Amanda Meuwissen's Blog - Posts Tagged "character"
My Top 5 Favorite Books
I’m sure many of you immediately think of a few titles when considering your favorite books, but WHY are those your favorites? I’m going to list the what and why of my top 5 favorite books, and I’d like to invite all of you to comment and do the same.
1. Good Omens – by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
2. Memnoch the Devil – by Anne Rice
3. Invisible Monsters – by Chuck Palahniuk
4. Ender’s Game – by Orson Scott Card
5. Twilight Watch – by Sergei Lukyanenko
Now, I have a pretty good mix, but you’ll notice that they all have some sort of fantasy or sci-fi element to them (no surprise from me) and in many cases are part of a series. Another thing several of these books have in common is the reveal moment. You know, when an author writes the big reveal of the plot in such a perfect way that the clues do their job without spoiling things until just that moment before the truth is plainly presented before you.
Like in Fight Club, when they’ve given you all those clues to know that the Narrator was Tyler all along, but it’s right before he actually says so that you go *gasp* oh god! I didn’t list Fight Club only because I prefer the film and the film’s ending (as does the author) but I love his novel Invisible Monsters for another of those similar reveal moments. Ender’s Game has it as well, AND Twilight Watch, so that reveals how much I enjoy a good mystery that isn’t easy to solve, but needs to be weaved like a complicated cross-stitch.
I also don’t necessarily love the first book in a series more than the others. Ender’s Game is the first, but Twilight Watch is #3, and Memnoch the Devil is #5.
Good Omens I love for the relationship between the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale. I’m a sucker for witty banter and character relationships that are ambiguous or against the norm. In Memnoch the Devil, a morally ambiguous character meets God and the Devil, and explores Heaven and Hell, both of which are presented in a way I could easily believe as real.
I like to be transported as far from normal life as possible, which all of these titles do for me. What about you? What books resonate with you and why do you love them?
1. Good Omens – by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
2. Memnoch the Devil – by Anne Rice
3. Invisible Monsters – by Chuck Palahniuk
4. Ender’s Game – by Orson Scott Card
5. Twilight Watch – by Sergei Lukyanenko
Now, I have a pretty good mix, but you’ll notice that they all have some sort of fantasy or sci-fi element to them (no surprise from me) and in many cases are part of a series. Another thing several of these books have in common is the reveal moment. You know, when an author writes the big reveal of the plot in such a perfect way that the clues do their job without spoiling things until just that moment before the truth is plainly presented before you.
Like in Fight Club, when they’ve given you all those clues to know that the Narrator was Tyler all along, but it’s right before he actually says so that you go *gasp* oh god! I didn’t list Fight Club only because I prefer the film and the film’s ending (as does the author) but I love his novel Invisible Monsters for another of those similar reveal moments. Ender’s Game has it as well, AND Twilight Watch, so that reveals how much I enjoy a good mystery that isn’t easy to solve, but needs to be weaved like a complicated cross-stitch.
I also don’t necessarily love the first book in a series more than the others. Ender’s Game is the first, but Twilight Watch is #3, and Memnoch the Devil is #5.
Good Omens I love for the relationship between the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale. I’m a sucker for witty banter and character relationships that are ambiguous or against the norm. In Memnoch the Devil, a morally ambiguous character meets God and the Devil, and explores Heaven and Hell, both of which are presented in a way I could easily believe as real.
I like to be transported as far from normal life as possible, which all of these titles do for me. What about you? What books resonate with you and why do you love them?
I did not name one of my main characters after my cat
Considering one of the three main characters in Incubus is named Sasha Kelly, and I also happen to have a male cat named Sasha, it's an easy mistake to make, but I swear it's pure coincidence.
Sasha Kelly was actually named after a female character. A redhead, to be precise, from the short-lived but very dear to my heart TV series Kindred the Embraced, based loosely off of the White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerade role playing game.
I adopted my cat Sasha from my friend Alexandria who had named him after Misha Collins' brother, since she had named her first cat Misha.
But since he is such a beautiful and loving cat with bright blue eyes, it's still an easy mistake to make. I'm just lucky to have two Sashas in my life.
Sasha Kelly was actually named after a female character. A redhead, to be precise, from the short-lived but very dear to my heart TV series Kindred the Embraced, based loosely off of the White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerade role playing game.
I adopted my cat Sasha from my friend Alexandria who had named him after Misha Collins' brother, since she had named her first cat Misha.
But since he is such a beautiful and loving cat with bright blue eyes, it's still an easy mistake to make. I'm just lucky to have two Sashas in my life.
Two Important New Characters in Changeling – The Incubus Saga: Book 2
I actually showed off Leven Taylor a little in a previous blog, when the season 7 finale of Incubus was airing on BigWorldNetwork.com.
Leven is important because he was actually the first character ever created for Incubus. I was inspired by a web comic about a teenage boy with blue hair and a demon imaginary friend, which eventually became Leven and Sasha. Of course the story took a very different turn as it realized itself, but I had to keep Leven even if his character became someone very different, just like Sasha’s did.
Leven is a 17-year-old theater kid, openly gay, with teal hair and boundless energy. He is also brother to already known Incubus character Wade Taylor.
Then there is Iain Wilde. Introduced toward the end of Book 2, and an important player in Book 3, Iain is a humble librarian in training, also openly gay though not quite as boisterously as Leven, and has a penchant for swearing. I like Logan Lerman for him, I think, if you know that talented young actor.
Iain was created in likeness of his real life namesake, who was a reader of mine. Iain also has a secret, but you’ll have to read to discover that.
Now, I didn’t consciously sit down and say, I’m going to create two new gay characters for Book 2. Leven, as I said, existed years ago, and Iain is based off of a real person. What I love about them both being introduced in the same book, however, is their duality. Two gay men, one younger and just starting to deal with persecution and discovering who he really is, and one who is beyond that, who accepts himself without question, even though both characters still have trouble with self-confidence. I think it’s important for readers to see how these characters are unique, and yet they both reflect Nathan at certain stages in the story. They are definitely people he is meant to encounter.
I hope everyone loves Leven and Iain as much as I do, and appreciates their similarities and vast differences. You’ll be seeing more of both of them in book 3.
Leven is important because he was actually the first character ever created for Incubus. I was inspired by a web comic about a teenage boy with blue hair and a demon imaginary friend, which eventually became Leven and Sasha. Of course the story took a very different turn as it realized itself, but I had to keep Leven even if his character became someone very different, just like Sasha’s did.
Leven is a 17-year-old theater kid, openly gay, with teal hair and boundless energy. He is also brother to already known Incubus character Wade Taylor.
Then there is Iain Wilde. Introduced toward the end of Book 2, and an important player in Book 3, Iain is a humble librarian in training, also openly gay though not quite as boisterously as Leven, and has a penchant for swearing. I like Logan Lerman for him, I think, if you know that talented young actor.
Iain was created in likeness of his real life namesake, who was a reader of mine. Iain also has a secret, but you’ll have to read to discover that.
Now, I didn’t consciously sit down and say, I’m going to create two new gay characters for Book 2. Leven, as I said, existed years ago, and Iain is based off of a real person. What I love about them both being introduced in the same book, however, is their duality. Two gay men, one younger and just starting to deal with persecution and discovering who he really is, and one who is beyond that, who accepts himself without question, even though both characters still have trouble with self-confidence. I think it’s important for readers to see how these characters are unique, and yet they both reflect Nathan at certain stages in the story. They are definitely people he is meant to encounter.
I hope everyone loves Leven and Iain as much as I do, and appreciates their similarities and vast differences. You’ll be seeing more of both of them in book 3.
New Reviews, New Tours, New Excitement!
Wow, this release is a whirlwind. As I continue my tour with Enchanted Book Promotions (check out my most recent review at Endazzled Reading) with excerpts, an interview, and another review still on the way, my Paranormal Cravings tour starts this week as well.
Bloggers can be harsh at times, and even the complimentary ones are often very selective about giving out 5 stars when they review, so I've been truly blessed with so much positive feedback, both on Incubus and the release of Changeling.
As I'm working on Book 3 of The Incubus Saga now - Sidhe - here's a peek at one of the new characters you'll meet in that book, Solrin, an original character given to me by a reader long ago to include in this story, who plays a very important role here at the end. Thanks again, Kouken, for sharing him!
Bloggers can be harsh at times, and even the complimentary ones are often very selective about giving out 5 stars when they review, so I've been truly blessed with so much positive feedback, both on Incubus and the release of Changeling.
As I'm working on Book 3 of The Incubus Saga now - Sidhe - here's a peek at one of the new characters you'll meet in that book, Solrin, an original character given to me by a reader long ago to include in this story, who plays a very important role here at the end. Thanks again, Kouken, for sharing him!
How Fanfiction Made Me a Writer
Not many people know this, but back in high school I had three potential career choices I debated between.
One was vocal music performance, and while I love to sing, I knew I didn’t want to pursue that.
The second was acting. I had done theater since 7th grade, and had been a lead all throughout high school, and honestly…it was my top choice for a long time. For some reason the anxiety I got from singing in front of people never reared its head when acting.
The last choice, of course, was writing. And I probably wouldn’t have published novels today if not for events in high school that pushed me toward that path over acting…all because of fanfiction.
I’m a video game geek, so my first fanfiction was written around that, particularly Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. In this case, FFVIII was the culprit. I had been enjoying another author’s epically long fanfic centered around the character Zell, but when it finally reached its end, I was disappointed.
I reviewed the story telling the author I honestly felt it could have and should have ended differently. She agreed, and we began conversing back and forth on how I might write an alternate ending, sanctioned by the original author herself. It was an amazing collaborative experience for me.
Not to go into too much detail, the story revolved around topics of teenage depression and suicide. I wrote an ending with more hope than the original, and had a great response from readers. One review in particular caught my attention and has stuck with me to this day.
It was an anonymous review, so there was no way for me to contact this person or know who they were, but in it they confessed that they had felt similarly depressed as the character and had been considering suicide, but felt a renewed sense to continue fighting after reading my alternate ending to the fic.
I don’t know what became of this person afterward, but the thought that my writing could do something so profound for someone made my decision for me then and there.
I never doubted my decision to pursue writing after that, and every time I reach a fan even in the smallest way, it reminds me of the time I reached someone significantly, and that is more than enough motivation to keep on.
You’ll find me touting the importance and good of fanfiction all the time, and this was one of the reasons why. Reading can change people’s perspectives, change their lives, and fanfiction is no different from the most praised novel. Never downplay the importance of any form of writing. Every time we can communicate and reach others with new and important ideas, that’s something truly special.
What about all you other writers out there? What was the final catalyst that made you a writer?
One was vocal music performance, and while I love to sing, I knew I didn’t want to pursue that.
The second was acting. I had done theater since 7th grade, and had been a lead all throughout high school, and honestly…it was my top choice for a long time. For some reason the anxiety I got from singing in front of people never reared its head when acting.
The last choice, of course, was writing. And I probably wouldn’t have published novels today if not for events in high school that pushed me toward that path over acting…all because of fanfiction.
I’m a video game geek, so my first fanfiction was written around that, particularly Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. In this case, FFVIII was the culprit. I had been enjoying another author’s epically long fanfic centered around the character Zell, but when it finally reached its end, I was disappointed.
I reviewed the story telling the author I honestly felt it could have and should have ended differently. She agreed, and we began conversing back and forth on how I might write an alternate ending, sanctioned by the original author herself. It was an amazing collaborative experience for me.
Not to go into too much detail, the story revolved around topics of teenage depression and suicide. I wrote an ending with more hope than the original, and had a great response from readers. One review in particular caught my attention and has stuck with me to this day.
It was an anonymous review, so there was no way for me to contact this person or know who they were, but in it they confessed that they had felt similarly depressed as the character and had been considering suicide, but felt a renewed sense to continue fighting after reading my alternate ending to the fic.
I don’t know what became of this person afterward, but the thought that my writing could do something so profound for someone made my decision for me then and there.
I never doubted my decision to pursue writing after that, and every time I reach a fan even in the smallest way, it reminds me of the time I reached someone significantly, and that is more than enough motivation to keep on.
You’ll find me touting the importance and good of fanfiction all the time, and this was one of the reasons why. Reading can change people’s perspectives, change their lives, and fanfiction is no different from the most praised novel. Never downplay the importance of any form of writing. Every time we can communicate and reach others with new and important ideas, that’s something truly special.
What about all you other writers out there? What was the final catalyst that made you a writer?
