Posted in Culture, Writing, tagged building backstory, building believable characters, family history, veterans day, Writing on 11 Nov 2013| 1 Comment »
In outlining the new book, I create histories. As a result, and today being Veterans’ Day, I was reminded of something I discovered back in 1990.
You see, some American families have a long and celebrated history of military service. My family does not. Some families can measure their generations from war to war. My family cannot. (more…)
Posted in Writing, tagged creative writing, novel writing, The Wolf Tree, Writing, writing techniques, writing tips on 07 Nov 2013| Leave a Comment »
Life has begun (touch wood) to settle. Crises have subsided. Daily dramas have diminished. The weather has turned cold and windy and wet, calming nerves and dampening temperaments.
Now it’s time to get back to work. The Wolf Tree is once more underway.
I’ve had a few days off this week, and First Reader and I have taken long walks in the blustery drear, kicking around ideas like the autumn leaves at our feet. I’ve worked on the timelines for the intertwined stories, settled on names for the major characters, and started to flesh out their personal histories.
Posted in Books, Writing, tagged Characters, creative writing, editing, novel writing, novels, publishing, self-publishing, Unraveling Time, Writing on 29 Oct 2013| 4 Comments »
In retrospect, yesterday’s post was a bad idea and very out of character. I had misgivings and hesitated before posting, but I ascribed those feelings to being “brave” and maybe even a bit “edgy” with my choice of topic.
Nope. Instead, it came across as a petulant, whinge-filled pity-fest served with a big side of “Buy my book and tell me it’s grand.”
Ew…and therefore…my apologies. That was not what I wanted to say, and that is not what I want this blog to be about.
Here’s what I want to say, instead. (more…)
Posted in Books, Writing, tagged Characters, creative writing, editing, novel writing, novels, publishing, self-publishing, Unraveling Time, Writing on 28 Oct 2013| 9 Comments »
I’m biased. There. I said it.
I’m biased, in that I like the books I’ve written. I can’t help it. Frankly, I wouldn’t be able to get through the writing part of being a novelist without liking the books I write. Writing a book I didn’t like? Not gonna happen.
So, I’m biased, and that’s unfortunate, because it makes it impossible for me to understand why Unraveling Time didn’t sell.
And I want to know.
Seriously. I want to have an honest, open conversation about why this book didn’t sell. (more…)
Posted in Books, Writing, tagged Characters, creative writing, Dreams of the Desert Wind, editing, Fallen Cloud Saga, novel writing, novels, Ploughman Chronicles, Unraveling Time, Writing on 24 Oct 2013| Leave a Comment »
I’m always curious, when readers leave comments about my books, as to which of my novels is their favorite and why.
The answers are always varied. Sometimes it’s the subject matter, the period, or the setting. For others, it’s the characters who populate the pages. Occasionally, it’s just je ne sais quoi, that certain “something” that resonates with a particular reader.
Recently, though, the question was turned around; someone asked me what my favorite was. (more…)
Posted in Writing, tagged Characters, creative writing, vignettes, Writing on 22 Oct 2013| 2 Comments »
Yesterday, lying in bed, wishing the sky was brighter, wishing the pre-dawn hours were a bit more advanced, I tried not to wake up. I tried to enjoy the warmth of my fleece blanket and cold air from the open window, contrasting sensations that–like salt and sugar–intensify each other. I tried to relax, listening to the sounds of the wind through branches, the honk of overflying geese, the drip of fog-born dew from the spruce trees.
Instead, all I heard was the ticking of my bedside clock. (more…)
Posted in Books, Writing, tagged ABC, creative writing, editing, ghost writer, novels, Richard Castle, Tom Straw, Writing on 15 Oct 2013| Leave a Comment »
You all know I’m a Browncoat and a fan of “Castle,” as well. I may have also mentioned that one of my guilty pleasures is reading the “Richard Castle Mysteries,” the series of novels ghost written under the Richard Castle nom de plume.
I’m generally not a fan of mystery novels. I find them too formulaic and (frankly) unbelievable. I admit, I went through a Nero Wolfe phase in my youth, scarfing up every dog-eared Rex Stout paperback I could find, but I recovered. These days, the only ones I can read are police procedurals because, let’s face it, who’s more likely to come into contact with murders and murderers time after time: an old pensioner from Sussex, or a homicide detective?
I’ve read all the Nikki Heat books, and am reading Deadly Heat now. Part of my enjoyment of these books is the conceit; I’m reading a book “written” by a fictional character, a book that is mentioned in the TV series, and which often debuts on bookshelves on the same night it debuts on the television show. The book mimics action played out during the previous season in the TV show, as if it were really the product of this fictional character’s fictional life. And built within the book are characters and references to events that appear in the television show. It’s a wonderful gimmick that I really enjoy. Now, throw in a handful of “self-awareness” references, such as acknowledgments that thank not only characters from the show, but also (by first name only) actors who portray those characters. And then, to top it off, toss in a handful of really “meta” references, pointing back to “Firefly” and other works the actors have done outside the “Castle” world.
In all, it’s layers upon layers, fiction upon fiction, all with a wink and a nod to the real world and real life. (more…)
Kurt R.A. Giambastiani 