October was a phenomenal month. I made progress on my rough draft, reviewed another book thoroughly for next spring, created yet another drawing for next winter’s book, partly revamped an old short story/novella for possible publication this winter or next spring, and worked on my ongoing linguistic project besides. In addition, I am pleased toContinue reading “Plans for November”
Author Archives: J. S. Allen
Happy Halloween!
Have a good All Hallow’s Eve, everyone. Don’t stay up too late doing spooky things, now!
One Year Anniversary Sale: ‘Sauragia’!
Greetings, all! It is hard to believe but it is now one whole year since the release of my very first book, Sauragia. To those of you who have purchased it in its various editions over the past year, I thank you whole-heartedly. To mark this most special occasion, I am hereby offering 50% offContinue reading “One Year Anniversary Sale: ‘Sauragia’!”
25 Memorable Quotations
This week, I’m taking a little detour from writing-related topics to list some of my favorite lines from book, movie, and song. Some are profound; some inspirational; and some may be just a little bit silly. Anyway, here they are:
Martin the Warrior: Worst Protagonist Ever?
N. B.-This post contains spoilers.Redwall is a great series by a fine author. It has a wonderful charm all its own that simply draws you in and allows you get lost in the depths of its vividly created world for a whole 22 books and beyond. Of course, it does have its flaws (as IContinue reading “Martin the Warrior: Worst Protagonist Ever?”
Marketing Matters: The Art of Self-Promotion
Once you’ve been published, you might think that your job is done, and that it is time to move on to your next project. You would be right on the latter account; wrong on the former. There are a number of ways to get the word out about yourself and your book. Here I shallContinue reading “Marketing Matters: The Art of Self-Promotion”
Plans for October
September was a bustling month indeed! While not all was accomplished that I had hoped, it was nevertheless a good one. In it I managed to make improvements to an old story, continue work on my Woodland Tales translation, plan a couple of short articles/essays, rough out another drawing for next year, and complete myContinue reading “Plans for October”
‘Little Women’: A Review
Louisa May Alcott’s signature work, Little Women, is undeniably a classic. Though set in the mid-19th century, its themes and lessons are timeless, and its main characters unforgettable in the annals of great literature. It is, in fact, one of only two or three books ever to have brought a tear to my eye. Here IContinue reading “‘Little Women’: A Review”
Pitching to a Literary Agent Live: What It’s Really Like
A couple years ago, I attended the last annual Longview Literary Festival in Lee’s Summit, MO. It was an incredibly fun experience as always, but different from previous years in that, for the first time ever, I got to pitch a novel series to a literary agency in person! Here I am going to tellContinue reading “Pitching to a Literary Agent Live: What It’s Really Like”
Agents: What Are They Good For?
Love them or hate them, literary agents are a force to be reckoned with in the publishing world. Just about all the big-name authors have one, and any online search you do for book publishers will likely bring up some agency names as well. So, who are these mysterious entities who do so much behind-the-scenesContinue reading “Agents: What Are They Good For?”