Music to Writing is like________

Bonnie to Clyde, Hot Dogs to Baseball, Grease to Mechanic etc... You get the picture.

Often times I find I can concentrate more on my writing when I have some form of static noise or music. I'd prefer music, but if it's not available, at least a good fan will do. When I do have music available though, I'll listen to whatever style suits the scene I'm working on. If it's action, I'll try to throw on some high energy techno, or rock, while if it's simply dialogue or filler text, I may listen to something a bit more mellow. In times,of writing emotional moments or apex dialogue, I try to listen to my cousin William Joseph's music. He has two CD's called Within and Beyond. He was signed with Time Warner a few years ago as a hot shot piano player. (I never liked the word pianist) lol.

Anyway, his contemporary approach to piano mixed with just enough orchestra really makes for great background music. I'm proud to say, he's my cousin and I taught him everything he knows... Well not everything, but most of everything... Ok fine, not all that much, but he's taught me a few things on the piano and I'm a much more refined pianist(ugh) for it.

If you get a chance, hop on Pandora Online Radio or YouTube and check him out. He's Incredible. Maybe his music can inspire some of your writing.

Or for those of you who are incredibly lazy, like myself at times, here's a clip.

But How Does it End?

My brain hurts to think today. I'm going to avoid a long post. I will say this though, I started reading Shiver. I'm a sucker for covers and I saw this in my local bookstore. Not only that, but I saw several of my blogger friends who claimed it was pretty good, so I'm going to check it out. I still plan on finishing The Shadow of the Wind, but I needed to restart it anyway, so it's on hold for now.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Cast of Trueborn

Inspiration comes in many forms. When I imagine a character in my mind, for a story I'm writing, I tend to look around on the internet to find a picture of a person who mirrors what I imagine. When I do, I use that picture for inspiration to keep my vision clear. So, I just wanted to share some pictures that I found of various people, from a royalty free stock photo site, which represent the major character cast of my WIP: "Trueborn."

My question to you is, "Do you have any odd things like this, that you do, that help you stay on track with your writing."

The 1st Novel

Today's post is simple. It's more of a question really.

If you are an agent, editor, or publisher, here is your question:
Do you believe it is wise for an author to try to pitch his 1st novel after finishing it, or suggest they write a second one to pitch which may be better due to the experience gained from the first one.

If you are a published author, here is your question:
Do you think your first novel was as good, in quality, as your 2nd 3rd etc... If you think your writing/storytelling has gotten better, do you wish you would have saved your first novel's idea for now, now that you have more experience.

If you are an aspiring author, here is your question:
Is the 1st novel you intend to pitch your "BEST" idea, or are you just hoping to get your foot in the door after being published, only to "bring out the good wine" later, so to speak?

Tiger Woods Scandal

So, if you live under a rock, you may not have heard that Tiger Woods is on center stage for a big scandal. This comes after an auto accident, which allegedly involved Tiger Woods running into a tree & a fire hydrant. Suddenly people are claiming his wife came out pissed off and decided to beat him with a golf club. Others are saying that his airbag didn't deploy and he was trapped, which is why she was swinging at the car(NOT HIM) to help him get out.

I have another theory:

Dick Cheney was in the neighborhood and Tiger decided to show him his sweet ride. While Tiger's spinning doughnuts in the street, Dick pulls out his shotgun and says, "Oh yeah? Check this out." He shoots out the tires on accident, Tiger crashes, his wife comes out thinking he's being attacked and starts swinging the golf club at Cheney in her pajamas. Tiger gets hit by accident, Dick runs and now they are suddenly in the midst of a media storm with Scandal written all over it.

Case solved! Tiger was Cheney'd

Review: Across the Nightingale Floor

I recently read Across the Nightingale Floor by Liam Hearn. It is the first in a series of books known as Tales of the Otori. The series, if I'm not mistaken, was meant to be a trilogy, but was so well received that a fourth book was written. Afterwards, Liam ended up wrapping everything together, Star Wars style, by releasing the prequel called "Heaven's Net Wide."

I have not read the others yet, but am very excited to do so. The first book maintained an air of historical competence and mystery that fueled my own love for ancient Japan. The main character, a young man named Takeo, accidentally falls into a journey that brings him to the brink of death and back again as he consorts with assassins and royal samurai alike in an attempt to discover himself and bring down a warlord of a neighboring land. This book doesn't just appeal to the side of me that secretly wants to live in Japan, but also reaches my heart as a budding love story begins in the first novel.

So, bottom line time:

Read this IF

1. You enjoy anything Asian (Especially Japanese)
2. You enjoy fantasy based fiction
3. You are secretly an assassin and want to know more
4. You enjoy forbidden romance (Cuz, when it's allowed it just isn't as fun)

Notre Coeur Ensemble

So the Girl With One Eye over at A Squirrel Amongst Lions reminded me that I'm overdue to share some of my old hidden feelings of love. Despite my ex-wife's views on my idea of love, I'm actually a sucker for a good love story. In fact, I've written a good portion of love poems over the years. I don't claim that they are good, but they are what they are. Here is one of the latest poems I wrote for my soon to be bride.

Notre Coeur Ensemble

Along the barren road beyond,
away from all that's well.

Our hearts they ached, destitute,
a loveless hollow shell.

Where "what once was" is just a thought,
and time it plays its game.

Our souls they yearned for something more,
to break us from the pain.

And suddenly aloft our needy thoughts,
a shining ray of light.

Our eyes they met with intense gaze,
love was in our sight.

Now our chains have broken loose,
as we walk off hand in hand.

Our journey now has just begun,
This journey will be grand.

Old Writing

I found this burried deep in the depths of my old writing. I'm not sure what I was going for, but it may have been an attempt at a short story contest or something. Anyway, aside from the grammer problems (yeah, I know I'm terrible) I hope it's somewhat enjoyable.

Here ya go:

Ten seconds felt like eternity to Brandy as she held her grip on the cliff wall. Her heart raced at a dangerous pace, but kept tempo as a surge of adrenaline flew through her body.

“How stupid,” she said to herself as she held tight to the roots jutting out from the cliff wall.

“I knew my love for bugs would get me killed some day; I just figured it would be by a poisonous sting or something,” spoke Brandy as she clawed for a better grip with her other hand. She watched with irony as the beetle, she had leaned over the edge to pickup, crawled along her hand blissfully making its way to a nearby root.

“Shut up Brandy, don’t talk like that,” yelled the young man above her on the cliff’s edge. He fumbled as he took off his belt hoping it was long enough to reach her. “You're gonna be fine, just hold on and stop talking,”

“Why, you afraid my words are going to weigh me down more,” Brandy sarcastically spoke as she glanced over her shoulder to the drop below her. She had never been afraid of heights, but even her nerves of steel were being tested as she hung a few hundred feet from death.

“No, you’re just annoying me, now grab on!” Brian wrapped his end of the belt around his wrist to provide extra support as he dangled Brandy’s salvation in front of her face.

Brandy reached up with one hand and replaced her grip from the root to the belt now hanging in front of her. Slowly Brian lifted with all his strength.

“Geez, could you go any slower Brian,” she asked as she crept up the cliff wall.

“You know,” grunted Brian in between tugs, “I’ve got half a mind to let you go, but then again, I’m no good at lying and I wouldn’t be able to explain my way out of that one.”

Brandy smiled. Even in her current situation, near death as she was, she still appreciated the humor that came from her boyfriend. The two of them had a dynamic that she had never felt before in any relationship. It comforted her as she clenched the belt with all her strength.

“Oh no,” yelped Brian.

“Stop joking around Brian,” chimed the girl as she waited to be lifted, slowly losing her own strength. “Hurry up and pull me, I can’t hold on much longer.”

Nothing was further from the truth, thought Brian as the belt began to slip from his hand suddenly under the pressure of Brandy’s weight.

Without warning, the belt slid out of Brian’s hands and Brandy’s face bore a look of fear as she began falling.

“I love you Brian,” shouted the girl as she plummeted to the rocky floor below. Her body paralleled Brian's spirit as he watched in horror.

It was the first time Brian ever heard those words from her. It was the only time Brandy would say them.

Identity Theft

Character development plays a very large role, as any writer knows, in the process of novel-writing. Often times your characters are faces of your own personality, whether buried in the depths of your pain ridden soul, or bubbling out of you like suds from a champagne bottle.

My current novel, Trueborn, features two unique personalities, both of which were modeled after personality types that I've come to understand via the bonds of friendship. The fun thing to watch is, when I'm writing their stories, they almost take on a life of their own and I've even found that they make decisions that almost break the roles they are supposed to be tied to. I write like I'm watching a movie. I see it happening as if watching the scene play out then try to pen it down. (Or type - to be more accurate).

It's amazing though as I watch my story unfold, I notice that even though the characters are supposed to be independent of one another and made up, I feel like I'm writing about me. I'll notice as I look back over chapters I've written and find that characters are making choices, thinking like and behaving like I would if I were in that situation. I think it must be an art to be able to write completely unattached from a character. It's definitely something I have to work on.

Do any of you find that your characters are mirroring you? Is this just an example of author induced reverse identity theft?

Any thoughts?

Where Do You Draw the Line?

As I consider the requirements of writing a believable novel, I find the best descriptions come from those, not of the imagination, but of the experienced. Afterall, the word author does have its roots in the word authority. So, how can one write about something with which one has no knowledge?

If you ask me, this presents a problem. Does every thing that can be written need to be experienced by an author before it can be written about? No. Of course not. That would be absurd, however I believe there are some things which need to be experienced to write effectively or authoritatively about. So, where do you draw the line? I have a novel that I'm soon to pickup writing again called "In Eyes of Jade." The characters in this novel spend the majority of their time within the halls of a mental institute.

There's the problem.

Despite what some people may say, I'm not crazy and have no experience within such a place. I'd love to really deliver an honest, blunt, realistic and authoritative description of this institute, which demands that I spend some time within one (If I want to get the full effect) I am not suggesting that I hop in the padded cell, slip on the straight jacket and just see how it goes, but rather set up an interview or two with institute workers and or a tour.

Did any of you writers have to go through a dangerous or unique situation to acquire the research for your material? Where do you draw the line?

Any thoughts?