There are three reasons I'm making this post and I'm directing it toward all of my grammatically challenged friends. They're the greatest people in the world, but their grasp on certain concepts is infuriating, like the differences between similar, but VERY different words. My first inclination was to find their childhood English teachers and paddle their butts for not doing their job to effectively teach their students that there are specific reasons to use specific words. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate teachers and all of their efforts. I'm a junior high teacher myself. I just thought, "If they're not going to clarify things in their classrooms over there, how they're expecting their students to succeed is beyond my comprehension." Then I realized that some people have chosen to close their minds. No amount of effort by anyone will penetrate their stubborn barriers of ignorance. You won't become one of those people, right? You'll listen to all there is to learn about grammar, right? Good. There, that should do it.
(they're = "they are")
(their = possessive)
(there = everything else)
.
June 5, 2012
May 5, 2012
Insight Cover progression
As many of you know, I have been writing Beholders since 2008. Since then, many different prototypes of cover designs for Insight have emerged. I want to share this design evolution with you. They are listed below chronologically. Feel free to laugh. I know I did (don't forget you can click on any of these to see an enlarged version).
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| Created by Scott Humphries |
 |
| Created by Scott Humphries |
 |
| Created by Kip Ayers |
Sooo... you're probably wondering which version makes it onto the book being released Summer 2013. The answer is, none of them. I, for one, am especially excited to see the final design from Jolly Fish Press. Just another thing to look forward to next year.
I tell you, 2013 is going to be a GREAT year!
May 2, 2012
It's Official!
I just realized that I haven't made an official announcement about my querying process with Jolly Fish Press. This semester at the University of Utah has been kicking my butt (as far as my free time goes), but it's finally over. I grovel before you and beg your forgiveness for neglecting you so long.
There... now that I've gotten that out of the way, on to the good news. On March 28, 2012, I signed a 4-book contract with Jolly Fish Press for Beholders. Huzzah!
Let me put something in perspective that I've learned this year. I've done my fair share of querying in the past and received a slough of rejection letters. Some were more hurtful than others. All of them chinked away at my self-confidence. That being said, it wasn't until I found JFP that I realized how important a successful relationship is between author and publisher. Every aspect of my interaction and correspondence with JFP jives at a spine-tingling level. Connecting with them was a perfect storm. Don't worry, friends. Your time will come, too. Just keep your eyes on the heavens.
Now back to Beholders. You can read JFP's publicity release by clicking here, but if you're too impatient to move your cursor over the hyperlink and force down the button on your mouse, let me summarize. Basically, it says Insight will be released Summer 2013. The next three books in the series will be released each subsequent year (True Sight in Summer 2014, Hindsight in Summer 2015, and Foresight in Summer 2016). I've already received my first wave of edits from JFP and let me tell you. It will be worth the wait. Insight is improving far beyond what I ever could have hoped to do by myself. As I insinuated before, my relationship with JFP is a match made in heaven.
There... now that I've gotten that out of the way, on to the good news. On March 28, 2012, I signed a 4-book contract with Jolly Fish Press for Beholders. Huzzah!
Let me put something in perspective that I've learned this year. I've done my fair share of querying in the past and received a slough of rejection letters. Some were more hurtful than others. All of them chinked away at my self-confidence. That being said, it wasn't until I found JFP that I realized how important a successful relationship is between author and publisher. Every aspect of my interaction and correspondence with JFP jives at a spine-tingling level. Connecting with them was a perfect storm. Don't worry, friends. Your time will come, too. Just keep your eyes on the heavens.
Now back to Beholders. You can read JFP's publicity release by clicking here, but if you're too impatient to move your cursor over the hyperlink and force down the button on your mouse, let me summarize. Basically, it says Insight will be released Summer 2013. The next three books in the series will be released each subsequent year (True Sight in Summer 2014, Hindsight in Summer 2015, and Foresight in Summer 2016). I've already received my first wave of edits from JFP and let me tell you. It will be worth the wait. Insight is improving far beyond what I ever could have hoped to do by myself. As I insinuated before, my relationship with JFP is a match made in heaven.
April 10, 2012
You're vs. Your vs. Yore
You're going to drive me crazy with your inability to distinguish between you're and your. Medieval knights of yore had a greater command of the English language. Are you hearing the words coming out of my mouth? Are they penetrating your ears? You're going to remember, now, right, or will this info slip out of your memory again?
(If this post was helpful, please leave a comment!)
(If this post was helpful, please leave a comment!)
February 23, 2012
Since vs. Sense
I want to knock some sense back into the world since so many people have forgotten the difference between since and sense, but since I can't hold everybody's hand, you're going to have to make sense of it yourself. It's not that hard, really. Just use your common sense, since that should still exist somewhere in your brain. Make sense? Can you sense my frustration?
(If this post was helpful, please leave a comment!)
(If this post was helpful, please leave a comment!)
February 5, 2012
Grand Theft Poetry
The Age of Death
by Terron James
I bow in most tender wetness, because nothing will make me feel better,
Like dogs in a street in Syracuse converted to explicit rapture.
Oh, dear, what comfort can I find watching it all fall into a strange outlaw?
For you’re young, whatever life you wear from the skin of some animal.
I dance the strumming, rooted, long-tailed pull of grief.
The mountains tower over me with uncertain shadows upon a salty sea,
The houses gray sewage bubbling up out of street sewers
Telling me something, something undone in thin air.
Even at night the air clings and clings.
And on naked hillsides by the open grave,
My embodied life, my life of senses,
They die shuddering with joy.
Is there nothing but the thin shadow?
Now you understand just why my head’s not bowed.
The purpose of this exercise was to create a poem by pulling solitary lines from 18 separate books of poetry, then manipulate the compilation to my liking and give it a title. Almost makes me sound like a poet!
by Terron James
I bow in most tender wetness, because nothing will make me feel better,
Like dogs in a street in Syracuse converted to explicit rapture.
Oh, dear, what comfort can I find watching it all fall into a strange outlaw?
For you’re young, whatever life you wear from the skin of some animal.
I dance the strumming, rooted, long-tailed pull of grief.
The mountains tower over me with uncertain shadows upon a salty sea,
The houses gray sewage bubbling up out of street sewers
Telling me something, something undone in thin air.
Even at night the air clings and clings.
And on naked hillsides by the open grave,
My embodied life, my life of senses,
They die shuddering with joy.
Is there nothing but the thin shadow?
Now you understand just why my head’s not bowed.
* * * * *
The purpose of this exercise was to create a poem by pulling solitary lines from 18 separate books of poetry, then manipulate the compilation to my liking and give it a title. Almost makes me sound like a poet!
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