Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Dec 20, 2011, 9:12 am
After much consideration, I’ve decided to leave WordPress and start up a new blog at Blogger. I am a YA writer primarily, and many of the YA reviewers and fans are on Blogger, and you can therefore, connect with them through Google connect. Blogger accepts javascript, which means you can add whate... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Oct 15, 2011, 9:51 am
Okay. I got my final proof yesterday. I’m super excited because I’m almost finished with this twisted YA book, Kings & Queens, and the paperback will be out very, very soon.
I got as many PDF conversion glitches as I could find in my eBook. There may still be a couple of missing words or whatev... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Aug 9, 2011, 10:30 am
Here’s where I’m at: the galley. I’m just waiting for that to arrive so I can go through it several times with a fine-toothed comb, a hatchet, and a red pen.
Ya see, when I lost my book files from the tornado storm, I had to convert my novel from a PDF to a doc I could manipulate, and when I ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jul 26, 2011, 10:25 am
I’m giving away 50 eBooks of my YA suspense novel, Kings & Queens, all formats, in exchange for a review at LibraryThing. LibraryThing is not as pretty and or as easy to navigate as Goodreads and it seems far less social and popular, but there are some cool e-Books you can win. So sign up and clic... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jul 9, 2011, 7:23 am
…is finally here. I expected it to be out by June 30th, but that didn’t happen. After a little bit of a delay with my computer getting zapped in a tornado storm and me having to redo the eBook format, my YA suspense novel, Kings & Queens, is finally LIVE and available for purchase at Amazon (Kin... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jun 16, 2011, 2:13 pm
Wow. I know my book and my weird way with words is not for everyone, but I got a totally sweet and awesome review for my novel Kings & Queens from Missy at Missy’s Reads & Reviews. She is one of the gracious bloggers hosting me for my tour.
Here’s a tidbit from her review: I think the best way ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jun 16, 2011, 11:03 am
Man, I am so super embarrassed by the awfulness of my first draft. It is…terrible. I wrote Kings & Queens before reading books on craft, before knowing it would be YA, before having a great group of critters at my disposal. Wow. What pure awfulness that I never even saw in the beginning.
Original... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jun 14, 2011, 2:37 pm
I’m having a total blast on my blog tour so far. The Teen Book Scene is awesome for helping me with the start of it, for the next four weeks.
For my first visit at Rex Robot Reviews, I had to write a bio using only lines from my YA novel, Kings & Queens.This would have been so much easier with a ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jun 13, 2011, 12:51 pm
Author: Leslie DuBois
Publisher: Little Prince Publishing (May 17, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0615460534
ISBN-13: 978-0615460536
My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Sonya, a shy, black ballerina, who’s been cleaning a studio for years in exchange for dance lessons, might actually be able to escape her real li... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jun 10, 2011, 11:05 am
…The Teen Book Scene. This site and these bloggers are so awesome. They organized everything for FREE and my debut YA novel, Kings & Queens, will be featured for four weeks in a site-sponsored blog tour. I am soooo excited, but also a little bit stressed. I planned to have my eBook out already and... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jun 8, 2011, 10:04 am
Wanna get some cool YA and Middle Grade reads to jazz up your summer reading for FREE? The Kindle INDIEpendence Day Giveaway is a month-long celebration of the hottest Indie Middle Grade and YA books of spring and summer, culminating in a grand prize giveaway of a Kindle. And on top of that awesome... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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May 30, 2011, 5:40 pm
Author: Tim Downs
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 17, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1595543104
ISBN-13: 978-1595543103
My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
This is my first encounter with A Bug Man novel, and I really enjoyed meeting these quirky characters. We follow Nick, a forensic entomologist, as he takes off ju... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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May 21, 2011, 6:46 am
When I was submitting to agents, Kings & Queens was at a too-terse 88,000 words. It didn’t need to be that short, content-wise, but I didn’t want to turn agents off with 106,000 words, so I stripped it way down. Let me just say, because it was so skeletal, I am SOOOO glad no one signed me.
When... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Apr 27, 2011, 10:39 am
May 11 marks a year since I’ve been writing on that blog. I’ve done a lot more reading than the reviews reflected there, but anyway, I thought I’d do something special to mark my upcoming anniversary.
I’m giving away some books I’ve read during the past year or so. I have a couple in ther... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Apr 21, 2011, 12:11 am
It took me forever I know, but I finally have an author website. It’s flash-based so it might not work on an Apple device due to their whole issue with Adobe. My YA novel, Kings & Queens, will be available for purchase in both e-book and paperback on June 30, 2011, the e-book likely sooner. Come c... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Mar 25, 2011, 9:21 am
I’m so excited to announce my YA suspense novel, Kings & Queens, will be released this summer through Little Prince Publishing. My debut novel will be available in Kindle, e-book and print.
So, needless to say, I’m gonna be busier than a bee with all that I have to do between now and then.
... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Mar 8, 2011, 10:10 pm
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (Jan. 5, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0312573804
ISBN-13: 978-0312573805
My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
When lies spread after Regina Afton is near-raped by her best friend’s boyfriend, this member of the Fearsome Fivesome is thrust into no-manâ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Mar 5, 2011, 8:36 am
Whoa. Since I made the bold move and tore the dark but rigid Chaotic Soul from my sight and site last year, it’s amazing how fickle I’ve become.
I’ve tried out six other WordPress designs, but I’ve been growing tired of them rather quickly. Most of them just didn’t feel like me or allow m... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Feb 19, 2011, 10:54 pm
Every novelist wants to knock out a great book, one that engages readers and gets them to care about the final outcome and read beyond chapter 1. To be an exceptional storyteller, the vital thing you must master is the art of hooking. And you do that by using plenty of page-turning tricks and lures.... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jan 20, 2011, 12:41 am
This deep question posed by Hamlet is not merely about living or dying, it seeks to find the meaning in life, as well as the breadth, scope, purpose, and tangibility in it. There’s an underlining hope for making an impact in it, to thrive beyond the pages of existence. To Be. It is the question of... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jan 6, 2011, 11:54 am
Now that I’ve pretty much decided I’m going to do my own thing and choose my own journey with my YA novel, Kings & Queens, I suddenly realized I have more room. Yay!
You see, with any YA that gets into the big house, word count needs to be super minimal. About 60,000 is average. So, I worked ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jan 5, 2011, 2:53 pm
Hop over to the Dreaming of Books blog to read the remainder of Priss’s picks for The Priscilla Awards 2010.
Hilarious!
~Signing off and sending out cyber hugs. Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jan 1, 2011, 9:54 am
Author: Andrew Klavan
Genre: YA suspense
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 2, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1595547142
ISBN-13: 978-1595547149
My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Charlie West is a feisty protagonist, who’s missing a year of his life and running from mystery killers–a group of terrorists h... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Dec 30, 2010, 8:19 am
Chapter 1 for Dropping Like Flies was way, way old, and in major need of an update on this blog.
I’ve since changed my MC’s name—she made me do it—and the tone to match her more jaded, trucker-mouthed self that emerged in chapter 2.
So, if you’re not offended by a pissy teen’s POV and ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Dec 30, 2010, 2:27 am
Did you ever want a blowtorch for a finger? Meet Priscilla Sumner, my guest blogger, an ordinary seventh grader with extraordinary gifts, who’s the main character in the new Middle Grade novel, Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson. Priss is here to give out her pop culture awards for 2010.
â™... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Dec 29, 2010, 9:40 am
The new year is fast approaching and I’m thinking about my game plan for 2011. I haven’t gotten many bites for Kings & Queens, a few, but nothing substantial, but maybe there’s a reason for that.
I’m thinking more and more about what I want for Kings & Queens and I’m not so sure landing r... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Dec 11, 2010, 9:04 am
The last time I posted here I was talking about my virtual book release party for Secrets of Eden (Solstice Publishing Aug. 2010). When that book came out, I tried a gimmicky approach to getting sales. I offered a free book with each purchase and even a drawing for a free Kindle. Well, now that it h... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Dec 3, 2010, 12:06 pm
…and a couple days into it??? Insane!
Man. Father Time is seriously ODing on speed. Just as soon as you get used to writing the year on checks, it changes again. Remember the whole Y2K scare? That was almost eleven years ago. Crazy.
Well, I did NOT write 50,000 words for Nano like I’d hoped.... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Oct 29, 2010, 9:26 am
Heads up! I’m doing Nano this year.
That’s it. The end.
No sir. Just kidding, crickets.
Anyway, I’ve been struggling to stay motivated in my penning of Dropping Like Flies. I believe NaNoWriMo, with its call to writers far and wide to ink out 50,000 words in one month, will lead me to the... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Sep 1, 2010, 2:32 pm
Hmm. Well, there’s not much going on in the agent hunt, so I can only hope for some good news this autumn. One agent does have a partial of Kings & Queens, so I could be much closer to getting a thumb’s up. Who knows. But, I think maybe my query is just not getting it done. Or it could be my con... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Aug 26, 2010, 9:59 am
If you’ve ever been bitten by a story idea, an idea that seems compelling and interesting but could never be grand enough for a novel, try condensing it into a bite-sized flash. Take that story idea, build it as you would, then burn and carve away anything unnecessary. The basic structure sho... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Aug 21, 2010, 3:33 pm
My publisher sent out a letter not long ago. They were contacted by Hollywood a few months back asking them to provide romantic suspense novels to be used as props in their upcoming Bruce Willis movie, RED. The movie has a great cast, including Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Richard... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Aug 21, 2010, 11:06 am
I’m a Christian and not an I-do-my-best-on-Sunday type but rather, one who’s striving to grow. I’m also a writer who primarily pens secular YA.
In YA these days, anything goes, as long as it’s in moderation. Maintaining a junkfood mentality is best. You can show grit, violence, sensualit... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Aug 16, 2010, 2:41 pm
The other day I watched a free webinar about How to Make Your Book a Bestseller. Though by the end of it they were just trying to sell me an expensive seminar, I was still able to take away some valuable information. The most important thing I learned was the need to have a book launch party. Now th... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Aug 16, 2010, 1:00 am
Most writers develop crazy and/or unexpected afflictions, bugs and glitches. Insomnia. Coffee Addiction. Procrastination. High blood pressure. Self Doubt. Neck and back kinks. Here are some maladies I’ve developed since deciding to start a writing career.
♣ Typing Dyslexia. My ideas formulate ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Aug 11, 2010, 8:33 am
I’m all visual. My scenes are primarily action and dialogue. If there isn’t much to be done, said or experienced, it isn’t much of a scene to me. And I usually let my scenes, especially really intense ones, play in my head for a while before I write them down, and this gives my writing a mo... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Aug 4, 2010, 4:16 pm
Finishing a novel is a great feeling. I just finished my sixth novel.
Unfortunately, only the last two or three have been any good.
There’s a lot of editing to do once that first draft is out of the way, but the hardest part for most writers isn’t the writing or editing, it’s the search for ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Jul 30, 2010, 2:51 pm
Congratulations to our resident blogger Sybil Nelson for winning The Strongest Start Competition at TheNextBigWriter.com with her middle grade entry, Priscilla the Great. She also has a movie deal for it. Now all she needs a publisher to realize the awesomeness of Priscilla The Great.
To get a sens... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jul 30, 2010, 1:59 pm
Please welcome my guest blogger, K.L. Brady, author of The Bum Magnet. I asked her to share her story, since she has such a cool one.
K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. She’s an alumnus of the University of the District of Columbia and U... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Jul 30, 2010, 1:53 pm
Please welcome our guest blogger, K.L. Brady, author of The Bum Magnet. I asked her to share her story, since she has such a cool one.
K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. She’s an alumnus of the University of the District of Columbia and Uni... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Jul 28, 2010, 4:49 pm
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a few short stories from the point of view of Priscilla the Great called Twin Shorts. Then, last weekend I self-published an ebook just to see what the process was like. I have to be honest with you here. Since Priscilla the Great has over 450 fans on facebook and nearl... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Jul 26, 2010, 1:35 pm
Have you ever read a piece of fiction that felt incomplete? You wonder what’s lacking, but can’t pinpoint the missing pieces of the puzzle? Chances are, the author overlooked some vital bit of craft.
Fiction never comes out right the first time, unless you’re a genius. It takes several ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jul 24, 2010, 8:23 pm
I’ve been pondering my love of music. I enjoy all different kinds. I listen to more styles than anyone I’ve ever heard of. And there’s something kinda cool about Indie bands, untapped musicians who are trying to make it, playing their hearts out, writing because they’re passionate about the ... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jul 23, 2010, 4:10 pm
Sometimes our work is just not cutting it. Everyone knows it, even your mom, even Santa Claus. You need to be honest with yourself in order to bring your work up to snuff. You may have an unsnuffable work that you need to scrap, as I did with my first novel, and that’s okay. Move on. Pick up t... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Jul 22, 2010, 12:19 pm
Sometimes our work is just not cutting it. Everyone knows it, even your mom, even Santa Claus. You need to be honest with yourself in order to bring your work up to snuff. You may have an unsnuffable work that you need to scrap, as I did with my first novel, and that’s okay. Move on. Pick up the p... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Journeys in Ink
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Jul 20, 2010, 1:34 pm
I went back to the doctor today even though I think she’s an idiot. Why did I do this? Well, she had what I needed, an antibiotic prescription.  I think she’s an idiot because she’s has misdiagnosed me even after I told her what was wrong.   She calmly dismissed my concerns, sen... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
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Jul 19, 2010, 3:03 pm
I designed a website for my YA novel, Kings & Queens, at wix. Come check it out and sign my guestbook. http://www.wix.com/cvwriter_27/kingsandqueens Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
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Jul 17, 2010, 3:14 pm
Okay. I’ve got my FB page up and the website for my YA suspense novel, Kings & Queens, and I’ve been working on my trailer as well. It’s finally finished. This is my latest version. Thoughts? Suggestions for improvement? Thanks.
My Trailer:
I’ve got many of my promo pieces in place. No... Comment - Like
Courtney Vail posted an article on
Creative Burst
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Jul 14, 2010, 11:23 am
So, I’ve been putting off reading Twilight because I know it’s in First Person, and not the best demonstration of one. But I decided to throw caution to the wind and snatch it up to see what all the Edward Flair and tomato throwing’s about.
Well, it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be, but... Comment - Like
I'm a fabulous writer, a tomboyish princess, a slow runner, a sports addict, a dragon slayer and a practical joker.
And I'm a freak...the Queen of Freaks actually.
Cheesy, bacon fries with ranch dipping sauce is my favorite guilty pleasure food. Guitar music gets me jiggy. Good books can change me forever. Serial TV shows tend to hook me. My NFL love turns me into a blob of goo on autumn Sundays.
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