Konn Lavery's Blog: Posts from konnlavery.com, page 5

Manybooks.net Author of the Day

I am pleased to share that I was featured on Manybooks.net as the author of the day in celebration of my new novel, Crystal Moth Conspiracy, with an interview! We talk about the supernatural thriller, the artwork, and the Macrocosm. We cover:

Please give us a short introduction to what Crystal Moth Conspiracy is about.What inspired you to write about a fugitive who is fleeing from a notorious gang?Tell us more about Lola. What makes her tick?Your books have received multiple awards. Did you always want to be an author? Tell us more about your journey to becoming an author.You also work as a graphic designer. How has this influenced your writing?Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?Interesting cover. Do tell us more about the design.Do any of your characters ever take off on their own tangent, refusing to do what you had planned for them?Readers say the book was suspenseful throughout. How did you pull this off?What did you have the most fun with when writing this story?When starting on a new book, what is the first thing you do?Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?What are you working on right now?Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?Read the interview

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Crystal Moth Conspiracy Live Book Launch

I am pleased to share that the book launch for my new novel will be happening this month!

When? June 20, 6pm PST

Where? Facebook.com/konnlavery

This is a short livestream event (30-40 minutes) that anyone can come and listen to. If you’re eating dinner or hanging out with friends, save the date and tune in. We will cover the following:

About the BookChapter ReadingArtworkQ&AJoin the Live Book LaunchOrder BookCrystal Moth ConspiracyAsh Born Book One

Lola Cabello is a fugitive after exposing the law���s connection to the notorious Crystal Moth gang who destroyed her life and family, igniting her need for revenge and descending her into a world of reptilian drug lords, demons, and the fantastic.

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Writers of Horror Podcast (Episode��#005)

Join Julie Hiner as she talks to the multi-talented Konn Lavery.

Big thanks to The Writers of Horror and Julie for having me. Check out their site for more goods. In this episode we cover:

Memories of first writing at a young ageInspiration – writing, graphic design, musicCrossing genres – dark fantasy, horror, crimeThe Horror Collection – The Lost Edition by KJK PublishingCrystal Moth Conspiracy: Ash Born Book One – coming in JuneSeed Me transformed into Cultivate – evolving previous workREADING PACK – currently available on Konn’s websiteA sweet ready buddy – Spank

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Live for Everyone

Want to read this?

Click Here to Join Konn's Patreon Today

Konn's Popular Membership:
Monthly Short Stories + eBook for $5/mo CAD
$0.16 a day.



Three eBooks to dive into The Macrocosm
Monthly Short Stories in Written and Audiobook Format
Access to drafts, works-in-progress, and writing updates
High Rez Short Story Artwork for Phone Backgrounds
Your name in the thank you section of the next Macrocosm short story collection
Access to The Macrocosm Wiki

You're basically buying me a drink every month, fueling me to craft more stories!

Let's not forget you will get a copy of the Into the Macrocosm eBook to jump-start you into this strange world of fantasy, horror, thrillers, scifi, and bizarre.To view this content, you must be a member of Konn's Patreon at $5 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source

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The Limitless Life Podcast With Kyle Smith

Thanks to Kyle Smith for having me on his new podcast: The Limitless Life

We chat about the creative process, idea generating and the writing journey.

Thanks again for having me my friend! I always enjoy our chats.

The post The Limitless Life Podcast With Kyle Smith appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Writing is a Lifelong Craft

Time is a relative concept, and literary fiction is effective at transporting you to another space, slowing down, and speeding up the moment. Writing books is no different, and for the past month, I’ve been putting in the hours to wrap up the next novel. Along the way, I learned new writing techniques that took me years to figure out. It’s better to learn something later than never. Writing is a lifelong craft. Take the journey.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

Writing is a never-ending skill that takes years to get good at. It takes even longer to be a master at your prose. Thankfully the writing community is quite willing to share their expertise and provide opinions on how to better each other. Context is critical when writing any idea down, fiction or non-fiction, and writing with clarity is the primary goal.

Improve At Your Own Rate

Writing is a lifelong craft, and each author grows at different rates. Some authors like Bram Stoker or Richard Adams don’t start writing fiction until their forties or fifties. Others start from the get-go, like Stephen King. Other authors, like Clive Barker, start early in their adulthood.

My own writing journey began when I was in elementary. As some of you know, I wrote backstories for the unbalanced board games I created. This evolved into what I am doing today with the Macrocosm and the upcoming flagship series Ash Born with book one, the Crystal Moth Conspiracy novel.

When I started writing, it was not good at all. The story structure, prose, and characters weren’t anything I would do now because I didn’t have the skillset. Writing must be done continually to understand how to improve, just like any skill.

Understanding the Craft

Writing isn’t the only component of writing. Reading is critical to becoming a better writer. Learning what other authors do with their sentence structures, story arcs, and genres helps you understand the tropes and innovative ways to use words.

Seeking expert help is a handy way to jumpstart your writing without spending years making the same mistake (don’t be me.) People who are more seasoned in writing can help you, and many of them are willing to.

Writings are a supportive group of people. Plenty of writing communities are online through Facebook, NaNoWriMo, geographical writer’s associations, and writing conventions. Take advantage of these to meet other authors and build a network of friends and colleagues.

Writing is a Lifelong Craft with No Rights or Wrong

There’s no silver bullet to strike true at writing. Like all artistic endeavours, the journey is not linear. You’ll jump ahead, regress, improve, and go in circles throughout your life. Along the way, you’ll have sparks of genius; other times, you’ll find yourself in a rut.

So Why Write?

That’s a good question. The process sounds frustrating, yet we keep at it as writers. Each person has their own reasons for doing so. For me, I found the best comparison is a compulsion. I’m fixated on writing and cannot imagine a time I haven’t written for something.

My journey has taken me through making board games, flash video games, poorly drawn high school comics, and, eventually, novels. Even my job as a graphic designer is about telling stories through visual communication. Storytelling is at the heart of who I am, and you can’t remove the core of your being. If you do, there’s nothing left.

The Next Book ��� Crystal Moth Conspiracy: Ash Born Book One

As mentioned at the beginning of the blog post, I’ve been grinding in the hours since the beta reader feedback to finish up the new book and have it out late this spring. The beta readers love the story and characters. The prose needed some polishing, and then it was off to the editor.

I had an “ah-hah” moment with a grammatical error in dialogue during the process. I couldn’t wrap my head around it until the fourth person explained it. Duh! My editors have told me for years to fix the basic error because it was so simple. It’s never too late to learn.

While the editor goes through the massive novel of approximately 143,000 words, I’m preparing the marketing. I have finished the interior art and cover design with unique original art by an illustrator friend of mine.

Keep watch in the coming months for more on it. In March’s monthly newsletter, I will reveal the cover art and synopsis for the novel. If you haven’t subscribed yet, do so to see the incredible art early.

Beer Note: Strange Fellows Brewery Talisman

This month, I’d like to highlight the Strange Fellows Brewery Talisman. It’s a west coast pale ale that isn’t foggy and has a good balance of hops and bitterness. This is my go-to when I am in the mood for a pitcher with some friends.

This one is my favourite of all the breweries I’ve tried so far. All of the Strange Fellows artwork is Viking-themed, as is the tasting room. The design on the can is also pretty fun, showcasing a linework mermaid.

I’d recommend checking it out if you are ever in Vancouver.

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Titan’s First

Want to read this?

Click Here to Join Konn's Patreon Today

Konn's Popular Membership:
Monthly Short Stories + eBook for $5/mo CAD
$0.16 a day.



Three eBooks to dive into The Macrocosm
Monthly Short Stories in Written and Audiobook Format
Access to drafts, works-in-progress, and writing updates
High Rez Short Story Artwork for Phone Backgrounds
Your name in the thank you section of the next Macrocosm short story collection
Access to The Macrocosm Wiki

You're basically buying me a drink every month, fueling me to craft more stories!

Let's not forget you will get a copy of the Into the Macrocosm eBook to jump-start you into this strange world of fantasy, horror, thrillers, scifi, and bizarre.To view this content, you must be a member of Konn's Patreon at $5 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source

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World-building: A Superverse

World-building is something every author needs to do for their books. Whether it’s a thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, horror or literature. All of them have some world that the characters fall into.

You can also take this one step beyond world-building and turn it into a superverse. If it’s in modern times, you take advantage of things we are familiar with. If it’s beyond, there’s more groundwork to be done. If it’s historical, you must research the culture and technology where the characters find themselves.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

I’ve been world-building in a superverse since I was a kid when I got the nick to write. The idea of having books interconnected throughout various genres was such a fantastic idea to me. Initially, this was done through Easter Eggs, hinting at the different stories sharing the same space.

These subtle injections functioned as a seed, sprouting into re-occurring characters and tight areas, ultimately creating what I have today with the Macrocosm. World-building takes time, and sometimes writing needs to be in the slow cooker, taking years before it becomes something tangible.

A lot happens behind the scenes before a single word is even typed in the manuscript. World-building is a big part of that. So what goes into world-building?

World-building: A Superverse

World-building and creating a superverse are one and the same. You’re essentially writing the laws the universe follows and the timeline of important events. For a superverse, the world rules expand for multiple books.

With the Macrocosm, I have many stories in various genres divided into past, present, and future. Short stories are an excellent form to explore where a superverse can go while building lore.

Why Build a Superverse for Your Books?

This is a fair question and something we should cover before diving into some organizing methods. Building a superverse creates a rich and engaging universe for your books. It also functions as a marketing tactic to encourage readers to explore your previous work, converting them into lifelong fans.

Rereading Your Old Work

Building a universe for all your novels is a lot of work. If your plan the superverse from the get-go, there are methods to keep yourself organized and ensure future stories avoid plot holes and continuity issues. If you decide to connect stories later, you do have to backtrack. This requires reading through your own work. Understanding the timelines, the law, and the universe’s rules is mandatory. Track and note every detail you can because fans will do the same thing.

Stay Organised

There are a few different ways to stay organized:

A Wiki

Wikis come in various forms. There’s the Wikipedia content management system or plugins for WordPress. Whatever method you use, a wiki makes auto-links for entries. It is a lifesaver. Continuity becomes far easier being able to surf through your own entries and see which books they appeared in. If it wasn’t for having a wiki, I wouldn’t be able to keep the world-building in line.

There are many different methods of creating a wiki. Some authors use the existing Wikipedia platform and have it exist offline or on a private website. As mentioned, WordPress also has many plugins that are helpful to act like a wiki.

Scrivener

I’ve known authors that have a world-building Scrivener project where they keep all the notes on the universe. This is a suitable method because it keeps the copy offline, you can edit it without pressure, and it’s relatively simple because it’s an environment many authors understand.

Make Notes on Everything

This is a no-brainer for people who like to plot their novels. This is not familiar territory for pansters or those right into the dark. Try to note your characters, plot, and other details.

These notes are helpful down the road when writing future books. A stylesheet effectively ensures unity in the character’s details.

The Macrocosm

The Macrocosm is my superverse. I’ve been working on this universe from the beginning. It’s been a slow burn, and this is the big year! My writing builds the Macrocosm as a superverse, containing all of my work. Its first announcement was in the short story collection Into the Macrocosm. A lot of this I have elaborated on in the newsletter introduction series.

The short stories on Patreon and the collections link characters, locations, and eras within the Macrocosm. They were vague and inconsistent. Finally, I’ve written a book that works as the flagship for this universe, and it will be released this spring.

The newsletter, and on Patreon, I’ve been sharing news about the new Ash Born series. This is a supernatural thriller that blends various genres into one story. It’s part of the new series that functions as the flagship for my work. Beta readers are just wrapping up their feedback on it, then it goes to the editor, and finally, a launch is likely in June.

I have more to share on the series in the coming months. For now, I will be vague about it. I will say that I am excited about bringing the Macrocosm to life with this series. Many of you have been involved in the process for a long time, watching it grow from the initial release of Reality back in 2012.

Get ready for an exciting new direction for this universe.

Beer Note: Steamworks Kolsch

As I write this, I am at my neighbourhood pub drinking the Steamworks Kolsch. It’s a light beer good on a cool or warm day. It’s clear, not loaded with hops, low in alcohol, and a great way to finish a Sunday.

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Canvas Rebel Interview

I was interviewed on Canvas Rebel to talk about my writing and graphic design business.

Find the full interview here: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-konn-lavery/

We cover

Who I amThe process of seeing a project through from beginning to endWhat drives a creative journeyHow I grew my design business and clientele

The post Canvas Rebel Interview appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Flute Master

Want to read this?

Click Here to Join Konn's Patreon Today

Konn's Popular Membership:
Monthly Short Stories + eBook for $5/mo CAD
$0.16 a day.



Three eBooks to dive into The Macrocosm
Monthly Short Stories in Written and Audiobook Format
Access to drafts, works-in-progress, and writing updates
High Rez Short Story Artwork for Phone Backgrounds
Your name in the thank you section of the next Macrocosm short story collection
Access to The Macrocosm Wiki

You're basically buying me a drink every month, fueling me to craft more stories!

Let's not forget you will get a copy of the Into the Macrocosm eBook to jump-start you into this strange world of fantasy, horror, thrillers, scifi, and bizarre.To view this content, you must be a member of Konn's Patreon at $5 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source

The post Flute Master appeared first on Konn Lavery.