M.L. Chesley's Blog, page 39
May 6, 2013
After April...
Funny how, when you do the A to Z challenge, things seem super quiet afterwards. I'm at a loss as to what to post about, but I'll find something. I always do.
I'll be back to my usual Friday posts. Sharing my progress on book two. Fun stuff!
I'd also like to say, "Hi there!" to my new followers and hope that I can be entertaining, at the very least. I'll be working on that A to Z list to see if I can find some more new blogs. Maybe go to at least 5 new ones a day.
Have a great week everyone!
May 3, 2013
A To Z Reflections...
Wow. What a month! The sad thing is, it made the month go by that much faster and now my daughter is literally days away from having her baby.
But this is for the A to Z reflections post so here goes, folks:
What I liked:
~ I loved meeting new people.
~ Getting new followers.
~ Finding new blogs to read.
~ The support of everyone.
What I didn't like:
~ Finding new blogs to read.
Ha! Yeah, that's about it. It's a love/hate with finding new blogs to read because my time is limited to begin with.
My work schedule is from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. I usually don't get up until 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., depending on how well I slept. I have sleep issues. I get bouts of insomnia, I have anxiety, things like that. So sometimes I just don't sleep well and wake up exhausted.
By the time I get home, it is nearly 7:30, unless I have to go shopping, then maybe 8 or 9 if I am lucky. So I hop on the computer after dinner, spend an hour there until about 10 or 10:30 and then shut down. Now, I'm a night owl and it's hard for me to unwind, so this is my reasoning for getting off the computer early. After that, I watch T.V. I don't fall asleep, usually, until 1 a.m. or sometimes later. So my computer time is not only very limited during the week, so is my writing time. And my blogging time.
This month showed me that, more than anything. Precious little time. I made sure to not take on any extra obligations during April. I focused only on the challenge and tried to get around to some other blogs. I did succeed, but I still don't feel like it was adequate enough. I try to read blogs and comment. Sometimes I just don't comment because I'm trying to read as many as I can.
But I love the A to Z challenge, even if I don't participate. I'll cheer everyone on. But this year, having a theme worked the best for me. And I did have to schedule some of my posts well in advance. There was no way I could have done it without planning ahead. I liked seeing some of the other themes. Donna's Harry Potter theme, loved it!
So who else had a theme that I missed? What did you think of my theme? Should I take that compilation and expand on it for a book on fantasy world building?
But this is for the A to Z reflections post so here goes, folks:
What I liked:
~ I loved meeting new people.
~ Getting new followers.
~ Finding new blogs to read.
~ The support of everyone.
What I didn't like:
~ Finding new blogs to read.
Ha! Yeah, that's about it. It's a love/hate with finding new blogs to read because my time is limited to begin with.
My work schedule is from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. I usually don't get up until 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., depending on how well I slept. I have sleep issues. I get bouts of insomnia, I have anxiety, things like that. So sometimes I just don't sleep well and wake up exhausted.
By the time I get home, it is nearly 7:30, unless I have to go shopping, then maybe 8 or 9 if I am lucky. So I hop on the computer after dinner, spend an hour there until about 10 or 10:30 and then shut down. Now, I'm a night owl and it's hard for me to unwind, so this is my reasoning for getting off the computer early. After that, I watch T.V. I don't fall asleep, usually, until 1 a.m. or sometimes later. So my computer time is not only very limited during the week, so is my writing time. And my blogging time.
This month showed me that, more than anything. Precious little time. I made sure to not take on any extra obligations during April. I focused only on the challenge and tried to get around to some other blogs. I did succeed, but I still don't feel like it was adequate enough. I try to read blogs and comment. Sometimes I just don't comment because I'm trying to read as many as I can.
But I love the A to Z challenge, even if I don't participate. I'll cheer everyone on. But this year, having a theme worked the best for me. And I did have to schedule some of my posts well in advance. There was no way I could have done it without planning ahead. I liked seeing some of the other themes. Donna's Harry Potter theme, loved it!
So who else had a theme that I missed? What did you think of my theme? Should I take that compilation and expand on it for a book on fantasy world building?
May 2, 2013
Please Welcome Andrew Toy, Author of Man in the Box...
Hey everyone, today I would like you to meet Andrew Toy. He is currently on tour with his book: "The Man in the Box". Here is his guest post, followed by the usual links. And here is the rest of the tour dates, if you like. Enjoy!
You writers and creative-types – you’ve been there. It’s a hellish place, for sure. A chasm of fear, doubt,
agony, frustration…
While everyone else around you seems to be excelling in their craft, awards are given to others, your
neighbors hit the jackpot…
Come on, I’m not the only one. You’ve surely been there, right?
Idea-less.
A hellish place for sure. It’s worse than that moment you’re about to start the first sentence on a blank
page. It’s miles before you ever even get to that point. Only in a galaxy far, far away do you feel your
idea – your one perfect, once-in-a-lifetime, crowd-pleasing idea – awaits.
It’s out there. You might feel like Horton standing at the edge of the field of pink clovers looking for that one tiny speck that’s out there somewhere calling your name.
“We are here, we are here, we are here…”
Sometimes you can just feel it, can’t you?
You know how I find my ideas? It’s embarrassing, and no one has ever seen me do it, except Sarabeth
when I thought I was alone or I got carried away.
I dance.
I talk out loud.
I sing.
I act.
And I’ve yelled.
It’s humbling, but true. I imagine myself standing before the heads of Universal or Disney Studios and I’ve got five minutes (I’m generous) to pitch them my idea.
So I yell, I act, I pitch like a storyboard artist convincing the director that my idea is the only thing that will work. I talk aloud about something that I believe in.
I might not yet have an idea to believe in, but I believe that I will find one.
I’ve found several this way.
When I worked in retail, I would often disappear to the shipping room when it was empty and I would plot my book out loud, pacing, lost in my imagination.
“So this guy Robbie,” I would say, “he wants to be a good father and husband, like most men do. That’s relatable. But something keeps him from that. I want there to be action, but not much action happens in today’s reality… so he finds a fantasy world! In a… wardrobe! No, on a star! No. In a… in a…” I glance around the shipping room and I notice that I’m surrounded by – “In a box!”
Thus, The Man in the Box was born.
Working from home makes it really easy to do this on a regular basis. And if you are stuck in a creative rut, I encourage you to give this a try. Crank up some Fun. or Owl City, or Delta Rae on the ipad and dance.
Yes. Just start dancing. Let your body go. It sounds zen-like, but just release the stress of everyday life. The last thing you want weighing you down when you’re trying to be creative is the rock-hard facts of life that your readers are looking to escape from.
So… escape.
Dance.
And talk.
And then ask yourself later, What did I talk about? Anything interesting? Jot it down.
About Andrew Toy:
Andrew Toy lives with his wife and dachshunds in Louisville, KY. He is currently editing books
of nearly every genre and is a writing coach for aspiring authors. He and his wife are trying to
adopt their first child, and he is using the means of writing and editing to accomplish the goal of
enlarging his family. Check out some more of his writing and upcoming books on his popular blog:
adoptingjames.wordpress.com
Andrew's Links:
Twitter
Facebook
Blog
Amazon
The Man in the Box
Book Synopsis:
Work provided Robbie Lake the perfect escape from his family. But his life is turned upside down when he is unexpectedly fired. When he finds a new way of escape through a cardboard box, everything changes. The imaginary world of his childhood has evolved in his absence and is now more savage and hostile than even he could have dreamed. Robbie is drawn in by the excitement of his secret world, but will the cost of abandoning his family prove too high?
You writers and creative-types – you’ve been there. It’s a hellish place, for sure. A chasm of fear, doubt,
agony, frustration…
While everyone else around you seems to be excelling in their craft, awards are given to others, your
neighbors hit the jackpot…
Come on, I’m not the only one. You’ve surely been there, right?
Idea-less.
A hellish place for sure. It’s worse than that moment you’re about to start the first sentence on a blank
page. It’s miles before you ever even get to that point. Only in a galaxy far, far away do you feel your
idea – your one perfect, once-in-a-lifetime, crowd-pleasing idea – awaits.
It’s out there. You might feel like Horton standing at the edge of the field of pink clovers looking for that one tiny speck that’s out there somewhere calling your name.
“We are here, we are here, we are here…”
Sometimes you can just feel it, can’t you?
You know how I find my ideas? It’s embarrassing, and no one has ever seen me do it, except Sarabeth
when I thought I was alone or I got carried away.
I dance.
I talk out loud.
I sing.
I act.
And I’ve yelled.
It’s humbling, but true. I imagine myself standing before the heads of Universal or Disney Studios and I’ve got five minutes (I’m generous) to pitch them my idea.
So I yell, I act, I pitch like a storyboard artist convincing the director that my idea is the only thing that will work. I talk aloud about something that I believe in.
I might not yet have an idea to believe in, but I believe that I will find one.
I’ve found several this way.
When I worked in retail, I would often disappear to the shipping room when it was empty and I would plot my book out loud, pacing, lost in my imagination.
“So this guy Robbie,” I would say, “he wants to be a good father and husband, like most men do. That’s relatable. But something keeps him from that. I want there to be action, but not much action happens in today’s reality… so he finds a fantasy world! In a… wardrobe! No, on a star! No. In a… in a…” I glance around the shipping room and I notice that I’m surrounded by – “In a box!”
Thus, The Man in the Box was born.
Working from home makes it really easy to do this on a regular basis. And if you are stuck in a creative rut, I encourage you to give this a try. Crank up some Fun. or Owl City, or Delta Rae on the ipad and dance.
Yes. Just start dancing. Let your body go. It sounds zen-like, but just release the stress of everyday life. The last thing you want weighing you down when you’re trying to be creative is the rock-hard facts of life that your readers are looking to escape from.
So… escape.
Dance.
And talk.
And then ask yourself later, What did I talk about? Anything interesting? Jot it down.
About Andrew Toy:
Andrew Toy lives with his wife and dachshunds in Louisville, KY. He is currently editing books
of nearly every genre and is a writing coach for aspiring authors. He and his wife are trying to
adopt their first child, and he is using the means of writing and editing to accomplish the goal of
enlarging his family. Check out some more of his writing and upcoming books on his popular blog:
adoptingjames.wordpress.com
Andrew's Links:
Blog
Amazon
The Man in the BoxBook Synopsis:
Work provided Robbie Lake the perfect escape from his family. But his life is turned upside down when he is unexpectedly fired. When he finds a new way of escape through a cardboard box, everything changes. The imaginary world of his childhood has evolved in his absence and is now more savage and hostile than even he could have dreamed. Robbie is drawn in by the excitement of his secret world, but will the cost of abandoning his family prove too high?
May 1, 2013
Insecure Writer's Support Group...
It's May 1st! IWSG is in full swing and right after the A to Z challenge, too.
Well, I tell you, I'm a lot less insecure about some things as I was. For a while there, I was having some issues with my revisions on book two.
See, I think I have told you all of this before, but my husband helps me out with ideas. I love that he helps me. But... he hi-jacked my story.
Really! I was sitting there and typing some things up and he sat down next to me. I started to read a bit of what I wrote and we got to talking and he suddenly said, "Oh! I have an idea!"
And it just went from there. Went off on a huge tangent in the writing and then had to stop him. I had to bring it back around to what I had originally written before it got so far off the beaten path that I would have written something entirely different.
Different is good, mind you, but the tangent he went on focused most on one character. His. Yep, Black Rose. He's Larry's creation. He brought him out of the dust bunny filled darkness of Dungeons & Dragons folders and handed him to me. I love Black Rose, don't get me wrong, but he does have his own story I am working on.
It was kind of difficult to revise this new bit of writing and bring it all back on track, but I think I did it. I think I tweaked it and turned it around just enough. Might be a couple more things I have to tidy up, but it should be just fine.
I suppose I need to start working on Rose's story and just let hubby have full reign that way.
So what do you do when you've gone off somewhere in your story? How do you bring it back? Or do you?
Well, I tell you, I'm a lot less insecure about some things as I was. For a while there, I was having some issues with my revisions on book two.
See, I think I have told you all of this before, but my husband helps me out with ideas. I love that he helps me. But... he hi-jacked my story.
Really! I was sitting there and typing some things up and he sat down next to me. I started to read a bit of what I wrote and we got to talking and he suddenly said, "Oh! I have an idea!"
And it just went from there. Went off on a huge tangent in the writing and then had to stop him. I had to bring it back around to what I had originally written before it got so far off the beaten path that I would have written something entirely different.
Different is good, mind you, but the tangent he went on focused most on one character. His. Yep, Black Rose. He's Larry's creation. He brought him out of the dust bunny filled darkness of Dungeons & Dragons folders and handed him to me. I love Black Rose, don't get me wrong, but he does have his own story I am working on.
It was kind of difficult to revise this new bit of writing and bring it all back on track, but I think I did it. I think I tweaked it and turned it around just enough. Might be a couple more things I have to tidy up, but it should be just fine.
I suppose I need to start working on Rose's story and just let hubby have full reign that way.
So what do you do when you've gone off somewhere in your story? How do you bring it back? Or do you?
April 30, 2013
Z Is For Zodiac...
Lots of people read their horoscopes, whether they admit it or not. Even if you don't believe what they say, it is still kind of fun and silly to see what your zodiac sign says about you.
Then you have those who are downright superstitious and can't go a day without reading it. Even back in the middle ages, people would comment on births and the signs that came with it.
"Ah, born under a lunar eclipse, this child shall bring darkness..."
"Hmm... born under a red sky at sunset, this child shall have blood on his hands..."
"Born in a basket, under a weeping willow with twenty doves flying around. He'll become a beggar."
I mean really, some of them can be pretty silly. But it played a huge role in people's lives. The zodiac and birth signs became important to people. Peasants and nobles alike would scramble to find the woman who could read their birth signs and tell them their futures.
I actually have zodiac signs and the like for my world, but it isn't something that I elaborate upon. It's there, quietly lurking in the background for when it becomes important.
And that's it, everyone. That's the Z post. We're at the end of the challenge! How'd you do? Did you make it through? Did you have to drop it for whatever reasons? Hey, been there. I've had to quit things before. But good on you for taking up the challenge and giving it your best effort!
See you all tomorrow for the Insecure Writer's Support Group and then again on Friday for the A to Z Reflections post.
Then you have those who are downright superstitious and can't go a day without reading it. Even back in the middle ages, people would comment on births and the signs that came with it.
"Ah, born under a lunar eclipse, this child shall bring darkness..."
"Hmm... born under a red sky at sunset, this child shall have blood on his hands..."
"Born in a basket, under a weeping willow with twenty doves flying around. He'll become a beggar."
I mean really, some of them can be pretty silly. But it played a huge role in people's lives. The zodiac and birth signs became important to people. Peasants and nobles alike would scramble to find the woman who could read their birth signs and tell them their futures.
I actually have zodiac signs and the like for my world, but it isn't something that I elaborate upon. It's there, quietly lurking in the background for when it becomes important.
And that's it, everyone. That's the Z post. We're at the end of the challenge! How'd you do? Did you make it through? Did you have to drop it for whatever reasons? Hey, been there. I've had to quit things before. But good on you for taking up the challenge and giving it your best effort!
See you all tomorrow for the Insecure Writer's Support Group and then again on Friday for the A to Z Reflections post.
April 29, 2013
Y Is For You...
Yes. YOU! You, sitting there, reading this post. You, my favorite follower.
When writing anything, fantasy or otherwise, you are bound to put a lot of yourself into your world. Seriously. Think about it.
What sort of world would you create? What customs and cultures do you find yourself drawn to? What sort of climates would there be? Would you have everyone on equal footing or would you have people struggling in the streets?
Well, a lot of that in world building is going to be necessary. Humans were given the gift of free will, after all, so you may have those beggars in the streets. Your world will take on a life of its own, of course, but it would be interesting to see what you'd put into a world of your own creation. If it is Sci-Fi, I bet you would have lots of cool gadgets to make life easier, simpler.
You put just as much of what YOU want into your world, just like you put parts of yourself into characters. There will be traces of your personality everywhere in your characters and your world.
When writing anything, fantasy or otherwise, you are bound to put a lot of yourself into your world. Seriously. Think about it.
What sort of world would you create? What customs and cultures do you find yourself drawn to? What sort of climates would there be? Would you have everyone on equal footing or would you have people struggling in the streets?
Well, a lot of that in world building is going to be necessary. Humans were given the gift of free will, after all, so you may have those beggars in the streets. Your world will take on a life of its own, of course, but it would be interesting to see what you'd put into a world of your own creation. If it is Sci-Fi, I bet you would have lots of cool gadgets to make life easier, simpler.
You put just as much of what YOU want into your world, just like you put parts of yourself into characters. There will be traces of your personality everywhere in your characters and your world.
April 27, 2013
X Is For X-Factor...
That's right. In any writing you'll always have the X-FACTOR.
Dun dun dun!
Definition: a circumstance, quality, or person that has a strong but unpredictable influence
Now this isn't JUST for fantasy writing, my lovely readers. This is for any writing. What is the unpredictability?
In my fantasy world, I'd have to say it is the area around old Argisindya, where, after the city was destroyed, magic went "mad". If I were to pick a person, well, that would be the entire Li'endrin bloodline. Minus Alabassin. He's such a sweet boy.
The unpredictable is something that keeps your readers hooked. I love tossing in that x-factor. The thrill of knowing it is going to shock the reader, that's just downright awesome.
Do you like to be predictable or unpredictable in your writing? What about in what you are reading?
Dun dun dun!
Definition: a circumstance, quality, or person that has a strong but unpredictable influence
Now this isn't JUST for fantasy writing, my lovely readers. This is for any writing. What is the unpredictability?
In my fantasy world, I'd have to say it is the area around old Argisindya, where, after the city was destroyed, magic went "mad". If I were to pick a person, well, that would be the entire Li'endrin bloodline. Minus Alabassin. He's such a sweet boy.
The unpredictable is something that keeps your readers hooked. I love tossing in that x-factor. The thrill of knowing it is going to shock the reader, that's just downright awesome.
Do you like to be predictable or unpredictable in your writing? What about in what you are reading?
April 26, 2013
W Is For Weapons...
Well duh, what did you think I would post for a fantasy themed A to Z on MY blog? I don't even know of a cutesy word that starts with 'W'.
There are lots of weapons to think about in fantasy. You usually want to stay with your more real life medieval weapons. Granted, there are lots you can make up yourself, but with such a huge array of battle gear, I dunno...
However, the only way I can really explain some of these weapons to you is through pictures. Yeah, baby!
You have your halberd and naginata (Can I just say I LOVE me some naginata!):
Halberd
Naginata
You have your usual swords, which you know what they look like, right? Dirks, daggers, shields, bows, crossbows and axes.
Trebuchets:
Catapaults:
Ballista:
And of course, don't forget your standard berserker:
Pretty much self explanatory. But you have all sorts of things to choose from. Of course, there are lots of options and you can always mix up some usual weapons and create your own. And since it is a 'W' post, I'll even throw in:
And you can't EVER show a whip without having Devo's "Whip It" playing in your head.
There are lots of weapons to think about in fantasy. You usually want to stay with your more real life medieval weapons. Granted, there are lots you can make up yourself, but with such a huge array of battle gear, I dunno...
However, the only way I can really explain some of these weapons to you is through pictures. Yeah, baby!
You have your halberd and naginata (Can I just say I LOVE me some naginata!):
Halberd
NaginataYou have your usual swords, which you know what they look like, right? Dirks, daggers, shields, bows, crossbows and axes.
Trebuchets:
Catapaults:
Ballista:
And of course, don't forget your standard berserker:
Pretty much self explanatory. But you have all sorts of things to choose from. Of course, there are lots of options and you can always mix up some usual weapons and create your own. And since it is a 'W' post, I'll even throw in:
And you can't EVER show a whip without having Devo's "Whip It" playing in your head.
April 25, 2013
Very Inspiring Blogger Award...
I'm deeply honored to have been given this award by Kas over at Spunk & Spice. She has a very cool blog, pretty background and when she nominated me for this award, awesome characters. (Thank you Kas!) I love good characters! Hers have me hooked and I look forward to hearing more about them.Okay, so here's the rules:
~ Display the award logo on your blog post.
~ Link back to the person who nominated you.
~ State 7 things about yourself.
~ Nominate 15 bloggers to the award.
~ Notify those bloggers of the nomination by linking to one of their specific posts so that they get notified by ping back and you can also go comment on their blog.
So there's the award itself. Very shiny! I linked back to Kas, check!
Seven things about me... Hmm...
1. Mint chocolate chip ice cream is my fave.
2. I would love to do "ghost hunting" sometime, but summer in Alaska makes that difficult when it is light outside for so long.
3. I'm about to become a grandma.
4. Once I'm done with this first fantasy trilogy, I'm going to try my hand at paranormal.
5. I'm a crafty kind of person. No, not THAT kind of crafty... well, okay, yes, but I also like to DO crafts.
6. While I like to play lots of games such as World of Warcraft and the like, I can't play all the others for very long because they make me motion sick.
7. But get me on a boat, and I don't get seasick. Go figure, lol!
Okay so there is the seven things about me. But I am going to follow Kas' lead on this. 15 people is a LOT to pass this on to, even though I follow LOTS of blogs. But the people listed below are the most inspiring to me and I don't know what I would do without them:
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Jamie at Mithril Wisdom
Diane at Spunk on a Stick
Hart Johnson at Confessions of a Watery Tart (even though you got it already, you're still inspiring to me!)
Lynda at W.I.P. It
Cheri Chesley at The Other Side of the Mirror (my sister is very inspiring to me)
Donna Hosie at Musings of a Penniless Writer
Allison at Geek Banter
Katie at Creepy Query Girl
Matthew at the QQQE
I'm sure I've forgotten someone. But those are the ones who stand out in my mind the most.
V Is For Volume...
Yep, you want lots of bouncy, full, thick looking hair. And you totally know that's not the kind of 'volume' I'm speaking of too. Sheesh! Silly.
Volume as in, 'how-many-books-are-in-this-bloody-series-anyway???' kind of volume. I'm all for a good epic fantasy. I don't mind ten to twelve books in a series as long as the story keeps going, doesn't bog down and/or get stupid.
If you're going to write a series of books, don't write to make money off of it, write it until the story is done. Don't throw in crap just to lengthen to book and get the most bang for your buck.
This is just my opinion when it comes to how long a fantasy story should be. When you're building a fantasy world from scratch, you very well may end up with seven books or seventeen. Who knows? How long is it going to take to show off your world and tell this story?
My current works, I think it will only be three books. Simply because there is not THAT much to tell about this one story. I have other books in mind for this world and I don't see a lot of them being more than one book, but it may surprise me and become more. Depends on how involved in the details I want to get.
But there comes a point where it seems like enough is enough. We're getting the same stuff over and over and things keep repeating. It isn't necessary at this point, it's just fluff. A little fluff is fine, but I think I'd have to call it quits after the ninth book of just...fluff.
What do you think is too long for a series, fantasy or otherwise?
Volume as in, 'how-many-books-are-in-this-bloody-series-anyway???' kind of volume. I'm all for a good epic fantasy. I don't mind ten to twelve books in a series as long as the story keeps going, doesn't bog down and/or get stupid.
If you're going to write a series of books, don't write to make money off of it, write it until the story is done. Don't throw in crap just to lengthen to book and get the most bang for your buck.
This is just my opinion when it comes to how long a fantasy story should be. When you're building a fantasy world from scratch, you very well may end up with seven books or seventeen. Who knows? How long is it going to take to show off your world and tell this story?
My current works, I think it will only be three books. Simply because there is not THAT much to tell about this one story. I have other books in mind for this world and I don't see a lot of them being more than one book, but it may surprise me and become more. Depends on how involved in the details I want to get.
But there comes a point where it seems like enough is enough. We're getting the same stuff over and over and things keep repeating. It isn't necessary at this point, it's just fluff. A little fluff is fine, but I think I'd have to call it quits after the ninth book of just...fluff.
What do you think is too long for a series, fantasy or otherwise?
