editing

A Giveaway for Authors

#Authors -> Check out the First Annual Done for You Promotion, which is running from August 1 to 25, 2016.

You are always give, give, giving to the book community. Black Widow Publishing is proud to have joined up with some other fabulous book businesses to be able to give back to you!

That’s right! 42 book businesses have come together to offer you some pretty amazing prize packages. See for yourself!

(more…)

Review This…

I just got to a point while editing TWIST AND TURN, book two in The Twisted Trilogy, where a couple of reviews creeped into my head and tried to make me unbitchify Abby.  I could have cut the entire paragraph out…now, instead of editing this out, I’m leaving it in just to piss ’em off.  😉

To change Abby’s overdramatic sarcasm and bitchy persona is to change Abby.  Can’t do it.  Besides, I love her like that.  Do you think the world is full of all sweet, perfect, non-selfish people?  Puh-lease.  She’s real (in my own twisted little world). (more…)

Where do you draw the line?
Writing

Writing (Photo credit: jjpacres)

So you’ve spent countless hours learning how to write a rockin query letter and a slammin synopsis.  You think you finally nailed it.  And then, after a rewrite and two edits later, you are certain it is ready.  Until you hit the dreaded SUBMIT button. (more…)

I need your help!! Do I edit this word out?

One of my beta readers has brought up a concern with my TWISTED manuscript and I’d like to discuss that with you today. “Ragging”: not the most pleasant word no matter which way you look at it.

Polkadot Princess by Jenica Simpson.
Polka Dot Princess drawing courtesy of Jenica Simpson.

Wikipedia suggests… “Ragging is a practice in educational institutions… that involves existing students baiting or bullying new students.”

That is not the term I am referring to here now. Consider the “vulgar slang” version of the word.

UrbanDictionary.com suggests “ragging” is: Menstruating. i.e. when a woman has her period. The origin is possibly from the days when women had to use rags as sanitary towels.
“She’s always moody when ragging – she’ll be better in a day or two.”

 BAM!! That’s exactly what I’m talking about.
First off, let me give you the scenario. This is an excerpt from Chapter Four of my TWISTED novel, when Abigail Jenkins realizes that she has caught feelings for her ex-boy toy and current housemate Edwin Santora. I’ve highlighted the sentence in question.

(more…)