Mel Stone's Blog, page 2

Black Wednesday

I'm almost finished with the rough draft of "From the Ashes of June". And it is really rough! I've never done anything like this before. The amount of research and the emotional toll of writing about people being horrible to one another has been hard on my brain. I've only been able to write a couple of hours a day before throwing up the white flag. Today I came to the pinnacle of the historical setting, 'Black Wednesday'.

June 7th, 1780 was the day the King gave permission for the military to fire upon the rioters and shoot to kill. Over three hundred people died this day, by the hands of their own military. Men who vowed to serve their country and were willing to give up their lives to keep their country safe were now killing fellow countrymen, in order to keep other fellow countrymen safe.

If there is anything we know for certain, is that history repeats itself when we don't learn from it.

From the Ashes of June (Title reveal!!)

Mel, where's our free story?

It's coming!! I promise!!

This is about Sophie and Nathaniel (You all remember Sophie right?)

It takes place during the Gordon Riots of London in 1780. I almost shelved it because of what is going on right now in the world, but my author friends smacked me upside the head and said, "It needs to be told!"

So here we are, and it's been an emotional rollercoaster for me to write. Instead of putting in my usual hours of writing, I am wiped out after about two hours.

Also, like Baymax, "I am not fast." I wish I could fast produce like so many writers nowadays, but I want to give you a great read to remember, so I thank you for your patience!

But I will commit to having it out by November. Ack! I said it... aloud... it's on record...

This is less of a Gothic and more of a suspense, although there

is a supernatural element I hope you'll find before the end. It also has some new side characters that I JUST ADORE!

Back to the writing cave...

Needles and Hooks

My second biggest passion after writing is fiber arts. I love the feel, the smell, the absolute warmth you have just by looking at someone else's creation. One of the tropes I dislike is a heroine's disdain for needle arts, that she's somehow enlightened because she eschews that what every other woman does.

UGH!

Fiber arts is an amazing legacy passed down to all women from their mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, and beyond. It's something to embrace. I love taking a stinky blanket of raw wool, washing it, picking it, carding it, spinning it, and then using it to create something. It is a fulfilling process to behold. It makes me feel connected with women in the past and what they did to love and support their families.

Today I was reading a book when the author committed the number one fiber felony you can do in my narrow little world. "....her crochet needles working furiously..."

No, nonononononono you did not just say that!!!

(Sigh)

Admittedly, I am a happy hooker, but I think even my knitting comrades are cringing at this point. Because they know...

Crochet uses hooks, knitting uses needles.

I have pictures.

These are crochet hooks, beautifully crafted ones I might add! See the smooth edges around the hook end to allow your yarn to slide through easily? How it stays the same width so your stitches stay uniform? Lovely. And it looks nothing like a needle!

These are knitting needles. Pointy ends and everything! Nothing that looks even remotely like a hook.

So please, know your weapons of choice by the right name. (gets off her soapbox)

The trouble with I

It finally happened. My first critical review.

I've been waiting for it, anticipating it, bracing for it.

And it still threw me for a loop.

You hated the characters, that's ok. You hated the story or how it ended, I'm ready for that too.

This what I got - "I am heartily sick of seeing the pronoun “I” misused, as I am of so-called writers not having the professional integrity/courtesy of properly learning their native tongue."

SAY WHAT??????

I did what now? (Starts digging into manuscript looking for implied mistakes) Where? (Digs further)

Calls up my editors, "Did I misuse the pronoun 'I' in my book?"

Both editors, "SAY WHAT?????" (Trust me folks, they would have called me on the carpet for it, poor Julia is forever fixing my sentence structure, bless her face!)

Anywhooooo, moving forward. I have spent all day on Grammarly taking practice tests to make sure I use pronouns right. (So far 10 out of 10 correct, someone gimme a gold star!)

I may not be traditionally published, but I am a writer, and I take my craft seriously. Even if I don't know what the hell you are talking about, I'll do my best to become better.

Picture from Grammerly.com

Henlo frens!

Boo here. Since Mom went to the mountains and left me behind, am writing her blog this week. Am such a good pupper!

This week I give you a list of why you should tell all your family and frens about my mom's new book, "The House That Death Built".

#3 - It's a really good book! One reviewer said, "had me on a crazy roller coaster that I didn't want to stop." That made my mom so happee, I like it when reviewers make my mom smile.

#2 - Mom wants to stay home with me all day instead of her other jorb. Hates it when she leaves me in the morning. There's no one here to give me belly rubs. Loves the belly rubs.

#1 - Treatos. Yes frens, it's all about the treatos. The more books mom sells, the more treatos I get. And not the boring biskets but the yummo chicken ones that are soft and squishy and make me drool. Am drooling now just thinking about it.

So remember, tell your frens to read Mom's book so I can get treatos. K thanks, bye. Mom will be back next week!

But where did it come from?

I grew up on Grimm and Mother Goose. Not the cutesy, happy versions, but the nitty-gritty, "Holy cow! Why are you reading this to children!" versions.

When I was asked where did my idea for "The House That Death Built" come from, the answer was easy. Did you ever hear of a fairytale villain by the name of Bluebeard? Yeah. That's where it came from. You'll find out that I am very contrary by nature. I love to play devil's advocate. (No, I really really LOVE it. ENTP Debater right here.)

So the idea came to me, "What if Bluebeard was the good guy?"

Wait, what? How can he have a literal room of dead bodies and be the good guy??

Good question! And then it began. How did he have so many wives die and still be the good guy? Why is this happening to him? Can he stop it? How do you write a scene of finding a room full of dead bodies and not really finding a room of dead bodies?

It was hard, it was challenging, it had so many plot holes to fill. But it was delightful, it was invigorating, and made for a good story.

Do I think that Bluebeard is a redeemable character? No. But I think Arthur Marco is. I think most people are. And I'll keep writing about the "what if?"

(Image by ,Gustave Dore)

Oh, Boo!

You might have heard me mention my 100-pound lap dog, Boo. It's short for Boudica. I figured a mastiff/lab/dane would fit a powerful name like the Celtic warrior queen. Not so much. Even the cool skull and crossbones collar I got her did not inspire any fierceness in her.

So, my nice stylist is making house calls and came over to fix all the neglect that we've heaped upon our heads with social distancing. She dripped a little color on the floor and before she could wipe it up, Boo sniffed it and then ROLLED in it!

Now my Boo has a little beauty spot.

Ahhhhh...feels so good.

You know that place. That place where you just melt because it's perfect. For me, it usually involves high altitude, snowy peaks, and ice-cold lakes. But today I found a different spot.

I've been working hard starting down this indie author road. There is SO MUCH to do! And unless you hire everything out, you are the one that does it. For the past few months, I have been researching book covers, book size, interior design, marketing platforms, social media accounts, website design, blogs, platforms, newsletters, and a whole bunch of other headache-inducing tiny details that make my eyeballs bleed. I haven't written a word.

Until today.

Today I slid into my seat and opened my document and looked at the words I'd previously written and felt a moment of absolute exhaustion. Just thinking of all the work that goes into making a book made me want to shut the laptop and go binge Netflix.

But I started reading what I'd written, then I started editing a few sentences, then I started writing. And the words began to flow, and the thoughts and feelings and the excitement came back. That perfect, peaceful feeling of creating and doing what I love filled me, and I felt like I was back on the mountain top.

And that's why I do this.