Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 60
June 14, 2011
Meet the Author: Katherine Gilraine
When did you decide to pursue writing seriously?
I don't think I ever had a moment where I didn't want to pursue it seriously. I remember writing
ever since I learned how, just various bits and pieces. I always knew that I was going to take it to
a professional level, but it took me a while to understand when the right time was to do so. That
decision was made right around my senior year of college, and a friend of mine convinced me to try
NaNoWriMo for the first time. That's when I knew: time to make it happen.
How did you choose what genre to write – or did it choose you?
It definitely chose me! I always wanted to write something that was set in characters, and have them,
and their adventures, drive my plot. The more I tinkered with the concept, the more I realized that
doing it all in fantasy was the only genre in which I could write my story without constraints and keep
the plot evolving as I go. I just went with it.
Tell us a little about your writing process. How do you get from idea to completed draft?
First things first, I re-read my prior installments and notes, and by that time, I have a feel for where my
characters left off. I ask, how are they feeling? How have their adventures shaped them? And then, I
turn on the TV and watch some of my choice shows, and then ask, "So if this happened on X world, to Y
person, how would my team rally together?" That's when I start laying out the plotline, and then I call
my friends, who know the story well, and are able to bounce some ideas back to me.
And then, I set all of that aside until November, attack it at NaNoWriMo, and continue writing until
completion! NaNo is fantastic for motivation.
Who are some of your favorite authors to read?
I've always been a Stephen King fan, but I don't particularly focus on an author. I'm a fair bit of a
history buff and lately have been reading nonfiction – Civil War history, Tudor history, all really
fascinating stuff.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love jazz music, and when I'm not writing, I love going to concerts. Since I've written longhand at
many of these shows, it also adds to my writing muse. I also have a graphic design and promo business
which is geared towards jazz/contemporary jazz musicians, and what time I do not devote to my day
job and my writing goes towards the business.
How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life?
Writing is actually very central to my life. On my blog, I tend to write a lot about music, and various
things that I come across. It has actually changed my outlook; when I encounter something, I think of
how I can put the way I feel about it in words. It keeps me grounded as well; when I start to lay my
opinions out on paper, or on screen as the case may be, I often go back and question myself rigorously
about what I have just written.
Who is your favorite literary character or couple?
It's going back to my mid-teens, but on this question, I initially thought of Janie Johnson/Jennie Spring
as portrayed by Caroline B. Cooney. She discovered that she was a kidnapping victim by looking at
her childhood picture on a milk carton, and the rest of the series revolved around how she absorbed
the information as to how she came to the Johnson family. It stood out to me back then for how Cooney
delivers a shock early on to the reader, and continues to evolve the character. It's a dark piece of YA
writing, and it's 10 years since I first read it, but the character and its evolution stands out.
Another favorite is Scarlett O'Hara, from Gone With The Wind, and one who is masterfully evolved
from the belle of the South to a hardened woman who will do whatever it takes to survive. It strikes two
of my penchants: history, and strong female characters.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
To my fellow writers – whatever you do, don't put down the pen. Keep at your work, keep at your craft.
For every story, there is a reader, but there needs to be a story first!
Thanks for joining us today, Katherine! It was nice getting to know you better.
The Index Series is available at CreateSpace: Mages | Secrets and Amazon: Mages | Secrets
Connect with Katherine at: Facebook | Twitter | Blog and The Index Series on Facebook **Please note -
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June 13, 2011
Weekly News & Goals 6/13/11
It still rained here and there this
weekend, but nothing like it was before, and I do believe we might be
sliding into summer. It's about time, considering it's nearly the
middle of June.
I've been in a rather contemplative
mood lately, and the weather may well be to blame, but I'm making a
few lifestyle changes (cheesy as that sounds) that I think are
necessary for me both as a person, and as a writer. Instead of
reminding myself that some day, I'll work at home and have time for
all these other things I'm interested in, I've decided to live
like that day is never going to come, and make time for the various
things in my life that I've set aside for the past two years to put
writing first. For me, being "just a writer" is never going to
work, even when I can finally make writing my full-time job. I need
to be more, so that I can put more into my stories, and so I can be
more than just a one-dimensional character in my own little universe.
It's important not just for me, but for my relationships with other
people (including my husband, who seems to be happy that
writing/publishing is not my only conversational topic anymore, and was hinting that I should maybe open the tea blog again as well catching the nail blog up).
My changes aren't going to affect
this blog or my romantic suspense writing at all, except that I'm
starting a new blog series on Thursdays that will explore the idea of
sculpting a
three-dimensional life. The series is called Code Name: Succulent
– my plan started with houseplants, and so it will continue with
observations about said houseplants (and garden plants too). I hope
you'll join me.
Incidentally, there won't be any
podcasting for the foreseeable future. I just don't have the proper
motivation, though I may do an author reading here and there.
I finished the Desert Heat
trailer this week, and I must say, it turned out great. You can watch
it at the end of this week's W.I.P. Newscast, or watch it on
YouTube. I'll get both of my trailers posted to my web site later
this week.
This Week on The Variety Pages
Tuesday: Interview with urban
fantasy author Katherine Gilraine
Wednesday: Writing Notes –
Research What?
Thursday: Code Name: Succulent –
Intro
Friday: Chapter 5 of Falling in
Public
Saturday: On the Bookshelf –
Excerpt from Katherine Gilraine
Elsewhere
Tuesday:
Chapter 5 of The
Minister's Maid at
FantasyRanchNovels.com
Tuesday
Night: Design of the Week at Nail Art Tuesday
Thursday:
Priorities & Book Sales at Beyond
the Words
Sunday:
W.I.P. News at Snake Bites
Goal Reports
I did pretty well
with my goals list last week. Some goals got put aside as I started
rearranging my priorities, and others simply didn't get done, but
the ones I considered most important, like finishing the sample file,
sending out interview questions and catching up my bookkeeping were
all completed, so I feel good about that. I kept up easily enough
with all of my serials, did two workouts and caught up with a lot of
housework this past weekend. So overall, a rather productive week,
all things considered.
Goals for the
Week
Writing
5 serial
scenes
Edits for The
Biker's Wench (which I just got back – yay!)
Business
Update all web
sites
Keep
bookkeeping up to date
A little promo
Plan TBW
launch giveaways
Post free
stories
Assign ISBN
numbers for TBW
Personal
Read for ½ an
hour every night (at least)
Move manicure
to Sunday nights so I have time to prep post for Tuesday
Three workouts
for the week
Laundry three
nights
Make time for
a puerh tea session (gong fu)
So that's the plan for this week.
Do you have a plan? Care to share?
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June 10, 2011
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 4
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3
Falling in Public
Chapter 4
The limo ride had been impressive, but when Holly stepped out of the car and got her first look at the house, her jaw dropped. Manda, Jason and Mark had all gone on ahead leaving her alone with Eddie, and he grinned at her reaction.
"Impressed?" he asked, lacing the fingers of one hand through hers. "Most of the time I can't believe it myself, to be honest, and I've lived here for nearly ten years. Come in, I'll show you around." He tugged her forward and she happily followed, gazing up at the structure as they climbed multiple sets of stairs and wondering if there were any secret passages or rooms, and if he'd show them to her. The outside was big and modern, with hard lines and square shapes, but it was offset by large full trees and impressive shrubs that she made a mental note to look more closely at in the daylight. The thought made her warm as she considered the circumstances that would see her staying the night, and she was glad when Eddie released her hand to get the door.
"Thank you," she said, quickly moving across the threshold in hopes he'd miss the color in her cheeks. Quickly forgetting her embarrassment, she let her gaze travel up and up and up to the huge crystal chandelier that hung over the large entryway. "Oh wow. That is absolutely gorgeous," she breathed, walking around it to watch the light from different angles. When she looked back down at Eddie, he was watching her with a peculiar look on his face.
"I can think of at least one thing more beautiful in the room," he said, never cracking a smile.
Holly laughed nervously. No one had ever directed a line like that her way, though she used them frequently in her novels. If he hadn't been so serious, it would have been positively cheesy.
"Um, thanks, I guess." She turned a circle, seeing three doorways and a wide staircase all leading in different directions. "Where's everyone else? I don't hear any noise."
He smiled then, nodding his head toward the doorway directly across from the one they'd entered by. "The main living room is that way. They're probably outside in the hot tub by now - there's a sliding glass door out to the back yard. Why don't you go find them, and I'll be there in a few minutes?"
She nodded, not sure she liked being sent off by herself, but not wanting to appear clingy. "Okay, I'll see you in a bit then," she said, trying to gauge his mood from his expression, but his face was blank. Aware she'd already hesitated too long for comfort, she turned and went to find the living room, all too aware of his stare as she left.
It was just a short walk to the living room that featured gray carpet and green overstuffed furniture in a sunken center. She walked around the seating area to the wall of glass on the other side, and went out the open door to a large tiered patio. Teal blue water was lit from underneath, and at the farthest end she saw five people in a large, bubbling hot tub separated from the pool by only a thin surface-height divider.
As she approached, Manda stood up to wave her over, revealing two very tan, very naked breasts with dark nipples at full attention. Holly slowed, her pulse racing as she wondered just what she'd walked in on.
"Everyone this is Holly," Manda said, settling herself on Jason's lap. Holly was thankful for the copious bubbles hiding the underwater view. "You know Jason and Mark, and those two hotties," she gestured to a brunette and a redhead on either side of Mark with no visible swimsuit straps showing, "...are Lynn and Terri, Mark's wife and girlfriend, respectively." The women waved and Mark smirked as he pulled each of them close for a kiss.
Holly smiled politely, barely stopping herself from asking which was which, and how that particular relationship worked. Purely for research, of course. Unsure what she should do now, she stood there awkwardly, wondering if skinny dipping in the hot tub was normal rock star behavior. And trying to decide whether she'd been missing out all these years, or if it was just weird.
An arm snaked around her waist and she jumped for the second time that night. Eddie chuckled, pulling her close to his side. "I see you've met the gang. Did someone introduce you?"
Manda raised her hand, coming out of the water just enough for Jason to pull one nipple into his mouth. She squealed and threw her arms around his neck as he suckled her. Holly tried to look anywhere else, but it was pointless. The image was stuck in her brain, and though she hated to admit it, it was turning her on.
"I get the feeling you're not quite ready for the hot tub yet," Eddie murmured in her ear, his breath sending another embarrasing flood of moisture between her legs. "Come on, I'll show you the rest of the house." The last part was loud enough for the others to hear, and they waved and laughed as she turned gratefully and followed him back to the house. Enjoy this installment? Try Desert Heat, available now at:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Diesel | All Romance
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June 8, 2011
Writing Notes: Image to Idea
A friend and I were talking via email
the other day about how inspiring images can be. Sometimes my cover
artist sends me
several photos to choose from for whatever cover we happen to be
working on, and several of the "extras" will either trigger a
name, scene or occupation in my head. Other times I'll be scanning
the stock photo sites for potential cover art elements and a photo
will just jump out at me, insisting there's a story to be told
about it. It's both amazing and a little annoying, as once an idea
comes to mind, it needs to be written down. But that's a topic for
another day...
Interestingly, the photo that triggered
the idea isn't always the one that gets used in the final cover
art. Then again, sometimes the final cover art inspires a change in
the book itself. Originally, there was no fire in my novella,
Tempest. Heidi put one on the cover because it seemed to her
like there had been one and it was symbolic of the heat level at
certain parts of the story. I liked it so much; I went back and added
a fire to the story so it would match the cover. I do think it
enhanced the story too.
Falling in Public, my latest
serial draft was inspired by a photo of a rock star I saw on the
internet last fall (no, I'm not telling which one). He was sitting
on a curb in front of his gorgeous black mustang – the car, not the
horse, of course. It was the car that first caught my eye, but when I
studied the man's posture, clothing, and the expression on his
face, I was inspired to write a story about the man I perceived him
to be. I have no idea what the actual guy is like, but Eddie Pierce
is based on my initial assessment of him. I've purposefully avoided
learning anything more about the real star to avoid subconscious
cross-over. Incidentally, this particular story came to me nearly
fully formed, with the title and everything. That doesn't happen
very often, but it's very cool when it does.
When was the last time you looked at a
photo and wondered (or knew) what the story behind it was?
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June 7, 2011
The Podcasting Question: To Speak or Not to Speak?
Here are the ramblings I took out of
yesterday's post in the interest of staying on topic and not
writing an entire tome for Monday reading. You're welcome.
I was toying with the idea of
podcasting books one chapter at a time, but then I tried listening to
some book podcasts, and I realized that they just don't work for
me. The problem isn't with them (I made sure I got good quality
books, and they sounded very professional – I had no issue at all
with the quality). The problem lies in the fact that my mind wanders
while listening to someone read me a story. Even if it's very
dramatic voice acting (for that experience, listen to Scott Sigler.
Seriously. It's pretty amazing), I have a hard time focusing only
on audio for fiction. It's an odd thing, because I find non-fiction
podcasts very easy to listen to and stay focused on. I also don't
mind short stories or pieces, depending on the narrator (check out
The Word Count podcast for some really great shorts, and Alain Miles'AudioBoo project), but anything longer than a few minutes will find
my mind drifting off into other thoughts. Interestingly, quality
doesn't matter so much to me for these sorts of podcasts – the
AudioBoo sound is up and down sometimes, but I simply adjust the
volume.
Needless to say, this doesn't bode
well for me reading my own work. The reading part would be fine – I
tend to read aloud while editing anyways. But the audio editing,
where I'd have to listen to my own stories and make sure the
reading was smooth and error free might well be more than I want to
sign up for. I don't even like to read my own books after they've
been pronounced "done" and published. I think it might well be a special kind of torture to revisit them by recording/editing the audio
versions.
So it stands to reason that a
non-fiction podcast is more my style. Something that can be more
casual. I considered renaming my Wednesday "Writing
Notes" feature to "Author's Notes", and then creating a
weekly podcast from that (with highlights posted to the blog, of
course). But naturally, someone's already using that name, and I
need something unique that ties into my online brand, as it were
(Yes, Writer's Notes is taken as well).
Here's what I'm considering
including:
- Character motivation analysis (both
for my own books, and occasionally others)
- Character introductions
- Notes on my writing process (ie,
here's what I was working on, what is challenging, how I get this
solved, etc).
- Idea formation and brainstorming (ie,
today I saw a photo of [whatever], and it made me think of this,
which made me wonder…etc)
- Short excerpts on occasion
Basically, all the stuff I include with
the writing notes posts. I'm hoping it will appeal to both readers
who might be interested and writers as well.
I think I'll probably try this for a
couple of weeks, and just see how it goes (the recording/editing part
– I don't expect any endeavor like this to gain a following in
two weeks, obviously). If it's too much or isn't working for me,
that will be the end of the experiment. If it seems to go okay, I'll
continue on for awhile.
In the meantime – I still need a good
title for it. Something that conveys what it's about, but isn't
too vague (like, say Variety Audio, or something similar). Any ideas? If you've commented here before, your
comment should show up within a few minutes. If you're new, I'll
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June 6, 2011
Weekly News & Goals 6/6/11 (w/video)
It just occurred to me that 6/6/66 is
going to be a very interesting day, psychologically speaking. If I
live to be 91 years old, I'll be able to experience it first-hand.
Perhaps I should write a story set on that day. If I make it that
long, I could see if the fantasy lives up to the reality. By then,
maybe 90 will be the new 50, right?
But I digress...
If you missed it, last week Heidi
finished up the cover for the new blog serial draft, Falling in
Public. It's just absolutely
perfect, and really captures the "Hollywood" vibe that I want for
this novel. Fabulous work as usual from My Creative Pursuits!
I've
been thinking about podcasting lately. I started to type out my
thoughts on it here, and realized it would make this post several
hundred words longer than it needed to be. So stop in tomorrow for my
podcast ruminations (in text form, which is rather ironic, I think),
and to share your thoughts on the medium as a whole.
This
Week on The Variety Pages
Tuesday:
To Speak or Not to Speak - The Podcast Question
Wednesday:
Writing Notes – From Image to Story
Friday:
Ch. 4 of Falling in Public
Elsewhere
Tuesday:
Chapter 4 of The Minister's Maid
at FantasyRanchNovels.com
Thursday:
On Personal Limitations at Beyond the Words
Saturday:
Saturday Evening Soap (video) at Snake Bites
Sunday:
W.I.P. News at Snake Bites
Here's
this week's W.I.P. News cast if you missed it on the other blog:
Goal Reports
I'm not ashamed to admit I pretty
much sucked in terms of getting my goals done last week. I kept up
with the serial novels and that's really about it. I'm really
hoping to cross off the bulk of my business goals this week, because
it's so much easier to just keep up than to catch up. I do think
I've hit a personal limitation (see next Thursday's post at BTW)
with regards to writing, which is annoying. But things are still
moving forward, even though "turtle" seems to be my speed setting
at the moment.
Goals for the Week
Writing
5 serial
scenes, plus reevaluate the TMM scene for this week.
2k on my
thriller short
Finish the
scripts for Office Gossip
Clean up a few old flash fiction stories I have, and post them for
free at the Brazen Snake site
Business
Finish
samples for author services
Add
Tempest
trailer to web sites
Buy a new
block of ISBN numbers
Finish
up promo items for Author
Services
Update
profile at Independent
Author Network
Daily promo
tweets
Catch up
bookkeeping
Finish
production on Office
Gossip
Fill
out an interview I was sent last week
Send
out interview questions to an author I'll feature next week
Personal
3 workouts
Laundry.
Laundry. Laundry.
Pull more
weeds (ugh!)
Quit working
by 12:30am to read. (I'm really going to get serious about this
one. I need more sleep, and knocking off work by 12:30 I could be
sleeping around 1a.m. If I know it's a hard and fast rule, I'll
be more diligent in getting stuff done earlier.)
That's it for me
this week. I'm taking Friday off from the day job (a long story
involving the gas company, our meter, and all the recent flooding
around here), so that will give me a good chunk of day time to catch
up on business-type stuff.
What's on
your plate this week? Writing/business/personal – do tell me I'm
not the only one wading through a mile-long list at the moment...
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June 3, 2011
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 3
Ch.1|Ch. 2
Falling in Public
Chapter 3
Holly didn't have time to answer as Eddie pulled her up onto his lap and placed one of her arms around his neck. He leaned over her, his lips just a mere breath away and grinned. She stared up at him, frozen in disbelief with her heart pounding in her chest.
"Kiss me back," he whispered. And then he lowered his mouth to hers, and all of the sounds and smellls of the crowded bar faded to nothing as she closed her eyes and focused on his warm, gentle movments. His tongue asked for entry and she gave it willingly, her other hand sliding up his neck to hold him in place. He leaned her back further for better access, holding her tight in his embrace as he feasted on her lips.
"Better put that one back, Eddie. She looks expensive."
The shrill, high pitched female voice was like ice water, and Holly's eyes flew open as Eddie gave her one last, lingering kiss and a wink before he looked up at the interloper. A tall, supermodel thin woman with a flawless olive complexion and long blond hair in a high ponytail stared down at them with an amused look on her face.
"Why, Sherry?" Mark spoke up from across the table. "So he could downgrade to a cheaper model like you? If I remember right, that didn't work out so well last time."
Holly tried to pull away, but Eddie merely tighened his hold on her. "What do you want, Sherry? I'm kind of busy."
"I can see that," the woman said, eying Holly up and down. "You know, we could share her if you want..." Holly tightened her grasp on Eddie's neck at that, earning a chuckle as he stroked her back.
"You know I don't share."
Sherry shrugged, the hem of her mini dress rising high enough to be almost indecent. "Your loss, sugar. I just wandered over to see if you needed some company, but apparently this one beat me to it." She glanced across the table at Jason. "Unless you want some lovin'? I'm not picky." The whine in her voice was starting to give Holly a headache.
"We're well aware of that," Jason said, his tone cold. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm expecting someone."
Another shrug. "Suit yourself. If you need me," she reached out to touch the side of Holly's face, and Holly turned away, hiding her face in the juncture of Eddie's neck. Sherry giggled. "You know where to find me."
Tentatively lifting her head as she heard stilletos clicking away from the table, Holly found herself staring straight into Eddie's soft gaze. "You okay?" he asked, leaning forward to place a soft, open-mouth kiss on her lips. Instinctively she kissed him back, earning an easy smile as she drew back and licked her lips.
"I...yes," she said, feeling the color rise in her cheeks again as she felt his cock move against her hip. "I should move..." She forced herself to release his neck and scoot back over to her side of the booth, and this time he let her, though he captured her wrist when she would have put space between them. Glancing across the table, she noted the other two men watching with great interest. Jason was grinning broadly, and Mark looked like he was trying not to smile.
Mark leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table to address Eddie. "I think it's time we took this party back to the house. Lynn and Terri are already there, and I think I saw Manda downstairs. You two coming?"
Holly realized all three men were staring at her. "Oh. You're inviting me? I'm not sure..." Her head was still foggy from the kiss, and she blamed that on her apparent inability to think. Or speak, for that matter. Get a grip, Hol!
Eddie squeezed her hand, smoothing his thumb in easy circles over her skin. His touch wasn't helping to clear her thoughts.
"It's no big deal," he assured her. "We're just gonna hang out for awhile. It's quieter than the bar, plenty of booze, and lots of spare bedrooms if you want to crash for the night. Low key all the way."
A petite brunette walked up and slid onto the seat beside Jason, leaning in for a kiss before she grinned at the rest of the group. "What's shakin', guys?" Her gaze lit on Holly with a friendly tilt of the head. "And who's this?"
"Manda, meet Holly." Jason nodded her way. "Eddie rescued her from Sean Winston in the line out front. And she rescued him from Sherry."
"Wow, busy night. It's nice to meet you, Holly."
Holly smiled. "Thanks. It's been...very interesting, to say the least."
The men burst out laughing, and she couldn't help but chuckle with the other girl. When the laughter died down, Jason spoke up.
"We're heading back to the house. Holly was just trying to decide whether to come with us or not."
"You totally should," Manda said, getting to her feet. "It's way more fun. I have a swimsuit I can loan you for the hot tub, if you want. Although Lynne might be more your size."
Holly thought about the book she needed to write, and how some of it would take place in an expensive home. This could be her only chance to see how the other half lived. Knowing other women would be there made her feel better about it too.
"Okay," she said, earning another squeeze of Eddie's hand. "Sounds like fun."
Enjoy this installment? Try Tempest, available now at:
Brazen Snake Books |
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Sony | Kobo | Smashwords | Diesel
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June 1, 2011
Writing Notes: Emotional Transfer
No video this week - blame it on my husband, and Joanne Rock's
Highly Charged!
Last week I had a scene to write that I
kept procrastinating on. I was ahead of my writing schedule, so it
wasn't that I didn't have the time, it was more that I knew it
had to be sort of intense on an emotional level. It was for one of my
erotic shorts, and there was nothing really physical involved – but
the psychology involved in relationships is sometimes just so complex
that it's hard to put on the page in any kind of satisfying way.
Knowing that from the outset, I tend to freeze up for awhile trying
to write the tension between two characters (another reason I really
must have deadlines).
The day the scene was due, I waited
until the last minute to write it. All day long I was in a rather
pensive, and almost crabby mood as I mulled the scene over in my
head. I normally don't plan much farther ahead than the next scene,
but I know where it needs to go (basically) within the structure of
the story, so I spent much of the day exploring my character's
head-space and trying to really "feel" how she would be feeling.
At the same time, I was also sort of channeling my hero(s), and
really trying to get a feel for how all three of them would be
reacting to and feeding off of each others emotions and reactions.
This sort of "emotional transfer"
is just exhausting for me. I'm not a terribly dramatic person. Most
of the time, I'm pretty even-tempered and not really prone to
over-reactions or strong emotions. But I think to even have a chance
at approaching the kind of tension I want my characters to have, the
emotion on the page has to be very dramatic and "big", because it
will never "read" as big as it "writes", in my opinion (like
stage makeup has to be ridiculously thick and bright in order to look
normal to the audience in a theater).
In any case, I wrote the scene, and it
turned out pretty well, I think. Then of course I was tired and
pensive for the rest of the day, which is hard when others don't
understand why.
Much of the difference between
cardboard characters and rounded characters boils down to emotion, in
my opinion, so understanding how each character is feeling within
their particular world view is important to be able to write that
character accurately. For me, that pretty much means crawling inside
their heads and staying for awhile, to ensure that they don't do
what I would do, but that they move and react and speak as the
individuals that they are. Most of my characters are vastly different
than I am, so it takes a lot of energy to basically take on another
personality long enough to explore it and write it out.
The effort is well worth it, I think.
People tend to either like or hate my characters, which is good,
because that means my characters are inciting a strong reaction (one
way or the other) in the reader. I can't please everyone, of
course, but if I can raise an emotional reaction in the majority,
I'll have done my job.
After a particularly rough scene like
the one last week, I need downtime. Preferably in the form of a
reading binge, or barring that, a TV binge.
Do you suffer from emotional
transfer when exploring your characters' heads? Does it run you
down? How do you combat the emotional fatigue? If you've commented here before, your
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May 31, 2011
Meet the Author: C.S. Daley (video)
When did you decide to pursue writing seriously?
My writing has had two distinct starting points. Many, many years ago I actively pursued a career in comic books. I was pumping out comic scripts on a regular basis. I got really close to breaking through. I didn't realize this until many years later when I was talking with someone in the industry about all the nice letters I had from editors. I was young and had no experience. I didn't know not getting any form letters meant they had taken an interest.
At the same time I was doing work at a local newspaper covering sports for them. I hated working at the newspaper. This didn't last long. After about five years of beating on doors I ran out of steam. I decided every teacher who had ever told me I couldn't write must have been correct. Stupid really, since a newspaper was publishing me with regularity at the time.
I walked away. Got a job as a teacher and then tormented myself for years about walking away. I finally got back around to writing and produced some very average young adult books. I also started and stopped about a trillion novels.
It was two years ago when I started blogging just to have an outlet which involved words. Then I got really lucky. Two brilliant musicians, Zoe Keating and Kim Boekbinder, convinced me I was being an idiot not pursuing what I loved. Since then I have written everyday. Completed over a 1,000 blogs and more importantly three novels and a short story collection.
How did you choose what genre to write – or did it choose you?
All three of my novels are fantasy. I like the freedom of creating worlds. It's what I read growing up. I always knew I would be a fantasy writer. The first short story I wrote was way back in third grade and it was fantasy. I don't think I will ever be a writer who does the traditional Tolkien type of fantasy. I write with a darker mentality. My young adult book, The Shadow Men, was actually an attempt to write a horror fantasy novel for teens which actually involved some horror. My short story collection is about a zombie dad. Even though it sounds like it is horror it is really a funny, sad, love story. I'm a little mixed up when it comes to my genre.
Tell us a little about your writing process. How do you get from idea to completed draft?
I let stories bounce around in my head for a long time before I start writing them. I do a lot of outlining without ever committing any words to paper. Once I have the basic form in my head I usually will start writing when a really startling image takes over the story. In the case of my three novels it was the ending of each book which got me going. I wrote towards the image of the ending. All three endings changed by the time I got there but it was the jumping off point.
As far as the process. I sit and write a minimum of a thousand words a day until the book is done. I have found the "no excuse" method of writing is the only one which works for me. I have written the thousand words with a splitting migraine. I have written while on vacation. Once the book starts I go everyday until it is done.
What are some of your favorite authors to read?
I am a huge George R.R. Martin fan. He changed what the epic fantasy looked like for me. I also could not live without a steady dose of Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, F. Paul Wilson, Ian Rankin, Robert Crais, John Scalzi. I could go on and on and on. Like every writer I know I am an avid reader.
What do you like do when you're not writing?
I like to read and play video games. Hang out with my wife and kittens. When I am being good I like to jog but sometimes my body refuses to cooperate on that one. I am a huge musical geek and we make a fairly regualr trip to New York every year to get a Broadway fix. I listen to a ton of music. I have a few musician friends and think I secretly harbor a desire to be a rock star. Sadly, I can't sing or play an instrument.
How do you balance writing with the other aspects of your life?
Right now I don't think I am doing a good enough job at this. I teach all day. Come home spend some time with my wife and then write well into the night. I am seriously sleep deprived. Especially lately, as I try to wrap up a bunch of projects I am working on. I did finally have to step away from blogging everyday. I have been doing some writing for other websites and I was burning myself out. I plan on getting a lot better at this next year.
Who is your favorite literary character or couple?
Hands down it is Repairman Jack by F. Paul Wilson. I love the character. I love the way Mr. Wilson bounces around between suspense, horror, mystery. If I create even one character half as bad- ass as repairman Jack I will die a happy man.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I love writing and I know that even if I don't make a dime at it, I will continue to do it the rest of my life. It is the one thing I am always trying to convince my young students about. If you love something keep doing it. Keep working at it and don't ever let anyone convince you to stop.
Connect at C.S.: CSDaley.com
Buy The Shadow Men: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Buy A Very Zombie Holiday: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
May 30, 2011
Weekly News & Goals 5/30/11 (w/video)
I'd say happy Memorial Day, but it's not really meant to be "happy". Instead I'll just offer a heartfelt thanks to the soldiers who fight (and have fought) on our behalf, to keep us safe and uphold our country's ideals. Of course I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the day off from the day job too...this post will go live long before I'm out of bed - unlike most mornings when I'm just getting out of bed as it goes up.
If you missed it, last week, I have new cover art! The most excellent Heidi Sutherlin of My Creative Pursuits finished the cover for The Minister's Maid, my new serial Fantasy Ranch novel:
And then updated the design of The Biker's Wench cover to match, along with finishing the print cover. The Biker's Wench is scheduled for release on July 29th, of course, and hopefully I'll have ARC's ready around the first of July. Can't wait to see this cover in print!
If you didn't catch it yesterday, here's this week's W.I.P. Newscast, including the new book trailer for Tempest at the end. Visit Snake Bites for the text summary.
This Week at The Variety Pages
Tuesday: Interview with fantasy author C. S. Daley (video & text)
Wednesday: Writing Notes – Emotional Investment (video/text)
Friday: Chapter 3 of Falling in Public
Saturday: Episode 1 of Office Gossip (video, cross-post from Snake Bites)
Elsewhere
Tuesday: Chapter 3 of The Minister's Maid at FantasyRanchNovels.com
Thursday: Sales & Pricing at Beyond the Words
Saturday: Episode 1 of Office Gossip, a "Saturday Evening Soap" webcast at Snake Bites
Sunday: W.I.P. Newscast at Snake Bites (video)
Goal Reports
I started out way ahead last week, and slowly fell behind as the days wore on. It was just one of those weeks, and it could have been far more productive. Needless to say, it was the business stuff that suffered most, unfortunately (and I'm behind on my bookkeeping due to the video learning-curve distraction). Hopefully I'll be more on top of things this week. Better balance would be good, I think.
The personal stuff on my list got about half done – we fixed the leak in the bathroom, and created a new one (smaller, but sheesh!). And I got started on yard cleanup too, in between rain showers.
Writing
5 serial scenes, plus reevaluate the TMM scene for this week.
2k on my thriller short
Finish the scripts for Office Gossip
Business
Finish samples for author services
Add Tempest trailer to web sites
Buy a new block of ISBN numbers
Finish up promo items for Author Services
Update profile at Independent Author Network
Daily promo tweets
Catch up bookkeeping
Listen to a few Podiobook episodes to see how they're done. I'm thinking about podcasting a few of my books, so this is research, though it should be enjoyable.
I told you I was behind on business stuff....
Personal
3 workouts
Catch up Goodreads & organize the books/samples on my kindle (must do!)
Quit working by 12:30am to read.
So...yeah. Lots of business-y stuff to take care of this week, and lots of writing. I need to catch up on my serial reading too – Carol Ward has two going, Fire and Shades of Errol Flynn, both of which I plan to get caught up on today. They're both fabulous – go check em out!
What's on your agenda this week? Here's to warm temps and better weather all around...
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