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The champions have had to deal with hidden enemies before. Luke Callindor face the shape-shifting Hellfire Elf in Beginning of a Hero. There was a traitor in Prodigy of Rainbow Tower. There was a lot of hidden danger in Sleeper of the Wildwood Fugue. The point here is that Charms of the Feykin falls into this category as well. That and I got to add a bunch of Amazon links to this post.
The truth is that most of the unknown enemies are known to the audience. I write scenes that focus on the villains to give hints of what they’re up to and evolve them. This allows the readers to get a feel for them and make sure that future events fit. Twists are good, but it helps to show the planning and enacting of the villain’s plan to clarify events. Basically, a very heavy-handed foreshadowing that sometimes come off as a megaphone. I try to have their discussion leave a few questions. For example, who is the target of the attack and where are the bad guys hiding?
The real mystery is for the heroes to figure stuff out and this can cause a little bit of confusion with readers. Ever watch a horror movie and yell at a character who goes to check the basement alone? We know about the danger and threat, but the characters remain unaware. This is a challenge that authors have very little control over because it relates to suspension of disbelief by the audience. It’s easier than we think too. All we have to do is acknowledge that the characters don’t know what we know and that’s part of the fun. It’s waiting to see when or if they figure out the secret.
So is there a difference with Charms of the Feykin? Yes. Unlike previous stories, the manipulation is so obvious that at least one hero knows something is off. They don’t know who the enemy is, but they’re aware that there is one. Even worse, the villain’s goal and next target is a mystery. Any hero can be turned or eliminated without warning, which can be nerve-wracking for the others. It brings another dynamic to this problem because the reader now gets a sense of a race against time. The champions no longer have ignorance on their side in this adventure. It isn’t as simple as making an unwitting mistake that works in the villain’s favor. Now, they’re fully aware that one wrong step can cost them a friend, so they’ll be acting with more caution than before.
I’m hoping this works and builds tension in the story. Working with the unknown is difficult for authors, readers, and characters. You need to find a balance and carefully choose what you’re going to reveal. This is probably why I went through this book more times than the last two. That would be Tribe of the Snow Tiger and The Mercenary Prince. Sorry. Couldn’t resist doing two more here.
So, what do you think about unknown dangers in fiction?
Today’s post is short and sweet.
The paperback of Bad Bloods: November Snow released!
So, who wants some sneak peeks? 😀
Bad Bloods: November Snow Paperback Release
Bad Bloods: November Rain is FREE
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, Goodreads
Bad Bloods: November Snow
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, Goodreads
Free Bad Bloods Prequel: Wattpad
What are the latest readers saying?
“A powerful work of art. In November Rain, Thompson invites us into a world of secrecy, murder, and unlikely friendships that are bound to make your head spin with wonder.” – Lena May Books, November Rain
“I bawled like a baby at the end of this book. I highly recommend this story to all to read and enjoy!!” – Black Words, White Pages, November Snow
So what happens after Bad Bloods: November Snow?
July Thunder!
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Today we sit down with Author Cherron Riser. She is going to answer a series of 20 questions that will give us insight into her influences, writing practices and work.
Please enjoy this installment of 20 Questions:
Q1) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I was very young when the desire to write came to me. In the 8th grade, my friends and I created a club where our goal was to write stories, poems, and songs. Through high school, I would write stories about bands I enjoyed or actors I liked, but as I got older, original stories began to form. I started working on my first books when I was 18 years old.
Q2) How long does it typically take you to write a book?
This can vary for me, as it depends on how busy my school work load is. However…
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Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
This is 11 Books into Legends of Windemere and I’ve published those along with 2 ‘box sets’ and 5 other works since 2013. When I hit ‘publish’ for the first time, I was a nervous wreck because I didn’t know what would happen. So many questions ran through my head and they all revolved around me failing. I had no marketing plan and had only been blogging for 3 months, so I was more lost and scared than I ever dreamed. Everything I do now has stemmed from that first experience that threw me for a loop. Beginning of a Hero sold over a 1,000 copies at 99 cents within 1.5 months. I still have trouble believing it happened and never have a way of explaining it beyond dumb luck. So, why do I bring this up now?
Over the last two years, many people have talked to me as if I have my act together and don’t question myself when I publish. Somehow, I became seen as a professional who knows no fear. Forget that I published the unedited version of The Compass Key and deleted the clean version once. I nearly repeated that stupidity with The Mercenary Prince, but I quickly uploaded the clean one. The mistakes seem to stand out and have clearer explanations than the victories. My books showing up on Top 100 lists? No idea how it happened and I am happy to report that Charms of the Feykin are on a few Top 100 bestsellers now. Near the bottom of the lists, but I’ll take it since the sales are starting off slow. You’d think by now I’d remember that they start slow, but that means I have a week of stress.
The truth is that my nerves are still strained when I release a new book even though the questions have changed:
It’s surprising to some people that I get butterflies and remain on the verge of panicking after so many books. The thing is that it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been at this publishing game. Even the big names have failures, so those of us in the indie scene shouldn’t expect anything else. The trick is to not let the fear win and to push ahead anyway. Write the book, edit the book, publish the book, promote the book, and repeat if necessary. Honestly, I find that moving on to another project helps settle the nerves and kill off the butterflies.
In conclusion:
your humble host
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Dear Dan,
My questions are simple, of course … The thing is this, as any other authors and writers, our problem has always been the same.
But where can one print out their own paperback with a reasonable price? I was before this at another print/publishing company, but they offered really expensive packages for book publishing. And of course, that package does not even include book marketing services at all.
The thing is, many of us have Kindle version of our novels, but not all can afford paperback printing. I would love to know where…
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First of all, I published a book: Charms of the Feykin!
Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
The only way to properly explain this week to the 3’s of people that wander over here during the weekend is giving you a day by day. Buckle in and you’ll see why I might be in a padded room by the time this post goes live.
Monday
Got my son off to school, did my biking, and got 3 chapter sections done. Made Zesty Chicken & Potatoes for dinner. This was a good day. I should have known this was a bad sign.
Tuesday
A day with no errands or appointments? Toss that kid on the bus, shower, and dive right back into Book 14. Got a section done with a little trouble from a character that went from ‘no name’ to joining the main plot. I’ll fix that while I eat a simple lunch of . . . where did half of my tooth go? Yup. I spent most of the day at the dentist getting a temporary crown on the tooth and I go back in two weeks for the permanent one. It was almost time for my son to come home by the time I got back and I hadn’t eaten. Rest of day was food shopping and finally getting some food. Vaguely remember a second chapter section that night, but I could be wrong since my brain was shot.
Wednesday
I published a book! Legends of Windemere: Charms of the Feykin was set up and I spent the morning doing all the promo prep. Took longer than expected, so my biking and shower didn’t happen until around noon. Still, I had the afternoon to . . . an electrician is coming to fix something? Guess I have to clear out of my office/room. Oh, the thing wasn’t even broken to begin with. Guess I’ll go back and . . . I just remember that I have to call the school about my son’s Epi-pen. Everything has expired? Guess I’m off to the pharmacy to get the refills and hurry back to . . . At least, I only have a morning errand and meeting tomorrow. No writing today.
Thursday
The big announcement of Legends of Windemere: Charms of the Feykin going live! The morning meeting is earlier? Great. Just rush over to the school, drop off the meds, and come back for the home meeting. My son threw up on the bus? I have to come and get him when I was just at the school? Meeting cancelled, Darth Vader backpack no longer usable, and kid shows no sign of disease. He had motion sickness, so I spent the morning hunting for a new backpack. Spider-Man was out since he wanted Star Wars, but then he didn’t want to get anything another store because he wanted superheroes. One clearance rack talking, light up BB-8 backpack and McDonald’s Happy meal later, we’re home to watch the LEGO MOVIE. Managed to keep up with tweets and other stuff, but not much in the way of promotion beyond that. Frustrated and tired, I could only crawl into bed by the end of the night. The kid could have at least pretended to be sick and not asked me several times for his trampoline. He apparently didn’t understand the phrase, “No because daddy would like to weaken the idea that he got tricked’.
Friday
Biking and shower, but trying hard to avoid getting into stuff until I’m sure the kid isn’t going to need a pick up. Eased into writing a scene that is totally different from what I had outlined. I blame the new character who is fun to write, but making me feel like she’s my punishment for being mean to Kira so many times. Got only 2 sections done, but hoping to get a little further over the weekend.
That was my week and here’s what I’m planning next week:
I am proud to announce that my debut pamphlet, ‘Fragile Houses’ is published by V. Press. Pre-orders can be taken and it is officially released on the 3rd October. CLICK TO BUY It is al…
Source: My Pamphlet is a Real Thing: Fragile Houses by Nina Lewis published by V. Press
Art by Jason Pedersen
We asked an expert to swing by and give some tips for putting romance into another genre. He made a wrong turn and ended up in the Bedlam series, so now we’re stuck with Delvin. Take it away, Mercenary Prince.
Legends of Windemere 