Dream Big Blog Hop – Part 2

Yesterday, I posted my answers to the Dream Big Blog Hop.  Today, I am posting my  partner-in-crime’s answers.

I was invited to take part in the Dream Big Blog Hop.  I was originally scheduled to post on the 20th, but due to a car collision I was rather sedated and unable to attend to my blog, much less anything else for a short time.  Thankfully, I’ve been given a reprieve to go ahead and post this. 

Cody Martin was kind enough to invite me to participate in his Dream Big Blog Hop. Here are the questions and answers.

Writing is largely solitary, and sometimes a lonely endeavor. Sure, you talk to friends, experts for research, discuss what works and what doesn’t with your editor, and bounce ideas off of fellow writers. But in the end it’s one person pounding the keyboard or twirling the pencil. But what if it didn’t have to be completely alone? Who would YOU work with if you could work with anyone on your favorite project?

In this post, that’s what I’m asking. Choose a person for each category and tell why you want to work with them. If you want, feel free to post their picture, a piece of their work, or a link to something about them. The only rule is that the person must still be alive.

Writers dream. Now it’s time to dream BIG.

 

You have the opportunity to hire anybody as your cover artist. If you write children’s books or books that are heavily illustrated, who would you get for the interior artwork?

I really don’t know about artists to be honest, I mean I have always adored the work of Quentin Blake since given Dahl books as a child.I Think the Artisan series could justify a piece of his gorgeous sketch work.  As for Love Notes, I don’t know. I think Oleg Volk or Munger of Larue Tactical could do an amazing job with the weapons photography. I think so much would depend on the book really. I am also very fond of the artwork in Gail Simone’s reimagining of Batgirl post cure so it would really depend on the art style I and the publisher wanted. Although, I would be hugely tempted to contact my old friend Mark Holmes, who taught me what little I know about painting. The man can paint and draw amazingly well and make a painting look like a photo.

Obviously  we have different taste in art.  I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement though, as long as I get my way.

 

Who would you co-write your next novel with? What genre? Why?

In many ways I have my dream writing partner working on Love Notes.  I mean, we work amazingly well together and Ellie Mack is amazing to write with, and for.   But gosh ,really I have to say other than Ellie, or Cecile Hardy who graciously covers on Storytime Trysts on occasion, I would have to go for Pratchett.  Because, well who wouldn’t want to spend time with an author who has so shaped their lives and their reading and writing style. Though I adore his work, I don’t think I am good enough to write satirical fantasy with him.  But hell, I would have a bloody good go.

Aww,  OK.  After saying such sweet things about me, maybe I’ll let him have a say in the cover art. (I have to agree, I’ve only read a few of Pratchett’s books but he would be amazing to work with.)

 

Your publisher wants to do an audiobook version of your novel and they’re not sparing any expense. Who do you think can narrate your masterpiece?

Oh God, I would love to send it to Fry but his voice is soothing and I would just drift off.

 

They’re really going all out! Your novel is getting a full soundtrack. Who should compose it? If your novel uses a lot of songs, list your compilation here.  

Um, I think it would be a mix of what I wrote it too really; Mitch Benn, the long blondes, Pulp, Voltaire, Avenue Q.   I would just go wild in the country or rather my record collection.

 

Congratulations! Your novel is being turned into a major motion picture. As the creator of the original work, you get to pick the director.

If I am being greedy, Tarantino or possibly Moffat.

Hmmm, again obvious difference of opinion here.  We’ll have to work on that.

 

The director has some ideas on who to cast, but you get to cast one character. What role/character is it and who portrays them?

Sir Oliver in Love Notes portrayed by Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo,  just this amazing, breathtaking comic but dark actor who could easily pull off the loved and lost motif I want, plus I could bag an autograph and a martini with him.

Dear Diary I would cast Laura; I’m not quite sure but I would want someone slighty larger than life, someone who makes Siam look small and waifish and who could carry the weight of being sexy and competent, caring and funny.   I have a friend I modeled her on, but I am not naming names, someone who can fill out combats as well as she can a strappy dress.

 

You’ve been hired to write a novel based on a preexisting character or franchise from another medium. Which character or franchise is it?

I think I would go for something in the warhammer 40K franchise.  There is now good no evil only war, a very dark setting for moral soul-searching, to what extent do actions and the ends justify the means, social soul-searching in scifi literature. Plus ,I am a huge fan of the games and books and would love to see my books being read and becoming part of the game world –  this world where everything is slanted and everything has a bias - everything you read could be propaganda.

 

It’s the anniversary of your favorite literary character’s debut. You’ve been hired (yay, work!) to write an anniversary novel. Who is the literary character?

Arsene Lupin – from a series by Maurice Leblanc.  He was the first counterpoint to the detective.  French, a criminal with real style, a gentleman thief.  The french raffles if you will.  He paid homage to another of my favourites the esteemed Sherlock Holmes and I would say, is the first real subversive literary anti-hero.  My love affair began reading a short story where when confronted with a notorious murderer on a train he robs him.  Leaves him bound and gagged for the constables with a note.  He was a subversive criminal but he had a line  and the frankness and charm of the character I found enthralling.  Mugging a notorious murderer and leaving the police a note of thanks and a bank account for the reward to be wired to,  all the while escorting and protecting the wife of a Prison governor that had imprisoned him.  The sheer joy of crime with elegance, with verve and beauty,  it is just a wow moment for a young boy.

Since I used his answer yesterday – as I was totally blank on this one, I shall field this one for you today.
Ramoth from Dragonriders of Pern.   I began Anne McAffrey’s Pern series when I was maybe 14.  I developed a love of her stories, an admiration for her world building before I understood what world building was.   Ramoth is the golden dragon. Ramoth was hatched from Nemorth’s last clutch, the last queen egg on Pern. She mauled two female candidates before Impressing F’lar’s choice, Ruathan-bred Lessa.

The dragons in the Pern world are western dragons, modeled after European legend and myths.  I think it would be intriguing to write things from Ramoth’s perspective.  Ramoth is  a hinge pin in the series.  To tell things from her species, from her perspective would be a challenge, but a delightfully interesting one.  Ruth of course would have to be mentioned, as he is the only white dragon and has some interesting powers of his own.

The Dreaming continues  with Abyrne Mostyn.  Don’t miss it.

Thank you Cody Martin, for including me in this!

(A little bonus blog from my co- conspirator.)

Write on my friends, write on!  When you dream, dream big!

A Dragon’s Song

If I were to describe my book by a song I would choose “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence, to describe Kiss of the Dragon (copyright Ellie Mack 2012).  Kiss of the Dragon is a paranormal romance about Isabelle Lennox, an interior designer from Texas.  She falls through a mirror to end up back in medieval times where she meets Zanathrus Fallon, Lord of the Green Dragons.

Everything that she has thought about who she is, is about to be shattered.  When she is thrown into Zane’s world, it “wakes her up inside” awakening her true being. Like a Celtic knot, her life is interwoven intricately into the tapestry of life, prophecy, and destiny. The hidden truths begin to surface as their relationship develops. The ordinary existence she had is nothing compared to the grandeur of who she really is.

In a world of dragons, wyverns, mages, and warriors; Isabelle discovers her own strength and purpose. She is either the destiny or the destruction for the dragon world.  Which will it be?  Either way, there’s no turning back to the darkness that was before.

In the chorus the female lead singer is singing “wake me up inside, bid my blood to run, save me from the nothing I’ve become.”  Then at the end of this song the lyrics are: I’ve been living a lie there’s nothing inside, Bring me to life.

Reality has never been as good as fantasy.

Lyrics to “Bring Me to Life”

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?

Leading you down into my core when I’ve been so numb.

Without a soul, my spirit’s sleeping somewhere cold

Until you fixed it there and lead me back home.

Wake me up (wake me up inside)

I can’t wake up (wake me up inside)

Save Me (Call my name and save me from the dark)

Wake me up (Bid my blood to run)

I can’t wake up (Before I come undone)

Save me (Save me from the nothing I’ve become)

Now I know what I’m without

You can’t just leave me

Breathe into me and make me real. Bring me to life.

Wake me up (wake me up inside)

I can’t wake up (wake me up inside)

Save Me (Call my name and save me from the dark)

Wake me up (Bid my blood to run)

I can’t wake up (Before I come undone)

Save me (Save me from the nothing I’ve become)

I’ve been living a lie. There’s nothing inside.

Bring me to life.

Frozen inside without your touch

Without your love, darling

Only you are the life among the dead.

All this time, I can’t believe I couldn’t see

Kept the dark but you were there in front of me

I’ve been sleeping a thousand years it seems

Got to open my eyes to everything

Wake me up (wake me up inside)

I can’t wake up (wake me up inside)

Save Me (Call my name and save me from the dark)

Wake me up (Bid my blood to run)

I can’t wake up (Before I come undone)

Save me (Save me from the nothing I’ve become)

I’ve been living a lie there’s nothing inside

Bring me to life.

“Kiss of the Dragon” is a current work in progress that I will be submitting for publication in 2012.

Write On my friends, write on!

Pushing Beyond the Wall

What do you do for motivation?

Is it reading?  Are you motivated by those little pictures that your friends share on Facebook?  What motivates you to keep going when you’ve hit the wall?  Ah, now there is a different matter.  It takes a different kind of motivation to start, than it does to continue, or even to persevere when you meet with adversity.

In a recent discussion with fellow writers, the topic of experience came up.  One young writer blushed profusely while sharing her difficulty in writing “those” scenes when she had yet to experience them.  Yes, that experience.  We all have our own ideas when it comes to love and romance.  The typical “dinner and a show” date that is common fare isn’t for everyone.  Some prefer attending a football game, cuddling together under a blanket.  Some prefer an active date; playing golf or racing moto-cross.  Some prefer the cozy comfort of dinner at home then a shared movie.

So it  only stands to reason that once we get to that moment, “the move” isn’t going to work the same on all of us.  The winning combination that may have scored with Lizzy, leaves Mark scratching his head wondering what’s the problem with Anita. Anita is wondering what the heck Mark is doing, Mark is thinking there must be something wrong with Anita for not getting into it, and when Lizzy finds out that Mark is with Anita I doubt his winning combination is going to work on her any more either!

So the conversation progressed from kisses to more intimate loving.  A little bit of humor helps ease the tension in the room, and we can discuss what things typically do work.  What makes that first knee-popping kiss?

As an innocent girl, my ideas were much different from my ideas now as a married woman.  I listened more than I talked.  I observed their subtle reactions, the embarrassed grins, the blushing cheeks, the twirling of hair as they shared their own ideas.  It was refreshing, encouraging, and challenging.

Mother was right, once you say yes, you can never go back.  When innocence is taken by force, it is a hard thing to get past.  It’s hard to imagine the dreamy state of the innocent teen girls. How much easier would it be for them to write a YA novel?  The perspective they offer allows a more real perspective than a mature woman. Likewise, it should be easier for me to write those intimate scenes.  You’d think so anyway, right?

Writing a really steamy scene is in some ways like videotaping your fantasy relationship.  It’s not necessarily anything you’ve ever actually experienced, but perhaps something you wish had or would happen. Often it’s not even your own personal fantasies, and here’s where a lot of readers of erotica don’t seem to get it, it’s your characters fantasies.  It has nothing to do with what you wold do, or how you would do it in your own personal life. Of course you’d have to have three dimensional characters to realize this.

For example:  I’ve never been to a castle.  I’ve never been kissed on the high parapets of a tower.  I’ve never had a picnic there either, but it was what Zane decided to do to get to know his beautiful guest Isabel when they shared their first kiss.

Most fiction readers get that it’s fiction.  There are those however that don’t seem to understand that concept.  I know as writer’s we are told to write what you know, but can you imagine a world where the writer knew what he wrote about?

That would mean that the murder mystery writer had committed murder.  The science fiction writer who tells a tale about aliens had experience with aliens.  That guy that wrote the Zombie book – yeah.  A historical fiction writer would have had to live during the time. Ridiculous

I have to say though, I must be impressive to someone. Someone that imagines that I can time travel, shape shift into a dragon,  work magic, have power over the Fae world and dragon world, as well as experience every detail in my other stories; I rock!

Yes, hail the all-powerful creator of fictional universes, conqueror of dragons and Fae!

I can’t even type it with a straight face.

Just because someone writes about a topic in fiction doesn’t mean they “live” or experience the things they write about.  A young writer is just as capable as a more mature writer in fiction.  Experience is a good teacher, but a good writer can use what they have within them to create their own masterpiece!

Don’t let anyone put limits on you because of your youth, or your maturity.  The last person that told me I was too old to do something was  put to shame when I proved myself.  (OK, I was saying a little prayer of Thank you God! inside that I didn’t embarrass myself.)

Write what you know, dare to write what you don’t know. Regardless of what genre you choose,

Write on my friends, write on!

 

 

 

 

 

Poetry Corner

Poetry is something I enjoy reading, but can’t write.  Trust me, I’ve tried.  Mine always end up sounding like some limerick.  On that note however, I did win a limerick contest about my favorite character, Jericho Barrons.

Todays features are some poems by friends of mine (not EVEN going to post my lame attempts here!)  The first piece is Anna Mace, a 15 year old teen.  Anna loves to write ficiton and poetry, as well as read voraciously. She nejoys chemistry , maybe a little too much as she was fascinated with chemical reactions with a keen interest.  Hmmm, true writer’s mind there.

Your Game

by

Anna Mace

I’m living with a broken heart,

searching for a brand new start,

slowly, you’ve torn me apart.

We started out as rivals,

forced to fight for our survival,

encouraged to be almost tribal.

No longer will I play this game,

even if I hide in shame.

You will not get the best again.

I’m sick and tired of these rules,

being treated just like tools,

To entertain a crowd of fools.

You act as though you wouldn’t care,

sitting in your golden chair

when truth hits, I only stare.

I didn’t realize you enjoyed this so,

you wouldn’t weep if I should go,

How can you claim to love this show?

I’ll start fixing my own life,

now I kow this is not your strife

and in my place, you’d choose the knife.

The next one is from my friend David Alvin. Here’s his bio:

My name is David Alvin, I was born forty years ago in Illinois, grew up and graduated high school and Stetson University in Florida. Met my future wife Martha online in 2000. Moved up to North Dakota two years later and married her the following year, and we are blessed to live in Minot, North Dakota with our daughter Sarah and our son Jeffrey. I’ve been married nine years and currently work as office manager for a payday loan provider as well as a Sunday school teacher at my church.

Besides poetry which I’ve written off and on, I also have several novels to my credit such as “Progeny” and “Legacy“, books one and two of a science fantasy trilogy, “The Book of Numbers” accounting events in the Bible book of the same name, and several chapter-by-chapter Bible studies.   http://ensign183.multiply.com/journal

When I’m not writing I’m reading, spending time with my family, and developing our own health and wellness business. Anything is possible!

Halt at Ajalon

by

David Alvin

The sun and moon halt at Ajalon,
King Arthur heals in Avalon
as time holds.

 We’re outside with you, crowning glory
The garage light, on and off, tells the story
my hand holds,

 Beloved great friend of elves, I touch
Your heart across the miles, and so much
more to hold.

Touching, healing, soothing, precious salve
For the merchant, paying free to have
and to hold.

Arouse, awake my love when he please
You’re not, I pray not, prepared to tease
but to hold.

I offer you naught but all of me
The greatest gift I have, you can see,
you can hold.

My third and final offering today is by my friend, Allison Bruning:

Allison Bruning has had a passion for writing and photography since childhood. Allison originally hails from Marion, Ohio. Her father, Roland Irving Bruning, was the son of German immigrants who came to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Her mother’s family had been in the United States since the 17th century. Allison is a member of the Daughters of American Revolution, tracing her linage to Private Rueben Messenger of Connecticut. She enjoys family stories, history and genealogy. Her educational background includes a BA in Theatre Arts with a minor in Anthropology and a Texas Elementary Teaching certificate. Both acquired at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. She received National Honor Society memberships in both Theatre Arts and Communication. Allison was also honored her sophomore year with admission into the All American Scholars register. She holds graduate hours in Cultural Anthropology and Education. In 2007 she was named Who’s Who Among America’s Educators. She is also the recipient of the Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards. Allison is currently working towards a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Full Sail University.
Allison lives with her husband in Kentucky. Her interest includes Ohio Valley history, anthropology, travel, culture, history, camping, hiking, backpacking, spending time with her family, and genealogy.  She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AllisonBruning. She is also on twitter @emeraldkell. Her blog can be found at http://allisonbruning.blogspot.com. Her author page on Goodreads is http://www.goodreads.com/emeraldkell and her Amazon author page may be found at http://amzn.to/LZ0UsT

Grandma

by

Allison Bruning

The thought of death doesn’t elude me
As I sit upon the hard, cold ground
Just beside your tombstone
Beckoning my sorrows
I never thought this day would come

Life without you Grandma
Seems so unbearable
Why did you have to leave me?
Memories of those joyous days
we shared fill my mind
The past my friend,
The future without you, my enemy.
Oh how I will miss your
Laughter, wisdom and love.

My heart cries with sorrow!
Who will sing to me the songs of long ago?
Who will listen to my stories?
Who will share a strawberry shake with me at Burger King?
Who will I confide my secrets to?
Now that you are gone?

Grandma, Oh Grandma!
You taught me life long lessons
And showered me with unconditional love
You laid the foundations of my faith
And taught me to chase my dreams

A world without you
How can I go on?
My guide and friend
Blessed by all who called you their grandmother
You possessed a gentle heart
Kind spirit and unyielding faith
Mourned by many
Yet only a few truly knew you

You, my gracious wise grandmother
Rest with the angels now
Reconnected with your mother, brother, father and husband
Never forgotten and always loved

I shall be the woman you want me to become.
Never forgetting you
nor the lessons you have taught me
Grandma, O Grandma
Your time has come.

Do you write poetry?  Have you ever attempted it?  Do you enjoy reading poetry?  As I wonder over Shakespeare’s prose, Emily Dickenson, Pablo Neruda, William Blake , John Keats, and even Edgar Allen Poe I marvel at their brilliance.

Write On my friends, whether in poetic verse or general speech, write on!

Inspiration: One Brilliant Flash of Lightning

What inspires a writer?  The simple answer is it depends.  A more complete answer is everything.  Anything and everything can prompt a writer, but not everything inspires.  Prompted writing can be good, but inspired writing has passion.  Passion produces the WOW factor.  It’s that passion that ignites the inner fires and allows the writer to create his or her masterpiece.

An off-hand remark about a person having a “dragon complex” sparked my current work Kiss of the Dragon.   A “dragon complex” refers to the belief that dragons hoard gold. Smaug, the dragon in The Hobbit is an example of this belief.  The person that was being referred to has a tendency to be quite stingy and hoard their money.  What do you suppose would happen if a person who has the “dragon complex” had the tendency to attract gold, is attracted to the gold themselves like a drug and was a dragon able to shift into human form?  In a span of ten seconds I had my concept, my basic plot, and a cast of characters for my book.  I went immediately to pen and paper and wrote 17 pages of handwritten notes on scratch paper.  Granted, it was mostly illegible to anyone who didn’t know what the words were.  My daughter looked at it, then looked at me as if I were crazy to think she could read it.  Yeah, my handwriting at blazing speed is illegible. Deciphering my scribblings are iffy on a good day, much less when it is scrawled out during a brain gush.

Have you ever observed an artist when they are in this mode?  Driven would be the best word to describe it. The creative burst must be carried out to completion.  Sleeping, eating, and human interaction are all but forgotten. The story unfolding inside my mind overwhelmed my senses.  My characters carried on conversations in my dreams, during waking hours, pushing me deeper into their world. I was vaguely aware of movements around me, an occasional voice directed towards me that momentarily pulled me from my fantasy world.

One ‘what if’ led to more ‘what ifs’, which led to an idea that almost made me giddy.  The headiness of inspiration is addictive stuff.  It penetrates the cerebral cortex stimulating the synapses to fire into the right-brained creativity which then leads to an intoxicating level of neurotransmitters releasing endorphins surging through the creative’s body.  It is indeed a rush!  After the initial brain gush, I had a little time to think things through and discover the complete story, subplots, and character quirks.  During NaNoWriMo, I wrote a sum total of 98,000 words.  I kept a good 70,000, and put the rest in a different folder.  As it played out over a month, eventually I managed to get in some sleep and interaction with my family.

Instead of feeling drained and exhausted, I was exhilarated, charged for more and ready to undertake anything.  Shortly thereafter though the bottom fell out and the doubts took over.  Doubting that any of it was worth the digital paper where it was written, doubting that anyone would ever want to read it, and doubting that my sanity could weave a tale that actually made sense.  Was I after all just a ‘pie in the sky’ dreamer?  Was I chemically unbalanced, destined to end up in a psych ward somewhere talking to my dragons?

You may laugh, but when the let down happened those fears were more real than the sofa I found myself sitting on or the Haagen Das container I had emptied.

Eventually, the rollercoaster leveled off and I began editing.  As I am working through it, I find myself surprised at the cohesiveness within the story.  There are complex subplots working simultaneously, and fantasy elements thrown in. Well, of course there are! I’m talking about shape shifting dragons that walk amongst us appearing as regular humans.

I feel I am the toughest critic on my own work, which is why it’s usually filed.  Saved on my laptop, safely buried in three layers of folders so that no one can accidentally read it and tell me what a hack I am.  There are multiple spiral notebooks with partially completed projects stuffed in a file cabinet in the depths of my basement for the same reason.

The fear of rejection is an issue that every writer must eventually face.  I made the decision to complete my project during NaNoWriMo.  I attained that goal, but it was crude like mined ore sitting in a railroad car.  I’ve been working on it since then reviewing, editing, refining, tweaking. This baby is full term, and it’s time to cut the umbilical cord.  I think it’s good.  I’m hard to impress, especially when it’s my own.

Have you ever had a similar inspirational spark?  Something that stirred your passion and caused the creativity to flow in a way that pushed you forward, drove you to completion?  There’s nothing quite like being in the zone.  The creative spark is intoxicating and highly addictive. I need it, crave it, I spend numerous hours pursuing it. Spark juice, I wish it could be bottled!

Write On my friends, write on!

Tuesday Tidbit

Ever have those days when you have a jumble of things on your mind that you have to sort out?  Yes, well it’s one of those days er, weeks actually.   I’ve been rather surprised by the overwhelming response for Love Notes.  Chapter 5 is posting today, if you are so inclined to  click over there and check it out!

This may cause me to rethink my stance on “Pantsing” my stories in the future.  Love Notes started as an impulsive inspiration.  (For the readers here’s a little insight into the  catacombs of how my mind works.  For the writers, the chambers vary but many are familiar with the process.)

What if?

The magical star stuff that fiction is made of.  During a conversation with a friend, I got the spark of an idea. One spark was all it took and I was off and writing.  I didn’t stop to plot things out until chapter 5.  So I suppose if y’all start commenting differently past chapter 5, maybe I should go back to pantsing.

The same sort of inspirational spark happened for Kiss of the Dragon. While having a conversation with my daughter, a reference was made about the ‘Dragon Complex’.  My eyes lit up, the gears clicked into place and my daughter said I got a strange, somewhat scary expression before I darted down the hall and began writing.  Seventeen pages later, I asked her to read it and tell me what she thought.

She glanced down at the pages – my masterpiece - and looked back up at me like I was crazy for expecting her to be able to read my furious scribblings. (OK, so my handwriting isn’t the best!)  From those seventeen pages it has blossomed into something much greater than I ever imagined. I’m discovering details as I go, and I am anxious for people to read it.

It’s sort of like the same satisfaction of preparing a great meal.  When everything comes together it looks, smells, tastes fantastic!  It may even sizzle.  Waiting with bated breath for the reaction of the person dining; the expression of satisfaction, the moan of delight.  Verbal praise or approval really isn’t necessary when you nail it!  You know, you just know when you hit the ball out of the park!

You can prepare the same meal a thousand times.  Sometimes it just doesn’t turn out right, but there’s the times when the family requests to have this again because it was that good.  Writing is like that on a much larger scale.  It takes time, a great deal of time to write a book.   I have the whole story completed inside my head.  Finding the time to get it down is frustrating at times.  I know though that I nailed it.

I cook our family meals, and I’m a darn good cook!  (Do you think I’d be overweight if I wasn’t?)  There are times when I surprise myself, both good and bad.  I’ve made the worst fried chicken I’ve ever attempted to eat – really it was bad.  Conversely I’ve made the best coconut cream pie I’ve ever had – as well as the others who inhaled it then asked for the recipe.  Here’s the down side to being a dump cook: when you tweak the recipes you don’t always write down everything you did. So I spent several months trying to reproduce exactly what I did to make the perfect pie.  Honestly, how much pie does one family need to consume?  Ahhh, but when I ‘happened’ on the perfect combination again -  I knew.  The expressions, the slow savoring over each bite told me.

I think I’ve nailed a  couple of my stories here.  I”m still working on them.  Trying to balance more writing time with family time, a job, a blog, and all those little unexpected things that come up.  Stick with me and I think you’ll like the finished project.

Which leads right into the part that I had planned for today’s post – editing.  After Editing Isn’t For Wimps, I received some emails and pms asking me how I edit.  I will share that part on Thursday.  It would make today’s post too long, and I’m sure everyone has other demands on their time just like I do.

I recommend you check out my friends over at  Storytime Trysts.  Free stories, who doesn’t like free?

Write on my friends, write on!

Interview with Cathy Brockman

My guest today for  my Wonderful Women Writer series is my friend Cathy Brockman, a talented erotica/romance writer.  Storytime Trysts is Cathy’s brain child, and I think it’s brilliant!  Free stories online.  Come on, we all like free, right?  Plus I have to admit I am a bit partial as she is hosting my story on there.  THANK YOU CATHY!

Give it up for my friend Cathy!  ( The crowd goes wild!!!!!)

 

1. Tell me a little about yourself.

I have recently retired to chase rainbows and follow my dreams of writing as well as doing interviews on my blog.

 

2. What genre do you write?

Wow great question.  I write all things romance, whether it be M/M, contemporary, chick lit, a little humorous or just downright nasty (erotic),  paranormal and even some suspense and mystery. If there is romance involved I like to read and write it. But mostly paranormal and contemporary.
3. How did you get started?

One night I had a strange  man visit me in my dreams. He was hotter than hell and a werewolf. By the time I got to know  a little about him I had the ideas and quick outline for a paranormal  series. Once I let him in my head, the stories just came flooding in.  It’s like  a line at  the theater on a blockbuster  grand opening sometimes with characters trying to get  a story!
4. Describe your writing routine.

I wish I had one. I had several but all have failed. The muses won’t visit on schedule.  It’s always late at night, like 1-3 am or early am is my best writing time. And I need to turn everything off but me, a candle and some music.
5. How do you manage writing with the rest of your life as wife, mother, grandmother, employee and/or any other hats you wear?

I am a wife, husband is retired also but he is more the spontaneous type when I’m a scheduler so I get my plans interrupted a lot.  My kids are both grown, 31 and 26 and live an hour and half away.  Same with the three stepdaughters.  I have 10 grandkids  counting the step ones also, and just got a new one on June 6th. Though the only ones I see are my sons very often. I get my granddaughter when she isn’t at her dads most weekends. She is my mini me.  Of course, when the grandkids are around not much writing gets done, though she loves to help  me with my children’s books, which I forgot to mention in the writing question.
6. How long did it take you to have your first book published?

Actually not too long. It came as a shocker to me. I had just contracted the paranormal series through a pitch. I wrote a story for a charity project called the Gage Project and my publisher loved it and  surprised me with a contract and had it published  for ebook sales in a matter of weeks.

The Gage project in paperback:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+gage+project

The Gage project in ebook:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Gage-Project-ebook/dp/B007W4SV6M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339101495&sr=8-2

7. What method did you choose and why?

For Luke’s Dragon, and  book one of my paranormal series I  am contracted by Saga books http://www.sagabooks.net/,  though a couple of friends of mine are helping me edit and format my first Blog short story,  ‘Love Bites’.  We are self publishing that one.  I would like to see which way works best for me and I have two publishers in mind for the other two works in progress.   I am hoping to at least get them sent to one of the publishers this year.
8. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Write!  No matter what write, friend  authors, editors , anyone you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
9. Who are your favorite authors? 

I have so many. I love Laurel K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, and Patricia Biggs; where a lot of my paranormal inspiration came from. I  have recently met and started reading Michelle L Montgomery (self published) and Sara York, Richard Benegas and Ellen C. Maze; all fabulous writers .

You can find Cathy and her work at the following links.

Luke’s Dragon  by Cathy Boyd (me):  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Lukes+dragon

Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/w.php?h=AeTF8kjX4cx-IR5K#!/cathy.brockman

Storytime Trysts for free samples of my work in short story serial form new stories bimonthly;  where I also feature 4 other authors plus weekend spotlights:   http://storytimetrysts.blogspot.com/

Cathy’s website that features a Thursday interview:   http://cathybrockman.com/

Cathy’s children and YA website:   http://cathyboyd.com

 

 

Guidelines

First, your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement so I must do nothing. And secondly, you must be a pirate for the pirate’s code to apply and you’re not. And thirdly, the code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules. Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner.

–Captain Barbossa, Pirates of the Caribbean

Remember back in grade school when your teachers told you to color inside the lines?  We had seasonal cute pictures, often coinciding with  the upcoming holiday.  (I’ve always been looking forward to the next holiday!) One specific example comes to mind.  My followers that aren’t in the US will have to put on your imagination caps here, but I think you’ll get the gist.  The teacher passed out pages of turkey feathers to color just before Thanksgiving.  The pieces were numbered, and each little space was numbered, corresponding to a color.

The exercise was about following instructions.  The turkey feathers were supposed to be brown, yellow, orange, and red in a graduated scale.  I wasn’t a good rule follower even back then.  No, in 2nd grade my turkey was black.  Everything was black.  I even stole my friend’s black crayon because I ran out of my black.  What can I say?  It was an angry time of my life. They didn’t send us to the counselor to see why we didn’t follow the rules. They didn’t ask what was going on at home, or why I was rebellious.  We were expected to be good little boys and girls regardless of how dysfunctional our family was, and abuse was something that was swept under the rug not talked about with your teachers.  I lost my recess and had to stay in to redo my peacock.  Oh yeah, it was supposed to be a turkey.  Therefore, I had to miss more recesses.

The teacher never cared to find out why I didn’t want my turkey to look like everyone elses.  My 2nd edition was more or less a peacock with brilliant blues, greens, and pinks.  I even cut its wattle off to make it look more ‘peacocky’.  By the third time I had decided the teacher was just mean, and I was tired of missing recess.  I scribbled as fast as I could and colored each segment its appropriate color, cut them out and glued them together in record speed.  I still got an F.  I believe the note to my parents was something to the effect that I refuse to follow directions.  Whatever!

Fast forward a couple of years, we had our turkey pictures with more details.  This time we were expected to follow the general guidelines, and color our turkey in a realistic fashion. Apparently grade school teachers are not fans of surrealism, or even abstract art.  Such narrow views in life encourage rebellion in the hearts of troubled kids.  Trust me, I know!

I personally thought my turkey rocked, but the teacher was of a different opinion.  “Why can’t you simply follow the rules like everyone else?”  The exaggerated sighs of her frustration did little to soothe my rebellious nature.  Of course my smart mouth got me in even more trouble, when I stated that my turkey was unique.

It wasn’t like I was really a trouble kid.  I got straight A’s.  I just didn’t conform to the general consensus.  One of the times I had to miss recess, my 4th grade teacher actually asked me why I was angry. I didn’t answer, and when she came over to my desk and saw that I was crying she backed down her tone.  Mrs. Williamson was the first teacher to ever look past bad behavior to see a hurting child inside.  There are often reasons behind the behavior.

Fast fast forward to the present and there are still guidelines.  As adults we aren’t graded on what color our turkey is, or if our turkey is cut exactly on the lines or not.  As a cartographer I had to have precise lines, and follow SOPs (standard operating procedures) that were in a document nearly the size of the federal budget.  When you’re charting the geo-coordinates for missiles, you must have pinpoint accuracy.  As you can imagine, it was restrictive to my creative nature.

As a writer I can flex my creativity and dash the rules as I see fit. Grammar rules always seem to have exceptions.  I will admit, that as I’ve gotten older my rebellious nature has been channelled into specific areas.  In real life I’m a rather conservative law-abiding citizen.  I believe in playing by the rules of life, with the exception of speed limits.

In my fiction however, there is only one rule that is hard and fast, and that is with suspension of disbelief!  I can believe there are ancient mages that can weave powerful magic.  I can believe that there are shape-shifting dragons.  I can even believe that a magical mirror exists that can transport someone back in time.  What I can’t believe is an independent strong female character that puts up with a cheater repeatedly, allows herself to remain in an abusive situation, or one that surrenders herself to a complete jerk.

I just read a paranormal romance, set in modern times and the female lead was supposedly a strong-willed independent woman.  By the tenth chapter, she caught her man with two other women in the act.  Really?  I know people in real life are cads, but in a romance we read to escape.  Lose his sorry butt and move on lady, there are better men out there.  This was one of the few books I did not finish.

I’ve already stretched my reader’s imagination by creating a world of dragons and magic.  But even non human characters tend to display human characteristics.  Believable characters have good points as well as bad points.  For instance most strong-willed people are natural leaders, but they aren’t good listeners.  They see their own goals but often don’t weigh the consequences of their decisions. A strong-willed independent woman is not going to put up with a cheating liar!

She also wouldn’t be content to just let him walk away without extracting the pound of flesh due to her.  The manner in which she would extract her revenge can be quite interesting.  He’ll pay, you can be certain of that.

In real life we have to choose our battles.  I choose to follow the laws and stay out of jail.  I choose to cut myself some slack for not being supermodel thin.  I choose who I give my affections to.  In a fictional world, we can break the rules and never get caught.  We can extract our pound of flesh from the liars and cheaters, and the ones who have crossed our characters.

In real life we have to deal with nosy neighbors, judgmental peers, and backstabbing coworkers and wait on karma to pay them back.

There are certain aspects of life that have to be flexible, more like guidelines.  I plan my grocery shopping from a list which is made from a planned menu.  Just because it says we are having fajitas on Thursday doesn’t mean we are actually having fajitas on Thursday.  One day between Sunday and Saturday, fajitas will be served because I bought stuff to make fajitas.  It’s a guideline.  This logic is fuzzy for my logical thinking husband.  It creates chaos in his supposed well-ordered life.

HA!  Which proves my theory: boxes are bad.  Even rule followers yearn to get outside the lines and experience freedom.

Are you a rebel or a rule follower?  Are you selective in which rules are guidelines?  Let me know what you think.

Write on my friends, write on!

 

Madness I Tell You, It’s All Madness!

My usual Monday motivation is going to have to be put on hold.  I’ve spent the morning in the waiting room at the hospital for my sister’s surgery.  She has gone through with it, and when I left was doing well.

I took my computer with me, working on my projects while I waited.  That was my intention anyway. There are times when it’s necessary to socialize with those around you,  especially when you haven’t seen them in over a year.  Honestly I got little writing done, but it was good to catch up with family.

3 days left before school is out, my D-day is rapidly approaching.  I lost several hours into the time vortex of research, I lost several hours visiting at the hospital, and of course the hours in traffic.  Tomorrow, I’m making an extra pot of coffee, turning the answering machine on and not answering the door.  Possibly at this point, extending my deadline may be the best option, but I’m not ready to surrender yet.

There’s still some fight left in me.  I’ve got approximately 5 hours to dedicate to writing tomorrow and I made some headway over the weekend.  With that last bit of research, I don’t think there are any other “holes” in my story that need to be filled.  It’s just adding some details and tweaking a bit here and there.

So close I can almost taste it.  This will be my FIRST complete manuscript.  I think I’ve shared the unfinished project problem in the past, didn’t I?   Many are close, but not quite there.  It almost seems like fate is stacking against me here on the last stretch to the finish line.  Either that, or the finish line is just a mirage.

In addition to the time stealers, and distractions, the “life” distractions I came up with an entire new story on Sunday.  The hubs thought I was really into the sermon, taking pages and pages of notes.  I was inspired!  At some point near the beginning of the sermon, the pastor mentioned that it was Pentecost Sunday, or the Sunday of Ascension.  Ascension, hmmm.  Inspiration struck me!  I nearly jumped up and yelled hallelujah, but I didn’t want to waste any time.  Before he reached the end I had outlined and plotted through a series of bubble charts, and if- then-else flow charts my next story.  It’s going to be awesome.

But wait, I have to rein it in and finish Kiss Of The Dragon first.  GAH!  How can some writers say they have writer’s block?  Are you kidding me?  I have enough ideas now to write books until I’m 126.  Which means, I need more time to write, and less time for nonwriting activities such as house cleaning, and cooking.  I really need to sell some more articles, and a book or a dozen to be able to afford a new laptop that I can read outside, so I at least don’t look like a vampire.  Also to afford to quit at least  one of my other jobs.  Where are my rich relatives to leave me an inheritance anyway?  Some estranged uncle that liked me best, anyone? anyone?

If only money were as easy to come by as it is for some of my characters.  I think it would be so cool to have the dragon complex.  Not necessarily the hoarding gold part, but the attracting part would be totally awesome.  Life takes money, and since I can’t just print my own – well I could but I don’t want to go to prison – I am part of working class Americans that have to keep my day job.

The writing disease is apparently an inherited condition.  My Great Grandfather wrote a couple of books, they were  religious teachings as he was a minister.  My daughters are both infected, and pursuing their own writing dreams. My eldest daughter who is 17, has one story planned and is about half way through.  She has asked for my assistance over the summer to finish hers.  I’ve read it, and it’s really good, better than some published books that I’ve read.  She also has a ton of ideas for books, and came home today complaining that school was cutting into her creative time.  (insert eye roll here)

My other daughter, the quiet calmer one that is more like my husband is also writing a very creative story.  She is a stickler for details, (Hmm, I wonder where she could have gotten that from.)  and has voiced her plans to spend a good portion of the summer writing her book to be published before she turns 18.

I for one will never discourage them from pursuing their dreams.  I will advise them to have a backup plan to be able to provide for themselves while they are pursuing publication.

If all the stars were in alignment, and all the gods were in a favorable mood, we could all three get our works published before the end of this year. That would be amazingly awesome and I would do a celebratory dance on video and post it here.  Oh yes, I can dance – this white chick got some moves!  I’ve won the DDR and  Just dance challenges we have here many times. Not bad for a 48-year-old competing against teenagers.

Reality Check

Summer is fast approaching.  I know that.  The end of school is rapidly approaching – I knew that too.

However, reality slapped me square in the face like a brick wall.  My kids only have 4 1/2 days of school left then they will be here full-time.  We’re still hoping for a summer job for the oldest, but so far no success. This is sooooo going to put a cramp in my writing schedule.

Yay for them, but this means that I will have to change my routine – yet again.  The oldest has no concept of time.  She plans to lounge in bed till ten or so, get up at her leisure, spend an hour writing her fan fiction, go with me to work out for an hour, eat lunch, then go to the pool in the afternoon.  I don’t know about you, but if you count from 10 am, to 5 pm which is when I start preparing dinner, there’s no way to get all of that in.  Reality is going to hit her hard in about 7 days.  First of all, our exercise blitz will start earlier in the day so that we’re not in the heat of the day.

Last night the family had some major issues with my writing.  I was working on my blog when the kids got home from school.  I didn’t give them my full undivided attention as I was trying to finish.  When I got the laptop out to write some after clearing the table from dinner, the hubs complained. You know it’s nice to be in demand, sometimes.  My kids are teenagers. Aren’t they suppose to want more independence?  Anyway, they were having issues over my writing.  Not the content as they never read anything I write.  I have a feeling that when my summer blog share for Storytime Trysts begins next Tuesday (May 22, 2012), it’s probably a good thing the hubs doesn’t read my stuff.  Talk about sizzle!  The introductory chapter is mild enough, but from Day 1 on her trip, Stephanie is on a no holds barred adventure.

She’s braver than me,  I was blushing while writing it!

I’m pretty stoked about this blog share project, as well as the one on RCGale’s blog.  In addition to that, I’m getting closer to the end of Kiss of the Dragon (copyright 2012 Ellie Mack).  The story is written more or less, but remember when I said I write myself big notes with capital letters about INSERT LOVE SCENE HERE?  There are several actually.  At the meeting of the dragon lords, I left a big WHAT DO MEN FIGHT ABOUT ANYWAY? that sparked conversations with the husband and a couple of online male friends.   The general consensus was: pride, ego and women.  In a section where Zane discovers the truth about dragon law and how his father handled it, I put a big note:  RESEARCH NOTES: CHRONICLES; KINGS; CONSEQUENCES.  That may not make sense to you, but it’s clear as Swarovski crystal to me.

I’m currently working on the final battle scene.  It’s all there except a few minor details, but as we know the devil is in the details.  My perfectly clear note to myself at this point to explain the past-present-future-present conundrum was: ???????????   I’m brilliant aren’t I?  I should have thought this out, but during NaNoWriMo I was writing as fast as I could get it down.  All of my other notes have research files, information, the direction I want to develop, or  perhaps just something to make the scene more believable.

For instance, in the dragon lord meeting; have you ever been in a board meeting with a bunch of men?  Oh my!  And they say women can’t stay on track.  In one particular meeting while working for the DOD, we were discussing targets for Desert Storm.  The media had published images of one of our targets being blown up – a 6 foot square power pylon.  Now think about the logistics of that and your faith in our military should be increased.  From a height of 35000 ft, we drop a bomb to take out the power pylon successfully that is only 6 ft square at the base.  You don’t need to know calculus here, just admit it’s amazing.   OK, well maybe not as amazing as dropping one down the elevator shaft of a ten story building.  That was just freaking awesome!

At this meeting they showed the footage from tv.  We were given “patent” responses to say to any media personnel regarding US targeting.  Five minutes later the guys were fervently debating which football team’s cheerleaders were hotter.  Yep; pride, ego and women.  Great strategists derailed by a shiny, especially if the shiny happens to be on a woman prancing around in a short sequined outfit.

Dragons are very carnal creatures that can become violent over their women folk.  Nations have gone to war over women throughout history.  Dragons are intense creatures with strong convictions.  Sometimes fate can override the strongest convictions in a split second, forever changing the course of time.  Knowing the consequences of jumping through time and how it affects the future, which was Isabelle’s present – well, it gets confusing if the details aren’t ironed out just exactly so.

I was hoping to have all of this completed, and begin editing for grammatical errors before school let out. As I’m untangling a knot that I’ve made, time is slipping away from me.  I don’t know if 4 1/2 days are enough to get it ironed out to my satisfaction.

I might mention here that I stopped by the store after leaving the Y from my aqua class, and stocked up on coffee.  I bought 6 cans of french roast, yeah the big cans.  that might last through the summer if the hubs wants any.  Now it’s down to crunch time, pushing myself for this self-imposed deadline.  (It’s usually self-imposed as a writer.)

I have plans for the summer with the writing, which I’ve shared. Fitness goals, household goals, and fun time goals. There are several movies coming out this summer that the girls and I would like to see.  I’ve set up some potential rewards for achieving certain goals, one of which will be going to the matinée.

It’s all about time management really.  It’s an area I struggle with.  I’ve added a few more irons to my fire, and time management is becoming an increasingly important aspect.  We don’t have a family vacation planned. but I have several day trips, and fun outings planned for me and  my girls.  My oldest daughter will be a senior in high school in the fall, then off to college.  I want it to be an enjoyable summer, but there’s work to be done as well.  I still have to do the day job, and plan to continue the writing as well.

As I tweak my schedule yet again, I am feeling very optimistic for this upcoming summer.  I’ll let you know next Thursday if I’ve met my goal or not.

Write ON!