My Works

Almost done the re-write!

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Michelle Proulx

For anyone who’s been wondering what the heck happened to me recently, the answer is pretty simple: I’ve been writing. As you may know, I’ve been working on the sequel to my first novel, Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It, for a couple of months now, and sometime around last week I just got struck with this incredible fervor to write. And so I did. And now the end is in sight!

According to my hilariously poor attempt at a “chapter outline”, Chasing Nonconformity is going to be 47 chapters long, plus an epilogue. Presumably this will change once I cut it down a bit, as it’s sitting at 125k words and that is most definitely too long for a YA novel! Anyhoo, I’m currently on chapter 42, which makes me almost done! Huzzah!

That’s the good news. The bad news is that I’m completely re-writing the last part of the book, so this is all going to be writing from scratch–i.e., I can’t take what I had before and shift it around a bit to have it fit in with the book’s new direction. But that’s okay. Writing is fun!

Oh, and then I obviously still have to go back and take care of a whole bunch of nitpicky things. For one, the main character Eris switches outfits constantly despite only having access to one outfit. So that’s going to take some figuring. For another, this is a sci-fi book, and although I thoroughly explain a lot of important world-building concepts in the first book, I haven’t actually inserted those explanations in the second book, so I’ll have to go back and figure out a way to work those in. The life of an author never grows dull, my friends!

That’s all for now. Just checking in to let everyone know how it’s going. Wish me luck on the final chapters, and I’ll report back when the re-write is complete!!!

Unrelated media of the day:

This may sound silly, but I’ve recently started listening to “zen” music while I write, and it’s absolutely fabulous for getting stuff done. Something about it just puts you in an awesome frame of mind for creating. At least, that’s what I’ve found! So light some candles, brew some tea, put on this Youtube video as background, and see if it helps your writing process! And if it puts you to sleep, well … even writers have to sleep sometime.

Categories: My Works, Writing | Tags: author, books, writing, zen | 19 Comments

My publishing plan for 2014

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Michelle Proulx

Now, let me preface this post by stating that this is an extremely tentative plan, cooked up in the shower yesterday, and now delivered via the magical power of the internet to your computer screen!

Step 1: Finish writing Chasing Nonconformity

This is the most important step, as this sequel is the pivot point around which the rest of the plan turns. I’m about halfway through the re-write right now, and will hopefully get it done by the end of February. Then begin the rounds of editing and beta readers and general headaches … so I’m hoping that if I buckle down and really put my nose to the grindstone, I can maybe eke out a finished manuscript by September?

Step 2: Get covers for Imminent Danger and Chasing Nonconformity

Of course, I already have a cover for Imminent Danger, but that cover is technically owned by iUniverse, and I don’t really feel like paying them several hundred dollars to come into possession of a cover to which I’m not particularly attached. The plan, you see, is that I’m going to re-publish Imminent Danger on my own (i.e., not through a vanity publisher), which will give me much more control over the fate of the book. So I’m going to need covers for both books 1 and 2.

I was in talks with a cover designer last year, but things didn’t really work out — I didn’t know what I wanted, and the designer had a particular style that, while lovely, just didn’t mesh with what I had in mind (despite me not actually knowing what I had in mind). See the problem? Indecision abounds in my world. Anyway, I’m now messing around with cover design on my own, and have tentatively acquired a new designer … more on that story as it unfolds!

Step 3: Break from iUniverse and re-release Imminent Danger via Amazon KDP

So this is actually two steps in one. Basically, I kind of like the idea of trying out the Amazon KDP program, but that of course means I can’t have my book for sale on other websites. Since iUniverse is currently distributing Imminent Danger to every website under the sun, that will mean that I’m going to break from them at some point. I don’t know when, but … it’s definitely going to happen. I mean, unless I can find a way to re-publish Imminent Danger on Amazon KDP and still leave the iUniverse version up and available … maybe call the new version the “Deluxe version” or something? If anyone knows about this sort of thing, by all means send your wisdom my way!

And then the second part of the step is, of course, to re-release Imminent Danger on Amazon KDP. I don’t know that I’ll stay in the KDP program forever, but it seems a good way to start. My tentative plan for this is to re-release the book sometime in September. I’m thinking of doing the Kindle Countdown Deals program for the first three months, and then switch over to the 5 free days option just in time for …

Step 4: Release Chasing Nonconformity for Christmas!

This is, of course, assuming I’m actually able to come up with a finished manuscript by the fall, which is … let’s just call it an extremely optimistic plan. But I’m nothing if not optimistic! So assuming everything goes according to plan, I’ll release Chasing Nonconformity around the start of December … and at that point Imminent Danger will have gone into the “5 free promo days” program, so I can offer it for free for a few days in December/January to drum up interest and encourage people to give the series a shot.

I am obviously a complete “n00b” at marketing, so any thoughts/comments on my plan are greatly appreciated!

Unrelated media:

Source: http://imgur.com/gallery/GrN3m

Categories: My Works, Self Publishing, Writing | Tags: amazon, author, books, iuniverse, kdp, self-publish, writing | 64 Comments

Last call for alcohol! (And by alcohol, I mean my Goodreads Giveaway)

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

Hey guys! Just a quick post to remind everyone that my Goodreads Giveaway for Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It closes tonight! As of this writing, there are 6 hours left on the clock, so hop over and get yourself entered ASAP!

Here’s the blurb (for anyone who hasn’t heard me prattle on about the book a million times before):

A fun, flirty, fast-paced YA sci-fi/romance novel of cosmic proportions!

High school junior Eris Miller thinks she’s having a bad day when her roommate’s boyfriend catches her stepping out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel. Then she gets abducted by scaly six-armed aliens with a strange fondness for the color blue, and her day suddenly gets a whole lot worse.

Trapped on a spaceship bound for the slave markets of Sirius B, Eris fears she’ll never see her home again. But then fate whisks her away from her reptilian captors and into the arms of Varrin, a fast-talking space pirate who promises to deliver her safely back to Earth. He claims to have her best interests at heart, but Eris soon discovers that her charming rescuer has a hidden agenda.

As they race across the galaxy, outrunning a villainous figure from Varrin’s past, Eris begins to realize that their relationship is putting her planet, her life, and her heart in imminent danger. She knows that trusting Varrin could prove deadly … but what other choice does she have?

Unrelated media of the day:

Categories: My Works, Self Publishing | Tags: benedict cumberbatch, books, ebooks, free, free book, giveaway, Goodreads, romance, sci-fi, teen, ya | 6 Comments

Chasing Nonconformity is finally taking shape!

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

As you may know, I’ve been working on the sequel to Imminent Danger for a while now. I believe I started it back in … 2010? Possibly earlier. Anyway, it’s been quite the laborious process. I’ve never written a sequel before, so there was a lot of stumbling and self-doubt and re-writing (the current version is almost indistinguishable from the original draft) and … yeah. You get the picture!

Anyway, I’m pleased to announce that things are finally taking shape with the sequel. I’ve settled on how I want events to happen, I figured out Varrin’s motivation (he had one before, but it was kind of a stupid motivation, so that’s changed), and I flexed my mediocre organizational muscles and did up a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of what the heck is going on in the story. I even made a timeline!

Guys, I’m so psyched right now. You know that point where everything just starts to come together, and you kind of sit back and go: “Wow. This feels amazing. And I can’t believe it took so freaking long to get to this point.” And then you ask yourself if all the hours of writing and re-writing and agonizing and plotting and arguing with your brother who absolutely refuses to entertain the possibility that maybe characters don’t have to make logical decisions all the time were worth it. The answer is yes — yes, it was worth it!

There’s still a heckuva long way to go before Chasing Nonconformity is ready for publication (obviously!). Part of my plan calls for new scenes, which need to be written. And then other scenes have been completely flipped around to be from a different character’s POV, or the same events happen but in a different location, etc. It’s going to be an epic re-write, that’s for sure. But now I have my lovely, color-coded chapter breakdown to guide me, so I’m confident it will turn out more or less the way I envisioned it.

So for anyone wondering how work on Chasing Nonconformity is progressing — there’s your update! I’m going to be working on it a lot over Christmas (hopefully I’ll finish the re-write!), and after that the basic process will be:

Run the draft past my mother
Wait two months for her to actually read it
Get it back — cringe at the red-coated pages — revise
Run the draft past my brother
Wait three days for him to read it and return it with a brilliant and in-depth analysis something along the lines of: “It’s fine”
Correct the inevitable logical errors he points out
Run the draft past my alpha readers (“alpha” makes them sound like a wolf pack — Arooooo!)
Make corrections
Run the draft past my beta readers (I might ask some of you awesome WordPress peeps for help with that, so stay tuned!)
Make corrections
Run the draft past my mother
Go through the entire book with her page by pain-staking page, tightening up my inevitably sloppy writing and probably chopping off about 10k from the final word count
Run the book past a copy-editor
PUBLISH!!!!!!!!

Realistically I see this book being published no sooner than Fall 2014. Cease your tears, my friends! The novel-writing process is not for the weak-hearted. We must stand together or we will surely perish!

Right. Thanks for reading! Remember to enter my Goodreads Giveaway for a signed copy of Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It!

Unrelated media

Note: Cleverbot’s responses are in blue.

Source: http://imgur.com/gallery/SwjJi

Categories: My Works, Self Publishing, Writing | Tags: author, books, cleverbot, ebooks, novel, self-publish, wordpress, writing, writing process | 11 Comments

Give the gift of reading this Christmas …

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

… by buying a copy of my debut novel, Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It!

That’s right, folks, it’s shameless self-promotion time! For all my lovely readers who haven’t yet read my book, why not give it a shot this Christmas? Or if you have read it and loved it, how about grabbing up a copy for your friends, daughters, sons, nieces, nephews, alpacas, rutabagas … whomever in your life you think might enjoy a little science fiction fun!

Click the gigantic book cover in the sidebar to get links to all the various online retailers that carry the book. Or just click here to go straight to Amazon.com.

Now, sadly I can’t actually offer any discounts, because iUniverse controls the pricing, not me. I know, I know, I’m working on it! In the meantime, while I can’t offer a price drop on book, I can offer a signed copy (sort of) if you buy a softcover or hardcover. Basically, I’m using this newfangled contraption called a “bookplate” (also known as a “sticker”). The idea here is that you buy the book, you send me an email letting me know you want a signed bookplate (along with your mailing address), and then I send you a bookplate free of charge, along with some Imminent Danger swag (bookmarks, stickers, personal thank you note for supporting me, etc.) Here’s a picture of a hastily done up bookplate that I totally didn’t just make five seconds ago:

I promise I’ll get a better gold marker so it isn’t all fuzzy looking. And if you want me to address the bookplate to a certain individual, or write a custom message or whatever, just let me know.

Anyway, that’s my shameless self-promotion for the Christmas season! If you’ve got a spare minute, please consider spreading the word about this whole “bookplate” thing … or just about my book and how awesome it is in general. And if you already bought a copy and want a bookplate, shoot a message/email my way and I’ll hook you up!

Unrelated media of the day:

As always, I can’t remember if I’ve already shared this or not, but either way, enjoy!

Source: http://imgur.com/gallery/7FNBr

Categories: My Works, Self Publishing, Writing | Tags: Bookplate, books, Christmas, ebooks, hunger games, iuniverse, romance, sci-fi, self-publish, stickers, writing, ya | 5 Comments

Barnes & Noble Black Friday 30% Off!

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

Hi all! The lovely Tania L Ramos brought to my attention via her Facebook page that today is Black Friday, and that Barnes & Noble is offering 30% off your purchase when you use the promo code “BFRIDAY30”.

So if you’ve always dreamed of purchasing my debut novel Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It but thought to yourself, “Alas! If only it were 30% off, it would be in my budget! But as it is full price, I shall sadly have to pass up on reading this most glorious book!” … you’re in luck! Today’s the day!

Click here to buy Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It from Barnes & Noble!

And don’t forget to use the promo code: BFRIDAY30!

Happy Friday, everyone! And thanks in advance to whoever decides to take me up on this fabulous offer that I totally didn’t just found out about like 5 minutes ago. Hehehe.

Unrelated media of the day:

Categories: My Works | Tags: author, Barnes & Noble, bfriday30, Black Friday, books, ebooks, nook, sale, self-publish, writing | Leave a comment

What should I call my book series?

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

As work on the sequel to Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It proceeds at a glacial pace, my thoughts turn to the series as a whole and what it should be called. Considering that the first two things that draw me to a book are 1) the cover, and 2) the name, I want to make sure the series name is just as catchy as the book names themselves.

So to recap you, the two books currently in the series are Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It (published) and Chasing Nonconformity (not yet published). The genre is young adult space adventure / romance / humor. And now I need a series name.

The obvious choice is to base the name off of “Imminent Danger”, since that’s the first book in the series. But that could look a bit silly. Imagining browsing through Amazon and coming across this name:

Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It (Imminent Danger, #1)

Seems a bit redundant. Then again, that sort of thing happens to Twilight, Divergent, The Hunger Games … lots of popular series. Hmmm …

Time to draw inspiration from popular book series! Let’s see which popular YA series have “series names” that differ from the name of the first book in the series …

The Mortal Instruments (first book = City of Bones)
Caster Chronicles (first book = Beautiful Creatures)
The Infernal Devices (first book = Clockwork Angel)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (first book = The Lightning Thief)
House of Night (first book = Marked)
Lunar Chronicles (first book = Lunar)
Gemma Doyle (first book = A Great and Terrible Beauty)

Time to analyze! Weeeeeeeeeee …

So it seems like most YA series go with whatever the name of the first book is. Probably makes life easier. The series that don’t do that seem to draw their names from either the protagonist, important items in the story, or … well, whatever the heck “House of Night” means. The word “Chronicles” also seems popular.

Either I go with something slightly dull, like The Imminent Danger Series, or I spice it up and capture the essence of the book with something a bit more vague, like The Lamri Chronicles or The Reluctant Xenophile Saga or Abducted! (I quite enjoy the gratuitous exclamation mark in the last one).

Hmm … what do you guys think? What’s a good series name for my fledgling YA space adventure / romance / humor series? All suggestions welcome, no matter how silly!

Unrelated media of the day:

I may have already shared this last Christmas, but whatever. It’s a lovely Christmas medley shot in a very cool way, so listen/watch and enjoy!

Categories: My Works, Self Publishing | Tags: author, Book series, books, Christmas, City of Bones (Mortal Instruments), Clockwork Angel, ebooks, Gemma Doyle, House of Night, Infernal Device, names, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, self-publish, writing | 46 Comments

Win a copy of my debut novel!

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen — it’s Goodreads Giveaway time! Wooooooo! I’m giving away four softcover copies of Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It, and I can sign them to whoever you want if you win (you know, so you can give it away as a Christmas present or whatever).

A quick disclaimer before I share the link to the giveaway: it’s only open to Canada, USA, and UK, because shipping a book to the other side of the world is really freakin’ expensive. Sorry in advance!

Alright! Without further ado … here’s the link: Click here to win a copy of Imminent Danger!

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Unrelated media of the day:

Source: http://distractify.com/fun/fails/the-x-worst-asian-sign-translations-of-all-time/

Categories: My Works | Tags: books, engrish, free books, Goodreads, Goodreads Giveaway, sci-fi, self-publish | 12 Comments

Goodreads Giveaways … hit or miss?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Michelle Proulx

I have decided to take a few minutes this evening to reflect on Goodreads Giveaways.

Brace yourselves.

My first giveaway for Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It from waaaaay back in April was a pretty rousing success. I gave away two books to two lovely ladies, and I got stellar reviews back in response. Huzzah!

My second giveaway in July was … not quite as successful. I only gave away one book that time, and perhaps the Stingy Gods have decided to punish me, because the lady who won my book has yet to post a review. Of course, it’s only been three months, so I remain hopeful, but the second giveaway definitely wasn’t on par with the first.

Going on the concept of bigger is better, I’ve decided to launch another giveaway! The giveaway starts tomorrow, and ends on my birthday (December 19). I’m giving away four books this time, and since my success percentages thus far on receiving reviews from the winners have been 100% and 0%, I’m aiming to reach a nice, even 50% with this new giveaway. Wish me luck!

I’ll write up another post tomorrow with the link so you can actually enter the giveaway — if you want! I figure that even if you don’t necessarily want a copy, you could hypothetically gift the book to a friend or your favorite niece as a Christmas present. Win win win!

Anyway, fingers crossed that this giveaway works out a bit better than the last one. Happy NaNo-ing to everyone, and see you again tomorrow for that link I promised!

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