New Writing Phase/Genre Time

I am back to trying to edit again…not because I want to. Editing is my least favourite thing to do, especially when I have a novel that keeps screaming to be written and couple ideas running through my head.

I tend to go through phases of writing genres. I don’t know why and I wish I could explain it. It seems like I am going to be in a dystopia YA genre phase. I’m not complaining because it has me intrigued. The only complaint is more of a worry because it is a new genre. Sure, I’ve written one novel, but that is not enough.

It is easy to speculate about the future because so many things can happen. I think I am drawn to this genre because there will always be violence as the world changes. Also, most of what has been established will be changed. It’s intriguing to think of these concepts. It’s also as close to science fiction writing as I will get.

Have other writers gone through a phase similar to this? Or are most authors always in one genre and have never ventured?

Sorry for the short post, not much is new and I’m more distracted about my health issues. Update to come about that later.

Control Me Cover Reveal

I doubt I really need to say anything. Been busy writing my other book and figured this would give me drive to edit more.

Hope you all like. May be fixed before publication date.

Almost Time to Edit…Again

Well, that title pretty much gives away what this post is going to be about. I finished typing up Control Me, reaching just over 90,000 words. There is one problem though, I tend to add more than remove in my novels.

I find when I write I forget parts of sentences or I don’t fill in the blanks when it comes to describing scenes or parts. It’s the only downside of handwriting what I think of at the time.

Editing will resume soon, I just need to make sure I’ve taken a long enough break. I did do all the chapters, making sure that they were not too long. I like smaller chapters, easier to read. This, too, may change as I edit. I remember changing a lot with Murder Never Dies and Unknown Caller.

Once I get the first 10-15 chapters edited I will post them for free for people to download and get a feel of my novel. It’s not like any other I have written and I enjoy it, but I am sure most may not.

For now, I have been working on the sequel to The Selected while processing two other book ideas. This tends to happen a lot, I get many ideas, but I have to make sure I really want to edit or not. The sequel is going well. Most of the plot is starting to fall in place already, making it easier to write. The only problem is my work and health issue is making it difficult to stay awake once I am home.

I am 60 pages into the novel, which is a nice chunk. Some day’s I wish I was a full time writer with a schedule I created and had a room I could lock myself in that never let me get distracted. I’ll continue to dream.

Back to writing! I am in the mood to do it and have not done any yet…I am terrible. Next week I should be editing and should have Control Me up by the summer!

Control Me Preview

I haven’t had much happen in my life in almost a month. I have been busy working, Christmas shopping and preparing to go to two football games. One game involves me dying my hair bright green and blue, and painting my face. Will post some of those pictures.

Instead of ranting I figured I would post some of the book I am working on typing up, Control Me. Be warned, this is the typing up of the rough draft, I haven’t gone through to edit or make sense out of most of the novel.

Hope some people enjoy it, this is one of my favourite parts that I have typed up so far.

Cpt. Anderson saluted his superiors before he guided me to the chair next to where he sat down. His face was serious and he stayed quiet. Technically, he was not forced to attend this meeting, but he chose to for my sake or the sake of his superiors for he was unknowledgeable with how much power I acquire.

When I sat down I glanced at each officer before looking back at Cpt. Anderson. No one looked pleased to be here.

“Well, Miss Clemmons have you been briefed as to why we asked to meet with you?” the officer directly across from me said. His tone made me feel like I was less intelligent than them.

“Yes, I have,” I replied. For first introductions, this was the worst. It felt like each of the six officers were trying to see through me

“before we proceed with making a decision and meriting your proof, we need to see evidence.”

What type of evidence? I said to each of the people’s minds in the room. I had enough of their attitude.

“I’m sorry. What did you just say? The officer sitting beside me said.

Cpt. Anderson tried not to laugh. Since yesterday he had adjusted to me talking to him through his mind.

I asked you gentlemen, how you would like me to prove my abilities.

“Your lips are not moving,” the officer sitting at the head of the table stated.

I know. I am not using my mouth to speak. For being superiors they lacked imagination and intelligence towards something other than literature and facts.

“But, how?”

Cpt. Anderson put his left hand over his mouth to help disguise and resist laughing more. He felt my frustration that I was feeling because he was sitting directly next to me.

I am speaking to you through your mind. I can say anything to you this way.

All six officers stared at me in awe and confusion.

“Nope. I don’t believe you,” the officer that addressed me first said.

I sighed. It’s true. It would be best if you realized it now before I show you the next part. I assure you it will not be pleasant for you. Not that I was complaining about potentially causing harm to them. This was what I feared: disbelief. All I wanted to do was scream out of frustration. If I became angry it would spread to everyone. I had not properly worked on my powers to handle too many people, or designate each person a different reaction.

“Was that a threat?”

Yes, it was. I do not like when people do not believe me.

“And what could you possibly do to make that threat a reality Miss Clemmons?”

Glancing over at Cpt. Anderson I smiled. “Sad or angry?” I said to Cpt. Anderson.

“Sad, I guess,” Cpt. Anderson responded. Although, it was humorous to think of the men in charge of him getting angry for no reason, sadness was more of a proof of my abilities.

“Excuse me Cpt. Anderson and Miss Clemmons, what are you two discussing?” the officer beside me said.

You will see. I focused my eyes on the six of them and began to send out the emotion of extreme sadness. My body did not react as I pushed the feeling onto them. If I was using my ability correctly, Cpt. Anderson was not to be affected by the feeling.

Each officer’s eyes began to tear up before they started to cry.

Believe me now?

“How? Why? I feel so sad right now,” the officer across from me said. His eyes were red and puffy from crying.

I am making you feel sad. It’s a way to prove to you my abilities.

“Enough! I can say that we believe you now.” He wiped his cheeks with the back of his left hand. His cheeks were damp from tears he did not know why they were shed.

Within seconds I stopped sending them the feeling of sadness. My point was proven my abilities existed.

“Do you know how much danger you are in with a third of the countries trying to find you?”

“As you have seen and experienced, I am more dangerous than any of them,” I said. Instead of speaking to them through their minds I opted to speak aloud. “Emotions are only one aspect of what I can control.”

“You are a commodity that people will do anything to get a hold of. As you have analyzed, people have ideas with the use of you.”

It felt like I was to be disposed of like I was a threat to the country and world. Fear set in as I saw their faces. It was a mixture of concern, anger and no emotion. This was business, and I was their business. “So, what am I to do?” as the officers discussed me, I sat in silence and waited for a response. No other option but waiting existed for me.

After seven minutes all the officers returned their attention to me. “For now you are to remain here and monitor any new messages received from these countries involved. You no longer need to look at previous documents,” the officer across from me told me. “You will be supervised and escorted at all times. You are to keep your abilities a secret. Only the people in this room are permitted to have knowledge of your abilities and the full extent of them.”

What he told me was not difficult. The supervising and escorting aspect bothered me though. “Anything else?” The tone of annoyance was strong in my voice and I didn’t bother to try and hide it.

“You are to not use your abilities.”

That statement bothered me the most. My abilities were a part of me. There was no switch to turn them on and off. “I’m sorry, but that one I will not agree with.”

“You have no say, we are telling you that you are not allowed to use them.”

“I do have a say.” I clenched my hands into fists to try to suppress my anger.

Cpt. Anderson put his left hand on my right forearm. He gave my forearm a light squeeze. “Sirs, you cannot ask her to not use what is a part of her,” he said to his superiors in defense of me. He chose to remain silent throughout the meeting, but now he intervened for my sake. The majority of the rules were able to be respected. The last one was not.

“Did we ask for your opinion for Cpt. Anderson?” the officer across from me said. He was displeased with Cpt. Anderson for speaking out.

“No, sir, you did not. You are making a terrible decision assuming Miss Clemmons will agree to the rules.” Cpt. Anderson knew that I was able to leave at anytime, and then they would be unable to control me.

“No offence, gentlemen, but if you want me to stay then I get to deal with all the rules except for the last one. I had the decency and respect to inform you of my abilities. I could have let the people try to find me and invade Canada,” I said. What I said was the truth. How they came to have knowledge of my abilities was from me informing Cpt. Anderson. They were not in charge, I was.

“We will have to discuss this,” the officer beside me said.

“You have till lunch. If you do not agree to my use of abilities I plant to pack, leave and return home this afternoon.”

“Another threat?”

“No. As you should have realized by now I do not threaten. I warn before I act.”

“We will notify Cpt. Anderson of our decision at 1100. Dismissed.”

Cpt. Anderson saluted as he led me out of the room and down to his office. Once we were out of earshot of his superiors he looked at me. “Well played, Janet,” he said. It sounded like congratulation. As we entered the stairwell he held the door open for me.

“I did my best. They were difficult to convince.” I walked down the stairs beside Cpt. Anderson without him the meeting may not have gone as well. In my defence he stood-up for me, not wanting me to be taken advantage of. Thank you for helping me in the meeting. It was nice having support. Support was not a concept I embraced often.

He smiled, knowing I was able to decipher what it was about. Once we reached his officer’s floor he stopped me outside the entrance. “Even if they told you that you were not allowed to use your abilities, would you have listened?”

“No.” I smiled. My rebellious nature made me unsuitable for the army. Taking orders was difficult for me.

“Come, we’ll keep you occupied as we wait for the decision.” He held open the door for me before he began to lead me to his office. Even after several days of me working in the building, the people in uniform still gave me awkward looks. Most of them he caught and gave a look back. Civilian workers were not uncommon, but it was rare to see a new one without a connection to a person already working on base.

 

Keep writing everyone! Never give up on it!

When I Want to do Other Work

My mind is a pain in the ass sometimes. A couple days ago I was typing up Control Me and working on the sequel to The Selected and my mind had to distract me.

My mind decided to distract me with a new book idea. I only typed up two pages and am still trying to get a feel for it. I figured I would share my really rough draft of it to decide if I want to continue or not.

Here it is:

The lights flickered in the hospital hallway I stood in. Alarms, sirens, beeps and shouting surrounded me. As people ran past me they shoved me to rush to rooms. Paramedics wheeled people in covered in blood, burns or other severe injuries. Everything seemed to be a blur. No one took notice of me as I searched the halls.

“Anna! What are you doing here?” my mother came out of a room. Her scrubs were coated with blood. She was coated in sweat, her ponytail now frizzy and falling out. She took off her gloves and placed both of her hands on my cheeks.

“Dad called. Why is he telling me to go to Denver?” I said to my mom while I looked at her. This was my mom on a rough night at the hospital. She was an ER doctor and the occasional surgeon if needed. “He said I had to leave tonight. I packed what I could and came here to get you.”

My mother led me around the nurses and doctors station and into a small break room to talk. The commotion in the hospital and the power on the brink of going out was too distracting and loud. “Oh, honey. My sweet baby girl.”

Whenever she said that I knew that she was going to refuse and follow it by an explanation that will not be favourable by me. “Mom, you have to come with me!” I protested.

“I have to stay here and help.”

“Dad said he wasn’t going and now you! What am I to do?”

“You can do this baby. Dad and I have obligations. He is in the military, he has to fight and I cannot leave the hospital with all the wounded.”

“Then why are people not leaving if the threat has publically announced?”

“Most people think we are safe here in Canada because only the States have been attacked. Your father and I don’t want to risk your life like that. You must go. Denver only suffered a little damage from a nuclear bomb far away from it.”

“How am I to get there?”

“The car sweetheart. Now, getting going.” Her eyes were tearing up.

The door opened and a male wearing scrubs entered the room. “Diane, thank god you are here. Well, hello Anna,” the male doctor said to me.

“Hello Dr. Schmidt. How are you?” I said. However hectic and depressing the situation was I never forgot my formalities.

“Glad to see that you have not left. Are you going to Denver?”

“Yes, she is,” my mother said with a stern voice.

“Good. My son, Devon, is on his way here. I was going to give him my car, but if you are going I would like it if he could go with you.”

“Devon, as in the sophomore U of T student?” I said to Dr. Schmidt.

“Yes. He will be here shortly. I, too, want you both to leave as soon as he arrives.”

“Why don’t you go with him?”

“I am obligated to stay here, just like your mother is. He is all I have left and I want to make sure he makes it to the refugee camp in Denver. If nothing happens here, I am sure we will all make our way down there to meet you and him. I will tell him to meet you out by your car once he arrives.” Dr. Schmidt left without saying another word. He sensed that my mother and I needed more time alone.

“Mom, you have to come with me.”

My mom pulled me into her arms and started to cry. Her entire upper body was heaving up and down as she cried. “No, baby. I need to stay here. Dad knows I am here and I have to wait for him.”

I started to cry against her shoulder, not wanting to let go. I had turned 18 on May 8^th 2016, only two weeks ago, and now we were preparing for a nuclear war. A war that was started between the United States and North Korea, and Canada was getting stuck in the mix because of being allies with the United States.

“The longer you stay, the harder it gets. Did you grab the photo album I told you to grab?”

“Yes, why?”

“I made it for you.” She pushed me away from her so she could look at me.

I realized she had known about this potential event longer than I did. “How long have you known about this?”

“Only a few days. Now go!” She let go of me, crossing her arms at her chest like she often did.

I nodded, knowing that stance and look, even through her puffy, red eyes and tears on her cheeks. I left the room, crying hard, and ran towards the entrance/exit that I was to meet Devon at. My whole body hurt from the crying that wouldn’t stop.

Pushing Limits

I have this weird conception where pushing limits is a great thing. Not in every day life, but in my books. I am not always a mystery writer…I dabble in other styles too.

My books contain violence. Some of it is overdone, others it is just right. What I mean by overdone  is 1440. That book is straight violence. It is hard to read because well, it’s gory. It was a riot to write because it was something so outside my normal way of life and thinking. An escape to a place so much worse than here.

Not saying all my novels are like that. Most do have a strong-willed, tough protagonist. No, that is not me. Strong-willed, maybe, but not tough, or as brave as most of my characters.

Pushing limits in novels is what makes them interesting. Most banned books push limits by containing information that some people find controversial. Not every novel can please every reader. The world would be so boring and generic if novels did do that.

All right, the main reason behind this post is about the next novel I plan to self-publish and the one I am hoping to finish writing soon. Both these books are a little different than I am used to writing, and tend to push a lot of limits; which I tend to do with my writing. I will start with Control Me. No, it is not sexual, start off with that. It’s a little out of my writing comfort zone. That’s right, I have one of those. This particular novel is about a girl born with a certain skills most humans do not have. She can control people with her mind, change their emotions and talk to their minds. She is wanted by all different governments/people wanting power to use as a weapon. She basically is forced to flee the country and hide with a highly trained guy. That is basically the gist of it. Lot’s of fighting, evil people and arguing. Yes, there is sex, but if there wasn’t I would be beaten my friend Shawna…with my own writing book. She is good at knocking that type of sense into me when it comes to my books. I cannot say any more because I am typing up the rough draft and will still need to edit it. As you can see, not exactly for everyone.

Now, The Selected. This one is about 14 year olds that get selected to pretty much become assassins/spies. They train to kill and will train to seduce. I am nearing the end of the novel, and there will be bloodshed and changing of the main characters mentality. I am waiting to hear uproars when I do self-publish it next year. No one is safe because in training people will die. Can’t really prevent people dying when they have to train with real weapons, or I am little sick.

Now that I have told you what my two current works are about you can understand why people may not like them. Some people should, but who knows. To end my blog, I will tell everyone something funny my co-worker told some of our new coworkers. He told people I am crazy because I write novels and like to murder lots of people in them. Outcome, most of them avoid me, but still piss me off. Now I wonder if I yelled if they would be terrified of me. Hmm…time to ponder scary writing mind.

Off to be productive, or think about being productive.

Too Hot to do Squat

That is my mom’s line, not mine. Mind you, I do use it quite a bit. I have done some writing and finished knitting my first eReader cover. Yeah for me!

To go along with my writing theme of trying to help others know more about writing techniques I am giving another definition of what I use: flashback. Here is the definition, including more specific ones.

Flashback: is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial back-story. A character origin flashback shows key events early in a character's development. In the opposite direction, a flashforward (or prolepsis) reveals events that will occur in the future. The technique is used to create suspense in a story, or develop a character. In literature, internal analepsis is a flashback to an earlier point in the narrative; external analepsis is a flashback to before the narrative started.

Trust me, this is handy to use and a lot of writers use it. In my latest novel. Murder Never Dies, I start the novel with a flashback. This part is essential to the back-story and instead of writing another entire novel, or a hundred pages at the least I include some smaller flashbacks. Here is the beginning of my novel as an example:

Blood; there was lots of it. It was everywhere. It was all over me and the floor beneath me. I looked around the room, trying to recognize where I was. I tried to move my head, but it would not re­spond to my command. Something was wrong beyond my ability to see or comprehend. My eyes were all I had to allow me to figure out where I was. The wall I was facing was dull, except for when the lights which flashed or highlighted it. The colours and patterns of the lights looked like those from emergency vehicles. Red, then white, then blue and it repeated. Not in a set pattern. I knew the pattern: officer down, in need of backup. Worse call to get and whenever the call came through it required the patrol cars full sirens and lights. I knew that call all too well and in this case, the officer was me.

I tried lifting myself off of the concrete floor. My mind seemed to not be able to send these thoughts of movements to my nerves in order to get my body to react. I looked at the ground in front of me and all I could see was blood. Is that all mine? It could not be. I was not alone in the room. There was someone else with me. Someone else that had been hurt or killed. I looked up as much as my eyes would let me without going blurry or crossed-eyed and saw the body of a man. He was not moving. He—too—was surrounded by blood; which I knew was his. His face seemed familiar to me. I looked at his features. The dark, empty eyes; the long black hair tied back in a ponytail, matted with blood, sticking to his cheeks. The expression on his face was not of sorrow or of pain, but of anger: pure hatred. Whoever he was, all I could get a sense of was that I had killed him. Shot him with a gun not belonging to me. My hands seemed to not want to work for me at the moment. The place became even lighter, like spot lights had been aimed at the building to see who was or was not inside it. To see the dead man or me would be hard, unless people were high enough up off the ground and that may not have been enough to see us on the floor.

“Brady Oakes. Come out with your hands up! Release Detective Walden!” a man with a megaphone said slowly, boldly, so that I could hear him with ease inside the building.

Brady Oakes? The name of the dead man came slowly back to my memory. I had been investigating murders and he had been the prime suspect. Had I come here to stop him or had I been taken as his next victim? I looked at the dead man or Brady Oakes as he was known as. Confusion set in, my thoughts and memories were all a mess in my head. The noises outside worried me because I could not remember what was going on or what had transpired. All I could hear was the sounds of vehicles running, no footsteps or voices. I wanted to cry out for help, but my voice would not allow me. Am I dying?

“Detective Walden? Can you hear me?!” the man on the megaphone said.

I tried to yell ‘yes’ in response. It failed. Everything I had tried to do failed. There was a noise, which sounded like a door being broken into. Where? I was unable to see, or tell where it was coming from. The loud thud surprised me. I did not know if my body had reacted to it or if my mind was the only part of me that did.

“Get a paramedic in here! She’s still breathing!” an officer yelled out to the emergency personnel on the other side of the door when he had reached me.

I felt a presence of a small group of people near me. Something unnatural was happening. My body was reacting to the presence of one person in particular: a man. He had to have been out of my range of sight since his presence was barely felt.

“Detective Walden, can you hear me?” a paramedic said to me as he crouched down by my face.

I tried to tell him that I could hear him. Why can’t I respond to him? My mouth was moving to the response that I wanted to say to him. I wanted to tell him, but no sound was generated or moved from my vocal chords.

“She can’t talk! We need to get her to the hospital immediately!”

The paramedics, slowly and carefully, rolled me on to my back, placing a neck brace around my neck. They checked my vital signs and wounds as quick as they could. The total amount of noticeable wounds was seventy: a large and concerning number of wounds for any person to obtain and still be alive and breathing. “Let’s rush her! She’s lost a lot of blood and if she loses any more she won’t be conscious for much longer, let alone alive!” They lifted me onto the stretcher and rushed me out of the building.

“I will be there in a bit,” the man that had spoken on the megaphone informed the paramedics. “I’m all that she has!”

“I’ll let the nurses at the hospital know, Sergeant,” one of the paramedics said before he closed the ambulance doors, allowing my sight of the man to no longer exist.

The following chapter begins with: “Chapter 1: Two Years Later”.  If I did not do this at the beginning I would have to do this at the end. Flashbacks are a major part of this novel because it relies on the connection of a past case with a current one.

Next week I will think of another common writing aspect, unless someone would like to suggest me to explain one. This helps me remember what I learnt when I got BA. in English and Professional Writing.

Foreshadowing

If I were to post this topic somewhere else I would get an onslaught of hatred with a few loves. I figured I should blog about it after talking to another writer.

Definition:

Foreshadowing: An indication of events that are to come. In fiction and drama, hints of forthcoming events prepare the reader or spectator for the eventual outcome of the action.

I don’t care what some writers say, I love it! Of course, you cannot use it all the time because it will loose it’s lustre. Some writers can pull this off well, while some do too much. To me, if you want to use this only put in a small section. If you give away too much then the reader knows what to expect. Mind you, I have only done this with one book: 1440. Okay, I am not fully experienced but I have done it before.

How I used it:

Sometimes, I wonder how I got here. Why did I deserve this? I have wondered a lot during the past day. It was all I could do. I have been alone most of the day. I spent most of the time in silence. Now I lie here, silent, and alone with my thoughts. I listen closely, and jump at the sound of gunshots, outside of the room I was locked in. I can hear the screaming and more gunshots. I turn my head and look at the empty doorway. I desperately want to know what is happening outside. Who is dying, and who is being injured. I cough up blood and spit what was left in my mouth on to the floor. I continued to listen to everything happening outside of the room I was in. I wished I could just get up and unlock the door to see the horror outside. My body will not move, except for turning my head. I cough up more blood and my eyes began to tear up. I know that this is not good. I know that I am dying. I look up at the door and watch it slowly darken. First at the edges, then the darkness swallows the door. The last thing I comprehended is the sound of a single gunshot and then utter silence.

This paragraph is the only thing in my prologue. I did not feel like it was necessary to put in more from the later chapter this comes from: second last chapter in my book. Oh yes, I do use prologues. Only in 2 books, so no need to yell at me.

I suggest that if people cannot think of a first chapter and want to write mainly the action or climatic scenes to use foreshadowing. It is a great way to draw in readers if done properly. Use it wisely and not for every book. I think it worked quite well for 1440.

Hope this helped other writers. My goals have always included helping other writers and never judging.

Back to reading I go…for now!

Such Good News That Other Authors Would not

Today my blog has reached 2500 views. For most, I know, it is small, but for an unknown blogger it is a a big deal. Mind you, I don’t know if people are actually reading my blog. Who cares! Still views.

Also, I have sold a few eBooks now and am content. Not a tonne, but enough to make me smile. And my free 10 chapter preview has done well. Barnes & Noble has had 184 downloads of it. Excitement. Maybe people will actually read it once it is officially complete.

Talking about that, the brother is getting the last chunk of editing today. Lot’s left for him, but then I can get a chunk done of the final revising. Ugh, almost done the painful part of completing a book to self-publish. So I hope by the middle of May to be at the end of revising, that way it can be out by June. I like to have books out for the summer, best reading time because people like to lie out in the sun. Also I can ignore the idea of having to type up another book.

Oh yes, so the YA novel is going well. Over 40 pages in. Fantastic. Thinking of the name “The Selected”, but knowing me, that will change. I suck at titles and I think one is great and the odds are never for me. I have named two books by myself out of 17.  Not a very reassuring number. I am not lying though, I like this book idea. It has been so long since I have been this dedicated to two books right in a row. This must feel like most writers when writing a new story…or I hope so.

Plus, I cannot understand how I am failing at my two hours of writing a night. I can do a chunk on my days off, but right after work when I should be relaxing and writing would be nice, I cannot do it. I get distracted, even with the hubby having to use my computer because his died. So sad.

One day I will get over my phobia of telling the world about my new book once I get over halfway through. Sorry, my only bad news of this blog posting.

All right, rambling aside, I must get back to writing before the doctor’s appointment. All I do is do the whole wait and see game with doctors. For those that know me, six months of this is not good. I have now lost all patience and am getting pretty moody. Due to that, I am off to write. Helps me vent and relax.

New YA Book

Oh my god!!! If I were a dog I would be running around in a circle for several minutes. And yes, that was far too many exclamation marks, so hate me all you want for it.

I have not written or even thought of writing another YA since I was a YA. This seems a little strange to me. No, I am not writing it because it’s the most sold age group for novels or because I want to be the next Suzanne Collins or Stephanie Meyer. I am writing this because for some strange reason this book idea came out of nowhere.

I am over 20 pages in, which is not much, but remember, I handwrite like I am an old woman. By now if I did not like the book I would stop. Instead, I am stuck in the debate of how many novels should be in this series. 2? 3? 4? It’s so tough. I am thinking four, but then I have to make sure I talk about the characters and what is happening and not jump right to the action.

For those of you that do not know me, I love action. Ok, fine, I also like getting to know characters too.

As you can tell, I am excited about having a new book idea that is sticking and so soon after completing both writing and typing up one. I do have to edit my other novel at the same time, but now I can dedicate some time to writing.

Trying to write two hours a night is tough, but I have to. Not for myself, sadly. I have a demanding friend, aka the sister, who wants to read as I write. So, lots of writing needs to occur.

All I can say is that it involves teenagers, violence, training, education and survival. Yeah! My style of novel!

Back to writing I go. Yippie! Oh, here is the novel that a friend chose for me to write in.

Book Idea and Editing

With every complete book I tend to go through a week lull. This is where I let my mind go free. Yes, I just considered my mind a separate entity.

I finished typing my book last Monday. It was just over 76k. A solid chunk of words in my opinion.

My editing shall begin tomorrow. The least favourite part of my writing. I hate editing, I tend to add more to the stories and that is never good. More is not always better, but it happens a lot to me. My last novel grew by over 3k.

Editing is important, it then allows me to self-publish my book. I like owning my own copy. No offence to some writers I know that just write to try and get a big publishing company to publish them, I like it for myself. So, editing is my next step, a long step at that.

Oh yes, what is this book idea? It seems that during my down week where my brain rests my brain wanted to create a new book idea. Right now I am trying to feel it out.

Book ideas come and go. In order to make sure it can turn into a novel, like Murder Never Dies, is by writing out a small chunk. This way I can get a feel for the characters and plot.  I have a couple novels where I get over 30 pgs. in and other novels take over my attention. It happens to writers…I hope.

Maybe it is just me. I can start books, but continuing them is the issue. I dabble a little with the one book I have been writing for a couple years as passing the time until other books become more important. This one is a little different. Surrounded by revenge. Not typical revenge though. More driven. There is nothing to gain. Just satisfaction. Well, thus far anyway.

I’ll give it a couple of days to see how I feel about it. I’ll let you guys know how it goes. Back to writing. Tomorrow is the beginning of editing. Busy days off ahead!

Ten Pages Away From Finishing Typing and I Stop

What the hell, right? Well…never mind I have no explanation.

Sure, I can blame being in immense pain, but I have had time since my Mom typed up some of my book for me. Lack of motivation? Nope, because I write. Distracted with Game of Thrones and Mass Effect 3 watching? Nope, Game of Thrones is finished and I can multi-task with Mass Effect 3 on.

What’s wrong with me? Nothing, out of the ordinary anyway.

Fine, I will tell the reason. Once I finish typing that means I will have to edit. And, when I mean edit I mean add a lot, take out a little and leave it for a couple weeks. Then I edit and then my brother will edit and another book will be done. After that I will start writing more to finish another book and have to decide what book next to type up.

See? The never-ending process of being a writer on the side. It’s madness.

It’s not like back in high-school where I had a class dedicated to writing in Gr. 12. That’s right, I had an entire class dedicated to creative writing and I loved it. Now that I just work all the time I am old and have to be in the mood to write and end up treating it like a second job that maybe pays me $100 a year.

All right, all right. I know I said I do the writing for me, but seriously, why can’t I knit like my mom and make something useful? All I could ever knit was scarves. And I have lost all my wood-carving skills that my grandpa taught me. One day I hope that returns.

Gr, you found out I went off topic. But, yes, hopefully tomorrow I will complete my typing. There, be happy everyone. I can just sense my brother going “Hurry up already”, even though I don’t think he reads my blog. And well, the hubby has the best approach, “Do what you want to do.” With that, I shall think of a new book idea…maybe.

I can sense another one, so maybe I will do a bit of that story, read a little and maybe work on a story that has been kicking around for 3 years that I just need to keep writing. I’m already 60some pages in, so the continuing of that is easy.

Back to being productive I go. Here is the new book cover for Murder Never Dies. The hubby helped me fix it to make it look better. Sometimes I keep him around for help.

Back From Writing Coma

Not an actual coma, but I did spend a lot of time writing. I was determined to finish my 16th book. It was driving me crazy….more crazy than usual.

When I get near the end of the book it pretty much haunts me to finish it. It’s a world needing completion. People think I am insane and I am starting to agree.

So, with this book complete I took an updated picture of my completed novel collection.

Viola!

Most of the novels have 2 and from the bottom up it is through the years 2000-present time. That’s right everyone, I’ve been writing since I was 12.

Well, good news to all that have been giving me sh** for not finishing typing up Murder Never Dies, that will now start up again with Control Me being completed.

I am sorry if this post is short and boring, but my mind is going everywhere. I get all hyper for finishing one book and now want to finish the other so my brother can edit it since he so volunteered. Muahahahaha….he’s screwed….just kidding.

I guess I better go put on a pot of tea and get to typing. 60k typed, hopefully less than 30k to go…shoot me.

Thought to self…May need new hobby.

I Hate Endings

No, seriously, I do. This is no joke. Endings are just as painful as beginnings. You cannot just end up a book with “And they lived happily ever after”. Never going to happen.

Let me tell you, this book is being  pain-in-the-butt. I can see where it is going, but then it just stops when it comes to how to officially end the novel. Happy? Sad? Ambiguous?

Damn! All of them are good options that work with Control Me. I swear, I do this to myself every time. After 11 years one would think I would have learnt by now to not do this, but nope, I have not.

It’s just so hard! I am so close to the end and all I see is “blank”. If there were enough swear words to express this feeling properly, insert it now. For having  book outside of my norm it is doing well…in my eyes. I am biased because I like my books….at times.

The ending needs to live up to the hype of the book. No worries, the hype is for myself only, no pressure. It has to flow. I cannot just insert a happy ending if it feels like it is tainting the plot.

Alas, I may have to harass friends to answer the question:  “How should I end my novel?”

If anyone knows, let me know. If not, prepare for the contained anger of the book soon. I hope. The book may take more time than I want to finish, but that is another issue.

Free 10 Chapter Preview

Today I decided that I would be brave and place 10 chapters of my next book, Murder Never Lies, for free on Smashwords.

Sure, it is not edited as of yet, but it is still a great way to give people a free taste of what I am writing. Plus, if people like it and want to read more, they may buy my book. Hence the word may.

I cannot give away my entire book for free. Just something about my pride of my books.

This is just a short post. Let’s see if I can get more downloads than my other two books, 1440 and Unknown Caller. It’s fun to do experiments.

Let’s hope by the summer my book will be typed and edited. Ugh, I hate editing my own work. Yet, it is better written than the other two. My, how writing in university is much better than writing when I was in highschool.

Well, here is the link for the preview.

The Hunger Games

I was recommended by a younger co-worker to read this series. As I am reading, over 10 chapters into the first book, I realize that what is now seen as Young Adult/Teen has become more adult.

Yeah! Makes the reading more mature and well, the odd YA books I have written are somewhat acceptable.

But, here is my thing. We have books like To Kill a Mockingbird and even Harry Potter being banned, yet the idea of murdering other people as a game is fine. The world of literature is still confusing.

I have friends that try to give advice on how to become writers, famous and write something original. To me, this is all wrong. Every writer is influenced by something and takes a part of its influence and writes it into the book. It’s just the way it is.

There are some hints of what The Hunger Games is influenced by, but it does not harm the book; it improves it.

What I also fear is that people that are writing and want to get published are now going to copy from this book, just like the Twilight phase.

Books in a similar genre survive and will do fairly well. Books that are directly related/similar do not do so well. Why read a book about a book that already exists?

Well, back to reading I go. I am awaiting the phenomenon of what is going to arrive in my little self-publishing website after the movie is out. If anyone else knows of other books that try to copy popular series let me know.

As for my writers opinion, I still plan not to copy any books. Maybe an aspect, or a name, but nothing more.

Book Has Taken Control

I love this. I hate this. My hand hurts and I lack my normal sleeping pattern.

This is all what happens to me and how I feel once a book consumes my mind. Its like a horrible infection that I love at the same time. I know the hubby loves it when he is home, it gives him a reason to play NCAA more because I am distracted.

Right now I am gearing up to shift the book to a whole new place (an actual place). With preparation comes time and detail. A person cannot just travel somewhere and not be prepared.

When a book consumes the majority of your brain, that is when you know you are an author. While I was at the gym I was plotting what to do next in the book, in what order. Never have I written down an outline because most of it remains in my head. I guess one good thing I have is a memory associated with words.

So far, this new style of book is going well. It will be one of my longest books because its been almost 100 pages and still no physical action has been written. But, it is moving quickly. A lot has happened. I have not felt this good writing a book over a year. I hope I don’t lose this feeling.

Well, I best get back to writing. I hope my mind will let it leave my brain so I can actually get some sleep tonight. Goal is to reach page 100 by Sunday night. That means only 15 pages to write, which is a lot when I work 8 hours for the next three days.

I hope every writer feels this feeling of obsession, a need to write and the feel of happiness while writing.

Ideas Building Inside

Not going to lie, this is happening to me right now. For the past couple nights I have had this idea brewing in my head as I tried to fall asleep. It hit me so hard that I knew I needed to figure out where to place it in my book.

This is the downside of being a writer, you get smacked with ideas that do not fit in the story right now. So, I have to keep the idea fresh in my mind as I write closer to when it gets placed in.

I am sure I am not the only one that suffers from this. Over the years I have developed some tips.

1. Do not force yourself to write it into the story as soon as you think of it. That is bad, unless it does fit. You thought of it and you will think of where it should go.
2. Try not to forget the idea. This is a hard tip because it could be weeks before you get to write the idea out. If you are one to forget, write it down on a piece of paper and either put it near your computer or inside the cover of the book you are writing in.
3. Never overthink the idea. I know this contradicts my earlier post, but while trying to remember the idea sometimes overthinking will occur. Developing on it is fine, as long as it does not take away from the initial idea.
4. Think of what you were doing when the idea came about. This can be useful when trying to remember it better. I get an idea a lot when I am in bed trying to sleep, or watching Drew play video games.
5. Tell someone else. This can help develop the idea, as well as having an extra person to remember an idea.Sadly, this one is new to me. I tell Drew some of them in case I forget, but so far (after years of practice) my memory is able to contain them all. Oh yes, with telling other people, they can give you feedback if you want it.
6. This is applicable to all forms of writing, not just novels. So, if you are a student and have a painful essay, this can be helpful in that it will give you an idea on where to take the paper, or a part of it that can be placed in it.

Keep the idea fresh and understand that this will happen a lot to you if you decide to keep writing. Most of my novels appear as random ideas and it kills me when I am at a place and I cannot write it out. So, as my last tip, bring paper and a pen if you don’t already, or ask your girl to bring it. Sounds weird, but these are useful besides writing out story ideas.

Oh yes, make sure this idea will fit with your style of writing. It is important not to differ too much. Back to writing I go. I have an idea to get to writing out before it makes my brain hurt. I hope this is helpful and gives some great insight.

Writing Advice 4

This should have been my initial advice post, but I got distracted with all the other amazing advice out there. People comment that I write in the same style. Well, of course I do, as do many other writers in the world.

Find your style and voice and do not change it. This is what makes you a unique writer. If you are strong at writing love stories, stick with it. Over the years people have asked me to write a love story. Here is my response, I don’t know love, only the love I put in my stories. I know crime and pain. Sadly, its what I know, but every story I place in love because it always helps a story.

If you do want to try another style, do it by all means, just do not give up on your original style. Here is a little type, always have a phrase you like for your characters to use and place it in every story. May seem repetitive but it is yours and helps connect you to your story.

Plus, your style will change as time goes on. You will branch out, write more or less, try new things, add ideas and concepts. Embrace it. Cherish it.

No matter what, please do not let other people interfere with your style. This is who you are as a writer. It is your voice. Do not be afraid to put yourself into this voice, it gives more to the potential reader.

Keep writing because I am. Never lose your goals and ideas. Remember: if you are writing, its for you mainly and only a little for others. Like I said, I am never giving up crime writing. It’s me. My husband can agree to that, so can my parents and close friends.