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Originally posted on Story Empire:
Hello, SEers! Mae here, sending out a thank you for hanging with me today as I take a look at author presentations. I’ve done several book signings, all with other authors, but recently did my…
This gallery contains 7 photos.
Originally posted on Nicholas C. Rossis:
The Language Of Bears First, the sale: I came across a book with a premise that piqued my curiosity. The Language of Bears is John Eidswick’s first book. John lives with his family in Japan,…
The requests to be interviewed on my humble blog skyrocketed over the past month or so. As a result, I am going to be featuring an author just about every day from now until the end of 2017. I considered letting the series spill over into 2018, but I like to cook up a new interview format each year.
Please enjoy the bonus interviews that will be posted. I’ll likely post regular original content as well, but potentially not in as high a volume to give my creativity muscle a rest.
In this edition of A Perfect 10, I have the pleasure of featuring Author Win Charles.
Please enjoy this special installment of A Perfect 10
If you want to check out past interviews, you can find them in the following links:
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Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
Way back on October 2nd, I made a post asking for questions that Luke Callindor can answer. This is the theme of the week with each champion getting some time in the hot seat. All to kick off the hype and final march towards Legends of Windemere: Warlord of the Forgotten Age. Let’s start.
The Story Reading Ape asked: Has knowing and working with Fizzle changed the way you think or do things?
I haven’t really thought about it. Sure it has since Fizzle has taught me a lot about nature and drites. He’s very curious, which gets me to think about stuff that I normally wouldn’t consider. Trying to see things through his eyes, which are very child-like, can alter one’s perceptions. Though, that might be the hallucinogenic breath. As far as doing things, I know he has my back, which helps me maintain confidence. I’m typically not lacking there, but having a small dragon as one of your partners can really take some of the fear out of certain situations.
C.S. Boyack asked: Luke and friends have spent a lot of time in the wilderness. What’s the best food to safely forage for?
Safety makes this answer tougher because there are a lot of wild animals out there that you have to watch out for. So, I think hunting in general has a risk. You never know when you’re stalking the same deer that a bear or snake fiend has set its sights on. There was one time I was going after a rabbit and ended up battling a chameleon spider. Personally, I think fruits, nuts, mushrooms, and berries are the best things to forage for. They’re fairly plentiful in most seasons and you don’t have to chase them. You can gather a good amount without it making a mess in your bag or going bad quickly too.
Victoria Zigler asked: If you could trade abilities/powers with any of the other characters in your party, which one would you choose, and why?
Not sure I have a good answer for this one. I like who I am and it’s weird thinking of myself as anything else. Maybe being more of a thinking warrior like Delvin, but it sounds like I’d have to take the whole package. I’m built more for speed and agility while he’s more for defense and reflexes. We’re polar opposites in terms of tactics, which is why I’m curious to see how it would be to act like him for a day. Certainly isn’t something I would keep forever.
John W Howell asked: What has been the most significant event in your life that has made you what you are today?
Well, I know what recently happened to me is foremost on my mind, but it’s actually my first big loss that comes to mind most often. I tangled with the Hellfire Elf before I was ready and it nearly killed me. That tempered my arrogance and made me more cautious if you can believe it. I still jump into battle fairly quickly, but I’m always thinking and focusing on the area around me to react to changes. This took a lot of training, which stemmed from me being unable to adapt to that one fight.
L.Marie asked: Since you’re a young hero, you’ve probably been given plenty of advice from those older than you. What advice were you given that you were tempted to ignore, but later realized was actually good advice?
To be honest, I’ve never been tempted to ignore advice. There are times that I haven’t understood what the person meant and only found out later. Still, I listen because it’s typically coming from someone either more experienced than me or that wants to help me out.
Noticing that these posts are becoming less about my goals and more about what I go through every week. Well, there were people who wanted to know more about my life over here. Anyway, I’m just going to barrel right into it:
The One-Armed Wife
Needless to say, this has taken up a lot of my time because she’s still in the sling. We were expecting her to get a cast on Wednesday, but they wanted to delay it another week because things were healing well. Guess you don’t mess with a good thing and finding a problem after the cast is on would be a pain. She’s still going back to work on Monday and I’m driving. My mornings and late afternoons will be spent playing chauffeur until mid-December. I plan on being exhausted fairly quickly, especially since any doctor appointments she has will require that I head out too. Might have to find a place to hang around on those days since it makes no sense to drive there, drive home, get an hour, and then go back.
Things will be easier if she gets the cast this Wednesday because that will give her mobility and she might be able to carry her bag to the office. For now, I have to park and help her get up there since she has a large purse and another large bag. Don’t ask because even I’m not sure. Again, I sense I’ll be exhausted fairly quickly, especially since I still have the kid to prepare for school, get on the bus, and help with homework. Martial arts will be tough, but a grandparent might be willing to do that. My biking is on hold until next Friday too because I have mid-morning appointments that I have to run to once I drop her off. They were set up to allow me to bike first, but that’s not going to happen now.
Honestly, this whole thing leaves me wondering how people manage to survive these things without falling into a financial/vacation time abyss. I know ‘people find a way’, but I’m seeing that most of these times it’s a way that leaves them in dire straits by the very end.
Writing
The main goal was to finish editing Legends of Windemere: Warlord of the Forgotten Age. That was accomplished yesterday and I believe I finished the last two interviews for the promotion. It’s a weight off my shoulders, but I’m getting really nervous about the release. All I need is the cover now, which many will realize is the point where I feel most anxious. Next week is the results of the character interviews, which should take some pressure of me. I hope. My anxiety has been stuck on high since the summer and I’m finding that I’m withdrawing a lot. Trying my best to peek out of my shell, but the world feels like a colder place for so long.
My wife has been reading War of Nytefall: Loyalty, which has been somewhat smooth and rough. I think she’s too used to my heroes being more noble and Clyde can be a jerk at times. He argues with Mab a lot, which irks her since Mab was her vampire character and she’s as protective of her as she is of Nyx. My doubt with this series is causing some trouble too because I keep fearing that the characters are inconsistent, the plot doesn’t make real sense, and that I can’t move beyond the first series. At this point, I think I should just admit that I’m becoming a slave of doubt, but only when I’m not doing the actual writing. In the moment, I’m confident and this goes for editing too. I haven’t edited this yet either, which might be an issue as well as me going with vampires. That topic always tends to bring out the pre-existing notions of readers, so you get told why something isn’t right even if you changed the mythos.
The writing for this week and the foreseeable future might be outlining. I shouldn’t tackle editing or the stand-alone Legends of Windemere book until the wife is healed and the final book is out. That might be January, so I’m be setting up the outline for Raven’s Wrath, which will be the end of the Dawn Addison/October story set. I can’t figure it out though and that’s frustrating. It’s Monster vs Monster, but I need victims to focus on because you never have one of the monsters as the focal point. They lose their mystery and menace. I’m thinking Dawn and Ian had their first encounter and the world has been decimated, so it follows a group of people trying to reach a rumored haven. They’ll be taken out as they progress for some reason. I keep looking over Freddy vs Jason, but they started as ‘allies’ and then fought over victims. Ian is really only after Dawn and those who follow her.
I might start outlining and preparing for the next Ichabod Brooks collection too even though that’s a 2019 thing. I have 8 stories that didn’t make the last set and 1 that will be a sequel to a previous story. That means I need about 2-3 more, which I’ll gradually work on at times. After that, I might spend the rest of the year outlining the Sin stuff.
Life
Belligerent and exhausting.
Goals of the week:
Yahoo Image Search
Well . . . Here we go. Today I’m going to start hyping and posting about Legends of Windemere: Warlord of the Forgotten Age. This is the grand finale of my fantasy series and that has me thinking about endings. A necessary part of any story, but it can be one of the hardest parts too. Most times, it comes down to one infamous word:
CLOSURE
Not only for the characters and readers, but for the author. In fact, it’s much worse for the author because they have to create closure for all parties involved. The characters are the ease ones to appease while the readers can be more complicated because many create their own endings. Nothing you can do about it outside of doing the best you can and making sure you don’t leave hundreds of plot holes. Personally, I’ve come to terms with that fact and feel like I’ve brought my characters to their natural conclusions. That leaves me with only one twitchy, rum and pizza fueled basket case.
I always thought this would be an easy stage and I’d be distracted by a new project. Things change after 19 years of waking up every day with the same characters in your head. Even during the 10 years I wasn’t writing new books, I was thinking about them and poring over the outlines. If not that then I’d edit one of the written books. Either way, Legends of Windemere has been a part of me for over half of my life. As you can guess, this makes it much harder to let go and I’m wondering why I thought otherwise. Youthful optimism, which is hard to associate with me these days.
Can’t say I’ll feel full closure until maybe a few months pass, but it could depend a lot on what happens next. Not sure about other authors since I’ve yet to meet any that have done a series as big as mine. Jury is still out on if I’m ambitious or insane since massive series haven’t been a trend for a while. One thing I’ve done is plan on having the survivors make cameos in future stories. I guess I’m not really giving myself closure, especially since I’m not leaving Windemere. My next series takes place in an earlier time than Legends of Windemere, but I can still use the same species, magic system, and maybe hint at a few ‘future’ heroes and villains. The door is being left ajar for myself and readers who want to visit again, which might be delaying the inevitable.
So, what do other people think about endings when it comes to stories? Do you have trouble letting go or is it easy to move on to the next adventure?
Book Blurb:
“Spread the Light and inspire others to do the same.” — N. N. Light
In 2013, we wrote a mission statement and started the Princess of the Light (POTL) blog. We wanted to test a theory. Could one person (or in our case, one couple) use uplifting words to create change?
The answer is a resounding yes! People from all over the world responded to our short inspirational thoughts of the day, and our following grew. What started out as a few people promoting kindness and goodwill turned into a movement. In every city, there are Light-Bearers making a difference and we want you to join us.
Everyone needs inspiration. It doesn’t matter what spiritual belief you hold dear, you have the Light inside you. Kindness, compassion, empathy, encouragement are all attributes of the Light. In this book, you’ll find a ninety second inspirational thought for each day of the year. You’ll be inspiring people to spread the Light daily with our collection of inspirational thoughts. From giving of yourself to simply smiling, these are easy concepts for anyone to apply!
Excerpt:
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. – Harriet Tubman
I have a dream. My dream is to be a writer, blogger and author. My dream is to use words to uplift people and change the world. I continue to work hard on my dream. Achieving a dream doesn’t mean the work stops.
What is your dream?
No matter what your dream is or how far-fetched it may seem, you can make your dream come true! According to Harriet Tubman, all you need is strength, patience and passion. Sure, it takes a lot of work but let me tell you, it is worth it!
Can dreams change the world? You bet! Harriet Tubman is the woman who created the Underground Railroad. She had a dream of her people being free. Through her internal strength, she created a network of brave men and women who helped a multitude of slaves get to the North. She didn’t fear death because she had a dream and she was passionate about her dream.
Author Info
FAO Schwarz
Welcome to our little corner of the marketplace! I assure you that we carry only the highest quality supplies when it comes to making the perfect doll. Yes, we have that joke about possession, but only because we know somebody would have made it if we didn’t do it first. We’re all about getting ahead here, which is why we have you sign this waiver. It means we are not responsible for what you do with your doll and that we can turn you into the police if you say anything here to make us think you’re up to no good. Our business is one of nobility, so let’s get to the basics and ignore the mini-missiles over there. Just had a shipment and we’re doing inventory.
Here is our computer to pick the unclothed appearance, which sounds creepier than it really is. You want a girl? Easy to do and we have a long range of hair. I’m not talking about colors or styles alone. We have donated human hair, various animal furs, a flexible metal that is bullet proof, tiny cables that can charge a smart phone with only an hour of contact, and the list keeps going. Razor hair is only available on models that are kept in a case and there’s another waiver. You don’t want little kids petting the toy and losing their fingers. We’ll get to eyes later since that’s where the stun lasers, sensors, and holographic projectors come in. I’m sure would could put in one projector and one laser. You want a boy doll to make a sent? Now, I’m getting curious.
I see, you have a son and daughter, so these are supposed to look like them. Well, we have a scanner to make copies of their faces, which should cover the appearance side. Let’s get into the clothing though. Is there any specific outfit here? Keep in mind that all of our clothes are fire proof, stain resistant, and absorbs static electricity to power any electronics within the doll. So, your son wants his to be dressed up as a firefighter and your daughter wants to be a super-powered cowgirl. For the first one, we have a standard outfit that you can add various stickers to. The helmet is removable and you can get a hose and hydrant attachment, which you can fill with water. For your daughter, we have a wide variety of cowgirl outfits and I guess you could put a cape on the doll to get the superhero part. Did you have an idea for the powers?
Well, now is a good time to get into the technological additions. The firefighter is simple because he only needs the water hook up, a blunt axe, and maybe an engine. You can choose from models of trucks that span every age and country. With the superpowers, it really depends on what you need. Flying is possible if we put a mini-booster in the back and have it controlled by remote. We used to have an app for that, but people were taking over dolls that they didn’t own. Total liability mess and then the explosion in Fort Lauderdale that ended spring break two years ago. With the remote, you can add other powers that are all non-lethal. Check off what you want, but there is a four power limit because we took the controller design from an old video game system. Finger tendrils, gusting breath, flight, and retractable horns . . . that’s all possible. You might have trouble with the hat thanks to those horns, but we can put holes in the brim or have the horns curve outward.
That should just about cover it. We can have these ready for you by the end of the week since everything is in stock. Thank you for shopping with us. Some wacky ending to this skit? This has been a serious conversation, so let’s not cheapen it.
A great post on pet characters, which don’t get nearly as much attention as they deserve.
Hello, jungle dwellers. Craig here again, and today I want to talk about the pet character. I’m using this term, but it applies to any animals and even things like SIRI or other artificial intelligence characters. For you paranormal fans, maybe it’s Grandpa’s haunted tiki mug.
Firstly, the pet is a side character. They exist in the story for a reason that relates to another character, usually the main character.
I find them useful when you have a loner. Your character is going to spend a lot of time alone, and if they talk to the animal you don’t have to write out pages of internal thought. Without even acting, the pet can serve a purpose.
The pet should act in some way, even if it’s just comic relief. I have a trunk novel where a dog threw a horse turd in the air like a ball as the enemy…
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