Carol M. Salter
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​FROM   INSPIRATION  TO   REALITY
​MY  PUBLISHING   DIARY

WHEN  THINGS  ARE 'TENSE'

12/29/2015

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Despite not receiving any money yet from the two huge companies Waterstones and Bertams, for payment of goods, I've decided to head on to my next publication Aquasapien - Metamorphosis.

I got rather excited as I unearthed the manuscript and began another review of my earlier work. This story is about a mercenary, a martial arts and weapons expert, who's DNA becomes altered following a stealth mission. The prologue piece is about one of his missions and is written in present tense. For those of you who haven't been near any literary works recently, it means, - as it happens. Present tense creates an immediate feeling like you are there with the protagonist (leading character).

The novel following this is in past tense, which involves the reader following something which has already occurred rather than being in the moment. However, I quickly realised that present tense would work well for the first chapter too and now I don't know when or how to stop. I've re-written three chapters into present tense format and I'm thinking it needs to stop but don't know where or when to do this. I can't do the whole book in present tense, I'm sure.
You know when you begin writing a piece, or a story, it seems something so seamless, so simple (please note the alliteration), thoughts of past, present or future tense don't bother you. Then you learn more about plots and storylines, and characters and grammar etc and what seemed effortless becomes more like work.

I often think about people who are professional writers and do this for a living, or ghost writers who write for other people, or commissioned writers who get a set fee for producing whatever is asked of them and I wonder. Do they ever have times when the nuts and bolts of grammar, punctuation and format bog them down and make writing a chore? Because I'd love nothing more than to be a professional writer, maybe I'd even have the time to dedicate hours to reviewing this issue rather than fitting it in between my real life.

I have contacted a few professionals to ask their advice and I'll let you know what they suggest. Meanwhile feel free to offer your own comments. Any thoughts are good thoughts.




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AQUASAPIEN  HERE  WE  COME

12/23/2015

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I've made my decision. Aquasapien - Metamorphosis will be my next publication, hopefully in 2016. First I will publish WOTW on kindle around the end of January then it's down to work on Aqua. While this is at the proof editors etc I'll finish off Gristle's Revenge ready for publication in 2017.

Not much else to say on the book front. Looking forward to a few days off over Christmas. I would like to thank everyone for supporting me and especially those people who have made a purchase. I believe there are a couple of copies left at Waterstones, Westwood Cross in case you would like one in time for chrimo.

I did have some wonderful feedback, the type writers faun over. Someone told me they bought it last week and couldn't put it down. I almost kissed their feet in gratitude. I was amazed how overwhelmed I was, it boosted my confidence no end.

Please, please add a review to Amazon or Waterstones on-line. It doesn't matter if you didn't purchase it from them. Also it doesn't matter if you haven't finished the book. Sadly the Gazette didn't manage to print my article about being Waterstones number one best seller for teen fiction, but that's life, or rather that's writing.

Speak again in the New Year, or earlier if I begin Aqua.


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And  Then  There  Were  Two...

12/13/2015

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  Witch on the Warpath is trickling out slowly. I desperately want it to fly off the shelves but reading up on sales advice it appears the best novels take their time, marinating like a fine piece of steak in the literary casserole of life. It is really only six weeks? It feels like six months since I published the first novel and already my mind is moving back and forth between the others I want to publish next.

Gristle's Revenge, the second book in the series is a possibility, however based on WOTW elements, it will require an extensive input from me to get it completed. There is no way I'm giving myself a publication date until it nears the printing stage this time. I'm planning to base it on the same format as WOTW and that means using an illustrator again for the characters. Sadly I can't find Onk and Harty in my world, seeing as how their dimension and ours remain out of sync for the time being. This could change, indeed anything might happen in subsequent books.
The novel will require finishing, then illustrations, cover, proof editing and formatting and well as numerous drafts before hand to get it into some semblance of order. I have realised that one proof edit is insufficient and even after three for WOTW, I still managed to find 8 errors. Good luck readers spotting them. Maybe I can make that a USP? Hunt the typos!

While I'm thinking GR should be my next offering, my adult Sci-Fi Aquasapien is calling. It's already written at 500 pages (127,000 words) I love the cover, which incidentally I did myself ( draft cover on 'novels' page) I'm dithering because it contains 'adult' material and though I don't want to be 'genre-cast',  I'm worried that folk will judge me by WOTW reading level and not want to read it. I've considered a pen name, but what's the point in publishing and then hiding? I've published my book to show people my writing, it seems hypocritical somehow to hide behind an invented nom de plume.

I'm thinking of going initials like JK, and becoming CM Salter for this one. The more I consider it the more I like the idea. I did think about using my grandmother's name Madeline Marnier, but she'd probably turn in her grave if she knew what the book was about. Not only that, I think male readers want male writers for this type of book and initials fit the bill nicely - thanks Jo.  It's a story about a mercenary soldier, who gets more than he bargained for when a life-form alters his DNA. The story follows him  as he continues on missions, with his team, around the world. Over time, and without his knowledge initially, the soldier evolves  and consequences ensue. Like WOTW I've already started the follow-up but it's a long way from completion, however also like WOTW I might use NanoWriMo to complete the first draft, just like last month.

I'd appreciate any comments on this one.


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  • MY NEWS
  • MY BLOG - From Inspiration to Reality
  • MY WORK
    • WITCH ON THE WARPATH
    • GRISTLE'S REVENGE
    • QUEST FOR COURAGE
    • AQUASAPIEN - METAMORPHOSIS 18+
    • AQUASAPIEN PRODIGY
    • WHAT IF?
    • CHICKEN WIZARD
    • SHEA PINGLE AND THE SWARM
    • MY PAST CONFERENCES & EVENTS
    • FUTURE CONFERENCES & EVENTS
  • MY STORE
  • FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  • CONTACT ME