Kristen Simmons's Blog - Posts Tagged "article-5"

I realized that I haven’t been talking much about my writing, so I thought I’d offer an update of what’s going on with ARTICLE 5. Only, I’m a little busy right now, so here’s a peek at A5′s medical records. Don’t tell HIPAA.

MEDICAL RECORD

Patient Name: ARTICLE 5

Treating Provider: Kristen Simmons

Medical History:

Article 5 presents today with multiple complaints including fatigue, isolation, and delusional beliefs of being “locked in a laptop.” After a full explanation of the risks, A5 agreed to the following treatment recommendation: Publication. Below outlines the following procedures executed in order to assist A5 in reaching optimal performance.

Revisions: Several rounds of exploratory surgery performed. Agents and editorial team consulted throughout. Structural damage repaired, but unfortunately 60,000 words had to be amputated. After initial resistance to treatment plan, A5 has recovered well, and appears to be stronger than baseline. Surgeon, however, may be emotionally traumatized. Symptoms include catatonia, disorientation, carbohydrate binging, and hitting her husband’s parked car.

Line edits: A5 returns for follow-up treatment. Consultation team has voiced concerns about character inconsistencies and inability to describe surrounding environments. It seems as though A5 has also had difficulties transitioning from one discussion topic to the next and orienting events to date and time. Therapy has proven effective in reducing these symptoms.

Copy edits: A5 returns again with glitches in speech and language. A new consultation team has been formed to assist A5 in reducing lingering discomfort associated with inverted adverbitis, word-swapping, preposition misplacement, and the run-on-sentences. A5 appears particularly resistant to accept a diagnosis of Grammar Deficiency, but has again responded well to treatment.

Marketing/Art: Due to astounding progress, A5 has been recommended for cosmetic surgery. In addition to a new cover wardrobe, all A5′s text has been exfoliated and polished. A5 returns to clinic with chapter headings and page numbers, and has expressed sincere gratitude in a written letter of acknowledgements.

First Page Pass: A5 is nearly ready for discharge from care, however is reviewed one final time for any outstanding symptoms. Several minor adjustments must be made to assist A5 in transitioning to his new text format. Even through the above treatments, it seems A5 has a propensity for misspelling words. All in all, A5′s progress has been substantial, and the treatment team has recommended discharge.

Follow-up Appointment: A5 appears in clinic today to share the good news that progress towards publication is going well. In fact, the pregnancy rumors are true – A5 is having ARC’s! Advance Reader Copies are expected on August 1st, 2011. A5 also hinted that February 14th, 2012 will launch his worldwide debut. The patient has completely eradicated delusions of being “locked in a laptop.”

Follow-up Appointment 2: A5 has brought a sibling into clinic. Sibling suffers from many of the same symptoms originally seen in A5 – confusion, stress, loquacity, as well as similar delusions of being “trapped behind a monitor.” A5′s sibling does not even remember her name, and will thus be referred to as “ARTICLE 6.” Treatment has already begun – the consultation team is currently completing a full editorial assessment.

Excitement! Elation! Lenore Appelhans, author of upcoming LEVEL TWO by Simon & Schuster (Fall 2012) and book blogger extraordinaire, has intervewed me for Dystopian August, a spotlight on dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction! And guess what else? She's giving away an ARC of ARTICLE 5! Learn more at http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/.... Contest closes September 3rd. Thanks Lenore!

*me doing the happy dance*

Read the rest of this post at: http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl...

Planning a trip to Revisionland? Or maybe you’ve taken a wrong turn on the road to publication, and found yourself wandering through its deserted wastelands and brain-sucking swamps. Either way, you don’t want to be caught ill-equipped. Revisionland is hazardous for even the most experienced writers, and careful preparation is crucial if you plan on making it out alive.

The US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL tells us we need to remember one word when faced with life-threatening situations, like those you most certainly will encounter in Revisionland.

SURVIVAL.

S – Size up the situation – Read through that revision letter more than once. Get a feel for it. Does it weigh more or less than two pounds? Can you stuff it under your clothes to protect yourself against the cold? Can it double as a seat on the hard ground? Enough paper will keep a fire going for hours. The uses for a good, solid revision letter are countless.

Read the rest at http://bravenewwordsdebut.blogspot.co...

So here’s the awesome thing about being an author: you can do all this random stuff in the name of “research” and nobody really questions you (like sit on a stranger’s motorcycle – “Is it all right if I just see what this feels like…don’t worry, it’s for this book I’m writing.”). Although ARTICLE 5 is done – all 4 bazillion rounds of edits are in and pages are printed – the second book is currently in revisions, and I’m writing the third. Which basically means that I’m in a constant state of researchization.*

Without giving too much away, I’ll tell you that within the ARTICLE 5 series there are two main factions at odds with one another: the Federal Bureau of Reformation, which is implementing a set of Moral Statutes with lethal consequences, and a body of resistance, fighting against them. There were some necessary things I needed to learn for both sides – things about guns, for instance, and weapons in general. I wanted to learn what it was like for someone to dedicate their life to another’s safety, regardless the personal consequences, and what it felt like to be charged with the enormous burden of enforcing rules, because these are themes come up for all of my characters, regardless the side they’ve chosen. So I contacted the local police department, and asked if I could do a ride-along.

Read the rest at: http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl...

I have been working with a top secret, stealthy friend on a very special Halloween interview post for this week (going up Wednesday on Brave New Words), but in the mean time, let me just share this:

[image error]

Although I was not at the 2012 NY Comic Conference, it looks like ARTICLE 5 was! I was sent this fabulous photo - an A5 poster (POSTER! Like a cover but BIGGER!) - from last weekend. I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it...I'm about to lose control and I think I like it!

Also, don't forget that the Haunted Halloween is still going on at Confessions of a Bookaholic! The contest to win a signed ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of ARTICLE 5 will be open until 10/31/11! Good luck, and thanks for checking it out!


Have a wonderful week everyone!

It's begun... 5 weeks! 5 chances to win an advance copy of Article 5! Visit my website for more info!

http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl...

It’s August. August. Can you believe it? The only reason I do is because I’m in Florida, and it’s 6,000 degrees in the shade, and I’m in my 9th month of pregnancy. Yeah. It’s hot. But despite that, I cannot believe the summer is already nearly over. I can’t I believe the Olympics are over! The thought of not seeing Michael Phelps for another 4 years, if ever…it disturbs me greatly.

Anyhow. I’ve got good news.

The first, which is super exciting, is that ARTICLE 5 has gone into its 5th printing! That’s pretty freaking awesome from what I hear. Thank you to everyone out there who is supporting the book. High-five for A5! And if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, check out the blog of the lovely Jean BookNerd (http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2012/08/k...), where we’re talking storytelling, lies, and also giving away a free copy!

Read the rest of this post at: http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl...

Good afternoon friends!

I have posted the first of 7 extra scenes on my website. I am so excited and nervous about this. Excited, because I love that Chase Jennings, my dark hero from ARTICLE 5, finally has a voice. Excited because along with these scenes, Lisseth’s AMAZING ARTWORK will be featured for all to see! (The top 10 cover contest winners are posted here: http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl...) Nervous, because, well, besides the fact that these scenes are UNEDITED (yes, that’s right), Chase is about to share some pretty personal stuff. Just the thought of it makes me feel a bit vulnerable.

Anyhow, the scenes will be posted under the EXTRA SCENES tab on my website (http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl... ). If you have questions or thoughts about them, I would love to hear. Email me at kris10simmons@gmail.com (or tweet or FB me) and I’ll do my best to answer.

Happy Holidays everyone! And happy reading!

And remember…BREAKING POINT is coming…

Good afternoon friends!

I have posted the first of 7 extra scenes on my website. I am so excited and nervous about this. Excited, because I love that Chase Jennings, my dark hero from ARTICLE 5, finally has a voice. Excited because along with these scenes, Lisseth’s AMAZING ARTWORK will be featured for all to see! (The top 10 cover contest winners are posted here: http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/bl...) Nervous, because, well, besides the fact that these scenes are UNEDITED (yes, that’s right), Chase is about to share some pretty personal stuff. Just the thought of it makes me feel a bit vulnerable.

Anyhow, the scenes will be posted under the EXTRA SCENES tab on my website (http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/ex... ). If you have questions or thoughts about them, I would love to hear. Email me at kris10simmons@gmail.com (or tweet or FB me) and I’ll do my best to answer.

Happy Holidays everyone! And happy reading!

And remember…BREAKING POINT is coming…

Want to know what happened while Chase and Ember were apart? Extra Scene #2 has been posted on my website! http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com/ex...
(Scroll through Extra Scene #1 to get to the next one)
Happy Holidays all!