I Have a New Purse

I'm sure that title just reached out and grabbed you by the throat and screamed, "READ ME NOW!" Totally gripping. Yup. Not boring at all.

Yeah, I struggle with titles. I spend hours trying them out in my head only to be met with shrugs when I run them past my kids.

I remember years ago picking up a book by an author I'd never heard of before and being so intrigued by the title that I just had to read it. A Thousand Words for Stranger did not disappoint. Julie Czerneda gained a new fan that day. I love her books. And I'm glad I took a chance on a book simply because it had such a fantastic title.

What titles have reached out and grabbed you? Or what titles would you love to see on a book someday?

Comment with your most epic title and I might actually award someone a prize for it.

The poor tribble, all worn out.

And I do have a new purse. My poor tribble was dying after many years of faithful service lugging my wallet, keys, and junk around. But my laptop didn't quite fit. It does fit in my new purse. Plus, I have a pocket just for my current crochet project for those times when I'm stuck somewhere and need to keep my fingers busy. And lots more pockets. I have pockets that are still empty.

Bonus: My teenage daughter told me it was a hideous granny purse. Score!

The new purse in all its hideous glory!

Thesis. Again. *sigh*

My thesis was supposed to be finished by the end of June. Major underestimation of the time it would take on my part. But I can say, with 95% confidence levels, that it will be done this week. {Augh, statistics are creeping into everything I say.} My crash course in basic and advanced statistics over the last month has been frustrating, enlightening, time-consuming, and a hundred other adjectives. I feel like I've been trying to drink all of Niagra Falls. For days.

But I've learned some things.

1- I really don't enjoy academic writing. I much prefer to make everything up and not have to cite sources.

2- Statistics are very complicated and I'm not sure very many people really understand why you do it the way you do, or what is really going on under the hood in the stats programs, but I think I have a grasp of what some of the numbers in the output table mean.

3- Academic writing takes ten times longer than fiction writing. It can take me hours to write just a couple of paragraphs, mostly because I need to keep looking up stuff.

4- I don't think I want a PhD.

5- I can handle graduate school, despite being a mostly stay-at-home mom for the last twenty years and being older than most of my professors. I enjoyed most of it. But I also know I'm done.

6- My kids are more capable than I believed. They've been doing a lot of cooking, cleaning, laundry, and generally taking care of themselves. And doing a good job of it.

Once I get this thesis defended and jump through the hoops to graduate, I'm taking a nice long break from academics. I'm going to go back to making stuff up and writing about explosions and magic and sword fights and monsters and spaceships. Because that's what I really enjoy.

Perspectives on Writing

I recently read Quiet, by Susan Cain. It was very enlightening. Susan Cain explores what it means to be an introvert in a world that rewards extrovert behaviors. I've realized I am very much an introvert. I need my alone time, my quiet spaces with no social interaction. My husband, who for years has claimed to be an introvert, is really an extrovert. He likes crowds. He thrives on social interactions. He gets energy from these where I am just drained afterwards. Understanding these differences is helping us better understand each other.

As part of the book, Susan Cain explores different occupations that introverts tend to be drawn to. No surprise that writing is one of those. She quotes Kafka on what it is like to be a writer. He's speaking to his wife:

"You once said that you would like to sit beside me while I write. Listen, in that case I could not write at all. For writing means revealing oneself to excess; that utmost of self-revelation and surrender, in which a human being, when involved with others, would feel he was losing himself, and from which, therefore, he will always shrink as long as he is in his right mind . . . That is why one can never be alone enough when one writes, why there can never be enough silence around one when one writes, why even night is not night enough."

Someone else, I can't remember who but I would love to know the source of this quote, said: Sharing your writing is like walking around naked in front of everyone.

I know I have a very hard time writing if anyone else is sitting near me. It's an intensely private and personal endeavor. I struggle to scrape away the distancing words and phrases and let the raw emotions onto the page.

And then what do authors do? We put those naked screaming emotions out in public for everyone to read.

If you want to understand introverts and extroverts better, go read Quiet. It's worth the time.

On giant spiders and storytelling

Please welcome Frances Pauli to the Far Edge of Normal. She's been a guest several times, mostly because she writes such awesome stories, but she also comes up with some of the most interesting ideas for her plots. She also has a thing for spiders. I'm not going to adopt those pets from her like I did the zombie frogs that WILL NOT DIE. (Yes, they're still alive and doing better than ever. They thrive on neglect and random feedings.)

Here's her take on writing about spiders:

I have a secret love for bad horror movies. Not the slasher flick, killer in the house, scary phone call kind, though. Those terrify me to death! No, I like the genetically mutated, alien, toxic spill poisoned giant animal sort. I like the rampaging ants and killer rabbits the size of houses. Basically, monster movies. 

I'm not ashamed to admit it. I can get on board with sharks coming out of volcanoes.

The phony stuff doesn't scare me, you see. I can sleep just fine after two hours of giant ants. Anaconda doesn't frighten me. Eight Legged Freaks makes me giggle, and Night of the Lepus...bring it on! But add some heavy-breathing psycho with a facemask and I'm out of there...as fast as possible. I'll also probably have nightmares. Campy, cheesy, and full of gargantuan animals, however, is a recipe for great fun. 

Unfortunately, I love spiders way too much to make them the villains in my own story. 

Well, once upon a time I was the world's largest arachnophobe. I ran screaming from the tiniest eight-legged beastie, usually with a resounding echo of "kill it, kill it, kill it!" Shameful of me, I know, but they gave me the bona fide "willies." 

I had to be held down to watch Arachnophobia. I could teleport across large rooms when necessary, and once, I think I actually passed through a door to escape a wicked wee spider. 

So how is it that I ended up writing a web serial featuring giant spiders as protagonists? The good guys? Somewhere along the line I fell in love with spiders. It had a lot to do with working in the pet trade...and even more to do with this guy. 

You might be thinking that he must have been really cute, and you'd be right. But as cute as he was...the Pinktoe spiderlings he was hawking were way cuter. No lie. The Pinktoe tarantula is by far the sweetest member of the arachnid world. They have big pink toes, like ballet slippers, and there is just something completely cocker-spaniel-esque about them. 

I still resisted. When all the other pet store employees purchased little plastic boxes of Pinktoes, I cringed and stuck my nose in the air. When their baby spiders spun amazing, complex tube webs and platforms, I peeked, sniffed, and went back to organizing the dog food. When they all got together each morning to feed their babies, cooing and fussing, I grabbed the Windex and cleaned the front doors. 

I was doomed. 

I lasted less than three days. You see, I don't like being left out of anything fun...and they were having a ball. Caring for a baby whatever you're afraid of is a fantastic strategy to overcome a phobia. At least for a Cancer it is. Some overdeveloped maternal instinct took over and I was cooing and fussing over my very own baby spider in no time. 

A year later I had forty-five tarantulas. It's possible I also have an addictive personality. 

The ugly truth is, spiders are fascinating! They do have a creepy factor, yes. Many, many of those scary/corny movies attest to that. But alongside the horror, spiders do a lot of really epic stuff. Spider silk is stronger than steel. They do more than just make webs with it, too. Tarantulas have all kinds of funky structures they manufacture, and their spinerets make different kinds of chemical mixes for each silk use. Some is sticky, some is tough, some is stretchy, etc. 

They also dance, groom themselves like a cat (but with eight legs!) and molt on a regular basis. The first time I caught my pink toe brushing its hair I was in love. When it molted, I almost swooned. A molting tarantula is very fragile. Even a tiny cricket can kill it during the process, when the poor spider is upside down, trying to twist out of a hard exoskeleton one leg at a time, and its new body is completely soft and unprotected. 

Tarantulas are also good mothers. They carry their egg sac with them, turn it, massage it, and in some cases even care for the young after they've hatched. 

The more I learned about them, the more the creepy monster became a character. 

Being an author of fiction, there's nothing  I love more than a good character...except maybe a good villain. Guess what? Spiders come with one of those as well. Ever hear of a tarantula hawk? Nasty bad wasps that sting and paralyze a tarantula and then lay an egg inside so that the larvae can hatch and nibble on the defenseless, still-living spider. 

Epic evil. 

So now, way too many years later, I have a cast of tarantulas, tribal humans who both fear and love them, and a rising cult of devil bees. (really nasty ones!) I get my monster story after all, but you can bet the spiders are on the good side. 

Make sure you check out the serial fiction story and blog, then check out the rest of Frances Pauli's writing. It's always an adventure.

The Earth Tigers free serial

Earth Tigers Blog

Author website

I Love Being an Author Some Days

So, I was chatting with my writing group Wednesday night. This is harder than it sounds. My writing group lives over 1200 miles away. I tried to finagle a way to move to their town, really I did, but the fates conspired to keep me where I'm at. I'm just glad the internet is so accessible. I fit so well with this group. They're fantastic people. They aren't all published pros, but they're very supportive and helpful. And did I mention diverse? Yeah, it gets tangled and messy sometimes because opinions and personalities clash, but that's a great thing. Who wants to hang out with a group of people just like you? Where's the fun in that? I love having my preconceptions challenged. It keeps me thinking.

Back to my story. We're chatting away and things start getting silly, because that's what they tend to do. And next thing I know, I've got this great new character talking in my head. One of my friends has been really into fairyland stuff lately. She's got several series going that deal with the Fey and magic and all that fun stuff. They're great books. I highly recommend them. Go check out http://francespauli.com/ if you're looking for books to read. I'll wait.

Yeah, I'm a fangirl of most of her stuff. It's okay. Authors can be fans, too.

So now I'd like to introduce you to my little friend, soon to be introduced in a brand-new story. And if he's as much fun as he promises to be, he may start his own series of stories and silliness.

Without further ado, may I introduce...

Señor Howitzer and his trusty steed Doogie. Now to invent his elven sidekick and start decorating his undercover vehicle, The Taco Truck.

Hey, being a writer is tough. This is what I have to live with in my head. ALL THE TIME! Now don't bother me, I'm busy following Señor Howitzer into trouble...

Grammar Matters

I learned to diagram sentences many many years ago in high school. This website will walk you through the basics. Why does it matter? Why learn how to do it at all? I've got grammar checker. That's all I need. Right?

Wrong. Tools are only useful if you understand them. Would you try using a router when you had no idea what it was supposed to do? A multimeter is just a weird device until you understand what it's measuring and how to use it. Grammar checker is only a tool. When you understand how grammar works, you understand how limited a tool grammar checker really is.

Diagramming sentences is also a tool. It can help you better understand language. It can help you construct sentences that are more clear and more elegant. It will improve your writing.

Why bother? Because language is communication. Writing is a method of transferring ideas from my head to yours. If my writing is unclear, because of poor grammar or spelling or misuse of commas, the idea isn't going to transfer correctly. What I say and what I meant to communicate are at odds with each other.

Language and grammar are the tools a writer uses. If you improve your understanding of the tool, you improve the end product.

Besides, sentence diagramming has its own kind of beauty, almost like poetry or math. I'm thinking of drawing a nice big diagram of a very complex sentence and framing it for my wall.

I've been tagged? The Next Big Thing

Darcia Helle tagged me in this challenge. It sounded fun so I'll go along with it. I'm supposed to tag five other bloggers, but since I usually refuse to play and I know many of you do, too, I'm not going to tag anyone. If you want to play, consider yourself tagged. Leave a link in the comments and I'll pass your name and post around if you like.

The rules are simple. I have to:

1. Answer 10 questions about my current WIP (Work-In-Progress) (see below)
2. Tag five other writers and link their blogs so we can all hop over and read their answers. (see above)

Here are the questions:

1. What is the working title of your book?
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
3. What genre does your book fall under?
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

1. Title: Dark Dancer
2. Idea: I wanted to play with fairyland, elves, and airships. So I did. The plot is a mess, but that's why it's a work-in-progress.
3. Genre: This one is fantasy/steampunk. I tried to make it a romance but the characters didn't want to cooperate.
4. Actors: *raise eyebrows* No idea. I don't work that way. I do have cover art in mind, if I ever get to that point with this one.
5. Synopsis: Sabrina has the power to save fairyland from the Seligh who are bent on destroying it.
6. Publishing route? I don't think that are ahead. I have no idea where this book will be published, if it is ever published. I've got a lot of editing work to do first.
7.  How long to write first draft? I'm still working on it. I started it last winter, set it aside for a few months, then finished most of it during August for CampNanoWrimo. My rough drafts take anywhere from a week to three or four months, depending on how much writing time I've got and how much of the story I've got worked out in my head.
8. Other books? Um, no idea. I don't usually read steampunk or fairyland stories.
9. Inspiration? Frances Pauli wrote a great urban fantasy fairyland trilogy. Check it out. The link is to her blog tour last February but it gives you all the info on the books. I loved them.
10. Pique reader interest? Don't hold your breath. This one has a lot of polishing before it's ready for even an editor to see. Meanwhile, go check out my space opera series. Books 1 and 2 are published, book 3 just went to the publisher.

If you want to take the challenge, please do. Leave me your name and a link to your blog post answers in the comments and I'll be happy to consider you tagged.

Chaos is the New Normal and Book Release Prize Ideas?

Chaos is the new normal at my house. We're not talking usual levels of chaos. We're talking over-the-top, total chaos. But chaos is a good thing, for a while. It means changes are happening, big ones.

One I'm tickled pink over is the release of the next book in my Altairan Empire series - Priestess of the Eggstone. It's happening Friday. You can be part of the fun. Just stop by here Friday afternoon between 3-8 pm MST for a chance to win some fun prizes. If you're in a different time zone and it's the middle of the night, stop by earlier. I'll have a general post up Thursday and if you comment, I'll enter you to win some of the goodies.

I need your help. I need suggestions of party prizes you'd like to win. Keep in mind I'm spending all my extra cash on kitchen remodeling, but I can find a few bucks to sponsor this party. What prizes would you like to win? Free books are a no brainer. I'll be giving away some ebooks of Nexus Point, book 1 in the series, and at least one paperback copy of Priestess of the Eggstone. What else? Gift certificates? Nifty space toys? Other SF books? An old avocado green kitchen sink? Crocheted Cthulhu cat toys with jingle bells inside? Obsidian copies of the Eggstone? Please post comments and let me know. Everyone who does will be entered in the grand prize drawing Friday night. Make sure you leave me a valid email address so I can get hold of you.

Now for fun, here's before pics of my kitchen and its current state:

Writing, Re-Writing, and Editing, Oh My!

I've been over my head in rewrites and edits for my series, The Fall of the Altairan Empire. I wrote all eleven books before I sold the first one. Nexus Point came out in December 2009. Priestess of the Eggstone, book 2, comes out August 10. The rest aren't scheduled yet, but I'm working them over so when the publisher asks, I can hand him a finished manuscript. I don't know about other authors, but in some ways, the rewrites and edits are the dreaded part of my writing.

I love putting that new story down on paper, discovering new characters and settings, surprising myself with twists and turns of the plot, struggling to figure out how to get out of the corner I just wrote myself into. It refreshing. I get completely absorbed in the story to the point I start setting places at the table for my characters. (Yes, I really did that. Ask my kids...)

Rewrites are tough. I'm struggling with book 3 right now. I know I need to fix the first half, but figuring out how is proving difficult. I've already written the rest of the series. What if I chop out a crucial piece of foreshadowing? What if I cut a scene they all refer back to in later books? It's like taking apart a jigsaw puzzle, losing half the pieces, then putting the remainder back together into a new picture that's almost like the old one.

I'm also fighting with the name. I've never liked the working title. I need something catchy and intriguing that hints at the plot without giving it away. I hate coming up with titles. I'm rotten at it. With my luck, as soon as I find a title I love, the publisher will ask me to change it.

On to Edits. Painful edits, mostly because I've learned a lot about the craft of writing since I wrote those books. But the stories are good. I find myself getting caught up in the story, even though I wrote it, I want to know what happens next. Book 4 and book 5 have weathered edits fairly well. Minor tweaks, mostly. The plot holds together, pacing is good, characters shine. I'm almost afraid to start on book 6. I know it needs some rewriting but not where or how, yet. Beta readers are invaluable here. I'm waiting on feedback for book 4.

So what do you love about writing? Creating characters and settings? The plot? Getting that first draft down? Or do you enjoy the editing process most?

Life Experiences

I write science fiction. I make up worlds and technology and aliens and all sorts of stuff. It can be a challenge to make them believable.

The best way to create a believable setting is to base it on reality. Use real science as your beginning point for your tech and aliens and worlds. You're on your own coming up with a great plot, that's a different topic.

So how do you go about creating a real-feeling situation and/or world? Learn, study, read, experience. Store them all in your head. Rely on your great database of information. No, do not spout it all onto the page when you're writing. Give us enough to ground your story or make your aliens feel real. Too many writers make the mistake of wanting to show off everything they've learned and created for the story. Save it for your webpage, for the die-hard fans who want to know all that. Put it in your story and you'll kill it with information dumping overload.

Some of my favorite sources to learn about bizarre things, science, technology, etc. are:

1. Television, especially PBS specials like Nature and Nova. If you watch channels like History or Discovery, just take some of their shows with a big dose of disbelief. Many of them are trying too hard to be shocking or groundbreaking. They push the show from real science into speculation. But they are highly entertaining and can lead to a lot of great what-if questions.

2. Magazines and online science websites. National Geographic is a great resource. It's got pretty pictures. The articles range from cultural to biological to astronomical to ecological to a lot of other disciplines. It's written on a high school level so it's accessible to almost anyone. I also love Space.com for their pictures and articles.

3. Personal experience. I'm talking about camping, hiking, travel, museums, etc. If you want to write about the oceans on a planet, it helps to have experienced at least a little of Earth's oceans. When you travel, take time to record the smells, textures, sights, colors, the whole deal. Don't forget to record how the air feels - dry and hot, dry and cold, humid, etc. Spend a moment just feeling, just breathing, just being. It's a great way to experience different environments.

4. Education. If you haven't gone to college yet, do your best to get there. And while you're there in whatever you're majoring in, don't be afraid to try out some of the other beginner level classes. Take an astronomy class, a geology class, a drawing or sculpture class, a music class, or whatever else tickles your fancy. Step out of your comfort zone.

If you aren't in a position to go to college, try a community class. Try a cooking seminar or an art class or a craft class. Many communities offer these classes in the evenings for a few weeks at a time. The cost is usually minimal. Many stores like Home Depot and craft stores offer seminars on a variety of topics. Learn how to lay tile, even if you never plan to lay any yourself.

Take an online seminar or join a club. Expand your horizons by trying something new.

And while you're taking those classes, indulge in people watching. Study your fellow students, study the teacher. Learn how to create believable characters for your stories.

Take whatever you have experienced in your life and use it as fodder for your stories. Synthesize them into something new.

Happy Birthday to Me

The title should give it away. It's my birthday today. I'm halfway to ninety now. That's a lot of birthdays. And a lot of gifts over the years. I don't remember most of them, shirts and books and movies and chocolate. The best gifts didn't come on my birthday and weren't just a one time thing. Here's a list, in no particular order.

1. The gift of music. My parents paid for four years of piano lessons. I didn't practice like I should have, but I did enough to learn how to play. I still enjoy it even though the antique piano in my front room needs some restoration work and re-tuned. My favorite pieces to play are the old classics - Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky. I've attempted some of the harder pieces but haven't practiced consistently enough to master them.

2. The gift of reading. I taught myself to read when I was four. I can't remember not being able to read. I love books. I thank my mom and dad for keeping a huge library in our basement and letting me have the time to explore all those wonderful treasures.

3. The gift of writing. Thanks to all those patient teachers who put up with me for all those years of school, I know how to put sentences together. Thanks to the great SF writers who taught me to dream and follow my imagination, I write my own stories.

4. The gift of knowing who I am and loving what I am and reaching to become someone better. The best gift I have ever received is my testimony of a loving Heavenly Father who wants me to be the best I can be. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to provide a way for that to happen. He gave us scriptures and prophets to guide us back to Him. He loves us and wants us to find joy.

5. The gift of family. I have wonderful parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and children. I have marvelous in-laws. If you've seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, my wedding looked like her side of the chapel, except both sides were just as full. Large families are great, especially those that treasure their family ties. I may have grumbled over all the family reunions over the years, but I'm grateful my mom made us go. As I look forward to my first grandchild, I'm glad I have that whole fabric of interconnected family links.

The best gifts in life aren't ones you can fit in a box. Thanks, mom and dad, for all you've given me.

Clarion Writing Prompts

I recently joined the Clarion blog. They do writing prompts. This is #2: http://clarionfoundation.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/clarion-call-2-1-34-minutes-with-bear/

Go try it, see what you come up with. It's rather fun.

This was my entry:

Wings fluttered against the wind. Snow crystals caked on gauzy membranes. Shinea shivered as she fought to gain altitude. The wind pushed her into crazy dances with the blowing snow. Her thin dress, crafted from summer rose petals, wilted in the frigid air. Her skin faded from creamy pink to pale blue. Her tiny teeth chattered, like an insect's scratchy call.

One wing shredded under a blast of winter air. She spiraled into a pine, landing on snow covered needles that cut her delicate skin as she clutched to keep from tumbling to the distant ground.

More snowflakes danced across the night wind. They slammed into her face, like blows. Shinea curled into a tight ball, her remaining wing fluttering useless over her back. The petals of her dress blew free into the night, a crumbling remnant of a season long past.

Shinea's skin blanched white as the cold sucked the life from her. Her hold slipped, ice coated fingers too numb to hold to the pine needles. The wind swept her from her perch. She spun, like a snowflake, through the wintry forest.

And high above, white robes swirling in the winter wind, the Snow Queen laughed.

Thoughts on Rejection

My first story rejection of 2011 arrived Saturday before noon via email. Yep, Jan. 1, first rejection of the year. Sounds like a horrible way to start the year, doesn't it? But it didn't bother me. When I first decided to start submitting my work to real publishers, the thought of all that rejection really bothered me. How would I deal with it? I'd done phone sales before, briefly, and know what true rejection is. But I swallowed my fear, stuck my courage to the sticking place, and sent my stories and novels into the publishing world.

Most authors say, "Expect to have 85-95% of your work rejected, if not more." My rejection rate is about 15-20%. You'd expect even that much to sting, but it doesn't. I've gotten everything from the form letter "We don't want your story" to some very nice, detailed "This is why we don't want it" letters. I expected them to hurt, but they don't. I can shrug and move on to the next submission.

I love my stories, I have to, I'm the author. But I know not everyone else will love them. Most people won't care about them. And it's okay.

Maybe it's a lesson I learned ten years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer, or eighteen years ago when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Life sucks sometimes, but groaning and complaining won't accomplish anything but driving away people. You choose your attitude. I look at story rejections as a learning experience. The ones that got rejected were ones that I was iffy about submitting to that market in the first place. Most of them I found another market that loved them. A few are still sitting in my "to be submitted" file. But it's all good. I have stories published, stories I'm proud of. Rejections mean I'm not perfect and my writing still needs plenty of polish.

Choose your attitude wisely. It makes all the difference in your life.

Why Nanowrimo?

For any of you who haven't heard, November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Thousands of people sign up for the competition. This is really about competing against anyone else. The goal of NaNo is to write a 50k word novel during November.

A writer posted an article (wish I could find the article and link it, but it's lost in my browser history somewhere) declaring that NaNoWriMo was a terrible waste of everyone's time. All those amateur writers attempting to write absolute drivel should just not bother. Agents and editors cringe in anticipation of the flood of horrible manuscripts about to be submitted. NaNo should be a NoNo.

I say, what's the harm? I'm all for NaNo. Anything that encourages people to reach higher, to try something new, to be creative, is a good thing. So what if 99.99% of what's written is crap? It's the process of creating it that matters. If only "professional authors" were allowed to write novels, we would very quickly run out of stories to read.

What if we told all those people taking painting or drawing classes that only "professional artists" should create pictures or paintings? Where do you think these professionals come from in the first place? Everyone started somewhere. I'm sure Michaelangelo's first drawings were absolute crap. The point is that he tried it, liked it, and stuck with it. The rest of us benefit from encouraging creativity.

I'm not saying that all those aspiring writers participating in NaNo will become creative geniuses. Most of them won't ever be published. And that's just fine. For those who attempt NaNo, it's an eye-opener to how difficult the whole process of writing a book can be. Those who finish have a sense of accomplishment.

This is only my second year doing NaNo. Last year, I was derailed by a book release. Yes, I'm already published. Guess what? It doesn't matter. NaNo this year gave me the push I needed to get writing novels again. I needed something to get my story moving, to give me enough momentum to finish it.

As for all that crap being produced under such a rushed deadline, so what? There is a freedom to the writing that happens when you don't worry about editing and making it perfect. Too many writers stop after a few chapters, realize what they've written is crap, and go back to edit. The story rarely gets beyond chapter three. NaNo pushes you to just keep going. You can go back to fix it later. That's what editing is all about. For November, just get that story written.

Any honest author will also tell you that the first few manuscripts they finished were awful. Writing is learned by doing. You can learn techniques and skills in classes, true, but the only way to really learn to craft a good story is by doing it. So write one for NaNo, shove it in a drawer, write another one next year. Each draft will improve.

As for that novel release of mine, Nexus Point is my first book in print. It was #18 in my draft pile.

I salute all of you that attempted NaNo this year. It's a worthy goal to write 50k in one month, even if no one but you ever reads it. You've reached outside your normal life to try to create something. That is a goal worth applauding, whether you achieved it or not.

For those who did write 50k, WOOT! Now go write more...

Tuesday Bonus!

Hi! I found a really fun new blog today. Holly lists bargain ebooks - nothing over $5. So, if you've been thinking of trying some ebooks but didn't want to pay much, check out her listings. She's going to start posting them over the next few days.

If you're an author with an ebook out there, she takes submissions for her list.

Check it out! I'm looking forward to some great new reads.

PS - Nexus Point is currently listed at $4.99, or close to that, most places. Watch for a price drop in November for two reasons. 1 - It's NaNoWriMo month and to celebrate all those aspiring authors, I'll give them a piece of my fiction for cheap. 2 - Book 2 is coming next year. Read book 1 so you don't miss out on any of the story. If I get enough people clamoring for book 2, my publisher might fast track it. 2 - Because it's my book and I feel like lowering the ebook price.

Come on in and join the fun! You can find links for Nexus Point here: http://www.nexuspoint.info
including ebook purchase links.

Signings, hats, and living with children

I spent Saturday doing two book signings. Biggest lesson I learned? Make sure you have big name authors at your signings. Sitting between Tracy Hickman and Larry Correia really helped my sales. Nine authors, all SF/F, and me the only girl and the newbie on the list. It was very successful for me. All of the authors are great friends and nice guys. I'll be in their signing line-up any day.

Topic two - hats. I hate hats. I never wear hats, except for my Apple logo baseball cap I wear when I'm at my summer job serving space camp food. That's when I'm not being Hakh P'Tui of the house K'Chen, the Klingon lunchlady. That appearance was way too much fun, although the stupid wig was too long and kept getting in the pizza. And July is not the month to wear heavy boots and a thick jacket, no matter how Klingon they are. I put hats in the title as a metaphor, mostly because this blog post on Momentum Gathering has been on my mind a lot lately. I wear too many of them during the day. I have too many job titles. I'm still working on trying to eliminate a few, but it's not working. If I could just keep the one my boss gave me, Ultimate Queen of the Galaxy, I'd be content, because that would mean I'd have lackeys to do my bidding. And my other jobs like: carpool chaffeur, cook, laundress, office slave, maid, publicist, etc. If I were Ultimate Queen of the Galaxy, I could just order all of you to buy my book and love it. And you would, because if you didn't, I could have you shot into a star or stranded on an asteroid by my lackeys in their tight leather outfits. Um, wait. Now I'm channeling a Christmas episode of Black Adder.

Finally, living with children is hard. They are so messy and organic. They demand attention, more than houseplants and cats. They require regular feeding. They need taken to school and other places. They cost much money. At least mine are past the bum-wiping stage. Are they worth it? I think so. Eventually they become fun to talk to and play games with. Eventually they learn how to do their own laundry and cooking and cleaning. Of course, by the time they start doing that consistently, they move away. Then they just bug you on Facebook, asking for money and books and other stuff. But I wouldn't choose to give any of them away. I've got great kids.

Being a writer and doing all these things is hard. My kids keep wondering which dead body they were in that last book I wrote. Or which obnoxious character. Or animal. Or slimy spot in the forest.

I'll never tell. But all writing devolves from real life. That's what makes it good, when those people and places in my head become real to other people, not just me.

Enough rambling. I need more ibuprofen and less work...

Convention Etiquette for Barbarian Warriors

I just returned from another SF/F con (SpoCon in Spokane - great fun and great people!), so to continue my theme of etiquette posts after each convention, here's one for the barbarian heroes out there.

1. It is unnecessary to enter rooms by kicking in doors with weapons drawn. Most people at a con are very friendly. However, entering rooms in such a dramatic manner may get you applause. It may also get you evicted. Choose your entry manner wisely.

2. The wearing of real animal skins is no longer politically acceptable. Substituting stuffed animal skins is perfectly fine. The soft fuzziness is also much more comfortable. But DO NOT, under any circumstances, hunt and kill stuffed animals present at the con. Try hunting at your local thrift store beforehand.

3. Building fires and roasting freshly caught game are time-honored barbarian customs. Please don't do it in your hotel room or in convention spaces, unless such spaces are pre-approved for barbecue usage. And the game you just caught? If it meows or answers to a name like "Fluffy," it may be time to leave before the cute little old lady with the 50 pound purse finds out.

Have fun at your next convention. I know I will - FenCon in September. Will Texas survive a visit from me? Tune in next month to find out.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

If you spend too much time immersed in one topic, you either become an expert or you develop tunnel vision. I've been wrapped up in the publishing industry the last six months, to the point where I don't want to hear about self-publishing, the state of ebooks, the death of traditional publishing, editing, or anything else publishing related for at least a month.

Writing advice is going to land in the same bin for a while. Reading some of my early manuscripts, I had an epiphany. I used to enjoy writing, blithely making all sorts of "mistakes" in my plots, pacing, characters, and general writing. But the sheer joy of creation came through, loud and clear. The stories were fun to read.

If an author isn't enjoying the story and the characters, if they don't care about more than getting words on paper, it shows. Readers pick up on the vibes. The story is flat and lifeless. Maybe this is why so many books with mediocre writing do so well - the author loved the story and it carries through to the reader.

Telling family stories in the car last night, we laughed until we cried. The silliness and absurdity of the situation exaggerated by the storyteller only added to the excitement. The performance wasn't polished and perfect, it was ad-libbed and constantly interrupted. But it was filled with joy.

Finding that balance between loving the story and perfecting the vehicle is tricky. Focus too much on either and you produce something less than it could be. Hit the sweet spot and everything sparkles.

So maybe I should write some of those stories about our stupid cats or my kids' antics. Getting my first book published, and working on the sequels, has locked me in edit mode for too long. It's time to find the joy again. It's time to fall in love with a whole new set of characters.

It's time to change things up for a while. And find something completely different to immerse myself in. Maybe I'll go check out The Larch or apply for a post with the Ministry of Silly Walks*. Or maybe I'll just change my scenery for a while. Maybe I'll break out my camera and post pictures that I find inspiring or entertaining. Maybe I'll open Bryce and paint landscapes for a few days. Maybe I'll write that weird story kicking around my head just because I can.

*If you get those references, kudos to you. If not, go find some Monty Python to watch.

Cooking and Writing and BONUS RECIPE!

I've noticed I get more hits on my recipe posts than my writing posts. I wonder why. Do more people cook than write? Are writing posts pretty much all saying the same thing so it doesn't matter where you read it? Are my recipes better than my writing? Food for thought.

Writing is a lot like creating a recipe. It takes a lot longer to cook a good novel than a good cake, but the two processes have a lot in common.

Ingredients - Cakes require a certain balance between ingredients. Liquids to give it the right texture, leavening to give it lift, starches to hold it together, fats to provide tenderness, flavorings to make it taste better, etc. Try changing up the proportions in your favorite recipe and see what happens. Half a cup of baking powder? It will rise quite nicely, right over the edge of the pans and into the bottom of your oven. Plus it will taste horrible. Trust me, I did it when I was nine and just learning to cook.

Writing a novel requires a balance, too. Character, setting, action, dialogue - all the tools of a writer, each needs to be in balance to produce the book you want to write. Are all books the same? Would one formula work for every book? Are all cakes the same? What if you want a savory dinner bread instead? You, the writer or the chef, have to decide what you want to create. That will give you a general guideline for proportion. Writing a romance? Then you need a certain set of characters and plenty of spicy dialogue. Writing a space opera? You need spaceships, aliens, and lots of action. Baking a chocolate cake? Bring on the chocolate!

With my recipes, most of them are originals based off other recipes. Think about it. Basic cooking techniques really haven't changed all that much for thousands of years. You apply heat to cook food. How you apply it gives different results. With the invention of electric ovens, slow cookers, mixers, and other tools, the process has changed. We get more reliable outcomes. With the invention of baking mixes and other processed mixes, we get more consistent results. How can I claim to write an original recipe? It's my twist, concocted by trial and error over a period of months or years. I may have started with the same recipe, but I certainly didn't end up with the same product.

Writing has also changed, but it hasn't. Computers and technology have made writing more accessible to everyone. Data can be transferred instantaneously around the world. How people read has definitely shifted. But the basics are still the same - writing produces stories that entertain and enrich lives.

People will always need to eat. To do that, they need to cook. The appliances have changed dramatically, but the end result is still the same. Food.

People crave entertainment and stories. How we tell the stories has changed, but we still need storytellers. We always will.

So for those predicting the end of publishing, I say the method will change, but the need will not. Stories will still exist, just as food will still exist no matter how we process or prepare it.

Want a recipe now? Put 1/2 c. peanut butter and 1/2 c. chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. Heat for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. (Heat for another 15 - 30 seconds if needed to melt completely.) Serve as a dip for cookies, bananas, cake, crackers, etc, or pour over ice cream for a peanutty fudge sundae.

Author Interview - Gary Petras

Today, I'm interviewing Gary Petras, author of "Thorndancer", an intriguing children's chapter book about a white skunk who longs to know what lies beyond the borders of the field where the skunks live.

Welcome to the Far Edge of Normal, Gary. How can we find you?

A:  www.facebook.com/garypetras --  www.myspace.com/garypetras --  you can also find me on the: www.cyberwizardproductions.com (Toy Box Books Icon) - and at: www.trytium.com -- or just google: books by gary petras. -- I do not have a blog or twitter. Except for the occasional meal order from a local restaurant I find I do not have all that much to say.

How did you come up with the idea for Thorndancer? You mentioned a forest preserve near your house. Please tell us about it.

A:  I walk about ten to twelve miles a day through this huge Forest Preserve/Reservoir near my home in Hellertown,Pa. A great place to walk and dream. Most of my stories somehow find there roots up in these woods. There is a large field up there and when the grass is high and the weeds take hold, the imagination tends to run wild as well, and one can just conjure up all kinds of creatures living in that field and the surrounding woods.  I once thought to myself: If I saw an elephant standing in that field right now, would I believe it was really there? (No, there was no elephant, but that's what being a writer's all about).

Why a white skunk?

A:  When I was first thinking about writing a story about animals, I thought about what would be the least likely of creatures to try to turn into a sympathetic hero: a skunk.Could I really make people like him? Follow his adventures, and most of all, have feelings for a skunk? When I started researching them, I found that what we know about them are mostly 'old wives tales'. Skunks are sweet, friendly, timid creatures. Family oriented. They are losing their habitats, that's why you find them in your towns, searching through the garbage cans for food. But they only 'spray' when they feel threatened.   Why a white skunk? All the ones I see in the woods and town are the black ones with a white stripe--so, I thought, what if there was a white one around. The outcast. The wanderer. The dreamer.

I love the gentle nature of your main character, it's so refreshing that he doesn't fight unless he has to. What inspired you to write him that way?

A: When I did the research about skunks, they seemed to be just shy and timid creatures. I think they would just prefer to stay in the shadows and peek out once and awhile to see what life was all about. But hunger and loss of home has other plans for them. I wanted to try to convey this gentleness of spirit and nature into Thorndancer. He's just a dreamer, really, he wants so much to learn about the world outside...and to find himself. But, of course, the world is not always on friendly terms with the kind and gentle. But he, and we, just have to learn to live within it all. It's not easy...but it's been done.

Your characters are such individuals. How did you come up with the fox and her kits, or the hares, or the duck and the frog?

A: The fox and her kits are actually based on real people. My friend Jan and her three kids: Tom, Josh and Shannon. A great mom and three great kids. Good people. The duck and the frog...up the Reservoir is a huge pond, filled with ducks and frogs.I wanted the first animal that Thorndancer to meet out in the 'real' world to be someone that didn't even believe that skunks were real. And I think the frog is his first 'friend'.

The rabbits, too, are based on real people: Sayer: My brother Mike, Rynwise: my nephew Ryan. Charisma: My nieces Amber and Samantha. The Raccoon, Shadowstar, is my brother Phil ( a collector of Tarzan/Edgar Rice Burroughs memorabilia).  I am not always sure how they feel about me using them as the basis for some of my characters, but I tell them it's their spirits that I try to capture most of all in my writing. I don't know if they always believe me...but I think they like me writing about them.

Are you working on anything new? Do you want to share?

A: I just finished the third book in my other Fantasy Series: Farrow and Blackstorm ( from Trytium Publishing) ,and I am working on the second book to: 'Thorndancer'.I also write songs and screenplays. I am always walking and writing...working on something. A song or a story.  I also have written and created a Graphic novel: The Snowmen.  And some comic books. (All have been published).

What's the best fan mail you've ever received?

A: I kind of like it when people are sort of caught off guard or think they know what the books are about but then they are surprised to find that they're a little be more than what they thought. All my books are a bit, bittersweet, I guess. Characters get hurt, they laugh, they cry, they feel lonely. Sorrow and pain but also joy...main characters even die. But it's all part of life. I tell them, I am trying to connect to you, as the reader, on a level we can both understand and feel something for the characters you're reading about...and hopefully, come to love.

Any fun stories involving signings or author appearances?

A: The comic book cons are the best. When you have someone dressed as Spider-man or The Hulk coming up to your table and asking what the books are about...or for an autograph. I had one young man, dressed as the Joker, have me sign it to: The Joker. It's a bit surreal...but I'm a writer, and a bit surreal myself, I guess.  And the young kids are great. They have a million questions...they want to know all about the book before they ask mom or dad to buy it. And they stare wide-eyed when mom explains that I am the writer of the book and I will sign it for them.

Anything else you'd like to add?

A: I hope everyone that gets the opportunity to read my books have a great time in the worlds and characters I have created. It's one thing to have them all living in your head...but quite another to have others actually bring themselves along for the ride.  I have always figured about writing and life: If you're in it for a minute--you're in it for life.           Read. Wonder. Dream.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Gary. I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences. For those of you with children, my nine-year-old son endorses "Thorndancer" as a "totally great book!"

To buy "Thorndancer": Thorndancer from Toy Box Books or Thorndancer on Amazon.com