Writing Tips: Don't Get Sick!

Never ever ever get sick when you're writing. It's the worst thing in the world. Your brain is too muddled with all the aches and pains to focus on any words. You stare at the same page for two days straight, because you can't focus on getting to the next line.

I have two huge deadlines in January. This fever is trying its hardest to stop me. I refuse to let it. But at the same time, all I want to do is sleep. As a result, everyone in this scene is cranky. Maybe it could work. If only I could think straight.

The Wars in the Stars

Like most people this weekend, I spent my time with Star Wars. First, this will be a spoiler free post. This movie is incredible and everyone deserves that experience. So go see it right now! NOW!

I just have one little thing I want to share about it.

Rey is perfect. She's everything I wanted as a kid seeing Star Wars. When I was a wee child, my parents took me to see New Hope in one of those $1 afternoon screenings at the local theater. I was already a little nerd, and they wanted me to get the proper experience. I loved every second of it. Being a girl, I naturally loved Leia. She's strong and savvy. But I wanted to a Jedi more than anything. I wasn't any good at public speaking or leading, so I couldn't compare to her.

There were no female Jedis in the orignal trilogy. Then you catch little glimpses of them in the prequels, but they are always in the backgrounds. We were given Padme, who was similar to Leia. But she still didn't fill that hole in my young heart. So I had to pretend.

As I started to get into video games, I found the single greatest game. Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. It was everything I ever wanted. It was the first game where I could make my own character and not play as the standard male hero. So I made my strong Twi'lek girl with her purple lightsaber. It was also the first game I played where your choices influenced the game and you had multiple endings. It was seriously everything I dreamed that Star Wars could be.

I just wanted the chance for a young girl, like me, to have adventures with the Force. Yesterday, I finally got to see it. I'm dying for the next one. I was so nervous it wouldn't be good, but it was what I had wanted. I have a few minor issues, yet they didn't stop me from loving every second of it. I was clapping and shouting in the theater with all the others. I want more of Rey and Finn and Poe. I want all the spin-offs.

Most of all, I'm finally happy that me, and all the other girls, finally get to see the adventure I always dreamed about having,

My Brain is Turning to Pudding

But in a good way! Because today was semi-momentous. I finally got a response from my top choice of an agent. While not a request for the full manuscript, she did suggest some revisions. After that, she'll gladly take another look at Our Fathers.

So yay! It's not a total rejection! Her comments have lined up with the other rejections I have gotten in the past two months. I knew the first chapter needed some major work. But this is progress! I have potential!

Every little bit of good news is enough for me to celebrate. Hope is always good. I know what I need to do, and now I have major encouragement.

My time will be primarily focused on the rewrites then, but keeping up with Resurrected Thief too. I might drive myself to the brink of madness, but I think I can do it. I want to send them both out in the beginning of 2016, and I really think I can do it. So we write and write and write.

Never stop!

"I found him to be unlikable"

Speaking from a shared experience, that is the one of the most annoying critiques an author can receive. First of all, what does it matter? There are plenty of unlikable people in the world. They still can be interesting and compelling.

Someone once said that about Bryan and I hesitated. I didn't want you to like him at first. He's rude, selfish, and immature. He's just starting to grow out of it as the first book progresses. Not everyone is a sweet and valiant hero from the first page. One of the major points of The Resurrected Thief is exploring his reluctance to do anything he doesn't want to. In the end, all his decisions but one are based on selfish motives. Honestly, Bryan doesn't quite loose his stubborn streak. by the end of the entire series. I'm not saying he's a bad person, but he has some major flaws.

We all do, and that's what makes the characters human. I don't think it would make for a good book anyway. I wanted both the reader and Bryan to share in the dilemma of not knowing what step to take next. Stay home or carry on? He's a fickle man, and it contrasts so much with Esther. She knows exactly what she wants to do and how to do it. In some ways, she's just as stubborn as Bryan. She's not without her dark secrets, of course. However, Thomas is an open book. Such three different personalities cause a lot of inner conflict. Their relationships with each other are just as important as catching a killer.

I want readers to care about what happens. Yes, liking the character helps but it isn't necessary. Their goals should be compelling, and I hope I've succeeded in that.

Why can't I stop editing!

For someone who complains about it, I take a lot of time to edit and edit and edit. Technically, the books are done. A lot of shorts are done. But my Muse fails to agree with me. She keeps nagging about little things here and there. I doubt she'll stop even after the books are on the shelves!

I've been submitting the agents, and then using the waiting period to edit some more. I just don't know how to stop myself. I really should. I guess the previous rejections have it stuck in my head that it's not good enough.

In the end, I'm happy with what I wrote. I'm in love with this book. That's what matters, right? Everyone knows agents and editors make their own tweaks once they get the book. I guess I'm just trying to get ahead of that? Tolkien was the same way.

One of these days, I'll find a way to cut myself off. Maybe just not today...

WIP Wednesday!

Still chugging away on edits. The end is (somewhat) in sight! At this rate, it'll be done by mid-December. Let's hope the muse keeps on agreeing with me.

Fun fact! This scene was actually the third one I outlined when I began this novel. I was still figuring out the quirks of Bryan's personality and he decided to have a lovely chat while sailing to Egypt. It was a bit long winded at first, but we've all come a long way since then.

Here's today's tidbit of new words:

“Perhaps we should speak with your cousin to confirm,” he retorted.

“He would agree that there is something much larger at play here,” Esther resumed speaking in a harsh tone of voice. Before he could continue arguing, she pressed one of the heavier books into his hand. 

The Gas Lit Future

Further thoughts on my plans for 2016. First, I need to find a better way to balance multiple projects at once. Maybe assign certain days of the week for each one? This is the schedule I just wrote for myself:

Submit Resurrected Thief to agents
Reformat the prequel serial for Esther
Finish The Ghost Circus
Write more of Bryan in Denmark
Start The Unbound Specter
Introduce Violet, the twins, and the Irish changeling to the short fiction
Cases with James and Esther
Does Thomas need a backstory?
--Spend some time on Our Fathers and Epic Fantasy

So what does all that mean?

The first should be obvious. Since most of the submission process involves waiting for an answer, that won't be too hard.

Esther's origin started as a jumble of short stories, but has worked its way into a great idea for serial fiction. The trick is finding someone who agrees and wants to publish it that way. I have a suspicion it might be easier with the rising popularity of the serial format. I just may end up self publishing them through something like Patreon or Kindle.

Since novellas are still popular, I want to seize on that trend and finish up The Ghost Circus. It's about halfway finished. But that schedule is also dependent on when the publisher I want opens its doors for novellas again.

At the same time, I want to start writing more than the prologue to the second book. If I manage to snag an agent or publisher, I want to provide them with a sequel soon instead of waiting until I finish a bunch of jumbled shorts. It's fully outlined, so may prove to be a fast write.

I also have plenty of ideas for other mysteries with the Hawke men, but don't know how much of a priority that should be in comparison to writing novels. Right now, the Muse says hold onto them to provide filler between the larger books. We have to keep producing a steady stream of fiction!

More books obviously mean more characters. Violet, the twins, and the Irish changeling are ones I've started to dabble with already. It could lead to a string of short stories or novellas. I have no idea yet.

Similarly, I don't know how much writing should be dedicated to Thomas. I had intended him to be a man without a complicated history. Esther and Bryan are supposed to lead him into all the adventures. But I don't want him to be a neglected character. Who knows what will happen on that front. The Muse is silent, despite Thomas being one of her favorite characters.

Finally, I should probably spend some time with my Non-Gaslight projects. Again, submissions for Our Fathers should be fairly simple. I want to return to epic fantasy so I'm not limiting myself to murder taking place in the 1880s. Unless the Muse comes up with something other than a vague two sentence idea, or lets me write everything else quickly, this is how 2016 will be playing out.

Happy Pre-Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is enjoying the fleeting quiet before the mad rush of the holiday. Enjoying those spare moments before you have to start cooking that massive turkey and the countless side dishes. Not that I'm complaining. I always have fun when cooking with my family. Except that last year, the onions finally decided to attack and I can't chop them without tears blinding me.

Sadly, cooking does take away time from writing. I attempted one year to bring the laptop into the kitchen with me. It did not end well. The holiday break is coming as I try to finish up editing a rather difficult scene. Perhaps two days of no writing will be good. Then I can return and vanquish this block.

Part of the issue, is that I'm distracted by planning for the future. I have a detailed writing schedule already set up for 2016. As ever, it's flexible to change. I really want to get Our Fathers and Resurrected Thief out there, and then focus on my other new projects. I keep thinking about ideas for a serialized novel, plus about four unrelated fantasy epics. Then of course come all the sequels. I have a sneaking feeling that 2016 might be busier than 2015.

But I'm thankful for my writing. I'm happiest when I'm writing. I'm inspired by the ever growing mountain of new ideas. Once this turkey is out of the way, the Muse and I must get back to climbing!

The Edits Never Stop

Despite the end in sight, it sometimes feels like I'll never be finished editing any of my books. So much to change, to add, to cut, to reorder.

I forgot how jumbled the journey to Egypt was for our poor heroes. Ten days of being trapped on a boat with nothing but your fears and a bunch of books. At least it's a much more exciting voyage this time. Plus, it leads into some of my favorite scenes.

Despite that, I must resist the temptation to skip ahead. Doing that is what left me a messy scene and even messier notes. I must press on!

December is always crazy in the publishing world. A lot of places open to queries and submissions just before the holidays. If all goes well, I can send queries to everyone I want to. I just can't stop writing.

WIP Wednesday!

Editing went very well today. To date, we've added 20,897 words to Resurrected Thief. With the changes to the ending, I suspect this might be longer than I initially thought. But it's better, and that's what counts!

“Have you had the pleasure of reading about the missing mummy?” Bryan’s voice held no amusement as he flicked the newspaper at Thomas. He fumbled to catch it with his one free hand; several of the interior pages slipped out and landed on the ground.

            “You’ll have to forgive me. I haven’t slept,” Thomas mumbled as he knelt over to gather the loose pages. 

The Tricks of Editing

Never ever EVER stop in the middle of editing. Don't write vague notes for yourself in the margins, and then return to those notes months later. The train of thought you attempted to scribble will be long gone.

This is also why people suggest finishing writing the entire book before editing. I was never good at that. The Muse comes up with an idea for chapter seven while I'm writing chapter twelve. The Muse knows nothing but bouncing around. We are working on fixing that.

This current scene is all over the place, as are my old notes. We're slowly getting back on track, which is excellent. And the edits are ahead of schedule. This sequence was troublesome from the very beginning, but it's coming along. It's important for the plot, but is missing something. Maybe the Muse will bounce back and tell me what that something is today.

Wouldn't that be nice!

WIP Wednesday!

Edits are about halfway done! We're are chugging along ahead of schedule, which is fantastic. More so because I suspect the edits of the end will take longer since I made a lot of changes.

Here's some more exciting new scenes from The Resurrected Thief:

"He left this one alive,” Bryan sighed while squinting at the small wound across the guard’s brow. Without ceasing her frantic movements, Esther tossed him a small handkerchief. The scent of lavender wafted through Bryan’s nose as he pressed it against the bloody gash. 

WIP Wednesday!

(I just realized it's not actually Wednesday. Oops.)

Edits and rewrites mean the word count rises very very slowly. But, since I've begun I've added nearly 12,000 new words! Here are some of them.

“The man lost his arm, not his life,” Bryan scoffed, while Esther lowered her head. A laugh threatened to emerge from his throat. Instead, he gritted his teeth until his jaw ached. 

Plenty of Changes

Edits on The Resurrected Thief are coming along nicely. I'm about 1/3 finished. However, the biggest thing for me is all the re-writes. I don't mind doing them. Sometimes they can be enjoyable. It just takes up a lot of time as you try to smash together the original concept and the new ideas, or just do everything over from scratch.

The structure of The Resurrected Thief and the entire series has undergone some changes since I started writing. First, the ending is completely different. Same villain, but a new resolution. It works better within the overarching themes, which have also changed slightly. Plus, there a few scenes which are down right terrible. Two men talking about college times while a mummy attacks? Not good at all!

I also have a tendency to write scenes out of order, and then reassemble into the first draft. Rewrites fix all those awkward and clunky transitions. In the end, the entire book is a much better read. 

If I didn't spend all that time rewriting, the final book would be long winded and jarring. No one wants to read something like that. 

Love is in the air!

First, I hope everyone is enjoying The Red Crown and The Lost Prayers. If not, go buy a copy! Right now, Nisa and Cayden get a break while I return to my Gaslight Hunters. Edits are heavily underway, and I should have some good news on that front one of these days!

But in the midst of all this, I got thinking about what makes a good romance plot line. Most books have them these days. Both Our Fathers and Resurrected Thief have some. Nisa and Cayden do not. Romance is not my all time favorite genre, but I do love a good love story like any other gal. There are three plots/tropes that absolutely get me every time.

 First, I love it when a couple in love just runs away together. Elopements are a lot of fun. I just adore that wild abandon and it can lead to so many adventures.

I'm also a total sucker for when something tragic happens that tears the lovers apart. Usually worlds apart. Remember the Tenth Doctor and Rose? I cry like a baby every time when they start banging on that wall.

Finally, and it's one of my favorites, I love battles during a wedding. Not just someone running in and saying the wedding has to stop. Give me chaos and murder! Give me a bride in a wedding dress wielding a battle axe! The wedding scene in Jupiter Ascending made me very happy indeed.

I have yet to find a book that checks of all three. So naturally, I'm going to write one myself. Over the past few days I came up with a very very rough outline. It should be fun to work on between the other projects. But with my record, who knows when it will be finished!

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the day! The day where you lucky readers can finally order THE RED CROWN! And then in two weeks, THE LOST PRAYERS!

I am so excited to finally share Nisa and Cayden's adventures with you all. But! This is not the time for sitting back. There is too much to be done.

More novellas to finish. More agents and publishers to query. More hitting refresh on my emails to hear back on the outstanding submissions.

It never ends, but I really don't want it to end any time soon.

Check back tomorrow for the full details on how to purchase the eBooks or signed paperbacks! I can only hope you are as excited as I am!

WIP Wednesday!

Things are quite busy here in Elsewhere. The Red Crown is at the printers, so to speak. One week and one day until you can read it for yourselves! I'm adding the final touches to The Lost Prayers, which comes out on October 15th. Here's a little tease:

“I remember a lot of dark tunnels,” Nisa began speaking, but stopped once Cayden winced. He attempted to mask the expression with a smile. The sight did not lessen the distress across her face. 

The Lure of Victoriana and Steampunk

Seeing as little over half my writing takes place in some form of the 18th and 19th centuries, I thought it was time to delve into why that is.

Several years ago, I went to New York Comic Con and attended some great panels on steampunk. What really stuck with me was something that author Kate Locke said. Please excuse me for not remembering the exact words, but she said her writing focuses on that fine balance between dreams and despair. That sums up so much of what I feel about this genre.

Both the historical fiction and steampunk share this double edged sword. The Victorians got to see the dawn at the new future, but so much of their lives changed. Science battled religion. Technology filled the streets. People are naturally terrified of change. So how will they react when murder or magic is thrown into this?

This is what I love exploring. It's a blend of fear and excitement, dread and hope. That still resonates with us today. Take a look of a snippet of a conversation between Esther and Bryan that puts it perfectly:

"The world is changing." "But into what?"

A Very Busy, but Happy, Bee

After yesterday, I've fully thrown myself into querying agents. It's exciting and terrifying. But, I'm a lot more hopeful after PitMad.

I've always had that feeling that my stories matter and need to be told. That's part of what makes you a writer, in my opinion. I've always had that drive, but it's so different to actually see people agree with you. Complete and total strangers saying they want your story! I actually had someone rank my pitch for The Resurrected Thief as their number one favorite pitch!

I might not have gotten fifty million likes or requests yesterday. But I did get some! I have solid proof that there is interest out there. That's all the encouragement I need.

So I say, Ha to those whole told me I wouldn't get anywhere with my writing. And a big thank you for those that supported me.

Things are only going to get better!

An Experiment in Social Media

Today, I tried something totally different. I participated in #PitMad, which is a twitter event for writers. You tweet out pitches to agents and publishers. I learned of this last week, and decided to just go for it. It can't hurt, right?

No hurting at all! I spent all sending out my pitches, and had a wonderful time. In the end, I had over 30 people retweet my pitches, and 7 agents ask for submissions. Not so bad!

Honestly, I would have been happy if just one person liked my pitches. I never expected so much! This really encourages me and shows there are people really interested in my stories.

And as ever, the schedule has been thrown out the window. I need to get these queries out right away. Then back to the novellas.

So expect plenty of good news in the future!

The 8th Voyage of Sinbad

As working on my trio of novellas is heavy under way, I wanted to point everyone in the direction of a little something mildly related. In college, I took a seminar on the Arabian Nights. It was an incredible course, and actually inspired the setting for these stories. I had dabbled with Middle Eastern fantasy for a time, but nothing coherent came of it until Nisa and Cayden. 

For our final assignment, the professor came up with a most interesting essay prompt. We had the option of writing our story to continue the adventures of Sinbad. Of course I jumped at the chance. During the break, I got an email from the professor asking if he could publish my story on his website. He wanted to share his favorites. Again, I jumped at the chance to do more with my writing. 

While you all wait for the final result of that class and everything I learned, perhaps you'd enjoy the first dabbling.

Read The 8th Voyage of Sinbad. 

WIP Wednesday

Another snippet from a new scene in The Red Crown:

"Would you like to join the other ladies outside for some wine?"

Cayden froze as the warlord finished his question. His mind drifted to a similar conversation years ago between Nisa and a lesser lord. She had responded with a trick involving several knives and the head of the roasting pig in order to demonstrate her displeasure with being pushed away from the men.

The Problem of "In Media Res"

In middle school and high school, I loved reading the Greek tragedies and comedies. They were wonderful and I couldn't wait to get my little hands on them. Except for one thing. Everything started in the middle.

This is my biggest pet peeve in books. I hate coming in in the middle of things. I don't want to be treated to the height of the action right away. I want to know every little detail of how we got there. I write my stories where we join the characters right before setting off on their adventures. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks like me. I receive a lot of comments from editors and other writers that it takes too long for my stories to get into any action.

For example, here is a rejection I just got this morning. The editor says "I found the world interesting, but the story was slow in building for my tastes".

First of all...Yay! Someone found it interesting! Focusing on the positive is good. But aside from the generic "it's not the right fit" rejection, this is the one I hear a lot. My characters and the setting are great, but it just doesn't start with gripping action. In my edits, I try to balance this with my own personal goals for the story.

Let's look at the opening of my two novels.

Our Fathers: Scarlet Black is lost in the streets of Bath as she searches for Colby Redd. In the first draft, it started with her at the door. When I was told that wasn't exciting enough, I added in her getting lost and more tension with a young woman wandering down dark alleys. Some then said it would have been better to just meet Colby first. You just can't please everyone! In the end, I stuck with the expanded scene of her getting lost. It added to the overall feeling of how Scarlet struggles that I wanted in the whole book.

 The Resurrected Thief: A mummy vandalizes the British Museum, and Bryan tries to avoid the case. In the first draft, I had it so Bryan and the clients were bickering about an undisclosed mystery. I wanted it to be a big twist that it was a mummy in a world where elves and centaurs walked the streets. Again, I was told that wasn't really gripping and it would be better with the reveal of magic at the very beginning. So I reworked the scene, but it didn't feel quite right yet. There still wasn't a sense of the mystery and magic that I wanted. This is the first time I used a Prologue. I thought of it like in a cop drama where you catch a glimpse of the murder before cutting to the detectives hanging out. So I have an unsuspecting guard walking in on the crime. I'm happy with the scene, and plan on keeping prologues for the entire series.

I suppose we should look at The Red Crown too! That opening hasn't really changed at all. It starts with Cayden walking into his bedroom and seeing a shadowed figure on his bed. I always thought that was an exciting opening, because who wouldn't be shocked by that? The pair then banter and get into their adventure. I always liked it just the way it is. Since no one's said to change it, why bother?

I doubt I will ever stray too far from my personal preferences. I'll never turn away helpful advice, but we must do whatever is best for the story.  

Introducing: The Red Crown

Isn't she lovely! The first of the three novellas, The Red Crown starts the wild and mystical adventures of Nisa and Cayden. 

The holy festival of Velis brings a pause to the civil war plaguing Meijra. In the middle of a city full of masked pilgrims, Nisa seeks out her old friend Cayden for some assistance in stealing an ancient and powerful relic. After years apart, the pair reunite while attempting to solve the ancient riddles hidden underneath the temple. The promises of riches and adventure keep them going despite unparalleled obstacles.  

The Dawn of Two Rogues

Cayden, Nisa, and their adventures together are consuming nearly all of my time. It's a wonderful sort of consuming though, as the writing and editing is going very well. Three excellent (in my opinion of course) novellas will be gracing virtual shelves in 54 days.

These two started out in a short story called "The Prayers of Another" which has been remastered into the novella "The Lost Prayers". I was inspired by statues trying to communicate through magic. This is actually something that happens quite a lot in these stories. It was in a way inspired by the Weeping Angels of Doctor Who and the moving statues in Dishonored's DLC. I sent the short story to a few places, then tucked it away after the rejections.

Nisa and Cayden showed their faces during an open call for an anthology all about rogues, Blackguards by Ragnarok. I loved so many of the authors in it, and was so happy for a chance at submitting my own story. I wrote "The Red Crown" for that submission, which of course received a rejection. The call of the Muse kept me from doing anything else with them as all she wanted to think about was the Victorian era.

The final story is little more than a scribbled note, but I suspect it will be just as fun as the other ones. I've missed working in a fantasy realm that I've created from scratch. I have tried to keep away from the popular motif of a scruffy dark haired man wandering through a quasi-European kingdom. Instead, I have the perky Nisa and clever Cayden making their way through desserts and sand strewn kingdoms. Magic is creeping just underneath it all, which makes their heists much more thrilling.

BookLyss has given me a chance to return to these great characters, and I'm ecstatic. I haven't gotten all my other projects either, but these two deserve all the attention right now.

WIP Wednesday!

As a tease for the first adventure with Cayden and Nisa, here are the opening three lines!

"By all the spirits!" the castle guard shouted seconds after he stepped into his narrow room. A lean figure occupied his bed, yet did not move in response to his cry. The light of him dim lantern revealed an amber skinned woman reclining backwards.

Meet the New (but really old) Neighbors!

As I already touched on, the series of stories set to come out this fall are a little outside what I've been talking about lately. While I originally started writing this world back in late 2013/early 2014, I haven't touched it since I finished two of these short stories. They were submitted, rejected, and then added to the pile. Since then, I started focusing on the Victorian fantasies. Now that they are back into focus, I think they deserved a proper introduction.

Meet Nisa and Cayden! A pair of rogues exploring the far off realm of Meijra amidst a traveling troupe of performers. For now, they start in three tales: 

The Red Crown: With the city occupied by both a holy festival and civil war, Nisa seeks out her old friend Cayden for some assistance in stealing an ancient and powerful relic. The pair reunite after years apart while attempting to solve the puzzles hidden within the temple. 

The Serpent's Horde: As the troupe flocks between villages, the pair of rogues hears local legends regarding an ancient demon and caverns of treasures. With nothing else to do, Nisa whisks Cayden off into the depths of the forest.  

The Lost Prayers: After a fine evening of dancing and snatching purses, Nisa and Cayden find stumble upon an abandoned temple. Their search for treasure uncovers something far less pleasurable. 

I hope you are all excited about reading these. I simply cannot wait for them to come out!

In the meantime, I should probably get to work on finishing them. 

Exciting News!

I am pleased to announce that this fall, yours truly will be offering a selection of short stories and novellas as eBooks!

Hooray!

These are going to be exclusive to BookLyss, a newly formed and author friendly online store. I am incredibly excited with this project, and could not be happier. I'm actually going to be the featured author for the first month. Isn't that exciting!

Now, what tales will be available for you to buy and read? Tales of fantasy and adventure! Of rouges and magic!

What about historical fantasy and mystery? Those tales are already on their path, and we don't want to disrupt the Muse too much, do we? I am actually taking advice from Michael J Sullivan, who is an author I greatly admire. He has written a number of posts on the advantages of "hybrid publishing" or a mix of traditional and self.

My plan is to keep the historical mysteries of the same plan as ever, while simultaneously offering my fantasy tales through BookLyss. I was thinking about self publishing these for some times, so this works out well. While the market for shorts and novellas are growing with eBooks, traditional publishing is still getting there. I see absolutely no downside to this!

I hope you are all as excited as I am about this news. I get the chance to share with you both new and old characters that are very dear to me.

Stay tuned for more good news!

The Art of Expansion

This is a subject that I suspect I will be dwelling on for quite some time. In my editing/rewrites, I have found quite a number of scenes which require a good deal of changing. This is all as a result of having expanded the history of my setting and characters through the short stories. The changes are nothing drastic to the plot, but merely proving extra layers.

I've already touched on the way I rewrite a few times here. It's not nearly as tedious as it sounds. Though, I have developed a habit Tolkien had for most of his life. He tended to rewrite, and rewrite constantly. But each time, he started over from the beginning. It's why there are so many variations of tales in his history of Middle-Earth. Many are not even finished.

While Tolkien is my hero and inspiration, I do not want to fall into some of the same issues he had. First, I refuse to allow myself to leave work unfinished any longer. I already have too much of that. If I have to rewrite or change something, I try to limit myself to restarting at the beginning of that scene. This is only after trying to go in and tweak line by line.

I am also trying to condense my various drafts into one. There are quite a number of tales where length requirements required me to make a lot of cuts. I always save each version, but then review them all when trying to rework a story. My current project is seeming to require me to start from the beginning just because it's been through so many changes. But more on that later.

The other danger of expansion is simply padding on scenes and words to fit a minimum length requirement. You have to make every word actually count for the story and the characters. This might limit your market of submissions, but it's worth it. I had actually been in touch with an editor that I thought would be a good fit for one of my steampunk novellas. Even though she liked the pitch, she said they simply could not accept it because of the length. She and I both agreed adding a few thousand words would not be the right choice, and I would have to carry on the search.

On the same note, this is why I want to stop finding a market and then writing. It's really putting a limit and strain on the Muse. Write first, then find a publisher. It's what I used to do, and want to want to get back into. The work itself should come before all else. And if that doesn't work, there is always self publishing!

WIP Wednesday!

Rewrites can be so very demanding. I have about nine pages I'm redoing right now, and it's driving me bonkers. The new notes and ideas in my head are so much better than what I put on the page months ago. Tweaking the original document is not quite working out as well as I thought. So it's opening a blank page and re doing the entire thing! Thank God, there is no deadline.

It's worth it for the story, in the end.

"What on earth was that?" she inquired, but no one stopped their own revelry in the rain to answer her. She dropped her skirts despite the mud gathering under her feet in order to shield her eyes from the consistent downpour. Her head turned towards the continuing rattling noise, and then jolted at the sight of smoke billowing from a mechanized carriage.

A Brief Look Back

This is a lovely little feature from The Submission Grinder to show how my attempts at actually getting published are going. I'll admit the numbers are not entirely impressive, but everyone starts somewhere. It helps to stop and take pride in what you have actually accomplished. 

First, this isn't really a "Lifetime" status. It's missing the sporadic submissions and writing I did before 2014. It doesn't count the attempts at getting any of the novels published either. It really just shows how things have been since before I "restructured" my attempt to get published. 

All my life, I've had the same end goal. It's the one most writer's share. Now, I'm trying to get more serious about the whole thing. Not that I ever wasn't serious. I just thought someone would stumble across me and instantly publish everything I ever penned. How silly of me! 

So now I'm trying to keep myself on the straight-ish path. Writing, editing, constantly sending stories out. I'm about to start querying book agents. I wish I had taken this a lot more seriously before, and maybe the Acceptances would be larger. Or maybe just the Rejections would have grown. 

In the end, I'm proud of all 16+ of those pieces. I'm proud of how far the Muse and I have come. Things are different from the first rejection, where I spent the following days curled up in a ball refusing to leave my misery. We will get to the dream one of these days, won't we? I have faith.

A Most Stubborn Muse

She really is the worst, isn't she? The best as well, which I do not intend on forgetting. The fair Muse has decided that editing is in fact very inspiration. So inspirational, that she is filling my head with ideas for novellas. 

The novella market is growing, so I am happy for any new ideas. I just wish she would have provided these ideas months ago when several publishers has open calls for novellas. Oh well. More will come. 

The "plan" now is to try and split my time between editing and writing. It's worked before, and it shouldn't slow me down at all. I really don't have any hard deadlines at the moment, or any open calls to respond to. Plus, this isn't really straying from the idea of finishing longer works while sending out the already finished shorter ones. 

I will say, that I tend to write better with looming deadlines. It discourages me from slacking off or telling myself it can wait five more minutes...and another five more minutes. I'll have to set up better self imposed deadlines. 

Slight Deviation from the Master Plan

I suppose that doesn't come as a suprise.  My schedule keeps on changing, but this should not derail things too much.

I'm still focusing on getting the novel finished. But it doesn't seem wise to leave the pile of 15 or so short stories just sitting there. I've decided to spend one day a week sending out an old story to a new market. To be honest, I should have been doing this all along. I did a few times, but the constant cycle got tiring. I think spacing it out to once a week or every other week will be better for my state of mind.

I'll of course give each one a quick edit, but it won't be constantly switching between projects like before. Plus, I think this might help when I get stuck on editing The Resurrected Thief.  But I am following up on avoiding themed submission. Hopefully that helps with the whole "not quite the right fit" rejection I get all the time.

Here it goes! 

My Poor Eyes

I don't what it is, but lately I cannot stand staring at a computer screen for so long. The day job requires doing so for a very long time. And I've been relying on pen and paper to help ease away writer's block. Now, as I'm chugging along at The Resurrected Thief, my eyes itch and I get antsy from it.

I currently have almost 150 pages to sift through, with plenty of edits and new scenes to add. I don't have any set deadline, so it's not like I have to worry about time constraints. While there is always the anticipation a big publisher might open their doors, I do not want to rush it. I want this book to be perfect.

I just don't want to stare at a computer any more.

WIP Wednesday!

Since I am digging back into The Resurrected Thief, you will be seeing quite a bit of that in the upcoming weeks. As a taste, here are the opening three lines. 

The sound of a single crash poured through the empty halls of the British Museum. The night guard’s skin prickled as the echo reverberated in his ears. A brief application of friction eased away the small bumps sprouting on the back of his neck, but could not banish the cold lingering beneath his skin. 

Back to the grindstone

While I've talked about it a few times before, I am officially back to finishing Resurrected Thief. My short stories have all been sent off. Only two open submissions remain, but I have two months to decide if I even have a good idea for a story. In the meantime, I want to finally get back to my book.

There is quite a bit of work to be done. The short stories have led to more backstory, and some changes need to be reflected in the novel. Plus, there are new scenes and scenes I just don't like any more. Hopefully, this novel will finish smoothly and the Muse will be encouraging.

Right now, she is napping. Hence the lack of ideas for those two open calls for shorts. Let's all hope she wakes up soon. But I must be back to work!

Snip, Snip, Snip

Another day, another completed submission! I'm surprised I finished this one nearly a month ahead of the deadline, but great things happen when the Muse lets me write 1,500+ words a day!

The only hiccup was that my streak of getting under the word cap for the shorts has ended. My final story was almost 9,000 and this submission had a cut off of 7,500. EEK. The past three days have been trimming and rewriting. I'm still happy with it, but kept the longer draft just in case. Can't hurt to be prepared for a rejection and moving forward.

I'm nearly done with my docket of short stories for the time being. And by that I mean, I have one more I'm thinking of writing and two more to edit and ship out. I really do what to get back to fixing up the novels. Someone should make the Muse and the Internet aware of my thoughts. No?

In other news, edits for "The Knocking Below" have been sent in. That should be out any day now! I plan on doing something really special when that finally happens. I've also started sending follow up emails to publishers when I don't hear back on submissions. I was passive and waited for months before, but I think it's time to be proactive.

Here is hoping more good news comes along.

WIP Wednesday!

Here is another snippet from "The Moss People".

"What are they chattering about?" Bryan cringed, but refused to back away from the horde of glittering lights.

"You angered them by disrespecting their queen," Esther answered him with a lowered voice and head.

"The only queen I bow to is Queen Vicky," he huffed, causing Esther to snicker.

Staying on Track

For once, my thoughts are not geared towards meeting deadlines or reorganizing a writing schedule. I am actually doing quite well there. But I have seem to come into a habit that may or may not be good. It may or may not also slow me down.

As of late, I have been just writing out whatever scene pops into my mind. While the entire story is outlined, the Muse doesn't want to follow it. She wants to write whatever is more exciting at the time. I've been following her moods, and it's leading to some great numbers at the end of the day. However, that leaves some gaps in the story marked by some asterisks.

I know many other authors that do this as well, so it's not really revolutionary. It's only causing hiccups for me because staring at those asterisks seems to chase away the Muse. In order to combat it, I've been looking to a blank sheet of paper instead. With my lovely pen, I can fill in the breaks between scenes. It's a great deal better than staring until my head hurts, but it just causes that slight delay in having to write out the scene on paper and then again on the computer. Since I type fairly quickly, this has not been an issue yet. Plus, I'm ahead of schedule.

At this point, I'd do just about anything to keep writing and avoid the dreadful writer's block.

WIP Wednesday!

Today's snippet comes from a piece I just started working on this afternoon. Tentatively titled "The Moss People"

“Be careful with those! That is invaluable equipment,” her employer, Mister James Hawke, barked at the young man unloading his trunks from the train. He proceeded to wave a sleek black cane in the air, which caused the porter to cringe. Biting down on the corner of her lip, Esther stepped away from her two small bags.

Unplugged

As of late, my brain has been quite frazzled. Between the stresses of real life and the numerous deadlines I keep giving myself, I've been getting a bit mentally bogged down. To try and detox, I've started taking a few days (usually the weekend) to just unplug from everything.

I keep off the laptop as much as possible, with only the occasional checking of Facebook and email. Depending on the mood, I might play some video games but not a lot lately. Instead, I've been on the couch reading. I've had a growing list of books I've been dying to read, and didn't have the time with so much going on. Not any more!

It's actually quite a relief to step out of my world and step into someone else's. I don't have to worry about finding the next twist or ironing out plot holes. Instead, I'm swept away in a different sort of adventure. Most of the time, it actually gives me better ideas. I step away from the book with a refreshed mind and the ability to see how my own story needs to work out.

My last reads were "The Bullet Catcher's Daughter" by Rod Duncan and "The Constantine Affliction" by T. Aaron Payton. I highly recommend both of them. In a way, they were the perfect reads for my current shot story. I often play with Esther's struggles as a woman investigating crimes, and this story is meant to highlight even more. In these two books, the women combat this struggle by dressing up as men. Now, this never occurred to me before for Esther. I still don't want her to, even though she will later take up the scandalous practice of wearing trousers. I can't say more without spoilers, but let's just say Esther finds the whole idea of wearing a disguise exhausting.

On the other hand, Scarlet thinks it is incredibly wonderful to take on disguises. In "Our Fathers" she follows Colby to a seedy club dressed as a man. I'm certain she will do it again, as well as many other disguises.

I think I might come back with a more detailed review on my excitement about those two books. But for now, the Must has been awoken and needs to get working!

WIP Wednesday!

I'm going to be trying out a fun little new feature that I do hope you will all like. Every Wednesday, I am going to post the three most recently written lines of my current work in progress. Or, a random line I really like if the most recent one is too spoilery. Hopefully this will provide you some exciting tastes and give me a kick to keep on working.

Today's snippet comes from "The Refusal". Title will be changed once it is finished.

"My colleagues with the police have mocked me for having a reluctance to carry a gun citing the weakness of our sex ," Esther sighed before tightening her grip on the pistol. She looked away from the weapon to stare into the vila's eyes without blinking. "Today seems a good day to prove them wrong," she continued, her voice stiffening.

(C) 2015

Resources for Submissions

As I scour for new markets to submit my writing, I thought this would be a lovely time to share some of my favorite online haunts. These sites are great for finding all sorts of publications and keeping track of your work. Hope you other writers find it helpful!

Duotrope: This database holds information for over 5,000 different markets. While it does cost $5 a month, it lets you run searches based off genre, pay rate, length, and other factors. It also has a calendar with deadlines for upcoming submissions. The big draw is the statistics for each publisher. Users log their submissions and it calculates all sorts of useful facts, like acceptance rate, average response time, similar markets. Plus, it's also good to keep track of your own writing.

The Grinder: After Duotrope starting charging, this site opened up to offer the same services for free. It's still in Beta, and doesn't offer all the features of Duotrope (like the calendar). However, it still tracks all the same statistics. And who doesn't like free!

Coffin Tree Hill: A blog that updates almost daily with new places open for submissions. It's primarily for fantasy/sci fi publications, which makes me happy. I am a subscriber, so I get lovely emails with details on any new posting.

Ralan: Another site with listing for fantasy and science fiction. It's organized by pay rate, and updated very regularly. They also have a section with links for useful advice.

It's also useful to check the sites of your favorite publishers. While not everyone is open to unagented submissions, once in a while there are open door periods. And if anyone has any useful links, please share! I'm always looking for new markets.

Message in Bottle

It takes only five seconds of watching the news to see how messy this world is. I know I've talked a lot about how writing serves as an escape for that. Now, I'm starting to wonder if my writing should do more. I don't want to beat people over the head with moral lessons, but there are certain opportunities we authors have. For me, this became relevant in the two short stories I'm currently working on. 

The first is the tale of how James Hawke lost his arm and Esther pushed herself into a position of power. Obviously being a Victorian era woman, Esther would not normally have such freedoms. Many of the other characters dismiss her for this alone. When she first meets Bryan in "The Knocking Below", he assumes she is a client and that the E. Doyle on his father's note must be a man. Some of the earlier stories show Esther on her own in Europe but her gender causes struggles there as well. This is actually one of the main reasons why she stopped freelancing and applied for the position with the Hawkes. As the assistant to a more liberal hunter, she finds herself having to explain her presence less. On the other hand, that means many people over look her in favor of speaking with either James or Bryan. In this story, she has no one to stand up for her. While Constable Riley Cooper is her friend, he can do little to help. So here, Esther has to prove to everyone in London she is fully capable of doing the job. And of course she is! 

Originally, I had Esther completely on her own solving this case. Riley's role has slightly grown, but he doesn't really do any of the heaving lifting. As much as I love him, this isn't his story. It's Esther struggling with finding a way to keep the future she wants in a world where she's told her future has already been determined. 

A lot of my inspiration for her comes from the Agent Carter series that was on ABC several months ago. While Peggy is a superior agent, she is stuck taking lunch orders and filing paperwork. This isn't a struggle that only select women are confined to in select time periods. It's all over the world and it's happening right now. I can only hope that my writing has similar effects to the ones Agent Carter had. Also, I hope Agent Carter gets renewed for season two. The world needs more stories of incredible women. 

My Lovely Editors

While I sit and wait for the publisher's edits of The Knocking Below, my mind wanders towards my personal editing team. I know I've touched on how I edit my own work, but I can't forget my Betas.

For anonymity, let's call them A, B, and C. Only one of those is not their initial, but it's a mystery! Also, I wanted this to look uniform...All three of these Betas are close friends, whose opinions I highly trust and value. I know they won't be too hard with my fragile ego, but they are also honest. So first, I want to thank them for all their help over the years. You guys are the best!

Then how exactly does one find a Beta reader? Years ago, I signed up for authonomy.com to gather interest and opinions on my work. I've had a lot of great experiences there, but it wasn't as personal as I would have liked. Still, I highly recommend it to other authors. The next step was the obvious post on Facebook asking for help. A, B, and C all chimed in and I happily swamped them with my writing.

It's always good to find someone who will be honest with you, but you also want to find a Beta who will actually be interested in the story. If someone hates science fiction, you don't want to bog them down with aliens and lasers. Being my friends, I already knew we had similar tastes. While only one of them is a writer, they all have experience in creative work, along with an interest in history.  For me, it also helps to have the opinions from people looking at the story instead of nitpicking all the grammar. Am I not detailed enough on the setting? Does the dialog make sense? Is it exciting enough? These three always help answer those questions.

So for anyone out there looking to get published, make sure you have a great team of Betas. They are invaluable. I really lucked out with mine.

I Stand Alone

When working on several different stories within the same fictional universe, and quite often not in chronological order, it helps to have each one stand on its own. It has been a bit of a struggle for me to keep that in mind when writing new stories because not everyone knows all the little details floating in my head. Vague mysteries are great, but they shouldn't take away from the entire story.

First, I have no idea the order things are actually going to be published in. It rarely is enjoyable to read something where you don't understand what is happening. There is no guarantee my readers will read each and every little scrap I put out there. As much as I would love for it to happen, who knows. Also, you don't know the order they will read the shorts!

The best comparison for what I'm going though in my head is Star Wars. You have the two-soon to be three-trilogies, video games, comic books, and the novels. Ignoring how Disney is rewriting the canon, there are quite a lot of stories going on. As much as I love Star Wars, I haven't read every single piece of the Expanded Universe. I think I've touched about a fourth, and that's being generous. Yet that doesn't detract from my experiences while watching the movies. I can't tell you Han Solo's entire genealogy, but I still love him.

I really can't think of any author who doesn't try to keep to this model, but I seem to keep forgetting in my first draft. The words come out and it all makes sense in my head. When I read it over, I realize half of what's going on is not mentioned at all. My current project is actually about a character who doesn't appear until the second volume of the Gaslight Hunters. It is one of those instances where I could not wait to write about her and this one particular location, even though the first book isn't 100% finished. The Muse sweetly suggested writing about her anyway, writing about her first day in London.

So why not! It won't take away from any of the other novels or shorts. It also gives me an opportunity to build the alternate reality away from the eyes of Esther and Bryan. This particular character is also one of the bridges between the Hunters and the currently unnamed series in Russia ten years earlier. I hope everyone is as excited about this as I am.

We have a title!

Oh happy day! Such a happy day! After ages of halfhearted notes with nonsense titles, there is finally a proper series name for The Hunters.

The Gaslight Hunters! And any shorts will be referred to as Gaslight Tales.

This was an idea I had earlier, but wasn't quite sure. Over the weekend, it rolled around in my head some more and I loved it. Originally, I wanted Gaslit Hunters, but everyone I spoke to said it didn't roll off the tongue quite as well. The second idea was Gaslight Inquests, but it sounded to similar to another book. Plus, they refer to themselves as "hunters" so I thought it was more appropriate.

Hopefully you are all just as excited as I am! Plus, more good news is on the horizon!

What exactly is "Marketability"? And how can I get it?

While I'm not writing for the money (does anyone?), it clearly pays a huge part in the actual procedure of publishing. The story has to be something that people will invest their time and money in. It has to be an easy sell for publishers and agents. Having a good market makes that easier for everyone. But how on earth do I figure out my own market?

I know my genre and I know the audience. Is that enough? Though, if the rejection letters are to be believed, I might not have those two figured out quite right. Not being what they are looking for raises these questions a lot. Either I change to be what they want, or find someone else. Right now, I'm looking for someone who wants the stories I have to tell. I just keep slipping on the nitty gritty.

First, I am starting to get uneasy about where I should start. Do I focus all energies on the shorts or the novels, instead of splititng them like I am. If I focus on the shorts, I'm building up the world and the characters before unveiling the major plot. If I focus on the novels, I focus on the plot and all it's secret. The shorts then fill in the history.

While I'm trying to read more about the inner workings of publishings, I don't feel like I'm getting these answers. I've asked other authors and professors, and have received different responses from each one. I just want to be certian I'm going about things the right way, and not wasting time and efforts. There isn't a magic key to getting published, aside from working constantly at it. I guess that's what I'll just have to keep working on.

My market will appear one of these days. Or I can just make my own.

Never Enough Time

Writing does indeed require vast amounts of time. Time plotting and thinking. Time actually writing, and then rewriting. Then time editing! But our characters are just as pressed for time as we are. 

Especially when writing historical fiction, one must be wary of time. Even in alternate universes, certain events happen in a certain order. I can't change the dates of the Ripper killings just because I want Esther to be in summer dresses. My desk is currently filled with calendars and lists of dates, with question marks filling in various blank spaces. 

Because of the international escapades of the Hunters, I seem to fumble with their time a lot more than with Scarlet. She only leaves England once, where Bryan, Esther, and Thomas leave nearly every month. Plus, the Hunter universe has several other casts whose whereabouts I have to keep track of. Scarlet and her opponents are much more orderly in their crimes. By no means, does that make them any less exciting!

Mysteries tend to need a much shorter time frame than other adventures in my experience. In modern detective shows, you see the pressing need to solve it under 48 hours. In historical, I find many cases are solved in a week or two. Fast paced scenes make for more exciting reads though. Look at Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Her novels are shorter than most, and he wrote mainly short stories. On the other hand, Wilkie Collins did write much longer novels. 

In the end, it's the story itself that matters. Not the page or word count. But that story has to happen in a reasonable amount of time, just right on the edge of thrilling and logical. I'm still working on finding that balance myself. Only time will tell if I get it right. 

The Odd Method of Rewrites

As a follow up to the last post, I'm starting to think my method of rewriting a scene is a bit tedious.

Step 1) identify problem scene.
Step 2) outline how things should happen
Step 3) take the problem scene and paste it into a new Word Doc. 
Step 4) write out the new scene either on paper or in a different blank Word Doc.
Step 5) tweak scene just before and after new scene to improve flow.

I used to just edit and rewrite in the original draft. It was faster but the new scene felt jumbled and repetitive.  It takes me physically longer to go this way, but it has yet to fail. In a separate page I can look at it as a whole instead of each line I'm on. I used to just rush to meet deadlines but I'm stopping that.  The story has to matter first.  If I miss a deadline,  I'll just send it elsewhere. 

Plus, nothing inspires me more than a blank page. 

To Keep or Not to Keep?

I am sure I have rattled on plenty of times about my issues with word limits. It means a lot of trimming of the original idea, but every writing advice I've received states "kill your darlings". I don't like it. My novels and stories would never end if I had the choice. But that often drags down the pace and looses a lot of the exciting tension that keeps readers going.

Today's example is a nearly finished short story due by the end of the week. The cap is 4,000, which I just hit. However, there is just one scene left to write. Bryan keeps going back and forth, dancing between arguing with a side character and plunging his blade through a monster's heart. To keep it short, I may have to cut the entire scene I wrote this weekend in half. But what would make a better story? That is the important question.

In my mind, the back and forth was supposed to dig into Bryan's conflict with his desires to follow after his father. This story takes place right before he leaves England, so in the front of his mind he is ready to part with hunting all together. I wanted Bryan to see it would not be so simple for him to walk away, when he knows what he wants deep deep deep deep deep deep down. It was also supposed to introduce more of the Fae Activists. But it does slow down the action. Who really stands around and chats while monsters destroy a drawing room?

Time for rewrites!

An Experiment in Serialization

I have decided to try a little experiment here. One of my writing exercises has been this odd little crossover between my two Victorian series. When I can't write anything else or need to just stretch my mind, I dabble with what would happen if the worlds collide. It has been helpful, but I doubted it would amount to much. Then it occurred to me to just try and put it out there. 

 If you click on the "Grey Jewel" tab above, you can see this story unfold. It isn't very much now, but I update it every now and again. Chronologically, it takes place sometime after the first book of each series. While neither have been published, it seemed somewhat odd to share it with the world. Then I thought, why not? It can't hurt. 

You don't really need to know the details of the books to read this. Any substantial knowledge has already been mentioned in my rants here. Consider it an AU fanfic...of my own writing.  

I hope you enjoy!  

Business or Pleasure?

Today, at my regular day job, one of my co-workers asked me about my writing. She commented that she sees I always have some notebook open with scribbles next to me--not that I'm avoiding doing my day job, it's just that I get ideas at any moment and need something to write with. She then asked if I just did it for fun. Seeing as I just read a thought provoking blog post by Kameron Hurley, I thought I might answer that in a little more detail.

I told her that writing was my passion, and I did dream of becoming a professional and published author one day. But of course it is fun! It's the most fun thing I do all day. Like I told her and many others, I'm full of these stories that just need to come out. I literally get twitchy if I have gone a while with writing something.

With an inbox of rejections looking back at me, I've been wondering lately if that big dream would ever come about. I'm starting to come to better terms with leaving all the worrying aside and having some faith and hope. How can I get published if I'm worrying and not writing? Writing has to be fun, or it only results in an awful pile of garbled words. No one wants to read that. I certainly don't.

I recently had to put a short story on hold because it stopped being fun. I knew I had to finish it by the deadline, but I had no idea how to fill in the plot holes. I stared at the blank screen for hours, all while other ideas tempted the back of my mind. When I tried to force out anything, it became a chore and the story suffered. By working on the "fun" ideas, I was able to recharge and actually think of a better idea for the story on hold. While it means finishing it in the distant future, I feel better about not forcing out something I didn't like. In that time, I finished two other new stories.

But I have to think of the business side too, which also played into the reason for putting that story on hold. The semi-original plan is to have prequel short stories being out before or right after Resurrected Thief comes out. Now waiting on answers and not knowing when anything will get accepted does often cause issues with that plan, but it hasn't changed my motivation. I have to brand or establish my Victorian fantasy to publishers and the world. Unfortunately, stories about dragons and elves sent thousands and thousands of years earlier, doesn't exactly help. Nor does the fact it doesn't all make sense without a glimpse at my master plan.

Like I said before, I don't want to pigeon hole myself. At the same time, I want to show that this alternate world of mind is world worth investing in. I'm not quite in any of the established genres yet, but I have to show that isn't a bad thing after all. But I have to do it while having fun, or there really isn't much of a point to it.

Shifting Gears

The mad rush is finally at an end. I've sent out two or three short stories a month for God knows how long now, and I can finally stop to catch my breath. Well, not really. I still have a few more anthologies to submit to, but they are not for a few months. But that isn't what I need to focus on right now.

All my attention is turning towards my poor neglected novel.While Esther, Bryan, and Thomas have not had any rest either, their first adventure together is gathering electronic dust. But no longer!

I really am excited to get back to work on finishing and finally submitting this beauty. The short stories both gave insight on how the characters live and also my own writing methods. The rejections from the past few months have also taught me about what market this book does and does not belong to.

Last year, I had an opportunity to send Resurrected Thief to a publisher I really really really wanted. However, I knew the book wasn't finished. First, it physically wasn't. I had about two chapters to go. Second, it still felt there was something else missing to the whole adventure. In all my plotting and scribbling for the short stories, I finally worked out that missing piece. I'm still bummed about missing that chance--and two other smaller houses I really liked closing to open submissions--but I'm glad I waited. The book and all its characters are much better off now.

I think I'm ready for the next step.

The Rescue

This is my darling Vicky, taking a nap on my handwritten first draft of Our Fathers. We adopted her and Bailey, who would not sit and join her for this picture, in December of 2012. My sister had been talking about adopting a dog for the longest time, and convinced my parents to go down to a local shelter. Meanwhile, I was in one of the most depressing times of my life. I went along with the second trip, as my mother thought I needed to get out of the house and that puppies would help. 

Vicky was the skinniest thing you had ever seen. The shelter had found her on the streets a week before. She was so timid and liked sitting off by herself. When I went over to her, she just sat by my side and rested her head on my leg. She kept right next to me the entire time...well, until the staff brought along food. While I sat with her, my sister fawned over Bailey, who was a newborn little fluff ball that fit in the palm of your hand. My mother and sister couldn't decide which dog to get, all while I sat on the floor with Vicky. I'll admit, that first day all I wanted to do was go back home and cry. I had just been dumped, lost my job, suffered another rejection letter. But Vicky sat by me and didn't leave. 

The next day, the whole family went back to the shelter. We didn't know which dog we were getting, but that we had to make a choice before someone else adopted one of them. I remember walking back into the area housing all the dogs. Vicky was lying down in the back, hiding from all the other people. When I stepped into the room, her head jumped up and she ran over to the door. She started bouncing around until I came over and rubbed her little head. My mom started laughing that she recognized me, and I knew it was true. Vicky wanted me. So I picked her up and carried her to the counter. We all still loved that little fluff of a baby, so my parents decided to just throw everything to the wind and get both. 

All while filling out the paperwork, buying food and toys and beds, I didn't put Vicky down. She kept her head on my shoulder until we got into the car, where she curled up on my lap until we got home. After trotting around the house with joy, Vicky resumed her place curled up at my side. She and I are inseparable. 

Why interrupt my normal talks about writing for a tale of adopting my little puppy? Because as an author, life can be lonely. Not everyone is cut for loneliness, and I am one of those people. It's also a life of rejection and hardships which can be hard to endure all by yourself. Vicky and Bailey are my current support team. They provide plenty of cuddles and kisses when I am sad. They also force me to get up and go outside. 

Please do not take this as me being one of those people who only live for their pets. Yes, they are my babies and I love them to death. They have helped me through a lot of dark times when I struggled to explain to people what I feel about my writing and other things. I've gotten to the point where I stop telling people when the rejections come in because I'm tired of the same responses. This isn't ingratitude for their comments, just that I know after all these years it's subjective and there will be hundreds more rejections than acceptances and I need to keep carrying on. I've only had one boyfriend who didn't respond that way, and it was absolutely perfect. 

My thoughts have gotten away from me again. The point is that everyone needs someone to stand by them. And I thank God every day for giving me these two fluff balls. 

Fair Elven Maidens

In lieu of currently writing several tales set in the Fae Realm itself, I thought I would take some time to drabble about three "fair elven maidens" that form a foundation for this prequel series.

First is Tirithviel, star of my current writings. She is the "elf assassin", but plays a bit of a bigger role than that. She is one of a secret sect serving the more unseemly desires of the elven nation. She is given missions by the Lord Steward, who enjoys showing his position of power at any opportunity. She is also the only female within this group, but that doesn't stop her from plucking at the tense political strings. If there is a strange occurrence in the city that just so happens to give the elves more power, Tirithviel and her companions are most likely behind it.  

Saerwin is a stalwart member of the city's guard. Always clad in armor and always following the rules. She first peeks her head in "The First Days of Winter", but might actually steal the role from Tirithviel in an upcoming project. Or maybe the two will work together. On second thought, I doubt they will get along. While she is an elf, she doesn't share the same thoughts as many of her kin that elves belong at the top of the hierarchy. Politics in the Fae realm are actually a lot of fun to write, but Saerwin would prefer to stay away from them. She is a guardian and will gladly stand at the front lines.

Veryan has yet to make an actual appearance in any writing. She will be serving in a more traditional feminine role of mother and wife. She is actually the sister-in-law of Tirithviel. Probably a distant cousin of Saerwin knowing how elves are all related. Yet both of these elves are constantly compared to Veryan, and they usually respond with a bit of mockery. Mostly in good nature, of course. Neither of them are nurturing, and they are well aware of that. They can handle a blade better than a baby.

While this all sounds like ranting, which it mostly is, I do know how all three will play into the grand scheme of things.Their actions directly correlate to why and how Esther and Bryan hunt down the dangerous Fae. I really should write the stories themselves, but I really just want to ramble to someone.  

Should you ever give up?

The short answer is no. I keep writing, keep foraging onward. But what about when a project hits a wall and there is no going around it? Or when your story just isn't as exciting as you thought it might be?

My old answer was to move onto something else and finish that writing later. It's lead to scores of half composed shorts and novels clogging up my computer. I'm trying to keep pushing on and finding the bright light at the end of the tunnel. What is the worst that can happen? A rejection letter?

My short story "A Golden Alliance" is hitting a few of these walls. I know what has to happen in the scene, but it isn't coming across as thrilling as it plays in my head. Being so close to the end makes it even more frustrating. The deadline is just over a week away and I have about 500 words left. Yet such such hard words.

I wanted to write a story in the vein of conniving political schemes, but between elves and goblins instead of old men. The events here lead up to the pinnacle of the trilogy following the elven assassin Tirithviel, and her missions lay the groundwork for the final book of the Hawke series. It all lines up perfectly in my head like dominoes...but the words aren't coming. This scene is reading like bickering teenagers pretending to be mature, which does describe them in a manner of speaking. I only wish it could come off more sophisticated.

The words will come out anyway. They usually do. I can only hope they are the right ones this time. I hate rewriting. It always makes me feel like I wasted time writing, where as line edits make me feel more on goal. The bones of this story are excellent. I just need to plaster on more attractive flesh.

New Updates--Sort of!

While this might seem contrary to the last post about branching out from the Victorian Era, I've reworked the pages showing my current projects. Take a look around!

The Black and Redd Mysteries do not have much at the moment. You can find the link to read the first chapter of Our Fathers though! What follows is a very rough outline of the future of the series. Please forgive the brief descriptions. They come from both not having a full idea of the story, and not wanting to spoil very much.

The Hunters is a little bit more crazy. Right now, it's arranged chronologically. In my head, there are going to be three series of novels and a whole lot of short stories filling in the gaps. First comes the history of the Fae Realm, which will be mostly comprised of a trilogy and several short stories. Next comes the "Hawke Hunters", which follow Esther, Bryan, and Thomas. This series will be five novels and so so so so many short stories. The final series of novels will be sent in Eastern Europe and is either going to happen at the same time or ten years before the Hawke novels. Since it's nothing more than an idea, I've left it off the master list at the moment.

As I'm sure you are all aware, this rough timeline is by no means set in stone. Also, for reference, my short stories range from 4,000 to 15,000 words. Different publishers have different definitions for the separation between short story and novella, so I just labeled them all as shorts. When things are published, the labels will be more defined. Also, any italicized titles are the rough placeholders. I really need to work on my title crafting skills...

So explore my crazy attempt at keeping my thoughts organized! And please feel free to comment with any, well, comments about what you are excited to read. I don't want to always be talking to myself.

The Far Off Future

While every scrap of paper around me has notes about Victorianism, I've been thinking about other things to write. This is by no means a delay of any of my current projects. It's just a desire to be known for more than one type of writing.

I have so many half composed ideas for high fantasy and sci fi books. Tales of sorceresses leading armies. Surly rangers tracking bandits. Genetically enhanced spies. Cyberpunks plotting in night clubs. I'd love to devote times to these characters and their own stories soon. It honestly won't be for some time, since I'm at home with my Victorian mysteries. I just dread the idea of unfinished stories.

I know a lot of authors are satisfied with staying in their zone, and I have no qualms with that. I just want to write about everything and anything. Whatever fleeting odd thought that comes in my head ends up on paper. Yes, a lot of them get scrapped for being nothing but nonsense. Others get fitted to work into another project. A few of the ideas in the Monster Hunter series are actually carried over from these little odd thoughts. To be honest, I even thought about trying that entire series into another fantasy series, but it got too complicated too fast.

I do have a priority list of other things to write when Black and Redd and the Monster Hunters are either done so I have more time. I wish with all my heart it was possible for me to stay at home and write all day long. I'd be able to get all of this done a lot sooner. Maybe I'll win the lottery soon!

A Change of Plans

After another slew of rejections, I think I might have to reevaluate my writing plans. Seeing once again that my stories are not quite right for the anthologies is feeding into my self doubts about not being good enough. I know it's a practical reason on the editor's part because they have a limited number of spaces and need a cohesive narrative, but it still stings.

So instead of wallowing, I'm reassembling my plan of attack. Up until now, I've been sending submissions to any and all anthologies marked steampunk, Lovecraftian, or paranormal. Apparently my writing doesn't quite meet these descriptions. While I don't quite agree, I have to move on instead of arguing or trying to mesh my writing into something it isn't. So I intend on trying to send these short stories to magazines instead. I also want to try and do one a month instead of two or three so I can divert time between the short stories and the novels. Writing three short stories at once and hitting all deadlines showed me it was possible to multitask very well. I also tend to write better with looming deadlines.

Now, I know I've tried to set limits before on where I submit to avoid unneeded stress. It very rarely lasts long. I am not going to deprive myself of writing something if a prompt really strikes the Muse's fancy. I just feel I need to change my approach on finding places to submit. And if this doesn't work either, we will find another plan and keep moving along.

Which is Better: A Bad Book or a Good Book?

I guess the answer would appear obvious. I for one would rather get lost in a captivating new fictional realm, where I cannot put the book down no matter what is happening around me. My own writing gets pushed to the side, but I always always end up feeling more rejuvenated to write my best. Reading a fantastic book inspires me to write my own work and be considered at the same level of these authors.

Now, a bad book is a different story. Seeing the success of a bad book sparks a different sort of fire underneath me. If books about certain phases of the moon and arrays of color get massive success, why can't I? Let me show my worth and show how much better a relationship between two compatible detectives can be instead of an abusive stalker and his helpless victim?

Likewise, I tell myself that the characters and their actions should inspire readers to better themselves. I want Esther and Scarlet to show women it's possible to live out your own dreams when all of society is tell you to stop and go back to your knitting. I want Colby and Bryan to show it's possible to overcome countless obstacles from your past and find the place where you belong. I do not want my characters to make readers think it's a wonderful idea to find someone to control their life for them and to grovel to another's wishes.

While I know these books are a phase and we won't hear about them after a while, the time spent hearing all their praises eats at me. I'm not denying there is some jealousy. These authors have sold millions and I haven't. But the sheer mass hysteria of fans troubles me even more. People really enjoy it when a boyfriend strips the girl of all agency and blames her for all the issues? This lack of respect and manipulation is what people call romantic now? I'm not even talking about the poor writing and grammar yet!

The world has enough insanity every day. We shouldn't encourage people to seek out the dangerous kind. We should be showing them something better.

To avoid spoilers, I'll keep this example vague...When I was editing one of my novels, the male lead started to get overly aggressive in his romantic endeavors. As soon as I read it I rewrote the scene so the female sticks to what she wants and the male then backs down. He is at first offended, but he isn't portrayed as a saint for pursuing her in that manner. Instead, I try to show how much of a, for lack of a better term at the moment, butt head he was being and he then learns to respect her and her wishes. Is it really that hard for people to actually do that?

In conclusion...I want my writing to spark something positive in my readers. I want these stories to matter.

It's All About the Pace

Pausing the madness of writing my fifty million projects to celebrate that one is finished.  It needs to be edited and titled but at least the hard part is over! Only two or three more to go until the big deadline of March 1st. 

One of the reasons I finished this particular project so early is the short length. The cap is 5,000 words, but the story is just 3,500. Many people think 5,000 words is plenty long but not me. It's barely a chapter! Knowing how I have a tendency to extend myself and then waste days trimming the fat, I tried to outline my short stories differently. For 5,000 words I have the intro, the swift conflict, and then the resolution or dramatic cliff hanger. This short story was no different, until I started writing the conflict. I had barely passed 1,000 words at that point. I started to worry that it wasn't going to be exciting enough. 

Now, I have nothing wrong with really short fiction. I just have the habit of writing every little detail. I have also never written anything this short before. I still think it's a great story, which I don't want to force by adding in more scenes and dialog. At least if something strikes my fancy, I have room to add it. 

There is also no time to waste on the other stories. Back to work!  

Unraveling History

Or how I came up with another possible series when researching a side character.  

I have a serious problem. And I love it. New stories never stop popping up in my mind, urged on my the strangest questions. I now either have a new prequel trilogy or a slew of short stories about a character appearing in two chapters of book two of my monster hunting books.

It all started when I just wanted to make sure a building in Romania existed for the short story I'm writing now. That turned into reading about the Russo - Turkish war and getting drawn into the rich history of that entire area. I knew I had to write more than I already planned.

When I first started writing this series, I wanted it to start in England, Germany, or Russia. I really wanted to avoid the stereotype of British run steampunk, but at the same time I wanted to play with the imperialist attitude of England. Having their fingers in every pie, as the saying goes. Plus, I needed certain historical events for the series.  

I knew when I started, this was not going to be just five books. The short stories were to allow me to tell the original stories that grew in my head before coming up with the frame of the major conflict. I can travel all over time and space in them! At the same time, they are giving me more and more ideas that can't always be expressed in 10,000 words or less. 

Bryan and Esther's travels before the first book take them through half of Europe. He makes it as far as Poland during his studies before family calls him home. Esther sets out on her own adventures much earlier, for reason's you'll see in the book, and she makes it to the coast of the Black Sea. Poor Thomas is stuck in England with his books. The more my trio explore, the more I want to dig into the history. I have notes for stories about their families and even people they pass in the street. It just doesn't end. 

For now, I jot down the new ideas in my trusty notebook. I'll have to let them simmer before seeing if I can make a solid novel out of them or just short stories. That and I really need to work on the approaching deadlines. 

I really hope people don't get sick of this alternate world of mine. At this rate, I'll be pumping out its history until I die. Then, like Tolkien, my heirs will have the task of assembling posthumous publications.  

Falling Behind

I cannot stand getting behind schedule.  It's not totally my fault since I've been sick and bed ridden the past week. Lying in bed with a fever doesn't always make for the best writing sessions. I ended up reading and watching a lot of TV. Which is looking like I might only finish two of the three stories due by March 1st.

It's better than nothing I suppose. Or maybe my foggy head will allow some burst of writing genius to come forth. That would be nice. For now,  I'll keep plugging along and drinking my tea.

I really hate the winter.

An Escape

Most people would describe fiction as a method of escapism. Reading, watching a movie, playing a video game takes us out of our own world and into different one. Let's be honest, the real world isn't always the best place to be. Every person has hardships, and we have different methods of coping. I'm sure it's obvious that mine heavily relies on writing.

Cleaning out some old boxes this weekend uncovered a short story I wrote after my first breakup. A young couple is on their first date when the zombie apocalypse breaks out. It's all very sweet until they are being directly attacked by a horde. The young man throws the girl out of the way to save himself, but ends up dying after all. She is then left to survive on her own. It's admittedly not my best work, written as a freshman in college and still learning a few tricks. But the emotion is so strong in it. Reading just the first pages brought me back to that time when joy shifts into pain within a few split seconds. I will probably never publish that piece though. It would need an immense amount of refining, and I really don't feel inspired by zombies anymore.

My writing has this odd blend of things that I wish that would happen and things that did happen to me. Traces of my friends, family, and people I really can't stand end up in these characters. Thomas and Colby both share some traits with boyfriends, but I never try to completely imitate real people. Then it wouldn't be an escape.

Now, I'm not saying that I feel at home surrounded by dead bodies. I just love the art of deduction and the flair of the past. It can feel so foreign and so welcoming. I wouldn't want to live in a world without the internet, but I wouldn't mind the elaborate dresses and magic.

So I'll throw myself into this world I'm writing. It helps me cope with the real one.

My First Inspiration

I can't believe I've gone this long without mentioning my all time favorite book. Well, books.

The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion. Anything touched by J.R.R. Tolkien. I bleed for Middle-Earth.

Anyone who knows me in real life, would be able to tell you that in a second. When I was in high school, someone found a lost copy of The Two Towers and every single person thought it was mine. It wasn't--mine was from the paperback box set issued before the Fellowship of the Ring movie and this one was from the box set issued before The Two Towers-- but not a single person believed me. My parents introduced me after I read through the entire Chronicles of Narnia in one day. My mother told me all about how they were friends and writing buddies. I was instantly captivated, borrowing the books constantly from the library.

When the movies came out, it was amazing. The books were everywhere, and my Christmases were filled with more books. My parents gave me The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales that year. I used all the money to buy whatever books in the History of Middle-Earth I could find. It was a rough quest, which I actually completed last year. The return of Middle-Earth to the big screen was incredible and brought back my favorite books to the front of bookstores.

Middle-Earth has always felt like my home. In a way, I struggle with writing high fantasy because I know it won't be as good. By blending it with murder mysteries, I can make it more my own. Tolkien's ability to craft this world with its own language and history always awed and inspired me. That's when I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to explore the vast unknown regions of Elsewhere. 

Is Multitasking Good or Bad?

I've started up on a writing habit I had when I first started trying to get short stories published. Simultaneously writing several things at once. While my brain always has different ideas spinning around, I have been trying to write them down as notes while focusing on the big project at hand. With four things due by March 1st, I thought I would give multitasking a try again.

My main reason for this is that I keep stumbling into holes where I don't quite know what will happen next. So instead of puttering around, I will work on one of the other stories. It tends to work very well in the beginning for me. I just have to make sure I'm focused on the right plot at the right time.

When I last tried this a few months ago, I ended up writing a story where the fantasy world of Esther, Bryan, and Thomas clashed with the historical world of Scarlet and Colby. In my opinion, it's a fun bit and maybe a good extra to throw into one of the published books or post here one of these days. However, it doesn't really help me get anything done with the pressing deadlines.

Most of the time, I end up mixing up the names of people and locations. It's not the worst thing in the world, but I have to be careful about fixing it. People's genders tend to change too. If it proves too troublesome, I'll go back to writing one thing at a time.

I still have a the list of projects prioritized. It might make me sound stingy, but I want to make sure the stories that will pay hundreds get sent before the ones that pay twenty. Yes, I want to get all of them finished and published everywhere. Sometimes though, you need to stop yourself from getting too overworked. I have not been very good at that so far.  

Winter is the time for Writing

At least, that is what editors seem to think. My pile of future submissions keeps growing and growing and growing! There is too much to do and too little time. Being so short, February is less than helpful in trying to budget my time.

As of right now, I can do it all. Editing "At the Water's Edge" has taken up a bit too much time since I went 2,000 words over the limit. Oops. But this is the first time that's happened in a while. It's not the end of the world, but I really want to write something instead of cutting out words!

Today's plan is to edit a little bit more, and then start outlining the next three projects. Two are half outlined already, so it's not too much work to do. Three day weekend helps too, along with these new stories being less than 8,000 each.

And if I don't make the deadline, it's not the end of the world. I'll finish it and submit elsewhere. Stress is not going to wear me down anymore. So back to writing!

Procrastination or Research?

One of my top ways to ease Writer's Block is research. It helps spark ideas, but also creates distractions. Instead of writing, I'm reading about all the various chemicals used in Victorian laundry. Yes, I ended up coming with a series of murder based off this, but I didn't do more than scribble a few lines. However, my worst form of "helpful research" comes in the form of video games.

The Sims. My best and worst tool. It provides a great visual reference and I love watching my creations run amok. However, it drains so much time as you perfect each detail. Especially when trying to get the Sims to act the way I want. I spent a good deal of time recently with my Hunters in their "University". It's hard enough getting them to keep on track with their Sim Needs along with my Writing Needs. Bryan should be painting, but chatting online. Thomas should be reading, not playing pool. Riley should be working, not playing his guitar at 4 AM. Ugh. For some reason, the ladies always tend to go about their business the proper way. Nerina enjoys her time in the pool, while Esther is quite studious.

One of the massive problems is how easy it is to loose track of time. Last week, I spent so much time trying to get Riley and Nerina to kiss, that I didn't actually write the scene until the next day.

I can only hope the Muse doesn't get angry with me. Maybe she should wake up...