I avoid writing controversies. That doesn't seem congruous with my history--I don't avoid controversies; I cause them--but that is my net presence now. On Nathan Bransford's blog when they were talking about whether vamp novels were overdone and finished, towards the end of the discussion I said "I'm tired of people who don't read vampire novels declaring they are dead. If you want to know whether there will be an audience for vamp novels, ask the current audience." On another blog, I defended paranormal fantasy by comparing it to the romantic movement. That's as ranty as I get.
But I cannot avoid controversy. If my current MS becomes popular I will be the center of several controversies.
My oldest daughter's friend's mother is already concerned about her playing over here because I write about vampires. She hasn't seen anything. I reimagine the Bible, including the gospels, and early Christian history. The religious right is going to love me.
Janie has a paternal grandmother who is Chinese, but Janie is not in touch with her heritage. This is an important part of her backstory, but there will be those who criticize me for it.
There will people who disagree. I can either not write the story the muse is giving me or I can accept what I write will be controversial for many reasons.
Guess which I choose.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Supernatual Archetypes
Many of you know me from a message board attached to masqthephlsphr's wonderful site All Things Philosophical on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series. (ATPoBtVS&AtS) Over there I was lunasea.
Many of my essays on ATPoBtVS&AtS were based on Jungian theories. Some of these essays can be found in my memories at my livejournal:
Angel,
More Angel,
Buffy,
more Buffy,
Firefly,
Serenity
and
Jossverse.
While you are there, you might want to check out my best and most personal Joss essay.
I'm not Damaged.
At the core of Jungian theory is the Collective Unconscious and the archetypes. These are defined as "the psychic component to instinct." Some of the forms they take are mother, teacher, healer, monster, and so on. Horror movies and literature hits us so hard because they tap into these archetypes.
As our views of the psyche have changed, so have the forms supernatural creatures take. Vampires and werecreatures haven't been defanged/declawed to make them more palatable. They have evolved as we have. Because of men like Dr. Jung, we are more aware of the unconscious. Our vamps don't have to spend half their time in death sleep, and our weres can be aware of and in control of what happens during their changed forms.
As our attitudes change, so do the forms the archetypes take. What needed to be expressed in repressed Victorian England isn't the same thing as what 21st century Man is dealing with. Post sexual revolution, sexuality isn't something we fear. In the Information Age, we aren't afraid our animal sides will take over. So what happens to how the archetypes are expressed?
In urban fantasy and paranormal romance, often the story is about how supernatural creatures interact with humans. This is best illustrated in Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series, where not only are supernatural creatures out of the closet, but the world itself is built on shifting periods of "magic" and "tech." This is also illustrated by the romance storylines where a human female and a male supernatural have to find a way to make their relationship work, often resisting their attraction at first. We do not fear sexuality or our animal sides, but we have yet to fully integrate these sides. Our stories represent this.
If this were all these stories did, there wouldn't be an entire sub-genre that is popular enough to do well in these hard economic times. These books aren't built on fear. They have more in common with Joss Whedon than Bram Stoker. They are not genre literature that typically is plot driven. UF/PN is strongly character driven and each one not only has a unique universe where their are different mixes of supernatural creatures who have different powers and weaknesses, but the characters deal with different issues.
The sub-genre is driven by women. We are the majority of writers, the majority of readers and the majority of characters. Despite the equality of men and women, we have different psyches. We evolved to be different, so our archetypes are different and we look for different things for our entertainment.
A main theme present in UF is freedom. Sexual freedom, illustrated by Riley Jensen and Anita Blake. Freedom from societal expectations, illustrated by Faythe Sanders. Freedom to chose who we want for a partner.
Another common theme is dealing with the hand you have been dealt, illustrated by Sookie Stackhouse, Anita Blake, Mercy Thompson, and Elena Michaels. As tired as i get of characters whining about being supernatural, they whine because part of their storyline is accepting this.
Another theme is an outsider fighting the system, even the one they are supposed to be part of, illustrated by Harry Dresden and Faythe Sanders. Sometimes it i someone who is different feeling like they are an outsider, illustrated by Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson.
These are issues, even as evolved as our society is, that women are still facing. Often these issues are repressed, not because we want to repress women, but because we like to think of ourselves as having evolved to a state of actual equality. These are issues that will probably always be present to some degree in both sexes, but the popularity of this sub-genre shows that these issues are strongly in play currently, especially in women.
Many of my essays on ATPoBtVS&AtS were based on Jungian theories. Some of these essays can be found in my memories at my livejournal:
Angel,
More Angel,
Buffy,
more Buffy,
Firefly,
Serenity
and
Jossverse.
While you are there, you might want to check out my best and most personal Joss essay.
I'm not Damaged.
At the core of Jungian theory is the Collective Unconscious and the archetypes. These are defined as "the psychic component to instinct." Some of the forms they take are mother, teacher, healer, monster, and so on. Horror movies and literature hits us so hard because they tap into these archetypes.
As our views of the psyche have changed, so have the forms supernatural creatures take. Vampires and werecreatures haven't been defanged/declawed to make them more palatable. They have evolved as we have. Because of men like Dr. Jung, we are more aware of the unconscious. Our vamps don't have to spend half their time in death sleep, and our weres can be aware of and in control of what happens during their changed forms.
As our attitudes change, so do the forms the archetypes take. What needed to be expressed in repressed Victorian England isn't the same thing as what 21st century Man is dealing with. Post sexual revolution, sexuality isn't something we fear. In the Information Age, we aren't afraid our animal sides will take over. So what happens to how the archetypes are expressed?
In urban fantasy and paranormal romance, often the story is about how supernatural creatures interact with humans. This is best illustrated in Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series, where not only are supernatural creatures out of the closet, but the world itself is built on shifting periods of "magic" and "tech." This is also illustrated by the romance storylines where a human female and a male supernatural have to find a way to make their relationship work, often resisting their attraction at first. We do not fear sexuality or our animal sides, but we have yet to fully integrate these sides. Our stories represent this.
If this were all these stories did, there wouldn't be an entire sub-genre that is popular enough to do well in these hard economic times. These books aren't built on fear. They have more in common with Joss Whedon than Bram Stoker. They are not genre literature that typically is plot driven. UF/PN is strongly character driven and each one not only has a unique universe where their are different mixes of supernatural creatures who have different powers and weaknesses, but the characters deal with different issues.
The sub-genre is driven by women. We are the majority of writers, the majority of readers and the majority of characters. Despite the equality of men and women, we have different psyches. We evolved to be different, so our archetypes are different and we look for different things for our entertainment.
A main theme present in UF is freedom. Sexual freedom, illustrated by Riley Jensen and Anita Blake. Freedom from societal expectations, illustrated by Faythe Sanders. Freedom to chose who we want for a partner.
Another common theme is dealing with the hand you have been dealt, illustrated by Sookie Stackhouse, Anita Blake, Mercy Thompson, and Elena Michaels. As tired as i get of characters whining about being supernatural, they whine because part of their storyline is accepting this.
Another theme is an outsider fighting the system, even the one they are supposed to be part of, illustrated by Harry Dresden and Faythe Sanders. Sometimes it i someone who is different feeling like they are an outsider, illustrated by Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson.
These are issues, even as evolved as our society is, that women are still facing. Often these issues are repressed, not because we want to repress women, but because we like to think of ourselves as having evolved to a state of actual equality. These are issues that will probably always be present to some degree in both sexes, but the popularity of this sub-genre shows that these issues are strongly in play currently, especially in women.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
This or this - A writer's eye chart
This or this
Those of us optically challenged will recognize this phrase said by the optician in an attempt to correct mother nature's cruel joke. I'm sure she is in the aetheric laughing. What is funnier than giving avid readers and writers poor eyesight? At least we humans get the last laugh with stylish frames and contacts that make our eyes even bluer.
For those who are blessed with perfect vision (I don't hate you, really I don't), some man or woman in a white lab coat worn to fill us with confidence that they are just the magician we need to achieve perfection sticks this huge ugly black thing in front of us that contains the relief our poor souls are crying out for.
"This or this," he or she says as we compare the two different lens we are presented by the huge black magic glasses machine. Sometimes it's "A or B." The purpose of this activity is to determine the magic numbers that will forever change our lives by allowing us to read and write without getting headaches from squinting at all the blurry lines. It's an important activity, boring, but important.
She or he doesn't stop until this and this start producing results that are too close to tell apart, thus narrowing down the precise numbers to write on the little piece of white paper to take to another magician to get our corrective lens in whatever form our vanity decides on.
Writing is like the huge black magic glasses machine. Our wonderful muse keeps presenting us with options, at least she does when our hot male lead isn't busy seducing her, and we have to decide between them. This or this, she says as our fingers glide across the keyboard. Sometime the this'es are small things, but sometimes they aren't.
That's what I've been facing this last month. "This or this" my muse says when it comes to where to start the book. "This or this" she says as I determine which character to center the book around. "This or this," she says when it comes to the all important choice of POV.
There was one problem. To determine which this is better, we look through the huge black magic glasses machine at a chart with pretty letters on it. What is the chart when it comes to writing? That's what separates the writers who are good at their craft from those who are great writers.
That is the eye chart writers use. When we lose sight of that, all the this and this'es in the world won't matter. We can't see clearly when we have nothing to look at to determine what is clear.
That quote is written in big letters above my computer. I lost sight of what drove me to write The Fallen in the first place, way back when it was called Rejection: A Vampire's Tale. A scene--a vampire biting someone, but feeling rejected when she reacts with horror--is what came to me five years ago. That strong emotion is what got me to the computer every day November 2007. Even when I had a 102 degree fever over Thanksgiving weekend, I drove myself to the library to escape the distractions of family and mirth.
Surprisingly, when I brought the story back to the emotions of the vampire, craft came along for the ride. For the first time ever, I feel like my work can compare to the likes of Kelley Armstrong and Keri Arthur. I spent 6 hours rewriting chapter 1 yesterday, and what came out was very good. It is tight, sensuous and most importantly emotional.
So with my new frames, (tenth verse same as the first) writing the story from the first person of the vampire, and my new eye chart, focusing on the emotional connection, I am tackling yet another major rewrite of The Fallen.
Let's hope the huge black magic glasses machine has steered me right.
Those of us optically challenged will recognize this phrase said by the optician in an attempt to correct mother nature's cruel joke. I'm sure she is in the aetheric laughing. What is funnier than giving avid readers and writers poor eyesight? At least we humans get the last laugh with stylish frames and contacts that make our eyes even bluer.
For those who are blessed with perfect vision (I don't hate you, really I don't), some man or woman in a white lab coat worn to fill us with confidence that they are just the magician we need to achieve perfection sticks this huge ugly black thing in front of us that contains the relief our poor souls are crying out for.
"This or this," he or she says as we compare the two different lens we are presented by the huge black magic glasses machine. Sometimes it's "A or B." The purpose of this activity is to determine the magic numbers that will forever change our lives by allowing us to read and write without getting headaches from squinting at all the blurry lines. It's an important activity, boring, but important.
She or he doesn't stop until this and this start producing results that are too close to tell apart, thus narrowing down the precise numbers to write on the little piece of white paper to take to another magician to get our corrective lens in whatever form our vanity decides on.
Writing is like the huge black magic glasses machine. Our wonderful muse keeps presenting us with options, at least she does when our hot male lead isn't busy seducing her, and we have to decide between them. This or this, she says as our fingers glide across the keyboard. Sometime the this'es are small things, but sometimes they aren't.
That's what I've been facing this last month. "This or this" my muse says when it comes to where to start the book. "This or this" she says as I determine which character to center the book around. "This or this," she says when it comes to the all important choice of POV.
There was one problem. To determine which this is better, we look through the huge black magic glasses machine at a chart with pretty letters on it. What is the chart when it comes to writing? That's what separates the writers who are good at their craft from those who are great writers.
"Craft is always secondary to the truth of emotional connection"
-Konstanti Stanislavsky
-Konstanti Stanislavsky
That is the eye chart writers use. When we lose sight of that, all the this and this'es in the world won't matter. We can't see clearly when we have nothing to look at to determine what is clear.
That quote is written in big letters above my computer. I lost sight of what drove me to write The Fallen in the first place, way back when it was called Rejection: A Vampire's Tale. A scene--a vampire biting someone, but feeling rejected when she reacts with horror--is what came to me five years ago. That strong emotion is what got me to the computer every day November 2007. Even when I had a 102 degree fever over Thanksgiving weekend, I drove myself to the library to escape the distractions of family and mirth.
Surprisingly, when I brought the story back to the emotions of the vampire, craft came along for the ride. For the first time ever, I feel like my work can compare to the likes of Kelley Armstrong and Keri Arthur. I spent 6 hours rewriting chapter 1 yesterday, and what came out was very good. It is tight, sensuous and most importantly emotional.
So with my new frames, (tenth verse same as the first) writing the story from the first person of the vampire, and my new eye chart, focusing on the emotional connection, I am tackling yet another major rewrite of The Fallen.
Let's hope the huge black magic glasses machine has steered me right.
Friday, February 27, 2009
A personal plea regarding Nalini Singh's Angel's Blood
I first heard about Nalini Singh's Angel's Blood (book one of the new Guild Hunter series) on one of the livejournal blogs mid January. The premise had me hooked. What's better than vampires, vampire hunters and archangels. I love the tag line "When archangel's play, mortals break." I couldn't wait for it to come out. It immediately went on the list I gave my local indie bookstore of books for them to get me.
A week went by and Nalini announced a contest. The prize, one of the ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies). I put my name into the hat. On Jan 20, I found out I was one of the winners. It arrived two days later. It doesn't have the pretty artwork. It's bright yellow and sticks out on my bookshelf.
When it came, I told my kids "This is the neatest thing ever." Their response, "I thought we were the neatest things ever." After I assured them that Mommy loves them, I went upstairs and devoured the book. I've been trying to figure out my review of it ever since.
I told myself that it was because I wanted to read it again. It was the first book I've read this year, where the urge to immediately reread it was overwhelming. I reread it and still wasn't able to write my review. Last night, I figured out my problem.
Writing this without being spoilery is next to impossible. The writing is superb, the characters are interesting, the pacing is dead on and everything else that makes a book great is there in droves. I can picture every detail from gleaming Angel's Tower with the angels taking off an landing right down to the beauty of the angels' wings. This book is truly beautiful. I want to see it made into a movie, just to see the various angels' wings. She creates a world that both makes the angels fit into our world, yet at the same time keeps them elevated. Oh, and these aren't cherubs with harps.
That isn't what I want to talk about. No, strike that, that isn't what I need to talk about. It is the relationship between the vampires and angels that has me emailing her to ask her how she came up with the idea. It is the ending that has me needing to know where the series will go. This is one of the most creative ideas I've ever seen.
I wanted to win that ARC very badly. Well, be careful what you wish for. Since I got an ARC, I can't go online and talk about this. Never since Buffy the Vampire Slayer went off the air has the need to talk about something been so great.
So here's what I want you guys to do (see me on my knees), please please go out and buy this book. It's available officially March 3, but I saw it in Waldenbooks Wednesday, so you may be lucky. Please, read it so I have someone to talk about it with. Then come back here and talk to me.
If you don't, I'll explode.
A week went by and Nalini announced a contest. The prize, one of the ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies). I put my name into the hat. On Jan 20, I found out I was one of the winners. It arrived two days later. It doesn't have the pretty artwork. It's bright yellow and sticks out on my bookshelf.
When it came, I told my kids "This is the neatest thing ever." Their response, "I thought we were the neatest things ever." After I assured them that Mommy loves them, I went upstairs and devoured the book. I've been trying to figure out my review of it ever since.
I told myself that it was because I wanted to read it again. It was the first book I've read this year, where the urge to immediately reread it was overwhelming. I reread it and still wasn't able to write my review. Last night, I figured out my problem.
Writing this without being spoilery is next to impossible. The writing is superb, the characters are interesting, the pacing is dead on and everything else that makes a book great is there in droves. I can picture every detail from gleaming Angel's Tower with the angels taking off an landing right down to the beauty of the angels' wings. This book is truly beautiful. I want to see it made into a movie, just to see the various angels' wings. She creates a world that both makes the angels fit into our world, yet at the same time keeps them elevated. Oh, and these aren't cherubs with harps.
That isn't what I want to talk about. No, strike that, that isn't what I need to talk about. It is the relationship between the vampires and angels that has me emailing her to ask her how she came up with the idea. It is the ending that has me needing to know where the series will go. This is one of the most creative ideas I've ever seen.
I wanted to win that ARC very badly. Well, be careful what you wish for. Since I got an ARC, I can't go online and talk about this. Never since Buffy the Vampire Slayer went off the air has the need to talk about something been so great.
So here's what I want you guys to do (see me on my knees), please please go out and buy this book. It's available officially March 3, but I saw it in Waldenbooks Wednesday, so you may be lucky. Please, read it so I have someone to talk about it with. Then come back here and talk to me.
If you don't, I'll explode.
Monday, February 23, 2009
What a Great Night
Last week, I got thrashed when I submitted the first paragraph over on Ilona Andrews' blog, but that is really good. I need to be able to deal with bad reviews. I've changed the beginning, so that isn't even the first paragraph anymore. Comments I received over at helped me see some areas that needed work. Also, changing from UF to paranormal romance lets me focus on different things.
I put the end of chapter 12 over at Miss Snark's First Victim's blog. Hopefully, I'll get more positive comments.
Today, I started the first round of rewrites. I still have two chapters to write, but decided those would get done in the rewrites. As of right now, the first chapter has been split in two. The new first chapter is done. Five pages of something I'm actually happy with. It is tighter than before, full of tension, really puts you in Janie's head and introduces Janie and what she wants much better. The first 3 pages are completely new. Tomorrow I will create the icon of the cover I've designed.
And I won something!!! I enter so many contests, the law of averages is that I have to win occasionally. I won a signed copy of Jeanine Frost's Halfway to the Grave, her One Foot in the Grave and Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark (original cover, not the post HBO sextacular one). Is it May yet? I need my Eric fix.
I need to crit tomorrow and I need to write my review of Nalini Singh's Angel's Blood. More importantly, I'm in the mood for my rewrites, so hopefully, tomorrow I can knock out chapter 2 and maybe even 3. Some chapters need more work than others, so hopefully, I can do more than one chapter some days.
I'm doing my first round of rewrites. I can't believe it. I might actually stick to the schedule I've set for myself. Maybe.
Yikes!!!
I put the end of chapter 12 over at Miss Snark's First Victim's blog. Hopefully, I'll get more positive comments.
Today, I started the first round of rewrites. I still have two chapters to write, but decided those would get done in the rewrites. As of right now, the first chapter has been split in two. The new first chapter is done. Five pages of something I'm actually happy with. It is tighter than before, full of tension, really puts you in Janie's head and introduces Janie and what she wants much better. The first 3 pages are completely new. Tomorrow I will create the icon of the cover I've designed.
And I won something!!! I enter so many contests, the law of averages is that I have to win occasionally. I won a signed copy of Jeanine Frost's Halfway to the Grave, her One Foot in the Grave and Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark (original cover, not the post HBO sextacular one). Is it May yet? I need my Eric fix.
I need to crit tomorrow and I need to write my review of Nalini Singh's Angel's Blood. More importantly, I'm in the mood for my rewrites, so hopefully, tomorrow I can knock out chapter 2 and maybe even 3. Some chapters need more work than others, so hopefully, I can do more than one chapter some days.
I'm doing my first round of rewrites. I can't believe it. I might actually stick to the schedule I've set for myself. Maybe.
Yikes!!!
Friday, February 20, 2009
My first post
I need to transfer a lot of stuff from my old blog. This is the first post I'm making here.
Two more chapters and The Fallen is done. Then I get to start the massive rewrite and I mean massive. I've taken 10K words out and moved them to the second book in the series. That leaves me at 71K now. This is good, since there are sections I greatly need to expand.
But that isn't what makes me on writer heaven.
I have the rough outline for the third book and damn is it good. If the first doesn't sell, this one definitely will. It is heavier on the UF and less on the Christian mythology. Other than Azazel, there isn't really anything biblical in it. And there are werewolves!!! Witches and werewolves and a vampire and a fallen angel. What's not to love?
This means that I have to change the name of the second vampire/Grigori that Daniel fights, but that is a small thing. John thinks I should name her Mel. Maybe I will. Let's see, research time. Melanie comes from the Greek for black or dark. Hey it works! So Azazel is now Mel.
Semhazai still works for the last vampire they face. Need a good name for the first one. Was going to be Sariel, but I think he needs a new one. Maybe I'll rename him Wayne for the Great One since he's a hockey fan. No. That 's what's the word? Oh yeah, lame.
Let's see. The Quebec Nordique's first coach was Maurice. Maurice means dark skinned. Not quite right. Their first star was JC for Jean Claude. (gotta love wikipedia) That might work. He can even be called JC, Wait, I remember what John means, seeing as I'm married to one and that definitely doesn't work. Besides I already have a Janie.
My favorite hockey player was Mario Lemieux Mario means manly. I think I have a winner. YAY!!!
Vamps:
Daniel: God is my judge. I liked the name and it ended up working perfectly
Mario: Manly
Melanie: Black/Dark
Semhazai: Heaven seizer
Maggie: who has her name for a reason that will be revealed book 2
Janie: wonder if she'd change her name when she becomes a vampire. Nah. That would get too confusing. Daniel/Lucifer is bad enough.
So, did you like that peek into a writer's mind?
Two more chapters and The Fallen is done. Then I get to start the massive rewrite and I mean massive. I've taken 10K words out and moved them to the second book in the series. That leaves me at 71K now. This is good, since there are sections I greatly need to expand.
But that isn't what makes me on writer heaven.
I have the rough outline for the third book and damn is it good. If the first doesn't sell, this one definitely will. It is heavier on the UF and less on the Christian mythology. Other than Azazel, there isn't really anything biblical in it. And there are werewolves!!! Witches and werewolves and a vampire and a fallen angel. What's not to love?
This means that I have to change the name of the second vampire/Grigori that Daniel fights, but that is a small thing. John thinks I should name her Mel. Maybe I will. Let's see, research time. Melanie comes from the Greek for black or dark. Hey it works! So Azazel is now Mel.
Semhazai still works for the last vampire they face. Need a good name for the first one. Was going to be Sariel, but I think he needs a new one. Maybe I'll rename him Wayne for the Great One since he's a hockey fan. No. That 's what's the word? Oh yeah, lame.
Let's see. The Quebec Nordique's first coach was Maurice. Maurice means dark skinned. Not quite right. Their first star was JC for Jean Claude. (gotta love wikipedia) That might work. He can even be called JC, Wait, I remember what John means, seeing as I'm married to one and that definitely doesn't work. Besides I already have a Janie.
My favorite hockey player was Mario Lemieux Mario means manly. I think I have a winner. YAY!!!
Vamps:
Daniel: God is my judge. I liked the name and it ended up working perfectly
Mario: Manly
Melanie: Black/Dark
Semhazai: Heaven seizer
Maggie: who has her name for a reason that will be revealed book 2
Janie: wonder if she'd change her name when she becomes a vampire. Nah. That would get too confusing. Daniel/Lucifer is bad enough.
So, did you like that peek into a writer's mind?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)