I'm excited to announce TCA is hosting its first giveaway (open internationally) starting TODAY! To find out more about The Creatives Apprentice, please visit our website. You can also find us on Twitter or Instagram.
This month, we are giving away:
The Rafflecopter contest will remain open until midnight on December 10, 2021. Click the link below for more info and a chance to win.
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 If there's one universal truth about writers, it's that we like to share.When we hear great writing advice, we share. If we read a book we like, we share. And, when we come across a resource that has really helped us, yes that's right...we share! So today I'm sharing some news:authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have released a second edition of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression! You may have heard of this book, or even own a copy, but it's quite possible that you didn't realize it had a second edition. Up until a month ago, I didn't either! It was all kept a secret by the authors who were determined to "show, not tell" their next new book through a mystery reveal. I helped with that, and it was so much fun. This second edition is more than a new cover. It's been been enhanced and expanded to include 55 new entries and double the teaching material. Now we can go even deeper when showing our characters' emotions! Anyway, if you want to look into it further, you can read some of the reviews on Goodreads or find more information here. Also, one more thing to share...a MEGA-OPPORTUNITY to win something amazing! GIVEAWAY ALERT:  To celebrate the new book & its dedicated readers, Angela and Becca have an unbelievable giveaway on right now: one person will win a free writing retreat, conference, workshop, or professional membership to a writing organization, winner's choice (up to $500 US, with some other conditions which are listed on the WHW site).
What conference would you attend if the fee was already paid for...or would you choose a retreat? Something else? Decisions, decisions! This giveaway ends on February 26th, so hurry over and enter!  Have you ever held onto a secret you've been dying to share, and then finally...you can? For the last few weeks I've been helping Angela and Becca at Writers Helping Writers keep a BIG secret...what the next book in their thesaurus series will be. It might seem strange to not tell one's readers what book you're planning to release...unless you happen to write books on Show, Don't Tell like Angela and Becca do! They couldn't resist the opportunity to show, not tell, by waiting for the cover reveal. They even created a *REDACTED* cover for it, which you might have seen floating around. We're revealing the cover at long last!*drum roll*  The next book in the descriptive thesaurus series is The Emotion Thesaurus Second Edition! It's been 7 years since the original Emotion Thesaurus hit the shelves. Many writers have credited this unusual book with transforming their writing. This guide is packed with helpful lists of body language, thoughts, and visceral sensations for 75 different emotions, which makes it easier for writers to convey what characters feel. Since 2012, many have asked the authors if they would add more emotions, so that's what Angela & Becca have done. This new edition has added 55 more emotions, bringing the total to 130. There are other new additions to the book and in fact, it's almost doubled in size! I recommend checking out the full list of emotions (and some sample entries) HERE. And more good news: this book is available for preorder! You can find it on Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books(iBooks) and Indiebound. One last thing: go grab some free education! Angela & Becca are giving away a free webinar recording of one of their popular workshops on Emotion, so head over if this is an area of struggle for you. It might really help!  "The fantasy book I've been waiting for my whole life." ―Angie Thomas, #1 NYT-bestselling author of The Hate U Give "A delectable urban twist on beloved fairy tales." ―Entertainment Weekly "An explosive, kickass debut ... the Alice in Wonderland retelling the world has always needed." ―Booklist, starred review “A thrilling, timely novel that ensures readers will be curiouser for a sequel.” ―Kirkus Reviews About the bookWhat if Buffy fell down the rabbit hole instead of Alice? Swords will shatter. Hearts will break. Heads will roll... Blending elements of #AliceInWonderland with #Buffy, #ABladeSoBlack follows an Atlanta teen into a dark and dangerous world.
The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew. Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally. About the author Leatrice "Elle" McKinney, writing as L.L. McKinney, is a poet and active member of the kidlit community. She’s an advocate for equality and inclusion in publishing, and the creator of the hashtag #WhatWoCWritersHear. She’s spent time in the slush by serving as a reader for agents and participating as a judge in various online writing contests.
Elle's also a gamer, Blerd, and adamant Hei Hei stan, living in Kansas, surrounded by more nieces and nephews than she knows what to do with. Aside from rockin' the Favorite Aunt thing, she spends her free time plagued by her cat--Sir Chester Fluffmire Boopsnoot Purrington Wigglebottom Flooferson III, esquire, Baron o'Butterscotch or #SirChester for short--or defending the realm from the enemies of Azeroth. FOR THE HORDE! A BLADE SO BLACK is her debut novel.
EXCERPTFrom the corner of my eye, a shirtless guy ran toward the group. His body glistened and his wet hair slightly curled at the ends. My eyes followed him like a tigress tracks a prey. How could I not? His muscled body deserved my admiration. Not an ounce of jiggle. He stopped in front of the group of guys. I slipped on my sunglasses so no one could tell that I gawked at his strong jawline and slightly crooked nose as if he broke it in a fight. I couldn’t tell how old he was, but I could tell he was gorgeous to the max. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING...“Audrey Rich has done it again! I read Masquerading Our Love and was so excited…Ms. Rich is so skilled at getting into the minds of teenagers. She does a thorough job of conveying their complex (and often times confusing!) emotions and experiences in a realistic way. I enjoyed how this story gave a different perspective on some of the events from Masquerading Our Love, and also introduces more of the characters from Stonehaven. This book will surely satisfy the teenager in you (especially the one who likes hunky lifeguards)! Highly recommended.” “Overall Rich's best work so far; each work reads better than the last! I can't wait to read what Rich has in store next, I know it'll be even better. Another clean read with a Disney feel to it, THINKING ABOUT LOVE will be a love story that parents will be comfortable with and teens will enjoy.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Audrey Rich, a New York City transplant living in South Floridian. She writes sweet YA and NA Contemporary Romances and is an avid reader of novels where love conquers all. She’s married to her own happily-ever-after Hero, is an inactive CPA, and a stay-at-home mom homeschooling her teenage daughter. She enjoys volunteering with children of all ages at church and teaching the Junior Achievement curriculums at local middle and high schools. She also loves to travel with her family. Her first novel is Masquerading Our Love, which she started writing one night when she was too wired to sleep. It took her three months to write and five years to finally publish it. Audrey’s first YA short story, Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire, is in the free You & Me Forever: A Sweet Romance Collection with seven other writers. Released on the 25th of April, it hit number one in Amazon’s Top 100 Free slot for the Teen and YA Contemporary Romance category for numerous days. Thinking About Love is her second novel in the Stonehaven High Series. MEDIA LINKSBlurb Jadah McCoy’s ORGANIC, pitched as Bladerunner meets Pitch Black, in which 18-year-old Syl has barely survived the genetic splicing that plagued her human body. After discovering the androids’ plot to wipe out human and Cull alike, Syl must return to Elite to warn the other survivors. However, with the realization that her group of survivors isn’t the only one, also comes the realization that some humans are just as bad as androids. Bastion and Syl grow closer, however, their relationship suffers under the weight of her past ghosts and a growing threat that endangers human and android alike. Excerpt CHAPTER ONE Syl Breathing is a habit. The oxygen filters into my system, fizzles through my circuits then dissipates to nothingness. This new body is alien; it feels like my own, but I know it’s not. My eyes fall on the hole in front of me―the giant chunk of concrete ripped from the ground where the entrance to the Sanctuary used to be. The music in my ear stutters to a stop, and the gun in my hand hangs limp. We’re too late. Bastion kneels beside me, leaning against his weapon as he studies the torn roots and claw marks that score the earth. His coattails catch in the dry dirt beneath him. He looks up, blue eyes lit with mechanical brightness. “I take it this isn’t the work of the Cull you’re used to?” I step closer, peering into the hole. It’s probably fifteen feet in diameter. Gashes scar the walls all the way down until the tunnel opens up at the sewers. No sound comes from within―no sign that anyone inside might still be alive. A frown pulls my lips down. “No.” “Syl.” Bastion stands, prepared to stop me. Ignoring him, I step off the uneven ledge. My body falls through the air, landing with a small splash in the sewers below. A fall at that height would have broken my human body’s legs, but the metal frame absorbs the impact and then some. I take off, running full speed in the direction of the Sanctuary. These muscles, they never grow weak, or tired, or burn with exhaustion. Bastion catches up quickly, his footsteps shadowing mine. Darkness isn’t an obstacle for us; we can see through it as if it were daylight. The metal bars, the same ones I slipped through so long ago to escape this place, are bent open. I step over one that now lies placidly in the mildewed water. The others look like an old man’s teeth―jagged, uneven, broken. But beyond the destroyed entrance… I freeze, my body refusing to move any farther. Chicken feathers litter the area, dingy and bloodstained. Beneath them lie the bodies of people I grew up with. People I know. People I care about. Static fills my ears like a thick layer of cotton. Symbols hover over a corpse, simulated by my brain―cortex―whatever it is. They shimmer and flicker before translating into letters: deceased. The word populates again and again, a dozen times, once for each body, and I choke. Goodreads Link * Amazon Link * Author Facebook Page * Twitter * Link to FB release party (Join Jadah June 13 @ 7pm for giveaways at her release party)  Author Bio
Jadah McCoy currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee where she works as a paralegal. In her spare time she can be found traveling the world, reading, or (surprise, surprise) writing. The last book in the Kepler Chronicles trilogy is due for publication in 2018. We are taught early on to hide our emotions. If a sibling or friend says something mean to us, our caretaker says to ignore it. Boys are taught not to cry and girls are told they’re overreacting. Adults learn to show only socially acceptable, surface emotions. When creating character emotions, writers should dig below surface feelings. When I first came across this Feeling Wheel, I was so joyful (excited/fascinated) by the possibilities. Knowing the deeper, raw emotions can create more complex character emotions and influences dialogue, as well. Emotions have a direct impact on how characters communicate, the words they use to convey or hide their true feelings, and the sound or tone of those words. Here’s a scenario: Lexi and Tyler are preparing to go parasailing, something Tyler’s never attempted. Surface feelings: Lexi feels powerful. Tyler feels scared. How would raw feelings affect dialogue for Lexi? If her powerful emotion stems from feeling important/discerning, she’s liable to speak like a leader using statements rather than questions. If they stem from feeling appreciated/valuable, she’ll probably ask questions and try to boost Tyler’s confidence. How would raw feelings affect dialogue for Tyler? If his scared emotion stems for being anxious/overwhelmed, he’s liable to speak in clipped sentences. If they stem from insecure/embarrassed, he’ll probably turn into a comedian to cover his discomfort (Note: this is my character’s specific reaction to this emotion. Your characters might respond differently). The feeling wheel can also be used to discover unexpected emotions. We can use the same parasailing scenario where Lexi feels powerful and Tyler scared and take it one step further. The two are on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Tyler has been cracking Nemo jokes. Instead of delving deeper into the fear spectrum, we could reshape Tyler's emotion into something on the opposite side of the spectrum such as contentment, serenity, or thankfulness. Or even an emotion near fear, such as hostility toward Lexi for her relaxed deposition or even jealousy of her lack of fear. How do your characters respond differently to deeper, raw emotions? What kinds of things do they do to cover them up?
 Welcome to my new blog! It's good to return to the blogosphere! I've missed connecting with fellow writers and readers, though many of us stayed in touch via Facebook and Twitter. I'll send out links to new post on those sites as they go live. I'm also building my newsletter. If you'd like to sign up, please use the form below. And last, if you're an author, I'm doing interviews and promotions again! If you have a new book, new cover, new promotion, etc and you're looking for a place to promote it, please fill out the Promo Request Form to let me know. Please note, I reserve the right to say no. |
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