Kristie Cook's View on the Paranormal

Welcome to Kristie Cook!  She is my second guest on the Romancing the Darkside Tour. 

Contest

Kristie has graciously offered an e copy of each of her books, Promise and Purpose.  She will choose one winner per book from a random drawing.  To enter, leave a comment for Kristie.  Please provide an email where you may be contacted.  Entries must be posted by Midnight on 9/2/11. 

Building the Soul Savers World

One of my favorite parts about writing in the contemporary fantasy genre is world-building. The real world provides a familiar environment to work within, but the genre allows us freedom to create our own creatures, bring in legendary and mythical beings and even bring down the boundaries of time, space and alternative dimensions. As long as we can make it sound believable, we can even break the laws of science.



The characters of my Soul Savers Series occupy our world, although another dimension exists – the spiritual or “Otherworld.” In the Otherworld, angels and demons fight for human souls, but it’s also home to other entities, such as the faeries. The series, however, is about how these Otherworld spirits impact the physical realm and it mostly takes place in our human domain.



In my world, the ruling factions of the Otherworld – the angels and the demons – have each created their own armies on Earth. Vampires, were-creatures and mages (witches, wizards, warlocks and sorcerers) all exist in our world, though in secret. My main characters, however, are none of these, yet all of these. They are my own creation.



In Promise, we only get a glimpse of these secret entities that inhabit our world, learning along with the main character, Alexis. She learns more about them in Purpose, the second book, but it’s in Genesis, a prequel that comes out in October, and Devotion, the third book in the series that releases in February, where we really get to explore this world that exists in our own.



As we become more immersed in the world I’ve created, we learn the rules and parameters. Why are my vampires able to come out in the daylight? (Dracula could, so why not? My vamps prefer the night because daylight weakens them, but it’s amazing what a shot of mage blood can do for them.) Do they have any restrictions at all? (Of course! But not many.) What’s the difference between a witch, a wizard, a warlock and a sorcerer? (Only gender separates a witch and a wizard but the level of power defines a warlock and a sorcerer.) As for the creatures I’ve made up, what powers do they and don’t they have? (It’s dependent on the individual and what gifts the angels give them.)



The most difficult part about writing this or any other fantasy genre is creating rules and sticking to them. If we set a rule early in the book or in the first book of the series, we must stick to that rule throughout. So whatever rules we make, we can’t break them later for the sake of convenience.



For example, in my world, some mages have the ability to “cloak” other people, making them invisible. I’ve had to decide if the spell only works on people or if it “hides” objects, as well. If a woman is holding a purse, is it invisible, too? What if a character is carrying something bigger – perhaps huge? If he picks something up while cloaked, does that object become invisible, too? Or would it be seen as if floating in mid-air? When setting these rules, I have to think ahead and ask myself every possible “what if” situation to ensure I don’t set myself up for future failure.



If we discover later that we need to break a rule we’ve set, we must have a plausible work-around that doesn’t leave the reader thinking, “Puh-lease. That makes no sense at all!” We must be able to convince the reader to believe the exception to the rule.

I think one of the biggest sins an author in any of the fantasy genres can make is assuming the reader won’t notice. After all, I believe readers enjoy reading this genre for the same reason I enjoy writing it – to escape into an alternative world the author has built. In the Soul Savers Series, I have built a unique world within our own, combining the familiar with the fantastical and adding in my own little twists and creations. Now…I better go check what I decided about the invisible purse rule before I write this next scene.

About the Author

Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, from marketing communications to fantasy fiction. She continues to write the Soul Savers Series, with the first two books, Promise and Purpose, available now and the third book, Devotion, coming February 2012. She’s also written a companion novella, Genesis, coming October 2011.

Besides writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and riding on the back of a motorcycle. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls Southwest Florida home with her husband, three teenage sons, a beagle and a puggle.

Promise

When Alexis Ames is attacked by creatures that can’t be real, she decides it’s time she learns who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their family’s secrets closely. After meeting the inhumanly attractive, multi-talented Tristan Knight, however, Alexis retreats behind her façade of normalcy…until she discovers he’s not exactly normal either. Then their secrets begin to unravel.

Their union brings hope and promise to her family’s secret society, the Angels’ army, and to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy – Satan’s minions and Tristan’s creators. After all, Alexis and Tristan are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.

Purpose

Lost in despair, Alexis teeters on the edge of an abyss, her lifeline of hope fraying into a thin thread. If it snaps, she’ll plunge into complete darkness. With the help of her son and her writing, she’s been able to hold on. Until now. Erratic impulses, disturbing delusions and her own demonic blood threaten her sanity. When she’s forced to choose between hanging onto hope or letting go to serve her Amadis purposes, she faces a decision with inconceivable sacrifices.

Alexis runs to the one place she thinks will provide answers, only to find herself at the center of another battle of good versus evil, not only with the Daemoni, not only within herself…but also against the worst opponent imaginable. But even if she wins, what will she lose?

Krisite can be found at:

Author's Website & Blog: http://www.kristiecook.com/

Series Website: http://www.soulsaversseries.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth

Tumbler: http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/kristiecook

Google+: https://plus.google.com/102746226001674797330/posts

Kristie's Books on Amazon

David Fingerman on Do's & Don'ts at Book Fairs

Today I welcome David Fingerman, another author published by L&L Dreamspell.  David offers some advice on ettiquette and selling tips for authors working a Bookfair.

Do's & Don'ts at the Book Fair

For a loner who shuns the public whenever possible, I guiltily admit that I enjoy participating in book fairs even though it's definitely out of my comfort zone. I'm forced to interact with the public, which I suppose is a good thing (especially if I want to sell any books). I have to compete with a myriad of authors, but at least don't have to worry about constantly being the center of attention (although, I do notice some authors strive for that). But for me, I can sit (and/or stand) for hours and observe people. I love observing.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of participating in the Northwoods Art Festival and Book Fair. It took place in Hackensack, MN, population a tad above 300. What's wrong with this picture? As it turned out ~ absolutely nothing. Always unpredictable, this year the weather couldn't have been better. Mostly sunny with the temperature in the 70s. The artists had it great. For us authors, weather wasn't a big deal because we were indoors (but had it been raining I'm sure that would've driven down the attendance). As it was, I think the entire town showed up, along with neighboring towns, and tourists. There were only about twenty or so of us authors, so – less competition.

Another plus was I got to observe the book fair as a whole while staying behind my table. Unlike the huge book fairs that cater to thousands of people, the atmosphere here was laid back and I could actually converse with people without having to raise my voice above the din. And like all book fairs, I got to observe a lot of do's and don'ts.

Setting up a nice table is key. Grab the reader's attention. Gimmicks are good. For my novel, "Spyder" I had little rub-on spider tattoos scattered around the book (kids love 'em and drag their parents to my table). Behind me, a woman who had a couple of adventure books about her pup, had a dog dish with candy and had set up other pet paraphernalia. Down the row another author had copies of her book stacked on the table and that was all. I have no idea if she made any sales, but I did notice people glance at her table and keep moving. As an author she also did nothing to attract them. She didn't engage them in conversation, and didn't even smile (at least that I saw).

That brings me to the author. First off, dress appropriate. Unless it's a theme fair, I suggest smart-casual. If you have the personality for it, maybe over-the-top might be a good ploy to get more attention. But a tee shirt, shorts, and flip-flops definitely sends a message of why should I care.

Don't leave your table unattended. Most book fairs have staff that will gladly sit in if you need a bathroom break. At the very least ask the author at the next table to keep an eye on your books. I noticed one table that sat vacant for over half-an-hour. I'm guessing that the author wanted to check out the art festival. But while he was out a number of people stopped, thumbed through his book, saw no one, then wandered to the next table.

Another don't, and this is a pisser. Don't try to drag a potential customer from another author to your table. I only saw this once a couple of years ago. While one author was chatting with a reader, the guy at the next table interrupted and started pimping his own book. It went beyond rude. I don't know if it was staff or the author, but someone said something and he only did it that once. Show your fellow authors respect!

I'd like to wrap up by talking a little about the mystery writer who sat across from me. While my sales were adequate, this woman raked up. She did everything right. It was obvious she had invested a lot of herself and a lot of money into her writing as a business. She radiated confidence, was outgoing, but not to the point of being obnoxious. It seemed to come natural for her (I hate people like that – mostly because I'm jealous). She dressed professional, her table was well set up, and her two novels had a number of award stickers plastered onto them. I had never heard of most of the awards, but they definitely caught my curiosity and suspicions.

When I got home I logged onto my computer and checked a few of them out. A couple of the contests the sticker said she was a finalist in had about a dozen finalists in just about every category imaginable. Whether it be true or false, I got the feeling that if you didn't win, at least you were a finalist. I also noticed that some of the contest entrance fees were quite expensive. One contest could cost up to $190. In other words, you're buying award stickers.

Yes, there are many good contests out there, just as there are many that I would question their legitimacy. As an author, I had to roll my eyes at buying an award sticker. But as an entrepreneur, I thought it was genius. This writer made a lot of sales because people want to read award winners. And who but other authors are actually going to check out contest awards?

So there you have it. I'm not going to go into the morals of buying award stickers. If you feel comfortable, and have the money – it works, I saw that firsthand. If it feels dishonest then don't do it – best to feel good about yourself. As for the rest of it, I think I can narrow it down to two words ~ be professional.

You can learn more about David at his website. 

During the summer months when the sun is shining and birds singing, I'm perfectly content to sit in my office, with blinds drawn, typing away at my computer. My favorite day of the year is the first day I pull a flannel shirt out of the closet. After 24 years of working in the court system, I walked away to write full time. "Edging past Reality" is my first book of short stories. "Silent Kill" is my first novel, a suspense/thriller. My second novel, "Spyder" is more of an urban adventure. "Playing the Hand She's Dealt" a sequel to"Silent Kill" will be released soon.



B. K. Walker on Her Paranormal World

Today, I welcome B. K. Walker to Immortyl Revolution. She is part of the Romancing the Darkside Tour.  I'll be hosting several other authors as part of this series.  There will be drawings to go with these posts.  I've asked the authors to provide me with a little insight on how they build their paranormal worlds.  So without further ado, here is B. K.! 

Thank you so much Denise for having back at your blog. It's always a pleasure chatting with your readers. I'm having so much fun touring with these magnificent authors for Romancing Your Dark Side Tour. It's still early and already I've met some great people. Before we get started, I just want to let your readers know that by leaving a comment today and at any blog along this tour they will be entered into our grand prize drawing for a brand new Kindle and a Virtual Gift Basket full of goodies. You gain an entry for each blog you comment at, and you can find the entire schedule with a giveaway at each stop over at http://www.vbtcafe.com/.

Today's giveaway - 2 e-copies of Night Secrets, or readers choice of e-book from my backlist. Please leave a comment for B. K. in order to enter.  Names will be chosen by random drawing.  Commenters must post by midnight EDT Wed. 8/23/11. Please provide an email address where you may be contacted.

Creating My Paranormal World in an Everyday Setting

I love writing in the paranormal fiction genre. Not only can I create a world all of my own, but I can make things happen that you may not normally see. I can throw my characters in a modern day life, I can take them back in time, I can create magic that may never have even been heard of in our world. That's the greatness of writing in this type of genre. I can just let my imagination run wild.

What's the catch though? It must be believable. Even though I write about vampires, werewolves, witches, faeries, and whatever else I may throw into the mix, my characters, no matter what I'm writing, must be believable. If a reader can't connect, or imagine that character in it's description, then I'm not doing my job. Yes, you may see things in my vampires or werewolves that you see in other novels, but what separates my writing from the rest? It's the mix. Not too often do you see vampires, witches, werewolves, and/or faeries all in one story, and if you do, it's often for a brief scene. With my writing though, my make believe all work together, coincide together, live together. They may not always like each other, but they are all there in the forefront making the action happen. I've been told many times by readers that they've never seen such a diverse group of characters in their reading as what they've read in my books. The plus side, it works. It creates a world for readers that not only is believable, but that they want to read to find out more.

In Dares And Dreams, my main character, Lannie Spenser is a witch coming into her full powers when she turns 21. What she faces is also becoming half vampire, like her mother who is already a Vamp-Witch, in order to save herself and her coven from an evil vampire king that hunts her for those powers.

In Immortyl Kisses, Raine is hunted by a rogue vampire simply because she smells good. She's protected by a vampire and a werewolf, and she harbors feelings for both. Both vampire and werewolf must work together to keep her safe, and then in comes a witch giving them guidance as to what is to become and fights by their side as well.

Night Secrets, Keara Crosby is from a fey lineage, but shapeshifting is the power she develops fully. Meeting Channing, a werewolf, and Corbin a vampire, she is introduced to a world she only thought was make believe. As things start happening to her, she needs to find the answers. Only in her crazy Wiccan aunt will she find what she seeks and learn of a heritage that her late parents tried to protect her from. As you can see, once again I have quite the mix thrown into my storyline.

 I like playing with all of the different folk lore. It's fun to research it, figure out how I can change it up, and create my own twist to the existing lore, if you will. My muse just loves creating these characters and the plots to go with them. We create some pretty intense action and most times a surprising twist that the reader just wasn't expecting. I love the element of surprise (*chuckling*).

BK Walker currently lives in Transylvania, (j/k Central Pennsylvania), with her three children, Brittney, Hunter and Danny, her dogs Rancid, Sadie and Haven, a cat named Whiskers and a goldfish named Fat Albert. She has always had a love for reading and writing, even as a child she created stories reading them to her stuffed animals. With a love for vampires and werewolves, you will not be disappointed with her writing as she mixes up the paranormal juice. Aside from writing, BK also supports Indie Authors organizing virtual book tours, helping them to market and promote their work. Her book review site, BWB Reviews, is just another small way she contributes to the reading world. With many stories floating around in her head, she writes when she gets the time between working as a Pediatric Home Care Nurse, being a single mother, and continuing her college education in Graphic Art Design. When she's not arguing with her muse, you will often find her at a baseball game with her boys or drinking iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts enjoying a good book.

Facebook Page

B. K. Walker Books Website

Keara Crosby had the perfect life. Her family was not hurting for anything. When her parents are suddenly killed, Keara must learn to live without them. After mourning their death for two months, Keara starts to live again. She follows her favorite band, hangs with her best friend Jared, and falls for the new kid on the block.

When her favorite band is playing at Night Secrets, a new club downtown, she takes her first outing since her parents death and finds this mysterious boy watching her. Mesmerized by his lapus blue eyes, she can't help but feel drawn to him. Her body responds to him in ways she never thought possible, and she needs to figure out why. What is it about Channing that has her yearning for his touch?

Not only is Keara drawn to Channing, but the owner of Night Secrets seems to be drawn to her. Giving her special treatment, she can't help but wonder what he's hiding, and the sense she's seen him before. When she's attacked in the parking lot, her world turns inside out, literally. Keara will soon learn that secrets of the night, just may be the death of her.

Night Secrets Excerpt

I almost made it to the kitchen when Aunt Aingeal

came running out of my room. She had an incense in her

hand and stopped in front of me fanning the smoke

around my body, chanting in Gaelic. I watched her in

amazement for a few moments, then I’d had enough.

“Aunt Aingeal please? I really would like to get a bite

to eat, and can’t even understand a word you are saying.

What is it with you?”

She paused her actions and looked at me. “Yer father

'as nev'r told ya. I should’ve figured as mooch. Child, I

be placin' prootection upon ya. Go git yer grub and we be

talkin'.” She sniffed the air around me. “I know of yer

accident, an' of tha' thing tha' brung ya 'ome. Ya put

yerself in too mooch danger all tha time. Now go. Go

eat, ya be lookn' like crap, an' th'n be comin' ta see me.”

I looked at her in disbelief. She turned and went to her

room. What the heck was that all about? She was such

a weird woman. What didn’t my father tell me? We’ve

always had a pretty open relationship. I did with both my

parents. I shook my head and headed for the kitchen. I

couldn’t wait to hear this one.

After I filled my stomach Jamison was already

questioning me. “Miss Keara, do you feel better now?”

“Yes Jamison. I am full and feel like a million bucks.

Thanks.”

“You look much better than when you first arrived

home.

Thank goodness you’re okay. I‘m glad you ate it all. It

will help you regain your strength.” He smiled.

“Let me ask you something Jamison.”

“Of course Miss Keara.” He stood at attention.

“Is there anything about my dad that I should know

about? Something I don’t know?”

Confusion was evident in his expression, yet I waited.

He pondered the question for a minute before he

answered. “I don’t believe so Miss Keara. Why are you

asking?”

I sipped my tea. “It’s something Aingeal said. She

said ‘Your father has not told you. I should have figured

as much. I just don’t know what she could mean.” I

absently took another sip of tea.

“I’m not sure Miss Keara. You know your father never

spoke of Aingeal much. She is a bit…..eccentric shall I

say?”

“That she is Jamison. That she is. Well, I must go talk

to her and find out. Thanks for the tea and soup Jamison.

You’re the best.” I kissed his cheek and headed to

Aingeal’s room.

From the hall I could smell her incense. The aroma

was strong, a mix of coconut and sage. What was with

her and her witchery? I just didn’t get it. I could hear her

chanting again as I tapped on her door. “Aunt Aingeal,

can I come in?”

The door opened, a fog of smoke rolling out into the

hallway. She peered around the door so just her head

was visible. Her long red hair was wrapped in a black,

silk scarf. Her ears had large silver hoops dangling from

them. A silver chain with some weird looking stone hung

from her neck. “Come in me child. Come in.”

This was the first time I’d ever been in her room since

she moved here. Looking around I couldn’t believe all the

things she had. Shelves upon shelves lined the walls,

and bottles of every shape and size, all different colors

sat upon them. There were old books on a shelf that sat

on the floor, they looked ancient.

“Sit down me child. We must talk.”

“What is the incense for?”

“Fer yer prootection child.” She pulled two chairs up to

a round glass table and motioned for me to sit. She

busied herself gathering a brass ball on a chain, some

crystals, and a book off the shelf. She walked over to the

other end of the room and grabbed a purple bottle that

looked fit for a genie.

“What are you doing Aunt Aingeal?”

“Shush, me child. I be tellin' ya once I’ve all I be

needin'.”

So I waited. Once she was done she came to sit in the

chair opposite me at the glass table. She spread all the

items out in front of us and opened her book. “Now.

Thar’s a lot fer ya ta be learnin‘. Yer father, bless 'is soul,

nev'r wanted ta believe nor carry on our heritage. He

thought it rubbish, but he was a fool.”

“What heritage? What are you talking about?”

“Listen me child, and I will be tell’n ya.”

“Okay.” I raised my hands in surrender.

“Our family comes from a long line of Celtics from

Ireland. Ya wer' n't born a Crosby, but yer true name is

Flannery.”

“What? Where did Crosby come from?” I knew we

were Irish with the flaming red hair we all had, but never

b. k. walker

Morgan St. James on How to Use Fate to Develop a Great Plot

I'm pleased to welcome Morgan St. James to Immortyl Revolution.  Morgan is the third L&L Dreamspell author in the feature I've been running. 

HOW TO USE FATE TO DEVELOP A GREAT PLOT

Morgan St. James

Fate is one of those “tricks of the trade” that can work in any genre and produce heart-thumping terror, boundless joy, romance, hatred or any number of emotions. Some believe in it, like me, and others say it’s just something that happened. But think about its value when writing fiction.

When I conceived the idea for my Twist of Fate series, I decided that even if every book didn’t have the same protagonist, “fate” would be one of the main “characters.”

A chance passing of apparent strangers and the world turns upside down. What would have happened if two people who shape the chilling conclusion of a book each arrived at the fateful door a few minutes later or earlier? Nothing. Would they each have gone on their way without incident? Would they meet at some other time setting off the same firestorm? Using fate, it becomes the author’s choice.

A car hurtles around a dangerous blind curve and slams into an oncoming car traveling in the opposite direction. They crash and one driver’s life changes. A few minutes or even seconds earlier or later and they would have missed each other and continued on their route. I know—it happened to me in 1983. But for that accident many events and the directions my life took would have been radically different. For one thing, I probably wouldn’t have been writing advice columns for authors, a “how-to” book and mystery novels. I would have been designing model homes—that’s what I did.

When the author is plotting, all of the forks in the road must be considered. What events follow if a certain thing happens? What events follow if it doesn’t? This is the fun part where you as the author shape fate and more or less play “God.” You alone determine the protagonist’s life pattern.

Fate is a powerful tool. It allows the author to map the plot like a chess game, always looking ahead at the options. If Event A happens, it sets off a chain of events. If it doesn’t, life goes in another direction. At each milestone there are one or more choices that shape the story in the direction the author chooses.

Take this example: The robbery is carefully planned, everything is in place and has been checked and double-checked. It should go without a hitch. Then there is momentary electrical short, it sets off an alarm and it all goes wrong. Who could have anticipated that? It’s one of those moments. A great example of this is Donald Westlake’s “What’s the Worst Thing That Could Happen?” where a chain of unanticipated mishaps resulted in a hilarious story. When asked how he plotted it, he said, "I bet...I bet if this had happened, then that wouldn't have happened; that sort of thing.” He claimed to have the same line of thought when writing “Somebody Owes Me Money.”

Fate is a very popular device in romances. How and why do the strangers meet? Take “Sleepless in Seattle.” It is filled with these moments and that’s what makes the story work.

There is a technique called bubbling where you start with a protagonist and/or event in the main bubble. Then take all of the offshoots. For each plot point draw a circle radiating off the main one and enter that action. Then for each of those draw four or five circles leading back to each event and think of an action that could be triggered. Continue as far down that path as you choose. Now take your protagonist on the fateful journey you have mapped. Happy writing!

A very big thanks to Morgan for her insight! You can find out more about Morgan and her books at her website and blogs.

http://www.morganstjames-author.com/

http://www.morgan-stjames.blogspot.com/

http://www.silversistersmysteries.com/ 

She's just launched the new Writers' Tricks of the Trade blog and monthly Newsletter, filled with tips, techniques, and experiences of myself and guest contributors in various facets of publishing. There is a Brag page for subscribers, conference listings, etc. The link for the Newsletter is in the right-hand column of http://writerstricksofthetrade.blogspot.com

Here is some information on Morgan's latest books:

Vanishing Act in Vegas

"Vanishing Act in Vegas," published by L&L Dreamspell, is the third book in the Silver Sisters Mysteries, was released this week in eBook, Kindle and paperback. The 4th book, "Diamonds in the Dumpster" is currently in work. The two previous books were "A Corpse in the Soup" (Best Mystery Audio Book 2007-USA Book News) and "Seven Deadly Samovars."

Join the zany sisters, Beverly Hills advice columnist Godiva Olivia DuBois, her twin sister--over the hill Alaska antique shop owner Goldie-- and their feisty 80 year old mother and uncle (former vaudeville magicians) as they try to solve the mystery surrounding Sin City's beautiful magician, Mara the Magnificent.

Filled with twists and turns, Vegas kitsch and a few backfires, this new Silver Sisters adventure is sure to delight.

Here is what reviewers are saying about the Silver Sister's Mysteries:

Morgan and Phyllice manage to incorporate just the right mix of tension and humor to keep it lively and interesting page after page. If you like the warm, friendly amateur detective mystery then this is one you should get. Sid Weaver, Reviewer and Wannabe Sleuth, www.mainlymysteries.com

Morgan St. James and Phyllice Bradner are as entertaining as Nick & Nora Charles or even better. If you like the late Anne George's Southern Sisters Series you'll love these two crime solving quirky characters who know how to create merry mischief and it's in their blood. Pamela James/Reviewer Mayhem & Magic website .

Writers Tricks of the Trade

"Writers Tricks of the Trade," published by Marina Publishing Group, was released over the past two weeks in eBook and Kindle-paperback will be available by the end of the month. Suitable for every fiction writer from novice to published. Here are a few of the blurbs:

"Regardless of genre, writing can be a mystery. In these 'Thirty-nine Steps' for aspiring scribes, Morgan St. James makes the conundrum far less daunting. Great, real-world, career-tested tips within these pages!" ~Megan Edwards, author of Roads from the Ashes: An Odyssey in Real Life on the Virtual Frontier

"Writers' Tricks of the Trade is one of those, rare books that you can read over and over. Read it through once, but keep it handy whenever you are blocked. You can open it to any page at random and find inspiration." ~John Brantingham, Professor of English, Mount San Antonio College, Walnut CA

Do Vampire Books and Movies Inspire People to be Psycho Killers?

I've  been reading some of the items about the "vampire" attack in Texas.  The perpetrator, nineteen-year-old Lyle Monroe Bensley, is currently awaiting psychiatric evaluation in jail on burglary charges in Galveston, Texas for breaking into a woman's home and trying to "suck her blood.".   From time to time, there have been "vampire attacks" in other places.  I always find it interesting that when one mentally unstable or drug-induced individual acts out in this way, there is always a rush to pin the blame somewhere.  Whether it's reading The Catcher in the Rye or doing away with prayer in school, something has to be "responsible" for the behavoir. 

Could it be that this kind of act is just is a symptom of someone who has deep emotional problems, rather than the influence of entertainment featuring a creature that most of us understand to be mythical?  I really have to laugh when spokespeople in the media point to "Twilight".  If this pop culture phenom has a negative influence it's perhaps just the plethora of pre-teen girls wearing shirts that say, "I Love Boys that Sparkle".  As someone who has loved vampire stories since I was a small child, I can't honestly say that watching Dark Shadows made me want to go our and suck people's blood.  Okay, I'll admit to tying a towel around my neck and donning plastic fangs to scare my little brother.

There's a book called The Sorrows of Young Werther written by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe and first published in 1774.  In it, the hero commits suicide over an unrequited love.  The novel inspired a rash of young men to run around Europe dressing and acting like Werther, the hero.  There were even some "Werther" suicides.  Did these young men commit suicide because of the novel or because they suffered from an undiagnosed mental illness?  The sciences of psychology and psychiatry didn't exist in Goethe's time, so we'll probably never know.  I think we can all agree that people who act in an extreme fashion are having serious issues of some kind.

So let's go on enjoying our monsters in books and movies, where they are safe.  We should try to help identify mental illness in our children and help them before they do harmful things.  There are real monsters out there who exploit and harm people.  God knows, we've dealt a lot with monstrous human beings throughout the ages.

Creating Characters

Creating Memorable Characters



I thought I might share some thoughts on creating characters. In writing My Fearful Symmetry, I had to stretch the creative muscles in bringing to life a character far outside of my personal experience. This is the kind of challenge that makes me tick as a writer. Writers are often told to stick to the familiar in creating characters. This is true in some senses and a good starting point for the new writer. However, speculative fiction is always stepping outside of the norm of experience. The author’s task is to build a believable world out of the alien, and this includes characters that are often vastly different than human beings.




The third book in my urban fantasy series is written from a different POV than the first two. The first books have an Italian-American female protagonist. She is a young actress in New York City. Her ethnicity and profession are somewhat similar to my background–but she was born in 1930 and becomes a vampire. Whoa, now the imagination must kick in. Then, out of nowhere, another character was born in my head and begged to step into the spotlight. He took me on a pretty wild ride.



I’m a heterosexual, American, all-too-human female, yet in this third book I write from the first-person POV of a bisexual, Scottish, vampire male. Is this too far out of my sphere of experience to write? Well, I don’t know any genuine vampires. That one is probably out of nearly everyone’s experience. Can an American truthfully render a person from another country? Do I, a female, have the right to get inside the male psyche? Does a straight person understand how a gay person feels?



The answer is yes. Every character written is part the author, part research and part pure imagination. I happen to think “typical” people don’t usually make for interesting characters. It is the extraordinary person that often becomes the hero or heroine of the book, even if he or she appears to lead a rather ordinary life. Jane Austen wrote about acerbic, critical Lizzie Bennett, not sweet, obedient Jane Bennett. Tolkien chose to write about the restless Frodo and Bilbo, not the peaceful Hobbit folk of the shire. The writer must find that person who for some reason stands out from the pack.



My training is in acting. The master acting teacher, Stanislavski, speaks of something called the “Magic If”. In other words, what would I do in if thrust into this character’s given circumstances? All people share common experiences and desires that allow us to empathize. Even if the writer is dealing with a fantastical creature like an elf, alien or an android, the character must be approached as a person with an internal conflict.



The trick in writing someone so “different” from oneself is to thoroughly think out what this character is all about. Stanislavski also said, “generality is the enemy of all art.” Make your character’s traits, likes and dislikes, and deeply held beliefs very specific. A character’s religion or lack of it tells a lot about that person. Give him or her a ruling passion or obsession, a family history and lots of emotional baggage. Everyone experiences these things.



First off, I create back-stories for all of my major characters. All of this is for my personal use and only bits will show up in a book. How the personal history impacts the character is the important thing. For example, I have a character in my series, Kurt Eisen, who as a teenager was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. He lost his entire family and did some unsavory things to survive. His vampire master ultimately gives him immortality. This all adds up to a heavy burden that Kurt carries with him for a half-century. It fills him with a sense of wanting to right wrongs and spurs him to fight injustice.



There a many good exercises for developing well-rounded characters. I tend to fall back on those I learned in acting and keep a character “notebook”. This is always fun for me. I ask myself all sorts of questions about my character, even if the information never ends up in the book. It helps to do a lot of research. I also look for images, art, mythology, poetry and music that relate to this character. These I keep in a file, along with my research notes. Research need not only come from books. For my last novel, I watched a several TV shows featuring British teenagers to get the slang and rhythm of the speech. I then had a British beta reader check my manuscript for accuracy. You may not want to keep a detailed character notebook on incidental characters, but they deserve to be given a thorough look to give them some interesting traits in a brief appearance.



There are some who feel what a character looks like isn’t important. Wrong. While long descriptive passages of narrative slow down a story, a hint of the physical appearance of a character and his garb can speak volumes about who he or she is. Mother Teresa didn’t dress or behave like Lady Gaga. The way other characters treat your heroine because of her appearance says a lot about character relationships and informs conflict. A beautiful person takes for granted advantages that a plain person would love to have. Conversely a beautiful person may feel his mind and abilities are unappreciated. These hints come out in dialogue or action. Instead of saying the hero is very tall, let him drop that information by having him looking down to talk with a friend. The way a villain speaks to a woman he desires will be very different than one he hardly notices.



Another important consideration to keep in mind is gender, sexuality and race. These come into play in a person’s development through both nature and nuture. We all experience the difference in how the sexes are socialized. There are differing views on how men and women are hard wired, but as a writer it’s important to remember that not every man or woman will behave in the expected way. Every character, like every person, is an individual. A person’s sexual and racial identity is very important in determining that person’s place in a culture. Sexual and racial minorities face daily conflicts that the majority doesn’t. Experience will affect how a person of a different race or sexuality responds to conflicts. Things a heterosexual person takes for granted, like holding hands with a lover in public, becomes a taboo in many places. How a minority is treated a given environment may highlight the prejudice of characters.



An interesting way to define your characters is to give them a “job”, even if they are creatures of fantasy realms. This can add a lot of texture to the story and uncover conflict. Say you’re writing historical fiction or fantasy. If your character is a servant or courtesan in the royal court, it gives him or her a different perspective than the king’s closest advisor or a general of his army.



One final point I’d like to touch on is the character’s flaws and weaknesses. Don’t be afraid of a few warts. A character can be sympathetic and yet sometimes behave cruelly or like a complete ass. He or she can show poor judgment at times. Nobody is perfect. Don’t forget odd quirks and pet peeves. Remember that you want to show your character’s growth. I had a writing group member read an isolated, early chapter in my third book. She commented that she hated the hero for acting stupid and immature toward a woman who was teaching him. Well, in the chapter she’d read, this nineteen-year-old boy was acting like a spoiled brat. He was definitely cruising for a bruising. I took the reader’s comment and amended the chapter to show the teacher dealing the boy a well-deserved comeuppance. However, this group member hadn’t read an earlier chapter where we see the hero suffering through a low point in his life. He garners sympathy in the previous chapters through his struggles. There is a learning curve where the character faces obstacles and starts to care about the plight of others around him. The young man with a mission at the end of the book is very different than the vain, selfish boy in that early chapter.



In a story, the journey is the thing. Getting there is all the fun.

I Talk vampire Tantra today with the Tart.

Whew!  Exhausting alliteration.  Stop by to read my interview by Hart the Tart at her blog Confessions of a Watery Tart.  I talk a lot about the research and world building I did for this book.

National Left Hander's Day

It's time to celebrate the sinister!  I'm left handed, and I was intrigued to find I was in interesting company.  Add any of your favorite left-handers to the comments!

Four of the past five US Presidents:

Ronald Reagan

George H.W. Bush

Bill Clinton


Barack Obama

Others of Note:

Joan of Arc


Roman Emperor Tiberius


Alexander the Great


Charlemagne


Julius Caesar


Queen Victoria


Prince Charles


Prince William


Fidel Castro


David Letterman


Ron Reagan Jr.


Lenny Bruce


Joel Hodgson


Jack the Ripper


John Dillenger


H. G. Wells


Lewis Carroll


Kurt Cobain


David Byrne


Judy Garland

Jimi Hendrix

Paul Simon


Johnny Rotten


Michelangelo


Raphael


(Not the Ninja Turtles)


George Burns

Charlie Chaplin

This Author is actually writing with her left hand and upside down to boot!  How many of you lefties write upside down?

J. D. Webb Advises Writers to Never Give Up

Today, I welcome mystery author J. D. Webb to Immortyl Revolution.  He is another L&L Dreamspell author and he has some wonderful advice on why perseverance is important to an author.

Never Give Up

I’m often asked why I write. Most authors will tell you it’s because it’s in our blood. That’s basically true, but I have another reason. I love telling stories, jokes, antidotes, and little known facts. Some would say it’s to be the center of attention, but I believe it’s a desire to be liked. Come to think of it, that is one of Facebook’s appeals. To have everyone LIKE you.

Early on I observed that storytellers were popular. In high school I was terribly shy. My friends have commenced to guffaw, I’m sure. I was shy though. I took to basketball, although at five foot seven, basketball didn’t take to me. And carrying newspapers to make money negated after school activities. So I doodled and wrote in my spare time. I began to collect and tell jokes and at times concoct stories to become more likable.

I’d been thrown into a creative writing class in high school as punishment for some of my mischief and that opened my eyes. I could put my stories on paper. It was tedious. I couldn’t type worth a lick. Rewriting was torture and I couldn’t always decipher my handwriting. Most of my authoring at that time was humorous and my teacher’s only interest seemed to be forcing us into literary works, looking for the next Shakespeare. Early grades ranged in the Cs and Ds category.

Then, much to my teacher’s surprise, a short story of mine won third place in our city-wide short story contest. My grades improved to As and Bs. The story recounted a conversation I had with my younger brother who wanted to hear the fairy tale Cinderella. But he kept asking questions. What’s Cinderella’s last name? And what’s her fairy godmother’s name? Soon my story titled Cinderella Jones was born. And so was my writing career.

Some forty-seven years later my first book became a published novel. At age sixty-five I finally became an author. The point to this blog is to offer my philosophy in life. Never give up. Keep plugging. A goal dreamed can be achieved. But don’t make your goals overwhelming. Start small and then readjust.

Upon retirement I dove into writing full time. All the years of making up stories came to life and I now have four books in print and available electronically. My single goal was to merely finish a novel. No lofty New York Times Bestseller List placement. Just, could I actually finish a novel? Once I found that I could I haven’t stopped. My goal is still to finish the next one.

My latest book, Smudge, recounts the story of Trish Morgan. A paralegal seemingly stuck in a nowhere job with a husband whose mental abuse is escalating. One night she wipes a smudge off her ATM screen and it’s blood. Then she hears a moan coming from the alley next to the bank. Should she investigate? She does and her nightmare begins. Dreamspell has honored me by publishing Trish’s story. Also, soon a short story of mine called The Drifter will be included in a Dreamspell Anthology, Revenge II.

I’m well into my next story titled Gulf Terror. What if the Gulf oil disaster was a terrorist attack by two suicide bombers? And what if one of them survives and lands in Louisiana to cause more grief? Two Homeland Security agents are on his trail trying to prevent another 9/11. I can’t wait to find out what happens.

Never give up.

J. D. Webb 2011

I'd like to thank J. D. for his wonderful post and being my guest today.  Below is some more information on him and his books.

J. D. Webb's website: http://www.jdwebb.com/

Shepherd's Pie (Golden Wings Award Winner)

Moon Over Chicago (2008 Eppie finalist)

Her Name Is Mommy (Now Available)

Smudge available now at http://www.lldreamspell.com/

Stuck In Valhalla (available at Sniplits)








 
 
 

J. D. (Dave) Webb resides in Illinois with his wife of 40 years and their toy poodle, Ginger, losing all family votes 2 to 1. Dave served in the Security Service of the Air Force as a Chinese linguist and weather analyst in Viet Nam and the Philippines prior to spending 25 years in corporate management. A company purge promoted him to cobbler and he owned a shoe repair and sales shop for 11 years. During these careers he wrote short stories and suppressed an urge to write a novel. After making a conscious decision to live at the poverty level, those novels began forcing their way out.

Becoming a full time author in 2002, Dave has garnered several awards. A short story called The Key to Christmas placed third in the 2006 La Belle Lettre literary contest. His first novel Shepherd’s Pie won a publisher’s Golden Wings Award for excellence in writing. His second novel Moon Over Chicago was a top ten finisher in the 2008 Preditors and Editors Poll in the mystery category and was a finalist in the prestigious 2008 Eppie awards by the Electronic Publishing Internet Connection. He is also the Owner and Moderator of the Publishing and Promoting Yahoo group with almost 900 international members.

His L&L Dreamspell Books and Anthologies:

Smudge

Dreamspell Revenge 2 - Mystery/Suspense Anthology - Featuring "The Drifter" by J.D. Webb

Other Books and Stories by JD Webb:

Shepherd’s Pie

Moon Over Chicago

Her Name Is Mommy

Smudge

Stuck in Valhalla

Travis McBee talks about Bridgeworld

Welcome to Travis McBee!  I had the pleasure of meeting Travis at Fandom Fest a few weeks ago.  He was launching Bridgeworld, and I found what he to say about the book very interesting.  Especially since the book is YA science fiction.  Please read on to see what Travis has to say.

DV: Travis, toward what age group is your work geared?

TM: Bridgeworld was written for young adults but it has enough mature topics and hidden humor in it to amuse adults as well.

DV: Into which genre would you say your work falls and why?



TM: My work fits very cleanly into the Science Fiction genre based on its setting alone. It also comprises elements of a Coming of Age novel as the main character tries to find out who he really is.



DV: Fantasy and science fiction create a new world for the reader. Tell us about the world you’ve built.



TM: Bridgeworld consists of two worlds, one is our own and one that exists in space. The world I constructed is as complex and different from ours as I could manage. I hae an entire spiral notebook full of notes to keep things straight. Everything from the food to polite behavior is different. In this new world there are new sports, hobbies, and bracelets that identify your relationship status. One of the favorite pastimes in Bridgeworld is known as ‘ticking’, or messing with Earthlings.

DV: Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

TM: My favorite character would have to be Abby. She is a very carefree person who enjoys the little things in life and would be enthralled in the things we would think of as mundane, such as a cheeseburger or a cell phone. Every time I was writing a scene with her in it I would find myself smiling.



DV: What other writers would you say have influenced your work and why? What are some of your favorite books in your genre?



TM: I’m influenced by everything around me. The idea for Bridgeworld came as I was sitting on my couch watching some cheesy movie. I remembered a book I had read eight or more years ago called The Dark Side of Nowhere by Neal Shusterman. That book was about a a group of teenagers who discovers that their whole town are really aliens. I wondered what it would be like for just one boy to learn that his life wasn’t what he thought. Besides that book, Enders Game influenced me tremendously, helping to contribute to the zero-gravity game of zegma.

DV: What is your writing process like? Do you do a lot of background research? Do you plot every detail or do you prefer the characters to move the story in new directions, or a combination of both? Do you belong to a critique group and do you find this helpful?

TM: I write like I go to war. I spend days with a composition book or spiral notebook taking relentless notes. I plan out most of the novel but only in a vague sense. The planning is so that I will eventually get to where I want to go but I usually find myself making wholesale changes while I actually write. I usually have an idea about what the characters will be like but they surprise me a lot of times and morph into something I didn’t foresee. To me writing a book is a lot like going on a road trip; I know where I’m going. I know the basic route I’m going to take, but there are always tons of surprises along the way.



DV: Do you have any advice for young or beginning writers?



TM: I have started perhaps half a dozen novels. The reason that I finished Bridgeworld is simple, I was prepared. Start a notebook, make sure you know where you want to end up. If you just go at it most of the time you’ll wander around and get bogged down, disheartened, and quit. The most important thing, though, is perseverance. Writing is fun, any author will tell you that, but it can also get boring. I create stories much faster than I can write and many times I feel myself thinking about a new story and yearn to start writing it. I did this several times and that is why I have so many unfinished novels. Finish what you start, it will be worth it.

DV: Who is your publisher, and where are your books available? Are there e-books and hard copies available?

TM: I am published by Hydra Publications. My books are available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, and most online retailers. An E-book will be available soon from Smashwords as well as Amazon. Paperbacks are available now.

DV: What is your website and/or blog where readers can learn more? Can they friend you on facebook or other sites?

TM: There is a Bridgeworld fan page on Facebook and there is more information at my publisher’s website http://www.hydrapublications.com/

DV: Are there any upcoming signings or appearances you’d like to mention?

TM:I don’t have any signings schedule soon but if anyone would like me to make an appearance you can contact me through my facebook page and I will see if I can manage to do it.

Travis, thanks for joining me today!  You can follow Travis at his facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bridgeworld/172798309452043