DSB: 2014 Blog Projects Round Up

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Da Shared Brain

Hi folks. Leah here, otherwise known as Da Shared Brain (DSB). So far Ileandra and Raven have told you a little about their targets and achievements for 2014, so now I’m going to talk about last year’s blog projects.

2014 Book Goal

This was a great challenge, one I fully intend to repeat in future. Twenty-four indie published books from authors I’ve not read before. Twelve from the erotic genre and another twelve from anywhere on the speculative fiction spectrum (sci-fi, fantasy and horror). I wrote a review for each book and posted them to the blog monthly along with links to where I bought/downloaded each one.

A lot of fun. I’ve been exposed to a bunched of awesome authors, exciting stories and fascinating characters. I’ve read serials and series that I’d love to stick with and will be looking up as my TBR list eases off (it will ease off, promise).

That’s a great deal of books to tackle in one year. I hope the reviews are useful too. I know at least four authors have found my write-ups and contacted me about them. Which is nice. ^_^ No one likes to feel like they’re talking to the air.

2014 Word Count Race

300,000 words split between Raven and Ileandra.

I’m fascinated – but not too surprised – by just how far ahead Ileandra came out. 259,775 words over 365 days. That averages as 21,648 words a month, 4,996 words a week and 712 words a day. Raven didn’t do quite so well, reaching 140,923 words in total which breaks down to 11,744 words a month, 2,710 words a week and 386 words a day.

Either way we hit an incredible total words in 2014over the course of the year. Not to be sniffed at. And that’s a combination of blog posts, non fiction articles, short stories, flash fiction, novels and novellas in first draft. Only first drafts mind you, so none of the editing which formed a lot of Raven’s work in 2014. I want to say that’s the reason her figure is so low (ha, low?!), but to be honest, it’s mainly because all the extra stuff (like Caladria, Creative Frontiers and all the non-fiction stuff) was attributed to Ileandra rather than Raven.

Meh. No biggie. It’s an incredible achievement and, if I continue to speak as me for a moment, I wasn’t sure I’d manage it. It’s something of a relief no longer having to count every word I write, too. It wasn’t hard, but still, just writing for the hell of it is going to be great. 🙂

How did you guys do with your goals? I hope you’ve got as many successes to celebrate as I have. ^_^

DSB Sig

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IY: Ileandra’s 2014 Round Up

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Ileandra Young

I have the biggest smile on my face right now. Just looking back at all the things Raven and I have achieved makes me want to leap up and down, or dance, or sing. Or all three…

Week Before Last

Anyway… with that out of my system lets see what’s been happening. 😉

Complete edits on my (first) Fab Fables story
Yup. All done. I just need to upload the damn thing now. ^_^

Finish deciding what I want to do in 2015 (across indie pub, traditional pub, my solo website and edge projects like Caladria and Creative Frontiers)
Yes, I think I’ve cracked it. I’m going to be mega busy over 2015 (as is Da Shared Brain – DSB) but we’ve got this. It’s in hand.

Outline my plans for the new year in readiness to publish
Raven may have touched on this in brief yesterday, but it’s all planned out by week. As in, at any point of the year I should be able to look at the chart now fixed to my book shelf and know exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. Kinda scary. Kinda liberating. Let’s see if it works.

December 2014 Recap

Prepare to respond to emails from Angry Robot (send them the full MS if they want it or reschedule self publishing plans if they don’t)
Hmm. Not heard a dicky-bird from them. Not even in response to my chaser. *sad face* Not too surprised, but I held out hope. Ho hum. At least it was an easy goal.

Coordinate editing for the authors of Caladria (ten stories to edit)
Yup. First issue of Fab Fables is secure with a fantastic selection of talent. Soooo looking forward to telling you when that one is on the way. ^_^ Second issue will be just as good (if not better) and stories for that are rolling along nicely.

Ensure my story for Fab Fables is ready to upload
Yes. I think I have one more tweak to go otherwise it’s all done and ready to go. Whoop!

2014 Complete Round Up

Ensure solo website is complete and live
Eyup. It’s here. Though I’ve recently decided that I don’t like it so I guess I’ll have to do something about that in the coming months. *sigh*

Have ebook versions of SORB on sale with preparations in the mix for physical copies (through Create Space)
*sigh* It’s all ready. I just. Can’t. Publish.
I know Angry Robot have their own work to be getting on with and existing authors to look after, but the impatient person inside me is screaming and clawing at the walls. I keep taking out my CreateSpace proof and looking at it. It’s so beautiful (SO BEAUTIFUL) and I can’t even show you yet. *sigh*
Soon my lovelies. Soon.

Complete first draft of WTRE
Done. I finished that back in August I believe. All looking good and healthy there. That’s a project I’m looking forward to editing when the time comes.

Complete first draft of OAKP
Nope. But you and I already knew that. Since Raven did NaNoWriMo this year there was no other place or space to fit that draft in, but that will be the very first first draft of the year. So keep an eye on these pages for that sort of info.

And there we are. Again, similar to Raven that doesn’t take into account any of my appearances in Writing Magazine or Writer’s Forum, the nine competitions I entered with various short stories and flash fiction snippets. It says nothing much about the work I’ve been doing with Creative Frontiers and the work on Caladria, or the recent addition of the Joined  Up Writing Podcast (yes, that may come under the name of DSB, but you know how that works, right?).

A lot of to be proud of. And that still isn’t everything. Tomorrow DSB will talk about all the blog projects we hammered through. That should be a fun read too. ^_^

See you then!

new ileandra signature,

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RS: Raven’s 2014 Round Up ^_^

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Raven ShadowHawk

What an AMAZING year! Given that I’ve only been ‘out of the closet’ since October 2013, I must admit the whole year has been a fantastic bout of achievements.Happy new year bitches

First, let’s clear up the boring stuff before I do the full list of achievements.

Week Before Last
~Transfer ‘Malcolm’ deep edits back to Scrivener
Done.

~Consider more of the options for next year’s indie project
Still considering. I’ll take about this more in the week.

~Write the review for Decembers indie book review
Done. Did you see? Did ya, did ya, did ya?

~Don’t get too drunk on new year’s eve
Well… not drunk, no. But I did eat waaaaaaaaay more than I should have done. As I do in general. *sigh* But there were games! Sooooo many games and soooo much fun. I forgot how wonderful it can be to just sit and play board games (good ones!) and talk. Must get more of that in my life!

December 2014 Recap
Awesome and impressive in a way I never knew I was capable. What a fantastic end to the year. Look at this:

~Publish ‘Simone & Mr Bradford’
Done. After a lot of faff it is certainly done and available. Check it out here, here and here.

~Edit ‘Malcolm’ in preparation for a late January release
Actually yes. Also done. All I need now is a beta reader to give it their beady eye and then I’ll be on the last few tweaks. Also need to get the cover commission sorted but that’s for another post.

~Ensure newsletter is prepped with all latest news
Sorted. Sooooo much news! I’ll start dropping information from that update as the month progresses. Hold on to your hats, smexxy ones. 😉

~Look into video trailer options (for Sugar Dust) and start production
The script is written. The outline of the scenes I need are written. We just need to film the damn thing. I know nothing about film making – that’s the Funk Master’s department – but it should be quite easy to do. Oh, and here’s a treat; if I can’t find a suitable voice over for the bits that need it I’ll have to take on those sections myself. Urk!

2014 Complete Round Up
If you look back at my half year round up then what I’ve achieved this year is incredible. I’m so proud I could burst along my arse crack. Check this out:

~Query ‘Slippers & Chains’ with four different small presses
No need… Breathless Press took it and they get first dibs on the rest of the series!

~Complete ebook versions and releases of the rest of the Meeting Each Other series
One more to go, ready to release in January. Not quite within 2014 but who cares!

~Finalise solo website and hit ‘go’
Done yonks ago. Have you seen it yet?

~Make a start on the next ‘Slippers & Chains’ story
Start? That bad boy is done in first draft and ready to edit!

So… yes. I’m feeling quite smug right now. And that doesn’t count all the other successes like appearances in Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum, meeting a bunch of lovely writers across Twitter and connecting with them in various ways. Last year was made of win and I can’t wait to see what follows. Bring on 2015! I’m ready for it!

Raven's Signature In Black

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DSB: 2014 in review (Thanks WordPress)

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Da Shared Brain

So… as usual, the WordPress.com stats helper monkeys (longest title ever!) have prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog. It’s always interesting to see the official stats so have fun looking at them.

Oh and as ever, the first week of the new year will be given over to reflection and forward planning, so don’t expect any of the usual gubbins from Ileandra or Raven just yet. 😉

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,400 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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IY: Mah Plans – 29/12

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Ileandra Young

goal shooting goals from open clip artLast post of the year. *sigh* I feel like this is SUCH a big deal and it is. This year has been such a big one for both me and Raven. Next week I’ll be doing the full round up. For now, here’s what I plan to do with the rest of my year.

Last week

Pretty good. Most things done or those things that had to change part way through started in a good way. Wheeeeee!

Finish reading the last fantasy book of my 2014 Book Challenge and write the review
Done. See earlier today.

Finish rewriting portions of my (first) Fab Fables story
Done. I’ll need to let it sit again before I re-edit the edits. *head desk*

Outline my plans for the new year in readiness to publish
Kinda. I know what I want to do now, it just doesn’t feel like much. But given the experience of this year I feel like I need to reel it back so that I’m less stressed. *sigh* Let’s see what another few nights of sleep on the subject does for me.

Enjoy Christmas
Hells yes! I had a lovely Christmas, as Raven may have already said. Lots of food (none of which I cooked), lots of drink (very little of which I provided) and so, so, so much fun. Family. Friends. Laughter. Hugs. I had a wonderful day – despite being sick as a dog – and the days since have been just as good.

This Week

Only two days of the year left. So I guess I need to focus on the last few bits I wanted done for the end of 2014.

  1. Complete edits on my (first) Fab Fables story
  2. Finish deciding what I want to do in 2015 (across indie pub, traditional pub, my solo website and edge projects like Caladria and Creative Frontiers)
  3. Outline my plans for the new year in readiness to publish

That’s plenty to be getting on with in two days. Particularly since big chunks of those two days will be given over to family.

I’m getting all tingly and excited now. The start of a new year is wonderful for getting things in perspective and starting fresh. Can you feel it? Do you get that tingle too?

new ileandra signature,

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