It could be debated whether the anniversary should fall on the day I started writing my first book or the day it was published, but I choose the former because it’s the day I took action. – from my one year anniversary blog 1-12-15

Looking back over the last year I had a few ups and downs. The ups were:

– Publishing Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic (Feb)
– Writing 4 fun horror shorts that I planned to release as an anthology (March)
– Writing my first horror novel (March-May)
– Creating a daily word count goal (Sept)
– Writing Zombie Boy: Press Start, book 1 of a trilogy, using the above daily word count goal (Sept-Nov)
– Publishing Zombie Boy: Press Start (Dec)

When I look at that list of accomplishments, do you know what stands out the most? The period between May and Sept. I hate to admit it, but I did nothing to speak of writing-wise during June, July, or Aug. Not only that, but the horror short anthology and the horror novel did not get published last year. As humans, it’s so much easier to focus on what we didn’t do, which brings me to my downs from last year. Basically it consists of one thing – I let various things in life, both good and bad, interfere with my writing. During the months of June through August, I let a lot of negativity in, and it affected my getting things done.

Thankfully I recognized this, and in September, after reading two books that encouraged the process, I created my first ever daily word count goal. It was small, 250 words per day, but it got me focused. I was able to write Zombie Boy: Press Start in just shy of two months thanks to this goal.

The take away here is, every little bit counts. No matter how small, it adds up. If there is something you’re struggling with (saving money, writing a book, etc.), my advice would be to create a daily plan to get it done. Plan out a small step for every day, stick to it, and I promise it will add up before you know it!

You can check out my latest book, Zombie Boy: Press Start, now! It’s available at all your favorite retailers!

Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

I mostly read non-fiction, whether it’s to gain knowledge about a particular subject (like indie publishing or photography), or just to learn about other geeks out there like me.

Non-Fiction

5000 Words Per Hour – Chris Fox

This book, along with Monica Leonelle’s “The 8 Minute Writing Habit”, has changed my writing routine for the better. I admit, I’m a total pantser, but I wanted to see if this book could still help me. And it does! While I’m no where near writing 5,000 words per hour, this book has been helpful in two ways. 1.) I’m writing every single day again, which is awesome! Some days I may only manage 250 words in my work-in-progress, but my personal goal has been to form a daily habit of writing at least 250 words. The good news leads me to… 2.) Most days I double and triple my daily goal! Again 500-750 words may not be huge numbers, but in time they will add up. I encourage any writer struggling with Butt In Chair Time each day to read this book. Do the sprints. Even short sprints add up.

The 8-Minute Writing Habit – Monica Leonelle

(See above for some of why I LOVE this book! Seriously, just like the title suggests, it helped change my writing habits.) “The 8-Minute Writing Habit” basically inspires you to write – at a minimum – for 8 minutes a day. Who doesn’t have 8 minutes to spare? The great thing about this mini-Pomodoro method is that once you get through those first 8 minutes, you’re usually in the flow of things and don’t want to stop. So, get this book, and learn how to turn an 8 minute habit into productive writing!

Writing Into the Dark – Dean Wesley Smith

I follow Smith’s daily blog (formally called “Writing in Public”) religiously. Really, the man needs no introduction. He writes every day and shares his word totals with with the world. Very inspiring stuff! His career spans four decades and has written both traditionally and self-published, as well as for his own publishing company, WMG Publishing. “Writing Into the Dark” is about learning to follow our Creative Voice whenever we put our Butt in Chair to write and to ignore our Critical Voice. You know, the one that likes to tell us “that story isn’t good”, or “you’ll never amount to anything writing like that.” Following Creative Voice and tuning out Critical Voice is no easy feat, but this book will help any author develop that skill. Personally, I’m a total pantser, and I loved this book even more because it was like talking with an old friend who shared my writing style. Not that I needed the validation. Outlining just isn’t for me, and it’s nice to know I’m not alone.

Prosperity for Writers – Honoree Corder

I loved this book so much I just bought and read her follow-up: the Prosperity For Writers Productivity Journal. This book helped cement the belief that I can succeed as a writer. This will be one of those books that I turn to time and time again.

You’re Never Weird on the Internet – Felicia Day

It’ll make you laugh, cry, and make you fall in love with gaming all over again (not that anyone would fall out of love with gaming). Highly recommended even if you aren’t familiar with Day. If you’re a fellow geek, you’ll enjoy it.
On the iPhone – David Hume Kennerly

This book inspired my first daily photo challenge from April 2015. While I do enjoy shooting with my Canon 70D, my iPhone is my favorite camera. Why? Because I always have it with me. And I’ve captured more memories and beautiful shots than I ever could have planned to do.
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk – Ben Montgomery

Not only is the story of this 67 year old lady’s thru hike on the AT a fascinating one, it’s also a nice history lesson. A lot has happened in our modern world just since the 1950s (interstates were built, cars were manufactured, etc), which really puts things into perspective. If you’re a hiker or enjoy the outdoors (and living off the grid), give this one a read.

Fiction

As you can see, my non-fiction list far outweighs my fiction lists. This is pretty typical. I’d like to up the number of fiction books I read in 2016.
Devoured (The Hunger #1) – Jason Brant

A fast, fun zombie-filled ride. Except that these are no ordinary zombies. I won’t spoil it for ya, you’ll just have to read and enjoy it for yourself.

The Haunted Mask, One Day at Horrorland, and Why I Quit Zombie School – R.L. Stone

Goosebumps are just plain fun. And “The Haunted Mask” is just plain creepy. What more could a Monster Kid like me want? I got on a Goosebumps kick later in the year thanks to my nephew (the same one who inspired my book, “Zombie Boy: Press Start“), and the ones listed above were some of my favorites.

Until next year…. !

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

My iPhone has been used in two daily photo challenges this year (one from April and the second is going on right now), and it gets a lot of use out on the hiking trails. One of my favorite things to do with my iPhone’s camera is use the Olloclip 4-IN-1 lens attachment and shoot macro. Spring and summer bring out the bugs, and while I prefer them to not be in my house, I do love taking extreme close-up photos of strange-looking bugs that I find outside. (Click here to view photos on my Flickr page: Bugs and iPhoneography.)

Not only do I love the built-in camera, but my iPhone is used to edit photos, read books, watch movies, listen to music and podcasts, and even, wait for it… write stories. I’m writing this blog on my iPhone right now. My latest book, “Zombie Boy: Press Start” was written almost entirely on my iPad. (See #2 in the “5 Things I Learned” Post.)

My MacBook Air fills in the gaps (which aren’t many), and is also used to compile and publish all my books. Which brings me to the point of this blog entry. Books. Specifically, iBooks.

Like many indie authors, I did a stint of time in Amazon Kindle exclusivity, but now the time has come to spread my wings and take that next step into my writing career’s future.

I’m happy to announce that not only is “Zombie Boy” now available on iBooks, but ALL my books are! It was a goal of mine to “go wide” to all the major book retailers this year, and I am beyond thrilled to have reached that goal! Being published in 51 countries is a pretty awesome feat! That’s 700 million potential customers who love their iPhones as much as I do.

To celebrate, “Zombie Boy” will be on sale for a limited time for $.99! (Links for each book are listed below.)

Be sure to let me know what you think by leaving a review on iBooks. It may seem small, but reviews help indie authors in a HUGE way.

Thank you!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

From video game references to the different ways to describe zombie goo, I had a blast writing my third book! Like always, it was a great learning experience. Here are a few things I learned.

1. That setting writing goals is a MUST.
After reading “5000 Words Per Hour“ and “The 8-Minute Writing Habit“, I decided to set a daily writing goal of my own. My initial goal was to meet one of the following every day: either write for 8 minutes OR write 250 words. I basically do my own shorter version of the Pomodoro Technique. Because, honestly, I have no excuse to not write 8 minutes every day. It really is amazing what setting a daily goal did for my productivity. I typically write longer than 8 minutes, and most days I at least double, and sometimes triple, my minimum word count. (And the 1,000 word days are like Heaven!) Using this technique, “Zombie Boy” was written in just shy of two months. Compare that to the seven months for “Monster Girl” and five for its sequel. The takeaway from this is, no matter how small, every little bit adds up. Another good book to read on that very subject is “The Compound Effect“.

2. That I can write first drafts using a keyboard.
When I wrote my first two books, “Monster Girl” 1 and 2, I did so longhand using only pen and paper. For most of my writing life that is how I preferred to write. But I’ll be honest, transcribing from paper to screen is so not fun. It’s such a drab that with “Zombie Boy”, I wanted to learn how to tap into my creative flow using a keyboard the same way I am able to do it with pen/paper. Surprisingly, it was easier than I expected! I even wrote paragraphs using my iPhone but I mostly wrote entire chapters on my iPad since those are two devices that I always have at arm’s length. My MacBook Air was mainly used for editing.

3. That I’m still a total pantser.
For the record, I do outline key events, but it’s usually nothing more than a few sentences. Mainly to get what’s in my head down on paper so that I won’t forget it before I write it. I’ve mentioned before that Stephen King writes using a similar method, but I also recently read another book on the subject that I really liked. Dean Wesley Smith’s “Writing Into the Dark“ is a great read for anyone feeling unsure about your pantsing methods. Not that we need permission to write the way that feels most natural, but it is nice to know we aren’t alone.

4. That there is a fine line between enough and too much.
“Zombie Boy: Press Start” is chock-full of video game references. Some are obvious and others not so obvious. Balancing how many references was tricky. My love of gaming could have lent itself to a reference every other page, but I had to make sure that each one fit the story. I do feel I captured that balancing act, and I promise there will be more fun references in future sequels!

5. Naming characters/places/games/etc. is hard.
You’d think it would be easy, but it’s something I struggle with all the time. Naming stuff can be fun, but when that perfect name eludes me – the one that encapsulates the very essence of that person, place, or thing – it feels like pulling teeth. I have two criteria for naming: 1.) it must sound good, and 2.) it must have meaning, whether apparent to the reader or not. Even coming up with the subtitle for this book was a challenge. The book needed an immediate reference to gaming since it plays a major role in the story, and I think “Press Start” does an excellent job of conveying that. If you’re one of the people I hit up for name ideas, THANK YOU for your ideas and putting up with me!

Thank you for reading!  “Zombie Boy: Press Start” is available at all your favorite online bookstores! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

I’ve put an insane number of hours into Fallout 4 since its November 10th release date, and I’ve put an equal number into editing, polishing, and publishing “Zombie Boy” in that same amount of time. To say my brain feels like someone used a Mesmetron on it would be an accurate statement. But, boy, does this feel awesome!

I started “Zombie Boy” in September at the request of my nephew. He loves the “Monster Girl” series and is a HUGE zombie fan, the biggest I know (and I know a few). He asked me, “When are you gonna write the ‘Adventures of Zombie Boy’?” Well, I couldn’t get that title out of my head, not to mention, who’s gonna say ‘no’ to such a request?

On November 11th, I finished the first draft of “Zombie Boy”, just one day after Fallout 4‘s release. What timing! (I wish I could say it was all planned, but it was a total accident. Ok, maybe a little planned.) And now, a month later, I’m happy to share “Zombie Boy” to the world!

Join Liam and his friends on an action packed, zombie-bashing adventure! For a limited time, “Zombie Boy” is on sale for $.99 (ebook). It’s available in Paperback and ebook at Amazon today, but I’m not stopping there. “Zombie Boy” will be available for iBooks and Nook very soon!!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible! My editors, Jessica and Susan; cover designer, Craig; to all the advanced readers: Rhonda, Viki, Roger, Tori, Lori, and Lori (that last part sounds like a cool all-girl rock band), and to anyone I may have forgotten (my brain is mush – again, see paragraph one, haha), I couldn’t do this without you!

Thank you!!!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

“Monster Girl” book 2 is now available at Amazon!

Following the events of the first book in the “Monster Girl” series, Viki and Herman find clues that take them on a mysterious journey as they try to discover the identity of the ghost in the attic.

When Viki defies her parents by sneaking out of her house, she witnesses her sister, Suzy, in a compromising situation that puts Suzy’s life in danger. But if Viki speaks up, she’ll be ratting on herself as well.

Does Viki do the right thing and tell the truth before it’s too late to save her sister? And just how will the mystifying ghost in the attic play a part in what Viki ultimately decides to do?

Thank you to all the Monster Readers out there who have supported me in my writing adventure!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

It could be debated whether the anniversary should fall on the day I started writing my first book or the day it was published, but I choose the former because it’s the day I took action.

Last Jan 12th was a mild winter day, very different from today’s rainy atmosphere. The sun actually peeked its warm face out from the clouds, and I found myself sitting on my deck relaxing with my dogs when the idea struck to write a ghost story.

I had been struggling to finish a movie script and was hoping to find inspiration to write anything and finish it. That was my one goal. Write a short book and FINISH it. Eight months later it was published and it sparked something that had been lying dormant inside me since childhood.

Notebooks filled with silly stories and poems written during my childhood and teenage years adorn my bookshelves. Those notebooks represent a time when I spent much of my downtime inventing my own worlds on paper. I guess I never really lost that. After all, we (my husband and I) have been writing and producing short films for seven and a half years now, but I needed more. Just days away from my 38th birthday and I finally know what I want to do with my life.

Writing a book has given me another way to tell stories and share them with others. A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who has supported me, read my books, left a comment about what the stories mean to you, left a review, anything. It is appreciated more than you know.

I’m lucky to have many important people in my life, and one of those people was always adamant about two things: getting an education and reading. My grandfather isn’t with us anymore, but his efforts did not go unnoticed, which is why my first book is dedicated to him.

Viki and Herman will always have a special place in my heart since “Monster Girl” gave me new life, and I’m pleased today to share with you the cover and title for the sequel!

Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic picks up a few months after the events of the first book. Full details are coming soon, but all signs point to a January release! Don’t forget, you can sign up to be notified about new releases. Now, I must go celebrate by polishing off the edit and writing 1,000 words in my third book!

A special thank you to Victoria Skye Cleveland for the beautiful illustration and to Craig Morris for the classy cover design!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

However, it’s important to make a list of goals that we’d like to see accomplished. There’s something about seeing it in writing that helps make it more real. And if it’s real, there’s a better chance of seeing them come to fruition. It’s also important to take a moment and make note of things we accomplished the year before.

In early Jan 2014, I set out to write and publish my first book. I remember that Sunday like it was yesterday. It was a mild, sunny winter afternoon. My dogs and I were relaxing on the deck in the sun with my writing notebook in my lap. Inspiration for a ghost story struck, and six months later I had a rough draft. Another three and “Monster Girl” was published. I’ve been riding that wave ever since. All I feel now is the desire to improve and write more stories! I’ve learned a TON during the first few months of being a published author. All that I learned will help me in the year ahead.

There are a few things I’d like to accomplish in the new year in order to see my writing career grow. They are:

1. Publish my second book – Recently, I announced the completion of the first draft for book 2 in the “Monster Girl” series. Now that I know that I can finish a book, it’s become an addiction. More details will be available very soon! It’ll be here sooner than even I realize.

2. Publish my books in audiobook format – I think this is an important area for stories and one I’m eager to dive into. It’ll be a slower publishing process, but I plan to initiate the transition in the first quarter.

3. Publish my first horror novel – This will undoubtedly be my third published book, as I’ve already begun the first draft. It will be darker and more mature in tone from previous books. My background is in horror, so it’s only natural that I take this next step.

4. Expand to other platforms – It’s important to reach readers who aren’t Amazon customers, and 2015 will likely be the year that I expand to other digital platforms like Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Apple. I say likely because it will be beneficial to wait and make the move after I have at least 3-4 published works.

5. Publish another monster-themed book set in Draxon Hollow – I already have the outline for a book similar in scope to “Monster Girl” that will be even bigger and monster filled, and I cannot wait to write and share it! It’s basically a scary monster story I wish Spielberg had made when I was growing up!

6. Publish Halloween themed book of short stories – Halloween is my favorite time of year. It’s not just a single day; it’s a month-long celebration, and a book of short stories seems like a great way to show my affection! This book will happen whether it’s in 2015 or not.

7. Blog a book – To “blog a book” means to publish publicly, in blog form, the work (fiction or non-fiction) while it’s being written. Blogging a book is an interesting concept to me and one that I wouldn’t mind trying. It’s number seven on my list because, while I do want to experiment with it, it’s not a top priority. And when I do get around to trying it, it could be for a short story and not a book. (Thanks to Nina Amir for the inspiration!)

Whew! That’s seven big goals right off the bat! And I didn’t even mention the possibility of “Monster Girl book 3″. Oops, just did! Do I think all seven will be accomplished? Maybe, maybe not. Like every year, my goals grow and change as I do, and a revised list midway through the year may be necessary. Seeing these goals in written form gives me a solid jumping off point, and I’m very eager to take the plunge! Come along, it’ll be a wild ride!

Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!

Top image: Flickr Creative Commons ‘Resolution is in your hand’ by Jeff Golden

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

Something I like to do as a memento for myself is take a picture of the words “The End” and the date on a blank page for whatever first draft I just finished writing. Since I write all my first drafts longhand, those notebooks make great keepsakes of the time I spend with each story. All of my film scripts were written this way, too. As much as I don’t enjoy transcribing, I feel a certain magic that I can’t live without when I touch pen to paper that I don’t get from a keyboard. There’s an interesting experiment with this that I tried recently, and I’ll blog about it soon.

As for the sequel to “Monster Girl“, this has been a tough one to get through. I hit a snag around the middle of the book, and it was tough to keep going, but I was determined to finish the story. However, by the time I got to the resolution, I didn’t like where it had ended up. It wasn’t true to the story and it wasn’t true to Viki. So, after rewriting the last half, I’m happy to say that the first draft of “Monster Girl Book 2″ is finally in the can!

That’s film speak for “the movie has been shot”, and now I’ve got my work cut out for me over the next few weeks as I revise and edit, but I’m excited to see this first BIG step accomplished. It’s always a huge relief when I get that initial telling down in print. I’m a fan of the school of thought that believes there are three drafts, or steps, to telling a story:

1. tell it to yourself (first draft)
2. tell it to your reader (second draft)
3. tell it well (polished final draft)

I don’t know who came up with that, but it’s genius. It also reminds me of filmmaking, as movies are made three times: once in script form, then during the actual production, and then in editing. As I said, it’s a relief to see this first step completed. The first draft, or vomit draft as I like to call it, is always the hardest. Self doubt and all sorts of negative thinking creeps in while writing it. My internal critic can be such a nuisance. So, it’s invigorating to get that first draft completed, and it always lights a fire under me to get to the next step of re-writing so that it can get out into the world!

I’ll be announcing the full title as well as a contest to win an autographed copy soon! Go here to be notified!

And if you haven’t read Viki’s first adventure, it’s available in both paperback and for the Kindle. You can also sample the first chapter FREE.

Thank you for the continued support!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

“Viki” by Victoria Skye Cleveland

I’m starting a new blog series on Verbs & Visuals called “BookEnds”. (Shout out to my friends who helped with the name!) Writing a book takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Or maybe that’s makes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Either way, it’s hard work and I’m finding that I have a lot to say about writing endings specifically. The following is a little story about how the ending to “Monster Girl“ changed unexpectedly. Don’t worry, there are NO spoilers.

When it happens, it’s like being inside joy.* Like the high a runner gets (or so I’m told). It’s one of those moments that makes writing fun. And if it ain’t fun, why bother?

What’s this magical feeling I’m talking about? That moment when the character in the story takes on a life of her own – when she starts making her own decisions and demanding things be done her way.

I had a similar experience when writing “Monster Girl” and it caught me by surprise. Even though I do a lot of writing by-the-seat-of-my-pants, I do outline a little bit (mainly key events). Well, I was positive I knew how I wanted “Monster Girl” to end, but Viki, the main character, had other plans. If you’ve read “Monster Girl”, you’ll know that Viki likes to do what Viki likes to do and rarely listens to the grown ups around her. Including me!

I won’t spoil anything for you, but I had Viki walking down a path that was not in her best interest and she told me so. The lesson here is for us writers to listen to our characters. Sometimes, they know better what they want or how they should react than we do. By listening to Viki, the overall message of the book changed to one that not only makes much more sense for Viki’s character, but also one that I am much more proud of. I have my character’s hardheaded determination to thank for it!

I love hearing from you whether it’s about the subjects of my books or blog posts or writing in general! If you haven’t already, I personally invite you to join me on my literary journey. Some big news is coming soon and I’d love to share it with you directly! To start things off, I will send you a short story that I wrote that you can’t get anywhere else! Get it here!

*I recently watched Star Trek Generations again and for some reason that quote by Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) stood out.

Original “Viki” illustration by Victoria Skye Cleveland.

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!