Life in the Rear View Mirror

Imagine your life as a car. You are the driver. The car is your life. The road is your destiny which will fork and split depending on your decisions. Sometimes destiny is well marked as a good map. Other times, you may take a few wrong turns but will eventually find your way once more.

Regardless of the route you take, the one constant is the past, staring back at you in the rearview mirror. Why is this significant? Because only by keeping an eye on the past can you move forward with any kind of certainty.

This past weekend, I sat down and wrote out my goals for the 2010 writing year. Am I dreaming big? Probably. Am I shooting for possibly unrealistic goals? Most likely. But where would anyone of any kind of success be if they merely dreamed in mediocrity? I’m planning 4 full length (75K or over) books for 2010. At this point, only one novella is planned. Which is not to say I won’t write more or meet those goals but I’ll try.

That’s part of the challenge and all of the fun.

2009 was my debut year as a published author. To say it was crazy is a vast understatement of how it felt to live through the chaos. Yes, book releases for 2010 are stacked up like taxing planes in Charlotte’s airport but that is because I had a mess of “banked” work. I now need to refill the bank and wait for a lull in my release schedule—in 2011.

Why was 2009 important? Name recognition. As a new author, one of the toughest jobs you have is convincing folks to buy your books over someone who’s been tried and true in the industry. Have I accomplished this? To a certain degree but not nearly as much as I would have liked. With each new day, I make a tiny bit more headway in the crowded waters.

But 2009 taught me a hard lesson. Slowing down in 2010 is a must. Yes, those in my inner circle know I just cranked out a short story in one day. It was a one off sort of thing because my muse nearly strangled me. She was a bit miffed to be on hiatus for awhile. Not she’s been appeased and has flown off for the islands. I hope her bitchy self gets a sunburn.

My point in this ramble? Set a list of goals for yourself. You may meet all of them. You may meet none of them but at least you’ll have a road map to guide you through the pitfalls that will come your way on life’s highway.

As Kasey Kasem once said “Keep your feet on the ground but keep reaching for the stars.”

Power on and here’s to a successful and happy 2010.

A little off topic

I've been away for a few weeks, and i apologize for that. As most of you know, I'm expecting my first baby in February, and having a hard time of it. What most of you didn't know is that a few weeks ago my mother in law Linda passed away from a 2 year long battle with breast cancer. She was a wonderful woman, and I couldn't have loved her more if she was my own mom. Her passing was not unexpected, but still shocking, and my family and i have been mourning privately and sometimes publicly. I say this not to garner sympathy or get an outpouring of "poor Heather's" but to let you know why I've been away.

But it's gotten me thinking.

We write mysteries. Nine times out of ten the mystery is figuring out why someone died. So how do we deal with the very real and raw emotions of the friends and family of the victim? Grief shows itself in so many different ways for each person, how do we make it real for the reader, some of which can seem almost shocking? I have no idea. Honestly, I haven't gotten to that point in my own story yet. And I think that I'm still a little too close to our own tragedy to be able to use the experience in my writing.

But it's something for each of us to think about as we write. These characters are supposed to be "real" people. Someone loved them, and someone will cry because they are gone.

Love bites... Vampire tropes

Renewed interest in sparkly vamps notwithstanding, it's clear vampires have been and will always be popular subject matter in books and movies. No matter how much some editors and agents say vamps are tired, and "Can we please have something else that goes bump in the night?" the point is, our pals with fangs aren't going to crawl back into their coffins and play undead any time soon. Every few years another author dusts them off, puts them in fresh, trendy rags and trots them out again.

As a published author and editor, I'll also be the first to admit that I love vampires. If I pick up a promising book with vampires in, chances are good I'll read bump it up in my "to read" pile. When reading submissions, if I see vamps, I'll definitely take a deeper look, but really, there are some vampiric tropes I've seen way too often.

1) Romeo and Juliet: He's a vampire. She's a mortal. They fall in love despite their races' differences. Either he becomes mortal again or he turns her into a vampire. End of story. One word: boring. Sound familiar?

2) I can haz sum Louis wangst: Louis de Pointe du Lac. 'nuff said. I'm so tired of listening to vampires bemoan their terrible existence for all eternity, their thirst for blood, oh and the terrible dreariness of having to live forever. That really bites, man. If I could live forever there would be a thousand things I'd plan on achieving. Right now my lifespan is too short to suffer through one more angst-ridden vampire.

3) The beast or the "vegetarian": One of my buddies pointed out that what's just as bad are vampires existing without a middle ground. They're either slavering bloodthirsty demons that kill indiscriminately or they're über moral and only subsist off the blood of innocent animals. Close to this one is the vampire who only kills people who "deserve" it.

4) Dracula vs. Van Helsing: Bram Stoker has already done this. It was fun the first time 'round. Whereas I'm not totally against having some sort of vampire hunter as a subplot in a novel, I really, really don't want to see this as the main story arc. It needs to end with Buffy.

5) Vampire vs. Werewoof: Oi! Lycans are just another name for werewolf. The Underworld franchise has spawned enough rehashings of vampire/werewolf conflict. This was also a theme central to the very popular White Wolf roleplaying systems. If you're putting werewoofs in your novel, please, oh, please find them something different to do other than being a convenient age-old enemy. And if I see the word "Lycan" anywhere in a manuscript, I'm automatically going to assume the author has watched Underworld one too many times for her own good. Call a werewolf a werewolf or, for howling at the moon please give your wolfies a new, wonderful name that hasn't been used a hundred times before.

I'm sure this list can be added to.

So, as an aspiring author, what can you do to make me fall in love with your manuscript? Vampires offer a wonderful opportunity to play with a character who has certain sets of strengths and flaws. These can either aid or hinder them in a quest or create lovely conflict within certain situations. As an editor I want to see vampires do exciting stuff, get into trouble, find buried treasure...

We all know how fun and wonderful it is to read about vampires. Now how about finding them adventures that haven't been done to undeath?

Now excuse me while I go drool over some vampirates.

Taking a break

The gang here at Frightening Journeys is planning to take the next few weeks off to celebrate the holidays.

I know I speak for us all when I wish you and yours a safe holiday season and a prosperous 2010.

We'll be back January 4.

Until then....

Nichole

Happy Holidays

Hello, everyone.  I just want to wish all our readers, fellow writers and friends Happy Holidays.  Whichever you celebrate, I hope you spend it happy, safe and in the company of your loved ones. When the frightening team returns, villians will be running rampant on the blog for January.  It's going to be wicked fun.  Til then...

Be blessed,
Beth

It's All In You

Rain is pourin' down like the heavens are hurtin'
Seems like it's been dark since the devil knows when.
How do you go on, never knowin' for certain,
Will the sun ever shine again?

Feels like it's been years since it started to thunder.
Clouds are campin' out in the valley and glen.
How do you go on, when you can't help but wonder.
Will the sun ever shine again?

What if the rain keeps fallin'?
What if the sky stays gray?
What if the wind keeps squallin'
And never go away?

Will the Sun Ever Shine Again—Bonnie Raitt from Home on the Range

The life of a writer (or really anyone with a dream for that matter) can go through many, many highs and lows. Because I’m the biggest Disney geek you’ll find around these paranormal parts, I’m gonna go with what I know (and just as an aside, have you ever stopped to wonder about just how many paranormal creatures the Disney company uses in its films?) No wonder I love to write in this genre. Weirdness and happy endings.

I’ve been writing for publication for a little over a year. Writing seriously for three. These days, rejections still come but not as hard and heavy as they have in the past. I’m sure when I start querying agents again, this will change. When the big R hits the email box, it stings, but not as much. Still doesn’t keep me from feeling crappy.

No, what really makes me depressed these days is the feeling that I’m a complete and utter failure at my craft. I think all writers serious about their job feel this way from time to time. Let’s face it. Most authors don’t make enough money to shout from the rooftops. I’m sure some of my colleagues will laugh and say they’re doing great. That’s wonderful. I don’t have that luck. I’m still holding out for the day my awesomeness will be recognized. Does the future hope of greatness sustain me now? Sometimes. Other times, I fall right off the fence I’m sitting on and land face down in the dirt, convinced that writing isn’t for me. That I just can’t do it anymore. That no one cares.

Thankfully, I have a great group of friends in my circle that pick me up, slap me around a bit and inject me with confidence and inspiration that keeps me going. Because, after all, we’re all on the same carousel and friends like this are worth their weight in gold.

I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I've got whozits and whatzits galore
You want thingamabobs?
I've got twenty!
But who cares?
No big deal
I want more

I wanna be where the people are
I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?
Oh - feet!

Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumping, dancing
Strolling along down a - what's that word again?
Street

Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free - wish I could be
Part of that world

Part of Your World—Little Mermaid by lyrics Howard Ashman music Alan Menken


Ah, this is where I struggle as a writer the most. The old “grass is always greener” scenario. I think “oh, if only I wrote this way, or wrote that, THEN I would succeed.” Once again, the cavalry rides to the rescue and tells me my writing is fine and to stay the course. Eventually, I’ll get there. And after all, success is how we measure ourselves. If I, as the writer, am happy and satisfied with my work, then I am a success. Period.


Many nights we've prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood

Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains long
Before we knew we could

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

Mariah Carey—When You Believe from the Prince of Egypt
(yes not a Disney movie)

Here’s the sticking point. Belief. As a writer, it’s crucial to believe in your work and believe in your ability to write. Because if you can’t believe you can do it, no one else will either. Focus on your dream. Never lose sight of that goal. The moment you take your eyes off the finish line, you’ll stumble. Never give up. Always believe no matter what life hands you: rejections, life crap, noise, busyness. You may have to fight and kick and claw your way to that happy ending, but if you don’t give up, you’ll get there.


Baby, I see your future
And it's tied to mine
I look in your eyes and see
You searching for a sign
But you'll never fall
Till you let go
Don't be so scared
Of what you don't know

True to you heart
You must be true
To your heart
That's when the
Heavens will part
And baby, shower you
With my love
Open your eyes
Your heart can tell
You no lies
And when you're true
To your heart
I know it's gonna lead
You straight to me

True to your Heart—by Stevie Wonder—Mulan

When you sit down at your keyboard or writing tablet to write, make sure you’re not chasing the trends. Theoretically, by the time you finish a book, edit it, go through the submission process, edit it again and get the thing released, that trend will have already been over for a good year or so. Write what’s in your heart. Write the book that sings to you. If it’s a vampire book, fine. But if it’s also a contemporary novel told in the first person (and everyone has told you that first person is out) write the thing anyway. Don’t depress yourself just because “someone” told you “something”. 80 percent of what people tell you is wrong. I think you already know this otherwise you wouldn't be writer ;-)

Just write.

Remember. If you believe in that book, chances are, someone else will too.

And then, you will have arrived.

John Everson's world of horror

This week I'd like to thank horror author John Everson for stopping by Frightening Journeys to share some of his world. I first got to know him a few years ago, when I was still thinking about writing fiction, and he's been an inspiration to me, especially when I've had doubts about myself and my abilities.

John, tell us a little bit about your latest release.

The 13th revolves around Castle House Lodge, an old resort hotel from the early 1900s that has been abandoned for 25 years, since an occult mass murder took place there. Now, David Shale, a cyclist in training to make the Olympic team, discovers that the old hotel in the hills outside of Castle Point has re-opened... as a private asylum for pregnant women. When his new girlfriend turns up missing, not to mention several other local women, David finds himself teaming up with rookie cop Christie Sorensen to try discover what is really going on in the newly opened and historically cursed asylum. And what is behind the red X on the basement door...

What frightens you?

Crazy people. Zealots. Narrow-minded people. Violent people. Backstabbing people.

I guess really just... people!

Where is the most frightening or haunted place you've ever visited? Tell us why.

There is an old abandoned cemetery near the town where I grew up called Bachelor's Grove. It's more of a sad spot, than a frightening one, but it is reputedly one of the most haunted places in Illinois. I visited there once to write a "haunted places" article for the newspaper I worked for at the time, and the sense of loss there was palpable. There aren't a lot of gravestones though the place dates back to the 1800s—from when the original settlers came to that area. No new graves have been dug there in almost 50 years. But the stones that remain are weathered and old and many of them defaced and fallen.

Because of its lonely positioning (in the middle of a forest preserve, just out of sight of the main road), it has been the site of satanic ceremonies and drinking parties. In other words, much abuse and desecration. And the local legends are rife with descriptions of phantoms being seen on the side of the road near the cemetery. Everything from what appear to be car headlights that spontaneously appear and disappear to farmer's wagons careening into the neighboring pond to a spectral woman walking along the side of the road with a crying baby in her arms. As a boy scout, I used to hear all sorts of legends about the place and it sounded scary, but intriguing. As an adult I finally visited there a couple times, and didn't meet any ghosts. But it was a sad place... almost a place outside of time.

Are there any common themes to your main characters?

I think many of my characters are driven by personal obsessions, whether it's the pursuit of pleasure or security or career. In Covenant there are a few levels of obsession going on, not the least of which is a "deal" to maintain security at the expense of all else.

In Sacrifice, there is a sexy serial killer who has rebelled against religion to become obsessed with the "dark side". Her obsession with the pursuit of power and pleasure and revenge lead her to perform any murder or degradation imaginable to achieve her goals.

A similar obsession drives the "villains" of The 13th, while our hero, David, is obsessed with his goal—that of making the Olympic team. All of my characters are driven by something that puts their lives out of balance, whether they're the heroes or the villains. But they tend to strive singlemindedly for a goal at the expense of their lives.

How do you go about outlining your novels?

Well... I didn't for the first three books! I started with a vague idea of the beginnings and the possible ends and I just... started writing. The creation of the story from... nothing... was what I enjoyed about doing those books. I ended up "backward outlining" them once I was substantially into the narratives because I needed some kind of cheat sheet to know what had happened in the plot as I got deeper into the writing (I have a horrible memory!) But I didn't carefully plan them out ahead of time. I wanted to tell myself a story... and I spun them as I went.

Since I've sold those books, I have since written one novel, Siren, where I outlined ahead of the writing, because the publisher, Leisure Books, had to know what I planned on writing before they would contract it. That novel turned out really well and was the first book I sold ahead of the writing, which was a different way of working for me. It will be out next summer. In some ways it was a better experience, because I knew I wasn't writing 90 000 words for nothing. On the other hand, it was challenging because I had to figure out so much in advance of the writing, and then stick at least fairly close to the outline I'd submitted... I couldn't just veer off into left field if the mood struck.

Research? Love it? Hate it?

Hate it! I like to make stuff up, and research only slows you down from the fun part! It is sometimes a necessary part of the writing, but it's definitely not my favorite.

Any useful links you'd like to share?

Well, I hope people will check out my website, www.johneverson.com. I've got information on all my books there, as well as my blog, free short fiction and samples of the bookcover art I've created and music I've written. I don't just work on fiction, I like working in other creative mediums too! People should also visit the micro-site for The 13th. It's got the usual information on the book, but it also has an interactive "map" which we created based on the map and character photos I used as my personal guide while writing the book. I had put together a "cheatsheet" kind of map at the start of The 13th so that I would consistently describe the places in Castle Point, as well as photos of people who looked like the characters—it was just a visual aid to help me get those details right. (I apparently still managed to screw up a character's eye color at one point in the text!)

Anyway the web map is pretty cool in that you can click on the various locations in the town and pop-ups appear with photos and bio-sketches of the book's characters. You can see that at www.the13th-horror.com.