Tag: writing (Page 11 of 15)

Alpaca Farming with Priscilla Brown Author of Anna and the Soap Opera

July 15, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Please welcome back Priscilla Brown, author of the contemporary romances Anna and the Soap Opera (see my Goodreads review here) and Nothing But Love. Alpacas play an important role in Anna and the Soap Opera, and when I found out Priscilla actually owned alpacas, I just had to learn more about these adorable creatures. Welcome, Priscilla!

I didn’t know I was looking for a story idea when I saw a newspaper advertisement for a seminar on alpaca farming. But as I read the information, a plot began to form in my head: he owns an alpaca stud and the local council wants his land for development of some kind.

Attending the seminar sparked my interest in these charming animals; the next stop was the alpaca exhibition at a country show. There, I fell in love. She was young, pretty, friendly, with fine black fleece, and she was for sale. My suburban backyard being no place for an alpaca, I negotiated agistment with the owner. Deal done, this excited writer turned alpaca owner began a new journey.

I bought a second young female, and through my visits to my huggable investments, my interest and knowledge increased. These animals are intelligent and curious, with individual personalities and mostly nice natures. My girls (they are referred to as girls and boys) let me hug them; they are soft and warm. I helped at shearing by collecting and separating the shorn fleeces, which taught me about quality. My two alpacas matured, were mated, and had crias; my small herd expanded.

As I spent time with them, the alpaca stud story developed. I sat in the paddocks absorbing the ambience of the peacefully grazing animals, making notes and jotting down possible scenarios. Much of this did not get into the final narrative, as I reminded myself this story was a romance, not a treatise on alpacas. There were two occurrences which I was particularly fortunate to witness; while they did not fit into the plot, they did feed into my overall experience. The first was a birth; she was a first-time mother, and while naturally protective of the cria (baby), she appeared completely relaxed. The second took place in a paddock with mothers and young crias; the girls organized the youngsters together with one mother sitting with them, while the other mothers grazed undisturbed. Alpaca child care.

The fictitious farm needed a problem, and I didn’t want to write about the use of agricultural land for anything but agribusiness. And why ‘he’? I had no mind picture of a male farmer.

But suddenly ‘he’ became ‘she’; her image, backstory and current difficulties arrived neatly packaged. My fictitious alpaca breeder Anna had a house, a position as mayor of her small country town and huge financial problems dating from her backstory. These were not sufficient to provide sustainable conflict, and the male protagonist was missing. Then at a party on a blistering hot day, one of the men joked about doing the full monty—they didn’t. But Kyle did—enter into the story a sexy television entrepreneur with designs on Anna, her farm and her town, appearing on page one in the full monty. He was nothing to do with my personal alpaca experiences, but as the ‘soap opera’ progressed, he fitted into it well.

This story is an example of what writers are sometimes advised—‘write about what you know’. By the time I felt ready to start on it, I had picked up a quantity of information concerning alpaca husbandry, but there were still points which I researched to confirm and expand my knowledge. I loved writing about these appealing animals, making them the four-legged stars in the romance between Anna and Kyle.

Anna and the Soap Opera blurb:

Excited that television producer Kyle Kinross wants to shoot his blockbuster drama not only in her struggling country town but on her cash-strapped alpaca farm, Mayor Anna Marshall sees his company’s fee as a solution to financial predicaments. But can she survive accusations of payola? Is this sexy younger man buying her influence against community opposition, or could he possibly want her for the generous loving nature masked by her business suit?

Anna and the Soap Opera is available at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, and other ebook retailers. Nothing But Love is also available at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and other ebook retailers.

About the Author:

Since coming first in English in Primary School, Priscilla resolved language would be her future. She majored in Literary Studies and added a Diploma in Migrant Teaching (English as a Second Language). Creative writing always beckoned, and, over time, she collected a box full of story ideas: a notebook crammed with fragments of dialog mostly garnered from eavesdropping in cafes; observations of people again from cafes and also public transport; pictures from magazines of potential characters and settings; possible names and titles. Moving house proved the catalyst for turning this hoard into “proper” stories. Packing, she spent too much time browsing through the box, and as soon as her new desk was organized, she embarked on a fiction writing career. Priscilla lives in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, where she does much listening, observing and writing over coffees in the many cafes.

“The Rewrite Before Christmas” by Beth Overmyer Author of In a Pickle

July 12, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Today (ahem, on my birthday…and, yes, I’ve stopped counting how many I’ve celebrated) I have a unique poem from Beth Overmyer, author of the middle grade novella In a Pickle. Be prepared to laugh as Beth takes over the blog!

Just in time for Christmas in July…I present:

The Rewrite Before Christmas

(Parody of Clement C. Moore’s The Night Before Christmas)

‘Twas the first draft of my novel and all through the book

There were typos and blunders, not even a hook;

The scenes were all tied together by a hair,

All hoping the editors soon would repair;

The characters were voiceless, all bland and cardboard,

They talked and they rambled, no sense in their words;

And my alphas and my betas put on thinking caps,

“How do I keep reading? I want a long nap!”

And out of my prose there arose such a clutter

Of dialogue tags such as “murmured” and “muttered;”

“Away,” “through” and “of” all ended each sentence;

I misspelled all words without a hint of repentance;

All adverbs were abused shamelessly;

The luster and shine was very much lacking.

When pressing my brain on to make this thing better,

There appeared on my desk an over-sized shredder.

With a clunky old hard drive, so ancient and sick,

I rigged up old Bob with the help of a fork lift.

More vapid than prairies my stories I shredded,

Lit them with a match, doused with unleaded,

“Now burn, you! Now, die, you!

Now shred, burn and fry, you!

No ands ifs or buts:

I’ll burn short stories too!

To the top of the shredder, to the top of the wall!

No dashes, m-dashes, n-dashes; away, all!”

As dry as leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

I watched the smoke drifting up, up to the sky;

So shiny and lovely, the ashes, they flew,

With smell of burnt plastic and toxic waste too.

And then I’d an inkling, a nudge in my head,

The itching and clawing, as that of the undead.

And I drew in my head an outline so sound

For a shiny new novel, and then went to town!

So, hear me exclaim as I drop out of sight:

“A novel isn’t written; thou must rewrite!”

In a Pickle blurb:

Charlie Pickle can’t stay put in the year 1920, due to an annoying habit of time-traveling. On a trip back to 1910, he meets a man with a secret. Murder makes the headlines that day, and Charlie’s new friend knows who the guilty party is. Now, not only does Charlie have bullies and murderers to contend with, he’s got some history to fix.

Find In a Pickle at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, and other ebook retailers.

About the Author: CC Pic Beth Overmyer: writer of kidlit, penner of prose, petter of cats.

Author links:

Blog: http://bethovermyer.blogspot.com

Website: http://bethovermyer.com

Twig Stories Author Jo Marshall on Research

July 5, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

A big thanks to everyone who voted for Elixir Bound in the You Gotta Read June cover contest…it took second place (and earned two months of free advertising)! While I’m off celebrating, please welcome Jo Marshall, author of the gorgeous Twig Stories and fellow puzzle enthusiast, as she shares some great tips on research.

Thanks, Katie, for inviting me to talk about research strategies and tips. It’s a kick to be on your blog, especially since we have something in common besides writing books for kids. You once edited a puzzle magazine. Working puzzles happens to be my passion! Finding the right puzzle piece is like doing research to find that perfect fact, which fits a scene in your book. Once you do, your puzzle fits together brilliantly! With that in mind, here’s a few of my researching tips.

First, if I might describe the puzzle box for my stories. I write eco-literary, fantasy novels called Twig Stories for young readers, ages 8 to 12. Twigs are impish, amusing, stick creatures, and live in a land of jagged, volcanic peaks, serene glacial lakes, moss-draped rainforests, and windswept prairies similar to where I live in Snohomish, Washington in the Pacific Northwest. Devastating climate change events are impacting this region.

First tip ~ Assemble the frame of your puzzle first.

Although Twigs are pure fantasy, climate change is real. Due to an overabundance of information, I continually research climate shift in the Pacific Northwest. I decide which pieces of the climate crisis puzzle will sweep young readers into the thrilling, fantastic world of Twigs, and at the same time increase their concern for nature. Only those pieces which make Twig Stories entertaining, yet are actual ecological facts form the frame. Endangered animals like the spirit bear, horned lark, and salamanders fit the criteria easily, and of course, scary climatic events like glacial outburst floods and dying forests caused by bark beetles fit, too.

Second tip ~ Sort the pieces of your story into topics or groups.

After I have a frame, I group my pieces. You might choose those parts of your story you need to understand better. For each of my four books, I chose four specific climate change impacts to research – glacial floods, dying forests, shrinking glaciers, and species adaptation. These choices immediately gave the stories focus, determined the action, offered clarity to the theme, and created resolution to the conflict. Other groups might be characters or places.

Third tip ~ Figure out where your pieces fit.

To find where your pieces go, you need to collect descriptive facts for your groups. Adequate descriptions that embrace the splendor of the Twigs forest home with all its exquisite complexity require research. For your character group you may need to know what they wear, how they shelter, where they travel, for example. Placing facts in your story immediately inspires your characterizations and plot. Nothing motivates my Twigs to reach beyond their limits more than discovering the tremendous diversity in nature. I constantly rewrite the descriptions and action (usually for the better!) to match fact. If I’m ever stumped, or wonder, “What happens next?” I often find the answer on an internet fact search. Through description, you discover where pieces fit into the story, and so the puzzle starts to come together.

Fourth tip ~ Use all your resources!

Like using 5 lamps on your puzzle table to see better, you can use every resource at your fingertips! The internet is fantastic for global fact-finding. But there are other ways to research, too. Libraries, authors, television documentaries, radio shows – whatever you can find to uncover facts for your story will work. Occasionally you grip that puzzle piece that won’t fit anywhere. It just doesn’t make sense, but it’s essential to the action. Ask the experts! I sent emails to professors and nonprofit officers asking for help. Most were amazingly generous with their guidance. All of my manuscripts were reviewed by different conservation experts in the fields of wildlife, forestry, geology, glaciology, biology, and climate change. Without their helpful suggestions, Twigs would not have such excellent adventures!

Placing the last piece in the puzzle is always a thrill. Once all the pieces, or facts, are in place, your readers will love your story and also know a little more about your world and theirs, and that is a very satisfying feeling.

Thanks again, Katie, for sharing Twig Stories with your fans and followers. I hope my puzzle perspective encourages writers of all genres to research and infuse their stories with facts. I’m sure their readers will love it!

Twig Stories ~ Leaf & the Sky of Fire ~ front cover Leaf & the Sky of Fire blurb:

Twigs live in a fragile world of old forests and magnificent glaciers threatened by climate change, yet Twigs stick together to survive! In a dying forest – infested with bark beetles – small, stick creatures called Twigs are forced to hide in a cave, or be devoured by the ravenous barkbiters! A young Twig named Leaf attempts a foolhardy rescue, but instead leads them all into even greater danger for now they are pursued by barkbiters and fire! Still, the Twigs have courageous companions. Three loyal salamanders and a fearless, misplaced chameleon guard the Twigs during their escape over a barren ridge. In their darkest moments, a spirit bear stalks them. And the barkbiters are relentless as they swarm after the Twigs. Soon the firestorm panics all the forest creatures! But there is one passage south, if only the Twigs discover it in time!

Royalties are shared with nonprofits concerned with wildlife protection, climate change research, nature conservancy, and forest preservation.

Twig Stories are beautifully illustrated by D.W. Murray, an award-winning Disney artist. His credits include Mulan, Tarzan, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, and Curious George. He is a recipient of the New York Society of Illustrators Gallery and the 2004 Gold Aurora Award.

Twig Stories are available in kindle ebooks and paperbacks worldwide. Check out Leaf & the Rushing Waters, Leaf & the Sky of Fire, and L eaf & the Long Ice. Leaf & Echo Peak arrives early 2014!

About the Author:

Jo volunteered as a literacy tutor for elementary school children for many years. In 1986, while living in West Berlin, she earned a B.A. in German Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, Europe. In Berlin, she worked as a liaison between the military and diplomatic communities. Jo lived in the D.C. area from 1999 to 2006, and worked in litigation for two nonprofit organizations as the legal assistant to the General Counsel. Jo enjoys mysteries, puzzles, board games, science, NPR, PBS, and Big Band era music. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, Read A Book Make A Difference, and many forest and wildlife conservation nonprofits. Jo lives with her family in Snohomish, Washington. For more about Jo visit her Amazon author page.

Confessions of an Author: Daydreaming

July 2, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Confession #6: When I’m staring out the window daydreaming (or doing any number of things that might look like time-wasters), I’m actually working.

I’ve been trying to get out of the house one morning a week to head to my local coffee shop. I order my tea and breakfast and settle down in my usual spot looking out the window. At any point during my writing session, you’re likely to find me staring at the people walking by on the sidewalk or the train chugging over the bridge. This isn’t me procrastinating; it’s me working.

Seriously, though, daydreaming is work for an author. There is actual scientific research that says that daydreaming is important, imperative even, to the creative process. Allowing the conscience mind to wander sends the subconscious mind to work on the problem (in my case, whatever story/character/language issue I’ve been obsessing over). I’ve mentioned on the blog before how my brain often works out tricky plot points in the shower, while I’m not even necessarily thinking about that story or writing in general.

Activating the creative process goes beyond daydreaming for an author. People-watching is another activity that may look like procrastination, but it’s actually great story fodder. I find people-watching gets me thinking about character, not only how a character might look, but their mannerisms, speech patterns, and their backstory.

Observation of any surrounding is great for the “What If” game. Pick a person and pose a what-if question about them. Take two teenage girls walking around a mall, one chatting away, the other checking her phone, barely paying attention to the first. Give them a what if: What if chatty girl is dating a boy, but her boyfriend is the one texting phone girl? Now that leads to a whole bunch of other questions. What is boyfriend texting phone girl about? A surprise party for chatty girl, a secret rendezvous with phone girl? How long have boyfriend and chatty girl been dating? How long have chatty girl and phone girl been friends? See what a little people-watching and “What If” game can do for getting the creative juices flowing.

For an author, reading is work too. Whether I’m reading to stay current on the book market, reading to absorb the excellent writing of authors I admire, or reading to see what kind of books out there are like mine and what I can do differently. Even when I’m reading for pure pleasure, I’m still working, though it’s more of a working by osmosis in that case.

What things do you do that may seem like goofing off but are really work?

Meet Jeff Chapman Author of Highway 24

June 13, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

While I’m off doing my first ever school visit, Jeff Chapman is holding down the fort (ummm, blog) with an interview about his ghost story Highway 24 (see my Goodreads review here). Welcome, Jeff!

What made you want to become a writer?

I don’t know. I loved reading from a young age and it seemed like a natural progression to writing your own stories. I have a compulsion to write but I haven’t always been so serious about it. A few years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. Fortunately it was caught very early. Nothing wakes you up to your mortality like a brush with a potentially fatal disease. At that point I decided if I wanted to be a writer I should become serious about it because the clock is ticking.

What books have had the most influence on you as a writer?

John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers. The first time I read that book, I gave up writing for awhile. I was making many of the mistakes he talks about. I came back to it later and found I wasn’t making those mistakes any more. I guess the lessons from the first reading had taken root.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring two books and one movie, what would you bring?

I think everyone gets to bring the Bible to these islands or maybe it’s already there. My two books would beThe Lord of the Rings (I could read that over and over again and never get bored) and Crime and Punishment (another long book that you can chew on for a long time. It also reminds me of winter. I don’t like to be hot). For a movie, that would be a tossup between Das Boot (I like submarines) and The French Lieutenant’s Woman (I’m a sucker for costume dramas).

What was the hardest part of writing this book for you? And on the flip side what was the easiest?

I don’t know how many times I revised/rewrote the first section (Paul’s initial encounter with the ghost). The first part of story sets the tone for the rest of it so it’s important to get it right and sometimes very hard. The easiest parts were the secondary characters: the preacher and the caretaker at the cemetery. Those two came to me fully formed. All I had to do was transcribe what they were saying.

Have you ever had a paranormal experience yourself?

No, I haven’t. Not sure if I want to. But I have driven on some lonely highways and they are definitely creepy at night.

What is something funny/weird/exceptional about yourself that you don’t normally share with others in an interview?

I love cats. I had three when I was growing up and I have two now. Cats and I connect. We seem to understand each other.

And here’s the fun part…below are three list of words from the magnetic refrigerator poetry set…if you so choose, please write up a little piece of poetry or prose from these words.

There’s a ground squirrel in the attic, digging for the nut of our skeletons that we keep beneath the shadows of the steps. I step in a cold puddle of sour take out. I give up the climb. He will find not but the dark manuscript of my soul up there and the dead dancing in a breeze. Why investigate? A spider will manacle him.

Highway 24 blurb:

On a lonely country highway, a young travelling salesman runs down a teenage girl. It was an accident. Why she was wandering around on a highway in a pink, formal dress, he can’t imagine. There’s no doubt she’s dead. Fear takes over and he flees the scene, absently taking one of her shoes with him. An old memory, something familiar about that shoe, struggles to surface. As he speeds away from the accident, he thinks his nightmare can’t get any worse, until he sees a pair of green eyes in his rear-view mirror. The shoe and those eyes lead him to a small town where he meets an all too knowing preacher and a sheriff obsessed with the girl’s tragic demise. As Paul digs deeper into the mystery of the girl and her shoe, he comes face-to-face with a dark secret from his father’s past.

Highway 24 is available at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.

About the author:

Jeff Chapman writes software by day and speculative fiction when he should be sleeping. His tales range from fantasy to horror and they don’t all end badly. He lives with his wife, children, and cats in a house with more books than bookshelf space. You can find him musing about words and fiction at jeffchapmanwriter.blogspot.com.