New Release & Give-Away - ETERNAL TUAT

Eternal Tuat – Sekhmet’s Guardians – Book Four

V.S. Nelson

ISBN-13:978-1499185461

Available in print, large print and Kindle format through

Amazon and other fine outlets

 

Unlike the other three novels in Sekhmet’s Guardians, this first person, stand-alone historical takes the reader back in time 6,000 years, back to the land of New Tuat and to ancient Egypt. The question, how could two identical twin brothers turn out so differently are answered by Bagsu in this epic tale of family, growth, loss, betrayal and brotherhood.

 Back cover blurb:

Bagsu, his name alone strikes fear in the Guardian Nation.

What can cause one twin, destined to take his father’s place as a priest turn evil and lead a crusade to dominate the human race while the other fights to save mankind?
Finally, secrets are revealed when Bagsu leads us back in time to the land of New Tuat. Experience first hand what really happened to Bagsu and Gabriel long before they became immortal, when twin brothers were the best of friends.

 Excerpt:

The king’s brother, Set, thanks Sekhmet’s guards for their service then dismisses them. After bowing they return to their post, leaving us alone with an open door and the two prisoners.

Menefta and Unab stand guard outside the cell. Requt, Set and I enter. The scum inside instantly recognize Set’s ebony face and go to their knees.

“Tell him.” Set’s lips do not move but his voice is heard by all.

They begin their squabbling, blaming the one who is not imprisoned for their deeds then beg for mercy.

“Where is he?”

“We do not know.”

Set nods at Requt who grabs and lifts the first one up with one hand. “Where is he?” He slams him against the brick wall.

“I swear to you, I do not know.”

“Speak now or die by my hand.”

“I swear to you my Lord, I do not know.”

Requt draws his blade across the assailant’s throat before I know what he is doing. He drops the man in a pool of blood. I’m happy he’s dead, but I wish it would have been by my hand.  Without thinking, I grab the other.

“Where is he?” I throw the man who stole Ebony, my horse, against the wall.

Set steps forward, places a hand on my shoulder and glares at the prisoner. I release him. He resumes his position on his knees.

“I believe he asked you a question.” Set’s voice is firm and direct. His eyes burn crimson.

“Sire, he will kill me!”

“And you don’t think I will.”

“Please, you must protect me.”

Set smiles. His eyes return to normal. “Of course; we merely wish to find your leader.”

Ebony’s thief tells us the third man, Nefer’s murderer, is held up in their hangout, a cave not far from town.

“Kill him.” Set turns and steps into the hallway.

Requt instructs me to leave. I tell him the responsibility is mine. He hands me his blade and steps aside. The prisoner stands, begging for mercy.

“Did any of you show mercy to me or to my wife?”

Again and again, the blade, as if it has a mind of its own, is buried in his stomach until a pool of blood encompasses the dirt floor. I release the man--he falls backward. My hands, arms and clothing are covered in blood.

The taste of revenge is sweet, but not sweet enough. I want more. I stagger toward Requt, blade in hand. He takes his knife from me and after wiping it clean returns it’s to his chest sheath. He doesn’t ask, but I can see the question in his eyes. Has the taking of a life given me the satisfaction I have hungered for?

About the Author:

 With a love for history, Native American author V.S. Nelson, instructed elementary, high school and college in the U.S. and abroad before launching her second writing career.

V has been a story-teller all her life, always creating stories about people discovering the courage to make a difference. This drove her into writing her paranormal series centering on strong relationships and led her to coin the term: Ancient Legends, New Worlds.
She is well known for her “time management and sprint style writing,” producing well over five thousand words daily - consecutively. Ms. Nelson is available for speaking engagements, appearances and is more than willing to share her methodology with others in a variety of workshops.
A member of three RWA chapters she sits on several committees, judges writing contests across the states and serves on her local chapter’s board.
In Jan, 2013, Eternal Lovers, the first book in her eleven book paranormal series, Sekhmet’s Guardians launched with a fury. Being a series reader herself, she has held true to her promise by releasing no less than two books in the series per year in addition to her other work. Since that time, Sekhmet’s Guardians was proclaimed Top New Series for 2013 and more recently been defined by reviewers as a modern day Game of Thrones.
Ms. Nelson enjoys hearing from readers, fans and people with similar interests. They are more than welcome to contact her through her website http://www.authorvsnelson.com

Purchase links
KINDLE: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K34GXMC
Print and Large Print coming soon.

 

 

 

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Is There A Difference Between Beta Readers and Critique Partners?

Veronica sez: I enjoyed V.S.'s take on the subject of beta readers and critique partners so much, I asked her to post the discussion here for her December blog topic and she kindly obliged. So here's the answer from V. S. Nelson, to the rhetorical question she posed in the title line:

You bet there is! First, I’d like to define the terms beta readers and critique partners we so often use in the writing world. Simply put, a beta reader is someone who reads an author’s unpublished work.  He or she can be an author, but this isn’t a requirement. A critique partner is another author who you expect feedback from. They both serve a valuable service to the author.

Beta-Readers

Some authors use beta readers to read their work just before their story goes to print (or in this day and age, uploaded to a site like Amazon), while others, like myself; prefer to utilize two different types of beta readers. I call them pre and post. My pre-post-beta-reader reads my work prior to it being edited. I primarily use my pre-post-beta-readers to make sure I have a story long before I spend endless hours editing something that might end up in the trash. I use their advice to enhance story lines, character developments and numerous other things.

Once I have evaluated their advice I put it to good use by beginning my rewrites. When I am satisfied with my changes, I send the manuscript back out to them for another quick look. If no more suggestions are made, my work is then sent to my critique partners and then to my first (copy) editor.They, of course, makes a variety of suggestions and corrections, sends the work back to me for another round of rewrites.

When I have completed the rewrites (yes again) it goes back to my copy editor for a hard look. Confident the work is in primo shape; I send it to my line editor and am ready to share it with my post-beta-reader. I have them complete a form, much like a judge would use in a writing contest. The form allows me to see if there is anything else that might need to be tweaked before I consider it ready for publication.

I have, of course, promised a signed copy of the finalized version not available to the public for their services, other wise known as an ARC (Advanced Released Copy.) 

Critique Partners

As I previously mentioned, a critique partner is another author/writer who evaluates your work and in return you evaluate her/his during the writing process. Critique groups consist of 2 or more writers and can be as large as 20 or so members with the average being around 4 or 5. Typically, critique groups meet bi-weekly or monthly depending on the needs of the group. These groups evaluate or critique sections or chapters as the novel is being developed or written. 

A Good Critique Partner or group is not a fan club. You are not there to praise another’s work, but to help each other with the writing process. Do not expect praises from your critique partners. Be thrilled if you get them, and know you are on the right track, but be warned if you get them too often, you might have a fan, not a real CP. Something I learned a long time ago, other authors are the hardest to please, as they should be.

A Great Critique Partner is worth their weight in gold as they spend hours reading over and critiquing your work with a fine tooth comb -- sometimes nit picking the tiniest things you missed… all in all, they help develop your manuscript into a piece of art. 

Acquiring Beta-Readers

            First rule of thumb is not to ask a close relative, like your mother or husband, to read your story. They are too close to you to give you an unbiased opinion. You want someone who, above anything else, is HONEST and DIRECT. Hearing, “I couldn’t get into your story, or your hero lacks something.” is not what you want hear--but if it is the truth you need to hear it before you spend hours upon hours writing and rewriting a 400 page novel.

This is why I request my pre-post-beta readers to read the unedited version. CONTENT, FLOW, and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT are essential to every great novel no matter what genre’ you are writing in. 

I’d like to give you ideas on who might make a really great beta-reader and give you some ideas where to find those beta readers.

(1)   Find someone who is well versed and reads you genre.

(2)   If you write from both male and female POVs; find someone of the opposite sex. These individuals can help you greatly with everything from romantic scenes to bloody battles.

(3)   If you are writing military romance or suspense; find a soldier, cop or someone who has expertise in that field.

Finding beta-readers is easier than you might expect. All one has to do is mention they are an author and they seem to come out of the wood work. But be careful and make sure you both understand the rules before you hand over your work to someone you really don’t know that well.

A beta reader who is tempted to share your work with every one of their friends is not for you. Remind them, you have selected them—and them only.

Another thing I will remind you of is having too many people read your work will give you too many outside ideas. Don’t ask everyone you know or meet. Trying to please the twenty people who read your book and commented on it will eventually drive you to creating some major mistakes. Remember you can’t please everyone and please, above all else stay true to your muse.

Joining a Critique Group

            The easiest place to find a critique group is through your local writing association. If you’re not a member of one, try visiting a local chapter of RWA (Romance Writers of American) or Sister’s in Crime. Newspapers often list local meetings. Check your bookstore bulletin board for locations for writing groups. Find someone or a group that fits your needs. As I mentioned they vary in size and what they are willing or not willing to do. If you join one and it works out for you, great! If not, find another.  

Love Those Reader-Writer Events! Some Lesser Known Conferences

From V. S. Nelson:

Every year RWA and other writer organizations put on writer conferences around the world. I’d like to take a minute of your time to highlight a few of my favorites. There are several blog posts on the “majors”, my name for the biggest conferences put on each year. RWA Nationals and RT (Romantic Times) fall into this category, so I will save our time together and mention a few of my favorites you may not know about.

One of my favorites is not a writer’s event at all; it’s a reader’s event held in the Southwest each year. ArizonaDreamin’ is where readers can get to meet and spend time with twenty or so of their favorite authors over the course of a weekend. A small event compared to the majors, but far more cozy and personal than anything you have previously attended. Last year they added an additional day set aside for the “want to be writer” entitled Buildin’ the Dream. The 2014 event key note speaker is Diana Gabaldon. I’ll also be in attendance and presenting a workshop on Sprinting, the key to finishing that manuscript in record time. One of my favorite events during this fun filled weekend is the Man of our Dreams competition.  The tall hunk in the center of the photo is James Magnussen, who won last year’s competition. His dream of becoming the next male cover model is already a reality as he is gracing the covers of several of this year’s upcoming best sellers.

*** 

I recently returned from Vegas where I attended the first annual RNC conference sponsored and put on by none other than the world’s most publicized cover model, Jimmy Thomas, who has graced over five thousand book covers. RNC promises to become RT’s rival if the next few years are as great as the first! Five full days are packed full of workshops, costume balls, photo shoots, parties, a book fair and more. RNC will keep you entertained and send you home rejoicing in your memories. In addition,  InD’tale Magazine hosts their annual RONE Awards at this event.  You never know what you are going to find (or experience) at this event.

The evening of August 8^th this past year while attending RNC, I found myself being escorted down the isle by Bat Girl and a handsome military man only to get married. No kidding, Jimmy found out my lifemate and I were planning on sneaking off and doing what people do in Vegas and turned our little wedding into an event none of us will ever forget. Surprise, Jimmy Thomas, cover model extraordinaire, conducted the wedding in a loin cloth. In case you didn’t know, Jimmy is also a licensed minister in two states. Who knows what surprises Jimmy has in store for next year? Guess I’ll have to return to find out.

***

 Attending your first writer’s conference can be rather intimating, even for the experienced social bug. The idea of being in the same room with some of the world’s best selling authors, editors and agents can be over-whelming. As I previously mentioned, RWA chapters across the states put on some fantastic conferences throughout the year. Choosing just one or two to write about is never easy, so I decided to discuss the first one I went to, which I might add, has been described by the NY agents as fun and relaxing. Held bi-annually in Arizona,  Desert Dreams proves to be a champion for the first time attendee.  There is something about the old west that makes people relax, forget all the formalities and concentrate on having a good old’ time and Desert Dreams does exactly that. You will even find the NY agents and editors relaxed and dressed in jeans while accepting pitches from new and experienced authors alike. Sylvia Day, Jennifer Ashley, Christie Craig along with many more authors will be in attendance. Pitches will be taken by representatives from Random House, the Laura Bradford Agency, and many more agents and publishers.  To read more about this event and who will be in attendance, please go HERE.

 Veronica Scott sez:  The latest from V. S. Nelson is the SEKHMET'S GUARDIANS series...

New Contributor Virginia Nelson Checking In!

I am so thrilled to be a part of Paranormal Romantics and this fantastic group of authors!

Since this is my first time writing anything for this blog, I thought it would be appropriate if I introduced myself to you.

Hi, I’m Virginia, but you can call me V; all my friends do. Virginia is so formal and when someone yells out my name, I often picture my mother screaming at me when she was upset at something I had done, which I might add, was quite often. Needless to say I was a tad on the bratty side… Still am in many ways. Guess that is because I see life as an adventure – one that must be experienced. And what an adventurous life I have led.

  

In my short sixty years, I’ve lived and worked in a dozen countries. Did I mention I also like to travel? (Maybe, I inherited some gypsy blood from someone down the line that I don’t know about. lol) Anyway, I’ve never been one to just sit and let time pass me by. Guess that is why I’m on my third full-time career.

As a young adult I went to nursing school. After several years of tending the sick and dying, I went back to school, got my teaching credentials in ancient civilizations (history) and started traveling the world. When I decided to retire from teaching, I grew very restless, so I decided to write out the many stories which had accumulated in my head just to give me something to do (and to make the voices I was hearing shut up). It gave me something to do alright, but the voices are still there and so I continue to write.

For five years I’ve been combining my two greatest loves, Native American lore and ancient Egyptian mythology in a series entitled Sekhmet’s Guardians. It’s an unusual combination, I know, but its working and I haven’t had any complaints to date. For good measure, I’ve also thrown in some European and other world mythologies just to keep things interesting. The series will span into eleven big books, all over five hundred pages. The books are very recognizable as each cover is done in purple, (my favorite color) and somewhere you will see a golden ankh buried within scenery. Each individual title also starts with the word Eternal. 

 I’m also putting together a collection of urban fantasies featuring the Greek Gods. After Cupid returns to Mt. Olympus with his less than perfect wife, Penelope, the Gods of Olympus have grown board and restless. They return to Earth in modern times, hoping to find their own happiness in the form of human females. This set of novellas is perfect for the reader who likes short, funny, sexy stories. 

My spare time is divided between my personal life, serving on two RWA chapter boards, judging numerous yearly writing contests, and attending and lecturing the many reader-writer events I attend each year which satisfies my travel urges. My next write-up for this blog will highlight several of those events.

Thank you for allowing me to take up your time while sharing a little bit of me with you. I look forward to our next encounter on the 3^rd of next month.  

Always, V.

Veronica Scott sez: You can find all of Virginia's links on our  Authors page but here's her website: http://www.authorvsnelson.com/