Looking for a Fiction Editor

Here's the deal:
I write horror, fantasy, thrillers, science fiction, and erotic horror. 

I have been working with several editors for a few years now; unfortunately, we keep hitting snags and I have to continue finding new editors. What I really need is someone who can work with me for awhile and not fade away or suddenly want more money. 

My past editors work as follows: I pay $25 up front. They will then read over the initial manuscript, perform line edits and check for grammatical errors, passive voice, the overuse of pronouns, etc. They will also check for inconsistencies in my plot, story lines that don't make sense, characters that don't fit, story structure, and areas that I need to work on, etc. In essence, they do it all, then send me back chapter by chapter with their notes and comments. Once I receive this initial draft back in full, I pay $25. 

I usually wait until I have the complete manuscript back before I start on a rewrite. Rewrites can take awhile, but once I'm finished, I'll send the revision back to my editor for his final comments (at no additional cost). 

He also will look over and comment on my query letters and synopsis; although, some of my manuscripts are to be self-published so this won't apply to those. After the second read-through and final notes, I send the rest of the payment ($25). 

If you are interested in this position, please apply at:

Fiction Editor Application

Heroes Wanted

So You Want to be a Hero?

By M.A. Donovan

Heroes aren’t born, they are made. Society, relationships, and the way we live dictate whether or not we can become a hero to someone. In ancient times, you didn’t have to be completely honorable, loyal, or an upright citizen to become legendary. You just had to do something remarkable that people would talk about (and maybe write an epic) for years to come. For instance, Achilles, the Greeks’ greatest hero, tried to get out of fighting for his country and when that didn’t work, he sulked in his tent while his comrades were killed. But yet to die old and unsung would never do, so he stepped up and was remembered.

Today, heroes are defined by their values. Just doing something heroic isn’t enough; one must also live honorably, be healthy and strong within, learn humility, and have some redeeming qualities that someone will look up to.  

Heroes can be almost anything – the shy kid living next door, the 89-year-old veteran in a wheelchair, or your accountant. Animals have been known to carry out great feats in stories as well as real life news events. When writing a hero into a tale, they can wear many hats and have varying dispositions, but they all have one thing in common: the need to aid someone who is in trouble. They needn’t be superheroes with special powers or physically strong; anyone can be a hero and sometimes, you’ll find them hiding in the last place you would look.  Do you have it in you to be a hero to someone?

In The Golden Horn, my wayward hero, Galen, is a combination of the ancient legends and the modern day hero. He is humble and refuses to title himself, but yet, his heart breaks at the thought of all the struggles the common villager has to suffer. Galen is no stranger to pain, coming from a broken home filled with evil, but he finds a way to survive and decides to do something important with his life. With his sword and companion mage, Olstek, they travel the land, doing good whenever possible. He becomes the Hero of Shandor, even though he feels he’s not worthy to be called that.

The Golden Horn is available at amazon.com or createspace.com. Want to win a free signed copy along with a special gift from me? Enter my “Letter to a Hero” contest. Simply craft a genius letter to your special hero (can be a fictional character or a real person) and send to me at kariah@donovanfantasyauthor.com with “Letter to a Hero” in the subject. I’ll select a winner at the end of my virtual book tour, on or around March 1, 2013. Please make sure to include your name, mailing address, and email in your letter.

Visit M.A. Donovan online at http://www.donovanfantasyauthor.com or check out her blog at http://www.freethewriterinside.com.

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2014 Resolutions!

Welcome to 2014. Here are my character's resolutions for the new year:

Blaze Kerrigan: Get a good night's sleep.
Dylan Kerrigan: Get laid. Get a job.
Jenna Michaels: Find the man of her dreams; stay alive long enough to get to know him.

Angelique Chevalier: Win a Pulitzer.
Matthew Knight: Schedule at least one vacation this year.
Kyle Abernathy: To become immortal and rule the world.

Galen Hawkeye: To get out from beneath the shadow of his father; start a life of his own.
Olstek: To overcome the evil influences building up within him; to learn to control his magic.
Alyssa Moravian: Find adventure and see the world so that she can become a better ruler.
Klytepra: To become a master with the staff.

Doing Research before Writing your Fiction!

How to Do Research

            The writing is in the details. In order to prepare a piece of fiction set in a real world, the author needs a semblance of reality. To make that happen, extensive research is oftentimes necessary. However, not everyone is capable of such feats. It involves much more than just visiting a site and saving the link for future reference or copying and pasting a long block of text into a word processing program. Here are some tips to save time in order to help with detailed research projects:

1. Select your topic(s) and list keywords related to them.
   
   
1. Ex: Cursed object brings an ancient Egyptian goddess to life. Keywords: Egypt, tombs, Egyptian mythology, archaeology, dig sites, curses.
   
   
2. Search for resources, both offline and online, to get an overview of the topic.
   
   
1. Websites, Encyclopedias, Maps, History Books, Myths and Legends, Archeology Magazines, similar topics in literature and the media.
   
   
3. Take notes. Can be created as complete background information, but later needs to be condensed into bulleted facts that relate to the specific topic.
   
   
4. Find experts who can handle answering questions you can’t find anywhere else or who can fill in the blanks with their knowledge. Visit forums or ask around. You just may know someone who can help. For example, let’s say you are writing a forensic detective novel and need first-hand knowledge of forensic technology. You may not know someone who does that but perhaps the second cousin of your best friend’s wife does?
   
   
5. Only look at information from verified “true” sources. A lot of information circulating is not entirely true. How do you know for sure? Look at WHO wrote it and WHEN it was written. If you are planning a story that takes place in 2012 and find a book written by some unknown author in 1962, take another look. Things may have changed based on what you’re looking up. Does the author CITE any sources or have a degree/well-educated title? Is he/she well respected in his field? For instance, if you are writing the next medical thriller, a great resource would be a doctor who has had reports published in a medical journal on the specific trauma, disease, chemical, etc. you plan to use.

Discounted Titles

Okay, so I'm trying to sell enough books to make money to attend Thrillerfest this year in New York City. If you order via Createspace, you can get $5.00 off using this code:

KRHSVT4B

When Angels Sing, supernatural thriller
https://www.createspace.com/3489412
Retail price: $14.99
Discounted Price: $9.99

The Fear Within, short horror/sci fi story collection
https://www.createspace.com/3447686
Retail Price: $13.99
Discounted Price: $8.99