K.J. Chapman's Blog, page 74

Confession Time

I haven’t written more than 2700k on EVO Ghost in four weeks! Yep, a whole month with just 2700k. It’s not like I’ve been working on other projects, I’ve literally written 2700k in a month. (Notes not included, of course.) Writing up renewed character notes took days to complete.

Everything written has been by hand, and I found my flow a little. I shall pick up where I left off on the pen and paper drafting. I have some big things planned for EVO Ghost- one of them… finishing the draft haha.

I have, however, read and reviewed seven books in the same month, so no time was wasted. Inspiration just wasn’t rushing through me at all, and even my writing exercises fell by the wayside even more than they already have. Instead, I threw myself into reading the works of many talented and inspiring people in hopes that some of that inspiration would rub off on me. I’m happy to say it has.

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I had a funny vision this morning of my characters sat around playing cards, waiting for me to come back. I hope it’ll be a warm welcome…

Content belongs to KJ.Chapman

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My Music Muse

My music muse of the moment is Disturbed’s cover of The Sound of Silence. The original was performed by Simon and Garfunkel, but the sounds are quite different.

There is something about the way that David Draiman sings it that has me captivated. I’ve included both the original and the cover, so you can see for yourself..

Original: The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel.

Cover Version (and my muse of the moment): The Sound of Silence by Disturbed.

Music videos sourced from youtube.com

Review: Diary of Anna the Girl Witch by Max Candee

Diary of Anna the Girl Witch by Max Candee 4/5

Blurb: What do you do when you discover you’re a witch… And that using your new powers destroys your soul a little each time?

Set in the Swiss countryside, this story blends ancient folklore with a coming of age tale about a young witch on the brink of womanhood. Anna Sophia has always known she was different. She didn’t know just how different until now.

On the eve of her 13th birthday — in the orphanage where she’s spent most of her childhood — Anna wonders about her past. She never knew her parents, doesn’t even know where she came from. All she has to go by is an unbelievable fairy tale her uncle used to tell: that she was found as a baby, tucked among a pack of bear cubs in the wilds of Russia.

To make matters even more complex, Anna has discovered that she can see and do things that no one else can. So far, she’s kept her powers a secret, and they remain strange and frightening even to her.

It’s only when Anna receives a letter from her mother — a mother she will never meet — that she discovers some of the truths about her past, and begins to uncover the possibilities in her future. As Anna continues to learn more about her secret abilities, she finds out that her neighbors are hiding something of their own: a plot to harm Anna and her friends.

Can Anna Sophia use her newfound supernatural powers to stop them? Can she fight back, without endangering her own soul? And maybe, just maybe, is her own secret tied up with theirs?

Through a story of otherworldly magic, Anna Sophia finds a sense of real-world belonging. With its cast of strong characters, inventive setting, and engaging storyline, this fantasy adventure is a relevant novel for middle grade children or young adults.

Review:

With thanks to Helvetic House and Netgalley for offering me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the first children’s book I have reviewed on my blog, and I was pleasantly surprised with how the narrative drew me in. I had to keep in mind that the book was aimed at children/ young teens, but that being said, it was an innovative tale that I’m sure many parents would be happy to read to their children- that is if their kids don’t think storytime is uncool *hehe*.

The narrative has dark undertones and impresses morals upon the reader. Anna Sophie learns that she is a witch, and that her magic has two sides- light and dark. If she uses her magic to harm or for ‘bad’, then she loses a little bit of her soul. She has to use initiative to ensure she only uses good magic, or she may start becoming like an evil relative she has only recently learnt existed.

There are dark chapters and incredibly sinister adults, even wicked policemen, but good always triumphs over evil, and that’s an important ethic woven into the narrative. Anna Sophia’s character is typical for a thirteen year old girl, and I feel the author had her face her trials and hardship in a relatable way for children and young teens.

Squire was a funny little character- a hand that becomes animated when heated by flames. I couldn’t help but think of Thing from the Addams Family. I’m showing my age now, but I like that Thing has had a bit of an upgrade for the younger generations.

My own daughter is a little too young to appreciate this book, but I won’t hesitate to recommmend it to her when she’s older. The ending is open for a second book, and is set to be a good one.

 

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties.

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.

My Time Jump Hack

It’s happening. There is going to be a time jump in EVO Ghost. I have had conflicting advice on adding a time jump to my narrative, but in the end I thought , ‘a time jump will make me happy, and I write to make me happy’. I do feel it benefits the story for numerous reasons, and cuts out mundane routine that would be present if I mosied on through; first person present tense can be a little tricky that way.

Now, I know I’ve got a lot of work to do to pull the time jump off, but I know I can do it, and make it beneficial to the narrative.

I’ve already discovered one hack that has been great for getting back into the headspace of all the main and secondary characters- renewed character notes!

I am focussing on each character separately, not solely thinking about them in terms of their relationship toward my MC, but in terms of where their heads are at. What has happened during the time jump? How did the situation at the end of book two affect them? Where do they fit in the new world? This practice in itself is great for inspiring narrative developments and plot twists. Some people have changed for the better, others for the worse, some tug on my heart strings. At least I know where to go with the narrative and character development.

Have you ever written a time jump into your narrative? Did it work? Did it prove harder than imagined?

Content belongs to KJ.Chapman

Meme sourced from memegenerator.net

Review: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson 5/5

Blurb: The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler – the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years – has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

Review:

Sanderson has done it again. So many points of view, and so many cleverly woven plots and sub plots that interlink beautifully. Every character is important, well developed, and enriches the story. They change, grow with the narrative, and are just so believable that they could be real humans.

I am continuously in awe of Sanderson’s world building skills. The allomancy, political agendas, and mythology that were established in book one have only been strengthen and shined in book two.

I love Vin’s character, and the reasonings I laid out in my review of book one still stand. I have a soft spot for her relationship with Elend, and the flaws and difficulties they face only make me root for them more. There is another character who’s swiftly becoming an absolute favourite of mine- Sazed. I wish I had created him- that is all. My husband has read this series countless times, and I continuously ask him questions about my favourite characters that I don’t really want answers to. Luckily, my husband loves the books just as much as I do and will not spoil them for me. There you go- two recommendations for this series rolled into one review!

Jam packed with action, loss *sobs*, and revelations, I read the last 250 pages or so in one sitting. The ending had some misleading moments that left me clamping my hand to my mouth, and then a cliffhanger that has fuelled my need to read book three.

Check out my review for The Final Empire, Mistborn #1 : here.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties.

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.

The Dead Man Walking by Thomas Hardy

 

The Dead Man Walking by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

They hail me as one living,

But don’t they know

That I have died of late years,

Untombed although?

I am but a shape that stands here,

A pulseless mould,

A pale past picture, screening

Ashes gone cold.

Not at a minute’s warning,

Not in a loud hour,

For me ceased Time’s enchantments

In hall and bower.

There was no tragic transit,

No catch of breath,

When silent seasons inched me

On to this death ….

– A Troubadour-youth I rambled

With Life for lyre,

The beats of being raging

In me like fire.

But when I practised eyeing

The goal of men,

It iced me, and I perished

A little then.

When passed my friend, my kinsfolk,

Through the Last Door,

And left me standing bleakly,

I died yet more;

And when my Love’s heart kindled

In hate of me,

Wherefore I knew not, died I

One more degree.

And if when I died fully

I cannot say,

And I changed into the corpse-thing

I am to-day,

Yet is it that, though whiling

The time somehow

In walking, talking, smiling,

I live not now.

EVO Nation by KJ Chapman

Just had to reblog this awesome review of EVO Nation. Thank you to Al over at HyperactivePandemonium for taking the time to read and review!

hyperactivepandemonium

Hello readers.

I recently had the pleasure and fortune of reading EVO Nation, the first book in the EVO Nation series. Due to my work load and busy schedule, it took me awhile to get around to this book, but once I did, I was hooked.

Blurb:

The government tortures her, her own kind use her, and she is learning the true meaning of ulterior motives. Teddie Leason has been dragged into the festering underbelly of the secretive world of EVO; a world about to be blown wide apart.

EVO are the next link in evolution, but with that title come the dangers of capture, torture, and experimentation. And with that threat come the need to survive, and a breed of EVO who are set to not only thrive, but rule.

Teddie has the fate of the EVO and Non-EVO world resting on her shoulders, and now, the reclusive teenager…

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Author Interview: J.M.Bush

A few weeks ago, I received a book review request email from someone unknown to me- J.M.Bush. After finding me on Twitter, and noticing I do book reviews, he sent me a personality packed email, and a request to read a free copy of his novel, Storm in Shanghai, for review. I agreed, and guess what? I’m so glad I did. Check out my review: Storm in Shanghai review.

Since the review, I have contacted J.M.Bush to see if he’d like to be a guest on my blog, and he agreed- yay! Today’s the day that I get to welcome him to my blog and introduce him to you lovely lot.

Storm in Shanghai is a fantasy novel set in present day, Shanghai. What inspired the narrative, and is fantasy your go to genre?

The story was inspired by my time living in Shanghai, China from 2011-2015. My wife was working at an international school, and I had given up my job in America as Claim Processor for State Farm Insurance to become a stay-at-home Dad as I was not allowed to work in China. Having been a musician for the past 20 years, playing in several different punk bands, I ended up forming a band in Shanghai. We played a lot, toured around China, released two albums, and were featured on National Chinese news to 1.5 billion viewers, so I had this kind of double life while living there. During the day I was a stay-at-home Dad, but at night I lived the life of a punk rock star, and those two lives had very little to do with one another. When I decided to write the book, I took that idea and wove magic into it because, yes, fantasy (and to a lesser degree) sci-fi are my go to genres.

How has living in China helped you with the drafting of Storm in Shanghai? It must have had great influence over your work.

I left China in 2015, and me and the family now live in Penang, Malaysia. The sequel to Storm in Shanghai will take place here; I made sure to set that up in the book! But my time in Shanghai absolutely helped with the sculpting of my book. In fact, many of the characters from the novel are based on the people from the Shanghai punk rock scene. On my facebook page I have recently been doing a character inspiration series, where I introduce the real life versions of the characters from the book.

Character development is an important feature in your novel. Could you describe your main character in 10 words or less?

Family man, mage, fast, son, selfless, funny, insubordinate, leader, hungry. Haha, I hope that wasn’t meant to be a complete sentence, If so, I totally cheated.

What experience, good or bad, stands out for you in the drafting or publishing process of your novel?

In drafting the novel, I learned that you’re not always as good as you think you are. After beta-reads, I recieved some harsh criticism. The story was good, but the book was to ‘explain-y’ one reader told me. He begged me to show him and not tell him why the characters were doing what they were doing, especially the Maelstrom. So, I went back and did several rewrites, which is where the flashback chapters came from for both Jaret and the Maelstrom. This really improved the way the book read as now you could follow both of the characters from their youth until the present day, and see their motivations for the wonderful or terrible things they have done. It was a great lesson- get multiple opinions and listen to your readers.

In the publishing arena, I learned that there are millions of people trying to do what I’m doing. They all want to get published and many of them write better than I do, write stories with more marketability than I do, or know the right people. After a year of queries, I had two full requests on this book. After a couple of months each, they passed. I had many partial requests, but those never panned out either. So, I made the decision to self publish. Many people think that self publishing your first novel is a mistake. They say that your first book probably isn’t good enough to publish. They say to just keep writing. But others, like Hugh Howey, say publish it. Self publish as many books as you can. Just keep writing. I prefer that advice.

What is your writing process? Structured or ‘as and when’? Plotter or pantser?

I come up with an idea, and sometimes jot down notes so as not to forget them. But when it comes time to write, I just sit down and let my fingers do the talking. I’ve explained it before like this- there is a movie playing in my mind as I write and I just type what is happening as fast as I can. I never pause to consider motivations or if this makes any sense. I just type as fast as I can to keep up with that movie in my head. The details got sorted out in editing and rewrites.

What advice would you give to an aspiring fantasy author? Is there anything you have learnt from your journey that you didn’t know when you set out?

Write something else, something that will sell. Hahaha! No, but seriously, some people will tell you to write what you want to read, and other people will tell you to write something marketable. My advice is do whatever makes you happy. If you want money, write with marketability in mind. If you have stories in your head and you want them out, write those. If you want to read a book about six dogs that can turn into cars and know karate, please write that… I want to read it.

Would you like to share a small excerpt from Storm in Shanghai? Pretty please…

Storm In Shanghai Excerpt

What is next for J.M.Bush?

Keep writing! As much as possible. The family is in talks to return to America in late 2017, but nothing is final, yet.

Here’s your chance to pitch other books or upcoming works.

I have two manuscripts currently being edited and a third being written. One is a sci-fi lovestory set in my hometown in Alabama, and taking place in the not too distant future. The second one is a mixed genre fantasy/sci fi where in ancient times, human magic users from Earth travelled through time and space on wooden ships to arrive on a planet full of dwarves. Space travel, axes and hammers, magic, and same sex relationship between the two main characters… a dwarven warrior and a dwarven sorcerer. The third book is a non-fiction collection of the articles I have been writing about my international travels. Also, I have recently committed myself to participating in a 100 day project, where I will write one short story for 100 days. I’ll be posting them all on my Wattpad. Oh, and it’s about dwarves. I’m a big fan of the short yet sturdy race that lives under the mountain.

Thank you to JM.Bush for joining me today!

Get your copy of Storm in Shanghai from Amazon today!

Find JM. Bush on

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Permission to use any excerpts, quotations, or content must be sought from the author, JM.Bush.

Getting Back to Pen and Paper

When I first started properly writing, 12 *cough* years ago, I always used pen and paper. We had a PC in our family home, and I had access to computers through college, but at home I was vying for PC time with other family members, and at college I was cramming revision and writing essays. Pen and paper was easiest.

When I moved out at 20 with my boyfriend, now hubby, and my bestie, Charlotte, I didn’t have a PC. I would use Charlotte’s when she wasn’t using it, but again- pen and paper was easiest.

Then, laptops came into the equation. As soon as I had one warming my lap, typing took over. I would write notes, but I rarely drafted on anything other than a laptop. That remained true until very recently.

I was suffering from a headache that only got worse from staring at a screen. I had a wave of motivation, so I couldn’t not write. I grabbed a pen and paper and knuckled down. Wow, I forgot how liberating it was to actually write words- physically write words in my handwriting. Weird, right? No, I think there is a creative link between thinking and physically writing. It is the reason why I write my notes by hand, and now the reason why I plan to draft a part of EVO Ghost by hand. I’m still a typing advocate, but when stuck, it’s pen and paper for me, and I am definitely in a rut.

Do you draft all, part, or none of your WIP on paper? Are you an avid note taker? I welcome all comments.

Content belongs to KJ.Chapman

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Review: The Diving-Bell and The Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

The Diving-Bell and The Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby 4/5

Blurb: In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young childen, a 44-year-old man known and loved for his wit, his style, and his impassioned approach to life. By the end of the year he was also the victim of a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem.  After 20 days in a coma, Bauby awoke into a body which had all but stopped working: only his left eye functioned, allowing him to see and, by blinking it, to make clear that his mind was unimpaired. Almost miraculously, he was soon able to express himself in the richest detail: dictating a word at a time, blinking to select each letter as the alphabet was recited to him slowly, over and over again. In the same way, he was able eventually to compose this extraordinary book.

By turns wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his determination to live as fully in his mind as he had been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his children and of hearing his aged father’s voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times and of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes. Again and again he returns to an “inexhaustible reservoir of sensations,” keeping in touch with himself and the life around him.

Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This book is a lasting testament to his life.

Review:

Firstly, just knowing that this book was written by the blinking of one eyelid and having those blinks translated by an alphabet chart is astounding. As a writer, perhaps that means even more to me. What a feat! I read the prologue and welled up a little. I knew I had to keep reading. Bauby’s beautiful prose and descriptions are made even more beautiful with the knowing of how much time and energy went into ‘blinking’ out the words.

Bauby had a rare, severe stroke at just 44 that damaged his brain stem, and subsequently suffered from ‘locked in syndrome.’ This novel recounts his memories from his life before, and his experiences after his stroke- some leave you in tears, and in awe of such a brave person. He writes with such raw honesty that it’s hard to imagine that the mind who wrote this novel is trapped in an uncooperative body. He could be raging mad, bitter, wallowing, but no, he has dignity trapped within his motionless shell.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly is an eye opening read. You finish this book feeling motivated to live life to the fullest, and a little ashamed that you’ve taken your health for granted. I would definitely recommend this book. Now, I want to see the film.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties.

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman.

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.