Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Contest! Plus Gifts for Your Geek, Dream Destination Blog Hop, and Ninja News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is also holding a contest! Visit today for details – lots of great giveaways.

My awesome co-hosts today are Julie Flanders, Heather Gardner, Kim Van Sickler, and Elsie is Writing. Please be sure to thank them for their time and effort to make all IWSG members feel welcome.

I’m in the process of revising my outline yet again. (Yes, I take longer on the outline than I ever do writing the book.) One of my test readers read through it, had some questions, and offered some ideas. So I’m working on details and making some changes. I’ll probably do this several more times and maybe run the outline past one of my critique partners before I get to a place where I am happy with the storyline.

I still won’t be ready to start writing it though, because next will be research and world building. And a tremendous amount of both!

To make this story work, I’m going to have to do a lot of world building, and far more than I’ve ever done in the past. With the elements I’m including in the story, the world building will have to be on every level. I’m going to have to research sea kelp. Sea kelp! (Yes, sea kelp in a space opera – I have you intrigued now, don’t I?)

What started as a simple idea has grown into a complex beast. I wasn’t even going to write another book. Now I’ve gone and tackled a monster. Not sure what I was thinking. Not sure I’m prepared to handle this either.

Anyone else ever do this to himself?

And any sea kelp experts out there? I’ll let you use the cloning machine in exchange…


Geeky Gifts!

If you’re still looking for that certain gift for the special geek in your life, or for yourself, check out a site called Geek Alerts.

Here is a sampling:

Firefly Serenity Spaceship Ornament available from Entertainment Earth for $9.98.
I’ll take ten, thanks!

The Walking Dead Daryl Crossbow Coffee Mug $27.99 from Amazon.

Dr Who Cybernetics Kit at Firebox for £24.99 with free delivery.

This one came from Uncommon Goods, and I instantly thought of Tina at Life is Good because the Engineer could probably make it:

Mason Jar Speaker-Amplifier This speaker-in-a-jar is completely self-contained, so you can bring it on-the-go with you for impromptu dance parties, and can hook it up to your personal music player or electronic instrument. Its size is small but its sound is big. $65.00


Ninja News

Toi Thomas’ book, Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel, comes out on February 18, 2014. There is a giveaway and a pre-order special though, so check it out. Congratulations, Toi!

The next installment of Hart Johnson’s series is now available – Travel Plans. Congratulations, Hart!

Kelly Polark’s latest, Hold the Mustard, is now available. Congratulations, Kelly!





Dream Destination Blog Hop

Lexa Cain and Julie Flanders are hosting the Dream Destination Blog Hop December 5-8. Since I won’t be posting again until December 9, here is my entry.

If I could go anywhere in the world, where would I go?

New Zealand!

The country is stunningly beautiful. The scenery offers an amazing variety, especially considering the size of the two islands. And no poisonous snakes or spiders! Big plus in my book. Lord of the Rings was filmed there, and I confess I’d also want to see all the film locations.

Of course, if I could go somewhere that wasn’t real, I’d visit the Cassan universe. Why? One word – teleportation! Yes, I’d need a Cassan to accompany me and do all the jumping, but it would be awesome.

All right, I’m waiting – teleport me on over!

Excited about the new books? See a geeky gift you want? Anyone else tackling a project that just might be too massive? And where is your dream destination...?

Be sure to check the Insecure Writer’s Support Group for the contest and to visit other participants!

207 comments:

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Sandra Cox said...

Alex, this is going to be your best book ever!

Sandra Cox said...

I'm never sure if these go through or not....but if not ,this will be your best book ever, and if it went through, it bears repeating:)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liz, mine as well!

Milo, I just might do that.

Thanks, Sandra!

Mason T. Matchak said...

I really need to join the IWSG someday... I rarely feel insecure, but since I'm participating in Pitch Wars and soon to be starting the query process, I could use all the help I can get. @_@

And I know what you mean about outline revision, and you're a braver man than I to show your outline to other people. Oi. Hope it all goes well for you.

Kelly Polark said...

Thanks for the shout out, Alex!!! You are so kind to your blog friends!!

We buy lots of Star Wars geeky gifts from ThinkGeek.com. Will check out the other geektastic site!!

Theresa Milstein said...

Oh, I like that speaker in a jar!

Deniz Bevan said...

That mason jar speaker is awesome! Love the Doctor Who gifts too :-)

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