Tag: author

Are You A Rebel Reader?

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Banned book week was October 1-7. Although I’m a bit late, here are some of the top banned/challenged books of the last decade.

  1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
  3. 1984 by George Orwell
  4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
  5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  6. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
  7. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
  8. Animal Farm by George Orwell
  9. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  10. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
  11. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
  12. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  13. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
  14. Beloved by Toni Morrison
  15. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
  16. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  17. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
  18. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
  19. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
  20. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
  21. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
  22. Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey
  23. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
  24. Looking for Alaska by John Green
  25. George by Alex Gino
  26. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
  27. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
  28. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

How many of these have you read? I’ve only read 6. I’m obviously under-read in most of the classics. Some of them I don’t enjoy them because, well, I’m shallow like that. Lol! Also, with all the new books available, I usually forget to go back and read the classics, and I won’t read books with unhappy endings. (I’m talking to you, Looking for Alaska!)

Although I’m conservative, and I don’t like smut, I don’t approve of book banning for two reasons.

1. Books provide a marketplace of ideas. You don’t have to approve of every book’s message or worldview, but you can’t dialogue intelligently about a book you’ve never read. In the past, I’ve had conversations go like this.

Them: “Book X is terrible, just terrible. Why, it should be banned!”

Me: “Have you read it?”

Them: “Well, no! Of course not. It’s trash.”

Me: “Then how do you know?”

Them: “Well, I heard from my sister’s husband’s cousin three times removed that it’s just full of garbage.”

Me: Blinks. Waits. Moves on.

Some of the “questionable” books I read were trash, but I could talk intelligently about WHY I wouldn’t recommend the book to others. There were others I loved, and I couldn’t understand why someone would prevent another from enjoying the story (the Harry Potter series is a case in point).

2. Who decides what gets to be banned/removed? Who’s the gatekeeper? What if they don’t hold the same views you do? I have a book in my possession that I read as often as possible. It’s also one of the most banned books of all time—the Bible. The thought of someone taking away my right to read it (or any book) upsets me because it’s an infringement on freedom.

I remember an interesting conversation when I worked as a librarian. I was talking to an acquaintance whose son I went to school with. She was part of a group that wanted to put brown wrappers on all the Cosmo covers and/or put the magazines behind the counter so children wouldn’t see them. They weren’t asking for banning per se, but a “limiting” of material. When I said I didn’t agree with her, she lost it and began yelling at me in the children’s reading area of the library. I’ve never forgotten how ugly she became when I voiced a view different from hers.

Of the banned books I’ve read, I thoroughly enjoyed the Harry Potter series, The Great Gatsby, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Earlier this year, I picked up 1984 at a used book sale, and I plan to read it soon (even though I know the ending. It helps if I can prepare myself. : -)  ) What banned books were your favorite? Which titles do you plan to read or have already read this year?

Let me know in the comments!

Waiting…in the Wilderness

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The wilderness can be unpleasant (no water, no GPS, no path, no toilet paper. I like my creature comforts. Just sayin.’). A Biblical wilderness is similar. Jesus was tested in the wilderness, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness (for 40 freaking years!), and Elijah escaped into the wilderness to die. For the last year, instead of wandering, I’ve been waiting in a landscape of rejection as I try to understand in what direction God wants me to go. Self publishing? Small press? Agents to pitch my work to the “Big Four” (which includes Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette)?

I’d submitted several stories and my most current manuscript with no takers. When I received anything at all, it was a rejection. Very nice rejections, but it was still a no, thank you.  (I still appreciate a response of any kind since some agents are now responding to queries by ghosting.) I began wondering–maybe this was it for me. A three-book series and several short stories were more than I’d expected when I started out. Don’t be greedy, I told myself.

This waiting isn’t writer’s block. The stories keep coming. I’ve plotted three retellings, as well as three books for an urban fantasy series. Despite the recent rejections, or maybe because of them,  I struggled with self-doubt and the pressure to “write more fast.” The message to every writer out there is to produce more books as quickly as possible so your readers don’t forget about you. Just a bit hard when we’ve been dealing with events like graduation, a family member’s death, and an upcoming surgery–all within the same month.

I hadn’t taken into consideration the time or energy needed for my child’s major surgery. We’d reserved the hotel room, attended all the pre-op appointments, and completed the necessary tests. We were ready. I took my laptop with me (I thought I’d be able to write in the waiting room. *cue hysterical laughter*) On a Friday,  my husband and I camped out in the hospital waiting room, sat on uncomfortable chairs, drank subpar tea, and ate too-salty pretzels. For six hours. She came through surgery fine, and we drove home four days later. At home, we rounded up comfortable pillows and blankets, and charted medication to help her with pain management. (One of the most stressful/painful things is watching your child struggle with pain despite your best efforts.) She’ll be fully “recovered” in 12 weeks. In hindsight, I see how God didn’t want me to focus on querying and writing when my daughter needed my focus. After all, my kids are growing up and plan to move out (despite the promise I extracted from them both when they were six years old to never leave. Lol!)

Things are slowly returning to a new “normal” as I set up a routine that doesn’t coincide with a school district schedule. I’ve found a peace with where I am. The wilderness doesn’t always have to be horrible. I’m discovering it can be a place of renewal.

Have you ever had a season in your life that was difficult, isolating, or that failed to make sense to you? How did you handle it?  I’d love to hear about it.

Integrating a New Language and Culture into Traitor: Guest post by Laurie Lucking

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Today we have author Laurie Lucking  sharing a little more about building language and culture into our stories. Her new book Traitor, book 2 of Tales of the Mystics, is available for pre-order! (and I’ve read it–sooo good! 🙂 ) Thanks, Laurie!

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I know I’m probably (okay, definitely!) a bit biased, but I adored the setting I created for the first book in my series, Common. Castles, gowns, carriages…wandering manicured gardens, reading by candlelight, taking a gentleman’s arm to be escorted to dinner. Enough chivalry and manners and banquets to make my fairy tale and Jane Austen-loving heart brim with joy. 🙂

But while the technology constraints of my fantasy world, along with the formality associated with royalty in general, caused many of these elements to carry over into Traitor, I wanted to fashion a distinctive new culture for Princess Penelope to immerse herself in when she travels overseas to fulfill a new betrothal. After all, Penelope’s natural beauty and elegance cause her to fit perfectly into her own society (at least until her involvement in a traitorous plot made her the subject of gossip and contempt). In order for her to grow and truly step outside her comfort zone in Traitor, I needed to expose her to something new and foreign.

Much of my inspiration for Delunia came from Greece, Italy, and other Mediterranean countries. The weather is sunny and hot, the people are affectionate and boisterous, and everything from the colors to the flavors is a bit more vibrant. Prim Penelope is initially overwhelmed by the clamoring sounds and vivid hues of her new home. But over time, she comes to see the beauty in the art she’d passed off as garish and the gardens she’d dismissed as wild and unkempt. She loosens up enough to learn the lively dances and visit the bustling marketplace, and she can’t deny the practicality and elegance of a more streamlined style of dress. But she doesn’t think she’ll ever adjust to the Delunians’ insistence that soon-to-be-married couples should show affection, especially since Penelope has no intention of falling in love with her new fiancé! She struggles to find a balance between the desire to embrace her new home and the fear of losing her former identity and connections to her family.

I also took on the challenge of introducing a new language in Traitor. Though I’ll be the first to admit I’m no J.R.R. Tolkien—I only came up with translations of words I actually needed for my story. 🙂 I took the Delunian language as another opportunity to give the country a unique feel, both in the sounds of the words and in their meanings. For example, poloi ipa asteria is a traditional Delunian phrase for bidding someone goodnight and translates to “sleep under a blanket of stars.” Let’s just say, when spoken by her new fiancé, it has more of a romantic impact on Penelope than she’d care to admit!

Teaching Penelope the new language and having her gradually incorporate it into her own speech patterns offered another way to show her slow acceptance of and acclimation to Delunia as her home. Plus, it offered some additional opportunities for character development along the way as she deals with the frustration and awkwardness of not being able to communicate with the people around her!

Thank you so much for inviting me to share about my series today! I hope you have as much fun exploring Delunia as I did creating it! I’d love to hear about some of your favorite fantasy worlds and languages!

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Thanks again for stopping by, Laurie!  Want to learn more about Traitor? Here’s the blurb!

Princess Penelope has finally found a way to redeem her past mistakes-if only it didn’t require betraying her new fiancé.

Princess Penelope has been the object of gossip and ridicule ever since she returned home in disgrace following her failed engagement to the Crown Prince of Imperia. When her father offers a new start in a country far across the sea, she has no choice but to accept.

Even if it means another betrothal, this time to a total stranger.

Penelope arrives in Delunia determined to avoid bringing further shame upon her family. But her devoted, caring fiancé makes it harder to guard her heart than she anticipated, and rumors of dark magic haunt her with memories she’d rather keep buried far beneath her pristine exterior.

When a poverty-stricken village outside the palace gates looks to her as their hope for a brighter future, Penelope embraces the opportunity to make amends for her transgressions. But in order to help, she must manipulate her new fiancé, putting her reputation on the line once more. And her heart.

Can Penelope rise above the failures of her past, or will she forever be branded a traitor?

Don’t forget to stop by the other sites on the blog tour!
  • Monday, 19th, “Redeeming a ‘Villain’ in Traitor” Laura A. Grace, www.lauraagrace.com
  • Tuesday, 20th, “Connecting Companion Novels in the Tales of the Mystics” Pam Halter,  www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith
  • Wednesday, 21st, “Visual Post: Characters of Traitor” Anne Wheeler, www.anne-wheeler.com/blog
  • Thursday, 22nd, “Integrating a New Language and Culture into Traitor” J.M. Hackamn, www.jmhackman.com
  • Friday, 23rd, “Author Interview with Laurie Lucking: Traitor Blog Tour” Riella Cristobal,  www.booksandeverydaylife.home.blog
  • Saturday, 24th, “Interview with Traitor Author Laurie Lucking” Amelia Nichole, www.amelianichole.com
  • Sunday, 25th, “Review of Traitor” Breny Maurtua, www.brenyandbooks.home.blog
  • Monday, 26th, “Dive-in Review: Traitor” Cathrine Bonham, www.cobonham.com
  • Monday, 26th, “Review of Traitor” Laurin Boyle, www.laurinboyle.wordpress.com
  • Tuesday, 27th, “Welcoming My Second Book into the World” Laurie Lucking, www.laurielucking.com
  • Wednesday, 28th, “Visual Post: Traitor Storyworld” Jenelle Schmidt, www.jenelleschmidt.com
  • Thursday, 29th, “Celebrate Laurie Lucking’s New Release Traitor Tonight” Michele Israel Harper,  www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com
  • Friday, 30th, “What’s Coming Next in the Tales of the Mystics” Peter Adler, www.arsilverberry.com/blog

Spark: Firestarting & Neurodiversity

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Today as part of the StoryQuest Academy Clean Fiction Blog Tour, I wanted to share some of the inspiration behind The Firebrand Chronicles (includes Spark, Flare, & Burn).

And don’t forget to comment on the posts for a chance to win some bookish prizes!

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I’m a firm believer God gives each of us a special gift that makes us unique and distinctive. This fact and the question “What if…?” inspired the beginning of my YA portal fantasy trilogy the Firebrand Chronicles.

What if God’s gifts were more dramatic than being a good teacher or a great speaker? Don’t get me wrong—those are valuable gifts (especially the speaking gift—I’m often unclear or awkward!) But what if God gave each person a highly visible gift, like firestarting or control of the weather? Could being able to control time be used for good or evil? How would individuals use these talents?

These questions were the basis for Spark, book one of the Firebrand Chronicles. I added another component to the main character due to my youngest daughter. Around the time I was writing Spark, she was diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive). This means rather than being hyperactive and loud, she was more often distracted and unfocused. I learned how ADHD affects children—lack of focus, impulsivity, and low self-esteem are often present. I couldn’t even imagine how an impulsive, distracted teen would handle firestarting, but I was interested in exploring it.

The YA fantasy landscape lacks characters with ADHD, especially girls. Percy Jackson’s ADHD and dyslexia are mentioned briefly in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief then explained away. In fact, few literary characters at all, male or female, are neurodiverse (this term covers ADHD, autism, Tourette’s, dyslexia, as well as a host of other disorders). Adhdaware.org.uk says 30%-40% of the population is neurodiverse, and the CDC says 11% of American children have ADHD. The YA fantasy genre doesn’t reflect this.

In response, I created Brenna James who struggles with ADHD while also being the Chosen One. I wanted my daughter and other neurodiverse kids to know they weren’t broken or damaged; they are creative, out-of-the-box thinkers who process the world differently. They can ride a griffin, battle the evil villain, and use their gift to save the world.

Because some YA reads more adult than young, my series is clean yet with lots of nail-biting action, some snark (because snark is a teen’s second language), and a touch of romance.

 

Here’s a little more about Spark:

Brenna James wants three things for her sixteenth birthday: to find her history notes before the test, to have her mother return from her business trip, and to stop creating fire with her bare hands.

Yeah, that’s so not happening. Unfortunately.

When Brenna learns her mother is missing in an alternate reality called Linneah, she travels through a portal to find her. Who knew portals even existed? But Brenna’s arrival in Linneah begins the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, including a royal murder and the theft of Linneah’s most powerful relic: the Sacred Veil.

Hold up. Can everything just slow down for a sec?

Unwilling yet left with no other choice, Brenna and her new friend Baldwin pursue the thief into the dangerous woods of Silvastamen and beyond. Exactly what Brenna wanted to do for her sixteenth birthday. Exactly. When they spy an army marching toward Linneah, Brenna is horrified. Can she find the veil, save her mother, and warn Linneah in time?

And more importantly, why on earth doesn’t this alternity have Belgian waffles?

Spark (and the entire Firebrand Chronicles boxed set!) is available at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Firebrand-Chronicles-Book-One-ebook/dp/B06Y1DSKRB) and anywhere else books are sold.

 

 

Check out the rest of the blog tour participants below!

March 1st Story Quest Academy
March 2nd Ellie Naomi
March 3rd Julie Gilbert
March 4th Jasmine Natasha
March 5th Liz Delton
March 6th Mark Hansen
March 7th Ian Vroon
March 8th Story Quest Academy
March 9th Nicholas Kotar
March 10thJ.M. Hackman
March 11thMark Hansen
March 12th Courtenay Kasper
March 13th Debbie Schreffler
March 14th Story Quest Academy
March 15th Steven Guglich
March 16th Laurie Lucking
March 17th Julie Gilbert
March 18th Meg Dendler
March 19th Nicholas Kotar
March 20th CourtenayKasper
March 21st Story Quest Academy
March 22nd Molly Casperson
March 23rd D.J. Edwardson
March 24th Marty C Lee
March 25th Molly Casperson
March 26th Mark Hansen
March 28th Story Quest Academy
March 29th Debbie Schreffler
March 30th Nicholas Kotar
March 31st Molly Casperson

Fantasy books for Christmas? Yes please!

Can you think of anything better than more Fantasy and Sci-Fi titles to put under your Christmas tree?

Yeah, I can’t think of anything either. So hold onto your Santa hats–I joined with fifteen talented authors for a blog tour! Each day a different author and book will be featured, from now until December 19th.

My day is December 4th, where you’ll have access to a fun excerpt from Burn, book 3 from the Firebrand Chronicles. (BTW, did you know a Firebrand Chronicles box set is releasing in January?!? Woot!)

Aside from amazing books to add to your towering TBR pile, there’s also a giveaway! Want all the pretty pictures and more details? Go here!

Here’s the tour schedule:

November 29th: Launch
November 30th: R.J. Anderson – Swift
December 1st: Ralene Burke – Armor of Aletheia
December 2nd: Michelle Diener – Breakaway
December 3rd: Sandra Fernandez Rhoads – Mortal Sight
December 4th: J.M. Hackman – Burn
December 5th: Sharon Hinck – Forsaken Island
December 6th: Ronie Kendig – Dawn of Vengeance
December 7th: Carla Laureano – Oath of the Brotherhood
December 8th: Belle Malory – Deviant Descendants
December 9th: Sara Schaller – The Genesis of Seven
December 10th: Jennifer Silverwood – Stay
December 11th: Anne Wheeler – Treason’s Crown
December 12th: Melissa Wright – Between Ink and Shadows
December 13th: Morgan Wylie –  Silent Orchids
December 14th: Kristen Young – Apprentice
December 15th: Grand Finale

Hope to see you there!

 

Not Perfection, But Direction

Hi, welcome to Jilligan’s Island! Today we have author Tabitha Caplinger visiting!  Her upcoming book, The Wolf Queen, not only has a beautiful cover but an intriguing story. What’s it about? Glad you asked!

Ylva was raised by wolves. That is the story her clan tells of their Wolf Queen. The truth is far more miraculous. Her Gift, bestowed by the Light, enables her to see deep inside the hearts of men. Prince Rohan considers the Light mere superstition and only believes in what he can see with his own eyes. But a great evil is infecting the Four Realms. The battle between the Light and the Darkness is no longer bound to human hearts, and words Ylva and Rohan thought were just legend are being whispered again. The dragon is rising.

Sounds amazing, right?  I love learning about the “stories behind the stories.” You know, those things only the author can tell you? Tabitha has some interesting thoughts on choices, living chosen, and how it all ties together in The Wolf Queen.

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If you hang around me or my social media at all, you will eventually hear or see the words, “You are powerful, chosen, loved, and never alone.” These are words I firmly believe. Why? Because I believe that each of us was created on purpose, for a purpose. I think that is why we like hero stories and Chosen One tropes. We want to be the hero. We want to be chosen. I believe we already are.

Maybe we aren’t chosen to save the whole world from an apocalypse, but we are chosen to speak life and light to the people around us. We all can live chosen.

That thread, living chosen, is the thread that ties all my books together. Whether it’s urban fantasy, paranormal romance, dystopian, or a little Viking-inspired fantasy coming soon…each and every story carries with it a piece of what it means to me to live like we are chosen for more.

The Wolf Queen focuses on the idea of choice. It’s ultimately a story about how the choices we make can guard our heart and keep it full of light or can let the darkness creep in and take hold.

Ylva was given the ability to see into human hearts and determine whether they were ruled by light or darkness. Looking into our own hearts isn’t so easy. We have to be intentional about opening our eyes to the choices we are making, big and small. We have to be careful to listen to the Light and walk in obedience. When we can’t see our hearts, He can.

To live chosen is to guard our hearts, to consider our choices with care. Why? Because the state of our hearts will determine the state of our lives. When we are full of light, we will reveal that light in our attitudes and actions. When we are full of darkness, it will taint our perspective and defeat us before we even get started in finding or living for our purpose.

Now, this isn’t about being perfect. I’m also a youth pastor and something I say all the time to students (and my pastor husband says it too) is “It’s not about perfection, but direction.” We will make bad choices. The next choice is what will matter most. Will the next choice take us back toward the light or will it pull us further toward the darkness?

I know, all the light and dark talk feels ominous. You could think of it differently if it helps. For you, it could be a choice between peace and anxiety. Or a choice between love and fear. Perhaps it’s a choice between gratitude and complaining, or insecurity and confidence. Depending on the circumstances, those choices could be easy or indescribably difficult. But they are choices we make that will lead our hearts and lives in a direction. Are the choices we are making leading us in the direction we want to go—the direction God wants us to go?

We were each created on purpose, for a purpose by a God who wants to help us discover and live that purpose out. It starts in the heart—with a heart yielded to Him and choosing to follow His leading.

In The Wolf Queen, there is a saying—a battle cry of sorts. “May the Light lead you, and the Darkness fear you.” That is my hope for you. Guard your heart. The Light will lead you. The Darkness will fear you.

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Thanks so much for sharing, Tabitha! If you’d like to be notified when the preorder is available, check out this link: https://www.blueinkpress.com/pledgetobuywolfqueen.html

About the Author

Tabitha Caplinger gets way too emotionally invested in the lives of fictional characters, whether it’s obsessing over a book or tv show, or getting lost creating her own worlds. Tabitha is the author of The Chronicle of the Three Trilogy, a Christian urban fantasy, and a lover of good stories and helping others live chosen. When she’s not writing book words, she’s reheating her coffee, binging a new show or teaching God’s Word to students. Tabitha, her husband and two beautifully sassy daughters desire to be Jesus with skin on for those around them. They live to love others…and for Marvel movies.

TO FOLLOW TABITHA ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website: https://www.tabithacaplinger.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TabCaplinger/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tab_Caplinger/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tab_Caplinger

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Tab_Caplinger/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12824805.Tabitha_Caplinger

 

 

Writing a Series vs. a Standalone

I’ve heard authors ask, “Should I write a series or a standalone?”

My first answer would be to write the story in your heart. DO NOT WRITE TO TRENDS – say it with me. Do not. By the time that story’s written, revised countless times, edited, and polished, that royal Tasmanian zombie-shifter prison quartet trend will have flashed and died.

But if you can see your story going either way, here are a few truths regarding series and standalones.

  • Historically, authors are told to write series. Series sell better. If you’re shooting for traditional publishing, it shows agents/publishers you have more than one book in you. Readers like following characters they’ve read about before. (This last point is a double-edged sword. More on this later.) But if there isn’t an arc there, and you aren’t interested in adding or fleshing out secondary characters, don’t force it. Some stories might only be one book long. That’s not a crime. In fact, lately, I’ve hesitated to buy or read a book in a series. Every story seems to be part of a series (says the author who wrote a trilogy. Ahem.) Sometimes I just want to read a well-told, juicy standalone. Sometimes I just want to write a well-told, juicy standalone. But…
  • There’s a benefit to sticking with characters you’ve created, tortured, and triumphed with after just one storyline. I found this especially true with the Firebrand Chronicles. I grew to really know and love Brenna, Baldwin, and Arvandus. Spending all that time with them made me imagine what else could happen to them. After finishing a story, I usually imagine different connecting points between characters and plot. Even my short story “Everwild” (which is in the anthology Mythical Doorways and is FREE, BTW…) is already a four-book series in my head. I have plenty of adventure and mayhem planned for half-fae Flint and full-fae Lila. I just can’t get all my projects written as quickly as I’d like.
  • At the outset, writing a series requires more planning. Detailed notes are imperative—a “bible” for your world, with the characters, their backstories, descriptions, towns, magic system, tech level, money system, languages, belief systems, etc. You won’t remember it all—trust me. Take copious notes and keep them with you while you write. A map is good too, even if it’s one scrawled on notebook paper (which is what I have for my current WIP. I’m not crazy about it, but it’s working—for now.)
  • Over the long haul, world-building is generally less work. Although there are detailed notes being listed in your notebook bible, you create one world. That world lasts for the duration of the series. For each standalone, the author must create a new world. Every. Single. Time.
  • I mentioned how much readers like following characters they’re familiar with. I’ve found some readers don’t want to buy a book and then wait a year for the next installment. So they’ll wait. (*Raises hand.*) Many will wait until all the books are out. You won’t see sales. Don’t let that discourage you. Keep writing the next story. If you’re self-publishing, you could avoid this problem by doing a rapid release (which is writing all the stories, editing and polishing them, and then releasing them in quick succession, usually no more than six months apart.)

Don’t feel you have to create a series if it’s not in you. There’s a place for everyone at the table, both series writers and standalone authors.

Going Deep in Your Story, Part 2

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There are plenty of ways to go deep into the story you’re telling. Many people think going deep refers to deep point of view, which I covered in last week’s post. Today, I want to discuss ways to add richness to your storytelling by going deep in other ways.

One way is to use all five senses (smell, sight, taste, touch, and hearing). Yes, I know this is a basic rule. But think…in this digital age, when was the last time you put your phone away and just looked?  Learn to be an observer of people and environments. People watch. What do you notice? What about your environment? What color of blue is the sky? How does the snow look when it falls slowly?

Take a scene you’re currently working on. Have you included what the character experiences? The purr of a sports car? The stickiness of a fast-food counter? Smells are sometimes overlooked, but I love these lines from Rudyard Kipling: “Smells are surer than sights or sounds/To make your heart-strings crack…”

Sometimes I’ll include the sixth sense, intuition (sparingly). You know that feeling of knowing when someone’s lying or when your hair rises on the back of your neck? This sense is great for creating tension.

I can imagine you’re thinking, “But I can’t write the story and include all of that at the same time—it’s too much!” You’re right, it is. So just write the story first. One of my favorite quotes is by Terry Pratchett: “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” Spill everything onto the page. Don’t edit, don’t fuss about word choice. It doesn’t need to be pretty—you can add the five senses in the following drafts.

Something else you can include in the second draft (& third, and fourth, and fifth, and…) is descriptions. Metaphors and similes add to the mood of the story as well. Make use of them (again, sparingly) through the character’s eyes. For example, a high society woman wouldn’t say or think someone was “as happy as a pig in slop.” Stay true to your character so the reader can stay in the character’s skin.

Show, don’t tell, how someone feels. Telling is much weaker than showing.

Shari felt anger sweep over her. Instead: Shari clenched her shaking hands into fists.

Ron was ashamed. Instead: Ron blushed and turned away.

The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is a great resource to use. It matches actions to feelings to help you make the shift from telling to showing.

Enjoy going deep in your next story!

Going Deep in Your Story, Part 1

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Have you ever heard of deep point of view? As a  writer, you want to transport the reader into the story. You want them there with the characters, feeling and experiencing everything they are. Deep point of view accomplishes that.

It’s a more intimate way of writing. The writer removes the narrator and settles into a comfy chair in the chosen character’s head. Although deep POV usually refers to third person, I’ve also found writing this way helpful in first person as well. It is limiting, though. You can’t know what the other characters are thinking because you’re firmly entrenched in your comfy chair. You can see reactions, but the other characters’ thoughts are hidden.

There are several other things to remember with deep POV.

You have to pick a character to inhabit. You can’t do two or three characters at a time. When you change scenes or chapters, you can slip into someone else’s head, but don’t do it within the scene. It’s sometimes referred to as head-hoppping, and it’s very confusing to the reader.

Avoid dialogue tags (in third person.) If you’re in Ron’s head, you wouldn’t say Ron snapped at Sharon. You’d use interiority to give the reader a window into what’s he thinking. For example: “No, you can’t have the last pickle.” He gritted his teeth. I’ve never seen someone as selfish as Sharon.

Avoid “distancing” words. She felt, noticed, realized, thought, looked at, etc. For example: Shari exited the shop. She noticed the dark sky. In seconds, she felt the heavy raindrops soak her clothes as she ran for her car. I’ll have to drive home carefully, she thought.

The same passage with deep viewpoint: Shari exited the shop. Dark clouds loomed, blocking the sun. In seconds, raindrops soaked her clothes as she ran for her car. I’ll have to drive home carefully.

Although these aren’t excerpts from the great American novel, the reader is closer to the characters. They sense Ron’s irritation and experience the storm as Shari does.

A couple of books cover this writing technique. A good one is Rivet Your Reader with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. Another is Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers.

Try this technique the next time you sit down to write. It’ll make your characters come alive for your readers.

 

Avoid Vanilla Writing, Part 2

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Welcome to #WritingWednesday. Last week we talked about a few ways to avoid boring writing. This week, I have a few more tips for you to keep your story interesting and your readers engaged!

 

  1. Hello Again: (At these two words, I’ve got The Cars singing in my head.) Anyway, have you ever read something like the following?

“Hello, George.”

“Hey, Larry! Long time no see. How’ve you been?”

“Pretty good. How about you?”

“Well, I can’t complain. How are your kids?”

Yawn. I don’t care about George, Larry, or either of their families. While dialogue should be natural, don’t dwell on exchanges like this. Move on to good dialogue that moves the plot forward.

2. The Land of Exposition: Description is good, as is internal narrative. You’ll need both to flesh out your world and your characters. But please don’t dump it on the page in a massive paragraph. The eyes need white space to rest on. Lots of black words in a big chunk is an invitation to read a little and then skim. Some readers are fine with navel-gazing, descriptions in detail, and mental ruminations on the meaning of life. But keep it pertinent to the world-building, plot, and/or character because a little of this goes a long way.

3. Nobody Cares: The climax scene is critical.  As the two armies face each other, Minerva knows she must keep the faith. If her kingdom doesn’t win the war…she won’t make it to her bridge game on time. The only one concerned about that is Minerva herself.

Make your stakes matter. Then make it worse. What’s the worst-case scenario? Write it into the scene. That’s what your readers will care about. “Make it bad, then make it worse” so the happy ending’s satisfying. Which brings me to my last point…

4. “…and everyone lived happily ever after, forever and ever, with a big, red bow.” Hmm, maybe not. I NEED a happy ending. (I was very cross with Veronica Roth after reading the Divergent series. Just sayin’…) But that’s just me. You must decide how happy your ending’s going to be. Somewhat bittersweet? Tragic, like Romeo and Juliet? Or do we get the true HEA (Happily Ever After)? Even with an HEA, not every character is happy—not the villain and perhaps not some secondary characters. There may be unpleasant circumstances due to bad decisions. That’s okay. Just remember the expectations of your genre (romance readers expect an HEA or an HFN–Happy For Now). A spark of hope on the last page will satisfy your readers.

I hope these points help you craft exciting, riveting fiction. Do you have any rules you follow to keep your writing fresh and interesting? What are they?