Nikko Lee's Blog, page 9
August 16, 2016
Writing Worry #38: When to submit
This summer has been busy between expecting our second, chasing around a toddler and trying to get together with friends and family before the arrival of #2. It has left little time or energy for writing. As my self-imposed deadline for submission of November is right around the corner, I am faced with the choice of submitting as is or accepting that it will be another year to two before the manuscript is ready.
I wrote the outline for Safe Word nearly 5 years ago, the first draft 3 years ago. I've never worked on a project this long and stuck with it. Either a new idea comes along or I just get frustrated with the state of the manuscript and trunked it.
The current manuscript is okay. I could probably submit it as is, but there are some known problems:
Some fact checking confirmed that scenes with the pathologist character are not true to life. In fact, I need to give her a different job so she can have access to the information she needs to have access to and re-write just about every scene that happens in the morgue because it isn't the way things are done in the Minneapolis medical examiner's office.
I have yet to fact check with the Minneapolis police department to make sure my police proceedure is somewhat rounded in reality versus TV logic.
One of my biggest flaws as an author is having too many unnecessary words. It slows the pace and risks losing the reader.
Second biggest flaw is the absence of scene setting. I'm a minimalist when it comes to setting the scene, but my new writing group has helped me realize that I only needs to add in a few details as a part of the blocking to ground the reader.
The constant need for line edits.
My impulse is to submit this manuscript and let the chips fall where they may. However, the more I think about it the more I realize there are some very concrete things I can do to make a great manuscript out of a good one and maybe even be able to draw the attention of an agent or print-based publication.
I guess I have my answer. Patience and perseverance.
July 22, 2016
Interview at The Cosy Dragon
I talked about Wolf Creek, my writing process and upcoming projects at The Cosy Dragon. Check it out!
July 21, 2016
Writing Worry 37: Taking a break means giving up
Between working full-time and a toddler, I've been fortunate enough to squeeze in 30-60 minutes of writing most nights. That time has been split between editing my thriller Safe Word, preparing my contemporary erotic Spar for publication in October, reviewing a manuscript for another author and getting pieces ready for my writing groups. It's been a busy time and progress has been slow but consistent.
In a few months, we will be welcoming another little being into our house. Lil Mr. Peanut expected arrival in November has motivated me to get as much writing done as I can. I know what those first few months after birth are like. The first time around the only time I found to write was editing while pumping at 2AM. This time around, I'll be lucky to get a few minutes of writing time every week.
As my daughter grows, I know there will come a time when she will be able to stay up passed 7PM. Because I work full-time, I value the time I have at home with my family. Given the choice between spending time with them and spending time in front of a computer screen, I'd rather the former even though the later would be better for developing my writing skills.
Heading into a pause in writing, I feel a sense of morning. I often worry that walking away from a story dooms it to the trunk. Although Spar was resurrected from the trunk after several years. I fear that Safe Word will never be ready for submission. In addition to some fact checking errors that will require revising whole scenes and a character, my new writing group has pointed out some deficiencies that are globally present throughout the work. I know there's a lot of work to be done.
Worst of all, I fear that taking a break means I am giving up on my dream of being an author who publishes regularly. I've taken breaks before in college or when my life got too complicated or when I was at a loss as to what to write. Through it all the one thing that keeps me coming back to writing is the need to tell stories. That doesn't go away. But the form that need expresses itself by changes.
So the clock ticks down on this last season of writing before parenthood requires my full attention. If posts on this blog get more sporadic, that is why. In the coming months, I'll also be gearing up for Spar's release October 14. I love this gay romantic erotica set in a martial arts dojo. It was the inspiration for Josh's character from Wolf Creek. I just handed in the cover art request and hope to share an amazing cover soon.
June 18, 2016
Bean's First Camping Trip: Fundy National Park
When my husband first suggested we go camping with our 18 month old, I was a little tentative. When he books 6 nights at the headquarter campground in Fundy National Park, I was petrified. Something about being a mother means I worry about logistics more than ever. How would she sleep? Would she eat? What about poison ivy? Bug bites? Sun burns?
Planning a trip with a toddler is a little different than planning without one. There were naps to consider - she took none of them. There was her early bedtime - she didn't pass out until the sun had set. There was picky toddler food considerations - toddlers can survive on applesauce, milk and cheese. There was her limited attention span and little legs but busy body to plan for - there's an amazing playground a short walk from the headquarter campground.
We arrived on Satuday afternoon at Alma NB after an enjoyable 5.5 hr drive. I'd never driven out the Airline road from Ellsworth. It's pretty middle of no where country. We stopped in St. John to get stock up on food for the week, which was a good thing. While there are markets in Alma and restaurants, the nearest groceries stores are an hour away.
I didn't expect the Bean to nap much. Usually she takes a two hour nap everyday after lunch. That was a no go camping. She would either fall asleep in the car or the pack. Otherwise she ran around the campsite like a crazy toddler from shortly after sunrise until a half an hour after sunset.
Our first two nights we spent in the tent at the Headquarter campground. It was a little chilly and damp. So we moved to the temporary cabins (Otentiks). With bunks, propane heat and a table, the Otentik was fantastic. I didn't have to worry about Bean getting cold. Coaxing her into her sleeping bag was as challenging as getting her to fall asleep.
We opted for a relaxed vacation schedule. We visited some of the major landmarks like Hopewell Rocks and Cape Enrage (high recommend on their lobster poutine - pricy but worth it). For hiking we stuck to nearby short, easy trails like Shiphhaven , Caribou Plains, Dickson Falls and short walks for the parking lot to the beach. We did get on the bikes and took a 45 min spin on the Black Horse trail. The ability to hike and bike on the same trails was great. There are plenty of boardwalks, waterfalls and ocean views to take in.
Having a toddler around made for both a more stressful and more relaxing vacation. We couldn't do any long or strenuous hikes and spent a lot of time hanging around the campsite trying to convince Bean to sleep. With a toddler, you are always on the go - just not very far distances.
The geological formations of the area and tides were amazing. May was foggy, cool and buggy with a few breaks of sun and high temperatures. However, visiting at the beginning of the season meant there were no crowds or traffic to fight.
On the way home we stopped by the chocolate museum in St. Stephen. The samples more than made up for the admission cost and Bean went home with a new friend (Casey the teddy bear).
June 5, 2016
The Tragic Legacy of Buffalo Bill
The other day I was grocery shopping with my 19 month old daughter. It was near the end of the trip and she was refusing to get in the cart. I had just convinced her to let go of the mini mouse toy she had rescued from the baby section - who think toy displays at toddler height in the baby section is a good idea? As I finished off the dairy section, I overheard two women restocking the shelves talking.
They didn't usethe word transgendered, but I knew right away what they were talking about. Words like unnatural, worried for the safety of my daughter, not worried about my son or myself, not right, bathroom and changing room, told me immediately what they were talking about and their opinion.
There I was with my little girl and I had to say something. I calmly informed them that as a mother of a young daughter I had no problem or worry about the safety of my daughter in using a bathroom accessible to a transperson. I also added that someone intent on doing harm isn't going to be restricted to a transperson.
They were cordial in acknowledging and half-heartedly agreeing with my last comment.
In my 39 years on this planet, I've only knowingly had two conversations with transgendered individuals. I've seen a handful more mid-transition - that's got to be the worst - from across the street. At less than 1% of the population, it's no surprise that most people have not knowingly spoken with a transgendered individual. And those that have so fully transitioned they have spoken too, they would never question their gender.
So why do people equate transgendered people with pedophiles and violent criminals when most trandsgendered people are the victims not perpetrators of crimes?
There has been a long standing Hollywood tradition of making the villain some kind of sexual deviant. From the cross-dressing Norman Bates to the woman suit-making Ted Levine in Silence of the Lambs. LGBT villains have horrified and titillate movie-goers for years. Unfortunately, they've also contributed to the stereotypes that LGBT individuals are disturbed, violent monsters. But they are people, no more good or evil than cis-gendered, heterosexual people.
The last thing a transgendered person wants to do is stand out because they are different. Hell, no one wants to stand out because they are different.
So no, I'm not worried about my daughter using a bathroom or changing room accessed by a transgendered person. I'm more worried about the 'normal' people like my coworker who collected and distributed child pornography without anyone suspecting. The world is full of dangerous people and the most dangerous often are the ones we already know and trust.
May 15, 2016
Another You by Nikko Lee
The first time John killed his wife, it was murder. The second time, it was self-defense.
I forgot to mention that my story about a man haunted by the wife he thought he'd killed was published in The Body anthology (Thirteen O'Clock press) back in April.
May 11, 2016
Beech Mountain Hike
It's that time again; hiking season. After work, we fed and changed our 18 month old daughter, Bean, and headed to Beech Mountain with the Jax Outdoor club. It was our first after work hike with the Bean since last summer when her early bedtime forced us to re-evaluate the benefit of hiking with her versus keeping her happy.
Beech Mountain (839 feet) is listed as a moderate hike but has only a couple of rock scrambles. We hiked the South Ridge loop of 2.1 mile in a little over an hour and a half.
Bean was mostly cooperative staying in her pack until we reached the fire tower. After a short leg stretch and snack, we continued on our way.
Hiking with a toddler presents a couple of challenges (lots of preparation, timing consideration, unleashed toys thrown in mud puddles etc.). However, it was great to start the season off with our daughter in tow. Hopefully she will love the outdoors as much as my husband and I do.
April 24, 2016
Writing Worry #36: Maintaining professional connections
Writing is by it's nature a solitary process. Publishing, however, requires knowing the right people at the right time. Living in Downeast Maine is a mixed blessing for establishing and maintaining professional writing and publishing connections. We have some great authors who either live in or summer in the area who make themselves available through workshops or authors talks at the local libraries. Yet the opportunities for those workshops and writing conferences is limited.
One of the ways I have enjoyed making writing and publishing connections has been the Maine Crime Wave. This would have been it's third year. Unfortunately, attendance wasn't enough to allow the organizers to go ahead with it. Hopefully, it will return next year since it was the closest writing-related conference to me at about a 3 hour drive.
I've looked into other fan, author and writing conferences with the closest ones being in Boston and New York city. Both require a lot more travel and expense – not to mention time – than I currently have available.
There are several writing groups in the area and I've been attending a semi-private one that has really helped with consistency of reviewing. Cynthia Thayer is giving a dialog workshop in Belfast in June that promises to be educational. I've attended a workshop by her before and found it incredibly valuable.
So back to focusing on writing and getting Safe Word edited and to beta readers no later than October. I have no idea when editing for Spar will begin but it's scheduled for release in October. November promises to be the start of another busy period for me where writing is going to have to take a back seat. Until then I have 5 months to get done what I can before another hiatus.
There are a couple of excellent authors visiting the local libraries. I just have to get out and not be shy. The only way I am going to make connections is by talking to people as a person first and an author second.
March 11, 2016
Writing Worry #35: The endless manuscript
I first had the idea for Safe Word nearly 10 years ago. I was on vacation with my mother and sister in the Dominican Republic at an all inclusive resort. Normally, I'm the type of person who likes to be busy. The idea of sleeping in past 7AM or spending the entire day lounging just runs against my grain. My mother and sister didn't have as much of a problem with the need to be busy as I had.
I worked out at the resorts basic gym. I swam in the ocean. I took Spanish lessons. I did a lot of walking. The things about being bored is that it lets your mind wander. When I joined my mother and sister pool side, I read and started outlining Safe Word.
After vacation was over, I had a partial outline and some character profiles. However, other writing projects needed my attention. I had to finish my trunked dark fantasy series. Then there was Wolf Creek. But the idea of writing a crime story with BDSM elements had taken hold.
So when NaNoWriMo rolled around in 2013 and I needed a new story to start on, I pulled out my partial draft outline.
Flash forward to 2016, where is Safe Word? Shortly after I started submitting queries for Wolf Creek, I began the editing process for Safe Word. I've done several drafts. Added point of view characters. I've re-worked the plot and fleshed out some minor characters. My main female character has had a name change and background change.
In between, I published Wolf Creek (new adult paranormal fantasy) and recently signed a contract for Spar (M/M martial arts erotic romance) - hooray! And still there is much editing to do on Safe Word. I fear it is become the endless manuscript. Normally I like to had off my manuscript to beta readers a year after I start editing. That's the goal anyways.
There are a couple of reasons Safe Word is plaguing me. I love the concept and don't want to sell it short. This is my first foray into writing a novel that has neither explicit sex - although there is a strong BDSM component - nor paranormal creatures. So I am doubting myself. The feedback I've received from workshops and writing groups has been lukewarm at best. No one else seems to find the characters or plot as engaging as I do. Have I missed the mark?
More self-doubt. More professional doubt.
D.B Jackson wrote a blog post recently about the need to submit rather than sit on a finished manuscript. I'm accepting the challenge. By next October, Safe Word will be submitted. I have two more scenes to write and nearly half of the manuscript to edit before I can even contemplate harassing beta readers.
So what's it about?
Dr. Jacob Rile is used to being in control, especially in the bedroom. When two former sexual partners are murdered, Jacob must help Detective Catherine St. Onge find the killer before he becomes the prime suspect.
Whether it's reporting a politically connected detective for discharging his weapon or ignoring her ex-boyfriend warnings about investigating a case she hasn't been assigned, Catherine is determined to make senior detective without anyone’s help. To solve two suspiciously similar homicide cases, she must delve into a world of desires she has denied herself.
To get Catherine into the BDSM club where the murderer is finding victims, Jacob will have to pass her off as his submissive. But is she willing to let her guard down enough to be vulnerable? As Jacob and Catherine struggle to find common ground, a jilted ex-submissive chooses Catherine as her next victim. Can Jacob atone for his past arrogance before someone else dies?
March 9, 2016
My four-legged hiking partner
Every now and again, I try to stretch my writing muscles beyond my comfort zone of paranormal romance and erotica. Safe Word is definitely testing my creative flexibility by forcing my deadly plot into a real world scenario where the only monsters come in human form.
Aside from my work and this blog, I occasionally write about my experiences and topics that interest me. Usually that comes in the form of blogs about writing, hiking, science or motherhood. Very rarely do I reflect on my past experiences and the road that has brought me to who I am today.
I'm currently working on a very short piece about how hiking with an always eager malamute mix helped me get over a fairly traumatic relationship. When I think of how much my dog Bruno has meant to me over the years, I feel I at least owe him an essay.
Sometimes standoffish. Often hand to control. Always willing to go for a walk/hike/ski/bike-jor.
Bruno forced me to overcome my shyness to strangers by greeting them before our paths crossed so he wouldn't act overly protective.
Bruno required me to get off my butt and hike. He was rarely content with a half hour or even hour long walk. On weekends we tackled mountains. Or skijored. Or bikejored.
Bruno was my introduction into the Downeast dogscouts. Many of whom have become good friends.
Now that Bruno is beyond 10 years old and slowing down, I know that I have fewer years left with him. He's still rambunctious, but he now does his fair share of napping. He still loves to be outside, unless it's raining or below 20F.
I never knew him as a puppy since I adopted him when he was two. But I always think of him with that perpetual smile on his face and a spring in his steps whenever we step outside for a walk.