Does a Character’s Past Weigh Them Down? by Traci Kenworth

Does a Character’s Past Weigh Them Down?

Traci Kenworth

Does a character’s past weigh them down? Is it necessary to bring all their known for into the next casting? Think of Dracula, for instance. Do we need to bring each element that he’s known for into a role? Or can we fiddle with events and tell a different tale? It’s interesting to consider, isn’t it? Whether you need to drag everything with a character to make them true.

What about Doc Holliday? There are so many incarnations of his character in movies and TV. Each one is different from the rest. Because they don’ t necessarily let past things he’s known for change what they want in that version. I saw a TV skit on SNL recently where Doc Holliday was sick and just kept blasting everyone with blood. It was a hilarious difference of how things went down.

Working with characters that have been done before in some form can leave you with fewer options to create something new. Sometimes, it’s all in the angle of how you look at things. Spiderman got twists in each movie, the current one being the closest to the comic book image. However, making him Iron Man’s protegee added a new angle to the character.

But what if you have a character that hasn’t been done before? You have to create somewhat of a past for them just the same, don’t you? You can start where they came from: their family, their upbringing, their friends. What age are they? Where do they go to school or are they graduated? A worker down at the mill? What kind of mill? The questions are endless.

Perhaps your character has a reputation as being a hardliner. This is true of a lot of western characters. It’s almost impossible to tell them apart. Unless you bring something new to the mix. A broken-down gunslinger with a soft spot for kids and widows? Someone who just wants to put the violence behind them and move on to peace. Can they do so in a world of chaos?

In some stories, there’s more pasts than just the one to consider. The so-called widow could be just pretending to be a widow because her husband has run off and left her and her young son to fend of the Native Americans on their own. A hardened drifter trying to warn settlers about the danger makes contact with them and gets involved in their lives, helping them with things. Chaos results when a Chief takes an interest in the young son.

Or how about someone who ventures to a new land to escape their past and yet somehow, it still follows. It’s in the way we view things, the way we interact with others, and the decisions we make about life. Our past influences everything. We can’t escape it no matter how hard we try. I wonder if Han Solo wouldn’t have liked not to have that bounty around his neck from Jabba the Hut. Maybe he’d like to be somewhere quiet, a drink in hand, and talking to Chewbacca.

Luke, on the other hand, was weighed down by his desert farmer’s past. He didn’t think he’d ever escape Tatooine. Isn’t that like a lot of us? Wanting to get out from the place we were raised? Sometimes coming home to it after years makes it look different in our eyes. That’s life. We grow. We change. And our past with us.

Happenings: My health seems to be improving still. I feel more energetic and able to do things than in a long time. They are trying to introduce a new med to help with the depression I think brought on by my heart issues but it is not going well. I am ill when I take it. Update on that: when I take a half doze it doesn’t bother me so we’re introducing it slowly.

In other news, we are looking for a new house! Yep, we hope to be out of here as soon as we can! The loan has been pre-approved and we’re looking with an agent. So far, the pickings are slim but we’re holding out hope.

Some happenings around the web you might like:

1. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/05/how-to-overcome-obstacles-to-writing-part-1/ All great relationships have obstacles, including the relationship we have with writing. Sometimes the muse loves us, other times…not so much. What to do When the Muse Stops Talking It’s hard to hear your muse when you’re worried. Worry is loud. It drowns out the wonderful inner voice that spurs your creativity. Instead of stressing because nothing is coming to mind try: Meditation. Freeing the mind for as little as five minutes can dredge up interesting thoughts that might be useful to your writing. Going for a walk. Physical activity is great for releasing stress and clearing the mind. Playing with a pet. Our pets, or if we are speaking of cats, our roommates, seem to have a sixth sense regarding our feelings and often know that we are stressed out before we do. Playing with them is freeing. Your inner voice will be back in rare form in no time. Dwelling on the inability to hear your muse is a waste of time. Step away from the keyboard, do something mindless, and the inner voice will return. Obstacles can be a problem for anyone. Time, responsibilities, you name it. This article has some good tips on how to deal with things. Give it a look.
2. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/05/19/next-adventure/ I’m writing this on a Thursday night. This is because I have to drive to Nevada after work tomorrow. I don’t want to be dark, because I’ve been moderately successful maintaining a Friday post. I woke up this morning from a reasonable dream. I could actually hear the voices as a strange caller dialed in to Night Bump Radio. This one needs some time in the fermenter, but it should make a fun bit for a future Hat tale. I need to make it more absurd, then find a way to blame Lizzie and the hat for all of it, but it’s a glimmer of something. Lorelei, the Muse hasn’t completely abandoned me this Spring. Nevada should be my last road trip for a few months. While I still have other things going on, this might allow me to get back to my works in progress. I’m seriously debating driving tomorrow in silence. That usually temps Lorelei to ride along.
3. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/05/19/friday-inspiration-%f0%9f%8e%99%ef%b8%8f-steffany-gretzinger-letting-go/ Amen!
4. Story Empire https://storyempire.com/2023/05/19/homonyms-with-harmony-part-3-the-origins-of-homonyms/ The origins of homonyms go all the way back to the development of speech and words and to the borrowing of expressions from various languages. Today, we’ll take a look at the ways in which homonyms are used in different language groups, as well as the importance of homonyms in communication, and how they help to make our writing more precise and efficient. Because homonyms have been around since the dawn of worded speech, we humans have used them in many different languages and cultures. The ancient Greeks, for example, used them, as did the Romans. Most languages, including English, employ homonyms. We can use such words to add humour and wit to our writing, as well as to distinguish different meanings. Here, I might refer back to the usage of ‘fanny’ we mentioned in our last post, Homonyms with Harmony, Part 2–American and British English Conventions … or, we could skip right past that bit of warped humour and look at another one I used for my Interludes books, where I deliberately misspelt ‘whet’ and used ‘wet’ for a fun pun and play on words in the slightly risqué tagline: A collection of short erotic fiction that will tickle more than your taste buds and wet [sic] more than your appetite. (Booklinker has stopped working, so instead of a universal link, here are the US and UK links in case it still isn’t working when you click on it. Sorry. I’ll do my best to find an alternative and change links on all my books as soon as I’m able.) She’s done great explanations that everyone can understand!
5. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/05/character-type-and-trope-thesaurus-entry-sage/ DESCRIPTION: Sages are wise, always seeking knowledge, but they also are willing to impart their learnings to others. This makes them ideal mentors and parental figures. FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Mother Abagail (The Stand), Merlin (The Once and Future King), Obi-Wan Kenobi (the Star Wars franchise), Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid), Mr. Keating (Dead Poets Society) COMMON STRENGTHS: Calm, Centered, Confident, Cooperative, Curious, Decisive, Disciplined, Discreet, Generous, Gentle, Honorable, Intelligent, Just, Kind, Loyal, Mature, Observant, Philosophical, Protective, Resourceful, Responsible, Spiritual, Studious, Talented, Uninhibited, Unselfish, Wise COMMON WEAKNESSES: ontrolling, Fussy, Know-It-All, Perfectionist, Possessive, Pushy, Worrywart ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
6. Roberta Writes https://roberta-writes.com/2023/05/19/roberta-writes-thursday-doors-va-waterfront-cape-town-tanka-tuesday-thursdaydoors-tankatuesday/ Mom, Michael and I flew to Cape Town on Thursday, 4 May. It is approximately a 2 hour flight and its the first time I’ve flow domestically since before Covid. I don’t dislike flying, I just prefer to make road trips and stop off in funny little downs and investigate them. The flight was fine and we arrived at 12pm as planned. After settling into our hotel, we went to the V&A Waterfront which is the old Cape Town Harbour. It is still a working harbour but has been glamourized and has a large shopping mall, an aquarium, art galleries, the beautiful Victoria and Alfred Hotel, and lots of restaurants and watering holes. These are a few of the pictures I took for Dan’s Thursday Doors:
7. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/05/20/angel-messages-may-20-2023/
8. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/05/19/friday-johnku-aka-tgif-fri-yay-good-news-45/ It was a rescue that police said had never been done before hanging off the edge of a Staten Island ferry boat. They were there because an emotionally disturbed man had inexplicably climbed out of the window onto a railing on the outside of the ship, seemingly ready to jump. Then, after trying to reason with the silent would-be jumper, Officer Gambino, who was roped to the boat from an anchor point above, moved like lightning to grab hold of the individual and press him up against the side of the boat. “Some people were in dry suits, and some were in rope harnesses in case he went into the water or stayed on the ferry,” said NYPD Emergency Service Unit Sgt. Darion Brooks. “We were prepared for both.” Brooks told ABC 7 news that this particular rescue strategy had never been attempted before but that the ESU trains for dozens of different situations, some of which have involved potential jumpers. The moment of arrest was captured in stunning detail by a news helicopter, and the man was transported to a hospital where he could receive psychiatric attention. That would’ve been something!
9. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/05/20/7-effective-ways-to-integrate-setting-into-your-mystery-story-by-zara-altair/ In the realm of mystery writing, few elements hold as much power as a well-crafted setting. A thoughtfully developed and vividly described location captivates readers, luring them into the intricate web of your story while immersing them in an atmosphere that evokes intrigue and suspense. The foundation of an unforgettable mystery is laid not just through intriguing plot twists and complex characters but also by seamlessly integrating the story’s setting. The role of setting in a mystery transcends mere aesthetics or background detail. It serves as an essential component of the narrative, enhancing the plot, inspiring the characters’ actions, and eliciting emotion from the reader. 
10. Rosie Amber https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2023/05/21/%f0%9f%8c%baenchanting-gardens-this-week-frdvils-garden-in-normandy-france-gardeningtwitter-lovegardening/ Over the next few months I will be adding to my regular #SixOnSaturday posts with Sunday spots for fellow gardeners. I always look forward to Fred’s Saturday post as he grows some unusual plants and has lots of good gardening advice. It was Fred who inspired me to try growing ginger and last year’s plant was a great success. This year I have had to try harder to get a ginger growing, but hopefully it is now on it’s way. It was always my dream to create little areas of garden at my house. I wish I could’ve but physical limits confine me from doing so. I can watch others though and enjoy!
11. Nail Your Novel https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2023/05/18/a-wild-imagination-a-shy-disposition-a-writer-im-interviewed/ When a message pops into your inbox and you think: I know that name. Didn’t I meet him years ago when I was speaking at a self-publishing conference? I did. And he was still writing and publishing, and building a body of work. His name is Harrison Hickman. He recently started a blog and asked to interview me. I love how writing is a long game. That years can pass, and a person you met on a creative afternoon pops out of the ether and says ‘Hi, I’m still here, I still do this. I’m working my groove, making my stuff. Let’s talk.’ Isn’t that wonderful?
12. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/05/17/layers-of-depth-the-uneven-distribution-of-information/ Plot points and conflicts are driven by the characters who have critical knowledge. The fact that some characters are working with limited information creates tension. In literary terms, this uneven distribution of knowledge is called asymmetric information. We see this all the time in the corporate world. One party in a business transaction has more or superior information compared to another. That inequality of information gives them an edge against the competition. In a story, as in real life, a monopoly of information creates a crisis. An idle conversation will bore your reader to tears, so only discuss things that advance the plot. A conversation scene should be driven by the fact that one person has knowledge the others need. The reader must get answers simultaneously as the characters, gradually over the length of a novel. When I am writing a scene, I ask my characters three things: The first question I ask is: “What is the core of the problem?” In the case of one story that was begun several years ago and never taken beyond the first draft stage, the core of the problem is Jared, my main character. The story is set in the World of Neveyah, and one of the canon tropes of stories set in that world is that all mages are trained by and work for the Temple of Aeos.
13. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/05/17/where-darkness-blooms-by-andrea-hannah-bookreview-ya-supernatural-thriller/ Andrea Hannah’s Where Darkness Blooms is a supernatural thriller about an eerie town where the sunflowers whisper secrets and the land hungers for blood. The town of Bishop is known for exactly two things: recurring windstorms and an endless field of sunflowers that stretches farther than the eye can see. And women—missing women. So when three more women disappear one stormy night, no one in Bishop is surprised. The case is closed and their daughters are left in their dusty shared house with the shattered pieces of their lives. Until the wind kicks up a terrible secret at their mothers’ much-delayed memorial. I love creepy towns, I’ll give it a read.
14. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/05/ignite-your-readers-imagination-with-the-inciting-incident/ How do you, as a writer, capture your readers’ hearts and minds? With a spark that grabs the reader. No, that spark is not the first sentence, though it is important. The spark that grabs the reader is an inciting incident that ignites the reader’s imagination. Crafting the right inciting incident is crucial to laying the foundation for a can’t-stop-reading story. To create the best one for your story, you must understand what it is, why it’s a powerful piece of your story, and how to create one. What is an Inciting Incident? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to incite means to move to action,stir up,spur on,urge on. So far, so good. But there’s more to what an inciting incident is. Let’s look at what some writing experts say the inciting incident is. Kathryn Craft at Writer Unboxed says: “A story exists because something happens in a character’s life—the inciting incident—that upsets her equilibrium and arouses her desire to restore balance.” According to Sara Letourneau on DIYMFA it’s “the launching pad that thrusts a character into the conflict.”

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A Character is Made Up of More than the Physical by Traci Kenworth

A Character is Made Up of More than the Physical

Traci Kenworth

          A character is made up of more than the physical details of their person. There’s, of course, personality. But what I’m getting at here is: you don’t have to go down a certain list: eyes: blue, check. Hair: brown, check. There’s more to showing who a character is than repeating these details.

And again, we’re not just talking about a bunch of personality traits here either. We want “actions” that show who a character is. Maybe they’re an aggressive, backwoods type. Try not to think stereotypical. Unless that’s what you’re going for.

How about a mousy-blonde girl quiet by day and the pillar of society and at night, a theater actress. It was done very successfully by the author Jess Michaels in Graham: The Broken Duke. It just goes to show that you can reveal character by how they treat others and how they are treated by the same in the different roles they perform.

Or what about an assassin only seventeen taken from a prison camp that she was sent to after the death of her boyfriend. Her family had been wiped out by the king. A king she must fight for and prove the best assassin if only to win the game for her life. Also done very well in The Throne of Glass series.

There are so many books out there who let you catch a glimpse of who the character is simply by them performing a role they are suited for or perhaps not suited for. I mean, there are times when a character is trying to sneak into a base and realizes who they are won’t work, so they snatch another disguise. Perhaps a bumbling fool? The Scarlet Pimpernel, anyone?

So, remember when coming up how to best show your character, it doesn’t always have to be physical. Show who they are. A daredevil or maybe a broken youth. Who could’ve predicted a youth would’ve survived The Maze Runner?

Place them into action and watch them shine!

Happenings: Well, got the new tires and had to replace battery after all. It was leaking acid so that was draining and it and leading to starting issues. Running good now.

My daughter got a raise and my son will be looking at one here in a few months, hopefully. We are making plans for a vacation for the first time in early August. Can’t wait!

Here are some links around the web you may find interesting:

1. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/soulfulmusic-%f0%9f%8e%99%ef%b8%8f-aretha-franklin-oh-happy-day/
2. Meeka’s Mind https://acflory.wordpress.com/2023/05/06/touch-the-missing-link-in-vr-gaming/ Haptic gloves that simulate touch are not new, but up till now they have been waaaaay too expensive for the tech to be integrated into gaming. That could all change with the Bifrost Pulse VR glove: That’d be an interesting tool!
3. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/angel-messages-may-7-2023/
4. Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-podcast-poetry-rain-and-the-power-of-trees-by-sally-cronin/ Some more poetry and flash fiction from my various collections. Nature is a fascinating and wonderful addition to our lives from the rain and wind that bow to the power of the sun, to the wisdom of trees. Some nice poetry here!
5. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/05/07/writing-fiction-like-nonfiction-by-erica-verrillo/ I abhor writing rules. If you follow them, you will produce cookie-cutter prose that sounds as if it has been written by a machine. (Although, I am told this may be what publishers are actually looking for.) One of the most egregious of these rules is: “Write nonfiction like fiction.” I have read the work of writers who took this advice entirely too literally. They invariably produce personal essays and memoirs laden with self-conscious turns of phrase, excessively lyrical prose, and literary devices that transform what should have been an honest account into a parody. Verisimilitude is the bedrock of fiction. The appearance of reality in fiction is absolutely necessary because without it readers won’t be able to identify with the characters in the story. Even for genres in which readers are required to suspend disbelief, such as fantasy and science fiction, the thoughts and emotions of the characters need to conform to what readers already know about how people operate in the real world. “But … but … but…” (I can hear the objections now) “Write nonfiction like fiction” simply means that there should be an engrossing storyline, well-developed characters and that it should fully engage the reader! That is, in fact, a description of fiction. No, let me amend that. It’s a description of good fiction. There is plenty of bad fiction out there that does none of those things. Conversely, there is plenty of nonfiction that does all of those things. The main difference is that, unlike fiction, readers don’t have to suspend disbelief. From the moment they open the book, they are ready and willing to believe that they are reading something that is actually true not merely like (“simil”) the truth. Some rules are good. It’s all how you twist them.
6. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/05/06/stream-of-consciousness-saturday-prompt-childhood-song/ The coffee machine has finally come to an end. Reminds me of the song we sang in the schoolyard. “Ring around a Rosie. Pocket full of posies. All fall down.” Since that song was inspired by the bubonic plague, it seems fitting in this situation. The machine has given up the ghost and must be replaced. The new one is on its way, but until it arrives, it must be jiggered to override the internal controls. With much jiggering, a cup comes at last. The first sip brings to mind the statue of Roger Rabbit. A deep sigh follows the thought of having to get rid of it. The first task is to see if it is still there. A check of the ring doorbell on my phone shows it is no longer on the drive. To confirm the security shutdown process is begun. The claymore mines disarmed. The tower machine guns are placed on standby. The boiling oil vat is secured. The moat net retracted. The concertina wire rolled back. The trebuchet was secured. The gate lifted. The locks and deadbolts reset. The front door opened. Looking at where the statue used to be confirms it is gone. In its place is an envelope. Tearing it open, there are two messages. The first is from someone who signs their name, The Phantom. It reads No Police. If you want to see your stature again, you’ll follow our directions. We will be in touch. I hope the would-be kidnappers are happy with their statue since there is no reason to respond to any demands. The second message is from Linda Hill. It reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “a song from your childhood.” So think of a song from your childhood and just write. Have fun! If you would like to have fun, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it will be. You can also see other prompt responses. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/05/05/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-6-2023/ Oh the woes of the coffee machine!
7. Fantasy Book Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/05/the-leaning-pile-of-books-419/ The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound like they may be interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. It has been some time since the last one of these posts since last month was the twelfth annual Women in SF&F Month! If you missed it, April was dedicated to highlighting some of the many women doing fantastic work in speculative fiction genres and featured a series of guest posts. This included discussions related to women in science fiction and/or fantasy and more general discussions about the genre(s) and what makes them special, as well as sharing about experiences and influences, writing, and creating stories, characters, and/or worlds. All of the 2023 guest posts can be found here. My birthday is also in April, which means I received some books as gifts. I might cover those next weekend, but due to time constraints, I am just highlighting ARCs and finished copies that came in the mail since last time today. Here are some upcoming releases I’m very excited about!
8. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/05/character-type-and-trope-thesaurus-entry-creator/ Creator (Archetype) DESCRIPTION: Imaginative and highly driven, these characters are the artists, inventors, and scientists who feel compelled to create something totally new and innovative. Their motivation may come from a desire to write a wrong, solve a problem, meet a need, fill a personal void, or simply provide fulfillment for themselves. FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein), Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Jo March (Little Women), Mozart (Amadeus), Zeus (Greek mythology) COMMON STRENGTHS: Adventurous, Ambitious, Bold, Creative, Curious, Disciplined, Focused, Idealistic, Imaginative, Independent, Industrious, Inspirational, Intelligent, Meticulous, Passionate, Persistent, Quirky, Resourceful, Talented, Uninhibited COMMON WEAKNESSES: Compulsive, Disorganized, Irresponsible, Manipulative, Oversensitive, Perfectionist, Possessive, Self-Indulgent, Stubborn, Uncooperative, Volatile, Workaholic
9. Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo https://scvincent.com/2023/05/05/something-feral/ … This way comes!’ *** Up high among the hilltops a lone figure braves the weather, Feet braced against a howling gale and shoulders hunched together, The bitter wind and rain have dogged his footsteps every mile, The trademark headgear veils his face… “Not just a hat, it’s style.” You’ll find him where the mysteries lie hidden in the heather, A Little Grub behind him as they traipse the land together… Within the English countryside, there’s something feral lurking, He’s questing for the perfect pint (though says that he is working); “It’s research, Wen!” he will protest if challenged on his mission, As yet another ‘Special’ adds to knowledge by attrition. A thread like Ariadne’s winds through all his perorations, I will miss Sue forever. Her whit, the way she looked at life. God rest her soul.
10. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/05/05/another-road-trip/ Work is sending me for some training on Monday. I’m going to be squeezed a little for time while I’m on the road. I mention this because I’m expecting blog comments. I have two new promotional posts scheduled for everyone. I went with Tuesdays and Thursdays for these. My hope is that I can sneak off to my hotel during lunch and respond to everyone then. I hope you’ll be a little patient with me, but I will get to everyone. Monday is a travel day, as is Friday. I’m going to Savannah, Georgia for the week. I’ve googled the images and it looks beautiful. Of course, I’ll spend most of my time locked up in a conference room, but the evenings are mine. Two of my travel companions are way excited and already booked us into some restaurants. One has a pirate theme, so there could be rum involved. They also talked us into a ghost tour as a group. You know they didn’t have to twist my arm. I already bought my ticket online. I saw a bit of the coronation. Missed the Derby but heard about the horses dying. Sad. My dad always loved horse races. He’s been gone 26 years now. Almost the age in years I was when he passed.
11. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/05/free-your-darlings-try-the-bad-idea-exercise/ I have been writing for more than a decade now. As a self-published author, one of the great benefits is the capacity to put out a far greater volume of writing. Indeed, many self-pub business models require rapid release. Now, there are many ways to achieve this level of output. The easiest, and least desirable, is to simply not care much about your output. Write fast, skip revisions, and cross your fingers. I DO NOT RECOMMEND YOU DO THIS! It takes a very skilled, and very lucky, author to produce quality work in this way. Another way is to simply keep your butt in the seat and just churn out the words, polish them, rinse, repeat. This is, broadly speaking, the ideal method. But it takes more time, dedication, and discipline to manage this than many people have to offer. I certainly struggle with it. However, I have good news! There is a middle way. If you care about quality but don’t have the capacity to write the amount of raw, polished output you’d like, then you just need to learn to find a use for every scrap of writing you do. If no idea is wasted, you’ll be amazed at how much your creative output increases. There are a number of ways this can be done, but I’ve come to call my method “The Bad Idea Exercise.” And the flowers that have grown out of that particular pot of fertilizer have taken a number of forms. But to get them growing, you must prepare the soil.
12. The Write Stuff https://marciamearawrites.com/2023/05/05/grannysays-humor-inspiration-wisdom-35/ Here’s to pedaling  like a thing possessed!
13. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/05/04/in-nightfall-by-suzanne-young-bookreview-ya-paranormal-vampires/ n the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn’t the dark you should be afraid of—it’s the girls. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Treatment. Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon—population 846 souls. The small town is cute, when it’s not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival she lays out the one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can’t resist.
14. Story Empire https://storyempire.com/2023/05/03/formatting-your-book/ Hey, SE Readers. Joan here today. D. L. Finn posted last week about book formatting. If you haven’t read it, you can do so by clicking this link. Today’s post also deals with the same subject but is directed toward the style. Last time, I talked about the importance of a good-quality cover. Today, we’ll discuss the interior design of your book. A poorly formatted book can lead to its downfall. Spacing, alignment, and chapter headings that are inconsistent are a sign of amateurism. We’re writers. If we’ve published and made money on our writing, we’re professionals. Why would you want to spend weeks and months writing and editing only to have improper formatting turn readers away? For the purpose of this post, I’ll use screenshots from Atticus, a writing and formatting software. (Denise mentioned Atticus in her post last week.) These images are stories from my recently-released short story collection.

Everyone Thinks the Beautiful Character is Where It’s At. It’s Actually the One with More Working Against Them. by Traci Kenworth

Everyone Thinks the Beautiful Character is Where it’s At. It’s Actually the One with More Working Against Them.

Traci Kenworth

Beautiful people in stories shovel in by the mile. After a while, none catch the attention of the reader. They’re looking for more than just a flawless face and perfect everything. They want substance. They want spark. They want something that goes beyond appearances. So, what is it? Well, sometimes it’s hard to determine. It can be something simple like a swagger and a drawl. John Wayne made this famous in his movies.

Or look at Debbie Reynold’s naivete in her Tammy movies. She was the poor girl from the swamp who wasn’t supposed to turn heads but she did and ended up winning quite a few beaus. This is why we do development for our characters. We are trying to get at that spark, to ignite the character’s path of success. By the way, I’m using screen characters at first just so you get a visual of what I’m suggesting.

The beautiful can be boring and snobbish. What’s beyond that door is refreshing and timeless. Think of Disney stories. Before they were famous movies, they were books. Bright, beautiful, beloved books. A little mermaid who came ashore to find the prince she rescued at sea. A small deer who lost his mother to a hunter’s bullet. And then at last, came Anna frightened for her sister Elsa, torn between Hans and Kristoff, learning how to grow up with the loss of her parents.

Things change. People change. But at their heart, they want a good story. A story about people who touch their lives. Who bring them joy and honesty. Who wrench their hearts and make them care. That’s the magic we’re searching for. That’s what we want to bring to the forefront again and again to win over our reader’s attention.

Dr. Seuss cleverly captured a generation of children with his dapper characters. The Cat in the Hat. Herbert and his Hoot. The Hoos in Hoo-ville. So many characters came from his pages. Not even just children’s stories fared well in Hollywood for authors.  There’s  S.E. Hinton’sThe Outsiders. Who doesn’t remember the Socs versus the greasers? Pony Boy’s story inspired many a youth to wear those leather jackets. Are You There God, it’s Me, Margaret made every teenage girl feel like she found an author (Judy Blume) who understood her and the moods our bodies sometimes put us through.

None of these characters are particularly beautiful. In fact, some are the downright opposite. However, they still catch our imagination. They still pull us in. James Bond came from the written page. Today, the screen would be lost without his movies. In fact, it’s funny that a lot of onscreen characters have been transferred to the pages of a book. Star Wars or Star Trek anyone? Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The stories pass back and forth widening and narrowing as they go. Luke Skywalker might be the focus in one film, Rae another. Same with the Avengers. They rotate who the story belongs to at certain points on the spectrum. That’s why they have such a great range of characters. DC would do better to do the same. Move the focus, tell more than one story. The audience has a big attention span. You can make it work.

Except when you want to narrow in on a certain character in a story. In Sarah Maas’s epic series about The Throne of Glass for instance, there are a LOT of characters throughout the books. Everchanging, growing, falling to the wayside. Sometimes there, sometimes gone. However, the main character is Caelena Sardothien aka Aelin Galathynius. The story revolves around her at all points. Why? Because she is the Queen. Without her, the pieces don’t move.

There are other series out there where that is true too. One character pivots the action. From beginning to end, they mold the story. Their actions, their desires bring things to pass. And without them, the story would be dull indeed. So, you see. Your character doesn’t have to be the most beautiful person who ever walked the earth. Give him a limp or for goodness sakes, a mole. Make him one of us. He’ll fit right in and carry the story with honor.

Happenings: So apparently, because some idiot threw paper towels, grease rags and other such things down the toilet at the manufactured park, they say they have to penalize us all with another fee. This is getting to be routine. Every month or two they come up with a charge to add to our lot rent. Ridiculous.

The kids’ jobs have been busy. Overtime is buzzing. Sometimes there’s a downtime of a day like this weekend and then back to the grind.

Our oldest kitty passed his physical and blood work! I’ve changed their food to the Halo Sensitive Stomach Whitefish variety through Chewy. I tried the medley version through Amazon but they didn’t seem to like it. I also switched to a pate version of Halo wet food, the same flavor. Salmon seems to really make them sick so try to stay away from that.

Some links around the web you might find interesting:

1. Nail Your Novel https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2023/04/16/nothing-new-under-the-sun-why-originality-is-always-possible/ Here’s something to think about. Around 97% of the time you ever spend with your parents will be before you are 18 years old. Maybe you’ve already heard this statistic, and apparently, there’s more than one variation. But I heard it just this week. Dave heard it first and told me.  We boggled. Then, after a moment’s marveling, we thought about it properly. Of course. That period 0-18 is so intensive. It’s even obvious. But still, we were flabbergasted, and so we told friends, who marveled also, and so did we, all over again. Then we all talked ourselves through the facts. This is one of the things art can do. We all live on the same planet, and we tread through the same constants of life, and there’s nothing new under the sun, blah blah, but at the same time, there is. There are inventive people, billions of us, with language and A truly brilliant post that makes one think!
2. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/04/16/angel-messages-apr-16-2023/
3. Fantasy Book Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-hannah-kaner/ Today’s guest is fantasy author Hannah Kaner! Her debut novel, Godkiller, became a #1 Sunday Times bestseller after its UK release earlier this year and will be published in the US on September 12, 2023. It’s described as being set in “a land where all gods have been banned, and one young woman is paid to kill those who still hide in the shadows,” but she “discovers a god she cannot kill: Skedi, a small god of white lies.” I’m thrilled that the author is here today with “Don’t damsel your fury.”
4. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/04/16/views-of-the-neighborhood-fairy-trail-in-lakeway/ Today we will go to the Activity Center and walk on the Fairy Trail. This is a display by Parks and Recreation to celebrate spring. We are catered by Zaza Mediterranean of Austin, and our entertainment is Little Big Town Menu Z1. Zaza Platter (Mix) Beef, lamb, and chicken. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z2. Gyro Platter (Beef & Lamb) Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z3. Beef Shawarma Platter Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z4. Chicken Fajita Platter Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z5. Chicken Shawarma Platter Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z6. Zaza Garden Platter Falafel, grape leaves, and cauliflower. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Vegetarian. Z7. Falafel Platter Tahini sauce. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Vegetarian. Z8. Chicken Kabob Platter Shish tawook. 2 skewers. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z9. Lamb (Kabob) Platter 2 skewers. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z10. Kofta Kabob Platter 2 skewers. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Z11. Mixed Grill Signature Platter Chicken, lamb, and Kofta. Comes with tomato, lettuce, onion, white and hot sauce. Signature platter. Too much hot sauce for me, lol.
5. Fantasy Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-maya-deane/ Today’s guest is fantasy writer Maya Deane! Her Greek mythology–inspired debut novel, Wrath Goddess Sing, was released last year and is coming out in trade paperback on June 13, 2023. Focused on Achilles, her book is described as “drawing on ancient texts and modern archeology to reveal the trans woman’s story hidden underneath the well-known myths of The Iliad.” I’m excited she’s here today to discuss literary realism and fantasy!
6. Fantasy Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-vida-cruz-borja/ This week’s first Women in SF&F Month guest is science fiction and fantasy author Vida Cruz-Borja! She is the author of the excellent IGNYTE Award–winning essay “We Are the Mountain: A Look at the Inactive Fantasy Protagonist,” which appears in the new essay collection Letters to a Writer of Color. Her short fiction includes “Odd and Ugly” and “Have Your #Hugot Harvested at This Diwata-Owned Café,” and she has two collections: Beyond the Line of Trees and, most recently, Song of the Mango and Other New Myths. Her latest is described as “stories woven from elements of classical myths and folklore from the Philippines and other parts of the world, as well as from visions of the modern and of the future”—and I’m thrilled she’s here today with “‘New myths’ and the people who tell them.” Interesting. New myths are created by twisting within the old ones sometimes.
7. Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/04/16/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-podcast-poetry-birthdays-by-sally-cronin/ We have celebrated quite a few birthdays in our family in the last couple of months and here is a garland Cinquain about these special days.
8. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/04/10/monday-funnies-15/
9. Fantasy Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-leslye-penelope/ Today’s Women in SF&F Month guest is fantasy and paranormal romance writer Leslye Penelope! She is the author of Song of Blood & Stone, which was selected as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, and the rest of the books in the Earthsinger Chronicles, as well as Savage City, described as “a dystopian, enemies-to-lovers, portal, shifter fantasy romance.” Her latest novel, The Monsters We Defy, is a heist story described as “historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance,” and it was one of NPR’s Best Books of 2022. In addition to writing, she talks about working as a traditional and self-published author in her weekly podcast, My Imaginary Friends. I’m thrilled she’s here today to discuss fantasy writing and computer science in “When Fantasy and STEM Collides.”
10. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/04/15/stream-of-consciousness-saturday-prompt-starts-with-mono/ he only sound this morning is the dignified monotone of the coffee machine, indicating the cup is ready. Feeling mononucleosis-like exhaustion from the previous week’s mayhem, the cup offers the promise of relief. A few sips bring me to the point of recognizing the silence surrounding my inner sanctum. As my interior monologue about the serenity of the place comes to a close, the intrusive sound of the Klaxon horn connected to the doorbell shatters the momentary peace. Twiggy and Lucy take up their Hounds of Baskerville impersonation while the security shutdown procedure is begun. A quick glance at the security camera screen shows the presence of a monolith on the front porch. The claymore mines are disarmed. The tower machine guns are placed on standby. The boiling oil vat is secured. The moat net retracted. The concertina wire rolled back. The trebuchet secured. The gate lifted. The locks and deadbolts reset. The front door opened. A tall box stands before me. An envelope with the words OPEN ME FIRST is taped to the front. Ripping it off and tearing it open reveals two messages. The first tells me to pull the handle marked OPEN on the box. The second is from Linda Hill and says Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with mono.” Find a word that starts with “mono” and use it in your post. Enjoy! If you want to enjoy go to Linda’s blog and read how simple it is. You will also find other idiots’ author’s versions of the prompt. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/04/14/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-15-2023/ He sure has more exciting mornings than I do around here. Not that I’m complaining. That circus can remain at his place. Lol.
11. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/04/16/sometimes-were-the-scared-teen-other-times-the-bold-hero-how-our-writing-perspective-changes-with-each-character-guest-post-by-traci-kenworth/ For me, writing a teenage character was my first attempt at writing. I could relate to teens as I was fast approaching that age. The teens in my world didn’t deal with a world like we see now. Oh, no. It was sort of a mixture of one of those apocalyptic/survival stories. There were dinosaurs as well as things the government had let off (hey, it was the eighties, after all, and the Cold War was fresh on our minds), and of course, instead of adults being in charge of things: the teens were the leads. Crazy world, huh? Well, it was filled with all my favorite things at the time. And I admit, heavily influenced by the shows I watched on TV. I didn’t realize it at the time but on that training ground as I think of it now: I was learning to blend things together. Genres crossed with no problem. Things publishers at the time were saying were a no-go, in these days, have become more consistent. You take what you want to be in your story and run with it. Make it make sense. Or at least, make us believe it’s possible. Graduating to more adult characters didn’t take long. After all, what teen isn’t itching for the freedom they think adulthood brings? I wrote scripts based on the soap opera-type shows popular at the time like Days of Our Lives or General Hospital. I invented my own soap world and populated it with as many characters as I could think of. Couldn’t resist to toot my own horn.
12. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/04/15/resting-and-making-an-odd-discovery/ I have no intention of cracking one of my manuscripts this weekend. I want to recover from my recent adventures, and learned I have to report for jury duty on Monday morning. What I wanted to do was view some fun movies about the places I visited. I wound up renting Close Encounters of the Third Kind and enjoyed the heck out of it. It’s been decades since I saw it and it was a blast. Wasn’t precisely what I wanted. Last week I visited Little Bighorn, Devil’s Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood, Salem, Lexington, and Concord. Passed through parts of Boston, too. Aside from those, we drove through a bunch of country that could be considered as the Last of the Mohican territory. Basically, I wanted something historical.
13. Story Empire https://storyempire.com/2023/04/14/birth-order-and-character-development-the-lastborn/ Hello, Story Empire friends, Gwen with you today. Together we’ll focus on birth order as it relates to character development. We’ve considered the traits of the firstborn, linked here. And we’ve reviewed traits of the middleborn. Here’s a link to that post. Today, our target is the lastborn. Before we dive in, let’s review a few basic points. (1) Every family is unique, and multiple factors affect our development. Divorce, remarriage, adoption, gender, and location are just a few of those factors. (2) Importantly, if there are three or more years between siblings, the child may be a middle child but have traits similar to the firstborn. I’ll share a family story and hopefully offer some clarity about character traits. I’m the eldest of seven, and there are nine years between me and the youngest – a brother. One day, six of us were inside the house when my little brother crawled in from the yard and sobbed that his leg was broken. My other two brothers immediately responded, “No it isn’t. Stop whining.” The youngest tearfully protested, “It is! I heard it pop.” By then, mom came into the room and checked his leg. She turned to me and said to watch the kids. “I’m taking him to the doctor. I think it might be broken.” And, sure enough, it was. The lastborn in a large family can feel that no one listens to them. They might feel inferior, because everyone is bigger and more capable. But on the plus side, parents often have a special attachment to their youngest. Researchers claim that lastborns have some of the following traits when they are adults:
14. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/04/13/the-jump-by-brittney-morris-bookreview-ya-contemporary-adventure/ From the acclaimed author of SLAY and The Cost of Knowing comes an action-driven, high-octane novel about a group of working-class teens in Seattle who join a dangerous scavenger hunt with a prize that can save their families and community. Influence is power. Power creates change. And change is exactly what Team Jericho needs. Jax, Yas, Spider, and Han are the four cornerstones of Team Jericho, the best scavenger hunting team in all of Seattle. Each has their own specialty: Jax, the puzzler; Yas, the parkourist; Spider, the hacker; and Han, the cartographer. But now with an oil refinery being built right in their backyard, each also has their own problems. Their families are at risk of losing their jobs, their communities, and their homes. So when The Order, a mysterious vigilante organization, hijacks the scavenger hunting forum and concocts a puzzle of its own, promising a reward of influence, Team Jericho sees it as the chance of a lifetime. If they win this game, they could change their families’ fates and save the city they love so much. But with an opposing team hot on their heels, it’s going to take more than street smarts to outwit their rivals. I’ve read and enjoyed two previous books by this author, so it was a no-brainer to request her newest release from NetGalley. Team Jericho has been together for several years as a scavenger hunting team. They’re very good at what they do, and each member brings a specific skill to the table. Being a fan of puzzles, I really enjoyed that aspect of the story and watching the characters work together to figure them out. The characters are very distinct and diverse (this is only the second book I’ve read with a nonverbal character), which makes the multiple POV chapters easy to keep up with. Each of these characters’ families are threatened in some way by the new oil refinery, so winning this competition that promises power is important to them. The plot moves along at a brisk pace as the characters race from one clue to another – try to keep up. As with all this author’s books, several important and timely issues are tackled – gentrification and racism to name a couple in this one.

Book Review: Only the Monster by Vanessa Len Reviewed by Traci Kenworth

Book Review: Only a Monster

 by Vanessa Len

                                           Traci Kenworth

From Amazon: The sweeping romance of Passenger meets the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song in this stunning contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, where the line between monster and hero is razor thin.

Don’t forget the rule. No one can know what you are. What we are. You must never tell anyone about monsters.

Joan has just learned the truth: her family are monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers.

And the cute boy at work isn’t just a boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to destroy her family.

To save herself and her family, Joan will have to do what she fears most: embrace her own monstrousness. Because in this story…she is not the hero.

Dive deep into the world of Only a Monster: hidden worlds dwell in the shadows, beautiful monsters with untold powers walk among humans, and secrets are the most powerful weapon of all.

“Olivers see. Hunts hide. Nowaks live. Patels bind. Portellis open. Hathaways leash. Nightingales take. Mtawalis keep. Argents sway. Alis seal. Griffiths reveal. But only the Lius remember.”

We believe that if people belonged together in the true timeline, then our timeline tries to repair itself by bringing them together. Over and over and over. Until the rift is healed.” “Like soul mates?” Tom said. Jamie smiled at Tom. “Yes. If you believe in fairy tales.”

“He was very good,” Nick said again. “But I was trained from childhood.” “Trained to do what?” “To kill monsters.”

Review

“This book grabbed me by the throat. Vanessa Len’s world of monsters and heroes is like nothing I’ve ever read, utterly fresh and unique. Put down everything you’re doing, and read it!” — CS Pacat, USA Today bestselling author of the Captive Prince trilogy, and the Dark Rise series.

Mind-bending, heart wrenching, and unputdownable! Don’t feel bad if this book tricks you into rooting for the monster instead of the hero. Vanessa Len has written a masterful debut novel—I loved the time-travel, the star crossed romance, and the monsters.  — Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

An absolute page-turner. Only a Monster paints another vivid world inside the one we know, and uses a deft hand to bring it utterly alive. Vanessa Len blurs the age-old lines between good or evil, hero or monster, in the most captivating way. — Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

What a fantastic, immersive read – I couldn’t stop turning the page! An exciting, original and complex fantasy about monsters, heroes, and all the people in between.   — Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of the Temeraire series

“Equal parts fantasy, adventure, and caper… Unique plotlines and characterization will have readers rooting for the monster; this is a must purchase.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“A fast-paced thriller that blurs the division between villain and hero and features a deeply conflicted protagonist caught in the middle… an exciting urban fantasy.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Vanessa Len’s Only a Monster is captivating and unique and – dare I say it – utterly monstrous (in the best possible way). This engrossing debut will have YA readers longing to steal time just so they can devour the pages over and over again!” — Lynette Noni, author of The Prison Healer

“Only A Monster is a wonderfully clever and intriguing take on the classic tale of hero versus monster. Vanessa Len has crafted a rich and immersive world filled with unique magic, thrilling action, and a heart-wrenching star-crossed romance. A marvelous and twisty debut that will pull you in right from the start!” — June CL Tan, author of Jade Fire Gold 

“Exquisitely crafted, this riveting read opens up a multitude of dimensions and turns the notion of heroes and monsters on its head. Vanessa Len has woven a spellbinding tale laced with mystery, magic, humor, and heartbreak.” — Cindy Lin, author of The Twelve

“A deeply imaginative debut.” — Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Vanessa Len writes YA fantasy about girl anti-heroes, monsters, and enemies who are maybe in love. She’s read every Diana Wynne Jones book more times than she can count. She’s a graduate of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop, and she lives in Melbourne, Australia. Only a Monster is Vanessa’s first novel, and you can visit her online at http://www.vanessalen.com.

Joan is an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. Or so she thinks. One day at the coffee shop, she accidently touches a man’s neck and steals time from him. She wakes up a day later, having missed her first date with Nick, a boy who works with her at the museum in Britain. Panicked, she tries to tell her family what happened but can’t locate any of them. Gran always said they were “monsters,” but she didn’t believe it. She also used to tell tales about the hero, the enemy to all monsters. When she arrives at the museum, things turn into chaos as the Olivers arrive and threaten to kill her and Nick while Aaron Oliver turns aside from it all. Joan begs him to helps them; but he just leaves. She manages to start to send an emergency signal to her family but Aaron’s father breaks her phone. When Aaron’s father draws a sword and slices her side, Nick erupts in a fury revealing himself to be the hero. He plans to kill all the monsters. Even her family. He tells her to stay in the room or he won’t be able to protect her. And he warns her if she steals time again, he’ll have to kill her. When she flees to help her family, she discovers they received her message after all and all but Ruth lay dead or dying. Gran sends Ruth to open the window while she warns Joan that Joan is the only one who can stop the monster. She thought she’d have so much more time to train her, she says drawing harsh breaths. She also tells her that she has a secret power that doesn’t come from the Hunt line. Tell no one, not even family. Gran dies and window open, Ruth shoves Joan through, staying behind to cover her retreat. Joan rushes through the maze and gets lost inside until she comes to the aid of Aaron Oliver, killing one of Nick’s men who pursues him. Together, the two battle time and enemies to try and rescue their families and each other but will getting what they want, leave everything lost to time?

This was a real page turner for me. I love what she did with having Joan the monster and Nick the hero. You feel sympathy for the majority of players in this book. There’s just so much history and trauma for most. I was torn between wishing Joan would somehow find a way to make things work with Nick or stay with Aaron Oliver. The ending, I won’t lie, has wrestled with me for weeks. I just don’t think I would’ve ended it that way but then again, it’s not my story. I do understand, in one way, why the author did so, it just was a hard ending for me. However, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the book. If you read it, let me know your thoughts although, please don’t post spoilers.

Happenings: The car is fixed for now. However, we picked up some damage to our skirting under the manufactured home with the storms that moved through the past couple of weeks. To both ends and the back. On the one end, it’s twisted up underneath so not sure if any damage was done to any pipes or anything under there. Contacting the insurance adjuster. We were gonna try and get quotes first but can’t find anyone who does skirting so hoping the insurance knows people. At least the health’s doing better! Also, we had the HVAC people out and the A/C is all set to go which is great since it’s 75 degrees out there today. Sigh. Have a great week, everyone!

Some links you might like around the web:

1. Fantasy Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.comhttps://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-malka-older//2023/04/women-in-sff-month-malka-older/ Women in SF&F Month continues today with a guest post by Malka Older! She is a Campbell Award finalist and the author of the Locus and Neukom Award–nominated novel Infomocracy, as well as the other two cyberpunk political thrillers in the Hugo Award–nominated series The Centennial Cycle. Her work also includes the collection …and Other Disasters and writing for Orphan Black: The Next Chapter. The Mimicking of Known Successes, her latest science fiction novel and the first book in the series The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti, is described as “a cozy Holmesian murder mystery and sapphic romance, set on Jupiter”—and I’m thrilled she is here today to share how Watership Down had an influence on some of its themes! Always interesting to discover how another author was influenced by a book. You can see the thought and consideration that went into the author’s story from what she discusses.
2. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/04/need-organization-help-try-trello/net/2023/04/need-organization-help-try-trello/ Staying organized as a writer can be a huge challenge. We all have other responsibilities, and the crazier life gets, the easier it is for stuff to fall between the cracks—important stuff we can’t afford to forget. Angela and I are constantly juggling a thousand things, so organization is kind of vital for us. We’ve done a couple of things over the past few years to help with this. First, we hired Mindy, our amazing blog wizard. She’s incredibly capable and enthusiastic, and the work she’s taken off our plates has enabled us to keep on chugging. But we recognize that this isn’t an option for everyone. Heck, it’s why we took so long to do it ourselves. So I’d like to share another idea with you that anyone can use to stay organized. It’s free and has been a game-changer for us. Trello, for the Win! Trello is an online visual tool that allows you to organize projects and track tasks. It’s meant for teams, and Angela and I do use it for our projects, but it has been just as useful for me personally, to keep my own jobs and responsibilities organized.
3. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/04/03/the-business-side-of-the-business-budgeting-for-in-person-sales-events-amwriting/ Spring and summer are conference and convention seasons. Regardless of your publishing path, indie or traditional, you must budget for certain things. You can’t expect your royalties to pay for them early in your career. And just so you know, many award-winning authors must still work their day jobs to pay their bills long after becoming bestsellers. At first, getting your books in front of readers is a challenge. The in-person sales event is one way to get eyes on your books. This could be at a venue as small as a local bookstore allowing you to set up a table on their premises. Or it could be as large as a table at a regional conference or convention. Signings at writers’ conferences are usually a bit pricy for the number of books you might sell, but they are great ways to network. What are the minimum costs for working a table at a signing event? The bare minimum expenses: You must have a stock of books on hand. You can’t sell books that you haven’t ordered. I order well in advance, as it can take three weeks for an order to arrive via the least expensive shipping method. Paying for overnight shipping of fifteen to twenty books is well out of my price range. Coins, Microsoft content creators We must consider the table fee. A bookstore might not charge you anything for the table, but they may take a small cut if they run your sales through their cash registers. However, large conferences and conventions will charge table fees ranging from $70.00 to as high as $300.00 or more. This varies with the size and type of conference, the venue where the convention is being held, and the vendors you will be competing with. Sci-fi and Fantasy fan conventions can be quite pricy. You will be in an immense, crowded room, competing with big-name RPG game franchises and movie franchises, plus all the vendors of memorabilia and collectibles that are available in the vendors’ alley. If you are able to get a table at a major fan convention, you must pay for transportation, food, and lodging. These costs could be gas, parking, airfare, hotel, etc. if you don’t have friends or family in that area. If you are planning to stay in a hotel, take simple foods that can be prepared without a stove. Being vegan, I tend to be an accomplished hotel-room chef, as most coffee bars don’t offer many plant-based options. While that bias is changing, I still go prepared. Bring at least one pen for signing your books. I bring four or five because sometimes the pens don’t work as advertised. Looks like some extremely useful advice!
4. Fantasy Cafe https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/wohttps://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/04/women-in-sff-month-elisa-a-bonnin/men-in-sff-month-elisa-a-bonnin/ Today’s guest is YA fantasy author Elisa A. Bonnin! Her first two novels were both released late last year: Dauntless, described as a Filipino-inspired book in which “a teen girl must bring together two broken worlds in order to save her nation,” and Stolen City, in which “twin thieves attempt to pull off a daring heist.” I recently read Dauntless and adored the setting with its dangerous beasts and settlements amongst the branches of large sprawling trees, as well as the main character’s journey as she discovers there’s more to her world than she thought. I’m thrilled the author is here today to discuss writing characters and defaults in “Breaking the Mold, or ‘What even is neurotypical anyway?’” Interesting. I often wonder if my character’s emotions are heightened on the page due to my bipolar. The characters we write are often an exploration of ourselves as well as others we perceive in the world around us.
5. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/04/what-can-you-do-with-book-awards-and-reviews/ It’s common knowledge in the publishing world that book reviews and awards are essential pieces of the author success puzzle. Authors know it’s important to get reviews and win awards, but may be left to wonder:             “What can you do with book awards and reviews?” After your book gets reviews and wins awards, there are several steps you can take to make the most out of your book’s praise. Read on to learn what you can do with book awards and reviews, and how they can work together to increase your book sales, generate opportunities, and streamline book marketing. What can you do with book awards and reviews? From boosting book sales to impressing industry experts, book reviews and awards are powerful ways to establish yourself as a notable author. Here are some innovative ways you can leverage book awards and reviews: You can sell more books One of the more obvious benefits of receiving reviews and winning awards is the positive effect both have on book sales. Book buyers see an award seal on the cover of your book and think, “Wait a minute, this one must be really good. It’s won an award!”. This validation of your book’s quality compels readers to purchase your work. Winning awards and selling more books? Quite literally a win-win!
6. A Dalectable Life https://adelectablelife.com/2023/04/04/setting-up-the-guard-ccc-229/ I haven’t done a CCC in a good long while.  When I saw this one (and surprisingly, I am only a week late!) I knew I could play. I have LOTS of cat photos and figured I would have a matchy-matchy but it appears, not quite (or possibly, but I’d have to go digging further into my archives that are not quite as well organised)  So, I kept myself to those uploaded to my Google.  Then I had so many I had to force myself to cut back to these.  I could have stretched this utter silliness for much longer but didn’t want to fall into anyone’s disgraces 😉 Allora, on to my completely silly “story”. Setting Up the Guard Okay guys, listen up!  We have a serious job to do. We have been tasked with guarding the perimeter.  So, so cute!
7. The Write Stuff https://marciamearawrites.com/2023/04/05/tenthingsyoumaynotknowabout-author-suecoletta/ Today, I’m very happy to announce that our guest author is mystery writer Sue Coletta. Sue is well-known to many, many of us in the writing and blogging community, but I’ll bet there are some things in her post today that will make your jaw drop! 😁  With that in mind, let’s get right to it. Take it away, Sue!
8. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/04/characterization-one-of-the-most-vital-writing-skills/ This is the fifth article of the article series The Yin and Yang Relationship Between Psychology and Storytelling. The first article is about reader investment and reader engagement. In the second article, we covered how to create story experiences that feel real to life. The third article shows how to tap into your readers’ subconsciousness and engage them in your story. The fourth article dives into characters’ goals, motivations, wants, needs, and objects of desires. This article covers psychological engineering, aka characterization. Why Do Writers Need to Know Psychology? Writers need to know psychology for four main reasons: Know how readers think and feel and use that knowledge to engage them. Understand the psychology of experiencing so they can create story experiences that have a real-to-life feel. Design characters with plausible traits, flaws, talents, motivation s, etc. Know themselves — why they write, what they really want to write about, and how to get out of their own way. The Eight Crafts of Writing This article is written with the eight writing crafts in mind. The eight writing crafts are: Big Idea (aka theme) Genre Narrative Story Outline (aka plotting) Characterization World Building Scene Structure Prose (aka line-by-line writing) Note: To avoid confusing readers, the author of these articles avoided the alternation of she and her and he and him. Instead, he uses the nonexclusive she and her to mean writer and reader. A lot of detailed info to pick up as you advance in your career. Some of this might be too much for a beginner at this point but good to keep for when you’re ready and for sure you can learn something.
9. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/04/07/fridaymusic-%e2%98%80%ef%b8%8f-il-divo-everytime-i-look-at-you/ What an amazing career!
10. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/04/06/i-will-find-you-by-harlan-coben-bookreview-thriller-suspense/ An innocent father serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive, and must break out of prison to find out the truth in #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben’s latest breathtaking thriller. David and Cheryl Burroughs were living the dream life when tragedy struck. Now, five years after that terrible night, Cheryl is remarried. And David is serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for the brutal murder of their son. Then Cheryl’s sister, Rachel, arrives unexpectedly during visiting hours and drops a bombshell. She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park with a boy in the background who has a familiar, distinctive birthmark … and even though David and Rachel realize it can’t be, they both just know. It’s David’s son, Matthew, and he’s still alive.
11. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/04/character-type-trope-thesaurus-entry-jester/ In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes—”universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He suggested that every person is a blend of these 12 basic personalities. Ever since then, authors have been applying this idea to fictional characters, combining the different archetypes to come up with interesting new versions. The result is a sizable pool of character tropes that we see from one story to another. Archetypes and tropes are popular storytelling elements because of their familiarity. Upon seeing them, readers know immediately who they’re dealing with and what role the nerd, dark lord, femme fatale, or monster hunter will play. As authors, we need to recognize the commonalities for each trope so we can write them in a recognizable way and create a rudimentary sketch for any character we want to create. But when it comes to characters, no one wants just a sketch; we want a vibrant and striking cast full of color, depth, and contrast. Diving deeper into character creation is especially important when starting with tropes because the blessing of their familiarity is also a curse; without differentiation, the characters begin to look the same from story to story. But no more. The Character Type and Trope Thesaurus allows you to outline the foundational elements of each trope while also exploring how to individualize them. In this way, you’ll be able to use historically tried-and-true character types to create a cast for your story that is anything but traditional.
12. The Write Stuff https://marciamearawrites.com/2023/04/07/meettheauthors-smorgasbord-sallycronin/ This morning, I discovered I had the very good fortune to be included in one of Sally Cronin’s lovely “Meet the Authors” posts, along with Debby Geis /D. G. Kaye, and Sharon Marchisello. What a super post, with Sally’s reviews of books by each of the three of us. Hope you’ll stop by to check it out, and perhaps pass it along, too. (I know Debby and Sharon would appreciate that as much as I would.) Thank to Sally for all she does to promote her fellow authors, and for this wonderful post today, too
13. Legends of Windemere https://legendsofwindemere.com/2023/04/08/spring-break-has-begun/ I thought I knew how I wanted to start this post, but my mind is shot.  This is only the third day of Spring Break and I’m tired.  In fact, I think I may be more exhausted than when I started.  Can’t say I’m surprised because it’s been a busy week even with the last two days being off. First, those last three days of work/school leading into break was utterly crazy.  Not that I was surprised.  It was also the end of the third quarter, which means everyone was scrambling to get work done.  I faced this on two fronts.  One was at work when I was in the Testing Center and handling a large flow of test takers.  Really happy that those times were only the last two periods of my day while I spent the rest with our Life Skills kids.  A little off there due to the schedule, but it was fine.  The second front was as a parent with my son having to get a lot of work done.  This . . . Had some issues that I found out about later and will have to consider for the future. Of course, this left me too exhausted to write that final section of Darwin & the Demon Game chapter 11.  I haven’t had a chance to even remotely tackle it since and I doubt I’ll get a chance until Tuesday evening.  I’m going to have to extend my timetable given that 99% possibility and at least one day where I don’t have my son being taken by hanging out with people.  I’m thinking I’ll only get 4 of 7 chapters done if I’m lucky.  That means I won’t be finishing this book in April, but by mid/late May.  I won’t start writing the next one until mid-July either.
14. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/04/07/friday-johnku-aka-tgif-fri-yay-good-news-39/ Today’s good news is a local story about an American hero who lives here in Lakeway. Alan Babin was excited to become a Lakeway resident for many reasons, not the least of which is that he is able to leave his home independently in his wheelchair. The Gary Sinise Foundation gave Babin and his family a smart home in 2018 adapted to his specific needs, a significant gift for the injured U.S. Army corporal who served as a medic in the 82nd Airborne Division. Due to the wounds, he received 20 years ago, he has had to work hard to be able to do many everyday tasks. On March 31st, the city declared it Alan Babin Day in honor of the 20th anniversary of surviving catastrophic wounds during his service in Iraq. Alan was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart for his actions to save another. The proclamation issued by the city tells more of the story. I love to hear these kind of stories!

Have Our Writing Lives Expanded from the Narrow Genres There Used to be for the Better? by Traci Kenworth

Have Our Writing Lives Expanded from the Narrow Genres There Used to Be For the Better?

Traci Kenworth

Have our writing lives expanded from the narrow genres there used to be for the better? By which meaning, has moving away from the strictly action, horror, science-fiction, romance, thriller, and fantasy opened up the possibilities for all? Can we explore stories further? Go in new directions? Open those characters up in ways that weren’t possible before?

I think so. Who doesn’t love a little horror in their fantasy? A little action-packed romance? Some thriller with high stakes on another planet? Well, maybe that’s a stretch there. Or it just hasn’t been written yet to my knowledge then again, it might prove a great idea. You never know.

Maybe that’s when reading got more interesting: when the lines started getting blurred between genres. It brings surprise. It brings possibilities. A way for things to unravel. And that’s fun! Not many people like to stick to the dusty stacks of books (although sometimes you can find treasures there!). They’d rather explore the neat, unexpected path of things.

As we branch out in the smudged genres, we learn what works, what doesn’t. We push further. Other ideas occur to us. Other areas open up to us. It becomes a flirtation of sorts to see what goes together. Like different puzzles. Its just like how we test different characters for stories. One might work here, but not there. And so on.

It seems so restrictive to think of keeping a story fitted to one genre in today’s market. Peeks of other genres thread through the majority of what’s out there. Those threads are what keep readers coming back for more. Long after a book’s been read, the story simmers in the reader’s mind. Tantalizing them with visions of other outcomes, that’s often what becomes the seed for the next writer’s session.

The pick of the string and sew it into another story. Over and over, thousands of ideas become more stories. That’s why you don’t have to worry about someone “stealing your idea.” They’ll never have “the same” idea as yours. How many serial killer versions are out there? Killer clowns? Apocalyptic endings? Zombie scourges? Romantic movies? Fantasies on other worlds involving dragons, swordsmen, endless armies, sorcerers and so on?

Have our writing lives expanded from the narrow genres out there for the better, or for worse? You be the judge on your next read!

Happenings: Still, just the swelling going on here otherwise, things are looking better. The HVAC in my car went out and we had to replace that. Oh, what a nightmare it was to drive in the winter storm a day before that because well, work for one of my adult children. With the windshield frozen, there were three near-collisions on one route. Getting home was a tad better but the trauma of the drive left me so shaky. Needless to say, I was willing to get that fixed the next morning to avoid future incidents. We’d already been getting sick because of no heat.

Blog posts around the web you may like:

1. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/03/24/fineartfriday-under-flowering-trees-by-adolf-kaufmann/ Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Title: Under flowering trees Date: before 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Inscription: signed A. Kaufmann What I love about this painting: Kaufmann gives us a beautiful spring day with apple trees and cherry trees in full bloom. The weather is misty, cool and damp the way spring mornings often are here in the Pacific Northwest. Chickens roam the orchard, and two women are digging, breaking the ground for a spring garden. To the left is a weathered building. Is it a barn? Is it their home? It’s hidden behind the shrubbery so it’s difficult to tell, but it has no window, so I think it may be a barn. Nothing is romanticized—we see it the way the artist did on that spring day over a century ago. I love to see her views on paintings. It just brings the piece to life, much like the artist’s brush.
2. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/i-tried-negative-word-count/ This is an odd one for me. Basically, I’ve switched to watching almost exclusively Korean shows on Netflix. I like them because they present new ways of looking at things, but still retain a semblance of plot and character growth. They have a lot of fantasy and supernatural tales, and aren’t afraid to dabble in sophomoric humor, so you can further see the appeal to me. I started watching a new one last night involving a fantastic creature trying to become human. At one point he said, “I don’t think like humans.” This stuck with me. When we write, even our aliens and fantastic creatures have to be presented for human readers. We have to put things in their language. However, this could be a relatively cool plot point in itself. I’ve gotten negative growth when I go back through to fix something or I’m stuck on something all together and have to figure a new way to go. It’s tough but sometimes it breaks open the doors.
3. A Delectable Life https://adelectablelife.com/2023/03/25/weekend-writing-prompt-304-mail/ A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend.  How you use the prompt is up to you.  Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like.  Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise.  If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.  Love me the short ones.  Thanks for hosting, Sammi!
4. Roberta Writes https://roberta-writes.com/2023/03/25/roberta-writes-thursday-doors-and-cffc-things-people-drive-cars-trains-planes/ Welcome to Thursday Doors! This is a weekly challenge for people who love doors and architecture to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos, drawings, or other images or stories from around the world. If you’d like to join us, simply create your own Thursday Doors post each (or any) week and then share a link to your post in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time). If you like, you can add our badge to your post. You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2023/03/23/some-fun-leftovers/ Cee’s prompt for this week is Things people drive and seeing as most things people drive have doors, I am combining the two prompts this week. You can join in Cee’s challenge here: https://ceenphotography.com/2023/03/21/cffc-things-people-drive/
5. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/soulfulsunday-%e2%98%80%ef%b8%8fsmokie-norful-god-is-able/
6. Charles French Words Reading and Writing https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com/2023/03/25/17607/#like-17607
7. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/angel-messages-mar-26-2023/
8. Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-podcast-poetry-flash-fiction-seasons-and-murmuration-by-sally-cronin/ Seasons the seasons of life as in nature are defined from cradle to grave each marks the passage of time to the place we are today. In the spring of my life I was hopeful and eager. In the summer sun I blossomed and thrived. The autumn still offers bright days, but they are tinged with chill winds created by the evil humans can do. I am wary of what winter will bring. It threatens to dilute the hope I still cherish. I question myself can I still find the desire the words and the will to foster warmth in the hearts of those who ride icy winds Murmuration
9. The Leaning Pile of Books https://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2023/03/the-leaning-pile-of-books-418/ The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound like they may be interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Some of this is a little late since things have been busier than usual (my husband has been recovering from surgery), but better late than never! This weekend’s highlights include two books in the mail, an ebook purchase, and a digital ARC, but first, here is the latest post since one of these features in case you missed it:
10. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/03/26/what-is-freewriting-6-steps-to-unlocking-your-creativity-by-the-write-life-team/ If you have been lacking creativity in your writing and your work, freewriting might be a technique that gets you back on track. You might have wondered what is freewriting, how it works, and how you can use it to unlock new levels of creativity in your brain. The main idea behind freewriting is that you have all of this creativity hiding behind your conscious brain. Our conscious brains can be a mental bully, telling you that your ideas are silly or that what you have to say is not interesting, so freewriting is a technique that moves your conscious brain out of the way so you can tap into your inner creativity and flow. We so often want the writing to be perfect, but we never focus on getting started. If you relate to that, freewriting might be perfect for you. We will go through all of the above so you can use this helpful practice to bring some creativity back to your writing. I’ve used freewriting before to breakthrough when stuck with my writing. It works wonders.
11. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/03/25/cant-whine-about-2200-words/ I got up really late this morning. I think my weeks are getting longer and more difficult. Probably a result of aging, but there it is. The morning was loaded with interruptions. I took a call from my daughter, and we have to make some plans for a serious road trip very soon. On top of that, the dogs needed… everything. Seriously, squirrels, the neighbor dog that always leads to a game of chase up the fence, someone walking by the Ring doorbell. If it could interrupt, it did. They’re out there barking at some other dog right now. Still, I’d reached a point in my story where things could just flow. This was Jenny’s interview with the fallen network anchorman, and you can think of it like a mini-mentor scene. I need to put some thought into how the next step is going to unfold, but now there are some tips from this mentor.
12. Meeka’s Mind https://acflory.wordpress.com/2023/03/24/little-miss-tukti-caught-in-the-act/ The Tukti are vegans, and a staple of their diet is the seed of the plains grass. Unfortunately, the delicate purple flower of the plains grass contains sweet nectar that the little ones love. The nectar is fine for a special treat, but too much can make you sick. Tell that to the kids though! The Little Miss in the image is being naughty… and knows it. She’s so creative!
13. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/03/24/friday-johnku-aka-tgif-fri-yay-good-news-37/ Europe’s love of train travel is about to transform the continent’s solar energy production as the Swiss are set to begin installing solar panels in between train tracks. The startup called Sun-Ways is waiting for a sign-off from the Federal Office of Transport to start installing their panels between the tracks near Buttes Station in the west of the country. With the Swiss national railway network stretching beyond 2,000 miles of track, estimates place the amount of power generation at potentially beyond 1 terawatt hour or 2% of the entire gross annual consumption. “There are over a million kilometers of railway lines in the world,” co-founder Baptiste Danichert tells SWI Swissinfo. “We believe that 50% of the world’s railways could be equipped with our system.” A great way to incorporate solar panels into an economy is to find a place where the flat ground is used by other industries, like canals, pastures, or warehousing. Some companies use solar panels to generate power over agriculture, a strategy called “agrivoltaics” while India and California use their massive canal networks and hot sun to generate power while saving land.
14. Rosie Amber https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2023/03/25/%f0%9f%8c%b7spring-forth-into-bloom-from-my-hampshire-garden-for-sixonsaturday-gardeningtwitter-gardeningmakesmehappy/ This is the last weekend of March and in the UK we move our clicks forward an hour on Sunday morning. We had our time change in the U.S. on Mar. 17th. Ugh. It’s such an exhaustive occasion.

The Beauty of Accepting Ourselves and Others As We Age Within the Pages of Life by Traci Kenworth

The Beauty of Accepting Ourselves and Others as We Age Within the Pages of Life

Traci Kenworth

Wherever we begin in life, whatever our journey, the beauty of accepting ourselves and others as we age within the pages of life comes after a lifetime. When we’re a bright star burning along that path in the beginning, we don’t consider the whole of it. That is, we don’t think about what we’ve learned, what we’re still learning. We just keep going. Faster and faster. Always the need to keep moving.

But as we relax along that pathway, as we learn to turn the tide, we begin to slow and think about our movements. Where we’ve been, where we’re going. No longer do we thrash about in any direction. We choose one with purpose. Now, we study our whereabouts and begin to plan. That’s how life works. Learning bit by bit as we go. We stumble at first then we eventually learn to hit our stride.

It may take a while, but it’ll happen. When we’re in school, we begin to draw into cliques, into groups of those more like us. Or perhaps, those who can fake it as well as another. We’re all just trying to get by, just trying to find that rug to pull us up to the next level. We do what we can to get into a good college and hope and pray it was the right choice. That we picked the right major.

Nowadays, well at any time, it’s uncertain. Jobs change as fast as light bulbs. One moment we’re one place then another. We’re always searching for security but somehow that never comes. It’s lost alongside anything these days: relationships, dreams, and mortality. We never see a lot of it coming. We just wing it. Sometimes life’s like that bartender you see in the movies, the one who’s always willing to lend an ear.

Except, you don’t quite find those irl. In real life, you rely on a close friend, a good neighbor, or a family member. In years past, it might’ve been a clergy person. Although some of us might still attend church, we don’t often confide in another there for fear of reproachment. I’ve had a pastor wife condemn me after finding out that I write horror. It turned me off the whole church experience.

Not that I don’t believe in God or Jesus if you’ve read any of my other posts. I just remember that he said that his church is not confined by a building but by the people within. So, maybe that’s what we should do: take a look around at the people around us. Consider who’s trustworthy. Although, hopefully, they wouldn’t be in your life if they weren’t.

Accepting those around us may take a bit of time. Just the same as it does for accepting the flaws about ourselves that linger despite our best efforts. It takes work. I do think it’s easier to accept weakness in others rather than in ourselves however. Maybe because it doesn’t take us as much work. Instead, we either agree or don’t with the other’s changes.

It may be hard to get past the hurts they’ve caused. And I’m not suggesting if they’ve done something reprehensible to stick around. No, I’m talking about smaller things. Arguments. Disagreements on politics, religion, whatever. Things that can be talked through. Or, at the very least, set aside. Sometimes, it’s not possible to discuss these with individuals. You have to decide whether to just move on to dropping that piece from your get-togethers.

You might not like the subject but you’ve got to let go of the block if you want a relationship with that individual. Because, at some point, you need to realize you’re not going to change their mind. They are going to be who they’re going to be. Just like you. It’s here where you decide whether to support each other no matter what.

The beauty of accepting others as we age within the pages of life is up to us, win or fail. No matter what happens, we must agree to that. Each of us is allowed our own mind, our own thoughts, our own rules. Come what may. We take what comes and move on with our lives, knowing we’re at peace with our decisions.

Happenings: It’s been a while. Sorry about that. A lot has happened. For instance, the stress tests showed there was no evidence of congestive heart failure. I did have fluid on the heart and legs though. And although they said my tests were “perfect,” there was still a concern. My heartbeat was really, really fast. They put me on a beta blocker in addition to the water pills and Jardiance. Also, during all these tests, they mentioned that the tests showed I’d had a heart attack previously. I believe that all went back to the end of Jan. when I was in bed for days. I had flu-like symptoms but I knew there was something more going on with my body, it just didn’t feel right, and that is a sign of a silent heart attack. I also think it all came about because of a decongestant someone I knew recommended I take because I was having trouble with my sinuses at the time. Turns out, decongestants can spike your heartbeat, my heart doctor said. He also said there was no sign of damage to my heart which is good news. From the end of Jan. on, my head had been so confused and foggy and I found myself dazing off quite a bit, unable to hold a conversation, this is what caused me to seek medical help in the first place. Turns out this was a side effect of the decongestant as well. It was so bad it had roughened up my lungs and brought on the cough which made them think I had water on my lungs. Once that was out of my system, I felt like myself more and more. It’s been different getting used to the new meds and no-salt routine but I’m getting better and better. So, yeah, another loop in what I thought was going on and had been told was going on, now straightened out.

Some things around the web to check out:

1. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/03/fear-thesaurus-entry-conditional-love/ Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both the character arc and the overall story. This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only. Fear of Being Loved Conditionally Notes Conditional love has to be earned through performance or achievements. A character who has experienced love in this way is likely to develop certain habits that they believe will ensure the acceptance of others. They may also perceive their value as being tied to certain behaviors or successes. These thought patterns and actions may continue to plague the character even after they’ve recognized that this kind of love is unhealthy and they want no part of it.
2. Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/03/11/smorgasbord-book-promotions-book-review-ya-dystopian-the-insurgent-the-colony-series-book-2-by-teri-polen/ If a megalomaniac threatened your family, would you give up your freedom for them? Would you give up your soul? Asher Solomon is faced with that choice. And makes the ultimate sacrifice. Exactly as Director Silas Reeves expected him to. Unable to live as the Colony’s premier assassin, Ash retreats to a corner of his mind, ceding control of his body to the alter-ego he was engineered to be—Subject A36. As he’s unleashed to battle the Insurgents, the only family he ever knew, the tide of war shifts in Silas’s favor. Combined with his expansion into new territories, the director is poised to take over the world. But the Insurgents don’t give up easily. Not on their cause, and not on their people. With the help of a few double agents deep in the Colony, they stand a fighting chance at ending Silas’s reign. In order to shut down the program, they face almost insurmountable odds. And their most dangerous foe—their former champion turned killing machine, A36. Still have to get around to reading these! Sounds terrifying!
3. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/03/11/still-fumbling/ I decided to work on Percy the Space Chimp today. Getting both of these stories flowing has taken me more time than I anticipated. Honestly, since Percy involves a sequel, I thought it would be up and running a little faster. I feel the need to at least do some minor reintroductions of the characters because there could be someone out there who reads them months apart. Prejudice is one thing that kind of sets Percy off, so that’s where I went. It allowed me to revisit his relationship with Buffer Dole, and the clones got some page time, too. They managed to obtain their course from the spy network and avoided throttling the crap out of some people. All I have to do is get them to their ship and send them into the unclaimed part of the galaxy.
4. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/03/11/how-to-slay-others-with-your-writing-guest-post-by-traci-kenworth/ How to slay others with your writing comes with practice and confidence in yourself and in your writing. When you’re younger, you stumble down the road not sure where to go, or what to see in life. That’s why experienced writers have always recommended to those coming after them, for the others to take their time, and watch the swans in the pond. Dream. Dreaming helps whet that appetite. What appetite you ask? Why the one for making writing more than just a pit stop. The more you do something, the more you learn. That’s a truth universal. We don’t want to believe it’s that easy. We insist there must be some secret that the big writers are keeping from us. Some magic they found along the way. And there is: it’s called butt-in-the-chair. You keep at it. Even when it’s tough. No matter how much you feel like giving up. You don’t. You go on. You keep on. Even when it’s hard. Despite wanting to throw away the manuscript, you fight the urge. And gently tuck it away. Wait. Pull it forth. Begin again after you’ve given it some distance. The distance helps. It helps you take stock of things you couldn’t when you were too close to things. That’s how you get through. Make progress. One step at a time. Sort of like life. You learn new techniques as you go about the process. Marketing. Interviews. Small time at this point, of course, but hey, they lead to notice and notice is what you want and someday those small times will come in handy. Blogging is a good thing to have a go at. Couldn’t resist!
5. Nail Your Novel https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/your-first-pages-5-manuscripts-critiqued-at-litopia-by-literary-agent-agentpete-aj_dickenson-and-me/
6. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/03/12/3-12-23/ He has such beautiful, soulful poetry!
7. Myths of the Mirror https://mythsofthemirror.com/2023/03/11/the-zone-2/ I don’t know about you, but for me, the creative process requires a lengthy visit to “The Zone.” If you’re an artist of any kind, you probably know what I’m talking about, surely sense the obsessive urge, the quiver of excitement at the prospect of exploring undiscovered shores. My creative muse resides there, tantalizing and intoxicating, and she demands my undivided attention. I love each foray into the Zone—despite its consumption of my life. It’s creative gluttony, stuffing my face with words, gobbling down characters, disgorging pathos. When I dive into the Zone, I’m not myself. I’m immersed in my craft, drowning in a taste of pure manna like an addict. The rest of the world fades into the hazy horizon as the Zone awakens that right brain craving. As a writer, this is especially true during my first draft when a story takes shape. Within the Zone, unfamiliar scenes tap from my fingertips and uncooperative characters demand a voice. A fickle wind pushes my plot, requiring vigilance to stay on course. As an adventurer, I’m on my own, trying to make sense of an untold tale before I return to my ordinary life, take a long overdue shower…wash loads of stinky laundry…vacuum blankets of dog hair…make dinner for a gaunt spouse surviving on snack food. Oh, I SO LOVE the zone! It is candy for writers! A place where literally anything can happen and does in creation and the writer is frantic to get said down.
8. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/03/12/angel-messages-mar-12-2023/
9. Stream of Consciousness https://johnwhowell.com/2023/03/11/stream-of-consciousness-saturday-prompt-mat-met-mitt-mot-mutt/ My cup runneth over mainly because an accidental hit of the brew button brought three instead of two 5 oz servings. Luckily the machine has a drain, or the tsunami of caffeine would be on the floor. So the absorbent mat that is in reserve will not be necessary. Sipping the life fluid reminds me of last week’s arrival of too many Warner Brothers look-alikes for comfort. The grey rabbit said there was going to be a circus. An inquiry to the city assured me that no permit was necessary if it was held on my property, and no entrance fees were charged. We met in person so that the possibility of talking them into a restraining order could have happened. The mutt of a compliance officer refused to prevent what will no doubt become mayhem. In deep thought, the thirty-story falling piano crash of the doorbell jerked me back to reality. It also set off a round of barking, cracking every mirror in the house. A toss of my old baseball mitt causes Lucy and Twiggy to think a sheep is loose in the place and brings the silence of chasing the lambs. “Who is there,” is the inquiry through the Ring doorbell.” “C’est Moi. Phiil Harris.” As I told John, I really enjoy these Looney Tunes scenarios.
10. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/03/12/writing-female-characters-in-fantasy-guest-post-by-jaq-d-hawkins/ It has become cliché that male writers are notoriously bad at writing female characters, especially in the Fantasy genre, but are female writers any better? This question came to mind because I often find female characters in novels written by women writers this century as either totally airheads or unrealistically badass. Two of my own free-spirited female characters (in different books) have taken some review criticism for behaving, quite honestly, more realistically. One was a goblin character, Talla, who comes from a culture where there is a shortage of females and a need to breed more younglings. It seemed only natural to me that in such a circumstance, the female goblins would be given sexual choice and would be free of the restrictions that human religions impose on women and girls. These are people who live close to nature. Observe any species in the wild and the goblin society reflects similar characteristics, including a certain freeform breeding culture. As suggested, culture as well as weather matter. Someone in a snowfilled environment would wear layers. Unless, of course, they had some type of jewelry or armor that melted the snow.
11. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/03/5-reasons-your-amazon-ads-arent-drawing-in-readers/ With new books of every genre being added to Amazon daily, it’s crucial that you understand what makes for good book promotion on the platform and what you can be doing better. A lot of authors begin an Amazon ad campaign without learning trends, updates, and all that goes into a well-performing campaign. Through the thousands of ad campaigns I’ve managed, I’ve learned quite a bit about this specific marketing art form. And I’ve pulled the top reasons that authors’ ads fail to draw in more readers or end up costing more than they’re worth. You Don’t Have Enough Keywords In order to gain traction, you need to start with a high number of keywords. Just five keywords aren’t going to cut it. My recommendation is 300 – 400 keywords, and if that number made you gasp, then consider this: I don’t need you to find 400 unique keywords. I need you to find 100 – 150 and save them as different match types. So, you’ll be saving them as broad, exact, and phrase matches, which will allow you to watch and see how the same keyword does under these different match types. You’re Using the Wrong Keywords or Keyword Blends Whenever I pull together keywords for an author’s ad campaign, I do so with keywords I find right on the Amazon site. I don’t use software or shortcuts. Finding keywords that are already trending on Amazon is a great way to dip into consumer trends, too, which is something that software often doesn’t capture. The other issue is the blend of keywords versus book titles and author names. If I’m working with a fiction book, I’m doing 80% book titles and author names and 20% of keywords. If I’m working on an ad set for non-fiction books, the numbers are reversed. So, I do 80% keywords and 20% book titles and authors. My reasoning is that a consumer searching for a non-fiction book is searching for a specific topic or benefits of a topic. A reader looking for their next great fiction read is looking at genre (and this is where your product placement ads can really do well), but they’re also looking for authors similar to ones they’ve already read work from.
12. Story Empire blog https://storyempire.com/2023/03/10/celebrate-the-day-of-awesomeness/ Hi SEers. John with you on this TGIF Fri-Yay. This is the second time in a row I had planned to do more on humor but found something a little better. Do you know what day this is? This is the Day of Awesomeness. That’s right, March 10 is a day to recognize and celebrate awesomeness wherever you find it. For those of us who still work at home, awesomeness might be found on that beautiful couch that calls our name at about two o’clock. Or maybe it’s that special cup of coffee that can only come from the most awesome beans and machine. It could even be super quiet that descends upon your workplace after all those annoying co-habitues depart for the day. For those of us who work at an employer’s location, awesomeness may be found in catching the elevator and finding it empty. Or maybe the last person actually made a new pot of coffee, and it is fresh and hot and waiting for you. How about the boss approving your request for one work-at-home day a week and will leave the choice of the day up to you? Those of us who don’t work awesomeness might be found enjoying an extra cup of coffee while finishing a blueberry scone. Maybe it’s going to the store and being the first person in the checkout line. Could also be going to the library and finding that number one best seller is available to check out. For we writer’s awesomeness can be found in a finely turned sentence. Or maybe in that plot twist just created. Or how about seeing your latest book for sale on Amazon.
13. Rosie Amber https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/%f0%9f%93%9aa-time-travel-fantasy-adventure-with-a-strong-fairy-tale-theme-rosies-bookreview-of-grimm-diagnosis-matt-golec-booktwitter/
14. Meeka’s Mind https://acflory.wordpress.com/2023/03/09/backup-backup-backup/ I confess, I’ve been very, very lucky. I haven’t been doing my backups as often as I should, but last night I backed up ALL my most important works-in-progress. Lady Luck must have been looking out for me because when I booted up my pc this morning, the hard drive on which I usually save all my data was…’ inaccessible’. When I looked at the map of my hard drives [I have two], my data drive didn’t even have the NTFS operating system structure. I had to format the drive in order to be able to use it again. Needless to say, I won’t be using it for anything critical from here on in. Once I can afford to have another one installed, it’ll be gone. I have lost some data, including the most recent pics used in my blog, and a heap of raw footage from videos I’ve worked on, but at least all of that stuff was completed. The pics were uploaded to WordPress and the finished videos were uploaded to Youtube so I haven’t lost anything critical. That’s why I say I’ve been so lucky; if this had happened a few days earlier, I would have lost a week’s worth of video-in-progress. And if I hadn’t backed up last night… -shudder- In case you’re wondering, I backup periodically to an external harddrive that can take masses of data. In between times, I backup work-in-progress data to a thumb drive that sits on my desk all the time and is quick and easy to use. Unfortunately, I don’t back up data often enough.

Diving into the Depths of Genres by Traci Kenworth

Diving into the Depths of Genres

Traci Kenworth

Diving into the depths of genres brings more treasure than we could hope. How can we know what our characters will do till we bring them to that breaking point? That path that they can’t return from. They can start off as the mildest person but by the end of the story be full of a fiery passion to complete their purpose for the story. And they do have a purpose for the story. Every character does or they shouldn’t be there.

Now, of course, there are background “noise” characters as I call them that are just there to take up the sounds around them and bring the scene to life. They aren’t developed beyond that. Other characters, however, even side ones, need a purpose, a goal within a story. Even if it’s just to steal the gardener’s keys while his back is turned.

Going deep into anything in stories involves the characters. They are the heart and soul of the piece. Without them, there wouldn’t be a story. Think of some of your favorites. Alec from The Black Stallion series. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Walking Dude. Ticktock. Joanna and Windhawk. The Dark Horseman. The list can go on and on. I know some of my likes might not be yours. And I know there are controversies with some of the authors of these characters.

But rather than throw away that individual, I’d educate their readers as well as them if they were still living. I don’t like to waste. During the time periods we live, certain viewpoints are often held. That’s not to say that those viewpoints are right but we should work on correcting them rather than brushing them aside to history. People rant about history being lost. Well, it will be. If we don’t learn to meet each other in the middle and find compromises.

We can’t pretend America’s history didn’t happen anymore than any other country in the world can pretend theirs doesn’t exist. What we can do is pick up the pieces, teach each other how to respect and care for each other. Building a bridge doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. A lot of listening. Working together to get it right. But we can do it.

Diving into the depths of genres is easy, if you know what’s gone before. That’s why we need to both pay attention to history and bring a sprinkling of what we’ve learned in these ages into them. We can’t suddenly have a person from the 1800s spouting modern views but we can have them unsettled by slavery, the treatment of American Indians of the time, and more. Women didn’t gain their rights at the snap of their fingers and we won’t change someone’s opinion if their bound and determined against it but we can sneak a little education in there that might light a spark.

I know there are those out there who use the brainwashing word but it’s not. Brainwashing is something much different. Talking about circumstances openly should be invited by all not shuttered behind religion or politics. I think it’s just wrong for our children to only be educated to one side of history’s view. We’re all going to walk the same streets in Heaven. Jesus didn’t discriminate. Neither should we.

Happenings: Well, turns out I was allergic to that first water pill they gave me. So my heart doctor prescribed another that is working well as a double dose. He also prescribed a med for my heart failure that is working wonderfully as well. I have to go in for an Echo II next Mon. and then follow with a stress test the following Mon. I had to work around our schedules for the tests. I don’t have to prep for the Echo II but the Stress Test restricts me from any caffeine 24 hours before as well as I have to fast from midnight the night before. I am feeling much better except for my lungs. That is still causing me to sleep and cough and congest badly right now. Inhalers are outs, and asthma meds are ready.

Some links around the web that you may like:

1. Legends of Windemere https://legendsofwindemere.com/2023/02/11/goal-post-not-bad-but-still-came-up-short-a-bit/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog I need to reevaluate my writing ability and speed.  My goal was to write chapters 6 and 7 of Darwin & the Demon Game.  I missed the mark by one section, which is rather frustrating.  To be fair, I lost most of Saturday to a plumbing emergency in the morning and then a doctor’s appointment that went into the early afternoon.  By the time I finished lunch, it was nearly 3 PM.  So, I could only get one section of chapter 6 done.  Managed to get 3 done on Sunday and was home sick on Tuesday to get another under my belt.  Pushed me too far and that was it for me.  Maybe I’ll finish chapter 7 on Monday night and then I’ll be ready for next weekend . . . Won’t hold my breath. The problem I keep running into is that I wear down mentally and physically fairly quickly.  I thought it was because of the sleeping issues, but I’m starting to wonder if something else is going on.  I mean, doing a full day of writing never used to phase me, but now it leaves me dragging the next day.  The weather might be a factor too.  Yet, none of this was going on prior to me catching Covid in the summer.  It’s possible that my brain is still foggy, which is combined with anxiety-induced insomnia.  I mean, I can’t recall ideas as well as I used to.  Really need my notes these days.  It scares me that I simply can’t be an author anymore.  Not like I’ve felt like one in years since nothing sells and nobody seems genuinely interested in my books. Charles has built a series of books, I believe, based on Dungeon and Dragons characters he and his friends played years ago that he has continued to develop. Give them a try!
2. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/02/15/characterization-part-4-doling-out-the-backstory-amwriting/ Every story has a past, a present, and hopefully, a future. The past shapes what we know as the here and now. The past also gives history to our characters, so when they first step onto the page, they are formed in the author’s mind and ready to begin their journey. Every writer knows the backstory is what tells us who the characters are as people and why they’re the way they are. At the beginning of our career, it seems logical to inform the reader of that history upfront. “Before you can understand that, you need to know this.” As we progress, we learn not to drop the history of the intended conflict in the first five pages of a novel or to waste the first three paragraphs of a short story on it. We understand that those are the pages and paragraphs editors look at first. From those pages, acquisitions editors will decide whether or not to continue reading the submission. For those of us planning to go the indie route, those first five pages are what the prospective buyer sees in the “look inside” option when buying an eBook. For us, the prospective reader is the acquisition editor. They will buy the book if they like what they see on those pages. Walls of fictional history muck up the transitions and negate our hooks. We know that infodumps block the doors from one scene to the next. It is hard to learn at first how much backstory to put in and how much to leave out and when and where throughout the story. Her guidelines here help.
3. Story Empire https://storyempire.com/2023/02/15/there-are-more-book-to-movie-scams-out-there-be-careful/ It’s shameful the way some folks go after other’s dreams.
4. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/02/five-ways-helping-other-writers-helps-you/ One thing I’ve always liked about writers is that most of us tend to see other authors as our comrades, rather than our competition. We like to share ideas and lessons we’ve learned along our journeys through the literary landscape. Instead of putting others down, writers lift each other up. We’re a community. That’s what Writers in the Storm Blog and other resources like it are all about. They’re about writers helping other writers to elevate their skills and achieve their goals. But what’s in it for us? How does helping others help us reach our own goals? Let’s look at some of the benefits we reap by helping others. How We Can Help Each Other Read and Review One of the best ways to help writers, especially independent authors, is to read their books and then take the time to post an honest review. The more reviews a book gets, the more likely it is it will be pushed and promoted by the algorithms. Identify yourself as a fellow writer in the review. Give the author some encouragement and then give some real feedback. Be honest but tactful. Most writers would rather have honest reviews than a bunch of empty ratings, even if they are five stars. The benefit to you comes in a couple of ways. A well-written review will often catch the eye of the author and in some cases, they will feel compelled to reciprocate. They may even reach out to you and ask for permission to use your words in their promotions. This can lead to wider exposure for you. Readers also look at reviews when deciding whether to buy a book or not. A well-written review may lead them to put your name in a search engine and check your offerings out as well. This is one of the things I believe is most important about writing: helping other writers out. All writers who’ve come before we have.
5. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/friday-inspiration-%f0%9f%8c%9e-newsboys-gods-not-dead/ One of my favorite songs!
6. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/02/16/the-things-we-do-to-our-friends-by-heather-darwent-bookreview-psychologicalthriller-suspense/ She’s an outsider desperate to belong, but the cost of entry might be her darkest secret in this intoxicating debut of literary suspense following a clique of dangerously ambitious students at the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, Scotland: a moody city of labyrinthine alleyways, oppressive fog, and buried history; the ultimate destination for someone with something to hide. Perfect for Clare, then, who arrives utterly alone and yearning to reinvent herself. And what better place to conceal the dark secrets in her past than at the university in the heart of the fabled, cobblestoned Old Town? When Clare meets Tabitha, a charismatic, beautiful, and intimidatingly rich girl from her art history class, she knows she’s destined to be friends with her and her exclusive circle: raffish Samuel; shrewd Ava; and pragmatic Imogen. Clare is immediately drawn into their libertine world of sophisticated dinner parties and summers in France. The new life she always envisioned for herself has seemingly begun. And then Tabitha reveals a little project she’s been working on, one that she needs Clare’s help with. Even though it goes against everything Clare has tried to repent for. Even though their intimacy begins to darken into codependence. But as Clare starts to realize just what her friends are capable of, it’s already too late. Because they’ve taken the plunge. They’re so close to attaining the things they want. And there’s no going back. What is the cost of an extraordinary life if others have to pay? Reimagining the classic themes of obsession and striving with an original and sinister edge, The Things We Do to Our Friends is a seductive thriller about the toxic battle between those who have, and those who covet–between the desire to truly belong, and the danger of being truly known.
7. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/angel-messages-feb-17-2023/
8. Rosie Amber https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/%f0%9f%93%9athe-perfect-husband-georgiarosebook-reviews-thriller-bethulia-by-thornemoore-for-rosies-bookreview-team-rbrt-booktwitter/ Bethulia has at its heart the story of three women, Alison, Jude and Danny, and one man, Simon. The women are lifelong friends and until Simon came along and married Alison, inseparable. Alison dies, apparently by taking her own life, and Jude arrives at the airport to be greeted by a distraught Danny who confirms the news. This bond between the women quickly breaks down when it is revealed that Danny had a brief fling with Simon while he was married to Alison. Jude is then quick to console the widower, getting close to him before Danny has any chance to rekindle their relationship. Among all of these characters, and others is DC Rosanna Quillan who, from experience and her own trauma, doesn’t believe that Alison killed herself. But how can she prove it? This story is deceptive because it appears to be straightforward. Until it isn’t. I don’t want to go into all the whys and wherefores as to what happens as that will spoil it for any future reader and you really do want to come into this book with fresh eyes. Suffice to say the writing is excellent, the characters totally believable, and the planning and plotting terrific. The pages keep turning because you want to find out the truth and it will keep you guessing as to what the characters are up to. Highly recommended for everyone who enjoys exciting, pacey storytelling.
9. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/02/16/thursday-a-little-personal-twiggy-and-lucy-on-the-couch/ Wonderfully sweet!
10. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/02/17/confusion-in-writing-and-how-you-can-solve-the-problems-by-derek-haines/ All writers know that confusion in writing can cause a lot of annoyance or frustration for readers. When parts of a text are unclear or difficult to understand, it weakens your message or story. However, most of the leading causes of confusion are usually relatively easy to fix. The key to solving most problems, and keeping your readers engaged, is knowing where to look. In This Article Causes of confusion in writing Some things I’ve had to learn the hard way.
11. Charles French Words Reading and Writing https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com/2023/02/18/harried-heron/ Please enjoy these wonderful photographs from Cindy Knoke! Doesn’t appreciate the prickly bird guard. But herons, are not deterred, by thorns. They dance on them! Other critters, will shy away, but herons are here to stay! Cheers to you from the thorn-dancing egrets~ Note: Snowy Egrets are members of the Heron family.
12. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/blech/ I’ve spent the last two days sick. Seems like some kind of head cold. At this point, whatever I might have accomplished over the weekend could be on hold. I feel bad because I have plenty of tasks at the office but just couldn’t get there. I have a new book to read and might have to limit my activities to that. Hopefully, I’ll be fine when it’s time to return to work on Tuesday. No telling how I’ll feel tomorrow, so I have no plan at all. In other news, I’ve always liked cars. I typically use them to define characters for those who populate my books. Long-term readers will remember Clovis’s GTO, or Ray’s bagger Harley, among others. It’s always nice to have a source to pull from. This is my car’s Pinterest Board https://pin.it/4TpJxxR Maybe it will inspire something you’re writing. Something’s going around for sure!
13. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/02/writing-how-to-create-characters-your-readers-love-and-hate/ You can create charming good guys and vicious villains, the hookiest of hooks, brilliant worlds, and twisty plots with the most intense cliffhangers, but if readers don’t care about your characters, they won’t recommend your book to their friends. Or worse, they’ll put the book down and never buy your books ever again. Why would they do that? Because they didn’t connect with your protagonist, antagonist, or viewpoint characters. Your reader wants to connect with at least one of those characters. They open the book wanting to love or hate your characters. But creating characters your readers connect with takes work. What makes readers not care? It could be one of several problems. We just had this discussion kind of on Books and Such above with Teri’s review of a book she read. Dig in and learn these powerful lessons!
14. From the Pen of Mae Clair https://maeclair.net/2023/02/13/book-reviews-by-mae-clair-if-cats-disappeared-from-the-world-by-genki-kawamura-the-villa-by-rachel-hawkins/ Happy Monday! I’m kicking off the week with two book reviews. Both of these stories are exquisite reads. I was drawn to the first by the title and the second by the blurb, which promised a story “inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein.” I found them both engrossing, but will let you be the judge . . . Ergh, I can’t even imagine a world without cats. Hopefully, we’ll never have to find out. Check these book reviews out!

Why We’re Content with Love to Changeas a Book Ages by Traci Kenworth

Why We’re Content with Love to Change as a Book Ages

Traci Kenworth

I’ve been reading and downright enjoying the Sarah J. Maas series “The Throne of Glass.” It is a vast and comprehensive world of both light and darkness. It is the story of Celaena Sardothien or as her real name comes to be revealed: Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius. She is a Fae princess stuck in a human body when the story begins. I don’t really want to get into revealing too much of the story for some who haven’t read this excellent series. What I wanted to discuss is why we’re content with love to change as a book ages.

By which, I mean, there are different choices/different triangles as the story moves along. You wouldn’t think this would be a good move but surprisingly, it works really well for the characters involved because as you would expect: life changes and so should relationships. When we first meet Celaena, she is enamored of the prince who rescued her from a prison of darkness and pain. He is the son of the King who murdered her family and wiped out her bloodline. His name is Prince Dorian. He is charming and smart, a bit of a ladies’ man as can be expected of that type of character.

There is nothing serious between the two. At least, on Celaena’s part as she recognizes she could never belong in his world. She finds the gruff bodyguard of the prince, Chaol, more intriguing.  He will not make a move on her, however, as long as Dorian is in the picture because Dorian is also his best friend, and future sworn King.

When Dorian comes to the slow, painful realization that Celaena won’t ever love him back as more than a friend, he steps aside so that she and Chaol can be together. Full of guilt, they begin a love affair too late as Celaena has won the title of King’s Champion (or Assassin) to free herself of the prison forever and now must go about doing the King’s business. But true to her character, there is a façade to her actual deeds that Chaol doesn’t see. He only sees her as a threat to his prince.

To protect her and his prince, he petitions the king to send her to another land for an assignment. The King is only too willing as he believes it will wipe out two of his enemies. While there, she learns about her Fae heritage and how to bring it to the forefront with the help of Prince Rowan. As much as she hates him for the physical and emotional challenges he throws at her, she begins to fall for him as well.

Each of the relationships she goes through is different, unique. I think that’s what makes them believable, sustainable in each case. She’s not just throwing men aside to be with them. She truly cares about each of them. And they in return, care about her. I’m not saying there’s no jealousy between the men. There most certainly is but they work through it and get to a different spectrum of the their relationship with her.

And we, the reader, can see why she falls for each of them and in return, why she passes on the ones before Rowan. I’ve never read a series like this. Where you actually go through the fall and breakup with the character and then the new bud of another relationship instead of the Twilightish triangle/till death to us part ideal.

This just works better. Like I said, it shows more real life. You don’t always stay with one person forever from your teens on up. Things change. We change. Partners change. We’re human. We grow. Interests go in different directions. Sometimes we realize how unsuited we are to that person. When the right one comes along, he doesn’t try and change her. He accepts her, both her human and Fae sides unlike the others did. We can see why he is “the one.”

Have you seen this in other series? I’m quite a fan of it, I think. I haven’t considered it in my own work, but I might in the future. Sarah J. Maas has definitely won me over as a fan for life with these books. Her style is very elegant and yet old world casual, if that makes sense. Her world and the characters in it are so deep and satisfying. I haven’t finished the final book in the series yet but I’m looking forward to seeing how she ties it all together.

Happenings: I’m just beginning to get over a viral infection that kept me out of the mix for a couple weeks straight including through my birthday. I was able to get my new plates and my license. So often in the past, I used to shudder at my photo and I admit though I’m not actually thrilled with this one, it is more me. At least, more of the “me” than the glossed-up, trying to be someone I’m not image. Appearances shouldn’t have to be fussed over and be faked to matter. This one was more recognizable to me because I see her when I look in the mirror more and more. Aging has been hard. Women don’t like to look all wrinkled and chewed up by life’s wear but that’s what happens to us all. Eventually, we turn into our aunts or grandmothers or uncles, or fathers. It’s just the way it is. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Youth is meant for the pretty, the more graceful. I’ll take my dents.

Some links around the web you might enjoy:

1. The Bee Writes.com https://the-bee-writes.com/2023/01/28/not-wanting-to-see-nicht-sehen-wollen/ Yesterday’s Holocaust Memorial Day quote brought back the realization of how easily we humans fall for propaganda. Many Germans after the war said “We didn’t know” but I assume what they meant was “We didn’t want to know,” because knowing is uncomfortable. Knowing asks us to act. Knowing asks for sacrifices of us. Knowing asks “Who am I really”. This is a topic that makes me worry for all of us. Who are we when no one is looking? Do we hide our real selves and join the crowd? Do we shrink and try to hide from the violence of what’s shown in the daylight? Only we can answer that question. We pray we would do the right thing but how many would turn aside when one of their loved ones was threatened? It’s a scary thought for all to answer. And why we might bellow of course how we’d react, we wouldn’t actually know until those circumstances impacted us.
2. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/01/29/1-29-23/
3. Robbie’s Inspiration https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2023/01/28/robbies-inspiration-a-poem-on-vocal-and-a-poem-for-tanka-tuesday-poetry-poetrychallenge/ Vocal is running a poetry challenge with the theme of Uncommon – write a poem about something rare. I wasn’t going to participate as I couldn’t think of anything I fancied writing about until yesterday when I discovered Eleanor, the hadeda, had come into my office for a visit. I thought that was quite rare, I’ve never had a hadeda come inside before and I’ve lived in my current home near a bird sanctuary for nearly 20 years. These are the pictures that inspired my poem, The Visitor. You can read the poem on Vocal and if you have a few extra minutes you can register on the site and leave a like and/or comment for me. Or you can just leave a comment here.
4. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/01/top-posts-from-2022-the-wits-dynamic-dozen/
5. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/01/30/the-last-drive-tour-with-annette-rochelle-aben/ Annette can be described as a Communicator, WordSmith, Artist, Guide, Mentor, and Muse. She is all of these things. As a communicator, she is a trained radio broadcaster and has a blog talk radio show. Her wordsmith moniker is proven by the fact she has a daily blog and has written 20 titles which are available on Amazon. Her artistic talent can be seen in her Zazzle store. Here is the link http://www.zazzle.com/annetteaben. As a mentor and guide, Annette has developed the concept of Attitude with Gratitude. She shows folks how to approach life in a way that produces happiness. You can visit several examples of her teachings HERE. As a muse, Annette invites everyone to her blog with these works. “In addition to writing, I am completely in love with Angels, cooking, making jewelry, photography, cats, listening to music, and laughing! Perhaps we have something in common, if so, leave me a comment, and let’s connect.” Annette os a wonderful host! I’m sure John would agree as he visits with her today to discuss his latest book. I find the idea of being able to choose which state perhaps you’d like to visit in the after life fascinating.
6. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/01/30/monday-funnies-5/
7. Story Empire https://storyempire.com/2023/01/30/when-the-words-stop/ Hi SEers! Denise here to talk about when a story hits some unexpected roadwork and comes grinding to a halt. The ideas and words flow until that one day, and they don’t. It’s like riding in a convertible, watching the sunset on a warm summer evening. A cool breeze is blowing the story onto your computer screen or paper. Everything is right in your world until that one moment when you see a stop sign ahead, and everything suddenly stops. A lot of times, like Diane said, the best thing to do is set it aside and come back to it. You’re going to beat it to death if you just keep fooling with it until it’s ready. I’ve done this before with the research to, thinking something was true when it wasn’t.
8. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/01/28/a-different-angle-on-editing/ I’m down to the final reading of each manuscript. This is something I always do, but since I have three, there might be an option. Today, I started out reading one chapter, then switching stories to do the same thing. Right now, I’m up to about seven on each story. I did this, because when I get into the tale, I start enjoying it, then I miss things. I have no illusions about missing something. There’s always some stupid thing that gets published. t honestly feels like it’s working better to do it this way. Doubt I’ll ever have three finished stories at the same time again, but this one time it feels right. I’ve read recently from an editor’s opinion and I think it’s true that no matter how many times you write a book or go through the editing process, each will be different. Because they have to be. You learn stuff. You apply stuff. And then you pull together all that you’ve learned.
9. Writer’s Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/01/how-does-internal-conflict-fit-into-the-characters-arc/ If you’re writing a story in which your character will need to evolve internally to achieve his goal, a cohesive and well-planned character arc will be vital to its success. This type of arc (a change arc) requires internal conflict, which will provide opportunities for your character to adapt and grow. But first, let’s quickly summarize what the change arc is and what it looks like. At their heart, most stories boil down to a simple formula: It’s a story about A (the character) who wants B (goal/outer motivation) because Y (inner motivation). That Y explains why the character so desperately wants to achieve the goal. If you look at the movie Groundhog Day, Phil Connors (A) wants to win Rita’s love (B) so he can find meaning in an utterly meaningless life (Y). This example shows how the character’s outer and inner motivations work together in the story. The outer conflict is the main external thing keeping the character from his goal. Phil’s conflict comes in the form of the supernatural forces that have him reliving the same day over and over, making it virtually impossible to get Rita to fall in love with him. But what internal conflict or struggle does Phil experience throughout the story? Or, as Michael Hauge puts it in Writing Screenplays that Sell: What is standing in the way of the character achieving real self-worth as he pursues his inner motivation?  In Phil’s case, he simply loves himself too much to love anyone else. This is why his initial attempts to win Rita’s heart fail—not because of time limitations but because his motives are selfish. She sees him for the pretentious, condescending, self-absorbed prat he’s always been, so he has to resort to deception and trickery to achieve his goal. And it never works. 
10. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/01/30/heroes-and-villains-part-2-who-are-they-and-why-should-we-care-amwriting/ When we begin planning a novel, we might have the plot for an award-winning narrative in our head and an amazing cast of characters eager to leap onto the page. But until we know who the hero and the antagonist are when they are off duty, we don’t really know them. And until we know what they want, we have no story. No matter what genre we write in, when we design the story, we build it around a need that must be fulfilled, a quest of some sort. For the protagonist, the quest is the primary goal. But they must also have secrets, underlying motives not explicitly stated at the outset. The supporting characters also have agendas, and their involvement in that storyline is affected by their personal ambitions and desires. Our task is to ensure that each of our characters’ stories intersect seamlessly. Motivations must be clearly defined. We must know how the person thinks and reacts as an individual. To that end, we assign verbs, action words that reflect their gut reactions. What drives them? This is where we give them a void, a lack or loss that colors their personality. We assign nouns that describe their personalities. Finally, we ask ourselves, “What are their moral boundaries, and what is out of character for them?” Good questions! I love that she says, “Until we know who our character is off duty, we can’t know them.”
11. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/ 2023/02/7-tips-for-a-dose-of-relatable-dimension-to-your-character/ by Miffie Seideman As authors, we know our characters need to be multi-dimensional, with emotions, characteristic traits, backstories, and flaws that speak to our readers. So, we spend countless hours designing characters. A number of great tips can be found in these previous posts for creating characters that are genuine, strong, or stand out. One additional way to create a relatable character with dimension is to give them a simple trait, quirk, or habit—one that resonates with readers. Just a little something to bring the character off the page and make them memorable. For example, what quirks, traits, or habits come to mind when you think of these characters? The Joker (in the Joker) Jem (To Kill a Mocking Bird) Haymich Abernathy (The Hunger Games) Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie Novels) Captain Hook (Peter Pan) An often-overlooked approach is to give a character a habit involving socially popular drugs. Not all drugs require big, bold, and deadly scenes Think writing about drug habits is all about hard core drugs, overdoses, and addiction? Think again! I’ve just written a short story where the character had an addiction in a world devestated by loss of the people in it. The more I rewrote it, I came to see that the addiction needed to be focused more into the story than just a slight mention.
12. Roberta Writes https://roberta-writes.com/2023/01/31/cffc-legs-and-feet/ Regarding the Queen Push-Push photo–I have one of those. Her name is Callie or Calico. I swear she thinks my desk is hers! She claims everything on it including the right to knock anything of it. Believe me, she broke my computer a few months back and I had to replace it. Sigh.
13. Tel Aviv Feral Cats https://telavivsferalcats.home.blog/2023/01/31/how-far-do-domestic-cats-travel/ How far do house cats travel? And how far do domestic cats travel at night? Is there a difference between a house cat and an outdoor cat roaming range?
14. Myths of the Mirror https://mythsofthemirror.com/2023/01/31/january-book-reviews-3/
15. My first book reviews for the new year! I hope everyone is up for a great year of reading.
16. January’s reviews include my 4 and 5-star reads of a memoir, literary fiction, a paranormal adventure, a poetry collection, a collection of short stories, a collection of poetry and flash fiction, and three short reads on Irish Mythology.

The Design of Genres by Traci Kenworth

The Design of Genres

Traci Kenworth

The design of genres is meant to showcase what each has to offer the reader as well as the writer. Each genre has its own set of expectations. Rules, if you like. You can follow them or break them to a degree but you’d better know the why behind each. It’s like when you begin that new book. You don’t expect to find a herring (mystery clue) in a romance, for example. And, if you do, you need to explain how that came to be.

Just like, if you set off in a train under a golden sunset and ended up awakening to a traveling wagon train in the 1800s, you might want to check what you know. Things like that don’t happen in the normal world. Ah, but in fiction, they do. It’s merely how you bring things about. You can take the straight path, or you can simply drive off the cliff.

That’s what excites readers: the unexpected. No, boring holes for them.  They have to be occupied by a hobbit. Or a village. That skyline on the horizon? It must be dotted with witches and their wyverns. Or even to bring it down to a normal world: something we haven’t seen before or at least, not on a usual basis, has to occur. It can be a St. Bernard on a hot day when we stop by to service our car with our son. Or the crest of a fin in the water.

Every genre relays its foundations on what’s gone before. And then stays on the same page or defers. No two stories are the same though. Even on a calm day, the same sidewalk can be shared by different people on their own adventure. One might be going to buy an orange kitten who loves the taste of lasagna. Another might be off to Scotland on a writer’s retreat and discover there’s more to the people and the land than its history.

Some writers groan about genres stifling them with boundaries. I say there are no boundaries, if you think about it. Dragons can be brought into any era. Aliens into any environment. Humans can walk among the stars or tread the depths of the oceans. Black holes puncture the atmosphere for a reason. You just have to figure out what that reason is. And make use of it.

Even if you’re in a “normal” world, there can still be frills. Not all bank robberies go according to plan. Construction sites get botched. Subways become a hazard. Maybe it’s the weather. Or just a villain that enters the fray. Anything can happen in any genre. You just have to use your imagination. Think about what would’ve happened if those children hadn’t explored that closet at their uncle’s house. No Terabithia.

If Harry hadn’t gone to Hogwarts, what would’ve ended up happening to the Wizard World? There’d be no Twilight if Bella hadn’t gone to Forks. But you say, it had to be that way. For that story, sure. But there are other stories. Other solutions. The boy doesn’t always get the girl. Unicorns exist somewhere. And fairies can be devious individuals. It’s all about perspective. The design of genres can take you anywhere from Walton’s Mountain to the moons of Alderaan.  

Happenings: This week I suffered through something I wonder if a lot of other disabled individuals do as well. That is, the feeling of being “useless.” Now, my daughter and son were quick to assure me it wasn’t true but I just felt like I couldn’t do the number of things I did say ten, or twenty years ago or even to the quality of such. My mobility has become a real issue for me and tbh, I have a secret fear of losing the loss of my legs or hands altogether. They sometimes feel so numb and unable to respond to what I want them to do. Anyway, I wondered if others shared these helpless emotions and worried about them? I mean, I don’t know where my life’s headed. I could end up in a nursing home in the future, unable to care for myself. I always thought that getting dementia or Alzheimer’s would be my greatest fear but now I wonder if it might not be, loss of mobility or even God forbid, amputation of limbs. Depending on someone would be very hard for me. I’ve had to depend on myself for so long, the idea seems preposterous. It’s odd the things we consider. I know I could still write. V.C. Andrews was very successful even though she was paralyzed. I’m sure there have been others. Even when I fall now, it’s hard for me to let someone help me up. I don’t know why accepting help stresses me. Unless it’s part of the PTSD I suffered for years.

Some links around the web I found interesting and you might as well:

1. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/01/writing-insecure-characters/ All successful novels, no matter what genre, have one thing in common: emotion. It lies at the core of every character’s decision, action, and word, all of which drive the story. Without emotion, a character’s personal journey is pointless. Stakes cease to exist. The plot line becomes a dry riverbed of meaningless events that no reader will take time to read. Why? Because above all else, readers pick up a book to have an emotional experience. But they don’t want to be told how a character feels; they want to experience the emotion for themselves. To make this happen, we must ensure that our characters express their feelings in ways that are both recognizable and compelling to read. How we convey a character’s emotional state is vital to the reader’s experience. They don’t want to be bashed over the head with this information, nor do they appreciate clunky methods that jerk them out of the story. This is where show-don’t-tell comes into play. Show the character’s emotion through their natural responses to it, and readers will figure it out on their own. Use universal responses, and you’ll have the added benefit of readers connecting to the character through a sense of shared experience. I often think of the Writer’s Digest Book, “Open Your Veins.” It says a lot. Let that emotion bleed down on the page. Become the character until you’re done for the day and then pick up that yoke again the next and the next until you’ve got a book and edits begin.
2. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/01/11/the-business-side-of-the-business-managing-inventory-writerlife/ Authors make readers when they do in-person book signings. We have the chance to connect with potential readers on a personal level, and they might buy a paper book. If we are personable and friendly, they might tell their friends how much they liked meeting us. Those friends will buy eBooks. (We hope!) Most shows and events will require you to have a business license if you intend to sell books in person. This means you will have a small amount of paperwork after each in-person signing, so I am revisiting a post from 2022 detailing how authors can manage an inventory of books and have the right numbers for tax purposes. For eBook sales, you have no obligation to report sales taxes, only your royalties as listed on the 1099 issued by Amazon or Draft2Digital, or other eBook sellers. Whether you are traditionally published or indie, if you intend to make personal appearances at local bookstores, fairs, or conventions, you will have an inventory of books on hand to manage and account for at the end of the year. But more importantly, even if you are traditionally published, you pay for the books you sell at shows. The good businessperson has a spreadsheet of some sort to account for this side of the business, as it will be part of your annual business tax report. An excellent method for assembling the information you will generate for your tax report is discussed the previous post, The Business Sequence for Writers. Ellen King Rice has given us a great framework for keeping our business records straight. This is an important part of the writing business. She simplifies what you might keep on file for your tax purposes, Indie or traditional.
3. Robbie’s Inspiration https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2023/01/11/growing-bookworms-teaching-children-about-nature-and-conservation/ Teaching our children about the natural environment and conservation is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. There are a few good ways of making sharing about nature and conservation with children, as follows: Reading books about nature with your child; Exploring nature with your child; Art and play; and Watching documentaries Teaching young readers to read is close to my heart as my son struggled with reading at a young age and his school admitted that they failed to help him in this regard.
4. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/01/the-importance-of-great-mentors-for-you-and-your-books/ All of us here at Writers In the Storm know that veteran-WITS contributor, Julie Glover, is both funny and wise. She and I were talking about the importance of mentors and she made this observation: “Being storytellers, we’re likely all fans of a good mentor. Where would Harry Potter be without Dumbledore? Wilbur without Charlotte? Peter Parker without Uncle Ben? Cinderella without her fairy godmother?” She’s got a great point. Even though it seems like the mentors always die or disappear in every genre except romance (where they get their own book in the series), we never forget a great mentor. I mean, come on…what would Star Wars be without Obi Wan, or Yoda? A lot of the ladies at YAFF taught me things I didn’t want to learn at first. As did my first few cps, Steve and Pat. They both taught me to love the story for the story and the YAFF ladies helped me to whip things into shape. I had some bad ones in between but that happens to everyone. I also had a lovely cp, Lisa, who helped me with my romances. I continue to work with Rebecca, Barb, and Pen on occasion.
5. Tel Aviv Feral Cats https://telavivsferalcats.home.blog/2023/01/12/cute-feral-cat-with-huge-eyes/ It’s not easy to shoot a video of feral cats, but I was walking back from my brother’s apartment, which is maybe five minutes walk from my building, and there was this cat with extremely expressive eyes, and two cute kittens up on the windowsills, and I had to try. A lot of people don’t consider how those feral cats ended on the street: some careless person didn’t fix their pets and they multiplied and the results were carelessly tossed out. Ferals can be rehabilitated. I have a tiger cat that was on the streets till he was six months old.
6. Story Empire Blog https://storyempire.com/2023/01/13/birth-order-and-character-development/ When we craft our characters, many of us include comments about their placement in the family. We attach traits we’ve experienced with siblings or others close to us. I will explore some of those traits in my posts over the next several months. Full disclosure, birth order theory is somewhat controversial because, in and of itself, it is not a determinant of someone’s personality. Many other factors include genetics, physical environment, gender, culture, family trauma, and much more. Still, birth order offers writers a tool for developing their characters. For that reason, in the next posts, I will focus on the traits of the (1) first-born, (2) the middle-born, (3) the last-born, and (4) the only child. I leave you with a curious detail. Per the research, if there’s an age difference of three or more years between siblings, the birth order restarts. Given this tidbit, each of my four children is an “only” child. Between my eldest and my next child, there are seven years. Then there are five years between the next, and three and a half years between the final two. No wonder I had my hands full, right? Just for fun consider these three sets of accomplished men and women: I definitely think birth order plays a part in who we are in life. I’m a second to the last child. I missed the middle by one. My oldest sister got most of the responsibility put on her shoulders all these years. I didn’t get away with a lot like some might think of a younger child. In fact, I was the first to go to college in my family then my older sister tried her hand. I respect her for trying to make her life better and not giving up on things. I’m a lot like that. I push for the things I want and don’t give up easily. I’m also more open to change than some in my family as I educated myself to think for myself in a lot of instances. Reading and writing, I think, allows you to accept unpopular opinions and come to respect other’s opinions on things.
7. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/01/13/blogtour-a-tale-of-two-princes-by-eric-geron-bookreview-romcom-lgbtq/ Will these long-lost twin princes be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together—or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal mess? Edward Dinnissen, Crown Prince of Canada, loves getting the royal treatment at his exclusive Manhattan private school and living in a fancy mansion on Park Avenue. But despite living a royal life of luxury, Edward is unsure how to tell his parents, his expectant country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay. Billy Boone couldn’t be happier: he loves small-town life and his family’s Montana ranch, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. But this out-and-proud cowboy is finally admitting to himself that he feels destined for more . . .
   • When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City and discover that they are long-lost twins, their lives are forever changed. Will the twin princes—“twinces”— be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal disaster? This description sounded like a blend of Red, White, and Royal Blue (a pure delight) and The Parent Trap. Royal twins separated at birth? A Canadian monarchy? I was intrigued.
8. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/01/14/sketch-comedy-%f0%9f%98%83-key-peele-cool-teacher-vs-class-clown/
9. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/01/14/angel-messages-jan-14-2023/
10. Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/01/14/smorgasbord-public-relations-for-authors-recycled-part-two-author-biographies-tips-and-translations-by-sally-cronin/ With approximately 150 authors on the Smorgasbord bookshelf, I am in Amazon and Goodreads oftn checking for updated information new releases and reviews to share in the author features. In the upcoming series of Meet the Authors I will also be updating biographies to include and I am afraid that I have had to update quite a few myself with new books, or the numbers of books that have been written. My suggestions today are not carved in stone, and how you write your biography is entirely your decision. The one area that is key and seems to be echoed around the writing sites is the fact that a biography that is overlong will be overlooked. The biography is your advertisement that combined with your photograph is going to grab the attention of the potential reader who has landed on your author page. Last week I shared the fact that there are 20,000 new ebooks uploaded each week on Amazon that are in direct competition with your books. Provided you have listed your books with the genre or sub-genre, when searching for books a reader will be offered a selection to choose from. Hopefully that will land them on your book page or your Amazon Author Page.
11. Marcia Meara Writes https://marciamearawrites.com/2023/01/14/enterprisemuseum-centralfloridawildlife-hugefun/ Off to visit with the good folks at Enterprise Museum today, to chat about two  of the more unusual critters which live here in Central Florida: opossums and armadillos. It’s been months since I was feeling well enough to give one of these presentations, and I’m looking forward to this one more than I can say! Especially since I’ll be talking about two animals which are so very interesting, yet so misunderstood. If you happen to be in the area, come on by and see exactly what I mean for yourself! The little restored 1930s schoolhouse is worth the trip all by itself!
12. Myths of the Mirror https://mythsofthemirror.com/2023/01/14/weekend-blog-share-silent-pariah/
13. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/01/14/am-i-done-maybe/ My only goal today was to do some writing. I’ve previously mentioned that Once Upon a Time in the Swamp required a long denouement. My intent here was to wrap things up, but also provide a potential future for Mari. I have no intention of a sequel, but I want readers to know life goes on after her traumatic events. Today, I reached that point. Mari’s tale came in over 70,000 words, but that’s not real lengthy. I’m of the mind a story will be as long as it needs to be. I like the story, but there are always things to second guess about one. Time for that later. At some point, I’m going to have to spend some real money on cover art for all these stories. I think they’re worth the cost of good art, and that industry also needs a few patrons. In fact that gives me an idea for a possible Story Empire post in the future. It’s time for me to embrace the thing I hate most about these projects… editing. I have three finished books at this time. They are tentatively called: I’m in the same mess with three manuscripts in need of edits in my hands at the moment.
14. John Howell https://johnwhowell.com/2023/01/14/the-last-drive-tour-with-dan-antion/

How Much Character Do You Put On? By Traci Kenworth

How Much Character Do You Put On?

Traci Kenworth

In the world of beauty, we’re always concerned about what we are or aren’t putting on our faces. The goal is to improve on them, of course. Just like, if you think about it, our characters in our stories. So, how much character do you put on when it comes to your stories? By which, I mean, how true or authentic to themselves do you work to make each character?

Take an old lady. Easy character, right? Pruned skin. Cane to bend to her will. Ah, but how many other disabled these days carry canes? I do. And I’m fifty-five going on fifty-six. Mine is for my progressive neuropathy but also my fall risk. Sometimes my legs just want to buckle under me.

Not exactly the old lady you had in mind, huh? What would make her so for you? Gray hair? Blue-rinsed, white hair? Knobby knees? A pack of cats? A granny sweater? Eyeglasses on a chain? Add up the little details that make the whole. And each character is different. No two of us see the same old lady.

That’s how characters and people are. The truth comes in who we make them. What we pull into their makeup. We can make them rigid, aggravated, or complete bores. Think of a bully in high school. Most would think of guys. I knew some of those but mostly, my high school world was made up of female bullies.

I think that’s why I have a bit of hesitancy relating to my peers. Because so many of them were just ghastly to me. I had overweight girls try and keep me locked out of the school doors in the morning. And skinny ones spitting wads of paper at me in class. I’ve had senior girls tell me that I couldn’t use a certain door, or else. I’ve had girls younger than me harass me with ex guys that used to like me. Like I said, the role of bully is in the eye of the beholder.

Just like a mother. Some of us grew up with mothers who didn’t work outside the home. Some of us didn’t. I’d bet that on both sides of those coins, neither mom looked nor acted alike. Take their manner of clothing. They could’ve wore mostly skirts and dresses. Or pants. And there’s loads of combos in either of those sets. Some liked cotton. Some silk. Different patterns. Thickness. Accessories. The list goes on.

And fathers are more than just the standard ties that are advertised on TV sets. My dad never wore a tie. Even to funerals. He drove trucks. Worked in factories. Plastered ceilings of houses and buildings such as churches like the Mormon Church down in Kirtland, OH. He went fishing and hunting. Other dads did that too but not all. I’m sure there are more differences between our dads.

The point is: all characters come in different shapes and sizes. No two are alike. Pick any two books. No protagonist is like another. No matter the genre, no matter the similarity in the story. There is always something, some detail, that makes each unique to themselves. Katniss and Aelin. Two strong fighters in their different worlds. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Their heart and their truths. Their sins and their mistakes.

The cost of each character’s life is their own. But on the battlefield, they’re formidable. They know their opponents well and use every advantage they have against them. It’s never just a game to them. That’s how you create a story. You put a character on the field an audience can cheer for despite the odds. They make be just another serial killer but it’s the mold of that killer that makes him/her spring to life.

Know your character. The details that go into them. Their background. Their struggles. Triumphs. Everything blends together into the mix. They are the whole of that being. Do your homework. So, how much character do you put on?

Happenings: Happy 2023! The last year ended with a fizzle for us but hopefully, it jump-boarded us into a new opportunity for my family. Prayers and fingers crossed. Our electricity ended up going out the night before Christmas Eve with the big blizzard rolling in. We didn’t get a lot of snow, thank God. Because I still had to get my kids back and forth to work those days. We were out of electricity until the afternoon of the next day. We lost our water as well. That was out until a few days before the new year. Yes, I kid you not. And the place where I live, the landlords blamed the tenants for it being off. They said we didn’t replace the heat tape like we were told. We bought our new home and the heat tape they put in was good for three years. So them blaming us was just, there are no words. They claimed the tenants pulled the park employees away from their families and holidays and ruined them for them. You couldn’t find an employee in this park even this week. You know how they fixed the water situation? They let the water pipes thaw. Yeah. Real effort on their part. So, we heard about a nice piece of land and we’re hoping to buy and get out of here in 2024 when our contract to keep this house here expires in Sept. I have never liked landlords. They are devious in my opinion. At least, the ones I’ve run across. That being said, I know people who are landlords and I believe they treat their tenants better. Life is hard. Why make it harder by being an a**hole to people?

Here are some links around the web you might like:

1. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/01/force-your-character-to-make-hard-choices/ One of the best things about conflict is that it pushes your characters to act. In every scene, your characters are making choices—big ones and small ones, and thereby steering their fate. Some decisions will be obvious and require little to no thought, but others will be muddier, with no clear “better” option, generating inner conflict. These choices, provided the characters feel personally invested in the decision, act as a test, revealing who they are. Finding ways to naturally characterize our characters is gold in storytelling, so making the most of a character’s decisions is a wise move. But when we make choices a bit more complex, they go beyond black-and-white options, which creates tension and potentially painful consequences. Hm. Working with two fears or two needs. Sounds delightful.
2. Marcia Meara Writes https://marciamearawrites.com/2023/01/03/forgottenwords-doyouremember/ Interesting series!
3. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/01/03/surging-forward/
4. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/01/5-reasons-why-its-still-a-good-idea-for-writers-to-have-a-blog/ It’s 2023. Should writers have a blog? It’s been the subject of debate for several years now. There was a time when, if you intended to publish and sell books, you were expected to write a blog too. But it’s not so clear-cut today. There are a lot of ways to communicate with your potential readers, and blogging is only one of them. Here are five reasons why I think it’s still one of the best. I think a blog is an important outreach to your readers. It helps you to get to know them and they, to know you. I’m finding more confidence in my writing nowadays and I believe part of that comes from this blog. I know I can express myself and get my point across to others. I feel at home here, like I’m talking to old friends.
5. Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.com/2023/01/04/the-business-side-of-the-business-finding-places-to-submit-your-work-amwriting/ Today, we’re going to explore the various forms of short fiction publishers are looking for and how the market drives what they will buy. Each publication only buys work they think will appeal to their readers, and each serves a different segment of the reading public. We are looking for markets that will pay you for your work. They are difficult to get into, but once you are in, you will be offered more opportunities. If you are writing science fiction, you most likely dream of having your work published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact. They are seeking work that is strictly science-based, because that is what their readers expect. You might also want to submit to Uncanny, as they publish both sci-fi and fantasy. Their readers are more eclectic. Apex Magazine publishes work that pushes the limits, and that is what their readers expect. I’ve been working to break into these markets for a year and a half now. Frustrating but definitely builds your confidence and teaches you to revise, revise, revise with every resubmission.
6. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/01/05/angel-messages-jan-5-2023/
7. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/01/05/thoughtfulthursday-dr-seuss/ No one could say it better than Dr. Suess!
8. The Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/01/05/smorgasbord-health-column-2023-the-body-our-greatest-asset-the-brain-introduction-and-anatomy-by-sally-cronin/ I have featured this series over the last ten years on a regular basis for new readers who might have joined the blog. Our bodies are are greatest asset. It has a long road ahead of if from birth, through the teen years, work life, parenthood, middle age and then into our 70s and beyond. At every stage of our life healthy nutrition is essential to help the body develop and remain as disease free as possible. I appreciate that many of you may have read this series before three years ago, but I hope it will be a reminder of how amazing our bodies are, and simply eating the right foods, exercising moderately and not doing anything too reckless…will go a long way to enjoying later life to the full. Losing who I’ve become is one of my biggest fears. Up there with losing certain loved ones. I don’t know how I would cope with either situation and I’m not eager to find out.
9. Staci Trilio https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/2023/01/05/review-colettas-unnatural-mayhem/ With the fate of the Natural World at stake, can Shawnee and Mayhem stop trophy hunters before it’s too late? Explosive news of a crow hunt rings out in the White Mountain Region of New Hampshire, and one hundred crows gather to put an end to it. With so many lives at stake—including Poe’s—Shawnee and Mayhem must work together to stop the trophy hunters before they obliterate the local murder. Taking on twenty-five experienced hunters armed with shotguns is no small feat. If they fail, Poe may lead his brethren to their death. No matter what it takes, this group must be stopped. But what if Shawnee and Mayhem aren’t seeing the full picture? What if these men have secrets worth killing over? Sounds exciting to me!
10. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/01/get-booked-on-a-podcast-by-answering-one-question/ A critical way to build awareness of your work and credibility as a writer is by sharing your ideas, writing, and opinions with people in your niche. Podcasts are an excellent marketplace for ideas — according to PodcastHosting.org, there are two million podcasts out there, so surely there are a few shows that can help you grow your brand by booking you as a guest. The secret to getting booked comes down to answering one question. While likely not a traditional media organization, a podcast still deserves the same level of professionalism. If the show does regular guest interviews, assume the producers or host gets numerous pitches for guests every week (I know my shows do!). This means you are in competition to get placed, and you need to put your best foot forward by answering this question:
11. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/01/05/lumara-by-melissa-landers-bookreview-ya-magic-fantasy/ Boarding school student Talia Morris has no idea her boyfriend, Nathaniel, is a Mystic, let alone second in line to the throne of a secretive, aspirational magical community―one no mortal has ever been allowed to step inside. Until now. Nathanial’s cousin is about to be married in the biggest wedding the magical world has ever seen, and Nathaniel is allowed to bring a date. Talia is the lucky recipient of the golden ticket every Mystic wannabe in the world would kill for―only she doesn’t want it. Talia thinks Mystic worship unnecessarily aggrandizes people for being born a certain way. When she finds out Nathaniel is “one of them,” she almost jumps ship. But Nathaniel loves her, and she loves him. So when he begs her to give his family and their community a shot, she reluctantly agrees.Enter the most fantastical world any mortal has ever seen, and a magical wedding straight out of a dream. After a few days of bonding with Nathaniel’s family on the island, of seeing how beautiful their magic is and how peaceful their community, Talia’s about to be won over―until the entire wedding party suddenly falls into an unexplainable coma and the community goes on lockdown. Talia, the outsider, is pegged as the culprit and has to do everything in her meager non-power to prove her innocence. As she embarks on a journey to find the truth, Talia soon discovers reality is not all it seems, and her past may put her in more danger than she ever imagined. Love to find reviews like this!
12. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/01/06/what-i-learned-from-90-queries-by-eva-langston/ Don’t be fooled by the title. I’ve actually sent hundreds of queries for four different novels over the past decade. Without going into detail, I queried a novel and eventually got an agent, parted ways with that agent, queried some more, collected rejections, wrote three more novels, queried more, revised a lot, had some babies, and then got back to querying. My summary: traditional publishing is a long game, so get yourself some gumption. Now, when I say 90 queries, I’m talking about the queries I sent for my most recent novel. The novel that, after a year and a half in the query trenches, got me an agent. I’m now happily represented by the brilliant Ali Lake of Janklow & Nesbit. In the fall of 2020, I started querying with what I thought was my best novel yet: a YA paranormal suspense. At first I was getting nothing but form rejections. So I sought advice from my writing group and revised the query letter and opening pages. But still, crickets. Finally I paid for a one-on-one Manuscript Academy meeting with agent Fiona Kenshole. And she laid a finger on why I wasn’t getting any requests. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out the right details to put into a query. She gives good advice and insight.
13. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/01/04/the-last-drive-blog-tour-with-chris-graham-the-story-reading-ape/ I doubt there is anyone in the blogging world who does not know about Chris Graham. Chris has spent the last ten years providing an avenue for authors to meet each other and to have a reliable source of all things writing. I am honored to be a guest of Chris’. So here is the link to the stop with Chris today. https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/01/04/reserved-for-john-howell-2/ The purpose of his blog, according to Chris, is fourfold. (In Chris’ words) 1. To introduce YOU to new (to me) authors I’ve come across in my wanderings through books and the cyberforest. 2. To provide a platform (battered old homemade soapbox) for authors to introduce themselves to you. (See my Contact Me Section for Guest Author article Guidelines) 3. As an informal information service to authors, poets, or anyone else who is thinking of becoming a published person of that ilk. 4. To promote FUN and an OASIS OF CALM and Font of useful Knowledge andTips for Indies (please do NOT feed my naughty chimps, or they may follow you home) from the woes and stresses of the real world. If you are not part of The Story Reading Ape’s team, you are missing an opportunity to learn, see, be seen, and be entertained. Thank you so much for helping spread the word on my latest, Chris. Follow John Howell as he guest over at Chris the Story Reading Ape’s blog for his new story, “The Long Drive.”
14. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/01/04/my-2023-business-plan/ I have to confess, Craig’s business plans started me doing my own about three to four years ago now. They help immensely as they point you toward your goals for the year.