Hi, everyone, I'm over on author Catherine Bennett's blog today. She is spotlighting my book today, including a Q & A with Yours Truly. Here's the link: http://catherinebennett.org/spotlight-the-fourth-generation-by-author-chris-von-halle/. Enjoy!
I'm also over at Teffanie White's blog, so stop on by and see some thoughts I have on writing YA. Link: http://freecottonclub.blogspot.com/2015/08/writing-ya-by-chris-von-halle.html.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Cover Reveal for The Fourth Generation!
Whoo-hooooo!!! It's finally here! The cover for my upcoming young adult dystopian novel The Fourth Generation from the indie press, Clean Reads. I think it's quite awesome, if I don't say so myself (though I'm not the excellent artist who made it). Anyway, stay tuned for the book to officially release on August 7, 2015.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
New Author Website Coming
I'm excited to announce that I am in the midst of putting together a "new author website" (ooooooooh - sounds exciting, doesn't it?). My friend and roommate, an awesome graphic design artist, has put together a sweet dystopian-esque image, which will comprise the background of this new and upcoming website. I think it's freaking awesome, if I don't say s myself (I watched him make it - well, at least part of the time). The website will also include this blog, so don't go anywhere, folks!
OK, that's all for now. Until next time, I'll just sit here and let the excitement of soon having a new author website build in my very bones.
OK, that's all for now. Until next time, I'll just sit here and let the excitement of soon having a new author website build in my very bones.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Keep a Story Idea Doc
I'm the type of writer who doesn't have many story ideas. I know. It kind of stinks. They just don't come to me that often, and I mean like hardly ever when I say that. However, over the past eight years or so I'm proud to say I've kept a document of all my story ideas, like "a good little writer.". But, well, to be honest there's not much in the doc.
Anyway, I had this problem recently - I found myself without a new project to write. I'd had a meager couple interesting ideas while I'd written my last book, but none of them really jumped out tome or grew into anything all that captivating, so they've been sitting in the Story Idea doc to rot (at least for the time being).
Anyway, after trying to brainstorm ideas (and failing miserably, I might add), I opened up the Story Idea doc and perused it for a little while - and I came across an old idea that I felt had potential, so I mapped out the bare bones of a plot and even wound up writing the first 30 pages or so.
But it just wasn't ENOUGH. It was fun, but not ENOUGH fun. I wound up scrapping the project at that point (hadn't even done character sketches for it), and started to really lament not having a project to write. It really stinks to not have anything to do during "writing time," ya know what I mean? (Of course you do.)
Soooo...totally out of ideas as to how to get ideas (nice play on words, huh?), I opened up the Story Idea doc for a second time and went back a little farther, and BAM!!! I found an old idea that immediately spoke to me, and that I just HAD to write. Part of it was the fun plot twists that I'd already devised for the story, and another part was how other plot points and ideas for it immediately plowed into my brain. It was surreal, actually, and quite awesome.
Anyway, now I'm happily drafting this new story with character sketches and everything. So, it's true what your old writing teachers (and perhaps some wise people who just happen to know this sort of thing) say - always keep a Story Idea doc or file. You never know when it'll come in handy.
All right, back to drafting my new story, which, for the curious, is a.middle-grade science fiction novel (I have returned to the almighty middle-grade after brief forays into the young adult and adult worlds). Yay!
Anyway, I had this problem recently - I found myself without a new project to write. I'd had a meager couple interesting ideas while I'd written my last book, but none of them really jumped out tome or grew into anything all that captivating, so they've been sitting in the Story Idea doc to rot (at least for the time being).
Anyway, after trying to brainstorm ideas (and failing miserably, I might add), I opened up the Story Idea doc and perused it for a little while - and I came across an old idea that I felt had potential, so I mapped out the bare bones of a plot and even wound up writing the first 30 pages or so.
But it just wasn't ENOUGH. It was fun, but not ENOUGH fun. I wound up scrapping the project at that point (hadn't even done character sketches for it), and started to really lament not having a project to write. It really stinks to not have anything to do during "writing time," ya know what I mean? (Of course you do.)
Soooo...totally out of ideas as to how to get ideas (nice play on words, huh?), I opened up the Story Idea doc for a second time and went back a little farther, and BAM!!! I found an old idea that immediately spoke to me, and that I just HAD to write. Part of it was the fun plot twists that I'd already devised for the story, and another part was how other plot points and ideas for it immediately plowed into my brain. It was surreal, actually, and quite awesome.
Anyway, now I'm happily drafting this new story with character sketches and everything. So, it's true what your old writing teachers (and perhaps some wise people who just happen to know this sort of thing) say - always keep a Story Idea doc or file. You never know when it'll come in handy.
All right, back to drafting my new story, which, for the curious, is a.middle-grade science fiction novel (I have returned to the almighty middle-grade after brief forays into the young adult and adult worlds). Yay!
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Exciting News!!!
So it's been a while since I've posted, but I've been sitting on some very exciting news. My young adult dystopian novel, THE FOURTH GENERATION (at least that's its current name), has been acquired by the Indie publisher Clean Reads (formerly Astraea Press). The deal went down a little over a month ago, but now that I've submitted an "author package" to Clean Reads that consists of the back-cover blurb, ideas for cover art, author bio, among other things, I figured I would post the exciting news on my blog.
So, yeah, now I've been busy working with an editor on my book. So far it's been a blast! For those of you who are curious, I didn't even send this book out to many literary agents and publishers because I kept hearing around the writing blogosphere how saturated the young adult dystopian market is, and therefore how hardly any agents and editors are looking for books in that category. (Yep - I wrote a book in currently one of the most saturated markets out there, thanks to big hitters like THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT.) I only happened to be doing research on agents and publishers for my next book when I came across Clean Reads, which claimed it was currently looking for YA dystopian. So I sent THE FOURTH GENERATION to the press and they offered a contract. Go figure. Sometimes it really is all about hitting the right editor/agent/publisher at the right time.
Anyway, I'll keep you up-to-date on the progress of the book, and certainly when it's release date is. Until then, happy writing!
So, yeah, now I've been busy working with an editor on my book. So far it's been a blast! For those of you who are curious, I didn't even send this book out to many literary agents and publishers because I kept hearing around the writing blogosphere how saturated the young adult dystopian market is, and therefore how hardly any agents and editors are looking for books in that category. (Yep - I wrote a book in currently one of the most saturated markets out there, thanks to big hitters like THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT.) I only happened to be doing research on agents and publishers for my next book when I came across Clean Reads, which claimed it was currently looking for YA dystopian. So I sent THE FOURTH GENERATION to the press and they offered a contract. Go figure. Sometimes it really is all about hitting the right editor/agent/publisher at the right time.
Anyway, I'll keep you up-to-date on the progress of the book, and certainly when it's release date is. Until then, happy writing!
Friday, February 13, 2015
The Amazing Adventures of Heroic Man's Brother Query & First Page
Title: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF HEROIC MAN'S BROTHER
Genre: Adult Superhero Fantasy
Word Count: 80,000
Query pitch:
Dear Lovely Agent/Editor,
Norm “Run-of-the-Mill” Stevens has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, Tom, publicly known as Heroic Man, The Intrepid Heroic Man, The Gallant Heroic Man, among other names. The crime-fighting superhero possesses the full spectrum of superhuman powers—super strength, speed, flight, and, of course, that truly sublime, superhumanly muscular ass of his, which has become an icon of an adoring city.
Norm, on the other hand, has been working his pathetically flaccid rear off on the money-saving blueprints he created to improve the city’s electricity grid. But, much to his utter aggravation, he fails to get them into the hands of Electrifirm’s C.E.O., C.E. Olsen. Heroic Man pities Norm and, behind his back, gives Olsen the model. Olsen grants Norm the massive career-boost and subsequent prestige of his dreams.
But the thing is, ever since Heroic Man took the city’s spotlight, Olsen’s been determined to regain it. Olsen slanders Heroic Man by claiming the superhero stole the new grid plans from Electrifirm. The C.E.O. asks Norm to publicly confirm his story, and Norm—sick of relying on his brother’s charity and still as resentful as ever of that all-powerful posterior of his—gladly obliges.
Norm thoroughly enjoys being the more successful brother for once. That is, until Norm lets slip Heroic Man’s innocence to his girlfriend, who dumps him for treating his brother so poorly. Devastated and awakened from his selfishness, Norm battles his conscience: continue to outshine his brother despite the injustice, or come clean to the whole city and replace him as its biggest disgrace.
THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF HEROIC MAN’S BROTHER is an 80,000-word humorous adult superhero fantasy. I have a degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and won the individual award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Writing. I have also recently obtained an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. I interned at Kensington Publishing Corp. in New York City in the Publicity and Marketing departments. Thank you for considering THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF HEROIC MAN’S BROTHER and I hope to hear from you soon.
First 250 words:
I popped open a can of Fizz Beer and took a good, long swig. The stuff was cheap as hell, and non-creatively-named to boot, but there wasn’t much more a guy with a crummy mailroom job could afford. And I had to celebrate my impeccable achievement somehow.
The scent of fresh, steamed vegetables never smelled so succulent—okay, it was intermixed with the heavy, foul odor of red meat—as I hopped down the stairs two at a time. The first time I’d done that since I was a kid.
Genre: Adult Superhero Fantasy
Word Count: 80,000
Query pitch:
Dear Lovely Agent/Editor,
Norm “Run-of-the-Mill” Stevens has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, Tom, publicly known as Heroic Man, The Intrepid Heroic Man, The Gallant Heroic Man, among other names. The crime-fighting superhero possesses the full spectrum of superhuman powers—super strength, speed, flight, and, of course, that truly sublime, superhumanly muscular ass of his, which has become an icon of an adoring city.
Norm, on the other hand, has been working his pathetically flaccid rear off on the money-saving blueprints he created to improve the city’s electricity grid. But, much to his utter aggravation, he fails to get them into the hands of Electrifirm’s C.E.O., C.E. Olsen. Heroic Man pities Norm and, behind his back, gives Olsen the model. Olsen grants Norm the massive career-boost and subsequent prestige of his dreams.
But the thing is, ever since Heroic Man took the city’s spotlight, Olsen’s been determined to regain it. Olsen slanders Heroic Man by claiming the superhero stole the new grid plans from Electrifirm. The C.E.O. asks Norm to publicly confirm his story, and Norm—sick of relying on his brother’s charity and still as resentful as ever of that all-powerful posterior of his—gladly obliges.
Norm thoroughly enjoys being the more successful brother for once. That is, until Norm lets slip Heroic Man’s innocence to his girlfriend, who dumps him for treating his brother so poorly. Devastated and awakened from his selfishness, Norm battles his conscience: continue to outshine his brother despite the injustice, or come clean to the whole city and replace him as its biggest disgrace.
THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF HEROIC MAN’S BROTHER is an 80,000-word humorous adult superhero fantasy. I have a degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and won the individual award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Writing. I have also recently obtained an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. I interned at Kensington Publishing Corp. in New York City in the Publicity and Marketing departments. Thank you for considering THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF HEROIC MAN’S BROTHER and I hope to hear from you soon.
First 250 words:
I popped open a can of Fizz Beer and took a good, long swig. The stuff was cheap as hell, and non-creatively-named to boot, but there wasn’t much more a guy with a crummy mailroom job could afford. And I had to celebrate my impeccable achievement somehow.
Raw energy—along with the
insufficient buzz and flavorless taste of the beer—bolted through me as I
stared at the electricity grid model on my bedroom desk. After four years of
nonstop, though invigorating, work, my masterpiece was finally complete. And finally—oh thank God,
finally—I could prove my genius to the C.E.O. of Electrifirm and get the hell
out of the mailroom once and for all. All I’d have to do was walk up to
my boss tomorrow, show him the model, and—
“Norm, dinner!” Mom called from the bottom
of the stairs.
Already? Must’ve completely lost
track of time. I took another swig of Fizz Beer and grimaced. Should’ve gotten
Buzz Beer instead. Sure, it was a little more expensive, but it packed a bit
more buzz and taste, and cut back a tad on the annoying fizz.
I placed the can on my desk. I’d
have to wait until after dinner to finish celebrating properly. Or poorly,
given the brand’s quality.The scent of fresh, steamed vegetables never smelled so succulent—okay, it was intermixed with the heavy, foul odor of red meat—as I hopped down the stairs two at a time. The first time I’d done that since I was a kid.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
The Amazing Adventures of Heroic Man's Brother Logline
It's been quite a while since I've posted here (just plain typing that cleared some dust and cobwebs from this blog's long-neglected floor), but since I've recently entered the query trenches with my latest book, a humorous adult superhero fantasy called THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF HEROIC MAN'S BROTHER (which I've talked about a bit here), I figured I'd post some stuff concerning it. Namely, the logline, for now. Hope you enjoy! I really enjoyed writing this story. It was such a pleasure.
LOGLINE:
LOGLINE:
Wrought with jealousy and manipulated by Electri-City’s most influential
man, Norm “Run-of-the-Mill” Stevens slanders his revered brother, Heroic Man,
and must come clean to the city to repair the relationship.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)