Tuesday, January 14, 2014

New Gay Series To Pay Tribute to Sixteen Candles and Other Awesome John Hughes Movies


Book Cover by Perie Wolford
03/03/2014 is the day when I’m gonna be releasing my new Gay YA Romance series >>> TURNING 16

After watching the awesome Sixteen Candles movie for about 500 times, and I’m not kidding there, I have decided to create a story in the approximately same setting or as close to it as I could get without hurting the atmosphere there was in the movie. I’ve been waiting for years for the right plot idea to come around and now I think I finally found one. I am very excited about this book for three reasons a) it carries on the Sixteen Candles atmosphere and yet is different enough to be considered new b) it is set in the 80es which I think were awesome c) it is my first gay book ever as I finally decided to step away from science fiction for a moment J

Blurb: Sam never liked his birthdays because not a single one of them was happy... When he turned 1, he fell face-down into his birthday cake; when he turned 5, he broke his left arm and when he turned 7, he broke his right arm and his left leg; when he turned 12, his house caught fire. Now Sam is about to turn 16 and he is dreading the day. The only birthday wish he has is for Jake who is the Mr. Popular of Arcadia High to even acknowledge his existence, or better yet give him a happy-birthday kiss.
But Sam knows that it’s not gonna happen. Or is it?

Disclaimer: The plot of the books substantially varies from the John Hughes movies and all the references to the movies are made as a tribute to their awesomeness.

Hope you will enjoy reading this book as much as I am enjoying writing it.

Yours,

Perie

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Afordable book\ebook cover artist

Hi,

I'm an Author myself and I prefer creating my own covers for my books. But not everyone is say Photoshop-savvy enough to do that. I can help you out. I will charge you less than 20$ per cover. You can pay me via paypal or by buying my paperback book on Amazon which you can keep.

Here are the examples of my works:






Contact me at perie_wolford@yahoo.com

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Science fiction books of 2014 (Sci-fi books to look out for in 2014)

Here's the list of books that I think are worth looking forward to in 2014. (in no particular order, almost :)

The Infinite Sea (The Fifth Wave #2) by Rick Yancey


The hugely anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The 5th Wave, hailed by Justin Cronin as “wildly entertaining.”

For Cassie Sullivan and the rest of Earth’s remaining human survivors, the situation was already desperate when the 5th Wave hit. It’s about to get worse.

No one yet knows the depths to which Earth’s conquerors—the Others—will sink in order to rid the Earth of the human infestation, nor have they guessed the heights to which the human spirit can reach. Characters introduced in Book One will come to the fore—and others will face the ultimate test.

Readers will watch in awe as the Others give their answer to Cassie’s defiance.




Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.


The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. And now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

From the very first page of The Selection, this #1 New York Times bestselling series has captured readers' hearts and swept them away on a captivating journey... Now, in The One, Kiera Cass delivers a satisfying and unforgettable conclusion that will keep readers sighing over this electrifying fairy-tale long after the final page is turned.





The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Across the country and in every nation, people began “coming up Latent,” developing terrifying powers—summoning storms, raising the dead, and setting everything they touch ablaze. Those who Manifest must choose: become a sheepdog who protects the flock or a wolf who devours it…

In the wake of a bloody battle at Forward Operating Base Frontier and a scandalous presidential impeachment, Lieutenant Colonel Jan Thorsson, call sign “Harlequin,” becomes a national hero and a pariah to the military that is the only family he’s ever known.

In the fight for Latent equality, Oscar Britton is positioned to lead a rebellion in exile, but a powerful rival beats him to the punch: Scylla, a walking weapon who will stop at nothing to end the human-sanctioned apartheid against her kind.

When Scylla’s inhuman forces invade New York City, the Supernatural Operations Corps are the only soldiers equipped to prevent a massacre. In order to redeem himself with the military, Harlequin will be forced to face off with this havoc-wreaking woman from his past, warped by her power into something evil…


A family long scattered reunites as danger approaches Springston. Brother and sister rush to sound a warning, but that warning will come too late. Bombs will thunder like the pulse of a terrible god. The great dune will flow as the sea. And when a people find themselves buried beneath the sands, who in the heavens will hear their muffled pleas?









The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.



The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Timesbestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.



She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.



DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.

With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions.



They thought they had escaped. They were wrong.

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.
Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased?
Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last age is turned.





Whirlwind romance and breathtaking action continues in the sequel to Let the Sky Fall, which Becca Fitzpatrick called “charged and romantic.” 

Vane Weston is haunted. By the searing pull of his bond to Audra. By the lies he’s told to cover for her disappearance. By the treacherous winds that slip into his mind, trying to trap him in his worst nightmares. And as his enemies grow stronger, Vane doesn’t know how much longer he can last on his own.

But Audra’s still running. From her past. From the Gales. Even from Vane, who she doesn’t believe she deserves. And the farther she flees, the more danger she finds. She possesses the secret power her enemy craves, and protecting it might be more than she can handle—especially when she discovers Raiden’s newest weapon.

With the Gale Force weakened by recent attacks, and the power of four collapsing, Vane and Audra are forced to make a choice: keep trusting the failing winds, or turn to the people who’ve betrayed them before. But even if they survive the storms sent to destroy them, will they have anything left to hold on to?



Annie and Fia are ready to fight back.

The sisters have been manipulated and controlled by the Keane Foundation for years, trapped in a never ending battle for survival. Now they have found allies who can help them truly escape. After faking her own death, Annie has joined a group that is plotting to destroy the Foundation. And Fia is working with James Keane to bring his father down from the inside.

But Annie's visions of the future can't show her who to trust in the present. And though James is Fia's first love, Fia knows he's hiding something. The sisters can rely only on each other - but that may not be enough to save them.







Following the cliffhanger ending of Phoenix, Natalie finds herself separated from Ash and unexpectedly reunited with her parents, including the father she thought was dead. But she can only think of Ash. She hasn't heard a word of him since she and Elijah were brought to the underground headquarters of the Sentry Rebellion. But she vows to find him.

Ash, meanwhile is back in Black City; it's the perfect place to hide from the Sentry government. But not for long. He won't give up on Natalie or bringing an end to the terrible reign of Purian Rose.

A pulse-racing end to an exciting series.








As the old gods awaken and satrapies splinter, the Chromeria races to find its lost Prism, the only man who may be able to stop catastrophe. But Gavin Guile is enslaved on a pirate galley. Worse, Gavin no longer has the one thing that defined him -- the ability to draft.

Without the protection of his father, Kip Guile will have to face a master of shadows alone as his grandfather moves to choose a new Prism and put himself in power. With Teia and Karris, Kip will have to use all his wits to survive a secret war between noble houses, religious factions, rebels, and an ascendant order of hidden assassins, The Broken Eye.







And I will allow myself to include my own book, it is my blog after all :)

Our planet is just one of a bunch 

Telling a story about the importance of survival within any circumstances, however strange, and showing a girl-in-a-man’s-world angle, Presence is a novel about Samantha, a woman in her late twenties, both smart and attractive. One day, Samantha’s regular life is suddenly turned around as the fact of her existence is somehow erased from the world. Nobody seems to remember her, her own apartment is occupied by the uninvited tenants, and even her sister, the only family Samantha has, is unable to recognize her. Lost and confused, Samantha accepts help from a stranger, a charismatic man named Archie, whom she accidentally encounters and unwillingly joins him in his fight against the silent invasion of the planet, Alpha planet as he calls it; and he himself happens to be a soldier from a parallel one, Beta. The glass wall put between Samantha’s new life and her former life makes her discover the roadside of the world, dark and silent, the hidden place where her primary instincts come to the surface and she finally feels the urge to fight for herself and for others.

If you have your favorite books that I haven't included in this list, please comment below and let people know.

Thanks.

Yours,
Perie






Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Presence is Available!

My new book, Presence, the 1st installment in the new sci-fi series is finally released and available in both paperback and Kindle versions (Published in December 2013 by NetherworldBooks, Mirador)

Get it on Amazon right now!

 


You can also help the series on IndieGoGo
Thank you!

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Want to be the 1st one to read Presence?

Hey guys,

Who wants a free copy of the Presence eBook? I'm selecting a group of people who would receive a free copy for review before it is released. Anyone is eligeble to apply. Just contact me via perie_wolford@yahoo.com


Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The Hunger Games Phenomenon

So, the Hunger Games…

I’m not writing another review of the books\movies of the Hunger Games franchise. But being a major THG fan and a writer, I thought it would be interesting to try and figure out why the HG books\movies became so popular. 



Of course, as any other Sci-fi or YA writer in the world, I am incredibly jealous that it wasn’t me who came up with that idea. Let’s be honest here. Huge respect for Suzanne Collins for doing what she did with it (well, except for writing only three books and not more :)

And it is not just about the money. The universe of HG is so incredibly complex and simple at the same time that it becomes very captivating for the readers. And you only begin to realize how amazing that universe is when you attempt to imitate it.

I see nothing wrong with being inspired with somebody else’s idea. As long as you’re not just copy-catting and trying to create something of your own. But when I tried to do so I failed. It turns out that all the major elements that I would want in my book are already taken by Suzanne Collins. Let’s make a list.

1. A dystopian country with the evil government concentrated in the Capitol.

Who wouldn’t want to have that in their book? I know I do.



2. The 12 districts fool of rebellious workers.

That is such a simple thing and yet it is so powerful. And every attempt to imitate that now becomes a reference to the THG books.



3. The Reaping.

That is just incredible. That is such a powerful thing in a book. It is something that provides immediate excitement and crabs hold attention of the reader. And it is so amazingly intertwined with the hunger in the districts and how it is almost the only way to get some extra food. More so it is an event of the national scale and that makes it even bigger.

Try to create an even so powerful, I dare you. That is very complicated task.



4. The difference between the life-styles in the districts and in the Capitol.

That is a very graphical thing that allowed Suzanne Collins to provide the readers with the high-fashion Capitol people who are completely crazed by what they look like (and that is so great for the merchandize department). And yet we also have people in the districts who are so simple and like us and we can totally relate to them and relate to Katniss, the main character of the books.



5. And finally the most exciting thing is the Arenas.

The hunger games are hold within the arenas that are different every time and that is just amazing to have something like that in the book. You can put your character outside of his normal life, outside of his comfort zone and yet not completely. It’s like the parallel universes. There is life within the games and arena and there is life outside. And that creates such a unique atmosphere about it that I other writers are wrecking their heads now trying to come up with something like that.



And the most important thing is that the Author of the trilogy was able to put all of these elements together so well, and they fit together so well, that is just mind-blowing. And if it is mind-blowing for the writers then it is just super mind-blowing for the simple fans who don’t think about how writing actually works.

There are still people who didn’t get Hunger Games and I’m sorry for them. For one thing they should read the books first and watch the movies later. No matter how great the movies are, the books provide much more of the detail and atmosphere. And then you watch movies and you see it all come to life and it’s amazing. We are so lucky that Jennifer Lawrence agreed to play Katniss, thank you J



So, yeah, that is basically it. That is what I think about the HG.

And yeah, also I wanted to say a few words about why Suzanne Collins is not writing the 4th book. I wrecked my brain recently trying to figure out how it could all be continued. The story was wrapped, clearly. And we fans want it to continue no matter that it already ended. But there is just no logical way to put all the same elements together and make them work. The drama was resolved. Putting Katniss into another Arena would be so far-fetched. Even if there was another government that would decide to revisit the concept of the games why would they put Katniss back in and even if they did she would end up dying this time around for sure. And what about Peeta? Would he be there in the Arena with Katniss again? It’s just not coming together in any way. That is why there is not going to be another book in the series or at least not about Katniss. And without Katniss it wouldn’t be the same.

Maybe Suzanne Collins could stretch the drama for, say, five books while she was still writing them. Well, maybe she could. But she didn’t. The ship has sailed. And that was her choice and I respect her for that and I am waiting for her next book to surface and be even more incredible, if that is possible.

So, thanks for reading this. I hope I made any sense J

Yours,

Perie

Monday, November 25, 2013

Screenwriting Tips for Newbies

So, I have been writing screenplays for 10 years now. Over that period of time I’ve written about 12 finished ones, about 20 unfinished and about 7 pilots for television series and numerous short-films. The majority of those scripts have not been sold and that is the reality of business nowadays.

If you think that you can write a screenplay and get easy money out of it, you’re wrong, so wrong. Don’t even try to write a screenplay just because you want to get some money right now. That is not gonna happen, well 99% that it’s not gonna happen unless you are the luckiest son of a bitch on a planet.

I by no means consider myself a bonified professional but I have learnt a few things over the years and I would like to share. I’ve been working with a lot of newbies lately and read a lot of their scripts and they all have about the same list of mistakes.

So, if you think that writing is your calling and you’re sure 100% you want to do that then here is the process:

1. You need to come up with an idea.

There are lots of things that can be inspirational. I, for one, am a lover of science fiction and watching other sci-fi movies inspires me to write something of my own. Do not think about copy-catting, that is not what I mean. I mean try to get inspired by the idea and re-work it in your own style. One way or another you will end up with a completely different thing.

Sometimes dreams can provide some hint of what you want to write about or sometimes it’s something you might see on the street. So keep your eyes open and watch, watch the world around you and notice interesting things.

2. Once you have found the right idea you would be feeling a fire inside of you. You would become extremely excited about it and determined so much that your hands will start sweating. Good, but there is a ‘but’.

What you should do right now is sit down and write down a log-line (a short description of your idea in a couple of sentences) or a synopsis (a longer description, more detailed, no more than one page though) or get to writing the first couple of pages of the script itself.

You should do that just to get the steam out, get it all on paper and relax a little. That is very important. After you have done that go chill with your friends and have some time away from computer\paper. Give it a couple of days and only after that return to what you have written and read it.

What do you feel right now about your idea? Is it still that good and captivating and exciting? If it is then great! But most of the time you will find yourself thinking that it sounds somewhat weaker than it did before. You might not even like it all that much now. And that is a pretty good indicator to go looking for something else because that is exactly how everybody else is going to be seeing your idea. The initial fire is just a fire inside your head and it is most likely to flame out in a couple of days. If that happens then you are not gonna be able to pull it through. So don’t try to force it and go look for something else. You will find a much better idea I promise.

3. Once the right idea have been found and you’re confident about it, think it through. Right now is the best time to use your imagination and energy to see your idea come to life. Try to visualize scenes on the cinema screen. Just dream about what it would be like. Put it down on paper as brief notes.

Remember that you shouldn’t mix too many things together in one movie. Don’t try to integrate Matrix into Star Wars and add some vampires to it. It sounds crazy but oddly that is exactly what the newbies do. They mix different topics together and think that it is very cool. It’s not.

If you want to write about the vampires do so but don’t try to add time travel to it. Those are completely different things. I’m not saying that it can’t be done period. No, the professional screenwriters can do that because they are professionals and they feel the balance that is needed to be kept between the elements of the story. Newbies don’t. So just pick one thing.

You still need to learn first.

4. Now you are good to go and get started with the script.

First thing to do is to write the log-line and synopsis if you haven’t’ done it before and if you have then edit it. It is important and most newbies skip that step because of laziness and because they don’t understand how to do that but you must do that. At least write down the log-line.

It is important to begin giving your idea the structure.

5. The 3-act structure.

Don’t even try to walk away from it. You MUST use the 3-act structure or else you will fail, you will bite the dust.

It is not that hard really.

Everything starts with the BEGINNING… That is about 20 first pages of your script where you set the story. You let the reader\viewer get to know the main characters and locations and what kind of life they have.

DON’T a lot of action here. If you want to add some action opening scene then do it later. First set the story. Slowly and carefully let us know about your characters, let us relate to them.
Something interesting starts happening here, some clues of the things to come but only the hint not the things themselves.

PIVITOL POINT 1… That is an event that changes your hero’s life forever and from this point he\she cannot go back. This part is somewhat about 30-40 pages.

Say you hero gets bitten by a vampire and undergoes transformation himself. He cannot undo it and from now on he has to figure out how to deal with it.

He tries to solve his problem and does everything he thinks is appropriate but fails UNTIL…

PIVITOL POINT 2… That is the point where your hero finds out the right way to deal with his problem and does so. That is also about 30-40 pages long.

Say your vampire hero finds out who the head vampire is and how to kill him. And he proceeds to doing exactly that.

THE END… That is after your hero has dealt with the situation and resolved his\her problem. That part is about 5-10 pages long.

The head vampire is killed and the hero is again human. He and his girlfriend reunite and are happy again. The end J

That structure is gonna let you build your story logically and so that other people will understand it and not just you. We are writing for other people, aren’t we?

So structure your scene\notes along the lines of this example and you can also write a synopsis at this point for reference during the writing process.

6. Begin writing the script.

You can write in MS Word or use any other professional software. I prefer Final Draft.

Before you do and as you’re doing so, please read as much screenplays as possible, professional screenplays of the movies that are already made. That will give you the idea of how scripts are written and the more you will read the more your brain will understand how it is done the right way. You can find some of the scripts here http://www.simplyscripts.com/movie.html

After you’re done with the script, be prepared to put twice as much work into trying to get it sold and finding a producer or production company for it. And also be prepared to receive a lot of criticism and a lot of rejections. I will cover the topic of rejections later on and the topic of what to expect from your first movie deal if you’re gonna be lucky to get one.

Here is what all the efforts are for, to see your idea out there, coming to life, coming to film.  


 
My screenplay at the table readings
Actors reading the script
Getting ready for shooting

My name in the credits







Check out the trailer for Dark Harvest Movie at darkharvestthemovie.com


If you have any questions ask me in the comments section.

I hope I helped.

Yours,
Perie