Judging Jade

"I loved the way Varden made the trial interesting and engaging to read with elements of cleverly placed humor...You would be silly to miss out on reading this book!"

"Like always with Varden's work, the writing flows effortlessly to create an interesting, intriguing and well developed plot that is easy for the audience to understand...I would not only high recommend this book but the whole series as a must read!"

Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) has been reviewed at Lost to Books. There are spoilers if you haven't read the first three books, but if you have feel free to enjoy the entire review!

First Review for Judgment

"I LOVED LOVED LOVED this entire series! BUT I love the ending best of all!!"

"It is everything I could have asked for (had I known what to ask for) in an ending!!" 

Theresa at Keepin' Up with the Joneses has reviewed Judgment. It's got spoilers! If you've read the Deck of Lies, go check it out.

Books on Film: A Christmas Story

Since its original release in 1983, A Christmas Story has become one of the best-loved and most popular holiday films of all time. Most people don't even know that it's actually based on a book of short stories, written by a guy who actually lived it.

 The Book

Jean Shepherd published In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash in 1966. It's a semi-autobiographical collection of humorous short stories, and many of them were used to inspire the full-length feature film A Christmas Story.

In the book, Shepherd writes about his hometown in Indiana, his friend Flick, and the longing he had to own a real Red Ryder BB gun. And in the book, Ralphie is all grown up. He has returned to his hometown, where he finds Flick at the bar he inherited from his father. They talk about the "good old days" together, and this is where we get most of the stories that unfold in the book. 

The book goes far behind a single holiday season, and in fact there's one story involving a teenage Ralphie (unimaginable, I know). Some of the best vignettes from the movie are present, however, and fans of the flick are sure to enjoy reading all about the infamous leg lamp, the hounds that live next door, the heroic battle between Dad and the furnace and Little Orphan Annie's secret decoder ring.

The tone is different. The author has a much more dry humor, he is brilliant at sarcasm. There isn't a lot of sarcasm in the movie; it's told to us through the eyes of a child. The short story collection is being told to us through the eyes of a man as he looks back on his life. But it's all the characters you love from the movie, explored more in-depth. A Christmas Story is only one piece; this book is the entire pie.

The Film

The flavor of the book's setting and characters is well-captured in A Christmas Story, which lifts several chapters from the page to put them on the screen. As the title would suggest, the story takes place entirely during the holiday season.

You pretty much have to be committed to not watching this film to have missed it. A Christmas Story is on television all during the holidays, you can find it plenty of places online, and sometimes you'll even find it playing on a 24-hour loop so you can't possibly miss one moment of the story. It's like that. 

The movie revolves around Ralphie, who was played by then-adorable Peter Billingsly (and whom you can catch in a cameo in a much more recent holiday film, Four Christmases). Though released in 1983, it's set in a much younger era, the '50s. Ralphie's mom is your typical harried housewife, Dad is your basic working stiff. It's Indiana, it's Christmastime, and all Ralphie wants in the entire world is a Red Ryder BB gun.

When he raises the topic with his mother, however, she scoffs. "You'll shoot your eye out," she warns, and pretty much writes the whole thing off. 

It's a crushing blow, the worst of the worst. Ralphie is forced to make his appeal elsewhere, and opportunity knocks when the teacher assigns an essay to the students. Everyone groans, until they learn they get to write about what they want for Christmas. It's perfect! Ralphie works hard to compose a fantastic essay, praising the merits o the BB gun of course, and turns it in proudly. 

It comes back with a low grade and a hand-written note: "You'll shoot your eye out!" 

Defeated again. Ralphie's got one last shot at realizing his Christmas dream: Santa Claus. Who else but the big man himself can help now? 

Like its young leading actor, this flick is just adorable. It's filled with little stories, like the defeat of schoolyard bully Scott Vargus, the incident involving Flick and the true art of giving dares to others, and who could forget the fudge episode? If you haven't seen it, your holiday celebration is not complete and will never be complete. You must watch this movie. It's like that.

What Got Adapted?

Jean Shepherd narrates the film, and had a hand at writing the screenplay, so it very closely resembles the author's writing style and voice.

Some of the stories are adapted in order to fit the Christmas theme; the hungry dogs is a standout example. Text from the book is lifted right from the page to the film, however, so the scenes are well-captured even when they're changed to fit the movie. See the movie, then read the book to get a dose of Ralphie's family life during every season, not just the holidays.

Writing 101: Can You Define Irony?

Some words are commonly misspelled by writers. Personally, I can't seem to wrap my head around "lieutenant." Some word pairs are mixed up. I can never keep "affect" and "effect" straight, myself. But some words are just used the wrong way...all the time. Ironic, and all its versions, is one of those words.

Defining Irony

There's a movie that I love, a romantic comedy with Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke, named Reality Bites. I love the film because it's true, it does, and Ben Stiller brings a ton of comedic value to the flick. There's a scene in the movie where Ryder's character is put on the spot, and asked to define irony. She makes a few attempts and then cries out that she can't define it, but "I know it when I see it!" 

But she probably doesn't. Many people can't define irony, and many writers can't use the word the right way, either. It's a very hard concept to define, but not impossible. And as a writer, it's your job to understand words. Why not start with a really hard one? 

By definition, irony means that the outcome is the opposite of what's expected. Now, here's the crux of it: what the hell does that mean? 

This is why irony is hard. Let's look at some examples. 

"Barbara runs outside every time it rains like this," Sherry explained. 

"That's ironic," Brad observed.

Brad's right. Common sense tells us to come indoors when it's raining. The fact that Barbara rushes out into it is ironic, because she's doing the opposite of what's considered to be the norm. 

 Jessica smiled ironically when she saw the mean portrait of her Becky drew in permanent marker.

We can infer from the above that Becky's portrait of Jessica is less than flattering. This is why her smile is ironic -- we would expect Jessica to look angry, or hurt, instead. 

Remember that irony is the opposite of what's expected, and usually it's humorous. When the opposite is sort of funny or amusing, it's clearly ironic. 

Writing 101: Hashtags

If you aren't using hashtags, you're not marketing as strongly as you could be. If you think they're too juvenile or just there to waste space, think again. You're a self-published author. When it comes to marketing, nothing is beneath you. 

Why You Need Hashtags

Twitter hashtags function as internal links. You can use the search bar near the top of the page to search for any hashtag phrase, any time, and see who has written tweets using that phrase. This is a great way to find people who like the same movies, books and music as you. It's also a great way to connect with your reading audience. There's really just one simple reason why you need to use hashtags: everyone else is using them. Once you start, it'll be easier for readers to find you. 

The Hashtags You Need

But there's an etiquette that comes with using hashtags. You can't write a tweet promoting your book, for instance, and then tack a random hashtag to the end of the message. Common hashtag phrases have to go with relevant content. That means you need some writing- and book-specific hashtags, so you can add them to the right tweets and increase your reach. 

On Fridays, use the hashtags #FictionFriday and #FridayReads, if you dare. Studies show that Friday is the day that Twitter's traffic is the lowest, so you might not want to put a lot of steam into marketing on this day. 

If you're a writer, you should be using hashtags like #writing and #amwriting when you're tweeting about what's happening with your books. You can also throw in #novels, #novelists or the poetry-related hashtags #poem, #poet and #poetry, depending on what you write.

I like the #ebooks hashtag when tweeting about my books, and you can always use the #kindle and #nook hashtags as well. Use the hashtag for your genre to get more subject-specific fans, like #YA, #mystery and #romance.

You should take some time, when you're Twittering, to take a look at the writing hashtags. Find out what others are talking about in the writing world, and collect marketing ideas. Of course, don't forget to follow the most important hashtag of all: the one I use. You'll find links to all my Writing 101 posts under the hashtag #writing101.

Writing 101: Who's Whose?

Who is a deceptively simple word. It sits there with its three letters, taunting and teasing you. But give in to its siren song of sweetness, and you're going to make all sorts of grammatical errors. There are so many different versions of the word who, you practically need a degree just to keep them sorted. One of the easiest errors to make in writing is mixing up who's and whose. I'm probably going to do it in this post, it's so easy. But together, maybe we can get it straightened out. 

Whose Word is it, Anyway?

Whose is the possessive form of who. This is confusing, because usually who's would show possession. If I grab ahold of Joseph and grip around his bicep, I'm holding Joseph's arm. The apostrophe and the s show the possession. 

That's not how it works with who. The word is irregular, so it becomes whose instead. It's also confusing because either word can properly start a sentence. Let's look at some examples:

Who's that sitting in our driveway?

Whose pork chop was left in the sink? 

In the first example, I'm asking asking about "who is." I don't know the name of the person in the driveway, so I'm asking "who is that." With who, the apostrophe s is a contraction. The apostrophe is there to represent the i in is. 

In the second example, I'm asking who left that pork chop in the sink. Who owned this pork chop? Whose was it? I don't know the name of the person with the pork chop, so I'm using who, and I'm asking about something that belongs to who. The word becomes possessive, and it becomes whose. Who's can mean who is or who has, but it can't show possession. It's always a contraction. 

And sometimes, maybe you're supposed to use whom, which is something else altogether. Whom is yet another form of who, and it basically boils down to this: whom is used when the subject is an object, who is used when it's a person.

Don't which know goes where? Just add your is. If you see who's, change it to who is and read it that way to yourself. If it sounds utterly wrong, you probably need to use the word whose instead. 

Writing 101: The Fatal Flaw

You have never met a perfect person. Even that fashionable girl with all the right accessories, or that Adonis who buys a latte every morning and somehow still has washboard abs, is flawed. All human beings are flawed. That's why the characters you create on the page have to be flawed, too.

Nobody's Perfect

Some flaws are pretty common, and relatively small. Your character might bite their nails, or forget to put their keys somewhere safe. Maybe they lose their phone a lot, I don't know. If you're writing a well-crafted character, you're writing one that has flaws. But many authors take this one step further. Many authors use an important plot device to move their stories forward.

Many writers create characters with a fatal flaw. 

Fatally Flawed

There's a school of belief that says we all have at least one terrible flaw, something that keeps us from being happy or achieving our goals or just moving forward in life. A fatal flaw is a mistake that we repeat again and again and again, some characteristic that leads us into mishaps, failed relationships and ugly situations. I have many fatal flaws. 

Does your main character have one?

Characters who have a fatal flaw exhibit the same behavior repeatedly, continuously making the same mistake. The mistake may not necessary repeat itself in the exact same way. A character who talks too much and reveals too much, for instance, may shoot their mouth off in class one day. The next week, maybe they go on a Twitter rant. It's two sides of the same flaw. Many characters are written with fatal flaws as part of their make-up for one simple reason: to eventually beat it. 

At some point, the character who has a fatal flaw begins to learn from their repeated mistakes. At some point, they start to see their own pattern and actively fight against it. The moment of greatness comes when the character is faced with a situation which would ordinarily bring out their flaw. 

In the example used above, the talkative character might be asked to give a speech about something they feel passionately about. By giving a short, to-the-point speech -- or better yet turning down the honor entirely -- the character shows that yes, they are growing and developing. And yes, they have beaten their own fatal flaw. Inevitably, this will lead the character to some good conclusion. Because they kept their mouth shut, their main love interest suddenly looks at them with new eyes, for example. A whole new world of possibility opens up before them.

The fatal flaw is a very useful fiction technique, and some of the greatest literary characters have at least one fatal flaw. Scarlett O'Hara, Anne Shirley, Emma Woodhouse -- the list goes on and on. A lot of plot develops because of the flaw -- the character continues to find themselves in trouble due to their own flaw. When the character finally rises above this flaw it's truly exciting and compelling, when it's written well. Overcoming a fatal flaw can, in fact, be the entire plot of a novel, if the flaw is terrible enough and the character likable enough.

So give your next main character a fatal flaw, and teach them how to overcome it through the pages of your writing. 

Regarding Justice

"The unfolding of characters motives, histories and discoveries of lies were just fun! I wanted to know what happened  next."

 "The writing was fast paced and descriptive without being overbearing."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at The Readers Heartstring. Read the whole thing before you get your copy of the book!

Books on Film: The Grinch

In late November and all through December, holiday-themed movies flood the theaters. People want feelgood stories, intense dramas, laughter and action. They want to be entertained, and they're doing it indoors because it's winter and it's cold. Filmmakers need holiday-themed stories to create all those movies. One of the most unusual picks, and one of the better book-to-film adaptations you'll find, was created by Dr. Seuss.

The Book

Arguably the most well-known children's book author of all time, Dr. Seuss has created unforgettable stories like Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat and 1957's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a holiday-themed treat starring my very favorite color, green. 

It's because the Grinch is green. He's the hero, or anti-hero, of the story, and he's a good one. He lives on a mountain above Whoville, where Christmas is celebrated with gusto. The Grinch hates the Whos. They sing, they dance, they exchange presents and eat food -- they annoy him. So the Grinch decides to take away their celebration, and steal Christmas.

A bold plan. To carry it out, he's going to need a red suit. If you're wearing a red suit and screwing around underneath trees on Christmas Eve, people are going to think you're Santa Claus. This is just simple logic. It follows that he's also going to need a sleigh -- that's to hold the presents -- and a reindeer. A sleigh and a big bag, you can pretty much find that at any hardware store. But a reindeer...this requires several days of intensive tracking and hunting in the northern territories, and clearly the Grinch doesn't have this kind of time. So he puts an antler on his dog instead, a handy enough solution in a pinch. 

And the Grinch steals Christmas. He goes down into Whoville in the middle of the night. He takes their ornaments, their stockings, their brightly-wrapped packages, even the roast beast they're saving for the Christmas dinner feast. Yeah, that's right -- he takes it all, down to the last scrap. During his night of silent, Christmas-stealing terror, the Grinch encounters just one witness: Cindy Lou Who. This little Who wakes up to find the Grinch in her home, but all is well on account of the red suit (proof of the unimpeachable logic). Cindy Lou thinks he's Santa, and the Grinch pats her on the head...and sends her back to bed. 

Don't worry -- there is a surprise ending. The Grinch doesn't simply go back to his mountain and laugh the day away, or anything like that. If you don't know the story, I'm officially shocked. It's very well-known, highly popular...and the entire basis for an adaptation that's already 60 years old. Even if you've never seen the book, you probably know the book.

The Films

A 22-minute TV special is one of the best-known adaptations of the story. Look for it on TV during the holiday season, and you'll find it. 

Dr. Seuss himself worked on the animated adaptation made in 1966. He wasn't really into the idea at first, but after seeing some animation and hearing some of the songs he agreed. Seuss wrote the lyrics for the songs and the extra lines in the story himself.

He didn't narrate it, though. That honor was given to Boris Karloff, who had a perfect voice for this particular story. Thurl Ravenscroft sings the theme song that's such a big part of the adaptation. The animation is very true to the original illustrations in the book, and the narration is almost exactly the same as the text of the book.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas wouldn't become a feature film until 2000, when Ron Howard turned it into one. But turning a very short children's book into 90 minutes of film...takes a little stretching. 

The feature-length film begins beautifully, with narration by Anthony Hopkins that lifts Dr. Seuss's words straight from the page. The viewer meets the Grinch, played beautifully by Jim Carrey, who looks just exactly how he ought to look (only three-dimensional, and not animated). He's up in his mountain home damning the Whos who live down below. 

Then, we get to meet some of those Whos. The movie takes us down into the village in the days before Christmas, where we meet Cindy Lou Who and her parents. There are other characters as well, like the Mayor of Whoville and Martha May Whovier. The Whos look just as they ought, and they're frantically celebrating the season by shopping, decorating, shopping, decorating, and sending Christmas cards and packages (presumably, to the Whos who live in Whotown and Whocity). 

In a word, it's fabulous. No detail was left out. The film is lavish in all matters of set design, costuming and makeup. The dialogue is first-rate as well. Because there simply isn't enough story to fill an entire film, more has been added. Viewers are exposed to the Grinch's back story, and we even uncover a love interest. Cindy Lou becomes a fully-realized character, whose goal is to find the spirit of Christmas and get past all the obsessive shopping, decorating and eating.

New songs are added, and the original Grinch theme song is punched up a little. The scene of the Grinch stealing Christmas is perfectly re-created from the book to the film. It is one of the top five top-grossing holiday films of all time. Yeah, it's that good. If you haven't seen it, see it. If you've already seen it, see it again. It's the holidays, and green's the color of the season.

Writing 101: Conflict and Obstacles

If your main character doesn't have conflict and obstacles to overcome, then your story probably isn't complete. In life, things get hard. The going gets tough. Enemies appear. I want to see that in your book...and then, I want to see the main character defeat them. This is why your main character is also known as the hero. 

Nobody Said Life Was Fair

Here's the thing: you want readers to identify with your main character. Nobody's life is just perfectly smooth sailing. We all get crushes on people who don't like us back, spill something on ourselves at the worst possible time, get caught in the rain or in an embarrassing situation. Some people face extreme challenges, and often these make for the best stories. 

If your character faces no obstacles and lives a life free of conflict, I'm not going to find it believable. Even worse, I'm probably not going to like this character. Conflict and obstacles are an essential part of every plot. You don't necessarily have to have a villain, a character in the story who opposes your hero, but you do have to have something that keeps us from our goal. If the character is trying to solve a crime, put a nosy so-and-so in the way. If the character is trying to be prom queen, put an opponent into the mix. Or, mix it up and don't use a character at all. Maybe something happens to the main character with no outside help -- the hero falls and breaks a bone, and now they're physically limited. Conflict comes in many forms, and writing is a great way to explore it. 

Everyone faces challenges, and your main character should have the same experience. It's most rewarding to readers when the hero overcomes those challenges in order to get to their ultimate goal. Removing these obstacles shouldn't be neat and easy, because life so rarely is. Perhaps it's a story about a girl who's in love with a boy, buy he's got a girlfriend already. She's an obstacle. The more difficult she is to remove, the more rewarding it's going to be when she's finally out of the way. The struggle is the story, and that's what great writing is all about. 

You've already got everything you need to write about conflict and obstacles when you're writing fiction. As a writer, you've already faced all sorts of challenges in picking the right words, in facing your own fears, in finding courage and even in facing down those who oppose you. Now, go write about it.

Writing 101: Should You Ever Give Up?

I was inspired by a hashtag that I just happened to notice when I went to write this post, but it's a thought I've had before. It's easy advice to say "don't ever give up!" "follow your dreams!" and all that other inspirational nonsense, but it can be hell to live it. It's also unrealistic. Should you ever give up? Well yeah, maybe. 

A World Full of Books

This past year, 2012, which is nearly over (but not quite), more than 2 million new books have already been published. Just this year. In the United States alone, approximately 400,000 books have been published this year (10 Awful Truths About Publishing). That's wonderful, a great testament to the popularity of reading and literature. We are preserving a record. We are creating entertainment.

Judgment: Now Available!

Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) is now available for Amazon kindle! The book will be available for Nook and other devices later this week, so keep checking back for links. 

Cashing Out

Do I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

How can I, when the truth will destroy us all? Now that I’ve started telling lies, I can’t stop. Not until all this is over, and I’m free of the family that never felt like mine. Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe I’m a bad person.

But it’s definitely the only way I’m ever going to escape them. I have to take the opportunity, no matter how terrible it is…don’t I?

Writing 101: No Writer is an Island

When I was very young, and dreaming of becoming a writer, I had a vision in my head of what it would be like. I would sit in a very quiet and serene room, all by myself, just creating brilliant words all day long. Now I know that sort of thing isn't possible -- and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want it if it was. If you're self-publishing, you're doing a whole lot of work all on your own...but you probably aren't actually alone. Sometimes, it's hard to remember that the people around you are always contributing, too.

Hey, There Are Other People Here

Plenty of self-published authors don't live alone. They may have pets, or kids, spouses or roommates. All of these animals and people are capable of affecting the way you write your book. The people closest to writers are usually a big influence; certain characteristics from your mate may seep into the characters you put on the page. But they influence and affect you in other ways, too, and their contributions can't be overlooked. 

• Space

The people who share your space with you make a difference, both good and bad. Make sure they understand that you need your own space to work and write, and really shouldn't be disturbed. And tell them how much they mean to you, from time to time. When the people closest to you are supportive of your efforts, you'll feel a lot less stressed about self-publishing.

• Time

You need your friends and family members to give you the space to write, and that means you've got to give them something, too. Don't forget to make time for the other members of your household and others who are close to you. Do not spend all of your free time writing, though it is compelling to do so. Make time to maintain a social life, or at least something like it, and always take some time just for yourself while you're at it. Everyone has to recharge and reset, and you cannot think about writing all of the time. You'll burn yourself out, and make yourself nuts. 

• Sharing

The people in your immediate household are your best sounding board. Ask them to read your work, bounce ideas off of them, get their input and their help. They're going to be much more gentle with you than any reviewer, and they're a wonderful first test for any ideas you have. If you're thinking of something that sounds really out-of-the-box, check it against those close to you and see how they react. 

There are other people in your life, and they can tell you that living with a writer isn't easy. Talk to them to let them know your needs, but don't forget to ask about their needs as well. Use them, appreciate them and get support from them. Your writing will be better for it, and your relationships will be a little less strained when you're slaving away at the keyboard.

Facing Death

"More twists and revelations will come right at your face."

"This book is spooky and creepy (in a good way) which makes it a  really great mystery read!"

Little Book Star has reviewed Death (Deck of Lies, #3). Read the entire review before you get your copy of Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) this week!

Writing 101: How Do You Know When You're Done?

Write "the end" as many times as you like -- it doesn't necessarily mean that you're all done with your book. Many writers, in fact, spend more time editing and re-writing than they ever spend on creating that first draft. It's really easy to get caught up in perfecting a book, to go back to it again and again...and that makes it really hard to release your book so others can actually read it. How do you know when you're done, and when a book is really ready to be released? The answer is actually pretty simple. 

 When Enough is Enough

Some scenes just won't go away, even after you put them on the page. Some scenes demand to be re-written, perfected, over and over again. And it's easy to get caught up in that. Every writer wants to produce a perfect book. But at some point, you've got to stop typing, stop reading, and finally say done. 

You're the only one who knows when you finally get to that point, and it changes with every single book. When are you done writing that tricky scene? When you finally stop thinking about it. Writers re-write scenes because they can't get them out of their heads; they keep playing, and re-playing inside the mind, and changes have to be made. When you finally get that out of your head, then you're finally done. When you're done re-thinking, second-guessing and re-working, then you're finally done. If it stops keeping you up at night, stops distracting you during the day, stops haunting you when you're supposed to be doing other things, then just stop. You're done messing with it. 

When your head space is calm and quiet, it's because the work is finally done. It's because enough is finally enough. Don't go back to the book and look for more work. Trust yourself, and put it out there. You'll learn more by publishing than by proofreading for that seventh time.

Compelled to Read Justice

"What could oh so easily have been just another fish out of water story full of trite and tired cliché is instead a well thought out and cleverly written page turner."

"Jade Varden is an excellent storyteller with a deft hand at flowing prose. The story is compelling and interesting."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at Twisted Sense. Read the full review, and then get the book free as part of the Stuffed Full of Lies weekend.

Indie Author of November

Verdict Book Reviews has picked me as their indie author of the month of November! Visit the blog to see the post, and find out exactly why I got picked.

Stuffed Full of Lies

Judgment, the fourth and final book in the Deck of Lies series, will be in online bookstores Tuesday, November 27. That's only three days away! 

It gives you just enough time to catch up on all the lies before the series ends. For the rest of this weekend, the first three books in the series will be FREE when you buy them at Smashwords. Get them in any electronic format, and get stuffed full of lies. 

To get Justice (Deck of Lies, #1), use the code PA47C

To get The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2), use the code PW83B

To get Death (Deck of Lies, #3), use the code PM25K

Judgment Trailer

The day of Judgment is coming. Take a peek at the trailer to find out what the fourth and final book in the Deck of Lies series has in store for you...

Check the blog every day this weekend for announcements about Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4), and get the book as soon as it's released!  

Books on Film: Miracle on 34th Street

The holiday season is a special time of year, and plenty of writers have used that to their advantage. Stories about Santa Claus, believing and the holiday spirit are always going to be popular. But few are destined to gain the sort of love and popularity enjoyed by Miracle on 34th Street, one of my all-time favorites. You've probably seen the movie, but what do you know about the book?

The Book

Valentine Davies wrote Miracle on 34th Street in 1947, as a companion novelette for the film released the same year. It was actually published by 20th Century Fox, who also made the film, but it's managed to stand on its own and has sold millions of copies. The book introduces readers to Doris Walker, a rather cold career woman who works for Macy's. She's managing personnel for the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and must fire the Santa Claus she's hired at the last minute when he turns up drunk. She hires bystander Kris to take his place, an elderly gentleman who looks the part. He's so good in the parade that Toy Department head Mr. Shellhammer suggests that Kris play the department store's in-house Santa for the duration of the holiday season. Kris accepts the job and goes to work at Macy's, on 34th Street in New York City. 

Doris has a daughter, 6-year-old Susan, who has been raised in a world without fairy tales, dreams or fantasies. Doris doesn't believe in illusions; apparently she already got her fill of them with her former husband (Susan's father). Once the parade is over she goes to fetch Susan from the apartment of Fred Gailey, a lawyer who lives in the same building, and he manages to wrangle an invite to Thanksgiving dinner with Susan's help. Gailey is single, Doris is pretty, and he's hoping the dinner will only be the beginning.

The dinner goes well, but Doris's next workday does not. It seems that Kris thinks he actually is Santa Claus, like the real one, and this is cause for concern. He is taken to Macy's company psychologist Albert Sawyer, who takes an immediate dislike to Kris. Meanwhile, Kris has managed to strike up a friendship with Fred Gailey, and together the two of them plan to unthaw Doris and Susan. Gailey will work on opening Doris's icy heart, and Kris will teach Susan how to be a child with an imagination she's not afraid to use. 

But Sawyer proves to be a fly in the ointment. He manages to get Kris committed to Bellevue, the famed insane asylum, without Doris's knowledge. Gailey signs on as his lawyer in order to prove that he's sane and get him out of the place. 

Gailey comes up with a truly unique defense. Instead of finding a way to prove that the man who calls himself Kris Kringle is sane, he decides to prove -- in a court of law, mind you -- that Kris actually is Santa Claus. And maybe he is. It's the holiday season, and anything's possible...as Susan will learn at the end of the story.

The Film

The story beautifully comes to life on film, which makes since as the book was created to complement the movie. Natalie Wood stars as the adorable Susan, Maureen O'Hara is gorgeous as Doris, and Edmund Gwenn is Kris Kringle/Santa Claus. He was so good in the role, young Wood actually thought he was Santa, and the Academy agreed. He won an Oscar in the role.

The movie opens with Kris window-shopping on Thanksgiving, where he corrects a store clerk who has put the reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh in the wrong positions. The audience is this taken into the bustling middle of the parade, where Doris is putting out several different fires. We know at once that she's a strong, capable career gal. We find out soon that she's also a single mother who does her best to keep her daughter firmly grounded in reality.

My favorite scene occurs early in the film, when Gailey takes Susan to Macy's to visit Santa. She matter-of-factly tells him that she doesn't want anything for Christmas -- "whatever I need, my mother will buy me, if it's sensible and doesn't cost too much." But when he speaks fluent Dutch and sings a song with a little girl who believes he is Santa, even Susan is touched. I just love it. Another great moment comes later in the film, during the trial, which is filled with absolutely fabulous moments. One of the best is when Gailey calls the prosecutor's own son to the witness stand to testify that Santa does, indeed, exist -- "because my daddy told me so." I adore trial scenes, and the one in this flick is worth watching again and again.

What Got Adapted?

Very little changes from book to film in this one, for obvious reasons. As the story goes, it was originally written around 1944. Davies later adapted the work when Fox thought it would make a great screenplay, and she worked on both the novel and the script with other Fox writers.

The AFI ranks the original film in their Top Ten of classic American films, and it's part of the National Film Registry. Several remakes of the movie do exist, but the 1947 version is still the best by a country mile. Now is the season to watch it, so go and watch it! This story is a delight, both on the page and on the screen.

Cover Reveal: Judgment

The fourth and final book in the Deck of Lies series, Judgment, is nearly here! The book will be available in online bookstores soon. Now, you'll know what to look for. The cover has been officially revealed!

Cashing Out

Do I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

How can I, when the truth will destroy us all? Now that I've started telling lies, I can't stop. Not until all this is over, and I'm free of the family that never felt like mine. Maybe it's wrong. Maybe I'm a bad person.

But it's definitely the only way I'm ever going to escape them. I have to take this opportunity to end things between us once and for all, no matter what it takes.

Don't I?

And here's a little taste of Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4). You won't find this brief excerpt anywhere else! 

“It’s fine, Rain,” Asher assured me maybe four minutes later. He’d excused himself to leave the room, no doubt to talk to media outside the courthouse, and arrived looking loose and relaxed. At least someone was having a good time. “Warren loves to showboat and grandstand, but he’s never won a case in a head-to-head against me.”

“This isn’t a boxing match,” I answered woodenly. My eyes were still glued to the judge’s bench, though she’d retired to the little room where she hid when court wasn’t in session. I didn’t dare look to the jury; I didn’t know what I would find there if I did.

“You’re wrong about that,” Asher answered. He was actually smiling as he double-checked to make sure his cufflinks were in place and his tie was perfectly straight. He had his briefcase open, and I caught him checking his hair in a tiny mirror secured to the inside corner before he closed it. “It is a boxing match, and you’ve got the better man on your side. Just wait and see,” he added.

Asher came to his feet like he knew the bailiff would choose that moment to enter. The judge followed, and within a minute the court settled down into uneasy silence. Graham Warren’s speech had left its mark on them all.

It was Asher’s job to undo all that work.

“Court is resumed,” the judge tapped her gavel. “Mr. von Shelton, we are now prepared to hear your opening statement.”

Act one of my drama continued as Asher swept gracefully to the center of the room. His brown hair gleamed under the lights, and his light blue silk tie perfectly brought out the golden, tanned tone of his skin.

Check the blog every day this weekend for announcements about Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4), and get the book as soon as it's released! 

Writing 101: Food in Books

Food and books go well together. When you're nice and full from your Thanksgiving feast, there's nothing as sweet as curling up with a good book. They seem to encourage snacking, and sometimes a book is so good it's difficult to pull one's eyes away to bother with looking at dinner. Why not cut right to it, and add food directly into your books? 

Even Characters Have to Eat

Everybody eats. It's one of the universal truths that ties all human beings together. I live in Kentucky, in the United States, and passionately love books and basketball. But when it comes to food, I'm not so different from the boy working on a farm that has no electricity in Asia  -- because I eat it, too. And that brings us right back to why you want to add food to your books. 

• Realism

Anything that makes your characters feel more real to readers is a good thing, and there's nothing like food to do that for you. Have your character eating pizza with friends or stopping at the fast food burger joint; we've all done that, so we can all relate. Use food to help me relate to your characters, because it'll work. 

• Descriptive writing

Food also allows you to be really descriptive, and that's exactly what you want your writing to be.  Describe the smell, the texture, the taste. Put me right there in that moment -- in that booth, eating pizza. Put me at the dinner table, cutting into the steak. 

• Introduce something new

Books allow readers to go to new places, to meet new people...to try new things. Why can't one of those things be food? It can be exciting to read about a food that I've never tasted, to learn about some new dish. I read one book that actually gave me a recipe, and I was delirious about it. I went straight into the kitchen once I got to the end of the chapter, no kidding. Use food to give your readers something new and different, and it will make your writing more memorable and enjoyable.

 Food and Books

Add food to your books, and your readers will eat it up (pun intended). It brings more flavor to the page, and your fans will end up being hungry for more of your writing. I could do this all day, but now I'm the one getting hungry. So think about ways to add more food to your writing while you're eating today, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Writing 101: Getting Exposure

Exposure is the best way to sell books, because if people can't find you they definitely can't buy. As a self-published author, you've probably got accounts on all those social media sites. You may already have a blog, even a website, to promote your writing and your books. But there's more you can start doing if you want to start getting exposure.

Becoming Noticeable

Blogging and staying active in social media, particularly book-centric sites like Goodreads, is a great way to get exposure for yourself as an author and by extension, your books. But you can always take things up to the next level, too. 

First, you've got to identify what sort of author you are. If you write in a specific genre, you've got a good starting point. If you're a short story author, you're already ahead of the game. 

Expose Yourself

Writing articles for magazines, professional blogs and literary journals is a great way to get exposure among a reading audience. But your stuff is only going to get published if it's really good, and it's only going to help you if you go about it in the right way.  

Here's what you have to do: start thinking about topics that are relevant to your books and your writing. For example, I like to write mystery-romance books. I might write an article about real crimes involving couples who were once romantically linked. Maybe I'll call it Jilted: Real Crimes of Passion. Exciting, right? 

That's the whole point. If you write about erotica, maybe you'll come up with an article about safe sex toys, or how to practice bondage in a safe way, or maybe how to find like-minded sexual partners. If you write children's books, an article about the important of youth literacy might be in order, or maybe something scholarly about how creativity is essential in child development.

If you're going to write articles, write them the right way. Use AP style and write in an engaging, informative tone. If you have a specific website in mind for your submission, read other articles on that site to get a feel for the tone they like. Cite your resources, cite your statistics, cite your quotes. Include an About the Author box! If readers can't find you, all this effort isn't doing any good. Offer your articles for free. They're more likely to get published if they're good and there are no strings attached, and the promotion you'll get in return is well worth the time and effort it takes to write the article. You don't need additional compensation.

Writing non-fiction articles just isn't for everyone, and even the most creative novelists struggle with simple newspaper copy. You can always write short stories, or submit your own short stories, instead. It's best if your short stories are in the same genre as the book you'd like to promote (because if readers like your stories, they're more likely to buy a book that's similar). Always include an About the Author box with the submission, and don't forget to include the contact information to help readers find you. 

Writing 101: Writing an Author Bio

Every author has to have a bio somewhere, sometime, for something. Just about every website is going to want one, bloggers are bound to ask, and even Amazon expects you to write a little something about yourself when you self-publish your book. 

Who Am I? 

It's a little task, and for many authors it's terrifying. What does one say about oneself? The author bio is another little piece of promotion, and it shouldn't be overlooked. I've literally purchased books based on the strength of an author bio. You want to come up with something standard to use, 50 to 150 words, that is interesting but professional, attention-getting but low-key, suggestive without being pushy...and written in the third person. 

It's a whole lot to ask for, and frankly I find it to be one of the more undesirable tasks that come with being an author. Some people can afford to hire publicists to do this sort of thing for them, but the self-published author has got to write their own bio. Keep a few points in mind while you're working to write a good one. 

About...

There are several standard items that traditionally go into an author bio. Lots of authors mention where they live, their credentials and what they write about. This might look something like this:

S. P. Author makes her home in Boulder, Colorado, where she writes about murders every day. After spending ten years as a private investigator, Author turned her attention to crimes that happen on the page. 

See how interesting that is? Yet the first part of the bio really only gave you the information outlined above: location, credentials, genre. Now, round your author bio out a little, doing your very best to grab the reader's attention. How? By telling them what, specifically, you've got to offer. Adding to the bio we started above, this next bit might look something like this:

S. P. Author has published five mystery novels told from the gritty perspective of a private eye who observes no rules when it comes to solving cases. Visit her blog at spauthorwrites.com for real-life crime stories, excerpts from the books and reviews of mystery novels in all genres.

Now you know even more: this author writes serial mysteries starring a lone investigator, like many of the great mystery writers of the past, and she blogs. You know more about what the author has to offer, and where you can go to get it.

The bio is right around 80 words so far. Finish it up with something colorful if you like to make a lasting impression. Adding on to the bio above, it might end with something like: 

Follow @SAuthorClues to find out why some books are worth killing for.

It's sort of tantalizing, and the author's Twitter is getting a mention, to boot. Now the entire bio is just under 100 words, which is a perfectly manageable size, and it's got all the important information in it. But it's still interesting, and reads well. It's professional, but maybe just a little provocative, too. This is the tone you'll want to strike, but adapt it to suit your own audience. I write mysteries, so naturally I tend toward something a bit dark and cryptic. If you write comedies, be a little bit more funny. If you write romances, be a little bit more suggestive or sweet. If you write children's books, put a little more emphasis on your credentials and think like a parent; they're the ones who will be reading your blurb, not the children you target with your stories.

Writing an author bio can be stressful, but it's still possible to come up with a good one. Be objective, be professional, and add all the important information. Polish it up so it reads well and looks perfect, and save it! You'll end up needing a bio in many different places, so keep it where you get at it easily.

Writing 101: Press Releases

Why do some books succeed, where others fail? A lot of professionals say it's all in the marketing. When it comes to budget, the big publishing houses probably have the advantage over you as a self-published author. But you are your own best possible advocate. And when it comes to gumption, you've got the marketing edge. Use it well by creating press releases. It's totally free for you to do so.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Press releases are created for any number of events, products and people, but only for one reason: promotion. Think of it as a text-based advertisement. Instead of moving video or a stunning graphic image, you're using words, and only words, to sway the audience. Many authors excel at writing press releases because they are completely word-based.

Any writer can figure out how to write a press release, because they all follow a pretty simple formula. Master the formula, and then start working on your rhetoric.

All press releases begin with the line For Immediate Release. It's put in bold, and sometimes it's written in all caps. Beneath this, write the headline of your press release. It should read like a newspaper headline -- exciting and to the point. On the first paragraph, the press release begins with a city and state, country, and complete date. After this pertinent information is given, there is a dash ( - ) and the text of the press release begins on the first line.

This first paragraph ought to serve as a brief introduction, outlining the most relevant information. When you're writing a press release to promote your books, what's the relevant information? Are you announcing the release of the book, announcing a giveaway maybe? The date of the event is relevant, as is the name of the book and of the author. If you have a blog or you've written other books, this information may be relevant, too. A press release for me might read as follows:

For Immediate Release

Author Visits Blank Bookstore to Read, Sign Books

Topeka, KS, USA, November 20, 2012 - Jade Varden, author of the Deck of Lies series, will be appearing this weekend to give a public reading at the Blank Bookstore on Fifth Avenue. The author will stay for three hours after the reading to sign books, which will be available for purchase in the store. 

In the next paragraph, you'll want to start elaborating. Using the example above, I'd go on to elaborate on the Deck of Lies series. How many books are in it? What's it about? When writing a press release, always remember that you're trying to sell something. Make it exciting, fill it with verbs, and make sure it isn't boring. The second paragraph of a press release for a book launch might read as follows:

Gravity tells the tale of Reeva, a fairy girl who was separated from her own family as an infant. She's been raised among the humans, but she is not a human. When the world she was born to collides with the world where she was raised, Reeva will have to use all her skills to save the ones she loves. There's only one thing that might keep her from realizing her full potential: Gravity.

The third paragraph should add even more elaboration, except this is where you start to make it personal. If you want your press release to be a success, you want to create some sort of emotion in your readers. Make them love you. Make them hate you. Make them act. This is where you'll want to point out what's unique or special about your event. Why is this book release or event important? Why do I care? Will I get some special edition of the book if I buy it right now, or through the author's website? Will I get an electronically signed copy? Example:

S. P. Author is a trained teacher who worked with children for years before creating Gravity, a book about finding oneself even when it means breaking all the rules. To celebrate the release of Gravity, Author is giving away 100 signed copies of the book free on her website. New followers who sign up between November 20 and November 30 will be eligible for the giveaway. 

Beneath all the text that compels readers to act, you must include contact information to make the press release complete. Usually this information is preceded by the line For More Information and then the information, like visit S. P. Author's website at spauthorswebsite.com. 

You may want to include an "About" section at the very bottom of the press release. This is a standard bio box that will provide a little extra information about the author of the book or the book itself.

Press releases and any About sections must be written in the third person. That means you never use the word "I" or "me." You should also write formally, meaning that you never address the reader directly; do not use the word "you" at any time. Keep the release short, no longer than 500 words including all text and headings.

Need help? Download press release templates to keep yourself on track while you're writing your marketing materials. Find samples of press releases in order to absorb the right tone and style.

When you're done and your press release is absolutely perfect, submit it to press release sites like prleap.com, prweb.com or pr.com. You may also wish to send copies to your local newspapers and news blogs, along with sites that specialize in book news and/or indie book news.

Press releases help you spread the work about your books, and spreading the word is what marketing is all about. It does take extra time and effort, but well-written press releases give your book a little extra professionalism and may even bring you some extra readers.