Calling All Bloggers and Reviewers

 Tour Signup: The Elite Series by Jonathan Yanez

     Signups are now open for The Elite Series blog tour, which will run from September 9th-14th, 2013. Posts will consist of reviews (your choice of book one, book two, or both), as well as excerpts, guest posts and interviews. Review copies will be available in eBook format, and there will be a tour-wide giveaway of three (3) eBook copies and two (2) $15 Amazon gift cards with an entry to follow your blog. 

     If you are interested in participating in the book tour or just want to know more please click the link below. 

http://www.grapevinebooktours.com/2013/07/tour-signup-elite-series-by-

Motivation

Motivation and Hitting Goals

     I've realized that whether I'm at the gym or at the keyboard I channel the same drive and determination to hit my goals. I stay positive and keep moving forward. What has really helped hone this skill is listening to the great men and women who have come before us. I'm a sucker for great inspirational and motivation quotes. 

     Staying positive and progressing toward your goal, whatever it may be, is the only way to eventually find success. Nobody is going to do it for us. It's up to us to set our personal goals and move forward. Even if that moving forward is just an inch a day. Inches add up and turn into feet, feet turn into yards and yards turn into miles. 

     Below are a few quotes that I remind myself of on a regular basis and that have helped me get to where I am today:

1) The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. –Ayn Rand

2) It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. –Confucius

3) Hate all weakness but above all hate weakness in yourself. - Ancient Samurai Proverb

4) A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. - Lao-tzu

5) Inspiration will find you, but it must find you working. - Pablo Picasso 

6) I may not be there yet, but I'm closer today then I was yesterday. - Unknown

Writing a Book Vs. Writing a Script

Book Vs. Screenplay

     I recently finished my third book titled Bad Land and had the opportunity to turn my novel into a movie script. When things fell in place and I was asked if I could turn my book into a script my thought was, "Sure how hard can it be." Well it turns out that writing a script is absolutely NOTHING like writing a novel. I've just finished the first draft of the Bad Land script and I have a new found respect for script writers everywhere, especially when it comes to dialogue. 

     Authors have dialogue freedom. By that I mean it's up to us to decide how long each character talks and we can take a sentence or a paragraph to get our character's point across. But it's not the same in script writing. As a general rule, and yes there are always exceptions, script writers have under five lines to get their point across. One to two lines is preferred since long dialogue scenes in a movie tend to slow down the action. 

     There are so many other things that make the two arts totally unique but for me dialogue was the most challenging. When I'm done going through a dozen drafts or so of Bad Land and have a final product I think I'll stick with writing novels. I'll definitely be open to writing more scripts in the future but for now I'm going to go and let my characters have some long winded conversations.  

     

The Beast Within Movie

The Beast Within is Optioned for Film

     Two weeks ago I wasn't even thinking about making my book into a movie. I mean sure I would have jumped at the chance but my main focus was on writing my next book. Then the ball started rolling in a totally different direction.

     I was contacted by producers who where interested in my work. A copy of The Beast Within was sent over and last week a conference call was set up between myself and the producers. They loved the book and wanted to offer me a contract optioning The Beast Within for film/TV.

     Being so new to the game I didn't even know what an "option" was or meant... okay I'll be totally honest I didn't even really know what a producer did. I mean I'm sitting at my computer writing about dragons, zombies, elite humans, and forbidden love every day. So after doing as much research on google and bing as I could I asked around and was referred to a lawyer.

     After a very educational conversation with the lawyer I decided to move forward. Yesterday I signed a contract giving the producers an exclusive option for film/TV rights for The Beast Within.

     I'll keep you all informed on the step by step process as the project moves forward. And I want to thank everyone for the support that has and is being shown for The Elite Series. Without such a solid fan base I don't think any of this would have been possible.

     

The Trials, Have Arrived

The Trials are Here

     I usually save blogging for Thursdays but I figured in light of the circumstances to break tradition and give myself a pass. The wait is over and book two in The Elite Series has arrived! The sequel to The Beast Within hits Amazon for Kindle today and will be available in paperback soon. Below is a brief synopsis for The Trials and a link you can follow to get your very own copy, enjoy.

Lives will be lost, prophecies fulfilled and trials endured.

Connor Moore doesn’t have the same luxury as other eighteen-year-olds. He has been called upon to assume the mantle of the Judge of an Elite race of humans. Now to prove himself to a population who doubts him, he must pass a series of three trials that will test his mind, body and spirit.

Things are made worse when two women vying for his affection finally meet and Connor realizes a decision must come soon.  However, there is little time for personal life when an ancient evil force returns to the realm of men and Elites. If he fails to pass the series of trials to prove his claim as Judge and earn the Elite race’s support, the world will have no hope.

With the support of friends and loved ones, Connor embarks on his trials. He begins a journey that will take him from dangerous jungles, to lost islands and dungeons not of this world. Friends will fall, new allies will be made and true darkness will make its presence known.

Follow this link to Amazon and get ready to experience, The Trials www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQ12H56