A Slow News Day? Bring on the Doom Watch Dragons by Karla Stover

                           

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Western Washington is currently experiencing a period of slow news. The snow storms are over, Seattle's delayed and over-priced tunnel opened but no one seemed to care, and our never-met-a-tax-he-didn't-like governor is last on the list of presidential candidate wanna-bes. And when slow news happens, the media brings out the old tried-and-true, WE'RE DUE FOR AN EARTHQUAKE---A BIG ONE because though "Earthquake Tracker," recorded 3 in the last 20 hours, the biggest only registered a magnitude of 1.6.

Being prepared requires either a backpack full of stuff that never leaves your side--er--back, or separate kits for home, car, and workplace. On the list is coins for phone calls so, apparently it hasn't been updated in a while.

Zhang's seismoscope was a bronze vessel approximately eight feet tall and six feet in diameter, resembling a samovar. "Eight dragons snaked face-down along the outside of the barrel, marking the primary compass directions. In each dragon's mouth was a small bronze ball. Beneath the dragons sat eight bronze toads, with their broad mouths gaping to receive the balls." When the country experienced bad yin and yang ( an earthquake ,) a pendulum inside swung in the direction of the tremor and tilted one of eight horizontal arms which opened the mouth of the appropriate snake. It opened its jaws and dropped its ball into the mouth of the frog beneath.

      


                                                          I vote for the pretty one.

As for preparedness, we have canned goods, pet food, and batteries, and everyone knows the water in the toilet tank is perfectly safe to drink.
  

In the "Olden" Days

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In the “Olden” Days

            I’m sure almost everyone on Facebook has seen the video of two teenagers trying to dial a number on an old rotary style telephone.  For those my age, you probably laughed at their attempts. For those born after the 70s, you may have wondered as those teens did, just how that contraption worked.

            As I watched that video, I thought of other things that had changed over the years, especially in the field of novel writing. I used to go to the library on a regular basis to do research for my novels. I used a card catalog to look up subjects to see if there were any books available. There were encyclopedias and atlases, and row after row of non-fiction books full of facts on anything I needed. If my library didn’t have anything on a particular subject, I could usually get something on inter-library loan, where one library would mail a book to another.  (This worked pretty well except for the time I needed information on indigo and the first book that came in was written in German.)

            Then, once my research was done and my manuscript written, the long process of submission started. With no internet and email, first class letters were sent, always with an SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) for a reply from the publishing company. Unless you were an established author, first a query letter was sent, consisting of a letter of introduction and a synopsis of the story; sometimes a first chapter. If you received a positive reply, you usually sent the first three chapters, again by first class mail and with another SASE. Each submission was followed by anywhere from six or more weeks of waiting. If you received a nod on the first chapters, you submitted the full manuscript and again you waited. The entire process could take up to a year or more, but in the meantime you were working on your next book. Even when a manuscript was accepted, it might not be published for more than a year.

            What a difference technology makes! That old rotary telephone was replaced by a push button model, then a cordless, then a push button cell phone. Even that has been upgraded to a voice activated model so that you can “call grandma” without pushing a single button. (I simply activated the speaker on Google search and asked when the rotary phone was replaced with push buttons – 1963.)

Not only is research information available with the touch of a finger, virtual sites allow an author to “visit” places without leaving their office. I can even visit my library online when looking for a particular subject or book.

The process of manuscript submission has also changed to keep up with the times. Often queries can be made via email. The post office no longer gets my double fees for submission and SASE as a simple attachment is all I need when asked to submit a manuscript whether it is a partial or complete novel. Acceptance time and publication can be quicker so that you don’t have time to work on a new book before the edits on the current one are in your “in” box. (This is not always the case, but as with instantaneous information, things tend to speed up in this century.)

            One thing for me as an author that hasn’t changed is research on my setting. Whenever possible, I visit the setting of my current work. There is nothing better than wandering through a museum of 1850 artifacts, or walking through the streets of Boston soaking up the sounds and smells and feel of history. The feel of salt water spray on my face as a wave breaks gives me words that are hard to conjure while sitting at a desk with snow raging outside. These words help me construct a scene so my reader can also hear the sounds of rebels in Boston defying the British. They can taste the salt on their lips and hear the roar of the waves as our ship careens through a tumultuous storm at sea.

            One of the many benefits of the modern age for you as a reader is you have immediate access to many great books. Whether you love the feel of an actual book in your hands or prefer to read on an ebook reader or your computer, a wonderful world to explore is at your fingertips. All you have to do is visit www.bookswelove.com  for all the adventure, mystery, history or romance you are craving.

Is your first chapter overused or a cliché? by Rita Karnopp

Is your first chapter overused or a cliché?

Chapter 1 is the most important chapter of your book – including the ending.  Agents and editors will be the first to admit – if they don’t care about your characters by page one - five – they toss your book in the ‘not interested’ pile.  Why?

Today’s readers are savvy and know what they want … a book that challenges them.  A book that they can’t put down.  If you kill your character off in the first chapter – will your reader care why they were shot, crushed under a pile of cement, or got their throat slashed?  Yet, this ruse is used way too many times.

How about the cliché plots?  You’re gripping the page as the main character enters the cave.  It smells musty of years past.  She hears growling and points her flashlight and catches a glimpse of a furry animal … Is it a wolf? … or are the fangs, dripping with saliva, larger than real life?  She shudders – then it leaps – your main character jumps, crossing her arms in front of her face … she wakes sitting on her bed - startled from the oh too real dream.  Was it a warning – or premonition?  Give me a break.

Your reader will most definitely feel cheated.  These plots are overused and outdated.  Today’s reader won’t buy it – they’ll close the book or iPad.

Then there’s the prologue that many writers believe sets the story – before you begin reading.  Most agents hate prologues.  Why not grasp your reader on the first page of chapter one?

I’ve always felt a prologue was a cheesy way of giving chunks of the back-story – which would be more effective it this information was weaved into the story as it progresses.

I must be blunt and admit one thing I truly hate is the story that has so much flora and fauna that I forget what my characters are doing.  Set the scene, but don’t go overboard.  Having said that, not enough ‘setting the scene’ leaves the reader wondering what’s going-on around all the dialog.

You need to find a good balance between action and dialog.  Descriptions should be

revealed as a character sees, feels, hears, tastes, and then verbalizes.  The five senses in a good balance of natural movement.

He lost himself in her cool, green, piercing eyes.  He pulled away, concentrating on the red locks that rose above her head with endless twists and twirls until they fell back down in ringlets, caressing her ample bosom.  His breathing increased, and he fought for air . . . blah – blah – blah … you’ve lost the reader for sure.

Another way to get your reader to send your book across the room, hitting the wall with a loud thud is to bore them with ‘little’ things.  Huh?  You know when the characters are doing things that don’t advance the story … but seems to fill the pages . . . but nothing seems to be happening.  Such as staring out the window – thinking.  Leaning against her pillow – lost in thoughts.  She twirled her hair around her finger – staring at the wall.

The clichéd “Once upon a time,” or “In the beginning,” or “It all started when,” can literally be the kiss of death!  Try something more gripping … perhaps something more modern … catch your reader’s attention from the very first couple of lines. 

When I started writing “Atonement” I wanted my reader to know the tone of the book.  I wrote, “He bent her finger back.  All the way back.”  It made me shudder when I wrote it … and I hope that’s the exact reaction my reader experience.

When I start reading a book where there is more telling than showing . . . I won’t continue past the first page.  I want compelling scenes . . . a story that makes me ask what would make her do that or why is he doing that?  The writer must answer all the what, when, where, who and how or I won’t be a happy reader.

In movies as well as books, I hate when it starts out with an introduction; My name is Janet Howell, and I would never have guessed ten years ago that I’d have been the type of woman who would kill her husband.  I'm the sweet, next-door type of girl.  Really?  How more effective would it be using dialog; “I may have wished my husband dead a time or two.  But I didn’t kill him.  I’m just not that type of woman.”

I never fall for the ‘I can’t stand his guts . . . and three pages later they’re falling to the ground in uncontrolled passion

Never . . . never . . . never create a character that has no faults.  She beautiful with no blemishes, speaks flawlessly and has the whitest teeth known to man.  She couldn’t hurt a soul because she’s the sweetheart every man wishes he could marry.  If she is perfect – she can’t change and grow in the story.  There is no real conflict with her … how can there be?  She’s perfect.  Do you know anyone who is perfect?  I sure don’t… and only in a fairytale could she be … except that would be boring, too.

Lastly, let’s discuss the problem with ‘information overload’ on the first page.  The writer is so bent on ‘setting the scene and introducing the character’ they feel the need to bring us up ‘to speed’ with their life to this point.  No.  This is a bad way of eliminating the prologue . . . which I hate anyway.  Feed us this back-story information as the story progresses . . . and we get to know and care about your characters. 

 

Children of Fyre, newest BWL Release from Janet Lane Walters

 

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ISLAND OF FYRE SERIES, BOOK 4

In this return to the Island of Fyre, each of the heros and heroines of the three previous books have children. 

Lorton is the youngest son of the Wizards of Fyre and he has bonded with the yellow dragon. The dragon through the magic of the stones has been rejuvenated and is now green. Dragon sends Lorton to travel to where the Dragons of Fyre are raised.

There he meets Arkon son of the hero and heroine of the Dragons of Fyre. There have been four eggs laid and there must be two young men and two young women found to bond with them. 

On the island where the evil wizards were exiled, Cerene has grown up as little more than a slave. She can use all the fyrestones unlike her father. She learns about the kidnapping of Riara, daughter of the hero and heroine of the Temple of Fyre and vows to save her. 

The four must unite with their dragons and finally destroy the evil.

Solo Writing Retreat by Eileen O'Finlan

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It's time to seriously focus on the sequel to Kelegeen, so I spent the last week of February secluded in a hotel suite in Worcester, Massachusetts, where the sequel will be set, to work undisturbed and undistracted.  I arrived at the Residence Inn in Worcester late on Monday afternoon.  Once I was settled in, I got right to work.  The suite has a great little work area with the most comfortable chair ever – I wish I could have taken it home!

The first hurdle was getting on the Internet.  I was given my WiFi password when I checked in, but getting to a screen that actually asked for it seemed an impossible task.  I finally stumbled upon it, put in the password and I was off and running.  The table is right in front of the windows, so during the day the sunlight helped a lot, which is a good thing since the lighting in the suite left a lot to be desired as did the lack of dish liquid and a frying pan, but I digress. 

I wanted to get as much as I could out of this week, so I made it an early night.  I had not realized just how exhausted I’d been until I tried to wake up the next morning.  Even after my brain woke up, my eyelids refused to open.  I think it was around 11:00 a.m. before I dragged myself out of bed.  Yikes!  Most of the morning already gone before I could even eat breakfast, shower, and dress. 

Assuming, I’d have no problem getting online, I fired up the laptop only to find that I had no Internet connection.  After trying in vain to retrace the steps that finally connected me the night before, I gave up and asked the guy at the Front Desk for help.  He obligingly came to my room and had my laptop online in about two seconds.  For those who don’t know (until then, that included me) when you can’t reconnect to a public WiFi connection, try going to a site called purple.com.  It reroutes your computer to get you back online.  Who knew?  I sure didn’t.  Good thing Front Desk Guy knew.  Thank you Front Desk Guy!

I spent the rest of the day with my eyes glued (not literally – I mean, ouch and yuck!) to Erin’s Daughters in America:  Irish Immigrant Women in the Nineteenth Century by Hansia R. Diner.  Between reading, note-taking, and checking information online, the afternoon flew by.  I did make a point of ungluing my eyes long enough to walk all the hallways on all four floors of the building just to keep my circulation going.  There was little chance of falling asleep at the desk despite feeling like I could nod off at any minute (still in the extreme exhaustion phase) since the air around the desk felt as icy as if I’d opened the windows.  I hate being cold, but, hey, it kept me awake and working.

I went to bed extra early that night, hoping to make up for my late rising.  It didn’t work.  Well, I did get up a little earlier than the previous morning, like around 10:30.  It dawned on me that I needed this week as much to rest as I did to research and write so I decided to stop mentally berating myself for sleeping late and make the most of the time I was awake. 

When I finally finished Erin’s Daughters, it was time for my tour of the four floors.  I remembered seeing photos of various places in Worcester in the hallways of each floor so this time I took my camera.  Meg, my main character, would have arrived from Ireland on a ship and docked in Boston Harbor, then taken a train to Worcester.  I know the current train station wasn’t built until 1911 so I’ve been trying to figure out where the station would have been in my story.  One picture might have given me a clue.  It’s the outside of a building with the words Boston and Albany – New York – New Haven and Hartford – Boston and Maine engraved in the façade.  Hmmm…could this have been the original station?

Research brings both answers and questions.  The more I find out the more I need to know.  So along with my notes I have a growing list of questions, most of which have to do with the who and where in Worcester in the 1850s. 

After checking the website for the Worcester Historical Museum I found that they have a plethora of information on Worcester in the 19^th century.  I gave them a call, only to find I was speaking with a woman who took the online course in Church History that I just finished teaching.  What were the odds of that?  She informed me that the museum’s archivist is an expert on Irish immigrants in Worcester.  Pay dirt!  I made an appointment to meet with her so the last night of my solo retreat was spent writing out those all-important questions I want to ask her.

Oh, and one more thing – Chapter 1 is well underway.  The sequel has officially begun.