What Do You Look for in Child Protagonists?

Harry Potter and the book that started it all

Harry Potter and the book that started it all

In my opinion, one of the most difficult things to write is a child protagonist in a book that isn’t made for children.  It’s difficult for adults to relate to the child and many adults find them annoying.  As we age, we tend to forget what the child mentality and emotional instability of that age was.  So, we groan and complain about the crying, tantrums, foolish acts, and faulty logic.  Yet, there are authors that get it right like Harry Potter.  Fellow author and blogger Gwen Bristol did an excellent job in her book The Night Ones Legacy.

I take on an understanding thought process with child protagonists.  I know they won’t be making decisions the way adults do.  In fact, I hate it when these characters are ‘wise beyond their years’ and are nothing more than tiny adults.  There has to be a reason for that and they can’t all be Ender Wiggin.  A child protagonist should be immature and have the weaknesses that a child would have.  This makes them believable.  Yet, I wouldn’t bother with one that is immature to the point where they’re a spoiled brat or as useful as hangnail.  Balance is needed because I want to believe that the character is a child and I want to believe they can save the day.  You need the moment of maturity too where they realize it’s time to grow up.  I think that’s the main reason to use a child protagonist because they can’t stay the same if you put them through a real story.

So, what do you look for in a child protagonist?  Do you avoid them completely?

9:45

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Cover Reveal: Letting Go by Danielle Taylor

Coming in September!

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She’ll steal his heart…but is he ready to love again?

Blurb:

Violet Simon has spent her entire life preparing to take her father’s place at the head of their multi-billion dollar automotive parts company. Shortly before her twenty-fifth birthday, she decides to take a month-long vacation and do a few things well outside of her comfort zone.

Morné Styger still isn’t over his wife’s death, but he’s attempting to make a fresh start in Los Angeles. When the enigmatic Violet calls hims up at Adventures Inc. seeking a month of thrills, he’s eager to impress his first high profile client. But with her violet eyes and innocence, Morné has a hard time trying to keep things professional.

Neither of them could have been prepared for the forceful attraction they shared, and neither will back down from their dreams. So where does that leave love?

LG cover (AI1)

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17791624-letting-go

Danielle’s links:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Danielle-Taylor/217716295040976

Blog: http://authordtaylor.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DTaylor_Author

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******FREE!****** August 19-23!

Free ebooks from August 19-23. Intimate Strangers and Captive for Christmas by Danielle Taylor.

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Ending on a High Note

I started the day with a 2-star review that was fun to read.  Whatever.  I’m over those at this point.

My day continued with Amazon blocking eBook sales (all I have) from being counted on the Top 100 Book lists.  This makes sense if this is what is really happening.  I’m waiting on an e-mail.  It’s bittersweet here because I do understand why eBooks shouldn’t count toward the ‘book’ sales since differences are being made.  Sadly, this will only harm the indie author and the traditionally published won’t bat an eye.  George Martin is still lording over the fantasy lists both eBook and regular Book.  It would be nice if this makes it easier to move up the ranks, but realistically this only cuts us off from another source of exposure.  Whatever.  I can’t control Amazon and I’m still on the other lists.  Just a shock.

I’m ending this day with Legends of Windemere: Prodigy of Rainbow Tower surpassing 1,000 eBook sales.  Legends of Windemere: Beginning of a Hero is nearing 4,000 overall.  Bestiary even sold a few this month.  It’s been a good time and I hope the positive energy carries me through the week.

Now, let’s party (Adult Song: Pornstar Dancing):

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Briefly on Review Ratings

I noticed something about the overall rating for a book on Amazon. The one that needs to stay at 4.0 for some advertising sites to work with you. It’s. a simple fact:

It’s utter bullshit.

Seriously, you can’t get a real idea of the book unless it has over 1,000 reviews. This is because it’s an average. Remember in school how that one bad grade would destroy your GPA and it seemed to inch up with every higher grade. Even perfect grades seemed to have less effect than that one bad grade. Maddening to say the least and it doesn’t paint you as a bad student. Just had one bad grade.

I’ve had three or four 5-star reviews recently for Beginning of a Hero. Overall went from 4.0 to 4.2. Today I got a 2-star and it went back down to 4.0. One negative review just undid the progress of multiple positive reviews. So, why focus on that overall as a customer when the individual reviews might be more positive than negative?

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Self-Diagnosis: Fun for the Whole Family

Found on Yahoo Image Search

Found on Yahoo Image Search

I lie here in pain
Counting down the hours
Until I see a pro
That does not stop the guessing
From those beyond the door
Torn muscle or a stone
He’s faking it, I’m sure
Spicy food he loves so much
An ulcer from the stress
Cancer is said thrice
No evidence to suit these claims
Just more stress
Piled upon my mind
Please let me rest
And play doctor with yourself

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Pioneers of Wit (Also Groucho Marx Quotes)

His weapon is his mouth
On the battlefield of wit
Cutting down all his foes
Using their own words
To drive them to the ground

Laughs and smiles
Empower this great wordsmith
Making him immortal
No hesitation in his words
As they sail across the wind

You wonder if he planned
Every word and phrase
Or is his mind that sharp
Able to parry without prep
A nimble wit you cannot contain

These word warriors are rare
Shining stars that are gone too soon
Many long before our time
Pioneers of wit and humor
Their puns will live forever

Groucho Marx Quotes

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend.  Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

“I chased a woman for almost two years only to discover her tastes were exactly like mine – we were both crazy about girls.”

“Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife.”

“No man goes before his time / unless the boss leaves early.

“Please accept my resignation. I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member”

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana”

“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.”

“Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”

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Morning Lists before I Run

I was going to do some comedy here, but I woke up later than expected.  For now, I’m going to share my joy.

Prodigy of Rainbow Tower has sold over 900 copies and it boosted Beginning of a Hero to a 400 sale month.  So, I think this does prove that when working with a series, the new book will boost the previous books.  I did a little marketing on the first book with the new advertising sites like Indie Author Anonymous, but most of it has been focused on the second book.  A lot of tweeting and Facebook group posting.  Really curious to see what happens when the third book debuts.  Hoping I get some beta reading on that one before the time comes to publish it and play this game all#10 over again.

Beginning of a Hero is sitting on 3 Top 100 lists for Epic Fantasy Ebook, Sword & Sorcery eBook, and Epic Fantasy book.  It’s in the 50s/60s for this.  Prodigy of Rainbow Tower is in the 20s/30s on both lists.  Here are the Hot New Release standings for Prodigy:

#7 for Sword & Sorcery ebooks
#8 for Epic Fantasy ebooks
#9 for Action & Adventure ebooks
#11 for Action & Adventure books (Why is Game of Thrones on this list?)
#10 for Epic Fantasy books

I want to restate something I said months ago.  These lists appear to be a major key to success, at least with fantasy and science-fiction.  Getting on them is exposure among the traditionally published authors.  The way onto these lists is tough because you only have a month for the Hot New Release list (unless you’re George Martin apparently.  Probably a new edition.)  All I did was tweet, post, and advertising like a man possessed the moment my book went live.  You might not see a big push from one advertising site, but if you’re across mediums and being vocal, you’re going to get some attention.  A little momentum can roll into a lot, so the key is to keep working and hunting for promotional opportunities.

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Red Clay and Roses: Revised & Edited Eversion Live Now!!!

Check out Red Clay and Roses in paperback and eBook!

S.K. Nicholls's avatarS.K. Nicholls

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The paperback print on demand is just around the corner, stay tuned!!!

Excited to share with you that “Red Clay and Roses” is live now, and ready to read/purchase on Amazon and smashwords.  Smashwords has epub, mobi and sony, so just about any reader is supported if you don’t have a kindle for Amazon.  They also have a pdf version for your computer if you don’t have a reader.

I was getting great reviews but I knew something was not quite right, especially with regards to the first chapter of the book.  So I had a copy editor take a look and we worked together for a couple of weeks and got the flow more smooth and the transitions between book sections better adjusted.  Line editing was also rechecked and minor corrections made.  There is nothing that changes dramatically, but I feel it is a better product now.

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Welcome to . . .

This is going to be a fun (possibly disastrous) tease at a few fictional worlds.  Here we go and I apologize in advance:

If you live in a world the size of Australia where chicken are invulnerable to swords and there’s a mute elf running around with a disturbing amount of weapons . . . you’re in Hyrule.  Want to know where Link keeps all those weapons?  In his magic hat.  Don’t be sick people.  He’s not Solid Snake from Metal Gear.

If you die, come back, turn evil, die, come back, and change powers every few months . . . you’re in Marvel comics.  Unless you’re Uncle Ben and stay dead.

If you’re in a world where vampires are trolling high schools from the safety of a car with blacked out windows . . . you’re in Sunnydale (Buffy).

If you’re in a world where vampires are trolling high schools in broad daylight in a town that apparently never has direct sunlight . . . you’re in Twilight.  Seriously, how did he go to school or walk around without being pointed out as sparkling?

If you’re in a world where kids fight to the death and the adults let it go on for years . . . you’re either in Hunger Games or Battle Royale.  We all know that the adults were secretly all for this because they were tired of children crying in supermarkets.

If you’re in a world where you can be considered close friends even though you spent very little time together as a group . . . you’re in Middle Earth.  The Fellowship didn’t even last for a full book before they all went their separate ways.

If you’re in a world with talking animals and a lion that rules over all . . . you’re in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  Marvelous children’s film.

If you’re in a world with talking animals, a lion that sounds like Jesus, and you’re told to clean a sword that isn’t dirty . . . you’re in Narnia.  Lion can also sound like Liam Neeson if you’re not Christian.

If you’re in a world where you’re trying to get an element that’s name screams you shouldn’t be trying to get it . . . you’re on Pandora and James Cameron now owns rights to your soul.

If you’re in a world where you’re not on Earth, humans look like humans, and some people have British accents . . . you’re in Star Wars.  FYI- Don’t aim the lightsaber at your face when you first get it.  The hell is wrong with you, young Skywalker?

If you’re in a world where magic is over the top and punches to the stomach are more common than saying hi . . . you’re Windemere.  What kind of idiot wrote this excellent piece of entertaining literature?  (My blog.  Don’t judge me.)

If you’re in a world where magic is low key and your life is in danger because you happened to attend the same school as a Chosen One . . . you’re at Hogwarts.  Did any student besides Hermione get grades in that school or was she the lone sucker that didn’t realize you couldn’t get left back at this school?

(Submitted by Misha Burnett) If everyone you meet is dressed in filthy rags but has perfect hair… you’re in a 70’s Drive-In Dystopia

If you’re in a world where it’s always raining and you swear you keep seeing Indiana Jones or Han Solo chasing androids . . . you’re in Bladerunner.  I still don’t understand the unicorn.

If you’re in a world where you die within five minutes . . . then you’re in Game of Thrones.  It’s within two minutes if you’re a fan favorite.

So, that’s all I have and I hope people find them funny.  Feel free to do your own in the comments and I’ll make a second post over the weekend if I get enough.

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