The 1st of December. How Apprentice Writer has longed for and feared it. Ambivalent much? Yes indeedy.
November gone up in smoke, thirty days that never ended at the same time as they screamed past. Did AW reach her goal of 50K? She did not. But it doesn't matter: all but one chapter of her WIP is now locked and loaded on the hard drive. This is very, very good. Almost on to the terrifying part of the process called Sending your Baby out to Languish on Slush Piles Everywhere. Fun, fun, fun!
To distract herself, AW is catching up on neglected cyberlandia responsibilities:
1. Bookworm Meme
Passed on by Julia at 'A Piece of My Mind':
Open the nearest book to page 46. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences. The closest book, not the coolest, or the one you think will sound the best. THE CLOSEST.
From DELICIOUS , by Sherry Thomas:
"The chocolate custard sat on a small table, glossy, serene, entirely indifferent to his laughable internal struggle. He dug in the tip of a spoon, destroying its smooth surface - and released a coil of rich, dusky odor.
Chocolate. He'd never had chocolate before he came to live at Fairleigh Park, but when he was seven someone had given him a shred of paper that had once been wrapped around a piece of imported chocolate. He'd pressed the wrapper to his nose and inhaled as deeply as his lungs allowed, dreaming of chocolate enough to bury him. Her custard smelled like that, a good smell made mythical by fervid imagination and true hunger."
A perfect little capsule of a reason why AW adores Sherry Thomas.
Any gentle readers who feel inspired to play - please let AW know of your excerpt!
2. Non Laughter Reviews:
DARK NEEDS AT NIGHT'S EDGE (Book 3: Immortals After Dark)
Kresley Cole
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Premise
Vampire warrior of the superbad variety is drawn back from insanity by a jazz age ghost trapped in her New Orleans mansion.
Cover
Generic and (to this reader) uninteresting. Must be thankful for small mercies of obligatory manchest at least having a head attached, and some sort of trenchcoat around the edges.
Why Read
Won in a raffle and had encountered a fair amount of praise for this author and series.
What Worked
The author has created a fascinating urban fantastical world, comprising so many races with complex ties to one another that the story doesn't even begin until the reader has thumbed through a multipage glossary. Built great anticipation for what would happen.
Current conventional wisdom as it that when a novel contains (or is all about) a romantic element, there must be a powerful reason for the intended couple to be kept apart so they can fight to overcome the obstacle for their Happily Ever After. In this case, the challenge is a whopper: he is vampire assassin, so far-gone in self contempt due to being turned into what he hates most (he had dedicated his pre-turned life to fighting against vampires in his native Estonia) that he is in near-constant states of rage. His condition and murderous rampages have deteriorated to the point that his three brothers, also all vampires (of the not-so-superbad variety) stage an intervention and capture him for a sort of detox program and also to hide him from all the paranormal beings who want him dead. It takes place in the ghost Neomi's abandoned mansion, and he is, of course, the only one in the eighty years since her murder at the hands of a spurned fiance to be able to see her. The gradual way these two physically and emotionally wounded souls form an attachment to each other was the main strength of this book. Believable and touching. How will suicidal hero and incorporeal heroine manage to get togehter? They do, of course, but the manner leads straight into:
What Doesn't
Up to the moment that Neomi investigates how to get her bod back, the tone of the book was dramatic, melancholy, with a sort of light historical touch feel. The change in pace with the introduction of witches etc. who arrive to grant Neomi's wish was shocking to the point of offputting, due to the strong emphasis placed on humorous contrast (wording of their business card, manner of speech, etc.).
This may seem an odd thing for a comedy writer to complain about, especially since some of these aspects really were funny. Gentle Reader, imagine how strange it felt for AW to object to successful humor insertion. But it was just too jarring, broke the previous mood completely, and created curiosity about the new kickass (literally) characters which was then - insult to injury - not even satisfied. Here are all these marvelous, unique, unpredictable female characters - given hardly any attention. It was maddening, with the only possible consolation to imagine that their stories might be explained more fully in other installments of the series.
Apart from lack of exploitation of the paranormal raw material, AW's main difficulty with the rest of the book had to do with target audience; the story is so strongly focused on maintaining the narrative tension between the two main characters that other elements are sacrificed. For readers whose main goal in reading is the emotional rush, this probably doesn't matter. For readers like AW, it does. Conrad's brothers are captured; he allows weeks upon weeks to go by without a single attempt to find them,only taking action when he wants their help to rescue Neomi. After becoming corporeal and leaving her prison for the first time, Neomi goes to a huge, festive paranormal gathering (yay!) which has barely begun to be descibed before events transpire that send her straight back home (boo!) and she doesn't mind. Not one scene is devoted to Naomi walking around New Orleans thinking about how it has changed in 8 decades, and what little description there is of how her transformation feels (an interesting experience, one would think) is exclusively devoted to how it relates to Conrad (especially puzzling due to Neomi's repeated condemnation of her mother spending her life oriented to the man who abandoned her). This focus goes so far as to make things miraculously disappear: in a climactic, claustrophobic scene, Neomie's fear goes into overdrive when insects find their way in to her imprisoned spot. Yet when Conrad releases her, the talk is all of flowing hair and rose petals. What did she do, eat them?
Overall
This is an author who does not lack in imagination or storytelling verve. In this reader's view, some more balance would have made the story much more satifying and complete.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
"I Know What a Scoundrel Wants"
We interrupt this Nanowrimo-inspired blogging hiatus to bring you news of a fab contest, hosted by Ann Aguirre (whose excellent GRIMSPACE was reviewed here earlier), known to create inspired buzz. She does so now on behalf of Carrie Lofty, whose debut novel,
WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS
will release with Zebra's Debut Authors program (i.e. titles at a special introductory price) on 2 December.
Apprentice Writer has considered Ms. Lofty on online friend for some time now, having chatted with her about all kinds of things since before 'Scoundrel' was a twinkle in the author's eye. In fact, her inbox probably still has the message that said something like "I watched 'Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves' last night and had this great idea for a Will Scarlett story...."
Fastforward, and here we are: that idea developed, written, shopped, agent aquired, sold, and converted to concrete, tangible form. Magic!
AW is deleriously thrilled for Ms. Lofty and can't wait to get her hands on her personal copy - even though she much preferred the original title REDEEMING WILL SCARLETT and thinks the cover leaves much to be desired.
Oh, well. But the important part, between the covers, leaves nothing to be desired. Great writing, lovely hero, strong heroine, unusual time period - this one has it all. Go check it out.
Look for Carrie Lofty at http://www.carrielofty.com/ and at http://www.unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/
And for all the details of the Scoundrel contest (mondo prizes!) stop by Ann Aguirre's blog:
www.annaguirre.com/blog
WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS
will release with Zebra's Debut Authors program (i.e. titles at a special introductory price) on 2 December.
Apprentice Writer has considered Ms. Lofty on online friend for some time now, having chatted with her about all kinds of things since before 'Scoundrel' was a twinkle in the author's eye. In fact, her inbox probably still has the message that said something like "I watched 'Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves' last night and had this great idea for a Will Scarlett story...."
Fastforward, and here we are: that idea developed, written, shopped, agent aquired, sold, and converted to concrete, tangible form. Magic!
AW is deleriously thrilled for Ms. Lofty and can't wait to get her hands on her personal copy - even though she much preferred the original title REDEEMING WILL SCARLETT and thinks the cover leaves much to be desired.
Oh, well. But the important part, between the covers, leaves nothing to be desired. Great writing, lovely hero, strong heroine, unusual time period - this one has it all. Go check it out.
Look for Carrie Lofty at http://www.carrielofty.com/ and at http://www.unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/
And for all the details of the Scoundrel contest (mondo prizes!) stop by Ann Aguirre's blog:
www.annaguirre.com/blog
Thursday, November 20, 2008
LOL Regencies
We interrupt this Nanowrimo-inspired blogging hiatus to bring you a good laugh.
Janet Mullany, author of RULES OF GENTILITY, was inspired to create a new LOL category.
Do yourself a favor and head over to "Risky Regencies", to witness gems such as Jane Austen's work process as she concocts one of the most famous literary quotes ever.
http://riskyregencies.blogspot.com/2008/11/lolregencies-and-contest.html
Ms. Mullany is also sponsoring a LOLRegency contest, so Gentle Readers with more photoshop skillz than Apprentice Writer can participate in the merriment. And, in case anyone was wondering: AW feels no guilt in having found this contest by surfing rather than upping Nanovel wordcount, since a) surfing can feed creativity, proven by this excellent idea, and b) Ms. Mullany herself confided that the idea was born while she was Nano-procrastinating! Hey, if it works for funny published authors, it can work for AW.
Janet Mullany, author of RULES OF GENTILITY, was inspired to create a new LOL category.
Do yourself a favor and head over to "Risky Regencies", to witness gems such as Jane Austen's work process as she concocts one of the most famous literary quotes ever.
http://riskyregencies.blogspot.com/2008/11/lolregencies-and-contest.html
Ms. Mullany is also sponsoring a LOLRegency contest, so Gentle Readers with more photoshop skillz than Apprentice Writer can participate in the merriment. And, in case anyone was wondering: AW feels no guilt in having found this contest by surfing rather than upping Nanovel wordcount, since a) surfing can feed creativity, proven by this excellent idea, and b) Ms. Mullany herself confided that the idea was born while she was Nano-procrastinating! Hey, if it works for funny published authors, it can work for AW.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
It's Here!
November !
NANOWRIMO!
Apprentice Writer is about to set off on the chase for her 50,000 words, to be bagged and brought to the weighing station at National Novel Writing Month Headquarters by midnight 30 November.
Her computer is ready; keyboard polished and space bar reattached after junior apprentice writer #3's repeated detachments.
Her snacks are ready; purloined from junior apprentice writer #1-3's Halloweeen stash.
Her outline is ready; printed off in color coded glory (green for plot developments, red for MC growth, orange for recurring motifs, blue for sublplots).
Her laundry is done and her house is vacuumed; but let's not look too closely at dust-collecting surfaces, shall we?
LET THE WORD HUNT BEGIN!
(a word from our sponsor: due to circumstances beyond our control, blogging will cease for the month of November, and recommence, new and improved, in December. Adieu!)
NANOWRIMO!
Apprentice Writer is about to set off on the chase for her 50,000 words, to be bagged and brought to the weighing station at National Novel Writing Month Headquarters by midnight 30 November.
Her computer is ready; keyboard polished and space bar reattached after junior apprentice writer #3's repeated detachments.
Her snacks are ready; purloined from junior apprentice writer #1-3's Halloweeen stash.
Her outline is ready; printed off in color coded glory (green for plot developments, red for MC growth, orange for recurring motifs, blue for sublplots).
Her laundry is done and her house is vacuumed; but let's not look too closely at dust-collecting surfaces, shall we?
LET THE WORD HUNT BEGIN!
(a word from our sponsor: due to circumstances beyond our control, blogging will cease for the month of November, and recommence, new and improved, in December. Adieu!)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Book Promotion: Good Ideas
Paranormal author Meljean Brook has a book coming out on the same day as the vote for American President. In the brain of the average person, this would release a response along the lines of : "What an amusing co-incidence." In the abnormally fertile brain of Ms. Brook, it released a response of: "What a great opportunity to have some fun with my readers, praise the work of established and cutting-edge authors I admire, and extend an invitation to travel a little deeper into the Guardian universe!"
Helping others flex their voting muscles in preparation for the big day, Ms. Brook calls it.
Brilliant buzz idea, Apprentice Writer calls it.
Readers can vote on pairs of old skool/ new style books at her site, and get a chance to win those books as well as titles from her own backlist. All leading up to the newest story: Demon Bound.
Gentle Reader, if you have not encountered this universe - take a look, then if you're so inclined please let AW know what you think!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
National Novel Writing Month - Halos!
The terror, it is almost upon us.
No, not Halloween - though that is without question a terror to be reckoned with. The pumpkins that must be obtained and artistically carved! The slimy, stringy pumpkin guts that involves! The rock and a hard place pressure of treats that are dentistically approved and those that your juniors want you to buy! The parental desire to outfit juniors in fantastic costumes vs. the reality of having sewing/crafting skills only equal to scribbling some kitten whiskers or pirate stubble on their dewy skin with an old eyeliner pencil and slapping a hat on their heads!
The terror of which Apprentice Writer speaks is Nanowrimo, scheduled to spring out of the starting gate for the 10th year next Saturday, November 1st. Thirty days of literary abandon, as the site (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) proclaims. Thousands upon thousands of novelists around the globe racing the clock to produce 50,000 fresh words despite the obstacles placed in their paths by real life, fatigued fingers and brains, and worst of all, nefarious inner editors.
It's not easy to throw an annual literary online party for such a large crowd. To manage the site, fund the Young Writers Program (which brings the Nanowrimo movement into schools, nurturing a whole new generation of novelists), and create and supply libraries in remote East Asian villages (done in past years; not sure if will happen this year), the site founders appeal to participants each year to consider making a donation (however modest). Those that do see a halo appear next to their online name on the message boards.
Wrimo Jamie Grove, who blogs at HOW NOT TO WRITE: If you're reading this, you're not writing. Obvious but True, had a brilliant idea.
He not only donated himself, but after encouraging others to do likewise and receiving messages about willing hearts but cash-poor wallets, decided to give away some halos.
At http://www.hownottowrite.com/nanowrimo/nanowrimo-halo-giveaway-30-halos/, he describes what wrimos need to do if they'd like a halo but can't quite swing it this year.
He also posts about all kinds of topics of interest to aspiring wrimos. Go take a look.
Gentle Readers: Planning to participate in the madness this year?
No, not Halloween - though that is without question a terror to be reckoned with. The pumpkins that must be obtained and artistically carved! The slimy, stringy pumpkin guts that involves! The rock and a hard place pressure of treats that are dentistically approved and those that your juniors want you to buy! The parental desire to outfit juniors in fantastic costumes vs. the reality of having sewing/crafting skills only equal to scribbling some kitten whiskers or pirate stubble on their dewy skin with an old eyeliner pencil and slapping a hat on their heads!
The terror of which Apprentice Writer speaks is Nanowrimo, scheduled to spring out of the starting gate for the 10th year next Saturday, November 1st. Thirty days of literary abandon, as the site (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) proclaims. Thousands upon thousands of novelists around the globe racing the clock to produce 50,000 fresh words despite the obstacles placed in their paths by real life, fatigued fingers and brains, and worst of all, nefarious inner editors.
It's not easy to throw an annual literary online party for such a large crowd. To manage the site, fund the Young Writers Program (which brings the Nanowrimo movement into schools, nurturing a whole new generation of novelists), and create and supply libraries in remote East Asian villages (done in past years; not sure if will happen this year), the site founders appeal to participants each year to consider making a donation (however modest). Those that do see a halo appear next to their online name on the message boards.
Wrimo Jamie Grove, who blogs at HOW NOT TO WRITE: If you're reading this, you're not writing. Obvious but True, had a brilliant idea.
He not only donated himself, but after encouraging others to do likewise and receiving messages about willing hearts but cash-poor wallets, decided to give away some halos.
At http://www.hownottowrite.com/nanowrimo/nanowrimo-halo-giveaway-30-halos/, he describes what wrimos need to do if they'd like a halo but can't quite swing it this year.
He also posts about all kinds of topics of interest to aspiring wrimos. Go take a look.
Gentle Readers: Planning to participate in the madness this year?
Monday, October 20, 2008
Experiment: THE BIG H, Report #3
Background:
As someone with no Harlequin/category experience, Apprentice Writer decided to read six titles from the 'Harlequin Historical' line (which publishes 4 titles per month) concurrently to see if patterns develop.
Chapter One
5/6: End by page 22 (which is actually page 15, since text always starts on page 7)
The only one that didn't was first published in UK, where format may be different than North American guidelines
5/6: Hero & Heroine meet by page 5
The prize for speed of bringing the parties together goes to the Tudor title (A SINFUL ALLIANCE, Amanda McCabe) where the very first line reads,
"Her quarry was within her sight."
In the only book where the main characters didn't physcially meet by page 5, the heroine thought of the last time she saw the hero. So: in 6/6 titles, there is some connection between the love interests from Chapter 1 on.
5/6: Leap into action/main conflict of the story
Slow buildup doesn't seem a common theme, with a clear preference for heading into the drama without delay. Bells peal in warning of Viking attack by page 3, a kidnapper appears before the heroine by page 2, the heroine gears up to carry out an assasination from paragraph 1.
4/6: Detailed description of physical appearnce of heroine and/or hero within first 3 pages
Apparently, it is important for devotees of this line to know early on and thoroughly what the main characters look like - and not just in terms of historical costume. Half the titles made a point of mentioning large stature/broad shoulders of the hero, with the prize going to the Regency title (A MOST UNCONVENTIONAL MATCH, Julia Justiss) by working it in at word #3. A third of titles made use of the 'looking in the mirror' ploy to describe the heroine. For two of the titles, it is worth mentioning that there was a good reason for describing physical appearance in such rapid detail; in the Restoration title (THE ABDUCTED HEIRESS, Claire Thornton) the heroine's facial scars play an important role, and in the Tudor title the heroine is in disguise.
6/6: England as main or secondary setting
AW chose the titles for her experiment via a super-quick sift through a literacy street-festival pile, simply searching for different time periods. So the 100% British result is a surprise, especially given that a number of the main characters are of other backgrounds (Danish, French, Norwegian (?), Russian). If AW ever decided to run Experiment II, she would make a point of checking whether other geographies are available, and how hard it is to find them relative to the English juggernaut.
QUESTION:
If publishers offer what sells, then does that mean people of non-English descent are not interested in love among their ancestors?
Things that stood out:
One of the risks a reader takes when developing a fondness for a particular genre is coming across repeating themes so often they become irritating or even stereotypical. It's great when authors not only recognize this danger, but have fun with it. From the Regency title (THE VANISHING VICOUNTESS, Diane Gaston):
"She and Eliza had devised all manner of ways they might meet (Lord Tannerton), none of which they'd dared to carry out. Too bad they had not thought of being caught in a gale on a ship that broke apart and tossed them in the sea."
Sometimes, redundancy lies not in the similarity of theme from author to author, but repetition of words too soon or pointlessly doubling up on meaning. From the Viking title (TAKEN BY THE VIKING, Michelle Styles) scene where a man is cut down:
"...staining the golden sands deep red." Three paragraphs later: "...the golden sands would be stained red.." A few pages later: "...his blood spilt on the golden sand."
Gee, I wonder what color the sand is?
There follows a battle scene, wherein one group "advances forward"(as opposed to advancing backward?) and a warrior's "tongue licked his lips" (in case anyone thought he might lick with a different part of anatomy).
AW is very fond of authors who manage to build up a certain expectation and then take the reader somewhere else. From the Tudor title, in a scene where the heroine is impersonating an employee in a brothel to approach a patron:
"...the sounds of laughter and moaning, the whistle of a whip for those with more exotic tastes. Marguerite hoped that was not a Russian vice. Baring her backside for the lash would surely reveal her dagger."
AW loved how indicative it is of the heroine's character that she doesn't fear the pain or object to the nudity; it's the target realizing she's an agent that worries her.
Gentle Reader - any thoughts on the math or interpretation? Any readers of Harlequin Historicals who can shed some light?
As someone with no Harlequin/category experience, Apprentice Writer decided to read six titles from the 'Harlequin Historical' line (which publishes 4 titles per month) concurrently to see if patterns develop.
Chapter One
5/6: End by page 22 (which is actually page 15, since text always starts on page 7)
The only one that didn't was first published in UK, where format may be different than North American guidelines
5/6: Hero & Heroine meet by page 5
The prize for speed of bringing the parties together goes to the Tudor title (A SINFUL ALLIANCE, Amanda McCabe) where the very first line reads,
"Her quarry was within her sight."
In the only book where the main characters didn't physcially meet by page 5, the heroine thought of the last time she saw the hero. So: in 6/6 titles, there is some connection between the love interests from Chapter 1 on.
5/6: Leap into action/main conflict of the story
Slow buildup doesn't seem a common theme, with a clear preference for heading into the drama without delay. Bells peal in warning of Viking attack by page 3, a kidnapper appears before the heroine by page 2, the heroine gears up to carry out an assasination from paragraph 1.
4/6: Detailed description of physical appearnce of heroine and/or hero within first 3 pages
Apparently, it is important for devotees of this line to know early on and thoroughly what the main characters look like - and not just in terms of historical costume. Half the titles made a point of mentioning large stature/broad shoulders of the hero, with the prize going to the Regency title (A MOST UNCONVENTIONAL MATCH, Julia Justiss) by working it in at word #3. A third of titles made use of the 'looking in the mirror' ploy to describe the heroine. For two of the titles, it is worth mentioning that there was a good reason for describing physical appearance in such rapid detail; in the Restoration title (THE ABDUCTED HEIRESS, Claire Thornton) the heroine's facial scars play an important role, and in the Tudor title the heroine is in disguise.
6/6: England as main or secondary setting
AW chose the titles for her experiment via a super-quick sift through a literacy street-festival pile, simply searching for different time periods. So the 100% British result is a surprise, especially given that a number of the main characters are of other backgrounds (Danish, French, Norwegian (?), Russian). If AW ever decided to run Experiment II, she would make a point of checking whether other geographies are available, and how hard it is to find them relative to the English juggernaut.
QUESTION:
If publishers offer what sells, then does that mean people of non-English descent are not interested in love among their ancestors?
Things that stood out:
One of the risks a reader takes when developing a fondness for a particular genre is coming across repeating themes so often they become irritating or even stereotypical. It's great when authors not only recognize this danger, but have fun with it. From the Regency title (THE VANISHING VICOUNTESS, Diane Gaston):
"She and Eliza had devised all manner of ways they might meet (Lord Tannerton), none of which they'd dared to carry out. Too bad they had not thought of being caught in a gale on a ship that broke apart and tossed them in the sea."
Sometimes, redundancy lies not in the similarity of theme from author to author, but repetition of words too soon or pointlessly doubling up on meaning. From the Viking title (TAKEN BY THE VIKING, Michelle Styles) scene where a man is cut down:
"...staining the golden sands deep red." Three paragraphs later: "...the golden sands would be stained red.." A few pages later: "...his blood spilt on the golden sand."
Gee, I wonder what color the sand is?
There follows a battle scene, wherein one group "advances forward"(as opposed to advancing backward?) and a warrior's "tongue licked his lips" (in case anyone thought he might lick with a different part of anatomy).
AW is very fond of authors who manage to build up a certain expectation and then take the reader somewhere else. From the Tudor title, in a scene where the heroine is impersonating an employee in a brothel to approach a patron:
"...the sounds of laughter and moaning, the whistle of a whip for those with more exotic tastes. Marguerite hoped that was not a Russian vice. Baring her backside for the lash would surely reveal her dagger."
AW loved how indicative it is of the heroine's character that she doesn't fear the pain or object to the nudity; it's the target realizing she's an agent that worries her.
Gentle Reader - any thoughts on the math or interpretation? Any readers of Harlequin Historicals who can shed some light?
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