Sara L. Daigle's Blog, page 5

The Other Side of the Rainbow: Book 2 Update!

It’s been a while since my last post—but the good news is, editing is finally done on book 2! It officially has a title, too, and is going to be called Triangle: Book Two of the Azellian Affairs. Within the next month or so, we will be moving from editing to production, which means we should see a finalized book in the next few months—maybe even before summer! 

So everyone who is waiting—your patience will be rewarded soon!  

It wasn’t only Triangle that got entirely re-written in this round of editing, my entire writing process has been completely turned on its head. I have learned that pre-writing stories is impossible. My editor has such an important contribution that I literally can’t write the next book until we are done with the one we are working on. Each story seeds the next—and even though I’ve written nine stories in this series over the years, the changes we made on Triangle not only change Triangle, they change everything I’ve written on the seven other books currently in the queue. Like the planet Pluto, which went from planet to dwarf planet, my already written stories devolved from complete stories to story “seeds”. 

After my initial discouragement, I came to realize that this shift actually is a place of incredible freedom. Yes, it looks like I have to start over, but instead, what happens is that I get to play in a brand new space with these characters and they get to surprise me in new and fascinating ways. They, and the stories, are coming alive in a way that I never expected when I first began the journey to publication so long ago. And somehow, this change in my process, where I write a new story while finishing up the editing on the other one, adds a dynamic excitement to the story arc that I haven’t felt in a long time. These stories are morphing and what is being born is something I don’t know, either—this is a very exciting place to be. 

Somewhere in the middle of all the editing on Triangle, I got book 3 (which is not yet named) written and am now in the pre-editing process, which involves my going through and tweaking scenes. Rough draft to finished copy is yet another part of my process that has changed dramatically. I know that the editor will be changing the story, teasing out the elements I might not even consciously see, which will seed more stories going forward, so my attachment to what I am writing is far less concrete than it used to be. What is the lesson in all of this? Everything changes, and change itself is beautiful. 

For everyone waiting: Book 3 is now officially on my editor’s queue for later this year, so hopefully we’ll get book 3 into editing more quickly than was the case with Triangle. Fingers crossed that we’ll have book 3 out in 2019! 

In the interim, in 2018 Triangle will be the treasure at the bottom of that ephemeral rainbow and the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel!

Climbing Another Mountain: The Journey of Writing a Sequel

It’s been months since my last blog post, as I have been completely and totally buried in editing my second novel. When I began this journey to publication years ago, I had thought the biggest mountain to climb was getting published in the first place. While, yes, that was a challenge requiring courage and support, little did I know that the process of editing a sequel was going to be quite so vigorous. Not only do I have to make sure characters are consistent and follow through logically and realistically, I also have to make sure all the changes my editor and I made editing the first book, Alawahea, flow through to the sequel. Since I originally wrote book 2 over fifteen years ago, the process of editing book 2 became something more of an undertaking than I expected. The story I wrote fifteen years ago dissolved, became something totally different, and that journey was an even bigger surprise than the original path to publication.

I am in awe—again!—of the synergy between editor and author. Until my editor stepped in and began asking questions, pointing at places where the story didn’t flow right, I literally could not see that the story even needed to BE updated. At the outset, I had thought book 1 flowed beautifully into book 2 and there would be very few changes that had to be made. It makes me laugh now—that self-created blindness that we all have experienced at one point or another when it comes to our own lives. When I finally realized how utterly and completely off-kilter book 2 was from book 1, and that the editing process would be so thorough that it ripped up the entire book, it led to frustration, anger and even a few tears—and then to acceptance, freedom and the birth of a totally new story. Who I was fifteen years ago (the “I” that wrote the original story) has utterly changed, so why wouldn’t the story? We don’t stay in one place, and neither does what we create.     

Book 2 required something beyond mere editing changes: it required a complete and total re-write. Characters were removed and scenes added, old storylines retired, new ones appeared, and out of the ashes of the old, a phoenix has risen. The true shape of book 2 is being slowly revealed to me, along with a deeper and stronger understanding of the characters whose lives are playing out on the page. It has been the most frustrating, challenging and yet fulfilling process I have ever experienced in my life, filled with all the tears—both sorrowful and joyous—of parenthood. Book 2 is growing up, and I’m humbled by what is being revealed. It feels somehow like I have had no say in it, even though my fingers are on the keyboard as the story flows through me. Will it resonate with audiences the way book 1 has? I don’t know—but I do know that the transformational experience of watching book 2 grow up and join its older sibling in the eyes of audiences will be a yet another journey of self-awareness and transcendental joy for me. Maybe even another mountain to climb. 

Remembering the Editing Process -- Take Two

Much like childbirth, one forgets the pain—and utter joy—of any huge creative endeavor. I don’t know what other artists feel like, but it is a mix of emotions that face me as I get the first edit of Book 2 back from the editor and see what she has to say. Now I get to smooth out ALL those rough edges and begin to re-work the manuscript so it can be polished to a shine that brings out the best that it can be. The story I wrote gets a hair cut. Sometimes it’s quite dramatic and all the head gets shaved. Scenes come out, threads get re-woven. Other times, it’s a simple trim, a word adjusted here and there. 

It’s certainly the toughest part of the process. Writing a story, especially when the muse is talking, is easy. Re-writing it is quite different. Re-writing is a different skill set than writing, requiring a part of the brain to keep track of the large threads while coming up with brand new scenes that fit into the overall whole. It's not unlike editing. How does my editor do this on a regular basis? I have no idea, yet her input is so intensely invaluable and I am super grateful she does it. Something about the synergy between us brings out a magic I can’t even explain. I have re-written book 2 more than a few times, and edited it countless times, rearranging storylines and trying to smooth out edges. Yet, somehow, I can’t even perceive some of the trouble spots until she points them out. Her questions lead me down different roads and I see things I literally could not see before. It is a truly mutual creative endeavor that just amazes me.

But there is no question that it is difficult. This baby, who is being gestated, is asking for quite a bit of creative energy and time. This is where the hard work comes in. Writing a story is easy. Editing and re-writes? Not so much. But I wouldn’t give up any moment of this process. And best of all, at the end of the tunnel there are the continuing adventures of Tamara, Merran and Alarin, and a world in which I love to spend time! What’s next? Well, we’ll soon find out…

Fun First: Hiking in the Snow

A few weeks ago, in the midst of one of its famous weather reversals, the Colorado Front Range experienced one of its common, but often dramatic, spring snowstorms. Twelve inches of wet, cold snow interrupted a steady string of 70 degree plus days. And I, being the insane, adopted Coloradan that I am, decided that taking a hike in the middle of it was a good idea. I’m not entirely crazy: I went with two others, who included my niece and father-in-law, on a populated, fairly low level trail (as trails in Denver go; this one was at about 6000 feet or so). I was also not the only one bit by the hike-in-a-snowstorm bug; the trail was surprisingly busy for the middle of snowstorm.

Dressed as I was in appropriate attire as well, the experience was much, much more pleasant than I thought it would be. There is something beautiful about being out in nature in the middle of a relatively “warm” snowstorm that is exhilarating, expansive and very loving toward my body. I handled it better than I thought I would. The three and half mile trail we walked was about perfect; not too hard, not too easy and I managed the distance (and vertical climb) better than I thought as well, considering it’s been a while since I last communed with the mountains. 

I’ve never been a winter sport person, although I have enjoyed snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on occasion. I also don't care for cold, but this spring storm was so much warmer than the frigid Arctic air that sometimes sweeps through the state in the depths of January and February, that it was actually pleasant. The gentle snowfall and still air reminded me of childhood winters spent in Maine, sugaring off under the shelter of the forest and playing on snowmobiles across miles and miles of trails that crisscross the state. The camaraderie of the trail is pleasant and cheerful, especially when everyone is happy to be outside, reminding us of a more carefree time. 

Hiking in a snowstorm was a first for me, a reminder of the carefree moments from my childhood. While I don't like cold, spring storms are actually fun. How many fun firsts have you experienced so far this year? 

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Fun First: Hiking in the snow

A few weeks ago, in the midst of one of its famous weather reversals, the Colorado Front Range experienced one of its common, but often dramatic, spring snowstorms. Twelve inches of wet, cold snow interrupted a steady string of 70 degree plus days. And I, being the insane, adopted Coloradan that I am, decided that taking a hike in the middle of it was a good idea. I’m not entirely crazy: I went with two others, who included my niece and father-in-law, on a populated, fairly low level trail (as trails in Denver go; this one was at about 6000 feet or so). I was also not the only one bit by the hike-in-a-snowstorm bug; the trail was surprisingly busy for the middle of snowstorm.

Dressed as I was in appropriate attire as well, the experience was much, much more pleasant than I thought it would be. There is something beautiful about being out in nature in the middle of a relatively “warm” snowstorm that is exhilarating, expansive and very loving toward my body. I handled it better than I thought I would. The three and half mile trail we walked was about perfect; not too hard, not too easy and I managed the distance (and vertical climb) better than I thought as well, considering it’s been a while since I last communed with the mountains. 

I’ve never been a winter sport person, although I have enjoyed snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on occasion. I also don't care for cold, but this spring storm was so much warmer than the frigid Arctic air that sometimes sweeps through the state in the depths of January and February, that it was actually pleasant. The gentle snowfall and still air reminded me of childhood winters spent in Maine, sugaring off under the shelter of the forest and playing on snowmobiles across miles and miles of trails that crisscross the state. The camaraderie of the trail is pleasant and cheerful, especially when everyone is happy to be outside, reminding us of a more carefree time. 

Hiking in a snowstorm was a first for me, a reminder of the carefree moments from my childhood. While I don't like cold, spring storms are actually fun. How many fun firsts have you experienced so far this year? 

Visit From a Bird of Prey

Last week, as I walked out of my house, I had a very powerful nature experience: a magnificent bird of prey hovering over a freshly killed rabbit. Dogs and I both froze in the doorway, my brain racing to figure out what I was looking at, the dogs frozen because that’s when they do when faced with something new. As my brain slowly realized what I was seeing was not multiple rabbits (a common sight in front of my house), but actually a very large bird standing over one very dead rabbit, I was rendered breathless for several reasons. One, birds of prey are huge! Two, it was a magnificent animal, and one rarely sees a big bird like that on the ground, much less three minutes after it has just downed its prey. The bird flew from the grass to the roof of my neighbor’s porch watching me (and my dogs) very carefully. The dogs and I beat a hasty retreat back into the house, and I told my husband just what was waiting out front. He popped his head out and managed to get some amazing pictures. Fortunately, he’s quicker on the draw than I am; the camera was the last thing on my mind. If it had been left up to me, this would have been a story about the one that got away with no visual evidence to remind me. 

Of course being who we are, we immediately started arguing about what gracious animal had chosen to reduce our rabbit population that fine morning. Was it an eagle? If so, golden eagle? Immature bald eagle? There is a nesting pair nearby, so that particular guess was not that ridiculously far fetched. Falcon? Hawk? Some alien creature none of us have ever seen before but happens to look like a bird? The guesses reached from plausible to the realms of silly—I am a science fiction romance writer, after all—before I decided that it didn’t matter what wonderful creature had visited us, but that I was grateful for its visit all the same. I have seen these birds around, but never that close. It was as incredible as the time I came around a corner on a hiking path and came face to face with a deer. Being face to face with nature: it does have a way of taking our breath away, doesn’t it? 

Yes, the dogs did get their walk—we went out the back door instead—leaving the bird to finish its meal in peace. 

Here is one of the pictures my husband took of the bird on the roof next door. What kind of bird do you think it was? 

The Fantastic Everyday: Cars and Empathy

This weekend, I got a chance to enjoy an annual ritual: attend the Denver Auto Show. Dealerships from all over the Denver metro area trot out their flashiest and best cars. You get to view, handle and sit in everything from a Ford Fusion to a Lamborghini. I didn’t realize I enjoyed nice cars until I had a boyfriend who was a motorhead, but once having discovered it, I learned that cars are fun. Helping my good friend, the talented and vivacious Alissa Tyler, with her TV show, Cars From a Woman’s Perspective, helped me further develop my interest in appreciating cars and their performance. For a peek at Alissa’s engaging storytelling abilities and love of cars, go to www.carsfromawomansperspective.com. She has played with some really fun cars and filmed the experience, some of which I've gotten to share with her. 

Wandering around the auto show, experiencing the full sensory interaction of so many cars in one place, always makes me aware that cars are such interesting symbols. They are partially beings in and of themselves—try sitting in a Rolls Royce, then sit in a Mazda Miata, one right after the other, and you’ll feel the distinct personality difference between the two—but they are also creations. Someone designed these cars, put heart and soul into them, and put them out there, to be enjoyed. In that way, it’s very similar to writing or art. The artist or writer taps into the well of creativity, designs something, then the audience closes the loop by experiencing it. 

I write about a melding of the everyday and the fantastic. About aliens with extra senses and abilities that are far beyond our own. Except I ask myself, are they? Are those extra senses really all that alien? Or is it really just the way we all experience the world? This weekend, I got a chance to play a little with my own extra senses—the empathic/sensory awareness of my life that allows me to tap into and play with the image a car projects, and helps me enjoy the sensory experience of sitting in a nice, brand-new car. And I realized: empathy and experience don’t have to be scary or overwhelming. They are fun.  

I certainly got to experience that enjoyment this weekend, sharing my mental space with some very friendly cars! 

New Beginnings: Here we go again!

Today is the start of new things: a beautiful new website and the beginning editing process on book 2 of the Azellian Affairs. I celebrate the new beginning, even as I approach the idea of editing Book 2 with a distinct feeling of nerves: yes, even having been through the editing process once before, with one published book under my belt, I feel nervous. Everything is in place: an editor and a cover designer who have won awards for the first book, a story that came from the same mysterious inner place as the first one, time carved out each day to write…everything has come together beautifully. 

As I write this blog, it is difficult to sit still. I want to jump up and down and startle my sleeping dogs awake, although I suspect I’d regret that plan of action pretty quickly. Maybe those nerves aren’t what I think they are. Maybe they’re something far different. Something far larger than just the story I’m writing at the moment is waiting to express itself through these stories. With nine stories written (and more in the hopper), I’m only just beginning to glimpse the bigger picture. That picture is not what I expected it to be when I started Alawahea so many years ago.

Book 2 is a very different being than Alawahea is. It’s got a big brother (or sister) to live up to, yet it has its own unique voice and flavor. Book 2 is about unexpected turns in the road. There are many of those…here’s to being able to roll through all the turns with grace and love. 

Diary of Merran Corina #5

Has your life ever changed suddenly and everything you thought you knew is different? Merran is about to embark on the life he will have in Alawahea:Book One of the Azellian Affairs: he is to become assistant to the Azellian Ambassador, a post that will change the entire course of his life.  

Merran Corina – about seven months after he first arrives on Earth

Finally got a chance to talk to the ambassador. He told me he’s had his eye on me for the past few months. He was impressed with how I’ve managed to work my way from waiter to manager in two months at the cafe. And that was without using my psi or my body. Mostly. Well, at least not on purpose.

My influence over human woman continues to grow. For some reason, they find me extremely attractive. It’s rather a mystery to me. I have to be very careful not to show them everything I can do, though. They are terrified of my mental abilities…just the suggestion that I might know more than they think I should know about what their likes or dislikes are, or echoing too much what they’re thinking…I have to be very, very careful not to reveal myself fully to them. I’m just glad I have no interest in a relationship. Keeping my partners rotating through and only for a few days at a time helps, but it’s been something of a challenge. There are women out there who would, consciously or unconsciously, attempt to trap me into legally linking myself to them. Pregnancy is apparently a popular way to create this kind of legal linking, which doesn’t make sense to me, but I’ve steered clear of a few women with thoughts like that. Apparently, the father is required to support his child on Earth, whether or not he had any say in the child’s conception.  Good thing I can prevent conception with or without the woman’s complicity in the matter. No way am I a going to ever be a father.

Oddly enough, it’s my…notoriety and popularity with human women that brought me to Saren’s attention. He has been watching me juggle humans on my own for the past three months and I’ve apparently impressed him. Assistant Ambassador. It feels like my life is on the cusp of a huge change. I wonder what’s next?

Want to find out more about Merran Corina and his experiences on Earth? Read an excerpt from Alawahea: Excerpt of Book 1

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The Beginning

My first foray into writing occurred when I was a very young child, about 8 years old. I lived in a very rural area, up in the Northern part of Maine, 400 miles away from the nearest city of any size, which was Boston.

I used to go outside at night and just look up at the night sky. It was absolutely gorgeous, too many stars to count. When you look at that many stars, your brain just boggles. It just looks like a mass of starlight. The stars always captured my imagination. I would look at the stars and wonder what planets there were surrounding them. Even as a young child, I didn’t even question that there were planets there, and probably other beings living on those planets. What were they like? What were some of the things they did? How were they different? How were they the same?

One particular heavenly body really fascinated me when I was growing up. Titan, which is a moon of Saturn. I would imagine this moon, which is one of the few moons in the solar system that has an atmosphere, and it completely mesmerized me. I didn’t know a lot about it, obviously, but it was just a jumping off point. I imagined what it would be like to live on another planet like Titan with a different colored sky. I imagined what it might be like to see something rise and set in that sky every day, whether it be another moon or a planet. I found all of that really fascinating.

When I was 8-years-old, most of my writing was very basic: “We went up the hill. We got a drink of water at the top of the hill and watched a beautiful planet rise.” Needless to say, I didn’t have a lot of descriptors, or dialogue. The dialogue I did include was very basic, very simple. I would also draw pictures of what I thought the planet might look like. The creatures that lived there. The people that lived there. My drawing skills were also right on par with what an 8-year-old is capable of. Let’s just say, there were lots of stick people and stick creatures. Everything was beautiful, everything was something to be explored.

As I entered my teens, I continued to write, but moved away from Titan as a subject matter. Astronomy continued to be a fascination of mine, although I didn’t end up going into it because the math intimidated me. Explorations within astronomy absolutely captured me. I would read anything I could get my hands on by NASA, and took astronomy classes. I wanted to do anything I possibly could to learn more about planets that might exist out there.

Since, of course, it’s all based on what humanity knows, my lessons were mostly about the solar system. It was mostly our solar system that I was exploring, but it provided a jumping off point. As I got into my teens, I also started to write plays. For the most part, I would act out the plays that I wrote with my friends. We would actually go through and role play through the dialogue. I found plays to be too restrictive. There were so many details in my imagination that didn’t necessarily translate to a play, so I found myself gravitating toward a narrative style, rather than play writing. Those stories morphed and became Alawahea.

There were stories before Alawahea. There were many different characters. Whatever I happened to be reading at the time would definitely influence my writing style. There were times when I was reading thigs that weren’t really that great, so my writing followed suit.

When I got into college, I began to write the basic story of Alawahea. I told the story from my own viewpoint because my writing experience tells me, “start where you are.” When you start writing, start where you are. I wrote about a young girl who was in college and started to bring in elements of the fantastic when she encountered aliens. The questions I asked myself to drive the narrative were things like: How did meeting aliens impact her? What are some of the things she said? What are some of the things she imagined? How were the aliens different from her? How were they the same? I contrasted things by getting into the aliens heads and seeing things from their perspective. What did they think of humans? What was confusing to them? What things were the same?

All of that gave me room for the birth of a planet. It gave me the ability to create Azelle, which is the fictional planet that I’ve been able to tap into. The story just started jumping off the page. As I wrote the novel, I also wrote backstory and all kinds of things that built into the characters. All of the little details of their lives just started flowing through me. I currently have 8 stories and they came so easily. It all just started with a little girl’s fascination with the stars in the night sky, and developed into a whole other way of life that feels so very real to me.

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