Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Michael Dennis

The Revival: (The Bringer of Shadows, Book 1) by Michael Dennis

1- Who is your favorite Formula 1 driver?

Growing up, David Coulthard was a hero of mine. He was always seen as the underdog and was up against one of the greatest and most dominant drivers of all time in Michael Schumacher. F1 in the 1990’s-2000’s was incredibly easy to follow, with live races shown on free to air television in the UK. It had a huge amount of publicity and most importantly, was exciting to watch.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

My #WriteTip is to try and get in the habit of writing every day, whether it be a page, a paragraph or a solitary sentence. It is a continuous process and needs patience and persistence to finish a project.

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

I once received advice from children’s author Helen Creswell, who told me to try and make a fantasy setting as real and as relatable as possible to the reader. Expansive sagas like ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’ or ‘The Lord of The Rings’ create believable worlds inspired by historical events. If a reader cannot imagine the setting in their heads, then the book falls flat on its face.

4- With such a Sword & Sorcery Fantasy story, I have to ask, do you have a gaming background in, or have you ever dabbled in, the RPG world?

Absolutely, I was an avid gamer in my youth. The Final Fantasy series on the old PS1 and PS2 are a big inspiration on my writing and even today I still enjoy Role Playing games such as The Witcher, Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book in an interesting setting?


The landscape of Cragside in Northumberland, England particularly influenced the Elven forest of Ilsthyr, the setting where the majority of the first book is set and the inspiration for the front cover.

6- Your Goodreads profile shows you've rated over 40 books, but not left any reviews. Do you feel that book reviews are valuable?

I think it’s hugely important to review a person’s work, especially towards independent authors like myself that doesn’t have a major publisher. It gives the work credibility and may help shoppers justify their interest in the book and help make a purchase. I have left many honest reviews on amazon after I have read the work. Having said that, I am still fairly new to ‘Goodreads’ and plan to leave reviews, as well as scoring books in the future.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

@authorMDennis . Three authors to shout about on #WriterWednesday; Stephen Spinks ( @SpinksStephen ) Stephen Black ( @stephenRB4 ) R.S Rutherford ( @RS_Rutherford )

8- What’s one writing goal you hope to accomplish before you die?

I try to not look too far ahead. I set myself a goal to complete a fully fledged novel in 2017, which I completed last year and am extremely proud of myself for achieving it. The next aim is to complete the other two books in ‘The Bringer of Shadows Trilogy’ over the next couple of years and for it to sell not just in the UK, but in North America and Europe too.

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

If a book gets a strong recommendation from my friends or family, then I will definitely check it out. I think word of mouth is one of the most important ways of advertising a book. I also like series that you can lose yourself in for months on end like ‘Harry Potter’, ‘His Dark Materials’ ‘The Dark Tower’ and ‘The Chronicles of Narnia.’

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

Hugely! I have gone from writing stories for my family, writing on an academic level at university to completing a complete dark fantasy novel. In the next ten years, I hope to have my first series of books under my belt as well as having a collection of short stories published.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Tad Williams @tadwilliams
Title: The Dragonbone Chair: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Love because: I have recently been enjoying books by Tad Williams, particularly ‘The Dragonbone Chair: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn’ series, because the author really takes great care into developing his characters and builds tension slowly throughout his books. This is similar to what George R.R. Martin did with his ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

I have tried to include several twists in my first book that will hopefully surprise and shock the reader. This will continue throughout ‘The Bringer of Shadows’ series, particularly with one major event at the end of the second book. I have introduced characters that are relatable and each have their own different traits and quirks, both good and bad. I want the reader to go on a journey, which I think is the most exciting thing about writing a fantasy series.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I have received a great response from people who have bought and read the book so far, commentating on my vivid descriptions of the characters and locations I have created. I am the start of my writing career, and hope this continues in my following works and can carve a name for myself in the dark fantasy sector. I want the reader to experience a mixture of emotions from joy to anger, fear and trepidation.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

To write my book, I use my trusted Google Chromebook laptop, which includes a fast and cheap word processor that I would recommend to anyone. I have used ‘Canva’ for my front cover designs and have recently used ‘Hemingway editor’ as a style checker, which helps tighten up my writing and offer me synonyms of words I can use so I’m not repeating myself.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

During my English lessons at secondary school, I read a book called ‘Underground to Canada’ by Barbara Smucker. It is a tale of slavery, where four black characters called Julilly, Liz, Lester and Adam decide to escape their plantation and travel through an underground railway across the border. The author makes each of these characters unique, complete with their own traits. All four show the reader that you will succeed if you work hard, whilst trying again and again even if you fail, something which has stuck with me ever since.


16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I really enjoy http://socialbookshelves.com @SocialShelves, which include reviews of books, complete with a handy score. They also include recommendations to other books that are similar, so it is a great way to discover new works that may have otherwise passed me by.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

As a brand new author, I chose the self-publishing route for this trilogy, as I wanted full control over how the story was developed, what the cover looked liked and how it was marketed. It has been an idea that has floated around in my head for a number of years and I didn’t want it to be edited or changed to suit someone else. I’m pleased I did; I have been really impressed with the amazon KDP website, as it makes it easy to publish your work on their site in ebook and paperback form. Having said that, I may consider a more traditional route in the future.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

Stephen King, definitely. I have read nearly all of his work and, although he is the master of horror, can blend different genres into his work. This is particularly evident with his ‘Dark Tower’ series, which is set in a western fantasy world that runs parallel to a modern day setting such as New York. His characters are gritty, likeable and realistic and his humour is particularly localised.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

What convinces you to purchase or download a particular book? Is it the front cover, blurb, opening chapter or review that people have left?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

I was born in Nottinghamshire and now live in Newcastle, working full time for the National Health Service. Outside of the writing world, I enjoy football, Formula 1, films, cycling and going to music gigs. My two favourite bands are Stereophonics and Manic Street Preachers. I also have a page on twitter; @authorMDennis

Having been a fantasy enthusiast all of my life, I made it my New Year's resolution in 2017 to write a self published full length novel. After months of careful planning, world building and rewrites, it became clear one book would eventually become three; 'The Bringer of Shadows.' I published the first part, 'The Revival' in September 2019, which follows a group of young mercenaries undertaking their first mission as newly qualified candidates of the Northwood Military Academy. What seems like a routine mission from the outset turns into something much more sinister, as an extinct evil is awakened once more that threatens the very nature of society. Can the mercenaries, led by their illustrious leader General Francis Martine, combat treachery, personal tragedy, love and hate to piece together the clues and stop the threat before it is too late? Download it or buy in paperback on amazon.


The Revival: (The Bringer of Shadows, Book 1) by Michael Dennis

Worried that someone will steal your work? Here's why you shouldn't be concerned.

Over the weekend, I was talking with one of my writing buddies. They were telling me about how they wanted to post their writing online for feedback, but were worried that someone would steal their work or their idea. I’ve had similar conversations with other writers in the past, and I wanted to address this because it’s probably not as likely as you’d think.

Posting your work online can be a really useful way to get feedback. You can be anonymous and get people’s honest opinions, as opposed to asking your mom who…might not be unbiased. But the possibility of someone lurking in forums waiting for the perfect scrap of writing to steal discourages a lot of people. The thing is, when you think about it, this kind of theft is extremely unlikely, and here are three reasons why.

Most people who see your idea are writers

Probably 99% of the people who would look at your work and offer feedback are writers just like you. They’re just as nervous and just as eager to give and receive feedback. You know how a writer’s brain is: we've got a million ideas bouncing around in our heads and not nearly enough time to explore them all. I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly trawling the internet for more plot ideas. I already have far more ideas than I know what to do with, and the thing is, I want to tell that story the way I think about it. Which leads me to my second point:

People don’t think alike

Let’s take an example. I used to do writing competitions where I’d be in a room with five other people, and we’d have 40 minutes to write on a prompt like “___ Left ___: Fill in the blanks and use this as the title for your story.” I wrote about an immigrant family; someone else in the room wrote from the point of view of a piece of gum stuck to a shoe. So even with the same source material or the same base, no two people are going to write the same thing. If you post your short story that you’re planning to turn into a full-length novel and someone steals your idea, odds are they’re going to end up so different that you wouldn’t be able to relate them anyway. And on that note:

It’s just plain difficult to steal someone else’s idea

It seems like it should be easy, right? You go online and someone has already done all the hard work for you, and now you can just reap the rewards. Well, not so fast. Think about all the background info you have in your head that doesn’t end up on the page. Think about all the little details that make the story make sense, that knit all the words together. If you don’t write them into your work, how is a thief going to be able to do anything with that story? For that matter, do you really think someone who steals other people’s ideas on the internet can be creative enough to do something meaningful with that idea? If they were that creative, they’d have come up with their own idea in the first place. And even if they do manage to write something halfway decent, they’d still have to query or submit their work and somehow be faster than you.

So…what can you do?

It’s definitely worth it to be cautious about posting your work online. It’s true that you never know who’s looking at it or what their intentions are. If you still need feedback but aren’t willing to post your work on a blog or forum, try to form relationships with other writers and work with trusted CPs and beta readers. If you really must post your work and you’re nervous about theft, consider setting a date when you’ll delete it or take it down. And if any kind of online presence doesn’t feel right to you, check around to see if there are any in-person writing groups where you might get feedback on a hard copy of your work. Best of luck!

Three Act Story Structure

Tension in the three act structure

If you're like me, you've read about several different options for story structure.  Most that I've read talk about variations on the “three act” structure.  Sometimes, when I'm stuck on a plot point, I'll look at those variations and something I find there will help me get unstuck.

If you're stuck in your story, try reminding yourself about the three act structure.

Writer's Digest

Reedsy

The Write Practice

Writing Cooperative

The Script Lab

Self-Publishing School

Next week we'll look at a few other story structures.

Dear O'Abby: Do I really need blurbs?

Dear O’Abby,

I have a book releasing in late 2020 and my publisher has asked me to see if I can get other authors whose work is similar to mine to blurb my book.  I have reached out to literally hundreds of authors through their agents and publishers and not one of them has agreed to write a blur for me.

Do you have any advice about how to get blurbs?  And are they really important to getting sales?

Any information you have would be helpful.

Sincerely,

Blurbless

Dear Blurbless,

Blurbs can be a useful marketing tool, but they are only as good as the authors who give them.  A positive blurb from a recognized name can lift the profile of a book and signal to readers who are fans of that author that this might be a book they’d enjoy. For a non-fiction title, a blurb from an expert in the field you’re writing about would be a great endorsement that the book is relevant to people interested in the subject.

Getting blurbs is not easy, especially if you’re a new author without many contacts within the writing community.  If you have an agent, they might be able to help you get in touch with other authors they represent, if they write similar things to you.  Your publisher may also be able to help, although the fact they have asked you to do this alone does ring a few alarm bells for me.

My best advice is to be as polite and concise as possible when approaching potential authors.  Don’t spam them with endless emails if they don’t respond to you.  Don’t get bitchy if they come back to you with a ‘no’.  Thank them for their time and move on.

Remember that these are busy people and you’re asking them not to just write a couple of nice sentences about your book, but to actually read it so those sentences hold some weight.  Not everyone reads quickly so asking someone to read your book could be asking for a significant time commitment.  Authors who might already be juggling a day job, family, book deadlines and other commitments may genuinely not have the time to read and blurb a novel.

A glowing blurb from that unpublished writer in your critique group or your high-school English teacher won’t do much to lift your book’s profile, so if that’s all you can generate, you’d be better off going out without a blurb.

Blurbs are not essential by any stretch of the imagination and if you can’t get anyone with a ‘name’ in your genre and category to blurb it, your book isn’t destined for failure.  Getting good reviews on Amazon and other sales platforms is far more important in terms of selling books so my suggestion would be to stop looking for writers to blurb your book and save your energy until you have ARCs to send out to reviewers.

Good luck with the release!

XXX O’Abby

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Stephen H Vincent

When Faith Lights the Way: The Quest to Restore Electricity to a War Ravaged African Hospital by Stephen H Vincent

1- What makes solar the best source of electricity for developing areas?

The best source of electricity varies by how much electricity the user needs and the location. For small users like households, solar works great.
For hospitals, schools, and orphanages, solar systems with battery storage are four times the cost of diesel fuel systems. While solar panels are getting cheaper, battery prices are not dropping very much, and government subsidies, which are a game-changer, are not offered in the developing world. We have done both, but are intrigued with using solar panels during sunny days to directly supply power, but smaller diesel engines or biofuels engines to supply power at night or on cloudy days. The overall initial and operating cost of this type of system should be very effective.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

(no answer)

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

Write, write, write. I was not a writer and still don’t consider myself one. But, the more I write, the word pictures begin to have life, and the “great” thoughts and opinions running around in my head have now become clearer to anyone reading them.

4- Amazon has your book in the "Christian Inspiration" category. Is it more religious, reference, autobiography, or general non-fiction in your opinion?

It is the story of my life and the forks in my life’s river that I chose to take so that I would say more autographical. But, during my journey down life’s river, the book stops at a few spots and tells a more detailed story. These stories are adventure stories in my mind. Yes, these stories are a physical occurrence, but each contributed to my spiritual understanding of my beliefs.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book in an interesting setting?

Smuggled in on a cold Colorado day reading a good book!

6- Could you tell us a bit more about Power from the SON?

An amazing group of all volunteers with a goal of supply electricity and power to the neediest people in the world. Why electricity? You can feed people, heal and educate them, but without electricity, it is difficult to better your life or the lives of those around you. Electricity saves lives and is a key component in an education that opens the world.
Our volunteers are engineers, electric construction people, medical professionals, lawyers, secretaries, people who know electricity, and those who have trouble screwing in a lightbulb.
We have provided about ten electric systems to hospitals, schools, seminaries, and orphanages in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Honduras,

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

I am too much of a dinosaur to do twitter, but I do have a few writer friends. Lindsey Barlow helped me with editing and has just had a book published, Pivot. Andrew Natsios did the forward for When Faith Lights the Way and is the former Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Currently, he is an Executive Professor at the Bush School at Texas A&M University. Also, Rabbi Dr. Peter Tarlow, the author of numerous books and articles on religious subjects and tourism security, deserves a shout-out.

8- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

No, sorry.

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

I love stories of common people who are overcomers and have given their all, people who are explorers or inventors. I am inspired by those who have sacrificed for the sake of others.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

Ten years ago, I was in Africa doing my first electrification of a hospital torn by fourteen years of civil war. Writing was the furthest thing from my mind. In ten years, I hope Power From the SON has grown and is providing multiple electrical systems per year, and I can spend my time promoting by writing and speaking about our work and encouraging others to follow their quest.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Alex Kershaw @kershaw_alex
Title: The First Wave
Love because: His work gives you the facts, and the words transport you to the scene. His stories tell of people who gave their all for their country, family, and friends.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

Hope. From reading that there are everyday unknown and unheralded people in the world doing good things because it is the right thing to do.
Inspiration. That anyone and everyone can make a difference for the betterment of the world.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

Within each of us, there is a quest. A quiet voice that encourages us to stretch our limits. All of us are ordinary people, but some follow this voice and great things result.
When Faith Lights the Way is the story of average people, facing impossible obstacles, who kept focused on their calling. Its purpose is to encourage and inspire you to follow your passion and purpose.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

Well, of course, Word, followed closely behind, is Grammarly. I am an engineer by training and profession, and I have forgotten so much about sentence structure, punctuation, and I have always been a terrible speller!

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer
It is a true story of ingenuity, perseverance, and determination to improve the lives of his family and villages. Netflix is premiering a movie based on this book.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is about a single person working to take ordinary items that were available in his village and build an electric generator that could supply a small amount of electricity that benefited everyone.


16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I am usually behind social trends, but in this case, maybe I am ahead. WYS: What's Your Story? By Brandon Jones kicked off on January 1st. It is a video blog, whose purpose is to inspire. He interviews fascinating people and adds pictures to enhance and describe the topic. Each section is less than five minutes, and the complete story is told over several episodes. Brandon’s input and opinion adds interest. I was privileged to talk to Brandon about When Faith Lights the Way. What’s Your Story? can be found at https://www.facebook.com/WYS-Whats-Your-Story-114544263332521/

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

Being a rookie writer with NO credentials, a smattering of print media networking contacts, and no experience, I contacted multiple agents and received no acceptances. I researched online self-publishing organizations and decided Fedd Agency in Austin, Texas, was a good fit for me.
They helped me with editing, did the cover design, and had the books printed. Next, I had all these books at my house and no experience in marketing. I tried Barnes & Noble, and other sellers with the same lack of interest on their part. Basically, they had no interest in someone not listed on the New York Times bestsellers list. So, I returned to the internet and found PR by the Book. They have set up various TV and radio interviews and podcasts that have helped me get my message out.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

I am inspired by fiction or non-fiction, where people achieve objectives where the impossible becomes possible due to an unwavering commitment to their quest. For non-fiction, writers sharing the unvarnished telling of the facts of an extraordinary accomplishment gives me the courage to step out of my boat. David Roberts, author of Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story In The History Of Exploration, is such a writer.
A few months ago, I had the privilege to meet and talk with Alex Kershaw, New York Times Best Selling Author, and he even asked me to send him my book. His work gives you the facts, and the words transport you to the scene. His stories tell of people who gave their all for their country, family, and friends.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

What has that inner voice encouraged you to do, and what was the result?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Steve is a successful businessman with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Texas A&M University. His first career spanned thirty-four years in the electric utility industry. In his second career, he has redirected his efforts to provide state of the art electric systems to improve the health and education of the neediest people in the world. Steve's extensive experience working with utilities has made this unique contribution to humanity possible.
Steve founded Power From the SON (PFS), who’s first project was restoring electricity to a hospital in Liberia that was ravaged by a fourteen-year civil war. The dedicated hospital staff struggled without electricity while trying to rebuild and serve 24,000 patients a year. Routinely surgeons were forced to finish operations with flashlights in their mouths, often without anesthesia equipment. A few months after the project’s completion, the United Methodist Bishop proclaimed, “Thousands of lives will be saved, hundreds of lives have been saved already!”
During one week in August 2019, Power From the SON electrified a Honduran church/school and an orphanage separated by two hundred miles of ocean. These were not small house wiring jobs, but installations that required the transformation of a shipping container into an electric generation and switching location, coupled with a state-of-the-art electric distribution system.
Steve is the author of When Faith Lights the Way: The Quest to Restore Electricity to a War-Ravaged African Hospital.
http://whenfaithlightstheway.com/
https://www.amazon.com/When-Faith-Lights-Way-Electricity/dp/1949784029
https://www.facebook.com/Power-From-The-SON-230919783730495/


When Faith Lights the Way: The Quest to Restore Electricity to a War Ravaged African Hospital by Stephen H Vincent

The Merits of Procrasti-writing

The other day, I sat down to work on my revisions for my YA fantasy. In my last post for Operation Awesome, I talked about being too tired during the week to be able to even think about writing, so I was pretty excited that I had the time and energy to write on Saturday. There I was, clacking away at my keyboard, when I stumbled across something that seemed a simple question:

It's 5:00 in the morning on a trail through the woods. How are the characters able to see and navigate?

Lantern? Nope, they just escaped a fight with bad guys in the woods; they wouldn't want to draw attention to themselves. Magic? No, there's not that kind of magic in this world. Night vision? Cool idea, but that could get overpowered very quickly. So how?

The next logical thought was, well, of course there's a moon and stars. But then I paused. See, I'm firmly in the camp of making fantasy worlds markedly different from our own, and what always annoys me is these fantasy worlds that have the same 24-hour day, the same single sun and moon, the same seasons and tides and all of the other things unique to our planet. So of course I thought to myself, Well, in this world, there are TWO moons.

Yet another thought that seemed so simple at the time. But three hours later, my eyes aching from having stared at my computer screen, I realized I was very deep in the rabbit hole of figuring out how to put together a binary moon system that perfectly cycles in a 360-day year and only has one shared new moon.

All the while as I was working on this, some voice of reason in the back of my head kept pleading with me to stop, to just work on the revisions like I'd intended, that the binary moons were cool but did not need this much thought. But I couldn't stop. This one extremely background detail had completely consumed me, and I needed to figure it out. And, after multiple days of thought, research, and Excel formulas, I came up with my system. 

When I was done, I looked back on that time and felt extremely disappointed with myself. Rather than spending the weekend writing the entirely new chapter two I'd intended to work on, I messed around with sine curves. Instead of figuring out how to work in more of that side character who completely disappeared after chapter four, I read about lunar eclipses. I felt like I'd wasted the weekend. 

But the thing is, I didn't waste it. Sure, at first it was an exercise in procrastination, but by the end of my deliberations, I had something to show for it. I had created a metric that I can now use to tell time in the world of the story, and to set the stage for a major world-specific event. It's hard to see this kind of stuff as you're in it, that the time you're "wasting" will actually be useful as you move forward with your writing. 

So I'd encourage you to do these deep dives, to let your imagination or your sense of scientific propriety drive you where it may. You might resurface with a binary moon system.

Help for your TBR pile!

Books for soldiers & sailors 1918

We here at Operation Awesome want to help all our blog readers to ~drumroll~ restock your TBR [to be read] piles!  We know your piles are starting to dwindle*, and we want to ensure you have something to read.  Because let's be honest, the thought of having NOTHING to read is downright scary!

*In case you haven't guessed, this is HUMOR.  If you're like me, your TBR pile resides on the nightstand beside your bed, most of the floor space UNDER your bed, three bookcases along the wall in the hallway, about half of the trunk of your car, one-third of your briefcase, one desk drawer at work, a Kindle app on your iPhone, Overdrive on your iPad, and a folder of PDFs on your laptop computer.  And this doesn't count the library books you've checked out.


Overdrive

Internet Archive

Project Gutenberg

Smithsonian Libraries

Library of Congress


Two sites of compilations:

Teach Thought

Edu Choices


I'm currently reading Dogtripping by David Rosenfelt.  Next on my TBR list is So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.

What's on your TBR list?  Tell us in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: Help! I'm out of ideas!

Dear O'Abby,

Something has happened to me recently that has never happened before: I just can't come up with a story idea that excites me.

I have fragments of ideas and sketches of characters, but nothing that feels like it could sustain a whole novel.  

Do you have any ideas how I might be able to kickstart my creativity and come up with an idea for a new book?

Yours,

Blanking

Dear Blanking,

It's frustrating isn't it?  I know exactly how you feel.  Those ephemeral half-formed ideas that don't quite gel into something you can picture yourself spending a year or more working on.  Those ghostly characters that flit through your brain, half-formed, but with no real purpose.

I don't have any definitive, sure-to-work strategies for dealing with this lack of inspiration, but I can tell you about a few things that have worked for me when I've been drowning in a puddle of not-really-stories and not-quite-characters.

Firstly, if you have several different ideas, see if they could go together.  For example, when I wrote An Unstill Life, it started off as three very separate book ideas, one about a gay couple not being allowed to attend a school dance together, the second about a cancer sufferer not wanting to prolong her agony through doing more treatment when she knew it was futile, and the third about the way friendships change once people start coupling up.  None of these ideas was big enough or well formed enough to sustain a book on its own, and I wasn't sure who the characters really were in any of them.  It was only once I put all three stories together that the novel began to take shape in my mind.

Another thing I've done to try and spark something interesting is to use one of those really vague ideas you have - in my case, I wanted to write a story about a boy being physically and emotionally abused by his girlfriend - and use daily writing prompts to guide your character and story development.  If you Google "writing prompts" there are numerous sites that offer writing prompts and you can even subscribe to sites that send you one each day.  Just make sure you give yourself some rules around how you use the prompts or you'll find yourself sifting through them looking for something you can use, rather than allowing the prompts to force you to think outside your comfort zone.  I used a contest called The Writer's Cramp on Writing.com because it's a site I belong to, and the competition side of it made it a little more fun to dash out those 1000 words each day.  I didn't write a perfect book using this method, but I certainly discovered some really interesting things out about my characters by forcing myself to write about them using the scenarios and situations the prompts threw at me.  I even ended up with a central character I hadn't ever expected to be in there.

Inspiration can come from other sources too.  Read the newspaper and you might find a tiny sidebar story about something that tickles your imagination.  Watch a documentary and you might discover something fascinating you've never heard of before.  Something that you could incorporate into your own story.  Sometimes it might be a location, other times, a character or story that just piques your imagination in a way that tosses up ideas you want to follow.  Read widely.  You might read something you thought you'd love because the story sounded like something you'd be really interested in, but the book fell flat for some reason.  Maybe you can figure out why you felt that way and write a book that explores a similar story in a more satisfying way.

Hopefully one of these suggestions will spark your imagination.  Stories can't always be forced into existence, but they can certainly be encouraged to grow.

X O'Abby.

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Julie Holmes

Murder in Plane Sight by Julie Holmes

1- Do you have a #NewYearsResolution you care to share?

I like to think of the new year as a fresh opportunity to work toward goals, rather than resolutions. My goals for 2020 include finishing the draft for the second Sierra Bauer mystery and editing it for submission to my agent, and completing a draft of my next project, a rural Minnesota mystery.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Write what you know, but don’t show off. You want to be authentic but don’t bog readers down. Too much “technical” information will turn readers off.

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

Don’t stop studying the craft. Don’t stop practicing. Even professional athletes practice. If you want to be a writer, don’t give up. Persist. Keep learning, keep practicing, and you will become a better writer.

4- Would your mystery qualify to enter for The Staunch Book Prize?

Yes, my mystery would qualify, I believe. My main character survived an attack by her stalker ex-boyfriend, and regained control of her life. She is determined not to lose all the progress she’s made since the attack even when her past comes back to haunt her.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book with the sky or a plane in the background?



6- How many Sierra Bauer Mystery books are you hoping to write?

I have completed the draft of the next book in the series, and I have the story idea for the third book. I’d like to write at least three books, but I have other series in mind I want to work on, including a police procedural series for which I have the first four books drafted.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

My Twitter handle is @julieholmes2k13 . I have a lot of writer friends on Twitter, but I’ll pick these three to shout out: @MaeClair1 , @dlfinnauthor , @stacitroilo

8- What’s one writing goal you hope to accomplish before you die?

I hope to be on the New York Bestseller List at least once (don’t we all hope for that? :D )

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

I am a member of the Twin Cities chapter of Sisters in Crime, and I have met a lot of fellow authors. If I know the author, I would like to read at least one of their books. Unique and not run-of-the-mill protagonists with an interesting story and great cover (of course!) also inspire me to read a new book. To finish a book, I want to feel connected to the characters in some way. I want to be scared for them, root for them, and feel a sigh of relief for them when I reach the end of the book.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

Happy Anniversary and congratulations! The past ten years of my writing life have been the best, I think, because I have found treasured mentors who guided me to improve my craft. Of those ten, the past seven years have been the best, because in the summer of 2012 I met my Writing Sisters. We are eight writers who have helped each other not only improve our writing, but have helped each other through real life difficulties. We have become sisters in all but blood.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Mae Clair @MaeClair1
Title: Hode’s Hill
Love because: Hode’s Hill is a series of three books; I’m reading the last one now: Eventide. I have to pick the whole series :D Love because: Mae does a fantastic job with dual timelines and rich characters.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

I want my reader to feel the fear, the anxiety, the grief, and the confidence my main characters feel through the story. I want the reader to invest in the characters and really experience the story with them.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I hope my book will show readers that non-traditional protagonists are interesting and worth reading without falling into the usual stereotypes. I also hope my book assures people who may have been victims in the past do not have to become victims again. I think people like characters who, although they have tragedy in their past, learn to take control of their lives and aspire to keep that confidence in their strength.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

The best writing program, for me, that I ever bought is Scrivener. It fits the way I like to write without being outrageously expensive. I don’t use all of its capabilities, but I like what I do use. I also love OneNote, which is where I keep my story bibles. And a shout-out to Karen Wiesner and her book, First Draft in 30 Days.

15- In what ways are the main characters in your book diverse? diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

I think the biggest way my book is diverse is the fact that my main character is a woman doing a man’s job, which doesn’t compare to truly diverse books. My favorite book(s) with diverse characters are the Detective by Day series by Kellye Garrett and the Pen Wilkenson series by Brian Lutterman.

16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my WIP, so less time roaming the internet. There are a lot of readers and many writers who post reviews. Two I follow are Kim at By Hook Or By Book (https://cadburypom.wordpress.com) and Debby Geis (https://dgkayewriter.com).

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

The main reason I chose to go the traditional route is cost. Sure, self-publishing allows a writer to keep more of the profits from the book, but they also have to pay for professional editing, cover design, and they have to work to find all the channels, etc to get their books out into the world. By being traditionally published, I worked with an editor and a cover designer, plus traditional publishers, including small presses, have access to avenues like PW and LJ and distributors that self-published writers don’t.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

That’s a tough question. I think my work has a similar flavor to writers such as Julie Kramer or Jess Lourey (Murder by Month series). Patricia Briggs’ main character, Mercy Thompson, is a non-traditional character like Sierra Bauer, but I’m not writing urban fantasy (yet 😉 )

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

Was there one thing, a person or event, that inspired you to become a writer? What was it?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Bio: Award-winning author Julie Holmes writes a variety of mysteries, from suspense with a touch of romance to police procedurals with a brush of extrasensory, with forays into fantasy and science fiction. A former aircraft mechanic for a commuter airline, she is now a technical writer for a software company. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Social Media:

Blog: https://facetsofamuse.wordpress.com
FB: @JulieHolmesAuthor (https://facebook.com/julieholmesauthor/)
Twitter:
@julieholmes2k13 Website: http://julieholmesauthor.com


Excerpt:

Headlights glared in the rearview mirror. Sierra Bauer slowed, but not enough. Her car slid around the turn onto the service drive that ran past the Range Airlines maintenance hangar on the western side of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. She steered into the skid, regained control. Cursed the timing of the snow.

The idiot stuck to her backside like duct tape, too damn close even for Minneapolis drivers in these two inches of fresh January snow. Sierra considered hitting the brakes.

A deep rumble, and her tailgater passed her.

A pickup truck.

In the glow of her headlights, she identified the color.

Black.

Her breath caught.

An outline of a pale rectangle peeked from the layer of snow on the rear bumper.

Her heart stuttered. Raced.

It can’t be his truck. How would he know where I am?



Murder in Plane Sight by Julie Holmes

The Full-Time Worker and the Writer

After finishing my master’s degree and taking a year off to write, I have only just recently entered The Workforce - Amren's First Full-Time Job! And you know what? I have NO IDEA how people manage to fit in writing. If you're someone who somehow squeezes in a quick revision during lunch, or you write a new paragraph on the bus, kudos to you because I do not know how you do it. I have no idea how you compartmentalize well enough to shove aside the fact that Anna left this unsolvable problem by deleting her source code and just get into zen writer-mind. It seems nigh impossible.

I thought that starting a full-time job would be easier than grad school, since I wouldn’t have homework or group projects or research to do on my own time. I thought I'd be able to clock out at 5:00, leave my worries at the door, and saunter home to write a dozen pages. Instead, I get home and stare at my laptop, all of my creativity drained as if I'd poured it through a sieve. What I didn’t factor into this consideration was that, during grad school, I could go home during the day and make pizza dough or smash out a couple chapters. (Sometimes I could even cram a few paragraphs into the margins of my notes during class, if I was sneaky.) Working full-time is a whole other animal.

I've considered making time to write in the little moments here and there at work, but my job is too demanding to even allow me to think about what I'm going to work on after lunch. My brain is constantly "on," working out how long it'll take me to scan a dozen slides and whether I can figure out what's wrong with the lab computer while the scanner is running. At the end of the day, I constantly feel like my brain has turned to jello. And it is so frustrating. I've had my NaNoWriMo manuscript nagging at the back of my mind since the new year started, but I've barely had the energy to work on it. I have so many ideas in the tiny moments when I'm walking to lunch or running to the lab next door, but even just writing them down, they come off so boring, so clinical. It's as if work saps all the creativity from my body. It seems as though all I can do is hope that I'll eventually settle in, and all of this will be a distant memory.

How do you deal with work-writing balance? When do you find time to write? When you're feeling as if your creativity has drained away, how do you "reset?"

Questions to ask a literary agent on “the call”

Library reading nook 2018

Writers who want to be traditionally published are usually interested in being represented by a literary agent.  A literary agent can provide some major benefits to writers, including that the larger publishers [Big 5 – Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster] generally don't accept submissions directly from writers.  They only accept submissions from literary agents.

Last week we reviewed some questions to ask your critique partners and/or beta readers.  This week let's review some questions to ask if you have a literary agent interested in representing you.

First, congrats!  Getting “the call” from an agent means you've worked long and hard on your book and your query and maybe even a synopsis.  You've researched agents you believe would be a good fit for your book and your own personal style.  You've bitten your fingernails down to the quick with all the waiting and hoping.  And now you have an agent interested in talking to you!  Yay!

Now, here are some sample questions to ask:

Janet Reid - literary agent

Rachelle Gardner - literary agent

Jessica Faust - literary agent

Victoria Lee - author

And, here are some questions you might be asked.  Know your responses!

Maria Vicente - literary agent

Mary Kole - freelance editor, former literary agent

Finally, here's what one literary agency looks for in the writers they represent.

James McGowan - literary agent, BookEnds Literary Agency

Happy agent hunting!

Dear O'Abby: How do I get the most out of my online publicity opportunities?

Dear O'Abby,

Thank you so much to Operation Awesome for featuring us in the Debut Author Spotlight. We’re so happy about it. Might you have any suggestions on how we can promote, share, etc., to get more exposure for the feature? 

Best,

New Authors

Dear New Authors,

When publishing the Debut Author Spotlights, Operation Awesome schedules a number of social media posts about the feature, each highlighting one of the questions asked in the interview or something interesting in one of the answers.  One of the best ways to promote an interview or review online is to share these social posts so a new circle of people see them or write new social posts linking to the interview.

If, in the interview, you mention other authors, book review bloggers or anyone else in the industry, you can tag them when you share or post and hopefully they will then share with their circles too.  

Using the most effective hashtags when sharing or posting is also a way to extend the reach of any publicity opportunity by making the post searchable for people looking for something specific.  For example, if, in your interview, you talk about diversity in your books, you may want to use a hashtag that indicates you're talking about diversity so people searching for diverse books will find it more easily.  There is a site that will help you find the best hashtags for your posts.

You can also mention your interview in other interviews if it's relevant.  If an interviewer asks something you have already answered in depth elsewhere, in your reply to that question, you can say something like "I actually already spoke at length about this very topic here" and link to the interview.

The most important thing to remember about social media is that it's social.  Your feed should not be just a constant litany of "read my book, read my book, read my book".  Share other writers' interviews too, if they are relevant or you find them fascinating.  Engage with other writers and readers on the platform by sharing their posts or commenting on them. Social media is about building a community and you don't build anything worthwhile by constantly spamming people with ads for your own work.

Another thing to think about is using images in your posts.  People scrolling through screes and screes of social posts are more likely to stop and look at something with an eye-catching image than a post which is just a bunch of text. 

This is by no means a comprehensive lesson on how best to utilize social media, but hopefully it will help you in making existing information about you and your book work harder for you.

X O'Abby

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Kari Veenstra

The Rescuer by Kari Veenstra

1- 1- Do you have a #NewYearsResolution you care to share?

My #NewYearsResolution for 2020 is to draft, write, and edit the sequel to my debut. I think this will be both a challenge for me and an excellent goal to work toward.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Knowing how to write well and knowing how to tell a great story are two different things. Seek to improve at both, and your writing will blossom.

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

That you don’t have to write every day to be a great writer. There are great writers who do write every day, and there are great writers who don’t. You improve as a writer every time you sit down to write. The more you do it, the faster you improve, but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t or don’t put words on the page every single day.

4- Is your book similar to the Kevin Costner movie "The Guardian" and in what ways?

As far as character, plot, and setting, my book is completely different from The Guardian. However, I’ve heard there are anywhere from 1 to 3 to 7 basic stories in all the world, so if you compare the two works in that light, you will definitely find some definite similarities in regards to story and theme. The biggest similarity is sacrifice. Costner’s character in The Guardian is willing to sacrifice his hopes, dreams, relationships, and even his life to save others. In The Rescuer, Prok Zandin (the main character) is also willing to make these kinds of sacrifices and in doing so drives the entire plot.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book near water or a liquid?



6- You completed your 2019 Reading Challenge on Goodreads! How many books are on you challenging yourself to read in 2020?

In 2019 I pledged to read 40 books. I’m proud to say I read 45. This year, 45 is my pledge. I’m hoping to not only hit it, but exceed it by a couple. Whatever number I do read will be my goal for 2021.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

You can find me on Twitter @KariVeenstra_
In a round-about way, being on Twitter got me my publication deal. @StuartWhiteWM had a lot to do with it as did AM Dassu @a_reflective . And I’ve met so many wonderful writing friends thanks to @kristen_kieffer ’s #StorySocial chats.

8- What’s one writing goal you hope to accomplish before you die?

Hitting the New York Times Best Seller List is at the top of my writing bucket list.

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Cover, tag-lines, and back cover copy are probably the biggest reasons I pick up a book. If it looks interesting and sounds interesting, I’m hooked. I’m less likely to read based on word-of-mouth because I find that my tastes vary vastly from so many other readers.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

My writing has improved by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years. I went from writing news articles and web copy to writing fiction. I used to be so self-conscious of my fiction that I did all my writing in secret and didn’t try to connect with other writers at all. Needless to say, that didn’t work out.

My own personal writing style has improved over the last decade as I’ve found and developed my writing voice. I’ve learned so much about writing craft and what makes a great story. I understand why some novels succeed and why others end up as a DNF.. I’ve also learned that Twitter is a great place to build real writing friendships.

In another 10 years, I would love to have my entire Krador Kronicles series published. I have a few other books in the works that I would love to write and get published as well. At least 5 published works over the next decade seems like a great goal to shoot for.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Eoin Colfer @EoinColfer
Title: Artemis Fowl
Love because: The story is just so good! I LOVE this book (and the whole series). The characters and the world sucked me in from page 1 and made me want to be a part of their world. I’ve had my very battered copy for nearly 20 years and have re-read it many times. In addition to being a fun and fantastic fantasy, this book is *the* book that made me want to become a writer.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

In my book, the two core themes are friendship and sacrifice. I want readers to experience loyalty as deeply as my main character Prok Zandin does. I’d love for them to feel the same excitement, fear, exhilaration, and trepidation that he feels throughout the story.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I want my book to inspire my readers with the courage to make tough choices and the willingness to sacrificially give of themselves to help someone else.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

Story Genius by Lisa Cron taught me so much about writing and story. The tagline of that book is “How to use brain science to go beyond outlining and write a riveting novel … before you waste three years writing 327 pages that go nowhere.”

I’ve been working on The Rescuer for YEARS. I rewrote it several times, and while it did get better with each pass, I still wasn’t satisfied; I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong. Then I read Story Genius and had a lightbulb moment. I completely re-worked the book AGAIN - but this time I did it the Story Genius way, and now I feel confident that I have a complete and compelling story that flows organically from start to finish.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

One of my favorite reads of 2019 was Front Desk by Kelly Yang. The story is so unique and poignant. It is a fantastic diverse book that gives a clear window into the lives of Chinese immigrants to America and some of the struggles they and their children faced.


16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I love Ana and Thea over at The Book Smugglers. Their reviews are easy and fun to read, and I always get good insight from their reviews.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I always knew I wanted to be traditionally published. For me, it’s the validation of knowing that someone - a gatekeeper, if you will - liked my book enough to publish it. I also am really looking forward to seeing my book in major bookstores - that was definitely a factor in choosing my publication route.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

My book is very similar to the Adventures Guild by Zack Loren Clark and Nick Eliopulos. It features four unique characters that comes together for an epic adventure and have to work together to reach a common goal.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

I’m always interested in growing my TBR (To Be Read) list, so what is the best book you read last year or what book that you’re currently reading would you recommend for me to add to my list?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

500 feet below the surface of a drowned planet, an underdog gambles his family’s future to help a missing friend. But the price may be more than he’s able to pay, and choice comes with permanent consequences. THE RESCUER, YA SFF - Coming Feb 21 from INtense Publications. Pre-Order here: The Rescuer
KARI VEENSTRA grew up climbing trees in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea until the day she stuffed all her belongings in a suitcase and traveled to America for college. In the process of studying to become a crack defense attorney, Kari discovered writing was her true passion. This led to a journalism internship and a career in copywriting until Kari switched to writing fiction so she could spend more time with her family. Kari now lives in the deserts of El Paso, Texas, with her husband and two children, and is always on the lookout for a good tree to climb. To connect with Kari online, visit http://kariveenstra.com

Twitter: @KariVeenstra_

Facebook: @KariVeenstra.Author


The Rescuer by Kari Veenstra

On the Merits of Audiobooks

Oh, audiobooks. I used to have such a contentious relationship with them. Does listening to an audiobook really count as having read the book? Is it really the same? Are you a true fan if you haven’t read the book?

I mean, the answer to all of those is yes, but I was a real book snob as a teenager.

I’ve recently begun listening to a lot of audiobooks. Like many people, I’ve found my job to be…uh…kind of tedious sometimes (nobody tell my boss). I’m a research scientist, so a good deal of my day consists of following protocols that have become second nature by now, or working with spreadsheets, or otherwise carrying out lab maintenance and cleaning. I bought a cheap pair of Bluetooth headphones and started listening to music at work. But the thing is, I get tired of music eventually, and when I want to change songs, I have to take my lab gloves off and that’s a waste.

So, I switched to audiobooks. I finally set up my Overdrive account and got their app, Libby, for my phone. (The Bluetooth connectivity distance of my desktop computer is…not great.) I’m fortunate enough that my local library has an extensive eAudio collection, so I checked out the entire SHATTERED REALMS series by Cinda Williams Chima and went at it.

At first, it was kind of a weird transition. While music is kind of mindless in the background, I had to at least sort of listen to the books. But slowly, I got used to it, and I’ve been ramping up the playback speed as I get more accustomed to the reader’s pace. Since I switched to audiobooks in the middle of December, I’ve listened to FLAMECASTER, SHADOWCASTER, STORMCASTER, DEATHCASTER, LIKE A LOVE STORY, WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH, and I’m less than an hour away from finishing THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL. I get to listen to a bunch of books that I’ve been meaning to read as “research” for my NaNoWriMo revisions, my supervisor gets my hard work, and everybody’s happy. Win win!

Do you listen to audiobooks at work? (Don’t worry, I won’t tell!) If so, what have been some of your favorites? And what’s on your to-listen shelf?

Questions to ask your critique partners and/or beta readers

Reading nook - 1905

We did not receive any submissions for First 100 Critique last week.  It appears y'all are a little burned out on the First 50/100 Critique idea, so we'll let it sit for awhile.  Don't worry, we'll resurrect it a little later this year.

According to the OA About page, “We blog regularly, sharing writing tips and hosting contests (like #queryfriday and #PassOrPages).”  So during this break from First 50/100, let's talk about some writing tips.  This week – Questions to ask your critique partners and/or beta readers.

First question – what's the difference between critique partners and beta readers?  A critique partner is a writer who reads your work and gives you feedback from a writer's perspective.  You will usually “pay” for this help by doing the same thing in return.  A beta reader is a reader, usually one who reads in your genre and is a member of your target audience, who gives you feedback based on a reader's perspective, not a writer's perspective.

The types of questions and feedback you want from each one can be different, but can also be the same.

I trolled the internet and found several good lists of questions you can consider asking your critique partners and/or beta readers.

Writer's Digest

Helping Writers Become Authors

Beta Reader IO

Jami Gold

The Write Life

The Kill Zone

When I read someone's first chapter, I usually comment on (1) was the first line/paragraph good for the category/genre, (2) did the first line/paragraph hook me, (3) did I like the MC, (4) was the dialogue authentic and believable, (5) was the action believable, (6) was it exciting and/or fun, (7) can I visualize the setting, (8) does the timeline make sense, (9) were there parts where I wanted to read more of the MC's thoughts [this one is common], and (10) would I want to read this all the way to the end.

I also tend to leave "stream of consciousness" comments.  If I have a thought while I'm reading, I make a comment so the writer knows what's going through my mind at that point in the story.

When someone reads your manuscript, what kinds of questions to you ask your readers?  And when you read for someone, what kinds of comments do you give?  Let us know in the comments!

O'Abby's Vacation Flash Fiction Competition

O'Abby is on vacation this week here:

To keep you busy while she's away mountain biking, hiking, swimming and sunning herself, she challenges you to write a piece of flash fiction (no more than 500 words), inspired by this stunning view.

Post them in the comments, and when she's back next week, she'll pick a winner to receive a prize.

Have a fantastic week!

X O'Abby