The Realms of a Fantastical Mind

In October I took a full month off from doing what I love to do best.  Yes, I took off writing. Have you ever felt that you need to do something over and over again?  Have you felt the need to continue to do something because you've always done it? Try taking a break from that thing that you feel you NEED to do.  I know, it may be impossibly hard, but then, nothing is truly impossible.  So whether it be drinking beer, writing on your blog, or even writing. (I know, it’s a difficult concept, to not write, but bear with me.) I have to say that I did just that in October.  The stopping drinking the beer happened in my house too.  One thing I found out.  Not only did my hubby find out he doesn't need to drink beer, I found out I didn't need to write high fantasy all the time.  It was hard not writing at all, but instead of focusing on what I've been working on, my mind took different twists and turns...

My feet hit the soft littered floor of the forest.  All around me were the sounds of birds. At least, I thought they were birds.  The forest opened up to a path, dark with heavy foliage on one side.  The light of the sun broke in streams on the other.   Beautiful to behold.  I took another light step. "Magical or Mundane?"  The words echoed in my head.  I looked around. Did I imagine that? "Mundane or Magical?" I flinched, the voice deepened.  What was it asking me? If I was magical or mundane? I stumbled trying to think.  Should I answer it? "Um... mundane?" The trees hissed while a flock of birds scattered above.   A roar, louder and deeper than any voice in my head, made my knees shake.  Crashing through the thick woods a bear came into view.  It stopped when it spotted me.  Raising up on it's hind legs it roared again.  Holding my ears I took a step back.  The beast was taller than I had ever im...

I stepped up to the bridge. The blue flowers around it spread across the grassy land.  Beyond there was dark forest.  Did I dare to walk the bridge to the unknown?  It seemed welcoming enough. Noises from beyond made my heart flutter.  Footsteps shifted on leaves and sticks.  Twittering noises from the forest floor and around the canopy, called to me.  There could be anything between the human civilized world on this side of the bridge and what lived on the other side. Everyone who had ever crossed the bridge were never heard from again.  Did they find a new world that they now live in joyous contentment, or were they now lost souls wondering the beyond? I couldn't stand there much longer. I couldn't walk away either.  It was time to decide.  Easing one foot on the bridge, I settled my hand on the old course wood.  I slowly moved across. Gripping the railing with each step, my feet led me over.  The smell of flowers flowed ...

It's another Blog Ring of Power Friday, hold onto your hats as we welcome Susan Quinn to the Realm.  You can find the other parts of the interview on my fellow BRoP host blogs Part 1 T.W. Part 2  um Me! tehehe Part 3 with Sandra Part 4 with Dean Part 5 with Terri Susan Kaye Quinn, Author Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. She pursued a bunch of engineering degrees and worked a lot of geeky jobs, including turns at GE Aircraft Engines, NASA, and NCAR. Now that she writes novels, her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she doesn't have to sneak her notes anymore. All that engineering comes in handy when dreaming up paranormal powers in future worlds or mixing science with fantasy to conjure slightly plausible inventions. Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much a...

I think the first thing that comes to mind on this is... "All Hale George R.R. Martin!" Okay, maybe not everyone feels that way.  I've only read his first book and was wowed by it.  There is so much depth, so much to every banner, every household.  So much that I didn't think of... back to the drawing board. When writing fiction there are some basic backgrounds that need to be established. The Main Character.  Where did they come from?  How did they get to be the way they are at the beginning of the book?  What effects them the most positively and negatively? The Supporting Characters.  Again, where did they come from? How did they get to be the way they are at the beginning of the book? What effects them the most positively and negatively? The Land around them.  Yup even the land needs a history.  When writing Urban stories things are easier because the history was already made.  We know about what has happened in Bo...

We need our computer, some paper and pens, or some nifty software so that we can organize the craziness of our books. With all these things, our greatest tools may be overlooked. What are they you ask... go ahead ask. I'll tell you what they are (IMHO) Critique partners, Beta readers, and Editors. Yes, your greatest tools as a writer are those people who take time out of their lives to hack and slash your baby into little red filled pages of suffering.  They are the reason we writers need to have thicker skin than a killer whale. They are also the reason why the successful author's books get read, and read and read over again. It's common knowledge that as a writer we get so involved with our babies, so much care taken to make every word choice perfect, that we don't see the blaring black holes in our plot, or the grossly overused metaphor that needs to go. We need those extra set of eyes to point out the flaws. So what is the difference between ...

 Welcome T.W. Fendley! T.W. has been hosting the Blog Ring of Power with me for several months. In that time we've become good friends over the web.  I was excited when she told me about what she was planning. So, with the joined effort of many others we have come together to bring all of you her Book Party!  T.W. Fendley writes historical fantasy and science fiction with a Mesoamerican twist for adults and young adults. Her debut historical fantasy novel, ZERO TIME, was voted Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel in the 2011 P&E Readers Poll. Her short stories took second place in the 2011 Writers' Digest Horror Competition and won the 9th NASFiC 2007 contest. Teresa belongs to the St. Louis Writer's Guild, the Missouri Writers' Guild, SCBWI and Broad Universe. BOOK BLURB: As Zero Time nears, only Keihla Benton can save two worlds from the powers of Darkness. But first she must unlock the secrets of Machu Picchu and her own past. When Philadelphia science writ...

The waves crashed against her feet, as Melandra coughed wet sand out of her mouth.  Dazed, she lifted her head to look around.  She was alive, but alone.  Debris from the ship lay all around her, along with the crates from the cargo hold.  However, there were no signs of any other survivors. She was shocked to find that all of her items, though waterlogged, stayed with her, reminding her of her determination to hold on to her only protection.  She was dizzy and weak from floating on bits of wood all night.  Hurt but still alive the wind reminded her that she may not remain so if she doesn't get warm, and soon.  The temperature was only slightly warming with dawns light breaking over the pine trees, past the beach. She searched around but all there was to offer was wet wood. Causing it to be much more difficult to light a fire than it usually was.  She owed it to being so dizzy and disoriented.  Looking around she spotted black smo...

This is the day when each of us looks at what we have done, and what we want, whether it be in ourselves, about ourselves, or how to make things better. Ultimately it's a selfish day, but there are times where selfish can be the healthiest way to feel.  All things in moderation of course. So what is your Resolution? What do you want to do or gain that will bring you happiness? Will you still be happy if you do not achieve your goal? My Resolution is to research Literary Agents this year.  It would be great to get representation, but I want to know my investors as much as they will in turn need to know me.  A writer can spend years, even decades perfecting the craft, and only give a glance at those out there who would invest in their work.  Would it not be prudent to also work hard on finding the perfect match for your talent.  I think so. Finding an agent would bring me a thrilling joy.  I will still be happy even if I d...

Each story has some type of world building, whether it be just creating a social system in a neighborhood, or creating an entire solar system plucked from your mind, as well as anything in between.  Each writer, or D&D DM needs to create the world in which the characters or players interact and grow.  It all starts with that. In the novels I'm writing, I started with a few websites that I had found some valuable information, I have since, found other sites to tickle the imagination and exploration of worlds. I would like to share those with you. Basilicus   I found this site intersesting for its star system and religion section Building Guides Building a Species Building Stars and Star Systems Scientific Help Building Nations Building Cities Building Organizations Building Religions and Myths Building Technology and Science Main Building Guide Page Some of these are still being worked on. More will be added and upda...

She waited, looking out over the pond between bushes.  She knew it would come again, the dragon always stopped here to take a sip before going off to where ever it was that dragons fly to.  She kept herself still as the whoosh of leathery wings stirred the otherwise calm air. It was there, a small blue dragon with barely any spikes as of yet.  A male from what she could tell, the three horn crowned on his head showed her so. The small beach was wide enough for him to sit on as he lowered his head for the drink. The huntress poised herself for the pounce, waiting for the right moment.  The dragon's musk filled her nostrils, turning her stomach.  She held in her growl as she crept closer.  He moved a bit, perhaps sensing her presence, or just getting a better tongue full of water, either way, time was up. She leaped from her hiding place, aiming true for his shoulders where the spikes had not yet grown in. "What i...