The Things We Do For Research

If you follow me on social media, you might have seen comments about me surviving scuba diving lessons or something to that degree. I use the word surviving for a lot of reasons, but I'll get back to that. 

I have now written two books in which scuba has played an important role, and I am about to dive headfirst (see what I did there?) into a third. So I figured it's about time I stopped researching how to do it and actually learned in person.

For the record, I might not have gathered the courage to do this if my husband hadn't signed us up for this class as my Christmas gift. We have been talking about getting certified for years, and have been putting it off for various reasons (read: excuses). And we both knew that it's time. I mean really. I'm writing about mermaids now! Come on. 

Just so you know, I am slightly claustrophobic, so wearing the scuba goggles freaks me out because they cut off my peripheral vision. And wearing the BCDs (see that? I'm using scuba terms and everything!) freaks me out because the vest has lots of gadgets attached, including a super heavy tank filled with air, and I am not that heavy, but I am also filled with air, so together my tank and I don't sink so well. Not being able to stay underwater when I'm supposed to freaks me out too. And then there's the whole thing of it being unnatural for humans to be able to breathe underwater. (Like, really, are you kidding me? I'm not Emma.)

Yesterday was our first "open water" dive. (Not necessarily open, because it was in a crater, which is not all that huge, but it's like 90 feet deep.) So there are all these reasons why I sat on the edge of the platform trying not to have a panic attack. But I pushed through it, and I put on my goggles, and the ridiculously long fins that make me feel like a fish, and I stuck the regulator in my mouth and I jumped in.  

Guys, I didn't die! 

And after we figured out that I need a whole lot of weight added to my vest, I managed to sink below the surface and I kept breathing. And I swam around a bit. I practiced losing my regulator and getting water in my goggles and managed to get it out without rising to the surface. I ended up diving to 40 feet below the surface.

And it was fun. 

I'm not going to lie. It was expensive, and difficult, and ridiculously scary at first, but I pushed past all that and I am so proud of myself for being brave. Later this week, I'm going to do it again. And then I'll have a shiny pretty card with my picture on it, and it will tell the world that I know how to use all that equipment to breathe underwater. And then I will know how my characters feel as I write this next book.    

This is the kind of thing writers sometimes do to bring stories to life. But more than that, this is the kind of thing people do to overcome our fears. 

Okay, now it's your turn. What hard thing / scary fear are you facing right now? How are you facing it?

Taking Time To Get The Story Right (Some thoughts about book 3)

Last week I went to a movie--something which doesn't happen much at all lately. It was the third in a series, (not created from a book, FTR) and I settled in with a bag of popcorn and a large drink prepared to spend the next two hours on the edge of my seat. Because that's what happened with the first two.

The thing with series of any kind is that the first book or movie sets up an expectation that the writer/cinematographer/filmmaker must not only fulfill in the next installment, but also exceed in every way possible.

Unfortunately, this was one of those films that only detracted from the original story line. In fact, it was a complete departure. That would be fine if it had been thought through and fleshed out, but to be honest, there were so many parts that felt forced or rushed or just sloppy, and it made me so sad. There was no suspension of disbelief for me, because plot holes stole the logic, and some merely almost-there filming issues left a whole lot of cars on a freeway with no passengers inside them. (Nope. No dummies.)

I left the theater wishing, not that I hadn't chosen to see the movie, but that more time and effort had been dedicated to bringing it up to par with the first two.

The experience has left me thinking about my own attempt to end the DESCENDANT series, and the third book I have been struggling with for so many months. I don't want to make these same mistakes as the makers of that movie. I don't want to write in plot holes, or leave threads untied, or forget important characters. I don't want to smash empty cars on the freeway, or kill off characters for shock value without advancing the plot. And so I am taking my time. Much more time than I ever planned or expected, and more writing than I've had to do since I first wrote Descendant (which went through about 30 drafts) in order to get it right.

Unfortunately, this means Legacy most likely won't be released in April, or even May. But it WILL be released, and as soon as I have a better idea of when, I promise I will shout it out to all of you.

I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting, but the truth is ending a series is HARD. This book is, to date, the hardest book I've ever written. And I want it to be awesome. I want it to be worth the wait. I want to do it right.

What about you? What things have you had to work hard to get right?

Characters We Love to Hate

I don’t watch a lot of TV, but when I do have time, I’d mostly rather read or write. So when I decide to devote myself to a series, it has to be well written, dramatic, suspenseful, and there should be kissing involved. And a love story. Because I’m a sucker for that.

Okay, so I guess shows like Prison Break and 24 didn’t have a lot of kissing, but even so, there was always an undercurrent of romantic suspense built in somewhere. And I live for those storylines.

Take, for example, the new CW show REIGN.

As the writers probably designed, we all love Mary, Queen of Scots. She is a well-developed character who is benevolent, kind, and as good as she is beautiful. It’s no wonder she has two brothers fighting for her hand. (BTW, I am Team Francis, all the way!)

But then we get an evil, cunning antagonist in Queen Catherine. She’s spiteful and devious, and just when you start to think she can stoop no lower or go no farther to get what she wants, she finds a way. In fact, she is so complex that no one can trust her. Not Mary, the French court, King Henry, or even her own son Francis. And yet, because she is so complex, as we learn the reasons for each new deception, as viewers we still somehow manage to find sympathy for her. In Catherine’s darkest hour, I found myself hoping she’d find a way to avoid losing her head. Literally.

Catherine is the epitome of the best kind of antagonist in a movie or show. She is the character we love to hate, and yet also the character we hate to love. And we do both.

Now I’m trying to think of another character who is quite so well written as Catherine, and I’m drawing a blank. So help me out, if you will. Who is a character you both love and hate?

(Please specify a series, book, or movie so I can look them up.) 

Lost and Found: Focus. Mine.

Lately I’ve struggled to find my focus as an author. Oh, I’ve been somewhat productive, but every accomplishment has been hard won in so many ways. Every word I’ve written has felt forced, every edited page as though it’s taken days.

There was a time when I loved writing. In so many ways it was like breathing to me. Everything that happened in life, for good or bad, was material for more writing, and motivation to finish yet another manuscript. And then I moved. And life took over. And writing fell down the priority list out of necessity.

The problem is those necessities have since calmed—we’ve really found our feet in our new place—and my inability to write should have ceased by now. The new problem is that I’ve fallen out of my good writing habits, and into bad ones wherein I am easily distracted by the internet, books by other people, church responsibilities, decorating, and…well, just about anything that can possibly be a distraction. Except cleaning. (That’s a downside too.)

And I’ve decided it’s time. Time to reorganize my thoughts. Time to reset my habits. Time to take control of my writing again. Time to be more productive.

After reading this post (thanks Elana!) I am reminded that taking control is really not as hard as I’ve convinced myself over the last year and a half. It’s simple. And it’s up to me.

So yeah. I’m off to start work on a new manuscript while I wait for edit notes on Birthright. I have a good idea, and I think I can actually turn that idea into a story. It’s all about focus, and I think it’s about time I found mine.

Have you ever lost focus on your goals for a long period of time? How did you find it again?

Worth the Work

I’m not going to lie. The next month is going to be crazy busy for me. Yes, the fact that my book is officially “released” into the world is part of it. I’m currently in Utah to celebrate that, and also to attend and present at my all-time favorite writing conference. Those things, along with a little visiting and socializing, will take up the first half of my May. And THEN…

Moving. Again.

Yes, yes. We did just move. Uh huh. It has only been six months. Here it is: from crappy rental house—into nice home-we-will-own.

It’s a lot of work, and a lot of stress. And a lot of brainpower. But in the end, we believe all the work and stress will be worth it. Kind of like it’s worth all the work and stress it has taken for me to see this book through the publication process. And worth what it's going to take to find time to write the next one.

I believe that all the best things require sacrifice and hard work.

So what about you? What hard thing do you believe is worth working for this spring/summer?

Something Everyone Can Be

The final address at the Teen BookCon was given by author Sharon Draper. This was the speech I most needed to hear that day. I’ve never met Sharon, nor heard her speak, and the awesome thing is that she was speaking to teenagers, about teenagers—teens who write, and teens who don’t. And I just happened to be pretending to be a teen, so it worked out.

Author problem #347: I have zero experience in talking to teens.  (This is one of the reasons I crashed Teen Book Con.)

Besides being an author, Sharon has taught school for 30 years, and her vocal skills show that experience. She was engaging and funny. She read out loud several pages from her books—segments that absolutely hooked the audience. But more importantly, she was profound.

She said something like (I’m totally paraphrasing): Some people are born with a natural talent for writing. Others work very, very hard to learn how to write because they love it and it’s what they want to do. But not everyone is meant to be a writer, and that’s okay. Everyone has something they are either good at, or something they love enough to work hard on, and that is a good place to focus. Not everyone needs to be a writer.

But everyone, EVERYONE can be a reader. Besides novels, there is nonfiction, and magazines and short stories and biographies, and a million other types of books to choose from. Those people who don’t think they’re readers just simply haven’t found the right books or the right materials.

Shannon’s words made me think of my fifteen-year-old daughter. For years, she has insisted that she is not a reader. That she doesn’t like reading at all. But, um, right before The Hunger Games movie came out, she read through the entire series in ONE WEEK. (Not a reader? WHATEVER!) Yeah. I agree with Sharon. Everyone can be a reader.   

Isn’t everyone in the world just looking for a good story? What do you think?

A Declaration of Truth

(for my new friends and readers)

In case you haven’t already figured this out, my name is Nichole, and I’m a writer.

I say this in the same way as I would were I confessing to an addiction, because in many ways, it feels like one. You see, writers—we don’t always behave the way people expect, or in ways that others see as normal. Sometimes, we’re social. Especially when we’re in the company of other writers or artists. And when we are, we talk and laugh and behave as though we live in real society. Or, what feels to us like real society.

Other times, we appear to be very far away. It’s entirely possible that a writer will walk or drive right by someone they know—someone who is a good friend, even—and not see them. Not acknowledge or hear or speak to them. This is not a show of anger or disrespect. More than likely, it’s because our minds are on the other voices we hear—the ones that speak only inside our heads. Go ahead and talk to us if you want. Real voices are usually loudest.

Writers are observers by nature. We are the people who attend sports games and watch, but sometimes don’t speak. Most likely, we have not only seen and catalogued the game, but also every conversation, mannerism, name, and rule—broken and followed. We somehow manage to capture and remember pain, joy, and confusion in a single expression, in a single moment.  

We are the describers of emotion, who sometimes delve so deeply into our own feelings that we come out on the other side bruised, battered, and occasionally permanently scarred. We are warriors of words, fighters of battles, healers of hurts, wielders of the sharpest weapons ever invented.

For a writer, staring at the wall for an hour sometimes counts as a productive day. 50,000 words in a month is completely doable if it happens to be November. Another month, 5,000 words feels like an unreachable number.

We sometimes run internet searches about things like poison and weapons and chemical or biological warfare, and then talk about these things in public without causing alarm. We are the people who will go shooting just so we can accurately describe how it feels to hold a gun, and who might fictionally murder someone who has wronged us in real life. We are the people who cry when our villains die, because no matter how bad they are, we are their parent, and we love them.

Sometimes our homes are spotless and organized and efficient. Dinner is made and the laundry is folded and put away. And then we wake up, and realize that we haven’t actually done housework for weeks.  

We believe in magic, and fairies, and mermaids, vampires, and werewolves. We have seen the end of the world, and who survives and how they live. We have started revolutions and fought wars.  We know what it is to truly, deeply love, and the power found in that. We know about destruction caused by hate.

Some writers wake before dawn and write in the wee hours of morning, others (like me) do our best work after midnight. (Side note: I am almost never coherent before 10:00 a.m.)

The endless list continues, but alas, this post cannot. This is merely a glimpse.

My name is Nichole, and I have experienced all of the above.

I am a writer. 

Little Details

Last week I talked about THINGS. The previous week, it was questions like why and what if. This week, I’m thinking about important details that might just make all the difference. Because sometimes, it’s the small things that can make or break a story, a day, a change, or, you know whatever.

For instance, when you buy a house, big things will decide whether or not you look, but it’s the small things that often make the sale. The extras, like tile instead of vinyl, porcelain versus fiberglass, solid wood as compared to pressed board. A water view or a pool?

This also applies to story. Little details can make or break a story. These are the things that really involve a reader and make them care about where the story is set, and what happens to the characters. What matters to your character? Why? Who is important to them? Who do they trust or distrust? And what would they do to protect those people or those things?

And on a smaller scale, it is often small things that have the potential for making someone’s day. A kind word. A smile. An offered chair. A good deed. A helpful tip.

Now it’s your turn. What small things make a difference to you today?

The Next Important Question

 Now that I have you thinking about the importance of asking why, let’s consider another very important question. What if?

What if asking why led you to consider new and uncharted possibilities?

What if you realized some of those possibilities could be just the road you need to take?

What if you took a chance?

What if that chance you took changed your life, as well as the lives of your family members?

What if it was hard and required a lot of sacrifice?

What if that hard thing meant good progress in the future?

What if that progress was something that taught your children or other loved ones about the importance of following their dreams?

What if they took that lesson and did something big?

What if your choices rippled on for generations?

Or

What if that chance wasn’t right for you, but you learned from it anyway?

What if that wrong choice led you to another choice that could be the right one?

What if you learned a lot of important lessons along the way?

What if your loved ones saw you try and knew that your journey made you who you are?

What if your future, and theirs, was better because you took a chance on the possibility of what if?

Progress. Pass it on.

**For writers:  What if this question created an entire story. Conflict, character arcs, beginning, middle, end—all thrive on this question. Because in the world of fiction, reality stems from possibility. It’s how  good stories are created.

A Question that Changes Things

I’ve been thinking about forward progress and what it takes to get to whatever new place we hope to someday reach. One of the benefits of our recent move is that it has forced my family to look at our lives and our goals and make some decisions about what’s really important to us, and what we really, really want for the future.

This has been a good lesson for me as a parent, because it reminds me how important it is for us (both adults and children) to ask the question why.

Why do we choose to do this or that or something else?

Why does something cost however much it does?

Why does a company pay a certain salary?

Why do individual people act in certain ways?

WHY?

Why?

(And if the answer to why happens to be along the lines of, “because it’s how we’ve always done it,” that’s a sure sign that something needs to change.)

Or, from a kid’s point of view:

Why do adults set rules?

Why do they follow (or not follow) those same rules themselves?

 Why is it necessary to do homework? Or to go to the doctor?  

Why do schools have dress codes if teachers aren’t required to live by the same standards they set for their students?

WHY?

 Why?

(And if the adults don’t follow the rules, this is a sure sign to children that adults don’t necessarily know everything—which is also an important lesson, I think.)

For writers, this single question is one of the most important questions we should ask about our characters.

Why do they act the way they do?

Why do they make certain choices?

Why have they become the people they are when the story starts?

Why?

There is power in this single question, because the answers to questions beginning with this one word have the ability to spark a chain of events that creates forward momentum. The kind of forward momentum that can change things. Very often for the better.

Think about it. What life-events have been sparked because you asked the question why? 

The Real Problem with Being Behind

The other day I went to a salon looking for some new beauty-consultant-type people. When you’re new in town, and really don’t have any recommendations, there’s no way to really know where to start when you need to get your hair cut, or your nails done or whatever whatever. So basically, I went in blind.

No big deal. What I was having done wasn’t life altering in any way. Superficial beauty treatments usually aren’t. Especially the ones that take an hour or less. (Unless it’s a bikini wax, but we won’t go there!)

As we got started, I asked the sweet lady about a part of the service which I mistakenly assumed she would either include, or at least be able to offer. It wasn’t any different from what I was having done, except for the type of product she was using. (No, it wasn’t purple hair color, though we all know that could come up again at some point.) To my great surprise, and extreme disappointment, she’d never seen, nor heard of this product (as well as a few others), even though it is something I’ve been using for at least a decade.

I asked how long she’d been in her current profession, to which she replied more than twenty years.  

In my head: “What? How can you possibly have been doing this for so long and NOT know about this?”  (I would like to point out that this was in my head, because I was so stunned, I didn’t really know how to respond politely, so I just smiled.)

She followed up with: “No one’s ever asked for anything new before.”

And there, my friends, is the REAL problem. Not because no one has asked for anything new, but because she is sitting around WAITING for someone to ask before she bothers to:

A.      Train in new techniques

B.      Try new things

C.      Experiment with new ideas

D.      Attempt to better her own skills

E.       Keep up with current market trends

As a writer, it is my JOB to keep up with all of those things I just listed. Not because someone asks, or because someone else thinks I should, but because progress = each individual person taking the initiative to move forward of his or her own accord. That’s how we succeed, no matter our chosen profession.

The cute lady in question didn’t do a bad job. In fact, except for her inability to offer that one thing, I found her rather skilled. Unfortunately, I’m afraid I won’t be returning to her for the service, because she simply cannot offer what I need. I’m a regular customer who will, sadly, have to keep searching for my beauty people.  

Don’t be the person who loses a job, or a publisher or agent or client or whatever, just because you don’t keep up.

*climbs off soapbox*

What are you doing to better yourself or your skills this week?

Upcoming Writer's Therapy Webseries: Ten Ways You Know You're a Writer

One group. One goal. Get published.

Writer Therapy webisodes will be airing Thursday, Sept. 20.

For any writer who has aspired to be published, or any reader who has wanted a “behind the scenes” look at the writing process, Writer Therapy launches their first two online webisodes. The web series follows the life and laughs of a critique group as they (try to) finish their manuscripts and get published. Each webisode runs between 4-10 minutes in length, with twelve webisodes comprising the first season.

The first season kicks off with Chersti, a recent college grad who has just finished her first manuscript. Fortunately, she has her critique group to help her through the querying process. Though the groups’ crazy antics—including everything from stalking famous authors to striking out on a personal quest—might deter from them actually writing, it is perfect research for their books, which will obviously be the BIGGEST thing since Harry Potter or Hunger Games.

Webisodes for season one will air consecutively on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in September-October. Special guest stars include authors Dan Wells, Brandon Mull and more!

More information can be found on the Writer Therapy website at www.writertherapy.com.

Contest information

With the launch of the new website, Writer Therapy will be hosting a 250-word contest. Winners will receive a query critique from an agent. Details will be announced on the Writer Therapy blog on September 10^th, the first day of the contest.

Links

website: www.writertherapy.com

youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/WriterTherapy

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Writer-Therapy/210678618951907

twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterTherapy

pintrest: http://pinterest.com/writertherapy/

Plot vs Character: Relatability

One of my primary goals as a writer is to create characters with whom readers can relate. And when I read a story, whether or not I am able to relate to the characters is one thing that will make or break that story for me.

To me, relatability is largely dependent on the reader’s understanding of the motivations behind the character’s actions. I think that as long as we understand why our favorite characters make whatever choices they do, we can forgive them for doing stupid or careless things.

But that motivation must be clear. Absolutely clear. Otherwise, we lose our ability to identify, and readers get frustrated with the characters they are supposed to love, because we don’t understand them.

I recently read such a book. It was a sequel to another book, which I very much enjoyed. Unfortunately, the story had changed so dramatically, and the main character’s motivation seemed to change in every chapter. In the end, I still didn’t understand why the main character had chosen a difficult path that could have been easily avoided with an honest conversation with another trustworthy character. Because of this, I became frustrated. I felt as if the author had forced the main character to make this decision just to make the climax more dramatic, when unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.

The good news is that there were some great scenes, some relatable, sob-worthy scenes, that made me care enough about the characters to want to see what happened at the end. The bad news is that I’m not sure I’ll be willing to see them through another book.

So here is my question for this week:

What is one important story element that makes or breaks a story for you?

(PS Please don’t ask about the book mentioned above—that’s not the point, and I’m not telling.)

Guest Post: Elana Johnson and The Making of a Character (also MORE giveaways!)

Ahhh! Still excited. Last night's launch party was amazing and exciting and I can't wait to tell you all about it. But today I have a special guest. Author Elana Johnson is here to talk about my favorite character in Surrender. Also, she's giving MORE stuff away. (And it's not too late to enter to win one of the awesome prizes from the Never Surrender giveaway.)

The Making of a Character: Gunner Jameson

A guest post by Elana Johnson

Okay, so SURRENDER is one day old today, and usually you’re still in the hospital with your new babies. But not me. I did have my launch party last night, but I’m here today to talk about one of the MC’s in the novel, Gunner Jameson.

I wanted to take a couple of tour spots to introduce readers to the characters, because SURRENDER is not a traditional sequel to POSSESSION. It’s more of a companion, where the storyworld is the same, but the narrating characters are different. (You can find out all about Raine Hightower on Shannon’s blog today. Go check it out!)

So Gunner Jameson. Let’s start with his name. It is a requirement of mine that my MC has a name that can be shortened. I adore nicknames, and I’ve been trying to use the name “Gunn” for a while now. I actually started a different book with this name, and when it died, I took the name and transplanted it into this novel.

And it worked perfectly. Gunn is reluctant recruit for the Insiders, the underground rebel group in the Association’s capital city of Freedom. He’s never known his father, and he has no siblings, so it’s just been him and his mom for as long as he can remember. He doesn’t need to move into a student flat, and while he doesn’t really agree with the controlling government, he’s more than happy to fly under the radar.

Because the alternatives have always meant separation from his mom. But when he finds a hidden microchip with Director Hightower summoning him to Rise One, Gunn gets in touch with Raine, and joins the Insiders.

Gunner has voice talent—remind you of anyone? (Did you say Jag? You should have.) His voice is the reason he’s been summoned to Rise One. He doesn’t speak much, but when he does, it’s to say something important. He’s got that whole, strong silent thing going on. He’s fiercely loyal to his family and friends, and he’ll do whatever it takes to fight for what he believes in.

I wanted Gunner to be sort of like this skater-dude, except with a hoverboard, of course. I wanted him to be cool and confident on the outside, even when he was freaking out inside. Writing Gunn was harder than I thought, mostly because he’s a guy and I’m not. I liked writing his chapters, but I wasn’t sure if he was coming off too sensitive or too emotional.

You’ll have to tell me when you read the book! You can read the first two chapters of SURRENDER for free on my Facebook page.

And it’s giveaway time! You can win one of five SPECTACULAR SECOND books this week! It’s easy peasy lemon squeezy.All you have to do is fill out this rafflecopter widget with what you’ve done, and you can win a signed copy of either INSURGENT (by Veronia Roth), A MILLION SUNS (by Beth Revis), CROSSED (by Ally Condie), PERCEPTION (by Kim Harrington), and IN HONOR (by Jessi Kirby)—all spectacular second novels by some of today’s hottest YA authors.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Also today for one day only, you can enter to win a swag package of exclusive character art—including Gunner Jameson—and stickers and bookmarks. No rafflecopter widget necessary – just leave a comment!

The Man I Loved When I was Twelve

So, I was channel surfing last weekend, and came across the movie Rocky IV. Having not seen it for a long time (and by long time I mean since I was a kid and they were released) I had to watch.

Yes, I admit it. At twelve, I was totally in love with Rocky Balboa. Or, well, you know, crushing on him, at least. (Ladies, don’t tell me you weren’t in love with him, too. I know better.)

As I watched the movie as an adult, and as an author, I saw things in this show that I never noticed as a kid. For instance, as a young girl, I couldn’t have told you why I loved Rocky, except that he was good-looking and had rock-hard abs, and he was tough. And even when he was a jerk to the people who loved him, I cheered for him because, well, he was Rocky Balboa.

But the truth (as now recognized) is that the reason the Rocky movies did so well is because Rocky Balboa is a character with which everyone could identify. He was the underdog. The uneducated. The poor boy from the wrong side of town who had the determination of a Pitbull and the heart of a lion. And we loved him because by the end of the story, not only had he grown and progressed exponentially, but he—the consummate David—fought his giant Goliath and won. He won.

It didn’t matter who he fought. Apollo. Mister T. Ivan Drago (that scary Russian guy). Rocky Balboa always worked his tail off, running, training, conditioning, and then he defied the odds and won.

Looking back at my own fascination for the Rocky movies, I had a light bulb moment. I loved them because of what the story was about. It’s about a guy who worked and worked and worked and worked, and never gave up, no matter what happened, and eventually, he succeeded.

And as an adult, I still believe that’s possible.

What about you? Do you believe working hard is the surest path to success?

Good Movies vs. Bad Movies

I like movies as much as anyone, but I don’t often take the time to see them. Although, I’ve seen several lately. Some were extremely well written, and some were very poorly written (no, I’m not telling titles—you’ll have to figure that out on your own).

The well written movies had high tension levels, strong suspension of disbelief, identifiable characters, and plots with unexpected twists and turns.

On the other hand, the poorly written ones moved slowly, weren’t believable for one reason or another, had characters that were difficult to connect with, and a plot that didn’t fulfill the viewers’ expectations.

What’s the difference? Well, in the case of two of my recently viewed movies, several million dollars in ticket sales. But even more than that, fans that walked away either stimulated and satisfied, or feeling like they wasted their ticket money.

Notice I didn’t bring up the big-budget/small-budget comparison. It’s because I believe small budget movies can be well written as often as big-budget movies are poorly written. It’s a mixed bag.

One thing we can do to assure we don’t end up on the bottom end of the spectrum is to fact check and research. Especially real life scenarios. If law enforcement plays a big role in your storyline, talk to a law enforcement official. If your story draws on medical science, talk a doctor to or research the relevant subjects. If there is a strong historical side to your story, make sure your story is set in the right time and that you have given your characters the right tools.

I’m not saying you have to get everything exactly right. Just make it believable to the reader or viewer.

What other things can we do to assure that our stories are the best they can be?

Finding Your Wings (and Bound by C.K. Bryant)

Sometimes it requires branching out, taking a different path than others have chosen.

Sometimes it means starting over or jumping into unfamiliar territory.

Sometimes it means saying goodbye to certain expectations or goals in order to make room for new ones.

Sometimes finding your wings requires the support of a number of incredible people who will stand by you and refuse to allow you to fall on your face.

But always, finding your wings requires an enormous amount of risk, which also requires bravery you haven’t always believed you possessed. But you do. You have it in spades. We all have this potential strength. It may take some digging, some serious soul searching, but when we find it—that is when we’re able to figure out how to fly.



Speaking of flying, today’s Dark C.A.R.M.A. spotlight is Bound, by C.K. Bryant.

This one, I have read, and it is really a great story. Favorite moments involve a waterfall and a shirtless hottie named Octavian, a dying girl and a best friend willing to risk everything to save her, and some great kissing scenes that leave Kira—the main character—and the reader breathless.

The one thing I was sad about was the ending, because I have to wait for book 2. *frowns*

Check it out!

The blurb:

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.


BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.


Purchase your copy of Bound on Amazon or learn more about the works of C.K. Bryant on her blog.

A Town Called Hell

Yes, really. It’s an actual place, and it’s here on earth. Don’t believe me? Google it.

A few years back, I visited this place. Imagine that? I’ve been to Hell and back, literally. *grins at the irony* In fact, there were vans full of people transported to Hell for the privilege of being able to say they’d been there.

Hell, the town, is located on Grand Cayman, an island in the Caribbean, and has a great deal of character thanks to the creative thinking of its founders and residents, who capitalize on the name daily.

In this case, the name of the town makes it not only memorable, but also an interesting place to visit.

I’ve also visited places like Death Valley, AZ. and Intercourse, PA. (which is doubly ironic because it is largely populated by people of the Amish faith). There are more. Wish I could remember them all. But I can think of one more. Forks, WA.

I think these real-life towns are a great example of why setting is important in fiction, and why naming our fictional towns require thought—a lot of it. In this way, the setting has an opportunity to become a character in itself. Basically, the place where a story takes place becomes as important as the characters in the story, with a personality all its own.

Do you agree with this theory? Have a story with a really amazing setting? Know of more towns or cities with really awesome names?


**This week I’m spotlighting the Dark C.A.R.M.A. books, which were released last Friday.

Today I’m sharing a little about Exiled by RaShelle Workman. I haven’t read this book yet, but it looks great, don’t you think?

The blurb:


Stubborn, sixteen-year-old Princess Venus of Kelari wants one thing, to become immortal, that is, until someone exiles her to Earth, kills her irrihunter and takes her family.


Now she wants revenge.


First she’s got to get home. But before she can return to Kelari, the Gods have commanded her to help an arrogant boy named Michael find his soul mate.


Only she doesn't know the first thing about love.


Rather quickly, her inexperience with human emotion is obscured by other matters—alien-controlled psychotic teens that are out to kill her, and a government group that is set on capturing and dissecting her.


Worst of all, Venus will suffer a painful death-by-poisoning, thanks to Earth’s atmosphere, if she remains on the planet longer than one week.


Still, Venus is a Princess and she's got a plan. Surely, with her help, Michael will fall in love with a human.


But time is running out and Michael is falling for the wrong girl—her.


You can get your copy of Exiled on Amazon.

The Professional Face

(Here I go again, blogging about writing. I realize that I blog about this more than anything else. It’s what I do. Even if you’re not a writer, I hope you realize there is wisdom for all professions within the writing industry, and keep reading anyway.)

You know that whole first impression cliché? I’ve been thinking about that, and I kinda want to talk about an important part of our image as professionals.

When first we encounter someone in our industry, chances are it will be online, rather than in person. Not that the in-person part isn’t important—because I cannot stress enough HOW big it is to have that personal contact—but realistically, when we submit work to agents or publishers it’s generally cold. That means first impressions are formed solely on the quality of our query and sample pages.

If you’ve ever read an article on submitting, you should already know how important it is to send only your very, very best work. So I’m going to skip that lecture. Also the query lesson. (But if you need help in those areas, you can look here or here.)

So we work and work and work on our sample pages, and then we work and work and work on our query, and then we think…ahhhh. Now we can submit, right?

Actually, you’re just getting started. I mean, yeah, you can submit, but if you want to make a good impression, it’s also important to do some research first. I know, I know, we write fiction to AVOID research.

So what do we have to research and why?

1. First, research any potential agents/publishing houses to find out if they represent or publish the type of work you have.

2. While you’re there, look to see if they have something on their list similar to yours so you can mention that in your query. Trust me, it looks good for you.

3. Finally, (and people, this is the BIG one, I think) check their submission guidelines. Every company and every agent is a little different. Some want just a query, some want five pages, some ten, some three chapters, etc. Some have questionnaires, some want just a twitter pitch.

There are a bazillion different quirky things these professionals might expect. If you do it right, you have a chance. But if you don’t, it’s possible your submission will be deleted unread.

The good news: the majority of publishers and agents have websites where you can go to find the pertinent information. Really, truly, there is no need to email them individually to ask (although, in extreme circumstances, that might be okay, depending on who it is—most agents prefer not) because the frequently asked questions are generally covered in one section or another.

Your query package is the first part of you these people will get to meet. So IMO, it’s uber important to put on your proverbial conservative makeup, spray down your “stray hairs”, and wear something nice to the party. Make a good impression, and you will NOT be sorry.

Have a great time at the query party. And hey, while you’re there, find me and say hi.

Happy Friday!

Our Inanimate Family Member

When we got married, my husband gave me this really incredible chair. It’s this monstrous blue microfiber thing that reclines, and is wide enough to fit two people—or, well, my husband and I—side-by-side. The microfiber is the stuff they were making way back before it was popular like, twenty-years ago. Ultra-soft, durable, and still looks brand new after you’ve cleaned it a bazillion times.

We love this chair. Even though it’s almost nineteen-years-old, and ceased to match our home décor, colors and style what feels like eons ago. It’s one of those things you can never get rid of. That one piece of furniture that you wouldn’t ever even consider putting in a garage sale or giving to goodwill. So every time we rearrange the furniture, it ends up in the den, or the spare bedroom—somewhere out of the way—where it can’t be seen.

But we still use it. When one of us is sick or has an injury, or surgery, or a special need that requires a comforting place to curl up, we drag out the big, blue chair. (I cannot count the nights I slept in that thing when I was pregnant and couldn’t get comfortable in my bed. Nor the nights I rocked my fussy babies to sleep in it.)

More than a piece of furniture, it’s almost an important part of our family.

Is it normal to consider a chair—a piece of furniture, an inanimate object—as part of a human family unit? Do you have something like this in your life? What is it?