S.A. Stephenson's Blog, page 2

They are us.

As I write this, New Zealand is facing it’s darkest day as a terrorist attack has unfolded in Christchurch. This act of violence doesn’t happen in New Zealand, this type of fear isn’t something that is normal in this country. Yet it feels like it is something that is becoming increasingly familiar. New Zealand is a multi-cultural country, it’s built up of numerous nationalities that all call New Zealand home. I am one of those people, I lived in Auckland for six years and identify strongly with Kiwi values and am as much a New Zealander as I am an Englishwoman.

As I read the news, I was working on finishing my second book, where I write about characters living in divided communities, where characters fight to seek equality with others. Art often imitates life, life imitates art. Sometimes there are things that you wish were fiction, but we have to face the reality of the world we now live in.

My heart is with my home. NZ will heal and will be stronger.

On finding peace

In my books I’m writing about war, war that’s waged against those who are different from societal norms, war against those who are invading from other words, but in moments my characters find peace. They find peace amongst themselves and in the worlds they’re living in and in life it’s needed. You need to have light with the dark if you’re going to have a balanced story, and you need the balance with life as well.

I’ve been busy with getting first edits on Redux done and it’s definitely going to be released in the first six months of this year. I’ve been challenging myself with 365 days of writing, and tracking progress on Twitter. I’ve missed a couple days since going back to work (but I write there too, so it kind of all counts right?), but I find I’m a habits person and keeping myself accountable is working in my favour for now. By the end of the year I’m hoping to finish at least the first draft of End Game (book three in the series) and get more work done on the marketing side of things.

But, I’ve gotten to the point in my life where I’ve found some peace, and it’s helping my writing no ends. Sometimes we need to take a note from our characters and find the peace in moments of madness if we’re going to have the strength we need to achieve our goals.

Hopes for 2019

2019 has finally arrived on our doorstep and the start of the year normally means time for reflection and change. As you can probably tell, I’m still playing with this website, and have been doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do online this year. The main goal I have is to use the internet to build a digital community of readers and writers. I have some ideas on how to go about this which are currently being developed and will be released when they’re ready.

As for a writing update, here’s how things are going.

In 2018, I did very little in terms of author business work. I was in the midst of moving countries, then moving cities, dealing with family stuff, finding a new job and there were times when it was all getting a little much so I had to put my business on the back burner. I did however, finish the first draft of book two in the Genesis series, so that was my main accomplishment for the year.

Rogue, got rebranded to Sixth Extinction, and I’m so much happier with it now and know what I’m doing with it in my mind, whereas before I was still discovering. This wasn’t great in terms of a new author starting out but longer term I’m hoping it’ll work out for the best. So here are the figures based on no marketing:

Kindle sales (the book was in KU): 13

Free units: 172

Paperback: 5 (three sold as part of a charity auction)

Total: 190

Total pages read from KU: 3,887

This isn’t too bad for one book from an unknown author, and this wasn’t just family and friends so I think I’ve surprised myself!

Book two, Redux, is in edit mode and is going okay. I’m aiming to get this out this year. Book three, has started first draft stage, but I need to remember what happened in book two, so I can write a good ending to the trilogy.

I’ve also got ideas for the next series brewing, as well as ideas for podcasts and general marketing, so I’m hopeful that 2019 will be a better year in terms of publishing and getting work out there!

Reading Round-up: October

Reading has an always will be a primary source of joy for me. I’m moving in a few short weeks and will be inheriting a bookcase where I can finally have a mini-library once more (anyone else think that the scene in Beauty and the Beast where Beast gives Belle the library is one of the most romantic moments in film?….just me?….really?)

I’m not good at tracking my reading and often forget what I’ve read, so I’m now doing monthly roundups and sharing the good and the bad of what I’ve been consuming. 

I’m currently reading through Audible and this is what’s on my list:

Harry Potter – A History of Magic

I’ve started reading this mainly because I’m a Potterhead, but also because I’m thinking about the next series that I want to write that’s going to be in the Urban Fantasy genre. I want to learn more about the supernatural, ghost stories, ancient magic and how I can use it my writing. So far I’m enjoying it and it’s giving me more respect for J.K. Rowling!

 

 

 

 

Overshare – Rose and Rosie

I’ve watched the Roses on YouTube for years, they were the first YouTubers I think I found who spoke about the LGBTQ+ community and helped me find out more about identity, and see for the first time an alternative relationship to the straight binary. I like their comedy and the book is proving to be an easy listen and a I like listening to it for the comedy and extra stories and life as a millennial LGBTQ+ couple.

 

 

Rising Strong – Brene Brown

I’ve mainly been reading a lot of non-fiction this year and really enjoying it, I had seen Brene Brown’s Youtube talk a long time ago, and upon the enthusiasm of a friend, I read her book. It’s got some good nuggets of information on living life wholly and how to overcome obstacles. I think I’ve read better, but this is a good book for anyone who needs it. 

The most memorable quote was “we’re not designed to live this life alone.”

#5 Outside

There’s no denying that I’m a homebody, for me my home is my sanctuary, my safe place, but since moving, and since moving into a shared house, I’m happier outside again. 

I’ve recently moved to a new city, and this has meant lots of exploring to discover my new home. Living in York has been an un-expected adventure. I didn’t think I’d end up living here when I decided to leave New Zealand but it’s a town full of history and interesting stories that make for a great place for a writer to explore and learn more. 

Being outside recently when the air has been cool and crisp and with a hint of warmth has also been refreshing. I’m learning that Autumn in England is one of my favourite times of year, along with Spring. 

Exploring my home county once again has fuelled my imagination. I remember when I was younger and I’d walk through the local woods on my way to school and I’d see in my imagination great battles taking place between Elves and Men (I may have been a bit obsessed with Lord of the Rings as a teenager), recently I visited Skipton Castle and had a similar experience, wondering what it would be like to be a character walking round a castle and what their story would be. 

Getting outside of our usual space and our normal routine helps restart some of the creativity that can get lost in the day to day churn of life. We need space to think, to dream and create and being in environments that inspire that creativity is something to be encouraged. 

Being outside is also good for mental health, the other week I took a walk to a park I hadn’t been to before, and while it was in a city, I had found a spot where quietness dwelled, except for the sound of birds singing in the trees. It was quite serene and provided some mental respite from a world that seems to be constantly demanding attention. Tuning out and turning off for a while, even if it’s for an afternoon walk will make you feel better. 

So go explore your outside, and see if it helps you come up with a new idea, or makes you feel just that little bit better. 

#4 Snuggle

Cats, that’s all I have to say for this post in the Blurt Self-care-athon post. 

#3 Boost

This is #3 of the Blurt Foundation Challenge (which as planned is going to take longer to complete than planned!)

Boost

This is #3 of the Blurt Foundation Challenge (which as planned is going to take longer to complete than planned!)

#2 Obstacles

This is number 2 on the Blurt Foundation Self-Care-a-thon

There’s no doubt that there’s lots of obstacles in life, some come in the form of road blocks with career progression, others come with relationship issues. Life isn’t supposed to be a simple journey, without obstacles we don’t get the chance to grow and learn more about life and ourselves along the way.

In writing, obstacles also exist. Sometimes it can be working out a storyline, it can be when you sit down to edit and you just-don’t-want-to, or more often than not, we can be our own biggest obstacles. 

In my last post I mentioned how I don’t like talking about my writing in real life – I think this is partly due to imposter-syndrome, not believing that my ideas are any good or that I’m in fact writing something anyone would want to read. I imagine this can be quite common amongst new writers, however, I’ve seen tweets by authors who are multiple books in and still struggle so maybe it’s just the idea of facing criticism for something we’ve worked so hard on that’s the obstacle for sharing. Also, being very British and not wanting to self-indulge in one’s own creation I imagine plays a part.

The nature of publishing as well, can also throw up obstacles, for years there’s been gatekeepers, agents, publishing houses, editors, a whole litany of people who only say ‘yes’ if you tick certain boxes. With the rise of self publishing, this has been taken away and the only obstacle then becomes time, ideas and personal capital when it comes to getting books out into the world. 

For writers on this path, this is an obstacle we feel compelled to overcome, to push against and say that we are going to carry on regardless. I love that even though it’s a tricky route, it’s still one that’s possible. 

And ultimately, that’s the thing with overcoming, the sense of pride, of achievement, of doing something that you thought you couldn’t. Without obstacles we wouldn’t have this feeling at the end of passing through the struggle. That, in the end, makes obstacles we choose to take on worth fighting through.

Obstacles

This is number 2 on the Blurt Foundation Self-Care-a-thon

There’s no doubt that there’s lots of obstacles in life, some come in the form of road blocks with career progression, others come with relationship issues. Life isn’t supposed to be a simple journey, without obstacles we don’t get the chance to grow and learn more about life and ourselves along the way.

In writing, obstacles also exist. Sometimes it can be working out a storyline, it can be when you sit down to edit and you just-don’t-want-to, or more often than not, we can be our own biggest obstacles. 

In my last post I mentioned how I don’t like talking about my writing in real life – I think this is partly due to imposter-syndrome, not believing that my ideas are any good or that I’m in fact writing something anyone would want to read. I imagine this can be quite common amongst new writers, however, I’ve seen tweets by authors who are multiple books in and still struggle so maybe it’s just the idea of facing criticism for something we’ve worked so hard on that’s the obstacle for sharing. Also, being very British and not wanting to self-indulge in one’s own creation I imagine plays a part.

The nature of publishing as well, can also throw up obstacles, for years there’s been gatekeepers, agents, publishing houses, editors, a whole litany of people who only say ‘yes’ if you tick certain boxes. With the rise of self publishing, this has been taken away and the only obstacle then becomes time, ideas and personal capital when it comes to getting books out into the world. 

For writers on this path, this is an obstacle we feel compelled to overcome, to push against and say that we are going to carry on regardless. I love that even though it’s a tricky route, it’s still one that’s possible. 

And ultimately, that’s the thing with overcoming, the sense of pride, of achievement, of doing something that you thought you couldn’t. Without obstacles we wouldn’t have this feeling at the end of passing through the struggle. That, in the end, makes obstacles we choose to take on worth fighting through.