain. But she isn’t alone….

I am still waiting very patiently to hear from the publishers. I have said that in all my other blogs. It was one month and two days ago when they wrote me to explain they were catching up on some reading and I should have a reply in two weeks at the latest.

I have been tempted to write them, trust me I have fought myself constantly wondering if I should send them a friendly reminder. Yet there is a part of me saying wait. Just wait and see what happens. I know from what I have learned on author’s panels and not to mention from my experience at the World Horror Convention in 2007, that it is considerably rude to write the publishers and press them for an answer. It hurts your chances of getting published, and I don’t want that. I don’t want to be a pushy writer. I have to remember they get hundreds, thousands of manuscripts. And I am a novice writer. No work of mine has ever been published yet. So I am not going to blow my opportunity here by writing and asking if they want the rest of the book.

I have a goal though. By the World Horror Convention in Austin Texas, 2011. I will be a published author! Be it short story or my novel series, my work will be in a book.

In the mean time, I have been on my twitter account if anyone is interested. Nothing earth shattering I have to report, but it will be the first place I announce any big news.

I find it strange that the summer has just blown right by. Believe it or not, I am going to be 26 in the next few weeks. But the bright side is that I am going to spend my birthday at a concert with a fellow music fanatic. I have always wanted to see Disturbed live… and for some reason, I can see David Draiman as one of my immortals. I just love the way he looks and the piercings he has makes him bring out the best of my creativity… then again, I got half of the cast picked out for book when it’s made into a movie.

Well, that’s all for now from me, more updates soon, I promise!

Until then…

Stay thirsty.