Guest Post : Debra Kristi from The Age of the Hybrid series !!

Today, I am thrilled to have Debra Kristi -author of The Age of The Hybrid series- here to share with us a bit about her thoughts on writing!  I hope you enjoy and be sure to check out more on her books below! 

 

Why ‘The Right’ Critique Partners Matter by Debra Kristi

Hi! It’s an honor to be here today on Reviewing in Chaos, to talk to you a bit about my writing path, and what I learned about my writing partners along the way.

Writing is subjective. What you or I may think is the best story ever written, someone else may shrug at or mark as the absolute worst. Every great author has their negative reviews. If you doubt it, just take a look. Dr. Seuss, Stephen King, You name it, if they have written enough to find an audience, they have gathered negative attention.

That’s okay. Honestly, it really is. If you are writing from your heart, finding your voice, it’s not going to please everyone, and that means negative reviews will come. But how do you find that voice and bring it to a place where it’s ready to meet the world?

You write. And you write, and write, and write. Obvious, right? Except, writing alone isn’t enough. As writers, we need to open ourselves up to the voices of constructive criticism. Through the sharing of work and feedback we become better writers and storytellers. We hear that all the time. But I have a huge ‘but’ to add to this statement. Not all criticism is worth your time.

When I first started along my writing path, I settled in with a cozy little critique group. It was all ‘change this’ and ‘cut that’ until my voice was jumbled and my confidence obliterated. My story didn’t know what it wanted to be anymore. I could no longer see the path through the rubble or words remaining. That story got filed away (for a long time), waiting for my head to clear. Writing partners are a lifeline in your journey. The relationship not only has to be cohesive, it has to spark―encourage your muse and energize your soul. If it’s not, it may not be the right one for you. Don’t be afraid to walk away from an unhealthy writing relationship. I did and it turned out to the best choice. As difficult as it may be in the moment, in the end it will make you a strong writer.

How do you find the right critique partner for you? It may be an evolving process or you may strike gold right out the gate. I suggest making a list of what matters to you in your writing and then looking for those same traits in another. Start there and expand your list as you grow. No matter what you do, never forget that you words have value and how others critique them makes a difference.

~

A huge thank you for having me here today! It has been a pleasure, and all the support is truly awesome. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the readers and fans, because you are the most important part of being a writer.

 

The Moorigad Dragon 

(Book One - The Age of the Hybrid)

A Magical Universe ...
Hidden throughout the worlds are magical portals leading to the secret dimension where Mystic's Carnival is nestled.  A self-aware fair that is both carnival and circus combined, and filled with a plethora of supernatural and paranormal beings.

Performers and runaways, Kyra and Sebastian, are away visiting the human realm when they find themselves at odds.  Stay hidden, or interfere with a human's destiny? 

Saving a life doesn't go unpunished.

Kyra thinks saving Marcus's life is easy - slick as dragon snot- and a one-time deal. The resulting bond tying her to him and enslaving her as protector is unexpected.

She didn't expect one good deed to turn into an endless chain of good deeds. Or to complicate the relationship with her best friend, Sebastian.  And she especially didn't expect it to place her life on the line. 

Kyra's dragon must keep Marcus alive and salvage her relationship with Sebastian without losing herself or dying.

Buy it :  B&N  |  Amazon  |  Smashwords  |  Kobo  |  Ghost Girl Publishing

 

 

Dark Perceptions

Love is stronger than fear ... or is it?

The last thing Sara remembers is a conflicted night out with her boyfriend, Matt, and laying out under the dark night's sky.  How she came to be seated among the crowd under the Big Top is a mystery.  When and how did she get there?  She doesn't wait to find out.  Whether it's due to basic fear or the scary, hideous clowns, Sara and Matt run.  Run beyond the tent walls into the deep, dark alleys of the carnival.  What they find along their mad dash to the parking lot will have them redefining their idea of fun zones, thrill rides, and date nights.  Fear is an eat-you-alive monster.  Refusing to be defined by that monster, they will confront those fears.  What will they find? 

Perceptions can be excruciatingly misleading ... and some monsters have hidden claws. 

Buy it :  Amazon   |   B&N

  

Reap Not the Dragon 

 (Book Two - The Age of the Hybrid)
 
A Reaper with a mission.

Sebastian is finished following commands.  Higher powers be damned.  He has his own agenda- find Kyra and help restore her memory.

At first his plan goes better than expected.  But as life starts looking up for the would-be Reaper, his metaphorical sickle becomes caught in a web of complications.

Things were never smooth for Sebastian and Kyra.

Best-laid plans sometimes rest in peace.

A detour, unexpected and unwelcome, delivers Sebastian into the depths of a grave situation.  Misfortune and misunderstanding are the cards dealt to him.  And events fail to flip in his favor. 

Creatures from hell all want a piece of the young Reaper.  If Sebastian ends up dead, that's okay.  For he has a more grievous beast to worry about.  To save the woman he loves, Sebastian will venture into the heart of an all-powerful fire demon.

Sebastian must find a missing dragon and the key to Kyra's memory without being devoured by sinister beasts or even worse consumed by his own inner demons.

Buy it :   Amazon   

GIVEAWAY:

Hop over to Goodreads for a chance at winning your own copy of Dark Perceptions.  

Ends March 1st, 2015.