Author: Eli Kale

Much News!

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

It is a brand new start to a brand new week. I truly hope there is much good in store for you today! There is much going on in the Eli Kale community this week, part of it due to a change in things regarding my current works in progress. 

Faces of the War: Unguarded

Much progress was made this past week on my upcoming book, Unguarded, which is the second in a collection of historical fiction stories set during the Second World War. Up to this point, The writing completed on Friday put me a little past the halfway mark of the number of words which I would like this book to have – 49K. After completing the remaining 3K or so words left in Part II today, I will be well on my way to writing Part III and the Epilogue, edging closer and closer to my goal word count.

I have recharged my writing and creative batteries, and I must say that the past few work days have been a blast! I am really enjoying getting into the character, much like I did with the main character in my first book. I’ve mentioned before that some aspects of the first book carry over into the second book, while the stories themselves will be completely different and unrelated. 

I have also picked up a second editor for Book Two, mostly because my primary editor has taken on more work in her schedule. So to still bring you a quality story, I am working with two editors this time around. I am truly looking forward to this new part of the experience.

As for the overall time frame, I am actually ahead of schedule a bit. The tentative release date is still sometime shortly after New Year’s. I will have more on that in the coming months.

The Short Story Collection: Volume I

If you haven’t read it or heard me say it before, I am aiming to release short stories through Amazon KDP periodically throughout the coming months and years in the form of three-story volumes. The first volume will release sometime this week, barring any unforeseen setbacks. 

This is what I alluded to in the beginning of the post. I had asked a friend if they’d like to edit the short stories for me, and they said they would. However, with their internship on the West Coast getting underway, which makes the person very busy, they were unable to get around to the editing. With the understanding from the get-go that they were to put their work and priorities first, I decided to edit the stories myself. 

After considering it all, I concluded that this is actually a good thing because it makes the stories more personal. You as a reader can be a little bit closer to me as a writer, because what you’re reading is truly mine. I really enjoyed writing these first three stories, and I hope you will enjoy reading them. 

This being my first time using Amazon KDP, I can’t state an exact time and date for when the book will release. I’ll have to get the hang of it first. I can say that it should be live by the end of the week (my goal, at least). It will be either $0.99 or $1.99, depending on the file size and such. 

The reason I am doing these short stories is to vary up the writing that I do on my larger projects, like the books in the “Faces of the War” collection. Not only does it provide me with a break from the time period, style, settings, etc. of my other projects, but it gives you something new and fresh to read as well. So if you’re a fan of short stories, I encourage you to check it out after its release!

Mailing List

A few more people have added themselves to my mailing list, but there is always room for more! I use email newsletters to directly reach those in the Eli Kale community who wish to receive early details and updates about me and my work. I also would like to encourage you to join the mailing list because it will allow you to step inside my world as I journey through my writing. There are also things in the e-newsletters (which I send out bi-weekly) that don’t show up in the regular blog here: fun facts, Q&A sessions, special giveaways, and much more. It also affords you the opportunity to interact with me, which is important to me because I like to be a presence in the community of my readership, not an absent author whose social media posts are the only semblance of life that you see of him. And the best part is that I don’t write long newsletters, so you can read them over your morning coffee or in the evening as you settle into bed.

I would love to have you join me as I create these stories of which I am very passionate. All you have to do is go to the link in the previous paragraph, then input your name, email, and a comment saying that you’d like to be placed on the list, and that’s it! 

So to end today’s information-filled post, here is one of my favorite cartoons by the artist Gary Larson. Have a wonderful day!

farside1

Until next time,

-Eli

Book Giveaway & Unguarded

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

Happy Labor Day to everyone! Hopefully you are in a place with family and friends, and hopefully life is treating you well.

Today marked the end of the first of three book giveaways that I am hosting on this website. The giveaways, which feature my debut book “Resistant,” are part of the lead-up promotion for my second book, “Unguarded,” which is due to release shortly after the New Year. You can follow my blog for details about it as I go through the writing process!

Book Giveaway

Progress of “Unguarded“

I am currently slowing down a tad in my writing of Book Two in the Faces of the War collection because I am playing around with a few different ideas in my head. In order to see what ideas pan out the best, I have to do a little legwork before I continue writing. I don’t want to waste my time (and yours) by producing writing that won’t fit well with the rest of the story.

In terms of word count, I recently exceeded the 21K mark, which puts me a few thousand words shy of halfway to my goal count of 49K. As I have said before, I am expanding the size of the second book as per the reviews of “Resistant” stating that a longer book would have been great. Though the story is what I want it and make it to be, I want to adjust things when and where I can to include my readers in my process and final product.

I am very excited about this story line, and I truly hope you will be too once it goes live in January. If things go really well, there may be a chance to release the book in December, but that may be pushing the envelope just a little. 

If you are a newer writer, that is something I stress to you: don’t push the envelope. Depending on your process, you may like to be under pressure or prefer to get things done with a little craziness along the way. But in a general sense, it is best to let things play out as naturally as possible so as to help produce something of a better quality.

What I mean by this is that, for example, it is best not to set strict guidelines or due dates in your process. This is because it will most likely force words onto the page that may not necessarily need to be there; likewise, it might take up too much room on the page, thus leaving out what could be important material. In my experience, if you don’t write as the words naturally come to you, then you leave yourself little option other than writing just to write. 

That is why I want to approach the material of “Unguarded” very carefully so I’m not rushing to get the words down, nor taking too much time and letting the material go stale. I will sort out my ideas this week, and hit the writing hard!

I am very grateful for your following, and I hope that I am reaching you with my writing in one way or another. Please tell a friend about my work. Word of mouth is a surprisingly powerful tool. I also encourage you to check out my Twitter and Facebook pages, as well as my Goodreads and Independent Author Network pages. Links to those sites are on this website, on the ABOUT page!

Until next time,

-Eli

über-block

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

Welcome to a new week and a new opportunity to work away on a project that perhaps you’ve been wanting to start or have been struggling to chip away. I had a rough work week over the past seven days, so I for one am taking advantage of this fresh new week to get to work on my projects. I hope you can do that too!

“Why was your work week rough?” you may ask? I’ll tell you why…

I believe that every great once in a while, a writer experiences something I call an “über-block.” Essentially, at least in my experience, an über-block is like writer’s block but a lot worse. I have seen some interesting articles that bring forth the notion that writer’s block is a myth, that it is merely an idea. Take this article I found, for example (link will open up a new tab), which comes from the Writers Store. The term “writer’s block” can mean different things for different people. So whether you’re a believer in it, or think it is something else, I think it is a valid point to consider.

writersblock

Returning to the über-block idea, I would like to say that I don’t believe that writer’s block is a “disease” but rather a state of mind. So taking into account what “über” means (an outstanding or supreme example of something), you can probably guess that whatever kept me from writing was something significant. The reason for my lack of writing–whatever it was–was a rather “outstanding” or “supreme” reason. We all encounter hardship and tests in our lives, and the difficulty and tension springing from those situations often overflow into our work and leisure activities. 

Throughout the week, I found myself with little motivation, but also filled with the want to get things done. It was an odd mixture of feelings. I’m sure you or someone you know has experienced that at one time or another. At first only a little time had passed where I hadn’t accomplished much of anything, then it kept going for one, two, three, four, five days. That’s when it occurred to me that the writer’s block [insert your definition here] I was experiencing wasn’t a normal type of block, but rather an über-block, an outstanding version of the idea.

And so, I want to use this time now to offer my advice for this kind of situation. After reflecting on the past week, I have concluded that it was a point in my writing cycle that was a valley and not a peak. In the up-and-down cycle of writing, it was definitely a down time. Before you chalk it up as a reason to stop writing or to avoid it, take a moment to consider this illustrative analogy: you can’t enjoy the sunny days without some rainy ones.

rainyday

What I mean by this is simple–you aren’t always going to have great writing sessions occur, spectacular ideas flow constantly, or fantastic book sales month in and month out. And on those down days, you must look at it as an opportunity to evaluate what you are doing and move forward from there. Maybe you’re not necessarily doing anything “wrong.” Maybe you just need to give your creative mind a break. Go ahead and do just that. It works wonders, believe me.

So to come full circle, let me say this…my upcoming book, Unguarded: Book Two in the “Faces of the War” Collection, hasn’t moved far from where I left it last week. But that isn’t a bad thing. My brain needed a recharging session instead of a writing session, and in the grand scheme of things, I’d rather do that than risk stale writing. So if you ever think you’re experiencing whatever represents writer’s block, or worse–über-block–to you, remember this blog and the fact that it’s okay to not always be moving forward with your work. Take it as an opportunity to regroup and prepare to start your next writing session by tackling whatever project is on your plate. For on that day, I am sure the sun will shine brighter than you thought it would!

sunnyday

Until next time,

-Eli

A Little Bit of Everything

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

I hope this blog finds you in good health, and that you are fairing well in whatever project you might be working on!

This past weekend, I forwarded the first part of Unguarded (roughly one-third of the book) to my editor, and writing has continued on the second part. I am getting very excited to see where the next couple of weeks take me in my writing. I am even more excited to see what you, my readers, think when you first journey through the story.

I would like to encourage you to subscribe to my mailing list, if you haven’t already. I send out a newsletter twice a month via email that includes book-related information and behind-the-scenes details of my upcoming projects. Not only would you receive the information before “everyone else” in the Eli Kale community, but it is more detailed information tailored to a VIP-type of audience. I want to really have a personable relationship with my readers!

Here’s how you can subscribe:

1. Go to this link: https://elikaleauthor.wordpress.com/mailing-list/

2. Input your name and email address, and include a little note to me stating that you wish to be added to the Mailing List. 

3. You’ll receive the newsletter that is next in line to be published. If your subscription is close enough to a recently sent out newsletter, I’ll send a late copy of it to you personally!

And that’s all it takes! There is already some good information coming out through these newsletters regarding my upcoming book, Unguarded, which is the second book of the “Faces of the War” collection. You can find sales links and reviews for the first book, Resistant, here. The next issue of the newsletter will be posted this week, so sign up today!

Here is a new review for Resistant from Amazon:

“The book is a fictional story of a woman’s journey as a resistance fighter during WW2 in France. Something I noticed at times was a grammatical error or interesting sentence structure, which is okay since the book is self-published, and at the same time I thought it was brilliant if it was intended. The reason I think it would be brilliant if it was intended is because the narrator is a French woman by the name of Rienne. It is written in a way as if she is talking to you telling you the story. I pictured her as an old French lady with a French accent, so it would only be natural that she might have an error or two as she speaks since English wouldn’t be her first language. It made me appreciate the story even more and relate to her character.

The best part of the book was the description of the battle scenes. The author strikes an amazing balance between carefully detailing the scenes without hitting you over the head with details so you know exactly what is going on and can picture it in your head. The main character was also very likable, which is a huge plus. I recommend that you check it out.”

I hope that you too will leave a review and star rating for Resistant on Amazon if you have already read it or plan to read it. I would greatly appreciate it!

I would like to leave you with a quote I really like:

“We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.”                                                                              –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Until next time!

-Eli

Cherish Your Friends

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

I hope this blog finds you well and in good working spirits! I am ready to get back to work after an eventful weekend. I traveled to my hometown to play in my high school’s alumni soccer game (which the alumni won 5-2, one of the goals contributed by yours truly). Afterward, my wife and I went out to lunch with some of my very good, longtime friends and their significant others. If I can say one thing, it would be this: I encourage you to never forget your roots and to always cherish your friends.

revampedalumnigame

 

I am on the right

Back to the Grind

Today, I am revisiting Part I of my second book, Unguarded, to add about 2,000 words to what I had already typed. Here is why…

For my first book, Resistant, the final word count totaled just shy of 38K. For the story I was telling, that word count seemed appropriate. As an author, you don’t want to throw words on the page just to reach a certain word count and risk sacrificing the story’s quality. However, many reviews of that book called for a longer story. 

So, I am planning ahead for subsequent books in the “Faces of the War” collection to be in the upper 40K range for word count. Because of this, I want to go back and expand the story in Part I of Unguarded so all of the parts in the book are relatively similar in size to the first book (at least proportionately speaking). I think you’ll understand better when you pick up the book. 

Cover_front

I am getting really excited to see how Unguarded will develop. It started out as a skeleton structure when I began writing a few weeks ago, and it is really beginning to take shape. And the best part is that I’m actually ahead of the original schedule that I laid out when I started this project. That is something really satisfying, and it makes me want to do more!

Mailing List & Newsletter

I wanted to include a little tidbit in today’s blog about KaleMail, the newsletter I send out two times per month to my mailing list subscribers. The list is growing, and the first issue of the newsletter was sent out last week. I surprisingly didn’t have any subscribers throughout the whole process of production for Resistant, but now it’s finally starting to pick up. The idea behind KaleMail is that subscribers in essence become VIP members of the Eli Kale community, receiving details and information on me, my projects, and my currently published books before the rest of the community hears about it. So if you want to get that kind of information as soon as possible, please subscribe. The process is really simple!

New Blog Posts

I also wanted to reiterate my idea about adding another scheduled blog post to the week, probably on Thursdays, that will feature information and tips from me on writing and publishing. But if I were to do this, I’d really like to hear from YOU, my readers, with regards to questions or issues you may have related to these topics. That will give me some material to work with, thus making the posts more interesting and relatable. Please consider commenting or emailing me feedback so we can get this started together!

Until next time,

-Eli

Part II Update & Mailing List Info

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

Today marks the beginning of a new week, which means another chance to sit down and work at something I truly enjoy. I hope you seize any opportunity presented to you to do something you love. That is, in my opinion, part of the meaning of life!

I believe you all will be happy to know that I am moving right along with Part II of my WIP (“work in progress,” if you didn’t know), UNGUARDED. It is the second book of the “Faces of the War” collection. You can see my first book, RESISTANT, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, among other places.

book2part2

As I have said before, I am aiming for a New Year 2015 release, probably in late January. If for some reason I am delayed during the process, it will be pushed back to February…but I don’t foresee that happening! Things are very much on schedule on my end.

Keep an eye out for details over the next few months, as I will release bits of information about the book a little at a time in the buildup to its release. There is one thing you can do to make sure you hear the information first: join my mailing list!

I would really love to see my readership grow, and I think an expanding mailing list is a great way to do it. As a member of the mailing list, you would receive updates and details before I post them on this site. So if you think about it, it’s kind of like a VIP sort of thing. Pretty cool, huh?!

I think so, and that’s why I’d love for you to join the Eli Kale community! Here’s what you have to do:

     1. Go to this page here.

     2. In the field boxes, type in your Name and Email (just delete my example Name and Email).

     3. Leave a comment saying something like “I’d like to be added to the mailing list!” 

After that, I will add your email to the mailing list, and you will be part of the Eli Kale community! I really want to make this something YOU can benefit from and enjoy, so please let me know if something doesn’t look right in the emails you’ll receive from me, or if there’s something in particular you’d like me to include in subsequent emails. I really want to make this a close-knit thing, not a scheduled post that seems like it was made by a drone.

I encourage you to pass the word along to a friend. You never know who might like the stuff I write or the things I talk about! It is very much appreciated on my end.

Until next time,

-Eli

Book Two Progress

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

Today’s blog is strictly informational. 

Much progress has been made in the past week with regards to UNGUARDED, Book Two in the “Faces of the War” collection. I finished working this past Friday by sending just over 13K words to my editor. This week will mark the beginning of work on the second 1/3 of the book!

As the schedule currently stands, I am well within my goal of releasing the book just after the New Year. Also on the schedule is the first volume of my short story collection, due to release this autumn. More details will come down the pipe as I get closer to finishing it. I also have other projects lined up, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!

If you’d like to stay up-to-date on everything I’m working on, please click that little “Follow” button and join me on my literary journey. I’d love to have you along for the ride! And please, tell a friend about me or my debut book, RESISTANT, available in ebook and print form. Any help in spreading the word is appreciated!

Until next time,

-Eli

UNGUARDED: Book Two in the “Faces of the War” Collection

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

I am now more than halfway complete with Part I of UNGUARDED, the second book in my “Faces of the War” collection!

part1book2

I sent the first portion of Part I off to my editor for proofing while I continue writing. So far, the story is coming together really well. I am pleased with the process of this book thus far.

I wanted to take a moment to remind you all of something. The “Faces of the War” collection is not a series. The books I write in this collection are not connected in plot, only in genre and time period. I just wanted to reiterate that fact as I go along with this second book so we’re all on the same page.

I don’t want to give away too much too soon in terms of details. But I can tell you this: a common thing I’ve picked out of a few reviews of RESISTANT so far is the length. The length of RESISTANT was around 200 pages, and that is what I felt was a good length when I wrote it. I didn’t want to force words onto the page and risk goofing up the story. 

wordcount

Therefore, here is a detail of UNGUARDED that I’m sure will be a welcomed one: Book Two will be longer than 200 pages. I’m not sure how much longer it will be, but it will be longer. 

On another note, I plan to begin blogging twice a week–once on Monday and again on Thursday: the first will be updates on my projects, the second will include tips on writing, publishing, etc. from my experiences. I will let you know when that new schedule actually starts. 

That’s the main thing I wanted to inform you of today. I plan to knock out 3-5 pages this week, and that work begins today! 

Until next time,

-Eli

Work Ethic

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

A new work week has begun, which means a fresh start. Maybe you’ve found yourself in need of a breather after this past week, or maybe you’ve been wanting to continue working since Friday afternoon. Whatever your situation, I hope you are in a great state of mind and are ready to move forward with whatever you are working on.

It is important that we as writers (or really anybody, for that matter) at least try to work in a frame of mind that is built around optimism, integrity, and variety. I think these three components are key to a successful work ethic:

– Optimism, because if you don’t tell yourself that what you’re doing is a great thing, then you’ll have far more trouble succeeding in doing it. Believe in yourself, even if at times it’s hard.

– Integrity, because if you don’t keep yourself accountable, then your work will suffer. And it shouldn’t even be called work, in my opinion…because you should love doing it. You hear people say ‘I love my job,’ which usually means they don’t think of it as a task. Don’t think of your writing as a task, but rather something you’re doing because you’re passionate about it.

– Variety, because if you keep the exact same schedule and do the exact same thing and think in the exact same way, your work will become stale…and you might not even realize it until it’s much too late.

So when I work, I keep these three things at the forefront of my thoughts, and I must say that so far I’ve been pretty satisfied with myself and my material! And part of it is that I apply them to small chunks of time as opposed to tackling what I’d like to do all at once (which can lead to bad quality work and eventually burnout).

For example, I don’t plot out what I’m going to do for the next month, season, or even a year. Sure, I’ve roughed out a plan that I would like to see happen (I’m talking mostly about a writing/publishing schedule), but I don’t stick to it exactly how I initially plan it. I specifically I don’t plan things out in great detail on purpose, because writing shouldn’t take on a rigidly structured schedule–it should happen naturally and in its own time. I take my projects a week at a time. And because I work in that fashion, I believe I am a better, more effective writer. I’m not saying that I produce great material because I work in this frame of mind (a first draft is always a first draft), but I truly think that it helps me improve my craft.

If you were to evaluate your work sessions (or work ethic, if you will) when it comes to writing, how would it appear? Then ask yourself this: how is it really? This can tend to be the deciding factor in whether you’re productive or not, which then translates into how good of quality your material is, to a degree. What I mean is this…

At times, I work at my desk for 5-6 hours a day, and much of that time is spent on “stuff” related to my current or most important project. However, it’s not necessarily the writing that I’m working on. I might be doing other things that perhaps I shouldn’t be doing at the time…because writing is the most important aspect of being a writer (duh). So, what appears to be a good work session is not really a good work session. It appears as such, but it is actually me beating around the bush, finding other things with which to occupy my time that should be spent writing.

When I catch myself falling into this rut, I take a break from writing (as should be done by all from time to time). Then when I come back to it, I am thinking, ‘I’ve had a break, now I have to get to work. No more [doing other things]…I need to write, and what I write will be great!’

Right there, I employed the OPTIMISM, INTEGRITY, and VARIETY I’ve been talking about. It really does help.

keepwriting

So again, ask yourself sometime, “How does my work session (or ethic) appear, and how is it really?” I bet you’d surprise yourself with the answer(s) you might find!

I hope this is somewhat relatable to you. And I hope that I’ve supplied something of a solution to this problem, if it is an issue you’re dealing with. Those are just my thoughts on the matter, and they may not have the same meaning or effect for you as they do for me.

Until next time,

-Eli

 

Through the Lens of “Why?”

/ Eli Kale / Leave a comment

Friends,

Today begins another week. It is a new beginning for us all, perhaps after a long week or not-so-productive weekend. I look forward to Mondays for this reason.

I finished setting up my new work station today. What do you think?

It isn’t much, and I will have to expand my space for a new printer I just ordered. I am finally getting my own printer. It may not be all that exciting to you, but believe me–I have been in dire need of one for some time!

I think you’ll be glad to know that after I post this, I will get to writing for the rest of the afternoon…until dinner. On this day, [spaghetti > writing] 🙂

Something that has been on my mind lately is the notion that writing changes you as a person. It’s something, I think, that not many people–and not many writers–think about often, mostly because they’re so busy with other things to notice. But if you think about it, writing has quite an effect on a person. And that’s a good thing!

As writers, we should be aware of our surroundings, of how we perceive things, of how others act in certain situations. Why? Because those little, everyday things help fuel and inspire ideas that can eventually become story details. I read an article recently where the author (referencing how he comes up with story ideas) talked about how he can take a simple, perhaps mundane, thing or event and turn it into a story detail or plot device.

All it takes is to continue asking “Why?”

By this, he means he creates something complex and intriguing out of simple ideas or notions, just by questioning the situation. This is a good way to get creative juices flowing, which will lend itself to productive writing. If we approach our everyday lives in this way, there should (theoretically) be a never-ending flow of ideas that can help inspire our storytelling.

With regard to my own creative process, I use this method to a certain extent. For example, when I was writing my debut novel “Resistant” (available in print and ebook format on Amazon), I chose to create my content through two methods.

The first part, fact-based research, is a fairly straightforward idea. I researched information on France during the early years of the war, the time when the Germans invaded and occupied, the fighting that ensued thereafter, and finally the retreat in the final months of the war. Some of this I knew already, but I wanted to be sure I got things right (a good habit to implement, by the way).

The second part, what I call fictitious speculation, is the idea that, given what I know about the times in which my story is set, I try to ask myself, “What would this character do in this situation?” I use the concept of questioning things (mentioned above) but apply it in a different way. I don’t want to recreate someone’s real experience; I want to create something new, but inspired.

Therefore, I speculate on what might go through the character’s mind, and then go on from there. The only non-factual aspects of “Resistant” were the specific names of the characters and the specific events in which they were involved. Historically, everything else truly happened. I also ask, “What would be expected to happen on the part of the reader? How can I avoid this so that the story doesn’t fall into the realm of cliche, and so I can keep the reader turning the page because they’re interested?” This approach to my writing is something I find very effective.

This brings me back to what I first made mention of: writing changes us. If we truly want to write effectively, we need to let our writing infiltrate our lives and become part of us. So the next time you’re “out,” try to view your world through the lens of “Why?” You may just be surprised at what ideas come racing through your mind!

Is there anything that comes to mind now that you’d like to put on the table for discussion?

I’d love to hear from you!

-Eli