Edward Hoornaert's Blog, page 60
April 7, 2017
The Muse is made of sand #MFRWauthor
Most stories begin with a grain of sand.
Not literal sand.
Mental sand.
[image error]
When a rough grain of sand gets caught in an oyster’s shell, the oyster secretes a layer of mother-of-pearl around the grain, trying to make the sharp edges less annoying. Then another layer, and another. Out of a nasty little annoyance, a beautiful pearl is born.
Like sand trapped in an oyster’s shell, my stories starts with a tiny kernel. Mental sand, if you will. The kernel rubs against my imagination, reminding me of its presence. With little more conscious volition than an oyster, I add details and characters and incidents. If I’m lucky, I add enough layers that a story is born.
[image error]The kernel for The Trial of Tompa Lee came to me in a dream. But the dream (of someone being hunted on an alien planet) bears no more resemblance to the published book than a grain of sand does to a pearl. After being framed for mass murder, Tompa faces a trial by combat against 300 vengeful aliens.
[image error]The kernel for The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station was a character. In the wee hours during a bout of insomnia, I watched the French movie Amelie. The lead character is a shy woman who goes around doing anonymous good deeds. She’s such a good person — I had to write a character like her! She became Sandrina, a mute young genius who spreads her good deeds throughout a city-sized space station. When the station is invaded, it’s darned lucky to have guardian angel like her.
[image error]The kernel for Alien Contact for Idiots was the image of an island mysteriously appearing overnight. What if Native Americans from the future of an alternate Earth moved their entire kingdom to our world? I’m a North American westerner, and there aren’t many suitable islands out here to choose from. Want to know which island I chose?
[image error]The kernel for Newborn was the idea of a clone who’s born fully grown, well-armed, and programmed to assassinate a particular person. Jo Beaverpaw is no infallible killing machine like the Terminator, though; her programming is quirkily flawed, which leads to romance with her target’s bodyguard.
==========================================================
What about you? Where do your story ideas come from?
Click here to enter your link and view posts by the other MFRW authors.
April 1, 2017
Effing Feline makes amends
Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.
I, Effing Feline, want to make amends.
Last week I told you how Mrs V got mad at me for tearing up a cushion. I’ve wracked my brain, trying to think what I can do to make it up to her. If I had enough money, I could buy her flowers, but I don’t. All my cash goes to feed my catnip addiction.
Some cats bring dead or dying mice to their pet humans, as an offering of friendship. There are no mice in this house for me to catch — but there are cacti in the backyard where Twiggles the dog has her litter box. Hmm ….
Today, another selection from The Trial of Tompa Lee. Tompa has been framed for a deadly bombing. With enemy dreadnoughts approaching, the mission’s leader, Ambassador Schneider (the villain of the piece) seeks to appease them by handing Tompa over to alien justice.
In this scene, Schneider is being painfully brusque about telling Tompa she’s about to be abandoned. Pitying her, Dante Roussel takes over and tries to soften the blow.
“While you were recovering in the med casket,” Roussel said gently, “I read every scrap of information we have about you, Ship’s Ward. Manager McShallin wrote complimentary reports about your hard work. He thought you had a fair chance of making full Navy.”
Had, not have. Oh, shit, shit!
“However,” he continued, “tomorrow, when your head feels better, you will be transported planetside and handed over to the Shons. Ambassador Schneider has given me her personal word of honor that you will receive a fair trial and not become the scapegoat for the current situation.”
Tompa stared brazenly at Roussel, who was staring at Schneider. Good cop, bad cop. He wasn’t on her side at all — and the good cop was the worst, because he was a hypocrite who teased you with hope and used compassion as a weapon.
[image error]
Prickly pear
Effing Feline here again. Twiggles the dog brought me a couple prickly pear cactus pads. Avoiding the cactus’s thorns and poisonous doggy slobber, I put one under Mrs V’s pillow and one under Mr V’s. They’ll be so pleased with me, don’t you think?
Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday posts.
[image error]
For me, stories start with a grain of sand.
Not literal sand.
Mental sand.
[image error]When a rough grain of sand gets caught in an oyster’s shell, the oyster secretes a layer of mother of pearl around the grain, trying to make the sharp edges less annoying. Then another layer, and another. Out of a nasty, unlovely annoyance, a beautiful pearl is born.
Like sand trapped in an oyster’s shell, my stories starts with a tiny kernel. Mental sand, if you will. The kernel rubs against my imagination, reminding me of its presence. With little more conscious volition than an oyster, I add details and characters and incidents. If I’m lucky, I add enough layers that a story is born.
The kernel for The Trial of Tompa Lee came to me in a dream. But the dream, or at least what I remember of it, bears no more resemblance to the published book than a grain of sand does to a pearl.
[image error]
[image error]
My latest release, Newborn, is reduced from $2.99 to $.99 for this promotion. Take a look!
March 30, 2017
The Perils of Peggedness #MFRWauthor
For lucky week 13, Marketing for Romance Writers blog prompt is:
My greatest weakness
I’ve been demonstrating this weakness ever since I joined the blog hop.
For the 7 guilty sins prompt, I focused on things that distract me from writing. Everyone else wrote about personal failings.
For the writing process prompt, I wrote about book structure. Most others described how they work.
For the greatest strength prompt, I wrote about a writing strength. Everyone else chose a personal strength.
Last but far from least, I’m a guy writing romance.
My greatest weakness, then, is that I’m a square peg in a round hole.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not an eccentric. I don’t dress to draw attention, I don’t do drugs or alcohol, I’m straight, and my social behavior is within the norm (usually). I appear to be normal. Boringly so, perhaps.
But if you look closely, I just don’t quite fit in. Writing romance, for one thing. Being a working class kid who’s played oboe in various symphonies, for another. Seeking out wilderness living in my youth. And just the way I tend to think differently than most people on matters small and large.
[image error][image error]As a writer, I mostly fit the genres . . . but not quite. Though my first six books were traditionally published, I’ve since gone my own way. One of my series is put out by a small press, while I self-publish the other. My current WIP is futuristic romance between an Hispanic woman and a Northwest Coast Indian from the future — and there’s not a huge commercial market for this. But I wanna write what I wanna write.
For the most part, I’m cheerfully resigned to my square peggedness, but it does cause uneasiness (or worse) at times. I’ll bet a lot of you are square pegs, too; writers usually are. Am I right?
Click here to view the list of other participating authors.
SFR Brigade Showcase for April
[image error]
Welcome to the Science Fiction Romance Brigade’s showcase. Once a month, the brigade’s authors highlight snippets from new work, WIPs, cover reveals or other fun things. But let me start at the beginning.
Most stories begin with a grain of sand.
Not literal sand.
Mental sand.
When a rough grain of sand gets caught in an oyster’s shell, the oyster secretes a layer of mother-of-pearl around the grain, trying to make the sharp edges less annoying. Then another layer, and another. Out of a nasty little annoyance, a beautiful pearl is born.
Like sand trapped in an oyster’s shell, my stories starts with a tiny kernel. Mental sand, if you will. The kernel rubs against my imagination, reminding me of its presence. With little more conscious volition than an oyster, I add details and characters and incidents. If I’m lucky, I add enough layers that a story is born.
[image error]The kernel for The Trial of Tompa Lee came to me in a dream. But the dream (of someone being hunted on an alien planet) bears no more resemblance to the published book than a grain of sand does to a pearl. After being framed for mass murder, Tompa faces a trial by combat against 300 vengeful aliens.
[image error]The kernel for The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station was a character. In the wee hours during a bout of insomnia, I watched the French movie Amelie. The lead character is a shy woman who goes around doing anonymous good deeds. Such a good person — I had to write a character like her! She became Sandrina, a mute young genius who spreads her good deeds in a city-sized space station.
[image error]The kernel for Alien Contact for Idiots was the image of an island mysteriously appearing overnight. What if Native Americans from the future of an alternate Earth moved their entire kingdom to our world? I’m a North American westerner, and there aren’t many suitable islands to choose from. Want to know which island I chose?
[image error]The kernel for Newborn was the idea of a clone who’s born fully grown, well-armed, and programmed to assassinate a particular person. Jo Beaverpaw is no infallible killing machine like the Terminator, though; her programming is quirkily flawed. (Newborn is on sale for a short time at 67% off — so this is the perfect time to make Jo’s acquaintance.)
===========================================================
What about you? Where do your story ideas come from?
[image error]
Newborn is now available at a drastically reduced price. Check out all the 99c books!
March 25, 2017
Effing Feline bestows forgiveness
Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.
I, Effing Feline, returned from Toronto and began my search for a mouse — any mouse, just one little mouse so I could earn the glorious title of Good Mouser. In case you’ve forgotten, this was my plan:
Scatter the cheese all over the house. You know, for bait.
Rip apart the couch cushions to see if mice hide there
Claw Mr V’s computer screen to see if computer mice are inside.
But I got in huge trouble! I’d clawed into only one couch cushion when Mrs V (wife of Ed the Pet Human) caught me. I never thought I’d say it of the dear woman, but she has a foul temper. I mean, really — I was just trying to rid the place of mice.
[image error]Today, another selection from The Trial of Tompa Lee. Last week Tompa was framed for a deadly act of terrorism. She’s injured in the explosion and is transported back to Navy Ship Vance, where policeman Dante Roussel is assigned to her case.
In this snippet, the stakes get higher.
A lazy Alabama drawl sounded in his ear: Pradeep Singh, Assistant VP of Ship Operations. “Company for tea, Dante. Two Kalikiniki dreadnoughts just popped into the jump zone, headed for orbit around Zee Shode. Thought you might want to help us break out the good china.”
A weight descended on Dante’s shoulders, accompanied by a spark of anticipation. Tompa Lee, who was now his responsibility, might be central to any confrontation with the Klicks.
The spark sputtered and died. Two dreadnoughts meant the Klicks were treating this incursion into their trading territory with deadly seriousness. The Vance’s mission was against the laws of intergalactic trade, so the Klicks had both might and right on their side. In its seventy-year history, the Navy had never lost a cruiser or even been involved in a battle in space, but there was always a first time.
Effing Feline here again. I just got off Mrs V’s lap, where she petted me for an hour. I guess I’m a big enough cat to forgive her. Heck, in the spirit of social media (meaning friendly media), I’ll even show you a picture of her:
[image error]
Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday posts.
[image error]
The Trilogy of Tompa Lee
The Trial of Tompa Lee is the first book in The Trilogy of Tompa Lee. Here are the sequels.
The Tribulations of Tompa Lee
[image error]Goddess or madwoman? Even she isn’t sure.
Tompa now serves as ambassador to the Shons’ planet and is hailed as their goddess — even though she’s paranoid about fellow humans and has a dead man living in her head. When the Klicks, mankind’s deadliest enemy, destroy the embassy, a ragtag group of Shon and human survivors expect her to save them.
Amazon — Canada UK Australia
Apple iBooks | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books
The Triumph of Tompa Lee
[image error]Now the prey stalks the hunter
Because Tompa forges an upstart alliance between humans, Shons, and Klicks, the Galactic Trading Council hires Earth’s most feared bounty hunter to kill her. The hunter lures her to deserted ruins by kidnapping her fiancé and her best friend. Tompa can save her loved ones only if she can finally tame the goddess — and the madness — she carries inside.
Amazon — Canada UK Australia
Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books | Apple iTunes
March 23, 2017
The strength of a bald Samson #MFRWauthor
Once again, I’m joining a blog hop run by Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW). For those new to my blog, yes, I’m a guy, and yes, I write romance. I’ve written for Silhouette, but these days I write science fiction with romance and humor.
This week’s writing prompt is:
My greatest strength
Several years ago, I heard Debbie Macomber speak. While I’ve forgotten most of what she said, one thing stuck with me, which is roughly “Some authors are natural wordsmiths and others are natural storytellers.”
There’s little doubt in my mind that being a storyteller like Ms Macomber is the way to go. For my next incarnation, I want to be a tale spinner who instinctively grasps the big picture (the story) but perhaps struggles with the small picture (the words used to tell the story).
After all, if the story’s great, who cares if the prose is a tiny bit clunky? (I’m thinking of you, James Patterson, Isaac Asimov, JRR Tolkien, Philip K Dick, Lindsay Buroker, Robert Heinlein, et al.)
Conversely, if the story is pedestrian, who cares how beautiful the description of the sunset is? (I’m thinking of a snore of literary novels.)
Unfortunately, I am by nature a wordsmith. Gorgeous prose and quirky, creative sentences? Not a problem! Thinking of the perfect little detail that brings a scene to life? Can do!
A story worth reading to the end?
Well, I’ve had to work at that. I like to think that after fifteen published books I finally understand how to plot a compelling book … but it’s taken work. My career would have gotten much further much faster if I’d learned the big picture trick sooner.
Hmm. I just realized that since next week’s prompt is My Greatest Weakness, I could recycle this post for next Friday. Think I should?
Click here to enter your link and check out the writing processes of other fine romance writers in this blog hop.
March 22, 2017
Paranormal Romance Rita Finalists, 2016
The Romance Writers of America have announced the finalists in the 2016 Rita contest for best romance writing of the year. Congratulations to all the finalists!
You can see the full list of finalists here, but as an author of science fiction romance, I’d like to focus on the Paranormal Romance category (which is where RWA pigeonholes SFR).
Here are the PNR finalists. After the list, I note a few observations.
====================================================================
[image error]Bayou Shadow Hunter by Debbie Herbert
Harlequin, Nocturne
Ann Leslie Tuttle, Editor
====================================================================
[image error]The Beast by J R Ward
New American Library
Kara Welsh, editor
====================================================================
[image error]The Champion of Barésh by Susan Grant
Self-published
Mary Moran, editor
====================================================================
[image error]Enchanted Warrior by Sharon Ashwood
Harlequin, Nocturne
Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor
====================================================================
[image error]Ghost Gifts
by Laura Spinella
Montlake Publishing
Alison Dasho, editor
====================================================================
[image error]The Leopard King by Ann Aguirre
Self-published
Sasha Knight, editor
====================================================================
[image error]The Pages of the Mind by Jeffe Kennedy
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Peter Senftleben, editor
====================================================================
[image error]Where the Wild Things Bite by Molly Harper
Pocket Books
Abby Zidle, editor
====================================================================
Off the top of my head, here are a few observations:
SFR — Although SFR is just a sub-category, it’s powerfully represented. Susan Grant and Ann Aguirre are known by many SFR fans, and they’ve both appeared on finalists (and winners!) lists before. Both are faves of mine.
Self-publishing — Two of the eight finalists are self-published. Which two? The SFR books by Grant and Aguirre. I think I detect a pattern! Both of these authors started in traditional publishing, but now get to keep all the profit, as opposed to the relative pittance publishing companies give.
Covers — As you might expect, all of these covers feature dark or subdued palettes. Nary a rose petal or bright red in the bunch. Lots of male chests and closeups of faces, though.
Familiar names — In addition to Grant and Aguirre, even I, who doesn’t follow paranormal, am familiar with authors on the list such as JR Ward, Jeffe Kennedy,Molly Harper, and others.
Bestsellers — When I looked at these books on Amazon, I noticed that the majority had somewhere around 40-50 reviews, which probably means they sold well, but not wildly, fantastically well. The Ritas reward quality, not notoriety.
Other SFR finalists — Hywela Lyn’s Beloved Enemy is shortlisted for the RoNAs, a UK equivalent of the Ritas. Janet Halpin’s Beryl Blue is a Golden Heart Finalist for best unpublished SFR.
My personal thanks — I read Grant’s Champion of Baresh while seriously ill last fall. I am profoundly grateful when a book helps me get through horrible circumstances like this. Thanks, Ms Grant!
What about you? Have you read any of the finalists? Do you plan to read any now that you know they’re finalists?
March 18, 2017
Effing Feline dodges furballs
Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.
[image error]
Toronto’s CN Tower
I, Effing Feline, had to put my search for mice, begun last week, on ice. Literally.
You see, Mr V flew me to Toronto to visit son #3, aka Brett. Did you know that dandruff can fall from the sky? So much dandruff, in fact, that Ed had to shovel it off the sidewalk. This raises two questions. Number one, who-the-hiss is up there in the sky? Number two, why doesn’t she use Resdan?
Today, another selection from The Trial of Tompa Lee. Last week Tompa was framed for a murderous act of terrorism. She’s injured in the explosion and is transported up to Navy Ship Vance.
Until now we’ve seen the hero of the tale only from a distance. Today we meet him properly. Dante Roussel, a former Navy hero, is a broken-down policeman with slight brain damage from an injury rather like Tompa’s. (She was hit in the skull with a severed, six-fingered hand, remember?) He visits the infirmary.
For several seconds Dante stood there, his left hand jammed into a pocket, fidgeting with the corrugated oval of a creolidyte adapter he’d carried off from the Comm Room by mistake. Visiting the infirmary always rubbed the scabs off old nightmares. Even worse than the memories, he hated the reason for this visit.
Unpleasant tasks were the essence of a policeman’s job, of course; he’d known that when he accepted the demotion to Military Discipline after his injury, but the job kept getting harder, not easier.
He took a deep breath and assumed the erect posture he expected of himself. Then he stepped to the open door of the room.
There she was. Naked.
“Well, Tompa Lee,” he whispered, “we meet at last.”
She didn’t answer, of course, and even if she could have, her screams would never escape the clear lid of her casket.
Effing Feline here again, and I’ve had a terrifying thought. What if ol’ Dandruff Puss in the sky coughs up furballs? They’d be huge, and as heavy as falling pianos. Now I’m terrified to go outside!
Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday posts.
[image error]
The Trial of Tompa Lee
Only her enemies can save her from alien injustice
[image error]Tompa Lee thinks joining the Space Navy is a dream come true, but it turns into a nightmare when she’s framed for murder on an alien planet. To prove her innocence, she’ll have to trust the policeman who betrayed her to cruel alien justice—and defeat 300 aliens who want to slaughter her.
Edward Hoornaert’s science fiction saga begins The Trilogy of Tompa Lee, though each book in the series stands alone. If you enjoy seeing lowly underdogs overcoming awe-inspiring odds, you’ll love The Trial of Tompa Lee.
Praise for The Trial of Tompa Lee
“Ed Hoornaert is a marvelous writer: a terrific, engrossing storyteller and a consummate stylist.” — Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo-Award winning author
“A rollicking romp on a distant planet, full of adventure and heart.” — Amber Belldene, author of the Blood Vine series
“Reminiscent of the best of classic Star Trek.” TheBestReviews.com
“Hold a tissue ready, as Mr. Hoornaert knows how to squeeze the heart of the reader.” — Love Romances
“Tompa Lee is an attractive, ambitious vagabond.” — Arizona Daily Star
“Classic science fiction, but with enough character development to interest non-science fiction readers.” — Romance Reviews Today
Amazon | Canada | UK | Australia
Apple iBooks
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books
Read chapter one of The Trial of Tompa Lee
March 16, 2017
Confession of a recovering pantser
Once again, I’m joining a blog hop run by Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW). For those new to my blog, yes, I’m a guy, and yes, I write romance. I’ve written for Silhouette, but these days I write science fiction with romance and humor.
This week’s writing prompt is:
Plot Away: My Writing Process
My name is Ed, and I must confess that I’m a recovering pantser, i.e., a writer who flies by the seat of my pants rather than plotting anything out in advance. That’s how I wrote my first four published novels … and an equal number of unpubishable ones. For me — though maybe not for you — it was inefficient.
Since then I’ve tried various methods to plan my books in advance so I spend less time following uninteresting story lines. I’m probably 67% plotter and 33% pantser. In other words, I’m a plotter who leaves plenty of wiggle room for inspiration.
[image error]I don’t follow any approach religiously, but my current favorite is Michael Hauge’s six stage plot structure. Michael is a genius at distilling story to its simplest components. Even pansters can benefit. Comparing a manuscript to his model may point out areas to improve. For example, a lot of times my setups are too long, which delays getting into the meat of the story. Michael’s approach helps me see where I need to edit.
If you aren’t familiar with Michael’s approach, you may want to visit his website for an overview. If you get the chance to hear him, I recommend you seize it.
[image error]
Click here to check out the writing processes of other fine writers in the blog hop.
March 11, 2017
Effing Feline searches for mice
Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.
I, Effing Feline, really loved last week’s practice for catching mice. I’m ready for the real thing; all I have to do is find a mouse. Here’s my plan:
Swipe a bag of shredded cheddar from the fridge and scatter the cheese all over the house. You know, for bait.
Rip apart all the couch cushions to see if mice hide there
Claw apart Mr V’s computer screen and look inside. Maybe that’s where computer mice live.
I’ve chosen another snippet from The Trial of Tompa Lee. During the first ever human shore leave on planet Zee Shode, their Shon guide leads Tompa’s group of sailors to a large pub/cafe. The sailors drink a local wine — except for Tompa. The guide warned her not to. The wine is an aphrodisiac, and when the sailors try to molest her, she flees the pub.
The plot to frame poor Tompa is now in motion.
Tompa spun into a defensive crouch. She saw what the crowd was afraid of, bouncing along the concrete pavement toward the pub windows: An A-140 grenade, the most destructive explosive in the Navy’s arsenal.
“Get down,” she shouted to the old Shon beside her. (Paragraph deleted to fit...)
The blast was so loud she felt it rather than heard it.
As though her entire remaining life was compressed into the moment, things happened in slow motion. Wide-hipped bodies tumbled like dust motes through bright summer sun — bright, because massive chunks of the overhead roadway were tumbling onto the crowd of Shons. A long, snake-like bus fell from the roadway and exploded in a cascade of sparks and flame.
A severed, six-fingered hand shot from the inferno toward Tompa’s head. Inexplicably sitting in a shop doorway atop the old Shon, she tried to duck, but the gory hand slammed into her with the force of a sledgehammer.
Effing Feline here again. My plan for finding a mouse is purrfect, no? Any suggestions where else I should look?
A big wave and a hug to Weekend Warriors Elizabeth Alsobrooks and Nancy Gideon, whom Ed had the pleasure of meeting today at the Tucson Festival of Books.
Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday posts.
[image error]
The Trial of Tompa Lee
[image error]Tompa Lee thinks joining the Space Navy is a dream come true, but it turns into a nightmare when she’s framed for mass murder on an alien planet. To prove her innocence, she’ll have to trust the policeman who betrayed her to cruel alien justice—and defeat 300 vengeful aliens who want to slaughter her.
If you enjoy watching lowly underdogs overcome awe-inspiring odds, you’ll love The Trial of Tompa Lee.
The book is currently free, so this is a great time to make it your own:
Amazon | Canada | UK | Australia
Apple iBooks | Smashwords | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books
