IWSG VI: When Research Turns Scary, How Do You Sleep?
[I wrote this post as a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our worries and also offer support to each other on the first Wednesday of every month. If you’re a writer like me and you’re looking for a bit of support, you can click the link and sign up here]
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I sat at my kitchen table just the other night, flipping through a couple of different research books I’d ordered from the library.
* Note the photo to the side, Exhibit A: my kitchen table, my I-Pad, my son’s dinosaur pen, and my favorite purple notebook. The stack of books you see in the picture is one of two stacks.
I had just read through an entire introduction on benevolent spirits and first hand accounts from a demonologist when my heart sped up. I glanced from wall to wall, back over my shoulder, listening for any unusual sounds in my house.
Is it real? I wondered.
Part of being a writer for me, is the ability to feel and see things as if I’d actually been through them. My body certainly believed whatever I was reading was very real in the moment. And when my cat turned the corner in the kitchen, just a moving shadow in the corner of my eye, well, he scared the holy Moses out of me.
Research can be a wonderful thing. In science, it gives you the what’s been done, the next questions, basic facts and formulas to use as a foundation. In writing, I follow the same steps to bridge the histories with whatever world is stirring in my own mind.
Then the fears kick in.
I admit, I was the kid with my head in my own mother’s lap at the movie theater after I’d begged to see Aliens 2 with her and my brother. “No mom! I’m not too little! I’ll watch the whole movie, I swear!”
Wrong.
I, again, was the little girl too scared to walk across the floor in the basement, seeing imaginary JAWS coming out from under the couch hungry to eat me. So I jumped from couch to couch to the stairs if I ever had to go down the basement for who knows how many months.
Research is critical, and I thought I grew up. I thought I could wear an investigative hat this time.
So I face a dilemma. Finish the research, or manage my heart rate so I can sleep. Last week, I think I went three or four days wondering what was really hiding in the shadows late at night. Every groan in the house, every little shifty shape on the walls or the carpet set my imagination into a full on sprint.
Exhibit B: The shadow stalking cat, Mr. Maverick.
Sigh. I have to finish this book though. After a week of rest from my research I am finally sleeping again. But I have to go back.
Question: Ever been there? I’d love to hear how you manage to sleep and research scary things.
Thank you 🙂
And a big thank you to this month’s hosts:
Lauren Hennessy
Lisa Buie-Collard
Lidy Wilks
Christine Rains
Mary Aalgaard
Book Blitz: The Guardian Series by G.K. DeRosa – Excerpt and Giveaway #WILDER
Yay for Friday! To start the morning off just right, I’m sharing a really great read by a really great author.
I love the cover.
The story line fits with my favorite interest, life as we know it with a magical twist.
Then I read the excerpts from the book.
I’m hooked.
You’ll find my favorite excerpt below.
Hello readers! We are so excited to present to you,
The Guardian Series by G.K. DeRosa!
Fans of the supernatural, family legacies, and swoon worthy brothers definitely do not want to miss this series!
Wilder, Book 1 in The Guardian Series will be available for .99 for the duration of the blitz.
Dive into the world of Celeste and the Constantin brothers, and immerse yourself in a world created by G.K. DeRosa.
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post for a chance to win a physical copy of Wilder!
Search #WILDER to jump around the internet to read excerpts from various bloggers!
All that Celeste Wilder ever wanted was to find someone who would sweep her off her feet like she had seen in countless romantic movies. When she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Constantin brothers her senior year of high school, she gets much more than what she had bargained for. As they introduce her to an exciting supernatural world that she never imagined existed, she makes a startling discovery about her own family legacy and is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever.
Wilder (The Guardian Series #1)
by G.K. DeRosa
Publication Date: May 4, 2015
There was a loud banging at the door and Celeste’s eyes shot to her mother’s nervous ones. “Stay here,” she told her and sped down the stairs, grabbing her pink fleece bathrobe on the way down. Celeste slipped out of bed and cradling her puppy tiptoed to the top of the staircase.
“Are you Olivia Wilder?” asked the police officer, his face grim and his tone professional.
“Yes I am,” she answered, a slight tremble in her voice.
“I’m sorry to disturb you at this time of night Ma’am, but I’m afraid there’s been an accident. It’s your husband…”
Celeste Wilder’s mundane world has been completely turned upside down, and it all started when the intriguing Constantin brothers strolled into her small town last summer. After discovering the truth about her destiny and making a life-changing decision, she is now forced to deal with the consequences of her new supernatural reality. Gone are the carefree days of high school and homework, now she must fulfill her duty as a Guardian…no matter the cost. Luckily, she has the love of her life by her side as she battles the supernatural forces of evil, but will that love really last forever? As new challenges arise and old enemies reappear, Celeste must find the strength to overcome the biggest threat she’s ever had to face.
Wilder Destiny: The Guardian Series Book 2
by G.K. DeRosa
Publication Date: October 28, 2015
Available for purchase:
Amazon
G.K. De Rosa has been an avid reader from a very young age. In fact, before she could even read, she tried fooling everyone into thinking that she could. At the precocious age of two, while living in Italy, she had memorized an entire children’s book in Italian and expertly turned the pages at the exact right moments of the story. As she grew up, she always enjoyed literature, no doubt having been instilled with a love of story telling from her early years in Catholic school where she was greatly influenced by exemplary teachers who taught her the value of English and Literature. Though she did not pursue writing in college and instead went for the more traditional route of International Business inspired by her love for travel and all things foreign, after a move to New York City, she found her creative writing side calling once again. She began writing a restaurant review blog, City Lights and Tasty Bites, detailing her other passion – food! The hectic hustle and bustle of the city, combined with long commuting times gave her the opportunity to spend more time reading and rekindled a lost love. After reading countless books in many diverse genres over the two years in New York City, and returning to her home state of Florida, she felt compelled to write something for herself. She had always felt particularly drawn to Young Adult novels and having been an eternal romantic at heart, a fantasy romance was a natural choice. She currently lives in South Florida with her real life Prince Charming and their fur baby, Nico the German Shepherd.
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Suspense or the End, What’s Harder to Write?
[I wrote this post as a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our worries and also offer support to each other on the first Wednesday of every month. If you’re a writer like me and you’re looking for a bit of support, you can click the link and sign up here]
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Writing suspense is an art to be learned: The promise of danger, a rise in tension to keep the goal from the main character, and then embedding these pieces with just the right mix of action to generate empathy and concern for the main character. The task is more difficult to show than I’d imagined, but enjoyable all the same.
Then of course, there always has to be an end, a switch from tension to resolution. The reader wants to be surprised. The writer wants them to have an emotional investment by the end. The main character must fight harder than ever to go for the goal and step up to be the hero all by herself. Lots and lots of promises have been made to the reader by this point through the suspense. In the past, I’d forgotten to tie up a few really great promises. I remember a previous draft where I’d added a great piece of tension of a missing captain on a ship and created a fear about the ocean in the main character, but then I forgot to go back and solve the captain’s disappearance. I thought, I’ll get to it in the next book, but my beta reading friends didn’t seem to like that answer one bit.
Now that I face the ending once again, I’m biting my own nails and wondering if I’ve accomplished all the pieces I’ve meant to accomplish. I’ve been reviewing tips and articles across the web to help me. Now I’m struggling to stop with the suspense and I can’t seem to end it. 🙂
Ever been there? You’ve thought through the book? You’ve faced the beginning of the end? And in facing the end you’re almost scared to tie it all up?
I have a tip I’ve been pondering.
When facing the resolution and wrapping up all the promises, does the goal escalate and complicate for the main character so the reader feels something so strong, they can’t put the book down?
It’s sort of haunting me. Yes, my character has grown. She’s stepped up to the plate with a solid bat in her hands. With loaded bases, two strikes on the board, will she swing for that home run? Will she try to walk? No matter the choice on that base, I realize she has to try to save the day, and she is the only one who can do that task, free the team to take the plate and score, too. It has to be shocking for my genre, and I know I must stay a step ahead of the reader because I really don’t want the story to be predictable.
In any case, I’ve been struggling to tie up one last promise. It’s jostled one action sequence in the resolution. I’m so close. I know I have the right ending. Now I just have to finish it.
My question: Do you find the Suspense or the End harder to write?
I’d love to here your struggle.
And, I decided to leave you with a picture of my cat Maverick. It relates. He’s taught me so much about the art of suspense. I’m hoping to pull a post together all about the way to hook his interest.
Thank you for stopping in today.
Erika
Tips for New Writers, Author Anna Simpson’s New Murder Mystery White Light, and a Giveaway
I found this quote at brainyquote.com
Writing isn’t the easiest career to pursue. Nowadays with the various publishing platforms a writer must be more than skilled. I’m not sure if I can compare the art of learning to write to a science formula, but there is a balance between skill, determination, and investing lots of hard work and time into the creative process.
Today, I have Author Anna Simpson here, better known across social media as Emaginette. She has been a great writing support to me ever since our short stories published in One More Day. We have traded working manuscripts since, and have continued to provide support to each other. Her new murder mystery novel White Light was recently released. Anna is succeeding in so many ways, and I’m really enjoying seeing her shine.
So without further delay, here she is folks 🙂
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Fabulous Five Tips for the Newly Published Writer
Thanks, Erika. It’s very nice of you to have me here today.
You’ve probably noticed I’m not on the Amazon top 100 yet. In fact, very few books make it that far. I’m not saying they don’t sell. They do, but it also takes some luck, timing, and a really good product to hit and hold a high rating.
So instead of sweating over what your book is doing, try this:
- Never stop promoting your work, just do it softly. It’s not like before where out of print books disappeared. An ebook can be around forever. Every time you publish a work there will be an opportunity to promote your back list.
- Support others. I’m sure there are writers in your life seeking advice or support. Don’t be shy and share what you’ve learned so far.
- Keep studying the craft. There are all kinds of websites, books, and writers to learn from. I’m constantly refreshing my memory or seeking out new (to me) techniques.
- Never forget, when working with your editor, cover artist, and marketing team, you are cogs in the same machine, and all working toward one goal—to create the best book ever.
- While you’re waiting for your first millions to pour in, get busy and start something else. The more books you write; the more books you sell.
To view more about the tour, visit the official tour guide page.
About the Book.
Emma never dreamed of being a super-sleuth. In her mind, she’s more Scooby Doo than Nancy Drew and when her nosy neighbor, Mrs. Perkins, drags her to an anniversary party to solve a mystery, she rolls her eyes, buys a box of chocolates and hops in the car.
What’s a party without an attack on its host—or more accurately on the host’s grandson, sparking an allergic reaction and moving the party to the hospital waiting room. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect. Emma and Mrs. Perkins, along with Great Aunt Alice (a spirit with boundary issues who keeps stepping into Emma’s body like a new dress and playing matchmaker), dive into an investigation that almost gets Emma killed along with the man they are trying to protect. With so many reasons to kill him and so much to be gained if he died, Emma and Mrs. Perkins must unravel the tenuous ties that point to every member of his family as potential killers.
Even if it means going back to the psych ward, Emma will protect her friend and this innocent man. What good is freedom if it’s haunted with guilt?
Where can you find White Light?
Goodreads. An all great resource with information and reviews about any book you might want to search for. White Light at Goodreads.
Purchase links:
An Excerpt.
To stay free, I perform a ritual every morning. It begins with stepping outside, where dawn streams through the leafy branches of my maple tree, landing, shifting, and dancing on the flowerbeds at my bare feet. A steaming cup of coffee warms my hands. The fragrant air fills my lungs. I sip, leaving the liquid on my tongue to capture a moment of rich goodness.
My name is Emma, and I need to stay grounded and calm. It’s important for my health, so I walk along the fence and let the cool blades of grass tickle my toes and dewdrops cling to my skin. For fun, I kick a ball of dandelion fluff. Little parachutes take flight catching the same breeze moving the leaves above my head. The seeds float up, and up, over the fence to land on Mrs. Perkins’ perfectly tended lawn. Not a dandelion or mat of moss to be seen.
In a half acre of green sits one flowerbed, brimming with Lily of the Valley. I remember the first time I saw them over fifteen years ago. The delicate white bells could only be fairy hats. Today, the round base of cemented river stone is still full of waxy green spear tips. I don’t see fairy hats anymore. No, now I enjoy the effects of nature—its simple perfection.
Mrs. Perkins does it best. In fact, everything around Mrs. Perkins is perfectly cared for—her home, her yard, her car—all perfect.
But not today. A dark line sits between the jamb and the edge of the door.
A few inches of shadow drives my calm away and prickles the long blonde hairs at the nape of my neck. Butterflies in my stomach tell, no scratch that, demand I find my phone and go next door.
Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not a snoop.
Mrs. Perkins, a wiry old bird, did everything herself. I’m not sure if it is because she’s the independent sort or if she has no one else to help her. Either way, when she suggested we watch out for one another, I agreed.
I’m also alone. It doesn’t bother me unless I catch the flu or something. Then I wonder if I will die and no one will notice. It’s a thought, or fear, I can’t shake. Mrs. Perkins’ house has my full attention, and within it sits the same worry. I’ll check on her because she would do the same for me.
I crash into my kitchen, slopping my coffee onto the counter as I slam the mug down. My phone could be anywhere. My gaze travels from the pine tabletop to the gray marble counter. It’s not here. I push through the swinging door to the living area, run my fingertips between the couch and chair cushions, scan the smoked-glass coffee table through my veil of long blonde hair, and sneak a peek under my overturned book on the throw rug. Desperate, I check around the bowl by the door where I toss my keys as I pass the spiral staircase to the loft. Still nothing.
Down the short hallway, I rush to my bedroom. I tug the midnight blue duvet off the bed and shake it. My pulse speeds up as something thuds on to the carpet. I pick up my smartphone and check the battery. Half power.
Excellent. I dash through my front door, across the lawn and unlatch Mrs. Perkins’ white picket gate. Her shiny yellow front door looks as solid as stone. I follow her path to the back wondering if danger lurks.
I gasp as I near the door. It’s like living a moment in a crime drama. I mimic what I have watched on television and bring up my phone to take a picture. Inching forward, heart pounding, I wonder if poor Mrs. Perkins is sprawled out on the bathroom floor, from a stroke, heart attack, or a butcher knife.
Don’t worry, Mrs. Perkins. I’m coming.
I pull my cotton sleeve over my hand and push the door wider. Her kitchen looks untouched as if it’s sterilized or newly installed. Tiles cool my bare feet with each step. Fear scratches at my nerves, “Mrs. Perkins? It’s Emma from next door. Are you okay?”
Silence.
I raise the phone to call for help.
A small sound carries from deeper in the house. I should stop, leave, and make the call.
Following the sound might be dangerous or, worse, plain stupid. And I’m scared. So scared, my breathing is all I hear over the pounding of my heart.
I’d look stupid if I’m wrong. Ravenglass Lake is so small-townsville, and Benny the bully is like no cop I’ve ever met. He would be no help. Worst of all, they’d call me crazy for sure. I slip the phone back into my denim pocket, quietly open her knife drawer, and pull out a meat cleaver. Armed, I creep forward.
Thank goodness Mrs. Perkins likes an open airy room. Evil housebreakers have nowhere to hide in the dining room.
A small thump like a cat landing on carpet makes me jump. But Mrs. Perkins doesn’t have a cat…or carpet—only allergies.
I tighten my grip on the cleaver as I stick my head into the living room. All is quiet and undisturbed. I enter the corridor to the front door. To my right are stairs to the upper floor. Farther ahead is a hall closet and nook where she keeps a desk and a small bookcase. Nothing seems touched.
I glance up at the glittery ceiling, swallow, and pull my phone from my pocket. The sensible thing is to dial 911. I sidestep for the front door, but in my mind’s eye Mrs. Perkins, wiry but frail, shakes her head. Her arm outstretched urging me not to leave.
Thump, I freeze. The noise is right beside me coming from the hall closet.
Without thinking, I open the door and find Mrs. Perkins tied up with duct tape across her lips. Her green eyes, round and unblinking, grow wide, and her usual perfect curls are mussed. I drop the cleaver. It clatters on the floor, and I pull the tape free.
More About Anna.
Anna Simpson lives near the Canadian-US border with her family. Even though she’s lived in several places in British Columbia, her free spirit wasn’t able to settle down until she moved back to her hometown.
She is easy to find though, if you know the magic word — emaginette. Do an internet search using it and you’ll see what I mean. 🙂
How to Find Her.
Finally, the Giveaway.
And please don’t hesitate to enter by clicking the link below 🙂
Cloud Nine Girl 