Where Do The Voices Come From?

No, I'm not insane.  Although I do have some friends that might debate that with me!  But I had to title this post with something and I figured talking about voices could get someone's attention. :)

The voices I'm referring to are, of course, the characters that authors create to bring their stories to life.  Everything from the heroine/hero to the villain to the supporting characters have to come from somewhere in our brains.  So, even though it may seem at times we authors have a form of multiple personality disorder going on, really it's just the creative process feverishly at work to bring to life the characters our readers love to see.

I don't know how it works for other authors, but for me, I've always been a character-driven individual.  Most of my story ideas begin with a character first, some voice inside my head that has suddenly spoken up and wants to tell me something.  Er, have me tell the readers something.  So, I nod to myself, pull up a blank document in Word and begin writing.  Most of the time I have no idea where the character is taking me, but it's an itch that has to be scratched, so I go with the flow.

Most of my efforts end up being saved in my Stories folder on my desktop.  A lot of times, the voice will just pepper out after 50 or 100 pages and that story gets put away.  Sometimes, it gets revisited, sometimes not, but I've learned over the years never to delete anything that I've spent any significant amount of time on.  Never know when I might go back to it and really develop it out into the next novel or series!

To date, I probably have over a hundred different stories, all beginning the same way - that little voice in my head saying 'please pay attention to me and write what I tell you.'  The voices are always different, sometimes male, sometimes female, sometimes good, sometimes bad.  But I try and work with each one regardless.  Not all of the stories are complete, some not even a third of the way told.  But when a particular character suddenly bursts to the forefront of my mind, I pay attention and write until I no longer hear them speaking.

I've not loved all of my characters over the years and some I have loved deeply and hope to one day finish their stories to share with others.  They are all a part of me, although I really have no idea where most of them come from or where they go when they are done talking.  Doesn't matter.  I just want to be able to tell their stories in the best way I possibly can.

So, even though us authors may sometimes appear crazy, we're just in our creative process, trying to get to know the voices that inhabit our mind.  These voices are the characters that we lovingly bring to life on the page so that a story can be told and a reader can escape into a new world for a while.  We don't necessarily know where the voices come from, probably never will.  But it doesn't really matter as long as their stories get told in the end.

Now, I need to get off of here and get back to getting to know some of the newest characters who have spoken up inside my head.  They have things to share and I have words to convey!  Have a great week and enjoy getting to know the characters of the novels you are reading.  In a way, you are getting to know the author as well!

Moving Forward!

With the release of Prophecy Revealed, I've taken a few weeks to chill and get my brain properly motivated to get back to work.  Basically, this means I did a lot of playing computer games and reading books not written by me so I could get my mind right again.  Btw, if you're a big fan of the paranormal genre and haven't checked out J. R. Ward or Karen Marie Moning, please do so ASAP!  These two ladies are at the top of most kick-arse awesome writers and I would highly recommend their books to anyone, especially the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward and the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning.  Phenomenal writing that makes me strive as a writer to want to be like them!

Anywho, now that I've given myself a few weeks to recoup, I'll be picking up where I left off with Vagar (Galactic Dynasty #2) and I will also begin writing the next book in The Soul of Arial series.  It's tentatively titled Two Worlds, but that is subject to change between now and publication.  I'm extremely excited about both of these projects and will be sharing updates as I go along.  I already have a progress bar for Vagar (you can find that on the right side of the blog) and I'll set up a progress bar for Two Worlds within the next couple of weeks.  This way, everyone can check in occasionally to see how far along I am on the writing of these two manuscripts!

I hope everyone has gotten off to a wonderful start for the New Year and I look forward to sharing more awesomeness in the coming weeks and months!  Now, off to pour more coffee and head to the writing cave!  Have a great week and happy reading!

Prophecy Revealed Releases Today!!!

Happy Release Day!  Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is now available on Kindle, Nook, and in Paperback!!!  I'm so excited to share this with you and hope that you'll check the book out.  I'd love to know what each and every one of you thinks of it!

This book has been in the making for over 3 years now and has evolved in such a way that I can't wait to continue telling the story!  Two more books are planned, making this particular series a trilogy, and I'm looking forward to diving back into this unique world with my amazing characters once more.

So, treat yourself to a gift of Prophecy Revealed today and explore a world that may have you questioning... just where do souls go??

Prophecy Revealed Release Date, Cover, and Synopsis!

Hello, Ladies and Gents!  Sorry it's been so long since my last post, but so many things have been going on that I'm amazed I can still remember my own name right now! lol  So, let's get started with the latest!

For your viewing pleasure, I have the cover for Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) to share with you as well as the synopsis:

So it is spoken, so it shall be, that the Soul of Arial will bring change to thee;

With defiance and courage she will paint the scene for two worlds to become one;

And by her side will only one rule and win her respect for eternity.

A prophecy is given and a Soul is named.   Change is coming and the soul must be found.  Rulers fret, winged warriors hunt, and Arial eludes.  But for how long?





So, what do you think?  Are you intrigued yet?  I'm so excited about this novel and can't wait for readers to get their hands on it!  The release date for Prophecy Revealed is scheduled for December 18, so be sure to mark your calendars and spread the word!

And just a little background... this book has been in progress for over three years now, slowly being developed and fleshed out.  There were times when I wasn't so sure I wanted others to read this as it was not a genre or writing style I was accustomed to.  But now that I've finished it and stepped back from it for a few moments, I realize I was just being silly.  The story is amazing and unique, one you won't find in the typical fantasy section and I can't be more thrilled or proud of this novel than I am now.  So, definitely check it out when it releases and be sure to let me know what you think!

Finally A Title....and Other Writing News!

So, for the last couple of months I've been struggling with what title to give the 2nd book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  The Muse and I batted titles back and forth like it was a fiendish tennis match where neither of us could break Deuce.  (Tennis fans or those familiar with the game will get that reference.)  Anyway, long story short, we have finally come to an agreement on the title for the new book we're co-authoring.  Ready?

Vagar

Yep, that's it!  lol  Seems like such a dramatic and traumatizing process for such a short title.  But, for those of you who have read Starward, you'll at least know where the title comes from.  And for those of you who haven't, when I post an official synopsis down the road, it will probably make more sense.  Don't you just love it when us authors get vague and mysterious about our works?  *evil cackle*

So, now that I can rest easy once more having finally come up with a title, I can also proudly announce that we are now six chapters complete into the new book!  Woot!  Writing and brainstorming have been going really well these past few weeks and continues to go strong.  I've got the next two chapters outlined and ready to begin writing and I'm so excited with how this novel is flowing so far!  And it's a new challenge for me because there are several POV's I'm writing from this time.  But each POV is pertinent to the overall story, so hopefully you wonderful readers will not hate me too much for writing from so many different perspectives!

In other news, Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is in the process of being edited.  It's getting a lot of massaging and polishing, but it's slowly developing into an even more awesome fantasy novel than I thought possible!  I'm really excited about this novel and can't wait to share it with you all.  Hopefully it will be finished and released before the end of the year, but we'll see.  I'll keep posting updates as things progress!

I believe that's all my news for now.  I hope everyone is enjoying the onset of Fall...my absolute favorite time of the year!  And if you're looking for something different to add to your book collection, meander on over to my publisher's website, Cressen Books LLC, and see what they have for you to choose from!  I'm pretty confident you can find a book there to curl up with on these crisp, cool evenings!

Weather Moods

Can the weather truly have an affect on our moods as writers?

I'm looking out my window this morning and seeing an overcast, dreary-looking day out there.  It's the kind of day that can't quite decide if it wants to rain or not and I sometimes wonder if Mother Nature has the occasional problem with listlessness.  This kind of weather makes me a bit listless, like I can't stay focused on one project for very long before my mind starts wandering elsewhere.  Not a very conducive state of mind to be in for writing.

So, I think there are times where the weather does have an affect on me as a writer.  Sunny, cheerful days make me feel motivated and I'm up for the challenge of tackling my current writing project.  Rainy days can sometimes put me in the mood to write a bit darker, moodier sections and other times just make me want to curl up on the couch and read something that is not my own work.  Crisp, autumn days have me contemplating mystery writing and cold, snowy days make me want to write something warm and humorous.  And sometimes, it doesn't matter what the weather is doing - I've got the writing itch and I have to get the words out or I'll go insane!

Then I wonder how much of it is the weather and how much of it is my own brain dictating how motivated I am to write whatever it is I'm working on.  Sometimes I believe it is a combination of the two that either works for or against me.

But in the end, I guess it doesn't really matter as long as the project gets finished eventually.  I used to have a horrible time completing a writing project and will confess that I have many stories stored on my computer that I have yet to finish.  Some I will and some I won't - I've come to accept that.  But I'm pleased with the fact that I can and do finish all the stories that I absolutely want to see published one day.  Some just take more time than others to develop.

Anyway, as I look out on this dreary, listless-inspiring day, I will try to get my brain to kick in and get me over the listless hump so I can get back to work on those projects that are patiently waiting for me to return.  Fortunately for me, there are no looming deadlines to stress over, and with the weather sometimes dictating my mood, that is a very good thing indeed!

Deep in the Edit Zone

Good morning, all!  Sorry it's been so quiet on here lately.  I've been deep into edits for my upcoming release, Prophecy Revealed, as well as doing stuff with the Muse outside of all this writing and editing.  But I wanted to pop on here long enough to give an update before I get back at it again!

As of the last post, everyone now knows that Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) has been completed and is now in the stages of editing.  The story (in my humble opinion) was already a great story, but as I'm slowly working through it line by line, I'm now finding ways to spruce it up, flesh it out, intensify it in order to make it an amazing story!  The characters are coming more to life, the world-building is taking on an even more realistic feel, and the plot is tightening up nicely!

When I first started this story....er, two or three years ago....I wasn't entirely sure if it was something I would ever publish.  It had some elements that were dark and sexual in nature, something I was so NOT used to writing.  But as more of the story flowed and gelled, I began to lose some of that apprehension of releasing it.  And now, I'm so crazy about this story that I can't wait for others to get their hands on it and see this world and these characters for themselves for the first time!

So, with that said, I'm actually going to wrap up here for now and get back to work making this great story awesome!  I hope everyone's having a great week and I'll be back on again in the near future to give more updates.

Tata for now!