Category Archives: Humor

February 11, 2014 · 6:19 am

16 bit Inspiration

Final Fantasy VI, originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in America as Final Fantasy III, was one of my favorite games ever–I had it for both the SNES and the Playstation.

(From Wikipedia) “The action takes place on a large, unnamed world. During the course of the game, its geography and landscape change due to various developments in the game’s plot. During the first half of the game, the world is divided into three major continents and referred to as the World of Balance. The northern continent is punctuated by a series of mountain ranges and contains many of the locations accessible to the player. Most of the southern continent has been taken over by the Empire, while the eastern continent is home to a large patch of land called the Veldt where monsters from all over the world can be found. Halfway through the game, the world’s geographical layout is altered, resulting in its three large continents splitting into several islands of various size situated around a larger continent at their center. This altered layout of the game’s locations is referred to as the World of Ruin.

“In contrast to the medieval settings featured in previous Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy VI is set in a steampunk environment. The structure of society parallels that of the latter half of the 19th century, with opera and the fine arts serving as recurring motifs throughout the game, and a level of technology comparable to that of the Second Industrial Revolution.

“Railroads and steamships are in use, and a coal mining operation is run in the northern town of Narshe. Additionally, several examples of modern engineering and weaponry (such as a chainsaw, drill and automatic crossbow) have been developed in the Kingdom of Figaro. However, communication systems have not reached significant levels of development, with letters sent by way of carrier pigeon serving as the most common means of long-distance communication.”

I loved that game! I played it and beat it four times, and still to this day love it. One of the things I loved the most about it is the sheer, unabashed love of FUN that the creators injected into it.

There is a wonderful scene that takes place in an Opera House, complete with an entire opera, that is performed during a 12 minute race to save Terra from a demented octopus intent on killing her. The opera can be seen and heard here via YouTube, in its full glory. In the original game, the music was performed on a midi and was really good, but the original composer has since released fully orchestrated versions of all the music he composed for the Final Fantasy empire at Square/Enix over the years, up to Final Fantasy IX.

The music of these games attracts me as much as the incredible story-lines and great artwork. The primary composer of music for the main series was Nobuo Uematsu, who single-handedly composed the soundtracks for the first nine games. I just recently purchased Distant Worlds, his 2007 compilation of the work he did for the franchise, and it is part of what I listen to when writing.

There is something so evocative about his music, it helps me concentrate.

And so, today I leave you with another YouTube example of Uematsu’s work, Love Grows, from The epic Final Fantasy VIII, featuring the enigmatic Squall Leonhart as the reluctant hero. Great stories, awesome side-quests–those early Final Fantasy games couldn’t be beaten for sheer entertainment value.

I am still playing Final Fantasy XII on the PS2, perhaps not obsessively, but still enjoying it. I have Final Fantasy XIII for my PS3 – but I have to admit that I am unable to get completely into it. The story-line seems awesome, and the graphics are gorgeous, but I can’t seem to get too far into it.

Perhaps I’ve grown up a bit, and have my own fantasies to write.

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Filed under Adventure, Battles, Books, Dragon Age, Final Fantasy, Humor, Japan, writer, writing

Tagged as adventure, battles, fantasy, fiction, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VI, literature, Nobuo Uematsu, Squall Leonhart, writing

January 30, 2014 · 6:52 am

Philosophy and Crafting a Tale

The Buddha once said, “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” I believe this to be true, and try to live my life accordingly. I am a basically happy person.

I think a certain amount of my personal philosophy finds its way into my writing. It’s only human nature to want to make the world to fit your idea of what is good and beautiful. In my worlds, good people always find themselves in bad situations, but through the drama, heartache and violence, what I hope to express is the beauty of life, the emotions that are experienced when joys are contrasted against sorrows.

If you have never felt hunger, you can never understand what it is to have plenty. In the same context, if you have never known sorrow, how can you know joy? The contrasts of life are the flavors, the textures that give it meaning.

The Buddha also said, “There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.” This is a fundamental truth for all writers of traditional fantasy fiction when devising plots, one that J.R.R.Tolkien understood quite clearly. After all, what would have been the point of Frodo and Sam going to the depths of Mordor, suffering the hardships they endured if not to destroy the One Ring and negate the power of Sauron? And why would they do this, if Sauron was not the embodiment of evil?

In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, we have one of the most enduring works of modern fiction. It is an epic quest where through it all, we have joy and contentment sharply contrasted with deprivation and loss, drawing us in and inspiring the deepest emotions. This use of contrast is why Tolkien’s work is the foundation upon which modern epic fantasy is built.

If I can create a tale in which the reader experiences the full gamut of human emotion, I will have done my job. The longer I am at this craft, the more I see that the rest of my life will be a training ground, teaching me new things, and widening my writing horizons everyday. With each thing I have written over the years, my work has evolved. Because the universe follows certain fundamental laws and nothing is static, my work and that of all dedicated craftsman-authors will continue to evolve.

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Filed under Adventure, Battles, Books, Fantasy, Humor, Literature, writer, writing

Tagged as adventure, Art, battles, books, fantasy, fiction, Frodo, human nature, humor, J.R.R. Tolkien, literature, Lord of The Rings, Mordor, mythology, Samwise, The Buddha, writing

January 28, 2014 · 6:35 am

William Morris, Tolkien, and Modern Elves

Pauline Baynes’ map poster of Middle-earth published in 1970 by George Allen & Unwin and Ballantine Books.

Lately I have been ‘guru-ed’ to death on various different writers forums by a few indie authors, whose own work is a great deal less than stellar, harshly criticizing the quality of writing of everyone from J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Jordan.

Some people–I wonder, do they even read the comments they write? I am going to tell you straight up: Tolkien did NOT use too many words in The Hobbit, and the movie was not better. Tolkien was Professor of Anglo-Saxon Studies at Pembroke College, Oxford, he invented the elfin language and as such, we may be assured he had a moderately good grasp of the English language, and the literature of his time.

He wrote in a lyrical style, with descriptions and side quests, things that enthralled avid readers like me who understood how to set aside a day to just to enjoy a good read.

The movie, while it is awesome, exciting and great fun, bears some relation to the actual book but certainly does not chronicle it. In the book for starters, Legolas was not a character, he did not have a love interest, and neither did Kili. If you read the credits at the end of the movie, you will see it clearly says “BASED ON” the book, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The problem with the book is not in Tolkien’s writing. It is in the eye of the beholder who never learned patience, or appreciation of a well-told story.

Fortunately, we now have an emerging generation of young women who consider “Pride and Prejudice” to be their favorite book of all time, and this gives me hope. Pride and Prejudice is about manners, yes–but it is also about that intrinsic thing all great novels consider, the search for self, and underneath the trappings of fantasy, the elves and goblins, so is the Hobbit.

That quest to discover who we are and what we are capable of is what drives Bilbo to keep going, even in the face of terrible events. I have hope that if Jane Austen’s work is once again considered to be popular reading among young people, then the love of a beautifully crafted tale will never entirely disappear and the true appreciation of Tolkien’s great works will once again be celebrated.

What I frequently see in these forums see is an aggressive type of person who criticizes but lacks an understanding of what he/she is ranting about. They claim to be in writing groups, but if they are, I feel sorry for their fellow writers. These people are the carrion-eaters, the ones who will pick an author’s work to the bone, and casually dismiss it, destroying a fellow authors sense of self-worth.

What a person who writes fantasy needs to know is what the masters of the genre wrote, and what made their work classics. In other words, stop looking AT the words as disparate parts that you could write better, and read them in context. You might be surprised at what you will find!

Even Tolkien had inspiration for his works, and he freely admitted he was a great devotee of the work of William Morris, an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and English Arts and Crafts Movement. He loved Morris’s prose and poetry romances. Tolkien’s own work follows the general style and approach of Morris’s work. The Desolation of Smaug as portraying dragons as detrimental to landscape, has been noted as an explicit motif borrowed from Morris, just as countless fantasy authors borrow the modern concept of Orcs, Elves, and many other high fantasy motifs from Tolkien.

The modern image and mythology of the elf as he is written into most of today’s fantasy has been directly modeled on the elves of Tolkien’s Rivendell, whether the author knows it or not. Even the elves we find in the onslaught of urban-fantasy-romances are created in Tolkien’s image.

So, now that I’ve had my rant about internet writer’s forums and the bad apples who occasionally haunt them, you’re probably wondering what I find that is good out there? A great deal more good than bad, actually. There are an incredible number of people who are willing to be helpful to aspiring authors, and who regularly share good information. The following is a list of good forums you might want to look into.

Writers Digest

Writers Cafe

Absolute Write

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

I’ve had a lot of fun on these forums and I learned a great deal. I never respond to Trolls, because acknowledging them encourages them to think they have power. How you handle them is up to you. Do your homework, research the great literature of your genre and write because you love it.

Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind, long years numberless as the wings of trees! The beginning of the Quenya poem Namárië written in tengwar and in Latin script, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

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Filed under Adventure, Battles, Books, Dragons, Fantasy, Humor, Literature, mythology, Uncategorized, writer, writing

Tagged as adventure, Art, battles, dragons, Elves, fantasy, fiction, George Allen & Unwin, J.R.R. Tolkien, literature, Pride and Prejudice, The Hobbit, Tolkien, William Morris, writing

January 24, 2014 · 7:30 am

Telling the Tale

I am so excited–Tales from the Dreamtime has made it into print, and is halfway through the process for being made into an Audible Book through Amazon’s ACX services. We should have a finished product before the end of February. The narrator is a wonderful reader, Craig Allen, and the way he reads my work is perfect–he instinctively understood what I was thinking when I wrote it.

There is a sense of having “made the grade” in hearing your work read as an Audible book, and a feeling of wonder. Did I really write that? Wow! It’s actually kind of good!

I’m quite pleased with how well the novella translates to being read aloud. My reader has had very few questions, and that is entirely due to it’s having been professionally edited. Irene Roth Luvaul was the editor on that book, and she is awesome, as are all the gals at Eagle Eye Editors. I actually have three manuscripts in editing with them right now–Tower of Bones is finally getting the Eagle Eye Treatment, which it should have had in the beginning. This is how you learn.

The original editing on Tower of Bones was a labor of love by my friends. It is a great example of a typical indie production, and while it’s not unreadable in its current state, it has too many words. The story has potential for greatness, and Maria Johnson at Eagle Eye is bringing that out. I have developed a leaner style of writing since that book was written, and Maria is cutting the fluff.

Also at Eagle Eye, Huw the Bard has been under the knife–the fabulous Carlie Cullen, who edited Forbidden Road is putting the polish on Huw. With this kind of continuity, I will be able to develop my author name into real brand, with as good a product as I can possibly offer.

When the good ladies at Eagle Eye are done with me, all my books will be as high quality as any published by a large publisher. This is what I have been working toward, getting my work as professional as is possible. Sometime being an indie means you were flung into the deep end of the pool, but eventually you do learn a few things.

My raw manuscripts are not really very literate. Oh, I do the best I can, but like all authors I tend to use certain phrases too often, adore clichés, and of course, there are those pesky typos that require correction. Also, in the course of my writing frenzy I stick a comma in anywhere I pause, apparently. (snorfle.)

BUT the real story today–grandma is gonna kick back and play her game, all day, and no, I don’t need any fresh air , thank you. The most awesome thing ever–Square Enix re-released Final Fantasy X, this time for the PS3, and it has been remastered. Not only that, they have created a sequel to it, Final Fantasy X-2, and released them together in a package that has been getting rave reviews.The direct sequel to Final Fantasy X, the game’s story follows the character Yuna from Final Fantasy X as she seeks to resolve political conflicts in the fictional world of Spira before it leads to war. This will be the next purchase from Amazon, since Grandma LOVES gaming as much as she loves reading.

But right now, Grandma is replaying Final Fantasy XII, so she has to go now. I will never stop playing this game–I love the characters so much. The story line is deep and rich, and the personalities of the characters are multidimensional.

Don’t touch that controller, that’s mine.

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Filed under Adventure, Battles, Books, Fantasy, Final Fantasy, Humor, Literature, Uncategorized, writer, writing

Tagged as adventure, Amazon, Art, battles, books, Craig Allen, Eagle Eye, Eagle Eye Editors, fantasy, fiction, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII, humor, Maria Johnson

January 22, 2014 · 7:08 am

Joan Hazel, Burdens of a Saint

Today we’re talking with Joan Hazel, a lovely person and an author-friend whom I met through our former publisher. She is one of the founding members of our mutual publishing group, Myrddin Publishing. Over the last two years I’ve become quite good friends with her.

She is a talented author, whose new novel, Burdens of a Saint, was released yesterday. I had been lucky enough to be a beta reader for her on the early manuscript and really loved the characters of Janet Beesinger, and Saint.

But first, the Blurb:

Your life will change today…

When Janet Beesinger writes the words in red on her calendar, she has no idea what they mean. But, as a psychic, she knows when the universe gifts you with personal information, you listen. How was she to know the Universe meant an irritating and sexy shape-shifter who would challenge everything about her life?

Saint Wolfe can feel the gravity of his arrangement with the goddess Hel closing in around him, forcing him to confront his past and the betrayal of the woman he was to marry. Needing to make peace with his past, he returns to New Orleans in search of forgiveness, only to be confronted by his own immortality. His only hope for atonement lies in the hands of a woman claiming to be a psychic. Will she be able to help Saint find salvation before his debt to Hel comes due?

And now–the interview:

Me: Where did you get your original idea for a fantasy-romance involving a society of shape-shifters from?

Joan: Would you believe they walked out of the bushes while I was mowing the yard and said “here we are, now tell our story”? It sounds strange, but that sort of what happened. I was doing yard work and thought what would happen if you found out you inherited a mansion and the surrounding lands, and while you were tending the yard four hot guys walked out of the woods and you found out it was your responsibility to take care of them? And, by the way, they are all shape shifters.

Me: I like that. I think we often find our inspiration in the most mundane places. When you are mowing the lawn, your mind is free to move about the airplane, so to speak.

What is your personal connection with Norse Mythology?

Joan: I have always had an attraction to Norse Mythology and Vikings. It may come from my Germanic roots or it may come from a past life. LOL. Even when I sang opera I specialized in Wagner which is deeply steeped in Norse Mythology.

I just always felt the Norse gods were more connected to the common man more so than the Greek or Roman.

Me: I agree. I’ve always felt the Norse gods were too closely involved in human affairs for our own good, lol! (Loki, please make mischief elsewhere, thank you….)

So I understand you use Dragon Naturally Speaking software. What is the evolution of your manuscript—how do you take it from the first draft to the completed stage? Is there some point where you switch to a standard word-processing program?

Joan: This is why it takes me so long! I do use Dragon, but only after I have written the manuscript in longhand. For me there is something magical about the brain-hand connection when it comes to weaving these stories.

After I have the written manuscript, I then input through Dragon into a Microsoft Document, then go into that and work formatting, etc. The hardest part for me in using Dragon is the fact so many of my characters have unusual names. So far I have been unable to get the software to recognize names like Apple-y and Aegir.

Me: Wow–that seems time consuming. I don’t have that sort of patience.

Like me, you’re an indie author. What is the most difficult part of this process for you?

Joan: The most difficult part of the process for me is finding the time to write while juggling everything else. It seems that quite frequently I will be in “the zone” chugging away when the my hubby yells at me from the other room or the dogs try and get my attention. Plus, my muses have an irksome way of popping up at those times that I can do nothing about it, like when I am driving or taking a shower. I have tried using a recorder, but listening to the sound of my own voice irritates me.

Me: I know! I am always embarrassed by the sound of my own voice. And distractions are something we can all relate to.

What is your next project in this series and who will be the main character?

Joan: That is a great question. There are two books left in the series; one for Fergus Wolfe, who is the alpha of Delta Pack and the other, is for Ghost Thorolfur. The two are kind of battling it out to see who goes next. Originally, I had planned for Ghost to be next, but now I am not so sure.

Me: They are both intriguing characters, and I really can’t decide which one I am more curious about! You also write romance novels. Do you have any other books in the works?

Joan: How much time do we have? There are probably 10 books jumping around in my head at the moment. There are two in particular that I have begun work on. One is a medieval fantasy set in an imaginary kingdom in Scotland. The other is a western set in post-Civil War Texas.

Me: You know me! I am all about the medieval fantasy! What advice would you give an author who may be struggling with the decision of whether or not to go indie?

Joan: In my opinion going the indie publishing route is one of the best things a writer can do, especially if your storyline doesn’t quite fit into the mainstream (i.e. commando shape-shifters created for the goddess Freyja).

I like being an indie author and having the creative control over my babies. There are days you will want to bang your head against a wall and days you will want to jump for joy.

My word of caution, don’t go into it blindly. I learned a great deal about the business of being a writer, and believe me, it is a business. You can find a lot of information on the internet and there are small, indie publishing companies that will help you publish. Keep in mind, even if you signed with a large house, unless you are J.K. Rowling or Nora Roberts, marketing, branding, organizing book signings, or anything else for that matter is left completely to you.

Me: Joan, that is good advice. I would add that a quick glance through the list at Preditors & Editors will give a new author some idea of small publishers they may not want to go with.

But thank you so much for stopping by, and for answering a few of my questions. I have really enjoyed it.

Joan: Connie, thanks for letting me stop by and share my thoughts. It has been fun.

———————————————————————————–

Just so you know, Joan is an awesome person! To find out more about Joan and her books check out her website, and these other fine social media:

Website: http://www.joanhazel.com

Blog: http://joan-hazel.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @guardianwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joan-Hazel/362411800440684?ref=hl

BURDENS OF A SAINT

available at Amazon.com

Available in print and for the Kindle

Joan Hazel has found success at virtually everything she has ever put her mind to doing.

A native of Corinth, Miss., she is an accomplished actress and vocalist who has performed with theater and opera companies across the eastern United States. She has also dabbled success-fully in theater as a director and vocal director for numerous award-winning productions.

She completed a double major in music and business from Delta State University and went on from there to earn a Master’s Degree from East Carolina University with another double major, in music performance and pedagogy.

She has spent time as a vocal and piano teacher at both Troy University and Enterprise State Community College. As a teacher she is much sought after for her skills and often works privately with students in her home. In 2010 she was a guest instructor at the International Music Theater Festival held in Venice, Fla.

In her spare time, she plays with a cast of characters who live in her head. She has written four novels that range from historical fiction to reality-based crime fiction to science fiction/fantasy.

Hazel is passionate about the protection of animals and supports a variety of animal conservation efforts.

She currently resides in DeLand, Fla., with her husband, Ricky, and their two dogs.

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Filed under Books, Fantasy, Humor, Literature, mythology, Romance, Uncategorized, writer, writing

Tagged as adventure, books, Burdens of a Saint, fantasy, Fergus Wolfe, fiction, humor, Janet Beesinger, Joan Hazel, literature, magic, mythology, Norse gods, Norse Mythology, Saint Wolfe, shape shifters, writing

January 20, 2014 · 8:20 am

What I’m reading

Some authors write so well you live the work with them. I love that when that happens. I’ve been reading a lot, as you probably know, and I love to talk about what I have recently read.

Last week, on Best In Fantasy, I reviewed book one of Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles, The Name of The Wind. I had this to say about it: “The blurb didn’t really sell me, but when I was deciding whether or not to purchase this book, I noticed that the negative reviews were written by people who are not really into reading for pleasure, and some of the negative reviews seemed written by moderately illiterate non-readers. To me, this is a mark of a classic—Tolkien, Jordan—all the great literary-fantasy authors attract 1-star reviews by people whose favorite genre is whatever is written on the toilet-paper wrapper. My instinct was correct—this book is a true classic, both literary and fantasy.”

I have to say, I loved his cover, also. It totally reflects his style of writing, beautiful, harsh and mysterious.

Before that, I read “Desprite Measures” by Deborah Jay. That book is completely different, being an urban paranormal fantasy-romance. I had a great time, and this is what I said about it: “Okay–we all know the cover above looks like I’ve taken a side-trip into a lurid romance. Don’t be deceived by the cover! Yes, there is some graphic sex, and yes there are other elements that might hint that grandma has taken a dip into a lurid romance novel, but stick with me! Desprite Measures by Deborah Jay is a modern day urban fantasy. It is not a deep book, but is perfect for whiling away rainy afternoon. “

I had been in wacky mood for a couple of weeks. During that time I also read Brawn Stroker’s Dragula” By Nicole Antonia Carro. Was I surprised: “I bought Brawn Stroker’s Dragula, by indie author Nicole Antonia Carro on a whim. When I read the title, I was expecting something incredibly camp and lightweight, but that is certainly not what I got. Instead, I found a tale full of people I could call friends, and situations I hope my friends never find themselves in!” I absolutely enjoyed the book.

As everyone knows, I love indie authors, but I also love certain authors whose work I’ve been following since long before the indie option was even thought of. One of those authors is Tad Williams. He is famous for writing one of the most enduring fantasy series ever, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, but he also has written some excellent urban fantasy. His style is hard-edged. A few weeks ago I read “Happy Hour in Hell, Book 2 of Bobby Dollar.” I had this to say about it: “Okay, now we are talking deep. Happy Hour In Hell (Bobby Dollar 2), by Tad Williams takes us from the bowels of Heaven to the heart of Hell, and its a rough ride, and a heck of a good story…. If you like your angels as painted by Michelangelo, you are in the wrong place. Bobby isn’t that sort of an angel. Bobby gets in and does Heaven’s dirty work with his bare hands. He’s a hard-boiled detective, a bad-boy, and he’s the sort of angel my mother warned me about. But he’s also just the sort of angel you want on your side when you suddenly find yourself dead, and your soul is being judged.” That is one entertaining book.

Speaking of entertaining, I finally got around to reading “The Eyre Affaire” by Jasper Fforde, and I found it to be painfully funny: “Over Thanksgiving, my son, Dan, pressured me to drop everything and read The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde. Published in 2000, the Eyre Affair was Fforde’s first novel. The book was generally acclaimed, with critics calling it “playfully irreverent,” “delightfully daft,” “whoppingly imaginative,” and “a work of … startling originality.” My son adores this book and the entire series. I found it—interesting—and I heartily enjoyed this book despite the tortuous plot, the side trips that go nowhere, and the occasional moments of HUH?!? WTF….”

I love Audible books, and have been listening to a lot of great books. In fact, I’ve been following a serial posted on BigWorldNetwork.com, an affordable source of online reading. The website bills itself a s cross between TV and Books, and I really like it. I think this type of publisher will be a big factor in the shape of the industry over the next decade. They have talented authors, and you can either read OR listen to it being read on-line all you want for $3.00 a month subscription The series I have been following is The Cold, by local Olympia area author, Aura Burrows, who is also a friend of mine. I am into episode three now, and this tale is gripping. I love the way the reader, Willow Wood, tells it. In fact, I plan to indulge in two or three more episodes today, once I have my work done!

I have another friend, Joan Hazel, with a book launching on Wednesday. She has written the second installment in her paranormal romance series on shape-shifters, this one titled “Burdens of a Saint”. It launches Wednesday, and she has kindly agreed to talk about writing, and will be herewith me.

My reading schedule is jam-packed, and that’s the way I like it. Nothing like a good dose of fantasy to keep me busy! I hope you are finding plenty to love in what you are reading.

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Filed under Adventure, Battles, Books, Fantasy, Final Fantasy, Humor, Literature, Uncategorized, writer

Tagged as Aura Burrows, BigWorldNetwork, Book Reviews, books, Deborah Jay, fantasy, fiction, Jasper Fforde, Joan Hazel, Nicole Antonia Carro, Patrick Rothfuss, reading, Tad Williams, The Name of the Wind, urban fantasy, writing

January 14, 2014 · 9:37 am

First we need a reader

Thanks to ease with which one can now publish a book, indie publishing is really taking off. Many people don’t even bother submitting manuscripts to the big publishers or courting agents. I think this is, in part, due to a perception in many writing groups that “my work will just be rejected, so why bother?”

Personally, I think this is wrong. People should continue submit good work to agents and publishers, because a big publisher can do great things for their authors.

I understand both sides of this argument, and I have received my share of rejections. I am an indie, and for me, this is the best way to go. But when I look back on my earlier work, I can clearly see why it was not accepted. I had no idea what a finished manuscript should look like, nor did I understand how to get it to look that way. I didn’t understand a story arc.

I didn’t understand how important it is to allow trusted readers to read your work while you are writing it, to insure it flows and sustains the interest.

Some authors call these intrepid heroes “first readers,” and others in the industry are now referring to them as “beta readers.” Many editing firms offer this service as a part of their package. I can hear you now–“My Cousin Earl looked at my story and he said, ‘That’s nice.’ So I sent it to Mud Runner Magazine and they rejected it and didn’t tell me why.”

I am sorry to tell you, but Cousin Earl may not be a good choice for this task, as he is not a true beta reader. Even though you wrote an article just jam-packed with a ton of information on the advantages of using various different types of knobby tires for off-roading, Cousin Earl will not tell you anything that may hurt your feelings. He will, however, tell his wife that their kid could write a better article on four-wheeling than you did, but he’s not going to tell you. (Unless you get too drunk on Cousin Grace’s eggnog at the family Christmas party, and accidentally knock over their Christmas tree.)

I wish I had a good response for people who say things like, “But I don’t need an editor! I just need someone to tell me if it’s good or not!” Unfortunately, my responses to such declarations are not polite, so I keep them to myself, smile and say, “That’s nice.”

You DO need to hire an editor. You need one, even if you are submitting your ms to a publisher or agent, because editors proofread, correct grammar, guide you to a good story arc. I ALSO recommend you find someone who enjoys reading the genre you are writing in to read your manuscript first before you submit it.

I have a form I send along with my manuscript. I got the questions from Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game). Orson has also written several wonderful books on the craft of writing. The form I now use is as follows:

Thank you for consenting to Beta read: _______________________. I am not asking for an edit, I am asking your opinion of the story, the characters and the action. This is a critical stage in the process as, once I have your feedback, I will make revisions to address issues of flow and send it to an editor for the final line-editing. These questions are from the article in ‘Writer’s Digest Guide to Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy’ by Orson Scott Card, a brilliant author in his own right.

Please make a note of the page number and the line number where you encountered a problem with the flow of the story.

1. Were you ever bored? Tell me where it got slow.

2. What did you think of the main character(s,) _______________________________? Of the others?

3. Was there any section where you became confused? What did you have to read twice?

4. Was there any place where the story became unbelievable?

5. What do you think will happen to the characters now?

The way you answer these questions determines the way I continue with my story. After all, I am writing for others’ pleasure, not just for my own gratification. Even if your responses tell me things that I don’t want to hear, I heed them because I want to turn out a good story and your input is my best tool for that. So in this case, bad news is good news, because I can still rectify the problem.

Don’t ask a friend who is an editor or another author to do a casual read because they are unable to resist dicing it into small shreds and making helpful suggestions as they go, even though that is not what you are looking for with a casual read. Authors and editors are passionate about the craft and have strong opinions. Don’t ask them to read casually, because they can’t do it.

Now, I admit I do have many friends who are authors and who have done some beta reading for me, and while a few tend to go into great detail about things they don’t like in areas where our personal styles and tastes differ, I still get feedback that I can use to help make a better story. This is also a service many editing firms will offer, and is a “deep beta read.”

But for simple, honest opinions as to whether you have written a good story or not, I ask a non-writer who just enjoys reading for the fun of it. For me, that person is my sister, Sherrie. She is an amazing artist, and an avid reader, who understands what she likes in book and isn’t afraid to point out where she didn’t like it.

If you have a friend who fits that bill, feel free to copy the above questionnaire to a WORD document and send it as an extra attachment along with with the PDF of your manuscript. (Of course, your ms has already been formatted with line numbers, and page numbers before you send that questionnaire, right?) See The Shape of the Beast.

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Tagged as adventure, Art, battles, beta reader, beta reading, books, Cousin Earl, Editing, fantasy, fiction, humor, literature, Orson Scott Card, writing

January 9, 2014 · 8:34 am

Sickly Smurf

Good grief, I have not been well for the last day or two. I wasn’t sure if it is food-poisoning or a virus, but lets just say there are some foods I may never be able to eat again.

I’ve always wondered how a person can tell if they have a virus or a form of the flu–so I asked the internet. I found a really good post on telling the difference here: Popsugar, posted by Jenny Sugar. So, it looks like I have a flu bug. Today I am taking it easy, working in bed a bit, but sleeping mostly.

With that said, I have a family party at our house on Sunday. I should be fine by then — I’m lots better today. We do our family Christmas party in January because it takes a lot of stress off the kids, who are all young professionals, and have a lot of obligations during December.

Needless to say, I have a kajillion grand-kid presents to bag up. Tomorrow, maybe.

Thank God for gift bags and fancy tissue.

I think it may be my first annual deli-chicken party this year too. I am vegan, but I am the only one, so I would have to fry a lot of chicken, and I really don’t feel like dealing with that. I will make the mashed taters and gravy, but the chicken–my local store does a great deli-chicken.

I have been doing revisions and writing my little heart out–not so much today though. Maybe later. I am working on connecting the threads in VOS, and getting the first section finished.

I found something interesting out on www.StumbleUpon.com . I get some of the most interesting things off that site. Today it was the 23 most interesting images of 2013. Such lovely photography. I leave you with this image of the Perseid Meteor Shower, as seen in Wyoming.

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Filed under Adventure, Battles, Books, Food, Humor, Vegan, writing

Tagged as adventure, battles, fantasy, humor, Jenny Sugar, literature, vegan lifestyle, writing

January 6, 2014 · 7:06 am

Monday, and the Room of Shame

Today, my plans are as follows (in no particular order):

1. Clean the Room of Shame (my office)

2. bake bread

3. dust for cobwebs, and sweep the front porch

4. organize kitchen a bit better (if Hell has frozen over)

5. prepare fabulous dinner for husband.

6. Connect two disparate threads in current work-in-progress.

Alas – most likely only 5 and 6 will happen. The Room of Shame gets sort of dug out and reshuffled two times a year. The last time I cleaned it, there was still fur from our late cat in some of the corners. Yum Yum (rest her little soul) died in 2008.

I might get some baking done if I get to a stopping point on my story. I love to bake, and I love fresh bread, but I am the laziest woman these days. I know that if I want to eat I must cook, but sometimes I just go with the Dave’s Killer Bread, rather than baking my own. Its vegan and good, but still home made is better.

Like writing, laundry is an ongoing process, so it doesn’t make it to a list. How do two old people make so much laundry? It’s insane. I don’t get it–I have the most modern of laundry doing appliances and still they don’t pick the clothes up and load themselves. Nor do they then fold and put the laundry away, as I think they should do. What’s up with that? It’s very frustrating.

Most likely I will remain in the room of shame, feet propped on filing cabinet, keyboard in lap, pecking away, writing fantasy tales about people who actually DO things. Perhaps Irene and I will go out for lunch. She’ll come by and pick me up and…

…but that means she’ll see the living room…

Oh-god–I have to clean the house. Gotta go!

And how do you intend to spend YOUR day?

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Tagged as adventure, Art, battles, Dave's Killer Bread, dragons, fantasy, fiction, humor, literature, Shame, writing

January 3, 2014 · 8:21 am

New Year, old stories

I have been totally sidetracked this week by my ancestors. I have traced my family on my father’s side, the Johnson family (also called Johnston in some documents,) back to eight generations, to pre Revolutionary War Charles County Maryland, and a farm which later became a tobacco plantation. The trail is halted there at this moment, but next week I will have a chance to look a bit further. It appears that the trail leads back to England.

The beginning so far: Samuel Johnson Sr., born in 1698-1699 married Mary Dement, and had 9 children, one of whom has recorded heirs. Seth Johnson, also sometimes written as Zeth Johnston, married twice. His son, Enos, by his first wife, Monica Burch, is my direct ancestor.

Both of my direct grandfathers, Seth and Enos, father and son, fought in the Revolutionary war, 1775–1783. They moved to Virginia and fought with the Virginia Line, and both survived to old age, long enough to receive pensions after having moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee. The Virginia Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term “Virginia Line” referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Virginia at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states, formed the Continental Line.

This journey into the history of my family has been challenging. It is a bit difficult to know what questions to ask the internet, but when I stumble on the right question, I get answers. My best sources have been Ancestry.Com and RootsWeb. I found the best information on Enos through a page detailing the early Johnson-Johnstons of Tennessee.

From Tennessee, my branch of Johnsons went to Kentucky, to a home on the Wolf River — Calvin and wife Abis (Roberts Miller) and their son Henry and his wife Martha (Wood).

From Kentucky, my thread of the family moved to Taney County, Missouri where they remained for three generations before coming to Olympia Washington. Henry’s youngest son, James Crouch Johnson was a well known doctor in Taney, and was my great-great-grandfather.

This has been an amazing journey into history for me. Many side quests have shown small insights into the personalities of my grandfathers and grandmothers. They were not always what I wanted them to be, but am I what they wanted me to be? Who knows–history is a book written by the victors, and the future is a river, filled with constantly changing currents. It would be easy to apply my values to them and dismiss the truth–that the accepted values and moral codes of society are constantly evolving. My eight generations of grandparents were, for the most part, good and honorable people.

When I started looking into this, I had no intention of getting so involved. I wasn’t looking to know them as people, but I can’t separate the people from the history. Their last wills and testaments tell a great deal about them– to one son, Samuel Jr., Samuel Johnson Sr. left a shilling, and to another, John, he bequeathed an iron pot. His entire estate was divided between his children except for Samuel Jr., whom he slighted by giving only the one shilling.

The later generations show records of lawsuits regarding disputes over land. There are casual references to a second wife who was accused of fraud when she applied for a widow’s pension–this tells me these were human beings who each had a story.

I will most likely write their story, but I now know it will be several years in the making, as I have only scratched the surface. I will write it as I go, because I see this as a journal detailing my own journey into the past. I will be writing this in small spurts, as it is not for publication, but is for my family, for my sister and brother and for our children and grand-children.