Weighty Matters
Available Soon!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Cozy Mystery Magazine Authors/Radio Interview
New Writing Internet Radio with Red River Radio on BlogTalkRadio
Sunday, October 27, 2013
My New Cover!
Covers matter. No matter how scintillating the writing is in between--a cover can make or break a book's success.
After hearing some feedback on the writing and cover of my latest novel, "Alligator Pear," Readers like what's inside, but the outside wasn't attracting people to the book. At the time, I thought a gothic cover suited the story to perfection, but what looks good in actual size may not look good as a thumbnail.
When readers scope around for a good book to read, all they see are thumbnail versions of the cover. The cover has to attract no matter the size.
So I decided a new cover was in order. And here it is…
Please tell me what you think. Your opinion matters. I earnestly listen to reviews and feedback.
Here's the old cover for comparison:
After hearing some feedback on the writing and cover of my latest novel, "Alligator Pear," Readers like what's inside, but the outside wasn't attracting people to the book. At the time, I thought a gothic cover suited the story to perfection, but what looks good in actual size may not look good as a thumbnail.
When readers scope around for a good book to read, all they see are thumbnail versions of the cover. The cover has to attract no matter the size.
So I decided a new cover was in order. And here it is…
 |
| Cover design- RomCon Cover photo- © konradbak - Fotolia.com |
Please tell me what you think. Your opinion matters. I earnestly listen to reviews and feedback.
Here's the old cover for comparison:
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Travels and Travails--by Linda Kozar
My husband Michael and I flew into Hartford to visit my long-lost friend, Carla Lorenz and her sweet family. The last time I saw her in person, she was pregnant with her first (of two) sons. We arrived the day before his sixteenth birthday. Suffice to say, it's been a while...
The fall colors were just beginning that slow bleed. Vibrancy in red, orange, yellow--even bright green. We marveled. We gawked. We sighed. Autumn, though not arrayed in all her finery, wowed us all the same.
The overnight visit all too short, we drove to Poughkeepsie, New York to visit Locust Grove, The Samuel Morse Historic Site. Our original plans were to tour the Vanderbilt and Roosevelt estates, but the government shutdown dictated otherwise. Undaunted, we decided to veer off the beaten path and tour some sites we might not have considered otherwise. I'm a writer--we're used to making things work!
Locust Grove, as I mentioned earlier, was the home and estate of Samuel Morse. He lived there from 1847-1872.
From Wikipedia:
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American painter who turned inventor. Already well known as a portrait painter, in his middle age he contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, was a co-inventor of the Morse code, and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy.
The home had two previous owners before Morse and one after.
That said, we arrived at the site and signed on for a tour. We surprised to find that we were the only two people present for the tour. Private tour, you say? Yessssss!
The thing that sets this home apart from some other historic homes is that the previous owner left the house and all its contents to the historic society. Every room was populated with furniture, knick knacks, artwork, even cardboard food packages and tins in the kitchen! Although little was left in the home from Morse (ironic, huh?), the fact that he lived there was enough of a draw, I suppose.
A gift shop and museum on the grounds detail the history of Morse who started life as a serious painter, studying at the Royal Academy in London. Back in the U.S. he focused on portrait paintings and did well, but not extraordinarily well as a painter. Did you know Morse is hailed as the Leonardo Da Vinci of the United States? That's right. He was a Renaissance Man--fascinated with lots of things.
I love visiting historic homes and sites and museums. Nerdly, I am.
More tomorrow...
The fall colors were just beginning that slow bleed. Vibrancy in red, orange, yellow--even bright green. We marveled. We gawked. We sighed. Autumn, though not arrayed in all her finery, wowed us all the same.
The overnight visit all too short, we drove to Poughkeepsie, New York to visit Locust Grove, The Samuel Morse Historic Site. Our original plans were to tour the Vanderbilt and Roosevelt estates, but the government shutdown dictated otherwise. Undaunted, we decided to veer off the beaten path and tour some sites we might not have considered otherwise. I'm a writer--we're used to making things work!
Locust Grove, as I mentioned earlier, was the home and estate of Samuel Morse. He lived there from 1847-1872.
From Wikipedia:
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American painter who turned inventor. Already well known as a portrait painter, in his middle age he contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, was a co-inventor of the Morse code, and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy.
The home had two previous owners before Morse and one after.
That said, we arrived at the site and signed on for a tour. We surprised to find that we were the only two people present for the tour. Private tour, you say? Yessssss!
The thing that sets this home apart from some other historic homes is that the previous owner left the house and all its contents to the historic society. Every room was populated with furniture, knick knacks, artwork, even cardboard food packages and tins in the kitchen! Although little was left in the home from Morse (ironic, huh?), the fact that he lived there was enough of a draw, I suppose.
A gift shop and museum on the grounds detail the history of Morse who started life as a serious painter, studying at the Royal Academy in London. Back in the U.S. he focused on portrait paintings and did well, but not extraordinarily well as a painter. Did you know Morse is hailed as the Leonardo Da Vinci of the United States? That's right. He was a Renaissance Man--fascinated with lots of things.
I love visiting historic homes and sites and museums. Nerdly, I am.
More tomorrow...
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
Alligator Pear--My Gothic Romance Release By Linda Kozar
The novel releases on September 25th but is NOW available for preorder at a special price: $5.99. If you add the book to your library on Smashwords before the release date you receive the special lower price.
For everyone else, the price goes up to $6.99 on September 25th.
If you want to kick the tires a bit before you buy, read the preview on Smashwords. I've also included an excerpt below.
***
Alligator Pear, by Linda P. Kozar
an excerpt from Chapter Fourteen...Blue Ribbons
"Without warning, the canoe slammed
into the soft earth of the embankment. He caught her in his arms as she bounded
forward, the bulky camera between them. She pushed away at once, or almost at
once. But the few seconds it took to part from his muscular frame, lingered
longer than it should have.
They pushed off the embankment with
their paddles and continued on, but a silence followed. Her heart thumped
against her chest so hard, she wondered if he could hear it. She decided to
concentrate on the scenery to take her mind off of him.
Cypress tree limbs clothed with
honeysuckle dripped perfume on their heads as they glided past. Saw Palmettos
winnowed insects, both common and exotic. Animals trilled, rattling through
leaves large as elephant ears. Bubbles and pops resurrected from the murk of
the water. A still, stealthy feeling, like a shadow followed them.
Was it the story? How laughable.
More the breath of imagination than methane; conjecture more than conjure. She
found herself shivering nonetheless. All of a sudden, she wanted to leave this
tomb of plants and animals long dead, as if lingering too long would absorb her
as well. Even as they paddled out of the darkness, she shuddered away an inward
urge to escape, as if casting off…what?"
Friday, August 23, 2013
Dead Characters Society--by Linda Kozar
Sometimes a story flows from skull to paper with effortless ease. But those times are rare.
Readers are going to totally get what I'm sharing today. Ever pick up a book and connect with the characters and the setting so completely that you cry or even experience mild depression or sadness when you reach the end? You want more, but there is no more.
Authors experience similar emotions. When an author finishes a book or a series, it's a bittersweet moment. We're overcome with joy at finishing the project, but kind of sad having to say goodbye to the characters who've occupied our thoughts. There's an emotional connection, a friendship if you will. Weird, huh?
It takes a while to shake them off. This is especially true of series characters.
I've been writing, or trying to write a fourth installment in my mystery series. (You're going to love the title, but I'm not sharing it right now). The first three books are: Misfortune Cookies, A Tisket, A Casket, and Dead As A Doornail. But I've run into trouble.
First, it was difficult to get back into my character's heads. I'd already said goodbye to them. When an author finishes a series, its paramount to a death. Those characters are entombed, no longer active in the mind of the author, except in historical context.
In the process of writing a story, the characters are active and speaking to the author. Sounds crazy, right? But actors experience the same kind of connection. They become the character for a time to more accurately portray the individual.
So it took me a while to reconnect with my characters. For a series to work, the voice of the character has to be consistent. Sure the characters grow, but the voice is the same. That was the first obstacle. And I managed to reconnect, but starting the first chapter with the main characters around a table--eating. It's easy to imagine conversations around a dinner table, the food, the humor, atmosphere. Starting off with a meal kickstarted my creative thought. I soon found myself back in their town and in their heads--writing away.
The trouble is, I made it halfway to Chapter Two and stalled.
Why? I didn't like where I was going. There was no way the plot I envisioned would work. I had to go back to square one. Well, not exactly. Chapter One was a good launching point. But where to go?
Weeks passed. Then, a month. Two months. I posted my stuck status on Facebook and my FaceBook friends offered suggestions. Walk away. Or do something else. So I did. Sometimes it helps to take on another creative project. I like to paint in oils, but didn't feel like taking on such a big project. So I broke out the sewing machine and made a slipcover for a chair instead. And voila! My mind slipped back into gear and I was soon able to delve back into a new storyline, with a fresh perspective and new ideas.
Granted, my idea for a plot line was kind of crazy. Would it--could it work? I began to research my wild idea and discovered it was entirely possible. Yay! No plot is too far-fetched if you fetch the data to prove it is possible.
So now I'm steaming forward. Plot set. Characters alive and well and talking my ears off. The book is coming together and I'm really stoked about this one. Readers are going to be surprised at the mystery in this new installment.
Better start pounding those keys...
Authors experience similar emotions. When an author finishes a book or a series, it's a bittersweet moment. We're overcome with joy at finishing the project, but kind of sad having to say goodbye to the characters who've occupied our thoughts. There's an emotional connection, a friendship if you will. Weird, huh?
It takes a while to shake them off. This is especially true of series characters.
I've been writing, or trying to write a fourth installment in my mystery series. (You're going to love the title, but I'm not sharing it right now). The first three books are: Misfortune Cookies, A Tisket, A Casket, and Dead As A Doornail. But I've run into trouble.
First, it was difficult to get back into my character's heads. I'd already said goodbye to them. When an author finishes a series, its paramount to a death. Those characters are entombed, no longer active in the mind of the author, except in historical context.
In the process of writing a story, the characters are active and speaking to the author. Sounds crazy, right? But actors experience the same kind of connection. They become the character for a time to more accurately portray the individual.
So it took me a while to reconnect with my characters. For a series to work, the voice of the character has to be consistent. Sure the characters grow, but the voice is the same. That was the first obstacle. And I managed to reconnect, but starting the first chapter with the main characters around a table--eating. It's easy to imagine conversations around a dinner table, the food, the humor, atmosphere. Starting off with a meal kickstarted my creative thought. I soon found myself back in their town and in their heads--writing away.
The trouble is, I made it halfway to Chapter Two and stalled.
Why? I didn't like where I was going. There was no way the plot I envisioned would work. I had to go back to square one. Well, not exactly. Chapter One was a good launching point. But where to go?
Weeks passed. Then, a month. Two months. I posted my stuck status on Facebook and my FaceBook friends offered suggestions. Walk away. Or do something else. So I did. Sometimes it helps to take on another creative project. I like to paint in oils, but didn't feel like taking on such a big project. So I broke out the sewing machine and made a slipcover for a chair instead. And voila! My mind slipped back into gear and I was soon able to delve back into a new storyline, with a fresh perspective and new ideas.
Granted, my idea for a plot line was kind of crazy. Would it--could it work? I began to research my wild idea and discovered it was entirely possible. Yay! No plot is too far-fetched if you fetch the data to prove it is possible.
So now I'm steaming forward. Plot set. Characters alive and well and talking my ears off. The book is coming together and I'm really stoked about this one. Readers are going to be surprised at the mystery in this new installment.
Better start pounding those keys...
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Some of My Favorite Love Quotations...by Linda Kozar
I love you - those three words have my life in
them.
~ by Alexandrea to Nicholas III ~
I'd like to run away
From you,
But if you didn't
come
And find me ...
I would die.
~ by Shirley Bassey ~
Gravitation is not responsible for
people falling in love. ~Albert Einstein
Ah me! Love can not be cured by herbs. ~Ovid
Love has no desire but to fulfill it self. To melt and be like a
running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged
heart and give thanks for another day of loving. ~Kahlil Gibran
Do I love you because you're
beautiful,
Or are you beautiful because I love you?
~Richard Rodgers and Oscar
Hammerstein II, Cinderella
Love is much like a wild rose,
beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense. ~Mark Overby
Forget love - I'd rather fall in
chocolate! ~Sandra J. Dykes
Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which
becomes a habit. ~Peter Ustinov
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