Moirai Spotlight~Guest Post

Title: Moirai (Aberrant 2) Author: Ruth Silver Publisher: Patchwork Press (print) & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook) Published On: September 26, 2013   Blurb: Olivia has been on the run from the government of Cabal since the marriage ceremony. Finally settling in and finding herself a place to call home in Shadow, Olivia and Joshua prepare for the uprising that they and the rebel alliance have been planning for months. With new abilities and special talents from Mindonsiphan, Olivia learns she can do more than most ordinary eighteen year olds. Learning both to hide and perfect her skills will be one of the biggest challenges she'll be forced to face. A constant rollercoaster of emotion and adventure await Olivia and Joshua as they embark on a journey to the rebel city of Torv, and what was once home, Genesis. Add to Goodreads Amazon | Barnes & Noble    

Excerpt  

“He wants her thrown in the dumpster.” I grimaced as I approached the mattress. “Help me.” I gestured towards the body. “I can't carry her on my own.” Even if I could, I wasn't doing this alone.

 

“I'm not throwing her away like garbage!” Lisa crossed her arms. “Think of something else, Jacqueline.”

 

“We could grab some wood, wrap her body, and burn her.” I glanced around the small bedroom. It was mostly empty, except for the dresser against the wall. There were no trinkets, no signs of another life outside of Genesis. I couldn't help but wonder if anyone missed her from back home.

 

“How are we going to do that without getting caught?” Lisa asked.

 

“I don't know. Craynor will know we did it.” We were the ones that were told to throw the body away.

“We could find a place in the far end of the lot and bury her.”

 

Lisa frowned. “No, I like the idea of burning her body. We'd be making a statement. Anita would have approved.”

 

“If we get caught, we'll be killed,” I reminded her. So much for staying out of trouble.

 

“He's killing his servants. You don't think that demands attention?” Lisa huffed. “I would have liked to know what I was getting involved in before I worked here.”

 

“It wasn't like you had a choice.” I reminded her bitterly. That was what we were fighting for: our freedom to make choices. Whether they were right or wrong, they were our choices to make.

 

“Even so,” Lisa scoffed, “she deserves more than being thrown away like a piece of trash.”

 

Footsteps clomped through the hallway, just outside the door. “Well whatever we decide, we need to do it fast.”

Guest Post

by Ruth Silver

What is the best way for a new writer to sabotage themselves?

The most difficult aspect in being a writer is accepting criticism of your work. Sometimes its warranted, when it's constructive and can help you grow as a writer. Other times it's not. As an author, your work is put on display and undoubtedly you will receive reviews. We always hope they're all positive (or at least constructive) but that's not always the case. At times it can be like high school all over again, and when you respond it can potentially destroy your career.

 

You may want to point out that a reviewer is wrong. Even if they are (ie - they mention your book is self published but instead you are an indie publisher), you're better off ignoring it. If they don't like your book and are criticizing it, telling them they're wrong about something (even if they are), isn't likely to make any difference. In fact, you should never ask a book blogger to change a review. Just accept whatever's been said and move on. You don't have to share, tweet and publicize the bad review. You don't even have to acknowledge it.

 

Sometimes reviews are received on sites such as Goodreads where people don't read your novel at all and will give you a star rating for whatever reason they feel like. Yes, this happens. How do we as authors know it happens and it's not something that bought the book and didn't like it? Well, when a book hasn't been released and it's getting reviews before the ARC (advanced reader copy) is released, we know they're just marking stuff on Goodreads because they can. Maybe they feel this is what the book should be rated. Personally, a reviewer shouldn't rate a book they didn't finish but that's my opinion. According to Goodreads, you can rate a book anything you want, whether you read it or not.

 

The best way for a new writer to sabotage themselves is to comment on a rating or review. One author that was planning a release asked the question why she was getting reviews before her novel was released. For her question, she was harassed and given even more negative reviews for a book that no one has read. I've seen ratings pop up on my novel that hasn't been released, what did I do: ignore it.

 

What's my point? Don't respond to reviews. Every writer may feel differently about this. If I ask for a review and the blogger provides one, I may thank them for reading and reviewing but that's often as far as I go in commenting on their review. Remember, what they write is their opinion. They may love your book or absolutely hate it but it's just an opinion.

  About the Author   Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of Aberrant. The Young Adult Dystopian Adventure, Aberrant is the first in a trilogy, released April 17th, 2013. Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She also enjoys photography, traveling and of most of all writing. Write Away Bliss | YA Book Deals | Twitter | Facebook