Fave Books of the Year: 2013

I've read quite a number of books over the last year, many of them were terrific reads, but then just about any book I actually read through to the end is a good one, since I will cast a book aside if it hasn't grabbed me by page one hundred.  With that in mind, here are some titles that stood out for me - listed in NO particular order.  You'll note that only two of the books (Trigger and Chicago) are Fiction.  (Note: I read these in 2013, but they weren't necessarily released in 2013).

• Chris Hedges - Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt  
• Chris Hedges - American  Fascists
• Sean Chercover - Trigger City
• Howard Shrier - High Chicago
• Thomas Frank - Pity the Billionaire
• Patti Smith - Just Kids
• Robert B. Reich - Beyond Outrage  

If I had to say which of the above was my favouirte, I'd have to pick Just Kids.  I sobbed like a two year old when I finished it.  Big fat tears rolled down my face... Yes, really.  It was that good, that poignant.  

Reflecting on the Past Year by Vanessa Wester

The year 2013 is fast coming to a close and it’s a good time to sit back and reflect. At least, it is for me anyway. Since 2010, my life has entered a rollercoaster ride called writing. To be honest, I should have seen it coming a long time earlier but I was a bit of a chicken. Truth be told, ever since I held an iPad and downloaded books via iBooks I was smitten with the idea of a virtual book, although anyone who knows me will tell you that I still prefer to read paper copies!

What I was mainly drawn to was the idea of doing something without the approval or hassle that goes with a “real job”. Also, let’s face it, I loved the idea of getting free books and downloaded all of the classics (some of which I am still to read!)

However, before I saw virtual books on my iPad my writing was destined to remain a private venture. Until that point, I had no idea it was possible to publish a book on your own. When I kept seeing “published by smashwords” I got curious. For those of you coming into this now, an eReader like a kindle, Kobo, Nook, etc is probably something you have heard of and accept as an alternative way to read. Back in 2011, when I was given my iPad (millions of years ago) it was still an alien concept. I relate it to Videos becoming DVD’s & Blue rays, and records to tapes, then CD’s, then everything goes virtual… progress will happen regardless.

So anyway, the point is I wrote a book, the first of a series, HYBRID. I sent excerpts to some agents, and in January 2012 I got a two nice rejections (i.e. my name & address was on the letter and they seemed genuinely apologetic to say no). It was at this point that I decided to go it alone after reading some great articles by David Gaughran on The Word Cloud. I also wanted to share my writing in an easier, more protected manner. I had downloaded excerpts on Booksie & The Word Cloud, but I have to admit I was worried anyone could just copy my writing and use it as their own. I also attended The Festival of Writing in 2012 and got some excellent feedback from agents and a book doctor, as well as a bunch of notes.

I did have a lot of fun on Booksie though, teenagers are fantastic writers! The advice and feedback I got via critiques on the word cloud was also brilliant. There are a lot of nice people out there willing to give a helping hand to newbies! Once I was reasonably happy with HYBRID, I spent weeks going over The Style Guide by Mark Coker. I decided to publish on smashwords first – I did not own a kindle!

Smashwords is great and I learnt how to make the book look professional since they are strict on criteria there. If you have not done it right, you will not get approved for premium status (which takes you to the major retailers). I have seen a lot of books downloaded to Amazon over the last year which have had issues with formatting – they would never have been approved by smashwords. So, personally, I suggest authors try smashwords out since it is easy (& free) to download your book once you have published to check it looks right, etc.

The only problem with smashwords is… and some of you out there will know this already… sales, or lack of! Amazon is the giant when it comes to sales. And, as I soon found out, most of my friends had a Kindle. So, I quickly realised Amazon was the place to be. I am glad that I went through smashwords first though since my first readers were mainly friends and family and they helped me spot the errors, etc. I had made.

If you can afford it/ believe in your writing strongly enough DO get an editor/ proof-reader. I had help from friends and edited my books myself. I do recommend you print out the novel and read through with a highlighter/ red pen! Then make the corrections and edit again and again and again… oh, and if like me your grammar is not too hot, read a book on grammar. I have learnt a lot in 2013! I can’t change the past, but I can move forward… and I love the fact I can make corrections myself and have the new version out for readers.

Anyway, so in the space of 2 1/2 years (I started Hybrid in June 2010) I wrote the 3 novels in my Evolution Trilogy… HYBRID, COMPLICATIONS, and RETURN.

The Trilogy is a reflection on a lot of my experiences in a paranormal/ fantasy setting. I think we all take a part of us and impose it on our writing. Our ideals, morals, expectations, dreams… in my case, I had fun. I loved making characters do things I have never had the guts to do (and can’t do since I am petrified of heights!) I did want to write about women in different settings and our attitude towards relationships. If you fall in love then you should both be prepared to make sacrifices for each other and accept the consequences of your actions.

I don’t like stories that make it all about the couple and their perfect ending… I have to admit that when I watched the Disney movie Frozen recently I cheered at the end. Not to give a spoiler but it was nice to see the main character, Anna, saved by something other than “true love” in the typical sense.

My catch phrase for the Trilogy is ‘In the game of love, destiny is the winner…’

I believe this is true. Sometimes things happen in life that you do not expect or want. You fall in love, out of love, lose track of friendships, find out a loved one has passed away, are unable to fulfil a life’s dream or ambition, experience depression or feel lost – nothing is ever candy coated all the time.

Writing enabled me to put some of my thoughts and ideas down and get them out of my system via my characters. It allowed me to create a society I would want to live in, whilst appreciating that nothing is ever perfect… and it allowed me to have FUN!

Once you have children your life becomes secondary. My children (followed closely by my husband of 13 years – he is a patient man…) are very important to me. But, truth, when I became a mum, I also became the cook, child-minder, cleaner, taxi, etc… nothing I did was just for me. Writing was to become my escape, my sanctuary.

Honestly, since I learnt to publish my books I have lost some of the passion I initially had for writing. The focus turned too much towards marketing via Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc, etc,etc… BUT, social media has allowed me to meet the most amazing people, such as Jill, and a host of others… truly inspirational writers and people, some who overcome personal issues by writing.

I also decided to publish books to raise money for charity and have now published three anthologies for all and three for adults.

So, to go back to 2013… I completed my Trilogy and published 4 anthologies! My paperbacks are on sales via the Indie Pop Up Bookshop, and most bookstores in Gibraltar (including Morrison’s) and my eBooks are on sale all over the world via Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony eBooks, eDiesel, etc, etc…

Whatever happens… I tried.

As a thank you for reading this post, you can read my debut novel, Hybrid, as an eBook for FREE – all links found on my site for The Evolution Trilogy.

I hope you enjoyed reading this and I wish you all the best in your writing and for 2014… your dreams can become a reality after all.  

Vanessa Wester 

Check out Vanessa's website HERE  

Follow her on Twitter @vanessa_wester

Happy Dance! A Nice Review of Frisky Business!

I was so happy when I read this!  It's a thoughtful review by S.K. Wills and it sure put a smile on my face!

Excerpt from Review:

The story is well-written and follows suit with most who-dunnit themed plots. I’ll admit I didn’t see the motive until Jill, the author, wanted me to. It was the ‘Ah-Ha’ moment you don’t quite see coming. Characters of all kinds come out to play on the pages, and Jill does a magnificent job keeping their voices distinct and separating one from the masses.

Read the whole review HERE

Recent Reads: Shot I.Q Payback

An amusing bathroom book.

Another amusing bathroom book.

WOW!   Detailed, filled with interesting backstories and histories.  A thorough look at the birth and growth of the Rap music world.  An interesting read for anyone interested in music/contemporary history/popular culture... even if you're not a Hip Hop fan (and I'm not!).  Heavy lifting but worth the effort.   Reads like a novel.  Really, a terrific, engrossing book - very hard to put down!!!

Recent Reads: Just Beyond Comfortable

What a terrific book!  It's a tender-hearted love letter to a time, a place, and a special someone. Beautifully written!  I can't recommend it highly enough!  I was actually sad to get to the last page - I so enjoyed being lost in the story, in that world.  Read it!

I love reading books that make me think, and I love picking up any book from which I'll learn something.  This was great - well informed, well written, and gave me much pause for thought.

This book of essays had some great moments and some wonderfully searing turns of phrase.  I actually laughed out loud at times.  It's a bit uneven though, or maybe certain subjects appealed to me less than others.  Still though, it's worth a read.

Humor in the Sasha Books

Even with dead bodies turning up here and there, crime fiction, especially hard-boiled private eye novels, often - in fact should - have a dose of humour in it. 

Here are a few examples of humour in the Sasha Jackson Mysteries:

The understatement:  “I can fuck up a bowl of cereal.”  (Frisky Business)  My protagonist Sasha Jackson is (like me) a terrible cook.  More than one person has told me that they laughed at this line.  I guess it’s that it’s just so simple, so benign, that visualizing what one would have to do in order to fuck up a bowl of cereal makes it funny. 

Repetition:  In Dead Light District, I re-use a play on the great Caesar quote: Veni Vidi Vici.  I variously write Venti Vidi Vici or Veni Vidi Visa or Veni VD Vici.

Adjectives: Have some fun with these!  Take invented words to the next level by inventing  adjectives via hyphenation.  In Blood and Groom, Sasha works part time at a phone sex line (and hates it).  Here’s a clip from one of her calls:  “Some heavy panting in my ear brought me back to reality. The horny schmuck on the phone was on the brink of physical gratification and needed dirty talk from me to guide him through it. Twenty more minutes to go. I trotted out everything I’d learned about performing and guided Sweaty-Hairy-Trekkie to telecomm-tele-cum.”  And a line I like even more is this one from The Lies Have It, which takes place during a municipal election in Toronto.  “Fortunately, there were almost no election signs for the three-hundred-pound, donut-snarfing, sub-literate, right-wing troglodyte – the only candidate whose victory would make me want to self-immolate in front of a library.”  (Torontonians may clue in to my inspiration for that one...)

And then there’s internal monologue:  This passage is from Frisky Business, and I think it’s initially funny because it’s based on a misunderstanding, but it’s also funny because of Sasha’s thoughts on it as it happens.  PI Sasha Jackson walks into a porno studio as part of her investigation, and the guy she talks to assumes she is one of the actresses:

“Go on through,” he said to me, “change room’s on the left.”

“Excuse me?  I’m not an, um, actress,” I replied.

Dude checked me out from head to toe.  “Wanna audition?  Nice face, and people love blonds.  You a natural?”

“Yes...”

“Good.  It’s better when the carpet matches the drapes.”

In my mind, I punched him in the nose.

“I’ve never heard it put—”

“Looks like you got a good body, even though your tits are kinda small for film.”

Excuse me?

“I thought the camera added ten pounds?” I said.

“Not where you need it, babe,” he said.

What?

Enough.

“I’m an investigator,” I said, handing him my card. “Sasha Jackson.  And you are...?”

“You’re a what?  Who the fuck said that you could come in here?  Get out, this is a private studio.”

He pushed the door open and waved me through it.  I stayed still. 

“Look, I just need to talk to you for a second.  I’m not trying to cause any trouble.”  He raised an eyebrow at me.  “I just need some help, from you, or maybe some of the actors, maybe the blond over there.” I made like I was about to walk over to her.

“All right, all right.  Let’s go out front.”

I followed him back out through the swinging doors.

“What’s your name?” I asked him again.

“I’m Bongo.”

Of course you are…

Finally, there is situational humour:  You can take situational humour to another level – a wee bit over the top, as I did in the first three Sasha JacksonMysteries.  Essentially, inversion is what is at play here:  My sleuth does the right thing but the wrong way.   I can’t say much more than that because of spoilers, but picture a topless blond running down the street of an upscale neighbourhood with a large sauce pan on her head.  Or imagine a lacy pink bra making the front page of the newspapers because said bra was a key piece of evidence in a crime...  The bra and saucepan incidents themselves are funny, but what gives even more of a laugh is that the action is so out of context and so distant from the thrust of the story, which is solving a crime. 

Choose Your Weapons

I suppose just about anything can be used as a murder weapon, but it's surprising to hear about things that actually have been used to render fatal blows: an X-Box, a corkscrew, a shoe.  Have a look at this little guest piece I wrote on Unusual  Weapons for Gloria Ferris's blog.   

http://gloriaferrismysteries.blogspot.ca/2013/12/choose-your-weapons.html

Interviewed by Ethan Jones

Cool!  I just did a fun Q and A with fellow author Ethan Jones.  He asked me some great questions.  Have a look at the interview here:  
http://ethanjonesbooks.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/10-questions-with-jill-edmondson/

Terrific Review on How Mysterious!!!

It's always a treat to wake up in the morning, pour a coffee, flip on the computer... and find a terrific review! Karen Russell at How Mysterious just did a write up on Frisky Business:

"Frisky Business was the perfect antidote to the too-saccarine cozies I’ve been reading lately. It’s funny and edgy — like Sasha herself — without being graphically violent or angry and mean."

What a great way to start my day!  Read the whole review here: 

http://www.howmysterious.com/2013/12/19/jill-edmondson-frisky-business/

It Takes a Village

Getting a book out is a huge job.  The author, of course, does the bulk of the work: Writing the manuscript. But the process of making a finished product that can be put into the hands of readers is a collaborative effort and takes a lot of teamwork.  I am very fortunate to have worked with and had help from some terrific people during the genesis and production of Frisky Business.

Manuscript
I had four terrific beta readers for Frisky Business (see my earlier post on Beta Readers). Tanis Mallow, Rob Brunet, Margot Kinberg and Scott Whitmore each read an early version of the manuscript.  

Margot was the first of the four I heard back from, and she had read the MS in record time, which in itself was encouraging!    Her comments were very helpful and we carried on a neat discussion after the fact.  Scott was the next to get back to me, and he made the best catch of all: A continuity glitch that totally slipped by me.  I mentioned (or Sasha mentioned) something on page 89 that didn't actually happen until page 95.  Note to self: Be careful with cut and paste!  Tanis and Rob each gave me warm fuzzies on lines they liked (root canal of a human being and Jizzneyland) - positive comments are always so encouraging!  They also gave me feedback on structure: where it was too thin, where it didn't move the plot forward as it should, and where it stepped over the line of believability.  

The book ended up being better overall because of input from these four fellow writers.  Good for me for choosing savvy Beta Readers!

Proofreading
Thank gawd for Drew Arnold!  He's a colleague of mine from many years ago when we both worked for the crazy man who fired his wife (and who then seemed surprised when she filed for divorce... but that's another post.)  Drew has an eagle eye for grammar and the mechanics of English.  He also has a knack for zeroing in on subtle points that can make a big difference.  In one case, I simile I used (innocently) could have been offensive if taken in a certain light.  Naturally, that wasn't what I'd intended when I wrote it, and it had never occurred to me that the line could be taken a different way, so kudos to Drew.  The line was changed - along with a number of other wording changes suggested by Drew.  

Cover
Ack!  Yikes!  Whoa!  Choosing a cover is difficult!  Conveying the cover images I had in my mind's eye was tough.  I fiddled around with several ideas, and made several (awful) samples.  I also asked a number of designers to magically whip something up. 

I liked so many of the proposed designs, but so many of them just didn't feel quite right.  The final design ended up being sort of a compilation of elements I liked from a bunch of the samples.  Here's a little video I posted on YouTube about selecting the cover for Frisky Business.

Formatting
Deena Rae and E-Bookbuilders really came through for me when it came to formatting Frisky Business.  I should also mention that in the weeks since its release, Deena has been helpful and proactive, making adjustments and tweaking things as requested.  

I should also mention that I *tried to* make Deena's job as difficult as possible!  I am (admittedly) something of a Luddite when it comes to technology and computers and such.  I KNOW the files I sent her were the most screwed-up, most UN-user-friendly files that she's ever received.  But Deena deciphered my glitches and sorted out the hieroglyphics in record time, and with the highest professional standards.  I'll use E-Bookbuilders again for future titles.  

Click HERE to see the testimonial I posted on the E-Bookbuilders site.  

Promoting
I recently joined two author marketing/social media groups for authors: The Independent Author Network and World Literary Cafe.  This is a new thing for me, but it seems I made good choices.  I have certainly gained some exposure, plus tons of support from each of them.  

Recent Reads: Damned Sin Contagious

Very funny at times, especially when Madison talks about her life among
the living and her parents.  Descriptions of setting (Hell) are terrific - very evocative, and  much of the inner dialog will make you chuckle.  Plot dragged on a bit though.

An interesting slice of Chicago at the turn of the century.
A nonfiction book (history) that reads like a novel, peopled with a range
of interesting characters.  Worth reading.

Hmmm... Basically pretty good, but too much filler and much of the content is either common sense or obvious.  Still, if you're only going to read one book on marketing/branding, this is a good one to check out.  

Humour for Authors

Indie Authors: Ya Gotta be a Jack of all Trades

Today I have a guest post on Teresa Stillwagon's blog.  I discuss the many skill sets (graphic arts? web design? videography?) an indie author needs.  

Excerpt:  I suspect that in many cases, aspiring writers don't fully understand just how much more there is to do than just writing the book. In fact, writing the book is probably the easiest part.

What people sometimes miss is that it is not of case of spending the time doing a given task, it’s a case of how much time you have to invest in LEARNING how to do a task before you can do that task proficiently.  If you’ve got some cash, maybe you can just hire freelancers to do things for you.  But if you don’t have a bucket of cash…

Have a look HERE.

Writing "Crimedy": A Giggle and a Gumshoe

People sometimes forget that humour is one of the characteristics of hardboiled crime fiction. The flask of scotch in the desk drawer, the cynicism, the moral compass, “down these mean streets”, and so on are generally the first things people consider when conjuring up the image of a hardboiled PI. But wit and acerbic humour, clever repartee, and a degree of flippancy are also part of the hardboiled oeuvre. For me as a writer this is great because it makes the writing a lot of fun, and I hope it’s fair to say that if I’m laughing as I write, then readers will have a giggle too when they pick up a Sasha Jackson Mystery.

So how does a writer inject a bit of humour into a story? I have no idea, but when Sandra invited me as a guest and suggested this topic, I really put my mind to it. Here’s what I came up with...  READ MORE CLICK HERE

The passage above is from a guest post I just did for Sandra Nikolai's blog.  Check out Sandra's blog HERE.

Ever Wondered What Your Favourite Sleuth Is Like In Bed?

Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to peek between the chapters and find out just how much of a wildcat Mike Hammer   was in the sack?  One hopes that he’d live up to his name.  Aren’t you curious to know whether Kinsey ever screws in any position but the missionary?  And does she keep her turtleneck on?  What about Susan Silverman?  My guess is that she freeze-dries her hair before tickling the ivories with Spenser.   And I bet Scudder and Elaine’s favourite position is the reverse cowgirl... 

Do readers ever wonder whether Elvis Cole has staying power, or if Stephanie Plum is a squealer, or whether Travis McGee uses Viagra, or if Archy McNally prefers morning sex?  My imagination tells me that the answer to those last four questions is “yes.”


The passage above is from a little piece I wrote for ThrillingDetective.com  I had a lot of fun writing it.  Click HERE to read the rest of the article.

Should Authors Respond to Reviews?

Today I have a guest post on Rob Brunet's blog.  The topic is whether or not authors should respond to reviews, especially if the review is negative, as was the case with Anne Rice - and that really turned into a shitstorm (details in post).  Read my thoughts on the matter HERE.


And keep an eye out for Rob: His debut novel Stinking Rich will be published by Down and Out Books in the Fall of 2014.

Chatting with Nine Day Wonder

I was just interviewed by Patricia over at her blog Nine Day Wonder and Pat asked some terrific questions; the one below is my favourite interview question EVER!

PAT: The real life Sasha Jackson moves in as your roommate. What happens next?

JILL: Oh crap! If I’m going to get a roommate, why can’t it at least be a roomie who can cook? I’m not really a neat freak, but the recycling bin – overflowing with empty pizza boxes – is mildly annoying. Guess I shouldn’t sweat the small stuff, though, and besides, with Sasha around, my wardrobe has suddenly doubled! The neighbours, on the other hand, aren’t so easy going, even if we do let them use our empty parking space all the time. Sasha and I get one too many complaints about the noise, and eventually some very hot, very buff Chippendales dancers deliver our eviction notice.

Pat  also asked about Keith Richards and grappa, and she used the word "sasstacular" - which I plan to steal from her.  

Click HERE to read the rest of the interview on Nine Day Wonder. 

Literate Beefcake? I wish!

Click on Image Above

Writing and the Single Life...

I have long brown hair and blue eyes. I like long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, cuddling by a fire, and... Oh wait, wrong website. Or maybe not.

Since re-entering the dating world a while ago, I’ve become acutely aware of the fact that a lot of people out there don’t like to read. Also since re-entering the dating world, I’ve developed a new understanding of my relationship with reading and writing.

Let me be clear: This isn’t necessarily about my books. Usually, I won’t even tell a potential date the titles of my books; if anything I might say they’re mysteries and leave it at that. But I do try to make it clear upfront that writing and books matter to me. And yet... 

The lines above are from my guest post at the Jungle Reds Blog.  I had great fun writing it and many people have chimed in about their own dating, writing and reading experiences.   Plus the blog admins added some great pics to match the article!  

Check it out HERE and leave a comment!

Interview with Joyce Strand

Today, I'd like to share the interview I did with Joyce Strand on her blog Strand's Simply Tips.  

Joyce asked some great questions!  

Have a look at her blog HERE.  

Recent Reads: Pity Pineapple Pilot

This is the 2nd book of Frank's that I've read and I enjoyed Billionaire as much as I enjoyed Wrecking Crew.  Thomas Frank is a provocative writer and his research is thorough.  Read this.  It will piss you right off, but read it anyway.  

Ooooh Oooh oooh!  This was my first Dorsey book and I will be back for more!!!  How had I never heard of him and the Serge Storms/Coleman series???  The plot here wasn't the strength - the characters were.  Hilarious at times.  Recommended for fans of Carl Hiaasen.  I'm eager to read more of these.

A quick, concise "How To" for aspiring TV writers.  Worth reading if you want
to learn a bit about script writing and creating a TV series.