Author Heather McCorkle

In between editing and cover designing I spent last week preparing to enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. I went back and forth on whether or not to enter for a while. I love being indie and having my own press and that won't change. However, a bit of traditional success and marketing for a different novel sure wouldn't hurt either. The best of both worlds, so to speak, one feeding the other.  For those who don't know, ABNA is a free contest with a great opportunity. There are two winners, adult fiction, and young adult. Each gets a $15,000 advance and contract with the big six publisher Penguin. If you're wondering whether or not to enter, you should! But do it quick, there are a limited amount of spots and they fill up fast.  But beware, the competition if extremely fierce. There are some outstanding writers entering. Your manuscript should be highly polished as well as your pitch because you'll need both. This first round is on the pitch al...

This brown bear helped inspire me last week and reminded me that not all threats are as obvious as they seem. In the case of this chapter is isn't the physical threat my main character needs to worry about but the emotional one that arises after the situation. I love working external threats into internal threats and really putting my characters to the test. This main character is turning out to be my favorite so far, but don't tell the others! Oh yeah, and I entered Trouble With The Dragon Empire into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest last night. Wish me fabulous luck! I'm going to need it with all the great competition. I'm still reading Rampant because I'm just that slow of a reader when I'm working on a new novel. Don't take my slow reading as a reflection on how Rampant is though. It is a unique story that keeps you moving along and I'm really enjoying it. Many days I've had to leave it in another room so I wouldn't pick it up a...