D is for Digression and Dragon of the Stars

Darling baby dingos

Darling dimpled Dorene denounced Dan for his dour disposition. She said, “Daily digressions develop delusional dexterity. Dreamy dalliance defends us from depression. Digress daily dear one! Derive joy from deviance and depose life's dullness.”

Dan doubted her dialog, dreading death or even detention. “I don't dare deviate from duty.”

Dorene derided, “Dreaming of dappled dragons doesn't deserve detention, nor does dancing in daffodils. Dieting. Now THAT'S death! Duty without diversion drains dear life from you.”

A dandy dingo entered, dragging daisies. A dozen dainty door mice darted about. Dorene poured a daquiri. “You see. Divine digression.”

[A Drabble is a story in exactly 100 words]

Dragon of the Stars: A Review in brief

Alex Cavanaugh's latest book, Dragon of the Stars, comes out Tuesday and I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy to prepare to ask Alex a few questions (Q day: April 20), but I thought before that, I could give a brief review... Dragon starting with D and all, it is today.

Blurb: The ship of legends...

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?

One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?

Review: I enjoyed this space jaunt. The characters were well thought out with complete arcs and Pendar had some very tough choices to make. I particularly loved Tamlin—his weapons leftenent (though I may have that title wrong)--she is his hard working and talented wingman with a gift for sincerity that makes her both a bit awkward and very endearing. I liked the moral dilemma at the core of this story and the character growth shown by Pendar, who is initially so focused on his career that he fails to quite comprehend that there are people around him with worries and lives. It isn't normally my genre, but there was plenty of character stuff to keep me happy.

C is for Cacophony

The chorus of crows across from my house

[For those of you who have read A and B... sorry for the lack of alliteration here--this was written in a more "to write well" spirit and I think it catches a mood.  I have shared this elsewhere, but it is a drabble and appropriate for the day]

I hear the faint hum and then see the leaf-bare trees against the strawberry sky. The hum becomes a buzz and I recognize it, though it would be indistinct to an untrained ear. As I turn the corner, houses momentarily block the trees from view but the sound grows more clear. Individual cries. Caw. Caw. A stray pair of birds veer as far as the street I am walking on and I am confirmed, but by now I have passed the houses and can see the branches well enough to recognize the congregation. A cacophony of noise welcomes me home.

[A drabble is a story in exactly 100 words]

[Cacophony also happens to be my very favorite word]

[Heavy alliteration will return tomorrow]

B is for Balance

Pardon the swearing. The sentiment fit.

Boistrous bullies bragged belligerently about beating up on Little Ben Brown, but Ben bravely bellowed. Bugs and bees buzzed. Birds brandished beaks. Beasts bounded, and suddenly Ben had backup. A bear bounced a ball, baring big teeth. A boar brayed, “Baratheon!” A baboon belted boulders. And an itty bitty bunny rabbit nibbled at a bloody pile of bones. The Bully boys backed away bowing because beastly brethren balance brutality.

[A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words]

Beast of Caer Bannog Video if you care to watch.

A is for Antics

Airborn armadillo

Advancing amusement is awesome, but sometimes it requires a plan. For mischief, shenanigans, artful avoidance of order... When we are strategizing for silliness, what we need is antics. Add an armadillo to the art show. Aim a squishy arrow into the angry audience. Allow auditory interpretation after hours at the orchestra. Anthropomorphize an arbor. Suggest an aardvark as administrator. Audition ants for a teeny tiny play. Answer anyone's phone conversations. Accept an advance with an amorous animal noise. But never never ever argue with an attorney or an anarchist. There are antics and there is insanity.


And for the Insecure portion of this post...

(As part of Insecure Writer's Support Group)

Also Appearing

I wrote a book by this title a little over a year ago. It is about a teenage girl who feels like a bit player in her own life. Adult me is feeling like this right now and I can't seem to shake it. I have a few good friends getting HUGE opportunities--giant book deals. And I just can't even see the path. I thought I knew the steps, but the path seems to have flooded.  I will get back to it, but at the moment I feel very much like I am slipping and sliding with no ability to see the next place to put my foot...

If you'd like to join A to Z fun, or visit the others participating, the full list is here.
And if you'd like the list of Insecure Writers or to join us in the future, go here.

Out Like A Lion?

So today ends March Madness and tomorrow A to Z Madness begins. I'd like to claim it is all a whirlwind but I honestly failed to meet any respectable standard of madness at all in March. I just couldn't get any traction. I DID make some good editing notes for Medium Wrong based on some of my reading.

But I am ready for a bit of blogginess... my goal is bursts of silliness. I think I can manage. It will be good for me to be a bit silly every day. Get back to my ME roots. A couple days I have something else besides, but most days will be a silly drabble... Not a true drabble, but 100 words of silliness... I wonder if I can work up the energy to change up my blog page. It's about time, I think... I changed it a little, but methinks I am not done yet...

You Call This A Blog?

I know. It's like I can't get a grip for anything, eh?

Still not writing.

Still reading.

The Couch to 5K thing is still a go.

Mari is here.

That's what I'm up to.

But I guess under the SHARE category...

FREE WRITING MINI-WORKSHOP Saturday In ANN ARBOR

Here is the scoop shared by Robin Agnew, owner of Aunt Agatha's: Barbara Gregorich will speak on Thinking Like a Mystery Reader Writer at Aunt Agatha’s Bookstore, 213 S. Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, on Saturday, March 28, at 2:00. She will answer questions and engage in discussions afterwards, and will autograph copies of her most recent title, Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel: Lots of Examples, Plus Dead Bodies. With Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel, Gregorich combines her love of mystery, her love of writing, and her love of teaching. Much of what she has to say in Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel: Lots of Examples, Plus Dead Bodies comes from her experience with people who want to write a mystery but aren’t aware of the various decisions they must make as they create the story. Gregorich hopes that her book will help them . . . and result in her having more mystery novels to read. For those contemplating writing a mystery novel and those who have written one or more but are looking for fresh and invigorating insights into the approach, Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel provides an overall view of how to think like a writer in general and a mystery writer in particular.

A WEE REVIEW: The Marbury Lens

I've read a couple great YA books this winter in my quest to figure out what I'm doing. A few of them have humbled me but I just finished one that blew me away. I know I'm late to the party, but here is my review for The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

I sometimes feel guilty about how stingy I am with five-star reviews. I give them, but a story really needs to be fairly flawless AND suck me in—so both well executed AND my thing… But once in a while a book like this will come along that makes me feel like I need to go back and downgrade 90% of my fives because it is just head and shoulders above sublime.

This book is not for the faint hearted. There is swearing, a bit of sexual violence and a lot of teen deviance. But harder than that, this is very dark emotionally so it is probably not the thing for some people. But for others, it is EXACTLY the thing.

The story set-up reminded me a lot of The Talisman, one of my favorites from two of my favorite scary authors—Stephen King and Peter Straub. In both books there are parallel worlds in which people can exist in both and the MC is pushed into a position of going back and forth, but I felt while The Talisman is a brilliant show to watch externally, The Marbury Lens actually pulls us inside so we feel it. And the REAL world in Marbury Lens is more real and the OTHER world is darker… I just really feel like Smith upped the ante on the type of tale.


And last, A week from tomorrow is the start of Blogging A to Z

If you want to be a NEW blogger, or, like me, want to rejuvenate an OLD blog... this is a great opportunity. Go check it out: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/a-to-z-challenge-sign-uplist-2015.html

Only Half Mad, Apparently...

Pretty much...

So know how I'm meant to be madly scripting this month... then revising? I'm not really doing all that. I lost speed when that contest closed the same day it opened and have MOSTLY just been reading a lot and being a crazy squee fangirl for all the good TV that is coming up soon. But now that we've reached mid-month, it is time to kick it back in gear, methinks... I pledge henceforth to an hour a day, focused.

In BETTER disciplined news, my exercise buddy and I started the Couch to 5K program last week—did our first three days, then on top of that had an hour power walk on Saturday, so I am on track to being active again.


But the REAL madness is prep for Blogging A to Z... are you guys on board? I didn't do it last year and I think it cursed me as a blogger. I haven't been able to say anything interesting since, so maybe participating will get me back in line. It will certainly get me back in practice at writing daily when I may not have much to say...

My plan is to Drabble... 100 words for each letter (with exception of Q when I am asking Alex a few QUESTIONS for his book release)..


So that's all I got today... I could make an effort and write some more nonsense, but since I've just pledged to write nonsense almost every day next month, I think I will hold off...

Life's Cha Cha

Backward, forward, shake, dip, twirl...

So I was all set and working on my script and then learned the 1000 entry limit on the HBO contest had been met SAME DAY IT OPENED. We used to paranoidly think ABNA was going to do that, but somehow the contest always stayed open almost to the end. I guess there are more script writers with ready products sitting there waiting for a chance. THAT is discouraging. I will keep going, but I will do so at a slower, more careful pace. And then I will get feedback and make corrections and rethink and then someday I will submit it... But there is no longer a rush, so I have had a hard time prioritizing it, March Madness and all...


In the more positive...

I think I am ready to commit again to that fitness plan I got so frustrated with in January. I've spent the last month with vitamin supplements and trying to cope with some other stuff I felt like was interfering in metabolism and attitude... on the 23rd I reach 15 months shy of my 50th birthday and I think 15 months might be about the right time so instead of an open-ended start, I am going to do this as a countdown. (this would be part of that attitude thing)... the goal is to be hot by the time I'm 50... or something... (honestly, it is just to feel fit again and healthy, but clothes fitting fits in that profile, too)


Also positive...

Mari and I on a train in the UK, 2008

I have a house guest coming!!!

There is a distinct and unexpected perk to living in the town where the university library has somehow accumulated a huge number of historical letters. Mari will be my 3rd friend visiting town for the library—in Mari's case the letters are Jimmy Carters, but I have two other friends who have been here for OTHER letters... books they will scan or loan, but the letters are treated more carefully.

Now I've met Mari in person before—twice. She did an exchange in DC when she was in her grad program and came to visit on a break, and she was there when my writing group met in the UK—this officially means that my Norwegian friend is the member of my writing group I will have seen the most in person. A funny thing, considering most of us live in the US.

She will be here the last week of the month and the first of next--working, but we will have weekends. Looking forward to introducing her to the Couch to Keg team.


Also ALSO positive...

The snow is MELTING! All week we get over 45 every day!!! Man, this is HUGE for me feeling hopeful again. I hate feeling like any venture outside is an ordeal. I REALLY REALLY hate wearing two pairs of pants. And it contributes to my fatness, as I sometimes need a ride and often catch the bus for part of my commute instead of walking. My snowboots don't offer the support my feet need, the ice is slippery, the snow is an obstacle and the cold is cold, so now we enter the time of year I can enjoy it outside. I will miss my nice bus driver, but it is for the best.

Guess Who Forgot What Day It Was

HALO fine friends!!! I am late to the party, but it is still first Wednesday, so I will give a go on the Insecure Writer's Support Group...

Helpful hosts for today are: Our awesome co-hosts today are Chemist Ken, Suzanne and Shannon Lawrence! and of course always, the Awesome Alex.  

So my words of encouragement for today are these:  TRY NEW STUFF.

I am currently trying to convert A Shot in the Light to a Screenplay and it is hard, but it is also stretching my brain and making me think differently. The cadence of something I'd like to be a mini-series is totally different--I am jumping between characters more often so the watcher can feel the tension--rather than two "chapters" from each main character they are getting snippets of a minute or two here and a minute or two there... I have no idea if it's working, but I definitely feel like making it visual is a good exercise.

What could YOU do to stretch a bit? Maybe give it a try.

And The Madness is Upon Us...

So theoretically I started my March Madness project yesterday. I have PICKED what I am doing. And the thing that really helped me pick was this:

HBO Seeks Diverse Writers

(Hint: it's a contest)

You may or may not know this, but I'm a girl. And if you read last week you saw one of my project options was converting A Shot in the Light to a screenplay... and then VOILA! A contest to find script writers!!!

So that is what I'm going with. They want 30-60 minutes worth...


I have always envisioned Shot as a bit “mini-series” like, but it's funny—rather than about 10 pages per character scene, I am giving it about half a page then cycling... flashes of what is going on. That insight came from re-watching the first episode of Survivors—a BBC mini-series about... what do you know, a flu epidemic. But I think I can get all the important stuff across for the first “book” in my hour—that would make the whole thing 12 episodes, on the off chance they wanted it... I THINK they are actually identifying people to work on OTHER stuff, but that would be cool, too. They make better money than I do at my day job, and it would be made writing...

The FORMATTING for screenplays is totally wonky... I hope the reference I pulled is actually accurate and I'm doing this right, though I suspect it's a bit outdated. Still, it is getting me going. It can't have changed a TON... there are things too convenient about it (a page a minute estimation, for instance)


And because I only need this to end up about 60 pages, and because most of THIS is work at my computer, scanning the old, converting or rephrasing so the story comes out as a visual (removing thoughts, but getting across the critical stuff through action or a bit of added dialog), but I will keep going with my Kahlotus revision via hard copy... I think I can do both things this month if I really focus.

So that is my madness...

What is yours?

(don't forget—if you want to join us formally with a March Madness writing project (on Facebook), you can do so here: BuNoWriMo)

March Madness is Coming!!!

And I don't mean the basketball thing. I mean MARCH is a month for PICKING A PROJECT in your writing and GETTING IT DONE!!! Unlike WriMos, this can be editing or finishing something that was started earlier, or whatever else it is that has been hanging over your head.

The discussion and cheering for this usually happens at BuNoWriMo on Facebook. I know not everyone is on Facebook, but I am no webmaster, so unless someone wants to volunteer to form a discussion forum, there it is...


Now to pick a project...

My first two months of 2015 have been pretty much a wash, all lost in insecurity and as close as I think I've ever been to depression (which I know is not actually all that close to real depression, so no pity needed... just a deep funk), so there are plenty to choose from.


Kahlotus Disposal Site: I've been tinkering and have started here, but my ideas for a really major rewrite are finally coming together. I've been reading some ghosty YA and thinking about real life hot-button issues. Plus my MC. Helen is still my challenge. Balancing what drives her forward with what holds her back. This may be the one.

Next Ale Tale: I have been wondering if figuring out how to fix What Ales Me might be hidden in writing another—figuring out the voice I want with something fresh...

Undoing: I have a trilogy that is 2/9 done... maybe I want to work on THIS... I feel like this may be my best bet for getting back to loving writing because it is its own thing, not trying to fit something else...

A Shot in the Light: The Screenplay: I've thought this would make a great TV series... no clue how I would go about this, but maybe learning a new skill is exactly what I need right now...


I am leaning toward with Kahlotus (because it is SO CLOSE to done) or Undoing (because it seems to be the SORT of story I have not had my confidence shaken on... Mystery and YA are hating on me at the mo....


So anybody else have a project for March?

Freedom of Speech and Food For Thought

So with the release of the movie 50 Shades of Grey this weekend I've seen a few odd discussions... I've seen some HYSTERICAL critiques. This one from an Australian TV personality was brilliant.

And nobody disses the right to review something, but...

There have also been some content discussions, and THERE people get touchier. If you veer away from the “poorly acted” or “not sexy” critiques and get into the actual way BDSM is displayed, or a debate as to whether this is “romance” (or erotica)... well people can get touchy.

...Missing the point, in my opinion...

Among the discussions I've seen a lot of “Free Speech Card” calling... “Who are you to criticize? People can watch what they want and create what they want!”


And they are right. I place Free Speech very high on the list of things I value. The free flow of information is critical to a non-totalitarian society.

And everybody has the right to produce whatever they like (provided nobody gets hurt) and consumers have a right to watch, read or enjoy whatever they like.

But you know what? People are ALSO entitled to have discussions about the things put out there into the common space. Once something is put out there, it is not protected from criticism. Saying "BDSM doesn't work this way" is NOT saying "I want to censor this". It is saying “I'd like to clarify that the author didn't know what she was talking about” (which according to people far more into BDSM than I am, is the case).

In particular there was a discussion about distinguishing BDSM and abuse... Here is a post showing where 50 Shades is on the wrong side of this.


But my REAL point is just to point out that criticizing something doesn't mean an attempt to ban it. It means that a discussion and dialog is merited and whoever has posted the criticism is just trying to get the discussion going. So I hope all you fabulous people can go forward on ANY topic and consider it in that light. We will all be better off if we can talk about stuff and learn from each other.

Whatever Happened to Delusional Thursday?

You know... I used to be a good time. I was funny, zany, wacky even... Somehow the last couple years have sapped me. Two full time jobs (pretty much—with the writing, I mean), kids challenges, money trouble, family deaths, my husband almost dying... Really heavy CRAP. So I've come to the conclusion it has made for a dull Tart...

The big stuff is dealt with, so I think I need to recommit to some silly shenanigans.

It would fit well here...

Tart-Worthy Book of Digressions

One of the things I've toyed with is writing a non-fiction book. I'm not an expert on much, but I think I could manage a guide for people to add a little silliness back in their lives—one of those silly bathroom books people keep by their toilet so they can read a bit when they only have 90 seconds... Just random ideas on things they should do or think about. I'm not sure if I will ever publish it, but it is time to start working on it, as it would get me back focused on stuff that makes me laugh.


Speaking of laughing...

My buddy Gae posted an article on Facebook yesterday that I didn't read because I was at work and didn't want to get busted, but the part that she noted—it was for reducing worry in kids—was our body doesn't actually know the difference between real laughing and fake laughing, so I hereby command you (and me) to laugh for a while every day, whether you feel like it or not. You'll feel better for it and it will help me feel like I'm in charge of you, which is good for morale.

Nobody can watch this without laughing. Armadillo at play
Or this: Teddy and his pumpkins
Or this: Cute Little Duck, Quack quack quack

Mercury is out of Retrograde

This officially means stuff is going to get better. So there. All the crap of January? Poof. All gone. Bye-bye. But if you'd like to give me credit for your year taking a turn for the better, I am okay with that. It should last until May, though the May one will be a doozy because Mercury will be in Gemini and Mercury RULES Gemini, and then it will go all backward and wonky... so don't count on anything going right at the end of May or the first half of June.


So go out and get a little silly today, and I will try to insert a little back into the blog, ne?

Bret R Wright and Nasty: An author interview and book review

So today I'd like to welcome a friend of mine who has just released his debut mystery/ Bret is part of the network of friends I connected to through ABNA originally.


Tart: There are some things about Nasty that are definitely hard-boiled—things that remind me of Raymond Chandler—Nate has confronted some violence, carries some demons, and abuses himself just like those, but he is a considerably more enlightened man (not to mention more three-dimensional than any Chandler characters). Did you use any specific authors or books as guides at all?

Bret: Chandler was in the back of my mind a little when I created Nate’s character, as was Dashiell Hammett. I wanted to capture that noir feel, without going full-on Thin Man. The voices of those early masters carried their books. Combined with really tight writing styles, those guys just popped off the page.

Tart: And how conscious were departures from classic hard-boiled protags?

Bret: The departures from the classic hard-boiled detectives were purposeful. We live in a different world now, with problems that Hammett’s and Chandler’s world didn’t acknowledge or know much about. One of the limiting factors in hard-boiled, from my perspective, is two dimensionality. The protagonists don’t show us much of themselves, and they arguably don’t change a whole lot. When I set out to write Nasty, I was very aware of some of the limitations and expectations of the genre, but I wanted people to be willing to step outside those expectations to experience someone new. I also wanted to appeal to those who maybe weren’t as familiar with the genre with an offering that was fast-paced, covered the basics of hard-boiled, and then stepped beyond those into someone with a conscience. I made the decision to give Nate full agency in most areas of his life. He makes a big deal of Fate and the like, but he’s got a bit of a Zen thing going in the way he approaches his life. Like all real people, he has baggage that drives his responses to the world around him, and his story arc is one of small, hard-won personal growth. I wanted a character who was hard-boiled plus, in other words. He had to have the voice, the attitude, and the no bullshit aggressiveness of a classic noir detective, but he also had to be a man of this century, living in this version of urban America.

Tart: “Llama doing sign language to the clown head who doesn't understand.” HA! Have you HAD this dream, or are you more broadly a fan of llamas? Do clowns haunt your nightmares?

Bret: I’m so excited! You’re the first person to ask about this. The problem is, I don’t want to give the thing away too much. I don’t have any fear of clowns. I’ve known a lot of them in my time . . . and llamas, while cute and fuzzy, aren’t really a thing for me, either. (Although who can resist a baby llama, I mean, really?!) The llamas and clowns are surreal connections Nate has to his childhood and the ways he’s processing some of his personal baggage through his subconscious. The imagery changes as his story arc progresses. They are also weird and not-so-apparent nods to two of my favorite writers, Hunter S. Thompson and Tom Robbins.


Tart: “Take a bad guy to hell with you.” You know... I've always thought of people as falling into two categories: 1) those who want vengeance/justice so badly that they sort of stop seeing people as people vs. 2) those who couldn't kill with very few exceptions (true self defense or saving their children, for instance) but this phrase implies a situational decision. I know you—not in real life, but pretty well through the old social network—and I know you are nearly the bleeding heart I am... but I also know you are former military and I am curious how you see this? Are these traits or states? (willingness to kill)

Bret: In some ways, it’s a trait, but only by way of his ability to compartmentalize his situation. Warriors of any sort tend to separate “real life” from the life they have to lead inside the bubble of conflict. Emotion really has no business in this bubble. In fact, it’s a hindrance. This line is meant to show the business end of a man who stands at the threshold between these two worlds. In “real life,” he’s this Zen-ish seeker trying to make a living and figure out what the universe is all about. He’s not quite Big Lebowski laid back, but he’s on his way. It’s not that Nate is cold-hearted or soft-hearted, he has simply divided his life; he separates the two, a practice that he developed as a SEAL. To him, it’s perfectly logical to operate this way. He has a line across which a smart person won’t cross. Compartmentalization is what allows soldiers, doctors, and emergency responders the ability to switch from their “real” lives to being “on” in a heartbeat. It’s also what helps a psychotic killer rationalize the horrible things he or she does to people. There is a dissonance that takes place within Nate on this, however, and so he’s kind of on a search for his answers in the grey area in between.


Tart: Having known you for a few years now, I see some similarities between you and Nate Jepson, but I also see some notable differences—most notably your ability to have good healthy relationships as husband and father (something I can see Nate doing so well at). Do you feel like you had intentional samenesses or differences from Nate or was the process less intentional than that? Could you talk a little about character development?

Bret: I don’t think I’d ever write a character that was me in disguise. Although I draw on some experiences and knowledge from my military career, and I do use him as a part of a larger social narrative, he is most definitely not me. On the other hand, as writers we always hear that we should “write what you know,” right? So, true story, I wrote Nate to prove to my wife that I couldn’t write a detective story. She wanted me to write something that wasn’t sci-fi, which wasn’t her thing. Ha! Guess what? Can you say Niven and Asimov? I’d read my fair share of old pulp fiction, both hard-boiled and sci-fi, by gum! A robot detective novel, is a detective novel . . . but with robots, haha! So, I wrote Nate. I started with what I knew about the genre, the standard conventions. Then I decided to break a few of the rules of hard-boiled by giving him an internal dialog that showed him to be a little vulnerable, and quite human. He’s also not the suave, charming guy that a lot of the genre demands. He thinks he is, but he really isn’t. There are other differences, as well. He needed to have lots of room to grow as a character. What I wound up with was a character who would drive me up a wall if he was a real person, but who would also be one of the best kinds of friends to have. He’s the kind of friend who would help you bury a body. He’s the psycho side kick who happens to be a loner . . . and he has issues.

Developing a character like that is a lot of fun, especially when it’s done with tongue firmly in cheek. I’d say the key to writing a good, strong character is making the character act like a person, not a character. I “interview” Nate on a regular basis, working on world-views, dialog, opinions, and his core beliefs. Not a lot of that makes it into the stories, but I feel it adds a depth to him that is hard to reproduce if you’re writing your character off the cuff.

Tart: “Herd of goats munching on your mother's dainties.” Okay, that's about the best synonym I've ever heard for “It all goes to hell” [told you guys Nasty was enlightened]. So have you HEARD this before 9and where)? Or are you just making up phrases? Because if so, I'd like to put you in charge of the next generation of American slang.

Bret: . . . in charge of American slang . . . yes, please! Nate has his own way of expressing himself, and if a situation requires goats and dainties, then so be it. There’s always room for goats.


Tart: I loved the humor you infused, and admire how you managed to ALSO maintain the tension. Is humor part of your natural voice? Or do you feel like you need to work it in? Or do you think this is character-specific? I have just observed that it is one of the harder aspects of writing to fake.

Bret: I’ve always been pretty good with the zingers, it tends to make it into my writing. I’ve never been “Mr. Jokebook,” though. I tend to be more of a situational predator in that respect. If you ask me to tell a joke, I draw a complete blank, but when there’s conversation and opportunity, I wade in with the one-liners. It’s part of my voice, and when I realized this, life as a writer got much easier. It was really hard to maintain that tension, and I had to go in several times and hack things out that were hilarious, but didn’t really serve the story. The original was a lot more tongue-in-cheek, but I like the way it turned out. I hope I struck the right balance.



And now for some broader questions:

Tart: Where do you start? Character, plot, setting?

Bret: I very rarely start with setting. The setting, to me, is simply the stage that the actors use to play out their drama. It’s mine to manipulate. Which is weird, because I’m told that the setting in Nasty (which takes place in the Pacific Northwest) is almost as much a character as some of the actual characters in the book. I like that a lot, as I put a lot of work in folding reality into fiction in the setting, but it’s not where I started. Honestly? I usually start with a really great line of dialog that I think of, and then flesh out a character who would say it. That’s not always the case, but usually that’s the way it goes. I’ll be walking the dog, or drifting off to sleep, or even in the middle of teaching, and a line of dialog will hit me, or an affectation, or a spin on a cliché, and I’ll have to write it down. I’m a little A.D.D. in that respect. Sometimes the plot is what drives me, though. In those cases, I’ll sit down and draw out a rough a rough story arc, and start filling it in with details. I have several notebooks full of those things. If I ever write them all, I’ll have quite the body of work.


Tart: How long have you been at this and which book is this for you? (first published, yes? But how many are warming your file drawers?)

Bret: Oh, geez . . . I’ve been writing since I was in kindergarten I think. I remember my first mystery, actually. I lived half a block away from my school, and when I got home around noon, the house was empty. I knew Dad would be back, but, being an only child, I set out to entertain myself. I laid out some “clues,” like a ransom note, and made a recording of a scuffle on a toy tape recorder that had about a minute of tape on it that was looped, and some spilled ashes on the floor near the wood stove. After setting the scene, I went next door to the neighbor’s and told the teenagers there that my Dad had been kidnapped! They ran over to the house and I presented them with the crime scene. It was great fun, and I’m glad the kids next door humored me.

As far as writing for publication, I’ve been at it for a couple of decades. My first poem was published locally when I was 12, and I’ve had short stories picked up, a Chicken Soup for the Caregiver’s Soul non-fiction piece, several large stacks of magazine and newspaper freelance stuff . . . without trying to sound cliché, I really have been writing my whole life. As for novel length works, I’ve got a couple cooling it in the closet, and one on a hard-drive somewhere. Nasty is the first one to go to press.


Tart: And finally, What next? Are you working on something?

Bret: Nasty is a three book contract, so I’m working on numbers two and three now. They’re on an 18 month turn around, which is a faster pace than I initially thought, but I’m keeping up so far. I’m also working on a YA that my kids at work are very excited about (I teach middle school, and I’ve got a lot of beta readers on that one, haha!) So I’ve been work-shopping that when I can, while I write the sequels. I’m hoping Nasty has a run that lasts more than the three, and I’m setting it up as such, but we’ll see.


Tart's Nasty Review [Buy Link:  Kindle only 99 cents at the moment]

First the blurb: Adultery pays. Murder doesn't. That is P.I. Nate 'Nasty' Jepson's motto, and he normally makes his living snapping pictures of cheating spouses. When a stranger is brutally shot in the passenger seat of his car, he finds himself in the middle of a gang war between battling triads, as well as a suspect in the murder. Nate must step far outside his comfort zone to clear himself and live to catch another cheater.

Nate Jessup is a PI in the Pacific Northwest and as the story begins, Nate is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is held up by a desperate man who really just wants help getting away from the beach where they encounter each other, or more specifically, the MEN on the beach who are trying to kill him. Nate ends up with his car exploded and some people after him who think he has something that he doesn't.

The tone of this has a lot in common with the hard boiled detective stories of old, but I felt like it had a lot more heart. Nate isn't a caricature—he has some demons, sure, but he is also balanced—a good person who has just been through some stuff. I also loved the Pacific Northwest setting, though that may be because I have roots there myself.

Overall I loved the tension, story and the nice sprinkling of humor to keep this balanced. And excellent debut.

BRET R. WRIGHT SPLITS HIS TIME BETWEEN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, AND SOUTHERN COLORADO. A NATIVE OF THE ROCKIES, HE LOVES THE MOUNTAINS, AND COULD NOT WAIT TO RETURN TO THEM AFTER HE RETIRED AS A CHIEF PETTY OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY. HE’S A TEACHER, FREELANCE WRITER, AUTHOR, AND CHAMPION FOR UNDERDOGS, EVERYWHERE. THOUGH HE PRETTY MUCH STINKS AT IT, THE MAN INSISTS ON PLAYING BASS IN PUBLIC, MUCH TO THE ENTERTAINMENT AND CONSTERNATION OF HIS WIFE, YOUNGEST SON, AND A VERY PATIENT GOLDEN LAB.

A Crisis of Identity

Halo, fine people! Welcome to First Wednesday and the Insecure Writer's Support Group!

I am feeling particularly insecure this month, so the timing is good.

My regular readers will know because I announced in my Monday Whiny Baby Blog, but for anyone who missed it, my agent fired me.

Okay. Fired is sort of too strong.

She doesn't want What Ales Me though, and doesn't think she's the agent for me. And I'd been so sure What Ales Me was very close to publishing ready, which means I don't know what the heck I'm doing. I am producing dreck and I feel useless.

Tara, Jess, Leanne, Me (front to back)

Thank goodness for Leanne.


I have a writer friend who has been with me from the beginning—she has read everything I've ever done and has edited for me as well as providing good feedback, so when I got the disheartening email from Ellen, I forwarded it to Leanne and asked for honest feedback.


There WERE problems...

Now while this isn't the news I wanted... I WANTED her to say “Oh, that agent doesn't know what she's talking about”... It was the news I needed. And it was accompanied by (*wipes brow*) some of my STRENGTHS as a writer.

I plot well.
My ideas are unique and strong.


What was problematic...

My actual language is pretty utilitarian (I know this—have actually sort of prided myself on my language not getting in the way of the story, but I have perhaps gone too far)

And she suggested that I am over-editing—losing my voice, which USED TO be one of my strengths, but she didn't really see it in this and has previously seen it in stuff that gets too many passes.


She suggests I read more in my TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED genre. No offense to self-pubbing or pre-published, but I need to know what the bench marks are for good current work.

And that I maybe slow down a bit so not so many rounds of editing are needed and more of my original voice is retained.

My own addition... I think I may need to DIAGRAM my mysteries (the ones I do this for work out best) and have more plot points on my timeline. I ALSO think I need to do more longhand—those scenes are always best, so I really need more of them.


Here is to the light at the end of the tunnel. I was feeling pretty lost there for a while, but now I feel a spark of hope. I don't suck. I just picked up some bad habits...

For all of you... find someone who both LOVES you and your writing (and gets what you are trying to do) AND can be objective and tell you hard truths.

Now you should go support some OTHER writers... (link at the top)

The Watery Tart and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Month

I have never been so relieved to have a month over. Seriously. Mercury is still in retrograde until the 11th, but I am seriously hoping my issues were with January. And here is hoping this will be my last whiny baby blog for a while...

My Boss is being replaced at work. I LOVE her and have worked with her a long time, but the administration at the hospital has changed and I believe [redacted because my real opinions would probably get me fired]. It has shaken me up and caused my workplace to feel hostile, even if I still believe very strongly in our mission and care a great deal about the coworkers left (though there is some broken trust I will need to get over).

So my worklife is messed up.


ABNA is gone, which is a blow to my writing routine. But worse...

My agent and I have had a parting of ways. She doesn't want to represent What Ales Me and hasn't been excited about the stuff she's seen post Garden Society stuff... I have been feeling for a while like she doesn't quite get me, but I get attached to people. I stick with relationships even when they maybe aren't ideal because loyalty and permanence are part of my core, so probably this is for the best.

But it feels really scary to be dangling out here agentless again... I will go into this bit more on Wednesday, as that is what Insecure Writer's Support Group is all about, but suffice it to say my writing confidence is totally shaken. I am meant to be editing, but I have lost all confidence that I know how to make something better—I keep getting the idea that my editing makes stuff worse. And MAYBE it is because I haven't found the right “professional” to give me feedback—my FRIENDS who give me feedback seem to improve it... but the pro feedback I've gotten I think maybe sends me off into “try too hard” range and it adds an element of not quite fitting... I need an agent or content editor who really gets me, but I am not in a position to pay for that right now, which means I need to get SOMETHING close enough for an agent to love me.

So my writing life is a mess.

And Remember the Cleanse?

The work shake up largely threw me off, but it wasn't doing huge leaps and strides. I've decided I maybe need some professional help because I am of an age where my hormones may be throwing me a wonky-do, if you know what I mean. I keep reading all these tricks, and I am going to try a few of them (need to eat so the body becomes more alkaline, do super-doses of vitamin D, eat so my body doesn't horde estrogen... really? Does every woman have to do all this crap?

On top of that, on my way home Thursday it was slick, but what I was THINKING about was trying to take advantage of a rare break in traffic on Stadium (where there is no crosswalk) so I stepped to go and slipped, landing hard on my knee. Finally, three days later, the upper part is no longer numb, but around the bottom and inside it is very purple.

So the health issues are fun *rolls eyes*

Facing an Overdone Manuscript

I'm a day late on this... erm... sorry about that.

I am facing an edit on something that has been edited too many times already... there are things I wish I'd never done than need undoing, but also things I did that desperately NEED doing, so going through side by side copies is a little rough. Not only that, but there are a few NEW things I really feel like I need to work in (query sent last Friday notwithstanding).

So what are the BIG things?

Point of View

I wrote this originally in 3rd person (3 points of view) then for the ABNA changed ONE of those to first person (my main character, the ghost, Helen). Then my agent thought I should just stick to ONE PoV.

On rereading... I don't like it in first person. This rose out of a debate I ran into on a NaNoWriMo discussion thread on Facebook... and my OWN freaking answer of all the dumb things:
“Depends: is this a character who would narrate their own story?”

Look at that. Aren't I smart?

The trouble is HELEN IS NOT. She is timid like crazy—disoriented when she has to face the world as it is in 2012 compared to the one she died in in1962... She would not be TELLING her story in so direct away. Never mind that most YA is first person. It doesn't work for Helen.

Everyone has a different part of the story

The OTHER Points of View

Allan is a teacher. I GET why I was advised to drop him, though I am going to have to read carefully because I think there is a lot of information that is much clunkier, but no less necessary to the story, if HE isn't there to learn stuff.

Serena on the other hand... she is arguable the best part of my ABNA version... dropping her was a mistake. I am NOT going to stick to one PoV. So there. I will have to think about Allan. But Serena is in... and I'm thinking I may add the PoV of one of the bad guys. A lot of work, but I think getting some scenes from a bully would be interesting. Also... when Serena was in the first time, she could SEE Helen... later versions she could NOT... I think THIS change was good, so I can't just add her scenes back in. I will need to rewrite.


Big Subplot Clarity

I have some illegal clinical trials going on here... but I think the book needs another iteration of me clarifying this for YA language, rather than “works in research” language. I think it may go over some heads. Though this was on an earlier list, so maybe I got it... I haven't faced this book since 2012.


My BIGGEST Thing though...

I really need to give Helen a bit more spark, and unlike MOST of my MCs, humor is a pretty small part of it. She is dead, timid, and living in a home for juvenile delinquents... The humor a tougher or more cynical character might find in the situation is not hers. But timid, on its own, isn't all that compelling. I need to find her point of connection. I think maybe it's her humanity, in spite of being dead and all... but how do I make the reader feel that?



How about you guys? You ever face a book after YEARS? One that had had MANY iterations? (the latest on this says 12). Any tricks you want to share? Successes? Lessons learned?

A Teary Good-bye: RIP ABNA

So Monday afternoon I got news that for me was very very sad.

I've entered the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest five times. I expected it to be an annual event for a very long time, but sadly, Amazon has another bright shiny idea that they are allowing to take its place.

And it is not UN-shiny... they have something called Kindle Scout where readers get to nominate and vote on pre-published books based on their descriptions... Winners get a small advance ($1,500) and the full power of Amazon's promoting arm...

But...

You knew there was a but, eh? And not a butt, sadly...

They only want COPYEDITED, PROFESSIONAL COVER-WEARING books... which means those significant expenses are on the author... [I mean someone who has already decided to self-publish has nothing to lose, as these should be done anyway, but it DOES dim them compared to other reputable publishers, other than that marketing arm, I mean]. For ABNA, if you won, then they helped you with those things...

And it is on a rolling system... sure they are doing more of them, but there are no giant “8000 cut at pitch” bonding moments among writers. The common journey is 90% of the beauty of ABNA... a pilgrimage in a writer's life, if you will...

And my final issue? No deadline. This is a rolling thing, so there is no urgency. How am I EVER going to get something publication-ready with no deadline!?


So For My ABNA Wake...


The BOOKS (and how I did)

2010: Confluence (the first I ever did and one that will need to be split in two if I ever decide to visit it again. Kicked out at pitch.

2011: Kahlotus Disposal Site (6th book written—this has been repped and subbed and is now back in my lap): This was a semi-finalist in the first year they split General Fiction from Young Adult, so top 50 of 5000 YA.

2012: Legacy (2nd book finished): Quarter-finalist and harshest review at that point—the reviewer found it unnecessarily comlicated, which it may have been. I would also split this in two if I revisit it.

2013: Medium Wrong (11th book): Kicked out at pitch. Of note, this was the year they went from two categories to five, so YA dropped from 1000 passed along to 400. This is the YA after Kahlotus in mind for polishing.

2014: A Shot in the Light: Parts I-IV (13th book, self published serially one part at a time): This book was a semi-finalist in the mystery/thriller category (you can get the full bundled set for $5.99 if you want, or it is for sale as a trilogy if you have already read part of it). Semi-finalist meant top 5—there were only 25 total semi-finalists (instead of the 100 there were when there were only 2 categories)


Now I'm not saying doing well in this contest has been great for my career, but it HAS been great for my confidence. I can write. (my marketing skills on the other hand, are sorely deficient)


But By FAR the BEST part of ABNA has been the solid friendships I've formed. The people I met first on ABNA and then have reinforced either HERE or on Facebook are probably those writer relationships that are strongest (other than my Harry Potter peeps who've been with me since before I was “out” as a writer). I couldn't possibly list them all, but there have been some wonderful successes and some hardships and a whole lotta fun.

On the ABNA site there is a place called the Manse (the origin of the picture below... our little fantasy world) where the most silliness occurs, but there are facebook groups, and over the years I've met people THROUGH ABNA friends who have ALSO been involved.

I really wanted to list all my buddies, but then realized the impossibility of such a task. I will, though, give a shout to the couple who have blogs I read regularly, since blogging is what we are about around here...

Megan Bosnic: Creative Chaos
Allison DeLuca: A Fresh Pot of Tea
Michael DiGesu: In Time
Johanna Garth: Losing Sanity
Jenny Milchman: Suspense Your Disbelief
Erica Olson and Christy Hintz: Erica and Christy
Gae Polisner: Trying to Stay Afloat in a Sea of Word
Helena Soister: Becoming Layla

I'm sure I've missed some, so PLEASE don't be offended. Some others just don't blog very much or I am misremembering and feel like I knew them before we went through ABNA, so no disrespect intended if I met you there and am remembering wrong.

In any case, there are MANY MANY more people who've become good friends from this contest and I will sorely miss it. Though I will have the writer friends with me forever.

Teaching an Old Dog New Twits...

Or something.

So this weekend I made a decision that where I really fall down is on the social media. My marketing has been ineffective, and while I am CLUELESS what would be most effective, I've decided to make Twitter my first domain to conquer.

My LISTS

Followers. Followees. I spent a couple HOURS Saturday cleaning these up. One of the reasons Twitter fell off my list of things to do was it was overwhelming. I dived in too fast and without thought. I hit the limit on how much I was allowed to follow, so I couldn't 'follow back'... which was discouraging. And my FEED was too full to really see what was going on with anyone.

Well the good thing about disappearing is people drop out. Both followers and followees... those lists plummeted and I felt a little liberating in having the flexibility to clean house.

With followees... I went through the entire thing... 1900 or so... and I DROPPED anyone who did not fall into any of the following:

Following me (stayed there except a very few I really saw as distractions)
Industry people (I kept the agents and publishers)
KNOWN to me on another format—here or Facebook

I DID end up dropping several authors, but like I said, nobody I knew and they weren't following me either (I left a few that had common genres with me... but hey... Children's books? Erotic romance? I need to know you).

My list went down to about 1500.

Then I went to my followers and FOLLOWED anyone who I wasn't that was following me (except a few oddball cases that looked like they were shopping for followers—the social marketer “experts” and music or movie sites that usually didn't look relevant)

So now I am at about 1650—room to follow back and closer to manageable.

So How About This Checking It Out?

I found it relatively overwhelming.

My impulse was to ignore... A LOT. Anything with links? I was NOT going there. I was committing a half hour twice a day to learning this and I was NOT going to go read.... really much. One or two things enticed me, but mostly I just cruised past. I ALSO ignored ALL “look at my book”. I believe had they come from people I KNEW that I would have looked—retweeted. But NOT unfamiliar names.

What DID catch my eye? Statements to which I could make a pithy response. (I responded). Good news (I favorited).

I probably would have tried to console bad news...

There were a few pictures I liked (that is new since last time I was there regularly).

I don't know how typical I am, but I think I may not be that unusual, so I offer up this advice, which I plan to follow:

And look. An Oscar Wilde quote illustrating my point...

Keep it a little personal. Let people see YOU. Not your requote of Oscar Wilde, much as I love Oscar Wilde quotes.

I think I am going to try to be a bit like I am on FB with my time available... just lay low and respond to people... retweet their good news, give friendly (humorous when possible) responses when I see personal stuff... I am going to try to make friends. Maybe then I won't feel like it is just a black hole of narcissists.

So... does anyone have good LISTS of agents/industry folks that could help me do this friendly thing with people who I NEED to be connected to? (do they do lists anymore?)

Any tricks you want to share with using Twitter that won't make me hate it? (I do NOT want to approach this as a marketer--it is incompatible with my personality--I want to PLAY, but in a way that is effective)

If you are on Twitter and want to find me I am @hartjohnson

A Bit of Escapism

I probably could have been really productive this weekend, except for a couple of things.

The first is a couple really bad things happened last week. One had to do with my day job and I'm sure there are some rules about me venting too much, at least if I want to keep my job, but I will say it was both sad and infuriating. I was truly angry for a few days, most of which has subsided, but the sad part will last a good long while. Also in the bad week category, my little bitty hometown had a tragedy in the form of somebody I suspect had mental health issues who also, tragically, got his hands on a gun. He killed three long-time residents, one of them the father of friends of mine. I feel horrible my town was so touched and that people I care about have been hurt so badly from it. If anyone wants more details, they are here.

Mostly what I'd like to know is what the gun enthusiasts plans are for helping all the mentally ill people, since gun control seems to be off the table. It's too much.

So I opted for a bit of escapism this weekend and X-finity kindly obliged.

On Demand was offering free Showtime... So instead of writing or immersing myself in negative feelings, I've been having a Homeland marathon.

I have mixed feelings about Homeland but my neighbor buddies I watch a couple shows with both watch it, so I wanted to catch up. I'd borrowed the first two seasons from the Library, but that still left seasons 3 and 4: 24 episodes... I've almost made it... by the time Showtime goes back to normal on Tuesday, I will have.

So what do I like and not?

I love spy stuff. Always have, always will. I like the investigatey, trickery stuff that needs to be done to learn stuff and I like the double-back change ups... that good guys and bad guys don't tend to keep those hats on.

This show moves pretty quickly and has several components to keep us on our toes.

But... First, this is petty, but the jazz music really makes me nuts. I hate the opening and closing music. I don't hate all jazz, but I don't like that disorganized, unpredictable stuff. It's just noise.

Next, I think they've overdone Claire losing it. I get she has mental health issues, and the first time she ran up against it, I loved it. Gave a personal battle angle I really could get behind, but she is hard to watch when she is irrational. And I think her diving into relationships, whether real or 'useful' are hard to buy when she doesn't actually make friends—a person who usually gives nothing, can't so suddenly give everything and be credible. I'm having trouble with season 4, as Brody was my favorite part and he is now gone.

But the show HAS given me a lot of food for thought—ways people can commit crimes against each other or rescue people that seem to have potential for future stories, tricks for communicating, ideas about what is possible surveillance-wise... and I have to admit, it's sucked me in pretty good for a show I really only think is decent, not great.


That said, I am probably 60% done with this editing round. I need to find a couple readers (contemporary YA) before the last pre-ABNA edit... And as I read and edit, I find I mostly really like it, which is not a given when I am editing....


How are all of you doing? On track? Or needing a bit of down time for some reason? Any shows YOU have mixed feelings about that you feel compelled to watch anyway?


And finally, don't forget... if you are interested in reading in a way that supports your buddies, I have a Blog Buddy Book Resolution going (read and review a book a month by a blog buddy). I'd love people to join!