First I have to say, it is an honor to know those who have served for our freedom. We are so lucky, that sometimes we take our rights for granted.
It’s wonderful to have that ability.
So here’s a HEARTFELT thanks to all thos who have served, those who were lucky enough to make it back home, and those who lost their lives, fighting for us all.
Happy Memorial Day!
Go out and give those you know a big hug and thank you.
Greetings and Salutations loyal blog readers,
No news is good news they say. Mischievous Raven has not returned with news from The Swamp, and it’s just as well because the Werewolf Monks have put me to work repairing things around the Monastery. It’s been a struggle to find a slice of peace and quiet to write around here. Excuse a moment.
“The wine-press is in pieces!”
“Yes, I know, Brother White Fang, I’m the one who left the wine-press in pieces, but I have guests.”
“They’re going to have to wait. We need the wine-press now. Our special holiday vintage cannot wait.”
“I can’t just put them out. They’ve come all this way to see me.”
“I can put them out. And I will, if you don’t get the press working, and I mean now.”
“That does not seem very hospitable.”
“You have to prioritize, Eerie, now get to it. I’ll see to your guests.”
“It was so much nicer when you guys were still under the vow of silence.”
“Now, Eerie Dwarf or you won’t be welcome back.”
As you heard I have to get back to work. Our chat and my writing will have to wait, yet again. Enjoy the company of Brother White Fang and I’ll see you all next week. As is our custom, I”ll leave you with this quote from The song Human Touch By Bruce Springsteen
“You and me we were the pretenders
We let it all slip away
In the end what you don’t surrender
Well the world just strips away”
Write on,
Eerie
Okay everyone, settle down and take a seat.
Eerie, one of your Zombie’s is munching on the Hellhound’s tail. Mischevious and Adile, if you two don’t knock it off, I’m tying a boulder to your tails and dropping you in Dreamer’s moat. Smokey, you’re creating a haze even Snarky can’t cut through. Quirky, could you open that window behind my Knight? Let’s get some Swamp Gas in here. Prankster Duo, for the love of Pete would you please stop trying to get Angel Boy to launch from the ceiling beams!
Finally! Are you all ready?
Great, so be good and give it up for our guest-the most awesome Alison Stone! Her debut novel, Random Acts, is now available so afterwards, we’re doing a trip to the bookstore!
Listen up and find out how she got sucked into the crazy world of writing…
Why do I write?
I ask myself this question every so often. Like when I’m stuck on a plot point or when I’d rather be reading or watching TV or cleaning the toilet… Yes, some days it seems like I’d rather be doing anything other than writing. So, why do I do it?
Is it for the money? (Okay, you over there, stop laughing.) Even if they don’t admit it, I think most writers hope their book will be the next big thing. But who can actually predict these things? I’d settle for a nice income, never mind a seven-figure income. Yet, if it’s income I’m truly after, why write? I could go back to my former career as an engineer and make far more money than I do as a writer. However, an office job wouldn’t give me the flexibility I have as a writer. Don’t get me wrong, I work long hours crafting my stories, but I’m home if my kids need me for something—like a ride or dinner. J
But why write? Is it because I have the burning desire to tell a story? I can’t say I have one particular story that needs to be told. Rather I have a lot of ideas bouncing around my head. Once the idea to try writing took hold, I couldn’t let go. There is something about the challenge of writing and fitting all the pieces of the story puzzle together (I write romantic suspense) that intrigues me. It occupies my mind.
The other night my husband and I went out for dinner and we discussed my new career. My debut novel, Random Acts, had just been released. I told him how I really hoped this new career would provide income to help send our children to college. Then, like usual, I started to doubt myself. Wouldn’t my time be better spent working at a job that paid me an hourly rate or one that paid a salary? My awesome husband equated my budding writing career to starting a business. My husband, an engineer, told me one of his co-workers quit to start a machine shop. He has the expense of a new building, machines and salaries. My writing career is also a new venture, but my overhead is low. I have the expense of my laptop and my time. I love the analogy. I have worked hard over the years to build a solid foundation. From here, I need to continue to produce quality books and build my readership. I am excited my second book, Too Close to Home, is coming out on August 7th. I also have other books in the works. From here, I will grow my business.
Writing is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. A few years ago, shortly after I signed with my wonderful agent, I received a crushing rejection from a New York publishing house. This was not the first time my work had been passed up to the senior editor for possible acquisition only to be rejected, albeit with a “good rejection.”
The editor raved about my “clean writing style” and she was “eager to get Alison under contract and happy to read anything she submits.” But this was the third time I had come so close, but yet so far. I was ready to throw in the towel, when my wonderful friend and critique partner—who always gave it to me straight— sent me his e-mail:
If an editor said “I’m eager to get her under contract” I would have swooned. Do people still swoon? You’ve got it, kid. Don’t give up. At the very least, what a model for your kids on what it takes to succeed. Am I blowing smoke up your derriere? Nope. Close only counts when people use it as an excuse to bow out. Look at the many writers who struggled. I’m talking good writers who managed to believe in themselves no matter what. There are too many fools out there who make it because they are blind to their own BS. You just need to find your own unique voice, blend it to the “smooth, clean writing style.”
This e-mail is over three years old, but it still sits in my inbox. I write because I enjoy it. I write because I hope to have a solid career. I continue to write even when the mountain seem insurmountable because I want to show my kids that sometimes you have to work hard—very hard—to achieve your dreams.
Much thanks to Alison for braving our Swamp and visiting with us!
Alison Stone graduated with a degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech. After working in Corporate America for a number of years, she retired to raise her young family. Soon the writing bug bit. After years of conferences, critique groups and writing, Alison sold two manuscripts that will be released in 2012. She claims it was easier to earn her engineering degree. Random Acts is her debut novel. To learn more about Alison Stone please visit www.AlisonStone.com.
Check out Random Acts…
Second chances can have a terrible sense of timing.
As a child, watching her mother always pick the wrong man left Danielle Carson wary of opening her heart to anyone—except Patrick Kingsley. But circumstances came between them and left Danielle with a broken heart. Now she buries the pain of what might have been by channeling all her energy into her career. When a family crisis brings her back to her hometown, she is forced to face the past—and the disturbing fact that her sister’s car accident was staged to mask a brutal beating.
A police officer and widower, Patrick guards his heart as fiercely as he guards his beloved daughter. Seeing Danielle again unexpectedly reignites their old flame, but no way will he introduce a woman into his daughter’s life. Certainly not one whose values on faith and family are so different from his own.
Despite their best intentions, they are drawn together—until Danielle learns Patrick had a hand in putting her sister in harm’s way. Her fragile trust is crushed, but Patrick is the only man who can help her stop the villain before everything they both love is destroyed. Faith, family…and their second chance at forever.
Run, don’t walk, and get your copy now! Available at:
Samhain Publishing: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/alison-stone-pa-1705.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Random-Acts-ebook/dp/B00795G1X4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334076604&sr=8-1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/random-acts-alison-stone/1108890294?ean=9781609288242&itm=1&usri=alison+stone
Also available at Sony and iTunes.
Recently, my Handsome Rouge and I have become obsessed with a fantasy show. It is based upon a very popular adult fantasy novel that I, GASP, have not read yet. Initially, my husband watched it on his own while I wrote (thinking I wouldn’t enjoy quite so violent a show), but I was immediately sucked in.
As we have watched the show night after night, we have become attached to certain character, whether they are the “good” or “bad” guys. I also realized that we were both drawn to the same characters. At first it wasn’t entirely clear why we were so compelled by these particular ones, but it slowly became apparent that they were more complex than the other characters.
Two of them are noble, brave, and loyal to a flaw, characteristics that have won our hearts. But one of them is neither good nor bad. He’s intelligent, cunning, and glutinous, but oh so terribly interesting to watch. His every decision, whether we agree with it or not, is fascinating as we watch him unweaving the impact his own choices will make on the world. He feels a deep loyalty to his family even though they lack even the smallest ounce of humanity, and yet, he is also deeply loyal to the truth. Many times his two loyalties tear him in opposite directions, and he betrays one of them. And even though this may seem like a sign of a disloyal man, his desire to do what is right makes us forgive him.
As you can see, I’ve given his character and the others a great deal of thought, which makes me appreciate this writer’s skill even more. None of his characters are forgettable. Some are a bit more stereotypical than others, but they are all fascinating to watch. And, I think my favorite part is that no matter how well I feel that I’ve begun to understand them, they constantly surprise me in ways that make their characters even more exceptional.
So how do I create characters as compelling as his? My only hope is that I understand them so well that they become real to me, as real as any person, because people may appear stereotypical at times, but there is always more to a person than what meets the eye.
So we hit this around 6pm last night. Of course, I was driving home. Not only did I try hard not to keep craning to look behind me (not because of the sun, but the zombie hordes were out in full force), I tried not to blind myself, LOL.
The only version we actually ended up seeing was #1 & #2 on the chart. We didn’t get to see a full eclipse. I think we just don’t get to see stuff like this in the swamp. It disrupts the evil aura’s or something. Hmm, next time I’ll have to talk to the witch coven up the mountain, see what they’ll charge me to let it through.
If you got to see more, tell me about it.
As for other changes, well, the kids are out of school this Thursday. Yup! It’s summer vacation already. Mud pies, zombie parts, decaying and moss-covered squishy things leaking from pockets and pillow cases.
I knew it was coming, considering we’ve been 105-108ish degrees for over a week. The swamp waters are a few feet lower than normal. I don’t know if hell fire is leaking through or what.
But really, I’m so not ready for 2 full months with the kids home all day. Not that I don’t love them, I do. And I enjoy having the time with them.
I’d kick them outside during the day like people who live in normal places do, but if they didn’t terrorize the zombies beyond repair, make boots out of C. Rock Adial, they might actually melt, it’s that hot.
So it will cut into my writing. I can admit that.
I also have my first University classes starting early June, extracurricular activities for the kids, and deadlines for books I need to get done.
Changes.
Yup, things will be changing for the next few months.
Now I just have to figure out how to get everything done 
Muse and I working in the Library
Still hanging out here at the Monastery, I’m getting a little homesick for the Swamp though. As I mentioned before, cell service is bad up here, and my cell carrier, Surprison’s slogan is “He hears me, he hears me not.” They are the undisputed champs of dropped calls. So I’ve sent Mischievous Raven back to gather some news. I hope he stays away from C. Rock Adile. Those two really don’t get on well. When he and Mischievous get together it gets ugly fast. Of course Wicked has her eye on a new set of
The Great Hall
boots courtesy of CR’s hide. Come to think of it not many folks around the The Swamp like CR at all. I’m sure Mischievous will return soon with the goings on.
On the local front the Monks have been very busy in the wine cellar of late. They seem very excited about something. It will be difficult to beat last years bold red wine Exsanguinate The Halls. It had a bloody nose and a delightful coppery aftertaste. Last years holiday white was less successful, Infected Wound, it had a rancid nose and laid heavily on the palate. The good news is with the Monks scurrying up and down the cellar steps we’ve had the place to ourselves.
My Muse and I are revisiting a story I started a while back and then set aside because we got caught up in the editing craze that was going around. You may remember my post from Feb. 10. Editing. Everybody’s doing it, doing it doing it. I’m still working on submissions of my completed novel The Three Misfiteers. I’m sure some intelligent, good-looking, industrious agent will want it for their portfolio soon. In the mean time, back to writing some original material.
This is always the most fun a writer can have. First drafts (at least mine) are full of interesting characters with enchanting repartee. Of corse much of that will have to go in the second draft because it is rife with mistakes, clichés, and misused words. But when the characters get in my head and take the place over, its chaos at it’s most wonderful. So I think I will cut our meeting a little short this week so I can get back to it.
This weeks quote comes from Joseph Conrad
“Of all the inanimate objects, of all men’s creations, books are the nearest to us for they contain our very thoughts, our ambitions, our indignations, our illusions, our fidelity to the truth, and our persistent leanings to error. But most of all they resemble us in their precious hold on life.”
Write On,
Eerie
Okay all, time to drag out the straw broom and tie it to the hellhound’s tail so we can clear off the dust and spiders from the front porch. I’d ask the Prankster Duo to do it, but that would result in legendary whining. Besides, they’d probably do the same thing, make the hellhound do it. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can get Knight in Slightly Muddy Armor to polish himself off (*snort* just realized how that sounded!) and add a little shine to his outfit. Maybe I can swing by Swamp Thing’s place and see if she has something that will cover up the stink from Eerie’s Zombie horde. If not, I’ll snag a few of Dreamer’s pretty flowers. Don’t tell her though–it might upset her if she finds patches gone from her garden. She does such an amazing job with those leafy things, I’m seriously impressed. Most of mind tend toward brown and flaky. No worries, we can blame Mischevious or the small gypsy tribe of brownies trying to pretend they’re not hiding in the Trecherous Forest.
Are you wondering at the burst of Spring Cleaning I’m embarking on? It’s because next week I’M HAVING A VISITOR. Yes, indeedy, instead of trotting over and posting on someone else’s blog as I’ve been wont to do for the past month and half, this time around, she’s coming to me. So who is it? It’s Alison Stone. She’ll keep you on the edge of your seat with her thrilling suspense novels with just a touch of heartfelt romance. I thought it was time we brought a little love and light into the Swamp–it’ll help make Dreamer feel more at home. Besides, Alison is an awesome writer–so I had to share.
So you must come back next week when she’s here. Bring your witty charm and fabulous humor and show her we’re not too backwoodsy here in the Swamp. Share the love and make her feel at home. I promise we’ll keep the Zombies penned up and Mischevious occupied with something shiny–that why she might come back.
Plus, if this all goes well, I’m thinking of inviting a few other friends to pop in every month. Especially since I really, really need to buckle down on Shadow’s Moon now that we have our release date for Shadow’s Soul (Book 2) on 6/23/12!
Just an update–I got three chapters in, had to start over, pulled teeth out of a snail, and now I think I finally know where Xander’s going to take us. You’d think by the third book the story should just merrily stroll along. Oh no! No, instead it decides to play hide-n-seek in the middle of a black hole. Never fear, I’ll take it down–one way or the other.
So until next week…
Be good but not too good!
–Wicked
There are books in this world, wonderful, powerful books that have shaped the minds of generation after generation. Many of these books took a lifetime to create, and the writer’s effort clearly shows. Others of these books may have taken several months or several years, but they too have earned a place of respect. Right now, I have no intention of creating a novel that can compete with these works. I simply want to create a story that young teens will read, relate with, and enjoy. I also intend to write many books over my lifetime with different characters and settings until all the stories in my mind have been told. But each day that ticks by, I feel a great anxiety to finish my first novel and begin my journey as a professional writer. This goal of mine, a goal I’ve had since the second grade, is sometimes motivating and sometimes overwhelming. Today, it’s overwhelming.
I have spent years taking an idea in my mind and creating it into a real novel. I am proud of every word on my pages, but I also want to keep making them better. So, when is enough enough? When do you print your precious pages and send them out into the world to be met with enthusiasm or criticism?
Part of me wants to hit print this very day and take that step, but the other part of me thinks my work may still be in its teenage years, and may still need the love of its creator. The other part of me wants to sit patiently waiting as I create each book in the series until it has reached the closest state to perfection that it can reach. So, I’m torn. I take precious minutes when I can and continue to polish my work, too afraid to make a choice either way, and yet, just by continuing this process it seems I’ve already made my choice.
Greetings and Salutations Glorious Readers of the Blog,
As you can see Mischievous Raven and I have finally been granted entrance into the Monastery of the Werewolf Monks. I know, right it’s pretty cool if you haven’t been before. Let me show you around, Brother Lon will accompany us but he cannot talk, there is always a vow of silence after the full moon hunt. Lead on Brother Lon. This is the library and the thing the Monastery is most well-known for. As you can see it is packed with books and scrolls going back thousands of years. The best stuff is up ahead here. Scholars from all over the world come here to study about the strange and sometimes horrible creatures that roam the planet right under the noses of the unsuspecting general public. This is where I did my research on Vampires. They have an entire section on Vlad The Impaler. Rumor has it that Vlad himself comes over to review the library from time to time. You know of course he stays at the Dakota right off Central Park most of the year. He does, I’m not kidding. You should come back and spend some time here. Libraries are the best places to meet interesting people. Down those steps is where the wines are made. You can only go there once a year when they turn out their new vintages. They have a big tasting it’s a regular who’s who event, very A list. The rest of the year it’s off-limits. No, I’ve never been, I’m sure it’s a clerical over site. That’s the chapel, up here are the quarters for the monks. The guest rooms are on the next couple floors. Above that is the observatory where they plot the moon and star movements. You can visit Brother Al up there after sundown and he’ll show you around. You can even have a look through the peeper if you like. Brother Lon is directing us toward the dining room. It must be dinner time. Go have a bite I’ll see you later. I’m going to catch up my muse and go over a few things we wrote last week before he ditched me.
I just wrote a short piece which came right out of nowhere for me. The strange thing about the story is, it has no dialogue. That in itself isn’t strange, but it is strange for me. I’ve been told that I have a gift for dialogue. So to write a piece without a single spoken word for over 2,500 words was really odd for me. It got me to thinking about what makes dialogue flow. Now if I have a gift it is God-given and not something I learned, and my friends will tell you I was out to lunch when God was giving such gifts as Grammar, Spelling, Point of View, and Tenses, among other things. But they seem to agree I do pretty decent dialogue.
This is what came to me,( totally my opinion here folks). I thinks that when writing is flowing for me I’m in the characters head. Almost like a movie is playing out the scene. I hear what the character is saying and it comes out in his/her voice not mine. And if I’m really there I hear the replies from whoever as if I am the character. This makes the other voices authentic because they have to sound right to the POV character or I get pulled out of the scene. When I struggle the most is when I’m not hearing what my character is hears. This all sounds very WOO-WOO, but it’s the best way I describe what happens. When I put myself in the scene and hear what is said I know if it sounds right or not. One trick I use to help with this is I read my dialogue back out loud. I’ll never be one who reads for audio books, but I try to put inflection in the speech. In effect give the character a voice, not one I hear in my head but actually hear. I am but a lowly scribbler and I don’t want this to sound like a lecture so I’m going to quit here. If you have some thoughts on dialogue send me a comment. And if you struggle with getting your characters to sound natural try hearing it, listen for the nuances. As is our custom here at the swamp I’ll leave you with this appropriate quote.
When writing a novel a writer should create living people; not characters. A character is a caricature.
Write On,
Eerie
In an effort to cut down on how much of a time suck cyberverse is, I wrangled my Knight in Slightly Muddy Armor and had his alternate persona, King of Tech, merge my www.jamigray.com address to this–my most awesomest blog site ever! Now if you type in jamigray.com you’ll come here, and you can still peruse my holy list of links on my Links page, buy my world changing books on my Books page, stalk me through the electronic world on my Blog Tour page, all in one spot! I kneel to the genius of my hubby in the weird ways of tech, because it’s all Greek to me (and I mean that seriously!).
On top of this nifty change, I also set up an Author Fan Page on Facebook. You can see it here http://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter . Feel free to go over and share your love of moi and click the LIKE button. It took time before I bowed to the requests for one of these as I was uncertain exactly how to use it. Now that I know it’s where you post all your blog visits, book releases and general writing news, viola it is created!
So even though I finally got a tighter handle on book 3, I have yet to sit down and start again, but now that all the pressing cyber demands have been met, I’m ready to go! WOO HOO!
Now, I need your support because this upcoming week (May 14th-18th) will become a testing ground on just how thick I’ve managed to get my writing skin to as I embark on a five stop review tour of Shadow’s Edge. Oh yes, I hear you. Why would I subject myself to such a rack of torture? Because, I really would like people out there to give me their honest feeback–good or bad–because how else will I be able to stretch myself as a writer? And because I don’t want to inhibit any postings, I’ll be there to thank the reviewer, but I’ll lurk in the shadows to see what is said. Fingers crossed that the reviewers find Shadow’s Edge exciting and thrilling!
If you’d like to swing over and see what’s up next week, feel free. Here’s the schedule:
And lastly, I had to share a moment I had this weekend. Life was getting stressful, you know how it is when everything around you seems to sit their big, heavy weight upon your shoulders and you just want to slither away into a small, hidden place? Okay, so I had a few bad moments because, hey, we’re all human, right? Just when the light of creativity was beginning to sputter, one of my favorite Twitter Peeps (@KindlesConsort) was chatting with another bud of mine and she gave strength to my flame through her excitement and anticipation of my writing and how much she enjoyed chatting with authors. I couldn’t resist, I had to tell her how much her words meant and that it was because of readers like her that authors, especially me, continue to put pen to paper. Then later that night through Facebook I received another message from another fan, Kim Hawk, who shared how much she enjoyed Shadow’s Edge and why. Again, I was humbled by such words. I may put my stories out there, but the reason I have the courage to continue onward is because of you, the readers, who so eagerly embrace these fantastical worlds and then share your excitement with the writers.
Long story short, authors write for you readers so take the time and drop a line to your favorite authors, big or small. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one that strengths their flickering creative light on a dark day, giving them the strength to pick up the pen once more and forge forward!
–Wicked
