Hi all,
Awhile ago on this blog, I talked about characters and their traits, that is, to keep the character’s physical attributes consistent. Know whether they’re left handed (Phantom, Dracula) or right handed (Mina, Christine). Also, be careful of hair color, eye color and height of the characters (even the ‘minor’ ones) and make certain they stay the same throughout the course of not only your novel but also of your series of books, if you’re writing one (like I am at the present).
So now you have all the details of the characters. But you’re missing an important aspect. Scenery. Huh? You might be saying to yourself now. I’m not doing a play, I’m writing a novel. Well, yes, but that detail is as important for one as it is for the other. If you’re still confused, let me explain.
One of my favorite authors is a beautiful descriptor of scenery in her books. She describes everything. What the characters are wearing, what the furniture looks like. Even the patterns on the drapes hanging in one of the rooms. Wow. But yeah, she’s an amazing writer and that’s why this woman is one of my favorite authors. But I digress.
Describing scenery allows the reader to place the characters in his/her mind in a ‘space’ in their imagination. The more detailed the description, the more ‘real’ the scene may feel for the reader reading it. Now, one can go overboard with too many descriptions but my post was not about that so I won’t mention that aspect. However, I should just say that describing one’s scene should help set the tone for the story and enrich the action/emotion for the reader reading it. Too much description can remove the reader emotionally from the story. But yeah, description of the scene is a good thing.
Now, you’re done writing several scenes of the book, maybe even completed the first novel. And in the second novel, story, you have to revisit one of those scenes. The most important piece of advice that I can give my fellow writers in this situation is to make certain that the scenery and the furniture does not change. In other words, if there is a brass bed in the room, in the second book, unless the characters went shopping, the bed stays brass. And if there’s two chairs in the room in book one, there should be the same amount in the second book. Particularly, if you described the room or the furniture in detail. Again, at least IMO, it is important to stay consistent not only within the book but within one’s series.
So how does one keep track of all those ‘minor’ but very important details? A writing notebook. I have one where I keep a list of all my characters, short physical descriptions, short bios of each character and also, the rooms that I use for the scenes. In that way then, I can use my writing notebook as my ‘encyclopedia’ of information for my Dracula-Phantom universe and can ‘look up’ any detailed information I may have forgotten. I also suggest that you draw a picture of the setup of each ‘scene’ so that you can see the placement of the furniture in the room. That way, a character can stand with the chair on in right both in book one. And later then, in book five. Do you have to be so exact with the details? Well, no but IMO, it shows that you’re not only worrying about the ‘big’ picture of your novel/universe (characters, plot) but also, about the ‘little’ things in one’s book/universe. And in doing so, your longtime readers will appreciate you for it. And keep buying your books. Which is always a good thing:)
Until next time, take care all,
Chris
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Vampires at the Opera tie-in merchandise..........
Hi all,
After talking with some of you, there were some people interested in buying t-shirts and other merchandise with the "Vampires at the Opera" cover art. I really love the picture adorning the front of my novel. Thanks, Linda for making it look so striking.
If you want to buy the tie-in merchandise, please go here http://www.cafepress.com/vampiresatopera
We are selling through the website, cafepress.com.
With both vampires and Phantom, how could one resist? I'm buying my own t-shirt as well:)
Thanks again for your support!
Take care,
Chris
After talking with some of you, there were some people interested in buying t-shirts and other merchandise with the "Vampires at the Opera" cover art. I really love the picture adorning the front of my novel. Thanks, Linda for making it look so striking.
If you want to buy the tie-in merchandise, please go here http://www.cafepress.com/vampiresatopera
We are selling through the website, cafepress.com.
With both vampires and Phantom, how could one resist? I'm buying my own t-shirt as well:)
Thanks again for your support!
Take care,
Chris
Thank you to my fans!
Hi all,
Just wanted to make a short post to thank those that have purchased my first novel, "Vampires at the Opera". I really appreciate your support for my universe and hope that you will stay around to watch the universe expand and deepen. I'm working on the second book now:)
Also, some good news for you all. There is a strong possibility that my publishing company may sell t-shirts, mugs and other items with the book cover art. Stay tuned for details. I will post a link when these become available.
Take care all,
Chris
Just wanted to make a short post to thank those that have purchased my first novel, "Vampires at the Opera". I really appreciate your support for my universe and hope that you will stay around to watch the universe expand and deepen. I'm working on the second book now:)
Also, some good news for you all. There is a strong possibility that my publishing company may sell t-shirts, mugs and other items with the book cover art. Stay tuned for details. I will post a link when these become available.
Take care all,
Chris
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Thank you Linda and Lisa at L&L Dreamspell for making me realize my personal dream of being a published author.
Hi all,
If you don’t know by now, my first novel, “Vampires at the Opera” went on sale on Monday. If you are over 18 and would like to purchase it, it is available at the Dreamspell website. For someone who is a first time author, words cannot describe the wonderful and very emotional feeling of seeing one’s book listed on the various book selling websites.
Today, I received my author copies in the mail and loads of goodies from Dreamspell.
I loved the shirt and the tote bag but it felt incredible to finally physically hold the actual novel in my hands. I am extremely pleased with the overall look of the book as well as what is between the pages. Thanks Linda for doing a wonderful cover (I loved it from the first time that I saw it!). I want to thank Lisa who did a great job editing my manuscript for publication. It reads so smooth and sharp! Thanks also to Linda and Lisa for the beautifully framed memento commemorating the publication of my novel. It was a very touching gift and I have it in my office now, next to my computer.
I also want to say a special "thank you" to my fans who have followed me and my universe. I hope you will support my novel and stay around to see what happens next in my Dracula Phantom of the Opera series.
Which brings me to sharing with you all my next goal. As excited as I am to now have my novel set free for all to read, I have to confess, publishing it has made me eager to achieve my new ambition. The writing of my second novel in my Dracula-Phantom of the Opera series.
Take care all,
Chris
If you don’t know by now, my first novel, “Vampires at the Opera” went on sale on Monday. If you are over 18 and would like to purchase it, it is available at the Dreamspell website. For someone who is a first time author, words cannot describe the wonderful and very emotional feeling of seeing one’s book listed on the various book selling websites.
Today, I received my author copies in the mail and loads of goodies from Dreamspell.
I loved the shirt and the tote bag but it felt incredible to finally physically hold the actual novel in my hands. I am extremely pleased with the overall look of the book as well as what is between the pages. Thanks Linda for doing a wonderful cover (I loved it from the first time that I saw it!). I want to thank Lisa who did a great job editing my manuscript for publication. It reads so smooth and sharp! Thanks also to Linda and Lisa for the beautifully framed memento commemorating the publication of my novel. It was a very touching gift and I have it in my office now, next to my computer.
I also want to say a special "thank you" to my fans who have followed me and my universe. I hope you will support my novel and stay around to see what happens next in my Dracula Phantom of the Opera series.
Which brings me to sharing with you all my next goal. As excited as I am to now have my novel set free for all to read, I have to confess, publishing it has made me eager to achieve my new ambition. The writing of my second novel in my Dracula-Phantom of the Opera series.
Take care all,
Chris
Saturday, October 6, 2007
You have a deadline for next week and you’re stressed, worried and out of ideas. What should you do?
Take a vacation.
Hi all,
When I was younger, I worked at a very demanding job. One in which I used to work Saturdays and sometimes, Sundays. My co-workers around me also did the same thing. And after several seven day weeks, we were all pretty burnt. And then, much to my boss’ dismay, I started working six day weeks and taking Sundays off. And I realized something important. When I came back on Monday, I felt much more rested (even just a 24 hour rest can do wonders for us) and the work I produced had much more thought, insight and creativity than when I worked seven day weeks.
Well, I am out of that job (actually, my writing work takes up most of my spare time now) but I still remember what I learned back then and apply it to my present situation. Sometimes we all push ourselves so hard that we forget that creativity needs time to grow. Now, one could argue that you could do other things and think about your stories. Which is what I mostly do. Well, actually, much of my plotting is done while driving. I dunno, it helps to have something to do when driving:)
But I’ve found that taking some time off and going back to stories/plots etc. has helped me see things in a new way. So yeah, I do think taking a ‘vacation’ from your work does enrich it when you come back to your writing.
Now, I’ve put the word vacation in quotes because I’m really not talking about booking a cruise to the Bahamas when your rough draft for your book is due next week. Nope, not that. Rather, I’m talking about giving yourself permission to take a couple of hours, a day, two days tops to unwind and not to purposefully think about writing. Though when I’m not actively planning stuff, I can still ‘hear’ my characters talking to me. Can’t shut them out totally. LOL. Yeah, I guess that was TMI but I think you can understand what I’m trying to say here.
So, to sum up, if you’re a writer and you’re having a little difficulty (maybe even staring at that blank white page for awhile), the best thing that I could offer as advice for you is to get up out of your chair and do something else. Anything else. Read. Take a walk. Go to the beach for a day with your kids. When you come back at night (or even, the next one), you’ll be much more refreshed and be able to tackle your story with a new, original perspective. Or at least, you’ll be able to sit at your desk and wear your blank t-shirt and maybe eat some of the wonderful snacks you brought home. Because life is meant for writing. But on some sunny days, life is meant for the beach:)
Take care all,
Chris
Hi all,
When I was younger, I worked at a very demanding job. One in which I used to work Saturdays and sometimes, Sundays. My co-workers around me also did the same thing. And after several seven day weeks, we were all pretty burnt. And then, much to my boss’ dismay, I started working six day weeks and taking Sundays off. And I realized something important. When I came back on Monday, I felt much more rested (even just a 24 hour rest can do wonders for us) and the work I produced had much more thought, insight and creativity than when I worked seven day weeks.
Well, I am out of that job (actually, my writing work takes up most of my spare time now) but I still remember what I learned back then and apply it to my present situation. Sometimes we all push ourselves so hard that we forget that creativity needs time to grow. Now, one could argue that you could do other things and think about your stories. Which is what I mostly do. Well, actually, much of my plotting is done while driving. I dunno, it helps to have something to do when driving:)
But I’ve found that taking some time off and going back to stories/plots etc. has helped me see things in a new way. So yeah, I do think taking a ‘vacation’ from your work does enrich it when you come back to your writing.
Now, I’ve put the word vacation in quotes because I’m really not talking about booking a cruise to the Bahamas when your rough draft for your book is due next week. Nope, not that. Rather, I’m talking about giving yourself permission to take a couple of hours, a day, two days tops to unwind and not to purposefully think about writing. Though when I’m not actively planning stuff, I can still ‘hear’ my characters talking to me. Can’t shut them out totally. LOL. Yeah, I guess that was TMI but I think you can understand what I’m trying to say here.
So, to sum up, if you’re a writer and you’re having a little difficulty (maybe even staring at that blank white page for awhile), the best thing that I could offer as advice for you is to get up out of your chair and do something else. Anything else. Read. Take a walk. Go to the beach for a day with your kids. When you come back at night (or even, the next one), you’ll be much more refreshed and be able to tackle your story with a new, original perspective. Or at least, you’ll be able to sit at your desk and wear your blank t-shirt and maybe eat some of the wonderful snacks you brought home. Because life is meant for writing. But on some sunny days, life is meant for the beach:)
Take care all,
Chris
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Is you or is you ain‘t a Hero………..
Hi all,
So, there’s been a lot of discussion among various authors whose blogs I read about what constitutes a hero. Or for those of us, like me, who write unconventionally, an anti-hero.
And really, after some thought I came up with two things that sort of draw the line between hero and not. First, I think that the hero/anti-hero should never rape his lover. Well, unless, he’s not in his ‘right’ mind. And then, yeah, that’s an entirely different set of circumstances. But I do believe ‘no rape of loved ones’.
The second ‘rule’ that I tend to follow when writing my heroes/anti-heroes is also not to have them be physically abusive (not talking S/M, B/D stuff here) to their lover. Maybe it’s me but when a hero strikes the person that he/she loves, I personally feel that they have crossed some ‘magical’ line and cannot be considered heroes anymore.
So, I guess these are the two simple guidelines that I go by write heroes. Reading fiction, if the hero violates the two above ‘rules’, yeah, I usually am turned off by the book and don’t purchase the next in the series.
Now, as I’ve said, anti-heroes have much more leeway when it comes to rape/abuse, etc. But while they may rape, pillage and burn houses to the ground, label me a softie but I still want the characters to go home at night and kiss their wives/kids. And go “Hey, honey, what a really bad day I’ve had.” Well, not quite, but I think you get the picture.
I’ve read many a piece where the main character has violated one or both of the above rules. And well, while the character may be well-written, unfortunately, I can’t see them as a hero. Good character, check. Strong character, check. But hero? Um nope. Don’t believe that.
I hope then my short entry here will have you consider just what you think a hero is when you go off and write your next piece. Or you can just go listen to the Bonnie Tyler song. Awesome song. And true. Very true.
Take care all,
Chris
So, there’s been a lot of discussion among various authors whose blogs I read about what constitutes a hero. Or for those of us, like me, who write unconventionally, an anti-hero.
And really, after some thought I came up with two things that sort of draw the line between hero and not. First, I think that the hero/anti-hero should never rape his lover. Well, unless, he’s not in his ‘right’ mind. And then, yeah, that’s an entirely different set of circumstances. But I do believe ‘no rape of loved ones’.
The second ‘rule’ that I tend to follow when writing my heroes/anti-heroes is also not to have them be physically abusive (not talking S/M, B/D stuff here) to their lover. Maybe it’s me but when a hero strikes the person that he/she loves, I personally feel that they have crossed some ‘magical’ line and cannot be considered heroes anymore.
So, I guess these are the two simple guidelines that I go by write heroes. Reading fiction, if the hero violates the two above ‘rules’, yeah, I usually am turned off by the book and don’t purchase the next in the series.
Now, as I’ve said, anti-heroes have much more leeway when it comes to rape/abuse, etc. But while they may rape, pillage and burn houses to the ground, label me a softie but I still want the characters to go home at night and kiss their wives/kids. And go “Hey, honey, what a really bad day I’ve had.” Well, not quite, but I think you get the picture.
I’ve read many a piece where the main character has violated one or both of the above rules. And well, while the character may be well-written, unfortunately, I can’t see them as a hero. Good character, check. Strong character, check. But hero? Um nope. Don’t believe that.
I hope then my short entry here will have you consider just what you think a hero is when you go off and write your next piece. Or you can just go listen to the Bonnie Tyler song. Awesome song. And true. Very true.
Take care all,
Chris
Thursday, September 13, 2007
A Pleasant Surprise ………….
Hi all,
Before I write more in my blog, let me preface all this by saying I love my fans and enjoy interacting with all of you. It has been fun talking with others who like my universe and find it as fun to immerse themselves in reading it as I have been doing writing the stuff. It’s been great and I hope to hear more from all of you:)
Now, though, I’d like to mention one segment of my fans whom I thought I wouldn’t get many of. The guys. Because you see, I’m a romance writer. With more than a smattering of erotica thrown in there for good measure. Though my characters are vampires, my universe, while having horror elements is mainly romance. And mostly, starting out, I thought that the great majority, if not all, of my fans (if I ever even had any, that is) would be women. Because most women tend to read romantic/erotic fiction, including romantic horror fiction. But then, I started getting emails/comments on my blog from my male fans. And the guys’ notes were very similar to my female fans’ comments. Much like the women who liked my work, the men also found something relatable in the characters that I was writing about. And all in all, they enjoyed reading about my characters, including the more romantic aspects of them. Because I do write about male characters being husbands, fathers, friends. And these are experiences that both male and females can relate to. So, I suppose that’s what attracts men to reading my work.
In any case, it is an unexpected pleasure to have male fans. And I just wanted to take some time to give a shout out to all the guys who read my work and are reading this blog tonight. Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoy my work. I hope, as I continue to write, you will all continue to find my characters/plots enjoyable and fun for you. I appreciate you reading me and I do thank you for your support!
Would my male fans want to see more violence, an emphasis on the horror aspect rather than the romance side? Some have expressed a desire for me to write more of that though most are happy with reading what I am writing now. Will I put more emphasis on that area rather than on the romance side of things? Probably not since I enjoy both writing and reading romantic/erotic literature. So yeah, I’m probably not one to write in the pure horror genre. I’ll leave that to great writers like Stephen King. But, there are times when I’m thinking about an idea and I’m ‘sitting on the fence’ as it were as to whether to include more of the gorier aspects of vampirism. And now, knowing more of the demographics of my fans, I might be swayed to write more of this. Because now I realize that romance fans are not just women. They’re men too. And everyone likes a good romantic story every now and then. With some sexy stuff on the side:)
Take care all,
Chris
Before I write more in my blog, let me preface all this by saying I love my fans and enjoy interacting with all of you. It has been fun talking with others who like my universe and find it as fun to immerse themselves in reading it as I have been doing writing the stuff. It’s been great and I hope to hear more from all of you:)
Now, though, I’d like to mention one segment of my fans whom I thought I wouldn’t get many of. The guys. Because you see, I’m a romance writer. With more than a smattering of erotica thrown in there for good measure. Though my characters are vampires, my universe, while having horror elements is mainly romance. And mostly, starting out, I thought that the great majority, if not all, of my fans (if I ever even had any, that is) would be women. Because most women tend to read romantic/erotic fiction, including romantic horror fiction. But then, I started getting emails/comments on my blog from my male fans. And the guys’ notes were very similar to my female fans’ comments. Much like the women who liked my work, the men also found something relatable in the characters that I was writing about. And all in all, they enjoyed reading about my characters, including the more romantic aspects of them. Because I do write about male characters being husbands, fathers, friends. And these are experiences that both male and females can relate to. So, I suppose that’s what attracts men to reading my work.
In any case, it is an unexpected pleasure to have male fans. And I just wanted to take some time to give a shout out to all the guys who read my work and are reading this blog tonight. Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoy my work. I hope, as I continue to write, you will all continue to find my characters/plots enjoyable and fun for you. I appreciate you reading me and I do thank you for your support!
Would my male fans want to see more violence, an emphasis on the horror aspect rather than the romance side? Some have expressed a desire for me to write more of that though most are happy with reading what I am writing now. Will I put more emphasis on that area rather than on the romance side of things? Probably not since I enjoy both writing and reading romantic/erotic literature. So yeah, I’m probably not one to write in the pure horror genre. I’ll leave that to great writers like Stephen King. But, there are times when I’m thinking about an idea and I’m ‘sitting on the fence’ as it were as to whether to include more of the gorier aspects of vampirism. And now, knowing more of the demographics of my fans, I might be swayed to write more of this. Because now I realize that romance fans are not just women. They’re men too. And everyone likes a good romantic story every now and then. With some sexy stuff on the side:)
Take care all,
Chris
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