Nataha Larry Interview of me for Panoptemitry

http://www.natashalarrybooks.com/interview-with-author-sarah-baethge/
Here's an interview about my new book, Panoptemitry.

A spoken interview about my writing

I'm going to be radio-interviewed today by the great people at WebbWeaver Books at 2:00pm CST.

You can catch the interview then or later directly at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/webbweaverbooks/2013/01/25/webbweaver-books-proudly-presents-author-sarah-baethge

My newest guest post is up

and you can get to  it here-->> http://thesecretwatchers.com/?p=771

Authors Can Get Ideas From Some Pretty Strange Places! (by Lauren Klever, author of 'The Secret Watchers'

Authors Can Get Ideas From Some Pretty Strange Places!

By Lauren Klever

Sometimes ideas jump from the shadows, taking you completely by surprise.  As I work on books four and five of my five book series, I’ve found that although some ideas are planned, many are not.  I believe most authors observe the world around them with intense interest.  Beware - anything you say or do may end up in one of our books!  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said, “Wait.  Stop.  Say that again!”  To which, those who know me well roll their eyes.  I often find a place for these bits within the existing story.  I write, I read what I wrote and then I revise adding the new ingredients like a chef adds spice to a favorite dish.

Sometimes things don’t go that way at all.  Once in a while a fanciful whim taps you on the shoulder or smacks you over the head.  I’ve had lightening strike, so to speak, while I was writing.  I’ve had an idea pop into my head and completely change the direction of a scene or even a major part of the story.  I liken this to a riptide of thought.  It is almost like the characters are speaking to me and in a way... they are.  I’ve grown to love them and feel like they are friends.  I want to stay true to them and their own personal story within the context of the greater story, so on occasion, I allow them to carry me away.

Many scenes grow from bouncing ideas around with my friends and family.  Wherever I go, I always take a notebook, so when ideas strike, I can capture them.  One of these moments happened while at my son’s cross country meet.  As my friend and I watched our boys compete we became swept up in the idea of having my protagonist, Owen, be on the cross country team and formulated what would happen if, in the middle of a competition, he came across a villain he was not yet ready to handle.  I’ve got to tell you, ideas were flying faster than I could write.  I even had to call her after the meet to double check my rapid scribbles and finish some thoughts.  The time spent collaboratively thinking is some of the most fun I’ve had writing this series.  If you’re looking to be inspired, take a vague idea, sit down with someone you trust and hash it out.  You may be surprised at what jumps from the shadows for you to crystallize into a wonderful and amazing new piece! 

Lauren Klever is the author of The Secret Watchers series.  Book one, Visions, is available now and book two, Whispers, is due to release in February of 2013.  She is a K-12 educator, volunteer and parent.  Lauren can be found at any of the following places...

Website and blog:  http://thesecretwatchers.com 

Facebook, Author Fan Page:  http://facebook.com/authorLaurenKlever 

Facebook, The Secret Watchers Fan Page: http://facebook.com/OwenRyerseries  

Twitter:  @SecretWatchers

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/LaurenKlever

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kleverl/

Email:  laurenwrites@thesecretwatchers.com    

Come check out the new guest post of mine about Panoptemitry

here it is: http://frellathon.com/2013/01/08/author-sarah-baethge-guest-post/
It describes the prison world of Gilnar in my book Panoptemitry.

Book Announcement :P

Yes, I do realize that this page is somewhat lacking in the fanfare that I should have, but I'm not really sure how else I'm supposed to attract reviewers and bloggers willing to host guest post spots for my new book, Panoptemitry that I can link to on my official release page.

This would be the longest piece I've ever written at just under 62,000 words. If you like bizarre sci-fi spacey fantasy, this might just interest you. If you review books and think you might like to review this, drop me a line and we'll see about getting you a copy. (You don't need a fancy review page, Amazon lets anyone review.)

I wrote this book because the great people at http://www.iwritereadrate.com offered to pay for me to get an MSS-editing report from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy for my first draft. (I'd be happy to get your review on their page too :) they just require that you actually buy the book from them first)

If you're still undecided the first 2.5 chapters are free wherever it's sold and on its Goodreads page.

I'm pretty sure you can get to it all from the official release page, but if you've any questions, just leave a note here or contact me through one of my social networks.
My work here is done~
Enjoy!
-Sarah Baethge

Big Book Blog Tour - The Speed of Darkness

The Speed of Darkness was the title of a short novel I wrote a couple of years ago. I just have fun with how I can make things happen in this story and on a whim worked out some notes that could let me expand it into a 5-6 book series. At the moment I have a very early draft of what would make sense as the prequel to what I have already written. (I've taken down the original with plans to fix what others have complained about it along with just about doubling the its story to serve as my third book.)

I mainly took it down so I could fix one line I wrote about my character Bart Meyers who will play a major part in the second book. But we can worry about that later- here I'm talking about book one:

Go check out the fun work of the blogger who added me to this chain:

Sherri Rabinowitz - http://rithebard.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/special-blog-book-tour-edition/

1) What is the working title of your book?

'The Illumination Query'

2) Where did the idea come from for your book?

When I wrote 'The Speed of Darkness' a couple of years ago, I wrote one scene where my fun mad scientist character (who I'm told acts a good deal like me) told a bit about what happened to him in the past, and I couldn't stop just expanding the story in my mind. Eventually I decided that I needed to work that story into a book as well.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

Would you call a book with lab testing on were-wolves fantasy or sci-fi?

4) Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?

Ever since I saw 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog' I can't keep myself from casting Neil Patrick Harris as my Dr. Nigel Hunter.

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

If they don't even blink an eye when Dr. Hunter suggests experimenting on himself, what exactly are the Eclipse Co. workers willing to do normally?

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I am interested in finding an agency because I don't really have the inclination to advertize when I could be tinkering on a new story.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I'm still working on it and it's currently on the back burner as I finish editing my other book, Panoptemitry.

8) What other books would you compare this story to?

I wrote it as something different, can't really think of what it's like.

9) Who or what inspired you to write the book?

I just kind of enjoy writing, I think I started on it because the story would be fun to make.

10) What else about your book might pique the readers interest?

I've had a couple of people comment on my 'Speed of Darkness' book about how my werewolves aren't quite exactly like any they've seen elsewhere.

Posts coming next week:

Lauren Walker-Klever - http://thesecretwatchers.com

P.I. Barrington - http://thewordmistresses.com/

Jeanette Anderson - http://plus.google.com/100650116437843520516

Sharon L. Norris -  http://www.sharonlnorris.com.au/my_blog

Alex Shiffer - http://www.alexschiffer.com/blog.html

The Next Big Thing - Panoptemitry

Because I'm about 1/3 done with the final edit for my new book, Panoptemitry, I jumped at the chance to get into a few blog chains to talk about it. There was a bit of confusion (I claim fault here), but I had enough links for two posts in what I thought was 2 different blogging memes before I realized both were part of the same chain. To be fair, when I make my other post on Wednesday, I will describe my other (Speed of Darkness) writing project. So, if you've gotten me the information on how to link to you (before now) don't worry; your link will be in that post.

Already Up:

here is the link of the blogger who invited me:

http://afstewartblog.blogspot.ca//2012/12/the-next-big-thing.html - AF Stewart
here is the link of a blogger who posted last month and had some trouble getting links for his chain:
http://grahamsmithwriter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/the-next-big-thing-my-turn.html - Graham Smith


1. What is the working title of your book?
'Panoptemitry' - (yes, I had a bit too much fun trying to put together words for a short title :P)
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
I really wish I knew where book ideas came from, that knowledge would make trying to write a bit easier. I was playing with a few story ideas, filled a folder in my computer with different .doc(s) to try working into a story; but truly, I had just about given up on it and moved the files to my magic 'work on another time' pile when I won a free MSS edit report on a 100,000 word story from http://cornerstones.co.uk/ through IWriteReadRate.com and I decided that this story was my best chance at producing a work of anywhere near that length within a few months.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
It's a Sci-fi/fantasy set in deep space.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I almost never imagine real people when reading a book or concocting a story, so I can't really pick someone.
5. What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
When the growth of technology begins to hold the same powers as religious doctrine has declared divine, does simply recording events become blasphemous?
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Because iWriteReadRate is an online bookstore for self-published books, I will be publishing this myself.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I believe, I wrote it in about 4 months.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I'd like to say it's like Star Wars without so many freakish aliens.
I don't remember the title for the book it brings to mind...
Books, there were two of them in the series- where the people were all human, or just scientifically advanced humans.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I spend far too much time on the internet, and was trying to piece together how an interplanetary internet could work.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
My new idea I had that allowed me to continue the book after giving up was the creation of a powerful god-like being that often possibly lies and gets annoyed with its worshipers as it denies any claims to godhood.

Future Links to the Chain: (I will try to update links to the actual posts when they appear next week)

http://lightninggeorge.blogspot.com - A.George Moye
http://charmainetdavis.blogspot.com/ - Charmain T. Davis
http://about.me/tlloydreilly - T.Lloyd Reily
http://jlmanning.wordpress.com/ - J.L. Manning
http://www.blazemckenna.wordpress.com - Katie Smith

Are You Writing The Next Big Thing?

If you are, you might like to get into this blog chain that I'm scheduled to post in the second week of December called 'The Next Big Thing'.
I need to find 5 bloggers to link to who will make their posts during the week of December 17-23
I'm also linking back to the blogger who included me.
If you want to blog about what you're working on, with a link back to me and a link to 5 new bloggers who will post in the same way the week after you do, just leave me a note or message me!
Anyone following the blog chain will be able to find an ever-growing web of information about what is currently being written :)

This review made me grin

Sue Owen from Paper Mustang emailed to tell me of a new review for my book, The Speed of Darkness. As I'm currently writing a prequel, this was cool for me to read. It pretty much said my story was interesting, but my characters wren't likable.
Fair enough I suppose- better than the opposite.

           Should I worry that I've been told one of those disliked characters is quite like me?

The Forever Girl, by Rebecca Hamilton – Treasure Hunt Tour

Welcome to the treasure hunt tour for The Forever Girl!

Here's how it's done:

Each stop on the tour will have a small excerpt with a code hidden it. Visit all the stops to gather the letters, unscramble the phrase, and email it to :

sandra.ashton-holtzman[at]bookandblogservices[dot]com

The stops list can be found here: http://www.bookandblogservices.com/book-tour-for-the-forever-girl-by-rebecca-hamilton

The winner will receive a goody bag including:

1 Forever Girl Ring
1 Forever Girl Keychain
1 Forever Girl Necklace
1 Forever Girl Bookmark
1 Forever Girl Candle

1 signed copy of The Forever Girl

1 signed copy of the companion novella, Her Sweetest Downfall

IMMORTALIZATION: The author will also immortalize the lucky winner by giving them a cameo appearance in the next Forever Girl book.

Bonus: If you've already reviewed The Forever Girl on Amazon, include the link to your review along with the unscrambled phrase for an additional entry!

Book Blurb:

“Sophia's family has skeletons, but they aren't in their graves.

At twenty-two, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown, a pariah after a string of unsolved murders with only one thing in common: her.

Sophia can imagine lots of ways to improve her life, but she'd settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. When the spell she casts goes wrong, the static turns into voices. Her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.

One of them is a man named Charles, who Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that might help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor's hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him.

Survival in his world, she learns, means not asking questions and staying out of the immortal council's way. It's a line she crossed long ago. If Sophia wants to survive the council and save the people she loves, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.


The Forever Girl is a full-length Paranormal Fantasy novel that will appeal to lovers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, witches, vampires, ghosts, paranormal mystery, and paranormal horror.”

“Where is this place?” I asked Ivory.

“You’ll see.” She hooked onto an exit ramp for Castle Rock then turned onto a side road miles before the city. This wasn’t the Castle Rock I was familiar with; this place was some run-down, off-the-map kind of place. “We’re almost there.”

Several blocks later, she turned down a narrow, garbage-strewn road. The street was a dead end, with a beat-up building backing up to a wooded area. A rickety billboard your code is o towered without anything to advertise. Ivory pulled into the lot and parked beside cars I hadn’t noticed from the road.

Soft whispers throttled through my mind. A chill prickled at my arms and goose bumps ran all the way up to my scalp, a tingle burning the back of my neck and along my ears. Taking a deep breath, I fought to push the voices away.

Want to help my book get seen?

 Right Now Goodreads is holding their Goodreads Choice Awards. (as in, you can go vote for the best books you read in 2012, Right Now) They ask for a category, so what popped in my head Right Now was paranormal fantasy but that's basically because it's not completely a standard science fiction or fantasy. You have a better choice, feel free to vote there. I doubt I'll even come close to winning, but please just vote, and help me get noticed.
Seriously, I haven't even hired an artist, Right Now.
If you want to read it before voting, it won't take up too much of your time. The eBook estimates I've seen give it 21-22 pages.
It won't take up too much of your money either, it's only 99 cents. (and I think there's a place or two linked to the goodreads page where you can get it free for the rest of the year.)

Other than that, what can I tell you? My name is Sarah Baethge, and I'd love to get noticed by a possible publisher. (Someone who won't just stand by and let me go through my whole book spiel without bothering to state the name of the short story I'm trying to sell.)

Advice that is sure to Help Me

When I looked in my email yesterday, I got the MSS report on the draft of my upcoming novel Panoptemitry from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy (cool prize I won from iwritereadrate.com). It had not only ideas for how I can polish this book to make it pretty for publication, but it gave me a connection with an editor who seemed to genuinely care about the made up characters in my story.

(Now that's a cool feeling for a wanna be author.)

Matt R wrote out for me advice on how to improve my style of writing. I need to allow the action to happen- not just tell about it happening.

Confused about the difference? No one's ever explained it to me so I understood the concept right before now, so I might not say this clear enough:

wrong way: Having looked at this report will help improve my writing.

(I tell about what happened)

right way: Reading this report improves my entire approach to writing.

(it happens)

That wasn't everything of course, but most of the rest was kind of specific to the story; what was good, what could be improved. Why, and how so.

I'm still just thrilled I got my book evaluated like this. The timing of the report is perfect too because now I'll have advice specific to my own style of writing fresh in my head just in time for NaNoWriMo.