fantasy Archives - Page 7 of 12

After The End

March 14, 2013 By JPMcLean 2 Comments

I’d been writing for months before I told anyone. It would be many more months before I typed “The End” and found the courage to let someone read what I’d written. I say courage because it felt like exposing myself, as if I were admitting I’d developed an embarrassing fetish.

After my secret was out, I felt less guilt about choosing to plunk away at the computer rather than weed the gardens, but where was I going with my writing? When I finished writing Awakening, I went looking for the answer.

It thrilled me that I’d written a book, but what did I do with it?

Most publishers won’t accept unsolicited manuscripts. You have to submit through an agent. My research showed that getting an agent, let alone getting published, was a long shot. Nonetheless, this is how it was done. I researched potential agents, prepared the required submission material, and sent out a dozen query letters.

While I waited for their responses, I began to question the sanity of the process.

I’d already made a considerable investment in time and money: a manuscript evaluation, several manuscript printings, postage back and forth to cold readers, an editor, and cover art.

Did I want to invest more time on the minuscule chance I’d find an agent? And if I got an agent, did I want to wait again for them to sell it to a publisher? And if my agent had the good fortune to sell it, did I want to wait a year or more for them to publish it?

My research also showed that most new authors are paid a pittance, get no marketing support, and being untested, don’t have the negotiating clout to improve their contracts. Some of those contracts include language that makes it difficult to get rights back. Additionally, if the book doesn’t sell well in its first few months, it fades from bookstore shelves.

I don’t begrudge agents or publishers their right to whatever business model works for them.

But is their business model a good fit for me?

The answer is no.

After further research, I decided to indie publish. Because I don’t (yet) have the technical skills to navigate the process, I partnered with a local company. They handle the formatting for hardcover, trade paperback, and ebook editions, and make it available at multiple retailers.

It’s a compromise. I don’t have full control, but I haven’t signed away my rights. Indie publishing isn’t for everyone, but so far (for me at least) the pros outweigh the cons.

I’m investing in me and I’m not finished yet. The second book in the trilogy, Revelation is on the verge of publication, and I’m indie publishing again.

As it turns out, “The End” is just the beginning.

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Where do the ideas come from?

February 20, 2013 By JPMcLean 1 Comment

A question I’m frequently asked is where do my story ideas come from? Truthfully, it’s a mystery. I’m as surprised as anyone that my imagination was responsible for the ideas that became The Gift Legacy.

It’s a process

I’ve come to believe that idea generation is a process. It starts with a seed you may not even know you’ve sown. The process is probably some deeply ingrained human problem-solving skill.

Apes in sub-Saharan Africa are likely doing the same thing. While they’re busy picking bugs out of their mate’s hair, their subconscious is working out how to keep the elephants from mucking up the watering hole.

For me, Emelynn Taylor and the idea of an unbidden gift were the seeds. New scenes would pop up at the strangest, often inconvenient, times. I learned not to go anywhere without a notebook and pen. I would jot down ideas that grew from snippets of other people’s conversations, or glimpses of interesting faces. Sometimes it would be an ad or a photo that sparked an idea.

Tuck the problem away

Even now, three books in, if I’m having difficulty with a particular scene, I set it aside and move on to write something else. Sometimes it’s a scene, sometimes it’s a new character, other times it’s a building or location description. The process often shakes loose that elusive idea. It may take a few hours or even days, but eventually the perfect idea trots along.

The more I wallow in the story, the more ideas come to me. Scenes that have no logical ending or segue magically sort themselves out while I’m gardening or vacuuming or peeling potatoes.

So though I don’t know where the ideas come from, as long as my imagination is fertile, I’ll keep sowing seeds and harvesting the ideas. I’ll leave it to my subconscious to figure out how the opposing thumb thing could improve my lot in life.

Leave a comment – I’d love to hear from you.

All of my books are available to purchase on the Bookstore Tab.

Photo by Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash

How Did You Get Your Start?

February 4, 2013 By JPMcLean 5 Comments

When I’m asked how I got my start as a writer, I think back to the winter I began writing. All west coast winters are long and wet, but that winter was the first I’d experienced after being away for four warm sunny winters in Tucson and the Baja. Cooped up inside on endless dark dreary days left me restless.

I filled my evenings reading. A lot. It was an escape. My favourite escapes were book series binge reads. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books.

I became curious.

What was it I liked about those particular books? The answer for me was that those books engaged me so thoroughly that I lost track of my surroundings and all sense of time. It also occurred to me the books I enjoyed most were written from just one person’s point of view.

Curious to know more, I read about the writers whose work I enjoyed and the writing process itself. One author’s process caught my attention. Stephenie Meyer, author of the successful Twilight books, explained that the series sprung from a single scene that she dreamed about.

It got me thinking.

Could a dream, a kernel of an idea, an edge of a thought, be the seed of a captivating story?

I immediately thought of a recurring dream I’ve had since my childhood. It’s not an unusual or unique dream. (Many of the people who’ve read my first book tell me they’ve had similar dreams.) But was it enough for an interesting story?

All that winter I plunked away on my laptop. I fleshed out my tiny idea using the first person perspective. Writing from just one character’s point of view seemed the safest route for a novice writer. I dusted off my university Handbook for Writers, a five-pound Oxford dictionary, and bookmarked a good on-line thesaurus.

As chapter after chapter came together, I convinced myself that not only could I do it, but that it was a captivating story. I studied Strunk and White’s, The Elements of Style, Stephen Wilbers’ Keys to Great Writing, and Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel. But don’t let that fool you into thinking I’ve managed to incorporate all that collective wisdom. It is, however, a lofty goal.

I’m three books in now and still loving the process. There’s always something new to discover and no end of great books to read and learn from. I feel very lucky to have found something so uplifting and interesting to do on dreary winter days.

Of course, nowadays, every day I’m not writing is a dreary day.

The Next Big Thing

January 18, 2013 By JPMcLean Leave a Comment

Mike Grant, author of White Wolf Moon graciously nominated me for The Next Big Thing Writer and Blogger Award. It’s an opportunity for fellow writers to give a shout-out to those who inspire, educate and entertain. Thanks, Mike, I’m flattered and happy to participate.

I’ll direct my answers to the second book in The Gift Legacy, Revelation which will be published in late spring, 2013. Here goes…

What is the working title of your book?

Revelation. (Now titled Hidden Enemy)

What genre does your book fall under?

Urban fantasy. The genre discussion is an interesting one. Urban fantasy describes stories set in an urban environment. But fantasy covers a wide range from low-fantasy (Charmaine Harris’ Blue Bloods) to high-fantasy (JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings). The Gift Legacy fits into the low-end of the fantasy scale.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

It’s best summarized by a Tennyson quote from The Ancient Sage, 1885, “The shell must break before the bird can fly.”

Revelation continues the story of Emelynn Taylor, whose life is inexorably shaped by an unbidden gift. In Revelation, Emelynn is pursued by dark forces that lurk in the underbelly of a world she never wanted a part of. Her only escape is one which will scar her for life.

Where did you get the idea for your book?

This second book is a natural extension of the story arc from the first book. There are many facets of Emelynn Taylor’s life and her gift that had potential for exploration and development.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The who was Stephenie Meyer who wrote the Twilight books. When I came across her bio and learned that her books sprung from a single scene, it inspired me to start small and build out. It worked.

The what, was a cool, rainy, west coast winter. The dreary hockey-season weather approached on the heels of three sunny winters spent in Tucson, AZ. Daydreaming chased the chill away.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Six months, but many additional hours were spent contemplating the project before I started writing in earnest. Another important qualifier is that I’m fortunate to not have to divide my time with a day-job, children or ailing parents.

What other books would you compare this story with in your genre?

Answering this question makes me feel like a poser because the comparisons juxtapose my writing with other more highly-sought-after work. Keeping that in mind, here are the comparisons I’ve heard. First was J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. It’s not the one I would have picked, but I understand the comparison. Next was Stephen King’s Carrie.

When I wrote the books, I aimed for realism: a story that made the reader believe that they could be living next door to the characters. From that perspective The Gift Legacy books compare to Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books or Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books, but without the vampires and werewolves.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I haven’t a clue, but I’d be very interested in readers’ opinions. When I was writing the characters, I’d often flip through magazines to look for a face I thought fit my imaginary character. The clipped image would help me visualize the characters as I wrote. I still have those clippings, including images I selected for Emelynn, Jackson and Sandra, but unfortunately, I don’t know the names of the models.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I will once again indie publish with the help of FriesenPress. Guy Kawasaki, co-author of A.P.E. (Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur) in his book How to Publish a Book defined self-publishing as Artisanal Publishing. He explained that, like micro breweries, the artisanal author prefers to maintain tight controls over all aspects of their work, thereby producing a superior product.

Absent deep pockets, this artisanal author doesn’t really have much of a choice in the matter, but I like the definition.

What else about your book might pique your reader’s interest?

As one of The Gift Legacy’s reviewers commented, the book has a wide appeal. “It’s got something for everyone – a little romance, humour, drama, sex, suspense. A completely satisfactory read.” It’s a story that will sweep you up and make you ponder the impossible, maybe even make you believe that the unbelievable is happening right now, all around you. It’s a great escape.

The final step to this Next Big Thing nomination is to pay it forward. I have selected five writers and bloggers who inspire, motivate, entertain and educate. Not everyone I nominated is working on a book, but who knows what the future holds! It’s my pleasure to nominate the following writers for The Next Big Thing Writer and Blogger Award:

Linda Poitevin, author of the Grigori Legacy Series

Nina Munteanu, writing coach and author of The Last Summoner and many others

James J. Murray, author of Prescription for Murder

Cristian Mihai, author and creative force behind Irevuo Magazine

Lisa Voisin, author of The Watcher saga

Thanks for hanging in right to the end. And thanks, Mike for the Writer and Blogger Award. The Next Best Thing nomination is an innovative idea and I’m happy to support it and pass it along.