Who has the goods on ePublishing?

ePublishing... I am looking for links or people who know a lot about this world. I am going to continue looking for a literary agent, because it is my dream to walk in to a bookstore and see my book in hardcover with my name on it AND then see someone pick it up and buy it! However, I have been researching and seeing the benefits of ePublishing, such as: immediate publication (no waiting for someone to say you're good enough, NOOKs and Kindles are in, and I could start making money for writing. I feel these reasons are good enough to continue my research.

So again, who knows some stuff like: who converts manuscripts into the proper format to be a ePub file?

Anyone know who is into designing covers (sadly my ability does not run on the artistic side)

Also, (totally random) I want a button...How do I do this?

Has anyone done an independent ePub book? Want to share your experience? Or could you point me at someone who has?

Thanks everyone!

Staying true to your narrator's voice?

I have started my second book and I am telling the story from another character's point of view. My first character, Piper, is a sassy mouthed, do then think, character. My second character who is tell the second book is Ryder, level-headed and not mouthy. It's very different and I worry that Ryder's voice is going to sound very much like her sister's. And being sister's they should have a few similarities but I do not want Ryder to turn into Piper.

I'm also reading a fellow blogger's book, which is great btw! And she is telling the story from a girl's point of view and from a guy's point of view. She does a great job "being a boy." And I wonder how that was when writing. Like, I know how I would sound if I were to reply, but boys reply differently.

This lead me to think of all the different, countless voices that are seen in literature and how much work a writer has to do to stay true to the narrator's voice.

How do you stay true to your narrator?

Sequels...

My first manuscript is done (done in the sense that it still needs revising - anyone want to tackle a 180 page monster?) and I have really started to think about the sequel. I have ideas for it but I can say that if I were to choose not to, my novel could be a single book. However, my characters have really come alive for me and I can't end them, and I don't know if someone of you have noticed, but I am a pantster. Yep, I don't write from the beginning, I write scenes and then connect the dots later...

I am really proud of my first book. I committed to it. Got over the whole, I-don't-want-anyone-to-read-it-bc-I'm-super-sensitive-about-it phase. And I am over the rejection of my first agency (thinking about ePublishing). And after all that, the sequel is the most...i don't know...daunting. I have written a few scenes but am still a little hesitant about diving in.

Anyone have this problem?

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB ofShould Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Currently I am reading I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. (Yep, a little behind)

Page 80 "I stare at the crystal, watching the smoke circle and glow.

"Shall we start?" Henri asks.

I am reading this along with one of my students... we both took it home this past weekend and both were on page 80...small world

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass is the best in the series...so far. Yes, I got hooked and burned through the series this week. And now, now I have to wait 43 days to read the next one! Anyone got an ARC they want to let me borrow?

Anyway...on to the review

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost? (taken from Goodreads.com)

First about Clare. She did an excellent job tying up the loose ends. I mean all the loose ends in this trilogy, even with a fourth book on the way. I feel had she ended the series with this book, I would feel happy about how it ended and have an idea about each character and the direction they were heading, and I LOVE THAT.

SO MANY THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK but I am really going to try to not to do so many spoilers.

First, Magnus Bane - yes I have a bit of an obsession. I think he is so incredibly sweet how he fell for Alec, is understanding of Alec's predicament and fear of being gay, and is helpful to all of his friends.

Second, Clary and her awesome ability. I knew she would be the crucial factor in deciding the war and she was twice technically, once with the allegiance rune and then again at the mirror. She was so incredibly brave the whole time. I think Clare also captured a teenager when Clary, when first seeing her mom, is angry for the whole situation and she's 16, she should be upset that this blindsided her.

Third Jocelyn. She was so important in finding out the real truth about the situation (though there was some foreshadowing that all was not disclosed) and when I say situation I mean why Clary and Jace were experiments and how and that they .... I'm not going to spoil it, but lord was I relieved.

Fourth, I feel for Jace in this one as he struggles with being Valentine's son, feeling a separation from the Lightwoods, having everyone at Idris mistrust him, finding out he's part ...., and his feelings for his "sister." With his previous characterizations from the first two books, I am surprised he wasn't more self-destructive then he was.

As for the plot, I really liked how half the book was non-stop war, battles, clues, and action. There was no down moments that were not making me want to read more.

Some quick thoughts

I think readers will be shocked when they discover what Valentine did to "his" children

Jace and Clary were still undeniably attracted to one another and at times, heartbreaking

Isabelle, poor Isabelle

Luke equals one of the best "dads" of all book time

Valentine has a heart, screwed up and demented, but it's there

Loved what the mirror was...

Loved the angel aspect of the book

5/5

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

So yes, I am burning through the series now! I have to know more about Jace and Clary...

As readers of series starter City of Bones already know, teenager Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, a demon slayer who has the gift of spotting Downworlder werewolves, vampires, and faeries. She is also an adolescent in an abnormally dysfunctional family: Her mom is in a magically induced coma and her father is probably insane and undoubtedly evil. All of which places Clary in situations that would challenge even the most talented average American girl. (taken from Goodreads.com)

Clare in this second novel does an excellent job not changing her character's personalities; they stay true to the first book. I can't stand when authors have characters do complete turn arounds with no reasons. My heart breaks for Clary; she really loves Jace and to know that it is wrong...heartbreaking! I do love the fact that she is strong willed enough but does listen to reason...aka Luke, not Jace.

Maryse Lightwood, another character my heart goes out to. To have to lie to the Inquisitor and and to Jace to protect him, take a strong person. She did what she believed what was best for Jace, though I hated her at first. (Clare does a great job making me feel towards her characters and I love to hate characters. I think an author has a great talent when they can make a reader hate a character.)

There is something big coming about Jace coming, from the Inquisitor, Luke, and Maryse... they all know/knew something about Jace but no one ever said it.

I am assuming the City of Glass has to do with the third mortal instrument. For single objects, Clare does a great job making them a focal point throughout each book. I have these very elaborate ideas in my head about what each instrument looks like. And I appreciate that Clare lets me have some imagination about it as well.

Some quick thoughts:

I still love Magnus Bane.

I wasn't surprised by Jace's enhanced ability...I think it well deserving

I want to know more about Clary's though

I want to know how Valentine messed with them as children

The Queen of the Faeries is a naughty and I love it

Simon? Whoa!

Simon and Maia saw it coming a mile away

4/5

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.... (Taken from GoodReads.

City of Bones was a great read and I loved how Clare made Clockwork Angel background and history sync so well with this book. She did an excellent job keeping the world the same (minus the different time periods - you know what I mean!)

Anyway, I am not sure where to start so I will start with Clary... I was worried when at first she was described as shy in the first two chapters that I had another "weak" female lead, but was pleasantly, surprised when she turned out to be sharped tonuged and willful. But I am not sure why Clare classified her as shy, because she no actions that supported that at all. I loved the fact the boy with the blue hair was a decoy! I totally thought he was going to be the love interest and lead male!

Jace was great.(Spoiler) I was a little surprised that he "caved" to Valentine so quickly. He is an independent thinker with great intuition but fell for Valentine so quickly. I know that Valentine was supposed to be very charismatic but I didn't get that from the few chapters he was in there.

I will not talk about the ending connection between Clary and Jace...but I will say I cheated and found out if it was true...And in my defense only because I was devastated. I can't imagine how the people who had to wait for the next one.

One side character that really interests me is Magnus Bane. There is something very captivating and I hoping he sticks around.

There are soooo many characters to discuss from this book. Luke, Jocelyn, Valentine, Hodge, Simon. I could go one forever, but I will be brief - Luke - love him and am hoping Jocelyn wakes up and smells the man...er, werewolf? Jocelyn was a great, strong, protective mother. Valentine... he's a great villain. I already hate him. Hodge well...anything I say is going to spoil that...so maybe next book.

On to the plot. I loved how she incorporated all things paranormal and a world. I loved the description of Idris and like Hogwartz, want to go there. I know this is the first in the series but think she did a great job keeping a plot going and not just setting up the next few books. There was action and knowledge to be had in each chapter. And lately, when authors tend to series, the first book though good is just a set up.

Bring on the next one!