It's a... Book!

 

After a year and a half of hard labor, my book baby is nearly ready to greet the world! (The Beta Reader edition)

I “burned the midnight oil” last night. I completed the final edits to the manuscript and uploaded it to Amazon and Kindle around 2 am. It’ll take them up to 72 hours to review the e-book version and a little longer for the print addition. During the review process, they’ll be making sure that the manuscript and cover formatting meet their publishing guidelines. The main thing is to make sure that none of text will be cut off at the edge of the page during the printing and binding process.

Since I created this novel on a shoestring budget (and I’m self-publishing it), I couldn’t afford to hire publishing help. As a result, I wore many hats: writer, editor, cover designer, manuscript designer, and eventually book promoter.

Editing your own work is incredibly challenging! Part of the problem is that you’re too close to the work. It’s hard to see the holes in your own story. It can be difficult to spot your own typos and other mistakes. For instance, I’m bad about reversing the order of letters when I’m typing. Spell check will help find some of these mistakes, but if the letters still form a real word they get missed (for example: form and from). The novel has gone through more than a dozen revisions over the past year and a half. Yet, during every read through, I find at least 1 mistake that I missed.

Realizing that I could use some help, I decided to release a Beta Reader edition of the novel. I included a letter in front of the novel encouraging readers to contact me with their comments (or if they spot any missed mistakes!). My current plan is to release the Beta Reader edition into the world while I work on the rough draft of another novel then return to it once I’ve received some reader feedback.

My regular blog followers may have noticed in the above photograph that I changed the title of the book. During all but the last two drafts, I had been called it “Timelines.” I liked that title and how smoothly in rolled off the tongue. It also looked awesome on the cover of the book– simple and concise. But… the title didn’t really fit the contents of the book.

The word “timelines” implies time travel while my story involves alternative realities/parallel worlds. The problem was that when I decided to change the title, my first 15 or so choices were already taken. I made the mistake before of using a too generic book title. As a result, my book was lost in a sea of others with similar titles and subject matters.

Some of the titles that I considered that were already in use: Parallel Lives, Alternative Lives, Parallel Worlds, Parallels (one of my favorites!), title variations using “Multiverse” including “Glimpsing the Multiverse”…

I finally settled on “Alternatives” since it implies choices. There are other published books that include the word but not as a stand alone title. I also liked that it was a single word title. For some reason, a simple title seemed right for this particular project.

My little blue marble…

I also went through many different computer generated book covers before settling on one. You’ve all probably heard the famous quote from Carl Sagan about the Earth being our little blue marble. Years ago, I purchased a blue marble with the continents painted on it. (Side note: I have to hide it in a jewelry box to keep my cats from stealing it!) I decided to photograph the marble and work it into the cover design. I also played with the lens effects in Adobe Photograph in my attempt to create a very sci-fi looking cover. I’m not completely satisfied with it though, so I may make additional changes. What I do like is that the current cover art hints at the contents of the book. There are two Earths travel parallel with each other through space.

Anyway… I’m seriously sleep deprived, so please forgive me if I rambled on in this blog post. I was just so excited to share this update with my readers and writing friends. I’ll update the bog again once the novel is available on Amazon and include the links where you can purchase it. The Beta Reader edition of the e-book is only $3.99. Technically, the print edition will be available as well, but I would recommend waiting to purchase the print version until after I’ve made the final edits. I can guarantee that there will be more changes made to the manuscript once I’ve received some feedback!

Oh, a little teaser from the back cover of the book:

According to theory, there are countless versions of reality running in parallel with each other. What if you were given a glimpse into your alternative lives? What version of yourself would you see? How would it effect your future decisions?

Francis Marino’s quiet life on the Oregon coast was interrupted when two military officers showed up on her doorstep with a bizarre story and urged her to come with them. Curious– and figuring that she had nothing to lose– she agreed. Thus began an unexpected adventure that forced her to leave her comfort zone and confront many of her beliefs about the world we live in.

As the commander of a highly classified military facility, Colonel Dominic Davis was dedicated to his job. But, after being exposed to an alien device, he is given visions of two alternative realities. Dom realizes that he needs to make changes– both personal and professional.

Life on Earth hangs in the balance…

Stay tuned! And, as always, thank you for subscribing to my blog. I really appreciate the support!

~ H. S. Contino

2020 Blow… Out Sale!

Good morning and welcome to my blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Okay, let’s face it: 2020 has been a major challenge for all of us. Between the world-wide pandemic, job losses, natural disasters, and nose-diving economies around the world, it’s been rough.

On a personal level, I was furloughed from my day job in March then officially let go in July. In late September, I applied for and was offered a new position which I started in mid-October. Things finally seemed to be looking up; then I overheard part of a phone call between my new boss and a co-worker– who had the call on speaker phone– about things “not working out” with me. After only a month on the job, they let me go– while I was home sick and the day before Veteran’s Day. (How’s that for honoring veterans? Letting the only veteran on staff go the day before the holiday intended to honor them).

I’m not the only one that has been struggling. I have many friends who also lost their jobs due to the coronavirus (either during the shutdown in March or later when businesses re-opened with limited capacity). I have other friends who have been battling major illnesses and disease. One friend’s husband had a major stroke this suffer, but he survived. Another friend’s husband had a major heart attack, but he didn’t make it. Fortunately, he lived long enough for his family to come to the hospital to say goodbye.

So, like I said, it’s been a rough year!

In an attempt to simultaneously increase the sales in my online Etsy shop and make the holidays more affordable for the many people out there that are struggling financially this holiday season, I decided to run two big sales:

Starting today, ALL of my handmade crafts and crafting supplies are 50% off of their regular prices. And, all of my autographed books are 25% off (personalized messages available).

I’m calling it my 2020 Blow… out sale (since this year seriously blows)!

Sale runs through December 23rd, 2020.

Please, feel free to check it out:

Reprieve’s Corner 2020 Blow-Out Sale!

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. I appreciate the support– especially during such trying times. I read somewhere that 2020 was the year that “people came together while staying apart.” While we all practice “social distancing” to slow the spread of the coronavirus, we have the opportunity to come together virtually through social media, blogs, and other online activities.

Wishing everyone health and happiness during this unusual holiday season. Fingers crossed that 2021 is better– for everyone!

Until next time…

~ H. S. Contino

Fall Sale!

 

Good afternoon!

 Just a quick post today. I've been enjoying watching the trees in my neighborhood begin to change colors. Using this as an inspiration, I decided to have a fall sale in my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner. Starting today, you can save 40% off of the original price store-wide (excludes clearance items which are already marked down 50%). The sale ends Oct. 4th, 2020.

 The sale includes signed copies of my books-- which make great holiday gifts! I'm also more than happy to include a personalized message (just leave me a note when checking out).

 

 www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner

 

 

      Happy fall everyone! 

      ~ H. S. Contino

Staying Constructive During the Pandemic

Salutations!

Well, it’s officially September which means that it’s been a full year since I first started working on my novel “Timelines.” This time last year, I pulled out a spiral notebook and started jotting down my ideas about the story. Then, in October, I sat down at my computer and started writing it.

The rough draft for “Timelines” came together quicker than any other writing project that I have ever worked on. I was thrilled when I had a completed rough draft within 3 weeks– which is the equivalent of warp speed for me!

The next step was to set the manuscript aside so, when I returned to it to start the long, agonizing process of editing it, I would be able to view it with fresh eyes.

Amazingly, I succeeded in writing another novel manuscript a month later which I’m tentatively calling “This Forgotten Life.” I chose the word “amazing” because I have always struggled to complete drafts. I’m really good at getting ideas and starting rough drafts, but I usually run out of steam mid-way through a project and then struggle to finish it.

I initially began editing “Timelines” during the winter, but I only had a limited amount of time to work on it, and I didn’t make much progress. Then, in March, most of the country shut down due to COVID-19.

Like the majority of workers, I was furloughed from my job at a local library. I remained in email contact with my supervisor, who reassured me for months that I still had a job whenever things returned to normal. But, even after the library re-opened for a limited number of hours per week, they didn’t need me to come in. Then, on July 31st, I received an official letter informing me that they were letting me go.  

While it’s been an incredibly difficult year, I have attempted to stay busy and focus on constructive tasks to get through it. I’ve completed several home projects including painting the ceiling in my attic office/studio/spare bedroom. Since we’re living through such stressful times, I wanted something cheerful and fun. And, since I use the space to do a lot of writing, painting, and crafting, I wanted the room to be inspirational. So, I chose a blue skies with clouds theme. What do you think?

 

To make the project even more fun– and to amuse my nieces and nephew when they come to visit– I added stencils of different animals, plants, and bugs. So, when you’re in my attic you can play the game where you look for shapes in the clouds.

 

I had so much fun painting my attic ceiling! I already had glow in the dark stars and planets, so I added some stencils with glow in the dark paint. The result: during the day the room is blue skies and clouds and then at night the stars and planets are visible.

 

 

 

I’ve also been plugging away at editing my “Timelines” manuscript. For the past six months, I have worked on it for anywhere from thirty- minutes to several hours nearly every day.

Slowly but surely, the story is coming together. I’m currently on the 7th draft. For the first few, I read through the manuscript on my computer and made changes. For this draft, I printed everything out and I’ve been attacking it with a colored pen. Then, one chapter at a time, I’ve been making these changes in the computer version.

My current plan is to go through two more drafts– one where I highlight sections based on the type of content (dialogue, action, backstory, etc) in an attempt to make sure the story is “balanced.” Then, I plan on reading the story out loud from start to finish (which can help identify problem areas).

Once I’ve completed these steps, I’m going to release a “Beta Reader Edition” of the novel. Since I’m working with such a limited budget and I don’t have the backing of an established publisher for this project, I don’t have the money to hire a professional editor. So, instead, I plan on putting the novel out there and encouraging people to read it and then provide me with feedback.

What have you been doing to stay positive and/or constructive during the pandemic? Feel free to leave a comment.

Stay healthy everyone and thanks for reading!

~ H. S. Contino

 

ARC Reviews– “Astro-Nuts Mission Two: The Water Planet” by Jon Scieszka and “BenBee and the Teacher Griefer” by K. A. Holt

 Hello everyone!

 

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sign up to receive three advanced reader copies of books being published this summer for young readers. I don’t have any children of my own, but I am an auntie– and I have a healthy inner child. I really enjoy reading children’s books!

While working at a local library, I often told people that I was “an equal opportunity reader.” And I meant it! I read everything from kids’ picture books to children’s chapter books to YA to adult stories– and both fiction and non-fiction books (science, space, and history especially). You find the most interesting– and sometimes simply fun— books when you keep an open mind when it comes to reading.

The three advanced reader books that I received were all from Chronicle Books, and I’d like to take a moment to thank Kaitlyn Spotts, Associate Marketing Manager, for providing me with copies of the books to read. Thank you!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first two books, and I’m looking forward to reading the third (book review coming soon!)!

 

AstroNuts Mission Two: The Water Planet (AstroNuts #2)

by: Jon Scieszka, Steven Weinberg (Illustrator)

The first of the advanced reader books that I read was “Astro-nuts Mission Two: The Water Planet” which was written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Steven Weinberg. The book was a graphic novel and the second in a book series, but they provided enough information in the first few pages for me to be able to enjoy reading the book even though I hadn’t read the first one (yet!).

As the back cover explains, the “Astro-nuts” are four mutant animals that were created by “NNASA (Not-NASA)” for a very important purpose. Since the Earth is currently in crisis (due to pollution and climate change), the team needs to find a new habitable planet for the humans.

First, I have to say– what a fun read! The characters were outrageous (a stink bug super hero, anyone?), and there were numerous laugh out loud moments. I was particularly amused by a lot of the extra details– for instance, there is a hidden message on the copyright page (please, go look for it!). I also enjoyed the page at the end of the book that talks about the writer and illustrator– who, apparently, live across the street from each other. Or at least they did– it all depends on if Steven managed to escape the illustrated fish which is attempting to gobble him up in his photograph…

I also liked how the author and illustrator incorporated real science information and classical artwork into the book. For example, they pause the story to talk about the scientific method and explain to kids the steps involved. I especially liked the section at the end of the book that discussed the original artwork and how Steven Weinberg incorporated it into the graphic novel (using a collage style of illustrating). Once again, it’s educational as it explains to kids what a collage is and highlights both the art and the artists that created the original works. They even provide a link to the Dutch National Museum (Rijksmuseum) and encourage kids to go learn more.

So, to recap: the story was fun, outrageous, and educational– does it get any better than that?

My only critique would be that the underlying message of the book— and the parallels between the clam management of the water planet and the human management of the planet Earth— was a bit heavy handed. Although, I do appreciate the message (and agree with it).

Since the copy I read was an advanced reader edition, most of the pages were in black and white. Unfortunately, the gray-scale “washed out” some of the artwork. There were a few colored pages in the center of the book to provide the reader with a better idea of what the finished product would look like. I have to say that the illustrations looked much, much better in color!

I look forward to reading more about the Astro-nuts in the future! And I intend to track down a copy of book #1…

“Astro-nuts Mission Two: The Water Planet” will be published this month (August 2020) by Chronicle Books.

 

 

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer: The Kids Under the Stairs

by: K. A. Holt

 

The second advanced reader book that I read was “BenBee and the Teacher Griefer” by K. A. Holt. It’s the first book in the “The Kids Under the Stairs” series. This book was a novel, but it does include some drawings and other multi-media material.

As the back of the book explains, the four kids in the book all failed the Language Arts section of a standardized test. As a result, they’re all forced to attend summer school before they retake the test– which the kids call the “FART” (the “Florida Rigorous Academic Assessment Test”).

I absolutely loved reading this book! It’s got everything from humor to heart. I enjoyed the combination of light hearted (and sometimes completely silly) and serious moments. There were times while reading the book that I literally laughed out loud, but there were also other moments where I was reaching for my box of tissues. The book is a fun read; but, it’s also got depth, and it discussed quite a few heavy topics.

 

It’s a story about misfits and underdogs— and completely relatable. I think the middle school (and later high school) years are challenging for everyone. But, for these four particular kids, they’re a little bit harder (for four different reasons).

“BenBee and the Teacher Griefer” is the type of book that I wish I had been able to read when I was a kid (although, reading it as an adult sure made my inner child happy!).

It did take me a little while to get used to the unusual formatting of the book. But, after a few pages, I realized that the sections from the point of view (POV) of the different kids were formatted to reflect their personalities (and, in some ways, their personal struggles). For example, Jordon J’s sections were large paragraphs with lots of run on sentences and random thoughts. It was pretty much “stream of consciousness” style writing. One of the other kids described Jordon J as “the human version of coffee”— so structuring the portions of the book from his perspective this way was perfect.

I also liked how the author incorporated a fictional video game into the story. It gives the four kids common ground– since they’re all fans of the game– and I think that it’ll give real kids a way to connect with the characters while they’re reading the book.

I don’t know what else to say, but it is a GREAT book! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for additional books in the series. (I also plan on giving my copy of the book to my nephew to read next!).

“BenBee and the Teacher Griefer” by K. A. Holt will be published in September 2020 by Chronicle Books.

(Note: I also shared portions of both book review on GoodReads).

 

Thanks for reading! See you next time!

~ H. S. Contino

Etsy Sale!

Good morning,

Like many people around the world, the ongoing coronavirus crisis has had a big impact on my finances. Under normal conditions, I have three jobs (one traditional and two freelance). I work part time at a local public library, I write and sell my books (which includes giving book talks and history lectures), and I run a handmade craft business (which includes selling items both online and at local markets). 

Since mid-March, all three of my jobs have come to a screeching halt. Technically, I still have books and crafts listed online; but, people have been more focused on purchasing staples and paying their basic bills.

In an attempt to (hopefully) get more online sales, I’m running several promotions through June 25th in my Etsy shop, Reprieve’s Corner:

25% Off Autographed Copies of My Books

30% Off of All Handmade Crafts and Craft Supplies

50% Off of items in my Clearance Section

Additionally, I’m offering free shipping on orders of $35 or more (US customers only).

Please, feel free to check out my Etsy shop and take advantage of these discounts.

http://www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner

Thank you! Stay healthy everyone!

The New Normal: Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hello!

I’ve been debating on writing a new blog post for over a week. We are living in incredibly challenging and difficult times. Like the majority of people around the world, I have been living in “self-quarantine” for the past few weeks.

On March 23rd, Governor Kate Brown issued a formal executive order instructing Oregonians to stay at home as much as possible to prevent (or at least slow down) the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). I find it comforting to know that our elected officials here in Oregon are looking out for the best interests of our citizens. I have been receiving regular email updates from the governor’s office and several other elected officials (on both the state and federal levels). I appreciate our elected officials keeping us updated on the situation and the words of comfort that they include in their messages. In particular, the idea that “we’re all in this together.”

However, like most people, I have been experiencing a great deal of anxiety, stress, and grief while witnessing the unfolding crisis. For me, it has been heartbreaking to check the news reports as the number of people infected by the virus (both in the United States and around the world) keeps increasing rapidly. My heart breaks for the family and friends of the people who have died during the pandemic.

As I was typing that last sentence, I received a notification on my phone that the number of coronavirus cases around the world is now over one million. One million. (And, that’s just the confirmed cases. There have been reports of a widespread shortage of tests).

I’m sure that I’m not alone in feeling overwhelmed by such depressing news. The lives of millions of people around the world have been turned upside down by the current crisis. In addition to the fear of becoming ill, people are worried about paying their bills now that only people with jobs that are considered “essential” are still working. Worst of all is the uncertainty. There are so many unknowns– how long will the pandemic last? How bad is it going to get? When will things finally start to improve? When will be able to resume our “normal” lives?

In an attempt to counter-balance all of these negative and stressful thoughts, I’ve been attempting to “look for the good.” In addition to staying informed about the unfolding crisis, I’ve also been keeping an eye out for positive news. The following are a few of my favorites so far:



Online Story Time

With most schools and public libraries closed, many organizations have been posting online recordings of people reading children’s books. Two of our local libraries, Coos Bay Public Library and North Bend Public Library, have been posting videos on Facebook and YouTube:

https://youtu.be/FGUA4S7DA8Q

https://youtu.be/NI8AAklT7E8


For space/NASA/science enthusiasts, you can watch astronauts read stories from the International Space Station:

Storytime From Space

And, local coffee shop “So It Goes” has been receiving media attention for their quirky online storytime sessions:

So It Goes to Host Daily Storytimes for Kids During Covid-19 Closures 



Communities Coming Together

I’ve also been enjoying reading online articles about things that people have been doing to help encourage their communities during these challenging times. For instance, some people are putting up Christmas lights to add some cheer:

People Are Putting Their Christmas Lights Back Up to Spread Cheer During Coronavirus



My personal favorite, people are participating in the “teddy bear hunt.” It’s a fun “social distancing” idea based off of the children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen. The basic idea is to place a stuffed bear in a window that is visible from the street. Then, when families are out walking, kids can look for and count the teddy bears they see.

‘It’s Like a Silent Visual Message.’ How Social Distancing-Friendly ‘Bear Hunts’ Are Uniting Neighborhoods Amid Coronavirus

Most of the stuffed animals in my personal collection (I have a healthy inner child!) are either cats, dogs, frogs, or dragons. However, I do have one teddy bear that my niece gave me a few years ago. It’s now in a window beside my desk. (I had to place the bear higher in the window due to the fact that I have mischievous house cats!).






Some of the other fun ideas that I’ve read about were part of a discussion in our local Nextdoor forums. Since it’s unlikely that communities will be able to host traditional egg hunts this Easter, people are placing pictures of Easter eggs in their windows. Once again, families on walks in their neighborhoods will be able to search for and count the eggs they see.

Other people are hanging hearts in their windows to provide a message of hope to their community:

‘You are not alone’ — Paper Hearts in Windows Gives Message of Hope 

***

The ideas above are just a few of the heart warming stories that I’ve read about over the past few weeks. We may be living in trying times and unable to get together physically (due to social distancing), but there is a silver lining to this worldwide crisis. People are finding ways to come together as a community (on both a small and large scale) in order to encourage and support each other. We really are in this together.

What are other ways that people are coming together and supporting each other during this crisis? Feel free to share ideas and links to online articles in the comments section.

Hang in there everyone! Sending you “social distancing” cyber hugs!

~ H. S. Contino