Author’s Interview: Olive M. Creed

Hi everyone! Ariel here with another author’s interview. Today’s author is Olive Creed, the author of Fallen King, the first fantasy novel in the series Chronicles of Elyndia. Thanks for being here with me today, Olive! I’m so glad to have you. As we’re starting off the interview today, could you tell us all a bit about yourself?

I’m a homeschool graduate who lives on a homestead with my family. When I’m not chasing chickens or writing, I like to experiment in the kitchen, paint, and play around with graphic design!

That’s wonderful! I’m also a homeschool grad myself, and I grew up out in the country with chickens and a giant garden, so I can relate. It can be lots of fun, though it’s also a lot of work! So, as I noted in the introduction, you do write fantasy, but what type of fantasy do you write, and do you write any other genres? Then, as a follow up, can you tell us why you chose that style or flavor of writing?

I write Fantasy, and it ranges from what I call Cowboy Fantasy (historical fantasy that’s not really based on one specific time period) to Dystopian Fantasy. I love dabbling in different genres, but love the world building that comes with Fantasy. I’ve attempted writing Modern Day Fiction, but it always ends up Fantasy!

That’s really interesting. I’ve never heard the term Cowboy Fantasy before, so you’ve taught me something new. I love historical fantasy though, so I’m sure it would be right up my alley! I also know what you mean about things always ending up fantasy. I’ve dabbled with sci-fi, but somehow, I always end up with either pure fantasy or cross-genre fiction with fantasy as the main genre. Now, most authors are also readers. So tell us, what genres do you read, and do you write the same ones?

I read a lot of different genres when I have the time to sit down and focus. As long as there’s no sex (preferably very little romance) no gore, and no horrible language, I’ll give it a shot! Though, currently, most of my books in my meager collection is Fantasy, LOL.

That makes perfect sense. A lot of authors seem to mostly read the genres they write, I find. If we enjoy reading it, chances are high we’ll also like writing it, though that’s only a general rule. So besides reading and writing, what are some of the things you like to do to relax?

I like to Role Play with friends, paint, bake, and cuddle chicks. Sometimes I’ll read or watch something, but it’s usually too much to focus on when I’m trying to relax, LOL

I hear you there! I like to watch things to relax, but often I need something that’s not going to require a lot of focus if I’m really going to relax. Even better is an activity totally unrelated to work! As someone who edits and writes for a living, it’s not always relaxing to go sit down and write or edit my own projects off work hours! I definitely understand wanting something else, and these activities sound like awesome ways to take a break physically and mentally. So this is one of the fun questions! What can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?

My current WIP is book three in my Chronicles of Elyndia series. It’s called Tainted Throne. I can’t say too much without spoiling the two previous books, but there’s lots of pirates in it!

Oh, how fun! I love pirates. They always make things more entertaining! So I kind of spoiled the answer to this question since I noted that you’re the author of the first book in the Chronicles of Elyndia series, but… I’ll ask anyway… If you’ve published (self-published or traditionally published), can you tell us a little about the experience? If this is your first experience, what has that been like?

I’m indie published, published my first book in August. I…still have not quite grasped marketing yet!

It was a little overwhelming hiring out edits and formatting and all that, but at the same time, it’s very rewarding! My editor has been a tremendous help keeping me sane and helping me along, and I’m very thankful for her!

That’s great! Sounds like you found yourself an excellent teammate to work with from the start. Editors really can make or break the process of prepping a book for publishing, and I’m glad you found a good one, especially for a first experience! So for the next question, let’s talk about gaining inspiration. For your current series, what were your inspirations for writing?

I take a lot of experiences I’ve had, blow them up to Fantasy Proportions, and then throw them onto my characters, LOL. Book one in my series, Fallen King, was inspired by a random image that came to mind one day while I was doing homework with my best friend. It was a lone survivor, bleeding and more dead than alive, standing in the middle of a massacre.

Those are some interesting sources of inspiration! It’s really neat to hear about where other authors get their ideas from. I work a lot like you do from the sounds of it, since I also tend to grab experiences I’ve had, things I’ve observed, and random inspirations that hit while living life to inspire my work. So now that we know a bit about your writing and your process, can you tell us who got you into writing when you first started?

My mum really got me into it. She’s a book worm, and I’ve been a storyteller since I could talk. I would entertain my younger sisters at bedtime with the most outrageous stories in existence! As I got older, my mum started encouraging me to write down my stories and learn how to write an actual book. My first attempts will never see the light of day! (Especially since most were lost in a house fire, LOL)

Oh, no! That’s so sad. I know I always smile a bit looking back at old work because it really shows how much progress I’ve made up to now, so I can’t even imagine losing the ones I felt were worth keeping to a fire! But it’s great that you had the encouragement to start writing from your mom! It’s always nice when family comes alongside to support you as a writer. Speaking of support, was there anyone who came alongside you at any point when you were struggling in your writing journey and made a real difference? If so, who and why?

My two best friends. I would not still be writing today if it wasn’t for them. One has been my best friend since before I started writing, and has encouraged me the entire way. Even when book after book was a complete “failure”. My other best friend, I met almost two years ago as I was editing the Chronicles of Elyndia series (back when it was one ginormous book with no consistent plot and a complete overwhelming mess.) She helped me straighten everything out and encouraged me to keep going when I wanted to quit.

Wow! Sounds like you had really solid friends. I’m glad they kept you writing! In light of your own journey as a writer, what advice would you give to aspiring authors and writers just starting on the writing journey?

The first book you write is likely not going to be the one you publish. And that’s okay! Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re wasting your time. You’re learning and perfecting the art of writing, and that takes time! Just write, and write for yourself first.

And if you want to write the craziest, whackiest, weirdest story ever, then write it! One, if you don’t enjoy what you write, chances are, neither will anyone else. And two, people love weird, crazy stories.

Those are definitely good points to keep in mind. I know I didn’t publish my very first book, and I actually published one that I later unpublished because it really never should’ve seen the light of day. It happens, and when we’re learning, we’re going to learn in different ways and make mistakes as we go. And the weirder the story, the better in writing, just as long as it makes sense! Sometimes the weirdest stories are the ones that most hold attention as you’re reading. In the same grain as the last question, what is one thing you wish someone had told you before you started writing?

Don’t take criticism from people who haven’t read your story. And, even if they have, just because they say something is wrong doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. Use your Authorly Wisdom to discern what actually needs fixing, or what is just something they aren’t a fan of.

Oh, yes! That’s a great point. I don’t know that I ever did that because my earliest writing experiences were with family as readers and critics and then with critique groups. But everyone and their mother will have an opinion, even if they haven’t read it. The worst thing to do is work off an opinion from someone who has zero context to form an opinion with! So, we’ve come to the last question, and I’ve tried to make this a fun one, though I know it’s a tough one for a lot of authors! What’s your favorite book, and who’s your favorite literary character? Why?

My favorite book ever is Dare, from The Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink. Favorite character? Leith Torren from The Blades of Acktar! *cue the fangirling* He’s a sweet, adorable, tough-as-nails assassin, and I love him!

Sounds like my kind of character! Well, that’s all for today, folks. Thank you for hanging out with me and Olive for the interview, and thank you again for taking the time to answer the questions I had, Olive! Best of luck to you with the rest of your series and your future writing endeavors!

Readers, if you want to check out Olive’s first-in-series, Fallen King, you can find it here. You can also follow Olive on Instagram and Facebook to see any updates she may post. Once again, thank you for being here, and I hope you’ll take a moment to check out Olive’s book and social media pages!

Author’s Interview – Steven E. Scribner

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We’re back with another interview this week! Two in a row because I was sick last week and ended up off schedule, but next week we should be back on track for any remaining interviews with authors in Iron Walls that haven’t been spotlighted before. I’m hoping for one or two more before the release on October 26th! For today, we have Steven E. Scribner with us. He’s the author of “The Scapekite” in Iron Walls: A Burning Embers Dystopian Anthology. Steven, it’s a delight to have you on. Thank you for doing this! Let’s dive right into the questions.

First, could you tell us a little bit about yourself for readers who aren’t familiar with you?

I’m a high school teacher, amateur musician, part-time blogger and full-time nerd, living in the tree-y suburbs north of Seattle with my wife, Arleen.

That’s great! Sounds like you keep really busy with all of that. High school is a tough one for teaching too, so bravo for taking that on! So, tell us, what kind of dystopian did you write for this anthology, and why did you choose that style or flavor of writing?

My story is about a corporate dystopia; end-stage capitalism gone mad. This is a form of totalitarianism not as frequently seen in literature as world-wide political dystopias are.

Certainly an interesting take! My readers have probably gathered, if they’re reading both my blogs, that I’m extremely pro-capitalist, but I think we can all agree there comes a point where morals fail to properly restrain people and it can go too far. It’s important to remind people that no system is ever perfect or can fully restrain people’s behavior if they want to act badly. It’s definitely not the usual in dystopian tales though, so it’s great to see that so many of the authors in this group took on unique themes! Moving on from the type of dystopia for the anthology, let’s talk about genres in general. What genres do you read, and do you write the same ones?

I don’t have any particular genre that I choose to read; I like sci-fi, fantasy, “magical realist” fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, experimental fiction, and nonfiction about science, history, music and art. I mostly write fantasy and sci-fi because I find it fun to make up the worlds I write about.

Wow, that’s quite a range! I myself enjoy many of those genres, so it’s always nice to find fellow fantasy authors who enjoy reading a broad range of material. I think reading a broad array of writing actually enriches our writing regardless of what genre we choose, but I definitely find it helps when creating worlds for fantasy and sci-fi. Sounds like you’ve got a lot to pull from with what you enjoy reading. Now, besides writing, which some of us may find therapeutic and the rest of us wish we did… What are some of the things you like to do to relax?

Besides writing (really, I write for relaxation), I enjoy cooking, watching movies (sci-fi, drama, foreign films, animation, documentaries) and listening to music (classical, jazz, experimental, and musics from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa). I also like to go for long walks.

Ah, so someone who does find writing relaxing! That’s great. Music is at the top of my list for things to relax too! So going back to the writing stuff, can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?

Currently I’m working on the fifth book in my fantasy “Tond” series. The continent of Tond is located on earth but one has to go through a tesseract to get there. It’s been enjoyable inventing all the peoples, cultures, histories, languages, literature, music, and food of Tond. The first four books followed a large story arc; this fifth begins a new story with some new characters and a new (and maybe more subtle) villain.

That sounds really interesting. It also sounds like you’ve done a lot of work on the worldbuilding, which of course is a hallmark of a lot of fantasy and science fantasy! So obviously you’ve gone through the publishing process already, so I won’t ask what this experience is like if it’s your first! But could you share a bit about which publishing route you’ve gone and the pluses and minuses of that route?

My “Tond” series and one other novel are self-published. This has its plusses and minuses: I didn’t have to wait and re-submit over and over (authors often complain about the number of rejections), but it’s lacking in any kind of promotion so very few potential readers have heard of my books.

I’ve found the same myself. It’s definitely better in the sense that you have more control, but it’s certainly not easier with the lack of promotion to get your books out there! This next one’s probably one of my favorite interview questions. I absolutely love finding out where people started with writing and what got them hooked on it. So, tell us, what were your inspirations for writing?

I had written a few stories in school, but then one day in eighth grade, when I was walking in the hallway between classes, I started thinking about The Lord of the Rings (which I was reading for the first time). Out of nowhere, I said to myself, “I should write something like that someday.” I started writing fantasy. I finished the first version of the first “Tond” story a year later (I was in ninth grade). Over the years, my writing has changed quite a bit, but there are still threads from those early versions.

That’s great! Lord of the Rings was one of my absolute favorites as a kid. I probably read it six or seven times before my parents decided I needed to put my energy into reading new stuff and took the books away for a while! It’s definitely a great starting point for writers getting a handle on fantasy or those interested in the genre. So besides the inspiration Tolkien brought, who got you into writing when you first started?

I have to mention my high school creative writing teacher, and a professor in college, both who encouraged me to continue working on the “Tond” material.

It’s always wonderful to hear about teachers who encouraged writers to keep going. Sometimes that little push and a “well done” at the right moment is all we need to keep going. In light of that, writing can be hard, especially at first. It doesn’t necessarily become easier in every way, but what advice would you give to aspiring authors and writers just starting on the writing journey to help them out?

In the “Tond” books I make the metaphor: the universe is a song; add your own harmony. In the case of writing: it’s a story. Add your own chapter. This is more of a philosophy than concrete advice, but maybe someone needs encouragement to start writing.

Hey, sometimes the philosophy is the best starting point. Many of my favorite authors have given advice that has more to do with your mindset than the concrete aspects of the craft. You can learn the concrete stuff; your mindset is the one thing that will make you or break you early on, especially. I think it’s great advice. So one more question related to beginning authors and writers… What is one thing you wish someone had told you before you started writing?

Editing is a continuous process.

Absolutely! That’s probably up there on the list of things beginners need to be told. That and “you’re never going to get it perfect” are some of the most frustrating bits of advice to writers, but I think they’re the most needed ones. Now, moving away from the writing, let’s talk about you as a reader for a minute. Can you tell us what your favorite book is, and who is your favorite literary character? Why?

I have a lot of favorite books. The Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis’ “Space Trilogy” are two that I’ve enjoyed reading several times over the years. Other authors I like are Nnedi Okorafor, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. Le Guin, and YA author Jerry Spinelli. I also like Julian Barnes’ biography of Shostakovich (“The Noise of Time”), Richard Fortey’s ruminations on natural history, and experimental fiction like Italo Calvino and James Joyce.

Concerning favorite characters, I always enjoy the archetypal “wise fool”. Sam Gamgee from LOTR fits in this category, as does Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl, though otherwise they are very different characters. I suppose I like them because no matter how stupid I feel (don’t we all, sometimes?) I see that there’s still some wisdom to be gleaned from the situation.

Well, there are a few names on that list that I haven’t heard of, but they all sound interesting! Ursula K. Le Guin is one author I really enjoy when I have spare time to read. She’s an excellent author. So you’re hearing it from two fantasy writers and readers, everyone! Le Guin is another one of those solid fantasy authors worth checking out if you’re just starting to take a foray into fantasy. As for the characters, those are some great choices too. I’m not familiar with Spinelli’s Stargirl, but I loved Sam’s character in Lord of the Rings for the same reason you noted: he’s not the flashiest character, but he definitely has some of the wisest advice to offer. He’s probably the most underrated character in the book!

All right, everyone! That’s it for today. Thank you again for taking the time to do this interview, Steven! It was wonderful to have you on the blog, and I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming writing endeavors. Readers, you can check Steven’s work out on Amazon, and of course, if you haven’t already pre-ordered a copy of Iron Walls, you can pick up your copy here. There will be a paperback version for those who prefer a hard copy, but we’re currently going back and forth with Amazon over formatting issues, so the release is taking longer than anticipated. It may not be out until the release date of the ebook or after, depending on how long it takes to resolve the issues to Amazon’s satisfaction. In the meantime, the ebook goes live on the 26th of this month! All proceeds will go to Voice of the Martyrs.

Thursday Technicalities: Genre-Switching In a Series

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Introduction

When I asked those who follow this blog on Facebook to give me some topics they’d like discussed, this was one of the suggestions. This is a somewhat nuanced topic, and the question is: how do we approach genre-switching in a series, and is it going to lose readers? That’s the question I will be getting into today.

When can you employ genre-switching?

First of all, every book in a series has different needs to make it a good story. Generally, series stick to the same overall genre, but they may change in tone or flavor through the progression of the series. For example, book one in a steampunk fantasy might focus more on action and fantasy while maybe the second one moves to a more urban fantasy/steampunk mix.

A good example that comes to mind is Orson Scott Card’s Ender series. Ender’s Game is mainly action/sci-fi. But the second book, Speaker for the Dead, sees Ender a bit older and traveling through space. The book takes on a heavily political tone with less action/adventure undertones while remaining sci-fi. The books after that were more philosophical than anything, though, again, they remained sci-fi.

So what do we take from this? Primary genre shouldn’t change. If book one is fantasy, you can’t switch to realistic fiction and romance in book two. But you can change the secondary genre. Perhaps book one is fantasy romance but in book two the characters are now married and the focus shifts from romance to adventure giving you a fantasy adventure. As long as the transition is smooth, you’re unlikely to lose readers over this. A well-told story is more important than a contrived adherence to secondary genres or elements.

How do we make the genre-switch?

This depends on the needs of your series. Some switches are easier than others. Going from action to adventure or from fantasy to science fantasy is easier than going from urban fantasy to high fantasy might be. The goal is to make the transition smooth whatever switch you are trying to make.

Abrupt changes in genre are no better than abruptly going from a kick-butt heroine to a whiny teenage girl between books with no warning (Divergent…). We want a gradual transition. Setting up a shift in secondary genre–especially if the change is big–is a part of setting up for book two. It’s your job to leave the clues there in the end of book so that the reader is unsurprised by the genre shift.

Unless the series is made up of standalones tied by some sort of theme besides genre, you don’t want your genre-switching to be a surprise. Again, I want to stress that how this is achieved varies from book series to book series. I would be doing you a disservice if I told you there was a one-size-fits-all solution. That is rarely true in writing, even in grammar.

How do i know if genre-switching is working?

I have two suggestions when looking at how well genre-switching is working for your series. First, you should be an avid reader. If you are a writer and want to be a good one, you need to read. You need to know what a good story looks like to construct it. As is the case in so many things, learning by example and by doing is much better than reading thousands of books on the topic. If you have been reading well-written fiction, then the first suggestion I have will work well for you. Use your intuition.

So long as you’re honest in your assessment of the transition, your intuition can go a long way in helping you decide if genre-switching is working.

Second, get outside perspectives from friends who read a lot of books, especially ones that are well-written and in your genre. They don’t need to be fellow writers, but if they are, that’s a bonus. This is especially important if you’re a new writer or don’t read much because your intuition will likely catch only the most glaring issues.

However, even seasoned authors should be looking for outside input. I started writing at eleven. I’m twenty-two now, and even after eleven years of writing, I still hold the insight of my beta-readers (or listeners since my mom prefers I read the stories to her instead) in high regard. No matter how well I can write or edit, there will always be blind spots I have that my readers don’t. Every honest, seasoned writer admits the same. Never discount the usefulness of beta-readers and critique partners. They are indispensable and the really good ones deserve your appreciation and a huge thank you at the very least.

Conclusion

I hope this has been helpful in providing you with guidance on handling this nuanced area of writing. There’s no one way to handle genre-switching mid-series, but there are some ways that work better than others. So be willing to try several methods until you find the one that works for your series. You can always delete, re-write, and edit. It’ll be worth it for a piece that is of exceptional quality.

Thursday Technicalities: Philosophy in Writing

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Introduction

Recently, it struck me that one of the reasons I rarely find anything to challenge my mind in indie fantasy (and even in many traditional fantasy pieces) is that the authors do not often intentionally use worldview and philosophy in writing their books. They generally tell a good story, but it doesn’t challenge me to think or to consider a different perspective on anything in particular. While the occasional mindless read can be stress-relieving, turning one’s brain off isn’t the purpose of reading, in my opinion. I’d watch TV if I wanted that. So how can we ensure we’re including philosophy and worldview in our writing in a balanced way? We’re going to go over that here.

What Do I Mean by Philosophy and Worldview in Writing?

When I say philosophy or worldview in respect to writing, I mean the unique set of beliefs and the outlook on life you possess. These may come out subtly, but in fantasy, it’s easy to become so divorced from reality that we don’t concretely ground our work in the world around us and in our own unique take on that world. We then lose even the smaller ways that those views may come to light. But when we fail to give to our work the underpinnings of reality, philosophy, and worldview, things tend not to resonate as well with readers.

In the Interest of Honesty With Philosophy in Writing

When dealing with worldview or philosophy in writing–particularly in fantasy–we have to be careful to keep ourselves honest and transparent. This doesn’t mean that we hit the reader over the head with our point of view, but it does mean that we have nothing to hide and are not trying to use our words to in some way trick the reader into agreeing with us when they would not otherwise do so. We’re not propagandists; we are authors looking to tell a good story that also imparts some truth or viewpoint that might not otherwise be as well received outside of a story context. (Or even truths that are. There are many reasons to include even basic truths in our work, particularly if we’re writing books that are meant to teach good values to a younger audience.)

This transparency and honest might come in the form of an author’s note at the beginning if the purpose or inspiration directly relates to real world issues, your philosophy, and your worldview. But it could be more subtle in that the worldview may simply manifest in an easily seen theme or element that acts as an undercurrent to the entire story. There are many ways to handle this area, but the goal should be honesty and transparency. Present your viewpoint and let the reader decide what to accept or reject, whether your viewpoint or another you have also represented that may not agree with your own. It is particularly crucial we do this when writing for younger audiences who are highly impressionable and may not always be able to pick up on worldviews if they are not clearly presented. Whatever your audience, fantasy is still fantasy. We’re looking to tell a good story at the end of the day, and adding in worldview is part of that goal. We aren’t interested in sacrificing the story for the sake of creating a soapbox out of it to preach against whichever philosophies we dislike or for those we do like.

Avoiding Heavy-Handedness Using Philosophy and Worldview

One thing I know many authors I’ve spoken to struggle with is how to include philosophy and worldview without hitting the reader over the head or becoming preachy with it. There’s no one right way to handle this area in order to avoid the pitfalls. However, i have found a few that work well for me or that I have observed used to great effect by others.

Philosophy in Theme

This method is one that I frequently utilize. Each book I write has one or two concepts (occasionally more for longer works) that provide the underlying theme of the book.

For example, Trader Prince of Aleshtain’s theme is mostly living for what’s right in the face of persecution and the struggle to decide whether it’s right to leave a place bent on destroying you for doing the moral thing. Bane of Ashkarith focused on the theme of truth, its worht, and the ways that people can take objective truth and twist it or subvert it until it is considered a lie. In Darkness Lost focused on how we handle suffering. My short story for Glimpses focused on submission to show readers the strength that can be found in a person who chooses to submit to another’s authority while still retaining the capacity to think critically.

All of the themes have a great deal of variety, but each fits neatly with the story showcasing it. Theme is one of those pieces of a story that should develop naturally from the plot and your worldview intersecting. This, rather than weakening the story with poor attempts at philosophizing through the story, strengthens and deepens it because it is a natural result of story and worldview instead of being forced.

Philosophy in Allegory

Allegory is often considered a device used only in religious fiction. While this is often one of the largest uses for it, the technique can be used to convey any sort of idea or philosophy through story so long as one or more elements intentionally and clearly represent their real world equivalents. I haven’t employed this technique as often, though I suppose some might say my Eclesian Chronicles series has allegorical elements when you get into books two and three. But for a better example, you’ve got C.S Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia or something like Idi and the Oracle’s Quest by T.N. Traynor (see the review I did for that here.)

Philosophy in Individual Elements

And the last major way to achieve our goal is to include elements of the philosophy directly and intentionally where the story allows. If you’re making a social commentary, for example, on poverty and caste, you might weave both into the story to great effect by simply doing it directly. If you’re trying to illustrate the destructiveness of certain habits or beliefs, having characters and/or societies who have these beliefs or habits and discover their destructiveness can also be extremely effective. You get the idea. Every story, particularly in speculative fiction, varies in the degree to which you can employ this technique, so use discretion in how much you use it and where.

Conclusion

Worldview is a vital part of writing. We can’t escape it as readers or as writers, nor should we try. More and more, we see that today’s fantasy is particularly shallow in this area, but we don’t have to contribute to that trend. Let’s start utilizing worldview and encouraging our readers to engage mentally with our works even as they enjoy a good story.

Thursday Technicalities: Story Ideas

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Introduction

Today, we’re talking about story ideas, both before and during the writing process. After all, all the things we’ve been discussing about plot do us no good if we have no ideas or concepts to play with. Often, people I meet discuss the idea of writing a book but not the idea they will write about. One results in a pipe dream that never happens. The other gives the chance, at least, to see a dream become reality. Fellow writers and those aspiring to be writers alike have asked me how I come up with ideas so easily, hinting to me that–especially in the realm of fantasy–they don’t know all of the areas of inspiration open to them. So let’s talk about where ideas can come from and what to look at when you’re stuck.

Story Ideas in the Real World

One of the things I notice disappearing from fantasy as a genre these days is the grounding in reality. The great fantasy writers of old, and even today, certainly included many fantastical elements, but they also brought it back to Earth by including in those elements a glimpse of reality. They took real world problems into their fiction, whether it was through the ideas of the day or a specific event they wished to focus on. For example, Tolkien’s inspiration for the final scene in the Shire has been said to be the destruction of the countryside he loved so well in the real world. He drew that into his story, and it leaves something that can resonate with fellow lovers of nature and idyllic beauty seen in the countryside. We can do the same in finding story ideas.

All of us have experiences and see the events around us in our world. Why waste those two things? They make the books you write, however fictional, seem even more real to the reader when you artfully weave reality with your fictional world. This is what an author does. They tell truths in the form of artfully woven lies. The truths are the themes behind the tale, and the story itself is the lie since it isn’t reality.

Experiences

This is, in a way, a subset of the real world, but we all have experiences that have taught us things about life. We can use those experiences which are unique to us to find story ideas that can inspire or touch others. My book, In Darkness Lost, is entirely founded on that premise. It is fantasy, but it is inspired entirely by an experience that occurred in my life when I was around eleven or twelve. You would be surprised how many people are more connected to a book that has its roots in a personal experience of the author.

In Darkness Lost received the most notes from readers who were touched by it and wanted to tell me it had encouraged them. Readers have said my other works are eye-openingly realistic at times. However, they have not left notes saying that it was an encouragement. Why? Because the encouragement to the reader came from hearing a story rooted in personal difficulties. They then read about the real story behind the book in the author’s note and felt encouraged. They felt that encouragement, many times, because someone else understood their pain.

Story Ideas from History

The third place of inspiration is history. You may have heard the saying that reality is often stranger than fiction. Well, it’s true. Even if your book isn’t about history, you can find many strange tales in history to draw ideas from. In the process, you give your story grounding in the real world even if the tale itself is fantasy. It brings that sense of humanity to the story that otherwise might not have been present.

As an added bonus, this has the effect of expanding your mind and your knowledge. Two birds with one stone, right? You get story ideas and a chance to learn interesting things you hadn’t heard before.

Story Ideas from Other Books

This is the final place I frequently find inspiration. You have to be careful here because you don’t want to plagiarize, obviously. However, other books can be great places to draw inspiration, ideas, and learning. I’ve found some of my greatest inspirations for books in reading someone else’s handling of a topic then having an idea spark on the topic from another angle. You can do this as well.

This one, like history, has an added bonus. You get to see the trends going on in your genre and in the world of writing in general. For authors, this is indispensable. Knowing what the competition is doing so that you can stand out in a manner appealing to your target audience is essential. So while you’re drawing inspiration for your own work, you can also use it for research purposes.

Conclusion

There are so many avenues of inspiration available to us if we will learn to stop, observe, and remember. Wherever you choose to find inspiration, there is little reason to be bankrupt of ideas when you’re actively taking the time to observe, live, and learn. Even fantasy writers can use these sources of inspiration to give them the characters or a plot for their next novel. We just have to learn how to utilize it. Once we do that, we often end up with more ideas than we know what to do with!

Author’s Interview: Michaela Baker

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We’ve got an interview with Michaela Baker today! She’s the author of short story “Maiden of Embers” in our anthology Glimpses of Time and Magic. Thanks for being here, Michaela! Let’s jump into the questions.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Michaela, and I’m a pharmacy technician who loves the world of fantasy.

What kind of fantasy do you write, and what got you into it?

I like to write both regular fantasy and historical fantasy.

What genres do you read, and do you write the same ones?

I like to read fiction, dystopian, and fantasy, but I only write in Fantasy. I tried writing dystopian but didn’t get the hang of it.

What are some of the things you like to do to relax?

I like to relax by listening to music, reading books, singing and play with my pup Kenai.

Can you tell us about your current work in progress?

Wow, I have so many I’m not sure which to choose, haha! Well, I will tell you about my most recently finished novel that I am still editing. Dragons of Egypt is about a promising young high school journalist who taken, along with all his school mates, to Egypt by a deranged magician who works as Pharaoh’s right hand. Now, Eldwin must team up with the people of Egypt to run off their imposter of a Pharaoh and find a way to return him along with his school mates.

If you are published, can you tell us about your experience?

Glimpses of Time and Magic is my first published work and I must say the experience has been exhilarating. Parties, running promo’s telling people to buy the book once it’s official.

What were your inspirations for writing?

My inspirations have always been my sister and a few of my favorite authors. We didn’t have the privilege to be raised under the same household, so we kept looking for outlets for us to get into together. Needless to say, we have created several and will keep creating worlds together.

Who got you into writing?

I told my sister about an idea for a story, and she stole and ran off with it. So I began writing to see if I could finish it before her and then we started to compete with other ideas, then we would role play scenes she was having trouble with and then I branched off into my own stories.

Was there anyone who came alongside you at any point when you were struggling in your writing journey and made a real difference? If so, who and why?

My sister Kelli Buffin has been by my side through it all, and I will forever be grateful.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors and writers just starting on the writing journey?

If you love what you do, then do it to the best of your ability. Also, choose a Genre you love. I forget who said it but there is a saying that goes, “Write what you love.” In other words, if you don’t love what you are writing then you won’t give it the time and effort it deserves.

What is one thing you wish someone had told you before you started on the writing journey?

What you write will affect you. You will go on many journeys of your own creation, make friends and then say goodbye to them. Writing is like a family or getting a new pet. Your characters will be there for a lifetime. Make sure they are worth the effort before you start your journey with them. Once you bring them to life you will never want to let them go.

What’s your favorite book, and who’s your favorite literary character? Why?

My favorite book is the Dragon of Starlight series by Bryan Davis and Sword of the Dragon by Scot Appleton. I love the way they describe their world and how Bryan tells one story through two different characters so that you get an idea of the timeline through both eyes. I must admit, I have adopted this style for Dragons of Egypt.

Conclusion

Thanks again for being here, Michaela! I enjoyed doing this, and I hope all of you reading this have learned a bit about this author and had fun with us. Until next time!

Flash Fiction Fridays: Choices

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Dasara stared at the cliff edge then glanced back at the stony-faced man behind her. His focus remained unflinching. She swallowed back tears. ” Don’t make me choose, Domarius.”

He crossed his arms. “Your choice was made very clear, Ara. You didn’t want to be mine even though you made a vow. And those who betray the Society, betray me, only have one place to go. Ten feet under.” His lips curved into a tight, pained smile. “Be glad I see my wife differently than one of my men. They’d already be dead. You get a choice instead.”

She swallowed. She could take it back, say she didn’t know what she’d been thinking. That was true enough. She hadn’t been thinking clearly since she agreed to join the Society and then married their leader after a charming but short courtship.

Now here she was, faced with the horror of where her choice had led. To a cliff’s edge where, whether she jumped or not, she would be dead. If not on the rocks at the bottom of the literal cliff, then on the rocks of the cliff of insanity under her husband’s stifling watch.

She didn’t want it this way. Leaving had seemed the only way out because he didn’t listen. Well, maybe he did. She’d never tried, and right now seemed like a good time to try seeing if he would. What did she have to lose? “Dom…” She turned to face him. “Can we talk this out, please? I made a mistake, I know, and I’m sorry.”

“You realize that now, do you? Did you think I’d see your attempt to leave me with no warning as anything less than betrayal?” Hurt flashed on his face. “Has it been so miserable?”

“Not at first.” Her shoulders slumped. “But no one can live in a cage by unspoken rules forever no matter how gilded the cage. And so I’m suffocating in the cage you’ve built. Maybe the cliff really is my best option.” She glanced at the yawning chasm. “Running didn’t have to permanent. I didn’t want permanent, and so I thought…”

“You thought?” He shook his head. “Not about the impact of your decision, clearly. If you had, you would’ve known better. You would’ve talked to me instead of shutting me out, and you would’ve known I’d have to punish you if you ran.” He pointed to the cliff. “So you have a choice. Come home to talk it out and decide on a way to save both of our reputations. Or die as any other traitor would.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and stared at him with tear-blurred eyes. He would never admit that he wanted her to choose him over suicide, but she knew him well enough to read the plea he’d never make out loud with his second-in-command watching from a distance. The plea he might not even make aloud if they were alone. She swiped away tears and sucked in a slow breath. “We can talk it out at home? You’ll listen? Be reasonable?”

“Yes. We always could have done that, you know.” His expression softened, but his posture remained tense. “You’re my wife, not one of my men. You have that privilege. I’m always willing to hear you out. Just because I give the orders and I’m in charge doesn’t mean your opinion is meaningless or can’t sway mine. But you didn’t even try. You never came to me at all.”

She winced, cheeks burning. No, she hadn’t. She’d assumed based on how he treated his men that he would be unapproachable. “I’m sorry, Dom.” She hung her head and stepped away from the cliff edge. “This was all a terrible mistake. I… I do want to go home. Take me back? Please?”

He strode to her and wrapped her in his arms. “You talk to me when you have a problem with something, you hear? I’ll listen. I promise.”

She nodded.

He squeezed her closer. “I need you to say it. Say you will. Promise me.”

“I promise,” she whispered.

He pressed her head to his chest with a sigh, the weight of his hand on the back of her neck a reassurance now not a silent warning or command. Then again, maybe this gesture of his had never been either of those to start. She didn’t know him as well as she’d thought. Her own assumptions had blinded her, and who knew what else she’d gotten wrong?

“I still have to do something to clean this up,” he murmured.

She tensed. Would he punish her? Past transgressions had required it, so this one would too, probably. She shivered. Punishments when he was truly upset were never fun. True, she always knew when she’d stepped out of line and felt better later like the punishment had wiped the slate clean for them to start over, but they also made her feel sad. She wanted them to discuss what things deserved that and what things didn’t. She could only imagine what he might do to make sure that the secret of her flight was kept.

As if he knew her thoughts, he said, ” But I think today was punishment enough. I’ll tell everyone you were going through some severe depression and weren’t thinking straight. I didn’t know how bad it was until too late, but you’re on meds and are seeing a therapist to address your recent attempt to run away and throw yourself off the cliff. Thankfully, I found you just in time, and for now, you’re staying at home to recover.”

“Elaborate.”

He snorted. “Close enough to the truth to be believable.”

She laughed and pressed a palm over his chest where his heart raced. How scared was he that she would jump? He cared far more than she’d guessed. Her chest tightened. “I really am sorry for hurting you. For running instead of talking to you.”

He threaded his fingers through her hair and sighed. “I know. Now, let’s get you home.”

Thursday Technicalities – Weaving WorldBuilding Into the Story – Final Thoughts

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In the end, no post or set of posts can possibly cover every detail of world-building and weaving it into your story. Your story will have some elements and not others, and your style will utilize some techniques but not others. This means that, if you really want to grow in this area, you’re going to have to read. Read authors who do this work really well. Find out which authors in your area of speculative fiction (or any fiction) are the best at bringing their world to life, then read those authors. Pay attention to how they do it. Mark up your copy of the book (yeah, I know… Write on a book? Are you insane? Maybe, but taking notes in pencil or underlining the sentences that really bring out some aspect of writing you’re trying to learn will help you recognize what works and what doesn’t. If you can’t bring yourself to write on a book, which I rarely can, then jot notes in a notebook and make sure to keep them labeled.). Whatever you do, don’t spend thousands of dollars on courses on how to do it. You don’t need to! You’ll learn best by example and by seeing it done.

To that end, who do I recommend for this endeavor? First, I do recommend reading through Holly Lisle’s ebook course on world-building. It’s the only course I’m going to recommend, but I highly recommend this just because she’ll teach you so much. You’ll go through tons of exercises, and it’s a great way to learn how to do the world-building quickly while also weaving it into your work. Besides Lisle’s course, I recommend reading Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Cinda Williams Chima, Ursula K Le Guin, and Terry Brooks. These authors in varying ways and to differing degrees are phenomenal world builders. Tolkien, Sanderson, and Brooks are my top three authors for this area in fantasy. I’ve learned most from Sanderson’s work, but I learned my share of things from Tolkien and Brooks too. I really can’t recommend these guys highly enough.

All of them know how to bring their worlds to life using many or all of the techniques I’ve mentioned plus some. You’re going to learn what really good world-building within a story looks like if you take the time to really dig into and pull apart these authors’ works. Most of them have paperbacks available for a lot of their books in addition to ebooks, so this is a much more affordable way to learn than taking who knows how many courses. Plus, if you’re like me, you have a tendency to start a course and then forget you were doing it in the busyness of life. Sure, you plan to go back to it, but you somehow never do, and so that’s money somewhat wasted. A book though? I might be slow in reading it, but I usually finish the books I start. It’s not too common that I don’t. So I’ll learn more in a less expensive way if I just try to learn from what great authors did well.

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #41

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This selection comes from When All Else Fails, once again, since it’s all I’m really working on right now besides some short fiction pieces that I’m not really focusing on too heavily at the moment. So, without further ado, this week’s WIP selection!

~~~

VIV HURRIED ALONG the street to her house. If only she could’ve stayed to listen to Seb and Mr. H. But the two had been talking about Seb’s questions and God for at least two hours, and she’d needed to get home before they noticed she was missing. She really needed to move out. At twenty-two, it was more than time, and unlike the previous year, she wasn’t close to her family. She loved them, of course, but they didn’t understand her anymore, and she was forbidden to talk about anything that questioned the Supremacy.

She eased the door open with a heavy sigh. Yes, it was time to move on before she landed herself in any more trouble or made relations any more strained than they already were. She slipped inside and shut the door.

“Vivian.” Dane’s voice startled her. “Where are you coming from so early?”

Why was he up this early? She froze, her hand on the door knob still. “I went for a walk. I’m usually back before anyone wakes up. What are you doing up?” She turned to face him with a tight smile.

“You don’t take walks on Saturdays because you sleep in. The door’s system logs also don’t show any regular trips on Saturdays.” His jaw clenched. “But you know what they do show?”

He’d totally ignored her question. Clearly she couldn’t have a variation in her routine, but the same standard didn’t apply to him. She swallowed hard and shrugged. Why? Why was he snooping? He’d always been overprotective and a little too concerned with her for her comfort, but this? Had Mom and Dad put him up to it?

“You go out during quiet hours on Sunday mornings. Everyone, even law enforcement, spends those hours doing what good citizens do. Two hours of reading the Codex. Everyone but you, anyway. You get back just in time to avoid being caught.” Dane narrowed his eyes. “Whatever you’re up to stops now, Vivian. Before it’s too late.”

He knew, and he was furious. He never called her by her full name unless she’d really messed up. And as for his anger? That was written all over his face. He knew more than just that she wasn’t behaving like a good citizen. How though? Well, it didn’t matter. That he knew was all that did. Now she had to find a way out of this without lying to his face. “For real, Dane?” She rolled her eyes, but her heart thumped wildly against her breast. Dear God, please, let him drop it. “What do you think I am? Some sort of spy? I’m not up to anything.”

“Don’t dig the hole deeper. Don’t make me do something with what I know,” he murmured softly.

She shivered at the menacing tone and shoved her hands into her pockets. “You mean what you think you know.” Had he noticed her trembling? “I haven’t done anything.”

Dane chuckled and shook his head. “You’re not a good liar, and you’re not fooling me. Come. You should see something.”

She stared at him. “Since when did you decide I was a liar?”

And since when did her little brother act like this? He’d always been a little cool toward Seb, and she could see him doing this sort of thing with her best friend, but that was different. Dane didn’t like Seb because… She frowned. Because why? She’d always assumed it was because Dane didn’t like hearing things that contradicted the Supremacy. But with everything that had happened the last few days, could she really believe that? What if there was more to it?

He crossed his arms. “According to sub-section fifty-five of the Codex, humanity is selfish and acts in its own best interests, which is why we have the Codex and the Supremacy to keep us in line so we do not succumb to the evil inherent in us all. We have no basis for truth unless it suits us.” He stopped quoting the Codex with a frown. “You’ve proven that really well lately too.” He inclined his head toward his bedroom down the hall. “Now, are you going to come with me or do I need to make you?”

Maybe if she played the older sister card? “You want me to tell Mom and Dad you need to see a shrink, Dane? You’re acting crazier than normal, and if you don’t stop it, I’ll–“

“You won’t say anything. Mom and Dad are out of the house because they know I needed to talk to you about things. They’re not going to be here, so just quit acting like a five year old threatening to tattle. Acting like you’re not a mature adult isn’t going to get you out of anything.”

Her stomach roiled. So much for that ploy. Well, she hadn’t really expected it to work. Dane knew better. He knew her too well, and he always had. “Okay, fine… I’m not going to say anything to them. You already knew I wouldn’t though or you wouldn’t have been so rude at the door earlier.”

“Mom and Dad won’t shelter you from everything. Keep that in mind before you tick me off.”

She blinked. What? He acted like their parents would side with him over her. In what universe had that ever happened? She was their heir, and as such, they gave her more responsibility and trusted her way more than they did her irresponsible younger brother. “Hold on. Shelter me? Mom and Dad do not shelter me.”

Dane turned his back on her and headed for his room.

“Dane, wait! Explain.”

He didn’t answer her, and he didn’t turn to look at her, so she followed, her heart in her throat. Somehow, the sense of dread just grew with each step toward the bedroom until her heart was in her throat and her stomach had dropped to her toes. What could he possibly mean? Had he found her notes? Bile surged in her throat. She’d hidden them. No one should be able to find them.

They reached his room, and he held the door open for her. She shuffled over the threshold. The door clicked shut, and she stared at the bed where all her notes and files lay in neat piles. No. No, he couldn’t have these! How? She tensed and had to keep herself from turning to run. If she did that, Dane would stop her anyway.

His hands came to rest on her upper arms, holding her in place. As if she could’ve moved to start. She was frozen in indecision now, no longer fully functioning. “Now, Vivian,” he murmured gently against her temple. “I’m a lot of things, but stupid isn’t one of them. Maybe quit pretending you’re the stupid one, and we can talk this out as equals?”

She swallowed back tears. “I…” She couldn’t even get the words out past the lump in her throat. “I don’t know…”

“Shh… Shh…” His grip tightened on her arms. “Think very, very carefully before you lie to me, little girl. One slip that you’re one of the Diexebels, and poof. You end up in some freak accident or you vanish with a note that you couldn’t handle the pressure anymore. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Her parents would never, ever allow that. He had to be kidding. Her baby brother wouldn’t dare rat on her, would he? Was he really that brainwashed? Could she still deny this? No, probably not. “Come on, Dane. You wouldn’t really give me up to the Supremacy’s lackeys, would you? You’ve always said you value family more than anything.”

Dane spun her to face him and forced her to back up until her calves hit the bed. Then he pushed her down to sit between the stacks of papers with a tight smile. “I do, but that situation doesn’t apply here.”

~~~

Well, that’s it from me this week! What do you guys think? And what are all of you up to lately? If you want to, feel free to share in the comments below. I love hearing what everyone’s been working on or reading lately.

Thursday Technicalities: Weaving World-Building Into Your Story – Through Your Character’s Eyes

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Introduction

This week, we’re going to talk about weaving world-building into the story through your character’s eyes. There are multiple ways to go about weaving your world into the story, but one of the best ways is through your character. So let’s talk about how.

dISCOVERIES

The first way you can go about weaving your world into the story is to allow your readers to discovery it alongside your characters. When you have characters who haven’t experienced the world before, it’s a lot more acceptable to show more of the world in a way that’s overt instead of hidden in the lines between the action. Characters’ confusion over things in their world suddenly make sense because they don’t know anything about what’s around them to begin with.

Interactions

What if you don’t have a character who’s new to the world just like the reader is? You can still world-build and weave that building into the story. One great method for this is to develop the reader’s understanding of the world via interactions between your world and your character.

This method strongly goes back to the idea that your world is its own character with its own personality. No one person or world will interact the same way with each other. This method requires you to know a few things. You need to know your character, know your world, and know how your character views the world. These three determine how your character and your world will interact together.

Interactions can happen a lot of ways. It can happen through the character’s meeting with various creatures in the world. Or, maybe your character is a healer and spends much of their time gathering plants and supplies from nature. They might be an adventurer who has to brave the elements and the difficulties of terrain to reach their goal. Really, the possibilities are endless and allow you plenty of room to show the world to your reader. But the key with this method is that you should treat it the same way you treat an interaction between two characters. You won’t info dump on the reader because an interaction between two characters only reveals bits and pieces of both individuals, not everything. Instead, you’ll reveal only what is relevant to the interaction/scene and the story as a whole. Reveal what needs to be revealed then and no more.

The one difference between this method and an interaction between characters is that you may reveal things about the world that aren’t necessarily serving a specific purpose to the plot. At times, you may choose to reveal things about the world in interactions simply to make the world itself feel richer and more alive or even to reveal something about the person interacting with the world.

Happenings

The final main method for weaving world-building in has more to do with sentence-level inclusions and events. These may not be interactions with your main characters specifically, but they typically affect the character in some way or another. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be seeing it as the readers since you can’t show us what your viewpoint characters don’t see unless you’re using omniscient POV.

With this method, your world-building will be less obvious. It might be a common phrase that’s used by the inhabitants of the world or a common creature that is seen all over the place. It might be some sort of distant report of a creature terrorizing villages on the outskirts of a kingdom. Maybe it’s a brief mention of terrain in an area a character is occupying. One way or another, this world-building method usually doesn’t involve intrusive or overt mentions of the world. This is more subtle and is like the spice added to a dish. It makes everything read better, but your reader won’t notice the individual additions: only the whole of the writing’s flavor.

Conclusion

This type of world-building is more complex than what we often think of as world-building, but it’s also vastly more effective than what we usually see in most writing these days. It takes practice and instinct to do this well, but the instincts surrounding what type of weaving to use and how can be developed the more you write using the methods I’ve given here and in the previous post on this topic.