A Profound Thought on Writing!

Space Vampires!!

Okay, this is funny because 1) I write space vampires and 2) Sooooo true at times! Speaking of space vampires, another chapter will go live today, so keep an eye out for Ch. 2 of Cosmic Inception later!

Post by Jena Gregoire.

Blog Hopping and Contest Giving

 

Hi Cia Fans! Want a chance to win a copy of Picked at the Peak? Check out Aislin's character interview on Nephylim's blog and then check out the contest details for your chance to win!

 

Click Here to Visit Nephylim's Blog



Howloween Blog Hop Day 3!

Hi folks! Yet another day of the Howloween blog hop and another chance to enter my contest for either a free copy of Pricolici or a $10 Amazon GC. Just follow me, if you aren't already, and leave me a  comment. Don't forget to leave a way to contact you, if I can't, you can't win!

Today's article is all about Tucker. I finally managed to corner him logn enough to have a bit of a chat. Enjoy!



Good to see you Tucker.

Yeah, you too. Sorry I wasn't available yesterday.

Did you really fry Stelian's car?

Not so much. Turns out that more energy near an electrical system like a vehicle computer... Stop glaring at me, Stelian. It's not my fault. You told me to go practice.

Should I come back?

No, no. It's fine. I already apologized all day yesterday. He'll get over it or not, whatever.

Why are you whispering?

My mouth's sore. Okay, why are you both laughing?

Seriously, what the hell is up with you two? I burned my tongue on my coffee.

Sorry about that. How about we head outside? I thought maybe you could show me some of what you can do as a hultan.

Sure! No, I won't mess with the weather again, Stelian.

So, how does it feel to find out you're this completely unique magical being?

Because being a lupe wouldn't have been enough? It's weird, to be honest. All I have is what Stelian can tell me, and what I've read in the book that he gave me. I wish there was someone who could tell me how everything is supposed to work.

Is it hard?

Yes and no. Here, we can sit down in this corner. The corner by the stream is my favorite area of the backyard garden.

It is nice, even now. So, care to explain?

Well, I don't know how well I can put it into words. It's not hard finding the magic inside me now, or absorbing energy. Learning to control it is hard. I haven't told Stelian it was an accident, but I really didn't mean to start a thunderstorm the other day and the lightning was a complete fluke. I hadn't called any of it since ... that night.

I wondered if the traumatic use of your magic for the first time overtly would make you afraid of it.

I don't scare easy.

No. Somehow I can see that. You'd have to be pretty strong-willed to deal with Stelian. Did you ever expect to mate an alpha?

As a gay man? No. I really didn't ever expect to mate at all. With the way my pheromones had gone crazy, I'd planned to find some place to hole up far from people-especially lupes. Mating with the oldest damn alpha of them all was a huge surprise. He's a good male and a wonderful mate, even if he is a possessive, growly ass sometimes.

Is he still growling at all the males that come near you?

Yeah, makes Grecia laugh, wench that she is.

So I have this whole list of questions I planned to ask you. Interested?

Do we have to? I don't really feeling like going into the whole 'what was your childhood like, what are your goals in life' conversation.

You don't like to think about either of those things? Or just talk about them?

You're determined to get into my head, aren't you?

Yep. Readers want to know. So spill.

My childhood was not horrible, but not great. My parents died when I was really young and I was raised by Shane's haitas. I was in school before everything went crazy when I turned twenty. I suppose I could go back, but I've always been a fan of history. Shane discouraged me from looking into anything from the past too much but Stelian doesn't care. Have you seen his library?

Yeah, I have. There are a lot of cool artifacts in there.

No kidding, and he has personal stories for all of them! Like that medallion his dad gave him. He's kept that one gold coin on him for over a thousand years. I know lupes can live for thousands of years, but it still boggles the mind.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I wondered about that. You're not really a lupe, so what does that mean for your life span?

I dunno. Stelian said the hultans he knew, though it was only two, didn't seem to age like humans. But they did die out, you know? Something caused that, somehow. I haven't found anything in the book though. I guess we just take each year as it comes.

So, it sounds like you do have your hands pretty full then, with the new mating, exploring your magic, and all you're trying to learn about hultans.

Yeah. It's definitely not boring. Stelian still needs to loosen up a bit, but I'm working on that with him. Speaking of, I promised him a steak dinner tonight. Part of my apology outstanding. Feel like helping me crank up the bbq?

Of course! Maybe while we do that we can discuss exactly how your magic works.

Ask away, though I really don't understand it yet.

What can you do with it?

It has to do with manipulating energy. I've gotten better at it. I didn't get anymore marks from calling the lightning the other night like the first time.

I remember those marks on your shoulders and arms. Are they all still there?

Yeah. I think they're kind of cool looking though, so I don't mind, almost like tattoos.

So, what can you do with energy?

I seem to be able to call storms, and I can do some healing with it, though I have no control over that. I did start this garden, though; you want to see?"

Sure.

So, this is it. Dead of winter, and I have watermelons growing. I've been pulling energy from the earth to support their growth. I anchored it and set the edges of the plot. Feel the ground.

It's warm!

Yeah. I've got the ground generating its own heat! Last week, that night it snowed for an hour? Everything in the garden was covered with a half inch of snow, except for here.

That's really cool. Think we can have some watermelon after we have our steak then?

Pretty sure a few are ripe. They're Stelian's favorite.

Is that a blush on those pale cheeks I see?

No. Shut up. You know, you are mean. Don't be an ass or you can't have any steak.

Sorry, sorry. I'll stop.

So the interview is over? That's good because someone needs to make the potato salad and I'm not good in the kitchen.

Fine, I'll go make some potato salad. Don't think you're getting off the hook though, we still have a whole new story to share with my readers.

Don't remind me. That cave is cold and dark; I'm not looking forward to exploring that again.

Well, remember to take extra batteries next time!

I think we should both just agree my lack of forethought to bring spare batteries is really your fault. Now go make that potato salad!

LOL. I hope you enjoyed this little insight into Tucker's character. One last day for the blog hop tomorrow. Don't forget tocomment today (follow me too if you're new) and stop by for another chance to enter my contests tomorrow!

Writing Thoughts: Out of Mind

So today I was perusing blogs and happened across this one about Science Fiction... and why writers enjoy writing the genre so much. Before I started writing, I felt much like some of the questioners the blog mentions that said "How do you ... come up with those types of ideas?"

The answer is fairly simple; it just comes. Then the idea begins to grow, to evolve, to take over ... and we pick up a pen or a keyboard and go to town. That doesn't mean it all comes easy, though, and certain elements have to be considered.

No matter how fantastical, science fiction stories must have a grounding in reality for the readers to relate to. Something about the characters, their motivations, and/or the situations they find themselves in, has to be realistic enough to create that link, that pull, that draws your reader in.

One of the authors speaks about their book, The Endris Cycle, and how they blended an actual culture with a science fiction element. That resonated with me immensely because I did the very same thing with Pricolici. I took actual elements of ancient Dacian culture - the mythos, jewelery, and language - and brought them into the world as we know it today.

Ancient cultures were rooted so heavily in the mystical that they lend themselves well to the futuristic, imo. They allow that breath of the fantastical to invade a story.

I enjoyed the blog article very much! If you want to check it out, follow this link. It has some fascinating insights.

 

Welcome to Elatia: Dreaming in Science-Fiction Romance

The Cost of A Story

Yes, I'm putting a price on my stories. No more free fiction.

*snickers*

Are you getting ready to flame me? Okay, okay, I'm not going to stop posting free stuff.

However, I did want to share some thoughts I recently had on 'fifty cent' words and their place in fiction. These so called fifty cent words are the ones that catch your eye, the big words full of rich meaning in the English language (or whatever the author writes in).

So many times I see a story littered with them, every sentence structured to feature the words that jump out at you, sometimes even hosting two or three of them! I guess to some, that's a good thing. They like to use those fifty cent words, thinking that increases the worth of their story. This is especially true in the area of speech tags, something I strive to avoid using as much as possible.

For example: "Oh, how spectacular," she exclaimed fervently, enthralled by the landscape when she beheld the vermillion flowers carpeting the verdant meadow.

Now, my writing is all about entertainment. I'm after the picture, not the words.

I'm not trying to enlighten anyone, I'm trying to entertain. For my writing, bigger is not better. I made those mistakes at first, throwing out the unusual words that had great meaning, but became annoying and difficult to wade through for the average reader. Sure, there was little confusion for those of us who grew up reading the dictionary for fun, but for the other 99% it wasn't nearly as enjoyable. (Yes, self-confessed geek here, lol)

When writing, I've come to a realization that my whole goal is to make the words as invisible as possible. That means using simple phrases and key words to create vivid images in the reader's mind, the 'nickel words' of the fiction world you might call them. I don't want my writing to get in the way of my story, so I try to streamline everything.

Or you could just call me cheap!

For example: "Oh!" Her bright smile lit up her eyes. Her hand gripped his hard as she stared, taking in the ruby red flowers carpeting the lush meadow.

My own choice of words would be simpler but a bit more visceral. I use the word ruby to evoke a rich red color that just about everyone knows, and since most people already think of meadows as green, I used lush. It works since we usually relate the word to something really rich. I avoid the speech tag and instead show her reaction with visual cues, so the reader can see how she feels and, therefore, get a better 'picture' than if I just said she's excited.

Now, I'm not saying using big words is wrong all the time, or that they can't enhance a story. Sometimes you will have a discussion between two doctors, for example, and they'd logically use more technical words than the average person - depending on the discussion. A story set back in the Victorian era would also be more adaptable to a flowery turn of phrase.

But for regular old entertaining stories, the kind I really enjoy presenting to my readers, I think I'll stick to my trusty nickel words!

How to Write a Series by Cia

Writing a series is all in the details. In many ways, it is like writing a regular story, but more encompassing. It allows you to create a rich world and set of characters to share with your reader. Below are a few tips to help you succeed in creating a series. I incorporated many of these elements in a mm modern fantasy trilogy, Carthera Takeover Tales, that can be found on Gay Authors.



1. Before You Get Started
Pretty much everyone will have read a series of some sort in their lives. Think back over the series that you read and what you liked about it. Do you like stories that are close together in the timeline, without large gaps between stories? Do you like stories that follow years in the future to share more of the character's lives? What other elements did you like? Did the series follow one character or couple? Did it alternate couples but follow the same set of characters? Is the arc through the series following the plot, the characters, or the setting? For example, is the commonality in the story a war? A family featured? A certain town?

2. Details, Details, Details
   A series requires that you keep a lot of details straight in your mind. In order to do that, keeping notes is a good idea. Free Mind Map is a good tool that allows you to fold and add links to your research data as well as create a mind map (think of a higher tech bubble diagram program. Bubble.us was also featured here, in a past Fiction Stories Online blog). A friend also mentioned they used ywriter5 to good effect. I also have several sets of character questionnaires that I have on hand to really get to know my characters. PM me if you'd like a copy!

3. Standing Strong, Together and Alone
  Every book needs to stand alone in a series, but also contribute to the overall story. The first book allows you to set your plot and characters. The middle stories allow you to explore the world and how and why things happen in it. Cliffhangers can keep readers reading, but each story should have its own arc with an introduction, conflict and resolution. The final story in a series allows you to tie everything together and create a final conclusion.

4. Keeping Up the Suspense
  To keep the action moving in the stories, you need to have conflict. I like formula writing myself which involves a set series of steps to create a story arc. One of the main things in a series that I find important is to have an arc that creates an overall 'problem/conflict' for the characters to experience, but they also need a personal arc within each story as well. That way each story has a feeling of resolution to satisfy the reader at the end. It also allows you to focus on the two different plot arcs/conflicts at different points in your novel, to keep it interesting.

5.  Remain Dedicated
   Set goals, give yourself a writing time requirement daily or weekly, have a friend set to give you a healthy kick in the rear ... just be prepared to work, and work hard! Writing a story is hard, writing a series of stories is even harder! You can't do it unless you're prepared for the time and effort it takes.



Well, those are my tips for writing a series. If you've been considering it, I hope you'll do more than consider it and pick up your pen or word processor, and get started!

Writing Modern Fantasy

Okay, so anyone who has read my works, gay or straight stories, can tell that I like a hefty dose of fantasy, magical and paranormal, with my reality. I like to create things that cannot be in this world, yet set my story in this world. I consider this to be 'Modern Fantasy'. That has become a very popular subset of fantasy, with Harry Potter, Twilight (yes, haters be quiet, it is still a contribution to the genre), Black Dagger Brotherhood, New Species Organization ... just to name a few.

Now, a lot of people think with fantasy that anything goes. Well, to some extent, that is true. You can create the fantastical, like a whole new world contained within speck that a talking elephant rescues, or you can take a scientific phenomenon like a black hole and turn it into a space surfing route for humans to travel the galaxy. That's the beauty of it! The interesting part comes when you mix it in with the world as people know it today.

How does it fit? How do you explain it? Is it a shock to everyone, like werewolves suddenly admitting they exist to the world at large, or have they evolved along side people and everyone has always known? Is it still a secret from the world at large but the main characters, and the reader, get to be the privileged few that find out the magic hidden away from prying eyes? That's the question you really have to figure out; how do you make the implausible become plausible? How do you make the unrealistic come alive in the reader's mind?

It's not easy, I guarantee it! I once had a reader tell me that they loved one of my series, simply because the characters, who really aren't human, are people they can see. They have otherworldly characteristics but I made it so believable and it worked so well in the modern world I created that they felt like real people they wanted to meet and get to know. That was a compliment of the highest order, because that is EXACTLY what I think a writer of modern fantasy should strive for.

However, there are some rules, or perhaps you might call it a formula, to create a ' modern fantasy' story, imo.

1. Your main plot event MUST be something that isn't possible in our world, as we know it.
2. The setting should be Earth, as well know it, or as close to as we know it as possible.
3. The special characters should seem human, but make them your own special twist. They don't have to look human, per se, but give them that something that makes them seem like a neighbor, or a person on the bus, or in the grocery store that you could walk up to and say hello. They should be both ordinary and extraordinary.
4. The solution that overcomes the plot obstacle can often be something magical, or fantastical, as it were.

A few examples of ideas I've bandied about:

Spoof the Iditarod: Have a human racing through freezing black holes in space with the help of a space person/animal that is like a sled dog guide, in order to find some magical cure for a deadly plague on Earth. The cure might not be magical on whatever alternate Earth they'd find it on, but it could be on Earth they come from.  The main plot event is finding the cure in space, the setting is earth-both alternate and 'real' and 1 character could be human, and another human like but with fantastical powers. Obviously, the cure would seem magical on the Earth the character is trying to save.

Gift a person with the ability to control their body down to a cellular level. Then say they were captured by the government and forced to produce stem cells that were being grown into embryos or even children that were being used as experiments. But... if that person had the ability to control their cells... would they destroy the embryos and children if they found out what was going on, how would they not know about it, unless they were being kept in stasis? Would they have say, a psychic type link to any 'body' created by the cells if they were aware of them? A story like that could go in many directions.


So as you can see, it is relatively easy to take something that is 'modern and real' and make it into 'modern and fantastical'. If that's a genre you're interested in, try it out! I'd love to see your stories, so if you do, link it here!

Speech Tags . . . or Evil Tells

Okay, so I've decided that speech tags are evil tells! So often I have seen stories where the authors are lazy and use their tags to tell the reader how the character feels, instead of showing them. I try to avoid telling my readers how my characters feel, instead using their expressions and actions to show them instead.

Then, you also have to consider the common view that using tags other than said or asked is gratuitous as well, and distracting to the reader. Said and asked are so common that most readers don't see them.

The problem?

They don't show the reader what is going on with your character physically.

There are so many things to consider in writing!

Where my ruminations have left me . . . speech tags are to be avoided; they're like evil little speedbumps for readers, and I don't want that in my writing. I use them occasionally but try to stick to said or asked when I do so. Typically I'll use actions or thoughts from my characters to show the reader what is going on instead since it feels so more immediate.

Examples:

"That's not fair!" she cried in petulant anger. (I know she's angry, but only because I'm told. Not as visual)

"That's not fair!" she said.  (This doesn't have nearly enough emotion, even with the exclamation point)

"That's not fair!" She glared at me with her lip stuck out in a little pout as her foot stomped sharply on the floor. (Did you get that I'm writing a little girl throwing a temper tantrum this time?)

My Interview at Decadent Delights!

So, ever wondered why I do what I do? How do I write what I write? Who helps me craft my stories into the works they are?

Okay, I'm sure you're not spending ALL your time wondering about those things, but if you're at all interested, check out the interview I did for MA Church featured on her blog Decadent Delights. You can get a peek at my inner workings through the link in the image above.  *hides*

A big thanks to M for asking me to do the interview, I'm still getting used to people actually caring about my writing enough to want to know these things! While you're on her blog check out all the links, I love her feature story 'The Yellow Rope', it's hot and sweet all at the same time!

Plot Bunnies

So I wrote this little writing article about plot bunnies up for FSO's blog. I have plenty of my own, in fact The Experiment is a prime example of one that actually took over. (Sorry Hypnotic!)

I actually have 4 different story 'outlines' and 3 partially written stories sitting in my writing files ranging from 5k to 40k. For one reason or another, I can't always focus on any one story and these ideas come to me. I want to write them, so I get ready, and then my fans remind me ... Hey, we're waiting for a chapter here!

If you want to see the blog, check out FSO. You can use the FSO tab, or this link will guide you to the blog directly. There are even a few sites linked there to help you out with your own little hoppers!

The Art of Evocation

I thought I would share some ideas about 'art' tonight. I don't think a lot of writers probably view themselves as artists, but in my mind writing is very much an art form. I have a few hobbies that give me an artistic outlet, and writing and photography are the two main pursuits I love. In both, I have a goal.

Evocation.

What draws me to an image, or a story, is often how the writer makes me see it. With my own writing imagery is always a key component, but it goes so far beyond that. Without knowing the best words to use, or the proper way to use them, my work is clumsy and unattractive to the mind's eye. Sometimes the words I chose highlight the emotion of the character; sometimes my words give life to the world around them. Knowing what to present and when to present it to my readers has been a process I've learned through lessons and practice, just like my photography has been learned.

Yet, for all that, something still separates the 'great' from the good. I'm not arrogant enough to place my work, stories or pictures in any category; all I find important is that when others see or read them, they FEEL something. That is something that takes real skill, and I'm always thrilled when I hear I've managed to do that on occasion from those that view my art.

So. . . tonight I don't bring you more writing to read, but I want to share some pictures. These images bring to mind old memories, scents of warm petals, or give me the urge to touch a soft petal or fluff of baby down. Perhaps they'll give you the same pleasure.

Those Pesky Words

I was having a discussion with another author the other day about words. Why do we pick the ones we use when we write? What should the focus be on, the words themselves or the image they are meant to convey?

When I first started writing, I used a lot of formal language. For example from my first story, The Price of Honor: The strange color registered with his consciousness but he continued to stare blankly about, trying to process the abrupt dislocation that he had just experienced.

Right . . . because most people think or talk that way. I don't think so.

After getting advice from other authors and having readers tell me what works and what doesn't, I don't write like that anymore. I've realized, that for my writing style, smaller is better. I narrate my stories the same way I speak and leave formal language for dialogue by characters that need it. If I were to re-write that line now, it would be different and look like this: He noticed the strange color of the plants, but he stared blankly at the bush in front of him. He'd expected a city landing pad when he woke up, not this wilderness.

They mean the same thing, but my words aren't getting in the way of the image in the second line. People know the plants are a strange color and he's in a wilderness that he wasn't expecting. That's all that is needed. Instead of flexing my vocabulary muscles, I'm letting the story speak in a voice that most readers will be more familiar with and understand more easily. I think it gives my stories a readability that they were lacking in the past.

Where would we be?

So, I read an ebook two nights ago. Several things jumped out at me as I read it that let me know that the writer was definitely NOT a resident of the state they set it in. Not only did the describe the summer weather as humid, which it never is, they mentioned a 6 hour drive between two cities that takes 3, maybe 3 1/2 hours, tops. This leads me to my topic at hand.

Research.

Why should you do? What should you look up? How do you research?

Now, if you're like me, research is fun. Take one of my stories, Two of a Kind. I took two hours to look up the flowers I used to describe the decorations on statues. I had to make sure they were native to the region I was using as the origin, the color variations possible and what they looked like. It may seem excessive for a single descriptive section of just a few paragraphs, but they were a vital part of the plot. Since I wrote specifics, I wanted to have the facts correct.

I looked up fact pages on Wiki, always a good source, though one I cross check with other sites whenever possible. It is, after all, a site compiled of information by the people and sometimes people don't know their butt from a hole in the ground. Yep, I went there. LOL

 I looked up flowers from the region on a wiki page, then looked up a few horticulture sites. Then I googled pictures so I could see the colors myself, which I find is the best way to cement them in my head so I can really describe them. I also found myself researching jungle animals, black jaguar melanin issues, plant poisons and cures, flight time between Brazil and California, weather patterns, driving distance from the airport to a city/mountain range I set the story in, antiserums and how they are created. . .just to name a few things.

You can hit your local library for books on your subject, check online websites, find an expert or researcher in the field/area you are wanting to write about, or just go see for yourself if you plan to use local settings. Ignore the temptation to say, 'Only this or that person would know this info is wrong.' Get it right from the start. An author who doesn't even take the time to get to know the region/time/people they are writing about is a pretty sloppy writer in my book.

Make the effort to get to know your subject if you're going to use it. Or, do like I do so often when I can't figure out what I want in a modern story or the facts of the known universe contradict me; make it up! Fantasy stories are prime for making up your own rules and facts, like the alternate history of the Carthera people. Mixing the two takes work; you have to make sure you stick to the world you create when you write, but it can help you out of those sticky situations sometimes.

Besides, learning something new every day is a GOOD thing!

***

For those wondering about the next installment of The Experiment, it is close to being done. Kids kept me busy yesterday, so I had no time to write until 10 pm. Once 11 hit, my pillow was calling my name too insistently to resist. It'll be posted soon!!

My Books: A Lost Love?

Now, I saw this video and it brought to mind a few thoughts. One: Books dancing can be cute; I liked the black and white couple the most. Two: Books do sort of have a life of their own. I think that in this day of e-readers, we have lost a little something by the move to a digital format.

I have a Kindle and when you read as much as I do, the instant gratification of dowloading an ebook is great. Have now-Yay! But I can't think of a single ebook I will be able to touch and feel and pass on to my kids. I have books I read as a girl that I've saved for my son and daughter, their worth enhanced by the yellow pages, dog ears, and frayed covers. You can see my love of them just by looking.

So, while I enjoy my Kindle I don't think I'll ever give up my love of browsing the bookstore and finding well loved books to bring home.