Daley Downing's Blog, page 29

Guest Post: Spotlight on the Temperance Series by Ichabod Temperance

Hi, everyone. I’ll be in the audience today as we all read a special guest post by Ichabod Temperance and Persephone Plumtartt, who star in the Temperance steampunk series. If you’re a fan of that genre and indie authors with unique styles (and an adorable OTP), I highly recommend checking out this different and fun set of books. I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel, “A Matter of Temperance,” last year.

To Adventure with Temperance…

“Watch out, Miss Plumtartt, Ma’am, those vacuum tubes are hot! The erratic voltages are causing the condensers to discharge and pop my transistors!”

“Quite so, Mr. Temperance. Please explain, if you will, what purpose this singular array of dangerous and overactive electric mayhem and their associated devices that fill this lofty laboratory may serve, eh hem?”

“Oh, yes, Ma’am, Miss Plumtartt, Ma’am. This here is my Trans-dimensional-temporal-spanning-scriptograph. With it, we can communicate with a version of planet Earth, that is not only of a universe that is different from our own, but is also in the far-distant future.”

“How extraordinary, Mr. Temperance.”

“Yes, Ma’am, Miss Plumtartt. Instead of it being the year 1877, as it is in our world, we are communicating with a pal of mine in the distant future of 2018! Howdy, Miss Daley Downing, Ma’am! I hope you are getting this transmission.”

“Does one have a theme for this uncanny communique?”

“Yes, Ma’am, we’re going to talk about some of the adventures you and I have had!”

“I say, I may be able to lend some assistance in this endeavor. Now then, I assume that Miss Downing’s Earth was not visited by the Revelatory Comet, as our world, is that correct, sir?”

“Yes, Ma’am. In our universe, the Earth passed through the tail of a strange comet. Afterwards, all sorts of inventive geniuses began sprouting like wildflowers in Spring.”

“You, Mr. Ichabod Temperance, are among those charmed peoples. It was your own inventiveness that led to our meeting in the first book of our adventures.”

“We had to stop a tentacle faced super-monster from devouring our whole planet! I thought we were gonna get gobbled up gone for sure!”

“Fortunately, this was not the case; however, this was not our last brush with planetary extinction and cataclysmic catastrophe, eh hem?”

“There’s one story where we have to fight off invaders from the planet Mars! It was a real War Betwixt the Worlds.”

“One recalls a singular adventure with a detective by the name of Sherlock Holmes.”

“And that there VooDoo zombie book had us in a grave predicament.”

“One cannot help but wonder how you were able to contend with the mighty Godzilla when you two went mano a monstro.”

“That boy was a handful, that’s for sure, but I always get to meet wonderful people along the way. I know I will always treasure my friendship with King Arthur.”

“Sir, please do not forget the time that you and I traveled to a world ruled by dragons.”

“Oh no Ma’am, Miss Plumartt! That there dragon adventure was a high-fantasy saga of epic proportions!”

“Indeed, Mr. Temperance, though your last published adventure took place on the dark and foggy streets of old London town. Please share a few thoughts concerning the murderous events on those damp, dreary nights, so shrouded in mystery.”

“Well, the events I had in mind were eerily similar to Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’. But you know what? I read that book and did not care for it. That struck me as odd, because I loved ‘Treasure island’ so much when I was younger. That was when I knew what to do. My latest book, ‘The Two Faces of Temperance’, is, on the surface, a reboot of the Jekyll/Hyde story, but secretly, beneath the surface, it is an homage to ‘Treasure Island’.”

“Jolly Good, Mr. Temperance, now then, I feel it only fair to warn, eh, that is, prepare, Miss Downing and her faithful followers as regards your manner and style of writing.”

“Hunh? Oh, as to manner of writing, you are probably referring to my habit of writing in dialogue.”

“Quite.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Well, it is my attempt to make the action happen in the present tense. When we are speaking, things are happening. My exposition has a tendency to place the action in the past tense, and I do not care for that.”

“Thank you, one is not entirely assured that the reader has caught on to this phenomenon, but your novels are ripe with such literary ridiculousness.”

“Well, that fits, because these are surely a bunch of whimsical adventures. There is no graphic sex or too much violence, nor strong language, but you say that I sometimes accidentally sprinkle in mild innuendo.”

“Not to worry, Mr. Temperance, for as the subtle subtext often passes over your head and that of young readers, rest assured that the tidbits of titillation are not lost on the more mature of your reading public.”

“Hunh?”

“Never mind, Mr. Temperance. Someday, you will understand. Now then, there is another aspect to your books that potential readers may wish to be informed.”

“Oh, oh, oh! I know what it is! It’s the music, right? I kept wanting to include rhythm, song, and dance. I remember finishing the fifth book, the one with some of my favorite vampires, and thinking back on my favorite scenes. There are some really good fight scenes, throughout that book, but in one fight scene, it is a group of eleven vampire hunters versus eleven vampires, and before they throw down, one of the vampires casts a spell on his team-mates. They perform a ritualistic song and dance number before the fight actually commences. With your kind indulgence, here is a short excerpt.”

From In a Latitude of Temperance:

“Good evening, our unexpected friends. I see you have decided to ignore Count Drauchulau’s gracious warning and have taken it upon yourselves to trespass our sanctuary. How charming. Though we are very busy with other matters of far more consequence than the likes of this unlikely group, We are, nevertheless, willing to indulge in a momentary distraction from our labours to dispose of your interference once and for all.”

“You are mad with your selfish desires, Count Hela Gigalosi. We will not allow this insanity to continue.”

“What reckless bravado, Herr Dagger. Oh, but I am curious. Did you enjoy a pleasant ride on our ‘Mirna’?”

”Hey! We are not that kind of invader!”

“I meant our rocket powered ice skate ship train, Herr Temperance. We have adopted an abbreviated nickname, if you will. ‘Mono Ice Rail Non Arctica’, or, ‘Mirna’.”

“Oh, I get it. That’s cute. I sure am sorry to barge in on y’all, Count Gigalosi, but we just can’t let y’all kidnap our pals and destroy most of the planet. Won’t you all reconsider this scorched Earth policy?”

“Your naiveté is charming Ichabod my dear boy, but I am afraid we must insist. I am also deeply sorrowed that we shall now kill you and your wonderful companions. Aufweidersehen mein friends.”

“Ha, ha! Count Gigalosi, wait! Please allow me to get this party started!”

The dazzling eyes of Count Sezami sparkle with excited mirth. His head and fingers enter into a macabre, and measured counting sequence. This is characterized by a head bob, pause, head bob, pause, followed with a finger snap…

“A vaughn, a two, a vaughn, two, three, hit it!”

I am seized with an irresistible compulsion! Count Sezami has me under a maniacal spell! Not just me, but Insidia Gruessom, and Ruby Leiquour as well! To my horror, Count Sezami has included himself and the four other Counts, ChauckOola, Onyx’Ula, Gigalosi, Fangella, and Baron Leigh. Only Count Drauchulau is immune from the mesmeric effects. With two short steps all eleven of us simultaneously launch ourselves into the air with one knee tucked to our breast and the other earthward with pointed toe. We throw our heads back and extend our hands and fingers as far as they will stretch and land as one, our positioning perfectly aligned in a triangular pattern. Impossible to resist, we crouch and step first the right leg over the left. This awkward maneuver is repeated many more times. Exaggerated two-handed finger snaps accompany this strange ritual. We rise again for a double pirouette and then fall back into our crouched positions.

Count Lank Fangella moves to the front of the group. He sings out in a challenging fashion that rings from the icy chamber walls:

“When you’re a bat/You’re a bat all the way/From your first jugular bite/To these nice people we slay.”

We irresistibly maintain our rhythmic finger percussions as a complicated series of steps carry our coordinated movements back and forth in front of our entranced and enthralled audience. Count ChauckOolaux is the next to be manipulated by the mad Count Sezami:

“When we suck your blood/It’s going to be a treat/Like mini marshmallows in cereal/The taste is decadently sweet.”

With grace and agility, we perform a simultaneous repositioning of our troupe. The boys assume a place to catch Vampyrellah after the rest of us girls launch her skyward with a combined and artistic effort.

With this last little number, we all take a floor hugging bow. To their credit, the invaders provide a respectable amount of applause.

“That was delightful, Count Sezami. You never cease to amaze. I ask you now to dispose of our unwanted guests.”

“Ha, ha! Of course my exalted Count Drauchulau! I shall ask you to sit this one out. Without your imperial membership, I count eleven of us to rumble their eleven member invasion force.”

“Quiet you fool! I am counting! Ha, ha! A vaughn, a two, a three, ah-hahahahaha! Let’s get ’em, boys and ghouls!”

“Oh my Goodness!Thanks, Miss Daley Downing, Ma’am for allowing us to visit!”

“Indeed, thank you ever so much, Daley darling. Mr. Temperance and I must have you over to the nineteenth century sometime, soon, eh hem?”

“Happy reading everybody!”

You can find more details on the 10 books in the series at: https://www.amazon.com/Ichabod-Temper..., and visit Ichabod at http://ichabodtemperance.com/wp/.

 

January Recap/February Announcements/March Look-Ahead

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Hello! Yes, I am tremendously late to the idea of a January recap! Fight me! After I explain a few things, it will be clear why…

My January quickly disintegrated from a boldly burning flame of ambition to the ashes of having gotten sick again, and my family being hit by various bugs as well. Luckily, no one was really horribly ill (well, except for me), but it meant that my plans for the month got pushed significantly back.

In lieu of all this, here’s why my recap for writing in January is:

I had planned to finish the first draft of Volume 3, but am only on Chapter 4. I refuse to guilt trip myself over this, considering that for a while there even standing up felt like exerting too much energy. As much as I would love to have the next installment of The Order of the Twelve Tribes published by spring, I am not going to rush the process. It gets done when it gets done. Please be patient, my faithful fans.

I did more work on the field guide, although that isn’t supposed to be released until after Volume 4, because I really needed something easier to write in snippets, rather than carrying on a big canon plot. The field guide is a combination of short stories that can stand alone or are part of prequel information, so I can tackle some of those without needing to worry about plot holes with Volumes 1-4. That really helped me accomplish something and not work my brain too hard while I was still recovering.

So that I’m not attempting to finish too much at once, I’ve put my project for “How To Be A Savage” on the shelf until further notice. My apologies to those of you who are really excited to read my take on autistic superheroes. It just wasn’t coming together the way I wanted it to, and adding a 3rd WIP to my plate this year was making me too stressed.

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All this does mean I am behind on Volume 3. (No working title yet.) It’s part of why I asked for volunteers to provide me with interviews or guest posts, so that I can keep this blog going for the next few weeks and still have plenty of time for fiction writing. Therefore, if you see more posts from other people than me through February, this is why. Never fear, though, I have received some great posts from some great volunteers, and I am very grateful to them for their help and efforts.

The other major thing I am working on is prepping the spinoff from The Order’s world featuring a collaborative character/plot line I’m creating with White Fang. (Don’t expect to see that until the end of 2018, or even 2019, by the way.) But also, while you’re waiting for How To Be A Savage, maybe you can encourage the Wattpad story White Fang would like to begin on a similar premise. (His would be about high school students with special powers, though.) And if you haven’t yet, and are into video games or zombie apocalypse stuff, please do visit his new blog: https://whitefang149277930.wordpress.com/author/whitefanghelperofgames/.

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Now, hopefully February will go more according to plan. (Did you hear that, God?) Okay, moving on to March…

For a long time, I’ve been wanting to do something for a couple of causes close to my heart. I have a cousin who lives (quite bravely and admirably) with Cystic Fibrosis; and my family runs a memorial fund for one of us who passed on after an accident. My thoughts on that subject are this:

On behalf of every person who places an order of one or more of my books between now and March 31st, I will set aside $1 to donate to either CF research or the Alicia Heath Memorial Fund (which supports causes like buying books for low-income schools).

This is a win-win for everybody; you get to enjoy some wonderful, fun, engaging, tear-inducing fiction, and donate to a worthy initiative.

(And of course you can just order my books because you’ve been wanting to read them, too.)

Hope winter is treating you all fairly, moths!

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Guest Post: Azelyn Klein on Her Favorite Tropes

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For the avid reader, the word cliché might cause a shiver to run down their spine. (No more love triangles, I’m begging you!) The word trope, on the other hand, may be borderline. Unlike clichés, which rely on predictable structures that make readers cringe, tropes may take an approach to a familiar concept and put a unique twist on it.

Typically, I try to avoid clichés and common tropes. For each major project I take on, I’ll make a list of clichés and tropes I dislike so I can avoid them or turn them on their heads (e.g. cliché: pure evil villains or trope: romance in general). Yet there are still plenty of tropes that I enjoy reading, and if I haven’t already included them in my writing, I may consider doing so in the future.

Because I tend to write young adult fantasy, a lot of my examples will come from this genre.

Here are just a few examples of my favorite tropes in fiction:

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Trope #1: The Best Friend Trio

Most books have friends who come in groups of two, which often reflects real life. But not always. Sometimes, best friends come in groups of three or more. That and the number three happens to be so ingrained in fictional culture that groups of three stand out.

While two best friends tend to banter and go off on adventures, three best friends tend to contradict and complement one another. It’s a strange but wonderful paradox. After all, a third person adds dynamics that you wouldn’t get with just two people. There’s the opportunity for one person to be silent or for another to be the constant interrupter and so forth.

Where would fiction be without The Three Musketeers or the elf, the dwarf, and the man?

I just so happened to use this particular trope in my novelette series, Last of the Memory Keepers. There’s the point of view characters, Rhona Farlane and Ellard Coburn, and their friend and constant companion Finley Craig. When it comes to their escapades, Finley’s the instigator, Ronah’s the historian, and Ellard’s the socially awkward voice of reason.

Other examples of books featuring the best friend trio include The Giver by Lois Lowry (YA sci-fi/fantasy), the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling (YA fantasy), and York: The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby (MG sci-fi).

Trope #2: Mental and/or Physical Illness

We reside in a hurting world. As a writer, one of the best ways to express myself is through my writing, and as a reader, I like picking up stories that I can relate with. While I may not struggle with a physical illness, sometimes I wrestle with social anxiety or depression. I have an older brother who has high functioning autism (not an illness).

Life’s struggles are nothing new for me.

I particularly enjoy stories with characters who are not defined by their struggles. Yes, illnesses shape people and sometimes make them who they are, but it doesn’t have to be their defining feature.

One reason I pick up such books featuring characters with various illnesses or struggles is to increase my knowledge and my empathy. I don’t want to be callous because I haven’t taken the time to understand somebody else’s point of view. Of course, not all fiction is one-hundred percent accurate, so it’s important to do external research as well before readers can claim to know all about a particular illness. Good representation can be hard to find, but when it’s done well, it speaks to those with such struggles.

The only thing is that mental illnesses don’t often show up in fantasy, so finding a good example is hard. As a result, my current novel, Just Breathe, is a contemporary fantasy that addresses social anxiety and how it might manifest in a dimension where magic is possible.

A couple good novels that deal with mental and/or physical illness include Tell Me Something Real by Calla Devlin (YA contemporary), A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (MG magical realism), Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner (YA contemporary).

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Trope #3: Girl Saves Guy

I grew up a tomboy. Rather than playing with dolls or whatever stereotypical girls play with as kids, my brother and I would romp through the forest and the mud. One of my fondest memories was reenacting a tournament with my brother and the neighbor boy. My brother may have been the champion of the joust, but I was the champion of the sword. (Yes, we used sticks instead of actual weapons.)

As such, I could easily relate with strong female characters who could save the guy as often as guy could save the girl. I admired Lucy Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia) for her ability as an archer and healer and for having the grace of a queen. And I could relate with Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) for her rowdiness and her empathy.

That being said, I’m not for the only hero to be the girl. That’s just a reversal of the guy saves girl trope and achieves nothing for readers who are anti-sexism. If the girl should be allowed the save the guy, the guy can save the girl too.

The most recent book I read with a great female character who saved the guy—twice—is J. R. R. Tolkien’s Beren and Lúthien. Just a couple great examples of the girl saving the guy include Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick (YA fantasy), Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (YA magical realism), and This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (YA dystopian fantasy).

Trope #4: Character-Like Settings

A lot of times, when readers think back on their favorite stories, they don’t just remember the plot—they remember the characters. Some settings are so unique that they become as memorable as the characters.

After all, the characters in such stories don’t just live in the setting, they interact with it. Sometimes, the setting appears to have a personality of its own and feels so real that readers can find elements in the real world that remind them of the story. As a child, I tried to visit Narnia by going into our wardrobe, which turned out to be non-magical.

My hope in writing is to create not just memorable characters but also memorable settings. In my novel Just Breathe, the characters are trapped in the Labyrinth, a sentient landscape intent on thwarting the characters at every possible turn, literally and figuratively.

Some good examples of character-like settings include the isle of Thisby in The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (YA fantasy), Fantasia in The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (MG fantasy), and the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke (YA fantasy).

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So there you have it—just a couple of tropes that I enjoy reading and writing about. Thank you, Daley, for allowing me the opportunity to write for your blog. Happy reading to all!

Let’s chat! What are some of your favorite tropes? Do you like any of the ones listed above? Which books in your preferred genre feature your favorite tropes?

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Azelyn Klein is a nomadic blogger who enjoys visiting ruined castles and growing cacti. In 2016, she graduated from the University of Nottingham with an M.A. in English Literature. Last year, she self-published Last of the Memory Keepers, a fantasy series with six sequential stories and one poem. When she’s not curled up with a good book, she can be found exploring the great outdoors or debating whether to have a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. Visit her on Word Storm for more bookish news and story updates.

You can find Azelyn at:

Word Storm: http://www.azelynklein.com

Last of the Memory Keepers
·         Website: http://www.azelynklein.com/p/enter-fantasyland-of-five-races-loosely.html
·         Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36295417-last-of-the-memory-keepers

Just Breathe: http://www.azelynklein.com/2017/09/just-breathe-novel-announcement-and.html

The Blade Runner Discussion

Okay, first, I feel the need to apologize to those of you who aren’t sci-fi fans. This will be a sci-fi intense post. But this subject is something near and dear to my heart, and I do want to delve into it. And, after all, this is my blog, so suck it up  just bear with me for the moment.

On the whole, I’m not a massive sci-fi person. I enjoy Star Trek, but not much else when it comes to the genre-heavy stuff. But there are some stories, in any type of medium, that I feel just transcend the “confines” of their genre, and Blade Runner is one of these tales.

The original 1982 movie is based on a novella by acclaimed sci-fi author Phillip K. Dick, entitled “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” This is not a twisty-turny, high-action sort of plot like Star Wars. Rather, Blade Runner asks one of the most important questions posed by civilization: How do we know what makes us human?

Blade Runner is set in a bleak, downtrodden L.A. of approximately 2019…which now does not seem so far away and futuristic. And, unfortunately, Mr. Dick seems to have been closer to the truth than we would’ve liked to believe we’d be in the 21st century when he first penned his tale of Replicants and the special forces police who hunt them. There is plenty of poverty, crime, environmental concerns, and inequality.

Normally, this is the type of film I wouldn’t give a second glance after about 10 minutes; but I am forever grateful that I was initially forced to watch it all the way through. The sad and dark atmosphere actually sets the scene for one of the most beautiful on-screen romances. The soundtrack is by turns melodic, intriguing, haunting, and when it has to be, just a tad sinister. The directing and acting are great, and the script gives you plenty to think about.

The filmmaking technology in 1982 was of course not what it is today; but by the standards back then, Blade Runner really set the bar high. Its use of intricately detailed models, clever lighting, and doing more with less means that the effects are impressive for the time period, but don’t overwhelm the plot or characterizations.

Now, before I just run full-length into waxing poetic about my love for this movie, I’ll quickly get back to the subject at hand: What I adore most is the innocence and tenderness with which the topic of “how human can Replicants be?” is addressed. Replicants are BR‘s version of androids, and while it’s presented early on that they can be capable of extreme violence, it’s also shown that they can also be capable of compassion, empathy, remorse, and love. (As someone who’s known I was human my whole life, but was frequently accused of being either nearly inhuman or even extraterrestial, I completely felt the plight of the Replicants.)

Anyway, while the debate on what really makes us human, how do we know what does and doesn’t have a soul, and other existential questions abound in the film, we are also faced with the equally tough issue of: Because Replicants are androids, although they look and (mostly) act like us, they are still robots, and therefore certain laws must apply.

The 5 Laws of Robotics immediately come to my mind. One states that robots shouldn’t want to harm humans, because they don’t have the emotional capacity to truly understand how damaging that can be (to individuals, society, to the concept of humanity). Which is why Replicants who “go rogue” and have hurt or even killed humans must be “retired” (basically, executed). Another is that robots/androids are designed to help people achieve human-oriented/inspired goals, so the concept of even AI developing its own ulterior motives is just not kosher.

So, when we get to the long-awaited sequel film, Blade Runner 2049 — which my family watched the other night — I am having a LOT of conflicted feelings.

#1: I LOVED the clear references to the original in terms of the premise, setting, music, and history. (I can’t stand it when a film in the same world as a predecesor takes all the rules from that story and throws them over a cliff and then stomps on the ashes.)

#2: While I didn’t personally care for some of the casting choices, I thought the acting was well done, and the directing.

#3: But it begins to fall apart for me about halfway through. The sequel is loooooong, and it feels unnecessarily so. I figure the last hour could’ve been greatly reduced.

#4: The villain gets about 10 minutes’ screen time, nowhere near enough to develop what his actual devious scheme is, why he cares, or why we the audience should care.

#5: The big plot reveal (man, will this one be hard to do without spoilers!) hinges on ignoring a previously impossible notion in hardcore sci-fi. It feels extremely un-canon, and therefore I have ISSUES. Not only does it go against part of the Laws of Robotics, it goes against science, which brought the Replicants into being, and it is science that cannot be ignored, without throwing into chaos the entire system of the universe, and…well… My poor Vulcan brain is tied in knots.

One of my biggest sticking points with movies from the 80s and 90s was that sequels — and then series — became the norm, even when it wasn’t needed. Part of what has continued to draw me to Blade Runner over the years is the way its story seemed so wrapped up in its own neat little package. Yes, there was potential for a sequel, but it didn’t feel like the end of the world if one wasn’t created.

Now this has all changed. And while I don’t hold it against the people who made Blade Runner 2049, I am exercising my First Amendment right to feel rather meh about this state of affairs.

So, tell me — how many of you who are sci-fi fans have seen the original? And the sequel? What are your thoughts? (And if there happens to be a big spoiler in the comments, sorry, folks, I take no responsibility for that. You have been forewarned!)

Interview: Indie Author Aria E. Maher

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Good morning, everyone! Today we have our first guest post, an interview with indie author Aria E. Maher! I’ll let her do the talking, and there will be links at the end of the questions so you can all go stalk, I mean, visit her afterwards!

Tell us a little about your published works.

Currently, I have two published books; a mystery/fantasy novella called Behind Her Mask was Death, and a standalone paranormal suspense novel called The Tangle, which was published just last year.

You’re a blogger, student, self-published author. How do you make all of this come together?

It can definitely be tough! When you’ve spent a lot of your day trying to focus on linear algebra and American history and all that stuff, sometimes you don’t have a ton of brainpower left over to actually work on other things. I’m always trying to push myself; trying to get up earlier or stay up later or work harder or focus more or not procrastinate so much when I might actually have time to work on stuff. It can be a little crazy sometimes, and sometimes I don’t end up meeting my deadlines, but the good thing about being an indie author is that you set the deadlines, and you can work at your own pace, which is amazing for me, because sometimes my own pace seems to be about as slow as molasses, as they say.

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What are your hopes for writing in 2018?

I would definitely like to finish and possibly publish at least one book this year. I am a notoriously slow first drafter, so it all depends on how long it takes me to finish the first draft. The book I’m working on right now is a prequel to Behind Her Mask was Death. I’m planning for it to be a full-length novel of at least 50,000 words, and currently I’m about half way there, which is quite exciting! I’m also trying to work a bit on my super-secret sci-fi project. I actually knocked off a few hundred words of the first draft the other day, which is amazing considering I haven’t even touched the thing in months!

Where did your inspiration to write come from? (Favorite books, movies, family support, etc.)

My favorite author of all time is N. D. Wilson. I love all of his books so much, and he is a huge inspiration to me always! I also love Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, which is where I got some of the inspiration for the world of Behind Her Mask was Death. My original inspiration to write, however, was actually video games! When I was a little kid, I loved writing and illustrating (terrible) fan fiction about Super Mario and Zelda and other games my dad and I would play. I think that I liked using other people’s characters and worlds because I thought making up my own would be way too hard! (In some ways, I might have been right…) I went on to write my own original ‘crazy stories’, as I called them, but I was writing fan fiction way before I even knew what fan fiction was, and was definitely the thing that got me into writing in the first place.

How else do you spend your time when you’re not writing, student-ing, or family-ing?

You will probably find me spiraling ever deeper into the hole that is YouTube. Some of my favorite types of YouTube videos to watch are gameplay videos (with humorous commentary, of course), science-y theory type videos (mostly the Game Theorists/Film Theorists), makeup tutorials (I find them very relaxing?) and those funny ‘storytime’ kind of videos, where the YouTuber tells about crazy things that happened to them.

Besides YouTube, I also like to draw, listen to audio books, and read (of course), and I love going outside, although the weather hasn’t really been the best for that recently…

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Are there any topics/themes you’re currently not writing about that you would like to, and why are you drawn to them?

As I said earlier, I do have a sci-fi project on the back burner. I keep getting tons of new ideas for topics I could cover in it, like automation and self-driving cars and government surveillance, but I haven’t actually written a lot about them yet! They’re still just ideas floating in the back of my mind, but they are all things I really want to write about. They’re pretty hot topics right now, but I’ve always kind of been drawn to the idea of some kind of interconnected hyperweb full of information, that people could use to spy on or manipulate others. That’s basically what my super-secret sci-fi project is all about, but I’m always adding new ideas that I could try exploring in it.

What are the parts of the writing process you find easiest, and hardest?

First drafting is extremely hard for me, which is kind of annoying because in order to actually rewrite or edit a book you have to have a first draft to start with!  I’m kind of envious of the people who can whack out 30,000 words in a day. It could take me anywhere from a month to half a year to write that much! As soon as I have a finished first draft I can usually sort the story out and edit it fairly quickly, but it’s getting that first draft that’s the hard part. My favorite part of the indie authoring process is actually doing the formatting for the books! I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true (as long as I don’t have to reformat the entire thing twice because of a stupid margin-width error! *cough, cough* this may or may not have happened with The Tangle *cough, cough*)

What can readers expect to see from you in the near future?

I actually have a finished novelette set in the world of Behind Her Mask was Death, which should hopefully be out sometime in February, if everything goes according to plan. Other than that, I’m not sure. Like I said, I’d really like to try to publish another book this year, but we’ll see what happens! I’m also hoping to do more movie and TV show reviews on my blog this year, as well as book recommendations and other cool stuff. I really enjoy blogging; I just need to sit down and think of some good topics and actually write them out every so often!

The Bibliophile Sweater Tag

Hello all! I’ve been tagged by Jameson @ LovelyWhatsoevers to give my take on “The Bibliophile Sweater Tag” — which, yes, equates reading to different types of sweaters. Personally, I love sweaters (although I like the snow I do not like the cold), so this will be fun.

Fuzzy Sweater (a book that is the epitome of comfort)

This may seem like a slightly odd choice, considering the subject matter (magical killer sea horses), but re-reading this title always feels comfortable. Even the first time I read it, I never felt like the tension turned to actual peril, and I was always confident everyone who needed to survive would (Maggie Stiefvater is really good about not gratitiously killing off her characters), and I knew a satisfying ending was coming. This novel just plain makes me happy.

Striped Sweater (you devoured every line of this book)

Honestly, sometimes I re-read whole sentences or even entire paragraphs in this early Discworld title, because it is just THAT GOOD. Pratchett was the master of subtle foreshadowing and wry, droll, and spot-on poignant (rather, tearjerking) comments about life and love. After reading it all the way through about 4 times over the past dozen or so years, I still get all choked up at particular scenes.

Ugly Christmas Sweater (book with a weird cover)

My apologies to anyone who gets scared by this bizarre little creature. This was one I had a really hard time looking at (my ex-husband owned it). I am not a fan of horror, so I never was able to read anything by HP Lovecraft, though for some reason the depictions of Cthulhu don’t scare me (whereas this cover did).

Cashmere Sweater (most expensive book you’ve bought)

Cheating slightly, because this is the most expensive edition I own, but it was a gift. The art is just astounding, beautiful and graceful, sometimes haunting and quite otherworldly. The stories within are definitely more for adults (not the Disney-ized stuff), but they carry so much Old World charm and just a bit of sadness. Truly captivating.

Hoodie (favorite classic)

Not a huge fan of classics to start with, but I will always give Dickens a chance. A Tale of Two Cities is positively my favorite; the intense and ultimately beautiful arc of compassion and redemption in spite of human failings and suffering does me in every time.

Cardigan (book you bought on impulse)

Complete impulse — I was pre-ordering the latest Warriors title for White Fang and saw that Stiefvater’s newest had just been released. I knew it was coming out in 2017, but I was going to wait until my local library had it. However, with one click, that was changed forever…

Turtleneck (book from your childhood)

Although this was published even before I was born, I read it for the first time around the age of 9 or 10. It’s a great, realistic adventure that ordinary kids find themselves in the middle of, totally by accident, so there are no “chosen one” tropes or too much danger or unnecessarily harrowing moments. It’s appropriate for MG readers in any decade, and the main characters are normal, truly likable kids.

Homemade Knitted Sweater (an indie-published title)

Since I can’t do my own (but many, many thanks to Jameson for the gorgeous shot of Rulers and Mages on her blog!!!)… Kyle Shultz has created such a fun and engaging series set in an alternate history/universe, full of mythical creatures and magic and a unique twist on fairytales. If you haven’t started reading these novels yet, get going!

V-neck (a book that didn’t meet your expectations)

I had such high hopes for this one. I wrote a full review on Goodreads and highlighted it in my February mini-reviews. To say it certainly didn’t meet my expectations is an understatement.

Argyle Sweater (book with a unique format)

Usually I just read text-only books (apart from some MG choices with illustrations, like The Familiars), so The Illuminae Files is definitely one of the most uniquely-formatted titles I’ve encountered.

Polka-dot Sweater (a book with well-rounded characters)

One of the things that drew me in right away about this series was the characters. They always felt so real — and yes, these are talking cats. Among my favorites in the very early tales are Firestar, Bluestar, Yellowfang, and Spottedleaf.

February Mini-Reviews

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Yes, it is February! (Cue the tortured screaming in the background.)

(Actually, at the time I’m writing this post, it isn’t in fact February yet. But when you’re reading it, that’s what the calendar will say. Ooh, look, I can travel through time!)

Ahem. Anyway, here we are with another round of mini-reviews!

January was a slightly slower reading month for me — hey, life happened, and there is nothing wrong with this. All it means is that there will be a few less books mentioned in this review. Deal with it, folks. (I know you all will, as you love me and want me to be my tip-top self more than a critiquing machine.)

Girl Online #2: On Tour by Zoe Suggs

Okay, I am a BIG bundle of disappointed on this one. “Girl Online” was one of my top picks for 2017, and this is SAYING something, because it was a contemporary, it was a romance, and when you combine those two, you very rarely have The Invisible Moth declaring, “Read this, it’s great!” (Honestly, I’m usually walking away from it in the library.) So, the fact that I’m gushing over the mental health rep and the friendships and family relationships and sweetness in “Girl Online” is a MAJOR deal… And then I found out there was a sequel, and against my better judgement, I picked it up.

Here’s why I disclaim with “against my better judgement.” In my experience, most contemporaries in YA (particularly romances) can be — should be, in my view — standalones. I truly feel that when an author gets sucked into the marketing side of creating a series, they can easily lose the heart of their story/characters/intentions (as I believe those murder mystery series with 20+ installments that all become the same plot with different methods of death after book 5 can attest).

When I got to the final chapter of “Girl Online,” I thought it was a very nice, neat wrap-up — there had been a lot of character growth, it was a fun and poignant story, with an important but not in-your-face message. AND THEN. Then I got to literally 3 pages from the end (I’m not kidding, the paper stopped after that), and there was a definition of last-minute twist, and the only purpose I could see it serving was to leave room for a sequel. Where a sequel was not needed. SIGH.

But, I decided to give the author the benefit of the doubt. Whoops. “On Tour” was a mega mess from start to finish. Apparently the characters had had brain transplants, because they acted nothing like they did in book 1, and the plot was a sloppy, cliche-ridden, dull and uninspiring babble that was — as usual — far too long. Hence, I am once again boycotting contemporaries as I feel they have let me down too many times since 2013.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black:

Oh, my word, did I want to like this. I diligently avoided spoilers, I waited patiently for the release date, I nabbed the library copy the second it hit the stacks. However, before I even got to page 50, I knew there would be trouble.

“The Cruel Prince” was, for me, extremely disheartening. It reads like Holly Black’s work of 10 years ago (which I didn’t like), full of fairy cruelty towards humans, unnecessary sexuality, uncool bullying, and none of the characters having any clear motives for anything. Why in the world would humans who were treated so badly in the fairy realm be trying so hard to fit in there?? Why would they want to stay? Why was the whole political deception plot even included? It just felt like an excuse to throw in a homage to Game of Thrones, to be perfectly honest. It’s not fun, or intriguing, like The Darkest Part of the Forest was. I couldn’t find any reason to root for the narrator, or even care about her increasingly bad choices. After slogging through pages 1-150, I actually skipped most of the rest of the book until the last few pages, so I could see how it turned out. I was not at all impressed.

The thing I loved about The Darkest Part of the Forest was that it felt that Holly Black had finally nailed the dark fairy story she wanted to tell; the characters felt three-dimensional, the undercurrent of tension and people avoiding plot points they’d ultimately be forced to confront later was very real and pulled the reader in. “The Cruel Prince” reads like a cheap throwback to the “Tithe” trilogy (which I thought was pretty awful), and it feels much more like, rather than being a “new” series, “The Folk of the Air” will be a trilogy that an editor wanted Black to write, glorifying past successes.

Well, I won’t be taking part in it. I’m officially done with this author.

The Familiars books 1-4 by Adam Epstein and Andrew Jacobson:

Hey, to finish on a more pleasant note… This is a cute series (categorized as MG, but I’d honestly recommend it for ages 12 and up), with overall not much violence (and it’s always to prove a point in the story, not just for shock value), very clean language, no physically intimate situations (just a bit of utterly innocent and sweet romance), and lots of good themes like friendship, loyalty, courage, and determination. White Fang loves this series. If you’re looking for a clean, action-packed fantasy romp for your younger readers, I’d suggest looking into The Familiars.

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The Dreamings and Muses Book Club!

Good morning! Welcome to the next Invisible Moth Book Club! Today we’re discussing the short story collection, Dreamings and Muses!

The questions:

Which was your favorite piece, and why?
Do you usually read short fiction? If not, what drew you to this anthology?
Who were your favorite characters, and why?

All right, answer in the comments below! (Note: Please try to avoid spoilers, if you can! Thanks!)

And can we all give Alea Harper a moment of oooohs and aaaahs for her lovely cover styling?

Happy reading, moths!

Stuff, Things, and Random Apricots

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Yes, I just threw in a small fruit to serve as the last part of this post’s title. It works, trust me. Partly because lately I feel like most of my life involves juggling random apricots of random stuff and things.

One: This week was a jumble of doctor’s appointments, midterms for White Fang, Muffin being less than a nice child, and trying to catch up on my draft of Volume 3 after being sick, again.

Two: I have extremely mixed feelings about various threads of this jumble.

Three: You know I hate to go too long without a general update when I’ve been a bit radio silent or MIA when life is happening too much.

So, let’s unpack some of this…

First, as some of you will know if you’ve seen my Tweets, my health has taken center stage in terms of concerns and needing to be addressed. After getting sick for the third time in as many months (and I don’t mean the latest round of cough and sniffles that the rest of my family had — although I did get that, too), I’d had it and proceeded to skip the middle man (of making an appointment with a general practioner to recite my symptoms for the dozenth time and get referred somewhere else, waiting up to several more weeks for them to tell me that they wouldn’t find anything out of the ordinary — see, I’ve been down this road already). I Googled my most troubling symptoms (unexplained pain in my side, nausea, sometimes vomiting, and fever), and the Mayo Clinic website suggested I have uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

Now we’re getting somewhere.

So, I went to the OB/GYN, and right away they were running tests, taking blood, and scheduling follow-ups. The labs came back in a timely manner (for a change), and I do not have anemia, a misbehaving thyroid, or pre-cancerous indications. Everything that really needed to be negative was. Now I’m waiting to go in for a sonogram to tackle the fibroids/endometriosis theory.

But both those conditions are easily treatable in this day and age, and treatment may involve minor surgery, but I’m certainly not going to be kicking the bucket anytime soon.

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This was a real worry. Needless to say, since I’d be leaving behind two children, neither of them able to totally take care of themselves, this is a valid issue.

Late one night, while my body was wracked by fever and chills (with Toby on vigil at my side), I started planning what my final wishes would be, how I’d arrange things for my boys, what aspects of my life I’d absolutely want to have concretely determined before the final curtain went down. Yes, none of this is pleasant or satisfying to think about — but it is fact, and practical, when you have a family. While all of it scared me, I also didn’t want to act scared — especially around my boys.

Of course I am relieved I don’t have to deal with all of that at the moment. Still, here’s what bothers me — too many women my age (I’m not yet 40) probably won’t get tested for stuff like cervical cancer, thinking they’re too young. And stuff like fibroids, ovarian cysts, and endometriosis can happen to any woman of childbearing age, even if they’re not in a physically intimate relationship. So, ladies, go, get your yearly exams — or sooner if you’re having pain or other concerns you can’t nail down.

And too many doctors only look at the immediate symptoms and for the easiest explanation — exercise your patient’s rights, folks, and don’t let them stop there when you’re not getting better. Seek a second, even third opinion. Ask questions about what tests they’re running and why. Research your symptoms and possible diagnoses. Find out the treatment options — don’t say yes to something without knowing all the possible pros and cons. If a doctor gives you an attitude about being a well-informed patient, go somewhere else.

I am quite blessed in that the OB/GYN my insurance covers has a lot of competent and thorough — and caring — staff, and I know they’ll try to get to the bottom of this. When you’re the patient, advocate for yourself — for the sake of your family, too.

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The next major thing was getting back on schedule after missing a week of doing pretty much anything because I wasn’t feeling well. White Fang had midterms (what, he has midterms now?!), and (even though he wouldn’t admit it) he needed me to be strong, full of advice, and ready with the treats afterwards. Muffin’s sniffles and cough made him quite Mummy-centric. Toby had cabin fever. It all meant that carving out time to catch up on chores, write, and plan blog stuff became crucial.

I also put some things on the back burner — I didn’t really care about checking anything for myself out of the library (only the boys), I let the laundry and dishes slide a little (I am a tidying Nazi), and I spent less time on social media and trying to find something new to watch on TV (particularly since the last one I already know is a waste of time for me).

Was it just that I had a sort of epiphany following a health scare? Or was it that having some time when I couldn’t do much at all, besides lie in bed, made me realize how I spend that waking time is important?

Part of what I feel kind of strange about is the idea that, despite how in control of our own lives we seem to be, how fleeting all of this really can be.

Also, I can’t help but wonder how White Fang went from being Muffin’s size to singing in chorus, going to summer camp, winning at Minecraft, and eventually, how he’d survive the zombie apocalypse.

Do I really know what my kids think of me, how they’d cope without me? Am I brave enough to face thoughts like that on an average Tuesday, when I’m perfectly healthy?

My Vulcan side is not doing well with all of this stuff.

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Overall, I’m all right for now, and some things that were stagnant for too long are finally moving forward.

So I’m taking my life from there.

Even though I don’t yet know what awaits in certain areas, it’s not a bad place to be.

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Sharing Your Fandoms With Your Kids

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Okay, very scary topic of discussion today.

The situation: You have successfully spawned a second generation geek. He is big into trying sci-fi, fantasy, books that feature talking animals and traveling through time; when you ask what he wants for his birthday, he says the latest installment of The Illuminae Files or Warriors.

This is all cool — why in the world would I say this is scary?

Here’s the catch: What if, when you introduce him to your favorite fandoms…he doesn’t like them?!

Now that White Fang is of a certain age (old enough to try the above-G-rated stuff), I’ve become very excited to share with him things like Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, and Douglas Adams. While he’s not yet shown any interest in reading Discworld or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, he does know the meaning of 42, and he’s officially hooked on Doctor Who.

A couple weeks ago, I realized White Fang was dangerously close to finishing his TBR — again. Before some of you swoon in utter astonishment and awe, I’d like to remind you that since he’s a rather picky reader, his TBR usually has no more than 10-20 books on it at any one time. He goes through series pretty fast.

The upside is, obviously, all that accomplishment. The downside — what the heck do I give him to read when he’s in between lists?

Knowing I couldn’t get to the library (this was in the middle of the arctic freeze), I scoured my own shelves (spoiler: his are infinitely better than mine, oh my gosh, the unfairness), and set my copy of All the Crooked Saints on his desk.

He started reading it. He got to page 35 and gave me a sideways look. I assured him it starts off really slow and keeps getting better. So he proceeded to page 60 (maybe in sheer defiance at the idea of being beaten by a novel), but was still unsure.

By page 100, he was beginning to grow quite interested in what would happen to the pilgrims. By the midway point of the novel, where things really change for both the pilgrims and the saints, he was hooked. He finished reading with a big grin on his face.

       

Seeing his elation at having glimpsed some of the wonder and beauty that is Maggie Stiefvater’s writing, I showed him The Scorpio Races. The light went on in his eyes, and I knew this would be the next big hit.

Part of the joy of sharing your own passions with your kids comes when you discover something new and are convinced they’ll love it, too (especially when you’re right). This was totally the case for us with Kyle Shultz’s Beaumont and Beasley series. At first, White Fang was rather skeptical when I shoved a copy of The Beast of Talesend in his face and basically shouted, “You have to read this now!” But two days later, he couldn’t put it down.

         

The trick is to know what your kids are really into. Don’t assume they will inherit absolutely all your dispositions — particularly towards entertainment. Finding common ground is so precious, so do take advantage of it when it happens.

And don’t push it when it doesn’t.

We are not yet up to Lord of the Rings. He has watched the movies of The Hobbit (which we all know are fun, but not exactly Tolkien-pure). He wanted to try to read LOTR first, but after seeing how long each book was, he decided to put that on hold. He’s seen the meme of “You shall not pass!”, and regularly uses it on Muffin and Toby. (Yes, just picture that for a minute. Your funny bone will thank me. I’ll wait.)

There are SO many references to LOTR in geekdom that I really, really want to share with him. But we’ll get there. Just this morning, it was 42 degrees at our house, and he said with the absolute sincerity and gravity necessary to make this quote, “42!“, and I was so proud. One day, we’ll reach the next level. But it is not this day.

And that’s okay.

Watching the 9th Doctor save the world through White Fang’s eyes is like seeing it for the first time again. Hearing his cries of excitement and terror when he first meets a Dalek or the Cybermen gives me the same chills. I’m very good at not revealing major spoilers, so he gets to be honestly surprised at so many of the twists I know are coming — and await his reaction with bated breath.

It means the future is going to be full of wonderful things.

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