A.J. Maguire

Tag: Books

  • Breathable Text

    Every book teaches me something. Even the books I hate teach me what I want to avoid in my personal writing.

    I might rage about certain aspects of the story or throw the book across the room when I’m done with it (if I have it on hard copy instead of Kindle, of course) but in the end I always learn something.

    Perhaps the most humbling moment is when I pick up a novel that I wrote years ago and see, quite clearly, everything I did wrong. There’s nothing more heartening or heartbreaking than that moment.

    Heartening because it means I’m growing as an author and my craft has improved. Heartbreaking because the text I loved so much back then … I kinda loathe now.

    I’ve come to expect this moment in the writing process so when I picked up Persona to begin editing I had myself braced for impact, you know? But sometimes the “impact” is really a “click” in the brain that recognizes a broader problem and I sit back and go … “Oh, I get it now!”

    The proverbial light coming on in the brain.

    The moment in school when algebra suddenly made sense.

    Or, in this particular case, the realization that my text isn’t breathable. It isn’t livable. The character might be sympathetic, a woman I admire and want to emulate in my real life sometimes because she is so kind and she does overcome her own fear while facing down terrible circumstances, but the narrative itself doesn’t breathe.

    I’ve identified this as a “lens” problem.

    A “lens” problem in the writing world is a matter of distance between the character and the narrative. In this case, my lens was too tight on Megan and I wasn’t taking into account the setting, tone, or secondary characters.

    On the one hand, this makes Megan very clear as a character but it also makes the world feel flat.

    So!

    I’m adding to my writing toolbox today and throwing the “narrative lens” in there as a means of bringing the world and setting to life. Don’t get tunnel-vision with the character because the character is informed and influenced by the world around them.

  • Creation Phase

    In answer to everyone who has ever looked at me and said; “I just don’t see how you do it.”

    It never starts with a blank page so let’s go ahead and toss that myth out the window. The blank page comes later, and it never stays blank for long because the moment pen meets paper or fingers meet keyboard things start to happen.

    There is a second as the writer’s brain gropes for the correct words where the undisturbed white of pen or screen is daunting, but eventually that right word, phrase, character or situation snaps into being and the story begins. Unless, of course, said writer gives up and walks away.

    Maybe they walk away for a day, maybe forever.

    It seems important to note that the one who comes back, the one who braves the glaring white of the unmarred page, is the real writer. The one who never comes back … well … Enough said there.

    But none of that really matters because this isn’t where the story starts.

    The story started ages ago with a flicker of an idea, a foggy dream barely remembered, or the name of a character who simply will not go away. That’s the beginning of the creation process, the start of a new, grand tale. It could be months or years before the story is physically written, but it is constantly being cultivated in the back of the mind.

    Notebooks or 3×5 cards or little documents are made with character thoughts, plot suggestions, and mental images that capture the mood of the story. These are all compiled, stored away for the moment when we finally find ourselves ready to take the plunge and begin writing.

    Maybe there’s an outline. Maybe there’s just a character with a problem.

    The creation phase for any book is beautiful and fragile and unpredictable. Most of us bemoan the drafts that come after, the editing and the synopsis and the querying and everything that has become synonymous with novel-writing, but the beginnings of a new story …

    That we seem to treasure.

  • Bring it on 2015!

    I am dubbing 2014 as a success in spite of the avocado fiasco and am seriously excited to see what I can accomplish in 2015. I’ve already got a couple of things planned but today we’re filling out the writing schedule for the whole year … which I’ll admit is like my favorite part of the holiday season.

    This is mostly for me but if you’re brave enough to peek into my writer’s brain then … welcome to the mayhem!

    This is like my personal pep-talk and I’ll reference it throughout the year just to keep myself revved up and ready to write and … well, attack life with fervor. Because really, if we’re not deliberately living then we’re missing out.

    So! Here’s what I want to do in 2015 …

    1) Publish Tapped (Scheduled: January 13, 2015)

    As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I’ve decided to try my hand at the self-published market. I’ve learned quite a bit from the two small presses that have published me over the last couple years and while I adore them both, the Tapped series requires just a little more freedom.

    2) Edit Persona (Scheduled: January – March)

    Starting January 2nd I will begin implementing edits from my editor(s) for Persona. (Thank you Michael Keenan.) This edit requires a major overhaul of the ending. As soon as it is done it will go back in to said editor so I have a hard deadline of April 1st.

    3) Residual Haunting Wrap-Up (Scheduled: January – March)

    Back in October I started serializing Residual Haunting at Wattpad and its own Story Blog. We’re currently on chapter 12 and there are 13 more to go. Needless to say, the serialization will continue after the New Year. I chose not to post anything over the holiday break due to people being away with their families and such.

    4) Edit Usurper (Scheduled: April – June)

    Trenna fans can stop hounding me. As soon as this edit is complete it will go in to the publisher (Wings ePress) who has first rights to all things Dyngannon.

    5) NEW CONTENT WRITING (Scheduled: April – June)

    My brain is funny sometimes. I can work on 2 projects at a time so long as one is being edited and one is being created. That’s why you see the first three months of 2015 I am editing Persona and finishing Residual Haunting. I have several novels on the back burner that are just waiting to be written so I get to pick from the following;

    Dead Weight (sequel to Tapped) / Alex Huntley (Civil War) / Warpath (4th Trenna book) / Primal (Dragons)

    6) Query Goals (Scheduled: August – December)

    Given the professionalism of my editor I know that by July 2015 I will have Persona back in my hot little hands. I’ve carved out the months of July and August to go through those edits again. It’s a shorter time frame because there should be less work involved (meaning no major over-hauls and such) but once it’s done I will begin querying the book out.

    7) NEW CONTENT WRITING (Scheduled: July – September)

    Obviously whichever one I manage to do in April-June is off the list here, but the choices are the same. Dead Weight (sequel to Tapped) / Alex Huntley (Civil War) / Warpath (4th Trenna book) / Primal (Dragons)

    8) Edit Residual Haunting (Scheduled: October – December)

    By the time October rolls around I should be ready to pick up Residual Haunting again and start editing the crap out of it.

    9) Participate in National Novel Writing Month (Scheduled: November … and probably December)

    Because I just can’t seem to get enough of this program I’ll be trying my hand at this competition again. Depending on what I’ve managed to get finished earlier in the year I will likely pick from my list of 4 back-burner novels. If I’ve written Dead Weight then I know there’s a third Tapped novel (Inmate) that should be added to this list as well. And I have an Aliens vs. Vampires novel buzzing in the back of my brain too.

    10) Poetry Reading and All Things Not Writing

    I want to read a poem a week. I like poetry, I just really suck at writing it. So! I’ll read it instead. One a week through 2015.

    Also in 2015 I want to learn at least 6 new martial art forms/kata (trust me, I have the means to do this.)

    I want to read 12 new books from authors I haven’t read before. If you know a book you think I should try please let me know. This is a book a month and I know I read tons more than that so this should be easy.

    I want to climb mountains with my kid and generally enjoy the adventure that is being a parent. (AKA – we’re going to go find some fun.)

    And that’s it. That’s my 10(+) for the year of 2015. I can do this. I know I can do this. Bring it on!

  • Self-Publishing Journal Entry #3

    Dear Diary,

    Scrivener hates me.

    I find this quite sad because I really like Scrivener and its little note-card preview and clean setup. And really, I’ve done nothing to deserve its hatred. We only just met a month or so ago.

    How do I know it hates me?

    Because it refuses to be rid of the subtitles in my work. I’ve tried seven different times now and it always brings up a subtitle after the word “Chapter” … even if the area is left blank. Even if I click on the “please don’t do this crap” button that it told me to click on in the instructions.

    The manuscript looks very nice apart from that. It just has “Chapter One” and then “Untitled” right underneath it.

    Orange Beast
    Orange Beast

    The Big Orange Beast has declared that Scrivener is on strike until I bring home soft food again. After all, he did not agree to this diet and he has every right to soft food regardless of the fact that he is beginning to look like a lumpy potato.

    He is also quite displeased that I left for Thanksgiving. He did not rage-vomit on my floor while I was gone though, so I believe he is accepting the fact that I like to visit my mother every couple of months.

    I’ve decided that all of my editing must be done by the end of this week. My Beta Readers have all checked in (for the most part) and I know what needs doing. In fact, I managed to get most of their comments already implemented into the book, now I just need to tweak wording and make sure everything flows right.

    I’ve also decided that Tapped is going to be YA, which is terribly frightening. The age is right. The main character is right. I was just being stubborn about the whole idea due to … you know … never having written YA before.

    What can I say? I’m living dangerously. First time self-publishing, first time writing YA. It’s an adventure.

    Which reminds me, I really ought to pin down a cover for this thing.

  • Residual Haunting is now Live

    Cover Art by Chris Howard
    Cover Art by Chris Howard

    Welcome to October!

    As promised, Residual Haunting — my first ghost/semi-horror/paranormal story — has found its way onto Wattpad and its own Story Blog. (Take a moment to admire Chris Howard’s amazing artwork on the cover! I absolutely love it!)

    Now then …

    Why am I posting a draft of this novel online for free?

    It seems like a silly thing for an author, who wants to make money on telling stories, to post their work before any real editing can come of it (thus subjecting any Readers who dare to take the trip to a rough ride of possible typos and awkward wording) and to do so for free.

    Well, there are a couple of reasons.

    First, Residual Haunting is a grand experiment for me. It’s an exercise in whether or not I can write something completely on the computer (normally I hand write everything first) and I know I’m going to learn quite a bit in the process. (Honestly, I already have but we’ll get to that later.)

    If by some chance my experience with Residual Haunting can somehow aid a fellow writer then I would like to share it. Thus, we find the serialization process begun. I’ll go through a focused dissection of the experience when we’ve reached the end.

    Second, I love the history of serializations in general. I got to play Beth in “Little Women” when I was in high school so the concept of serializing stories gives me fond memories. (If you remember, Jo had her stories serialized in the paper.)

    And Third, it’s fun.

    No, really. It’s fun. I had a blast with Persona last year and promised myself that I would do it again once I found a suitable book (one not on contract and focused on learning something about the craft) and Residual Haunting fits that bill.

    So! If you like the paranormal and are adventurous enough to embark on this journey with me then welcome to the experiment! Follow the links above to find the story in your preferred format (Wattpad or Blog) and let’s get started!

  • Gutter Space

    Last year I made a few print copies of Persona for my family. (No, it is not for sale. Yet.) But anyway, I discovered this rather annoying problem with my Word program when it came to converting the text for printing.

    Every page needed a designated amount of “gutter space.” This is the space that you see right in the middle of the book when you open it up, the little “gutter” that is created where the binding comes together. For whatever reason, my Word program could not target even versus odd pages, forcing me to spend FOUR HOURS going through each individual page and shifting them over.

    As evidenced by what happened next, shifting text is quite boring.

    “Gutter space” sounded so … sordid. Kind of seedy, you know?

    I decided that what “Gutter Space” really stood for was that place where all rejected novels go, and for four hours that late November night I let my creative brain run rampant. It was quite entertaining. I had a main hero named Partial (standing for Partially Formed Idea) who was met by several different novels, all of them with some form of book disease.

    My personal favorite was Multiple POV Disorder where the inflicted novel kept switching characters mid-sentence.

    In any case, I sort of let “Gutter Space” fade away after I finished shifting text but this week I caught myself in that weird transitional period between projects. And, lo and behold, Gutter Space came back to mind. As much as I loved the concept of Partial being introduced to every manner of writing mistake (like Purple Prose Syndrome, which was so full of unnecessary description that it continued to just describe things around it rather than address anything of worth to the plot) I’m not quite ready to write that short story.

    But trust me, I will.

    For now, I’ve decided that “Gutter Space” will be anything and everything that my brain needs to clean out before it’s ready to start on a new project.

    So what is my “Gutter Space” comprised of today?

    Well … Here’s my line-up …

    1) Residual Haunting — needs completion (But it’s also my next project so I don’t need to worry so much.)

    2) Persona — needs a new ending (Already got this baby scheduled.)

    3) Usurper — needs an edit or … uh … 5 (Pardon me as I hide from all Trenna fans. I already promised it would be out in 2015!)

    4) Primal — needs re-written or … brainstormed or … something

    5) Dead Weight — needs completion

    6) The Abolitionist — needs research

    … My car needs cleaning too.

    And I should wash my carpets ’cause … Winter is coming.

    And there you have it … That’s what’s in my Gutter Space today. Starting next week I’ll be diving headlong into Residual Haunting and posting it, as promised, for free on Wattpad. It will be completed by the end of October, which frees up my November for NaNoWriMo where I will either be working on Primal or The Abolitionist.

    We’ll see.

  • Nearing “The End”

    By the close of this week I will have finished the edits on Tapped. I started this book two years ago for Camp NaNoWriMo and sent its second draft to a wonderful editor by the name of Gabriel Fitzpatrick. (Authors, if you ever see him advertising to do some work, take him up on it. He’s professional and he’ll infuse you with the belief that your book can conquer the world when it’s finished.)

    My original deadline for completing these edits was the beginning of May, but I was still in school and things got a trifle crazy and an avocado bested me during a salad-making contest.

    Yes, I’m talking about stabbing myself in the hand. And I’ll say it again — I really do know how to core an avocado. I was just in a hurry and wasn’t paying enough attention.

    Still, the damage done to my hand in that escapade was extensive enough to make typing (a core element of the writing craft) really frigging hard, thus throwing my deadline back even further.

    But I am not one to go quietly into the night.

    Which is why the draft will be complete this week.

    I’m not sure if I’m the only one who has this problem but sometimes, particularly in the last week of a novel, I want to finish so badly that I actually have to coach myself to slow down. So this week is all about taking my time to get it right. These last two chapters include a space battle where the ship we’ve been traveling on for several hundred pages now finally gets to show us what she’s capable of, and resolution moments for a couple of subplots.

    And if I don’t get both of them right then the entire book is a wash.

    So here’s me, rolling up my sleeves and preparing for the week-long plunge into all things “climax” and “conclusion.” I’ll see you all on the other side.

  • How to Write a Dude

    Devon Barlow is a headstrong young man nearing his twenty-first birthday. He’s highly intelligent, very physically active (he goes spelunking on Pluto, how cool is that?) and he has a strong suspicion that his parents might just be pirates. Save for brief forays on Mars or Earth during the holiday seasons, Devon has lived the bulk of his life on board Zephyr, a hauler-class space ship. 

    I am a thirty-something single mother who reads too much and spends an embarrassing amount of time on video games. (Hey, games help keep my creative brain fresh and stuff. Don’t judge.)

    So how does a thirty-something single mother find the “voice” of a twenty-year-old boy in order to believably display his character on the page?

    Well … I read a lot. 

    I did say I read too much, didn’t I?

    In this case I deliberately hunted for books with young male points of view (really not that hard to do, you can find them in just about every book you pick up) and I studied them. I looked at what they thought or felt or did differently from how I might have reacted in any given situation and I jotted it down in a notepad. 

    I also talked to guy friends. If there was a situation happening on Zephyr in the book that could be easily translated into day-to-day life, I would nudge a guy and ask; “Hey, when you were twenty what would you have done if …”

    Disclaimer: These friends know I am an author. They find it highly amusing when I quiz them about what it’s like to be a dude and are more than happy to help out. However … most of them still think I’m crazy so … do this at your own peril. 

    That said, Devon Barlow might be a twenty-year-old young man but he is also a human being. He may think and feel differently from me but that does not mean I cannot relate to him. (Except for the pirate thing. I never suspected my parents of being pirates.)

    Fiction is the place where we can mind-meld with the world around us. It helps us understand people precisely because we find ourselves relating to characters vastly different from us. It teaches us to look at the core motivation in people because we know that, male or female, that motivation is what’s going to define them as a person.

    So!

    How to write a dude when you’re a girl?

    1) Read. (You should be doing this anyway if you’re a writer.)

    2) Observe and/or ask your guy counterparts.

    3) Find the core motivation.

    … and if anyone else has tricks to writing the opposite gender I’m happy to hear them. I’m sure I missed a few.  

  • Attack of the Secondary Character – Round Robin Discussion

    The beast roared again.

    It knew Relo was there.  It had known the moment he’d walked into the cave, its heightened sense of taste and smell had alerted the beast to this trespass.  But Relo had anticipated this.  In thirty-four years as a Tapped Acolyte he’d hunted every species Nellis had to offer.  He knew each weakness, each strength, and when Nellissian people were threatened, he had no qualms about exploiting such knowledge.  This, after all, was not a matter of fair play but a matter of survival.

    Me: Relo … huh … that’s an interesting name. Sounds kinda like “reload” which makes sense given the whole science fiction element, right?

    Cat: meow?

    Me: (Because I really am crazy enough to discuss these things with my pets) I know, I know. Relo … what? Relo Bomani? Sounds exotic and … you know … they’re on an alien planet and all … OK. So … the hero’s name is Relo Bomani.

    …. approximately 700 words later ….

    “I see I missed the action,” Seach said.  Most of his face was still in shadow but Relo knew the man was frowning.

    “It was a surprisingly fast battle.” Relo looked down at his thigh and tried to determine how bad the wound was.

    Seach walked to him, fixing the light on his wounded leg. “But not uneventful. Sit still.”

    “Actually, I think I cut myself on its tail when I tried to get out of the way.” Relo took the phosphorous light from Seach and angled it so his friend could work.

    Seach snorted his amusement as he crouched beside him, slipping the pack off his shoulder as he did so. “Serves you right for coming out here alone. I swear, sometimes I think you are trying to die.”

    Me: … huh … I like this Seach fellow.

    Cat: (just purrs cause by now he’s laying on my feet)

    … 3000 words later …

    Me: Ugh. I hate this book. I do not like the way it’s going. Relo is too … just too … strong. Not enough vulnerability in him. And he’s not funny.

    Cat: (lots of meowing cause he’s crazy enough to think I can understand him)

    Me: I know! Seach is so much more interesting. He makes me laugh. And he’s not afraid to fail. I totally love him.

    Cat: (stops meowing because I’m scratching under his chin and he’s in kitty heaven)

    Me: But you know, I’m not liking much of this plot either. Let’s change everything. We’ll make Seach the hero. Keep Jorry as the female lead. Relo can be the secondary.

    Cat: (suddenly bops me on the hand because he’s had enough attention for one day but he’s too lazy to move out of hands reach)

    … About a year later … 

    “You know Jorry won’t drink that,” said a familiar voice.

    Seach relaxed and glanced at Lieutenant Cavil as they continued through the D-Fac. Her black hair was shaved close and he could see little spirals of dark curls pressed up against her scalp. She grinned at him, her teeth bright white against the backdrop of her ebony skin. Cavil was beautiful in that hard way that military officers could be. It was like all the training and battle she had seen managed to sharpen her appeal and for half a second he forgot the danger they were in.

    “Lieutenant Cavil,” he said with a smile. In his peripheral view he saw Jo look up from her computer. “It’s been a while. Decided you were ready to tell me your first name?”

    “It’s been two years and eight months,” Cavil said and laughed. “I thought you would have lost interest by now.”

    “Lost interest in a beauty like you?” Seach clucked his tongue and winked at her. “Never.”

    … So … Have I ever had a secondary character steal a book from me?

    Yes. Very much so. I revamped all of Tapped to accommodate a new hero in Seach and I have never regretted it. He’s funny and vulnerable and he really made the story for me. He even counterbalances Jorry as the lead female character precisely because of those traits.

    Hop over to some of my fellow authors to see if they’ve ever dealt with a scene-stealing secondary character before!

    Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
    Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
    Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com
    A.J. Maguire https://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/ (YOU ARE HERE)
    Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
    Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
    Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog
    Victoria Chatham www.victoriachatham.webs.com
    Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/
    Geeta Kakade http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
    Rhobin Courtright http://rhobinleecourtright.com

  • Dead Magic Release!

    Witch-Born fans can rejoice today! (That’s right, I said “rejoice” because we really don’t use that word often enough these days.) The sequel and (likely) final chapter of the steampunk-magic-imbued saga has been released through Double Dragon Publishing. 

    Yes, yes, I know … “But you just had your first science fiction (Deviation) released last week!”

    Quiet, mongrels! You’re not rejoicing like I told you to! 

    (I might be a little spirited today. The strap on my favorite purse broke and I am torn between grieving it and celebrating the new release. I apologize for any and all shenanigans.)

    But no, seriously, Dead Magic is officially released. See its understated and quietly brilliant purchase link at the side of this post … Or if you don’t like sidebars you can follow this link to its brand new Amazon page. 

    Marvel at the steampunky cover art (created by the ever-so talented Deron Douglas)

    deadmagic-510

    Why yes, that does appear to be a naked man in the background. See the tattoos? Witch-Born fans should automatically recognize them!

    Bask, my lovelies, in the blurby thingy that must be placed on all books … 

    Return to the Steam Punk world of Magnellum for the second book in the “Witch-Born” series.

    Magic is gone and Valeda Quinlan knows it, she just can’t prove it. Determined to learn the truth, Valeda finds herself at the mercy of Elsie Delgora, the last known Witch to have ever seen Magic. Scrambling for survival amidst the noble Houses of Magnellum, Valeda agrees to help Elsie in return for Magic’s location. But the help Elsie needs is more than Valeda bargained for. Sent on a mission to find Lord Winslow Agoston, Valeda is confronted by powers far beyond any Witch-Born and forced to take on an even larger role in the fate of Magnellum.

    In all seriousness this book was a joy to write. I had fun with Valeda and Winslow and I sincerely hope everyone else will too.