Have You Updated Your Blog Today?

Some updates & how to gain more of a following.

2013 Hopefuls & The Coffee Quiz >> http://wp.me/p2k90c-C2

I've taken a hiatus for the first week of the new year, as I've been working a lot outdoors. This week is back to writing. Catching up on my Taoist Musings - took care of five today. They are Reciprocity, Awareness, Concentration, Imagination, and Homecoming.

http://www.thehammerdott.com/2013/01/delayed-daily-musing-january-7th-2013.html
http://www.thehammerdott.com/2013/01/delayed-daily-musing-january-6th-2013.html
http://www.thehammerdott.com/2013/01/delayed-daily-musing-january-5th-2013.html
http://www.thehammerdott.com/2013/01/delayed-daily-musing-january-4th-2012.html
http://www.thehammerdott.com/2013/01/delayed-daily-musing-homecoming-gui-guo.html

After a long break due to circumstances out of my control, my cyberpunk serialized novel is back with a vengeance!

To celebrate Lorelei's return to assassination planned on a soundtrack, I'm publishing a reworked version of the first chapters as a marathon (one per day except Mondays for the next 3 weeks)!

You can read the summary of the first novel here, or catch up on the all the chapters here.

Then, join the marathon starting with today's post: Strings of Retaliation - 1a - iGo Crazy.

Here's an excerpt:
"I paced back and forth in our so-called war room. “Worry room” was more like it. Gabriel’s never-ending To Do list only reminded me that there wasn’t a blip on the radar. Not a peep over the comms. For the past six months. As if that — after everything else! — would have killed her.
Lorelei’s muscles expired in less than a week, and no amount of service to my country could keep my mind off the ticking clock."

A new year brings a new Blog Chain: Mexican Standoff.

Yes. I did. I am brand new at blogging (as of December 27) and I am committed to posting every two days. I just peeked back in this thread a little bit and see some very enticing posts which I will now go check out.

ciao for niao,
Kyla

Lessons from the Aether: Dragon Age II and how NOT to create a sequel

Cross-writing: it's like cross-dressing, only much more respectable. My take on gender-bending in fiction. http://barbararogan.com/blog/?p=342

Here, There, and Everywhere: http://ginikoch.blogspot.com/

The marathon continues today with 1b - iGo Crazy:

"The secret of identity of Merrilyn Technologies’ President had been revealed after Nightshade murdered him and his board of directors. Since then, the media circus had been awaiting today with almost as much impatience as me.
Lorelei wore a black suit, elegant, simple and exactly what the crowd expected from a grieving daughter standing in front of the empire she inherited. Tears wet her lower lash line without trickling down."

Nudging Brick Walls

Latest Blog Post From Guerrilla Warfare for Writers:

Nudging Brick Walls

http://guerrillawarfareforwriters.blogspot.com/

Thoughts on character demographics and marketability:

[When] you know representation is a problem, when you know that it’s a systemic, institutional problem that can only be changed by a million small alterations in the cultural consciousness, why wouldn’t you choose to help that process? Why wouldn’t you choose to change things up by making your next science fiction story star a bisexual Hispanic woman, or your next fantasy star a dark-skinned disabled man, for no reason at all? Because you’d have to do some research? Because it’s less marketable?

I don’t care if representation and diversity are not your pet issue. They don’t have to be. You don’t have to write an “issue” book. You can write action-adventure fluff or romance brain candy. And while you’re at it, you can be one small drop in turning the tide against systemic bigotry in society. And isn’t that a categorically positive thing?

Click to expand...

I wrote a blog about how I self-edit my book before I get ready to start querying.
http://majankaverstraete.com/2013/01/my-editing-process/

A few announcements about my Blemished trilogy:

http://sarahdaltonbooks.com/?p=197

My guest, Milo James Fowler, talks about writing VERY short fiction.

http://anneejohnson.blogspot.com/2013/01/milo-james-fowler-on-writing-short-and.html

After spending nearly eight months in the High Arctic, I'm back in Toronto and blogging again. Some pictures from the sojourn.

Queen of Swords, I loved your pictures.

I wrote about the time I fell in love with writing in Why I Write: http://www.maggieamada.com/2013/01/07/why-i-write/

Announcing a new post series on my blog: Genre as Argument.

Both of my blogs have been updated recently. The Nerd one is daily. Yes, I am bored.

I'm trying out a weekly feature (as I need something to keep my butt in gear and post regularly). I know I'm not the first one to turn to TV Tropes for blogging inspiration, but I'll likely be focusing on the ones that relate to my writing and my chosen genre. Trope-tastic Thursday! (First up: Badass Damsel)

Two posts today--one is from a visiting teacher on What Makes a Strong Author's Visit—a Teacher's Perspective http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.ca/2013/01/what-makes-strong-authors-visita.html

and a second, by me on Write Now Coach! blog on Who Are You? Characters That Stand Out To Readers: http://www.writenowcoach.com/blog/?p=1469