Fairytale Blog Tag... from Fairytale Central!

So, Fairytale Central had a cute blog tag which tempted me out of internet obscurity... and here's my answers to them! 

THE QUESTIONS

– What’s an obscure fairy tale you love?

E. ~ Hmmm...  hard to say!! There are so many obscure tales, and often I like elements from this one and that one... which is one of the reasons why I write! To make a "better story" and iron out the wrinkles which bother me in the originals!!! ;-) 

– If you got to choose Disney’s next animated princess movie, what fairy tale would you choose to be adapted?

E. ~ I might get yelled at by some, but after recently seeing Frozen 2, and loving it even more, perhaps, than Frozen 1... right now, I'd vote for Frozen 3. I love the sister dynamic, and exploring more about how to grow up and yet stay close... a theme that's often ignored in entertainment.
   (And personally... as someone who gets super tired of that beaten-into-the-ground trope; I love that "Twu Wuv!" is NOT the focus.)
  Also, my soul adores the Nordic aesthetic for that world... it's beautiful in ways I can't even articulate here!

Such details! Such inspiration!

– What is the first fairy tale you remember hearing when you were a child?

E. ~ I can't recall... perhaps Red Riding Hood? I've always hated that one... the "oh, they're still alive!" twist at the end can't make up for all the deaths that batter you right off the bat in that tale!

– If you were to embark on a fairy tale quest, what necessities would you pack in your bag?

E. ~ Oh, definitely a water canteen, a dagger, and fire starter, and pens and paper to make maps and notations so I'd be less likely to get lost!! ;-)
  Then I'd wrangler up a couple horses, because I'm all about the ability to get away fast, and having multiple horses to switch through boosts the chances of success on that!! 

– What’s your favorite fairy tale trope?

E. ~ I love the "misfortune-befallen royalty"... the idea that true worthiness will show through even under the worst circumstances, and that you can still tell someone's mettle no matter how disguised their state may be. I definitely "heart that", big time! 

– If you could be any fairy tale character archetype (the princess, the soldier, fairy godmother, talking animal, mischievous imp, wise old woman, evil stepmother/sister, etc.), who would you want to be and why?

E. ~ I've always had a deep affinity for the Cinderella archetype... I suppose it ties in with my answer above. So the Princess and the Pea is a great one (though I've always had mixed feelings about the Pea part of that tale... I prefer "actions speak louder than words" type of solutions! :-) )

– What animal/mythical creature would be your sidekick for fairy tale adventures? 

E. ~ Well, a horse would be invaluable for traveling, but dogs are fantastic, so I'd not want to be on an adventure without one.
 Also, goats are terrific, and so devoted and generous... so I guess I'd be the classic "Dairy maid with goat herd in tow, accompanied by dog/s and with a stout, sturdy horse to complete my animal friends."
   (Is that allowed? ;-) )

– What is your favorite historical era, and what fairy tale would you love to see in that setting?

E. ~ I like certain elements from many eras, and yet dislike other parts of each, so for my "perfect world" I pull from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Victorian eras... and enjoy the mashup!

– If you could change a fairy tale’s villain into a hero, who would you choose and why?

E. ~ I'm generally okay with the villains being bad... I mean, that's the point of fairytales. To show Bad Things, in extreme focus, so hopefully they're easier to recognize in the real world?
  But... as much as I enjoy the Frozen movies.... I get very irritated when tales represent the polite, well mannered, and dignified (usually a prince!) as a the "Horrible Person" TM... It really makes me angry.
   As someone raised to by a mother who instilled manners and expectations of  gracious behavior... and who schooled us to value those things in others, it makes me see red when those merits are treated as signs of despicability.
  (And the vice versa trope, where ill-mannered boors are naturally the Hero (TM) Ugh. Hate that!) 

– Do you prefer fairy tales with happy endings or sad/tragic endings? why or why not?

E. ~ Oh, they must be happy. Of course... nothing else would be worth while!!!

Do You Know Your Definiton of Success...?

 It's always important to know where you're going, and not simply chase what someone else "says is worthy". You've got to know your own definition of success, and then recognize it when you get there.
  As an author, here are some questions that are good to ask:


What made you decide to publish your work?

I have wanted to be an author since I first leaned how books came to be, and coming from a business-acumen type family, the money is what proves success. That is in my blood, so that's one thing that is always a consideration for me. I write very niche, and dreams of a big advance were tantalizing but unrealistic. I was scared to go self-pub, as someone without much of  a"people you know" network I figured that would be money wasted. (And that was right.)
 Attending a conference where the buzz was all about e-books got me to thinking about releasing in that medium, which I did for the first time in 2011. It was affordable, and was an invaluable step, it gained me some fans and I learned a whole lot through the process. Book 2 in the series released July 2013, and I finally feel like I have my head above water on all this online marketing stuff. I'm still not hardly any good at it, (and sales are super low) but at least I understand what marketing gurus are talking about!
  At this stage I am writing madly, fully committed to the process of becoming a successful author and intent on having the 7-10 books out that status seems to demand... I've followed indie authors who are successful, and their "slow start" mantra makes sense, so I'm in it for the long haul. I know my work is good, it's received praise from such a wide range of readers, so all I have to do is put the time in and be diligent. I believe, (with the Lord's help!) that I can make a small income off of my writing, and I'm setting my sights on the future.

What keeps you going on the tough days?

 I remember how much I was shaped by the books I read as a teen, and I really, really want to have my stories help youngsters, (and oldsters,) inspiring and directing them upwards on the trail of life. This, and the fact that the writing is in my veins, it seems, and I can't stop. Even if all the words were deleted every month, I would keep writing. (I just wouldn't agonize over finishing anything in that scenario, since it wouldn't matter! So I'd just do the fun stuff and skip all that editing! )

What would you consider success for your author career?

Straight up? Money talks: and I would like to make at least part of a living with my books. I know others are doing way better than that, (genre is big here though so... romance, erotica, and thrillers seem to be easiest to make a good living with) but if I could bring in a small slice of actual cash with my words, I'd consider myself totally successful. 

 Short of that, there are other levels; being recognized as an "author" when meeting in Real Life friends I've only known online.
     That's nice.
                      That's happened. 

 Being respected as a "good writer" in online circles. 
        That's nice.
                       That's happened.

 Having a fan friend me on FB because they read something I wrote and loved it. 
      That's super nice.
                       That's happened.

 As I become more adept at my social media presence and my connecting circles expand, that reputation factor will continue to grow, and at some point I hope to be a presenter at a(/some) conference(/s) on world building/ how to pick the best clothes for your author photos/ descriptions that sing... I'm not too picky. But that would be very nice, and I think that will happen.  (I've got big ideas on how to attend conferences!!! )

 Other than that? 7 books, in print, on my shelf, and knowing that people are buying them. That would also be a success... and I think it's in the future.

  It's always interesting to think about these questions! Re-evaluation is a major tool, and although I'm no closer to knowing exactly how to make this stuff happen, being clear on intentions helps one recognize steps when they come along.  

   How about you? What's your definition of success? 

 And when you look at the world and the writers in it, what makes you think "That author is a success!" I'd LOVE to hear your take on this one!!!

How To Plot Your Novel: Into the Arc Theory

Third post in How to Plot Your Novel series. Here we explore an in depth look at the "Arc Theory" technique introduced in the last episode of my very own tips; Plotting For Pansters.

 Q: How do I know where to put my plot points? How do I know what plot points to put there?!!!

A:  Never fear! Stay calm. There is absolutely no reason to panic.
 Even though we're pansters here, and there is that mean, growling word "plotting" hanging around a lot, I'm going to show you that ol' shadow monster is actually the reflection of a puppy dog in front of a bulls-eye lantern.

 (No idea what a bulls-eye lantern is? Here you go. > ) 



Okay, on to the meat of this post.

 So, as I was saying... think about getting your plot-lines figured the same way you approach arranging food on your plate at a buffet. There's no hard and fast rule about the mashed potatoes going in the upper right corner... but you do know that the potatoes had better be between  the creamed corn and the roast with gravy.
 It'll just taste better that way.

 In the same vein,  the exciting dramatic points in your story taste better when dividing up the less sparkly, thoughtful stuff. So keep that in mind when you're spreading your ideas around the arc that you made last time.

This is a real arc I'm in the early stages of using... so I've blurred out specific words! *Spoilers!*

 Boil down your plot points to a spare few words. Two is good. One is even better!
 So, say it's that robber/mystery in Texas from our Road Map post.
 
 The City would go over here at the left hand corner, 'cause that's where they start from. Pencil in "Meet" next to it. You'll have to figure out how they meet later... or maybe you already have an idea. (Is at a cafe, where they both order lunch? Or when the one fender bends the other at a stop light?)

  Maybe the Shabby Hotel would go at the top of the arc, at the midway point. Cause right after that scene our mis-matched protags break up in disgust with each other after the argument... and then travel their separate ways to each find out a different clue which they will use when their paths cross again, (and they've simmered down enough to forgive each other.)

  So put "Shabby Hotel" up  there, sticking out from the arc. Then scribble "argue - split up" underneath that.

 There you have it! Your climactic middle scene.

 So... then, the "Prison" part would be half-way between the two. This is at the place where the Rule of Arc, (or Story Beats) dictate entering the Uncomfort Zone.
  Well, say one of them has a jailbird past, and going back into the pen as a visitor gives him a bad case of raised heart rate.
That's a definite Uncomfort Zone.
 (Poor character. They're just going to get more Uncomfortable from here on out!)

   (Write that. Write the reaction and the self control it takes to make themselves go back behind those iron gates... a testament to their drive and dedication to solving the case.)

 

Keep Updating the Arc Plotter

 
Do you have an end scene in mind? No?

 Not a problem. Do you have any idea how it'll work out?
Yes? Good. Maybe put "Robber Caught" at the other end.

 And when you get the idea; "Oooo! Must write that argument scene at the shortcut!" jot that scene down in it's approximate place. This will remind you what you have so far, and can keep you from writing the same scenes twice.
 (What?! You've never done that? I'm the only one???)

 And if you get a nifty idea, and write a real whip-cracker of a scene, then boil it down to one key word and jot it in on the arc. That way you can easily see your progress at a glance.

 Keep this with you, and whenever you get a really sparkly idea, whip this little plot arc out and jot down the one or two word code that will recall that idea whenever you read it. Then the next time you are at your writing place, just take a gander at this handy little arc sheet, (or big arc sheet, which is better, with more room for jotting.)

 And there you have it!
            Off you go, fingers flying like the wind!

                                      No fears! Just writing!

  Writing... writing...!!!!

 


  (But seriously... have you ever written a scene, then forgot you'd written it, and then wrote it again, slightly different? And then couldn't decide which scene to keep, because they each had good parts, but totally cannot ever, ever, ever mesh????)
 

How to Plot Your Novel with the "Road Map" technique

Okay! In honor of November being NaNoWriMo, with all those writers determinedly writing, I thought now might be a good idea to break down and put up those novel plotting posts I've been asked about. 
     (Also, a good idea to write them, first.)

  I'm thinking I'll call this series "How to Plot Your Novel ... or Plotting For Pansters".

Q: I know specific plot points my novel is wanting, but I'm unsure about how to figure out what goes between them. Any suggestions?


A: As a died in the wool panster, this is what I'd recommend! :-)

 Start writing madly with every plot point you have in mind. You can make a "road map" on a piece of paper, jotting down the main important destinations. Big City  - - - -  Visit Prison (to check up with incarcerated witness) - - - - Shabby Hotel - - - - etc.  Then, when you're writing along, and suddenly in the Shabby Hotel your MC yells, mid argument, "I told you we shouldn't have taken that stupid short cut! If you'd have listened to me, we would have been here hours ago, and that little girl never would have been shot in the bank robbery, 'cause we would have stopped it before it happened!!!"

Real, actual road map plot I've been writing from for a couple years now, off & on.

 Then make a note in your road map.

 In between Prison and Shabby Hotel jot down "Short cut - argue about". There you have another scene that you will need to write so readers will know why your MC is so mad about not being listened to.

 You can use symbols, or scribble pictures... whatever will spark your memory later on.

 This is the method I use, and it works really well for me. So long as I am faithfully following the story by putting down on paper the scenes I DO know, the others will generally follow... like clues on a mystery case. As the writer/detective you get a feel for where you need to go, (and take your readers along with you) next.

               Hope this helps!!!
                          Have a good NaNo!
                                           Elizabeth

Q& A: How much Plotting?

 Q: I have a sad tendency to get caught up in trying hard to get words written in the NOW, and I
forget to figure out the plot, so that I eventually end up lost in a mess of wilderness with no idea what to do next.
  Do you plot your stories or do you figure out as you go?

A:  I guess I kind of do both... I generally let an idea sit in my head for a little while before I even begin
on it, so I do tend to have a general idea of where it might be going. Then when I start to write, I have a long talk with my sis, (or else a long think with myself!) and get a few plot points decided on, so they act as sort of towns on a map. We may have several options of roads to get there on, and may end up discovering new trails along the way, but the town keeps us moving in the right direction.
 Does that make any sense?

 But I totally cannot outline every scene and every sentence and then go back through and "add descriptions" or whatever. It's got to be much more organic than that, and kind of be allowed to grow up out of the bed of my imagination in all it's viney, leafy gloriousness.

So, I do a bit of both!

   I really understand the feeling you're describing of getting lost in the woods, and having none of the trails line up with each other at all! I've spent my fair share of days in that literary morass and it really stinks to have so many beautiful scenes that are at total odds with each other, and there is no possible way to make them agree! That is a super frustrating experience, so I now go with the "loosely mapped" plot lines... and it really helps!

  (Which reminds me, I'm going to do a post on my "plotting arc" design.)

   So... did that explanation make any sense?

Why I Do NaNoWriMo

 I am a pretty consistent writer.
    Not consistent in "I write every day" (I don't) but consistent in "I write every year, every season, whenever something big isn't immovably in my way I'm either writing, thinking about writing, or talking about it."

  So it's no surpirse that I've racked up A LOT of wordcount all told, and several book length ms.
  I've released two YA low fantasy novels, and I've got too many WIPs to shake a stick at. (All of which I am working on!)

 So why do I do NaNoWriMo?

 Because it's fun...
   Because it's energizing in a big, big way.
    And because the WriMos are too much fun to miss out on!

  The general, contagious excitement and creativity that is unleashed onto the internet is super infectious, and I find the adrenaline pumped air a heady boost to my usual creative output.
   The fun, the enthusiasm, the wild and wonderful plot doctoring... I love the NaNo site in November, when it comes alive like the toys after midnight. There are clowns walking on the ceiling and wooden soldiers dancing on the desk lamps. It's a crazy, beautiful festival of words, and the ideas and solutions I have found among the WriMos are beyond anything I've found anywhere else.
   These strange folk are extremely helpful and upbeat... and, we must admit, just a little weird; but that makes their eyes fresher, their brains quicker, their plot-hole fixing powers just that much more enhanced.

 I so enjoy their witty comebacks to any problem, their realistic assessments of book related facts, their inexorable power of creativity on any subject matter, however fantastical it may be.

 I love the exuberance of the electrons wafting off their activities all month long.

   That's why I do NaNoWriMo.
      And I'll actually start writing any day now.... any day...
 

Q&A: How Long To Write Your Books?

Here's another question I get asked sometimes, and since I received this recently, here's the answer.

 Q: How long does it take you to do one of your books?

  A: Well, I wrote the first incarnation of Jeweler's Apprentice February of 2007. I finished final edits and published it December, 2011. So that process took a little over 4 years. IT was tough, I thrashed out a lot of problems in my way of working, and basically finally got an understanding of "how to write a WHOLE book". 

   I started work on snippets that would be Traitor's Knife sometime during the final stages of JA, but didn't really start seriously on it until spring 2012. March, I think. Summer is always really busy, so I didn't get much done on it until fall again, when I set myself to diligently writing. I wrote the first draft that winter, (NaNo helped finish most of the big stuff!) then it went into edits immediately. Beta readers wrapped up on it that spring, and I released TK in July, '13. So that would be about a year for that one.

  That was a very hard thing to do, but I felt like there were people waiting on me for the next book, so I really felt pressure on making sure it got out as soon as possible.

At this point, I'm letting my brain rest a bit, and haven't made any solid plans for when the next in the series will be out... just letting the ol' creative muscle off the hook for a while.

Does that give an idea of an answer? 

  I definitely think that the first book or so is the hardest, since you don't know "how to write a WHOLE book!!!"... and that the more you do that, the better you'll get.

 (I may even go so far as to recommend first-timers write 2-3 books before they take a swing at publishing. If you build buzz for the first book, it's easier to have 2nd & 3rd ready to release in sequence, instead of having the pressure to write it from scratch. That, and it's easier to promote when you're thinking of several books you have to sell, instead of putting all the effort out there for 1 single book available.)

  Also, once you've written that many books, it gives you a lot more confidence to be able to make decisions on how many books you are able to release on what kind of a schedule.

  And you'll learn tons on those first few books, and you can go back and tweak the first one with what you learned on the second.

   Each book is hard in it's own way, so I understand authors who say "It never gets easier." 

  But I think that's a bit of a simplification. It does get easier. It just never gets "easy".

Q&A: Doing NaNoWriMo?

Q: Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year?

 

A:  I do intend to do NaNoWriMo, but haven't settled on what will be nice and easy for my brain to play with, and not burn it out so bad as last time. I want to get the 50k words, because it's so much fun to participate with all the other WriMos out there, but I also don't want to exhaust my creativity, since it just finished up a hard job already this year.

 (Writing Traitor's Knife basically from March to December last, ready for Beta readers December through Jan; second readers late winter/early spring, final edits/etc, and a release date of July '13. My poor brain worked hard! )

   (Many, many thanks to all those who helped out so much by Beta-ing, editing, etc throughout the process! You are the best!)

 

 So, even though my creativity has been muchly taxed the past twelve months, I've had a bit of a rest, and a little vacation, and I don't want to miss out on the NaNo-ing  fun. So... Yes! I will be doing NaNoWriMo!

 I just have no idea what I'll be working on.

   Are any of you doing NaNoWriMo?

What inspired you to write this book?

  I love it when people ask me questions that make me think, especially when they're questions about
my writing.
       Love it!

 One such question is: "What inspired you to write this book?"

 A: "I wanted to write a book about an ordinary girl who, by trying her best at ordinary things, ends up helping in an extraordinary way.
 I wrote the first draft for my younger sister as she turned 16, and I wanted to try to tell her, and everyone else, that we don't have to always look for the "super-big" things in life, that the battle is ALWAYS won in the details.
    "For he that is faithful in little, will be given much..."
 Small things are were it all starts, so I really wish teens could grab a hold of that and nail it deep into their lives, since this is a period of super-important small things for them. What they do here shapes the entire course of their lives, and lessons taken to heart at this time are some of the most reliable ever. It only gets harder to change a bad habit, so Now Is The Hour! Young people have a deep desire for something more, something Big... I wanted to help show them that this IS big.
   You.
     What you become.
       It starts right here, in the details.
         Watch over them, 'cause they're important."

 Whether this book fully encompasses this is up to the reader, and I think that it'd be hard for any single narrative to do that. But I do hope that every book I put out there will be one more block in the foundation of that idea, and that each will encourage people, especially young people, to grasp the Now and change it just a little.

 It makes ever such a difference in the long run.

 What do you think? Does this idea come across in Fia's journey?

Q&A: What else are you working on?

 Q: Do you have any other books you're working on?

  A: And the answer is, Yes!
 I'm working on the sequel to Jeweler's Apprentice.

 In it the action heats up, and even more things are brought together. I think that readers of Jeweler's Apprentice will enjoy delving straight back into Fia's story, and getting to spend more time with the characters from Book 1. The plot line becomes deeper, and the whole feel of the book, while staying true to the first, just ups the tension a little. So I'm hoping fans of JA will be really pleased with the sequel.

  As I am a "messy writer" I have many books in the process of creativity. (I try to save most things I write, and then when I come back around, (even if it's years later) I can build a little more on it.)

  As for works in the "Serious Construction phase" there's JA's sequel; when spring and spies makes everything more dangerous,

   & The One with the "straw haired" heroine; where a smart, secluded girl must leap into a troublesome journey through varied dangers and adventures; with a boy who never knew she existed, and a guide she never thought could be real. (It's been super fun so far!)

...And runners up:

    ...a contemporary mystery doing with San Antonio what Charade did with Paris; murder, long lost artifact, and who in the world can you actually TRUST these days?!

    ...a historical romance, (and I once said I wouldn't write romance! *Due partially all those ones with racy covers, I confess.* Also the fact that a good romance leaves my "hero-less" heart feeling dispirited...) (But! It's not really THAT sort of romance. The girl is like someone you care about, but wouldn't want to be. I hope.)
  Anyway, it's set in first century Judea; Jerusalem under Roman rule, the twisted power of the Pharisee/Sadducee sects, and a people who have nearly all lost hope.
  Except her mother. (Mother's can be maddeningly optimistic sometimes.)
  She makes bad choices, (like really bad choices) and it seems to be working for her, but when it all folds up, she finds she falls about as far as possible.
  A Stranger on the road can lift her from the pit; but she's the one that will have to beat her way back on the path from where she came.
  It's sort of turmoil-ish, so I'm not sure if the inspirational "market" would like it. I'm still thinking on it's target, but the thing wouldn't leave me alone so I had to write it.

...and there's a sci/fi thriller that's edging around in the back of my brain and comes out every so often to demand I add a scene. Super-hero-in-strange-places, intergalactically finding a real life, redemption and, beyond all hope - true love.
 It's a blast to write, but again, not sure of a target audience.

 What do you like the sounds of? Any votes on what should get the most attention?

 Have a great day!
 Elizabeth

Run Away Research... Is This A Problem?

  Research is so important!
 I've found that getting something right really isn't as hard as we would at first believe; with the internet all the info you need is out there, you just have to go get it.
 And laziness is no trait for an author to have!

 But sometimes Research wants to run away on me.

 I previously posted a bunch of links related to all the things you need to know when sailing the Seven Seas.
 I put them here to share them with others, and also to keep them where I can find them when I need them next!
 I keep many tales on the same stove, and when a scene Ruthlessly ATTACKS me, I can run right over to that tale and get it hammered down. It's the only way I know to make it let go of my brain!
 Seriously, it's a problem.
 (But not something I can't handle! )


So I let myself revel in all the seafaring things I needed to complete that particular scene,... then I ruthlessly shut the muchly inspiring websites down, (neatly saving the urls for the future.) I have to maintain control over what I feed my imagination.
 And yes, I really enjoyed my stint in the sea air. I'm looking forward to returning to that scene and getting more shippy-ness done!
 I had to drag myself away from my research to keep it from running off with my imagination... Getting too wrapped up in research for a "back burner" story can kill me for any other story. And that's no good!

 Right now, I have to maintain a "mountain-y" atmosphere in order to complete my current "Focus Project".

 How do you handle research? Do you have a problem with it galloping of in unproductive (or counter productive) directions?

 We need to hear!

Q&A: Is jewelery making something you have an interest in?

Broach from ancient Greece

 From a recent question and answer time about Jeweler's Apprentice, I was asked...

Q: Is jewelery making something you have an interest in?

 A:  Yes, it is! I have done quite a lot of wire-wrapped jewelry. (Where you use strands of precious metal to create jewelry. Designs can range from simple to amazingly demanding, and I enjoyed pushing the limits of my skill and creativity!)
I didn't have access to the high heat equipment needed for casting, but it's something I always swooned over; so I've studied it quite a bit.

I've been privileged enough to see the works of some artists whose expertise was literally overwhelming. One man did a lot of wildlife in his designs, as lifelike as photos, and all in precious metal bas relief ranging in size from a scene a few inches across, (three tiny, perfect ducks flew across a green-stone pond in my favorite pendant of his,) to smaller than your little fingertip. (A man's ring showcasing an ivory elk tooth; with half of the bezel (the part that holds the stone in) being a bugling elk's head with the antlers sweeping back out onto the shank. (the part that goes around your finger.) The whole head was letter perfect, and less than the size of the tooth. ) The artistry took my breath away!

  His pieces were out of my price range, and justifiably so... but I'll always carry the image of them with me where ever I go!

 And, who knows? Maybe if I end up rich some day, I'll find him and buy something for me!

 In the meantime, I'll keep working on my own skills, and enjoy writing about the things I haven't quite gotten yet!

 What's your favorite piece of jewelry? (Real or otherwise!)

A Quarter horse logo pendant I did several years ago. Sterling silver.

The Last-Part-Of-The-Middle-Is- SOOO Hard!

Okay. I think we have a bunch of writers out there, so I'm asking this question of you.
 Yes, you.

 Don't think I'm talking to the person behind you.
 (Not that there is anyone, since you're on the computer... but, you know, figuratively.)

 What do you do when you've got the lion's share of the plot worked out, you've got most of the scenes written down. You even have the ending done.
 And you've got all those pesky links to link up... and you've been working on this project for SO Long, sweating over it to make it perfect.

 Your brain revolts and your interest plunges to unchartedly deep places in the black ocean...

 And now you just want to chuck the thing and take a long walk off a short pier?


 All you want to do is yell "HELLLLPPPPP!" at the top of your lungs and have some celestial being sweep in on golden wings, slap the manuscript together and say, "There. Done."

Red Line= Writing Ideal ~ Green Line= Reality

 I'm hitting the hard, gravel grade that comes before cresting the summit on mountain roads. Have you ever climbed a mountain road?  (Agony!)
 I have, and believe me, the stretch right before the top is when you're murderously thinking "Who's dumb idea was this? It's not worth it! I can't believe I let anybody talk me into this." And "....why don't I turn around and go home....?"

 That is also what happens in novel writing. But it is of course your own idea, and so you can't blame anyone else.

 So, here we are.
  We're past the halfway mark, and not yet to the finish, and that is always the hardest part!

  The very last gasp!
      (But it takes so loooong!)

 
 How do you handle that "last part of the middle is soo hard!" feeling? Do you have ways of combating?
 Tell me!

 I need HELLPPP.

Q&A: How do you get your ideas?

 Okay, this has to be a question most creative types are used to being asked, but it seems like it's a perennially popular one in the bargain. In fact, it's a question I, myself  love to "listen in" on when it's being answered; so it will probably be around for a long time yet!

 Q:  How do you come up with your stories? Do they just pop into your head, or do you search for them?

 A:  For me, stories definitely pop into my head; sometimes they'll be sparked by another thought, sometimes not!
  Sometimes they won't leave me alone... for months. When that happens I usually give in; even if I have another project I'm in the middle of.
 I have lots of stories in various stages at any particular time, so I'm definitely a "messy writer" in that respect. ;-)

 What about you?

Q&A: Hair color?

 During a recent interview I offered; "I wrote the first draft as a gift for my sister, and she is a plot detective. She also objects to nearly every cliche known to novelists, so I was particularly hard pressed to create this character and her story arc.  I plotted out a fresh course, and it passed muster with Abigail, so I think I have succeeded.
  So Fia doesn't have golden, jet, or fiery red hair. Just an ordinary rusty-brown. She isn't gorgeous, willowy, wonderful or has all the young men falling in love with her..." 
   
Which prompted a reader to say...

Red hair: popular with even the Old Masters.

  Q: Come, come, what's cliched about red hair? ;-)


  A: What's cliched about red hair? Aww... come on! What's not cliche about it? ;-)
 I mean, really!
 Okay, maybe it's not as cliched as golden, but it's sort of become a "stock item" on the Mary Sue list! Sorry! ;-)
  (Oh! And I just thought of why. All those racy romance novels you see in the book section of thrift stores. Count 'em. LOTS of red heads. Why? I assume because it's sensational, like everything else in those books. ;-) )

  And yes, I can understand that if you actually, indeed, really and truly, have red hair it would change your perspective. (You must have been very happy when you read Anne of Green Gables. ;-) )

  But imagine my perspective, if you will. I happen to have... not jet black tresses, not golden locks, not a flaming mane, NOR chocolate curls. I have an in-between color. How many heroines have in between color of hair? I ask you!
  (And yes, when I read Anne of Green Gables I became so heart-ached about the fact that my hair was Not Red, that I didn't get over it for years. Literally, years.)

  And, here I was trying to draw a cliche-free heroine. (Also raise a banner to all those future little girls who have in-between hair, and feel that other people are all prettier, more glamorous, etc. then themselves. *Psst! To all those future girls: It's not your hair color! Hair color is nothing. It's Personality, and a good Attitude. THAT is what makes people attractive/glamorous/insert-adjective-here. Who you are, not what. It's much more complicated. And only you have control over Who.* )

  I did find, though, that all cliche-free hair colors seem also to be, across the board, awfully hard to describe; without stopping the flow for a paragraph so we can explain just how "every day" this heroine's hair color is. (Maddening!)
   I now have a huge understanding to all those authors who slap down, "She flicked her fiery hair over her shoulder," "The breeze riffled through the golden strands," and "In the crowd, her hair shone black as midnight."

That was Easy.

And effective.
    Instant portrait.

You could say; "But, if it's easy, where's the challenge?"
And I could say; "We're writing a novel here! Over 50k words of action, emotion, plot twists, plot line, back story, foreshadowing... all of which we have to keep suspended in glittering array before the readers tired eyes until the last page closes. What do you mean 'Where's the challenge?'!"

   But in all truth, red heads are awfully fun to write. I've been working on another, unrelated story, (which is a blast!) in which we're temporarily dealing with a red headed cont-agonist. (The heroine's hair is a dutifully dull, but easily described; straw color. {Hey, give me a break! I got to cut corners every once in a while!} )
   The redhead is a spicy little eye full; ...which red heads everywhere will probably be glad isn't them.
And she's tons of fun to write.


 What's the most fun for you to read about?

Q&A: How did you come up with the name Fia?

[ Here we introduce a series of questions I've received or heard, and my responses. I hope this can serve as conversation starters, 'cause I want to hear what the rest of you think of these questions, too. Am I bonkers? (You don't have to answer that directly.) Just tell me what you think and let the readers deduce for themselves. ;-) ]

First question:

  Q: How did you come up with the name Fia? :)

  A: I can't really say how I come up with any of my names. I try to keep them short, and easy; so sometimes I'll pick a letter and experiment with attaching syllables... see how it sounds. Other times a name will pop up out of the blue; and other times I'll get a great name, and realize later that it's a version or a twist of some other name from somewhere else.
  With Fia, I think it sort of came out whole, and in a longer version; that was a close imitation of a name from a rather famous work. At first I was going to have a shortened form, to flip from long to short in a sort of formal/informal manner.
  After a while, we decided to leave it short, instead.
 Sometimes simple is best.

  I love names! I can't help it.
 How do you like to come up with names? Are there certain tricks that work well for you?
 Share your tips!

Interview & Giveaway! Sarah Holman & Destiny of One

 Today we have with us Sarah Holman, author of the Christian Sci-Fi "Destiny" trilogy, The Destiny of One, The Destiny of a Few, and The Destiny of a Galaxy. Sarah writes from the Missouri countryside, and enjoys exploring the outer reaches of possibility that sci-fi allows.


 Enter to win a e-copy of Destiny of One! (At the bottom of this post.)

Good morning, Sarah! So glad to have you here, and it's always a blast to talk about writerly things!  Tell us... who did you base your main characters on; or are we allowed to ask that? ;-)

Haha, yes, you are allowed to ask.  Maria, the main character in The Destiny Trilogy was based off of me. Her sister Anna was based off my sister Rose, her brother Daniel was based off of my brother Michael, and Quint was based off of Han Solo form Star Wars.

  With Sci-Fi as your genre, you've got the sky for a limit. With all that imaginary room to play in, what was your favorite "invention"... or something that you created uniquely for your story?

Oh, that is a hard one.  I had so much fun playing among the stars it is hard to pick one thing.  However, I think my favorite creation was a very small one and not extremely unique.  It was the Star Window, it is a window huge that is hidden by panels.  When you press a button, the panels slide into the wall revealing the amazing view into space.

How did you decide what level of culture/technology to use? Was it even a question?
I wanted to story to feel believable and have the feeling that it could happen in the near future.  Other than the presence of starships, technology is only slightly more advanced then we have now.  In fact, I think that 10 years from now, most of the inventions I put in will look as silly as the computers on Star Trek do to us now.

With sci-fi being so open to interpretation, did you find you needed to do much research? And if so, where did you turn?
I did do some research, but not much. As you said sci-fi is open to interpretation, much like fantasy.  I enjoyed creating and building Maria’s world out of my imagination

Many sci-fi authors go with unusual names for their characters. Did you consider this, and what influenced your ultimate decision?
This is very true.  Most of my characters, I have a hard time naming.  However when I started writing The Destiny of One, I felt like my main character entered the room and said: “Hi, Sarah!  My name is Maria Morris.” I didn’t think about it long, her name just seemed to fit.  Many of my side characters have unique names such as Quint, Windspear, and Winter.

What is your biggest pet peeve within the science fiction genre; (Other than the un-Christian slants. I think we can all acknowledge that one!) So... Plotwise?

Many sci-fi writer’s use the genre to make people afraid of the future, and I hate that.  That doesn’t mean that only good things can happen in the book, but the message of the book shouldn’t be one that makes people afraid.

What about World-building wise?
I don’t like a lot of weird creatures.  I know it comes with most sci-fi but I just don’t like.  I wish there were more without.

If you were advising the soon-to-be author of your next hugely-favorite sci-fi novel, what would you say? "Make sure it has...?"
Make sure it has lots of adventure and action!  Those are two of the things that drew me into writing science fiction in the first place; all the possibilities for action and adventure.

Anything else you would like to say to readers and writers of Christian Sci-Fi?

Think outside the box. Build your own worlds, don’t just copy what you have seen. Whatever you do, make sure your faith shines in all you write.

Blessings,

Sarah

 Thanks so much for chatting with us, Sarah! I love your perspective!  

 Here are the links where you can get in touch with, or learn more about her.

Sarah's Books

The Destiny of One

Meditations of His Love

Homeschool Authors

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