Posted on by Alexie Linn

Behind the Scenes of a Productive Author

Behind the Scenes of a Productive Author

Does this happen to you? It happens to me.

Each time I decide what I want to be when I grow up, a picture comes into my head. The picture invariably is of me (and my team) with the shiny finished product with throngs of people lined up to buy or use that gorgeous piece I’ve created. Cash is flowing. People are jubilant and crying for more…

But is it that simple?

Hmm. Not so much.

I’ve flipped career paths several times over the years simply because of the behind the scenes demands.

Demands like:

  • Graveyard shifts because I’m a morning person. I turn into a pumpkin at sundown.
  • Working with a redneck crew that shun and torment a woman in their midst.
  • Micro managers that must give permission for a bathroom break when it will affect no one else on the floor.

It’s easy to block out the details of what goes into the production of a product. Especially when you have no clue until you get there; having leapt smack into the bubbling pot of goo.

So, in preparation of your leap into becoming a productive author, here’s a peak at what goes on behind the scenes to get a book from thought to publication at Alexie Linn, Author.
  1. The Inspiration:
    • Ask the question. Define the problem that needs a solution. (The reason for writing the book)
    • Who are the characters that have the problem? What is each character’s quirk?Does the protagonist need a sidekick?
    • Make the antagonist 3 dimensional. Why are they so darned antagonistic?
  2. Outline the story — make a gazillion decisions:
    • How does the story begin?
    • What led to the problem?
    • Where is the problem happening? Research places.
    • What are the options to fix the problem?
    • Refine the options with what happens along the way
    • Research the options for suitable fixes
    • Attempt to fix the problem
    • Keep working the fixes until one clicks.
    • Will the chosen venue work?
    • Tie up all the loose ends… or leave them dangle?
  3. Write the story:
    • How much material have you to work with?
    • What’s the slant? What are you selling to whom?
    • Who will be reading it? A pre-schooler or a scholar?
    • Average 5-letter words or 20-letter words?
    • How many chapters? About how many words per chapter?
    • How many total words?
      • Is it a:short story (1,500-30,000 words);
      • a novella (18.000-40,000 words);
      • a novel (40,000-150,000 words);
      • a flash fiction (300-1,500 words); or
      • a nonfiction (25,000-150,000 words)
    • Decide whether to start at the beginning, middle, or end.
    • Look for a publisher (write and submit a proposal) or indie publish (write the proposal for yourself or just skip it)?
  4. Publish the Book
    • Prepare the manuscript for indie publication
    • Write or rewrite the description
    • Select key words or phrases for search engines to snag —  
    • Design the cover
    • Write and arrange for Pre-order ads
    • Run the editing gambit (See Publishing Checklist)
    • Publish to the website with available when date
    • Format the MS for E-book and Print versions
    • Upload to the server(s) – Phew! — Almost done…
    • Prepare the narrator’s version of the manuscript
      • Remove photos and anything else that the narrator should not read or describe.
      • Compile an audition script; including character ages and voice inflections like a stutter, lisp, or an accent.Select a narratorNegotiate a contract with the narrator
      • Upload the narrator version of the manuscript
  5. Promote, promote, promote
    • Order author copies of print versions for promotion and gig sales
    • Schedule book signing and sales gigs
    • Post the new book to social media servers from the website often and frequently
    • Write the blog
  6. Repeat steps 1 through 5

And there you have it. A nutshell peek at behind the scenes of Alexie Linn, Author.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes journey and are now more prepared to dive into the very busy life of authorship.

The inspiration, outline, write, and publish process takes about 30-days for this author. Promotion never ends.

I’ve seen books promising you can do it all in 7-days. And I just opened an email from a homesteading blogger that her 85,000-word book is finally done. Her project took 5-years.

We each work at the speed that best suits us… or that providence allows. The most important step is to keep plugging away at it. Artificial intelligence does it faster. But it will never do it better than you. Strive for perfection, but keep going to the end.

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Posted on by Alexie Linn

Here’s 7 Things You Don’t Know About Alexie Linn Books…

7 Things You Don’t Know About Alexie Linn Books…

Or do you?

After about 40 books and a few years, Alexie Linn has her own special routine of idiosyncrasies to produce a quality read. Relatively fast and easy… so to speak.

When she was puzzling out her own quirks, she wondered how much do you really know about the author of the books you read? How do you picture your reading material being written?

Is the author hunched over a monster desktop computer on an antique oak desk in a windowless den? Or is he or she perched at a folding picnic table under the tall pines talking to the squirrels between bits of copy?

Where does the next revelation come from? Is there a method to the writing obsession?

Like any other business, authors set methods and policies to turning out their prose. Although they may not be aware of it for the first dozen, or so, books. But, with time and experience, a modus operandi emerges and a professional is born.

If you’ve read or listened to several Alexie Linn books, you may have picked up on these characteristics of her books. Is this article one of those subtle… or not so subtle… take aways?

Here are the 7 Alexie Linn idiosyncrasies for your learning or affirmation lessons.
  1. The stories are inspired from real events. Because so many stories are told within the stories, it takes a passel of real events to write even one complete book.
  2. Characters are inspired by real people. You could easily recognize bits of yourself or someone you know in the characters that materialize when they appear on the scene. Do you?
  3. 100% of writing is done between the hours of 2 AM and 8 AM. These are the hours when the Alexie Linn brain is in a churning granny gear. The rest of the world is quiet. It’s dark. Intrusions are minimal or not at all.
  4. Every book is a cozy. Alexie Linn believes her purpose is to bring warmth, comfort, and relaxation to you, the reader. Whether you’re stuck in traffic or unwinding in a quiet corner, Alexie promotes upbeat, light hearted optimism for you in every book she writes. But don’t misunderstand. Bad things still happen to unsuspecting characters. Have you lived a mysterious misadventure with Sally the Loner yet?
  5. Every story has at least one subtle… or not so subtle… take away message. Because every story is a learning experience. It might be confirmation that you are not alone. Or poignant situations that you aren’t dealing with at the moment. And the reminder that your own egads moment could always be worse.
  6. Facts are researched for accuracy before they are allowed into a story. As in Book 9 of the Sally the Loner Series, Alexie went on a fact-finding mission to convey accurate protocol of how lawsuits are generally handled. Is that another subtle lesson? Is that information that you can pull out and use in real life… should you find yourself wanting to sue someone – or are being sued.
  7. Methods of getting out of pickles have to pass a ‘possible’ and ‘logical’ test. The most memorable instance that Alexie can recall is the time the protagonist stopped at a convenience store on her way to investigate a hiking trail. The heroine bought a cup of coffee, a snack, and an umbrella stand. She carried the umbrella stand with her out into the woods. When the antagonist appeared, she heaved the umbrella stand at him to knock him out. Really? Hmm. (FYI… not in an Alexie Linn book)

And there you have it. 7 things you didn’t know about Alexie Linn. And now you do. How can you apply these things in your own life? Have you snagged a copy of Sally vs The Marauders: The Case for the Defense?

Cheers,

Aaralyn Rae

An alter ego of Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog with your email address.

The next easiest way is to click here to follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

And just one more thing…

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

Posted on by Alexie Linn

10 Words Never Used

10 Words Never Used in Alexie Linn Books

Words are the verbal windows to the world. And I am an extremely literal person. One would think I have to use each and every word in the dictionary to tell the story precisely. But I don’t. Why not?

alexielinnauthor.com

There are several reasons I don’t use every word in the dictionary to tell a story. How many do you agree with? How many do you apply to your own writing style?

  • Alexie Linn books are written for all ages and backgrounds to enjoy. No dictionary or doctorate is required to live the tale.
  • Each character chooses their own dialogue and dialect. At this writing, none of my characters have had a need to flaunt their ability to read, remember and share jargon or vulgarities. But you never know. One might bully his or her way in when an obnoxious antagonist is called for.
  • Parlance (jargon), without a reason, can detract from the moral of the tale being told. I consider jargony and rarely used words the same as links in webpages that carry you off to the dark unknown… never to return.
alexielinnauthor.com

Does this mean I never use a word that will stretch a reader’s vocabulary? Not at all! If an idiom is the best word for the situation, it appears. Have fun with it.

And here are the 10 words never used in Alexie Linn books… Yet.

Agelast – One who never laughs

alexielinnauthor.com

Atrate – Dressed in black

Callipygian – Having large, round, succulent buttocks

Caruncle – The triangular pink areas at the corner of your eye

Limerence – The state of being infatuated with someone

Metanoia – Spiritual transformation

Minimus — Your tiny toe or finger

Osculator – One who loves or one who is loved

Oxter – Armpit

Pauciloquent – Concise

Vallecula – a groove. An anatomical depression or crevice, as between the hemispheres of the brain.

Now that I’ve listed these ten words never used, I might find a reason to use them. Will you?

Enjoy the Journey,

Alexie Linn

The afterthought…

Thank you to The Language Nerds for helping out with this post.

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Sally’s Character Secrets – Revealed!

Sally’s Character Secrets – Revealed!

Why didn’t I know about Sally’s character secrets? I’m her creator, for crying out loud!

Because, while she came into being through my imagination, I don’t direct her every thought or move. Although I do have to crack the whip to tame her now and again.

Once a character has their own avatar, they take over and tell me who they are, their beliefs, and what they like. And I let them.

Here are a few of Sally’s character secrets that I pried out of her:

  • She wishes she had a greener thumb. Successful gardening is challenge she’s never conquered.
  • A pint of Ben and Jerry’s is her favorite summertime supper… or a pint of red, ripe strawberries dipped in whipped cream.
  • She loves to travel. But hates packing up her van – and unpacking it when she returns.
  • Anticipating a road trip gives her night terrors. She says it would be fine if she could just get in her van and go…
  • Fear of scorpions makes her throw-up. It’s the only creature – so far – that she has to make herself squash instead of relocating it.
  • She has no mirrors under bright lights. Why?
  • She gives pack rats at least a day to move on before she sets the trap to ‘rehome’ them. Then assures them they’ll be happier in their new estate when she sets them free four miles away.
  • She loves living alone. But wants a companion to share experiences with… like the county fair, camping, and making tamales.

Characters grow into their own, if you let them. Each one will speak their own dialogue, if you let them. Even Leon, who has now appeared in two of the Sally the Loner MysAdventures, wrote his own script. He caught me by total surprise when he shape-shifted from a knight-in-shining-armor to a …

I know that there will be more of Sally’s character secrets to reveal as she journeys into her next MysAdventure… and the next… and the next…

But Leon may be done with his shape-shifting stunts… unless…

How are your personas coming along? Are they there yet? Do they ever get there? Only your characters know for sure.

“Mua-ha-ha-ha…”

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Profanity in Your Prose – Character Builder? Or Cop-Out?

Profanity in Your Prose – Character Builder? Or Cop-Out?

Do trash-mouthed characters move a story forward? In what way? What do we learn (or teach) from people who seem unable to make a statement or tell a story without vulgarities spewed throughout?

But a tale told without antagonists to spark action is boring to say the least. Not every character in life or fiction is polite, respectful, or happy.

What’s a writer to do?

How can an author build a foul-mouthed, mean, miserable character without spewing offensive expletives throughout the dialogue?

That is the mission of this post… To help you create characters with mind-blowing flaws but make the story reader-friendly and increase your readership base by doing it. It’s all part of the art of emotion-filled prose, my dear.

Do this: Use actions in place of words to build smutty, profanity spewing characters.

Can you love a character who trips handicapped people with their walking stick, cuts full school busses off in traffic, or bullies their way into the front of the line?

He made a fist, his forehead smooshed, he opened his mouth and I quit listening to his story… but trottted away to escape the hot air he spewed.

How about a character who flaunts their wealth while smirking in needy, fire-ravaged or tornado-flattened neighborhoods?

How lovable is a person who spits on the sidewalk in front of you?

What’s the character of a person who tosses litter (or puppies or people) out the door or window?

These are just a few of the ways to build a nasty character without ever having them waste valuable words that move the story forward every step of the way.

What action stabs your instant reject button for an individual in real life?

There is so much more to a person (or character) than the size of their vocabulary… If profanity is required to tell the story… is it a story or a rant?

On that note…

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Sally the Loner Meets the Sourdough Kid

Great News! Sally the Loner Meets the Sourdough Kid is available in E-book, Print (large print and fine print) and in Audible!

Read it Now at Amazon
Read it Now, Direct from the author
Read it Now at your other favorite retailer
And now… Click HERE to GRAB it on Google Play Books!
sally the loner meets the sourdough kid cover

Description

Sally loves being the boss of everything. She also loves living alone. But now, stuck and in excruciating pain with every effort to move, she asked herself, ‘What is it that goes before a fall? Oh, yeah, PRIDE!’

So, what happens when this spunky, resourceful 87-year-old woman gets sent to an Alzheimer’s care center instead of rehab for her broken hip?

Enter 12-year-old Bobby, who’s losing his own sourdough queen granny to Alzheimer’s. Bobby and Sally are both stuck in a nursing home for Alzheimer’s patients. The two click like peanut butter and jam.

How this Story Came to be…

Sally, the Loner has been itching to be discovered through the last few books I’ve written. But there was never a place for her because she’s a loner, like so many of us.

Then the day came that cousin Margaret fell, broke her hip, had surgery, got moved to a rehab and lost track of. Nobody knew what rehab she was moved to. And Sally was off and running, writing her own story in the way that characters do.

Buy it Now at Amazon
Buy it Now at your other favorite retailer
Or Buy your eBook Now Direct from the author!

It’s a fun and interesting read… Keep reading for important reader info…

P.S. The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Oh! And another ‘One More Thing’…

I forgot I have a You Tube Channel. It even contains a smattering of videos… including The Video Trailer for Sally the Loner Meets the Sourdough Kid. Check it out here.