NaNoWriMo Winner!

I completed my first ever NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) as a winner! (Click here if you have no idea what NaNoWriMo is.) That's right, I wrote 50,000 words in the month of November. However, I feel my victory comes with an asterisk next to it. Not that I feel that diminishes my accomplishment, or even matters, but to some purists, it might. You see, I abandoned the novel I was working on after three weeks. It wasn't working, and continued writing wouldn't fix it. Everything needed reworking - not only was it spinning in circles, but it was also boring the pants off of me, which is unacceptable. Since replotting wasn't going to happen while I worked towards my 50K word goal, I decided to take the last week and 10K or so words and focus on writing a few short stories, something I've neglected to do for far too long.

That decision was the best thing for me. I finished three short stories that I think, with some editing, will have a pretty good chance of selling, something I can't say with the novel I was working on. Maybe someday I'll revisit the idea and give the plot a complete makeover, but I don't think that'll happen for awhile. I'll let the stink of it's current form flush from my mind first. Anyway, even if 10K or so words actually went towards short stories instead of a novel, at least they're still words of fiction that I can put to market. I feel that overrides everything else.

I'm not sure what my previous month-best output for words is, but I know it's never been over 45K words. For this reason, NaNoWriMo was a complete success. I now know I can pound out 50K words in a month. I just proved it. And, if I had an outline I was in love with, I could have done it much quicker than I did (I crossed the finish line on the absolute last day - November 30). Also, I learned again (someday I'll learn for good) that I can't write without a complete outline. I had the beginning and some of the middle done by November 1st, and I figured once I hit that spot, I'd be able to continue with no problem. Nope. I had no idea where I was going, and I didn't like it one bit. So not only did I "win" with word count, I also won with more information on myself, which is helpful. Besides, you never know; maybe some day those three short stories I penned to help me cross the finish line will end up in a novel compilation of short stories. When or if that happens, I can take the asterisk away for good. Not that it bothers me now ...

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #157

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm labeling it as fantasy this week, but, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

Fairies and Genies run a website that is offering Cyber Monday deals.
 
As always, feel free to use this in any way you choose. There's no need to give me any credit for any story you come up with. Of course, I never mind if you do give me credit for the writing prompt, but it's not necessary.

Quick NaNoWriMo Update #1

I'm in full swing on NaNoWriMo (you know, the November event where writers type or pen 50,000 words between the 1st and the 30th), and though it's only four days in (it's the morning of the 5th, so I'm not counting today yet), I'm on track to "win." I currently have 6968 words, which is just a few hundred or so above the required daily amount. If one were to write 1667 words a day, they'd get the required 50K by the end of November, and that's what I'm shooting for. I'm not one who can knock out 3 or 4 thousand words a day - a big day for me is 2000, and when I write without the challenge, I probably average closer to 12 or 13 hundred words a day. But this month I will get the 1667 each day. After all, I've already purchased my NaNoWriMo Winner shirt. What better way to make sure I stay on track, right? I'd look awful silly with one of those shirts and no 50,000 words.

I'm actually writing this book in a different way than I normally do. I'm outlining, but the outline isn't complete, and I'm working on it as I write. I'll talk more about my process this time when the event is over. For now, I'm going to focus on the book, which I've given the working title of Saviorville. If you'd like to follow my word count throughout the month, see my synopsis and sample of the book, and/or buddy up with me for this fun writing challenge, go ahead and click on this link for my official NaNoWriMo profile. Good luck to everyone participating!

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #156

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm labeling it as horror this week, but, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

You sit in a haunted prison cell. 

As always, feel free to use this in any way you choose. There's no need to give me any credit for any story you come up with. Of course, I never mind if you do give me credit for the writing prompt, but it's not necessary.

Ghost Betweens - Free For Kindle

Today through Halloween, I'm making the Kindle version of Ghost Betweens free. If you haven't had a chance to read it, now you can. Here's the link to Amazon for it. Don't forget, if you don't have a Kindle, it's quite easy to get a Kindle app for your smart phone, iPod Touch, iPad, and even your laptop and desktop. (Easiest way is to run a search for "Kindle Reader" in your favorite app store.) Go download it for yourself and for your teen! And when you finish reading it, I'd appreciate it if you took a few minutes to give it a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or anywhere else you can leave book reviews. Thanks!

Don't forget I'm also running a contest to give away a free paperback copy of Ghost Betweens. You can find the info here. So you can have one copy for your Kindle (or Kindle app), and one for your bookshelf. Sweet deal! I hope you enjoy the book!

Free copy of Ghost Betweens

Since it's the month of October, or as I like to call it, the month of Halloween, I've decided I should run another contest for a free book. This time it's a paperback copy of my Young Adult Paranormal Adventure, Ghost Betweens. This contest will start up right now, and I'll hold a drawing on November 1st for a winner. 

There are two ways to enter. First, leave a comment on this blog post. Do make sure that I can get in touch with you if you win, of course; if I click on your name in the comment, I should be able to find your blog, twitter handle, email, or something. I don't have Facebook (that may change soon, but not yet - more on that at a later date), so don't rely on that. Second, follow me on Twitter (@ericjkrause) and retweet any tweets related to this contest. They'll be easy to spot, as most will have those instructions right in them. I'll only enter you in the contest once, but if you'd like to retweet more than once, I'll send you thank you tweets for getting the word out!

As soon as this posts, consider the contest open. I'll send out the first tweet very soon, and then two or three times a day until Halloween. The contest officially ends on Midnight on Halloween, though unofficially I'll still enter you on the morning of November 1st when I wake up and check Twitter and this blog post. Good luck!

Oh, and I should mention that I'll also be making the Kindle e-book free during the last five days of October (Oct. 27-31). That way, if you don't win, you can still read the book. And if you do win, you'll have both a paperback copy and an e-book copy. I'll, of course, remind everyone about the free Kindle book when the time draws nearer.

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #155

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm labeling it as horror this week, but, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

You hoist a scythe from an old tool shed, and it turns you into the Grim Reaper. 

As always, feel free to use this in any way you choose. There's no need to give me any credit for any story you come up with. Of course, I never mind if you do give me credit for the writing prompt, but it's not necessary.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

Every writer knows about National Novel Writing Month (usually known as NaNoWriMo or, more simply, NaNo). Even if they don't participate, they do know about it. Social media has seen to that. I'd been one of those who watched posts of writers every November telling of their NaNo experiences, but come time, I had always either been in the middle of another project, or too far away from starting a new one. So while it was a big deal in the writing community, I never joined.

Before I go any further, I probably should explain in case there are some out there who don't know what NaNoWriMo is, despite my earlier claim. The month of November is set aside for writing a novel, defined by the event as a work over 50,000 words. Okay, so it's more a novella at that length, but it's still a lofty goal. There are rules for those serious about taking up the official NaNoWriMo challenge, so if you want to know more, head over to the National Novel Writing Month website to learn more.

As I said, I've never tried before. I usually take about two months or so to get my first drafts done, so getting one out in a month is a lofty goal, indeed. I've never seen the point in rushing; I'd rather stick to my own style. But, having said that, because NaNo is such a big deal in the world of writing, I feel I should attempt it at least once. And since I have a project about ready to start, and I feel it fits in well with the format of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to give it a whirl this year.

The project I'm working on is my most ambitious yet. I have three young adult books under my belt, but this time I'm stepping out of the young adult speculative fiction genre to tackle an adult speculative fiction book. It has a number of different POV characters that will all be facing different individual challenges throughout the book that will all meet near the end to bring the story together and then to a close. I've always started on page one and continued straight through the story until I reached the end, but this time I'm going to tackle it a little bit differently. I'm going to write each of the POV characters' parts individually in the first draft, and then when I finish, in my editing phase, I'll intertwine them throughout to create the vision I have. If I do it right, I think this could be a powerful story. And if not? Well, we authors always have that question in mind before we start, don't we?

So what does that have to do with me thinking this format fits NaNo well? If I hit 50k words before the end of the month, I'll have a few fully-formed stories that I'll be happy to call complete. I will, of course, keep working hard to finish the entire thing, but as long as I finish the month with the word count over 50k, I'll consider myself a winner. Since I write with pen and paper instead of a computer, I don't believe I can officially "win" NaNoWriMo anyway (from what I can tell, an author needs to enter the manuscript into the website's official word count calculator to "win," and I won't have anything to enter), so I'm doing it all for the unofficial experience. I'm fine with that. I'm excited about this project I'm working on, so this will get my pen moving faster. That's all that matters!

I've signed up on the official National Novel Writing Month website, and, while I haven't really looked into everything too carefully yet, I understand people can follow and friend each other on it. If you'd like to do that with me, I signed up as Eric J. Krause. (Aren't I original and clever?) So feel free to add or friend or whatever me. Good luck to all involved! Hopefully many of us will get working novels out of the experience! 

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #154

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm labeling it as horror this week, but, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

The dead are rising, and they're hungry, but not for brains. In fact, they ignore humans altogether. 

As always, feel free to use this in any way you choose. There's no need to give me any credit for any story you come up with. Of course, I never mind if you do give me credit for the writing prompt, but it's not necessary.

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #153

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm labeling it as horror this week, but, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

You see someone standing in the window of an abandoned shack, but when you go in, there's no one there. 

As always, feel free to use this in any way you choose. There's no need to give me any credit for any story you come up with. Of course, I never mind if you do give me credit for the writing prompt, but it's not necessary.

Crazy/Awkward Interview

Today, over on her blog, Anya Breton gave me a Crazy/Awkward Interview. Go on over and check it out: Clicky-Clicky here for the Interview.
It was a ton o' fun to answer those questions, and I hope it gives plenty of you a few chuckles. Of course, I also hope it also gets people in the mood to pick up a copy of Dragon Guard, the first book in the Prophecy of the Dragons trilogy.
Thanks to Anya for conducting the interview. Follow her on Twitter: @AnyaBreton

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #152

Here is this week's speculative fiction writing prompt. I'm labeling it as science fiction this week, but, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

You discover the secret of the Bermuda Triangle, but is it too late?

Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt #151

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm not labeling it this week, so, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

The rain won't stop/won't start. What do you do to rectify this?

Writing Prompt #150

Here is this week's speculative fiction prompt. I'm not labeling it this week, so, as always, take it whatever direction you choose. Have fun!

Humanity is all set to celebrate the anniversary of an event that changed how people viewed the world.

Friday Flash: Her Beautiful Smile

HER BEAUTIFUL SMILE

by Eric J. Krause

He did it quite often, and sometimes it even worked. He'd pass a good-looking woman and say something along the lines of, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you, but you have beautiful eyes. Have a nice day." And then he'd walk away and not look back. About half the time they'd call a "Thank you," behind him. He'd turn, nod, and say, "You're welcome," and keep going. About one time out of ten -- okay, to be honest, probably one time out of fifty, maybe a hundred -- she'd ask him to wait. That would usually lead to coffee or lunch or something. Sometimes more. Much more. Those made the high strike-out ratio more than worth it. He didn't think of himself as a lecher or anything. Heck, he was perfectly happy simply giving the compliment, brightening someone's day, and going about his business. No harm in that, right?

That day, he saw her sitting under a tree in the park, enjoying a paperback and a blended coffee drink. Her slight smile took his breath away, and he didn't notice until later how gorgeous the rest of her was, which wasn't like him. He knew he couldn't pass up the opportunity, so as he got close enough, he said, "Hi there. Sorry to bother you, but I just have to compliment you on your smile. It brightened my day just seeing it." She looked up at him with surprise in her eyes, but when his words sunk in, her smile grew bigger and even better than before. "That's all I wanted to say," he continued. "Have a nice day." And with that, he kept walking. He didn't expect anything to come of it, but he'd be lying if he wasn't hoping.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard footsteps coming up fast behind him. "Wait, you can't just drop that on me and walk away," she said. Her voice was as magical as her smile, and he turned to find her right behind him, that smile on full display. "It's rude to act all Prince Charming, and then wander off."

He tipped an imaginary cap her way. "Sorry. I didn't want you to think I was a creeper or anything. I just saw your content smile while you were reading your book, and it made my day. That's all."

Now her smile faltered a bit. "So that's it? You weren't hitting on me? Not even a little bit?"

"Well, yeah, sort of, but I didn't want ..."

She grabbed his hand and dragged him back to her things under the tree. "Good. Would you care to join me back at my place for lunch? I have a chicken salad I made this morning chilling in my fridge. I'd be delighted to share."

The twinkle in her eye gave him butterflies in his stomach. That look said that lunch would be delicious, but dessert would be even better. Who was he to refuse such an offer?

Her place turned out to be a few short blocks away, in a trendy apartment complex by the downtown district. She led him up to her place on the second floor, and when she opened the door and led him inside, her mouth was over his in an instant. Yes! Score! He returned the frantic kiss and even let his hands roam down over her jean-covered behind, which, he had to admit, was possibly the most perfect one he'd ever cupped. She moaned, and he guided her over to the couch and gently pushed her down onto the cushions before dropping down beside her.

"Hmm," she murmured. "I'm actually in the mood for something other than chicken salad for lunch, if you don't mind."

He shook his head and managed to get out, "No, sounds good to me."

She smiled her stunning smile and pushed her face into his neck. He groaned as her tongue painted a pattern, and then groaned again when she gave him a little nip. It didn't hurt. At first. Until she really dug her teeth in.

He tried to cry out, but couldn't. He tried to push her away, but she was stuck firm on him. A dark black ring formed around his vision and grew until he could see nothing. A loud ringing assaulted his ears, and it felt like they should pop, but wouldn't. And then it all stopped. He could see and hear again. She stared down at him, her smile smeared with his blood, and long, sharp fangs poking out.

"What are you?" he managed to push out.

"A vampire, lover. Please me and you'll be one, too. Fail, and I let you die."

"Huh? But daylight ..." That was all the energy he had for words.

She lapped up the blood on her lips and retracted her fangs, bringing that brilliant smile back. "We love that literature and Hollywood perpetuate the daylight myth. It makes hunting so much easier. Now save your strength, lover, so we can see if you're worthy."

She peeled off her shirt, taking his breath away. Yeah, that sight might be as good or better than her delightful smile. When she undid his belt, he had to wonder if this day was panning out as one of his better, or one of his worst ...