Konn Lavery's Blog: Posts from konnlavery.com, page 36
September 28, 2018
Buckle Up
2018 Fall has arrived with a vengeance! Buckle up; we’re in for a ride. We got snow at the Edmonton Expo last weekend and went back up to plus double digits; this is Alberta. Regardless of the weather, the turnout was quite exceptional at the comic con and am pleased to see so many returning readers looking for the new Mental Damnation novel.
Let’s recap some of the Edmonton Expo, Purity launch, and what is next.
Welcome to another edition of Unprocessed Thoughts
Again, thank you to everyone for the support regarding Purity’s launch. It was the top seller at the Edmonton Comic Expo this year. Wow. A humbling experience for sure.
Edmonton Comic Expo 2018
This year at the Edmonton Comic Expo I was at the Artist Alley again, close to some author colleagues like Suzy Vadori, Erika Knudsen and Clare C. Marshall. There were many other great authors out and about the expo too like Adam Dreece, Vince Seim and I.B. to name a few.
Day One
The day before opening, we were able to set up as usual and be prepared for day one, Friday. There was a surprisingly low turnout on Friday but many enthusiastic people who arrived early to explore the vendors and attend the panel I attended with Erika Knudsen. This panel was titled “Inside the Minds of Horror.” Both of us come from very different horror backgrounds and writing processes which created some opposing views and engaging answers for the audience.
Day Two
Saturday, the big day. There were the major star attractions that every attendee wanted to have a photo with. I also had a second panel with Suzy Vadori and Adam Dreece titled “You finished your manuscript, now what?” which allowed us to share some helpful information with new or struggling writers.
Day Three
The last day of the expo was a much more relaxed day as there wasn’t any panel juggling. I stayed at the booth for the most part engaging with new readers and sharing insights into the new Purity novel.
All in all the expo was a delight and a major success. It would be up there with the Calgary Comic Expo earlier this year regarding sales and engagement. Thank you, everyone, who came by to say hi, it was a busy weekend and didn’t get a chance to see everyone!
The End
The Edmonton Comic Expo was the last expo for the year. I have one more book signing coming up on October 27th at Edmonton Strathcona Chapters. Be sure to drop by if you are in the area and want to snag a copy of Purity.
What’s Next? Well Buckle Up and Find Out
After the signing, it is straight up writing time! I am excited to say that I will be participating in NaNoWriMo this year. The last time I did was in 2015; it has been way overdue. This year’s project will be the Rutherford Manor novel. If you didn’t know, Rutherford Manor dropped their Kickstarter campaign as well for the original TV series. Lots of gears in the works with the Rutherford Manor crew, we’ll have more to share about the novel in the coming months.
Buckle Up; we’re in for a ride.
Beer Note: Dunham Hemen Eta Han
Dunham’s Hemen Han has some beautiful artwork on the front. I am a sucker for fun artwork on craft beer. The Quebec-based beer as a hint of blackberry underneath its light hoppy flavour that is enjoyable for one bottle. The 5.2% alcoholic beer comes in a 750 ML bottle with a fun custom illustration on the front. This way you have something interesting to stare at while you drown in the abyss of your deepest thoughts. All that aside, with my hoppy taste buds in mind; I’d give this a 3.8/5.
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September 25, 2018
Purity Signing at Chapters Strathcona
Following the launch of Purity at the Edmonton Comic Expo, I’ll be heading over to Chapters Strathcona (Whyte Ave) for a signing of Purity. Drop in for a meet & greet the author, artwork, and of course, the books themselves.
When and Where:
Wednesday, October 27th from 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Chapters Strathcona
10504 82nd Avenue,
Edmonton, AlbertaT6E 2A4
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September 20, 2018
Eileen Cook, author of the thriller novel, The Hanging Girl
This month’s guest is Eileen Cook who is a multi-published author whose work has appeared in eight different languages. Her books have also been optioned for film and TV. When she is not writing, she is an instructor/mentor with the Simon Fraser University Writer’s Studio Program and The Creative Academy. She currently lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs.
Let’s welcome her to the blog!
Thank you, Eileen Cook, for joining us, can you give a brief introduction of yourself?
Hello! Thank you so much for having me on your blog. I’m a writer, writing mentor, knitter, dog lover, and possibly the most uncoordinated person you’ve ever met. I’ve been writing since I was young. My parents had a homework assignment I did in second grade where the teacher wrote on it: I’m sure you’ll be a writer someday. This proves that teachers can inspire and may have psychic abilities. However, it still took me countless short stories, a period of really bad poetry, and several novels (not even counting those I started and never finished) before I would finally publish in 2008.
Tell us about your latest novel, The Hanging Girl, which was released in October 2017.
The Hanging Girl tells the story of Skye Thorn. She’s given tarot card readings for years in her small Michigan town squirreling away money in a hope to escape to NYC after graduation. When the town’s golden girl goes missing she tells the police about a psychic vision she’s had that helps with the investigation. It’s no challenge—her readings have always been faked, but this time she has some insider knowledge about the abduction. The kidnapping was supposed to be easy—no one would get hurt and she’d get the money she needs to start a new life. But a seemingly harmless prank has turned dark, and Skye realizes the people she’s involved with are willing to kill to get what they want, and she must discover their true identity before it’s too late.
You also have 12 other novels listed on your website, including With Malice, do you have works elsewhere as well?
My website lists all my books, but of course I have a current book on the go. It’s tentatively being called You Owe Me a Murder, which will be out in early 2019 (assuming all goes to plan!)
Most of the blog readers are writers, can you share a bit about your work being optioned for film and TV? How did this come to be?
I’m very fortunate to have an amazing agent in my corner, Barbara Poelle. The agency that she works for has a connection to a film agent. This person pitches our books to various people in the film and TV industry hoping to make a match. So far nothing that I’ve had optioned has made the final step to going into production- but this in no way stops me from planning to go full Hollywood with oversized sunglasses and a small dog in my purse. I’ve found even the option process to be fascinating.
If possible the film and TV world is even more random than publishing. I suspect it comes down to a matter of luck and being on the right person’s desk at the right moment. I don’t believe you can write with a goal of having your work adapted for the screen, but if it is a goal, it’s worthwhile to consider how difficult it would be to make your book into a screenplay which relies on dialogue and action versus a lot of internal thought.
You also offer other services such as speaking and mentorship, can you share about your services?
I may be one of the few people on the planet who doesn’t mind public speaking, which is odd given that by nature I’m a total introvert. I’ve been fortunate enough to speak at a number of conferences, schools and various writing workshops.
I love working with other writers to assist them in finding how to best tell their story. I started doing more formal mentorship of writers with Simon Fraser University’s: The Writer’s Studio. This is an online program that combines downloadable modules with bi-weekly workshops over ten months. I so enjoyed mentorship that I started The Creative Academy with two other writers. The Creative Academy combines workshops, office hours, and coaching. If you’re looking for more resources, pro-tips, tutorials, coaching and a thriving writing and publishing community, you can visit me at The Creative Academy. Our free resource room is a great starting place.
What’s next in your writing career now that The Hanging Girl is released?
I am one of those people who is the happiest when I have a project on the go. When I’m not writing I can feel myself starting to get weird. (Or perhaps getting weirder would be more accurate.) As I mentioned above I am in the final stages of another YA thriller, You Owe Me a Murder, which is a bit of a retelling of Hitchcock/Highsmith’s tale Strangers on a Train.
In addition to that I’m working to create more content for The Creative Academy and I have an urge to write and adult thriller as well. I have an idea that is beginning to take shape, so I’ll be excited to see where that goes.
For aspiring writers, what would be one piece of advice you would give them?
I have so many thoughts on this! The first would be that there is no “right” way to write. New writers can be flooded with advice. They should feel free to pick and choose among what they hear to find what works for them. You don’t have to outline, or write in a particular way, or take any certain class/program in order to write. What I do believe is the most helpful is to read. Read a lot. Read not just for your own enjoyment, but also pay attention to how that writer crafted their tale, what choices they made in terms of structure and plot. I truly believe books are our best instructor.
Let’s thank Eileen Cook for joining us to talk about her writing!
You can find Eileen Cook’s work at the links below:
You can also follow online her at:
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September 14, 2018
NaNoWriMo Plot Planning Panel
I am pleased to say I will by part of EdMoWriMos (NaNoWriMo Edmonton)’s panel titled “NaNoWriMo Plot Planning” at Happy Harbor Comics discussing plot planning.
Join us at Happy Harbor Comics as a panel of local authors discuss their tips and tricks for planning your novel. There will be time for discussion and some plotting activities afterwards.
Who: WriMos and NaNo adjacent folks
When: Saturday, October 20, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: Happy Harbor Comics, 10729 104 Ave, NW
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September 12, 2018
Compatibility
The Earth has been hit by a doomsday asteroid, carrying civilization to the brink of extinction. As far as the two survivors know, they are the last of humankind, locked in a bunker below the sizzling surface.
Compatibility is September’s Flash Fiction that introduces readers into a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story that is a stand-alone sequel to Red Then White.
Compatibility
Dreaming of Memories
A blue ball remained stationary in front of a black matte paper. The sphere was painted in blue, green and white blotches to represent the ocean, land, and clouds. The black space around was covered in tiny white dotes – a simple representation of Earth from outers pace. The planet that everyone has called home. Calling another world home was a far-fetched concept. Space travel has always been a dream. The astronomical distance between other Earth-like planets is mind-boggling. Even the idea of lightyears is tough to grasp.
Scientists have many theories about how we can travel vast distances. Often these require technologies that have not developed. Basically, space travel is still a theory. There is also the possibility of the human race being wiped out before we even get to developing space travel technology. None of this changes the fact that we are fascinated by the stars.
A man leaned down to look at the model of Earth closer, inspecting the tiny moon that was attached to the planet by a wire. He eyed each of the major continents of Earth before letting out a sigh. He couldn’t help but wonder where did it all go wrong?
“You examine that every day,” said a cold feminine voice.
The man got up and turned to face a woman who was at a kitchen bar, boiling water on a stovetop.
“Yeah,” he said while walking over to her. He leaned against the counter, saying, “we’ve been down here for so long I wonder if I will start to forget what the surface is like.”
“Is your memory that bad, Mr. Morin?” the lady asked.
“I’m not sure,” the man said. “I hope not. It is just a concern of mine.”
“Do you think staring at that miniature model of the planet will help?”
“Maybe? I’ve never seen the Earth from that perspective before. Most people haven’t. Now, I don’t think anyone ever will.”
“Unfortunately not,” the lady said while opening a chrome packet, pouring the oat-contents into the boiling water. “Humans are resilient, we are able to rebuild. That is what we did after empires like the Egyptians, and the Romans fell.”
The Big Picture
The man looked over to the ceiling where a closed hatch was at the far corner of the room. A ladder was just below it beside a console that glowed red. He nodded at the glowing light, saying, “how long do we have to wait though? It might not even be our generation.”
The woman stirred the contents of the pot with a wooden spoon, saying, “yes. Which is why we have to stick to our set routine. Keep healthy and procreate.” She glared at him with her emerald eyes. “It isn’t a matter of intimacy.”
The man scratched the back of his head saying, “it might help if you called me by my first name.”
“Alright Craig, we can do that. Can we try tonight?”
“Sure,” Craig said. Maybe stop shaving your head, he thought.
His name and her hair fashion were mostly excuses. Shaving their heads helped save on the limited shampoo supplies. The truth was, sex was the last thing on his mind. Of course, he understood that the interaction was only to carry on the human species. For all they knew, he was the last man on earth, and she was the last woman. Humanity potentially came down just to them. The act of procreation was also a difficult one when it involved this the automaton of a woman.
“How did you get selected again, Amy?” Craig asked.
“For this program?” the women identified as Amy asked. “No different than you.”
“That’s the funny thing,” Craig said. “I’m not sure if I fully recall.”
Amy squinted, saying, “your memory really isn’t that good. We’ll have to perform more mental exercises to correct this. Hopefully, it isn’t a defect in your genetics.” She poured the oatmeal out of the pot and into two separate bowls. “Here, eat, and we will begin our morning analysis of the surface.”
“Maybe I bumped my head,” Craig said.
“Unlikely,” Amy said coldly. “We monitor our health daily. It would have been flagged in the console.”
Craig took the bowl and sifted the contents around with the spoon, feeling the heat that was absorbed by the metal utensil. “Can you refresh my memory on how we got here?”
Amy placed the pot on an unused element and took her bowl. “Well, we all took DNA tests, and we were psychologically evaluated. The results dictated who would be a suitable candidate to continue the human race.”
“Right, I remember,” Craig said. He ate some of his oatmeal. Truthfully, he still didn’t remember the events that brought him to this underground bunker. Everything seemed like a blur. One day he was living a normal life, had a steady job, a wife, and the next he found himself here. There was a gap in his memory.
Critical Thinking
Hannah, Craig thought. He recalled his last memory of his wife: A road trip to Banff. She was a natural blonde and was obsessed with her job. Work seemed like a trivial thing, now that he was apart from her. Now, life consisted of physical exercise, studying in the archives, and daily reviews of the Earth’s temperature levels.
Craig looked up at his companion, saying, “how many more of us do you think there are?”
“What do you mean?” Amy asked. “Of the human race?”
“I guess, I meant humans in the bunkers. There have to be more.”
“Not to my knowledge. There wasn’t enough time to build more before the asteroid hit.”
“But they had enough time to do a screening process?”
Amy finished the rest of her breakfast and put her bowl in the sink. “I didn’t build the program. The UN did in hopes of keeping our species alive. Be thankful that you survived.”
“I fear I might go insane down here.”
“That is why they put the program guide together, so we have a purpose every day. I am no different than you, I signed up in hopes of surviving.”
“Yeah,” Craig said. “That’s true.” He finished his oatmeal and placed the bowl in the sink as well. “I wonder if there were any doomsday-preppers who managed to survive through this.”
“I guess our offspring will be the ones to find out about that,” Amy said.
Craig nodded. He didn’t have any further to comment. The concept of living the rest of his life in this bunker with Amy was not a pleasant thought, they had little to no common interest. They had been in the shelter for several months if his memory served correctly. Then again, his mind wasn’t very reliable as of late.
Planetary Inspection
The two left the kitchen and entered a secondary room which consisted of two monitors mounted to the ceiling. Each monitor had a white office chair in front of it. Both Craig and Amy sat down on a chair and waved at the monitor, turning it on.
Each morning, after their workout and breakfast, the two analyzed the latest information the drones gathered. The robots were space-explorative graded and could easily survive the harsh temperatures on the surface. They were fully equipped with cameras and measuring equipment to test the planet’s livability.
The monitor showcased a smaller live-cam of the drone Craig managed. The video displayed an ash-covered wasteland with a grey sky. The digital interface also contained stats of the drone’s health, menus and a map outlining how far the drone has gone from the bunker. At the top right was the temperature which stated: 148° C
“Damnit,” Craig mumbled. He had a small amount of hope that maybe they would have seen a change in temperature. It had stayed the same for the past week, give or take a few digits.
“What?” Amy looked over at him.
“Nothing, the readings seem to be the same as they were yesterday, and the day before.” Craig waved his hand to enhance the live-cam of the drone.
Amy turned back to her interface, “we aren’t looking for hope Craig. We are simply monitoring the aftermath for future generations.”
“Right,” Craig said while continuing on his tasks. He merely wanted to believe there was more. Each time he reviewed the stats, his hope dimmed. Amy and Craig really were the last people on Earth.
Duty to Humankind
As with every day, the two continued their routine of planetary diagnostics, studying, meditation and eating. The activities are was what the UN’s program guide had instructed them to do. Amy didn’t question it, and Craig followed, knowing if he didn’t, he would probably start to go crazy.
After dinner, Craig and Amy patrolled the halls to ensure they did the daily inventory check and reviewed the general health of the bunker. As with every day, everything was in order. The task generally took a couple of hours which left for one more task before leisurely time: procreation.
The bedroom lights were brought to level three of ten, creating a soft glow over the black sheets. Craig had just finished showing, drying himself from head to toe. Amy sat on the bed, hands on her lap. He wrapped the towel around his waist and walked over the bed, sitting down beside her.
“Would you like to undress me?” Amy asked.
Craig shook his head. “You really aren’t good at this are you?”
Amy exhaled and unbuttoned her blouse.
Craig watched as she slipped out of her shirt and pants. Her body was well-toned, hell, even better than his own. Her breasts were basically what other women paid to attempt to recreate. Amy’s physique was a frame that most men would fantasize over. In an unclear series of events, Craig found himself being the last ‘lucky’ guy on the planet who got to live that fantasy.
Amy leaned back onto the bed of pillows, resting her hands on her legs. “Come here,” she said.
Craig stiffly crawled over on top of her, eyeing her from her smooth legs up to her pink lips. She was the definition of beauty, yet he didn’t feel a thing for her. Was he not supposed to feel something for the woman who would care for his future children?
Amy gently ran her hand against the back of his neck, bringing him closer.
The act of sex would have been instinctual with his wife. Why was this so difficult for him? Perhaps the concept of being the last humans on the planet was rotting in the back of his mind. Maybe he was frazzled by not knowing what happened to his memories, or to his wife.
Craig resisted momentarily, stopping his face from meeting Amy’s.
“Are we going through this again?” Amy asked.
Craig blinked a couple of times. “I can’t recall what happened to Hannah.” He rolled off of Amy and pressed into his forehead, trying to remember anything. Craig couldn’t.
Amy sat up beside him, saying, “you’re overthinking this. We’ve endured the impossible, being alive today when everything else is gone.” Amy took Craig’s hand and pulled him towards her as she leaned back down into the bed.
Craig exhaled through his nose, pushing his thought-chatter aside for one moment and embraced the woman, melting his thoughts.
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September 6, 2018
Author DIY Graphic Design – Colour Theory
Following the Author DIY Graphic Design – The Basics post back in July, the series continues with part two: Colour Theory. Colour is an incredibly important part of graphic design, no matter how much or how little you use of it. The choice of values (the choice of colour) and tones (the amount of light or dark) will drastically change the impact of your novel. Do you think George Orwell’s 1984 novel cover would have the same effect if it were hot pink? Probably not. Why did the designer choose to go with those colours? We’re going to dive into colour schemes, the psychology of colour and some tips that can help you pick the best colours for your project.
Keep in mind; colour theory is a broad topic. Design degrees have entire courses dedicated to the study of colour. In the spirit of the DIY Graphic Design for Authors series, we will travel the surface of the theory and then discuss how you can apply it to your work.
Colour Schemes
Colour schemes are essentially the parameters that your colour choices will follow. They allow the colours to work with each other seamlessly. Your colour scheme can consist of two or more swatches. As an unwritten rule, you don’t want to have more than five values in your colour scheme. You will be bombarded with too many choices.
Monochromatic
The most basic of colour schemes. As shown in the example, this consists of one value and a range of tones. You can have your swatches be saturated into grayscale too; commonly seen in corporate logos. An example of a monochromatic scheme would be black, white and red. This combination creates a high impact visual due to the harsh contrast.
Complementary
The complementary colour scheme introduces a secondary value on the opposite end of the colour wheel as shown in the example. Like monochromatic, you can pick a range of tones.
Triad
The triad colour scheme is like the complementary scheme except it adds a third value. Each value is equally distributed across the colour wheel. This colour scheme is more complicated to work with due to the amount of choice you have.
Analogous
A different type of colour scheme is analogous which consists of values directly across from each other on the colour wheel.
There are more colour schemes out there such as compound and split complimentary but these become increasingly complex, and I wouldn’t recommend exploring these unless you want to push your capabilities in colour.
Psychology of Colour
Colours express moods. How do you know which colour represents what? Great question, below is a basic breakdown of some of the more common colours:
Red and Oranges
Reds are aggressive, high-energy and are more proactive. Oranges are similar but softer. They can also be more energetic than reds depending on how vibrant they are.
Yellow
Yellow is like oranges but is far less aggressive. Our eyes naturally move towards bright colours, which is why you see yellows used in construction, caution tape and on specific animals.
Green
This colour is linked with nature, growth or money, depending on the tone of green. Yellow-based greens are more connected with nature where blue-based greens are cooler and are more mechanical.
Blue
Depending on the tone, blues can be warm or cold. This colour is the most neutral used and seen in large corporations. For example, Wal-Mart once had a darker blue until they went through a rebrand with a warmer blue to express friendliness. Wal-Mart also introduced a yellow sun as a highlight colour.
Know your Project
Something I will be mentioning over and over again in this DIY Graphic Design for Author series is to know your project. Knowing your project will help you understand what colours will work well. If you are working with a science fiction book, astral values will fit well. In a horror novel, you might see darker tones and perhaps red. Research the market that you are targeting on Amazon, Kobo or even in a bookstore to see what other designers are doing.
Tips and Resources
Below are some tips and resources that can further assist you in working with colour.
You can also use tools like Adobe Color CC (color.adobe.com) or Sessions College Colour Calculator (sessions.edu/color-calculator) which is a highly useful tool for picking out colour schemes.
Work in Grayscale
Still unsure how to properly use colour? A great trick is to work only in tones (black and white) and then switch the various grey swatches to a value. Take a look at the iPhone mockup below. On the left, we have the phone in black and white and on the right we have the phone in colour. Notice how the vibrant colours stand out because they have a higher tone of white and black?
Reference Nature
If you are unsure of what colour to use, an effective method is to reference nature. Nature got colour right because it all serves a purpose on every animal, plant and landscape. For example, poisonous animals tend to be very vibrant and loud to get your attention. Animals that live in the wilderness – like in Canada have neutral tones to help them camouflage in their surroundings. Take a look at the examples below; you could sample colouring from either one of these images.
Your Exercise
Got a book cover to make? How about a poster or banner? Explore some colour schemes, perhaps three. If you are stuck or have additional thoughts, please share in the comments.
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Interview on Time to Go Indie Now Episode 30
I made another appearance with GoIndieNow during When Words Collide 2018. We chat how YEGman came to be at 49:07. Joe Compton does a fantastic job of covering the whoel festival. Enjoy the episode!
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August 31, 2018
GoIndieNow’s Live Panel Discussion Show at When Words Collide
Live at Words Collide Writer’s Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I was on a panel with Mark Watson (left), Joshua Pantalleresco and Joe Compton of GoIndieNow. We discuss the importance of being at book festivals, the do and dont’s for Indies at Cons and Festivals.
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Interview on The Inkhorn Society Podcast
During 2018 PureSpec festival, I was interviewed by The Inkhorn Society Podcast. The Inkhorn Society is an Edmonton-based group of writers. We are all authors at various stages in our careers that come together to help each other produce our very best work. We now open our workshop up to you. We take submissions to workshop your piece and invite you to comment as well.
Listen to the interview on The InkHorn Society Podcast
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Alive After Reading Episode 66 – Konn Lavery Returns
I am pleased to return to the Alive After Reading podcast to discuss YEGman. Listen to it on Tim Niederriter’s site.
Listen to Alive After Reading Episode 66
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