C.J. Burright's Blog, page 28

St. Patrick’s Day Blog Guest – Author Celia Breslin

Why should you never iron a four leaf clover? You don’t want to press your luck. Bawahahaha! Okay, that’s my Irish joke for the year.

Photo courtesy of Maren Kristensen

Today, I’m all atingle to have the marvelous Celia Breslin as my guest. I ran her through the author ringer (the penalty for being on my blog), and this is what she had to say:

Hi, Everyone! C.J., thanks for having me over for a visit today. I’m ready to rock some answers for you. Fire away…

How many books are planned in the Tranquilli Bloodline Series? Five main books were originally planned for Carina, plus some short story and novellas for secondary characters. I reserve the right to adjust as the story and my Muse dictate.   I’m also stewing on a spin-off, paranormal romance werewolf series. Yes, you read that correctly — I have werewolves in my vampires, lol.

Who is your favorite character from Haven and why? In truth, all my Haven characters hold a piece of my heart. But I have to confess Carina’s mentor Jonas is my favorite. An ancient vampire originally from England, Jonas embodies extreme violence in a pretty package.  He’s a man of few words, dark and moody, fiercely loyal and violently protective of those few people he loves (such as Carina). I adore Jonas so much I gave him his own story, a short prequel to Haven entitled “Vampire Code.” It released October 2013 from Champagne Books.

C.J.: I have a particular fondness for Jonas too. He’s violently protective – gotta love it.

Do you prefer to write fight scenes or love scenes? It’s a full-on tie right there. Both are oodles of fun.

What’s your current WIP? Oh geez, are the vampires watching? ::casts furtive glances, dons sunglasses:: … Vampire series book 2 is in the works, but I’m also working on a Fae paranormal romance. *Sh*… don’t tell my vamps. They’re quite territorial.

C.J.:  Ooh, can’t wait to read your Fae story!

If you could have any super power, which would you choose and why? Hm, so many good powers out there. Carina’s ability to burn dead things is fun, but I think I’d like to fly. Or, have super strength. And telepathy. Aw, c’mon, C. J., let me have more than one!

What are you currently reading? I just recently tore through Eliza Knight’s erotic romance, Highland Bound trilogy–Behind the Plaid, Bared to the Laird, and Dark Side of the Laird. Two fantastic characters, gripping plot, a touch of the paranormal, and one compelling and sexy-as-hell love story.

Since today is St. Patrick’s Day and I know you’ve got some Irish blood going on, anything special you’re doing to celebrate and/or any tips to avoid bad fey?

Corned beef and cabbage is going in the slow cooker. Soda bread and ale and/or whiskey for the grown-ups, sparkling apple cider for the kiddos.  Sweet treats will be had by all, including any Fey visitors — everyone loves sweets!

If you were stuck on an island and could choose three things (or people) to be magically flashed to you, what or who would they be? My family without question, along with a genie in a bottle so we could have unlimited access to food and shelter and entertainment.

C.J.: A genie? Really? That’s totally cheating!

Photo courtesy of flickr

Favorites Flash Round

Ice cream: actually, gelato or sorbet

Movie:  currently, The Cabin in the Woods. Joss Whedon RULES.

Book Boyfriend: Can I have more than one? Well, in my stories… I’d say my man Jonas, but he prefers the company of men. And Carina will kill me if I say her fated mate, Alexander. He’s so hot with those smoky baby blues, lips to die for, and that scruffy hair I want to slip my finger into–oops. *ahem* nope, don’t want Carina to rip my head off, so… ::whispers:: Ravi. My merman. And Marcas, my earth Fae. Did the vamps hear that? Eep.

CJ: Oh, yeah. Ravi…sigh. And Alexander. When do we get to meet this Marcas you speak of? Not nice to tease.

Season: Fall

TV show: currently enjoying Dracula, Vampire Diaries, and the Originals (vampires, vampires, and more vampires, please)

C.J.:  Yep, yep, and yep.

Drink: sake, soy thai iced tea, Peets Mayan soy mocha

Shoes: yes, I wear shoes… doesn’t everyone?

C.J.:  FAVORITE shoes, Celia, FAVORITE!

Artist: Amy Sol

Sports team: does Cirque du Soleil count?

Guilty pleasure: dark chocolate, especially Poco Dolce.

What a fun interview, C.J.! Happy St. Patrick’s day to one and all! ::waves::

C.J.:  Thanks so much for being my guest today – love Haven and Vampire Code!!

Haven By Celia Breslin - Book 1, Tranquilli Bloodline Series - Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance

San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli works hard, plays hard, and never allows the death of her parents and her twelve-year memory gap to get her down. But her life takes a left turn when a witch attacks her on her twenty-fifth birthday.

Three hauntingly familiar vampires emerge to reveal she possesses a latent power. To protect her from their enemies, they admit to wiping her memories clean and abandoning her as a child, but now they need her help. As she struggles to evade her new protectors and even newer enemies, she meets Alexander, an enigmatic, undead musician. Insta-lust flares, leaving her wanting more.

With evil’s minions hounding her every move, and everything she thought she knew turned on its head, Carina must harness her burgeoning power, unravel her vampire family’s web of deceit, and fight to have a love life…without getting killed in the process.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Celia Breslin writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She lives in California with her family and two feisty cats. When not writing, you’ll find her exercising, reading a good book or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies.

Web site * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Spring Fling Blog Hop

Welcome to the Spring Fling Blog Hop! 1st Grand Prize – Paperwhite Kindle. 2nd Grand Prize – $25 Amazon Gift Card. Good luck!

Let’s be honest, Spring has its goods and its bads. It’s the season for romance and allergies. Winter clothing clearance and colorful posies. Renewal and the ticking-clock approach of …(horror movie music here)…swimsuit season.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Nador – WANA Commons

I don’t know about you, but my winter hibernation weight doesn’t care that it’s Spring—sometimes clinging all the way into Summer, making that bikini tough to put on. The string of holidays just do me in. Okay, it might be my inability to resist pecan pie, fudge, New Year’s Eve boatload of snacks, and V-Day chocolate. I need to blame something. But I’d prefer not to scare people when I go to the lake or the beach, so I’m thinking up ways to get rid of the extra poundage while enjoying Spring. Here’s the best five I’ve come up with so far:

1.  Take the dog for a run instead of clomping it out on the treadmill. The scent of freshly mown grass, the bright array of blooming flowers, the fresh, crisp air on my face…Spring almost makes running not suck. I said almost.

2.  Dance in the rain. Which would be another fantastic way for me to scare people. I’ve got the “Elaine” dance (from Seinfeld) down. Ever see a nerd hit it on the dance floor? I didn’t think so.

3.  Chase birds and/or set booby traps. There’s this annoying bird that torments me come Spring. As soon as dawn breaks, it’s yapping its beak. Right. Outside. My. Window. Mornings and me don’t mesh. This year, the bird’s going down.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Nador – WANA Commons

4.  Train my cat to go for a walk. It can be done. Probably get a great arm workout too while the cat’s flailing like a maniac on its harness.

5.  Weed instead of watching Supernatural reruns and noshing on Cheez-Its. The army of weeds has been taunting me. Time to armor up with my iPod, rubber gloves, and clippers and do battle. Maybe my back will survive, but if I’m defeated, there’s always the new season of Game of Thrones to watch while lying flat on the floor.

What do you do to burn off the cold-season hibernation pounds?

Rules, rules, rules…for your chance to win , stop by one of the participating blog hop stops and comment with your email address (March 7-11, 2013). Each hop has its own prize, but to increase your chance of winning the Grand Prize visit EACH blog and comment. The Grand Prize winners will be chosen at random and notified no later than March 15, 2014.  I’d love to give Wonderfully Wicked as my blog hop prize, but since it won’t be available until May 13 (mark it on your calendar – or better pre-order, I won’t mind ), I have to go with an extra-special-something-else:  your choice of $10 gift certificate to iTunes (for tunes to inspire a killer workout), Starbucks (for that skinny, sugar free latte, of course), or Amazon (sure, you want it for a healthy cookbook. I believe you).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a blog hop, so share the love!

 

1.
Books To Go Now
2.
Danica Winters


3.
Sharon Kleve Romantic Ramblings
4.
Joanne Jaytanie~This is not your mother’s romance


5.
Calinda B – Wickedly hot, dangerously fun
6.
Rhonda’s Doings


7.
Dawn Luedecke-Always Have Passion
8.
Inside the Secret World of Allison Bruning


9.
H. A. Somerled
10.
Stories About Love


11.
Mindy Hardwick, Author
12.
Not Necessarily In That Order


13.
Iyana’s Rainbow
14.
Amber Daulton


15.
Natalie-Nicole Bates
16.
Paranormal Hockey


17.
Draven St. James
18.
Knight Blindness


19.
Mina Carter
20.
Marilyn Conner Miles Author


21.
Lisa Chalmers
22.
Jean Joachim – Author


23.
Library of the Seen
24.
Romance Beckons


25.
Draven St. James
26.
Writer Wonderland


27.
LENA HART
28.
Living the Dream


29.
Jess Schira
30.
Jennifer Conner Writer


31.
Kristina Knight, Romance Author
32.
Romance and More


33.
Scandalous Stories
34.
David’s Gift


35.
Sasha Hibbs-Author
36.
Cowboys and Indian Romances


37.
Jade Barnaby
38.
Rayna Noire


39.
Musings
40.
Write Stuff


41.
A.R. Von
42.
John Zunski


43.
The guardian an angel story
44.
Robyn Neeley


45.
Kooks Nook
46.
K C Maguire


47.
Krystal Shannan
48.
Sue Lyndon


49.
laurenmariebooks.com
50.
CJ Burright – Author


51.
More Romance Please
52.
Rhenna Morgan – Author


53.
The Official Website of Tista Ray
54.
Zoe Forward


55.
MYTHICAL BOOKS (INT)
56.
Hilda Huru


57.
Jess Buffett
58.
Willow Brooke


59.
Sinfully Sweet Romances
60.
Danielle Belwater Author


61.
Angela Ford Romantic Escapes
62.
Jackie Marilla


63.
Kelly Ann Jacobson – Author
64.
Aymaran Shadow > Behind The Scenes


65.
Donna M. Zadunajsky
66.
Donna Augustine

 

More Cassie Mae!

I’m sure you’ve heard about How to Date a Nerd (just love that title) by super-funny, amazeballs author Cassie Mae, and now…two more covers in her How to series! Don’t forget to add them to your TBR list.

How to Seduce a Band Geek (How to #2) – Release Date: 05/06/14 from Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads (and here’s the link):

Sierra Livingston’s got it bad for her sister’s best friend, Levi Mason—the boy who carries his drumsticks in his pocket, marches with the school’s band, and taps his feet to whatever beat runs through his head. Sierra racks her brain for ways to impress the sexy drummer, but the short skirts and bursting cleavage don’t seem to cut it.

When Sierra gets paired with Levi’s sister, Brea, for a mentorship program, they strike a deal. In exchange for Sierra keeping her mouth shut about Brea ditching the program, Brea lets Sierra dig for more info on Levi to help get the guy of her dreams.

But when Sierra discovers Levi no longer plays the drums, his family has moved into a trailer, and he’s traded in his Range Rover for a baby blue moped, Sierra’s not sure if she can go through with violating his privacy. She’ll have to find the courage to ask him straight out—if he’s willing to let her in—and explore other ways to seduce the school’s band geek.

How to Hook a Bookworm (How to #3) – Release Date TBD from Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads (and here’s the link):

It’s Brea Mason’s sixteenth birthday, and she has three wishes. 1. Be magically eighteen like the rest of her friends. 2. Grow a money tree for her family whose financial problems are well known about town.  3. Overcome her test anxiety before she flunks out of every class.

But one day later, she’s still sixteen, her family’s money worries abound, and she’s no closer to passing than she was the day before!

Then a very sexy transfer student—with gobs of cash—shows up. Brea figures she has a better chance of burping up glitter than attracting the new guy, but he seems extremely interested in her.

Just when Brea thinks things are looking up, her report card arrives marked with four giant F’s. Enter resident bookworm and Brea’s loyal friend, Adam Silver. If he can’t help Brea pass, no one can.

Even with Adam’s help, Brea can’t handle the mounting pressure, and finds an escape with the new student who knows little about her problems. 

But spending oodles of time with her boyfriend strains the friendship with Adam she relies so heavily on. Faced with losing the only real comfort and support she has ever had, Brea starts to wonder if she can hook a bookworm before it’s too late. 

And don’t forget the start of it all: How to Date a Nerd!

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Amazon multi-category and international bestselling author of HOW TO DATE A NERD, HOW TO SEDUCE A BAND GEEK and HOW TO HOOK A BOOKWORM

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. Her angel children and perfect husband fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Cassie Mae is an Amazon.com bestselling author of the teen contemporary romance novel REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, which she self-published. In addition to publishing with Swoon Romance, she is published by Random House Flirt.

Cassie Contact Info:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest

Cover Reveal organized by the fabulous YA Bound Book Tours

The Soul Healer – Cover Reveal

I’m so excited to be a part of the cover reveal for The Soul Healer, the second book in the Silver Moon Saga by my agency sis Melissa Giogio. I’m even MORE excited to get my hands on The Soul Healer, but I still have to wait…sigh…43 days. To save you some counting time, that would be April 11. Got it on your calendar? Good.

Let’s get right to the goods, shall we?

It’s been two months since Gabi Harkins first learned of demons and the mysterious hunters who battle them. After discovering a few unbelievable surprises about herself, she simply wants to settle into a normal routine that involves dating her boyfriend Rafe Fitzgerald, hanging out with her friends, and eating lots of dessert. But when her peaceful life is destroyed by the ultimate of betrayals, Gabi must rely on her wits—and a few new crazy friends—to survive her hardest challenges yet.

The sequel to The Sight Seer combines action, romance, and a healthy dose of humor as Gabi struggles to learn the truth about the secrets that surround her life.

Don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads TBR list! It’s so easy! Just click here. And here’s the scoop on Melissa:

Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English. She’s always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl. Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels. When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan.

Show Melissa some love! Website * Twitter * FB

 

 

Bound to Paranormal Unbound!!

I’m all a-tingle to be a guest on Paranormal Unbound today – woo-hoo! Celia Breslin asked me some interesting (and fun) questions. Drop in. Talk to me about your worst nightmare. Or greatest fear. Hey, make something up – just be sure to drop by right here…

PARANORMAL UNBOUND!!

 

 

Don’t make me send an army of clowns with chainsaws your way. Comment for your own safety.

A Virtual Vacation

I’m sick of snow and cold, gray skies and long nights. I’m taking a vacay to somewhere warm and wavy…wanna come along?

Yep, he’s tagging along too.

I can’t tell you to close your eyes since you have to read to know where we’re going, so you’ll have to be strong and focus. Focus, people, focus! This is a virtual vacation here! Step outside with Mr. Hunky up there. Inhale, deep and slow. Ah, yes. Coconut oil (Hunk just slathered some on. He’ll see to you later, promise). A tinge of salt. A breeze warms your face, and a hint of jasmine perfumes the air, there and gone.

Photo courtesy of flickr

Hunk grabs your hand and tugs you onward down a packed earth path. You trail your free hand along the shrubs lining both sides, the leaves waxy and smooth beneath your fingers. Palm trees tangle in a rustling canopy overhead, and splinters of golden light splash on greenery and blooms of white, a promise of heat to come.

Ahead, beyond Hunk’s broad back, glints of aching blue break through the green and the crush and slide of surf on sand greet your ears. The tension in your shoulders, that last tight, winter hold, melts away with each step. Hunk flashes you a grin, and the foliage breaks.

Photo courtesy of flickr

A sea of turquoise tumbles beyond the stretch of sparkling sand. You stop and kick off your sandals, the sun a soothing hand on your head. Your bare toes sink into the powder-soft sand, and as lift your face to the cloudless sky, Hunk elbows you and points to the ground. Don’t growl at him. Just look and sigh.

photo courtesy of lineCra visit her page at Deviant Art
http://linecra.deviantart.com/art/Bea...

Happy V-Day, everyone! Stay warm!

Age Matters?

I recently saw an article (and I wish I could remember where) that a writer had been encouraged by her agent or publisher to change the age of her character. She was basically told that women want to read about characters in their 20s so they can fantasize about being that age again. That romance novels with older protagonists don’t sell. Um…

Illustration courtesy of Dragoart.com

Now, I’m not an expert on the romance novel market by any means, and maybe that statement is correct. Still, it ticked me off. I like to read romance, but I don’t fantasize about being 20 again. Sure, I’d like the ability to function on three hours of Z-time, but I like who I am now. I had no clue who I even was then. Okay, a little clue, but I had yet to settle into my skin. Lemme tell ya – a wrinkle or two and a stray gray hair does not impair one’s ability to kick some patooty. I know lots of women in their 40s who do it on a daily basis–I like to think I’m in that category. Hey, whatever. I have a black belt and work out. A lot. Don’t judge.

And I don’t remember ever paying attention to the age of the protagonist in the romance books I read. Is it because they were all in their 20s or 30s? Would I remember specifically if the character was 40? 50? Have I not picked up a book because my market-brainwashed subconscious recognized the protagonist as too old? Is that why the characters I write are in their 20s? Gah!

photo courtesy of fierceandfabulousfuture.com

I like what wise 60 Minutes correspondent Andy Rooney had to say about women over 40:

As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, ‘What are you thinking?’ She doesn’t care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn’t want to watch the game, she doesn’t sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it’s usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won’t hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it’s like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forth right and honest. They’ll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one . You don’t ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons Unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”, here’s an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why?  Because women realize it’s not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

Sausage Dog by arjhun of customize.org

I’m very tempted to write a novel with a 40-something, kick-ass, dagger-wielding heroine who totally gets the guy (age negotiable). How about you? Have you read/written a heroine 40 or over? Do you care about age at all when you read?

Testing, Testing…1-2-3

I’ve been sick all week (bleh) and having blog issues (double-bleh), so I’m reblogging an excellent article from Double Barrel. Just to make sure my posts are going out like a good, obedient blog should, could I sweet-talk a few of you into commenting to confirm you got it so I don’t have to bother my amazing web-guy to go in and kick some more techie butt? What are your big plans for the weekend?

The original Star Wars trilogy is the primary cultural touchstone for an entire generation. Like a billion other people my age, I’ve seen them enough that I pretty much know every frame of all three movies. Because of its familiarity, its simplicity, and its specific brilliance, Star Wars has excellent lessons to teach those of us who like to write and draw stories.


Lesson 1: Update a Classic to Suit your Era
Star Wars is said to have many influences, from Joseph Campbell to Akira Kurosawa, but the one I’d like to focus on is Flash Gordon. Alex Raymond’s space fantasy comic strip and the movie serials based on it from the 1930s and 40s were one of the first to capture that vibe of “using science like magic” that Star Wars brought to the forefront.


But by the 1970s, Flash Gordon as a hero was becoming something of an anachronism. He was designed like a lot of old depression- or war-era heroes like Doc Savage in that he was a shining paragon of humanity and essentially had no flaws (other than, perhaps, that he cared too much). Despite the fact that Star Wars was meant from the outset to be a throwback to that simpler time, audiences that were used to more serious, adult films would probably have rejected a hero that uncomplicated. So rather than trick out a Flash Gordon-like hero with conflicting emotions, the movie splits that one character into three heroes, each embodying one of the three main traits that Flash had. I call them: The Strategist, The Moral Compass, and The Instrument of Justice.

In the old Flash Gordon comic strips, Flash not only knew what to do and how to do it, he knew why, and what’s more, he was the one to go out and get it done. In Star Wars, we see that it’s Princess Leia (The Moral Compass) who knows what must be done and why, Han Solo (The Strategist) who can figure out how, and Luke (The Instrument of Justice) who goes out and does it. Because of that division of roles, the world of Star Wars can appear to be slightly more emotionally realistic and nuanced than that of Flash Gordon to movie audiences in the 1970s.

Other Flash Gordon cast members appear in Star Wars, of course. The wise Dr. Zarkov becomes Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ming the Merciless becomes Darth Vader, and the beautiful but helpless Dale Arden becomes Princess Leia again, because Princess Leia still gets captured all the time–she just has more to say about it.

R2-D2 and C-3PO are versions of characters from a different story — Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress, in this case — and they serve as a way to ease the audience into this new style. But they themselves are an update of a very old type of character. Like Rosencranz and Guildenstern from Hamlet, they are largely observers and commenters, and their viewpoint and interplay allow us to jump into the middle of a great war, knowing that they will keep us up-to-date.

Lesson 2: Make the Fantastic Familiar
One of the things that Star Wars did that was new to viewers was that it presented fantastical ships and wondrous places and then had its characters move about and around them as if they were completely ordinary. Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder, a fast, sleek hovercraft that anyone even now — much less in the 70s — would drool over, is sold, presumably for scrap metal, without a second thought. The Millenium Falcon, one of coolest, most iconic spaceships in all pop culture, when revealed for the first time, gets the following comment (say it with me now): “What a piece of junk!” To the characters, a landspeeder is a pickup truck, the Falcon is a rusty old 18-wheeler, and a city of robots, monsters, clone soldiers, and weirdos is no more than “a wretched hive of scum and villainy.”

Beyond that sort of atmospheric dressing, what made Star Wars stand out was that these situations that the characters found themselves in, as fantastic as they were, are familiar to us. Even here, on Earth, we can sympathize with the boy on the moisture farm who has to stay another season instead of do something interesting like join the rebellion. We can recognize the type of cocksure wise guy who spends all his time fixing up his old ride, hanging out with a hirsute buddy, and thinking he’s smarter than everyone else. The things we find familiar in these alien worlds allow us to think that the events that we’re seeing are more than just thrilling and strange, they’re important. They impact us, because they’re disrupting something that we understand. We have a stake in this story.

Lesson 3: Make the Characters Distinctive, Both by Color and Shape
Perhaps no other movie in history did this as well as Star Wars. Every single important character in the Star Wars trilogy is instantly recognizable both in silhouette and in color.







Recognize these people?










How about these?

Even the spaceships, as complicated as they are, with thousands of panels, vents, turrets, and engines, can be drawn from memory by a 5-year-old (or a 39-year-old).

That kind of elegant simplicity meant that the characters, ships, and locations can be used in scenes in many different ways, and the story finds it very easy to keep viewers up-to-date. When something is iconic, we remember it. When we remember it, we remember what it does. When we remember what it does, we know what significance it has when it shows up. There is never one moment of confusing one character — or one ship — for another. We know that it seems risky for Luke to travel by himself to another system in an X-wing fighter because we know that that ship is usually used for short-range dogfights. We believe that the Millennium Falcon can hide in a bunch of space garbage because it’s constantly breaking and being repaired. We can see at a distance that it’s Chewbacca emerging from a scout walker rather than an Imperial Soldier because he’s so darn hairy. And we jump with the characters when the doors open on Cloud City to reveal Darth Vader: huge, black, iconic, and evil. We don’t even have to cut to a close-up; Han Solo can pull his gun and blast him right away because we’ve already gotten all the information we need in one second.

Much of Star Wars was filmed as if it were a silent movie; visuals do a great deal of the heavy lifting in terms of relating relationships (the Blockade Runner fleeing the Star Destroyer), character types (C-3PO’s posture and walk says as much about his personality as his words), and mood (the swamp planet in the Dagobah system is the perfect place to find out some mysterious secrets). A film or comics storyteller could learn a great deal from that.


Lesson 4: String Together Great Scenes, Each with a Definable Goal, in a 3-Act Structure
I think I was actually an adult before I really looked at the logical progression of events in the Star Wars movies, as in: who wanted what, in what order did things happen, and why. Part of it was because I had seen it as a child and didn’t care about that kind of stuff then, but the other part was that Star Wars never delivers a scene just to move the story along. There is always a definable goal that the characters have to accomplish: escape, find runaway droid, hire a pilot, rescue the princess, turn off the tractor beam, blow up the Death Star, etc. Each scene is entertaining, each scene has a sub-goal that serves the greater purpose of the plot, and each scene makes sure you know everything you need to know to enjoy it. When Luke, et al. get to the Death Star, we’re not wondering about what the rest of the rebellion is doing. We’re not worried about anything other than finding out what’s on this station and rescuing the princess.


Similarly, the trilogy itself is a helpful reminder about 3-act structure in the broadest sense.

A New Hope

A more-or-less self-contained story that introduces the time and place, as well as all of the main characters, and gives them all an opportunity to show what they can do.

Empire Strikes Back

More of a downer, in which the heroes, despite finding some secrets to help them achieve their ultimate goal, encounter strong obstacles that put them in their darkest place, defeated and licking their wounds.

Return of the Jedi

The heroes bounce back and defeat the villains after re-strategizing.

Keeping the Star Wars trilogy in mind allows us to understand what the 3-act structure means and why it works to keep us interested. When it becomes hard to remember how a story should run, having the Star Wars movies memorized, like many of us do, helps keep it all organized.

An analysis of A New Hope shows us the perfect way to end each act.


Act 1 ends when the Millennium Falcon departs the Mos Eisley spaceport, just ahead of the Stormtroopers. By that time, we have introduced all heroes and villains and their goals, introduced all important locations, and set the protagonist on a path from which he can’t turn back.
Act 2 ends with the escape from the Death Star. By this time, we have accomplished several of the sub-goals, but also killed off the protagonist’s mentor, and now have the trio of heroes at loose ends, set to break up.
Act 3 ends with the destruction of the Death Star. There is essentially only one long scene, in which the final goal is accomplished. No new information is introduced except for Han Solo’s sudden return right at the climax of the story. The third act is all resolution; simple, straightforward, and satisfying.


Because Star Wars takes hardly any risks whatsoever with its structure, it comes across as a very familiar story to us, despite the fact that what we remember are the brand-new, never-before-seen effects, aliens, and worlds. The familiarity means that we can more easily enjoy what is new.

Conclusion

In school I was frustrated by the fact that I was continually referred to very old, very complex classic novels as having the lessons necessary to make me a good writer. Aside from the fact that I wanted to be a cartoonist and therefore incorporate visuals into my story, these novels were long, complicated, old-fashioned, and frequently not very fun to read. Generally the lessons I absorbed from this line of study was to make my stories as arcane and difficult to parse as possible. This seems a shame since at the same time, I was absorbing stories via movies and comic books at a prodigious rate. If I had turned a more critical eye toward their structure, I might have found ways to understand story and story-telling all the more quickly.

As mentioned above, Star Wars’ ubiquity gives the lessons held within it a resonance that is seldom felt in analyses of other works. Because most aspiring comic book writers (not to stereotype, but prove me wrong if you can) know the Star Wars stories backwards and forwards, pointing out their structure allows them — us — to very quickly internalize it. Knowing the rhythm of a story is the key to keeping it on track, and so a structure around an example is always the best way keep it all in mind.

Star Wars is by no means the best movie that has ever been made. It is derivative, simplistic, and even clunky in places. But it is enjoyable throughout, it is very efficient in its storytelling, and everyone on Earth remembers every single thing about it: the very mark of a perfect story template.

 

Friday Fun

19 years ago today, my beautiful baby girl came into the world. I once told her I never wanted kids, and she was insulted (rightly so–my wording could have been better), but what I meant was this:  I was never “that” girl who dreamed of weddings and flocks of children. But my daughter (and yes, she was totally planned)? I wouldn’t trade her for anything. Not a date with Alex Skarsgard. Not a million dollar book deal. Not…anything. I even went all Suzee Homemaker for her B-day. Look at the cake I made (Reese’s peanut butter cup cake–yum!).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, K!

And now for some fun…

Anyone who knows me at all is aware of my love for cats. Combine them with my Star Wars inner fangirl, and I’m sold. My daughter sent me the link to this video, and since it’s Friday and you should be having a good time…click here and enjoy!

 

photo courtesy of photobucket

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Winter Wonder Man blog hop. It’s great to get to meet new people, connect with people I already know, and give stuff away. The winner of the $50 Amazon gift card is Joanne W. who, apparently, didn’t visit my blog – boo, hiss! But I’m a forgiving person, so congrats all the same.

The winner of my blog prize is Stephanie F. WOOT-WOOT!! Congratulations! Email headed your way.

Today, I’m on Tuesday Talk with Christiney Reads answering a few questions about Wonderfully Wicked and my authorly ways. Hope you drop by!