Cia

Thanks Laz_9. I was actually thinking of this as like a prologue. When I do write the story, this can be a 'beginning bonus' I think, to explain how the two come to be who they are and how they came together to help protect Synchronicity, and a bit on who the necromancers are. I'm not sure what format this story will take, site serial, premium story, or published eBook ... but I am hoping to be able to clear my decks or work on it on the side soon. Thanks for reading!

Thank you Daithi! I do agree, there was almost too much going on with this. I had to try and pare it down, but it still ended up being very ... busy! I do hope to continue this, when I have time. When ... not if, I tell myself that, maybe it'll make a difference, lol. Thanks for reading.

I do too avidreadr! I seem to like to create new worlds, lol. It is a lot of fun to come up with new ways to mix ideas together, new characters ... very stimulating. Now I just have to finish all my WIP, lol.

ALL HAIL AJ! There was a permissions problem with some of the groups. He's fixed it.

I thought so. The arc of this story was all about Miken, who he was, what he became, and how he was accepting that, but there is a bigger plot left to write. Now... if only I had more time, lol. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story; thanks for reading Wayne.

Thank you AJ! I like to write stories that just demand more telling, I guess. LOL. The initial scene was actually the flash of inspiration for the story, so I think that is why it is a bit more vivid and visceral than the rest. It's my favorite part too; nothing like a little violence to kick off a story! Thanks so much for the review hun.

They should work. It might have been that the stories took a few minutes to go longer than the blog did. They all seem to work now.

"I've done nothing wrong! No! No, you can't touch those!" Blood spilled. Burned flesh withered away leaving gray slivers; bones taken. The digits were protected inside the clenched fists. “Fingers.” I gagged. “He took the fingers.” My hands convulsed, and even though I wanted to open them, I couldn’t. The accursed dice dug sharp corners into my palms but I couldn’t drop them. Blood dripped through my fingers. The vision consumed me. Pain from my hands merged with the agony in my head. “Stol

Synchronicity acted in mysterious ways in my life, it always had. Scientists had been trying to decipher the magic of the planet since we landed; there seemed to be no guided intention to the events that happened, no sentient design, but still … things happened, important things, that could not be accidents.

Read, read, read. I'd rather be reading than writing ANY time. It'll always be my favorite thing to do, tbh.

I had to crawl under the railing and hang over the edge a little, holding my arms out and risking dropping my camera (this was a 3 stage waterfall down the cliff at varied angles) but I couldn't resist the angle this shot gave the composition of the rock.

The original post isn't telling authors that they have to plot a story in set way, like you need to sit down and write all that out, it's simply telling you that these are major events that need to be hit in your plot. I've seen this 8 point plot arc before, I've seen 3 story act plot types as well. There are many theories about plot progression ... but I think any author will agree, you have to do something. For those who like a structured approach, this can be helpful to remind them of the different elements that should be added to write a good story. I consider plot development to be just as vital to employ as character portrayal. Knowing how to create a good arc is important. If an author meanders too much, races to the finish too quickly, or fails to wrap up their 'surprise' in the resolution ... readers will know. It's vital to find out what works for you, and this is just one of the many methods that can help turn a story that needs work into a cohesive whole.

Writing books go way beyond 'you must do this or that or this in such and such sequence' however. You're doing yourself a great disservice by not exploring them, or 'classes' (there are free/cheap ones available) that force you to stretch your mind and your techniques. For instance, I own a really great book called Self-editing for Fiction Writers which talks about a lot of the bones of writing and editing. It's not always new information, but it's put out there for authors to learn from. There are things I've tried that I don't like, such as poetry, but I still stretch myself every once in a while. Doing so earned me a $25 gift card in a contest last year. No one says you have to use what you learn ... but if you don't at least try other ways how will you know if they are helpful or not? You know that tip you like that I mentioned you? It came from that editing book..

Sounds potent ... and quite fruitful.

Really? So you knew how to drive all by yourself without reading the student driver handbook? Cook without ever touching a cookbook? Knew how to type the second you touched a keyboard? Look, I'm all for self-learning. I see no reason why a person has to take 'official' classes in subjects in order to learn about them ... but only someone very foolish would say that they know all there is to know about a subject themselves and can't learn from other sources. No one can determine how an author writes other than the author themselves but the only true way to write well is to try all different styles and types of writing-following the rules and not following the rules. For instance, you use a very old style of using a speech tag with nearly every line of dialogue. I've found that successful modern writers are moving away from using tags and including actions to show the character's movements and the scene to show who is speaking. It's not wrong ... but it's not very popular nowadays because the emphasis has become SHOW don't TELL. I'm not trying to tear you down, but I have to find the attitude of 'no one can tell me how to write but me' to be very short-sighted. No one is perfect; everyone can learn something new. The literary world is constantly evolving. GA is, in large part, focused on the principal that we are all here to share our writing and to grow as authors. if you aren't willing to take advantage of that, to learn from others, what's the purpose of sharing your writing at all?

Grilling, of course. Subs, lots of veggies and sliced meats and cheeses ... another kid favorite. Cold pasta and chicken salads, pestos, tacos ... stuff that is quick and requires minimal cooking. Oddly enough, I pull out the crockpot a lot in summer too. I also have one of those turkey roaster plug in 'ovens'. I plug it in the garage and set it on the washer, then bake stuff out there since it operates with the same degree system as the regular oven.

Always go with believable. Poetry only works if you are writing a poet. One thing that might be helpful is to people watch/listen. Coffee shops, sports venues, grocery store... if you keep your eyes and ears open you can see all sorts of people doing all sorts of things 'naturally'. After that, it's just firmly planting your character in your mind and keeping track of your details.

Overuse of any element should be avoided for the most part. I remember this one phrase from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. So, in her first one she uses this description of a Highlander in full regalia and how amazing it is ... no matter how crabby or bowlegged/old the guy really is. It's a great description paragraph ... but she uses the whole thing, over and over, through the series. It totally ruined it for me. There are ways to use overuse of an item in writing to your advantage though. If you have a character that is constantly repeating an action ... like being a lip biter when they're nervous, you can then have another character react to it. Repeating the motion or phrase can build the reader's reaction to it, then, you have the character react and help release that tension in the reader. For a lip biter, you might have their romantic interest they're constantly blurting stupid shit to, then biting their lip to shut themselves up, react by capturing their chin and using their thumb to tug the lip from between the first character's teeth, then kissing them. Ending it with a line of 'watching you do that all the time was a major damn tease, and I just couldn't stand it anymore.' Repetition, like many writing elements, can be good or bad, depending on the author's use.

Glad you haven't left us completely. I hope your plans do keep you in track to make that 6 month goal feel attainable. You know, Myr's become completely immersed in tracking his family history. You should talk to him about that stuff sometime! He's found a ton of British ancestry in his family.

Were you in my kitchen Thorne? I made that 2 nights ago! Last night was southern style hashbrowns with peppers, applewood smoked bacon, and fluffy scrambled eggs topped with local cheddar cheese. *grabs left arm* I feel my arteries clogging already but damn it was good! I'm being good tonight; we'll have baked lemon pepper chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), some brown rice, and veggies. Are you doing dips and stuff for the fruit? My kids love frozen grapes they can spear and then dip in plain yogurt sweetened with a little bit of honey and cinnamon. It's a hot day treat they never pass up.

Hmm... I get the idea of not being ashamed of what we enjoy, but I think we all have some things we just prefer to keep to ourselves. You don't necessarily have to feel guilty over it; it just is. However, I will not be admitting to the general populace some of my favorite stories, LOL. Even I have things I enjoy I won't share (me, not go on and on about a subject? *gasps* but yes, it is true) because they are a little ... out there, lol. You know the eReader devices were really prompted in the beginning by erotica fans wanting an easier way to hide their guilty pleasures, LOL!

Happy June! Jeez, summer is here already. I'm shocked, I tell you. This year has absolutely flown by. I thought this week I'd feature a great author you'll also be seeing in the Summer Premium Anthology, and following site eBook ... CassieQ! You have 3 weeks to read this selection before our Discussion day on June 24th! Reach by Cassie Q Length: 51,113 Description: In a world similar to ours, a young man must take his final step into adulthood. After a cruel initiation however, Tibial finds himself torn...between who he is supposed to love, but doesn't and who he shouldn't love, but does. Some Thoughts From a Reader: Yettie One said, "What a wickedly confusing thing you have woven here Cassie. Very clever indeed." I hope you enjoy this month's selection. Remember, our Discussion day will take place on June 24th. Happy Reading!

An 8 plot point arc is one way to do it. There are many to be truthful. The best thing you can do is research, research, research and then write, write, write. Figure out what methods are out there that seem worthwhile to you and then use them. The only way to improve your writing is to learn and do.

Really? See, we had a pastor do our wedding, simply because he was a friend of my husband's family who agreed to perform the hubby's ceremony back when my guy was just a teen. That sort of thing wasn't an issue, of course, but I did take offense at the word 'obey' being in my ceremony so I asked him to take it out. Is there any reason you can't ask your officiant to use specific wording, or not to use it?

Hey, everyone deserves time off! Enjoy it while you have it hun. Your readers will still be here when you get back.