G.L. Lathian's Blog, page 2

A little charity

So as a part of our release of the first book we decided we should take the opportunity to raise money for multiple sclerosis, a disease that has afflicted two people very close to our hearts.

Originally we'd planned on donating the total profits for our book's first two weeks of sales, but because our ebook and PoD publication dates didn't coincide, we decided to extend the donation period (nearing 3 months). We've raised over $1,000 AUD now and are hoping we can boost that to over $2,000 before we call an end to the donation period.

It'd been really exciting to have people supporting us through this period and it's given us the urge to replicate this again down the track. We've decided that for every book that we publish under G.L. Lathian, we will begin with a donation period, where all proceeds will go to our chosen MS charity. Fingers crossed one day we'll be making enough money from writing that these donations will be able to make a real difference.

Audio Book Review: Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

So, I (Garrett) finally just concluded the Broken Empire series and I have to say, I've got some mixed feelings swirling around my head. What makes this an interesting review is the fact that I read the first two and listened to the last one. This gives me a very interesting complex. Problem being, I think the written books are MUCH better than the audio versions. And sadly, I think it may have ruined the brilliance of the last novel for me.

The audio version comes in at a total of fifteen hours and four minutes and is read by Joe Jameson. We start out following one of my favourite antihero's ever, the violent, narcissistic, (insert more negative adjectives) Jorg Ancrath who covets The Imperial Crown for no reason other than to do something he has been told he can't.

I'll avoid spoilers, so that's all the plot talking I'll do. Just know it is a very wild ride, and their is some twists and plot turns that will leave you speechless. And I had those moments. Moments when my ears were focusing with every scrap of listening capability they could muster, but there were too many other times when my mind was wandering. And on a three hour drive, with nothing but the sound of someones voice to keep me company, that speaks volumes.

Performance wise, I thought Joe Jameson did a decent job. His voice is pleasant, without being magical. But his task was probably made a lot harder because I'd read the first two, and thus I had developed my own voice and personality for each of the characters. Then to hear someone else setting the tone and flow, it can make it quite hard to adjust to internally. For instance would I put an inflection on some of the words Joe did or would I pause at this point in the story? No in a lot of places. But this is a hard thing to accomplish, because it's kind of like reading a book and then seeing the movie, which all avid readers know rarely compares to the brilliance of a good read. And for me this felt the same.

I guess I'd just describe the whole audio experience as flat. The vibrant writing of Mark Lawrence just didn't pop off the page, figuratively speaking of course. There were a few analogies and similes that had me scratching my head. A couple that seemed to have very modern references, and while that is also part of Mark's world, they still managed to throw me out of the fantasy perspective which isn't something I'm inclined to enjoy. Also, Chella's chapters were a real letdown for me and, why I understand the need for them, I personality just really didn't like having to drag my ears through the mud to get to the gold.

What is done well is the intertwining of each of the plot points and that really comes across as masterful. Especially when you have a sprawling story and only three books to accomplish the task. Jorg also has to be one of the most brilliant characters ever written, and not just in the fantasy genre. He has all the traits we decent humans despise, yet Mark manages to write a character you like and more importantly, feel sympathetic towards.

The final scenes were done very well. Everything came together and I think the vast majority of people would walk away thinking it was with a great ending *cough* "Joe Abercrombie." *cough*.

Overall, I'll give this a 3/5. Enjoyable, but nothing more than that.

And for comparison sake The Prince of Thorns (read) I would give a 5/5 and the King of Thorns (read) a 4.5/5. Hopefully that helps sum up the audio book experience.

The audio version is available at Audible.com

 

Swords of Winter

The time has finally come. We've finished our first book!

Its hard to say whether the feeling of excitement or relief is strongest at the moment. It's just been such a journey to get us here, and it almost feels surreal to think we can actually put this book behind us and properly move forward with the second. We held back the release so much longer than we originally envisioned that this almost seems too good to be true. But nonetheless we are absolutely pumped. The book is available on Amazon and Smashwords in ebook and kindle format, and Createspace is where you can find the print version.

Audio Book Review: The First Law triology by Joe Abercrombie

I recently had my first experience involving audio books. I needed something interactive to listen to on my regular drive to and from Perth – a round journey of about six hours. So, I thought why not try out audio books and see how well they replace complete boredom - I love music, but music doesn’t make the journey feel any shorter.

A few days later, I bought The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie and a few days after that, I started to listen. At first it was a strange thing to grasp. The voice of the narrator somehow changes the perception of your own voice you have always read with. I’m not sure how to explain it, but it’s not the same as reading. I never ‘escaped’ into that world where you are just enveloped, like a hug you don’t want to let go of. Maybe that is partially to do with the fact I am driving when I listen, but I still get a strong sense that it will never be the same as reading.

Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed the series – just in a different way. From the first few chapters, I could tell Ninefingers and I would get on splendidly. I have to say, I was never attracted to many of the other characters. I was angry at Jezal for being a pompous ass, I loathed Glokta, felt frustrated by Ferro and cautious about Bayaz. But in a way, the fact that I didn’t really like these characters is Abercrombie’s writing to a tea. He is gritty, but he is also very honest and his characters are perfect representations of that quality. Safe to say, I was still intrigued enough to want to keep listening; job done as the author.

I’m not including any spoilers, but the only thing I really felt disappointed by was the series ending. I felt too many things were just left open. As soon as I got home, I jumped on the internet to see if this was indeed the last book or if Joe had plans to revisit the series. Not at this stage! What! I was so frustrated. I understand that Abercrombie's style is real and hard and, but I really couldn't walk away not knowing what happened and feel pleased. In saying that, it's quite clear that Abercrombie stuck to his guns and refused to tie up all the plot lines into a 'traditional' ending. It sucked for me, because that's what I like. Still how can you hate on a guy who's entire series wasn't traditional or perfect and then bag him out for ending it that way.

Overall series mark: 4/5

 

Audio Books: The First Law triology

I recently had my first experience involving audio books. I
needed something interactive to listen to on my regular drive to and from Perth
– a round journey of about six hours. So, I thought why not try out audio books
and see how well they replace complete boredom - I love music, but music
doesn’t make the journey feel any shorter.

A few days later, I bought The Blade Itself by Joe
Abercrombie and a few days after that, I started to listen. At first it was a
strange thing to grasp. The voice of the narrator somehow changes the
perception of your own voice you have always read with. I’m not sure how to
explain it, but it’s not the same as reading. I never ‘escaped’ into that world
where you are just enveloped, like a hug you don’t want to let go of. Maybe
that is partially to do with the fact I am driving when I listen, but I get
still get a strong sense that it will never be the same as reading.

Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed the series – just in a
different way. From the first few chapters, I could tell Ninefingers and I
would get on splendidly. I have to say, I was never attracted to many of the
other characters. I was angry at Jezal for being a pompous ass, I loathed
Glokta, felt frustrated by Ferro and cautious about Bayaz. But in a way, the
fact that I didn’t really like these characters is Abercrombie’s writing to a
tea. He is gritty, but he is also very honest and his characters are perfect
representations of that quality. Safe to say, I was still intrigued enough to
want to keep listening; job done as the author.

I’m not including any spoilers, but the only thing I really
felt disappointed by was the series ending. I felt too many things were just
left open, like an aircraft carrier’s hanger open. As soon as I got home, I
jumped on the internet to see if this was indeed the last book or if Joe had
plans to revisit the series. Not at this stage! What! I was so frustrated. It
wasn’t until a few days later that I had resolved to think it over some more. I
came to realise that Abercrombie had stuck to his guns and refused to tie up
all the plot lines into a perfect ending. It sucked for me, but it was real and
that’s the quality you get when reading Abercrombie’s work.

Hurdles

We’ll be the first to admit that over the
past two and half years of writing SoW, we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves and
thought the end was just ahead on numerous occasions. It might stem from when
we finished our first draft. In the beginning we wrote so quickly, driven by
the excitement writing gave us, we thought the publishing stage could only only
months away. In reality although our tale was a good one, we’d broken more
rules of writing than we knew existed. And probably more than that.

That was the first hurdle we faced and it
was one of many. What we came to learn and appreciate, is that as each hurdle
was overcome, our book changed and always for the better. Like a co-writer
challenging your ideas, you strengthen, jump the obstacle and move forward.

From new editors and storyline overhauls -
to a change of cover artist - SoW has been challenged in some way or another and
become better for it. Whether it was one of us changing jobs, moving home, or travelling
overseas, our writing and story developed to keep SoW moving in the right
direction.

For every writer these hurdles will be
different. Some will be foreseeable and others unexpected. Some will come from
the story itself and others from the life you live away from writing. We just have
to work our way through the challenges and know on the other side the story
will evolve and be the better for it.

Show don't tell and The Wheel of Time

I’m quite happy to say I finished A Blinding Light and the Wheel of Time series this week. Fourteen
books that created a world and story so vast, it’s difficult to imagine another
achieving what Robert Jordan has. But it was during the last two books of the
series—penned by Brandon Sanderson—that I gained a much greater understanding
of two of writings most common
dilemmas; show, don’t tell (spoken
of in the post below) and proper character development.

After reading a post on reddit regarding
‘show, don’t tell’, I noted one person’s comment about trusting your reader through
the use of character development and how new writers can make the mistake of
adding unnecessary, and at times, overwhelming amounts of description that can
take away from your reader’s experience.

Imagine you’re at the end of a story where
the protagonist sees the girl he loves kiss another man. The author continues
by adding line after line of how the kiss pained the protagonist; a mistake by
the author. By the end of the story—if the author has done their job and
developed their characters well—you as the reader have a connection with them.
You know how much the protagonist loves this women, how the two have been destined
for one another since the first page. You don’t need to be flooded with description
of how the protagonist is affected; you know how this will make him feel,
because you feel it yourself.

This really hit home with me because in
previous edits of Swords of Winter, there have been times where my beta readers
have felt less over a certain incident they I’d expected. And where it wasn’t a
case of telling rather than showing, it did come down to character development.
As the author you know your characters on a level more intimate than any reader
will ever experience and I think at times I’ve forgotten that.

How does this relate to finishing WoT? In
my opinion, Robert Jordan and Brandson Sanderson achieved these two things
perfectly. After fourteen novels, I knew the characters so well, that the
smallest of actions impacted them, and in turn me. Emotions were pulled from
me, not spread out on the page for my consumption.

In the end this perfect balance comes down
to the skills of two fantastic writers, but I know this insight will help me
along the way in the art of pulling the reader into the tale and in turn
knowing I can trust them.

Show Don't Tell

Show Don’t Tell

When we
first started writing we really were not aware of how to show the reader rather
than tell the reader. It’s a lot easier just to say someone is scared rather
than describe how and why they are scared. For instance, in past times we may
have said:

Herth pushed open the door and stepped into the dark room. A cold shiver prickled his skin and he swallowed his growing fear. That isn’t entirely bad and has some elements of showing, but it
could use more scene setting.

Now if you said: Herth eased the door open, hinges creaking as it swung. Darkness met his eyes and a whistling breeze chilled his skin. He swallowed, gritted his teeth and stepped inside.

In the second example we never actually say Herth is scared, but you get the feeling that he is, because there are more cues to provoke the reader’s emotions. Subconsciously we all associate creaking hinges, whistling winds and darkness with fear. The gritting of his teeth is an action we associate with perseverance. This example also encourages the reader to ‘feel rather than see’ what the character is experiencing.

First time
writers tend to fall into the habit of telling, because it is much easier than
showing. But this is where most also fall down. If you take away the readers
chance to properly engross themselves in your characters and the world around
them, then effectively you’re removing the reader from your story.

Questionnaire

A little while ago we found a questionnaire tour being done by a few different fantasy bloggers. We thought we'd have a go ourselves to give our followers a little further insight into the world of Swords of Winter.

1: What is the working title of your book?

Swords of Winter.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea was born when the two of us were hundreds of kilometres from one another. Somehow, we had both been thinking about writing. A couple of days later we spoke on the phone and discovered the two basic storylines we had created (separately) could be melded together.

3: What genre does your book come under?

Young Adult Fantasy.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

A very hard question to answer, but we’ve found some actors we think represent the characters well.

Herth, one of the twins: Chris Hemsworth.

Tarn, the other twin: Jay Baruchel

Dezmus, the twin’s father: Sean Bean, if he stacked on the muscle.

Kald, the main antagonist of the overall series: Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Nadarn, the twin’s mother: Patricia Heaton

Elsa, the brother’s friend: Emma Watson

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Twin brothers are torn from their peaceful lives, forced to learn the sword and defend those they love.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

Self-published.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The initial draft took three months over the summer of 2011.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
                                                              

What inspired us was the storyline itself. We wanted to discover how far
we could take our ideas. It was that urge, which motivated us to keep
writing.               

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?                                    

Like some of the other authors on this blog tour, we decided to seek the help of one of our beta readers.
 
In response to this question, James Bradshaw said this:

“I found Swords of Winter an enjoyable read for a multitude of reasons. I particularly loved the use of imagery and the interaction between the two main characters. The brotherly bond they share feels incredibly real; it’s easy to tell Luke and Garrett have grown up together.”

The End is Nigh

So we’ve reached a new stage in writing Swords of Winter. Today we finished the last edit of the novel. Despite two years of editing and rewriting, we never actually had a complete manuscript. We now have the book as a complete piece of work and it’s ready for beta readers. It’s a pretty strange feeling to think the editing is almost over and we’ll soon be able to start writing new chapters for the second book. Thankfully, we already have 50,000 words down on paper for the sequel and what’s left to write are chapters that will fit into storyline gaps and the all-important final chapter.

We’re both really looking forward to being able to let our creativity free again, and write new scenes and characters into our story. After so many months of editing, the fun has really been drained out of writing lately and getting that enjoyment back will be amazing.

We have come to realise that the editing is undoubtedly the evil aftermath of the fun stuff. However, this doesn’t mean you can skimp on it. To have a half-polished book is something neither of us ever want to be associated with. Like every job there’s a hard side, and if that means editing only a handful of pages in a day, then so be it. The hardest part of indie publishing is that there’s no one pushing you to achieve goals and that can mean you take shortcuts. The best part about having a cowriter, is the urge to keep your standards high. You have the added pressure of someone expecting a standard equal to or above his or her own. And the constant critiquing from your partner can only ever help your abilities as a writer.

Finally, if anyone is following the blog and would like to help out beta reading, just send us an email through our contact page.