Monday, November 29, 2010

The Hating Game


Help Talli Roland's debut novel THE HATING GAME hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk by spreading the word today. Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.



Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com:



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Coming soon in paperback. Keep up with the latest at www.talliroland.com.



About THE HATING GAME:



When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £2000,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?
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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Don't throw the baby away with the bathwater

As you can see, I've got my word-count meter up for my upcoming novel. Don't be overly impressed with the quick rise in word count. Though in the last two days I've written three thousand new words, the rest was cut and paste. It's amazing how much my perception of my MC has changed. When I started this novel six years ago, I had him escalated to super stud. He begged to be taken off the pedestal and given human qualities. Its been fun reacquainting myself with him and the others characters. I'm not quite sure where it's going, but I am overcoming my fear of conflict to some degree. I'm putting him into situations where he might be, dare I say it, embarrassed and unsure of himself.

Quite honestly, I had written this novel off as a great learning experience. I put it through the critiquing process, a humbling experience. I rejected a lot of critiquer's suggestions. I wanted raving reviews instead of constructive criticism. In an attempt to live up to their expectations, I changed the nature of the novel in such a way that it no longer resembled my original idea. So, in frustration, I set it aside and started anew. Now, looking back and re-reading and writing, I understand a little better what they were trying to tell me. I recommend critique groups, especially for beginners, but grow a thick skin and keep in mind, some people's perspectives are a little off.

So that's my two cents for the day. Hope this day brings you blessings and refreshment. The party's over, time to get back to work--crocodile tears, sniff, sniff.
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Friday, November 26, 2010

Need Help?

It's not very often someone gets to help someone else. Part of the reason is, someone else forgets to ask for help. I'm offering up my help to anyone who wants to promote something author or book related. Do you have an upcoming release you'd like to advertise? Send me the info and whatever prevalent links, and if it's legal, tasteful, and easy, I'd be happy to help. I'm offering on a trial basis. If it looks like something that will benefit everyone concerned, I may make it permanent depending on the response I get. Make it easy though. I have limited knowledge of html and no knowledge of programming. What I don't know, I can teach myself, that is if it's something I am able to learn.

As you can see, I'm working on a new book. Actually, it's a complete rewrite of a book I started six years ago or so. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm up to 40,000 words give or take. That will change as I add and delete scenes. I'm so excited about it, I designed the artwork for it already. Hope you like it.

That's about it for today. I really am going to post more often and try and keep with you guys. I'm thrilled to have so many peeps who like my blog well enough to follow. Very flattering. Have a great holiday to those who celebrate, and God bless.


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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

I need a good splash

I've been trying to think of a way to release my book with a splash. I don't just want to post that it's been published, and, oh, by the way, you can find it here, here, and here. Yeah, that should get people excited. I may put out some excepts, I'll certainly offer some free ones. I'll be seeking some reviews later in the process. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to offer them.

On another, note, I am putting together my first book, the one I finished, but became to discouraged to mess with anymore. I have several versions, you get why I became discouraged. The writing is solid, the story plot good, or should I say plots and it has slipped into place fairly easily so far. It's kind of like shuffling cards. You take the two to three different versions and shuffle them together. I keep thinking this is going to be a piece of cake. I'm waiting for the other shoe to fall. Wouldn't it be fun to have two books out in a short time frame?

I'm looking forward to hearing from you all.
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Saturday, November 6, 2010

Things you must know


Smashwords has a wonderful free ebook, Style Guide by Mark Coker on, click here. you guessed it, styling your manuscript. I recommend you read it before you type one word of your MS. It's absolutely a must if you want to avoid a huge formatting mess at the end. You really can conquer Microsoft word. This book is written in complete and understandable detail. It can be used for any form of general formatting for submission to anyone, anywhere. You may have to tweak a bit depending on submission requirements, but only a bit.

For those of you who are struggling with editing your WIP, I have a suggestion that works, and you don't have to spend a cent. When you begin your proofreading, resize your MS to book size, such as 5.5 x 8.5. Go into edit, page setup and click on the paper tab. I swear it's as affective as pointing your toes to keep your leg straight. (how many of you just tried that?) Reading in this manner will turn you from writer to reader and those errors will fly off the page. Try it and let me know how well it works.

On that subject, I'm almost done with my proofing. It's taken a long time and a lot of work and a lot of cutting, but, as a result, I have a good book, so it's worth it. I'm hoping to get it published before Christmas, but if I don't, soon after. Oh, I'll be so glad to put this one to bed.

You all have wonderful weekends and God bless.
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Monday, November 1, 2010

Finally, a decision

I'm sorry I've been absent, in case you noticed. I trimmed another 5,000 words off Bum's Rush. I'm proud of myself. Here's a lesson, one I've preached before, when you write something you don't feel 100% about, do something about it, especially if every time you stumble across it, you get that same gut feeling. Also, another lesson, one we all know, if it doesn't move the story forward, leave it out, no matter how beautifully written it is. I took a deep breath, and cut, cut, cut. It felt so good, I almost got carried away.

As soon I get the thing done, I'll let you all know, because I feel like you've all been behind me and I love you for it.
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