Upon the Wings of Greater Things
The creative endeavours of Starla Huchton
It’s about that time again. One month from now, on November 1st, 2016, the second book in the Hearts of Valentia saga drops! I was all set to share a teaser on social media today, but it occurred to me I haven’t shown anyone the cover yet. Seeing as we’re so close to release day, I should probably remedy that, eh? :) [Read more…]
I don’t post too terribly often on this blog, but sometimes I think on something that feels more important and requires something bigger than a short post on social media.
Today, I want to talk about quitting.
I am absolutely honored to have a superiorly talented individual on the blog today. I’ve known KT Bryski for a few years now, and she never fails to impress me with her amazing ideas and turns of phrase. She recently contacted me for some artwork, and I really wanted to set the perfect tone for the project she proposed. That project is one I think everyone should give a listen to, first because it’s FREE, and second because KT’s writing is really just that good. No matter the subject, KT enthralls, excites, and paints marvelous imagery for her audience. She’s a true storyteller, and it’s nothing short of joy to experience her tales.
In today’s guest post, KT offers up some thoughts that are quite relevant to my interests and audience. I think you’ll find her words both educational and insightful. Definitely check out her new project, Six Stories, Told at Night!
Jazzing Up Fairy Tales [Read more…]
Well, it’s been a whirlwind of a summer. How is it August already? Time flies when you’re moving house, I suppose. :)
But, today is release day, and I have a new book for you! [Read more…]
So, I often see people posting on social media asking for feedback on their book covers. More often than not, I don’t respond to these publicly for a variety of different reasons. You never can tell who is receptive to honest feedback and constructive criticism, and typically I err on the side of caution and stay silent to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings or looking snobbish. My rule of thumb for all public postings is to keep it positive. I don’t want drama, but I do give feedback if asked privately. Not everyone appreciates my honesty, but… Anyway, I digress.
So this went out to my email newsletter subscribers on Wednesday evening, and now it’s time to tell the rest of the world!
As you know from my last post, Dust in the Desert is a retelling of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, and I talked a bit about the issues I had with it already. So here’s my question:
You guys, we gotta talk about Aladdin.
For real. This definitely needs discussing.
I don’t mean the dewey-eyed Disney-fied Aladdin with catchy songs and a hilarious genie and hidden adult humor. When I say Aladdin, I mean ALADDIN. The original one. The one that I’ve spent a LOT of time with over the past few months.
You guys, this is something pretty awesome. It’s not often that I do cover reveals for other people on this blog, but today I get to share something I’m really excited about!
Last year, I was approached by Tee Morris and Philippa Ballantine asking if I’d be up to the challenge of creating a cover for the next book in The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. The first four books were all traditionally published, but book 5 was going to be funded by a Kickstarter. It took me all of two seconds to answer with a resounding YES, but I knew going in the bar was set very high. Could I create a cover on par with Big 5 resources? Just little ole me sitting here in my house by myself? Was it a thing I could actually do, and do successfully?
(Advanced warning: this gets kind of a lot nerdy. I will attempt to come at this as though the people reading it are at ground-zero level of experience in this topic.)
So, if you follow me anywhere on social media, you’re probably aware of the love affair I’ve developed with BioWare’s Dragon Age franchise. Although, maybe this is the first you’re hearing of it, in which case I’ve severely failed to adequately articulate my obsession. I’ll admit a few things off the bat first before I dive into the purpose of this post: [Read more…]
I have a guest post for you! I’ve known Tee Morris (and his amazing wife, Philippa Ballantine) for many years, and have been blessed to have their support and wisdom at my fingertips whenever I needed it. So today, I’d like to share the thoughts of the Yodas I’ve had access to since the earliest days of my writing career. I recently posed a question that I think a lot of authors have asked themselves (or been asked by others): What makes you keep writing certain books when you’re made to question whether or not they’ll succeed?
Tee brings up some excellent points to consider here, so if you’re debating whether or not to write the thing you want to write, do keep reading. -SH