Tag Archives: Gail Z. Martin

by | October 20, 2011 · 10:23 am

Things that Go Bump in the Night

by Gail Z. Martin

Ok, so I write about ghosts, vampires, necromancers, magic and monsters.  Ever wonder where that came from?

Big surprise: I’ve loved spooky supernatural stuff since I was a kid.  One of my earliest favorites was a story written for elementary-aged readers in  the Jack and Jill magazine called “The Ghost in the Glen.”  I made my mom read it to me until the cover fell off the magazine.  I discovered Fate Magazine when I visited my grandparents.  Fate is full of first-person accounts of supernatural occurrences plus stories about the occult, the spooky, and the just plain strange.  I used to sneak away with a pile of Fate Magazines and read them for hours.

By now, I think everyone knows I loved the original Dark Shadows when I was in preschool, and that alone probably did a lot to determine my present life course.  Other early favorites were Twilight Zone, the old Alfred Hitchcock show (as well as the spooky Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators series of books), ScoobyDoo, Night Gallery, Tales from the Crypt and any old monster movies I could pick up on the local UHF channel (these were the days before cable).

Another early favorite was a book called Jane-Emily about a girl whose spirit is trapped inside a silver garden gazing globe.  I have never been able to look at a garden globe without thinking of that book! I decided Shakespeare was interesting when I found out Macbeth and Hamlet had ghosts in them.  I also read as many first-person accounts of haunting and ghosts as I could get my hands on, and still enjoy those kinds of books.  I think Blackwood Farms by Anne Rice is a perfect ghost story—vampires AND ghosts, plus some witches and a haunted house!

So there you have it.  If you don’t want your kid to grow up to write about vampires and necromancers, you probably ought not let them read every scary book they can get their hands on!

Watch for my Days of the Dead online tour beginning October 25!  Book giveaways, free downloads , character interviews, never-before released excerpts, and other cool stuff.  Get more details at www.ChroniclesOfTheNecromancer.com.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | October 13, 2011 · 10:22 am

Death Tells

by Gail Z. Martin

I write about a necromancer (and Halloween is coming up), so I probably think more about death than a lot of people.  And what I’ve noticed is that what an individual believes about death impacts a lot of other areas of life, while how a culture treats death has wide-ranging impacts.

So, for example, my main character Tris is a necromancer.  He can move between the world of the living and the realms of the dead, and he has seen several aspects of the Goddess.  He doesn’t fear death, because he isn’t at all uncertain about what happens afterwards, but because of the people he cares about and his responsibilities in the living world, he would prefer to live as long as possible.  Contrast that with someone who hangs on to life not because they are connected to people but because they fear what might come after death, and you can see where death begins to color a character’s viewpoints on a lot of things.

Does your character have strong viewpoints over who will be punished or rewarded in the afterlife?  If so, odds are that those some views will color who they believe should be favored or shunned in the living world.  Does your character believe admission into the afterlife will require exceptional virtue, bravery, or circumstances (such as death in battle)?  Expect to see those same qualities emphasized in the living world.  Is reincarnation a part of your character’s beliefs?  You may see that color views toward charity, if hardship in the present life is seen as a punishment for misdeeds in a past life.  How about a belief that there is no afterlife at all?  If so, the character and culture will focus on the benefit of actions in the present reality as opposed to “earning” status in the afterlife.

As you do your world building, factor in the life-after-death question.  You may find that your characters—and your culture—come up with some surprising answers!

Watch for my Days of the Dead online tour beginning October 25!  Book giveaways, free downloads , character interviews, never-before released excerpts, and other cool stuff.  Get more details at www.ChroniclesOfTheNecromancer.com.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | October 6, 2011 · 10:20 am

Nothing But Fear Itself

by Gail Z. Martin

Ever notice how much our fears define us?  The truth is, what a character fears reveals a lot about that person, and what a culture fears is likely to change its history.

Fears come in a lot of flavors.  There are survival fears: death, hunger, scarcity, physical  danger, loud noises, water, storms, and the dark are some examples of fear related to the ability to survive.  Then there are social fears: abandonment, betrayal, humiliation, ostracization, lonliness.  There are inner-oriented fears: the fear or being forgotten, of dying without a legacy, or living a lie.  And there are externally-oriented fears: the fear of  not belonging to a “tribe”, of not being well-thought of by one’s peers, of being a failure.

Personally, I believe that the more social or externally-oriented one’s fears, the more likely that person is to throw other people under the bus.  Take a look at the list again.  Heroes may have all the normal human survival fears, but they keep on going.  The tortured, angst-ridden hero has plenty of internally-oriented fears, but keeps them under wraps.  Few heroes lose sleep over whether or not they’re popular or whether they’re going to be embarrassed.

I think that’s because social and external fears are ego-driven, where the survival fears are biologically imperative and the internal fears tend to be the struggle between Id and Super-Ego, or the by-product of an overdeveloped conscience.

As for kingdoms, nations or tribes, what the group fears defines their rules and government, dictates their wars and foretells their persecutions.  Do they fear anarchy?  The group will tend toward absolute rule.  Outsiders?  Xenophobia will seal the borders and promote the advancement of the group that best fits their ideal of a native-born citizen.  Questions? The government or religion will take a hard line on dogma and deal ruthlessly with supposed heresy.  Disapproval of their international peers?  Look at the extremes to which rulers like Stalin, Peter the Great and Kim Il Jung have gone to create spectacles and “Potemkin’s villages” to win the approval and envy of other nations, even if the approval is based on a lie.

So what does it tell us when a person fears death more than anything else?  Personally, I believe that makes for a very dangerous person, someone who will sacrifice any value, betray any principle and turn on anyone who poses a perceived threat to their continued existence.

As you read the characters others create and as you create your own characters, ask yourself: What are they afraid of?  You might be surprised at how much you learn from the answer.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , , ,

by | September 22, 2011 · 10:19 am

Catch me at a con!

by Gail Z. Martin

Fall is just around the corner, and that means that I’ll be back on the convention circuit.  If you’re headed to one of these conventions, please stop by one of my panels/readings or catch me in the hall and say hello!

Dragon*Con—Labor Day Weekend

Here’s my official panel schedule:

My #DragonCon schedule: Title: Breaking In: How it’s Done Description: Trying to break into the SF/Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Urban Fantasy markets? Fri 01:00 pm : Manila / Singapore / Hong Kong – Hyatt

My #DragonCon schedule: Title: Broad Universe Reading Description: Quick cuts read by some up and coming female authors; their own works or works they find influential. Time: Fri 10:00 pm Location: Greenbriar – Hyatt

My #DragonCon schedule: Title: 101 Fascinating/Gruesome Ways to Kill a Character Description: What’s the most fascinating way to kill a character? Time: Sat 10:00 pm Location: Manila / Singapore / Hong Kong – Hyatt

My #DragonCon schedule: Title: Podcasting Writers Roundtable Description: Join popular Podcast authors to discuss the changing face of books and online media. Time: Sun 11:30 am Location: 204 – Hilton

My #DragonCon schedule: Title: Broad Universe Reading Part 2 Description: Quick cuts read by some up and coming female authors; their own works or works they find influential. Sun 01:00 pm Location: Fairlie – Hyatt

My #DragonCon schedule: Title: Down and Dirty Internet Marketing Description: How to get your stuff noticed. How to interest potential readers, viewers, listeners, etc. Time: Sun 05:30 pm Location: 201 – Hilton

Then Oct 14-16 I’ll be at Capclave, Gaithersburg, MD.  The week of Halloween, Samhain, Dia De Los Muertos and All Hallow’s Eve is my Days of the Dead online blog event, Oct. 24 – 31.

Nov            18-20 I’ll be at Philcon in Cherry Hill, NJ, and then I hope to be in several Charlotte-area bookstores in early December.

Next year is already shaping up.  Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come:

I’ll be chillin’ in Boston for Arisia in January!

I’ve accepted invitations to SheVaCon and Mysticon (both in Roanoke) in February, and should be back in Charlotte book stores with the launch of The Dread, Book Two in The Fallen Kings Cycle.

In March I’ll be at Ravencon as well as at the Arizona Renaissance Festival outside of Phoenix.

I’ve also been invited to Book Expo (BEA) in June, although I don’t have a schedule of events yet.

That’s what’s solid so far—I’ll add dates as I get confirmations.  And if you just like to talk about the craft and business of writing, please join me in person for my monthly Meetup, the  Thrifty Author Publishing Success Network!

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Conventions, Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | September 15, 2011 · 10:18 am

Things I learned from this year’s summer movies

by Gail Z. Martin

What did I learn from this summer’s crop of action flicks?  Well, they weren’t really intended as educational fare, but in between bites of popcorn, I picked up a few life lessons, so I thought I’d share them with you.

Transformers—prepare for your job interviews if you don’t want to look like a dofus.

Thor—wait until you’ve been crowned before acting like the king.

Pirates 4—asking nicely for things like a mermaid’s tears will get you farther than kidnapping and larceny

Harry Potter 7—that pile of junk in your attic just might be a valuable relic.  Or just a fire hazard.

Green Lantern—stopping to help at a traffic accident can change your life.

Captain America—never underestimate the skinny kid.

Cowboys and Aliens—don’t bet against a low-tech rebellion.

Conan—If you don’t want someone to reassemble the evil mask, destroy it, don’t just hide the pieces.

I’m not sure what kind of life wisdom any of this imparts, but passing along these disturbed ramblings is just another one of my many public services.  Enjoy.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , ,

by | September 7, 2011 · 10:00 am

Last Friday Night at Dragon*Con (with apologies to Katy Perry)

by Gail Z. Martin

There’s a Klingon in my bed
There’s a Vorlon in my head
Guinan’s serving in the bar
Reavers  passed out in the yard.
Con suite’s closing for the night
Is that a tattoo or a bite?

Photos of last night
Posted on the site
Dude!
It’s a fandom blur
But I know for sure
It ruled.

Last Friday night.
Yeah we gamed on tabletops
Then we did some True Blood shots
Think we filked but I forgot
Last Friday night

We went LARPing in the park
Crashed the Green Room after dark
Had some panels jump the shark
Last Friday night
Do it all again…Do it all again

What can I say—it was Dragon*con!  Just got back from Atlanta, and it was wonderful, as usual.

I had a great panel schedule, because it also gave me time to wander the vendor rooms and art show and catch some live music, as well as the panels with the stars of True Blood, and appearances by William Shatner and Carrie Fisher.

Panels were a lot of fun and very well attended.  How can you not have fun when you’re on panels with folks like Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Carole Nelson Douglas, Brent Weeks, David B. Coe, Scott Sigler, and other fun guests!  And I saw lots of other friends, like my esteemed co-blogger J.F. Lewis, my Ravencon roomie Jean Marie Ward, and all the Broad Universe crew, plus folks from my Thrifty Author Meetup group, and many more friends, colleagues and con buddies.

Costumes were fantastic, as always.  Saw a lot of great Steampunk interpretations.  My favorites were the Steampunk Green Lanterns and Captain America.  Lots of anime-inspired costuming too, as well as characters from all the big hit summer movies and top video games.  I think my favorite con t-shirt was the one with a white anime cat dressed in camouflage with a big gun—Halo Kitty, of course.

Of course, it was a total mob scene, and the elevators can only be compared to the Japanese subway, but otherwise it wouldn’t be Dragon*Con.  So now you know where I was Last Friday Night.  And all I can say is—Do it all again!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Conventions, Fandom, Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , ,

by | September 1, 2011 · 10:14 am

Fantasy and Thrill Rides

by Gail Z. Martin

I’ve often said that I focus on making my books entertaining, like a roller coaster.  I want people to get a rush out of the ups and downs and get to the end wanting to do it again.  Maybe that’s because I absolutely love theme parks, amusement parks and fairs.  I love the tinny music, the smell of all that artery-clogging bad-for-you yummy food, and the excitement of wondering what’s around the next bend.

Part of what I love about amusement parks and fairs is way it blocks out the real world.  When you get into the middle of the park, you can’t see anything of the outside world.  You’re in a place that’s separate from your normal life.  While you’re there, the “real” world doesn’t exist.  It’s all one big adventure.  Kinda like a good book.

I also love the total immersion.  All the senses are engaged—sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound.  When you’re in a really well-run park or fair, those senses are expertly manipulated to heighten the experience.  There is so much going on around you that you stop thinking about your to-do list or what’s waiting on your desk at work or what you need at the grocery store and just revel in the moment.  And again, it’s the same way that a good book makes you forget all your troubles or responsibilities for a blissful interlude.

Of course, amusement parks and fairs are always best at night.  When it gets dark, the lights come on, bright and blinding, an artificial aurora, non-stop neon.  At night, everything looks its best because you can’t see the places where the paint needs to be touched up, or the wires or the electric cords.  The fantasy is at its best because it becomes seamless, even a little disorienting.  Suspension of disbelief is complete, and child-like wonder takes over.

Whether it’s Six Flags or Cedar Point or Disney World or Carowinds or just the county fair or local Renaissance festival, that’s probably me you see wandering around looking a little starry-eyed, taking it all in.  It’s the next best thing to a good book!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Books, Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , ,

by | August 25, 2011 · 10:06 am

You can’t go home again, and neither can your characters.

by Gail Z. Martin

Contrary to Bon Jovi’s experience, most of us find that going home after we’ve left is at best bittersweet and at worst impossible.  That’s true, I’m convinced, because not only are we not the same people who left, but the place we’ve left behind changes while we’re gone.  It’s that whole thing about not stepping into the same river twice.

As I find myself spending more time in my hometown than I have spent since leaving high school (thanks to some family concerns), I got thinking about how many of my characters have had a reason to make a return home under difficult circumstances.

Tris flees his home to avoid being killed, only to find that he must return to face his monster of a brother in order to protect those he loves.

Jonmarc staggers from his village wounded and grief stricken as the sole survivor of a massacre by northern raiders, and returns years later to repel another invasion, this time, as the champion of a queen and at the head of an army.

Kiara leaves her homeland to forge a political alliance and returns to a shattered homeland that looks to her untested abilities to save it.

Cam went back to the home that exiled him and found unexpected strengths and an unknown lurking threat.

Even Kolin finds a mixture of grief and solace returning to what remains of his home, although only ghosts and the undead still inhabit the place where he used to live.

Maybe my subconscious put me on the track of bittersweet homecomings. More than once, I’ve worked through a difficult issue only to look back through my writing and find out that I’d unconsciously put my characters in the same situation in various guises.  It’s happened enough times to make me wary when I find themes in my own stuff, wondering what it means for my real life.

The whole homecoming arc certainly isn’t new; after all, that’s at the heart of The Odyssey.  But it probably resonates more at a mid-point in life more than when you’re younger and bursting from the gate to seek your fortune.  If you can think of other character homecomings in other books, I’m interested to see what you come up with!

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Books, Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , ,

by | August 18, 2011 · 10:19 am

Best summer movies so far.

by Gail Z. Martin

I don’t ask much from my movies.  A few explosions, some impossible but cool special effects, and a little magic.

With Netflix and Redbox, we have gotten pretty choosy about which movies we see in the theaters (that, and our three kids are now old enough that we’ve lost the child discount rate so we have to pay for five adults, which gets pricy).  We triage our theater-going to which movies really benefit from the big screen, 3-D and/or IMAX treatment, and which would be pretty much the same on the TV at home.  Needless to say, explosions and magic look better when they’re bigger and louder, so that tends to tilt toward our choice of movies.

Thor was a lot of fun—better than I expected.  (It was worth it to hear half the theater gasp when he took of his shirt.) I also enjoyed Green Lantern.  Lots of action, not real heavy on plot.  Pirates of the Caribbean 4 was an ok popcorn movie, but I liked the first one best. (However, compared with Pirates 2 and 3, Pirates 4 looked like Oscar material. My opinion.  Just saying.) Of course, Harry Potter 7.2.  I thought Deathly Hallows 2 was very well done, with exceptional special effects and cinematography with a mood befitting the tone of the book.  I’m looking forward to seeing Captain America.

I missed getting to see X Men First Class and, alas, Kung Fu Panda 2, so I’ll have to pick those up on Netflix later on.  I’m also intrigued by Super 8, and might catch that one.  And while it’s not really a movie, I enjoyed catching up on Season 2 of True Blood thanks to Netflix.

So there you have it, my confession of guilty pleasure watching summer movies.  Pass the popcorn!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | August 11, 2011 · 10:18 am

Good-bye, Harry.

by Gail Z. Martin

OK, I’ll say it.  I’m going to miss Harry Potter.

For the last ten years, we’ve either had a book or a movie to look forward to, and I enjoyed every single one of them.  I loved sharing them with my kids, and I loved them myself.  The world of Harry Potter was just plain fun, with its wonderful word-play (like the Penseive), great characters, and a tangible level of realism.

I also loved the other level of Harry’s books.  The friendship, self-sacrifice, heroism and power of community, all of which seem to be in short supply these days.  The triumph of democracy over oligarchy (mud-bloods vs. pure bloods), and the power of seeing something through to the end.  Rare qualities, all of them, and the saving grace of humanity.

With my kids, I’ve seen all of the movies multiple times.  To me, they never get old.  I have my personal favorites—Sorcerer’s Stone and Goblet of Fire.  And while I quibbled from time to time over the length of coverage some Quidditch matches received (then again, I’m not a sports person), I didn’t really mind.

One of the things that meant a lot to me was that in the end, it was the regular people who overthrew tyranny and fascist rule.  The mud-bloods and the half-giants, the dwarves and the orphans, the misfits and the outcasts triumphed over powerful special interests who would have subjugated everyone to enrich a few.  Voldemort tried to seduce the wizarding world through greed and power.

And he would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Gail Z. Martin

Tagged as , ,