Okay… so it’s not as scary as it sounds… It’s just the way my new year is shaping up.
I’m talking about my expanding world of developing characters, and if I’m honest, it feels closer to being invaded by a litter of 99 Dalmatian puppies frolicking and vying for a standout place in my stories than impregnation by horrific alien parasite beasts.
If you’ve been following this thread of musings, you know I’m fond of expounding on how my burgeoning characters mysteriously began showing up only a few short years ago when I inexplicably began writing fiction, which led me to conclude they must have been seeded by aliens who conspire to use the human race to produce their entertainment.
I say keep it coming, Pod Seeders!
But what I’m really talking about here are all the short story submission opportunities that seem to be due almost on top of each other. Do they all get together and plan it this way? Every magazine or competition I’m interested in has a deadline in February, pretty much all at once. But that just means my little podlings are popping out right and left from the deep recesses of my mind. I’m good with that. I hope the stories never stop coming, the characters never stop developing, and I always have too much to write. That is my idea of a good life. And that is what I’m looking forward to in 2023.
I’ll let you know around April if I survive the first quarter.
Now, if I could just get to that point where I didn’t have to spend forty hours of every week working for someone besides my Pod People… oh, what I could do with that time…
What a surprise this November is turning out to be. The best laid plans… as they say. But I have never been one to stick with plans if something tells me I need to mix it up and to go a different direction.
For NaNoWriMo this year, my Pod People (aka characters seeded in my brain by aliens) spun me around blindfolded under a pinata and after bashing away, I’ve made all sorts of turns and transitions in my writing career.
And I’m totally thrilled and surprised by the results.
In the first week, I changed my project three times. Then, I had an epiphany. I needed to unpublish my novels. Books One and Two in The Starlight Chronicles were languishing, loveless in the nether regions of the Kindle Universe. I’m still working on the conclusion and thought at one point that would be my focus for November.
But the pressure of completing my series has been weighing on me. I decided that getting them off the market, using the time to finish and polish them, finding a book cover artist for a cohesive professional look, and launching them with a fresh marketing campaign might be exactly what they, and I need.
An exhilarating freedom resulted. I’ve been infused with new energy. There are three other novels in the works that are getting the attention they deserve. I made one of them my focus for November but decided not to worry about hitting my goal if I want to write on other projects. What a relief that has been, and I’ve made progress with them all.
I have also allowed myself to participate in various flash fiction and short story competitions, which have been more enjoyable without the pressure of getting that third installment done.
Other factors played a huge role in my rejuvenation. I belong to a writer’s alliance and the support I got for this crucial decision was phenomenal. A Twitter post by a member of the Writing Community about deciding to unpublish was ever so timely. And advice on holding onto the joy of writing while letting go of the drudgery of marketing sealed the deal. You can join that discussion in my recent interview with Sci-Fi author, Kent Wayne.
The month is not over folks… I wonder what other surprises might be in store. And please. Tell me how your November is shaping up.
The Death’s Head Omen is a recent micro fiction story I entered in a contest. Results in January.
Enjoy a Three-Part Supernatural Horror Story – Exactly 100 Words Each
One: Brother’s Maker
Thick rivulets of blood moved down the wall like snakes slithering into Hell. Lucius thought going there himself would be better than mucking out this foul slaughter. Hiding his brother’s crimes from Prince Remus. Death by fire, their punishment if caught.
Linus, too far gone to understand the danger, had killed another valuable hunter. Lucius labored to obliterate the evidence while Linus crouched over an arm sucking out the blood and marrow like a human sucking meat from a crab leg.
Lucius had turned his brother. Watching him deteriorate was penance. Figuring out how to stop it, his only purpose.
Two: Brother’s Keeper
Lucius stared in frustration at the naked female, then grabbed newspaper from the alley trash to cover her. Copious blood soaked through, turning it to pulp. He added more paper. Didn’t help. Blood spouted like a fountain from her torn jugular. He yanked his brother, who’d pounced on her again, away from her neck.
“You couldn’t have gone one more block?” Linus whipped towards him. Lucius stifled a gasp. The nerdy, giraffe-legged brother was there. Then the eyes turned soulless, reflecting the red pooling beneath their feet, and Linus’s stark hunger. Pain stabbed Lucius where his heart once beat.
Three: Brother’s Killer
Lucius cradled Linus’s head in his lap. Just his head… which Lucius had to remove. He stared at the rectangular hole holding his brother’s body, then forced his gaze away to take in the fateful surroundings. The graveyard was damp. Dew glistened on the grass. Dripped from cypress trees and giant yews. None of it made this real. They’d been vampires for five decades, inseparable. But Linus’s self-control had deserted him. He broke too many council laws.
“You never believed you could be ended, brother. Didn’t you once think it would be me who would have to do the ending?”
Had to add this. I love making book covers, even for tiny fiction.
First drafts rejected. But I Keep Trying.
I was happy with my first attempt to do a 100-word story. The publisher, not so much. But that’s okay because I learned a lot in the process. These bits about vampire brothers were inspired by a minor character in my Starlight Chronicles series. I admit, pure horror is a challenge for me, though I love reading and watching it, the darker the better. I read Bram Stoker in my youth, along with Mary Shelly, which means those sweeping, tantalizing, horrific impressions are there, deep down, and now that I’m writing fantasy, I’m compelled to draw from their brilliance.
Vlad the Impaler has been an endlessly fascinating figure in history and fiction for me, no matter how many ways his story has been told. And today’s supernatural fantasy authors are finding entertaining ways to retell the tales. Many of them inspired me.
Luke Evans portrayed an excellent fictional Vlad. Dracula Untold sparked my imagination and gave a feel for the period and setting. I was disappointed with its box office failure, which ended hopes of a sequel. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the trailer.
Please take a moment to read the drabbles above and let me know if I’m on the right track for a story told in exactly 100 words. Better yet, share your own 100-word story in the comments.
NaNoWriMo starts in three days! I’m ready, I think… At least my characters are poised at the starting line. I highly doubt I’ll make the 50,000 word count because my project is finishing Book Three of my series, The Starlight Chronicles. I hope I don’t have 50,000 words left to go, because I’m at 80,000 already! But you never know.
What I do know is that November is a great month to set everything else aside and focus on writing… every day. I also lost my head and signed up for a few sprints and competitions. Hmmm… It will be interesting to track it all.
There are still so many plotlines to be wrapped up in Tigris Vetus, and a lot going on in my conclusion to Selena Aires’ story. Which means so many beginnings for other novels. But I must finish this one to start more stories about all the great characters, aka Pod People, who found their beginnings in this series. Another great reason to participate in a month of daily writing.
Good luck to all you who will be participating! You can find me on Nanowrimo.org at DLLewellyn if you want to buddy up.
Here is a little art inspiration from Alexander Danailov, Hermes crossing the finish line.
Wow, Anna! You are in the middle of an exciting expansion in your career, a new book out and a new editing business. From where I sit, you’re on fire. How does it feel and how’s it going?
A. That’s so kind of you! I’m loving full-time work as an editor. I wish I’d made the leap to start my business years ago, but then I wouldn’t have the experience I do now. It’s been a rollercoaster, especially with my book launch alongside Moss Editorial, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I literally feel on fire some days, but don’t we all?
D. I must say I can feel the burn, and I hope it’s catchy. I’m totally thrilled for you.
For those of us who might be considering offering services outside of being authors, do you have any advice about getting started? How did it all happen for you? And tell us about what you’re offering and where we can find it.
A. I’d encourage anyone who has a dream to work with words to keep exploring options. I studied English at uni, then trained as a journalist, so words have always been at the heart of my learning. However, there are other routes into editing and plenty of introductory courses which enable people to dip their toes into a subject without committing to years of study. Don’t be put off by not having the ‘right’ qualifications, some people have a natural aptitude for things. If you think you can do something, give it a go!
My services cover everything from developmental editing, right through to proofreading. Most indie authors need support in one or more stages and that’s what I aim to do. It all starts with a free discovery call to work out what they need and then I explain my process. Choosing the right editor is an important step. There’s more info on my website: www.annakmoss.co.uk
D. That’s great advice! All the varied routes to being an author is a popular theme I’ve enjoyed hearing from so many writers, and it’s great to know where to go for guidance. I’m here to tell our readers how welcoming you are, too, Anna.
You recently published your first book, The Worthy. Can you tell us about the story and how it came about? When might we expect Book Two? I love sharing previews. Can you tell us a little about what’s next in the series?
A. The core idea for The Worthy – the creature which infects people with its emotions – only came about during the plotting stage, but one of the MCs, Prince Barsten, has been with me for years. I’m heavily influenced by the likes of Abercrombie and McClellan, and their ability to weave desperately difficult characters into their stories. And Barsten is a difficult character. He’s an absolute arsehole, if I’m honest, but enormously fun to write. Readers will find his arc an interesting one and we’ll see plenty more emotional development from him in the sequel. We’ll also see the vengeful wrath of Jintin, the country that Barsten and his lords plundered in the opening chapters. And did Ailith survive the battle of Simmon’s Godshouse?
D. This totally has me excited to crack it open! It’s loaded on my Kindle. Now I just need to dig in on those cool fall evenings coming up. And you offer signed copies on your website. Awesome!
Also, readers… besides the links to Anna’s website sprinkled throughout our conversation, you can click on her book cover to go right to Amazon for a copy.
How did you get started writing fantasy? Is it your preferred group of genres? Do you have a niche there, or do you like exploring or have plans to explore other kinds of writing?
A. Since reading Pratchett and Tolkien as a kid, I’ve been obsessed with fantasy. As I approach my fortieth year and my cynicism has grown, my love of dark fantasy has grown with it. I relish the complexity and political intrigue, coupled with grim settings and fetid viscerality of everyday existence. Give me a character that is part good, part bad, over a shining beacon of virtue, any day of the week. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy classic fantasy anymore, but it doesn’t make me burn like darker tales. And, if I ever need light relief, I’m a total sucker for cosy mysteries.
D. Writing darker, more complex characters is a goal for me. I do tend to enjoy writing the shining beacons, but it is harder to achieve that dramatic arc in a story if they start good and end better (I’m partial to the Hobbit-like arcs apparently). Haha. So, I will be consulting you about that, and it’s another good reason to dig into The Worthy!
LGBTQ+
You create characters that span the LGBTQ+ human experience. Characters drive my writing even more than the story, and I’ve found your posts on writing diverse characters with sensitivity extremely helpful. Can you share more for us here as well as the editing services we can find for help in this area?
A. I’m so glad you’ve found them helpful! I firmly believe that everyone, regardless of sexuality, should write more LGBTQIA+ characters. We need representation to feel accepted and worthy. I didn’t see anyone like me in books or TV when I was a kid. If I had done, I feel certain my journey to self-acceptance would’ve been radically different. I hope future generations will find their journey easier. If other authors are ever in need of advice on writing LGBTQIA+ characters, I provide sensitivity reads on a chapter or whole manuscript basis. I’m always open to informal chats too!
D. I admit when I started writing late in life a couple years ago, writing diverse characters wasn’t something I gave a lot of thought to, nor what it meant to represent more than the types of relationships I thought of as traditional. But without even trying, really fun romances of all kinds have blossomed through writing my series, and I can’t wait to get them and the amazing individuals into their own stories. Thank you for offering that assistance and sharing your experience.
FSF Writers Alliance
As one of the founding members of our Sci Fi Writers Alliance, tell us what inspired putting together the alliance and what you find most beneficial about being involved in writing communities. Can you recommend other such resources you’ve found helpful?
A. I absolutely love the Alliance! What a bunch of cracking people. Eric (E.B.Hunter) and I were talking about engagement groups for authors and the next thing I know, he’s created the whole Alliance idea. It was totally awesome! He’s such an inspiring guy. There are another couple of discord groups I can recommend: Indie Authors Unite and Richie Billing’s Community of Writers.
D. You’ve all been inspiring! It’s great to be part of such a global community, too.
Readers… To learn more about the Alliance and Richie Billing, click here. And you can meet Eric here. We did a Q&A in September.
WIPS AND TIPS
Can you tell us about your works in progress, any you’re particularly fond of at the moment, and when we might expect to see them in print?
A. I’m currently working on a short story called The Siege of Drenhaven. It’s a siege mentioned in The Worthy which has stuck with me for the last couple of years. I just had to write about it! That’ll be out in the next month or so, provided I have some time outside of editing. The sequel to The Worthy is also in the works, although that’s in the plotting stage.
Which of your characters in all your writing is your favorite, and why?
A. Probably Princess Ailith. If she was a real person, and I was single, I’d totally ask her out. She’s a fiercely clever, brave woman, and her dialogue is really fun to write. She says all the witty things I wish I could, but can never think of quickly enough in real life.
D. Okay, so now you’ve given me three reasons to dig into The Worthy!
What has been your biggest highlight of the last year?
A. Releasing The Worthy! It’s so surreal to have characters and settings that have only existed in your head, discussed by other people. The feedback and reviews I’ve had have been beyond my wildest dreams. I feel tremendously honoured to be part of the bookstagram community and hope my writing will continue to develop and improve. I can’t wait to share more with my readers!
D. Congratulations again! And that reminds me to let our readers know they can find you on Instagram.
What are you most excited about over the next year?
A. Other than moving back to the Westcountry (England) and becoming a fully fledged, cider-drinking artiste, I’m really looking forward to working with more authors. Chatting with other people about their books is my absolute favourite thing to do. I’m so inspired by their creativity and passion. I know it sounds tremendously corny, but art energises art. Editing books is another wonderful way to find doors into other worlds, just like reading. The chance to talk to the creators of those worlds is a real privilege.
D. Oh, that does sound lovely! Should I admit here that I’m a bonafide Anglophile? To live in a village and hang out at the pub is a dream. Thankfully, I got to travel for a month in the UK but that was ages ago. Sigh. Maybe, I’ll get another shot someday. For now, I will enjoy the online community of artists and your inspiration, which is why I’m so happy to share our conversation today, Anna. Thank you for the encouragement!
Any parting advice for those who dream about becoming a writer or a career in the writing industry?
A. If you ever feel stuck or uninspired, ask for help. There are so many authors out there in exactly the same position as you. They aren’t your competition, they’re your cheerleaders. I’m always open to informal chats too, so reach out if you need some advice about editing or becoming an author.
D. Fantastic and good to know! This has been a lot of fun, Anna. Thank you so much for chatting with us.
So much of my focus and efforts go into creating my characters (aka my Pod People) and bringing them to life through the written word, that I lose sight of the fact that once they are out there, they might live in the world of mankind forever… or as long as mankind exists, and the digital content or printed copies stay intact and available… But I, as their creator, don’t even have the potential to last too many more decades, maybe not even too many more years… weeks, or days…? I’m at that age after all.
It makes me wonder if that is why I create them.
What do you think about that? Do you write stories so that a piece of yourself will always exist, so long as there are humans out there who might read them? I know we write for many reasons, but I think I will have to admit this is one of mine.
When I think about that idea more, it makes me realize my Pod People have the upper hand. I mistakingly believed it was me who had the power over them, but it’s the other way around. That’s okay, so long as they do their job and stick in the minds of my readers.
So long as they’re giving me something and not taking… Hmmm. Or are they? Well, what I don’t know won’t hurt me.
Meanwhile, characters, aka my Pod People, are bursting out of me and burgeoning all over the pages, and I now have two amazing Works in Progress, which I’m having a hard time putting down and seem to want to work on simultaneously. Anyone else getting some great new ideas for stories this summer? Let me know in the comments. Meanwhile, enjoy some quirky and intriguing alien artwork by William Louis McDonald
Enjoy a Three-Part Supernatural Horror Story – Exactly 100 Words Each
One: Brother’s Maker
Thick rivulets of blood moved down the wall like snakes slithering into Hell. Lucius thought going there himself would be better than mucking out this foul slaughter. Hiding his brother’s crimes from Prince Remus. Death by fire, their punishment if caught.
Linus, too far gone to understand the danger, had killed another valuable hunter. Lucius labored to obliterate the evidence while Linus crouched over an arm sucking out the blood and marrow like a human sucking meat from a crab leg.
Lucius had turned his brother. Watching him deteriorate was penance. Figuring out how to stop it, his only purpose.
Two: Brother’s Keeper
Lucius stared in frustration at the naked female, then grabbed newspaper from the alley trash to cover her. Copious blood soaked through, turning it to pulp. He added more paper. Didn’t help. Blood spouted like a fountain from her torn jugular. He yanked his brother, who’d pounced on her again, away from her neck.
“You couldn’t have gone one more block?” Linus whipped towards him. Lucius stifled a gasp. The nerdy, giraffe-legged brother was there. Then the eyes turned soulless, reflecting the red pooling beneath their feet, and Linus’s stark hunger. Pain stabbed Lucius where his heart once beat.
Three: Brother’s Killer
Lucius cradled Linus’s head in his lap. Just his head… which Lucius had to remove. He stared at the rectangular hole holding his brother’s body, then forced his gaze away to take in the fateful surroundings. The graveyard was damp. Dew glistened on the grass. Dripped from cypress trees and giant yews. None of it made this real. They’d been vampires for five decades, inseparable. But Linus’s self-control had deserted him. He broke too many council laws.
“You never believed you could be ended, brother. Didn’t you once think it would be me who would have to do the ending?”
Had to add this. I love making book covers, even for tiny fiction.
First drafts rejected. But I Keep Trying.
I was happy with my first attempt to do a 100-word story. The publisher, not so much. But that’s okay because I learned a lot in the process. These bits about vampire brothers were inspired by a minor character in my Starlight Chronicles series. I admit, pure horror is a challenge for me, though I love reading and watching it, the darker the better. I read Bram Stoker in my youth, along with Mary Shelly, which means those sweeping, tantalizing, horrific impressions are there, deep down, and now that I’m writing fantasy, I’m compelled to draw from their brilliance.
Vlad the Impaler has been an endlessly fascinating figure in history and fiction for me, no matter how many ways his story has been told. And today’s supernatural fantasy authors are finding entertaining ways to retell the tales. Many of them inspired me.
Luke Evans portrayed an excellent fictional Vlad. Dracula Untold sparked my imagination and gave a feel for the period and setting. I was disappointed with its box office failure, which ended hopes of a sequel. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the trailer.
Please take a moment to read the drabbles above and let me know if I’m on the right track for a story told in exactly 100 words. Better yet, share your own 100-word story in the comments.
Since I’ve been reading, watching and writing stories in the fantasy genre, I’ve enjoyed a common theme. No politics. Sure, there are good versus evil forces trying to whack each other into oblivion. Even The Umbrella Acadamy now has the Sparrow Acadamy to battle for their place in the world, as if going back in time and saving it wasn’t enough. But there’s an honesty to good versus evil in our entertainment that our current real world lacks, like the stout-hearted Hobbit facing the fiery maw of Mount Doom in the land Mordor. I kind of hope it won’t take us thousands of years to find our Frodo.
It used to be the other way around.
I used to think politics were reasonable. You had two sides of an issue. Your representatives debated the two sides using logic, conviction and maybe even passion. Granted some issues would be controversial and the debates would get heated, but reason would prevail in the end. You could feel good about living in a world like that, put entertainment and it’s battles in their place, freely enjoying the question of Alien versus Predator because when you inevitably didn’t get a definitive answer and the threat still waited around the corner for the hapless protagonist, you could walk out of the theater, and return to a world that made sense.
Now, it’s the real world where all the lines are blurred beyond recognition. People are walking around in utter confusion about who is bad and who is good, and there’s no one left to shine the light on reason. Lies become truth that’s wielded in the guise of helping the masses, when it’s all designed to further one man’s ambitions. A mere human who has the ridiculous notion he can take it all with him. Where? Is there a spacecraft waiting to transport him and his gold to a planet containing the fountain of youth? Will his minions follow him there, so he has someone to fire every other second? Well, at least they will believe him if he says it’s so.
My pod people don’t care about any of that. They’re too busy fighting battles they can understand even if the enemy is a mystery, because it’s me who gets to orchestrate the fates of my pod people. I can set them on a clear course that, when it’s achieved, will leave the sensible ones standing and the evil ones pounded to dust. Maybe my pod people will find love and friendship along the way, a fellowship of supporters who can pick a clear side and stick by it, confident they’re all in it together and have each others’ backs.
You can find my brand of entertaining chaos on My Books page for a nice escape from the blurry lines of reason.
By D. L. Lewellyn 