by | August 3, 2011 · 6:23 pm

First Time Author Mistakes

by Crymsyn Hart

It’s been over ten years since I’ve first started to seriously look to get involved with the publishing world. I had graduated college with BFA in writing, had a complete novel that had been critiqued by a few of my teachers, and I was looked for an agent. I’d gone to the book store gotten the latest edition of Writer’s Market and started perusing through it. At this point I didn’t know anything about how to go about anything except from what my teachers and other writers at school had told me. And they all recommended Writer’s Market, which is a great book that now has a great website. But I wasn’t very Internet savvy at that point.

So I perused the pages that listed agents, went on line here and got some information on agents. After following the guidelines: sending in a query letter, synopsis of the work, first three chapters, whatever the agent called for, in the mail, I got many rejections. Most were form letters, but there were a couple with small notes saying the book wasn’t for them, but keep trying. Those were always encouraging .I amassed enough rejection notices to wallpaper my bathroom I think. Then I received an acceptance letter.

At this point, I was ecstatic. This guy was going to help me get published. But I had to send him some money first to help him cover the costs of shipping, copying, etc. Sigh… That was where he got me. Well my grandparents were happy to put up the money for me, but still. Words of wisdom, if anyone ever asks you for money up front, it’s too good to be true.

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by | August 2, 2011 · 7:00 am

The Male/Female Author

By J. F. Lewis

Yesterday, I had my first chat with a book club via Chatzy as part of their examination of the differences between male and female authors in urban fantasy. It was a very interesting experience and I hope fun for everyone involved. We discussed female authors who write male first person POV well (Rob Thurman was my pick) and authors who don’t do it well (I won’t name names there). As a guy, I can say that I tend to notice a gender simulation error when men who shouldn’t be all that in touch with their emotions start having thoughts that clearly aren’t “guy” thoughts.

I was told that I write women well (which was very flattering) and answered some questions about the series.

But one of my favorite points of the conversation came with the end when the club shared the differences they saw between male and female urban fantasy authors. They said that in general they thought men tends to move the story along more quickly than women and had more detailed fight scenes, while women seemed to focus more on relationship and give more detailed sex scenes and to examine what is going on more in the plot before moving on.

Given that half of many of my books is dedicated to a female point of view (Tabitha is STAKED and ReVAMPED, Greta, Rahcel, and Tabihta in CROSSED), I’m always intensely interested in the female perspective. One of the hardest things for me to remember when writing a female POV is how busy the inside of many women’s heads often is. Guys tend to be more single-minded and may make wild turns in thought, but general they have one central preoccupation at a time. Women seem to be like airplane controller managing many simultaneous topics, goals, and aims at once.

That, and women don’t tend to wear the same clothes on multiple days. 😉

How about you? What do you see as the major difference between male and female points of view?

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by | July 28, 2011 · 10:09 am

Story ideas from real life

by Gail Z. Martin

OK, so here’s the making of a fantasy story…..

Once upon a time there’s a king and he’s come into possession of a magical item that has to be eliminated before it destroyed the entire kingdom.  Everyone agrees that if the magic item isn’t eliminated, it will cause a catastrophe.  Then the king’s advisors and the nobles begin to squabble.  Each side has ideas on the best way to get rid of the dangerous magical item, and there are hidden agendas in abundance.  No one is telling the truth, and everyone is out for his own self interest, regardless of the cost to the kingdom.  A few of the loudest nobles think they can discredit the king by making any plan to get rid of the magical item fail, and they’re willing to risk destroying the kingdom because their soothsayers have told them that the magical item isn’t really as dangerous as the others believe.  Political intrigue and backstabbing abound, while a hapless, helpless kingdom awaits a hero with the courage to take action…..

Hmm….sound familiar?  For those who have been under a rock (lucky you!), the above is a thinly-veiled version of the budget war in Washington.  But strip out the names of modern legislators and political parties and it could be a power struggle in Ancient Rome or in Medieval Europe or in a fictional kingdom, or on another planet.

The point is, people are people, and regardless of the issue or the time period, they can be counted upon to act in certain ways.  Much as the nostalgists would prefer to think otherwise, our ancestors and forefathers weren’t really any more noble, selfless or moral than modern-day folks.

What this means is, your next idea for a novel could be as close as today’s headlines.  Every published author gets asked, “Where do you get your ideas?”  But the truth is, you have only to read history or this week’s newsmagazine to get more ideas than you could write about in a lifetime.

Start by asking “what if.”  “What if” the situation didn’t happen now, but in the past?  What if it wasn’t the president and Congress, but a king and nobles?  Or maybe an emperor and the generals?  What if the catastrophe were more than economic?  What if the magic wasn’t  confidence in the financial system, but real magic?  What if the backstabbing was more than figurative?  If you’re stuck for ideas, start with the real stories in the headlines and replace one element after another to see what happens.  Replace the people, the place, the central object, revise the stakes, change the technology.  Getting some ideas?  Go forth and write!

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by | July 27, 2011 · 6:19 pm

It Might Be Hot, but It’s Still Writing

by
Crymsyn Hart

I attended FandomFest this past weekend in Louisville, KY. It was hot and there was little air conditioning to be had except in the hotel rooms, but even then it was breaking down here and there. However, the panels were awesome and so was the collection of other authors who also attended. It’s always wonderful to get out and meet other people who are of like minds even if they write in a different genre because we are all trying to pedal our wares.

During one of panels I was one, talking about Erotic Writing, the other authors got to talking about how other people see them as authors. There are some who have to write under a pseudonym because of their day job, to protect their families, or for other reasons. The view was that when you tell others that you write erotic romance, then you are not writing at all or that you are writing porn. But it isn’t porn.
Erotic Romance has a plot and is character driven just the way other books are. The sex is there to help spice up the book, of course because who doesn’t like a little hotness to get your libido going, and to keep the plot moving. It doesn’t matter how long the book is even if it is a short, novella, or novel length. It is not a bunch of sex thrown in between the pages with just a little bit of conversation to get you thrown to the next hot scene.

Everyone has their own preference to what they read. Personally, I don’t read a lot of erotic romance, but just like the other writers, I’m still perfecting my craft with each idea that comes along. I just choose to steam up my glasses while I’m doing it.
What do you think?

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by | July 26, 2011 · 7:00 am

Relationships that Matter

By J. F. Lewis

As a series progresses, it’s interesting for me to see which relationships flourish and which ones don’t. For readers of Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series (spoilers ahead) the relationship between Ferro and Logen is one that we know from the beginning cannot possibly work. We know it must fall apart, the only question is when and how messy the fallout will be.

In my Void City series, it is (I hope) clear from the beginning that Eric and Tabitha can never actually work out. If I were writing a romance, it would be different. I would have to find a way for them to stay together. Urban Fantasy, however, does not require a happy ending. On the other hand, all stories require a satisfying ending. The important relationships must have closure even if they do not resolve the way the reader (or writer) might hope they will.

As the series progresses, it has become quite clear to me (and hopefully to the readers) that the familial relationship (the strictly platonic love story, if you will) between Eric and Greta (his utterly insane, yet charming and deadly adopted daughter) is the most interesting facet. One reader put it this way, “Here’s a guy who is basically good at heart, but a murderer who loves unconditionally a… monster who has become everything the guy fears that he himself has become. And the cool thing is, she loves him unconditionally, too.”

It’s no coincidence that in BURNED (Void City, Book 4) the main.secondary POV will be Greta. It’s a tough call to make because I know that Tabitha (the previous secondary main) is some people’s favorite character, but writing must serve story. If I get in the way of that, then I’m not doing my job and I’m cheating the reader out the genuineness of character I try to portray in Void City.

What about you? Ever had to make a hard call when writing? Ever hit one in an author’s work and wish things had gone the other way?

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by | July 25, 2011 · 3:35 pm

A Challenge in Writing Fantasy Short Stories

by Terry W Ervin II

www.ervin-author.com

https://uparoundthecorner.blogspot.com/

One thing on every writer’s mind as they are planning and writing a short story is word count. In almost every instance the shorter the work, the easier it is to find a market for it. It’s a balance of words, quality, and the story to be told.

In any case, there are more markets that accept 5000 word short stories than 7500 word stories, and some prefer word counts under 4000. Even those that indicate they will consider a 7500 word piece state it has to be really exceptional to be published. Consider in context what is being said, since I believe all publishers sift their submission pile for what they believe are exceptional stories. The longer the story, the higher the hurdle for it to reach publication.

Now consider writing a fantasy story. The writer has to introduce the reader to the created world, demonstrating or explaining ‘how it works differently’ as compared to the reader’s mundane, everyday world. The world building has to be packed within the context of the story while keeping the plot moving forward. Give the readers just enough to make sense, enabling them to understand. Allow the readers to fill in some of the blanks where ever possible.

An example to illustrate: A writer doesn’t need to explain to readers how an insecticide bug spray works (and its limitations) on a cockroach menace. The average reader can see the property owner in his mind’s eye removing the cap, pointing the can and pressing down on the nozzle, while avoiding inhalation of toxin. But a writer of fantasy may have to explain how a net stung with iron beads might be used by the royal gardener to snare the flitting fairies that have been stealing the blooming royal snapdragons.

In both examples the character is trying to get rid of pests, but the former dealing with the cockroach infestation would require fewer words than the latter dealing with the fairy menace. Maybe it would only require thirty words spread over a few sentences, but that adds up quickly when considering a word count limit of 5000. Why include the episode about the iron affecting magical creatures? Maybe it’s a way of establishing the rules or laws of that world for when a larger, more dangerous magical foe comes into conflict with the protagonist—so that the full explanation isn’t necessary, possibly right in the middle of intense action.

Maybe that’s part of what interests readers of fantasy—the discovery of new worlds and creatures, and how they interact. But there’s more than just how the fantasy world differs from the reader’s everyday experience. The story also has to include characters the readers want to follow through their interactions and adventures. Creating characters and relaying the story’s action takes words too—if at all possible everything tucked nicely into the 5000 word (or less) box.

So that’s the challenge. Write a short story with all the necessary elements, while including content related to the fantasy setting that is both necessary and intriguing. And keep the word count under the limit.

 

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by | · 1:35 pm

Paranormally Speaking

By Tina R. McSwain

The Perils of Summer Ghost Hunting

With last week’s high temperatures being well above 90, and throw in the heat index of 104-110, it is quite an undertaking to investigate in the summer time.  Especially if your investigation, or the bulk of it, is to be outdoors.  Or worse, your location is inside, but does not have air conditioning.

The obvious is to drink and have plenty of water on hand.  Don’t forget the bug spray to ward off all our little winged friends.  (Unscented is the way to go so as not to spoil any smells that may be attributed to a paranormal cause.) Beware the dive bombing bats, and then, there are the snakes!

Last but certainly not least, you have the physical strain on the body; profuse sweating, easier exhaustion, and the possibility of cramps, nausea or other heat related issues. 

With no end in sight and another week of 90+ temperatures, be mindful of this, and try to hold those investigations in a modern, well insulated and air conditioned home….lol

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by | July 20, 2011 · 1:50 pm

Cons Are In The Air

by Crymsyn Hart

You place your fingers on the keys, focus on the screen, and then let the world fall away. You get lost inside of your own mind and are transported to another reality that you are in control of. Or at least you think you’re in control of. That is what the characters inside of your head want you to believe. They want you to think that you are the one controlling their lives when in trust they are the ones who are controlling your hand and hacking into your thoughts to dictate which way they want their lives to go. It’s all their plan to make you forget that you are the instrument. Sometimes it makes me wonder who is really writing the books. Then again it almost feels like playing a video game going around killing people off and hooking them up.

At the moment, I have three books going on right now, each characters warring in their own landscapes. Each of them are squared away in their own boxes. But the walls between them are growing thin and each want a chance to take over my hands and start playing. But of course, I shouldn’t be writing but getting ready to go to the convention I’m heading to this week. Maybe it’s really the characters telling me to go and I’m just the puppet. Or there is someone else pulling my strings.

Cons seem to be the thing to do in the summertime. When all I want to do is write, other things are pulling me away from that. But that is a good thing because us authors have to get out from behind the computer and meet with people. I’m not exactly the social type, but anything that can get me out of the house is a good thing. This is the first con, I’m heading to by myself and the furthest so far. Heading to Fandom Fest in Louisville, KY. Then in August I’m heading to Philadelphia to another convention.
Hope to see you all there. Should be exciting.

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by | July 19, 2011 · 7:00 am

The Time Traveling Vampire Goes To SDCC

“Get thee to a convention”
-Gail Z. Martin

“Holy crap! Somebody hide me!”
-J. F. Lewis

By J. F. Lewis

I’ve never gotten the hang of writing a blog in advance. Maybe if writing was my day job, I’d be better at it, but I always find myself thinking either late Monday night or sometime Tuesday wondering what the heck I should write about. And, seeing as how that’s where I’m headed tomorrow, this week, it’s SDCC.

I don’t think I can fully express the San Diego Comic Con experience to you. You really just have to go. Picture a con where TV, Movies, Gaming, Video Games, and Publishing all show up in force. Set it in a civic center (a huge one) and then fill the darn thing up.

My first year, I literally spent most of the con trying to see all of the dealer’s room… And failed.

Year two, I actually wound up on a panel (and it was awesome).

This year, I’m on a Thursday panel moderated by the mighty Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy:

3:00-4:00 Magic & Monsters— Adult and young adult science fiction and fantasy authors discuss the costs and consequences of “magic” in their novels and the scary, hairy, and dangerous creatures that lurk in the worlds they have created. Visit the worlds of Kim Harrison (The Hollows series), Andrea Cremer (The Nightshade series), Anton Strout (The Simon Canderous series), Lev Grossman (The Magicians), Ben Loory (Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day), J. F. Lewis (The Void City novels), and Diana Rowland (The White Trash Zombie series), guided by moderator Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 25ABC

It’s always mind-blowing. Alway awesome and, to be honest, I’m still a little surprised I get to go.

Are you going? Have you ever been? What would you do and who would you want to see most? Enquiring minds want to know! 😉

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by | July 18, 2011 · 12:06 pm

Paranormally Speaking

By Tina R. McSwain

Mentoring

In North Carolina, high school seniors are required to submit a paper and product as part of their Project Graduation requirements.  Many of them have chosen paranormal investigating as their subject.  I have been mentoring these students since 2008 when I was first approached and asked to help.  As of this writing, over two dozen students have enlisted our expertise and guidance.

Since that time, this endeavor has become a most rewarding adventure for both myself and my CAPS team of paranormal researchers and investigators.  Our students have taught us as much as we have taught them.  It has been a thrill for us to work with such young inquisitive and bright minds.  It has also been a comfort to us to be able to pass along our knowledge and ensure that there are paranormal investigators in the future.  Hopefully, those who follow in well trod footsteps, will carry on our legacy.

And, our students have received only the topmost grades on their final presentations.  If you are a student reading this, contact us, we must be doing something right…

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