Seat of the pants plotting – Part II

By Ruth de Jauregui

While writing by the seat of your pants can lead to pleasant surprises, a little plotting never hurt a story.

Being a pantser, I start off with little or no planning. A scene comes into the movie that runs in my head, I start writing, and away we go. But, once I get going on the story, I start making notes on plot points that I want to return to before the story ends.

It's a pet peeve, as a reader, to not have any conclusion to some of the plot points. Sure, if it's a series, not every question will be answered, but don't leave me hanging on major points! For example, not to cap on Anne Hillerman's continuation of her father's stories, but I actually went back through her second book to find the "bad guy" scenes. I felt that there simply wasn't enough about that character to lead the reader to the story's conclusion. A few plot notes to remember to mention him a couple more times, one or three more scenes so the reader had a better sense of his "at any cost" determination, would have dramatically improved the story. Having said that, I'm still eagerly awaiting her next venture into the world of Manuelito, Leaphorn and Chee.

Thus, following my own strong opinions, I do end up with a little plotting while letting the story line and characters lead me through the story. Writing is like weaving, the threads should work together to make a coherent whole. In a series, there should be elements that flow from one story to the next to tie them together.

In my own WIP, Bitter's severe mushroom allergy, which was introduced in the short story "Bitter Blood," is an important plot point. The shadows that surround her are also important elements of her stories, even though she makes it very clear that she doesn't believe in ghosts. "Bitter Nights" twists and turns through the events until the final scene.

A little plotting helps me stay on track, even when Bitter wrests the keyboard away and a whole new scene appears on the screen...

#RuthDJ  #Bitter #ASmallGangOfAuthors

Our Guest today is Author Kathleen DuHamel #OurAuthorGang

We're pleased to have with us today, Author Kathleen Duhamel

Kathleen Duhamel is a contemporary fiction writer and author of THE DEEP BLUE TRILOGY (Deep Blue, Deeper, and Deep End), as well as the novella AT HOME WITH ANDRE. She wrote and illustrated her first short story at the age of eight. Her love of the written word continued throughout her varied career as a newspaper journalist and editor, public relations executive, free-lance travel writer, and owner/operator of two small businesses. A native of Texas, she's spent most of her adult life in Colorado. She lives in the Denver area with her husband, a geriatric standard poodle, and a spoiled cat. Kathleen is a lifelong devotee of rock and soul music, contemporary art, and pop culture.

http://www.kathleenduhamel.com

http://www.facebook.com/kathleen.duhamel

http://www.twitter.com/KathleenDuhamel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777VCF6D?tag=geolinker-20

When her close-to-perfect world falls apart, can love still prevail?

After years of struggle and harsh criticism, happily married rock-star wife, Claire Martin, has finally achieved the career success of her dreams. As the featured artist in an international traveling exhibit, she looks forward to her best year ever, while her husband, singer Robert Silver of the legendary rock band Deep Blue, contemplates a return to touring.

Things are also looking up for Claire's best friend, Denise Hrivnak, who's planning her wedding to Robert's musical partner, Art Hoffman. However, what should have been the most joyful day of Denise's life, turns to tragedy when an unexpected event forces both women to contemplate the terrifying possibility of life without the men they love.

Besieged with the paparazzi and sick with worry, Claire waits for answers in a Las Vegas hotel room, thinking over her improbable relationship with Rob and praying that love alone is strong enough to bring her husband back from the brink.

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Guest Author Julia W. Rath at #OurAuthorGang

Our Guest Author today is Julia W. Rath

Julia was formally trained as a social scientist and public policy analyst.  She has a Ph.D. in sociology and a post-doctoral fellowship in the behavioral sciences.  As a project director for the State of New York's Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, she worked on a nationwide study of Medicaid Managed Care as it relates to health and treatment outcomes for people overcoming alcohol and substance abuse. Her previous book Conquering Your Own Sleep Apnea the All-Natural Way tells the story of how she overcame her sleeplessness and breathlessness by making simple, common-sense changes to her diet and environment.  She was also the executive producer of the documentary film “About Face,” the story of German- and Austrian-Jewish G.I.’s who returned to Europe and North Africa to fight the Nazis in World War II.  Eclectic in her interests, she now writes fiction, popular songs, and classical music. Split Self/Torn Mind is her first novel.

https://www.amazon.com/Split-Self-Torn-Mind-Julia/dp/1947532065

Split Self/Torn Mind tells the story of the kidnapping of Dr. Theresa Hightower, a popular professor at The University of Chicago, and the need to rescue her before she is “killed, compromised, or worse.”  In the interim, she has undergone a cruel genetic experiment where she is of two minds in one body.   The story reveals startling truths behind this top-secret research project and touches upon the rationale for building powerful biomedical weapons of war in order to save the world as we know it.   As kindness and cruelty combine in unique ways, the book prompts the question: “Where is the split among the secret places within each one of us?”

Excerpt:
"My consciousness is shifting," I said....  "I don't feel like myself," she said. And now I said, "My mind has two parts.  But I is she, and she is me. Who am I?  What am I? And what have you done to me?!!!"...
"Two consciousnesses in one body!" said the evil Vellum.  "Who would have thunk it?"

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Limiting Magic #OurAuthorGang

Rich Feitelberg

feitelberg.net

With my world-building posts behind me now, I'm going to start a new series of posts, focusing on another topic I'm interested in: magic.

I'm not talking sleight of hand or tricks by Houdini. I'm talking about magic in fantasy stories. Magic of this type comes in all shapes and sizes and is one of the elements that sets fantasy stories apart from other genres.

In this series of posts, I’ll explore a few of the different types you might want to consider.

To start, consider how prevalent magic is in your story or your world. If everyone can do magic then it is not very special and it becomes more like using a cell phone or browsing the internet with a computer.

So I recommend keeping magic limited. Perhaps only one group of people can cast spells. Or perhaps only those who are taught can. Or perhaps magic is restricted to one part of the world by law or physical limitations.

The Harry Potter approach is that the use of magic is limited because the existence of wizards is secret. In a heroic fantasy story that’s not likely, but the use of magic could be outlawed because people of scared of wizards who can wield so much power. To balance that, you might set limits on how much magic any one people can do. Perhaps some spells are more costly than others. Or perhaps the trick is to break the spell caster’s concentration so he or she can’t cast spells.

Another aspect to think about is where does the power for magic come from? It is in the air or are wizards using a piece of themselves when they can spells. If the power is in the air, it can be like heat or light, something that exists in the environment that the wizard can draw upon. The limiting factor here is that casting spells is like physical exertion so eventually the wizard needs to rest. If the power from within the wizard, then each time the individual calls upon the power, the spell caster is eating away at him or herself, like a cancer. The effect of that is the wizard ages, grows gaunt, loses their hair, as if dying from cancer.

Regardless of the limiting factors you select, there are likely to be rules among the wizards about how and when to use spells. Likewise there probably rules for casting spells. We’ll look at these in the next post.

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Christmas in Camelot ~ Part 1 #Christmas #Arthurian #Legends #OurAuthorGang

By Mary Anne Yarde

Like a sparrow flying through a Mead Hall…

"...O King...you sit a supper in winter, with your commanders and ministers, with a good fire in the midst, while the storms of rain and snow rage outside..."

The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English

Bede's Sparrow in the Hall 

Winter in the Dark Ages was a long, drawn-out affair. There was no magic light switch you could flick on to banish the dark. Days were short. Nights were long. The world was in hibernation. Food was scarce, and it was cold. Winter was hard, and death from illness or starvation was a very real threat. It was no wonder that the pagans wanted to celebrate Midwinter and New Years Day.

Interestingly, it wasn't until the 4th Century when Church leaders in Rome embraced this pagan holiday and made it their own. And over the centuries this pagan celebration has been 'added' to, until we have the Christmas that we know and love today.

What was Christmas like in Arthurian Britain?

I need to make one thing clear before I begin — many of the stories that we know of Arthur and his Knights are just that, stories. There is nothing substantial to them. So a Christmas at Camelot would have been highly unlikely. The 12th Century French Poets certainly gave Arthur a castle for himself and his Knights, but Camelot itself didn't come about until the 15th Century when Thomas Malory invented it in his great work, Le Morte d'Arthur.  Which kinds of puts a whole dampener on “Christmas in Camelot!”

Obviously, our Dark Age ancestors celebrated Midwinter and New Year, but when we are dealing with Arthur, we have to contend with a fictitious Christmas as well.

So today I am going to explore the kind of food you might have found at King Arthur's table at Christmas...

Pottage — which was the staple diet for most, but at a feast, it would have been the best pottage you ever tasted. The Rolls-Royse of Pottage!

Roasted Goose and Partridge may have been on the menu.

Salmon.

Dry cured hams.

A boars head.

Venison.

Cheese.

Eggs — preserved ones, because chickens tend to stop laying during the winter months. It is only how chickens are farmed nowadays that ensures we have fresh eggs throughout the year.

Pastries

The only fresh vegetables would have been seasonal, but back in the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages for that matter, it was not recommended to eat raw fruit and veg, for fear of dysentery – one of the biggest killers of the time.

Of course, they would also have had ale, mead, wine, and beer to wash it all down with! There may well have been one or two rosy faces by the end of the feast!

There would have been music, and entertainment and that is what I am going to explore in my next post because, forget charades, the Knights played something far more interesting...

War is coming to Saxon Briton…

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Santa Claus or St. Nicholas? #OurAuthorGang

Santa Claus or St. Nicholas?

It depends on where you live

By Erika M Szabo

http://www.authorerikamszabo.com

Photo from Pinterest

It is fascinating how holiday celebrations evolved throughout the centuries, many different customs combined and new customs begun.

Santa Claus doesn't bring presents for children for Christmas in most European countries, but St Nicholas does on December 6th and Christmas Day focuses on the Christ Child.

Who is St. Nicholas?

Quote from the St. Nicholas Center website:

"The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves, and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th (December 19 on the Julian Calendar).

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need."

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/

Throughout the centuries St. Nicholas has continued to be venerated by Catholics and Orthodox and honored by Protestants. By his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, St. Nicholas continues to be a model for the compassionate life.

On the night of December 5th children in Hungary carefully polish their best shoes and put it on the windowsill or in front of the door to be filled by St. Nicholas, (Mikulás in Hungarian), sometime during the night. The good bishop comes with a big sack full of presents and a large record book with children's good and bad deeds. He used to come with two helpers: a good angel who helped to give out presents and a bad Krampus devil who punished mischief.

Photo from Pinterest

In the night St. Nicholas leaves little bags filled with candy, chocolate Mikulás figures, fruit, books, and small toys. Naughty children find twigs painted gold or a wooden spoon. Most children get some of each as no one is all good or all bad.

Photo from Pinterest

Mikulás-day is also celebrated in schools and day care centers. Children sing Mikulás songs and recite poems. St. Nicholas calls them by name and has a personal message for each child. He may stay to play or watch a movie with the children.

In the cities Bishop Miklós is getting more confused with Santa; it is common to see Santa-type figures with bishop's crozier.

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas' feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops collect donations for the poor. In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrives on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint's horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ Child.

My children's book collection makes nice little presents for children 2-17

http://tinyurl.com/y8ezdcbr

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