Divide and conquer

While walking my dog earlier, watching her adopt her instinct as a herder, barking at and nipping at the heels of people, in order to make them conform to whatever idea she has in her head, something struck me.
Social media does the same. But not by instinct.
No. Their purpose is much more insidious.
They want to herd us.
That part is like Callie, in her playful, loud barks and darts back and forth as people try to run away from her...it's really quite comical, but I have ordered a muzzle.
Social media doesn't have a comical bone in whatever 'body' they inhabit.
They want to divide us. They want to split one group of people, say, sheep herd A, away from sheep herd B.
They want to put A into one box, and B into another.
They want to make us fight one another, because as long as that happens, the fight will keep us blind to the real enemy.
The wolves.
We need to muzzle the wolves. We need to take away their power to herd us, bite us and nip our heels to direct our movements and choices.
We need to tell the wolves that WE are in charge.

Proof readers...should we listen to them?

Many of my reader friends might have heard of editors, formatters, publishers, etc, but perhaps you've never heard of proof readers.

Put simply, proof readers are a step in between when you write your book and when you send your finished manuscript to an editor.

They are there to pick up the niggles, the plot holes, the inconsistencies in your story.

So, should you listen to them?

100% YES!

A good proof reader is as good as the best editor you can afford, and will often offer their services for a fraction of the price, and often for free.

To be honest, I think proof readers are a vital step to improving your book, not so much grammar or punctuation wise, but in the story itself.

My advice...listen to them!

Paying it forward.

The indie author community continues to grow, but that does not mean it's a good thing. Neither is it a bad thing.

It isn't good because so many trash authors are flooding the online bookstores with plumped up books, poorly written manuscripts, and little gems that might have been the next bestseller, if only they'd been edited and formatted.

It isn't bad because there are so many jewels out there. A veritable treasure trove of literature, just waiting for a break.

Just look at some of today's blockbuster movies. You see Hellboy, Avengers, or a rehash of whatever movie grossed millions at the box office.

It's not about originality, it's about profit, and while the public might love the movies, it's sad that they are being denied the concepts of the thousands of insightful minds in the indie authorverse.

So what is this post about?

Trying to persuade you to reach outside your comfort zone, to read a non-traditional author? Yes!

To stop you reading traditional authors? Definitely NOT!

Read what you want. Read every day. Read wherever you can. On the way to work, on your tea-break, on the toilet(my personal favourite, and yes, I know it's too much information, lol). 

But give indies a look. You might find your next favourite author.

Love you all.

CJ

Writing…behold the horror.

Okay, first of all, this isn’t about writing horror, and as I sit here wondering what my currently fucked up mind is about to write next, I should probably write a disclaimer.
This is as much for me as anyone else out there, because you know what? I’m a writer…and I’m terrified of writing. 
It’s been four months since I wrote anything remotely connected with a novel, never mind attempting to complete the two series I have started. So, sorry about that.
I could sit here and spout excuse after excuse. 
I’ve been too busy. 
Real life sucks. 
My characters aren’t talking to me. 
They would all be lies.
I have time. I work night shifts. In fact, one of the reasons I took the job was so I’d have time to write. But I sit most nights doing every thing I can to avoid putting any words down.
Real life is pretty good right now. Yes, like a LOT of people I’m struggling with depression, which was probably the main reason I initially stopped writing. When I finally admitted to myself that I needed help, I found that there are so many ways to get help. Friends were the best, most effective way, but personally I got lucky with medication. The biggest step for me was admitting anything was wrong. I thought, ‘No way. I’m not depressed? It couldn’t happen to me.’ Well, it did, and I’m dealing with it, and thanks to all of you out there who have taken the time to listen, even if it’s just a friendly word or two.
Next, my characters talk to me all the time, filling my head with ideas, moaning at me that they’re bored, etc. They want another book, want their voices to be heard by someone other than the nut job whose head they live in.
So, what’s stopping me?
The truth? I’m terrified. Of writing.
Yup. I never knew that was even a thing. Maybe it isn’t for other people, but it’s pretty real for me. Thing is, I’ve written a few books. Most people even like them, and I think that might be the problem. I’m scared of writing, because what if I can’t write as well as I have done? What if the words won’t come? And if they do come, what if people hate them?
Ever time I write a few words and then read them back, I end up doubting myself even more. It’s a vicious circle, but even as I write this, I feel it is coming to an end. I actually think this is helping, as the same way I confronted the fact I had depression, the admission of being scared is having the sort of effect I imagine alcoholics have that first time the stand up in an AA meeting and admit they’re an alcoholic.

Hi. My name’s CJ Rutherford, and I’m terrified of writing.
There. Baby steps, man...baby steps.

PS…I’ve just opened the manuscript for Treaters 2 for the first time in weeks.

Building a Reader Universe

When I started to write, it was a mess. I wrote a series with so many genres it was freaky lol. 

Tales of the Neverwar(TOTN) encompasses elements of fantasy, science fiction, romance, and time travel/alternate reality fiction.

Imagine my surprise when everything I've written ever since has tied into the same Neverwar universe I love.

Companion of Darkness(CoD) is my latest novel, but it is the earliest story in the Neverwar universe. This epic fantasy series tells how it all begins. Dragons, magic, elves, and faeries combat the force of darkness. 

Then you have Origins of the Never, the prequel novella to the main series(TOTN), which some people say should be read AFTER book one in the main series. 

It's set thousands of years BEFORE the main(TOTN) series, but MILLIONS of years after CoD.

Lost in Time is a separate series, focusing on various characters introduced to us in the main series, more time travel and scifi than fantasy. 

Apparently this is called,'Building a universe.'

Pre-Christmas Tales

Yes, it's a play on words. For the next few days, you can get all the Tales (see what I did there?) of the Neverwar books for just 99 cents or less.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2085742591513060/

But that's not the best of it. Origins of the Never, and Lost in Times will be FREE for the duration of the promo. 

Come get them!

The reason I write.

Sometimes writing can be a hard slog. You sit for hours, weeks, and months, hoping the words that are flashing from your brain to your fingers will awaken a reader's imagination.
Is it worth it? Well, when you get reviews and comments like this, hell yeah!

All right now, kids!
I just finished and five starred 'Companion of Darkness' by CJ Rutherford, and reading this book was like a trip back in time - about twenty years - when I was immersed in the pages of some of the greatest Fantasy books ever written.
I plowed through Jordan's 'Wheel of Time', Fiest's 'Rift War Saga', William's 'The Dragonbone Chair', and the worlds of Salvatore, Goodkind, and Moorcock.
These were the Authors who carried Fantasy forward; beyond Tolkien, White and Lewis - the progenitors of today's new age of Fantasy Writers, and CJ Rutherford, I am certain, shall be riding that wave.
In my humble opinion, Rutherford has created an epic saga quite worthy of worldwide appeal. He has done this with a skillful command of the English Language, (flawless editing), and what I can only describe as good old fashioned storytelling that pushes me to the edge of my seat as I flip the pages.
All of the elements are in place:
His lead, Jesaela, faces insurmountable odds, yet the reader is compelled, driven to her side. Here, we do not see the standard, information dump, trope-filled 'world building', rather a masterful presentation of a planet rich in history, as seen and felt by the characters. For any aspiring Fantasy Author, Rutherford gives us a flawless 'Show don't Tell' worthy of study.
This is Epic Fantasy the way it should be done.