The Dragon's Pen

Cottage of Dreams

2011-11-13T22:21:00.018+13:00

For the first time in far too long my friend Sue and I managed to escape our everyday lives and retreat to a small seaside crib (batch) for some much needed rest and relaxation.

For approximately three years we have made it a habit to go on a weekend writing retreat every six months or so, but due to bad health, family stresses, work and moving house we haven't managed to get away for over a year.

We had no plans to write this time around. Both of us were just hanging out for the chance to have some down time. We excaped to the Karitane, a little place just 30 minutes drive from Dunedin. There we watched the entire first season of Downton Abbey, went for walks, had coffee with a friend and visited the village of Palmerston. We talked about out books but didn't write a word. It was fabulous!

We could see the sea, and hear its muted roar from our porch. The rain pattered on the tin roof as we curled up in the gloom, sung and warm with our hot cups of tea and chocolate biscuits.

I came away longing for the simple quiet life, free of the rush and bustle, with time to day dream and write and read to my heart's content. I've fallen madly in love with the idea of living in a small tin cottage remincent of a bygone era - with a few of the modern conviences, of course.

It would have lead light windows, tongue and grove walls, a coal range, shelves of glass jars full of all manner of foods on display, cozy quilts, a sand-scrubbed table and worn wooden chairs, a kerosene lamp on the mantle piece and a deep claw-foot bath in the bathroom. Up a narrow stair there'd be a loft bedroom with a steep pitched ceiling and pasley feather quilts on the beds, like Granny used to have.

The sun would spill cross the floor boards, honey gold, and I'd watch the dust motes dance like fairies on beams of light. I'd stand at the door, feel the breeze kiss my lips, taste the changing seasons and perfume of growing things. Sitting before the fire, flame heat warming my toes, my fingers would play over the keyboard turning inspiration into words. Ah, sigh. Dreams are free aren't they?

A BEASTLY Read

2011-10-22T19:07:00.011+13:00

I've been reading a lot of REALLY good books recently, so I thought over the next couple of weeks I'd share a few of them with you all. Though, I have to confess, some books which may have been on shelves overseas for some time do take a while to reach our fair shores so you may be fimilar with some of them already.

BEASTLY by Alex Flinn is a take off of Beauty and the Beast which manages to capture the magic of the old fairytale and the bloom of young love, and meld it seamlessly into a modern setting to create a story that mirrors the old while still being unique.

A beast. Not quite wolf or gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature with fangs, claws, and hair springing from every pore. I am a walking monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. And I'll stay this way forever - unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, the perfect girl, and the perfect life. And then I'll tell you how I became perfectly ... beastly.

It is a sweet, refreshing, love story. Once I started reading I couldn't but it down. Now my daughter is reading it and I've promised her that once she's finished we'll watch the movie. Yes! Beastly is now out on video. Though if the trailer is anything to go by some artistic licence has been taken with the the beast's appearence. You can watch the trailer here.

Write Me: Pimp that Fairytale!

2011-08-17T09:31:00.015+12:00

I thought it might be fun to occasionally put up a writing exercise that might challenge and inspire you. It's amazing how trying your hand at something a little different can improve your writing, help you to pick up on weaknesses, tone your strengths and open your eyes to the various aspects of the craft.

I've been thinking a lot recently about fairy tales, about the magic quality they have that seems to appeal though all the generations. People have been telling fairy and folk tales for thousands of years, and we've never grown tired of them. So how can we as writers capture that illusive magic for ourselves. Why not start with the fairy tale?

The first myth we have to dispel is that fairy tales are for children. This simply isn't true. While we may consider fairy tales children's stories this is a merely modern thinking - Walt Disney has had a big role in perpetuating this myth. You only have to open a book of Grimm's fairy tales to see how dark and brutal the old tales were.

When you pimp a car you strip it down to the essentials, the frame work. You then re-model, re-vamp and re-build the car into something super awesome. We can do the same thing with a fairytale. Strip it down to the basic plot arch ... or take it further still, down to the basic essential elements of a fairytale. Then rebuild. This requires some serious "thinking outside the square."

Lets be honest this isn't a new concept. People have been reworking fairy tales in novels and on the big screen for a few years now, and that's good. It means we have a sources to study. So let's explore a few examples.

The first one that springs to mind is Little Red Riding Hood. Hoodwinked came out a number of years ago and is a great example of a pimped fairytale. The wolf is a jaded reporter trying to catch a break on a story, the Grandma is supergran-meets-superwoman in disguise, and the evil villain is a cute bunny. More recently Red Riding Hood is dark fantasy where a werewolf prowls the night - definitely not for children.

Shrek is another great example. Though the story leans more heavily towards a retelling of Sleeping Beauty it also has undertones of Beauty and the Beast. Fiona is a beast herself, as well as being a not-so-helpless beauty awaiting her Prince Charming. Shrek is a not-so Charming hero, he's a beast, but he's a better man than Charming. The moral of the story? Sometimes true love doesn't wear the face we expect, but when we find it, it's worth every sacrifice to keep it.

Tangled is the latest contribution to a growing fairytale collection. A retelling of Rapunzel where the Hero is no prince, but is in fact a theif. The wicked witch's motivations for taking the child have been changed and are, personally, much more interesting. And Rapunzel is ... delightful.

Okay, so we've looked at a few examples to get our imagination limbered up. (If you can think of any others do mention them in the comments). Now lets consider some of the aspects of the tale we can fiddle with.

Characters
Change their gender, ethnicity, age, or "kind" - maybe to some form of mythological or paranormal creature perhaps. Change the number of characters. Maybe there are ten little pigs instead of three; maybe Cinderella only has one step sister and she's sweet and kind instead of a horrid bully; maybe Beauty is a guy and the Beast is a ghost girl.

Motivations
Change the character's reasons for the things they do and how they do them. Maybe Rapunzel is a vampire and that's why she voluntarily locks herself away in a remote tower. Maybe the Beast is a werewolf or a shape shifter, or maybe he wasn't cursed, but has a horribly disfiguring disease and that's why his family hides him away from the world.

Setting
Generally fairy tales have an old time feel, a gothic or medieval setting, but what if you put Snow White in a future time and gave it a Science Fiction setting? What if the Frog Prince was set in Victorian London or in a Steampunk world?

Quest
Change the quest or the reasons for it. Maybe Sleeping Beauty's prince is a conman and a thief, maybe he only broke into the castle for all the gold and jewels he could steal. Perhaps he steals a quick kiss from a comatose broad and is really annoyed when he finds himself caught red-handed with all the loot he's carrying away.

Conclusion
Change the conclusion, theme or the lesson learned. Maybe Hansel and Gretel never go home maybe the witch is kind and good and makes a good home for them. Or maybe not, perhaps the witch lives in a grand castle and after she's dead they take over the kingdom and rule in her place. Maybe Snow White never wakes and the prince grows old and bitter or dies of grief.

The possibilities for change are endless and it can be a lot of fun to throw different ideas around. Feel free to mash different tales together and re-work them. I encourage you to have a go at pimping a fairytale. What crazy ideas can you come up with?

Observation and Translation

2011-08-15T16:22:00.008+12:00

Today's observation:

Sometimes getting the images out of my head and on to the paper is REALLY hard.

I can see the characters and the scenes so clearly in my imagination but translating them into words is no easy task.

I'm writing a kind of fantasy I never imagined I'd pen, a genre I never thought to dabble in, and it ain't easy.

Can't say more now. I have to keep my cards close to my chest. This is for a competition after all. But, boy oh boy, the sweat and tears I'm shedding over every single word!

Fantasy: Thinking outside the Square.

2011-08-12T14:35:00.013+12:00

As secretary for the Dunedin writer's workshop, it was my turn to take the short lesson at last week's meeting. Our next competition in October will be judged by the fabulous Tania Roxborogh and the theme is Speculative Fiction. Many of our members have never written fantasy or Science fiction and were feeling a little out of their depth with the subject. So our lesson for Wednesday was: "Speculative Fiction - what is it?"

I wrote up a basic definition;

"Speculative fiction is the umbrella term for all of the fiction genres that embrace the “other”, by this I mean stories and novels that are a bit outside the square in terms of the “real world”."

And listed a few genres that come under this wonderful umbrella term including elements or themes that are often an important part of each genre. I have restricted myself to Science fiction, Fantasy, Gothic fiction, Paranormal and Fairy tales.

Note, my lists are very simplistic. If we wanted to be really technical each other these genres can be split up into scores of sub-genres - but we won't go there. The whole point behind this was to introduce Speculative fiction novices to the genres of the fantastical genres, to help them understand what makes each one different to it's fellows and to make them feel that writing something so outside their comfort zone is possible and can be FUN!

Science Fiction

other worlds; other civilisations; other universes.
often futuristic; often involves space or space travel.
may involve magic, but usually uses futuristic technologies

Fantasy

often “other” lands, sometimes other worlds
often (but not always) in a historical setting
sometimes a futuristic or alternative twist on a historical culture (ie: steampunk)
usually has quests and heroes who save the world, the land, the princess, etc
magic is an important element, but the form of the magic varies
sometimes magic and technology are mixed
often magical items are involved (ie: the ring in Lord of the Rings)
sometimes old fashioned technologies with a futuristic twist (ie: steampunk)
often characters are connected to royalty … or from among the lower classes
often mythical creatures are used; giants, ogres, dragons, flying horses, unicorns, genies and talking creatures, etc.

Paranormal

usual set in the real world, cities and towns as we know them
may involve the faerie, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, angels, demons, zombies, shape shifters or other creatures of myth who are semi-human.
often involves a journey of self-discovery; a love story which must overcome extreme “paranormal” obstacles; a mystery to be solved.

Gothic

elements of horror / terror
elements of romance
elements of mystery and suspense
historical setting
prominent features are: supernatural, ghosts, haunted houses, gothic architecture, darkness, death, madness and transgressions, persecuted females, secrets and hereditary curses.
may also involve vampires, werewolves, monster, demons, fallen angels, skeletons and ghosts, maniacs, bandits and villains.

Fairy tales and Folktales

often (but not always) in a historical setting
often teaches the reader something about human character, mostly folktales do this
may involve magic or magical items, sometimes quests or tasks must be undertaken
evil vs good is a common theme (ie: Rapunzel and Snow White)
often mythical creatures are used; giants, ogres, dragons, flying horses, genies, talking creatures, etc. (ie: George and Dragon)
sometimes uses bewitched creatures/people (ie: Rose Red and Rose White)

Of course not every story in these genres will have every one of these things is them, but most stories will have one or more of these elements. So for those of you who are new to the fantasy genres I hope this helps you gain an insight into the crazy worlds we write. Perhaps it may even inspire you to try your hand at writing something "other." I hope so.

Enjoy dabbing. Mix things up. Play around with different ideas. Most importantly have FUN with it.

If you're in Dunedin and you're interested in dropping by the Dunedin Writer's Workshop we meet every Second Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm. If you'd like to learn more feel free to email me (you can find my details on the "Who am I?" page at this blog).

In other news: I'm proud to say I've finally finished editing my latest fairytale, Bittersweet. It's nice to have it done and dusted, and looking pretty on my flash drive.
I guess that means it's time to get writing something else.

When Writing is damn Hard: Unclogging the Creative Plughole

2011-08-08T19:24:00.011+12:00

In my last post I talked about how life had, once again, conspired to distract me from my writing. After a few days of great productivity, I hit a brick wall as circumstances drained all my time and energy and pumped me full of stress and angst. This left me with nothing to put into my writing. It's fair to say I ground to a screeching halt.

Now that all those stresses are gradually fading into horrors of the past I'm wanting to get back into the writing. However, like a sink where the plughole has become clogged with all kinds of unmentionable gunk, my ability to funnel my ideas on to the paper - or to even access them in the first place - is being hampered by stress. At times like this, getting back into the swing of writing and getting the creative juices flowing again can be really hard.

I feel constipated! There's an uncomfortable blockage in my creativity.

The ideas are building up behind a locked door. I don't have the key. I can't access them.

The frustration builds and can become quite debilitating if it takes me too long to get the ideas flowing again. I become a bit like a caffine addict who has been without their morning hit for five days in a row! It's not pretty. In fact, it can be down right frightening, let me tell you.

So how do I go about unclogging the drain, or finding that magical key?

Editing. Yes, editing.

Editing is methodical. It is deliberate. It requires creativity from me, but not too much.

Picking up a piece of writing that needs to be edited and dealing with it helps me to slowly work me way back into a creative mind set. It picks away at the scum, allowing a trickle of ideas to quickly become a torrent. Ta-da! the blockage is gone, destroyed by the editing process.

When I edit I'm able to push back the worries and the issues of daily life aside and to re-train myself to focus of my writing. Once I'm back in that world - the "other" world of my writing - it becomes easier to slip back into putting words on the page and before I know it I'm writing again.

This is one key in my arsenal that I use to get though those hard patches. It works for me, maybe it'll work for you too.

Distracted?

2011-08-04T20:13:00.006+12:00

Are you suffering from distraction?

After two very productive days I've had two unproductive ones. Actually they have been VERY busy but no writing has been done. None what so ever (aside from the blog, but I'm not counting this). Life - as it is want to do - has interfered once more.

On one hand I'm desperate to get back to the writing, on the other hand I'm so exhausted I'm having trouble remembering my name and where I put ...

We are changing our children's schools and so I've been running about visiting various schools talking to teachers, touring schools, listening to philosophies and briefs of what the schools are about; how they can best grow my kids and meet their educational needs. Signing papers and finding old reports and birth certs, buying uniform, and helping my teenage son choose his subjects. So all in all, my head has been rather full of other stuff.

I'd been feeling a bit guilty about my inability to write, in the small moments I've had to think about anything un-school related. Just when I was feeling very glum about it all I read Nathan Bransford blog on Distractions. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Life will settle back to normal soon. Hubby comes back from his trip away on Saturday and the kids will head off the their new schools next week. Hopefully then I can curl up with my laptop and get the creative juices flowing again.

The Dragon Tattoo

2011-08-02T22:29:00.008+12:00

I finished writing Bitterheart yesterday, my writing buddy was impressed - in spite of the many typos. (Poor girl, the things I put her though!)

I also began a new story. It's going to be a bit longer than my usual short stories, maybe around the 5000 word mark, maybe longer. It is a modern fantasy - urban fantasy I guess, though not quite paranormal.

The Dragon Stone is the story of a girl with a very different kind of tattoo. A tattoo that can unlock the secrets of her past.

I've never written anything quite like it but I'm really enjoying the way the characters are leaping off the page. The voice of the piece is very unique for me. I'm excited.

The last two days I have done really well in terms of sticking to my goal of writing a min. of 1000 words. I've managed to average about 1500 a day.

Today my total was zilch.

But I guess we need a down day. Of course I have very good excuses for why it didn't happen today; lots of appointments and visiting, kids and their homework and after all that I'm shattered.

I plan to get back into it tomorrow and aim to write another nice chunk of The Dragon Stone. Hopefully life will co-operate.

A Bittersweet Draft

2011-07-31T23:20:00.005+12:00

Just a quick note before I go and fall into bed.

It is the final night of the holidays so no more lazy mornings for me. I have to be up bright and early (but not too early) to get the kids off to school in the morning. No doubt there will be a mad scramble to find uniforms, school shoes and school bags - all of which should have been organised tonight.

Once they are gone I'll hit the computer and finish off this fairytale. It is coming along really well. I managed to write 1800 words tonight so I'm fairly pleased with myself.

The story - as they often do - took on a mind of it's own and the result is a much more rounded tale than what I had foreseen. So I'm happy. Admittedly it still needs a bit of work, but it is a very rare story that doesn't need some careful fine tuning beyond the first draft phase.

And yes, a unicorn and a pegasus managed to work themselves into the threads of the story. I can't wait to see what stumbles, glides, leaps or slithers on to the page tomorrow. I've titled the tale Bittersweet.

A Wake up Call. A Kick in the Pants. Call it what you Will.

2011-07-30T20:11:00.009+12:00

Tonight while I was cruising the internet reading other people's blogs I had a bit of a wake up call.

This year my health has been something of a major challenge, an obstacle to my writing and life in general. However, after my operation at the end of March I felt so much better I decide I wanted to pursue an old dream - to become an ambulance officer. I threw myself into this with everything I had and was working towards the goals I needed to achieve in order to apply, but about a month ago I hit a brick wall - the brick wall of total exhaustion.

Now time is winding down fast, deadlines are rushing towards me and due to physical and financial challenges it doesn't look like this dream will come true for me, at least not this year. It is a hard thing to accept but sometimes you have to be realistic. I am what I am, my body is what it is and my health is a challenge I have to live with.

As with most dreams: when the door closes on one, the door to another opens a crack. Then comes the choice. Will you change direction and push open that other door to see where it takes you?

I'm standing on the threshold of that second door.

The sign of the door says AUTHOR.

Am I really brave enough to step through it?

So I have to ask myself how badly do I want this?

I've stood here before, somehow I wandered away ... over time we lose sight of dreams we were striving for. Discovering one has a life changing condition can do that. And that's okay. In the big picture of things putting dreams like a writing career on hold is understandable, even expected.

But I realised tonight that if I want this, if I want to be able to say "Yes, I'm an AUTHOR" then I need to take this side of my life seriously. I need to get disciplined again. I need to set goals for myself and WORK hard to meet them.

If I really want this I need to take my writing back out of the "hobby" basket and put it back into the "this is what I am" basket.

Last year I was very disciplined with my writing and was averaging 1000 words most days. I wrote a novel in six-seven months. I need to get back to that.

My head is alive with dreams and plans and ideas for my writing. I need to take hold of them with both hands and dive into those deep, shark infested waters. Let's be honest, it's scary out there. It's hard. It takes guts, sweat, tears and patience and perseverance ... and that's just the writing!

I have to be honest the whole publishing thing is frightening. I'm excited and terrified by turns!
One moment I'm trilled by my work, buzzing from the enthusiasm of others, ready to take on the world and the next I'm a quivering mess of self doubt!

It's true, there will be people out there who don't like my work, some may despise it even (though I hope not) and I have to be prepared for that. But there'll be people out there who like it too, they may even love it! (I hope so).

So do I want to step through this door and take on whatever I find on the other side?

I think so...

I know so...

Absolutely definitely!

I want to see my name on a book.

I want to hear about how my work captured my dear readers and dragged them deep into the world of my imagination.

I do WANT this!

Do you...?

Tales with a Twist

2011-07-29T11:52:00.005+12:00

The Dunedin Writer's Workshop has another competition coming up, the theme: Speculative Fiction. A broad theme to encompass Sci Fi, Fantasy, fairytales and folktales.

With this is mind, I'm working on a series of fairy tales. Some are takes on old tales that I've twisted and reworked in order to make them more original.

Others are original stories written in the style of traditional folk and fairytales. One is about a banished faerie and another about a dragon tattoo.

This is really exciting for me. I've always loved fairytales. As a child I spent hours reading (over and over) Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Rose White and Rose Red, the Nutcracker, the Princess and the Frog, Hansel and Gretel and Rapunzel, among others.

As an adult I've collected books of old tales, Scottish, Scandinavian, Irish, Greek and Roman, and take as much pleasure in them as I did as a child.

Reading them with adult eyes is a very different experience, you see the underlying lesson with much more clarity, a lesson which is often overlooked by youthful readers. For them the magic is in the tale of love, in the vanquishing of the monsters, in the "other world" experience of the tale itself.

For myself that magic still has power over my imagination and shows in the shape of the tales I write. Many fairytales, especially the traditional ones, have unhappy endings. Grimm's fairytales are classic for this. These stories always made me feel sad and being a child of vivid imagination those feelings often lingered with me for a long time. As a result my stories always seem to have a happy ending, even if it's somewhat tempered by difficult circumstances.

In other exciting news: I have an audio book - what I'm referring to as eAudio - coming out in a few months. The story is an original fairytale about a courageous maid and three fierce dragons. I'll tell you more about it closer to the release date.

Tickling the Keys

2011-07-16T00:02:00.006+12:00

I'm back writing Mercy Me and I have to say, it feels FABULOUS.

I didn't realise how much I missed it; the clattering on the keys as my fingers dance across the keyboard; the colourful flow of ideas as they rush through my head, through my fingers and on to the page; the satifaction of seeing my story come to life on the screen.

Ahh, it's magic!

Over Active Muse!

2011-07-13T13:58:00.008+12:00

I said a few days ago that Muse was busy playing with the plots of Mercy Me and Tremorgan's story.

Well, this morning he got a little over excited and dropped another story in my lap. One that is screaming to be written.

Maybe he's been at the coffee again. Sigh. It looks like the drought is well and truly over for the moment!

So what's the new story you ask?

Well this blog isn't called TheDragon'sPen for nothing. I love dragons, there is something about the mystical magnificence, the power, grace and wisdom married to the beast-nature that makes it such a fabulous creature of myth.

The story is fantasy (surprise, surprise) and has to do with dragons and magic and ... stuff.

I don't want to give away to much yet, but it's going to be awesome.
Most likely it'll be another YA novel.

I will be finishing Mercy Me first. Then, and only then, I'll begin this dragon novel and work on restructuring Tremorgan's Gift.

The Inspiration of Two

2011-07-09T16:59:00.009+12:00

First off, I would like to say a big thanks to those readers who have emailed me recently saying how much you liked the blog (though it has been quiet here lately). It has been really encouraging and, as you can see, has succeeded in getting me back in the bloggers seat. So THANKS!

My health has been up and down over the last few months which has markedly slowed the progress of Mercy Me. I am making progress though. I have now mapped the last half of the novel giving me a definite direction or plotted path to follow which should help things move ahead fairly quickly once I get back into it.

I'm so loving writing Mercy Me and I can't wait to get back into it, but assignments and health issues are seriously cramping my style. It's hugely frustrating.

So far feed back on the Steampunk novel is really encouraging. While I haven't actually been writing the novel my Muse has been busy at work, shaping the plot and build scenes in my head. I've mapped out the final half of the novel and I'm excited to announce that I just have to write the thing now. But of course, that's the hard part!

My Muse has also been dabbling with issues in my YA fantasy novel. I'm seriously contemplating breaking down the planned plots of the first two books and putting them together in one brilliant stand alone novel. It looks wonderful in my head, hopefully it'll be just as great on paper.

I'm making notes of my ideas and the strongest short scenes I have so I can free up some creative room in my head. After my initial attack on the Tremorgan's story (the YA fantasy I wrote last year), I'm determined not to touch until I've finished Mercy's (steampunk novel), but at the way things are going resisting the temptation to dabble may take more self control than I possess!

So that is where I'm at. My head is buzzing with ideas and story lines. Now I just need to find the time to write!! Anyone have a gadget to slow time???

Considering an E-venture

2011-05-17T15:53:00.009+12:00

It's been ages since I have blogged here, or at least it feels like ages ago.

As I have slowly recovered from my surgery I've been picking up the pace with my writing related activities. I won't just say writing, because I don't know if I have done all that much actual writing.

My friend Sue (aka JT Webster) and I lead our first meeting as the new President and Secretary of the Dunedin Writer's Workshop this month. We've both been attending there for close to three years and it was interesting to sit on the other side of the bench. The feedback we had was positive at any rate.

It took me this long, but I think I've finally cottoned on to the fact that when people tell you to write what you love it's a big, fat LIE!

I mean, sure go ahead and write what you like if what you love and write are exactly what publishers are looking for, otherwise you're more or less just writing for yourself and your friends (if they like it too). However, if what you REALLY want is to be published you'd better love and write the kind of novel a publisher wants to publish.

I spent almost 15 months working on my YA fantasy only to finally figure out that it is too much like the old school fantasy which is 'so last year'. I wrote it because I love this sort of story. The feed back I got on it was good, people loved it, but that isn't enough. In it's present form it's not what publishers are publishing right now.

So I figured I'd got two choices.

1) Stuff it in a drawer and wait until high fantasy is cool again
or
2) re-write it

My choice? I decided to re-write.

I started working on it two days ago. I've tweaked the first two chapters, re-written the fourth and totally scrapped about eight. More will join the heap I'm sure. The middle will be tweaked, but it will more or less remain as is (that's the plan at this stage), while the end will be expanded and added on to.

The result? A different sort of fantasy novel, one I'm hoping will be more 'the thing' and one publishers will want to publish.

I've also decided to focus on making the book a lot more self contained rather than it having to be a trilogy.

In addition to working on this, I'm still writing my Steampunk story. I'm enjoying writing it, even if it's progressing in fits and starts.

I'm also working on an anthology of short stories set in the 1930-50's and I've had good feed back on those compiled so far. (Isn't the photo above just charming? Hat tip to Michele Dyson)

I'm also seriously considering an E-venture - an adventure in e-publishing!

This is not something I ever thought I'd do, but recently the opportunity has come up. It's a children's story in the tone of a medieval fairytale. A wonderful graphic designer who worked at Weta will create the cover art and illustrations. I'm really excited about this publishing adventure and the possibility that it might lead to other similar - or bigger - publishing opportunities.

So there's lots going on in my little writing corner of the world. How are about you? What adventures of the literary kind are you embarking on?

Steampunk Secrets

2011-04-17T19:47:00.011+12:00

I've had a few days off, doing assignments and other stuff. It is amazing how much simply having the holidays start (even though it is still only the first weekend) can disrupt the usual rhythms and routines of life.

I've been picking away at the Steampunk MS today and have added another thousand words.

The scene is set now. I've introduced all the family members and built up the sense of mystery around this secretive family.

Now Mercy must undergo a Test. Will she pass?
How can she pass if she doesn't know what she is being tested FOR?
And if she does what then?
What is her father working on and why is it a secret?
Why is there so much mystery surrounding her family and why won't anyone tell her what it is all about until AFTERWARDS?
And who's side is The Duchess on anyway?

Can you tell I'm having fun with this...?

In other news:
I placed Second in a local writing competion and received two Highly Compendeds as well.
At our most recent meeting of the Dunedin Writer's Workshop I was nominated and voted into the position of Secretary. Yay!

Clockpunk meets Steampunk: Inspiration Abounds!!

2011-04-11T15:59:00.013+12:00

Steampunk. Clockpunk. Clogpunk. Cogpunk. Oooo the inspiration!

I have started writing again.

I spent much of yesterday re-immersing myself in the world of my Steampunk novel, drawing up a family tree for the Von Lovenstein family and writing short profiles for the main characters. I'm having heaps of fun with the names and eccentric personalities of my characters.

I'm all inspired and really enjoying the freedom of the Clockpunk/Steampunk genre. Being able to add a dash of magic to my Victorianesque world is an added bonus.

The plot is slowly ironing itself out and taking on more shape as I get my head around the characters. I still haven't quite decided what form the mysterious contraption is going to take (the theft of which throws everything into choas) but I do know what plot points lead us to this point and - vaguely - what needs to happen to get it back.

I also been having fun Googling antique guns. I found a couple of wonderful specimens. The above is a genuine ring pistol. To the right is an antique blunderbuss. Aren't they great?!

I love, love, love writing!

Post Op Inspiration

2011-04-09T14:34:00.009+12:00

I've had my operation and I'm slowly regaining my strength, though given the nasty twinges in my side I might have over done things over the last few days. Naughty me! So I'm more or less keeping to my comfy chair today and it seemed the perfect opportunity to blog again.

My muse has crawled out of whatever corner he's been hiding in while I was feeling rotten. He's back, sporting a waistcoat, cravat and a top hat at a jaunty angle. He leans on his dragonheaded cane. Every so often takes out his sliver pocket watch, flicks the lid with a kidskin encased finger and raises an eyebrow in my direction. His expression clearly says "haven't you started writing yet?"

No, I haven't but I will ... very soon.

I'm feeling all inspired. My hubby makes music and has been working on a piece for a Steampunk movie. The piece he has put together is great. Listening to it over and over got my creative juices flowing again.

Did you know there is a sub genre of Steampunk called Clockpunk? I didn't, but it totally fits with my story Mercy Me. The novel is Steampunk with a lot of windup gearwork etc and is a more Gothic or Regency-esk rather than Steampunk's traditional Victorian type setting. I guess I want the best of both worlds. :D And now that I know Clockpunk exists I feel like I can legitimately go where the winds of inspiration take me.

I spent some time this morning trolling the internet looking at Clockpunk images and feeding the muse with ideas. I'm very excited, inspired and looking forward to getting back to writing some more of Mercy's story.

Popping In

2011-03-27T13:19:00.003+13:00

This month seems to have gone so fast. It seems only a few days ago that I was facing the reality of having to have surgery in a bid to try to fix a medical condition that reared its ugly head last October. My parents arrive this afternoon and tomorrow is the big day.

I've been really busy working, with assignments for the work related Certificate I'm doing, with competitions and editing for Mad Scribblers (my crit group) and life in general (read: trying to get the house sorted so my Mum won't be walking into a disaster zone!) so I've hardly had time to give the up coming op any really serious consideration, which is probably a good thing. I've

Post-op I have six weeks off work so I'm hoping get back into my writing again. It has been much too long, but with everything going on my head has just not been in the right place. Still I've been reading and the imaginative juices are flowing slowing once more.

I've decided to take a little break from editing Tremorgan's Gift. I've been over it and over it and think it's time to give it a little space before going back at hack at it once more. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and the editor's eye sharper - or so they say. So I'm going to have another go at Mercy Me (my Nano Steampunk novel).

I'm happily reading Operation Typhoon Shore, the second in Joshua Mowell's series. I recently read the first, Operation Red Jericho, for the second time. They're great and really inspiring my muse. Thanks to a bunch of thoughtful friends I have a big stack of books to read while I convalesce, including a few more of Bernard Cornwall's books among others.

In the meantime, keep writing and reading, and let me know what you've been delving into.

Crawling Back

2011-03-09T21:28:00.005+13:00

I feels like it has been ages, but I'm finally, slowly, dragging step by dragging step, getting back into the writing.

My medical issues, looming surgery and the earthquake that shook Christchurch last month really shook me out of my writing zone. Meanwhile the Muse escaped out the back door and has refused to return, which hasn't helped matters. It is frustrating, but my head just hasn't been in the right place to write.

My critique group met again last week which forced me to face the MS and tackled the next chapter for submission.

This week the other writing group I attend is holding one of their three annual competitions. I haven't had time to write anything new and the Muse is stubbornly hiding somewhere, so I dusted off, tweaked and re-worked a couple of stories I'd written awhile ago and submitted those. It can't hurt and I have to confess they needed the work.

It's amazing what time can do for a piece of writing. It does wonders to show up glaring typos and generally ugly sentences that were simply "hidden" before.

I've been doing a bit of reading and have been enjoying the pace and taste of a couple of historical novels.

Prophecy by M K Hume, which I really liked. My friend reviewed the book for our local newspaper and passed it on to me. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for the next books in the trilogy and for her Arthurian series.

Bernard Cornwell's Harlequin, which I'm reading and devouring on the recommendation of another friend. I'm really like the brisk, quick, detailed action of the story.

Have you read any good books lately?

Off on another Tangent

2011-02-16T21:41:00.002+13:00

I haven't been doing much fiction writing lately. No. Let's be honest, I haven't done any.

My health has deteriorated over the last couple of weeks. My medical condition has come back to bite me on the bum ... and when we were doing so well too.

So I've not been writing stories or working on my novels or even doing any editing at all. Instead I've been working on a new and totally unrelated blog about my health and medical journey. If you're interested you can view it here.

In light of all this disruption I might not be blogging here as much as I usually would. Though even if I'm not writing I'm still reading and will, no doubt, have a few words to say about the latest literary treasures I'll be hiding in while all the medical nastiness unfolds around me.

BOUND

2011-02-08T21:05:00.008+13:00

Last Wednesday night I had the privilege to attend Vanda Symon's book launch for her fourth Sam Shepard detective novel, BOUND. It was a lovely evening out, hosted by Dunedin's own fabulous University bookshop.

Many of the reveiws I'd read said how un-put-downable this latest edition was and how they'd stayed up until the wee small hours because they just had to keep reading. So in spite of the fact that I was dying to read my new book, I decided to put it away until I had a few days off work which I could devote to Sam's latest adventure.

That day was today.

I shooed my kids out the door, ate breakfast, checked my email then curled up in my comfy chair with my feet up and opened the book. I took my nose out from between the pages only long enough to eat, do a bit of house work, help kids with homework, chat to a friend who stopped by, do some shopping and cook tea.

I finished BOUND this evening.

Evidently I was immersed!

Bound was a very enjoyable read. I was hooked from the first page and loved the twists and turns that complicated the plot.

I'm something of a fan of Vanda's (I now have all four of her books and all sighed by her. lol!). It has been fun watching Sam's character grow and mature and also to see Vanda's talent increase with each new book she has written.

Bound was a effortless, exciting read. The characters are so well drawn; genuine, flawed people. And of course, as ever, Dickhead Johns is fun to hate. Sam's feisty personality leaps off the page and her love of Dunedin is wonderfully evident.

I've no doubt that fans will in time come to Dunedin simply to visit the places that Vanda's characters go. The Fix for coffee. The Nova cafe. The Chinese Gardens. Marlow Park (the park by the beach, which my kids affectionately call "the Dinosaur Park"). Maybe even the police stations ...?

Here's the blurb for Bound:

A home invasion shocks the nation.

A man is murdered, his wife bound, gagged and left to watch.

But when Detective Sam Shephard scratches the surface, the victim, a successful businessman, is not all he seems to be. And when the evidence points to two of Dunedin's most hated criminals, the case seems cut and dried ... until the body count starts to rise.

Meanwhile, Sam is in big trouble again ...

So what next? Vanda is taking a break from Sam's adventures to write a dark thriller set in Auckland which is set to come out next year. So while I can't wait to read this new book, I hope maybe one day we'll get to see more of Sam.

If you haven't read Vanda's books, Overkill, The Ringmaster, Containment and Bound, I urge you to give them a go.

If you have, what do you think and which one is your favourite thus far?

Wicked Lovely

2011-01-28T15:39:00.005+13:00

As I mentioned in my last post I've been doing a fair bit of reading recently.

I just have to tell you about this author I've discovered. Melissa Marr.

She's a little ... alternative, I guess that's the right word ... and it comes through in her writing. Her characters are fresh and interesting with their body piercings and tattoos. She paints the teenage angst and the awkwardness of new love so well.

She weaves the modern world with the dark and dangerous world of the fey so convincingly you might believe for a time that it could be true after all - that they're really there, we mortals just don't see them.

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.

Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.

Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.

But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale.

It's a gritty, sexy, edge of your seat, page turning read.

Do hunt out a copy and so you don't panic when you've read that last page, the series continues with Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity and Radiant Shadows (all very cool titles).

There's a detailed and very good review of Wicked Lovely at Teenbookreview.

You can find out more about Melissa Marr and her books by visiting her fan site.

If you are into ebooks you can buy Melissa's books here.

Reading, Writing and Editing

2011-01-26T23:18:00.014+13:00

I've been picking away at my editing. It's coming along slowly. Slowly, because I've found myself so engrossed in the books I've been reading that for the last few days I've done little except read and do necessary house work.

The two books that have held me spellbound are two of Juliet Mariller's tomes, Wolfskin and Foxmask. History mixed with myth and seasoned with magical imagery. Great stories if you like a little history with your fantasy or vice versa.

I also read The Princess Plot. A modern day, YA adventure of political intrigue, deception and friendship.

And Paladin, a YA fantasy/SF novel about two friends who find themselves caught up in another world's war with a very significant part to play.

My daughter was watching the twilight movies today, while I sat reading the end of Foxmask. As cheesy as you might think these movies are there's something about them and the relationships between the characters that always inspires me to write.

By the time I'd finished reading the last page I was desperate to get to work on Tremorgan's Quest.

It has been quite a while since I'd touched the second book in Tremorgan's journey and I'm excited to be getting back into it.

Tremorgan is a character that feels things deeply. She internalizes a lot and as a result her joy, distress and guilt often find expression in her dreams.

This would be fine if things were going well - but as I'm a very cruel writer this isn't often the case - and more often than not Tremorgan is haunted by disturbing dreams and nightmares.

Dreams are strange, fickle, illusive things. They're fun to write because almost anything can happen. The rules of reality don't apply in a dream scape.

At the moment I'm working on the beginning of the book and picking away at a series of dreams to torment my MC. I do love her, really I do...

So, no matter what I put Tremorgan through I've promised her (and myself) that she'll get her happy ending.

Slash and Burn

2011-01-19T14:33:00.007+13:00

My beta reader swung by a couple of days ago and read over the new scenes I have written for Tremorgan's Gift. She gave them the big thumbs up. The tantrum scene is great! But the kiss still needs a little work - I love/hate writing those moments! Sigh. Never the less, I'm excited about the extra pizazz these three scenes will add.

I'm making steady progress with my editing. I've done about 10% thus far, that is averaging a couple of chapters a day.

It would probably be quicker if I didn't insist on editing on paper first, but I feel safer hacking and slashing and moving stuff around on paper. It's easier to see the glaring awkward sentences, the ugly phrases and detect the clunky tone. I can play with the words to my heart's content and if I change my mind nothing is lost.

Also, I find I can distance myself from the fact that this is my book, my baby, when it's in hard copy in a way that I struggle to do on screen. On paper I'm a lot more brutal and a lot less precious about my work; a frequent and necessary evil.

I'm working my way though chapter 11 today. Tremorgan has just had her brother snatched from her and only narrowly escaped with her life...

Poor girl! The things I've put her through, it's cruel really.

Sometimes Writing is like Digging for Gold with your Bare Hands!

2011-01-16T22:50:00.013+13:00

The muse is back and has kicked into high gear.

I had the weirdest dreams last night and in the lazy hours of this morning (translation: I was being super lazy in bed when I should have been up and acting like a responsible parent) my muse was hard at work filling my head with wonderful scenes for book two.

He also got me inspired to write new ones for book one - as if the book is not long enough already!

So once I'd got up and made myself presentable to the world at large I made some notes in my trusty notebook and sat down to write.

I tried to write the strongest scene, a romantic one between Tremorgan and .... (I can't tell you his name that would be giving away too much!) Tried was the operative word here!

I don't know if it was because I haven't written for so long, or because I'm tired, or the fact that the kids, in true holiday fashion, were arguing and grumping around me (or all of the above) but each word was like digging for gold with my bare hands!

Honestly, it look me about twenty minutes to get down the first few sentences - and they aren't even all that good. Here they are:

Turning my back on them, I clambered over Mace's slumbering form. His marble skin was icy under its dusting of snow.

He opened an eye as I leapt off his knee. “Everything all right, little princess?”

See? Not at all earth shattering.

As the afternoon progressed the words came more easily, which was a relief!

All in all I've managed to finish two scenes today, 1700 words worth. It might be all dross and no gold but at least I'm writing again and the Muse is hard at work once more filling my imagination with ideas.

Writing Magic

2011-01-12T11:38:00.007+13:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I shan't tell you how old I am, after all, a lady never reveals her age.

Hubby gave me a new book. I love books and don't think I could ever have enough of them, but I'm particularly excited about this book.

Written by Gail Carson Levine (the famous author of modern retellings of fairy tales such as Ella Enchanted, Fairest and Ever among others) Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly is, as the title suggests, about writing magical stories. Stories that have that special zing, that touch of gold, that special MAGIC!

Inspired by the creative writing courses for children that she runs, the book is more for children than adults so it's written in a fun and engaging way.

I have already dipped into it a little and really enjoyed the tit-bits I've read. If you're interested there's a really good review of the book here.

The Editing Process

2011-01-08T12:17:00.020+13:00

I'm making good progress on my second edit of Tremorgan's Gift. I'm now working on chapters five and six.

Just for fun and because I enjoy seeing how other people have edited their work. I thought I'd share a before an after shot of some of my own editing.

The first piece is the before shot. It's from the beginning of chapter four.

It's over written and even though the character's father has just been murdered it is a bit OTT (over the top!).

Tremorgan dropped her head against the cold stone feeling dizzy. Realising she held her breath, she forced a deep gulp of air into her lungs. The effort to breathe took all her concentration.

Da is dead. They killed him. The silent scream echoed in her head, growing louder and louder. Squeezing her eyes shut, she choked on a sob. “No!” She shook her head, clawing at her hair as if to tear the hideous truth from her mind.

Her fists pounded the stone as a wave of grief rose inside her, filling her with it's fire. Agony gripped her heart, twisting it, tearing it; as if someone was brutally ripping it from her chest. A keening wail exploded past her gritted teeth in a strangled scream.

She shuddered as her keening died away. She felt nothing. The fire inside had burnt out leaving her feeling cold and void of emotion. The nothing was worse than the agony. She scrubbed her eyes, willing herself to cry, but her tears were frozen in a burg of ice that pressed against her chest and made breathing painful.

Now that is pretty horrible!!!
It is obvious I seriously let myself go when trying to capture Tremorgan's grief in this piece.
So how am I going to fix it?
Well, I moved stuff around and cut quite a lot out.
Here it is again with the chopped bits highlighted.

Tremorgan dropped her head against the cold stone feeling dizzy. Realising she held her breath, she forced a deep gulp of air into her lungs. The effort to breathe took all her concentration.

Right. Now we have a clearer picture of what we need to get rid of. But it is a mess. If I was just to remove those bits half the sentences wouldn't make any sense. So I had to do a bit a re-writing. I also had to change this from third person point of view to first person.

The final shot.
So here it is again with all the bits I thought were too over the top removed. The grief is still there but it's no longer going to over whelming the reader. I hope.

I dropped my head against the cold stone and forced a deep gulp of air into my lungs.

Da was dead. Murdered. Squeezing my eyes shut, I choked on a sob. I clawed at my hair as if to tear the hideous truth from my mind. A strangled scream exploded past my gritted teeth.

I shuddered as my keening died away leaving me feeling cold and void of emotion. The emptiness was worse than the agony. I scrubbed at my eyes, willing myself to cry, but my tears were frozen in my chest.

It is shorter, tighter. It's still not perfect but it's much better than it was (in my humble opinion). So there you go, a little insight into my editing process.

Help!

2011-01-06T14:40:00.008+13:00

I had an awesome day yesterday hang out and catching up with my writing buddy Sue (aka J T Webster). As always by the time she left I was burning to get back into editing and generally polishing Tremorgan's Gift.

Not only did Sue inspire me but she brought with her the first half of my MS which she has kindly been editing for me. Thank you so much Sue, you're a gem!

I've got a few ideas to add to the first chapter which I'm excited about. I'm going to add a bit more carnage and a few more thoughts from Tremorgan that will hopefully help set the scene a bit more.

But I need some advice....

Please note: Tremorgan's Gift is a YA fantasy novel which starts by dropping you right into the chaos of a castle under attack.

What I'm struggling with is how to tell you who "I" am before the carnage starts. Do you need to know my name for instance? Or is it enough to know I'm a princess?

Another question is: Do you need to know where I am any more specifically than that I'm in a castle? Do you need to know where the castle is? ie: what country and where in that country? or is it okay to let you discover this a little later?

And if you do need to know where "I" am how can I tell you this without destroying the pace of the action unfolding at the beginning?

What do you think????????

On the plus side, transferring the book into first person is turning out to be relatively easy since the story is so much in Tremorgan's head anyway. I've adjusted chapters 1 and 2 and they read so much more smoothly already. I'm really pleased.

Unpacking the Muse

2011-01-04T14:38:00.014+13:00

While I haven't been doing any writing since my failed NaNoWriMo attempt at the beginning of November I have been reading. In fact I've done a lot of reading ... and quite an eclectic and varied diet of books it has been too.

I've feasted on adult fantasy, reading the first three of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series (I know. I was terribly slow to discover these) and Juliet Marillier's Sevenwater's trilogy.

I'd put off reading Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code for years because of all the hype and finally pulled it off the shelf last week. I couldn't put it down. I have to admit I really enjoyed it, in a disturbing sort of a way.

I devoured Gail Carson Levine's Fairest and Sherryl Jordan's The Hunt for the Last Dragon. I love fairy tales and modern re-tellings. I've read a few others too but I can't remember what they are off the top of my head.

Now I'm wading my way through Michael Grant's Gone, which reminds me forceably of the TV series Heroes with which I have a complicated love-hate-love relationship.

With all this reading under my belt I'm feeling recharged and ready to get writing and editing again. I've dug out my editor's hat from the back of the cupboard. It's a bit dusty and bent and some of it's feathers are coming unstuck but despite that it still seems to be in working order.

The Muse has finally crawled out of the box he has been hiding in, looking pasty and in need of some serious vitamin D therapy.

On the plus side he seems keen to get back to work and help Mistress Editor to clean up, trim down and generally beautify Tremorgan's Gift. He flexed his creative muscles a wee bit the other night when I began converting chapters 1 and 2 into first person POV. He's a bit rusty but with a bit of exercise I think he'll be quickly back in top form.

Who is the REAL writer?

2011-01-03T13:19:00.009+13:00

My friend and fellow Dunedin writer, Tania Roxborogh wrote a post recently which inspired me to write this when she made this comment:

"It's not easy. Actually that's a weak comment. It's damn hard being a writer. And I only continue to do it because these characters need their story told and they picked me."

There are certain stories that we writers make up where it is easy to manipulate the story. The form and the characters are malleable and happy to play any part our imagination might wish to give them.

Then there are other stories. Stories like the one I'm writing now and like the one Tania is battling with. Stories where the characters come to you and demand you tell their story.

The characters haunt you and bully you until you agree to write it. They fill your dreams and crowd out coherent thought during your waking hours. And once you have agreed? They argue with you when you get it wrong and nag you when you get tired and want to throw your computer out the window.

But eventually they become real to you, unique friends who've chosen you to enter their world. You begin to care about what happens to them, you want to see them succeed, to see justice done, to see them achieve their happy-ever-after. You find yourself laughing with them when something funny happens and shedding a tear when they grieve or fail.

Of course this sort of carry on causes the world to see as mad - and maybe they're right - but I wouldn't give up this gift for anything!

2011

2011-01-03T12:21:00.008+13:00

Another year has rolled to a close and another opens up before us full of promise and potential.

Looking back over 2010 I think I'm fairly happy with what I achieved last year. I finished the first draft of Tremorgan's Gift the first book in my fantasy trilogy. I had hoped to have it ready for an agent or publisher by the end of the year but, as I'm discovering, these things take much longer than one tends gives them credit for.

I also started writing Tremorgan's Quest and have been picking away at what I affectionately call The Lore of El, the Agorian religious writings and histories (which some unkind folks might call myths and legends).

I won a trophy for one of my fantasy short stories, which was a total buzz.

I never completed NaNo, but that's something to have a crack at again this year, and in spite of not finishing I have an awesome idea for a Steampunk novel and the first 6000 words already written.

I've also managed to read my way through an veritable mountain of books. Looking back on my reading record for 2010 I've averaged about 7 books a month!

So, all in all I'd say that's not too bad a result.

Enough about 2010, what are my writing related hopes and dreams for 2011?

#1 Rewrite Tremorgan's Gift in First Person POV and edit to perfection

#1.1 Find an agent!

#1.2 Find a publisher!!!

#2 Write first draft of Tremorgan's Quest

#3 Chip away at Mercy Me, maybe finish it for NaNaWriMo in November

#4 Win another trophy :)

#5 Try to get a short story or two published in a magazine or e-zine

#6 Read! Read! Read! Read!

That's me.

What are your writing goals for this coming year? What do you dream of achieving?

It's Christmas time again

2010-12-22T22:46:00.009+13:00

It is that time of year once more.

Christmas time!!

Half the world is shrouded in a blanket of icy snow while the other half, the half I'm in, is baking under an unseasonally hot sun.

On my side of the world Christmas is associated with camping trips, outings to the beach, bbqs on the deck, ice blocks and dripping ice cream cones.

When I was growing up we often traveled 10 hours by car to the Bay of Islands to stay at my grandparent's batch (or crib, for you southerners). There we spent idyllic days splashing in the inlet, building sandcastles and clambering over the rocks looking for crabs and playing in the huge pohutakawa trees that grew right down to the beach.

Both my mother and my father's mother are English. So while others were having their kiwi Christmas bbqs my family were indulging in the huge traditional English feast. Glazed hams, roast chickens, roasted vegetables and salad, fruit puddings with custard and brandy butter, Christmas mince pies and shortbread. Yum!

The best of both worlds! Sun and great food!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, whatever side of the world you're on. May God bless you richly in the coming year.

BTW, if you haven't yet watched The Nativity Story with your family (staring NZ's very own Keisha Castle-Hughes) this is the perfect time to do so.

Just Passing Through ....

2010-12-11T23:30:00.007+13:00

This is just a quick note as I'm passing though.

I just wanted to reassure you all that I haven't been crushed beneath a mountain of boxes - though I have come close once or twice. I'm still here, still kicking.

We're moving house this weekend. A very long and and convoluted story it is too. One I may share with you next week when I get some breathing space.

For now it is enough to say, thank God! it has all worked out. We have a house, it's the house we wanted and we are moving in. We started running a number of loads of boxes today and will move in the final large items of furniture on Monday and finally, the new place will be home.

Thanks to all of you for all your support over these last crazy few weeks. You're the best.

I'm off to get some much need sleep, hope you all have a good weekend, and I'll catch you back here for the next installment next week.

In Limbo

2010-12-05T22:43:00.007+13:00

As you may know my family and I are in the process of moving house. We had hoped to move this weekend but due to the odd circumstances surrounding the house we are hoping lease it didn't happen.

So one way or another we'll be moving next weekend. It'll be our last chance to vacate before the new owners move in here, so stress levels are high, patience is thin and faith is being tested.

The boxes keep piling up. My towers have become teetering cardboard mountains. To be honest I'm a bit surprised none of the children have been crushed in an avalanche of boxed books, toys and kitchen paraphernalia. Still we have five days to go, so there is still time for that to happen.

And no, I still haven't written a word.

I have been thinking about my stories though. It seems the muse is stirring. No doubt it's rather hot, dark and not a little dull in that box he's been hiding in for the last month.

After much discussion and consideration I've decided to try rewriting Tremorgan's Gift in first person. I had written it in third person limited, so changing it to first person shouldn't be too much of a leap. Hopefully it'll add a little more pizazz to the story.

I'll only be changing the scenes from Tremorgan's point of view in to first person, the majority of the book. This will make it even more her story than it was before and will hopefully add a little more depth to her character. I'll able to take the reader deeper into her story - that's my hope anyway.

It'll also add a point of difference when it comes to the scenes from Drostan's (the villan) POV which will remain in third person.

My steampunk novel Mercy Me (my NaNo attempt) is also stewing away quietly in the back of my brain. I haven't forgotten my light fingered heroine and her rather weird family of eccentric secret agents.

So I'm musing and packing and sorting and cleaning and looking forward to getting settled in somewhere new and being able to get back in to the writing. Hopefully I won't have forgotten how...

Too many days!

2010-11-23T13:57:00.004+13:00

I haven't been writing. I continue to be a bad, bad girl.

I have failed NaNo. Not that the month is over yet but reality bites. I know I'm not going to get much - if anything more of Mercy Me written this month.

The count down to our "must be out of this house" date is creeping steadily closer and we are still looking for a new place to live. In the mean time I'm busy with work, I've picked up an extra shift, and packing all our many belongings into boxes. We have more boxes of books than anything else and they tower precariously along the walls. The house now has that odd echoy feeling when I'm home alone.

So with all the work and packing and house hunting and everyday housework there hasn't really been time to write or space in my head for stories to grow. Stress is a serious creativity killer!

Still, in a matter of weeks it'll all be over. We'll have moved and resettled. Some measure of normalicy will return (one hopes) and our creative juices will start flowing again. Perhaps then the Muse will crawl out of the box he's hiding in and agree to go back to work.

For all of you out there who are still plodding through NaNo, all the best! I'm rooting for you!

Day Eight: I'm back ... and bad

2010-11-08T13:07:00.006+13:00

I'm back from my trip away to Auckland. A little red faced - my first sunburn of the year.

We had a totally incredible time with family and friends, many of whom we haven't seen for around 10 years. The wedding was beautiful. Awesome and busy times were had by all as we tried to cram in as many moments together as we could in to a few short days.

I didn't have time to even think about NaNo. I did take a notebook with me but it never got to see the light of day.
I'm tired but still buzzing from the trip. I'm back to work this afternoon for the first time since I was in hospital a few weeks ago, so today will be yet another that I fail to clock in a NaNo word count.

Life is unpredictable. The house we're renting has been on the market for about seven or eight months. Last Monday we were told it has finally been sold. Why did it have to be this month? NaNo month?

So now my head is full of moving related scenarios, issues and contingency plans. It could not be any less focussed on NaNo.

I shrug my shoulders. What can ya do?

If we don't make it we don't make it. Never mind. We'll play again next year.

Day Three

2010-11-04T00:02:00.004+13:00

I spent most of today packing and generally getting ready for our trip to Auckland tomorrow.

I was thinking I'd get nothing written today, but I had everything sorted by this evening so I curled up in my armchair and got typing.

I'm making slow but steady progress. The words are struggling on to the page. Today I tripped my way through some interesting scenes.

It's an altogether different experience writing in the first person POV of a character who is the dark about so much that is going on around her. Of course as the writer I know the big picture but it's tricky getting the balance right and not revealing too much to the MC or to the reader too soon. I hope that makes sense, it's late.

Happily I've managed to slog out my word count for the day and we're now sitting on a jolly 5,969 words.

I'll be back on Sunday, have a productive NaNo weekend. I look forward to checking in on your progress when I return.

Day Two

2010-11-02T16:43:00.004+13:00

By the end of yesterday I'd made a fairly good dent in my NaNo word count, chalking up a neat 2700 words.

Today has been a bit slower thus far. I sent a bit of time pottering around home and on the phone making health related calls and I had to pop out to the chemist and pick up some more medication, so all in all it didn't make for a terribly productive morning. I did manage to write 1000 words before I crawled off to bed for a nap, totally exhausted.

I plan to have another crack at the story again tonight. The more I can write before going away to my sister-in-laws wedding the better as I'm going to lose at least four days of NaNo writing time.

Still. Over all the word count is healthy.

Part of the fun of writing are the unexpected things that happen when words are pouring on to the page.

One interesting such thing has come out of today's writing. Something totally unexpected! Something I'm going to have to work into the plot arch and use to create strife and complications.

It turns out that Mercy, my MC, has light fingers. Yes. She is a bit of the thief with a weakness for shiny things. She just seems to collect them without really thinking about what she is taking or why.

I've never had a main character with a tendency to do stuff like this so I'm looking forward to playing about with this weakness.

Day One

2010-11-01T13:30:00.005+13:00

So today I started writing MERCY ME, my NaNoWriMo Steampunk novel.

We got off to a bit of a shaky start, but that is to expected with the first draft of a brand new novel.

I'm still getting the feel of the characters, especially Mercy. It's written in first person, which aside from the odd short story isn't a POV I tend to use, so that is something of a challenge in itself. I'm much more comfortable writing in the third person.

The first 700 words felt a lot like pulling hen's teeth, but it got easier and after plugging away for a few hours I have reached today's goal of 1700 words. So over all I'm happy.

After all it doesn't matter so much at this point if it's a whole lot of dreadful waffle NaNo is all about getting the words on the page.

Besides, with the eclectic cast I have to work with and a plenty of chaos and misadventure to visit upon my poor main character I think we're in for a fun ride. So let the adventures begin!

And So it Begins ... NaNo

2010-10-31T22:52:00.004+13:00

In a little over two hours it will be November 1st here in little ol' New Zealand. The official start of NaNoWriMo 2010.

While I haven't managed to get to the plot points I talked about on Friday I have made good progress on my Character List - it is full and over flowing with interesting characters. I've complied an intriguing list of gadgets. I have lots of information about the culture and place swimming through my head, though I haven't had the time to set much of it to paper at least it's there and I can note it as I go.

I have to confess on the eve of NaNo I'm feeling really exited about getting immersed in this new world. I've had to tie my darling muse to his chair and gag him, he's that keen to get started. My head is buzzing and my fingers are itching to get writing Mercy's story.

So how about you? How are you feeling on NaNo's eve?

Inspired? Unprepared? Are you nervously biting your nails to the quick? Or are you just chillin and surprising relaxed?

Steampunk New Zealand!!

2010-10-29T23:10:00.003+13:00

If you are an avid fan of Steampunk - or simply curious - and you happen to be kicking your heels somewhere in the Southern Island of New Zealand you might like to take a gander in the direction of Oamaru.

This weekend sees the official opening of the first ever New Zealand Steampunk Exhibition. Oamaru is world famous in New Zealand for their annual celebrations of all things Victorian making them the perfect place to host this exhibition.

For more info you can check out their website at http://www.steampunknz.co.nz/

Apply Bum Glue HERE

2010-10-29T10:18:00.009+13:00

Only three days until the official start of NaNoWriMo, Novemeber 1st. I had a fairly good sleep last night and after all of yesterday's visual inspiration I'm itching to get writing.

My plan for today is (aside from the odd foray into housework) to glue my bum to the chair and get working - planning, plotting and designing - to my heart's content in readiness for Monday morning.

Things I need to work on:

Character list
Plot outline (filling in the story arch as best I can)
Evamere's Culture and History
Gadgets!!!

I might also dig out a few movies over the weekend to add a little more fuel to the fire. Sherlock Holmes will be at the top of the list. I might also re-watch Van Helsing, Around the world in Eighty Days and a couple of Jules Verne's movies.

I'm open to any suggestions of Steampunk/Victorian-esk films to watch. Ideas anyone?

Update: I have to confess I got a just a tinsy bit distracted after writing this and went off on a tangent hunting up Steampunk-esk movies to curl up and watch.

After a few recommendations from friends I trotted down to my local video store and have returned with a tidy stack which should give me lots of hours of fun viewing this weekend.

I brought a copy of Sherlock Holmes (something I'd been promising myself for a while) and rented a few others. Steamboy, an anime film. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The Prestige, which was on TV recently but I missed it. The Rocketeer, which isn't technically Steampunk but comes highly recommended and is gadgety enough for me to give it a whirl.

With these under my belt I'm good to start. But any other suggestions are more than welcome!

Finding NaNo Inspiration

2010-10-28T21:50:00.011+13:00

I had hoped to get back into blogging a bit more quickly than I have done. However life has conspired against me and this illness has knocked me far more than I had anticipated. I haven't had much chance to do any reading or writing since getting out of hospital. To be honest I'm struggling just to get through each day.

I had hoped with NaNo just days away that I'd be a lot more organised and plot prepared than I am. As it stands though I have the first 5 or 6 chapters pretty clearly in my head, after that things degenerate into pretty misty details. Ah, the joys of writing...

A couple of my Mad Scribbler friends have decided to join me in my crazed leap into NaNo this year - a first for all of us - and I'm really excited to have them along for the ride. One of them, JT Webster, has plotted out each and every scene she plans to write! I must admit when faced with my plot-haze I'm just a little jealous of her.

On the plus side I've been having a lot of fun trolling through Google images looking for inspiration. Victorian fashion. Steampunk gadgets. Gothic architecture. All these things and more are teasing my imagination and giving my muse fits of excitement. Here are a few of the pictures that inspired me today.

I'm dreaming up amazing gadgets for my steampunk-come-secret agent characters to play with and weird and wonderful creations for the Professor to invent. In the gothic-steampunk world of Evamere just about anything could be possible.

T K Roxborogh Part 2: Blood, Sweat and Tears

2010-10-22T09:27:00.010+13:00

As promised here's the long awaited second part of my interview with T K Roxborogh, New Zealand author of Banquo's Son and Blood Lines. Here she talks about the challenges of writing a trilogy and offers some advice for the aspiring writer.

PART 2: BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS

DragonsPen: So T K, let's talk about trilogies. Having written stand alone novels and now a trilogy, would you say there is a big difference between the two when it comes to the writing process?

TK: Yes. Firstly, if everyone loves the first book, you have to make the second one at least as good as the first. There is that expectation now. You need the book to be complete in itself so that your reader is looking forward to the next one but is also satisfied. You don't want them to throw it across the room. You have go from who the character is and take them to another place, to who they will become. You can't just start with a fresh canvas. There is that pressure to get it right, to remain consistent. You have to keep the continuity.

DP: What would you say are the unique challenges of writing a trilogy and how did you overcome them?

The challenge was to make sure that this whole story – which is the trilogy – had a beginning, a middle and an end. So that at the end people will have tears in their eyes and go … “Ohhhh!” and then they'll live happily ever after. Though Bree will probably be growing up and making a real nuisance of herself somewhere. I haven't written the third book yet but I think that, by thinking about that story arch the whole way through, we'll get everything sewn up. I keep copious notes and there are lots of threads that need to be tied up. You don't introduce stuff if it's not going to be important to character development.

DP: What have been the high and low points in the writing of this trilogy?

TK: The high point was Banquo's Son being short listed for the Children's Book awards, being short listed for LANZA and winning the LANZA. That was wonderful.

The low points have been the sheer hard work: to make yourself sit there when you don't want to and you have to and it's long, tedious and boring. When you know what you're writing isn't good enough but you have to keep going because you have to at least have something you can work on. That's the hard thing.

DP: You told us at the launch that you had a year to write the book, but you wrote the first 60,000 words and had to scrap them, was that the lowest point for you?

TK: I think at that time we, as a family, were going through a really difficult time and I had to not beat myself up about that. We were already in the place of grieving and being angry, we were involved in legal matters and financially it was taking its toll. I know my publisher was worried I wasn't going to do the job. She was worried I was going to tip over the edge. I almost did. The stress of everything the family was going through, continuing to teach, the pressure of trying to write and trying to market the first book. It was a really hard time.

DP: Given all these pressures it is amazing that you managed to produce the book you did, Blood Lines is great!

T.K: I wonder if some of the deeper considerations in the book are because I personally went to some pretty dark places. I was pretty angry with God. I knew I was going to test Rachel, to send her to a pretty dark place. There is a quote on page 41. I had been going through this thing, asking “why, why, why?” And I wrote this almost automatically, so I don't really feel that this came from me.

The dowager's words came to mind. They had spoken often over the last month but always Rachel had tried to grasp an answer to this question of why.

“This is a dangerous question to ask, Rachel. For, after each answer, another question surfaces just like a weed in the garden. If you depend on knowing why, a good life, one that can makes a difference in this world, will be taken from you just as those weeds drain the goodness from the soil, leaving the plant gasping. If you why is to do with human behaviour, you must look only to the story of The Garden on Eden: why? Because someone had a choice and their choice has caused you pain.”

I finished writing that and I was sobbing. That was an answer for me. It didn't take away the pain but it stopped me thinking that I'd done something wrong. When I wrote Banquo's Son, I prayed every time I wrote. For Bloodlines, I didn’t because I was so angry with God, and yet the message is still there.

DP:What is the best piece of writing advice you've been given?

T.K: There are two things:

The first one is to do with the mechanics of writing. Bum Glue. Persistence. Not giving up. Go out there, do the hard yards. Just DO!

The other one is simple: Show don't tell. I see it creeping in, even in my drafts and I'll put a little highlighter to remind me to come back. Don't tell me that he is feeling guilty. I want to see it! Don't tell me she is cross. I want to see it!

I think it's really good to be part of a group of writers who are honest and supportive of you. People who have your back and want to see you succeed.

Writing is hard. I don't believe there are any born writers. You might be a great story teller but you still need to learn the craft of writing.

DP: So there you have it folks. Thank you so much TK for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. It's been fun! Congratulations too on how well Blood Lines is doing and we look forward to the next installment.

We're Back in Business

2010-10-20T20:36:00.004+13:00

Thanks JT Webster for letting everyone know why everything went dark here for a wee while.

I'm back home, having finally been released from the hospital this afternoon. I was admitted quite suddenly on Wednesday with an extremely low platelet count. Turns out I have something called ITP or Indopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura which basically means a blood disorder of low platelets (the blood doesn't clot as it ought) due to an unknown cause.

After a bit of therapy my platelets are still low but no longer at critical levels, and I've been released back into the wide world.

So thanks everyone for your kind words and your patience. I hope to get the second part of my interview with TK online tomorrow, so do check back.

TEMPORARILY ON HOLD

2010-10-15T19:53:00.002+13:00

Pen was hoping to have posted Part Two of her interview with TK Roxborogh this week, but right now she is in hospital.

She has spent all day reading, while the Doctor's are running lots of tests. She's thankful for all those books Tania.

Pen's not feeling too under the weather, but it will be good to know exactly what is going on and how they plan to fix it.

Hopefully she will be back home soon and writing her own posts. In the mean time, if there is any updates, I'll let you know.

Posted by JT Webster.

It has Begun ... dun-dun Dun!

2010-10-14T13:37:00.002+13:00

I wrote the first words of Tremorgan's Quest today.

Yes! As promised I have started book two.

The adventure has begun...!

Trilogy ... Smilogy

2010-10-11T09:09:00.002+13:00

I'm discovering that writing a trilogy is an entirely different beastie.

The second book has to continue the first story, while also being a separate story in it's own right. It must be true to the characters and continue to challenge and grow them. The world and culture must continue develop, containing intrigue and interesting surprises without giving away too much. After all, there still has to be something worth revealing in book three. I can't spend all my pennies at once, as it were.

All of this must be kept in mind as I try to knit together the story of book two.

The challenge I'm facing right now is to take the over arching outline and under this umbrella create three other arches, representing the three linked but distinctive stories.

Book one is done(-ish). Book two is plotted out. Book three, on the other hand, is for the most part a dark void of possibilities.

I now have enough plot points or stepping stones to actually begin writing book two. These scenes are brewing in my Agorian dreamscape, taking shape into something worthy of the book. Now to tap them into existence...

And Here is the rub!

I have the second book hovering there, waiting. But I can't quite bring myself to open a new page a start typing. Hence all the blogging I've been doing lately.

Perhaps I'm afraid the words won't live up to my expectations. Perhaps it's that I worry it won't be as good as the first book. I heart book one. Will I heart book two as well? Perhaps ...

Oh, I don't know!

Is this something like the pre-marriage jitters? Am I ready to commit? Is it really going to be as awesome as I'm hoping or will my dreams be dashed? Can I trust my muse to keep the inspiration coming? Am I going mad?

Is this dithering typical when writing a trilogy?

Does everyone get "the next book jitters"?

(Trilogy ... smilogy ... wilogy) Yep. I'm mad! Stark and Raving.

That explains everything ... I've gone and lost my marbles.

A Recommendation: Fancy Pants

2010-10-10T16:00:00.007+13:00

Yesterday I started reading a book I'd nicked off a friend's book shelf a couple of days ago. Fancy Pants by Cathy Marie Hake (published by Bethany House). It is a fun, light read. One of those "Don't talk to me I'm reading books!", a compulsive, page turning read.

It's the story of an English Lady who travels to America to met a prospective husband. However upon arriving she discovers the man is only interested in the influence her connections can provide him. He even has the audacity to call her by the wrong name! So Sydney decides to take matters into her own hands and skips town to find her mother's brother, someone she has never met. But things quickly get out of control with disastrous results.

When "Big Tim" Creighton spies the mincing fop headed toward Forsaken Ranch, he is appalled. Thankfully his boss isn't around to witness the arrival of his kin, Tim decides he'll turn "Fancy Pants" Hathwell into a man worthy of respect.

Lady Sydney Hathwell never intended to don men's attire, but when her uncle mistakenly assumed she was a male, the answer to her problems seems clear. Her disguise as "Syd" was meant to be temporary... but the arrange marriage she is fleeing, her uncle's attitude to the fairer sex - and her own pride - compel her to continue the guise far longer than she had planned.

Cathy Hake is the author of over twenty books. Her prose is smooth and easy to read, her characters are spunky and distinctive. All in all, a great book to curl up with. Four and a half stars from me.

Hmmm, makes me want to go write a romance....
:D

Chatting with T K Roxborogh, Part 1

2010-10-09T22:00:00.009+13:00

Recently I blogged about the launch of New Zealand author T K Roxborogh's latest book BLOODLINES. At that time I promised I'd soon be posting excerpts of an interview with her.

Yesterday I enjoyed a couple of hours chatting with T K about books, authors, writing in general and, more personally, her writing journey and her trilogy. She's a lovely lady and shared quite openly about the difficulties she faced in producing Bloodlines (but you'll have to wait until the next installment to learn more about that *teaser*).

I'm going to post the interview in two parts. In this post, Part 1: Writing History (sort of...), we talk about the books and writing in general. Next time, in Part 2: Blood, Sweat and Tears we'll be talking about writing trilogies and T K will share with us some good writing advice. So do up your seat belts, here we go!

PART 1: WRITING HISTORY (sort of...)

DragonsPen: Hi Tania! Thanks so much for agreeing to chat with us about your books and writing in general.

TK: Hi!

DP: My first question is one I like to ask every person I know who writes, and that is:What is it about writing that really gets you? Why do you write?

TK: I really like reading. I love stories. I get these stories and these characters in my head. I think it's a bit on a knock on effect in that I wrote a story, someone really liked it, that gave me a buzz and then more stories came. I discovered writing was something I was quite good at and something that I could work on getting better at. Because it becomes easier (HAHA) I don't block the stories. The trilogy aside, I have lots and lots of stories in my head.

DP: You have had quite a few books published previous to Banquo's Son, haven't you?

TK: Yes. Twenty-five or twenty six. Most of them were designed to be used in schools. My first published work was a text book for drama teachers and I wrote little Shakespearean skits and they were published. Then I wrote couple of novels. I got a publisher who was very supportive and I made a name for myself. Because I was a secondary school teacher, the stuff I was writing really appealed to teachers and so my name got known and it flowed on from there.

DP: Do you think being already well known in this way helped you when it came to approaching a publisher with Banquo's Son?

TK: Absolutely. Vicki, my publisher, was already familiar with my work and full of praise for me. She had moved to Penguin and kept saying to me “I want to publish you” which was really wonderful. So I sent in something – a novel called G Force that I wrote when I was on residency at Otago - she didn't like it! That really annoyed me.

At that time I had this idea that I'd just scribbled down. Fleance's story. It was her passion and excitement that made me shelve all the other things I'd been going to do and start on Banquo's Son.

It was only going to be one book deal until I got to know the characters quite well and I realised that I'd created more problems for Fleance than I had room to solve in one book.

I've done the hard yards. I've been writing and publishing for fifteen years. It's not as though I've just become an over night success. I think in part it's being available to be involved in writing workshops and making myself available. It's in making a name out there, like you're doing with your blog. The online community is really, really helping people getting to know each other and supporting new writers.

DP: In a way Fleance's story is a 'sequel' to Macbeth. What was it that sparked or inspired the idea?

TK: About three of four years ago when I was reviewing for the ODT I reviewed a John Marsden book called Hamlet, the novel. In that review I said “Hmmm, it makes me want to dust of my plans to write a sequel to Macbeth”.

And then, I had this dream where I could see Fleance. I knew him who he was. I knew he was hiding but I didn't know why. I knew that there was a ghost or someone dangerous in the woods with him. It's like you get an image of something and you go, “I wonder what's going on here? Why is he here? Who was he staying with? How did he get there? Why is he not in Scotland? Why is he in England?

So I was thinking, if I'm going to say Fleance becomes King, how is that going to happen? How is he going to go from the Northern woods of England to Scotland? What is going to spur him and motivate him? As I started asking those questions the story came to me very quickly.

When I was about half way through the book, Vicki suggested that we make it a trilogy. So what I had to do then was to make three story arches. So I did the one, over-arching arch, from the beginning to the end of the trilogy, and then considered the story arches for each of the three books.

At the start, I had no idea what was going to happen in the third book. I was getting an idea of what might happen in the second book but I wasn't quite sure because I hadn't finished writing the first book. Things can often come up unexpectedly.

I have an idea of what my main characters are going to do but I have no control at the moment over the other minor characters. And I have a feeling that a couple of them are very dodgy and that some others are going to become very important. They haven't shown themselves to me yet but I'm sensing that they're there.

DP: One of the things that was very cool in Blood Lines was the intrigue you had going on. There were a few characters who you were never quite if sure they were really good or not. That was really great.

How scary was it for you to try to bring the historical figures, like Harold and William, to life? I know I 'd be really nervous of putting my stamp on a historical figure.

Well, yeah, but it's so long ago. One of my students gave me a CD of the History of Scotland by an archaeologist. It went from about 300AD but, dammit, missed the whole area that I'm writing. It jumped from 1020 to 1240 or something like that. Still, it was a great thing to watch,

Also, we have the Bayou Tapestry and a few others things like the Doomsday Book (which is, unfortunately, after the time I’m writing) and archaeological digs but that's all really. It was just so long ago. The written word was very laborious because it was before the printing press, but it's very hard to pick out the personality of man from these records. For example, it's well known - and backed up by the Bayou tapestry and other writings - that William the Conqueror had very long arms and very big hands and he was quite short. So, I have used such detail in some of the description of my story.

There is a measure of freedom. I try to imagine what a character is wearing? Is she wearing woollen garments? For instance, if I was her and I'm feeling unwell, how would that cloth feel against my skin?

DP: How long did it take you to write the first book, Banquo's Son?

TK: Three months.

DP: No way!

TK: I wrote the synopsis in September, a month later I began writing. Two months later I'd written 106,000 words. I was also teaching and marking NCEA in that time as well.

(I think my jaw was hitting the floor at this point :P)

TK: I really did nothing but write.

DP: How do you fit it all in? You're a wife, a mum, you teach full time. How do you find time to write?

TK: The kids are teenagers and I expect a bit of independence. I'll still cook and stuff like that but I don't mollycoddle my children. I don't garden and the dusting might get done occasionally. Plus, I type very fast. We all, particularly women, have something that we do. Some people knit and others have groups they attend.

DP: I'm curious ... who is your favourite character?

TK: In the first book, the one I killed. Duncan. I cried. After I killed him I said to Vicki, “I've changed my mind.”

At the moment, in the trilogy, I really like Henri. He intrigues me. I still haven't fully figured him out yet. I think he reminds me of me because I say the wrong thing or the right thing at the wrong time. Henri doesn't give a shit about procedure and protocol especially if he sees it as being pompous, but he isn't perfect. He gets it wrong. He can recognise when he has over stepped the mark.

DP: It's obvious in reading Blood Lines that you have done a lot of research in order to write the book. Which scene was your favourite to write?

TK: The nits! I had to research what natural remedies they would have used at that time. There were two things. Britain and Scotland used bacon fat and ash. That root, which is the method in the book, was used in Europe. It's made into a paste and had a sting to it.

The other scene I liked writing was where Rachel was getting the clothes off the dead bodies. I know, it's terrible. It's all the gross stuff that's the most fun to write.

DP: I have to admit I love the hard, gory stuff too. Thanks for sharing Tania!

Everyone join us again soon for the next installment!

NaNoWriMo Steampunk

2010-10-05T23:16:00.008+13:00

I wasn't sure I'd ever be mad enough to try it, but is seems I am.

This year I've signed up for NaNoWriMo. What this means for those of you at home who are scratching you heads and saying "You're what now?" come November I'll be doing my best to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

That means writing a minimum of 1,700 words a day, which is easily do able.

It also means that I'll be doing nothing but writing, no fluffy and procrastinating, no stopping to edit and prettify my prose. It's simply about the word count and getting a short novel written in a month, as badly written as it might be when the 30 days are up.

I have to confess, hubby isn't best pleased. He seems to think this means that come November I'll be checking out of life. I might be a little more distracted than usual but I'm not going to kill myself trying to met the goal. It's meant to be fun after all!

The challenging thing about this is coming up with something new to write. I've decided to use the experience to try something new. Something I've wanted to dabble in for a wee while. Steampunk Fantasy.

All in the name of fun this is my short synopsis for my NaNo novel:

Mercy Me

On her fifteenth birthday Mercy discovers there is far more to her eccentric family than she ever imagined. Her Father isn't just a mad scientist, he is a secret agent. In fact her whole family is in on the game and now they expect her to join the team. Then on the eve of Mercy's first mission, her father is attacked in his lab and the mysterious Gizmo he has been working on is stolen. Now Mercy and her siblings must do everything they can to get it back before the people of Evamere start to die.

All over the world this November thousands of writers will be putting their fingers to the keyboard in an attempt to write a 50,000 word novel. If you have ever considered giving NaNoWriMo a go I encourage you to join the fun. Go here to find out more and join up.

A Trail of White Pebbles

2010-10-05T10:07:00.007+13:00

As many of you know the MS of my fantasy novel is with beta readers. In the meantime I've been slowly and quietly chipping away at a short story due in next week for another competition, though I'm not holding my breath about it being placed.

What I've really been hoping for over the last few weeks is that my Muse would drop a few idea gems for the sequel to Tremorgan's Gift. Unfortunately he didn't seem too keen to come to the party and co-operate. Maybe he was determined to have the holiday I promised, in spite of my growing restlessness.

Well, the Muse seems to be back. Half unpacked travel bags are strewn through the hall ways of my mind, half formed ideas are everywhere.

My Muse can be a very lazy and disorganised creature! Last night, frustrated by his mess I sat down with my lap top and started tapping out Plot Points.

Things that I knew had to happen, crisis points, relationship conflicts and resolutions, and scenes that I'd only glimpsed fragments of. When I'd finished I had two pages of bullet points!! Awesome. Thank you Musie.

At the moment I feel a bit like Hansel and Gretel when they escaped from the witch.

I want to get home safe. In theory I know where I'm going but the empty page is shrouded in gloom. It's as if I'm lost deep in the forest in the dead of night, the story is there, I just can't see it clearly. The only clues I have to keep me on the path are these shiny white pebbles gleaming in the moonlight.

It's all a bit daunting but I'm excited too. This is a new journey! A new adventure with characters I already know and love, though I'm sure they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. I know I have... ;)

You know you have made it as a writer when...

2010-10-03T23:34:00.005+13:00

An old folks home and hospital has a reading of your work as one of their daily activities.

*Crazy Grin*

I work in an old folks home part time. When I won the trophy for my short story recently one of the staff took in a copy of the news article (I was soooo embarrassed). The old folks were totally thrilled, some of them have photo copies of the article on their wall!

Many of them asked me to bring in a copy of the story so they could read it. I warned them that it was a young adults fantasy / fairytale but they were quite insistent.

So earlier this week I enlarged the font, printed off a copy, put it in a clear leaf folder and took it in.

It has been making the rounds ever since and the latest word on the street is that they're going to read it aloud sometime this week as one of the activities.

Now I know that it is really small time, so-what type stuff, but the experience has really opened my eyes to the buzz of writing.

I've always said I wrote to share something with others, to make others smile and give them a taste of another world. But lets be honest, apart from my beta readers and my writer's group the world hasn't been reading my work.

This past week I have experienced what it's really like to have the world read my writing, embrace it, be thrilled by it and make it their own as only readers can.

The buzz it amazing!

Most of these people are in their eighties and nineties and they're being enthralled and inspired by a story for young adults, that in itself has been an eye opener.

One lady came up to me, her face aglow, and said, "I kept thinking, she can't die, she can't die. It's marvelous! I read it three times and I was almost late for tea!"

Another said, "I was there. It was as if I was her. It was so good!"

An old man said, "It was really good. I read the first sentence and I just had to keep reading. That's the rub for me, if the first sentence doesn't grab me I won't keep reading. But yours did and I had to keep reading right to the end. You had me the whole way through."

This is it. This is why I write. This is the buzz I crave. To have people love and enjoy the stories (the adventures, the worlds and the characters) that I create.

You know you have made it as a writer when ... your work has given pleasure to others.

This is what it's all about!

You think you're Finished ... and then Reality Bites

2010-09-30T15:58:00.012+13:00

I had planned to start writing book two today, but some feed back I got at our critique group on Tuesday night got me thinking.

Apparently hints about my villain's motivations weren't stressed enough in the story. Drostan is coming across like an atypical bad guy, too brutal with out any redeeming human qualities.

Sigh and groan and tear at my hair.

No one wants to be accused of creating a one dimensional villain!
My villain isn't really worse than any other medieval warlord out of the pages of our own history - they did monstrous things at times but they also had families, loves and flaws.

I have failed to show the other facets of Drostan's personality. After all the reader can only know of him what I, the writer, chose to reveal!

I might know what makes him tick - what motivates him, what inspires him, what he fears and what he dreams for himself and the people he loves - but that doesn't much help the reader if I don't show any of it.

Sure, he is the conqueror and a murderer, but that's not the sum of who he is. He is more than that. He is a man, with human desires and weaknesses. I need to stress these more ... and I can't wait until the second book to do it.

I don't need the reader to like my villain, but I want them to understand what motivates him ... and maybe even pity him.

So today, instead of beginning work on book two, I've started writing a short series of small chapters that will allow us to spend more time with Drostan, for better or worse.

Writing Withdrawal

2010-09-29T16:35:00.006+13:00

I've had a few weeks of rest from writing as a reward for finishing Tremorgan's Gift. I was also hoping that during this interlude my Muse might reveal a little more of book two, giving me a few more clues to how the story should evolve before I begin writing.

I've been awarded a few insights, but not as much of the story I was hoping for. I know the general arch of the story and a few stepping stones along the way, perhaps it is enough...

I've been arguing (silently) with myself about whether or not I should start tapping away at the keys regardless. Maybe I should start with what I've got and trust the rest will come in time. But then, am I going to end up writing a lot of stuff that is simply going to have to be scrapped in the end?

Over the last few days my restlessness has been growing. I can't settle to anything. I start reading, making breakfast, doing dishes or washing and get distracted.

It occurred me today, I have Writing Withdrawal.

I need to write!

It's a compulsion. I have to write. I have to create.

My world isn't spinning along it's correct orbit if I'm not writing.

So, regardless of whether I think I'm ready or not I'm going to start plotting and writing book two this week.

Query Breakdown

2010-09-24T15:48:00.005+12:00

I've been working on my query letter on and off for quite a few months. It's pretty tight now after lots of feedback and I'm reasonable happy with it. Having said that though I never over look a bit of query advice. Who knows what sort of gems one might glean!

I discovered this post by the author Shawn Klomparens over at Writer Unboxed today. He offers some awesome advice on writing kick ass query letters and breaks down one of his own to show us the process and over advice at each point.

Honestly, if you are querying for going to be in the near future, check this out!

I'll definitely be checking my own against this advice.

Blood Lines Launched!

2010-09-22T19:50:00.007+12:00

The lovely T K Roxborogh launched her latest YA historical novel Blood Lines this evening at the Dunedin Public Library.

Blood Lines is the second book in a trilogy and carries on the story of Fleance (the son of Banquo, of Shakespearean fame).

Fleance is now the new King of Scotland, the ruler of a divided nation. He must marry a woman from a royal bloodline, but can he forget his first love? Before he can wed, the woman he plans to marry is abducted. His precarious rule becomes even more dangerous and bloody civil war seems inevitable.

The first book in the series, Banquo's Son, came out a year ago and went on to win and be nominated for a number of literary awards.

It was an enjoyable evening with many fans chatting and laughing as they clambered to buy the new book and get it signed by T K (myself among them).

I'm really looking forward to reading this latest installment.

As an added bonus T K has agreed to be my first interviewee at the blog. So, over the next few weeks I'll be posting interview exerts here. I'll be talking to her about her writing, particularly about this trilogy, and her experiences in the world of publishing.

I'm still compling my questions so if you have any questions you'd like me to ask her post them in the comments below. I'm open to your suggestions...

Play Time

2010-09-21T12:15:00.005+12:00

Last night a few friends and I had the honour of attending the St Clair Women's Club to watch them stage "Between the Pages of our Childhood," a play written by myself and my good friend Sue.

Earlier this year the group approached me and asked if we would script another play for them since they'd enjoyed the one were wrote late year so much.

We were honoured ... and a little daunted; this years theme was Libraries and Archives! This year the Dunedin Library celebrated the centenary of the Children's library. This is what had inspired their theme and this is what we latched on to.

We brain stormed for a couple of months before we sat down and wrote the play. In "Between the Pages of our Childhood" the Library (an old woman) interacts with a series of characters from some of the best loved literature of our childhoods, such as Anne of Green Gables, Alice in Wonderland and Tom Sawyer.

Thankfully they liked it!

They had heaps of fun performing the play and it was enjoyable (though surreal) experience watching them bring the it to life.

Five Minutes of Fame ... sort of

2010-09-16T21:57:00.006+12:00

Today I'm world famous in Dunedin ... if anyone happens to notice my photo in the local rag.

"The Star" came out today with a small article about the Children's Story writing competition our writer's group held recently, in which I won the trophy for my YA fantasy story. My friend Chris was awarded both the second and third places.

It's weird thing seeing oneself and one's name in a newspaper for the first time. It feels sort of surreal as if it isn't me, but rather the picture of someone else who happens to looks remarkably like me...

Still five minutes of fame in a small time local newspaper in nothing to be sneezed at, eh? :D

A Makeover

2010-09-15T19:28:00.005+12:00

The blog has had a make over!

The Dragon's Pen has been around for a wee while now so I thought it might be about time for a change. Something fresh and new, but still very Dragony.

I hope the lighter colours will be a little easier your eyes.

I'm still playing with things here, so this might not be the final look.

What you think? Out of five?
1 being AWFUL and 5 being AWESOME
How do you rate the new look?

Brewing

2010-09-12T13:31:00.006+12:00

Yes, I'm relaxing. I haven't written a word since I finished editing my MS. Instead I've given myself permission to chill and just let book number two brew quietly on the back burner.

I'm enjoying the break and spending time curled up with a good book. The muse is kicking in again and the daydreams have begun. As weird as it may sound, dreams are a really important step in my writing process. Dreaming helps me mold and build the scenes in my head, like mini movies, before I commit them to the computer screen. Dreams are fluid, unsubstantial things and the perfect set scape for the characters of my story to guide and show me their stories.

The feed back I'm getting from my beta readers about Tremorgan's Gift is good thus far. Sure there are things that need to be tweaked, but the story is solid and compelling, apparently. Which is awesome news! One of my beta readers is a 17 year old male and the fact that he loved it, in spite of the MC being a girl, is really, really, really encouraging. So I'm buzzing and can't wait to get the critiques back and make the necessary changes.

Wipe the Brow and Relax - Step Two is Complete

2010-08-28T22:06:00.007+12:00

I finished editing the last pages of my manuscript today - all 522 pages or 98,000 words.

YAY!!! Jig with me ... I know you want to!

It's an amazing feeling to see the whole thing printed out, a vertiable mountain of paper.

My Mum is staying for a couple of weeks so she was eager to be my first reader. She reads a LOT of books, even this is a bit of an understatement. She's been here a week and aside from helping with the housework and the kids she's managed to read at least seven books! not including my MS. So she knows a good book when she reads one and she wasn't going to tell me mine was great just because she's my Mum.

Well, when she got to the end of the last page she pushed it away from her and cried, "Where's the next book? I want to know what happens next." Believe me this is a good thing, it's the first in a planned trilogy. I want you to want to know what happens next.

I'm planning to read through it from start to finish and then it'll go out to my beta readers on Tuesday.

But until I get it back and attack their edits I plan to twiddle my thumbs a little, read lots of books and maybe, just maybe, I'll start writing book number two.

Oh, and in case you were wondering...

Step One: Write the book (and re-write and repeat as necessary)

Step Two: Edit the book (and repeat as necessary)

Step Three: Edit the book as advised by beta readers (and repeat as necessary)

Step Four: Submit the book to agent or publisher

Laws of Magic

2010-08-18T10:36:00.011+12:00

I've recently discovered Micheal Pryor's marvelous Laws of Magic Series. The books are set in an alternative (Victorian?) England aka Albion, where magic is a science like any other. The main character is Aubrey Fitzwilliam, son of the former Prime Minister and a peer of the realm. These fantastic novels are full of political intrigue, mystery and adventure.

There are (or will be) six books in the Laws of Magic Series.

In book One, Blaze of Glory, Aubrey must discover who created the magical golem that attempts to assassinate Prince Albert and why, all the while trying to hold himself back from the brink of death.

In book Two, Heart of Gold, Aubrey is searching for a cure for his condition but finds himself with a spot of diplomatic espionage on his hands.

In book Three, Word of Honour, the top secret submersible Aubrey's riding in is attacked and he must get to the bottom of who is behind it.

In book Four, Time of Trial, Aubrey and his friends must confront his nemesis and prevent Dr Tremaine from tipping the world into chaos.

While these books are about a teenage boy who is skilled at magic, the similarity to Harry Potter stops here. These books are very different to JK Rowling's work. They feel more grown up. This possibly due to the political intrigue, but I think it also has to do with Pryor's voice; his work has a very different tone to Rowling's.

Pryor has a crisp, tight prose that draws you into the story and his skill at weaving an intriguing tale keeps you turning the pages. "How the author manages to weave all these strands together into a truly exciting page-turner is magic itself! Unreservedly recommended." -Abbey's Bookshop.

These books are bound to be loved by guys (and girls) everywhere.
I highly recommend The Laws of Magic Series.

A review by the January Magazine sums up my sentiments on this series very well: "The action is almost non-stop ... much as I loved the Harry Potter books, I'd rather go out and party with Aubrey than Harry."

**Micheal Pryor is a born and breed Australian and has written a number of fantasy novels such as the Chronicles of Krangor, the Doorways Trilogy and the Quentarius Chronicles, among others.

A bit of This and a bit of That.

2010-08-16T23:05:00.005+12:00

While cruising around the blogs I link to I discovered this gem by agent Rachelle Gardner on Revision letters. It's a really interesting insight into the sort of things an editor will be looking for when they're reviewing your manuscript. I also think in could be a really helpful to consider these issues ourselves when editing our own work prior to submission.

On quite a different note, the lovely author Nicola Morgan - famous for her YA novels and her brilliantly helpful blogs (Google "The Crabbit Old Bat" or click this link to find her site) - has just set up a Facebook page and is running a competition. To enter "like" her Facebook page and go in the draw to win a signed copy of one of her books. The more of us who join the more books are entered into the pool. To read more about her social experiment go here.

I'm making good progress editing my manuscript. I've passed the halfway mark now and we're steaming on towards the finish. Only a few thousand words to go! I'm really pleased with how the story is shaping up. It feels solid, cohesive and strong, and I'm thrilled to bits.

*** If you are keen to explore a few sites that specialize in encouraging and advising writers and aspiring authors head on over to Writeitsideways to find a list of 23 such blogs by writers and literary agents.

Joy!

2010-08-11T22:33:00.006+12:00

Something a little unexpected happened at our Dunedin Writer's Workshop this week.

My story "Reluctant Sacrifice" won First Place in the Doreen Paul Children's Writing Competition.

The competition was judged by Carol Krueger, author of 99 children's books and a local Dunedinite. She had so many nice things to say about the story and was incredibly enthusiastic and encouraging, but did caution me about my spelling (the bane of my writing life).

The whole experience was surreal, however the shiny trophy on my mantle is reassuring proof that I haven't dreamed up the whole experience.

Blood Thirsty Writing and Youtube

2010-08-07T23:05:00.013+12:00

Confession time: I've always been fascinated by medieval weapons. When I take my kids to the museum I always seem to gravitate toward the display of ancient weapons. Knives, daggers, swords, scimitars and katana, even a poleaxe or spear will do. If it's long, shiny and sharp I want to see it!

Archery also falls in to my basket of things that fascinate. A bow is a beautiful thing. I'd love to draw a feathered arrow to my mouth and see it arc through the air to impale itself in the bullseye of a target. As it is, I think a Wii sport archery competition is the closest I'm going to get to the real thing for some time yet.

Due to the nature of the book I'm writing (YA fantasy) I've had to write a few fight and small scale battle scenes. I'm loving it! Who knew I was so blood thirsty?

The scenes I'm writing not only have to read well, they also have to be credible and believable.

I don't want to write a fight scene that will cause a reader who knows a thing or two to say, "There is no way that move would have worked!"

In an ideal world I would have joined a medieval re-enactment group and got someone to show me how to use a sword, but in the little city where I live there isn't one.

So instead I turned to Youtube.

When I needed to know all about archery I watched videos on how to make your own arrows, lessons on how to string your bow, hold a bow and arrow, and how to shoot.

When I needed to know about throwing knives I watched videos about different knives, the different throws you can make and how to pull them off.

Fighting with a sword and shield? Youtube came to the rescue again with videos explaining how to hold a sword and shield, how to make your stance and how to move when you're fighting, as well as different attack and defensive moves.

Not that any of this would mean I could defend myself if someone came at me with the real thing. Nor would it help much if someone put a bow in my hand and said "Shoot that target over there or I'll drop your laptop from a great height." I think we all know I'd shortly be weeping over my lost manuscript and filling out insurance forms.

However, it has given me the knowledge and understanding to write (I hope) a good fight scene that's not only believable but wickedly exciting!

Conquering the Beast

2010-08-05T14:45:00.007+12:00

You'll know, if you read this semi regularly, I've been editing my MS for the past few months. What you might not know is that more recently I've been struggling with a portion of my MS in a big banging-my-head-against-the-wall sort of a way. Apparently this is quite normal. Writers do experience moments like this from time to time. We encounter them when we are writing and again and again and again during editing.

I think it's easier when we are in the writing phase to sweep these wee monsters under the carpet and pretend they aren't there. But come editing time it's much harder to pretend that all the problems and inconsistencies, plot issues, dull, boring, cardboard characters and lazy writing are not there!

They are THERE and they have to be dealt will. They can't be left as they are. These monsters must be vanquished or they will destroy any potential your story has of EVER leaving the slush pile.

For the last - lets be honest - six weeks I have been struggling with a particular large beast.

I admit I dragged my feet. I don't know that I was scared to face this monster, but I certainly wasn't looking forward to it. I procrastinated. I read books. I twiddled my thumbs. I didn't want to have to deal with the problems I saw. And there were many of them!

The whole passage was about 10-15 pages, about a quarter of the way through the book. Pieces I'd written way back in the beginning, some of the very first scenes I came up with before I really knew what shape the book would take on and who my characters were.

With the book now finished, bits of it no longer fitted. Scenes needed to be tweaked, characters filled out. New scenes had to be added in to provide info and to sew everything together seamlessly. There needed to be more character interaction, more conflict and more fighting. What a nightmare!

But today is a day to celebrate. I've conquered the beast.

This afternoon it breathed it's last breath and twitched it's last twitch.

It feels great to have it done and I'm pretty pleased with what has come out of it. The characters feel fuller and more vivid, and there are some nice action scenes in there too. Which is awesome!

Editing wise, it's pretty much all down hill from here. There's still lots to do, but there are no more mountains to climb and no more great, hairy, slobbering beasts to slay.

A days work well done, if I do say so myself.
I hope you're having as much success in your own writing corner.

Note: Sorry about all the typos. I think I've fixed them all now.

Chaneling your Character

2010-08-03T19:28:00.009+12:00

I few days a go I talked about the different ways the Muse can be inspired. Today I thought I'd talk a little about channeling our characters.

This means getting into the your character's head and making her real on the page.

Whatever situation your character finds herself in you have to know and understand how she feels. Emotion is a huge part of our humanity. Our characters need to be convincingly human (unless of course you're writing SF and your MC is non-humanoid).

In the books we read it's the things a character experiences and their reactions, both emotional and physical, that will determine our own emotional connection to the characters of a story.

Of course, I want readers to care about my main character. It's my job to channel her so that she'll become real to the reader enabling that crucial bond to form between the reader and my MC.

In order to do this I need to know what she feels and why, right down to all minute the complexities of emotion.

Perhaps she has lost someone close to her quite suddenly, how might she be feeling? A whole range of emotions present themselves for consideration. Desolation, despair, panic, depression, anger, helplessness ... and possibly all of these at once.

Once I understand my character's emotion state I should be able to write a credible response or reaction to what is happening and one that the reader will empathise with.

I thought I'd share with you the image that is inspiring me at present. This is it. Isn't she lovely?

In this picture it's the wistful look in her eyes that speaks to me, as if she's thinking back to a better time. The time before chaos.

Sometimes I see pain and heartache in her expression. Other times it seems to me there's a coldness, a detachment and a grim determination in her face.

Each of these impressions can help me to enter into my character's emotional state. I see it in her face, I empathize and I experience those emotions though her, and with her, as she shares her story and I record it. Of course, I don't always write like this, but starting this way can be very helpful.

I often have a picture, like this one, as my screen saver. So the instant my computer comes on line my inspiration is staring back at me. This helps keep the story in my head (in technicolour!) and acts as a siren song, calling be back to work.

Much of the time the characters and the scenes I set out to write are so clear any extra visual aids are unnecessary. But writing isn't always easy. Sometimes it's just gut wrenching, hair pulling, frustrating, thankless work. When it's hard it's handy to have little tricks up my sleeve to get me going again; this is one of them.

How do you get yourself kick started when your writing grounds to a holt?
What method do you use to get into your character's head or really ground yourself in a scene?

Inspiring the Muse

2010-07-27T09:16:00.010+12:00

Caution: Un-writerly types BEWARE.
This blog is about Muse. It may lead you think I am completely insane or cause your head to explode. I take no responsibility for either outcome. You have been warned.

Muse. What is it?
My answer to this question is that Muse is the inspiration and the magic that transforms an image, or a song, an idea or a word ... an anything into a concrete something else. Ie: a story plot, scene, character.

According to the online dictionary a Muse is: the spirit that is thought to inspire a poet or other artist; source of genius or inspiration.

Some people say their Muse has a form, a personality. They look to animals or mythical creatures - the unicorn seems to be especially popular - to bring their Muse to life. I don't know if I'd ever want to confine my Muse in that way, its like putting it in a box. Perhaps it's because it seems to me that my Muse changes or alters somewhat depending on the story it brings me.

What about you? Does your Muse have a form? A personality?

I find myself intrigued by the different ways a Muse can be inspired. Not every Muse finds inspiration in the same places or in the same way. Some people find music especially inspiring. Others are visually stimulated. Some find it in the things that happen around them, in what people do and say.

I'm very much a visual person when it comes to finding inspiration for my stories. Art. Photos. Movies. I find inspiration in all these things, especially in pictures.

Sometimes I'll see something and it'll just hit me. An experience not unlike being shot by Cupid's arrow. Other times, I might be writing about a forest or a wood and need some inspiration, so I'll troll though hundreds of pictures to find the one that captures the kind mood I want to invoke in my reader. (I love google!)

When I find it the Muse kicks in. I can see and smell and hear and feel that place. I'm there. It's real. And that's just what I need to insure I take my reader there too.

This is one that inspired one of my forest scenes:

I find this method especially helpful when building characters. I know who they are in my head and what they look like, more or less, but I'm not an artist by any stretch of the imagination. I cannot give my characters shape apart from the words I use to conjure them and yet I can find something of them in the art of others.

This also works well when I've been away from my work for a while and I need to get in touch with my characters again, fast. A picture can pull me out of reality and back into that other place and time in a snap.

What about you? What gets your Muse going? Where do you find your inspiration?

Spending time with Jamie Fraser

2010-07-26T16:09:00.009+12:00

Well, school holidays are over: school is back.
So is the muse.

I don 't know about you writers out there who have children, but I found having my kids home, as nice as it was, totally cramped my style. I couldn't write or edit for more than a few moments with out them interrupting me to ask a question. So between kids and work I found I wasn't really managing to achieve anything much when it came to my writing.

I did manage to read quite a few good books though, plowing my was very happily though the first four of Diana Gabaldon's books, with a few others thrown in for good measure.

I have really enjoyed reading Diana's books, her characters and their stories are very compelling. I love Jamie. Somehow, she has managed to capture the essence of the dream man - loyal, honest, dangerous, sexy - and he is so human. He makes mistakes, he's by no means perfect, and he scratches his butt. He is so charming and endearing and let's face it, the kilt and the Scottish accent .... swoon.

A while ago the editor Nathan Bransford (I think this is right) asked his blog readers who their all time favourite literary hero was. The over whelming favourites were Diana Gabaldon's Jamie and Jane Austen's Mr Darcy, but no one seemed able to pin point why these two men are so popular. What is it about these guys that gets our blood going?

At the time I hadn't read Diana's books and was intrigued by Jamie Fraser's popularity. Having now read half of them I'm pretty certain it's Jamie humanity that wins the heart of the reader. Too many times in novels writers try to make their heroes perfect, they almost seem like demi-gods. But in my humble opinion, it's a man's imperfections that tug at our heartstrings and make us fall in love with them.

Note: Diana Gabaldon's books are R16 (they contain coarse language, violence and sexual scenes)

How's it going over there?

2010-06-28T20:11:00.005+12:00

I'm still editing!

I've been picking away at my MS and I'm making slow but steady progress.

I think I've finally managed to get over my frustration at how long the editing process takes. Now I'm simply trying to knuckle down, do it and enjoy the journey.

I've discovered I still have the odd small scene that needs to go in around page 120, to help the flow of the story and flesh out some of the characters that get introduced at this point. But I'm okay with that - now that I've got my head around how those scenes should look.

Today was my first day off work, after a three day straight stint, since I was admitted to hospital. It really did me in. I'm pretty worn out and a little uncomfortable.

So I gave myself permission to take it easy today. I sent my kids off to school and went back to bed for the rest of the morning!! Terribly lazy, I know, but I'm feeling much better for the rest.

This afternoon I curled up on the couch with a copy of the first half of my friend's manuscript. I promised her I'd read it though completely before I attack it with my red pen - I do love a good paper and pen edit! So other than the odd note here and there, I've keep my word.

I finished reading it just before I had to get up to make tea and will begin red-pen edits on it tomorrow. It is a great read. The story is strong and flows well and had me in tears a few times, which is a good thing. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it when she has finished part two.

So how's it going in your neck of the woods? Where are you at with your WIP?

A Picture of Inspiration

2010-06-23T23:15:00.004+12:00

I'm feeling inspired. Yay! I've have had a few weeks off and enjoyed a much needed break, but we are back into the edits and the creative juices are flowing once more.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

2010-06-16T20:54:00.008+12:00

While I've been resting up after my stint in hospital I've been doing a fair bit of reading. I generally read a lot, but it has been a while since I've felt compelled to share my excitement about a new find.

Yesterday I started reading (and finished this afternoon) Jacqueline Kelly's debut novel The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. A physician and a lawyer (and a writer! - where does she find the time?) Kelly was born in New Zealand and raised in Canada. She now lives in Texas - no doubt this inspired the setting of her novel which is set in Texas at the turn of the century (1899).

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is an YA historical novel, written in the first person and narrated by Calpurnia herself. I loved this book!

I was instantly drawn to this quirky and delightful "almost twelve-year-old" girl with her avid curiosity and her fascination in the natural world. There are many episodes in this story that brought a smile to my face and a few that had me laughing out loud.

One of my favourite episodes involves a grand moment of truth ... with hilarious results.
It is time to sample Granddaddy's attempt to distill alcohol from pecans:

"Ah." he said, "here comes the the real test." He saluted me with the glass and said, "To your good health, Calpurnia, my companion in sailing uncharted waters." He took a good mouthful.
I still remember the look on his face as if it were yesterday. The spasm of surprise. Followed by a long, contemplative gaze fixed somewhere in the middle distance. Then, a slow smile.
"Well," he said at last. "I have done an amazing thing."
"What, Granddaddy, what?" I breathed.
"I doubt that any other man alive can make this claim."
"Oh, what?" I wailed.
Calmly, Granddaddy said, "I have managed to take perfectly good pecans and ferment them into something approximating cat piss."
...
"Should I write it in the log?" I said. "Cat piss, I mean."
He chortled. "A good idea. We must be honest in our observations. Take up the pen and kindly do the honors, my girl."

As Callie (Calpurnia) explores the world around her, she develops a close relationship with her notoriously cantankerous grandfather, an avid naturalist, navigates the dangers of living with six brothers, and learns just what it means to be a girl at the turn of the century.

This is a truly delightful story about a girl on the verge of becoming a woman in turn of the century Texas. I highly recommend it. 5 Stars from me!

Silence

2010-06-11T21:58:00.003+12:00

Dear Dragons Pen Readers,

It has been pretty quiet here for a wee while.

I have not been well and had a short stint in hospital. Thankfully I'm home now, but I'm taking things relatively easy at present.

I'm taking a couple of weeks off work and off writing - shock horror! In the mean time I'm enjoying putting my feet up and catching up with some reading.

Keep an eye on the blog. I hope to be posting as normal in a week or so.

Cheers
Pen

Calling Fantasy Writers

2010-05-30T13:20:00.005+12:00

Do you write fantasy, especially YA fantasy?

Do you live in New Zealand or Australia?

Are you interested in connecting with other writers in your genre?

If you're a writer of fantasy (published or unpublished) living in Australasia, or have your roots here, and would like to connect with writers writing in the same genre I'd love to hear from you.

At present we seem to be few and far between, especially in NZ.

So, if your keen drop us a line in the comments or email me at penelope dot griffin dot books at gmail dot com. We would love to hear what you're up to, how you're going and what you're writing.

P.S.
If you're from another part of the world you're also welcome to drop us a line, I'd hate you to feel left out. It's nothing personal really. ;)

Luv
Pen

Book Signing Success

2010-05-25T09:23:00.007+12:00

Never having had a novel published (yet) I've had little experience in book signing and none at all when it comes to doing a formal book signing at a bookstore, so I'm hardly one to give advice on the matter.

However, this is something I've been wondering about. How do you go about running a book signing event? How should you go about promoting it? How do you insure it is successful?

This morning I stumbled across a link to a the Backspace website with a brilliant 3 page article full of practical how-to advice on making your book signing a success.

Check it out here.

Year of the Dragon's Pen

2010-05-23T16:52:00.005+12:00

On April the 13th The Dragon's Pen had it's first birthday, The day past without me even noticing or marking the auspicious occasion.

Earlier this month we blogged our 100th post, without me noticing or celebrating the momentous occasion.

This is a belated "Harrah!" in celebration of a blog birthday and 100 posts.

Thanks to all of you who have followed our journey thus far, we have enjoyed your company and the honour of getting to know you all along the way. Do stick with us - we ain't finished yet!

Rejected?

2010-05-21T21:52:00.003+12:00

Are you tried of having your writing rejected by publishers?

Are you feeling dejected and thinking about throwing in the towel?

Do you need a little encouragement?

You might find it here. A list of 30 famous writers who had their work rejected - sometimes repeatedly - and some of the things editors, agents or publishers had the audacity to say about their work.

I found it vastly encouraging!

Advice for those about to Embark on the Ship Publication

2010-05-20T16:48:00.005+12:00

Are you about to embark of the Ship Publication?
Are you planning ahead for just such a journey?

If so, what do you need to do? That tips and tricks do you need to pack in your travel trunk?

The lovely Randy Susan Meyers on her blog Word Love has wonderfully insightful advice about what to do once your novel has been accepted for publication.

Do check it out!!! Now!

She suggests:

1) Making friends in the writing world.
Twitter, MySpace, Facebook and Online networking through blogs are all great examples of how you can do this.

2) Making a mailing list.
This includes anyone you ever met. I'd also include national and local media in this list.

3) Getting a make over.
Seriously. If you have been sitting at your laptop for two years in your pjs, eating little except chocolate and drinking coffee, then a visit to a hair stylist, a new outfit and a bit of makeup probably can't hurt. :D

Rewriting and Recycling

2010-05-18T11:47:00.004+12:00

The official editing of my manuscript is on hold for now while I rewrite my first four chapters. This should bring me up to where I need to be. It'll mean two or three dud chapters will be cut out entirely, which is a good thing, believe me. Even though there was some really good stuff in some of those chapters the story wasn't getting where it needed to go quick enough. There was no help for it, they had to go.

I'll be recycling some of my favourite bits, cause recycling is good for the environment, and in this case, it's good for my ego too.

I'm pretty pleased with how the rewriting is turning out. I've had some pretty encouraging comments about it so far. YAY! Given how down I was, my writerly-pride is improving and the bruises are swiftly fading - no doubt they will soon be forgotten.

Humble Pie and Brick Walls

2010-05-15T23:59:00.006+12:00

Due to some very humbling, but very helpful advice I received recently about the beginning of my book I was forced to do some serious thinking.

I like to think I'm good at taking criticism of my work, thinking about it objectively, then taking the advice on board and making the changes I need to and getting on with it. It's not uncommon for me to do the forehead-slapping "why-didn't-I-see-that?" thing.

But I have to admit, some of the comments this time rocked me far more than I was prepared for. It wasn't that the things said were nasty or mean (though one comment was), it was all insightful and hugely helpful and some of it was very encouraging. Maybe I was overtired, I don't know, whatever it was, I got really down about it. Depressed.

I'd been really high after meeting Vanda, the bubble burst, and I fell hard and fast!

My facebook status read:

...... has decided writing is for loonies! And I'm not loony enough to make the cut. Very tempted to delete the whole lot and biff the laptop out the window. :(

Hhmmm, yes. Disturbing stuff!

I felt miserable for a while, cried a bit down the phone to Sue, dutifully listened to a pep talk, ate chocolate and got cuddles from hubby, and went off to work feeling like I'd rather go to bed and hide for a week (and never write again).

Upon reflection, the problem wasn't so much the critiques themselves, I KNEW the comments were right, it was that I couldn't get my head around how to fix it.

I needed to rewrite it - rewrite the first chapters bigger and better and still get to where I needed to be. But I couldn't see how to do it. It was just too hard.

Well, I came home from a hard night at work, emotionally and physically exhausted, and fell into bed. But I couldn't sleep because the new scenes I needed were falling into place. I could see the the pieces of the puzzle that were missing. Yippee! (Yawn...zzzz)

I thought I'd be dithering for weeks, or months, banging my head against a brick wall tagged with the words "How are you going to fix this?"

But NO. The wall lies around my ankles in a mountain of rumble!

It took me a while to get started, but in the end I wrote 6 pages today. The words just tripped off my fingers.

I'm excited, it is possible to think outside the box and start again.

The first words were the hardest and I don't know if this is the beginning I'll end up using, but it is a new beginning.

The depression has faded away and hope is back.

Fantasy and Sci-Fi Competition!!!

2010-05-13T21:13:00.002+12:00

The Guide to Literary Agents Blog is advertising another competition. This time writers of Fantasy and Science Fiction are to get their time in the sun!

They're looking for writers with a completed manuscript of either Adult or YA fiction.

So, if you are keen on dipping your toe in some competitive waters go here to check out the details.

And good luck. :)

Being Recharged

2010-05-13T10:09:00.006+12:00

In the hard slog that is writing ... or in my case at the moment, editing ... we can become a bit weary and jaded by the whole process. The doubts, the negative thoughts and the impatience creep in.

"It is such a LONG process. It'll never be good enough and what happens if, in the end, the publishers don't like it?" And on and on. Blah, blah, blah...

I admit, I do get a bit impatient at the editing stage (Oh, I guess I did in the writing stage too, didn't I?). Lets face it. I'm just impatient. I want the book to be ready and perfect - now. No. Not now. Yesterday!

But life doesn't work like that and neither does writing.

Last night, at a meeting of the DWW (a local writing group), the wonderful and charming Vanda Symon came to speak to us about her books. She talked heaps, which was awesome, and shared a lot about her journey to publishing, what it was like to write a series and various other bits and pieces. Lots of great stuff. It was hugely encouraging.

I came home feeling like a fire had been lit under me.

The passion is back. I want this. I REALLY want this.

The dream hadn't faded. It'd just got a little rumbled and buried under all the crap that crawled in and sat on it, namely the doubt and impatient frustration.

So thanks Vanda for honestly sharing your enthusiasm for what you do.

It may sounds crazy, but it's great to meet published authors and discover just how awfully normal they are! It's wonderfully encouraging to find that most of them are just like me. They have families and naughty kids and issues and are terrible housekeepers (note: I'm not talking about Vanda here, just making general comments! :D) and some have smelly dogs and others have lazy cats, but they all write because they LOVE it.

Just like me!

Editing and Childbirth: What do they have in common?

2010-05-11T22:54:00.008+12:00

It struck me today (right between the eyes, I might add) that Editing is a lot like Childbirth.

That's a weird analogy, you might think. Let me explain.

What is the common thread between the two? A lot of agonizingly hard work.

Step One: There's the initial excitement and joy of the moment when the story in first conceived in your mind. (Ahem. Nuff said, I think.)

Step Two: This if followed by a nervous excitement and you wonder if it's really happening. Will this ever be a more than and idea? Do I really have something here? Could this be something wonderful?

Step Three: Then there's the thrill and scary realization that it is actually happening!

Step Four: You slave for months growing and nurturing this story until you type those magical words: "The End." It is finished.

For some of us this "pregnancy-stage," the writing of the first draft, can be very difficult. We suffer. We can't sleep, we forget to eat, we have weird dreams, our hair falls out and our backs hurt from bending over the keyboard. We doubt ourselves, our ability to write the thing, or to do the story justice. But we persevere. Why? Because now we're in love. The story is infused with a piece of our heart and we're determined to see it though.

Step Five: The Birth.

This is where all the true discomfort and pain begins. Yes. The story in written, but now it's time for us to get really serious. It's time to roll up our sleeves and get dirty. Editing isn't for the faint of heart. Editing is hard work!

It's in the editing that we writers shed the most blood, sweat and tears. (This is true for me at least.) It's tough. There are no shortcuts. No cheats. There's no one you can bribe to make it better. It's just you, nose to the grind stone, word by word, page by page, chapter by chapter, hacking, tweaking and polishing.

Your creativity has to be brought under control, the desire to write restrained, and the editor's scalpel brought out. It might not be pretty. It might hurt like hell. But you know that eventually, when the pain and the hard slog are over, your story will gleam like the perfect creation it was intended to be.

Let's face it, birth is a natural, painful and messy process, but not with out its rewards. The same goes for editing our wee darlings. And like the pain of childbirth, we, oh so easily, forget the horror of editing when the next delightful story woos us into beginning the process all over again!

We're suckers. There's really no hope for us.

My wee darling calls. Editing awaits me.

...And the next delightful story already begins to woo me!

A New Day. A New Blog.

2010-05-11T15:05:00.004+12:00

Sue, my friend and writing buddy, has just begun her own blog over at J T Webster Books.

It's the big scary blogoshere out here, so do sneak a peek and drop her a word of encouragement or two. I know she'd love to hear from you.

Making Progress

2010-05-04T15:09:00.004+12:00

I have now - officially - finished editing the first 100 pages or 20,00 words of my fantasy novel.

Now I feel like we're finally making so progress.

Editing can feel like a bit of drag and a drain at times. Like all my creativity is being sucked - quite literally - down the drain.

How is it possible to sit in front of a laptop and NOT write for weeks on end?

And I have this wonderful new story idea and it's nagging, nagging, nagging at me to just get on and WRITE it. Its characters are dancing around in my head, wearing lovely new colours in a crisp, new and enchanting world, and they whisper (or shout, as the mood takes them) their own particular secrets to me. How can I resist?

But I must EDIT!

I may go insane before this process is over. This blog isn't subtitled "musings from the borderlands of sanity" for nothing, you know.

The Seven Deadly Sins of the Written Word

2010-05-02T11:53:00.006+12:00

Are you editing your WIP?

Are you pulling your hair out because you're work doesn't seem to be the magical creation you so desperately want it to be?

Are you struggling to see the wood for the trees?
(hee,hee! Intentional cliche)

Are you querying agents and only getting rejection slips in return?

You maybe committing one or all of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Written Word!

So what are they?

Deadly Sin #1 & 2. Slow, Generic or just plain Boring Beginnings

Deadly Sin #3. Trying too Hard to be a Literary Genius

Deadly Sin #4. Way Tooooo Much Information!!

Deadly Sin #5. Cringe Inducing Cliches

Deadly Sin #6. Loss of Focus - Meandering and Sleep Inducing Prose

Deadly Sin #7. Unrealistic Internal Narrative - POV Abuse of your MC

I stumbled across Janice's latest post this morning. As always, it was brimming with wisdom and helpful tips to drag yourself out of the mire you may have written yourself into. Today she was exploring the Seven Sins of a first chapter. Follow the link to visit her post for an eloquent description of each Sin and tips for kicking the Sinful Habit.

Janice also shared a helpful linked to another blog I follow with a post titled 7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter.

Do check them out.

So how's it going?

2010-04-28T22:51:00.008+12:00

Thus far I've managed to troll through almost 16,000 words - no mean feat.

I couple of times I've wanted to bang my head against the keyboard, but that would do nasty things to the laptop that I know I would regret later, so I didn't. I hit the table instead.

I hate it when you're editing a piece of your writing and you just know it's not right, but you really aren't quite sure what's wrong with the ruddy thing. You tweak stuff and you move stuff around and you chop bits, but it doesn't feel right some how.

Well, I've been having a few moments like this lately. It's a problem with my early chapters that I don't seem to have later on - or so my alpha reader assures me.

What would we do without critique groups? They are a Godsend!

It's amazing how having someone look at your work can switch on the light and show you the glaring problems within your work. I'm sure I would still be bumbling around in the dark, tearing my hair out otherwise.

After getting back chapter five from my group this week I realized my biggest issue was superfluous conversation. You know, back and forth dialogue that could really be half the length. I'm sure this is sometimes okay and there's a place for it, but NOT in the middle of a high intensity, high action chapter.

My characters superfluous chatter was dragging at the pace of the story like lead weights on a marathon swimmer. It was killing the story.

Janice Hardy, YA Fantasy author, wrote a great blog about this recently. You can read it here.

Of course, once I figured out what the issue was I took to the pages with my scalpel. Stab. Hack. Slash. And knit back together with some delightful prose.

As yet the Editors Hat it staying on nicely. Thanks for asking. Hubby did suggest I might need the nail gun to keep it on, but for now the staples are holding well.

Happy Editing everyone.

Confession Time

2010-04-25T22:34:00.008+12:00

This is my editors hat.

Isn't she beautiful?

Black. Formal. Sensible. But with a dash of colour that hints at a fun and adventurous side. Anything can happen...

Hi Everyone.

Thought I'd pop in briefly and say "Hi." It has been a while hasn't it?

It has been very quiet here at the Dragon's Pen. I haven't had much to say ... mostly, to be honest, because I haven't been doing much book-wise.

Maybe I needed a break - maybe I've earned one?

I started writing this book approx seven months ago, finished it on a high and dived straight into editing only to get 12,000 words in and grind to a shrieking halt.

"It's too hard!"
"It's awful."
"I can't write. I'll never be able to do this story justice."
"I just don't feel like it right now."
"I'd rather read or play a computer game..."
"Blah-blah... Wah-wah..."

All these things have trotted though my mind over the last week or so. I've read some good books and spent way too many hours playing games on my computer. :)

But now I'm dreaming about Book Two and I must get this one finished.

The itch is back. So, I'm rolling up my sleeves and stapling my Editors Hat to my head so it can't fall off again (painful but necessary, believe me).

And I'm telling myself:

"I can write, really, I can."
"This story is awesome!"
(Insert growly voice) "Just stick your butt in the chair and get on with it!"

And other positive stuff like that.

So here goes ... again.

A Different Hat

2010-04-10T20:31:00.003+12:00

The draft might be finished, but my work certainly isn't done.

Muse hat off. Editor hat on.

My manuscript still needs a through edit so I'll be wearing my Editor Hat for the next wee while.

Then it'll be ready to be printed off for my editors and readers. (I can't wait to hold it in my hot little hands!!!)

I'm thrilled that a few of my readers are from my target audience, avid young adults who have a very good handle on what they like to read and why. I'm really looking forward to their feedback.

So if it is a little quiet around here you know why ... I'm busy editing. Do keep an eye on my progress boxes, even if I'm not posting I'll still be updating them.

Happy writing everyone!

It is Finished - First Draft Complete!!

2010-04-10T19:56:00.012+12:00

At 12.45 am last night, Friday 9th of April 2010, I typed the final words of my YA Fantasy novel.

Coming in at 90,922 words or 417 pages ...

My draft of Tremorgan's Gift is complete.

Because I tumbled into bed right after finishing last night, I had a little white wine and chocolate to celebrate today.

I was ecstatic last night, but today I feel sort of ... listless. I think that's the best word I can think of to describe my state of mind. I think I'm still getting my head round the fact that it's DONE!

Writer's Retreat

2010-03-28T22:17:00.003+13:00

It's true I haven't blogged in a while. Why? Well, to be honest I didn't really have anything interesting to say and I've been busy WRITING.

As I sit here typing this it's Sunday night. This afternoon I returned from a delightful and insanely productive weekend away with my writing buddy. We took the weekend out to escape the 'real world' and indulge in a writer's retreat.

We packed up and left home about 10am on Friday, drove to a little cottage by the sea, settled in and got straight to work. No interruptions (apart from calls of nature), unlimited coffee and great company. Bliss!

What did I achieve?

I wrote 8,500 words this weekend.

No kidding! You did read that right. Eight thousand, five hundred words.

Moreover, we hashed out the ending of my WIP and I now know how it's going to come together. I knew the ending in general terms - they get to the fortress and rescue the prince - but I really had no definite details as to HOW of earth they were going to pull it off.

So now that's sorted (no spoilers) and I know what I'm doing. Trust me it'll be Awesome!

I'm ecstatic about my progress. The end is well and truly in sight. I should finish up the draft at the end of this week. Squeeee!

As you can see I'm a total fan of the writer's retreat. Get away and write (Pen's orders)!

Have a laugh - you've earned it!

2010-03-19T09:28:00.002+13:00

The lovely author T. K Roxborogh posted a link to this skit by Mitchell and Web the other day.

It truly made me laugh out loud and I just have to share it with you all.

So if you need a giggle to brighten you day, check this out!

Ok ... not this.

Do you have a Genius?

2010-03-17T23:11:00.005+13:00

Hear best selling author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert, talk about nurturing your creativity and discuss our expectation of writers and other artists.

This is really inspirational and encouraging.

Have a great day!

Update on my YA Fantasy's Progress

2010-03-17T11:44:00.010+13:00

This is Bear, my shapeshifter, in his griffin form. Isn't he beautiful?

The writing of my YA novel is progressing nicely.

It seems the draft is going to be a wee bit longer than my conservative estimate of 70,000 words. If you have been watching my progress you'll see I reached 66,000 words today. Which is, of course, Awesome! but we aren't finished yet.

I still have about 8 -10 short chapters to go or about 60 pages, at a rough guess.

Still the end is in sight. YAY! Yay! Yay!

Of course, with the completion of one manuscript the question "what next?" does raise its ugly head.

First, a celebration might be in order! :)

Then I have a couple of short stories to write for an upcoming competition and a play to script. None of which should take long.

I'm thinking, I should probably drag out the MS of my historical fiction and finish editing it too (maybe).

But really the important question is "what am I going to WRITE next?"

I wondered about the gothic romance I started writing at the beginning of the year, but I'm worried that, because it is such a different genre, when I come back to write the next book in my fantasy series the voice/feel will be wrong. Does that make sense?

My gut feeling is to keep going with the fantasy thing, but will it get tired? Will I get fantasy-ed out? (yes, I know that's not a real word :P)

So, what do you think?
What should I do next?

Have your vote. I'm keen to hear your thoughts.

Merlin and the Muse

2010-03-14T20:34:00.016+13:00

As I'm sure I've mentioned elsewhere I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to myth and legends, especially ones from the cultures of early Britain about King Arthur's court. You know ... Arthur Pendragon, Merlin the magician, the sword in the stone, Lady Guinevere, the knights of the round table, Sir Lancelot, the Lady of the Lake, etc, etc...

You don't know? Then I'm afraid I'll have to punch you in the nose!

Sorry. I have frustration issues. I named one of my daughters Guinevere and I get so ... saddened ... by people who ask me where her name comes from and then look at me with a totally blank expression when I explain. They have absolutely no idea who Arthur is!

But I digress.

Anyway, I'm finding the Merlin/Arthurian legends hugely inspiring for the YA fantasy novel I'm writing. I think my Muse is a little smitten.

I've read the translations of the Mabinogion, The Green Knight, Sir Gawaine and the Pearl and The History of the Kings of Britain (which isn't really a history at all). I've got Bulfinch's The Age of Chivalry, Marie Trevelyan's Arthurian Legends (a Welsh history) and John Matthew's The Arthurian Tradition. But I thought it might be fun to read some of the more recent literature about these two paragons of our oral history.

I've just finished reading Mary Stewart's fantasy novel The Crystal Cave (1970). It's an oldie, but a goodie. She has basically taken the threads of Merlin's story as written by Geoffrey of Monmouth (He's no historian, but I love his "history") and worked it into a novel length masterpiece.

One thing that did strike me in this book was other than Merlin (Myrddin Emrys) having the power of Sight, he had no other magical abilities of any kind. I guess this made him more realistic, more human, but to be honest I'd not expected that. Perhaps, I've been watching too much of Merlin, the TV series.

The Crystal Cave is the kind of book so well written the words melt away until only the story exists before your eyes. So if you like early British historical/legends I suggest you hunt down a copy.

I've just started reading Merlin by Stephen R. Lawhead (the second book in The Pendragon Cycle). I'm only a few chapters in and so far so good.

What I'd love is some recommendations of adult or YA novels about Merlin or Arthur that I can sink my teeth into. So, please, let me know of any you've stumbled across any in your reading adventures.

Something New

2010-03-06T01:25:00.004+13:00

Over the next wee while I'll be adding a few pages to the blog so it'll be more than just a blog and more like a website. All in the name of "the aspiring author's platform."

You'll be able to access these pages via the links in the bar just below the blog's beautiful Dragon's Pen header.

There will be a page about ME and others will be added as needed or as I have books published. (Dreams are free!)

How Podgy is my Writing?

2010-03-04T14:33:00.007+13:00

As I promised earlier today, I put my own work through the Writer's Diet assessment program.

I took a 300 word sample from the first page(s) of my novel and assessed it, first manually and then electronically at the Writer's Diet website - just to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

You can do the same by going here.

Now my first pages have been edited not only by me, but also by my beta readers, so if not perfect this is at least a fairly spruced section of my work.

Sample#1.
My score for this section was Lean on all points. (Much to my surprise!) Writer's Diet also gave me an overall score of Lean and a Lean rating on all points. As you can imagine, I was very chuffed with that.

So, out of curiosity, I wondered how badly a random section of my work would rate.

I chose a piece from around page 60. This has only been briefly edited by me and my writing buddy. No serious re-writes or beta-reader critiques here.

Sample#2.
My electonic score for this section was overall Fit and Trim. Everything scored Lean except Waste Words which got a Needs Toning. Too many "it" and "that" happening in the dialogue at this point.

So, I submitted another sample from even later in the novel, around page 150.

Sample#3.
The electronic score was overall Fit and Trim with Ad-dictions (Be-verbs) and Prepositional Podge creating a bit of extra fab. Not enough to be unsightly though.

I'm pretty pleased with my scores.

Now, I'm tempted to take a piece of my previous MS and test it. Given how much my writing has improved of late, I think it'll be carrying quite a bit more weight.

This whole diet thing is really quite addictive.

Go give it a whirl yourself. I'd love to hear how you score.

Does your writing need to go on good Diet?

2010-03-04T10:21:00.007+13:00

Is your writing bloated?

Is it overwritten and podgy?

Is it dull and lifeless ... or just plain boring?

Do you want to tighten your work and give it more vim-and-verm?

If you answered yes to any (or all!) of these questions Helen Sword's THE WRITER'S DIET might be just the book you need.

The Writer's Diet is a practical hands-on guide to diagnosing whether or not your writing is in need of a jolly good work out and trim.

Depending on your results your work will score as Lean, Fit and Trim, Needs Toning, Flabby or Heart attack territory. :D

Step 1: Take a piece of your writing - something you have edited and polished already - of either 100 or 300 words.

Step 2: Assess for Verbal Verve.
This involves hunting out the weak or passive verbs such as: am, is, are, was, were, be, been.

Step 3: Assess for Noun Density.
This checks for abstract nouns, "especially those pirated from verbs and adjectives."

Step 4: Assess for Prepositional Podge.
This seeks out the little-bitty often unnecessary words that like to creep into our work. Such as: Of, for, in, by, from, with, at, in, on, past, after, up, down, into, of, along, through, until, across, beneath, etc, etc. The trick is not to eliminate them all but to limit them. Collaborating them with colourful -ing verbs, active verbs and concrete imagery.

Step 5: Assess for Ad-dictions.
This digs up all those weedy adverbs and adjectives. But before you throw up your arms in horror and hack out every ad- word in your novel, STOP! Consider each one carefully. Could you do without it? Would another word create a clearer more concrete picture?

Step 6: Assess for Waste Words.
This looks at how frequently you're using it, this, that, there.
This is important because these little words often "congregate together, sucking weak verbs, abstract nouns and prepositional phases into there orbit."

Step 7: If your work is diagnosed as needing a bit a TLC and trim or perhaps (heaven forbid) some serious liposuction, now is the time a start editing.

For each of these steps Helen provides helpful exercises to practice writing healthy prose. She gives good examples from work of both fiction and non-fiction writers showing what to look for and how to correct or re-write sentences to give you tighter, more active, writing.

So whether you write novels, short stories, articles or academic prose this little book is sure to help you add some pizazz to your work.

You can visit The Writer's Diet website here.

A lecturer at Auckland University, Dr. Helen Sword is an experienced writer, editor and teacher.

P.S.
Keep watching this space as I'll be posting the results of a piece of my own work here shortly.