Wow, it’s been a while!

I’m deep in editing hell with Violante’s Daughters and A Time for Monsters, and I think it killed a little of my passion. I’m clawing it back, though, and hope to start blogging regularly soon!

I hope to change the name of this blog in the very near future, having legally changed my first name to Felix recently after coming out as nonbinary. If it’s not possible to purge my former name from this site entirely though, I may restart it on a shiny new blog instead.

Hope I still have some people following over here, and hope you’ll stick with me! I still hope to release Violante’s Daughters later this year, one way or another.

A Time for Monsters is Finished!

Tags

a time for monsters, author, fantasy, novel, progress, violante's daughters, writer, writing

You may have noticed I’m very late posting my piece of writing for this month’s writing challenge; it’s coming, but I realised I was extremely close to finishing my current novel and didn’t want to take a break. I will now post this coming Sunday instead, so if you want to join in take a look at the Novelist Writing Challenge and get writing!

So what have I achieved instead? Well, A Time for Monsters is now finished! The first draft, anyway. I’ll be reading over it myself over the next couple of days, then sending it out to beta readers (after correcting any major problems, or at least mentioning that I’ve spotted them already). I’m about to start work on a two week editing session on Violante’s Daughters – once all the substantial rewrites are done it’s going out to another round of beta readers for diversity/representation analysis and then back to me for a second round of edits and rewrites, if needed. Then off to my editors for line editing. By the time that’s done, hopefully I’ll be well into the same process with A Time for Monsters as well, and working on writing the as-yet untitled book three. Busy times!

So, the basics. It’s 204k words, I’ve written my first real sex scene, first wedding, killed two POV characters and a couple of other recurring ones, and as implied by the title, most of my characters have revealed a substantial amount of inner darkness. I’d say it’s less violent than Violante’s Daughters, but not by very much.

I came up with two new ideas for novels while writing this one over the last four months – a (most likely sci fi, definitely futuristic) retelling of the story of Medusa, and a horror novel about designer hallucinogens and people’s relationship with fear. I kind of want to write both RIGHT NOW (especially the horror, which I’ve already got planned in quite a lot of detail, just not the ending), but this series has to be my top priority for a while! There’s so much to do.

Anyway, I’m not going to get shit done by blogging about it. Back to work!

My Lady King by Kayla Bashe

Tags

author, beta reader, beta reading, book review, book reviews, diversity, fantasy, kayla bashe, my lady king, novella, representation, review, reviews, romance, self publishing, short fiction

It’s always great to be able to promote another writer, especially one who has gone down the self-publishing route I’m looking towards myself! Kayla Bashe is a talented young writer who writes great diverse fiction centered around strong and beautifully written female characters.

A little while ago I had the chance to beta read Kayla Bashe’s latest novella, My Lady King. I’d enjoyed Graveyard Sparrow, her previous release – I never reviewed it for this blog as I had some reservations with how sex work was written (I’m extremely hard to please and very critical of sex worker representation, she handled it far better than most) and didn’t want to weigh down what would have been an otherwise very positive review with my extensive thoughts on sex workers in fiction.

I loved My Lady King, even in the unfinished version I got to see the characters were wonderful, the world-building incredibly well done (the version I read was under thirty thousand words, I assume the final release is about the same, but even in a short space of time back story, mythology and culture were woven in effortlessly), and the ending was so emotional and satisfying.

I’ll be writing a real review after I get a chance to read the officially released version, but it’s priced at £1.83 in the UK Kindle store and you can buy it right now, so why wait?

 

Novelist Writing Challenge #2

Tags

author, novel, writer, writer's block, writing, writing challenge, writing prompt

On the first weekend of every month, I’ll be assigning myself a fun writing challenge to improve my writing. I encourage any of my followers who are inspired to join in! Challenges are a great way to push yourself out of your comfort zone, or just have some fun doing some writing where there’s no pressure to make it perfect. These challenges will be aimed mainly at other novelists – whether you’ve just completed your 100th novel, or are working on your first – but if you can adapt the challenge to fit your work, go for it!

This month’s challenge is to write a deleted scene from your novel. Something you know happens as the writer, but that your readers will never, ever see. It can be back story if you like, or something that happens in between crucial plot points. This can be a great chance to play around in your setting without the pressure of wondering if what you’re writing is essential, and a good way to get to know your characters better.

You can write as much or as little as you like, and you can create as many pieces as you want! Write in your usual style, or branch out and try something different.

I will post my own piece for this challenge on Sunday next week, along with links to any pieces written by others! If you’d like to show off your work, send me a link (you can comment below or tag violantesdaughters on Tumblr), and I’ll include it in the post. Although the most views will be on the day the post goes live, I’ll continue to add links to any new work that turns up later, so do let me know if you decide to join in!

This one not to your liking? You can view last month’s challenge HERE, or browse the list of challenges HERE any time (new ones will be added monthly).

Violante’s Daughters Excerpt: Prologue

Tags

author, chellabadi-jones, fantasy, middle draft, novel, progress, qurabadi-stevenson, vampires, violante's daughters, writer, writing

I thought it was about time you saw some of my slightly more polished work! This has been rewritten twice now, and aside from whatever changes my editor suggests, it’s finished. The prologue takes place several centuries after the main story, but each book in the series will include a prologue checking in on these characters.

Diversity? It’s just too much work!

Tags

ableism, diversity, harmony ink press, heteronormativity, homophobia, lgbt, lgbtq, lgbtqia, publishing, racism, representation, self publishing, transphobia, writer, writing, writing advice

Do you, as a writer, feel under pressure to include diversity in your work? Do you feel your creativity stifled by the increasing demands of minority groups to be included? Do you worry that diversifying your cast of characters will feel forced?

Then you might be a fucking hack.

Writing requires empathy. That isn’t – or shouldn’t be – a controversial statement. It’s an inevitability of the strange magic we create. When characters seem to make decisions of their own accord, empathy is what guides them. I know how it feels sometimes, but fictional characters don’t actually have independent thought; when we feel a character moving their own story along, it is our understanding of the character driving them. When they rebel against planned plot points, our empathy is telling us that they wouldn’t act as planned.

If you cannot create characters unlike you, this empathy is something that you lack. It can be developed, but until it is, you are not ready to write. At least not with an audience in mind.

Progress Update #4

Tags

a time for monsters, art, character images, phaedra, progress, violante's daughters

Well, after a week off blogging and getting very little done, I’m finally more or less back to full health! I don’t have an exact word count because I’ve been awful at keeping track, but I am writing somewhat regularly again and am planning to get back up to meeting my daily target this week.

In the last few days I’ve been fairly productive – I got the first 9000 words of my editing done on Violante’s Daughters (with more of the first draft annotated ready for edits/rewrites), and I had one binge-writing session where I did a chapter and a half in a night (about 7000 words).

I also “wasted” a day drawing one of the minor characters from A Time for Monsters, because I love her the most. I’m not very good at drawing (although I do think I’m pretty good at colouring), but it was lots of fun!

 

This is Phaedra and Fat Pony (it may get an actual name eventually, we’ll see).

In other news, I’m putting the Writer’s Lifestyle posts on hold for now – once I build up a larger following I’ll definitely bring them back, but I’m not getting enough responses to make them interesting at the moment. I’m still going to keep the writing challenges though – even if it’s just me and Adam taking part, it’s fun! And people can contribute to those after the closing date anyway.

Writing from Experience

Tags

fantasy, science fiction, tumblr, writer, writing, writing advice

This week, I received an ask on Tumblr about whether writing from experience is necessary for sci-fi and fantasy authors. After all, none of us have ever traveled to another planet, ridden a dragon, or any of the many other weird and wonderful things we dream up for our characters. Here’s a copy of my answer – I hope it’s helpful to you too!

My work is inspired by life experience, and it’s fantasy. Human characters will still have human experiences, and non-humans will still probably feel pretty human to the reader, in most cases, so the same applies. You just filter that experience through a fantasy setting, and through a healthy dose of imagination so it’s not just semi-autobiographical. For example, one of the settings in my series I’m working on is a training facility for vampire Hunters (who are in a big way NOT the good guys, in this story) – it’s a horrific place with a lot of brainwashing and torture going on. It’s also pretty much entirely constructed from elements of my childhood, just exaggerated to externalize the horror. You don’t need your life experiences to match your characters’ if you’re writing from experience – you just need to find a way to tap into the right atmosphere and emotions. A claustrophobic childhood where you felt isolated in an abusive situation becomes a literal windowless castle where you’ll be killed if you try to leave, that kind of thing.

Without getting too personal, there’s a damn good reason none of my point of view characters are particularly healthy or happy people. But, so far, it seems to be working. In fantasy and sci-fi it’s SO important to keep the human (or human-ish) element of the story feeling compelling and believable, and writing from life experience is one way to do that. It adds a layer of realism to the setting, which helps your readers feel immersed.

But, in the end, writing has to come down to imagination. I haven’t ever actually spent three years locked in a windowless castle. I also have never had half my face cut off, fought in a war, become an orphan, witnessed the abduction of a loved one, gone on a quest for revenge, or killed anyone. I have also never been any older than 24, male, black, asian, gay, straight, asexual, an amputee… the list goes on. But I have written all of the above. Writing characters unlike you and situations unlike your own life is a great way to push yourself – research is important, empathy is important. Direct personal experience is optional.

Writer’s Lifestyle: Relationships

Tags

author, facebook, marriage, polyamory, relationships, Satyr Phil Brucato, Satyros Phil Brucato, tumblr, writer, writing

I only had a couple of responses this week, both of them great, so I won’t be picking a favourite – you can see them both under the read more, after my own comments on the subject.

I’m a writer, in a relationship with a writer. For me, that is the ideal arrangement. I started writing first, and my husband got an idea for a novel and started work on it a few months later. Often we write at the same time, with me sprawled across the sofa and my feet getting in his way. It’s nice – it makes both of us feel less anti-social if we’re both ignoring each other! When one of us finishes a chapter or a particularly challenging scene, we trade and give each other feedback.

I’ve never experienced being a single writer, but when I first started writing I did obviously have the experience of living with a non-writer partner. It was still great – it’s such a huge advantage to have someone around to bounce ideas off and who is willing to give instant feedback. My husband has been my biggest fan since the start, and it’s great to have that kind of encouragement. But, it did make me feel guilty – he would want us to spend time together watching TV or going out, and all I wanted to do was curl up and write a few thousand words in silence. When I was first writing I absolutely had to be alone – I was far less confident and being watched made it impossible for me to work. I got past that, but I did feel like a terrible wife for a while!

Book Review: Ash, by Malinda Lo

Tags

ash, book review, book reviews, fantasy, hodder children's books, lgbtq, little brown books for young readers, malinda lo, review, reviews, young adult

 

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, re-reading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love—and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

Ash is published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (US/Canada) and Hodder Children’s Books (UK, Australia and New Zealand). For details on where best to purchase Ash during the Amazon dispute with Hachette, please see this blog post. 

This review contains mild spoilers.