Patti O'Shea's Blog, page 194
October 14, 2010
Flare Revisited
I had an old character start talking to me out of the blue yesterday. I can guess what brought him back in so strongly--I've been thinking a lot about this world recently. Maybe it's because I'm trying to put Troll's story (The Troll Bridge) out in e-format, but whatever the reason, Flare is hanging around now.
Flare was a secondary character in Eternal Nights. He's the hero's (Wyatt Montgomery) second-in-command, the chief warrant officer of the Spec Ops team. I had a story arc for him, Gravedigger, and Z-Man all worked out after finishing EN, but I never finished the proposal.
To explain how thinking about Troll could bring Flare in, Wyatt's Spec Ops team has Flare, Gravedigger, Z-Man, Troll and two other members who haven't told me anything about themselves yet. The guys are good friends and Flare kind of feels like they're all kid brothers and looks out for them.
When Wyatt was missing, he worried about him something fierce (the whole team did). He worries about Digger being involved with Nadia. Everyone on the team thinks she's going to hurt him. (Nadia is Digger's heroine, so no, she won't, not ultimately.) He worries about Troll getting himself in hot water with all his women. (Troll's story is written and happens 8 years after EN, so he hasn't reformed yet in the timeframe Flare is showing me.)
If you think California surfer dude and visualize a blond man with sun-bleached hair, you'll have a good idea what Flare looks like. Hey, Flare was a surfer dude before he joined the army. His full name is Francisco Cantore, but he picked up his nickname as a teenager and has gone by it rather than his real name since then. (Flare is a surfing term, and if I could remember the definition, I'd share it, but that was five years ago when I was writing Wyatt and Kendall's story.)
His heroine is his ex-wife, Sasha. Some of the stuff that (I think) got cut on revisions for EN had Wyatt thinking about how Flare is still in love with his ex. Sasha is a civilian psychologist who specializes in helping military members and their families. She's sent as a contract employee to J9 because the army is concerned about the mental health of the men and women stationed for extended periods of time light years away from Earth. (It's a kinder, gentler kind of military in my future world. ;-)
I'm torn right now. I really don't have time to work with Flare, not with other projects I'm either writing or want to write, but on the other hand, I love him. I've loved him since I met him in EN. He's been quiet today, so maybe yesterday was just one of those things. We'll see.
Flare was a secondary character in Eternal Nights. He's the hero's (Wyatt Montgomery) second-in-command, the chief warrant officer of the Spec Ops team. I had a story arc for him, Gravedigger, and Z-Man all worked out after finishing EN, but I never finished the proposal.
To explain how thinking about Troll could bring Flare in, Wyatt's Spec Ops team has Flare, Gravedigger, Z-Man, Troll and two other members who haven't told me anything about themselves yet. The guys are good friends and Flare kind of feels like they're all kid brothers and looks out for them.
When Wyatt was missing, he worried about him something fierce (the whole team did). He worries about Digger being involved with Nadia. Everyone on the team thinks she's going to hurt him. (Nadia is Digger's heroine, so no, she won't, not ultimately.) He worries about Troll getting himself in hot water with all his women. (Troll's story is written and happens 8 years after EN, so he hasn't reformed yet in the timeframe Flare is showing me.)
If you think California surfer dude and visualize a blond man with sun-bleached hair, you'll have a good idea what Flare looks like. Hey, Flare was a surfer dude before he joined the army. His full name is Francisco Cantore, but he picked up his nickname as a teenager and has gone by it rather than his real name since then. (Flare is a surfing term, and if I could remember the definition, I'd share it, but that was five years ago when I was writing Wyatt and Kendall's story.)
His heroine is his ex-wife, Sasha. Some of the stuff that (I think) got cut on revisions for EN had Wyatt thinking about how Flare is still in love with his ex. Sasha is a civilian psychologist who specializes in helping military members and their families. She's sent as a contract employee to J9 because the army is concerned about the mental health of the men and women stationed for extended periods of time light years away from Earth. (It's a kinder, gentler kind of military in my future world. ;-)
I'm torn right now. I really don't have time to work with Flare, not with other projects I'm either writing or want to write, but on the other hand, I love him. I've loved him since I met him in EN. He's been quiet today, so maybe yesterday was just one of those things. We'll see.
October 12, 2010
Imagine
Having a writer's imagination is both a blessing and a curse.
The blessing part comes in with the stories. As a kid, my parents dragged me to a lot of boring functions because we had to go as a family. I'd just slip off to some corner and daydream. You see, I've always had characters and stories in my head and I've always pulled them out whenever I get bored. Instant entertainment.
I still do it. I have "bedtime" stories. That's what I call the stories I'll never write, but are an entertaining way to send myself off to sleep. I test scenes in my books while I'm inputting data at work. I used to daydream while I drove, too, but traffic has become so hideous, I can't do that any longer.
Imagination combined with a lot of hard work and many, many hours has allowed me to share my stories with the world, something I've wanted to do since I first started writing when I was 14.
There are drawbacks to having this imagination, though.
Don't talk medical or injury stuff around me. Please. I can visualize everything no matter how horrible it is. Sometimes I can almost feel it happening to me. I've been known to cover my ears with both hands and go lalalala like a grade schooler to block out the conversation. I can't hear this stuff. Really. I feel stupid, believe me, but it's better than imagining some horrifying sensations happening to me.
Someone's late or I don't see them online when they're usually there. Instantly my imagination takes flight, picturing all kinds of dire things. Car accident, illness, home invasion--you name it, I can think of it. I'm already a worrier, this makes it worse.
Hypochondria. This is something I fight myself on a lot. Remember that episode of The Brady Bunch when two pages of a medical book stick together and Peter thinks he's dying? There's a line, something like: I thought my aches were from playing baseball without a mitt. I don't even need a medical book. Any ache, even one with a logical explanation, can incite images of dying from some dread disease.
And strange noises? Burglars or the refrigerator is going to explode or there's an animal in the house. Really, there's no limit to the options that come to mind. Especially at night.
Creating mountains out of molehills. Yeah, I'm good at this one. Give me bits and pieces of information and I'll embroider them with my imagination and come up with all kinds of wild things. This is good while writing, not so good when I'm coming up with conspiracy plots or coups and other stuff.
I probably forgot other things I can blame my imagination for, but the bottom line is I wouldn't trade it for the world. I like having stories whenever I want them and I like the voices in my head. And maybe someday I'll learn to control the more wild ravings of my mind.
The blessing part comes in with the stories. As a kid, my parents dragged me to a lot of boring functions because we had to go as a family. I'd just slip off to some corner and daydream. You see, I've always had characters and stories in my head and I've always pulled them out whenever I get bored. Instant entertainment.
I still do it. I have "bedtime" stories. That's what I call the stories I'll never write, but are an entertaining way to send myself off to sleep. I test scenes in my books while I'm inputting data at work. I used to daydream while I drove, too, but traffic has become so hideous, I can't do that any longer.
Imagination combined with a lot of hard work and many, many hours has allowed me to share my stories with the world, something I've wanted to do since I first started writing when I was 14.
There are drawbacks to having this imagination, though.
Don't talk medical or injury stuff around me. Please. I can visualize everything no matter how horrible it is. Sometimes I can almost feel it happening to me. I've been known to cover my ears with both hands and go lalalala like a grade schooler to block out the conversation. I can't hear this stuff. Really. I feel stupid, believe me, but it's better than imagining some horrifying sensations happening to me.
Someone's late or I don't see them online when they're usually there. Instantly my imagination takes flight, picturing all kinds of dire things. Car accident, illness, home invasion--you name it, I can think of it. I'm already a worrier, this makes it worse.
Hypochondria. This is something I fight myself on a lot. Remember that episode of The Brady Bunch when two pages of a medical book stick together and Peter thinks he's dying? There's a line, something like: I thought my aches were from playing baseball without a mitt. I don't even need a medical book. Any ache, even one with a logical explanation, can incite images of dying from some dread disease.
And strange noises? Burglars or the refrigerator is going to explode or there's an animal in the house. Really, there's no limit to the options that come to mind. Especially at night.
Creating mountains out of molehills. Yeah, I'm good at this one. Give me bits and pieces of information and I'll embroider them with my imagination and come up with all kinds of wild things. This is good while writing, not so good when I'm coming up with conspiracy plots or coups and other stuff.
I probably forgot other things I can blame my imagination for, but the bottom line is I wouldn't trade it for the world. I like having stories whenever I want them and I like the voices in my head. And maybe someday I'll learn to control the more wild ravings of my mind.
October 10, 2010
Kiss of Death
I've been watching the baseball playoffs, but not enjoying it as much as I could because all the teams I'm rooting for have been losing. The Twins? My number one team? Out in three games straight. It's doubly painful because it's the hated Yankees, a team that buys its championships instead of building from within and finding their own players. But this is another topic.
So Twins are out.
In the other American League series, I'm rooting for Tampa Bay. My support had them losing the first two games, but fortunately, they've overcome my blight and have tied the series at 2-2. I'd like to see them make it back to the World Series and win this time. They're a team that was built the right way--by developing their own players in the minor league system. I just hope whoever wins this series can take down the Hated Yankees. I seriously don't want to see those aging mercenaries make the World Series again--but that's another post. :-)
Things aren't going any better for me on the National League side. I'm watching the Phillies/Reds as I type. If the Phillies win one more game, the Reds are done. Score is 2-0 Philadelphia right now. It's a shame because the Reds haven't been in the post season in about 15 years or something like that. I'd like to see teams that haven't gotten there in a long time make it.
The Braves are my number 3 team. I have four teams I root for: Twins, Cubs, Braves, Dodgers. They lost the first game to San Francisco, but won the second. Maybe my jinx was over with. Maybe. Or maybe not. While I wasn't watching, the Braves went ahead in today's game 2-1. As soon as I put on the TV, the Giants rallied and won 3-2. (You're welcome, Carolyn.)
I feel like I should offer apologies to the fans of all the teams I'm rooting for. Apparently my support alone is enough to cause defeat.
So Twins are out.
In the other American League series, I'm rooting for Tampa Bay. My support had them losing the first two games, but fortunately, they've overcome my blight and have tied the series at 2-2. I'd like to see them make it back to the World Series and win this time. They're a team that was built the right way--by developing their own players in the minor league system. I just hope whoever wins this series can take down the Hated Yankees. I seriously don't want to see those aging mercenaries make the World Series again--but that's another post. :-)
Things aren't going any better for me on the National League side. I'm watching the Phillies/Reds as I type. If the Phillies win one more game, the Reds are done. Score is 2-0 Philadelphia right now. It's a shame because the Reds haven't been in the post season in about 15 years or something like that. I'd like to see teams that haven't gotten there in a long time make it.
The Braves are my number 3 team. I have four teams I root for: Twins, Cubs, Braves, Dodgers. They lost the first game to San Francisco, but won the second. Maybe my jinx was over with. Maybe. Or maybe not. While I wasn't watching, the Braves went ahead in today's game 2-1. As soon as I put on the TV, the Giants rallied and won 3-2. (You're welcome, Carolyn.)
I feel like I should offer apologies to the fans of all the teams I'm rooting for. Apparently my support alone is enough to cause defeat.
October 7, 2010
Seriously, Dude
Sometimes I worry about people thinking my characters sound like me. Yeah, I do sound like some of them at times, but not because I'm making them talk the way I do. It's because--darn them--I pick up their speech patterns. Seriously. And using seriously all the time is one of the things I picked up from one of them. I'm not even sure which one, but I'm stuck with it now.
I never used the word crap until I wrote The Power of Two. I used the actual word that's a substitute for, or if the company I was in called for it, got the message across in a more genteel way. Cai's book came out in 2004, she and her hero, Jake, have been gone for longer than that, and I still use crap. Of course, so did Ryne from In the Midnight Hour, but her book came out in 2007, so you'd think it would wear off by now. It hasn't.
Right now, I lay a lot of blame on Cass's doorstep. She's the heroine in my next Nocturne Bites story. (I don't know the release yet.) I never used the word dude and I prided myself on that. No longer can I claim that distinction. Yep, you guessed it--Cass uses dude and now I do, too. You don't even want to know how many times I think seriously, dude? Sigh.
Other characters, both hero and heroine, have added other words to my way of saying things. Sometimes the usage will fade over time. Sometimes (like with crap it shows no signs of ever leaving me.
I've always been susceptible to picking up language from the people around me. I drawl y'all more easily than I say you guys now and in Minnesota, you guys is pretty common. I also pick up accents without realizing I'm doing it. I'm sure there are people who thought I was making fun of them, but I honestly wasn't.
I don't know if this easy adoption of language and accent is just a me thing or if other writers have it happen to them, too. I've never asked, but it's constant now. Seriously, dude.
I never used the word crap until I wrote The Power of Two. I used the actual word that's a substitute for, or if the company I was in called for it, got the message across in a more genteel way. Cai's book came out in 2004, she and her hero, Jake, have been gone for longer than that, and I still use crap. Of course, so did Ryne from In the Midnight Hour, but her book came out in 2007, so you'd think it would wear off by now. It hasn't.
Right now, I lay a lot of blame on Cass's doorstep. She's the heroine in my next Nocturne Bites story. (I don't know the release yet.) I never used the word dude and I prided myself on that. No longer can I claim that distinction. Yep, you guessed it--Cass uses dude and now I do, too. You don't even want to know how many times I think seriously, dude? Sigh.
Other characters, both hero and heroine, have added other words to my way of saying things. Sometimes the usage will fade over time. Sometimes (like with crap it shows no signs of ever leaving me.
I've always been susceptible to picking up language from the people around me. I drawl y'all more easily than I say you guys now and in Minnesota, you guys is pretty common. I also pick up accents without realizing I'm doing it. I'm sure there are people who thought I was making fun of them, but I honestly wasn't.
I don't know if this easy adoption of language and accent is just a me thing or if other writers have it happen to them, too. I've never asked, but it's constant now. Seriously, dude.
October 5, 2010
This Is Why I Torture Them
I blogged recently about getting to know my heroine. I thought I was on the right track, but realized that I wasn't seeing clearly enough. So I've been spending time recently trying to unravel what makes the heroine in my Work In Progress (WIP) tick. Who--exactly--is she?
From the beginning, it's been the hero who's talked and shared. I've seen scenes from his Point of View (POV) and I feel as if I know him pretty well. I always learn more stuff as I actually write in the character's head, but that's normal.
The scenes the hero showed me have the heroine in them and I thought I knew her because of this. And because I had facts about her, but as I've started to write the first scene in her POV, I've decided that I don't know her quite well enough.
When I write something a character won't do, they dig their heels in and won't let me write further. It's kind of a pain, but I'm not going to complain about it. I complained once about not being able to name my characters myself and then I had a heroine who made me come up with her name without any help. I decided that was a curse. It's much easier when they say, "My name starts with an R." ;-)
Anyway, I've been writing this scene in Zo's head and got stuck. Totally, completely, utterly stuck. You'd think after all this time that the first thing I'd do is think, wow, I messed up and should figure out what's out of character. That's not what happens. I console myself with the fact that at least this time I thought of it without someone else telling me. Sadly, usually it's one of my writing buddies who says, um, hey, I don't think she'd do this. Then I go, oooh, that's why I'm stuck.
I went through the scene (what I have of it so far) paragraph by paragraph, checking with my heroine if this was right or not. I found a few things that were relatively minor, but one thing that might be big enough for her to dig her heels in and refuse to move forward.
I had her going from zero to frantic over not very much. I know Zo (the heroine) takes things in stride with her hero and I knew she had a job that would require her to be able to think on her feet and improvise, but I didn't have her reacting that way in the scene. Zo wouldn't become frantic. She might become concerned--she has reason to be--but she's a planner. Instead of becoming frantic, she'd start thinking up plans. If he does A, then I'll do B and so on.
It's too soon to know for sure whether or not this is what had me spinning my wheels all week, but it's a decent bet. I'm reworking the scene now, toning down Zo's reaction and bringing in her thought processes. One of the keys of her personality is how cool she is under pressure. Now I just need to write her that way.
From the beginning, it's been the hero who's talked and shared. I've seen scenes from his Point of View (POV) and I feel as if I know him pretty well. I always learn more stuff as I actually write in the character's head, but that's normal.
The scenes the hero showed me have the heroine in them and I thought I knew her because of this. And because I had facts about her, but as I've started to write the first scene in her POV, I've decided that I don't know her quite well enough.
When I write something a character won't do, they dig their heels in and won't let me write further. It's kind of a pain, but I'm not going to complain about it. I complained once about not being able to name my characters myself and then I had a heroine who made me come up with her name without any help. I decided that was a curse. It's much easier when they say, "My name starts with an R." ;-)
Anyway, I've been writing this scene in Zo's head and got stuck. Totally, completely, utterly stuck. You'd think after all this time that the first thing I'd do is think, wow, I messed up and should figure out what's out of character. That's not what happens. I console myself with the fact that at least this time I thought of it without someone else telling me. Sadly, usually it's one of my writing buddies who says, um, hey, I don't think she'd do this. Then I go, oooh, that's why I'm stuck.
I went through the scene (what I have of it so far) paragraph by paragraph, checking with my heroine if this was right or not. I found a few things that were relatively minor, but one thing that might be big enough for her to dig her heels in and refuse to move forward.
I had her going from zero to frantic over not very much. I know Zo (the heroine) takes things in stride with her hero and I knew she had a job that would require her to be able to think on her feet and improvise, but I didn't have her reacting that way in the scene. Zo wouldn't become frantic. She might become concerned--she has reason to be--but she's a planner. Instead of becoming frantic, she'd start thinking up plans. If he does A, then I'll do B and so on.
It's too soon to know for sure whether or not this is what had me spinning my wheels all week, but it's a decent bet. I'm reworking the scene now, toning down Zo's reaction and bringing in her thought processes. One of the keys of her personality is how cool she is under pressure. Now I just need to write her that way.
October 3, 2010
The Blog Where I Have Nothing To Say
It's been a really busy weekend for me. It's October, I live in Minnesota, and it was nice weather. That could mean only one thing--yard work.
I got my hair cut, walked 4 1/2 miles, cleaned my car (including the inner windows) and put Rain-X on the windows, then I cut down all my flowers. I have a lot of them. There's the big garden, the tree ring, the patch by the pine trees, peonies up the side of my house, and two patches of bee balm in the yard. The patio furniture came off the deck and into the garage. And just to finish out the day with a thrill, I did three loads of laundry.
Yes, the excitement never stops. I didn't get my house clean, although that was on the agenda for this weekend, too. I also didn't finish writing book copy for my two short stories or format them for e-book readers. Also on my To Do List.
Yard work isn't quite done. I didn't have any cedar mulch to put down over the flowers, so I'm hoping for one more nice weekend so I can buy some of that and finish this last detail. After that, things will ease up.
The one good thing about October is that baseball playoffs begin. I'll be rooting for the Twins and the Braves to make the World Series.
I got my hair cut, walked 4 1/2 miles, cleaned my car (including the inner windows) and put Rain-X on the windows, then I cut down all my flowers. I have a lot of them. There's the big garden, the tree ring, the patch by the pine trees, peonies up the side of my house, and two patches of bee balm in the yard. The patio furniture came off the deck and into the garage. And just to finish out the day with a thrill, I did three loads of laundry.
Yes, the excitement never stops. I didn't get my house clean, although that was on the agenda for this weekend, too. I also didn't finish writing book copy for my two short stories or format them for e-book readers. Also on my To Do List.
Yard work isn't quite done. I didn't have any cedar mulch to put down over the flowers, so I'm hoping for one more nice weekend so I can buy some of that and finish this last detail. After that, things will ease up.
The one good thing about October is that baseball playoffs begin. I'll be rooting for the Twins and the Braves to make the World Series.
October 1, 2010
Raven Halloween Hunt Is Underway!
The Raven Halloween Hunt is underway! Follow the link for the rules and prizes, but you can probably guess books are involved, right?
There are lots of awesome authors involved and lots of awesome prizes, so be sure to check it out. The contest lasts for the month of October.
September 30, 2010
Music and Brainstorms
Before I start, I wanted to share that Edge of Dawn is a finalist for Best Paranormal in the Aspen Gold Awards!
Now, on with the topic!
I get all my story information through my characters and they tend to talk to me on an as-needed basis, which means if I'm putting together a proposal for a trilogy, I'll know the first hero and heroine, I'll have some on the second h/h, but that the third set will pretty much be enigmas to me. And since my stories come from characters, any blurb I write about their book is a guess. I tend to keep it kind of vague, just going with the iota of information I have and leave it there.
I also like theme songs for my books. Sometimes I go hunting the songs and sometimes I'll be listening to my iPod or the radio and have something jump out at me. This is what happened to me yesterday. I was shuffling Seether at work and Fake It came on.
At first, I wasn't really paying attention, but then the lyrics started to register and I sat up straighter. It dawned on me that this might be the theme song for h/h number 3. And suddenly the hero about whom I knew next to nothing started giving me information. He went from a cardboard, placeholder character to a man with his own issues and quirks. I played and replayed this song for a lot of the morning.
It's always so awesome when the right song makes itself known because then every time it plays, more of the character comes through to me. That's what's been happening here. I was lucky on this series--not only did all three books pick their own songs, I also have a song for the series as a whole.
I'm still not sure how the pieces I received yesterday about the hero and heroine fit into the story, but by the time I get to there, I'll know. In the meantime, I'll be listening to Seether a lot.
Now, on with the topic!
I get all my story information through my characters and they tend to talk to me on an as-needed basis, which means if I'm putting together a proposal for a trilogy, I'll know the first hero and heroine, I'll have some on the second h/h, but that the third set will pretty much be enigmas to me. And since my stories come from characters, any blurb I write about their book is a guess. I tend to keep it kind of vague, just going with the iota of information I have and leave it there.
I also like theme songs for my books. Sometimes I go hunting the songs and sometimes I'll be listening to my iPod or the radio and have something jump out at me. This is what happened to me yesterday. I was shuffling Seether at work and Fake It came on.
At first, I wasn't really paying attention, but then the lyrics started to register and I sat up straighter. It dawned on me that this might be the theme song for h/h number 3. And suddenly the hero about whom I knew next to nothing started giving me information. He went from a cardboard, placeholder character to a man with his own issues and quirks. I played and replayed this song for a lot of the morning.
It's always so awesome when the right song makes itself known because then every time it plays, more of the character comes through to me. That's what's been happening here. I was lucky on this series--not only did all three books pick their own songs, I also have a song for the series as a whole.
I'm still not sure how the pieces I received yesterday about the hero and heroine fit into the story, but by the time I get to there, I'll know. In the meantime, I'll be listening to Seether a lot.
September 28, 2010
The Fall Sleepies
It happens every fall. I call it the Fall Sleepies because once it hits, all I want to do is sleep. And after taking an informal poll at work, it seems a lot of people are experiencing this right now.
It's really not fun. I'm ready to go to bed at 7pm, and if by some miracle I actually go to sleep at that time, I still wake up tired the next morning. It always lasts two or three weeks, but while I'm in this mode, nothing gets accomplished. Cleaning house? Nope. I have mail stacked up on my center island and I try not to do that. Updating the website? No, don't feel like doing that. Answering email? Even that is too much work.
If it were up to me, I'd hibernate until this passed. No work, no writing, no internet--nothing but sleep and veg out, sleep and veg out. Of course, it's not possible. I do have the day job, writing, parents, etc that need my attention. What I do when I hit this stretch is go into triage state and handle what can't wait. Everything else sits.
Of course, when the Fall Sleepies pass sometime in the next week or two, I will be hopelessly behind and exhaust myself trying to get caught up, but there's nothing I can do about that. When this hits, it hits hard and there is no surmounting it.
Also, I'll be part of the Raven Scavenger Hunt starting in October! More info coming soon.
September 26, 2010
Fame
Sometimes lyrics to music gets me thinking. The latest instance of this happened as I was listening to The Pussycat Dolls song, When I Grow Up. One of the lines of the song is: We all wanna be famous. That made me ask, does everyone want to be famous?
My first round of thinking was personal. Do I want to be famous? It's kind of a complicated question or at least a layered one. No, I don't want to be famous, but I'd like my stories/books to be hugely popular and read by millions. Does that...
