Tag: #WolvesKnight

Moving From Start to Finish #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Dec 18, 2023

Describe your steps for moving from a story idea to a finished story.

Steps? You think I have standard steps? Are you trying to make me laugh?

Thing is, my process can vary from story to story. I’m a ‘pantser’ writer. That means I don’t have a plot and outline before I start writing. My stories are very much ‘discovered’ as I put words on paper. Even when I have a basic storyline in my head, my characters change things around on me.

Take Tasha from Wolves’ Knight, for example. I had a sweet little romance all planned out for her. Even wrote a first kiss scene, taking place at the top of a waterfall on a moonlit night in a remote wooded area. Where would that kiss lead? I never found out. Tasha protested. Told me I was hooking her up with the wrong guy. (Yes, my characters and I have animated discussions. Some might call them arguments.) When I figured out who she wanted to be involved with, I couldn’t believe it. I had to go back and make small changes to make it happen, but she was right. The book was better because of it.

But here’s my basic process, subject to revision at a character’s whim. I get an idea for a story-it may be something that comes in a dream, or creeps up on me as I’m working on something else, or it may rattle around in my head for years. (Take my current work in process. I wrote the first draft over ten years ago. And I still want to add another book to the Free Wolves series. I haven’t touched that series since 2019.)

Now that I have an idea, I start writing. I start at the beginning of the story and write the book straight through to the end, without jumping around. The exception is when I go back and add or change things because my characters insist.

Once I’ve gotten to the end, it’s time for revisions. There’s lots of advice about taking at least two weeks off from the story, but that never works out for me. I always want to dive in and start fixing things immediately. There’s a lot of editing/revising that happens. Everything from fixing one or two words to cutting entire scenes. (My last release, The Rise of Jake Hennessey, went through at least five rounds of editing. I lost count.)

At that point, the story is done. As an indie author, there are more steps to getting it ready for publication. Formatting, copywrite, cover, etc.

That’s how I do things, anyway. Other authors may do it differently. Let’s find out by checking in with the rest of the participants on this hop. Check out the links below.

FYI, because of the holidays, there won’t be a blog hop the next couple of weeks. Whatever you celebrate this time of year, may your days be happy/merry/blessed/bright. (And safe.) See you again in January!

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And The Second Runner Up Is #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb 15, 2021

Did you ever get picked last in gym or some other class? Have you used that in your writing?

I was never one of the popular girls in school. Too introverted, too nerdy, too weird, I guess. I had my nose in a book most of the time.

But I had the advantage of being from a large family with older brothers. Along with the neighborhood boys who were the same age as them, I joined in playing backyard sports with them. Baseball, touch football, basketball, or whatever else was the flavor of the day. So, I wasn’t afraid to be aggressive when we played sports in gym class. Even if I didn’t have finesse, I wasn’t scared to get in the way of opposing players, and that earned me a defensive spot on a team every time. Still, I wasn’t the top choice either, leaving me with a sense of insecurity until my name was called. (Why were the popular girls always chosen to be the team leaders by the teachers?)

Have I used this in my writing? Not directly, but the experience may have flavored the backgrounds of a few of my characters. Take Tasha from Wolves’ Knight, for example. She’s always trying to prove herself and drive herself to become better. No one asks her do it, it stems from an internal need.

Her lungs screamed from the lack of oxygen, her eyes burned from the sweat streaming into them, and she could no longer feel her legs. She was past pain and moving from sheer force of will. But she wanted to go farther. Her goal was the meeting of the southern and western borders. And past that if she could hold on that long. From Wolves’ Knight

Was Tasha chosen last in gym class? I doubt it. But the strong males of the pack would have been chosen first, if they were in coed classes. And Tasha wasn’t the type to have been one of the popular kids. She was too serious for that to happen.

Lori from Wolves’ Gambit had it worse. She was the runt of the litter, and was left out of everything.  As a result, she operates with a chip on her shoulder, but has learned to use her small size as a tool, rather than it being a disadvantage. 

“So, what kind of shifter are you?” Turtle asked.

“Wolf.”

“No, really.”

“Wolf.” Lori shrugged. “Even in wolf form, I’m small, but that’s the way it is.”

“Then why can’t we smell or hear you?’

She moved away the mental blocks that kept her secure. “Try now.” From Wolves’ Gambit

I’ve always had a thing for the underdog, having been one, and that’s reflected in my stories. How about the other authors on this hop? We can find out by following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

Feb 15, 2021

Did you ever get picked last in gym or some other class? Have you used that in your writing?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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Traditions in My Stories #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 March 4 question – Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?

When I first saw this question, my instantaneous response was “Yes, of course!” Then I got thinking about it and couldn’t come up with a solid example.

I could mention going for walks in the fall and shuffling through fallen leaves, but that seems like a stretch. Or building snowmen and going sledding in the winter. The truth is, I want my characters to develop their own traditions.

Like the way Harmony, the main character in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, always carries dog treats so she can give one to her landlords’ dog, Piper. Or the way she always pats some part of her car, Dolores – the roof, the hood- the trunk- before she gets in. Or how she counts the stairs going to her apartment on the third floor. But that may not be as much of a tradition as a symptom of  her un-diagnosed ADD. 

I tried harder in my urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Free Wolves,  to create traditions as part of my world building. That was a necessity because part of the conflict in the series in tradition vs the modern world. To create a character who supports traditions while at the same time breaking those traditions frequently made for some great tension. 

Here’s a quick snippet from Wolves’ Knight that highlights the conflict:


“In here, between us, I’d appreciate it if you call me Gavin. I’d get rid of the title if I could, but that’s not going to happen.”

“Pack tradition is hard to change.” Tasha used her free hand in a futile effort to return her hair to a resemblance of neatness.

“I didn’t realize how hard it would be.” Gavin frowned. “I thought that as our generation came into power, we’d be able to change all those things we talked about when we were younger. It never ceases to amaze me how many people our age are happier sticking with tradition because it’s easier.”

You can find out more about my books by checking out the other pages on this website.

So, the answer is no. I haven’t included family traditions. I leave it up to my characters to create their own.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 4 posting of the IWSG are Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!