Parallel Novels and Anchor Characters and Worlds

There's a type of series that are called Parallel Novels. Where the main character isn't consistent in all of the books. Where the setting and world details are the same, or the the worlds are all in the same galaxy. And the MC of one book is a secondary character in the other.

I am totally in love with the idea of these novels. I love series, and getting to know the world and characters better. I love parallel novels even more because I get to see more of the world and meet more of the characters. Not just the world according to one MC.

Sherrilyn Kenyon does parallel novels well. Her League and Dark Hunter books are excellent examples of novels with the same characters and world but with different people as Main Characters. Melissa Marr is also really good at parallel novels in her Wicked Lovely series.

In writing my book, I have developed an amazing world. At least I think so. I had two series planned one is four books with the MC of the first book and a second three books with the first MC's son. About a year ago I had an awesome idea for a scifi/steampunk YA adventure. I began to work on it in my head and jot down notes. Then I realized this was an extreme prequel to my series and was on the same world.

I refused to accept it for a long while. I almost felt it was cheating. But after a few months I realized that indeed it was the same world just hundreds of years in the past. Then I also realized that with this book I had an opportunity to create an amazing world and have a lot of fun with it.

Since then I have added another trilogy to this same world, and two stand alones. (at least in ideas and plotting out books) As the idea of the story became parallel instead of series, I became more excited. I also have a few novel ideas in an Urban Fantasy world. I'm excited to get working on them too.

So what makes it a parallel novel(s)?

Anchor characters and anchor worlds.

Anchor characters are a character that is seen in all of the novels. Or you might see a handful of characters throughout the books but there is always at least one.

In my Emergence world there are three main characters, one in each series/trilogy. But my anchor character(s) isn't one of them. He is a secondary character in all of the books though. He's a genius inventor and entrepreneur from Australia. He is the character that links all of the books together. I also created a character that although he is almost non existent in four of the books, (but is mentioned in a round about way) is a larger character in the others. He IS is the fix to a universal plot hole in all of the books.

Another type of parallel anchor is world or setting. If you have a world that is unique and interesting you might want to revisit it again and again with different characters.

While two of my series books and one stand alone in the "parallel universe" are based on Earth. The other trilogy/series, and the one extreme prequel is on another world.


In this way, everything is connected by either world or character and you get to enjoy many different places and characters as well as keep up on some old favorites.

Give them a try, I hope you decide you like them.

When It Rains It Pours

Today has been a good day. I won the grand prize on a friends blog, and

I SIGNED MY CONTRACT WITH WALNUT SPRINGS FOR EMERGENCE!!!!!!!

I can't describe how this feels. It's such an amazing thing. For those who are still trying, keep working. It can happen for you too.

Have an amazing week everyone.

I've made it!!!!!

It's been a long seven years.

A long time wondering if I was crazy to have a dream.

Many long moments of thinking I should give up.

That it wasn't worth the pain of rejection, and opening myself up to criticism.

Hours of writing till my eyes blured and my wrists hurt.

So many times others thought it was just a hobby or a fleeting fancy.

Repeated rewrites, countless revisions, hours of editing.

But I wanted it, I wanted it real bad.

I dreamt of holding my book in my hands.

My book containing the words that poured out of me.

Often resembling a bleeding headwound.

When times got tough I turned up the radio real loud.

Let the lyrics of Shinedown or Blue October soothe my soul.

Then I sat and pounded out more words.

Millions of them.

Until at some point in time it began to resemble a story.

Something magical and sweet.

Something people would stay up at night reading.

Something ready for the world to see.

A story ripped from my body and soul called Emergence.

About a bad boy that has a chance to change.

And it was good.

Just give it a chance I begged.

Not for us they said.

Over and over for years.

Still I held it out for others to see.

Until one said yes.

The story without a home for so many years now had someone who believed in it.


Just two weeks ago I made an agreement with Walnut Springs to publish Emergence. The book will be out this fall.














Stay tuned for more information and news as I recieve it.

Amie Borst and Free Critique Friday

You guys know all about my query success. And you guys know I owe alot of the success to my friends. Pendragon is the one who I worked with over and over to get the query to a decent state. She's an amazing plotter and what if player.

I heard about Amie through a friend's blog and heard about a contest she offered on her blog. For the first ten people that posted thier query in the comments on her blog she would give them a FREE critique.

Well of course I clicked straight over hoping that not all of the ten spots were gone. Well I was blessed, there were only five (I think) other querys posted. I posted mine and in a series of email conversations with Amie we polished the query until it shined. If you guys were wishing you'd seen this offer and sad you missed it........

Well you're in luck. Amie is offering a free query or first page critique every Friday. All you have to do is be brave enough to post material in her comments and hope she chooses you.

If you guys want to see what Amie did to my query go here and scroll down to my name (Michelle Jefferies). I promise you its worth the nerves to stick your neck out there.

Go on guys, Amie is really nice and she doesn't bite.

How about this?

I have been working on pulling my hair out, I mean my query. (did I say that out loud?) While the old one was subtle and vague but had voice I needed to give more information. So here is the new version hopefuly with a little voice remaining.


Corporate assassin, Antony Danic, has never killed an innocent man—until now.

During a dinner with friends, Antony realizes that his last assigned hit was a mere preacher. When his assignments start to resemble personal agenda, instead of corporate espionage, he realizes what he thought was reality, is a lie. Just weeks before, while on vacation, Antony received a death threat from a fellow employee. It appeared that the corporation was unhappy with his performance on his previous hit. Even though he hoped it was just posturing from corporate, he began to re-think his safety, and his employer’s integrity.

When Antony botches a hit, by causing the destruction of an international space cruiser filled with a mysterious cargo, his carefully woven security net begins to unravel. And as he scrambles to find a safe way out of his employers "till death do us part" contract, he faces the decision of his life: continue with business as usual and kill another innocent man—or do what's right, even if it puts his family in jeopardy.

I suppose it's the journey . . .

That makes you stronger. Yes I know I am waxing philosophical, but such is the day.

While my writing journey started when I was young, the serious "I really want to get published" mode hit me about 3-4 years ago. Since then I have written many things and edited many more.

Last May (2009) I submitted a re-written MS that was actually "story worthy" to a publisher. They rejected it and asked for revisions. (Which is actually a good thing) At that point in time I also had a friend offer out of the goodness of their heart to help me edit this MS to get it ready to re-submit.

It's been just over a year now and the LAST edit came in my email over last weekend. I downloaded it to my computer, (I swear I saved it) moved my laptop to a nice brightly lit quiet place and started editing it. I was 2/3 of the way done and when I came back to it that night I somewhow erased, deleted, overwrote it and it was "poof" gone from my computer.

All 244 pages of the edit I had worked on ALL DAY. I was so in shock I couldn't even cry. All that work gone in a second. I tried everything to find the document and after two days I decided to just reload it and start over.

So yesterday I sat down early in the morning and started to edit again. I finished that afternoon and saved it, sending to some friends for safekeeping too. The edit is done the MS is as perfect as its going to get w/o a contract and an publishing editor.

While I was feeling so sick about loosing the pages I worked on this overwhelming sense of calm was there with me also. This MS has faced adversarial forces the whole time I have worked on it. My friend has lost it, and has lost hours of editing work on it too. This MS has a mind of its own and seems to have some potential that someone doesn't want me to explore.

The journey of the last few years have been a deep learning process for me. I have seen both the hands of God and Satan at work in my life regarding a simple stack of 300+ pages. I hope that most of the time I am running with the good crowd on this endeavor. LOL Timing in this has been perfect even if it was only seen in hindsight. Connections I have made in the last few years and the knowledge I have gained has been amazing. I often stand in awe of the "tour" I have been given this last few years.

The next few weeks, before Elias is born I am hoping to research and send out my MS to many agents and publishers. It's the perfect time seeing that I will have my hands full and not be actively writing or editing.

This journey has made me stronger in ways I never knew I could be strengthened. I have recieved inspiration and interpretations of feelings that I didnt know I was allowed to recieve. I have grown and I am thankful for it.

A freind once told me to "Expect Miracles" I did and this is what's happened.

WOW!

In hindsight

As you know. I have struggled the last few months trying to add emotion to my current MS. The one that I am going to be sending back to the publisher that rejected and asked for revisions.

While I was just adding some internal thought the edits were going well. I got to chapter 17 and began to think that what I had been doing was not enough. I talked to the editor, researched adding emotion, read articles and lectures and blog posts all over the web and tried to wrap my head around the "adding emotion" concept.

The more I read, the more confused I became. The more I tried to insert the ideas and change what I had written, the harder it was to even formulate a coherent thought in regards to the MS. In frustration I closed the laptop and didn't go back for almost TWO WEEKS while my brain tried to decompress.

One thing that frustrated me was I felt that the emotion I had added even if it was in exposition was sufficent for the character.

After the two weeks I went back to the LT and restarted what I had been doing at CH 17 out of desperation and finished that type of edit. When I was done I sat back and felt oddly satisfied. Without hesitation I sent the MS to the editor that is helping me and explained the enormous block that had occured and that I had done as much as I could.

A week later I was sufing some random blogs and ran across a post about not being able to change the manuscript to the specs that the crit group wanted. The reason eventually came out after much contemplation the soul/subconscious rejected the changes because they were not right for the story.

I paused and stared at the screen. Was that why I had so much trouble with what I was trying to do? Were the changes just plain wrong for this story?

Part of the frustration was that the SAME character in the second book has plenty of emotions after changing his life around. And the apparent lack of emotions in the first book seem to fit the current chatracters state of mind and the "feel" of the book. The "new" emotions in the second book seem to reflect the changes that happen to the main character in between books #1 and 2.

As I have thought about it over the last few days I know that this is what the problem was. The lack of emotion in the first book reflects part of the "theme" of the book. The emergence of emotion in the second book also completes the move from lack of, to experincing emotion in the second book.

What frustrates me most is that it wasn't untill after many weeks of self inflicted torture. Then sending off the MS w/o knowing why it had bothered me so much, that I found out why. So in hindsight, whether I knew why or not at least I followed my gut and did what I should have for the better good of the story.

Who knew?

character interview blogfest

I saw this on the 700blankpages blog who got it from Elizabeth's blog who signed up on Sangu's blog.

The idea is to interview a character and post it on your blog. While Wyan's interview with his author went swimingly well. Teehee! I don't know if an interview with my character Noble would be any better. While Wyan is stubborn and rebellious, Noble is more of the silent type. And to be honest, he isn't the main character of the first book. The main character of Emergence which is the first book is Antony Danic. I wonder which one would give me more info. Probably neither. Hmmmmmmm Sounds like I should flip a coin.

No coins down here in my dungeon of an office. This might be interesting. . . . .

Maybe I should go alphabetically. Antony starts with A. Besides, Antony is the first character you'll meet in Emergence you don't even meet Noble untill the second book Latent. Maybe I'll catch Noble later this afternoon and add him later.

So here we go. I Michelle (M) will be interviewing Antony Danic (AD) the main character of the Emergence the first book in the Prophecy Rising Series.

M Good monring. How are you this morning?

AD I was asleep. And I'm hungry. Got any food? (Rummages through my cupboards.)

M Sorry, I was inspired.

AD Your inspiration gets you in trouble especially when you talk to your trouble making friend. What good is toast if you don't have any butter?

M I have cereal and milk.

AD Bleh, cereal isn't breakfast it's a snack. Elite would have woken me up with a plate of scrambled eggs and waffles.

M I'm not Elite.

AD I know. (Grins.)

M So anyway. . . The purpose for this interview is to let my blog readers get to know you better.

AD I'm invisible. (He raises an eyebrow.) Remember?

M This is just for the blog. So where you work, and what do you do?

AD So straight to the heavy hitters. Well lemmese. My Name is Antony Danic. I am a Human Resourses director for a company called Hurst Enterprises. I travel all over the world training employees. (Hides the glock .357 in his waitband.)

M Human Resourses. Right. (I roll my eyes.)

Ad (Stares at me unflinching.)

M Moving on, tell me a little about yourself.

AD My name is Antony Danic. I am a human--

M We allready know that. What about your past?

AD What about it? (He folds his arms and leans back in the chair next to me.)

M Where were you born?

AD Donno, I was found in a basket on the steps of a church in Dunedin New Zealand. Probably Dundein?

M Grew up?

AD We moved to Auckland when I was little. My parents owned a sheep ranch and I lived there untill I moved to Asutralia and joined the Austrtalian Defence Force.

M When was that?

AD When I was 17.

M What were your parents and childhood like?

AD No comment.

M (Silence.)

AD (Smirks.)

M Moving on. What do you like to do in your free time?

AD Free time? Whats that? I help Elite do what she needs to do. We go places and do things. Just took a trip to Tahiti. (Touches the gun in his waistband again.)

M (changing subjects) Speaking of Elite, what do you like most about her?

AD You're kidding. I love everything about her. There's nothing to dislike. Well except that church argument we have on Sunday mornings.

M Church? Please explain.

AD Nothing to it. I am an atheist. (chin reaises defiantly)

M I see. Well I can see we're going to get some deep thoughtful answers today. Favorite color?

AD Black

M Favorite music?

AD As if you dont know it. You chose it for me. Alternative music from the 1980's on.

M More specif--?

AD Ultravox. Period.

M Favorite clothes?

AD Loose shirts, (pulls the back of his shirt over the butt of the Glock.) Jeans. cowboy boots.

M Favorite food?

AD Asian.

M Favorite car?

AD Dont drive a car. Or a shuttle for that matter. Too expensive and Elite gets car sick. Although I did see this sweet Dodge Prowler a few weeks ago.

M Favorite weapon?

AD No comment. (Folds arms again.)

M Any Tattoos?

AD Birthmark. Maybe. Why?

M Nevermind. (Grins.)

AD (Raises an eyebrow.)

M Anything else, you'd like to say?

AD Um. . . . You have something on your shirt. (Points at me.)

M I do? (Looks down)

AD (Smacks my forehead before disapearing.) PSYCH! (He laughs)

I am done!!!!!!!!!!

ELEVEN days short of a year and I am done with the line, content edit and revisions that have been requested of me. I have sent the MS back to my friend and I will be preparing to send it back to the publisher that rejected it and asked for the work I have done this last year.

This has been the LONGEST year of my life I think. I am brain dead and mentally exhausted. Yet very happy in the knowledge that I am so finished with it. I know what it feels like to not be able to STAND one more look, pass or edit of the MS. To want to throw the laptop out the window if someone asks one more thing of you concerning the MS.

The MS is great. I have people who can't wait for it to be published because they only read the first chapter. I had a reader that had to read it twice because the first time they were so caught up in the plot and story the forgot they were proofreading it for me. My BFF and I have worked the plot on this puppy to perfection. It is a great story and now it is clean and shiny, I even added emotions to it. :)

This is a major milepost in my writing career. Something I have been working for, for the longest time. Therefore it is a time to celebrate. Since I have nothing to give you my devoted readers I have come up with a unique idea to thank you for the long years of support you have given me.

Those of you who comment on this post will recieve thier first names written into the sequel of this book as characters. Or book #3 if I run out of secondary characters in #2.

So comment away and come celebrate with me. I am pulling out the sparkling cider and eating at least a few brownies tonight. :)

And so it Begins

Just two days before the Writers conference I recieved an e-mail from my friend and editor. The final "grammar/content sweep" is done and they sent me a detailed letter as to what they want done in a round of restructuring.

To be honest it freaked me out a little. When I first read the e-mail I was imagining this huge insurmountable second edit. So much so, that the thought of starting a new hobby was entertained. I knew the conference was only a few days away so my best defence was to forget the e-mail even came until after I was home. So I went and tried to forget that there were five things I needed to do to every chapter, all 44 of them. (Well 42 chapters one chapter has been deleted and one was imaginary by way of chapter numbering errors.)

Sunday I started pondering the restructure in earnest because I can't ignore something like that for too long. It was still just as intimidating and I was vacilating between curling in a ball and crying or pulling out all of my hair. Monday I was about the same. By Thursday I was begining to gather ideas and the thought of changing hobbies was begingng to fade.

This morning, with a much more level head I looked at the email more objectively and realized that one suggestion only effects a few chapters, two of the suggestions will only effect minute parts of every chapter and two are going to effect every chapter. But that's okay because the work load has been significantly lowered because reason has stepped in place of the panic.

So starting tomorrow or Monday I will begin this chapter by chapter revising. I know what is needed and I know that I am capable. I have friends who believe on me and people to cheer me on in this process.

I know that my friend who is doing this HUGE favor for me out of the goodness of their heart believes in me and the story. They have taken time from thier family to read my story and tirelessly edit and help me along the way. Although I have given them gifts, I can never repay what they have done and I will forever be in thier debt. Thank you again and again.

I have altered the editing update on my side bar. You can watch it or read my posts as I go through this process.

I am on my way to a beatuiful manuscript.

Emotional response, and the power of our writing.

I participate in a number of social avenues for my writing. I am in a critique group and also talk about my writing occasionally on Facebook. I also work with my local library teaching and encouraging new and teen writers.

To get a point across in the writing group, I will use small snippets of my current story to make what I am talking about clear. I have often posted on Facebook a small idea of what I am writing. My crit group gets three chapters twice a month to crit and my friends, who all know I am a writer, hear all about my story.

Every time I tell someone about my story I get eavesdroppers tellimg me that they want to read it. I guess either the story is really good or my enthusiasm rubs off on them.

At the library monday, I was using Emergence to illustrate the peroid of time between the introdouction with the first plot point and then the second stage of the story until the mid point. The cleaning lady at the library overheard me and asked where she could get the book. I had to tell her it wasn't published yet. I was talking to a reader at a baby shower and the lady next to her asked to read it too. I get this alot.

I was at the local store months ago and I told a friend I figured out the ending of the book and was so excited about it. She'd never read it, and after we talked I gave her the finished MS. She started reading it and loved it. Every time I'd see her, she'd tell me where she was and how much she was enjoying it.

To be honest, I was loving the admiration and compliments. Talk about stoking my ego. LOL

However, about three quarters throgh the book she stopped reading it, TWICE! In the same place. I was frustrated and kept wondering if my story dropped at that point or I became a terible writer between the begining and the end.

Then she told me that she had become so emotionally involved in the story and so invested in the characters lives that she had to stop because she couldn't bear to read what happened to the characters in the end of the book. See if you remember, I told her the whole plot line and what happens at the end. Stupid me. :) I also had a friend who's husband had serious surgery and couldnt bring the MS to the hospital as it was too stressful to read at that point in time.

It was pretty frustrating because she had given me, up untill that time, really good feedback that I allways used for revisions. She even asked me if one character was too good to be real, what an eye opener that comment was, and more but much better revisions.

As I have thought about this dear friend of mine I have come to realize that when something is written well you elicit an emotional response. Whether good or bad. If this story gets published I am going to have people who love it or hate it. I am probably going to have people hate me for the ending of this book. I have joked with my good friends that I'm going to get hate mail for this one, and that I'm going to need a PO box.

I have had to accept that it's okay for her to not finish the book, a thought that had never crossed my mind before now. That as a writer I can't please everyone and that's okay.

That perhaps if I want everyone to love what I write, I should write something fuzzy with fluffy bunnies and butterflies. That I should abandon the high action and plot twisting story with the deeply conflicted MC . . . .

NOT!

Editor Moment. . . . . Following Through On Your Plot Promises

Another thing I have learned through the editing process is that if and when you promise your reader something, which is called a plot promise, you better show them that thing you promised.

For example, throughout the first three chapters my MC is talking about taking his wife to Tahiti. The next chapter I mention that they went and had a good time. My editor didnt like this. They wanted me to write the scene. I admit I was just being lazy and didn't want to write it so I didn't. When my editor asked me to write it, I did as they asked and found that not only did the scene turn out really awesome but it actually became my plot point #1 when I shifted the focus of the book from one plotline to another.

Another example is later in the book the MC meets up with a friend and the editor didnt know who it was. What I didn't realize is the chapter where I introdouce the friends is one of the chapters that I cut before my editor ever saw the MS. I will go back in a previous chapter and (re) introdouce them so the reader knows who they are.

The point of this post is this, If you are going to talk about something especially more than once you better include it in the story because you have piqued the readers interest and they want to "see" it.

Think about it. If Harry Potter had a twin sister and she was only mentioned a few times in the first book and then disappeared. You, the reader, would want to know what happened with her in the other six books.

When you include something of importance is a good idea to write it down. Even if it's a Post-It-Note on your forehead. I write all over my plot notes, or leave myself notes somewhere on my MS or computer, at least it keeps me almost allways on the mark. Reread your finished MS with plot promises in mind, and let others who arent as familliar with the story read it. They will be able to see things you can't see by being farther away from the story than you are.

Blog Maintainence Note. . .

I have added a playlist to this blog. This is the "soundtrack" to Emergence. The music I listen to as I write. It's on the sidebar and you have to click on it to play the music. (I don't like blogs that automatically play music.)

I will say some of it is hard music and if that isn't your style then you don't have to click on it. If your curious, I encourage you to listen.

Songs of note: Lean On Me by Limp Bizkit (not what you think) is particularly relevant "theme song" to Emergence. What I've Done by Linkin Park is the "theme song" for Latent, book #2. Dress by Buck Tic (Japanese music) is the song I just love to sit in my chair and write to.

Hope you enjoy.

If I Am A Writer. . .

Then why can't I write a romance?

I write science fiction. I love to sit down at my laptop and just let the words flow about my MC and his family. In fact what was once a two book "set" is now both a four book series and a three book trilogy with at least one companion book. They flow from my brain as if i opened a little door on my forehead.

When I started this whole mess I actually wrote a fantasy with some romance in it as my first book. I love the book and while it needs work, (don't all first books need work?) I will revisit the world of Amalathea again sometime, maybe even turn it into a series too. There are some characters in that story that I would love to explore thier lives.

It was actually the third book I wrote, "Dominion Day" that had shoved its way to the forefront of my brain PAST the safety glass and demanded that I tell its story first. So there I stand, Emergence is being edited as I type this and I am just waiting to finish it so I can re-submit it to the publisher I really desire. Then I have the rough of Latent #2 going through my crit group right now and books 3 and 4 plotted out waiting for that month of massive motivation so I can write them. I am also waiting a little to see how the big bad guy develops in book #1 because they are more prominent in books 3 and 4.

So if the sci/fi comes so easily to me and I have some awesome ideas for two romances, why can't I write them? What is it about romance VS sci/fi or fantasy for that matter that makes my brain literally shut off? My sci/fi and fantasy have romance, I am the queen, my readers tell me, at putting two characters together and having them fall in love. If I can do that surely I can write a simple boy meets girl fall in love romance. Right?

Except my romances aren't typical. One deals with Post Partum Phychosis and the after effects of that depression and a suicide attempt. The other deals with excaping an abusive marriage and finally fulfilling their dreams. Hmmmmmmmmm...... Perhaps that is why. Maybe the simple boy meets girl would be easier.

A Little Funny. . . .

So I am writing Latent, a MS for Nanwrimo and I am still editing Emergence. My "editor" is a wonderful friend who is helping me with my MS Emergence. This person is amazing and I learn things everytime I work with them.

Well I am sitting at my computer yesterday and I was writing about a sub character ordering pizza. As the scene closed, I wrote about the character taking the pizza box from the delivery guy and placing it on the coffee table. In the back of my head I hear my "editor" ask: "did he pay for the pizza or did he steal it? Please clarify."

After I laughed for a while I went back and added that he placed it on the coffee table after he paid for it.

Now I not only have characters in my head, my editor is in there too. At least they're wonderful company.

the joys of writing

The last two days have been an experience to remember.

I finished my fith chapter edit and am anxiously awaiting the next chapter from my editor. I also had an awesome apostrophy about my sci fi book that directly influences my MC. It is one of those revelations where you get chills just talking about it with your writer friends.

Second, I had two awesome ideas come to me for my romantic fantasy. One a change in plot that effects my midpoint in a much more dramatic way then I thought it was going. And, I had an awesome idea that I will tell you about as soon as it is solidified. It involves you guys, my readers, and it's going to be awesome.

Today was a good one.

Ohmigosh!

Its been ten days since I posted!
What happened?
Well Wednesday - Friday we dealt with the funeral of my little neice born stillborn. Before that I don't quite know. I know getting ready for school took some time too. Either way there's no excuse.

I'm glad school starts tomorrow, this has been a summer of distractions--much more than last year. I'm sure some of it is from my kids knowing more people and being more involved in things. Last year, I wrote 116,000 words from July to September. This year, I wrote about 11,000 words and edited 4 chapters. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids. But I was everything from entertainer to taxi this summer and I was gone alot.

Tomorrow is a "new leaf" in my year. I will only have one at home and he is a realy good baby. I have some clear goals as to what I want to acomplish in this next nine months. I have new plots for some rough drafts, and I am looking forward to writing some awesome stories. :) I will also finish the edit on emergence and re-submit it too.

Ah, school is starting and we are heading into my favorite time of the year, autumn. A time of sweaters fuzzy slippers homemade bread and soups and writing.

Have a wonderful evening.

Randomness . . .

I am sitting here with really nothing to say. I dont have any desire to write but can't stand to let me blog sit there with the same post for weeks. (Sorry Mark) I can say this, I have had near constant headaches since I rolled my truck 2 years ago. I know I did dammage to my neck, heck who wouldn't rolling a truck down a huge hill. I wish my chiropractor was cheaper.

More randomness I watched "Batman Begins" lat night with the family. (We watched "Taken" a few nights before.) I'll admit that I think Liam Neison is a cutie. I really liked the movie but it made me think of a few things.

First I didn't like that he had all the money in the world to do whatever he wanted. it seemed too Deus E Machina to me. He had the armor, the car, the weapons, everything he needed and it was too convienent. Yeah I know the origional story. I know that Bruce Wayne had tons of money and was able to be Batman because of it. Still it just seems too convienent.

I also seem like a huge hypocrite because in my book Antony/Noble is rich, he has Gage his friend and Mat the computer to design technology for him to make things easier. Perhaps it's good that I am thinking this as I am editing that first book. I think part of it is that Bruce walks away with almost no injuries. That first meeting with the scarecrow where he panics and is actually defeated made me smile. I was thinking okay, he is vunerable and can get hurt and has setbacks. THAT is what I think bothered me the most. He was too perfect and impervious. Whereas Antony is not.

I loved the training that Bruce recieves at the monastery. I'd actually like to watch that part a few times to get a feel for it. I did recognize moves that I am leanring in Karate and it makes me feel really good. I am also begining to see why we do certain moves in our training. I now see that as I do a high block here or round kick there I am actually defeding myself. Maybe its because I am a writer I can see the bad guy in my head and it helps me train better.

Either way I am a sucker for martial arts and I enjoyed the begining of the movie the best. I liked that the "society" that Liam was in was there to protect the world even if I didn't like the idea of the mass dectruction of Gotham in the end. I especially liked the discussions about fear and hatred. one of my characters needs that talk. :)

I love it when a movie makes me think and my muse goes into overtime. Even if I have no desire to write. I guess I did have something to write afterall.

Random thoughts

An article on the LDS Publisher blog this week not only made me think, but I got a good laugh out of it.

The blog post was about book club questions. Which I think are a good idea. I like to read them because it makes me think about what I just read. I have often thought about what I would write as book club questions myself. Then she added this paragraph: (copied straght from LDS Publisher)

As far as a book club kit, the more you provide, the better. You could do themed party ideas and provide suggestions for anything from decorations and invitations, to games and other activities, to refreshments and door prize ideas—your imagination is the limit.

This is an awesome idea too, I love books and to have a bash for one sounds like a grand plan. There is one thing that came to me that I just had to chuckle about. What ideas would you suggest I provide in regards to my book? Would we have a "Come as your favorite assassin?" party? Play musical weapons? Make the invitations in disapearing ink?

The thought made me laugh and I thought I'd share it with you. Post your ideas ( about either my book or yours) and the best idea will get a prize.

The process of editing.

As you readers know, I am in the process of editing my MS making it publishing worthy. Well since last week I have done two edit sweeps on chapter one, that was pretty easy it is a short chapter and there wasn't much correction. I accepted the changes and added a few things. Then when my editor got it back to me I corrected another few things and then it was finished. Yay I thought this is going to be easy.

Boy was I wrong. My second chapter came in the email and one of the suggestions was that I make my ASSASSIN LIKEABLE. Huh? he's an assassin, he kills people. I know him I know he has a good heart but the reader? Not falling for it. So I did the easy stuff first. I accepted all of the changes and changed everyting else first. Then I needed to make my assassin likeable. Its not easy. I went over to one of My writing boards and my facebook asking how to make him likeable. We discussed it and I talked about it with my friend. While this was mulling it in my head I realized that i had a chance to change the readers opinion about my assassin as well as create a moment of huge betrayal in the book.

So the betrayal is set and I have made my assassin likeable and to be honest it came easy once I had more of an idea of what was going on. In fact MC #2 did it for me she said the words right in my head. Thank you! I actually did three sweeps on chapter two and it was declared good.


Now round three, chapter three. Same intensity of problem just a diferent scene, a dificult conversation between Antony my athiest MC and a religious leader. THAT was hard. A panic attack reaction which I have not experienced enough to write it throoughly. Add to that adding detail througout the scene requiring me to relive the scene in my head. Again not the easiest thing.

Yeah editing is hard. Dang hard. BUT I wouldn't have it anyother way. I LOVE my editor. I love that the scenes are coming out much better then they were before. This is going to be a dang good book when its done. I feel it in my bones. :)


To my editor and Paulette, thanks so much. To those of you at AI and Facebook thank you too. You guys are great!