the whole shebang…

the ins and outs & ups and downs of a new novelist's journey

i’m still alive. promise. July 14, 2010

Filed under: Progress! — Eden Tyler @ 4:26 am
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So I’ve been finishing up Avalon….only took a zillion years. Probably because I put it down for almost an entire year and just picked it up recently to finish it and revise.
I’ve received one request so far and haven’t had the guts to do many other queries, but the way I look at it, I want to get used to this process slowly but surely. And, I want to get my first rejection out of the way so I know how it *truly* feels. Yeah, I know…negativity will get you nowhere…blahblahblah. I’m actually a v. positive person, I’m just being realistic.
I mean, I love my book. I know hundreds of others who’ve read at least the beginning and they enjoyed it, as well, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to get an agent, let alone get published. This is a tough business we’re in, so we shall see.

I’m off to bed, but I just wanted to post something quickly before I did so. It’s been so long since I’ve been on here that I had to renew my domain just to be able to post!!!
I need to get back in the game!

Later guys,

xx -e*

 

my new pitch. September 21, 2009

Filed under: 15 words.,Progress! — Eden Tyler @ 5:00 pm
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the hook::
Visions of another dimension usher a young woman through an adventure of immorality, virtue, and self-discovery.

* * *

the pitch::
Alexis has always experienced intense dreams. They used to be all sunshine and rainbows, but lately they’ve entered a much darker, depraved realm.

The dreams are actually visions, intended to prepare her for the truth. The reason she’s felt so different since she was a child…
Avalon, an other-world where faeries live, is her real home. Brought into the human realm when she was born, she’s lived that life for twenty-four years.
But now it’s time to venture back with her kind.

A horrible evil has been brewing — waiting just for her.
Something is killing humans and she’s the only one who can stop it.

While attempting to do so, and learn her new place in the universe, she meets up with other, helpful fae. But one shows her that their true nature is to test the limits and mess with the balance.
Will she be able to stay strong and save the humans?
And what will she do when she finds the way to protect them means subjecting some of her own to a horrible death?
She must choose between her two worlds. Which is the right choice?

 

is pitch black too dark? July 1, 2009

Filed under: Help! — Eden Tyler @ 3:28 pm
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So, I have recently changed my book from YA to Adult, and have also added the ‘thriller’ tag to it.
One early reader described Avalon as “in essence—YA Fantasy; in design—twisted Adult Fiction”
Hmmm….

Especially given the ending (which of course I can’t give away), I’m wondering as of late, how dark is too dark?

If you hop on over to my blogspot, you can see my most recent post titled ‘first five sentences’ gives just that. Two sets of them, along with my blurb.
A hint—the end of my blurb…well, I’m not saying to expect the worst as she does the right thing, but… The right thing isn’t necessarily all hearts and flowers and unicorns..

If you get a chance, let me know ‘How Dark is Too Dark?’
I’m already scouting out smaller houses such as Soft Skull and the like… I’m not opposed to the idea at all, but I also don’t want to be labeled as only writing dark fiction. Twisted, maybe. But not like, go home and read and cut yourself dark…
I don’t want to be typecast..
My next project, which I’ve already started, is an odd, realistic sci-fi/fantasy based on quantum physics… That could appeal to a lot more people thank a dark, urban fantasy would, right? Or no??

Food for thought.

* * *

p.s. I just decided that I’m going to attempt to turn this into a longer essay for a rather important yet long-shot opportunity, so any and all feedback will be genuinely appreciated. More so than on any other post… thanks =)

 

my new book cover. June 26, 2009

Filed under: fun :) — Eden Tyler @ 1:54 pm
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an amazing writer on authonomy, bradley wind, is doing book covers for other writers and he designed three lovely ones for me.
i chose this one::

avaloncoverfigure_bradleywind

such a wonderful group over there. i’m quite glad i returned =)

 

been writing. here’s an excerpt. June 25, 2009

Filed under: Help!,Progress!,excerpts,if you give a girl a pen... — Eden Tyler @ 4:27 pm
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So I’m working on my blog for giveagirlapen that I have to post tomorrow, plus reviewing some things for people, and trying to write Avalon, so I’ve not the time to blog today.

Instead, I’ll leave you with a super short excerpt from a day in the life of Alexis Hodge =)

*************

Alexis slammed the back door of her ‘parents’’ house, and made a beeline for her car. At least Roxie would make her feel somewhat normal. Her 1967 VW Beetle was in pristine condition, and Alexis could not imagine any other car suiting her so well.

She grabbed the door handle, and quickly drew her hand back.

“Damn it!” That frackin’ hurt! What the hell?

Once again, she attempted to open the car door. Her hand was met with the same response—searing pain.

Can something please be normal in my life for one freaking second today? Just one thing?!

Dropping down to her knees, holding her useless right hand at her waist, Alexis shuffled around in her purse for her phone. Her left hand was fairly incapable of doing anything helpful, but she was able to scroll to Hollie’s number and hit send.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Hols. Can you come help me?” Alexis started to sniffle, and tears once again welled up. She let them fall. And fall.

“What’s going on, sweets? Why are you crying? Where are you?” Hollie sounded frantic.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I just need to leave and I can’t. My parents aren’t my parents and my car just burned me….” She was sobbing so hard at this point that her words were all jumbled together and made no sense.

“Alexis—calm down. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll get over to you. You at home?”

“Yeah,” Alexis managed to blubber out.

Hollie reassured Alexis she’d be right there, and Alexis just let the phone drop back into her purse. She curled up into a ball, her forehead on her knees, tears spilling freely.

When it seemed she no longer had anything left to cry, Alexis felt a reassuring hand on her back. She slowly sat up, wiped her nose with her palm like a little kid, and looked to see who was there.

*************

Most likely, I’ll take a look at this tonight or tomorrow morning and revise a bit. Then I’ll post a revision.
If anyone feels like critiquing, go for it!!
=)

 

meh. June 23, 2009

Filed under: if you give a girl a pen...,writing exercises — Eden Tyler @ 11:49 am
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that pretty much sums up my day.
so i’m going to post something a little bit ‘bleh’
not that i’m that bad atm, but i’m close :P

it’s from a giveagirl prompt.
first loss/death or separation of some sort.

*************

I’ve felt his presence almost every day since that dreaded one in middle school.

He watches over me, but not too closely. Enough to make sure I’m safe, but he doesn’t hover. I’m allowed my own decisions. My own errors.
But, no matter what happens, I know he’s there for me. He loves me.

I really never knew him. Wasn’t allowed to. Was too young before he got sick, and then once he did, well…. Parents can be overprotective. Leave it at that.

But even worse than being overbearing is not being there at all.
Richard understands this. He feels my pain. I hope he never felt it himself, in his earthly life. If he did, it would explain why he has taken over my father’s place.

He is a kind soul. It’s true I didn’t know him well then, but I’m sure I do now. I know his spirit.
And that’s what matters, right? Souls, spirits, whatever you want to call them. It’s not the body a person is in. That’s not who they truly are.

He was many things to many people, while in his body. A son, a brother, a lover, a friend, an artist. And on and on.

But to me, he’s an angel. Any past mistakes on this earth did not stay with his spirit. They were burned. Destroyed, as they should have been. The remains of both his body and his faults turned to ash and now I have the best part of him.

I’m sure he visits others. His presence comes and goes. I’ve no clue who else he sees, but I do know they are lucky. I sure am.

He has become my lion within. My Lion of Stone.
He’s given me the strength to be gentle to my child, yet ferocious to others when the need arises. I have the will of a lioness—never giving up.
I am gentle, sweet, and loving. I am also a force to be reckoned with. I am a little bit of everything, thanks to him.
I hope to be able to repay the favor to another one day.

By Eden on 06.05.09 11:54 pm |

*************
also, i posted a new page.
pleaseplease check it out.

xx

 

my heart. June 16, 2009

Filed under: fun :) — Eden Tyler @ 12:32 pm
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1229909587398-1

so, i found this on penny lane’s blog.
i wasn’t tagged to do it, but since i’m doing awesome with my writing at the moment, i don’t want to jinx it by writing any of avalon or anything else on here..

these are the instructions::
“with as much creativity as you can muster, show your heart in:
a picture, a poem, a song (or piece of music), a phrase (or quote), an item of clothing, a place, and (just for fun) a Disney princess.”

let’s see what i can come up with…


picture::

polly

this picture is from along came polly.
polly can never find her keys. she’s lived in her half-unpacked apartment for months now and is just as scatter-brained as can be.
but she’s also sweet and loveable and lives her life with passion.
she’s brutally honest and doesn’t makes excuses for anything.
every time i watch this movie, i swear i’m watching myself — except for the whole commitment thing. i have no problem whatsoever with commitment. i adore being in a serious relationship. i’ve hardly ever been single my entire life.
but yeah, this picture—this character—is a perfect depiction of me.
style and all…

poem::

Pretty

There is a pretty girl
on the
Face
of the magazine
And
all I can see
are my dirty
hands
turning the page

i was going to choose a different poem, but it was entirely too personal to put online.
while looking through the same book of poetry, i came across this one, which has always resonated with me. everything jewel (kilcher) writes seems to touch me. i’ve loved her dearly for years and years.
this poem in particular just shows how i (and probably every other female in existence) feels. no matter how good i am at something, or how ‘pretty’ i think i might be a certain day, i still don’t feel ‘up to par.’
there are many different reasons for this. some external, but mostly internal…something i definitely need to work on!!

song::

so, i just chose a short portion of a song.
it’s actually rather lame as far as the writing goes, but it’s sooo me it’s ridiculous.
here it is:

“…i’m always, always, always, always late.
and my hair’s a mess, even when it’s straight”

see, told ya. lame. (it’s ashlee simpson.) but it’s beyond true.
i swear i’ll be late to my own funeral.
eden time is whatever time it is plus ten to fifteen minutes, minimum..
and yeah—i have curly hair, but tend to straighten it.
doesn’t matter cause i usually end up pulling it back; it just always gets ridiculously annoying.
my guy likes it curly, so it’s even more fun pulled back like that :P
i actually have rather nice hair — thick and full, so it’s never ‘technically’ messy, but it always feels a mess to me. i can’t stand it.
but, at the same time, it’s me. so i love it. yeah, idk…. ;)

phrase::

“The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.
– Albert Einstein

i don’t believe einstein needs any explanation….

*–*–*i have to run to target to buy the newest season of family guy and then to b&n to pick up a new copy of the princess bride. for some reason, i’ve never read the book. i’m going to read it for the once upon a time III reading challenge. then i’m heading to a friend’s house to visit YAY!
so, i’ll be back later and i’ll finish the last three then =)*–*–*
k, i’m back !!
an item of clothing::

2009-06-16 22.32.08.

my man’s dc hoodie.
most comfortable fracking thing in the entire world.
we both wear it constantly.
i love that it smells like him & he loves that it smells like me.
it’s the best!!!
it makes me happy and it totally defines both my clothing style and my relationship. and the fact that comfort is more important to me than most other things.
if i’m comfortable, i’m content with who i am and what i’m doing at the moment. that’s why i’m wearing it right now. i’m writing and wearing this—what could be better?!?!?? =)

***here’s another fave item that i just had to add..***

2009-06-16 22.54.59.

love ‘em! beyond comfortable.
and brown&&pink is one of the best color combinations in existence.
i’m rather big into color…

a place::

Prince Edward Island

i would be ridiculously happy if i could live in green gables with anne and matthew—except he’d still be alive.
the place is gorgeous!!
it’d be extremely conducive to writing and other such things i enjoy…
yeah…that’d be nice…..
i adore being alone, yet having the choice of enjoying the company of those i love whenever i want. and in this day and age, i could be isolated there with fabulous people, but still interact with others through the internet&&phone.
what could be more perfect? …at least for me.

a Disney princess::

i’m sorry, but i can’t pick a princess.
i can pick a Disney character who is a girl, though.
i’m trying, but i can’t find myself identifying with any of the princesses…
so, i have to choose:

Tinkerbell

i’m not totally in love with Disney’s version of tink, although i do love her movie. it’s quite fabulous!!!
i adore brian froud’s version of tink.
i’m pretty sure i have a picture…

normal_Tinkerbell_by_Brian_Froud

yes, this is the tinkerbell i would love to be.
if i could be anything in the world, it would be a faery.
i’m crazy obsessed with the entire fae realm and everything to do with faeries. loveitloveitloveit!!

—well, i suppose that’s the end.
got done just in time cause it’s almost tomorrow.
i’m super exhausted, but i’m desperately wanting to write..or at least edit…
maybe i’ll post some of those pages i was talking about.
nite, all!!
tty2mrw =)

xx -e*

 

looking for a blurb critique. pretty please =) June 13, 2009

Filed under: 15 words.,Help! — Eden Tyler @ 9:43 am
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So, this is the blurb (and logline) for Avalon.

At the moment, I’m fine with the logline.
I’m just curious as to what readers think of the blurb. Is it something that draws you in? Does it tell enough? Too much?
I’m up for any and all suggestions. I still have quite a ways to go until the book is finished, but I already know what’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of finding the time to write it all down…
I suppose I want to know that it’s not all for nothing ;)
Let me know your thoughts!! Thanks, ya’ll!!!

*****

*Visions of another dimension usher a girl through an adventure of immorality, virtue, and self-discovery.

*Intense visionary dreams transport twenty-year-old Alexis to the unseen world of faeries. She soon discovers this is the world she was born into, and it’s where she truly belongs—it is Avalon.
Two understanding friends guide her home after a nightmare reveals that one of her kind is attacking mortals. History has never seen such evil, and Alexis is the only faery who can stop it.
The unexpected help of a Depraved faery makes this quest much easier. But, when Alexis becomes attached to him and begins to see the world differently, will she have the strength to choose the right path? Or, will she succumb to her innermost demons at the expense of innocence?

 

giveagirlapen + ‘avalon’ excerpt June 11, 2009

Filed under: Progress!,excerpts,fun :),if you give a girl a pen... — Eden Tyler @ 3:05 pm
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1) Yesterday, I was asked to Officially be a ‘Girl With a Pen’ on giveagirlapen.com =) I’m thrilled about this new development! I’ve posted on there a lot, and was even a guest blogger, and now I get to be a part of the team. I’ve had it as one of my links on here for a while now. Amazing stuff!!! The girls are wonderful and I’m honored to be a part of it all!

2) I’ve decided to post an excerpt of The Abandoned Edge of Avalon on here today.
I’m going to see if I get any feedback (ha!) and maybe I’ll continue to post more as time goes on. Today, I just picked a random part. Well, not really random…it’s the part that my mommy (I know,  I know =P) really liked. She thought it was great :D
So, here it is**

When the fogginess cleared, Alexis looked around and saw life in everything—even the air. The grass was so bright it was almost lime-colored. It, like the air, seemed to move—no, breathe—on its own. Tree branches swayed, as if waving a hello to her. Every flower, a different, fabulous color. The mix of fragrances was intoxicating. Alexis felt the sun sparkling on her face, and the breeze seemed almost damp, yet when she reached up to brush her cheek, she found it was dry.

She jumped back in surprise when she looked down. Her clothes glistened with miniscule dew drops. Like her face, though, nothing felt wet. Alexis held her arm out, and turned her wrist back and forth to watch the sunlight illuminate, strangely enough, the shimmering of stars. It was beautiful and fascinating, and lovely. Nothing like this had ever happened in any of her dreams. Because they were only dreams, she supposed. And when she was actually in the faery realm yesterday, it had been a moonless night.

Alexis felt she was alone, and so decided to wander. When she moved her right leg, she gasped. The softness of the grass tickled her sole. She placed her foot down, and felt the pleasantness of the soft thatch. It was better than she could have ever imagined. Her senses began to overwhelm her, but in a wonderful way. Walking along, she brushed the tips of her fingers along the wildflowers, feeling their different emotions with each touch. It was splendid and calming, and it was also—home. Nothing had ever felt so right before.

Ahead, in the distance, Alexis saw someone, or something, approaching her. It moved quickly. Alexis craved interaction with this new world, so she picked up her pace. A sparking light, not unlike the first sight of her mother, met her.

This orb also became a person. Another gorgeous woman, with skin similar to Alexis‘ own. The dress she wore was even more scintillating. It was phenomenal.

The beauty spoke. “Hello, Kellyn. We have been waiting for you here.”

 

Reading Contest. April 16, 2009

Filed under: Progress!,fun :) — Eden Tyler @ 1:34 pm
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fun reading contest!!!

fun reading contest!!!

So, as I’m writing, I keep finding more and more to do.
I am beyond overwhelmed, but I’m lovin’ it!

I am editing three books, along with my own, and trying to finish writing mine, (which, if you check it out on Authonomy, you’ll see it’s coming along quite nicely).  I’ve made a lot of changes since I first started this blog–hence, not blogging very often.
Hopefully that will change with the help of this contest.

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1083
This is the link.
Check it out.
After I finish this blog, I am signing up!!

It’s just reading fantasy, folklore, mythology and such. Something I do every day anyway.
I’m particularly excited about reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as I have never had the chance. Which is interesting, considering how many dang Shakespeare classes I took while at Purdue University in the ’90′s.

ok–this post is just to say I’m signing up for the contest, or journey, as I plan to call it….
My next post will detail the books I am planning on reading, as well as the ones I have already read.
*ETA/change — I’m deleting the other post and adding my reading list here =)

*************

fragile eternity

Quest the Third
“Fulfill the requirements for Quest the First or Quest the Second AND top it off with a June reading of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream OR a viewing of one of the many theatrical versions of the play. Love the story, love the films, love the idea of that magical night of the year and so this is my chance to promote the reading of this farcical love story.”

*this challenge starts on Saturday, March 21st and ends Friday, June 2oth

I have already read:
*Hunted – P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (Mar 21st, 2009)
*Prisoner of Time – Caroline B. Cooney (Mar 25th, 2009)
*Legend of the Protectors – Sarah Jensen (on authonomy.com–rcv’d entire MS)
*The Border Lord – KE Curran (on authonomy.com–I was emailed the entire MS)
*Out of Time – Caroline B. Cooney (April 20th, 2009)
*large gap in time due to reading many excerpts on authonomy.com. many excerpts…mostly fantasy, as that’s what I enjoy the most
*Need – Carrie Jones (June 6th, 2009)
*The Heart of Nightmares – Justin Carroll (reading thru ch25 as that’s all I’ve been sent. It’s an amazing children’s fantasy novel. also on authonomy.com)
*The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman (June 20, 2009)
*A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare (June 26th, 2009)

Books to be Read:
*Fragile Eternity – Melissa Marr (halfway through as of the beg. of June)
*Into the Green – Charles DeLint
*Greenmantle – Charles DeLint
*Ironside – Holly Black (a third of the way through around mid-May)

…that’s all I have on my list for now. don’t wanna get myself in too deep, as I’m working on a big revision of Avalon over the next two weeks.