Hello, Beautiful People! How the hell are you? I hope all is well, needs are being met, books are being purchased and everything else that will send your heart a fluttering.  Okay, So my (was)band HBR3 drew an illustration for my draft--Shout Out to DC Comics! This is not the final version just a taste of more to come! My BOM Chicago engagement ends next week, then on to Vancouver. So excited! I played nice auntie for the summer and hosted my nephew...can we say no writing because I was too busy running after a small person! The term "Back to School is music to my ears.

Things are indeed progressing over here at SPARKED incorporated. We’re gearing up to launch our campaign on Sept 1, which will include joining the fantasy contest. Can’t wait! But lots to do in the meantime. Here’s our latest column for writers, in response to this question:

Dear ‘Lena,

I’m confused. My writing teacher gave me the feedback that I should make my writing “more detailed,” but then I added in a lot of details and she said that it was crammed with “unnecessary detail.” Help! – Flustered

Read our answer here: http://bay-ata.com/sparked/blog/2016/08/09/what-should-i-leave-in-and-what-should-i-leave-out/

Hope that everyone else is doing well, writing well, reading well. It’s a pleasure to be part of this vibrant community of creative likeminds. 

Warmly,

Ma/helena

All, a quick mid-week update:

Dear followers,

Tonight I was going to share with you a portrait of Eudoxia, but then I figured it’d be better first to know exactly what she would wear. When you think of clothes in Ancient Greece usually you just think drapes, but I want it to be accurate! So I studied Robert Flaceliére’s book Daily Life in Greece at the Time of Pericles, and drew up some of the clothes from the descriptions. It’s really quite fascinating even to a person like me who doesn’t really care about fashion.

Here’s my sketch with notes:

I hope you find this interesting and fun! At the very least it shows some of my dedication for the little details in The Hunter Saga world. I promise that in the following 3 art days you shall have a character portrait. Perhaps even multiple! We will see.

I have to come clean on one matter. There is something that dictates my productivity on some days, and that is chronic pain. I’ve had abdominal adhesions for about two years now, from a surgery that went wrong. This is not me begging for coins of pity, but this is something I choose to be open about since I’ve noticed it helps people understand my daily life a little bit better. They are a major and literal pain in the ass, but I don’t suffer from them. (It’s a buddhist way of coping, if I remember correctly.) I do my best and hardest for the things I love every day, because that’s just who I have become. And I love The Hunter Saga.

I hope you have a wonderful evening!

-H.A.

Quill Achieved....

Dear Friends,

Today we crossed the Quill Goal threshold at 3:00PM PDT with our 250th order of I Am Waltz being ordered. 

so..... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, TIME 1 MILLION MORE "THANK YOUS"....

With this the book will be published both in digital and print form. A very special thanks to each and everyone of you who pre-ordered, talked with friends and family and were supportive of the journey thus far. 

We are still going strong and are at 255 orders now. We COULD still reach 750 orders in before September the 5th. That is the ultimate goal. 750 orders will mean full publication in book stores nationally. So we have won today and accomplished a ton but more can still be done.

If you’ve not ordered yet, please do. If you have, thank you again from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate each and every one of you so much. 

I am now pouring into one last draft of the book to ensure the arc and structure are exactly as I want before I send the manuscript off to be edited. 

aa

Another exciting announcement: The Write Out Loud Syndicate has selected the book to be their August book of the month. I am excited and honored by their selection. The book focuses on being discriminated and outcasted by society. These themes I believe fit the mold of what so many members of the LGBTQ community endure throughout their lives.

Keep up all the good work and thank you all for your continued support. I wont let you down with this first book. 

-Matt

With all the madness that’s been happening over the past few days, I’m beyond thrilled to deliver some unreservedly good news.
Heh...thrilled....
 

Tantalus Depths has been backed by its third syndicate! Today we received the distinct honor of being chosen as the August pick for the Thriller Night Syndicate. It’s awesome to be recognized by the community yet again for Tantalus Depths’ content: this time not for theme, but for tone. Tantalus Depths is all about mystery and foreboding, peril and the struggle for survival against extremely bad odds. It’s a thriller to its core, and I sincerely hope you all find it as nail-biting and knuckle-whitening as I intended it to be!

Hello Cape’s Side Bayers!

When I first started writing Cape’s Side Bay it was called The Woods or something like that, and it was a screenplay. I realized that I would never be able to raise a budget for such a film, and so I reworked it as a novel and gave it the title: Cape’s Side Bay.

I had no idea what I would do with it once it was written. I had never written a novel before. Then I was on twitter one day and saw something about a book called Abomination by Gary Whitta. I was intrigued, and so I looked for the book on Amazon, but it wasn’t there. I googled it and it took me to this site called Inkshares. I signed up, bought the book, then over the next couple of months got to know the site better and ordered some books I otherwise never would have found.

I decided in July 2015 that Inkshares would be the perfect place to publish Cape’s Side Bay.  Over the next six months I stayed onboard, writing and rewriting the manuscript, and watching other campaigns unfold on the site. What books succeeded, which didn’t (I was guilty of being gun shy on more than a few books, regrettably).  

I’m glad I dove into this wonderful world of Inkshares. I’ve come across some fantastic books, and better people. I look forward to sticking around long after my books campaign has come and gone, and the book is published (fingers crossed full-publishing).

26 days remain in this campaign. As I said before, I am exhausted, but I wouldn’t change it for anything!

I want to just send a couple notes to a few of my fellow authors on this site who have been extremely supportive and have some books you NEED to check out!

The Knightmares, by  G. A. Finocchiaro. I absolutely love this book, and think you will as well!  52 days left and almost at Quill! You don’t have to take my word for it, check out his guest post at Apotheosis Studios:  http://apotheosisstudios.com/blog/2016/8/5/the-knightmares-guest-post-by-inkshares-author-hopeful-g-a-finocchiaro

Squids In, by Matthew Poat. Yes, it’s a ridiculous premise. Yes, it’s awesome! Check this one out, and don’t be afraid of it! Squids don’t bite (not that I know of) and this one is well worth your time! 31 days left to order! Don’t wait!

SideScroller, by Andrew Fantasia. I’ve known Andrew for around 10 years, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but I’m not. This is another Video Game book, and its a doozy. Andrew’s an exceptionally talented writer, I’ve read a bunch of his other work, and he will always have my support. He has 21 days left with over 100 orders needed to hit Quill!

That’s all for me. Enjoy your day and take care!

James

https://www.inkshares.com/books/cape-s-side-bay