So it's been forever and a day since I've updated this thing, but the truth of the matter is that I have been lacking in the writing department. I'm not at a loss for ideas, I have hundreds, or maybe even thousands of ideas, but I just can't seem to put them into the proper words. I need some motivation, my new plan is to simply put the story into words, no matter how short, ugly and riddled with errors it may be...and just get the story out! Then maybe I will be motivated enough to go back through it and edit it...we shall see how it goes :)
So I've been pouring over some text about writing, plotting and character development. Why? Because my writing seems to be taking on a life of it's own and I second guess myself regularly and I thought "Why not learn from the masters?" I've looked at advice from Stephen King, Stephanie Meyer, J.K. Rowling...and you know what I've found? NOTHING! They all say something totally different, so here's what I have decided. It doesn't matter! Everyone has a different way of doing things and if you are a writer, chances are you've come up with your own method of "filling in the gaps" as it were. I know for me, writing a plot outline helps me stay focused on the end goal, but it hinders my creativity, so now, I write a sentence describing the beginning, one for the middle and one for the end...so far it seems to be working in my favor. Have I wrote anything that is publishable? Depends on who you ask. I think when my confidence in something is a little higher, I will send it in to be looked at, but for now, I'm writing for pleasure.
Keep writing...keep writing...keep writing. That's my new mantra! And so now I make sure that I write something every single day, even if it's only on napkins and pieces of paper lying around the house. Writing is writing and it's important to make sure that I give myself time to lean all the things I need to know. In the whole scheme of things I'm a baby when it comes to writing. I only started trying to write seriously about a year ago. I'd dabbled in it here and there and loved creating a world that seemed to exist only in my head, but never had I attempted to write a novel. My first one was padded...a lot...and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. And here I am a year later and still very little clue as to what I'm doing. But alas, I love writing so much I am going to keep chugging along until someday, hopefully, I create a masterpiece that is enjoyed at least by my friends and family :)
~ Lisa
Keep writing...keep writing...keep writing. That's my new mantra! And so now I make sure that I write something every single day, even if it's only on napkins and pieces of paper lying around the house. Writing is writing and it's important to make sure that I give myself time to lean all the things I need to know. In the whole scheme of things I'm a baby when it comes to writing. I only started trying to write seriously about a year ago. I'd dabbled in it here and there and loved creating a world that seemed to exist only in my head, but never had I attempted to write a novel. My first one was padded...a lot...and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. And here I am a year later and still very little clue as to what I'm doing. But alas, I love writing so much I am going to keep chugging along until someday, hopefully, I create a masterpiece that is enjoyed at least by my friends and family :)
~ Lisa
Talithia Burke has been a prisoner in her own life. Literally and physically bound to another since the day she was born, she struggles to understand why she was chosen and tries to understand how she can feel love for the man she spent most of her life hating.
Bound is a work in progress, and is my first attempt at a book in the Fantasy genre. I'm working hard to edit my Sci-Fi/Criminal story - The Intruder as well. But Bound is a story idea that I have toyed with for well over a year. Back when I wrote my first novel - The Hidden One, I questioned my sister about whether she would be interested in reading "Bound" (then a nameless story idea) and she said while it sounded interesting she wasn't big into "Faeries". Since she was reading my work at the time I put the idea into a folder on my computer where it sat. But poor Tali (Talithia Burke) wanted her say, so here I am, more than a year later, dusting her off and letting her tell me her story.
Ok, so I know it's been a while, but hell, no one reads this anyway. It's more of a personal thing...and I'm cool with that. Well with Nanowrimo behind me I have been putting a lot of time and effort into my MS. I have to say that writing a good book...not that easy. First I wrote the book, then I re-wrote the book. Then I realized the story wasn't actually complete and now I am re-writing once more. It's amazing how much goes into making a readable work of art. I love it though, I love the challenge and I love letting my mind get sucked into the strange world that is my imagination. But having worked with these characters for so long I feel they have soooo much more to tell. So, long story short, I'm making this a series of books. Not just a standalone. I love the idea behind the abilities and I love the characters. I just hope that I can get their personalities to shine through the way I want them too.
Alexis is so damn witty. She has a snazzy comeback for everything. I like that about her. She takes no crap from anyone. Sadly, she's about to have a total meltdown. You know, it was bound to happen though. No one can go through life so emotionally withdrawn and not eventually have a total breakdown.
Micah, man...I LOVE Micah. He is so freaking SEXY! I want him. Just the guy I see inside my head...ohh. He's like a cross between Joaquin Phoenix and Brad Pitt. (Joaquin for everything except for Brad's hair in Meet Joe Black). YUMMY! Of course, that's Joaquin before his own personal meltdown. It's Joaquin in The Village or in Walk the Line. Ohh - la - la. I love me some Joaquin.
(Ok, time for a side rant) - So I was recently having a discussion with someone very close to me about Joaquin and they said, "You really love him, don't you?"
Of course I had to laugh about this. I said, "I can't love someone I don't know. But he is hot as hell, and I wouldn't kick him out of my bed for eating crackers."
SO then...they were like, "Wait, you mean you don't know him and you'd have sex with him?"
Now you have to understand...I am NOT a slut...I'm barely 30 and I've only had sex with a grand total of five guys! So, no, totally not a slut. But here's the thing, I joke about things like this all the time, hell I've even said the EXACT same thing about Angelina Jolie...and here this person is and they are truly sure that I am so serious. I can't even believe that I ever associated with someone so freaking daft...anywho, the rest of the conversation was me trying not to piss myself as I laughed so freaking hard.
I said, "No, not really. It's just my way of saying I think Joaquin is sexy. And if by some miracle he ever happened into my little neck of the woods (YEAH RIGHT), I would love to pick his brain."
Which of course led into a whole other conversation about meeting famous people (this girl is one of those swoon at the sight of anyone famous types of girls). I of course ended up explaining that I would probably be more nervous about the fact that Joaquin is so sexy that I would say something that sounded along the lines of a school girl with a crush...but no swooning for me thanks. I would however try my best not to drool...lol.
Ok, now where was I? Oh, yeah, Micah. So Micah, my dream man, is kind of an ass but coming around. He does stupid things without thinking (you know...like any other man) and says things he shouldn't say. He is always trying to do something but ends up doing something completely different.
Detective Sherman? Don't even get me started on that self absorbed jerk. Ok, so yeah, I felt sorry for him when his sister died...and he almost seemed human for a few chapters...but then good old Hal was right back to thinking about no one but good ole' numero uno! GRRRR...
So what about Janet? One singluar peripheral character who comes and goes? I don't know her that well. But from what I've seen of her she seems like a sensible person who is in love with Micah...that's no good...she can't have him. I even thought about kicking Alexis's ass for him...lol.
Of course Katarina is a cold hearted bitch. I hate her. I hope she gets what she deserves.
Jeffery? Well, I actually feel sorry for the poor SOB. He's so f***ed up that he truly thinks he is doing something good...or not as bad as what it is. He's a real dirtbag though, and he needs to learn how to shower...oily hair = Lisa's #1 hygiene pet peeve.
There are a few other characters but these are the ones that I have heard the most. They sometimes just won't shut the heck up until I write whatever it is they are dying to say...but now that you all (a grand total of five or six people) know a little about my characters I hope you will enjoy reading my MS when I have finished it.
Alexis is so damn witty. She has a snazzy comeback for everything. I like that about her. She takes no crap from anyone. Sadly, she's about to have a total meltdown. You know, it was bound to happen though. No one can go through life so emotionally withdrawn and not eventually have a total breakdown.
Micah, man...I LOVE Micah. He is so freaking SEXY! I want him. Just the guy I see inside my head...ohh. He's like a cross between Joaquin Phoenix and Brad Pitt. (Joaquin for everything except for Brad's hair in Meet Joe Black). YUMMY! Of course, that's Joaquin before his own personal meltdown. It's Joaquin in The Village or in Walk the Line. Ohh - la - la. I love me some Joaquin.
(Ok, time for a side rant) - So I was recently having a discussion with someone very close to me about Joaquin and they said, "You really love him, don't you?"
Of course I had to laugh about this. I said, "I can't love someone I don't know. But he is hot as hell, and I wouldn't kick him out of my bed for eating crackers."
SO then...they were like, "Wait, you mean you don't know him and you'd have sex with him?"
Now you have to understand...I am NOT a slut...I'm barely 30 and I've only had sex with a grand total of five guys! So, no, totally not a slut. But here's the thing, I joke about things like this all the time, hell I've even said the EXACT same thing about Angelina Jolie...and here this person is and they are truly sure that I am so serious. I can't even believe that I ever associated with someone so freaking daft...anywho, the rest of the conversation was me trying not to piss myself as I laughed so freaking hard.
I said, "No, not really. It's just my way of saying I think Joaquin is sexy. And if by some miracle he ever happened into my little neck of the woods (YEAH RIGHT), I would love to pick his brain."
Which of course led into a whole other conversation about meeting famous people (this girl is one of those swoon at the sight of anyone famous types of girls). I of course ended up explaining that I would probably be more nervous about the fact that Joaquin is so sexy that I would say something that sounded along the lines of a school girl with a crush...but no swooning for me thanks. I would however try my best not to drool...lol.
Ok, now where was I? Oh, yeah, Micah. So Micah, my dream man, is kind of an ass but coming around. He does stupid things without thinking (you know...like any other man) and says things he shouldn't say. He is always trying to do something but ends up doing something completely different.
Detective Sherman? Don't even get me started on that self absorbed jerk. Ok, so yeah, I felt sorry for him when his sister died...and he almost seemed human for a few chapters...but then good old Hal was right back to thinking about no one but good ole' numero uno! GRRRR...
So what about Janet? One singluar peripheral character who comes and goes? I don't know her that well. But from what I've seen of her she seems like a sensible person who is in love with Micah...that's no good...she can't have him. I even thought about kicking Alexis's ass for him...lol.
Of course Katarina is a cold hearted bitch. I hate her. I hope she gets what she deserves.
Jeffery? Well, I actually feel sorry for the poor SOB. He's so f***ed up that he truly thinks he is doing something good...or not as bad as what it is. He's a real dirtbag though, and he needs to learn how to shower...oily hair = Lisa's #1 hygiene pet peeve.
There are a few other characters but these are the ones that I have heard the most. They sometimes just won't shut the heck up until I write whatever it is they are dying to say...but now that you all (a grand total of five or six people) know a little about my characters I hope you will enjoy reading my MS when I have finished it.
THE INTRUDER: A novel by Lisa French
Ok, so I am not sure if I plan on using my real name if I should ever be published, but I think maybe I will. Anyway, the intruder is my NaNoWriMo novel. Now I would be lying if I said that the idea for this story was new...because it wasn't. I even played around with other plotlines before November, but none of them sang out to me...but when NaNo came along I buckled down and found my muse.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
At five years old Alexis discovered she had a talent. After her father, a police officer, was shot in the line of duty and left in a coma, Alexis woke up...AS HIM. Jumping back into her mind, she swore never to tell another living soul.
Eleven years later, full of rage and hatred for people like Jeffery Hanson (the man responsible for her father's death), Alexis gives her gift a second chance. Before she knew it, she was The Coma Vigilante and was all over the news. She soon finds out that she isn't alone in her gift. There are others...and her biggest foe, Jeffery, is one of them.
Well NaNoWriMo was a complete success!!! I am going to take my 30 day novel, polish it up and post it for the world to see. Writing it was an adventure I loved going on. I have to say that the urgency of the deadline pushed my mind to come up with believable scenario's so much faster. I think from now on I am going to just give myself a deadline and make it stick. It will be like a meeting I cannot miss, or a very important appointment that can't possibly be rescheduled.
In the midst of the pain, isolation and immediate need for a good storyline, I happened upon something I didn't know I had...drive. I mean, I knew that I had the desire to write a good book. I knew that I had good ideas for stories, but this taught me that I truly do have what it takes to write something for the world to enjoy, not just myself.
Could you imagine a world where vampires are the reality and humans are the myth? Guardians of the Night is the first book in a series of 4 that take you through the end of humanity as we know it.When Crystyn finds out that both her aunt and the love of her life are vampires she starts to connect the strange dots that was her life.
Crystyn's Aunt Phoebe and the man she loves, Cyrus, work their hardest trying to keep Crystyn safe from the strange cult - Apocolypsis - who believe that Crystyn is the key to bringing about the end of humanity.
Soon I will have an excerpt ready on my authoring site www.lisafrench.com/authoring-site.htm and I will try to post a bit here as well :)
