Eden Winters's Blog, page 56

New Banner

My dear friend Jared Rackler has done it again, creating a lovely new banner for me. I've finally gotten over my sulk about the neighbor shooting my house, so have once more changed the name of my blog. How do  you like it?




Although I don't think I have an accent (snicker), I keep getting told that I do. Thus, "M/M Romance With a Southern Accent." And what's more Southern than magnolias...and men?"

More of Jared's work is available for viewing on my site, for he's done a few book covers for me. If you're looking for a talented graphics artist, find him at Jared Rackler Designs.

The Friday Review - Hardass City by Kiernan Kelly

I'm not a gamer, so I was surprised to find myself pulled so easily into the video game within Hardass City. This story is of the type that's just pure enjoyment, bouncing between the real world and a cyber universe. It's gripping, entertaining, and a nice little break from the angst-filled novels I normally devour. The world building within the game portion of the story is amazing, and I felt like I was standing with Dare and Spike, fighting off the monsters. For a quick, easy, unique page-turner, Hardass City scores big. 



Find Hardass City it at Torquere Press. 

Research and writing what you know...

Have you ever read a book and thought, "Wow! This must have taken tons of research"? I've done that many times, especially before I became a published author. It only recently occured to me how much research I do, some without even realizing it. It'll bet you do too.

"What, me?" you ask. "But I don't write."
Even if you don't write, your research is all around you. Do you have a favorite restaurant, a favorite grocery store? It's because you researched and found them. Every time you Google, you're doing research --research that can be used in a story. 
I've done some crazy things in the name of research, from joining a dating site to standing in a closet, trying to figure out logistics for a love scene. A good friend and fellow writer actually visited a car dealership to crawl into the back seat of a Mustang while writing an abduction scene and wondering how much room her protag had, how he was laying, how much he could see, etc. But again, some of my research happened without planning. I've even got a story that began as personal notes when I vacationed in Hawaii. 
Any experience can be a story, even a trip to the laundromat, 'cause hot, hunky firemen would have to go to the laundromat, right? And what if a nerdy college student bumped into him while reading a calculus text? See where this is going? Knowing where the washers are in relation to the dryers, where the drink machine is, etc., helps you to craft a believable story, or helps you visualize what you're reading. 
Diversion began as a few articles I'd read on pharmaceutical drug crimes, the key plot points practically knitting themselves together. My current WIP is the same. But how much is too much? I must admit that I watered down facts in Diversion, because the truth seemed very farfetched, even to me. So Lucky's time stealing a truck became five minutes, when the actual time, based on a true case, was two and half. I wasn't sure anyone would believe two and a half minutes, so I lengthened the time, and I cut the dollar value of the heist. 
In Collusion, the sequel to Diversion, I've again based the story on actual events happening in the US that most people I've bounced the idea off of didn't know existed, like a critical drug shortage that's forcing doctors to break the law and order illegal imports just to serve their patients' needs. "No doctor would do that!" I hear. Oh, yes they would, a known seventy-nine total to date since the crisis started, which brings me to my dilemma: what is more important, the truth, or believability? And where does good research cross the line, ripping a reader out of the story?
Thoughts, anyone?

Early Literary Influences - The Golden Treasury of Poetry

What better way to stimulate the imagination than with a diverse collection of poetry. Between the covers of this 1959 gem you'll find such flights of fancy as T. S. Eliot's The Gumbie Cat, bold epics like Sir Walter Scott's Lochinvar, and romantic tales from the likes of Lord Alfred Tennyson, author of Lady Clare.

I must admit that one of my personal favorites was Lone Dog by Irene Rutherford McLeod. Wild dogs were a fact of life in the farming community I grew up in, where people dumped unwanted animals down lonely dirt roads. Many formed packs. At night I could hear their mournful cries, and worried for those poor creatures. This poem captures that memory. The verses tell of a wild dog, not a pitiful abandoned pet, but a master of his own destiny who considers himself above the average lap dog. My grandaughter lovingly copied out the words by hand when she heard how I loved this poem, and now it hangs in my cube at work. 

My absolute all time favorite selection from this volume has to be the tragic romance of The Hiwayman, by Alfred Noyes. Now I enjoy the tale as a song by Loreena Mckinnett. 

I apologize, the only version I could find has an ad at the beginning, but it's well worth the wait if you ask me. She's done full justice to this haunting tale. 



At eleven years old, I'd read a while, ask my mother tons of questions, and come back to read some more. I loved The Golden Treasury of Poetry, and filled many notebooks with poetry of my own. The best part of all, though, it that this very same book is now on my grandaughter's bookshelf, cherished for a third generation. 

The lovely illustrations are a wonderful bonus. 

M/M Authors Exposed - 2

A new installment is up at M/M Authors Exposed. See what inspires us to write, and feel free to tell us your inspirations.

Letting Go

I currently have a blog post saved in my drafts called, "Hiatus," one I hope to never have to send. A few of you may have seen a similar Facebook status. I'd reached a breaking point a few weeks ago. Totally burned out, I worried if I'd ever write again. Due to my dry writing spell, social media sites grew frightening. I hit an impassable wall. 

I wrote a post explaining why I needed a break. Each word I wrote, whether for a post or a book, became a chore, and I deleted more passages than I kept. Because I finish what I set out to do, I forced myself to complete Broken Wing, the third installment of The Angel of 13th Street series. 

Now Broken Wing was poised to be the most heartfelt story I'd ever written. The ideas flowed; my keyboard could scarcely keep up. When the story grew too large and convoluted, it split into two parts. Fallen Angel was the result. I hurried through Fallen Angel, desperate to get to Broken Wing, the work I'd hoped would be a masterpiece. 

Then my muse fled me. Completely. The result is something I only showed one beta, who agreed that I'd missed my mark. It broke my heart, and I despaired of ever writing again. Was I washed up? So early in my writing career?

And then a funny thing happened. The characters from Diversion began speaking to (yelling at) me. Effortlessly the story began writing itself, and I put aside all other projects, knowing that when my muse commands me, I'd better obey, or the story would remain untold forever. 

I'm now past the 40,000 word mark on Collusion, and am hoping history doesn't repeat itself, leaving me with another half-finished manuscript. I'm writing again, I'm enjoying it again, and for now the "Hiatus" post remains a draft. 

As for Broken Wing? Sadly, though I completed the first draft, it may never see the light of day. But who knows? After I shut Bo and Lucky up, Lark and Sam may begin whispering in my ear again. 

Possum Shifter Snark!

Whoot! Saturday is snark day!

Today's installment of Saturday Snark is brought to you courtesy of Naked Tails, a tale of love, skinny dipping, and possum shifters.

Dustin fretted, checking his hair in the mirror, more a stall tactic than actual concern over his appearance. How did you tell the man you’d been having sex with, “Oh, yeah, I get furry once a month, more often if the mood hits, isn’t that a hoot?” waiting for the right opportunity to add, “Oh, did I mention you’re gonna get furry too? Remember the sweet little receptionist at the office? Well, seems she followed a snoot full of eau de macaroni pie to your house, hunting a nibble and—can you believe it?—bit you instead! Have you ever heard anything so doggone hilarious?”

He cringed. There didn’t seem to be a correct way to induct the unwary into the passel. Would Seth hate Tiffany? Would he blame Dustin for not warning him of the dangers?
With less enthusiasm than previous trips Dustin arrived at the farm house far faster than he’d hoped. He needed more time to work things out. Oh well, no help for it now. As passel leader and Seth’s lover, he couldn’t conveniently pass this task to another. He fully believed if he left it up to her, Monica would barge in, yell, “You’re a damned possum, get the hell over it,” and leave. 

Look for Naked Tails to publish in December, from Dreamspinner Press.

Thanks to Marie Sexton for hosting the weekly snark-a-thon. Find her contribution here. 

For more lovely snark, check out the links on my site.

The Friday Review - The Mercenary by Cornelia Grey

My knowledge of steam punk amounted to one short story when I picked up this little gem--now I'm a die hard fan, as I am of Cornelia Gray's gorgeous writing. 

What a wild ride! The Mercenary  combines so many different genres into one fast-paced page-turner. I would have loved to stay longer in this well conceived futuristic society, learning more about Asher and Gabriel and the world they live in. In particular, I want to know more about the Tamers.

The action sequences got my pulse to racing, and the scene of the two heroes in the back room at a bar positively sizzled. I loved Athena, the clockwork owl. And that cover! Whoa! Gorgeous. 

Craving a shorter read that incorporates action, shades of steampunk, and fantastic world-building? Pick up The Mercenary.

I wish all brothers were this supportive...

Today I read something that made me laugh, made me cry, and made me realize the good some people have in their hearts. Thanks you, ally David Stevens, for sharing.

It's entitled "Defriended Over a Wedding" and it's not so much a lament for a lost Facebook "friend" as a beautiful essay on the love of a brother. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, though I had to stop reading the comments.

Read it here. 

Early Literary Influences - A Guest Post by Chris

Today's post is from well known reader, reviewer, blogger, and beta extraordinaire, Chris, of Stumbling Over Chaos. I've actually written a story dedicated to her two cats, Chaos and Mayhem.

When I asked her about a book that had a profound impact on her life, she directed me to a post on her site,  from May of 2010, reposted here by permission. Click this link to visit her site and read the original post.  Chris's appreciation for the work of Charles de Lint took the form of a letter to the author.




Dear Charles de Lint,Back in the mid-90s, I discovered your short story collection  Dreams Underfoot , which was my introduction not only to your writing and to the fantastical, fictional Canadian city of Newford that you created, but also to the world of urban fantasy. I was both enchanted and transported by the stories in that book, and I picked up everything you’d written that I could get my hands on.You’ve written many more books since then, but the Newford books remain my favorites. I love that the city is as much a character as any other, making this some of the most truly urban fantasy I’ve read. I love how you skillfully weave European and Native American mythology together, so effectively that when I’ve finished reading one of your books, I’m more than half-convinced I can see hints of the magical out of the corner of my eye. I love how real your characters feel, and how effortlessly you have me caring and worrying about them. I love that the main characters from one book will show up as background characters in other books. I love that you see both the darkness and the light in people, yet your books leave me hopeful.Often, when I read your books, I find myself jotting down sentences that particularly move me. Here are just a few that I’ve saved over the years:

Look inside yourself for the answers – you’re the only one who knows what’s best for you. Everybody else is only guessing. – Trader

Magic’s never what you expect it to be, but it’s often what you need. – Moonlight and Vines

Tattoos…are the stories in your heart, written on your skin. – The Mystery of Grace

“Well, I may not be so good at interacting with the world at large,” Suzi said, “but I’m sure about this much: It doesn’t matter where any of us come from, or even what we look like. The only thing that matters is who we are now.”“That’s pretty good,” [Christiana] said finally, looking back at Suzi. “It puts the onus on yourself, instead of on where you came from. It suits what I like to think of as my independent temperament with the added bonus of making good sense. How can your genetic history or even your past ever begin to compete with who you are today?”Suzi took that as a rhetorical question, so she didn’t worry about an answer. – Spirits in the Wires

Thank you for introducing me to urban fantasy – your books helped me discover that I wasn’t completely burned out on reading fantasy; I was just burned out on reading the traditional stuff. I hope that I can always hold on to the sense of wonder and hope you helped me rediscover.P.S. And, um, I really wish I was one of the Crow Girls. Be sure to visit Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos often. Not only does she host frequent ebook giveaways but she's the mastermind behind the hilarious Misadventures in Stock Photography. She posts plenty of pictures of her adorable felines, and offers a host of worthy information with her "Linkety Posts." Chris will also help you select your next favorite book with her insightful reviews.