Just had to say it . . . Luke's Situation will be out on the 31st!

Charge up those Kindles, plug in those Nooks, get your E-readers ready because you will not be disappointed!!!

And I have a special treat for you . . .

It's only going to cost you $0.99 to read it!!!!!!!!!!  How's that for a deal? You probably lost more than that in the cushions of your couch last year!

As everyone has heard: life imitates art. Or vice versa . . . or versa vice . . . or . . . well, you get what I mean :P My good friend recently provided me with this link:

http://news.yahoo.com/beezow-doo-doo-zopittybop-bop-bop-arrested-021848401.html

He said the man it is referring to sounds just like one of my characters from Second Coming. When I clicked on the link and read the short article, I burst out laughing! I couldn't help myself. It definitely was a classic case of life imitating art!

Take a look at the article. Can you guess which character from Second Coming the man in the article resembles?

Okay, every time you walk into a bookstore you encounter signs above the shelves: horror, mystery, romance. Many of these genres are self-explanatory. But there are many other genres out there: children’s, fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, etc. Some of their definitions might not be as clear as others.

I’ve compiled a list of a bunch of genres and their definitions to simplify things.

Children's or Independent Reader: Children’s or independent reader books are for kids, usually from toddlers to about eleven years old. They usually feature characters (human or animals) in the same age range. A lot of the books aimed for the lower age range have many pictures and are simple in writing and/or theme. But don’t mock this! Because the Harry Potter series falls into independent reader genre and those books are simply among the best books ever written!  

Horror: Horror is one of my favorite genres. Horror books evoke a specific mood. With ghosts, creatures, and blood-and-guts, horror books allow the reader to tremble as they turn the page. The characters are usually found trying to escape some horrible misfortune and must, by some clever means, work together to solve their problems. Second Coming, my first novel,is a horror novel. Check it out to see what I mean.

Thrillers: Many readers confuse this genre with the above. To remedy this, just think of thrillers as suspense or action novels. These books grab the reader and lead them through a rollercoaster ride of emotional trill. There may be fighting, there may be a little bit of mystery or romance—whatever it is, these books keep the reader turning the page. My next book, Luke’s Situation, is a thriller. Because of the situation in which Joe finds himself, the reader is sucked into the story, forced to flip page after page if they want to find out what happens to Joe and his friends.

Fantasy: Fantasy is fantastic! Fantasy books contain elements that people do not encounter in every-day life (ex. Magic, elves, trolls, etc.). The settings may be in our world or someplace else (usually green with lots of animals :P ). The characters in fantasy tales can often use magic, talk to animals, or have some specific talent. Some of the best books are fantasy books. They allow the reader to get lost in a world that they wish they could stumble upon.  

Science Fiction:  Think metal and nuts and bolts. Often these books are set in space or a far-away planet. Sci-fi encompass a lot of science, so it’s not surprising that these books—like Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the moon--somewhat predict the future. The characters may face problems we face in everyday life (or not), but they typically face them in a society set in the future. If not, the characters can just hop into their time machines and go there!

Mystery: It is what it is—a mystery! In these books there’s either a crime or an unsolved murder that the protagonist must try to solve before they come to the end of the book. What makes these types of novels fun is that the reader gets to solve the mystery along with the character as they flip through the pages.

Romance:  How sweet! Even though many books include feelings of the heart between characters, these books make it their main focus. Whether it be between a vampire and a werewolf or a burly fireman and a lonely housewife, there is love in the air. They may have to overcome certain obstacles, but in the end these characters usually find happiness.

Westerns:  “Draw, padner!” That says it all. Think cowboy boots, hats, and six-shooters. This genre is defined by a specific time and place, usually between 1800 and 1890 and in western parts of the US (some may take place elsewhere, however). In these books there’s usually an outlaw, a hero, and in some even the damsel in distress.    

Young Adult:  Just like the children’s genre, young adult books are usually written about characters that fall into the “young adult” age (typically twelve to eighteen). In these types of books, the characters can find themselves in a variety of settings: fantasy, sci-fi, or even horror. There are plenty of issues for them to contend with throughout the books, so they’re wildly entertaining. Sometimes the characters even fight an internal struggle when they realize they like someone and they can’t tell them.

Literary: The best way to define this genre is to ask the reader to think about poetry. Literary fiction is not exactly poetry, but it deals with prose. The author uses eloquent words to fashion a tale—despite the genre—that makes the reader cry out for more. Characters in these tales may find themselves in emotional situations, but it is how these situations are described and how the characters deal with them that makes these types of books so entertaining.  

Experimental: Here we go, let’s try to do something new here. Let’s push the envelope, let’s play devil’s advocate, anything to grab the readers’ attention and get them to run away with an idea. This is typically what experimental fiction does; it goes against convention—either in style or how the words physically appear on the page—to grab the reader and either tell a story a get a point across.

Note: There are many other genres and sub-genres, but these are the ones you’ll typically come across as a reader. Remember, as a writer, if you are going to contact an agent, there are specific agents that represent specific genres. Do not—and I repeat DO NOT—send your horror manuscript to an agent representing romance novels! You’ll will be regarded as a novice writer and laughed at!

For those of you interested in querying (or contacting) agents for your manuscript, please read my post on that subject next week.

It just so happens that I'm visiting my website today, of all days.

With the advent of the holidays, I've been busier than ever. The malls, a crowded mess to begin with, have turned into labyrinthine disasters through which people must weave their way in order to buy gifts. I've tried to avoid such places, but found that I had to eventually give in. Blah!

Nevertheless, I've made it back here to say "Hello" once again. I'm roughly 40 thousand words into     R E V E N G E, my next novel. Writing it has so far been an interesting journey. Unlike other novels, I keep finding myself going back to the beginning and re-thinking. I can only wonder where it will end up.

In other news, I'm happy to announce that Luke's Situation is currently on schedule to be published on January 31st. For those of you who love a good suspense tale . . . THIS IS YOUR BOOK! Be sure to check out a few sample chapters in the meantime.

Until then, read, read, read!

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to make a quick announcement. I've placed two (2) short stories ("That Special Place" and "House of Justice") up on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Smashwords.com. So far, only Smashwords.com has been compliant enough for me to sell the stories for free. I have yet to provide the links to Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com on my site because they are not free yet (they are currently set at $0.99). For those of you who have already purchased a copy through these sites, I must give you my utmost thanks. My overall goal is to make these short stories free, and therefore I will consider your payment as a donation to my site. If you would like, please send me your name via the form on the "Contact Me" section of my website and I will list it in a "thank you" section under the short story you purchased.

Keep an eye out for Luke's Situation: it's almost here! I should have some videos/cover art up soon.

Keep checking back, keep cool, and most of all keep reading!

Hey Everyone,

Just put up a cover image for my short story That Special Place. And since I like you guys so much, I've offered the story for free! I've provided links for you to download it on your Kindle, Nook, or PC, if you so choose. If not, you can read it right here off the site!

Keep checking back for more free short stories. I hope to post another within the next week!

Hey Everyone,

I'm hard at work writing a new novel and editing Luke's Situation. Wow, talk about being busy! I have a bunch of treats in store for 2012, so keep checking back.

I've also updated the Vincent Bivona Facebook fan page and created one for Second Coming, as well. Visit it, leave a few comments, write a review, and show your support!

VB

Hey Everyone,

The paperbacks are officially in!!! If you can track me down in person you can get a signed copy! If not, they're available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com (soon), or through any bookstore.

This may seem silly but I actually get a lot of questions about point of view.

There are three points of view in writing: First person, Second person, and Third person. Most books are written in either the First or Third person. In order to understand it a little easier, think of each POV as a camera.

First Person

In first person point of view, YOU are the main character, you ARE the camera. You can only hear, see, and feel what the camera (main character) feels.

For example:


The room was painted a dark red, almost the color of blood. There was painting on the wall, a couch dominating the floor, and an end table with a lamp on it. There might have been more but the peephole only allowed me to see so much from my position.


Or . . .

Mark told me it was the truth, but I didn’t believe him. Mark never told the truth, so why should he start now?
 

I approached him the way a cheetah might approach a wounded deer and shouted, “You liar!”
 

First person point of view is great when you want the reader to really get into a character. Like I stated above, the reader hears, sees, and feels everything that character does, so much that they become the character. And writing in the first person helps the reader identify with them that much easier.

The only problem when writing in the first person is that you can never deviate from that character. You can never see what’s going on when they’re not there (because you ARE the person). It will also be impossible for the reader to know what the other characters are really thinking—they can only assume, because the POV character can only assume:

Melissa hated me.

There would be no way for the POV character to know for sure that Melissa hated him, unless Melissa came right out and said it, either by words, actions, or both:


I tried pulling Melissa into my arms but she quickly pushed me away.

“Don’t touch me!” she shouted. “Don’t you ever touch me! I hate you!”

 
Third Person

Third person is a little bit different. There are two main types of Third person: Limited and omniscient.

In Third person limited, the reader knows the thoughts and feelings of the main characters, but only one at a time. The story can also be written from that character’s perspective, as if the camera is focused on that character so much that you start to (but just barely) think the way they do.


Five-year-old Kendra Walkins stared at the clock on the wall. It was large, gold, and had a white face with odd markings where the numbers should have been. It almost looked like someone had tried to spell them out but could only write with vertical lines and Vs. It made Kendra feel disoriented, as if she had stepped into another world.


The reader can tell that Kendra is viewing a clock with Roman numerals. But Kendra, at five years of age, has no knowledge of Roman numerals and therefore can’t make this connection. She just sees the numbers as vertical lines and Vs. Also, because this is a type of Third person POV, the reader knows how she feels when she sees the clock.

In Third person omniscient, there is one camera pulled all the way back so that the reader can take in the whole scene. Yet . . . this camera is special. It’s God-like. It has multiple lenses, like a fly’s eye, so that each lens can focus intently on a different character. In this POV, the reader should be able to know ALL the characters’ feeling at all times. And this goes for secondary characters, too. Since this is confusing, this POV is hardly used. Plus, it would be annoying to execute and would create little suspense (seriously, how much tension could you build when the reader already knew in the first chapter that Katie would say no to John when he proposed to her at the end of the book?).

Many authors write somewhere in between the first two Third person examples, as if the camera is pulled back to take in the whole scene but doesn’t have that special compound lens, like a fly’s eye. They don’t need to know the feelings of EVERY character, and yet they don’t need to follow one character around, they want to be able to jump:


Frank dropped his head, exhausted.  “I don’t want to have this argument again.”
 
“Neither do I,” said Katie. She hesitated, and then wrapped her arms around him.

Frank felt like pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Katie wasn’t usually this friendly, but then again, Frank knew she had never been in love before.


The scene’s written from Frank’s POV but the camera isn’t super close, where you can see very little or anything else. It’s farther back, allowing you to see how Katie feels, too.


Second Person

I saved this POV for last, because it’s used the least of all.

Second person is a lot like Third Person, except that instead of using the pronoun “he” or “she” you use “you.” It’s a lot like an instruction manual in present tense, or those books where you choose what happens next:


You walk to the end of the narrow corridor where you find a window. It’s shut, but you wedge your fingers into the space at the bottom and pry it up with all your might. Then it opens, slowly, squealing like a rusty hinge.

If you go out the window, turn to page 3. If you turn around, . . .      (Just kidding about this part.)


In short, you have First person (YOU are the main character), Third person limited (camera focused intently on one person), Third person omniscient (camera a bit farther back with that God-like lens), or Second person (the “what do you do next” type of writing). Deciding which POV you want to use for your novel can be a daunting decision, but it’s one that you have to make. If you want the reader to associate with the main character, see, hear, and feel what they do, then your best option is First person. If you want to jump around a lot, show different scenes with different characters in them, write from different perspectives, then your best bet is probably Third person. I haven’t found a use for Second in any of my writing yet, but if I do I’ll let you know :P
 

Hey everyone,

Rule one: If you want to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader . . . or just a reader in general. And I read A LOT.

One of my favorite authors is Christopher Paolini, the creator of Eragon, and I had the pleasure to meet him on November 8th in NYC (Barnes and Noble in Union Square) when he launched the release of the last book in the Inheritance book cycle!

Let's play Where's Waldo. I'm wearing a blue shirt and holding my book up backwards :P   (Photo credit: Chris Paolini's phone (almost positive it's his, since he took the same picture and uploaded it to Twitter).

Mr. Paolini is enthusiastic, energetic (he did a cartwheel on stage!), and . . . I can't think of any more "E" words, but in short he's an overall great guy. Signed my book, asked me questions about it, and thanked me for reading. Gerard Doyle, the voice of Paolini's audiobooks, was also in attendance and echoed Paolini's enthusiasm.

Amazing day!

It's always cool to meet one of your favorite authors and have a positive experience. I hope I can do the same for all those fans who read my books!