I'm over at author Alexa Grave's blog today discussing the steps I take before I officially start writing a novel. Check it out if you get the chance!
http://blog.alexagrave.com/2015/08/chris-von-halle-steps-i-take-before-i.html?showComment=1439395773341#c1630744498313655023
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
New Author Website
So my new author website is up and running (it's been up and running for a little bit, actually), and it looks quite spiffy if I don't say so myself. It's at chrisvonhalle.com, so feel free to check it out should the spirit move you (and I hope it does).
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Spotlights
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.
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.
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!
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