Saving Your Sanity Through Caffeine-Induced Editing

Currently reading - Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange

I'm a little behind on my writing schedule, having planned to start editing Amish, Vamps & Thieves last week. Dang taxes and GH judging are taking longer than planned, plus I needed a little down time. Woring two day jobs and homeschooling GK while launching a writing career is not conducive to a sound mind if breaks are not taken.

Luckily I have three days off from Day Job #1 starting tomorrow, plus a B&N gift card (must have liquid caffeine for any writing activity), so editing shall commence shortly. Now if I can just find my note-taking legal pad in my receipt-strewn office. . .

Cooking Up a Story

My mom's side of the family cooks without a written recipe. My dad's side wouldn't think of cooking without one. And then there's DH who's still learning to cook because his mom's idea of cooking means anything that comes out of a box.

Great-Grandma Leona's recipe for meatloaf or Grandma M.J.'s recipe for sloppy joes drive DH crazy because the general rule of thumb is put stuff in "until it looks right."

Seriously, this is how I learned to cook. I can whip together creations like pies and cookies by this method. But the thing is I learned what each ingredient contributes to the mix. I'm trying to convey those concepts to GK as I teach him. He's figured out most carb recipes start with flour, a liquid, and a fat, but it's the ratios that make different products.

Flour provides thickness and texture. Liquids add moisture , of course. Fats and oils emphasize flavor and establish tenderness. Knowing the ratios and deciding the addition of other ingredients, such as eggs for cohesiveness, makes the difference between gravy and cinnamon rolls.

Writing's no different. You need to know the basics (POV, plotting, grammar) and the ratios to put together a story. Once you've mastered the key elements, then you can start experimenting with flavors.

The Basics of a Query Letter

Sometimes writers overthink their queries. I know I've been guilty of doing it. Yes, you want the right tone, but start with the facts and build from there.

I strongly suggest starting with the journalististic who, what, where, when and why. Here's an example from an actually query letter that garnered requests.

"Only something seriously nasty would drag Dr. Bebe Zachary (Who) home to San Francisco (Where). If her grandmother’s accidental overdose weren’t bad enough, her cousins have filed to overturn Grandma Petrov’s will and lost the coven’s Book of Shadows in the process (Why). The only way to get the politically incriminating Book back is to buy the wardrobe it’s hidden in at the estate auction (Why). Except she’s outbid by the only thing more infuriating than her idiotic cousins--a vampire (What). And not just any vampire, but the coven master of the western United States, Caesar Augustine (Who)."

Notice the only question I don't answer is when. That queston is answered through circumstantial evidence by stating the U.S. exists and Bebe is a doctor. Without additional information, most people will assume the manuscript is contemporary, which it is.

If you need other opinions on your query, Rick Daley's The Public Query Slushpile is a marvelous place to get feedback from peers in a safe environment.

Urban Fantasy Recommendations

Currently reading - Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

Last week an RWA chapter mate asked for recommendations on urban fantasy books for a critique partner of hers. Here's a portion of the e-mail I sent her:


"There's not a whole lot out there as far as how-to's for urban fantasy. I'd suggest http://www.urbanfantasywriters.com/ as well as -

How to Write the Break-Out Novel by Donald Maas
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card

The best thing to do though is to read the genre. My recommendations would include (with the first book in the series in parantheses):

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files series (Storm Warning)
MaryJanice Davidson - Queen Betsy series (Undead and Unwed)
Charlaine Harris - The Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries (Dead Until Dark)
Kim Harrision - The Hollows series (Dead Witch Walking)
Mark Henry - Amanda Feral series (Happy Hour of the Damned)
Lilith Saintcrow - Jill Kismet series (Night Shift)

Lots of other good ones out there, so tell your friend not to limit herself/himself.

Also, some agents are looking for books with a male protagonist since the field's dominated with female protagonists thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Anybody else have some suggestions? I'd love to hear them.

How to Explain Genres

A new writer asked me the difference between genres and literary fiction the other day. I wish I had this with me. The marvelously funny Jay Lake does a much better job than me.

I Hate Real Life Sometimes.

Still reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

Last week was . . .

Oh geez. There's no words without sounding like a whiny baby. Let's just say a lot of personal stuff hit the fan. But the topper was a dear friend's husband ending up in the critical care unit of a local hospital. Her issues pale in comparison to mine.

So I dealt with most of the personal stuff by Thursday, and focused on finishing the current wip. Needless to say, I haven't blogged or read for the last week, but darn it, I'm one scene away from finishing ZW. Once I'm done this afternoon, I'm finshing my Kitty book!

One More Time . . .

. . . then I'll stop.

More Hawaiian Music

It's been eleven years since I've been to the islands. I miss them.

Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu does a fabulous job of blending traditional Hawaiian chants with modern forms. You may not recognize his name, but you've heard his stuff if you've ever watched Lilo & Stitch or heard the soundtrack.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

My favorite version of this song. Rest in peace, Izzy, and thank you for the beauty.

Girls (and Boys) Just Wanna Have Fun!

This video shows how talented the kids are at the University of Quebec in Montreal. How many directors in Hollywood could pull off such a long continuous shot?