BOOK REVIEW

An ancient, evil organization hunts two undead companions in Santo’s dark fantasy debut.

While driving friends through a mountainous state park in Colorado, 26-year-old Sally Mertill loses control of her car. The crash is fatal to all, including Sally, but her body is thrown free of the burning wreck, and her autopsy at the understaffed Colorado Springs morgue is delayed. Centuries-old Bocnic “Bo” Drewings, who belongs to a clan of powerful undead sorcerers, finds her there and explains that a Wakening ritual, performed by mysterious Powers-That-Be, has returned her to life. For the time being, her body thinks it’s alive and still craves food and sex, although Bo assures her that those urges will stop. Later, after Sally jumps from Bo’s car, he teaches her healing magic. Soon Bo discovers that The Cross—religious militants bent on exterminating supernatural beings—are hunting Sally, and he brings her to a reservation of undead people, where a shaman uncovers an important secret about her… He also brings sexy humor to a genre that sometimes takes itself too seriously; after Bo traps her in golden handcuffs, Sally pulls him in for “a deep kiss with longing written across her lips.” The author delivers compelling atmosphere; during the opening scene, flickering lights are described in a way reminiscent of the 1979 film Alien.

- Kirkus Reviews

If you’d like a copy please contact the author directly at author@adamsanto.com , www.panhandlingfantasy.com , or check your local bookstore for a copy. (Note: Paperback copies will be released again soon. Minor changes and Kirkus review are being added to interior pages.)

To this point we have covered a lot of ground in a short period. A world has been born, characters are on the hunt for adventure, and banter is rampant amongst them. Whether the story ends with a bang or a soft good bye; it has to stop somewhere. But, is the first story of your career complete?

No. Not even close.

Over the course of building a story errors will be made to the overall manuscript. Your first draft is done, but edits are inevitable. I don't know of a single author that doesn't have to rewrite something or fix a scene for continuity. This is where my fourth and final post in the series will end. A few things must be considered before tackling such a beast. READ what was written before putting chapter after chapter on the chopping block like an execution, because this is the first step in editing. Skimming through some of those chapters might find them new homes somewhere deeper in the story where they fit better and others might need small tweaks to stay where they are. Reading it again helps you see where continuity of the story went awry. All of this brings the story closer to completion.

Finished? Good, because you just got started.The time has come for a second draft.

Magic begins here. Words are clay in your hands as you continue to mold the story into a beautifully shaped vase. Step two is actually editing everything (rewriting a manuscript for a second draft). That is accomplished by removing useless words or grammar as you read it thoroughly. I prefer to print out my manuscript for this process; however, you may wish to save paper and edit directly from whichever word processing program you use.

Changes are done, the story flows in a constant timeline that makes sense. What next? I would hand (email) a copy to friends and/or family willing to sit a spell and read it. Feedback at this point will help mold the story further - a second pair of eyes to critique your manuscript won't hurt. Joining a writing community online or in your home town is a good place for feedback too. It is actually in your best interest to hear early on what others think before committing to a physical print of your work. The next step is coming soon. Take of they tell you and sculpt it into your masterpiece.

Step three is revisions. Listening to feedback and altering scenes becomes a multi step process. Don't rush! Your exquisitely crafted vase comes with patience and perseverance. Rework scenes to be more descriptive, add dialogue to explain confusing actions, and above all else check for a smooth flow from chapter to chapter. Once everything detail has been corrected, it is time for a professional to take over.

Step four might be the most important beside writing a good novel. Hire an editor. There is an abundance of editors/proofreaders out there to choose from. Look to fellow writers for recommendations or use the editing services of an indie publisher for final polishing of your manuscript. Editing isn't always perfect the first time. What comes back from an editor are more than just grammatical corrections, new suggestions for plot or fleshing (developing) out a particular character are a few things to expect.

Some companies charge for each round of edits. Whenever you change major parts of a story more edits will have to be done, hence the charge for each round. Do as much editing as you can through online writing communities before leaping in with both feet. Don't in debt because you bought too many editing packages; use the free resources available to you first. You are now ready for beta readers to test drive the vivid world and charismatic people you've created. Take their feedback, revise, repeat - so is the life of a writer.

Well, by this point you've completed the not-so-impossible: writing a novel. Congratulations! Sitting on your desk is a finely crafted vase made of neatly stacked paper and ink ready for shipment to a large publishing house or awaiting a final coat of paint (cover art and a back cover blurb). We've had a wonderful time together trapping those ideas to paper. Now get to work. Stop dillydallying over pictures of kittens or how to win a Sudoku game, because readers, like me, are waiting for the next great novel.

Good luck becoming an author. I wish you luck in converting what started out as a hobby into a career. 

My first two blogs drew a simple line from doing an outline to understanding your inner characters. Now we stare down a beast that taunts me from the darkened corners in my office, dialogue. When two people talk there is chemistry - it's an intertwining play of words that fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
Speech is just as important as the dynamic action you wrote. Although the verdict is still out about which, dialogue or narrative, is more important. I'm just going to focus my efforts somewhere in the middle. My stories tend to steer towards a narrative-driven novel, but I'll aim for dialogue-driven one day.

When things are on the line in a particularly stressful scene what keeps the suspense going? Hearing a narrative of the action or listening to the high pitched squeal of a character as the group of teenagers are chased through the woods? This is why a controversy surrounds which is better. Here is an example of a story ruled by narrative:

John guided his little sister Triva through the dense forest. Long shadows obscured the deer trail leading back home making it difficult to traverse the narrow path. John shrugged off his backpack to pull out a flashlight. Their parents said to be home hours ago, but they had lost track of time in the deepest reaches of the arcade. Now, diminishing light made their usual shortcut home creepy.

Triva let out a yelp of fear when she tripped over well hidden tree root beneath the veil of murky fog like diaphanous spiderwebs spread across the ground. On frozen November winds an owl's hoot ran shivers down John's back as it few over in search of an evening meal. "We need to get home," she pleaded.

"It isn't far," John consoled. He knew they were twenty minutes from home, but kept that to himself or risk scaring his little sister worse.

A slender beam of light from his flashlight lit their path a few feet where the growing darkness engulfed what light his battery-powered torch emitted. Snapping twigs stopped him abruptly, John listened intently over his sister's heavy breathing for more movement. Silence ruled once again.

Now, what happens to the same example if we use dialogue? Let us take a look:

John guided his little sister Triva through the dense forest. "You wanted to play one more game, didn't you?" He said in a stern voice, attempting to mimic their father's authoritative tone.

"I refuse to lose to a boy. He took my high score," Triva replied.

Long shadows grew over the path, "Watch your step," John muttered as he kept his eyes on the narrow deer path. "The sun is almost gone and I can't see where we're walking with so much fog covering the ground. The fog is acting like it wants to stick to everything."

Several cautious steps later, Triva gave a trembling plea, "We need to get home." Something in the air scared her; it chased at his nerves too.

Frosty winds glided an owl overhead unseen through the surrounding trees outstretched limbs, a loud hoot shot shivers down his spine and had his sister climbing into his backpack. "It isn't far," John consoled. He knew they were twenty minutes from home, but kept that to himself or risk scaring his little sister worse. He shrugged off the backpack and fished out a small flashlight hoping the batteries were still good. With a click of the switch a thin beam of light shone out a few feet to vanish into thick darkness.

"What was that?" Triva whispered in hushed terror.

"Twigs breaking under a deer's weight. It's looking for this path we are borrowing to get home," John told her. "If we keep moving maybe it will go away."

He listened intently for any other movement, heavy silence ruled once more.


I'm sure you can tell the distinct difference between the two stories. There is a certain intensity created by either style, yet neither is a wrong way to tell it. Sometimes having a person say what is going on can drive the adrenaline up in a reader. Other times, build up to the action through narrative can accomplish the same thing. Try both ways to see what fits you best.

I mentioned in my last post about dialogue being the bane of my existence. I should clear that up some with an explanation. What I wrote above isn't where I am struggling. I save half of my dialogue for when I've completed the manuscript so I can work out WHAT is talked about between characters. It is the conversations they have that kill me. I cannot speak for every writer, but this leisure small talk amongst characters is difficult. Sometimes I can fix my 'small talk' issues by digging a deeper background on each character sheet I create. Build stronger histories for them to sneak in backstory by having them talk about a past event they shared.
Short stories, novellas, and novel all have one thing in common: dialogue. Unless you're making a silent film for print have them talk. Sometimes allow them ramble on to themselves. But, never forget to have a character speak. They need a voice, they are your voice. Let them be heard.

In my last post I talked a little about outlines and where they could lead. Today, I want to focus on characters and their importance (in short form because otherwise this could be a very long blog) to a story. Some hero will vanquish an evil ruler, but who is he/she and why does this person care about destroying evil? What traits or skills does a person need to defeat tyrants? The questions could be endless, but I'll leave the path of character discovery to you.

What we will look at is a character's biography laid out in your mind that needs to ink on paper. Knowing character traits will elevate fictional characters to new heights if their strengths and weaknesses are fully fleshed out. Does he/she shrink away from confrontation? Is the main character outgoing/an introvert? These are things you will inevitably need to know to breathe life into a make-believe person. One way I think could help with developing fictional characters would be using one of the many role-playing player bio fact sheets out there. It might bring on ideas not thought of while building personalities in a fictional world.

Give some of your main characters birth dates to liven up the story. Somewhere long the way that person could have an unexpected party - wanted or not. Character fact sheets will also assist with what a person looks like. Hair color, length, and maybe the style the person wears is important. Describing the clothes could add to the overall feel of who you are creating.

This should start you on the right path to building characters and bring depth to those you love dear milling about in your head. Next week I plan to speak a little about dialogue. I will admit to a small secret about this next subject, it's my Achilles’ heel. I tell you more next week. And how I work it out.


About the Author:
Adam Santo was born and raised in Southern California before joining the Army for his short lived career as a soldier in Colorado Springs. Currently living and writing in Florida with his family and faithful dog, Copper. He has written the Temperature Trilogy and a short story, Ocean's Fury, to date.

What's in a story? A lot of words - right, but what else? We take for granted the author's creativity. Their hours toiling over scenarios, building plots, breathing life into characters, and let us not forget that they strive to make it all believable should not be overlooked. So how does a writer get started? That's the purpose of this post; understanding what pieces of the puzzle writers use to join puddles of words together for a meaningful story. Think of story building as parts of a body.
It all begins (for the most part) with an outline: the bones to start building upon. This is where a story forms. We need to come up with a beginning, middle (climax), and an end. Where better to start than with the skeletal structure of an outline. Whether you draw it up like a bracket for a game tournament or as a giant arch, an outline is just a guide to point your story in the right direction.

From here it is easy to draw in branches for intriguing subplots, add minor rolls for characters to interact with the main ones, and stabilize the backbone to the whole story. Writing an outline is also very much like pruning a tree - cut away the dead from the main story before it kills your story. Doing this will eliminate hours of writing useless distractions that could be better spent on relevant story building.

A concern about sub-plotting is how minor characters are used in a story. Creating strife within the story is always a good idea, but don't go too far. Are the twists to titillate the readers curiosity and broaden a stagnating story or are you sent the character off into the deep end without teaching them how to swim? Reel them in before too many story threads tie up your story.

The best thing to remember is focus on the main character(s) throughout the whole process. Think about how you intend to reach the climax and work towards it. Resolve any issue you've created for the character either before, during, or shortly after the main conflict to bring a nice closing to your story.

Believe it or not - you just wrote a story. There is a lot more to do, but this is where it all begins. We still have four more parts to cover yet. In the coming weeks I will elaborate on four more parts to building a story. My posts will be as short, and albeit frank, but I hope you are able to learn a little from each posting. Come back to learn more.

About the Author:
Adam Santo was born and raised in Southern California before joining the Army for his short lived career as a soldier in Colorado Springs. Currently living and writing in Florida with his family and faithful dog, Copper. He has written the Temperature Trilogy and a short story, Ocean's Fury, to date.

Do you have stacks of "How-To" books explaining the inner workings of building a manuscript? I could have an endless stack of books like the picture above if my wallet were a bottomless pit of cash. There is plenty of knowledge out there for an amateur writer to devour and well worth the trouble of learning. What I hope to offer with my blog is a five part series about the many parts of a novel. In the coming weeks I will break down the many elements of a book between the covers. Stay tuned for my five-part series starting next week.

What a year it has been for all of us. The world almost came to an end (again), our faith in Wall Street sits on a fiscal cliff like lemmings waiting to take that final step over the edge, an outcry over SOPA went out to the masses, and Facebook tried the stockmarket.  We had a run for our money in 2012. Now that the Mayan calendar has run out, what will 2013 bring us?
On a personal note I accomplished a few goals. Two more books went out with my name on them - Ocean's Fury (a tale from your own view of events about a cruise ship in peril) and Temperature: Bitter Cold. They are available at any online bookstore along with Temperature: Dead and Rising.
I also had a small book signing locally to kick off the release of Temperature: Bitter Cold with some of the proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (It's never too late to donate. Contribute directly or purchase a book to help out). I also made time to print out fanfare for the coming novel - Get quality work at VistaPrint http://vistaprint.tellapal.com/a/clk/34Bhzd .
The holidays would not be the same without family there to support you. I had a great support team this year, which allowed me to spend way too much time in my office to finish writing instead of partaking in routine events around the house. So, to make up for it I stopped blogging, making notes for the next manuscript, and killed off the majority of time I spend on social networks promoting my work to spend quality time here in my home. Time management isn't my friend and Santa forgot to gift wrap me some. I hope to fix that in the coming year by spreading my time evenly between family, a paying job, and my passion to write. To that end, I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays and good tidings for the coming year.

Delicate flakes of ice trickle down from lofty white clouds on a cold November eve. Smells of forgotten memories lift on a light breeze towards your car; pumpkin pie - still warm from baking - rests in your hands for the awaiting kitchen already filled with delectable treats. Yes, Thanksgiving is upon us.

We take the time each year to reunite with friends, relatives, and reminisce about the ones we've lost. Our year is spent being busy with tedious work schedules and inner family turmoil that ends with the holidays; a needed break from the ordinary routines of life. We sometimes bring our tresses with us to joyous family gatherings where we should be happy to be with ones that love us, but forget those concerns when we are welcomed into our childhood homes with a warm embrace of a parent. To be thankful is more than a holiday: it's a celebration of life.

Live what is given to you to its fullest. Know that one bad moment cannot ruin a lifetime of love. We all have jaded hours speckling our past, but a light always shines ahead. Be thankful for the little things that remind us we are only human.

Thanksgiving bring out the good in us all for a special night. Why keep your gratitude chained to one day? I think it a misnomer to believe we actually 'thank' anything until our heads bow at the dinner table. Do you think about what your thankful for leading up to dinner? We are grateful - in a sense - for the time we spend with loved ones without expressing it fully. Our words of thanks come at the end of a Thanksgiving night when we say, "goodbye" and "I love you" to family members. Make sure it doesn't stop there.

The next day is another well celebrated day, it's "The Day After Thanksgiving Sale". Remember what yesterday meant to you and carry well-wishing on through the new year. It's a stretch, but I'm sure if we pull together it can be done. Now, hands off that half-off toaster. I saw it first...

The wave of the future is coming in little handheld devices that brings thousands of eBooks to your fingertips. So, how do you get a piece of the digital pie if you don't know where to format a manuscript into an eBook? I have it right here for you. Glad you stopped by.
I spoke on a different blog about getting a manuscript into the printed world, but here I will tell you about my journey into the digital realm of eBook publishing. I used three companies to accomplish this task - Smashwords, Pub-It, and KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). These eBook services are all free, except Smashwords. I'll explain why in a little bit.
Depending on your needs, any of these E-Publishers are fine routes to take. My post for publishing an eBook will be much shorter than the POD (Print on Demand) post, because publishing an eBook is pretty straight forward. All of them required that you edit, create a cover, and remove erroneous formatting on your own before submitting anything to them. I'll start with the biggest of them - Smashwords.
There is one thing Smashwords offers with eBook distribution that's different from the other two. Mass distribution.  They send your book to every major eReader company ( except for Amazon) for readers to find. Smashwords gives you an ISBN for $10 and collects it as sales roll in. Nothing comes out of your pocket. The company will have you brand your book with their name in some way even if you want to use a personal branding. Not a big deal. You own the rights to the book regardless who you end up choosing out of these three companies I've listed.

KDP is formatted for the Kindle only and Pub-It does it for the Nook. Both of them issue an ISBN for their own personal tracking. Uploading a manuscript is fairly easy and either company will take a few days to finish publishing it.

I told you, very short.

I want to finish out with a small bit of advice. Readers will devour your work so long as they can read it. Edit for clarity, for continuity, and most of all edit for plot. Give them something good to read and they'll keep coming back for more.

A new book is born. The newest novel for the Temperature Trilogy has been published by AuthorHouse and is being promoted through my personal branding - Panhandling Fantasy. It has been a wild ride to bring this new novel to your virtual doorstep. Many fans have waited for this moment, no more.
Steam rollers are flattening out the roads to success for this new addition. Come see what all the hype is about and read the reviews from the first novel to see why people can't wait to read Temperature: Bitter Cold.

As always, all book sales will contribute a portion of the proceeds to the MJFF (Michael J. Fox Foundation) to help with Parkinson's Research. Please help any way you can.

Synopsis:
Adam Santo offers this riveting sequel to his debut dark fantasy novel of the Temperature Trilogy. It will have readers twisting and turning in their seat. A magnificent blend of intrigue and suspense, with a dash of trenchant wit. Sally’s trek through a world of unimaginable creatures will bring her face to face against a menacing entity to outdo them all – the church’s secret division, The Cross. Sally has been kidnapped by them and Bocnic, her zombie-fied knight in slightly shiny armor, must find her before it’s too late. And, that’s just the beginning. Much more stirs beneath the deviously shallow waters of life than either of them know about. Will riptides of a forlorn lover drive a wedge between Sally and Bo? How will this bitterly end?