Monday, October 31, 2011

My mind is not beautiful; it's a crazily distorted jungle-gym of ideas.

My mind usually goes a hundred miles per hour, and normally in multiple directions. I have an extremely difficult time concentrating on a single project for very long.

I've been working pretty diligently on the Bran Drayton book, but it's slow going right now (I can't quite get a particular scene to pop). As a result, I tend to just meander along, writing every single detail without end. I know I'll end up editing most of it, but it helps. Anyway, I'll take a scene (or chapter) which should be about 4-5 pages, and it'll end up being 15 pages of absolutely mind-numbing detail or introspection. As a writing exercise, it is kind of cool because you get to see what works and what doesn't. You start to get a feel for when a scene should end, and with what action. Anyway, I haven't gotten to that point in this particular instance yet.

So, to put it bluntly, I get bored with a story when I'm at that point. I know where I want to go, and I have a good idea of how to get there, but I haven't quite figured out how much detail to include. Figuring that out is boring, and it's probably my least favorite part of writing. That said, when I get in one of these funks, my mind starts to wander.

I tend to think about my stories when I have downtime, whether it's when I'm driving or when I'm trying to go to sleep. When I'm bored with what I'm working on, I inevitably move on to other ideas. And I have SO many ideas. I get so excited about these potential stories that I have to keep myself from starting an outline right then and there (one or two projects at a time).

Anyway, long story short -- I thought of a really cool plot for a modern romance (with a bit of an existential/paranormal twist) today. I'm not going to add it to my list of "future projects" but I'm kind of excited about it.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

World-Building

I love world-building. There's just something about creating a world, giving it rules, establishing a history, and then throwing characters into that world, and letting them fend for themselves. I think that's why I like fantasy and science fiction; it allows me to be creative with the worlds.

That's it; I just wanted to say how much I enjoy creating these fantastic worlds.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

When I write...

I remember one time reading an interview where one of my favorite authors, Terry Goodkind, said that his characters told the story (I'm paraphrasing here). He said that he was just along for the ride, chronicling the story that those characters dictated.

Now, I've read a lot of his work, and he is one of the most talented writers I've ever read. There are some who plainly put more work into their books, and others who have knacks in different areas, but in terms of sheer writing talent, he's one of the best (in the genre, if not overall).

I say this because at the time, I didn't really write much. I was still in high school, and hadn't gotten to that point where I had realized that writing was actually fun. I knew I was decent at it, but I had never considered undertaking something so massive as writing a novel. Anyway, I read that article, and I thought, What a load of bull! I didn't think that fictional characters could dictate a story; he had to be just saying that to make his characters feel more real.

Oh, how wrong I was. Now, looking back, I know that my characters are the same way. I don't know if it's because I'm good at building characters and worlds (but not so great at building a narrative) or if that's just the way it works, but my characters most certainly do dictate the stories I write. The story progresses the way it does because I dropped my characters in a situation, and let them try to get out of it. Yes, I created them; they aren't based on real people or anything. But their every action was taken because that's how that character would react, not because it served some narrative purpose.

Sometimes, they even surprise me. Yes, I'm writing it, but sometimes, in the heat of the moment, I write something that completely fits within the scope of the story and character's personality, but which I had not planned at all.

Is this good writing? I don't know. But it's the only way I know how to do it. I know for a fact that other authors like to plan out ever single detail of their books, and for some, it works magnificently. However, I can't work that way. I like to get a general outline of situations, and let my characters lead me through the story. I like to let it grow organically.

And I think it shows with my characters' realism.

Anyway, I was just thinking about this as I was writing a particularly fun scene, and thought I'd share.

It's been a good few days.

I've been writing up a storm lately. I've kind of hit that stride with the Bran Drayton book, where everything just seems to sort of flow. I hardly even have to think about what I'm going to type. I don't know how good it is yet (I'll probably need some heavy editing), but it's quite nice to just write. It's especially nice to take a break from that self-promotion stuff and do what I actually enjoy doing.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Show; don't tell.

I realized today that I've been talking about good reviews, and I haven't quoted any of them!  So, I decided to post a good sampling on here.

On Goodreads, it's averaging 4.17 out of 5 stars. The link to those reviews is HERE .
On Amazon it's averaging 5 out of 5 stars.  The link to those reviews is HERE .
On iBooks, it's averaging 5 out of 5 stars.
On the Nook, it is averaging 4 out of 5 stars.  The link to those reviews is HERE .

For Heartkeeper: Volume One (from Goodreads)

Henry gave it 4 out of 5 stars, and wrote the following as a review:

"This book starts out a little slow, but it ramps up pretty good after a little while. I liked that the characters sort of grew together believably.

Pros:

Relatively believable characters. Interesting magic concept. The political intrigue was well done.

Cons:

The writing itself isn't great -- passable, but not great. The author gets kind of caught up on certain turns of phrase from time to time.

Anyway, good book if you like high fantatsy. Good action. Good characters. Fun world. I gave it four stars."


Linda gave it 5 out of 5 stars, and wrote the following as a review:

"Not my normal genre,but decided to read on a recommendation by a friend. I am surely glad I did! Loved the magic and the way the author kept my attention while learning what the agenda of each character was. I could hardly put it down; definitely recommend that you read it. Can't wait till the next volume is released!"

 Phyllis Mcclain gave the book 4 out 5 stars and wrote:

"I don't know what it was about this book but I just couldn't put it down. I thought the world was well realized (the way he handled magic in particular was neat) and the characters weren't just archetypes. They seemed to react like real people would."

Amy Smith gave the book 3 out of 5 stars, and wrote:

 "It was a better than average read. Good characters and interesting world. Sometimes the writing is a little more introspective than it had to be. It wasn't a deal-breaker or anything, and some people might like it that way. It's just not my cup of tea. Either way, I'll read the next in the series, so I liked it okay. Good first novel."

On Amazon, it has received only one review, but it was a 5 out of 5 star.  It has also received 2 "likes."

Now, for my short story, Love, Eternal, which was published a couple of weeks ago...

This one is free, so it has understandably gotten a little more traffic.  However, it has only garnered two reviews.  It is averaging 4 out of 4 stars.  You can see its page HERE .


Nikki Jenkins gave it 4 out of 4 stars, and wrote:

"Nice little fairy tale."

Maranda Russell (you can follow her blog HERE )also gave it 4 out of 4 stars, and wrote:

"I love fairy tales and a good romantic story so this one was right up my alley. I should also mention that this story is well written and truly enjoyable to read. I look forward to seeing more from this author."


Those are the reviews I've found so far.  I hope it continues to receive positive reviews, and I also hope that reading this sampling of reviews will help to persuade readers to take a chance on a new author.


Thanks for your support.




Monday, October 24, 2011

The best stories are stories about love...

I wrote this simple paragraph a few months ago, and I just stumbled across it today. I'm not sure why I wrote it, or what it meant to me at the time, but for some reason, I really, really like it. I'm considering putting it in one of my short stories or books some time in the future (assuming I can find a context in which to put it). Anyway, here it is:

Love. It's such a common word, but it conveys so much depth. To some people, it is merely lust; to others love means a connection, a relationship, or a friendship which defies normality. To still others, it is a myth, never before truly felt.  I think it goes beyond all of that to encompass something that can't truly be described - not adequately, anyway. It is what drives us, be it a simple, powerful friendship or something more romantic. It is life's catalyst.

Maybe I'm just a big softy, but that paragraph sums up my view of storytelling.  I know there are other motives for a good journey (emotional or literal), but I think the best stories are ones in which the characters are motivated by some form of love. 

Help me readers; you're my only hope!

I have been getting some reviews lately, and I've been very pleased with them (none have been bad!). However, I'd like to implore any readers to jot down a few words about your impressions of Heartkeeper on Amazon, iBooks, or wherever you've purchased it. Doing so will help me out, and thus, allow me to devote more time to writing. Thanks!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

A few reviews...

I've only gotten a couple of reviews on Heartkeeper, but the few I've gotten have been encouraging. As for Love, Eternal, the response has been very, very promising. I wasn't completely convinced of its quality until I started getting feedback (which has been overwhelmingly positive). So that's always nice.

As for what I've been working on lately, my time has been primarily spent on the Bran Drayton book. I absolutely love world building, and the beginning of this book is devoted almost entirely to that (within the context of the story of course). I've started to divulge the history of the world and its inhabitants, and I think it's going to be something special by the time I finish it up.

However, I am being diverted (as sometimes happens) from my intended story arc. Some of my ideas about my characters are changing as I write their stories, and I think I'm on the verge of completely doing a 180 on some of my characters' roles within the story (villain, friend, hero, etc.). It's exciting stuff when the characters develop of their own accord. I think that's the sign of a really good foundation.

Anyway, that's all for today.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Published a new short story

I just published a new short story, entitled Love, Eternal.  It's a relatively short fairy tale (about 4500 words), so it's a quick read.  The blurb is as follows:

Love, Eternal is a short fairy tale about the power of love. Logan and Jacqueline's love draws the ire of an evil witch who grants the two of them eternal life, but with a price. They will live out eternity apart, never again to feel love's embrace. Can they break the curse?

I originally started writing with the intention of illustrating it as well, but I never got around to doing more than a couple of quick sketches.  Either way, it's available at smashwords here.  I didn't put a price tag on it because I don't think it's right to charge someone for a short story.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Language

As I've noted in previous posts, I am in the midst of writing a Young Adult science fiction novel.  It's my first attempt at a novel-length science fiction story (but writing's writing, right?).  I'm fairly certain that the story is good, and my prose is passable.  However, I have been pondering something recently, and I haven't come across an answer yet.

Lately, my thoughts have been anchored to the idea of language.  I'm not talking about foul language or anything like that; I only swear occasionally and those sorts of words are used even less in my writing.  No, I'm talking about advanced words.  With a YA book, I find that I have to be careful not to use words that might fly over my intended audience's head.   Or at least that's what my editor has told me.

My problem is this, though:  I think that advanced word usage is helpful to younger readers.  If the story is interesting, and the context is clear, why not use complicated words?  Why shouldn't my readers think?  Why can't their vocabularies grow as a result of reading my work?

I contend that they can, and they should. Maybe I'm wrong, though.  Time will tell.

Available on the iBookstore

I was just notified yesterday that Heartkeeper: Volume One is now available via the iBookstore.  For those of you who don't know, the iBookstore is an application for iPads, iPhones, and the iPod Touch which allows for reading ebooks.  I can't link to it from here (because it's an app), but if you have one of these devices, and you're interested in the book, just download the app and search for "Heartkeeper: Volume One".  That should get you to it.

So to date, it is available on the Nook (via Barnes and Noble), the Kindle (via Amazon), and iBooks.  Exciting stuff.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

This Weekend

Today I'm starting to work on the actual manuscript for my next novel, entitled Bran Drayton and the Knee-High Robot Army of Doom (tentatively, of course).  As the title may suggest, it is not a very serious piece of fiction.  The outline and character biographies are (mostly) finished, so I'm ready to get to writing. 

I'm really excited about this one.  I've always wanted to write a "fun" science fiction story, and I think this one will fit that bill quite nicely.

If you're wondering about the next installment of the Heartkeeper Series, know that I'm also working on the outline/character biographies/backstories for that.  I tend to work on multiple projects at once (if I get blocked with one, I'll just move to the next one for a bit). 

That said, I'll probably be releasing the Bran Drayton book first, but the Heartkeeper book should follow soon after (within a few months).

Should be fun.