Ardyth DeBruyn's Blog, page 6

The Seven Habits for Writers Part 1: Private Victories

Wouldn’t you know it, but just a month or so after getting laid off in Hood River and after we’d moved back in with my parents in the Portland area, they called my husband back part time.  So now, three days a week we drive out to Hood River and I live in the library and coffee shops while he’s at work.  While drinking all those Americanos and eating chocolate croissants while writing is hardly torture, the drive is an hour an a half each way.

So, my husband and I started having him read to me in the car.  We picked the iconic “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” which I had never bothered to read back in the 80s when it was all the rage.  While Covey is a bit bumpy out loud in his sentence structure, I really enjoy listening to the book and debating it’s points with my husband.  Naturally though, as an author I tend to try to apply any and all informational books to the process of writing and how I can use it to further myself.

I think despite some of the dated stories and ideas, that the 7 Habits is still very relevant and useful, and applies quite nicely to writing. Yanking it off teh shelf and dusting it off was a good decision.  There’s a lot of life left in this classic. Let’s start with the first three “private victories.”

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Basically, this habit is about owning our choice to act/react to things.  No matter how small or narrow, we have a choice between when something happens and what we do about it.  We chose whether we’ll act or be acted upon and which emotions we let consume us, which attitudes we immerse ourselves in.  And this is true of a writer as much as anyone.

I’ve met a lot of “writers” who all say something along the lines of “I’d really like to write but…” filled in with a bunch of reasons why life doesn’t allow them to.  Jobs, kids, parents who don’t approve or consider creative work “real,” a world out to get them in some respect that just doesn’t allow them to have the “time” to get anything written.

The second biggest trap I meet people falling into is enmeshed in woe over the state of the industry.  In query rejection depression I’ve slipped into this one myself.  It’s so easy to take a victim mentality when dealing with putting your heart out there on the line and getting rejected.  Suddenly you’re “helpless” and all of society is holding you back from your dream, leaving bitterness and resentment.

Proactivity means setting aside the idea I’m stuck, that life is acting on me, and see myself as the person who acts.  To focus my concern on what is in my control–that I sit down every day, laptop in front of me and write.  That I do my research, edit my work, exchange my crits, write my queries, and put myself out there.  If other things in my life steal priority, that ought to be because they’re important to me, not because I’m a victim of life. And my writing happens for the same reason, because I chose it.

That’s a message we could all use hearing again and again.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

I don’t think I could come up with a better bit of writing advice when tackling a novel than Habit 2.  Before a book can exist on paper, it needs to exist in the author’s mind.  Now, before all the pansters start an uproar here, I don’t mean that we have to know the literal end of the novel.  This is “end” in a general sense.

What is this novel as a whole? What sort of dream is it?  Can you picture the book in your hands? The feeling it gives you when you read it?  What is it about at its heart, this idea, how does it move you? If I don’t have that for a book, regardless of how much of the plot I plan ahead of time, the book doesn’t live.

I need to know what I want to achieve through a novel when I start it, or it won’t have the clarity to keep through the heat and toil of actually getting the project done.  When writer’s block hits, when doubts overwhelm me both about the idea and my worth as a writer, I need that vision, that “end” to help carry me through to reaching it.

This also I think goes for career in general.  What is my mission as an author? What do I want to ultimately do and say with my writing? What does success look like for me?  These are important ends, that can guide my inner focus and determination.  And looking at how that evolves as I mature as a writer is also important.  Some of my goals remain unchanged, while others have changed into new  perspectives–such as ebooks and my belief in their importance and reaching young readers through them as well as print.  Having that mission, both for my career as a whole and each book, is crucial.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

This section of the book has a little chart that I pretty much need to post in front of myself as a constant reminder.  Covey offers a lot of great thoughts about organizing time and trying to not live always bouncing between important urgent crises and time wasting non-urgent non-important tasks on the rebound.  I think that it’s significant that most actual writing tends to be a non-urgent but important (quadrant 2) activity.  It’s often pushed out into the sidelines of life by the back and forth emergency and recovery sort of life style.

Within my writing tasks themselves, it’s also important for me to look at the goals involved.  What are my goals for new books, books currently in editing, my marketing, and what activities are needed for each.  All very practical and solid advice for planning it out and getting what I need to get done, done.  And no, I’m not quite managing it (thus doing nano left me neglecting the blog and so on), but it’s quite inspiriting.  As I come up on May, I want to dive into really embracing these three inner changes and adapting them to fit what I need to increase the effectiveness of my writing.

These three “private victories” I took listening to the book to be what relates for me most to the actual process of writing.  After I go actually do some writing, next blog article I’ll muse on what Covey calls “public victories” and how I consider these habits to be related to the world of publishing.

Author Interview with Kelly Walker

I want to introduce one of my crit partners (to those of you who don’t yet know her), author Kelly Walker. Her “Souls of the Stones” series is fantastic.  I’m in the middle of critiquing book three and am really excited about it. So I decided to interview her to learn more about her as an author.

When did you first realize you were a writer? 

I’m honestly not sure I’ve realized it yet. I often realize that I’m not only writing books, but I’m publishing them, and I have to stop and catch my breath. It still feels quite surreal. I wrote a lot as a kid, but it was always for a very personal reason – either because I wanted to live my dreams through made up characters because I knew they were a bit farfetched, or because I needed to work through emotions, etc. Now, I guess I am still living a dream by writing, but writing IS the dream.

Who would you say is your greatest writing influence?



I can say without a doubt my greatest writing influence is Stephanie Meyer. Let me explain for anyone considering pitchforks. She told an incredible story. Some say it isn’t well written. I couldn’t tell you, because when I read her stuff, I’m so lost in the world she created that I forget the words. Her characters are captivating and engrossing, for no discernible reason. Simply put, I feel like her story is magic. I don’t have any great technical skill when it comes to writing. But I read her books and I feel like it reminds me of what is really important – telling an amazing story. That is my goal – Write well enough to not get in my own way. I saw an interview with her, where the reporter asked her about E L James, and asked if she was upset about “inspiring” 50 shades. Stephanie said she wasn’t, because E L James obviously had a story to tell, and she wished her all the best. I hope if I ever make it big, I can be that classy. And I think it is also a really important reminder of why we should write – to tell a story.

What do you find is the hardest aspect of being a writer?



Managing my time. There are always things I need to do. Writing, editing, critiquing, or even the mundane side of things like book keeping. I have to really force myself to remember that there is life beyond it. I do this full time while the kids are in school. At least, that is my plan. But oftentimes I find myself ‘working’ more than I plan.

The other surprisingly hard thing is knowing how to respond when people ask me about my books. I’m a relatively shy person, and when someone I don’t know asks me about my books it makes me want to hide in a corner and turn invisible. I think part of it is because I write fantasy. I struggle to try and explain the magic, and the love, and the fantastical elements to strangers. I mean, when you start talking about talking to the dead, telling the future, and elemental magic, people are quite reasonable if they look at you like you are nuts. I do a bit better with people I already know, since they already know I’m nuts, I don’t worry about ruining their perceptions.



Tell us about the “Souls of the Stones” series.



Well, at the risk of sounding nuts, It is a YA Fantasy. Ultimately, it is about love, and finding love where we least expect it. It is about learning lessons from the past, working toward a better future, but never forgetting to appreciate the present. It follows conventions of the paranormal romance genre, while being more of high fantasy than paranormal.

The main character, Emariya (Riya) is a medieval heiress who lost her mother as an infant. At the start of the series her father is missing, and she’ll do just about anything to find him. To complicate matters, her land is in jeopardy. An opportunity to help her land and bring her father home is presented in the form of a marriage proposal from a mysterious prince. She agrees and her journey begins. Soon after she leaves the safety of her home, she learns the world is more dangerous than she ever imagined, and there is an entire rebel group intent on harming her for magical abilities she didn’t know she had.

Now that you’re published, what has changed in your view when it comes to writing and publishing?

I’ve done a lot of research in trying to chose between Indie Publishing, versus Traditional Publishing. I think the one thing I am sure of, is that there are a lot of people who call themselves professionals who want to take advantage of aspiring writers. Between bad contracts from established publishing houses, to vanity presses, and companies who want to sell services at inflated prices, there are a lot of vultures circling. Fortunately, the information is out there as long as we do our due diligence, no matter which publishing path we choose.

What one piece of advice do you have for unpublished writers?

This really goes along with the last question. I think the most important thing is do your homework. You have to be true to two sets of people – Yourself, and your eventual readers. It is very easy to get caught up between indie and trade pubbing, and as publishing companies and distributors disagree authors and readers get caught in the middle. Remember to look out for you, and look out for your eventual readers – this means making sure you have plans about how they can find your book longterm (direct them to your website or blog, not a retailer!) and it means respecting your characters.

Don’t choose to self publish because you think trade publishing is too much work, and don’t trade publish because you think self publishing isn’t viable. Do your homework, and decide what is right for you and what is right for your story.

If you aren’t ready to publish yet, then don’t. Don’t be in a rush. Find a crit group. Write, and then write some more.

What else do you like to do besides write?



I like to read, and I read a lot. Most evenings after we go to bed my husband goes to sleep and I read for 2 or 3 hours. I also love to create – either through photography, or through graphic design. I do book covers on the side, and when I need to de-stress I usually do one of the above.

In addition to all of that, I’m a mom and a wife, plus an unofficial zoo-keeper. We have 3 dogs and 2 cats, so there is never a dull moment.

What’s coming up next for Kelly Walker?



I’m not sure which title will be next. Either Broken Stone, or Severed Stone. Broken Stone is the 3rd and final novel in the main Souls of the Stones trilogy. Severed Stone is the first prequel. Hopefully one more prequel (Valencia’s Story) will be coming after it. Broken Stone is planned for May 31st, and I think I am on target to meet that goal.

Once Souls of the Stones has been finished, and I really don’t know when that will be because the story keeps demanding more from me, I want to write a paranormal romance. Uncertain Fate will follow a male vampire who can see when and how a human will die, as well as parts of their life before it. He meets a girl (Of course) and falls in love. He is undeniably drawn to her. The only problem is he can see that she is going to die soon. He hates the thought of being without her, so he wants to turn her. His choice is complicated because through his gift, he realizes if she is turned, she will hate him. So he is destined to loose her, either through death, or through supernatural life. Maybe he can change it, or maybe he can change her mind, or maybe after realizing their destinies in the moment they meet, he will decide not to introduce himself in the first place.

Author Bio: 

Kelly Walker is a part time novelist, full time wife, and an all the time dreamer. Her first promotion was 8 years ago and it came with the job title of ‘Mom’. Her second promotion came with no raise in pay but a huge jump in responsibility when she became ‘Mom of two’. It’s a rewarding career but the retirement plan sucks. She is a huge advocate of animal rescue and adoption and shares her Virginia home (and couch) with three dogs and two cats.

Learn more about Kelly on her website.

Links:

Website http://www.kellywalkerauthor.com

Twitter  @Kwalkerwrites

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/KellyWalkerAuthor

Dragon! A short story.

Dragon!

In stories, kids always seem to get shocked when magical things happen to them. They try to deny reality. Not me. I’ve read enough books to know that when something magical happens you just go with the flow. So when I woke up today and found myself looking straight into the eyes of a young dragon I was only mildly surprised. I immediately accepted its existence.

We stared at each other for a long moment. He was a squat, greenish creature, with a knobby ridge down his back and skin sort of like a crocodile. He was about the size of a St. Bernard dog, except for his tail which was much too big for him, maybe about ten feet long. He snorted a blast of smoke and my face stung with the heat. The smoke alarm went bonkers. The dragon’s eyes went wide and it opened its mouth. Quickly, I leaped away. It breathed a bolt of fire and my pillow went up in flames. I jumped on my desk and yanked the battery out of the fire alarm.

“Andy?” I heard my mom call up the stairs. “What are you doing up there?”

I opened my bedroom door a crack and hollered, “I’ll be down in a minute.”

The dragon stared rooting its nose around in my smoldering blankets, like he was trying to find something to eat. I didn’t want him to start looking at me so I quickly slipped out of my room. I didn’t know what to feed him but I figured raw meat would work, so I grabbed the steak Mom was planning to make for dinner. Then I grabbed myself a bowl of cereal and milk.

“Andy?” asked Mom from the living room.

“I’m getting breakfast,” I answered and headed upstairs.

I didn’t want to get too close to the dragon so I sort of tossed the steak in his direction. He cautiously sniffed it, then sneezed, toastifiying it into a hunk of charcoal. Guess he doesn’t eat steak. I slid my bowl of cereal over towards him. He wasn’t interested and only knocked it over on the rug. I tossed a towel over it and got dressed quickly. Dragon or no dragon I had to get to school on time.

I heard footsteps outside my door. “Andy, you are going to be late.”

“Just a moment, Mom, I’m almost ready!” I shouted back as I grabbed my backpack from under my desk.

Suddenly, the dragon perked up. With a leap, the dragon was next to me and latched his teeth into my backpack.

“Hey!” I yelled and tugged. He tugged harder. My backpack split and my papers scattered on the floor. The dragon made a squealing noise and grabbed a mouthful of my papers. I watched in amazement as he munched happily. I guess he eats paper. Then I realized with a cold shock, he’d just eaten my math homework!

Which is why, Mrs. Thompson, I can’t turn it in today.

***

This story won an April Fool’s Day contest at the now defunct Imaginaries SF/F writing group.  Later it was published in the Oct 2008 issue of “Beyond Centauri.”

The Writing Life: Coffee! Heroes, and more coffee.

This weekend I went to a delightful performance of the Coffee Cantata.  Despite growing up in a family with plenty of classical music, I had no idea that Bach wrote music about coffee of all things.  I didn’t even know Bach had coffee, although thinking it through, it does make sense with the dates. It just never occurred to me.

The humorous cantata follows a concerned father, complaining his daughter thinks of nothing but coffee and keeps lying to him about giving it up.  The daughter then sings, “Coffee! Coffee!” in beautiful baroque music.  The actors did a marvelous job of catching the humor as well as performing the difficult music.

Since the whole performance was in a coffee shop, I had planned to write, but just ended up drinking a lot of coffee and watching.  I can’t find anything to regret though.

I’ve decided to do Camp Nanowrimo, at the urging of Zoe, my writing group partner from last November.  This year camp is in April, (also July for anyone interested in doing it) so next week I’ll be diving into drafting again. Looking over MAAV, I’ve discovered most of last November’s drafting is useless, sigh. But at least in writing out plot points on cards and moving them around, I think I have a new and improved outline.  I’m excited to try doing Nano over again and hopefully end up with a workable draft this time.

To help firm up my outline and hash out a book I feel good about, I’ve started in using the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook, that my husband got my for Christmas.  The first exercise is on heroes.  What I realized after doing it for MAAV, was that I picked a completely different hero to list than when I did the same exercise for DB in December right after getting the book.  At the time I didn’t think about it, but comparing the exercises afterwards I was fascinated and impressed.  The hero I’d picked this time (my great grandmother) had the perfect qualities for Danny, the MC, while last time (Ursula LeGuin) had a completely different set of qualities that I admired that worked much better for Dragon Boy.

I guess coming to the exercise with the book in mind gave me a whole different mindset thinking about the same idea.  In both cases, the exercise helped me flesh out heroic qualities to build on in the opening scenes of my book and I hope to avoid ever having the same likability issues with my MCs that I had on a different project.

I’m hoping to return to wonderful coffee, and this Thursday at writer’s group with Zoe, this time actually work and dive into the next couple character exercises in the workbook.  After all, everything is better with coffee!

Sylvania: Into Storage and a New Clothing Program

Further Unnatural Disaster Decimates Sylvania

A casualty to the unnatural disaster of unemployment, the town of Sylvania was obliterated last month.  Residences packed up and all housing was carefully boxed up.  ”We’re crushed and disheartened,” said Mrs. Calico Cat said, before packing up her kittens into one of the fabric lined boxes set aside for residents to go into storage.

“Sylvania will be back, as soon as we find a new location,” Promised Mayor Walnut Raccoon, but some residents are not so sure.  ”While I’m sure Sylvania will be back eventually, I doubt it’s the owner’s first priority,” said Mr. Chocolate Brown Rabbit.  ”We’re being very carefully packed up, this means possibly a long term wait.”  ”There’s too many variables, we can’t count on a new town right away,” agreed Mr. Mint Badger.  ”We have to be prepared for the worst.”  ”Out of sight, out of mind,” grumbled Mrs. Apricot Beaver.  ”We’re likely to get forgotten.”

Sylvania will not be complete out of sight though, as the oldest and most treasured house, that of the Raccoon family, and original founding residence of the town has been set up in on top of the owner’s dresser to keep the house safe and a piece of Sylvania around.  Mayor Walnut Raccoon would not comment on the reasons for his family’s choice to continue to live in the house, but longtime friend Mr. Chocolate Brown Rabbit insisted, “The Raccoon were the original founders of Sylvania, and this has always been there house.  This is no surprised they were chosen.”

Clothing Program Keeps Select Group of Residents Out of Storage

A new program for Sylvania residents still without adiquate clothing was started in the wake of Sylvania’s move.  ”We didn’t want people to have to wait through another moving process before finally getting the clothing they needed,” explained the program’s spokeswoman, Mrs. Blueberry Gray Bear.  ”And thanks to Mrs. Maple Raccoon, members in this program have a place to stay while awaiting clothing.”

Six residents were chosen for the program, Mr. Tragic Bear, Breeze and Sandy Gray Rabbit, Alex Gray Bear, Royal Grizzly Bear and Amanda Tan Bear.  They will live with the Raccoon family in the showcase home, awaiting either brand new clothing or repairs on existing clothing.

“I’m really excited,” said Breeze Gray Rabbit.  ”My skirt doesn’t fit right and my shirt was really badly made.  I can’t wait to have a brand new dress.”  Alex, youngest of the group admitted to being nervous about living away from his family.  ”I kinda miss Mom and Grandma, but I’d really like new overalls like my brother got last year,” he admitted.  ”Walnut and Sandy are really nice to me, so I’m starting to feel at home.”  ”It’s great to have friends staying with us,” said Clover Raccoon.  ”I’m so excited.  Breeze, Amanda, and I have so many great plans.  I just wish I was getting a new dress as well.”

“It’s a joy to have the children and Tragic staying with us,” said Mrs. Maple Raccoon.  ”I can’t wait to see their new clothes.”

Columbia Gorge: sad goodbyes and new hopes

It’s been a very hectic last 3 weeks.  I apologize for the blogging silence, and ought to be able to stay on track now.  As many of you know, my husband’s company went out of business, and since there’s not many companies in the gorge, and none of the ones there are are hiring positions he fits, we had to move.  Moving quickly meant we saved money, since we’re going to live with my parents until he gets a new job.

I’ve had a hard time leaving the gorge.  I loved it out there, the stunning natural wonders, the long hikes, and the people in the community of Hood River.  I’m still planning so long as I’m in the Portland area to keep on with my new writing group with Zoe (pronounced rhyming with Joey, not toe) once a week.  Every Tuesday since Nanowrimo we’ve kept up the write in, although we end up debating what makes a good story more often then actually writing.  I’ve also promised myself to go hiking out there regularly as the weather gets better, it’s such an inspiration.

While I’m hopeful that there’ll be new and exciting things where ever we live next, it’s a bit stressful I have no idea where that’s going to be.  Sigh.  We’re pretty much job searching in all of Western Oregon.  On the bright side, we have wonderful families to support us during this time of transition, something I’m really grateful for.

I hope to come back to the gorge (perhaps when I’m a famous best selling author with an independent income, right?), as I’ve really loved living out here, but if not, I will let it remain a very active part of my life.  The depth of the inspiration to my writing and spirituality here has been amazing.  There’s so much I still have yet to explore.  I’d like this summer to explore every single exist between Troutdale and The Dalles once the weather is nicer.  There’s a few I’ve never taken (like Wyeth) and some I’ve only done a couple things on that have a ton of interesting hikes I have yet to try (like around Bonneville dam).

The gorge is also recognizable in several quiet ways in my novels, and I expect it’ll keep showing up.  It’s on the same scale as the stunning natural scapes we see in the Lord of the Rings movies (I’d love to see New Zealand also) and close to home so I don’t need to save up any money to just spend a sunny afternoon hiking in it.  But I also remind myself that Oregon and Washington have plenty of other great natural things to see, even if they aren’t as breathtaking, and so wherever I end up, I hope to be able to keep featuring interesting hikes I’m taking as regular blog posts.

 

A Thousand Words… or could be

I’ve been sorting through papers to prepare for the move (can I just say I hate moving?) with hopes of recycling what I can rather than hauling it around.  Today I discovered a box of pictures and cards I’d saved.  In the days before google plus and flicker, I’d use cards either people had sent me or ones I’d bought like writing prompts or to inspire my imagination. I still like to collage them on the wall, but over the years I’ve end up with a lot of them and the ones I found were ones I’d not seen in a long time.  I hope I’ll have somewhere to hang them soon.

Until then, since a picture is about a thousand words, according to the usual cliche, I’ve taken a photo of several of them and perhaps I’ll try to sneak in some writing exercises using them in between all the sorting and packing.  I sort of like the idea of trying to write a thousand words for each one, it’d certainly keep me in shape for the next Nanowrimo, or when I have the focus to get back to the villain sequel.

Here’s an assortment:

How Can Reading About Housework be so Fun?

Between my vacation and the sad news I’m soon to be moving, I have piles and piles of housework and packing to do in the next month.  Naturally the first thing I did was grab a book to sit on the couch with and read.  In the stack of books from my aunt, were two very pleasant books I’d seen before at the library in junior high, but never gotten around to read, “Wise Child” and its prequel “Juniper” both by Monica furlong.

One fascinating thing about both books, is how much house and yardwork the characters do.  Living in medieval times in the English and French countryside I’m sure did involve hours and hours of labor collecting and preparing food and medicines.  And yet, reading about it, the most incredible thing is it’s not boring.  Instead I feel almost live I’ve been productive myself, hearing about the toiling and exhausted characters surveying their now clean houses and stocked larders.  I feel energized and gratified… the only downside, is my kitchen is still a horrible mess.

It’s something I’ve noticed before, much to my surprise.  Daily work in a novel can be quite enjoyable and draw a person into the world and story.  In several novels, I’ve noticed some of my favorite parts are where the character is toiling day after day at some kind of hard or boring labor.  It would see a contradiction… I really hate housework, so why is it so fun to read about?

I’m not really sure I even have the answer to that.  I think it must lie in the skill and craft of the authors and their narration.  First, it seems detail and specifics are key here.  I have no idea if Furlong was at any point an housewife, but she certainly knows her material when it comes to cleaning houses and collecting and processing plants.  As a reader, it’s fascinating to hear how people did tasks in older times.  The flowing narration is able to both teach and spark the imagination so that I’m not bored.

Second, in both books the main character complains, while a more experienced mother/teacher figure offers a perspective on how daily work is part of our existence and important to the rhythm of life.  This resignates both with my inner complaining child (No! Don’t make me do the dishes!) and my older practical adult (I need these washed now so I won’t have to do it right before dinner when I’m busy cooking.)  It also keeps up a strong character dynamic through the scenes, and gives a sense of satisfaction when the main character grows and realizes she’s equal to the work, that it her mentor is right about it being part of the flow of life, and that she’s stronger than she thought she was.

Still, even picking out the elements, it takes a good deal of skill to have quite so much description of work as in “Wise Child” and never bore the reader. I’ve only read one other book with quite that much housework: Cynthia Voigt’s “On Fortune’s Wheel.” I liked that book just as much, the housework scenes being the best part.  Similar to “Wise Child” we have a character who doesn’t like work, realizing it’s place in her life and growing and changing as she discovers how to do the housework, and every page is fascinating.

And the longer I think about, the more intriguing the whole thing is, the more books I can think of that use this devise, and the more interested I am in trying it out in my own writing.  Here’s some other books that use this tactic to great effect:

“Jackaroo” (also by Cynthia Voigt) which has nearly as much work, but with a different character dynamic, the MC is industrious, while other characters around her are lazy.  She also uses it to handle her emotions when dealing with things, both which keeps interesting tensions and character growth during the scenes.  To a lesser extent the other books in the series will show work too.

“The Wise Woman” (George McDonald) which follows a very similar story of an older woman trying to apprentice (in this case two) young girls to teach them about the world and make them face their inner life.  One girl is lazy, the other industrious but narcissist, making for a fascinating comparison as we watch both girls struggle.

“Alanna the First Adventure” (Tamora Pierce) and to a larger extent “Protector of the Small” Pierce’s series about Kelardy, since there’s more physical work and far less magic in those books.  A lot of daily life in training for knighthood features in these books, exercises, tests, trials, making you feel sore, exhausted, but also exhilarated with the main character as her skills improve.

“A Conspiracy of Kings” (Megan Whalen Turner) has a section in the first third of the book, and incidentally my favorite part, where the MC is working hard and long days as a field laborer. Character development and his slowly developing relationship with the community keep the tension humming.

“Holes” (Louis Sachar) which makes having to dig a hole ever day actually interesting.  More humorous than the others, it still cleverly uses lots of hard work to define character development.

I’m sure there’s more that I haven’t thought of that I’ve enjoyed… reading about all this works makes me want to try writing about some.  Too bad what I’m actually supposed to be doing is vacuuming, my floor is disgusting. Sigh.

 

10 Fabulous Things I did in Dubai

I had a great vacation!  It was so busy I didn’t write hardly at all.  Sometimes, it’s alright to be a tourist.  So here’s what I did:

1. Went up the tallest building in the world.  The Burj Khalifa is not just slightly the tallest building in the world, but right now at least, massively taller.  I didn’t go up it the first time in Dubai because it made me feel a bit sick looking up at it and I thought it’d be terrible at the top.  However, the building feels surprisingly solid and doesn’t sway at all, so it was more like looking out of an airplane window than anything.  The only queasy spot was actually the elevator, and not because of the ride itself (which was very smooth) but because it’s mirrored and has a fancy light show going that’s about enough to make a person slightly disoriented.  Staring at the floor handled that though.  The day was slightly hazy, but I still have a wonderful view and thoroughly enjoyed it.

2. Picnicked in Mushrif Park.  Since most of the surrounding area is desert, to have a nice place outside with plants means going to one of the parks where they water things.  A lot of these parks are large though, with more natural looking areas mixed with formal gardens.  The weather was splendid, just perfect for sitting in the shade with short sleeves and so we went and ate a picnic lunch several times.  The parks are also a good place to see interesting birds.

3. Walked at sunset on the beach collecting shells.  The gulf was perfect weather for an Oregonian like me, 70s to 80s.  The waves are small, unlike the Pacific, more like a lake, where passing boats will send in waves for a while and then die back down.  We had a perfect evening, with a beautiful sunset over the gulf. I also found some lovely tropical pink and orange shells and pieces of coral that are completely different from the sort of shells I find on the Oregon coast.

4. Walked up a Wadi.  A wadi (arroyo) is a canyon-like mostly dry stream bed that when it finally does rain in the desert, carries all the run-off water.  As they’re the only areas with a bit of water in them out in the countryside, they make for interesting walking.  There’s actually a few trees, bushes, flowers, and insects, even if there isn’t any water left in them, and unlike a park, the ground is rocky and dynamic.  We walked up one of the wadis near the border of Oman, where the countryside is more mountainous and dynamic.

5. Rode a camel.  You don’t get more touristic than this, but I don’t care.  I’d never done it before so I wanted to give it a try.  Camels sound rather grumpy, and I suppose if I had to carry people back and forth along the beach I’d be grumpy too.  Their owner however was fantastic.  He took several pictures for us and encouraged us to pet the camels.  I didn’t get spit on either, despite hearing that’s always what camels do… and while the up and down part was rather rocky, the ride itself was pretty smooth.

6. Watched the fountain show at Dubai Mall.  The fountain has several nightly light/waterfall shows that are usually done to music and rather pretty.  This time though, I got a rather bombastic special show, because it turned out my visit coincided with the “Shopping Festival” something a bit like Black Friday but for several weeks.  This meant twice an evening the show was extra long and involving dancers, video, extra lights, and fire.  Yes… fire and water fountain together… quite something.

7. Lit a flying lantern.  There was a comedy show that my friend’s husband was helping put on the first week I was visiting, and as part of their opening night, they had these hot hair lanterns.  After lighting the bottom of them, the lantern slowly filled with hot air until it was ready to fly.  It was rather magical to watch them all floating away through the night sky.  I actually lit two of them, but didn’t have anyone take a picture of me while I did it, so I took pictures of the people around me lighting them instead.

8.  Went to Dubai’s writer’s group.  You don’t get more authorly than this.  The writer’s group alternates between critique one week and write-in the next.  I got to attend one of each since I was there for two weeks.  The group is in English, but truly international, with people from all over the world.  I was a bit shy, but did read some of the stories for critique and offer feedback.  But mostly I was excited to meet so many writers from all over the place.

9. Browsed Dragon Mart for local made jewelry.  It seems most of the stuff in the malls, besides being horribly expensive, is imported from China or India as much as things are in the US.  However, the cheaper local Dragon Mart near where Skip lives, ironically named for being in a Chinese neighborhood is a good place to find necklaces and bracelets in the bead shops.  I had a great time looking at all the beads and picked out a couple necklaces to buy.  They’re something fun that won’t add clutter to my life like other souvenir items.  Who needs a model of the Burj Khalifa or more refrigerator magnets, honestly?

10. Went hiking in Musandam, Oman.  This section of Oman is separated from the rest of the country by the UAE (United Arab Emirates)  and so while technically a different country quite close.  Mountains go right up to the gulf coast here, but we went hiking farther back in the mountains.  We climbed up a couple wadis, and the rocks were fabulous. I loved the different shapes.  There were also several small nomadic villages tucked away in some of the little valleys, and well as wandering goats.

 

Author Interview: KC Rivers

I’m on vacation in Dubaii the next two weeks, so I’m not sure I’ll get up a post next week, but this week I’m excited to introduce fellow author, KC Rivers, who also happens to be my husband’s cousin.  However, that’s not why I love her writing.  I helped give “Prince of Light” a read-over while she was preparing it for publication and I plain just love the book.  So this week I’m interviewing her on her novel and her writing.  It’s available at Amazon and B&N in ebook form.

1. When did you first realize you were a writer?

I’ve been writing short stories since I was a child and have always been an avid reader. It seems like there’s constantly been some sort of story going through my head. I think when I first realized that I wanted to write for a living was when I was around 18, maybe 19. I was working at the local library at that time and felt like I was in paradise because I was constantly surrounded by books. I actually started writing a novel around that age but never finished it. Looking back now, I realize that it was a good thing. My writing has definitely changed since then.

2. Who would you say is your greatest writing influence?

It would probably be a combination of C.S. Lewis and Rick Riordan, with a smattering of J.R.R. Tolkien thrown in for good measure. I grew up reading “The Chronicles of Narnia” and fell in love with the Percy Jackson series in my later teens. Lewis and Tolkien’s amazing talent for world-building was really inspirational for me. The other biggest influence, however, has probably been my love of manga (Japanese comics). Even though they’re graphic novels, the storylines can be very intricate and have some amazing character development that it really helped me craft my own characters and their abilities. In fact, I would love to see “Prince of Light” made into a manga someday.

3. What do you find is the hardest aspect of being a writer?

For me, it’s time. I can’t afford quit my day job just yet, so trying to find time to market the book I have out plus write book two while working 40 hours a week is a pretty big challenge. It’s very easy to get frustrated, but the harder I work the closer I can get to making writing my fulltime career.

4. Tell us about your novel, “Prince of Light.”

“Prince of Light” is a young adult medieval fantasy that I’ve sometimes described as every fangirl’s “dream book.” The story mainly centers around a seventeen-year-old human girl who finds herself in an alternate world and has to learn how to survive there. Ultimately, she will have the difficult decision of choosing sides in a war between nations and between the love of two very different men.

5. Now that you’re published, what has changed in your view when it comes to writing and publishing?

Boy, a lot has changed since I first decided that I wanted to become an author. Originally, I even thought that I didn’t want to have an agent! I thought I could just submit to a few publishers and they would snatch my work right up. I had no idea how competitive the realm of authorship really is. And self-publishing wasn’t even an option at that point. I shudder now when I look at some of my previous query letters. They were downright awful. Fortunately, I ended up stumbling across a web site early on that allowed me to connect with both published authors and aspiring writers. They helped me hone my query and offered a positive viewpoint of self-publishing. Several of them chose it even after receiving offers of representation from agents or publishers because they want to have the control over their own work and have the final say. I finally realized just how much work it is to be an author, but also how rewarding it is.

6. What one piece of advice do you have for unpublished writers?

Never give up! No matter what route you choose, whether it’s self-publishing or traditional, it’s going to mean a lot of blood, sweat and tears. The final outcome, however, is totally worth every minute.

7. What’s coming up next for KC Rivers?

I’d really like to get book two out this year. I’m not sure if I’m ready to release the title just yet, so I’m going to keep it a bit of a surprise for now. It’s going to be a little bit of a direction change from book one, but it’ll be exciting to see where it ultimately ends up. I also have a stand-alone novel that’s not related to the “Prince of Light” series that I’d like to finish up.

Excerpt:

There was darkness all around us, making it almost impossible to run through the forest. The moon was only half-full, and the tall, ancient trees didn’t allow any extra light. Branches slapped at my face, stinging my cheeks.

“Faster, Evanthe!” My mother was gasping for breath behind me. We ran harder, our legs burning with each step. The attack had been so sudden. I could hear voices shouting behind us and knew it had to be the men who had raided the village. Common thieves, seeking an easy victim. Though rumors had spread through the town of a new band of outlaws that were formerly mercenaries, no one had really believed them until now.

Our long nightdresses tripped us up, making it difficult to stay ahead of them.

“Where can we go?” I asked, holding my fingers against a cramp in my side.

“It doesn’t matter. Just keep moving.” There was hardness in my mother’s voice. It made me feel determined to outrun our pursuers.

The forest floor began to slope upwards, and we had to slow our pace. It didn’t make sense to me. Why would the outlaws target us? My father was not the richest lord in this area. He was too honest to take advantage of the people in his care. As soon as he had discovered that the castle had been breached, he’d pulled my mother and me from our beds and raced with us to the edge of the forest. Then he’d left us, promising that he would catch up when the danger was past.

If the men who attacked were as skilled as my father had thought them to be, it would be only a matter of time before they found two women in the forest. They were killers, bred only to feast on the pain and terror of those they hunted.

“Keep going,” my mother urged me. “We have to find someplace to hide.”

We kept climbing. The night was becoming colder, and soon we were both shivering in our flimsy nightdresses. We came to a stop beside a fallen tree, resting our weary legs. My body ached. The voices came again, closer this time. I felt my mother’s hand grasp mine in the darkness.

“We’re near the top, Evanthe.” I didn’t like the change in her voice as she spoke to me. I knew I wasn’t going to like what she had to say. “Keep going until you reach the peak of the hill. Find a hiding place and do not let them see you.”

“No,” I protested. “We’re going together.”

Her fingers brushed the side of my face. “We can’t outrun them. You go ahead. I will go back to your father and keep them away from you.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do this by myself.”

“Yes, you can.” She leaned over and kissed my forehead. “I love you.”

She stood up before I could say anything more. I clung to her hand, but she pulled away. Tears filled my eyes and I blinked rapidly.

“I love you, too,” I whispered.

“Go now, Evanthe. While you have a chance. Run!” I heard her begin the descent down the side of the mountain. I didn’t want her to leave.

Fear gripping my heart, I forced my body to turn away. I had to keep going. I couldn’t let this opportunity be wasted. I prayed for both of my parents, hoping for their safe return to me. I could feel torn holes in my nightdress, and the night air licked my damp skin like an icy kiss. I was trembling, a chill settling into my bones, but still I kept moving. The voices grew fainter and fainter behind me, and I didn’t stop climbing until exhaustion overtook me.

The air had changed. It smelled different, perhaps because I was higher up now. A sudden snap of a branch to my left made my heart leap in my chest. I could feel a shrub next to my body and went on all fours, feeling along the ground. I pushed the branches aside, a few of them hitting my eyes and wrapping in my lengthy blonde hair before I finally found a way underneath. I kept my back to the tree that was growing right next to the bush, so that no one could attack me from behind. For once I was grateful of my small stature.

I heard more footsteps, but the darkness was so thick that I couldn’t see anything. I was terrified, suspended in the unknown. Something – or someone – was very close. The branches moved, and I felt a warm breath against my arm. My head snapped to the right where a pair of red, fiery eyes glowed in the shadows. Then darkness overtook me completely.

For sale at Amazon and B&N.

Author bio:

K.C. Rivers is a self-proclaimed geek with a particular fetish for elves, pirates, and winged creatures. She often finds inspiration for her writing from the scenic outdoors that her native Oregon has to offer. When she’s not playing the piano, writing, or reading, she can usually be found taking a long walk or enjoying a cup of coffee. She currently lives with her husband, two dogs and cat. Prince of Light is her first novel.