Series

I am working hard on getting the third in the Perri Stone series ready.

But I am also excited to start working on "Coven of Tree Witches" a series about witches, duh, tinged in minor reality about what we think we know about witches and my made up reality. But that's the excitement of creating something between what is expected and what is unknown.

Thanks you again to every one who is reading and enjoying what I want to write. I am struggling between writing stories about people who I don't see and as always creating a story worth telling. Keep strong in the creative struggle to all my fellow writers and even when others throw stones, remind yourself, you created something from nothing but your imagination and no one can duplicate your mind.

Outlining with Scrivener

I have always written as a sit-of-the-pants writer. This time around, for book 3, in the Perri Stone series, I have decided to outline. Why? Because I need a way to keep track of people, places and things. Really. I noticed that I called the facility where Perri works "Dexter Correctional Facility" in book 1 and "Dexter County Correctional Facility" in book 2, not a major slight and one the can be explained in book 3 but I don't want to have to explain simple tracking like that.

And with book 3 clocking at between 200 - 250 pages, I can't afford errors.

Perri and Cassidy are not done. With "Creep" as a bonus short at the end of book 2, people wondered if Cassidy was out of the picture. No, she isn't. And "Creep" is set ten-years in the future. Plus it was a short story I wrote around the time I wrote "Inside Out" but included it with "Quiet Riot". And there are people introduced in "After Shock" (tentative title) that I need to track.

My house has note cards, 8x11 slips of paper, legal pads all over the place because I want something to write on when I need it. And my purse overflows with paper nuggets. That's why I thought I needed to outline and find software that supposedly makes the transition easier. So I am trying Scrivener so that my note cards can all be in one place. My plot points and eureka moments can not be lost (in my cluttered mind) but placed in a single location (okay, netbook and desktop in the cloud) and I can handle the real task at hand. Writing. And it was recommended by another writer who has over 30 books written. So hell yeah, if I can get organized in a big way, I'm all for it.

Now, if only I could find software that makes me focus on one story at a time without trying to distract me with "ooh, here's a good idea".

Not writing is writing (kind of)

You know those times when the story is percolating. And even though you aren't putting words on the page because they are still floating in the ether of your brain, it still counts. Of course, you eventually need to put those words somewhere but in the in-between stage of brainstorming (internally) and regurgitating (externally) if you are holding true to your character, nothing is wasted.

I'm sure I've said this before but all those friends who don't see you writing daily, who then want to question whether "you are a real writer" well to them, I say suck it. They don't write, they don't have the tenacity or guts to do what you are doing, so they can suck it. So while you may panic because you haven't or aren't producing as much as Joe Blow will have you thinking, remember that you are working on your writing while you are processing.

And hell, the first draft is just that anyway, so once you run through your second or third or twentieth draft, your story will be all the better for it. So mull. Walk through the park and be like the person talking to themselves without a blue tooth, we won't mind, we'll know you are talking to your characters and will be writing their story soon.

By the way, if you see me, talking to myself in the park, I'm not alone either. Peace.

Writing is my Independence Day

While people are grilling and waiting for fireworks, I'll be sitting in a prison cell. I won't get to smell the hot dogs, bar-b-que ribs, potato salad, pork and beans, chicken. I won't get annoyed when the drunken uncle or aunt who has sipped too much wine or drank one to many beers starts reminiscing about the good old days from twenty years ago. I wish I could be there in my lawn chair watching the kids run through the sprinklers because it's 90 degrees in the shade. I wish I could snuggle up behind my woman and tell her how much I appreciate the hard work she put in, getting the in-laws to visit, setting a wonderful table, letting me kick back and play a slamming game of bid whist or spades...

...unfortunately.

My spades partner will be sitting across from me holding on to his cigarette bids like they were chips from a casino. My "cocktail" will be surreptitiously sipped out my coffee cup between guards roaming eyes. My  beanie weenies will have to suffice as I imagine them tasting like smoked dogs off the grill, dripping with mustard and ketchup. My snuggle will happen later in my cell, as I can only visualize my dream lover, who is plastered on a cinder block wall, taped to stay in place.

My Independence Day was taken long ago. Well, I did my crime, I am now doing my time.
If you get a moment, come visit me.
Thompson
Inside Out

Tiny but growing daily

As a writer who is going the indie route, it is easy to feel lost and under appreciated when you look at the sales reports on your book sales. But you have to look at it another way. For every person that has decided to purchase your book, they might tell another reader friend about it and yes, slowly though it may go, you build a following. But the bonus is those are people who didn't know you, weren't friends who were doing you a favor by purchasing your book, but honest to goodness other people who decided to take a chance on a writer whose last name wasn't King, Patterson, etc. And every time someone new buys your book, they have validated your option to put words on the page as a storyteller. It would be nice to see reviews from every person who reads your books but realistically, look at it this way, if the millions of readers for say "King" put a review up on Amazon, it would blow out the server. So take a small bit of pride in the reviews you do receive, good and bad, and keep writing because you are tiny (today) but growing daily. Peace

Unintentional Actions

Sometimes we act in ways that cause a really negative action and we wonder, about three weeks later, where the fall out is coming from.
In fiction, this is the good stuff that makes a story rock. You're thinking, what the hell are you talking about, but go with me here. Say you start your story and your character has unprotected sex with a stranger and 3 weeks later starts having a burning, itching sensation. It either came from the random shag or something else is up, (I don't know, it's your character) but  it opens the door for all kinds of conflict in your story. Because your character either already has a partner - which is going to piss them off (std, anyone). Or the slag finds out who you are and comes knocking on your door because she missed her friendly visitor. So, all this is to say, unintentional actions sometimes have consequences that you don't foresee but can rock the hell out of your story with some beefy conflict.
Peace

Quiet Riot available

Quiet Riot is out on Amazon and Smashwords. This story continues to follow Perri Stone, prison investigator, in the Correctional Facility where she works. She has returned to work after being away for a little over a month, only to find out some big changes are going into affect and the prison population isn't very happy about it.
A riot ensues. Some actions take place that will change people forever.
I hope you are ready for the ride.
There is also a short piece on a different installation of Perri Stone's adventures once she leaves Kansas. The next book will be out soon.
Juin
Quiet Riot
Inside Out

Working hard and smart

The goal is to have "Quiet Riot" finished by the end of the month and uploaded to Amazon Kindle for April 1, 2012. I like the irony of it not being an April Fool's joke. But in all seriousness, the idea that one must write every day in order to produce is not synonymous with writing every day and producing good work. I write sporadically, but am writing three books at once. Does that mean my energy is split and the end results are bad. I hope not. Actually, I think not.
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I write like I read. And I usually read multiple books at one time because my interest wans as I read and my interest level fluctuates between what I want to read for entertainment purposes and for knowledge sake.
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So work hard by making your writing time count for what you want it to count for. If page counts are important to you and you are comfortable with maximization on certain days as opposed to all seven in a week, then work the model that works for you. You can't be prolific if you are chasing someone else's idea of what works for all writers.
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Just my two cents for the day.

Who is Perri Stone?

You want to know who I am.
Great.
I'm the woman who kicks ass in the prison when I have to. I know he's your loved one, but inside he's got to act a whole 'nother way. He can't be seen as a punk or he's gonna be turned into someone's bitch. You want your Man when he comes out, then don't sweat the stuff he does inside to survive.
Unfortunately, I'm the one that won't allow it.
That's right, I'm the one trying to make sure your sweet, daddy, doesn't hurt someone else. I'm searching his cell for contraband. I'm making sure that pencil he's using to write you letters, won't get jabbed in someone else's jugular later. I'm keeping him safe and you safe outside.
That's right, the thankless part of my job is if he escapes and gets out before the system says it's okay, I'm gonna hunt his ass done
and
shoot it.
Yeah. So now you know a little about me. I'll tell you more later.
INSIDE OUT

Don't be so serious

One of the things I have noticed with the writers who are publishing in e-formats is the speed in which they get the work out. Now maybe they had several manuscripts gathering dust in a drawer. Blew it off, did a rewrite and put the gem out there for the rest of us to read. Some of the big sellers in this game are also writing stories that people want to read. Pure escapism. I get that.
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Think about it. If your job sucks, or your bills are kicking your butt, or your home life is less than wonderful, it's nice to indulge in some pure entertaining fun. And that's what some of the big sellers are doing. So for me, I plan on not sweating the long, winded outlining that takes soooo much time away from just putting the story on paper. And just get it done.
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That's my goal. I have outlines for 2 books. One is the next in the Perri Stone series. So instead of wasting more time, trying to get every speck outlined before I can write, I will start writing. Believe me, I have outlined to death. And Near Salem, which isn't trying to capitalize on the YA market but telling a story I have always wondered about since I was about 18. What if the Salem Witch Trials never happened? What if witchcraft was allowed to flourish in its natural state? Where would we be now. So of course this has to happen in a parallel universe. But that's the joy of writing. I can put it anywhere I want.
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So I will keep my book at .99 cents, because I want you to read it.
INSIDE OUT

The Awakening by Lisa M. Lilly

I'm still reading this book so I can't do a full review of what I think. I find the concept intriguing. A female Messiah. I'm not sure if the author is pro-feminist, pro-choice, or very religious. And that's what also makes this story a good read. You can have your own beliefs about any of those subject but don't let it get in the way of reading this book. I found myself really pissed that Tara's parents would try to have her committed because she was contemplating an abortion. (She never said she was, they took her journal out of context). Which made me think about the choices women have and who gets to make the choices for us, when it's our bodies. So far I'd have to rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Celebrations

While everyone around me is gearing up for the holidays. It is smart to remember that your characters are individuals. And in order to really highlight that individuality, it makes sense to think about how you will use the non-conformity of the holidays to set up that framework for your characters.
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If all your characters celebrate Christmas, think instead about the conflict that can arise if one of them is a Buddhist, Pagan, Wicca, Jewish, etc. You get to show other ways of how the character interacts with other characters and how their religion/holiday choices help inform how they react to each other. It's a great way to share insight into what the characters thought processes are and it isn't a fake way to force exchanges.
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Happy writing

Naming characters

If you're like me, sometimes a characters name will come to you easily. It fits like a glove and you know it's the right name. But what happens when you have a large cast of characters and you don't want to use a friends name, even if nothing "bad" happens to him/her.
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What I do and I've never run into a situation where I'm stumped for names any longer is to save obits. I know it sounds kind of morbid at first. But I keep a running list of names from the obit section. I reassign the first and last names of course. But I have an endless supply of names. I do not keep the pictures, because I am deciding what my characters look like.
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I know some people use baby books. But this didn't work for me because it only list first names. With my method you also have last names.
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And to take it a step further, I use a birth-date and astrological book to make sure that some character traits are really in line with the birth-date I give a character. Can have a character with a birthday in July become a super talkative Cancer or a character with a June birth-date as a stubbornly introverted Gemini. Those seem like minor things especially if you are writing a character with a specific birthday that is part of the story but the person who has that birthday or studies astrology sees it, they will think you are less than authentic with other parts of your story where you want their trust.
Happy writing.

Importance of Momentum

I have read numerous books that suggest the only way to grow as a writer is to basically write every day.
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Now some of you are thinking, I don't want to write every day. Sometimes I'm plotting in my head, which is akin to writing, but actually isn't. I talk to my characters all day long, in my head also, but if I'm not putting words to paper it means I am still that far behind in accomplishing my goal.

One of the books I use in keeping me on track as I write novels is First Draft in 30 Days by Karen Wiesner. (And NO I am not hawking her books). I have used her method because I don't like to outline. But I have noticed that it helps give me enough structure but doesn't pigeon hold me into a tight confine where creatively can't still thrive. It's a loose enough method for my right and left brain to both feel like they are working.

And one of the things I notice is that if I take the time to start writing, even if my goal is 3 pages, I usually end of writing more. It's the hardest struggle not to edit as I go. Which some writers may also struggle with. But I give myself permission to write badly. I understand that this draft is just that - a draft and not the final product. I understand that in the editing process more nuances of the story may take shape and I'm prepared when I have a decent outline to start with. And her method helps me stay on track because I can use research as a giant excuse not to write. I can get so sidetracked it would make you think I was working on my PhD.

I like the idea of pages a day instead of word count. And I usually use the same method that I use when I'm working on a screenplay. I visualize the scene and write that instead of thinking of the WHOLE finished book. That is too daunting and can stop you in your tracks.

Happy writing.

Discount for the holidays

I thought this is one way to gain new readers and appreciate the fact that people have loads to spend their money on and this is some way helps to reduce that cost. So from now until 12/24 my novel is .99, enjoy and happy reading. Inside Out - A Perri Stone novel

Tool to help the distractions

It's so easy to become distracted as a writer. If you have a regiment you stick to, it's a lot harder to let those pesky distracted bother you to the point that you don't get your pages in. The dishes can wait an hour, the kids can watch a little television or a lot, turn off the internet and write longhand so that you aren't tempted to check email, Facebook, Twitter. We all do, me too. But I am trying to become the writer who doesn't put everything else first and then go to bed tired and never having written that day because I just didn't get to it.
SelfControl I like this product that someone else mentioned and I put it on my net book. So that when I want to write, I can't log on to all the distracting sites for the time limit I set. If I don't have the self-control not to peek, this program stops me. And no, I am not an affiliate or anything else associated with this program. I just like it as a tool.

How do you sustain and build at the same time?

I just read a wonderful post Where Do Indie's Find New Readers?. And I have wondered the same thing. On twitter and other social networks were other writers are asking each other to promote and support their endeavors, what happens when they aren't returning the favor? I have purchased lots of ebooks lately, some in genres I like, and some because I have tweeted with the person and thought okay "I'll give their book a try" but my own numbers aren't changing when I check them. So what that is saying to me is - they are potentially downloading a copy and because it isn't in their comfort zone for books they like, they aren't purchasing a complete copy. I asked my partner is I should offer the ebook version for .99 to build a readership. But why discount, when there are others who have purchased the ebook and/or paperback at the asking price. It's like remaindering your book before you've had a chance to build anything. What a conundrum.
What are others experiencing?

Getting the work done

It's so easy to procrastinate and then beat yourself up for not finishing anything. Why not do the things you are avoiding and then it's complete before you know it. I did my pages today during my lunch. Hell, I was just going to eat and watch a television show on my tablet. So instead of that, I worked on my pages. Every page down is that much closer to finishing the novel. The first draft is also the hardest. After it's all on paper, the real work begins. Happy writing.

screenplay for Inside Out

As you may or may not know, I have a degree in Screenwriting. So, my draft for Inside Out is complete. I saw this book visually, long before I wanted to write it in novel form. But I have both. Yeah me. Don't know if I will write Quiet Riot in screenplay form or not.

outline complete

The note cards are complete (mostly) - Quiet Riot is on track.