Posted in authors, publishing, Writing, writing journey, tagged author, children's books, children's fiction, e-book, facebook, fantasy, interview, medieval England, non-fiction, novella, romance novel, Rumble's First Scare, Smashwords, The Rython Kingdom, troubadour, twitter, writer on May 6, 2013 | 2 Comments »
Please join me on Robin’s blog for an interview today. Although I’m usually the one doing the interviewing it is a nice change to be on the other side!
http://mypennameonly.blogspot.ca/2013/05/talking-with-mandy-eve-barnett.html
http://mypennameonly.webs.com/apps/blog/show/26171455-talking-with-mandy-eve-barnett
http://mypennameonly.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/taking-with-mandy-eve-barnett/
Posted in Writing, authors, novels, tagged Amazon.com, authors, book, e-book, Joe McKnight, Linda Pedley, long weekend, Mandy Eve-Barnett, novella, reading, Smashword, The Journey of Brothers, The Rython Kingdom, Times Hostage, writers on March 28, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
The Rython Kingdom
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/214247
The Journey of Brothers
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/206099
Time’s Hostage
Posted in authors, novels, writing journey, tagged Amazon, Amazon.com, author, books, C. S. Lewis, children's author, children's books, e-book, e-publishing, enchantment, England, faeries, horror novels, Ian S Rutter, James Herbert, LinkedIn, literature, panacea definition, POD, Raymond Obstfeld, seat of my pants, Smashword, spare room, story, style writer, The Faeries of Birchover Wood, will take some time, writer on February 10, 2013 | 1 Comment »
To honor Ian’s favorite character, Sup Sup Rose, I have paired his interview with today’s word – Panacea – definition : a remedy for all ills or difficulties : a cure-all.
a) Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why?
That’s a tough one. If I have to choose one then it has to be Sup Sup Rose. He’s quiet. Stays in the background but is very knowledgeable of all things nature. If there are any injured animals, then he’s the one to help them out. Any questions about herbs and flowers, Sup Sup will know it. He’s very gentle, shy but very loyal.
b) Do you favor one type of genre or do you dabble in more than one?
No, I like to look into different genres as I think it helps with your writing. I’ve focused on children’s stories at the moment, but I have some horror novels that are in different stages of edits. They are the two favourite genres. I have partly written a bio-graphical account of a relative of mine fighting in WW1. His and his wife’s accounts of being apart. That will take some time to finish.
c) What do you enjoy most about writing?
Being able to put into words the images I see in my head. I’m very visual so I get excited when I am writing and acting out the scene at the same time.
d) Have you got a favorite place to write?
I do most of my writing on a large table in a spare room, during the day and at night when I have time. If not, then I always have a pad and pen, but lately I have been trying out some writing tasks on a tablet I bought. That is working out quite well.
e) Do you plan your stories, or are you a seat of the pants style writer?
The first book was on the seat of my pants as I more or less have had the whole story in my head for the last 30+ years. Book 2 and 3 have been planned. I have a few diagrams I have mapped out for book 2. It helps me to see where each character is going and how they deal with problems. I also need it to show where in the story the highs and lows are. So, if I can map it out I will.
f) What inspires your stories?
As soon as I visit the countryside then I have a story in my head. I love trees and grass and everything nature. Sometimes if I see an image then I want to just jot something down. As I love photography then that is happening a lot.
g) What are you currently reading?
Cricky! The Hobbit. Stardust. Dead Hunt (An indie book by Kenn Crawford) If you like to be scared then this a great book or e-book to read. Crafting scenes by Raymond Obstfeld and the proof version of book 1 of my story. It’s nearly ready for Amazon’s POD service.
h) Do you have any odd habits or childhood stories?
Just before I start to write, I have to have everything around me neat and tidy. I can’t help tidying things up before I write. Probably as my mind is so jumbled up with ideas and stories I just don’t want the physical world around me to be the same. My writing space really has to be neat.
i) Do you have any pets?
Not now. I use to have a Rough Collie called Toby. Blind as a bat but the most amazing dog I have ever come across.
j) Do you belong to a writing group? If so which one?
A few. They are on LinkedIn. They are very good and give great advice. Write It Down, Aspiring Writers, Authors and Publishers Association, Authors, Writers, Publishers, Editors and Writing Professionals, Book and Writers, Children’s Book Authors, Informed Ideas. Just a few.
k) What age did you start writing stories/poems?
I started when I was kid about 12. The first one was about an alien that came to earth to hunt. A couple of years later a film came out called ‘Predator’ I wish that was me. As soon as I started higher education I just stopped. The idea that my writing is not very good probably had some influence on me.
l) Do you have a book published? If so what is it called & where can readers purchase it?
The Faeries of Birchover Wood, The Bad is book 1 and is downloadable for Free on Smashwords
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/278703
or on Amazon US http://www.amazon.com/The-Faeries-Birchover-Wood-ebook/dp/B007JJSNWC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359276466&sr=8-1&keywords=ian+s+rutter&tag=780065172-20 , which at the moment is priced at something $2.00.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Faeries-Birchover-Wood-ebook/dp/B007JJSNWC
Amazon UK is http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Faeries-Birchover-Wood-ebook/dp/B007JJSNWC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359276523&sr=8-1&tag=7800651723-21 That keeps changing. Hopefully, Amazon will set the price to Free by looking at Smashwords as that is what I want for book 1.
m) If you could meet one favorite author who would it be and why?
Unfortunately, he is dead. C. S. Lewis is my favourite children’s author. For horror he would have to be James Herbert, I grew up on his stories and I keep reading them.
n) If you could live anywhere in the world – where would it be?
It still has to be England. I just love the place and love everything about its countryside.
o) What’s your favorite movie of all time?
The Thing by John Carpenter. Before computer graphics this movie came out and was and still is awesome.
p) Where can readers find you and your blog?
My blog is www.iansrutter.co.uk/blog
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Faeries-of-Birchover-Wood/397556786944411
and – https://www.facebook.com/LetsGetEPublished
My free podcast of the entire story in 17 episodes can be listened to or downloaded from http://podiobooks.com/title/the-faeries-of-birchover-wood-book-1-the-bad/
The blog is about e-publishing. It has tutorials, written and video on how to get your written book into a professionally formatted e-book so that it can be given or sold on any of the e-book stores.
q) Do you have plans or ideas for your next book?
Loads! Book 2 of the faeries is a little darker. A few upsets and shocks are installed for the humans and faeries. Not looking pretty for any of them.
I am working on re-writing my horror novel from 1st person to 3rd person and I need to finish a vampire novel I wrote about 6 years ago. There are times when I wish I was an octopus.
r) Who is your best supporter/mentor/encourager?
Without doubt my wife and my father. My wife who has had to go through some of my ‘What!’ ‘I don’t believe you can’t…’ ‘Come on, can you read it faster!!’ times. She understands I am passionate about what I do. She’s great and very patient. My father who always believed that I should ‘go and do my thing!’ He loves my stories. Probably too much as he never gives me any criticism. That’s why parents are the worse readers of your book if you are looking for a critique. He wrote the poem at the very beginning of Book 1.
Posted in Writing, Writing Inspiration, tagged arts, author, challenge, creativity, culture, desk diary, Dream Write Publishing, e-book, inspiration, literature, novellas, novels, palindrome, prompts, Rumble's First Scare, short story, snippets of creativity, The Rython Kingdom, web site, writer, Writer Resources, writer's block, writers foundation of strathcona county, writing, writing exercise, writing journey on January 5, 2013 | 5 Comments »
Some of you may know and some not, that I create a writing prompt for my writing circle’s web site every Saturday. www.wfscsherwoodpark.com just click on the calendar. Actually finding the prompts can be a challenge at times but it is always fun to see the responses. From the same prompt there are as many interpretations as there are writers. In essence it is a glimpse into another writer’s mind set and creativity and let’s be truthful here, we all love to see the inside of another person’s mind!
There are benefits to using prompts. If you are ‘stuck’ or blocked giving your mind another writing task not only refreshes your creativity but also helps unlock it. A prompt can be a picture, a set of words or a sentence – no matter what it is in format, it should spark an idea or vision and from there you can write. You may only write a couple of sentence’s or it may grow into a short story or scene, whichever it is your muse is having fun. Go with the flow of it and follow that first inspiration that ‘appears’ as you read the prompt.
A piece of kindly advice; from personal experience – don’t discard the result of these prompts. File them away in a binder or a document folder on your computer. They may turn out to be the perfect piece for a scene or the start of a new project at some later date. Case in point – my children’s book, Rumble’s First Scare grew from such a prompt and my fantasy, The Rython Kingdom was created using several prompts that lent themselves to continuing a story. www.dreamwritepublishing.ca
Inspiration does come from anywhere and each written piece of work has its value. Looking back on these snippets of creativity can be a reward on its own. Some will surprise you and delight you and others will raise memories of where you were on your writing journey at that time. They show your progress in this art.
So today’s prompt came from my desk diary and I thought I would share it with you all here. The word is – PALINDROME. Definition: a word, phrase or sentence that reads the same backward as forward. An example: “Step on no pets”. See if you can come up with three. Have fun.
24WUNF9PZKZU
Posted in Competition, Writing, Writing Inspiration, tagged advertising campaign, authors, book fair, Book launch, books, canopies, coloring competition, companion, conference, countryside, Dream Write Publishing, driving, e-book, England, good food, hand puppets, hills, hotel, literary life, long weekend, monster, PWAC, restaurant, Rumble, Rumble's First Scare, Rython Kingdom, Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Smashwords, street fair, supper, The Rython Kingdom, travel, weekend, wine, writers on September 27, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Well I’m back to the grindstone but feeling relaxed and regenerated after a wonderful long weekend. The drive to Saskatoon took five hours and my companion, Linda, kindly drove all the way (although I did volunteer). For those of you who do not know, I live on the Albertan prairies, which, as the name suggests, are flat. As an expat, I sorely miss the rolling hillsides of England. So you can image my delight in seeing undulations in the landscape as we travelled toward Saskatchewan. Of course nothing matches the English countryside but it was a real treat to see hills.
We arrived early evening and after registering at the hotel, went in search of supper. We found a great Chili’s restaurant and afterwards at the hotel indulged in uninterrupted writing – bliss. On the Saturday we attended a conference hosted by PWAC (Professional Writers Association of Canada).
Date: September 22, 2012
Location: The Refinery, 607 & 609 Dufferin Avenue, Saskatoon, SK
This was a very informative day where we networked and gained some valuable insights. Linda and I have come up with a game plan for her publishing company, Dream Write Publishing, advertising campaign. So we are both pumped. Not to end the day too quickly we happened upon a great Italian restaurant so had to partake of the fine pasta with a glass of good red, of course.
Sunday was The Word on the Street event and we drove downtown to set up beside the library. Rows of white canopies with dark blue covered tables welcomed us. It didn’t take long to have all the books displayed and I had one corner for Rumble to sit ‘guarding’ his books. I loved to see the reaction of children and adults alike when they noticed my little monster. With lots of cuddles and pats on the head and a candy for a treat, I found everyone intrigued at the Rumble coloring competition.
http://dreamwritepublishing.ca/retail/competitions/rumbles-coloring-competition
I also had postcards for my e-book, The Rython Kingdom’s front cover on display with the Smashwords link on the back – http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/214247
The weather was kind with lots of sunshine and with Linda and Tammy, whose book was launched we had a great day conversing with some very interesting people. At day’s end we were tired after packing up the boxes of books so indulged in a quick fast food meal in the hotel. Having plenty of time to check out we slept late before our trip home. I managed to sew a couple of Rumble hand puppets on the road, which got a few looks from other travellers but it did help the five-hour drive pass quicker.
How far have you traveled for your book sales?
Posted in Writing, Writing Inspiration, tagged articles, arts, blog, blogging, book reviews, books, business, commitment, community, culture, current events, design, determination, e-book, editing, excitement, fantasy, featured, ficition, friends, happiness, hardwork, inspiration, instant access, latest news, life, literature, online newspaper, revision, Rython Kingdom, Smashword, Smashwords, social media., Strathcona Connect, The Rython Kingdom, updates, Writers Resources, writing, writing journey on August 13, 2012 | 9 Comments »
This past weekend is amongst the best I have ever had. Why you may ask, well in short two great writing events came to fruition for me. I was beside myself with excitement and smiling like the preverbal Cheshire Cat. 
Literally bursting with happiness and wanting to share with everyone not just because I was proud of myself but also to show that determination, hard work and commitment bring their own rewards. If you follow your dream it will become reality, maybe in small steps but that is the joy of our journey.
My first event was submitting my fantasy – The Rython Kingdom – onto Smashwords. It was a nerve racking experience, letting go of a manuscript I had worked on for over a year through revision after revision and numerous edits…but the immediacy of its availability to the global community was the part that took my breath away. We are used to everything being instantly accessible – just not our precious words – there was no time to adjust to them being out in the world for all to see. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/214247
Why not take a look? The next event was quite a surprise. I had been asked to write an article for a new online newspaper, so submitted one, not really expecting it to be accepted. Almost as soon as I had sent my email, I got one back asking for my bio & a headshot! I frantically read through my bio’s and then took a few new photos to send off. As many of you know I am passionate about my writing but also my writing group and that is the subject of my article. http://strathconaconnect.ca/strathcona-county-gets-writing-p219-90.htm
I encourage you all to follow your dream and take advantage of any and all opportunities that come your way.
Smiley face – Daniel Y Go
Posted in Writing, tagged article, book, book blurb, e-book, fiction, manuscript, opinion, opinions, review, reviews, story, tale, technology, The Rython Kingdom, YA fantasy on July 22, 2012 | 14 Comments »
![Castle3[1]](http://mandyevebarnett.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/castle31.jpg?w=150&h=123)
I have been working on a YA fantasy – this is the blurb…please let me know what you think? Is it enticing enough for you to want to read it?
An unwitting pawn in a witch’s vengeful plan, Guillem recites a tale, which will unleash the witch, Malgraf and her bestial offspring resulting in havoc and murder. Can Guillem be stopped in time? Can a mysterious old woman and her daughter protect the kingdom?
Guillem had worried if his tried and tested tales would be worthy of the King’s court. As he succumbed to sleep an image of his earlier campfire appeared. He remembered looking deep into the firelight, his eyes transfixed by the flickering orange flames, but while semi conscious, he recalled that they had turned blue in hue taking him to a far away land. The blue flames rose up, twisting and forming into images of a witch and a horrendous beast. Strange and bewitching but a marvelous tale had been revealed to him that night, he felt sure would delight his majesty.
Thank you in anticipation…
So I have revised the revision (good grief!)– let me know if this is better – thank you all for commenting it is truly appreciated.
Initially unaware he is the unwitting pawn in a vengeful witch’s plan to be released from her entrapment. The famed troubadour Guillem attends the king’s court to recite a marvelous tale. His suspicions are raised by a strange servant’s actions. With the help of a wizened old woman and her beautiful grand-daughter, Guillem outwits the witch, Malgraf and her bestial offspring, to save the kingdom from murder and mayhem but then finds himself part of a ritual for life everlasting with the entrancing and mysterious Juliana, who captures his mind and body like no other.
Posted in Writing, tagged articles, arts, book, Canada, community, DIY, e-book, fiction, manuscript, YA, Young-adult fiction on July 20, 2012 | 2 Comments »
I have jumped out of my comfort zone recently to learn a new skill, that of formatting for an e-book. It is quite different from the ‘norm’ of formatting a manuscript with chapters beginning on a new page, returns and tabs in abundance to get the look just right and those little personal quips to individualize the story. The e-book regime is extremely strict – no tabs or returns allowed as these ‘make’ an extra blank page , which would be very off putting, at the very least, to a reader. You can indent or make ‘block’ paragraphs but no clever dual indents or spacing. Each move must be performed using the header tools even centering your headings – so all in all a more precise method, which has had me concentrating like a new kid in school. The manuscript runs continually regardless of chapters so you are likely to see chapter headings at any point of a page – which is strange and somewhat difficult to adjust to. The download must have a title and copyright page at the start, a dedication can then be inserted and then it’s straight into the story. To end the story you insert three # and that’s it. The last thing to be inserted is your contact details.
I must acknowledge that this point that this is no DIY project – I have an expert friend guiding me and without her help I’m quite sure I would make a right dog’s breakfast of it. Thank you, Linda.
In a week or so I hope to have the text perfect but in the meantime I am working on a cover for my YA fiction fantasy – The Rython Kingdom. It has to be eye catching and reflect something of the story but most of all it has to make readers want to purchase it. A tall order by anyone’s standard but one I am willing to persevere through numerous designs until I find perfection.
Have you dived into e-books? Do you have any tips or tricks you are willing to share? What was the hardest part for you?
Posted in Writing, Writing Inspiration, tagged arts, e-book, publishing, reading, Rumble's First Scare, Writers Resources, writing on March 24, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Rumble and I attended another successful author reading on the 7th March. Our gracious hosts – Second Cup in Summerwood, Sherwood Park. My little monster was on his best behaviour and was the center of attention, of course. The microphone before me and relating Rumble’s story, I realised how far I have come in my writing life. Even as little as four years ago I would not have believed anyone if they had told me what my future would hold. Writing is such a integral part of my life now that a day without a word either written or read has my equilibrum off balance. It has become a physical need, an essential piece of my daily life as much, if not more, than food and drink.
Are you similarly obsessed?
Posted in Writing, Writing Inspiration, tagged arts, children, Children's literature, e-book, Illustration, publishing, Writers Resources on June 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
My little Rumble
I had to share my exciting news. As of Tuesday 28th June 2011, I am signed to Dream Write Publishing (www.dreamwritepublishing.ca) for my children’s book – Rumble’s First Scare. Wheels are in motion for the illustrations, promotional events and media coverage.
For any of you already published you know the absolute joy your first contract gave you and can share with me. To those of you still waiting for that leap into the publishing world, I wish you all the very best and encourage you to take a peak at the Dream Write web site.
Watch this space for developments and details of my book launch.
