Tuesday, March 31, 2015

How to Start Afresh - 3 Strategies

How to Start Afresh

For a while, I bathed in self pity, and managed to convince myself that my greatest passion, writing, wasn't for me. My love for the literary world seemed unrequited. 

1. Switch genres

     The fantasy genre has always been my comfort zone. In the past few months, I've fallen in love with historical fiction, and the 17th-18th centuries. After all, they compass the Golden Age of Piracy, and, in my opinion, the Golden Age of Fashion. Is it possible to dislike anything baroque or rococo? 
    Sure, historical fiction requires a ton of research. Plus, you can't use any modern-day metaphors. In one of my swashbuckling stories, I began to compare the star-speckled night sky as a mobile that hangs over a baby crib. I soon discovered the mobile is a 20th century invention. Regardless, I appreciated a break from the extensive worldbuilding associated with fantasy, and the new-found opportunity to describe the world I live in uniquely.

2. Abandon your comfort zone

     Speaking of comfort zones, there is no shortage of methods you can use to forgo yours. I, for one, decided to dabble in poetry. I normally write short stories, with the occasional novel in the works. For starters, I joined this website. Overall, I found free verse to be enlightening, and sonnets to be musical, but quite restricting. In addition, it is quite simple to insert social commentary into poetry. Below is an example that addresses an especially-controversial issue in the literary world. Further elaboration will spoil it!






The Default Race
A tired little cottage rests on a hill,
swallowed whole by a surrounding verdant sea
of grass, of scapes that roll and sway
like Latin dancers before a throng
of viewers who match the ubiquitous gray. 
A tired little woman stands outside,
her cloak on fire, her heart quite rife.
She takes her husband's hands in hers.
He kisses her knuckles; sees in her dark eyes
a million truths, a million lies.
One day he fails
to come back home. She weeps, she cries.
She's left alone.
She lolls outside, and beholds the glory
of the turbulent sea, and the flashes of light
that Zeus hurls down, to give Earth fright.
With hands spread wide, to aphotic skies,
she wills him back 
and feels alive.
What ho! He returns
on a ship with sails
that billow and tear; a phantom wails.
She judged too fast, she does admit.
She feared he'd found a better fit.
But, reader, ere you criticize this girl
look to yourself; you're not of pearls.
Not a mention of race, of color, or size, but
you still imagined her skin was white.


3. Make a list

I recently created a Google Doc titled "Author Career Guide." It consists of a spreadsheet with a list of writing contests, their respective deadlines, and a "yes/no" category to indicate whether or not I've entered each contest yet. So far, using this simple strategy, I've found the motivation to enter seven short story contests. Speaking of which, the winners for the novel writing portion of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards will be announced tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Cover Reveal - Vision of Shadows (Book 1)

Vision of Shadows by Vincent Morrone



Blurb: 

Is Bristol Blackburn about to meet the love of her life...or her killer? 

After the death of her parents, Bristol Blackburn's life is thrown into chaos and she's forced to move to Spirit, a small town where shadows are stirring. As she learns to navigate her new school and figures out how to keep her psychic abilities secret from her family, Bristol comes face to face with the boy who makes a regular appearance in her dreams: the gorgeous, possibly deadly, Payne McKnight. Soon she’ll find out if Payne will be the love of her life, or the end of it — and she has no idea which possibility scares her more. 

And that's not even the worst of it. Strange shadows are haunting her dreams, and they're up to something that could put Bristol and the lives of everyone she loves in jeopardy.


You can add Vision of Shadows to your to-read list on Goodreads: 


Information about the book:
Title: Vision of Shadows
Series: Vision series
Author: Vincent Morrone
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 210 pages
Release Date: December 30, 2013

About the Author:
Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, Vincent Morrone now resides in Upstate NY with his wife. (Although he can still speak fluent Brooklynese.) His twin daughters remain not only his biggest fans, but usually are the first to read all of his work. Their home is run and operated for the comfort and convenience of their dogs. 

Vincent has been writing fiction, poetry and song lyrics for as long as he can remember, most of which involve magical misfits, paranormal prodigies and even on occasion superheroes and their sidekicks.



You can find and contact Vincent Morrone here: 

Vincent also participates in a group blog called YA Rush which consist of YA and NA Entranced authors. You can find YA Rush here:
Website: http://yarush.com/ 


And now, an excerpt from Vision of Shadows!

Journal of Bristol Blackburn
Sunday, March 17th 

     There are times when being psychic really bites and this is one of them. Here it is, three in the morning and all I can think about is the boy who will eventually have his hands on me.
I have no idea what his name is. We’ve never met, but I feel like we’ve grown up together. I’ve had visions of him since I was six years old. Now, eleven years later, I know we’re getting closer and closer to finally meeting. I think it’s going to happen any day now.
And the thought scares the hell out of me.
I know what Dream Boy will look like. In a word: hot. Dark hair that falls loosely over his deep blue eyes. He has an angel’s face and the devil’s grin.
I know he’s got a bad boy attitude. Half the time, I get flashes of him getting hurt. Sometimes he’s playing the hero. Other times, he’s just being an idiot. Many times, it seems like there’s someone who enjoys hurting him.
What I don’t know is what he’ll be to me.
There are times when he seems to love me. Don’t ask me why. But he’ll look at me with nothing but love and contentment in his eyes. Earlier tonight, I had one of those dreams. One where he couldn’t keep his hands off of me. Weird that I know every inch of his body, yet I have no idea what his name is, huh.
Then there’s the other vision. It was the first one I had of him and the one I have most often. It’s the one I woke from tonight, the feeling of his hands still on my skin.
In that vision, he doesn’t look at me with love, but hatred. He has his hands wrapped around my neck as he slowly squeezes the life out of me.
So any day now, I’m about to meet the boy of my dreams—literally. Then I get to see if he’s going to be the love of my life, or the end of it.
Funny thing is, I’m not sure which idea scares the crap out of me more.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Entranced Publishing Relaunches YA Imprint


YA Imprint Relaunch

Entranced Publishing has relaunched its young adult imprint.
The new imprint will be titled "Rush". The updated covers will soon be available on the official website.

In other news...


Readers, 

I'll be vacationing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from July 6th to July 9th! If you have any questions about the novel, please leave them on my Tumblr page.

Monday, May 27, 2013

End of Blog Tour - Giveaway Winners Announced!


  

On sale on May 27/2013 for $1.99

End of Blog Tour - Giveaway Winners Below!

The lucky winners of The Sacrificed giveaway are...

Cynthia and Kar!

Both winners have already been contacted by email. 

Today, the blog tour came to an end. The Sacrificed was featured on spots such as YAtopia on May 26th and Stacey Nash's blog the day before. I'd like to thank each blogger for hosting me. As a young author, it is a fantastic feeling to know that others will promote my work while receiving little to nothing in return.

What's next?

The Sacrificed is on sale today for only $1.99 as a part of Entranced's one-day summer sale! You can get it on your Kindle through Amazon, or any other format through Smashwords, Kobo, and the Barnes & Noble's website.

  
Smashwords available formats

Friday, May 24, 2013

Entranced One Day Summer Sale - 5/27/13

Entranced One Day Summer Sale

Click here to check it out!
That's right...all Entranced e-books will be marked down on May 27th! This is a one day event, so make sure to check out every novel, including mine: The Sacrificed. 

Here's the blurb!

Emerald Hayden lives in the City of Centsia, a half-winged among the other walkers. She has no family, friends, or food — only a grim future filled with tiresome labor in the upper level’s factories. Everything changes when she meets Dusk, a winged from the group that has made her life miserable. He opens her eyes to a new possibility: the possibility of the unity of winged and walkers — of freedom, and of love. 

Together, Emerald and Dusk challenge the upper level’s supreme, winged council. But when a friend betrays them, they must choose whether to sacrifice their beliefs and save their own lives, or to stand strong in the face of an indomitable force. Success could mean liberty; failure, death.

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