13 is my lucky number

And it seems that 2013 started with my first bit of luck. For years I've tried to find a book I've read when I was younger. The feeling I had when reading it kept haunting me and I wanted to read it again. The problem was that I couldn't remember the title, or the author, and only remembered one snippet of the plot. Every time I explained it to someone I got confused looks, head shaking, questions if I was sure it was a book and not a film, etc. Google didn't give me any clues either. I found lots of books, and films, but none of them were what I was looking for.
Today, I felt inspired to look for the book again and, somehow, the title must have come to me over night. I typed it into Google.de, and there it was. The cover was instantly familiar and, after a few searches more I found the blurb. Yes! I couldn't believe my luck. The book is from 1989 and originally was published in English. Even better. Although I'd read it in German, I prefer English nowadays. It's on Amazon and at a bargain price. Guess who's ordering Ring rise, Ring set?
Although I have to say the German cover was far better: Wenn das Eis kommt.
I wonder if it still has the same spell over me than it had back then. I remember to have read many Monica Hughes books; it's slowly coming back.

I also felt quite energetic today, but maybe it was just because of my finally finding this book. Whatever it is, I'd like it to stay with me.

Regarding good news, well, even though it's yesterday's news: I detected a new review for Rage against the Indie yesterday. That'll make it my 5th 5-star review. Quite a relief that it's well perceived, because I expected people to get the wrong end of the stick.

It's not an indictment of self-publishing and the proliferation of ebooks. Nope. It IS a rant--a series of them, really--against those who want to dash out their great hope for indie immortality with no regard for convention or quality.

If you're a newbie or wannabe indie author, and Ms. Deleuze's rants shake you to the foundation of your soul, you might want to rethink your aspiration to be the next big thing in the indie author world. You don't have a tough enough hide. But, if you can learn from the author's no-holds-barred rants, continue. Stella Deleuze then offers a succinct, bordering on masterful guide to making your written works shine above the all-too-common "let's throw it against the wall and see if it sticks" offerings by so many newbie authors.

Recommended. 

Now back to work; the two books I've planned to publish this year aren't writing themselves. :-)

All the best for 2013

While everyone, or almost everyone, is getting ready for the big, last night of 2012, I'm sitting in front of my laptop, reflecting on the past year. It has been eventful regarding my writing: I published four books, have made plans for new ones, I received many wonderful e-mails, messages or tweets; had a stalker, thankfully lost him again; my Branded series was considered worthy to be placed on Pageturners, a website for chick lit with a difference, right next to Cecilia Ahern, Alexandra Potter, and other big names, and I just learned that the founder of the site loved to stop by my blog in her tea breaks.

I ruffled some feathers, got a few over the head myself, but all in all, I think I did quite all right. I moved house, went through some depressions, and dragged myself out of them again. Mostly thanks to the garden and writing. And, because of the dragon. He makes me smile, even when I'm feeling low. I made some friends, I lost some. Those I have I love dearly, and those I've lost, I wish all the best on their way.
I have some plans for 2013, but nothing is concrete yet. But writing and editing will definitely be a big part of it. Words dictate my days, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Since I've changed my blog address, I seem to have lost quite a few regular visitors; I hope that you'll find me again, for I enjoy the interaction with you guys. Even if occasionally heated,  it was always rather civilised. Maybe we'll have further good conversations in 2013. For now I'd like to thank you and wish you all the best for the next year: health, wealth, love, and may all your positive wishes come true. I'm looking forward to the new year, because thirteen is my favourite number.

Love,

Stella

I had oral sex!

Yeah, that made you come, eh? Pardon the unintended pun. What I really meant was that I had some delicious food. Every now and again I have a hunger for a proper German Schnitzel and that's what I had today. Jaegerschnitzel to be precise. And since I'm still a little angry that someone had the nerve to pinch my former blog wordsbystelladeleuze, complete with content, I bashed the death out of that piece of meat. It has to be a lean meat, so I used a slice of pork leg, and bashed it with that tenderiser until I was deaf. My neighbours were probably wondering what I was doing, but hey, I'm allowed to make some noise, right?
So, meat suitably lambasted (please tell me you know this word, or I'm screwed. My trusted dictionary suggested it to me.), I drowned it in beaten egg (quite a bit of beating going on, I realise) and then dunked it in seasoned bread crumbs. Twice. I love a nice thick coating. Meanwhile I had put the chips in the oven, and beforehand I cut fresh button mushrooms and an banana onion (any onion is fine), ground salt and pepper for the creamy mushrooms. I use the same pan I fried the Schnitzel in for the mushrooms, that adds some taste.

And here's the picture.

I know the ketchup is a bit disgusting, but it was the rest in the bottle and I wanted to get rid of it. Anyway, I enjoyed it immensely and you should see my grin now.

NOTE: Just in case you haven't seen my many posts about it or wonder why the heck I was posting about insurances: I've changed my blog address, and someone took it, including the content and posted nonsense. It wasn't me and I have no idea how this happened. I thought you needed a password to safe and import a blog. I've informed blogger about copyright infringement and that they're damaging my reputation, because I can't do anything about it. It's all a bit beyond me. For the time being, it looks like my blog has a twin. But only here, under the name Stella Deleuze, with my mug shot to the right, you can be sure it's me. 

Bloggers beware!

I recently changed my blog address, as I have a new site for my books. A company snagged up wordsbystelladeleuze, including all my previous posts, to sell their life insurance. They're clearly infringing copyright.

I've worked hard on that blog, to get my following and I was of the opinion, that all my followers will be transferred to the new blog address, I'm a bit of a tech failure when it comes to these things. Thought my last post is on that blog, too, but minus the comments. My friend, though, told me he didn't receive that last post. Not a happy camper here.

So if you're following my old blog and suddenly get weird posts, I mean weirder than my usual posts, it's not me. wordsbystelladeleuze.co.uk, is not my blog. When they continue to post that shite, they'll lose all followers anyway, but what's worse, is that they damage my reputation, because people will think I've now lost it completely. I haven't. Not yet, at least. :-)

Just thought I'd let you know.

A rant to match the new address: Indies again.

How are you, guys? Sorry if you have been searching for my blog and got the following message:

Yep, I've been a naughty girl and changed the blog address. I started a new site for my books and what inspired me to write them, and wanted to have this blog for ranting purposes and all the other stuff I'm blogging about. I thought it's time to separate them. The book site is for readers only and this one is for anyone who's interested in what I have to say.

Right, and because this blog is called Stella Deleuze rants, it's only appropriate if I launch right into one.

You know the newest petition that's making the round? The one against Amazon's deleting reviews without explanation? Well, I'm not going to sign it. And I'll tell you why: Indies with their fake reviews, with their attacking reviewers, with their slagging off or tagging and sabotaging other authors' books, shouldn't be surprised that Amazon takes to those measures. Amazon probably gets thousands of requests to remove negative reviews from furious self-published authors who think their precious book doesn't deserve the 1-star review it received, or they get abuse reported because someone doesn't like it that a fellow author, who just happens to be higher in the charts, gets a bloody, and probably fake 5-star review! How dare he! Amazon, do something about it!
I could imagine that all the recent press about uncovered fake reviews pressured Amazon to make changes. And, as usual, Indies brought it upon themselves. Shame it's the bad apples that make everyone suffer. Yet again. Even if the petition would work, which I somehow doubt, it would just result in Amazon having constant e-mail battles with Indie authors who appeal Amazon's explanation as to why they'd removed reviews. And we still would have a continuation of the same fake review/slagging off nonsense.
I'm sick and tired to hear about the complaints about the issue revolving around reviews. The only people I find it unfair against is when it happens to honest reader reviews; those readers who took the time to draft a write up to help other readers make a decision. I don't get why authors with 50+ reviews throw a hissy fit when three of them get deleted. Yes, it may temper with your star-rating, but heck. If you have already over 50 reviews your book is probably selling well enough. If the book's not selling at all, three more or less reviews will hardly make a difference, right?
Those of us who only have very few reviews (and I'm one of them), and received them from readers, not authors, are pretty safe, I would assume. I only got one 5-star-review removed from Tony (an author) who happened to love my book. It was put back in place when he enquired. And, as expected, a case of another Indie who didn't take it too well that Tony didn't like his book, reported abuse and asked Amazon to remove it. As a result, all of Tony's reviews were deleted. He'd just been honest.
I don't blame Amazon for having enough of it. I really don't. What worries me the most is that if Indies don't stop, Amazon may one day decided to ban all of us and return to work with traditional publishers only. 
By the way: one of my books with only one (5-star) review proves to be my bestseller, leaving the one with 15 reviews, overall rated 4.5 stars, easily behind.

Indies, stop complaining and get on with writing. Your readers will thank you for it. And if you really are that cross with Amazon, take your books elsewhere. It's not that anyone forces you to sell through Amazon. And don't complain they have the monopoly on the market: you've made it happen.

Note: shoes are there, put them on on own peril. :-)

WIP means whimpering in pain

I swear it does. In 2010 I started a book which I finished beginning 2011. It took me seven months and it was the longest I ever spent writing a book. Ha! I had no idea that I'll spend even longer working on it afterwards. On and off. I always had a feeling that the book wasn't ready, it needed to simmer for a while. So I sent it out to some willing beta readers who loved the style, story, and voice, but also confirmed that there was something missing. Fed up with it after having spent far too much time with the book already, and other ideas burning to be freed from their cage, called my head, I tossed it into the proverbial drawer and wrote another book instead. After that I took it out and worked on it for a while, uploaded a good chunk of it on authonomy under a different pseudonym, and waited. Nobody knew who I am, and, because the story revolves around a writers' website, people were taken by the book. Many asked to upload more, others wondered who the two people in the book were, and a few, again, confirmed my worries that it may be too specific. I decided to let it simmer for longer and write another book, and another. I had pulled it out and looked at the ms between them, but didn't feel anything. No connection whatsoever. Back it went into the folder, and I tried to forget about it. But it wouldn't stop haunting me. I love this book, but at the same time I hated it for being such a pain in the arse. I screamed at it to leave me alone, but it just smiled back with silent irony. The more I tried to push it away, the more it followed me, hassled me until I caved.

I worked a little more on it and sent it to a 'pure reader' who really loved it. But I wasn't happy. The concept didn't work. Even I was bored stiff reading it. Mind you, I'm always bored stiff after reading my book more than twice, that's just how it is, and I've succumbed to that fact. Anyway, I wrote another book before I turned to it again. My set goal is to get it done and over with before I allow myself to start anything new. Oh, I'm so hard on myself.
And I'm whinging, and I'm whining, and I'm in pain. It's hard to read your own opening more than 20 times. No, hard is the wrong word here: it's excruciating and I hate it. Then again, I know that I'll be so proud when this project will be finally published.
All I want is to find the perfect format for the story and style to shine, and I finally have a clear vision.You see, it's not your average commercial fiction, but more experimental meta fiction. I want the main character to be the narrator, the reader, and the author of the same book. Sounds complicated? Well, yes. I love a good challenge and that certainly is one. I always considered this book to be my Magnum Opus, now I just have to make it live up to my own expectations.

She said, whimpering in pain, knowing she'll have to read the opening yet another time.

Ask and you will get

I'm one of the millions of people who received a letter from Virgin Media announcing a raise in prices. My first reaction was to leave and find a new provider, but looking at other companies' tariffs, I think I'm actually in good hands with Virgin. I only have broadband through fibre optic cable and, despite a few down times, like yesterday where it was down for hours (!), it's quite reliable. I don't need a landline, although that may change next year, and I don't have a telly, so it's just broadband and me.
Since I'm from an insurance background, I know that in case of a price increase, customers have the right to 'break' the contract without any fines, and can sign with a new company, so I checked the small print and found that that applied to my contract with Virgin, too. Well, I hate hassle, and to avoid that I called them up and asked them what they can do for me. After a bit of haggling I'll end up paying 15p more, but it will still be around £5 less each month than the normal price. This will include a renewal of my 12 months contract.
It pays to ask because the companies don't want to lose customers, particularly not if they've been with them for years. You need to be a little persistent, though, they won't offer you anything right away, but if you make clear that you expect them to appreciate your loyalty, and if not, you'll leave, they'll normally co-operate. In my time as an insurance broker, I learned that new clients who signed up for a car insurance, always got a better deal than the one who's been with the company for years. You can ring them up and ask them for the newest offer.
I do that regularly: first I check the market, then call up my providers to negotiate, normally with a positive outcome. There's always something companies can do. At least in my experience.
Beware, though, using comparing sites like MoneySupermarket or uSwitch, as they may not have the cheapest tariffs available. I found it's better to call the individual companies directly and ask what their latest tariffs are, then compare yourself. It's a bit more labour intensive, but if it saves you money, why not? Depending on how much, you can put it aside for a lovely night out or towards a new Kindle, a holiday or a car. Whatever takes your fancy.

Note: Make sure you have checked other companies before agreeing to anything. Providers will try to get a 'yes' out of you quickly. If unsure, check again and don't agree to anything if put on the spot. Ask for a time frame, until when you need to make a decision, then note it down together with the name of the person you're discussing with and date and time of the call so you can refer to that particular conversation.