friday book argh

Ok, so I change my mind often. Maybe it's a girl thing, I don't know. Apparently author service type companies don't really want you to change your mind.

Before I published Babylon Dragon through CreateSpace, I published it with a different title on lulu. When I figured out that I could sell the same book much, much cheaper through createspace, I deleted the book from my projects on lulu. Well, the heifers at lulu went on and slapped it up on amazon anyway.

So now I have two different versions of the same fricking book on amazon.

Now you may be asking yourself, can't you ask amazon to take it down? No, I can't. Amazon is committed to offering all titles whether you want them to or not.

What lesson have we learned, kiddies?

I learned that I should have all my shiznit together in a perfect sort of way before I start clicking buttons. Have I mentioned that I'm really good at falling on my face? Oh yes I have.

Bottom line - two books, one story. Buy the cheaper one because it has a cooler title and a cooler cover.

That is all.

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
Babylon Dragon on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Babylon-Dragon-Lea-Ryan/dp/1453683054/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1

Workout Marathon Update + Whitley Strieber, Majestic

Workout Marathon update (Day 10, I think) - Still trucking. I did an especially tough session of cardio boxing today. argh. Earlier today, at work and before the boxing, my ribs started hurting, like all the way around. That was unpleasant. The pain could possibly be workout marathon related. However, I feel ok now. So I continue.

And now Majestic.

Maejestic is a fictional story that Whitley Strieber claims to have written based on actual documents from that whole alien Roswell incident that occurred back in the 50s. I didn't check, so I can't verify that the documents, like the press release about the crashed alien aricraft, are really for reals.

The narrator in the book is a writer who is interviewing various people who were involved in the conspiracy.

There were a few lags in the story, mostly military business, bah. Also, some of the characters were difficult to keep track of. There were so many of them and they were all military so the voices didn't vary all that much. But for the most part, the story was wild and sort of trippy. There were some pretty intense parts, which I won't ruin in case someone who wants to read Majestic stops off here. That wouldn't be very nice. Overall, I thought it was a really good read.

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/

Babylon Dragon on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Babylon-Dragon-Lea-Ryan/dp/1453683054/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1

sailing through the air

I am recovering from a debilitating lack of focus that I experienced over the weekend. I have so much to do and not enough attention span to go around.

Let's take a quick look at my desk and see what's on it.

Yesterday I finally finished the short story. My wonderful husband mailed it for me today.

I also finished reading Streiber's Majestic. I should be ready to post something about it on the blog this week.

Tonight, I'm working on the witch book cover art plus synopsis. I really wanted this available at the beginning of september but at this rate, the release might be more like the middle of september. : (

Final/hands off readthrough of witch book. No worries. Should only take about 4 days.

Started on short story to coincide with witch book release. I actually didn't plan to start writing this until I sent off for the proof, but I couldn't help myself.

Updating marketing materials for Babylon Dragon and planning relaunch activities like registering the book on goodreads, etc.

Babylon dragon sequel notes. I wrote a couple of chapters. This is an official work in progress.

Plus one other very low priority writing work in progress that I keep picking up and putting down and picking up again.

I am bouncing between various projects like a ping pong ball on red bull. The madness must end.

I also need to choose the book for the august indie review. I'm still accepting synopsis sumissions for the next few days. So, if you want your book reviewed, please visit the book reviews section on my website.

Workout marathon - still going. What am I on now? *checks calendar* day 9. I have worked out the last 7 out of 9 days. I feel pretty good, although I am getting a little tired of devoting so much time to moving around. Yesterday was wii fit; today was yoga. Tomorrow will probably be cardio boxing.

This week I'm getting myself back on track with writing by prioritizing and setting goals. witch book readthrough, cover art and synopsis for during the week, babylon dragon marketing activities this weekend. Everything else, except workout marathon and blogging, is on the back burner, I swear.

This is me focusing. See my squint? Feel my intensity?

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
My Lulu storefront http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4584399
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003Q1OK5Q
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1

book is on sale + short witch book update + workout marathon update

Lulu e-mailed me to let me know that the first edition of my book (She Who is Vengeance) hasn't been showing up in their searches. It is now showing up. They also said the book is available for 15% off with coupon code BEACHREAD305 until august 15th.

I received the witch book manuscript back from lady editor yesterday. WOO! I still hope to make it available on Amazon some time in September. If I can't get it going on amazon fast enough, there may be a lulu release beforehand. It's definitely an autumn/Halloween type of read, so timing is important.

The workout marathon is going well. Working out every day is time consuming, but I haven't felt any different when it comes to energy level. I did wii fit on Monday, yoga on Tuesday, cardio boxing today, and tomorrow is another yoga day. I decided that my days off this week will be Friday and Sunday. I really hate working out on Friday, and we do the major house cleaning on Sunday.

Next up on the to-do list for this evening - entering witch book changes onto the computer file. yay. my favorite writing activity...not. This weekend - book formatting and finishing the cover art, possibly ordering the proof if it turns out that I am wonder woman and can finish everything.

play on, playa.

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
My Lulu storefront http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4584399
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003Q1OK5Q
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1

Behind the facade of this innocent looking bookstore...

Netflix streaming has the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer! My daughter and I watched a few episodes this weekend. I was never really a fan when the show was new. I didn’t dislike it. I watched sometimes if I happened to catch it when it was on. We both loved the episodes we watched.

There were a couple of faces that I recognized from HBO and Showtime shows. Eric Balfour who played Gabriel Dimas (Claire’s boyfriend) on Six Feet Under played Jesse. He bit the big one in either the first or second episode.

Julie Benz played Rita on Dexter up until this last season. In Buffy, she was a very naughty vampire.

Also on the list of things watched this weekend- Rest Stop. It’s a horror movie about a girl who is trapped and harassed at a rest stop by a homicidal maniac. There were some interesting parts, but the movie wasn’t great. Somehow, the movie lacked tension. I didn’t feel that the main actress did a bad job. Maybe it was the directing or the writing that caused the problem. I don’t know. I’m not really a film expert. All I know is that I was kind of bored during most of the movie.

Completely unrelated to the subject of things we watched this weekend, I saw this really funny article on wikihow (link below) that shows you exactly how to play rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock. The game is from the show Big Bang Theory, which is probably my favorite thing on television right now, except for maybe Californication.

This oh so helpful diagram and tutorial makes me wish I had some geekier friends nearby so I could put this into practice. Unfortunately, I don’t have any awesomely geeky friends nearby. [sigh]

http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock

next blog – book updates (like, where the hell is the new print copy?) and Hot Tub Time Machine

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
My Lulu storefront http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4584399
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003Q1OK5Q
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1

indie review - Billy Young's Bublos

Bublos
by: Billy Young
pp. 240 pages
available at lulu.com






















A man falls victim to brutal murder. Joe, one of the men who is hired to clean out his apartment, finds a book that contains strange writing. Joe feels drawn to the book and takes it home with him. He winds up at the center of a conflict between an angel and a couple of demons.


One thing this book has going for it is how easily relatable the main character is. Joe is your ordinary guy thrust into an extraordinary situation. He reacts the way most people would probably react to the circumstances put upon him.

Too, the supporting characters have distinct and believable voices. The angel 'sounds' like an angel, Joe sounds like a regular guy, etc.

While another revision might allow the author to shorten some too long sentences and enhance the story, the novel has a strong premise. Angels and demons vie for possession of a book protected by a flawed human being. That is an interesting concept.

Bublos is available for purchase at the link below!

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/bublos/5648993?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

The Crazies & The Indie Review Announcement

Happy Tuesday to all who dwell in the internets.

We watched a little movie called The Crazies this weekend. I thought it was going to be about brain munchers (zombies), but it wasn't. The Crazies was instead a movie with a premise very similar to 28 Days Later.

A community is accidentally exposed to a biological weapon. People get sick and ugly and well, crazy. The good guys in the movie are trying to escape both military types who try to contain the disease by killing everyone and victims of the disease.

The movie stars Timothy Olyphant of Hit Man fame. There is something about him that is both attractive and yet not attractive. I'm still trying to figure out why I feel that way.

Soooo, the movie was decent. It had a few intense scenes. The acting was fine. The only issue I had with this movie was a lack of originality. It didn't bring anything new to the table. We've all seen this stuff before.

Overall, The Crazies was worth watching. It gets a B.

Next up, we have the announcement for my first ever Indie Review.

This month's selection is a book called Bublos, and it's written by Billy Young of Scotland! I should post the review either this coming Friday or at the latest Monday. The book is available at lulu.com in print and ebook form.

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
My Lulu storefront http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4584399
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003Q1OK5Q
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeaRyan1

Here the dealeo

Currently listening to: Rise Up by DJ Dimi on SonicTap

I am sometimes, ok often, indecisive when it comes to important things.



I recently decided to head in a different direction with my novel, She Who is Vengeance.



Why? Well, I think the title is too long and probably sort of weird. If a title for something I've written doesn't hit me right off the bat, then I have trouble with it.



I liked this title originally because it applied to both the protagonist and the antagonist in different ways. I dig a double meaning. Most of the later chapters in the book, Part 4 and beyond if I remember correctly, also have double meanings. There are two joined story lines, and the names apply to each of the linked stories in some kind of way. The exception to that may be the part entitled Pharaoh.



Ok, so back to the name change.



I wanted a shorter, easier, possibly more marketable title.



Tiamat, my antagonist, is a goddess that I took from Babylonian mythology. She is a dragon.



The new title is Babylon Dragon. Easier, straight-forward, and it gives some indication as to what the book is about. I also wanted a black cover and a bigger font.



Here is the new cover.






Could this title/cover change cause some confusion in the near future? Possibly. But transferring the book to CreateSpace on Amazon gave me an excuse to monkey around with my book again.

I would like to add that transferring the print version to CreateSpace has a few advantages. First, I could make the book $5 cheaper than the retail distribution copy (2nd edition) would have been through lulu. For a book, that is a huge price difference.

Plus, judging by what I've seen so far, I will actually make more money per copy by cutting out the lulu middle man. I'm not a greedy girl, but if there's an option that benefits my readers AND me, I'm jumping on it.

Babylon Dragon is currently available for $2.50 on SmashWords.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15516

The print version is coming soon to Amazon.


Have a totally awesome holiday weekend! Happy 4th!!!

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
My Lulu storefront http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4584399
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003Q1OK5Q
Twitter: @LeaRyan1

in which a novel is mapped out

Reading - finishing up Majestic by Whitley Streiber, which I started reading before the witch book edit.

Argh! I've been so freaking scatterbrained this week. With the manuscript of the moment gone, I can't decide what to work on. I dive into one project and then the other project looks more fun. Back and forth. I need some ADD medication or something. No matter where I am, work wise, the grass is slightly greener over there.

One thing I'm working on is the sequel to She Who is Vengeance. I vow that this will not be a long project. As part of that vow, I am plotting out as much as I can before I start writing actual book words. I am using what I am going to call a zooming in story layout method, which is probably not a very fancy name.

Zoom 1- I started with random ideas for new characters and developments for characters from the first book.

Zoom 2 - Then using those characters, I laid out a general overview synopsis that runs from the beginning of the book to the end. This is like story brainstorming and also where theme comes into play. What is my theme?

Zoom 3 - closer. I will rough out the important, pivotal scenes, the action, conflict, resolution bits. Adding some details to the setting.

I'll call Zoom 4 the actual writing part, which I dabbled in but haven't yet started for realsies. I'm trying to focus on trying to make this as much a stand alone story as possible, even though it is a sequel.

Also, there may be some major changes in store for She Who is Vengeance quite soon, namely a new cover and title! Can you handle it?

What else?

Ah, the indie review. I decided to put off announcing the title until July 5th due to the holiday weekend. I should have thought of that previously, but alas. So, if u want to submit your book info and synopsis, please visit my website and fill out the contact form.

That's all I have going on for now.

_________________________
Other places to find me:
http://www.LeaRyan.com/
My Lulu storefront http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4584399
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003Q1OK5Q
Twitter: @LeaRyan1