tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.comments2011-12-13T16:52:41.946-07:00Jesi O'ConnellJesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-25927988646658889542011-12-13T16:52:41.946-07:002011-12-13T16:52:41.946-07:00Oh, now that the winners have been announced, I wi...Oh, now that the winners have been announced, I will reveal my character's age: she's 16, but her 17th birthday is the day after the scene takes place. (The birthday is of course going to be momentous for various magical-type reasons).<br /><br />And it's a paranormal; hence the references to linebackers and Disney. Taking place in our world, but with a twist.<br /><br />I'm having fun fleshing out Maddie's world, and will continue to do so...after I get the novellas in my shifter series written first. :)Jesi O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-37760960989119400582011-12-13T16:01:56.066-07:002011-12-13T16:01:56.066-07:00Thanks so much! I was really thrilled.
And you kn...Thanks so much! I was really thrilled.<br /><br />And you know, I only decided to send mine in after some post-comment tweaking after I read on some of the blogs that others were doing that too. It did seem to help, though. :)Jesi O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-74327897561595525422011-12-13T13:23:13.844-07:002011-12-13T13:23:13.844-07:00Congrats on being a semi-finalist!!
Looking back...Congrats on being a semi-finalist!! <br /><br />Looking back, I wish I had done what you did and sent Brenda my entry AFTER getting some feedback. But oh well, we learn from these things, right?SFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126306619182458823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-36748483618402894342011-12-13T13:22:29.380-07:002011-12-13T13:22:29.380-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.SFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126306619182458823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-6870100001659664872011-12-09T23:49:23.699-07:002011-12-09T23:49:23.699-07:00I'm thinking 16-ish. I found the 'lineback...I'm thinking 16-ish. I found the 'linebacker' line very jarring, seemed as out of place in a fantasy as if you had mentioned an iphone.1000th.monkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16835988128285459745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-72295887376755822972011-12-09T22:13:36.896-07:002011-12-09T22:13:36.896-07:00Sweet--I've made a few changes to the opening ...Sweet--I've made a few changes to the opening based on comments. Thanks, everyone, it's been really helpful.Jesi O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-20409621177989165272011-12-09T19:15:19.470-07:002011-12-09T19:15:19.470-07:00I am picturing a woman in her late twenties or ear...I am picturing a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. I guess that is because I picture her living alone.Jennifer M. Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17984703494188699385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-16263720741431768382011-12-09T19:14:56.312-07:002011-12-09T19:14:56.312-07:00I am picturing a woman in her late twenties or ear...I am picturing a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. I guess that is because I picture her living alone.Jennifer M. Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17984703494188699385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-64411199540935062592011-12-09T19:14:36.895-07:002011-12-09T19:14:36.895-07:00I am picturing a woman in her late twenties or ear...I am picturing a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. I guess that is because I picture her living alone.Jennifer M. Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17984703494188699385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-22867253335250084292011-12-09T15:59:14.820-07:002011-12-09T15:59:14.820-07:00My guess is 17. Love firedrakes already and the ta...My guess is 17. Love firedrakes already and the tail! Looks like a fun read! :)Diane Bohannanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10649770737967864449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-19701880859665378562011-12-09T14:56:45.597-07:002011-12-09T14:56:45.597-07:00I'm guessing 16. I really like the fantasy ele...I'm guessing 16. I really like the fantasy elements and how they are mentioned like it's normal. Great opening :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03335427276116292574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-48531078149481584442011-12-09T14:07:07.176-07:002011-12-09T14:07:07.176-07:00Yeah, I don't write erotica and am not a big r...Yeah, I don't write erotica and am not a big reader of it. Like you, I'm not a prude about it in the least. I love a good, steamy scene. ;)<br /><br />The novella I'm working on is YA. And you're right, the genre is fun. I love it, although I remember wishing there were more humorous YA books out there. So I decided to put up or shut up.<br /><br />And don't drive yourself crazy about coming up with a new pen name. I have a feeling the name will come to YOU. :)Widow Dyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493598047683341837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-14156508823029202382011-12-09T14:04:45.732-07:002011-12-09T14:04:45.732-07:00Neat opening! I think I'll go with 16 as well...Neat opening! I think I'll go with 16 as well... And I'm getting a vibe that she's maybe older, but probably not younger.SFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126306619182458823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-29931086161113566652011-12-09T13:50:17.307-07:002011-12-09T13:50:17.307-07:00Yeah, I think that's the reaction of most pare...Yeah, I think that's the reaction of most parents! I don't specifically write erotica, but I do not shy away from very explicit sex scenes in my writing. And oddly enough, I only somewhat recently considered writing YA. I read it, I like it, it's a fun way to tell stories, so I really want to pursue it too. Hmm...got to think more about the names thing. Aack! Lol.Jesi O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-28863969234530485852011-12-09T13:45:19.380-07:002011-12-09T13:45:19.380-07:00You know, Jesi, thanks for reminding me about havi...You know, Jesi, thanks for reminding me about having separate pen names when writing both YA and erotica. I didn't even think about erotica. *smacks hand* Bad me! I don't even want to imagine my Mini-Me (16yo) reading erotica. *shudders*Widow Dyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493598047683341837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-6352741317954501962011-12-09T13:33:28.502-07:002011-12-09T13:33:28.502-07:00Oooh! What a neat concept ... dreams seep into rea...Oooh! What a neat concept ... dreams seep into reality. Awesome. I'm going to go with 19 on this one. She sounds a little older, but still young. :)<br /><br />(Posting as my alter ego since Emi Gayle doesn't have a blogger account). :)Aimee Lainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15201246474625590886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-39925780920806633342011-12-09T13:23:26.888-07:002011-12-09T13:23:26.888-07:00One reason I know many writers want/need different...One reason I know many writers want/need different pen names is the radically differing natures of what they write. Especially those who split their time between erotic romance and YA stuff. A lot of writers don't want the younger readers (or their parents with the pocketbooks) to discover their more adult writing.<br /><br />And agree, plenty of readers are definitely savvy enough to find out authors' different pen names if they really want to.<br /><br />In my case, I definitely will not be writing romance, paranormal, or YA under my real name, mostly because I've already got a (very small) following for my nonfiction and literary writing in a totally different subject area. That would be very confusing for readers of very different subjects tracking my name online and finding works so different from one another! Although maybe it would open some people to new literary vistas, who knows.<br /><br />But you have a real point about not wanting to juggle all the different websites, blogs, social media, etc., of having two more pen names. Blargghhhh. So maybe I will just stick with one for the genre fiction--all of it, the paranormal, hot cowboy lovin' ;), and YA. And just make the demarcations between all that writing very clear.<br /><br />Oh, and I love the thought of a "growing fan base." That just makes me smile and be excited to get those fans reading me! (Oh, right, gotta publish first...lol.) But it's a super positive way to look at it. Thanks!Jesi O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-80395520077168989142011-12-09T13:14:44.076-07:002011-12-09T13:14:44.076-07:00What a great contest this is! I love all the blog ...What a great contest this is! I love all the blog hopping, "meeting" new writers, and getting all sorts of helpful comments on each others' writing. Thanks to everyone who's stopped by and left me words to mull over.Jesi O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-28076078326586680092011-12-09T12:37:32.722-07:002011-12-09T12:37:32.722-07:00PS - My blog is
http://nothingoriginalhere.wordpr...PS - My blog is <br />http://nothingoriginalhere.wordpress.comDeborah Oster Pannellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17899063521955085268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-90005069118838127702011-12-09T12:35:54.440-07:002011-12-09T12:35:54.440-07:00I actually got an older hit from this character. S...I actually got an older hit from this character. Something about the timing, the pacing, the easy way in which she greeted the day, despite knowing that she slept late. I would guess that she is at least in her twenties, living on her own, but could easily be older. The story definitely drew me in...<br /><br />And BTW, thanks for your very insightful comments on my character regarding his age...Deborah Oster Pannellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17899063521955085268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-6913452035485958532011-12-09T10:16:12.218-07:002011-12-09T10:16:12.218-07:00IMO, it depends on the writer. Let's say, you ...IMO, it depends on the writer. Let's say, you publish an urban fantasy novel first, a contemporary cowboy second, and follow those up with a paranormal YA third. I say keep just the one name. This gives your growing fan base a chance to get used to all of the different genres you write in. This is what I plan to do.<br /><br />I've heard that this method may work against you, especially if readers come to hate, let's say, your contemporary cowboy books.<br /><br />Personally, I can't grasp why a writer would need a bunch of pen names. Readers are savvy when it comes to learning more about the author. They're going to find out Jane Doe who writes those horrible sci-fi romances is the same Jennifer Doe who writes those bestselling paranormal cowboy books.<br /><br />Plus, as a writer, it's tough enough to maintain a blog, a Twitter account, a FaceBook page, Google+ page, every other social media platform, answering reader emails, oh, and let's not forget, WRITING THE BOOKS.<br /><br />I'd rather spend my time writing and maintaining one of each than one set for three or four pen names. But this is just my opinion and plan for my own writing career. It all boils down to you doing what you think is best for the direction you wish to take your own writing career.<br /><br />BTW, great topic, Jesi! :)Widow Dyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493598047683341837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-74677259145233692072011-12-09T08:59:59.308-07:002011-12-09T08:59:59.308-07:00This is intriguing. My guess is this is YA and I t...This is intriguing. My guess is this is YA and I think your character is 15.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15459671422564355990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-44778480232548966522011-12-09T08:00:22.789-07:002011-12-09T08:00:22.789-07:00Nice. I'd say 16 17.Nice. I'd say 16 17.E. Arroyohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06634213563563094173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-64654812814543313812011-12-09T04:04:58.600-07:002011-12-09T04:04:58.600-07:00I'll play it safe and say she's 15 and it&...I'll play it safe and say she's 15 and it's a nice snippetGyran Gymblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15530108423838293039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-67917894323202619792011-12-09T02:57:51.333-07:002011-12-09T02:57:51.333-07:00oh and my blog is vegaprep.blogspot.com :)oh and my blog is vegaprep.blogspot.com :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17089263022220773503noreply@blogger.com