M. B. Weston's Official Website

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

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

Breaking News
M. B. Weston signs Contract with ArcheBooks Publishing, Inc. for A Prophecy Forgotten’s sequel.
It’s official! Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles (OOTS), is under contract and due out in late November—just in time for Christmas! I’m now on deadline to complete the final draft by August 31st.

Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
View Pictures of My First Book Signing!
I’ve posted a bunch of pictures from my first book signing on my website, so take a look.

View Excerpts from the First Chapter of OOTS
Go to the Out of the Shadows section of my website for a preview of the first chapter. I’ll be updating it every month, so keep checking!

The Elysian Chronicles Fan Art section:
Scan your art into a computer and e-mail it to me—or just mail it to me and I’ll put it on the website. Check out the newest fan art!

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
• On-line merchandise sales

Author Events
Schools, etc.
This month, I’ll be speaking at East Naples Middle, Bartow Middle, Naples High, Osceola Elementary, Alva Middle, and Laurel Oak. If you want me to speak to your class, tell your teacher to contact me.

Book Signings:

• May 4th—Barnes & Noble,
• NaplesMay 19th—Leapin’ Lizards, Cape Coral (Those of you in Cape Coral who met me at the Lee County Reading festival might want to drop by from 6:00 to 9:00 to purchase a signed book.)

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!

Contest: Find the Errors in A Prophecy Forgotten!
It’s time to see just how good you are at proofreading. E-mail me a list of all the errors you can find in A Prophecy Forgotten with the page number, the line number of the error, and what it should be. Whoever finds the most errors gets a free T-Shirt. I’ll use this information for the second run, which will make the book much better. The deadline is May 31st!

Monthly Writing Tip
Proofreading: Speaking of proofreading, it’s not enough to proofread your work once and consider it done. The best writers proofread their work many times. Here’s a proofreading method that will guarantee you higher Language Arts scores.

• First, proofread for “big picture” errors, such as logic loopholes, paragraphs that don’t make sense or fully explain your thought, etc.
• Second, try to find blah words and make them interesting. (Hint: Thesauruses do have a purpose.)
• Third, narrow your scope to grammar & spelling errors.
• Fourth, read the work out loud to yourself—I guarantee you’ll find mistakes.
• Fifth, pass it on to a friend for peer editing. I do this. My advance readers are key to my writing success.
• Finally, fix any mistakes and read it out loud again before turning it into your teacher.

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

M. B. Weston’s Author Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 1

Breaking News
Be the First to Own A Prophecy Forgotten (aka APF), Book I of The Elysian Chronicles
APF is now available for sale through Archebooks Direct. Order it now at 25% off the cover price and begin reading it before it hits the bookshelves. Visit www.elysianchronicles.com, www.mbweston.com, or www.archebooks.com for details.

Out of the Shadows (aka OOTS) Book II of The Elysian Chronicles
I’m still muddling through the 2nd draft of OOTS. Don’t worry, Davian fans, I’ll have the 2nd draft finished soon enough.

• Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
  Recent Updates:
  The Elysian Chronicles Website gets a Facelift: I changed the website around a bit, including moving my online journal to BlogSpot. Check out the changes and the new blog at (www.mbweston.blogspot.com).
• The Elysian Chronicle Fan Art section: If you want your art on my website, scan it into a computer and e-mail it to me—or just mail it to me and I’ll scan it. Check out the newest fan art!
• Young Writers section: I’m building a young writers section where I hope to give teenage writers advice on writing and getting published. Currently, I’ve posted the meeting times for the Young Writers of Naples and a list of teenage writing contests. Keep checking as I keep adding. If you know of any writing contests, e-mail me the information, and I’ll post it on the web.

Stay Tuned For:

• Updated information on APF’s main characters.
• Updated dates & author.
• Book Club information

Author Events
Schools, etc.
This month, I’ll be speaking at HEED Homeschooling Coop, Barron Collier High School, and First Baptist Academy. If you want me to speak to your class, tell your teacher to e-mail me at mbweston@elysianchronciles.com.

Book Fairs:
I’ll be at the Lee County Book Festival on March 17th.

Writing Conferences:
On March 22-24th, I’ll be doing two workshops at the Emerald Coast Writers’ Conference at Ft. Walton Beach.

Young Writers of Naples Club
If you are a high schooler in Naples, join me and other students at Barnes & Noble from 10:00-12:00 on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month.

Monthly Writing Tip
Sensory Details: You want the world you’ve created in your story to “haunt” your reader—to make him or her think about your world long after putting down the book and to desire to return. The author J. R. R. Tolkien excelled at this, making readers all over the world desire to be part of and return to Middle Earth. One aspect of writing that can achieve this effect, which Tolkien used quite heavily, is the addition of sensory details. You know, the details having to do with the five senses:

• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Taste
• Smell

Make your reader experience more than just the plot of your story. Stimulate your reader’s mental picture. Make him shiver in the cold. Rattle her eardrums with a KABOOM! Make his mouth water, and make her hold her nose to keep out the stench. Affect your reader’s senses, and you will make your reader want to return to your world. Happy Haunting!

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

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

Breaking News
A Prophecy Forgotten (aka APF), Book I of The Elysian Chronicles
APF’s debut has been pushed back to January, which (coincidentally) is one of the best times for a new author to debut. Keep checking the website for updates on APF’s status.

Out of the Shadows (aka OOTS) Book II of The Elysian Chronicles
I’m still muddling through the 2nd draft of OOTS. Don’t worry, Davian fans, I’ll have the 2nd draft finished soon enough.

Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
Recent Updates:

• The Elysian Chronicle Fan Art section: Many of you have already begun sending me your own drawings and art of Elysia’s characters, and I’ve displayed them on my website. Check out the Gabriella doll designed by Tara Albanese. It’s amazing! If you want your art on my website, scan it into a computer and e-mail it to me.
• The Elysian Chronicles Mythology & History: Construction is finished! Check it out in the About Elysia section.
• Young Writers section: I’m building a young writers section where I hope to give teenage writers advice on writing and getting published. Currently, I’ve posted the meeting times for the Young Writers of Naples and a list of teenage writing contests. Keep checking as I keep adding. If you know of any writing contests, e-mail me the information, and I’ll post it on the web.

Stay Tuned For:

• Updated information on APF’s main characters.
• Updated dates & author events as APF’s publication date draws near.

Contest: Win a Free T-Shirt
Send cool Elysian Chronicles T-shirt ideas to mbweston@elysianchronicles.com. If I use your idea, I’ll give you a free T-shirt.

Author Events
Schools, etc.
This month, I’ll be speaking at Christ Community Lutheran School. If you want me to speak to your class, tell your teacher to e-mail me at mbweston@elysianchronciles.com.

Radio:
On November 17th, I joined Praise FM 89.5 on the radio. I had a blast. Check out the pictures on the website.

Young Writers of Naples Club
If you are a high schooler in Naples, join me and other students at Barnes & Noble from 10:00-12:00 on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month.

Monthly Writing Tip
“Said.” When writing he/she said, amateur writers often try to use words such as quipped, bellowed, yelped, etc. instead of said. Don’t be afraid of said; readers ignore it, and editors don’t like said-synonyms. Use said unless yelled or whispered is crucial. And don’t modify said with an adverb. “Nice butt,” she said cheekily, doesn’t need cheekily. Here are a few more points:

• Your dialogue should imply how your character speaks. Use strong dialogue, and your reader will hear the yell or the whisper without you writing yelled or whispered. Strengthen your dialogue instead of resorting to a said-synonym or, worse, an adverb.
• You don’t need said after every speaker—just enough to clarify who’s talking.
• Use action instead of said. I grabbed the knife. “I hate you!” doesn’t need a said (or even a yelled), and it gives your reader a better picture than “I hate you!” I said.

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

M. B. Weston’s Author Newsletter, Volume I, Issue 1

Breaking News
A Prophecy Forgotten (aka APF), Book I of The Elysian Chronicles
The hardback version of APF now has an ISBN#: 1-59507-169-5. APF is still slated to be published in December by Archebooks Publishing, Inc.

Out of the Shadows (aka OOTS) Book II of The Elysian Chronicles
I’m still muddling through the 2nd draft of OOTS, APF’s sequel. Don’t worry, Davian fans, I’ll have the 2nd draft finished soon enough. Keep checking the website for updates.

In September, I visited Annapolis to do on-sight research for OOTS, some of which takes place at the Naval Academy. I had a blast, and I also gathered important information that will help me finish the 2nd draft. For more information on my trip to Annapolis, go to my website and check out my photo album and my online journal. Thank you to the Kobza’s who made the trip possible.

Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
Recent Updates
The Elysian Chronicles website is finally up and running. Check it out! It includes a sample chapter of APF and in-depth descriptions of Elysia, as well as an up-to-date calendar of my author events, my on-line journal, and a few photos I want to share with everyone. You might even discover some of the things that inspired the creation of The Elysian Chronicles.

Stay Tuned For:

• Updated information on Elysia’s mythology
• Updated information on APF’s main characters.
• More pictures of the creatures of Heaven’s Realm, courtesy of artists Tara Albanese and David Eardley.
• FAQ lists about The Elysian Chronicles.

Contest: Win a Free T-Shirt
I need cool Elysian Chronicles T-shirt ideas. Send your ideas to mbweston@elysianchronicles.com. If I decide to use your idea, I’ll send you a free T-shirt of your choice.

Author Events
Schools
On September 19 and October 3, I spoke to Barron Collier High School’s Advanced Placement English classes about the art of writing fantasy and the process of getting published. If you want me to speak to your class, tell your teacher to e-mail me at mbweston@elysianchronciles.com to set a date.

Young Writers of Naples Club
If you are a high schooler in Naples and want to improve your writing skills, join me and other students at Barnes & Noble (Naples) from 10:00-12:00 on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month.

Monthly Writing Tip
Use strong verbs. Verbs are the backbones of sentences. Make them strong. Avoid verbs that don’t paint a picture or communicate to your reader, such as is/was, go, and put.

• Don’t say, “The mountains were tall.” Make your mountains loom or tower. Make them .
• Don’t make your character go to the store. Make him drive, hike, run, jog, or even fly. Don’t let your character just put something away. Have her stuff it in a drawer and slam it shut or fold it neatly before she sets it on top of the other shirts that are already organized by color.
• Avoid verbs that need adverbs. Don’t say, “He ran quickly.” Make him race or bolt.

Using strong verbs paints a picture in your reader’s mind, and it gives you a chance to show your reader more of your character’s character.

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