Autocorrect or not autocorrect?

Those of you who have read one of my books will know that I write in the fantasy genre.  And, as is common in that genre, many of the characters have super-funky names like Gremnederbeer and Fhallix.  Ok, not really.  No one has those names, but my character's names are far from mainstream. Of course, mainstream names are getting weirder and weirder--but that’s a whole different soapbox.

Anyway, I am finding that it is hard to keep track of the weird names.  Not only do my fingers screw up and mistype them, but I can’t seem to remember them from page to page.  Was it Germenderbeer or Gremnederbeer? As a semi-tech-savvy person, I am tempted to add these names to Word’s dictionary to help my puny human brain out. Yet, that seems perilous. Will my computer start auto-correcting German beer to Gremnederbeer? I can’t have that! That’s a whole different kind of beer.

So, I am left wondering what the masters like Tolkien and George R.R. Martin do. Obviously not Tolkien, since he was writing in the time of feather pens and scrolls, but Martin and his brethren. I mean, Martin has to have enough flow charts in his study tracking the characters and whether they’ve lost their heads to rival the most prolific schizophrenic, so maybe he could just refer to them. But those of us who don’t want wait five years for his next book would prefer him not looking up every ten seconds to check the spelling. Seems like a little tech-assist would be the way to go. So, George R.R. Martin, if you’re reading my blog, should I add Gremnederbeer to my dictionary?

Whose voice is it anyway?

I listen to audiobooks in my car constantly.  I'm not sure I could get from one place to the other without someone blabbing at me. It's a good thing.


What is interesting is that if I am listening to a dark, suspenseful book, I find that I come home and write in a dark and suspenseful style.  And when I listen to a lighthearted chick book, that's how my voice comes out when I write.  I suppose that could mean that, over the years that it takes me to write and edit a book, what the end product ends up an inconsistent mish mash of styles. I'd like to think that it all evens out, but I have to wonder. I might not even notice! 

I also wonder who is really writing this book.  I suppose we take our inspiration from all things around us, but it just seems disingenuous. On the other hand, maybe taking the best of what I'm exposed to makes me better...or at least my writing better  We can hope.

Are vampires dead?

Ah, Drusilla, how I miss your creepy, insane vampiness.

Okay, duh, vampires are dead. Although I have never met one and taken his/her pulse so, I can't verify that. The question is really, "Is vampire literature dead?"

When I started writing Secrets, I was kind of banking on the fact that vampire fiction was played. Not just vampires...I had seen wizards and vampires and werewolves done and I figured I'd go a different direction. Not that I was dying to write vampire novel, but that was my reasoning. And so I went with aliens. I know... that's also been done...

Anyway, as some of you may know, I have taken the stance that I will only read 99 cent ebooks. I haven't exactly stuck to that, but it's close. What I have found in my sashay through the bargain books is that vampire books are alive and well. And werewolves, fairies, witches, angels ,trolls... Yeah, they may not be bestsellers, but there are plenty of paranormal books that are. So, I believe I was wrong. Vampire lit is not dead. Paranormal lit is thriving and growing.

Do I wish I had written a vampire book? Not really. Will my next book be about vampires? I guess you'll just have to wait and see!

Finally, to follow up on creepy Dru, let me finish with my very favorite vampire:

Swimming to Portland

Yes, it's me. Aren't I awesome. And, from afar, I look naked.

I wish I looked that fantastic... clothed or naked.

So, my insane friends and I are "swimming to Portland"-- as in, swimming the distance to Portland. You know who you are, insane friends. And we are swimming huge amounts of yardage trying to keep up with/beat each other. And it is a blast. And it is painful. And I am seeing stars. But that might be all the Sangria.

What does this have to do with your novel, Star-crossed, Laurel? Well, I'm glad you asked. Because Star-crossed, while it seems to be sci-fiy and romance, is really a swimming novel. And Chara looks just like tight buns in the photo there.

Say what?

Ok, that is a stretch. But one of my characters is a swimmer. Brett might seem minor, but in the only-written-in-my-head third novel, his roll is significant. There is much swimming.

And, of course, since most of the book was written in my head as I swam laps back and forth, it is a novel born of swimming.

Ok, so that is a stretch. But what can I say, I am full of Sangria. It makes sense to me. Perhaps you should try some Sangria and read this again and it will make sense.

Pardee out.

For love or money

The other day, my 10 year old asked me if people write for the money or for fame. That made me consider why I wrote the Star-crossed books. As I mentioned before, they originally were a challenge to my lazy children to write themselves. But once I got into writing them for serious and finishing them... did I want riches or fame? Or, more realistically, a bit of pocket change or recognition?

Well, when I chose to self-publish, I was thinking that I just wanted to get my book out to all my friends so they could read it and, hopefully, like it. Because, really, what's the point of spending years of your life writing and editing if the book is just going to sit on your hard drive? It's a nice mental exercise but it feels a bit wasted. So that's what I did. And many of my friends have read and at least pretending to like Secrets. So, hurray! Goal accomplished.

But, I guess it would be nice to make a little money. I am blessed to have all my needs met and then some. But I feel like I am pouring money into copies of the books to hand out to friends and I know my outflow will exceed my intake. So... a few healthy sales would be nice.

So... I guess the answer is, for both love and money. At least for me. What about the rest of you writers?

Pardee out.

The joke is on me

Two years ago I put up my easel and my paints and engrossed myself in the very entertaining task of writing a novel. Initially it was an effort to inspire my girls to write over the summer, but it took on a life of its own.

Now, here I am, publishing said novel and realizing that I need some bitchin' cover art because the photo I used as the cover is too blah. And as I am searching for art, I am learning that I will need to pay $350-ish for said cover art. So for my 99 cent ebook that I will be lucky to make $20 from, I will need to pay hundreds of dollars for the cover. Twice, because there are two books.

Silly Laurel, you should have stuck with painting!