Tag: tips for authors

The Synchronistic Tale of an Author’s Journey into TV (Part 2)

Guest Post
by Crystal Storm

Getting the call that local Louisiana Producer/Director Aaron Williams wanted to turn Synarchy into a movie was the easiest part of a very long, challenging journey.

The reality of independent productions is like nothing you’re going to read on Google, and my situation was a little unique. Authors usually don’t get to write their own scripts. There are very good reasons for this. As authors we have a severe emotional attachment to our precious words. When your transforming book to film, you need to understand that things are going to change. Sometimes they’ll change in a big way; unnecessary characters, side plots, twisting the story to make it more suitable for the demands of the entertainment industry, it can be a tough pill to swallow. Add to that, that script writing is so utterly different from book writing. Continue reading “The Synchronistic Tale of an Author’s Journey into TV (Part 2)”

The Synchronistic Tale of an Author’s Journey into TV (Part 1)

Author DCS AKA Crystal Storm
Author DCS AKA Crystal Storm

Guest Post
by Crystal Storm

When I first sat down to write Synarchy, a television series based off the books was the farthest thing from my mind. To be honest I don’t think I ever really thought about it, not with any seriousness. Yet, here I am switch hitting between writing a book and writing for TV, two extremely different mediums that possibly only further proves I am completely schizophrenic.

But, first the story.

As most authors do in 2009 I had a part time job working at the Soniat House Hotel. It is an utterly charming boutique hotel hidden away on Chartres Street (pronounced Charters) in the French Quarter. It is a Small Luxury Hotel and during my tenure there I’ve met Rachel McAdams, Diane Lane, Val Kilmer and Jon Malkovich just to name a few. I can tell you that Rachel McAdams really does have a breathtaking smile, Diane Lane is a beautiful person, Val Kilmer is a little odd, and Jon Malkovich is an awesome individual. Continue reading “The Synchronistic Tale of an Author’s Journey into TV (Part 1)”

Getting It Right: The Art of Ballet

Courtesy of Joseph Philips

Ballet is an art that requires complete commitment, and the willingness to endure pain. This is the most basic truth about dance, and in particular ballet. To excel in ballet you must accept that your body, particularly your feet, will hurt. The technique required to master it is contrary to the way our body naturally arranges itself.

Do ballet dancers complain about this? No, they are perfectionists and masochists. They don’t care about blisters, cracked toenails, or sore muscles. What they want is another inch in extension or turnout, a clean triple pirouette, faster feet. Continue reading “Getting It Right: The Art of Ballet”

Tutorial: Resizing Pictures

Why in the world could I possibly need to know how to resize a picture? you ask. Well, Skippy, it goes like this. A reporter or blogger or some other nice person who wants to feature your book asks you for a jpg image of your book cover – or a head shot – no larger than 500kb. But the only image you have of yourself looking all sexy and authory is 4 megabytes. So you send it anyway. BAD AUTHOR!!!! That’s a really good way to annoy someone who’s trying to help you. But…how do I make the image smaller? you say. Well, I’ll show you.  Aren’t you glad you asked?

See the cover above? The size of the original file is 606 kb. That’s over half a megabyte and still doesn’t meet the criteria of the 500kb requested by whomever. Making it smaller is very fast and easy. Go to the folder where your picture is stored. If you mouse over it, that should tell you how large the file is. (I knew you were going to ask that next. Ha!) See the photo below. Continue reading “Tutorial: Resizing Pictures”