E.S. Barrison's Blog, page 30
May 1, 2020
Feature Friday: Author Kaitlyn Legaspi
For my first ever Feature Friday, I have the opportunity to feature a student at my Alma Mater, Kaitlyn Legaspi, a student at the University of Florida. Today she is launching the final book in her Dark Irregular Trilogy, so why don’t you find out more about her and her path to publication below!
Kaitlyn Legaspi is the author of the young adult fantasy trilogy Dark Irregular. Writing passionately on a daily basis, she is publishing the third book in the series…today, May 1st! She plans to add more to her repertoire in the near future. Kaitlyn is entering her junior year as a business undergraduate student at the University of Florida, in addition to writing. Kaitlyn enjoys singing, studying in the nearby boba tea shop, and reading whatever has catches her interest.
Why did you choose to Indie Publish?
I chose to indie publish because compared to when I had traditionally published with a small publishing company, I have a lot more freedom when it comes to how much I can spend on certain services such as editing and getting a book cover, and I can keep track of everything and how much time and money is spent on certain things. I like the control I have over it. It’s a lot of work, but I definitely believe it’s worth it.
What are some of your current projects ?
Currently, I am working with a really close friend of mine, editing the first book of a new series I’m hoping to put out within a year. In addition to that, I am also writing my first YA romance novel featuring two different first-person perspectives. It’s not something I have done before, and it is difficult to do, but I’m having a lot of fun with it.
Why did you start writing?
At first, I started writing because I thought it was a super fun thing to do, and it really is. When I was in middle school, I was in an online writing community where we’d post a chapter on our own threads as often as we wanted. We’d read each other’s stuff and comment how much we liked it, and it was such a supportive community.
Who do you hope to inspire with your writing?
I’d hope to inspire the young adult readers with my writing because they are in the age group my main characters usually tend to be in. In the first book of the trilogy, Kanna is 14 to 15 years old. If you strip away the fantasy and adventure aspects, she goes through the same things that a 14- to 15-year-old teenager goes through in the real world. She’s insecure, unsure of herself, has trust issues, is self-conscious, and a whole lot more. Long story short, she’s not perfect. It’s okay to have flaws and be vulnerable, because realistically there is not a person out there who doesn’t have them, and I think it’s an important thing to see.
Who is your favorite author and/or book?
My favorite author is Eoin Colfer, and the Artemis Fowl series is my favorite. I love his writing because he’s able to insert humor into his books seamlessly, even in the most serious of situations. He has the humor I wish I had, because I can’t make a good joke to save my life.
If you could apologize to one of your characters, what would you say?
Hey, Kanna, my beloved first main character, I want to apologize to you for a lot of mean things I’ve done. I’ve nearly killed you maybe ten times, probably more, throughout the entire trilogy. You basically lose your memories twice, and I almost have you lose them a third time. You were bullied a lot as a child, which led you to have plenty of trust issues that most likely played a part in preventing some good friendships before you met Kenneth and Neel. I’m sorry for all of that, and I hope the ending of Gray Heart is enough to make it up to you.
If you could give one piece of advise to your past -self about writing, what would it be?
Always be open to criticism. It’s what helps the stories we want to put out to the world become better. It’s what makes our work ready to be published. There’s a reason why people go through multiple edits before they even think about publishing their book. Now, with that being said, there is a difference between constructive criticism and an attack. If someone has read your book in the early stages and their negative comments aren’t the least bit objective and have no solid base for why they’re being made, ignore them. That’s not necessarily going to help you. That’s going to hurt you.
Kaitlyn also wanted to give the following shout out…
Shout out to @primo_paints for his amazing character art and helping me out with the last two book covers of the trilogy! I love your work, and it’s been a joy working with you!
Follow Kaitlyn Legaspi
Books
[image error]Dark Irregular
[image error]White Blossom
[image error]Gray Heart
A world consists of two planes of existence. There is the world of the living, where humans, elves, and every whole-spirited creature breathe. Then there is the Void, where demons and beings made of pure darkness, shadows, live.
Almost fifteen years ago, these shadows brought the deaths of the Kingdom of Sylenia’s beloved king and queen and the disappearance of their newborn baby. In the present day, the kingdom remains in the capable hands of a young queen, her major generals, and their knights but is constantly threatened by the growing number of shadows that enter the living world.
A secluded young orphan named Kanna is one of the new apprentices that have been chosen to be trained for the purpose of defeating these shadows. Suddenly called upon to become a knight’s understudy, she is escorted to the palace by two older apprentices. Along the way, she is attacked by the shadows, much to the apprentices’, knights’, and even the major generals’ confusion.
While Kanna is figuring out why the shadows are targeting her, something else occupies her mind. Every time she is knocked unconscious by a shadow, she has familiar visions about a little boy she vaguely recognizes. Kanna eventually finds the boy that keeps appearing in her dreams. However, she meets him as a price due to the presence of a darker, more powerful entity: the Dark Irregular.
Currently, I am not accepting any more applications for Feature Friday. Follow me for updates regarding when I will be reopening the application. Until then, signing off.
E.S. Barrison
April 24, 2020
Feature Friday – Indie Authors Wanted! CLOSED
UPDATE: RESPONSES ARE CLOSED AS OF APRIL 27TH, 2020
Hey Indie Authors!
Do you want the opportunity to be interviewed and featured on my website? Well I am currently taking applications for interested parties!
What do you have to do? EASY! Fill out the form below! If I’m interested in interviewing you, I’ll shoot you an email with further details.
This is a new venture I’m taking part in, so I have no clue if it will work…but here we go.
Feature Friday – Indie Authors Wanted!
Hey Indie Authors!
Do you want the opportunity to be interviewed and featured on my website? Well I am currently taking applications for interested parties!
What do you have to do? EASY! Fill out the form below! If I’m interested in interviewing you, I’ll shoot you an email with further details.
This is a new venture I’m taking part in, so I have no clue if it will work…but here we go.
April 23, 2020
Fuzzy Nation – Book Review
Book Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
Audio Book Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
John Scalzi is the type of author who can repurpose any storyline and make it, well, hilarious and relevant to the times. Fuzzy Nation retells the story of Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper (which I have not read, unfortunately) and puts a more modern twist on it. This is outside of just the technology, but also the treatment of women (and there are multiple powerful women throughout the story) as well as environmentalism.
In true Scalzi fashion, the story is easy to read (or in this case, listen to) and will keep you begging for more with each chapter. He constructs a narrative surrounding arrogant ex-lawyer Jack Holloway, and Jack’s own unreliability will keep the reader wondering what his next move with be. Will he save the small little animals on the planet, which he endearingly called the Fuzzies? Is he only out for himself? What DOES he really believe?
While the story itself is a predictable tale of colonialism gone awry and deterred by the native species, Fuzzy Nation takes an intricate look at law, witnesses, and the uniqueness of a potential new life form to tell its tale. Jack Holloway is a smart character, and while equally fooling the reader, he does the same to his fellow acquaintances. Although, he never manages to fool his bomb-exploding dog Jack.
I would like to applaud Scalzi in a few aspects, primarily with Isabel. It would have been so easy for Isabel to leave Mark Sullivan and prance over to Jack Holloway after he saved the fuzzies. But that’s not realistic, is it? No, Scalzi kept Isabel true to her character and did make Jack Holloway the knight in shining armor. Their friendship stayed just as that: friends. As soon as she appeared, I had a knot in my throat that her presence would add an unnecessary romance element to the plot. But it didn’t. So kudos to Mr. Scalzi on keeping a friendship that is also professional.
Finally, Wil Wheaton’s performance on the audio book is spectacular. He gives each character it’s own voice, which is sometimes necessary with the way Scalzi write dialogue. Men, women, lawyers, security officers, etc. each speak differently, including the titular character of the novel.
If you want a fun novel, I would recommend picking up or listening to Fuzzy Nation because you will be waiting for the surprises Jack Holloway has in store with each page. Plus, who want to hear about smart fuzzy creatures…as well as a dog who detonates bombs?
What’s it about?
Jack Holloway works alone, for reasons he doesn’t care to talk about. Hundreds of miles from ZaraCorp’s headquarters on planet, 178 light-years from the corporation’s headquarters on Earth, Jack is content as an independent contractor, prospecting and surveying at his own pace. As for his past, that’s not up for discussion.
Then, in the wake of an accidental cliff collapse, Jack discovers a seam of unimaginably valuable jewels, to which he manages to lay legal claim just as ZaraCorp is cancelling their contract with him for his part in causing the collapse. Briefly in the catbird seat, legally speaking, Jack pressures ZaraCorp into recognizing his claim, and cuts them in as partners to help extract the wealth.
But there’s another wrinkle to ZaraCorp’s relationship with the planet Zarathustra. Their entire legal right to exploit the verdant Earth-like planet, the basis of the wealth they derive from extracting its resources, is based on being able to certify to the authorities on Earth that Zarathustra is home to no sentient species.
Then a small furry biped—trusting, appealing, and ridiculously cute—shows up at Jack’s outback home. Followed by its family. As it dawns on Jack that despite their stature, these are people, he begins to suspect that ZaraCorp’s claim to a planet’s worth of wealth is very flimsy indeed…and that ZaraCorp may stop at nothing to eliminate the “fuzzys” before their existence becomes more widely known.
Fuzzy Nation on Goodreads
April 21, 2020
How I Write Book Reviews…and how there is no wrong way!
I’ve had people say to me “I need to get better at writing book reviews” or “I wish I knew how to write a book review” OR “I can’t review a book. I never know what to say.” All of these statements have left me with one general feeling: There is no wrong way to review a book.
Book reviews mean everything to authors. You don’t have to go in being a critic, or leaving some deep and intense review. It can be as simple as “I loved this book! It was phenomenal! 5-stars!” to “This book just wasn’t for me. You might like it though. 1-star.” Or, a book review can be comprehensive, going into how a reader feels about plot, characters, and prose. Either one, authors love. It helps readers too. How often have you picked up a book (or really any product) based on its reviews?
So I’ve decided to write this post based on the basics of what I do with a review. Sometimes I break this pattern, ranging from a 1 line review to a multi-page saga. Hopefully it will help someone figure out how to review that awesome book they’ve been wanting to scream about, or at least give someone the guts to write that one like “Eh, didn’t it like it” type of review.
E.S. Barrison’s Book Review Method
My method of book reviews follows a simple 4-idea pattern. That might sound daunting, but it comes naturally, as if expressing an opinion or talking about the topic.
First – I address in a line or two what the book is about, in some cases, what drew me to the book.
Second – I address what I like about the book.
Third – I address what I don’t like about the book. I try to make this equal or less in length to the second topic.
Fourth – I provide a summary, basically saying why or why not someone might want to pick this up.
These might seem extremely simple, but that’s all that go into a good book review. Let me provide an example below for a book we all know, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
1) Address what the book is about and what drew you to it.
Have you ever just wanted to eat, become wrapped in a cocoon and transform into something beautiful? The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle introduces us to a caterpillar who just wants that, by eating through an entire picnic. Surely that single idea is an inspiration to any of us, and certainly is a dream I aspire to accomplish.
2) Address what you like about it.
Carle’s artwork is beautiful, and this classic story leaves you enchanted each time you read through it, whether on your own or with someone else. It teaches a lesson that sometimes too much eating will leave you chubby and unable to move, but in the end you will become (spoilers!) a beautiful butterfly.
3) Address what you don’t like about it.
Of course, there is a flaw in Carle’s representation of the caterpillar as they cannot actually eat an entire picnic, nor do they look as adorable.
4) Summarize Your Review
That being said, the cartoonish nature of the story does not pull away from the adorable tale. Any child, or adult really, will love, enchanted by Carle’s poetic nature as well as his artwork. I intend to read this story to my kids in the distant future. 5 out of 5 stars!
As you can see, the review is simple enough but with enough detail that captures everything you do or don’t like about the book. This one was far more simplistic, and while I have many more examples of book reviews I have written it maintains the same structure.
But what if I don’t want to write a long book review? I just want to enjoy books!
That’s fine too! But please, especially for independent authors, consider rating the story or leaving a simple review that says “Amazing!” or alternatively, “I didn’t like this :(” While these reviews might not carry the same weight, it still tells the author that their stories are being read.
Okay, fine. But where can I review books?
The basic answer is: anywhere and everywhere. Post that you love a book on your blog, social media, or scream it in the middle of the street!
Or, I guess, alternatively, you can post on select websites like Goodreads, Bookbub, Amazon…just to name a few!
Reviews are what give authors exposure. Notably, only 20% of book purchasers review the book. Let’s make that number higher…for all the authors out there.
Have any questions? Want to recommend a book for ME to review? Email me at esbarrison@gmail.com.
E.S. Barrison
April 20, 2020
Blame It on Bianca Del Rio: The Expert on Nothing with an Opinion on Everything – Book Review
Book Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 stars)
Audio Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Total Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5 stars)
Bianca del Rio: Season 6 RuPaul’s Drag Race Winner is a true star that I fell in love with as I watched season 6 recently (yes, yes, I’m behind on the times). So when I found out she wrote a book, I immediately downloaded it on Audible. The book is exactly like her: crude, judgmental, and amusing.
Yet, if you do not know who Bianca del Rio is, and are not familiar with her very crude sense of humor, I would not recommend this book. Her humor is the type that attacks everyone and everything…and she does not filter at all. While a good portion of the book is quite funny, there are some portions (primarily in the section on “Health”, which is unfortunately the first section of the book) that are quite crude and (in some cases) offensive rather than funny.
That being said, if you enjoy that more crude sense of humor and you know who Bianca del Rio is, you’ll have some fun. It combines her usual sense of humor with subtleties of advice (think “Dear Abby”). But…don’t go reading this book for real advice, because that’s not the point.
If I hadn’t listened to the audio book version of this, narrated by Bianca herself, this probably would have sat at a solid 2.5 to 3 stars for me. While it is amusing, some of the jokes can get cumbersome, and with the more rehearsed, less natural version of her humor some of it falls flat. But, with Bianca narrating it brings to life her true comedic nature. With her telling it, it brings the rating up to 3.5 stars.
Overall though, it is a fun listen/read, and if you’re looking for some crude humor to laugh to, definitely check it out.
Blame it On Bianca del Rio on Goodreads
April 17, 2020
The Umbrella Academy (Vol. 1, 2, & 3) – Book Review
Series Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.75/5 stars)
“Hello.”
Comic books are not my forte, but I fell in love with the Netflix edition of The Umbrella Academy, so I had to pick up Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba’s comics. This is one of the odd takes where I can say that I like the TV show better than the book.
Perhaps it’s because I’m not accustom to comics, or since there are only three volumes and I didn’t purchase any of the supplemental materials, but the benefits of the Netflix show was the ability to explore the relationship between the seven siblings in a much deeper light. The comic left some of that to the imagination, and having watched the TV show first, I was able to fill in the gaps.
The comics themselves are super fun. In fact, I’d go to say that while the TV show takes weirdness to heart, the comics out-do it! I never thought I would say that, but somehow the comic puts the multiplier on x10 to weirdness.
The first two comics, Apocalypse Suite and Dallas, are much more polished than Hotel Oblivion, and I think that comes from the fact that the volumes 1 and 2 were written years ago, while Hotel Oblivion was only written in 2019 (perhaps to provide more content for the TV show). The less impressive third volume – with a cliffhanger that I hope will be addressed in a fourth volume – is what gives the comic series the rating of 3.75 overall.
From here on out, there may be a few spoilers for those who haven’t watched the TV show or read the comics.
It is fair to note that the TV show does not follow the comics to the letter, bouncing around and changing how things occur – as well as altering some characters for the sake of variety and sanity (such as turning the Handler from a talking goldfish into a woman in a sleek business outfit), so I won’t be analyzing all that too much.The heart of The Umbrella Academy is truthfully, the characters. The Netflix series manages to make most (I say most, which I’ll address shortly) of the siblings far more likable, giving them a well rounded humanity that isn’t as evident in the comics. This is probably true of other comics as well. I think the best way to approach this would be to look at each of these characters briefly.
Starting with Number One: Spaceboy, Luther
He’s the reason why I say that “most” of the characters are more likable in the Netflix series. In the comic, he is the titular Number One, a leader with daddy issues. True, he holds onto this in the Netflix series, but he is just not as likable, holding his trauma above all the others. It might be that he really hasn’t changed much between the comics and the show, and while the show makes the other characters more easily to connect with, Luther stays the same.
Next, Number Two: The Kraken, Diego
In the comic, I’d hate to say it, but Diego is actually quite flat. He’s angry. He can hold is breath for a long time. And he likes knives. By the end of Dallas, you start to see some of his emotions come out, but unlike the Diego in the Netflix series, he does not carry the weight of loving his mother, a stutter, or defending his family for his dear life.
Number Three: The Rumor, Allison
Allison doesn’t change too much between both the comic and the TV show. I’d say there’s a deeper sympathy for her though in the TV show since we see a glimpse of time with her daughter, how her and Luther’s relationship formed, and her sisterhood with Vanya. In the comics, there’s a bitterness there…which begins to fall at the end of Dallas where she forgives Vanya for nearly killing her. Her motivation always remains the same though: she wants to do everything for her daughter, and that in itself is noble.
Number Four: The Seance, Klaus
Oh Klaus, you sweet disaster child. In both the comic and the TV show, he is probably the most likable and the biggest disaster of the bunch. He’s my favorite by a long shot. The TV show does investigate his drug addiction and the fall out of his powers a bit more, as well as his relationship with Ben (more on that later), the comic actually gives us a deeper dive into his powers and personality beyond the drugs. He’s smart (not as book smart as Five or emotionally in tune as Ben, but he can think sometimes), resourceful…and kind of crazy powerful. We only saw a glimpse of it at the end of Season 1 of the TV show (where he summons Ben), but in the comics we see some of his other abilities: floating as his primary source of travel, communicating through electronics (such as when he gets beaten up by Hazel and Cha-Cha), and…oh yeah, he’s kind of the one who stops the meteorite from destroying the world.
Did I mention God hates him?
[image error][image error][image error]Some of my favorite (comic) Klaus moments, of many.
Number Five
Number Five stays true to one thing in both the comic and the TV show: he’s a little prick. He’s smart and he knows it. The TV show benefited by making him older (13 rather than 10) and having a friendship with Vanya as well as keeping a connection to Dolores. In the comic, Five is every man for himself. Obviously he wants to save the world, but in the comic he holds much more of a “whatever it takes” attitude. Either way, comic or TV, don’t cross paths with him.
Number Six: The Monster, Ben
In the comics, Ben is unfortunately a shadow. He is mentioned, but unlike in the TV show, he does not follow Klaus around or make snarky remarks until Hotel Oblivion. Adding Ben into the TV show as a wonderful addition though, as it helps the Hargreeve appear more real.
Number Seven: The White Violin, Vanya
Finally, there is Vanya, poor misunderstood Vanya. While the show does her justice and shows her naturally falling into the overwhelming abilities of her powers, the comic makes her switch occur under the hand of a less calculative, nefarious villain. The whole time, she is bitter, and without the show to back up why…it is harder to understand. It was interesting how the comic addressed her relationship with Diego though: the two wanted to be musicians together. I wish they showed that in the TV show as it would have been a nice addition. There’s a lot left to explore of Vanya in the comics though, especially with the ending to Hotel Oblivion, so I hope we get to see more.
All in all, the comics are wonderful. Really. A little bit like taking an acid trip, but true to themselves and the strangeness expected from Gerard Way. I don’t know if I would have picked it up without the TV show though. In addition, if I didn’t love the show like I do (it’s the last show I binge watched, 5/5 star rating), I’m not sure what my review of the comics would have been.
So if you like The Umbrella Academy on Netflix and want an idea of what *might* just happen next, I totally recommend picking up the comics.
“Goodbye”
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Vol. 1 – Apocalypse Suite on Goodreads
April 13, 2020
Ms. Infinity: Where Infinity Begins – Book Review
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5 stars)
No one has as much infinite power as Ms. Infinity. She is the equivalent to superman, yet rather than being hindered by kryptonite, she is instead hindered by her own stubbornness, inexperience, and pride. Kirschner introduces Ms. Infinity to us – A.K.A. Bonnie Boring – through an origin story controlled solely by Ms. Infinity’s own cunning and guile, than by pure accident and luck.
It is rare to see a female character as strong as Ms. Infinity. She has everything that superman has, and more, addressing issues of injustice and sexism along the way. But she is not the only super hero in the story. We’re introduced to the average superheroes of the world to, through Lisa Lin, Hal Holstein, and Jenna Storm. In this story, Kirschner does not only tell the tale of a super human…but of humans who are also super.
Ms. Infinity, especially under her alterego of Bonnie, has a strong personality: she is stubborn, but kind; smart, but not wise; a superhero, but vulnerable. Yet, while the characterization of Ms. Infinity is amazing, the rest of the characters fall a bit more flat. Yet, perhaps, that’s the essence of a superhero based story: all the focus is on the heroes, while the side cast is there as support and not much else.
Throughout the book there were some novice grammatical errors that could have been avoided, but they do not take away from the overall story. The story, as a whole, was relatively predictable, but you don’t typically go into a super hero story expecting a twist. The characters, with names like Bonnie Boring, Betty Boring, Lisa Lin, Hal Holstein, Jenna Storm, and Johnny Gunn are suited for a comic book, with similar scenes to follow.
In times like today, sheltering in place under a pandemic, I think we all need a little bit of Ms. Infinity.
I look forward to picking up the next book in the series Ms Infinity: Earth’s Greatest Hero in the near future.
And don’t forget the power that’s inside you.
What’s it about?
Twenty-four years old with no direction in life, she spends her days as a cashier at The Big Box in Queens with her best friend, Lisa Lin. But there is more to her than meets the eye. She and her mother are really super-powered alien refugees from a distant planet. For years, her mother has made her hide her powers, insisting that they live as ordinary humans. But now, America is falling under the influence of the tyrannical billionaire Johnny Gunn. As freedoms begin to slip away, Bonnie decides it’s time to act. After painstakingly getting her mother’s blessing, she creates a new alter-ego as the superhero Ms. Infinity. Her first appearance, saving a school bus from a deadly accident, causes a stir all over New York. Yet as soon as she appears on the scene, she is verbally attacked by Gunn, and her identity pursued by a reporter. Meanwhile, her double life creates tension with Lisa.
Gunn ruthlessly spreads his influence over all of America, and will soon take shocking measures to become its sole ruler. Only Ms. Infinity can stop him, but he is also determined to destroy her. And he might just have the weapons to do it.
Presenting a youthful update on classic superheroes, Where Infinity Begins mixes science fiction with humor and social satire, and a female lead with power, sass, and personality.
Ms. Infinity: Where Infinity Begins on Goodreads
April 11, 2020
How to Help Your Favorite Indie Authors
Indie authors do not have the luxury of big publishing houses or a vast amount of resources to market their books. In most cases, being an indie author is one person trying to market and idea they’re passionate about. Each indie author chose the independent route for a reason (a topic I’ll address in another post), so if you love their story…there are ways for you to help!
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So how can you help?
Buy their book – This should be pretty self explanatory. Sales mean your indie author knows they have fans. Review their book – This is almost as important, if not MORE important, than purchasing the book. Reviews help the book get attention. Amazon will start showing the book in relevant searches after 10 reviews, and after 50 the book will be added to different independent book lists. Think about it from the consumer perspective – if you see more reviews on a product, you know more about it. Tell your friends! – If you like the book, tell your like minded friends. Recommendations go a long way!Recommend the book to your local library – Books do not get on shelves unless you request it get added! If you tell your local library about it, then it gets the book into hands of others.Make Fan Content – Art! Aesthetic boards! Playlists! Whatever you can think of – they help the author get attention (and most authors love seeing it too).
Now go out there, read your favorite books, and shout about them to everyone who comes your way.
Happy reading!
E.S. Barrison
March 29, 2020
My Thirteen-Year Long Path to Publishing
I would not recommend that anyone goes through my insane publication process. It’s stressful, time consuming, but I hope it will pay off.
It starts when I was thirteen.
Enter Ms. Black’s English Class: I’m an aspiring writer already, with some little story pocketed away. Do I remember what it was? Not really. But it was the first thing that really sparked my interest in writing.
One day in October, Ms. Black told the class that our job was to write a suspenseful horror story inspired by authors like Edgar Allen Poe, in the spirit of Halloween of course. So, I wracked my little thirteen-year old brain. Horror wasn’t necessarily a genre I wrote, but suspense was something I enjoyed.
The idea started simple: an old priest, knowing his death would be soon, sat in his church writing a letter in red ink. He heard a hysterical woman in the graveyard, so he abandoned his writing and hurried out to hear the commotion. The woman was screaming because a bell beside the grave, known as a safety coffin, was ringing, and there was not a breeze in the air. The priest tried to calm her, but to no avail.
This is where I was caught off guard though. The woman transformed in my story from a terrified young lady…to the fierce and stunning Goddess of Death, or Grim Reaper.
This is my notorious Woman in Black. She was the first character I developed for The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice, and frankly, she hasn’t changed much over the years.
Granted, the story has undergone multiple makeovers. Names of characters have changed. Personalities altered. But with a few central themes: conflict in an ancient council, a kind-hearted protagonist, and strong women of different personalities.
So let’s go back to the beginning. From the age thirteen to eighteen, I worked on this story. Initially it was called simply “Apprentice”, then “Discipulus”, which was the name it kept for a long time. It took place in the modern world, the main characters were highschoolers, and honestly I was probably way in over my head. But I still wrote an entire five book series (Discipulus, Medius, Venator, Proditor, and Dominus). It was an accomplishment! I was proud of myself!
I think I wrote over five drafts of Discipulus alone.
Then college came. I abandoned them for three years after my story was accused of being childish.
I’m glad I did.
I grew beyond what I initially wrote. After three years of learning more about myself, I knew where I had gone wrong.
So I scrapped everything.
Okay, okay, scrapped is the wrong word. I have the original files backed up, but after trying to keep the premise the same, I knew it just wouldn’t work.
I wish I could tell you how I came to the revelation. Yet, no matter how I wrack my brain, I can’t. I think it comes down to how the story never really left me. It was always there, waiting to be taken again.
Over the course of a few more years, I worked on rewriting my novel. I kept the name Discipulus for the time being, but knew the change would ultimately come.
I finished the revised draft one sometime in early 2018. Then by mid-year, I came up with the name…The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice.
I was so proud, and I thought the idea was fleshed out entirely by the time I looked for beta readers in late 2018. A few circumstances led me to believe that was not the case: an overly ambitious beta reading plan, a low response rate, and the few readers that did finish pointing out the flaws.
In early 2019, I reassessed, and rewrote over half the novel.
It was worth it.
Beta readers loved the story. Over 70% of those interested finished, and they raved and loved the book! So, at the end of 2019 I knew that this year, 2020, I would finally publish this story. I sent it to an editor, Charlie Knight, who helped make the story stronger, hired my cover artist, and got to work.
I’m two and a half months now from the book’s release. I can go on about why I chose to indie publish, but I think that’s a story for another day.
Needless to say, the point of this rambling is to say this: don’t give up. It’s a lot of work, no one is every going to say it’s easy, but if you stick with it and are willing to adjust due to criticism, you will soar.
Will this 13 year journey of mine pay off? I don’t know. But I am proud of what I have put together.
And isn’t that all that matters?
Until next time,
E.S. Barrison
