IY: Mah Plans – 03/11 and October Round Up

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Ileandra Young

goal shooting goals from open clip artFollowing up from this morning’s announcement about my giveaway, I guess it’s time to talk about the prep I’m doing for it! 😉

Last week

Finalise SORB’s press release
Done. I know have my one-line pitch, blurb and excerpt sorted as well as the makings of the rest of the press kit. All that remains now is the images. Phew!

Approach seven individuals regarding my blog bounce (that’s only one a day)
I’ve spoken with two more people then stopped when I realised that I have to provide content for all of these people. While it would be LOVELY to have reach across tens of blogs, the purist in me wants all the posts to be unique, even if they have a common theme. So if I go much further than I already have, then I’m going to spend the rest of the month writing up content which is not helpful. So, while I’m still taking on willing hosts, my search for them will not be quite so aggressive from here on out.

Arrange schedule of teasers across the blog for SORB’s release (including excerpts, cover snippets and character centric posts)
Done. You’re gonna love it. Ooooo, you’re gonna love it sooo much!

October 2014 Goal Recap

Did I get done what I was hoping? Hmm….

Finalise hosts for blog tour and have a clear schedule of what goes when so I can start generating content
Yes. Haha. Now I know who I’ve got and when and where I’ve got them I’m looking forward to the next stage. Hehee, you’re going to be learning a lot about me during the start of December! 😉

Write up press release for SORB
See above! That’s now done.

Pick final design for SORB cover art
Not quite. I know what I’m leaning towards, but there is one more design to see before I can make that decision. Once that arrives I can point the finger for the cover and say go, go, go!

Complete edits from Karen at LionheART
Done. Yes. She’ll be doing her final proof over the next couple of weeks. ^_^

So with all that done I guess that means November is pretty easy to figure out.

Goals for November 2014

  1. Produce all content for blog tour hosts
  2. Finalise media kit for blog tour hosts and distribute
  3. Ensure bookmark designs are ready for printing
  4. Ensure Silk Over Razor Blades file is ready for sale through Amazon
  5. Write one of my two stories for Fab Fables*

*I won’t be starting this until ALL of the other goals for the month are complete. So it’s going to take quite a bit of juggling and fiddling.

This Week

Right, I have a lot of writing to do this week. I think between myself and Raven, Da Shared Brain may end up with a sprained finger or two! S’okay though, she can take it. 😉

  1. Write content for at least three of my blog hosts
  2. Finalise page size, paper type and trim for printing with CreateSpace and record for Karen
  3. Outline changes required for the Silk Over Razor Blades blog page

*wipes brow* This is it folks. It has begun. ^_^ 28 days and counting.

new ileandra signature,

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IY: Silk Over Razor Blades Uber-Awesome #Giveaway!

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Ileandra Young

Can you say ‘excited‘? Can you say ‘wow‘? Can you say ‘this is the biggest and bestest, most awesome thing I’ve ever done and I can’t wait to share with you‘?
Well I can.
And I am.

Today is the first day of my Silk Over Razor Blades so-excited-to-finally-be-publishing-giveaway! Up for grabs are the following awesome goodies:

£10/$10 Amazon e-gift card + paperback copy of Silk Over Razor Blades + cover art bookmark (one winner)

Silk Over Razor Blades ebook version + cover art bookmark (five winners)

Silk Over Razor Blades cover art bookmark (five winners)

To be in with a chance of winning, hit the banner below:

By Ricardo Liberato ([1]) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons - SORB Giveaway button

Original Image Credit: Jim Trodel (Wiki Commons)

And that’s not all! Over the coming weeks, in the lead up to my release date of 1 December 2014 I’ll be releasing cool little teasers and snippets.

Want to see behind the scenes of the production of my cover? Then stay with me over the next few posts because I’ll be showing you early sketches of the design concepts, followed by black and white mock ups of some of the more exciting ideas.

If you’re curious about the text itself, then there will be quote art and excerpts from both Lenina and Saar’s timelines. Enough to get you salivating for the real thing!

And in the middle of November the final cover reveal will show you the finished product . I’ll also be able to give you a sneak peak of what the fabulous glossy bookmarks will look like. ^_^

So, hold on tight! It’s going to be an exciting few weeks!

new ileandra signature,

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RS Takeover: #NaNoWriMo Reality Check :'(

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Raven ShadowHawk

Hey folks. I know today is Ileandra’s posting day, but there are a couple of reasons I want to chat with you today. Most of them not so great.

😦

So… NaNoWriMo.

nanowrimo web bannder 2014I (really) need to rethink this. Since Thursday the following has happened:

  • I received the next batch of edits for Slippers & Chains: Sugar Dust from Breathless Press. They’re required by Wednesday 5th, no wiggle room this time.
  • Both The Sprogs have fallen ill with temperatures through the roof. They aren’t eating, sleeping at all the wrong moments and want nothing more to cling to mummy (…me) as though she’s the last living creature on earth.
  • I’ve received an earful from Ileandra about the prepwork she has to do for her blog tour and for getting Silk Over Razor Blades ready for 1 December.
  • I remembered that family are coming to visit this weekend and that they’ll likely want to see more than the back of my head.
  • Da Shared Brain has two deadlines approaching, one as near as 4 November and the other not far off at 15 November.
  • Da Shared Brain also has at least three networking events to go to, all of which eat into our usual working time.
  • As well as that, Da Shared Brain has yet another deadline for two 3k stories: 15 December.

-_-

Basically, completing 50k words on top of handling all those things is possible, but likely to leave me shivering and gibbering in a soft-walled room afterwards.

But fear not…! I will still be taking part. Yes, after much soul searching and practical head bashing I’ve made the following decision:

I will write Slippers & Chains: Second Base as and when time permits. I will give it a fair chance amongst my other projects, but I won’t be racing for the finish line as I have in previous years. I certainly won’t expect to reach the 50k mark after ten days. I will simply enjoy writing the story for the hell of it while giving priority to other more pressing projects.

There. That feels… better…. ^_^

I was so worried yesterday when I did a proper tally of what is required of me and I realised that something had to give. And that it would be better for all concerned if that ‘something’ wasn’t me. 😉

So that’s the news. Sorry to build up the hype and then not deliver, but I have to look after my family first. And my sanity too I suppose. No one likes a crazy Raven, right?

See you Thursday. x

Raven's Signature In Black

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RS: I Haz Planz 30/10

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Raven ShadowHawk

goal shooting goals from open clip artFollowing on from this morning’s post it’s now time to look at how much week has been. I had a lot on my plate to sort through and, though I’d love to blame other people, the main reason behind that is simply that I haven’t been on the ball.

Now with NaNoWriMo right around the corner I guess I’ll need to accept that those things not done will probably have to wait until December. *shrugs* Meh.

Last Week

book and reading light form openclipart.com~Look into ‘Simone & Mr Bradford’ cover art options.
I have some ideas. But I haven’t been back to Angie to check on her schedule nor have I delved into potential images. But I do have a concept, which is a start.

~Issue requests for two book reviews for ‘Vicki & Lara’ or any other story in the Meeting Each Other series
Yes. I mean… fuck… yes, I actually did it! I’m super proud of this one because I seem to have a strong aversion for asking for things. Whether it’s fear of rejection or something else, I really struggle to say ‘Would you mind if…?’ or ‘Can I trouble you for…?’. The fact that I’ve done it this week has put a massive spring in my step. Now I need to keep it up.

~Complete deep edits on ‘Simone & Mr Bradford’
Done! Waaaah, okay, that’s not as bad a week as I thought it was. I’ve done really well. ^_^ I’ll have to transfer those edits back to Scrivener and since I’m booked in with Karen for around Nov 15th, I need to make sure it’s done pretty soon. Guess that makes planning the rest of my week nice and easy!

a pen and a pencilThis Week

It’s also the end of the month (near enough) so I need to factor in the odds’n’sods I want to clear up to achieve the full month goal if at all possible.

  1. Transfer ‘Simone & Mr Bradford’ edits back to Scrivener
  2. Do a ‘kindle read’ of ‘Simone & Mr Bradford’
  3. Send ‘Simone & Mr Bradford’ to beta readers
  4. Send one review request for any story in the Meeting Each Other Series
  5. Start NaNoWriMo (and keep up with the daily word count – DON’T go overboard if unnecessary)!

Done. Most of that needs to happen before Saturday, but since Slippers & Chains: Sugar Dust is with Jenn I should be fine in that regard.

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RS: NaNoWriMo Preparation – 2014

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Raven ShadowHawk

Sup, lovers! It’s a lovely murky Thursday and I’m all abuzz thinking about Saturday. What’s happening on Saturday you ask? *tuts*

nanowrimo web bannder 2014

As if you didn’t know. :p

After much deliberation and kicking and punching and general bullying of Da Shared Brain, I will be taking part in NaNoWriMo this year.

Yes, before you mention it, the profile the banner takes you to does say Ileandra Young. Well that’s because she and I are more linked that we care to admit and, frankly put, it’s too much effort for Da Shared Brain to create a profile that won’t always get used (because let’s face it, NaNoWriMo is usually Ileandra’s thing, I just got lucky this year).

But…! The story to be written across November is the follow up to Slippers & Chains: Sugar Dust and that is most certainly me, not cute’n’fluffy Ileandra.

^_^

I’ll be writing Slippers & Chains: Second Base, which follows Dan and Karen after their break up, make up and subsequent shake up during Sugar Dust. And no, that’s not a spoiler. 😉

I’ve been going on about this pretty much all week. Have you seen my Twitter and Facebook pages? Memes are just falling out of me and I wanted to share a couple of them with out because, frankly put, they’re funny.

You can click any of those to get the full size.

And yes… I did make them. I used this meme generator to find the pictures and to input the text. *shrugs* I just had to get it out of my system (and there’s LOADS more).

So… come Saturday morning (probably at midnight if I’m honest) I’ll be up and scribbling the first lines of Slippers & Chains: Second Base.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? Look me up if you are. Follow this profile to get hold of me and buddy up. Also, if you’re in the Leicester area, I will be going to one or two of the write-ins this year. Check out the Leicester group to find out when and where they are and look out for me. Trust me, I’ll be easy to spot. 😉

photo of 'cute' raven

See? I’m innocent, me. 😉

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