New Must Read From A New Author! by BJ Neblett

“The lives of a man are measured in his dreams.” That quote is from my new romance story Wind. More than just a romantic notion, what we dream, awake as well as asleep, says much about the person. Or, as Edgar Allen Poe put it: “They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” (Eleonora) I recently had the pleasure of meeting and working with a wonderful dreamer, KJ McPike. Besides being able to call KJ, or Kelly my friend, it was my honor to help edit her first novel. Xodus is first in the Astralis series of books. In this thrilling initial installment, young Lali discovers she is capable of astral projection. Soon, with the assistance of a strange new acquaintance, the teen is off on an exciting and perilous journey to find her long lost mother.

KJ has crafted an original and thought provoking first effort with the skill of a veteran writer. With well fleshed characters, believable action and thought provoking twists, she manages to keep the plot moving and the pages turning. At story’s conclusion, readers are left fully satisfied yet wanting more. And book two is well in the works. While labeled YA, or Young Adult Fiction, Xodus will appeal to a wide range of readers, young to old, of all genres.

Xodus by KJ McPike is rated PG-13 and is published by Terracotta Rose Publishing, and is available through Amazon and book stores everywhere. For more information on Xodus, the Astralis Series and KJ McPike simple follow the links below.

Look for a new story as well as information on my own future publications right here shortly.

BJ Neblett

Xodus by KJ McPike on Amazon click here

Visit KJ McPike on line click here

KJ McPike Amazon Author Page click here

An interview with KJ McPike click here

KJ McPike Bio:

K.J. MCPIKE is the author of the Young Adult Paranormal Fiction novel XODUS, the first in her Astralis series. She has also written short stories and several articles that appeared in Western Horse & Gun magazine, formerly known as Western Shooting Horse. K.J. has a habit of moving across (and out of) the country, and to date, she has lived in 11 different states and visited 9 countries. Despite her nomadic tendencies, she spends at least a few months out of the year in Seattle, where she regularly consumes too much caffeine and is more likely to be found in a coffee shop than her own apartment.

Keeping The Flow

            Oops!  Last time I mentioned Antonio Manuel as one of my favorite authors. Seems I did Senor Manuel an injustice, as he is responsible for the term Fantastic Literature, not Incredible Literature as I noted. Just another example of the necessity for a good editor.

            In fact, I left that last sentence stand to make a point. It’s grammatically incorrect. Did you catch it?

            We as writers are responsible for the content of the story, not the mechanics. And that is how it should be. While we need to present our work in a logical, clear and understandable form, we need not get bogged down with spelling, usage and the like. That is the editor’s job. It is too easy, while writing the next great American novel, to get tangled up in the proper placement of a comma. Many novice writers make the mistake of trying to get it right and perfect the first time. That’s why we do rewrites. While there are no clear defined rules for writing, I have found a few simple tricks to keep the juices, and the words flowing.

            Writing for me is almost a stream of consciousness process. An idea will come to me; kick around in my mind for whatever length of time necessary, and then, like a woman suffering through her ninth month, it will have to come out. And for me, when it’s time, it’s time. I can’t stop to worry about spelling, usage or much of anything else. Even seemingly simple details like names and eye color can cause me to lose forever what might have been an important key element of the story. So what to do?

            As I write (and much of my process is writing, actual pen and paper writing) the thoughts and words and situations come amazingly fast. I often feel that I am not actually writing so much as transcribing what I am hearing in my mind. When it comes to details, if they are not forthcoming I leave a simple note and a blank line, and move on. It looks something like this: (eye color here). It is much simpler to go back and decide on the perfect element at a later time, than to risk interrupting the all important flow.

            Of course many writers opt to sketch or outline their work first, some even storyboarding first and/or preparing full bios for their characters. But then again, that’s the great thing about writing: there is no right or wrong way! Just write! And leave the editors to do their job.

                                                                                                                        Peace,

                                                                                                                        BJ

Why I Write

            Since Elysian Dreams was released in E book form on May 28 it’s been an exciting and frustrating four months. Last quarter sales, the first quarter (actually only one month) the book was available, sales were fairly good. My publisher Brighton Publishing was extremely pleased with the numbers. I guess I was expecting (hoping?) for more. But then again there was really no promotion as such, just some internet chatter and the launching of Elysian Dreams Facebook page. In any event I do want to thank everyone who has purchased the E book. We have gotten nothing but positive comments and response. And speaking of which, if you do (or have) purchased the E book, your response is essential to both myself and the publisher. You can post your personal review at Amazon or Barnes and Nobel or wherever you downloaded your copy.

            And so now, even as I sit and write this blog, I am awaiting the sales figures for July, August and September. Judging from the hits on Facebook and the E mail I have received I am sure the numbers won’t disappoint. Again, thanks. The print version should be here very soon.

            Enough sales pitch. Writing isn’t and shouldn’t be about $$$. There is a wise old saying: How do you become a writer? You write, plain and simple. A painter paints, a sculptor sculpts, a writer writes. Too often the lines between writer and author become a bit blurred. If you love to write, and you do write, then guess what? You’re a writer! It doesn’t matter if you are published or have an agent or if anybody besides yourself ever reads your words. Don’t ever let anyone tell you any differently, you are a writer.

            I think it might have been Steven King who, when asked why he writes replied, “Because not to is suicide.” Those words speak volumes. Did you ever get an idea into your head and it just kept nagging and nagging at you? That’s the same idea. Most writers (note: writers) as well as authors report that writing is as natural an act as breathing or eating. And we all know what happens when one stops breathing or eating.

            As I mentioned last time, I began writing at a very early age. It helped me to order my thoughts and sort things out. I too, got ideas and thoughts stuck into my head that just wouldn’t let go. That is until I put them down on paper, released them so to speak. And only when I had, could I then relax and sleep and function normally; until the next thought or idea came along. Of course I now recognize these ideas and thoughts for what they were and are: inspiration.

            So, how about it? Is there a thought or idea or something rattling around somewhere inside you that just won’t let go? Who knows, maybe there’s a writer inside of you trying to get out.

                                                                                                                        Peace

                                                                                                                        BJ