Piratessa makes Quarterfinalist

I entered the highly competitive screenplay contest put on by TSL. Part of the reason for its popularity is that it's free. I enter contests all the time for both my screenplays. I do it for two reasons; First is it's a means of getting a producer or agent for a nobody like me. Secondly is the feedback, which I usually pay for. Especially in the beginning, this was critical to determine if I had what it takes as a writer to venture into this field. Just because about half the people who read my novels think they should be made into movies, doesn't mean I'm good at writing a screenplay.

So, you can imagine my excitement to have advanced to the quarterfinalist! Here's my email from them:

Good news: your script, Piratessa, is advancing to the Quarterfinalist round of the TSL Free Screenplay Contest. Out of over 13,000 submissions, your script was among the top 1,000! Congratulations!

How Do You Design a Book Cover?

My friend, John, asked me, “How do you design a book cover?”

Finally a technical question! There’s several different ways to go about it. I designed my first book on the Windows Art program. Honestly, it’s my favorite cover. Unfortunately I had to cave into business pressure and go with a photograph based cover… mainly because my second book had a photo cover.

Speaking of that, my publisher of El Tiburon was amazingly cool to have given me a great book cover. I’ll admit I asked them to stay with my design style, but no. So I had to approve their design, which meant saying no to several models because they didn’t look right.

Eventually I asked them to remove the models from the cover because it looked like a steamy romance (after about two years and multiple complaints from readers that the cover was misleading). Don’t get me wrong… El Tiburon has its romance, but steamy doesn’t quite fit the bill.

My first experience with making a professional quality cover was through a friend who used a Fiverr tech. We made Counterpart’s new cover. Again, I only had yay or nay power. I wanted to have control from the beginning.

For my recently published book, In the Crossfire of Revenge, I contracted with Fiverr all by myself. I felt so grown-up! :) I chose from their long list of book cover specialists based on reviews. I wanted one who allowed for multiple revisions. My lady was in Germany. We dialogued back and forth about how I wanted the cover to look. I was directed to an enormous photo bank to choose the photo I wanted (it took me about a week to decide). Then I sent it to her and she went to work. It took about six revisions until I was satisfied. I love the results… and it only cost me about $45 bucks! She gave me a cover in 3D, a thumbnail for eBook sites, and a square one for the audiobook, and the cover for the paperback.

Then I learned how to make it animated with glittering light using Glitterboo. I think it looks pretty cool on the cover I made for the McGee Series. That one I did using the phone app called Canva. My nephew took an artistic photo of his police gear for me to use. Canva is a great app.

Where do you write?

Debbie Bailey asked; Where is your favorite place to sit back and write?

The short answer; wherever I can find the right ergonomics. I usually like to sit bolt upright with my laptop on the surface in front of me. Sometimes I slouch way back in a lawn chair and prop my laptop on my... lap. Another option for me is to stand at a counter, or I place my laptop on an up-ended box on the table.

Most of my effective writing is done at a local Marriott Hotel Starbucks. I can sit for hours and be stimulated by the constant parade of people but never get interrupted by a friend. It’s just noisy enough to be white noise. If it’s absolutely quiet, I can be productive. The only time I cannot write is if there’s someone near me and I can hear everything they’re saying… I’m a compulsive eavesdropper! Trust me, if I can hear you, I’m listening to your conversation.

However, I’m not always home. I write a travel blog (Dashing Bold Adventure), so I write all over the world. Wherever I am, I make it work. In the old days I would find an internet cafe and pay for 30 minutes on their computer. That's when I developed speed! It would always take a few minutes to figure out the keyboard. Not every keyboard is a QWERTY. 

The Spanish speaking countries have the ñ on their board. Then to add to the fun the keys are often so worn out, you can’t read them :)

When we're abroad for months at a time, I find some spot that works for me... The terrace on the hotel roof in Puerto Escondido, the open bar at Columbus Isle/Club Med, an adorable cafe in Florence, the covered porch of our bungalow overlooking Lake Atitlan, a coffee shop in Guanajauto MX, etc… What I write varies depending on the amount of time I’m going to be in one place. I don’t do well with my novels if we’re on the move a lot.

COUNTERPART goes Paperback and Audio!

I have good news! COUNTERPART is now available as an audiobook. If you've never signed up with Audible I have even better news... you can get COUNTERPART free when you sign up for the first time. Here's the link Counterpart as audiobook.

Great news #2... COUNTERPART is available as a paperback now. This has been my dream since I published it back in 2011, but I refused to buy 500 copies to sit in my garage. Now thanks to Createspace (now merged with Amazon's KDP) you can buy my book, they print it, and then it's shipped to you. Isn't that crazy?

This is exciting for me on several fronts. COUNTERPART is my first published novel. This is where I introduce the much loved characters; Sean McGee and Sport Warrick. This devilish duo was a blast to write about. They are intense, funny, smart, have anger management issues, and they are stuck together--24/7. The conspiracy unravels as they run for their lives, always one step ahead of their enemies.

The Russian accents are handled masterfully by Voice-Over expert, Jim Foster. His interview can be found here. I interviewed him after he narrated my second novel, EL TIBURON. In that case he nailed the Spanish accent. Foster even gives the meowing felines personality! He's done many audiobooks and you can check those out here: All books narrated by Foster.

If you are interested in reading my second book in the McGee series, EL TIBURON, you can get it at Amazon also as an audiobook, ebook, or paperback.

As for me, you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook, or you can check out my blog: A Dashing Bold Adventure

Trailer for El Tiburon by H. Schussman

New Book Cover for El Tiburon

I am happy in a bittersweet way for my new book cover, El Tiburon. It was a difficult decision and honestly not easy for Vinspire Publishing to do.

Let me take you back to the day I received my book cover. I was thrilled to be published and felt a constant flutter of excitement and awe that I'd been published by a real publisher. They accepted my book on the basis of it being an ethnic romance... she's black, he's white. They are madly in love. They have the hots for each other.

The cover did a good job of portraying that passion, but that was only a small glimpse into their lives. Their passion was much deeper than a kiss. It was an "I will do anything to save her life" kind of love. It's a married love.

Vinspire has a history of working with Christian authors. I'm a Christian author. A good fit. I felt Vinspire was visionary for seeing El Tiburon as a romance.

That being said, I began to perceive the cover was not a good representation of the content. Readers who wanted a sultry romance were disappointed. My audience (men and women who like a good suspense conspiracy story) was not interested in buying the book based on the cover. I even had several reviewers comment on the cover.

One of the things I found surprising about El Tiburon was the story was different to me than what the book cover gave me the impression of. I ended up with a well paced thriller, squarely focused on the mission and not a man-saves-woman-and-then-sex or that chauvinistic vein of thriller.~Ronovan

First thing, DON'T LET THE COVER FOOL YOU. This is not a macho man saves beautiful woman thing. That's a husband and wife on the cover. This book DESERVES a worthy cover that tells the story better.


You'd think it would be an easy process, but it's not. Dawn Carrington sent me several options of different models and backdrops, but none were an improvement. The male always looked either to polished or to rough... poor Dawn. She persevered, and finally we decided on no models.

So, I say goodbye to my first book cover designed by
a publisher (I designed Counterpart's cover), and say hello to the new one.

H. Schussman interviews Pamela Woods-Jackson

Pamela Woods-Jackson Interview, 2017

Heidi:
Pamela, it’s been a couple of years since my readers have heard from you. Tell us a little about what you’ve been doing since March 2015? 
Pamela:
Since we last spoke, I moved to Noblesville, Indiana, just north of Indianapolis, in order to be closer to my children and my part time job. However I’m originally from Oklahoma City and have a Bachelors degree in English/Education from the University of Oklahoma.

Heidi:
What genre do you write? Has it changed over the years?
Pamela:
I mostly write Young Adult, although I had one contemporary romance come out
In 2015, Certainly Sensible, but it’s definitely of the sweeter variety. I also have a New Adult novel coming out this spring, Teenage Psychic on Campus. It’s a sequel to my very first YA novel Confessions of a Teenage Psychic. My Heroine Caryn Alderson, has been aged up to an 18 year old college freshman.

Heidi:
What inspires you to write novels with the psychic twist? When did you start writing?
Pamela:
I've written my whole life, but I started writing novels in 2007. A situation involving one of my students inspired the story of Confessions of a Teenage Psychic. I have always loved Caryn, but I wearied of writing about high school students. I wanted to pursue Caryn’s story and see how she had matured since last we saw her.

Heidi:
I see Teenage Psychic on Campus is coming out soon. Is this a sequel to Confessions of a Teenage Psychic?
Pamela:
Yes. She is now an 18 year old college freshman majoring in journalism. I brought forward her friend Annabeth from the previous novel, but I found her a new boyfriend, Gary Riddell. I realized her first boyfriend didn’t really understand her. I wanted a character that both challenged her and “got” her.

Heidi: 
What are you working on now?
Pamela:
I have a completed YA with a working title of Emma With Something Extra. My POV character is named Emma Austin, she makes matches among her high school friends, and she has a special ability that helps her out. I’m also working on a contemporary romance about two star-crossed lovers who have tried to be together through the centuries. Think “Romeo and Juliet” moving through many lives together.

Heidi:
Has who you consider to be your favorite character in your stories changed since 2015?
Pamela:
I have to admit that my favorite character is Caryn Alderson, my teenage psychic. Second favorite is Synthia Whitfield, my nineteenth century journal writer in Genius Summer. That story was based on a true story, and Synthia is (was) a very spunky, determined 15 year old.

Heidi:
Do you see yourself in any of your characters? Does one particular character reoccur in your stories?
Pamela:
I see my former students in many of my characters, but the only one I see in myself is Susan Benedict from Certainly Sensible. Susan is a high school English teacher like me.

Heidi:
Where do you write? Describe your workspace? 
Pamela:
Since I moved in 2015, I now have an entire bedroom that is a dedicated office space.

Heidi:
Who is your all-time favorite author?
Pamela:
Hands down, it’s Jane Austen.

Heidi:
Did you find writing a query letter a challenge? If so, how did you overcome it? Do you think there was a key phrase or idea in your query letter?
Pamela:
Query letters are tough, but I try to tailor them to the person/publisher I'm sending it to. Adding a personal touch (oh I see that you also majored in English/love Jane Austen/live in Indiana, etc.) is also a good way to connect with the recipient.
I rely heavily on the annual Writer’s Market that’s available at any library. It’s filled with lots of resources for both new and aspiring writers.

Heidi:
What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?
Pamela:
Butt in chair! Otherwise I’d say just be patient. Don’t be in such a hurry to send your manuscript out into the world until you are sure it’s ready. Join a writers’ group or find beta readers. Your mother or spouse probably won’t be objective enough.

Heidi:
Agent or no agent? Do you think a writer should go directly to the publisher or go with an agent?
Pamela:
I would dearly love an agent, but apparently they aren’t lining up to represent me, based on the rejections I’ve gotten. I wish I knew the secret of signing with one. Any suggestions? :)

Heidi:
Would you like to acknowledge someone for their help/assistance/faith in you?
Pamela:
I’ve been working with editor Kinan Werdski at The Wild Rose Press for a while now. She provided invaluable assistance with the rewrites of Certainly Sensible, as well as great editing on Teenage Psychic on Campus. I'd also like to thank family friend Lee Wilson (author of "Rebel on Pointe") for being my advanced reader, and my brother Robert Woods for his encouragement.

Face Book
Amazon

Perfect timing! The local newspaper over in Arden, Sacramento, wrote an article about me because of my Author Talk tomorrow at the Arden-Dimick Library. I can't believe how good it is, and it takes up the whole page (page 10).

Thanks Monica Stark with Arden-Carmichael Newspaper

I'm looking forward to meeting you there!

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Just received this book review of COUNTERPART. This is the first book in the Sean and Sport conspiracy series (and my first book in general). It really is an honor to receive a review from Ronovan Writes, but especially from the head honcho himself, Ronovan.

It's hard to not be scared when he's reviewing one of my books because he's strict. He makes that clear when he tells you he will let the author decide if their book review should go to his website. If it's bad, you may not want the world to know :)

You can buy COUNTERPART and EL TIBURON at Smashwords.com

Book Review of El Tiburon, by H. Schussman

I was super excited to receive this unofficial review from a reader up in Trinity County, CA

Be sure to send me a review if you want to have it featured here.