Today we are very excited to welcome author Dani Alexander, author of the bestselling novel “Shattered Glass” !
He is talking about writing and is offering an Amazing giveaway !
Welcome Dani 🙂
Wanna Be a Writer?
Lately, I’ve been staring at a lot of white space with giant black cursors blinking at me. I think they’re speaking in Morse code. Each blink telegraphs a message: ‘Write!’ ‘Write!”. Yes, it includes a giant exclamation mark. In my world, Morse code blinks punctuation. Go with it. I’m aiming for a good visual.
So, I sit at my computer, staring at my screen that’s blinking Morse and I finally write one word. Then a sentence and a few more sentences and that’s when it begins.
A chorus of voices in the back of my head. I wish I could say it was the lovely Denver Gay Men’s chorus, but it’s more like a crowd of the old lady from the Princess Bride screaming “Boo! Booo! BOO!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_c7SbkGaLk
The writing just stops and the doubts seep in and I fuck off and go play Tropico 5 or Assassin’s Creed or Borderlands 2 or I start making random book covers that no one is ever buying ever because they’re not about any book in particular. Anything to quiet that ever present nagging sea of doubt that attaches itself to every word I type.
When I finally force myself to go back to the page, I’ve quieted the negative thoughts—for about two hundred words. Think about it. That’s about the amount of words so far in this article. Read them pretty quickly, right? Which is the new doubt that comes up.
Have you ever lain in bed and needed to sleep? You tell yourself over and over that you have to get up in six hours, you need to sleep. Toss, turn, toss, turn. Omg you have to get up in 4 hours. Get to sleep! The more you think about it, the worse it gets and the worse it gets, the more you can’t stop thinking about it. For me, that moment is the 200 word mark. Write! Omg you need to get this done. You have to finish this chapter. Write!
Pressure. Pressure.
I force the words out and they’re horrible, I think. They sound forced, don’t they? Backspace! Backspace! Backspace! Backspace!
I continue on and it starts to get better. The words flow. 300. 400. And then I need a word. I pull the thesaurus out to find just the right one and then someone has a great post on Facebook which leads to blog posts and chatting and then I remember I had to look up that thing about the new skins available in Borderlands 2 for Zer0. Pretty soon three hours have gone by with no writing. (Return to the paragraph about sleep and we’re back there).
The right word. I find it, type it down. But I’m right back where I started at the beginning of this whole post. I chug out another paragraph. It’s awful. I know it’s awful. I can’t let anyone in the world read this.
By five hundred words, the image you should have is this:
The chorus of negativity is now the most terrifying negativity monster, hovering over my shoulder reading my book.
Then I start to edit. I read it. That word doesn’t belong. This sentence needs shortening/lengthening. Wow. Why did I think this was crap? It’s pretty good. Heh. I could have been writing this whole day.
Now you know what it’s like to be a writer =D. Fun, right?
About the Author :
Dani Alexander has been making up characters since he was fifteen. In fact, characters are his favorite part because all the voices in his head can now be explained in a way which doesn’t make people question his sanity. Dani is lucky to have the support and love of a husband, his cats and a dog, all of whom get neglected when the voices start demanding to be put on paper.
You can find any additional info on his website : http://slashfiction.org
Shattered Glass: A male prostitute, a mangy cat, a murder and a maniacal mix-up that threatens his career, his impending marriage and his life. Nothing is going as planned for Austin Glass.
Austin — seems to have it all. At least on the surface. A loving fiancée. A future with the FBI and a healthy sized trust fund. He also has a grin and a wisecrack for every situation. But the smile he presents to everyone hides a painful past he’s buried too deeply to remember. And his quips mask bitterness and insecurity. Austin has himself and most of the whole world fooled. Until he meets someone who immediately sees him better than he sees himself.
As events unfold and Austin’s world unravels, he finds himself pushed into making quick life-changing decisions. But can he trust Peter or what’s happening between them when each meeting seems to be just a series of volatile reactions?
Buy Links:
Available as an ebook at: Amazon AllRomanceeBooks Kobo ITunes
Paperback: Createspace Amazon
Give away a $10 and a $20 certificate to the two winner’s choices of any LGBT Publisher AND
2 copies of the audiobook of “Shattered Glass” !!!
Loved Shattered Glass. Thank you for writing it.
I wish you could just let the words fly and land where they may – could be something great. You’re a very good writer and I look forward to more of your work.
I love Shattered Glass, it was one of my first M/M books and helped fall more in love with genre. As for the pressure, I’m not an author so I can only imagine how it feels. ((Hugs))
can’t wait to read Shattered Glass! Love finding new to me authors!
I love Shattered Glass too! I wish you all the best with your writing. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!
A new author Yay!!! Putting the book on my tbr list.
ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dotco(dot)uk
Anxiously awaiting Shattered Glass #2
I loved this book. I’m looking forward to the sequel.
I loved Shattered Glass. Thanks for the giveaway!
Shattered Glass is easily one of my favorites MM books. It’s sexy and witty. Dani Alexander’s writing is exciting and Joseph Northton’s narration complemented the book perfectly.
Can’t wait for Cai and Riley’s story!! Congratulations and best wishes!! *hugs*
Shattered Glass has been one of my favorite reads so far this year! <3
Thank you Dani. Shattered glass is one of my all time favourite mm books. Funny, witty, sexy and so well written. Looking forward to the follow up books. All the best with the writing, I find it hard enough to write a short review so I can appreciate how hard it is to write a first class novel.
I really enjoyed this blog entry. I’ve not read anything from this author yet, still a little green to this genre. This book sounds really appealing. Thanks for an opportunity in the giveaway.
Looks like a good book. It’s going on my wishlist. Thanks for the giveaway!
I bet the story will lend itself well to audio!
Love Shattered Glass and I can’t wait Cai’s story! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love this book so hard.
This sounds like it will be a very good book.
LOVED this book!! Looking forward to more!
I loved Shattered Glass (even though it was responsible for me not sleeping as I just had to finish it at the time :-)). Thanks for the great post and giveaway.
Hello Mr, always nice to read about you and your doings. I’ve recommended Shattered Glass to anyone who’ll listen to me.
Thanks for a great post and for the giveaway!
Ha. The writing process sounds terrifying! Glad I’m on the reading side of it. And like everyone else here, I loved Shattered Glass!
Stop second guessing yourself, Dani! Write it down and let Kate clean it up.
I read this back when it first came out and loved it – I’m thinking it’s time for a re-read!
Shattered Glass is one of my favorite books. Thanks for the chance.
Wow, tough being a writer, but I’ve read good things about your book.
Looking forward to reading Shattered Glass. I love reading new to me authors.
I went through something like that just trying to write a single paragraph in Comp 101, really. And it was BAD. Your work is wonderful, so at least all the lost sleep pays off. Keep up the good work. 🙂
It is tough to be a writer. Hope you keep going.
Eeeek! I’m so anxious for the second book!! LOL..
thank you for this giveaway! 😀
First of all that video is going to give me nightmares, lol. I can’t imagine how difficult it has to be at times being a writer. So glad you’ve persevered through it and created such wonderful books. Shattered Glass is a phenomenal book, loved it.
really want to read this book
please count me in
I cannot unsee that gif. I specifically stay away from horror >.< Warning please!
Other than that thanks for the interview.
Sounds like a interesting story. Thank you for the giveaway!
Great post Dani! Love Shattered Glass! Thanks for the chance to win!
I love Shattered Glass and am so excited for book 2! Hope those writing demons leave you in peace to crack on with the good work!
I love Shattered Glass. It’s one of my all time favorites. Can’t wait to read Not So Innocent. Thanks for your insight into the writing process and for the giveaway.
Really Loved this book. Loved the article! 🙂
I loved Shattered Glass. I have the audiobook on my wishlist. 🙂
Dani I know exactly how you feel. I’m working on the third book of a series and it’s been like pulling teeth. I get a day or two of really making a dent in it and then nothing flows for a week and I end up rewriting everything two or three times. Just know that you are not alone and many people want to read what comes out of your mind. 🙂
this book is simply amazing! I don’t know if I’m more in love with Austin or Bunny Slippers (Peter) or Dani!!!! I can’t wait to read Cai’s story… I think It’s time for reread it
I have this book on my wish list. Have heard many great things. PLus I love audiobooks 🙂 Look forward to this!
I loved Shattered Glass (those bunny slippers!). Thanks for the giveaway.
That image is so creepy. Writing can be a lot of pressure!
I’ve been meaning to read this forever 🙂 Only heard good things about it.
That sounds like it’s pretty accurate. Thank goodness so many writers push through it and deliver us the good stuff!
Thanks, that was really interesting, and I must say that I loved Shattered Glass.
I really enjoyed the book and I am very interested in the audio book. Thank you for the giveaway.
Congrats to the 4 winners!!