The Final Frontier

I love Star Trek in all of its reincarnations and adaptations; I even watched the cartoon series with great fervor. I love reading sci-fi too. I’ve written some short sci-fi stories, but until now never attempted a novel.

Why? It’s hard. And it’s not my bailiwick; fantasy worlds also must be constructed, but I know my fairies. I’m also fairly well versed in world religions, so with a little research, I can successfully add a spiritual element or two in between the elves and dryads.

But sci-fi…whew. Aliens have to make sense; you can’t have them be all bug eyed and green skinned and then have them prancing around on earth, um, someone would notice. The science has to make sense. A unique culture must be invented. Language. Arts. Social mores….eeeeeeek.

But I’m doing it. Sci-fi is something I haven’t done yet. Since I've read a lot of it, at least I’m familiar with the genre. And, although I can’t add fairies, I might just be able to sneak in my signature spiritual bit.

It’s scary. But I’ll try to boldly go where I’ve not gone before…

Dresden Files

I’ve just read, no, consumed, all of the available Dresden Files books, including a collection of short stories in the same world. They are riveting, fun, exciting, can’t put ‘em down sort of books.

For you writers this may be no surprise, but I can no longer read for pleasure as well as I used to. That is an unfortunate side effect of the writing profession, I’ve come to realize. I’m constantly worrying if I will unconsciously steal something, I assess why this book is popular, and….I see things my own publishers nag me (rightly so) about…overused words, favorite phrases, “mistakes” in narrator voice.

Jim Butcher does all of those. I’ve found myself mentally whacking out unneeded words and substituting others for his favorites. He pops from 1st person narrative to using an omnipresent first, which is a little jarring.

But you know what? His books are SO good, so fast paced that I don’t do my editing thing nearly as much. The man can tell a story. His characters, well, I love them. I would like to meet them. I want to be friends with them. Well, some of them. His monsters are very creepy. And just when I think he can’t take the plot any further, I mean really…he’s on book fourteen for heaven’s sake…he does.

These books are true escapism, even for a writer. But be warned: once you start you can’t stop.

It’s Harder Than It Looks

I’ve mentioned this before, but it seems like everyone can sing…or write. Nary a few words about my latest book escapes my lips when the asker (and hey, weren’t they asking about me) launches into his or her own desire to write.

I’m cool with that. Mostly. Maybe they do have a book in there. And I’m willing, within reason, to help.  I can’t read every manuscript because I’d never get anything done, but I will offer advice, such as I have, to anyone.

I was talking with a writer the other day. I read his book because he’s a friend. It was good. But as we talked about the other part of writing, aka, marketing, rejections, and more rejections, I could see his heart sinking.

He was sad to find out you have to wait a long time to get a book back from a publisher or agent, and sometimes “no” is simply they never write or send back. You can’t, for the most part, simultaneously submit. Agents and publishers are sometimes less than kind. They can be excited one minute and then decide they don’t want your material. It doesn’t pay very well at first. And on and on. At one point he whispered that’s not fair.

Yeah…sometimes it isn’t. When I’m feeling that way I bring to mind a Jareth quote about unfairness from the movie Labyrinth: you say that so often, I wonder what your basis of comparison is? Publishing is a business and business isn’t personal when it does what it does. It’s just business.That's my basis of comparison.

But of course, that doesn’t help much when you get a mean rejection or never hear back from an agent or publisher. I felt bad for my friend, but that conversation also made me realize I have toughed it out, and I will continue to tough it out. Writing is not for the faint of heart. If nothing else, I can be glad for my stalwart, if often bruised, one. Everyone who has ever sent anything off into the Never Neverland of publishing should be.

Jareth would be so proud. At least I would hope he wouldn't give me one  his nasty peaches. :-)

Amazon Marketing

OK, so my husband likes to take surveys. Of all kinds. I think it's kind of cute. Me, not so much, maybe because I spent a great deal of my life designing them. But anyway, Gary was taking one on what his religious belief's might be (he knows, but he likes to see what a survey would tell him), and lo and behold, up pops an add for my new book beside it. I do tend to put spiritual undertones in my books this one no exception, so that was a nice placement . :-)

Thanks Amazon.



Another Sad Passing

First Anne, now Ray, sigh. His works will live forever. Rest in Peace.

And the Narrator Says…

There are many different “voices” in which an author may choose to write. Without going into them all, I have written in third and first person using the protagonist’s viewpoint. There are subcategories; for example, when I use first person it is first person past with a sprinkling of first person present. Hence, I would say “I bit my lip” as opposed to “I bite my lip.” I do use first present, but only when the person is thinking or saying something in the moment.

Voice has been on my mind a lot ever since I finished the Hunger Games. I really enjoyed them. Different from anything else I’ve ever read (a huge plus for me), and they were riveting. There was something I didn’t like though, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on until I realized it was the voice: this author uses primarily first person present.

For me, there is something jarring about it. The argument some have used is first person present puts you right in the action. Well yes, but for me there is something false about always using first person present… “I bite my lip" is an afterthought…I don’t believe anyone thinks "I bite my lip" while doing it. I believe biting lips HAS to be past, even if only a fraction of a second in the past. Thoughts, in my opinion, are the only thing that can truly be in the moment…or if you are biting and speaking, such as “I replied, biting my lip,” and you have to be careful with an out loud statement, because can you truly do the action you are suggesting and speak at the same time?

That’s just me and my opinion, which I state often when saying things like this. Considering voice in books helps me to better understand not only what I do and don’t like, but how that applies to my own work…

I said, my stomach growling. I bit my cookie and swallowed it almost whole. Oh dear, my waistline will expand, I should watch what I bite.

Read The Reckoning FREE

My newest book, The Reckoning (World Castle Publishing) is free if you have Amazon Prime. Just sayin'. :-)