Author C. B. Dixon
Books. Life. Wonder.
Enter the New Year
I enter into the new year with high expectations for my future. In the past, no matter what my New Years resolution was, it seemed to get lost around March. Every year, the same thing. Well 2015 is going to be different. I am going to complete my New Years resolution. There is no might or attempt or even try! I will. You can hold me to it.
This year I am going to get my book Wicked Soul Ascension published.
So far I’m off to a good start. I have a completed manuscript that is ready for an editor.
With my manuscript in hand, I found an editor that was interested in my book. Her name, Ann Westlake. She is one of the most helpful people I’ve come across. Over a two hour phone call her and I talked about the craft of creating a novel. Ann had great ideas above and beyond editing and writing. With her help she made it possible for me to afford the costs of publication.
After I talked to Ann I knew that it was time for me to get a publishing name. I got my business licences and registered Hidden Words Publishing as my publishing company. I was actually about to accomplish a life long dream.
In November I took on the NaNoWriMo challenge for the first time. For those that don’t know what that is, NaNoWriMo is a writing challenge to complete 50,000 words in 30 days. Everyday as I worked on the challenge I would walk by a charcoal drawing of a fox that hangs on my wall. A beautiful work of art. Edgy and sinister. Around the end of November I began thinking, cover, cover, cover. Wicked needed an image. I called up Christine White, the artist of the fox I admire, and pitched the idea of her as my cover artist. She accepted and was thrilled to take on the challenge. I went to her studio and we talked for hours about the cover. As I spoke she doodled, took notes and asked in depth questions. I was pleased by how serous she took me. Her work is magical and I know she will aply that magic into the cover of Wicked.
Iryna Spica then found her way into my life. Her passion for transforming a story document into a beautiful book caught my attention. The way she talked about covers, spines, margins, fonts, and paper made me want to see a book through her eyes. She had many great inspirational ideas that let me see my manuscript as a novel. Iryna and I will put the word document, cover art, and text together to create a beautiful novel that you can hold in your hands or put on your ereader.
I am ready to take the new year head on.
2015 I’m ready for you.
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Update
I’ve been working a lot of hours to get WICKED out into the world. It’s been taking up all of my time. Even though I have finished writing the manuscript there is much, much, more to do. More then I could have ever imagined. Lucky for me I have time. A whole years worth of time. Before the end of 2015 I want to have Wicked book one of the Soul Ascension trilogy on your beautiful bookshelf. Until that time comes I still have to get my manuscript to my wonderful editor so she can whip it into shape. While it’s at grammar boot camp I will be meeting with my book designer and cover art illustrator to give my story the final touches before it returns from the editors wonderland.
While I wait for the remaining dollars to trickle in, I have been working on my website…it still isn’t ready to emerge from the corner of the room but soon. I have a few final touches to add.
What do you love about your favourite authors website?
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Near the End…
It’s almost the end of NaNoWriMo, it’s a scary thought. I’ve discovered many important things over the past few weeks that I will carry with me into the future.
Lesson 1: Distractions can happen anytime, anywhere.
-Whether your at home, a coffee shop, in your car, in a small box out back, you can be swept away by the simplest of things. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I have learnt from many from my distractions and sometimes I just needed a break from the scene. It resets the thought process. The down side is the words won’t write themselves.
Lesson 2: The creative block.
-When writers block happens and there seems to be no way over the wall, keep writing. You can always go back and delete what you’ve written or change it. I’ve surprised myself countless times after these moments.
Lesson 3: The force.
-Don’t force the story to go where it doesn’t want to go. I tried to and ended up deleting two hours of hard work because I wasn’t listening to what the story was telling me. I wanted the character to help my protagonist and the story wanted that character to die. Killing him off was way easier, it gave the story flow that I couldn’t force no matter how hard I tried.
Lesson 4: Write.
-Write, write, write. Take a pee break then write some more. When I gave myself more time to write, the story was given a steady flow over longer periods of time. If I had to stop in the middle of a scene due to having to work, sleep, eat, or drive someone somewhere, I found that scene to be choppy. The times I was able to write hours on end my scenes became crystal clear and my characters personalities blossomed.
Lesson 4: Get down with it.
Get it down. All those ideas that your brian tosses at you spiral all over the place. Some times your scenes feel like they are mismatched. That’s okay. Knife it later. I already know I want to do a scene shuffle in December. A character comes in out of nowhere will be given a fresh start later and an object that gained importance could be hinted at earlier in the story line.
Lesson 5: 50,000 words.
-One month can equal out to 50,000 words. At first I was nervous I would never accomplish this goal. With only 3,000 more words to go I understand that it is possible.
Well that’s all for today. Time to get back to my manuscript and plug in my tunes to drown out many distractions.
Cheers,
C.B.
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Eye Contact
“How does Taz know to make eye contact?” my husband Mark asked me after talking to our cat Taz.
If you have a pet or went to a friends house that has a pet you may have noticed that cats, dogs, and even birds make eye contact when you call their name. Mark and I talk to our kitties often as if they were fuzzy little people that understand our every word. So I took the question outside of our home and into the world of other animals.
Today I went to the pet store to get our class geckos their yummy crickets. While I waited I talked to the cockatiel that was singing on its cage. The instant it noticed I was talking to it the bird tilted its head and looked it’s one beady eye into mine. I didn’t use a name or nick name, just talked about its cage, food, toys and other things that the bird had around it.
My question for you is the same my husband gave to me.
How do animals know to make eye contact?
Could it be a universal communication that all animals understand?
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I write. I become. I experience.
Why do I love writing?
The joy and relief I get when I crunch a few thousand words into my keyboard is much like when a Martial Artist gets after beating a bag of sand. When I enter my hidden world I get to open myself up to many new opportunities that I have never experienced. Yes, I don’t build the muscles although the stimulation I receive is real.
Have you ever wanted to fly on a dragons back while being chased by crazed witches? Have you ever wanted to breath underwater? I know I have, among many, many, many other things.
While my mind rapid fires ideas at my fingers my story unfolds, and in those moments I become whatever I want, when ever I want.
That is why I love to write.
Fighting demons. Meeting Gods. Nothing is impossible. All is possible.
Write. Write. Write.
Happy NaNoWriMo to all my writing friends.
Keep up the great work!
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Rain
The gentle raindrops splash against the trees and soil, a magical song my soul sings too.
When I stand in the rain under a vast canopy of trees I can’t help my close my eyes and listen to what the world around me has to say. The longer I stand and listen with an open heart the more at peace I become. The melody of the rain patting the trees, logs, shrubs and puddles in the soil, wash away the stresses of everyday life.
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Want to get a signed copy?
Get a signed first print of my new novel coming out in 2015.
I have now written my first novel! Now all that is needed is donations to get the ball rolling.
How to get your signed first print copy.
The first 100 people that donate $50.00, or more, will receive a signed copy of my first ever printed novel. A receipt will be issued to every persons that donates.
Like and message me on my Facebook page.
Let me know that you would like to donate $50.00, or more, towards the project.
Click on: C.B. Dixon and ask me about my book. I would love to answer any questions you have.
*E-transfers and cheques are accepted
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Bus Note.
I stood and waited for the bus downtown Victoria while I listen to Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. I realized that no one knows what I’m giggling about while Tweetledee and Tweetledum go on about their nonsense.
Bundled up, protected from the heavy shower, people with their eyes cast down seem to be as glum as the grey sky. Here I am laughing under the lip of a roof to keep my sweater dry. An angry woman begins to beat a old pop can discarded in the parking lot of the nearest store. Yet I giggle as the Walrus and the Carpenter argue over their meal.
The bus rolled up to the curb and beaconed me out of the rain. The sound of the patter of rain against cement was drowned out by the rumble of the engine. I loaded the bus as Alice cried. Poor silly girl. I crammed my legs into the tight space between the seats.
Alice dressed the Tweetle brothers for battle as I observed the people on the bus. A drip of water landed on the woman in front of me, angered she slipped into the seat beside her. I eyed the underside of the advertisements. At each joint water collected and then dripped at each jump of the bus.
The white queen’s scream drew my attention back to the story and back to the world outside the window. My small white house came to view. I pulled the yellow cord at my ear. And there my bus journey came to an end.
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To School or Not To School?
In a way I’m still a wanna-be author. I have a manuscript that is yet to be professionally edited. It screams and begs to go to the story spa. My manuscript has even picked out the package it desires. And like any parent without money to give their child such a luxurious gift, I shake my head. Not yet. Deep in my chest my heart snaps. My manuscripts big dream of being on a bookstore shelf shatter.
If I went to school would my manuscript end up in a bookstore?
In the past few months school has been on my brain. I’ve been wondering if going to school would help me in the in end. It would give me the tools I need to grow. When I look at tuition…I feel like I should cry. Maybe if I’m lucky my tears will turn into diamonds I could sell them. College here I come. Dreams. Dreams.
Keep dreaming. Work at those dreams. One day all your hard work will pay off.
School costs more then I can afford, unfortunately, doesn’t mean that I will never go.
If you’re in the same boat and want that story you have hidden way; read, told, shared, and adored. Your story might inspire or even scare the living daylights out of someone, then consider school. School will give you a connection with other writers that are learning along side you. Test you. Push you to the breaking point to help you expand your theories and worlds.
I had to think of an alternative to school. There are free blogs to read, groups to join, and the entire internet to explore. There is also the most effective way…walk in to a library and ask. Bookstores too!
I stroll into the library by my house and found there’s a list of resources, meetings, work shops, contests, readings and other little helpful gatherings for authors to connect with one another. I take a picture of them each month with my phone with the intention to register for everyone. Today I saw one that is a must, it is about self-publishing and marketing. This, at the moment, is one of my weaknesses. Best of all it’s free! This isn’t the first free coarse they’ve offered. I’m sure your library would have the same. If you keep your eyes open you will find cheap workshops that will help polish your wonderful bossy manuscript. This way you can afford that expensive time at the spa.
Happy writing!
C.B.
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Stones of Life
Life is a balancing act between many stones of life. We each pick and choose each stone from a sea of rocks and test it by placing the stone with respect and tender care. Think of each stone you place as friends, family, career, and hobbies. Once they all work together you will find a inner peace. Not every stone will work. Experimenting is unavoidable. Think of it as going on a date, meeting a new friend, or even buying a computer. You can’t be sure that it will work perfectly the way you want it. Your date could smell or that new friend could be rude or that computer could have glitches and is rendered useless. You could focus your time in fixing the glitches though you will risk of taking attention from your other stones.
Friends support you through the best and worst of times. Don’t forget to do the same for them, they too are balancing the stones of life.
Family creates the base of the tower. When you mature it’s your turn to build on your own. Choose your own stones and test them. (Think of all the weird phases you went through as a child. I know I had a few.)
Careers are important, we all need them, find one that is right for you. Don’t settle. If you have settled ask yourself is it making your tower weak or keeping it strong?
Hobbies are those special stones that will glorify your structure with your adventurous and playful side. Could be anything you enjoy doing. Art, dance, blogging, writing, photography, knitting, sewing, or anything you can think of.
If you topple over, don’t worry, we’ve all fallen and will do so in the future. Gather your friends and family, they can help put all your pieces back together.
Now that you have all your stones in mind build them up. Is it a sturdy tower that can last the sands of time? If not see what stone is wobbling and give it care and attention. Maybe your not giving enough attention to one or to much to another. Are you spending more time with friends and not enough time for career? To much time on hobbies and not enough on family? The one I’ve come to see the most is to much time on career and not enough on family. Take a hard look at your tower and ask your self, have I balanced my stones?
We all have imaginary delicate towers that we hide behind a mask. If you see a friend, family member, or coworker, even a stranger, and their tower seems wobbly give them a stone of confidence. A small complement goes a long way.
How are your stones of life doing?
