R. Scott Boyer's Blog, page 17

A Great Start to the New Year

First of all, I want to wish all my readers a very happy new year. Hopefully the holiday season has been good to you all, with lots of joy, family, friends, and good food.

I got a nice New Year’s present this morning.  IndieReader has finished their review and given Bobby Ether and the Academy 4.5 stars, calling it “a thrilling action-packed adventure you never want to end.”

The complete review is pasted below and can be found on the IndieReader website, here. On a personal note, I want you all to know that I plan to blog more in 2014, hopefully with lots of new posts about the writing process as well as good news about book one, as well as books two and three, as I move forward with making them available to readers.

Bobby Ether And The Academy
By R. Scott Boyer

IR Verdict: BOBBY ETHER AND THE ACADEMY is a thrilling action-packed adventure you never want to end.

Book Reviews, eBooks, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction, IR Approved, Urban Fiction, Young Adult  •  Jan 01, 2014

BOBBY ETHER AND THE ACADEMY reels you in from the first line:  It would take a miracle to win the game.  And, lo and behold, fourteen-year-old Bobby somehow, miraculously, makes the last-second shot to defeat his basketball team’s middle-school rivals – a shot that oddly veers from its initial woefully short trajectory.   The team cheers, but where, he wonders, could his parents be?  From this moment on, Bobby’s life will never be the same.

Bobby clearly has some kind of mysterious power, and as soon as the game is over, Bobby finds himself hotly pursued by various shadowy figures.   There’s Cassandra, a strange woman who claims to know Bobby’s grandfather and offers to protect him from evil.   Simpkins and Hayward, two dangerous henchmen, eventually capture Bobby.  They take him to the Academy where he is told he is now an orphan.   Headmistress Grayson convinces Bobby it is in his best interest to stay at the Academy, train with the monks, master his abilities, and use those powers to avenge his parents’ death.  Bobby is hooked.

Until…Bobby graduates from being the awkward inept newbie to the hero who eludes bears and discovers the giant colony of diffident paradoxa mushrooms – highly prized by Headmistress Grayson.  His exalted celebrity status sets off a chain reaction as Bobby and his pals grow more and more curious as to the true purpose of the Academy, and how it is that Bobby came to be there.

Boyer knows how to build suspense and leave you hanging at the end of every chapter, eager to read on.   His chapters are short, too, so before you know it, you’ve spent the entire afternoon with Bobby Ether and the Academy.   Without a doubt, this book evokes a more well-known tale of a boy wizard finding his way in a strange school.  But no matter, Bobby’s story is great fun and compelling.

BOBBY ETHER AND THE ACADEMY is a thrilling action-packed adventure you never want to end.

Reviewed by Lucy Wang for IndieReader.

- See more at: http://indiereader.com/2014/01/bobby-ether-academy/#sthash.9hGkuZJS.dpuf

Five Stars for Bobby Ether and the Academy

Foreword Clarion Reviews posted their review for my debut novel, Bobby Ether and the Academy today. To say that I am pleased with the review is an understatement. Clearly, the reviewer understood what I was trying to do by mentioning that “None of this is about magic. Instead, it’s about the world’s energy.”

FCR gave the book five out of five stars and provided a money quote that reads: ”Tragedy, mystery, and suspense make this scientific coming-of-age story a fascinating read.”

You can read the entire review on Foreword Clarion Reviews’s official website here.

 

 

Mollydee Interview

One of my biggest fans, and now a dear friend of mine, Melissa Grabowski (Mollydee), recently featured me and my first book, Bobby Ether and the Academy, on her website, Mismatched Bookends. Her intro of me and review of the book can be found here.

We are now in the process of putting together an interview for both our readers. She’s given me a list of questions about the first book, as well as about me, and writing in general. I think people are really going to enjoy the interview once we’re finished (hopefully in the next few days).

In the mean time, please stop by Mollydee’s website and take a look and what she’s got going on. She has some great interviews with other authors, as well as reviews of tons of books (She is a voracious reader). She even has ‘bookish’ quote sof the day, which are lots of fun.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my big 4-0 birthday and its been great so far. This past weekend, I had a fantastic time down at Dockweiler RV park and Yard House in Marina Del Rey, celebratingwith friends and family. Now that the actual day arrived, I’m enjoying a nice, relaxing day, soon to be followed by a nice dinner with my parents.

Perhaps the highlight of the day so far, is this adorable video card my father sent me this morning. Take a look. If this doesn’t put a smile on your face, something’s wrong.

http://www.123greetings.com/send/view/11327013913933251346

Kirkus Review

I am pleased to announce that the Kirkus Review for my debut novel, Bobby Ether and the Academy, arrived today. As with most reviews, there is some bad along with the good, but overall I am pleased with the review and find it to be a fair and honest portrayal of the book. Here is what Kirkus Review had to say:

BOOK REVIEW

A young teen basketball star discovers he has special powers in Boyer’s debut YA adventure.

Bobby Ether knows something strange has happened when he makes a last-minute basket from across the court. It wasn’t his physical skill that made it happen, but something else—an occurrence confirmed for him by the appearance of a mysterious woman named Cassandra, sent by his absent grandfather to keep him safe from people who would force him to go to a place called the Academy. But with little reason to trust Cassandra beyond her assurances, Bobby takes matters into his own hands and ends up transported against his will to a mysterious school in Tibet, where gifted children learn to use energy manipulation that others call magic. Told that Cassandra had his parents murdered, Bobby vows to learn to use his talent to get revenge. What follows is a magic-school story with a twist: Though Bobby makes true friends and learns important lessons from his teachers, the Academy is as bad a place as Cassandra warned. Talented students go missing, and the headmistress is addicted to her own power. But even the headmistress is answering to a higher authority, and Bobby Ether is at the center of her plans. The philosophies espoused about otherworldly abilities and energy in the book are interesting, and Bobby’s efforts to visualize overcoming the barrier to his supernatural talents is well-depicted, but readers may be frustrated by the indirect portrayal of the way magic functions in Bobby’s world. Bobby’s friendships are similar; he’s instantly friends with a small group of distinctly drawn characters, but the relationships show little development. Still, the conspiracies that drive the plot and the non-Western atmosphere will appeal to readers looking for something a little different from American or British schools for wizards.

An intriguing debut adventure from Boyer with a cliffhanger ending.

Competency

Many years ago, I had a boss who taught me about the various levels of competence. As a basketball coach and volunteer who loves working with kids, I have found this simple model extremely helpful in teaching  a new skill, or gauging someone’s progress. It wasn’t until I started writing, however, that I truly discovered just how daunting the task of transitioning between stages can be.

The first four stages are: (1) unconscious incompetence, (2) conscious incompetence, (3) conscious competence, and (4) unconscious competence. Don’t let the similar names fool you, there are vast differences between each group. Learning how to quickly and effectively traverse these barriers has been instrumental in my growth, both as a writer, and as a person. Let’s take a closer look:

Unconscious incompetence simply means that you’re bad at something and don’t even know it––you’re not conscious of the fact that you suck. In your mind, you think you’re good, and don’t realize the rest of the world doesn’t share your opinion. For a lot of writers, this is a common holding position. They’re not good, but they think they are, and therefore never make any serious strides to improve.

The second stage, conscious competence, is perhaps the most critical. It’s the light bulb––the epiphany that you’re not good at something. It involves taking the blinders off and realizing that you’re writing isn’t nearly at the level you always thought it was. This may seem like a horrible stage to be, but it’s actually wonderful in my opinion. Why? Because it leads to the next step, which is learning how to become better.

Conscious competence is the ability to do something by applying yourself. It means that you can do it, but you have to consciously work at it in order to get it right. Think about the alphabet song, or practicing arithmetic––tools you consciously applied until you knew the lessons by heart. For good writers, this stage often involves learning to avoid the passive voice, shun the excessive use of adverbs, and to tell facts but show emotions. If you’re still learning these conventions as a writer, don’t panic. It’s all part of the process.

Unconscious competence is the stage everyone wants to get to. It’s the ability to perform a task without having to think about it. Most adults can tie their shoes without a second thought. When you’re two, however, you’re still reciting ‘make a loop, pass it through, and pull!” Almost any person can reach this level of skill via one simple step: practice. For writers, that means writing, then rewriting, and then rewriting what you already re-wrote. When you start to get it right the first time, requiring fewer and fewer rewrites, you’re passing over from conscious to unconscious competence.

There’s actually a final stage, simply called ‘Mastery.’ I doubt it needs much explanation and we all know who these people are: the writers that go beyond the suggested guidelines of good writing to a whole other level––a place that the rest of us just stare at with envy. Not everyone can master a given skill, whether it’s writing, pro sports, music, or art. Blessed are the few that take their craft to a whole other level. They all have one thing in common, however: they all had to pass through the other phases first.

From one lifelong student to another, I invite you to find yourself on the writing ladder of competence and get climbing. ☺

GoodReads Giveaway

I am thrilled to announce that, in honor of my 40th birthday, I am giving away ten free signed copy of my debut novel, Bobby Ether and the Academy. The giveaway is being hosted by Goodreads.com, with the winners selected on my birthday, November 27th.

To participate in this awesome giveaway, log in to your Goodreads.com account and sign up for a chance to win.

Goodreads Book Giveaway


Bobby Ether and the Academy
by Scott Boyer

Giveaway ends November 27, 2013.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

The MultiVerse (The Awesome Power of ‘Save As’)

One of the biggest fears many writers have is the fear of not getting it right. Often times, this anxiety can be so debilitating that the story grinds to a halt, the author unable to progress because the story’s current status isn’t perfect (perfection is a myth, but that’s a post for another time). The purpose of this post is to assure my fellow writers that there is a way to escape the incapacitating fear of imperfection. I call it ‘the multiverse.’

The multiverse is the multitude of universes created by alternate versions of the same story. Here’s how it works: Any time I feel like something I’m working on is less than perfect crap, I either make a new document to work on a specific section, or ‘Save As’ and create a whole new draft. Now I’m free to beat, bludgeon, and disembowel the scene I’m working on without fear of harming a single ‘verse’ in the prior draft. Heaven forbid the new version ends up worse than the original, I just start over again with another draft in another alternate universe.

I confess it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Like many authors, I frequently get attached to my writing. Scenes written in the pool (see my post about this here) are especially dear to me, which makes deleting them especially gut wrenching. Thanks to the multiverse, I don’t have to. Whenever I feel the need to carve out or trim down something I really like, I simply make a new file.

Now, all those alternate events still exist. Bobby and Jinx have had dozens of adventures that didn’t make it into the final draft of the Academy. In my first full version, I had a sixty-page section in which Bobby and his friends explored additional levels of the Archives, discovering ancient catacombs and an old headmaster’s crypt. Later, Bobby and the gang got caught and sent to the mines (again). There, Ashley locked Bobby inside a sealed chamber and deactivated the hydraulic door, causing it to explode under the geothermal pressure, nearly burying Bobby alive.

Due to length, I condensed this section following my second draft (the book was 131k words at the time), but those earlier versions still exist. In the multiverse, Bobby and his friends still find Master Jong’s scroll-copying station tucked away deep in the catacombs, and Jinx’s imagination still runs wild, convincing him that a hooded Master Jong is really a ghoulish apparition.

The bottom line is that, courtesy of the multiverse, nothing is every truly gone. All of those wonderful adventures still exist, like actors frozen in time, ready to resume as soon as their audience returns.

So the next time you’re struggling with what to write next, or afraid to mess up what you’ve already got, take advantage of ‘Save As’ and expand your multiverse. Then go ahead and explore the possibilities risk-free. I think you’ll be pleased with the results.

For anyone interested, my book, Bobby Ether and the Academy, is a young adult adventure story that blends urban fantasy with new-age/spiritual fiction (Think Harry Potter meets the Celestine Prophecy). It’s full of excitement, mystery, and just a hint of magic. More information can be found on the Facebook page, or on the about me section of this site.

The Pool

I have an expression I use for when I’m able to truly visualize my characters and their stories––those times when it feel like I’m not creating so much as witnessing and chronicling their adventures. I call it ‘being in the pool.’

I use this expression because it seems to me that the creative process is a lot like trying to see underwater. From dry land, the depths of the pool look fuzzy and blurred. Clarity only comes when I submerge myself and gaze below the surface.

Of course, even then the story might be hard to see. Imagine a coral reef thirty feet deep, bursting with sea life. Anyone whose ever gone snorkeling or scuba diving knows you can’t see that depth clearly from the surface (I love scuba btw!). On the other hand, everything jumps out at you when you invert and swim down to the reef. Up close, the vibrant colors and glittering splendor draw you in and make you part of their world.

Sometimes I’m literally in a pool or jacuzzi when I write. Other times I’m on the trail with my dog, Patch. Some of my best writing has happened at the dog park, or while driving to my mother’s place in Rancho Mirage. For me, it’s not about being at a keyboard; it’s about occupying the same space as my characters. Once I’m in the pool, I can play with them like Barbie dolls, putting them in different settings and seeing how they react. I also get to see the plot grow, develop, and sometimes even change as a result.

In many ways, the characters in my books are like friends: I have to hang out with them in order to really know what’s going on. Most of the time when I’m not connecting with them, it’s my fault. I’ve been neglecting them and, just like real friends, they resent me for it and don’t want to talk to me.

During those times, I often I think of my dog, Patch. When I’ve been gone all day at work, leaving him home alone, I have no right to expect him to be excited to see me when I finally walk through the door. Of course, he’s usually thrilled I’m home and eager to play, but some times he’s cranky that I was gone for so long (he lets me know this by pointedly ignoring me while he chews a bone).

In those times, I have no right to demand attention. I deserve the cold shoulder treatment. My job is to be patient and give him the affection he deserves until he’s ready to reciprocate. Given time, he always warms up to me. Good characters are the same way: they respond to attention, rewarding you with key insights to their personalities and the stories they have to share the more time you spend with them.

Some of the best personality quarks of my characters were whispered to me in the stillness of the pool: Hayward and Simpkins’s penchant for seventies garb; Willy’s emotional codependency with his ferret, Siphon; the twisted genes that cause Jinx’s abilities to backfire…

Remember that the real goal is to play with your friends, whether they’re furry or fictitious, real or imagined. Give them attention and you’ll be amazed what you discover.

For anyone interested, my book, Bobby Ether and the Academy, is a young adult adventure story that blends fantasy with new-age/spiritual fiction (Think Harry Potter meets the Celestine Prophecy). It’s full of excitement, mystery, and just a hint of magic. More information about the book and about me can be found on my website at: http://www.RScottBoyer.com.

Jennifer Niven

I am blessed to have an abundance of wonderful and truly amazing people in my life. Among them is my dear friend, Jennifer Niven, author of the four-novel Velva Jean series as well as non-fiction books The Ice Master and Ada Blackjack. She also wrote a memoir, The Aqua Net Diaries, about her adventurous and often hilarious high school days in Richmond, Indiana. Jennifer is not just an incredibly gifted writer, she is an amazing person, so please take the time to check out her website and show your support.

Now to the fun stuff! Jennifer has graciously invited me to write an article or two for her website, while at the same time encouraging me to post a few on my own. The focus is on what it’s been like writing my first novel, as well as the process (and angst) of being a writer in general. Toward that end, I have already written four blog posts, two of which will  appear directly on Jennifer’s site, and two more which I will post here and hopefully re-blog on Jennifer’s site sometime down the road.

To kick things off, I’m posting a piece I call ‘The Pool,’ talking about the process of visualizing characters and telling their stories. I hope you enjoy it. If so, be sure to check out Jennifer’s site later this week where we’ll be posting the first piece I wrote for her called ‘Writers Write,’ in which I recount powerful questions brought up during a novel-writing class three years ago and the new questions I find myself asking now.