M. B. Weston’s Author Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 3

Breaking News
Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles due out in December!
A number of readers have asked me when the sequel to A Prophecy Forgotten will be out, and so far, we’re on track for December! If you want me to send you a postcard, notifying you as soon as it’s released, go to my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com/OOTS_notification.htm and fill out the form!

A Prophecy Forgotten’s 1st Chapter in Audio!
My publisher is experimenting with new audio technology, and he has put the first chapter of A Prophecy Forgotten into audio. Visit my website at www.elysianchronicles.com/AProphecyForgotten.htm to listen, and let me know what you think!

Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
A Prophecy Forgotten T-Shirts Now for Sale!
Check them out in the new Elysian Chronicles Merchandise section or click on the below link! www.elysianchronicles.com/Merchandise.htm

View Excerpts from the First Chapter of OOTS
I’m offering a preview of the first chapter of Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles. Visit: www.elysianchronicles.com/oots_sample_ch.htm or the Out of the Shadows section of the website. I’ll be updating it every month, so keep checking!

Stay Tuned For:

• A little surprise or two in the OOTS section.
• Updated book signings & speaking events. Keep checking to see if I’ll be in your area!
• Book Club information

Author Events

Book Signings:

• June 13th—11:00am to 1:00pm, Mina Hemingway’s Florida Bookstore, Naples
• June 16th—2:00 to 4:00, Barnes & Noble, Naples
• June 24th—2:00pm to 5:00pm, Caloosa Bayview, Ft. Myers
• June 19th—4:00 to 6:00, Barnes & Noble, Naples
• June 26th—4:00 to 6:00, Barnes & Noble, Naples

Young Writers of Naples Club
Join me and other high school students at Barnes & Noble from 10:00-12:00 on the 3rd Saturday of each month.

Summer Writing Program at Barnes & Noble:
I’ll be teaching writing workshops for middle & high school students over the summer at Barnes & Noble in Naples. Call Jessica at 597-2040 to sign up!

Open Mike Night @ Barnes & Noble
Come join me at Open Mike Night at Barnes & Noble Naples on the 1st Tuesday night of each month! Bring your writing, your singing voice, or your instrument (or any combination of the 3), and let’s have some fun!

Monthly Writing Tip
Sympathetic Characters: In order for readers to care about what happens to a character, they have to care about the character. Creating a main character whom readers relate to and like is key to creating a suspenseful story or novel. We call these types of characters—the ones readers care about, that is—sympathetic characters. Although no formula exists for creating the perfect sympathetic character, here are a few guidelines.

• Kindness toward others: In the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow is a pirate who has a bit of a rum addiction. People don’t like drunken pirates, but they love Captain Jack. Why? He saves Elizabeth Swan, at risk to himself, when she falls in the water, and he tries his best not to harm Will Turner during their first sword fight. The audience can sense Jack wants to do the right thing, and they love him—despite his weaknesses. And speaking of….
• Weaknesses: A sympathetic character needs a few. Not many people like someone who is “perfect.” (Think about it. We call them teacher’s pets and laugh at them.) Even Harry Potter has hair that won’t brush right and a slight temper.
• Struggles: All of us struggle with doing the right thing. If it was easy, no one would be in jail. The Chronicles of Narnia’s Peter struggles with being the overbearing big brother when he relates to his siblings. Struggles make our characters human and therefore likable.

Tags: Elysian Chronicles, A Prophecy Forgotten, Out of the Shadows, M. B. Weston, Elysia, Young Writers of Naples, writing club