Kristin Jacques's Blog, page 6

31 Days of Author Madness: Dave Heron

 

The Fiver:
1. What is your writing process?

I have to be in the mood. Trying to force myself to write if I am tired (two kids and a full-time job, energy is depleted most of the time), really is a terrible recipe for getting a story where I want it. When I sit down to write, music is a must. I love to lose myself to a scene, and it really adds that element of almost like playing a movie in my mind with a soundtrack bringing this extra layer of adrenaline to my fingers!

2. What inspires you to write?

The love of stories. I think everyone who has an affection for reading, has, at one point or another, wanted to create something like what they are reading. For me, it was just that. I found myself wanting to create worlds, characters, story lines, heartbreak, heroic moments, etc. Mostly, I wanted to do it for me, but the fact that other people have found some joy in my first novel, is just such an added bonus.

3. Writing is considered a dream job by many, but what if you were granted the opportunity for a true, magical ‘dream job’. What would it be and why?

Honestly, I would love to write a screenplay for a movie. For example, and I am sure this is like this for other writers, I could SEE everything I jotted down for my novel, ‘From the Ash’, in my head. It’s one thing to bring it to a page…but alive on a TV or the big screen? Just…oh how great that would be…

4. You are standing on a stage, addressing a high school auditorium of teenage creative writers. What advice would you impart to them about the craft and the career path of being a writer?

Doubt. Doubt is something that will be your enemy along the way. The key is to continuously believe in yourself. Make that doubt go from ear shattering screams, trying to hold you back from creating something you are truly passionate about, to barely audible whispers. You can overcome anything if you truly believe in yourself. Your story awaits to be told. Only you can let us see it.

5. You’re stranded in a snowed in cabin, well stocked up on food, but no internet. What is on your emergency book shelf?

Anything Brandon Sanderson writes. The Thousand Orc War by R.A. Salvatore. Timothy and Callis Rose by Mark Tufo.

 

Where to find him:

Any other news or updates you would like to share?

I am currently working on the sequel to FTA. Following that, I plan on closing it out, making it a trilogy. Then! I plan on releasing my fantasy novel “Wings of the Chosen”, which is near and dear to my heart. (Long story)

31 Days of Author Madness: Michelle Jo Quinn

The Fiver
1. What is your writing process?

I sit at the desk and hope for the best.

2. What inspires you to write?

Everything and anything. You’ll never know what will spark the mind.

3. Writing is considered a dream job by many, but what if you were granted the opportunity for a true, magical ‘dream job’. What would it be and why?

I do believe I’m living it now.

4. You are standing on a stage, addressing a high school auditorium of teenage creative writers. What advice would you impart to them about the craft and the career path of being a writer?

Writing is only the beginning. The rest of it, if it’s a career they want to pursue, is still a business, and they have to be prepared to work hard.

5. You’re stranded in a snowed in cabin, well stocked up on food, but no internet. What is on your emergency book shelf?

Oh boy…that’s gonna be a huge list. I’d like books in different genres.

Where to find her:

Any news or updates you would like to share?

31 Days of Author Madness: J. M. Butler

The Fiver
1. What is your writing process?

My writing process varies a lot, but at a minimum it involves putting words into some sort of document. Sometimes I act out scenes before I draft them, other times I brew a nice cup of tea and curl up with a book that I love. Other times I just get to it and realize half an hour later that I’m only partially dressed and the lemon juice is still sitting out. Sometimes it’s crazy and disorganized, the veritable home of chaos. Other times it’s quiet and lovely. Though, as a general rule, if my desk is completely clear, then my cats have gotten to it and shoved everything off.

But really all that matters to the writing process for me is that eventually the story gets down. If I do that jotting down words while on the treadmill or trying not to laugh at the absurd translations that come from trying to narrate my story, then that works for me. I just want my stories to get done and out there.

2. What inspires you to write?

I am inspired by almost everything it seems. Writing is a need for me. I have to do it, and as a result, everything around me becomes inspirational in a sense. Either something to emulate or reflect or avoid or do better.

3. Writing is considered a dream job by many, but what if you were granted the opportunity for a true, magical ‘dream job’. What would it be and why?

I would always be a storyteller. But I suppose a sorceress who can read minds and command mythical creatures like dragons, chimeras, manticores, unicorns, and so on wouldn’t be a bad runner-up.

4. You are standing on a stage, addressing a high school auditorium of teenage creative writers. What advice would you impart to them about the craft and the career path of being a writer?

Plan to write a lot. You don’t have to write every day, but writing every day makes it easier to reach proficiency. Essentially it is a journey. The more that you do, the farther you will get. But don’t worry about rushing it. If you can write fast, great! Write as fast as you can. If you can only write slow, great! Write at the pace that works best for you.

Don’t compare yourself to other authors. If you can see something that you can learn, that’s fine. But if you’re looking at your fellow authors and thinking, “I’m never going to make it” or “I suck” or anything like that, you need to stop. Your journey is your own. The path you are on is your own. If you keep at it, you will make it. No one can tell you how long or how short that journey will be. But don’t despise it. Embrace the process. Learn all you can, and support your fellow creators. They aren’t your enemies. Their success won’t take away from you. So celebrate with them and push yourself forward ethically and courageously. No one can stop you except you so don’t get in your own way.

5. You’re stranded in a snowed in cabin, well stocked up on food, but no internet. What is on your emergency book shelf?

Oooh, let’s see. My emergency bookshelf would include some green tinted stenographer pads and pilot fine point pens. Then it would also include several books of mythology, including prime sources like the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. Of course I would have to have The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, Phantastes, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dracula, Aku Aku, The Space Trilogy, Collected Works of Shakespeare, The Writings of Mark Twain, and then a couple bags of new books. There’s probably some others that I am missing here, but that’s all right. They’ll still be at home when I get back. Currently I’m hoping to be stranded in this well-stocked cabin for a couple days.

Where to find her:

  

 

Any other news or updates you would like to share?

31 Days of Author Madness: Angela B.M. Guajardo

The Fiver
1. What is your writing process?

Oh, goodness. Brainstorm, write notes in tiny, scratchy handwriting that grows progressively smaller as ideas pop up faster and faster. Then there’s a point where I have to yell at one cat or another to stop chewing on the spiral binding, or stop trying to eat my pen. After that, I organize my ideas into a chapter-by-chapter and start writing the story itself. Lots of interruptions with Township, Diply, and whatnot are involved but I like seeing the panic in my characters’ eyes when I leave them stuck in one scene or another, wondering when I’ll write them out of their latest predicaments.

2. What inspires you to write?

This is tough to answer. It delves into dark corners of my mind that I prefer to hide from the world. Inspiration comes and goes but it all comes down to me in the end. I don’t have some sappy story that moves me to put pen to paper every day, or something like that. Writing is my calling. Sometimes I embrace my calling, sometimes I don’t, sadly.

3. Writing is considered a dream job by many, but what if you were granted the opportunity for a true, magical ‘dream job’. What would it be and why?

Well, I’m lucky to already be writing full time–not fantasy books, but writing all sorts of things for a company, along with some sports journalism on the side. As far as some alternate dream job? Definitely professional gamer. Who wouldn’t love to be a gnome day after day, slinging fireball, turning orcs into sheep, and getting punted like a football on occasion? Oh, and cliffs. I seem to manage to always find a cliff to fall off of.

4. You are standing on a stage, addressing a high school auditorium of teenage creative writers. What advice would you impart to them about the craft and the career path of being a writer?

Put on deodorant! No, uh, sorry, couldn’t resist the Fluffy joke. I don’t think I’d have any original advice. Keep reading, keep writing, never stop loving the craft, and don’t give away your hard work for free on Amazon. Too many authors are creating a culture where readers are expecting books for free. Don’t devalue yourself like that.

5. You’re stranded in a snowed in cabin, well stocked up on food, but no internet. What is on your emergency book shelf?

A flamethrower. Gettin’ the hell outta there!

Where to find her:

Any news or updates you would like to share?

I will be at the Gila Valley Comicon in Thatcher, AZ on March 23-24, 2018. Drop on by if you live close enough!

 

31 Days of Author Madness: Leigh W. Stuart

The Fiver
1. What is your writing process?

My process is currently up in the air, but I’ve always flirted with some form or other of outlining. Sometimes, I’ll jot a couple pages of notes, other times, I’ll fill half a notebook of chapter/scenes to do. No matter what, though, I always know the ending before I start writing.

2. What inspires you to write?

Music and moods inspire me mostly. A snippet of conversation, part of dream or another story will set me on the path, as well.

3.Writing is considered a dream job by many, but what if you were granted the opportunity for a true, magical ‘dream job’. What would it be and why?

I think I would knit and cuddle babies – people babies, fur babies, any babies who need to be held and loved. Then I would give them the things I knit. In this dream job, a kind person would be in charge of bringing me my coffee and slices of cake in the afternoon. Giving love (and being able to accept it when offered) makes our journey through life beautiful.

4. You are standing on a stage, addressing a high school auditorium of teenage creative writers. What advice would you impart to them about the craft and the career path of being a writer?

I would tell them to start writing now. That is the big mistake I made – not realizing how important good habits are to this craft. Writing often and writing without fear are two of the most important habits to being a success in this craft.

5. You’re stranded in a snowed in cabin, well stocked up on food, but no internet. What is on your emergency book shelf?

Between the books, there are secret stashes of dark chocolate. The books are a strange mix. There are short-stories of alien horrors from Lovecraft, and the full-length, human horrors of 1984. Many, probably most of the books are by women, who recount terrifying stories as well, such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Beloved, and The Haunting of Hill House. But it isn’t all horror. Several shelves are for my romantic heart – from Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austen to rom-com writers of today. Then on the bottom shelf, maybe gathering a little dust are my favorites: Peppermints in the Parlor, The Pyrates, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Anne of Green Gables, and Watership Down. Slaughterhouse Five is there, too, right next to One Skein Wonders to Knit and some more chocolate.

 

Where to find her:

Snippet/ Teaser:

If there is one thing tech genius Kenneth Jones knows, it’s how to make a computer yield to his desires—from turning it on, to making the keyboard hum beneath his touch. But when it comes to women? He’s going to need a savvy, sex advice coach to hack his love life.

Accountant Reese Wallace can calculate a return on investment faster than brewing coffee, but that’s just her day job. After hours, she moonlights as a relationship blogger, promoting love, sex and happiness. The moment geeky Kenneth strides into her life, she’s dying to get her hands on him. Strictly as her client, of course.

Brains might be sexy as hell, but Kenneth’s pocket protector and corduroy pants must come off. Once they do, though, Reese is in trouble. She’s about to discover that it’s not the amount of experience in bed that counts, but the size of the…heart that goes with it.

– Blurb for Heating Up the Help Desk, included in the exclusive novella anthology Seduction in a Suit

Any other news or updates you would like to share?

Seduction in a Suit is available now!

31 Days of Author Madness: A Month Long Event

February was a quiet month, between sickness and catch up, I have not been blogging much but that does not mean I haven’t been busy. Oh no, my friend, oh no. Nothing says from zero to sixty like a month long event!

That is why I am pleased to finally announce 31 Days of Author Madness!! Because, let’s face it, we are all a little mad to be doing this gig, but we love it. Hosted by:

See that fancy schmancy banner? This banner will be the header of the blog for the month of March. The 31 Days of Author Madness is just what it sounds like, a month long showcase of authors. These authors, who have generously given me their time and thoughts to help pull this together, are in various stages of their writing career, write in various genres, and come from all over the world. My goal here is to celebrate the craft of writing and the love of what we do. I hope to do more interviews and events like this in the future because there are only 31 days in March and I have the rare pleasure of knowing a vast number of talented creative people.

Tomorrow we kick off the month with Leigh W. Stuart, a lovely author who I promise will steam up your screen.

February Blues

This month started with such promise ….

 

Until I became a flu-ridden, wheezing, clammy mouth breather.

 

Welcome to the wonders of Winter, where your children are walking petri dishes and life likes to taken sudden unexpected pivots into waiting ditches. I’ve spent the last solid week and a half laid under hard, first by a round of flu (that flu shot only has so much effectiveness against the cesspool that is two hyperactive boys)

Parenting two younger kids leaves little room for rest and recuperation. I did what I could but there were snow days, and their own bouts of icky sicks that had to be taken care of. Of course kids bounce back faster than dandelions. While myself, wheezing along, get hit by the second wave this weekend and landed in the health center yesterday with a raging case of bronchitis.

 

Now on a high octane cocktail of antibiotics, I am slowly starting to feel like me again.

Still a mouth breather though.

 

This was not the way I planned to spend my Valentine’s day with my lovely ones but pffft life.

So now that the hurdle of illness is being flopped over ( I am beauty, I am grace) I find myself behind my February writing goals. It’s enough to make a grown man cry. What do you do when you find yourself dragging so far behind the goal post is a distant taunting mark? It is very tempting to sit in the corner and cry for a while but what could does that do you.

Advice Time

This is advice I give to myself and anyone who finds themselves in the same situation:

 

Give yourself an adjustment period. Life happens. It certainly happens when we demand it not to.

 

Cut yourself some slack, set reasonable goals (especially if you are in recovery mode like I am), come back in small chunks instead of trying to rush a catch up. Your mental health will thank you for the careful pacing.

 

Speaking of—> This is an important message any day but especially today, because Valentine’s day is about all kinds of love, including self love. Your health comes first. A rested and healthy brain is a creative brain. Take care of your body and mind first. It seems like the most obvious message and it’s the one that goes right out the window at every deadline.

Now, onto bigger and better things.

I have two smaller deadlines this month and one big deadline. Exciting things are in the pipeline and I can’t wait to share them all with you!! Stay tuned!

Bear With Me Now…

Our apartment is currently undergoing an infestation.

 

The bears….the bears are everywhere….

Hello, tiny bear in our medicine cabinet

Let’s give this some context amirite? So, my six year old has a snatching problem. He likes to hold little objects in his hands, and often, they make their way into his pockets. This started, full force, this school year, and (thankfully) he has a really sweet understanding teacher. But let’s talk about my tiny thief.

The bears started coming home I think in October. At first I didn’t think anything of it. Teachers occasionally hand out prizes, my sons have both brought home little trinkets and things they got for good behavior. But then one day, my son comes home and opens his bulging pockets to unleash like five tiny plastic bears at once and I thought ‘uh oh, my child is never that good’.

Oh dear, they’re spreading…

So I began to collect the bears from various places around the house, realizing that my tiny human was a damn dirty filcher. I stuffed them all into a ziploc, shocked and disgusted with myself that this sandwich bag barely closed, and when I dropped the boys off at school after an dentist apt, I handed the bag off to my son’s one on one aide with a profuse apology.

There, good deed done, I did my duty and made sure the filched items were returned and they were aware of his thievin’ ways.

 

That afternoon my son got off the bus. Damn him, but he looked smug. I found out why as soon as he shrugged off his coat and reached into his pockets. He looked me dead in the eye as he lifted his hands up and released a biblical rain of little plastic bears all over the carpet.

Oh, oh, oh no.

Round 1:

Garrett: 1 Mom: 0

 

Fine, I would just gather them up and send them back in bulging plastic ziplocs that were my secret shame. At some point I eventually found myself on the phone with the school psychologist. And yes, I totally blurted out the ‘bear problem’. She started laughing, like deep belly laughs, admitting they knew about it, that Garrett wasn’t the only kid in the class who did this, but they found it hilarious and adorable and oh my god woman don’t encourage my diva of a son! Long story short, she assured me this behavior was something they would gently guide him out of.

 

In the meantime, the bears continue to come home. I find them everywhere. I woke up to find one in my bed, staring up at me with his smug little plastic face.

For the glory of Satan, of course!

I have come to the conclusion six year olds are part ferret.

 

 

What’s In A Year?

I have big writing plans for this year. Big, glorious plans. I always start the year with big plans and when December inevitably rolls around I look back on my year of plans and laugh and laugh and laugh before I roll in a sobbing ball for a few hours. I think most writers plan big, then life pops up like one of those horrid inflatable punch me clowns that you keeps bouncing back up in your way.

I’m trying to be productive here, you scream to the void. The void doesn’t care, but hey, it doesn’t judge you either.

My 2017 plans derailed over the summer months. This is pretty typical, summer is never easy and in a household with kids, and special needs kids, priorities shift.

This year I am rolling out the big plans once again, but with not so subtle differences. Things are slowly, softly happening behind the scenes. Things I can’t talk about yet but have me so excited to share I am fidgeting here in my seat just thinking about them.

This year also kicks off with an internal shift of how I write.

I’ve long been a panster and story juggler. It’s been a style I’ve clung to for reasons that no longer fit my writing life and haven’t for sometime. In the last few months of 2017 I made a massive shift in my inner writing life toward somewhat obsessive plotting. This was something I normally shied away from thinking it was too restrictive of my creativity *snort*. After I forced myself to write the complete synopsis of a story in progress, I had a sort of epiphany.

YOU CAN CHANGE A SYNOPSIS AFTER IT’S WRITTEN.

Holy shit, yo, did you know bagels come pre-sliced?

I like to think the idea of pinning the ideas on paper intimidated me but if I am honest with myself, it was a combination of laziness (synopsis are hard as the devil to write, fight me) and sometimes, not having my ideas fully thought out so the synopsis/ outline felt forced. Since I’ve had this internal epiphany, it’s had several positive impacts on my writing.

 

-I write much faster with a road map. The outline has helped me overcome blocks and pitfalls, since I know where the story is going.

 

-I have renewed passion for sequels in progress. Plotting to the end of story, whether it’s 1 book or 5 books, having it all laid out in front of me in such detail has given me a renewed vigor for finishing projects instead of spinning trying to figure out where a project is going.

 

-I feel more comfortable with characters dying. This is a strange side benefit, but if I know and acknowledge a character death is coming, I feel a sort of release and try not to put it off so much.

 

-I feel more organized as a writer. With all these plots and plans, this is is the first year I’ve used an actual planner to keep track of deadlines and projects. This, this is a big step for me. I’ve always written these things down but in a jumbled mess rather than this leather bound beauty with pen holder and oh my god I finally feel like an adult.

With all that in mind, I have decided 2018 will be my Year of Plotting. I have many projects I want to tackle and write and many stories I want to tell. I have to accept that life might derail me in a few ways. I shall worry about that when it happens. In the meantime, I think I can help myself achieve my big plans for the year by creating my own maps to guide me.

 

Here’s to a gloriously productive year! Have you had a recent writing epiphany? Share with me!

Fav Reads of 2017

Somehow I read about 53 books this year. I know, shocker. Actually, this is about average for me. I do heavy reading in spurts, and usually I read to escape/ rest my brain. I also reread a lot, either because my sieve like memory forgets things or because I loved the story so much I wanted to revisit the world and characters. So, what were my favorites of 2017?

 

In no particular order because numbers don’t show my love:

1. Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire

This was book 6 in the October Daye series, which I read rabidly through the beginning of the year. I highly enjoyed this mix of fae mythology and modern day mayhem. Plus Cat Sidhe. Just roll with it. October is kind of a tough and tragic heroine and this was book where my OTP happens OMG I WAITED SO LONG FOR THIS. If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend it.

 

 

 

 

 

One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire

I have to also list book 5 of this series because while book 6 gave me all the warm fuzzies, book five gut

s you and just rips you apart. I cried big fat girly tears for my girl October. A lot of ugly crying, not because I was a fan of the character that bit the big one in this book, but because of her heart break. And that is my second recommendation for this series because characters that make your feel their heart break are where it’s at.

 

 

 

 

3.Wink, Poppy, Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

A lot of people seemed divisive over this book but I loved it. It was textually beautiful and the twists were not what I expected. It played around with reputation and self image and the dynamic between the three was some dark magic. This is a quick read and it flows like poetry. I read it in a single sitting, less than two hours, and then I spent the rest of the night thinking about it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masked by M. Greenhill

Added bonus: I got the privilege of being on this launch team. M. hails from the halls of Wattpad like myself and I was so happy to see this book take off. This story was a clever genre blend of werewolf romance and techno thriller and the stakes just pull you in and don’t let you go through to the end. I cannot wait for the companion novel to high my TBR pile!

 

 

 

 

 

The Twenty Sided Sorceress Series by Annie Bellet

These novellas were my pleasant surprise of the year. I stumbled onto this series at the library, where I often find my treasures, and fell in love with this Kate Daniels meets D & D group of characters. There lots of gamer geek love in this series, though reading these novellas, I saw a lot the author could have expanded on. On one hand, these novellas are short, I count the whole series as one long book. It reads like a RPG campaign, which is actually a point in its favor as quick enjoyable fiction, but it did leave me wanting more depth in character development and story. Still, had fun, no regrets.

 

 

 

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Mass

I am conflicted. I really, really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed its sequel. I do not enjoy them as a series. ACoTaR is a lovely, dark, and beautiful love story that is completely smashed to bits (I feel unjustly so) by its ‘sequel’. The motivations and loyalty shifts just don’t make sense between the two. But taking this book as a stand alone, I really loved it. It feels like a great Beauty and the Beast retelling with a shot of fey politics. I try to read the follow up Court of Mists and Fury as a stand alone but knowing this exist and the feelings it evokes leaves a spoiled taste in my mouth every time. But I must say: Tamlin gets shafted so hard.

 

 

 

 

Wicked Abyss by Kresley Cole

I got a thing for these books. I am a long standing fan of the Immortals After Dark series. As much as I rail and rant over the fact she keeps offshooting the story and leaving us hanging with several yet to be seen couples (looks pointedly at the end of MacRieve, OMG THAT WAS FOUR BOOKS AGO COLE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME) and not all her books are winners (Looks pointedly at Shadow’s Claim. One Word: Betina) I still find myself crawling back to this series over and over because I have accepted it as my personal crack. I love me some monster loving. That said, Wicked Abyss was a delight. We continue to follow the romantic interests of ‘the bad guys’ aka the Morior (funky letter accents not included because reasons). This book also had a Beauty and the Beast vibe, which is apparently my theme for the year, albeit way sexier than ACoTaR. I definitely loved this more than Sweet Ruin because Rune was a bit of a raging jackass. Apparently the next book doesn’t release until Dec 2018. What shall I do to fill the void until then.

 

 

 

Bite Me Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann

Why hello there Regency Vampire Romance? Have you come to save the day? I stumbled upon these one glorious day and read the whole available series in a week. I have a not so secret love of regencies and historical romance, though I am picky about it. I love my regency heroines offbeat and cross dressing aspiring author Angelica was so up my alley. All these books were so much fun to read to varying degrees and I can’t wait to nab the latest one. I have affectionately termed them my Monsters with Manners series. I dream of someday writing this particular genre mashup because I adore it so much.

 

 

 

 

Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews

I am a big fan of this husband and wife writing duo but while I enjoy the Kate Daniels series and the Edge series, I absolutely adore the Innkeeper Chronicles. I love stories with semi sentient buildings. And Dina is such a fun protagonist. Plus, we get to see the return of one of my fav characters from the first book in such an unexpected way. This whole story was just so freaking wonderful. I highly recommend the first book, Clean Sweep, to get you started but if you want a short fun series to tackle by Andrews, I can’t recommend this one enough. And possibly, just possibly…there is a slight Beauty and the Beast overtone in this one too. *cough*

 

 

 

 

 

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Every so often I pick up a middle grade book. This year I dove into the School of Good and Evil series by Chainani which plays with fairy tale tropes. It was a fun read, and spoke a lot about first impressions and inner beauty vs outer beauty. This was another one of those books I kind of read as a stand alone because the message of the first book was so strong and the ending so wonderful I feel like the sequel takes away from it a bit. WIthout giving spoilers, there is a very strong message of friendship and sisterhood this book ends with that feels cheapened by how book 2 carries on but I do love this book as a singular entity.

 

 

There, a sampling of some of my favorites. I honestly loved all the books I finished this year, spanning from contemporaries like The Last Resort written by another Wattpad alum R.S. Kovach, to YA fantasy like the Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong which I find myself rereading about once a year now. The above books surprised and touched me in unexpected ways and I can’t wait to dive into my 2018 tbr pile. What were your favorite reads of the year?