J.R. Pearse Nelson's Blog, page 28

Eleven Random Questions

I've been absent for a while, but a nice opportunity arose today to jump back to my blog. Lauralynn Elliott tagged me in a little game of eleven questions. I'm going to participate in the first part, answering the questions she posed on her blog, but I'm not going to pass it along. Her questions, and my answers, appear below. Thanks, Lauralynn!
Who is your favorite author?
One favorite? Huh. Today I will say Jacqueline Carey. If you've never read one of her books, check out Kushiel's Dart today. It is an amazing story of intrigue in a sumptuously sensual setting.What’s your favorite color?
Purple. I believe my blog can attest to that. :)If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
In my beautiful home state of Oregon, but probably not in its biggest city, where I live now. I think I'd live on the coast side of the coastal range, but not quite at the beach . Somewhere I could have goats, maybe a horse if I had more time on my hands, and the kids could do 4H projects.How old were you when you had your first real kiss?
Fourteen.Who is your hero?
My mom.Who is the sexiest person on TV right now?
Eric Dane. Just check out Dr. McSteamy.  Who is your favorite vampire?
Yay! Love this question! Spike, for sure! I have a signed picture of James Marsters as Spike in my office. I just stopped to stare at him for a moment. Sigh. (Lauralynn, you're making me think about nothing but hot guys!) What’s your favorite beverage?
Water. That sounds really boring, but it's pretty important.What’s your favorite food?
Chicken and dumplings. Especially my mom's.What would be your ideal job?
Close to what I'm doing now, which is economic research, but probably less of it, at least while I have small children. I do love having a challenging day job, with new things to work on and think about all the time. Of course, I'd rather write than do anything else, but I'm lucky in that I have opportunities to use my writing and editing skills at work. What do people do that annoys you the most?
Drive in the middle lane of the street after taking a left-hand turn. It is NOT for driving, people. You're going to kill someone! (Don't get me started.)

Finally on Facebook

It took my best friend asking why I didn't have an author page to get my hiney in gear on this one. She pointed out that for many, it is the preferred way to communicate about things they like -- so not being there I was missing out on opportunities to connect.

I took her advice (finally) and did it! I'm on Facebook here, and I have an author page here. I'd love it if you friended me there, and liked my page.

I'd also love some advice. I have trouble keeping up with social media already, and I'm feeling a little intimidated by Facebook. Writers, what do you do with your Facebook account? And readers, what do you want to see from authors on Facebook?

My Blogging Anniversary!

Actually, it was two days ago. Ahem. So I completely dropped the ball on that. :)

But now I'm recognizing the milestone. It's been one year since my first blog post and since I committed myself to actively pursuing independent publishing. One year of meeting amazing people and making wonderful friends, learning the publishing ropes, and being part of one of the most turbulent times in the history of the publishing industry.

Let's be honest; this has all been such a breath of fresh air for me. I'm invigorated and productive in a way I never knew before I started down this path. I appreciate my own strengths, and the advice of my friends, more than ever before. I'm stretching my limits, and making my dreams come true.

In the 368 or so days since I started this blog, I've published two novellas, and written another novella and a novel that will be published later this year. I've posted here 84 times now, which means I post about every four days...that's more often than I'd planned on, and that's the average for the whole year. There's a lot of exciting stuff to talk about, be it books, authors, writing, writing challenges, publishing,  or book promotions. I'm having more and more fun all the time. :)

I thank all of you for being a part of the welcoming community of writers, readers and bloggers that I found when I started down this road one year ago.

Sunday Update: A Fun Week!

My singular goal is paying off. I know where I need to focus my attention, and my plan for Queen Witch is unfolding before my eyes. Have I said before that I love my brain? Oh, come on. I know I've said it before. Trusty smooth engine makes so many decisions while I'm not even focused on my story, that when I come back to it, I know what needs doing.

The hard part of this novel is the timeline. It starts when my witch is 14, because some pivotal stuff happens then that sets up the storyline for the trilogy. But then I'd picked up again when she's 16 -- and I've since decided that a LOT of what I wrote in that section just sucks the energy right out of the story, because she's learning, and there's not enough action. So, on my three-month break from Queen Witch, I'd decided I would skip the remaining teen years, and pick up again right about her twentieth birthday, when she's accepted as an adult among her family and really begins to serve, and to rebel.

This week, I went through that entire, painful midsection of my book and decided what to do with the scenes there. Some of that stuff will be rewritten to work in my new timeline, but some of it is just scrap. So this week my project is to dissect my manuscript, moving everything that really doesn't work to a new file, called "scrap." So that's how Queen Witch is going. I'm making progress.

The other reason this turned out to be a fun writing week was a discovery I made as I perused my old writing files in a particularly creative mood. I found two short stories that were pretty much ready to go, and that I remembered only dimly. As I read them, I got more and more excited by this find! I posted the shorter of the two to my blog on Friday, so that's the post after this. I'd love to hear some ROWer feedback on that short, so please give it a read and let me know what you thought.

I sent the other story to a few writing buddies to get opinions, and they all liked it. So now I'm trying to decide what to do with it, and I'm thinking I may release it as a short, adding in the other story as a bonus in the ebook, for $0.99. So this brings up a question. I've heard the short story is back, thanks to ebooks and reader attention spans. What do you think? Do you like short stories, and are you willing to pay $0.99 for them, when you can buy full novels for that price? I will thank you for any insights.

Have a great week, and I wish you luck and fun in your writing tasks!

The Giant in the Spruce

Below I'm going to share a short piece I wrote a while ago. Actually, I was curious and checked the date and it looks like I wrote this in the summer of 2007. I was perusing my files today, opened this one up, and went, huh. Kind of a fun little story that I'd completely forgotten I wrote. I added the ending, and then decided to post it here. I hope you enjoy it. :)


The Giant in the Spruce

That afternoon, I was doing as I always did. The sitka spruce surrounded me on all sides, and the forest stretched on and on. I walked and walked, as I did every day, through the forest near home. When I came upon it, I didn’t realize at first, until the slumbering giant sneezed and grunted in his sleep.I stopped in shock.The creature was huge, fifteen feet tall at least, its feet and hands big and broad.You must be dreaming, I told myself. No one came here; how a giant would have gotten here I couldn’t imagine.With another glance, I moved past the creature, trying not to make any noise.It shifted, and I moved more quickly, trying to put a little distance between it and me. Rushing, I tripped over a large branch, and the creature stirred.Glancing back, I was surprised to see it staring at me, its large eyes dark in the shadows of the forest.I flinched and turned to go, intent on returning to the cabin, and ignoring what I had just seen.“Wait,” it called.I hesitated.“What are you?” the creature asked.“I’m a man. What in god’s name are you?”“Ingodsnamaru?”“What are you?”“I’m a dwarf.”I sputtered. “Traditionally, a dwarf is somewhat smaller than average size.”“Where I’m from, I am smaller than average.”“Ah, and where is that?” I asked, sensing a scheme.“It is a different place.” He nodded, as though this was all he was sure of. “I came through somehow. We’ve always known you were here.”“Came through…”“And now I can’t seem to find the entry. It must be here somewhere, but I’ve been stuck for days. Do you have anything to eat?”My mother once told me about picking up strays, that time when I fed the neighbor’s cat. If I fed him, would he try to stay? How could I prevent it if that’s what he decided?“Not here,” I told him.“What is this place?”“This is earth.”“Of course it is earth.”“This is the United States of America, the most powerful country – nation – on earth.”“I am far from home,” he said sadly.“And where is home? I’ve never seen your kind here, and I’ve walked this forest for years.”“Others have come before me. But they knew the way; they would have avoided your kind.”“How did you get here?” Looking at him one question piled over another in my mind, though he still hadn’t answered the first.“If I knew I would not have stayed.” He paused, great eyes crinkled in thought. “It seemed to me that the forest stretched on and on that day, further than I’d ever noticed before. When it got dark, I sat down and slept. When I rose before dawn I continued to walk, but I never reached the end of the forest. I think it was somewhere close to this spot, but the true moment of crossing over evades me. Was I in your world before I ever fell asleep? Or did sleep bring me here? They’ve never spoken to one like me about the way of it.”“They?”“The priests, the ones who have explored your world.”“And they’re giants?”“How did you know? They are much larger than me, yes, and they have foul tempers.” He glanced around, unsure even now whether he should speak of them so.“Foul…but you dwarves, you’re gentle?”“Not much is gentle in our world. We must stand up for ourselves,” he said peevishly. “But we do try to get along.”“Sounds familiar.”“Do you have anything to eat?”“At home.”“Will you lead me there?”“You do plan to return to your own world if you can find the way?”“Of course.”“You’d better eat something then. Maybe the way back will occur to you if you get your mind off it.”The trail closed around them, especially the giant. The forests of the northwest coast grew densely. “Do you remember when the trail got so narrow? You’re hardly fitting in here, you must have noticed when that changed.”The creature looked around, and shrugged. “I was deep in thought. I did not notice.” We walked much of the distance in silence, the miles melting away under my stride, and his considerably longer one. I grew more nervous as we neared my home…I knew nothing about this creature, yet I was leading him to the place dearest to me. He just seemed so bewildered. I couldn’t just leave him seeking his way home, knowing he could starve just a few miles from my door.“What is this?” His voice boomed in the silence as my house came into view.“My home. Will you sit here, and I’ll go see what I can find to eat?”He obliged, his brow furrowed as he took in my small, rustic cabin. With a final glance at my visitor, I edged inside and went straight to the fridge. I had just bought lunch meat and sliced cheese, so I grabbed that and a loaf of bread, and began assembling simple sandwiches. I looked to the fruit bowl, which was about half full of bananas, oranges and apples. My stomach dropped a little. I didn’t know where I’d get the funds to replace the food I was about to feed this visitor from another world. I refused to worry too much about it. I knew I’d be taken care of – caring and giving are the key to that. I emerged with a plate stacked high with four sandwiches, and one of each fruit.“You are kind,” the giant told me, tears glistening in his dark eyes. “Your gift is generous.” He set in, eating quickly but neatly, and I leaned against my porch and watched a pair of squirrels scampering in a nearby tree, trying not to be rude by watching him.When he’d finished, he licked his fingers, and with a flash of guilt I realized he was still hungry. But he rose, and wiped his hands on his rough pants. He gestured to the building. “Why do you not live in the earth?”“In the earth?” I asked.He stepped back and looked at the sky, thinking. “We live in the earth, under the ground. Our houses are built into the hills themselves. We are safe there. Are you safe in this thing?”I chuckled. “My house is a little run down. Many of my kind live in nicer houses. But I have everything I need here.”“The giants would kill me easily if I lived here.”“That’s why we have law and order.”“We also have laws. Giants set them up. They do not protect us.”“I am sorry,” I told him, unsure what to say.He shrugged, and looked to the forest path. “Thank you for the meal, man. I will remember your kindness.”“Will you be alright?”“I believe so. I will retrace my steps, and I’m sure the solution will come to me.”It was hard to believe I was about to watch a giant walk out of my yard and back into the forest. But I had no claim on him, and wasn’t even sure I’d like him to stay. I just wanted to know what happened next, and I had to admit I wondered about where he was from, though it didn’t sound like an especially nice place.Still, disappear he did, and I never saw him again. Days later, I awoke to a thump outside my house, and listened, tense, trying to figure out where the sound that had woken me had originated. When I heard nothing else, I drifted back into sleep. When I went out for my daily hike, I found a velvet pouch on my porch, tied with a red silken thread. I tugged it open, and within found a handful of gems; diamonds, rubies, sapphires that appeared to be high quality. I sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. My kindness had been repaid, and despite the fact I didn’t know what had become of my forest friend, I knew then of the balance, the ebb and flow as what we give returns to us…even across the boundaries that stand between worlds.

Mid-Week Update: The Ideas Are Swirling

Hi there. I'm late for the Wednesday Round of Words check in, but going to post an update anyway, since I didn't get around to any author business on Easter, even posting to my blog.

I've had so much fun brainstorming about what my fantasy novel is missing! I have pages of new notes...now I'll need to pick and choose between my ideas, and then this draft is going to get a major face-lift, with a lot of additional scenes. That's great, because it's short right now even though the story is big. That's something some readers have criticized about my writing -- that I tend to move through a plot really quickly. I know I can improve the pacing and amount of detail and backstory for my next draft of Queen Witch.

However, I've also realized that this isn't going to be quick. I still believe I'll have the book out by the end of the year, but my goal is no longer summer time. Lots of revision and writing new scenes, then back to an edit on paper, and then finalizing the manuscript and getting input from betas. It's exciting, though. I put off writing this story for years, because I knew the idea could turn into an amazing book if I took my time with it. So I plan to continue taking my time with it. And of course I can't prevent myself from working on other things, like my Children of the Sidhe paranormal romance novellas or my bright and shiny short story (or possibly novella) idea...which I will post on at a later date . :)

Today I have a two hour chunk of child care that won't be devoted to the day job! Yippee!! My major project at the day job is done and extra hours over with for the time being. *Pats self on back*

So, today I go through my Queen Witch manuscript backward, writing a sentence or two about each scene and it's place in the plot. I'm excited to see how far I can get today...wish me luck!

You know what I love about the ROW80 writing community? I know several of my writer friends are out there right now, brains humming with the writer bug, getting words on pages (be it pen and paper or electronic), crafting plots, creating characters and backstory...It's good to know that while this is a largely solitary activity, it's also one I share with many inspiring folks out there in the world. Have a good week, writer friends!

Interview with Romance Author Nadja Notariani

The Third Fate is the third release of novelist Nadja Notariani. I asked Nadja here today in celebration of this new book, and to talk a bit with her about writing in different genres, which I am quite fond of myself, among other things. Without further ado, I give you this interview with Nadja.


Hi Nadja! Thanks for coming to my blog to promote your new paranormal romance, The Third Fate. This is your third book, and your first paranormal romance. In fact, you've now written a contemporary, a historical, and a paranormal. How did that end up happening with your first three books?


Hello, J.R.!  Thank you for having me over today.
Yes, how did that happen?  Ha!  I have a wide array of likes, so I write the stories that take shape in my mind whether contemporary, historical, or even paranormal.  Plus, it's a lot of fun exploring my own writing style.  Different story forms allow me to expand and hone my skill set.  I look at is as gaining 'writing capital' and experience.  


How do you prepare to write a paranormal vs. a historical?
For my historical novella I researched the Bishop's War between England and Scotland to understand a little more about life lived near the borders of these two countries.  I also had to study the English peerage system, the geography of Northumberland, dress and fashion, and frequency of usage for words like 'gentlemen' and 'good-day'.  It was a great history lesson.  Luckily, I love history!In contrast, preparing for my paranormal romance was a much more creative process.  I still had to research Scotland and its wonderful city, Glasgow.  People, places, and layout of the city were topics I focused on.  But I also delved into the myths and legends of the old Celtic gods and the Druid religion.  My imagination was free to create an entire back story for the origins of the vampire, the Fates, and the various realms of the Netherworld.  I enjoyed that aspect of the paranormal genre a great deal!    
Where do you get your ideas?
I've an over-active imagination.  Always have.  :}  Some thing or another captures my attention, and before I know it I've managed to conjure an entire story.  Sometimes I cry, 'Eureka!' and other times, 'I got a rock.'  
What part of a story do you tend to think up first: the characters? Setting? Conflict?
Blushes...  In my first book, I started writing scenes as I dreamt them up, creating as I wrote on.  I would not recommend this!  Ha.  Now, I start with a few sentences to define my story idea and build characters, setting, and conflict around that premise simultaneously.
Can you tell us a little about your writing process?
As I mentioned, I begin with a simple premise and build from there.  Nothing is written in stone.  I'm a planner, and I utilize K.M. Weiland's book, 'Outlining Your Novel'.  One of my favorite areas is my 'What-If' page(s), where I jot any ideas about plot, conflict, or action.  'What if my heroine runs away?'  'What if so-and-so develops amnesia?'  'What if the main characters are separated by a tragedy and think one another dead?'  These questions are for exploration only, but open up my mind to endless possibilities for my story.
If you were transported to a deserted island by a mysterious hunk, who then left you there alone…which three books would you desperately wish were in your possession?
'Survival 101:  How-To For Any Climate – Bonus Features Include Boat Building, Radio Electronics For Dummies, Weapon Making, and the Handy-Dandy Materials Needed Kit – by ACME' ...for obvious reasons...'Creative Revenge – A Complete Course In The Art Of Vengeance' - ...Revenge is a dish best served cold, no?...and'Pride And Prejudice' – ... to wile away the hours as I bide my time...
As you look forward, is there one genre you think you'll write more than others?
Honestly, I'm not sure.  It will depend on what ideas strike me as worth exploring!  I've enjoyed all three of my stories thus far, and I've seen my writing grow and evolve with each one.  Maybe I'll discover a particular bent – but for now – it's open ended. 
What are you working on next?
Next up, I'm going to explore the time period following the Third Crusade in the Holy Land.  The French referred to the Christian holding as Outremer.  Knights, Acre, a caravan, and a sexy Emir are swirling around my brain as I look ahead to writing another historical novel/novella.   
Now tell us more about the book that just came out.
~ 'One Fate be granted mortal man, used for evil or good as the inner voice directs. Alas, the divine spark draws the eyes of the Fates, the Second Fate sparingly gifted by their hands. Be warned offspring of the gods, guard your gifting well. For if the Third Fate be unleashed, the soul lays bare before one so touched by the gods.' ~ Cautious and quiet by nature, Paige Kinnell watches life unfold from the sidelines, maintaining her simple existence as a shield to hide behind. But underneath her shy, careful ways, Paige senses a disconnect with the world around her, indulging instead her ever curious interest in the legend and lore of time nearly forgotten.  One chance encounter with an ancient of the undead begins an unraveling of reality as Paige knows it, leaving her to sort through dreams and enchantments, discovering along the way that one's Fate can be mere illusion, and that the consequences of opening her heart to another may cost dearly.  Cael Maccinnis, the handsome Highlander she's met, seems the answer to every unspoken longing of her heart, even as he awakens dark, secret desires buried within her soul. As strange and unnerving changes begin occurring in her mind and body, Paige has no choice but to face her life's unnatural turn and confront the frightening implications. For within Paige's past a secret lay dormant, hidden even from her. This truth, guarded well and wielded by the Fates themselves, becomes the catalyst invoking the power of The Third Fate. About the Author:
Nadja Notariani was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Her upbringing included very diverse environments, affording wide and varied richness of ethnic and religious tradition. Raised in both an Italian/Mediterranean American home and a traditional German household, Nadja gleaned the unique benefits of viewing the world through two widely different lenses.
Nadja currently resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania and published two novels in 2011, Claiming The Prize and Her Dark Baron. The Third Fate, a paranormal romance, has just been released.
The author can be found at her website, on facebook, or through email, and enjoys hearing from readers.nadjanotariani.blogspot.com
nadja.notariani@gmail.com

Mid-Week Update: Boy Am I Glad It's Wednesday

Hi there. It's Wednesday, which for me means my last day commuting to my office for the week. The trip is fifty miles -- one way -- so it's a major blessing that I'm able to work from home two of my workdays. But by Wednesday night, I'm whipped. That's why I usually avoid my ROW80 updates in the middle of the week...I just can't take trying to dig in and be creative, even for a blog post. This round I'll try to be better about at least making it around to others' blogs in the middle of the week; even that feels draining sometimes on a Wednesday. By the time the kids are in bed, I could stare at the wall for an hour and go to bed myself. lol

We're only a couple of days in, but I have found time to start organizing my thoughts about the revisions my novel needs. This week, I'm answering a lot of my own questions about what the book needs to add life and depth to its pages. Next week, I'm taking it back to outline, justifying each and every scene, and then brainstorming scenes to fill any gaps I see. I know there are many. It feels like a grand adventure to pull the story apart like this, and I know it will make the book much stronger. I'm hoping my brain proves it's been chugging along on how to pull the pieces back together -- come on brain!

I hope all you ROWers have had a productive start to round 2! And any other writers out there, let me know what you're up to on your projects. Can you freaking believe it's spring already?

Round of Words in Eighty Days: My Goal (Singular)

Hello there! So happy to be back for my fourth round of ROW80, the writing challenge that knows you have a life.

The past two rounds I've shot way too high. Although I'm making a ton of progress, my lofty goals are making me feel more and more behind. So it's time for a reality check.

I now have two (recent) books with first drafts written. Before I do much more writing, I need to edit, edit, edit. :)

My goal for this round:
Edit and revise Queen Witch, my urban fantasy novel. The book needs a lot of work, including writing at least a handful of new scenes, and possibly cutting an entire section...I have some ideas, but won't know exactly what it needs until I dig into it. I wrote it last fall, and then set it aside while I wrote another paranormal romance.

I'm zeroing in on this one goal to ensure I get it done in a timely fashion -- hopefully during round 2. I realize this may make my updates boring and repetitive...but all of you writers out there know that's part of the gig, so no surprises there. :)

I can't wait to see what everyone else is shooting for this spring. The one thing I do know: You ROWers are sure to keep inspiring me!

Put a Bird on It, Portlandian

I believe being able to laugh at oneself is a virtue. :>

Have you ever seen the show Portlandia? Or do you happen to be familiar with my beautiful city of Portland, Oregon?

The Portlandia joke that has resonated most with me is "Put a bird on it!" which basically goes to say that there are birds on everything here. We have lots of birds, so maybe it's just because they're familiar companions. But it also speaks to the idea we're a sappy, tree-hugging bunch. Oh, just watch it. I can't do it justice, and I won't try.

This idea has its roots in reality. There are many sappy tree-huggers in my neck of the woods. And they're nice. I like them. I also like the folks who actually go out into that wilderness to make their living, or to keep others safe, or for the sheer joy and adventure so close at hand. My state is full of these interesting dynamics. People who have family going back generations here (including me -- one branch of my family tree arrived in the 1870s, and I will happily live out my days here) and people who have become Oregonians more recently, by choice. One large metropolitan area (Portland) makes up half the state population and drives electoral politics, making choices that often don't jive with opinions in rural areas of the state. The most divisive issues often revolve around the meaning and place of environmentalism and stewardship of the earth...Okay, so that's enough of the socio-political stuff. :)

I bring this up because birds appear everywhere in my stories, it seems. Take the swarm of crows in Vessel. Or the fact that both of my characters in Flight are bird shifters. But all of these characters have their root in Irish lore -- so maybe it's not me, and not Oregon, at all. Of course, I chose which lore to focus on. And it's true I do have a fascination with birds. My iPhone cover is purple, with birds. That's all the evidence I can think of at the moment. My husband would probably be able to point to more in a heartbeat. :)