Books by Michael D. Young

Anthology Giveaway on Goodreads!

October 18th, 2012

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Goodreads Book Giveaway

Sing We Now of Christmas

by Michael Young

Giveaway ends November 18, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win
Christmas Comes Early

October 2nd, 2012

AUTHORS RELEASE SHORT STORY CHRISTMAS ANTHOLOGY FOR CHARITY

With help of authors across the country, Utah author Michael Young has compiled an anthology of short stories, each based on a different Christmas carol. All the proceeds from the anthology, SING WE NOW OF CHRISTMAS, will be donated to the National Down Syndrome Society, in honor of Michael’s two-year-old son, Bryson, who has Down Syndrome. The anthology is available in paperback and Amazon Kindle formats from Amazon.com.

Christmas carols capture the spirit of Christmas like nothing else, and Sing We Now of Christmas brings beloved carols to life like never before.

Walk in the footsteps of good King Wenceslas. Experience anew the bells on Christmas Day. Witness the journey of a soldier who lost his voice as he participates in the miracle of Silent Night. Experience all this and more in these heartfelt, entertaining tales donated by a team of authors from across the country, teaming together for a good cause.

Covering twenty-five stories–one for every day through Christmas itself–this anthology is ready to become a new advent tradition for your family!

Paperback: http://amzn.com/1479266248

Kindle: http://amzn.com/B009AEIEAA

CreateSpace eStore: https://www.createspace.com/3988322 (More money to charity this way)
Get Ready for Sing We Now of Christmas

September 17th, 2012

It has been a truly difficult time, and I’ve got to say, I was down and out for a while. Without going into too many details, I was laid off from a beloved job and have had a terrible time looking for work. I became very sick and for a couple weeks, I was barely able to do anything, much less get any writing done.

I’m still out of a job, but at least I’m back on my feet, and using the extra time to write and work on great projects.

I’m happy to announce that “Sing We Now of Christmas: An Advent Anthology” is coming very soon. I’ve ordered the proof copy of it and it just needs my final review. It will be coming out in paperback and Amazon Kindle formats.

You can get a better idea about what you’ll find at the anthology’s website:

adventanthology.wordpress.com

We will be having a promotion soon to get everything kicked off that has to do with “The 12 Days of Christmas”. We’re also hoping to do another book next year that will benefit autism. Please send any stories you’d like to have considered for that my way.

This week, another anothology came out of which I am a part. I have two stories that are modern parables that I think you’ll like. Check out “Parables for Today”:

http://amzn.com/1599559226

I’ll going to try to be online more in the upcoming days. Thank you all for your friendship and support.
Say Hello to August

August 1st, 2012

Hello all! July is now officially in the win column, and with a little icing on the top as well. I didn’t have quite as much going on in July, but was still busy. I’m a firm believer that anyone can find time for writing if you are willing to sacrifice and prioritize. I have to stay up later and forgo other entertainment such as playing video games, but it is all very worth it. Good luck with your own writing endeavors.

Writing Progress:

Words for July: 53,432 (106.8%)

Words for 2012: 353,439 (70.6%)

Writing Update:

I’m just waiting for my final edit on the second Canticle Kingdom book, and am editing the third Last Archangel and Canticle Kingdom books. I finished my first “The Last Archangel” serial for BigWorldNetwork.com, which is going to be called “Age of Archangels” Like my Canticle serials, these serials, of which I am planning eight, will tell Xandir’s backstory over the centuries. Progress on “Elected” is going forward very well, and I’ve been working on many articles for websites and such.

One of these websites is called GospelIdeals.org and deals with informing people about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of which I am a member. I think this is an especially important endeavor as there are many false conceptions out there these days. You can read some of my work here:

http://www.gospelideals.org/apostles

http://www.gospelideals.org/life-after-death

Anthology Update:

I should be getting the first draft of the Christmas anthology in a few days. The cover and the back cover copy are all ready to go and just about everything is in place. I’m very excited to get the work out about it. I’m going to need people to review ARC copies soon, so shoot me an email if you are interested. Without further ado, the cover:

(Many thanks to artist James Curwen for donating his services to make this cover. I would recommend his services anytime. You can find him at: http://jamesecurwen.blogspot.com/)

Canticle of Twilight

The last season of what I’m calling “The Canticle Prelude” is going on right now with new episodes every Monday. Even though it has the word “Twilight” in the title, I promise, it has nothing to do with sparkly vampires. Instead, it is a story that tells about what happened in the Kingdom right before the events of the first book. Check it out at:

http://bigworldnetwork.com/CanticleofTwilight.html

Til next time, live bravely and write well!
The Kindling by Braden Bell

July 24th, 2012

My friend Braden Bell just came out with a great new contemporary fantasy called The Kindling. It’s highly-imaginative and enjoyable from beginning to end. Here you can read all about it:

Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?

Loud shrieks sliced the air, followed by the smell of burning cloth. Conner looked over in time to see Geoffrey jumping up and down, yelling and shrieking. Smoke poured from the seat of his shorts while blue and yellow sparks snap-crackle-and-popped all around the heater.

All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Connor’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!

This fast-paced novel is non-stop fun for kids and parents alike. With characters you can’t help but root for, a plot that keeps you guessing, and plenty of humor, it’s a guaranteed thrill ride from cover to cover!

Here are some links to learn more about Braden and his book:

www.thekindlingbook.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13640908-the-kindling

And here’s a link to buy it:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Middle-School-Magic-The-Kindling/dp/1462110274/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337270199&sr=8-1
Writing Fireworks

July 9th, 2012

Hope everyone had a happy 4^th. My oldest son appreciated every last ‘bomb bursting in air’, while my younger son reenacted the part where the British screamed in terror. I, for one, am grateful for a nation where we are free to pursue the goals that we want, and can even work towards making a living as a writer.

Writing Progress:

Words for July: 15,355 (30%)

Words for 2012: 315,362 (52.5%)

Writing Update:

I had a great writing week as the numbers will show. I’m revising three novels, and adding little bits and pieces here and there as well as working on new works called “Elected” and “Dual School”. I’ll have project descriptions up soon under ‘Current Projects’.

I’ve actually put my hand to writing a lot of music this week, working on a possible sacred album. I’ll be sure to write about that when that comes to fruition.

Weekly Writing Tip:

Once you finish something, step back for a little while before you try to revise it. You’ll look at it more objectively and that new perspective can only help. Also, the ideas there might have simmered in your subconscious for a while, which helps you piece things together that didn’t already turn out in the first draft.

Anthology Update:

I saw the first draft of the cover for the anthology and I’m very excited. I sent some feedback to the artist and hopefully, I’ll be getting a second draft here soon. I’ll be sure to post it when we have finally settled on a final draft.

Seeking a Few Got Pens:

I am seeking a few other authors to embark with me on a multi-book, multi-author project. I can’t promise you fame and piles of money, but I can promise, time travel, cavemen, the French Revolution and more. If you’d like to see the details, click on “Current Projects”.

Canticle of Twilight

The last season of what I’m calling “The Canticle Prelude” is going on right now with new episodes every Monday. Even though it has the word “Twilight” in the title, I promise, it has nothing to do with sparkly vampires. Instead, it is a story that tells about what happened in the Kingdom right before the events of the first book. Check it out at:

http://bigworldnetwork.com/CanticleofTwilight.html

Until next week, live bravely, and write well!
Motivation Matters

July 5th, 2012

The more I write, the more I realize that writing is mostly a mind game. I have a word count that I strive to hit every day. Some days, the words seem almost to rack up themselves. I accomplish everything in one sitting without breaking a proverbial sweat. (I don’t actually sweat when writing…much.)

Other days, I find myself checking my word count after every sentence, mired down and bemoaning the fact that it has only gone up a few dozen words since last time I checked it. If I cross the finish line on days like this, It is just barely.

Then there are some days, like the 30^th of June of this year. On that day, I wrote about 9,000 words, many times the normal amount. This also happened on a day in December last year…almost 10,000 words in a single sitting.

What’s the difference?

I feel like it all comes down to motivation. On the last day of the month when I’m way behind on my writing goal for the month, it is a lot easier to sprint. In the middle of the month when I’ve had plenty of time, I have to work a little harder.

On that day in December, I was writing for a contest to see who could write the most in four hours and won the contest and some money for Christmas presents.

There are many things that motivate you to write. I don’t think it matter so much what you use to motivate yourself, only that you have something. Set and do everything you can to stick to your goals. Keep track of your progress and race against yourself. Reward yourself after your own fashion when you hit certain milestones.

In a perfect world, the motivation of creating wonderful prose should be its own reward. Human nature keeps this from being a perfect world. The trick is to know how to trick your own brand of human nature so that you can get some work done.
So What Did You Do With the First Half of Your Year?

July 2nd, 2012

Happy July, everyone. Contrary to rumors that I have fallen off the face of Earth, I am still around and still writing. May and June provided plenty to do, from doing a show, to traveling to St. Louis for my brother’s wedding to 60 hour work weeks to finish up a project at work. And despite it all…

…I still got all my writing done. 50, 000 words for May and June. Phew. It’s true that I just barely made it, but it still worked out. I have hit the halfway point for 2012 and am on schedule to hit my ultimate goal of 600,000 words.

I’m hoping to get my blog back up to a state of normal posting, with regular content.

Writing Progress:

Words for July: 0 (0%)

Words for 2012: 300,007 (50%)

Writing Update:

Just because I was silent, doesn’t mean I wasn’t busy! I have finished the first drafts on the third installments of The Canticle Kingdom and the Last Archangel series and am working on a trio of new middle grade titles. Their working titles are: Dual School, Elected, and Lend a Hand. I’ll take more about each of them in the coming weeks.

I’m also working on revising a musical I wrote while I was in a musical tentatively titled “When Death Comes”. I’ve got several musical projects in the works, and if any of you know of a person who is good at writing scores for such projects, have them drop me a line!

Anthology Update:

The anthology is right on track. The first draft is at the editor, also known as Darth Editus. Extra points if you know her real name. The cover design, suggested by fellow author Daron Fraley, is at the cover designer. It was an excellent suggestion that speaks to the idea of the anthology being a little like an advent calendar. It should be about another week before I get that. Check back later for the big reveal!

In case you missed it, the title of the anthology is going to be: Sing We Now of Christmas: An Advent Anthology.

We are already tossing around the idea of having a ‘caroling book signing’, where we could perform some of the carols mentioned in the anthology while we sign books.

Seeking a Few Got Pens:

I am seeking a few other authors to embark with me on a multi-book, multi-author project. I can’t promise you fame and piles of money, but I can promise, time travel, cavemen, the French Revolution and more. If you’d like to see the details, click on “Current Projects”.

Canticle of Twilight

The last season of what I’m calling “The Canticle Prelude” is going on right now with new episodes every Monday. Even though it has the word “Twilight” in the title, I promise, it has nothing to do with sparkly vampires. Instead, it is a story that tells about what happened in the Kingdom right before the events of the first book. Check it out at:

http://bigworldnetwork.com/CanticleofTwilight.html

‘Til I see you again, write bravely and live well!
The Title is In!

June 10th, 2012

Thank you to all who have voted for the title of the Christmas Story Anthology. There were many great suggestions. I think that I may make this an annual event and so I will keep the other great suggestions for following years. I’m just sad that we couldn’t use them all. Without further ado, the name of the Anthology is going to be:

Sing We Now of Christmas: An Advent Anthology

The anthology is already off to the editor, so the cover is going to be next. I have a cover artist already, and now that I have the title, I will just need some suggestions for the cover. I have some ideas, but I’d also like to hear from you. I’m going to be gone all week to my brother’s wedding, so when I come back next week, I’ll go ahead and send an email to the cover artist.

Until then, please leave your suggestions as comments on this post or on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/authormichaelyoung).

Enjoy your summer everyone!
Naming the Anthology: Fa, la, la, la…in May.

May 30th, 2012

Hello everyone!

I know you’re all probably not thinking of Christmas yet (and if you are, you’re pretty good at not procrastinating), but here’s a little Christmas in May for you. We need a name for our Christmas anthology so that we can keep the ball rolling on getting it done in time for the season.

I have received many wonderful suggestions from a variety of sources, and I’m very thankful for every one of them. The following is a list that I have narrowed down to ten, and now I want to hear from you. My feeling is that there should be a main title and then a subtitle to help people know what kind of anthology it is. I had someone suggest “An Advent Anthology” as a subtitle, because there are 25 parts to it, which can be read from December 1^st-December 25^th.

Without further ado, and a few fa la la la las:

1.    Angelsong

2.    Sing We Now of Christmas

3.    Nightly Noels

4.    Literary Caroling

5.    Twenty Five Tales of Christmas

6.    Carol of the Tales

7.    Good Tidings of Great Joy

8.    Tune in for Christmas

9.    Yuletide Treasures

10. Strike the Harp and Join the Chorus: ## Christmas Stories Inspired by the Songs We Love

Leave a comment, either here or on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/authormichaelyoung) and tell me what your top two favorites are. You can also do a “write in” candidate in case a brilliant idea has struck you. I’ll leave voting open for a week and then I’ll go from there. Thanks!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

by Michael Young