Rekindling an old flame?

Besides for a few short stories and some revisions and reformatting, I have not dabbled much in the world of the Brethren for several years, but that all may be about to change.  We'll see how it goes.  I am working on a new, full length book in the series.  I'll keep you posted!

What no one has been waiting for!

I have just published The Greylands: Volume VI (and updated The Complete Greylands too), so if you are really, really bored go check it out!

Seasonal Reading

If you have survived the two week celebration of shopping that has now replaced Thanksgiving and are in need of a little rest and recuperation, I have just the reading assignment for you.  Dust off your Bible (or look one up online) and turn to the Book of Luke and read the first two chapters, forget Cyber Monday and reflect on what this season is truly about!  Merry Christmas!!

Yet more questions you didn't ask (#4)

What's going on with your 'Greylands' stories?  Why do all the characters have the same name but you claim the stories have no relation to one another?

I hate coming up with character names, I have found several that I really like, fit my characters well, and rather than come up with unique names for 27 different stories, I cheat and recycle.  I am being 'green' as it were.  Isn't that why bottles of water now are so flimsy and crunchy?  We could likewise revolutionize the ebook world (though I hate those water bottles) and save the earth too!

Seriously though, these are different worlds, stories, plots, and characters but there are some underlying themes, imagery, characteristics, and the like which seem to recur in these tales.  Why not reuse a name as long as it is clear the character in question is unique to that story?  It is not like there has never been another person born with your name, why can't I do the same in a story if it happens in real life?

As to why I write them, that is a good question.  Full length books are certainly more profitable and popular with the majority of readers, but I find myself with all these shorter tales that need to be told and this seems the ideal way to do it, even if they do not acquire the readership a longer tale might.  Sometimes a tale just needs to be told, regardless of its popular reception or lack thereof.  But if you really want a good deal, go find a copy of my new volume containing the entire series, which will be updated as each new volume in the series comes out (and with the number of half told tales I have in the closet, it may be quite numerous!).  Pay once and own the entire series, now and to come!

A Free Trip 'Over the Hills and Far Away'

Since my new book of fairy tales is selling so well I've decided to adjust the price, at least everywhere that is even remotely an option (ie. not amazon).  I decided to try the 'preorder' feature that all the ebook moguls seem to thing is the best thing since the discovery of chocolate (it is not), but your book has to have a price to participate, so I priced a book I had hoped to list for free.  Well, with preorder I have managed to sell 0 copies, I was astonished, floored, amazed, yes preorder is the way to go!  Maybe if you have a really popular serial going or people camp outside your house waiting for hints about your next book it is a good thing, but for no-name amateurs it really isn't all that great.  So I've adjusted my price to the outrageous fee of free.  It is a whimsical little book of poems and stories and now cost effective!

Even more questions you didn't ask (#3)

G.K. Chesterton once quipped, "a good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author."  Have you any thoughts on this?

A most excellent question, why is it all these questions seem to arise as if I asked them myself?

I am not sure I can fully agree with the most exalted GK, for all novels must tell us something of the writer, for one can only write 'what you know,' and of all topics, the author hopefully knows himself best.  We are also humans writing human stories (whether the main characters are technically human or not) and as such, all fiction must tell us something of the human experience or what is the point of reading or writing?  If we are reading a fictional account and it reads like an autobiography with the main character being the author, then yes, that is a bad novel indeed, but I cannot write a story or a character without incorporating some part of my experience, my fears, my hopes, my joys and sorrows, yea, my very soul into what I do.  For the root of all great art is buried deep in a human soul and without baring a little of that soul, we cannot hope to touch the world in any meaningful way.  What we know about being human, and thus about writing believable stories, comes from our own experience and hence is translated into our writing, though hopefully not in an exact copy!  In a good story, you will read a little bit of who and what the author is, but more importantly, you will learn some universal truth of what it is to be human.

More questions you didn't ask (#2)

Your newest book, "Over the Hills and Far Away," due out November 15th, is not classified as 'christian fantasy,' but merely as a collection of fairy tales.  Why no 'warning' label?  Have you given up on the genre?  Is this book safe for unwary readers?

An excellent question, I'm pleased to have proposed it…

As C.S. Lewis quipped in Surprised by Joy,  "a young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading."  It was George MacDonald that began the ruin of this particular atheist, who later became one of the greatest and most beloved Christian writers and thinkers of all time.     I am forced to agree with Lewis, that one can never be too careful in what one reads, if one does not want one's mind to be opened to the possibility of greater things.

I cannot help but spill my worldview into my writings, it is as innate to me as breathing.  There is undoubtedly an undertone of it in everything I write, but I can control the overall quantity that seeps in. While some of my works are overtly within the 'christian fantasy' genre, and are labeled as such, this latest collection of stories is not 'overtly' christian, at least in that I do not incorporate the various themes and imagery common to my 'christian' works.  There is no disguising the joy, the wonder, the hope, the suffering, sorrow, and sacrifice, that underlies this particular worldview, especially in writing stories such as these; in fact, they are the very theme of the book and underlie all great fairy stories.  For 'the greatest story ever told,' is the 'greatest fairy tale of all' and the best part is that it is true!  My hope is that this book will reach those who love fairy tales but are leery of anything labeled 'christian.'  I hope it will stir up thoughts and feelings too easily ignored, buried, or stupefied in our modern world, that it will waken that childlike wonder vital to faith and bring the reader face to face with the most important questions in the world and beyond it.

It really is a charming little book and I'm excited for its release, you can even see my mortifying attempts at poetry and feel better about your own!

Questions you didn't ask #1

As promised, this is the first of my 'stuff you really didn't want to know but think you do,' series, guised as a series of questions my nonexistent readers never asked.

This first faux question contains spoiler material if you have not read 'The Serpent and the Unicorn' books (at least through book 3) and may one day wish to do so.  If so, stop here…

…

…

…

Okay, I will assume my remaining audience can safely tolerate that which is to come.  Here is the question that has been boggling readers (in theory) for at least a few seconds now: Why did you kill off Tristan?

That is an excellent question, and I'm glad I asked it.  Serpent was my first attempt at literature (and may yet be classified as an attempt by some) and still my favorite story arc.  It started more as something to occupy my time while my husband was working weird hours and I was alone for much of the time.  I never imagined it would be the first of many writings to clutter up the virtual-universe.  As far as characters go, he was (and is) one of my favorites, but the point came in the story where the question was poised: is this story about him or about something greater?  Writers can get very protective of their work, it is something that comes from the very heart and is very personal; I do not want to liken my characters to children, but it is a significant bond.  I felt a little like Abraham being asked to offer up Isaac, 'your son, your only son.'  But I knew it had to be done.  I didn't know why, but I knew it was necessary.

So I wrote the fatal words and the series went places I had never imagined and I even got my character back for random cameo appearances to boot.  If I hadn't done it, I think the whole thing would have fizzled out and still be a half written story moldering in the hard drive of a defunct laptop and all that came after would never have come.  A little dramatic, perhaps, but to a writer, our dramatis personae spring like Athene from the head of Zeus and we get a little attached to our creative offspring, but if we get too attached and sacrifice the story for the sake of a single character, our writing will suffer for it and that is by far the worse outcome.

On relics, their uses and limits

A few years younger and I might understand this 'brave, new world' that technology has foisted upon us, or rather it would be as natural as breathing, which may or may not be a good thing!  I have recently started regularly reading the excellent blog of a very promising young writer and this has reminded me that perhaps I am a bit too old fashioned in my approach to modern readers.  I get annoyed when all people do is promote their book, their business, their whatever all the time.  I like to discover things on my own, stumble across them as it were while perusing quietly in the library.  Everyone shouting that their book (or whatever) is the best and must be read ends only in a maddening cacophony and turns off my interest in reading altogether.  I assumed this was the feeling of most discerning readers and thought that perhaps benign neglect was the best approach in 'promoting' my books.  That sounds very oxymoronic even as I write it!  But I figured, if my books are good enough, people will read them, if not they won't and I will still enjoy them myself; win win!  The problem with that is, like my reading preferences, it tends to be a hundred years behind the times.

For reasons I cannot possibly comprehend, people nowadays like to feel important, informed, a part of things.  They like to know everything about anything they find even vaguely interesting or they cease to be interested.  As mortifying as this is to my antisocial soul, I suppose it is not wholly a bad thing.  Why anyone would be interested in the mundanities of another person's life, I cannot fathom; I have enough trouble keeping track of my own details, let alone memorizing someone else's.  This does not mean I will become a user of social media (we relics have our limits), but perhaps I can offer up a few tidbits to those who are interested now and again (ye blessed few!).  I refrained from such things before because I thought there would be no interest and another voice crying in the virtual wilderness would likely avail nothing, but I can give it a try, and if this turns out to be an exercise in futility I can always go back to random posts about obscure christmas hymns and amusing words.

So in an attempt to bring myself and this blog into the 21st century, I will from time to time post some amusing trivia relevant to my writings, and if there is no one around to hear the tree fall in the forest, at least I will have the pleasure of saying I have at last caught up with the times.

News! News! News!

"He calls ye one and calls ye all…" sorry, it is nearing that time of year when I have only christmas hymns in my head!  But this is a post about more than an obscure song I have stuck in my head, or at least I hope it is.  I have finally finished a book, it is rather shorter than I originally intended but it is finished and if there is one thing you do not add to a book it is useless filler.  It is a random collection of fairy tales and poetry (yes poetry, but thankfully most of it is not my own!).  I am evening playing with the pre-order craze that seems to be 'the thing' among ebook enthusiasts at the moment.  Don't worry, it has been out for a couple of weeks and is underwhelming in its performance, I think it is ranking somewhere around 2,000,000 on Amazon; top 1 billion, here we come!

It comes out Nov. 15th at all your favorite retailers (though it is cheaper at everywhere except Amazon!).  Over the Hills and Far Away.  At least the title is catchy.

An Amazon update

Dearest of readers,

The headache that is Amazon has improved slightly, allowing my much neglected books on that site a desperately needed update, but it still lingers and is unlikely to abate for some time.  Up until recently I had to reformat everything to publish on Amazon, but now I can use the same word document I use for smashwords for amazon as well, thus saving much time and effort for a site where I sell 2 books annually.  So the updating I did this spring can now be applied to my poor amazon dependents as well, thus improving (vastly, I hope) the editing in those editions.  I am still unable to price books at less that $2.99 on Amazon so if a book is free elsewhere and has a price on Amazon, it is not because I wish it to be so but a requirement of the site.  If I go KDP select, I can forget about some of these headaches but then I cannot publish anywhere else, which is just silly!  So I must play by their rules (no matter how annoying) and be grateful they allow me to publish at all.  I will be getting my other books up (except the foibles, as I will not charge $2.99 for a 10,000 word story!) over the next few weeks.  I put them on Amazon because, well, they are Amazon, and I'd like the world to be slightly aware of their existence, besides for that, I have very little to say in favor of their treatment of rebellious authors who refuse to go KDP exclusive.  I apologize for the discrepancies in price and the lag in revising, but Amazon is not a congenial master.  Definitely shop around for the best deals in ebooks and if you are an aspiring author, think twice about solely publishing with Amazon!

A book worth blogging about!

I love a good fairy tale, but good fairy tales are hard to come by in this modern, materialistic, and indifferent age.  I couldn't find a good story, so thought to write my own, which I find mildly amusing but are rather insignificant in the whole scope of Literary History.  But happily, my own pathetic scribblings are now in vain, for I have found a writer worth reading and dare I compare her to the likes of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien?  Yes, I do!  Which is somewhat akin to a devout catholic naming their own saints, but this heretic is quite decided that this author is worthy of such distinction, or at least of a thorough reading of her canon.  Anne Elisabeth Stengl is the author of the 'Tales of Goldstone Wood' series, which is well worth the read if you are a lover of Faerie.  I have been fortunate enough to receive a free preview copy of the seventh book, Golden Daughter and my review follows:

Golden Daughter is the seventh book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series (this is a review of a free preview copy) and is a worthy addition to an excellent series.  Until I picked up these books, I was quite convinced that any fantasy writer worth reading had been dead for fifty years or more.  Happily I am quite mistaken; Ms. Stengl is a worthy heir to George Macdonald, Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis.  In this book particularly she combines the aching beauty of Macdonald, the whimsy and charm of Lewis, and the intricate world-building of Tolkien with her own quick wit, all too real characters, a complex and interconnected plot, superb writing, and shrewd humor, enwrapping it all in a mystique and intrigue that may well lead to lost sleep and neglected duties as the reader falls under her spell and desires nothing else in life but to know what happens next.  This book can be read as a stand alone, but I would recommend starting at the beginning as it fleshes out and explains some of the questions left from earlier in the series and you will get far more out of it if you already understand something of the world in which it happens. 

This book deepens and widens an already immense world, adds new characters that feel more real, more complex than some of the people you meet in real life, and only worsens the yearning to hear the Song of Spheres for yourself.  There is sorrow, pain, grief, despair, and darkness in this story as in life, but there is a hope beyond the doubt, a light beyond the darkness, life beyond death.  This book will stir the deep places of the soul and ask of you the same questions the characters themselves must face, which is exactly what a good book does, for a good story is not merely a well told tale but a mirror upon ourselves and the world at large, if only we have the courage to look therein.  I very much enjoyed this book and impatiently await the advent of the next addition to the series! 

Another excuse to tarry

Reading is a horrible predicament for a writer, though there is little better way to expand and improve your craft save to write, it also means you are not yourself writing, as you are sucked into a world of others' making.  To this sorry fate have I condemned myself of late whilst my poor writings languish in half finished agony, but I am rather enjoying it even so!

Back to school!

It is back to school time, no more slacking, I expect that book report to be in in a timely manner.  Get busy!

Slackers anonymous

Yes, I didn't do my homework.  I am neglecting several projects and wasting all my free time reading, or rather I am improving my writing ability by consuming good literature, that sounds better!  The best part about being self published is not having an editor to yell at you about missing deadlines.  Of course, all your fans will be disappointed that your latest work is delayed, but then I am not sure anyone on earth will notice if I ever write anything new again so I will go back to my book!

'And wailing went the weather'

The weather has been miserable lately, I hope you have used it appropriately and curled up with a good book!

For fear of little men or of the Random Poetry Monster?

Dearest Reader,

I am sorry to inform you, but this blog has been hijacked.  Yes, and worse, it is all in the name of fine art.   The Random Poetry Monster has struck, and we are forced to capitulate.  Here then is the requisite random bit of verse:

Up the airy mountains,

Down the rushy glen,

We daren’t go a-hunting

For fear of little men;

Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together;

Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl’s feather!

~William Allingham, ‘The Fairies’~

Now that the Monster is satisfied, you may return to your regularly scheduled web browsing experience.  Thank you.

I have found my niche?

"The writing was exceptionally basic. Compare to See Spot Run almost. BUT I truly wish the author well as there is a hint of greater ability. One thing that actually shocked me was how one part towards the end appeared to be a very accurate and well worded description of our falling morals and ethics as they are happening presently."

This was a recent review at Barnes and Noble concerning "The Serpent and the Unicorn: Book I and II", alas all my literary dreams of greatness have been thwarted and anything I have ever written will hereafter be resigned to the second grade reading list; I was certain I had attained at least a sixth grade level…I appreciate a thoughtful review, this one was a little perplexing however.  I recently updated the series, and will agree that my writing style at the time was rather simplistic, not necessarily a bad thing when one is trying primarily to tell a story rather than perform grammatical gymnastics hoping to impress people.  During the revisions, I could have rewritten the entire thing but felt it would destroy what I still think is my best story; best story, not my best writing (my best writing at the time though).  That was my first book and I still enjoy reading it, albeit a rather straightforward read but that was also the point: my words are mere packaging for the ideas and stories, not there to necessarily be admired for their own sake, like fancy clothes.  See my post on George MacDonald for a similar situation (though I dare not compare myself to him!).  It has been seven years and a million words since that first book, I hope my writing has improved somewhat, which any talent, skill, art, or pursuit is certain to do with practice.  Except perhaps my piano playing.  But I am happy with my writing, and content with my progress so I suppose it is not a total loss, at least personally; any person silly enough to actually read my writing is no doubt bored out of their skull, however.

The last sentence is the confusing one to me, as if the writer were amazed that such a monosyllabic, drooling imbecile who writes for mere babes could herself understand history, morals, ethics, modern trends, theology, and the like!  As if a simplistic, straightforward writing style were indicative of a shallow mind with only a vapid comprehension of the world in which we live.  One of my favorite authors of all time writes board books (yes those 5 page, cardboard books meant for those toothless, nonverbal child-creatures).  I think it the hardest thing in the world to write a 20 word book and make it captivating to parent and child alike.  Now the 'Dick and Jane,' books are truly tedious, especially to children, and I hope my writing is not that dull!  I am no Tolkien and never will be, but then I do not aspire to be.  I write fairy tales and hope they are accessible and enjoyable to all ages.  Another of my favorite authors, and arguable one of the best writers of the 20th century, superbly expresses profound ideas in rather simplistic language, and never would I question the wit of C.S. Lewis (again, I merely play T-ball and he is in the Major Leagues!).  I never wonder at what Lewis is trying to say, whereas G.K. Chesterton often puzzles me, he is a witty and clever writer, but sometimes his wit obfuscates his meaning (or perhaps it is obvious to him and I, lacking his brilliance, cannot fully comprehend).  I would love to write like that, but not at the cost of confusing the reader.  What I lack in 'flare' I hope I make up for in substance, or at least in an interesting story.  The "See Spot Run,' books have exactly as much plot as that phrase contains and not a smidgen more, I will give up writing altogether if I am truly such a bore.

Summer Doldrums

It is that sleepy time of year when you are tired of summer and before the craziness of fall begins, better go read something while you can!

Summer Reading Assignment

I've let you laze in the sun too long, if you are utterly in need of something to read, might I recommend 'George MacDonald' by C.S. Lewis?  I thought it would be something like a biography but find it is actually 365 short excerpts, mostly from MacDonald's sermons and some from his fictional works.  It reads far more like 'The Imitation of Christ' or 'The Pensees' than anything else, not light reading but very worthwhile!  Otherwise, the fairy stories by either Lewis or MacDonald are certainly worth the read.

The seventh day?

At last, everything has been updated and revised, now I can get back to life as normal (if there is such a thing).  I have not done anything with Amazon and am not planning to, I haven't even uploaded my newer books there because it is not really worth the effort.  It may be different with their KDP exclusive authors, which I am not, but selling 2 books a year is not worth formatting something for amazonian distribution when doing it once for smashwords gets it everywhere but amazon.  There is also quite a bit more flexibility/user friendliness over at smashwords, so that is where the bulk of my attention will remain.  I have nothing against Amazon, but they just make the whole process inconvenient and are rather indifferent to us foolish non-exclusive people; they also deal in many things besides books, which means it is just another line of merchandise to them and not a passion, as well as a business, like it is elsewhere.  I like rubbing elbows with my fellow obsessees!  Of course I know this bit of independent rebellion won't even register as a flea bite to them, it is not intended to, I just have limited time and have chosen to spend it elsewhere.  It is also ebook month or some such over at smashwords.com, my books as well as countless others are discounted or free, so go read something!

Just a hobby?

"I would not know how to advise a man how to write. It is a matter of talent and interest. I believe he must be strongly moved if he is to become a writer. Writing is like a "lust," or like "scratching when you itch." Writing comes as a result of a very strong impulse, and when it does come, I for one must get it out." ~C.S. Lewis

I came across the above recently and thought it very much to the point (is Lewis ever anything but?).  There seems to be a bit of a fad among the various 'author' type websites I occasionally frequent to have writers answer questions about their own experiences and insights for their fans and aspiring writers, the favorite question seems to be, 'how would you encourage aspiring writers or what advice would you give to budding authors?'  I have to agree with Lewis in this, any one can sit down and write something, but to truly be a writer I think the old greeks were not far wrong in their belief in the muses: it is just a great urge you get and you must put pen to paper and are not satisfied until you do.  Much like Jeremiah who said his bones were afire until he prophesied, whether he wanted to or not.  It is just something you must do, else it is just a hobby.