Latest news on ‘Ice Breaker’
January 24th, 2013
Well, I thought Ice Breaker was as good as finished. After all, I had a contract with my Australian publishers, and we were about to start the copy-editing process.
But one can never be entirely sure of these things. Last week I had an email from my American agent saying that she’d like me to make a few changes before she showed it to the publisher.
WAAAAAAAAAAH! I HATE having to make changes once I think a book is finished! So I rampaged round the house for a while, then I calmed down and read the manuscript. And you know what? She was right. It needed more work. 🙁 I hadn’t read it for a few months, and I could see what needed to be done.
So, three days ago I started rewriting it. And I’m actually rather enjoying myself now. It WILL be a better book as a result of these changes.
The other thing of course is that I’ve had to change the desktop picture on my computer. I like to have a desktop that relates to what I’m working on. It sort of helps to get me into the mood of the story.
So while I’ve been writing Brizzlehound (which is now on the backburner for a few weeks) I’ve had a picture of a swamp that I took when I was up in the Daintree late last year.
But now I’m back down in the icy wastes, with Ice Breaker, I need something a lot cooler. So I’ve gone back to this one.
If you’re a writer, young or old or somewhere in between, what do you use to get yourself in the mood of a story?
81 thoughts on “Latest news on ‘Ice Breaker’”
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About Lian
Lian Tanner has been dynamited while scuba diving and arrested while busking. She once spent a week in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, hunting for a Japanese soldier left over from the Second World War. Nowadays she lives by the beach in southern Tasmania.
More about Lian
Hi Lian ,
oh no!
I was looking forward to Icebreaker !
Yeah,for me to get in the mood of a story I take a trip around my city,Sydney and look at my favorite things Trumper Park,Luna Park and the Barbour bridge !
So maybe do a little tour around you local museum,or read a book about Antartica,maybe visit your neighborhood and ask people if they have any interesting facts or adventures in Antartica!
From Lilli
Don’t worry, Lilli, Ice Breaker will still come out in October in Australia. It just means some of the editing will have to be done a bit quicker. And those are very interesting suggestions as to how you get in the mood of a story. I agree that museums are good! (But then again, you’d hardly expect me to disagree, would you?) 🙂 So are books and photographs and talking to people.
I just…can-n-not wait for Ice B-b-breaker any….. LONGER!!!
I am soooo excited I am going farantic!
When you say October do you mean October 1?
Yep, it should be in the shops on October 1st 2013. And I’m excited too, Io, even though I’m having to do a bit more work on it. It’s my favourite book so far.
Yahoo!!!! Just in time for my birthday!!!
I chose the date for exactly that reason, Io. ; )
Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my gosh Io lucky!!! XD 😉 haha happy birthday from Lian is more than just words!!!
I’m hyper! Io I am frantic too. Ice Breaker sounds so amazing!!! Can’t wait for it too come out! Some times I hate being patient:(
I agree.
🙁 🙁 🙁
The mood of a story? A good hour or two reading, some time just looking at landscape, closing my eyes and focusing on what I recieve through my nose, ears and nerves. I sometimes run, exhaust myself and lie down, because when I do that I seem to be asleep, but I’m really half awake. And I dream still like that. Always. Not once have I not dreamt after running. And I normally dream of really interesting things… my imagination goes wild. It helps writing, a serious lot. And I listen to slow, clear music.
🙂 Hope some of this can help otther writers on here!!
I agree, Lily, that strange space halfway between wakefulness and sleep is very productive. I often have good ideas just before I fall asleep, which is why I keep a pen and paper by my bed. And music and landscape are good for me too.
Just made a new StoryBird account! No books yet… sadly. But my username is: Ridiculous
Awesome Lily now we can exchange stories 🙂 :):):):):):):):)
YAY!!!
Me too!!! Username is LianTannerFan
I have made 3 books but is still in the process of moderation. Moderation takes 5 days if you have a non-membership account!!!
Io ,I KNOW it takes so long(and its so frustrating )!
Uh oh… FIVE DAYS!!! Darn
I need HELP and fast! I have published 4 books (still in moderation! Takes so long):
-What if…
-I wished upon a star
-Alone
-I thought….
And now I need a new idea!
Anyone? HELP ME!!!
“What if…” is my favourite book I wrote and it was inspired by Lian! When she came to my school she talked about everything that inspired her to make the “Keepers” thrilogy. But what really helped me were the words “What if…” so I wrote a book called “What if…”
I’m glad you found that helpful, Io. I’m looking forward to reading your stories when the moderation period finishes. And I do hope you manage to think of some more ideas.
Here I find sometyimes if I just come up with a great title that sounds mysterious and dangerous, I soon get a story out of it! (That’s where my fifty drafts came from 😉 )
I agree, Lily. A good title can be very inspiring!
Does anyone here like making up riddles, or rhymes, or poems? I do!
Me too! 🙂
Oh dear! , I have just had an email from my publisher to say they have moved the publication date of ‘Ice Breaker’ back to November 1st. So it won’t be near Io’s birthday after all. I’m sorry Io. And I’m sorry that we will all have to wait for four weeks longer than we thought we would.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t mind my birthday! What about the waiting time!?! We have to wait 10 more months!!!!!!!
Nine, not ten!
Nine months!
Io, I am dreadfully flattered that my books arouse such passion in your heart. 🙂 But never fear, when this book does arrive at last, it’s going to be a good one!
*sobbing and sobbing and sobbing even more*
It’s not your fault Lian…..
*sobbing and sobbing and sobbing even more again*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! BOOOOO HOOOO OH NO OH NO OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Sob sob* they *sob sob* don’t *sob sob* understand! *sob sob* us reader *waaaaaa* are looking *wipes away tears* forward to this *sob* so so much! *sob*
If ever I get into a competition with other authors as to who has the most passionate readers, I think I will win hands down. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you for your heartfelt sobbing, my dears.
*still sobbing from yesterday* Publishers, why, oh why!?!
My vision is blurring from the tears. The sucks. *Humph* It isn’t fair *tears welling up in eyes* why did they change it anyway????!!!!!!!!? *Boo Hoo* It sucks really badly! *sob, sob*
*Boo Hoo too!!!!!* I want to read the bookn so badly!
But wait….
What if Lian, can do us a favour? *giving Lian hopefull eyes*
What if she can put up a bit of the draft that she wrote even though it isn’t edited!?! Bru ha ha ha ha ha! * screaming and laughing like a witch*
Ha ha, nice try, Io. And the answer is ………. No! (Despite those hopeful eyes.) You will just have to wait like everyone else. However at some stage I will start to put up teasers, like pictures etc, so you’ll begin to get a sense of it. Might not be for a while, though!
YAY! Something to predict from *is beaming so wide my ears hurt* Yes, that’s right, my ears.
*sniff* *sniff* Well at least Lian is going to put “pictures” that would be really, really, REALLY nice!
(not being sarcastic)
(I said that cause when I read it, it sounded like I was being sarcastic)
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m glad you put that last bit, Io. It DID sound a bit as if you were being sarcastic!
In still cannot beleive I’m in Year 6!
Congratulations Io, and congratulations to everyone else who has just started year 6!
Niether! So far the year has been amazing!
Lily (a.k.a Ridiculous) your books are AWESOME, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL, UNIQE, AWESOME (again)
Especially ‘Creeping in the Shadows Chapter 1’!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!
I agree, Io. Lily’s stories are terrific. Are you going to join in her Author’s Challenge?
Nope. Sorry Lily! I don’t really have time since I’m in an ICALE class (a computer class) and we have loads and LOADS of Homework.
Sorry again Lily 🙁
Thats ok 🙂
Well you can see the details of who Lian sent the emails to and one of them is my name and click on that and it should show my email!
🙂
Aaw thank you! It’s nice to know. I don’t know if I’m THAT good, but I’ll accept the compliments graciously 😀 and Io, have any of your SB’s published? I was annoyed with that so I bought a membership, and now they publish in a flash. I want to sample your work… maybe put the link in the comments of one of my SB’s? (I’m sorry Lian that I’m using your website as a comunication link D:
That’s quite all right, Lily. Feel free! 🙂
Your brilliant. You know that? Absolutely brilliant. *is a matter of fact*
Or maybe Lian (Please, oh please) can give me your email you used for Storybird and you can have my email that I used on Storybird so we can make a ‘Real- Life- Connection’ which makes the person you made the connection with can see your stories even though it hasn’t finished moderation.
Did you mean ‘Lian’ in that, Io, or ‘Lily’?
*giggles* sorry Lian. It’s Lily! I already know your email!
Oh and Lian, if Io will agree (ONLY if she agrees) may I have her E-mail and may you give her mine please? Io, it’s all up to you 🙂
Definatly!!!!!!!
(I’m not sure if it is the right spelling)
Hee hee hee, thanks Io. I’d love to have one of those real life connections on SB! I recieved an e-mail from Lian, but I’m not sure where the e-mail adresses are. Thank you so much Lian for doing this, you are so awesome.
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU LILY!!!!!
MY BOOK AND YOURS HAS BEEN PUBLISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh yes? I’m sure everyone will love your book (I was just adding a bit) it was a fantastic idea!
No way! Your part was soooo good!!!!
And It would be so mean of me to take all of the credit!
Part 3 is really good too!
(creeping through the shadows)
Hahaha thank you Io you are too kind. I’ve seen your published work… amazing! And if you insist I take some credit then I will take only a fifth. YOU started it YOU came up with it YOU wrote most of it (this is the only part i come in) YOU are marvelous!
OKAY…OKAY! MABYE I DID MOST OF IT BUT…..I will agree only if you take sixth of the credit.
When I say ‘sixth’ I mean 6 out of 10
definetly not taking over half credit Io! A third highest!
Lian and everyone else, here is part 1 of the story me and Lily made together: http://storybird.com/books/the-land-of-sweets-part-1-and-part-2-part-3-and-4/
Hello Io and Lily, I love the story that you have written between you – it’s very exciting, and I really like the alternative world you have created, and the way love has turned to hate. I am also very flattered, Io, that your writing name is ‘LianTannerFan’. *blush* There’s just one thing – on the cover of part 1, it’s actually written as ‘by Lian Tanner and Ridiculous’. So it sounds as if I wrote it, which is not right. Can you fix that please?
Meanwhile congratulations to both of you, and I hope the moderators work quickly so that everyone can read your terrific story!
Sorry Lian! We would like to fix that if Lily does agree because every time we fix something it has to be moderated sooooo I say yes.
So Lily please comment a yes. Or a no. But you probably won’t say that.
Yes, why wouldn’t I agree?
And the funny thing is that part 2 is already moderated but part 1 isn’t! 🙂
What a pain, having to be remoderated each time you fix something. It will be good when the whole thing is up and ready for people to read. Thanks for agreeing to fix it, Io. I hope Lily will also agree!
It was mostly Io. And Io, I keep thinking I’ve published unfinished stories, so PLEASE TELL ME WHEN YOU DO THAT! It freaks me out!
I email you every time I published one.
Part 2: http://storybird.com/books/the-land-of-sweets-chapter-1-part-2/
Part 3: http://storybird.com/books/the-land-of-sweets-chapter-1-part-3/
You freaked me out with this.
Why?