IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

Greetings and salutations loyal readers of the blog,

I had planned on talking about word choice again. (the room falls silent, in anticipation. NO, BOREDOM.) So instead I’m going to share with you what I read throughout the week. These are published authors who still take the time too share what they’ve learned, and aren’t afraid to tell you they mostly learned these things the hard way.

I’ll start with Scott Kenemore. Author of such modern classics as Zen Of The Zombie and Zombie Ohio, just name a couple. Scott talks about Zombieism in all it’s forms. He shares about the brain eating business of writing and publishing books. His posts are brief, informative and fun.  You can check him out at 
http://scottkenemore.wordpress.com

Next the beautiful and talented Liv Rancourt. Her recent novel Forever And Ever Amen, romance with a twist.  Yesterdays post was called Alternate Endings. She wrote an interesting piece about what if I had done one thing differently, college, marriage, or job and what that might look like.It’s a great way to test your creative chops. You can read it yourself at 
http://livrancourt.com

Last I offer you, the way too in my head and watching what I do to the point she is a little frightening, Kristen Lamb. All week she has been causing me to look over my shoulder, trying to catch her spying on my life. I finally stopped when I mentioned her blog to a writer friend of mine and we started saying things in unison, IE “How does she know I’m struggling with sitting down and writing instead of–fill in your own mundane life tasks.

So Kristen knows how we writers think and is bold enough to say it out loud in her blog. (I’m just going to say this unfiltered, “She’s got balls”) Today her blog is titled Change–Resistance is Futile.  While she is promoting her new book Rise Of The Machines-Human Authors In A Digital World. She does it by telling us what prompted to her to write a non-fiction book. Next that she is self publishing this one and why. She admits having fears around treading new ground in the self-pub arena. She talks about mistakes she going to make and the new ones she’ll make after she learns from this first foray into self-pub. She’s a gutsy honest lady, who will tell you you’re lazy, and defend your right to be lazy for a day. Then, she will tell you to get back on that keyboard and write until your fingers bleed, because that is exactly what she would do.

If you write because you must, like most of us. You owe to yourself to check out her blog at 
http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com

I hope I didn’t gush too much.

I find it hard to write about writing. I can talk about the mechanics, and make jokes about my poor grammar, but at the end of the day, writing is a singular experience that is hard to share. The three writers I mentioned above have a way of making it personal. As always I’ll leave you with a quote.

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”  ~Sylvia Plath

Write On,

Eerie Dwarf

The Next Big Thing…

I’ve been tagged by Sandy Wright for The Next Big Thing Blog Hop, where new releases and new authors get highlighted. Sandy’s SONG OF THE ANCIENTS, is a Paranormal Suspense currently making the rounds in finding a publishing home.  Feel free to check out her blog at www.writersandy.com for all the nifty details on her first book.

So since I’m it, let’s get to it!

• What’s the title/working title of your latest book?

For those that are following, we’ll do SHADOW’S MOON, because I’m keeping my current WIP under wraps for a bit.

• Where did the idea for the book come from?

This will be the third in the Kyn Kronicles, but this time I decided to leave Raine and Gavin alone to take advantage of some downtime.  Instead I got caught up in Xander and Warrick’s relationship. I’ve always loved the concept of magic and the supernatural existing alongside reality, so the world I created has some dark corners that you don’t want to face without a sharp, pointy object. For SHADOW’S MOON, I wanted to explore the relationship between the most dominant male wolf in the Northwest and his top female enforcer, Xander.  What happens when two strong personalities meet? Do they bend, break or create something new? SHADOW’S MOON continues the twists and turns of the Kyn universe, but also allows the readers a chance to see the world through the eyes of the Shifter House.  Plus the sparks from Xander and Warrick were a blast to maneuver through.

• What genre does your book fall under?

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

• What’s a one sentence synopsis for your book?

As the Northwest Alpha wolf, compromise isn’t in Warrick Vidis’s vocabulary, but when his reluctant mate, Xander Cade, refuses to leave off the hunt for the one threatening their pack, will he be able to bend before they both break?

•  How long did it take to write the first draft of the manuscript?

It took me about 4 1/2 to 5 months to get through the first draft.  Then another month or so to fine tune it.

• Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

         Currently it is under consideration by a handful of publishing houses/agencies, so fingers crossed one of them picks it up.

• What other books would you compare this book to in your genre?

Hmmm…think Ilona Andrew’s Kate Daniels series or Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson or Alpha and Omega series. 

Since I like to share the spotlight, here are my “MUST READ” new authors! Swing on over and check them out!

Mona Karel

Liv Rancourt

Amber Kallyn

Lynn Rush

You think you know Hugo winner @seananmcguire – think again!

We’ve been trying to classy up the Swamp lately. This involves shanghai-ing…err..gently persuading some really cool peeps to stop by for a few and answer some truly insightful questions.  This week we were able to lure the one and only Seanan McGuire to our destination of mold, mildew, and spongy ground.  For those who haven’t met her before, let me introduce Seanan. She is the mad genius behind the Urban Fantasy October Daye series and the truly fun InCryptid series. Her podcast, The SF Squeecast just picked up a Hugo award. Born and raised on the West Coast of North America, she currently shares a crumbling farm house with her three improbably large cats, her large collection of horror movies, and enough books to qualify as a library under local zoning laws.  She has no qualms about cuddling rattlesnakes, but weather terrifies her.  When not writing, she enjoys visiting haunted cornfields, collecting creepy dolls, and watching too much television.  Sometimes she’s her own evil twin, Mira Grant. 

She really doesn’t sleep much.

Try not to scare her away!

If you were to hold a dinner party for six, who would you invite and share at least one question you would have for each? Your guests don’t have to be alive and if you really want to make it fun, you can use favorite fictional characters.

I’m assuming my guests would be functionally alive for the duration of the party, at least, or we’re potentially sitting at the table with a bunch of corpses, and that would be…bad.  Very, very bad.

I don’t know, Seanan, Eerie’s Zombies tend to have some table manners.  We have managed to keep them from leaving pieces behind or leaking over the table.

So I would invite Stephen King and ask him about language; James Gunn and ask him about what he would have done in Slither II; Andrew Volpe and ask him about music; Walt Disney and ask him about imagination; and my friends Michelle “Vixy” Dockrey and Catherynne Valente, because seriously, if I had a dinner party with those people and didn’t invite Cat and Vixy, they would have a keep-away party with my internal organs.

 You might need to set a few extra spots, I think Eerie may crash your dinner party and I would be the plus one…

As children we tend to have an idea of what we want to be by the time we’re ten.  Before you decided to pursue the artistic dream of being a writer, what did you want to be and why?

I actually wanted to be a Broadway performer when I was younger!  I did years of voice and dance lessons, and appeared in quite a few productions here on the West Coast.  Sadly, a spinal injury took dancing off the table, and I was forced to refocus my ambitions.

That totally sucks, but on the positive side, we get to go on adventures with Toby and the Price family!

If your character(s) came with a warning label, what would it say?

Warning: Contents under pressure.  Contains language.  Some concepts may be too complicated for after-midnight reading.  Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

                  *makes note to find out story behind Happy Fun Ball*

If you turned your laptop/computer/pen/typewriter (yes, some of still use these!) over to your character(s), how would they describe you?

…oh.  Oh, that would end poorly.  “Die die die die die die bitch die die die” is probably the more socially acceptable part of that little screed.

                                 *snort* I think a few of mine would jump all over that band wagon, complete with a burning effigy.

We all have favorite characters, either main or secondary, and there are always bits and pieces of them we don’t share with our readers, but keep close to our hearts.  Choose your favorite from your cast of characters and tell us a couple of things that you haven’t shared in your books/writing.

Since all my series are ongoing, I actually intend to share most things, given sufficient time.  It’s one of the nice parts of being a series author (although I very much envy people who can think in stand-alones).  Quentin, from the Toby Daye books, loves hockey.  He’s a good Canadian boy and he appreciates his nation’s favorite pastime.  He actually has fantasies about getting Toby to a hockey game and watching her expression when she realizes that blood will bounce on ice.

                                    That’s kind of cool, I hadn’t imagine Quentin into Hockey, basketball..not the nice one, but street style…very cool…

Personally, I tend to be a bit on the introverted side so the thought of being in the actual presence of one of my favorite writers makes my heart race, my knees shake and tangles my tongue (yes classic fan girl behavior).  Who could reduce you to such a level and how do you imagine your initial meeting?

Stephen King, definitely.  I fully expect to lose the power of coherent speech if I ever manage to meet him.  I think if we do meet, it will be through the efforts of a mutual friend, who will stand there and laugh as I stare and whimper.

                                   Maybe you can prepare pre written signs a la the Roadrunner?

Growing up, what was your favorite book, comic, game or movie and did you create a character/player that might resemble you?

You actually asked the self-insert character question!  I salute you.  I used to tell myself stories where I’d get to meet my favorite characters, but I never committed any of them to paper.  My favorite movie growing up was Little Shop of Horrors, and I actually never did a self-insert there, although I’ve been in the musical seven times, and have played every female character except for Audrey.

                                  Here I thought it was just me who was strange enough to do this, but I think it’s like training wheels for writers, playwrights, actors…

Many writers have that first novel which will never see the light of day. Out of curiosity, do you have one stashed somewhere?  Inquiring minds want to know: what was  your first attempt at writing and how old were you?

My first serious attempt at writing was a fourteen-page essay when I was nine, explaining to my mother why she had to let me read Stephen King.  It had footnotes and a bibliography.  I finished my first book when I was twelve.  It was called Dracula’s Castle, and if I knew where it was, I’d probably put it online.

                                      Since my Prankster Duo would do something like this, I have to ask, did she let you read it?

Whether we’re plotters or pantsers (outlines not needed), creating our stories takes us on very memorable journeys.  Sometimes we may be part way through before we realize some major aspect of our story is just not working (plot, character, setting).  Have you ever hit this sharp, pointy snag and if so, how did you escape? We’re you battered and bruised or a bloody mess?

When in doubt, blow shit up.

                                      Niiiiceeee….

Share one uniquely strange experience you’ve had that remains crystal clear to this day.

I worked for the phone company for a while as a process engineer, and there was one summer where they sent me everywhere.  I had almost no time at home or with my cats, and I was exhausted.  I stopped enjoying travel, and I started having travel troubles for the first time in my life.  Then, when I arrived in Florida after a bad flight, I got picked up by a black van at the taxi stand, and the driver kept pointing out things that weren’t normal tourist things, like the gator farms and where the good movie theaters were.  Just as we reached my hotel, he looked at me in the rearview and said, “You’ve been having a bad time lately.  Some bad trips.  But don’t worry.  That’s all over now.”  And he was right.  Things got better after that.

                                            How cool is that?

What’s some of the funniest/sweetest/strangest things you’ve heard from your readers?

I have the best readers.  A lot of them have named cats after my characters, which I take as high praise.  And one reader’s seven-year-old memorized a song of mine, “Wicked Girls,” when she had to take a poem to her first grade class.  I consider that the sweetest thing ever.

                                          Wow! A poem? That is truly the best thing ever!

What’s the one genre you won’t ever try and why?

Probably military sci-fi.  I don’t have the background, and I would have real trouble with the details.

What is some of the best advice you were ever given?

Never measure yourself against anyone else.  Their stories aren’t yours to tell, and guess what?  Your stories aren’t theirs.

                                               I’ll have to remember this one…

What is the best advice you can share with others?

Read.  Write.  Revise.  Don’t read the comments, ever.  Play nicely with the other children, even if you don’t like them.  Nastiness never did any long-term good.  Support your peers; someday you may need them to support you.  Success is not a zero-sum game.  Your story is not done.

And now for the bullet questions you all love…are you ready?

Blades, guns, fists or feet?

Tank.

Favorite Fairy Tale of all time?

The Three Sisters, variant four, happy ending version, AT tale type 713-b.

Three titles and their authors sitting on your nightstand/bookcase/table/floor waiting to be read?

              Crops and Robbers, by Paige Shelton; Forbidden, by Kelley Armstrong; Virus X, by Frank Ryan.

Greatest one liner of all time?

“Bet you wish you’d gone to Hollywood with me now, don’t you, Bill?”

Sarcastic witticism, Southern sweetness or Geeky disdain?

Sarcasm, all the way.

Strangest item currently taking up space in your writing cave?

My 20+ pound blue classic tabby and white Maine Coon, Alice.

Favorite supernatural creature?

It varies from day to day.  Right now, the mermaid.

A big, huge thank you to Seanan for taking the time to be with us today. She’s definitely help add a little pizzaz to our place!  Want more Seanan McGuire? Don’t fret, her latest release is Midnight Blue-Light Special, the second book in her InCryptid series.  These urban fantasy cryptozoology adventures follow the Price family as they do their best not to get eaten by anything unpleasant.  The series began with Discount Armageddon, and there are several free short stories on Seanan’s website, at www.seananmcguire.com.

Changing Your Perspective

Recently, I was watching a toddler.  He sat bored in his living room, looking at nothing in particular.  Then, suddenly, he bent down, planted his hands and feet on the ground, and stood on his head.  Seeing him staring upside down made me smile, but it made him laugh hysterically.  He sat like this for quite awhile, just laughing away.  His delight at his new perspective got me thinking about perspectives in writing and how important they are.

One of my favorite writing buddies was working on a story that was good, but something was missing.  Someone recommended writing from another character’s perspective as well, and everything in her story just seemed to click.  I also was recently working on a story.  I additionally wrote a story from a minor character’s point-of-view, and to my surprise, many people enjoyed this second story to the first.

Since that point, I also started reading a book written from multiple characters point-of-views.  In the past when I have read books written this way, there still seemed to be a dominating perspective.  In this book, however, there wasn’t.  Each character’s point-of-view was written as equally important.  Seeing this allowed me to really take a step back and look at my own characters.  I was able to really ask myself, “is this the best perspective for what I am trying to achieve?”  And to my surprise, just asking this question has really helped my writing.

Reading for Writers…

In surfing through the writer communities I am allowed to be in (yes, allowed is the correct term here, think of who’s writing this, peeps!), I’ve noticed a comment that seems to be uttered often.  It goes along the lines of this:

“Writers who read are better writers for it.”

Maybe it’s just me, but I kind of thought writers were avid readers. I mean, we create these worlds, give birth to characters that are more real than our family, and create plots that make spiders weep because we are storytellers.  How can one hone the cutting edge of their craft if they don’t constantly rub against the skilled whetstone of others around them?

Yes, writing can be a solitary art, but still…

If you don’t read, in your genre, in other genres, new and old authors, fiction and non-fiction, how on earth can you learn what works and what doesn’t?

Discovering new voices can spark the germ of a unique idea for you.  Perhaps after reading a first person point of view story told by the family pet, a germ of an idea on how you can create a unique POV for your own story will begin to take root.

Maybe the way one author’s turn of phrase captures your heart enough for you to dabble in the art of languages.

Perhaps some unique historical happening suddenly has you asking, “What if?” and viola! A story begins.

Writers find inspiration in a number of areas–music, TV, movies, society, newspapers, PEOPLE magazine, you name it, we’re good at finding creative sparks. Yet, maybe it’s just me, but I find some of my best ideas come about because I read EVERYTHING.  Fiction. Non-Fiction. Urban Fantasy. Erotic. Romance. Military Suspense. Mystery. Thriller. Horror. Exposes on old government groups. Reports on scientific trends and developments. You name it, I’ll read it. I go no where with out my Kindle or an actual book.

What makes your creative spark light?

Time for a change…

Notice anything different this week?

Uh-huh, that’s right. I changed the day my posts go up on my blog.  I like Wednesdays so I moved my Saturday blog dates to Wednesdays.  Everyone needs something at that mid-point of the week, just a little sometin’ sometin’ to get them thru…

Don’t worry, if you miss it, it’ll come back around like that damn one armed Free Range Zombie of Eeries that I keep chasing out of my yard so Hellhound won’t gnaw on it’s femur.  Free Range? Really? The only Free Range those shambling corpses do is through my yard, taunting my poor Hellhound with the tease of a free bone.

No worries, I’ll send my Muse and her new sidekick over to “politely” let Eerie know his pets need to limit their range!

Onward…

We’ve had some great guest posts and I’m hoping to fill up the rest of the year with even more, so stay tuned.  On April 24th we’ll be hosting the marvelous Kelly Meding, the creative genius behind the Urban Fantasy titles of the Dreg Series and the Meta War series. Mark your calendars, you don’t want to miss out!

I’ll catch you up on what I’ve been doing.  Shadow’s Moon is still out making the rounds.  It’s managed to make a positive impression with a few notables, but no invites yet.  I’ll keep you posted.

The Knight and I decided to take an adult time out in the City of Sin.  It was fun, oh yes it was, but like they say, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” so long as you manage to avoid Twitter and Facebook. The Garden Gnomes and the Prankster Duo managed to hold the shack down, so we were good.

Writing wise, I’m working on a new book complete with new character.  Interestingly enough, this is the fourth title I’ve undertaken, but I can honestly say that practice helps. Every time you sit down and put your pen to paper, your creative skills get just a smidge better.  Every blog you read, every writing class you take, every book you read, it all increased your mastery of writing.  Just don’t fall into the trap of trying to revise your old projects instead of using your new and improved skills on a new one.

I started this particular title before Shadow’s Moon, but set it aside because Xander and Warrick were a lot more pushy and demanding their time. So being the supportive creator I am, I gave them their book. Now, however, this character is making sure she has my complete, undivided attention. Re working the first draft, I’ve realized that everything I’ve learned from other authors is coming in handy. I know the whole basic plot of this book, start, middle, end, a huge accomplishment for a pantser.  Plus, my character motivation is clearer, earlier on.  Instead of stumbling around and trying to make sense, it’s clicking fairly well.

Of course, I may have just jinxed it ,but still.

So I wanted to ask you all…what technique/skill have you recently learned that is helping in your current WIP?

–Wicked

Squishing it all together…

I promised last week to cover the dreaded synopsis challenge every writer is forced to endure once they’ve completed their novel.  As far as I’m concerned, writing a synopsis is a hell of a lot harder than writing the damn book.  Seriously, you’re expected to squish 350 pages into 5….3 5 0   down to  5.  Do you see the problem here? Besides the fact that 350 has three placeholders and 5, a lonely one?  Yeah, it’s enough to make you want to spike your coffee with cynanide.

As much as I highly dislike this part of the querying process, there is no escaping it.  Really.  Just go out and look at any submission policies from any publishing house or agency.  I guarentee somewhere in that long list of how to send in your stuff will be the word “synopsis”.

It sounds simple enough.  Tell us what your book is about in 2-5 pages.  Ummm, can’t you just read it? Please?  (The whine factor here is off the charts, by the way.)  The honest answer is–no.  Agents and acquiring editors are inundated with queries every hour of every day.  I think the synopsis is a test of sorts.  How well do you know your story? Do you know the most important, intriquing parts of the story? Enough to hook someone into joining your fictional world in 2-5 pages?  If you do, you’re ahead of the game.  If you don’t, you’re about to find out.

Granted queries are suppose to be the first step to snagging someone’s attention, but once you have it, you want to keep it on you.  We’re not greedy, but we do want them to read what we’ve written.  They’re not going to want to come on the journey unless you have a clear path laid out with lovely cakes and pasteries (versus Hansel & Gretel’s breadcrumbs), so that before they realize it, they have completed the journey with you.   This is why your synopsis is so huge. 

How do you get it down? You have to mill down your story to the bones.  If you use Scrivner, it’s a bit easier. Just use the corkboard layout and if you’ve done it right you have a one to two sentence outline for each chapter.  If you’re Scrivner-less, you get to do the same thing.  Remember, high points here.  You don’t need to go into the fact your hero/heroine ate a blueberry muffin, spilled her coffe that made her late for work if what really happened was that by being late for work your hero/heroine walks into a robbery in progress. 

Remember, you’ve already written the story, now, you want to tell the major points.  Adjectives are not necessary, long descriptions are best kept in your manuscript, but you’re a writer so make sure your voice comes through.  Not every little event needs to be detailed, the big ones that impact the ending, those need to be shared.  Here’s the thing, a query doesn’t answer all the questions because you want them to go read your book.  A synopsis will set up the world, your characters, your overall plot and answer all the questions. And it does it, in a logical fashion–no jumping from scene to scene like a hyper Mexican jumping bean.

The best advice I can share: just sit down, write out your book as if someone asked you, “So what’s your book about.”  Don’t work about formatting, etc., just answer that question.  When you’re done, it won’t be pretty by all the necessary points should be there. Then you can go back and polish it up. 

Those who’ve survived the synopsis trials, please, please share how you managed to survive!

–Wicked

Remembering the little details…

Yes, I realize I missed my Thursday post with my fellow dwarves. Nope, I have absolutely no excuse. Unless you count the fact that sleep decided it wasn’t being appreciated enough and left me in a snit about two weeks ago.  Damn drama queen.  Now I figure out how to lure it back.  In the meantime, I took over Saturday’s spot on the 7ED site to play catch up.  On my blog, no one will notice…

I promised we’d get back to some basics on writing, so now that Shadow’s Moon is out propositioning some very nice people at the pub houses, let me clue you in on something I knew, but had slammed home recently.  When writing a series, it’s very important to be able to remember the little details.  You know, things like hair color, eye color, height, gender, where someone lives, what their favorite food is, what they drive, who their parents are…the little things.  It’s all those little things that make or break your world over numerous books.

Readers are some of the most intelligent, eagled eyed people out there. If you tell them your character is blonde, blue-eyed, lives in the city, drives a sports car and prefers chocolate over caviar (like who doesn’t?), and then somewhere down the line she’s puttering around in the suburbs, eating caviar and driving a Jeep, there will be issues. I promise you.  So how does a writer keep track of all these little things? Especially as they are constantly refining their worlds and characters?

The answer is…a series bible.

Now, when I started Shadow’s Edge, I had the beginnings of a bible for the series. Of course it was scattered around my office and filing cabinets masquerading as scribbles on notebook paper, more scribbles on post-its (a vital component of any office), even more scribbles on the back of restaurant receipts with coffee stains.  By the time I finished the first book, I managed to gather my loose little notes into one central area. Then I was off to write Shadow’s Soul. When I spent more time trying to verify something about a character of one of the Kyn Houses than actually writing the scene, it was time to put it all together.  But, first I had to finish the book.

So Shadow’s Soul done and out into the world, Shadow’s Moon was well underway and my notes were still an unruly pile in need of some serious discipline. It may have taken a few discussions (read-heated debates) among the Evil 7, but it was glaringly obvious if I wanted to win some of my points, I better have proof that I really did have that character doing that before.  This meant the last two weeks, on top of query letters and synopsis creation (which we’ll try to address next week), I finally buckled down to get all those pesky details in order.

What exactly goes into a Series Bible, you may ask…my answer, after many hours trolling the internet and talking to other writers: Whatever you feel is vital to your world. 

With that lovely open to interpretation answer, I will share what is in mine and you can discard or copy what ever tickles your fancy.

CHARACTER PROFILES:  this includes all the vital stats on your characters–physical, emotional, background, who they’re linked to and how, images (there’s fun to be had doing an internet search entitled: hot brunette males), where they live, what they drive, how the dress, personal ticks/habits, job position, etc. 

LIST OF MINOR CHARACTERS:  I went book by book and anyone I mentioned by name went on this list, along with the notation DEAD if they didn’t survive.  You never know when one of these names comes back and takes over.

WORLD HISTORY:  this includes world rules on how your world works, the history of its creation and they way your current world interacts/ed with others.  In mine, I have a breakdown for each of the four houses of the Kyn, the governing structure, magic rules for each race, some history behind each of them, strengths/weaknesses of each race (physical/emotional), territory division for the Shifters and who runs which packs, glossary.  This is a huge section and you can break it down further if it helps.

PLACES/LOCATIONS:  a list of all the bars, restaurants, businesses, homes that are in each book and how they’re linked to the characters.  Someday I’ll have maps too!

BLURBS: from each book.  Here’s a great way to get a jump on your query, write your own blurb for your book.

SYNOPSIS: from each book, anywhere from 1-5 pages.  You’ll need these.

SERIES ARC:  This is important as it helps you see where each title will fall under your major plot, and how each title will help move it along.

NOVEL PLOTS:  self-explanatory–plots for each book, at least how they start out. They never end up the same.

SHORTS:  this is a list of ideas I will someday brave in my attempts to master the short story.

There is a massive amounts of opinions on what should be in your series bible, plus quite a few free worksheets if you want them, but I found this is what works best for me.  It allows me to keep it all straight and not lose sight of my overall story.

So for those who’ve stuck this out to the end–add your suggestions to what should be in a series bible!

-Wicked

Off to a running start…

Whew! So far we’ve been running around like decapitated chickens!  The year started off with a huge bang with Kevin Hearne’s visit, but was then quickly followed by the  whirlwind of the Blogger Book Fair. Then, because that wasn’t enough, we had the MRFW Bloghop nipping at our heels. But, now it’s back to just me!

Time to catch you all up on the happenings.

SHADOW’S SOUL won First place in the Paranormal category for the 2013 Shooting Star Contest. I was told I’d get a nifty badge for my website, so as soon as I get it, I shall post away. There’s suppose to be a trophy as well.  If that’s true, I’ll take a picture and post so you can share the “Oooohhh/aaaawwww” moment with me.

I was humbled by my nomination for Blogger of the Year by The Book Boost.  The results should be in on Valentine’s Day, so hopefully we’ll get to add this to our list of accomplishments!

SHADOW’S MOON is now out and about in the query world in search of new home, so I’ll keep you posted on what happens there.

Want to spend an exciting hour on Twitter? Then come join me and the awesome Lynn Rush for a Twitter Party on February 20th at 8 pm Eastern time.  We’d love to hear from you and hope you’ll make it.

Thanks to Snarky, I will be making a regular appearance at Castles and Guns each month with posts, so come keep me company and add  in your opinions so I have someone to talk to, besides the voice in my head.  My first post goes up on March 4th!

Don’t forget to check out my Guest Post and Blog page for all my upcoming guests. We have some really awesome authors coming in the next few months so mark the dates!

Now that we’re all caught up, we’ll return to our normal programming next week…

Until then…be good (but not too good!).

BTW–HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

 

In the Eye of the Beholder

One of the first books I ever read about dragons was Jermey Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville, when I was in early elementary school.  This book still sits on my shelf in a place of honor, for it represents the beginning of my love for dragons.  Since then, I have added many, many more books about dragons to my library, because I am still amazed by these powerful creatures that, for some crazy reason, want to bond and communicate with humans (or at least do so in many books).

Right now, I am reading another book about dragons.  It is inspiring, as it is both creative and beautifully written.  The settings are well-described, and the characters are multi-layered and realistic.  But, I think it is the dragons that have pulled me into this story more than anything else.  There are pieces of this book that are written from their point-of-view, and the depth of both their pride and their agony as they struggle through their new lives is heart wrenching to read.

There are things about this book that make me pause.  It seems to break many of the “rules” about writing that I’ve come to accept very comfortably.  It repeats very, very frequently.  It also describes nearly every scene in great detail, regardless of whether the setting is important or not, or will ever be revisited.  Do these issues take away from the story?  Perhaps a little.  But I am still devouring this incredible story, and in the process, trying to learn and appreciate the things that make this story so remarkable.

One of the things that I I’ve learned the most about from this books is how powerful perception can be.  This book is written from multiple points of view.  One of my favorite characters describes herself multiple times throughout the book as unattractive and boring.  Another of the characters who interacts with her regularly describes her as almost grotesque and a nuisance.  Then, her path crosses with yet another character, and through his point of view, she is a lively and beautiful creature.  It startled me to realize how, rather than these characters contradicting each other, they are just creating a more realistic character.  Because isn’t beauty always in the eye of the beholder?  Aren’t people more complicated than simply “boring” or “interesting,” depending upon who is judging them?

So, I guess there wasn’t just one thing I learned from reading this novel.  Instead, it is another experience that will hopefully enrich my writing.