Jade Varden Official Blog

It adds a lot of depth when you add sound effects to your books. Known in the literary world as onomatopoeia, it's the act of writing out a word that resembles a sound. Wheeze , for example. But like all good things, too many sound effects can ruin any story. Whizz, Bang, Boom   Sound effects are fun, even when they appear in print. A sneeze is executed with a kerchew , a laugh becomes a hearty har har . You might even get wild and throw in a splunk or two. Some scenes almost require a word effect or two, something to really bring the events on the page to life. You want the reader to be able to hear the coins drop in the fountain, not just see them.  Just don't make it a distraction. Your readers don't want to be treated to a splat or a buzz every third paragraph. When onomatopoeia is used too much, it brings attention away from the story instead of adding to it. Use it judiciously, and those sound effects will have a much bigger impact.

"The character development and scandalous plot left over from the first novel is picked up, shaken, and completely twisted." "Young readers everywhere will enjoy this book as much as I did." The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2) has been reviewed at Julie's Book Review . Read the whole thing to find out what reviewer Kris Myslin thought about the book.

Author, blogger and friend of the blog Annalisa Crawford dropped by yesterday to talk about why Twitter matters . Now, I'm going to tell you how to make it easier to use. When I finally figured this trick out, I wanted to kick myself for not thinking of it way sooner. Save Your Review Quotes Many authors, myself included, send out tweets that contain snippets of reviews. If someone writes that your book is amazing, great to read, or 5 stars, it's exactly the sort of stuff you want to show off. I used to sit and work on tweets for extended periods of time, seeking out usable review quotes after combing through my Amazon and Goodreads pages.  Then one day, inspiration struck. Why not just take the time to ferret out all the good review lines and save them in a single document? Why not add lines from new reviews as they appear, and keep this updated document handy when it's time to tweet? Why didn't I think of this before?  I don't have an answer fo...

It's been a year since my novella Cat and The Dreamer was published! There have been lots of changes in my own life in that time, and I started to wonder what else had changed... Thank you Jade for inviting me over today! Today's topic: Twitter! When Cat and The Dreamer was published I didn't have a Twitter account - everyone else in the world did, everyone else used their accounts to tell each other about their new book releases... I relied on a solitary tweet by Hubby. I was on Facebook, I had a blog - why did I need Twitter too? I succumbed in June, and it wasn't even with professional reasons in mind. I'm not sure what swayed me, but I've been having a blast ever since. I can now tell the world all those witty things I think during the day that would be otherwise lost. I can (and did ) share my thoughts about the Olympic opening ceremony, along with the rest of the world. In fact, it was that was the evening I unfollowed my first person, bec...

Last week, I revealed that I was finally moving into my new house, which has been mine for three months. After extensive work and a lot of waiting, I'm in. And, sadly, the terror I was feeling last weekend blossomed into complete hysteria by Tuesday, 4 pm Eastern Standard Time.  A House Without Internet That was when, after 3 hours on the phone with an ISP that I really shouldn't name, I was informed that my Tuesday appointment would not be honored. Not on Tuesday. Not on Wednesday. Not on Thursday, either. At 4 pm Eastern Standard Time this past Tuesday, I came to realize I wouldn't be going two days without Internet -- a scenario that already had me scared witless -- I would going without for a whopping five days . And maybe more. I was given several different answers over the course of multiple phone conversations. So when will I have the Internet again? When will I be able to post regular Writing 101 posts again? Your guess is as good as ...

"I can honestly say it's one of the best self published books I've read." "One of the best, most exciting mysteries."   Emily at Confessions of a Bookaholic, a great reviewer and friend of the blog, has posted her option of The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2) . Visit her blog to see what she had to say about the book!

Head on over to my pal Christopher Fischer's blog to read reviews of all four books in the Deck of Lies series, plus an in-depth interview with me! See if you agree with his opinion of Justice, The Tower, Death and Judgment. 

Author Lisa Fantino dropped by today to share her unique insights after 5 decades of being a writer. Stay tuned for a future review of her popular book Amalfi Blue , coming soon to the blog. In the meantime, see what Lisa had to say about her 50 years of writing... The 5 Decades of a Writer's Life Some people are born opera stars.   Some folks are natural athletes. I am a lifer when it comes to writing.   I received the all important tools of the trade, a typewriter and a tape recorder, for my third Christmas and so it began. Now, with the release of my memoir, “Amalfi Blue, lost & found in the south of Italy,” it puts this long passion for writing in perspective. With the success of the book, come the requests for advice from aspiring writers, people who have not yet earned a penny from their hobby.   I call it a hobby because that is all it will be for most people because there is a true difference between just writing words or creating a world with...