Tens List + Giveaway: A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr

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The blog tour for the medieval fantasy novel, A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr continues today at Oh, Chrys! with a tens list and $10 Amazon gift card/Paypal cash giveaway. Take a look!

An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

10 things I learned writing A Cast of Stones

1.      Coming up with names for all the characters and places in an epic fantasy is beastly difficult.

Since I’m writing a work that contains a lot of symbolism, I wanted most of my names to mean something. I fell prey to this same mindset when Mary and I tried to pick out names for our children. For A Cast of Stones I practically lived with a Latin dictionary on my desktop. Sometimes it worked and other times I went with names that just had the right sound.

2.       To keep track of the details, using OneNote or some other organizational tool is a must.

I used (and still use) OneNote to build a dossier for each major character. Then, when I had to go back and edit A Cast of Stones, I compiled a complete list of all the minor characters so that I could use them again and find them quickly for the sequels.

3.       Editing can be done anytime and anywhere. Writing has to have the right environment.

For me the creative process is much more finicky than the analytical one. I can carry on a conversation and edit at the same time, but I have to be able to concentrate without interruption in order to spin the first draft.

4.       A good editor (someone with an amazing memory for detail) is a must. Thank you, Karen Schurrer!

I can’t believe how many little inconsistencies she caught. I’m starting to think she has a photographic memory or something. Whatever it is, it’s totally intimidating and awesome.

5.       A book is a marathon, not a sprint.

The process of writing (and rewriting) a book will take far longer than you think. Settle in and pace yourself. It’s the only way to get through it.

6.       I go through phases where I hate my own writing. They’re temporary. Keep writing.

Sometimes I hit a stretch where I can’t come close to writing the scene the way I want. I’ll type a few pages and then say something like “You gotta be kidding me. Is this the best I can do?” Every writer I know goes through it. The truth is, it’s not usually as bad as I think. Another truth is, it’s not permanent. You can always go back and fix it later.

7.       Coffee and chocolate are indispensable tools for writing. A mocha latte can do double duty.

Venti mocha latte, skim, no whip. I’m bilingual. There’s something about the ambience of a coffee shop that makes the creative process so much easier. There’s a Starbuck’s I visit sometimes that has a fireplace.

8.       Critique partners provided much needed insight into my work.

I owe thanks to Austin and Tori. They gave me two different viewpoints and allowed me to see characters in a new way. Having a critique partner of each sex proved invaluable in making all of my characters more three dimensional.

9.       It’s okay to shelve an idea for a while, sometimes a long while.

I started this story back in 2006. I had a few chapters I really liked, but couldn’t get the rest of the story idea to gel, so I put it away for almost three years before a flash of inspiration put it back in front of me in 2009. Never throw anything away.

10.   Getting published is a totally surreal experience.

I still can’t put words to it, but the validation of all the work and study is wonderful.

Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Connect with Patrick:

Website | Facebook

$10 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/31/13

GIVEAWAY ELIGIBILITY & RULES:

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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