Monthly Archives: April 2012

Five Things My Daughter Says with Her Eyes

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I’ve always felt that when you marry this is when you come to fully realize how much you can love someone. When you have a child, however, that is when you fully realize how much you are loved and how you’re perceived, what you’re truly willing to sacrifice (even to the point of death) and what the term “unconditional love” really means.

So when I look into the eyes of my brown-eyed girl there are five things that I see her say. I weigh them carefully in my heart and do my best to respond as best I should. I’m human so I don’t always get it right but I do try because of what she means to me.

I trust you.

This is probably the most weighted message. It means that my “yes” should be “yes” and my “no” should be “no”. Kids can see right through you and they know if you care or not. They know if you’re telling the truth and most of all they know if you have good intentions towards them. It means that when we say we’re going to be there at 7:00 we better make sure that we don’t arrive at 7:01. It means that we keep every promise made because it is a reflection on what they mean to us as parents.

You keep me safe.

I’m all for strengthening her and teaching her to defend herself. She’s a brown belt in American Karate and really enjoys it. Still, she wants to know that daddy has her back. She wants to know that if there is a potential intruder that dares pose a threat that he will be met with all of the wrath that dad has to offer and more. But more importantly, she wants to know that I’m on her side. I want her to grow through the trials of life and while I can’t shield her from them I will always work through them with her and not against her.

You guard my heart.

She focuses on every facial inflection for a hint of approval. Once a word is uttered it can be forgiven but it can never be retracted so I have to choose carefully because the next word that I utter can change the course of her life forever. Life itself will dole out the evils of this world but what comes from me can only say, “I am your daddy, I am yours and I am on your side.” It doesn’t mean we hide the truth. To the contrary, we share it with them but with love as the motivator. Leaving that out is simply destructive.

I’d rather be with you.

Yes we love mom but one thing mom isn’t crazy about is loud craziness and that is exactly what happens when we’re left to our own devices at home. We break out the foam swords and things start flying. We reenact (as best we can) the light saber duel between Darth Maul and Obi Wan. I’m hoping this lasts well into her teenage years! Yeah, I know but a guy can dream right?

I love you.

And by that she means forever.

Lovey – I love you too…..forever.

Chat soon,
Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Update on Jupiter Chronicles – Close to the Starting Gate!

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Hi All!

Hope you’re doing well and that you had an awesome weekend. For the better part of Saturday I was busy designing the interior of the first in the Jupiter Chronicles series titled, The Secret of the Great Red Spot (keep in mind this is for kids grades 1-3).

I was able to design the interior of the book using a template designed by Jera Publishing called Book Design Wizard 2.0.  At $42.00 a pop, it is worth every penny. The fact that this program is so cost-effective makes me want to stay with Jera Publishing for all my self-publishing needs because they obviously have the author at the heart of everything they do.

I almost didn’t want to post their info because I like them so much but that wouldn’t be right now, would it!

You can download the software by clicking here.

Jera didn’t stop there. With a boatload of services for self-published authors I took advantage of their editing services. After receiving an amazing quote, I submitted JC for editing and received it back with very constructive comments. Kevin Ramirez (no relation) did an amazing job and offered fantastic feedback. He was easy to work with and I look forward to working with him again for Haven of Dante.

For that project, I’m running a similar fundraising effort which can be found here.

If you’re a self-published author, I hope that you’ll consider using them. They truly care about authors. You can find everything you’ll need here to get your project going.

So all that to say, the editing is done as is the interior. I even added some fun Jupiter facts for kiddos to research.

Finally, some of you may be aware that I ran a campaign to raise funds to cover editing and production costs. That campaign didn’t work out well as I previously posted but in sharp contrast something wonderful happened. The Quint Family took notice of the campaign and with their generous support I was able to cover the editing costs, ISBN, e-book conversion, expanded distribution, and promotional materials so a very special thanks goes out to them for their gift.

Quint Family, thank you for believing.

I’ll have more information as we progress. We’re shooting for a September/October release so we’ll let you know when that happens. JC will be available in print and e-book for Kindle, iPad, Sony, Kobo and others.

We are also working on special binding for libraries.

Now it’s time for the cover. But while you wait, you can watch the trailer here.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

An Experiment in Collaboration: Bring Your Imagination and a #2 Pencil!

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Most folks think of writers as loners and while I prefer to write a first draft or blog alone (just so that I can be alone with my thoughts) I still love collaboration. I enjoy encouraging others to grow their talents and working alongside them. It’s probably because I love hanging out with creative types. There’s just something about it that gets the creative juices flowing.

And speaking of collaboration….

I’m sure this game has been played before in other creative circles but just for kicks, let’s call ours “Advance and Conquer”. The object of the game is to advance the plot using the character list and descriptions below. I’ll keep the character descriptions very simple so that you can add that as part of your contribution. A character can also be an inanimate object.

Anyone who comments on the blog advances the plot until it reaches a natural ending. All plot holes must be addressed and character development must reach a natural conclusion. For all I know those points may not happen but at least we had fun trying it.

Here are the rules:

You must comment on this post! This is to ensure continuity. If you post on FB or Yahoo, others won’t see what you’ve written.

Keep your contribution to 10 words or less!

No profanity or sexually explicit material.

I might call “The End” at the end. Then again, I might not. Could be fun to see how ridiculous it gets or how long it can go on.

Here are the characters:

Coco Milan – short robust woman with salt and pepper hair. Never showers.

Francisco Gutierrez Rivera Martinez Conchita – an effeminate latin hairdresser.

Pipsqueak – an 8-year old red-head with tons of freckles. Very intelligent.

Jonny Capone – runs a black market on illegal hair gel.

A horse named Pasquale.

A flask of patchouli.

A block of cheese.

A wart.

I’ll add the first line:

It was a dark and stormy night…. (How’s that for cliché?)

Have fun!

Chat soon,
Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Help Make it Happen for ‘Haven of Dante’ on Indiegogo

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Hi All,

Please take a moment to check it out on Indiegogo and also share it with your friends.  All the tools are there.  Get perks, make a contribution, or simply follow updates.  If enough of us get behind it, we can make ‘Haven of Dante: The Staff of Moshe‘ happen.

Here’s the synopsis for the prose novel:

The Dante family line has fought the nine circles of hell for generations and now the mantle falls on Haven Irena Dante. She’s lost her mother to the architects of a plan to recreate hell on the surface of the planet and after suffering assault has gone missing for two years.

Haven of Dante: The Staff of Moshe will reveal the story of where she was during those two years.

Help us make it happen.

Thanks!

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Blogging 101 and My Two Cents

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Hi All,

There is quite a bit of advice out there with respect to how to write a blog and I’m all for researching because I know that everybody has different ways of producing one.  I wasn’t going to post on this subject but a buddy of mine is writing a book and I suggested to him that he start up a blog so that folks would get to know him better. I also came across a contact on another social network that is considering the same thing so I thought I’d pass on what little I’ve learned thus far about blogging and how I go about it. I’m not denigrating myself by saying “little” but my personal belief is that we simply never know it all. As far as blogging goes I highly recommend it for everyone, not just someone who is writing a book.

And so for my friends Jonathan, Tarl and Judith Ann….this post is for you.

WordPress

I used to use Blogger but have found that WordPress has a professional look to it especially if you format it correctly. It also has an integrated feed system that sends your posts to your Twitter or Facebook account. You can still use Feedburner by Google if you want to. All that to say you have options.

Be specific.

What is your blog about? Car chasing? Aliens? Do you have a radish fetish, (say that three times fast) or the secret Sensei that lives under the dojo floor? Research indicates that the more specific your blog is the more followers you’ll have. If you have a tough time with that, I can relate. I’m pretty eclectic. I can write about comics one day and Alzheimer’s the next. Despite this, I try to hone in on being transparent and my readers seem to appreciate that. Besides, that’s what I want to be anyway.

Make it easy to read.

I like to keep the center body of the blog easy to read and never a strain on the eyes. Black type on a light background seems to work best for me. At some point (when I learn html more) I’d like to decorate the outside of the center body with some of my book images while still keeping the center easy on the eyes.

Organize your blog into categories.

I have categories for posts on my blog. They are Writing, Alzheimer’s, Haven of Dante, etc. Go check them out and feel free to copy this format. This way when folks come and check out your blog they can go straight to the area that interests them.

Use Images.

Face it, SEO is boring stuff (no offense). I hate reading up on creating SEO friendly posts. I still had to and was glad I did. In my research I found that html rich posts with images gain more traction than not. This is why I include an image signature with every post as well as a website addy for extra traction. I still try to include an image in each post.

Also, make use of white space. No one wants to read something that looks long and bulky.

Be real!

Social Media has changed how we put ourselves and our work out there. What it’s done is created a relational atmosphere where companies and/or authors can put themselves out there on a personal level. Why try to push something? People want to know that you care about them genuinely and yes, they know the difference. I honestly wish that I could dedicate more time to just talking to people on the web but until I am able to do that I’ll have to settle for when I can. I love feedback from folks. Ask for it! But more importantly, be yourself. And write often as in every day if you can!

Don’t be afraid that no one cares to read your stuff.

This was something I battled with tremendously when I started my blog. I thought to myself, “Who cares what I have to say?” Try to think of it this way. It’s not so much that people need to hear what you say. It’s that everyone needs to know that someone is listening. There is no one else in this world like you and you never know who you might connect with.

Hope this helps.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Are Comics Fans Fixated on only DC and Marvel?

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I just had an interesting conversation with the publisher of my first graphic novel, Haven and he stated that sales for Indy publishers have plummeted since DC’s relaunch with the New 52.

Are comics fans fixated on DC and Marvel?

In retrospect, I think of a number of happenings that took place during my first year as a newly published writer. I remember sitting at my table in a very supportive comic shop as millennials came in one after another. You would have thought I had visible leprosy. All I wanted was to say hi and they could go on about their business but they simply wouldn’t have it. I sold very few books that day.

Then I went to a very cool convention and hosted a chat. Of the very few people that came, all of them bought the book. Why? Because they sat and listened to what is was about.

In talking to fans, I’m finding that the demographic of those interested in Haven and Haven of Dante consists primarily of professional women in their 20′s-mid 40′s which I was pretty surprised by despite the fact that the protagonist is a girl.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Finally, we are running a campaign to help raise funds to cover the editing costs for Haven of Dante.  If you’d like to help, click here.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Race Wars: Where I Stand

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I’ve been struggling with writing this post for a long time now but the more time goes by the more irresponsible I feel for not posting it.

I know racism still exists. I’m not ignorant of that fact. I remember a few years ago when I was driving up from Florida to visit my sister in Alabama who was in the military at the time when I was about to run out of gas. I pulled into a gas station and noticed a man pulling out of the same station having filled his tank. When I went in to pre-pay for my gas the attendant simply shook his head and said, “No.” I was shocked, humiliated, and scared that I would get stranded somewhere and after begging and pleading he was resolute and would not sell me any gas. I got in my car and prayed that I would make it to the next town even though my gas light was on.

Praying helped.

I lived in Florida some time after the Cuban refugee crisis. I have no Cuban in me but yet I was called refugee all the time by other kids and some even spat on my desk.  When I lived in Houston (even though I have no Mexican in me) I was called a wetback and folks assumed I spoke no English. When ignorantly asked I would always respond, “Most of the time!”

Was I upset at the time? Yes.

Am I still angry?

No!

The reason that I’m not angry is that I know in my heart of hearts that these people did not represent what America truly is. I still believe that with honesty, integrity and hard work you can see your dreams fulfilled and move beyond the hateful rhetoric that fuels the rage which seems to be permeating the atmosphere right now.

When a heart filled with hate hears hateful words it only exacerbates the problem. Healing is pushed farther and farther away with every word of agreement until you reach the point of no return.

As a prose fiction writer and graphic novelist, I worked for 15+ years to get published. I have a file folder filled with rejection letters from agents and publishers but what is at the end of that folder is my contract with my first publisher, Markosia.

I keep that file to remind my daughter (should she ever need reminding) to never give up on her dreams. It’s been a tough road with promoting the work and getting it out there (it’s my first work after all) but I live in a country that allows me to do just that if I want to! Now I’m working hard on publishing Haven of Dante (and raising funds to do it) and Jupiter Chronicles as a self-publisher.

And speaking of those attitudes, too many of us forget the part about working hard. It’s not a handout. Please understand that by this I mean I don’t want those who genuinely need the help to get it. To the contrary, we should which is why my family and I go to the Nashville Rescue Mission. Sometimes we do need someone to get us going again. I have needed it in the past and was grateful that I got it.

Equally, you do have to work your rear off until you achieve your dream. My father once told me (it sounds better in Spanish, I have to admit) that “lazy people work twice as hard”. What that means is that you will toil in your efforts doubly if you don’t go about doing a thing the right way to begin with and with that I would add thoroughly and with passion.

In a spiritual context this can mean running from bitterness and resentment. Let those things go and follow your dreams. Don’t let yourself be blinded to what you or this country can become if you are ruled by rage. Don’t fall for the media hype stoking the fire of racism.

Where do I stand? I stand with the truth in whatever shape or form it takes. I choose to chase down the truth until I find it without prejudice. Seek it. Thirst for it. Crave the truth until you find it for yourself.

Whatever you’ve been through or what’s been handed down to you, hate doesn’t do anyone any good.

Especially you.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

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Novel Proposal Structure and Haven of Dante Preview!

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Hi All!

I trust you had an awesome Easter weekend. I sure did and was more than happy to spend some extra time with my family. I did take a short break from blogging so that I could focus on that time with my honies.

I wanted to share a portion of the proposal package that I put together for the upcoming novel Haven of Dante just for kicks. For those of you who are reading this blog for the first time, a while back I was asked by a lit agent for a prose novel of the previously released graphic novel titled, Haven that released from Markosia Enterprises. After the prose/digital rights were returned to me, I quickly went to work and six months later I submitted it. The requesting agent at the time read  and loved it but the powers that be felt that it may not be a good fit but given the current trends in self-publishing and availability and ease of technology I decided to go that route.

With that said, take a look at the structure of the proposal. Because it has not released yet I’ve removed some of its elements but it’s still an all-encompassing package that includes a synopsis for the sequel as well as a list of key characters (including The Aristocracy), a historical timeline of the characters and a list of other proposals. As I indicated, some of the elements have been removed so this is just an example of how deep your work can go if you choose to structure the overall plot that way.

Whenever I submitted, I always wanted to let the agent/publisher know that I was in it for the long haul so I structured my proposals to reflect that. I also wanted to let them know that I had done my homework and researched as much as I possibly could. That’s something you want to keep in mind as you talk about your book to friends, colleagues or an audience.

Finally, are there possibilities for your work as a movie, TV series, etc? Add that in there. The agent can always remove it before they send your work on.

As mentioned, I’ve included the prologue and first chapter of the book. It has not been edited yet (I’m still trying to find the right person for the right price) so please keep that in mind as you read. This is the biggest expense in self-publishing!

You’ll also notice that the chapter titles are in Italian. This was simply to add richness to it and bring it closer to the original work.

Click on Haven of Dante Preview to download the document. Please feel free to leave comments or questions! If you like what you’ve read, feel free to pass it on to your friends and social media contacts.

Chat soon!

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.