Fiction Writers are only Telling the Truth by Christy Dorrity (And a Contest!)

I don't often host guest posts, so when I do, you know I'm excited about the author or artist and their work. Ladies and Gents, please welcome author Christy Dorrity to my blog! (And stick around to the end, because everyone who comments will be entered to win a free copy of Christy's new book, Awakening!)

From Christy:

People ask authors all the time, where do you get your ideas? The answer is from everywhere. A spark of a new idea comes from something their three-year-old says while playing, from other books and movies, and sometimes from dreams.

For me, one of the most fertile grounds for creating fantastic worlds and far-off lands comes from what is already here. Have you ever seen an octopus that can change color and texture to blend into his surroundings? Did you know that there are people who truly believe that faery folk exist? Have you ever really thought about the fact that giant lizards used to rule the earth? Did you know that technology has produced a 3-D printer that prints ears, livers, and kidneys with living tissue?

The world around is so fascinating, that I don’t have to go far for ideas.

World mythology is one of those sources of potential for world-building and plot ideas. When I began researching Celtic mythology for AWAKENING, I was amazed at the rich culture and limitless idea-hatching possibilities. Mythology is filled with Hags who pronounce curses, men who turn into beasts in battle, and star-crossed lovers who are destined for heartache. You can’t ask for better material.

Take Cliona, the banshee in my book. When I did research on the legends surrounding banshees, I found very little. She is in spirit form, and often attaches to a certain family, warning them with her wail that a death is about to occur. Travelers are warned not to pick up a lost comb; the banshee who often combs her hair by a stream may have left it behind. Some have seen the banshee washing bloody clothing in the river. By some versions she is beautiful, by others, she is frightening.

In creating Cliona, I took what was already there and built on it—giving her motivations and a relatable backstory, while keeping true to original mythology. The elements are all there—the comb, the wail, the wraithlike figure, but the extrapolations are what give my story life.

The make-believe stories that come from an author’s brain are really just an extension of the fascinating facets of the world around us. It’s like Captain Hook says, “Lie? Me? Never. The truth is far too much fun.”

About the Book

. . . because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery's family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a psychic for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn't think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She recently moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has a best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital—and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.


When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities. After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened.

When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened deadly powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy. A thrilling debut novel based in Celtic mythology, Awakening is a gripping young adult fantasy rife with magic, romance, and mystery.

Praise for Awakening

"AWAKENING is a wonder and a delight. Christy Dorrity is a talent to watch."
~David Farland, New York Times bestselling author of Nightingale


"I thoroughly enjoyed AWAKENING, a captivating and unique debut novel that creatively integrates Irish dance."
~ CHRIS NAISH, Riverdance member and Creative Director of Fusion Fighters Irish dancers.

About the Author

Christy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Geis series for young adults, and The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Purchase Awakening by Christy Dorrity:

 

Cool, right? And because Christy is so awesome, she has agreed to give away a free e-copy of AWAKENING to one lucky reader. Simply comment below (make sure to leave me your contact information) and be automatically entered. Contest runs through midnight, CST, on Sunday September 29th. Winner will be notified by email.

The Body Language of a Lie

My son has recently been watching episodes of the show Lie to Me. He’s fascinated by body language, and all the little “tells” that give people away when they’re not being fully honest. And I admit, it’s interesting.

Did you know there are fairly typical patterns of avoidance used when someone is being confronted about a lie?

There are. For real. And even more interesting, They’re patterns I recognize from experience.

It’s a psychological thing. Much like the way people act when they have a crush on someone and don’t want anyone to know—except it’s really hard to hide. There are tells for that too.

The benefit to shows like this is that they remind us of all the ways our bodies can betray us. For authors, they give us great body language ideas, and patterns that can help move a plot forward, and fantastic motivation for turning moments in our stories.

So tell me. When was the last time someone lied to you, and how did you know they were lying? (You don’t have to use names or specifics.)

Story of the Scary Poisonous Creature with Enormous Teeth

Living with Teens can occasionally be amusing. And it's always entertaining. For example, take a recent experience.

We’re driving down the road with Happy, Smiley (Happy’s friend) and Sneezy in the back seat of our truck, when out of the blue, terrified screaming from behind us nearly causes my husband to swerve into another lane (yes, there was a car there).

Them: screaming and squealing like girls

Me: What? Is it a Spider?

Happy: No, it's a...a...slug and it's COMING CLOSER! *squeals again*

Husband: How did a slug get in my truck?

Sneezy: That's not a slug, it's a long furry thing with HUGE TEETH.

Smiley: Maybe it’s a snail.

Me: Whatever it is, it doesn't have teeth, I promise.

Happy: Stop the truck, stop the truck, STOP THE TRUCK! *practically climbs into sister’s lap*

Husband (after pulling over and dispatching the creature): Um, that’s not a slug or a snail. it's just a caterpillar. I set it free.

Smiley: You think that was scary, you should see when they turn into butterflies.

If you’ve read anything I’ve written about Happy and Sneezy, you know that they aren’t afraid of much. For girls, they’re pretty dang tough, sports-minded, and completely athletic. But when it comes right down to it, they’re still girls. As evident from the above story, not just in their love of clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Proof positive that people are truly complex.

And that, my friends, is why I write young adult literature, and also why I prefer to read it.

Mislabeled

I think writers, by nature, tend to be observers. Well, okay, I can’t really speak for the rest of the writing community, but it seems a common trait among my friends. And it’s definitely true for me. I pay attention and often catch things most other people miss.

Like nuances of speech, the way strangers (or acquaintances) react to things people thoughtlessly spout (be they positive or negative in nature), and the possible differences in a sports team when they come out of the locker room after halftime. Maybe they’re pumped up again, or maybe they’re down and out. It all depends on the coaches’ mood, the words they used, and how those words were delivered.

I notice, for instance, the way people look away from one another when they’re telling a lie, or how they plead with their eyes when they’re telling a painful truth. And while I believe what other people think of me is none of my business, it’s sometimes hard to miss an emotion or thought when it travels across their faces and into their body language.

Once someone forms an opinion of another, it’s not an easy thing to change. Out of those formed opinions come misconceptions that turn into rumors, and rumors turn into stories, and stories into actions that may, or may not, be warranted.

This is the stuff of interest we read about in novels, be they fiction or nonfiction. In many instances, it’s the beginning of conflict. The catalyst, if you will.

Luckily, fiction and real life are two totally different things. The question is where will we allow our misconceptions, our preconceived judgments, or our unnoticed observations to lead us? Will we be the spreaders of rumors? The instigators of unwarranted arguments? The pot-stirrers in the mix?

Or will we find it in us to take a step back and observe the truth for what it is? People for who they truly are rather than what we (or others) have made them out to be? What will be the ending to our personal stories, and who will ultimately decide?

Do we become the person other people think they see, or do we try to correct their misconception? Or do we continue on with our own lives, ignoring the untruths and allowing those people to live as they choose?

For once, my above questions are rhetorical. I don’t know that anyone truly has all the answers. But I am curious. Have you ever felt labeled for reasons you couldn’t name?