Writing to Readability

I'm constantly reading not to mention writing, but I also read books and articles about writing. I ran across a book on how to write. It had examples and exercises on writing. There was an example of instead of writing in past tense to write in present tense. I really took this small lesson to heart.

I started analyzing my writing and other writers. I have noticed that most fiction I read is actually written in the past tense. So naturally when I began to write, I write in the past tense. However after writing twenty pages and decided to change it to present tense... Wow what a difference it made. Not only was the mere act of changing it tedious and annoying, it really opened my eyes to my writing. I was amazed how writing in present tense really does draw the reader in. You are in the action now.

A example: He ran to the store. -vs- He's running to the store.
"I'm through with you!" He shouted. -vs- "I'm through with you!" He shouts.

Now those are two very small sentences and some can tell a difference right away while others can't. However when you begin to put all the sentences together. That's when you truly see the difference.

I'll use one of my favorite author's as an example of past tense.

Example past -
He stood in the kitchen doorway, one hip leaning lazily against the wall as he watched her. Nicoletta was dressed in a simple skirt and blouse, her hair on top of her head in some intricate knot. A few tendrils had escaped, falling in silky waves around her face. Her eyes were large dark and filled with dancing mischief as she teased the cook and one of the guards. Her small feet were bare, and her mouth was lush and inviting.
-vs-
Example present -
He stands in the kitchen doorway, one hip leaning lazily against the wall as he watches her. Nicoletta is dressed in a simple skirt and blouse, her hair on top of her head in some intricate knot. A few tendrils escaping and falling in silky waves around her face. Her eyes are large dark and full of dancing mischief as she teases the cook and one of the guards. Her small feet are bare, and her mouth is lush and inviting.

Now I'm not an expert, just something I read, observed and am trying to change in my writing. I'm not telling my favorite author who is selling best sellers out there she's doing it wrong. I mean, c'mon now, she's doing something quite right to have best sellers out there!

However this observation in my writing leads me to believe that by using the present tense form is one of the reasons why those who have read The Royal Assassin can't put it down. They are easily drawn in because of the style of writing, the ease of words used, and it's actually a pretty good book. I catch myself reading it again and I'm the one who wrote it. Yes, I look at a few things I'd change, but the story itself pulls me in and the other on top kinda cinches it.

I highly suggest if you write in past tense, to try changing to present tense and look at your work and decide which grabs you more.

Book Reviews for The Royal Assassin

I received another 5 star review for the Royal Assassin! Yea!
I was so thrilled when I was getting ready for work yesterday morning I woke up my daughter and told her! I then proceeded to tell everyone at work! So this makes the fourth 5 star review! That's so amazing! It excites me to read and hear everyone who has read the book tell me what a "turn pager" it is. It's also thrilling to know, male and female alike, like/love it.

The one thing that is slightly annoying is that amazon.com and amazon.uk are not actually linked in a way to show the reviews together. People who review it on UK and post will not show up on the US version and vice versa. It's a bit of a real shame because I have two 5 star reviews on US and one in UK which makes a total of three on amazon for same book, but no link on either page to show the other.

So in my excitement to share. I'm going to put the links here, until I can update my webpage.

Review on Barnes & Nobles Nook -
5 star review -
Anya Villalta -
Love this book! The book is well plotted.....the characters are so well written you feel as though your are there right along beside them. They make you laugh and cry feel sorrow and anger. Shireen Nemnich seems to be able to captivate the reader as she weaves her spell around you, and it seems almost as if the magic she writes about is actually real.

Review on Amazon UK -
5 star review -
S. Kopycinska "Manuqa" -
I have just finished reading this book and I have to say it was absolutely thrilling! The story swept me up immediately and I desperately wanted to know what happened next. The World of Myst is innovative, captivating and well thought through. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

Review on Amazon US -
5 star review -
Lars Lansink
I must admit that at first I was a bit disturbed over the first person form that the story is being told in, but that disturbing feeling lasted for about two pages and after that I was just in need of more information regarding the world of Myst, its magic and people.

Few books have kept me as spellbound as this one has and I it was with mixed emotions that I turned the last page, knowing it would be a while before I got to learn more about Reis and the destiny of Myst.

Thank you Shireen, for a very entertaining and different adventure.

5 star review -
jeffery m. johnson -
I find this book hard to review. I do not want to give away the story line. It has action,love and magic and above all a bond of protection for family.

The story is gripping and the action keeps you on the edge, not wanting to put the book down. I had to stop myself from reading as to make the story last. The AUTHOR HAVE A WONDERFUL IMAGINATION FOR FINE DETAIL. (DON'T STOP READING) Awaiting the next book.

MR JMRJ.


This this amazingly exciting or what???

Book Review

It's been a week since my first book review of The Royal Assassin. The book review was held at the retirement community that I work in and it really went well. There was about 30 people who showed up and I sold 9 books! Yea me!

I am still very excited over it. I had so much fun. I was super surprised and excited that one of the residents daughter was there and she had bought my book on Nook for her phone and she read it! I'm amazed at trying to read a book on a phone. But she said she did and that she really loved it. She bought a paperback that day! Exciting!

She was able to tell everyone about it and how much she enjoyed it. Which was great! But it was pure delight on my part to talk with her about it. I truly enjoy talking about my writing and the characters.

It's also with great relief that she thought what I wrote wasn't graphic but very tasteful. So I'm once again relieved, because there is two sexual scenes and it was important for me not to get so bogged down into details making it graphic, but making it the magical experience that it was. She helped to validate that!

The books came in and they look great. I delivered them all on Friday. One of the residents I delivered to had started reading right away and by after dinner she had almost completed chapter one. I'm so thrilled! It's been wonderful so far that everyone who has started the book, do not put it down. They keep reading until done. I've had such great reviews that all I can say is that I hope there is more!
To order the paperback and or kindle version you can go here to Amazon to purchase on Nook

Trying out a new way to post a blog from my phone.

The Royal Assassin (Shadows of Myst)

It's been amazingly exciting to finally publish The Royal Assassin, which is first to be released in the series Shadows of Myst. I have absolutely adored being able to discuss with a few people who've read it and loved it. That has to be one of the biggest highlights of all this so far.

To listen to the enthusiasm of reading and discovering this rich inviting world of Myst that I created is excellent. I fell in love with Myst as it began to filter through my mind and now to listen to others who share this love is beyond anything I can honestly express.

Reis and Shadowen are quite the pair. There are obstacles they must face together to reach the pentacle of their love. It's at times an emotional read because there is much tragedy they must get through, and much is yet to come in the next few books. Yet I tried to leave you with a sense that it will not matter. They must survive this and if I've written it correctly then you should feel that no matter what, they will.

I've written a small excerpt the other day that I feel adds a certain element about Myst that may not be known right away. I plan to have this on the back of the paperback that is about to be released through a different publishing venue.

Shadows of Myst is a series dedicated to Mystics and Nightelves who live within the confines of the magical land that the Goddess Mysteria of Shadows created with her consort Darkness. Each story takes you deeper into this rich and mysterious land of Myst that only a Mystic and Nightelf can truly understand.

Mystics must wear veils to protect the innocent of their bewitching eyes. It is said however to look into the eyes of perfection is what truly bewitches. But Mystics long have known it is their shadows that one succumbs to. One must be strong in magic to not feel the call of the shadows.

Nightelves born with the magic of darkness lived upon the surface but a war long since forgotten by many brought them to live under the surface to serve Mystics. A servitude that some despise and some who have had the memory of war stamped in their soul are grateful to serve.

Corruption has long since been infiltrating Myst. Will the two races that are bound together by more than Myst and magic survive this insidious parasite? When the final blade is drawn and the final spell cast will there be anything left? Will it even matter? Only the shadows of Myst know.

When I first began writing this series I felt it was perhaps under Paranormal romance, because of the magic and such. But now I realize that it fits better under Fantasy. Yes there is a lot of romance in it, but I think it shines out on both accounts. So if you're into Fantasy you will be drawn into it because of all the fantasy elements. If you're into romance, you will NOT be disappointed.

An awesome dream

I took a nap before work yesterday and had this great dream. I woke up and was telling my daughter all about it. I felt so good about this dream I wrote it down.

This is the dream.

I’m a goddess who wakes up from a 10 year sleep. I turn to my sister and yell, “Why didn’t you wake me up?” My sister has no real response. So I starting walking around my temple/home and I'm stunned that so much is different and yet it's the same.

I still strike fear in my family because I’m so powerful and they do not have such power. I find a few uncles who are still just as greedy playing a game of chance. I spy one of my devoted guards of my temple and he still looks at me with joy and awe in his face.

Now I move around to find my niece, a lovely girl who is smart but rather a bit on the plain side, but to me, her beauty is wonderful. Now there is the boyfriend of my niece who is a kind fellow, mortal like her but he’s a bit taken with the other sister who’s beautiful but I see her willfulness and I don’t like her so I shoo her away.

The niece and the boyfriend say they love my bow but no one can string it. So many have tried but everyone has failed. My bow is sitting on a pedestal. It's made of gold and the strings are basically hanging on it. (It has seven strings.)

I laugh and I’m happy to show them my powerful bow. I hold it in my hand and closing it inward slipping the seven strings over the notches then I pull it back into place as they watch on with amazement.

I lift my hand and an arrow that is in a quiver that’s mounted on the wall flies to my hand. I then wave my hand again and the ceiling opens up to much to my niece’s and boyfriends delight. I draw the arrow back and release it into the air it makes a special whoosh sound by my ear and this delights me.

I turn to my niece and boyfriend telling them to just wait and a few moments later a star comes crashing down. I shot a star down from the heavens!

However it comes crashing down on a section of a city square. I think for a moment about there being people as I had not thought of that before and say, “Perhaps I shouldn’t have done that.”

The two agree with me and then I woke up.

Is that a great dream or what!

Of course it's given me a wonderful idea for a story. But all I can say is wow!

E-Book

I'm a bit nervous and yet very excited. I've published The Royal Assassin on paperback and hardback and now it's available on Barnes & Nobles Nook, and Amazon's Kindle.

I've already started to sell on Nook, which is so exciting. I've sent a copy to my favorite fictional author, who I've mentioned before, Christine Feehan. I really hope she likes it! That will definitely be a dream come true if she does. I also met a woman online at Christine Feehan's members only site, and she was just so wonderful to me and sweet to me I sent her a copy. She emailed me back after reading and she really liked it!

I must share what she wrote, "I have finished reading your book... I found it refreshing and well presented... the mood carries you through right to the end and leaves you with the feeling that there is definitely more... which is as it should be... I hope you get the follow up that your efforts deserve, because it definitely warrants it."

I think that is a wonderful affirmation that I was looking for. So now onward! I have so much more to write, finish and share with those who want to read!

Celebrating

Yesterday my book The Royal Assassin came in the mail. OMG it was way too cool! It was perfect, exactly how I wanted. Talk about thrilling! Also as my daughter pointed out, what a great valentines gift! Exactly! Happy Valentines Day to moi!

To hold the Royal Assassin in my arms at long last!

Tonight we went out and celebrated with some great friends who are very supportive. We had a blast and to know this is just the beginning is fabulous!

Anyway, back to writing tonight!!

Oh forgot updated with my twitter

Lots of love and joy and happiness to everyone!

A review

I have a very trusted friend I share my writing with and she was the first to read the Royal Assassin. She sent me an email after reading it that made my day! She said that she was literally crying as she read it. She told me the parts she cried about then she posted this
"and I am crying because reis and shadowen love each other sooo much a love so pure....you are amazing "

OMG How cool is that!

It made my day because basically that's how I feel about them.

Blogger

I was able to figure out how to import my blog into this new blog!

Yea me!

Website

I finally got my website worked out yesterday. Wooo Hooo! Of course I still have a lot of content to add or even it out or something. Oh well, I'll get there at some point.

With my website I decided to just be me with it. I mean it is my “authors” website more or less, but I thought it would be cool to add some stuff about me that may not be typical, especially since I'm so not typical.

One thing I added was a few tidbits about what music I listened to while writing The Royal Assassin and some small trivia info. I know when I look at an author's page I'd love to know some odd facts about them or the book.

Anyway it's up and now I'm working on finalizing The Royal Seer.