Thaddeus Nowak's Blog: Thoughts and Observations, page 15

Writers: Who’s dead and other important details

When writing, keeping track of things is important.  This is especially true when it comes to your characters.  You never know when it will be important to recall the date someone died and you don’t want to accidentally change your character’s physical attributes.  Those kind of problems can cause a break in continuity for your readers.

To avoid looking back through all my writing when describing a character, I created a spread sheet to save my sanity.  It was a cheap (a.k.a. free) and easy solution to organize the characters in my stories.

I call it my People List spread sheet and if you are interested, here are copies in Open Office and Excel formats.

Inside the spread sheet, I keep track of several items.  The person’s physical characteristics, their names, titles, which books they have appeared in, any notes about how I described someone, etc.  The notes section helps me to remember that I said someone had a “strong chin” or that “they looked about with a nervous twitch.”  I don’t record details that I will only use once, but something that is defining about the character will end up there.

Another item I built into this spread sheet is a date tracker.  At the top of the sheet, I put in the current date in my story and by including all the birth dates and death dates for everyone, I can know instantly how old a person is (or would be on that date) and how old they were when they died.  Additionally, I can put in future effective deaths (us writers never plan our character’s demise in advance, no, never) and when the date has passed, the row will turn red to let me know they died on or before the current date. (I broke the dates up into separate values because for fantasy and scfi writing, you may have a non-standard calendar and the separate fields supports a wider range of possibilities.)

It is not super fancy, but it is something I have used for several years and I thought I would share this tool.  It would be easy to add columns and expand or change the list of things that are tracked.  Let me know if you decide to use it and if you come up with any special enhancements.

The post Writers: Who’s dead and other important details appeared first on Thaddeus Nowak.

Owin #40 — An old acquaintance

Check out the start of the series.

Photo ©Depositphotos.com / Oleksandr Minyaylo

The smell of smoke hung in the air as the Owin and Gwen neared the city of Solva. In the distance, they could see the vast spread of buildings across the harbor valley. The rising smoke from many distant cooking fires and chimneys indicated the city stretched well beyond the valley.

“How are we going to find that tavern?” Gwen asked. “What was it, the Green Tea?”

Owin nodded his head to a group of people passing them along the road. “It was the Green Leaf. I’ve been to Solva a few times. I’ve got a good idea of where it is.” He slowed to a stop and looked about the top of the rise they had crested. The few trees that had lined the road were now gone, cleared away for fields and buildings. A side road broke off toward the north and away from the main entrance to the port city further along the road. “However, before we find Denton’s friend Brent, I want to find someone else.”

Owin frowned and then turned down the lane between the fieldstone walls dividing two large fields of corn. “He lived on the northeast side of the city, but I don’t remember if this is the road we want.”

“What’s your friend’s name?” Gwen asked, hurrying to catch up to Owin.

“Well, the man I want to find is named Tam, but I would not call him a friend. He is a survivor of the late hostilities and old enough that he won’t likely be an active part in anything. However, he always seemed to know what was going on. If we are being setup, he might have heard something.”

Gwen slowed from her jog as she came beside Owin. “Then when we are done, can we get something good to eat?”

Owin smiled. “Yeah, you’ve earned a good dinner.”

 

The sun had set below the horizon by the time Owin found Tam’s house. The humble home was located in a small cluster of building just outside the city proper. A small flower garden filled the area inside the enclosed yard. The aromatic fragrance of lavender filled their senses as they carefully opened the three-foot tall wooden gate.

Owin led the way toward the front door and when he reached it, knocked twice. They waited for quite a while before the sounds of someone shuffling across a floor could be heard. Slowly the door opened and a man silhouetted in the light from a back room stood slightly hunched in the doorway.

“What can I do for you lad?” The man asked.

Owin bowed his head with respect. “I hoped you might enjoy a bit of company on this quiet evening. You may not remember me, but we met a few times several years ago.”

The man extended his head forward slightly, his wrinkled hand on the door frame. “Your voice is familiar.”

“I am Owin and this is Gavin’s daughter, Gwen.”

The man looked around Owin and took in Gwen’s presence. “If the two of you are here to harm me….”

“No, Sir,” Owin said quickly. While it had been several years since he had seen Tam, the man he remembered should not be as frail as this man seemed. “I was actually hoping you might have heard something. May we come in?”

The man stepped backward and motioned for Owin and Gwen to enter. Once they did, he led them from the front room into a small kitchen where a lamp provided light. The man’s gate indicated a limited range of motion with his left side though the hair on the back of his head was thick and only had a few strands of grey.

When Tam turned around, Gwen sucked in a mouth full of air and even Owin faltered a bit. The left side of Tam’s face was covered in white scars that ran down to the bone. His left eye was missing as were parts of his ear.

The older man smiled at them though his left cheek did not function entirely. “The two of you that squeamish?” Tam pushed back a chair that he appeared to have been using before they knocked on the door.  Slowly he sat down. “This happened a few years ago. It still pains me, but I don’t let it bother me.” The man picked up a mug and drank from it. He put the mug down and met Owin’s eyes. “I remember you, Owin. Though I remember your friend more. I thought you were out of this business.”

Owin forced a smile to his face. “I was.”

“What cause would Ravigar have to send you to me?”

Owin shook his head and moved a step closer. “None. I’m not here on his behalf. When Gavin was killed, the Duke didn’t think I had any value anymore. He considered Gavin the more impressive part of our team and since he had lost most of his hold on me by that point, I managed to win the freedom he had promised.”

Tam snorted. “That man never gave a damn for keeping his word.”

Owin shrugged and decided to take one of the other chairs that were around the table. “The Duke was trying to win over someone else. I became proof that the Duke kept his word.” Owin looked down at the worn table and the meal Tam had been eating. “I guess I was lucky with the timing.”

Tam pursed his lips, though part of his face disobeyed the attempt. “I’ve heard different.”

Owin looked back at the man. “What have you heard? I’m being pulled in a couple of directions and I suspect I’m on the wrong end of the rope.”

Tam glanced at Gwen. “Sit. Eat. You keep staring and I can hear your stomach.”

Gwen quickly obeyed and Tam turned back to Owin. “I’ve been out of this work for a long while. I’ve got enough money to live comfortably and I know enough secrets that would come out if something happened to me that people fear trying to touch me.”

“Which is why I came here. I want to know what is happening and I am hoping you can help me.”

Tam nodded his head and raised his eyebrows. After a moment, he tilted his head forward and looked at Owin’s pouch expectantly.

“Fine,” Owin said as he pulled a couple of coins from his pouch.

“Consider it payment for the girl’s dinner.”

Gwen looked up, a chunk of bread in one hand and more in her mouth.

Owin slid several coins across the table. It made nearly a crown, but if he could get an honest answer, it would be worth the cost.

“I liked Gavin. He always told good jokes.” Tam glanced at Gwen. “None that her ears should hear.”

“Hey, I’ve heard lots of good jokes,” Gwen protested.

Tam turned back to Owin. “The rumor I heard is you’re working for Ravigar. Back in his grasp because you ran out of money.” Tam glanced at the coins on the table. “Might explain how you could afford that.”

“Gwen and I worked our asses off to get that coin and it was promised to me as payment, but not by the Duke.”

Tam shrugged. “You still have shown up in town before a couple of other people are supposed to be in town for business, just as the rumor said you would.”  Tam shrugged.  “You telling me you are not here to kill them for the Duke to prevent a trade deal from happening?”

Owin shook his head. I hate being right. “I am here to stop the assassin from doing his job. Not paid by the Duke, but by those against him.”

Tam took another drink from his mug. “Then that would explain why I heard Urel was in town as well. He was pretending not to be, but someone I know saw him. Being very secretive about it, which is what caught my attention.”

Owin looked off into the distance as he rubbed the tips of his fingers against his thumb.  Aloud he mumbled, “so the original plot is true, but so is my setup.” Owin turned his attention back to Tam. “Do you know where Urel is?”

Tam shook his head. “Keep your fingers out of your pouch; giving me more money won’t help. The man was seen on the street, but only the once. I’ve no idea where he is. I just know that word about you is easy to hear.  It started a couple of days ago, but word about Urel is not.”

“How long has he been here?”

“Urel has been in town for more than ten days based on the report. Interestingly, subtle word that Duchess Emilia opposes the deal started around the same time. Very subtle, but it smelled like a plant to me. Your involvement smells worse, like someone is rushing to quickly implicate the Duke.” Tam put down the mug. “Word of the trade agreement has been fluttering in and out for nearly a month. It is one of those poorly kept secrets everyone knows. Duke Henry’s cousin has rented Morgan House and he talks too much in front of the servants.”

Gwen smiled. “They always do.”

Owin nodded his head in agreement. “Thank you, Tam. I suspected this would be the case. Knowing for certain will help me plan.”

“Plan what?” The scarred man asked.

Owin tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “If I told you that, then you’d have to pay me.”

 

The post Owin #40 — An old acquaintance appeared first on Thaddeus Nowak.

Writers: Last minute tips for events

With Planet Comicon just a couple of days away (it starts this Friday) I wanted to talk a little more about what I am doing to prepare for the event.  In prior articles, I mentioned having mats to stand on and actually standing up to greet people.  Today, I wanted to go down through the list of things I am bringing, including the items I have to give away.

First and foremost, I am bringing copies of my books to sell, including Daughter’s Search, which just came out.  However, I am also bringing things for people to take with them for free.  Having something for people to walk away with is a great way to make sure they will remember you.  In today’s market, you don’t want to miss out on the people who will go home and buy the ebook instead of the print copy.

The primary item I am giving away is a bookmark (with the back side pictured in this post).  I’ve found more people are interested in bookmarks than in business cards and with the cost not that much more than a business card, I order 2500 at a time.  Last year I gave away almost all of the box I had ordered.
I do have business cards, but as I mentioned, I found that once I started giving out the bookmarks, fewer people were interested in the business cards.  However, they are easier to put into a pocket and I still hand some out both at the convention and other places.  (They also make great small bookmarks.)
I have copies of my world map and Antar castle.  These are 8.5 x 11 on glossy 100 lb paper, so there is some substance to them.  I find a lot of people like the map (gamers and just people who are into maps) so it is one way to draw in some interest.
I have brochures that contains information on the books.  I’ve found that these are quite popular as well, though they are more expensive and generally only people who are actually interested in the series take them.
Plastic shopping bags.  I have four books now and I want people to be able to carry away a whole set without them getting damaged.  The bags are clear so that other people might see the books (a little free advertisement).  I meet another author once who went to the expense of getting bags custom printed with the cover of the book and he had one of those ‘doh’ moments when I suggested the clear bags.

For my table’s display:

I have a large fabric rectangle to use as a tablecloth.  Normally, if I have a stand-alone table, I have a regular tablecloth to cover the table and sides to hide the boxes under it.  However, at larger shows, often the tables are side by side with a long plastic cover over the length of the tables and a regular tablecloth will not work.  For these, something that covers the top and front is what I want and a trip to the local fabric store will do the trick (sew the edges though).
I have a banner stand with my name and an image of the map on it.  It’s a good way to get some color and height at the table, which helps to draw people over.  It is a bit of an expense, so I opted for something that would not need to change often (I did not list my books on it).
I have another banner for the front of the table.  This is one of those outdoor banners that have grommets and the cost is much lower (something like $30 with shipping).  On this, I have my website and images of the covers.  With each new book, I’ll have a new one made.  It also coves a good deal of the front of the table, which can hide things.  However, I still recommend a tablecloth to make the top of the table look nice.  For the banner, I use a number of Velcro clips to attach it to the table.
I have a bookshelf to hold copies of my books where I can place the covers forward.  I find this is better than just stacking them up and leaning one against the pile.  The pile method often results in a book falling over.  The bookshelves can take a bit to find, but they do not have to be expensive.
I have signs with the prices and any specials.  These I put into acrylic holders so they stand up nicely.
I also have acrylic holders for the maps, brochures, bookmarks, and business cards.  Again, nothing too expensive and they are easy to find at an office supply store.
I do use my iPad to play a loop of my book trailer.  It wasn’t something I sought to do, but I have it and so I use it.
I also bring some USB battery charging packs.  Electricity can be very expensive at shows and the charger will make sure my phone does not die (I use it for credit card payments) and it will also keep the iPad running.
Finally, I have myself.

Many of these things you can acquire over time and you don’t have to go out day one and buy them.  For the brochures, bookmarks, business cards, and even the banner for the front of my table, I’ve been using GotPrint to print them.  I’ve found the service reliable, the quality high, and the prices reasonable.  I know a number of other people who use them and I was happy when I received the recommendation to try them out.  The merchandise bags I get through Uline.  Again, I’ve never had trouble with them.  Just make sure to get your supplies well enough in advance.

So, that is what I am bringing and a few of the tips I have learned in doing shows and events.  If anyone has additional suggestions, I am always happy to learn new things and love to pass them on.

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Owin #39 — Owin’s fears

Check out the start of the series.

Photo ©Depositphotos.com / Oleksandr Minyaylo

Owin glanced over at Gwen and raised his eyebrows. “What?” He asked as they continued down the road to Solva.

“You seem lost in thought,” Gwen responded. She had taken Warren’s pack for her own and adjusted the leather bag on her shoulder.

Owin shrugged and then nodded his head. “I am a bit worried.”

“About?” She asked, the feigned disbelief heavy in her tone. “We’ve only got to stop an assassination and find a way to save my mother and do it without enough money and not manage to get killed doing it.”

Owin glanced to his left and out to the sea; a merchant vessel moved effortlessly through the waves toward the port. He knew they had a least six or seven miles left to go before they reached the edge of the city. That ship will be there well before dark. All the time wasted with Arn just makes this whole thing harder.

Turning back to Gwen he decided to voice his concerns. “That’s the problem. We’ve been set a nearly impossible task. They expect me to find the assassin, or assassins,” he added as he leaned closer to Gwen. “Then stop them and do it without the people we are trying to protect knowing about it.” He shook his head. “Eliminating people is easy. Especially if you can choose the time or place. But protecting people from the unknown is much harder.”

“You don’t think you can do it?”

Owin stopped and looked up and down the road they were walking along; there was no one in either direction. Further inland, he could see fieldstone walls marking the boarders of different farmer’s domains, but no people were visible. “This ambassador from Uvar and that Lord Nathaniel are going to have guards with them. They are not going to be unprotected.  That means we are not likely going to get close to them. Those guards are not going to trust a random stranger to hang around just waiting. Especially not if they are conducting their business in private.”

“Can we hire on as help?”

“If we had time, perhaps.”  Owin raised a finger.  “We first need to figure out how the assassins might do it.  One thought is the main assassin could come at them with a crossbow and kill them from afar, but if the meeting is in a small room, which is likely, the guards will be on him quickly. That means preventing the targets from escaping while at the same time fighting off the guards. The only way to do that is with multiple assassins: one or two to kill the targets and others to deal with the guards.”

“How would you protect against that?”

Owin bit his lip. “You’d have to block the entrances and force the attackers down a path you can control. But that all depends on the layout.” He met her eyes. “Whenever your father and I had to infiltrate a place, we knew the layout ahead of time. Either through spies already in place, servants bought off to tell us about the layout, from talking with people who had visited, or we somehow managed to get in ourselves and see first-hand. We never went in totally blind.”

He turned back to the northwest. “We have to assume the assassin knows the location. But as I said, small quarters are hard to deal with when taking out a group of men. Which means the assassin could use poison and that would be damn hard to stop because there is just too many ways poison could get into the food or drink. It is far too hard to cover that much ground with just a couple of people. Plus, again, they are not going to trust a couple of new people to stand around and watch.”

Gwen swallowed. “This is not looking good.”

Owin sighed. “Here’s the worst part. If we are to believe the purpose behind this is to break up a trade agreement and frame Duchess Emilia, somehow reliable evidence has to get left behind.” He started walking again. “The best kind of evidence is a person who will confess under torture. That means, poison is not going to be the likely option. Which is good for us, but it also means that if the point is the frame up, the assassin might not even need to kill the people.  Just leave someone behind to confess.”

“I don’t understand,” Gwen said, walking quickly to keep up with Owin’s longer legs. “Do you mean they intend to leave an assassin behind to be caught? He’d be executed once they got the details.  Who would agree to that?”

Owin nodded his head. “The real assassin might hire a couple of local patsies. People he expects will get captured and possibly killed. Given the situation, if I were to come up with a plan, I’d hire them early and spend time with them to prepare. I’d make sure the guys were not really skilled, just general thugs more likely to fail than succeed.  During my time with them, I’d let a few things slip. Nothing blatant, but enough that they would know I was hired by the Duchess. I’d make sure to have clothes or other things that tied back to the Duchess. I might even plant some evidence on them or in their homes. Then when it came time for the assassination, assuming again the main assassin is using a ranged weapon, I’d send the disposable people forward to deal with the guards and perhaps try to kill the targets.  I’d stay back to make sure I had an escape route and retreat while the others get caught by the guards.” He bit his lip. “If the guards take them alive, they will admit that Duchess Emilia was behind it. If not, what I planted on them and in their home would tie back to the Duchess.”

“That’s cruel.”

“I’ve never done something like that,” he said, thankful to see Gwen’s expression soften a bit.  “I’m just trying to work out what someone else might do. The key to what we’ve been told is framing the Duchess and that would be the best way to put forth the evidence without it looking faked. The men would swear to any god they could that the Duchess was behind it. And more important, any priest that would read their minds would say the same thing.”  He reached out and put a hand on her arm.  “It’s not a kind word we live in.”

She nodded her head.  “I know.  I just don’t like it.”

Owin hesitated a moment more and then continued. “Here’s my real fear: is that the real objective in sending us here? Did Denton truly learn that Duke Ravigar is planning the assassination or are we actually Denton’s patsies, designed to take the fall and in doing so, place blame on the Duke?  Just trying to be present to prevent the assassination will put us into a compromised position.  It could look like we are the ones trying to be the assassins.”

“But we can tell them we were trying to stop the assassination!”

Owin nodded his head. “We can say that, but will they believe it? The last person I worked for is the Duke and he had me under his thumb for a long time. They may see me as simply using that as a ploy to get close to my targets. What if Denton sends separate word to them that says he learned that we are planning to assassinate them for the Duke? I get inside, hoping to stop something, but then get caught and executed. The Duke still looks bad for trying to arrange the assassination. Denton and the others appear to be the hero. Since they would know I am coming, who I am, and what I look like, it would be far more certain they could have me caught than for me to stop the assassination they claimed to learn about.”  He sighed again.  “It may be that the original story is true, but they might stand to gain more by sacrificing me than by stopping the real assassin.”

Owin looked over and met Gwen’s eyes. He saw the deep fear in those brown orbs. “I know. What I want is to get confirmation of the original plot. If that is true, then it might just be that Denton has not lied to us. If not….” He shrugged.

“What can we do? They are holding my mother.”

“Either way, we find a way to get ahead of them.”

 

The post Owin #39 — Owin’s fears appeared first on Thaddeus Nowak.

Owin #38 — On the road

Check out the start of the series.

Photo ©Depositphotos.com / Oleksandr Minyaylo

The Needle sailed into Little Bern’s protected harbor just after midday.  While Arn had called it a small town, Owin admitted being a bit surprised by the amount of industry visible as they made their way through the shallow waters outside the harbor.

Three respectably sized warehouses sat near the docks and over thirty buildings dotted the tree covered hill behind those large structures.  In the harbor, at least eight small craft were tied up and Owin felt it likely that many of the open piers would be filled with fishing boats by the end of the day.

“The shallow harbor limits Little Bern’s size,” Arn said in answer to Owin’s unspoken observations.

As does the fact that Solva’s only a half-day walk away, Owin thought as he took his seat and grabbed an oar.  Most people would simply go there instead of coming here.  With Arn on the tiller and Gwen lowering the sails, he and Calvin had to row the craft in the final quarter-mile.  When they reached the pier, Arn’s expert hand parked The Needle against the dock with hardly a bump, impressing Owin yet again with the versatility of the small craft.

No one came out to greet them and Owin quickly started gathering his belongings.  “Don’t leave anything behind,” he reminded Gwen. The condescending look she gave him brought a grin to his face. “We’ve got a long way to go today, so we won’t have time to come back,” he offered as way of rationalizing his comment.

“Yes, Dad,” she said as she grabbed the sword she had taken from the bandit.

Owin looked away. While he had helped Elsin after Gavin had died, he never considered her to be a daughter.  He did not even consider himself old enough to have a daughter Gwen’s age. The realization that he actually was took a moment to settle in his mind. Seeing the Captain moving toward him, he called out. “Arn, anything you need us to do before we finish our business?”

“No,” Arn said slowly, “If you’ve got your things, let’s head to the shop.  I’ll give you a token of introduction for Brent.  You’ll need to find Brent to get setup for whatever Denton has in mind.  You’ll find him at the Green Leaf tavern most night.”  Arn picked up a pack from the deck and slung it over his shoulder.  “Calvin, watch my ship until I get back.”

“Aye, Captain,” Calvin said as he finished tying off the ship.

Owin and Gwen followed Arn to the ‘shop’, which turned out to be a blacksmith shop. The proprietor, a man wider in the shoulders than Arn, but two inches shorter, wiped the sweat from his face and put aside the hammer that was in his hand. “Brother,” the man said, nodding his head to Arn while taking in Owin and Gwen.

“D’mir, this is Owin and Gwen. They are just passing through, but I owe them some money before they can get on with their journey.”

The sweat drenched man nodded his head. “You know where it is.”

Arn, shifted the equipment he carried to his other shoulder and headed into the house that was attached to the back of the shop.

Owin took a moment to look around while he waited for Arn to return. Bits and pieces of rusty metal lay about without much appearance of organization.  However, the few finished pieces looked well made and strong.  Owin noted the uniformity of the links of the chain lying across the anvil and knew that did not occur by accident. “Are you as good with steel as Arn is with sailing?”

D’mir narrowed his eyes. “What are you looking to have made?”

Owin pursed his lips. Arn had never mentioned his brother and families did not always share beliefs and ideals, but knowing that Arn trusted his brother with large sums of money gave Owin enough comfort to ask the question. “I don’t know what I need yet, but it may be that I will need a hook with three long barbs that are equally space. It needs to be at least a two-feet in width and have a loop on the center post to tie on a rope.”

“What are you planning to fish out of the water with that?”

“You never know. Something at least as large as a fully loaded man.”

D’mir wiped more sweat from his face. “I can make a grapple. Not a lot of call for them, but I’ve done it before.”

“How long would you need? And do you know anyone in Solva you trust that could get you word if I decide I need it?”

D’mir walked over to a bench, picked up a dirty mug, and drank the contents.  He put the mug down and then shouted. “Boris!”

After a short period of time, a young man about Gwen’s age came from around the back of the building. He had two buckets of coal in his hands. “I’ve got the coal, sir.”

“Not that,” D’mir said. “See these two here?” When Boris nodded his head, D’mir continued. “Boris makes a run to Solva every two days. Among other things, he stops at Cornelia’s, which is small shop on the Boulevard. He’s normally there by midday and then runs home afterward. You want something made, wait for him there and let him know. I should be able to have him bring it back on his next run.”

Owin allowed a smile to come to his face. “That would be excellent.”

“What’s excellent?” Arn asked, coming from the house with a pouch in one hand.

Arn tossed the pouch to Owin and Owin caught it easily. He really wanted to count the coins, but could not risk insulting the man.  If he knows what I used to do, I hope that would keep him from cheating me. “Just looking to make a deal with your brother. I don’t know for certain what I might need yet, but….”

“Well, D’mir does good work.”

The blacksmith shrugged. “How you planning to pay?”

Owin looked at Arn. “You had enough to cover our deal on the boat?”

Arn nodded his head.  “And the token is in the pouch.

Owin glanced again at the chain and decided to take a chance. While he did not know that he would need anything from the blacksmith, he had no way of knowing if Arn would make good on the last crown either.  At least this way, I have a better change of getting value from it. Turing to D’mir, he said, “Arn owes me one more full crown. Can I have him pay you in exchange for what work I might need?”  Seeing opposition building, Owin quickly added.  “If I need something worth more than that, I’ll pay the difference. But if I don’t, or don’t even need anything from you at all, you keep the crown.”

D’mir pursed his lips. He glanced at Arn and then back to Owin. “Deal.”

Owin shook the man’s hand and then turned back to Arn. “Thank you for space on your ship. When I am done with the task, I’ll get word to you for how to transport my friend.”

Arn stepped forward and shook Owin’s hand. “You and the girl saved my life, I’ll get your friend where you need her to go.”

“Thank you,” Owin said. He turned to Gwen. “You ready?”

“Sure,” she said with a smile. “I love long walks.”

 

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Owin — Still at sea

Unfortunately, Owin and Gwen will spend this week out at sea.  For me, I am working on final preparations for Planet Comicon (coming up 13 -15 Mar) as well as finish getting things ready for book 4!

If all goes well, I will have copies of book 4, Daughter’s Search, available at the Con!  I am really excited and can’t wait to see everyone who comes out to enjoy the fun.  In the mean time, here is a preview of the new cover:

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Writers: Be someone else

Photo © Depositphotos.com/ SergeyNivens

Not the advice you were expecting?

The last two weeks I have shared a couple of things I have learned or observed with regard to doing public appearances.  Last week, I talked about standing up and changing your physical presence to help change your mental state (Amy Cuddy’s “Fake it ’til you become it” message).  This week I wanted to offer another suggestion on how you might change your outlook and project more confidence.

Public speaking for many can be a very daunting task.  I’ve mentioned this before, but for writers in particular, we tend to be introverted in nature and that causes us to stand off to the side and watch things as they occur around us.  We can be the great observers and use that to make powerful stories, but often we avoid the spotlight.  However, marketing and getting your book out in front of readers requires having a public face and drawing attention to ourselves.  We have to let people know our stories exist.

Another trait of writers is we often have many characters running through our heads (often at rather odd times of the day).  When we sit down to write, these characters come to life and in some sense, we can cease being ourselves and become those characters for a short while as we put their story down on paper.

In looking at our favorite characters, one of the things that often draws us to them is their willingness to jump into action and take on the world (or whatever challenge we’ve constructed to make their lives difficult).  They always face some bumps along the way, but our characters persist.  Our favorite ones put themselves out there and stand center stage as they overcome adversity.  These characters will often do things we would never personally consider doing.  Yet, parts of them are what we would want to be if we could be anything we wanted.  We identify with these characters and when reading or writing them, we truly are them in thought.

So, my advice is this.  When it comes time to stand up in front of a large group of people, become one of your characters that has the confidence to take center stage.  Take on this character as you take on the role and simply play a part in the story—your own story.  Do not worry about the mundane things that you have to do or what people may be thinking.  Simply get into character just as you do when you are in front of the keyboard and channel that person.  Be the character that is already inside of you…is already a part of you…who underneath it, really is you.  And as you do that—faking the confidence to get through the event—you will eventually have the confidence and will no longer have to fake it.

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Owin #37 — Settling the accounts

Check out the start of the series.

Photo ©Depositphotos.com / Oleksandr Minyaylo

After the four of them had a hearty meal on Calvin’s coin, they returned to The Needle and climbed back aboard the open boat. The Dock Soldiers Arn had paid to watch their belongings had done their job and departed with a nod of their heads. A few other people moved about on the covered walkways, but Arn had pulled into a relatively empty area of the docks and that granted them some privacy.

Owin’s body ached and he sunk down into the bedding he had been using near the prow. He looked up at Gwen as she crawled past him to the blankets she normally used. He could see an equal amount of weariness in movements. She had spent a lot of energy, both physically and emotionally, in caring for Calvin. Now that the bald man’s wounds were healed, she needed to adjust once again to their normal routine.

“Get some rest,” he said quietly to her, knowing he would be breaking his rule of one of them always remaining awake.  I just physically can’t do it tonight. “We’ll sail out in the morning and be on our way toward Solva.”

Gwen smiled and sunk back into be blankets. A moment later, Owin watched her breathing slow as she almost instantly drifted off to sleep.

“Owin,” Arn called softly from the middle of the ship. With the cargo gone, the vessel looked bare. “Come here for a moment.”

Forcing his tired limbs to respond, he managed to get to his feet with effort. Normally, he would have done everything possible to hide his exhaustion, but over the last few days he had grown to feel safe with Arn. “What is it, Cap?” The honorific more of a courtesy than an offer of allegiance.

“A couple of things. I wasn’t planning on sailing directly into Solva; the port isn’t as friendly as I’d like. There is a small town about half a day’s walk to the east. They’re friendly enough in Hentaus and I’ll likely be able to find some new sailors to hire.”

Owin nodded his head. He was not certain where Arn was heading with his revelation, but a half-day walk would not bother Owin after so many days on the small ship.

“Denton wanted me to hand over this promissory note to one of his friends in Solva. However, without a crew I trust, I don’t feel comfortable leaving the ship with just Calvin on board. Solva’s too rough for just one person.”

“So…where does that leave me and Gwen?”

“Well…I have money at Hentaus, so we can do one of two things. I can give you some coin in exchange for the note or I can give you the note. I’m not sure if Denton’s contacts will like you giving it to them or not.”

Great. I need the money and now even Arn wants a cut. “I understand you position Arn, but if you want me to do what Denton asks, I’ll need the full eight crowns the note specifies.”  Owin did not like speaking of the amount where Calvin might hear, the other man was digging through his belonging at the stern and making a bit of noise.

Arn frowned. “That’s a lot of money and I need to hire people.”

Owin set his jaw. “I’m not trying to be greedy. I just have a lot to get done in a short period of time and that is going to cost me. If I don’t get it done, the Duke wins.”

Arn looked down at the sealed note in his hand. “I can do you seven and Denton can owe you one.” He looked up at Owin again. “With the money we split from the brothers and took off the thieves, I’d hope you have enough with that deal.”

Owin wanted to argue that he had worked hard on this trip and even deserved a cut of the pay for the cargo, let alone the full amount Denton promised, but he also needed Arn’s help to get Elsin out of Rhyl. Owin sighed for effect, knowing he had put up enough fuss, he gave in to Arn, but still felt pretty confident about their situation. “Alright. I’ll make do with that and what we have. But, the sooner we get to Solva, the better off I will be.”

Arn smiled. “Done. It’s late and I don’t want to sail out in the dark, so first light, we’ll head out and I’ll get you there in two days.”

Owin gave him a weak smile.  Then the real work starts. Figuring out who’s involved and how to stop it.

 

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Writers: Rise to the occasion

Photo © Depositphotos.com/ londondeposit

Last week’s recommendation was for people who are doing shows and events to buy mats because hard surfaces make standing for long periods of time more difficult.

This week I want to elaborate more on the value of standing.  As I mentioned last week, standing helps you to engage with your audience and puts you at eye level with those to whom you are speaking.  That helps to build an immediate rapport with them, or at least does not try to place you on different social levels by remaining seated while they are forced to stand.

But there are other reasons for standing as well.  There is a psychological impact for you in changing your position and posture and that in turn impacts how you are perceived.  As a writer, I want to share the world I have created with anyone I can encourage to delve into it.  No matter how good or bad my story, my interactions with them greatly impact the chances they will be willing to peak inside the cover.

Again, with the mat suggestion, this is not really limited to just writers, but to everyone.  Changing your body language is incredibly powerful.  It can make the difference between getting a job, a raise, a date, making a friend, … the list is endless.  I highly recommend the TED talk I’ve linked below.  It is Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are.

For writers, I really think this TED talk may help.  As a generalization, we tend to be introverts, more willing to sit in the corner and watch than to stand in the middle of the room and say, “hey, everyone, look at me.”  And this tendency can help us be great writers, because we’ve been observing all the happenings, instead of having our perceptions limited by participating in the action.

However, when it comes time to put forth a public face and draw attention to our works, we really need to get out in the middle of the room.  We have to change some of the basic nature of our core being.  We have to go from being introverts to being extroverts and that can be hard.  One of the questions the Amy Cuddy asks in the talk is:

Do our bodies change our minds?

She mentions that we are often told our minds can change our bodies, but can it work the other way around as well?  Since projecting confidence and reducing reactionary behaviors causes people to view us favorably, can we assume a confident posture and actually become confident and composed?  Will pretending confidence give us the same results as being confident?

As it turns out, yes we can.  Striking a confident posture before an event, which includes making yourself large and not smaller, will in turn make you feel more confident during that event.  If you continue to do that, eventually you will have confidence all the time.  This has led to her statement:

Fake it ’til you become it.

So, when you are at the show or event, stand up tall and proud, be confident (not obnoxious) and you will project confidence.  This will help give you the chance to introduce your work to someone else who may find they really love the world you have created.

Now, watch the video and get the recommendations straight from her.

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Owin #36 — Life is a game of chance

Check out the start of the series.

Photo ©Depositphotos.com / Oleksandr Minyaylo

The unloading and handing off of the cargo went much easier than the loading of it. Gwen managed to wash away the salt that had clung to her body and clothing in a nearby stream and after restocking their water barrels, she once again directed The Needle through the rocks and out to deeper waters while Owin and Arn rowed the now much light craft through the oncoming waves.

After one more night at sea, they sailed into Ertawi’s protected harbor late the next morning. Gwen stood on the prow and took in the sights as Arn carefully maneuvered his craft past large sailing ships that rocked and creaked in the waves that were made gentle by the breakers.  She had a hard time looking away from the magnificent vessels, for while Rhyl was a large and power city, it sat on a river delta and the silt left Rhyl with a fairly shallow harbor.

Ertawi was a much older city with a deep harbor and wooden docks that stretched well out into the sea.  This gave Ertawi a different class of ship for Gwen to see.  And I’ve never sailed into any port before, she admitted to herself.  Looking past the ships, she wondered at the many buildings and what appeared to even be a whole sub-city that had grown over the docks.  The buildings, stacked two and three stories high, stood as tall or taller than many of the ships.  At the dock level, where people could board the ships, a network of tunnels ran under the inns, taverns, and brothels.  Walkways and stairs covered the exteriors as ivy crept over buildings.  It was truly a sight she had never dreamt of seeing.

Once they sailed up to an open dock, Arn quickly paid the slip fee and then hired a pair of soldiers to watch The Needle. Without a full crew, there was no one left to protect the ship while they carried Calvin to the closest temple. The Dock Soldiers of Ertawi were an old order and held themselves honor-bound to guard their charges. However, they would not interfere if someone were to steal possessions they were not paid to protect.

The closest temple to the docks belonged to Valci, the god of chance. He was a god most sailors from Andra worshiped at least some of the time, for the sea claimed many men every year and those men wanted all the luck they could acquire.

“Don’t worry, Girly,” Arn said as they made their way through the narrow streets, “Calvin should have enough coin to buy some healing.”

Gwen nodded her head as she trailed behind him and Owin, who were carrying the unconscious Calvin between them. Had Calvin’s condition not been as bad, she would have wanted to stop and examine some of the weathered old buildings, but as it was, she felt guilty about having enjoyed the approach to the dock.

Eventually, they entered a large courtyard that surrounded a stone building standing three stories tall. A series of motifs depicting the randomness of life covered the outer walls. Set into the front of the building were three wooden door, each covered in ancient runes. While Elsin had forbidden Gwen to enter any of Valci’s temples, Gwen knew that the response from the priests would differ depending on the door one chose. Enter through the door that chance said was unfavorable, and you would wait until Fortune indicated you could be helped. Use the door of the fortunate, and the priests would attend you immediately. Enter through the door of the damned, and you would have to pay to have the curse removed or suffer from ill fate for the remainder of your life.

Gwen had avoided these temples, for without sufficient money, the risk of the curse was always too great because the nature of the door could change at any time.  This meant it was impossible for someone to come out and report which door to use to anyone else.

“Gwen, I want you to wait outside,” Owin said as they closed on the doors. “We don’t want to risk your fate as well as our own.”

She nodded her head, but then Arn turned to her. “You cast the stone and see which one we should use. I’ll trust your luck over my own.”

Gwen raised her eyebrows. “You sure you want me to do it?” When he said yes, she stepped forward and lifted the stone cube from the ground in front of the building. The six-sided rock was as big as a melon and weighed twice as much. However, each side was marked with the symbol of a door.  Bending over, she carefully rolled the cube. The stone tumbled several times and then landed with the image of a duck on the top.

Arn shrugged as he adjusted his hold on Calvin. “The water bird it is. I usually prefer the dog, since that’s what I am, but we’ll take your door.”

Gwen glanced at Owin and he smiled. “We’ll be fine. Just stay out here and don’t go anywhere. If we have to wait for fortune, then we might be a while.”

“I’ll wait,” she said, trying to ignore the growling of her stomach.

Without any more ceremony, Owin and Arn carried Calvin up the steps and through the door marked with the image of a duck above it. As the door shut behind them, she moved away from the stone cube and sat down with her back against the temple. Hopefully, Valci won’t mind me resting, she thought to herself.

As time passed, she began to fear she had rolled poorly and they now suffered under a curse because they entered through the door of the damned.  She forced down the fear, for Owin had taken his money with him and Arn carried Calvin’s share. If they had been cursed, they should be able to have it removed.  She clenched her firsts and swore. It’s been so long, at best, they are waiting, but Calvin doesn’t have the time.

Not wanting to feel the frustration, she leaned her head against the building. “What kind of god plays with his followers like this,” she mumbled. I know he help those with less money, but somehow it seems better to be consistent instead of tormenting people. She frowned.  Not wanting to anger Valci with her thoughts, she tried to push them aside, but now faced with the choice, she really appreciated the gods that only served those with lots of money. “At least we know where we stand.”  Bowing her head, she closed her eyes and tried to hide her doubts.

Eventually, she started to drift off, but she managed to keep enough awareness that no one would be able to come too close without her knowing.  As time stretched on, even that became difficult and when the door beside her opened, she jumped from the sudden change.

She scrambled to her feet as Owin and Arn came out the door. She looked behind them, waiting to see Calvin, and then turned back to Owin and Arn, trying to examine their faces for a hint of what happened. Their smiles gave her hope and then Calvin eventually stepped out of the temple. His movement was slow and stiff, but he had life once again in his face.  “What took so long,” she blurted out.

Arn closed on her and slapped the back of her shoulder.  “Worried?  You shouldn’t have been, Calvin’s healing took time he was so far gone.  But you chose well.  You got the proper door.”

“Indeed,” Owin said.  “I wish I could have come out to get you, but we couldn’t risk coming back in the wrong door.”

Calvin eventually pushed his way closer. The balding man reached out and grabbed her head, and then planted a hard kiss on her lips. She stood motionless and stunned as his scraggly bread rubbed against her face.

“Gwen,” he said, taking a step back. “You saved my life and so I’ll marry you.”

“Hey…” Owin said, stepping closer.

Gwen recovered from her shock. “I don’t think so,” she said, hoping his tone had indicated he was jesting with her.  She had not intention of being anyone’s wife.

“But…” Calvin said, trying hard, but unsuccessful in keeping the smile from his face. “I owe you my life. These others would have let me die and tossed me over. Anything you want, you can have it.” He looked down and his face fell as he patted his pouch. “As long as it doesn’t involve money. They took everything I have.”

Arn shook his head. “Hardly. I was there. She chose the right door and you got off cheap for how bad you were. We expect a good meal for not throwing you over.”

Gwen cleared her throat. “So they healed everything?”

“I’m a bit sore and totally famished, but I’ll live.” He smiled. “Truly, if you need anything, just ask.”

Gwen smiled as she caught Owin subtle glance. “We might just take you up on that at some point.”

 

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