Robin Jeffrey's Blog, page 20

Werewolf Wednesday

Lucian from Underworld

Happy Werewolf Wednesday, everyone! This week I’m going to talk about one of the werewolf characters that significantly influenced me as I constructed my own world of wolfy wonder: Lucian from the Underworld franchise.

Lucian is introduced in the beginning of the first of the Underworld films, and his appearance makes an immediate impact. In fact, as you watch the Underworld films, you come to realize that the entire story pivots around Lucian and his actions — the progenitor of the Lycans and the leader of the Lycan resistance, he is the catalyst for all that has happened, and without him there would be no story.

I think what I love the most about Lucian as a character is how calm, collected, and clever he is. We certainly see werewolves (or Lycans as they are called in the Underworld universe) who revel in their animal side, who are pure muscle and rage, but Lucian, who is held up as a leader, is — dare I say it — rather suave. He doesn’t let his emotions get the best of him, he is a meticulous planner; he is in control of the beast within, not the other way around.

I also find the portrayal of Lucian to be especially compelling because while you can certainly look at his story and say he is driven by rage and revenge, it’s just as easy to examine the trajectory of his arc and say, ultimately, Lucian was and is driven by love. That’s so much more compelling a motivation for a ‘monster’ like a werewolf then something as blasé as rage. He loved and it is for that love that he has risked everything to try and accomplish his ultimate goal.

What are some other stand-out werewolves from television, movies, or books that you think helped broaden or define what a werewolf can be? I’d love to see who some of your favorites are in the comments!

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Behind the Scenes Sunday

Editing – Do-It-Yourself or Hire Out?

Let’s take a peek at the cogs inside the machine and talk about why I write and how I write on Behind the Scenes Sunday! Today I’d like to talk about the extremely important step of editing. You’ve written the book, a gargantuan task in and of itself, but now, now you have to take out your ‘red pen’ and go to work on it, snipping here, tucking there, and shaping it into the wonderful work of art you know it should be.

There’s a lot of discussion out there about self-editing versus professional editing, especially in the independent author and hybrid author communities. But I’m here to tell you right now that people who pit one option against the other are forming a false dichotomy — that is, you don’t need just one or the other in order to be successful. What you need is both.

Every book you write should go through at least one (if not several) rounds of self-editing before you hand it off to anyone else. Why? Because no one else knows the story as well as you do. No one else knows your characters’ voices as well as you, their motivations, the shape of the plot (or the shape you were attempting, anyway), and the sound of your own unique authorial voice. It’s important to preserve all of that while still making improvements to the work and the best way to ensure that that happens is to do it yourself.

That being said, once you’ve polished it to the best of your ability, I think it is paramount that you hand your book over to a professional editor. Why? Because professional editors know what makes book works and what makes books crumple in on themselves like a failed souffle. They, unlike you, are not so close to the work that they can’t see what may need to be cut and discarded — they will not spare your darlings! They haven’t spared anyone else’s!

Editing is what takes your book from a mushy mess to a magnificent masterpiece. It is vitally important that you be a part of that process, not just hand it off to someone else to do. But it’s also important to know your limits and recognize when an outsider’s perspective could benefit you and your work. Don’t be afraid of the editing process — it’s when your book will reach its full potential!

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Saturday in the Stacks

Lore Olympus Review

Saturday is the perfect time to wander through the stacks (that’s librarian-speak for “bookshelves”) and talk about books and the people who write them. Pull up a comfy chair and settle in, because today I want to chat about the wildly successful Webtoon turned physical book (the fourth volume of the print comic hits the shelves on June 6th!), Lore Olympus.

The Eisner-award winning webcomic by Rachel Smythe exploded on the scene like a firework when it first came out on the platform WEBTOON. Pretty soon, people were cosplaying as the characters, writing fanfiction based on the story arcs, and the webcomic was picked up for publication by one of the big five. It’s a modern, sleek re-imagining of the classic Hades and Persephone myth that tackles big issues and plucks on all the heartstrings you have. Once you start to read it, it’s not hard to see how people got hooked so fast.

Personally, I feel like I have a lot to learn about writing compelling romance plots from Rachel Smythe. I devour each volume of Lore Olympus that comes out and sit back to ask myself, “Why did that work so well?” I don’t want to write Lore Olympus – it already exists and there’s no way I could do it better. But if I could write with the same level of mastery as Smythe, I would be very happy indeed. She understands the push and pull between people, not just strictly romantic, but just in general — what draws people together and what keeps them apart.

Is there a particular piece of media that you think is exemplary in its genre? That makes you want to tear it apart and put it back together just to see how it works? That’s certainly Lore Olympus for me, but what is it for you? Let’s chat about it in the comments below!

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Werewolf Wednesday

The Wolf Man (1941)

Happy Werewolf Wednesday, everyone! This week I’m going to talk about the werewolf movie that arguably started it all, the OG, the one, the only, The Wolf Man from Universal Studios, starring the amazing Lon Chaney Jr.

Here’s a little fun factoid for all your Universal Monster enthusiasts out there: did you know that the Wolf Man is the only universal monster to be played by the same actor in all of the 1940 movies? He considered the Wolf Man “his baby” and it’s not hard to see why. He was iconic in the role, the movie magic used to effect his transformation becoming the stuff of cinema legend.

This movie enthralled young Robin, who was a big fan of the other leading man in the film, Claude Rains (we watched The Invisible Man a lot in my house). The atmospheric, spooky Welsh moors, the horror of turning into a mindless beast who is destined to kill those nearest and dearest to you and in turn be destroyed by them, all topped off with a hypnotic and unforgettable poem? I was hooked. Later in my life, when I would begin to write my own werewolf book, Hungry is the Night, I would include a nod to this classic of the horror genre – Marcus, one of my main characters, is himself from Wales, though not from a small village with werewolf lore. He’s a police detective in Cardiff, and I had a lot of fun imagining him speaking in a lilting Welsh accent.

What’s your favorite Universal Monster movie? Is it The Wolf Man? Why do you think this film had endured for so long and remained a part of the cultural zeitgeist in the way that it has? When did you first watch it? Let’s chat about it in the comments!

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Behind the Scenes Sunday

Exhibiting at Comic Conventions

Let’s take a peek at the cogs inside the machine and talk about why I write and how I write on Behind the Scenes Sunday! Today I’d like to talk about the self-promotion side of being an author, specifically my experiences doing convention appearances. Seemed to be a fitting topic, since this is the final day of Emerald City Comic Con, where I have been exhibiting for the past four days! This is my second year at Emerald City Comic Con and only my second year doing conventions at all, so I thought it might be worthwhile to share what it’s been like, why I do conventions, and tips and tricks I’d recommend employing if you’re thinking about taking the convention route yourself.

First of all, be prepared for a lot of work WELL IN ADVANCE of the convention even starting. This is work in addition to already writing, proofing, and producing at least one (but you should have more than that IMHO) book. You’re going to need a business license and event insurance, you’re going to need to fill out exhibitor applications (complete with juicy bios and pitches for why you deserve a spot at the convention), you’re going to need supplies to decorate and stock and run your booth (such as setting up a way to take electronic payments), and all this before you even step foot in the convention center.

Then, there’s exhibiting during the con – it is an endurance test on your body and your spirit, make no mistake about that! You will be standing for most of an eight hour+ day, selling your wares to strangers, or at least trying to sell your wares to strangers. Not every interaction leads to a sale and, it is true, some social exchanges are going to be less than pleasant.

So why do I do conventions?

I LOVE THEM.

They are so much freakin’ fun. Exhausting, stressful, yes – but ultimately, conventions are where my readers are at and there is nothing that fires up my soul more than connecting face to face with readers. If you’re writing genre fiction, like me, I’d recommend you give convention exhibiting a try, at least once. It doesn’t have to be a huge show like ECCC – start small, start local! There’s nothing wrong with that! But do try it and you might be surprised by how rewarding you find the experience to be.

TOP THREE TIPS FOR EXHIBITING AT A COMIC CONVENTION AS AN AUTHOR:

RULE #1. Have fun!

RULE #2. Celebrate your sales and forget about the ones that got away.

RULE #3. Practice your pitch. Why should someone buy your book? Hook me in as short a time as possible.

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Saturday in the Stacks

Descender & Ascender

Saturday is the perfect time to wander through the stacks (that’s librarian-speak for “bookshelves”) and talk about books and the people who write them. Pull up a comfy chair and settle in, because today I want to chat about a pair of graphic novels that are near and dear to my comic loving heart: Descender and Ascender written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Dustin Nguyen (who you can visit this weekend at Emerald City Comic Con – I know I will be stopping by to say hello!)

Published by Image Comics starting in March of 2015 and finishing July of 2018, Descender is a scifi space opera series that follows the odyssey of TIM-21, a young android in a galaxy where artificial intelligence and robotics has been outlawed following a cataclysmic and mysterious attack by planet-sized machines. The series explores themes of grief, othering, alienation, and finding one’s place in the universe. Ascender, a sequel series published from April 2019 to August 2021 is set ten years after the conclusion of Descender, and, without giving too much away about either series, it essentially asks the question: can magic and science coexist?

These two creators have been favorites of mine since I first started reading comics – Dustin Nguyen was one of the three or four people I visited during my very first Emerald City Comic Con well over ten years ago! I have always loved the way Nguyen’s art communicates the emotion of both the setting and the characters, while still being highly stylized and instantly recognizable. No one else draws quite like him and his work really shines in Descender and Ascender. It perfectly fits the otherworldly material in both series while keeping the story grounded.

Which comics have rocked your world lately? If you’ve never read one, but you’re a fan of my Cadence Turing Mystery Series, I highly recommend Descender, Ascender, and/or a series called Alex & Ada as good places to start!

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Countdown to Comic Con!

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Emerald City Comic Con!

Today is set-up day at Emerald City Comic Con, where I will be exhibiting all four days (March 2nd through 5th!), signing and selling my books, my flash fiction, and a host of other cool swag. I hope to see you all at the show: I will be at Booth 20526 on Level 2 — the Flex Hall, right next to the Official ECCC Show Store!

Come say hi!!

Behind the Scenes Sunday

Alone or Together – Writing Habits

Let’s take a peek at the cogs inside the machine and talk about why I write and how I write on Behind the Scenes Sunday! Today I’d like to talk about the benefits of writing alone and writing with others and why you might want to consider doing both from time to time!

As an introvert, I’m not a particularly social person, so you might be surprised to hear me suggest that you take some time to find folks to write with — but I highly recommend that you do! These might be folks that you do simultaneous writing sprints with via Discord or Zoom, or even IRL writing sessions with a group at a coffee shop or library, but writing in real time with others offers the following benefits:

We’re all in this together! Writing is hard, but when you know you’re not attempting it alone, the courage you get from that camaraderie can lead to some great work coming out.Keeping each other accountable. Knowing that you all agreed to write for X amount of minutes and that you’re all in the same (digital or physical) space trying to do just that can make slacking off (or getting up to clean the house instead) a lot harder to do!People to celebrate with! When you’re done, there are a natural group of people to celebrate your writing accomplishments with! Not that you can’t have a party of one, but let’s be honest, hanging with your friends is almost always more fun, right?

Now, just because it works some of the time doesn’t mean it’s going to work all of the time. The fact of the matter is, people’s schedules often conflict, or inspiration may strike in the dead of night and you need to write solo. Is that so bad? Absolutely not! I think writing alone can offer some real bonuses, such as:

You can go at your own pace. Writing alone, you can write for as long as you want or for as little as you want! You are on your own schedule!You control the atmosphere. Writing alone, you can turn on music, light a candle, go to a busy cafe, do whatever you need to do to your surroundings to make the words flow. Lower pressure. If you hit a snag, or a rough spot, there’s no one to compare yourself too. You are writing for yourself alone.

What about you? Do you prefer to write alone or in the midst of a group of fellow writers? There is no wrong answer, but let’s chat about it in the comments below!

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Saturday in the Stacks

In Death Series – Inspiring Series

Saturday is the perfect time to wander through the stacks (that’s librarian-speak for “bookshelves”) and talk about books and the people who write them. Pull up a comfy chair and settle in, because today I want to chat about a book series that made me want to be a professional author, the In Death series by Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb.

I’ve mentioned Roberts before on this blog, when I did a short piece on the first book in her Dragon Heart Legacy series, The Awakening (if you’re interested in my thoughts on that book, you can read the blog post about it here) and again when I wrote about how Roberts herself inspired me on my authorial journey (you can read that post here). I mentioned then that she may very well be the most prolific and successful romance author of the modern era. She has published over two hundred and twenty five books, writes under a handful of pseudonyms, and was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame.

When I was a young adult, I discovered her, quite by accident, by reading her In Death series, published under the name J.D. Robb. I was hungry for mystery and her character Eve Dallas appealed to me. In a world full of tough male private eyes and grizzled policemen, Eve was a breath of fresh air. She was badass without being cartoony, feminine without being a femme fatale. And the books themselves? The mysteries were always compelling, the writing top-notch — simply put, I couldn’t get enough of them.

What makes the In Death series so good, in my opinion, is that Eve Dallas may well be one of the most well-rounded characters I’ve come across in genre fiction ever. Roberts allows her to authentically experience the full range of human emotion and experiences without ever pulling her punches and it makes for some truly engaging and breathtaking reading. Reading this series as a young writer, I knew I wanted to one day craft a series like this one, with a character that was allowed to evolve, change, and confront everything that humanity had to offer.

So, fellow writers and readers: is there a book series out there that is just so good it made you want to put words to paper yourself? Or, conversely, is there a series of books that intimidated the hell out of you and made you afraid to write word one? Let’s chat about it in the comments below!

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Werewolf Wednesday

Can I Pet Your Werewolf? Review

Happy Werewolf Wednesday, everyone! This week I’m going to talk about a wonderful wolfy comic book that I thoroughly enjoyed and heartily recommend to anyone who loves stories that warm the heart, tickle the funny bone, and have a little bite to them: Can I Pet Your Werewolf?, a comic anthology edited by Kel McDonald and Molly Muldoon.

I was lucky enough to pick up this anthology at Emerald City Comic Con a couple of years back, but just got around to reading in in 2022. When I tell you that there was not a single dud of a story in this anthology of thirteen short, standalone comics? I mean it. There’s even one in there written by Seanan McGuire (Nebula and Hugo Award winner!). They all delight and they all do something new and inventive with the idea of werewolves.

As the playful title might suggest, if you’re looking for horrifying tales of bloody teeth and slashing claws, you’ve come to the wrong place. In Can I Pet Your Werewolf? readers will find that what might seem monstrous is more often misunderstood — that the strange is merely unfamiliar, and that when looked at through the eyes of love, even a big hairy shapeshifting creature can become a fast friend.

If you aren’t sure that comics are really your thing, or have never read a graphic novel before, this book would also be a great place to start to develop an affinity for the format! There’s lots of different artistic styles on display in this anthology, so I really do believe there’s something for everyone to like inside this one.

Is there a werewolf comic that sticks out in your memory as being particularly awesome? It can be a webcomic, traditionally published weekly, or anthology collection like the one here — drop the title in the comments below and let’s start a book club!

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