Author Archive

Whatever you think you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it. – Goethe

Remember the first story you wrote? That thrill of discovery, the emotions that enveloped you, the sensations that consumed you?

I had a sort of light bulb moment while watching Top Gear. The guest had said that he approaches making each of his films like it was his first. That got me thinking about my writing. So I decided that today I would challenge myself: I would approach writing my current story as if it’s the first time. As if it’s not apart of a series, as if I don’t know these characters and this town that they live in. And I’ll see what happens.

Authors if you want to take up this challenge please let me know how it goes.

Se

I heard Jessie J sing this on The Voice and just fell in love with it.

Happy Monday! What’s your Music Monday Pick?

Se

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry

The reason for this post is because of a death on the series Being Human (UK). The death wasn’t a surprise to me, I knew it was coming and yet it still hurt because the character was so beloved, one of my favorite characters on the show. That death was necessary to advance the storyline but also as a way to prevent bad things from happening. I respect the writers of the show for going there and taking that risk.

Anyway, My first visceral experience of an author killing off a character, something that really shook me was J.K. Rowling *Spoiler Alert* Killing off Sirius. It was shocking, emotionally jarring and something that shook me to the core. I was right there with Harry when Sirius died. I still get a bit teary when I think about it.

Death in a story should progress the plot, it shouldn’t be just something for shock and awe. Another series that comes to mind that involves a lot of death is Game of Thrones. Each death progresses the story, pushes the characters and creates some new and sometimes odd dynamics. Death in a sense is a character itself, haunting each character whether it will come about due to political machinations or a battle or a situation of something they shouldn’t have seen you’re reminded that someone could die. No one is safe in that world even if we’d like to think that our personal favorites are.

I’ve read stories where the deaths of characters fits into the story perfectly. It doesn’t necessarily drive it but reminds of the setting the characters are in and just how wrong things can go if someone isn’t careful or things really hit the fan. One story that comes to mind was a Book Club pick for the Offerings group, The UnTied Kingdom by Kate Johnson, what happened fit in perfectly and was very well written. Another case for the death of a character is to really set the story off. The series that comes to mind is JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. In the first book, within the first few pages boom there it was. Both shocking and yet it sets the tone for the war between the Brotherhood and the Lessers. And another death that I thought of that was both necessary and emotionally sad was from the Vampire Babylon series by Chris Marie Green.

I’ve been thinking about death and characters and my own work both old and new. Don’t worry your favorite characters are safe…for now. But it’s still on my mind. I really admire authors willing to really go there. Killing off a character can really explode in your face if done wrong. So the question to authors is: How do you decide to kill off a character? What makes you decide to go that route?

And Readers here’s a few questions for you: How do you feel when a character is killed off? Does it make you not want to read the rest of the book? Not support the author? Do respect the author for making the decision they did?

To both Authors and Readers: What makes a death stand out? When it comes to villains do you feel that their death should be slow and painful or quick and creative? Are there any stories that stand out in your mind that involve the death of a character?

A bit of a warning: As Game of Thrones is really popular right now and in Season 2, which would set it in the second book, please avoid spoiling the other deaths for readers who are watching the show and don’t know. If you must discuss the death put Spoiler Alert in the comment before you discuss the death.

Love this song.

Hope You Enjoy.

Se

I’m obsessed with Game of Thrones.  I love both the books and the TV Series. It’s interesting watching the changes that are getting made and I love talking to my buddy Chris Marie Green/Christine Cody/Crystal Green  about the differences between the books and the show. It’s fun geeking out with her. Watching the series only whets my appetite for the next book in the series. But in the meantime all I can do is re-read the series, make notes of the major points in the story that I missed and try to speculate on what might happen next. What do you think of the books and the TV series? Are you loving the second season?

The next thing I’m obsessing over is Once Upon a Time. Watching it not only makes me what to write a fairy tale redo or two  (I already have ideas for them) but also it’s just so darn fun to speculate as to what will happen next. I love trying to figure out what Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin  is up to. The character development of the series is so good, you think you know what the person is about and then the writers go and surprise you. It’s wonderful and wicked at the same time. So what mysteries are you waiting to be unraveled? What characters are you loving? Or loving to hate? What do you think will happen next?

As to books, I just saw that Iced by Karen Marie Moning is up for pre-order. So excited! The cover looks awesome! As to reading material, I’m really loving reading mysteries. The Book Club pick for this month is: Storm Front by Jim Butcher and I’m loving the story so far.

So what books are you reading? What music is going around in your head? What TV show is your new fav? I’m loving GCB, it’s hilarious.

Se

Right now I’m working on Dragon New Year: Dragon Ugly, the second story in the Dragon New Year series but it’s also the second story in a larger series that takes place in Shadow Bay which was introduced in Dragon New Year. So these are the songs as it stands that are driving me for this story:
Along the Watchtower- Bear McCleary
Paris Ooh La La- Grace Potter
Breakeven- The Script
Give Your Heart a Break- Demi Lovato
Bedroom Hymns- Florence and the Machine
Short Change Hero- The Heavy
Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing- Chris Isaak
Wicked Games- Thee Days Grace
Understand- Christina Aguilera
Moves Like Jagger- Maroon 5
Ball and Chain- Anouk
Turning Tables- Adele
The Great Divide- Emmy Rossum
Dark Side- Kelly Clarkson
Addicted- Kelly Clarkson
Voodoo- Godsmack
All I Want- Susie Suh
Petrified To Be God-Like- Susie Suh
Breathe Water- Anggun
Understand- Christina Aguilera
You Fight Me- Breaking Benjamin
Undress Me- Anggun
It’s All Your Fault- Pink
Orion- Gabriela y Rodrigo
Sinner’s Prayer- Sully Erna
Silver and Cold- AFI
Come to Me- Megan McCauley
I Am- Christina Aguilera
You Lose Me- Christina Aguilera
Milk- Garbage
#1 Crush- Garbage
You Look So Fine- Garbage
Animal I’ve Become- Three Days Grace
Stand Still, Look Pretty- The Wreckers
Rain- The Wreckers
Gravity- Sara Bareilles
Impossible- Christina Aguilera
Your Heart Is As Black As Night- Melody Gardot
I Bruise Easily- Natasha Beddingfield
My Sensual Mind- Anggun
Bad Boyfriend (Garbage Remix)- Garbage
Domino- Jessie J

It’s an interesting mix and I’m loving it. Some songs are mainstays for me when it comes to writing. So what do you think of the list?

Se

Hi!

Just a bit of an update on my writing. I have at least 5 commitments to Etopia Press and at least three books aimed at Loose-Id along with finishing up Isadora’s story for the Draven’s Crossing. As to my other series such as Tartan Werewolves or Hades Helmet Crew they’re on the backburner until I can give them the time they deserve. I have several ideas on where to take the Tartan Werewolves including a possible spin off series. I also have ideas for the Hades Helmet Crew series. So, for now I’m focusing on other series first and giving them attention and then will turn my attention back to my other obligations.

My release schedule with Etopia Press is as follows:

June- Seven Sins Inn- Pietro & Callisto

August- Dragon New Year- Dragon Ugly

September – Bachelor Auction- Mate Not Wanted

November- Christmas Story

December- Dragon New Year- Fletch’s Story

January- Ringed City Tales- The Hunt

If there are any changes and updates I’ll let you know.

Se