First Editing Letter for Xtractors

I'm back! I've been hiding in the Creative Writing Cave for the last two and half months writing the first draft of a new sci-fi novel, Xtractors. At this time I can't give very much away, but it's a futuristic thriller and includes virtual reality, video games, drones,

Robots!

robots, self-driving cars, politics, super moguls, and dragons.

Dragons!

Wut?

Yep! Frigging dragons. How cool is that?

Okay, so when can we get our hands on this thang? Well, unfortunately, not for a while. The rough is just the rough, and I still need to edit the heck out of it. I was lucky enough to get to write a post for Touchstone Editing's blog about editing from the author's point of view. Besides my brilliant and stunning bride, Erin Rhew, Anya Kagan (who works for Touchstone) was the other editor for my novels 122 Rules and Birth of an American Gigolo.

For each of these books, Anya wrote me an initial editorial letter. So to kick off the Xtractor editing process, I decided to write myself one!

Wut the wut?

Yes! I figured I would try and get ahead of the process.

Okay, so what's in the letter? So far, it's a page and half of plot holes, plot development, character development, character motivations, conversations that came up short, and nuggets of information that I figured out later that need to be sprinkled in throughout the story.

Also, there are a ton of scientific notes.

Science!

I've always wondered about the brilliant minds, such as Erin's, that can build entire worlds. I cannot image being able to create people, religions, and lands. However, in this book, I found myself doing nearly that.

In future we have an entirely different set of problems. So I found myself which groups of people would protest and why? How would they would react to changing situations? What the shifting political winds would they whisper about? What would day-to-day life be like when technology has advanced by several decades?

Hint: It's

Anyway, I have another week to finish the editorial letter to myself, and then I begin filling in the pieces of the story. After that, months of rewriting and filling in the blanks will ensue.

The story is starting to take shape. I have the basic bones of it cleaned off, and now I'm off to keep on refining, molding, and shaping.

Look out world, here comes Xtractors!

Until next time, peeps. Adventure on!

Katie L. Carroll - Pirate Island Cover Reveal!

PIRATE ISLAND

by Katie L. Carroll (katielcarroll.com)

Cover Illustration by Susan Tait Porcaro (susantaitporcaro.com)

Coming October 2017!

PIRATE ISLAND blurb:

A thrice cursed island, a legendary pirate treasure, and one not-so-brave boy. What could possibly go wrong?

For centuries, the whereabouts of Captain William Kidd’s lost pirate treasure has remained a mystery. When Billy’s best friend, Andy, proposes they look for it on nearby Pirate Island, Billy thinks it’s just another one of their crazy adventures. It’s usually Billy who ends up in trouble as a result, but he goes along for the ride…like always. The more he delves into the life and death of Kidd, the more he thinks the treasure is real and that it might be buried on the small island in Long Island Sound. Billy—nope, call him William—becomes obsessed with the captain of the same first name. He even believes he’s possessed by Kidd’s restless soul. Now he and the spirit of a long-dead pirate are leading the crazy adventure on Pirate Island. And what they find is far bigger than the treasure they imagined.

About the Author:

Katie L. Carroll always says she began writing at a very sad time her life after her sister Kylene unexpectedly passed away. The truth is Katie has been writing her whole life, and it was only after Kylene’s death that she realized she wanted to pursue writing for kids and teens as a career. Since then writing has taken her to many wonderful places, real and imagined. She has had many jobs in her lifetime, including newspaper deliverer, hardware store cashier, physical therapy assistant, and puzzle magazine editor. She works from her home in Connecticut that is filled with the love and laughter of her sons and husband.

In addition to PIRATE ISLAND, Katie is the author of the YA fantasy ELIXIR BOUND. Find Katie on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Ye Olde Colonial Williamsburg

This weekend, Erin and I took a weekend off from the cray of everyday life and headed back in time to Colonial Williamsburg.

I LOVE American history. In Oregon, every kid gets to visit Oregon City and the End of the Oregon Trail, walk along part of the trail of Lewis and Clark, see the house of Dr. John McLoughlin, and visit Fort Vancouver just across the Columbia river in Washington. Though these are amazing landmarks and feats of human endurance and tenacity, it all started on the east coast. In school we studied Washington DC, Jamestown, the home of Martha and George Washington, Kitty Hawk, NC, and the original colonies, but didn't actually get to see any of these historical landmarks. Fortunately, Erin has is willing to go and visit, or in some instances, re-visit these landmarks.

Also, suddenly everything became Ye Olde xxx. For instance Ye Olde Convenience Store, Ye Olde Starbucks, Ye Olde Hotel, Ye Olde Rider Truck, so on. Fortunately, Erin rolled with my cray and laughed along with me. Is she amazing or what?

Take a pictorial tour of one of the oldest cities in the United States!


All good adventures begin with coffee. :-)

Headed out for a weekend of fun! 

Scored some 'bucks to go too.

We ate at Shields, the oldest tavern in Colonial Williamsburg (est. 1745). The tables were lit by candles and the employees all dressed in costume. We got lucky. On the night we went, a 1700's cover band played hit songs of the times.

Live Cover Band at the Shields Tavern

We stayed in the Williamsburg Lodge. Great rooms, good service, jazz club, and a colonial feel.

I don't smoke cigars, so held my banana for an Rico Suave moment

 Harkening back to our roots in the Game of Thrones, Erin is the Mother of Dragons.

My beautiful bride, the Mother of Dragons

We strolled the majestic halls of the oldest school building in the country. William and Mary was chartered in 1693 by King William II and Queen Mary II. The only older school in the country is Harvard.

William and Mary School room

This is a life-sized painting of Queen Mary. How they could create such regal buildings back in the 1600's is beyond me.

William and Mary School room from the other direction

Getting a little smooch in before we head out. #LuckyFella

Aaaaaaaaah!!!

Exploring the grounds at the hotel, found this gorgeous woman among the lights

Fire! Fire!

When the king's representative visited, he needed a place to hang. So they built him a small cottage in the country.

Evidently it pays well to be the king's representative

Because every hotel needs a crest

We dined at the oldest tavern in Williamsburg: Shields Tavern Established 1745!

OMG! My gorgeous date!

The Shields didn't even having working lights

The school is open for wanderers and explorers such as ourselves. Erin and I found a debate room. Erin is holding court.

Leading the class, Erin Rhew!

Class clown!

Debate Hall at William and Mary

 Time to hold a meeting of the council. Ms. Rhew, presiding.

Head of the GoT table

When Ms. Rhew is not available, the Hand of the Queen will step in.

Hand of the queen

Crest in the Chapel

LOL! Always a few minutes to goof off.

I think I was totally surprised by how much I dug the Scottish wear in this store. Normally I'm a t-shirt and jeans kinda guy, but there were great shirts and jackets I totally dug. Sorry, no matter how much my Scottish roots call to me, I can't do the kilt thang. I think most of the world is grateful I don't try and pull this off.

Found a place that speaks to my Scottish roots

 Erin's Irish roots are calling!

Erin Go Bragh!

What tour of a colonial town would be complete without a tour in a carriage?

Erin and I tour the grounds in a vintage carriage

This was so incredibly funny, just couldn't pass up snapping a pic.

If Michael Jackson and Gus Rhew had a love child...

Aw dang. We got busted!

Busted!

Partner in crime

Seriously busted now!

George Washington married the richest widow in town! Martha was not lacking for luxury.

Martha Washington's House

 Wut the wut? This is where they held Blackbeard's men before finding them guilty and hanging them!

The jail where they held Blackbeard's men

Nope. Not getting out of there!

This is like they have in Vikings. Great defense!

 This gorgeous tree was a common meeting place for the town.

Community Tree

My beautiful bride at the community tree

Defend the City!

Load the cannons!

We can take 'em!

Posing dramatically at the entrance to the castle.

Erin Rhew on the castle grounds

Deek Rhew on the castle grounds

Deek and Erin Rhew

King represent!

Look at the little white streak in the sky. That's a jet. Here you have two things built almost 300 years apart, yet together.

Notice the 20th century plane in the sky above the 17th century castle

Erin and I ran across this love tree while exploring the grounds of William and Mary.

Deek and Erin by the Love Tree

There's this amazing little bridge on the back side of William and Mary. The legend goes: If you walk across the bridge hand-in-hand, you will be together forever. If, for any reason, you split up. You have to walk back across the bridge in the opposite direction, then whomever is wronged (assuming that one of the two people in the relationship screwed up), gets to throw the other into the river.

Deek and Erin creating a heart

Erin found this amazing bridge by William and Mary

Found this moment at the school to a soldier Todd William Weaver. The freedoms we enjoy did not come free.

Price of freedom

I'm so lucky to have gotten a chance to go back in time and visit one of the places where our country started. And I'm blessed to have gotten to do it with my best friend and soulmate. Erin made the trip, as she does all things, fun and memorable. There's nothing like spending the weekend 300 years ago with your best friend.

Now, I've got a story knocking on my forehead, trying to get out!

Take care peeps and adventure on!

Deek

About the Author

Deek Rhew

Deek Rhew is a transplant from a rainy pocket in the Pacific Northwest. Deek now lives in a sultry corner of the US of A where the sun shines bright, the sweet tea flows, and the hush puppies are hot and delicious.

He and his brilliant, but stunning author bride, Erin Rhew, live a simple life with their writing assistant, a fat tabby named Trinity. They enjoy lingering in the mornings, and often late into the night, caught up Erin’s fantastic fantasy worlds of noble princes and knights and entwined in Deek’s dark underworld of the FBI and drug lords.

He is the author of two books:

122 Rules

A federal assassin grows a conscious just when he's about to pull the trigger.

He has decision to make: Finish his assignment, or follow his gut and save his quarry.


Read #122Rules to join the fray.

Birth of an American Gigolo If you've even been betrayed. If you've ever been cheated. If you've ever wanted to serve up a can of whoopass on someone that desperately deserved it but never got the chance... ​It's time for you to get the revenge you so truly deserve. A Husband. A Mistress. A #WifesRevenge Get your revenge. Read #BirthOfAnAmericanGigolo