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Universal Anger
Wednesday. Hump Day. Downhill to the weekend. Sort of. Tomorrow is the 4th of July here in the States. It’s a national holiday. I have the feeling quite a few folks will take Friday off, too. But today is Wednesday. And for some reason, the Universe thinks I need lessons in anger management. This first little nudge appeared a bit ago and I tucked it back for future reference (ie. when I needed a blog topic!).
Anger is always a signal from your higher self, Silver, that it’s time for a reality check.
Always,
~~The UniverseBecause, Silver, there are at least 10,000 workarounds, beginning with new perspectives or new friends… and probably ending somewhere near bowling or chess.
I can always use a reality check, especially when I’m working through a gnarly problem in a plot. Like I am right now. Times two. *mutterdamnMusemuttergrrrmutter* I’ve been lucky with my friends, including making some new ones. What I need is a new perspective on the situation(s).
Yeah, yeah. I know. Reality when writing about paranormal critters is sort of a non sequitur. But it’s important when world-building to create foundations that FEEL real to the reader.
Monday, this little jewel showed up in the inbox.
Anger is almost always a sign, Silver, that you’ve been quiet for too long.
Speak up, buttercup –
~~The UniverseIn unrelated news, joy is almost always a sign, Silver, that I’ve heard you.
It’s interesting because lately, every scene I’ve written from Sade’s POV has her angry. Or confrontational. She’s all up in people’s faces. And yelling. I really need to figure out who stuck a burr under her saddle. That might make it easier to… Okay. Shut up, Ariel. Sade does NOT need to get laid. Nope. Not listening. *sticks fingers in ears* La-la-la-la-la Still not listening. I don’t care if there is a hunky dragon showing up here in a bit. *grumbles and gets back to work*
Have a great day, everyone! And have a safe 4th. Anybody planning to watch fireworks? Picnic? Sleep late?
Lifesavers
It’s Tuesday. This in and of itself is hardly newsworthy. As of midnight last night, Google Reader no longer exists. This makes me a very sad camper. 😦 I loved Reader to keep track of the blogs/sites I follow. I’ve migrated to The Old Reader and while I like the features, it’s slower to “upload” new entries. That means my normal (the emphasis being on normal) morning rounds will be delayed. Not that I’m always johnny-on-the-spot but I normally make it places before noon.
Yesterday, being Monday, turned out to be typical, which is also not newsworthy. I gave up trying to write and resorted to paperwork. Today will be different. Today, I am going to write! So there. :p
In light of the Prescott, Arizona tragedy–19 firefighters killed when caught by a wild fire–I almost didn’t share this but in a way, it pays homage to what firefighters are all about. In this case, it’s CPR and saving lives. The link is courtesy of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, who made the video for the graduates of the 2013 CFD rookie class. Check it out. It might just save a life: Firefighters “Staying Alive”
And if you would, take a moment to offer healing thoughts to the families, friends, and co-workers of those lost in Arizona.
All Smiles
It’s Monday. It’s July 1st. It’s…damn. Where’s the summer going? In two weeks, I’ll be leaving for RWA Nationals in Atlanta. In six weeks, I hope to release BLACK MAGIC WOMAN. In two months (or a little longer) I hope to release SEASON OF THE WITCH in all formats and trade paperback. Yeah, I need to get to work. Especially since I also plan to release a mystery noir short between now and then (already written–waiting on the cover), and work on the new Hard Target series, with the first’s title DOUBLE TAKE. If you’ll glance over at the word widgets, I am making progress!
In other news, I guess I’m now an award-winning author. I received news over the weekend that BLOOD MOON won first place in the Short Paranormal category of the International Digital Awards. BAD MOON won second in the same category. HUNTER’S MOON won second in the Paranormal Novel category. (Not sure who won 1st–I haven’t seen the whole list.) And BEST LAID PLANS placed fifth in the Short Contemporary category.
This makes me want to work on the full-length versions of Moonstruck now. 😆 Like I have time at the moment 🙄 The rest of the weekend was sort of a blur. It was ugly hot and I’m waiting on library books so I can continue my read of Allison Brennan’s books. In the meantime, I’m reading the anthology, LOVE IS MURDER. There’s some interesting stories in it.
I’m also guest blogging over at B.E. Sanderson’s The Unpublished Writers’ Guide. Stop by and see what I have to say about lists and awards. I’ll be giving away an Amazon gift card, too!
For all my Canadian friends, Happy Canada Day!!! Those of us down here will celebrate our day on the 4th. So…what everyone else? Who did something really fun this weekend?
Posted in Writing Life
Tagged awards, books, guest blogging, links, Monday, Moonstruck, reading, writing
10 Comments
Bucket List 21-30
Third week of this. Are you bored yet? 😆 Maybe I should start doubling up and doing 20 at a time. But…but…my attention span isn’t that long! 😉 Anyway, when you’ve written as many blogs as I have, the idea of having TEN blogs all but written for me is a seductive siren. Luckily, I have a calendar so I can pre-set these.
21. Attend Romantic Times (After all the stories coming out on SBTB, I want to go and be a fly on the wall). (Was going in 2009 but my book won’t be released yet) [Next year is in New Orleans. Two bucket items, one trip. Must save $$ to go!]
22. Join Romance Writers of America. (have mailed the application…now we see if they let me join.) It’s official. I’m now a member. Yay!
23. Have a deck and a hot tub for long soaks, morning coffee, and writing.
24. Watch a St. Louis Cardinals game in person. (I’ve been to games at Kansas City and the Texas Rangers)
25. Actually come up with 100 things. This is frickin’ hard!
26. Get one of my lolcats (or loldogs) on the front page of icanhazcheezburger.
27. Win the lottery. (Not so much because I want gobs of money – though that would be very cool – but because I want to set up a foundation – the “Just Because” foundation. I want to give grants to people, causes, groups, ‘just because’ they caught my eye and my money would actually help. I’ll do a post on that one of these days.)
28. Get a hot tub for long soaks. (See #23)
29. Lose at least 50 pounds and keep it off.
30. Read all the books on my TBR shelf and list. (Yeah, like THIS will ever happen!)
Happy Friday. Do any of these resonate with you? Fun plans for the weekend? I think I’ll stay in out of the heat. Read. Work. Watch baseball. Life is good! 😀
Posted in Writing Life
Tagged bucket list, fun travel and adventure, herding cats, musing
5 Comments
Sleep, Perchance to Dream Universally
I don’t always dream–at least dreams I remember vividly. I used to. My dreams were cinematic. Vivid. And I remembered them in great detail. Then things changed. I’m not sure why. I’m not sure how. But they did. I do admit that I miss the dreams.
Now, when they come, I’m always surprised. And I always pay attention. I mentioned yesterday and through the weekend that Iffy was running around with ideas for a new book. Which came from a dream. One I sort of remembered. And then the Universe dropped this into my lap.
Ask any question, Silver, just before you sleep, and it will be answered.
Actually, you can ask any question, any time you like, and you’ll be answered, but mornings your “hearing” is often best.
Yes, we can hear you now –
~~The UniverseWe get a lot done, Silver, in dreamland. Actually, we’re custom engineering your world right this very moment… with the “Hello Kitty” logo, right??
Uhm…no. No “Hello Kitty” in this house! But the rest of it? I have to go along with the Universe. A lot of times, when I’m stuck in a scene or I’ve painted myself into a plot corner, I’ll think about it as I drift off to sleep. And sometimes, I get lucky. In the morning, as I’m laying listening to the world come awake, I’ll hear the whispers relaying my answer.
What about y’all? Do you dream? Do you ask questions as you go to sleep and wake up with the answers?
Weekend Hangover
*cracks open an eye* … *squints* … *groans*
Yup. It must be Monday. All day. Where’d the weekend go? I swear it was just here a minute ago. Dang elusive thing.
So how was yours? As short as mine? I worked Saturday. Figured out some plot holes in BLACK MAGIC WOMAN (# 0.5 of the Penumbra Papers) and added a whole bunch of words. I managed a little housekeeping of the vacuuming variety. Saturday night, I headed up the Ham Radio Field Day to have BBQ with Lawyer Guy and the EARs group. The Only, Baseball Boy, and their “adopted” nephew and niece came, too. The little ones belong to Only’s best friend and she’s an adopted daughter. It was fun but I was ready to get home.
Iffy plagued me with dreams all night. I know have a new hero and heroine, a new group, and a new plot. ARGHHHHH! I’m trying to make it fit into the Atlantis Project series but it’s sort of like pounding a round peg in a square hole. It almost fits but not quite… It wants to be a straight military romance, without any hint of paranormal. The SEALs in Atlantis have gills so…. The heroine is an American doctor on a medical mission. It gets messy. I finally gave up and wrote the two scenes I have a good handle on, and the H/H have names.
Today I’m back at work on BMW. It’s gotten all twisty-turny, Ari is up to his old games of seducing Sade, Roman just scared the bejeezus out of a human investigator, and Caleb is all growly. Life is good in Penumbra’s world. 😆
Question. Compendiums. Yea or nay? I’m doing a “wiki” for the Penumbra Papers as I go along so I can keep track of characters and plots. I’m debating whether or not to create a .pdf file that can viewed/downloaded so readers can keep track. It’s not anything I’d put up for sale, just an added bonus. Would y’all be interested in something like that?
Another question. Who had fun this weekend?
Bucket list 11-20
Welcome to the second installment of my Bucket List. I have even more to mark off on this list. I’ve visited with Nora a couple of times. She’s lovely. And if I’m every *rich*, I plan to start the Just Because Foundation. I’ll blog about it one of these days.
11.
Be owned by another Newfoundland.Dog, not islander. 😉12.
Visit Mulberry at least once a year.Did this for several years but those trips are done. 😦13.
Meet Nora Roberts.14. Trips to
New Orleans. (Okay, this is sort of done, as I keep going back as often as I can. New Orleans is a favorite place.)15.
Collect and read all of the Scarlet Pimpernel novels and short stories.I’ve met the Baroness’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter. I’ve read the original novel and want to eventually get them all. Great fun! This is mostly a partial but so close, I’m marking it off. Thanks to an acquaintance in England, I have almost all of them now and slowly working my way through them. 😀16.
Get a new Highlander.(SUV not man-in-kilt, though that would be lurvely!) Though it’s not *new* any more. 😆17. Pay off all family debts and stay that way. (headed there. House is paid off.
Cars are almost paid off.That leaves just college loans andsome other consumer loans.)18. Spend at least a week in the Southwestern desert taking photographs. (Santa Fe would be nice for starts followed by Flagstaff and other places west)
19. Actually start doing photography again. (This was something else when originally written and while I didn’t cross it off, it no longer applies. Plus, I really should re-hone my photography skills!)
20. Have a million dollars to give away to “Just Because” people and causes.
Who has fun plans for the weekend? Lawyer Guy is doing Ham Radio Stuff(tm) and I think I have a dinner to attend with him tomorrow night. My lack of knowledge means I’m playing the weekend by ear. 😉 Have a great one!
Posted in Writing Life
Tagged bucket list, follow up, fun travel and adventure, herding cats, musing
2 Comments
Serious Series – Part 2 (Brennan Edition)
How many of you are familiar with Allison Brennan? I know a few of you *looks at B.E.* are. I started reading Allison’s books about the time she released her Seven Deadly Sins series and then stayed when she launched the Lucy Kincaid series. She writes dark suspense with romance and is an award-winning NYT best seller. She’s also a friend of mine and I can say without reservation one of the most awesome people I’ve met.
I’m a little slow on the uptake sometimes. Okay, a lot slow. I didn’t realize Allison’s earlier series/trilogies were all linked. They share events and characters and keep building on the previous books. How did I not realize this until now?!!? *headdesk* Needless to say, I’m backtracking and working my way through her list because those books are damn fine examples of the genre.
As I mentioned yesterday, when I first wrote BLOOD MOON, I wasn’t anticipating the Moonstruck series. Until I started writing it. On the other hand, when I started SEASON OF THE WITCH (coming this fall), I foresaw at least four books–Sade’s, Caleb’s, Ariel’s, and Roman’s. After working with my agent, we developed the series to include at least ten titles. And I realized I needed to learn how to create a series bible ASAP! 😛 That’s another post…maybe next week.
Anyway, back to Allison. Once I realized characters, relationships, and events mentioned in the Lucy Kincaid books had their roots in previous books, I went back to catch up. Prowling around Alli’s website to find info (reading order), I came across three .pdfs. Since I don’t have her permission to put the info here, I’m sending you to check out the link: ALLISON’S CHARACTER LIST. Take a moment and go look at it. Look at the progression of the characters from book to book. Now go look at the PLOT SUMMARIES. See how the plots progress along with the introduction of the characters? Damn. It’s masterful. I bow down to Allison’s expertise. Note that she writes in threes–trilogies. Except for Lucy. There are be six Lucy books, a couple of novellas, and more books coming in that series.
All of this said, I have no idea if Allison set out do things this way. I wouldn’t be surprised because she is that organized. On the other hand, I sort of hope that as she introduced a character, something triggered in her imagination and she made note of it for use at a future date. And boy howdy did she! The integration of the books is seamless. I want to be *this* when I grow up as a writer. 😆
I don’t really have much to say in way of summation. I’m just fascinated by the whole idea. I hope to see Alli at RWA Nationals. Maybe I’ll get the chance to ask her. I can also see that this series about series needs to be a series! 
I need to talk about pre-planning. And series bibles. And overlapping characters and…and…BLOG TOPICS! Speaking of which, I had the second installment of my bucket list scheduled for today. It’ll post tomorrow now, if you’re intersted. Have a great weekend, everyone! Who’s doing something fun? Me? I’ll be reading the rest of Allison’s books! (And fighting the temptation to write a bit of fanfiction about one of her characters, Kane Rogan. Oh, dude! I want your book!!! And I know just how I’d “set” you up!)
Posted in Craft, Writing Life
Tagged Allison Brennan, books, craft, follow up, herding cats, links, reading, series, writing
8 Comments
Serious Series – Part 1
I received a message on Facebook the other day asking whether ROGUE MOON was the last in the Moonstruck series. I began an answer, got distracted, and never finished. I plan on discussing the question, and others, over the course of at least two posts (maybe more if I get sidetracked. 😆 )
Moonstruck is a serialized series, even though each book has it’s own beginning, middle, and end. I’m not sure it started out to be a serial, but it evolved into one. The best laid plans and all that, you know. Today, I’m talking about Moonstruck. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about writing a series.
Originally, Moonstruck was one book: BLOOD MOON. But then Michael wanted his story told (BAD MOON), which led to Nate’s (HUNTER’S MOON), and then fans wanted Sean’s story (WOLF MOON). I knew Harjo needed his HEA (BRIDE’S MOON) and damn if Rudy didn’t tap me on the shoulder and explain how the story arc worked and along came ROGUE MOON.
About halfway through, I realized there was more to the story of the WOLVES and their fight with Black Root. How? By all the chapters I CUT from the books. I kept getting sidetracked with scenes and events that added to the whole story, but weren’t necessary for each individual story. If that makes sense. So…I got the bright idea that I’d create two “anthologies”–the first three books in one, the last three books in the second, with those bonus chapters I’d cut. And I’d release those books both digitally and in print. That’s still the plan, but there might be another novella out there because there was a twist at the end of ROGUE that caught me totally by surprise.
Then there’s the matter of a Navy SEAL Unit tucked away in the Florida Keys and the ultra secret Project Atlantis. Yeah, y’all thought I’d forgotten about them. I haven’t. But they’re being stubborn and say my security clearance isn’t high enough now. 🙄 That’s okay. I need to deal with Sade and the Penumbra Papers crew first.
Anyway, I don’t have hard release dates. I’m planning early in 2014, sooner if things go well. There’s something hanging out there on the edge I’m waiting to hear about that could shift timelines.
So that’s the state of the state where Moonstruck is concerned. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about someone who knows how to plan and create a whole series of series. Seriously. I had no idea until I started reading her back list. Damn. I did it all backwards and I’m making up for lost time (and ground) now. Until tomorrow, then. In the meantime…
READERS, do you like the idea of serialized series? What about “omnibus” versions with added content?
WRITERS, do you intentionally set out to write a series that follows a pre-determined plot arc? If you do, how do you preplan?
Posted in Craft, Writing Life
Tagged books, craft, follow up, Moonstruck, musing, Rogue Moon, series, writing
12 Comments
Silver James 