The Parting Glass Released

New Book From Indie Author Katherine Lampe

Katherine Lampe's new book, "The Parting Glass," is a must read as the latest addition to her Caitlin Ross series. 

Transpiring before the events of Katherine's previous works, it tells the tale of how Caitlin and Timber first came together and how the supernatural crime-fighting duo solved their first case together. It was an awesome read I couldn't put down...as Katherine can attest to, lol. 

   

The Parting Glass 

"Caitlin Ross is content with her life as the owner of a metaphysical shop in Boulder, Colorado. And although she doesn’t advertise her arcane abilities as a witch, she isn’t averse to applying them in good cause. When a Lakota medicine man with a drinking problem begs for Caitlin’s help, she has reason enough to get involved. But before she can do anything, he vanishes, leaving Caitlin with nothing but questions.

Soon after, a stranger from Scotland appears on Caitlin’s doorstep, seeking news of the missing shaman. His insistence and his refusal to share any information about his purpose rouse Caitlin’s suspicions: is this Timber MacDuff what he seems? Or does he represent the very dark power the absent shaman was trying to avoid?

For anyone who has wanted to hear the story of Caitlin and Timber’s first encounter, this is the book you’ve been waiting for. "

Go now and read it! 

Awesome Book Cover! ^.^

This super fabulous awesome cover was created for me by Thai Braddick. Thai is a 15 year old (man they teach them younger than even I was to use photoshop nowadays) free-lancer who has been creating covers for NaNo participants for their NaNo novels. The kid's a genius, that's all I've really got. Hopefully, I'll be able to have the other two Realm novels covered by him as well as then they'd match and not look all o.O 

Check out Thai's website and portfolio here: http://funkelnpartei.tumblr.com/

Spotlight Author: Katherine Lampe

Katherine Lampe's 'Caitlin Ross' Series

Katherine is an author who's work I've admired for a long time. 

And now all of you are looking at me like 'Huh? The woman just published, what are you smoking.....and where can I get some?'

I betaed Katherine's works, starting with 'The Unquiet Grave' all the way through to her current masterpiece 'The Parting Glass.'

I didn't know what I was in for when I started reading 'The Unquiet Grave,' but the more I read the more I got sucked into this amazing urban paranormal that didn't require vampires, werewolves or whatever the current trend of teenage paranormal fan-crazed, phenomena piggy-back ridding was.   

It was new, it was fresh and it was freaking awesome! I've a total, undeniable addiction to Katherine Lampe's works like I do for some of my 'Big 6' published authors with one slight difference between her and them...

I GET TO FREAKING HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER!!!

You see, unlike with the authors we adore in physical copies, I can actually talk with an author I like and not have twelve burly men in suits with glasses wall me if I even attempt to get within six feet of their pinky for fear I may damage their income....you don't need a pinky to type, by the way. 

Okay, off the tangent and back on track now. I can honestly say I've waited for the day to see Katherine's works out there in the world to be shared with other people. She has a talent for writing that I admire and a very cool back story to how she knows what she knows in order to write her 'Caitlin Ross' series. The paranormal elements draw on how life used to be using magick's and religions that once were revered by people and not considered to be myths. I implore each and every one of you to purchase a copy of 'The Unquiet Grave,' - and the rest of the series - and see for yourself how exciting and thrilling her novels are.

The Unquiet Grave

 

She Moved Through The Fair

A Maiden In Bedlam

 

 

Importance of Beta Readers

I spoke last time about how Indie Authors cannot afford their own editors mainly because the logistics are not the same. The writers who chose self-publishing have no lesser merit just because they do not choose the traditional route however it is agreed that editing plays an important role in both sides of the issue.

Thus bringing me to the role of a Beta Reader. A Beta is similar to an editor, however, there is a key difference: Editors often have degrees and demand payment while Betas may or may not have degrees and do not demand payment (they may ask for a novel swap in which you review their work in return but they do not ask for money). 

A Beta can be of great importance to your writing process, especially if you can find the right Beta that fits you and your work. Some writers have more than one Beta depending on their genres of writing and also depending upon how much of a kick in the pants the writer feels their work needs. Some Beta's will only provide certain services and most will not be able to help you if your work hasn't even been edited by you, the writer. 

It's very, very important to remember to review your own writing first before pawning it off on other people to help you. There are people who don't mind putting in the effort but if you, the writer, aren't going to help yourself, then these people aren't going to bother helping you either because they will see it as you having a lack of pride.

There's a few websites that can help you connect with Betas so that your work can be at a similar if not parallel quality of a traditionally published author.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/
http://www.perfectimagination.co.uk/   
http://querytracker.net/forum/

A Question of Writing?

I'm a writer. 

That's what I am not who I am mind you. The question is not who I am but rather of writing in and of itself. I often wonder about the people who judge us based on our literary merits and by us I mean those of us who are writers yet will likely go unnoticed by the 'masters' of storytelling and those who promote them.

There's no denying that the people who are published nowadays through conventional methods have their own merits yet there is a convoluted debate on who IS or is NOT considered to be a writer these days. Just because some people who publish through what is deemed by the seasoned author as 'unconventional' and 'the easy route' publish books that are raw and unrefined does not make them any less a writer than the 'masters.'

People write for their own reasons - whatever they may be - and while the 'masters' believe us to be trashy, uneducated, and uncaring to put in the effort, I say to them:

Who are you to judge those who's pens you do not write with an who's minds you cannot enter?

There are many published works I've never been able to understand how they are considered works of literary finesse. I speak of course of the 'Classics.' Those books most of us consider dull, stuffy and full of errors as I doubt many of them ever had editors or agents. 

Think also on the issue that some of these people who are self-publishing are young teenagers just wanting to get their works out to the masses for people to enjoy rather than thinking of the bottom-line you accuse most of us of. And while yes, some writers out there are, most of us write because it means something to us. We do put time and effort into what we create and while maybe, yes, we do need a rating system, maybe it's time to consider that not all of us can turn to professionals for no other reason than economics. 

I doubt Independent Films and Music was brought in with a smooth transition; that they're weren't movies and bands that were raw and rough but the people didn't care because all most of them wanted was to get their artistic craft out there. Once out, then the people could comment and suggest. 

What's most important to writers are their readers; an editor or a publisher does not care about the people; only about profits. If that weren't true, then they'd actually put in the effort into helping the writers like they used to. If we're stuck doing everything ourselves, then we may as well publish by ourselves and get guidance from out peers instead of someone who is only there 5% of the time through the entire process and keeps most of the profits. 

It shouldn't matter how we publish our works; what should matter is that the people who do are writers and they deserve the respect as such - published on a bestseller list or riddled with errors, or not.