Rachel Alexander's Blog, page 258
March 6, 2019
I am almost done with Destroyer of Light and am not sure if I should wait for the next book or read the excerpts? Are they full chapters or like previews?
Read the excerpts. I’m publishing the chapters as they will exist in the book in full (barring final edits).
It will at least satiate you for a bit until I finish and publish The Good Counselor.
The Disastrous Decline in Author Incomes Isn’t Just Amazon’s Fault
“People have always felt a sort of ownership over art, and that’s actually good. It’s why you keep a book on your shelf and return to it, it’s why you hang a picture on your wall that speaks to you. But when this gets out of hand and you mistake access or a personal connection with your rights, as happens so often in our Internet age, it leads to a dangerous sense of entitlement. That’s why readers feel empowered to complain, directly to the creator, that a book or show doesn’t have absolutely everything they want: the romantic pairing they’d hoped for, the language they find most friendly, the ending they desired. And it’s also why, for instance, the last Harry Potter book leaked on the internet before it was officially published: fans saw the book as something they were owed, not the product of labor that deserved compensation. Not that J.K. Rowling needs more money—but she, and all authors, deserve to have their work recognized as work.
“Consumers hold a pernicious power, so this trend towards free content won’t reverse itself unless we want it to. This is a sad thing, and we will all be much worse off if we can only hear stories from people who can afford to write.”
Please please please do NOT pirate books if you want to keep having books to read. The median income for full-time authors in 2017 is reported at $20,857. That means half of all authors reporting income made LESS.
And of the authors that reported that they were, in fact, full-time authors, only 63% had ANY earnings to report. The average of those who did earn something was $43,247. Which means, looking at the difference between the median and average, the average is heavily weighted by the superstars.
MOST of your favorite authors are either working a second (or third, or more) job, have a partner who earns more money, or is living hand-to-mouth, or some combination of the three.
Libraries are your friends. Most have ebook collections now. I know readers gotta eat, but writers do too.
Signed,
Someone whose book isn’t out for another 4 months, and is ALREADY being pirated :(
Oh gosh :( this really hit me: “This is a sad thing, and we will all be much worse off if we can only hear stories from people who can afford to write.”
Why would you pirate books? If you want to read free books, GO TO THE LIBRARY!! Writing is such a difficult industry to succeed in, don’t ruin authors lives!
What made you decide to write detailed explicit scenes in your books rather than just doing the "fade to black" thing?
Well, I enjoy writing sex.
And the story of Hades and Persephone at its core is all about sex, love, the dynamic between the genders, and how those things change within the context of their marriage.
Within the story I wanted to express a progression in their intimacy that speaks to what is happening in their lives. Instead of having sex be a throw away thing, or purely for tittilation, I use it as a means of advancing the plot and showcasing character growth and development.
Could you rec any other Hades/Persephone fics?
I sure can! One of the things I did when I was writing Receiver of Many was read as much existing Hades and Persephone fiction as I could get my hands on. I figured that a 4,000 year old myth, plus lasting and continuing interest, plus a Greek mythology fan fiction community of which they occupy about 75% of the fics there, that there was a good chance that my idea had already been done. (I’m sure that there are those who could argue that writing ANYTHING about Hades and Persephone has already been done, but I digress.)
There were four unique plot elements that, had they existed in someone else’s work, would have prompted me to stop writing and either find a different story or scrap what I had done so far. Two have been revealed so far, two are upcoming.
So I read. And I read. And I read.
I can say without hyperbole at this point that if it is about H/P, if it exists on FanFic, FicPress, DeviantArt, AO3, or is available for download via Kindle, I have read it. The excellent, the good, the bad, the barely-readable, I’ve read it.
First off, we’re all looking for different things when we’re looking for an H/P fic. As you might be able to guess from my writing, an ideal fic for me is going to have a strong Persephone character (I hate reading her as a submissive MarySue milquetoast); a flawed but decent Hades who is a bronze-age male but isn’t an outright rapist; a decent supporting cast founded in mythology; and well-written sex. I would add that it has to have sex in it, as H&P is a myth all about sex. Special bonuses for correct era-specific clothing (unless of course it is set in a different time) and general historical perspective, pulling in additional myths, and having a well-rounded Demeter. Of course, other people’s desires, specifications and caveats will be different from mine.
Just as a note, I will be reviewing completed stories only. So with that said, and in no particular order, let’s get started, yes?
On Kindle
I’ve found that fictions on Kindle/iBooks are a more rarified mixed bag. There is a little more thought put into something for which you plan to charge money. It’s the premium channels of H/P fic, but some of it is outstanding, some of it is good, and a few selections were just plain awful. But the good thing about it that you 1.) get a finished story. 2.) It tends to have a more well-rounded plot, and 3.) it’s published by adults, usually for adults.
Seeds vol 1, 2, & 3 by M.M. Kin
I cannot say enough good things about M.M. Kin’s three volume edition of Seeds. The characters are well thought out, they grow tremendously throughout the story and she creates a rich atmosphere that you can get lost in fairly easily. The language is contemporary, and it doesn’t get too ‘forsooth-y’ Kin released each book this past year on the spring equinox, the summer solstice, and just before the fall equinox appropriately enough, and luckily I was able to power through the third and final volume two days before my wedding which was a great break in the chaos. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter is the source material, and departures from myth are realistic and explained. The cover art is beautiful. I reviewed each volume on Kindle separately. See my reviews there for a more in-depth analysis.
That Fatal Kiss by Mina Lobo
This was a book I read rather recently, and I was just enchanted. Persephone is a strong and thoughtful character, mature, and more than a match for Hades. There’s a thread of humor woven throughout the story and more than a few original plot elements that I wasn’t expecting and appearances by a couple other denizens of the Underworld and Olympus. I highly recommend it.
The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer
A YA lesbian retelling of Hades and Persephone, with a beautiful love story and Zeus as a rather scary, looming antagonist. I was a little put off by all the males in the story being portrayed as automatically antagonistic or at least gravely suspicious, but the romance is believable and the choices the author made with male characters are appropriate for the story.
The Hunter of the Dead by Maria Aragon
By far the most original piece on them I’ve ever read, departs the greatest from original mythos, but does it in style. This book features members of almost every mythological pantheon as players, and traverses time from ancient Greece to the modern day. The plot features Hades, Hecate and Apollo hunting down vampires. Yes, you just read that right. The ending is both epically thrilling, touching, sad and bittersweet and made me cry, and it is rare when a book can do that.
Also as a note: all of the above stories are by independent authors. Support independent authors and original works.
On FanFiction, Fiction Press & AO3
While there are a lot of very interesting but ultimately frustrating unfinished stories like Hope Enthroned and Fall of Light out there, and wonderful works in progress like Chains and Divine Reborn, I’m going to concentrate on the finished ones.
Pomegranate Temptation (M, 6K words, Multi-chapter One-shot) by Emerald S. Sparrow
I love this spicy little one shot telling the tale of Persephone’s first time with Hades. Hades in Emerald’s telling is deliciously dominant, but not a brute. Persephone is adorable and not a blushing flower. It is smut, but you can really feel the undercurrent that they love each other.
Solace (M, 5K words, Multi-chapter One-shot) by artwolf1995
This one is heartwrenching to a fault and creates a dynamic between Hades and Persephone that is very sweet. High on the angst, but resolves beautifully without bogging itself down. I like that the Hades in this is fundamentally unattractive. It draws a welcome contrast between this fic and all the other ones where he’s a dashing Byronic hero.
Life and Death (M, 63K words, Novel) by Nightdancer87
Tons of romance and erotica, and features real conflict between the characters throughout the story. I liked it because it begins in an almost fairytale fashion with Persephone going willingly, but with complications arising once she’s there. A very good take on the myth. Persephone is a little submissive in the beginning for my taste, but develops into a stronger character by the end.
The Blossoming of Springtime (T, 30K words, Novel) by Lethe
Just gorgeous imagery, a realistic, smart Persephone, and an enigmatic and well written-Hades. The development of the story is such where there is no real antagonist but for the conflict between the characters themselves, and the story is truly beautiful. An excellent depiction of Bronze Age marriage, as well.
Second Summer (M, 5K words, One-shot) by chellerrific
Adorable would be the word I’d use to describe this one shot. Humorous, and awkward, with plenty of spice, and major parts of the story take place on Olympus. The author also correctly stages summertime as Persephone’s time in the Underworld, as in Greece is the four months of hot summer that wither the wheat crops. The ending had me in stitches.
The Crowning of Persephone (T, 7K words, One-shot) by eva_cybele
This story was definitely written by someone who did their homework! And I suspect that homework was reading “The Narcissus and the Pomegranate”, which is also a major influence on my writing. Persephone is written at her strongest and makes her own choices. The style of writing is very poetic and gives a mystical feel to the story telling.
Persephone’s Memories (T, 47K words, Novel) by missylaroux
Modern retellings can be tricky. There are many that are lazily written with no research beyond the author’s limited life experience. This is not one of those. This story is gorgeous and sweet, and takes place in multiple time periods. Trigger warning, as rape appears as a theme throughout the story.
It’s All About Family (M, 165K words, Novel) by InkSpot1941
This features an original character, so my eyebrow was raised as far as it could go when I first opened up this modern-day sequel to A New Queen, An Old King and His Curse. I liked the prequel to this well enough, but this story surpasses it by leaps and bounds. It took until about chapter 16 for the story to really grip me but once it did, I was completely hooked. This tells the tale of Hades finding Persephone in New York, set against the backdrop of a war between the gods. I cannot give anything more away than that— you’ll have to go read it. Highly recommended.
Hopefully this is a decent enough list of recommendations. I’m sure I forgot at least two or three that I also adore, and I’m sure I’ll think of them later.
March 5, 2019
findingmyreality2019:
Autumn aurora from a chilly night in September 2017. Taken in Elk Island...
Autumn aurora from a chilly night in September 2017. Taken in Elk Island National Park, in Alberta, Canada.
