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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 21 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Share a Proud Moment…

Making my first £10 in Royalties

I have a locket that I always intended to keep my first £10 in royalties inside. But I expected that to take several months.

I never even dreamed that would happen in the first month, the first week, that Changeling was on sale.

And then the absolutely wonderful reviews? I honestly couldn't have hoped for more.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 9 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - What's Your Big Author Dream?

I don't know if my dreams would be considered "big" author dreams, really

I'm not trying to be a "best selling author" or make it onto the NYT Best Seller List, or even be a houshold name. My goals, dreams, are comparatively simple.

I want my books to be read, and my characters to be loved.

I'd, ideally, like to be earning enough from my books to fascilitate my continuing to write them.

But my main goal is for people to read my books, to love my characters, and to spread enjoyment with a quality product.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 15 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - Favourite Opening Line?

This stumbles straight into one of my pet peeves; The sheer weight put on the opening line of a book.

As a reader, I have never, once, in my whole life, opened a book, read the first line, and closed it again.

The first page, even, is usually something I'll push past. I'll read a couple of pages, give the book a chance to grab me.

If a book hasn't grabbed me by the end of the first chapter, that's the earliest I might quit a book, but even on a mediocre book, I'm probably going to give it until the end of chapter two.

… Anyway… I think some of my favourite openings to books include "Belgarath the Sorcerer" by David and Leigh Eddings, and "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. Both give really strong characterization straight off the bat that I love.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 11 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - What Is Your WIP's Title?

Darkling

My current Work in Progress is the sequel to my debut novel, Changeling.

I chose the title 'Darkling' because the meaning of the word is "growing dark or characterized by darkness", and I wanted a title that hinted at the slowly changing tone of book two from book one.

That's not to say there aren't light moments, but the stakes are being raised for Lizzy and her friends in this book, and I like hinting at themes in a book's title

At this stage, I'm sure anyone who has read Changeling knows what secret I was hinting at with that title!

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 13 of the #writerfriendschallenge - My writer life right now is full of…

Stress lol

Seriously though, I'm struggling to figure out how to balance everything.

Writing, editing, marketing, social media, newsletters, promotions, plus my health and mental health.

The health and mental health also have to take priority over everything else, or it all crumbles down. They're the foundation of the pyramid, and everything else has to slot in around them.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 15 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Share Book Art for World Art Day!

For ArtFight July 2022, I was lucky enough to be gifted a piece of art for Lizzy Hail, the Main Character of the Fey Touched Trilogy.

The art was created by @knuttydraws an amazing artist who I've also been lucky enough to commission previously for another set of characters.

One day, when I win the lottery, I'll be able to just hire Knutty to make art for all my books & characters, but until then I'll shout about her talent until she gets embaressed and yells at me on Discord…

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 14 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Currently Reading?

I don't read much when I'm writing. I tend to alternate. Read and no writing, or writing and no reading.

So my TBR pile is getting frankly ridiculous because I've been writing a lot lately.

I do try and read one ARC from a fellow indie a month though!

Recent Reads include;

Soul of the Sorceress by Cassandra Diviak

A Rival Most Vial by R K Ashwick

And I STILL have The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff on the coffee table waiting for me to get to it.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 4 of the #writerfriendschallenge - What is your Main Character's name, and how did you pick it?

My main character's name is actually a bit interesting. At least to me.

Her full name is Lila Isabelle Hail, but she goes by the name Lizzy instead.

And you might think it's because she doesn't like her name, but for Lizzy it's the exact opposite. She loves her name, and she allows her mum to call her Lila, and her best friend, Booker, uses it when they are connected via telepath…

But she doesn't want anyone she doesn't trust to call her that. To taunt or tease her while using a name she loves, so introducing herself as Lizzy is an emotional defence for her.

As for how I chose her name, I loved the meaning of Lila (Night or Beauty), and knew I wanted her to go by a slightly different name (ie, Lizzy) so it was a matter of finding a middle name that could combine with the first and create an appropriate nickname.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 29 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - Plot Twists You Love?

I prefer plot twists that I've been able to see coming.

Or, at the very least, ones I can see coming on a re-read of the book. If an author has done thheir job well, then when I look back over the book I can see all the clues they left behind for me that I simply didn't see.

Those are always the most satisfying plot twists in my opinion.

I don't really love plot twists that seemingly come out of nowhere. It makes me feel like I missed something, and makes the plot more frustrating that interesting.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 22 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Fictional Character I'd Get Along With Well…

My immediate answer is Sherlock Holmes and/or Iron Man

I adore both of them. They are both sassy, sarcastic, snarky, geniuses and I want to hang around Sherlock's flat, or Tony Stark's workshop, and listen to them geek out about the things they have a passionate interest in.

A less specific answer would be intelligent characters, who are passionate about one area they are an expert in.

I love listening to people talk about their passions, and I find intelligence fascinating.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 19 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - Drafting or Editing?

Drafting. Drafting. DRAFTING. DRAFTING. Drafting!!

Coughs

It might have slipped your notice, but I despise editing.

I do it. It takes me about three times as long as it does to draft the bloody book.

I pull my hair out.

And then I pay a bloody professional!

My editor is worth her weight in gold, twice over, and I adore her.

I literally couldn't do what I do without her help, which is why she's credited not just on my copyright page, but in the contributor meta data of my books as well.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 18 of the #writerfriendschallenge - What's Your Story Setting?

The Fey Touched Trilogy mainly takes place on Earth in the modern world. In the opening chapters of Changeling, Lizzy and Booker travel from their home, in the fey realm of Arbaon, and arrive on a very modern street with houses and streetlamps.

Despite being based in the real world, the places Lizzy and Booker travel to are not real locations. The towns they visit, and the villages they stay in, are entirely created from my imagination.

And when we get into the Vampire Strongholds, like Speculo School or the clans they encounter in Darkling, those are also entirely fiction.

I do imagine the enviroment more 'English Town/Village' however, for aesthetics, only spread across a larger landmass than the UK, taking longer for them to drive between locations.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 18 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - Favourite Place To Read?

The "Writers Friends Challenge" asked this on April 7th, and I answered about my favourite spots being my bed, or the sofa.

In an effort not to be redundant, I'm going to add to that answer.

I've always liked reading when travelling, either on the bus on the way to school, or on a train when I head into London, or even in the back of the car while driving to a holiday destination.

The problem with reading like this is I can't do it when I'm travelling alone, because I get so totally absorbed in the book that I can end up missing my stop. It happened once when I was about ten years old, I ended up halfway to the nearest town before I realised what had happened!

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 12 of the #writerfriendschallenge - What elements of story motivate you to write the most?

Easiest question to answer so far; The Characters!

My characters are the core and the heart of my stories. While I work hard on the plot, it's always informed and influenced by my characters.

My books are definitely, heavily character driven adventures, and I don't think that's a bad thing. I think character driven stories can appeal to people across genres, and even if a book isn't your usual cup of tea, you can still connect with realistic and realistically motivated characters.

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 12 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - Who Are Your Writing Heroes?

I have a lot of authors I admire, and who I'd give my left kidney to meet for an afternoon and chat with.

Just, have a dinner and discuss the craft of writing.

Question of the day; If you could invite six authors, alive or dead, to a dinner party, who would you invite?

Top of my list has to be Neil Gaiman. A true legend, and everything I see him post on social media just makes me think he's a genuinely lovely human being too.

I'd also have to include Tolkien, Richelle Meade, Jim Butcher, Emily Bronte, and David Eddings (& Leigh Eddings? They were a writing duo, so I might get away with sliding them both in.)

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author-a-holmes · 1 year

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Day 11 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Favourite Genre To Write And Why?

My favourite genre to write is Fantasy. All sub-genres.

I enjoy the pure creation that comes from fantasy. I can create a world and a continent. I can create religion, or superstitions. I can create weather, and fabrics, and clothes, and jewellery. I can create plants and animals, flora and fauna, and magic.

So much magic!

I don't know. The possibilities seem infinite, and there's something endlessly fascinating about that for me.

Fantasy writing allows me to take anything life throws at me, and turn it into something not only useful, but fun and beautiful, and a delight.

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